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The Citizen, 2001-11-28, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2001 Editorials Opinions 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 ert a rate of $28.00/year ($26.17 + $1.83 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 6) 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. 40050141 The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 687-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuronOescsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca ocna ea:6: Member of the Ontario Press Council IENTOMIN The bill for scrimping We have come to look at anything government does as an expense. A University of Guelph economist Monday produced the figures to show just how much it costs if government doesn't do its job properly. The economist conducted an investigation of the costs of the Walkerton water tragedy and concluded that just the immediate short-term costs tallied $64.5 million. He estimated that with lost income for businesses and people who were off work sick, or laid off because their businesses closed, that the average cost per household in Walkerton was $4,000. And that doesn't even touch the pain and suffering and the years, perhaps lifetimes, of treatment for the effects of the E. coil infections some people suffered. All this because government didn't do its business properly. The disaster resulted from the failure of government, whether you want to lay the blame at the feet of local public servants who didn't take seriously the job they had been given of protecting the public, the local councillors and public utilities commissioners who didn't properly oversee their incompetent employees or the provincial government which, in cost- cutting measures, took away the Ministry of Environment oversight of water systems that was the last line of defence against incompetency at the municipal level. But the fault also lies in all of us for being so complacent. We have adapted to the good services government has delivered to the point we take these things for granted. Just as we have had good free public health care for so long that we forget what it was like to have to worry if you could afford proper treatment, so we no longer associate the benefit of things like safe drinking water or a vigilant public health unit with the taxes we are asked to pay to support them. We take for granted the benefits of government. We grumble and complain and demand cuts to the taxes that are the price we pay for protection. There's a fine balance between bloated government and too little government. In recent years ,the emphasis has been all on cutting the "waste" in government. The financial cost of the Walkerton tragedy, let alone the human costs, proves the worth of paying attention to what we're getting for our taxes, not just the money we're spending. — KR Where's moderation? Two of the candidates for the leadership of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party have indicated the Common Sense Revolution hasn't gone far enough and they'd take the government farther to the right. On the weekend, a substantial minority of the New Democratic Party voted to disband the party so that a party farther to the left could replace it. Whatever happened to moderation? The NDP true believerS seem to think their party has become too soft, that to offer a real alternative they must adopt a much harder line of left- wing issues. They don't see that voters, comfortable with moderation, have rejected what they see as already too far to the left, They can't seem to see that hardliners shot the party in the foot when it briefly formed a government in Ontario because they fought their own government which was trying to steer a moderate course in the difficult times of the recessionary early 1990s. Replacing the NDP in Ontario, the hard-line right-wing leaders of the Progressive Conservatives also suddenly found themselves in a position they probably never felt they'd be in. They reacted with a revolutionary agenda to reshape government in the province. Unlike the NDP they were fortunate to govern in a time of prosperity across all of North America and they were rewarded for these good times with a second term in office, but recent polls show the bloom is off the public's appreciation of their policies too, as people see the results of some of those decisions. Yet the response of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Health Minister Tony Clement is to go farther right. With the right moving farther right and the left, further left, we face the possibility of being caught in the same situation Britain was in for years, alternating between hardline Conservative and hardline Labour Party policies. Ironically, as we move toward extremism, Britain has elected a popular middle of the road Labour government. Surely we've seen the cost of extremism lately. Surely moderation holds more attraction as the direction for our province and our country. — KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, without the assistance of Huron The Alzheimer Society of Huron County residents having a cup of County acknowledges Coffee coffee today to find a cure BreakTM hosts and participants for tomorrow. their generous support during our Sincerely, Coffee BreakTM 2001. Laura Good With your support the society Fund Development raised' $6,000 for programs Co-ordinator throughout the county. This event Alzheimer Society of Huron would not have been a success County. • Looking Back Through the Years Nov. 29 1950 There was another nomination for -- two trustees for the Brussels School board as only one nominee Gerald Gibson, allowed his name to stand. The reeve and councillors were returned by acclamation: reeve, R.B. Cousins; councillors, A. McTaggart, R.B. Bennett, Wm. Speir ad R.W. Kennedy. Morris offices were filled by acclamation: reeve, Harvey Johnston; councillors, Chas. R. Coultes, Wm. Peacock, Sam Alcock, Bailie Parrott.; school trustees, Robert McMurray, Bernard Thomas. There would be an election in Grey as John McNabb, reeve was challenged by Clifford Rowland. Three school trustees were to be elected from four nominees; Wm. Smith, Watson Brown, Blair McIntosh and John Connolly. Councillors Percy Ward, Kenneth McFarlane, Wm. E. Bishop and John Wheeler were acclaimed. Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett and Elizabeth Taylor appeared in Father of the Bride, which was showing at Listowel's Capitol Theatre. Goodbye Mr. Chips with Robert Donat and Greer Garson was the feature at the Regent in Seaforth. There was to be a "picture show" in Ethel Township Hall with free balloons for the children. A pound of wieners sold for 49 cents at Grewar's, while a dozen Westons buns cost 15 cents. Fred Munnings of Goderich was to be the guest speaker at the gospel meeting to be held in the Orange Hall. Dec. 2, 1981 Anne Procter of RR5, Brussels won the Murray Elston Award for the Champion 4-H Beef Showman judged at the Seaforth Fall Fair. ri Sher -Marshall, RR3, Blyth received the United Co-operatives of Ontario trophy for her top score in the 4-H judging competition. The awards were presented at the annual Huron County 4-H awards night in Clinton. Blyth Guides were Kern Lynn Ferguson, Joyce Irwin, Deanne Bears, Christine Roulston, Elaine Poore, Lisa Watson, Kathy McDonald, Sarah Allen, Jennifer Roulston, Lori Leibold, Angela Cotton, Sandra Hessels, Deanna McDougall, Christine Stadelman, Tammy Bearss. The fund for the new addition to. the Clinton Public Hospital got a boost when over $1,400 was raised in the Blyth Variety Night. Hullett and Blyth Masonic Lodges . held installations. Masters were Robert Anderson and Wm. Dougherty respectively. Nov. 26, 1986 A 20-year-old Walton woman was crowned Huron County Queen of the Furrow in a ceremony at Walton, marking the official end to the plowing match season. The contest had to be deferred several times earlier as record-breaking rainfall spoiled any chance of holding the county plowing match. Sandra Hunt, RR4, Walton, the 1985 Seaforth Fair Queen emerged as winner, with a former Huron County Dairy Princess, Denise Nethery, RR4, Brussels coming in a very close second. New Guides in Blyth were Kimberley Ferguson, Jackie Caldwell, Pauline Stewart, Erica Clark, Kerry Hallahan, Jennifer Cucksey, Laurel Campbell and Tina Burkholder. New Brownies were Michelle' Clark, Jenny McDonnell and Erin Roulston. Area residents Were invited to guess the total weight of the Brussels businesspeople pictured in an advertising campaign for a chance to win a trip for two to Las Vegas or Nashville. A total of 40 businesses participated. Six new Guides joined the Belgrave company: Julie Elston, Marie Gordon, Grace Carmichael, Jackie Cook, Sabrena Black and Jennifer Cook. Angus Sinclair was the new director of the Blyth Festival Singers. Joining Blyth Beavers were David Craig, Jonathon Cucksey, Matthew Laffin, Joey Schmidt, Justin Sauve and Brent Sauve. Nov. 27, 1991 Two-year-old Adam Malhiot of Belgrave was the winner of the first early bird draw for the Belgrave Kinsmen calendars. Proceeds for the fundraiser went to the new arena front. OPP released a composite sketch of a man wanted in connection with a hold-up at the Blyth Mini Mart. The man had entered the store and given the clerk a note demanding money. He kept his left hand in his pocket as if holding a weapon, but none was seen or mentioned. Donna Lynn Armstrong of Auburn won the D&D Glass Trophy for being Reserve Champion Dairy Showman at the Seaforth Fair. Carla Johnston, RR2, Bluevale took home from the county 4-H awards night, the Huron Holstein Club Award and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Award. Brussels Public School Principal Dave Kemp, along with Paul Elgie, a former English teacher at F.E. Madill and Mrs. Elgie, presented a play written by Mrs. Elgie in recognition of Huron County's 150th anniversary. The trio toured the county schools. Nov. 27, 1996 Bill and Gertie Kellington of Brussels celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.