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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2002-12-04, Page 4Looking Back Through the Years Is democracy dangerous? On the eve of the release of the long-awaited Romanow report into Canada's health system, the International Monetary Fund issued an extraordinary warning that the Canadian government should not plan to spend the money on health care that Romanow was likely to ask for. Earlier this week word leaked out that the Canadian government was being warned by Wall Street not to ratify the Kyoto Accord on reducing greenhouse gases or investment in Canada would dry up. If a referendum was held on whether to keep the Canadian government- supported health-care system an overwhelming majority of Canadians would vote in favour of our medicare system, even if it means raising taxes to do so. A similar agenda on support for Kyoto would also likely find a majority in support, even if the majority was thinner. But for many of the powerful people in the world these days, democracy is not to be trusted. The ordinary citizens do not know what's good for them. Yes they like medicare, but they'd be better off with the lower taxes free market health care would bring. Yes they like the idea of cleaning up the environment but they don't realize the cost of the clean-up. Whether through trade agreements or just through the power of international finance, these people have tried to curb the power of governments to act on the wishes of those ordinary people. They may support the concept of democracy but they don't trust the reality.— KR Letters to the Editor PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2002 Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Alan Young, Cindy Smale 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; S80.00/year in U.S.A. and $103/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 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 1HO NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca ocna CPCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council INIC;;31111 Facing reality on tax savings Somebody at the Huron County Library Board discovered a fast way to get the attention of Huron County council on the effect that holding the line on tax increases has meant. The board, an independent body that has no ability to raise money, voted to phase out paying maintenance grants on library buildings and put the money toward buying books. Those municipalities that have libraries were suddenly looking at the loss of thousands of dollars in their own budgets instead of the libraries being forced to try to squeeze more out of the same budget. Suddenly the reality of budgeting struck home: you can't expect more when you pay less. For most of the early part of the 1990s, councillors froze the Huron County tax rate. Along came downloading from the provincial government to shake up the situation and councillors realized there would have to be some tax increases so they agreed to tax hikes of up to three per cent. Since wages and salaries have been going up at about two per cent per year, however, the effect has been that rie money for spending on services, from books in the library to roads, has been reduced for the last decade. The library was particularly hard hit by downloading as provincial grants were wiped out, leaving the purchase of books and library supplies to absorb the difference between the money available in the county budget and growing operational expenses. Councillors also found out, however, that they were only able to retain the road improvements they sought, because of an error in the budget of that department that meant more was spent than was available. Budgeting for government services is a difficult balancing act for politicians. On one hand it's easy to keep staff happy by just raising taxes, but this doesn't encourage efficiency. On the other hand there's the temptation.AO keep taxpayers happy by keeping taxes low. This can force staff to be more efficient but there's a limit to how long it can go on without services suffering. Huron County is discovering the limits of squeezing government just as Canadians have with items like health care and military spending. In the long run, you get what you pay for. — KR THE EDITOR, The Huron Chapter of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario would like to express its support for the final report produced by the Romanow Commission on the Future of Health Care in Can- ada. The report provides intelligent, workable solutions for addressing many of the current and upcoming issues facing our health care system. The emphasis on increased access to primary health care, palliative care, home care and prescription drug coverage is most welcome. Of particular interest to the residents of this area is the recommendation to allocate dollars towards the improvement of the health of rural communities. In Huron County and throughout the province, the increasing shortage of health professionals is a major obstacle to the delivery of quality health care. The Romanow Commission's proposal for a Health Council of Canada to collect, analyze and regularly report information about the condition of the country's health care workforce should go along way towards ensuring that the chaos of the previous decade is replaced by effective planning of health human resources. We urge the prime minister and the government to move quickly to implement the recommendations of this report. Canadians want and deserve a sustainable, publicly- funded system • of medicare that delivers quality health care. Cathy Walker RN Communications Officer Huron Chapter-RNAO Dec. 8, 1960 Stewart Procter was elected reeve in Morris and William Elston, James Mair, William Shortreed and Ross Smith were chosen as councillors, Acclaimed in Grey Twp. were reeve Clifford Dunbar, CounCillors Archie Mann, Lawson Ward, Glenn Huether, Kenneth Bray and school trustees, Wm. H. Smith, Stanley Fischer and John Conley. Turkey bingo winners were Mrs. John McCutcheon, Garry Wilson, Mrs. Tom J. Leek, Mrs. Hugh Pearson, Mrs. Ray Bronson, Tom Willis, Phyllis Riley, Melville McCutcheon, Mrs. R. McLean, Allan Nichol, Ronnie Adams, Wayne Riley, Mary McCall, Mrs. Wilbur Turnbull, Norman Young, Mrs. William Thuell. The Brussels pipe band placed second in the band competition at the Seaforth Santa Claus parade. Dick Clark and Tuesday Weld • starred in Because They're Young, which was playing at Wingham's Lyceum Theatre. Two tins of solid white tuna sold for 65 cents at McCutcheon Grocery. Specials at Willis's included two tins of Kam for 57 cents, two 15-oz tins of Green Giant fancy peas for 35 cents, and two eight-bunce packages of figs for 27 cents. Just in time for Christmas shoppers Smith's Rexall Drug Store was selling "beautiful new brush, mirror and comb sets" priced at $3.50, $9.95 or $12.25. Dec. 2, 1987 Regular Wintario Lottery players had the chance to see if they won first hand when Wintario came to Blyth Memorial Hall. World-class figure skaters Kerrie Shepherd, RRI, Blyth and Peter MacDonald, RR2, Brussels placed first in their division at the Western Ontario sectional figure skating championships. Bea Houston was named president of the Huron yioneer Threshers Association. - Jerrod Button returned home after touring with the Blyth Festival's production of Another Season's Promise, from southern Ontario to Edmonton. New Blyth Beavers were Kevin Bernard, Ross Clark, Aaron Bakker, Jason Fidom, Russell Bromley, Allan Gibbons, Ryan Montgomery, Matthew Clark, Dean Wilson, Shane Hesch and Jamie Taylor. Dec. 6, 1989 Joan Van den Broeck was named chair of the Huron County Board of Education. Discovering and addressing the major strengths and weaknesses of Brussels was the first plan of action for the Brussels, Morris and Grey Industrial Committee in its development strategy. That previous summer a survey had been distributed in the community, which resulted in an 80 per cent response. The major concern in the business survey was a need for improvements to the storefronts. Housing was identified as the needed improvement in the residential survey. Cheryl Campbell of RR3, Blyth received several awards at the 4-H awards night: the club leader's award, the Robin Theedom Award for the champion 4-H horse showman at the Seaforth Fall Fair and the W-6 Quarter Horse trophy. The Bill Turnbull awards were presented to the county's swine club members with the highest scores, exhibiting Yorkshire pigs as their project. Margaret Cronyn, RR2, Blyth was first, while Greg Fritz, RR2, Brussels placed second. Sharon Ramsey, RR3, Blyth received the Huron Holstein Club Award and the A.Y. McLean memorial Trophy. The Murray Cardiff Citizenship Trophy was presented to Connie McClure of McKillop. Three Blyth firefighers, Don Craig, Jim Howson and Clarence Baillie, received 25 years pins from the Ontario Fire Marshall's office. On the new executive of the Brussels Optimist Club were Dave Stephenson, Kevin Deitner, Larry Bray, Gary Pipe, Mike Watson, Don Sholdice, Gary Elston, Pete Exel, Hugh Hanly. New Blyth Girl Guides were Erin Roulston, Tammy Vincent, Michelle Clarke, Joanne Josling, Skye Lantinga. Dec. 2, 1992 Locals among the 4-H awards night winners were Simone Bleeker, Amanda Wattam, Miranda MacDonald, Brian Sinclair, Debbie Rintoul, Jamie Thomas, Darlene Black. An all-star cast - Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, Ben Kingsley, Mary McDonnell, River Phoenix and Sidney Poitier appeared in Sneakers, showing at the Park Theatre in Goderich. Nov. 26, 1997 A gathering of concerned residents and teachers held a vigil to "mourn the death of democracy and public education in Ontario." Winners of the Blyth Legion Remembrance Day contest were Katelyn Linner, Mark Caldwell, Megan Lee, Kristen Oster, Sonya Shultz, Katie Cook, Darcey Cook. . Jacob Rouw, Jamie Lewis, Brianne Shultz, Rebecca Shultz, Rhys Plant. New Blyth Brownies were Corine Falconer, Jenny McDonald, Elizabeth Boone, Cailiegh Purcell. Whytni Ritchie. New Belgrave Guides were Amanda Dorsch, Lindsay Malhiot, Leanne Elston, Camerra Yuill.