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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-03-24, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2005. Editorials 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 + $1.96 G.S.T.) in Canada; $85.00/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 iu| RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO ( QKIQClQ CIRCULATION DEPT. VX11 lCLVlCl PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 PO. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021' E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca Jpcna ® a Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright How not to improve service An accounting change announced by the provincial government last week means that the deficit for the current year will likely top $6 billion. While the deficit is a serious problem it’s not buying sympathy from many of the people who work for the government. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union has said the deficit is not their problem, they still want substantial raises to make up for the money they feel they’re behind because of cutbacks under the previous government. Teachers are also saying they want more, even though they say they’re glad not to be constantly at war with the government as they were with the previous government. Doctors aren’t happy with the proposals for increases in funding offered by the provincial government. The problem for governments is, that while people involved in education or health care say there must be more money provided for the good of the system, as soon as there is money they want a bigger share because they feel they’ve been ill used in the past when there wasn’t money. As a result, so much of the money that was supposed to buy improvement only ends up giving better incomes to people working in the schools, hospitals or government offices and the system doesn’t improve. It’s like trying to bail water from a boat that’s got a huge leak. If employees really care about better government services they’re going to have to give a little or there’ll never be enough money. — KR McLellan brings shame on us all Watching Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan say she hasn’t been convinced of the need for an inquiry into the failure of security authorities to prevent the bombing of an Air India flight and failure of the police to solve the case and bring the perpetrators to justice, must surely bring shame to Canadians who care about justice and the pain and suffering of the families of that tragic terrorist incident. No need for a public inquiry? Two men have just been acquitted of charges after the most expensive trial in Canadian history because a weak case was the best investigators could bring after 20 years of investigations. Evidence during that trial showed informants had warned Air India flights could be targets by Sikh militants who wanted revenge on the Indian government. There was evidence that security authorities and the RCMP did not co-operate with each other. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service actually erased tapes of suspects that would have helped gain convictions for the bombers. Long before Sept. 11,2001, we had our own shocking act of terrorism, yet we never seemed to consider it was an attack on Canada. At first our government expressed condolences to India, even though the majority of people on the flight were Canadian. They weren’t, however, the kind of people we immediately identified as Canadians. The Canadian people have finally embraced the families of the victims. We have seen their pain and suffering and want them to be treated justly. After 20 years of waiting, they thought the trial would finally bring them justice, but the weak case presented by investigators means they still have no sense their relatives didn’t die in vain. We live in a time of international terrorism and our security, law enforcement and justice systems have all failed in our first real taste of an act of terror. No need for a public inquiry? How can we feel safe until an inquiry demonstrates the lessons have been learned? — KR Letter to the editor Looking Back Through the Years THE EDITOR, Since Feb. 15, the North Huron Museum in Wingham has been hosting photo identification afternoons every second Tuesday from 1 - 3 p.m. People from the community were invited to come to the museum and help identify some of the people in photographs from mainly the late 1960s and early 1970s that were taken by the newspaper. The photos were donated to the museum but there are few that are identified. In the last three meetings, a group of three to eight people have been meeting at the museum and been able to identify over 329 photographs. The group that met March 15, identified 129 photographs in one afternoon. But there are still three quarters of a trunk of photographs that have not been identified, not to mention photo albums of early Western Foundry events and other museum-held photographs. The photographs feature events and people from Wingham. Belgrave, Belmore, Brussels, Wroxeter, Corrie and area. There are lots of school event photos of kids who were three to 18 in the late 1960s and early 1970s. If a group of 35 to 50-year-old residents or schoolteachers of the area would be interested in helping with the project on a Thursday night, contact me at the museum - 357- 1096. The group is continuing to meet every second Tuesday at the museum from 1 - 3 p.m. Everyone who can come is welcome. Refreshments are served. The next meeting is March 29. Jodi Jerome Museum Curator. March 24, 1948 Torrential rains, melting snow and river break-ups were responsible for millions of dollars in property damage throughout western Ontario over the weekend. The rampaging Maitland River created the most interest for local residents as high water and jamming ice caused untold property damages, loss of homes and personal effects. Blyth was fortunate as the Blyth Creek, which is a Maitland tributary was well confined to its banks. A washout did occur on the CPR tracks where they run parallel to the creek. With concerns over water quality due to flooding the Ministry of Health had cautioned everyone to boil all drinking water. The Standard was notified about the work of a “real optimist”. Someone had tapped a hydro pole on Queen Street. “Incidentally, we didn’t notice any moisture coming from the pole,” the paper reported. One of the surest signs of spring, the singing of the frogs, was reported to have occurred. Maple syrup boiling was responsible for a false fire alarm. A man was using a barn for boiling sap and a neighbour noticed the smoke pouring from the crevices. Prior to her retirement from the local bank, Mrs. Gerald Harris was the recipient of a wall mirror as a gift from the managment and staff. Clare McGowan was named assistant superintendent by the board of directors of the Children’s Aid Society. At Holland’s Grocery and Locker Service four pounds of honey was selling for 89 cents. A pound of coffee was 49 cents. Local movie theatres were showing Good News with June Allyson, Peter Lawford and Patricial Marshall; The Unfinished Dance with Margaret O’Brien, Danny Thomas and Cyd Charisse; I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now, starring June Haver, Mark Stevens and Martha Stewart and Blake of Noon with William Bendiz, Anne Baxter and Sonny Tufts. -Easter suggestions at Philps’s drug store included Smiles’n’ Chuckles chocolates, one pound for 90 cents or a half a pound of peppermint patties for 45 cents. March 22,1950 The executive for the Majestic WI was: president, Mrs. R.W. Stephens; first vice-president, Mrs. E. Wilson; second vice-president, Mrs. W. Turnbull; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. John Speir; assistant secretary, Mrs. L. Alcock. A free demonstraton on the Singer sewing attachment was being presented the Brussels Town Hall, sponsored by the Women’s Institute. A tin of salmon was selling at Grewar’s for 36 cents. / Gene Autry and Champion " appeared in Strawberry Roan showing at the Capitol Theatre in Listowel. March 22,1972 The time had come after 11 months of planning by Dan Stuckey of F.E. Madill Secondary School for two voyages he had organized. The trips were offered in the March holidays by Ship’s School Association of Toronto, one to Rome, and one to London and Paris. A total of 27 students put their noses to the grindstone to procure finances. Stuckey was leading the latter group. With him would be locals, Don Gibson, Jim Oldfield and Bob Thomas. The Maitland Valley Conservation Authority sponsored a scrapbook competition. Students from Blyth, Brookside, Brussels, East Wawanosh and Robertson Memorial Public Schools participated. The Brussels firefighters held a competition to guess the moment the barrel on the Maitland River would be released from the melting ice on the dam. Mr. and Mrs. Murray Cardiff were startled one morning when, while eating breakfast, they looked out the window and saw two wolves only a few yards from their home. A break-in was reported at Leitch Jewellery Store. An old photo showed a picture of the Grades 1 and 2 students at Brussels Public School with their teacher Helen McCutcheon (now Mrs. Lloyd Wheeler). The children were: Jack Higgins, Allan Bridge, Ronald Campbell, Ben Bridge, Ken Stevenson, Jim Edgar, Bill McQuarrie, Ted Stiles, Doug Logan, Helen Ellacott, Fran Meyers, Shirley McNeil, Carol Lowry, Mary Beth Jewel, Ruth Ann Stiess, Gwen Rutledge, Mel McCutcheon, Harold Bridge, David Kennedy, Dale McTaggart, Murray Davidson, Arnold Davidson, Twain Imeson. Bob Thornton and Franklin Bryans. March 26,1986 Nine area students were among those from F.E. Madill who won free trips to Expo ‘86 in Vancouver. Winners were Patrick Cull, Heather Morton, Tom Bailey, Gisele Kelly, Veronica Bakelaar, Shelly Bray, Cherida Gamiss, Karen Knight and Lindsay Thyssen. The Huron County budget raised taxes by 4.6 per cent. A fire destroyed a Londesborough home, the fire is believed to have started from a trash fire that spread through the grass into the woodshed at the back of the house. March 25, 1998 A fire destroyed a home on Queen Street in Blyth. A mother and her young son escaped. Winners of the D.A. Rann trophy at the Brussels Curling Club were Mike Alexander, Bob Alexander, Bob Steiss and Teuni Smith.