The Citizen, 2004-08-19, Page 4THAT'S MRS. BROWN TAKING HER DAYCARE
CLASS ON A WILD SAFARI TO THE ZOO. SHE
COULD HAVE SAVED A BUNDLE BY BRINGING THEM HERE.
PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2004. Editorials
Opinions
Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp
Advertising, Jamie Peters and Alicia deBoer
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Canada Lkocna • CNA
Democracy's an act of fatith
As western countries seek to give the gift of democracy to other nations
around the world it's sometimes hard for us to realize what an act of faith
it can be to accept the will of the majority.
That acceptance of the basic tenant of democracy was demonstrated
again this week in Venezuela when those opposed to the democratically-
elected president Hugo Chavez said they would not abide with the results
of a referendum in which the majority said they wanted him to serve out
his term. Almost from the moment Chavez was elected opponents sought
to have him removed. In 2002 a coup briefly replaced him and strikes have
paralyzed the country's economy in an effort to bring him down. Finally a
recall vote was scheduled and people lined up for hours to vote. The result,
confirmed as a fair vote by international observers under the leadership of
former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, found people still supported Chavez.
Still, opponents don't want to accept the will of the majority.
We don't have to go so far to see distrust of democracy. It's reported that
former Quebec premier Jacques Parizeaa is pushing the Parti Quebecois to
declare it doesn't need to hold another referendum on sovereignty: that
simply being elected the government would mean Quebec was an
independent country. Since the PQ is the only viable opposition party in
the province, it's inevitable it will again form a government, especially
given the unpopularity of decisions made by the Liberals under Jean
Charest in an attempt to balance the budget.
Parizeau has never trusted the majority because the majority won't give
him what he wants: a sovereign Quebec. He's the man, of course, who
after the last referendum was lost in 1995 spoke bitterly about immigrants
not being real Quebecers because they opposed sovereignty. He had lost
the referendum despite making the question deliberately vague so voters
didn't think they were necessarily voting to separate from Canada while he
would take it as a definitive yes for separation.
Since then, under the federal government's Clarity Act, brought in by
former Prime Minister Jean Chretien, such fudging of the question would
be forbidden. As well, a significant majority of Quebecers have said
they're tired of referenda and just want to get on with life. So now Mr.
Parizeau wants to by-pass the whole process and trick people.
Jacques Parizeau has spent his entire life in a democratic country but still
believes that democracy only works when it gives him what he wants. He
shows how difficult it will be to have people elsewhere in the world take
the leap of faith to accept the wisdom of the majority.— KR
So much for ideals
Looking Back Through the Years
The spirit of the Olympic games was undermined this week when Iran's
gold-medal favourite Arash Miresmaeili inexplicably turned up for the
weigh-in too heavy for his class and was disqualified. The explanation
seems to come from the nationality of his first opponent, an Israeli, and the
policy of his country that its athletes will not compete against Israelis.
So the athlete lost his chance to win a medal, Iran lost one of its few
medal hopefuls and the world lost the ideal that people would compete in
peace even if their countries weren't friendly. And this was supposed to
hurt who, Israel?— KR
Letter to the editor
THE EDITOR,
The Red Cross is organizing a
Coats for Kids campaign in Huron
County this fall.
This county-wide program is a
new endeavour for the
Stratford/Huron-Perth branch of the
Canadian Red Cross. With your help
we can reach children and adults of
all ages who require warm winter
clothing during our cold Canadian
months.
During the month of September,
Coats for Kids will be collecting
winter coats and other outdoor
apparel for children and adults. We
hope to have two or three collection
centres in each town throughout the
county.
During Oct. 15-17 we will have
distribution centres set up in
Goderich, Clinton, Seaforth, Exeter,
Wingham and Brussels.
In order to reach as many people
as possible, we need volunteers to
pick up coats from collection centres
and transport them to the closest
distribution centre.
As well, the Canadian Red Cross
is looking for volunteers to help
with sorting and set up during the
week of Oct. 12-15 and with
distributing items at each of our
distribution sites during Oct. 15-17.
We are seeking the assistance of
businesses and organizations by
offering to be collection sites where
people can drop off coats.
A second initiative that the
Canadian Red Cross is leading with
the generous support of Wal-Mart
will be providing children in need
with backpacks with necessary
school supplies for the upcoming
school season. Each backpack
contains nearly 40 different school
items donated by Wal-Mart
suppliers, and each backpack
contains supplies for a specific age
range-from kindergarten to high
school.
The Canadian Red Cross
recognizes that school supplies and
backpacks are essential items for a
successful school year and the Red
Cross is pleased to be part of this.
If you would like to volunteer
your time to help with this
worthwhile community endeavour,
please contact me at 522-0874 or e--
mail typapple@tcc.on.ca
Summer Papple.
Aug. 20, 1959
Several hundred citizens and
former residents of Ethel and
surrounding Grey Twp. gathered at
the Ethel school grounds to observe
Home Town Sunday. •
John L. Lewis gave the necessary
60-day notice of termination of the
United Mine Worker's Contract
with Bituminous and Anthracite
Coal Operators.
The Brussels football team beat
Walton 6 - 0.
Aug. 21, 1969
The Brussels track and field team
won second place in the annual
track and field meet sponsored by
the Lake Huron Zone of the Ontario
Recreation Director's Association
held in Walkerton. Maxine Watts
was another successful competitor,
winning the Class B girls
championship.
Grey Twp council decided to take
no action towards a request for
sidewalks in Walton.
Aug. 16, 1972
An historical plaque
commemorating the Founding of
Brussels was unveiled in front of the
Public Library. The plaque was one
of a series erected throughout the
province by the Archives of Ontario,
acting on the advice of the
Archaeological and Historical Sites
Board of Ontario.
Gerald Baan, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Martin Baan of Walton, left for
Africa where he served two years
with CUSO in Northern Ghana as an
agriculturist.
Plans for the 45th annual Huron
County Plowing Match were
finalized.
A good crowd attended the WI's
Fun Carnival held in Walton.
With financial help from the
Brussels Branch of the Canadian
Legion, seven area youths were able
to attend the Junior Track and Field
Development Program's Training
Camp in Orillia.
Rev. C.A. Falconer began his
ministry in Knox Church.
Bertha Danby, daughter of Mrs.
Kathleen Danby of Brussels,
- graduated from Perth-Huron
Regional School of Nursing in
Stratford.
Loss was estimated to be between
$75,000 - $100,000 as the result of a
fire which levelled two large barns
on the dairy farm of Leo Dykstra of
Clinton.
Kenneth Cox of Brussels was
selected from among more than 150
applicants aged 16 - 22 to take part
in a 45-member choir to study
choral techniques and performance
at Lakefield College School near
Peterborough.
The purebred Holstein herd of
Mrs. Beryl Storey and her son, was
dispersed at the Brubacher Sale
Arena in Guelph, bringing the
average of $835, a total of $55, 940
on 67 head.
Aug. 20, 1986
Youngsters from the
Londesborough recreation program
held a "garbage-a-thon" to help
clean up the village. The youths
raised about $400 in pledges which
were donated to help with medical
costs for Ron Nesbitt, injured in a
swimming accident.
At a meeting of the Brussels
Agricultural Society, members
authorized the secretary to pay
whatever liability insurance costs
come to the Brussels fair. Estimates
ranged from $500 to $1,000.
Blyth village council adopted a
mill rate that saw taxes increase 6.7
per cent to the average public school
ratepayer.
The Blyth Festival's Young
Company performed a clown show
entitled "The thing that happened in
front of a lot of People."
Shirley Wheeler was the overall
winner of the Vera Fraine trophy at
the Brussels Horticultural Society's
Summer Flower Show.
The Walton WI celebrated its 30th
anniversary.
The Brussels Legion Pipe Band
celebrated 30 years as a group.
Achievement night for the Quest
For Success 4H club celebrated
Glenyce McClinchey, Angela
Schneider, Lisa Duizer, Astrid Van
Eeden and Annette Losereit who
graduated to the next level.
Aug. 17, 1994
A short hydro panel started one of
the Horizon Chicks barns in Hullett
Twp. to start fire. The fire was
extinguished before much damage
was done.
Tamara Smith helped Alexis
Patch and Ashely Keifer created
modge podge jars as part of their
craft time at the Ark's summer
activity program.
Blyth council passed the motion
to support the road committee's
recommendation that the parking lot
off Dinsley west of Blyth Festival
Garage would not be maintained by
the village as it was private
property.
Rev. Stephen Huntley was the new
minister at Blyth United Church.
Elaine O'Donnell was the lucky
winner of the Children's Dream
Home donated from Watson's Home
Hardware in Gorrie. It was a
fundraising project for the Huron
Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Aug. 18, 1999
Almost 12,000 fans, the largest
crowd ever (to date) assembled for a
Canadian outdoor motocross,
cheered on nearly 950 riders at the
8th annual Walton TransCan Grand
National motocross.
Mabel Wheeler of Belgrave was
awarded Morris Twp.'s Senior
Citizen of the Year award.
More than 700 soccer players got
their kicks as Brussels hosted the
North Perth soccer tourney.