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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-05-18, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 18, 2005 txrHuron Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 Tom wfliscraft - Publisher Susan Hundertmark - Editor Dionne McGrath • Subscriptions/Classifieds Bernie Pugh - Office/Advertising Jason Middleton - Reporter Adrienne Peckitt - Composing Anne Roden - Distribution (M) MIME OUEBECOR MEDIA E-mail us at seaforth@bowesnet.com Visit our home page at www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL - 35.85 a year, in advance, plus G.S.T. - 33.85 o year, in odvance, plus G.S.T. USA & Foreign: 35.85 a year in advance, plus $83.20 postage, G.S.T. exempt Published weekly by Sun Media at 11 Main St., Seaforth. Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a Iypognophical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the bolonce of the odvertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services ata wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the Toss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. PUBUCATION MAIL AGREEMENT 40029693 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 7605 RETURN UNDEUVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO Circulation Deportment P.O. Box 69 Seaforth, ON., NOK 1 WO e -moil: seaforth0bowesnet.com Wednesday, May 18, 2005 Editorial and Rosiness Offices - 11 Mato Street.,Seaforth Toloph000 (519) 527-0240 Pax (519) 527-2353 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, SoahMh, Ootario, NOK 1 WO Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association & the Ontario Community Newspapers Association 'We acknowledge the financial support of the Government d Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs.' Canada Editorial Changing political will over schools hard to take It appears that small schools across the province are now benefitting from the fight Seaforth waged but lost close to three years ago for its only high school. Education Minister Gerard Kennedy announced last week that the infamous "one - size -fits -all" education funding formula, will be undergoing an "overhaul" allowing good small schools to survive despite declining enrolments. "Instead of everyone fitting the funding formula, let's have the funding formula fit the students," he told the community of Ridgetown, which is still in a battle to save its high school. Seaforth's high school is among 250 schools closed across Ontario during the past five years. Members of the Seaforth community won a court case against the Avon Maitland District School Board in 2000 to keep its 125 -year-old school open, only to lose a second court case a year later involving the fairness of the decision- making process involved in SDHS's closure. Under Kennedy's new guidelines, that second court case might have had a different outcome. New stipulations require school boards to look at how a proposed school closure will affect students, the community and the local economy. Seaforth's most powerful argument during the school closure talks was the value of Seaforth District High School to its community, both for human and economic reasons. No matter how crucial the high school's existence to the well-being of the town, it was an argument that had no weight with either a school board forced to balance its budget under a flawed provincial funding structure or a court system forced to rule on the fairness of the decision-making process, not the fairness of the decision itself to the community losing its school. With a vibrant elementary school community now inhabiting the old high school and the grounds transformed to house both a new daycare centre and a new storage building for a growing board office, it could be argued there's no sense crying over spilled milk. But, it's hard not to feel sour when the changing political will in Toronto can have such a profound affect on the future of a small town several hours away. Susan Hundertmark How to access us Letters to the Editor and other submissions can be made to us by noon on Mondays at: seaforth@bowesnet.com All letters and submissions must be signed and accompanied by a day -time telephone number. All submissions are subject to editing for both length and content. Don't forget to check out our homepage at: www.seaforthhu ronexpositor.com Opinion Reader hopes next election will not overlook pressing issues To the Editor, I am writing, on the eve of a possible summer election, because I worry that it may degenerate into a "he said, she said" type of argument rather than deal with the important issues that will determine our future as Canadians and the type of society we will build for our children and grandchildren. The pressing issue is the collapse of the petroleum fueled "industrial bubble economy" which is what we have known for the past four generations. As a nation and as a globe we have been using more energy per person each year for the past 100 years. This has only been possible because we have been drawing down fossil fuel deposits at an astonishing rate. We have reached the peak of petroleum production. From now on we can expect to have less of this energy available per person per year and we simply will not be able to make up the difference with renewable sources at our current levels of energy consumption. For a more detailed discussion of this issue see the book "The Party's Over" by Richard Heinberg or check out the article "The Long Emergency" at http://www.energybulletin.n et/4856.html. They highlight an issue that has been of concern for me since the mid-70s and their conclusions about the inability of renewable energy sources to substitute for current levels of petroleum consumption jive with my personal experience and observations. The sooner we start redesigning our economy toward a "conserver society" the less painful will be the transition. Ideally we should have started after the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo but better to start now than wait longer. We need to use our current public resources for this transition. We can't afford to squander them on tax breaks for the wealthy or contracts for political cronies. We also need to use our personal resources so that the tools and infrastructure we buy now will be useful in the post petroleum economy. I have often felt despair as I considered the challenges we face in becoming a sustainable society. But this spring as I flew into Toronto and looked at the beautiful and incredible pattern of lights below me I was reminded that 100 years ago there were no air planes and there were far fewer lights. We have done amazing things in 100 years, we have learned a great deal and have shown great creativity and ingenuity. We have been remarkably successful in learning how to adapt to a brief period of ever increasing oil. The happiness of our retirement years, the happiness of our children and their children will require us to be as successful in learning how to adapt to a long period of decreasing oil. I believe that if we choose to start now we can, with ingenuity and creativity, build a sustainable society, not just in Huron -Bruce but across Canada. And that we can build one that is democratic, socially just and retains the things we most value like public healthcare but I do believe we better start now. These are the issues I would want to see raised in an election campaign. We need a government that can mobilize us all in making this transition. We need local auto dealers, we need Canadian Auto Workers, we need car driving commuters and we need bicycle riding eco - enthusiasts working together to figure out how to build an economy with a place for everyone but that depends on a lot less oil. We need a government that can ensure that our personal basic energy needs, like our health care needs, are met equitably and publicly while supporting a rapid transition to lower energy consumption. Additional benefits from a thoughtful transition will be meeting our Kyoto Agreement targets and lessening our destructive impacts on the environment. My sense is that Canadians want a sustainable future for themselves and their children. I sent away this spring for the "One Tonne Challenge" and it was full of good ideas for saving energy and meeting our "Kyoto" commitment. - Most of them were things we have been doing in our household for years because reducing energy use isn't just good for the environment, it saves money too! But it is not enough for each of us to change our light bulbs, we need a government that helps us change to a sustainable transportation system. It is not enough for us to invest in energy efficient appliances, we need a government that invests in renewable energy systems. We need government leadership or as a country we will fail to use today's resources to build tomorrow's infrastructure for a sustainable society. As voters we should demand our politicians talk about big issues, not just squabble over control of parliament. If we don't, down the road, we all will be squabbling over diminishing oil supplies rather than sharing a comfortable spot in a post petroleum society. Yours sincerely, Tony McQuail, RR 1, Lucknow, ON Excavation gang strikes for 25 cent a day raise to $1.25 wage in 1880 MAY 21, 1880 Pullman & Hamilton's Circus exhibited here yesterday to' fair audiences. No 24th of May celebrations were held in Seaforth this year. The men employed in excavating the ditches for the water pipes, demanded a 25 cents a day raise to bring their salary to $1.25 a day. The contractor refused and the whole gang with the exception of two or three went on strike. A heavy shower of rain passed over Walton and vicinity on Tuesday morning last, but nary a drop here. The contract for the erection of the waterworks building has been awarded to James Walshfor the sum of $1,159. Mr. Mooney intends opening a selected day school in his rooms in Scott's block. As a general thing the crops in this neigbourhood look beautiful and a bountiful harvest is promised. One of the largest and most solemnly imposing funerals took place in Goderich on Friday last when the remains of Robert McKay were conveyed to the cemetery. A grand day in Brussels is predicted for the celebrations to be held on the 24. The torch light processions and In the Veal:~ :Agorae the fireworks will be a sight neper seen here before. On Monday last, a team of very find horses owned by Mr. Kalbfleisch were drowned in the river at Bayfield. Mr. Elmer Ryckman, a little north of Lumley has on exhibition two hen eggs, one of which is eight by seven inches. MARY 26, 1905 S. Bennet, of the Wingham planing mills, has been awarded the contract of the bric ark and carpenter work for the new public school building to be erected at Wroxeter. The building is to cost between $5,000 and $6,000. The farmers in the Hensall area report good growth of crop sand that the fall wheat is looking very promising. Power wind mills have erected on several farms in the Walton area. The constant rainfall during May has kept the river near Bluevale at a high level and it has been a more than usually beautiful feature of our scenery this spring. The twenty fourth of May celebrations were held in Hensall on Wednesday when the weather was delightful. The whole assessment roll of the town of Clinton has been appealed against on the ground that the act was not complied with in making the assessment. MAY 23, 1930 The heavy rains in the Winthrop area delayed some with their seeding, but it has helped the pasture fields. The Seaforth Turf Club are making extensive preparations for their race meet on Wednesday, June 18. Quite a number in this vicinity have been looking up their fishing tackle during this past week as tomorrow is the 24th. MAY 27, 1955 The final link in the Seaforth Kippen Road is planned for completion this year. After months of preparation, SDHS cadet corps paraded in review order for the last time this year during their annual inspection held in Lions Club park Wednesday afternoon. Cavan Church, Winthrop, was filled to capacity on Sunday morning when the young people observed their anniversary service. High school news columnist Sheila McFadden has been chosen the 1954-55 Seaforth District high school queen for the Lion Free Press Queen's club. Nearly a $18,000 loss occurred when a barn on the farm of John Miller, about a quarter mile east of Londesboro burned last Friday. Seaforth Amateur Athletic Association has disbanded due to a lack of public interest. MAY 22, 1980 Seven residents from the Walton area and six from Londesboro attended a Canadian Television and Telecommunication Commission (CRTC) hearing on Wednesday night to' protest losing their Seaforth and Clinton phones. Crown hardware in Seaforth, owned and operated by Mervin and Helen Nott, has been purchased by former Canadian Tire employee Charlie Campbell. With a total of 10 firsts, Seaforth District High School accumulated almost 50 points more than any other year, completing at the Huron -Perth track and field meet, May 21 and 22. The team of approximating 27 students totalled 172 points and qualified for the Western Ontario Secondary School Athletics (WOSSA) track and field meet, May 21 and 22.