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The Citizen, 1995-10-25, Page 4C The North Huron itizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, Publisher, Keith Roulston BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, OM. Editor, Bonnie Gropp NOM 1H0 NOG 1H0 Phone 5234792 Phone 887-9114 Advertising Manager, FAX 523-9140 FAX 087-9021 Jeannette McNeil 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 Mall Registration No. 6968 4, CNA BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1995 /OHM r KE NNE DY x OR N 11,17 DIED ago this past Monday that the first to homes in north Huron. The birth people in the Brussels and Blyth communities who wouldn't accept "the way things are" and wanted to make things better. Perhaps their efforts have lessons for the '90s. After being without a newspaper since 1982 when the Brussels Post and the Blyth Standard closed, more than 80 residents of Blyth, Brussels and the surrounding area were worried enough about the lack of a community newspaper to invest their own money. It was the only way they were likely to get a newspaper since large newspaper chains which now dominate the publishing field were not interested in small villages. So residents followed an old tradition and worked together for a solution to a common problem. In the 1990s when we've finally come to the realization that government can't be all things to all people, there is often the feeling that the only alternative is to hope some private company or individual sees an opportunity to make a profit doing something. In a small community that can be a long wait. But there is a third option. That option is to learn from our own history. Huron County, Ontario and Canada were built on the joint efforts of neighbourhoods and communities. We wouldn't have our schools, our hospitals, our arenas, our libraries, our community halls, without people getting together to make it happen, long before governments became involved. The quality of our lives in smaller communities is going to depend on us tapping into these resources again. If we want it to happen, we can make it happen. —KR Communities step forward . PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1995. Where ghouls go Non-Quebecers in Canada are mystified at the appeal of Lucien Bouchard and the fact he has single handedly catapulted the "Yes" side ahead in the Quebec referendum. After all, we wonder, when have people ever willingly voted for a depression before? The answer may be that Bouchard is selling a positive dream in a world where people are constantly being told they must accept less. He is selling a dream. That dream may be phony. It may be that the dream becomes a nightmare when international financiers pull their money and send both Canada and Quebec into a depression but people are willing to risk it. They want to buy the positive argument of Bouchard that things will improve with independence. We've bought such dreams before. After years of squabbling in the Diefenbaker-Pearson years in the 1960s, Canadians thronged to the positive message of Pierre Trudeau about the "just society" that could be built. More recently, tired of what they felt was bloated government picking their pockets, Ontarians voted to Mike Harris and his promise of tax reductions. For the past 11 years in Canada under both Tory and Liberal governments, Canadians have been told they would have to live with less. They'd have to take less government services and pay more taxes. Now the "No" side in the referendum promises more gloom and doom should people really choose independence. But Bouchard paints an optimistic scenario. The endless constitutional conflict will finally end with independence, he promises. He convinces many voters that Quebec is a net loser in Canada, paying more money out than it gets in services. Quebec is a fresh start, unburdened by the federal deficit. He even hints that Quebecers might be able to duck a full share of the deficit. Instead of feeling like second class citizens in a country dominated by others, they will be the masters of their own country. They will at last get to set the rules. The federalist threats are false, he argues. If this doesn't seem to make sense, remember the 1988 "free trade" election when, despite warnings of hard economic times if we chose free trade, Canadians supported Brian Mulroney and his promise that free trade would bring a better world. After a while people get tired of doom and gloom and choose a positive message. Perhaps it's too late to tell Quebecers the positivs about Canada. If the vote is lost we'll have paid a high price for negativity.—KR How time flies. It was 10 years issue of The Citizen was delivered of the paper was a tribute to the E ditorial Letters THE EDITOR, Recent spending cuts announced by the Harris government this week will have a significant and profound effect on the women and children of Huron County. All funding for Second Stage Housing programs in Ontario from the Ministry of Community and Social Services will be completely eliminated at the end of this year. These cuts came from seemingly out of nowhere and are met with great anguish and disbelief by members of the community who work with the women and children whose lives are so dependent on the services provided by Phoenix of Huron. Unquestionably, beyond any and all doubt these cuts will effectively annihilate Phoenix of Huron in one fast and very foul swoop. Let's put these cuts into perspective in light of other recent decisions announced by Harris. One of these has provided for significant tax breaks to corporations to save them millions and millions of dollars. Looking at the big picture then, why has Harris chosen to hurt women and children - individuals and families who are least able to defend themselves? To fully comprehend the significance and tragedy of this, one must have a full understanding and appreciation of what exactly it is that Second Stage Housing provides to women and children in Ontario. There are 22 Second Stage housing facilities across this province, including those facilities operated by Phoenix of Huron in the towns of Clinton, Exeter and Goderich. Second Stage Housing offers women and their-children who are or have been victimized by abuse in their lives - be it physical, Stxual, verbal and/or emotional abuse - a safe, short-term living environment coupled with ongoing support and counselling aimed at enabling these survivors towards independence, self sufficiency and a life free of violence. Residents may stay in Phoenix for up to one year however the average stay is four to eight months. Phoenix of Huron began its operations four years ago and since that time we have witnessed remarkable and poignant successes in the achievements and successes of the women and children who- have come to Phoenix, where we are the "stepping stone" or "the second stage" for them as they move from courageously surviving abuse onwards to realizing a successful, productive life in which they no longer are victimized. Since opening in June of 1991, Phoenix has been the home to 146 women and 164 children, including the 34 women and 38 children currently living at the three sites in Huron County. A remarkable 90 per cent of these women using the services provided by Phoenix have not returned to abusive partners and are now living non-violent, independent lives. Phoenix is about so much more than safe affordable housing for these women and children. During their stay at Phoenix, the women are provided with one-on-one counselling, support with and through the legal and court systems and group programming activities to deal with the issues of violence in their lives. Work with children at Phoenix includes one-on-one Photo by Janice Becker therapy helping them to deal and cope with the affects of witnessing violence; teaching non-violent behaviours to stop the cycle of violence from one generation to the next; and parental support for the mothers to assist them in dealing with their children who have experienced or witnessed violence in their lives. In rural areas such as here in Huron County, there are no other programs or services available to replace what is presently being offered by Phoenix of Huron to meet the critical and integral needs of the women and children of Huron. These are women who are our neighbours, our friends, our sisters and our daughters. These Children are the future children are the future, they are the "next generation" Mike Harris is professing to be planning a better future for by reducing a long held provincial debt. Unless the Harris government is forced to re-evaluate this wilful neglect of women and children they will effectively fail to achieve any real expenditure control. The demand for police services and intervention will undoubtedly increase as women and children who would otherwise have sought out Phoenix for help escaping violence continually are abused and live in fear with no options but to live unsafely in fear. The Health care system will absorb the costs associated with the emotional and physical injuries and illnesses suffered by these defenceless Continued on page 6 Selling a dream