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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2001-01-17, Page 4The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1110 ;shone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinttenet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca ocna 4,CNA er/ Member of. he Ontario Press Council 'IM111111111• Left hanging Photo by Bonnie Gropp PAGE 4, THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2001 Editorials Opinio Publisher, 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 $28.00/year ($26.16 + $1.84 G.S.T.) in Canada; $65.00/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 S 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. 0924.4 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 1374990 The art of the possible Lucien Bouchard, frustrated by both his inability to achieve independence and the intolerance of some hard-liners in his party, announced last week he's quitting as leader of the separatist Parti Quebecois (PQ). Bouchard's plight mirrors that of those who seek to "unite the right" without compromising the principles of the right wing. Hardliners within the PQ distrusted Bouchard because he wouldn't forge ahead with another referendum despite polls that said Quebecers just wanted to forget the whole sovereignty issue right now. Determined separatists felt that, as in the last referendum. merely calling a referendum would bring it back to the top of people's agenda. They have been frustrated that they came so close to winning that referendum (a mere 50,000 votes), yet the issue now seems to be dead. While people like Bouchard can read the writing on the wall, some dedicated separatists refuse to give up, even for a short while. For these hardliners there is only one true path and anyone who doesn't follow it is a traitor to the cause, whether the "ethnic" voters who keep voting "no' in each referendum (and in some opinions shouldn't be allowed to vote at all), or people who are too soft, like Bouchard. It's a problem all parties dedicated to a cause face. When Bob Rae's New Democratic Party finally achieved power in Ontario, his attempts to adjust his government's policies to the realities of a recession-wracked province was met with shouts of betrayal by unions and other supporters. Similarly dreams of "uniting the right" will always be problematic. True believers want no compromise from right wing thinking: smaller government, a decentralized Canada, lower taxes. The problem is there just aren't enough voters who share that vision so any leader who want to win power must soften those views to please the majority, thereby alienating the core support for the party. While the idea of politicians who "stand for something" is attractive, politics is also the art of the possible. Many people who come to public life driven to achieve a goal often can't accept the reality that the majority of people don't see things the way they do. — KR More power to the centre For a party that believes in smaller government, the Progressive Conservatives under Premier Mike Harris are accumulating more power under agencies they control than any government in Ontario's history. Certainly the province has downloaded some government functions such as highways, social housing and land ambulances to the municipalities, but in many cases the legislation is worded in such a way the province still has control over final decisions. At the same time, the province has set new rules in various areas that make it virtually impossible for local authorities to continue to run local agencies such as electrical utilities, water and police services. The Ontario Provincial Police have been taking over more and more municipal forces because new regulations from the province make it too expensive to run the local, independent police forces. Similarly, the province rewrote the rules for electrical utilities and Ontario Hydro now has taken over many of these. In the wake of the Walkerton water tragedy, new regulations mean it's too expensive to continue local management of water and the Ontario Clean Water Agency has been contracted in many cases. All this has happened and nobody seems to have noticed. Is this really what people had in mind when they elected this government?— KR Looking Back Through the Years Jan. 18, 1950 In a letter acknowledging receipt of $275.36 from the Brussels and District Branch of the Bible Society, the Society headquarters sent the following expression of appreciation to the local secretary: "Kindly convey to your officers, collectors, and members of our sincere appreciation of their practical assistance in the great work of circulating the Scripture through the British and Foreign Bible Society. For the evening church service at the United Church the worship was in charge of the YPU. Madelon Ryan presided. Laurie Cousins read the scripture; Donalda Willis led in prayer. Mr. Lane conducted the installation service for the officers of 1950. Rev. S. H. Brenton, chairman of Huron Presbytery brought a very acceptable message. Jean Cardiff and Karen Buschlin sang a duet, Back of the Clouds. On Jan. 17, 22 members of the Women's Guild met at the home of Mrs. Robert Gemmel. Mrs Milne presided over the business meeting. On Monday, Jan. 9, the United Church Young People's meeting was held in the church. The scripture was given by Jim Cardiff. Jan. 15, 1986 Mr. and Mrs. Wilbur Tumbull of Brussels celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary in Brussels on Jan. 9. The couple were married in 1918 and spent more than 50 years on their Grey Twp. farm raising purebred stock, before moving to Brussels. Wages and salaries were the main issues discussed at the Jan. 7 meeting of East Wawanosh Twp. council. The wages of the grader operator were increased by 5.5 per cent from $9.90 an hour to $10.44 an hour, the same wage rate as the county road grader operators receive. The wages of any experienced part-time grader or snow plow operators were also raised to $10.44 an hour with $500.00 per month guaranteed between Dec. 15 and March 15. Kathleen McLennan took over the Sunoco station and restaurant on main street in Blyth at the end of December. She renamed it Kate's Kitchen. Formerly from Bluevale, Mrs. McLennan had been managing a convenience store in Stratford for the five years previous. The Belgrave Arena board held a Family Skating Party on Saturday night of Jan. 11 at the community centre. It was a 25 cent night for each of the following: admission, hot dog and hot chocolate. There were over 200 in attendance and 15 dozen hot dogs were consumed. There was a dramatic reduction in the incidence of drinking and driving around the area during this holiday season, police at the Wingham OPP detachment reported. So dramatic, in fact, that spot checks carried out throughout the Christmas and New Year's holidays failed to turn up an impaired driver. The CKNX Tryhards must have wondered what kind of animals they were playing when they took on the Blyth Oldtimers at the Blyth and District Community Centre Saturday night. Reported by Maybe Not So Rusty Blades, described the contest as one of "cannonading shots, scintillating saves, Gretzky-like dekes and general mayhem." Nearly 800 people packed the arena to see the fun and games. The Blyth Lions Club paid the second half of their $2,000 pledge to the Blyth and District Community Centre for the installation of the air conditioning, heat pumps and dehumidification units Jan. 17, 1996 Farm equipment dealers and manufacturers in Huron County are aiding their more southerly neighbours in Pennsylvania after the eastern United States was hit by record snowfall recently. Area manufacturers in the region shipped more than 40 new and used snowblowers to the state to help farmers dig out. Students at Brussels Public School received awards from the Royal Canadian Legion for their Remembrance Day poster. They were: Mike Walker, Amanda Van Beek, Josh Jorritsma, Patricia Wilbee, Jennifer McDonald, Richelle Jorritsma, and Cassie Bootzin.