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Huron Expositor, 2007-07-25, Page 6Page 6 The Huron Expositor • July 25, 2007 Opinion Huron County has a lomat to offer, says reader From Page 5 Huron County kids get involved and make their own opportunities. There must be more music being played in garages and basements in Huron County than anywhere else around! And these budding musicians have lots of opportuni- ties to display their talents. Often they are entrepreneurial enough to set up their own concerts. Most young people easily find part-time work for the weekends and after school, learning valuable work ethic and skills. They are an asset to their community. Sadly, most kids nowadays head out of the county for post secondary training and education. Opportunities find them - often through co-op experiences - or because there are no jobs in their specialities. It's amazing to see the contribu- tion our Huron County kids are making as adults in other cities and communities. For example, a disproportionate number of Clinton kids work in the media and enter- tainment industry in Toronto and Vancouver. Go figure! Our young people work in bank- ing, business, publishing, medi- cine, education, government, industry, missionary work and the arts all over Canada and the world. A small number of post -sec- ondary grads - those in more gener- ic jobs such as medecine, teaching, trades, etc.- have the option of com- ing back to the lifestyle they cher- ish, and of raising their kids in our supportive communities. There are a lot more good things to say about life in Huron County. But Ms Blizzard was talking about the election - and when people want more from their government, they are going to talk about their concerns. Unfortunately, that set Huron County up in a poor light. Read the rest of her columns. They You are invited to attend these are are all for the same purpose - and they all make her into a doomsay- er, exposing the Achilles heels of communitiesroughout south- western Onta o. What I will agree with is the fact that the government and all of the parties have ignored the needs of rural Ontario and do need to pay more attention to the needs of this part of the province with policies that directly relate to us. We need improved policies for running rural hospitals and schools and social services in one of the largest ridings in southern Ontario. We need direction relat- ing to the environment, water safe- ty and alternative energy. With regards to the farm crisis, I am pleased to say that our local NDP candidate and several other rural NDP candidates have been providing input to the party regarding farm policies in our province. Our party has listened and has just announced a new "Grow Ontario" farm policy. Activists within our party and other parties are working together on other issues as well. I, myself, am working with many others to address the need for a CT Scanner for our area, in the hopes of providing this standard of care service and needed doctors to our county. I am glad that Christina Blizzard is educating Toronto and the rest of the province on the needs of ridings farther afield. Tbrontonians need to be less egocentric and to realize how much they do depend on the rest of the province for food, raw materials, services and markets. However, I do wish she had found a way to be more positive about our lifestyle and the good things we have to offer in our corner of the province. While the "trouble in par- adise" theme gets the issues across, it doesn't tell the whole story. We know a travel ed for would give us a glowing report! Wilhelmina Laurie President, Huron Bruce NDP News Huron East supports immediate increase of minimum wage Susan H u n d e r t nl a r k alEMEMMO A resolution asking for an immediate increase of mini- mum wage to $10 an hour was supported by Huron East council at its July 17 meet- ing. The resolution from Greater Sudbury petitioned Queen's Park to enact Bill 150 immediately and not by 2010 as outlined in the spring 2007 Ontario budget. It said 15 per cent of Ontarians live below the poverty line and 25 per cent of those in Sudbury are in low-wage jobs. Deputy Mayor Bernie MacLellan said that while people can be underpaid, he's not sure if a $10 an hour wage is sustainable by some businesses. "It's quite a jump from what it is now," he said. MacLellan also said he wor- ries that some people making minimum wage might not be able to get jobs anywhere else if the companies forced to pay $10 an hour must cut staff in response to the increased minimum wage rate. Brussels Coun. David Blaney suggested that busi- nesses that can't afford to pay $10 an hour in minimum wage have an "uneconomic workplace." "Less than $10 an `- hour doesn't sustain a family and are we sub- sidizing those jobs?" he said. "Is it any wonder unions are making inroads?" added McKillop Coun. Bill Siemon. -- Mayor Joe Seili said a lot of businesses are McTaggart Wettlaufer INSURANCE BROKERS INC. • AUTO • HOME • FARM • TRAVEL • COMMERCIAL • LIFE INSURANCE BROKERS Paul Wettlaufer • Amy Siemon Suzanne Zehr • Leigh Crawford Ken Hutchison • Bill Siemon 68 Ontario Rd. 348-9150 Mitchell 1-800-561-0183 paying staff more than mini- mum wage to keep their workforce. "You're better off to be on social assistance if you make less than $10 an hour because at least then you get medical and dental (insur- ance). If you only make $10 an hour, you're going back- wards," said Seili. Council accepts tenders Huron East council approved two tenders at its July 3 meeting. Council accepted a $300,996 tender from Champion Road Machinery - Volvo for a Class VII Motor Grader Articulated Model Complete with attach- ments. Council received two other higher tenders from Toromont Cat - Caterpillar and Ontrac Equipment Services - John Deere. Huron East also accepted a tender for reconstructing Moncrieff Road of $146,308 from Donegan's Haulage Limited. Council received one other higher tender from Joe Kerr Limited. St. Thomas Anglican Church ACongregation aAteParish ailieHolySpit Jarvis St. Seaforth 519-527-1522 Rector: The Rev'd Sue Malpus. M. Div Sunday, July 29 Worship at St. Part's Church, Clinton St. James Roman Catholic Church you Welcomes 14 Victoria Street, Seatrth 519-527-0142 Sunday Mass 11:00 am St. Patrlcks, Dublin Sat. Mass 5 pm - Sun. Mass 9 am Fr. Chris Gillespie at 11:15 em 'fttmtrre.r - come out and sing al the cid favourites! EveryoneVllelcane.Ca1519-527-15 2 peeve a message)1 you need a ride. Note: 930 am worship canceled Juy 25StThomas foa,s meeting" at 7U0 pm Bethel Bible Church Egmondville An Associated Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth United Church 519-527-0982 Pastor Steve Hildebrand Sunday Worship 10:00 am Sunday, July 29 Pastor Mark Kennedy Summer Hours EVERYONE WELCOME 10:30 am NORTHSIDE UNITED CHURCH First resbyterian Church Goderich St. W., Seaforth 54 Goderich st. W. Rev. Henry Huberts Rev. John Gould Sunday July 29 CLOSED 11:15 Service am FOR VACATION Sunday School & Nursery Provided July 8 -August 5 Everyone welcome are all for the same purpose - and they all make her into a doomsay- er, exposing the Achilles heels of communitiesroughout south- western Onta o. What I will agree with is the fact that the government and all of the parties have ignored the needs of rural Ontario and do need to pay more attention to the needs of this part of the province with policies that directly relate to us. We need improved policies for running rural hospitals and schools and social services in one of the largest ridings in southern Ontario. We need direction relat- ing to the environment, water safe- ty and alternative energy. With regards to the farm crisis, I am pleased to say that our local NDP candidate and several other rural NDP candidates have been providing input to the party regarding farm policies in our province. Our party has listened and has just announced a new "Grow Ontario" farm policy. Activists within our party and other parties are working together on other issues as well. I, myself, am working with many others to address the need for a CT Scanner for our area, in the hopes of providing this standard of care service and needed doctors to our county. I am glad that Christina Blizzard is educating Toronto and the rest of the province on the needs of ridings farther afield. Tbrontonians need to be less egocentric and to realize how much they do depend on the rest of the province for food, raw materials, services and markets. However, I do wish she had found a way to be more positive about our lifestyle and the good things we have to offer in our corner of the province. While the "trouble in par- adise" theme gets the issues across, it doesn't tell the whole story. We know a travel ed for would give us a glowing report! Wilhelmina Laurie President, Huron Bruce NDP News Huron East supports immediate increase of minimum wage Susan H u n d e r t nl a r k alEMEMMO A resolution asking for an immediate increase of mini- mum wage to $10 an hour was supported by Huron East council at its July 17 meet- ing. The resolution from Greater Sudbury petitioned Queen's Park to enact Bill 150 immediately and not by 2010 as outlined in the spring 2007 Ontario budget. It said 15 per cent of Ontarians live below the poverty line and 25 per cent of those in Sudbury are in low-wage jobs. Deputy Mayor Bernie MacLellan said that while people can be underpaid, he's not sure if a $10 an hour wage is sustainable by some businesses. "It's quite a jump from what it is now," he said. MacLellan also said he wor- ries that some people making minimum wage might not be able to get jobs anywhere else if the companies forced to pay $10 an hour must cut staff in response to the increased minimum wage rate. Brussels Coun. David Blaney suggested that busi- nesses that can't afford to pay $10 an hour in minimum wage have an "uneconomic workplace." "Less than $10 an `- hour doesn't sustain a family and are we sub- sidizing those jobs?" he said. "Is it any wonder unions are making inroads?" added McKillop Coun. Bill Siemon. -- Mayor Joe Seili said a lot of businesses are McTaggart Wettlaufer INSURANCE BROKERS INC. • AUTO • HOME • FARM • TRAVEL • COMMERCIAL • LIFE INSURANCE BROKERS Paul Wettlaufer • Amy Siemon Suzanne Zehr • Leigh Crawford Ken Hutchison • Bill Siemon 68 Ontario Rd. 348-9150 Mitchell 1-800-561-0183 paying staff more than mini- mum wage to keep their workforce. "You're better off to be on social assistance if you make less than $10 an hour because at least then you get medical and dental (insur- ance). If you only make $10 an hour, you're going back- wards," said Seili. Council accepts tenders Huron East council approved two tenders at its July 3 meeting. Council accepted a $300,996 tender from Champion Road Machinery - Volvo for a Class VII Motor Grader Articulated Model Complete with attach- ments. Council received two other higher tenders from Toromont Cat - Caterpillar and Ontrac Equipment Services - John Deere. Huron East also accepted a tender for reconstructing Moncrieff Road of $146,308 from Donegan's Haulage Limited. Council received one other higher tender from Joe Kerr Limited.