Buying Is Your Business By FLORENCE s. GRABAN business, and women control and direct it. This buying power amounted to 16 billion dollars during 1955 which is two- thirds of the total national spending. Women should realize that no successful business, even in the million dollar range, would think of operating without planning and provnding for the most highly skilled staff and organi- C ONSUMER BUYING is Canada‘s largest nation, Every important group in Canada. such as labor, business and agriculture_ 15 organized, The consumer, however, wh1ch represents many groups is not fully organized. Canadian women today hold in their keepâ€" ing great economic power, which they have scarcely begun to evaluate, nor do they realâ€" ize the strength and power they can wield in the economic life of the nation. As responsible women who have the interest of Canada at heart, we need to learn through working to- gether how we can harness this power and use it most effectively for the good of all our Canadian citizens in the home, the community and the nation. The Canadian Association of Consumers was created in 1947 by Canada's leading national women‘s organizations for the purpose of rep- resenting the consumer. The Association in- forms consumers of what they should know for their protection for wise and economic buying and discusses with Government offi- cials matters relating to appropriate legisla- tion. It also advises manufacturers regarding consumer opinion with respect to their parâ€" ticular product. We try in every manner possible to help consumers save and stretch dollars and to improve the standard and quail» ity of the merchandise they purchase. The Association has worked towards the enactment of legislation in respect to banning price-fixing and resale price maintenance. As a result the consumer can shop around and obtain the benefit of variation in prices and thereby effect saving. The Association was chiefly responsible for the passing of the Canadian Trade Mark lC.S.) and True Label- ling Hill. A law was also enacted that makes it compulsory to print and specify the weight content of soaps and detergents when packed. A Government regulation was also put into force banning the use of red striped wrappers on bacon. We haw.- presented briefs to Gov- ernment agencies dealing with the tariff on textiles and potatocs, and briefs relating to "lOl‘llipolieS_ patents. trade marks. industrial design. and marketing boards. A bricf on the problem of surplus butter was recently presented to the Prime Minister. The Association is greatly concerned with this problem which is of firm importance to the dairy farmer, and desires to see that this im- 24 portant industry continues in a he“ i. economically. It has suggested to ill riate authorities methods that could to relieve the mounting surplus. It is that a number of theSe suggestion put into effect. Provincial Branches of the Associs helped with the disposal of variou crops such as onions, potatoes, che. and apples. Such branches are pr.- consumer representation on Various : boards in order to assist in dealing t- rural problems. There have been other accomp achieved in your interest such as ll ing: standard sizes for children';~ which, after three years’ Co-Opel'ill with Government representatives il‘ facturers, will soon be appearing on ket. This involves a whole new torn and body measurements and will in ings and may eliminate many heal mothers, storekeepers and clerks. ' be made and checked during the coil mer before a complete change in ments takes place. Basic foods such as bread and n received serious study and many rt dations put forth by the Association l: adopted. These foods and others sui riched bread and vitaminized apple bringing great benefits in impru health of our people. “Vitaminiz- juice," is back on the store shelves at absent since the last war. The A has worked hard to get this imply necessary vitamin reâ€"instated. It cur stituted for citrus juice and will ii towards using one of our very fine apples. The compulsory pasteurizaliz- is a goal and objective that all l‘ C.A.C_ Branches are working toward has this protection and related l> Space does not permit further disc: all matters that. have been achieved are still in process of accomplishmu half of consumers. Women generate “economic-bul'in‘ every time they make a purchase. demands and desires of women the†wheels turning, but at times there IT: evaluation of purchases as they are at in the best interest of economy- show that during some years more I'I' been spent on jewelry than on educa' the C.A.C. and become the info†ciplined consumer that can make L pattern for other nations in buildin. world. Every individual has power fluence, but in unity there is strenfl‘l ‘ll Vi HOME AND COUNT"