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The Citizen, 2016-12-01, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 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 We're well served by these men With one local municipal leader, Morris-Turnberry's Paul Gowing, retiring as Huron County Warden, and another, Central Huron's Jim Ginn, taking over his chair, our region has been well served by its politicians. While most people don't give it much thought, those who, like journalists, come into contact with municipal councillors regularly, generally admire their willingness to serve their communities. It takes quite a commitment just to run as a councillor, another level to become head of local council and yet another to become county warden. Certainly there's a certain gain of prestige every time you take a step up the political ladder and there's some financial compensation, but on the other side of the scale is the added responsibility and the pressure of knowing every decision you make is scrutinized and criticized. So we need to honour and thank those like Ginn and Gowing who make this extra commitment to make our democracy work. — KR Words we need to remember Results of two auctions last week remind us that while many people in this world remain poor, others have so much money they can pay ridiculous prices for items of fancy, not necessity. Whether it be the $11 2 million paid for the Lawren Harris painting "Mountain Forms" or the $150,000(U.S.) paid for an eight -line poem signed by Anne Frank, some people obviously have a ridiculous amount of disposable income. And yet perhaps we should thank the buyer of the latter item for reminding us again of the courage and wisdom of this teenage Jewish girl living in hiding from Nazi persecutors in Holland during World War II. Perhaps now, more than at any time in recent years, we need to revisit the words Frank wrote in her diary while she and her family huddled in an attic, knowing they faced death if discovered. We live in a time when terrorists want to kill innocent civilians, when the Syrian government is willing to bomb its own citizens to defeat the rebels that live among them, when the refugees from that conflict have made desperate journeys in flimsy vessels to seek peace in Europe but have caused a backlash in the countries where they sought refuge. We have seen a hardening of hearts and a thirst to punish people who the majority population sees as a threat to their way of life, whether in far -right movements in Europe or the presidential election in the U.S. Against this backdrop the sheer optimism and hope expressed by Anne Frank are more welcome than ever. How about this for the supporters of Donald Trump: "Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness. People are just people, and all people have faults and shortcomings, but all of us are born with a basic goodness." Or this sentence from a girl who would eventually perish in a Nazi concentration camp: "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart." So in the long run, thanks to the buyer of that poem for reminding us, in our time of need, about the wisdom of this fragile girl.— KR How to judge a leader? The death of former Cuban President Fidel Castro on the weekend stirred up the angry debate over the man all over again. Those arguing for his evil and his greatness are both right, and both wrong. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped on a public relations landmine when his initial reaction to Castro's death included too much praise and too little criticism of the revolutionary dictator. Both the current prime minister and his father, the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, have tended to downplay the evils and celebrate the successes of the Communist dictator. Though the careers of both Trudeaus advocate for human rights, they became friends with a man who threw thousands in jail because they opposed him and killed many of his enemies. The inconsistencies of the Trudeaus' attitudes, however, always seemed small compared to the over -the -top opposition of the U.S. government. The U.S. could open up to Communist dictators in powerful China, reshaping the U.S. economy and borrowing trillions from China to support the national debt, yet insisted on a trade boycott with tiny Cuba for the same bad deeds they overlooked in China. The Americans mis-remember the pre -revolutionary days when U.S. companies dominated a country that was desperately poor, and ignore that Cuba today has a higher literacy rate than the U.S. and more doctors per person in a health system that provides free care. In the long run, Fidel Castro is history now — his sins and his accomplishments a fact of life in his country. Here's hoping that the future can bring freedom for Cubans without sacrificing advances like their healthcare and education systems. Given their history, the Cuban people deserve to have the best of both worlds. — KR What a Grey Jay? Nka-, ll! A Blue Jays fan old enough to remember their last World Series. cam. nS eertzt .00 API AV Looking Back Through the Years December 2, 1959 Those running in Hullett, Morris and East Wawanosh Townships were all acclaimed to their positions, as they ran unopposed. Huron County residents went to the polls and would decide whether or not the Temperance Act would continue to rule in their community or not. Over 12,000 people voted in favour of revoking the act, while nearly 7,400 voted against. In Blyth, the margin was wide as 251 people voted for revocation and 94 voted against. The Blyth Standard reported that it would take between two and four weeks for the Liquor Control Act to come into effect. The Standard also noted that while all urban municipalities voted for revocation, several rural townships, like Ashfield, Stephen, Usborne, Turnberry and East and West Wawanosh voted in favour. December 3, 1970 William Elston was acclaimed as the next reeve of Morris Township, while Councillors Ross Smith, James Mair, Thomas Miller and Robert Grasby were all acclaimed to another term for 1971/1972. Two plays, The Red Lamp and Scrambled Eggs, were enjoyed by a handful of crowds over the course of three nights at Grey Central Public School. The plays were sponsored by the Grey Central Home and School Association. Members of the Brussels Legion Branch were doing their part to help get members of the community ready for the holidays by holding three Turkey Bingos at the Legion hall in hopes that locals would get lucky and win their Christmas dinner instead of having to buy it. The Walton Women's Institute held its November meeting and welcomed a number of special guests to the meeting from institutes in Blyth, Londesborough and Seaforth. In a letter to the editor, local George Wesenberg encouraged everyone throughout the community to exercise their democratic right to get out and vote in the upcoming election. "Fellow citizens, let us have a 100 per cent turnout on Dec. 7. Show our appreciation for the privilege of free vote while we still have that chance." December 3, 1986 Two men and a 16 -year-old young offender were in custody after an armed robbery of the Brussels Variety store just before 9 p.m. the previous Saturday night. The Citizen reported that two men armed with scissors entered the store, both wearing masks. Eventually, the three (the two robbers and a driver) were apprehended between Clinton and Seaforth as they attempted to flee the community. Approximately $350 was recovered from the trio when they were arrested. Six-year-old Amanda Kennedy of Londesborough and her collection of $10.99 for the Back the Biter campaign to assist in purchasing an accessible van for Londesborough's Ron Nesbitt helped put the campaign over its goal amount of $30,000. Kennedy told The Citizen that Nesbitt was her real-life hero. Reaching the $30,000 goal was just the beginning, however, as the collection would go on to reach an eventual $45,000. The extra money was said to be put in a fund under the control of the Londesborough Lions Club, which would provide the basis for a similar award. Debbie Craig of Blyth was honoured with a special certificate from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food in recognition of Craig serving for five years as a 4- H club leader. Craig was honoured at a special 4-H achievement night held at Hullett Central Public School in Londesborough. Smashed windows and cracked walls and destroyed water fountains were the result of a night of vandalism at Central Huron Secondary School. The total cost of the damage done was said to be $2,000. While the police were yet to arrest anyone for the crime, the school's principal Joe Wooden said the school was offering a reward of $250 for any information that could lead to the arrest of those responsible. December 4, 2002 With the snow on the ground, The Citizen acknowledged that while it may be tempting, snowmobilers were encouraged to stay off of the trails, as they were not yet open to the public. Bruce Howson, a volunteer with the Blyth Snowtravellers, said that with the early onset of winter, the trails were far from ready for snowmobile traffic. Lindsay Watson, a student in Brussels, spent a day learning the ins and outs of local politics as she served as the page for the Huron County Council meeting in Goderich. She was pictured in The Citizen with Huron County Warden Ben Van Diepenbeek and her local mayor, Mayor Keith Johnston of Morris-Turnberry. Maureen Bean and Lois Haines were both honoured by the Auburn Horticultural Society for their years of hard work and dedication for the organization.