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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-03-16, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017. Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston • Associate Publisher: Deb Sholdice Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld • Heather Fraser The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $36.00/year ($34.29 + $1.71 G.S.T.) in Canada; $160.00/year in U.S.A. and $205/year in other foreign countries. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Mon. 2 p.m. - Brussels; Mon. 4 p.m. - Blyth. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 Canada RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1H0 email: info@northhuron.on.ca We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. • The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1 HO NOG 1 HO Ph. 519-523-4792 Phone Fax 519-523-9140 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.northhuron.on.ca AOC11a � ber Member CMCA CCNA AUDITED Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are m Copyright If only they would change it Since we're one year away from a provincial election which, the current polls show the Progressive Conservatives are likely to win, it seemed like good news last week when PC Leader Patrick Brown called for a moratorium on school closures in the province. Except — haven't we heard that promise before? Like after schools first began closing under the PC government of Mike Harris and the Liberals promised to re-examine the rules that were causing closures? Once they were elected the pace of closures actually sped up, as northern Huron residents learned from bitter experience. What Brown said sounds good. "The Liberal government's new rules completely ignore the value of our schools. It leaves our community representatives shut out from the process and recklessly reduces the amount of consultation required before closing a school, speeding the consultation process to just over two months" But as parents and communities have sadly learned the whole consultation process is a farce anyway. While the accommodation review process was still going on in northern Huron, the province went ahead and announced millions of dollars would be available to build a new school — yet school board officials had told one community they'd have to close their local school because they couldn't afford to repair the roof. There's more going on than declining enrollment. Obviously officials in the Ministry of Education have a vision of the kind of school system they want that doesn't include listening to what communities want. It would be nice to think a change in government would bring a bottom-up reversal of the current top-down system, but changing governments hasn't worked in the past. — KR The pot -smokers take control Like electoral reform, the Liberal government must be wishing it had never made one of its most hyped promises — to legalize use of marijuana. People like Marc and Jodi Emery keep hijacking the process. The Emerys last week were arrested by police and charged with drug trafficking, conspiracy and possession over a chain of stores they operate that sells pot products before the process of legalization has even begun. The Emerys portray themselves as victims and claim their arrest is silly because marijuana is about to be legalized anyway. But just because the government says it's going to make the drug legal doesn't mean that the Emerys, and other pot entrepreneurs who have been opening stores that sell pot prior to legalization, should get a head start on creating businesses that might be worth many millions of dollars. Few Canadians who haven't been smoking his product would be thrilled about the so- called Prince of Pot becoming a millionaire by breaking the law. Only time will tell if the government's plan to legalize marijuana is a wise move or if it will backfire. One thing's for sure, it requires considerable thought and the timetable shouldn't be dictated by people like the Emerys. — KR Those who throw mud .. . Just because the quote "with great power comes great responsibility" originated, reportedly, with a character in the comic book Spiderman doesn't mean it shouldn't apply to the President of the United States, particularly when he insists on behaving like a comic book character. One would like to think that the man with a finger on the trigger of the American nuclear arsenal would demonstrate at least a little bit of restraint but Donald Trump seems incapable of acting like a grown-up, let alone a wise, presidential leader of the free world. Even before he declared his candidacy for the Republican Party's presidential nomination, Trump had repeatedly made the wild claim that the sitting president, Barack Obama was not a legitimate president because he was not born in the U.S. When Obama's birth certificate proved he was American -born, Trump said he should get credit for straightening out all the speculation he had fueled. Trump's wild accusation that as President, Obama had bugged Trump tower went a whole degree crazier. Trump has offered no proof of his accusations against his predecessor. He just threw mud. But those who throw mud find it splatters on them and the real victim here will be Trump's credibility with other world leaders. — KR Letters Policy The Citizen welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and should include a daytime telephone number for the purpose of verification only. Letters that are not signed will not be printed. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information. As well, letters can only be printed as space allows. Please keep your letters brief and concise. Looking Back Through the Years March 15, 1944 Canadians were being told to take good care of the current set of tires on their cars because no synthetic tires would be available for civilians for the next 12 months. The news came straight from R.C. Berginshaw, president of the Polymer Corporation, at the annual convention of the Ontario Motor League. A special day of quilting for the Red Cross was held at the home of Mrs. Henry Keys in Cranbrook. Two quilts were completed as part of the work bee. A special night of bingo and dancing was scheduled for the Brussels Town Hall on March 24. The evening would feature a live orchestra performing for those in attendance and all funds raised would go towards the Brussels branch of the Red Cross. Admission to the night out was 25 cents. March 18, 1981 Firefighters were on the scene of a fire at Constance Forester's Lodge Hall near Londesborough. The blaze was said to have begun in the building's oil furnace. Jim Hunter resigned from his position as a councillor in East Wawanosh Township due to "frustration" and "unnecessary pressure" associated with the position. Hunter's resignation had yet to be officially accepted by council. Alice Beecroft of the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority said that at Maple Keys and other sugar bushes in the community the sap was finally running. Hullett Township Council was in the process of investigating the installation of yield signs throughout Londesborough, but was concerned about the high potential for vandalism on the new signs in the village. The request for the signs came from the local Women's Institute. However, Clerk Harry Lear said that signs in the village were constantly being ripped down or destroyed. March 19, 1997 Jean Charest, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, was scheduled to be in Goderich on March 27 for a town hall -style meeting to discuss both federal and regional issues. Charest had originally been scheduled to come to the Huron - Bruce riding in January, but his visit was prevented by inclement weather. The Blyth Business Association held a meeting that would involve a panel discussion on the Internet and whether it would serve to help or hurt small, rural communities like Blyth. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario was in the process of revoking liquor licences for dressing rooms at arenas in communities such as Brussels and Monkton. Board Secretary Rhonda Fischer said that before the dressing rooms were licensed, players would just bring their own beer and it was not regulated. Having the dressing rooms licensed, she said, offered the arena better control of consumption on the premises. Nearly $150,000 was raised by the Blyth community in order to purchase a new rescue truck for the Blyth Fire Department. The money was raised by way of pancake breakfasts by the fire department, private donations and assistance from the federal government. Fire Chief Paul Josling was pictured in The Citizen in front of the new truck accepting a cheque from fellow firefighter and Radford employee David McLellan. March 17, 2016 Ontario Deputy -Premier Deb Matthews was in Blyth to announce that the provincial government would be committing $3.3 million to the Blyth Arts and Culture 14/19 Initiative. Matthews, along with several other speakers such as Project Manager Peter Smith and Blyth Festival Artistic Director Gil Garratt, voiced how historic a day it was for Blyth. The occasion was so important that Smith arranged a large group picture on the steps of Blyth Memorial Hall to help make the day more memorable. The Fighting 61st, a joint project by the Blyth Festival and the Huron Arts and Heritage Network, was set to host a workshop in the June Hill Room of the Memorial Hall building. Working on the project was Garratt, Member to the Order of Canada, Paul Thompson, and several other young actors. Early plans for the show were that it would be performed outdoors as part of a special World War I anniversary in Goderich. In the face of rising police costs, Ontario Provincial Police Inspector Jason Younan told Huron County Council about the organization's new funding model and what was behind increases that some politicians felt were unreasonable and only bound to continue to rise. The Brussels Curling Club held its final bonspiel of the season at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. Curlers were encouraged to dress with the St. Patrick's Day theme.