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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-06-01, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 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 AOCnaMember CCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council CMCA AUDITED We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are m Copyright The closer to home, the better Huron County Council's decision to postpone a decision on Huron Economic Development Board's request for a $60,000 consultant's study into the streamlining of services in the county gives some time to consider where the real problem is that the board wants addressed. The Economic Development Board was apparently concerned about some delays that hindered the efficient development of two local projects: the Four Winds Barn in Brussels and Cowbell Brewing Company's new facility just south of Blyth in Central Huron. County councillors, meanwhile, were getting blowback from their lower -tier colleagues, that the study sounded like one more attempt to bring single - tier government to the county. We must make it as easy as possible to help new developments like these two get off the ground, while protecting the interests of neighbours, the community and the environment. There's no doubt that projects such as Cowbell brewery, located in one municipality but requiring services from the neighbouring municipality, would have a smoother path if that boundary were erased. On the other hand, developers generally have no greater boosters than local councillors who want to see their communities improve. Often this local support is frustrated at the county level when planning officials see only the rules and not the reason to cut through the red tape. Anyone in love with the bigger -is -better philosophy should take a look at the education system where decision-making is now so far removed from the community level that most people feel little sense of ownership of their school or of the system itself. The closer we can keep decision-making to the local community, the better. — KR How much does rural matter? The last week or so has provided conflicting examples of how much rural Canada matters in Canadian politics these days. It certainly meant a good deal to the hopes of Maxime Bernier to win the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. Bernier led in every one of the 13 rounds of balloting it took to name a leader until the last one. In the end, his pledge to abolish the supply management system for dairy and poultry products probably was his downfall. Even party members in his own riding of Beauce voted against him, as did members in 30 of Quebec's 78 ridings. In many cases those members were farmers who bought party memberships so they could oppose Bernier. But if Bernier's downfall showed rural voters still have some clout in politics, indications didn't appear so hopeful from the lack of interest shown by both Conservative and NDP leadership candidates in issues brought before them by the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation (CRRF). CRRF, made up of people working on rural development for municipalities and at universities, sent a questionnaire to 13 Conservative candidates and five NDP candidates. Of the Conservatives, only Chris Alexander, among those in the running at Saturday's leadership convention, answered. None of the NDP candidates showed any interest in replying to questions that asked them what were the three most prominent opportunities for rural Canada and what the government could do to help rural Canada take advantage of these opportunities. CRRF's rural development professionals were depressed that their life's work of trying to help rural Canada thrive was so little valued by candidates who hope to become prime minister. Perhaps the lesson of Bernier's defeat might get the politicians' attention. — KR These enemies are best friends The world is upside down when people can take great pride in a suicide bomber killing children and teenagers, as happened at that rock concert in Manchester, England last week. Still, this seems to be the world we live in: where truth is considered a lie and lies become truth and children are acceptable targets. And the irony is that Muslim extremists who see westerners as the enemy, have as their best friends white supremacists who unwittingly help promote their cause through their violent response to violence. Last week a 35 -year-old man with a white supremacist past stabbed two men to death on a Portland, Oregon train when they intervened to stop him harassing two young Muslim women. Apparently he yelled that Muslims should die because they had been killing Christians for years. Closer to home, 40 representatives of the Worldwide Coalition Against Islam and Soldiers of Odin picketted a Red Deer high school last week after a video of a schoolyard fight between four Syrian and four Canadian students was posted on social media. Whoever posted the video claimed the Syrians had been whipping students and claimed school officials wouldn't discipline the Syrians. None of it was true. No doubt these two incidents will help misbegotten Muslim radicals recruit more confused people to undertake violence which will in turn create more anti -Muslim extremists. Will it ever end? — KR Looking Back Through the Years May 31, 1944 The Huron Federation of Agriculture was set to host its second annual field day and picnic at the Seaforth Lions Park on June 14. The day would feature a judging competition, sports for the children and a number of esteemed guest speakers like the Governor General of Canada and the editor-in-chief of the Family Herald and the Weekend Star. The 42nd annual meeting of the East Huron Women's Institute was scheduled to be held in the basement of the Bluevale Presbyterian Church on June 8. The day would include a morning and afternoon session. The annual meeting of the Brussels Ladies' Bowling Club yielded a new executive for the group. Jessie Little was set to lead the group in the coming year as president, with Mrs. D. A. Rann serving as her vice-president. June 1, 1967 The Baeker name would no longer be associated with the Brussels butcher shop for the first time in 63 years. George Baeker, who had been running the business since he returned from active duty in the 1940s, sold his interest in the business to Fred Stephenson of Brussels, who had been an employee of the shop for a number of years. The Baeker brothers, William and Cleve, had first purchased the business in 1904 and after Cleve died, it became W.L. Baeker and Son. George said he would miss seeing a number of customers on a daily basis from the other side of the counter. The 1967 Western Ontario Athletic Association's PeeWee softball schedule had been released and Brussels was due to travel to Whitechurch on June 6, followed by Chepstow travelling to Brussels on June 8, Brussels playing in Lucknow on June 13 and Mildmay taking on Brussels on June 15. Over $20,000 in donations and pledges had been received for the new Brussels Medical Dental Centre as a result of a most successful canvass of the community. June 3, 1981 Robbie Plunkett of Auburn was scheduled to take part in a provincial student track and field competition in Thunder Bay. Plunkett's specialty was the hurdles. Plunkett placed second at the local competition in Kitchener, representing Goderich District Collegiate Institute, which then earned him the right to move on to the provincial competition. The Blyth Vees Intermediate Fastball Club decided to officially fold operations for the 1981 season. The team diverted its funds to the Blyth Horseshoe League, which was set to be run in conjunction with the Blyth Lions Club. The Walton Women's Institute marked its 25th anniversary with a special meeting and celebration. The first meeting of the organization was held on May 3, 1956 and Margaret Humphries was elected as the first president in the institute's history. A number of past presidents of the organization were present to help mark the anniversary, although Humphries had passed away. The Blyth Industrial Softball League was set to resume play for another season. The 1981 season was scheduled to kick off again on Sunday, June 7 with a pair of games. Mannings would take on Radfords at 7 p.m. that night, while Howsons would take on Auburn to complete the double-header. The season was scheduled to run until the middle of August, when Lawries took on Howsons and Mannings played Burkholders in the two final games of the season on Sunday, Aug. 16. June 4, 1997 Contributing to a national trend, Huron County elected a member of the governing Liberal Party to represent the riding. Paul Steckle returned to the House of Commons for a second term, garnering the support of nearly 25,000 voters across the riding. Steckle cruised to victory, beating his closest competition, Reformer Doug Fines, by over 14,000 votes. "For me, the fact of my standing up on issues which were important to my constituents and standing against my party were fundamental to my return," Steckle said after being re-elected. "I showed I put the people's interest first. They were the priority in Ottawa." Steckle was the clear favourite across the entirety of the riding, winning 50 per cent of the vote at nearly every poll throughout Huron and Bruce Counties. His victory was part of a Liberal victory that saw the party win 103 seats across the country. The Blyth Festival was set to open its 1997 season with the award- winning Quiet in the Land by Anne Chislett. Later in the year, Booze Days in a Dry County, There's Nothing in the Paper and The Melville Boys would follow Quiet in the Land to round out the Festival season. The opening night's gala guest speaker was Dan Needles, the award-winning playwright of the Wingfield series of plays.