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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-09-20, Page 4PAGE 4, THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 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 $27.00/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 P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Opt. NOM 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 jpcna <*cna Member of the Ontario Press Council What’s the priority? Listen to people grumble and complain about taxes and it’s no wonder that politicians think the priority of government should be to cut costs. Try to cut services, however, and the people affected suddenly discover the value of government. In Huron County, for instance, the attempt to cut the number of ambulance stations from six to four has caused a storm of controversy. Those in southern portions of the county see the number of stations in their area dropping and their main concern becomes, not any possible tax savings, but a perceived threat to their lives because of longer response times. The consultant for the county points out few ambulance calls are actually so critical that a few minutes getting there will make a life-and- death difference, but people living in the area see the possibility of themselves or a loved one not getting needed attention and they wonder, how much is a life worth? So what’s a government to do to cut costs and not get people upset? How about cutting something less visible? People seldom complain about cutting the number of government employees, so why not make things more efficient by slashing the government payroll. How about the environment staff? And then a Walkerton happens and the government is blamed because there should have been enough inspectors around to catch the problem before people died from E.coli. Millions of taxpayers’ dollars were saved in cutbacks. Six people died. How much is a human life worth? The drive to cut taxes is putting governments in the same position of making cold calculated risk-vs.-cost-saving decisions that have brought companies like Firestone under such heavy criticism. These companies have, at times, decided it was cheaper to pay settlements to victims rather than fix a problem that might risk lives. That’s the way the free market works. Only when victims and survivors sue and receive large enough settlements to endanger the company, will the value of a human life become large enough. Of course it’s a little late for those who died. We see the tax dollars coming out of our paycheques or bank balances every week and every year. We see the benefits of those tax dollars far more seldom. We may not see what our tax dollars have bought at all until there’s an emergency like a heart attack, an accident or an environmental crisis. By then we may not care much about the tax dollars we saved earlier. We as voters need to do some thinking about what our priorities are. If we can’t figure it out, how do we expect our political leaders to? — KR Convergence or monopoly? Bell Canaoa, already in the midst of hearings to buy the CTV television network, announced a merger last week with The Globe and Mail. Quebecor, the world’s largest printing company, which also owns Sun Media and a large number of newspapers across Canada, bought a large cable company. Earlier, CanWest Global bought the Hollinger newspapers. In the old days this would have been called building a monopoly. Today it’s called convergence. Convergence is the magic word these days. For those who can’t keep up with the changing vocabulary of business, it means the coming together of traditional media like radio, television and newspapers, with the internet. The idea is that you soon may get your television programs through the internet or get the internet through your television. Convergence is the excuse to claim the fear of monopolies, of giving companies too much power in our society, is a part of the past. As CanWest’s Izzy Asper announced the takeover of Hollinger he said his company still wasn’t nearly large enough to compete on the global scale. Globalism — that’s another reason for removing the rules about amassing too much power in the hands of a few companies. Canada’s five major chartered banks used it as the reason they must merge. The government turned those mergers down but has allowed an orgy of other mergers and buyouts in the name of global competitiveness. Then there’s consumer preference. This is the reason given for vertical integration in the food industry as processors control production right down to the farm level, such as Maple Leaf meats pork contracts. Has the world changed or have business leaders just found slick new words to justify monopoly powers? —KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, A growing number of people, if they had their way, would see cows roam our countryside. Some people believe animals should live forever, nothing should be slaughtered and animals should have rights like humans. Some believe in a vegetarian diet or that cow’s milk is precisely for a calf and should not be consumed by humans. At the same time, agriculture - sometimes without proof - is blamed for bad water. A lot of people know very little about modern agriculture, what makes up a box of com flakes or where pork and beans come from! Some children, even in this community, have never seen a calf bom or a cow milked. They wonder Continued on page 5 Photo by Janice BeckerEasy catch Looking Back Through the Years Sept. 22, 1960 The third meeting of the Brussels Happy Hostesses was held at the home of Mrs. Wheeler. Audrey Wheeler read the minutes of the previous meeting. An etiquette quiz was given by Mrs. Wheeler and Dianne Kirkby gave a demonstration of table setting. Playing at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham from Thursday Sept. 22 until Saturday, Sept. 24 was Roger and Hammerstein’s South Pacific starring Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor and France Nuyen. Gordon McGavin from Walton returned from a trip to the USSR, Scotland and England. Rae Houston and John Hislop were home after a three week trip in the western provinces. To attend the Llashmar drive-in theatre in Listowel cost 65 cents, while children under 12 were free. The Brussels Home and School Association held its annual potluck supper on Wednesday, Sept. 14 in the Brussels United Church. Present were members of the graduating class, many parents, as well as members. Mrs. Adah Smith and social committee prepared the meal, and a few musical numbers, with the direction of Mrs. Wm. King, Jr., were enjoyed by all present. Mr. J. H. Kinkead, school inspector for North Huron District told the graduates that they should always remember what their parents, teachers and church had done for them and to be thankful. Mr. Calvin Krauter expressed the thanks and appreciation to Mr. inkead on behalf of the Home and School Association. Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Pestel and Mr. George Menzies went to Malton airport to meet Miss Anne Pestel, who was returning by jet from England after spending an eight week vacation travelling in Europe. At Smith’s Rexall Drug -Slore in Brussels you could purchase Noxzema skin care for $1.10. Sept. 24, 1975 Murray Gaunt, a 12 year veteran of the provincial legislature, topped every poll in the Blyth area on his way to an overwhelming victory in the provincial election on September 18. Throughout the Huron-Bruce riding Gaunt rolled up a majority totalling nearly 11,000 votes over William Walden of Wingham. He took over 16,276 of the 24,772 votes cast in the riding compared to Mr. Walden’s 5,883. The NDP candidate Mr. Donald Milne received 2,613 votes. At Snell’s Grocery in Blyth you could get Weston’s brown and serve bread for 89 cents for two loaves. Duncan Hines cake mixes were 69 cents. Kraft Canadian cheese slices were $2.79 for a two pound package and Kraft cheese Whiz was $1.29 for a 16 ounce jar. Sept. 19, 1990 Donna White assumed the position of Brussel’s clerk-treasurer following the resignation of Hugh Hanly at a special at a special meeting of council. The Brussels Agricultural Society kicked oft the 129th Fall Fair in the community centre with displays and exhibits, a pet show and a talent show. The Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association was planning more improvements to the Blyth fairgrounds. Jamie Hallahan had the championship heifer after a winning summer in competitions as far afield as Indiana and Tennessee. Eight girls vied for the title of Huron County Dairy Princess for 90/91. The contestants are Shana Lee ten Hag, Theresa Knox, Cheryl Darlow, Corrie-Lynn Fatt, Sharon Ramsey, Patty Slotegraff, Donna Johnston and Tanya Boonstoppel. The cast and crew of the Blyth Festival production of Perils of Persephone posed on stage one last time before they left on a road trip to take the show around Ontario. The tour began in Aylmer and ended in Picton, travelling as far north as Kirkland Lake and Kapuskasing. Sept. 20, 1995 A total of 129 people walked, jogged, and biked one of two routes in the Brussels Terry Fox Run to ra'ise money for cancer research. It raised $4,267.75, up from 1994’s total of $4236.90. Notable pledge amounts were brought in by Jane Draper, $442; Aimee Leishman, $352; Doug and Rhonda McArter, $310; George Langlois, $265 and Gayle Beuermann, $251. Three- month-old Jacob McGavin participated, as did Jimmy Franken, who completed 50km. The Brussels Fire Hall was officially opened at a gala ceremony. On hand for the ribbon cutting were Reeve Gord Workman, former Brussels councillor and volunteer firefighter Dave Hastings, Fire Chief Murray McArter MPP Helen Johns and MP Paul Steckle. The BMG Pool budget got help with donations from the Brussels Lions and Leos. Sarah Exel and Philip Graber presented Julie Mitchell, pool chairman, with a cheque for half of the Leos 50/50 draw, while Lions member John McKercher presented a cheque for $1,015.45 to Rec Board Chairman Alvin McLellan. The latter amount went towards the purchase of new solar panels. Gavin VanCamp was presented with an award, by huron MP Paul Steckle at the 75th Belgrave, Blyth. Brussels School Fair, for earning top overall points.