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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-08-13, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015. Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Lori Patterson & Amanda Bergsma The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Ph. 519-523-4792 Fax 519-523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. N0G 1H0 Phone 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.northhuron.on.ca Looking Back Through the Years CCNA Member Member of the Ontario Press Council 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 N0G 1H0 email: info@northhuron.on.ca August 8, 1979 Jerry Bremner of Brussels was in British Columbia over the weekend, where he won the open class championship in the Canadian National Junior Motocross Championships. Over 40 riders from all over Canada competed in the class, with Bremner taking home the top honours. Several Brussels Village Councillors were concerned about the status of the vacant Masters Plastic building, which was on the village’s main street. The building had formerly been the home to Export Packers and Councillor Malcolm Jacobs called the building “a fire trap and a death trap to our children.” Recent construction of a storm sewer had further damaged the rear of the building, Jacobs said, making it even more dangerous than it had been. He suggested that the building should be torn down, calling it a “wicked fire hazard” that was in a particularly dangerous location in the middle of a business block. August 15, 1990 Ken Campbell was chosen to lead the Huron Progressive Conservative Party in the upcoming election, while Jim Fitzgerald was named the Liberal candidate. Lorna Fraser stepped up to the plate to fill the vacancy on Blyth Village Council when Ken Brown resigned. Fraser was chosen by the remaining councillors from two applicants that had submitted their applications. Fraser was, at the time, known to Blyth residents as the superintendent of the Blyth United Church Sunday School and from her work at the Blyth Book Store. Ontario Premier David Peterson was scheduled to make a short stop in Huron County along the campaign trail, swinging through Exeter for a short visit during the upcoming week. Plans for the new complex in Belgrave were nearing completion, and the Belgrave Kinsmen wanted to ensure that work was complete by the end of the month. The Kinsmen said they hoped the complex would save taxpayers money in the long run by being more energy efficient than area centres had been in the past. August 15, 2001 The Avon Maitland District School Board and its teachers compromised and reached an interim agreement that would see the large-scale return of extra-curricular activities to area secondary schools when the next school year began the following month. The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority celebrated an important day as, on Aug. 15, it turned 50 years old. To help mark the occasion, the Authority organized a bus trip throughout the community aimed at highlighting local conservation projects. There would also be an open house and an official ceremony connected to the big day. Robin Craig, a Gemini Award- winning actor was in Blyth for 2001, appearing in Sometime, Never, the Blyth Festival’s final show of the season. Craig had been in Blyth acting before, when she was part of the cast that helped bring Fires in the Night to life, a play written by her husband David. Sparling’s Propane celebrated 50 years in business and marked the occasion with a gathering at the Blyth Fairgrounds. August 14, 2014 After initial concerns about selling 1,419 tickets to Fare on Four, an ambitious plan to feed over 1,000 people on Blyth’s main street, the event had sold out and over 150 people were on the waiting list, should tickets have come available. At the time, there had been consideration given to making Fare on 4 an annual fundraising event for Campaign 14/19, mostly due to its overwhelming popularity in recent weeks. Jamee Johnston was crowned Brussels Ambassador at the annual competition, having the crown placed upon her head by Kabrina Bishop, the former ambassador to the Brussels Fall Fair. The proposed Goderich-to- Guelph Rail Trail continued to spark opposition as a group of Huron East farmers spoke to their local council about the trail. Complaints at the time were the potential for trespassing and a lack of communication between those behind the trail and the land’s adjacent landowners. Stag and Doe and St. Anne’s Reel both opened at the Blyth Festival to rave reviews. Stag and Doe, written by Mark Crawford and directed by Miles Potter, was said to be the best comedy to grace the Memorial Hall stage in years. In addition to the world premiere of two new shows at the Blyth Festival, a special 40th anniversary cabaret was planned for the upcoming weekend, as the Festival celebrated its 40th season. The cabaret featured performances by actors and musicians spanning the Festival’s entire four decades and drew universal praise. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright & Leadership makes a difference Many people doubt that a proactive government can really make a difference in a local economy but the success of the Brussels Business and Cultural Centre shows that, given the right project, astute public investment can benefit the community When the former Brussels Public School was put up for sale by the Avon Maitland District School Board the council of the Municipality of Huron East bravely stepped forward to buy it and attempt to make it an economic hub instead of just an empty building. Last week Brad Knight, chief administrative officer of Huron East reported to council that the building is now full and is on the verge of becoming financially self- sufficient. Ironically, among the building’s tenants is the Old Colony School which has 90 students and six teachers in six classrooms. Certainly there have been many examples of governments, municipal, provincial and federal, putting their hearts ahead of their heads in hoping to spur growth but ending up wasting taxpayers money. With the Brussels Business and Cultural Centre, councillors stuck their necks out and showed their belief in the community. This leadership has been rewarded and Brussels will gain because of council’s leadership. — KR What’s the hurry? Blyth-area cyclist Julie Sawchuk remains in hospital after her bicycle was struck by a motorist two weeks ago. At least she’s alive, unlike three motorcyclists who were killed recently in two collisions with motor vehicles where the motorist was at fault. Things need to change and it’s mostly motorists who need to do the changing. Drivers of cars and trucks like to think the road belongs to them but cyclists and motorcyclists have as much right to the road as motorists. The difference is that the drivers or passengers of those more fragile vehicles may be in the right, but they can still be killed or badly injured. Too often these collisions occur because motorists aRE hurrying too much. They come to a corner and don’t take enough time to see that there’s a motorcycle coming, as in one of the deaths. They get behind a cyclist and get impatient and try to pass when there’s oncoming traffic, leaving no room for error between them and the cyclist. The bottom line is that human life matters more than a little time saved by zipping blindly out of a corner or squeezing by a slow cyclist (or Old Order Mennonite horse and buggy). Take your time and compensate by leaving plenty of room on the road. It may save the life of someone else and save you from a lifetime of regret. – KR Explain the collateral costs As negotiations for the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement continue and countries like New Zealand and the United States continue to try to subvert Canada’s supply management marketing system, some people in the urban media in Canada seem thrilled that the program they’ve hated for years may be abolished. The media is negligent, however, in not explaining to urban viewers and readers that there’s more at stake than getting cheaper dairy products, eggs, chicken, and turkey. Many consumers, for instance, are leary of genetically altered organisms. They don’t need to worry about recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) residue in their milk, for instance, because the Canadian system prevents its use. American milk producers have been using the synthetic hormone to boost milk production. If we get American milk we won’t have control over whether or not the milk and cheese we eat has been made with this hormone. Many consumers who are concerned about the industrialization of agriculture deserve to know that dairy herds in New Zealand and the U.S. can have 8,000 or more cows compared to Canada’s smaller herds. Media like The Globe and Mail like to portray Canadian supply management as an archaic monopoly while other countries thrive in the “free market”. Yet New Zealand has a defacto supply management because 97 per cent of dairy farmers ship milk to the Fonterra Co-op processor and you can only ship milk if you have shares in the company. To the urban media: if you’re “telling it like it is”, then tell it like it really is! – 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.