Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1993-10-27, Page 4Opposites attract Photo by Bonnie Gropp Letters Shelter needs help THE EDITOR, Survival Through Friendship House is a non-profit organization provide emergency shelter, counselling and advocacy for assaulted women and their children throughout Huron County. Since its establishment in 1985, we have provided these survivors of abuse with the support and resources to help them begin to recognize their own strengths, reclaim their self- esteem and choose a safe and fulfilling future for themselves and their children. Recently, Survival Through Friendship House received funding from the Ministry of Community and Social Services to build a new facility, which will help meet increasing requests for shelter, counselling and advocacy from women and children in need. The funding received will cover the cost of the land and the construction of our new shelter. We are now looking to our communities to help us furnish this new building. The citizens of Huron County have always been very generous in their support of our work. At this time, we ask that you consider what part you or your organization may play in making this a safe and comfortable refuge for women and children. We invite people to consider our "ADOPT-A-ROOM" fundraiser. It is an opportunity to make a donation to cover the expense of completely furnishing one room in our new shelter. We will commemorate sponsorship with a brass plaque inscribed with the sponsor's name, (organization, service group or club). An Income Tax Receipt will be provided for any donations made. Each single room will cost $1,500 to carpet and furnish and a family bedroom will cost approximately $3,000. Donations can be made in one payment or more, and may be spread out over 1993-1994. We also require assistance in purchasing other furnishings, playground equipment, and playroom furniture for the THE EDITOR, Two years ago, October 1991, a new boutique opened in Brussels. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of the Brussels and surrounding communities, the Brussels 5Rs Community Thrift Shop has had two very successful years. The tremendous generosity of donators has enabled us to offer quality clothing and household Children's Program. Survival Through Friendship House has provided shelter to hundreds of women and children over the past year. We have conducted 831 counselling sessions in the Goderich Shelter and at designated safe locations throughout the County of Huron. We have sponsored community programs, provided training for teachers and students within the education system, opened Women's Resource Centres in Seaforth and Wingham and established a support group in Clinton for incest survivors. With help, our shelter will offer improved services to members of our community. Questions may be directed to Michele Hansen at 524-5333. Michele Hansen, Exeaitive Director. Kathleen Babcock, President of the Board of Directors. goods and still have lots for recycling into scatter mats, country crafts, wipes, comforters and other items. Without the many shoppers however, success would have been limited. We greatly appreciate all those people who volunteer their time in numerous ways, to keep everything running smoothly. Volunteers are super people! Wendy Martin, Brenda Glikes, Joan Jacobs. 5Rs celebrates 2nd anniversary PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1993. C The North Huron tJ itizen eNA P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont NOM 1 HO NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 897-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Sales Representatives, Jeannette McNeil and Julie Mitchell P410 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. I.) 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 © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 People do matter The one overwhelming conclusion from Monday's confusing election results is that the Canadian voters feel that people must come first. The core belief of the former Progressive Conservative government under both Brian Mulroney and Kim Campbell was that what was good for business was good for the country. Somewhat similar to the "trickle down" theory of Ronald Reagan, the Conservative belief was that if the conditions for business were good enough then people would invest and people would have jobs. The people would in turn spend money which would create more jobs. The Conservatives have lived with that agenda for nine years. The Free Trade Agreement with the U.S. and the North American Free Trade Agreement were both based on giving business what it wanted: access to larger markets. The battle against the deficit was designed to give business leaders confidence that Canada was a good place to do business. Only if the deficit was in control, if taxes were lowered and business had confidence, would things improve and jobs be created. It was that belief that led Prime Minister Campbell to make her infamous, oft-quoted remark that Canadians could look for little improvement before the turn of the century. Canadians, however, felt that although fighting the deficit was important, although creating favourable conditions for business is important, people matter too. Government is for the people, after all. We create governments to try to modify the harsh conditions of the world by creating an umbrella to protect them, an umbrella of pooling their resources through government. People reject the belief that there is nothing that can be done to help the victims of the recession. Ordinary Canadians also do not share the belief in the infallibility of business that the Conservatives had. The Conservatives were undone, in many ways, by the very business leaders it felt it was its mission to support. All its policies were undermined by the business community which didn't provide the jobs the government promised by all its brave and bitter policies. Businesses seemed to compete to see who could lay off the most workers. The voters have given their verdict. People do matter.—KR Thanks for trying Politics is a cruel business, often unintentionally so. We each go into the polling booth making out individual decisions. We may waver as to which of the candidates to mark our "x" for. Yet if thousands of others waver, then decide in the same direction, the result can be a massive wave in one direction or another. No matter whether they may not have wanted her to be prime minister, few Canadians would wish on Kim Campbell the humiliation that the election results showed where her party was reduced to two seats nationally and she lost her own seat. Similarly, there is much hurt at the local level. Murray Cardiff has served Huron-Bruce for many years. Even those who may disagree with his policies, or the policies of his party, would agree that he has worked hard and long on their behalf. So too has his staff, from the local constituency office to his Ottawa office. While people may have wanted to change the government, it doesn't seem fair that someone who has worked so hard for so long should be hurt so badly. There were fewer expectations for the other non-winning candidates in the local riding. Len Lobb of the Reform, Tony McQuail of the NDP, Henry Zekfeld of the Christian Heritage Party and Allan Dettweiler of the Libertarian Party, all deserve our thanks for taking time out of their lives to be candidates in the election. The deserve our thanks and our respect. — KR Let's not be smug No matter what they feel about the election results, the one thing Canadians can be united about: hurray for the Blue Jays. In a time when there is so little to cheer about, the Blue Jays' victory was a wonderful outlet for everyone who wanted a happy ending for a change. Let's hope, however, that the victory doesn't go to our heads. Already the Toronto media was showing signs of arrogance and smugness. There were times when they put down their opponents in patronizingly and dismissive tones. Let's be gracious in victory as hopefully we would be in defeat. — E ditorial