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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-07-21, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1999. C itizenTheNorthHuron Aocna 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 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil M«mb«r 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 S27.00/year (S25.24 + S1.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A, and $100/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 E ditorial ......■.:z."--'~:.....zz.'....j Tying your own hands The federal government this week announced a new program to aid prairie farmers so hard hit by wet weather that they couldn’t even get a crop planted. Using money from existing programs, the government says farmers will get a payment of $50 per acre. Many prairie farmers involved say it’s not enough to save them from bankruptcy. It's the second time this year the federal government has announced a program to help farmers hit by disaster, and the second time farmers have said the program just didn’t work. Earlier the government announced its Agriculture Income Disaster Assistance program designed to help prairie grain farmers and eastern hog farmers, both hit by historically low prices. Farmers found it so hard to actually qualify for assistance from the program that prairie farmers thought it must have been meant only to help the hog farmers, and hog farmers thought it must have been designed with grain farmers in mind. While it’s tempting to think these are the perfect political solutions to a problem — a program that will make urban voters think help is being given without any money being spent — there are other, less cynical factors involved. Under World Trade Organization rules,’there are great limitations these days on what governments can do to help farmers. While designed to prevent countries from distorting international trade by subsidizing domestic production, the rules also tie the hands of governments to do the job they were created to do: help people when they were in need. In further diminishing the ability of governments to make a difference in people’s lives, the new trade rules are continuing the trend to turn people against their government. In Canada, they are also helping to fan the flames of regional discontent. Unhappy prairie farmers are claiming Ottawa just doesn’t care about them. It could be true. It could also be that in joining WTO’s movement to prevent unfair subsidies, the federal government has tied its own hands in helping people who need it, and helped undermine the very fabric of the country. — KR Whatever happened to balance? People who write constitutions for democratic countries have shown great concern about balancing the powers of one body against another, so no one part of government gains too much power. Given those concerns about balancing political power, it is strange the governments seem willing to hand over so much power to multi-national corporations that are beyond the reach of anyone but their major shareholders. The framers of the U.S. constitution, carefully divided power between three arms of government: the president, the House of Representatives, and the Senate, and just in case any of those got out of control, the Supreme Court was a final arbiter. But globalization, mergers, the diminished role of governments and the increased role of world trading agreements, have given global corporations more power at the expense of democratic governments. Beyond being merely impotent to stop this kind of corporate concentration of power, governments have been abetting it. In an attempt to court the benefits of the so-called “knowledge society”, governments have been giving corporations greater control over “intellectual property”. In encouraging research into genetic engineering, for instance, companies have actually been able to patent living organisms that they want to make part of their new creations. Governments are likely to try to curb this kind of power. Instead, they fight to get their share of the benefits of biotechnology research. The government of Saskatchewan, for instance, led the way in Canada with a biotech research centre. Ontario, wanting to catch up, hired away one of its top people. In the name of such research, and its tremendous expense, huge corporations have been getting even larger through mergers. As genetic changes are made that allow genetically-altered plants to be sprayed by some chemicals that would normally kill them, the chemical companies and seed companies are merging. As seed companies, being afraid to be left behind, find partners with chemical companies, will there be research into any other kind of plant improvement that doesn’t include the use of the company’s chemicals? We need a balance of power in all human activities. Turning world government over to corporate boards of directors is dangerous. — KR _____ Photo by Janice Becker Pretty pair Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen July 18, 1979 The old Blyth train station was moved from its old location near the river to a new spot one mile south of Blyth at the Old Mill. Owners Dick and Glenyce Snell hired ABRA movers for the under­ taking. The Blyth Standard hired two stu­ dents, Jill Cooper and Heather Fothergill, to take pictures over the summer. The Sunoco gas station broad­ ened its services and offered a fast food take-out service. Lyle and Yvonne Youngblut were the own­ ers, having bought the business a year before. At a special meeting Hullett council met with Ken Feagan and Don Tofflemire to discuss the pro­ posed reassessment of the town­ ship. July 19, 1989 Hullett taxpayers expected a sub­ stantial increase in taxes after coun­ cil approved a budget that raised public school supporters taxes up 15 per cent and separate school supporters up 16.7 per cent. Cynthia Woodley was the first winner of the "Sounds Fishy" con­ test in The Citizen. She won a free fish and chip dinner at the Brussels Hotel. Blyth Councillor Dave Medd resigned after a dispute regarding the Bluewater Kennel Club’s dog show. Four young Brussels ladies returned home after a week in Calgary. Angie Yoon, Jacquie Seili, Sandra Bridge and Tricia Dusckocy travelled with 61 other members of the Seaforth All-Girls Band and 36 adults to the Calgary Stampede, where the girls performed in the five kilometre Stampede Parade. They placed first in the judging for all-girls bands and won ninth overall. Relief was on the way for the thousands who had found Memorial Hall seats too hard, Blyth council was told by Blyth Festival volunteers. The seats were to be upholstered, so that there was cush­ ions. To help defray the cost and raise money, the Festival began "selling" seats for $159. The buyer would have his or her name put on a plaque on the arm. Maria Hussey, Shannon Rice, Ken Jamieson and Gary Martin were among those named as Ontario Scholars at F.E. Madill Secondary School. Batman was held over at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham for a second week while Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was also held over at the Park Theatre in Goderich. July 20,1994 The Huron County Liberal Association sponsored a meet the leader’s gathering at Blyth Lions Park. Provincial Opposition Leader Lyn McLeod was coming to Blyth on a pre-election campaign tour of Huron County. After some dissent Blyth council passed a budget showing an increase in the mill rate of .89 per cent. Kapriska Menzi of Listowel District Secondary School and Todd Machan, Shane Pegg and Jay Hahn of FE Madill earned the hon­ our of being named Ontario Scholars at their respective high schools. Tom Hanks was Forrest Gump at the Park Theatre.