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The Citizen, 2001-01-04, Page 4Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil 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 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 newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are C Copyright We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. Publications Mail Reg. No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 1374990 The Citizen 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 norhuronscsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca ocna ENA .0‘ Member of the Ontario Press Council INICEIENNI Vacated premises Photo by Vicky Bremner Looking Back Through the Years Jan. 4, 1950 Two trains daily, on the Palmerston - Kincardine run were to be cancelled. Mr. Sullivan, relieving CNR station agent for Brussels,, informed The Brussels Post that word had been received that Brussels will be served by only two trains each day, the morning train to Palmerston and the night train to Kincardine. The noon and the afternoon service was to be cancelled at the end of this week. The reason offered was a coal shortage. Dew worms were seen on the main street of Brussels on Dec. 26. They were observed by Mr. Jack Thynne apparently thoroughly enjoying the unseasonably warm, moist weather. Jan. 1, 1986 Christmas was even a little merrier for many people who won prizes when the Bell Ringer Draws sponsored by Blyth merchants were made Dec. 21. Mary Hoonaard, Dorothy Oster, Marjorie Wall, Linda Mustard, Marlene Toll, Bill Marsh, Sharon Westburg, Helen Lyons, Lisa Noble, Tyler Stewart, Gene Snell, Bev Blair, Debbie Machan, William Hill, Donelda Charter, Merle Henry, Mary Fear, Charlie Bromley, Pat Sparling, Joan Watson, Evelyn Smith, Ann Riley, Jean Seiling, Ruth Armstrong, Mary Rouw and H. Hasenberger all received a gift from the draw. In Brussels, Dec. 24 saw the winners of the Brussels' Merchants Christmas Wishes draw named. They were: Emily Cousins, Julie Mitchell, Sharon Stephenson, Lynne Davies, Marg McCutcheon, Lynda Thomas, Bonnie Gropp, Helen Cardiff, Henry Exel, Karen Hoegy, George Jutzi, Doug Trollope, Caroline Kernaghan, Jean Bell, W. E. MacQuarrie, Jeanne Oldfield, Terry Baillie, Barbara Fischer, Ken Bray, Karen Bridge, Thomas Baker, Paul Mutter, Dave Hastings, Bessie Johnston, Jack Tweddle, Scott Bremner and Gilbert Hetherington. Jan. 3, 1990 OPP reported a quiet holiday over the last weekend of the decade and saw only one minor accident, inwhich, nobody was injured. Two retirements were marked in the Roberts family of Belgrave as John retired as a minister of Knox United Church and his wife Kay retired as a teacher at Blyth Public School. A•/,,,,f • PAGE 4, THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 2001 Editorials & 1 pinio So much for the theory Give people more money in their pockets and they'll decide what projects to support — so goes the theory of those who advocate massive tax cuts. The reality, as shown by recent Statistics Canada information, is a smaller and smaller group of people in Canada is responsible for a huge percentage of the charitable giving, volunteering, and civic participation. According to Statistics Canada, a mere eight per cent of Canadians give half of all donations of money and volunteer hours. When the next 20 per cent most generous people is included, the two groups give 83 per cent of all volunteer hours, 77 per cent of charitable donations and 69 per cent of civic participation. The good news for those of us in rural areas is this "civic core", as the researchers call it, tends to live in communities outside major metropolitan centres. The highest participation rate in Canada was in Saskatchewan, a rural area, where the 39 per cent of people contributed, tending to prefer volunteering time rather than money. One suspects Huron County might show similar numoers. So what is the other 70 per cent of the Canadian population doing? If more money is put in their pockets, will this group suddenly be more generous? Certainly that's the theory behind the massive cuts in provincial and federal income tax. The governments are heeding the call of those who said government should try to do less and let people support those projects they think are _worthy. What, like a 52-inch TV and a vacation in Cuba? From business to the well-to-do, governments have been catering lately to those who have. It's time for that group to put their money (and their volunteer hours) where their mouths have been and prove that they will voluntarily support the things government has paid for in the past.— KR Canadians by desire. The new year will likely see plenty of debate, just as the old one did, on the problem of illegal immigrants in Canada. While there are no doubt unsavoury people sneaking into the country, the people who often make the headlines may have different stories than those we regularly hear. Maclean's magazine recently featured a special section on some of the people who have virtually sold themselves into slavery in order to reach the promised land of Canada. Their personal stories were truly astounding. Some travelled for months, much of it on foot, from China to Vietnam to catch a smuggler's boat, knowing that if they were discovered by Vietnamese authorities they might be shot on the spot. After having faced danger at every step of the way the survivors were forced to work in menial jobs in Canada and give nearly all their money to the smugglers who brought them in. If they failed to make the payments they faced reprisals on their families back in China. In Canada they fell prey to unscrupulous people who looked for cheap labour, knowing the illegals dared not complain about low pay or working conditions. Looking at the lives they lead, it's hard to think they could have imagined Canada an improvement. Yet people keep risking their lives to come and they keep working hard to pay off their debts so they can enjoy the good life here. They're seen as criminals but seeing how badly they want to be Canadians puts their "crimes" in a different light. — KR Letters to the Editor An open letter to Helen Johns, government would pay relief up to MPP Huron Bruce this 70 per cent figure. I am writing this letter in concern I suggested that if the Harris to a proposal I made to you through government felt that 70 per cent of a conversations with your staff at the three or five year average of gross constituency office in Exeter. Either margin was ample for Ontario your staff failed to forward my farmers, who provide food for the proposal to you or you have chosen people of Ontario, then it should be to ignore it because, in the last four equally ample for the MPPs. MPPs weeks, I have called your office four could calculate what they have times and you or your staff have averaged in the last three or five never returned my call. I also called years and adjust their salaries to 70 Mike Harris's office and never per cent of that. received a reply. It seemed like a fair proposal to My proposal, for anyone reading me and I think that most of Ontario this, concerned the Harris residents, like myself, who have government's, attempt to increase heard Mike Harris tell us over and MPPs' base salary by 42 per cent. I over again that we had to learn to be found this absurd and suggested a more efficient, would like to see formula to set MPPs' salaries. The MPPs try it for a while. formula was similar to that of the Helen, I hope you read this letter Ontario Whole Farm Relief Program and can squeeze it into your in which Ontario farmers can schedule to call me, firstly to explain calculate either their last three or why you didn't return my call and five year average gross margin, secondly to discuss my proposal. whichever is higher. If their present Sincerely, year's gross margin falls below 70 Frank Sanders, per cent of this average, the Ontario RR4, Brussels, ON.