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The Citizen, 2017-01-26, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017. Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston • Associate Publisher: Deb Sholdice Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld 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 1H0 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 HO Ph. 519-523-4792 Phone Fax 519-523-9140 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.northhuron.on.ca .470cna �• CCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council CMCA AUDITED We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Dreaming big, getting less The bigger -is -better philosophy of municipal services was in the spotlight again last week with some people at Huron County Council suggesting it was time to look at single -tier government while councillors in Morris-Turnberry wondered if their shared service agreement with North Huron had already gone too far. The discussion at county council was prompted by a proposal for several municipalities to get together to study recreation needs in their municipalities. The discussion really acknowledges that probably Huron County residents can't afford to continue to maintain 10 arenas. Meanwhile some Morris-Turnberry councillors worried that the quality of service received by their municipality's residents had been reduced since Morris-Turnberry and North Huron combined their public works departments. (Many Blyth residents have also complained about what they see as a deterioration of snow -clearing.) It seems instinctive for many municipal politicians to think that anything can be improved by making it bigger. Taxpayers, however, haven't witnessed much proof that bigger is better as their taxes soar and they often get reduced service. Elected politicians, answerable to the voters, meanwhile, are replaced by municipal employees who are sheltered from public scrutiny. Taxpayers often buy into this philosophy because they want to believe they can get more for less through efficiencies of scale. But if people are looking for getting more for less when it comes to recreation, they should perhaps pay heed to what happened in education. There, too, facilities built by local communities — schools in that case — were taken over by larger governing bodies which eventually came back to the communities and told them their local schools were unaffordable and must be closed. Are we just a couple of decisions away from making the same mistakes with our arenas? — KR This accounting's scary One of the scarier headlines this week, other than almost any headline involving Donald Trump, was the one about a report published Monday by the Canadian Medical Journal that greater use of Canada's medical - aid -in -dying law could save the Canadian health care system $138.8 million annually. The authors of the report were not trying to encourage greater use of assisted -dying but rather to show those concerned about the cost of doctors and drugs used to help people seek a more gentle ending that these were not expenses but actually savings. Still, as soon as you attach a financial benefit for taxpayers to the program it starts seeming like the beginning of the slippery slope that many worried about when the legislation was passed. No one who has watched a loved one go through a prolonged, painful death wants people to suffer. On the other hand, when the financial gains of having someone choose assisted -dying are broadcast, how long before the person who wants to prolong his or her life is made to feel guilty of costing taxpayers unnecessary money? Human life, even as it nears an end, should not have a dollar figure attached. — KR They're getting what they want While the majority of people in the U.S., and beyond, might shake their heads at the antics of new U.S. President Donald Trump, his supporters probably feel they're getting exactly what they wanted. Their dreams began to be fulfilled even before last week's presidential inauguration when Trump tweeted out threats to U.S. car makers and other manufacturers that he would punish them if they shifted jobs to Mexico. Almost immediately they changed their plans and announced new investments and jobs in the U.S. Since then Trump supporters have watched governments around the world scramble to adjust to the reality of the U.S., led by Trump, demanding that rules be rewritten to favour American interests. This is what many Trump supporters wanted: a leader who could single-handedly make corporations and foreign governments do his bidding. Early in last year's election campaign when many people still saw Trump's candidacy as something of a joke, one woman in a street - side interview said she supported Trump because "I'm sick of people around the world laughing at America". At the time it seemed a silly statement because people were laughing at the U.S. because of Donald Trump, but we're not laughing anymore. For many Trump supporters, what's the sense of being the most powerful country in the world if you can't use that power to get your own way. Who knows, probably many Canadians wish we had that kind of power. Imagine, for instance, if a Canadian leader had the power a few years ago to threaten Volvo and prevent it closing its Goderich plant and moving the jobs to the U.S. Nobody likes a bully like Donald Trump, unless he's on your side. Trump supporters are getting the bully they wanted.— KR Millions march world-wide in defence of women's rights... Looking Back Through the Years January 24, 1944 Over 35 people attended a special meeting of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture. The purpose of the meeting was to outline resolutions to be submitted at the sitting of the livestock committee of the Ontario Agricultural Commission of Enquiry, set to be held on Jan. 27. The Howick Agricultural Society reported another highly successful year — one of the best in the society's 84 -year history. Also at the meeting, John Winters was elected to serve as president of the society, while W.F. Campbell and Roy Strong would serve as vice- presidents. It was also decided that the fair would be held in Fordwich for the year. February 2, 1967 Six young woman had let their names stand as contestants for the title of Brussels Centennial Queen. Dianne Fischer, Linda Lowe, Karen Mutter, Anne Lowe, Lin Dellow and Marlene Smith were all in the running for the title. Voting was all set to begin with those spending over $5 at Brussels stores all earning the right to cast a vote for their favourite. The special Minor Hockey Day in Brussels was said to be a great success, with the main attraction being the game between the Minor Hockey All -Stars and the Centennial Oldtimers — a contest that was won by the All -Stars by the slimmest of margins, 6-5. The game wasn't without controversy, however, as the Oldtimers suspected that foul play was afoot. "All six goals scored by the All - Stars, in the opinion of the Oldtimers, came as a result of luck and prejudice on the part of the referee and his assistants," The Brussels Post reported. With Brussels residents hard at work planning a series of events for the Centennial, Grey Township also got into the spirit, appointing residents to a number of committees to ensure the township had a celebration worth remembering. Two representatives each were appointed to committees for the communities of Ethel, Moncrieff, Cranbrook, Molesworth, Jamestown and Walton. January 28, 1981 Lloyd and Vera Penfound and their three children found themselves homeless after a fire burned their Auburn home to the ground in the early morning hours of Jan. 26. As a result of the devastation to the family, a number of Auburn -area families had taken up a collection to help get the Penfounds back on their feet. The Johnston, Popp, Seers and Boonstoppel families were busy collecting donations of both funds and clothing to help the family. Both the Auburn and Blyth Lions Clubs had also mobilized to help the family. The Hubbards remained on the top shelf in the Blyth hockey league after a convincing 13-3 win over Watson's. Brad Bromley led the team to victory with four goals, followed by Brian Bromley who netted a hat trick and Keith Howatt, Steve Howson and Steve Plunkett, who all potted two goals each. Over 200 snowmobilers from Clinton, Blyth, Kitchener, Walton, Wingham, St. Helens and Goderich attended the community's annual poker rally, which began at Auburn Community Memorial Hall. Throughout the day over 330 poker hands were sold and nearly 125 prizes were handed out. January 29, 1997 An approach that was called novel and unique was presented as part of a restructuring proposal for area hospitals in order to keep them open and relevant going forward. Janet Hook, chair of the Huron - Perth task force, reported to the public that the task force had found a proposal that would keep all eight area hospitals open, despite the fear of closure that had been discussed earlier in the process. A Hullett Township teen was killed after she succumbed to injuries sustained in a snowmobile accident on Jan. 26. Sixteen -year- old Angela Konarski of RR1, Blyth was killed when she was travelling north on Maple Street when she drove into the side of a car being driven by a 37 -year-old Clinton man. Konarski was treated at Clinton Public Hospital before being transferred to London, where she would later lose her fight to survive. The Grade 11 student at Central Huron Secondary School was survived by her parents and two siblings. The Ministry of Labour was called to Howson Mills in Blyth to investigate an accident that injured two people on Jan. 21. According to OPP reports, 30 - year -old Peter Taylor was working on a ladder grinding weld in a cylinder -shaped bin when he fell off the ladder, falling approximately 20 feet to the floor. Taylor was taken to Wingham and District Hospital with serious injuries and was then transferred to University Hospital in London. William Pearse, who had been assisting Taylor, also received minor injuries as a result of the incident.