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The Citizen, 2017-06-15, Page 4PAGE 4.THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 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 Good government's what counts While Huron County's Economic Development Board might seem to be dabbling in areas beyond its scope by calling for a study into the efficient delivery of services in the county, the proposal does make some sense. With our population stagnant for a generation, Huron County needs jobs to bring more people to the area. Too much bureaucracy and red tape can discourage people trying to start businesses in the county. We need to facilitate entrepreneurs to grow our county and create jobs to allow our young people to find work and live here if that's what they wish. At the same time, government can't be all about jobs at the expense of the rest of the population. Cutting social services, for instance, in the name of keeping taxes low to attract business is not a smart strategy. The delicate balance between what's good for business and for the general population can be seen right now in the issues surrounding the elevator in Goderich. Neighbouring homeowners have complained about dust when the elevator processes corn. The provincial ministry has been enforcing its regulations, preventing corn from Huron County farms from being loaded on ships. It's costing farmers an extra 20 cents a bushel to truck corn to Hamilton to be shipped. Restrictions at the elevator hurt many but does that mean a few neighbours don't have a right to clean air? It's a difficult balance. — KR Please, don't remind us Most Canadians were probably too busy shopping for bargains this week to notice World Vision Canada's conscience -prodding report that last year Canadians bought $34 billion worth of products made by child labourers around the world. Among the goods the report points to as likely to have been produced using child labourers are clothing from Bangladesh, shoes from India and tomatoes from Mexico. World Vision Canada estimates 21 million people have been coerced, trapped or intimidated into performing jobs, with 5.5 million of these forced labourers being children. But a new poll conducted by Ipsos Reid on behalf of World Vision showed 54 per cent of the 1,007 Canadians who were asked didn't believe what they are buying is produced by child labour when they buy things like fresh blueberries in the dead of winter. Maybe we just don't want to hear. Our consciences were jolted in November 2012 when 117 people died and 200 were injured in the Tazreen Fashion factory in Bangladesh. We learned that many well-known Canadian companies had clothing made by poorly -paid employees in that fire -trap of a building. We had a chance to look more closely at the source of bargains we buy in stores and on the internet but instead we went right back to bargain hunting. According to the new study, imports of products from endangered workers has increased 31 per cent ($26 billion to $34 billion) since 2012. Let's be honest, most Canadians have become true consumers, worrying only about accumulating as much as they can for as little expense as they can. They don't want to be told their shopping decisions have consequences, whether it be loss of local stores, your neighbour's manufacturing job being shipped off shore, or people being mistreated while they make our bargains. Most people will ignore the World Vision report and keep on bargain hunting. — KR To politicians: don't get greedy It's always good to see greed punished, even if it's practiSed by politicians hungry to turn current popularity into longer-term gain by calling a snap election. British Prime Minister Theresa May, riding high in the polls, called an election for last week when one wasn't needed until 2020. She had a majority of 17 seats in the previous parliament but dreamed to increasing that. Instead, British voters punished this opportunistic move and sent May's Conservatives back to work, not with an enlarged majority, but with a minority government. Now she's clinging to power through an arrangement with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party. We've seen this sort of voter backlash before here in Ontario. In 1990 David Peterson's Liberal government seemed flush with popularity with the support of 50 per cent of voters while the Progressive Conservatives and New Democratic Party (NDP) split the rest of those polled. It seemed like a clever idea to call an election and lengthen his government's mandate, although Peterson was only three years into his term. Instead, voters reacted to what they felt was Peterson's arrogance. His government was thrown out with the NDP forming a government for the first time. Peterson lost his own seat by a wide margin to an NDP candidate. The NDP even won in Huron County! Here's hoping that all politicians in parliamentary democracies learn a lesson from Theresa May's opportunism and not try to take advantage of temporary spikes in popularity. — KR ,ISR FlowerCity @brampton Mainstream media can't be trusted. Sad! fTw enews r r neasecartoons.com BIRAMPTONc,r�rC Looking Back Through the Years June 14, 1944 Melville Presbyterian Church was set to host its annual anniversary service on June 18. The guest preacher for the service was to be Rev. W. E. Kelley of Listowel. The choir was also scheduled to present special music at both the morning and the evening services that day. A special meeting was scheduled for June 20 at the Brussels Library to discuss a number of issues regarding doing business in wartime. A. G. Smith of the management service division of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board was the speaker at the meeting. The Brussels meeting was only one of two that would be held in Huron County, with the other to be held in Goderich. A blood clinic was held at Melville Presbyterian Church and an article in The Brussels Post celebrated those who had returned to the clinic for their third, fourth and fifth donations in recent months. Mrs. Bob Campbell had made her fifth donation, while Lloyd Wheeler, Ken Nichol and Stuart Kerr had made their fourth donations. William King Sr., William King Jr., Janet King, George Blake, John Blake, Gordon Blake, Glenn Huether, Murray Huether, Ross Nichol and Harold Campbell made their third donations. June 15, 1967 Brussels United Church held its annual Flower Sunday Service on June 11 and Rev. Allan Johnston was the guest speaker. The topic of Johnston's discussion was "How Firm a Foundation." For the special event, the church was said to be decorated with special Canada Centennial emblems and other floral displays. A collection of service groups in Brussels were banding together to host the annual decoration day service at the Brussels Cemetery. The Independent Order of Oddfellows, Rebekahs, the Royal Canadian Legion and the Legion Ladies Auxiliary, along with the Legion Pipe Band, were set to host the event together. Rev. A. Higginbotham of Walton's Duff's United Church would be the guest speaker for the day. The Brussels Fire Department held the Brussels Firemen's Centennial Ball at the Legion Hall. An enthusiastic crowd of costumed attendees was present for the dance and for the elimination draw. June 17, 1981 Ratepayers in East Wawanosh were going to have to pay 15 per cent more in taxes in the coming year after council adopted its 1981 budget. The increase meant that a home or farm property assessed at $5,000 would have to pay $117.94 more in taxes than the homeowners had to pay the previous year. When asked, councillors said that while the increase was high, it wasn't out of line. They pointed to other neighbouring municipalities that were having to institute even higher increases. The Blyth Horseshoe League completed construction of new pits at the Blyth Lions Park. This was just ahead of a scheduled June 19 meeting where league rules and membership fees for the new league would be discussed. The Londesboro and District Lions were busy sponsored a bike-a- thon in an attempt to raise money for the Constance (Kinburn) Foresters and the construction of their new building. A new book entitled Historic Streetscapes of Huron County, illustrated by Nicholas Hill of Goderich, would include sketches of Blyth's main street and its railway stations. Hill had been working on the book for over four years and it would include over 100 sketches and 40 maps when it was published. June 18, 1997 Walton Public School held its annual fun carnival on what was said to be a warm June evening. The night featured a number of contests like long jumping, bursting a balloon, puck shooting, putting a golf ball or dousing a friend with a wet sponge. The event also included pony rides and wagon rides. Wayne Lowe stepped up to the plate and said he would again serve as the Town Crier for the Brussels Anniversary Homecoming. Lowe had served in the same capacity for the Brussels 115th anniversary and would now do the same as Brussels was set to mark its 125th anniversary. Hullett Township was scheduled to be one of the first local townships to be part of the new 911 emergency response system. The road identification system was in the process of being rolled out and it was hoped it would be in place by the fall of 1998. While Grey Township had received signs for its roads, Clerk - Treasurer Brad Knight said the township wouldn't be erecting them until the following year, while Hullett Township staff had already started putting their signs up. Nearly 400 motocross racers gathered at the track in Auburn with hopes of earning enough points to attend the Walton Nationals. A crew from TSN was there to film for an episode of Compete.