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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-08-09, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1989. Opinion Big voice will be missed When Premier David Peterson used to visit Huron riding he would always talk about the big voice of Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell could not be missed in cabinet meetings. After last week’s cabinet shuffle left Mr. Riddell out of the cabinet, the booming voice of the former auctioneer will be missed for sure. Farm leaders have a variety of views on the changing of the guard in the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, some feeling Mr. Riddell had lost his effectiveness in recent months. If he had become tired by the struggle of four years of being one of the most active ministers in the provincial government, of taking on speaking engagement after speaking engagement across the province as well as doing the day-to-day work in the Legislature and within his ministry, one couldn’t blame him. But as much as his contributions to policy, it is that booming voice that will be most missed, at least by people in the media who like to hear a politician say what he really means and not mince around an issue. In an age when politicians seem to have the patter down perfectly, when they can talk for five minutes and never say anything, Mr. Riddell is indeed refreshing. Even as Minister he never learned tobe really smooth and one could see his aides hover nervously in the background when he spoke to the press, afraid he might let something slip that would take them days or weeks to try to smooth over. You could see him in action at a farm meeting, fielding questions; heartily agreeing with this person who’s ideas he supported, but not afraid to loudly disagree with someone else when their opinions differ. He showed a willingness to listen to all sides of an issue but was also ready to take action. Perhaps agriculture in Ontario may benefit from a fresh mind and body at the top of the Ministry. Certainly Mr. Riddell will benefit from having time to rebuild his strength after four gruelling years. That booming, forthright voice, however, will be missed. Government with a vision An Angus Reid poll released last week shows 59 per cent of Canadians surveyed are against federal government proposals to cut subsidies to Via Rail services. A cynic may be prompted to ask “so what?’’. Public opinion, in the first year of a new mandate for the government of Brian Mulroney, is not a big priority and so the public’s feelings of supportfor passenger rail service won’t likely cut much ice with the government. It is a government with its own agenda for reshaping the country and polls are not likely to deter it. Brian Mulroney’s government is having a greater impact on the shape of this country in a shorter time than any government in recent years. It has one guiding principal: the bottom line. It sees its mission to bring back balanced budgets and to change Canadians into sharp-eyed, risk taking free enterprisers instead of the coddled, government-supported wimps they’ve become. Governments that do what they feel is right and don’t pander to the whims of the latest polls have a certain attraction. Governments that have a vision and set out to make it come true can be admirable. The problem with the Mulroney government is that it plays by the bottom line in politics as well as in economics: it is the end that matters, not the means that’s taken to reach that end. It means then that you can say one thing to get elected because you know that people will agree with that, then once you’re in office you can do the opposite because that’s what you know in your heart of hearts is best for people but they are too dumb to understand it. So you can be against Free Trade before you’re elected but promote it as the country’s salvation when you’re in power. You can talk about increasing rail passenger service when you’re seeking election, then slash and abandon service when you are in a position to help revitalize the service. But revitalizing Via Rail service goes against everything this “pay-as-you-go” government believes in. It’s as hard to see public opinion changing the minds of Michael Wilson and company on Via Rail as it would be to see the government admit it was wrong on Free Trade. This is a government sure of its own vision and sure that it is the people who are misguided and must be protected against their own weaknesses. Citizen P.O. Box 429. BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 Tight squeeze 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: Tim O’Grady was say­ ing that he thinks he may just stay home over the holiday weekend because it’s safer. Ward Black wondered if he was afraid of the traffic and all the speeders but Tim said it was the police that he was afraid of. It doesn’t look good, he said, for a lawyer to be caught speeding. Yes, said Julia Flint, nobody’s safe these days now that the police have got detectors to detect the radar detectors. Billie Bean said he wished he had some connections and some money and he figures he could make his fortune in a hurry. “I’ve been reading about this stealth bomber they’ve got in the U.S.,” Billie was saying. “Now imagine if you could build a car they couldn’t pick up on radar. You could make a fortune.” Yeh, said Tim, and if you made a fortune, you might be the only one who could afford to buv the car. If it costs $500 million to build one plane, how much might a car cost? Sure, Billie said, but the Penta­ gon isn’t designing this one. TUESDAY: Ward was complaining this morning about the provincial government meddling in the mar­ ket place again. Robert Nixon is talking about the cost of American beer being raised again because the LCBO is having to pay more for distributing the beer. “Let the market place decide,” he said. “If the Americans can make beer cheaper and people will buy it, let them.” “I can see,” said Julia, “that you must have sold your shares in Labbatts lately.” “Funny thing,” said Hank Continued on page 7 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario, by North Huron Publishing Company Inc Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $17 00/yr ($38 00 Foreign) Advertising isacceptedon 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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