Loading...
The Citizen, 2001-12-05, 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 $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 © Copyright We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publicotions 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. BLYTH, Ont. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1HO NOG I HO Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuronescsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca ocn. a € +CNA,0". Member of the Ontario Press Council .2311111 I rea11,9 want to see you, Lord Real=!) want to be with you, but it takes so Ions, my Lord 1\4,9 Sweet Lord... George Harrison 1943 -2001 I.A. Nespolon anthnesp@wincom.net Looking Back Through the Years Dec. 6, 1950 • G.N. Underwood was re-elected reeve of Turnberry Twp. by a five vote margin, defeating John V. Fischer. Elected to council were Herbert Foxton, Robert A. Powell,- W.J. Willets and T.H. Abram. Effective Jan. 1, a notice stated, subscription rates for The Brussels Post would increase to $2 per year for Canada and the United Kingdom and $2.50 for the United States and foreign countries. Convenors for' the Majestic WI Christmas bazaar and tea were: Mrs. J.S. Armstrong, tea room; Mrs. C. Lake, aprons; Mrs. Wilbur Turnbull, miscellaneous; Mrs. A. Lane, touch and take; Mrs. F. Nichol, vegetables and fruit; Mrs. E. Cbdmore, baking. There was to be a turkey bingo sponsored by the Brussels Legion in the Town Hall. Fifteen games could be played for $1. Dec. 9, 1981 Marie Button was the first customer to lay down cash to take a chunk out of Harold Ferguson's beard. The cause was the Blyth Lions Christmas charity fund and patrons were invited to buy a shave off Harold's fine salt and pepper beard. The fundraiser brought in $125. For every dollar raised Mr. Ferguson donated $1 up to $50. Sharon Altman, Lucknow, and Susan Pollock, Auburn received • advanced honours at the 4-H achievement night. The girls completed 18 clubs. Thirteen clubs were represented at the Auburn Hall for their 4-H achievement. Completing six clubs were: Lori Charter, Lisa MacDonald, Lynn MacDonald, Janny Greidanus, Christine Stapleton, Nellis Roest, Tracy Gregg, Jennifer Fuller, Margaret McWhinney, Glenyce Mcainchey, Margaret Vanderlinde, Margaret Schoemaker, Lisa Dougherty. The Blyth PeeWee .A squad extended its unbeaten streak to five games.. Blyth Variety and The Kitchen Cupboard was selling women's quilted robes for $14-$18, Dec. 3, 1986 The Brussels Lions made donations to: Walton Sports Club, $1,000; $325, Brussels Santa Claus parade; $500, Brussels Figure Skating Club, Blyth Lions inducted three new members: Brock • Hasty, Steve Howson and Rainer Sauer. Blyth Legion presented a cheque of $1,000 to the Londesboro Lions Back the Biter fund. Brussels Lions also gave $1,000. Four employees of the Huron County road department were honoured at a banquet for years of service. A surprise presentation was made to engineer Bob Dempsey by Joe Hallahan of Blyth and Dale Edgar of RR3, Wingham, on behalf of the Road Employees Association. The Association also presented .a gift to Bruce Smith of Blyth on his retirement, Henry Hendriks, RR6, Goderich, Auburn garage road foremen received his 30-year service pin, while Joe Steffler, Walton, Auburn garage shop foreman and dangerous goods driving instructor was given a pin for 15 years of service. Members of the Clinton Community Credit Union elected its executive for the new term. They were: Keith Tyndall, vice-president; John Lavis, president; Ernie Williams, secretary; Tom Eadie, Ray Garon, Gerry Fergusson and Mason Bailey, directors. Debbie Craig, Blyth, received a framed certificate to mark five years of service as a leader in the Blyth III 4-H club. Dec. 4, 1991 Morgan Murray was Huron County Dairy Princess. Brussels skater Kevin Wheeler and his free-skate partner Michelle Menzies of Preston left for Japan to compete in an international competition. Bea Dawson was the new chair of the Huron County board of education. Vice-Chair was Graeme Craig, trustee of McKillop and SeaThrth. Executive members for the Blyth and District Optimist Club were: Pat Brigham, Elaine Brown, Lance Bearss, Fred deBoer, Brenda Young, Alan Young, Jim Phelan, Jeff Peters, Murray Siertsema, Laurie Sparling. New directors for the Huron Pioneer Thresher Association were: Mike Andrews, Leonard Phillips, Lloyd Josling, Joe Hallahan, Jeff Thomson, Gordon Radford, Gary Courtney, Jack van Egmond, Gordon Gross. Ray Hallahan was president. Dec. 4, 1996 Students of F.E. Madill's Drama Guild were rehearsing for their fifith Performance Showcase. It was a day of looking towards the future as Blyth welcomed a new physician to the village. After months of searching, Blyth council, with the persistance of Clerk-Treasurer John Stewart secured the services of Dr. Daniel Rooyakkers from Seaforth. Audrey Cardiff received her award as Brussels and area Citizen of the Year, from The Citizen's board member Sheila Richards. New Brussels Guides were: Jessica Longlade, Justine King, Tara Martin, Paige Steep, Candice Ross, Heather Little, Melissa Wilbee, Laura Armstrong, Sarah Longlade. Melissa Souch, Jaclyn Stafford, Joy Arnold, Carolyn Exel, Kelly Coulter. PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2001 Editorials & Opinions Just say no If someone wants you to do something you think is wrong and you go ahead and do it anyway, are you just as much to blame as the person who asked you to do what is wrong? Anyone who had a mother knows the answer to that one. But in the grown-up world, things don't seem as clear-cut. Currently trustees of the Avon Maitland District School Board are considering closing up to a dozen schools because the provincial government's funding formula creates a shortage of money as a result of too much empty space in too many schools. Most trustees don't believe in the funding formula and they don't like what they're doing, but they're doing it anyway because they say they have no choice. Up in Grey-Bruce, however, the Bluewater District School Board decided to defy the provincial regulation that forbids them to run a deficit. They say the high transportation costs in their rural area which aren't properly supported by government funding, make it impossible for them to balance the budget without lowering the education standards for their students. In doing so, the trustees risk ha-v ing the government come in and take over the school board but they're willing to take that chance. It's an option the Avon Maitland trustees should consider strongly. The trustees are people who care deeply about education and they probably fear what the province might do if they took over the board, but if you gut the system yourself, what worse could the government do? We've already been through this kind of action in the name of fear once before. Worried about what the province might do, local municipal politicians created amalgamated municipalities based on the model they thought the province wanted. We ended up with some municipalities that just may not work in the long run. But areas around Toronto said they wanted no part of amalgamation and the government, fearful of losing support, backed off. With so many areas of Huron and Perth Counties affected by the possible closures, trustees would have overwhelming support for such an act of civil disobedience. With the government low in the polls, it will be more sensitive than in the past to alienating voters by using brute force. It takes great courage for these trustees to go to meetings and face the wrath of parents and taxpayers by telling them their schools are being closed. Perhaps some of that courage should be used in standing up to the provincial government and challenging them to take on the job of closing the schools themselves if they want it so badly. — KR All men are created equal? We all say we believe in the equality of mankind, but in reality we don't. That's become evident in the way we put value on the deaths of victims of terrorism. The life of a single person on our side of events carries a greater impact than the lives of dozens lost on the other side. In the Middle East this past weekend, the deaths of 26 people in a series of grisly suicide bombings has galvanized the Israeli people to support — no demand — retaliation. The U.S. and other western countries who previously urged moderation on the government of Israel, have stepped back and basically said "go ahead, do what you must". There's no doubt that the killings were terrible, evil acts perpetrated against innocent civilians. They're inexcusable. But if it's possible to be objective at a time like this, one should also look at the other side. How many innocent people have been killed by Israeli government reprisals in the past? How many civilians have been killed in government-sanctioned assassinations of Palestinian leaders? In the body count since the current uprisings began, far more Palestinians than Israelis have been killed — but they don't count as much: Similarly we in the West are still traumatized by the events of Sept. 11. The death toll has now been revised downward to fewer than 4,000 people but that's still a terrible number of innocent victims. Yet every day innocent people in Afghanistan are dying and we shrug and go on with our lives. There are predictions that hundreds of thousands of Afghans could starve to death, yet we don't interrupt our Christmas shopping to think of helping out. North Americans continue to raise billions of dollars to help the victims of Sept. I 1 but there are few projects to raise money for people starving in Afghan refugee camps. We say we live in a global village but we're far from it: Until we realize the life of each human, wherever he or she lives, is precious, we'll continue to live among evil in the world. — KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, It is important to recogpize the The Ontario Lung Association many faces of the disabled. People applauds Ontario municipalities for with respiratory disorders are often having recently legislated a new scorned because they don't look bylaw setting a fine of $5,000 to disabled, even though they display a levy against those who park in disabled parking permit .in their disabled parking spots, but are not vehicle. Because of their breathing themselves disabled. Continued on page 5