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The Citizen, 2006-01-19, Page 4The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca CanadW We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. ,Aocna CNA Member of the Ontario Press Council 01=EMI We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Looking Back Through the Years PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 2006. Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Ken Warwick & Marcie Riegling 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; $90.00/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. - BIOL. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG I HO email: norhuron@scsinternet.com A severe loss By Paul Mistele, Vice-President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture Canada's political leaders made it known during the recent national English debate held in Montreal that they are aware of agriculture's financial' crisis. They also talked about some solutions they have in mind to help our industry. Now we have to vote and test their resolve to follow through on those promises. Debate moderator Steve Paikin of TV Ontario, in his introduction of the agriculture topic, pointed out that Canadian agriculture contributes $30 billion per year to the country's economy. At the same time, he said, net cash income from farming in Canada is the lowest it has been since 1978. This is causing an increasing number of farmers to exit farming. He challenged the leaders to explain their strategy for turning agriculture's fortunes around. All four leaders had what they thought were plans that would get our farmers past the losses they suffered with their 2005 crop sales. For the most part, the figures they shared were inadequate for the short-term need. Timely delivery of adequate funds, as a down payment to agriculture, is what is needed. Long- term commitment is even more critical. Our farmers need to see a future for themselves and their families in agriculture if they are to be expected to remain as part of the Canadian fabric. Our rural communities are growing increasingly anxious about their long-term futures - if the farmers can't survive, they know their chances are slim. Statistics show that in 2003, farmers spent $1.9 billion on fuel, more than $2 billion on fertilizer, more than $570 million on veterinary services, and more than $800 million on electricity and telecommunications. Only comprehensive short-term, urgently-needed assistance, and long- term programs as proposed by producers from our federal and provincial governments can provide the stability we need. Getting the necessary commitment from both federal and provincial governments is going to require a lot of work by farmers and their organizations. As the election campaign was starting, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and its partners in the Unified Voice set out to get all candidates to sign a commitment card pledging their support for agriculture. Some candidates signed the cards, but the vast majority declined to accept that challenge. With hundreds of candidates seeking votes in this election, the number willing to commit to supporting agriculture is only a fraction of the number of candidates. A strong commitment to support our industry is essential if we expect to turn the leaders' promises into reality. Farm organizations are preparing Continued on page 6 Jan. 22, 1959 Smash and grab thieves broke a window at the W.G. Leach jewellery store in Brussels and made off with a display of watches and jewellery, the approximate value of whick was $75. A forced entry was also made at the Brussels Creamery, but the burglars were baffled in an attempt to cart away the 1,500-pound safe. The Brussels Post reported that the jewellery loss was minimized because Leach made it a practice to remove the valuable items from the window at night. The Leaches, who lived above the store heard nothing during the night and were unaware of the robbery until Murray Lowe, on his paper route at 7 a.m., noticed the smashed window and notified Leach. R.B. Cousins, owner and operator of the creamery said the thieves smashed glass in the front door and reached in to unlock it. They gained' entry to the office by forcing an interior window, and in spite of the burglar alarm took the time to try and lift the safe. Cousins, who lived nearly, was awakened by the alarm and saw the car as it sped away. The initial investigation was carried out by police chief David Hastings. Jan. 20, 1960 West Wawanosh reeve John S. Durnin was elected Huron County warden. He was the third reeve from West Wawanosh to be named warden. The others served in 1874 and 1947. Harry Lear was the new president of the Hullett Twp. Federation of Agriculture. The Blyth arena now had undergone a change when workmen completed the job of glassing in the deck above the dressing rooms, extending across the entire width of the area. The room would be heated and would offer spectators "the opportunity of watching future hockey games with almost the same comfort ' as they experienced -watching_ the Saturday night television games in their living rooms". Awards were presented to nine members of the Blyth United Church's Young Worshippers League. The aim of the YWL was to encourage children to attend church regularly. Those receiving recognition were Ivan and Warren Cook, Mary and Margaret Howson, Ronald, Ruth and Kenneth McLagan and Barbara and Clara Wasson. Men from the United Church were to appear on Singtime, a weekly program sponsored by the United Churches in the district and heard on CKNX Radio and Television every Sunday. Mrs. H. Vodden hosted the Friendship Circle. The Blyth rural hockey league increased to four teams with the addition of an entry from Auburn. Twenty-one members of the Fireside Farm Forum met at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Don Buchanan. The subject was Adjustment Through Farm Credit. There was a sale on girls' dresses at the Needlecraft Shoppe. Pleated and straight skirts were selling for $1.98 for ages two to 12, while teens' sizes were $4.95. Jan. 19, 1972 Despite the cold and stormy night, a near capacity crowd attended the talent contest and Polar Daize queen competition at the Brussels Public School. Lion Ken Scott was in charge of the proceedings. Bonnie Pennington was chosen from among five contestants for the title. Joan Elliott was the runner-up. Pennington, a 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Pennington was a Grade 12 student at F.E. Madill high school Wingham. The talent contest winners in order were: solo dancing, Susan Langlois, Catherine Cardiff; group dancing, Carol Wheeler and Catherine Cardiff, Joan Huether, Julie Campbell, Marylynn Cardiff and Debbie Adams; instrumental, Donelda Stiles, Gwen Bernard; solo singing, Julie McCall, Colleen Raymond; duet singing, Susan Cardiff and Vicki McCall, Donna Willis and Lise Ristimaki; trio singing, Dianne Willie, Jackie McWhirter and Rhonda Keffer, Rhonda Keffer, Juanita Smith and Maxine Watts. Jan. 17, 1973 The Blyth Little Theatre was planning the production of at least one play. At a meeting the theatre group decided unanimously to go ahead with the production of their first play even though they would not be able to put it on in Blyth Memorial Hall as intended. Twenty-three-year-old Sharon McKay was the first female to join the field staff of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. Blyth Lions hosted bingo at Memorial Hall on Saturday night with a jackpot of $145. The old CNR station on Dinsley Street had become something of a celebrity. A story in The Calgary Herald featured a large picture of the station taken by a railway buff from Toronto who was enthused by what she called the "Hansel and Gretel" roof. The writer said, "Nothing like this would be found anywhere in western Canada where the country stations were built on an assembly line basis and in the hurry to get the job done and the land settled." Clinton's New Year's baby was born to Mr. and Mrs. E. Szusz. The resignation of John Stewart as clerk-treasurer of the Twp. of North Huron complicates the hopes of all those who want to see the municipality function as a whole. Stewart's work has been huge in trying to meld three formerly diverse municipalities into one, since amalgamation. North Huron brings together a much larger, industrial-based municipality in Wingham with a rural, farm-oriented municipality in East Wawanosh and a unique village in Blyth, recently faced with its special challenges with a declining retail sector. Since amalgamation, council has worked hard to keep the interests of all these wards of the township in mind. One can't help thinking they were assisted in this by Stewart's steady presence. As a life-long resident of Blyth and a former clerk-treasurer of that village, he had a deep awareness of the whole municipality. Now the challenge for council will be to retain that municipality-wide focus while choosing a replacement. The natural human tendency of staff concentrated in one centre is to see that part of the municipality as representative of the whole municipality. Finding someone with Stewart's 'broad perspective, not to mention his dedication and hard working habits, will be a challenge. — KR Who fires the media If a government does a bad job, it will be voted out in an election. But when the media does as terrible a job covering an election as it has in this one, what is the alternative? The media should play an essential role in helping to inform voters and asking the questions voters can't. Too often, however, the media has fallen into the easy trap of covering the election like a horse race. So there have been polls published daily and the story has become the polls. The media coverage of the election has become the decline in Liberal fortunes and the surge of Conservative support, not the issues. A kind of "gotcha" journalism has spent so much time pouncing on who's running which attack ads (the Tories in B.C., the Liberals elsewhere) that an ad that didn't even run became the biggest coverage issue of the past week. Meanwhile we are looking at a change of gbvernment with very few hard questions being asked about what the new government will bring. How can the Conservatives pay for their promises without either running a deficit or slashing programs? Where does Stephen Harper stand on the 'Kyoto environmental agreement? We need to know.— KR Commentary