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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-05-31, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 31, 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 May 31, 1950 People across the country were continuing to donate in large amounts to help those affected by the severe flooding in Manitoba. Schools and newspapers were among the many organizations continuing to collect funds to help those who needed the means to start over after the Red River destroyed much of what they called home. The commissioners of Brussels, Morris and Grey Telephone System were notifying the area of a raise in rates for telephone use. The rate for businesses would go from $26 to $30 per year. For residences, the rate would increase from from $20 to $26 per year, for a private line. Rural residents on party lines would pay $24 instead of $18. Other changes were also made for those who wished to pay per phone installed in their home or business. Revolutionary new plans were being made for the construction of several unique outdoor artificial ice rinks in Toronto and Hamilton. Rinks such as this had already been up and running perfectly in such high end places as Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. The rinks were designed with the refrigerating pipes built into the polished concrete floor so that the surface could be used outside hockey season for roller skating or dancing. The Big Three foreign ministers of the world met in England to discuss the worries and possible solutions of the Cold War. Attending the meeting held in Lancaster House, London were U.S. Secretary of State Dean Acheson, British Foreign Minister, Ernest Bevin and French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, who also gave an account of the plan for pooling the coal and steel industries of France and Germany. Famous film actress Elizabeth Taylor married hotel heir Conrad Nicholson Hilton Jr. The ceremony was in the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, California. May 31, 1961 The Blyth firefighters were successful in quickly extinguishing a serious chimney fire. Firefighters were called to the home of William Walden in the Westfield area where it was discovered a bird’s nest was blocking the chimney of the home, and had soon filled the house with smoke, turning the stove pipes red hot. The family was visiting friends at the time of the blaze, but thanks to calls from neighbours, firefighters were able to save the home and put out the flames. In a speech given by top NHL referee official George Hayes, young hockey players of the area were taught that cars can often mean the end of a promising hockey career. Mr. Hayes was giving the speech at a banquet hosted by the Blyth Lions Club for the Midget hockey team who were sponsored by the club, a banquet which over 60 people attended. Hayes said that he had seen many promising players lose all interest in the game as soon as they owned their first car. Also, by avoiding increased walking to drive everywhere, players were substantially decreasing their leg strength. There was much suspicion of mutiny when King Marziano II of Serbia began claiming to be the true leader of the country, even going so far as to pose for an official portrait in Rome. These claims were expected to upset President Tito of Yugoslavia because Serbia had long since been part of Yugoslavia, hence remaining under Tito’s rule. Beloved film actor Gary Cooper passed away, much to the dismay of his many fans. Cooper had always been remembered as a gifted actor, and a kind, sophisticated man who was loved by everyone who had the pleasure to meet him. Another famous actress Sophia Loren was the centre of attention at the annual Cannes Film Festival, where she was attending in support of her film La Ciociara. May 31, 1972 At a meeting of the Huron County council held in Goderich, deputy- reeve of Goderich Gerry Gin introduced the idea of decreasing the urban road rebate by 10 per cent over the following two years. The reduced rebate would offer more funds for areas such as welfare and hospital funding in rural municipalities. The Youth and Recreation Branch of the Department of Education was partnering with the Ontario Command of the Royal Canadian Legion to begin a track and field program aimed to encourage athletes aged 10 -15. The program would be offered in Huron and Perth, as well as several other areas across Ontario. June 1, 1988 Two local politicians were already seeking the candidacy of the New Democratic Party. Lucknow farmer Tony McQuail had announced that he would be seeking the nomination of his party’s leadership in the new federal riding of Huron-Bruce. McQuail would be in competition with Norma Peterson of Kincardine who also declared her intention to seek the NDP nomination. Playing at Brownie’s Drive-In Theatre in Clinton was the slasher flick Friday The 13th. Also playing, at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham was beloved comedian Chevy Chase in Funny Farm. THE EDITOR, The Alzheimer Society of Huron County is gearing up for its second annual Biker Poker Rally. The Forget-Me-Not Poker Rally will take place on Saturday, June 23. Registration begins in Clinton at 10 a.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion. The bikers will then head out on the road with stops in Goderich, Wingham, Seaforth, Exeter and end up back where they started in Clinton. If you ride a motorcycle and want to join us for this fundraising ride, please give us a call and we will be happy to get a pledge sheet out to you. Registrations are $25 or raise $75 in pledges and waive the registration fee. The first 150 bikers to register will receive a gift. Prizes will be awarded for best poker hand as well as most pledges. For more information or to request a pledge sheet please give us a call at 519-482-1482 or 1-800-561-5012. Theresa Wilson Events Co-ordinator. 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 The necessity of forgiveness In a world where old grudges motivate the continuing cycle of hatred and violence, Kim Phuc is a stirring example of the power of forgiveness. Phuc, who spoke in Auburn this past weekend, is the subject of one of the most famous photographs ever taken, showing her as a child, naked, running down a road in Vietnam, her body covered with burning napalm from a bomb dropped by a U.S. plane. It took 17 operations to repair the damage and she still lives in physical pain but Phuc met the man who flew the plane that dropped that bomb and forgave him. In his own way, he was as wounded as she by the incident. Haunted by the famous photo, he had turned to alcohol and was ruining his life until they met when she attended a Vietnam memorial ceremony in Washington and she offered her forgiveness. The Vietnamese government tried to use Phuc as a propaganda symbol to constantly rekindle hatred against the United States but she eventually escaped and came to Canada. Today she uses the freedom our country has provided to speak to groups like that in Auburn about the power of forgiveness. She has turned a horrible act of war into a message of peace. Her message needs to be heard in many corners of our strife-torn world. In places like the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan, old grievances are nursed as reasons for hating and killing your neighbour. Sometimes these grievances go back hundreds of years. Muslim extremists still invoke the injustices of the Christian crusades nearly 1,000 years ago as justification for terrorist attacks of retaliation. Our one hope for peace in the world is for more people to become like Phuc and forgive the injustices against them. — KR Hear no evil Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has been a sometimes-humorous, sometimes-frightening thorn in the side of U.S. President George Bush with his thumbing his nose at the power of the neighbour to the north. This week, however, his rule has seemed more sinister. Chavez moved this week to shut down a television station that had been brave enough to criticize him and his policies. While it’s possible to agree or disagree with his left-wing policies including the nationalization of the oil industry in the name of more benefit to the poor of his country, when a government won’t allow open discussion of the issues, then it goes beyond the point of arguing it is doing what is best for its people. But wait a minute. We’ve been seeing smaller examples of the same sort of willingness by a government to prevent debate right here at home. Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government has issued a guidebook to the Conservative chairs of committees in the House of Commons on how to interrupt the testimony of witnesses who are saying things contrary to the government’s position. In at least one case, the chair of a committee adjourned the meeting to prevent a speaker from saying something he didn’t want heard. The government determination to bend any rule to demolish the monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board is also disturbing. Canada’s “new” government wanted to do things differently. Shutting down debate is not what most Canadians had in mind.— 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. Letter to the editor