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The Citizen, 2004-12-23, Page 4Looking Back Through the Years Citten welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and should include a daytime telephone number for the purpose of verification only. Letters that are not signed will not be printed. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information. As well, letters can only be printed as space allows. Please keep your letters brief and concise. PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2004. Editorials Opinion s Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Heather Armstrong & Capucine Onn The Citizen 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+ $1.46 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: norhuronOscsinternet.com We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mating costs. Canadig We are pot responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright A9cna asa jtis •,,„„o° Member of the Ontario Press Council P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1HO - Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 A blessed land When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherd near Bethlehem, his/her blessing of "Peace on earth, goodwill toward men" could describe the state of Canada today. While the region of Jesus' birthplace is anything but peaceful and full of people of goodwill these days, here in Canada, even at the worst of times, we seem like a blessed land. In Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Sudan, in Haiti and too many other places in the world, people are suffering because of war and violence, and sometimes the hunger brought on by conflict. Here in Canada most people have never experienced war and our problem, for the vast majority, is too much food, not too little. In countries like Sudan, ethnic and religious hatred still leads to ethnic cleansing campaigns to drive people of differing races and religions apart. Canada, despite the odd racist incident, has become a beacon to the world showing how people can live together. We have a diverse population from all parts of the world with people from troubled regions often living in close proximity yet, with a few unfortunate exceptions like the Air India bombing, these people have learned to live in peace here. Likewise, while Muslims of different factions battle in Iraq and Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland nurse an uneasy truce, people of many religions live together in relative peace here in Canada. In Ukraine, people camp in the streets to prevent a corrupt government from stealing an election. Here in Canada, we take for granted that when the votes are counted, the true winner will be crowned and complain only that the system doesn't represent minority parties as fairly as it might. Sometimes, provoked by a national media for whom good news seems to be no news at all, we focus on what's wrong with Canada. At this time of the year, however, we need to realize that we have been given blessings people in most of the world could only dream of. — KR Accepting the blame Mr. Justice Bruce Durno had to exercise wisdom close to that of his famous predecessor King Solomon, Monday, as he handed down the sentences of two water employees charged for their role in the May 2000 Walkerton water tragedy. Unlike Solomon who had to decide how to divide a baby, Mr. Justice Durno had to decide how to divide the blame for the tragedy. Did the actions of Stan and Frank Koebel contribute to the deaths ofseven people and the illness of 2,300 others because of the polluted water they drank, or would these people have suffered anyway because of the extraordinary circumstances of a flood that washed manure down a well that should never have been located were it was? Mr. Justice Durno decided the men had to be held responsible for their actions. He sentenced Stan Koebel to a year in jail because he hid his knowledge that the water was polluted and the chlorinator wasn't working from public health officials trying to track down the source of the illnesses that gripped the community. His brother Frank, was sentenced to house arrest for falsifying records to make it look like water was properly treated when it wasn't. There can be no perfect justice here. Nothing will bring back the dead or heal the ongoing health problems of some of the victims. Some wanted much stiffer sentences. Others argue the Koebels were scapegoats for local politicians who allowed the well to be built where it was and the prov- incial politicians who cut the budget for supervision of water systems. It's become a common refrain in recent years to say the system is at fault or the government is to blame and reduce the responsibility of the individual. Currently, for instance, a Toronto man is suing the province for $1.4 million after he became addicted to gambling and lost his house because of gambling debts from provincial casinos. No matter who else shares the blame, Stan and Frank Koebel were guilty. Thankfully, Mr. Justice Durno recognized that despite society's failings, we must be responsible for our actions. — KR Dec. 25, 1969 Brussels council received complaints regarding people leaving their vehicles parked on main street all day. In response, council asked people to follow the bylaw and park in either of the two downtown parking lots available to the public. Following the Brussels Santa Claus parade, 500 children gathered to meet Santa. The Melville Guild sang Christmas carols and distributed gifts at the Callander Nursing Home. Dec. 27, 1972 The federal riding of Huron was to be increased if recommendations of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario were adopted to include a population of 74,038. Janice Houston, 15, was crowned Junior Snow Queen at the Christmas Dance at the Seaforth District High School. The Brussels Lions were asking people not to throw away their Christmas trees, but to leave them on the curbside for pick-up as part of a monster Polar Daize bonfire. Club members gathered the trees for the fire. Winners of the Brussels Legion's Remembrance Day essay contest were Mary Smith and Susan Langlois. Dec. 23, 1986 Melanie Knox of Hullett Central Public School was the third-place winner of the MNR essay contest. She received her prize, a signed Glen Loates print, from Vincent Kerrio, Minister of Natural Resources. The five students who turned in essays that made Blyth Public School the winner for the fifth time in the contest travelled to Toronto to accept their trophies. They were: Dave Hessels, Lisa Bromley, Kelly Cook, Tammi Medd and Tabatha Montgomery, who also was runner- up for best individual essay and received a signed Glen Loates print. At the annual Grey Central Public School. Christmas concert, a babysitting service was offered to help keep restless little ones occupied and entertained. Sitters were Rebecca Brubacher, Ann Uhler, Charmaine Lichti, Cathy Earl, Angie Williams and Jason Prescott. Fred Meier was named vice- president of Gay Lea. Dec. 23 1992 Blyth and District Optimist members Jeff Peters and Jim Phelan got a full load of food, clothing and gifts when they picked up the results of the Share Christmas in Blyth campaign. Most Blyth merchants were involved in the campaign in which a business would donate five per cent of the purchase price on an item a customer bought if the customer brought in an item for the Huron County Christmas Bureau. A picture could hardly do justice to the ingenuity and hard work put into the Christmas lighting display at the home of Bob and Joyce Alexander in Ethel, by their sons Michael and Brian. It began as a single star five years earlier and grew into a very visible and highly enjoyable annual spectacle. Carla Hunt was ready to take control of the puck during the Brussels Atom's game against Goderich. They beat Goderich 6 - 1. It was an unpleasant surprise when a Morris Twp. family returned from Christmas shopping to find the back kitchen of their home gone and extensive heat and smoke damage to the rest. A passing neighbour discovered the fire and called the Wingham fire department. The estimated damage was $40 - 50,000. There was a very strong trade at the Brussels Livestock with fed cattle selling $1 higher. Cows sold on a strong demand at prices $2 - $3 higher. Cows sold from $57 to $63 to a high of $72.25. The Belgrave and District Kinsmen presented the annual Kinsman of the Year award at the Christmas banquet in Belgrave. Honoured was Jim Scott. Kevin Scrimgeour, son of Don and Lenore, graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Arts, Honours Psychology with Thesis. Community Play co-ordinators Karen Stewart and Fran Cook were among many to entertain the audience at the Blyth Village Christmas Pageant held at Memorial Hall. Dec. 23, 1996 An effort to improve the' streetscape of Blyth had gone on for more than a year and a half with ups, downs and frequent phone calls. The combined initiative by the Blyth Business Association and council to bring decorative lighting to main street had run into snag after snag, but there was hope for completion of the project in the coming year. East Wawanosh council threw its support behind a request from a group leading a campaign for Wingham and District Hospital to save the facility. However, they stated they gave equal support to all hospitals which served East Wawanosh residents. The future of A Taste of Country Food Fair was in question. The event, which included exhibits by food producers, cooking demonstrations and a gourmet barbecue, would be discussed at a meeting. For the third successive year, the Blyth Festival was in the black with a recorded surplus of $43,064.