HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-04-01, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1,1992.
The Other Side
E thelThe news from
Compiled by Margaret McMahon Phone 887-9250
By Keith Roulston Ethel-area couple
Where is the
leadership?
At the height of the Great
Depression in the 1930's U.S. Pres
ident Franklin D. Roosevelt gave
his famous speech that "We have
nothing to fear but fear itself". I
don't know if it did any good in
getting his country out of its hard
times but I wish somebody would
even give us a good speech these
days.
Economists and politicians may
quibble about whether or not we're
technically in a recession but the
truth everybody else knows is that
Canada is still in trouble a year
after the experts said this recession
should be over. The scary part is
that many people can't find many
signs that things are about to
change.
It's easy to point out that about 90
per cent of people still have jobs
and so there are many good things
to be said about the current situa
tion but the fact still remains that
we're all scared skinny about what
the future will bring. Although
statistics released Monday showed
the average working person last
month earned more than five per
cent more than last year, even those
who have good jobs aren't spending
because they're worried their jobs
may evaporate.
We're like people hiding in a
dark comer following some natural
disaster like an earthquake or a tor
nado: somebody has to be the lead
er and be first one to step outside,
but everybody is afraid to be the
leader. As long as nobody takes
leadership, we're all going to stay
hiding in the dark, fearing for our
lives.
The only relief will come when
the people with money start spend
ing it, but they must get confidence
that the worst is over before they
take that first step. We in the media
get blamed right, left and centre for
being purveyors of doom and
gloom that make people afraid but
we can only report what's happen
ing. When a factory closes, we can
hardly ignore the situation. Last
summer the media was still pub
lishing "we're on the way back"
stories of how we were climbing
out of the recession when anybody
in business knew the situation had
already changed and we were slip-
Back Through
the Years
Continued from page 4
fire in Auburn. The bam owned by
Bill McCormick was completely
destroyed beyond repair.
Blyth's former clerk-treasurer,
Larry B. Walsh, was sentenced to
18 months in prison for the theft of
more than $94,000 from municipal
accounts over the previous six
years.
A Blyth landmark closed as Piet
and Ann Reinsma, owners of Wal
lace Turkey Products lunch bar
since 1964, announced their retire
ment.
Tammi Medd of Blyth was the
overall winner at the Blyth Public
School Science fair with her care
fully researched project on "Spider
land".
Brussels Bulls won the O.H.A.
northern division Junior D champi
onship trophy after defeating the
Exeter Hawks.
ping back into recession. All the
positive press in the world didn't
help the situation.
What we need is some positive
feeling imparted by our leaders.
The provincial government tried to
bluff its way through last year by
continuing to spend as if we had a
booming economy, but even Bob
Rae has reacted in fear now and is
slashing costs wherever he can
(while being stuck with the rising
costs of programs he should never
have introduced in times like
these).
The federal government,
obsessed with the deficit and the
inflation rate, has not offered any
hope to anybody in a couple of
years now. Its policy of free trade
makes people wonder how long it
will take us to ever recover to
where we were in years past.
Unlike many recessions, we know
that many of the factories that have
closed won't reopen as soon as time
improves because they've gone to
Tennessee and Mexico.
There's no doubt that in the long
run Canada can gain from the low
inflation rate that John Crow, Presi
dent of the Bank of Canada, has
imposed on us at great cost. If our
inflation rate is one per cent below
the Americans, it means that we
gain a one per cent price advantage
for every year that goes past. Some
time down the line we should have
a big edge. The problem is, will
many of us be here when that hap
pens?
I wish I had the confidence that
the federal government knows just
how bad things are. Many business
es, including farmers, have been
holding on by their fingernails hop
ing that the end of the recession is
just around the comer. Each month
it doesn't improve their hold
becomes a little more tenuous. If
something good doesn't happen
soon there is likely to be a new
round of closings and bankruptcies.
If some companies go bankrupt
they may start a domino effect, tak
ing other companies down with
them and leaving thousands more
unemployed.
There's also the problem that
many of those who are unemployed
are running out of Unemployment
Insurance benefits and may have to
resort to welfare.
Yet the federal government
refuses to do anything to stimulate
the economy and give people hope
there is an end in sight. Nobody
needs to create silly programs such
as the Rae government has, but by
moving ahead some capital pro
grams that would have been done
later anyway, they might help put
the economy back on track. But
Finance Minister Don Mazankows-
ki seems to think the end is just
around the comer anyway and so
why take on more government
debt.
It reminds me of the Prime Min
ister's famous "rolling the dice"
speech after Meech Lake. If
Mazankowski is right, fine, but if
he has rolled the dice wrong, we're
in desperate trouble. If his actions
can't speak volumes to make us
more confident about the future, I
wish he could at least deliver a fine
speech like President Roosevelt.
Grey Council
awards tender
Grey township council held its
regular meeting on March 23 and
accepted the tender of Bannerman
Contracting Limited for the
crushing and hauling of 27,000
cubic yards “A” gravel to the roads
in the north half of the Township.
The Bannerman tender, amounting
to $62,113.50 was the lowest of
eight tenders received.
Council approved a grant of $125
to the Blyth Festival for 1992.
Council approved the budget of
the Brussels, Morris and Grey
Board of Recreation Management
for 1992. Grey Township's levy of
$10,395 represents a zero per cent
increase from 1991.
Council endorsed resolutions
from both Zurich and Turnberry
township. The Zurich resolution
opposes the draft conflict of
interest legislation and the
Turnberry resolution asks the
province to again require
landowners to pay 50 per cent of
their property taxes before they
qualify for the Farm Tax Rebate, in
order to reduce the level of tax
arrears in rural municipalities.
The next regular meeting of
Council is scheduled for April 6 al
7 p.m.
APRIL IS DENTAL
HEALTH MONTH
VW*”
The members of your
local Dental Society
wish you a
Smite.1
married 25 yrs.
Happy 25th anniversary to Helen
and Pete Albers of RR2, Bluevale.
‘ Grey township council hosted the
Monday night euchre of nine
tables. High lady was Doris Jack-
lin, high man, Scott McLean; low
lady Dorothy Hamilton; low man,
George Pearson. There were also
several tally card draws. Merle
Bowes won the 50/50 draw of $14.
The next euchre will be April 13
at 8:30 p.m.
Grace Smith and Helen Cullen
had a very successful lost heir tour
nament. There were 11 tables. The
top trophies were donated by Grace
and Harry Smith and won by Scott
McLean and Charlie Harrison.
Two TSC gift certificates of $20
each were won by Lome and Ruth
Jackson. A gift basket from Camp
bell and Johnson Insurance and a
level from Canadian Tire were won
by Lois McLean and Eva Harrison.
A prize from Brussels Country
Inn and Moonlighting Studios was
won by Brian McGuire and Ron
McCluskie.
Hats donated by Robert Farrish
Construction and Radford's of
Blyth and Brussels were won by
Mary Bell, Marlene Losch, and
John and Viola SubjecL
Hats from Grey township were
won by Jack and Dorothy Cox.
Shaving cream and lip gloss donat
ed by Laurie Middleton was won
by Mary Bell and Brian McGuire.
Low single score prize of glasses
was won by Darlene Sisson and
Eric Ortman. Low single score for
Marlene Losch won her calendars
from the Bank of Nova Scotia.
Lowest total score prizes were
fridge magnets won by Helen Dob
son and Merle Bowes. The second
highest single score was won by
Scott McLean and Laura Middle
ton.
Ron Cardiff donated $10 for the
Ethel Hall and the 50/50 draw of
$25.50 was won by Ray Landon.
There were several consolation
gifts donated by the Bank of Nova
Scotia, Royal Bank and Pro Hard
ware. Dorothy Dilworth won the
door prize donated by J & E Wood-
shop, a wooden deer bookrack.
a vehicle
is a big decision!
Let us help you
make the right one!
GARRY WOODCOCK
Quality Cars & Trucks
We Can Save You Money
A Little - Save A Lot
HOURS:
Mon.-Fri.
9 am-5 pm
Sat. 10 am-4 pm
C&M
INCOME TAX
SERVICE
Senior Discount 10%
T1 SPECIAL
T1 GENERAL
starting at
*16.00
starting at
*19.00
SENIOR SUPPLEMENT FORMS FREE
"No G.S.T. on our services"
Cindy Radford ’ Mary Cote
5 Ontario St. 482-5927 CLINTON
HEALTH ON THE HILL
A review of activities at
SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
Upcoming Programs:
"BE HEALTHY BE TRIM” Weight Management Program
Learn techniques and gain support to change unproductive habits
and attitudes towards food, eating, exercise, stress and personal self
worth. Feel better emotionally and physically. Put an end to dieting,
deprivation, swallowing your upsets and postponing your life.
call 527-1650 Ext. 262 for more Information
8 week 2 hour classes
Facilitator: L. Devereaux, Dietitian
SHOP SMART SUPERMARKET TOUR
Huron County Nutrition Committee invites you to celebrate Nutrition
Month and learn to "Challenge the Nutrition Myths." What better
place to learn but right in the grocery store! Shop Smart
Supermarket Tours are focusing on fat. A few spaces are still
available for Seaforth tour, April 2, 1:30 p.m. Phone Clara to register
at 482-3416.
Hospital Hl-Lighis;
St. James Grade 4/5 Students visited the Hospital and toured each
Department on March 11th. Department Managers spoke on each
Department's role in the delivery of health care.
Welcome to Kim Salverda, Co-op Student who is with us until June
19th to gain secretarial experience, and to Ellen Smith, new part-time
Communications Clerk. Physiotherapy also welcomes Co-op
Student, Katie Parkinson, here until June.
Physiotherapy News:
National Physiotherapy Week March 22-28 was celebrated at
Seaforth Community Hospital last week. A poster display described
repetitive strain injuries and displayed aids to their prevention and
treatment. A FUN relay to involve as many Staff as possible was
staged Friday, March 27th, and a presentation by the Staff entitled,
"Your Neck: The Essentials of Computer Compatibility," rounded out
the week.
The theme of National Physiotherapy Week is "Physiotherapy: Your
Key to Independence." This is a particularly appropriate theme.
Physiotherapists pride themselves in education, treatments and
prevention of recurrence of problems with which their patients
present. Their aim is to give the patient the tools they need to make
themselves eventually free or independent of the therapist.
Unfortunately our Staff Therapist, Betty Duwyn, fell and fractured her
leg. This has meant that waiting lists for therapy at S.C.H. have
risen. Betty is, however, going to start to work as soon as her X-
Rays and her surgeon allow, possibly within the next month. We
miss you Betty, come back soon!