Business Congratulations! Even if you don’t realize it fully, you probably know more about money than you did a year or two ago. I have just completed a series of 16 “money shows” at which I spoke to more than 7,000 people. These seminars were co-sponsored by many of the papers that publish this column including The Review and the Certified General Accountants Association of B.C. ‘You could take out personal loans or buy with your department store credit card. But Visa and MasterCard did not exist — not even in their original forms as Chargex and MasferCharge.’ The level of knowledge among those who attended impressed me. Even if you didn’t attend one of the money shows, the fact you are reading these words indicates you take an interest in managing your money more effectively. Simply exposing yourself to advice about saving tax, getting out of debt, getting into invest- ments and all the other bits of North Saanich to Chamber's North Saanich’s refusal to join a Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce-sponsored regional economic development program shocked Chamber representatives who put the proposal before a district committee Monday. Mayor Linda Michaluk said North Saanich would participate in joint planning for a farmers market, for sale of sludge from the Bazan Bay sewage treatment centre and for eliminating use of disposable bags in local busi- nesses. But it would not back any initia- tives to draw more residents or businesses to North Saanich. Chamber municipal affairs and economic development chairman Paul Deeton said he was shocked North Saanich would limit its participation to only those issues, closing the door to all other alter- natives. “That’s a closed door,” Micha- luk responded. “In fact you may regard it as locked.” The committee recommended to council that only issues like those cited by Michaluk be discussed by North Saanich and to support liaison between the Chamber, North Saanich, Sidney and Central Saanich. “We're trying to be very honest with you,” Michaluk said. ‘‘We have just adopted a new official community plan that will have us hanging out the ‘Sorry, no room to let’ sign very shortly.” The Chamber asked North Saa- nich to join in providing informa- tion packages for people wanting to establish homes or business on the Peninsula. “Jd rather they didn’t know about North Saanich,” Michaluk said, adding that information on the municipality was available from the municipal hall. An earlier proposal for eco- nomic development in North Saa- nich was not well received by residents, Michaluk added. Chamber tourism chairman Rick Roberts said economic devel- information improves your ability to handle your personal finances better — again, even if you aren’t consciously aware of the process. People at those 16 money shows and readers of money columns like this ask more intelligent questions today than they did a few years ago. Part of the reason for these changes has to be that financial planning was relatively simpler in the past. Preparing your tax return was simpler. Ottawa had not yet come up with the various tax incentive and deferral schemes we know today. There was no capital gains tax. You didn’t have to do as much tax planning because there were fewer choices. As far as investing, you could buy Canada Savings Bonds, invest in the stock market or buy revenue property. Mutual funds had not made their appearance. Registered retirement savings plans were only just being con- ceived. It would be years before financial institutions or the public took enough interest in RRSPs to turn them into the complex, multi- billion-dollar business they are today. Buying property didn’t take as ™