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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-10-06, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2016. Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld & Nicole Gillespie 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, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 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 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 Emphasize our common goals As we prepare for Thanksgiving this weekend, any Huron County residents who attended the Rural Talks to Rural (R2R) conference in Blyth last week already know they have much to be thankful for. Visitors from across the country were impressed by the county, and were a touch envious of those of us who live here. We should also be thankful for our ability to live in a rural area where we choose to live. Over and over again at the conference people spoke of taking action in their communities across the country to find ways to support themselves so they could reside where they wanted to. Many were people who had grown up in a small town and had moved to the city for work but wanted to find a way to return to their roots. What became obvious, too, was how grateful we should be to the men and women, whether as individuals, groups or in local government, who worked so hard over the last 160 years to lay the foundations for the rich life we can lead today in Huron County and in all of rural Canada. One thing that kept coming up at the conference, and from which we can learn from those leaders of the past, is that there are few enough of us in rural communities that we can't afford to waste our energy squabbling. The people who started fall fairs or built arenas or important community building blocks like Blyth Memorial Hall, no doubt had different politics and different ideas, but they worked together anyway toward the goal of building their communities. In our rural towns and villages, we must concentrate on what we have in common as we build a better community, not on the things that divide us. — KR Here's food for thought This is Ontario Agriculture Week, a perfect time to honour the people who grow our food as we prepare for Thanksgiving feasts this weekend. Huron County, even above other rural counties, has a special reason to thank our farmers. Agriculture is a prime driver of our economy. Though the number of farms has declined because of changing economics and technological advancements that reduce the need for physical labour, today's larger farms are employing more workers. What's more, processing of the products of those farms, whether it is in large companies like Hensall District Co-operative or small, artisanal processors like Blyth Farm Cheese, provides many jobs that allow people to live in our communities. But our farmers aren't just providers of food and jobs. Farm people are active in the community, coaching sports teams, joining service clubs, helping with community events, volunteering for their churches or serving on municipal councils or school boards. Huron wouldn't be Huron if not for the rich land that allows it to be the most prolific producer of foods and agricultural products in Canada. It's another reason to be grateful this Thanksgiving. — KR Trump's untruths mount up Most voters are cynical enough not to expect politicians to tell the truth all the time, but few have been given as free a ride with their followers as U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Trump seems to have learned his strategy from U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy who in the 1950s threw around unsubstantiated accusations that various people were connected to Communism, ruining their lives without ever having to provide proof. Trump spews meanness such as accusing a former Miss Universe of being in a sex tape, but never provides proof. His speeches are like a succession of Tweets, dropping one little suggestion or accusation against his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton or some other enemy, then moving on, without explanation, to make another wild statement. Media outlets have begun fact -checking Trump's speeches and tracking his untruths — the Toronto Star's Washington correspondent Daniel Dale, for instance, pointed out Trump said 12 false things last Saturday alone. Others tabulated he made 34 false statements in the first presidential debate. Still, his avid followers aren't deterred. That voter cynicism is so strong that people support Trump despite the volume of his proven lies is perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this U.S. presidential election. — 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. DON'T WORRY... IPUTITIN REVERSE! Looking Back Through the Years October 8, 1970 Bob Richmond was selected as the president of the Brussels Minor Hockey Association, while James Prior agreed to stay on with the organization for one more term as the secretary -treasurer. Don Laurie, James Prior, Bob Richmond, Wayne Lowe, Frank Stretton, Mel McArter, Brian Huether, Allan Nichol and Barry Peters would all serve as coaches in the association for the upcoming season. The Huron County Board of Health took a big step for Brussels residents, establishing a branch of the Huron County Health Unit in Brussels. The new location would be hosted at the Brussels Medical Dental Centre. The public health nurse that would be serving the area, as well as the communities of East Wawanosh, Morris Township, Grey Township and the villages of Brussels and Blyth would be Mrs. M. Robertson. Brussels Public School hosted its annual Autumn Dance, which was the first dance of the new school year. Some pupils from Grey Central School attended as well, while Mrs. D. McLean acted as the dance's chaperone. October 8, 1986 Kevin Wheeler of Brussels and his skating partner Michelle Menzies captured a silver medal in London, England in the senior freestyle pairs international competition. The pair's coach, the world famous Kerry Leitch, bumped the pair up to the senior standing in order to have the team noticed by international judges. Kevin was the son of George and Shirley Wheeler of RR5, Brussels. He was raised on the family's farm and was a graduate of both Brussels Public and F.E. Madill Secondary Schools. Brussels Village Council, busy planning for the future of the village's arena property, discussed the delayed sewer plan for the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre property. The estimate for the work, which had been produced four years earlier, was that it would cost $60,000. With inflation, however, current costs weren't yet known. The 1986 Blyth fastball team finished in first place in its division on its way to winning the league's championship. The team's first playoff series was against a team sponsored by Merner's Construction. Blyth won the games by scores of 5-3 and 8-2 ahead of the final series against a team from Londesborough. Blyth would handle their close neighbours, but not before the Londesborough team won the first two games of the series and Blyth was forced to come from behind to win the title. October 9, 2002 While the joint Communities in Bloom submission from Blyth and Wingham was awarded nine blooms out of a possible 10, Blyth repeated its five -bloom performance, receiving an award for civic pride. Wingham finished with four blooms, while nearby Goderich also scored five blooms. A series of public meetings were on the way to discuss the new anti- smoking bylaw that was coming to the county. As North Huron Council entered the final year of its term, Reeve Doug Layton said he wanted council to be looking ahead, so a strategic planning session was organized to help the township do just that. A women's tug-of-war team from Bluewater, which included members from Blyth, placed third in an international competition, finishing only behind Holland and South Africa, the host nation that year. October 8, 2015 Millions of dollars worth of marijuana was seized in an Ontario Provincial Police drug bust at a grow operation in East Wawanosh. Police searched the residence on Marnoch Line and allegedly found over $2.2 million worth of marijuana. As a result, eight people were arrested and facing charges. The Blyth Witches Walk was cancelled due to complications arising from fire safety regulations and their associated timelines, according to Hope Button, a member of the event's committee. Button said that the requests of the local fire department were not a problem, but that it was the timing and there was no way a team of volunteers would be able to pull it off in such a short time period. Gil Garratt, Artistic Director of the Blyth Festival, was named the chair of the Ontario Summer Theatre group, an organization dedicated to helping its 19 summer stock theatre members to better communicate and work together. Federal election candidates Ben Lobb, Allan Thompson, Gerard Creces and Jutta Splettstoesser all spoke to North Woods Elementary School students ahead of the students' mock election. The candidates spoke to the students on a number of different topics, including the mud -slinging ongoing at the federal level, which Lobb said didn't happen at the local level. "Locally, we don't do that," Lobb said. `Allan and I debate the issues."