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The Citizen, 2011-08-25, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 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 August 20, 1975 The Maitland Valley Conser- vation Authority was allowed to expand its grounds after East Wawanosh Township Council agreed it would enrich the area and its environmental experience. The enlarged boundaries would then include the townships of Ashfield, Colborne, East Wawanosh, West Wawanosh and portions of Huron, Kinloss and Culross townships, in addition to the villages of Ripley and Lucknow would all be included in the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority. A similar proposal had been turned down two years earlier, but John Elliott, a spokesman for the authority said programs that had recently been added would be of particular benefit to townships along the lakeshore. A courier system proposed by the Huron and Perth County Boards of Education would not be adopted by the Huron-Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School Board because, trustees said, the volume simply wouldn’t justify the service. The Huron County Board of Education voted to discontinue safety patrols at its Aug. 18 meeting, saying the board would then be put in a position where it could get sued if something happened to a student at a board-sanctioned crosswalk. West Wawanosh Township Council voted to apply for township funds through the Ontario Home Renewal Program. The program was set up to provide funds for basic improvements to homes that qualify. The funds would be distributed by the municipality, but provided by the Provincial Government. Artist Jim Marlatt was in the process of painting new entrance signs for the Village of Blyth and the Blyth Board of Trade to help spruce up the village’s image when people enter the area. The signs were planned to include the image of a steam engine, a nod to the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association. August 20, 1986 Preparations were being made for the 125th annual Brussels Fall Fair. There were concerns over the event’s liability insurance, but those involved were committed to going ahead, no matter the costs, which were estimated to be between $500 and $1,000 for the event. Blyth Village Council adopted a mill rate that would see residents’ taxes go up 6.7 per cent for the average supporter of the public school system. The jump was thanks largely in part to the Huron County levy, which had increased nearly 13 per cent for the year. Blyth Village Council authorized the purchase of a new public works truck, accepting a quotation from Hamm’s Car Sales of Blyth for a one ton heavy duty truck with a heavy duty option package for $13,713, which included trade-in value for the department’s current truck. August 26, 2004 Weather throughout the summer had been less than what area farmers were hoping for. Rain and cool temperatures had affected several different areas of business in the area, but one in particular was the golfing industry. Carolanne Doig of the Seaforth Golf and Country Club said traffic at the golf course had been down significantly over the course of the summer due to the large amount of rain the area had received. “The business needs good weather,” Doig said, “and numbers are definitely down.” Doig also expressed some frustration with local weather announcers who had been making “negative” broadcasts that would scare golfers off before the bad weather would even arrive. “When they predict rain, people stay away,” Doig said. “But we usually don’t get the rain. The weather reports are totally useless.” Only four days remained until North Huron residents would be casting their vote for the Blyth Ward by-election. Deputy-Clerk Kathy Adams, however, had said that advance poll numbers were underwhelming, with just 18 voters taking advantage of their chance to vote early. The by-election came as a result of the resignation of Councillor Ralph DeVries. Seven candidates had initially stepped forward, but by the nomination deadline, just three remained: Edgar Daer, Helen Grubb and Dave Pattison. The Huron County anti-smoking bylaw was about to hit local businesses as of Sept. 4 and it was getting mixed reviews throughout the area. Jeff and Cathy Cardiff were honoured as Citizens of the Year for the Brussels area. The Cardiffs received their award from the 1997 Citizen of the Year, Leona Armstrong. Christine Bone of Brussels returned from the Sarnia Highland Games with several medals and a trophy thanks to her winning performance. Bone’s combined points were the highest in the category, earning her top honours for the class. This was only Bone’s second year of competitive dancing. The science-fiction death match Alien vs. Predator was playing at Goderich’s Park Theatre. 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 Nature’s lesson While the vast majority of Huron County residents go about our normal lives this week, people living, working or owning a business in a swath through the middle of Goderich are trying to come to grips with the alteration to their lives caused by Sunday’s tornado. For the thoughtful, this tragedy can once again remind us of the arbitrariness of life. Some lives were changed forever by a 12-second burst of nature’s fury, while a few miles away – even a few blocks away – others could live untouched. Those in the path of that storm did nothing to deserve what happened to them. No matter how smart or hard-working they were they could not have prevented that damage. Such is the devastation in Goderich that the hearts of everyone reach out to the victims, wanting to help ease their pain and assist them to rebuild. We can see the randomness of this freak act of nature. We are less able to see the randomness that affects other’s lives. We are in a time in our society when there’s an underlying feeling on the part of some that people get what they deserve. Many have hardened their hearts for those less fortunate in society. In a time of government deficits, we’re told, we can’t afford to help people who won’t help themselves. Those who have been graced with good fortune in our society often take it as their right. We have adapted from nature a “survival of the fittest” philosophy but turned it on its head so that those who survive think they are the fittest. These people ignore the randomness of life, the kind of randomness illustrated by Goderich’s tragedy – the kind of randomness illustrated, for that matter, by the shocking death of Opposition Leader Jack Layton, mere months after he led his NDP party to the greatest success in its history. People in Goderich had the misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Others in society who had the misfortune to be in the wrong job at the wrong time, can be out of work; or have been born to the wrong parents so they were not treated properly as children; or lost the genetic lottery and ended up with a debilitating illness through no fault of their own. The lesson we can all take from Goderich’s tragedy is to remind ourselves that our success can be a matter of random fortune. In comforting the people of Goderich, Premier Dalton McGuinty said we in Ontario are a family of 13 million people. “This is significant,” he said after surveying the damage. “It can be overwhelming ... but we will find a way forward together.” We need to reach out to the people of Goderich in their time of need, and we need to remember others who are in need for less visible tragedy. As the Premier said, we need to find a way forward together. — KR Little thing, big ramifications? The move by the Federal Government last week to restore the title “Royal” to the navy and the air force seems like a small thing – and let’s hope it is. The move reverses the 1968 unification of the armed forces which may have been a failure. Re-establishing three separated branches of the armed forces doesn’t really matter much to most of us. Tacking the title “Royal” back onto the navy and air force, however, might be one of those small irritants that can give new life to separatism in Quebec – a sign that the Federal Government doesn’t care about the sentiments of Quebecers where royalty remains a symbol of the 1759 conquest. The “Royal” was dropped for just that reason, a small loss in the cause of trying to hold Canada together. Prime Minister Harper sees the title as a form of patriotism. When he was courting Quebec support in search of a majority government, Harper supported nationalists in Quebec with their claim that Quebecers were “a nation”. Now, having won a majority without Quebec, he has reverted to an Albertan’s view that Quebec is spoiled and it’s time for this to end. Let’s hope this little shot at the nationalists doesn’t have repercussions the Prime Minister can’t perceive. — 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.