Loading...
The Citizen, 2000-01-12, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2000. C itizenTheNorthH u ro n (JCNA 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, BLYTH, 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 $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 Customer can’t always be right The customer, the old saying goes, is always right. So what happens when the customer wants two things that are diametrically opposed? Consumers, as the century turns, think of themselves as kings (or queens). They’ve been told over and over again that they are a powerful force, and some people take that seriously — just ask people who work in retail businesses. Yet no matter how royal the consumer thinks he or she is, there’s no way to get everything our consumer society wants. Blyth Reeve Mason Bailey, speaking at Huron County council last week, complained about how society wants cheap food, doesn’t want to pay taxes to help farmers yet expects farmers to carry the whole cost of having natural waterways that are the purest in the inhabited world. It can’t be done. Farmers losing money can’t afford extra costs to protect waterways. On the food front, the same argument can be made regarding genetically modified food or the use of farm chemicals. Consumers think they should pay an ever-diminishing portion of their income for food, but want farmers to grow it the old-fashioned way. They don’t want farmers to used Bt-corn or Round-Up Ready soybeans but they want food costs to go down. They want perfect looking apples or lettuce but farmers shouldn’t use any chemicals to achieve that perfection. It can’t be done. Recently an expert at the school of fashion at Ryerson Polytechnic University predicted an explosion of selling clothing through the internet as young, computer-friendly consumers order'on-line. She also predicted a rebirth for the friendly local store because people would want the personal touch when they got tired being one in a million on the internet. Yet if many people are buying on the internet, there won’t be enough business to support local, friendly stores. It can’t be done. Consumers in our small towns also like the convenience of dealing with friendly people they know, but not as much as they like getting cheaper prices in big, not-so-friendly stores with more selection. When it comes to raising money for their local hockey team or skating club, however, they want local merchants to donate money or prizes. If those businesses are barely hanging on, they can’t afford donations. If they’ve closed up shop altogether, there’s nobody to donate and support local clubs. We may want to have it both ways but it can’t be done. Consumers may want to have it ail, but they have to make choices. Too many times they’re making choices without even considering the consequences. Every time you spend a dollar you’re voting for a way of life. — AT? Canada as a gated community Ten young Chinese girls were intercepted on their way to the U.S. border the other day, part of a human smuggling operation. Three people died in a container on a ship docked in Seattle, on their way to the promised land in America. And more will come. To listen to Reform Party spokespeople and other critics, one would think illegal immigration was the biggest problem facing the country today. Such people see the problem from the narrow viewpoint of well- to-do Canadians. They never ask, why are these people risking their lives to come here? What was the future for those teenage girls caught on their way to Michigan? Some people feel they were headed for the sex trade in New York. What kind of life must these people have come from if they were willing to sell themselves into this kind of life? And those people found in the container in Vancouver on their way to the U.S. — it’s reported they pledged to pay $60,000 U.S. from future earnings in return for being smuggled out of China and into the U.S. People like the Reformers like the idea of globalization as a way of bringing money from countries around the world to support our rich lifestyle in North America and Europe. Through trade agreements, we now have the free movement of goods and services and money around the world — but not people. But just as proponents of globalization warn governments they can’t stand in the way of globalization, we also can’t stand in the way of people moving to what they see, through global culture, as a better way of life. Some people will do anything they can to get a piece of that glamourous life they see on American TV. If we want to stop this migration, the answer is not to turn Canada into the equivalent of a giant gated community to keep the poor out, but to find ways to give people a good life in their own country so they won’t want to come here.— KR Photo by Jeannette McNeil Looking Back Through the Years From the files of the Blyth Standard, Brussels Post and North Huron Citizen Jan. 8,1975 The committees for the two-year term of council were named at the inaugural meeting of Blyth council. Members of the committees were: Bill Howson, Con Van Vliet, Councillor Helen Gowling, Councillor Fred Carson, Reeve Lawrie, and Bill Manning. A 30-year-old Stratford man, David Teahen, was acclaimed chairman of the Huron-Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School. Main street parking problems were the main concern in a rather quiet inaugural meeting of Bylth Village Council. Council learned it would be up to two months before “no parking” signs were erected at the intersec­ tion of Queen and Dinsley Streets. At the inaugural meeting of the Huron County Board of Education in Clinton the trustees voted offi­ cially to confirm the election of Wilfred Shortreed of RR1 Walton as chairman for 1975 and Herbert Turkheim of Zurich as vice-chair­ man. John Elliott of Blyth and Charles Thomas of Brussels also served on the education eommittee. Jan. 10, 1990 The first baby of the year at Clinton Public Hospital was a sur­ prise package for Jim and Crystal Taylor of RR1, Auburn. Andrew Boyd (Drew) hadn’t been expected until Feb. 2, but arrived Jan. 1 at 10:44 p.m. Drew weighed six pounds, four and a half ounces. Huron County councillors, con­ cerned that the Ministry of Community and Social Services might have been about to throw them another curve on the rebuild­ ing of Huronview, the county home for the aged, expressed frustration at the January session of council. Photographs from three area pho­ tographers were featured in the Huron County Calendar issued by Huron MPP Jack Riddell. A photo­ graph of “the arch” in Blyth taken by Everett Scrimgeour of Blyth was included as the January entry. A photo by Shane Snell of Blyth of a large steam engine was published as the April photograph. The August illustration was a photo­ graph of a farm near Dungannon, taken by Mildred Yuill of Belgrave. The Brussels Bulls opened the new decade on a winning note edg­ ing the visiting Hanover Barons 3-2 in front of a full house. The victory gave the Bulls a 17-6-2 win-loss record, good enough for a one point lead atop the Western Jr. C league standings. Jan. 11,1995 Led by a strong American dollar and a strengthened Canadian econ­ omy, tourist-oriented businesses enjoyed a much improved year in 1994, a report on the Huron County Planning and Development Department said. It was estimated that the Blyth Festival generated $2.66 million for the local econo­ my, due to its attendance of 31,000 patrons. Despite a flood of protests from municipalities across Huron, Baton Letters Letters to the editor are a forum for public opinion and comment. The views expressed do not neces­ sarily reflect those of this publica­ tion. THE EDITOR, With the new millennium upon rural Ontario, two things are cer­ tain, more government cutbacks and amalgamations. I am not writ­ ing to argue either one of these, but to point out the fact that both of these things will affect the amount of money and services available to small communities. As a result, ser­ vice clubs and community organi­ zations will become more impor­ tant. A lot of little extras in our communities will get left out in the Broadcasting Incorporated, opera­ tors of CKNX and CFPL television stations denied its coverage of the 1994 municipal election was lack­ ing. Tenders would be called for the renovation of the Huron County Courthouse after county councillors approved plans for the $1.7 million project. Blyth Service Centre located on Queen Street, had a new owner. Gerhard Rempel of Grand Bend took over the operation from Art Hunking. Ruth Uyl opened Picture It Photography in Blyth. A special thank you was given to the Blyth canvassers of the Canadian Diabetes Association who collected $892 in the November campaign. The can­ vassers were: Arlene Wood, Thelma Johnston, Donna Hamm, Joan Bolger, Joan Chalmers, Ann Hulzebos, Donna Govier, Mary Lou Stewart and Ruth Stewart. bigger-is-better way of thinking. The most common excuse for not joining a volunteer organization is “I don’t have time”. The truth is that you will have time when the activi­ ties that keep you busy now are cut back or cancelled. It is time for everyone to take an active interest in their community. As a member of the Brussels Optimists I realize the goals and achievements of our club are worth the effort and time involved. Optimist Clubs always need new members with new ideas and new energy to achieve their goals. A membership drive is planned for the Blyth area on Saturday, Jan. 15. If you are interested or would like more information please call one of the presidents in your area: Sheron Stadelmann, 523-9204; Joe Seili, 887-9634; Ron Carter, 357- 2706. Ross Mitchell Lieutenant Governor Zone 2 Midwestern Ontario District Optimists International.