HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1973-06-07, Page 4PAGE 4
Produce film
(by Shirley J. Keller)
The wall around. the Huron
County jail house in Goderich
has been saved but it is going
to take a fair amount of com-
munity interest and money to
promote the building so it can
become a tourist attraction in
the future.
That's partly the reason that
the Save the Jail Society wants
to produce a documentary -type
film about the jail for showing
in and around the county to stim
ulate enthusiasm for the project.
But Huron County Council's
property committee had turned
down the request of the film-
makers prior to last Thursday's
session and it was Goderich
Deputy -reeve Stan Profit who
raised the matter in open coun-
cil. Profit was looking for a
change in that decision and by
day's end had seen it...though
it was hardly unanimous.
During the Property Commit-
tee report, it was clear the jail
was to "remain closed while
the building program (at the
Huron -Perth Regional Assess-
ment Office) is underway."
However, Profit requested that
the local film makers be allow-
ed to shoot their pictures prior
to the beginning of construction
at the assessment office, prob-
ably around the first of July.
"The film is not a glorificat-
ion of the battle for the wall, "
protested Profit. "I fail to see
why it couldn't be done. It is
an effort on the part of these
people to try and help anyone
promote the jail. It is a one-
shot effort and I understand they
could be in and out long before
construction begins at the ass-
essment office if they have the
permission to go in."
"It is a historical building, "
pleaded reeve Ed Oddleifson of
Bayfield. "It .is older than Con-
federation. The film should be
made before the jail is changed
in any way. It should go on rec-
ord as it is at the present time."
Oddleifson then moved that
County Council give permission
for the film to be made before
construction got underway at
the assessment building.
However, County Clerk -treas-
urer John Berry indicated his
belief that it was a decision for
the property committee, not the
whole of council.
Reeve Oddleifson then suggest
ed that the motion could be
changed to give the committee
power -to -act, making it unnec-
essary for the matter to come
before County Council in June
and thereby rushing the decision
along.
There was no answer from Mr.
Berry and no reaction from
council.
"This money -making scheme,
commented Reeve Harold Lobb,
Clinton. "Is it going to help
Goderich?" Lobb is chairman of
the County Property Committee.
Profit answered that in his
view it was going ~o help the
jail which is the property of
Huron County.
"I wouldn't stand in the way
of the film being made, " said
Reeve Lobb, "and I'd wager that
ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 19'73
uu0
n
no members on the committee
would."
Profit reminded him that the
request to make the film had
already been turned down at a
meeting from which Lobb was
absent.
"It was eh l " mused Lobb.
Lobb went on to state that as
long as only three people (Dir-
ector Brian Markson, photogra-
pher Ron Shaw an d lighting
technician Brian Hall) were
responsible for the production
of the film and since the funds
from the film would "stay in the
county and help that jail, " he
could approve the film being
made there.
"If the property committee
can have open house, they can
let the picture be made, " said
Reeve Hugh Flynn, Hullett.
"Is every group going to be
allowed in?" asked Reeve Allan
Campbell, McKillop. "We've
got to be fair with everyone."
Reeve Oddleifson commented
that this permission was for one
group only and other would
have to "go through channels"
to obtain the same rights.
Profit called the film making
an example of "local initiative.
"These people are trying to
help, " said Profit. "To reject
them now because they gave us
a little bit of a hassle a few
months ago is unreasonable."
"They're trying to get us to
take back the jail, " charged
Deputy Reeve Frank Cook,
Clinton.
Reev e Everett Mcllwain,
Goderich Township, wanted
some assurance that the names
of Steven Truscott and Nicholas
Malady would not be mentioned
in the production of the jail
film. He was reminded that an
outline of the proposed project
contained assurance that there
would be no portrayal of now -
famous prisoners once detained
in the jail.
During the portion of the
meeting devoted to motions, the
matter came to a vote and was
approved with only a handful
of councillors showing their
opposition by raising their hands
Also in the Property Commit-
tee report, it was learned study
is being made into the possibil-
ity of constructing steel steps
up to Dunlop's Tomb to replace
the present wooden ones, estim-
ated costs are high, however,
and a full inspection of the site
was to be carried out last Friday
by the Property Committee.
In one of the lighter moments
of the meeting, suggestion was
made that County Health Offic-
er Dr. Frank Mills accompany
the committee on its climb to
test members for fitness upon
reaching the top.
0
If you are considering the
purchase of a used car, be sure
to check the. brake pedal,
advised Consumers' Association
of Canada. If the rubber of the
pedal is worn thin )I is worn
off at the corner, the car has
probably been driven many
thousands of miles. CAC head-
quarters is located at 100 Glou-
cester Street, Ottawa.
z
RIC
Citizens E
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IT TAKES
A WATERGATE
TO CLEAR THE AIR
As I write, the Watergate
hearings are in progress and that
word is entering rhe language as
a synonym for scandal and skull-
duggery.
kull-
duggery.
Canadians are having a whale
of a time doing what the like
very much, - looking down their
spotless noses at the Yanks.
I guess we've forgotten our
great home-grown scandals invol
ving Canadian governments,
both provincial and federal.
Some of the fantastic rip-offs
made by such outfits as our rail-
ways and the 1 -Hudson Bay Comp-
any make the Watergate look
like peanuts.
And then there was the Beau-
harnois affair, a piece of piracy
that made many a Canadian pol-
itician feel like looking for a
hole to crawl into.
And let's not forget the Dupi-
essis era in Quebec, where votes
were bought and sold like potat-
oes, ballot boxes stuffed, and
strong-arm tactics used at elect-
ion time.
Nope. We can't afford to look
down our noses at anybody. All
we can or should do is shake our
heads and remember. "There,
but for the grace of God..."
Of course, Watergate is some-
what different in that it's invol-
ved the use of police state tact-
ics in pursuit of unbridled polit-
ical power. That distinguishes
if from traditional political
corruption which has usually
been motivated by a love of
"booze, broads and bucks."
Perhaps the saddest aspect of
the Watergate affair is that no-
body is spilling the beans be-
cause of conscience or lofty
principles.
They are telling all because
they are on the hot seat. It's
every man for himself as those
involved try to save their own
necks. A bunch of finks scramb-
ling for safety.
At the same time, one must
admire the U.S. process of prob-
ing for the truth, regardless of
who gets hurt. I wouldn't want
to be up in front of those tough
senators for anything more ser-
ious than spitting on rhe sidewalk
How would Canada handle
such a situation? Well, first rhe
government would appoint a
Royal Commission, which would
investigate in near -secrecy. The
Commission would require three
years to complete its job, by
which time nobody would be int-
erested. It would then publish
its report, which would be almos
unreadable,
A few weary editorials would
be written, a few professors who
could wade through the Commis-
sion Report would make speeches
and the whole thing would then
be buried.
As a good many observers
have pointed out, the Watergate
airing of soiled linen may be the
best thing that has happened to
the U. S, democratic system in
generations.
When you are constipated,
you take a purge. When you've
swallowed poison and want to
throw up, you take an emetic.
Perhaps the Watergate will serve
as both.
Regardless of how many heads
will get the chop, and to whom
those heads belong, it is com-
forting to know that eur ez*^at
neighbour will heal itself,' spew
out the poison or cut out the
cancer, and get back to work.
And it will. It has survived
Senator Joe McCarthy's witch-
hunts, the lying about spying on
Russia, the Bay of Pigs fiasco,
and many another, not to ment-
ion a disgusting and disastrous
war in Asia.
It is also comforting to know
that there are still countries
in the world where powerful
public fugues can be brought
to account, It couldn't happen
in Russia or China . And it
wouldn't happen in many a so-
called democracy.
On the other hand, the aver-
age Joe in the States must be.
becoming a little sceptical, to
say tate least. Ile has been lied
to and lied to. He must be wond.
ering whether he can believe
anybody any more. I know I
would be.
There's nothing new in pow-
erful leaders lying to the people
they are leading. Hitler lied to
the Germans, Mussolini to the
Italians,. Stalin to the Russians.
Unfortunately, their lies were
not discovered by their peoples
until the damage had been done
and the world was staggering
back from the holocaust they
unleashed.
This time the truth is coming
out, haltingly, so that'the dam-
age to a nation and . nation's
pride may be halted before it
becomes irreparable. Let's hope
so.
And let's hope the Americans
come out of the sordid little
mess, smelling of violets and
ready to get back to the real
problems they must solve; infl-
ation, pollution, integration.
They're great solvers of probl-
ems, and they have great probl-
ems to solve.
In the meantime, it behooves
us in Canada not to sneer and
point the finger.
Let's pretend our neighbours
are having a domestic quarrel
which is none of our business.
Let's cultivate our own garden.
It needs it.
0
Zurich institute
study buttons
Zurich Women's Institute met
on Monday afternoon in the Hay
Township Hall with 19 members
and three visitors, with one
visitor being welcomed from
Saskatchewan who was visiting
her aunt, Mrs. W. Merner,
Mrs. L. Prang presided for
the program which featured an
interesting collection of buttons.
She also gave a talk on the
history of buttons and the hobby
of button collecting.
Many of the Institute memb-
ers answered the roll call by
displaying a button and giving
its history.
Mrs. A. Amacher played
several piano numbers on the
piano which had been recently
purchased by the Institute.
Mrs. Newell Geiger, vice-
president took charge of the
business in the absence of the
president, Mrs. Klopp.
Plans were made for several
events taking.place during the
summer months and also for a
bus trip in September.
Hostesses for the meeting were
Mrs. L. Prang, Mrs. W. Neeb,
and Mrs. N. Geiger.
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