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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-03-04, Page 4Looking Back Through the Years PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2004. Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Jamie Peters and Alicia deBoer 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 $30.00/year ($28.04 + $1.96 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. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 - PUBLICATIONS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATIOliiREPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1 H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are Copyright ocna CIPCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council INNCI:161M oot P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 NOG IHO Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuronascsinternet.com Website WWW. northhuron.on.ca The Citizen Trade: you can't win all the time The loss of more than two million jobs in the U.S. in recent years has made global trade a handy target as a presidential election approaches this fall. Politicians such as Democratic front-runner John Kerry, who previously supported the North American Free Trade Agreement, now complain the U.S. is losing jobs and must protect itself. Everybody likes the idea of trade as long as it goes one way. We all want to make money by selling our products to someone else, but the very meaning of the word "trade" means we must take something back so countries can afford to buy our products. Americans see themselves as "fair" traders, yet they also want to win in every trade transaction. Free trade is a conundrum. Poor countries will always remain poor if they don't have something to trade for the things we want to sell them. So the shift of jobs to Third World countries, whether manufacturing jobs or white collar jobs such as telemarketing and data processing, is helping these countries raise their standard of living. Globalization supporters also argue the lower wages companies pay in these countries, helps company profits in their North American headquarters. Those higher profits are fine to executives and shareholders, but what do they do for the rest of the population? Certainly our cost of living has been reduced because so many products we buy are now being made with cheaper labour, but if you have no job, any cost is too much. As more and more jobs are sent to Asia, what are North Americans .supposed to do for work? Isn't it unrealistic to think we can keep up our standard of living by having a high standard of living? That we can provide enough jobs selling each other clothes and hamburgers and serving each other at, spas or on cruises to keep this bubble afloat? The fundamental problem of trade remains as it was when the debate began in 1988: trade may redistribute wealth but it's not a perpetual motion machine. — KR Intervention not enough Foreign troops, from the United States, Canada and France, are back on the streets of Haiti trying to bring peace after yet another despotic leader has fled to exile. For the sake of the Haitian people, here's hoping the international community can use this intervention to create a peaceful, democratic country. There isn't a lot of reason to hope for better things from the rebel forces that drove Jean-Bertrand Aristide. They include people convicted of violent crimes including murder. Aristide, a former priest to the poor, had offered much more hope for a better future when he came to office after a previous dictator was banished in 1994, because he seemed least likely to fall into the old pattern of corruption. Yet after international troops, including hundreds from Canada, helped stabilize the country in 1996 and 1997, efforts were made to create the necessary infrastructure for democracy. Nearly 800 Canadian police officers spent years in Haiti trying to train a police force but in 2001 Canada gave up because Aristide seemed to have fallen into the same trap of corruption as those before him. The money Canada was spending seemed wasted under the circumstances. The problem in trying to deliver democracy from abroad, is that generations of people have grown up under corrupt governments where accepting bribes by police and government officials has been an accepted way of getting ahead (the ultimate in free enterprise, one might say). Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere so the temptation is obvious, yet that poverty is also caused by the powerful amassing personal wealth at the expense of the ordinary people. The challenge is how to change a culture of corruption. Obviously relieving the extreme poverty is an important step in making it less inviting for government officials to accept bribes. Yet Canada has given more development aid to Haiti than any other country in the hemisphere and the poverty and corruption has continued. It's going to take a longer commitment than most countries have been willing to give in the past for the Haitian people to be rescued from this seemingly endless cycle of corruption and violence. Anything less than a long-term dedication to changing the nature of the country will be a wasted effort and only holds out false hope for a people who desperately need a fundamental change in their society. — KR Letter to the editor THE EDITOR, the school's action. It appeared there To the staff of Brussels Public was more worry about what would School, my deepest gratitude for be said around town, than that the having more concern for the safety situation may have endangered the of our children during a recent children. situation, than for whether or not the I would encourage more parents action taken would be part of the to start attending these meetings to Brussels gossip mill. help emphasize again where I was appalled by recent concern should be placed - our comments, which were made at a children. parent council meeting, regarding Jeannie Sanderson March 5, 1959 Jumbled name contest winners were Mrs. Mervyn Pipe, Mrs. George Smith and Mrs. Eldon Wilson. During the annual parents and son banquet of the First Brussels Boy Scout Troop, the Bronze Arrowhead Badges were presented to Glen Machan and Don Smith. Anne Krauter won third place with 79 marks in the seven and under piano class at the Stratford Kiwanis Music Festival. The North Huron Junior Farmers and Junior Institute were winners of the Merton Keys Trophy when they were awarded first place in the fifth annual Huron County Junior Farmer's Drama Festival in Seaforth. The Maydell Shoppe in Brussels marked its official opening. March 6, 1969 The Brussels firefighters placed a barrel on the ice above the dam and whoever could accurately estimate the time the barrel went over the dam, would win $50. Charles Munro, former president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture stated that everything was a go concerning preparations for a successful farm vote for a new General Farm Organization in Ontario. March 1, 1972 Although the winter weather wasn't as extreme as other years, there was enough snow for youngster to enjoy a sleigh ride. Proceeds of the canvass on behalf of the ability fund, conducted by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Guides and .Brownies, amounted to $287. The Land Division Committee budget required some juggling after members of Huron County Council approved their proposed operation for 1972, cut its revenue by about $6,000. Eddy Peters of Grey Twp. received first prize accompanied by a cheque for $10 on a farm safety pier entered in the 1971 Brussels Fall Fair. A two-day short course was scheduled at Centralia College of Agricultural Technology, discussing all types of forage crops which may be used as livestock feed. March 5, 1989 Bill Robinson, former president of the Auburn and District Lions Club, presented the club's first ever Citizen of the Year Award to Warner Andrews of Auburn. The award was in honour of his tireless efforts on behalf of the community as one of the village's board of trustees and else- where. Brussels council voted during a meeting, to tell the public utilities commissioners that their requests for a salary increase was not acceptable. The PUC had informed council that it had planned to give its chairman $1,075 that year, up from $1,000 and the other two commissioners $825 from $775. Winners of the Brussels Public School public speaking contest were Elizabeth Haines, Amy Albrecht, Tim Machan, Lori Willie, Margaret Jarvis and Scott Johnston. Ab Hesselink and Allan Teft who would operate the new EMA Foods supermarket in Brussels, were in town to talk to the business community. Councillor Dave Boynton was appointed by Brussels council as the Brussels representative on the Brussels, Morris and Grey Industrial Committee. March 10, 1994 • Students at Hullett Central Public School participated in their version of the Winter Olym- pics. Police seized 400 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $80,000 and hydroponic equipment for cultivation. Blyth Optimists donated money towards the Blyth Public School Peacemakers Program for the purchase of shirts and hats. Kathy Hunt of the Ethel area, represented Huron County well at the Canadian national speed skating competition -held in Ste. Foy, Quebec. She earned two silver medals in long track speed skating at the Masters level (women over 25.) Venturer, Jeff Josling, was the recipient of the Blyth Scouting award for Interest, Effort and Achievement. March 10, 1999 The ice surface at Blyth and District Community 'Centre was filled with dinosaurs of every type when the Blyth Skating Club presented the Prehistoric Parade. Huron County councillors passed a bylaw to put in place a county- wide OPP police service despite protests from the Town of Goderich that its cpncerns over the service had not been heard. It was a great weekend for the Brussels Tykes when they captured the A championship at the Lucknow tournament. The Avon Maitland District School Board was moving forward with its plans to implement French Immersion beginning with Grade I entry at Bedford Public School in Stratford, Grey Central Public School and Huron Centennial Public School.