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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1992-04-22, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22,1992. Same game, different rules The current fuss over the "beer war" between Canada illustrates how difficult it is to play by the same rules and still have the famous "level playing field" that trade negotiators always talk about. Most of the fuss recently has been about American demands that Canadian markets be opened up to U.S. imports. We’ve been hearing on the news about the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) ruling that said the provinces in Canada discriminate against American beer. Not mentioned often is the fact GATT also ruled that there is discrimination in the U.S. against Canadian imports. The big problem in Ontario is how we sell our beer. While there has been talk over the years about selling beer in comer stores, Ontario has stuck to its policy of selling beer only through Brewers Retail stores. That system is owned and operated by the major brewers of Ontario. They have sold their own beer, not imported beer. U.S. imports have been sold only through Liquor Control Board outlets. U.S. brewers charge the system discriminates against them. They haven't been willing to come into Ontario and set up their own distribution and retail system, but they feel they should have their beer distributed through the Brewers Retail system. Perhaps the Brewers Retail system is outdated. Perhaps some limited sale of beer should be allowed through ordinary retail outlets. It would save the problem of small towns like Blyth being told they can't have their own outlets. Still, the Brewers Retail system is the system Ontario has chosen, right or wrong. Now large corporations outside our borders are demanding the rules be changed to benefit them. Demands such as these raise the question of how much control people of any country can have over their lives when multi-national traders can, under free trade or GATT, demand internal policies be changed. Ontario's dairy, egg and poultry producers face exactly that situation: a system that has been working well in Canada may be sacrificed to international trading pressures. Ironically, while countries like the U.S. want to spread their influence, their sets of rules, through trading agreements, they don't want to give up power at home. International critics have said the U.S. and the European Economic Community have been stalling GATT talks because they want to be able to keep their own legislation that allows them to react unilaterally to what they feel are unfair trade practices. In other words, it's "do as I say not as I do". American politicians know their own people don't want to give up the power to make changes through political decisions that U.S. trade negotiators want people in other countries, like Canada, to give up.—KR Gambling with people s lives Sometimes politicians float ideas to see what the reaction is, then black away from implementing those ideas. Let's hope that's the case in the trial balloon of the proposal for gambling casinos in Ontario border cities. With the Ontario budget coming up soon, we may get a hint of how much interest the government is showing in the proposal. There's no doubt that Treasurer Floyd Laughren is desperate to find new sources of revenue and that’s what the gambling casinos have been touted to be. Hit with reduced income because of the recession, while federal cutbacks have dumped extra costs in the lap of the province (and policies like the Back On Track welfare reforms have opened the door for increased costs). Still, legalizing casino gambling to help the budget seems like opening the windows in a downpour because you want to dry the spot on the rug caused by the hole in the roof. One of the mandates of the NDP has been to improve lives. It has committed itself to more social services. By approving even more legalized gambling, it will assure the need for even more social services. While gambling can be a harmless diversion for some people, it is a dangerous drug for others. People hooked on gambling ruin the lives of their family. They can cheat and steal to feed their habit. They can destroy their owns lives, and the lives of those around them. The government already makes windfall profits off the weaknesses of others. Taxes on cigarettes and alcohol help the government make money while people suffer from their weaknesses. The introduction of lotteries introduced many more people to gambling than might otherwise has been involved. Now that some of these people are hooked, the government apparently wants to up the ante to hard gambling: sort of like a sleazy drug peddler introduces kids to a soft drug, then moves them on to hard, addictive drugs. Ontario residents should let their M.P.P.s know they want no part of it.—KR Looking Back Through the Years ONE YEAR AGO April 24,1991 Three Belgrave girls came in the top three spots for girls 11-12 in the 1991 Midwest Majorette Competi­ tion. Candice Irwin placed first, Lindsay Michie, second and Laura Sinclair took third place. For the first time in thirty years, a new in-store bakery opened in Scrimgeour's Food Market in Blyth. * Betty Graber was selected as the sixth recipient of the Brussels and area Citizen of the Year award. The Brussels Legion mixed dart players defended their trophy and won "Challenge ’91". THREE YEARS AGO April 19,1989 A former Brussels man was fined $500. in provincial court and ordered to make restitution after pleading guilty to the theft of $1,158. from the Brussels Bulls hockey club in 1988. Kelly Overholt, a Grade 8 stu­ dent at Brussels Public School took top marks in the Physical category at the Brussels Science Fair. Her project was on the effectiveness of television advertising. It was believed that the male sus­ pect who robbed the Grey Twp. residence of Jim and Joy Stewart, continued on page 6 CitizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M1H0 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; $31.03/year ($29.00 plus $2,03 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. Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Sales Representatives, Jeannette McNeil and Merle Gunby Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Serving Blyth, Brussels, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and the surrounding townships. Vol ovbiI ^Hboi I ob eieliob YEb-IV io! jIosw jjsrfj bisq oisi srij ovods (zsisiosiqsb Ji) ouIbv ni azEoioob