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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-05-12, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1999. C itizenTheNorthHuron >cna ^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 a rate of $27.00/year ($25.24 + $1.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A, and $100.00/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 Mall Registration No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mall Agreement No. 1374990 Taking the people’s pulse Ontario’s provincial election campaign is on, and the results of the June 3 election should provide a fascinating study of human nature at this particular point in Ontario’s history. In the last two elections the Liberals went into the campaign with substantial leads in the polls, only E ditorial will be re-elected. to have a dark horse come from behind: the NDP in 1990 and the Conservatives of Mike Harris in 1995. This time polls have been all over the place but the growing consensus seems to be that the. Harris government So far the I999 election bears some resemblance to the 1990 campaign. In that campaign Premier David Peterson was dogged at every stop in his campaign by protesters, just as Premier Harris has been in this campaign. Peterson went into the campaign with a wide margin in public support. His government had produced the first budgetary surplus in years and he seemed to be personally popular. But something went wrong on the election trail and the protesters seemed a symptom of public discontent. Protests are nothing new for Mike Harris. His government has delighted in confronting what he terms “special interest groups” from teachers to health professionals. So there is no surprise that protesters have been hounding him at every campaign stop. Public reaction to those protests will be interesting to watch. Will voters, as early indications show, continue to agree that if these protesters are against Mike Harris they should be for him, or will the prospect of four more years of confrontation finally turn public support away from the government. The tactics used by protest groups against Harris may be similar to those used against Peterson but the times have changed, and Harris, unlike Peterson, delights in battling back. How will the public perceive it all? June 3 will tell. — KR Photo by Janice Becker In praise of free press The violent protests by students in Beijing over the accidental bombing of the Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia by NATO war planes shows the value of a free press, despite the fact the media sometimes goes overboard in coverage. Certainly the Chinese had a right to be angry. Some of their fellow citizens had been killed in an unprovoked attack on their embassy by a group of countries that has been an enemy of China for many years. But the protesters didn’t have the facts of this case when they stoned the U.S. Embassy. The state controlled media had not told them that NATO had said the attack was a grave error. The Chinese people also were not told that NATO was fighting in Yugoslavia because of atrocities carried out by the government there against its own people. In fact, it appears the Chinese government was deliberately manipulating public anger over the issue. Only Tuesday did the government-controlled media finally hint that the bombing might have been a mistake, broadcasting the apology of U.S. President Bill Clinton. By not being given all the information available, the Chinese people are being led to react in a way some might later agree was, like the NATO bombing, a serious mistake. More frightening than a few rocks through embassy windows, however, is the idea that people of the most populous nation in the world, a nation that may soon be the world’s most powerful country, can be manipulated because they do not have free access to information. — KR Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen Booze and hockey The tragic death last week of Steve Chiasson, a defenceman with the Carolina Hurricanes has been compounded this week by the information that he had more than three times the allowed limit of alcohol in his blood when he flipped his pick-up truck. Hockey and alcohol go together in a lot more ways than just the beer ads that sponsor TV hockey broadcasts. A few drinks after the game (sometimes before the game or even during the game in amateur hockey) has always been a part of the sport. In moderation, there is nothing wrong with this. Unfortunately moderation is often overlooked by those who play hockey. Yet without it, tragedies will continue. — KR May 16,1979 The official ribbon cutting cere­ mony for the Blyth senior citizens apartments took place. Blyth's bowling green was approaching its grand opening, with help from the Blyth Lions. The greens cost $40,000 with funds raised by the senior citizens, grants through Community Centres and Wintario.The Lions Club paid the balance. Hullett Twp. taxpayers experi­ enced a $45 increase in their taxes. An appreciation night was put together Rev. Stan*MacDonald, after nine years at Londesboro United Church . A red maple was planted at the eastern comer of Auburn near Seers Garage by the Auburn Horticultural .Society to commemorate Auburn's 125 birthday. The Blyth Baintoneers celebrated a successful season. Team members were Marg Anderson, Dianne Anderson, Linda Meiers, Linda Horbanuik, Joyce Carter, Anita Hamm, Mary Heffron, Lori Ann Hesselwood, Dorothy Webster, Chris Battye, Sue Kolkman, Joni Shoemaker, Maryann Cook, June Machan and Fran Battye. Coach was Henry Kolkman. Julie Shobbrook of Walton received 4-H provincial honours. May 17,1989 4-H leaders and staff of the OMAFRA differed over proposed changes to the 4-H program. Tensions became so sever, it was rumoured clutf leaders wanted to break with the 4-H association to form an independent agricultural club. Beth Earl of Grey Twp. received a certificate of service from 4-H. Morris Twp. pared down its bud­ get to hold its tax increase to five per cent while taxes went up 10 per cent in East Wawanosh. Capital conservation grants totalling $45,513 were awarded to various municipalities in the coun­ ty. Blyth received $12,106 to refur­ bish the Radford ball diamond and install lights and fencing. Brussels received $6,257 to install lights and standards at the ball park. May 11,1994 Several local young artists dis­ played their work at a show in Goderich. The Children’s Aid Society put together a collection of children's artwork from across the county to grace the walls of the new building. Local acheivers were Teag Onn, ’ Shanda Loder, Michael Courtney and Kim Denomme of Blyth, Jennifer Acton, Mike Cooper and Ashley Gropp of Brussels, Adam Hall, Ginny Wildman, Steven Young. Brad Willis, Lindsey Schwartz and Jason Snider of Grey, Arnie Cheverie, Tammy Vincent and Nathaniel Peel of Hullett and Nicole Procter of East Wawanosh.