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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2003-03-05, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2003. Editorials & Opinions What if there was no alternative? As we struggle through a cold, hard winter, most people in Huron County could agree this has not been a good winter for travelling. Perhaps it’s time to think about the consequences of adopting a lifestyle that makes winter travel essential. Think, for instance, what it would be like on one of the stormy days we’ve survived, if you had to drive 10 miles to get a loaf of bread or a prescription filled? This is the predicament we’ll find ourselves in if we continue to abandon our local merchants. Many people have convinced themselves they cannot do without shopping in a huge, nationally or internationally-owned big-box store, that the local merchants just don’t have the se’ection or the price that’s essential to the customers’ modern, urbanized lifestyle. Why shouldn’t we live like people in suburban London or Toronto, after all? But we don’t live in the suburbs of a city. We live in rural neighbourhoods and small villages and towns that were once self- sufficient entities. They were self-sufficient because travel was difficult at the best of times, impossible at the worst. In decades past there were many times when farmers had to walk to town to get food, or at least, in more modern times, take a snowmobile. Travel has improved much in the last decade, both because of gentler winters and improved road maintenance. It has allowed people to adopt a suburban lifestyle in which people travel 10 or 20 miles to suburban-type stores. Still there are times when travel is dangerous, if not impossible. At such times, people are happy to still have the local stores to fall back on. But you can’t starve a business of income for 50 weeks a year, then expect it to be there when you want it two weeks a year. Look at the main street of just about any town and village in the region and you can see the effect of adopting this suburban lifestyle. At the rate people have been abandoning their local main street merchants, there won’t be local stores to tum to in emergencies. There may be no alternative but to risk your life in the midst of a winter storm to drive to get a prescription filled or food for your family. We are voting for the death of our towns and villages with our shopping dollars. Just remember, there may be a price to pay for your choice. — KR The world as a schoolyard Someone recently compared the current diplomatic turmoil in the world to a schoolyard, and in many ways the comparison is apt. Anyone who can remember back to the rough justice of the schoolyard can remember similar situations. The U.S., for instance, is like the guy in the schoolyard who doesn’t like the actions of another student. He may have asked his enemy to stop and been rejected and eventually he has decided that only a fight will solve the problem. Canada and many other countries, on the other hand, are like members of a group of friends whose dominant member wants to do something they don’t agree with, but who are afraid to outwardly oppose the leader. They are in danger of doing what every parents hopes their child won’t do: go along with peer pressure against their better judgement. We like to think we grew up and left the schoolyard behind but only the consequences have grown. — KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, As the world hovers on the brink of yet another orgy of killing, I offer a modest proposal for peace. Let the current dispute between the U.S. Iraq be settled by means of a duel between Sadaam Hussein and George Bush. And maybe, each should be required to have one of his children accompany him. Let the opponents come to an agreement on weapons used - swords, pistols slung in Western gunslinger style, or perhaps even arm wrestling. This time-sanctioned way of settling disagreements over money or honour (for that is what this current fiasco is about: secure oil supplies for the U.S., and “wannabe macho” outlook on the part of both leaders) offers many advantages. First of all, the site of the duel would not be devastated, unlike what is likely to happen to an Iraq already reduced almost to Stone Age conditions. Second, hundreds of thousands of innocent bystanders would not be killed, unlike current projections for “collateral damage” in Iraq. And third, if the duel were fought fairly, according to well-established rules, there would be little likelihood of the injured side taking revenge, unlike the scenario that is coming, if Bush and Blair fan the flames of extremism/ fundamentalism further, alienating the Muslin world with their arrogance and bullying tactics. Let the winning party in this duel completely destroy any “weapons of mass destruction” that the other side possesses. Furthermore the losing side should be required by UN resolutions to pay out the money that it spent for weapons in the last decade, to rebuild the winning party’s devastated health and education systems. Worst case scenario with this proposal? That both Husein and Bush would be fatally injured. Would the world be any worse off? Brent Bowyer RR 2, Wingham. Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Alan Young, Patty Van der Meer 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.OO/year ($26.17 + $ 1.83 G.S.T.) in Canada; $80.00/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 Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. Publications Mail Reg. No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 40050141 P.O. Box 429, - BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca A°cna€s~A > Member of the Ontario Press Council ■■ZIEBB Looking Back Through the Years March 5,1958 John Bowman’s rink, including Sam Sweeney, Tom McDonald and Harold Thomas walked off with the Carling trophy at the Listowel bonspiel. A rink skipped by Bowman and Thomas was also a winner at the Wingham bonspiel. A dance featuring The Brunettes, “the sensational all girl orchestra” was being held at Brussels Town Hall. Mrs. M. Dennis was the special speaker at the United Church for the World Day of Prayer. The program was prepared by the women of Australia and the theme was Bread of Life. Taking part were Mrs. Wm. Speir, Mrs. Williams and Mrs. George Evan from the Presbyterian Church, Mrs. Fred Jewell, Mrs. George David and Mrs. R.W. Stephens from the Anglican Church and Mrs. Harold Thomas, Mrs. C. McFadden and Mrs. Lome Nichol from the United Church. A choir was made up of members from the three churches, accompanied by Mrs.'E. Martin. Playing on the weekend at the Capitol Theatre in Listowel was The Deerslayer, plus The Bowery Boys in Crashing Lost Vegas. Beginning the week was The Sea Wife with Joan Collins, a story about three men and a nun who are shipwrecked. “One of the most challenging stories of faith ever told.” March 7,1968 Dorothy Elliott, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Orrie Elliott of Brussels was top orator in the Lions regional public speaking competition. Two Brussels girls, Linda Wilson and Joan Elliott were winners of top honours in Legion public speaking. On sale at Stephenson’s Bakery and Grocery was three twin rolls of toilet tissue for 79 cents, lettuce for 17 cents a head, a pound of butter for 65 cents and 25 pounds of potatoes for 89 cents. At McCutcheon’s two 19-oz cans of pork and beans were selling for 47 cents, while one pound of coffee was 79 cents. March 7,1973 A picture in The Blyth Standard showed a picture of a young Toronto singer, Martin Short (formerly with Godspell) as the host of Right On! CBC-TV’s newest live music seires for young viewers. A second nuclear power station on Lake Huron was being considered with the site to be possibly between Bayfield and Goderich. NDP candidate Paul Carroll said that studies were being done for the project and Ontario Hydro chairman George Gathercole later confirmed the plans. He said the plant would duplicate the Bruce nuclear power development complex near Douglas Point. Capital costs involved in the purchase and planning of a farm near Westfield for a future wildlife area helped push the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority budget up $74,000. The Needlecraft Shoppe was selling dresses for $19.95, while coats and toppers were selling from $19.95 to $45. March 2,1988 Canadian gold medal ice dancer Peter MacDonald was one of five outstanding citizens of Grey Twp. honoured at the Celebration ‘88 pageant. He received the medal as most outstanding male athlete, while his mother Faye MacDonald was chosen as the most outstanding coach in the community. Ruth Struthers was selected most outstanding female athlete while Max Demaray was selected as the most outstanding official. Bruce McCall was named most outstanding sponsor. Walton The Citizen P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG I HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 Women’s Institute received a certificate of merit as did Annie Engel the Cranbrook correspondent. Hullett and Blyth public schools’ speak-off winners were Kimberley Richmond, Christy Scott and Rhonda Howatt, Mark Livermore, Tammi Medd and Kim Salverda. March 3,1993 The awards were kept in the Young family at the Blyth Optimist Club meeting when Alan Young, secretary-treasurer and his wife Brenda, past president, were honoured for their work with the club. Brenda led the club to several awards, including the zone competition for top gain in membership. Also, the club’s project, The Great Pumpkin Caper, won the district competition and was entered in the international contest. Joe Zehr won first runner-up at the eighth annual Auctioneer Association of Ontario competition. Speak-off winners at Brussels and Grey were Konrad Wemham, Justin Ruttan, Becky Rapson, Joanne Van Keulen. March 1,1995 After netting about $60 from the Brussels Variety, in a bold daylight robbery, the police believed the thief then hit a store in Kitchener. First-place winners from the Blyth-Hullett speak-off were Teaguen Onn, Graham Worsell, Charlotte Worsell. March 4,1998 Many were asking what happened to winter. Local weatherman Boyd Taylor said the temperature throughout February was on average 5.5°C warmer than other years, with only trace amounts of snow. Grey’s road superintendent said the location and size of the stop signs at the Ethel comer needed to be improved. Brussels Juveniles were WOAA champs.