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The Citizen, 1989-10-18, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1989. Opinion. Privatize LCBO Maybe Premier David Peterson just used the wrong catchphrase a few years back when he proposed selling beer and wine through corner stores and was hammered into submission by critics. Perhaps if the Premier had used the happy phrase “privatize” he would have won more support for breaking the monopoly of the Liquor Yrcencing Board of Qntario (LCBO) and the Bewers Retail. The current situation in Blyth shows the monopoly needs to be broken. The LCBO has decided that Blyth will not have a liquor store, citing a lack of economic growth in the community. The decision comes despite the fact every other village in Huron County and most in nearby Bruce as well has an LCBO outlet. It comes despite the fact that Blyth might be regarded as one of the most dynamic downtown areas of all the villages in the area. Most villages, even many towns, envy the village the tourist potential that is developing because of the Blyth Festival and the mill outlets. The LCBO has had the reputation of being an empire unto itself in government circles. The Lake Shore Blvd, headquarters is like a separate country and even politicians tread easy for fear of turning the mandarins against the project they are trying to win. From the LCBO’s viewpoint, the decision might make sense. They figure that people who want to buy beer, wine or liquor will make the trip to one of the other communities if they’re really in earnest. If a new store is open, it will only thin out a market that’s already there. The decision doesn’t have much to do with fairness or with free enterprise or competition, either. If someone in private business was going to set up a retail outlet in Blyth these days, she or he would probably love to be able to open a liquor store. It is the largest untapped consumer sector in the area. Whether we like it or not, people who spend little on other commodities that stores try to sell, spend many dollars each week on beer, wine and liquor. A store owner would love to have that kind of volume. But because of the LCBO monopoly, no one will have a chance to make a go of it in that business and the merchants of Blyth will be stuck watching cars zoom off to the surrounding communities to load up with liquor and drop money in those towns for other things as well. Mr. Peterson was right to try to break the LCBO monopoly. Maybe next time if he’ll just call it “deregulation” or “privatization” he’ll win the public support necessary to put the high paid bureaucrats on Lakeshore Blvd, out of business. A model to follow Wayne Gretzky’s timing couldn’t be better. It wasn’t just his dramatic record breaking goal that tied the game in his old hometown of. Edmonton Sunday night and his goal in overtime that won the game that was well-timed, it was bringing publicity for a sensible way of playing hockey just at the beginning of another season when youngsters across the county are lacing on their skates. “The Great Gretzky” broke the career scoring mark of Gordie Howe with those goals and did so in only about 40 per cent as many games as Howe. Few including Gretzky himself wouldn’t argue that it’s easier scoring goals in today’s wide-open era of 20 teams than it was in the days of a close-checking six teams but the record is still remarkable. It’s even more remarkable because of the style of the player. Gretzky has smashed records left right and centre without resorting to the kind of tactics that have made Canadian hockey infamous. He probably has fewer fights in his career than many players get in a week. He seldom retaliates although he is the subject of some of the toughest harassment in the history of the game. He shows the kind of discipline we say players should show, refusing to get suckered into stupid penalties that would hurt his team. He plays the game with his brains, not his fists. Despite the fact he holds the goal-scoring records, it is his setting up of teammates that is most remembered. He is a superstar, but a consummate team-man as well. Off the ice he has been just as remarkable. In an age when many superstars gloat (see the Oakland A’s), he has remained graceful in victory and defeat and remarkably down to earth in his actions. In short, he’s a perfect role model for the millions of youngsters who are tying on their skates for their first practices these days. It’s a shame though, that among many of the coaches and parents who uddle in the frozen arenas of the land, Gretzky is a symbol not of what’s right in the game of hockey, but what’s wrong. He’s a wimp, they say. He isn’t tough. He isn’t part of the old “beat 'em in the alleys” school of hockey. Hopefully with all this publicity for the new all-time greatest scorer, kids might choose for themselves to emulate the very best. Sunset beauty Mabel’s Grill There are people who will tell you that the important decisions in town are made down at the town hall. Peopleinthe know, however know that the real debates, the real wisdom reside down at Mabel's Grill where the greatest minds in the town [if not in the country] gather for morning coffee break, otherwise known as the Round Table Debating and Filibustering So­ ciety. MONDAY: Tim O’Grady was egg­ ing Ward Black on over the new poll in the morning paper that showed the popularity of Brian Mulroney had dropped to a new low of only 28 per cent. “And on Thanksgiving day too,’’ Tim chuck­ led. “I thought at least that’s one day a year turkeys would be popular.” “At least”, Ward shot back, “our party has a leader which is more than can be said for either of the other parties.” Julia Flint sighed and said she thought she’d never find herself saying it but she was sorry to see the Blue Jays knocked out of the playoffs so soon. “Baseball may have been boring but at least it stopped you guys from talking politics,” she said. TUESDAY: Billie Bean says that after watching all those pictures of trainloads of people fleeing East Germany for West Germany, he now knows why our government is cutting back on VIA. What with the new goods and services tax and higher taxes on everything from booze to gas, we may soon be wanting to leave the country as much as the East Germans but P.O Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $19.00/yr. ($40.00 Foreign). 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: Monday, 2 p m - Brussels; M&uaay, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. since we won’t be able to afford to drive cars anymore and it’s too far to walk we’d have to take the train. Since there won’t be any trains anymore, the government saves the expense of putting up a wall to keep us in like the East Germans have. WEDNESDAY: Hank Stokes was chuckling at the idea of Gordie Howe coming back to play a game next year so he could be part of six decades of professional hockey. “I don’t know if the legs work anymore but the elbows probably do,” he said. Listen, said Ward, it’s no joke. If the Leafs signed Gordie he’d probably lead the team in scoring. THURSDAY: Tim was talking about the situation out in Alberta where Peter Pocklington didn’t make his loan payments and so the Continued on page 5 Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. Editor & Publisher, Keith Roulston Production Manager, Jill Roulston Advertising Manager, Dave Williams Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968