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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-01-25, Page 4PAGE 4.THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2018. Editorials Opinions Blurring the lines 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 $38.00/year ($36.19 + $1.81 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 1H0 email: info@northhuron.on.ca It was heartening to see the efforts made by the councillors of Central Huron and North Huron last week to find out what's best for those beyond their borders when it came to a temporary use zoning amendment to allow special events to be held at Blyth Cowbell Brewing Company. The rules for municipal amalgamation nearly 20 years ago created many of these situations where the outlines of a community don't match the official boundary. Most people travelling south of Blyth would probably think of Cowbell, the Emergency Service Training Centre, Tim Hortons and Sparlings Propane (perhaps even The Old Mill) as being part of Blyth, but all are actually in Central Huron. Similarity there are businesses on the edges of Brussels and Wingham that are actually in Morris-Turnberry. No matter what official borderlines might say, decisions made by the host municipality can have a significant consequence for those living across the line in the "hometown". In Cowbell's case, most of the people who might be affected by things such as noise from the proposed events at the brewery, actually live in North Huron. Very sensibly, Central Huron councillors decided to defer a decision until they could get more input from their neighbour about the spillover impact of the proposal. We're stuck with these awkward, community -dividing borderlines. We need neighbouring councillors to be wise enough to co-operate when issues go beyond the strict application of jurisdiction. — KR Don't get mad, get political While there was much sound and fury — sometimes not particularly well directed — during this past weekend's Women's Marches, there was one welcome goal: a drive to have more women run for elected office. Apparently, south of the border the frustration with the presidency of Donald Trump has combined with the #MeToo movement to push a record number of women to put themselves forward in the 2018 mid-term elections. The number of women seeking to be governors of their states has increased by nearly three times, to 79. There are 439 women running for congress, nearly double 2016's slate. Here's hoping more women set their sights on a more easily -attain- able goal in our area as the municipal elections approach. While running for parliament or the provincial legislature requires committing to a huge lifestyle change, being a municipal councillor is much less disruptive. We need more women's voices to be heard. If you have something to offer, consider making yourself available. — KR Putting party before people Two stories in the past week — the U.S. government shutdown and the conviction of the chief of staff to former Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty for deleting documents related to the closure of two gas - powered electrical generating plants — demonstrate the dangers inherent in politicians putting the good of their party ahead of the good of the public. Justice Timothy Lipson on Friday convicted David Livingston of trying to destroy documents related to the controversial closure of two gas plants prior to the 2011 election. As the Liberals tried to win votes in nearby ridings where people were angry over the plants that were being built, McGuinty cancelled them and moved them elsewhere. The Liberals won the election but it's been estimated the move will cost Ontario residents $1 billion over 20 years. McGuinty was thinking of what was good for his party instead of the people of his province. Meanwhile, the U.S. government was shut down for three days because of the failure of the Senate to pass a short-term spending bill with the required 60 per cent vote. Before a compromise was finally agreed to on Monday, Republicans and Democrats each blamed the other for playing political games at the cost of the American people. It was an easy argument for the Republicans to make since there weren't enough Democrats willing to support the bill unless their concerns were dealt with. However, the Democrats saw this as the one bit of leverage they had to force Republicans to deal with the young people affected by President Donald Trump's cancellation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Also, in case Republicans get too self-righteous about the shutdown of government, perhaps they should remember they forced a government closure for 16 days in 2013 when they tried to use a spending bill to kill President Barack Obama's health care plans. They also used two government shutdowns totalling 27 days in 1995 and 1996 as leverage to try to kill legislation introduced in President Bill Clinton's budget. Politicians get caught up in the game of politics and frequently forget they're elected to serve us. When they do, it's too often the people who they're supposed to serve who end up paying the price. — KR We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Cahadiahs owe a record high $1.71 for every dollar of disposable ihcorne they have. -STATS CANADA The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 NOG 1 HO 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 DON'T. EVEN. BREATHE. Ar 48 sr N IP nettst cartcrir14 . tern �f8 Looking Back Through the Years January 25, 1978 The first of five seminars scheduled by the Huron County Dairy Producers took place in Blyth and over 90 farmers were in attendance. The series of meetings was planned by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and it was due to cover topics such as fertility and sterility. Blyth Village Clerk Larry Walsh reported that the number of building permits issued in the village in 1977 was only 19, which was down from the 26 permits that had been issued one year earlier. He said that much of the work had been for home renovations, as only six new homes were built in Blyth in 1977. January 30, 1991 Grey Township Council met on Jan. 21 and received its financial statements for the previous year, learning that the township found itself in a deficit position of nearly $60,000. The deficit was said to be largely as a result of the unexpected replacement of a tanker truck for the fire department. Council found itself to be relatively lucky, however, considering the circumstances, as it found itself in a surplus position at the beginning of the previous year, so the total deficit was reduced to just under $30,000. Groups selling "Nevada" tickets for fundraising in Blyth would no longer have to pay the licencing fee after a decision made by North Huron Council on Jan. 22. An RR4, Clinton woman was handed a suspended sentence after facing 20 charges of passing bad cheques throughout the community. Three residents were sent to the hospital after a head-on collision on Highway 4 in East Wawanosh during rather stormy conditions. All three were soon released from the hospital however, with non -life- threatening injuries. Cadets Commanding Officer John Grobbo took over the head position of the Brussels Cadet Corps., taking over for former Commanding Officer Stuart Parker. Former Walton resident Joyanne Van Vliet, the daughter of Jan Van Vliet of RR2, Brussels, opened up her home to a two-year-old cat named Lucky who had been microwaved and left for dead. The widely -publicized case led to dozens of inquiries from people who wanted to open their home to the cat, but it was Van Vliet who was chosen as the cat's new mother. January 24, 2008 Demolition of the former Brussels Country Inn building sparked interest with Brussels residents with the future of the Brussels Library up in the air. A petition organized by Paul and Kathy Nichol suggested a potential land swap that would see the building's owner take over property to the west of the village's existing Carnegie library in exchange for the newly -cleared main street property. With Huron East Council leaning towards the construction of a new Library just west of the old structure, the proposed land swap would keep one of the village's great institutions on its main street, rather than tucking it away, not visible to passers-by. "People here are quite concerned about detracting from the main street. Time and time again we talk about how many good things there are in Brussels: the recreation, the sports, the service clubs. But the thing people keep coming back to is the state of that main street," Paul Nichol said. "So, the first time we're going to make a major investment — this is a $600,000 building — in our community, we're not going to do it on the main street?" The Huron County Beef Producers held their annual meeting at the Brussels Legion and Harvey Hoggart was installed as its new president, taking over for Glen Walker. Jesse Imeson, the young man accused of killing three people, including a Huron County couple, made a video appearance through Huron County court and had his case adjourned to Feb. 29. Imeson had been charged after a massive, eight-day manhunt that spanned much of southern Ontario. January 26, 2017 North Huron Council found itself in the unenviable position of having to hire a new fire chief after the resignation of David Sparling, who had been the chief for a number of years after decades on the department. Sparling suggested that Tony Mintoff assist in the search for a new chief. Chief Administrative Officer Sharon Chambers agreed with Sparling, saying that Mintoff had been used by the township the last two times it needed to fill the chief's position. North Huron Councillor Brock Vodden reported that OPP officers said that the intersection of Blyth and London Roads was not a "section of general concern" for them, despite there being safety concerns in the community. Vodden said that he could hardly walk the streets of Blyth without a resident speaking to him about their concern with the intersection.