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The Citizen, 2006-03-30, Page 4Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Ken Warwick The Citizen 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; S90.00/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. - PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com 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 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca .ocna +CNA ,:tr ot Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Canada We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) towaid our mailing costs. • Looking Back Through the Years PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2006. Editorials Opinions Feast and famine With Premier Dalton McGuinty and provincial finance minister Dwight Duncan being hammered for deciding to spend money on long- needed infrastructure upgrades instead of balancing the budget, the irony is that what was needed in rural Ontario was more spending on the most crucial of needs. While there was money in the'budget for everything from health care to education to roads and subways, the Liberal government does not seem to consider agriculture, the backbone of the rural economy, as an important part of infrastructure. It's easy to argue that right now what is needed in rural Ontario is enough money for farmers to pay their bills and plant their crops rather than more'money for roads and bridges. We can repair the bridges later. We can't repair the situation later if farmers and their suppliers are out of business. It's truly a missed opportunity for the government. With an unexpected $3 billion windfall, the government could have topped up its earlier $125 million funding announcement and made a firm promise of the ongoing risk management program that farmers are seeking. Instead all the money was earmarked for other causes: an additional $1.9B in health spending; $1.2B program for public transit, roads, highways and bridges and $670M directed toward the expansion of the Toronto's Spadina subway line. Criticism from John Tory, Progressive Conservative leader and from conservative commentators has been that the Liberals are spendthrifts for not balancing the budget. Given the hits taken by so many provincial services under the long years of the Mike Harris government, followed by the deficit-cutting beginning to the Liberal regime, there were lots of needs to be met. While a balanced budget would be nice, there's a strong argument to support what Duncan and McGuinty chose to do. Their failure to recognize the seriousness of the plight of farmers and the whole rural economy, however, shows the Liberals as being out of touch with the needs of the rural Ontario. It's a mistake that may cost them. power in the next provincial election as it did their federal counterparts in the election'just past. — KR THE EDITOR, In regards to the fire chiefs of last week's paper, you must have written your story before Huron East council was given a similar letter on March 21 at 7 p.m. (dated the day before). The maintenance schedule was _ prepared and written in January of this year, at which time all departments could list their requests to be considered in the budget for all of Huron East. Regular maintenance on buildings and equipment is an important component of any structure, municipal or private. On Feb. 21, a report was given to council that Grey Twp. Fire Department was requesting $1,000 for building maintenance. Council never batted an eye. If they had wanted more, simply ask and the entire council will vote on the issue at the council table. I am confident we can afford to fix the doors and give a raise in the same year without raising the budget. Expenses have been cut in other places including councillor's own charges for some meetings. An appearance at council would have been welcomed to discuss this issue instead of this manner. Council tries to treat all their employees equal. Every other department was considered for raises according to performances. Do we dare leave anyone or any part of our large municipality out-of pay equity? Do. we dare raise taxes too much in one year? I am a taxpayer also, to seven properties, it affects me too. In future, please get all sides of the story and all the facts. Huron East council deserves to know about issues ahead of the press. These are volunteers as well and many of their seats are open coming up in November. Gossip destroys more than it's worth:, Mayor Joe Seili. April 2, 1959 The Jumbled Name Contest winners were Mrs. C. Storey, Mrs. M. Pipe, and Mrs. Eldon Wilson. They were the lucky winners among many contestants in a contest that had been entered with much enthusiasm. These three ladies collected the most sales slips for this week. The winner of another local contest being held was also announced. The Lions Club had placed a red barrel in a river, and contestants were required to guess at what time they thought the barrel might go over the dam. The person to guess the closest time was Mrs. Jennie Turnbull, who guessed the barrel would go over at 11 a.m. on April 1. Her lucky guess was a mere two minutes off the real time of 11:02 on April 1, giving her the right to walk away with the $25 prize. The historic Iolani Palace in Honolulu was to be named the capitol buildings of Hawaii, after the islands were adopted as the newest state, becoming part of the United States. The palace was last used by the last ruler of the island monarchy, Queen Liliuokalani, who left the palace for the last time on July 4th, 1894, when Hawaii became a republic. March 30, 1960 New technology was making it much easier for movie-lovers of the 1960s to access fresh-released movies from the comfort of their living room. A movie firm, Telemeter, sponsored a sort of pay television which provided three channelS for its 2,000 subscribers. Two of the three channels carried public service movies and news broadcasts at no charge. - The third channel offered movies that were currently playing in theatres, with no commercials or interruptions. A customer simply inserted their coins into a special coin box placed on the top of their television, and the screen unscrambled itself to show the movie. The cost ranged anywhere from 50 cents to $2, depending on the movie being shown. March 28, 1981 There were several accidents being investigated by the Wingham OPP. A Michigan woman accidentally struck an abandoned vehicle on Hwy. 4, south of the Maitland River. The abandoned vehicle belonged to a Blyth resident. The woman was not injured. Damages were estimated at $1,200. A Wingham man and a Wroxeter man were involved in a collision on Conc. 12-13, in Howick Twp. Sustaining injuries were the Wroxeter man and three passengers in. his vehicle, who were all from Wroxeter as well. Though no one was seriously hurt, damages were estimated at $2,100. An Ethel man damaged his car to the extent of $200 when he struck a deer. The man was driving on Huron County Rd 19, north of Conc. 5-6 in Grey Twp. There were no serious injuries; even the deer was able to continue on its way. The Blyth PeeWee hockey team won a trophy to be proud of after playing in the Goderich PeeWee Tournament. Though they lost in the championship final to Sheddon, the team did bring home the sportsmanship trophy for avoiding any penalties at all in the two games they played at the tournament. Members of the team were: Greg Hallam, Ken Pollard, Dale Whitfield, Bob Hull, Grant Campbell, Curtis Campbell, Jeff Watson, Ken Stewart, Steve Howson, Dennis Knox, Terry Powell, Brian McClinchey, Steven Sparling, Glen Johnston, Johnnie Good, and Tom Duttman, as well as coaches Bill Roger, and Brian Hallam. April 1, 1987 The Goderich OPP were investigating a report of a stolen car in the Auburn area. The 1981 Ford LTD was later recovered after being abandoned at a gravel pit just south of Westfield Church. Blyth and District Fire Department had a very busy day on Monday, March 30 after fighting two fires in a matter of hours. The more serious Of the two was a supper-hour fire in Auburn which destroyed a barn. A large amount of lumber and tires was being stored in the facility, and the heat on these materials is what is thought to have started the fire. Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze, though the building was left beyond repair. The second fire was a less 'serious chimney fire that had started at a home on the sixth line of Morris Twp. The fire was successfully extinguished. Playing at the Park Theatre in Goderich was the winner of four Academy Awards, includ- ing Best Picture, Platoon. Mike Clark of USA Today called the movie "the year's most powerful film" Also playing, at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham was Mannequin. The ironies of life When it comes to world events, ironies abound in every direction. Canadian troops are risking their lives to help bring basic civil rights to the people of Afghanistan, only to hear that a man who converted to Christianity 16 years ago was being tried, there, for abandoning his Muslim religion and could be executed. Religious freedom is a basic human right we hold dear. Imagine the outrage in Muslim countries if a Canadian Christian was charged for converting to the Muslim faith? Christian Peacemakers who went to Iraq to protest occupation by foreign troops from the United States, Britain and other countries, end up being kidnapped by a group that also claims to be fighting the occupation. Even after Muslim leaders from many countries called for their release, the peacemakers were still held and their death was promised if all Iraqi prisoners are not released. In the long run, these peacemakers are rescued by the American and British troops they were there to protest. The lesson, perhaps, is not to expect the world to make sense. The only certainty is that such ironies will continue. — KR Letter to the editor