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The Citizen, 1994-09-21, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21,1994. C itizenTheNorthHuron P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M1H0 Phone 523-47! FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 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 © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 E ditorial I " i Power to the powerful Last week's CRTC decision to increase basic phone rates shows that the trend to change the rules to benefit big business at the expense of the little guy continues. It's not like the increases of $2 per month for each of the next three years were unexpected. When opponents to Bell Canada started lobbying several years ago to be able to set up competition in long distance telephone calls, many consumer advocates warned that the price would be paid in higher basic rates for telephone service. That's because Bell had used its profits from long distance to pay for the high cost of running all those wires up and down streets and into each home. At first this connection between long distance and basic service was denied. Now CRTC officials say those paying for long distance service should not have to subsidize basic service. Too bad for the homeowner who will have to pay more just to have a telephone, who may never get any savings from long distance because he/she doesn't make many long distance calls. Most individual homeowners will lose by the changes. Most don't make enough long distance calls to save, through new discounted rates, what they will pay extra for basic service. Who will gain are businesses. The bigger the business, the more long distance calling it makes, the greater the gain. Imagine a savings for a large company with a nation-wide network of on-line computers. Government continues to cater to big business at the expense of the ordinary citizen. Business wanted free trade and NAFTA and it got it The result has, at least partially, been responsible for one of the worst job losses in the past half-century. Big business wants the deficit cut so the people least able to protect themselves are hurt by cuts to unemployment insurance and other social programs. It's about time big business began to pay something back for all the favours it has been getting. Creating jobs in Canada instead of in China or Indonesia or Mexico would be a nice start. After all, you can't continue to milk "rich" Canadian consumers while providing jobs to poor third world nations forever. Sooner or later big businesses' policies arc going to impoverish Canadians as well. — KR Looking Back Through the Years Clinton can’t win for winning When it comes to the media these days, U.S. President Bill Clinton just can't win. As Mr. Clinton increased his threats to invade Haiti to drive out the military junta that was terrorizing that country over the past few weeks he has taken a terrible beating from critics in Congress and the press for daring to risk American lives to liberate a country that didn’t really matter in the great scheme of things. Now that his threats have brought about a negotiated settlement, probably saving American and Haitian lives, he is being blasted for not driving the dictators out of Haiti. Only time will tell if Mr. Clinton, through his delegation led by form U.S. President Jimmy Carter, has succeeded in returning democracy to Haiti without serious bloodshed, but the criticism leveled at the U.S. government on this issue has been self-serving and somewhat bewildering. Opponents have used the arguments built up against American adventuring in the past, to say the world should sit by and watch people being terrorized and murdered by thugs who usurped power from a legitimately elected government. Canada itself has contributed to this atmosphere by saying it wouldn’t be a part of any intervention in Haiti (though we would help maintain peace once it had been re-established). While the U.S. has been guilty of intervening in too many countries in the past, usually it was to thwart democracy by pulling right-wing dictators in power to the benefit of big business. For once the U.S. has been spearheading a Good Samaritan mission to help people, with no particular gain for Americans or American business interests. If we arc to hope for lasting peace in the world we must develop some way not just to keep people apart once they have decided to slop fighting (as Canada has done throughout the world under UN peacekeeping) but to prevent thugs from usurping power and terrorizing innocent people as happened in Haiti. To sit back and wait for the situation to solve' itself would be equivalent to police refusing to step in when a man is beating his wife, preferring to let them settle it themselves before "keeping the peace" once the fight is over. For once the U.S. has acted responsibly and been a leader for bringing democracy to an impoverished country. Mr. Clinton deserves praise, not brickbats. — KR From the files of the Brussels Post, Blyth Standard and The North Huron Citizen ONE YEAR AGO SEPT. 22,1993 Over 100 people gathered at Clinton Town Hall to meet Premier Bob Rae, in town to support federal NDP candidate Tony McQuail. A water fountain was placed in Blyth Lion Park in tribute to the late Frank Bainton. The Family Farmer returned to CKNX-TV to provide an hour of agricultural information on Sunday afternoons. The Brussels Bulls earned a vic­ tory against the New Hamburg Spirit '83 in their first game of the exhibition series. S YEARS AGO SEPT. 20,1989 A 33 lot subdivision was planned foi the north end of Blyth, with the first to be for sale by the spring. The developer was just waiting for government approval. The last remnants of the Guelph- Goderich CP Rail line were re­ moved by truck from the former rail yard in Blyth. The ties were gathered into large bundles for sal­ vage. A lawyer was hired to help nego­ tiate responsibilities between the village and the Blyth Centre for the Arts, when the addition for Memo­ rial Hall was completed. Recycling had become so suc­ cessful that the Londesboro Lions had to stop collecting newspapers and other recycleables as a fundraiser. Recycling depots were overrun with materials and were not able to handle the load. The Lions found the project not to be financially or practically fea­ sible as the price had dropped from $70 per ton to $10. Margaret Whyte of Londesboro earned The Citizen's Citizen of the Year award. The Ministry of Revenue an­ nounced that OHIP would be replaced by Employer Health Tax. The new municipal office in West Wawanosh was prepared for the upcoming open house. Knox Presbyterian Church in Belgrave celebrates its 125th anniversary. 42 YEARS AGO SEPT. 24,1952 Huron-Perth MP Andrew McLean of Seaforth was appointed to represent Canada at the General Assembly of the United Nations. Mr. H. A. Ross of Mt. Forest, secretary of Ontario Agricultural Societies opened the Brussels Fall Fair. The school parade was led by the Brussels Lions Boys and Girls Band and Ann May on her trained horse, Hi-light. Some of the planned events included harness racing, tractor rodeo, oratorical contest for chil­ dren, miniature zoo, and a variety show consisting of magic and acro­ batics. Engagement rings could be pur­ chased for $45 to $225. Movie great of the swimming pool, Esther Williams starred in two movies showing in the area, Texas Carnival and Skirts Ahoy. High Noon, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly, was showing in Listowel. Letters THE EDITOR, As a follow-up to your column "The Short of It" as published Sept. 14, 1994 on the topic of accountable education, I am enclosing for your consideration, a copy of a publication presented to the Board at its September meeting. The booklet attempts to identify a number of 'accountability and evaluation' measures used across the Huron Public Education System. Some of these processes have been in place a number of years; others are quite recent. We are attempting to demon­ strate a revitalized commitment to Director of Education writes accountability. Please accept my pledge, as Director of Education and Secretary-Treasurer, to do my utmost to ensure that problems and concerns in our school system ARE addressed. I am concerned about the types of situations to which you alluded in your column last week. Students should never suffer such degradation; nor should parents be frustrated in their efforts to cause corrective intervention. Something can, and will,, be done to correct such situations: System administrators, school leaders, classroom teachers want to ensure that all legitimate concerns are addressed. While I can not speak directly for our Board Chair Graeme Craig and the Huron County Board of Education trustees, I do know that they also share a commitment to solve problems and get to the bottom of issues. Paul Carroll Director of Education and Secretary-Treasurer. Editor’s note: The final page of the booklet referred to in this letter states, "A constant priority of the Huron County Board of Education is to improve its Accountability and Evaluation practices and initiatives. Sugges-tions or improvement from any resident of Huron County are greatfully appreciated. You can provide your input by calling, by writing or by completing a 'Customer Feedback' form which is available at any school." Write Paul Carroll, Director of Education, Huron County Board of Education, 103 Albert St., Clinton, ON, N0M 1L0, or call 1-519-482- 3496, 1-800-265-5598.