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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-02-05, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1992. The logical choice You don't have to be a favourite of the home-town boy to suggest that the logical choice for the Ontario Liberal Party when it chooses its new leader this weekend should be Morris township native Murray Elston. Even those with no connection with Huron or Bruce counties are recognizing that Mr. Elston has the most to offer the party in terms of leadership. Indeed, it was the strength Mr. Elston could give the party as leader that caused many in the party to press him to change his mind about not seeking the leadership. Early on he had indicated he wouldn't seek the leadership because of concerns for his young family but pressure from party supporters all over Ontario convinced the 42-year-old to change his mind and to step down as the party's interim leader so he could seek the full-time job. Though he was the last candidate to enter the race, by the time delegates were being chosen in January for this weekend’s leadership convention, he came out on top with the most committed support. It's easy to see why so many feel he is the person to lead the party which was soundly defeated in the Sept 1990 provincial election. In terms of experience, he showed he has a toughness to handle the top job in the province. He took on the two toughest jobs in the Peterson government. He didn't flinch when it came to a showdown with the Ontario medical profession over extra billing for doctors’ services. The doctors eventually called off their strike without the government having to capitulate and allow extra billing that would undermine the universality of the medical system. It was Mr. Elston again who took on the thorny issue of no-fault automobile insurance, taking attacks on the one side from those who wanted a government-run system, and on the other from the powerful legal profession which didn't want to see an end to the rights to litigate in car accidents. Whether his solution to the problem is good or bad (the NDP after charging the plan was a sell-out to the insurance companies, eventually accepted it almost unchanged), it took nerves of steel to push the program through. There is the feeling too that Mr. Elston still has his feet planted firmly on Huron County soil, even if he is now living in Bruce. It's hard to imagine him being captured by the image-makers and the fashionable downtown Toronto thinkers who turned David Peterson into a man who looked shallow: all image and no substance. His Huron County farm background gives him a sense that you have to pay as you go, not spend today and hope to pay back in the future. Back when Mr. Elston was named interim leader of the Liberals we suggested the only thing wrong was the term "interim" tacked on. By Saturday night if Liberals are wise, they will have made the logical choice and it will be just plain Murray Elston, leader of the Liberal Party of Ontario. Wasting an opportunity It's hard to believe, looking at their actions today, that the leaders of the Western World dreamed for nearly 50 years that Communism would finally be swept away in the Soviet Union. Now that they have finally got their fondest wish, the leaders of the world's richest democracies seem to be ready to fumble the ball and let democracy in Eastern Europe slip through their hands. Response by the leaders of the democracies, including Canada, to the plight of the residents of the former Soviet Union, has been grudging and pitiful. Where they need bread, we give them crumbs. Where they need dollars, we give pennies. Our current leaders seem to fail to realize that democracy and free enterprise are on trial in Russia, the Ukraine and other former Soviet republics. The people threw out their old leaders because they dreamed of better times in a free land: not just the freedom to vote, but the prospect of full shelves in the stores. So far, however, things have only gotten worse in the "freedom" of the open market. Our leaders will say we can’t afford to do more, yet after World War II, when we were burdened by war debt, the West still provided the Marshall plan to help get Europe back on its feet. There's no doubt that if Communists staged a coup and retook power in Russia tomorrow, we'd instantly find more money for defence against a possible threat. Well the threat in Russia today stems from our not doing more to help bolster a fragile democracy. We should be doing more, especially when in giving more food we would help rid ourselves of surpluses that are dragging the rural economy down in North America. We owe it to the new democrats of Eastern Europe and to our own consciences to do more. Looking Back Through the Years ONE YEAR AGO FEBRUARY 6,1991 Blyth Festival's Artistic Director Peter Smith announced the 1991 season. The opening production was "Two Brothers", a political satire which poked fun at the feder­ al government The Citizen won another award in the Ontario Community News­ paper Association competition, capturing third in the best feature photo category. The winning pic­ ture was taken at the Maple Mad­ ness competition at Maple Keys Sugar Bush and featured then Grey Township councillor Dale New­ man, concentrating as he flips a pancake in a relay race. Charlie Shaw was the guest of honour at a retirement party. Mr. Shaw retired from Bainton Ltd., after 30 years there as an employee. A group of women in Brussels took a "Street Smart" self-defense course. Instructor was Chuck Has­ son of the Samurai Self-Defence Academy. A new generation took over at Huron Tractor. The new partners are: Frank and Henry Winters. Paul VanOss, Peter Hakvoort and John Rudderham. Right Reverend Walter Farquhar- son, the Moderator of the United Churches visited the south Presby­ teries of the London Conference. During his visit to the Huron-Perth area he was hosted by the Pres­ bytery Chairperson Muriel Coultes of RR5, Brussels. Students of Blyth Public School celebrated the first anniversary of the school's new library addition. For the third time since long-time owners Bruce and Ross McCall sold the business in May 1987, the stockyards in Brussels changed hands. Leonard Gamble of Gamble and Continued on page 6 CitizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1 HO 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. Contents of The Citizen are © Copywright. 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