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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2010-09-02, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010.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; $105.00/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 September 1, 1948 A large headline running across the entire front of The Blyth Standard announced that the Blyth Fall Fair would be held in the village on September 8-9. The 1948 fair was set to introduce several new features to fairgoers. The new events were the square dance competition, the old time fiddler’s contest, an aeronautical display and a midway for the children. As part of various competitions and events, $1,500 was being offered as prize money among the many events. Huron County’s Agricultural Representative R.G. Bennett was opening the fair in what was going to be his first appearance before a Blyth crowd. A new modern bake oven had just been delivered and was said to speed up production at Vodden’s Bakery in Blyth. The biggest selling point for the new oven was the continuous baking that could now happen at the bakery, which Mr. Vodden said would speed up production significantly. At the same time, however, Mr. Vodden was in the process of renovating the inside of the bakery as well, which he claimed would add to the overall efficiency of the bakery. The second annual Band Tattoo was presented by the Blyth Lions Boys and Girls Band in the agricultural park. Six bands were in attendance for the event forming a parade, which was headed up by the Bluewater Brass Band from Goderich, to open the evening. After the parade, Blyth Reeve Franklin Bainton welcomed all of the bands to Blyth for the event, before giving the microphone over to leader of the Blyth band A.C. Robinson. September 5, 1968 Enrollment at Brussels Public School had increased by 10 students from the previous year, bringing the school’s grand total of students to 271. Rev. Allan Johnston of Brussels United Church accepted a call to Richard’s Memorial Church in London after his stint in Brussels. Johnston’s new church was said to have over 1,800 people connected to the congregation. He was set to assume his new duties on October 1. On August 30, Frank Rutledge of Brussels experienced a “coughing fit” while driving on County Road 16 and subsequently the car he was driving entered the north ditch, struck a tree stump and side-swiped a tree before coming to rest. Rutledge sustained minor injuries as a result of the incident and the tractor-trailer he was driving experienced approximately $8,000 worth of damage. The annual pot luck supper held by the Melville Presbyterian Church Ladies Aid was held on August 26 with 26 ladies in attendance. September 5, 1990 Voters throughout Huron County were set to go to the polls and have their voices heard on September 6 to elect a new Huron-Bruce MPP. After the retirement of long-time member Jack Riddell, the race was wide open The Citizen declared, with Jim Fitzgerald, Ken Campbell, Paul Klopp, Tom Clark and Brussels-area resident Allan Dettweller on the card in 1990. The 29th annual Reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association was set for September 7 with over 12,000 people expected to make their way to the Blyth Campground over the next few days. Leanne Whitmore of RR4, Walton, was crowned the Queen of the Furrow at the Huron County Plowing Match. Whitmore was the second straight Queen winner from the Walton area. Twelve contestants were set to vie for the crown of Brussels Fair Queen on September 8. September 4, 2008 The people of Brussels were in the midst of getting ready for the 15th annual Terry Fox Run, which was set for September 14. In 2007, Brussels alone had raised $7,000 from the Terry Fox Run, for a total of $92,000 over the 14 years that Brussels had been holding a Terry Fox Run. Organizer Doug McArter said he hoped to raise over $8,000 in 2008’s run. Enrollment increased at Blyth Public School from 2007 to 2008 by just one student, while Brussels Public School saw a 10-student decrease in its enrollment from 2007 to 2008. East Wawanosh Public School began 2008 with the exact same amount of students that attended the school in 2007, while Hullett Central Public School was down three students from a year ago, which was down 10 students from 2006. Grey Central Public School’s attendance was down significantly, dropping from 220 students to 196. Brussels teen and F.E. Madill Secondary School student Darby Alcorn was named to the new slate of student senators. She was also elected to be one of the Avon Maitland District School Board’s student trustees. Members of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association packed the Blyth Campground and worked throughout the day on Labour Day to prepare the grounds for the 2008 Reunion. 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 Big-money battle, local effect The world of high finance, our local farm economy and the fate of the world’s hungry are all intricately intertwined in the international bidding war of Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. Australian mining giant BHP Billton has announced it will try to buy the company, a former crown corporation of the Saskatchewan government that produces potash, nitrogen and phosphate products used in farm fertilizer and animal feeds, for $38.6 billion (U.S.). Other international bidders are expected to compete for the giant because they see it as a very profitable company as the world’s need for food grows. Whoever wins the bidding war, it will be farmers, including you or your neighbours, who end up paying for the company since the winner will expect the company’s revenues to pay for its own takeover. Two years ago, the profits of Potash Corp. soared when it increased its prices to take advantage of higher grain prices for farmers in Canada and abroad. While the business pages of newspapers were thrilled by the prospect of record profits, the news pages and national television worried that millions of people in poor countries would not be able to afford the high cost of food. Nobody mentioned the part companies like Potash Corp. played in the high costs, they just looked at end cost of food. Last year those high grain prices collapsed, but the price of inputs like those from Potash Corp. didn’t drop correspondingly. In an attempt to cut their losses, many farmers decided to cut back on their fertilizer. Stories, no doubt initiated by grumblings by companies like Potash Corp., warned that people in the Third World could starve if farmers didn’t fertilize their crops. Crop prices are rising this year, leading to more stories about starvation among the world’s poor. Meanwhile multinational giants see a potential for huge profit in owning fertilizer companies, yet the media sees no connection between their profit expectations and the price of food. To some extent, the media is right. Since farmers have no ability to pass on their costs to consumers (except for those who belong to supply managed commodities). Farmers have been the elastic in the food system. They’ve been forced to absorb the increased cost demands of their suppliers even when the price they get for their food products has been static or declined. That’s why our local economy, as dependent as it is on farming, has suffered in recent years. Giants like Potash Corp. and the investors who own it, have benefited at the expense of our local farmers, our local economy and, ultimately, the world’s poor. — KR A delicate balance on terror The uncovering of a potential terrorist attack last week in Ottawa has once again created bewilderment, shock and fear of racist backlash against Mulsims. People acquainted with the arrested men, are expressing disbelief that these educated men, doctors and engineers, could have been part of a terrorist plot. Some, particularly some of their Muslim friends, are suggesting police got it wrong. That’s possible, of course, and we must always remember that people are innocent until proven guilty – even accused terrorists. On the other side, there’s the reality that if police stop a terrorist attack before it actually takes place, people can tend to question how serious the threat really was. Many of the schemes seem so far fetched we might not take them seriously. Richard Reid, the so-called “shoe bomber” was the butt of jokes because he didn’t succeed in blowing up the plane he was on but if he had, there’d be no laughing. If someone had said in advance that men would high-jack planes and fly them into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, how many of us would have believed them? So it’s a delicate balance we must maintain. We must be skeptical enough not to convict the men before they’ve had their day in court, yet we also have to be realistic enough to understand that terrorists come in many forms, even those we’d never suspect. — 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.