Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-12-01, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2005. Editorials Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Ken Warwick & Marcie Riegling 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 P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Onl. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1 HO email: norhuron@scsinternet.com E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca Canada We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. Aocna@A Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Let someone else pay Perhaps the most interested observers this week when the United Nations held a huge conference on climate change in Montreal are the Inuit peoples of the arctic areas of the planet. While everyone else talks about whether or not there really is global warming, their daily lives are being affected by the reality of climate change. The reduction of the polar ice pack and the melting of the permafrost are having a dramatic effect on the ability of northern Natives to live as they have for thousands of years. Yet these people have done little to cause the changes that are changing their lives. The areas creating greenhouse gases that a majority of scientists feel are warming the earth’s atmosphere, bear no relationship to the areas feeling the greatest effect of the problem. What’s more, the areas that benefit the most from the creation of the problem like to deny there is one. The United States, the world’s greatest generator of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, refused to sign the Kyoto Accord to reduce the production of gases. Canada, which did sign the accord, has done a terrible job of actually cutting emissions. A recent UN report showed Canada’s emissions of greenhouse gases increased 24 per cent from 1990 to 2003, though we’ve pledged to reduce our creation of these gases by six per cent below the 1990 level by 2012. While the Canadian government urges residents to take the “One Tonne Challenge” to reduce their production of harmful gases, most of us are using more, not less, energy. Only higher fuel prices made people re­ examine their obsession with bigger and bigger vehicles. Few of us will cut back on driving or fuel and electrical use in our homes, unless there’s a price for us to pay for it not happening. Unfortunately, the fear of global warming is not enough in itself to change the way we live. Until our lives are directly affected as the Inuit peoples have been, we’re likely too continue to let them pay the price for our affluence and comfort. — KR Get used to it So Canadians are on their way to the polls for an election most people say they don’t really want. Get used to it. If those proposing we move to proportional representation get their way. we’ll be in a constant state of minority government and the political turmoil it brings. Remember when the results of the last election created this minority government? Pundits said the Canadian electorate had got it right, by reducing the Liberal majority to a minority. Parties would have to work together to make this Parliament work, they said. Politicians agreed. They must find a way to make Parliament work because this minority is the will of the people, they said. So what has changed? Your most likely answer is the Gomery Commission’s report on the scandal involving illegal channeling of money designed to improve the image of Canada in Quebec to advertising firms loyal to the Liberal party. But though the Gomery Commission gave new facts, people were already angry with the Liberals when the last election was held. A large part of the reason there was a minority was the desire by voters to punish the Liberals for the scandal. What’s more, if the Gomery report was the main reason for an election, then why not wait for the final report of the Gomery Commission in February and hold the election in March or April when the government had already pledged to hold it? No, the real reason we’re having an election is political advantage. Buoyed by polls that showed the Liberals hard-hit by the initial reaction to the preliminary Gomery report, the opposition parties smelled blood. They wanted an election while the voters were still mad at the Liberals. The Liberals, however, quickly recovered in the polls and, with an unwanted election they could blame on the opposition, they saw their chance to regain a majority and they made themselves look as good as possible by announcing lots of new goodies. If we have continual minority governments under a proportional representation system we’ll continue to see this kind of manoeuvring for political advantage.— KR Letter to the editor "Urban Myths" i.a. nespoloii0gmail.com Looking Back Through the Years THE EDITOR, Get into the Christmas spirit on Dec. 3 by attending The Fifth Sawmill Road Farm Machinery Christmas Parade which will take place in the McKillop ward of Huron East, one road north of the Winthrop-Brodhagen Line. The parade departs at 5:30 p.m. from the farm of Gordon and Irma Pryce, heads east to Beechwood Line, then proceeds around the seven-mile block. It is a spectacular sight to see tractors, plows, and combines moving up the concession all lit up against the night sky. There is lots of opportunity for people to find a parking place at intersections, on road shoulders and in driveways to watch some 17 or 18 big rigs making the Christmas season a whole lot brighter in the countryside. Some people have been known to view it twice - first on Sawmill Road then again on the return trip up the Hullett-McKillop Road. Come and catch the spirit. Sincerely, Bruce Whitmore. Dec. 1,1948 A large audience turned out for a wonderful concert being performed by the Blyth Lions Girls and Boys Band. Among the notable performances were a comet solo by Marjorie Watt, a comet trio by Irma Wallace, Marjorie and Irma Watt, another cornet solo by Alice McKenzie, and a saxophone duet by Lois Doherty and Mervin Roberts. A weekly newspaper, The Fordwich Record, was sold to the Listowel publishers. The newspaper had been circulating in the Huron County area for half a century, established in 1896. A picture of a few hockey players along with referees crowded around a seemingly injured player lying on the ice was published in the paper. It turns out that the picture was one taken during an NHL hockey game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Chicago Black Hawks where a player named Kenny Reardon had plowed over a Black Hawks player, Doug Bentley. It was another while until Bentley was revived enough to continue playing. The entire game had reportedly been livened up by not only this incident, but several other arguments and fisticuffs. At the Royal Winter Fair of 1948, Robert Wallace came out wonderfully successful. In the white hens division, he placed fourth out of six entries, but in the bronze hen class, he placed sixth out of a total of 48 entries. Wallace had previously sustained a fine record at various exhibits, so this event just added to his long list of prizes. Nov. 29,1972 The Brussels firefighters were called to a chimney fire at a home on Tumberry Street North. No one was home at the time, but the fire was noticed by a passerby. A neighbour was alerted, and quickly called the fire department. The fire was quickly extinguished and no serious damage was done. A number of incidents were being investigated by the Wingham ’ detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police. The first involved a two-car collision that occurred on Huron County Rd. 12, just north of County Rd. 16. The drivers of the vehicles were an Ethel man and a Walton man. Damages were estimated at $450 and minor injuries were sustained by the Walton man. Charges were pending. A Listowel man was involved in a single-car accident where a fence and posts, owned by a Wingham man, were damaged. The accident occurred on Hwy. 86, at Hwy. 87. Damages were estimated at $760 and there were no injuries. Charges were pending. A Wingham man was involved in another single-car crash, where a fence post was also damaged. There were no injuries and total damages were estimated at $415. A young man, formerly -of Burlington was killed in a two-car collision. The young man, who was living in Ithaca, New York, was driving a car which collided another Ithaca resident. The other people involved in the incident were treated in hospital for minor injuries. The young man was a graduate from McMaster University, with a bachelor of science degree in chemistry. He also acquired a Master’s degree from Cornell University and was due to graduate with a doctorate in chemistry. He was survived by his grandparents, parents and a sister. Nov. 28, 1973 A Blyth resident, Joe Phelan, was awarded the Robert McKinley Citizenship Trophy at his Achievement Night held in Clinton, presented by Allen Dale of Blatchford Feeds. Mr. Phelan was a local Blyth 4-H Dairy Calf Club member, and was not only deemed outstanding in 4-H work in Huron County, but also took an active part in home and community projects. Dec. 3,1986 The Londesborough Lions Club raised an astonishing $45,000 during their Back the Biter campaign. This total surpassed their original goal by nearly $15,000. The money was used to purchase a fully-equipped van for a Lion member, who had been in a wheelchair ever since being injured in a swimming accident. Nov. 29,1989 Jack Riddell, Huron MPP, snipped the ribbon to officially open the new addition to Seaforth Community Hospital. The $2,500,000 expansion increases the hospital’s space by one third. Riddell also announced new operating grants to the hospital. A young Brussels man was to appear in Wingham provincial court for sentencing after pleading guilty to trafficking in narcotics. The man was arrested in connection to an undercover investigation. The prize winners in the Blyth Branch Legion Remembrance Day poster contest were Pauline Stewart and Greg Toll. Stewart won first place in the senior division, while Toll won first in the intermediate division. Presenting the honours to the two was Mary Lou Stewart of the Blyth Legion. Playing at the Park Theatre in Goderich was National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, starring Chevy Chase. Also playing was Babar - The Movie, a free matinee for children sponsored by Shoppers Square BIA members. Playing at the Lyceum Theatre in Goderich was Next of Kin, as well as Ernest Saves Christmas!, also a matinee for children.