Loading...
The Citizen, 2018-5-31, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 31, 2018. Editorials Opinions President: Keith Roulston • Publisher: Deb Sholdice Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld • Heather Fraser 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 $38.00/year ($36.19 + 51.81 G.S.T.) in Canada; $160.00/year in U.S.A. and $205/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: Mon. 2 p.m. - Brussels; Mon. 4 p.m. - Blyth. Canada MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1HO email: info@northhuron.on.ca We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. NOM 1H0 NOG 1 H0 Ph. 519-523-4792 Phone Fax 519-523-9140 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.northhuron.on.ca ocna ab CCNA Member of the Ontario Press Council CMCA AUDITED We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright What's a councillor's job? The fascinating vision for environmental initiatives that Oxford County Warden David Mayberry unveiled for Huron County Council, May 16, is exciting, but also raises the age-old question about the role of municipal councillors. Mayberry no doubt is among those who think good municipal politicians should be leaders, seeking out a path to the future that their constituents will follow. Other councillors see themselves more as caretakers, charged with the job of providing good roads, bridges and street lights, while keeping taxes as low as possible. Mayberry was outlining his county's target for eliminating use of fossil fuels by 2050, and he thinks the goal can be met much earlier than that. Probably a few Huron councillors were thinking "Well that's all very nice but meanwhile how do we pay for things like road maintenance when the provincial government keeps cutting our grants?" Certainly there's some practicality as well as large vision in Mayberry's plan. If higher building standards can reduce the energy requirements of social housing, for instance, reduced electrical and heating bills can leave more money for tenants to spend on food and other needs to improve their lives. As Huron County Council goes on to re-examine its own environmental initiatives, that tension between visionary leadership and day-to-day practicality will go with them every step of the way. — KR Ford forfeits credibility Who would have thought, a week before the June 7 provincial election, that Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford would be in a neck -and -neck battle with the New Democrats led by Andrea Horwath? To a large extent, Ford has done it to himself. For months it's been clear Ontario voters were determined to throw out Premier Kathleen Wynne and her Liberal government. After years of never-ending Liberal deficits, the Progressive Conservatives were more likely to be trusted with handling taxpayers' money than the NDP. But Ford, who started out far ahead in the polls, soon made the case that he may not be a much better alternative as a prudent manager than even the left wing party. He promised tax cuts, of course, but all this would come from the "endless efficiencies" he was going to find at Queen's Park. For those who worried about cuts to services or the civil service, he promised: "Not one single person will lose their job." Well, maybe except for Mayo Schmidt, CEO of Hydro One who Ford promises to fire because of his $6 2 million salary and bonus, but who will receive a $10.7 million golden handshake if he's fired. And then the expensive promises started pouring out. Ford would cut our Hydro bills by 12 per cent (on top of what the Liberals cut). He'd cut the cost of gasoline 10 cents a litre by cutting the gas tax and dropping the greenhouse gas emissions cap and trade system. He'd set up a dental care system for seniors. He promised a tax rebate of up to $6,750 per child for families with child care expenses — at a cost of $389 million a year. He'd give Toronto $5 billion for expanding its subway. The Christmas list goes on and on while he promises to lower taxes and suggests there might be a deficit for a year or two. He has promised a costed version of his election platform but as of 10 days prior to the election, he hasn't produced it. Given the prospect of having a belligerent Ford as Premier who seems no more fiscally responsible than the Liberals or NDP, is it any wonder Andrea Horwath has started to look good to more voters? — KR Canada's not for sale The Canadian government's decision, last week, to block the $1.5 billion sale of the mammoth construction company Aecon Group Inc., on the basis of national security, to a company owned by the Chinese government has stirred some controversy but it was the right move. People who benefit from closer ties with the world's most populous country worry about anything that might upset the Chinese government but Canada needs to establish rules that work best for us. It's one thing to allow a foreign, privately -owned company to buy up significantly important Canadian corporations. For such a sale, there are advantages (more investment for equipment) and disadvantages (stripping the company and moving it abroad as happened with Volvo's road machinery division and many other Canadian companies). But China sees these companies as an arm of the state and integral for achieving the state's goals in the world. While achieving the maximum profit by running a Canadian company well, might be the priority most of the time, the Chinese government's goals might be more important than profit now and then. If Chinese officials don't like Canada's decision, they need to be reminded how they'd feel if somehow — say — CBC could buy China's state television station. — KR Looking Back Through the Years June 4, 1958 The Brussels, Morris and Grey Telephone System marked its 50th anniversary with a special celebration on June 2. As part of the celebration, new, modern equipment was activated in the system, the implementation of which was achieved through long- term planning. A new building on Mill Street was opened including up-to-date office fixtures, telephone equipment, and offices for the secretary - treasurer and manager of the company, Walter S. Scott. June 7, 1978 Morris Township Council refused to accept the resignation of Clerk Jane Badley during its first meeting of June. Badley's resignation was based on wages, as well as "a whole bunch of reasons", however council decided to have a discussion about it at its future meeting. The resignation was set to take effect Sept. 1 of that year. The Huron County Board of education was encouraged to trust the judgement of its teachers when deciding which books to be taught in the classroom. During the group's meeting, three books, J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, Margaret Laurence The Diviners and John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men were being considered as "blasphemous and obscene" by a group of parents from Kingsbridge who campaigned to have them banned from schools. Dr. Tom Collins, chairman of the English department at the University of Western Ontario, told the board the books were quality literature with excellent educational value. He acknowledged that while the books may have contained offensive portions the same could be said of Shakespeare's work or the Bible. Collins compared the works to easily -attainable materials he had picked up at a drug store which he labelled "pornographic" in nature. Collins' remarks were received two weeks before a public meeting was scheduled for June 13 in Clinton. June 1, 1991 Brussels residents were bracing for the end of the Listowel- Wingham CN Rail Line that ran through the village. CN claimed to have lost approximately $250,000 on the line between 1987 and 1989. Previously, Premdoor, a Wingham-based door manufacturer, had attested to needing the line, which would have kept it open for another two years, however it was instead slated for closure in mid- June, 1991. Premdoor, several days after the announcement that the line would be kept, announced it couldn't maintain its Wingham facility, thus negating most of the need for the rail line. The decision to close the rail line marked the end of nearly 120 years of rail history in the area and also meant that northern Huron had lost its last railway. June 5, 2008 North Huron Council was facing a tough decision when it came to the potential expansion of the Wingham Police Service to cover East Wawanosh and Blyth and OPP Inspector Dan Grant wanted to make sure they had all the information before making the decision. Grant noticed "glaring errors" in information that was part of a previous debate of council and wanted to set the record straight. He said the term "drive-through" policing wasn't acceptable and said the OPP spent a considerable amount of time in the area. He also refuted suggestions that the OPP may reduce service in some areas to send police to others in emergencies. Brussels hosted the third annual Huron Community Matters con- ference, highlighting initiatives aimed at benefitting local communities. The event featured keynote speaker Robin Cardozo from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and three workshops focusing on downtown revitalization, buying local and economic development. The Blyth Youth Skate Park was marking its first year of operation and looking to future expansion. The park was constructed by local high school students, with the first three parts built by classes at St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School in Clinton, F. E. Madill Secondary School in Wingham and Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton. Students at St. Anne's were tagged to build the next additions to the site including an additional ramp in the fall. Skate park committee member Ernest Dow explained what was needed for the ramps and, thanks to several students being skate- boarders, the pieces came together well for the park's first year of operation. Morris-Turnberry Council gave up on its fight to have three parcels of land at the south end of Wingham rezoned to promote development. The lands were tagged for possible development but, due to complications with zoning and objections from stakeholders inside of Wingham, council had to agree with zoning amendments they saw as unfavourable.