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The Citizen, 2017-08-03, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 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 Good luck for a new beginning With the opening of Blyth Cowbell Brewing Co.'s brewery on the southern edge of Blyth this weekend, a new era will begin in Blyth and north -central Huron County. Often, these days, when a town or village is blessed with a significant new employer, it's because some multinational corporation chose it for the location of a branch plant. Cowbell Brewing is different, the product of a huge investment in their own community by the Sparling family. It's the second major employer the Sparlings have created in Blyth, the other being Grant Sparling Sr.'s slow building of Sparling's Propane from a small sideline to a leading distributor of propane across Ontario. Not only will Cowbell have an immediate impact on employment and tourism, but the ambitious plans of the company's management will, if successful, continue to add exciting growth prospects for years to come. Even though Blyth has never become one of Huron County's major urban centres, it has been very fortunate for years now to have had local entrepreneurs who have reshaped and rejuvenated the community through their vision and hard work. Cowbell continues that trend and local residents can only wish the new venture good luck. — KR What is a living wage? Touring the province last week Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne promised employers measures to offset the expense of her promise of a $15 minimum wage by January 1, 2019. It's hard to see how she can find enough cuts in provincial fees and red tape to help employers offset a 32 per cent increase in the minimum wage over only 18 months. The scale of the expense of this increase was demonstrated last week when Loblaw Cos. Ltd. reported its labour costs will grow by $190 million in the next year because of increased minimum wages of Ontario and Alberta. Of course that's only going to confirm for advocates of the minimum wage increase that they were right all along: that if a profitable company like Loblaws is going to see such a large increase in its payroll, it was badly underpaying its employees. Loblaws, of course will survive the higher costs, although it may have to increase prices to pay its employees more — an increase that will drive up the cost of living and start a new round to demands for a higher minimum wage. Soaring wage costs will be much harder for small businesses to absorb. Some will no doubt close. Others may reduce their staff. In both cases employees may lose their jobs. Even those employers who survive shouldn't relax. A $15 minimum wage isn't likely to satisfy anti -poverty activists for long. In 2015, long before Wynne's promise of a $15 minimum wage, the Social Research and Planning Council of the United Way of Perth -Huron claimed a living wage in Huron County was $16.42 per hour. That's peanuts compared to the United Way of Bruce Grey's estimate that a single parent with two children needs to earn $22 an hour for a 40 -hour week to have a living wage. For non-government employers, these constant demands for higher wages bump up against the reality that consumers want everything cheaper. People buy goods made in Third World countries where people don't even make $15 a day and purchase them from online retailers because even big box stores don't have low enough prices to suit them. Something's got to give. It's impossible for small employers to meet demands to both pay more and charge less. — KR Giving up democracy It's depressing to see people willingly give up the gift of democracy, as voters in Venezuela did in a vote on Sunday, when they selected a constituent assembly that is expected to give President Nicolas Maduro dictatorial powers. It's impossible to know how many Venezuelans actually approved the new assembly which will rewrite the constitution to meet the President's demands. The government's electoral authority claimed eight million people voted, while opposition parties, which boycotted the election, claimed only 2.5 million voted. Still, even 2.5 million is disappointing. Apparently many of those voters were from poorer areas. They support the Socialist president, even though their standard of living has plunged because of his government's actions. These voters distrust the elites who they feel have looked after themselves at the expense of the poor and they're willing to put their faith in a dictator, who they think is on their side, to single-handedly fix their country. That sentiment has a certain ring to it from much closer to home where millions of Americans voted for Donald Trump as a strong president who would single-handedly rescue their country from the elites and "make America great again". Electing a strongman who can fix the country's problems can seem attractive because it lifts the burden of being a responsible citizen. In the long run, though, democracy is worth the extra effort it requires. — KR Well, I'm Can. -aria's leader I'm a me-dia feeder I take selfies everywhere Igo I talk about 'Sunny' and I talk about 'Ways' For ten thousand dollars, I'll show I enjoy aJI of the frills And give my fans thrills But the biggest thrill I've ever known Was the thrill, you can betcha, when I got my picture On the cover of the Looking Back Through the Years August 2, 1944 The Prices Board announced an immediate reduction in the butter ration for the next month by way of a postponement. Jack Thynne, who was also known to Brussels Post readers as the Kansas Fanner, had returned to the Brussels community after spending a month with the Great Western Racing Association of Manitoba. While out west, Thynne reported that he toured a number of western fairs and said the province's crops were coming along well. A front-page article in The Brussels Post urged residents to donate blood, as the need was urgent and immediate. August 3, 1967 Brussels United Church played host to a large group of people from both the Brussels and Ethel United Church congregations that greeted missionaries from Brazil visiting the community. The Brussels Squirt baseball team put the finishing touches on its second consecutive undefeated season. The pitching of Hugh McNichol, the catching of Lawrence Machan and the hitting of Blaine McCutcheon and Randy Cousins all combined to produce the team's excellent, spotless record. Playoffs for the team, which was coached by Al Johnston, were set to begin shortly. The annual flower show and turkey supper held at St. John's Anglican Church was set to take place on Aug. 25. The evening, which had proven itself popular in recent years, was hosted by the Brussels Horticultural Society. The Walton Women's Institute was in the early stages of planning a centennial concert for October. Mrs. Ronald Bennett, Mrs. Herbert Traviss and Mrs. Neil McGavin were all named to a special committee for the event. Huron County's hay crop was said to be progressing nicely, with approximately 80 per cent of the county -wide crop already in. Some of the county's fall wheat had already been harvested, with reports estimating yields between 40 and 45 bushels per acre. In addition, corn and white bean crops were also progressing favourably and were estimated to be ready for harvest by the following week. August 5, 1981 Hundreds of people were thrilled with the quality of the party held for Morris Township's 125th birthday, which welcomed residents past and present back to the township to celebrate its history. Saturday morning of the reunion began with a township baby contest and it was the son of William and Valerie Shortreed, Matthew, who won the reunion's title of best overall baby. The homecoming also included a massive parade that featured over 200 floats. After a great baseball tournament associated with the Morris Township homecoming, local baseball fans had another tournament to keep them busy, this time in Blyth. More than 16 teams were registered for a slo-pitch tournament scheduled for Blyth on the coming weekend. The event was sponsored by the Blyth Industrial League and the local Leo Club would also be helping out that weekend. The Tomorrow Box, a new production written for the Blyth Festival stage by Festival co-founder Anne Chislett and directed by Artistic Director Janet Amos, premiered at Memorial Hall. The comedy, set in rural Ontario, was said to tell its story from both sides of the generation gap. August 6, 1997 Huron County Ontario Provincial Police found themselves busy investigating a fatal hunting incident that took place at the Hullett Wildlife Conservation Area. A 29 -year-old Exeter man was fatally shot while out hunting with a friend. The Huron County coroner determined that the man died as a result of being struck in the neck by fire from a 20 -gauge shotgun. While final figures had yet to be determined, everyone involved with the 1997 Brussels Homecoming declared it a success. Leona Armstrong said that 722 people had registered for the event's school reunion, while over 1,300 tickets were sold to the beef barbecue, which was sponsored by the Brussels Agricultural Society. Blyth firefighters found themselves busy on Saturday, Aug. 2, responding to three calls in just over two hours. Chief Paul Josling said that the first call brought firefighters to the scene of a single -vehicle incident just west of Blyth. Ten minutes after returning from the call, firefighters were then summoned to the arena for a medical emergency and then again later that night for a potential barn fire in McKillop. The Blyth Lions Club and the Blyth Festival were in the midst of planning a special joint fundraiser that would be held at the Blyth Community Centre and bring together performers from CKNX Barn Dance and performers from Barndance Live! which was on stage at the Blyth Festival as part of its 1997 season.