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The Citizen, 2017-09-21, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2017. Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston • Associate 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 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 IPM a gargantuan effort One look at the number of volunteers swarming over the site of the International Plowing Match in Walton this week — or any of the recent weeks for that matter — gives you an idea of why our county only hosts these matches every 20 years or so. It seems as if an entire county has been mobilized to make the big show happen. From the years put in by the planning committee to the hours devoted by volunteers helping park cars, somewhere between two and four per cent of the entire population of Huron County will have been part of that effort to bring 100,000 visitors to Walton and make their visit pleasant. By a week from now, no matter whether the sun shines on their efforts or not, it will be all over but the clean-up. It's hard to know what the long-term effect will be for the county, however. Friendships and connections may be made that will benefit the county and individual communities for years to come. First-time volunteers may be so excited by their experience that they become involved in other community activities. One thing is for sure: the huge effort put into the 2017 IPM by organizers has delivered a huge lift to the county, and particularly to our area, and the benefits may last for years. Thanks, folks. — KR Clout counts In the midst of an election year in Calgary, owners of the Calgary Flames hockey team and National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman hinted last week the team might move elsewhere unless the city met their demands for a highly -subsidized shiny new arena. This is how the rich get richer. The idea that taxpayers should shell out to give a new arena to hockey players making millions a year working for team owners with a net worth of more than $1 billion is truly outrageous, yet such is the desire of fans in most cities to have professional sports teams that it's politi-cians who are on the spot for trying to best manage taxpayers' money. People who might object to a few thousand for a new bike lane will agree with team owners that the city should spend hundreds of millions to keep the athletes and team ownership happy. So, for instance, the Calgary team wants to own the new arena, but not pay property taxes. They want cheaper fares for people taking public transit to the games. They don't think the city should finance its contribution to the arena through a surcharge on ticket purchases because that's really "their money". You can bet that these billionaire owners, particularly in Alberta, would normally object to governments spending money on luxuries, but these are their luxuries, so that's okay. It's a familiar pattern. Right now opposition is marshalling against the federal government's plan to prevent the provisions of small business incorporation to be used for tax avoidance through things like "sprinkling", which divides the "company's" profits up among family members. While thousands of small businesses and farmers will be affected, if the opposition gains traction it will probably be because doctors who have incorporated themselves as small businesses throw down the gauntlet and threaten to move to the U.S. unless they keep their tax shelters. Many ordinary taxpayers who are paying higher rates of taxes than these doctors will likely take the doctors' side because they don't want to lose their family physician. There's been much discussion in recent years about the growing imbalance between the rich at the top of the income pile and middle and lower-class income earners below. As long as some people have the clout to make politicians give in rather than risk their taking their big bucks elsewhere, the rich will continue to get richer. — KR Don't give him attention While U.S. officials and some other world leaders seem to think they must out -threaten North Korean leader Kim Jong Un every time he shoots his mouth (or another rocket) off, perhaps it's time to just keep quiet and refuse to give this bad boy the attention he seems to crave. U.S. President Donald Trump has swung between mocking Kim, calling him "Rocket Man", and threatening that North Korea will "face fire and fury like the world has never seen". Yet experts say the U.S. has few military options unless it wants to risk the lives of millions in South Korea and Japan who would be the easiest targets for retaliation. In recent weeks the United Nations Security Council has twice tightened economic sanctions against North Korea. Sanctions need time to work. It may take months before the squeeze on the North Korean economy begins to bite. Meanwhile, unfortunately, North Korea may continue to develop both its long-range rockets and its nuclear weapons. Still, idle threats no matter how ferocious, haven't had any effect — in fact may have prompted more missile tests. Keeping silent to the bad boy's provocation can't do much worse. At the least it might confuse Kim, particularly if shoot -from -the -lip President Trump kept silent. — KR ne.ser-ctituor6_caw Co SNACK SHOPPE '-, -- _ r-- r' ter.-.yta -r=T,_ in k Looking Back Through the Years September 20, 1944 The shortage of manpower in the livestock industry may have been to blame for the marketing of the industry being affected. It was identified as a major threat to the largest and most profitable market that had ever been established for Canadian meat. The United Church Young Peoples Society held its first meeting of the new term and a new executive was elected. Imogen Sanderson was named the group's president, while John Spivey would serve as its vice-president. The Huron chapter of the Woman's Missionary Society of the United Church was planning to hold its north sectional meeting on Sept. 28 in Ethel. The president of the London conference branch was scheduled to be the guest speaker. September 21, 1967 The Brussels Post reported on the results of the annual Brussels Fall Fair and it was Jack Cardiff of RR6, Brussels who came out on top of the field crop competition for 1967 with a total of 94 points. He edged out George Procter of RR5, Brussels, who had 93 points and Graham Work, also of RR5, Brussels, with 92 points. The competition was judged by Norman Schmidt of Mildmay. Mrs. Richard Snell of Bainton Limited was the guest speaker at the September meeting of the Brussels Women's Institute. She spoke to the group on the processing of sheep skin and wool pulling. Snell told the women's institute that, at the current time, there were only two wool -pullers in Canada, with the other being in Vancouver. The Brussels Midgets were highly successful in their Sept. 14 playoff game against Rostock, beating their competition 17-6. Brussels pitcher Neil Gowing registered 17 strikeouts in the first game in the best -of -five series that would determine the year's Western Ontario Athletics Association (WOAA) championship. September 16, 1981 Approximately 11,000 people made their way to Blyth for the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association, which was actually down around 1,000 people from the previous year when 12,000 people made their way through the event's gates. Simon Hallahan, secretary - treasurer of the association, said that approximately 5,000 people attended the reunion on Saturday, which was the lower of the two days as Sunday welcomed 6,000 people to the grounds. Hallahan also said there were over 100 exhibits at the reunion, which was quite a bit more than were there the previous year. The Blyth and Belgrave hockey school was all set to run for another year, with one week in October carved out for local kids to learn more about the sport they loved most. John Stewart and Bob Hillis were the men to contact for the school. They were also working to collect used hockey equipment ahead of the camp, so it could be distributed to local players in need. The Blyth Horseshoe League finished its inaugural season earlier in the month, but organizers were still in the planning stages of the year-end tournament, which was scheduled for Sept. 19, to include an A division, B division and a women's division. September 24, 1997 Despite some rainy weather, the 136th annual Brussels Fall Fair was deemed to be a success. Dorothy Cummings, president of the Brussels Fall Fair Board, said that the rain didn't drive crowds away because it was paired with warm weather. Most of the events weren't affected by the rain, but the 4-H beef club show was caught in a downpour. While it was delayed due to the weather, the club was able to finish the show later that day. The Brussels Mennonite Fellowship welcomed a new pastor to the community when Ben Wiebe came to Brussels. The church had been without a permanent pastor for a number of months before Wiebe committed to the church. Wiebe came to Brussels by way of Hamilton, but had spent some of his time before that preaching and teaching in India through the Union Biblical Seminary in Bombay. The Blyth Legion installed its new executive for the coming term and Bob Hillis would serve as the organization's president for 1997/1998, while John Stewart would be the first vice-president. High winds and heavy rains were all part of a huge thunderstorm that rolled through the community and caused a large amount of damage in The Citizen's coverage area. A number of trees came down on Victoria Street in Blyth as a result of the storm, bringing down a number of hydro lines and causing smoke and sparks as a result. In Brussels a large section of tree came down in the storm, which took out a portion of the tennis court fence at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre. The trees that fell were so big that they also blocked several roadways in Brussels.