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The Huron Expositor, 1995-11-15, Page 1Business Marketing specialist gives °cal businesses helpful tips. see page 3 Civic Awards Seaforth honours three important people for 1995. seepage2 Town Seaforth Coun thinks about restructuring. see page 13 WELD ME TO LAFORTl 'flu 7ou 10 o1 i6:=%ttDtB:d..` - ai1�.�11:5x?3i: Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 -- Seaforth, Ontario J Briefly Snowmobile club buys new trail groomer The Clinton Snowmobile Club has bought a new groomer to condition the 160 kilometres of trails it maintains in this part of Huron County, from Blyth to Hensall and from Seaforth to Goderich. The 1996 Bombardier BR - 80, cost $88,200, and will tow an eight -foot drag to knock down drifts then pack and smooth trails. It replaces a much smaller unit. A $35,000 development grant from the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs helped defray the cost of the new groomer, which the area club expects will be delivered next month. Peer mentors will collect food Peer Mentors from Seaforth District High School will collect non- perishable food items alongside their float in the upcoming Seaforth Santa Claus parade. These items will then be donated to the Angel Tree Foundation. The mentors are SDHS students in Grades 11 to 13 who are matched with local students in Grades 8 to 10, to help them handle conflict in home and school. Cost of local calls going up The cost of making local telephone calls is going up, and long-distance rates will fall by an equivalent amount, because of an controversial year-old plan called "rate rebalancing" ap- proved and reaffirmed in an 84 -page decision recently released by the Canadian Radio -television and Telecommunications Com- mission. The rebalancing is in- tended to offset a century- old subsidy of local service by long-distance revenue. Local rates will rise by $4 a month over the next two years, $2 next Jan. 1 and another $2 on Jan. 1, 1997, followed by an as yet to be determined increase on Jan. I, 1998. Tllckersmith to replace posts damaged by snow equipment Tuckersmith will replace or repair mailbox posts in the township damaged by snow removal equipment this winter. The council passed a motion to that effect at its Oct. 17 meeting. The policy pertains to damage by equipment, not from flying snow. The policy also p when theroadss destatet that eartment is reconstructing a road, it will remove all mail boxes ad dila road and replace diesit When the construction is complete.. The township says . it accepts no responsibility for y eructed 4111 any boxes. • November 15, 1995 — 75 Cents Plus GST DAVID SCOTT PHOTO SINGING FOR REMEMBRANCE - The primary choir at Seaforth Public School sung "Can a Little Child Like Me?" and "Soldiers and Sailors" during a Remembrance Day service on Friday at the school. The junior and intermediate choirs also participated as well as members of Seaforth Legion Branch 156, Seaforth Scouts and cadets. 1995 Seaforth Homecoming Video shows highlights from summer event A two-hour video featur- ing highlights of the Seaforth and District Home- . coming is now available. The video features excerpts from the Homecoming Parade, Variety Show, Opening Ceremonies, School Reunion, Crimestoppers Jail-a-thon and other events held on the August 1995 holiday week- end. The video production has been compiled from amateur • footage shot during the district reunion as well as original footage.of the Sills' family history collection and Cardno's Hall. The video includes video shots, stills, voiceovers and music. • To purchase this valuable memento send $15 to the Seaforth Homecoming Com- mittee, P.O. Box 14, Seaforth, ON NOK 1 WO. For out-of-town orders, please add $5 for postage and handling. Farmers tell Ontario government to tighten belts BY HEATHER BOA SSP News Staff When times are tough, ordi- nary people - business people and farmers -tighten their belts. These people have told the government to start doing the same, Marcel Beaubien, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs told a group of farmers last week. A plan to cut spending by 20 per cent, as set out in the PCs Common Sense Revolution, "is by no means an easy exercise, but it will be a positive one," Lambton MPP Beaubien told the Huron County Federation of Agriculture. "In Ontario, one of biggest challenges - one that overshad- ows all others by its shear immensity - is the need to improve the province's financial situation," he said, noting gov- ernment spending has more than doubled in the past 10 years. "What do the people of Ontario have to show for it? Fewer jobs, higher unemploy- ment and nearly three times as many people on social assis- tance." "I know that agriculture is Ontario's second largest eco- nomic sector: And although some people still associate agri- culture with the small family farm, I know that agriculture in Ontario is big business." Every year, the agri-food sec- tor generates more than $50 bil- lion, with 500,000 employed in food production, processing, retailing and food services. The growing market is also respond- ing to a changing world econo- my that includes free trade with U.S. and Mcxico. He said the ministry's job will be to ensure the best possi- ble programs and services at the least cost to help farmers com- pete. However, he added the gov- ernment no longer has an "end- less supply of cash to throw at business." it is moving away from grants, loans and subsidies to a program that develops busi- ness sectors. He pointed to a planning process called VISION 2020, with all partners working together. Town helps Christmas Bureau Seaforth is joining together to help the Huron County Christmas Bureau for 1995. The 1st Seaforth Scouting group and the Presbyterian Youth Group will be col- lecting food items along the parade route on Nov. 24. The Seaforth Harmony Kings are holding a Com- munity Variety Show fundraiser at Northside United Church on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 2:30 p.m. Profits are going to the Christmas bureau. It will feature the Mitchell Bell Ringers, Clinton and Seaforth Church Choirs, Carousel, Seaforth Harmony Hi-Lites. Mary Hearn (harpist), Young S' mass male barbershop chorus. Any families who may need assistance are asked to call 1-800-265-519 Children's Aid Goderich). All calls strictly confidential. Drop off week for t bureau is Dec. 4-8, 10 a. to 3 p.m. at Fust Presb. terian Church. "Let's Make sure that the families in the Seafo area can have a wonderf Christmas," says Jan Murray, one ofthisyear bureau managers. Bureau managers Jim Janneke Murray can reached at 345.2407, and Leslie Ash can be reachccj 5-; �.. , r • "Indeed,' encouraging busi- ness - through processes like VISION 2020 - to develop new products and markets is critical for getting Ontario moving again," he said. "Equally impor- tant is making it easier for busi- ness to operate. We believe businesses must be unshackled. They must be given room to create wealth and employment so that all Ontarians benefit." Beaubien said the govern- ment is sending a message: Ontario is open for business. It means: dismantling the barriers to growth that large and small companies have to fact in order to do business in Ontario; • restoring the balance between management and unions (including eliminating Bill 91 which aimed to unionize the family farm); removing "job - killing" taxes and hurdles to equal opportunity in the work- place; and cutting red tape so that business can spend more time answering its customers' needs rather than filling out government forms. "We stand at a decisive County Council moment in our province's histo- ry, one which is heralded by a period of major change," Beaubien said. "And we *ill never realize the way to a better future by clinging to the status quo." The ministry has held a series of eight table talks with about 1,400 people involved in the industry. A teleconference was held with Northern Ontario res- idents. "Not once during any of the meetings did we detect even a hint of defeatism," Beaubien said, noting people gave sug- gestions for improvements. One of the key themes raised by -people in the agri-food industry was the changing global mar- ketplace. "New trade agreements, increasing prosperity in devel- oping nations, great demand - especially in Asian countries - for western goods and other factors are creating many lucra- tive possibilities for Ontario businesses," he said. "Ontario agri-food products are widely recognized for their consistent quality, a fact that is helping than find their way into more and more markets every year." Ontario exports about $4.2 billion a year to customers in - the U.S., Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean, "but that doesn't mean we can sit back and rest on our laurels. The world econ- omy is changing too fast for complacency," Beaubien said. He said the government has protected Ontario's interests in the arena of international trade and in trade disputes with the U.S. "It's becoming increasingly clear that our neighbour to the south is hell-bent on challeng- ing -us at every point along the road to freer trade. And while they may be our largest trading partner, we must not back down in any of the current disputes," Beaubien said. He said the province has sup- ported the federal government's position in disputes with the U.S. over supply -managed products, grains, sugar and sugar -containing products. Morris Tract up for sale BY BLAKE PATTERSON SSP News Staff The County has recognized there is intrinsic value in the Morris Tract that's greater than just timber value. That is what the Friends of the Morris Tract heard recently when County Council emerged from 90 minutes in closed ses- sion. Council approved a motion by Coun. Bill Weber of Stephen Twp. that the Ministry of Natural Resou ru s (MNR) com- mence the clean-up of the tree damage to the Morris Tract caused by the July storm and further that the Nature Conservancy of Canada be given the first opportunity to make an offer on Tract. It was also announced that an appraisal of the property valued. the timber at $160,000 and the land between $125,000 and $150,000. "It's really terrific news," said Marylo Graham of Goderich who is a board member of the Friends of the Morris Tract. "I'm just thrilled and I am sure all our Friends of the Morris Tract are going to be really excited. This is exactly what we had suggested should occur," said Graham. And she said the best part of the decision is that it marks an end to cor>jlkl and a beginning of compromise. She said the fact the county now recognizes the Morris Tract is a "real trea- sure" has made compromise possible. Financially and environmen- tally it is a win-win situation said Graham. "The county is going to be able to have its treasure and the county government is going to be able to have adequate recom- pense for the loss of timber rev- enue through the sale to the Nature Conservancy," she said. Graham said the first thing the Friends will do is celebrate the county decision and then they will begin planning their fund-raising efforts. "Now the work starts because we are going to have to raise the money to buy it," she said. Continued on page 2