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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1995-04-12, Page 4The North Huron amen eNA P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, Publisher, Keith Roulston BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. Editor, Bonnie Gropp NOM 1H0 NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887.9114 Sales Representatives, FAX 523.9140 FAX 887-9021 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 $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, Llstowel, 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 VERIFIED CIRCULATION Springtime for solitude Photo by Janice Becker Guest column A view from my backyard By Janice Becker In a conversation with a colleague recently, the controver- sial and much-talked about Morris Tract issue arose. County councillors, environmentalists, conservationists, loggers and friends of the tract have been arguing over the question of selective harvesting of the forest or leaving the woodlot in nature's hands. It has become apparent in the latest meetings that the groups seem more determined to fight against each others' wishes than towards a solution. Friends of the Morris Tract are concerned that even selective harvesting of trees would damage or possibly destroy valuable, unique and rare botanical species. Morris Tract, one of the few large wooded area remaining in this area of the province, should be protected, but does this mean at a cost to county taxpayers and as some suggest to those who use the tract for recreational purposes? I have always considered myself an environmentalist, concerned for the health of our land, water and air, yet the economist in me sees the rationale behind the county's views. With a substantial bill coming due on the property in a few short years, what will be the explanation given to taxpayers when their bill increases several percentage points to cover the cost? Some councillors see the high price of lumber as a valuable opportunity which should not be allowed to pass, as a method of paying the cost. Another concern brought forward is the safety to the recreational users of the tract if trees along the trails die, creating a hazard. The diplomat and conciliator in me sees a solution which may not please everyone, but isn't a compromise the aim for resolving any conflict? With the friends of the tract asking for no cutting and some accusing the county of aiming for clear-cutting, isn't the middle ground obvious - selectively harvest a portion of the tract. One suggestion would be to clear away the hazardous and dying trees along the trails in a strip 30 feel wide on either side. This wouIC eliminate the safety risk yet leave portions of the forest untouched. For those concerned about damage caused by huge lumber equipment, why not consider hirinE locals with teams of horses anc wagons to complete the job as oui forefathers did. Though the task may take a greater length of time the costs may be offset by no paying for modem machinery. Five years from now or mayb( only two, we will be able to decid( which section of the woodlot is the healthiest. Though only an alternative to be looked at, isn't any idea worth consideration? Remember the term COMPRO- MISE. Letters THE EDITOR, For Randy Banks and others who wish to understand changes in school schedules which have led Huron Public Education System schools to the same two week March Break as the local separate schools, I offer the following: 1. Many parents have objected to frequent interruptions during the school year caused by periodic professional development days. These have been reduced to a minimum during the school year. 2. Teachers are now required to return to school a minimum of three days in late August. 3. The Huron County Board and the Huron-Perth Roman Catholic Board have tried to match calendars as closely as possible to gain maximum dollar savings on our shared bus routes by travelling only on the same days. 4. The required number of instructional days (185 per year) is exactly the same whether there is a 2 week break or just one. 5. Storm days interrupt school calendars regardless of the length of the holiday breaks. 6. In the HPES we also attend school on Easter Monday, a day when most parents work. In fact, we have received many positive comments from parents and others about these changes in our school year calendar. Many boards are moving in the direction of spacing out the school year into three more equal parts by moving the holiday periods, starting earlie and finishing later in June. Sincerely, Paul Carroll Director of Education and Secretary-Treasurer. Education director gives account PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1995. This is democracy? Huron-Bruce MP Paul Steckle lost a job last week, but the Liberal government and democracy lost a lot of credibility. Within 24 hours of voting against first reading of the government's gun control legislation, Mr. Steckle and other dissidents lost their jobs on various Parliamentary committees. They were being taught a lesson, that when you refuse to go along with the party lines, you pay a price. Even those who don't necessarily support Mr. Steckle's opposition to registering of firearms and other controls on guns, must admire his conviction in standing his ground despite the kind of pressure the party must have exerted. No doubt he was warned that he was cutting his own throat at having any opportunity to advance within the party by standing up for what he believed. But he had the quaint notion that he was to represent his own conscience and the wishes of his constituents and he was willing to pay the price for it. It is the government that has lost face. The Liberals have shown clearly that it is the party that matters most, not the conscience of the member or the will of his constituents. It will be difficult to believe any high sounding rhetoric from the Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues when clearly they put party before principle. The action begs the bigger question: in a representative democracy, who does the politician represent? For too long once the backbench MP has been elected he has been expected to turn off his brain and be programmed by the party whip. The Mulroney government proposed reforms that would have given backbenchers more freedom to vote their conscience except in the case when the future of the government was on the line. The Reform Party has proposed that MPs should have to represent the wishes of constituents and be subject to recall. Such moves would go a long way toward restoring respect for Parliament and politicians on behalf of ordinary Canadians. Instead, in its bludgeoning of MPs who stood up for their beliefs against the threats of their party, the Liberals have created another black mark and undermined a trust they had carefully nurtured. Voters can only cheer the courage of MPs like Mr. Steckle and boo the bluntness of the government. — KR Driving good people out Speaking against conflict of interest legislation is a little like being against motherhood, but more and more municipal politicians are doing so. It isn't that they want to use their offices for their own benefit or the benefit of their families, but because they think the standards they are expected to live up to are tougher than those the MPPs, who passed the new municipal conflict of interest regulations, have set for themselves. What has municipal politicians infuriated is that shortly after passing the new legislation for municipal politicians, the MPPs quietly passed a new law to govern their own actions, one that gives them more protection than the local politicians are allowed. For instance, there is a commissioner to examine conflict of interest accusations against MPPs and to dismiss them if they find the charges invalid or consider that the members were in conflict, but through inadvertence. There is no commissioner for municipal politicians. There are no excuses for making an honest mistake. An accusation of conflict of interest will go immediately to the court system and the councillor will have to prove he is innocent. How many times this will actually happen remains to be seen. More dangerous, however, is the possibility people will decide they don't need all the hassle of running for local councils and will drop out of public service. That's what worries Michael Smithers, editor of Municipal World, the magazine about municipal affairs in Ontario. Speaking recently at the Ontario Community Newspapers Association convention, Mr. Smithers said the number of people willing to seek office has been declining because of such things as the three-year municipal terms brought in several years ago. When we lose good people at the municipal level, we all suffer. Few people enter office for personal gain, particularly in smaller communities. They get lots of flack and spend lots of time working on behalf of their community for little in financial reward, (often with little thanks from the public). We should be removing barriers to encourage people to run, not making it harder. One wonders, after a while, if the aim of Queen's Park is to cause a crisis of too few people seeking office, so they can use it as an excuse to bring back proposals for regional government one more time. If we pay fewer politicians more money, they'll argue, they'll be willing to live with the grief.— KR E ditorial