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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-12-08, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 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 1HO 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 Take ownership again From the sound of the report in this week's Citizen, the strategic planning process under way for the three community centres in Huron East seems to have been time well spent. The process grew out of concern for increasing deficits and decreasing use of the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre, Seaforth Community Centre and Vanastra Community Centre. Questions were raised about the viability of continuing to keep all three open. But according to Brussels Ward Councillor John Lowe, the strategic planning process has been mostly about finding ways to increase use of the centres so they can meet costs and keep serving the community. This is a refreshing approach. Too often the focus in government is on cutting costs rather than increasing activity and revenue. Also beneficial is that the strategic planning process seems to be refocusing the discussion back on the local community. One of the unintended consequences of municipal amalgamation was that the sense of local ownership of community facilities, and responsibility for them, has declined as people felt they could leave it to the larger municipality to make it work. It's essential that if we want to maintain these important community assets, we must all take ownership and responsibility for our community centres, halls and parks. It was community fundraising and roll -up -your - sleeves effort that built these essential services and we must be prepared to keep giving that kind of effort if we want to keep them. — KR The answer's not that simple Despite the approval last week by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline and Enbridge's Line 3, the battle to actually get the pipelines built is only beginning Many Canadians are already expressing outrage and determination to prevent the pipelines from being built. While the government has made the case that it has toughened environmental safety standards for the pipelines and has made efforts to cut Canada's greenhouse gas emissions in other areas, the critics won't accept anything but a ban on all oil pipeline construction. These opponents want a simple solution: keep all oil in the ground so it can't contribute carbon dioxide that has led to climate change. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. For one thing, the oil is not going to stay in the ground. In the absence of pipelines, oil from Alberta's oil sands has been moving by rail, at far greater risk to humans and the environment. On Feb. 14, 2015, for instance, 29 tanker cars of a 111 -car train left the track near Gogama in Northern Ontario and spilled a billion litres of bitumen into a lake. And of course we all know the terrible tragedy in Lac-Megantic in Quebec in 2013 when 42 people died when a runaway tanker train exploded in the middle of town. And the oil will keep moving because there's demand. People still drive cars and heat homes and use tonnes of plastic made from petroleum. Have all those against the pipeline, for instance, given up taking vacations that require jet travel? The problem is bigger than a pipeline and stopping pipelines may only create bigger problems. — KR Be democratic about reform Last week the all -party committee exploring electoral reform released a report calling for proportional representation system to replace the current system where the candidate with the most votes in each riding wins the seat. Committee members displeased the government, however, by calling for a national referendum before any such proposal could be enacted. The Liberal government has been wrong to suggest our democratic system needs to be changed, but then arguing the people shouldn't have the democratic right to express their opinion of any change. The reluctance is because often people have rejected similar changes and so politicians are tempted to keep them from doing the same again. What reform could be more democratic than allowing voters to decide what form of representation they want? — 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. gcwu ¶he fl2MIER 1010E 1/V61(/1Z 11 gasec4r 5, CA ( Peer SeLA“) Looking Back Through the Years December 9, 1959 Mrs. Lorne Scrimgeour played host to the monthly meeting of the Ladies Committee of the Blyth Agricultural Society. There were 10 ladies present at the meeting. After the meal, the members of the group worked on needlework and arts and crafts, completing many projects ahead of the holidays. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Mason celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary by way of a surprise party. The evening wrapped up with the Masons spending time with friends and playing cards. Comrade H. Badley was named president of the Blyth Legion for the upcoming term, while Comrade Donald Sprung was named first vice-president and Comrade William Rhiel was named second vice- president. December 10, 1970 After serving for more than 12 years, Reeve R.B. Cousins resigned from the position. The Brussels Post reported that it was due to Cousins' "untiring efforts" that Brussels finally got municipal waterworks. J.L. McCutcheon was then acclaimed as the next reeve of Brussels. McCutcheon had been a member of Brussels Village Council for the previous five years. He would serve as reeve for a two-year term after being acclaimed to the position. Charles Thomas won the position of reeve in Grey Township, edging out Lawson Ward by just over 125 votes. As for councillors receiving votes in the township election, Roy Williamson was the top vote -getter with just under 400, followed by Donald Martin with 380, Clifford Bray with 346, George Wesenberg with 287 and Melville Lamont with 235 total votes. The Brussels Post was encouraging local businesses and residents to get prepared for the upcoming Santa Claus parade, saying that there were "good" prizes up for grabs in nine different float categories. December 10, 1986 Brussels Village Council blocked a Halloween curfew, which had been proposed in an effort to curb vandalism around the holiday. Something needed to be done, however, councillors had decided, so council had decided to bring the Ontario Provincial Police in on the discussion in hopes that they would have a solution. Clerk -Treasurer Hugh Hanly told councillors that the only way a curfew could be imposed would be if a state of emergency had been declared. Any other move would be a violation of the Charter of Rights. Brussels Village Council agreed to grant $325 to the Brussels Santa Claus parade, but at the same time councillors expressed their disappointment that there was not more involvement from the local business community. "Why should the service clubs and the village do it all?" Reeve Henk Ten Pas asked. At a special meeting held in Blyth, Wingham lawyer Alan Mill warned local community organizations that they should consider incorporating themselves so they don't have to face "crippling" liability concerns if someone is injured at a community function. Mill told representatives of the groups that it would cost a group $1,000 to incorporate themselves, but that that cost would "pale in comparison" to the costs associated with a liability lawsuit. He used the figure of $400,000 as an example. December 11, 2002 The first week of the Huron Ontario Provincial Police's Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) program provided some "shocking" results, according to a seasoned local officer. In just over a week since the program began, 11 people had been charged with drinking and driving. "In the five years I have been doing this, this is the highest number we've had and we're only two weeks into it," said OPP Sr. Const. Don Shropshall. Over the course of that same time period, 32 others were charged with other offences under the Highway Traffic Act, the Criminal Code or the Liquor Licence Act. Using newly -purchased accoun- ting software, Huron East Treasurer Brad Knight said that the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre was showing that its revenue would be down for the year, still with one month left to go. While revenue at the centre was down, he said, he still didn't feel as though the budget was in too bad of shape. "For the most part, I am fairly happy with the Brussels recreation budget. There are some extra expenses to look at, but there are increased revenues to offset them," Knight said. Glenn Bridge of the Brussels Legion received a special honour when he was presented with the Queen's Jubilee Medal. He was presented with the medal by Legion District Commander of Zone C1, Don Young.