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The Citizen, 2002-11-20, Page 4LISTEN, HONEY: THE POPE IS URGING CATHOLICS TO MAKE MORE BABIES. 50, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO FOR THE CHURCH, HEH, HEH... PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2002 Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Alan Young, Cindy Smale 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 $28.00/year ($26.17 + $1.83 G.S.T.) in Canada; $80.00/year in U.S.A. and $100/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 for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are C) Copyright We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our moiling costs. Publications Mall Reg. No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 40050141 6", Member of the Ontario Press Council 11112:11711 P.O. Box 429. P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM I HO NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca °ma ENA The Citizen When a society turns miserly "Miser: an avaricious person, especially one who lives in discomfort or squalor in order to hoard his wealth." — Webster's Dictionary. As Christmas approaches the difficulty for many Canadian shoppers is not being able to afford to buy presents, but finding a gift that the recipient doesn't already have. Meanwhile our schools are so underfunded students must sell all kinds of products so they can have paper and pencils and books in their classrooms. Canadians this winter will spend billions travelling to warmer climates, yet our health care programs are so lacking in money that some people argue we must scrap the whole medicare concept and go to private funding. The average suburban house built in Canada gets larger and larger, yet we say we can't afford government-subsidized apartments for those who can't afford the high rent for the few apartments available in our cities, leaving people so desperate they have little choice but to live on the street. The word "miser" is meant to be applied to an individual not a society but the definition seems to fit the Canada of 'he 21st century. We live in an era when governments claim they can't afford to fix things, from education to health care, yet they've slashed taxes to allow people with money to sock more away in their investments. If an individual was so busy hoarding his money that he didn't heat his house or buy the basics of life, wouldn't we term him a miser? Isn't a society that is so busy amassing personal wealth that it can't afford the basics like properly educating its children acting miserly? It's not that Canadians or Ontarians can't afford the money to make health care work again or keep schools open or give teachers the tools they need to help our children develop to their full potential, it's that we've made a choice of priorities. Our priorities have been to keep more money in the pockets of taxpayers through slashing taxes and programs rather than put up with higher taxes but better services. It has been more important for us to have DVDs. wide-screen TVs and vacations than to have schools and hospitals that function well. We've made our choices to live in public poverty while having private luxury. — KR Osama's secret weapon Looking Back Through the Years When Osama bin Laden sent his al-Qaeda martyrs to fly airliners into New York's World Trade Centre and Washington's Pentagon, he also left behind the equivalent of a ticking time bomb: the paranoia that turns friends against friends. When Quebecer Michel Jalbert crossed the invisible border to buy gasoline at a Maine gas station which actually has its entrance in Canada, he was arrested and thrown in jail and kept there for more than a month. Last week his father posted bail and he was set free for moments before being arrested again for being in the U.S. illegally and was thrown back in jail. Only when Colin Powell, U.S. foreign secretary, visited Canada the next day was he finally released after 35 days in jail. His lawyer said the word had obviously come down from the top because the prosecutor in the case had been adamant about keeping him in jail the day before. One resident of Jalbert's town had the border go between her house and her garden. She was informed by U.S. customs agents that before she could take vegetables from her garden to her house, she'd have to check through customs. It's the kind of idiocy that civil rights activists worry about when an event like the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks convinces a society it must limit the rights of the individual in the name of group security. The problem is not that a government itself might decide to abuse its rights but that petty people within the system may use their added power in arbitrary ways. The lunacy of the Jalbert case is symptomatic of wider concerns in the U.S. So frightened are Americans of the possibility of terrorists crossing from Canada to the U.S. that they threaten to hurt themselves because many Canadians just don't want to go there anymore. Osama must be smiling when he sees what he has wrought. — KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, "A gift you can give to everyone". One night as I was sipping tea, I couldn't stop thinking about the cheerful clerk who served me that day. I'm sure that you have met people like her, they smile to you, hold the door open when you are juggling parcels or maybe they just simply pick up the quarters you have dropped. It is truly amazing that you can hump your cart into somebody's leg in the milk aisle and still share a few laughs with them before you trot down the bread aisle. Another pressing time for most people is in a long check-out line. Instead of scowling with impatience at the hurrying clerk, why not take the time to nod, smile or strike up a bit of chatter that will enhance your life and bring smiles to the faces that surround you. Mother Theresa was once quoted as saying, "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." can't stress how important it is to let these genuine encounters touch our lives. By simply smiling you are opening your heart to others and demonstrating integrity in this community. Kathy-Jo O'Grady. Nov. 24, 1960 Winners at the Brussels Legion turkey bingo were: Mrs. Ken Sholdice, Clarence Johnston, Mrs. George Pollard, Mrs. Wm. Ward, Mrs. Carl Graber, Miss Pearl Baker, Mrs. Watson Sholdice, Mrs. Alvin Logan, Barrie Currie, Harry Harrison, Mrs. Jack Wheeler, Kenneth (Buck) Stephenson, James Smith, Ronald Adams, Mrs. Ray Bronson, Mrs. John Armstrong, Mrs. Wm. McWhirter, Mrs. Chris Fischer. The school board approved payment of accounts for: Brussels Coal Yard, 5,000 gallons fuel oil, $785; Superior Stone, $65; supplies, $22.24; McCutcheon Motors, gas, $22.50. A six-oz jar of Maxwell House instant coffee was on sale at Willis's for 99 cents. Specials at McCutcheon Grocery included: 48-oz tin Hunts tomato juice, 28 cents; two 20-oz can cream style corn, 37 cents; Mother Parker's instant coffee, 89 cents. Jeff Chandler, Fess Parker and Nicole Maurey appeared in The Jayhawkers showing at The Lyceum Theatre, Wingham. Ladies' imported wool cardigans were selling at Wood's for $6.95, on sale from the regular price of $9.95. Nov. 18, 1987 The Brussels Hotel re-operened after being closed for 16 months. The hotel was purchased in the spring by June Warwick and Gerry White, then restored over the spring and fall to much of its original glory as the New American Hotel, one of five such "fine establishments" in Brussels described by the Belden Atlas of 1879. Bodmin Farms Ltd., RR5, Brussels, captured four championships at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. Faye Bolger was named the new Blyth postmaster. She had been employed with Canada Post beginning in 1981. Kim Mulvey and Susanne Groshaw were enrolled as new Brussels Guides. "Six new Brownies were enrolled: Christine Wilbee, Jenny McKercher, Sarah Exel, Heather Dobson, Katie Harrison and Sherry Power. The Wingham District office of the Ministry of Natural Resources said that close to 350 deer were harvested during the hunt, an increase of 20 per cent over 1986. District biologist Mike Malhiot said that the mild winters had combined with the Ministry's harvest management to result in a deer population which was the highest in history. The record harvest would, he said, ensure a healthy and productive herd well into the future. Richard Hamilton, one of Huron County's best-known represen- tatives of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food left the Clinton office to take up a post in Oxford County. It was Patrick Swayze appearing in Dirty Dancing at the Lyceum Theatre. Frank Bainton received a life membership award from the Blyth Lions Club. Nov. 22, 1989 Area farmers put on an excellent show at the Royal • coming home with numerous livestock awards and honours.-Among the recipients were: Leroy and Lila Rintoul, Kim Rintoul, Jan van Vliet, Dianne Black and Eldon Cook. More than 100 people filled the Lucknow town hall to hear Professor William Andrews say the environment is in serious trouble but there was hope it Could be turned around. The University of Toronto environmentalist and part-time resident of Belgrave said he had been testing the growth rate of local trees and found that they are not growing as quickly as they used to. In another five to 10 years, he warned, there may not be any maple trees left. Nov. 18, 1992 Tony McQuail was chosen as the Huron-Bruce candidate for the federal New Democrats. Maitland Motivator Rob Demaray was presented with a 'special certificate of recognition from MPP Paul Klopp, for being the first member of the Motivators to earn the Able Toastmaster award. The Canadian Toy Testing council announced the year's 10 best toys. Crayola was awarded Toy of the Year. The best bets were: Belle and the Beast, Electronic Passport, Fantastic Flowers, Laurentien Kids Jumbo Coloured Pencils, Lego Load. 'N "Haul Railroad, Madeline Game. Nature Lab. Nesting Farm Animals. Playmobil Treasure Island, Super Kitchen. Dale Hamilton was doggedly gathering material to be used in the Blyth Community Play set to open the Festival's season. The production was a story about Blyth, its surrounding area, people and history. Nov. 19, 1997 Janet Bosma captured top honours - in the Grade 3 Theory examination conducted by the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music. The silver medal is awarded to the student with the highest marks in each province for each grade. Ross Taylor was recognized by the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority for 25 years of service. A rare honour was bestowed on a Brussels army cadet when he was promoted to chief waffent officer. Derek Hunt was only the second cadet in the history of the Brussels -Corps to attain the rank.