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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-12-01, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1999. C itizenTheNorthHuron Aocna ^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 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 $27.00/year ($25.24 + $1.76 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 It could be your school next E ditorial f.z :...... i Compared to the fears of a year ago, there was a sense of relief last week with the announcement of the schools the Avon Maitland District Board of Education is prepared to close to meet provincial funding targets — unless, that is you live in Walton, Seaforth or Huron Park. Because the majority of communities were left untouched by the proposed list of closings, there will be the temptation to sit back, breathe a sigh of relief. Some may even turn against towns like Seaforth where Mayor Dave Scott last week insisted on speaking to the school trustees when they refused to listen, resulting in police being brought in. Just remember though, the government is not through with its cuts to education funding. Next year it could be your school that is sitting all alone on the chopping block. Whether by accident or design the school board has set up exactly the same sort of situation the provincial government has thrived on in recent years: setting one group of people against another. Here we have the inviting prospect of everybody in the county ganging up on the people of Seaforth and Walton because in sacrificing these schools, people feel they can save their own. It’s easy to find reasons to support the closure of these schools. Walton is small and only goes to Grade 4 anyway. Seaforth District High School only has 281 students. It’s easy to dismiss the concerns of the people of Walton and Seaforth (and Huron Park and Stratford and Downie Twp.) as emotional. Just remember, what’s their “emotion” today could be yours next year or the year after. If they worry about extra busing for their students or taking the school out of the community, that may be your concern down the road. Mayor Scott’s actions in refusing to obey the rules the school board had set were downright impolite, which makes many people uncomfortable. Yet people have been politely going along with the dismantling of Huron County, from amalgamating school boards and hospital boards to wiping many communities like Blyth and Brussels off the map. To many people in Seaforth (and Walton and the rest), Scott will be a hero who at least tried to do something. To those in the rest of the county who'd like these schools to just go quietly, his actions will be deplorable. Just remember, a year or so from now it could be you who is looking for someone to stubbornly speak up for your school. — AT? Does referendum matter? Prime Minster Chretien created a storm of controversy last week when he said that in a future referendum in Quebec the people must be given a clear question and that a simple majority of 50 per cent plus one vote shouldn t be enough to break up a country. Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard huffed nobody should tell Quebecers how they must act in deciding their futures. Federalist critics accused Chretien of risking boosting separatism in Quebec and thereby endangering Canada’s future. If Canada keeps going in the direction it is, however, will any referendum matter, whatever the outcome? Canadians have feared the loss of Quebec would mean the break-up of the country, yet the country every day makes itself more irrelevant. Canada has never been held together by a common ethnic background, language or shared history. Canada has existed through a set of shared principles that made us different than our neighbours to the south. Yet daily those principles weaken and the difference between Canada and the U.S. evaporates. Canadians have found unique solutions to our problems, yet now there’s pressure from within and without to abandon those systems. We have created a way to provide equal access to medical services to everyone, no matter what their income level, yet we have governments today (like Alberta) wanting to undermine that system and bring in private hospitals. We have educated generations to post secondary levels through inexpensive tuition and generous loans and grants, but both federal and provincial governments have abandoned the policy and driven up education costs. In agriculture, farmers producing milk, eggs, chicken and turkey have created a unique system that actually lets them make a living. Pressure from within and from outside the country seeks to destroy that system so that farmers in these commodities can go broke just like other farmers. Our supply-managed producers are the envy of their American neighbours. Many Americans would gladly have our health care system. Yet we are willing to give up many of the things that made the United Nations rate Canada the best place in the world to live. By the time of the next referendum, Canada may not be Canada anyway. — KR Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen Nov. 28, 1979 Cheryl Hessels found it prof­ itable to shop in Blyth when she was the top winner with $40 cash in the Blyth Board of Trade Money Draw. The Blyth Centre for the Arts presented the annual Community Christmas concert featuring local talent. MC for the evening was George Cull of Belgrave. Sharon Whittich led the carol sing-along. Gail Lear accompanied the group as well as performing several duets with Danny Lear. Special soloist for the evening was Marilyn Zivkovic of Exeter. Rev. John Roberts gave a selection of Christmas readings. The board of directors for Blyth Centre for the Arts announced the appointment of Keith Roulston as administrator. The veterinary clinic opened a new office on Blyth’s main street next to Memorial Hall. Dr. Laverne Clark and Dr. R. Leibold were the vets while Ella Ives was reception­ ist and Bev Snell was part-time receptionist. Hullett Lodge AF&AM celebrat­ ed its 60th anniversary and the 125th anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Ontario. Allen Bosman WM was master of ceremonies and introduced new member Murray Nesbitt. What looked like a version of Stonehenge was really someone’s artistic talent making use of dis­ carded tombstones. The previous owners found the stones in the old bam foundation and set them up on their front lawn at Cone. 8 of Hullett Twp. Bob Henry of Blyth was elected to the board of directors for the Clinton Community Credit Union, ousting a 14-year member. Provincial Honours certificates were presented to Susan Nichol of the Walton Club, Darlene Raynard of the Ethel Club, Nancy Schade of the Walton Club, Linda Axtmann of the Walton Club and Darlene Dobson of the Ethel Club at the 4- H Achievement Night held at Grey Central School. County honours went to Debbie Wiedermann and Elaine Dennis of Walton and Wendy Barlow of Ethel. Loraine Cook of Belgrave spent the week at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto with Stonehaven Audrey, who won second prize in the Brown Swiss competition. Darrel Shobbrook won $50 at the Londesboro Lion car poker rally. Nov. 29, 1989 Jack Riddell MPP for Huron snipped the ribbon to officially open the new addition to the Seaforth Community Hospital. The $2.5 million expansion increased the hospital’s space by one third. Riddell also announced new oper­ ating grants for the hospital. Winners of the Legion poster contest were Pauline Stewart, Brian Werkema, Wilfred Datema, Greg Toll, Abigail Ramirez, Amanda Howson. Essay contest winners were Stephanie Lentz, Cheri Kryzanowski, Jennifer Stadelmann, Charlene Hulzebos, Jennifer Prigham. Poetry winners were Suzanne Shultz, Erin Jamieson, Abigail Ramirez and Amanda Howson. 4-H achievement night winners included Margaret Cronyn, Connie McClure, Pamela Bennett and Dianne Hallahan. Dianne vanVliet was honoured for 10 years of ser­ vice as a 4-H leader. The top member trophy went to Sharon Ramsey. Jim Sloan was the new Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association president. New Brownies in Blyth were Krista Blair, Elizabeth Sauve, Pauline Blok, Bonnie Stewart, Sharon Hartman, Stephanie Oliver, Samantha Funston, Theresa Oliver and Lisa-Marie Kelly. The Brussels Bulls climbed into first place in Western Jr. C. action. Nov. 30, 1994 Ark planned the lighting of the Brussels Tree of Hope. Holly Mitchell of RR3, Brussels was the pageperson at the county council session. She is the grand­ daughter of Howick Twp. Reeve Norman Fairies. A dinner was held in honour of retiring Morris Twp. reeve Doug Fraser. The Brussels Tykes got new jer­ seys from Bell Canada. The 4-H Dueling Dramatics achievement night saw members Keith King, Pauline Huizinga and Cheryl Lapp receive awards.