HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-03-18, Page 4POrie 0 CIPCIJLATION Photo by Bonnie Gropp Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen March 28, 1968 Brussels Minor Hockey was still in full swing as their tournaments announced the close end of the sea- son. The Bantams won two games one against Monkton winning 3-2 and one against Belgrave 5-2. Goalscorers for the games included Phillip Blake and David Thomas. Jack Thynne and his entertain- ers were to present a concert on Thursday, April 11 at the Brussels Legion with proceitris going to the completion of the bathhouse at the park. A notice was put in the paper, vandals entered the Gentlemen's Club room during the weekend and destroyed considerable property, hopes of apprehending those involved was expressed. March 28, 1973 The Blyth PeeWees eliminated Zurich from further play in WOAA "E" play downs on March 21 by tying them 4-4 in overtime. Blyth was to play Ripley in the WOAA semi finals the following Wednes- day in Ripley. The Blyth PeeWees also came home the proud winners of a trophy at the Goderich peewee tournament the previous week. A special evening was hosted to honour William Thuell who had recently retired after over 50 years of serving Blyth as the foreman of the Blyth Public Utilities Commis- sion. A rumor was circulating that Charles MacNaughton, former MPP was to fill a vacancy on the Ontario Racing Commission. March 26, 1997 Rural residents, whether they were farmers or not, may have to take a dramatic hike upward in property taxes if the provincial government proposed change to farmland taxation takes effect. With spring slow to warm and cold winds still blowing across the region, local maple syrup produc- ers were finding the sap running more like molasses when they started harvesting in February. Normally the sap run is finished by the end of March. Bryce Wedow was the recipient of the year's Don Higgins Memori- al Award presented each year at the Brussels Minor Hockey Ban- quet to the goalie with the best record. PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1998. C The North Huron itizen O n CNA J.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 are © Copyright Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 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 norhuron@huron.net Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil Simple solutions, hard issues Sometimes the solutions to problems seem so simple you wonder why no one has taken action before. Sometimes when you try to implement those simple solutions, you find out why. Take the private members bill proposed by Liberal MP Tom Wappel which would prevent convicted criminals of profiting by writing books about their crimes. It seems like a proposal that's easy to support. There's something despicable about the idea of a killer taking the lives of innocent people, then writing a book about it. MPs from all parties in the House of Commons liked Wappel's idea and the bill passed — an unusual occurrence for a private members bill. But when the bill got to the Senate, the doubts began to arise. Guy Paul Morin, for instance, thinks he would still be in prison if this law had been in effect after his wrongful conviction for the murder of Christine Jessop. Morin says the most powerful tool in getting a fair hearing after spending years in jail for a crime he didn't commit was a book written by a Toronto journalist Faced with the new evidence coming out at the Senate hearings, some MPs who originally supported the bill now are having second thoughts. All of which goes to prove another simple solution may not be a good one — the proposal to abolish the Senate. Without the "sober second thoughts" of the Senators, a bad bill might have been law. — KR The politics of personality Many have been questioning the shape Canada must be in if Jean Charest is seen as the sole saviour of the country but the reality seems to be that in Quebec, even more than in the rest of the country, personality seems to be the most important factor in politics. If Charest decides to leave his post as leader of the federal Conservatives to lead the Quebec Liberals would it really be that different than Lucien Bouchard, another former minister in the government of Brian Mulroney, leaving the federal Conservatives to form the Bloc Quebecois? Or then leaving the Bloc to assume leadership of the Parti Quebecois when it appeared doomed? In fact, it could be said the separatist movement is in such bad shape that only a charismatic figure like Rene Levesque or Lucien Bouchard can make it popular enough to even merit a vote of separation. If Charest can neutralize a little of the charisma, so be it. — KR Guest editorial Expense in, savings coming? While amalgamation is still in its infancy in Huron County, Bruce County has advanced much further and is in the final stages of reducing the number of municipalities. The following comment comes from the Walkerton Herald-Times. The transition board for the proposed municipality of Brant, Greenock and Walkerton has estimated it will cost nearly $1.7 million to amalgamate over the next three years. That's a whopping amount to spend in towns and townships which have been working for the past three years to cut expenditures without reducing hard services. With projected (and very tentative at this point) savings of about $420,000 per year set to begin in about three years time, the overall impact is being billed as a four-year payback on the restructuring expenditures. And after that, the continued savings are gravy, as the theory goes. However, three years is a lifetime in politics. It's nearly a full term for a provincial government whose current term will actually be over by the time the savings windfall begins to come in. Meanwhile, the impact on the effectiveness of local government remains to be seen, as seven council members attempt to cope with a range of issues and a workload now handled by 19 in the three local municipalities. Will they really be able to get by with fewer staff? Will there really be savings in the area of council expenses, with all the extra work to do? These realities will offer a true test of whether the Tory "do more with less" philosophy is practical in the area of municipal government. E ditorial