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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-02-03, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1999. C itizenTheNorthHuron >cna 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 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil Member Ontario 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 e 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 tor unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 1374990 E ditorial Something for nothing During the 1970s and 1980s when people seemed to think the government should provide for every want and need, people of right­ wing persuasion argued that you can’t get something for nothing. Now it seems the right wing wants something for nothing. Supporters of politicians like the Reform Parly’s Preston Manning and Ontario Premier Mike Harris seem to believe they can have it all, better health care and tax cuts at the same time. They seem as willingly naive as the dreamers of the other persuasion. As the federal government leads up to another budget there is no greater critic of the government’s cuts to health care funding to the province than Mr. Manning. If he were in power he’d provide $2 billion a year more over the next three years for health care, he said. But Mr. Manning would also cut taxes by S26 billion over three years, pay back $19 billion toward the federal debt and spend an extra $1 billion to the armed forces. Where is the money going to come from? One of the handy sources Mr. Manning proposes is cutting grants to “special interest groups”, shorthand for hilling funding for anybody whose philosophy doesn't agree with Reforms. That is a rather large group, but when you arc throwing around figures like $26 billion in lax cuts it’s a pretty small piece of change. The other handy solution for dreamers who think you can have tax cuts and services too is “government waste”. Certainly in any big organization there is waste but seldom does it amount to the kind of savings we need. Sure everyone would like something for nothing — the billions raked in from government lotteries and casinos shows that. But just as people in an earlier age fooled themselves by thinking the government somehow got its money from thin air, so the supporters of huge lax cuts are deluding themselves. We have cut government spending and the mess in health care shows the cost. Other cuts will have costs as well. Much as we’d all like to pay less in taxes, government services like hospitals and good roads have a cost, just like the services we purchase from private business. We want those services as economically as possible, but they still cost us. — KR It’s just the open market There is, rightfully, a great deal of disgust being expressed around the world with members of the International Olympic Committee for accepting money and lavish gifts from cities that were seeking the Olympic Games. In an age when the only morality seems to be self- interest, however, it’s hardly surprising that these leaders look advantage of a commodity that is in demand: their votes. The actions of the IOC members seem especially despicable because they stand for such an idealistic cause. The Olympics arc supposed to represent the best in humanity, our striving to be the best but to do it honestly, without reward and to accept defeat gracefully when we fail. Yet that ideal, and the reality of the Olympics has been lost for many years. Countries like East Germany and China have systematically cheated through using banned drugs on their athletes in order to get greater glory. Individual athletes, knowing millions of dollars in endorsements await the victors, have cheated to win. The Olympics have been sold out to big business like Coca-Cola as billboards to put their name before billions around the world. In short, the Olympic ideal is something that only seems to be real when the athletes give their oath at the lavish opening ceremonies of each games. And the world outside the Olympics is just as mercenary. Morality is being redefined to suit the people who have most to gain. Not only is there nothing wrong with Bell Canada selling off its branch that employs operators and asking them to lake pay cuts al lhe same lime, the company announces a 20 per cent increase in profits in the last year, but this is regarded as a “good thing” that makes the company more competitive. In other companies, executives gel million dollar bonuses while they lay off workers or demand their wages be rolled back. Given the morality of our times, why wouldn’t IOC members think they deserved compensation for their votes? — KR Photo by Janice Becker Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen Feb. 7,1979 The Blylh Standard subscription rates climbed $1 to $10 per year- due to increased costs. Single copies of the paper cost 25 cents each, a increase of five cents. The Blyth Centre for the Per­ forming Arts was having an active winter season. Included in the line­ up was Francis Poulenc's opera, Dialogues of the Carmelites, per­ formed by the Opera Theatre of the Faculty of Music at the University of Western Ontario. The Huron County Junior Farm­ ers held their annual elections meeting. Among those elected were: Treasurer Larry Plaetzer of Auburn and Provincial Directors Jim Phelan and Rich Archambault, both of Blylh. An ad for Goderich's Park The­ atre promised that "Clint Eastwood will turn you Every Which Way But Loose." Feb. 7,1990 The Huron County Board of Education decided at the February meeting that they would monitor the teaching of religious education in the county's public elementary schools following the recent ruling by lhe Ontario Court of Appeal. The court had ruled unanimously that the regulation which required two, half-hour sessions of religious that the regulation which required two, half-hour sessions of religious education per week was inconsis­ tent with the Canadian Charter of Rights, freedom of conscience and religion. Klaus Henschel, former owner of lhe Brussels Stockyards was sen­ tenced to 18 months in jail for $790,000 in theft. The reasons for his lenient sentence were his guilty plea and his voluntary return to Canada according to Judge R. G. E. Hunter. The Brussels Bulls finished lhe season in second place and were beginning playoffs against Walker­ ton Black Hawks, in a five-game series. In the season, Brussels defeated the Black Hawks five limes and tied them once. Steel Magnolias and The War of the Roses were playing al the Park Theatre and the Lyceum Theatre, respectively. Feb.5,1997 More than 200 teachers from Huron County joined those from across the province to question gov­ ernment changes to education. Director of Education Paul Car­ roll worried that as a result of the cuts to education, municipalities would have to increase residential and farm taxes to cover (download­ ed) costs. Dante's Peak was showing at both the Capital Theatre in Listowel and the Park Theatre in Goderich. The Brussels Bulls were down two games to none against the Mount Forest Patriots in lhe first round of playoffs, after losing game two in overtime. Letters to the editor THE EDITOR, Recently in the Brussels and Seaforth newspapers I have seen very negative letters and articles about Seaforth District High School. The comments that people are making are very disturbing. I attend Seaforth District High School and when the Avon- Maitland Board was considering moving our whole school of 340 students to Clinton, hardly anyone from other towns showed concern. Now the tables have turned. A press release stated that boundaries may have to be changed and Madill students could be sent to Seaforth. Now students and parents from Madill are upset about the Continued on page 17