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The Citizen, 2017-06-22, Page 4PAGE 4.THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 22, 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 AOCna tom. Member 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 One thing leads to another Blyth wouldn't have the opportunity to possibly host another major event, the "Transfigured Town" with 9,000 tickets presold, without the facilities at the Blyth Campground that have evolved over the years through a partnership of the municipality and the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. The unique services that the 40 -acre site, developed to host the annual Huron Pioneer Thresher Reunion, can provide has already brought events like the Fire Fighters Association of Ontario convention and Campvention. The latest event would be one more potential boost for the local economy in Blyth made possible by the campgrounds. Again it demonstrates the potential of volunteer groups to have a major impact on communities. The Threshers began more than 50 years ago with plans for a little get together of people who had experienced the days of threshing gangs. The little reunion quickly grew as more and more people came to see the old machinery in action. Some of the people bringing their equipment to the show wanted a place to stay for all three days so a few camp sites were created. More people wanted to stay so the Threshers bought more land and worked with the municipality, first the Village of Blyth and later the Township of North Huron, to improve the service to nearly 1,000 campsites. If the "Transfigured Town" comes to Blyth some of the credit should go to the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association.— KR Red tape may save lives The tragic deaths of dozens of people in a London, England highrise apartment fire illustrates again that, much as we dislike government regulations, they're necessary to save lives. The mystery for everyone who saw video of the explosive blaze was how a fire could spread so quickly in a building with relatively modern construction techniques. Something was obviously wrong for a fire to spread so quickly that people couldn't escape the 24 -storey building. On top of that, residents had complained for years about safety issues such as blocked stairwells, a single fire escape staircase and a lack of emergency lighting. Since the local council owned the building various governments in this case deserve the blame they're getting, whether for negligent management of the local level or allowing unsafe construction materials to be used at a senior government level. When we're on the other end, of course, if we're building something, we often complain about red tape and bureaucracy when governments require us to do something to meet a building code that we think is unnecessary. Often we complain that these regulations are overly cautious or just plain stupid. It's only when something like this London fire happens that we realize why tough standards are needed. Governments can't win. They're either too controlling or not taking enough control. In the wake of the murders of eight nursing home patients by their nurse Elizabeth Wettlaufer, some people claimed the provincial government somehow should have prevented the deaths. No doubt nursing home operators and staff would be unhappy with the red tape such protection would require. Many people died in that London fire because governments didn't do their jobs. Government doing government's job often means it will get in the road of us taking the easiest, cheapest way to get things done. If we want the safety government can provide, then we have to put up with the frustration of regulations. — KR Will this shooting matter? The shooting of Steve Scalise, Republican Party Whip in the U.S. House of Representatives, as he practised last week with his party's team for the annual Congressional baseball game, impressed the issue of gun violence directly on U.S. lawmakers. Will it make any difference? Certainly we've learned in the past few months that you don't need automatic weapons to kill large numbers of people, after terrorists have used cars, trucks and knives to kill people in Europe. Still automatic weapons remain the most efficient way to carry out a mass massacre. On the same day as the Scalise shooting, a gunman killed three co-workers and wounded two others at a UPS distribution center in San Francisco before being killed by police. There are so many mass shootings in the U.S. that unless it's especially savage or an unusual story, a shooting is unlikely to get national attention. One would think that the shooting of one of their own might finally make U.S. Republicans reconsider their support for the National Rifle Association's opposition to any restriction on military -style automatic weapons, but that's unlikely. One Republican legislator said the solution was to let politicians carry concealed weapons to protect themselves. Since the shooter was a former Democratic Party campaign worker with a grudge against Republicans, lawmakers seem more likely to ban Democrats than to ban automatic weapons. — KR Looking Back Through the Years June 21, 1944 Based on reports from the Agricultural Societies branch of the Ontario Department of Agriculture, it was expected that the number of agricultural societies across the province would increase in the coming year ahead of fall fair season. With 225 fall fairs held in 1943, the department estimated that that number would increase in the fall of 1944. The Canadian Red Cross was in the midst of expanding its blood bank capacity in the wake of increased demand. Due to the work that needed to be done, there would be no blood donor banks in July. June 22, 1967 Despite inclement weather, the Grey Township Centennial celebration attracted crowds of well over 2,000 people. Nearly 100 floats were entered into the celebration's parade as well. The contract for the Brussels Medical -Dental Centre was awarded to a local firm. The project would cost approximately $35,000 and the project went to Bernard TenPas and Sons of Brussels. The Brussels Lions Club installed its new officers for the 1967/1968 season. Calvin Smith would be the new president of the club, with Past - President George Mutter making way for the new man in charge. Jan van Vliet was the first vice- president, while Calvin Krauter was the second vice-president and James Armstrong Jr. was the third vice- president. Directors for the year to come would be Henry Exel, Gordon McGavin, James Knight and Ian McDonald. The Brussels "Come Home Week" Centennial celebration continued to take shape. An invitation had been sent out to the Brussels 1948 ladies championship softball team in hopes they would play in a special softball game on July 1 at 2 p.m. June 24, 1981 A men's slo-pitch team comprised of players from Blyth took part in a 32 -team tournament in Lucknow, first defeating the Wingham Slush Puppies by a score of 10-5 to start them off in the A division of the tournament. The team would then beat teams from Kincardine (14-0) and Port Elgin (11-6) on their way to the semi-finals where they beat Port Albert 3-2. The locals, however, would come up just short in the finals, losing to the team from Kingsbridge by a score of 16-6. Blyth Children's Theatre workshop had decided to expand for the coming year to include workshops for teenagers. Marni Walsh and Leslie Anne Bentley took charge of holding a special registration day for the workshop, looking for young people who were looking to learn about the workings of theatre. Sparling's Propane was in the final planning stages of hosting the company's second annual Squirt Boys softball tournament with games to be played from Friday night to Sunday afternoon. Teams would be travelling to Blyth from Sebringville, Mitchell, Mildmay and Tavistock to take part in the tournament. Roger Moore was back on the silver screen in the latest James Bond installment. For Your Eyes Only was playing at the Park Theatre in Goderich. June 25, 1997 The attention of the Blyth Lions Club was on Christmas, but with some warm weather, as they were busy planning the second annual Santa's Summer Ride. The motorcycle ride, which included teddy bears, toys and touring motorcycles, was scheduled to raise money for the Huron County Christmas Bureau. The ride would begin at Bainton's Old Mill in Blyth before heading towards Goderich and looping around St. Christopher's Beach before returning to the village. The attempted extermination of a gopher at a building in West Wawanosh caused a major fire that would eventually result in between $50,000 and $60,000 in damages. By the time the Lucknow and District Fire Department arrived at the barn, the building was completely engulfed in flames, said Fire Chief Peter Steer. Huron County Council said that if government reform were to take place in the form of amalgamation, the decision would have to be made by local levels of government. Blyth Reeve Mason Bailey said it was important that Huron County Council not impose its will on others who may disagree with the move. The remount of the Blyth Festival hit Quiet in the Land was said to be an excellent start to the 1997 Festival season. Quiet in the Land, written by Anne Chislett, premiered at the Blyth Festival in 1981 and would go on to win the Governor General's Award for drama and the Chalmers Canadian Play Award. Festival regular, David Fox, reprised the role of Christy, whom he played in the first season of the production in 1981.