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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-10-21, Page 4Bending an ear Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen October 24, 1968 The officers for the Western Star Lodge No. 149 of the-Independent Order of OddFellows were named. The Junior Past Guard was Ron Cardiff, the Noble Grand was Bill Wheeler, and the Vice Grand was Cliff Bray. Rev. Eric Le Drew of Hampton Station, NB, had accepted a call to preside over the congregation at the Brussels United Church. A Halloween dance at the Brus- sels Legion cost $2 per couple and was restricted to those 21 years old and over. Youths broke into the Rutledge's five cents to a $1 Store, stealing cigarette lighters, fluid, and toys. New minimum wage rates were announced for Ontario workers. The new minimum wage rates were an increase of 30 cents. The rates in general industry rose from $1 to $1.30 an hour, while the construc- tion industry rates rose from $1.25 to $1.55 an hour. October 24, 1973 A team from Blyth Public School won the Huron County Senior Girl's cross-country competition. Team members were Charlene Campbell, Karen Richmond, Jean Siertsema, Christina Chalmers and Mary Ann Cook. Cook was the individual winner of the event. At a special homecoming service at the Church of God in Blyth, Rev. Cleave Winger of Kitchener was the guest speaker. The Blyth Figure Skating Club discussed plans for a carnival to be held in January with the hopes that all the mothers would come for- ward and help. They also decided on a fee of $12 per pupil for 20 lessons. The Huron Provincial Liberal Association had four candidates for the provincial Liberal leadership at their meeting in Zurich. Robert Nixon, who was provincial leader of that time, Donald Deacon, Nor- man Cafik and Eddie Sargent were in the running. The crowd at the meeting was enthusiastic due to the riding being captured by the Liber- als in a March by-election for the first time in 25 years. October 22, 1997 The numbers for the OPP seat- belt campaign were released. Dur- ing the time between Oct. 4-17, 1997, the OPP detachments in the THE EDITOR, Dear Resident, As you may know, in last year's budget and in his recently delivered annual financial report, the Minister of Finance announced the first federal budgetary surplus in nearly three decades. In those same county held seatbelt spot checks. Of the 14,305 vehicles checked, 162 were charged and another 163 were warned. Blyth arena was busy with 79 skaters taking part in the annual skate-athon as They raised $2,300. The top pledgers were Josh Albrechtas, Devin Jenkins, Dickey Gregg, Trevor Koehler, Kelly Mac- Donald and Matt Chalmers. These six raised over $750. Races for reeve in Brussels and West Wawanosh began. In Brus- sels, Ralph Watson was running against the reeve Gord Workman. West Wawanosh had two people challenging reeve Bob Hallam. They were Gord Brindley and Councillor Doug Miller. FWIO honoured Walton resident Marjorie Humphries, for her contri- butions to both the organization and the community for over 40 years. statements the Minister also spoke of how Employment Insurance premiums collected now exceed the amount of the benefits being paid out under the plan. This situation creates a new debate in Canada; do we cut El Continued on page 3 3 Letters to the editor PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1998. C itizen 4aliNA The North Huron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1HO Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box '52, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887.9114 FAX 887-9021 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil E-mail norhuron@scsIntemeLcom 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 $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 Two views of democracy What is your view of democracy? Do you think that governments are elected to govern and, once elected, should be left alone until the next election? Or do you think that government should be a continuing communication with ordinary people, with government representatives trying to get the best ideas from the people and reporting back to the government? It has become fairly obvious that the Ontario government of Mike Harris holds the view that they were elected to govern and they don't have to listen to anybody until the next election comes along. On issues from municipal restructuring to education to hospitals, the government seems to proceed on the premise that only a few people in Queen's Park know what is right and they must tell the rest of the province, forcefully is necessary, what to do. So local municipal politicians don't think amalgamation will save money? Too bad. We'll hang the possibility of imposed restructuring over their heads and scare them into going along with something they don't think is good for them. So school boards can't control their teachers? We'll change the rules so they have to cut costs, all the while leaving them in place as handy whipping boys if things don't go right. Under this theory of government, local MPPs becoine spokesmen to explain and defend government decisions to their constituents rather than representatives of the people to the government. From the polls it is obvious that many agree with the Mike Harris view of government and unless something like school closings blows up in the government's face, it seems likely to be re-elected. In the long run, however, isn't a government that tries to elicit the best ideas of all the people more likely to be successful than one that depends on the views of a small group of people at the top? — KR This is a leader? Perhaps he's been in power so long that Jean Chi-ellen feels he's invulnerable. Perhaps the true colours of the "little guy from Shawinigan" are coming through at long last. Or perhaps he doesn't plan in running in the next election so the prime minister is enjoying not having to bow to the people. For whatever reason, Chrdtien's response in the case of the pepper-sprayed protesters is beyond belief for a modern politician. Under attack Monday over his possible role in the RCMP's handling of protesters at last year's Asia Pacific economic conference in Vancouver, Chrotien continued to show his in sitivity to the issue, telling the House of Commons that the RCMP had used the more "civilized" pepper spray rather than baseball bats to control the crowds. Earlier this month he joked about having "pepper steak" for dinner and last fall;- at the end of the conference when he was asked about the incident he joked that pepper was something he put on his plate. Given this arrogance, the government's refusal to pay for the legal fees of protesters appearing at an inquiry into the RCMP activities at the summit, seems more sinister than it ordinarily might. Worries about the cost of the protesters' lawyers or about setting a precedent might have been accepted more easily if the prime minister wasn't so bent on saying nothing was wrong with what the police did. It is frightening that the prime minister sees nothing wrong with the idea of protesters being arrested, then released without charges on the promise they wouldn't put up any more protest posters. That he is not disturbed by images of protesters being sprayed with pepper spray by police as they protested the arrival of Third World dictators shows he has lost whatever connection he had with ordinary people. If this is his attitude, it's time to retire and let someone more attuned to the sensitivities of ordinary Canadians lead the country. — KR Nothing to brag about Federal Human Resource Minister Pierre Pettigrew bragged Monday that 78 per cent of those who lost their jobs or quit with just cause last year received Employment Insurance benefits. This is something to brag about? What of the 12 per cent left with no assistance? The government has continued policies that will mean economic dislocation and lost jobs. It owes it to people hurt by those policies to help them, especially at a time when there is a huge surplus in the EI fund. How many unemployed will benefit from tax cuts? — KR E ditorial