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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-10-20, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1999. C itizenTheNorthHuron (♦CNA 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 Preen Council P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 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 $27.00/year ($25.24 + 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 Here we go again The issue of closing schools in Huron and Perth Counties is about to raise its ugly head once again when a list of up to nine schools slated for closure is released by the Avon Maitland District School Board. Trustee Abby Armstrong told parents at a recent meeting in Seaforth that the board is aware closing schools will destroy communities but tt E ditorial has no choice, given the funding formula set by the Ministry of Education. Ministry calculations state the average elementary school should have at least 363 students and the average secondary school should have 909. In Huron County, getting such a large population for a school would mean students spend huge amounts of time on the bus. Travel so far to school, would make it virtually impossible for them to take part in extracurricular activities. It would also seem any savings that were accomplished in having fewer school buildings to heat and maintain would be used up in extra busing costs. There’s a pet theory in modern business, which has been adopted by this government, called benchmarking. You take the most efficient operation and use it as a benchmark to measure all others, and if they don't live up to the standard they’re supposed to move toward it. The problem with rural schools is we don’t have the same density of population that makes urban schools more efficient. There are single apartment buildings in Toronto with as many people as the entire village of Brussels or Blyth. But benchmarking can go two ways. What if the benchmark was the level of service provided to students attending Toronto schools and the need to provide all students in the province with the same level of education? That, of course, won’t happen with the current obsession with lowering taxes. In the long run, however, what’s more important, a few extra dollars to allow you a vacation in Florida or giving your children and grandchildren the best education they can get? — KR Photo by Janice Becker Missing the big issue Controversy is building across Ontario about the federal government’s plan to test burn plutonium from Russian and U.S. nuclear warheads in the Chalk River nuclear research reactor. Critics say we should not be importing the waste from other countries, even a few ounces — yet last year Ontario imported 228,000 tonnes of hazardous waste from the U.S. according to the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy. The institute attributes a 400 per cent increase in the importation of hazardous waste since 1994 to tougher environmental rules in the U.S. The institute’s executive director Mark Wingfield says the dramatic rise is a "very clear signal that U.S. waste generators are finding Ontario an easier and cheaper place to dispose of their hazardous waste”. There is the perception the Americans have rules that favour business at the cost of the environment, but these statistics seem to show just the opposite. There's also the belief we should free businesses from so many regulations, but the statistics show some companies will do, not what is right to do, but what will save them money, especially if some foreign country has to live with the results. Few people in Ontario can be happy about hundreds of thousands of tonnes of leachable toxics, corrosive liquids, battery waste, flammable liquids and metal and mineral wastes coming into the province. Perhaps it's time the energy being used to fight the importing of a tiny bit of plutonium is turned to the much larger problem of toxic wastes being dumped in our province. — KR Strange apathy Who would have believed Ontario’s farmers could be so quiet when things were so bad? Prices for nearly every farm commodity are low these days and many farmers are facing serious financial difficulties if things don't improve. One food giant is reorganizing the pork industry to fit its own vision of control from top to bottom. Another round of World Trade Organization talks are starting and there are those with power in the food industry who would like to see the government negotiate away protections farmers have like supply management for dairy and poultry products. And yet farmers, who in the past would have come together to protest, are quietly sitting and taking it all. What's happened? — KR Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen Oct. 17, 1979 Paper Wheat the blockbuster show from the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan’s 25th Street House Theatre came to Blyth Memorial Hall. Due to popular demand, a second show was added plus a high school matinee. Like the Blyth Summer Festival, 25th Street House Theatre created and per­ formed original plays about the region and people it served. Division winners at the Blyth Public School’s tryouts for the cross-country team were: Julie Howson, Nicole Brooks, Kev Scrimgeour, Pauline. Webster, Deanna Bearss, Brent Brooks, Lori Souch, Kevin Lee, Gloria Moffat, and Ivan Mason. Bob Mayer, of the Museum of Indian Archaeology at the University of Western Ontario, explained the process of an archeo­ logical dig to students of Blyth Public School. Oct. 18, 1989 Huron County Pork Producers were expected to appeal a ruling of the Ontario Pork Producers Marketing Board that was to see already low pork prices hit with a $2 per hog levy. Blyth village councillors decided • to press the Liquor Control Board of Ontario to change its decision against opening an LCBO outlet in Blyth. The rejection was based on low population, no expected growth and the village’s proximity to other stores, such as the ones in Brussels, Clinton, Seaforth and Wingham. The Village of Blyth and Blyth Centre for the Arts signed an agree­ ment covering the expansion of Blyth Memorial Hall and its linking with the Centre’s administration building to the south. Plans for the reconstruction of Hwy. 4 between Blyth and Wingham were to be unveiled with­ in a couple weeks at a public infor­ mation session. Marlene Albers of RR 2 Bluevale was crowned the new Huron County Dairy Princess at the Dairy Princess Ball in Blyth. The Brussels Bullettes were the champions of the B Division in the Listowel and Area Intermediate Ladies Softball League. The sweater of late Brussels Bulls veteran Mike Vincent was retired in a ceremony before the opening game of the Bulls Jr. C season. Ministers from all over the Huron Diocese were on hand at Trinity Anglican Church, Blyth for Rev. David Fuller’s induction service. Oct. 19, 1994 Donna Surgeoner, director of nursing and co-administrator of the Huronview and Huronlea Homes for the Aged resigned her post. The Majestic Women’s Institute celebrated its 55th anniversary. Blyth Decorating ball team received the Huron County Fastball League’s championship trophy. Individual team MVP awards were presented to Dave Smith (Bulldogs), Terry Elligsen (Walton), Keith Todd (Belgrave), Mike MacDonald (Blyth). A former Brussels resident, Terry McCutcheon was named coach of the Kitchener Dutchmen’s Junior B team. Area Grade 7 students received the Hepatitis B vaccine. Darren Hemingway took home three OAC awards from the Seaforth high school commence­ ment night. Hemingway achieved the highest marks in accounting, biology and chemistry and was rec­ ognized as the outstanding student in computer studies, with the Ernie Williams Award. The Children’s Aid Society hon­ oured Lynn and Doug Smith of Westfield for their contribution to the Foster Parent program.