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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-04-04, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 4, 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 March 16, 1961 David Hastings, Chief of Police in Brussels, sent out a warning to children and their parents. The warning stated that any child caught carrying a BB gun will have the gun confiscated, as well as any damage inflicted will have to be paid for by the child’s parents. Mac McIntosh won $50 in the NHL hockey draw sponsored by the Brussels Lions Club. Gwendolyne Martin was presented her Gold Cord Certificate for Girl Guides at a presentation ceremony in Convocation Hall. April 6, 1988 Clinton has received $48, 937 as a first payment for the sewage works project. The project involves upgrading as well as expanding the town’s sewage works. The money was part of a grant estimated at $533,000, which was a provincial contribution towards the total cost of the project, estimated at $783,000. The Majestic Woman’s Institute held a successful euchre party with 10 tables playing. The prizes for high lady and man went to Irma and Ross Brighton. Prizes for low lady and man went to Clara Haig and Elunid McNair. The lone hand prize went to Sarah Stephenson and Leonna Connelly had the most zeros. The Walkerton Club met at Mrs. Lloyd Penfound’s home on March 29 with 10 members present. Rev. Dave Snihur of Londesborough was introduced. His hobby was working with stained glass. He showed the congregation, at his first service, various tools he used to work with stained glass and how he used them. Snihur made those in attendance realize how many pieces of glass were needed to make a church window. He was presented with a gift. Cake and ice cream followed. April 6, 2006 Five Howick residents, including an 18-year-old male, an 18-year-old female, and three 16-year-olds were charged following a break-in on McDonald Line in Morris- Turnberry. The OPP were contacted on March 29 at around 11 p.m. about a break-in in progress at a residence. Upon arrival, they saw several people fleeing the scene. They were charged with break and enter with intent and trespass at night. Some students from Hullett Central Public School had the privilege to perform on stage at Blyth Memorial Hall with The Cobblestones and Bobby Evans. The Newfoundland group contacted the school searching for back-up singers and a total of 26 students volunteered for a part in the choir. Frank and Phyllis Szusz celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 1 at the Londesborough Hall with a small group of friends and family members. Frank worked as a brakeman in Essex on the terminal railroad as well as a farmer. Debbie Busby, the owner of Sweets N' Treats in Wingham, expanded her business, opening a store on Blyth’s main street just in time for Easter. The new business was located on the south-west corner on Queen and Dinsley Streets. The Brussels Fire Department welcomed the arrival of a new fire truck on March 26. The new truck, which cost $227,266, replaced a vehicle made in 1953. Ron Walker of Blyth was awarded second place at the Goderich Historical Museum art exhibit. The exhibit featured work from artists all around the county. Walker’s painting features an autumn scene. April 5, 2012 Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson came out and said she could not support the Liberal government’s “do-nothing” budget, saying she was frustrated with the lack of change in the proposed budget. The Avon Maitland District School Board approved a tender for the new Maitland River Elementary School scheduled to be built just outside of Wingham. This came after rumours swirled that the project was being delayed, or even cancelled, which school board officials said were false. School board officials said that the 97 employees that appeared on its “sunshine list” would not all be on it in 2012; that there were exceptional circumstances, including teaching summer school, that resulted in such high numbers. The Saugeen Maitland Midget AA Lightning hockey team won a bronze medal after beating Toronto Leaside 5-2 in the Lower Lakes Championships. They began by losing by a score of 3-0 to the eventual gold medal winners, Toronto Aeros. During the second game, Saugeen outshot Oakville 29-16 but were edged 1-0. They then went on to tie with Leaside 3-3 in their final round- robin match. The first annual Easter egg hunt in Auburn was a great success after approximately 50 children were in attendance. There many activities set up including face painting, crafts and cookie decorating. Blyth Grade 8 student Phaedra Scott was collecting scrap metal to help fund her class’s graduation trip. 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 The last should be first When Premier Kathleen Wynne, who is also Minister of Agriculture and Food, visited Clinton last week for an economic summit on the agri- food sector, one of the last parts of her speech was about the regulatory barriers that have been hurting small food processors like abattoirs. It’s too bad she hadn’t given the issue more prominence. Wynne started off with the fact that the agri-food sector is either first or second in providing jobs in Ontario when you include all aspects of the production, processing and retailing of food. This was only natural given she was speaking to a summit on the agri-food sector. When it comes to importance in Huron, the largest food-producing county in Ontario, the portions of the sector that matter most to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the summit, are a distant part of the industry. While we produce a lot of food, less and less of it is processed here. In a global economy where countries and regions seem to specialize in what they do best, Huron County more and more depends on agriculture. The industries which once provided employment for people in the towns and for farmers needing off-farm jobs, have been disappearing at an alarming rate, from Volvo in Goderich to MDL Doors. Even food processors like Exeter’s CanGro Foods and the Seaforth Creamery have been closing down in Canada and moving to the U.S. So small, locally-owned processors like abattoirs become more and more important in Huron County’s economy. For one thing, they provide badly-needed jobs, even if relatively few. They also provide the infrastructure for farmers who want to diversify by creating their own local markets instead of (or as well as) plugging in to the large-scale production of foods as raw materials to be hauled off and processed elsewhere. In recent years, with fewer and fewer local abattoirs, farmers who want to sell to local consumers have been finding it harder to get their meat processed. So the Premier and Minister of Agriculture must look at the big picture to be sure when she speaks to an event sponsored by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, but simplifying regulations and helping small, food processors is important in retaining viable alternatives in Ontario’s biggest food-producing county. –KR Politics isn’t a franchise The short-lived revolt by Conservative Party backbenchers last week who were upset the leadership of the party wouldn’t let them speak their minds in Parliament once again raised the important question: does the party represent the sum of the members of parliament, or are the MPs extensions of the party. It’s totally understandable that Prime Minister Stephen Harper doesn’t want some of his MPs speaking their private views on some subjects like abortion or same-sex marriage. He’s fought hard to persuade middle-of-the-road Canadian voters that his party has no hidden agenda – that it’s not waiting for the right moment to sneak through conservative legislation. Other observers, even non-Conservatives, have supported Harper’s stance, saying the MPs must represent the party. This view accepts a top- down view of politics, that the MPs serve the Prime Minister, not the other way around. Like much of our society, political parties seem to have adopted the McDonald’s model – that a party is a franchise in which the decisions are made at the top and the people down below are encouraged to think as little as possible and follow the formula designed by the smart leaders. It’s the opposite of a grassroots view of governing in which the best ideas of many members are adopted by the party. Most of us have bought into the star concept where the party leader is expected to provide brilliant ideas. One of the criticisms of Justin Trudeau’s campaign to become leader of the Liberal Party has been that he hasn’t set out firm policies. Maybe Trudeau doesn’t have any real ideas or maybe he’s hiding the policies he has already committed to, but it would be tremendously refreshing if he was really waiting to talk to his party members and his MPs and let them provide all their best ideas to help shape his party’s platform. –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.