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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-01-03, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2013.Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston Acting Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny ScottAdvertising Sales: Ken Warwick & Lori Patterson The CitizenP.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; $115.00/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: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 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 January 5, 1911 An announcement proclaimed that William P. Fraser had purchased the stock and tailoring business belonging to C.H. Dodds. The notice read that Fraser planned on continuing to operate the business at the same premises, the Stretton block in Brussels, for the forseeable future. “[Dodds] will keep an up-to-date line of tweeds, worsteds, pantings, vestings and all other goods kept in a first-class tailoring establishment,” the notice read. J. Yaffe of Colborne Street in Toronto was advertising that he was looking for skunk. “Skunk wanted” read the notice, “in any quantity at best market prices.” Yaffe said he would also pay for “mink, coon, muskrat, weasel, lynx and bear.” The 1911 installment of Huron County Council was announced with hopes that they would “compare very favourably with their predecessors”. The list included L. Hill representing Blyth, John Leckie representing Brussels, Jno. Gillespie representing Wawanosh East and R.W. Livingston and Jno. Brown representing Grey. January 5, 1961 The Bell Boy starring Jerry Lewis was set to hit the screen at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham. The film was sold as “fun and frolic with Jerry Lewis”. The East Huron Agricultural Society was holding its annual banquet and meeting at the Brussels United Church on Jan. 18. The guest speaker for the evening was going to be Vaughan Douglas from CKNX. His discussion would focus on Russia and would include a film. Tickets for the event were set at $1. A firemen’s ball was set to be held at the Brussels Town Hall on Feb. 3, while a community dance was scheduled for the Wroxeter Hall on Jan. 6. The Wroxeter dance would begin at 10 p.m. and featured the Mercy Brothers Orchestra performing. The Brussels United Church Sunday School was holding its annual skating party at the Brussels Arena on Jan. 10. The Brussels Home and School Association was set to meet at the old public school on Jan. 11. The evening meeting would focus on “The Special Child”. January 6, 1988 Wilbur and Jennie Turnbull of Brussels celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. The couple was married on Jan. 9, 1918, when Jennie, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.J. McGavin took Wilbur’s hand in marriage. Dora Shobbrook, who had been working for nearly 20 years as a correspondent for local newspapers in the Londesborough area, retired from her post. June Fothergill took over Shobbrook’s position at the beginning of 1988. She had filled in for Shobbrook from time to time during 1987 when Shobbrook spent some time in the hospital. Shobbrook, who had just turned 82, originally took the position over in 1971, when the former Londesborough correspondent Mrs. Bert Allen passed away. Shobbrook wrote the Londesborough news for The Blyth Standard, The Huron Expositor, The Clinton News-Record and, in recent years, The Citizen. A storm consisting of gale-force winds and sub-zero temperatures ravaged the community closing a number of roads and keeping area students from their local schools. While the winds were strong and cold, The Citizen reported that the storm was rather mild due to the minimal snowfall in recent days, resulting in a low build-up of snowbanks. January 5, 2006 Preliminary plans for the proposed Brussels meat packing plant were presented to local farmers at a public meeting held on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2005. The plant was estimated to cost between $17 and $26 million and would be located next to Brussels Livestock. Huron East Mayor Joe Seili said the federal government, under the ruminant slaughter equity assistance program, would pay $500 for every $1,000 of farmer investment. He said the government was looking for $10 million in local investment from farmers. The Belgrave Kinsmen conducted their annual holiday food drive throughout the village and said that the drive was their best yet, filling seven large bins with food. Huron East farmland owners would be getting some tax relief from the municipality, bringing back a plan that had been implemented in 2005 that defered all farmland taxation until the fall installment date. Clerk-Administrator Jack McLachlan said it would help free up approximately $900,000 in the economy over the next six months. It was announced that “Canada’s Country Gentleman” Tommy Hunter would be performing at Blyth Memorial Hall on Jan. 28. He said his performance would provide concert-goers with a “nostalgic trip down memory lane”. 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 Could 2013 be time of healing? As we enter 2013, here’s hoping the year delivers its potential for beginning a bridging of the gap between rural and urban Ontarians. After the Ontario Liberal party holds its leadership convention on January 26, there will be a new premier in Ontario. Hopefully whoever that leader is they will reverse the cynical position of Premier Dalton McGuinty who felt he could win office by catering to urban concerns and ignoring rural ones. This cynicism reach its zenith when he cancelled expensive projects for gas-fired electrical generating stations in the suburbs of Toronto to win votes prior to the last election while he ignored complaints from rural residents about the proliferation of wind turbines many felt were endangering their health. Even if the new premier continues McGuinty’s divisive policies, there will most likely be a second opportunity for change this year. It seems almost certain the Liberals will either call an election themselves or that their minority government will be defeated by the Progressive Conservatives and NDP. If one of these parties can bridge the gap and appeal to both urban and rural residents, they will have the key to forming a majority government. Whatever happens, we desperately need to have a government which all Ontarians feel represents their interests. We can’t afford to write off people who live in the country or in small towns just because most of the growth in recent years has been taking place in cities. –KR Let’s avoid ideological rigidity Because of holiday deadlines, this issue of The Citizen went to press before the outcome of the brinksmanship in the U.S.Congress regarding the so-called fiscal cliff was known. One lesson for Canadians in all of this is to make sure our country never falls into the trap of ideology so rigid that there is no room for compromise. As Republicans and Democrats stuck stubbornly to their entrenched positions, the U.S. hurtled toward the brink of the fiscal cliff that would impose a regime of tax increases and vicious program cuts so extreme that many economists fear it will throw the country into a recession. If the U.S. enters a recession, the fragile world economy may tip into crisis as well, hurting trading partners like Canada. Since the days when Bill Clinton actually ran governmental surpluses, neither Democratic or Republican presidents have balanced the budget. Under George W. Bush, Republicans ran up deficits by cutting taxes. Under Democrat Barack Obama, the deficit ballooned to record levels as he tried to stimulate the economy to soften the effects of the Great Recession of 2008-2009. Now, as they face economic calamity, Republicans stick to their guns that there will be no tax increase for millionaires – even if it means hundreds of millions of middle class Americans will be hit hard by huge tax increases. The Democrats, meanwhile, emboldened by Obama’s re- election, fight to prevent spending cuts if at all possible. Neither side seems to care much about what’s right for the country. For decades, Canada was far from this kind of ideological extremism. Under leaders like John Diefenbaker, Joe Clark and Brian Mulroney, the Progressive Conservatives were toward the right of centre, but moderately so. The NDP was moderately to the left, proposing social programs that made life better for ordinary Canadians. In the middle were the Liberals who stick-handled their way to power more than any other party by leaning right as needed, or left, if the country favoured NDP policies. Today the Conservative government of Stephen Harper is more ideologically conservative than any of those Progressive Conservatives. The official opposition is now the NDP and some long-time party members now feel it’s only a matter of time before they get to call the shots and install their policies. The Liberals have been devastated in recent elections and both the Conservatives and the NDP want to keep them from re-emerging as a middle-of-the-road compromise. Here’s hoping that, despite the manoeuvring of politicians who would like to polarize Canada, we can learn from watching the sad spectacle south of the border and refuse to reward any politicians who promote rigid ideological stands to the detriment of the country. — 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.