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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-07-14, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2011.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 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. N0G 1H0 Phone 887-9114 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com 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 $34.00/year ($32.38 + $1.62 G.S.T.) in Canada; $115.00/year in U.S.A. and $175/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: norhuron@scsinternet.com July 5, 1950 The annual soap box derby was to take place on July 19, sponsored by the Brussels Legion. With a first prize of $10, there were two classes, one class for drivers between the ages of 12 and 14 and another for drivers under the age of 12. Wheels for each vehicle were not to exceed 14 inches and there was also a $5 prize for the best vehicle as judged at the competition. Over $950 had been donated to the Brussels floodlight project to date. The campaign, however, was said to have been running under par. Two short films demonstrating the preparation process for freezing food were to be shown at the Brussels Library as part of an information night being sponsored by the Majestic Women’s Institute on July 10. The Brussels Legion’s annual Sports Day was to be held on July 19, featuring baseball games, races, the aforementioned soapbox derby and dancing, both modern and old time. Admission for the festivities was 25 cents, but public school students got in for free. July 17, 1974 Hullett Township was joining the long list of local townships and forming its own recreation committee. The decision was made after a presentation from resident Keith Arthur of Auburn, who asked council to consider taking the step. The process, however had been underway for some time, as it had been spurred even earlier by Blyth resident John Elliott. Due to incoming regulations from the provincial government, taxpayers in Blyth and Hullett were potentially facing a jump in their taxes thanks to the Ministry of the Environment. The landfill shared by the two areas had been warned several times by the ministry about burning waste at the site. Burning was to have been halted by the end of June. An Ontario Hydro official stated that Huron County would not be getting a nuclear generating station in the near future. Plans that had been in place for a plant in the Goderich area had been suspended, according to the official. “The decision to suspend the plant comes as a result of talks with provincial and municipal officials coupled with the findings of attitudes and other conditions in the area,” said George Gathercole, chairman of the Ontario Hydro board. The Blyth Community Vacation Bible School boasted a larger enrollment than in previous years in 1974. The average daily attendance across the school’s four different departments was 121 students. Ontario Federation of Agriculture President Gordon Hill defended comments made by Agriculture Minister Eugene Whelan the previous week. Whelan said farmers were not getting enough money for their products and Hill said the minister was “right on” and that he was “simply stating the facts” in the situation. July 9, 1986 Brussels Village Council was attempting to stop the washing of agricultural transport trucks in undesignated areas. Council also made a motion to send a letter to the Minister of the Environment expressing the disappointment of councillors regarding the inspections that had been taking place. The concern was that run-off would drain off the trucks and make its way into storm drains. Neil McDonald was named a councillor in Brussels, filling a seat that had been left vacant weeks earlier. Councillor Hank Ten Pas said that four people had put their names forward for the position. McDonald won the position over Frank Stretton, Bruce Hahn and Gertie Kellington. July 8, 2004 Blyth’s first weekly farmers’ market was set to begin on July 10. The market would run every Saturday for the remainder of the summer. Over 250 residents came out to congratulate local NHLer Justin Peters who had been drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes and had just made his way back home to Blyth. After being picked by the Hurricanes, the 17-year-old Peters and his family celebrated by spending a week in Myrtle Beach. Alexandra Gilbert, the wardrobe head for the Blyth Festival’s The Outdoor Donnellys, was honoured with the 2004 Pauline McGibbon Award for craftsperson of the year. North Huron Council deferred a decision that would allow ATVs on township roads and streets. Council opted to stall on creating a motion because until a bylaw was made, ATVs would not be legal on North Huron’s streets. Clifford artist Wesley Bates opened his exhibit, entitled ‘Harlequin’s Masque’ at the Blyth Festival Art Gallery. North Huron Council was updated as to the status of its current by-election. As of July 8 Helen Grubb, John Cronyn, Dave Pattison, Doug Scrimgeour, Edgar Daer, Gerald Kerr and George Reinink had put their names forward. The deadline to withdraw was July 19, with the election set for August 30. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Thanks for serving The announcement last week that former Huron East Mayor and long- time councillor Joe Seili is retiring because he can no longer afford the time away from his business, emphasizes again the commitment people must make to serve their community as municipal councillors. From the outside, it’s easy to underestimate the sacrifice that people make when they accept a seat on council. Even many people who run for council don’t realize how much time they’ll have to devote if they win the job. What can be so hard about a couple of meetings a month? Except it’s not just a couple of meetings a month. There are special meetings to consider things like the budget. There are committee meetings to give detailed consideration to specific areas of the administration – say emer- gency planning or personnel. Certain councillors represent their municipalities on other boards such as the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority. Then there are all the community events we expect representatives of council to attend. And for heads of council, as Seili was until last fall’s election when he ran for council instead of mayor, there’s the whole added level of responsibility with county council, plus the added committee meetings and public events to attend. Taxpayers look at the stipends and per diems paid to councillors and sometimes question whether the politicians are wasting the public’s money. When people are taking time away from their work to carry out these functions, however, the compensation is not out of line. When someone is trying to run a business like Seili, it’s hard to see how he can find enough hours in the day to do it all. So thanks to Joe Seili for making the sacrifices he has made over many years to serve his community, and thanks to all councillors on all area councils for the dedication they show in representing us. — KR Checks and balances One of the essentials of a democratic society is a free press – a media that is not controlled in any way by government. What happens, then, when the media gets out of control as in the case of reporters for British tabloids who hacked into the voicemail of private citizens in the interest of getting a story? The scandal in Britain, particularly the outrage over interfering with a police investigation of a teenager’s disappearance (and eventual death) by actually erasing some of her voicemail messages, has brought calls for some way to punish the offenders and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Punishment of people who broke the law is certainly warranted, even if they use the excuse that they were just trying to inform the public. It’s preventing such things happening again that’s more complicated. Given its history of harassment of celebrities and the royal family, it’s easy to want some sort of control imposed on the British tabloids which it’s hard to consider these scandal sheets part of the serious press. But worthless as they are to informed democratic decision-making, the tabloids are still part of the same media that’s essential to keeping governments from abusing their powers. You can’t write regulations for the gutter press without it extending to the serious media. Snooping reporters, even those doing their job legally and ethically for respected publications, are often disliked. Robert Woodward and Carl Bernstein were deplored when they first started investigating the illegal activities of Richard Nixon in his re-election campaign. Even many in the media accused them of just being scandal mongers. In the long run they uncovered corruption that led to Nixon’s impeachment. Here in Canada, dogged reporters dug into the Sponsorship Scandal in Quebec until the public took it seriously, eventually contributing to a change of government and altering the history of Canada. We need that kind of snoopy reporter and unfortunately the laws that protect them protect less worthy reporters too. Of course if people never read the News of the World-type publications, we won’t have to worry about New of the World-type sleazy reporting. — 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.