Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-01-11, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 2018. Editorials Opinions A plan, at last President: Keith Roulston • Publisher: Deb Sholdice Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld • Heather Fraser 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 $36.00/year ($34.29 + $1.71 G.S.T.) in Canada; $160.00/year in U.S.A. and $205/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: Mon. 2 p.m. - Brussels; Mon. 4 p.m. - Blyth. Canada MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1HO email: info@northhuron.on.ca It's good to hear that various Huron County agencies are developing an action plan to try to reduce the drug addiction problem in the county. It's depressing to realize, however, whatever they do won't be enough. At a December meeting of Huron County Council representatives of the Huron County Health Unit, Housing and Property Services and Children's Services departments all spoke about the county's higher - than -average drug use, as revealed in a study by journalist Mary Baxter. The agencies pointed out there are specific problems that come with trying to combat drug addiction issues in a rural area. But even in larger, more compact urban areas the challenge for governments trying to help people deal with drug addictions is overwhelming. During the recent national epidemic of deaths due to opioid overdoses, several distraught parents of young victims have bitterly attacked governments for not having done a better job of protecting their children. While their grief is understandable, it's unreasonable to expect that somehow governments can prevent people from harming themselves when people within their own families weren't able to solve the problem. We must try, of course. We must put as many safety nets in place as possible to save the lives of those caught in this terrible trap. We must create programs to help people escape the clutches of addiction and rebuild their lives. Aside from the humanitarian aspect, we will all gain if these people can reach their potential. So to county officials who are tackling the drug addiction issue, good work. You won't be able to solve the problem completely but every life turned around is a small, worthwhile victory. — KR Tackle this national disgrace The recent prolonged cold snap brought attention to one of Canada's ugliest, most ignored issues – that in one of the world's wealthiest nations we have thousands of people living on the streets, As the two-week Arctic cold spell went on, cities struggled to find enough spaces in shelters to bring the homeless in from the cold for the night. It's a miracle that there weren't more reported deaths as temperatures plunged. It's a national disgrace that we have people living in such conditions. It's not a new problem. Some people are homeless because of a decision by a provincial government 30 years ago to give "freedom" to those who were in mental hospitals who were not a danger to themselves or others. Of course that freedom also meant the government could close hospitals and save taxpayers money. Former mental patients are now free to live on the street. The homeless problem was made worse when former Finance Minister Paul Martin was trying to balance the federal budget in the 1990s. Among the cuts he made was money for public housing. Only now is the current government rethinking that decision and promising to fund new affordable housing. It's better late than never but we have a 20 - year deficit in building housing that would help not just the homeless, but other poor people who have suffered economic crises beyond their control. Ironically, the homeless and other poor people are victims of the general prosperity of our cities. While politicians of all stripes expound on the need to help the middle class, middle class wealth is making housing unaffordable in big cities. Demand for new condos or just plain gentrification of poor neighbourhoods is seeing older apartments demolished or renovated, replacing housing for those on low incomes with homes for those who can pay much more. Aside from the deplorable conditions on many of our Indigenous peoples reserves, there is no greater disgrace than the number of homeless people in Canada. We need to put the resources to work – both the best minds to find solutions and the financial resources to pay for those solutions. It needs to happen today! – KR Letters Policy The Citizen welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and should include a daytime telephone number for the purpose of verification only. Letters that are not signed will not be printed. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information. As well, letters can only be printed as space allows. Please keep your letters brief and concise. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 NOG 1 H0 Ph. 519-523-4792 Phone Fax 519-523-9140 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.northhuron.on.ca �ocna M Member CMC AUDITED CCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright kathleeh Wyhhe V. OMaY'lo small jauSiheSS... /Prinart Aff407: ONE LARGE DOUBLE- :;""'4,.,,.„, DOUBLE, AND ONE CAN OFWDRMS. Looking Back Through the Years January 15, 1958 The Brussels Lions Club hosted its Father and Child night at its regular Monday night supper meeting. Guests were welcomed by President Robert Walker and entertainment was provided by Lion D. A. Rann who shared slides from his recent trip to Alaska. Musical entertainment was provided by Marilyn Johnston who was accompanied by Lion Donald Dunbar. Members of the Brussels United Church Women's Missionary Society held its installation of officers in the church parlour. President Mrs. H. Thomas called a meeting of the new executive on January 14. The Majestic Women's Institute invited members of the Walton Women's Institute to their meeting which included guest -speaker Mrs. Stewart McNaughton of Wingham. McNaughton represented East Huron at the National Convention of Women's Institutes of Canada in Ottawa in 1957. January 11, 1978 R. J. Elliott of Blyth was elected chairman of the Huron County Board of education for 1978. Elliott, then in his fourth year as trustee for Blyth and the townships of East Wawanosh and Morris, beat out Marion Zinn, the vice chairman of the board for 1977, for the position. The coming year was to be a difficult one, Elliott said, as declining enrollment meant less provincial funding for the school board. He urged members to work together to get through the difficult period. The Village of Auburn welcomed new owners to Trommer's Hardware Store. On January 3, Jim and Dorothy Schneider took over the store after being residents of the village all their lives. Jim planned to continue to ply his trade as a carpenter while running the store with Dorothy. January 16, 1991 East Wawanosh Council decided to not create a new office space by participating in a renovation of the Belgrave Community Centre. Previously, council had considered pairing with the Belgrave Kinsmen to rebuild the front of the Belgrave Community Centre and having office space there, however after seeing a house in Belgrave that was slated to be demolished, council decided to use it for the office space. Council agreed to donate $10,000 towards the cost of the new arena front in lieu of participating in the project. Paul and Jacquie Gowing of Bluevale were the proud parents of the first baby born in the Listowel hospital in 1991. Benjamin Alexander Gowing was born at 10:23 a.m. on January 1, weighing in at seven pounds, eight ounces. He was welcomed by big sister Alyssa who turned two the week before he was born. Brussels Council, in its annual all -day meeting, decided to survey a property for the construction of a new fire hall. The decision came after clerk -treasurer Donna White told council members that Exeter and Bayfield councils had not been able to secure grants for fire halls in their communities and had to raise the money through taxes. Pastor Gordon Bauman was appointed to interim pastor at the Brussels Mennonite Fellowship. Bauman, a resident of Tavistock, was to provide leadership and pastoral care for the church until a full-time pastor could be found, hopefully by the summer. Bauman was appointed after Doug Zehr left the parish after 10 years of service. January 10, 2008 Former Brussels resident Doug Leach created a website featuring information on and images of the Brussels Continuation School classes. Leach's aim was to complete a collection of identified class photos from the former Brussels Public School and Brussels Continuation School. With the aid of several acquaintances including several posthumous contributors, Leach got the project off the ground. The website is still operational and can be visited at www. oldbrussels school.ca. The Family Health Team in Seaforth was preparing for an open house at the Brussels Clinic later in January. The site, the first satellite of the health team, was set to be open to the public so they could get familiar with the site. The clinic, located on Brussels' main street, was set to open later in January. North Huron Councillor Greg McClinchey marked his entrance into writing with a book about five - time Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle called Stickin' to his Guns: A through -the -keyhole look at Mr. Paul Daniel Steckle. The book was released in late 2007 after McClinchey spent four years working on it and was made available locally early in 2008. McClinchey said the book was faring better than he anticipated, having already purchased three runs of 500 books since launching it.