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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-03-15, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2007.Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie GroppAdvertising, Ken Warwick & Kelly Quesenberry 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 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website 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 $32.00/year ($30.19 + $1.81 G.S.T.) in Canada; $92.00/year in U.S.A.and $175.00/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 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON N0G 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com March 22, 1950 The North Huron BB Junior Farmer’s Club was presenting its variety night to raise money for the club’s various events and activities. The night was set to include several musical performances as well as a play called Rumours Wanted. Admission was 40 cents for adults and 25 cents for children. A new advancement had been made in emergency aircraft evacuation technology. The breakaway cockpit would allow pilots of high-altitude super-sonic planes to escape the aircraft quickly in the case of danger or emergency by means of a pod attached to a parachute. The pressurized pod would be ejected and propelled away from the plane’s main body, and a small parachute would be released. The expulsion of the small parachute would then trigger the release of the large main parachute which would billow out in order to drop the pod safely and smoothly onto the ground. In case of such an emergency occurring over sea, the pod would also double as a lifeboat. Film star Clark Gable was married to former Lady Sylvia Stanley. They were pictured publicly for the first time at their new home, following their honeymoon which they spent in Hawaii. March 22, 1961 Auburn held the official ceremony to begin the operation of its new telephone dial service. Subscribers immediately began using the new system, and the honour of placing the first call was given to Miss Josephine Woodcock, an operator on the Blyth exchange lines who had served many years. The last called placed on the old magneto switchboard was placed by Mrs. Raymond Redmond. Fred Gregory was hired by council to become the new village constable, street foreman, and caretaker. Gregory was chosen from a list of six applicants for the job, two from Blyth and the others from out of town. Gregory would succeed John Bailey, who had recently retired. Fred Johnston was presented with his 50-year jewel for his years of membership in the Hullett Masonic Lodge. Chrysler unveiled its newest futuristic, turbine-powered vehicle. The vehicle was the most light- weight model of its kind and had such features as a gas-turbine engines and a deceleration flap, which was placed in between the rear fender fins and could be adjusted to catch the wind and slow the car. The car was named Turboflite, and was considered experimental. The 450-pound engine produced 140 horsepower and could be operated with unleaded gasoline, kerosene or jet fuel. Peter Dawkins, West Point All American rugby player whose claim to fame was an extraordinary performance in England, announced his engagement to Judi Wright, a long-time friend. March 22, 1972 The Wingham OPP were investigating a break-in which occurred at the Leach Jewellery Store in Brussels. The store was entered by thieves who removed a pane of glass from a rear window. The crime was not discovered until two mornings after when the owner Mrs. W. G. Leach had returned from a few days spent out of town. The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority was the recipient of a $5,000 grant from the province. Hugh Edighoffer, Perth MPP and Environment Minister, announced the approval of the grant and presented it to the MVCA to fund the newly-opened Galbraith Conservation Area. The area comprised nearly 100 acres of land in the Twp. of Mornington and is located on the Elma-Mornington Twp. boundary, four miles south of Hwy. 86. March 23, 1988 Ontario’s Attorney General Ian Scott was scheduled as the guest speaker at an annual meeting of the Huron Provincial Liberal Riding Association to be held at the Blyth Community Centre. During the meeting, a new executive was to be elected and delegates to attend the Ontario Liberal Party Association’s annual meeting would also be selected. Maitland Valley Conservation Authority held its annual Maple Madness Pancake Day. Events included a demonstration of the Canadian pioneer method of making maple syrup, as well as sampling of fresh syrup on pancakes, and guided tours of the area. Despite the extremely chilled conditions, hundreds of visitors attended as well as several media stations and local council members. Playing at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham was Satisfaction, starring Justine Bateman, telling the story of “One band. One dream. One summer.” Also playing at the Park Theatre in Goderich was Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach, yet another addition to the series. March 20, 1991 The Blyth Karate Club saw two of its members do very well at a tournament held in Clinton. Coached by Dan Lecomte, Shayne Sholdice and Willie Laffin claimed the first and second places in the Kumite section of competition. 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 Tail wagging the dog The reality of government is that politicians come and go but government employees stay the same. And politicians who don’t pay attention to their bureaucrats may leave office sooner than they’d hoped. So the question for ordinary citizens is, who’s running the show. Recently Ontario’s farmers have become convinced it’s some senior bureaucrats telling successive ministers of agriculture what they should be doing, not the politicians telling the civil servants. At the recent members of parliament dinner of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture, several farm leaders called for political leaders to take back the agenda from their employees. It’s a common problem in all organizations (including municipal governments, hospital and school boards and non-profit organizations) where you have a full-time staff working for part-time bosses. Even though federal and provincial politicians work full time, they come into power with little experience in the field they are expected to run. It is their employees who know the background of the ministry, have access to the information needed to make the decisions, and provide the advice for the inexperienced minister. A neophyte minister who doesn’t listen to this advice can find herself or himself in trouble. Traditionally, civil servants have prided themselves on being just that: the servants of government. In Ontario, an employee who joined a ministry 20 years ago would have started under a Progressive Conservative government, then Liberals, NDP, a right-wing Progressive Conservative government and back to the Liberals. But during that time successive governments have adopted an increasingly similar policy that seems to take it for granted that if food manufacturers and distributors are profitable, money will trickle-down to the primary food processors. It hasn’t worked. While consumers pay more, the money has been going everywhere but the farmers. The agriculture ministry has been particularly troubled because of the inexperience of recent ministers in a time when fewer farmers are being elected to office. Feeling lost, ministers have been too ready to listen to the advice of their employees instead of setting their own course. We need strong, experienced ministers who will be prepared to change the direction of their ministries, even if it ruffles the feathers of their employees. — KR The profits of minority Proponents of proportional representation have been getting support recently in the wealth of goodies being dispensed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government as it seeks to win a majority government next election. Last week the prime minister travelled the country promising more money for farmers, more money for transit in Toronto, more money for the environment. The reality of accepting the proportional representation model that supporters of minority parties are flogging hard these days, is that we will live with perpetual minority governments. Watching Harper twist his core beliefs into a pretzel in an effort to win a majority come election time, makes that prospect seem not so bad after all. But in a system that makes it virtually impossible to win a majority government, would a prime minister be as ready to compromise as he or she is with the prospect of a majority dangling just beyond reach? And even if he or she would, could the country afford this constant delivery of goodies? — 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.