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The Citizen, 2000-10-25, Page 4PAGE 4, THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 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 $27.00/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. - Bly th. 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 RO. 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 Website www.northhu'on.on.ca jpcna <*cna Member of the Ontario Press Council Acclamations a bad sign At elections, acclamations are a sign that democracy is in trouble and in our education system, the number of trustees acclaimed to their post is just one more sign of problems. Nearly all local trustee posts have been filled by acclamation, meaning the voters don’t have any choice in who will represent them. In fact the only local race there is for a trustee’s position comes because the government, in changing the rules for trustees, opened up the door for people who don’t even live in an area to run there. Seaforth resident Jim Floyd is now challenging incumbent Colleen Schenk to represent the area covering Wingham, Brussels, Grey, Howick, Morris and Turnberry. Schenk is one of the few incumbents running for school board positions in this election. The experienced trustees have come to realize they are little more than convenient whipping boys for both sides in the battle over the education system. The provincial government has left little for the trustees to do except to take the blame for the cutbacks and school closings that must be made in order to live with the rules the government has set down. They have no way of raising additional money to meet the special needs of their own area. They are responsible for a geographic area so large they probably hadn’t even heard of some of the schools before they had to start making decisions about them. And all this for $5,000 a year and all the abuse you can take. Parents meanwhile, including some of the candidates from Seaforth who have spread out across the area, somehow blame the trustees for all the problems in the system, never turning against the people who have the real power, the government. Is this any way to run an education system? — KR Please, no ‘defining moment" With the federal election underway, the media will be on the hunt for a “defining moment” that will encapsulate the election campaign in a single image. In the past there was Robert Stanfield fumbling a football or Joe Clark losing his luggage. Here’s hoping there won't be any defining moment in this election, that people will not seek some simple reason to select a candidate but will actually think before they vote. Elections just aren’t simple, despite the fact the media and political parties try to make it that way. Take, for instance, the issue of fiscal accountability. The Alliance Party wants to brand the Liberals as reckless for their mishandling of job creation grants, and they’ve got a point. Yet as bad as they were in this one area, the Liberals also were good enough managers to turn around a huge deficit into a huge surplus. Then there’s the matter of a premature election. There will be the temptation to punish the arrogance of Prime Minister Jean Chretien, (and it is arrogance) in calling the election after just three and a half years in office just because he’s ahead in the polls. But the Alliance complicates the issue because Stockwell Day was already running election ads long before the election was announced. The Liberals will portray Day and his party as an evil alliance out to destroy the legacy of great leaders like Pierre Trudeau and Lester Pearson, yet they’ve already destroyed much of that legacy through their deficit fighting, if during the election campaign they begin to undo that harm, they’ll be accused of being the same old “tax and spend” Liberals. It’s complicated, choosing a government. Such an important decision deserves thought, not a “defining moment”.— KR Wrong turn Photo by Janice Becker Looking Back Through the Years Oct. 27, 1960 Pupils of the Walton and Brussels area, who attended Seaforth District High School were awarded $100 bursaries on entering Grade 13. They were: Ann Shortreed, Jean Hilien, Yvonne Pollard, and Tom Love. The annual commencement exercises of the Wingham District High School was held. The address to the graduates was given by Mr. J. B. Wylie B.A., principal of Bloor Collegiate Institute in Toronto. Miss Christine Runstedtler was the class valedictorian. The Brussels Branch of the Canadian Cancer Society met in the Library with Mrs. R. S. Warwick, president of the newly organized branch, in charge of the inaugural meeting. Mrs. Harper and Mrs. Chisholm of Goderich, president and 1st vice president of the Huron Unit, were guest panelists. They discussed the various works of the cancer society and answered the questions asked by the audience. Mrs. J. C. Adams was appointed convener of the welfare committee, with Mrs. James Smith and Mrs. Kenneth McDonald. George Northwood retired after almost 50 years of working with the Canadian Bank of Commerce. Oct. 29, 1975 The winners of the awards in the Blyth Lions Club Olympic Walkathon were presented with their trophies. They were; Suzanne Boshart, most pledges; Nichole Brooks, youngest walker; Kevin Coultes, tied for fastest time; Mac Brooks, oldest walker, and Stephen Cook, tied for fastest walker. The roller skating season wound up at the Blyth arena, ending one of the most successful years in history. Total receipts for the year from admissions, skate rental and refreshment booth were $3,920.79. Expenses, including the purchase of 65 pairs of skates (bringing the total number to 131 pairs) and for repair parts and food for the booth totalled $2,435.04, leaving a profit of $1,485.75. The fifth meeting of the Belgrave High Risers was held. A discussion of bread faults and their causes was led by Mrs. Robert Gordon and then the topic “Make it with Bread” was discussed. Oct. 24, 1990 Moncrieff church history was marked by a plaque placed by Cindy and Jim Moyer, who had been restoring the church which was now their home. Alfred and Mildred Nichol remembered their wedding 50 years ago as they looked at the wedding picture, taken on Oct. 25, 1940. Mr. Nichol said that the suit he wore cost $7 and, Mrs. Nichol added, it came with two pairs of pants. The couple celebrated their golden day at a reception in Brussels. On Oct. 13 around 5 p.m while unloading balec hay from the wagon in the bam, Kenneth and Murray Snell of RR 3, Blyth, saw a balloon overhead. They continued to watch it and saw that it was descending very swiftly. They were sure it came down in the swamp behind their buildings. Upon retrieving the balloon, they discovered that it held six post cards fastened with white ribbon. The message on the post cards read as follows; “We were married Oct 13, 1990 near Oxford, Michigan. In honour of the occasion a guest released this balloon. Please return this card telling when and where and by whom it was found.” Oct 25, 1995 Don Scrimgeour was selected Blyth and area’s Citizen of the Year by a committee from several nominations on his behalf. Blyth Lion Alex Blair and Blyth Legion member John Battye donated matching contributions of $550 on behalf of their organizations to the Blyth Venturers, Scouts, Cubs and Beavers. The annual donations go towards the youth groups’ yearly activities. The Maitland Conservation Authority presented its Conservation Award Certificates to Eva and Rene Schmitz, Don Mason of Blyth Public School, Kim Yuzwa and Marilyn Elgie of the Grey Central School Environmental Steering Committee, Mike Malhiot of the Ministry of Natural Resources, East Wawanosh Reeve Don Schultz and Hullett Twp. Reeve Tom Cunningham for the McVittie Municipal Drain project.