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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-06-16, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016. Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Lori Patterson, Brenda Nyveld & Dawn MacLeod 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 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1H0 email: info@northhuron.on.ca The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Ph. 519-523-4792 Fax 519-523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.northhuron.on.ca Canada ..ocna CCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or Department of Canadian Heritage. photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright CMCA AUDITED A bill to get drivers' attention Here's hoping Eleanor McMahon, new job as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, doesn't prevent her pursuing the private member's bill that was her last project as backbench MPP for Burlington. Last week McMahon moved an amendment to the Highway Traffic Act that would increase jail time and fines for careless drivers causing death or bodily harm to cyclists. McMahon founded the Share the Road cycling coalition which received attention locally following the life - altering injuries suffered by cyclist Julie Sawchuk, struck while riding her bike on Blyth Road last summer. The issue is personal for McMahon. Her husband, OPP Sergeant Greg Stobbart, was killed while riding his bicycle in June 2006. The driver of the vehicle was only sentenced to a two-year probation term and lost his driver's licence for a year even though he already had five previous convictions for driving while suspended and four for driving without insurance. In the long run, of course, penalties after someone is killed or injured won't do much good. Perhaps, however, they'll make us realize we need to take more care and give extra space when we share the road with cyclists. — KR Changing the Senate's culture Whether one agrees with the amendments proposed by the Senate to Bill C-14, the legislation to legalize physician -assisted dying in Canada, or even agrees that the unelected Senators should be allowed to amend legislation passed in the House of Commons, it's refreshing to see how the Senators went about their business in this case. In the old Senate where a government usually built a majority by appointing party supporters as Senators, the upper house basically rubber-stamped its approval of the governing party's legislation. But in the new Senate with no Liberal Senators and a greater number of independents, Senators worked together across party lines to make what they felt were improvements to the bill to widen the scope of those who can receive assistance to end their painful lives — changes many in Canada would probably agree with. The new independence of the Senate may prove problematic if stalemates between the two houses in Parliament become frequent because the Senate amends government bills, but there's hope that if co- operation among Senators continues, the upper chamber could become an effective place for furthering discussions on issues that matter to Canadians. — KR Only the religion matters An American -born citizen who, like many Americans, had expressed his unhappiness with homosexuals, takes an assault rifle into a gay night club in Orlando, Florida and kills 49 people and seriously wounds another 53. Somehow in a country that has seen 134 other mass shootings this year, for many Americans the only thing that seems to matter is that the shooter was Muslim and expressed allegiance for an Islamic terrorists group. Within hours, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican Party presidential candidate congratulated himself for his vision — saying it was the kind of tragedy he had predicted when he'd proposed banning Muslims from entering the U.S. (even though the shooter was born in New York). It is expected that Trump will see his support among voters grow in the aftermath of the murders. But ironically, in attacking gay people, many of whom were Latino, Omar Mateen was driven by the same kind of rage fueling a tragic divide in U.S. society. So far this year 22 U.S. states have attempted to pass legislation to deny basic rights to same-sex couples. Other states have tried to ban transgendered people from using the washroom of the gender they now identify with. Trump has courted the kind of voters who support this kind of discriminatory legislation, and who are angry with those who are different, from Latino immigrants to gays to Muslims. In fact with his attitudes Omar Mateen could have been a Trump supporter — except for his claim that he was doing this on behalf of the Islamic State. — KR Letters Policy The Citizen welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and should include a daytime telephone number for the purpose of verification only. Letters that are not signed will not be printed. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information. As well, letters can only be printed as space allows. Please keep your letters brief and concise. GORDIE 'MR. HOCKEY' HOWE 1928 -2016 Looking Back Through the Years June 17, 1959 John Hanna of the Wingham Progressive Conservatives was re- elected in the provincial election by a large majority of over 1,300 votes over his Liberal opponent, Rae J. Watson of Lucknow. With his win, Hanna would be representing the Huron -Bruce riding for the sixth time, having first been elected in 1943. While the riding -wide results vastly favoured Hanna, some polling stations showed an overwhelming majority voting for Watson, including those in Culross, Carrick, Grey, Mildmay and Teeswater. In Wingham, however, Hanna was a big favourite, winning that polling station 1,098 votes to Watson's 351, tripling his opponent's vote tally. June 18, 1970 Roller skating in the Brussels Arena, sponsored by the Brussels Lions Club, officially opened to an enthusiastic crowd that had been lined up, waiting to enter the building and strap their skates on. The Lions Club had purchased 50 pairs of roller skates in anticipation of the launch, but their purchase did not meet the initial launch and more had to be ordered. "This is a healthy, enjoyable sport," reported The Brussels Post, "provided by the Lions to give our young people added recreation to relieve the boredom they have complained of and help keep them off the streets and out of trouble." While some residents complained about the presence of dust, it was due to a number of Brussels streets being paved. The hope, The Brussels Post reported, is that the paving would eliminate the wet and muddy conditions experienced by the village after rain storms. June 11, 1986 The Ontario Provincial Police were still in the process of investigating the sudden resignation of long-time Clerk -Treasurer Larry Walsh. Blyth Reeve Albert Wasson said that the police held a meeting with Blyth Village Council, Bill Vodden of the Durst and Vodden accounting firm and the village's solicitor. The situation began when Vodden notified Wasson of irregularities in the year-end audit of the village's books. It was later that day that the village accepted the resignation of Walsh. With the Huron County Health Unit said to be facing a financial crisis, the Brussels office was said to not be in jeopardy. Medical Officer of Health Harry Cieslar said to users of the Brussels office that they didn't have to worry about closure, despite rumours to the contrary that had been circulating. The Brussels Lions Club published a two-page centre spread welcoming members of the public to the grand opening of the Brussels, Morris and Grey Swimming Pool. The grand opening was set for Saturday, June 15 and would begin with a parade at 2 p.m., followed by the official opening of the pool at 3 p.m., free swimming from 3-5 p.m. and then a beef barbecue at 5 p.m. that continued into the night. June 19, 2002 The Auburn Lions Club helped mark a special event as the club celebrated its 25th anniversary of providing service in its home community. Over 100 guests filled the Auburn Memorial Hall for the special dinner and anniversary celebration for members both past and present. Brussels Agri -Services played host to a special promotional meeting and in attendance was National Hockey League legend Bobby Hull. A Canadian pure-bred cow -calf operator, Hull, and Gary Grubb of Masterfeeds discussed creep feeding and calf performance. Tickets were said to be selling fast for the Blyth Festival season's opening night gala, a performance of Goodbye, Piccadilly. The show starred Janet Amos as Bess, a happily married woman who loses her husband after 43 years of marriage. Two house guests, Kitty and Cecil, arrive and change Bess's life forever. After some initial concerns, the Huron County Health Unit was busy retesting 31 water systems throughout the county and found no bacterial contamination. Three campground/trailer park systems, 10 school-based systems and 18 municipal systems were part of the retesting process. The Blyth Figure Skating Club made a substantial donation to the Blyth Community Centre's Heart and Soul campaign, with the presentation of a $10,000 cheque to Darren Richmond of the committee. For the second consecutive year, the F.E. Madill Mustangs rugby team would be playing against a team from the United Kingdom as part of an international exhibition contest. In 2001 the Mustangs played a team from England and in 2002 they would be lining up against a team from Scotland. The Scottish team was from Trinity College in Edinburgh, a local authority comprehensive school on the north side of the city that was founded in 1893.