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The Citizen, 2018-6-14, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2018. Editorials Opinions 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 + 51.81 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 1HO email: info@northhuron.on.ca 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 ab CCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council CMCA AUDITED We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright We need to prepare Here's hoping the June 19 information session on impaired driving due to marijuana, being sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Huron County OPP, attracts a full house. With the legalization of the drug approaching quickly, we need to get as much information out there as possible about its dangers. Through the efforts of groups like MADD, and the deterrent factor of OPP R.I.D.E. checks, huge steps have been made in the last couple of decades in making people recognize the danger of drinking alcohol and then driving. People used to joke about how drunk they were when they drove home from a party. Now, many more people (sadly not all) realize they are putting their own lives and the lives of others in danger if they drive while drunk. Now, just as the education efforts of the past are saving lives, the legalization of marijuana throws a new curveball at those trying to make our roads safer. Some of the crusaders who sought the legalization of the drug didn't do us any favours because they spread the false idea that driving after you smoked cannabis was not dangerous. Scientific proof shows the perception of those high on marijuana is impaired just as much as those who drink alcohol before driving. One of the advances in the battle against drunk driving has been to convince party hosts or friends to prevent people from getting behind the wheel if they've been drinking. Among the information available at the upcoming meeting (to be held at the Blyth Emergency Services Training Centre at 8 p.m.) will be tips on how to tell if someone is impaired from marijuana. It's information that could save lives. — KR The election's humbling lesson The humiliating defeat of the Liberal government in last week's provincial election — reduced from a majority government to just seven seats and non-party status in the Legislature — should be a lesson for politicians of all parties. The message sent by voters was not to betray the trust of the people. The reality of politics is that the day a government takes office is the beginning of its defeat. People project their dreams and desires onto a new government, expecting outcomes that often aren't realistic. They want government to solve their problems at the same time as they want lower taxes and less regulation in their lives. Sooner or later, many previous supporters turn into disgruntled voters. So after 15 years in power, the Liberals were bound to struggle for support, but they made it worse through their crass cynicism in trying to buy voters with their own money. Former Premier Dalton McGuinty began it in the 2011 election by halting construction of two power plants that were unpopular in Toronto -area ridings. It was left to hydro customers to pick up the cost of more than $1 billion to move the plants. When she became Premier, Kathleen Wynne continued the trend, culminating with this spring's budget full of goodies for just about everyone, paid for by increased debt. Along the way she also delivered a 30 per cent wage increase (plus additional holidays) for minimum wage workers, taking the credit while asking employers to pay the bill. The victorious Progressive Conservative government of Doug Ford starts off on a cynical note, having promised both tax cuts and new spending but not explaining how all this is to be paid for other than finding billions in "efficiencies". Here's hoping the lesson the new government learned from the Liberal Party's defeat is to maintain faith with the voters, rather than that people can be cynically manipulated. — KR We've done it to ourselves While Canadian governments, business leaders and ordinary citizens fret over the implications of whatever's the latest Twitter threat by U.S. President Donald Trump, we need to recognize that we put ourselves in this vulnerable position. For most of Canada's history we have been happy to take the easy way out and depend on the Americans for our prosperity. Businesses were happy to resell everything from U.S. movies and television to American household appliances rather than take the riskier route of creating their own. For decades our industries were often simply branch plants of U.S. manufacturers. The North American Free Trade Agreement was designed to tie us even more closely to our southern neighbours. Proponents at the time of its adoption argued NAFTA was essential in order to set rules to protect trade against American protectionism. Well, the protectionism is here and Trump doesn't like those rules and wants to tear them up in his `America First" agenda. Because we put all our eggs in one basket, depending on American customers instead of finding markets around the world, we now dread whatever this unbalanced would-be dictator tweets next. — KR Wynne Liberals crushed in Ontario election, lose official party status. Looking Back Through the Years June 18, 1958 The Morning Star Rebekah Lodge 315 celebrated its silver anniversary with a banquet at St. John's Anglican Church. The anniversary was held on June 9 and marked the creation of the lodge from a 1933 meeting. Brussels' Bill Turnbull captured seven swine class firsts at the annual Clinton Spring Fair. The prize- winning boar was sold to a buyer from New Brunswick. Rev. F.E. Jewell announced he would be leaving the parish in August, 1958. The announcement came after the annual Church Parade of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Canadian Legion at St. John's Anglican Church. The Brussels Horticultural Society was opening a birdhouse and poster competition to public school children. The first place prize was three dollars. June 19, 1991 Blyth Reeve Albert Wasson, in trying to tame a noisy dance at the Blyth and District Community Centre, felt he didn't get the response he should have. Wasson was roused from his sleep by a call from a neighbour of the community centre and later learned several other complaints had been levelled at the dance. He attended the site and tried to have the volume of the music lowered, however the DJ said it was the responsibility of the sponsoring organization. Wasson couldn't find any members of the group. After the debate, it was left with the councillors on the community centre board to find a solution, with Wasson saying if he had to attend the site again for a similar complaint, he guaranteed the volume would be reduced. Blyth was getting ready for the second annual Rutabaga Festival which was set to include a Penny Sale at the Legion, a Gong Show, a teen dance, village yard sale, rutabaga baking contest, bed races, and parade. Wingham Police were investigating a collision that resulted in death for one area -youth and serious injuries to another. Manfred Klaus, 17, was killed when the car he was driving collided with a pick-up truck driven by 17 - year -old Daniel Blake. Blake was taken to hospital with major injuries. June 19, 2008 Bear sightings were a cause of some concern in Huron County as several were sighted in an area from Walton to Bayfield to Wroxeter and Kingsbridge. Despite statements from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) saying it was unlikely that anyone would encounter a bear, two sightings were confirmed and a MNR specialist identified the bear as a yearling. Another sighting near Kingsbridge where beehives were damaged was also confirmed as a bear sighting. Twins Nora Stephenson and Fran Bremner were chosen as the Citizen of the Year for Brussels for 2008. It was noted that any event in Brussels wouldn't be the same without the "Shaw Twins." Joe Hallahan received the Citizen of the Year nod for Blyth. Hallahan was recognized for showing true friendship and compassion for the elderly and sick in the community. His work with the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association was recognized as well as his tendency to go above and beyond as a North Huron employee. Huron County was preparing for the Doors Open Haunted Huron event, a special program designed to bring visitors to the community. Including classic horror movies as well as an opportunity to visit locations throughout the county for themed -events, the program was an ambitious one according to co- ordinator Rick Sickinger. The Avon -Maitland District School Board unanimously supported closing Victoria Public School in Goderich and Mitchell Public School. June 15, 2017 North Huron Public Works Director Jeff Molenhuis tendered his resignation during a closed -to -the - public North Huron Council meeting. Molenhuis had been with the municipality less than a year after North Huron had hired him after North Huron and Morris- Turnberry's shared public works project had ended, of which Molenhuis was director. Molenhuis was recruited by a municipality near his home in Stratford. Blyth's Alex Peters was named the best captain in the Ontario Hockey League for his work leading the Flint Firebirds in the 2016/2017. Peters received the Mickey Renaud Captain's Trophy at a special ceremony at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Blyth's Living Water Christian Fellowship Pastor Ernest Dow was recognized for his efforts with the pro-life movement, receiving the Pro -Lifer in Action Award for District 2 of the Alliance for Life Ontario, with which he had been involved for a number of years