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The Citizen, 1992-07-08, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 8,1992. The Other Side 2 Grey students among Ont. Scholars at LDSS By Keith Roulston A reputation to be proud of It would have been fitting, last week, if Canadian troops had man­ aged to make it to Sarajevo last week on Canada Day instead of a day later. It was symbolic that it was 800 Canadians who were on the televi­ sion screens around the world as they entered the airport and took command to open the airport and let the aircraft carrying emergency relief to hundreds of thousands of innocent victims of the civil war in what was once Yugoslavia. On Canada's 125 th birthday, our troops were carrying out the role Canadi­ ans are proudest of: the willing keepers of the peace. This role sets Canada off from most other countries. I couldn't help thinking about such differ­ ences as I read a book on Henry Luce, founder of Time, Life, For­ tune and Sports Illustrated maga­ zines. Mr. Luce was one of those aggressive American patriots who saw it as his country's role to lead the world. The Second World War he saw as America's chance to exert its leadership. He wrote a treatise, The American Century, in which he called on the U.S. to exert its power to reshape the world in a capitalist, Christian way. It should reward friends with help and pun­ ish enemies of its goals. It should use the power of its armed forces to keep international trade routes open. His was a new version of the old "Manifest Destiny" policy that America had a divine right to expand from sea to sea and rule the western hemisphere. There were those in the early 1940's who scoffed at Mr. Luce's vision of the future but the path he proposed became the policy of U.S. governments throughout the Cold War years. Most ordinary Ameri­ cans have supported the right of their armed forces to enforce what is good for "American interests" ever since the isolationist mood of the 1930's passed. It has seen Americans insert themselves in all comers of the world to promote "right thinking". It has seen a huge pride in their country's military might and a celebration of its victo­ ries, even over such military mites as Grenada. Canadians are never one to speak too loudly of their accomplish­ ments. Living beside a giant like the U.S., there is always the per­ spective that whatever we do has probably been done in a bigger way by our neighbours. It's hard not to be humble when you live beside someone who has plenty of accom­ plishments and likes to brag about them. Ours is always the quiet feel­ ing of the little brother or sister to the accomplished older sibling: you can be proud of what you've done but you don't dare speak too loud. Canadians in World War I had victories like Vimy Ridge, but sur­ rounded by reminders of British Empire power, they tended to seem insignificant by comparison. We were almost alone at Dieppe but it could hardly be called a smashing victory. We were part of the D-Day invasion, but few but Canadians seemed to know it. We were over­ whelmed with media coverage of American and British triumphs. International Books and movies since have seldom acknowledged our presence. As well, Canadians know we will never be a major military power, able to throw our weight around to support some grand vision of what our country could be. Instead we have established a quiet leadership in the unglamorous field of world peace-keeping which is perhaps fitting. It was Canadian External Affairs Minister Lester Pearson who maneuvered the tricky waters of the Suez Crisis in 1956 to get United Nations approval for an international peacekeeping force to step between Israeli, French and English forces on one side, and the Egyptians on the other side. Canadians were leaders in that first peacekeeping force with Gen­ eral E. L. M. Bums as commander. We've been part of every peace­ keeping force since, spending years in places like Cyprus. Canadian servicemen have been killed trying County councillors differ on highway negotiations Huron County Councillors are divided on whether the county should even discuss the possibility of taking over portions of provin­ cial Highways 83, 84 and 87 from the province. Councillors supported a motion from the county's road committee authorizing County Engineer Denis Merrall to approach the Ministry of Transportation concerning the future of the highways but some councillors were in disagreement with the decision. "I have grave concerns about the county initiating new discussions," Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle told council. Last year county council had turned down feelers from the province to take over the roadways but Mr. Merrall said MOT officials bring up the subject every time they see him. Reeve Mickle was against any move that showed the county was even interested in the highways. They are provincial highways and should remain provincial highways, he said. If the province wants to abandon the highways the best investment the county could make would be to put up large billboards at both ends of the highways saying "abandoned by the NDP govern­ ment". But members of the Road Com­ mittee said they were afraid the road might be dumped on the coun­ ty whether they wanted them or not. MTO yards in Grand Bend and Clinton had been closed, Jack Cole­ man, Deputy Reeve of Stanley and chairman of the Road Committee said. That meant service on some of the roads might be reduced. MTO is offering a deal now, he said, a deal that might not later be on the table. Hay township reeve Lionel Wilder pointed out that the Grand Bend yard had moved to Port Franks and was being supervised out of Chatham. Norm Fairies, Reeve of Howick said that nearly all salt going to the area north and east of Goderich travels along Highway 87 and if the county took over the road it would need a lot of maintenance. Mr. Merrall said MTO's plans have nothing to do with volume of traffic, that he understands even a portion of Highway 11 is among the 2000 km of southern Ontario highways MTO wants to abandon. Anyway, he said, most of the salt truck traffic on Highway 87 already to keep peace between warring fac­ tions in far-flung corners of the world. Now 800 Canadians under the command of a Canadian gener­ al are again the the forefront of try­ ing to bring peace to Bosnia-Herzegovia. We haven't given many parades for the thousands of people who have risked their lives for world peace in places like this. Our sol­ diers who negotiated the dangerous trip from Croatia to open the Sara­ jevo airport no doubt will slip back quietly into Canada when their tour of duty is done. We won't celebrate their "victory". We are proud of them however, in our usually quiet way. They symbolize what we like about our country: always ready to help, to take a chance for others but never loud in talking about it travels over county roads to get that far from Goderich anyway. He admitted, however, that there are problems with two of the high­ ways not being up to modem stan­ dards. If the county negotiates with MTO it might get those highways brought up to standard before it had to take over or get compensation. "If it's a unilateral decision of the minister, it's just a stroke of the pen." For Huron, he said, it's like trying to negotiate with a giant who has all the clout. The best scenario, he said, may be for the county to take over main­ tenance of the roads and have MTO pay for it. It would be much cheap­ er for the county to look after the roads than the province, particular­ ly 84 and 87 which are right near County maintenance depots. "I don't think there is anyone on the committee who wanted to expand the county road system," Brian McBurney, Reeve of Turn­ berry said, "but we felt it was best to go this route (to open discus­ sions)". 0 bituaries DUNC MCKAY D. H. (Dune) McKay of Mon- crieff died Friday, July 3, 1992 at Listowel Memorial Hospital. Mr. McKay was born 78 years ago in Saskatchewan to the late Hugh McKay and the former Janet McLean. He married the former Edna Keillor, who survives him. He will be lovingly rememberd by his children Ann and John Sangster of Holland Centre, Heather of Moncrieff, Bonnie and her friend Arnold of Hamilton and Hugh and Jane of Brooks, Alberta. He will be dearly missed by his six grandchil­ dren and a sister Florence McNaught of Stratford. Mr. McKay was predeceased by three brothers, Archie, Allan and Gladstone and his son, Allan. Friends were received at the Pee­ bles Funeral Hme, Atwood on Sat­ urday and Sunday. Rev. Ken Purvis of Atwood and Rev., Donald Mclnnes of London officiated at the funeral service at Peebles on Monday at 2 p.m. As expressions of symapthy donations may be made to the CNIB or the Epilepsy Association. I Two area girls graduated from Listowel and District Secondary School with honours and received their Ontario Scholar awards. SIBYLLE MENZI Daughter of John and Heidi Menzi, Sibylle, age 19, graduated from L.D.S.S. with a 81.3 per cent average. Her plans for the fall are to attend Wilfred Laurier Universi­ ty for its Business Administration in order to become a chartered accountant in the future. Letters THE EDITOR, On Saturday afternoon I had the misfortune to fall from the ramp leading to the ice surface at the arena. I didn't break anything, but hurt my ankle. Las? year it happened to some other people, too. Wouldn't it be much safer to put a rail on each side? Sincerely, Jane Devries Brussels TO THE EDITOR, Fun Fest — a time of family participation, community involvement, enjoyment and relaxation. However it wasn't to be for all! During the late hours of Saturday SALE 20% OFF cardinal kitchens limited_____ 20% off all Kitchen Cabinet Orders until July 31 ‘Ross's Country Carpets & ^iteftens PROFESSIONAL DESIGNS & CONSULTATIONS Dungannon ANN MARIE MORTON Ann Marie is the daughter of Bryan and Linda Morton of RR 3 Brussels. She graduated from Lis­ towel District Secondary School at the age of 18 with an average of 92.7 per cent. Ann will attend York University where she plans to take Concurrent Education and teach school when she finishes uni­ versity. or early Sunday morning an unwelcome visitor or visitors wreaked havoc to our garden pond. Perhaps he didn't realize, when he saturated the water with a box of Cheer detergent, that the pond hosted a variety of wildlife. Did he realize that the pond was a community effort of numerous young boys, proudly bringing their pets and captured treasures to inhabit the pond? The silence and horror on their faces were evident as over 70 goldfish, numerous snails, crayfish, frogs and turtles were dead; consumed by the caustic detergent. One turtle struggles to maintain life — apparently blinded. Our pond was shared by many. Everyone was welcome to enjoy the miniature water sanctuary — even our night visitors! Have the memories of our youth faded so completely that they have forgotten the simple pleasures when they were young boys? One moment of "fun" has brought destruction and sadness to so many! Yours truly Gabriele McLaughlin 524-1576