The Citizen, 1991-04-24, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1991.
Community's loss
While blows to communities these days usually come in terms of
factory closings and job losses, the disbanding of two local
Women’s Institute branches in the past two weeks is also a serious
loss to their communities.
Although some people look on Women’s Institutes as an
anachronism these days, the organization has played a key role in
most of our communities throughout this century. The Blyth W.I.,
for instance, bought the land on which Blyth Memorial Hall now
sits and other W.I.s have kept community halls in many villages
open over the years. The 4H Homemaker program, which has
taught leadership to many of our young people, has been led by
W.I. volunteers. And the organization’s accomplishments aren’t
all in the past: the recycling program in many rural communities
began at the prompting of W.I.s.
But the W.I.s in Blyth and Cranbrook disbanded because of the
same kinds of problems that are hurting many community
activities. Even in rural areas a majority of younger women are
working outside the home these days. Faced with a daytime job
and trying to do housework at night and on weekends, many
women find it hard to do volunteer activities anymore. Our rural
communities, built on volunteer effort, are suffering because there
just aren’t enough people helping out any more.
What are we going to do when we lose groups like the W.I. that
have provided many services over the years? We can’t afford to
support all these things from taxation. Our quality of life can only
remain high if everyone helps carry the burden. We’re running out
of those hardy volunteers who once did so much.
The courage to quit
Canada begins free trade talks for a North American Free Trade
zone with the United States and Mexico with almost as much to
lose as it has to gain and it’s to be hoped that new Canadian trade
minister Michael Wilson will be as tough on our trading partners
as he has been on Canadians.
Mr. Wilson in his seven years as finance minister showed he
wouldn’t back down in the face of unpopular reaction to his policies
and let’s hope he won’t back down against U.S. demands to
renegotiate parts of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement under
the new negotiations. The U.S. has indicated it wants to use the
new talks to try to get things it didn’t get last time out: such things
as concessions Canada was able to win to protect the agricultural
and cultural sectors.
But despite supposedly “winning” in the last round of
discussion, the Canadian cultural and farm sectors are in serious
financial troubles. Faced with GST and higher postal rates as well
as the usual problems of high interest rates, and the recession,
Canadian book, periodical and newspaper publishers are in deep
trouble. Government cuts have hurt the CBC and advertising
Tosses have caused layoffs at major radio and television stations.
Canadian farmers are scrambling to find enough money to plant
crops this year, crippled as they are by low prices caused by U.S.
export subsidy wars with Europe. The only sectors with some
degree of health at the areas that “won” in the last negotiations:
the supply-managed commodities like milk, chickens, eggs and
turkeys that have some border controls and thus some ability to
control their prices.
We can’t afford to lose these areas. Let’s hope that if the U.S.
pressure becomes too great, Mr. Wilson will have the courage to
simply walk away from the table rather than agree to more
concessions. We’d be better out of the three-way agreement than
to get a bad deal.
‘5
The road beyond
Hall a huge resource
It’s been difficult to find a parking space around Blyth’s
Memorial Hall in off hours recently. The place last week was
jumping with activiity.
Thursday night, for instance, there was a tourism conference in
the Hall’s downstairs meeting room and the art gallery.
Meanwhile in other parts of the complex there was a political
meeting and an educational program for salespeople of a
distribution business.
Friday night the theatre was the setting for an appreciation
night for Town and Country Homemakers’ volunteers. Sunday
afternoon the art gallery as well as the theatre were in use for a
fundraising bridal show.
The events illustrate the resource the facility can be for Blyth.
Between the theatre, downstairs meeting room, art gallery and the
Blyth Festival’s two rehearsal halls, the Hall presents a unique
conference facility. Conferences are big business these days with
many cities having special departments to try to attract business.
If Blyth can find ways to promote this magnificent building the
whole community can benefit by increased economic activity.
Looking backward
ONE YEAR AGO
APRIL 25,1990
Exhausted Blyth firemen battled
a large grass fire south of Auburn
for three hours, working to keep
the fire from getting into a nearby
cedar bush. The firemen were
unable to get their trucks to the site
of the fire and had to beat out the
flames with shovels. Local farmer,
Garnet Wright finally plowed fire
breaks around the area to bring the
fire under control. About 30 to 35
acres of grass was burned in the
blaze.
William Merklev, 44, of Goder
ich was travelling east on Conces
sion 2-3 in East Wawanosh Town
ship when he was struck by a
vehicle driven by Fritz Datema, 62,
of Auburn. Mr. Datema was turn
ing left out of a private driveway
when the incident occurred. There
were no injuries.
The Executive Committee of the
Maitland Valley Conservation
Authority appointed Ken R.
(Chuck) Westman as General Man
ager of the Authority. Ken replaced
Les Tervit.
THREE YEARS AGO
APRIL 20, 1988
At a regular session, Blyth
council voted three to one to
approve an application to seek
approval for a liquor, beer and wine
outlet. A liquor retail outlet is
the one issue of liquor licensing
that has never been voted on locally
and so the matter then went to the
people.
The W.O.A.A. Grand Champion
ship was put on hold when the
Lions Head North Stars left the ice
before the game. They were upset
that a suspension given to Brussels
player Brian Ten Pas had been
lifted.
The executive committee award
ed the third game of the series to
Brussels because Lions Head left
the ice.
Construction of a new bridge on
the 10th line of East Wawanosh
began. The project was helped by a
5485,000 supplemental grant from
Continued on page 23
The
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