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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2015-01-14, Page 44 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, January 14, 2015 11 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com (iron Expositor PUBLISHED WEEKLY — EST. 1860 P.O. Box 69, 8 Main Street Seaforth Ontario NOK 1 WO phone: 519-527-0240 fax: 519-527-2858 www.seaforthhuronexpositor SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher nei I.clifford@sunmedia.ca MAXWELL BICKFORD Advertising Rep. max.bickford@sunmedia.ca DIANNE MCGRATH Front Office seaforth.classifieds@su n m edia.ca MARIE DAVID Sun Media Group Publisher Grey Bruce Huron Division 519-364-2001 or 519-372-4301 SUBSCRIPTION RATES 1 YEAR $50.00 (47.62+2.38 GST) 2YEAR $95.00 (90.48+4.52GST) SENIORS 60 WEEKS $50.00 (47.62+2.38 GST) 120 WEEKS $95.00 (90.48+4.52 GST) Publications Mail Agreement No.40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT P.O. Box 69 Seaforth ON NOK 1 WO For any non -deliveries or delivery concerns: phone: 519-527-0240 Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. We acknowledge the financial support of the Govemment of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Canada editorial Differing views make for better governance Apologies to Sir John A. Macdonald, but we seldom turn to photos of the Confederation family he began for albums of kumbaya moments. Brinksmanship, bickering, bluster — if we think of relations among our prime ministers and premiers at all, it's too often the dysfunctional stuff. Happily, the machinery of governments manages to mesh just fine, no matter the frictions at the top. Bureaucrats and back -roomers are always on the back channels. That said, we shouldn't make too much of the fact that Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne went nearly 400 days without talking until their recent meeting in Toronto before Harper caught the Canada -Russia gold -medal game in the world junior hockey championship. Indeed, a little frostiness between first ministers can be a good thing. Yes, it may seem odd that heads of Canada's two largest governments don't have more face time. On the other hand, what would they talk about? Harper and his Conservatives, balancing their budget and pulling in federal horns, are all about reducing the role of the state in our lives, even if they can afford to enrich it. Plenty of voters agree. Wynne and her Liberals, who have doubled Ontario's debt in a decade and still can't balance their books, are all about expanding government's role, even if they can't afford it. Again, many voters agree. Without the frostiness between the two leaders, their starkly different approaches — one slavishly devoted to balancing a budget, the other happy to let the red ink flow — wouldn't be nearly as evident. Would we be as engaged in pipeline safety as we are if B.C. Premier Christy Clark had not, early on, slapped down approval conditions for Alberta's Ali- son Redford on an oil pipeline to the West Coast? Resource rights, health care funding, federal -pro- vincial transfers and — dare we say it? — constitu- tional arrangements: Many key defining issues of our time were settled not because first ministers were all on the same song page, but because they were not and had to compromise instead. If silence breaks out between them now and then, we shouldn't sweat it: They have people for that. - Sun Media letter to the editor Donation by wind company irks reader To the Editor: The Seaforth Food Bank donation by the St. Columban Indus- trial Wind Turbine Construction Company featured in The Huron Expositor Dec. 22 issue bothered me. I always believe that a gift sincerely given expects no accolade and needs no boasting. To me, the Wind Company's gift of approximately $2,200 was meager and self-serving. A wind construction company of multi- national magnitude and with billion dollar assets causing astounding community conflict could be a little more generous. Tuesday Tunes, a music programme for senior citizens, in which I have been involved, chose the Seaforth Food Bank as our beneficiary. This group of fun -loving citizens has regularly donated over $3000 annually to the Food Bank for the past 14 years, the dura- tion of the event providing over 30,000 dollars. Tuesday Tunes achieved this, not by sucking millions of dollars out of the tax- payer, nor by causing ill health to a neighbor, nor by exploiting a badly designed Act of government, nor by increasing electricity bills. Bona fide citizens achieved this through having fun in a home- town community, providing good will for all concerned, causing harm to no one and with no expectation of acknowledgement, we neither expected nor wished for an article or picture in the community newspaper. That is true giving. As for the Wind Company's donation, they chose public dis- play, a wish for public accolade. Comparing assets of the Senior Citizens and the Wind Com- pany, the multi -national businesses' donation seemed paltry. I question if the wind company's true intent is to sway public opinion into believing that it is bringing goodwill to the commu- nity. They must not be attuned to many of St. Columban resi- dents' personal pain, the failed inter -generational farm plans, the distaste of an ever-present 525 ft. rotating structure outside the backdoor or the health fears that abound. If the wind company is aware or chooses not to find out about these concerns, then their do nation is deceitful In my eyes, any donation to help feed a person is appreciated if given for that reason, to feed the hungry. With the donation of the St Columbian wind company, I see a different intent, an intent to disguise the malevolent actions in which they are involved. In my opinion, a donation of any form on behalf of a wind company is deceptive. Tom Melady Stratford, formerly of St. Columban get seaforthhuronexpositor.com Get all of your news, sports and more. Serving Seaforth and surrounding area SEAFORTH HURON EXPOSITOR — HOURS OF OPERATION MONDAY: 9:00 - 5:00 • TUESDAY: - CLOSED • WEDNESDAY: - 9:00 - 5:00 • THURSDAY: - 9:00 - 5:00 • FRIDAY: - 9:00 - 5:00 • SATURDAY & SUNDAY: - CLOSED ADVERTISING DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 2:00 • PHONE 519-527-0240 • FAX: 519-527-2858 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com