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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-01-27, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1999. The North Huron itizen g P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Press Council Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $27.00/year ($25.24 + $1.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A, and $75.00/year in other foreign countries. 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 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 1374990 E ditorial I ' ................. 1 Learning from past mistakes The great advantage of education is that we don't have to start from scratch learning from our own painful experience. Instead we can learn from the experience of others and avoid making the same mistakes. The problem is, if you don’t study the errors of the past, you can go right on repeating them. That's why history is so important and what’s so troubling about a poll being used by the province in designing a new curriculum for Ontario high schools. A poll conducted in August 1997 found 86 per cent of people surveyed wanted math and English to be taught in all four years of secondary school and 59 per cent thought science should be taught. Canadian history was judged well down the list of importance compared with many other subjects. For those who feel history is already sadly overlooked in the present curriculum, the public opinion is disturbing. Perhaps the fault lies in the way history has been taught in schools. Il isn’t really important, for instance, that students know what date General Wolfe defeated General Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham, but it is important to understand the stresses and strains that have helped French-English relations since then so we can try to prevent repeating past errors. It isn’t important to know when the Scottish clearances or the Irish potato famine look place, but it is important to know that Canada was founded by millions of poor and dispossessed people who risked their lives on leaky boats to seek a new start and freedom in the Canadian bush. We needn't know the names of the generals in World War II but we need to know that the grandparents of today’s high school students, when hardly older than those students, risked their lives to maintain the freedom we enjoy today, so that perhaps those youngsters will appreciate that freedom more. Luckily, according to a spokesperson for Education Minister Dave Johnson, the respondents won’t shape the new high school curriculum to be released later this year and history won’t be neglected. Here’s hoping he’s right. History is about perspective. Perspective is about wisdom. What country can’t gain by having wise citizens?— KR Do as we say not as we do It was hard not to laugh when a U.S. trade representative raged on television the other night against Canada’s bill to protect Canadian magazines from dumping by American publishers. The U.S., she said, had already won a case against Canadian protection for magazines with the World Trade Organization and just because Canada changed the legislation didn't make it a new case. “When you win, you win,” she said. That would be news to Canadian producers of pork, beef, dairy products, poultry, wheat, softwood lumber and other commodities. Time after time Canadians have won cases with international tribunals only to have the Americans try to penalize Canadian trade by imposing new restrictions which Canadians have to fight all over again. Back at the lime of the free trade debates, the Americans claimed they only wanted “fair” trade, but it has become obvious the only “fair” trade policy is one that is to the advantage of Americans. If, for instance, Canadian publishers were undercutting American publishers with advertising rates that were below cost, the Americans would be threatening a lot more protection than Canada has proposed. If there was any sense of fairness in the American government’s position it would recognize American companies like Timc-Warncr were cheating when they want to lake the American advertising out of their magazines, resell the space to Canadian companies at reduced rates and call it a “Canadian” edition. This was the situation Canadians had in the mid-1960s and “Canadian” versions of U.S. publications, with no costs of creating Canadian content, sucked up so much advertising there were very few Canadian magazines. Only government action to slop the practice brought about the healthy magazine scene we sec today. To understand American trade policy perhaps one should watch its military policy. When President Bill Clinton explained his decision to attack Iraq, his bottom line wasn’t that it was a fair or’cvcn.a morally right thing to do but that “it is in America’s interest”. And whatever is good for Timc-Wamcr, apparently is also in America’s interest.— KR Photo bv Janice Becker Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil Member Ontario Looking Back Through the Years Jan.31,1979 The public's reaction was to be the determining factor in the possi­ bility of Auburn Hall having its knotty pine stage taken down and replaced by a portable one. After 50 years working as a miller for Howson and Howson, Charles Johnston of Blyth retired. Two men, possibly armed held up the Londesboro Bank of Mon­ treal. There was no estimate on the amount of money ihey spent. A group of Auburn seniors want­ Letters to the editor Readers respond to letter THE EDITOR, To Douglas Trollope: Faith does see the invisible and it also acknowledges the reasonable. When you look at the watch on your arm, I assume you believe there is intelligent design behind its existence. How much more so plants, animals, people. If God is imaginary as you imagine, then you have evolved through blind chance. That would mean your brain and your reasoning power have evolved through blind chance. If that is true, we ought not to take your thoughts too seriously now, should we? (cf. Psalm 14:1). Judith Vellenga Clinton. THE EDITOR, Having read Mr. Trollope's "Letter to the Editor," Jan. 20 and not suffering from any of the conditions that he refers, I wish to comment. If you wish to believe that you are the end result of a lifeless ball of dust that blew up a billion years ago, that is fine with me. If you wish to live and die with that ed to make the Community Hall warmer and equip it wilh materials for use as a drop in centre for any­ one. It was reported that-the Walton Library had been "going strong since 1902." Jan.25,1989 The Blyth Bears Girls volleyball team were the top winners at Clin­ ton's St. Joseph's school. The team consisted of Sarah Allan, Danielle McDougall, Heidi Scrimgcor (cap­ tain), Andrea Henry, Michelle Nes­ illusion, that is also your choice. I have no faith in Darwin and his followers. My faith tells me that God created man and woman in his likeness. He gave us the ability to love, forgive and have compassion. I see that likeness each and every day in people around me. Jesus was also very visible. He also came to show us forgiveness, love and compassion. In Matthew chapter 5: 43 - 48, Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to pray for them. If we would spend five minutes at the end of each day and ask God to forgive all those who have hurt us in anyway, our minds would be free of all thoughts of hate, revenge and jealousy. We would, like Jesus, be able to see the good in others and bring it out. Yes, faith helps us to see the invisible. The way we live may make our faith more visible. Think about it. Concerned from Blyth area. THE EDITOR, I must protest the printing of the concluding portion of the Arthur Black column printed in the Jan. 20/99 edition of The Citizen. To take the Lord's name in vain bit, Chrystal Cucksey, Stephanie Lentz, Jennifer Stadelmann and Erin Bolger. The coach was Bob Livermore. In local theatres, movies that would later become originals in a series were showing. The children's animated movie, The Land Before Time and the horror film, Child's Play, were both playing at Goderich's Park Theatre and at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham, The Naked Cun was playing. has no place, any place. God's will for us in the third commandment is that we neither blaspheme nor misuse his name. To use the name of Jesus in such a crass way is offensive not only to those who hold to that name but even more so to the one who bears the name that is higher than high. Please use better judgement in the selection of your columns. Sincerely PJ. Vellenga Clinton. THE EDITOR, The proposals regarding restructuring the municipalities in Huron County don't make much sense thus far. Everyone knows that something has to be done or it will be done for us. Don't be fooled by the new tranquil image of the government. Make no mistake, the Harris government will be re­ elected and, soon after, the program will be reactivated. Let's take a look at some discussions that went on in Blyth council as reported in The North Huron Citizen. First they wanted Blyth to join Clinton and Hullett Continued on page 6