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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-06-28, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 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 June 28, 1950 A woman from Brussels and her young nephew had a close call when they were involved in an accident outside of Grey Twp. The pair was riding in a truck when suddenly the driver lost control and the vehicle overturned in a ditch. The cause was thought to be loose gravel. The woman suffered several bruises, while her nephew was lucky enough to escape without a scratch. New types of propaganda were being used in Berlin, Germany by the Communist Youth Organization or FDJ. Match boxes were outfitted with slogans such as “All Strength for the FDJ, Willing to Work and Defend Peace.” Also, hundreds of balloons were released to the sky daily bearing slogans such as “FDJ for whom are you marching for?” with a large “F” to stand for “Freedom”. Anti-Red leaflets were also always attached to such balloons, but also handed out on the streets. In a connected story, a youth, who was a member of the FDJ, conducted a risky undercover mission in an attempt to discover the truth, and educate others. Sixteen- year-old Max Bruener, from Russia’s Communist Germany sneaked across the Iron Curtain, also known as the Berlin Wall to visit Western Germany, a very forbidden holiday. Communist Berlin had very strict rules about FDJ members crossing the border to the allied West Germany, but this youth, like very few others, managed to escape. He was amazed to discover the bountiful amounts of various foods for sale, and the lack of restricted access in all the restaurants, shops, and cafes. Returning home to his small daily ration of bread and water, and his lack of rights, he made his mind up to one day leave Communist Germany forever, a dream that was shared by countless others who opposed the communist-infested situation that Eastern Germany had become. The few FDJ members who managed to discover how much better life could really be now shared a common mission: to inform others and start a much needed revolution. June 28 1961 The first ever successful test of a jetpack was conducted by the Bell Aerosystems Company. Built and tested in Buffalo, New York for the United States Army Transportation Research Command, the rocket, carried on a man’s back, produced the first ever controlled free flight over the ground, revolutionizing air travel. A specially-designed Lincoln limousine was finally delivered personally to the doors of the White House. The limousine, which took four years to design, was specially made for President John F. Kennedy, and measured 21 feet long. The car also featured three different, interchangeable tops: leather covered in metal, six-piece transparent ‘bubble’ top, and a simple black fabric top. There was also an elevator under the back seat which could raise it 10 inches up from normal position, in order to allow the president to be more visible while appearing in parades and campaign tours. To top it off, the car also featured retractable running boards and footstands for Secret Service guards, as well as two different two-way radios. June 28, 1972 The time had finally arrived for the official Brussels Centennial Celebrations to commence, after long months and months of preparing a planning. There were a countless number of different events happening as former citizens and current residents of the village, as well as people from across the area turned out for some great times. A 1964 black Pontiac sedan owned by a Grey Twp. resident was stolen from the yard late at night. The keys had been removed from the vehicle prior to it being parked and the doors and windows had all been locked, but the car was still nowhere to be seen the next morning. Wingham Ontario Provincial Police were busy investigating the incident. Controversy had arisen at county board of education meetings when discussing which books were to be used in English courses for the coming school year’s curriculum. A particular book was under intense arguments. The Story of Steven Truscott by Jack Trent was viewed as too controversial material for schools, and there was a lot of objection from many board members for it to be used at all. It was believed that the book presented a very biased view of the case of Truscott’s accused murder of Lynn Harper in 1959, and that the book reflected unfavourably on the board members. It was also stated that the book had no educational merit. June 29, 1988 A man who had held police at bay in a standoff for over four hours at his home in Walton, was scheduled to appear in Wingham district court to face charges. He pled guilty, but in an unusual move, his plea was refused, and he was ordered to appear in court again. Playing at Brownie’s Drive-In Theatre in Clinton was Poltergeist III, and James Bond 007: The Living Daylights. THE EDITOR, The Village of Brussels has lost too many of its historic buildings built in the 1800s. The existing Carnegie Library at the crossroads of Turnberry Street and Orchard Line is one of Brussels’ principle landmark buildings. If the library building was lost for any reason, the loss would be comparable to ripping out one of the hearts of the Brussels community. At this time, I hope the council of Huron East will see fit to historically designate the Brussels Library in order to ensure the continued life of this building for present and future use. Placing historical designation on the library building will now and forever be one of the best things the current council and heritage committee could do for the community. Good examples of where other communities have restored, renovated and added on to their existing Carnegie Libraries and other historic buildings to provide expanded library facilities are in Woodstock, St. Marys, Uxbridge, Listowel, Wingham and Goderich. Another good example of adaptive reuse of a Carnegie Library is in Barrie where the library was restored, renovated and expanded to become the MacLaren Art Centre. It is recommended that these facilities be visited to see the types of expansions that can be done to respect the original architecture of a historically designated building for future use. Being originally from Brussels, having studied architecture and returned to Huron County to practise architecture as a career, I recommend that the Carnegie Library in Brussels be historically designated to ensure its continued use as a library and landmark for the small community of Brussels. I trust that Huron East council will do the right thing by histor- ically designation the Brussels Library. Yours truly, John Rutledge. 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 Killing jobs. Killing people? Every year Canada exports more and more industrial jobs to developing nations such as China, then imports products from these countries that are made under conditions we would not allow here. Last week counterfeit toothpaste was found on the shelves of some Canadian stores. Similar products seized in the United States were found to have deadly ingredients, substituting a basic ingredient of antifreeze for the glycerine that would be in a North American-made product. Earlier in the year it was chemicals found in pet foods that slipped into North America, killing, or making ill, many pets. Our government officials seem to be very trusting of these imported products, far more than they are of Canadian food producers and processors. While we’re accepting of products made under conditions we don’t even inspect in emerging countries, we continue to increase scrutiny of Canadian food. In 1998, for instance, there were 586 abattoirs in Canada but by 2006 there were only 224. The situation will become worse because the government has introduced new regulations for disposal of “specified risk materials” from cattle, such as spinal cords, that might carry BSE. The expensive new requirements are sure to drive more of our processors out of business, while their American competitors face no similar requirements. We’ve got a double standard here: one standard that tightens the noose of red tape in Canada and another that seems to turn a blind eye to the conditions under which imported foods are created. China, on the other hand, seems to use the opposite standards. While manufacturers of exported food seem to go uninspected, Chinese officials have blocked the import of Canadian peas and lintels 39 times in the past 18 months, claiming they have too high a content of selenium, a naturally-occurring chemical in the soil. Most western countries have no problem with selenium in natural amounts. As Canadian producers and processors face increasing competition from countries that don’t have to meet our tough food inspection regulations, our health and safety requirements for workers and our increasingly high wages (our Ontario government has just promised to raise the minimum wage 25 per cent), we’re going to be eating more and more food imported from countries less regulated than ours. We’re losing jobs, and if we don’t get more serious about regulating those imports, recent developments suggest we’re risking lives. — KR Let’s play monopoly Under U.S. Republican president Theodore Roosevelt a century ago, government was seen as the people’s protection against the monopolies of the day, called “trusts”. Roosevelt brought in anti-trust regulations that still exist in the U.S. today. A century later, the enemy of the people, at least according to the current leadership, is government. The current government won’t question a string of mergers such as proposal, abandoned earlier this week, for Telus to take over Bell Canada. Apparently, what’s good for big business these days is what’s best for Canadians. — KR & Letter to the editor