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The Citizen, 2003-03-19, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2003. Editorials & Opinions Do you care enough to get mad? The Ontario Conservative government under Premier Ernie Eves last week decided to test just how much Ontarians really care about the trappings of democracy when they decided to deliver the 2003 provincial budget, not in the Ontario Legislature as usual, but before the television cameras at a time when the legislature isn’t even sitting. Party strategists apparently felt ignoring the tradition of reading the budget in the legislature, where the opposition could ask difficult questions, was something that would upset only the opposition politicians and the media — not you, the ordinary voter. They probably didn’t figure on Gary Carr, the speaker of the legislature and a Conservative MPP, who exploded on hearing the news, saying it was one more example of the premier’s office ignoring the elected representatives. The MPPs might as well go home and let the premier’s office run things, Carr said. Perhaps ignoring the legislature is a logical extension of the trend of this government since Mike Harris first took office. Throughout that time politicians have become a problem to be dealt with. There were to be fewer MPPs, with representation matching the federal riding boundaries. The number of school trustees was to be reduced by amalgamating boards. When municipal amalgamations were taking place, the government sent out press releases boasting how many fewer politicians there would be. So how much more efficient could we be if we got to the point where we have only an election for premier: the winning candidate to govern, aided by his or her trusted advisors. Think of the savings of ridding the province of all those unnecessary MPPs and the expense of running the Legislature. In fact the only thing more efficient would be not having an election at all — but then that would be a dictatorship. This trend toward an executive form of government is not restricted to Queen’s Park. Earlier this year backbench Liberals in Ottawa rebelled against the continued concentration of power in the prime minister’s office. Will anybody care about Premier Eves’s contempt of the legislature in not delivering the budget in the provincial parliament? The premier’s advisors have been right before in their cynical view that the voters don’t really care. Until you, the voter does stand up and object, we’ll continue to see an erosion of democracy at both the provinci^Land federal level.— KR Pray that George is right Now that U.S. President George W. Bush has gone beyond the point of debate and will attack Iraq, our only hope is to pray he will prove himself right and all those who thought he was wrong are wrong themselves. Pray innocent civilians won’t pay the price of ridding Iraq of their dict­ ator Pray that peace and democracy are the result, not more enemies for the U.S. and other western nations. Pray the U.S. and British authorities are right that victory can be swift and casualties among their own people minimal. There’s nothing to be gained by saying, “I told you so.” — KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, Prove to me that President Bush’s proposal to wage war on Iraq is not about oil, and I will organize a golf game for the president with a Coca- Cola execuiive who believes that Pepsi is the preferred drink. In the late 1990s, Mr. Dick Cheney, Mr. Donald Rumsfeld and a like-minded group of right-wing global entrepreneurs drafted, Project for the New American Century. In this document, they outlined their plans for American control of Iraq and, hence, its oil fields. Recently declassified U.S. state documents reveal that in 1998, Cheney, Rumsfeld and friends wrote to Newt Gingrich, then Speaker of the House. The letter stated, “We should establish and maintain a strong U.S. military presence in the region and be prepared to use that force to protect our vital interests in the Gulf.” The vital interest to which they refer is Iraq’s oil. Recently-published research by Jeremy Rifkin in Hydrogen Economy, reveals the following data on oil reserves. In this document, Rifkin looks at the ratio of oil reserves to oil production, i.e., the number of years that oil reserves will last according to present rates of extraction. In the U.S.A., where more than 60 per cent of the recoverable oil has already been produced, the ratio is 10:1. In Canada, it is 8:1. In Iran, it is 53:1, in Saudi Arabia, it is 55:1, in the United Arab Emirates, it is 75:1, but in Iraq, it is 526:1. Despite these numbers, Mr. Bush still expects us to believe that his proposed war is about liberating Iraqis and not about liberating oil fields for American control. Before Mr. Bush and his hawkish, oil-loving power mongers proceed with their colonialization plans for Iraq, they should heed the words of Winston Churchill, “Never, never, never believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that, once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events.” As a recent caller to a CBC phone- in said, “If Iraq’s main export was cabbages, there would be no war.” If only Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney were addicted to cabbages, if only. Yours truly, Jim Hoilingworth, M.D. Member, Physicians for Global Survival. 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 $28.00/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 jpcna ^cna Member of the Ontario Press Council Looking Back Through the Years March 19,1958 Mr. Rock and Roll starring Allan Fried and Rocky Graziano was playing at the Regent Theatre in Seaforth. Specials at Rutledge Grocery were: two tins of sockeye salmon for 85 cents; two tins of niblet com for 35 cents; two 20-oz tins of pork and beans for 37 cents, cake mixes for 35 cents and solid light tuna for 25 cents. Sports coats with matching trousers were selling at Grant Shoes and Men’s Wear for $35. The weekend feature at Listowel’s Capitol Theatre was Gun for a Coward, starring Fred MacMurray and Dorothy Malone. March 21,1968 A front page story in The Brussels Post talked about a hockey game between Brussels and Six Nations. The question posed was what was coaching all about. This game provided the answer. A closely- matched contest which ended 6-5 for the visitors, the coaches said they could see that the boys knew “what it was all about”. What? “Maybe you know already and maybe you’ll never know. But when you finally find out you’ll have a tear in your eye for the boundless joy of the victors and a smile on your face for the gallant attempts of the losers.” Team members were Gerald Wheeler, Allan Cardiff, Roger Humphries, Rickey McDonald, Randy Cousins, Hugh Nichol, Peter Gibson, John Elliott, Brian Work, Blaine McCutcheon, Robert Stephenson, Doug Smith, Darrell Bauer, Lloyd Vallance, Don Workman. Coach was Al Nichol. Winners of the IOOF hockey game draw were: Neil McTaggart, Peggy Dunbar, Tom McFarlane. On sale at McCutcheon Grocery was five jars of Aylmer jam for 99 cents, sockeye salmon for 55 cents; two 14-oz tins of kernel com for 39 cents. Stephenson’s Bakery and Grocery was selling Miracle Whip for 39 cents, three boxes of Kleenex for 89 cents and three 48-oz tins of tomato juice for 89 cents. March 21,1973 Jack Riddell piled up a 3,000 vote majority in Huron’s by-election to complete one of the biggest political turnarounds in the county’s political history. Conservative candidate Don Southcott charges that the election campaign was the “dirtiest he’d ever seen.” In a front page article in The Exeter Times-Advocate, which Southcott owned with hs brother, the candidate charged that the only newspaper which seemed interested in printing his side of the issues was his. Similar charges came from Charles McNaughton, the former MPP for the riding. He said the opposition parties had played on people’s fear of regional government and by exaggerating this fear may have done a disservice. He claimed the issues had not been fairly presented by the media. March 16,1988 International figure skating pairs champions Kevin Wheeler and Michelle Menzies and national dance stars Peter MacDonald and Kerrie Shepherd were the guest skaters at the Brussels Figure Skating Club’s carnival Toys on Ice. Reconstruction of Hwy 4 between Blyth and Wingham was set to begin in 1989-90. Grey Twp. Reeve Leona Armstrong and her council were angry and said they were going to start getting tough with people who did not abide by the regulations in using the township landfill site. There were several incidents in the beginning of the month of people dumping livestock carcasses in the wood and wood products trench. The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 E- P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca Blyth Tykes brought home the Lucknow tournament championship. Team members were Corey Shannon, Darryl Bromley, Scott Bromley, Michael Ansley, Jason Badley, Jamie Black, Amanda Anderson, Michael Courtney, Stephen Bernard, Jeff Johnston, David Craig, Michael Haggitt, Chris Carter. Cliff Coultes, a teacher at Listowel District Secondary School and long-time East Wawanosh resident volunteered to co-ordiante the township’s history book. March 17,1993 EMA became Brussels IGA. A replica of a 1913 Ford Model T delivery truck, used by J.M Schneider in the early 1900s placed in the newly constructed IGA gave shoppers a chance to see a little history. The Blyth Bantams claimed the WOAA crown. Helen Lee sewed together a quilt made of pieces autographed by the pupils and staff of Hullett Central Public School as part of Heritage Day activities. Members of St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church turned the sod, using an old plough to commemorate that the congreation was building a new church. Moxy Friivous played in Blyth. March 18,1998 Devon Josling was principal for a day at Brussels Public School after winning a draw. After years of planning and preparation, construction of a new walking park in Belgrave would soon be underway. The Belgrave Kinsmen were creating a respite area, Memory Lane project on the site of the old hotel and the adjacent south lot. Megan Teeft and Justine King were top winners of the Brussels- Grey Legion speak-off.