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The Citizen, 1999-09-29, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1999. C itizenTheNorthHuron Aocna (♦cna 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 Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising Manager, Jeannette McNeil Member Ortario Preee CouncilE-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 -t $1.76 G.S.T.) in Canada; $62.00/year in U.S.A, and $100/year in other foreign coun­ tries. 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 newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. Publications Mail Registration No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 1374990 E ditorial I ....................... Bloomin’ proud It’s mission accomplished for the hard-working committee who headed Blyth’s entry in the 1999 Communities in Bloom program. The village earned four blooms, the highest rating, for the overall appearance of the village. Among the qualities the judges admired was the tidiness, commenting they were “overwhelmed by the cleanliness and tidiness of Blyth. The community not only blooms, it shines.” The judges also looked favourably on the work at the Greenway, on community involvement and the retention of the village’s two railway stations. They praised the landscaped entrances to the village and talked of the “charming gardens” throughout the village. They were not so pleased about the state of trees. The top recognition is wonderful for those who promoted the idea of entering Communities in Bloom but in a way, the real reward had already been reaped before the judges’ comments were released. The real reward is the beauty that has been added to the village because of the efforts in preparing for the judges’ arrival. The ultimate gain is in the sense of pride people gain in their community. The judges’ comments say it all: “Blyth is a delightful village which exemplifies what Communities in Bloom is about — people, plants and pride growing together.”— KR A big business mentality The last thing Brussels needed right now is another empty store, but the news this week that Beretta’s Butcher Shop is closing means one more business the village has lost. The Berettas made the decision when it became apparent they couldn’t afford to meet new standards for their abattoir as the provincial government moves to require all abattoirs to meet federal standards. It’s part of a move to increase food safety — or so the move is portrayed. Food safety is a motherhood issue. Who can possibly argue against it? Yet so many of the new requirements seem to have nothing to do with food safety. Why, for instance, must the lane for the abattoir be paved for the safety of the people who eat the meat processed there? Why is another washroom needed? Food safety is another one of those “trojan horse” issues that can seem like one thing but hide another agenda. Over the years the most happy proponents of food safety and labeling regulations have been big businesses. Big business can meet new, tougher standards while small businesses can’t. Each little competitor lost helps big business. And in province-wide terms, the result of these new regulations could be significant. Up to 30 per cent of small abattoirs may decide to give up rather than take on the new expenses. That means jobs lost in small towns. That means less opportunity for farmers to sell their products in their own communities. When the Harris government came to power it promised less regulation and more support for small business. The reality seems to be an agenda that helps big business smother small business. How else do you explain the silliness of some of these regulations? If the government really cared about small business and small towns like Brussels, it would have used a little “common sense”.— KR Altering the truth In the battle for your minds and stomachs, the opposing sides on the genetically altered food issue are not likely to play fair. This week Greenpeace and the Council of Canadians held a demonstration outside a Toronto supermarket to protest the use of genetic engineering in the food we eat. Both are organizations which have been known to stretch the truth to get their point across. As a result, some members of AgCare (Agricultural Groups Concerned about Resources and the Environment) showed up to argue in favour of genetic engineering. Except, playing its own games, AgCare no longer calls these foods genetically “altered” — they are genetically “enhanced”. What’s more, AgCare argues in a press release, that banning genetically-altered foods would deny consumers choice. Yet AgCare has been opposed to labeling genetically altered food so that consumers who want to avoid it would have choice. In this debate, consumers should be wary of both sides.— KR Photo by Vicky Bremner Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen Sept. 26, 1979 Hullett Twp. Reeve Joe Hunking was presented with the master plan for the development of 2,400 hectares of the Hullett Wildlife area. This would make the area one of southern Ontario’s most signifi- .» cant wildlife habitats. Implementation of the plan would cost around $1.7 million. The Blyth figure skating club again hired Mrs. Debbie Pettit and Miss Julie Twynham as their two pros. The new executive included: president, Diane Wasson; secretary, Betty Archambault; and treasurer, Shirley Lyon. The first meeting in the Blyth 1 Needlepoint 4-H course was held. Officers elected included: president Debbie Craig and vice-president, Elaine Brown. Among the 21 grants approved for Huron County from Wintario, Auburn was given $5,000 to help assist the 125th birthday committee with the costs of their celebration. Tasker Funeral Home was under­ going a comestic change. A brick exterior was being put up on the main street building. Sept 27, 1989 David Griffiths of Blake’s Apple Orchard found an interesting, yet sensible solution to his fall employ­ ment problem. Titus* Leonard and Wayne McLean were two young men from Trinidad who had been employed with the Blakes for the past two years during harvest time. The long story of the fire at the Brussels Legion Hall finally came to an end when Lenard Gordon Cowie and Robert Martin Killick pled guilty to charges relating to the fire that gutted the building in the early morning of July 6, 1988. Killick was sentenced to two and a half years for setting the fire that caused more than $200,000 dam­ age. He also received four months consecutive on a break and enter charge and two months on a theft charge. Cowie was sentenced to one year with a one year probation for breaking and entering. Margaret Cronyn was the 1989- 90 Brussels Fair Queen. The kid’s tractor pull was held for the first time at the Brussels Fall Fair. The event was well attended. Sept 28, 1994 After a disappointing show of public interest, Morris Twp. council voted ambivalently to close the Belgrave Library. To keep a Class 3 Branch (like the Belgrave Library) open, the county’s Library Committee liked it to have a circu­ lation of 4,000. Belgave’s circula­ tion up to August was 108. Blyth residents had a good time at the Teddy Bear Parade to cele­ brate the new lights in the down­ town core. Scott Shaddick of Londesbor- ough was the recipient of the Governor-General’s Award at Clinton Central Huron Secondary School Commencement cere­ monies. The award is presented to the student with the highest acade­ mic standing. He was also the recipient of the Clinton Community Credit Union Award for OAC Accounting, the E.A. Fines award for best three OAC Math courses, the Sire Ernest Cooper Estate Scholarship for best six OAC courses, and four W.D. Fair Scholarships for proficiency in English (OA1), Calculus, Algebra and Physics. Teaguen Onn played Peter in the Blyth Festival’s production of - Peter and the Wolf.