Loading...
The Citizen, 2005-03-10, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2005. Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Heather Armstrong & Capucine Onn 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 + $l 96 G.S.T.) in Canada; $85.00/year in U.S A. and $l00/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 Canada We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing .costs. The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca Aocna@NA Member of the Ontario Press Council BCEM We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright How’s your tax cut look now? In the old oil-filter commercial the mechanic used to warn viewers that “You can pay me now, or you can pay me later!” With the possibility of an 18 per cent increase in the taxes payable to Huron County, we’re paying later for the tax cuts so proudly announced by the Mike Harris government a few years ago. Senior governments have done a great job of— not really passing the buck — but passing the bills. The federal government looked good in balancing its budget but it did so by cutting money to the provinces. Harris’s Conservatives came up with a plan to restructure services that was supposed be an equal swap with municipalities but really saved the province money and allowed it to look good with tax cuts while the municipalities were stuck with huge increases. The ambulance service, for instance, which the province promised it would pay half the cost of, is now costing local taxpayers 70 per cent in Huron. Now the county is trying to cut its costs by handing down bridges to local municipalities. With a projected 18 per cent increase thi$ year on top of a 9.3 per cent increase last year, it’s no wonder the county wants to cut costs. The sad fact remains that while one level of government can look better than another, in the long run it’s still the taxpayer who pays. But by cutting income tax and downloading the costs onto property taxpayers, often the people most able to pay get the tax break and the people least able to pay have to pick up the tab. — KR We left ourselves vulnerable The farming sector was hurt badly last week when a Montana judge awarded an injunction to block the reopening of the U.S. border to Canadian live cattie. The depression that descended on Canadian cattle and lamb producers deepened the following day when the U.S. Congress voted against president George W. Bush’s efforts to reopen the border. How did we ever let ourselves get in this position? How did we ever allow ourselves to become so dependent on one market that political decisions could devastate our rural economy? But the situation is worse than just the cattle industry. Since the free trade agreement of 1988, we’ve concentrated our trade with the U.S. to the point 80 per cent of our exports go to the U.S. Not only does this put us at the whim of politically-motivated trade actions, like the softwood lumber dispute, but the growing $43 trillion debt problem in the U.S. that threatens to wreck the U.S. economy would also wreck ours because we depend on American trade so much. We’ve put all our eggs in one basket. We’re now paying the price and it could get worse. — KR Commentary Looking Back Through the Years By Ron Bonnett, OFA President There should be no doubt in the minds of elected and staff people at Queen's Park about what Ontario farmers want and need to survive. An estimated 8,000 farmers, some riding their tractors, delivered the message at the ‘One Voice March’ on March 2. The following morning representatives from the participating commodity and general farm organizations were back at Queen’s Park to meet the Liberal Party’s Rural Caucus to reinforce the message from the day before. The meeting also looked at steps to be taken to deal with the financial crisis Ontario farmers are experiencing. The One Voice effort has made it abundantly clear to the politicians that they will not be bought off with trinkets and beads. We are demanding a commitment from the provincial government for emergency funding to ensure grains and oilseeds producers can plant a crop this year and for tobacco farmers who are still waiting for promised dollars. We need government to recognize the impacts of the regulatory burden it is placing on agriculture. For more than a year the provincial government has been passing legislation and regulations that do nothing for agriculture but add costs. Other regulations such as those directed at deer and elk farmers directly reduce income. Farmers in the Greater Toronto Area were dismayed recently when the province passed its Greenbelt Protection Act without any advance notice. Everyone involved in that process believed the province was going to have an all-party committee review the legislation and the economic impact on agriculture. As part of the demands to government, Ontario farmers are calling on the provincial government to play a lead role to gain improvements to the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program. We identified deficiencies when CAIS was implemented. Where is the promised review? Changes must be made to provide producers with timely income support. We also need production insurance and new Market Revenue Insurance programs in case international market conditions take the bottom out of commodity prices.That’s what happened over the past few months to send prices for corn and soybeans to 25-year lows. The government safety net programs need to- be redesigned to Continued on page 6 March 10, 1948 A feeling of satisfaction and a spirit of co-operation pervaded the annual meeting of the Blyth Farmers’ Co:_ operative Association. The latest oddity in the news was another large hen egg, which weighed 4 ounces and measured seven inches in circumferance the short way and seven-and-a-half inches the long way. This time the egg was delivered to The Blyth Standard office, and in turn made a fine meal for the editor. A front-page correction began: Was our face red... It seems the previous week's advertisement for Vodden’s Home Bakery listed quite a large variety of hardware items when the contents of Speiran’s Hardware ad found its way in the space occupied by the bakery. “The error did prove one thing — that people do read the ads. We were the recipients, of considerable ribbing and Mr. Vodden had some calls and enquiries about the price of barb wire.” Bro. Bailie Parrott received his 25- year jewel at the regular meeting of Blyth Lodge 1OOF. For the “youthful-minded women” Gibson Girl blouses in white and pastel shades were on sale at Wallace’s Dry goods. Two packages of Rice Krispies were selling for 27 cents at Superior Food Stores. There was a special buy on men’s pants at Harris and Company. There was a limit of one pair per customer at a cost of $6. March 8, 1950 Rev. G. A. Milne, minister of Melville Church accepted a call to First Presbyterian Church in Merrill, Oregon. An announcement told of the opening of a tap dancing school. Instruction was by a graduate of the Jack Manning School of Dancing in New York City. Application for enrolment were being, receiving at the American Hotel. - George Wesenburg was appointed secretary-treasurer of the East Huron Agricultural Society, replacing Rev. Milne. The new east window of St. John’s Church was unveiled. The new postal badge in Girl Guiding was won by three Brussels Guides, Lavarre McNair, Mary Agnes Higgins and Sheila Porter. A pound of bacon was on sale at Grewar’s for 55 cents. One pound of farmer’s sausage was selling for 39 cents, while a small tin of sockeye salmon was 47 cents. A robin, that cheery harbinger of spring was spied in Brussels. Ann Blyth and George Brent starred in Red Canyon, playing at the Regent Theatre in Seaforth. George Montgomery, Rod Cameron and Ruth Roman were on the playbill for Belle Star’s Daughter playing at the Capitol Theatre in Listowel. March 8, 1972 A provincial grant of $7,000 to the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority for the Brussels Conservation Area was approved. The funds made possible the acquisition of land in the dam area. By combining this with the land presently owned by Brussels, a substantial step was being taken toward creating a municipal green belt to provide recreation areas and protect floodplain land. Brussels players captured the WOAA Midget E. trophy defeating Lions Head 10-4. Team members were: Chris Exel, Rick McDonald, Peter Gibson, Gerald Wheeler, Darrell Bauer, Blaine McCutcheon, Lloyd Valiance, Bruce McCall. Paul Mutter, Bill Boneschansker, Keith Raymond, Doug Smith, Robert Stephenson, Bill Sellers, Roger Humphries and John Elliott. Brussels council declared a war on stray dogs when approval was given for the purchase of a dog trap. William Turnbull, well-known area swine breeder received the premier breeder award and the highest indexing basis 50-75 range award at the Ontario Swine Breeders Association’s annual meeting. Conversion to the metric system was to be gradually taking place over the course of the coming years. People were being encouraged to start becoming familiar with the system. March 12, 1986 After being without a store for two months, Auburn regained one when JJ's General Store opened in the former Village Market. Rev. Patrician Ann Nunn was the new priest in charge of St. Mark’s Auburn; Trinity, Blyth and St. John’s, Brussels Anglican Churches. Gary Nicholson was named Morris drainage commissioner. Maple Keys sugar bush was open for weekend visitors to see demonstrations on maple syrup production, past and present. At the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham it was Goldie Hawn in Wildcats. March 11,1998 Speed skater Carla Hunt of Ethel rounded up several medals at the Ontario Winter Games in Peterborough. A Blyth teen was off to Sudbury to compete at the provincial debate championships. Shawn Clark, a student at Central Huron Secondary School placed second in the regional tournament at CHSS. The Blyth Bantam Bulldogs captured the WOAA championship, while the Midget Dogs advanced to the final round of play for the OMHA championship against Walpole Island. A bald eagle was spotted near Blyth.