The Citizen, 2011-05-26, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2011. PAGE 19. Council for the Blindholds May meeting
What do we have here?
The Blyth Christian Reformed Church held an extensive sale on Friday and Saturday which
included plants, baked goods as well as a yard sale component. Pat Bernard, left, was one of
the customers out sampling what the merchants had to offer on the long weekend, and
considering buying some plants from Corrie Bos. (Denny Scott photo)
Continued from page 1
the hiring freeze but the rest of
council opposing it.
Councillor Brock Vodden stated
that he would like to see this issue
dealt with as part of the human
resources (HR) procedure and that
council should deal with that as a
whole.
Deputy-Clerk Kathy Adams
stated that there are practices
followed when hiring, and that
council already decides on new
positions being created, but that
refilling positions due to job
absences was something that
department heads handled under
the current HR policies.
Bailey stated he would not likely
bring this issue up again.
“I don’t think I’ll be re-
introducing it,” he said. “I’ve lost
twice now.”
Even though I wasn’t involved in
the ‘apocalypse’ or the ‘rapture’ this
weekend, it seemed like a good time
to examine some of the almost
apocalyptic claims swirling about
the intersection of the environment
and the economy.
Perhaps the most controversial
economic suggestion spawned by
global warming is the idea that
greenhouse gas emissions must be
reduced through a carbon tax.
On one side of the argument are
the extreme free-market economists
who confidently predict that such a
tax would destroy so many jobs that
we would all starve to death. On the
other side are those who firmly
declare that if we don’t institute a
financial punitive regime of some
sort, the earth will die of heat death
so the lost jobs will be irrelevant
anyway.
As previously popular economic
theories and instruments have come
close to actually destroying the
economy of several western nations
I can understand if a belief in
economists is not high on anyone’s
list of certainties. On the other hand,
some members of the
‘environmental community’ have
predicted that Mother Nature is
going to pull the plug so often that
they have begun to rival a certain
California religious radio station
owner.
As I don’t wish to die from either
heat prostration or starvation I’m left
in a bit of a quandary. Oddly enough
it is the forest industry, once a huge
flash point at the intersection of jobs
and the environment that, that
suggests a way out of the impasse.
For a long time loggers,
environmentalists and the forest
industry in general fought a bitter
war over the right to log and how to
log. Accusations flew about lost
jobs, a clear cut wilderness and
destroyed natural heritage. A few
years ago they decided to try
something different – they began to
listen to each other with their ears
not their mouth. They sat down to
see if some logical compromise was
possible.
What eventually developed was
the concept of certified forests. At its
simplest this means that products
labeled as coming from a certified
forest were harvested in a
sustainable and environmentally-
sensitive manner. The program is not
perfect and some forestry interests
have attempted to establish basically
phony certification programs, but on
the whole, public demand for
‘certified’ products has begun to
have a significant impact on forestry
practices. Both sides got something
and nobody got everything.
There is an old adage in politics
that if both sides in an argument are
unhappy with a decision you must
have done something right. The
history of the last energy crisis in the
United States proved that if you
want to reduce the use of petroleum
products cost is the quickest and
most effective mechanism. The
collision of these two ideas could
form a useful starting point for a
real, jobs versus the environment
discussion.
A carbon tax would certainly
reduce the use of petroleum products
and thus the rate of greenhouse gas
emissions, and to be honest, would
probably curtail jobs in the oil
industry. If, however, the money was
not to disappear into the financial
black hole of general government
revenues, but into a ’greenhouse
reduction fund’ used to foster new
technologies, industry and
environmental organizations might
find they had a stake in getting
along. Both sides get something and
neither gets everything.
Joe Austin opened the May
meeting with “’O Canada” and “The
Lord’s Prayer” at Huronview Home
for the Aged. Roll call was answered
with naming your favourite TV
program.
A new member, Effie Lawrence,
was welcomed. Happy anniversary
was sung to Walter and Carla
Schlichting celebrating 63 years
married. Marie Flynn read a reading
to make all smile. Dianne Cook read
a poem, “If God Should go on
strike”. Secretary and treasurer
reports were read.
Posters made by Shirley Carter
and Marie Flynn are being
distributed many places to promote
an evening out for the blind and
visually impaired. They will also
advertise on cable.
Joe Austin has reserved a place at
the Goderich beach for the group’s
July 19 picnic. Vern Dupee and
Bruce Swan entertained.
Dorothy Bolton said grace for
lunch served by Reta VanDyke and
Dianne Stevenson.
The next meeting is June 21.
Tickets at Blyth Festival Office, Blyth Legion, Ernie King Music
(Goderich & Wingham) Credit Card Orders: 1-800-465-7829
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2011 - 7PM
BLYTH MEMORIAL HALL
Makesa GreatFather’sDay Gift
Sharon’s
turning 65!
Come rock & roll,
and reminisce good times
Please join us to celebrate
at Mom’s birthday
SURPRISE!!
Saturday,
June 4
7:30 pm - 12:00 am
Royal Canadian
Legion
Turnberry (Main) St.,
Brussels
Refreshments Served
Cash Bar
Marriage
Announcement
Ted and Marlene Little
and
Gerry and Ev denToom
wish to announce
the marriage of
Sarah and Mark
on May 28th, 2011
at the
Atwood Community Centre
with reception to follow.
Come Celebrate
With Us
Mildred McAdam’s
80th Birthday
Saturday, May 28
Come and Go
2~4 pm
at the Dinner Bell,
Clinton
Best Wishes Only
50th Wedding
Anniversary
The family ofBodie and OllieCraig
invites you to join them in
celebrating the 50th Wedding Anniversary
of their parents
at an Open House
at Blyth United Church
on June 5, 2011
from 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Best Wishes Only
ON $6.00 THURSDAYS
Drop into either of our offices any
Thursday with your word classified
(maximum 20 words) and pay only
$6.00 + HST (paid in advance).
That’s $1.00 off regular rates.
The Citizen
The Forest & The Trees
By David Blaney
A highly personal and idiosyncratic commentary on whether we are
going to hell in an environmental handcart
Vote lost