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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-02-11, Page 4Photo by Janice Becker Letters THE EDITOR, I am writing in the hope of reaching those readers who have a personal connection to the early history of Hotel Dieu Hospital in St. Catharines, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To help mark this proud achievement, Hotel Dieu is planning a special and historic reunion for all those associated with the original maternity hospital, which operated from 1948 to 1953. The reunion will be held on Saturday, June 20, and is being planned especially for those who were born at the hospital, their parents and families, as well as those physicians, nurses and other staff who together played a central role in this special part of Hotel Dieu's history. On behalf of the 50th anniversary organizing committee, I invite all maternity hospital "alumni" to contact us to let us know who and where you are so that we can extend to you a personal invitation and provide you with more information about this festive occasion. Whether or not you are able to attend, we would still appreciate hearing from you. Contact the Development and Public Relations office at Hotel Dieu Hospital at 905-687-3703 or by fax at 905- 687-3720. Sincerely yours, Robert Edgar Chair, 50th Anniversary Committee Hotel Dieu Hospital, St. Catharines DEAR EDITOR, When the present provincial government was first elected, we heard a great deal about users paying for services rendered. This policy appears to have been completely ignored in the restructuring program that is taking place between the provincial government and the municipalities. Let us look at road user fees. Here we have the situation where the province is transferring total responsibility for the majority of the road system to the munici- palities to be financed by the property taxes, while at the same time the province continues to levy the same road user fees. Road users will now have to pay twice for this essential service. Meanwhile, even before the full extent of this financial transfer is known, estimates for 1997-98 show the province is now collecting $1.275 billion per year more in road user fees than is being spent on our total transportation system. All this while our roads continue to deteriorate. Road safety becomes a major issue and congestion worsens. To put it bluntly, a higher percentage of fees now being collected needs to be put back into the roads. The Better Roads Coalition urges the provincial government to carry out a full review of road financing practices not from a jurisdictional point of view (province and municipality) but from the road user perspective — the taxpayer that drives the roads and pays the fees. We would urge all road users to contact their provincial members of the, Legislature to request that this Continued on page 6 _f.0 The Citizen Is published weekly 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 $75.00/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 ere Copyright Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 1=1 cn C The North Huron itizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887.9021 E-mail norhuron@huron.net Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil ENA CCNA PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1998. Speak now or lose your voice Amalgamation is gaining momentum with the decision by Huron County councillors to seek, by Jan. 1, 1999, an amalgamation proposal ready for approval. It means that if people really care about the shape of their local government, it's time to speak up. So far municipalities have acted as if nobody cared and it was up to the politicians to reshape the local map based on what they thought the provincial government would want. You can't blame them for taking this approach when there seems to have been so little concern shown by the public. Do people not care or do they feel helpless to change politics anymore? Do they not take it seriously, since, after all, some politicians have said amalgamation plans are only an insurance policy in case the province steps in to force an amalgamation? But what form of government do you want? There are those, for instance, who think we might as well go to a single-tier government, doing away with local municipalities. Do you want to have to call Goderich to complain about a streetlight out or potholes in the road? But then, what's the difference if the alternative is the kind of 10- municipality northern Huron amalgamation that's been proposed as an alternative. Would you rather call, say, Wingham instead? Perhaps the politicians are right and people don't care. If you do, however, it's time to make your voice heard now before it's just one small voice in -a very large municipality. — KR Twisting the perception Those who hope one day common sense will prevail among Quebec voters and that separatistism will be rejected once and for all, will be disheartened in seeing how Premier Lucien Bouchard has twisted even the recent ice storm into a tirade on the evils of being part of Canada. As Canadians poured out their hearts in aid for suffering victims both in eastern Ontario and Quebec, there was the quietly spoken hope that Quebecers would see how much people outside the province cared about them, and see the value of being part of Canada. The federal government was generous, the army worked hard to help restore power and Canadians of all walks of life sent help. Yet Bouchard is now claiming the federal government is punishing his government by not providing money to Hydro Quebec to help it with rebuilding. His government wants $1 billion in aid while the federal government says it will pay $400 million because a utility Hydro, it says, is not eligible. Everything in Quebec, even ice storms, is political. For frustrated Canadians outside the province, it seems that nothing will ever be seen as goodwill. It would be nice, just once, if the Quebec media would not bite on this latest manipulation by Bouchard but it seems too much to hope for. — KR Looking Back Through the Years E ditorial From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen FEBRUARY 9, 1972 FEBRUARY 8,1968 Blyth voters were asked to decide Former Morris Twp. Reeve if liquor should be sold in a Stewart Procter was awarded a licensed lounge. The application Centennial Medal in recognition of was filed by Garry and Peggy Arm- his contribution to the community. bruster, owners of the Blyth Inn Vonne McCutcheon earned the Hotel. Liquor was sold in the bev- highest marks in her Grade VII erage rooms but not the renovated Pianoforte music exam in Stratford. dining room. George Johnston was elected Bob Henry was re-elected as president of the Belgrave, Blyth, chair of the Huron County Wheat Brussels School Fair, which was producers. held on a Saturday for the first time Morris Twp. and the Huron Fed- in its 48-year history. eration of Agriculture fought for a Stephenson's Grocery sold 25 lbs. larger toll-free calling area. of potatoes for 89 cents.