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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1994-12-14, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1994. CitizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont N0M1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $23.00/year ($21.50 plus $1.50 G.S.T.) for local; $33.00/year ($30.85 plus $2.15 G.S.T.) for local letter carrier in Goderich, Hanover, Listowel, etc. and out-of-area (40 miles from Brussels); $62.00/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 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 Friends to enemies, and back Quebec Premier Jacques Parizeau is trying to carry out a tricky political manoeuvre in playing both sides against the middle. Mr. Parizeau preaches that things will be hunky-dorry and we can all be friends when Quebec separates yet he admits that the key to winning a vote on separation is having people in Quebec get mad enough at the rest of Canada to take a chance on an E ditorial uncertain future. In an interview with The Los Angeles Times Mr. Parizeau said winning the referendum is "now a question of tactics and strategy. Get me a half-dozen Ontarians who put their feet to the Quebec flag and I've got it..He was referring to the infamous scene, played over and over on Quebec television several years ago, of a small group of anti­ Quebec protesters in eastern Ontario wiping their feet on the Quebec flag. Support for independence in Quebec reached its highest level shortly after that media blitz (which took place months after the incident originally happened). One suspects that Mr. Parizeau was trying to elicit similar feelings of anti-Quebec, anti-French sentiment with his plans to declare sovereignty before a referendum is held. His proposal that Quebec would still have all the benefits of being in Canada, (the right to keep Canadian citizenship, the right to use the Canadian dollar, the right to continue in all the trade alliances Canada belongs to) seems also designed as much to outrage the rest of Canada as it is to reassure Quebecois that they can have the best of both worlds. But while Mr. Parizeau thinks he knows the minds of Quebecois, he is ignorant of the current mood of other Canadians. Nobody bit onto the bait Mr. Parizeau laid out. There is a feeling of fatigue over the whole issue with those of us outside Quebec, a sense that "they're going to do what they're going to do so let's not get worked up over it". If Quebec decides to separate it will be a tragedy but after 30 years of fretting and trying to save the marriage, people are just too tired to try any more. If Quebec wants to stay, it will not dictate the terms. And if Quebec decides to leave it will also not dictate the terms. Mr. Parizeau wants us to be angry now, then calm later. He's more likely to have us calm now and angry later. If Quebec rejects Canada it can expect the kind of bitterness that rejection creates. Like many marriages, the divorce will not likely be amicable. Mr. Parizeau’s dream of having it both ways, of having enough anger to create a mood for separation, yet enough friendship and civility to create a long-term peaceful relationship between two neighbouring countries, is even more of a pipe dream than the rest of his independence vision. — KR How soon we forget Human beings have an infinite capacity for finding something to feel unhappy about. Solve the problems they think are major today, and we'll have a new list for tomorrow. Take a look at the case of Bill Clinton south of the border. Two years ago Clinton promised hope that the U.S. would put the recession behind it. People were worried about jobs. Whether through his actions or not, the U.S. did come out of the recession with a vengeance, to the point economists are worried about inflation resurfacing. Does that stand Mr. Clinton in good stead? Hardly. In the mid-term elections voters overwhelmingly rejected his leadership by electing Republicans to the House of Representatives and the Senate, meaning he will now battle to get his legislation through two hostile legislative bodies. Here in Canada voters were worried about the recession just a year ago when they elected Jean Chretien and his Liberals with an overwhelming majority. Who knows if the change of government really had any effect on the economy or not, but the recovery has strengthened. New jobs arc being created. People have a new sense of confidence and arc beginning to spend money again. Again there is a fear that inflation, all but dead in the past couple of years, might increase again. Yet the screams from some economists and media commentators, and seemingly the whole business sector, is that the government isn't doing enough to fight the deficit. Finance Minister Paul Martin's target of reducing the deficit to three per cent of GNP is not enough, they say. The cuts must be deeper. Yet if Mr. Martin cuts so much that the country slips into recession again, government revenues will tumble and the deficit will get worse. Yes the deficit must be cut. If the recovery strengthens the cuts can be deeper. But it's a tricky business and must be handled with care. — KR Photo by Janice Becker Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Stan­ dard, Brussels Post and the North Huron Citizen 41 YEARS AGO DEC. 16,1953 The Morris Township Federation of Agriculture held its annual turkey dinner and announced James Mair as president. Santa Claus paid his annual visit to Brussels. Children met him at the library after the parade down main street. Jas. S. Armstrong was appointed to the Wingham High School Board by Grey Council. The WMS met at the home of Mrs. Clarence Hanna. The women signed a Christmas card to a mis­ sionary. in Nigeria. Several local 4-H members won awards at Achievement Night. Some winners included: Ron Smith, Mary Dennis, Jean Fraser and Keith Turnbull. A pair of snow boots cost $6.95. Men's skates ran at $10.95. 15 YEARS AGO DEC. 12,1979 It was announced that hydro rates in the Blyth community would increase 13 per cent in the new year. The Blyth Board of Trade gave away cash prizes at the Memorial Hall. Lucky winners included: Helen Gowing, Brenda Ball and Rita Flynn. In the Industrial Hockey League Mannings defeated Blyth Inn 14-3 to remain undefeated in league play. Fred Meier of Brussels was elect­ ed director of the Gay Lea co-oper­ ative. Four local girls in the 4-H orga­ nization received provincial hon­ ours for completing 12 clubs. Members included are: Kim Van Vliet, Andrea Coultes, Shelley Pat­ tison and Muriel Taylor. An outbreak of head lice was plaguing Huron County Schools. Grade 7 and 8 students at Hullett PS held a bake sale. They raised $94.15 for the students' council. One pound of bacon cost $1.59, while a pound of tomatoes cost 49 cents. Letters THE EDITOR, MPP Paul Klopp writes in your Nov. 30 issue that information I provided on my television broadcast recently about Ontario's new laws to alter the way sick and elderly people are treated was wrong. Mr. Klopp does not fully understand how this new law is going to impact his constituents. Once the Substitute Decisions Act becomes law anyone deemed to be incompetent - even temporarily - and who has not assigned a formal power of attorney to someone else, could have their assets and their lives controlled by the government. The Office of the Public Trustee has the power to determine where a person lives, what they eat and what happens to their bank account, if no power of attorney exists. Similarly, without that document, a spouse could end up not in control of family assets if his or her partner dies. This is serious. So serious, in fact, that a coalition of groups, including the Ontario Hospital Association, College of Nurses of Ontario, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Ontario Medical Association and others are urging the government to hold up on this legislation. On my television broadcast now on several occasions I have let professional estate planners and lawyers speak directly about this issue. I have provided the phone number to reach the Officer of the Public Trustee five times, so viewers could get more information and power of attorney kits. And I have consistently tried to inform people of what the provincial government is about to do, so they may order their own lives in response. Sincerely, Garth Turner, Business Editor, CFPL-TV CKNX-TV THE EDITOR, In recent months many stories have been written and much speculation given to the direction the Government of Canada would take in the matter of crime control and furthermore, the issue of regulating the use, ownership and sale of firearms in Canada. In the election campaign of just a little more than one year ago, I made certain commitments to the constituents of Huron-Bruce, which reflected the recommendations made in our Red Book. They are as follows: 1. Those convicted of an indictable drug related offence should be prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. 2. Anyone convicted of stalking Continued on page 7