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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-04-09, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2009.EditorialsOpinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie GroppAdvertising, Ken Warwick & Lori Patterson The CitizenP.O. Box 429,BLYTH, Ont.N0M 1H0Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152,BRUSSELS, Ont.N0G 1H0Phone 887-9114 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.comWebsite www.northhuron.on.ca Looking Back Through the Years 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 thecondition that in the event of a typographical error,only that portion of the advertisement will becredited.Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth.PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON N0G 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com Letter to the editor April 8, 1965 Brussels council entered into a fire agreement with Morris Twp. A brigade of seven men would service that part of the township when called at a fee of $35 per hour. Huron County Junior Farmers would sell slow moving vehicle signs for the Farm Safety Council. Winning first at Brussels curling’s mixed bonspiel were Jack Bowman’s rink in the first draw and Al Johnston’s rink in the 11 a.m. draw. Seconds went to the rinks of Elmer Young and Doug Rathwell. Consolation prizes went to the George McCutcheon and Selwyn Baker rinks. The Anglican clergy of the Deanery of Huron met at St. John’s rectory in Brussels commencing with holy communion. The clergy discussed the new curriculum of religious education for the Anglican Church. In attendance as the Right Rev. H.F. Appleyard, the Bishop of Georgian Bay. Mrs. H.L. Jennings, assisted by her mother, Mrs. C. Lawrence of Gorrie, served dinner. Room rates at the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa ranged from $7.50- $9.50 per night for a single to $10- $12.30 for double occupancy. Cliff Robertson, Robert Morley and Carole Gray starred in It’s Wonderful To Be Young, playing at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham. A tin of Kam was selling for 43 cents at McCutcheon Grocery. Other specials were a 48-oz. can of tomato juice for 35 cents, cheese slices, 29 cents and a 48-oz tin of orange juice, 53 cents. April 3, 1974 Blyth was suffering growth pains. The demand of building lots had been increasing, with council receiving several request for lot severances, particularly on the western extension of Dinsley Street. Urban municipalities were hit hard by the county budget. Figures revealed at Blyth council showed that the county’s budget requirement would see the tax bill jump from $15,562 to $23,423 for that year. Brussels’ bill would jump $7,000 while Hullett was the hardest hit of the rural areas with a $7,000 hike. East Wawanosh’s levy went up $5,000, while Morris Twp.’s bill increased by only $1,600. The county budget was up more than $400,000 from the previous year, amounting to a 5 1/2 per cent increase in the mill rate. Warden Bill Elston put it down to the ever- increasing costs of providing services. Blyth council expressed reluctance to proceed with the repairs to Memorial Hall, estimated at $19,800. Gwilym Griffiths took over the Supertest station on Queen Street in Blyth, formerly owned by Robert McClinchey. Bob and his wife Fran had taken over Grand View at the south edge of the village. April 2, 1986 Huron County council gave its approval to a recommendation that the existing wrought iron Ball’s Bridge south of Auburn remain as a county structure open to traffic at the existing standard for a maximum period of 10 years. The approval, however, was conditional. The bridge would not be replaced in the event of any excessive damage or removal by natural causes. At the end of the 10 years the status would be reviewed as to whether or not there should be maintenance for an extended period, the bridge should close and/or be removed. The top Huron dairy herd owners were honoured at a banquet in Brussels. Highest herd average went to Allan Martin, while runner-up was Bob Vodden. Martin was also among those named for top herd. Others were Joe Winkel, John H. Oldfield, Lloyd and Betty Dale, Lyle Martin, Siebolt Siertsema, Bob McNeil, Tony Van Dorp, John Branderhorst, Wayne Lichti and Jack Armstrong. A little bit of Brussels’ Queens Hotel would live on in the new Huron County Museum thanks to a locally-born architect. John Rutledge remembered that under the boarded up front of the hotel was a storefront of what used to be a pool hall and hamburger stand operated by his aunt Maggie Rutledge. He contacted the museum curator to have a look. He bought it to be included in the reproduction of a typical Huron County streetscape at the museum. April 3, 1996 County council approved a zero per cent increase to the budget. Education taxes, however, would jump 6.8 per cent. Brussels council looked at ways of cutting costs to maintain the Brussels dam conservation area, as Maitland Valley Conservation Authority was facing a financial crisis. Any service provided by MVCA would be on a user-pay basis. Bell’s Discount Centre had a new owner, Bruce Papple, and a new name, Blyth General Store. The top Brussels Bulls received their recognition at the annual banquet in Brussels. Trophy winners were: Jamie Taylor, Cory Bridges, Ryan Wright, Cory Bragg, Greg Fritz, Josh Alexander, Brian McNichol, Tim Beyer,Aaron Barrie, Jason Heipel and Grant Fisher. Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer starred in Up Close and Personal, playing at Goderich’s Park Theatre. THE EDITOR, This week, I was overwhelmed and honoured to be nominated with 33 other dedicated Registered Nurses, Registered Practical Nurses, personal support workers and other health care workers within Huron and Perth Counties. We were recognized during the Huron Perth Provider Council Health Care Inspiration Awards on Tuesday, March 31 at Seaforth. This evening included kind words from local dignitaries, administrators, supervisors and chairpeople. It was rewarding to know that each nominee has contributed to someone's quality of life, whether directly at the bedside or indirectly encouraging the care provider. I am sure that there are many others within these counties who also deserve recognition. However, it was not mentioned that we cannot perform this service without the assistance of so many other supports within our environment. I personally would like to thank Barb Carriere of Georgian College, Cathie Schalk, Laura Overholt, Gwen Devereaux, Maureen Agar and many others who have assisted me in providing some of the part- time educational courses to the practical nursing class. I am so very proud of these 19 women who have committed the past four years to upgrading their career and are soon to graduate December 2009. It was inspiring that the Overall Award deservingly went to Jenna Beckman, a young woman passionate about providing health care. These reasons should give us hope for the future of health care in Huron and Perth. Again, congratulations to all! Dianne Walkom B.Sc.N. R.N. CNCC(C) Clinical Educator Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance Stratford General Hospital site. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright You can’t control the world At a recent meeting with Huron-Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell, Huron County farm groups worried that the ban on the use of pesticides for cosmetic purposes will inevitably lead to calls for banning its use in agriculture. The reality is that consumer groups can demand a ban on agricultural pesticide use all they want, but it won’t stop them eating food on which pesticides have been used. If Ontario were to ban the use of pesticides in producing food, our farmers might become uncompetitive but food using pesticides would be on store shelves anyway. We can’t legislate other countries to do what we want and under World Trade Organization rules, we can’t stop their food coming in just because we don’t agree with the health regulations of another country. Already there is food being sold in Canada which is produced using pesticides we don’t allow in Canada but which are still allowed by our trading partners. Demands of legislature to “fix” the world we live in are at growing odds with the reality of a global marketplace. Many social groups have been pressing for a higher minimum wage to help the working poor in Ontario and the province has responded, raising the minimum to $9.50 now, and raising it to $10.25 next year. This week Ontario’s fruit and vegetable growers worried that in two years their labour costs will have increased by more than 25 per cent yet they won’t be able to charge more because consumers can always buy fruit and vegetables from countries where workers are paid less per day than the hourly increase for our workers. The result is that farmers, and the jobs they provide, will likely disappear and we’ll just import more food. Recently, California did the politically-correct thing and banned the use of cages in egg production. The expected result is not that chicken farmers will use non-cage systems, but that California’s huge egg industry will relocate outside the borders of the state. We can’t have it both ways. We can’t benefit from cheap food produced in low-wage countries and think we can pass Canadian laws to control the production of food that can easily be imported. — KR A sad loss When someone dies it’s common practice to say we lost a good person, even if there is sometimes room for argument. With the death of Murray Gaunt last week, it would be hard to find anyone who doubted we’re suddenly short a good man. Gaunt, former MPP for the area and former farm editor of CKNX radio and television, was one of those extraordinary people for whom public service was part of who they are. In the days before MPPs had a constituency staff, he set a standard for helping people that made him beloved even by those who wouldn’t ordinarily have supported his party. Later, he helped save the Ontario Agricultural Museum and the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame after government funding was cut off. He worked hard fundraising for the Wingham and District Hospital Foundation and several other agencies. Sadly, he lived a shorter life than he should have, cut down by a mysterious illness at a time when he was still working to make the world a better place. He will be missed. — KR &