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The Citizen, 1999-06-16, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 1999. C itizen P.O. Box 429. BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 The North Huron J^ocna P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil Member Ontario Press Council E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $27.OO/year ($25.24 + SI.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.OO/year in U.S.A, and $1 OO/year in other foreign coun­ tries. 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 newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 1374990 Delayed reaction to FTA Sometimes cause and effect are hard to prove, especially when it takes a long time for the cause to take effect. It can take a long time for small amounts of nuclear radiation or chemical contamination, for instance, to affect the health of people and thus it is hard to prove the source of the illness. One'of the concerns of opponents to the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement a decade ago was that Canada’s I........................................Z...........ZJ social programs would come under attack. It wasn’t as if social programs became illegal the day after the agreement was signed, but 10 years later, our social programs have become more and more an issue in politics. Some of this may have been forced by governments’ obsessions with balancing the budget but there are deeper forces at work. In Ontario, for instance, those who support the provincial government’s tax cuts aren’t worried about the increase in the government debt because the government has to borrow money to finance the cut. Canadians, tied more and more to the U.S. economy, compare themselves more to Americans, feel they’re abused by high taxes and demand tax cuts. Those who will most benefit by cuts, care least about cuts to social programs. Maclean’s magazine recently ran a feature on the growing flood of tax evasion and the booming business of setting up secret bank accounts and shell corporations in off-shore tax shelters in the Caribbean countries. More and more Canadians feel that the money they earn is rightfully theirs and any taxes are theft. They fail to acknowledge they have been helped out by a taxpayer-funded education system, by doing business through taxpayer-funded services such as the post office, roads, airports or the seaports or made their money by providing services paid for by taxpayers. A basic philosophic shift took place with the adoption of free trade: reward the successful and let the losers sink. That philosophy is slowly working its way through the entire Canadian society and we still do not know how our way of life will be affected in the long run.— KR E ditorial Gracing a garden Photo by Janice Becker f lb y H •J Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen The hard part begins Now that peace has been declared in Kosovos, the really hard part begins for Canadians and other NATO forces who want to return the Yugoslavian province to a semblance of normality. Watching the level of hatred between Kosovars of Serb and Albanian origin as NATO troops rolled into Kosovos gives a true indication of the huge task ahead. Angry Serb troops have been burning and looting Albanian homes and businesses in one last act of hatred and defiance before they leave. Albanians have sought revenge, looting Serb-owned businesses. Some Kosovos Serbs are packing up to leave with the departing troops, afraid of what might happen when the Albanian Kosovars return home. Instead of ethnic cleansing in which the Albanians are driven out, it may be ethnic cleansing in which the Serbs move out. Let's remember that part of the reason Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic pursued ethnic cleansing was the complaints by some Serbs in the area that they were being discriminated against by the Albanian majority. There will never be peace in Kosovos, or for that matter in the Balkans, until different ethnic groups begin to forgive and forget past injustices. The problems of Yugoslavia have come when people resurrected resentments based on hundreds of years of history. Neighbours who had lived peacefully with each other for decades suddenly became enemies, based on their ethnic origin. Peacekeepers must not only stop revenge on the part of Albanians returning home, but they will have to stay as a buffer for years as the wounds heal. And to help those wounds heal, the world will have to be generous in helping Kosovars, and Yugoslavians, rebuild after the terrors of ethnic cleansing and NATO bombing. Will western taxpayers be willing to help out? Ironically while taxpayers don’t seem to mind paying for bombs to destroy towns and cities, they want no part of aid to rebuild them. Repairing the evils of Kosovos is going to take a lot of generosity — generosity of spirit for the people of the region, generosity of aid from the rest of us. — KR June 20, 1979 The Huron County Board of Education summer school trial pro­ gram was going to proceed. Students were only able to take one course, although it was hoped a shorter class time would result in more interest. If you were between four and 11 there was a surprise for you at Lions Park. Three students presented an hour of crafts, games and stories, spon­ sored by the Huron County Public Library. It was announced that the chil­ dren’s theatre workshops would begin July 2. Over 30 youngsters took advan­ tage of the Londesboro Lions Bike- a-thon. Proceeds from pledges, in the amount of $800 were donated to the United Church roof. The Carlton Showband appeared in Seaforth. The Belgrave Hi-C Young People joined the Foster Parents Plan of Canada. They adopted Ni Nengah, seven, of Bali. June 21, 1989 Taxes in Blyth jumped 11.6 per cent for public school supporters and 12.91 per cent for separate school supporters. Blyth officially opened its OPP extended services office. The show went on in true show husiness tradition but the star of the evening wasn't on hand as Blyth Festival began its 15th season. Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander was unable to attend because the overcast skies meant his plane couldn’t land. Speeches were written and Dan Needles, author of the opening night play Perils of Persephone was pressed into service as the speaker at the opening night dinner. Blyth councillors expressed con­ cern about the village’s future under a proposal for county reform. Particularly disturbing was the pro­ posal that would see a minimum 4,000 population set for any munic­ ipality. Walton students bid farewell to Principal Gary Jewitt who left for Liberia. Morris council sought a grant for renovations to the Belgrave Hall. One of Huron County’s best known residents Cela Sloman passed away. She and her husband Fred were famous for their work on the original school car in Northern Ontario. Their story was told in 1988 in Fires in the Night at Blyth Festival. Sloman was a member of the Order of Canada. June 15, 1994 After comparisons to other municipal councils, Blyth council­ lors voted themselves an increase in stipend. Representatives from the West Wawanosh Landfill Coalition Groups didn’t get exactly what they wanted when they appeared before council. The group asked for coun­ cil's support in their quest to oppose a proposed landfill site on any of three candidates sites in the township. Council verbally agreed to sup­ port the group through access to township records and assistance with obtaining information. OPP found $100,000 worth of marijuana in Hullett. Thelma Cotton presented her son Staff Sgt. G.E. Starr with a plaque at his retirement from the OPP force. Four new members joined Blyth Lions, Tom Codyre, Sam Dougherty, Don Allen and Scott Overboe. Residents lent a hand to clean up the Ethel ball park, which had been out of use for several years. John (Jack) Fischer of Bluevale was honoured in Toronto for his commitment and contribution to the village of Bluevale and the Twps. of Morris and Tumberry. Louise Wilson retired as princi­ pal of Walton Public School. There was a large crowd on hand in Brussels for a safe water infor­ mation night, sponsored by the Rural Health Co-ordinating Team and the Health Unit. Those present were given tubes for samples of their well water which was tested for chemical and bacterial content. Duff's United Church in Walton was pleased to host a special guest when former W5 host, Jim Reed spoke to the congregation. Central Huron Secondary School students, staff, parents, HCBE trustees and administration opened the renovated wing of the school. Rita MacNeil performed in Blyth.