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The Citizen, 1991-04-17, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1991. The tough part begins \ group of major electricity users last week publicly expressed their concern with the possibility the political will of the New Democratic Government will be imposed on Ontario Hydro to the detriment of the province’s economic growth. The complaints illustrate the problem that lies in the way of a government trying to do things differently. Many NDP supporters see their first stab at government as their opportunity to get the things done they’ve always wanted but never had power to do. One of those things is what party faithful call a more sensible energy policy, one that emphasizes waste reduction instead of building more and more power plants. The government sees conservation being able to save an investment in several new power plants and sees no need for atomic power plants at all. The big users profess to agree with the government that increased conservation is a good thing but they say the government may be overestimating how much conservation can actually accomplish. If the government guesses wrong, they say, there can be huge consequences for the province because it takes so long to put a new power plant on line. But the problem isn’t that far away. These major power users are already nervous and, faced with the huge commitments their companies must make in building new plants, they get a lot more nervous at the thought there may not be the power to make those plants go. Good intentions come up against reality again. Ontario’s current prosperity was built to some extent by cheap, plentiful and uninterrupted electrical power. It may make sense to conserve as much as possible but you can’t force big businesses to build here if they are worried about future supply of an important source of raw material. Already hundreds of factories have moved out of Ontario because of other factors such as cheaper labour or lower transportation costs. It seems like a cruel joke that Ontario voters first helped elect a “free enterprise’’ federal government that instituted free trade so that Canadians had less power to regulate what went on in their own country, then elected an NDP government that wants to change the direction of the province in very fundamental ways. We could get the worst of both worlds with an NDP government bringing in legislation that will make more businesses want to flood across an invisible border to do business from the safety of the U.S. For the NDP, many of the things they’d like to do depend on prosperity, a prosperity that was already disappearing in Ontario before they came to office. To have prosperity there must be jobs which are created by business but the proposals the government makes, like the change in direction of Ontario Hydro, new environmental legislation or the program to protect workers whose plants close, scare off the businesses that must create the jobs. For the NDP, the hard part has begun, keeping the party faithful happy at the same time as not destroying business confidence at a time when high interest and a high dollar have already magnified the problems of a North American recession. Premier Rae and his cabinet will certainly have their mettle tested now. Pittg poor Toronto Pitty poor Toronto. It’s being picked on by the other cities of southern Ontario. “It’s immoral’’ says Bill McCulloch, manager of Toronto city hall’s business development office of the advertisement cities like Cambridge and St. Catharines have placed in Toronto papers to try to lure companies out of Toronto and into their cities. The smaller cities point to their relaxed lifestlye and quality of life compared to the rush and bother of Toronto. “These tactics are unfair at best and misleading at worst,” Mr. McCulloch says. “Instead of trying to create jobs, these guys are trying to steal jobs.” Pardon the rest of us if we don’t shed too many tears for Toronto. How much of the TO’s phenomenal growth in the post-war period had come from the shifting of business from small Ontario towns to Toronto. Once upon a time every small town had a large local industrial base. Over the years most of those local plants have been closed and the main beneficiary has been Toronto. We all pay for a huge provincial bureaucracy in Toronto helping that city thrive. What’s more, many organizations feel they must have their headquarters in Toronto to be near government. Even farm lobby groups like the Ontario Federation of Agriculture feel they must be in the big smoke. Now Toronto has grown so much that it’s not a pleasant place to live anymore. For many people quality of life is the one reason to move to smaller centres. It’s the one thing the money and power of Toronto can’t buy. So, Mr. McCulloch, tough! Full speed ahead Looking backward ONE YEAR AGO APRIL 18,1990 Lorna Fraser, 32, of Blyth was struck by a vehicle driven by Brian Osborn. Mrs. Fraser was crossing Queen St. when the incident occurred. She sustained a broken shoulder and pelvis and was later taken to Victoria Hospital in Lon­ don. Ellen Workman, a Grade 3 student at Walton Public School, accepts an award for her prize winning poster in the Huron Coun­ ty Farm and Home Safety Associa­ tion’s Poster Contest. Ellen was third at her grade level over participants from all county ele­ mentary schools. THREE YEARS AGO APRIL 13, 1988 Rosemarie Bishop of RR 1, Ethel, was the surprised winner of a red tie, autographed by Ontario Premier David Peterson, when the door prizes were drawn at the banquet and annual meeting of the Huron Provincial Liberal Riding Association in Blyth. Glenn Coultes received a gift from Larry Robinson of the Bel­ grave minor hockey association in thanks for his 22 years of coaching hockey at all levels in Belgrave. Huron-Middlesex MP Murray Cardiff cut the ribbon officially opening the new 600-tonne fertili­ zer blending facility at the Walton plant at Cook’s with the company’s chief executive officer Bill Harvey from the head office in Hensail, and Walton branch manager Brad Ford. A large number of people showed up for the opening, and to look over the new facility, the first of its kind in the area. FIVE YEARS AGO APRIL 16, 1986 Julie Howson and Shannon Snell played a significant part in helping their school - Central Huron Secon­ dary win a trophy at the recent Canadian Mathematics Competi­ tions sponsored by the University of Waterloo. Julie, on the Grade 11 team of three competitors, and Shannon, on the Grade 10 team of three, each received a medal. A plaque was presented to Jack Armstrong, one of the original members of the Londesboro men’s bowling league on his retirement. Mr. Armstrong started with the club in 1947. Gung Ho was played at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham. Vic­ toria Playhouse Petrolia presented “Oil, Oil, Oil’’ at the Blyth Memorial Hall. The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 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.] for local; $41.73/year [$39.00 plus $2.73 G.S.T.] for local letter carrier in Goderich, Hanover, Listowel, etc. and out-of-area [40 miles from Brussels]; $60.00/year for U.S.A, and 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 © Copyright. Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. 1990 BLUE RIBBON 1 AWARD Editor & Publisher, Keith Roulston Production Manager, Jill Roulston Advertising Manager, Dave Williams Second Class Mail Registration No. 6968