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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-01-17, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2019. Editorials Opinions President: Keith Roulston • Publisher: Deb Sholdice Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld • Heather Fraser The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Ph. 519-523-4792 Fax 519-523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. N0G 1H0 Phone 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.northhuron.on.ca Looking Back Through the Years CCNA Member Member of the Ontario Press Council The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $38.00/year ($36.19 + $1.81 G.S.T.) in Canada; $160.00/year in U.S.A. and $205/year in other foreign countries. 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: Mon. 2 p.m. - Brussels; Mon. 4 p.m. - Blyth. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON N0G 1H0 email: info@northhuron.on.ca January 19, 1968 Brussels Reeve Cal Krauter was elected Huron County warden for 1968, defeating Goderich Township Reeve Grant Sterling by a vote of 22-17. At the time, Krauter boasted 10 years of experience in municipal government, including the last five years as the reeve of Brussels. George McCutcheon in 1962 was the last warden from Brussels. Krauter was given the chain of office and the key to the county by Donald McKenzie, the previous warden, and he was sworn in by Judge R. S. Hetherington, a personal friend of Krauter’s, who said that the warden carried a “great and tremendous burden” with his position. A team from Huron County won the Lawrason Trophy for the highest team aggregate standing in both the butter and cream judging at the annual convention of the Ontario Creamerymen’s Association, which was held in Toronto. On the team were Lawrie Cousins of Brussels, Clifford Brewer of Bluevale and Arthur Purney of Lucknow. January 17, 1973 Blyth was chosen as the host community for the Western Ontario Athletic Association (WOAA) Bantam E championship over the weekend. The tournament would bring a number of teams from the region to Blyth for two days of hockey, beginning on Saturday morning with Blyth playing its first game against Grand Bend. Also participating in the tournament were teams from Zurich, Monkton, Ripley, Drayton, Paisley, Lion’s Head and Tiverton. Hopes were high for the host team, as many of the boys on the team were members of the PeeWee team that claimed the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) title the previous season. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Szusz of RR1, Blyth were the proud parents of the area’s New Year’s baby. Young Robynne Joanne Szusz weighed in at seven pounds, three ounces and was presented with many gifts as the first baby born at the Clinton Public Hospital in 1973. An editorial on the front page of The Blyth Standard attempted to gauge interest in the Blyth Fall Fair and its continued existence, claiming that interest in the fair seemed to be at an all-time low. The annual meeting of the Blyth Agricultural Society was set for Jan. 24 in Westfield where the future of the fair would be discussed. January 18, 1995 The winter of 1994/1995 had been, so far, remembered for its dramatic highs and lows, breaking records both for cold days as well as warm days. Weather observer Boyd Taylor of RR3, Walton said the winter had been abnormally mild up to mid- January. He said that many of the community’s rivers and streams had been well flushed out thanks to the high volume of rain. Blyth Village Council was becoming concerned regarding a claim against the village by William Bromley concerning his dismissal. Reeve Mason Bailey said Bromley had filed a claim against the village in Ontario Court, General Division. When the situation first arose, Bailey said, Bromley was requesting $30,000 in compensation and the reinstatement of his position. Bailey said council presented a counter- offer, which was then rejected by Bromley. On Jan. 10, he said, the village received a revised claim for $140,000, which wouldn’t be covered by the village’s insurance. Councillor Doug Scrimgeour said he felt the situation was “starting to get out of hand” and that council should attempt to deal with the situation more directly. January 22, 2009 Wescast Industries announced that it would be closing one of its two Wingham plants, affecting in the cutting of 140 jobs. In a written statement, Wescast CEO Ed Frackowiak said that the closure came as a result of ongoing problems in the automobile industry throughout North America. “The difficult decision to close the Wingham North Huron foundry came after a careful evaluation of our cost structure, expected future business volumes and available capacity in other facilities,” Frackowiak said in a written statement. North Huron Reeve Neil Vincent said that the decision wasn’t really a surprise to him, adding that rumours of the closure had been out in the community for some time. Morris-Turnberry Mayor Dorothy Kelly said the closure would mean between $45,000 and $50,000 in lost tax revenue for the municipality in addition to the disaster of losing nearly 150 well-paying jobs. Spring Breezes greenhouse near Auburn collected nearly 400 bicycles through its Bicycles for Humanity initiative. The collection would be sent to Africa in the coming weeks, according to Sylvia Nonkes. Sparling’s Propane was chosen as one of the 50 best small and medium employers in Canada, according to The Globe and Mail. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Shouldn’t voters have known? North Huron Reeve Bernie Bailey continues to promote the idea of amalgamation with the neighbouring municipality, even though originally being turned down by Morris-Turnberry Mayor Jamie Heffer. Leaving aside whether or not the amalgamation would be a good idea, mightn’t it have been nice if Bailey had made his intention to pursue this course clear during his election campaign? Those who attended all-candidates meetings leading up to the North Huron municipal election say Bailey never mentioned the possibility of municipal amalgamation at that time. By the inaugural meeting of his council, however, the proposal was high on his agenda. Didn’t voters deserve to have the opportunity to decide if they wanted the head of their municipality to pursue this possibility? There may be good reasons to pursue amalgamation between the two municipalities. Wouldn’t it have been better, however, for North Huron voters to have known their municipality might head in this direction before they cast their ballot last fall?– KR What a mess! As if governments and pipeline companies didn’t already know they faced complications trying to get pipeline projects built, they learned of a new level of First Nations’ politics last week when protesters from the Wet’suwet’en First Nation blocked workers’access to the construction of TransCanada Corp.’s $40 billion Coastal GasLink pipeline. The pipeline company had already reached an agreement with the elected council of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation that would provide training for their people to get good jobs while the pipeline is built. The blockade, however, was set up in support of the hereditary chiefs who claim they manage Wet’suwet’en First Nation’s hereditary lands. British Columbia’s First Nations’ landscape is much more complicated than in most of Canada. Here in Ontario, for instance, treaties were signed between the Crown and First Nations more than a century and a half ago. In British Columbia, no treaties were ever negotiated and courts have agreed that First Nations still control the hereditary territory where they hunted and fished. TransCanada Corp. had negotiated a deal with the elected council of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation, believing they had gained access to build the pipeline in exchange for money and training of local people so they could have well-paid jobs building the pipeline. Hereditary chiefs, however, argue that the elected council has jurisdiction only over the actual lands of the reserve. The elders claim they have jurisdiction over the rest of the hereditary lands. They don’t want the pipeline. It’s a mess! For TransCanada Corp. and other resource companies, who can you work with? Though the elected council, the official representatives of a First Nation may reach a deal with you, an unofficial group, the hereditary chiefs, claim they have the ultimate jurisdiction. For the federal government, attempting reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, do they want, in this day and age, to agree that an unelected group actually speaks for the people? The elected council, meanwhile, sees the pipeline as a way to get good jobs for young Wet’suwet’en members, while the hereditary chiefs, old men, want to protect tradition. The hereditary elders see themselves as wise. Here’s hoping they can make the right decision for younger generations of their people. – KR Somebody needs to bend As this is written, the shutdown of a large portion of the U.S. federal government continues as the lives of 800,000 government workers are treated as pawns in a chess match between U.S. President Donald Trump and Congressional Democrats. The President refuses to sign any budget bill that would put people back to work unless it also contains over $5 billion in funding for a wall along the Mexican border to stop undocumented migrants from crossing. It’s a crisis, he claims. Meanwhile Democrats are equally determined not to give the President what he wants. Both sides seem set to fight to the last civil servant to get their way. In the meantime, federal workers – and the public – suffer. Some workers have been laid off. Others, in essential services such as air traffic control and (ironically) border services, must continue to work even though they’ve not being paid. All are suffering trying to get along without a paycheque. If there are 800,000 people suddenly not being paid, what’s the cost to the economy? And what’s the danger to the public? As the shutdown continues, air traffic controllers have been booking off sick in greater numbers. What if one of the overworked remaining controllers makes a mistake that leads to a crash and the deaths of hundreds of passengers. Food inspectors are also off work, endangering the food system. Somebody needs to show some wisdom, even if it means backing down. – KR &