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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-11-23, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2017. Editorials Opinions President: Keith Roulston • 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 1HO 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 Somebody must pay Two news items this week demonstrated that although we always want more from government, in the long run, someone has to pick up the tab to pay for it. Although 500,000 students went back to class at Ontario's community colleges this week, nobody is happy about it. Understandably, the students are angry for having forked out tuition fees and not being able to attend the classes they paid for. Despite that, some have stood by the 12,000 striking college teachers who were legislated back to work by the Ontario government, supporting their demand that there should be more full-time instructors and fewer part-time teachers. The College Employer Council, which negotiated on behalf of the colleges, would probably be happy to hire more full-time profs if only the provincial government would give them more money so they didn't have to cut corners. Taxpayers, meanwhile, might agree the government should quit being so cheap — as long as taxes don't increase. Meanwhile Hydro One has applied for a rate increase in the transmission portion of its bills, from 0.5 per cent this year and 4.8 per cent next year. This comes just after the Liberal government cut hydro bills by an average of 25 per cent by delaying paying for some debt servicing costs. The government had been clobbered by public opinion because electricity rates had soared in the last few years. But Hydro One CEO Mayo Schmidt warned the electrical system could fail, leaving customers in the dark, if his company doesn't replace aging equipment. The fact is as taxpayers we simply want the government and its agencies to give us what we want, but we also want it for no cost to us if at all possible. Unfortunately if we want more from government it's probably going to cost more. — KR A sad, but realistic, decision To Canadians who were proud of Canada's reputation for United Nations peacekeeping missions during a time when American troops were invading countries like Panama and Grenada, last week's backdown by the federal government from its promise to devote 600 troops to peacekeeping missions was sad — but probably realistic. Canadians have been justly proud of the country's peacekeeping missions from the Middle East to Cyprus to the former Yugoslavia but these days there are few similar peacekeeping operations where U.N. troops acted as a buffer between two sides that had had enough war and simply needed to be kept apart so a confrontation didn't accidentally reignite the conflict. When the government investigated current UN missions, it saw few similar situations today. Instead most of the areas of conflict require UN troops to fight to impose peace. After watching the bodies of our soldiers returned during a decade of conflict in Afghanistan, Canadians don't seem ready to pay the human cost of sending our troops into harm's way to attempt to resolve distant conflicts. So while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seemed wimpy with his promise of a rapid response force of about 200, plus 50 military, police or civilian trainers for other countries contributing troops, and armed helicopters, airlift capabilities and a transport aircraft, it's probably as much as most voters wanted him to do. If we are ever to secure real peace in the world, we must have a new kind of international force, employed permanently and directly by the UN and ready to stop the bad guys just as the police do here at home. That way democratic governments don't have to risk political punishment by sending their troops to war to keep the peace.— KR Suffering delusions of grandeur By the time you read this, the final chapter of Robert Mugabe as Zimbabwe's President may have been written, but not if he can help it. The 93 -year-old Mugabe appeared on television Sunday and was expected to announce his resignation but instead said he won't quit. This came despite the fact he was under house arrest by the country's army, had been fired as head of his own party and, if he had been aware at all of the world outside his window, would have seen his people take to the streets to celebrate that at long last this dictator would be gone. There's something about these megalomaniacal repressive leaders that denies reality. From North Korea's Kim Jong -un to South Africa's Jacob Zuma, these strongmen seem to believe their own propaganda and think they are the only people who can run their country and that they are loved, despite the fact their people are afraid to speak freely. While his country is much more free, we see some of the same characteristics south of the border where U.S. President Donald Trump thinks he's beloved even as a majority of the people despise him — including many members of his own Republican party. These egotists think they're visionaries but they're so busy looking at their own reflection in the mirror that they can't see the reality of their position within their own country. — KR 'Conversion on the road to Cannabis'... Looking Back Through the Years November 22, 1944 Ruth Carnochan of RR3, Seaforth was set to represent the Junior Girls of Huron County at the national 4-H competition on Dec. 2. The competition was set to be held in Chicago. Carnochan had completed six 4-H projects to earn her way to Chicago. She was the first girl to ever be selected from Huron County. November 23, 1967 Four young women from the Brussels area were awarded for their work in 4-H courses. Nancy Strickler of RR2, Brussels was presented with a provincial honour pin and certificate. Also honoured that night were Bonnie Fischer, Judy Work and Mary Grasby. It was reported that there seemed to be no shortage of eager young hockey players in the Brussels community, with nearly 100 youngsters on hand to register for the coming hockey season. The Brussels Branch of the Legion was said to be commended for its hard work in recruiting young hockey players and making it easier for them to hit the ice through fundraising. Brussels Reeve Calvin Krauter decided to throw his hat into the ring and run for the position of Huron County Warden. With Krauter now in the race, there were three vying for the position. He joined Grant Sterling of Goderich Township and John Corbett of Hay Township in the election. George McCutcheon had been the last warden to be from Brussels, serving the county in 1962. November 18, 1981 Staffing, working conditions and salaries were the major issues holding up negotiations between teachers and the Huron County Board of Education and its 245 secondary school teachers. A report by a fact finder said that while the 10 per cent increase in salary proposed by the end of the year was reasonable, he felt it should be increased even further in order to put Huron teachers on par with the highest of the five surrounding school boards. Not only would it put Huron closer to its neighbours, he said, but it would also work to close the gap between Huron and the provincial average. Shirley Weary, chief negotiator for the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, said that the two sides were going to take a few weeks for "breathing space" and then resume negotiations, adding that it was "extremely premature" to discuss a possible strike. A group of local doctors were in the midst of planning a special variety concert at Memorial Hall in Blyth. The doctors were hoping to make audiences laugh, all in the name of raising funds for the Clinton Public Hospital Building Fund. For the evening, Jamey Laurie would be the emcee and it would include a dramatic monologue from Ted Johns, a veteran of many Blyth Festival productions. The Blyth Lions Club and the Blyth Board of Trade were working together to host the village's annual Santa Claus Parade on Dec. 12. In addition to the parade, a Christmas film would also be shown at Memorial Hall to help residents get into the holiday spirit. Blyth Public School had been given a clean bill of health as far as head lice were concerned. The issue dated back to September, when it was first discovered at the school. Now, after a thorough inspection by several Huron County nurses, the school, its students and its teachers were all believed to be free of head lice. November 26, 1997 A gathering of concerned residents and teachers held a vigil on Tuesday evening to "mourn the death of democracy and public education" in Ontario. As war continued to wage over the controversial education legislation in Bill 160, which was expected to pass third reading in the very near future, the Ontario Teachers' Federation said it didn't plan to let the issue go quietly. A number of Huron County teachers, members of several different unions, held a candlelit vigil on The Square in Goderich to mark what they felt was a dark day for democracy. After a tie vote in the Morris Township election between potential councillors Edna McLellan and John Duskocy, a recount showed that the tie represented correct tabulation of the votes, so it went to draw, which McLellan won. Kelly McNee of Dungannon, a member of the Port Albert 4-H Life Skills Club, was the winner of the Murray Cardiff Citizenship Award as the Huron County 4-H organization handed out its year-end awards in Clinton. Sarah Broadfoot of RR5, Clinton was also a winner that day as she claimed the Paul Steckle Award. Preparations for the 1999 International Plowing Match, which was set to be held near Dashwood, were continuing and souvenirs for the big event were due to be on sale at the Toy, Craft and Doll Show in Seaforth. Souvenirs were also being sold at the Huron County Museum in Goderich.