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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-11-08, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1989. A community victory Huron County Council’s decision last week to locate the north unit of Huronview in Morris township near Brussels is a victory for the hard work and community spirit of the community. There were about 25 supporters on hand at Huron County Council Thursday the day the vote was to be taken. Most hung around from the opening of council at 10 a.m. right through until the decision was made near the end of the session in the afternoon. That kind of dedication may have switched the odd vote in the tight 19-14 decision. That showing was just the most visible part of the community effort involved, however. Dedicated volunteers have been working for months to put together a presentation that would win the Home for Brussels. Sixteen churches, service clubs and individuals took the time to write letters pledging their volunteer work. The community spirit shows what can be done in a small community. It shows what must be done. Smaller communities can’t afford to stand by and wait for good things to happen because those good things will happen in other larger communities that are first in the minds of businesspeople and politicians when it comes to choose the site for a new business or government office. Little communities have to fight for everything they get. They’ve got to look to group action where other larger centres may be able to depend on the action of individual entrepreneurs. The combined efforts of so many people won this small victory but now that the ball is rolling, the people of the Brussels Community should keep up the momentum. There are many things that can be done to generate economic activity in a community if innovative thinking is put to work by enthusiastic volunteers. It would be nice in years to come to be able to look back on Thursday’s decision as a victory not just for this one facility, but as the time when people of the Brussels, Morris and Grey area took the future of their community into their own hands. Who speaks for Canada? With Federal and Provincial first ministers scheduled to meet in Ottawa this week, one wonders when a leader will emerge that will speak for a united Canada. The * * party line” from those of all parties who claim that the Meech Lake accord is the only hope to hold Canada together, is that if we don’tapprovetheagreement, the country is doomed. Critics say that if the accord is approved the country may be doomed anyway because there will be little to hold the country together. The deal struck by Prime Minister Mulroney and the other first ministers in an all-night session at Meech Lake two years ago was made possible by giving everybody something of what they wanted in order to get them to agree to other things they wouldn’t normally agree to. So all the provinces were given more power in order to get them to agree to the ‘ ‘ distinct society” clause for Quebec. It’s hard to figure out which aspect of the deal is the most dangerous: the appeasement of Quebec nationalists or the sell off of essential federal rights to the provinces. What has happened since the agreement was reached has been the weakening of the ties that have bound the country together. The “distinct society” clause that would enable Quebec to override national programs in order to protect the distinct nature of Quebec society became even more upsetting to all Canadians except Quebec nationalists when Premier Robert Bourassa overrode the Charter of Rights and Freedoms when he outlawed store signs in English in Quebec. For those Canadians who have always seen boogey men in efforts to promote bilingualism in Canada, it was proof Quebec really wanted to dominate, not simply gain equal rights for French speaking citizens. For those who had showed good faith over the years, who dreamed of a nation where French and English could live beside each other in harmony, two decades of trying to understand, to compromise, seemed tohave been turned intoacrueljoke. Was there any sense trying to keep Canada together both the cynics and the former believers found themselves saying. Sadly through all this there has been no one with the courage to go into Quebec and argue that Meech Lake is wrong. We’ve been saddled with a bunch of political vote counters who are so afraid of nationalist voters in Quebec that they are afraid to criticize the obvious failures of the pact. Of course people in Quebec feel they ’ d be betrayed if Meech Lake is rejected because nobody has had the courage to tell the other side of the story. What this country is sadly lacking is leaders of passion who will go from one side of Canada to the other saying that all people, French or English, must be treated equally and with respect. We need people unafraid to go into western Provinces and point out the poor treatment of French minorities just as they also argue for better treatment of English minorities in Quebec. Is there nobody left? Is there nobody who believes in one Canada rather than a loose association of mini-empires run by provincial premiers? Such people certainly seem to be lacking among the leaders who will gather in Ottawa Thursday. P.O Box 429 ! BLYTH, Ont NOM 1H0 | Phons 523-4792 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 The harvest's home 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: Ward Black said he couldn’t understand the British public, how one minute they seem­ ed to like Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the next minute they hate her. He was talking about the latest opinion polls that say she is at her lowest popularity ever. ‘‘I don’t know,” Billie Bean said, “seems to me I’ve seen the same thing happen here at home be­ fore.” “Yeh,” said Julia Flint, “seems like Brian and Maggie are in the same boat. You’d think instead of arguing at the Commonwealth conference it would have given them something in common to talk about.” TUESDAY: Hank Stokes was re­ marking he’s happy to say, around Halloween at least, that they just don’t make kids the way they used to. “I remember taking apart people’s wagons and putting them back together on their barn roof”, he said. “Seemed hilarious at the time but I’d sure hate somebody to do it today.” Yes, said Tim, all the creativity seems to go into costumes anymore and not into pranks. Julia says she finds it a lot more fun helping little kids get dressed up than she ever found in soaping windows. Her niece is going to dress up as an angel for Halloween. “That will be different,” she said. Tim said his son was going to dress up as Michael Wilson but people would know it was all trick and no treat then. WEDNESDAY: Who says the Brit­ ish have lost their place as the world leaders in new technology, Hank was saying. He was pointing Continued on page 5 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $19.00/yr (540 00 Foreign) 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, 2pm - Brussels, Monday, 4pm - 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 Editor & Publisher, Keith Rouiston Advertising Manager, Dave Williams Production Manager, Jill Rouiston Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968