Loading...
The Citizen, 1991-02-13, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1991. Opinion Now that fs courage There was sadness when local skater Kevin Wheeler and his partner Michelle Menzies barely missed a spot on the World Figure Skating team Saturday but for anyone who knew the story of Kevin’s last few months, the couple’s performance was nothing short of amazing. Menzies and Wheeler slipped from third place to fourth in Saturday afternoon’s pairs skating final at Saskatoon to miss one of the three spots on the world team despite a flawless performance. What had observers holding their breaths was the circumstances under which the pair skated. Before Christmas Kevin underwent what was to have been minor surgery but ended up being a major operation df more than four hours. A tumour was stripped out of his leg. The chance of the couple going to the World Championships seemed impossible. Doctors suggested it would be months before Kevin would be fit to skate. But in the world of competitive skating you take the opportunities as they come and a spot on the world team was agonizingly close this year. They decided to go for it. It was so near and yet so far. In the end the couple missed their goal but in their performance they demonstrated the kind of courage and determination that makes sports one of the example of the best of human beings. Easier from the outside Ontario’s New Democratic Party government has discovered what most parties do: it’s easier to govern from the opposition side of the house than the government benches. It was only last September that NDP Candidates were ruthless in their criticism of the Liberal government for not providing more money for education and health among other needs. The NDP promised to restore provincial support of education to 60 per cent. That promise bit the dust earlier in the recession. Monday, the government announced increases in funding for health care that were well above the rate of inflation but well below what health care professionals had wanted: much the same scenario that had happened under the Liberals. The NDP has a well-known excuse of course. No one last August knew the recession had hit the province as badly as it has. Still it’s again a lesson that is easier to criticize than to govern. The short of it BY BONNIE GROPP I remember so clearly my kids’ first day of school. I remember feelings of fear, anxiety, heart-ache and wonder-all mine. That we had reached this point so soon where I must reluctantly send them onto the path leading to an interesting and often unkind world. I’ve always considered myself one of the fortunate women. 1 had a career that 1 worked at at home, with my small children at my feet (and occasionally on my back). 1 was not faced with the problems of finding suitable day care, nor of making sure they received the right amount of mental stimulation from their caregiver. (For what it was worth, they had to settle for me). Throughout the province, many areas have already implemented a Junior Kindergarten (JK) program at their elementary schools. It has provided struggling families with an inexpensive, and effective alter­ native to costly day care in addition to giving children excellent social and learning opportunities at an early age. Nobody argues that. Many other school boards, parti­ cularly rural ones, have however, voiced strong opposition to the program, due to the costs of implementing it, concerns over transportation and the hazards this could pose to the tiny three and four-year-old travellers. As with most issues this one is surrounded in grey. There is no black or white, nor right or wrong answer, no perfect solution. JK has already proven a benefit in some areas and the provincial govern­ ment believes in it. (After all if Toronto needs it, we all must, right?) My feelings on JK concern the position it puts the parents in. Everyone wants for their child, what every other child has, espe­ cially if it’s affordable or we’re paying for it on our taxes anyway. If my three-year-old had been the only one not attending JK, not learning to read, not participating in various activities with other youngsters his age, who were in the program. I would have felt an Continued on Page 7 Breaking up Looking Backward BY TRACY FINCH ONE YEAR AGO FEBRUARY 14, 1990 The seats from the Blyth Mem­ orial Hail were sent to Toronto where they were refurbished and padded. 500 padded seats were then reinstalled to wait for patrons who wanted to see the Festival’s new plays. Barbara O’Connell helped out in the library of Brussels Public School as part of her work term with the Co-op Adult Education Program at Seaforth District High School where she had decided to finish her education. She began her term working on business courses at the grade 12 level and hoped to find employment in an office after she graduated with her grade 12 diploma. Huron Feeding Systems owned by Joe and Debbie Seili was recognized as the number one dealer in southern Ontario, for Westeel Grain Bins. The award was presented to Joe by John Ernewein of Walkerton at the Toronto Farm Show. THREEE YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 10, 1988 Blyth firemen were called to free George and June Jacklin of Brus­ sels from their vehicle after it was struck by a car driven by Bonnie Pletch of Belgrave. A van driven by Irene Thalen of Blyth collided with the rear end of a car driven by Muriel Neilson of Gorrie. It left drivers shaken but unhurt. Police estimated the dam­ age to the Thalen vehicle as moderate and to the Neilson vehi­ cle as severe. Members of several north Huron Women’s Institutes gathered in Ethel to celebrate the 85th anniver­ sary of the Ethel Institute. Margar­ et Shortreed of RR 1, Walton and Continued on Page 7 The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $20.50/year [$19.16 plus $1.34 G.S.T.] [$40.00 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, 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. Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 Editor & Publisher, Keith Roulston Advertising Manager, Dave Williams Production Manager, Jill Roulston Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968