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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-07-20, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 20, 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. Canada MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 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 1H0 NOG 1 H0 Ph. 519-523-4792 Phone Fax 519-523-9140 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.northhuron.on.ca ocna ab CCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council CMCA AUDITED We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright You've got to keep trying The announcement that Huron East's Win This Space contest will focus on Brussels this year is good news for the village. Critics could say that municipalities are overreaching when they try to stimulate businesses on main streets, and in some municipalities they might be right, but unfortunately not in our Huron County villages. We need all the help we can get. Unlike cities like Toronto where the municipality's biggest challenge is dealing with growth, we not only need our municipalities to help businesses to be successful, but we need them to inspire people to become entrepreneurs, as the Win This Space contest does. Retail businesses face challenges everywhere. Even owners of large malls in cities that are vigorously growing are having to rethink the way they do business as they lose major tenants like Target and Sears. These owners, however, have the advantage of controlling their entire "main street" and being able to develop strategies to keep their storefronts full for the future. We need someone, in this case Huron East is at least trying, to rethink our main streets and find ways to keep buildings filled with successful businesses. After all, main street is the face of our community. — KR So sad, so inspiring • It's almost mind -numbing to watch, for the second year in a row, thousands of people driven from their homes by raging wildfires, this time in central British Columbia. If there's one thing that can soften the tragedy, however, it's watching the generosity of people who have rushed to help, either to fight the fires or to try to make life as comfortable as possible for the people who have been displaced. Just as in Fort McMurray last year, these fires have relentlessly spread, forcing thousands to flee to cities and towns at a safe distance. In places like Prince George and Kamloops, hundreds of volunteers have mobilized to give people shelter and provide meals. Volunteers are even housing and feeding livestock and pets that people brought with them. Despite the disruption in their lives, despite the uncertainty of their future, you can see the relief and emotional gratitude on the faces of those who have been welcomed by caring strangers. Sometimes when Mother Nature does her worst, human nature does its best. — KR GG's role grows in importance The announcement that former astronaut Julie Payette will become Canada's next Governor General illustrates once again how the vice- regal position has become significant for Canada. In recent years the position has been occupied by some remarkable people. Payette succeeds David Johnston, former principal of the University of Waterloo and McGill University, as well as the dean of Western University's law school. He turned out to be an outstanding representative of the Queen, focusing attention on education, philanthropy and innovation. Prior to that, Michaelle Jean, a former journalist and one-time refugee from Haiti, put the spotlight on issues such as the armed forces, Indigenous Canadians (even, controversially, eating raw seal meat on an Arctic tour) and the arts — especially youth involvement in them. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, she represented Canada on a visit to her devastated homeland. Another remarkable woman, Adrienne Clarkson held the post before Jean. She was also refugee, her family having fled to Canada to escape the Japanese invasion of China. Clarkson grew up to be a celebrity television personality and author. In office, she had the power to inspire, as she did with her moving eulogy at the dedication of the tomb of the unknown soldier in Ottawa in May, 2000. Payette seems a perfect choice for the job (even the opposition parties could find nothing to complain about). As well as going into space twice, she was chief operating officer of the Montreal Science Centre. After growing up in Montreal speaking only French, she became fluently bilingual, and even learned Russian after being named an astronaut. Her predecessors have grown the office of the Governor General into an important, if ceremonial, position. Unlike a Prime Minister, when a Governor General gives a speech, listeners know there is no hidden political agenda at work, trying to influence voters. When they speak, as Clarkson did in her eulogy, it comes straight from the heart. In addition, the Governor General also has an advantage that the Queen herself doesn't have. The Queen holds office because of an accident of birth. Our Governors General, at least in recent years, have been appointed because they have proven themselves worthy of representing Canadians. Julie Payette seems to have so many of the prerequisites to fulfill this job and make Canadians proud. — KR Looking Back Through the Years July 19, 1944 The police committee of Huron County Council decided to abolish the position of traffic officer and part ways with Norman Lever, who had held the position since 1921. Lever was given one month's pay in lieu of the appropriate notice, as the position was abolished effective immediately. As a result, the committee was to immediately begin searching for a fourth county constable to be stationed in Blyth and that each county constable would then monitor traffic in his own area. The motion was carried unanimously. July 27, 1967 A number of members of the Brussels Masonic Lodge travelled to a special meeting of the Ontario Masons in Toronto to witness the annual communication service. At the meeting, Worshipful Brother Bob McKenzie of Lucknow was elected District Deputy of the Grand Master for the North Huron district, which was comprised of 12 area lodges. A head-on collision shocked the community and resulted in the death of a Morris Township woman and the hospitalization of two teenagers. The collision between the car being driven by the Morris Township woman collided with a lumber truck on the sixth concession of Morris four miles from Brussels. July 29, 1981 Fire destroyed the home barn of Hugh Flynn of RR1, Londesborough. Along with the loss of the building, over 5,000 bales of hay were lost. Two bulls and five calves were in the barn at the time of the fire, but were able to escape the building without injury. Fire Departments from both Blyth and Clinton responded to the blaze and stayed at the home from the afternoon, when the call came in, well into the night. Residents of Morris Township were busy preparing for the township's 125th anniversary, building and designing floats for the event's float. The annual ladies softball tournament in Auburn was once again declared a success and it was the Goderich Sailorettes who won the title, claiming victory in the final game over their competition, the Clinton Housewives. The Auburn Women's Institute hosted the group's annual Children's Day, which welcomed nearly 70 children and their families to the Auburn Community Memorial Hall. Part of the program was a slate of musical numbers from area youth, which included a trumpet solo by Angela Schneider and a piano solo by Anita Gross. Directors of the Blyth Horticultural Society were in the final stages of planning the group's annual Flower and Vegetable Show. This year's event was scheduled to be held on Aug. 13 at the Blyth Arena. July 23, 1997 The quick response of two Goderich OPP officers likely resulted in the saving of three lives after a boat sunk in Lake Huron on July 20. Senior OPP Constable John Marshall reported that police had received a call about a boat sinking in the lake between 700 and 800 metres offshore from Kitchigami Camp Point Upon arriving, the pair of OPP officers observed three people in their 20s in the water. The officers stripped off their police gear and took a canoe they'd found, swimming alongside it through the rough water to the citizens in distress, saving their lives in the process. According to police, the three had set sail from Goderich Harbour to watch the sunset, but their boat began taking on water and they couldn't get back to shore after the engine of their boat stalled. A 20 -year-old Ethel woman was named Huron Holstein Princess, beating out two other contestants at the competition, which was held at the Blyth -area farm of Art and Carrie Bos on July 9. Wanda Martin, the daughter of Lyle and Barbara, was now set to represent the county's Holstein producers for a one-year term, during which she would promote and stimulate interest in the club's activities. A second -year student in the University of Guelph's agri-business program, Martin said she ran for the crown because she wanted to gain further life experience. The steering committee of the Blyth Greenway Trail project was invited residents to participate in Fish Habitat Day on July 26. The day aimed to give residents a chance to get directly involved in the fisheries work that was being co- ordinated in the village courtesy of the Blyth Optimist Club as part of the Greenway project. Members of the Brussels 125th Homecoming Committee were proudly pictured in the pages of The Citizen next to brand new entrance signs installed at the four entry points of the village. The signs were a joint effort between Merle Hoegy of Brussels Agromart and its suppliers, as well as the village and local service clubs.