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The Citizen, 2016-07-28, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2016. Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Lori Patterson & 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. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1HO email: info@northhuron.on.ca 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 Canada ..ocna CCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or Department of Canadian Heritage. photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright CMCA AUDITED Giving rural issues focus A Blyth organization most people, even in Blyth, are probably not aware of has been making headlines lately, and has the potential to make many more in the future. The Canadian Centre for Rural Creativity (CCRC) recently was awarded a grant of $500,000 over the next five years by Huron County's economic development board. Earlier, the vision for CCRC, to be loc- ated on the site of the former Blyth Public School, played an important role in the Ontario government's decision to award a $3.3 million grant to Blyth, a grant that will also fund renovations of Blyth Memorial Hall. The government recognized the value of a centre that would focus on rural issues, from the creativity needed for rural economic renewal to the need for the rural voice to be heard through media and the arts. One of CCRC's undertakings, the Rural Talks to Rural conference to be held in Blyth this September, could demonstrate the centre's potential. It will bring together people from rural areas from coast to coast to share stories of success and gather information and inspiration to take back to their communities to make our rural lifestyle sustainable. For too long now there has been a sense of inevitability of rural decline. If CCRC can achieve its lofty goals it may not only give new life to Huron County but play a pivotal role as a hub to connect, inform and inspire rural people from coast to coast to find creative new ways to take control of the future of their communities. – KR Free trade at last Last week Canada's provincial premiers finally agreed to a free trade agreement between provinces, nearly 20 years after we, as a nation, began signing free trade agreements with other countries. Some skeptics still doubt if, in the long run, provinces will open up their borders to completely free movement of goods and people between the provinces. Some of the reasons these internal trade restrictions have lasted this long are the same concerns that make many people dislike international free trade agreements. Why, for instance, should the dollars taxpayers are spending funding a new project – say a new bridge or highway – not provide jobs in their own province, rather than the benefit going to workers from a neighbouring province? Other times the restrictions are just plain silly, such as preventing people from taking beer or wine from one province or another. However you feel about free trade agreements, it has been ridiculous that we accept free trade between Canada and other countries but not within our own country. Thankfully the premiers seem finally to have resolved that issue. – KR Why free media is essential In the weeks ahead, when people around the world cheer on their athletes competing at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Russians won't see many of their stars who have been banned for illegal drug use – and they'll probably be misinformed about why they're not there. Last week respected Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren released his report of an investigation that showed Russia had conducted a government-sponsored, systematic program to give athletes performance -enhancing drugs, dating at least back to the 2012 Olympic Games in London. When Russia hosted the Winter Olympics in Sochi last year, it even built a secret passage to the drug -testing lab so that urine samples from doped Russia athletes could be swapped for clean samples. But when McLaren presented his report, the only Russian media person present was from an outlet controlled by the government. The reporter gave the usual reaction of Russian President Vladimir Putin: that Russia is a victim of vindictive western enemies. That's the way Russians will hear the news. Canadians remember the initial denial they felt when Ben Johnston was stripped of his gold medal – that it was a plot against us. Our media quickly revealed that Johnston really did cheat and our country held an inquiry to find out the bitter truth. The media won't tell people the truth in Russia. In fact, the sense of victimhood may strengthen Putin's support among the Russian people. It's another reason to be thankful for our free, inquiring media. – KR Letters Policy The Citizen welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and should include a daytime telephone number for the purpose of verification only. Letters that are not signed will not be printed. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information. As well, letters can only be printed as space allows. Please keep your letters brief and concise. PoKemon Co is, like, the best game ever, right Larry's' - Larry?.. r -4- , 2 secot 'evor5,t Looking Back Through the Years July 29, 1959 The third meeting of the Blyth Busy Bugs was held at the home of Mrs. Gordon McDougall. The meeting opened with the 4-H pledge and included a demonstration on flower arranging by Mrs. McAllister, who then helped the club members to prepare their own flower arrangement. At a meeting of the Blyth Agricultural Society's executive committee it was announced that the Huron County Black and White show had decided to hold the show elsewhere in 1959. The July meeting of Auburn's Knox United Church Women's Missionary Society was held at Wightman's Grove with members of the Mission Band and their guests in attendance. Organizers were in the midst of preparing for Hope Chapel Cemetery's centennial service, which was scheduled to be held on Sunday, Aug. 9. Dr. William Fingland of Niagara Falls would be in charge of the ceremony, with help from other members of the clergy from the community. July 30, 1970 The Brussels Horticultural Society was in the midst of planning its August flower show. It was set for Aug. 28 and would include a turkey dinner. Selwyn Baker was pleasantly surprised when a carload of six Oddfellows from Golden Rule Lodge No. 420 in Monkton visited Baker's home and presented him with his 50 -year Jewel for being a member of the lodge since 1920. Memories 45 years old were exchanged by nearly 50 former members of the Brussels Agricultural and Home Economics short course when they met at Seaforth Lions Park. The course had been held in Brussels in 1924-1925 and lasted three months. Those who took the course learned under teachers sent by the Ontario Department of Agriculture. About 20 members of the Cranbrook Women's Institute took a tour of Goderich, including the Huron County Museum, followed by a tour of the Ontario Hospital. July 23, 1986 While officers from the Ontario Provincial Police said that no official investigation was underway, rumours were persisting that a get - rich -quick scheme was ongoing in both Blyth and Brussels. Reports were received from The Citizen about the "airplane scheme" being active in the area. The plan called for investors to buy a seat on the plane for over $2,000 with the ability to work your way up to a pilot, at which time you'd receive several times your investment back. Police warned that few people would ever seen a return on their investment and advised them to stay away from the opportunity, if presented with it. Local basketball star Ron Vercruyssen was turning plenty of heads in basketball circles, with some coaches saying that despite his success, he had still yet to "scratch the surface" of his potential. Vercruyssen, a student at Seaforth District High School, was one of the country's best young basketball players, having been invited to a camp that would give him a shot at being one of 12 players that would join the Ontario Juvenile Basketball team. Vercruyssen, a resident of RR2, Blyth, said he was "excited" to have been chosen. Colborne Township celebrated its 150th anniversary with a special parade featuring over 100 floats, including horse-drawn and gas - powered vehicles, as well as plenty of community, business and service club representation. Organizers were so pleased with the event, they said it would be a celebration that those in the township would never forget. July 31, 2002 Monday, July 29 was the first day that Blyth was on display as a village with the Communities in Bloom judges in town. Making the trip for the competition were Margaret Howe from Brantford and Dave Hilton from Kamloops, British Columbia, a master gardener and parks manager respectively. Blyth was the first stop on the group's 10 -community tour. Howe, a seven-year veteran of the competition, said she was impressed with what she saw in Blyth. Hilton agreed. "There is a lot of pride here. There are a lot of good things," he said. "For a town this size, it is incredible what you are doing." After months of planning, the committee behind Blyth's 125th anniversary celebration was set for the event, which coming up the following weekend. The celebration included a hole - in -one competition, a Blyth firefighters breakfast as well as a night of karaoke at Blyth Lions Park. Sixty-five Airstream trailers made their way to Blyth for their annual get-together. The Wally Byam Caravan Club International spent the weekend in Blyth. The club was founded in 1955 and named for the man who designed the Airstream.