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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-11-08, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2012.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 November 11, 1965 Bob McKinley retained the Huron riding for the Conservative Party with a victory in the election. Nearly 90 per cent of eligible voters in Brussels cast a vote, with the majority of people voting for McKinley. McKinley earned 267 votes from Brussels residents, while Maitland Edgar of the Liberal Party received 198 votes in Brussels and Carl Hemingway of the New Democratic Party received just 18 votes. McKinley, a 37-year-old grassroots farmer was from Zurich and he won the riding by just over 1,000 votes. The total numbers were 10,573 votes for McKinley, 9,279 votes for Edgar and just 1,279 votes for Hemingway. Of the 25,584 eligible voters in Huron County, 21,131 turned out to vote. November 4, 1987 Residents of Ethel turned out in full force to show Canada Post that they were fed up with how they were running things and Richard Bowness, Canada Post’s manager of community and media relations vowed that the company would promise to change its ways in the future. “Based on the harsh economic fact that we have to break even and can no longer afford to run small rural post offices which are resulting in a haemorrhaging of federal funds” he said Canada Post had to reformulate its plan. He did admit, however, that on occasion, Canada Post has “dropped the ball” in some situations pertaining to rural post offices in the area. An agreement on the Blyth and District Community Centre Board had been reached when five area municipalities met to approve a revised agreement. Full councils from Blyth, Hullett, Morris, East Wawanosh and West Wawanosh all came together to hammer out the agreement. Hullett Reeve Tom Cunningham, however, detailed the issues being discussed, saying that they were of a “fairly minor nature”. John Jewitt of RR1, Londesborough stated his intention to seek the position of chairman of the Huron County Board of Education at its inaugural meeting in December. Jewitt was already serving as the board’s vice-chairman and the school trustee for Hullett and McKillop Townships. It was at the same time that Jewitt announced his intention to seek the position that serving chairman Art Clark of Wingham announced that he would be stepping down from the position. November 16, 1994 The Blyth Business Association had sponsored a promotion called Dreams and Wishes that would coincide with the annual lighting of the lights ceremony in front of Memorial Hall. The municipal election on Nov. 14 brought about some changes in the area, while at the same time some familiar faces earned their seats once again. Gordon Workman defeated newcomer Glen Gouldsborough by nearly 250 votes to retain his seat. He would lead a council of John Lowe, Joe Seili, Greg Wilson and Mary Stretton in Brussels. Long-time Hullett Reeve Tom Cunningham retained his seat, but was given a run for his money as Hugh Flynn and Frank Szusz both collected votes. Cunningham finished with 307 votes, while Flynn received 286 votes and Szusz received 112 votes. In Blyth Mason Bailey took the reeve’s chair, defeating Eugene Coburn by 351 votes to Coburn’s 212. In East Wawanosh two former councillors vied for the title of reeve with Donald Schultz receiving 359 votes, beating Maurice Hallahan, who only received 158 votes. November 8, 2007 After several weeks in limbo, the new sidewalks on Elizabeth Street in Brussels were being poured. The process had resulted in multiple detours and boil water advisories, but the project was finally nearing its completion. The Huron Family Health Team in Huron East hired a new administrative manager, the position formerly held by Ralph Laviolette. Barb Major-McEwan was hired on by the municipality and began her time with the team on Oct. 29. Major-McEwan said that while she was still in the midst of the initial learning curve, everything had been going well. The Brussels Skating Club was holding its annual Christmas home tour and five houses were listed for viewing. Anna Cunningham, a Leading Air Woman in the Royal Canadian Air Force, told her story to The Citizen, remembering the days of England in World War II. Blyth’s local community was said to be the inspiration behind the 2008 Blyth Festival season, which had just been announced. Against the Grain by Carolyn Hay was set to open the season, followed up by Harvest by Ken Cameron, Courting Johanna by Marcia Johnston and a play about Stephen Truscott by Beverley Cooper that was yet untitled. 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 time to remember Canada marks Remembrance Day on Sunday and in recent years Canadians seem to be more involved than many times in the past. The terrible loss of young lives in the war in Afghanistan seems to have brought home to Canadians the understanding of the sacrifice made by young people who volunteer to serve their country. The moving tributes ordinary Canadians made when the bodies of fallen soldiers were transported along Highway 401 showed Canadians didn’t need government-mandated events to show their respect for that sacrifice. It’s terrible, but probably understandable, that it took new deaths to make us appreciate the sacrifice of all of our soldiers over the years. Canada has been blessed to live in peace for a long time. It’s 60 years since the Korean War, 67 since World War II, and 94 since the Armistice that ended World War I on November 11, 1918. While every loss of life needs to be remembered, Canada’s casualties in Afghanistan wouldn’t amount to one day’s (even one hour’s) losses during the two world wars. Hopefully the renewed interest in Remembrance Day will prompt people to go back to their local memorial and re-examine the memorial lists from those wars. The list of dead from World War I, in particular, is remarkable when you see how many from our small communities gave their lives. With Canadian combat activity in the war in Afghanistan over and the sad news of soldiers dying not filling their airwaves on a regular basis, let’s work to make sure Remembrance Day doesn’t fade once more from its renewed relevancy. — KR It can happen here The news on Monday that Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay had resigned after accusations of wrong doing by his Union Montreal political party made at the Charbonneau commission investigating corruption in the Quebec construction industry, should be a reminder to Canadians that things like government corruption can happen here. Often we hear stories of corruption in other countries and say to ourselves how lucky we are not to live there. The ongoing allegations of illegal political financing and tales of cash-stuffed envelopes at the provincial inquiry show us corruption is not something foreign to Canada. It might be comforting to Canadians outside Quebec to fall back on a “Quebec is different” claim to distance ourselves from this mess but it’s dangerous ever to think that we have somehow moved to a higher plain where this kind of thing can’t happen here. As Thomas Jefferson said, “The price of peace is eternal vigilance.” This same need to be concerned that we don’t let bad things happen here should also be extended to being vigilant about democracy. Many Canadians who claim they can’t be bothered paying attention to politics shrug off their lack of interest by saying of politicians “they’re all the same anyway”. Those who can’t be bothered to examine candidates at all levels of government, what they stand for and their strength of character, are opening the door for candidates who may not respect democracy and will use their office for their own benefit. We must also make sure that governments don’t forget our democratic principles. Currently, Stephen Harper’s federal government is pushing through another of its massive omnibus bills, dealing with a whole raft of changes in the guise of being a budget implementation bill. The huge bill gets as much time allocated for debate as a simple bill that’s a few pages long, meaning that parliamentarians will get little opportunity to debate many of these changes. The same tactic has been employed provincially by Premier Dalton McGuinty who has also adopted Harper’s tactic of prorogueing the legislature in order to prevent defeat of his minority government while his party is choosing his successor. Most Canadians have paid little attention as they dismiss this as politicians playing their games. We can’t afford to shrug off efforts that are convenient for government but undermine democracy. — 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.