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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-07-15, Page 4Looking Back Through the Years PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2004. Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Jamie Peters and Alicia deBoer The Citizen Editorials Opinions 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 CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Cahada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. CanaM. Member of the Ontario Press Council MINIM We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Aocna CNA :& •c.•0 • P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1HO NOG I HO Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhurontitscsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca Faces of victims count So what warrants firing? Rural Ontario has been turned upside down with new water regulations since seven people died in Walkerton's water pollution tragedy in 2000. Last week Toronto board of health officials estimated 1,700 people die annually because of air pollution but nothing seems to change. The trouble for Toronto officials is they can't put faces on the victims — they can't even identify specific individuals who have died because of air pollution. They say the victims are likely to be those with heart problems or asthma, the elderly and young children (ironically the people most endangered in Walkerton as well) but they can't show their pictures. They certainly can't produce the kind of searing images of Walkerton such as the young girl, clutching her teddy bear, being airlifted to a distant hospital. The fear and disgust after Walkerton, shook a provincial government and probably contributed to its electoral defeat last year. The fear of a silent killer like E. coli in drinking water led .o harsh new water treatment and testing regulations that may make life in small communities economically unsustainable. Many small community halls may be forced to close. Many homeowners can't afford the new expenses. Walkerton is at least partly responsible for expensive new nutrient management regulations burdening farmers at a time they're suffering low prices in many commodities. Yet for major air polluters, life goes on much as before. Except for the provincial government's pledge to shut down its coal-fired electrical generating stations, there's no sense of urgency in solving the air pollution problem. Indeed many deny there really is a life-and-death health issue. Air pollution is similar to warnings about the danger of global warming: the issue may be real but you can't build a direct, cause-and-effect relatiC11.511.ip as you can with Walkerton's polluted water. Until they can send the kind of chill peopks, and pgticiaiii as Walkerton did, it's going to be hard for health officials to get society to take the issue seriously. By then it will be too late for many victims. — KR , Word leaked out this week that the provincial government has been forced to rehire six employees it had fired for using their office computers to download and distribute hard-core pornography. Despite the fact an arbitrator said the content of the material on the employees' websites included degrading and violent sexual activity, he ruled the government lacked cause to dismiss the men. David Ramsay, minister of natural resources asked the question most taxpayers would: weren't these guys supposed to be working? The government is also caught in a trap because other arbitrators have ruled in the past that the employer is responsible for preventing the kind of atmosphere of sexual harassment that pornographic e-mails can cause. And union lawyers are now arguing in defence of these employees when they argued the need to prevent harassment in the past. Obviously "sense" isn't all that common. — KR Letter to the editor THE EDITOR, Recently, rock superstar David Bowie was on tour and experienced what he thought was a pinched nerve in his shoulder, only to discover that he had a severely blocked artery to the heart. Fortunately, Mr. Bowie was helped through an angioplasty procedure. But, how many times do we hear the stories about poor Jane or John as friends and family pay their last respects: She thought she pulled a muscle that was causing that pain in her arm. He thought it must have been that pizza that gave him indigestion. They thought they must have begn coming down with the flu because they were really feeling fatigued, sweaty and nauseous. Any of the above symptoms and also paleness, shortness of breath, tightness or chest pain and overall weakness can be the signs of a heart attack. But, the most difficult symptoms to deal with are anxiety, fear and denial. Heart disease and stroke continue to be the leading cause of death amongst Canadians. Almost 40 per cent of Canadians will develop some form of heart disease and stroke over their lifetime. At the Heart and Stroke Foundation we are working to fund research into the root causes of these devastating diseases so that the residents of Huron, Perth and Oxford, from the very young to our senior population, can live fulfilling and productive lives. We are also working to provide you and your families with the most current health information to help identify the symptoms of heart attack and stroke, make lifestyle choices in order to live healthier lives and provide literature to support patients through recuperative stages and manage the unfortunate physical deficits that can result from these diseases. Please, don't deny your partner their spouse, your children their parents nor parents their children. Learn how to identify the signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke today. Learn how to live a healthier lifestyle through diet, exercise and lifestyle choices. For more information call your area office for Huron/Perth/Oxford at 519-273-5212 or toll free at 1- 888-287-7775. Nancy A Bomasuit, Area Manager, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario July 16, 1952 With her tape recorder in hand, Mary Ashwell, women's editor of radio station CFPL in London, . journeyed to the WI members who were on holidays in Guelph. The annual holiday was sponsored by the Department of Agriculture giving farm wives from across Ontario an enjoyable and unique opportunity to have their voices and opinions recorded on the grounds of Ontario Agricultural College At the Legion Sports Day, area children gathered with colourfully decorated bikes in hopes of winning one of many cash prizes offered from the sports day committee. Morris council agreed to the tender of George Radford to clean the Peacock drain for $1.60 a rod. July 17, 1969 Oil drilling started on Mac Cardiff's farm in Grey Twp. When drillers reached 50 feet, they hit rock bottom, slowing down the process. At that time, it was uncertain if oil would be found or not. Will Perrie of Grey Twp.. and Mary Bewley of Walton, were both Ontario scholars from Seaforth District High School. Perrie had an 89.4 per cent average while Bewley had an 80 per cent average. A six-year-old boy was crossing the street in Brussels and was hit by a car. He was hospitalized for several days before being released. July 19, 1972 About 100 children from Brussels were able to take part in swimming lessons in Seaforth. Ralph Pearson's bus service provided transportation and the Brussels Lions Club provided the funds for the transportation. At a special meeting, Morris council accepted a tender of $95, 836.50 for the construction of the Clark Bridge at the intersection of Centre Sideroad an& the fifth concession. The bid was submitted by Maloney Bros. Ltd. of Dublin and was the lowest of seven tenders received. July 16, 1986 The fourth annual Hullett Days began with adult baseball, but there were also many activities for the children including a children's tractor pull, a pork barbeque and a variety show. Jack Armstrong was awarded the Citizen of the Year during the Hullett Days event. Bob Harkness and Monty DesRoches, owners of R. Harkness Victorian Millwork, near Listowel, asked Morris council to accept their offer to rent the township works garage and hall for two years. The company had a custom wood products business. Former Blyth reeve, Albert Wasson at a regular council meeting, expressed his unhappiness about the Waste Management Master Plan study that was approved by Huron County council. The study, which cost from $150- 200,000, was to be funded at a 50 per cent level by the Ministry of Environment, but would still penalize those municipalities that were already in good shape for waste management. Support seemed strong among Brussels area residents for the possible location of Astra Pyrotechnics Canada Ltd., which held a demonstration at Frank Rutledge's house. The Red Cross Small Craft Safety Team visited the Brussels, Morris and Grey pool and gave a demonstration. Plans for the Huron County Pioneer Museum were unveiled at a public meeting in Holmesville. July 13, 1994 Although the annual FunFest events in Brussels were terminated, the Rubber Duck Race was still a go along with many other events throughout the village. Huron County council took the first step towards establishing a 911 emergency telephone service in the county. Councillors voted to create a working committee to investigate the feasibility of establishing and implementing a county-wide 911 emergency calling number. Dr. Maarten Bokhout, medical officer of health for Huron County, 'expressed his disappointment that Huron County rejected a provincial offer to pay for enforcement of anti- smoking legislation. The Auburn Lions Club and the host family welcomed Lions exchange student Viggo Ravn to Canada who arrived from Den- mark. July 21, 1999 A London man was arrested in connection with a robbery from Radford Farm Equipment in Londesborough. According to OPP, the rear window Of the shop had been entered and a quantity of Kawasaki lawn products valued at over $4,000 was stollen. Rob McKercher and Joshua Gropp, members of the local punk band Perish, presented monies raised from their Face Plant "Battle of the Bands" 99. They gave $388.33 to Huron-Bruce MADD while the Optimist Club received $150 in appreciation for the club's support of the event. The Blyth and District Fire Department and the OPP were called to the scene of a sugar shack fire in East Wawanosh Twp. A campfire, left unattended, had set the shack ablaze. • It was a full house at the Blyth Christian Reformed Church as area children participated in the Bible School.