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Clinton News Record, 2016-03-09, Page 5Wednesday, March 9, 2016 • News Record 5 www.clintonnewsrecord.com Give peace a chance on Ambassador bridge Postmedia Network The Ambassador Bridge company has gone public with another peace offering, this time to the federal gov- ernment. Matthew Moroun, son of bridge owner Matty Moroun, has reached out to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau via a Toronto newspaper in a bid to have both sides stop "fighting unproductively." The Morouns, the City of Windsor and Ottawa have been locked in a bitter legal war for more than a decade as Canada tackled a massive border traffic problem: trucks held up by tighter security following the 9/11 attacks have paralyzed many Windsor streets. The bridge company has fought most of Canada's plans. It is always good news when combatants of any ilk seek to bury the hatchet. This never- ending legal fight has delayed a border fix by many years and cost taxpayers millions of dol- lars in legal fees. Our municipal and federal governments have had to defend local and national interests against the private corporate interests of the Ambassador Bridge group and its 150 -odd trucking and property companies. But is the olive branch a believable offer? Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens is skepti- cal. He says Matthew Moroun made almost the identical offer to him last summer. "It was: We want to work with you and put the past behind us," Dilkens said. " 'The past is the past and the future is the future,' I think is the quote:' But the two sides are locked into so many complex, ongo- ing proceedings that peace doesn't break out after a handshake. The mayor cannot speak off the cuff on behalf of council and the city's legal team. Consultations must be made, recorded votes held. The two men parted on good terms, but they settled nothing that day. In Decem- ber the bridge served Wmdsor with another lawsuit, claiming the city is liable for property value losses in Olde Sandwich Towne. The losses, as a previ- ous Windsor trial has already heard, were created deliber- ately by Ambassador Bridge block -busting tactics that have left 110 family homes rotting as the legal battles play out. Windsor taxpayers would like to see an end to the mil- lions spent defending their interests against the repeated legal assaults of the Morouns. Many would even acquiesce to having them replace the old Ambassador Bridge span with a new one. The need for redundant border crossings remains, all these years after 9/11. When the Gordie Howe International Bridge opens in five years, as expected, most international truck traffic will probably divert to it. But Windsor and Detroit still need two commuter crossings in their cores. Windsor is not, however, willing to sacrifice an entire neighbourhood for this con- venience, and Ottawa proba- bly doesn't want to let the Ambassador Bridge beat it to an opening ceremony or run both crossings. There must be a peace deal in there somewhere. We will remain both opti- mistic and realistic: optimistic that a new government in Ottawa may be able to find a route to peace, but realistic that the price of that peace may be more than we're will- ing to pay. FROM THE ARCHIVES 15 years ago... • The smallest branches of the Huron County Library are now connected to the internet. They are providing free internet training for their communities. Thanks to funding from the Community Access Pro- gram of Industry Canada, the hours of these branches has been extended up to 10 hours per week, making it more con- venient for residents to visit and use the internet service. Libraries affected are Auburn, Bluevale, Centralia, Fordwich and Gorrie. Previously these branches offered only print collections and were only open two to five hours per week, so this new program marks a substantial increase in the service available at these small com- munity libraries. • When a February 27 vote by Avon Maitland District School Board trustees suspended the attempt to remove Mitchell District High School's Blue Devil mascot, a cheer went up from the crowd of approxi- mately 100 in attendance at the regular board meeting while others in the audi- ence remained quiet. "I think we should again stress that this was not a board -initi- ated process," said Stratford representative Rod Brown, prior to explaining why he would support the motion to accept the Blue Devil as non-discriminatory. An information package prepared explained how the issue came before the board. The report says the controversy stretches back to the 1950's when the mascot came into being. The report goes on to explain that the religious objections to the mascot con- tinue to be raised, the latest at School Council meetings in February and March of 1999. The controversy made it to the board level after supporters of the Blue Devil objected to an expressed intent within the School Council to use the board's Antiracism and Ethnocultural Pol- icy to force a mascot change. Once that business was dealt with most of the audi- ence and media left, causing the second delegation, co -presenter Maureen Agar state in an interview that she sympathizes with people trying to save their mascot, but the students, staff and alumni of Sea - forth High remain in battle to save not only their "Golden Bear" mascot, but the entire school which it represents. "They're trying to save their mascot and we're try- ing to save our school. It makes you think about what is important," Agar said. 25 years ago... • Fears that the Clinton Horticultural Soci- ety would fold were quelled when members of the organization voted unanimously to stay in operation. Prior to the February 27 meeting there was talk of disbanding the group, which had been in existence for over 100 years, due to a lack of interest among members to fill vacant seats on the slate of officers. Particularly, the organization was looking to fill the seat of program convener. Before voting to stay in operation, the mem- bers heard an inspirational speech form Chris Rust of Markham, president of District 8 for the Ontario Horticultural Society. He assured the group they are not the only such organization to be suffering, as many others are having the same problem. He noted that a big problem is the fact that the name "Hor- ticultural Society" is ancient, and can scare young people away. He suggested changing the name to the Clinton Garden Club or the Clinton Garden Society. Rust noted that when young people hear the name "Horti- cultural Society" they think the organization is made up of old people, with lots of time on their hands. "They think it is a retirement type thing, like golfing used to b&' He rec- ommended working with the press to have stories written on what a modern day Horti- cultural Society is all about, such as the fact that they can give advice on growing food, setting up a garden, and landscaping. Younger families are also interested in learn- ing about organic gardening and the Society can arrange for speakers. If the Society were to fold, years of experience would go to dust. • The Tuckersmith Township Community Based Policing Committee is trying to broaden the Block Parent program within the built-up areas of the township. Accord- ing to the guest speaker, Goderich OPP Con- stable John Marshal, a block parent program will be starting in Bayfield soon. "We plan to get into Varna and Brucefield after the Bay- field program is established." He added, "Currently there are 13 people still registered in Vanastra, itself." Seaforth Chairperson Mary Longstaff stated that the block parent program has been in Seaforth for 10 years. 35 years ago... • Huron County Council approved grants totaling $220,204 to two of the county's hos- pitals when they met February 26. Wingham and District Hospital will receive $119,250 for construction to expand the hospital's out-patient area, laboratory and radiology department. Council also granted $100,954 to Clinton Public Hospital for the redevelop- ment of the ambulatory care services of the hospital. In both instances, the county's share of the cost is 37 percent of the amount approved by the province. The county decided not to participate in a second pro- ject at the Clinton Hospital, a request for $54,500 to be spent on renovations at the hospital. The county is bound by its own bylaw which limits participation to 37 per- cent of the amount approved by the prov- ince, which is not contributing to the Clin- ton renovation. • A huge delegation from the Clinton area packed the Huron County Board of Education chambers to plead for the retention of machine shop courses at Cen- tral Huron Secondary School in Clinton. The Year 3 machine shop course will not be offered at CHSS in the fall of 1981. Pro- vision was made, however, to offer the machine shop course at the Grade 12 level for the year 1981-82 either through regular day school program or the night school program at CHSS. Insufficient enrollment in the total technical program at CHSS was cited as the main reason for curtailing the course. The main argument of the delega- tion for the retention of the machine shop course was the growing need for qualified machinists in industries around the county.