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The Citizen, 2007-11-22, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2007.Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie GroppAdvertising, 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 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;$95.00/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 Nov. 22, 1950 Mr. R. S. Warwick of the Warwick Poultry Farm maintained his national title for best poultry in Canada. His standing for production among all Rhode Island Red breeds, his poultry entries were first in the country for the second year in a row. A photo was featured of a row of people nearly engulfed in a field of tall wheat. The picture was of peasant farmers in the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, better known as White Russia. The farmers were almost completely hidden by the tall wheat soon to be harvested. The photo demonstrated the fact that modern drainage methods had greatly increased the arable area of White Russia’s marshy landscape, rivaling former agriculture capital Ukraine in wheat production. The nation of Portugal was making its presence known as economically stable on the world stage. Formerly seen as ‘the pauper of the Western world’, Portugal had slowly made its way from poverty after becoming a republic in 1910 to far more equal to some of the other developed European nations. The secret to this prosperity seemed to be the unusual government of Dr. Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, an economics professor who turned the country around in the 1920s. The government was known to believe in private enterprise, but also determined to provide the most extensive social services for all classes of citizens. Affordable housing was provided to the public, housing which could become personal property if the owner lived there for 20 years. Despite a lingering level of poverty in some areas of the country, it had made leaps and bounds from its former state. Its currency maintained equality with the American dollar, resources were strong, public works were well constructed and widespread, and the nation’s budgets balanced year after year, even showing mass surplus. Nov. 22, 1961 The following area residents received their Canadian Citizenship papers from Huron County judge Frank Fingland at a ceremony held at the Goderich courthouse: Hubert Hoba and Edelgard Hoba, Blyth; Gerhardus Heyink and Janna Berendina Heyink, Blyth; Bruno Braecker, John Braecker, and Olga Melanie Braecker, Walton; Fred and Sally Hellinga, Walton; Edouard Gertsch and Marlene Maria Gertsch, Walton; and Heinrich Franciscus Exel, Brussels. Citizens of Belize in British Honduras struggled to recover from the wrath of Hurricane Hattie. The city of Belize was so badly destroyed that it had been decided the city would be rebuilt some 40 miles away from its former location. Nov. 23, 1988 Murray Cardiff made an easy victory in the federal elections to join the Conservative majority government elected across the country. Beating out Liberal candidate Ken Dunlop in the Huron-Bruce riding, Cardiff celebrated his victory at his campaign headquarters at the Brussels Morris and Grey Community Centre surrounded by family, friends, and supporters. Playing at the Park Theatre in Goderich was Sally Field and Tom Hanks in Punch Line - “It only hurts when you laugh” THE EDITOR, The Christmas season can be a very difficult time for those who have had loved ones die. There is the empty place at the table, going alone to family gatherings, concerts, parties, Christmas Eve services, not feeling like shopping ... and the list goes on. Grievers may not feel like celebrating when all around them is a flurry of activity. If you know someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one during the holiday season, we, at Huron Hospice Volunteer Service encourage you to check in on your neighbour or family member and offer some support during the Christmas season to those who are grieving. Huron Hospice Volunteer Service offers palliative care support for those suffering from a life-threatening illness and sup- port the families who are left to mourn the death of their loved one. We provide carefully chosen, trained volunteers to offer care, comfort, friendship and support during a difficult time. Huron Hospice Volunteer Service has set up a Memory Tree in the Wingham and District Hospital, Terrace Room. You are welcome to come and place an ornament on the tree in memory of your loved one. Bring your own ornament, or use one that is provided. There is also a memory book. Feel free to write a message about your loved one in the book. Memories offer peace to our souls. Kathy Procter, Huron Hospice Volunteer Services Wingham Site Manager 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 Actions speak louder The full house of interested landowners and community leaders who attended a recent alternative energy conference in Stratford heard that while the provincial government says it wants to encourage small, community-scale energy projects, the red tape involved is hindering progress. The cynical at the meeting felt it was a case of the government saying nice things but carrying on the way it always has. The hopeful thought it was a case of government policy slowly trickling down to the officials who actually deal with the creators of small energy projects. The stories told by those who have been pioneers in creating electricity from small wind turbines or creation of methane gas to power generators were full of frustration about bureaucratic delays. A spokesperson for the Countryside Energy Co-operative, which is trying to build a wind farm owned by the people of the region, complained there are now three bureaucratic empires to deal with: Ontario Power Generation, Ontario Power Authority and Hydro One. Currently the project is stalled because the power authority says all the capacity on the power grid has been assigned to Bruce Power and the huge corporations operating the large wind farms along Lake Huron. This decision means opportunities to generate power and keep the profits in the community are at a standstill. It’s easy to see how the cynics can believe politicians are saying the right things for political consump- tion while having their bureaucrats continue to favour large corporations. Energy production represents a way to reinvigorate Ontario’s rural economy. The manure produced by large livestock operations could be turned from a problem to an opportunity if it is put through digesters to create methane gas for heat and power, (leaving a residue that has no smell and almost no bacteria). Properly sized, locally owned, wind farms could put money into local communities, while reducing alienation. So far, however, wind farm developments have been another case of siphoning money out of the community, of others benefitting from our resources and leaving little behind (except for land leases and taxes). Politicians say they care about rural communities, and say energy is one of the ways we have to turn our economies around. If they really care, they must make sure the policies they spout are reflected by the people who are making it so hard for co-ops and individuals to create local energy projects. Otherwise, the cynics are right. — KR Breaking faith Watching the video of the use of a taser by RCMP officers that caused the death of Robert Dziekanski at the Vancouver airport, and listening to the explanations by police officials creates a credibility gap that will haunt police for years. The police explanation is contradicted by the evidence on the video shot by one of the witnesses to the event. The story police gave before the existence of the video became known is even more distorted. Canadians have generally leaned to the side of the police when there are conflicting versions of what happened in any event. In this case they have the chance to see what really happened, how police over-reacted and caused a man’s death. Will we believe police next time? — KR & Letter to the editor DEAR EDITOR, On Saturday evening, Dec 1st, the neighbours on Sawmill Road in McKillop Twp will once again parade their decorated farm machinery around the 7 1/2 mile block to help get us all into the Christmas spirit. Tractors, combines, grain buggies and plows will be decked out in Christmas lights which can be seen across the fields as we make our way east from the farm of Gordon and Irma Pryce, at 43451 Sawmill Rd, then return up the Hullett-McKillop line and back to Pryces’. This is an opportunity for the neighbours to get together for fun and fellowship. Each year, the participants seem to become more creative. Usually we expect 18-20 participants but this year we are opening up the parade to anyone interested in joining the festivities. Just call Pryces at 527-0917 or Whitmores at 527-1491 for more information. The parade departs at about 6:00 p.m. as dusk sets in. It is a great way to get yourself geared up for the Christmas season because our welcome will be warm and the viewing is easy. We look forward to seeing you there. Sincerely, Bruce Whitmore Letter Farmers get festive Dec. 1