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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-12-08, Page 7Exeter TMna-Advocate Opinion&Forum 7 10 YEARS December . 1989 -The caption under , -John MacNaughton's graduation picture in the 1964 year book at SHDHS reads, "Voted most likely to succeed." His fellow classmates proved to be very reliable. prophets. Burns Fry Ltd. announced this week the IN appointment of the Exeter sr►�ac native to president at the bro- kerage firm's annual meeting. He is also presi- dent of -the Empire Club. Peter Douglas Cook of Hensall and David James Dougall, Exeter have been placed on the Dean's List at GMI Engineering and Management Institute in Flint, Michigan for out- standing academic performances. 20 YEARS AGO December 6, 1989 - The population of Greenway has climbed all the way to 36 with the addition of one, new family in the hamlet. Chuck Collins of R.R. 1, Varna, a grade 10 stu- dent in Clinton' is one of the area's most success- ful motocross riders. Janet Shapton of R.R. 1, Exeter was honoured recently for her 400 hours as a Candystriper volunteer at South Huron Hospital. Honoured recently at Greenway United Church were Miss Evelyn Curts who has been the organist for 41 years and co -choir leaders Mrs. Ruby Isaac, 27 years and Mrs. Elsie Brophey, 17 years. 3OYEARS AGO December 9,1969 - Al Parker was sworn in as a Grand Bend councillor to fill the vacant seat left by the resignation of Peter DeJong. Oliver. Jaques was elected reeve in Hensall by a 116 vote margin over Minnie Noakes. New on council is Paul Neilands, accompanied by incumbents Hein Rooseboom, John Baker and Leonard Erb. r Breath tests became a legal means of testing the impairment of a driver as of December 1 of this year. '35YEARS AGO December 8, 1964 - OPP Corporal George Mitchell, formerly of Exeter was installed as Wor. Master of Lebanon Forest Lodge, A,F.,A.M. at 'the regular_ meeting Monday evening. . Mrs. Tom Pryde, Albert Street, was the win- ner of the portable TV set which was raffled off recently by members of the Exeter Legion. An urgent meeting of the Huron County share- holders of Farmers' Allied Meat Enterprises Co- operative Ltd. has been called for Monday evening in an effort to determine if farmers were interested in keeping the organization going. 40 YEARS AGO December 9, 1959 -• Saturday's jackpot draw in Exeter was won by Mrs. Lloyd Parsons of Exeter. A .well lighted Christmas scene, including boy choristers on the front steps of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Beaver on Andrew Street won first prize in the home decorating contest. Garnet Hicks has been appointed Usborne Township rep on the South Huron District High School Board replacing Bill Ellerington. 50 YEARS AGO December 6, 1949 Asa Penhale was elected president of the South Huron Plowmen's Association, Saturday afternoon. A community night at Lucan netted $1,200 for the new Lucan Community Centre which now is, in course of erection. The Centralia church choir under the direc- tion of Mrs. F.W. Penwarden presented its can- tata, "The Chorus in the Skies" before a large congregation. 60 YEARSAGO December 5, 1939 - We understand that B.W. Tuckey, who has served two years on Exeter council, will contest the reeveship. Councillor Dignan IS also said to have his eyes on the chief magistrate's chair, but so far has not declared himself 75 YEARS AGO December 7, 1924 - Mr. and Mrs. Walter Rice and family of Petrolia, manager of the local branch of Libby, McNeill and Libby pickle plant moved to town this week. OPINIONS AND LETTERS More questions raised Dear Editor: Re: Intensive pork operations. When Ontario's pork producers failed a year ago to support the sale of all hogs through a single agent, they created a serious error with catastrophic effects. Smaller independent producers in the pool were disadvantaged where private contracts were allowed. Family farm agriculture gave way to cor- porate contact production and a giant victory for corpo- rate investment farming. Our rural communities and nat- ural resource base are threatened even more now. I personally live with 8600 hogs with 1500 to be soon added, all in a one mile circle of my home and farm. Quality of life, odour, devaluation, and water concerns are natural with such concentration already. Enough is enough. No one knows the cumulative effect so prudence would • suggest let us err on the side of caution: Meanwhile three levels of government claim paralysis. Who is in charge? The next megabarn (five rumoured corporations to build 20 each) may be on the farm next to you - get ready! Noiv, 60 percent of our pork is contracted with proces- sors and by-passed the pool. McCain's, Maple Leaf just reported record profit but re -drafted many contracts and dropped others to be so "efficient". Some producers were hurt badly by weak prices over two years and left the industry while otherssigned on with other 'processors, several American. An aggressive scramble to set up dozens of giant new hog barns by outside investors operating through local agents) underway in southwestern Ontario. These hogs are for Wgely American markets and most processing jobs wilMe American. We supply the land base, water and air plus a few barn jobs and of course, manage the waste. - The pork producers lack of unity is setting us up for two ensuing crisis. First we're losing skilled knowledge- able family` farmers and their son's generation from hurting rural areas. Second, we're following Holland and Quebec plus seven American states who over developed hog facilities and faced environmental collapse and a breach of trust with our urban consumers and taxpayers. Our farm incomesequal the automobile trade. Here, in order of magnitude, so our environmental stewardship is mandated to save our farm futures. So 'far, voluntary compliance to existing laws shows a tattered history leading meto conclude nothing short of strictly enforced laws is adequate to deal with mismanagement on all farms. Who owns water and air? Premier Harris claims his job under the Common Sense Revolution is to unlegislate, to unregulate and to ungovern. He is really showing disdain for hand -won environmental and social laws by telling us clean water and fair wages are too great a burden of regulation to be affordable in a market economy based on efficiency. Ontario's satellite TV ads broadcast in Ohio claim "We're open for business" - I say Ontario continues to underfund Ministries of Science unenforce existing laws and even dismantle effective programs like CURB. It can be argued our Tories are more loyal to corporation than the voters themselves who put them there. Ottawa and Toronto must be accountable to the agenda of the voting public and promote the common goal. To free civil society from the state and simultaneously make us victims of globalism and transnational corpora- tions orporations is a giant step backwards. Our sovereignty as the most abundantly blessed nation on earth is not nego- tiable with any corporation. Nor should our precious land, air and water be considered mere externalities, unpriced in corporate decision-making when our very existence depends on their healthy existence. Is a short term export of pork for supposed profit, from giant barns on inadequate land bases justifiable considering the envi- ronmental impacts? Such business raises more questions than answers. Patriotically and respectfully DAVID HERN (farmer), Woodham, Ont. Tie one on for safety To the Editor: November marks the beginning of MADD Canada's National Red Ribbon Project. MADD Huron/Bruce Chapter has placed red ribbon boxes in local retail out- lets, restaurants and places of business. MADD Canada has placed boxes in branches of the Bank of Montreal, L.C.B.O. and Beer Stores, Shoppers Drug Mart and in many convenience stores. Ouhchapter has attached pic- tures of loved ones who have been killed by impaired dri- vers. These faces will, hopefully, let people know how precious and fragile life really is and how quickly a fami- ly can be torn apart by someone who chooses to drink and drive. By flying a red ribbon, one can show their support and commitment to sober,driving. Please, "Tie One On For Safety" and have a safe and happy Christmas and New Year with your friends and loved ones. Lvt* s MAGEE, Pres., MADD Canada Huron/Bruce Chapter Bizarre TORONTO - Ontario's Liberals have been doing so many bizarre things on leadership for so long they don't know how to stop. Thus, a sizeable section of the party publicly criticized Dalton McGuinty although he attracted 40 per cent of votes in . the June election he had virtually no chance of winning, more than any opposition party in 60 years and more even than three recent governments. McGuinty took on a govern- ment that was almost unbeat- able because of its unprece- dented tax cuts and a booming economy, but some Lib;erais could not contain their impa- tience and left the uncommit- ted wondering why they should support McGuinty when so many in his own party refuse. Butthis is business as usual for Ontario Liberals. One of their MPPs some years ago, Phil Givens, disagreed with then leader Robert Nixon on how far an expressway should gouge into Toronto and contemptuously assured a public meeting 'leaders come and leaders go.' He summed up accurately the Ontario Liberals, who have had 11 leaders, including a couple dubbed interim leaders although in the Liberal party all leaders are interim, in half -a -century, nearly twice as many as either the Progressive Conservatives or New Democrats. Even the choice of McGuinty had a touch of the bizarre. The three best -performing Liberal MPPs were Sean Conway, considered by everybody the cleverest orator in the legislature; Gerry Phillips, a finance critic who never missed a chink in Harris's economic policies; and Jim Bradley, the most consistent workhorse in any party with a knack for down-to-earth argument and identify- ing where every partisan body is buried. Conway said first he would run and some Liberals even worried he would win so easily it would remove any suspense and publicity, but he later conclud- ed he lacked commitment to lead for 10-12 years. Phillips then announced he would run, but withdrew citing a heart problem, which would be true but exeinplifies how Liberals are accident- prone. Bradley knew too well the problems awaiting Liberal leaders and did not try. But what sort of party has a leadership race that does not include even one of its three most logical con- tenders? Earlier, Lyn McLeod was chosen because many felt it would be an advantage to have the first woman leader and she had been an admired minister, but she so lacked an urge to command she allowed her party not to give her a platform and image that goes with it until an election was under way and it was too late. David Peterson was chosen on the claim he was an efficient organizer, but never mastered the art of questioning so he could fluster the Tory gov- ernment and became premier only because after 42 years governing it fell apart. Stuart Smith was an intellectual and psychia- trist who could not get into the minds of ordinary people and made caustic comments that cost friends like `thank God I . will never have to come back here' when visiting one wintry northern city. Nixon, justifiably called the best premier Ontario never had, announced he was quitting as leader after one election defeat and told media `you won't have this Nixon to kick around any more,' parodying Richard Nixon, but still ran again for leader and won, souring some in the party who had taken him at his word. Andy Thompson became leader because he made a stirring speech on civil rights, but stayed only brieflyafter performing weakly, being fined for dangerous driving and becoming sick, and recently embarrassed his party because he was revealed trying to hold on to his Senate seat with- out leaving Mexico. The first time John Wintermeyer met this reporter he suggested 'I'll tell you what I think and you, put it into words as you see it,' which was trusting but naive: Walter Thomson, leader back that half -century ago, ran the party for three years without holding a seat in the legislature and was reputed never to come near it or his colleagues, but when you think lipw Liberals abuse leaders, perhaps he was smart. ERIC DOWD A VIEW FROM QUEEN'S PARK 1