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The Citizen, 2006-03-02, Page 4cnlizzns. ,01'.1401`,110,4 SEEMS TO ME CANADA IS BECOMING A MATRIARCHAL SOCIETY, WHAT DO YOU THINK, SIDNEY 2 I DON'T KNOW. LET me ASK MY WIFE, rOM11•11110110•111‘ PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2006. Editorials Opinio n s Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Ken Warwick 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; $90.00/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. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 CIRCULATION DEPT. Canada PO BOX 152 We acknowledge the financial support of BRUSSELS ON NOG 1H0 the Government of Canada through the email: norhuron@scsinternet.com Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs._ The Citizen P.O. Bok 429, RO. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM IHO NOG I HO Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca Aocna ENA Member of the Ontario Press Council =COMM ittir z We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are Copyright Looking Back Through the Years You think you're frustrated One can hardly blame local snowmobilers for being frustrated. After much of the winter when their investment in snow machines, insurance and trail permits was wasted because of the lack of snow, they finally get winter back and suddenly the trails are closed because farmers have withdrawn their permission to use their land. But if snowmobilers are frustrated, they should put themselves in the place of farmers. Farmers have withdrawn their permission as a way of drawing attention to their desperate situation. They've been losing money. In some cases, it's reported, their lenders are getting nervous and taking action to foreclose. And nobody seems to care. • Farmers are suffering crippling low prices for their crops, caused by the fact the U.S. Farm Bill pays farmers to keep producing large crops even at low prices. Canadian governments, both federal and provincial, claim they can't afford to match the U.S. treasury (though they never explain why) so farmers are stuck trying to pay the bills on the low U.S. price without the subsidies U.S. farmers get to help them. Farmers don't really like subsidies. They'd prefer to have prices that are high enough to pay their bills and make a profit. Canadian consumers and food processing companies are winning two ways. They get the same cheap prices that American consumers and processors get because of the low prices, but they don't have to cough up the higher taxes that would be needed to support our farmers to be able to be competitive with their southern neighbours. Meanwhile, urban-based decision makers want farmers to deliver more. Governments, processors and consumers want to be able to trace their food from farm to plate, meaning more paperwork for farmers without more money for their products. Fear of new diseases like avian flu mean higher biosecurity for farmers, again without any compensation. From nutrient management to the new Clean Water Act, farmers are expected to help protect the environment for the benefit of all citizens; yet they bear the,main burden at a time when they worry if they can just pay their bills. As the spring planting time grows near, farmers are feeling increasingly desperate and no one seems to care. The provincial government says it can't act without the federal government. The new federal government says it needs time — a commodity that many farmers don't have. • In closing the snowmobile trails, farmers are crying out for help. Snowmobilers and all rural residents, should join in pressing their governments for Swift action on the farmers' behalf. After all, farmers are such an integral part of our rural lifestyle, as snowmobilers found out this week. — KR Money well spent In the general celebration over the record medal harvest by Canadian athletes at the 2006 Winter Olympics, no doubt there'll be some people in Canada complaining that government money spent on subsidizing athletes could be better used. If the athletes' winning attitudes can be transferred to the Canadian public, however, it will be money well spent. . Canadian athletes have often crumbled under the pressures of their nation's expectations in past Olympics. In recent years team officials have spent time and money on giving athletes the mental conditioning to win. The result was, a high level of accomplishment, of living up to the •standards expected. As Clara Hughes, gold medalist in the gruelling 500- metre speed skating race said: "This is what I do. I should not be afraid to be the best in the world." Sometimes in the past it has seemed our national humility has made it hard for us to make such a proud, forthright claim. It has often seemed that we were afraid to be the best in the world. If the sports psychologists have convinced our athletes that it's proper for them to be the best in the world, and the athletes' attitudes spread to the rest of the country, then it's been a great investment. — KR Letters Policy The Citizen welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and should include a daytime telephone number for the purpose of verification only. Letters that are not signed will not be printed. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information. As well, letters can only be printed as space allows. Please keep your letters brief and concise. -March 5,1959 The winners of a very popular Jumbled Names contest were: first, Mrs. Mervyn Pipe; second, Mrs. George Smith and third, Mrs. Eldon Wi lson. There were a great number of entries, and everyone participating did so with great enthusiasm. A photo was featured of seemingly gigantic footprints in the smooth layer of snow covering the grounds of the Grosse Isle Air Station. The photo was taken from the • air, and the footprints were estimated to be about 15 feet long -and six feet wide. A man would have to be at least 90 feet tall to have made these tracks. It was later discovered that the tracks had actually been made by a group of fun-loving Marines who carried out the practical joke with snow shovels on their way to a coffee shop on a break. Former University of Villanova vaulter Don Bragg cleared a bar leading to a new record. He cleared a bar at a height of 15 feet, nine and a half inches, making it a new world record. March 2, 1960 The area suffered through a staggering winter storm that was soon called the worst they had had since the beginning of the cold season. High winds and heavy falling snow made driving conditions incredibly hazardous and several local events were forced to be cancelled. Credit and many thanks were of course given to the devoted operators of local and department snow plows for their excellent work in keeping the roads as clear as possible for those who who absolutely had to leave the safety of their homes. A strange event • woke many residents of Blyth when a grader owned by the Radford Construction Co. suddenly caught fire, merely 50 feet from the fire hall. The grader operator immediately ran to the hall and alerted them to the fire. Quick action 'by the firefighters had the flames extinguished in a matter of minutes. The grader, it was determined, would be capable of use in no time. The cause of the fire was thought to be a leaking fuel line. March 7, 1973 The subject of stray dogs became a personal matter for Blyth reeve Robbie Lawrie at a Blyth council meeting. When the subject was raised at the meeting. Lawrie told the council he was more than well aware of the problem. A week before, a pack of dogs had iummaged through and spread the reeve's garbage all over the street when it was left out for collection. The councillors gave permission to hire a Goderich animal control officer to enforce the town's dog bylaw. March 4, 1987 A total of 14 teams took part in an tournament sponsored by the Blyth Lion's Club. The snowpitch tournament was a big .hit as many players of various ages and sizes came out to brave the cold to play a game of baseball or two at the Blyth ball diamonds. Exciting news was brought to the ears of many Blyth residents. A feature length film was to be shot in Blyth. The film was called Blue City Slanimers, and was a .movie based on the play written by Layne Coleman. A spokesperson for the producers of the film reported that about 30 people would be involved in the cast and crew of the movie, and additional 'extras' would be chosen locally. There was no word on who was in the cast, but the spokesperson also mentioned that casting had been completed the previous fall_ Blyth was once again without an official postmaster. This was the second time in little over a year that the Blyth post office had gone without a postmaster after Hessie "Kipfer was transferred to the Zurich post office. Kipfer had been Blyth's postmaster since January 1986, although Zurich was more convenient for her since she lived with her husband in Varna. No word had ken received yet as to who would replace her, but for now, staff would carry on as usual. Sarah Jean Allan of Blyth placed first in the junior division of both the Branch Level and Zone Level of the Royal Canadian Legion's annual Remembrance Day Literacy Contest. Sarah Jean's poetry entry was entitled The Significance of A Poppy. The Grade 6 student was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brian Allan. There were several graduates of the St. John Ambulance babysitting course held at the Brussels Legion. Graduating the comprehensive course in childcare were: Ian Morton, Ross Machan, Sandra Bridge, Holly Dauphin, Christine Stadelmann, Chris Bridge, Darrel Pletch, Mike Jardin, Dawn Engel. Krista VanSoest, and Rhonda Stadelmann. Feb. 28, 1990 Playing at the Park Theatre in Goderich was the Walt Disney - classic, A Little Mermaid. Also playing was the film Blaze. starring Paul Newman. Playing at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham , was Loose Cannons. starring Gene Hackman and Dan Aykroyd.