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The Citizen, 2003-12-10, Page 4■I PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2003. Editorials & Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Jamie Peters and Alicia deBoer 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 $30.00/year ($28.04 + $1.96 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 © Copyright We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. Publications Mail Reg. No. Q9244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 40050141 The Citizen PO. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 RO. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1 HO Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca jpcna eg™ Member of the Ontario Press Council Farmers can offer solutions Statistics can tell many tales depending on how you interpret them and from the demands governments are making on Ontario’s farmers recently, obviously government officials aren’t looking beyond the good news from Statistics Canada that in 2002 farm cash receipts increased 13.2 per cent in Canada. How else do you explain the sense governments seem to have that farmers have an endless supply of money? The provincial government’s decision to raise electricity rates will cost the province’s farmers $42 million a year more according to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. The province also wants farmers to spend more for nutrient management plans and capital improvements needed to meet those plans. Meanwhile the federal governmen's proposed Canadian Agriculture Income Stabilization Program (CAISP) requires farmers to make an up­ front deposit in order to participate, though the government will not put its share of the money in unless there is an emergency and farmers need it. Apparently farmers have more cash-flow than the government. Maybe governments aren’t looking at the real bottom line for farmers in those 2002 income statistics. After they paid their expenses last year Ontario’s farmers net income actually dropped 45 per cent (farmers in Saskatchewan had no net farm income at all). And compared to 2003, 2002 was a good year in Ontario. It was before the BSE scare destroyed the market for beef and dairy cattle, before the price of pigs collapsed, before a cold wet spring and a wet fall endangered crop yields. With a new emphasis on cities, governments seem to have bought the argument that farms and rural economies are a thing of the past and don’t deserve real consideration. At a recent farm meeting one farmer grumbled the government of Jean Chretien seemed to care more about passing same- sex marriage legislation than helping farmers. While it’s true that cities like Toronto have a crucial impact on the nation’s economy and their problems must be attended by government, it’s also true Toronto and other cities owe much of their prosperity to processing and selling the products of farms and rural areas. A strong farm sector benefits the cities. Besides, solving some farm problems could help deal with major concerns of society. Ontario faces an energy shortage, for instance. Ontario’s farms, particularly along the Lake Huron shoreline, could provide homes to electricity-generating windmills with the rental rates helping farm incomes. There are concerns about whether manure from livestock operations could be carrying E. coli bacteria into Lake Huron’s waters, but if this manure was put through digester systems to create methane gas, the E. coll would be killed and electricity could be created. In Alberta a methane- powered generating station is being built to use the manure of 7,500 cattle to produce enough electricity for 5,000 people. What’s more, to make these digesters work most efficiently, protein from restaurant scraps or animal fats from rendering waste from packing plants should be added, solving problems of what to do with these wastes. When the digestion process is finished, the remains are still good safe fertilizer to be spread on the land. Denmark has been using this system for years. The federal government is trying to meet greenhouse gas reductions required by the Kyoto Accord. The provincial government needs more electricity. Perhaps governments should look to farms as places to invest money to solve problems, not a part of history. — KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, I am writing on behalf of Queen’s Bush Rural Ministries, to publicly express our gratitude for the recent donation of $4,000 that we received from the proceeds of the Great Canadian Beef Bar-B-Q held in Brussels this summer. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all those who helped organize or support the baibecue, especially the Brussels Agricultural Society, the Huron County Beef Producers, the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association, and the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association. Thanks to their generous expression of support and confidence in our services, we are now in a much better position to serve those suffering from the effects of the BSE crisis and related events. Queen's Bush Rural Ministries (QBRM) is a registered charitable organization, founded in 1989, by Bruce Presbytery of The United Church of Canada. QBRM was created in response to the need of rural people in the Counties of Grey and Bruce, and the northern portions of Huron, Perth and Wellington for compassionate assistance. We continue to offer a referral service which individuals or families in crisis can phone for a sympathetic hearing ot their situation and referral to the appropriate agency or professional services. Our goal is to assist members of the rural community get their feet back on the ground with dignity and grace People seeking additional information oi wishing to relci someone to out service, may call Alex Leith, our co ordmaloi at >19 369-6774. Yours sincerely. David Morris. President Queen's Bush Rural Ministries. Looking Back Through the Years Dec, 10, 1958 Don Hemingway of Brussels was named Huron County's all-round 4- H member. Jean Patrick of Walton received her Silver Medal from the Western Conservatory of Music. Dec. 12, 1968 John Bradley of Goderich was named outstanding, all-round, 4-H member. Winners of the Machan Hardware draw were Ralph Triebner with $5, Elsie Shaw, $3 and James Mair, $1. The Brussels Lions hosted their annual Ladies Night. Dec. 12, 1973 Professor Robert Stevenson with environmental biology, presented the Honourable John. S. Martin Scholarship to Ralph Scott of Blyth. The scholarship was offered for extracurricular activites and •academic performance in poultry science courses during the university’s fifth and sixth semesters. Morris Twp. council agreed to pay $3,375 towards its share of the purchase price of a new tanker truck for the Wingham Rural Fire Area. Eleven girls recieved county honours as the Blyth area held 4-H Achievement Day. The girls certificates for completing six or more projects were Judy Van Dongen. Cathy Burkholder, Jayne Leeming. Kim Watson, Dianne Dennis, Joyce Chamney. Yvonne Bean, Peggy Fisher, Kathy Madill, Mary Searle and Dianne Mc- Nichol. I'he Blyth Lions Club donated SI 0,000 towards the Blyth su miming pool. Immigration lo Canada rose by (i per cent in the first nine months .1 PCT \houl I >00 .hit' ul land along Un Ri<hit'iKti> Rivei m New Brunswick was returned To Indians on the Big Cove Indian Reserve. The Land was part of 3,000 acres the federal government took from the Indians in 1879. The UCO Belgrave Branch held its annual meeting with 150 guests served at a smorgasbord dinner. Dec. 7, 1988 A dairy barn near Auburn was destroyed by a fire. The spectacular blaze drew huge crowds and could easily be seen from Blyth. The estimated loss was $250,000, but most of the high production milking herd was saved. Operations on the Canadian Pacific railway line through Walton. Blyth and Auburn were ceased when the National Transportation Agency handed down a ruling granting CP Rail permission to abandon the route. A penny auction was held at the St. Ambrose Catholic Women's League’s Bazaar and Bake Sale with proceeds raised for CWL projects. Blyth Legion welcomed seven new members. Presented with their pins and bylaws were Colleen Bell, Lorna Vincent, Al Willie, Donna Walsh, Dianna Willie, Helen Lapp and Debbie Ansley. Anne Bosman of Seaforth, gathered up $307 worth of free groceries in just 30 seconds for the Brussels Merchants' Shopping Spree. Stephen Betts became the new owner of M.L Watts Funeral Homes in Brussels. The 1988-1989 Huron County Dairy Princess was Lisa Boonstoppci. The lOth-line bridge in East Wawanosh was offically opened in a ceremony attended by 150 people. Dec. 8, 1993 Huron County council decided not to contribute to the $200,000 requested by the Children's Aid Society for the society’s new headquaters because of financial pressures from other organiza­ tions. Graeme Craig of Walton was elected to the position of chairperson for the Huron County Board of Education. Santa Claus made his annual visit to Brussels. Area schools were preparing themselves for JK students to begin in January. Brad TenPas of Brussels was the intermediate winner in the Clinton Legion’s Remembrance Day colour poster contest. Katie Clark laced up her skates to begin her participation in the Skate - a-thon held as a fundraiser for the Children’s Aid Society in Gode­ rich. Christa Smith, Jennifer Acton. Katie Harrison and Sarah Exel became the newest members of the first Brussels Pathfinders at a fly up ceremony. Peter Nonkes received the Top Novice Member award from the Auburn Co-op at the Hallrice 4-H Achievement Night. Dec. 9, 1998 A house fire in Brussels was believed to have started from an electrial problem in a car which was parked in the detached garage. Josie McDonald and Nicole Bailie became new members of the Blyth Pathfinders. Staff from Lambton County Museum went to Walton Public School to offer rare experiences from riding an outdoor sleigh to decorating for Christmas and enjoying cider and treats. The children were shown what it was like to live like a pioneer. Jamie Lewis and Laura Meier were members of the Blyth Skating club who passed their 21st dance to complete their Gold Dances.