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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1991-11-27, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27 1991. Editorials The difficult teenage years Even in the Grey Cup celebrations on the weekend, Canadians seemed to demonstrate again that this is a country going through its difficult teenage years. Like a teenager, we like a good party now and then. Grey Cup has provided the excuse for that over the years. Holding the Grey Cup in Winnipeg, a smaller western city (even if it now represents the east in football), put some of the fun back into the party. It was Calgary that set the tradition for grey Cup tomfoolery 40 years ago when fans invaded Toronto with horses and chuckwagons, taking the horses even into hotel lobbies at times. Over the years the annual Canadian football championship had proved an excuse for a huge drunk. People this year obviously relished the opportunity to think about something other than national unity and hard economic times. But even in the celebration you got the feeling that Canadians were looking over their shoulder, wondering if what they were doing would impress that cool dude older guy south of the border. There was much embarrassment that we actually had to play a football game in that cold. More time was often spent talking about the cold than about the game. Canadians aren't just cold because of our weather, we're ashamed. We just don't stack up to California and Arizona and Florida. We feel like the kid who's forced to wear hand-me-downs while his friends have new designer duds. And then there's the feeling that we're really still playing kids' games while the people we want to impress are playing the real thing. How else do you explain the obsession many in Canada have with the NFL brand of football: an obsession that many would rather not have any football at all in their hometown than feel they were going to something inferior. If we were really a mature people we might not need the stamp of approval US television gives things and we might sit back and revel in the sheer excitement Canadian football gives with it's wider field and gambling style: we might realize that players like Rocket Ismail succeed, not because our game is played by inferior talents, but because the openness of our unique Canadian game allows for talents like his to be pul to their best use. In many ways the Canadian game is like the larger European ice surfaces in hockey arenas that give smaller, faster players an advantage over big, tough grinders. Typically, when there has been a renewal of interest in Canadian football this year, it has come because of a pat of approval from Americans. Hollywood's Bruce McNall bought the Toronto Argonauts and brought Canadian superstars John Candy and Wayne Gretzky with him. He signed Ismail to the largest ever contract for a football player (including even the NFL). Maybe if a rich American and a bonifide Hollywood movie star were interested, it was cool to enjoy our football game after all. With teenagers, you grit your teeth and wait for the kid to grow out of it. One wonders how long the teenage years last for a country, let's hope we mature soon, so we can relax and be ourselves and celebrate what's good about our country instead of having to wait for approval from people outside the country. A new vision? Perhaps the media was being unfair in expecting new ideas to instantly burst forth at the Liberal party's policy conference in Aylmer, Quebec this past weekend, but there might be more hope if it didn't seem that the Liberal leadership wasn't ashamed to be liberal. The conference was billed as a think tank to generate new ideas for the 90's for the party and because there weren't instant policies announced, the media immediately pointed to the "failure" of the event. But creativity isn't turned on like a tap. Creative solutions to problems can only come once the mind is focussed on the problem. Those who attended the conference are probably having more ideas this week than they were while they were being inundated with speakers. Still, from what came out in the media, it often seemed that the speakers at the conference could have equally been al a Conservative conference. What the country needs is not another Conservative party but an alternative to the party that has (he country in such a mess right now. Looking Back Through the Years ONE YEAR AGO NOVEMBER 28,1990 The Murray Cardiff Citizenship Trophy, the highest award in Huron County 4H activities was won by Theresa Knox of RR1, Blyth. Tim Coultes of RR5, Brussels won the St. Jackson Award for hav­ ing the Grand Champion Steer at the Seaforth Fall Fair, during the 4H Awards night in Clinton. Clinton resident Susan Meyers, daughter of George and Pat Lan­ glois of Brussels was recognized for her dedication and hard work with the Kinette Ciao. McKillop Township took deliv­ ery of its third road grader. Walton hosted its first Variety Night. THREE YEARS AGO NOVEMBER 30,1988 Gordon Brindley purchased the Brussels Stockyards. Huron's 300 elementary teachers demonstrated in an effort to get the board of education to resume nego­ tiations. The five-person board of direc­ tors of North Huron Publishing Company, parent organization of The Citizen were returned for another year. They were: President, Keith Roulston; secretary-treasurer, Jill Roulston; Mason Bailey, Sheila Richards and Barbara Brown. Arthur Bos of RR3, Blyth took home a truckload of trophies from the 4H Achievement Night after winning several of the awards. Ice Dance Figuro Skating gold medalist Peter MacDonald of Cran- brook, was honoured at a special assembly at Listowel District Sec- Continued on page 22 CitizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 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.) for local; $19.16 ♦ $1.66 for each month after March 31/92 ♦ G.S.T. for local letter carrier in Goderich, Hanover, Listowel, etc. and out-of-area (40 miles from Brussels); $60.00/year for U.S.A, and 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. 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