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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-01-31, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 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; $130.00/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 February 8, 1961 The Brussels Horticultural Society held its annual meeting on Jan. 29. The society decided to sponsor a contest surrounding the making of bird feeders, instead of bird houses, which had been done in the past. The society also decided to hold a flower show in the spring. The society named Mrs. D.A. Rann its new president. The Brussels Post reported that money being left in milk bottles was going missing and local children were taking the blame. “It would be advisable for parents to warn their children against this petty thieving so they may avoid serious trouble,” The Brussels Post warned. The Hustler, starring Jackie Gleason and Paul Newman was showing at the Capital Theatre in Listowel. It was tagged as “a raw, racey realistic story of poolroom life in Manhattan’s slums.” The Brussels Post reported that recently-installed public toilets in the newly-renovated Brussels Arena had already been subjected to vandalism. February 3, 1988 At its annual meeting, the Huron- Bruce NDP abortion continued to be a hot button topic. Tony McQuail, president of the Huron-Bruce NDP riding association, said that abortion was going to be a challenging issue when the election comes the following fall. The NDP official policy was said to be pro-choice, however, it was obvious that there were divided feelings on the issue at the association’s annual meeting. Morris Township Council said it was in the process of looking towards the development of a flood plan for the township. Township officials had already begun working with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority on a potential flood plan. Ten residents were injured, two of them critically, in several different traffic collisions throughout the community. The Brussels Crusaders posted two big wins over the weekend as they continued their quest to claim first place in the WOAA Intermediate Southern Division. February 2, 2006 Huron East Grey Ward Councillor Mark Beaven said he wanted to make it clear that council had not made any commitments to building a new recreation centre in Vanastra. Beaven said that public opinion still needed to be sought and that no final decisions had been made. Deputy-Mayor Bernie MacLellan, however, said he disagreed and that there needed to be a new recreation centre in Vanastra. “My personal opinion is that the rec centre needs to be replaced within 10 years and I hate to think that the people of Brussels and other parts of Huron East would be against having their tax dollars go towards a new rec centre in Vanastra when the people in Vanastra have supported centres in Seaforth and Brussels,” MacLellan said. He said that while no dollar values had been discussed, he felt it was important that council follow through with the centre. Brussels Public School was celebrating its 45th birthday and organizers were celebrating by conjoining the special date with the school’s second annual literacy night. The night’s theme was bedtime stories, so students participating in the literacy night were encouraged to wear their pajamas to the school. February 2, 2012 Morris-Turnberry Council announced that the municipality would be starting its own fire department in the wake of ongoing negotiations with the Fire Department of North Huron. Council emerged from a lengthy in-camera meeting with the decision, saying that council had purchased two parcels of land for potential fire stations and was prepared to offer fire suppression beginning Jan. 1, 2014. North Huron Reeve Neil Vincent responded to the controversial decision by Morris-Turnberry Council by saying “I’m in complete shock”. He said he was speechless when he first heard the decision and couldn’t believe that Morris- Turnberry Council would consider this the best course of action. It was announced that local students would be split up due to the delays facing the construction of the new Maitland River Elementary School. With the school yet to be built, students would be split up depending on their age, and would be sent to either Wingham Public School or Turnberry Central Public School when the school year began in the fall. In an interview with Blyth Public School student Phaedra Scott, former teacher and active community member John Stewart recounted his memories of Blyth Public School as its final school year slowly came to a close. Vandals kicked into high gear as several Brussels buildings were defaced over the course of one night. The buildings included Brussels Public School, the school’s gazebo, the Brussels Library and others. 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 A reason for hope On the surface, the choice by the Liberal Party of Ontario of a downtown Toronto MPP to be its leader and the Premier of Ontario, is not a hopeful sign for repairing the rift between the government and rural Ontario but sometimes there are things beneath the surface we don’t see. For several years, the Federation of Agriculture in nearby Perth County worked with John Wilkinson, then MPP for Perth-Wellington, to host an educational session about farming for urban MPPs. The MPPs would tour local farms and farm service businesses and talk to people involved in agriculture. The most faithful attendee at these sessions was Kathleen Wynne, Ontario’s new Premier-designate. Even after she became a cabinet minister she took part. The Perth County Federation of Agriculture was so impressed they gave her a special award. Since winning the leadership on Saturday, Wynne has said that dealing with the concerns of rural residents over industrial wind developments is one of her priorities. This could be a challenge she can’t do much about in the short run, of course, since many contracts have already been signed with large wind generating companies (and in a minority government, who knows if there is a long run for Wynne or her government). Still, Wynne has shown a desire to try to build bridges between people, not draw a line in the sand. In the legislature, that willingness to compromise will be sorely tested since Opposition Leader Tim Hudak began running attack ads the first business day after Wynne won the leadership, but the public can see things differently. Here’s hoping rural Ontarians keep an open mind about the new premier and give her a chance to prove herself, not judge her on the mistakes of her predecessor. –KR Where it all started The Idle No More movement doesn’t seem to have calmed down since Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence ended her hunger strike last week. Monday 300 protesters were outside the House of Commons in Ottawa when Parliament resumed and other protests took place across the country. Most Canadians are probably bewildered by the whole movement because it really seems to be about frustration and every participant in the protests seems to want something different than his or her fellow protesters. Even First Nations official leaders are kept hopping trying to keep up with what this grassroots movement wants. Throughout all the uncertainty there is one reality. Canada is paying the price for a government that tried to take a short cut – to sneak through significant changes to legislation without the public, or even MPPs, knowing what was proposed. The Idle No More movement began in the grassroots of First Nations communities to express their frustration over the Conservative government’s passage of the massive C-45 omnibus budget implementation bill, which will affect the Indian and Environmental Assessment Acts, among many other things. Speaking in the House of Commons on behalf of Spence, as he promised to do last week when she gave up her strike, NDP Leader Tom Mulcair said Monday: “Gutting environmental protection for thousands of lakes and rivers on aboriginal territory is not meaningful consultation.” The government of Stephen Harper has been getting away with massive changes to legislation hidden within omnibus budget bills – changes that have absolutely nothing to do with the monetary issues the budget is supposed to deal with. When opposition parties complained, Canadians just shrugged and figured it was more political game playing. Voters cannot afford to sleep through these assaults on the democratic and parliamentary system by governments of any stripe. We must be prepared to stand up and tell governments to stick to the principles that this country is based on. If the Idle No More movement begins to disrupt our society, we all share the blame for not having refused to let the Harper government sneak through serious changes without proper parliamentary debate. — 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.