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The Citizen, 1989-02-15, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1989. Opinion Surprise package Often these days people think they are voting for one thing and after the election they find out they are getting a candidate that stands for something else. That may be the case in the U.S. following the recent election of George Bush as president and the result may be good for Canada. When George Bush proclaimed after his election victory that he wanted a “kinder, gentler America”, many scoffed. They had just watched one of the most vicious election campaigns in American history during which Mr. Bushhadmadeon accusation, that Michael Dukakis was a liberal, into something akin to the McCarthiest smeer of accusing someone of being a communist. Yet since he has come into office President Bush has promised to do something about acid rain and frozen defence spending and in general has sounded, dare we whisper it, like a liberal. As the U.S. president faces the problem of a huge deficit the talk of akinder, gentler America may fade. Yet in the past, some of the most successful presidents have been those from whom so little was expected, people like Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnston who greatly improved the situation for the poor through his war on poverty. Little has been expected of George Bush. The right wing thought he was a pale imitation of Ronald Reagan while the more liberal-minded people thought he was more of the same. He may just turn out as a nice surprise package. Let's not over react There are times when it is hard to get politicians to take action on something and other times when they react so quickly they don’t take the time to really get all the facts. The proposal for the conversion of the abandoned CP Rail line to a multi-purpose trail is a case where hasty action, or overreaction, by local councils, could be detrimental. Landowners along the line have been concerned, and rightly so, about the potential problems the trail might cause them. They have put pressure on township councils and some township councillors have been quick to condemn the proposal. The landowners reaction is understandable. The councillors reaction is disappointing. The councillors rightly should be looking after the interests of their landowners in making sure their concerns are considered in any conversion plan. But what if there are solutions to the problems the landowners perceive? The Rails-to-Trails program has been operating in the United States for many years and surely the same fears have been present with farmers there. If the solutions have been found there, why mightn’t they work here? Councils, by opposing the proposal outright instead of demanding solutions to the farmers concerns, may be representing the interests of the landowners along the line but not of the rest of their constituents. Trails in the U.S. have provided an economic stimulus in the area. What about the residents who might find jobs in tourist-related businesses that might grow because of the trail? What about the potential for businesses like the Walton Inn or other restaurants and inns? What about the bed-and-breakfast income that could come even to the landowners who are currently against the plan? For that matter, what about the hikers, skiiers, snowmobilers and horseback riders of the townships themselves who might like to use such a trail? One thing is certain, therewon’tbe any jobs created by turning the land back over to the farmers along the line. A drive from Blyth to Walton shows thatabout95 percent ofthe land is either well above or well below the grade of the surrounding farmland. It would cost a tortune to level it ott to make it farmable. If the example of other abandoned lines is followed, most of it will likely remain an ugly, weed-infested eyesore for decades to come. Keeping the right of way intact could also save taxpayers millions of dollars in future if a corridor from the burgeoning Guelph-Kitchener-Waterloo area is needed for something like a pipeline, or even a rail link to Goderich harbour. If land assembly had to be done all over again, the cost and the disruptions to farmers along the route would be tremendous. The fact is it is just too early to be making snap decisions on such a complicated issue. There’s a lot of homework tobe done on either side of the argument. But by rejecting the idea of the trail conversion without doing that homework, local councillors just aren’t doing the job they’re elected to do. Win ter's sculp tures Mabel’s Grill There are people who will tell you that the important decisions in town are made down at the town hall. People in the know, however know that the real debates, the real wisdom reside down at Mabel's Grill where the greatest minds in the town [if not in the country] gather for morning coffee break, otherwise known as the Round Table Debating and Filibustering So­ ciety. MONDAY: Everybody came into Mabel’s with a smile on his face this morning except Ward Black. “What are you people grinning about?” he wanted to know. Billie Bean said he had to admit that it was the new snow for the first time in a month that had him smiling. He could see getting the snow­ mobile out of it kept up. Julia Flint said she got the skis down from the attic for the first time this winter. Hank Stokes said he had to admit he just kind of liked the look of things. “Only in Canada!” Ward said. “You’re saving taxes because we don’t have to plow the roads so much, your car will last longer because it won’t have so much salt on it, your heating bill will be lower, because there hasn’t been any winter, and yet all you idiots are happy to see the snow. Go figure it.” TUESDAY: Hank said some of his neighbours are pretty worked up about this idea of turning the old railway track into a trail. Hank said he could understand their worry. After all, what kind of people would actually think of walking from Guelph to Goderich. If God had meant us to walk he wouldn’t have given us radial tires. Billie Bean said they sounded pretty untrustworthy to him. They were probably the kind of people that could spread AIDS. Ward said if he was one of the farmers he wouldn’t want all those people walking through his place, maybe doing damage and all. But Julia said she couldn’t see the hikers doing much damage. “I always figured if vandals had to walk to where they did their vandlism, they wouldn’t do much damage.” WEDNESDAY: Talk around the table was about the Great Debate between Philippe Ruston, the pro­ fessor who says orientals are smarter than whites and white smarter than blacks, and Dr. David Suzuiki. Tim O’Grady said he didn’t bother to watch. If Ruston was wrong, who wanted to hear all that garbage. If Ruston was right, it was a foregone conclusion he’d lose the debate. THURSDAY: Julia was saying that now that the weather finally looks like winter, she can get in the mood to read her favourite books at this time of the year: the seed catalo­ gue. It takes some really nasty weather to make her think of spring and start making out her seed order, she says. Billie said that he knew how she felt. It always took some really nasty weather before he truly appreciated his favourite books at this time of the year: the swim-suit issues of all the sports magazines. FRIDAY: Tim said he thought he’d ignore all the U.S. channels on his TV tonight because he wasn’t up to Continued on page 8 The Citizen P.O Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario, by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $17 OO/yr. ($38 00 Foreign). Advertising is acceptedon 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 We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. 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