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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-08-25, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2005. Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Heather Armstrong & Dianne Nonkes The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels. Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc Subscriptions are payable in advance at a '■ate'of $30 00/year ($28 04 + $: 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 vvili be credited Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2pm- Brussels; Monday, 4 p m Blyth PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO 40050141 PAP REGISTRATION NO 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT Canada PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1 HO email: norhuron@scsinternet com We acknowledge rhe financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAPi toward our mailing costs The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 RO. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuroh.on.ca jyocna (jcna Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Strange bedfellows Politics, it has been said, makes strange bedfellows and the current outrage over high gas prices has various political leaders arguing the need for lower prices, but from their own political agendas. NDP leader Jack Layton, for instance, has called for government controls over gas prices. Now since the NDP likes to see itself as the party most interested in protecting the environment, and since it’s been proven that high gas prices will lead to less driving in more efficient vehicles as consumers try to save money, it would seem that today’s high gas prices would be an important step in achieving NDP goals to reduce the use of precious resources and clean up the air. But many NDP supporters drive cars, some even gas-guzzling SUVs and just like other people in society, they don’t like to see more of their money going into their gas tank. While they may want a clean environment, they’re not happy about paying more in the short term. Conservative supporters don’t like paying more at the pumps either. The Conservative mantra, of course, is that market forces must be allowed to play themselves out. But Conservative supporters don't like the higher prices that are the consequence of market forces any more than NDPers. Theirs, however, is a typically right-wing solution: it must be the fault of government taxes. The government should cut taxes on gas. The cut in taxes would also satisfy right-wing critics from another viewpoint. From the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to the Conservative Party, the federal government’s surpluses in recent years have been a point of frustration. This, they say, is stealing money from the taxpayers. But these were the same people who were warning against deficits a decade ago and saying we. were living a high life we were going to ask our children and grandchildren to pay for through government debt. Shouldn’t they be pleased the federal government’s surpluses are helping to pay down the debt, thereby lifting the burden from future generations of taxpayers? Ah, but at the expense of today’s taxpayers paying extra, so that, apparently is not a good thing. Of course if there were a downturn in the economy and the federal government ran a deficit even one year, the cries from the Conservatives and the Taxpayers’ Federation would be that the spendthrift government couldn't balance the books. The budget, apparently, should be managed to break even to the penny each year whether we’re in a boom or a bust. Whether from the left or right side of the political spectrum, people seem fixated on the short-term here and now, not on paying a price now for improvements in the future. — KR Who’s naive now? Some of the key movers behind negotiating a free trade agreement with the U.S. are singing a different tune these days following the American government’s refusal to abide by a decision of a North American Free Trade Agreement that the U.S. must stop charging duties on Canadian softwood lumber and give back $5 billion it collected from Canadian exporters. “I always said they were jackboot negotiators,” said Senator Pat Carney who was trade minister in the government of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in 1988 when the free trade agreement was negotiated. “It’s the tactic of the schoolyard bully which was exactly what we were trying to prevent when we negotiated the free trade agreement,” said Derek Burney who was chief of staff to Mulroney. These comments sound strangely like those of free trade critics like former Liberal minister of agriculture Eugene.* Whelan who said Americans always want to win in trade and will do whatever they need to do to win. Opponents of free trade were once called naive because people like Ms Carney and Mr. Burney said without NAFTA Canada would be open to U.S. protectionism. Softwood lumber and the BSE crisis show that agreements won’t stand in the way of Americans protecting their own interests. —KR Letter to the editor Looking Back Through the Years THE EDITOR, On behalf of Epilepsy Huron- Perth-Bruce, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude and appreciation to the community for their participation during the recent Glad Day Campaign in Blyth. Special thanks to Kathy Bromley and Caitlyn Jerome for selling the flowers. Thank you also to Canada Post for graciously allowing us to sell on (heir premises. Heartfelt thanks to all those who purchased gladiolus, raffle tickets, or made a donation during this campaign. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders affecting members of our community. The funds raised through this event will be used by our chapter to continue to provide information, counselling and educational programs in our community in the future. For more information about epilepsy call 482-5527 or e-mail: epilepsy @tcc.on.ca Sincerely, Caroline Simons Executive Director. Aug. 25, 1948 There was still no trace of a car that had been stolen a week earlier ' from the residence of Dr. D,C. Draper. He had returned from an * early morning call, and was only inside for a few minutes when he heard his car’s motor being started, and looked out the window to see his car being driven south on No. 4 Highway. He phoned police immediately and Ontario Provincial Police Cons. Charles Salter, gave chase but no trace of it was found. The OPP continued their search. The Blyth Lions Boys and Girls Band was preparing to participate in a province-wide competition taking place on the Canadian National Exhibition Grounds in Toronto. The band was practising a very difficult and complicated piece. They would be competing with six other bands from across Ontario. Aug. 23, 1972 For 25 years, Mrs. Barbara Watts had been corresponding with an English pen-pal, Mrs. Joan Perry who resided in Derby, England. Mrs. Watts was very surprised when, after having no contact except letters (they had never met, or even talked on the telephone), Mrs. Perry called her residence. Mrs. Watt, at first, was worried that something serious might have happened. But Mrs. Perry was actually anxious about Mrs. Watt’s daughter, Trina, who she was aware had a problem with her eyesight. “How nice to know that a friend, so many miles away, was concerned enough about your daughter to make such a call.” Mrs. Watt commented. The call was made at 9 a.m. in England, and was received at 5 p.m. here. An issue was raised by the public that smoking was (and is) indeed a major public health problem in the country. Surgeon General Jesse Steinfeld considered two possibilities: limiting the amount of tars and nicotines in cigarettes; and raising the cigarette tax. An honest mistake was soon corrected when a combine that had been missing from a farm was returned to the owner. The man had gone to get his combine when he found that it had disappeared. Following an anxious time of trying to locate it, he learned that a truck had been seen loading his machine and driving away. It turned out that the combine had been taken to Lucknow by mistake when the truck visited the farm rather than that of another individual, who had arranged for his combine to be taken after making a tractor deal. The former’s combine was returned to him, safe and sound. Aug. 29,1973 During the week of Aug. 20 to Aug. 26, a total of four traffic investigations were carried out by the the Wingham Detachment of the OPP. The first was a single car crash that took place on Huron County Rd. 12, south of Huron County Rd. 29, Howick Twp. There were no injuries to the woman who was driving, and the damages to her car were estimated at $300. The second was a two-car collision that took place on Huron County Rd. 12 at Huron County Rd. 16 in Brussels. A woman from Egmondville, one of the two people involved in the collision (the other was a man from Blyth), sustained non-fatal injuries. The damages were estimated at $1,400 and charges were pending. The third was yet another single - car crash on Hwy 4, south of the Huron-Bruce County Line. There were no injuries, and damages were estimated at, again. $300. The fourth incident involved two vehicles. This took place on County Rd. 12, south of County Rd. 16, Brussels. There were no injuries, and the damages were estimated at $325. Charges were pending in this case. Aug. 27,1986 Five people were injured, two more seriously, in a spectacular two- car crash in Auburn. Miraculously, there were no fatalities. It was raining heavily when a car driven by a young man from Blyth went out of control on the curve heading west out of Auburn. The car skidded sideways, and the front end of the car went right into the eastbound lane of the highway. The car collided with a station-wagon that was returning from Goderich. The impact completely tore the car in half, sending the engine and front wheels towards the station-wagon and the passenger compartment and back half spinning towards the bridge over the Maitland River. Most of the members of the family in the station-wagon as well as the driver of the car all were removed quickly from their vehicles, but the jaws of life had to be used to remove the 16-year-old driver of the station- wagon. The most serious injuries were a broken pelvis and a severely jarred broken leg. There was no estimate on damages. Stephen Caldwell of East Wawanosh Twp. had taken over as manager of the Auburn Co-Op. Caldwell had worked with the Auburn and Belgrave branches of United Co-Operatives of Ontario for the past four years. Aug. 23,1995 Lynn Yuli, of Gorrie had a very lucky day when she scratched an Instant Bingo lottery ticket and won a total of $10,000. Mrs. Yuli, her husband and two daughters planned to use their winnings to pay off bills and buy a new tent.