Loading...
The Citizen, 2003-05-28, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2003. Editorials & Opinions 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 The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.ncrthhuron.on.ca Member of the Ontario Press Council Scapegoats again With an election looming, the strategists behind Premier Ernie Eves seem to think he can get re-elected by beating up once again on municipal politicians and teachers. The idea of picking on teachers by banning strikes has obvious potential for political gain, even if no teachers are striking right now. After all, nobody likes strikes, particularly when they disrupt the lives of parents. Making the municipal politicians villains, however, seems a stretch. The platform of the Progressive Conservatives which calls for municipalities to have to hold a referendum before they could raise taxes is a recipe for disaster. First of all, it would slow down municipal political decision-making because councils would have to leave time to hold a vote. Secondly, it will add cost because referenda don’t come cheap. Thirdly, many of the increased costs municipalities face which lead to tax increases are as a result of downloading of services from the provincial government. So what happens if the province mandates that a municipality must provide a public service but the taxpayers refuse to approve the tax increase that service will require? The sheer arrogance of the current provincial government is mind- boggling. They know better than school board trustees how to run local schools. They know better than municipal leaders how to run municipalities. They even tell the the federal government how it should be running international affairs. Obviously we should abolish provincial elections and just appoint Mr. Eves omnipotent emperor. — KR The cost of international trade Everywhere you look these days, the consequences of living in a shrinking world smack us in the face. Canada’s farming community is in economic chaos since the discovery last week of one cow in northern Alberta suffering with Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, (Mad Cow Disease). It’s not because people have suddenly stopped eating beef, it’s that a huge proportion of cattle raised in Canada are exported and no other country will allow our cattle or beef to enter so the sudden surplus of beef has driven prices down. Meanwhile Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) apparently emerged in remote Guandong province in China where a rare animal called a civet cat (not a real cat) carries the disease but passed it to humans who think it’s a delicacy. Now the disease is ruining the economy of Toronto because of international travel. Ontario’s ash trees are now endangered by another Chinese import, the Emerald ash borer, thought to have entered in packing materials. Our ability to circle the world in hours seems miraculous. We can have goods from any comer of the globe. But there’s a price for everything, and often it s paid by those who didn’t get the benefit of the trade.— KR Letters to the Editor Looking Back Through the Years THE EDITOR, It is with great sorrow that I am writing this letter. Last week, my son’s dirt bike was stolen from our bam. It was a 2003 Suzuki RM85, yellow and black. At first thought you might think that it is no big deal because insurance will cover it. Much to our surprise, insurance does not cover the bike as it is a racing bike and is valued at over $5,000. Because of its value, the thief would be sentenced to time in a federal penitentiary. Accessories to the crime could also be punished. To buy this bike, my 13-year-old son has cleaned chicken barns, picked stones, cut grass, raked leaves and any other job someone would give to a child. The bike was not given to him and he even pays for his own races. We have no sponsorship - the bike was paid for out of hard labour. Not so to the person who took it. Obviously a very lazy person as they felt they did not deserve to work for something - rather the world owes it to them to have this bike for free. How do I explain this to my child much less understand it myself? If this person is caught, I personally would like the punishment to be this: work in a chicken bam, pick stones, rake leaves, cut grass - for 40 hours a week for the next 25 weeks, rain or shine, and all the pay you earn would go towards replacing the stolen bike. I feel that this would have more of an impact than any jail time. However, the thought of this person locked in 10X10 cell for 23 hours a day with no contact to the outside world does have some appeal. When all is said and done, my son is out over $5,000 and the only sport in the world that he lives, breathes and sleeps is now out of his reach. And...there is no lesson to learn other than there are very unscrupulous people in the world with no morals or values-such a surprise. The Canadian Motocross Association is offering a $200 reward for information that leads to the conviction of the person responsible for the theft and our family is willing to match this. If you see or hear anything, please call 888-310-1122 or 524-8314. This could happen to you or someone you know. If the person responsible for the theft is reading this, and you return the bike in the same shape you “found” it, there will be no questions asked. However, if you chose not to return the bike, when you are caught, punishment is out of our hands. Tammy King. May 28,1958 An enthusiastic meeting with a good representation of ratepayers, members of the school board and Brussels council was held to discuss the possibility of building a new school. Gordon Stephenson, chairman of the school board presided. Inspector Kinkead explained that the current building, constructed in 1893, required renovations that could prove to be a greater burden on taxpayers than would the construction of a new school. Estimates were set at $25,000 to $35,000. While a portion would be eligible for grants, a large amount of the bill would fall on taxpayers. As a renovated building, the maintenance costs would exceed those of a new school. An architect’s estimate of a new four-room school, and the purchase of land was $74,900. Sheriff’s cake mixes were selling at Rutledge Grocery for 31 cents. Playing through the weekend at Listowel’s Llashmar Drive-in Theatre was Drango, starring Jeff Chandler, Julie London and Joanne Dru. At the Capitol Theatre it was Robert Taylor and John Cassovites in Saddle in the Wind. Seaforth’s Regent Theatre had Joe Dakota with Jack Maloney and Luana Patten. Specials at Smith’s Rexall Drug Store included Hudnut’s new quick home permanent for $2. With this purchase buyers received a 75 cent bottle of egg creme shampoo free. May 30,1968 Robert Stanfield, national leader of the Progressive Conservative Party along with his wife, visited the Huron riding to address a full-scale rally in the auditorium of Wingham Public School. Ray Hemingway, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hemingway, received the trophy for the highest score in the swine section of the Huron County livestock judging competition. Tuberculosis was not a medical problem in Huron County. Norma Lytle of the Ontario Toronto TB Association said that Huron had four cases in 1966 and no deaths. This compared to 5,254 cases in Canada the same year with 609 deaths and 1,414 in Ontario with 132 deaths'. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Huron County Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases Association, Mrs. Lytle stressed continued education programs aimed at young and older persons to keep TB in check. Gordon Ross and the Lamp Lighters appeared at the New American Hotel’s Rainbow Room. Clint Eastwood was starring in The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, at Brownie’s Drive-in in Clinton. June 1,1988 Although the next federal election was little more than a gleam in a politician’s eye, a St. Helens area­ farmer declared himself a candidate for the New Democratic Party. Tony McQuail, joined Norma Peterson of Kincardine, who had also declared her intention. The grassroots organization Rural Dignity, whose mandate is to save Canada’s ^,000 rural and small community post offices from extinction made a stop in Blyth. Sue Wilson joined the staff of The Citizen as an advertising representative. A group of parents whose children would be entering kindergarten at Brussels Public School in the fall objected to the fact that the classroom was being moved. At issue was the fact that the kindergartens would not have their own washrooms or private entrance outside. Leading the protest were Elwin and Linda Garland. Brother and sister Wayne and Audrey Bos were the third and second-place winners respectively in the senior 4-H judging competition held in Brussels. First place was Paul Coultes. Fred Peel was top intermediate judge while another local, Margaret Cronyn, finished third. Novice winners were Steve Fritz, first; Carla Johnston, second and Patrick Hallahan, third. May 26, 1993 A thunderstorm caused a five-hour power failure in Blyth and Belgrave as well as for some residents of East Wawanosh and Morris Twps. Students at East Wawanosh Public School presented Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Beck VanCamp played the role of Joseph. May 27, 1998 Major changes to the university entrance procedures resulted in an earlier application deadline as well as mid-March notice with respect to conditional offers of admission. With the early deadline, universities would be looking at marks in the earlier secondary school grades rather than just OAC. A break-in was reported at a Brussels residence. The thief absconded with an assortment of ladies’ clothes. Antoine Ouellette, an importer from Toronto, began renovations at two downtown Brussels buildings. With the 54th anniversary of D- Day, Bob Potter of Londesboro put his extensive display of war memorabilia on exhibit at his home. In 10 years of sheep farming Carol and Terry Jamieson of RR1, Belgrave had never witnessed such an event. A ewe gave birth to four lambs, a rare occurrence for a Suffolk-Dorset cross. The Blyth Optimist Club held a hot dog day to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network Telethon.