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The Citizen, 1991-03-27, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 1991. Good example The decision by administrators of the Huron-Perth Roman Catholic Separate School Board to freeze their own salaries is the kind of example of leadership that is sorely missing in Canada at the moment. Too often instead of good examples the top leaders of our country seem to say “do as I say, not as I do.” While you hear top athletes say they aren’t much at making speeches in the dressing room but they try to lead by example in how they play the game, our current leadership seems to be good at talking but not much at leading by example. First and foremost comes Bank of Canada governor John Crow who has been preaching restraint to Canadians and saying Canadian workers must try to get along on wage increases less than inflation rate. Meanwhile salaries at the Bank of Canada last year went up nine per cent. Mr. Crow’s salary is the subject of some mystery but it is known he got a big increase last year and his salary is somewhere between $158,000 and $253,000. It can be argued that Mr. Crow deserves what he gets. He would likely earn more in the private sector. But being in the public sector and being in such an influential position, Mr. Crow must lead by example. If he expects other people to let their salaries fall behind inflation, he should be able to make that sacrifice himself. Freezing or even cutting back his salary isn’t likely to hurt Mr. Crow as much as it is the worker earning $20,000 a year. Similarly, if Michael Wilson wanted to let us know he is serious about reducing the deficit and keeping inflation away he could offer to reduce his own salary. Certainly the opposition would be quick to brand this a grandstand play but it might give the Finance Minister some credibility he is lacking after several years of poor economic forecasting. It might have even shamed opposition politicians into showing similar leadership. Commons Speaker John Fraser shouldn’t have had to throw out our Senators’ plan for a special incentive fee for showing up for work; they should have killed the plan themselves to show their restraint. But no, nobody did. And nobody at the national level is showing any kind of leadership example for the people. Instead they are displaying an attitude that says “I’ll look after myself and the rest of the country can solve its own problems”. That’s exactly what ordinary people are doing and that’s why the country is in the mess it’s in. If this country is going to get out of the mess it’s in we’ve all got to make sacrifices. We’ve all got to take a little less at the pay window and not grab any government money we can do without just because they’re there. But nobody wants to be the sucker who takes the lead and then looks around and sees all the other pigs still have their noses in the public trough. Somebody has to take the first step. So far, nobody at the federal level has stepped forward to be a leader. Luckily closer to home the administrators of the Separate School Board have been more courageous. Would that other leaders both in our local political spheres and at the provincial and federal levels could show the same leadership. Truth pays off Anyone who had attended any of the other community meetings held by Canada Post such as the one in Walton last year or the one in Ethel in 1987 would have been amazed at the meeting in Ethel Thursday night. While the past meetings were stormy and full of frustration by local people, this meeting was quiet and, dare we say, even friendly in tone. Part of the cause was that as far as the general public goes, there will be little change in Post Office operation with the new Retail Postal Outlet being in the same store where the government-run Post Office is now. But part of the difference may be that there was a sense of honesty at this meeting unlike at many meetings past. Back in 1987 Canada Post, while having already decided it would review all post offices and would close most government-owned post offices, kept playing word games, denying it would close post offices. Canada Post meant it would replace regular post offices with franchises but nobody had the courage to openly admit it. Last year we had the Walton post office closure when Canada Post officials tried to pretend the postmaster had retired of her own free will though people knew she had been given a now-or-never offer and unhappily had decided she should take it. This time Jim Craig of Canada Post showed more honesty, admitting the people of Ethel didn't have a choice. Canada Post had made its decision and the franchising would begin June 4. People may have preferred to keep the old arrangement but at least they respected his honesty. For you, my tittle chickadee Looking ckward The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 FIVE YEARS AGO MARCH 26, 1986 Nine F. E. Madill students from the Citizen’s coverage area were among 46 winners of a trip for two to Expo in an art contest. Lucky local winners were Shelley Bray, Ethel; Heather Morton, Belgrave; Linda Thyssen, Brussels; Cherida Garniss, Brussels; Giselle Kelly, Blyth; Karen Knight, Brussels; Patrick Cull, Belgrave; Tom Bailey, Blyth and Rhonda Bakelaar, Brus­ sels. A Londesboro house was dam- ■ aged beyond repair after a Sunday aftenroon fire. The family of Robert Kiddy was left homeless by the blaze which started from a trash fire. The house was owned by Jim Anderson of Londesboro. The family had no insurance on the contents of the building. Lisa Boonstoppel of Auburn won a trip to the United Nations in a public speaking contest sponsored by the Oddfellows. Lisa chose “The Dictionary” as the topic of her winning speech. Her twelve-day trip included Ottawa, Montreal, New York City and Washington with other winners from Ontario, Michigan and Minnesota. THREE YEARS AGO MARCH 23,1988 Prize winning artists in the Huron County Farm and Home Safety Associations Farm Safety poster contest, which attracted nearly 400 entries from all across the county, were Bradley Hoegy of Walton Public School; Amelia June Emke and Michael Bailey of Blyth P.S.; Victoria Richards, Janice Jacklin and Mike Seeds, all of Brussels P.S.; John Ramirez and Shane Hesch, both of Blyth Public School, Diane Van Bakel of St. Joseph’s School in Clinton and home schooler Kim Baan of RR 3, Walton. Another new business started in Auburn under the name of “Jo- Jo’s Grocery” on Goderich Street. Owners were Joseph Burbine and his father Joseph S’-. ONE YEAR AGO MARCH 28, 1990 When it comes to madness (Maple Madness that is) Hullett township council seems to be tops. For the second time in a row Hullett won the Maple Madness award at the Maple Key’s Pancake The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $20.50/year [$19.16 plus $1.34 G.S.T.] [$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; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are S Copyright. Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. Editor & Publisher, Keith Roulston Advertising Manager, Dave Williams Weekend festivities Sunday near Ethel. Members of the team are Joe Gibson, Deputy-reeve; Ron Gross, councillor; Tom Cunning­ ham, Reeve and Ian Hulley, grader operator. Melissa Petruphen’s science pro­ ject placed first in the grade seven biological division at the Grey Central Public School Science Fair. Second place in the physical divi­ sion was Craig Lawrence. Wanda Martin was the big winner for grade sevens with her project on the environment. Wanda placed first in the physical class and went on to compete at the Huron County Science Fair competition in Clin­ ton. The grade eight winners at Grey were Darren Hemingway who went on to Clinton, Becky Earl and Rachel Van Veen, who placed first in the biological division. Joe and Debbie Seili of Brussels enjoyed a two-week holiday to Europe. They travelled to Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France with a group of stabling dealers across Ontario and Quebec. Paris, France and Brussels, Belgium were two favourite cities along the way. Production Manager, Jill Roulston Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968