HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-09-02, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2004.
Editorials
Opinions
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OCna C • ANA
Member of the Ontario Press Council I 17 M Be
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The Citizen
They want it all
Toronto politicians are in a huff these days because they feel they've
been betrayed by federal and provincial officials who are talking about the
need to help all municipalities, not just big cities.
Toronto leaders feel big cities (particularly Toronto but for the sake of
magnanimity they'll dane to let other cities like Montreal, Calgary and
Vancouver in) have problems no one else experiences. They also feel they
drive the economy of the entire country.
And so, you as residents of northern Huron County should be happy to
see your gas tax dollars go to help Toronto cope with the need for more
mass transit. You're being small minded if you think it's unfair that you
have to pay twice for roads: once through your gas tax dollars that go to
the province for provincial highways it doesn't build in your region, and
once through your municipal taxes. You should realize you get an unfair
share of provincial services. After all, it's the rest of the province that
benefits from provincial spending. Toronto doesn't get a thing from the
thousands of jobs in government ministries clustered around Queen's Park
— the money all goes to farmers who everybody knows are rich.
If it weren't sad, it would be funny. Toronto has become so big it can see
only its own problems. It can see issues it must deal with from extreme
growth but can't see the problems much of the rest of the province faces
with declining growth. It can see the poor within its own city who use food
banks but can't see the problems of the farmer who often makes less for
growing food than a cashier at Loblaws.
As the centre of the nation's media, Toronto doesn't get a true picture of
the rest of the country. Torontonians see their problems magnified and the
rest of our problems diminished in comparison. Toronto is to Canada what
the U.S. is to the world: a short-sighted giant for whom the outside world
doesn't exist unless it does something to affect the giant's life. — KR
(PSST... AQEN'T we SUPPOSED TO WAIT TILL THE END
OF THE ROUTINE geFoae POSTING OUQ MAQICS 2!
Reaching for the top
With Canada's disappointing show at the Athens Olympics there are new
cries for more funding for the country's top athletes.
How can a government give money to athletes instead of more money
for the homeless, foreign aid or schools? The one argument that works is
if winning at the Olympics promotes pride and a drive for excellence in the
whole culture of the country. Prime Minister Paul Martin has expressed a
vision of inspiring excellence in business, science and education in
Canada. Perhaps, when the 2010 Olympics are held in Vancouver, if we
had the kind of results Australia had at these Olympics, the culture of
excellence might be reinforced. — KR
Letter to the editor
Looking Back Through the Years
THE EDITOR,
Many of you will have probably
heard about bovine spongiform
encephalitis (BSE) or Mad Cow
Disease in the news over the last
14/15 months. You will also have
heard of the partial opening of the
Canadian/U.S.A. border to Canadian
beef (which in effect has been like a
raindrop in the ocean).
What many outside the industry
will be unaware of, is the devastating
effect all of this has had on our
farmers. Many have had to take on
other jobs off the farm in order to try
to pay their bills, while their spouses
and children try to cope with the farm.
Many others have been forced to
sell their farms, many of which have
been in their families for generations.
Others have had their cattle
butchered and sold directly from the
farm, not because they make any
profit by doing so, but so they will not
have to pay to feed them any more.
In this situation the consumer buys
meat at wholesale prices and the
farmer, if he/she is lucky just 'breaks
even'.
All of this, because one cattle beast
in Alberta tested positive for BSE and
no other cattle beasts have tested
positive ever since. This compares
extremely well against other countries
who have had far worse statistics by
comparison. (Between 1987 and 1995
- 146,316 confirmed cases were
reported in the United Kingdom).
Our farmers are the people who put
the food on all of our tables. Without
them we would all be in trouble. and
we need to make all of the public
sector aware of the crisis the farmers
are facing at the present time.
The farmers are amongst the
hardest-working members of our
society who desperately need our
support. We have all faced stressful
situations at one time or another
throughout our lives, and usually after
a short while the problem has been
resolved.
Can you imagine a problem which
doesn't go away, but continues to
worsen day by day — with no light at
the end of the tunnel? That is the
farmers' situation right now.
I asked myself what can I do to
help? So, I try to let the farmers know
that I really care; I buy my meat
directly from the farm, I'm trying to
arrange a free venue where farmers
can have a coffee and cookie and
either get rid ot their frustrations by
chatting together, or to just forget
about the farm for a few hours and
probably, most importantly, I'm
trying to inform the general
population, whom I hope will in turn,
approach their MPs and MPPs to see
if they can try to implement strategies
to deal with the situation.
If you can help in any of these
ways, I'm sure many farmers will
love you for it.
With my thanks in anticipation of
your support
Kay Roberts.
Editor's note: A meeting for
concerned beef producers will be held
in the Belgrave Wl Hall at 8:30 p.m.
on Thursday, Sept. 9.
Sept. 3, 1959
The Brussels Lions Boys and
Girls Band were the third prize
winners at the CNE.
The band also lead the parade at
the Zurich Lions Club Frolic in a
downpour of rain.
Elston Cardiff, active PC member
in the House of Commons for 12
years, wanted to stand for, re-
election in the new district.
Six people were sent to the
hospital after a two-car collision on
the former Hwy. 86, about one mile
east of Molesworth.
Sept. 4, 1969
Dr. George Alexander, who
purchased the veterinary practice
and residence of Dr. William Stiles,
came to Brussels from Swan River,
Man.
The one-day anti-rabies clinic in
Brussels, conducted by Dr. M. K.
Clugston of Seaforth, drew a
gratifying response with 130
inoculations.
The Ladies Aid of Melville
Church opened the Autumn term
with a pot luck supper.
The Ladies division of the
Brussels Agricultural Society
finalized plans for the Brussels Fall
Fair.
Sept. 6, 1972
It was a tense moment as
contestants waited on Huron
Plowman's Association president,
Ken Stewart, to announce the
Queen of the Furrow winner,
Marilyn Robertson of East
Wawanosh Twp.
William Beaucom assumed his
duties as manager of the Brussels
branch of the Canadian Imperial
Bank of Commerce. He came from
Sault Ste. Marie.
Mr. and Mrs. George Hart of
Brussels celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary.
Lavis Construction Ltd. in
Clinton were busy rebuilding storm
sewers, curbs and pavement on
Hwy. 4 through Belgrave.
A record attendance was expected
when the Huron Unit of the
Canadian Cancer Society met for
the annual meeting with guest
speaker Bill Brady, one of Canada's
best known radio and television
personalities.
The Ontario Wheat Producer's
Marketing board released figures
indicating it purchased nearly five
million bushels of 1972 crop wheat.
The federal government offered a
$400 cash grant to about 22,500
farmers in wet-damaged areas in
Ontario and Quebec.
Agriculture Minister H. A. (Bud)
Olson announced that about 11,000
wheat producers in eastern Canada
were to receive cheques within a
few days to cover their benefits
under the federal government's two-
price wheat payment policy.
Sept. 3, 1986
Showing real leadership at the
Blyth Festival's car rally was a team
called The Dire Straits Racing Team
consisting of David Sparling, Kevin
Scrimgeour and John Liebold. The
car rally was a special fundraising
event for the Festival and took
participants on a tour of northern
Huron including Brussels.
Teacher's aides and school
secretaries across Huron County
were in a legal strike position since
Aug. 31 and were expected to walk
out on Sept. 5.
Thanks to excellent weather,
Huron County farmers were able to
start pulling white beans in most
areas of the county, with a few fields
reported combined at that point.
Some Thing Special, a new store
in Brussels opened by proud owners
Wilma Rathwell and Nella Blake.
Activity was gearing up at the
Blyth Fairground in preparation for
the 25th annual Thresher Reunion.
Eleven girls were nominated for
the Brussels Fair Queen, which
included Connie Alcock, Cynthia
Purvis, Leanne Armstrong, Ruth
Ann Watts, Cindy June Stute,
Charlene Stephenson, Carol
Axtmann, Joyanne Van Vliet, Tara
Parker, Susan Marks and Linda Ten
Pas.
The Hillcrest Restaurant and Gas
Bar in Londesborough re-opened
Aug. 28 with the new owners, Marg
and Paul Brunkard.
Sept. 7, 1994
Walton Public School had one of
the biggest changes as it was no
longer considered a primary school
because the Grade 3 students will
remain for another year for Grade 4
instead of travelling to Seaforth P.S.
June Johns, Walton school secretary
said the school's population rose to
about 105 students.
With the 33rd Annual Huron
Pioneer Thresher Reunion and
Hobby Show fast approaching, the
reassembling of the steam-powered
sawmill began.
Clarence Poortinga had his hands
full hanging on to the triplet calves
born at his Brussels farm.
Kim Baan took on the challenges
of educating young children about
the dairy industry in her new role as
the Huron County Dairy Educator.
Sept. 1, 1999
Kirk Stewart won the gold at the
Wingham Gold and Curling Club's
annual Junior Invitational Golf
Tournament.
For the fifth time, the Brussels
Tigers captured the Huron County
Mens Fastball League champion-
ship at a tournament in Brussels.
Belgrave Pathfinders, Vicky
Black and Sandra Dorsch, were in
charge of eggs for the many hungry
diners who turned out to the
Pathfinder and Guides fundraising
breakfast.
Brad Knight presented the MVP
award to Brussels Tiger Tim Fritz.i