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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-06-28, Page 4PAGE 4, THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28, 2000 Editorials & Opinions Publisher, 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 $27.OO/year ($25.24 + $1 76 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 Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs Publications Mail Reg. No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 1374990 The Citizen PO. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 RO. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com xocna <3na Member of the Ontario Press Council Big costs compared to savings As communities move toward amalgamation the prediction of many that the cost of the process might outweigh the gains already seems to be coming true. The North Huron transition committee, for instance, has estimated the cost of disbanding Blyth, Wingham and East Wawanosh and setting up the new municipality could reach nearly $ 1 million. Savings, on the other hand, could be $351,000 a year. Since part of the $1 million cost is the disbanding of the Wingham police department (at $250,000), a cost that would have been necessary whether or not amalgamation took place, there's the hope that in three years time some savings might be realized. That's a hope, though. In three years time things may have changed — they ve had a habit of doing that kind of thing in regional governments in the past. For instance, as government units get bigger, unions often organize workers who weren't organized before. That can drive up costs. In the meantime, taxpayers can only hope the transition committee moves cautiously when it comes to housing the new municipality's municipal offices. With predictions that there will be more amalgamations in the future, spending a lot of money on a new headquarters now would seem foolish. In this age of modern communications surely the staff could get by spread out in two or more offices for the short run until the future is a little more certain. — KR A noble attempt The Alliance Party has been taking some criticism over problems with its attempt, this past weekend, to give every member a vote in the election of its new party leader, but the new system just might herald the future direction of democracy. There are those in the media who have predicted problems and corruption in a one-member, one-vote system and for them there was confirmation in the scandal of the Tom Long campaign signing up Quebec members who didn't even know they were members. Opinions of Parliament Hill political pundits, however, should be taken at less than face value. While the Reform Party, and now the Alliance, has always believed in a direct democracy, reporters and columnists who cover the Ottawa scene can see their role being diminished by such a system. Their job now is to ferret out the trends in Ottawa by using personal contacts within the parties, then telling the rest of us what’s going on. But if ordinary people across the country are voting on issues, reporters in Ottawa no longer have a special connection. Most pundits, for instance, predicted Preston Manning would win the party leadership. With a run-off vote still to go. Manning trails Stockwell Day. The impressive thing is the Alliance had 126,000 people voting in the leadership vote Saturday. It heralds a future when all of us might get to vote on all important issues. 1 hat won't necessarily lead to good decisions. Our current system was set up with the ideal that intelligent, wise people would represent our best interests. It v\e all get to vote, we'll need new safeguards to prevent emotion and mob mentality from causing irreparable harm. — KR Looking Back Through the Years Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, It is with considerable sadness that we learned of the tragic deaths of Wade Simmons and Henricki Foerster in the boating incident near Tobermory. These deaths might have been prevented had the young people been wearing life jackets or personal floatation devices (PFDs). The fact that the law states we are not obliged to do so sends a misleading and possibly fatal message. This contributes to the public’s false sense (insecurity sometimes leading to death. One can no more easily strap on a life jacket when one is thrown unsuspectingly into the water than one can strap on a seatbelt in the middle of a car crash. It is not acceptable to adopt the position of the individual quoted in The Toronto Star who says there was nothing that could have been done, or could be done in the future, to prevent such a loss from occurring again. There was and is a solution. Wear a life jacket or PFD at all times. In order to appreciate just how important this singular item might be one needs to understand some of the physiological effects of sudden cold water immersion. According to a paper prepared for the Royal Navy in England by Dr. M.J. Tipton, MSC, PHD and presented to the Canadian Safe Boating Council in April of this year, these effects often begin with an involuntary gasp of two to three litres of air followed by uncontrollable hyperventilation which can involve the intake of water and /or initial cardiovascular responses which result in incapacitation. Given this, it was found that 60 per cent of annual open water immersion deaths in the UK occurred within three miles of a safe refuge, and two thirds of those who died were regarded as “good swimmers.’’ The good news is that there are manufacturers who are creating very sophisticated and affordable PFDs tailor-made for specific activities which address some of these concerns. The public is well advised to seek them out. Lorccna McKennitt Cook-Rees Memorial Fund for Water Search and Safety. June 25, 1975 The second of three Blyth Opportunities for Youth groups began their project laying plans for a summer recreation program. Members were Cathy Madill, Jeanne Pattison, Kim Watson, Robin McAdam and Don Reid. Susan Street of Blyth took part in the Pro-Life Walkathon in Goderich. She raised $150 in pledges. The second issue of The Rural Voice, a new farm publication went into the mail this week. The Huron-Perth separate school board paid $29,765 for office renovations. Londesboro’s Cheerio Club marked its 30th anniversary. - At Brownie’s Drive-in Roger Moore was 007 in The Man with the Golden Gun. Jim Schaefer had a year’s growth of hair which he had sported before he took a job with the Blyth Summer Festival lopped off. The hair had to be cut for his part in Mostly in Clover and The Mousetrap. June 27, 1990 Rain couldn't damped the enthusiasm for Blyth’s first Rutabaga Festival as nearly every event attracted more participation than anticipated. Dorothy L. Thornton, RR1, Bluevale won The Citizen’s Canada Day essay contest. Mel McCutcheon of Brussels was installed as District Deputy Grand Master for District 8 of the Oddfellows. A self defense course geared to woman was being offered in Brussels Shauna Dane and Troy Hamilton won the Brussels Lions’ elimination draw grand prize of $2,500. Fujihiko Yoshino of Japan, his wife Kazue and son Yusuke visited with George and Elizabeth Procter of RR5, Brussels. Mr. Yoshino stayed with the Procters 23 years earlier as part of an agricultural exchange program and returned to Canada to attend a meeting in Calgary as the vice-president of the International Agricultural Exchange Association. The Red Shield Appeal for the Salvation Army raised nearly $4,000 in the Blyth and Brussels areas and $13,600 in the area served by the Wingham citadel. The Blyth Lions campaign raised $1,837 while Doug Purdy, who conducted the campaign in the Brussels area collected $2,093. Several boys received yellow belts in jujitsu: Steve Machan, Jesse Hutchins, Jonathan Trollop. Jeremy Clark, Kent Brittain, Scott Clarkson, Mike Seili and Cory Smith. Andrea Henry and Katrina Somers staffed Blyth’s visitor’s booth for the summer. Cutting the ribbon at the new Cranbrook library were Bill Vanstone, chairman of the library board. Grey Reeve Leona Armstrong, County Warden Lionel Wilder and Harold Bragg, chairman of the Cranbrook Hall board. June 28, 1995 Graduates of the senior Brussels playschool were Ryan Jutzi, Travis Jutzi, Kari Bell, Zack Hoegy, Andrew Baker, Sara Baker, Lacey McArter, Shane Gibson, Kristen McArter. Kiley Deitner, Kyle Griffiths, Laura Bowers, Nicole Williamson, Josh Thalen, Tommy Cronin and Joseph Kerkhof. Several member of the Belgrave Guides moved on to Pathfinders. They were Tania Pletch, Julie Hopper, Candice Irwin, Holly Pfeiffer, Courtney McGee and Peggy Procter. The staff and students of Blyth Public School bid farewell to long­ time teacher Betty Battye, who had taught at Blyth for 28 years.