Loading...
The Citizen, 1999-02-10, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1999. CitizenTheNorthHuron (♦CNA P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil Member Ontario Press Council P.O Box 429, BL YTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $27.00/year ($25.24 + $1.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A, and $75.00/year in other foreign countries. 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 tor unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 6968 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 1374990 Editorial I I Who knows best?, Huron County municipalities have agreed on a solution to their county policing — if Queen’s Park will let them do it. So much for local solutions to local problems. After a year of negotiations Huron County had reached a deal with the OPP to provide policing for all of the county except the Town of Wingham, which wanted to maintain its own municipal force. Now doubt has been cast on the future of the arrangement by an official in the solicitor general's office who says it’s all or nothing with the OPP: either Wingham can't have its own force or the deal is off. This is a deal nobody wanted to make until the province forced it by declaring all municipalities would have to pay for OPP service — even if they got little service. Now, despite the fact reluctant councillors have gone along, the government is threatening to not allow a “hybrid” force made up partly from provincial and partly from municipal officers. Hopefully this snag will still be resolved since other parts of the province already have the same kind of “hybrid” force Huron proposes, but it raises several issues. One is the continuing sense that officials in Queen’s Park think they must control every aspect of life in the province, no matter what people in far-flung comers may agree on. Shouldn’t Huron residents know what is best for Huron? In addition, it doesn’t speak well for the future of OPP service in the county. Supposedly the police force county taxpayers arc funding will be controlled by a police board of local officials but this action by the solicitor general’s office calls into question how much control they will have. Is county-wide policing just a way for the government to control all policing in the province but have local taxpayers pay the bills? The original idea of the “who docs what” process was to untangle the lines of authority, to give municipal governments more power in their areas of jurisdiction and let the province concentrate on the larger issues. Instead it seems to be an excuse for Queen’s Park to command even more power at the local level. — KR It's worth a try Ontario Liberal Leader Dalton McGinty’s proposal to simultaneously help medical students with their tuition fees while recruiting young doctors for rural areas seems one worth exploring. McGinty’s plan would allow an extra 80 doctors a year to graduate from Ontario medical schools and would pay the tuition fees for doctors who promise to practice in undcrscrviccd areas for a minimum of five years. A medical student today can face up to $44,000 in tuition fees alone. The Ontario government already offers incentives, ranging from SI5,000 to $40,000 over four years, to encourage doctors to locate in undcrscrviccd areas but they must already have graduated to qualify. The plan docs nothing to help qualified young people to meet the growing expense of their education. Anyone who hasn’t dealt with the expense of a university education in the past few years will be shocked to sec how costs have soared as governments, both federal and provincial, have cut funding to universities. We arc quickly facing a time when students from all but the most comfortable families will not be able to afford to go to university, particularly in programs like medicine. At the same time those students taking advantage of the offer will know they arc buying their education with service in a rural area. Who knows, they may not find it so bad after all. But reaction by medical students al the University of Western Ontario shows that McGinty’s plan isn’t going to be an instant answer. Interviewed on local television, the students had dozens of reasons why they still wouldn’t want to practise in a rural area, ranging from how difficult it is for a spouse to find a job, to the lack of older mentors in the medical profession, to the isolation doctors feel in treating patients in rural areas. McGinty’s plan tackles two important areas but the problem of perception that life is unbearable for rural physicians, is still to be solved. — KR Photo by Janice Becker Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen Feb.14,1979 The Blyth Board of Trade held a banquet for retiring businesspeople Bill and John Manning, Helen and Norm Gowing, Evelyn Turvcy and George Hamm Sr. The new officers for the board of trade were Joe Chatterton, presi­ dent; Valerie Dale, vice-president; and Lynne Henry, secretary-treasur­ er. Blyth councillors raised their salaries. The reeve received an increase of $100 to $1,000 per annum, while councillors were paid $800, up from $750. The PUC chairman received $660 a year and the commissioners, $550. The Auburn Hall board decided to keep the stage for a few years. The chairman was Ralph Campbell and the building committee was Kenneth Scott, Manfred Loscrcit, Gordon Daer, Allan Webster, Don­ ald Haines and Harold McClinchcy. Dave and Marie Salm opened an antique shop in Blyth. Lawrence Taylor, RR1, Londes- boro was among the delegates attending the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association annual meeting in Ottawa. Taylor was an OSCAR director. The Auburn Trustee Board received a letter from the Ontario Geographic Names Board concern­ ing the request of a change of name for the unincorporated place, Manchester to Auburn. This had been requested June 23, 1978. Feb.14,1990 The scats of Blyth Memorial Hall were sent to Toronto for refurbish­ ing and padding. Kevin Wheeler and his free skate pairs partner Michelle Menzies placed fourth al the Canadian Fig­ ure Skating Championships in Sud­ bury. The couple also earned an award for Most Outstanding Pro­ gram. Robin and Kenzic Smith won the trip for two to Florida al the Brus­ sels Optimists Valentine's dance. Bev Brown headed up the new Community Information Co-ordina­ tion Service for Seniors and People with Physical Disabilities in Huron County. Huron Feeding Systems was rec­ ognized as the number one dealer in Southern Ontario for Weslecl Grain Bins in 1989. The Jr. C Brussels Bulls beat Walkerton in their besl-of-five playoff scries. A new addition was completed al Walton Public School. Feb.12,1997 The Ministry of Health cut fund­ ing to l(x:al hospitals by over seven per cent. The provincial government billed it as an even swap, but Huron County officials calculated taxpay­ ers got 40 per cent more expenses from the meg a-week announcement of provincial funding shifts, than they saved. The speed skating Hunt family of Ethel competed at the Sault Ste. Marie Provincial Long Track Championships. A concerned Cranbrook resident expressed concern about the future of the local community hall. Young thespians converged in Blyth for the annual Crossroads Drama Festival. Letter to the editor THE EDITOR, I am writing regarding small town gossip, something that happens in every small town. You would think Blyth would be a nice quiet place to live in, however, this is untrue. There are always people gossiping about people, everyone is always in your business, thinking they know everything about you. Half the time these people know Continued on page 6