No preview available
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-09-08, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2016. Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld 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 It's your turn to get involved This week one of the largest annual events in Huron County adds life to Blyth as the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association's reunion fills the campground with nearly 1,000 campers, the streets, stores and restaurants are busy with early arrivals and thousands come to town for the event itself. It's hard to imagine the area without this show. And yet, the future of the Thresher Reunion (and all such community fairs and festivals) depends on the many volunteers who give their time to plan and run the event. A recurring theme in many of the articles in The Citizen's special Thresher Reunion section in this week's paper is the need to find more young people to take up the torch from volunteers who have been making this outstanding event happen for decades. The organization has had remarkable success for a half -century engaging children and grandchildren of the founding generation to re- energize the reunion. The founders could not have imagined what the event has become — how a small town would spring to life each year on the campground, how an old-time music festival would be a huge part of the event, how a car show would take up a large part of the grounds. Each generation has added ideas and energy to make the reunion even better. A new generation of volunteers and enthusiasts is needed to keep that outstanding event thriving, as it is for fairs and festivals and community organizations across the county. Next year one of those generational community -building events takes place in Huron when the International Plowing Match (IPM) takes place in Walton. Typically thousands of people, some volunteering for the first time, help make the IPM a success. Hopefully the seed of the volunteering spirit will be planted to the benefit of other organizations as well. So think about volunteering for the Thresher Reunion or some other activity. Not only will you make our community a more interesting place to live, but you'll make new friends and have a lot of fun. — KR You can't please both sides Donald Trump last week demonstrated the difficulty facing right -of - centre politicians with his botched attempt at a delicate balancing act, visiting Mexican President Enrique Pefia Nieto during the day to soften his image as being anti -Mexican, followed by a speech in Arizona the same evening that assured his supporters he was going just as hard as ever on non -status Mexican immigrants. Republican strategists are increasingly certain their party cannot win a presidential election without attracting support from increasingly important groups such as Latinos, African-Americans and women. In fact following their loss in the 2012 presidential election the party made a conscious effort to make their party more attractive to these groups. All their hopes were undone when Trump appealed to the fears of the hard- line of the party, predominantly white working-class men who see their country changing from the America in which they felt comfortable. Promising to prevent Muslims from entering the U.S. and to build a wall across the border with Mexico to stop illegal immigration (and somehow make Mexico pay for it) Trump won enough votes to capture the Republican presidential nomination, while alienating a large part of the population whose votes he'll need to get elected. Here in Canada conservative politicians and parties have also been caught in the dilemma of how to retain the support of hard-core supporters who have views not shared with the moderate majority of Canadians. A major blunder by Conservative Party strategists in last fall's federal election turned support to the Liberals when moderate voters found the party had gone too far with a promise to ban Muslim women from taking their citizenship oath while wearing the face - covering niqab, along with talk of a tip -line to report "barbaric cultural practices" to police. Kellie Leitch, then Minister of Labour and Minister for the Status of Women promoted that tip line during the election but apologized for having done so when she became a candidate for the Conservative Party leadership. Last week she caused more controversy when a survey of supporters asked, among other things, if they thought potential immigrants should be screened for "anti -Canadian values". Ironically, this kind of question demonstrates "anti -Canadian values" for the majority of Canadians. Conservative politicians don't help their electability in trying to court the mean -minded fringe. — 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. Looking Back Through the Years September 9, 1959 Attendance at Blyth Public School was recorded as 152 students for the school's opening day, including 14 Kindergarten students with one more potentially on the way who had yet to enroll. The school's 152 students were to be spread throughout the building's four rooms. The directors of the Blyth Agricultural Society held a last- minute meeting at the Blyth Library to work out final details ahead of the Blyth Fall Fair. A work bee was arranged at the grounds the day before the fair. The Blyth Women's Institute held another successful "Grand -mother's Party" at Memorial Hall, which included "lively" orchestra numbers and plays. September 10, 1970 "Happy or not, off to school they went," read the headline atop The Brussels Post saying that many young people went back to school "bright-eyed and full of eagerness." Twenty-five children were listed as students in the coming year's Kindergarten class under teacher Mrs. Ireland at Brussels Public School. Brussels firefighters were called to a barn fire at the farm of Lyle Pettapiece on the township's 14th Concession the evening of Sept. 7. Both Brussels and Grey firefighters were on the scene of the fire, but nothing could be done to save the barn, which was completely destroyed, along with the farm's driving shed. The Brussels Post was pleased to report that the unpleasant sound of motorcycles heard throughout the village at 3 a.m. on Sept. 4 were not the result of local drivers. "The motorcycles that were creating an unnecessary amount of noise at 3 a.m. Friday morning, we are pleased to report, were not operated by our local motorcycle enthusiasts," the newspaper stated. "They were ridden by outsiders from another community." On Sept. 8, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Williamson of Brussels celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary by way of a quiet family dinner. September 10, 1986 A proposal for a condominium project on the edge of Brussels had some councillors in the village considering expropriation of more land within the village. Charles Thomas of Grey Township made the presentation to council, saying he would like part of his farm annexed into the village in order to have the property properly serviced. Councillor Betty Graber suggested that council should get in touch with Grey Township Council as a courtesy in order to inform them about the situation. Huron County Chief Librarian William Partridge said he was considering leaving the county after 14 years due to allegations made by staff members about the way he ran his administration. Partridge said he had consulted his lawyer after two letters were written that contained charges against his administration. "I enjoy working for Huron County," he said to the Library Board, "and I hope I will continue working there. I am not ashamed of my services to the county and I feel that I have given full worth" The 25th annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association was said to have been a rousing success with over 11,000 people attending the reunion over the course of the weekend. Darryl and Carl Searson won the John Hallahan Memorial Award for belt -setting at the reunion, while Ernie Allen of Mitchell won the Wayne Houston Family Trophy for the show's best restored steam engine. September 11, 2002 The Brussels Agricultural Society said that residents planning on attending the Brussels Fall Fair should expect some changes at the 2002 installment of the event. First, there would be a new display of Brussels memorabilia at the fair, which was set up to greet those attending the fair as soon as they arrive. There would also be new and improved displays for the quilt, afghan and needlework displays, as well as a new antique tractor display. Blyth firefighters said they served breakfast to over 1,600 people on the Saturday and Sunday of the annual Thresher Reunion, with the bulk of diners arriving for breakfast on Saturday, compared to a relatively slower Sunday. As the Blyth Heart and Soul campaign approached its goal, representatives accepted a generous donation from Sparling's Propane in the amount of $100,000, including a new Olympia ice -cleaning machine for the rink. Four young women were vying for the title of Brussels Fall Fair Ambassador. They were Peggy Procter, Nicole Lowe, Crystal McLellan and Kendall Jutzi. After a lengthy debate, Huron County Council decided to close a number of its libraries, including branches in Auburn, Bluevale, Gorrie, Fordwich and Centralia. Council approved the motion with a 14-4 vote.