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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-09-01, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2005. Editorials H7tv governing is hard So you think running a government is easy? The current controversy over the provincial government’s ban on pit bulls should show otherwise. For a government that has often been criticized for breaking promises, the provincial Liberals seemed to make a universally popular decision when they decisively moved to pan pit bulls. For years the media has been full of horror stories of children and adults being ripped apart in vicious attacks by these dogs that were originally bred for fighting each other for the pleasure of blood-thirsty gamblers. There were demands for action. The government took action and has been blasted ever since, especially this week when the ban on sale, transfer and breeding of the dogs came into effect. Part of the problem is the unique view of the large-scale media that government is there to be criticized. And so, when the government was not doing anything about pit bulls, the* focus was on all the victims and those demanding action. When the government took action, the media focus shifted to all those who criticize the government for its action. So this week the victims are pit bull owners, or the owners of dogs that look like pit bulls. The media quotes Humane Society officials who claim the problem is not with the dogs but with the owners and the poor animals are going to suffer because of this law. There’s even a court challenge to the ban led by eminent human rights lawyer Clayton Ruby. Ruby believes the ban is an attack on the rights of pet owners under the Charter of Rights (at least he’s not arguing the dogs have rights under that charter — that will no doubt come somewhere down the line from animal rights activists). Meanwhile right-wing Globe and Mail columnist Margaret Wente belittled the government for seeing pit bulls as a bigger crime than a spate of murders by gun-toting gangs in Toronto. She scoffs at a government pledge of millions more dollars for police as “a little bit of money”. When something as popular as a ban on a breed of dog with a propensity for viciousness can cause such a media storm, is it any wonder governments think hard before tackling more controversial issues? — KR He who pays the piper ... Ontario is in danger of becoming a have-not province, the headlines blared last week when a Chamber of Commerce study said Ontario residents and corporations pay billions more every year to the federal government than comes back to the province in services. Of course the way it was worded was that the “Ontario” paid more than it received, as if there was some entity that was being short changed. It wasn’t Ontario that was paying, it was individual residents of the province. Premier Dalton McGuinty, however, was happy to play along because the study supported his demand for more federal money. It was just the latest study in the privileged-as-victim trend. Earlier Toronto had “proved” that it paid more than it got back from Canada. Next we’ll have studies showing Conrad Black and Frank Stronach pay more than they get back. Strangely, these studies always seem to prove what thee people who pay for them want to prove. Too bad we in rural Canada can’t afford too pay for a study that shows we get less than we give. Of course who’d believe it? —KR Letter to the editor THE EDITOR, The Blyth and Brussels Branch Libraries are offering new expanded hours at both of their branches starting in September. To serve you better, both branches will be open 20 hours a week, an increase of five hours per week. The branches will be open Tuesdays and Thursdays trom 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. The addition of the Friday hours will give patrons young and old an extra day to visit their favourite branch. The morning hours on Fridays and Saturdays may give people who normally are unable to visit the library in the afternoon or evening a chance to drop in. Both branches offer free internet service and the Brussels Branch has a computer with games and activities for young children. Brussels also has an eye-catching teen room as well as two Discovery Centres for young children. All Huron County libraries offer DVDs, videos, music CDs and books on CD and cassette. To serve you better, you can renew your books at any branch in the county. You can return any Huron County Library books at any branch in the county and all branches have Book Returns. In late October you will be able to renew books and place holds on books via the internet from the comfort of your own home. The Blyth Branch can be reached at 523-4400 and the Brussels Branch at 887-6448. Be sure to check out our website: www.huroncounty.ca/library/ The Huron County town locations, Wingham, Goderich, Clinton, Seaforth and Wingham, will resume Sunday hours on Sept. 11 from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. All five branches are open on Sundays from Labour Day to Victoria Day. Drop into read the paper, use the internet, do your homework or check out the latest best seller. Trudy Koskamp Groothuis Branch Services Co-ordinator. Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Heather Armstrong & Ken Warwick 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 P,O. Box 429, BLYTH. Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1 HO 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. E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca Aocna@’* ® Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright T Looking Back Through the Years Sept. 1, 1948 Members of the Belgrave AYPA were heard over the air on CKNX radio when they presented a semi- dramatic skit called Pioneer Clergy. The skit was one of several in a series put on by the community. The members of the cast were: Ruth Bradbum, Murray Bradburn, Harry Brydges, Mr. and Mrs. L, Vannan, and Rev. L. H. Henderson. Lois Carpenter, the drawer of the lucky number at the Winona Legion Carnival, won herself a fluffy, white Angora bunny to take home. The prize was one of many being handed out at this year’s Carnival. A 34-year-old scientist named Dr. Dilworth Wayne was the recipient of the $1,000 Eli Lilly award for biological chemistry. Remarkably, he had actually lost his eyesight nine years earlier, but continued his-work at New York’s Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research with the help of assistants. Sept. 5, 1972 At a Progressive Conservative policy conference in North York, Education Minister Thomas Wells suggested that in the near future, Grade 13 in high schools would not be necessary for most students. He said that the introduction of the credit system in 1972 had allowed many students to earn enough course credits to receive their secondary school Honours Graduation Diploma in four years. “I believe that Grade 13 will change drastically, if not virtually disappear,” said Mr. Wells. The Education Minister predicted that by the end of the decade. Grade 13 would cease to exist, even without government regulations to banish it from existence. At Brownie’s Drive-In in Clinton, Barbra Streisand was quoted as “giving the best performance of her career” (quote from Judith Crist, The Today Show) in Up the Sand Box. Also playing was Fists of Fury, a karate/kungfu film starring Bruce Lee. Aug. 22, 1986 Showing real leadership in the Blyth Festival car rally was The Dire Straits Racing Team’. The team, complete with business cards reading “Don’t follow us, we’ll follow you”, was made up of three members: David Sparling, Kevin Scrimgeour, and John Liebold. The car rally was a fund-raising event for the Festival and took participants on a tour of northern Huron. A total of 11 young women were running for the title of Brussels Fair Queen. The girls and their sponsors were as follows: Connie Alcock (Brussels Royal Canadian Legion Branch 218), Cynthia Purvis (Ethel Women’s Institute), Leanne Armstrong (Golden Lantern Restaurant), Ruthann Watts (Radford Auto, Farm, and Industrial Parts), Cindy Junestute (Majestic Women’s Institute), Charlene Stephenson (Todd’s Bakery in Brussels), Carol Axtmann (Walton Women’s Institute), Joyanne Van Vliet (McGavin Farm Equipment of Walton), Tara Parker, (George of Brussels Hair Salon), Susan Marks (Brussels Fire Department) and Linda Tenpas (Brussels Legion Pipe Band). Aug. 30, 1995 The Huron County Plowing Match, held on the Pentland Farms south of Dungannon, crowned a new resident Huron Queen of the Furrow. Charlene Townsend, of Seaforth was crowned by the past year’s Queen Shannon Craig of Walton. Kim Baan of Walton was named first runner-up. Among the other winners of various events at the Plowing Match, there were Jason Gemmel of Kippen (the Ross Gordon award for best The Citizen P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 crown on Junior Day), Paul Dodds of Seaforth (Champion Senior . plows-person with William Fotheringham as reserve), and Jonathan Hugill also of Seaforth (Jr. Champion with his brother Jason as reserve). Aug. 17,1994 A collision between two vehicles on Queen Street in Blyth appeared to be slight, but the cause was anything but minor. According to the mother of one of the people involved, her daughter was travelling west on Drummond Street. She stopped at a stop sign, but after suffering a sharp labour pain, crossed into the intersection, colliding with a southbound pickup truck. The woman was taken to Clinton Public Hospital, then transferred to St. Joseph’s in London with neck and back injuries. Her injuries were said to be whiplash-type injuries and after the condition of her unborn child was checked, she was to be sent home. There was no estimate on damages. The Blyth Festival stage was treated to a special performance by a well-known and loved radio story­ teller. Stuart McLean performed his Vinyl Cafe as part of the CBC’s 60th anniversary celebrations. After performing with a live band (the story was focussed on a record shop), one critic called the show ‘a hilarious and often poignant collection of [original] short stories illustrating that the true drama in life comes from day-to-day events’. Among those battling for the title of the Brussels Fair Ambassador were: Leisa McCall of Brussels, Sarah McLellan (Brussels), Leanne Zehr (Brussels), Matthew Shortreed (Walton), Cynthia Dewit (Wingham), Amy Crawford (Brussels), Lesley Elliott (Brussels), and Tanya Franken (Brussels).