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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1996-01-03, Page 4N eed Photo by Janice Becker Letters THE EDITOR, It is with regret, I write to inform you that the Huron County Junior Farmers are folding in its present form. The current members hope that amalgamation with Perth County Junior Farmers will help both counties in the future. The Huron County Junior Farmers is, and will, continue to be true to its motto "to build future rural leaders through self help and community betterment." The club has had a successful 1995 with its own leadership camp targetted at high school students in September and a blood donor clinic in Seaforth. We held our annual banquet at the Clinton Legion last April and helped with overnight security at the Clinton Spring Fair. The current downfall is due to the age limit (15 to 30 years old), members moving to post secondary schools or seeking employment in their chosen field out of the county. I would like to add that 10 years ago Huron was admired for having six clubs and well over 400 members in the county alone. The international delegates hosted by members past and present were impressed by Huron County's culture, industry and agriculture diversity. I, Fred Peel (523-4458) 'and Grant Bergsma (523-4364) would appreciate hearing your concerns about the Huron County Junior Farmers and all calls will be returned. Sincerely, Fred Peel. THE EDITOR, Huron County will be bidding for hosting the 1999 International Plowing Match on Monday, Feb. 12 at the Waterloo Inn. The Dashwood site was approved by the executive, now the 51 directors will vote to see if they select Huron County.. Bring your ideas, energy to a preview of our presentation and add your ideas at the OMAFRA office on Wednes- day, Jan. 17. Let's make "99 the year of the great one" and add your support to make sure it is Huron County. Nell McGavin OPA Director. AN OPEN LETTER TO THE TAXPAYERS OF HURON COUNTY: We are writing this letter as concerned taxpayers of Huron County and employees of the Huron County Home Care Program. In January 1996 the county is planning to move the Home Care Program to the newly renovated Health and Library Complex, from a facility in Clinton that will then be sitting empty. The taxpayers will continue to pay the rent and upkeep on this empty building until August of 1997. At the same time, rent will be paid at the new facility. Added to this will be the significant cost of moving, plus computer and phone installations. The actual move over approximately four business days, will cause considerable disruption to the people Home Care serves. We question . how this expenditure at this time of cutbacks, ,at all levels of government can be justified. Continued on page 17 PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1996 C The North Huron itizen BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1995 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 Advertising Manager, FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 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 525.00/year ($23.37 + $1.63 G.S.T.) for local; 533.00/year ($30.85 + 52.15 G.S.T.) for local letter carrier in Goderich, Hanover, Listowel, etc. and out-of-area (40 miles irom Brussels); 582.00/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 nowscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Time to ask the people Municipal councillors in Ontario are going to be tackling an unenviable task in the next few weeks, deciding just how to deal with the massive cuts the provincial government has handed them in transfer payments. Perhaps councils should take some time to ask the advice of their citizens. This week municipal councils will begin receiving letters from the provincial government detailing just how badly the provinces cuts will affect their specific municipality. There will be tough decisions to be made. Will councillors sacrifice services to hold the line on taxes or decide that people would rather pay more to keep some services? The prevailing wisdom among most municipal politicians seems to be that nothing is as important as holding the line on taxes. That is, after all, the complaint they hear most often: taxes are too high. But we are looking at a whole new ball game right now and the people haven't had much chance to have their voices heard. While the provincial government of Mike Harris can argue it has a mandate to slash and burn, given its policy in last June's provincial election, current municipal councils were elected before the present circumstances came along. It was one thing to hold the line under the old rules but what do people feel now? If it comes down to losing the local library in Blyth or Brussels or a tax increase, which would people choose? How about cutbacks on snow clearing off main street or less maintenance on country concessions? We're facing an extremely difficult time in our local history, a time no one has been prepared for. It's a time when democracy should involve more than just electing people and sitting back to watch what they do. Under the circumstances, the more minds that can be put to work on the problem, the better. Let's hope municipal councils show some creativity in asking the advice of the public before slaughtering programs. In the long run slashing may be the only answer, but at least let the people say where the axe should fall. — KR An example of hope The baby boom generation is reaching middle age and one wonders if the country will survive its trauma. Individually and collectively, the baby boomers are getting grumpy and frustrated and taking it out on those around them. This huge generation sets the tone for the entire country and as it goes through its middle age crisis, those doing well financially see themselves as victims of the poor who are getting government help, feel diminished by the influx of immigrants and resent their government sending Canadian dollars to help poor people in the rest of the world. Collectively, the rich provinces have begun to resent supporting the poorer provinces. Each province seems to think it is getting less from confederation than it puts in. Quebec is a long familiar story but Alberta is dissatisfied and now British Columbia has a• small but growing separatist movement. A recent poll showed 12 per cent of people would make the province independent. What has happened to this generation that once was so determined to change the world and make it a better place? Is it just middle age grumpiness or have these people lost their sense of hope that things can get better and have turned inward to selfish goals? On the same episode of CBC's The National that aired the information on B.C. separatism Monday night, there was a repeat broadcast of an item that should remind us of the generous people we once were, and reassure us that we can make a difference in the world. CBC correspondent Brian Stewart, who first brought the horrors of the Ethiopian famine to world TV screens, returned to the region 10 years later. Stewart's broadcasts a decade ago helped galvanize the world into action. Rock musicians in Britain, the U.S. and Canada held concerts and created special recordings to raise money for famine relief. Farmers donated grain. Postal workers collected donations. Unions got involved. Inuit people raised money to help. Canadlians led the world in their aid. As many as four million people may have been saved from starvation. Today this part of Ethiopia is green and growing again. Forests arc growing where the starving once died. People remember the hope they felt when they saw the world cared about their plight. The show demonstrated we can make a difference, and that we must try. — KR E ditorial