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The Citizen, 1990-06-13, Page 1Special Visitors' Guide 24 pages of information on the area Rae visits NDP leader hears briefs on local issues See page 9 Jack Riddell retires after 17 years as MPP BY ADRIAN, HARTE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE While offering few hints about what his plans are for the future, Huron MPP Jack Riddell held a VOL. 6 NO. 24 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1990. 50 CENTS public areas will be mostly finished and an official ribbon cutting will take place at 5p.m. Guest speaker at the opening night dinner will be Peter Gzowski. Paving the ivag Workmen rush to lay stone in the courtyard of Blyth Memorial Hall as opening night for the 16th Blyth Festival approaches Friday night. Although construction will not be complete by the opening, CiFestival opens 16th season Friday Blyth Festival will celebrate the opening of its 16th season and of the new $1.8 million dollar expan­ sion of Memorial Hall and Festival facilities Friday night. The official opening of the thea­ tre complex will begin the activities Hicknell seeks warden’s chair one more time Marie Hicknell, reeve of McKil- lop township plans one more try to become Warden of Huron County. Reeve Hicknell announced her candidacy Thursday at the June meeting of council. The new' war­ den will be elected in December. Also announcing his intentions to seek the office w'as James Robin­ son, Reeve of Hensall. Mr. Robin­ son was nominated last vear but press conference at his home at Dashwood Monday to announce he will not be running as a candidate in the next provincial election. Riddell did suggest, how'ever, Friday afternoon at 5 p.m., even though the building project isn’t yet completed Workmen were scurrying this week to complete all public areas of the complex but some areas such as the new art gallery and box offipe won’t be withdrew his name, saying that he would seek the position this year. Reeve Hicknell has sought the warden’s chair the last two years, being defeated by Dave Johnston in 1988 and Lionel Wilder last December. In announcing her candidacy she said she was going to try again because “I’m not a quitter. 1 believe McKillop should have a warden and it should be in 1991”. there is more work to be done to improve the plight of rural Ontario and that he was interested in continuing in work towards that goal. completed for some time yet. A public reception will be held prior to the official ribbon cutting ceremony. Taking part in the ceremony will be Helen Gowing, the only original board member of Blyth Centre for the Arts still on the board, Murray Cardiff, M.P. for Huron-Bruce; Lionel Wilder, Warden of Huron County; Albert Wasson, Reeve of Blyth; Jack Riddell, M.P.P. for Huron; and Russell Wilson, honourary member of the Board of the Centre for the Arts. Featured guest speaker at the opening night dinner at 6 p.m. at Blyth and District Community Cen­ tre is Peter Gzowski, eight year host of CBC’s popular national radio show “Morningside”. Since taking his place behind the Morn­ ingside microphone he’s published six books: “An Unbroken Line” (1983), “The Morningside Papers” “After 17 years 1 have decided it was time for me to make a change,” said Riddell. “1 will not be a candidate in the next election ... whenever that may be.” (1985), “The New Morningside Papers” (1986), “The Private Voice” (1988), “A Sense of Tradi­ tion” (1988) and “The Latest Morningside Papers” (1989). Gzowski, now a seven-time ACTRA award winner, began his radio career in 1969 with Radio Free Friday, pre-cursor of today’s popular “As It Happens”. In 1971, he moved to morning radio as host of “This Country In the Morning”, a show often praised as a Canadian institution. Other Gzowski’s books include “This Country in the Morning” (1974), “Spring Tonic” (1979), “The Sacrament” (1980) and “The Game of Our Lives” (1981) have been best-sellers across Canada. Born in Toronto and raised in Galt, Gzowski’s journalism career has taken him from the Timmins Daily Press to Moose Jaw Times-Herald, Continued on page 3 Riddell said the highlight of his years at Queen’s Park was his four-year stint as Minister of Agriculture and Food. He said he is still proud of the more than 100 programs he helped introduce to benefit farmers and rural Ontarians. “I don’t regret one minute of the time I spent in the political arena,” he said, thanking Huron voters for their support in the past six provincial elections. The 58-year-old MPP claims he does not have any definite plans for his future, but added “I still see myself to be a relatively young ■nan” and he is not ready to put his feet up and relax. He hinted he is still interested in doing something to benefit society, especially the farm community. When asked about Premier Peterson’s decision to drop him from Cabinet in the last shuffle, Riddel] said he was not bitter. “I guess disappointed would be a better word,” he said. “I’m a bit disappointed 1 wasn’t able to pursue the work that I feel needs to be done in rural Ontario.” The former cabinet minister said the farming areas still face hard times and that those areas of the Continued on page 20 Michael Wilson visits Huron Thursday Progressive Conservative Michael Wilson will be visiting three communities in the Huron riding this Thursday. Mr. Wilson’s first stop will be in Wingham where he is to be interviewed by the CK.NX News team and farm reporters. At ap­ proximately 4:15 there will be a press conference with representa­ tives from several local news­ papers. Mr. Wilson is expected to arrive in Goderich at 5 where he will speak to members of the Chamber of Commerce at the Candielight Restaurant before leaving to attend the Progressive Conservative bar­ becue in Lucknow. He is scheduled to arrive in Sarnia that evening. Canada Day writing contest announced Canada in the last 30 years has faced many times of crisis but perhaps none so acute as the one we currently find ourselves in. As Canada approaches its 123rd birthday July 1, we need to reaffirm that our country is worth saving. At The Citizen we’d like to hear from the readers your feelings about what Canada means. For the issue that will go out before the July 1 holiday we’d like to receive essays from readers old and young on one of two topics: “What Canada Means to Me”; and “My Canada of the Future”. We’ll offer prizes in two categories: one for writers 21 and under and pne for writers 22 and over. Prizes of $15 for first place, $10 for second and $5 for third will be offered in each of the age categories.