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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-10-26, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26,1994. I-------- C itizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont N0M1H0 Phone 523-47$ FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Sales Representatives, Jeannette McNeil and Julie Mitchell 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 © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Editorial Mulroney bashing back in style With the publishing of a new book On The Take on the era of the Brian Mulroney government, the favourite Canadian sport of Mulroney bashing is back in season. Oh well, with no hockey and no baseball Canadians had to have something to cheer for. And Brian Mulroney is such an inviting target. His own pomposity made it so tempting to try to burst his balloon. But really, what good does it do now? We've just spent a year trying to forget those times, trying to heal the country. Bringing it all back is a waste of energy Canadians could use in rebuilding the country. And it's ironic, that if Paul Martin and Jean Chretien manage to wrestle the deficit under control, a large bit of the credit must go to their hated predecessors. Many commentators have accused the Liberals of sounding like the Tories. But changing the way a country thinks doesn't happen overnight. The lack of credibility Mulroney brought to government meant Canadians weren’t sure they could trust his message of cost cutting. The salespeople he chose, particularly Michael Wilson, seemed as heartless as the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. These were people who seemed to delight in cutting the welfare cheques of widows and orphans. The message from the Liberals is much the same, that the deficit can't be ignored. But Canadians have had more years of getting used to the idea. When a second government, one not so aligned with big business, says the same things, people tend to give it more credibility. So if Canadians, as polls show, now seem more ready to accept the message of cutbacks, part of the credit goes to the long years of Conservative preaching. Part of the credit must also go to the fact that Mr. Chretien's first priority was jobs and only when things began to improve did the emphasis go to government cuts. Mr. Martin, who seems as dedicated as Mr. Wilson but whose personality seems more acceptable to Canadians, also is a better salesman for deficit reduction. Few people were sorry to see the Mulroney era end. Few would want to return to those days. We should now, however, accept the gains that era gave us and turn our backs on the bad part. Rehashing his failures is a waste of time and energy.— KR Politically correct extremism A year ago as the new production of Show Boat was about to open in Toronto, the city was being tom by charges that the show was racist and that governments at the municipal and provincial level were racist for allowing this racist show to open a sparkling new theatre. A year later, a second production of the same show, from the same producer, the same director and with some of the cast of the show that originated in Toronto, opened on Broadway. Not only was there no controversy about the show being racist, not only did the major critics rave over this updated production, but the newspapers dedicated to Afro-Americans hailed the show as a trend-setter. Amsterdam News, which bills itself as "The new Black view" praised director Harold Prince for his "new and innovative" approach of placing major emphasis on the black characters and turning them into fully rounded personalities. The New York Beacon, a weekly newspaper serving a broad range of ethnic groups, said that producer Garth Drabinsky has heeded Show Boat's plea for racial tolerance by employing an enormous behind-the-scenes crew from many racial backgrounds. Can this be the same show that a Toronto Black artist charged kept Blacks in the background as — "nothing but a background. They’re caricatures; they're cartoons." Mass hysteria is a dangerous thing. From the communist witch­ hunts of the McCarthy era to the anti-immigrant fear of imported crime today, when too many people lock onto an issue in a simple-minded way, there is danger for common sense and truth. In the arts, political correctness threatens to destroy some of our best literature and stage work because people insist they must live by today's standards, not the standard they were created under. Shakespeare's The Taming of The Shrew and Merchant of Venice are under the gun for being anti-women and anti-Jcwish. Some schools refuse teaching of To Kill A Mockingbird, a book about the need for racial tolerance, because the word "nigger" is used by ignorant whites. What's more frightening is that apparently government employees felt they must support the anti-Show Boat protests with government grants to some of the campaign organizers. There is a mindset that anyone who docs not support this political correctness is a racist. The reception of the show in New York by Black newspaper shows it the in-group Toronto community that is out of touch.'— KR Photo by Janice Becker Looking Back Through the Years From the files of The Blyth Stan­ dard, The Brussels Post and The North Huron Citizen 38 YEARS AGO OCT. 24,1956 A.H. Wilfred announced the spring return of the Western Ontario Trade Fair to the Blyth Community Park site. At least 15 industrial exhibitions were sched­ uled to appear. A decision to make the first week of November "International Rutabaga Feast Week" was announced. Mr. Wilford consid­ ered the possibility of having a rutabaga banquet in honour of the occasion. Members of the Blyth Lions Club were busy planning their annual Halloween Party. The event was held in the Memorial Hall the fol­ lowing week. Local pranksters prepared for the upcoming Halloween festivities by soaping windows along main street. Sunny weather prevailed throughout the area. Very little rain was forecasted. Campbell’s Tomato Soup sold nine tins for $1. A large jar of Cheez Whiz cost 59 cents, while three lbs. of Maple Leaf Weiners cost $ 1. The local Scouts had their annual "Apple Day" fundraiser drive. The Firemen’s Halloween Mas­ querade Dance was advertised. The event featured music by Jim Pierce's Orchestra. 28 YEARS AGO OCT. 27,1966 Deputy District Governor Lion Bill Conron visited the Brussels Lions during a meeting. Entertain­ ment was provided by Jerry Jutzi and Lloyd Vallance on the piano. Brussels student Douglas Elliott was named valedictorian at the Wingham High School commence­ ment. Other awards were presented x CMHA needs THE EDITOR, Volunteers are needed to do clerical duties on Wednesdays and Fridays at the Clinton office of CMHA/Huron, to help with special projects like workshops, educational programs, newsletter production and fundraising and to help with the Step Forward program held every Monday night from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Clinton. This fall’s shortage of volunteers is due mainly to the fact that many to George McWhirter, June Wilbee, and Ann Oldfield. Residents were advised to set back their clocks on the week-end to accommodate for less hours of daylight. The top bowlers in Brussels were Elaine Nichol, Jack Higgins, Mel McArter, and Ray Bronson. Boy Did I Get A Wrong Number was playing at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham. The movie starred Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller. The going rate for an Ontario loan was 6 1/2 per cent. A train ticket to Toronto from Brussels cost $3.40. volunteers have gotten jobs and are unable to come into the office. Volunteers for the Canadian Mental Health Association/Huron have the opportunity to participate in a number of areas of interest. Presently we are looking for people who have some clerical skills, writing skills or like planning workshops and educational programs. Any experience raising funds would also be a great asset. Continued on page 5