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The Citizen, 2006-06-08, Page 4The Citizen 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 Canada We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. .Aocna ENA •,`°2. Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen ore © Copyright MAYBE IT'S A HST—DITCH EFFORT AT RECOVERING THE REMAINS OF EITHER JIMMY HOFFA, OR OF THE LIBERAL PARTY'S REPUTATION. Looking Back Through the Years PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2006. Editorial Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Ken Warwick & Kelly Quesenberry 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 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com Province must step in The province of Ontario must step in to help clear up the mess created by its downloading of land ambulance service to counties and regions. Huron taxpayers are on the hook for more than $1 million owed to the county by neighbouring municipalities for calls by the Huron County ambulance service into Bruce, Grey, Perth and Lambton Counties. While some of those municipalities have been sympathetic they are, according to Huron County warden Rob Morley, reluctant to pay their bills to Huron until they're paid in turn by neighbours who owe them money. No doubt those municipalities are waiting for someone to pay them too. While their position is understandable, this could drag on forever. The previous government took a province-wide system and broke it into regional units with no provision for collecting money when services cross those boundaries. It's time the current government_ stepped in to find a solution to the problems created by its predecessor. Otherwise taxpayers in one municipality will continue to pick up the tab for services received by taxpayers in another.— KR Dealing with reality When it comes to absolutes like terrorism, Canada's self image finds it hard to deal with realities like the arrest of 17 persons late Friday in a suspected terrorist plot. We just don't know how to handle the situation. When something like the Air India bombing occurs, police and security officials are blasted for not having prevented the tragedy. But' when officials act to stop an apprehended terrorist act as they did Friday,' we begin to doubt. Defence lawyers suggest police used entrapment to snare innocent young people. Those sympathetic to the defendants charge police and security forces are over-reacting, trying to curry favour with their U.S. counterparts. Some people say all young Muslims are under suspicion since 9/11. Some claim defendants will not be able to get a fair trial. The Canadian collective personality is to be fair. Our fairness leads us to always question our own actions: are we overreacting? are we racist Without knowing it? are we to blame for not welcoming new immigrants as we should? _ Our self-doubt is a good thing but it can be a weakness too. Undoubtedly there will be questions as to whether really there was any danger in the first place, even though huge quantities of possible explosives were amassed. Must we really experience a terrorist tragedy before we can believe it might happen? — KR Commentary By John Clement One misty morning about two centuries ago, my great-great- grandfather embarked on a journey from Ireland to the New World. He carved a working farm - out of the- dense Ontario bush and set in motion a farming and family heritage that continues to this day. The farm has been the site for a good deal of history. NOt only has it experienced a wide variety of crops and livestock. but it's also seen several generations of people come and go. Somehow that parcel of land seems to be deeply bound up with the struggles and triumphs my tannly has faced through weddings and funerals, depressions and world wars. In a strange kind of way, it's almost as if the family belongs to the land. I still feel that connection deep within my bones. Although I now live in the city, each time I visit family on the farm the connection burns a little brighter. It's particularly acute when I walk the farm's headlands and creek flats by myself_ In a sense, it's like being caught up in a living stream that connects people and places. A cynic would say that I attach a rather romantic significance to the family farm. For my part, however, I would simply point out that people and places are intimately connected in a wide variety of ways that is sometimes difficult to understand. Due to the multi-generational aspects of some family farms. that kind of connection is probably strongest among farm people. If the truth were known, I believe those connections are why most of us cherish the notion of the family farm. We may argue that family farms are the most efficient means of food production, or best embody stewardship, but the truth is that most of us know our families belong to the land. That's why an income cnsis, like that currently seen among grain and oilseed producers, can cut so deeply. Most urbanites can find few ways to relate to the connections people feel for their farms. Urban life is fast, changeable and has fewer things that bind people to places. I think that's at least part of the reason that the urban community has trouble understanding the importance of agriculture to rural areas. For my part, I hope there never comes a time when people in agriculture lack a strong connection to their farms. Somehow, I think we would be a poorer country if we did. I know my life is richer because I can still touch something that connects me to- a young family member who left a foreign land so many, many years ago. John -Clement is the General Manager of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO is supported by 4,300 family fanners cu'rOsS Ontario. June 18, 1959 A young Indonesian woman had the chance to be a famous actress just by chance. Sofie Hoesain, 21, was the wife of a diplomat, and was approached by a film company from Vienna, Austria to play an Oriental woman in one of their films. Though she was encouraged to take the opportunity, Sofie said that she'd rather remain a housewife than become a star. The largest lounge chair in the world was displayed to the public. The chair measured 18 feet high, 10 feet wide and 12 feet deep. It weighed in at 1,600 pounds. The chair was large enough that three or four adults could easily lie down lengthwise across the width of . the seat. After a manhunt lasting' over a year's time, Carmine Galante was finally caught by police. The 49- year-old was the right-hand man of the Mafia overlord Vito Genovese. Galante was having his trial at the New York Federal Court House, and he was being held o a $100,000 bail. He pled not guilty to charges of conspiracy to violate federal narcotics law. Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip made their way across Canada on a tour of the country. June 15, 1960 Former heavyweight champion boxer Joe Louis announced to the press that he was officially severing all ties with the Cuban Tourist Bureau. Also, he threatened to withdraw as a partner in the public relations firm that obtained the $287,000 contract from Fidel Castro unless the firm dropped the Cuban account. This all was in an attempt -by the boxer to prove once in for all that he was a true American. Newly-liberated Hong Kong faced an overwhelming increase in population in mere months. The city had separated to escape the Communist Chinese government, and it,. seemed that they were only the first to act on this concept. The population of Hong Kong was raised by over 300 people every week; nearly all of them refugees attempting to escapeCommunism as well. Though most must live in poverty along the overcrowded streets, they feel it is many times better than living in China itself. June 10, 1987 Brussels was experiencing a big building boom in only a few months. The money being spent in various places by home and land owners in the village surpassed the half- million dollar mark. Among the locations granted building permits were the Brussels Mennonite Fellowship as well as several decks and storage sheds. The Blyth. Fire Department donated $400 to the Clinton Public Hospital Building Fund, over $300 of which was raised at the annual firemen's pancake breakfast. Winners of the Brussels lawn bowling tournament included: Wilma Merrifield (seventh), Jean Bewley (fourth), and Ada Pethwick (first). Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster played in the feature presentation showing at the Mustang Drive-In in Goderich: Playing at the Park Theatre, also in Goderich, was the comedy Raising Arizona. Playing as well at Brownie's Drive-In in Clinton was Michael J. Fox in The Secret of my Success, and rock star Susanna Hoffs in The Allnighter. June 13, 1990 Workers were out in the hot summer heat, rushing to finish laying out the stone in the renovated courtyard of the Blyth Memorial Hall. Why the rush? The 16th Annual Blyth Festival was set to open in three days. Ontario NDP leader Bob Rae was making the rounds and greeting his supporters at an NDP picnic held near St. Helens. Legion members and various other people gathered all over the county to take part in annual Decoration Day Services, held in a number of local cemeteries. Several included pipe bands and moving ceremonies of remembrance. The Stratford Festival's production of Guys and Dolls was receiving rave reviews by anyone who had seen it. Among the high points were the fantastic performances from the cast, innovative choreography, classy production and a brilliant score. June 4, 1997 There were several graduates of Brussels Playschool. They were: Chris Illman, Justine King, Cody Rapson, Laura Armstrong, Shani DenDekker, Brent Wheeler, Cindy Stevenson, Candice McLellan, Tate Stephenson, Erica Thelan, Laurin Hoegy, Emily Cardiff, Melissa Souch, Drew . Thomas, Chris Bernard, Tyler Jutzi, Blake Griffiths, and Krista Shortreed. Sherry Taylor was the winner of a silver and bronze medals for her outstanding performance in shotput competitions. The silver was from the Royal Canadian Legion Toronto meet, and the bronze medal was from the annual WOSSA tournament. A local baton-throwing team, the Canadettes, had a very successful season, bringing home a number of trophies. Members of (lie team were Erin Mitchell, Amy Thomas, Amy Ross and Rachel and Lesley Elliott.