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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-10-13, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2005. 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; $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 PAP 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. N0M1H0 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 ,'.ocna<A' ® Member of the Ontario Press Council ■EEW We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright When the first become last It's supposed to be a time of celebration when Ontario marks Agriculture Week each year, but in 2005 farmers can be excused if they feel left out of the party. Agriculture Week coincides with Thanksgiving Day. traditionally a time of giving thanks for a bountiful harvest. It's a time for being thankful for all the food that nature provides. Yet as our society becomes more distant from nature, the appreciation of the miracle of a seed becoming a plant that feeds us, lessens. As well, in this age of convenience foods, food often seems more the product of factory than farm. The food farmers produce is often the raw "product for a manufacturing process that “adds value” to the food. But while consumers want convenience, they still expect to pay only I () to 12 per cent of their income for everything they categorize as “food” including pop and chips. Today’s dominant retail chains set their mark­ up and tell the processor how much they’re willing to pay. The processor pays the farmer a price that allows profit to be made from the processing operation. It’s left to the farmer to try to make a living on what’s left from the consumer dollar after everyone else gets their profit. This system just isn’t working. As the National Farmers Union’s Ontario co-ordinator Don Mills pointed out last week, Ontario farmers will receive about $2.50 per bushel for this year’s corn crop. Adjusted for inflation, that’s the lowest price in the past 100 years. Thanksgiving and Ontario Agriculture Week are designed to remind us to be grateful for the food we eat, but it should also include the people who grow our food. If we expect the people who grow ourd’ood to live in poverty to produce our bounty, we have lost the whole meaning of the celebration. We must create a system where farmers get their fair share of the food dollar up front, not take whatever’s left after all other segments of the food chain take their profits. — KR Now back to regular programs The sobering thing about a strike, as National Hockey League players found out last year, is that you find out the world goes on .without you. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) management and employees just learned the same lesson. Il was symbolic that the first regular programming back on track following the settlement of a lockout by management, was Hockey Night m Canada Saturday night. While Canadians ignore their public broadcaster most of the week, people still lune in for hockey on Saturday. But many CBC supporters worry for the future of the network that has done so much to shape Canadian identity. Starved of government support, CBC has been lost between being a public and a commercial network. Nobody wants to pay more taxes but the benefit that higher government support can bring can be seen in Britain where BBC is a driver in the movie business as well as television. Many of the movies Canadians admire from Britain, the ones that make us ask “Why can’t Canadians make movies like that?” are commissioned by BBC, but play in movie theatres first. CBC can be seen as an expense, or with imagination and little extra money, can be a springboard to a better Canada. —KR Letters to the editor Looking Back Through the Years THE EDITOR, The week of Oct 9-15 is Community Care Worker Week, a lime to recognize the impact that community care workers have on the health of individuals and communities. "Research demonstrates that home and community care programs help to reduce overall system costs; improve health outcomes; and provide care that people prefer in appropriate settings.” (Canadian Home Care Association). Personal support workers (PSWs) assist clients of all ages and diagnoses to remain in their homes b\ providing a broad range ol support services, such as personal iaie, home maintenance, meal plcparation. caregiver relief and palliative care. I loinc and community care is vital io the success and sustainability ot oui health care system, and «, (immunity care workers are dedicated to providing effective, high quality care to help clients iemain where they most frequently wish to be—in their own homes. JoAnn Todd, Manager Saint Elizabeth Health Care THE EDITOR, When 1 was a child my mother took me to many concerts and recitals. I have been forever grateful for the love of classical music that was instilled in me. If you love music, you should know about the inspiring concert coming to Blyth Memorial Hall on Wednesday. Nov. 2 when violinist Scott St John and pianist Jamie Parker perform familiar classics by Mozart, and Beethoven as well as other 20th-century composers. This summer I travelled to hear Parker and the Gryphon Trio during the Kincardine Summer Music festival. He’s the lively pianist performing with St. John and he shouldn't be missed. To have him playing in Blyth will be a thrill for anyone who enjoys good classical music and an inspiration to all aspiring musicians. Bev Bniwn. Oct. 13, 1948 A photo was featured in the paper of a young woman named Ruth Woods wearing a seemingly normal pair of glasses. It turns out Ruth was Miss Specs of 1948. and the glasses she was wearing were worth $15,000. This is because the frame was made of solid gold, and was studded with eight emerald-cut diamonds. Oct. 11, 1972 A downpour of rain forced the cancellation of many Brussels fair events. Some of the events cancelled included the parade, races, children’s sports, and the judging of livestock (except cattle, which was held in the sided building of fairground). Construction was going on at the Brussels Legion Hall. An addition was being added onto the south side of the building. Candidates for the riding of Huron spoke to farmers about their agricultural policies in Clinton. Less than a hundred farmers turned out. and a late harvest seemed to get the blame for the absence of many. The speakers and their parties included Charlie Thomas, Huron Liberal. Robert McKinley, Progressive Conservative, and Shirley Weary, New Democratic Party, Also speaking was an unexpected guest, a Goderich man who was an independent candidate. He had not been invited to speak, but showed up anyway, requesting to be heard. Oct. 10, 1973 There were no plans of holding a walkathon fundraiser for the Blyth Legion. The event was usually used to raise money for the Legion’s portion of minor sports activities for the year. The event was cancelled because of an almost complete lack of interest by local youth in taking part, said William Riehl of the Legion. As of the beginning of. the week, fairly near to the pre-set date, only one youth had signed up. Oct. 15, 1986 An unknown driver paid an unexpected visit to the Queen’s Villa apartment buildings early in the one morning in Blyth. The Ontario Provincial Police in Wingham reported that the vehicle left Hwy 4 and cut across the building’s front lawn, leaving $300 worth of damages to a Huron County road sign, a chain-link fence, the lawn, plus two trees. Police were continuing the investigation into the incident. Pressure was growing on the federal government to supply emergency farm aids to all farmers who may need it. The devastating crop losses of farmers in Huron County and across the province were a result of the record September rainfalls. A meeting was held in Vanastra by newly-elected president of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture Paul Klopp, a Zurich- area farmer. The Huron Federation of Agriculture encouraged farmers to contact the disaster committee at the federation office, and call their members of parliament and legislative assembly to impress upon them the seriousness of the situation. The 38th annual Belgrave Community Centre turkey supper was a huge success for the community. Over 1.000 people turned out to enjoy a delicious supper prepared by the women’s organizations of the area, with help from McIntyre’s Bakery. A bridge worth $1,888,400 in costs was to be built across the Maitland River, south of Auburn about 1.5 kilometres downstream from the existing 101-year-old Ball's Bridge. The bridge was to be built over the following two years and 80 per cent of the funding was to come from the Ministry of Transportation and Communication. The old bridge was to remain in its place for at least 10 years, and an estimated $6,200 would be spent on upkeep each year. Oct. 11, 1989 North Huron Publishing Company Inc., the community-owned company that published The Citizen, had begun publishing a new magazine. Townsman was aimed at promoting the unique style of western Ontario, where people can enjoy the best of a relaxed, small­ town atmosphere, yet also enjoy a huge range of services, from professional theatre and art galleries, to shopping in small owner-run shops, as well as basking in the natural beauty of local beaches and backroads. A contract for the expansion of the Blyth Memorial Hall was announced, and the costs were shocking. The contract was for $1, 143,300, and would go towards the work of connecting the current Memorial Hall with the Festival administration offices. A new art gallery, and box office would also be added. The new executives of the Huron Federation of Agriculture were elected at the HFA’s annual meeting in Varna. The executive members include : Brenda McIntosh, vice- president, Chris Palmer, president. Bob Harrison. second vice- president, and Paul Klopp. Harry Dougall, Walter Mclllwain, Larry Plaetzer, Ralph Scott, Bob Jefferson, and John Gaunt, directors at large. Showing at the Park Theatre in Goderich was Sea of Love, starring Al Pacino. Playing at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham was a comedy called Parenthood starring Steve Martin.