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The Citizen, 1993-04-21, Page 4C The North Huron itizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Sales Representatives, Jeannette McNeil and Julie Mitchell 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; $31.03/year ($29.00 plus $2.03 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 © Copywrlght. Publications Mall Registration No. 6968 ill PAID Serving Blyth, Brussels, Auburn, Be!grave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and the surrounding townships. Up in smoke Letters `A Slice of Huron's spirit THE EDITOR, Last week was a wonderful example of the co-operation, dedication and creativity found in all our communities. The "Slice of Huron" was put together by the Huron Agriculture Awareness Committee, but it took the involvement and co-operation of all the farm organizations, agri-busi- nesses, school boards, Women's Institutes, county library and countless others to make it happen. We feel it has been an over- whelming success of 'hands on' activities to let others know the significance of agriculture in Huron County and to this country. The volunteer hours put into this program were outstanding. The preparation of behind the scenes activities, the teacher in service, the week of the event and the security needed during the off hours are just some of the areas where volunteers gave willingly of themselves to create an event of which we can be very proud. To all who volunteered - thank you. To those who attended and showed their support - thank you! This week is "Volunteer Week" and last week exemplified it in Photo by Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot great form. We have a county of great people and it was a pleasure to work along with them. You give the best gift of all yourselves. Jane Muegge Rural Organization Specialist Ont. Min. of Agriculture & Food Huron County. THE EDITOR, In most of our daily and weekly newspapers and most definitely in all of our farm papers, there has been lots of advice for farmers regarding planting for '93. Battlelines have been drawn between short-season seed varieties, one pass tillage versus no-till, and the values of legume underseeding. With all of this advice however, Continued on page 7 PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY. APRIL 21. 1993. ditorial Peace at last? No doubt many Blyth residents who felt the conflict on the current Blyth Village council was "embarrassing" the village will be relieved that the two councillors who formed an unofficial opposition have handed in their resignation. Undoubtedly things will now be more peaceful in the council chambers, but will we get better government as a result? There are many people who seem to have a misconception about what democracy is all about. They want peace and harmony with no conflict to mar the serenity. If that's what they want, they should ask for a dictatorship, the most stable and peaceful form of government. Democracy, however, is not designed to be neat. It is a marketplace of competing ideas and the hope is that with many different opinions offered, people can accept the best option. Getting only one view doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the best view. There's no doubt the happenings in Blyth council of recent months have not been uplifting. Council has effectively been split between a government faction and an unofficial opposition party made up of the two councillors who have resigned. While politics is the art of compromise, neither side seemed willing to bend at all. Perhaps the departed councillors were too rigid in their opposition but the "government" side showed little willingness to seek compromise either. It is hardly compromise, for instance, to suddenly add the reading of the 1992 financial statement to the agenda of the March 23 council meeting at the last minute when the two councillors who have been questioning the finances of the village are both away at business meetings. The departure of two people with the qualifications of these two councillors should be deplored, rather than greeted with relief. Let's remember that Robbie Lawrie was a long-time councillor and the reeve in the 1970s when the arena was rebuilt, the sewers were started, the senior citizens apartments were built and the roof was replaced on Memorial Hall, allowing the Blyth Festival to eventually take place. Doug Scrimgeour has had long experience as a Public Utilities commissioner and even longer experience in road building, a skill council chose not to use on the road committee, claiming he was in conflict of interest. Both are also successful businessmen, practiced in keeping the bottom line black. They are the latest in a long line of well-qualified councillors who have given up in frustration on this council. Perhaps it's time village residents asked why so many people have left, many in mid-term? Can it always be the fault of the people who quit or should the remaining "government" members wonder if they're missing something too? Who was right? Were these "opposition" members just creating a tempest in a teapot? Are there real problems that just haven't hit the average taxpayer yet? Only time will tell. Surely, though, we need the best, most qualified people we can on council if it is to protect the interests of the taxpayers.—KR Another blow to rural areas The provincial government's decision to withdraw funding from the Registered Nursing Assistant School at the Wingham and District Hospital is one more blow to rural Ontario. Similar schools in Sturgeon Falls, Elliott Lake and Collingwood have also been canceled because of the funding cutbacks and programs in Kenora and Fort Frances will be operated for one more year. From now on, rural people wanting to train as nursing assistants will have to go to city schools like Conestoga or Fanshawe colleges. Given the financial fix it finds itself in, one can hardly blame the provincial government for trying to trim costs wherever it can, however continuing the trend that sends rural people to the city for their post- secondary education seems another reminder that this is a very urban- based government that just doesn't understand the needs of rural people. While it's sad that Huron County residents will have to travel to Kitchener or London, their plight isn't nearly as serious as the residents of northern communities who have to move far from their homes to get such training. When the story broke a few months ago that some people from Toronto were having to go to Sudbury for cancer treatments, there was a furor. Nobody ever seems to notice when people from the rest of the province have to go to Toronto. The RNA school at Wingham has a proud history dating back more than 50 years. Many highly qualified people have gone on to rewarding careers after graduating from this small-town school. Sadly people sitting in cities can only see good in what is happening in cities and rural Ontario gets left out again.—KR