The Citizen - February 18, 2021

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The

THIS WEEK

Citizen

Huron County’s most trusted independent news source Volume 37 No. 7

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0

County budget to rise 1.99 per cent

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

Over/under School is back in session in Huron and Perth Counties, which meant snowy recesses were also back in session, albeit with a few extra precautions in place. That, however, didn’t stop the students from Hullett Central Public School from doing some snow tunnelling now that the community has more than enough of the white stuff. From left: Liam Fraser, Courtney Bergsma, Elektra Kalos Venardatos and Clara Storey, while Addison Hoekmeijer tunnels below. (Denny Scott photo)

COVID-19 spread slows in H-P

By Denny Scott The Citizen Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) and the province made several significant announcements last week regarding local vaccine distribution and March Break.

During a Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) teleconference on Thursday, Dr. Miriam Klassen, Huron Perth Medical Officer of Health, addressed both issues, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Klassen described the vaccination plan for Huron and Perth Counties

as a program of “Three Ms”: massvaccination clinics, mobile clinics and multiple sites.

The announcement detailed that vaccination sites will be set up in Wingham, Clinton, Goderich, Exeter and Seaforth in Huron County and Listowel, Stratford, St. Marys, Milverton and Mitchell in Perth County.

The plan, according to the HPPH, involves vaccinating 75 per cent of the eligible population “as quickly and safely as possible”. The eligible population includes anyone 16 years or older without medical contraindication

who wants to receive the vaccine.

Phase one, which involves vaccinating long-term care and high-risk retirement centres, is ongoing in Huron and Perth Counties, Klassen said, with second doses being administered through last week.

When asked where the vaccination clinics would take place in the aforementioned communities, Klassen said arenas and community centres were being considered, and said that successful clinics for previous viruses like SARS had Continued on page 3

Huron County Council is moving forward with a budget that includes a levy increase of 1.99 per cent, or $872,927, over the county’s 2020 budget, resulting in a total budget figure of just under $45 million.

Treasurer Michael Blumhagen presented his draft budget to Huron County Council at a special budget meeting on Feb. 11. The draft document remained largely unchanged from the last time he presented it to council.

Blumhagen told councillors that the county’s assessment had increased by just under $150 million over the course of the year. That increase in assessment supported a levy increase of 1.14 per cent, accounting for an additional $498,459. As a result, to fund the proposed 2021 budget, the county would only need to technically increase its tax rate by 0.85 per cent.

The proposed tax rate increase will result in a minimal increase for most residents, Blumhagen said. In regard to residential assessment, there will be a $3.87 increase on $100,000 of assessment. That means, he told councillors, that for the average residential Huron County home, valued at $208,000, the tax increase for 2021 will be just over $8.

For farmland, Blumhagen said the increase per $100,000 of assessment will be 97 cents. So, with the median farm property being valued at $985,200, the 2021 tax increase will be $9.52.

He also noted that there will not be significant tax shifts to the farm class that have been present across the province in the last eight years, which should help to stabilize things in Huron County.

Blumhagen also detailed a number

of key budget considerations for the year, which includes the impact of staff salaries and benefits.

“In respect of council’s desire to limit staff salary increases, we have set non-union salary increases at 1.5 per cent for 2021. Staff will strive that future union settlements will fall in line within this amount,” Blumhagen said in his report to council. “Union salaries continue to cause pressures, as many settlements are based on arbitrated settlements. The non-union salaries are being kept in line with 20172020 at 1.5 per cent in an effort to mitigate overall budget increases.”

Blumhagen detailed the increases for salaries and benefits for the year, telling councillors that, across the board, those increases equated just over $1 million of the entire budget.

The only grants that will be funded with 2021 tax dollars, he said, would be the annual grant to the Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre for $66,000.

Other outstanding grants to the Regional Equine and Agricultural Centre of Huron (REACH) and the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital in Goderich will be funded from reserves. He also noted that 2020 was the final year for a grant installment to the Wingham and District Hospital and that this year will be the final year for a contribution to REACH. Blumhagen said that the county’s Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) money, in the amount of $2.4 million, has been set aside for future projects and is not included in the 2021 budget.

“Due to the focus on urban road renewals and bridge work, rural paving projects being proposed in 2021 are minimal,” Blumhagen said in his report.

Blumhagen also detailed two Continued on page 15

‘Citizen’ nominated The Citizen has been nominated for one 2020 Better Newspapers Competition Award by the Ontario Community Newspaper Association for its work last year.

The nominations were announced Tuesday morning and The Citizen has been honoured in the Special Section – Circulation under 9,999 category for its section honouring the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association last September.

This comes as The Citizen has become a fixture on the awards circuit at the provincial level, placing in the top three of at least one category in five of the last six years.

At the 2019 awards, The Citizen

placed third in General Excellence for its circulation class and third for Best Sports Photograph of the Year with a picture taken by Editor Shawn Loughlin at the Dungannon Rodeo.

In 2018, The Citizen placed first in the Best Rural Story – circulation under 9,999 category, while at the 2017 awards, the newspaper was honoured with first place in the Best Community Website – circulation under 9,999 category.

In 2015, The Citizen placed third in General Excellence for its circulation class, as well as the Best Community Website category.

Winners for the 2020 awards will be announced during a virtual awards presentation scheduled for Friday, April 23.

PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021.

Armstrong, Matheson to go ‘100K in a Day’

Quite the journey Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund Founders Patrick Armstrong, above, and Dave Matheson will travel on foot from London to Wingham in May to raise money for the charity they founded over a decade ago. (File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Dave Mounsey Memorial Fund Founders Patrick Armstrong and Dave Matheson will be embarking on a 100-kilometre challenge this May in hopes of raising money for the organization.

The two men have pledged to jog, walk or crawl 100 kilometres in a day, travelling from London to Wingham in the course of 24 hours.

In an interview with The Citizen, Armstrong said he and Matheson will begin the trek in London at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 15. They hope to jog most of the way, but acknowledge that there will be periods of walking and plenty of breaks along the way.

Armstrong said he and Matheson anticipate the journey taking about 22 hours, so they hope to be coming through Blyth in the mid-morning hours of Sunday, May 16 and concluding in Wingham by about noon or 1 p.m. that day.

It’s only fitting, Armstrong said, that the event would end in Wingham, where so many of the Fund’s roots lie.

Dave Mounsey, for whom the Fund is named, was an Ontario Provincial Police officer based in Wingham. He was killed in a singlevehicle accident in 2006 and the Fund was established a few years later.

Before his death, Mounsey had trained to compete in a marathon in hopes of raising enough money to buy a defibrillator for the Blyth Fire Department, of which he was a member. After Mounsey was killed, the Fund was established to continue doing that work, placing life-saving defibrillators in public buildings across southwestern Ontario. To date, nearly 125 defibrillators have been placed in the names of police officers, firefighters, paramedics and soldiers who were killed in the line of duty.

To date, defibrillators placed by the Fund have saved the lives of three people.

The first-ever donation was made in Mounsey’s name at Memorial Hall in Blyth and the second donation was made in the name of Cpl. Matthew Dinning of Wingham at the Wingham Legion. Dinning was killed in Afghanistan, serving as a member of the Canadian military police.

Wingham, Armstrong said, holds a special place in the heart of the Fund and its founders due to its connection to so many of those who have inspired the Fund over the years.

He also said the men have a plan to not just cover the distance over 24 hours, but to honour those who have passed before them over that time as well.

Armstrong said that while the Fund has made nearly 125 donations, there have been a few donations that have honoured the same person twice, meaning 105 people have had defibrillators placed in their name by the Fund over the last 12 years. The journey is about 105 kilometres, he said, so they will be running down the list of those the Fund has highlighted over the course of their journey, working backwards to focus on Dinning and Mounsey (the second and first people honoured by the Fund) as they make their way into Wingham.

The pair will have a support staff of volunteers along the way to provide them with food, water and anything else they may need during the trip.

Armstrong told The Citizen that, like so many other not-for-profit organizations, the Fund has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. It typically hosts two large-scale events per year – a ‘Dancing with the Stars’ fundraiser in London and the Run Around the Square in Goderich – that were both cancelled in 2020 and face an uncertain future in 2021.

While the Fund still had some reserves in 2020 and was able to make several donations over the course of the year, despite the pandemic, 2021 stands to be a bit more challenging, he said, if the Fund wants to keep up with donations.

This event, he said, was an ideal way to raise funds and maintain awareness of the Fund, but in a way that was safe and did not invite the potential for spreading COVID-19.

Matheson and Armstrong have set up a GoFundMe page for the event and all money collected will go toward the Fund and its work to place life-saving defibrillators in public buildings across the province.

To contribute, search “100K in a Day” at gofundme.com. As of press time, the Fund had already raised over $2,000 of its $7,500 goal.

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021. PAGE 3.

HPPH marks first outbreak at a childcare centre and, oftentimes there aren’t five or six people who need the vaccine at a location.

“It’s very hard, under current storage and handling guidelines, to manage,” she said. “We would welcome a more stable vaccine, especially for those situations.”

With the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, those who receive the first dose will need their second dose within a prescribed period of time, which Klassen said would be scheduled when individuals receive their first dose.

MARCH BREAK While the HPPH teleconference was ongoing, the Ontario government announced that March Break will be pushed back a month to the week of April 12.

The decision went against the wishes of teachers’ union representatives as well as one of the conservative government’s opposing political parties, the NDP. However, the provincial government made the announcement the same day it released COVID-19 modeling showing that new variants of COVID-19 could result in a third wave in Ontario.

Ontario Minister of Education Stephen Lecce said that postponing the break will help limit community transmission, adding that people should continue to refrain from Quinn Anstett marked Valentine’s travel going forward.

Day recently by drawing a heart in Klassen agreed with Lecce, saying that the the snow. (Photo submitted) concern for March Break is

Continued from page 1 been held at schools.

Klassen also said that, while HPPH would take any vaccine they could get, right now the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, which requires deep freeze storage options and multiple doses, is the only one available. “We will happily accept other types,” Klassen said.

She said there is currently a challenge associated with the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine as, once a vial is open, it’s good for five or six doses

Happy hearts day

one of travel which could lead to an escalation of cases. She said she wasn’t an expert on the educational impact, but agreed with wanting to mitigate the risk of escalating cases.

OUTBREAKS HPPH has seen its first outbreak at a childcare centre with a single student being identified as a confirmed case at Relouw Early Childhood Learning Centre in South Huron. The outbreak was declared active as of Feb. 6 with one student testing positive for COVID-19.

Long-term care centre outbreaks continued across Huron and Perth Counties, though some have been declared over, including the significant outbreak at the Caressant Care Facility in North Perth.

The outbreak, which started on Jan. 10, was declared over on Feb. 9 and saw 69 total cases: 43 residents and 26 staff, and a number of deaths.

The Fordwich Village Nursing Home outbreak, which started on Jan. 30, was declared finished over the weekend.

An outbreak declared at Hillside Manor in Perth East that started Feb. 3 is ongoing with one resident and one staff member having tested positive.

The Seaforth Manor Nursing Home wing outbreak continues with 64 total cases. After being declared on Jan. 17, the outbreak has resulted in 43 cases among residents and 21 cases among staff.

Retirement home outbreaks also continue in the area, with the Caressant Care Retirement wing outbreak in North Perth still being active. The outbreak, which started Jan. 7, has seen 42 confirmed cases: 30 in residents and 12 in staff.

The Seaforth Manor Retirement wing outbreak continues. After the outbreak was declared on Jan. 31, 12

Seaforth’s BIA reviews 2020

By Denny Scott The Citizen Seaforth Business Improvement Area (BIA) board member Maureen Agar told the group, during its recent annual general meeting, that the area and its businesses had overcome a difficult year.

In looking back at 2020, Agar told the organization that the reconstruction of Seaforth’s main street had been on the BIA’s radar since 2017, but that the added complications of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns were a surprise.

To help combat both, the BIA implemented advertising and promotion initiatives, including marketing and beautification ideas, according to Agar’s presentation.

The BIA started a “Shop to Win” competition, which encouraged people to shop in Seaforth. After getting receipts from five business owners, individuals could be entered into a draw for gift certificates or gifts from local businesses. The contest brought in over 5,300 entries, according to Agar.

Other initiatives included advertising, mailing contest information to residents and social media initiatives, as well as decals for store windows.

As far as beautification projects, with the replacement of the light standards along Seaforth’s main street, the BIA set out to replace the Christmas decorations that adorn the standards during the holiday season.

The group also sought out hanging flowers, baskets and other decorations.

Some of the funding for the projects came through the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Seaforth Community Development Trust, Community Futures Huron and Huron East, Agar said.

Bike racks were also installed thanks to a partnership with Orr Insurance and Investments.

Agar congratulated the BIA merchants who worked hard to

Have We Got Your Number?

overcome the construction and COVID-19 complications, saying that the “Shop to Win” contest represented 26,500 receipts, or 26,500 trips to local businesses.

She also thanks Huron East Economic Development Officer Jan Hawley for the initiatives she spearheaded, like the redecoration of back alleys as part of the “Looking Out My Back Door” shopping project.

The Citizen is now planning its 2021 Telephone Book.

Is your number correct in the recently delivered Bell Canada phone book?

Do you have a new listing since that book was compiled?

cases have been confirmed in residents at the home.

St. Marys Memorial Hospital remains in an outbreak with three patients and five staff members having tested positive for COVID19. The outbreak was declared on Jan. 31.

During the teleconference, Klassen said, going forward, community outbreaks will be reported, though few details will be provided unless contact tracing can’t be completed.

She said outbreaks at congregate living locations and workplaces will be reported on the HPPH website, though none have been reported yet.

The site does detail 16 outbreaks which have been declared over, however, including three community outbreaks, four congregate living setting outbreaks and nine workplace outbreaks.

Since returning to in-class learning, the Avon-Maitland District School Board has issued three COVID-19 advisories, each of which has been deemed “non-school exposure” incidents by HPPH. On Feb. 4, one confirmed case was identified at Listowel District Secondary School, while one confirmed case each was declared at Listowel District Secondary School and Elma Township Public School on Feb. 1.

Since returning to in-person learning, no cases have been reported by the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board or private schools in the area.

The increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases slowed down significantly over the past week with only 20 new cases reported across Huron and Perth Counties according to HPPH. That brings the new total to 1,287.

In Huron County, several municipalities had the same number of cumulative cases as last week, including Central Huron (50), North Huron (38), Howick (34), Bluewater (32) and Ashfield-ColborneWawanosh (ACW) (21). Goderich has one fewer confirmed case, meaning it was attributed to another health unit, and now has a total of

17. South Huron reported three more cases, climbing to 97 cumulative cases since the start of the pandemic.

Huron East now has five more confirmed cases for a total of 94.

Morris-Turnberry has 43 cumulative cases, up one from last week.

In Perth County, North Perth gained one new case for a total of 340. Stratford climbed 10 cases to 298 and St. Marys increased from 30 to 31 cases. Perth East (133), Perth South (31) and West Perth (28) remained at the same number of cases as last week.

Active cases in Huron County can be found in Huron East (15), South Huron (four), Goderich (two) and Morris-Turnberry (two). In Perth County, active cases have been identified in Stratford (nine), North Perth (two), Perth South (two), West Perth (one) and St. Marys (one).

Outbreak-related exposure continues to be the leading identified risk factor for COVID-19 in Huron and Perth Counties at 30.7 per cent.

Household contact is the second most common identified exposure method at 26.3 per cent and close contact is the third most common identified exposure method at 16.2 per cent. Travel accounts for 1.3 per cent of likely exposure resulting in Huron-Perth cases. Unknown exposure still accounts for one quarter of identified cases at 25.4 per cent.

Ninety-seven isolation orders are currently in place from the HPPH, with 3,426 orders having been issued since the start of the pandemic.

There are currently no individuals hospitalized as a result of COVID19 infections.

The elderly and those 20-29 years old continue to make up the majority of COVID-19 cases, with 210 confirmed cases in 20-29-year-old patients and 200 cases in individuals 80 years old and over. There have been 159 confirmed cases in the 3039-year-old bracket, 150 in the 0-19year-old bracket, 140 in the 40-49year-old bracket, 137 cases in the 60-69-year-old bracket and 117 in the 70-79-year-old bracket.

His Providence is wisely designed and sovereignly sent for our good!

(Don Fortner) As a wise, skilled pharmacist mixes medicine — so our heavenly Father wisely mixes exactly the right measure of bitter things and sweet, to do us good.

Too much joy would intoxicate us.

Too much misery would drive us to despair.

Too much sorrow would crush us.

Too much suffering would break our spirits.

Too much pleasure would ruin us.

Too much defeat would discourage us.

Too much success would puff us up.

Too much failure would keep us from doing anything.

Too much criticism would harden us.

Too much praise would exalt us.

Our great God knows exactly what we need.

His Providence is wisely designed and sovereignly sent for our good!

If so, please let us know so we can make our phone book as complete and useful as possible.

Call 519-523-4792.

Let God send and do whatever He wills — by His grace, if we are His, we will face it, bow to it, accept it, and give thanks for it. God’s Providence is always executed in the ‘wisest manner’ possible. We are often unable to see and understand the reasons and causes for specific events in our lives, in the lives of others, or in the history of the world. But our lack of understanding does not prevent us from believing God.

WANT TO ADD YOUR CELL PHONE LISTING INSTEAD?

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

JUST PROVIDE US WITH THE CORRECT INFO EVERY YEAR.

A Grace Gem Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-492-1359

PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021.

Editorials & Opinions

Founding Publisher: Keith Roulston Publisher & President: Deb Sholdice Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld • Heather Fraser The Citizen is published 51 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $40.00/year ($38.10 + $1.90 G.S.T.) in Canada; $190.00/year in U.S.A. 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.

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BRUSSELS ON N0G 1H0 email: info@northhuron.on.ca

The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. N0M 1H0 N0G 1H0 Ph. 519-523-4792 Phone Fax 519-523-9140 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.huroncitizen.ca Member CCNA

Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright

Justice is not always just Marco Muzzo, who pled guilty in 2016 to impaired driving causing the death of the father and all three children of Jennifer Neville-Lake, has been granted full parole after serving under half of his 10-year sentence.

As heart-wrenching as this parole is for the family of the victims, it has also been tough to watch from the sidelines. Muzzo has repeatedly downplayed his binge drinking and blamed everything from his work stress, to the need to “wine and dine” clients and the demands of his fiancée. In fact, he had just returned from a wild bachelor party in Miami on a private jet when he got behind the wheel of his Jeep with a blood alcohol level over three times the legal limit.

For this hearing he learned to play the game and finally say the right things for the board to grant the parole he had been turned down for one year ago (even though he was granted day parole at the time).

A 10-year sentence for four lives lost after getting behind the wheel while intoxicated does not seem like a cruel or unusual punishment.

Even asking for early parole after such destruction smacks of white privilege for a rich man. Would the parole board feel the same if this were a poor Black man or a marginalized Indigenous woman? – DS

Take it seriously We all know what overt racism looks like. People in hoods, a burning cross, images from the Holocaust, a swastika, a confederate flag, etc.

However, casual, everyday racism – that’s sometimes happening without the offending party even knowing it – can be a little harder to identify.

The whole Black Lives Matter movement has been crucial in bringing awareness to the fact that, very often, interactions between the police and the Black community are different than those between the police and white people, sometimes arriving at a tragic, even deadly conclusion. But also – it’s right there in the title – at the heart of it is that Black lives need to matter as much as any other life in order to achieve equality.

It began in early February when the Durham Regional Police rolled out new cruisers for Black History Month emblazoned with images of Martin Luther King Jr., Viola Desmond and others. Those who proposed the move likely had their hearts in the right place, but others felt the “performative” statement was a slap in the face when meaningful consultation on race relations is needed, not tacky car art.

Then came the widely-mocked scavenger hunt devised by the Region of Durham for employees, entitled “Rise to the Challenge” for Black History Month. It encouraged employees to perform asinine tasks linked to Black culture in a cartoonish way, like dancing to a reggae song, talking to a Black employee or cooking an African or Caribbean meal.

The challenge was skewered for its trivial approach to Black culture and, again, while the government was likely trying to do the right thing, all it did was serve to turn Black culture into a novelty to behold or observe.

The first step toward bridging the ever-widening racial gap is to apply the Golden Rule and treat everyone the way you would want to be treated. Only after employing that kind of respect and equality can we truly say we’re on the way to addressing a very real problem. – SL

Find the same standards Gina Carano was recently fired from The Mandalorian, a Star Wars universe show. And while you may or may not know her, you likely know of the problem she represents. The prevailing narrative is that Carano was fired for comparing the climate of the United States, where conservative-leaning individuals are being ostracized, to that of Europe just before the Second World War broke out. She said that political beliefs were being outed in the same way the Nazis convinced people to turn against their Jewish neighbours.

It was a horrible thing to say and a horrible way to make her point and it cost her, but it was the latest of controversies surrounding Carano.

What makes it interesting, however, is that her Tweets could have come from Republican Member of Congress Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has talked about Jewish space lasers, or former President Donald Trump and, instead of sparking outrage and firing, it would’ve simply emboldened those who have imbibed that ideology’s Kool-aid.

We live in a society in which we hold our celebrities to a higher standard than our politicians and that needs to change. If we expect our entertainers – people who likely have as much in common with the common voter as a fish does with a bird – to act in a way respectful of all races, why do our politicians get a pass? There are celebrity entertainers who have lost their jobs for making off-colour remarks, yet Premier Justin Trudeau’s black-face scandal is now just a punchline.

One of two things need to happen: we need to stop holding celebrities to such a high standard and realize they can be just as misinformed as anyone else or we need to hold our politicians to a higher standard. The latter is the more desirable option, however it may also be the hardest to implement with the fervour taking over political arenas. – JDS

Looking Back Through the Years February 20, 1964 The Brussels girls broomball team was set to enter the playoffs, taking on Blyth in a best-of-three series.

The Brussels team had finished in first place, while the Blyth girls were in third place. The other series in the league would be second-place Wingham taking on another team from Wingham in fourth place.

Brussels United Church played host to the year’s Women’s World Day of Prayer service, which drew about 60 women to the church.

February 13, 1974 The Huron County Board of Education had a “smelly” problem on its plate with sewage water seeping up through the ground at Blyth Public School. A large snow fence had been erected at the school to keep children away from the area.

Blyth Village Council and Morris and East Wawanosh Township Councils would all soon be meeting with the Blyth Lions Club to discuss financial aid for the club’s swimming pool project. Blyth and Morris Councils had already been set to be part of the meeting, while East Wawanosh Council joined later.

The Morris Township Federation of Agriculture held its annual meeting at the Belgrave Community Hall and the membership elected Bill Pullen of Blyth to serve as the federation’s president for the coming term.

February 14, 1996 With six branches of the Huron County Library due to close, several township politicians were fighting back, urging the county not to close the branches. Branches in Auburn, Bluevale, Centralia, Cranbrook, Gorrie and Walton were all slated for closure.

Turnberry Reeve Brian

McBurney flatly insisted to Huron County Council that his township’s library would not be closing. “Our librarian has already been notified the library will stay open,” he said.

In Grey Township, residents of Cranbrook were also rallying to save their library branch, presenting Grey Township Council with a petition signed by over 80 people in hopes of keeping the local library branch open.

John Saxon, a RR3, Brussels man who presented the petition to council, suggested that in order to keep the branch open, its hours could be cut and it could be staffed by volunteers.

Several students throughout Huron County were able to engage in a video conference with Ontario’s Education Minister John Snobelen.

During his time with the students, he applauded the Huron County Board of Education not just for being one of the most technologicallyadvanced boards in the province, but also for reflecting the needs of the community through those changes.

Walton’s Shannon McGavin said she enjoyed her time with Mrs. Bennett’s Grade 1 class at Walton Public School. McGavin substituted for Bennett in the class, teaching in her own home community.

The Blyth Novice Bulldogs lost a tight game against Mitchell at home.

Goalie Justin Peters only let one goal past him, but that was enough as Mitchell took the contest by a score of 1-0.

February 17, 2011 North Huron Councillor Bernie Bailey was beating the drum for one, consolidated police force for all of North Huron. He complained that he and Alma Conn, the two Wingham Ward councillors, could easily be outvoted on issues pertaining to the

Wingham Police Service, while those decisions didn’t affect the East Wawanosh and Blyth Wards.

“When seven people make a decision that can only affect my ratepayers, I have a problem with that,” he said.

Lyndon John X, a Brussels-based musician, was nominated for a Juno Award for the best reggae album of the year for Brighter Days. The album was his second and it also represented the second time he had been nominated for a Juno Award.

Central Huron Council decided to enlist the services of the YMCA to run the new fitness centre and walking track at the Central Huron Community Complex.

The Brussels Atom Bulls swept the second series of their Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) playdowns against Bothwell to advance to the association’s “E” Division championship.

A Justin Bieber tribute show entitled “Bieber Fever” was set to take the stage at the Wingham Heritage Theatre on Feb. 21. Just Bieber, the tribute act, would take to the local stage on Family Day. Dan Grant, the Huron Ontario Provincial Police Detachment Coordinator, spoke to Huron County Council, offering a year in review and saying 2010 was a challenging one for local police officers.

In addition to the traditional challenges associated with policing, Grant said, the department was still reeling from the murder of Const.

Vu Pham. Pham’s death and the dispatching of several officers to assist with policing the G8 and G20 Summits, along with a high turnover of officers, made for a very challenging year, according to Grant.

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021. PAGE 5.

Other Views

Tales stir memories of past winters

T

he stories of the 50th anniversary of the great blizzard of 1971, published in The Citizen a couple of weeks ago, were a reminder of how much the climate has changed.

Not that that once-in-a-lifetime storm was indicative of the weather of the pre-climatechange days, but there were plenty of other harsh winters back then as well which maintained our area’s reputation as the “snowbelt”.

Not all winters, mind you. I remember when we bought our current home in the country. The people who were selling it were from the city and only lived there one year before retreating to the city, assured us that the 900-foot laneway was no problem in winter. They had, they assured us, been able to keep it cleaned out using one of those big scoops that you push. We chuckled because we knew that the winter of 1974/1975 had been a pussycat compared to the usual weather, with the first storm not blowing in until March, and then quickly melting away.

Normal winters returned the very next year and for several of the following winters.

Looking up file copies of The Blyth Standard of the day, the reality of those winters is recorded.

A January, 1976 paper writes of a return to oldfashioned winters, with Blyth village staff having to hire equipment from George Radford Construction to load and haul away giant mountains of snow lining main street. The village clerk warned the village faced high snow removal costs.

The next winter, there was a story about a three-day storm that was so fierce The Standard’s staff couldn’t make it to work and printing of the newspaper was delayed.

A 1978 paper talked about travellers from Guelph, Kitchener and Kirkland Lake sheltering overnight in Blyth Public School because highways were blocked. One

Keith Roulston From the cluttered desk gentleman from New Zealand who was visiting with friends locally couldn’t get to Toronto to catch his plane home. He had the experience of a lifetime seeing a real Canadian winter firsthand.

I’m sure there will be similar stories from other newspapers of the era. I have some personal recollections, like the fact that on Moncrieff Rd. just west of Highway 4, there used to be as high as 15 feet snowbanks on the sides of the road. One time I decided to walk to town to work on the paper and in the canyon between those banks there were snow drifts nearly as high as my head that I had to climb over (they were mostly hard enough to walk on until you’d plunge through to your hip every few steps).

I recall one winter when those mountainous snowbanks had narrowed the road so much that the township brought in a bulldozer which went back and forth crossways on the road, pushing the banks into neighbouring fields, sometime demolishing farm fences in the process. Later, the municipality re-engineered the road, raising it so high that snow blew off.

Because so much of the snow that buried Huron County was from off-lake squalls and flurries, back then we use to wait impatiently for Lake Huron to freeze over so the winds couldn’t pick up any moisture anymore.

Back in January of this year, on a trip to Goderich, you could see that the ice only

extended a hundred yards or so from shore.

Down on Lake Erie, the lack of ice on the lake’s northern edge left lakeshore properties vulnerable to damage from towering waves when gale-force winds blew across the shallow lake from the south. It’s been much colder, but as of last week the Great Lakes had only 24 per cent ice cover.

It’s been painfully cold lately, but temperatures were above normal all through November, December and January until the last few weeks.

Simarly, this has been much more like a normal winter since the cold snap began, with enough snow on the ground to allow snowmobile trails to open and snowmobilers to enjoy their hobby. That’s a rare occurrence in recent years – and even then sufficient snow didn’t fall until a month of winter had already expired.

The lack of typical snow-belt winter weather has made driving much safer and more convenient. Years ago a few people usually died every year because of whiteouts and other winter conditions. Travel has been improved because of a number of changes like redesigned roads, improved snow removal equipment, advances like de-icing and better vehicles like all-wheel-drive trucks and cars.

Still, the biggest changes have come because the climate is changing. It’s no guarantee that winters will remain a pale shadow of the harsh conditions of years ago – we could still have a history-making blizzard one of these years. Climatologists remind us repeatedly that weather is from year to year while climate is a long-term trend.

After the winters of the past decade, it’s hard to argue that the climate isn’t changing. I’m not sure, though, that even those worried about climate change want to return to the weather of the 1970s.

‘Good people, I missed my introduction’

T

en years, one month and five days ago, my bespectacled photo first appeared in the box to the right as I took over this space for the late, great Eric Dowd.

That’s right folks, you’ve been reading my meandering take on life in Huron County for just over a decade now. That means that this will be around my 507th column if my math is correct and, not to borrow from my editor Shawn too heavily when he wrote a similar piece for his 10-year anniversary last February, that’s a lot of ink spilled.

I never set out to be a columnist, I kind of fell into the role when Dowd, a nationallyrenowned Queen’s Park correspondent, passed away due to cancer in late 2010. There was a large space to fill, both in terms of real estate and ensuring I was writing something worthwhile, and, as anyone who has talked to me for more than a minute knows, I’ve got stories to tell as a means to relate to other people.

That said, I kind of missed my chance to introduce myself to Citizen readers when I penned my first column for the Jan. 13, 2011 edition of The Citizen. At the time, every larger settlement we covered that had a school (Brussels, Blyth and Belgrave) was on the verge of losing their schools and I felt, as someone who had gone through that as a student, I should try and soften that blow.

In my mind then, as now, it was an important issue to tackle. Yes, the loss of the schools was devastating when it happened, with people spelling doom and gloom for all the communities. I think, on the whole, we’ve done a good job of bouncing back. Heck, just try to find a reasonably-priced house in Blyth right now. You can’t. Obviously the lack of a school isn’t stopping people from buying here (though it has impacted the demographics).

Regardless, at the time, I felt that I could do some good by saying that, when my high

Denny Scott Denny’s Den school closed, it represented some great opportunities for me that culminated in me becoming a journalist. I wanted to make sure that my first outing as a columnist was one that helped the most people possible.

To borrow from Huron County’s ongoing love affair with the idea of “lenses”, that lens – the hope that I can do the most good for the most amount of people – may not be how I live my life day-to-day, but it is how I try to approach every day at work.

From hauling decades-old machinery out of the basement of The Citizen’s long-time home to debates about whether a story needed to be written, my question always was, how can we help the most people?

Sometimes it’s easy to see what does the best for the most people, other times it’s a little more muddy. Regardless, I always try.

My belief that I was in the right place to always answer yes to that question, however, was affirmed shortly after I started at The Citizen. In the weeks following my hiring, I was asking both my editor Shawn and our former publisher Keith Roulston about a story.

I don’t remember the story, to be honest. All I remember asking is should we be doing the story. I didn’t know much about the news landscape yet and I wanted to make sure that the story wasn’t just for the sake of making an interesting headline. I wanted to make sure there was value in it before I tackled it.

After the discussion, Keith told me he was glad to hear me ask those kinds of questions

and, in hearing that, I knew I had found the right place to work.

It was months later when I sat in front of a blank screen to write my first column and I had to ask myself those same questions. Is what I’m saying worth the space or am I just writing to have something pithy in the headline? Will this serve a purpose?

To answer those questions I decided to tackle not only something personal to me, but something that would become personal to every student, parent and teacher in the coming months. Looking back, I feel I could have written it better (as 10 years of experience will colour anything you’ve done before), but I don’t think I could’ve made a better decision.

In making that decision, however, I missed my chance to introduce myself, which I had a good chuckle at because of the headline above, which is a quote from the medieval jousting movie A Knight’s Tale.

In the flick, Paul Bettany plays poet Geoffrey Chaucer. While Bettany’s take on the author of The Canterbury Tales was a unique one, it was special to me because the movie was among the first gifts my girlfriend-turnedwife Ashleigh bought for me.

Bettany’s Chaucer, near the end of the movie, realizes he has forgotten to introduce his lord for the final jousting competition.

Throughout the film, his introductions are, to paraphrase himself, the epitome of gilding the lily. The final introduction, however, is one of simplicity and not cheapened “with heavyhanded words”. In writing this I realize that, no matter what I could’ve written to introduce myself, it likely would not have been as important as staying true to that lens and tackling an important issue. Maybe I did introduce myself by sticking to my beliefs and showing who I am. That’s more important than knowing how many siblings I have.

Shawn Loughlin Shawn’s Sense

At home – together

D

uring a recent Zoom meeting with my neighbours, it appeared Newfoundland and Labrador were the big winners.

Two of the five couples identified the island province as the best vacation they’ve ever had, while others expressed their desire to visit.

This isn’t a love letter to ‘The Rock’, though I’d be happy to write that someday (I was one of those two), but rather a love letter to this magnificent country of ours and a chance to take a second to appreciate all we have here.

In recent years, Jess and I really wanted to focus our attention on our home country. As our neighbours to the south became more and more overt with their unsavoury behaviour after the election of Donald Trump (yes, we, as a household, think he sucks that much) we felt we should be spending our money here in Canada, seeing all there is to see here, rather than pining for far-flung, exotic locations.

There is so much to see and do in this world and, don’t get me wrong, I’m far from turning my back on it (Germany, France and Italy have my name written all over them someday – and this comes after a lovely honeymoon split between Ireland and Scotland), but it’s foolish to turn a blind eye to the beauty of Canada.

There has been some talk about this locally, with David Sparling of the Blyth BIA planning for more domestic travel in the coming years as the world rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic. But for me, it’s just about getting to know the country I call home and being proud of all we bring to the world.

In Scotland, I talked to a few bartenders in Glasgow who hoped to visit western Canadian spots like Banff and Vancouver. Furthermore, they were surprised I’d never gone. Those places were, after all, in Canada, right? They weren’t wrong, but I helped them brush up on their Canadian geography detailing the four time zones and five-hour flight between Toronto and Vancouver. To understand where they were coming from, it helped that I had just taken the hour-long train ride from west coast Glasgow to east coast Edinburgh.

But it did get me thinking about all I was perhaps missing by looking over the fence, as it were, instead of at my own lawn.

Canada is a great place to live, we all know that (and the Quality of Life Rankings back us up on that, with Canada holding the top position). To experience something different, so many of us look beyond our borders when the time comes to kick back and enjoy our hard-earned vacation time. But, if my Zoom meeting and the residents of the east end of King and Wellington Streets are any indication, it seems it can be worth staying “home” for that time as well.

Like Citizen Founder Keith Roulston said in his column last week, being self-sustaining is looking like a sound strategy after years of running the other way. This can be true with our tourism dollars as well. The world has plenty to offer – this much is true – but Canada does as well and it’s too easy to dismiss what we have here in our backyard for no reason other than that it’s familiar.

When I explained my love of Newfoundland to my neighbours, I said it was this beautiful, rugged landscape, surrounded by incredible ocean views, but not burdened by droves of international tourists and gift shops with inflated prices for worthless trinkets. It’s almost like the world’s best-kept secret.

With the exception of cities of international renown like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, this could be said about our entire country.

The secret is ours – we are in on it. And we need to take advantage of it.

PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021.

Pandemic will be part of our shared history A NOTE FROM BETTY

By Betty Graber Watson Call 887-9231

Snow much fun Kendry Noble, left, and her friend Evelynn Riley were out in the bush recently for some outdoor fun in the snow. While the temperatures may have been low, there was plenty to see and do and they were sure to take full advantage. (Photo submitted)

HE construction pushes ahead

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen At the Jan. 19 meeting of Huron East Council, Chief Administrative Office Brad Knight told council that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, construction went ahead in the municipality throughout 2020.

Knight referred councillors to Chief Building Official Brad Dietrich’s annual report that showed he issued 165 building permits in 2020, just 11 fewer than he did in 2019.

The value of the permits, however, was cut nearly in half. In 2019, the municipality issued 176 permits for a value of $50.6 million, while the 165 permits issued in 2020 had a value of just over $26.8 million. *** Deputy-Mayor Bob Fisher, at council’s Jan. 19 meeting, suggested that the municipality could make its community centres available for mass COVID-19 vaccinations when the time comes.

Fisher recommended sending a letter to Huron Perth Public Health volunteering the centres as vaccination sites and council agreed, directing staff to send a letter to that effect. *** At its Jan. 5 meeting, Huron East Council has voted to commit $6,000 to the installation of a new light standard at the Walton ball park.

The replacement happened earlier this year, with the park committee bringing the replacement to Huron East Council when a 40-year-old light standard needed to be upgraded.

Chief Administrative Officer Brad Knight said he guessed that the repair was more expensive than the committee was expecting, and

recommended that council pay for half of the replacement. A contribution of $6,000, he said, would be a bit more than half of the cost, paid out from the

municipality’s parkland reserve fund.

Council approved the redirection of funds to pay for half of the replacement in Walton.

Have you taken time to think about how this pandemic we’re living through will be remembered in the history books?

We’ve had lots of time to remember lately, well at least the last 11 months, to think about times past. Have you discovered that your recall of a specific incident may not match the memories of brothers or others who shared the story? When you see that reality, it becomes quite clear that the authors of history need to be read and heard with critical thinking.

As history reviews this time of lockdown, it will come from many sources and views of our land. It will be part of our history to be shared, not necessarily as the good old days, but it is ours. So we better write our own story that tells just how we saw this very strange time. Better do it now, before details and months blend together.

Being Canadian is a privilege. Our traits are known all over the world.

We are seen as kind, humble, apologetic, honest and fair. Most of us view the world in that manner. So when the word gets out that individuals are not following the rules set up for the common good, we are angry. Why would you need to forge COVID-19 test papers to get back home? Why bump a frontline worker to get your vaccine? Oh yes, you think you are just that much better than the rest of us. Surprise. We are in this together and that applies to all. Your reward

is pretty clear, your reputation is shot, your judgment is in question and your family would like to disown you.

The good things that have surfaced in this viral time need to be noted and kept for the years to come.

Changes need to be made so that everyone in Canada can have secure food, clean water and respect; we forget that is not the case for many.

Some of us will need to change our way of thinking and, in fairness for all, share the resources .

Numbers are dull – put yourself in the place of a hungry child or a grieving parent and hopefully, change will happen.

I hope Valentine’s Day put a smile on your face and your flowers are still looking good.

Stay safe. Be kind.

Bye now, Betty G.W.

NEWS FROM BRUSSELS Visit The Citizen online at huroncitizen.ca or follow us on Facebook

Winter Happenings Rediscover what Huron County has to offer.

Pick up your free guide to Stops Along The Way and see what’s happening in your area!

Ben Lobb Award Andrew Metske, right, received the Ben Lobb MP Award recently as the Huron County 4-H Association handed out its annual awards. Metske earned the award by penning the top essay on what the 4-H program means to him.

Presenting the award was Curtis McNeil, president of the Huron County 4-H Leaders’ Association. (Hannah Dickie photo)

FREE

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Available at many local tourist spots throughout Huron County or pick it up at

The Citizen 405 Queen St., Blyth ~ 519-523-4792 www.stopsalongtheway.ca

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021. PAGE 7.

Anti-repository group presents to councils

By Denny Scott The Citizen

Members of the Protect Our Waterways - No Nuclear Waste group presented to both North Huron and Morris-Turnberry Councils earlier this month protesting against a proposed deep geological repository (DGR) north of Teeswater.

Michelle Stein and Bill Noll, representatives of the group, addressed North Huron Council on Feb. 1 and Morris-Turnberry on Feb.

2, regarding the potential DGR, a storage space for nuclear waste built deep underground, espousing the need for it not to be created at all, let alone in their community.

Stein said there needs to be a better understanding and solution for nuclear waste before any project like the DGR is pursued.

She said the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) isn’t giving the whole story when it comes to the future, claiming there are dangers in not

only the storage of the nuclear waste, but also the construction of the DGR, which she claims will displace chemical-laden soil and rubble from the digging of the site.

She also said that the presence of the DGR has already proven problematic for local agricultural producers like herself, noting that customers are already either not accepting the lambs she produces or questioning whether they should take products from such a site.

She also pointed to a recent CBC

story in which Ashley Chapman, Vice-President of Chapman’s Ice Cream, questioned the wisdom of burying the nuclear waste. He said the proposed DGR is in the centre of the dairy production area that provides inputs for Chapman’s.

Stein also stated there was no realworld information to support the computer models being utilized to prove the concept.

Stein said her group is looking for a referendum on the issue with a required two-thirds approval from South Bruce residents.

North Huron Council members requested that South Bruce Council address the issue by inviting them to an upcoming council meeting before they weighed in on it.

Morris-Turnberry took no action, however Mayor Jamie Heffer said that both he and Councillor Jamie McCallum were on council when the NWMO was seeking a spot to build the DGR. The Morris-Turnberry Council of the day decided the municipality wasn’t a willing host for the project.

Weather leads to beautiful scenery From Marilyn’s Desk

By Marilyn Craig Call 523-9318

Enjoying the winter Lisa Nicholson snapped this photo over the weekend when she took Edyn, Blake and Bentley Beyersbergen for a walk on the Lobb Trail near Clinton. The private trail runs along the Maitland River, she says, and is open to the public, provided the trail and nature are respected. Nicholson said it was a wonderful winter experience and a great way to make memories. (Photo submitted)

Neews depends endss on facts. ts. Where Whe are you our facts ts coming com ng from? ro News Media Canada is a passion ssionate advocate for the news industry. We support our mem mber m publications in their pursuit of quality journalism nalism.

Wee believe that when society has factss they can W trust, better decisions will be made.

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Happy Valentine’s Day everyone and also a Happy Family Day on Feb. 15.

Happy birthday to Evelyn Popp, who celebrated Feb. 16. I will celebrate my 80th birthday on Feb. 18. Christine Hoba, Clinton celebrates on Feb. 19; Sharon Jackson, Joan Caldwell, Robbie Lawrie of Bayfield and Shirley Giilck, Kitchener (formerly of Blyth) and Heidi (Craig) Martin, Gowanstown all celebrate on Feb. 22. Happy birthday everyone.

As I am writing this column, the sun is shining brightly through my window, which is very deceiving because when you go outside the wind is very cold. This has been the coldest week we have had this winter.

I don’t know if anyone went for a drive last Thursday morning, but Mother Nature was at her best in this area. The trees were all coated with frost, which made a pretty picture. I had to go to Wingham that morning and came home on Donnybrook Line and this area had the most frost on the trees. When I crossed the Bruce County line, the frost was gone and when I came back to this area the frost was still on the trees.

There is just enough snow to keep the snowmobilers happy and not too much that it is difficult to drive around and enjoy our winter scenery.

If you are missing going to church on Sunday mornings, join in on YouTube. Many of the churches are recording their services there and they are for us to enjoy and stay connected.

Stay safe and give someone a call to let them know you are thinking of them.

NEWS FROM BLYTH It All Comes Out In The Wash Blyth Laundromat 191 Westmoreland St., Blyth 519-523-9687

PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021.

Walton loses life-long resident with Craig’s passing PEOPLE AROUND WALTON

By Jo-Ann McDonald Call 887-6570

The first full week of school is over and I think the children were happy to be back. They arrive around 10 minutes before school starts and then into class. They spend

lots of time outside as well, so extra mitts are a must in their backpacks. I remind them all to make sure they take them with them when getting off the bus.

We hope everyone had a happy Valentine’s Day and Family Day. There would not be large family gatherings but hopefully families could visit by Zoom or phone.

It has been a time of sadness around our area this past week. Our condolences to Bert and Carol Reinink and the entire Reinink families on the passing of their mother, Jacoba Reinink.

She will be missed by all

her family. Our sympathies to all.

It was a shock to learn of the sudden death of Graeme Craig. He will be missed by his wife Helen and children Michael and Shannon and her husband Dave.

Graeme was a born and bred Waltoner and lived on the century farm at RR 1, Walton all his life. He loved to sing with his sister Sherrill and loved all music and loved to dance. A faithful member of Duff’s United Church, Graeme would sing in the choir, at weddings and funerals and served on the church board many times throughout his life.

A multi-talented man, who had

What a fort Recently, Owen and Briar Corneil got to work building a snow fort at their home. They have been shovelling out a path every day for their parents, Drew and Jenny, for their new twin siblings and their stroller, so with all that leftover snow, they decided to put it to good use and build a fort with it. The path was also helpful in enabling them to get to their playground equipment, despite the snow. (Photo submitted)

M-T to push up tax collection

By Denny Scott The Citizen

Morris-Turnberry Council will be collecting taxes a little earlier next year after staff discovered most local municipalities collect taxes in March, not the end of April as the municipality had done.

This year, taxes will be due on April 29, June 24, Sept. 30 and Nov. 25. Next year, the payment schedule will be modified to have the first installment due in March. *** After working with landowners, a dispute over a surplus road allowance was resolved during Morris-Turnberry’s Feb. 2 meeting.

Council approved a plan for Augusta Street that will include reduced weeping bed restrictions to alleviate concerns neighbours had about the development cutting off property access. *** After originally approving the signing of a contract with Service Line Warranties last year, MorrisTurnberry has now officially partnered with the group, allowing the latter to offer insurance to property owners.

The insurance can cover interior water and wastewater infrastructure, as well as water and wastewater service lines within their property boundaries.

More information about the insurance program, which is not run or monitored by the municipality,

many interests, passions and loves, he began his career with United Breeders and moved onto McKillop Mutual Insurance. His love of politics saw him run as the Liberal candidate in 1978. He continued to be politically-minded and in 2003 was appointed as a Federal Returning Officer.

His other passion was plowing. He held positions with several associations, president of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association, International Plowing Match Chair in 1999 and Treasurer of the Canadian Plowing Match.

Graeme was always very involved locally. He was a member of the Walton Area Sports Club and I remember building bleachers for the park in his shed. He supported the Walton Hall for many years by supporting his wife Helen and the ladies of the Walton Women’s Institute with their many meals and other events. He teamed up with friend Rick McInroy, and for five years, the pair were the stars of “An Evening with Graeme and Rick” which included a turkey dinner, and entertainment for the crowd with their banter, raising over $3,500 over the five years for the hall.

Graeme and Helen purchased the Walton Inn and operated it for 22 years. Graeme was a fixture and enjoyed visiting with his many Walton friends and making new friends with those who dropped in.

His famous pancakes will be remembered by all as being light, fluffy and huge! During football season, there was always ongoing light-hearted running banter on how well his Montreal Alouettes were doing compared to our team, the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

Graeme was a fine man, with a sly sense of humour, smiling face, a loving family man and husband. He will be missed by his family, friends and all who knew him. Our sympathies to all.

A second shock and death of a young man rocked the Brussels and

Listowel communities last week.

Our condolences to the Krotz family on the sudden death of Nolan Krotz.

He will be lovingly missed by his parents Allan and Cheryl and sisters Jenna and Kelby and their families.

We met Nolan as a young man playing hockey in Brussels on the same team as our son. He was the fastest and best skater on the team and scored goal after goal. He had a passion for the game and it showed.

He continued his hockey career playing for the the F.E. Madill hockey team and played for the Wingham Jr. C Ironmen while he completed his higher education. He was a fun-loving young man who will be missed by his family and many friends. Our sympathies to all.

Celebrating birthdays this past week include Joyce Tipple, Christine Lee, Marg Rogerson, Mary Baan, John McCall MacBain and Barry Skinner. Valentine’s babies include Betty Glanville, Krista Fraser, Val Pethick, Gary McNichol and Betty Graber Watson, followed by Connor Driscoll, Hayden Lee, Monica McNichol and Sadie. Happy birthday to all.

NEWS FROM WALTON

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021. PAGE 9.

Larry Mercey, ‘Barn Dance’ legend, shares his story

A look back Larry Mercey of London is well known to those in Blyth, thanks to his numerous appearances at the Barn Dance Jamboree in Blyth over the years. Mercey of The Mercey Brothers has penned an autobiography, looking back at his years in music, called Have Mercey: My First 60 Years of Making Music, which is available for sale everywhere, including at The Citizen office in Blyth. (Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot photo)

By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot The Rural Voice

Early on in his career, Larry Mercey remembers singing “Don’t be Cruel” by Elvis Presley in Grey County and the place went nuts.

“The kids at the barn dance were screaming at me like I was Elvis,” remembers Mercey, who was just a young man then. Mercey would go from singing covers to writing his own songs to earning his own fame with brothers Ray and Lloyd

earning seven Juno Awards for Top Country Group and a Gold album for the record Comin’ on Stronger.

The awards are hanging in the basement of his home, on a quiet street in the Vintage Green retirement community north of London, where all the homes are neat and tidy and life is good. It’s a far cry from the motels he and his brothers would stay in during their years touring as the Mercey Brothers from coast to coast.

What hasn’t changed is his love

Impressive Larry Mercey of The Mercey Brothers has written an autobiography that is sure to be a must-read for many local music fans. Titled Have Mercey: My First 60 Years of Making Music, the book is now available for sale everywhere, including at The Citizen office in Blyth. (Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot photo)

of performing and, even at 81, he’s a keen performer. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, he had over a 100 people in the park for a twohour concert he gave at the village clubhouse. He spent most of his life performing after all and he is proud of the career he had as lead singer of the Mercey Brothers, which put out 22 albums during their decades-long career.

Mercey has been reflecting on that time in a new, self-published autobiography called Have Mercey: My First 60 Years of

Making Music. Boxes of the book are in the basement near his favourite guitars, which are set up on stands. Photos from the book can be seen on the walls, revealing funky costumes from the 1970s and famous faces such as Anne Murray and Stompin’ Tom Connors.

What he shows me, though, is an old scrapbook his mother kept while Mercey was growing up.

She was a scribe, recording her memories and the successes of her sons. She left a legacy for Mercey that he kept up through his lifetime. The shelf beside that treasured keepsake is filled with his own scrapbooks of life memories.

“I looked at those and realized I had enough information to write a book,” says Mercey. He wrote it primarily for his grandchildren and generations to come, but quickly realized he could share these stories with Mercey Brothers fans.

Highlights of the book and his life include pride in growing up in Hanover. The family lived near the flats and in the fall, he remembers cutting down bulrushes and making ice rinks to play hockey in the winter. “It was a great place to grow up,” he says.

There was a lot of music in the family home. His dad played guitar and his mom the piano. “We were brought up on music. Back then that’s what people did – listened to music,” remembers Mercey.

Having the drive to become performers, Mercey and his brother Ray would stand in front of a mirror and sing together to improve their look and sound. “It paid off because when we started to record, we sounded pretty good!”

In 1960, the pair won second place on a CBC talent show called

Talent Caravan. “That really opened doors for us,” remembers Mercey. They began performing in large Canadian cities from Winnipeg to Halifax, gaining popularity. Being on television gave them more exposure than a year performing in bars and led to concerts in Finland, England, Holland, Sweden and the historic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

This was a taste of international success, but breaking into the United States was going to be a huge hurdle. “We felt we could be a big fish in a small pond so we decided to stay in Canada,” he said.

There were many awards; the Junos and Gold record, as mentioned. Mercey played guitar using a Martin guitar and says a career highlight was winning the Martin Guitar Award for lifetime achievement in 1986.

The journey wasn’t easy. It was a lot of hard work travelling to cities, playing in different venues and bars every night. The brothers were their own roadies, responsible for setting up and taking down their equipment and transporting themselves from one venue to the next. The band committed to putting out a single every four to five months so there were also a lot of recording sessions.

“We felt it was important to be consistent and we put out records like pulling a handle on a machine,” says Mercey.

Travelling with brothers took some balance, because in their working years, Mercey spent more time with his brothers Ray, the bass player and Lloyd, singer and drummer, than he did his wife, June. However, he is still happily married.

June came down to the basement Continued on page 11

PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021.

Goderich’s Turczyn turns passion into business woodworking skills to piece together the spliced risers. Turczyn’s father, a watercolour painter and photographer, is also into woodworking and, being neighbours, they decided to purchase woodworking machines together. Artistry runs in the family; Turczyn’s mother and one sister are silversmiths, while another sister works as a graphic designer.

“I was never really into art, but this is sculptural and being a hunter, it fits together,” says Turczyn.

The bows are gorgeous. Spliced veneers meet in flowing and powerful patterns, mixing colours and designs, according to Turczyn, or the buyer’s, vision. A golden bow on display in the shop features Karelian birch, a tree grown in Russia and Finland that appears to have a fire-like pattern.

While most bowyers apprentice with an accomplished bow maker, Turczyn didn’t have that option because archery isn’t that popular in Canada. He had to learn on his own and he is proud of all he has accomplished. The first bow he made was for his daughter. Dry spots in a bow are a bowyer no-no, so he slathered the layers with epoxy.

“That bow was swimming in epoxy,” he laughs. “It was slipping and sliding everywhere and I was so

Taking aim Max Turczyn has turned his passion into Saratoga Custom Bows. He hopes the evolution will continue and it will, one day, become his full-time job. Turczyn says that when he was a teenager he fell in love with the simplicity and instinctive nature of hunting with a bow. (Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot photo)

By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot The Rural Voice When Max Turczyn was just a teenager, he went out hunting with a recurve bow borrowed from a friend.

He admired the purity and perfection of the weapon which, to him, also seemed like an art form.

“I fell in love with the simplicity of the bow,” recalls Turczyn. “That, and how instinctive it is to shoot with a bow.”

Now in his mid-thirties, Turczyn has combined his love of hunting with his family’s heritage of art and become a bowyer, designing artisanal longbows out of his Goderich garage.

Though he hunts with a gun during his “cheat week” to put meat on the table and has also hunted with crossbows, it’s the longbow that is his weapon of choice when it comes to hunting deer, taking the family to traditional archery events, or just enjoying quiet moments in the bush reflecting on life.

“It’s not as intense as a compound bow. It’s light… like carrying a walking stick through the woods,” says Turczyn, who works fulltime as an arborist with Hydro One forestry services. The bow-making hobby-turned-business is taking off and one day, he hopes, Saratoga Custom Bows

will become his full-time job.

He’s a busy guy, but Turczyn still makes time to hunt. Archery season runs from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 and within that time frame are two weeks for the gun hunt.

“A lot of guys take up archery because it extends the hunting season, but most people are inclined to get a crossbow. It’s easier to get started with a crossbow because it has a scope and you can generally get one and be hunting in an hour.

Longbows take skill and lots of practice,” explains Turczyn.

Longbows are tall and allow archers a long draw. Turczyn’s Saratoga Bows are narrow and Dshaped, and vary in draw weights depending on what the owner uses it for. For instance, if a person wants a bow for target practice, then a 35pound draw weight is pleasurable to use. If, however, a buyer purchases a bow to hunt deer, the draw weight needs to be at least 40 pounds as per hunting rules. To hunt moose or bear, the draw weight needs to be 50 pounds. The range for longbows is generally 20 yards (compared to 150 for shotguns and more for rifles), so hunters need to have excellent woodsmanship skills to get close to the animals.

“There are a lot of products being sold out there to reduce scent and all that. But what it comes down to is

knowing the land, playing the wind and being quiet,” says Turczyn. It’s also about trusting your instincts.

Years of practice give a hunter heightened awareness in his peripheral vision and a sixth sense that prey is near.

“It might be that a flock of birds has taken off, or you hear a faint twig crack or you catch a scent… the clues can be subtle, but you feel something is coming,” says Turczyn.

Knowing how difficult it is to “read” the air, he says he has tremendous respect for deer and their brilliance at patiently scoping an area, then slipping away if something isn’t quite right.

To hunt with a longbow requires some of that instinct. For years, Turczyn has attended traditional archery expos held mostly in the U.S. where archery is a popular pastime. “You can take a bow off the rack and shoot for hours at these events,” he says.

He did a lot of reading and “asking and learning” before attempting his first bow. The process is actually more sculptural in process than woodworking, explains Turczyn. It involves laminating and gluing layers of fibreglass, carbon and wood veneers before shaping and sculpting the layers using a homemade form and heat box. The process does, however, involve

frustrated. But I managed to make it work.” He has fine-tuned his process over the years and now makes three models: • The Swift: a reflex-deflex longbow that is nimble and responsive, measuring 58 to 60 inches long • The Venari: a longer reflexdeflex longbow 62 to 64 inches long that makes for a long, smooth draw.

• The Redtail: a one-piece recurve bow offered in 58- to 60-inch lengths.

He also makes take-down models for hunters who travel.

Bows are designed to have a heavier handle and lighter limbs.

Heavy limbs create shock in the hands. He is using more and more carbon fibre in the layering of the bows for its strength and lightness.

“It isn’t exactly traditional, but it’s a lot lighter than fibreglass, so there is less vibration in the limbs.”

Bows, Turczyn says, are meant to be used. Shaking hands leads to sore hands, so the lighter the better.

That’s why he also encourages buyers to really consider the draw weight when purchasing one of his bows.

“Some guys come in all big and tough and ask for a large poundage but it’s actually more fun to shoot Continued on page 11

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021. PAGE 11.

Practice makes perfect with bow hunting: Turczyn because that’s where the strength to draw and hold the draw comes from.

Six years as a bowyer and Turczyn is starting to make money with his craft. The process requires significant investment of time and material. His goal is to become a full-time bowyer and set up his own booth at traditional archery expos.

He’d also like to encourage and grow the skill of archery, perhaps by starting his own archery club.

He considers his clients friends,

because they share a respect for skill and appreciation of the hunt.

“Hunting deer is the most organic, drug-free meat that comes from a sustainable source, thanks to the tag system,” says Turczyn. With the meat come trophy antlers, many of which are hanging in Turczyn’s home. “When I see that antler, it reminds me of every detail of that hunt,” he says.

Saratoga Custom Bows can be found on Facebook and Instagram.

Mercey remembers fondness for Pride

Focus Max Turczyn of Goderich says it’s all about pressure, poundage and proficiency when it comes to making and using bows to hunt. He is seen above, plying his trade. (Lisa BoonstoppelPot photo)

Continued from page 10 with a lower poundage bow,” he says. Turczyn’s wife shoots a 35pound bow and his young children are also proficient with them.

After purchasing a bow, which can cost between $700 and $1,200, clients are urged to practise, practise, practise. “I actually discourage hunting with a longbow until you are proficient with it,” says Turczyn. He recommends target practice until

you can put nine out of 10 arrows into a pie plate at 10 or more yards.

Then walk through the bush, shoot at

leaves and clumps of dirt. Walk uphill and downhill. Practise using back muscles, not arm muscles,

Remember Last Winter?

Continued from page 9 to chat and said Larry has written a good book but it isn’t a tell-all!

“That’s the book I would write,” she jokes.

Humour likely stood her in good stead all the years the Mercey Brothers were on the road, but she admits she hated to see the long weekend looming on the calendar, knowing he’d be gone. They talked on the phone often, catching up on little things. He asked what she and their two kids were having for supper and she’d say hot dogs and he’d say he was having lobster. It felt to June as if they were worlds apart, but June she says you just had to get on with it and be an independent person.

Larry butts in and says he was able to do it because he had someone he loved to support him.

“He is very lucky,” laughs June.

The Mercey Brothers disbanded in 1989 when Larry was 60 and he went on to work as a landscaper, picture salesman and tour guide for Hanover Holidays. He also ran a recording studio for a time. He enjoyed all of the above because he enjoys people.

What he has missed most since leaving the music industry has been the people, he says. It’s why he still performs for fans who have followed him and the Mercey Brothers since the 1960s. Huron County fans will remember he sang on the CKNX Barn Dance in

1956. A personable fellow, Mercey has deep fondness for some country music legends he met while in the business. His favourite was Charley Pride.

“Charley was a nice man,” says Mercey.

Pride also performed a song Mercey had co-written. “I was there in the audience and he announced he was going to do a song by a Canadian and he had me stand up,” remembers Mercey. By the second verse, the crowd of over 10,000 was on their feet and singing along. It was quite a rush.

Mercey’s mom started the process of recording the family memories; Mercey lived them on a larger scale and now he has recorded these stories in his own book. It will sit proudly on the shelf beside his scrapbooks, containing memories of a good, full life.

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PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021.

Energy consumption, cost drops in Huron East

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron East’s energy consumption continued to drop in 2020, as did its costs, though the two numbers didn’t always correlate, according to Chief Administrative Officer Brad Knight.

Knight told council that the municipality’s hydro consumption has dropped by over a quartermillion kilowatt hours in just two years. As a result, the municipality’s hydro costs have dropped by

approximately $31,000 in that same span of time. Meanwhile, Huron East’s consumption of natural gas and propane has decreased by 12 per cent, while costs have only decreased by 7.5 per cent, or approximately $5,300.

In his report, Knight told council that while the smart money was on the price of natural gas decreasing in recent years, the collapse of the oil industry has changed that situation.

With less oil to be refined, the cost of natural gas has risen, so the

savings anticipated at the municipality have not really come to fruition.

Knight also noted that both propane and natural gas have already been impacted by the federal government’s carbon tax, which will continue this year and beyond.

Looking back to 2019, Knight said he noted the volatility of the energy market in his annual report and that trend continued in 2020. He noted that in Ontario, hydro usage dropped lower than ever recorded, since the

Just chilling Kaileb Thompson, left, and Austin McLaughlin decided to take it easy during recess at Hullett Central Public School last week. (Denny Scott photo)

BIA meeting forced online

By Denny Scott The Citizen Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown, the Blyth Business Improvement Area (BIA) held its annual general meeting online on Jan. 28.

As a result, everything was verbally confirmed through voting processes, which Chair David Sparling said would take longer, but was better than not being able to hold the meeting.

“We appreciate being able to operate virtually with North Huron’s permission,” Sparling said. “Other BIAs didn’t get to do so during the first round of the shutdown, so we do appreciate we can have these meetings.” ***

The Blyth BIA had a surplus from 2019 which allowed the organization to pursue projects throughout 2020 and the lockdown.

The surplus allowed the BIA to go ahead with signage and marketing projects in 2020 that otherwise would not have been possible with its limited levy and reduced fundraising opportunities. *** With the exception of Fashion Arts and Creative Textiles Studio (FACTS) owner Jennifer TriemstraJohnston stepping down from the BIA board, it remained unchanged from 2020 to 2021.

The Blyth Centre for the Arts will continue to be represented by Rachael King, General Manager of the Blyth Festival. Service

organizations will continue to be represented by Jane Smyth, who was nominated in absentia. Church organizations will be represented by Rev. JoAnn Todd of Trinity Anglican Church. No associate member representative currently sits on the board and North Huron Council will be represented by Councillor Kevin Falconer.

The rest of the board includes Colleen Jordan of Hotel Lux, Cat O’Donnell of the Wonky Frog Studio and Sparling.

During the subsequent regular board meeting, the executive was set to be the same as last year including Sparling as Chair, Jordan as secretary/vice-chair and Todd as treasurer.

electricity sector was opened to the market in 2002, during April and May of the pandemic. Since, usage has climbed and it is getting closer to historic levels now in the later months of the pandemic.

As a result of that low demand, Knight said pricing was impacted, even reaching days of zero or negative pricing, meaning companies were paying users to take hydro off their hands.

At the same time, the price of natural gas being used at the Seaforth and District Community Centre rose 19 per cent. However, just over 40 per cent of that increase could be attributed to the carbon tax, rather than an increase in price or usage.

The centre experienced the most significant impact of the municipality’s three community centres. Its ice season was reduced by 46 days, which translated to a 25 per cent reduction in energy consumption and a 37 per cent reduction in costs.

Knight did, however, identify an ongoing concern with the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre that seems to have arisen as a result of a power surge at the building several years ago. Since then, something at the centre seems to be drawing too much power and those working at the centre have been unable to identify the source of the draw. That, Knight said, will have to be addressed before ice is put back into the centre this fall.

In 2019, with 191 days of ice, the centre used just under 436,000 kilowatt hours of power, averaging 1,194 kilowatt hours per day. In 2020, with 168 days of ice, the centre used over 388,000 kilowatt hours, for an average of 1,060

uide ut/G Sco Week

Deadline February 19

kilowatt hours per day.

Knight pointed out that in 2020, the centre had nearly three fewer weeks of ice time than it did in 2017, but drew over 50,000 kilowatt hours more than it did in 2017.

To conclude his report, Knight said that since the municipality began to track its hydro consumption in 2007, the municipality had been using over four million kilowatt hours (with a high of 4.3 million kilowatt hours in 2010). That number has steadily reduced to between 3.4-3.5 million kilowatt hours. He attributed that reduction largely to the conversion of streetlights to LED. The reduced usage figures in 2020, he said, were not due to largescale efficiency measures, but rather due to the COVID-19 pandemic and facilities seeing less usage as a result.

He said that removing the ice from the municipality’s two arenas earlier this year should result in savings this year. Even if there is a return to “normal” this fall, he said, the ice season will already be shorter than it was in 2020.

“The municipality will continue to investigate further energy efficiency measures. Lighting retrofits have taken place in many municipal buildings and the municipality will continue to convert lighting to LED where feasible,” Knight said in his report to council. “Mechanical upgrades will also be considered and will likely generate the most significant savings. Replacement of aeration blower systems at the Brussels and Vanastra sewage treatment plants will become more feasible as they near the end of their useful life.”

Council received Knight’s report with little discussion.

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Brussels Livestock report

Fed steers hit prices $1 to $2 higher Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week ending Feb. 12 were 1,552 cattle and 378 lambs and goats.

On Tuesday, fed steers and heifers sold actively with prices $1 to $2 higher. Choice steers and heifers sold $137 to $144. Second-cut cattle sold $125 to $136. Aged and medium-fed steers and heifers sold $115 to $125. Holstein steers and heifers sold $86 to $105.50. Cows and bulls sold on a strong market with higher prices.

On Thursday, holstein veal sold on a higher market. Beef veal sold steady with quality considered.

Lambs sold steady. Sheep and goats sold higher.

On Friday, calves sold on a strong active trade with prices $3 to $5 higher. Yearlings sold steady.

K/C McAlpine of Ailsa Craig, consigned eight head. Two gold steers averaged 1,580 lbs. and sold for an average price of $141.

Harvey Forbes Livestock Ltd. of South Bruce Peninsula, consigned 20 head. Ten black heifers averaged 1,364 lbs. and sold for an average price of $144. Ten black heifers averaged 1,399 lbs. and sold for an average price of $144.

There were 300 cows on offer.

Beef sold $70 to $110 with sales to $117; good holstein cows, $70 to $98.50; medium holstein cows, $67 to $70; D4 cows, $64 to $66.

Dan Shapton of Exeter, consigned six head. One black cow weighed 1,235 lbs. and sold for an average price of $110.

There were 130 head of veal on offer. Beef veal sold $139 to $161 with sales to $165; good holsteins, $138 to $144 with sales to $145; SL heavy holsteins, $122 to $135; heavy holsteins, $122 to $135; medium holsteins, $115 to $125; plain holsteins, $100 to $115.

Grant Bergsma of Londesborough, consigned two head. One holstein veal weighed 695 lbs. and sold for a price of $143. Paul Pennington of Mildmay, consigned nine head. One holstein veal weighed 695 lbs. and sold for a price of $143.

Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $352 to $510; 50 - 64 lbs., $434.50 to $495; 65 - 79 lbs., $387 to $433; 80 - 94 lbs., $371 to $395; 95 - 109 lbs., $334 to $351; 110 lbs. and over, $280.50 to 346.

Sheep sold $150 to $270.

Goats: billies sold $150 to $350; nannies, $100 to $250; kids: meat, $350 to $590; dairy, $325 to $577.

Jason Hoggart of Londesborough, consigned 11 head. One kid goat weighed 48 lbs and sold for a price of $590. Anthony Numan of Lucknow, consigned 56 head.

Six lambs averaged 99 lbs. and sold for an average price of $339.

Top quality stocker steers 400 -

OFA optimistic about clean fuel standard

By Drew Spoelstra, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture Since the initial announcement of the Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) Regulatory Framework in 2017, the Canadian government has prepared to implement a clean fuel standard to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions and lower the full lifecycle carbon intensity of fuels used in industry, transportation and buildings.

With a clean fuel standard in place, fuel producers and suppliers can help meet reduced carbon obligations and earn compliance credits by lowering the lifecycle carbon intensity of fuels. One example of how they may do this is by supplying low carbon-intense fuels such as ethanol in gasoline or biodiesel in fuel.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) believes the implementation of CFS regulations can result in better pricing opportunities for Ontario farmers by creating significant growth in the Ontario crop markets while working towards a healthier, more sustainable climate.

The CFS will play a large role in the production of farm-grown feedstock. A carbon lifecycle assessment is used to analyze the greenhouse gas impact of fuels through the entire production lifecycle. For farmers, this includes the cultivation and harvest of feedstock used to produce low-carbon-intensity fuels.

Land use and biodiversity (LUB) criteria mentioned in Section 38 of the proposed regulations will ensure the cultivation and harvest of feedstock do not reduce biodiversity or pose risks to any vulnerable species, ecosystems and habitats.

The LUB criteria will also help reduce indirect land-use changes that risk increasing carbon emissions by the displacement of forests, wetlands and grasslands.

Increased markets for crops and crop residues in Ontario can provide opportunities for farmers to contribute to the production of lower-carbon-emitting fuels.

However, there is still work that needs to be done to ensure regulations are attainable for Ontario farmers. Having the ability to produce and grow quality crops is

just as important as protecting the environment. proposed regulations will hinder their ability to produce and grow feedstocks, impact the expansion and growth of farmland in northern Ontario, increase excluded zones near riparian zones and wetlands and create red tape.

To address these concerns, Section 39 of the proposed regulations recognizes that the criteria set out for crop feedstocks by the EPA in the U.S. for their renewable fuel standard are stringent enough to comply with the LUB criteria. This means all Canadian agricultural feedstock is eligible for CFS compliance credit creation.

Livestock farmers have also voiced concerns on the treatment of pastureland as restricted grassland that cannot be used to produce feedstock for CFS-compliance credits. Although pasturelands left unseeded for 10 years could be deemed as restricted grassland under the proposed regulations,

intermittent seeding of pasturelands allows these fields to remain unrestricted for cultivating and harvesting CFS-compliant feedstocks.

As a united industry, we need to work with the federal government to find a balance between addressing setbacks and supporting the betterment of the environment where we live, work and play. If there are proper measures to help create attainable regulations, these initiatives will help support a healthy environment on farms and are a step in the right direction.

The agricultural community needs investments in programs that advance positive environmental initiatives across the country. This can be done through cost-share incentives and by increasing market opportunities like a clean fuel standard. Ultimately, if the objective is to improve the environment by collecting a carbon tax, why not invest those funds back into the environment we’re

trying to protect and preserve?

As farmers, we don't want more paperwork or red tape when following regulations. We want to work collectively towards a better environment while minimizing any burden required to meet this new standard.

It’s important to recognize that it's difficult to create a one-size-fits-all approach for all of Canada to follow.

The OFA will continue to advocate for the federal government to accommodate different regional jurisdictions and crop management practices across the country. Any clean fuel standard that is implemented will need to recognize these differences, with reasonable compliance burden, helping farmers follow best farm management practices while improving the environment.

499 lbs. sold $244 to $266; 500 599 lbs., $232.25 to $255; 600 699 lbs., $218.50 to $240; 700 799 lbs., $197 to $207.50; 800 899 lbs., $187.75 to $195; 900 999 lbs., $174.75 to $187; 1,000 lbs. and over, $166.25 to $181.75.

Top quality stocker heifers, 400 499 lbs. sold $170.25 to $218; 500 599 lbs., $195.25 to $219; 600 - 699 lbs., $188.50 to $210; 700 - 799 lbs., $172.25 to $193.75; 800 - 899 lbs., $158.75 to $164.50; 900 lbs. and over, $153 to $170.

Levi S. Weber of Renfrew, consigned 61 head. Twelve charolais steers averaged 672 lbs. and sold for an average price of $228. Eight charolais heifers averaged 616 lbs. and sold for an average price of $203. James Frey of Tara, consigned 38 head. Twelve red steers averaged 1,014 lbs. and sold for an average price of $181.75.

BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.

UPCOMING SALES TUESDAYS 9:00 a.m.

Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows

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Happy Valentine’s Day Karen Braecker took on The Citizen’s request for photos with this shot of Myer, left, and Elle Braecker posing to wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day. Share your photos with The Citizen by e-mailing reporter@northhuron.on.ca, and be sure to include names for everyone in the picture. (Photo submitted)

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Classified Advertisements – RATES – 20 words or less only $7.00 + HST. Additional words 20¢ each + HST. 50¢ will be deducted if ad is paid in advance

DEADLINE 2 p.m. Monday in Brussels 4 p.m. Monday in Blyth Phone 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114 e-mail: info@northhuron.on.ca

Articles for sale GERBERS FIREWOOD SERVING you for over 10 years. Your number one source of quality slabwood and bodywood. Delivery available. No Sunday calls. 519-656-2057, 519441-2085.

01-50p -------------------------------------------REPRINTS OF PHOTOS taken by Citizen photographers are available to purchase. All are in colour. 4x6 – $5.00, 5x7 – $6.00, 8x10 – $10.00. Phone to order 519523-4792 or 519-887-9114. tfn -------------------------------------------THE CITIZEN IS AVAILABLE TO purchase at these locations – Auburn Co-op, Belgrave Variety, Blyth Variety, Blyth Food Market, Blyth Ultramar, Brussels Foodland, Brussels Variety, Clinton Convenience, Clinton Foodland, Dean’s Valu-Mart in Wingham, Wingham Mini Mart, Seaforth Foodland, GT Mini Mart in Seaforth, Fincher’s in Goderich and The Citizen Blyth.

Coming events SUE’S FAMOUS FISH FRY Take-Out Style, Friday, Feb. 19 noon to 7 p.m., Wingham Columbus Centre. Grilled or battered white fish or chicken fingers: take out, $16 (fish, fries or baked potato and a dinner roll), half price for kids! Add $1.50 for caesar or garden salad.

Add $2 for a butter tart. HST is included in all prices. Call 519-3571270 to order your fish and to reserve a pick-up time. Pay by e-transfer, credit card, debit or cash.

07-1

In memoriam COOK. In loving memory of a son, brother and uncle, George Cook who passed away February 18, 2011.

Days will pass and turn into years, But we will always remember you with silent tears.

– Loved and remembered every day by your family.

07-1p

Personals ARE YOU EXPERIENCING AN unplanned pregnancy? Are you a young parent? Do you feel overwhelmed and have questions?

We have answers and we’re here to help. Our services are free and completely confidential. Contact Room2Grow at 519-606-0046 or visit our website www.room2grow.info

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Citizen-To Citizen

KSE INC. Kurtis Smith Excavating Inc.

is currently looking to fill positions for

Crew Foremen Pipe Layers & Labourers for sewer and watermain installations.

Experience in pipe work & road reconstruction is an asset.

Also Equipment Operators Excavator, Dozer, Compact Track Loader, Dump Trucks and Mini Excavator Experience preferred but will train the right person.

AZ licence an asset but not required.

Must have own transportation to our shop in Brussels. Students welcome to apply.

WE OFFER COMPETITIVE WAGES, BENEFITS AND GROUP RRSP PLAN. PLEASE SUBMIT RÉSUMÉ by fax 519-887-8856 or email to ksexc@hotmail.com or call the office 519-887-8855 and ask for Kurtis.

“SWAP SHOP” ad “One person’s junk is another’s treasure”

Let us help you turn that junk into $$ ➨ Free ad up to 25 words, person to person only (no businesses), items valued at $1,000 or less. Your ad will run three times unless it sells faster! ➨ The Citizen reserves the right to limit the number of items or ads per person.

Call 519-523-4792 or email: info@northhuron.on.ca WANTED – countertop ice maker, new or used or for parts.

519-887-6760.

05-3

MUNICIPALITY OF MORRIS-TURNBERRY

Summer Student The Municipality of Morris-Turnberry is currently accepting applications for two (2) summer student positions for the summer of 2021.

The successful applicant will work for approximately a 16-week period commencing on or about May 3, 2021.

Two (2) students for general labour duties: approximately 40 hours per week Interested candidates must: • Be capable of working independently • Have a minimum ‘G2’ driver’s licence • Be returning to school in the fall of 2021.

• Preference will be given to students enrolled in post-secondary education.

• Good written and oral communication skills will be an asset • Knowledge of grass cutting equipment would be an asset Please submit your résumé and a letter of interest to the undersigned by: 12 noon on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 Mike Alcock, Director of Public Works Municipality of Morris-Turnberry PO Box 310, 41342 Morris Road, Brussels, Ontario N0G 1H0 Telephone: 519-887-6137 Fax: 519-887-6424 Email: mail@morristurnberry.ca Only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.

Wanted Young local area couple looking to expand their farm. Looking for a farm with 50-plus acres workable with a livable house within the Brussels-Blyth area. Please call 226-927-9124 for more information.

07-4

BUY - SELL TRY CLASSIFIED!

Ontario government to provide schools with support funds Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson has announced that Ontario is providing more than $27 million in COVID-19 support areas for the four school boards in her riding.

This funding comes from an additional $381 million investment provided by the federal Safe Return to Class Fund.

Although transmission in schools has been low, this funding will be used to improve air quality and ventilation in schools, support online learning, promote student mental health and hire more staff.

“We all want our children to return to in-person education as soon and as safely as possible,” Thompson said. “These funds will help obtain that objective as we continue to work through the pandemic.”

Monies allocated in Huron-Bruce for COVID-19 relief and technical devices include: Bluewater District School Board, $10.37 million; Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board, $3.85 million; AvonMaitland District School Board, $9.47 million and Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board, $4.05 million.

With this additional funding, the provincial government is providing more than $1.6 billion across the province to better protect students, staff and families. As more students return to in-person learning, Ontario, on the best advice of experts, is introducing additional measures to further protect students and staff, including: • Province-wide access to targeted asymptomatic testing for students and staff, using a combination of lab-processed PCR and rapid antigen tests • Mandatory masking for students in Grades 1-3, including outdoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained • Enhanced screening of secondary students and staff; • New guidance discouraging students from congregating before and after classes • Temporary certification of eligible teacher candidates who are set to graduate in 2021 to stabilize staffing levels, following high levels of absenteeism.

“To protect Ontario students and staff, and with the aim of reopening all schools, we have again strengthened our plan with tougher measures and new investments,” said Education Minister Stephen Lecce. “We agree with parents and medical experts that kids need to be learning in class – alongside their friends and teachers – as it is crucial for their mental well-being and development. We will continue to follow expert medical advice and work to get all schools open, for children in all regions of our province.”

Ontario’s plan to safely reopen schools draws on the advice of leading health experts and the best available data. Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and

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leading medical and scientific experts, including the Hospital for Sick Children, support the safe return to in-person learning for students and staff and are encouraged by Ontario’s experience in safely reopening schools in September. This was evidenced in the data on COVID-19 cases in schools during the fall, at a time of lower community transmission.

Targeted asymptomatic testing has helped to identify cases early, inform public health action and manage outbreaks. Expanding access to targeted asymptomatic testing will be a valuable tool for local public health units and schools.

To support the expansion of targeted asymptomatic testing, the Ministry of Education has procured test collection capacity for up to 50,000 tests per week, to be deployed at the discretion of local public health units in collaboration with schools.

To address labour needs and high rates of staff absenteeism, the Ministry of Education has worked with the Ontario College of Teachers to introduce a new temporary certificate to help stabilize staffing levels in our schools. This will allow school boards to employ eligible teacher candidates when there are no occasional teachers available from their current lists. With this important change, we are helping schools with operational challenges to remain open. This decision underscores the shortage of available certified teachers in the province, following the hiring of over 3,400 net new temporary teaching positions.

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021. PAGE 15.

Obituaries Wednesday, Feb. 10. Private interment followed at the Elora Community Cemetery.

Gifts of donation can be made to Anchor Association. Arrangements were entrusted to the Graham Giddy Funeral Home, Elora, www.grahamgiddyfh.com.

Ken Whiting officiated. Interment will be in Brussels Cemetery.

Donations of sympathy in memory of Graeme can be made to Cavan United Church or Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation.

Online condolences may be forwarded through haskettfh.com.

GRAEME CHARLES CRAIG It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden loss of Graeme Charles Craig, RR 1, Walton, on Feb. 8, 2021. He was in his 74th year.

Graeme is survived by his loving wife, Helen (Elliott) Craig of 49 years. He was the proud father of Michael Craig, RR 1, Walton and Shannon Craig and Dave Soontiens, Mitchell and the dear brother and brother-in-law of Sherrill and Robert Christian, Oceanview, Delaware; Robert and Sharon Elliott, Kitchener; Emily and Scott LaRue, Haliburton and Mary Elliott, Burnaby, British Columbia.

Graeme will be lovingly remembered by many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Harvey and Margaret (Stewart) Craig, infant son Chad, and in-laws Gordon and Sarah (Whitmore) Elliott.

Graeme was a life-long resident of his century farm in Walton. His first passion in life was music. At a young age, he and his sister Sherrill took part in many singing competitions. Throughout his life, Graeme entertained many people singing and playing guitar at church, weddings and family celebrations.

He was a graduate of Ridgetown College and started his first career as a technician for United Breeders in Wingham. In 1984, Graeme changed careers to become an insurance agent for McKillop Mutual Insurance Company in Seaforth. He loved the relationships he made with his clients, he always had a joke and a light-hearted approach that was both genuine and sincere. He was also full of surprises.

In true non-partisan fashion, Graeme was appointed the Federal Returning Officer for Huron-Bruce in 2003. He had many political friends from all parties. He ran as the Liberal candidate in 1978. In 1997, he and Helen purchased the Walton Inn. They felt inclusiveness was important and Michael needed a place to work. They said, it was a pleasure to serve the Walton community for over 22 years.

Graeme had many extra-curricular interests throughout his life. He held many positions with the local and International Plowing Matches. This included a term as President of Ontario Plowmen’s Association, Chair of 1999 International Plowing Match in Dashwood and as Treasurer of the Canadian Plowing Match at the time of his death.

Graeme also enjoyed 12 years as Trustee and Chair on the Huron County Board of Education.

He truly valued the friendships through all parts of his life. He made a positive impact on everyone he touched. Once you met him, you were a friend for life.

A private family funeral service was held on Friday, Feb. 12. Rev.

VAUGHN ELIZABETH HUNKING After a short courageous battle with cancer, Vaughn Elizabeth Hunking passed away on Feb. 13, 2021 at the Huron Residential Hospice (Central Huron) in her 66th year.

Vaughn was the loving daughter of Pat (Anderson) Hunking and the sister of Donna Walsh (Doug Vincent), Joan (Gord) Henderson and Robert Hunking. She is also survived by several nephews and nieces.

Vaughn was predeceased by her father Ted Hunking, brother-in-law Murray Walsh and sister-in-law Kim (Rooney) Hunking.

Vaughn graduated from Central Huron Secondary School with her Grade 12. She progressed through ARC Industries, Goodwill, Leads and became a Page at London Central Library for 30 years. Family, friends, community and church were important parts of Vaughn’s life. She could often be seen attending numerous activities of her nieces and nephews.

Vaughn always kept in contact with relatives near, far and distant.

Friends were anyone she met. She could not miss a community event.

Vaughn was a regular volunteer at the Blyth Festival. Many people have benefited from her love of knitting. Vaughn enjoyed her church choir. She regularly attended Westminister Weekend. Church was an extended family for Vaughn whether in London, Belgrave, Blyth, Clinton or Londesborough.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a private funeral service was held on Feb. 17. Please join via livestream from the funeral home’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ Riverside-Funeral-Home-Inc223633511574600. The funeral service will also be uploaded to the funeral home’s website for viewing.

Rev. Keith McKee (St. Georges Presbyterian Church, London) and Alex Jebson (Blyth United Church) officiated. Spring interment at Hope Chapel Cemetery (Central Huron).

In lieu of flowers and as expressions of sympathy donations to St. George’s Presbyterian Church (London), the Huron Residential Hospice (Central Huron) or a charity of one’s choice would be appreciated.

Donations may be sent to Box 199, Blyth, Ontario, N0M 1H0.

Cards of sympathy may be sent to Box 351, Blyth, Ontario, N0M 1H0.

Condolences may be left at www.riversidefuneralhome.com.

JACOBA REININK Knowing that she was not her own, but belonged with body and soul, both in life and in death to her faithful Saviour Jesus Christ, Jacoba Reinink (Hindriks) was called to her eternal home Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021.

Jacoba was the beloved wife of the late Frank Reinink (2018) for 64 years and the dear loving mother and oma of Kor and Hilda and their children Frank (Anne), Fran (John), Cobie (Dan), Henriette (Kyle), Elizabeth (Mike), and Klaarissa (Calvin); Will and Rita and their children Andrea (Kevin), Derek (Trish), Kor (Tara) and Jennifer (Ian); Fred (2016) and Marg and their children Jackie (Rob), Jonathan (Amy), Frank (Emily), Gerald (McKenzie), Lambert (Sharlene), Jenny (1990), and Henrietta (Pete); Jenny and Henry and their children Elise (Josh), Paul (Laura), and Erik (Rosemary); Liz and Evert Stryker and their children Kris (Samantha), Jenna (Aaron), Brett (Hannah) and Ryan(Vanessa); Bert and Carol and their children, Shawn, Jamie and Claire (Andy); Henriette and John Wassenaar and their children, Janine (Mark), Garrett (Shannon), Jonathon (Katy), Shannon (Nate).

Jacoba will be lovingly remembered by her 76 greatgrandchildren.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there was a private family funeral live-streamed from the Elora Canadian Reformed Church on

KAZIMIERA “KAY” KONARSKI Kazimiera “Kay” Konarski of Goderich, and formerly of Blyth, passed away peacefully at London Health Sciences Centre – University Campus, London on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. She was in her 94th year.

Kay was the beloved wife for 70 years of the late Franciszek “Frank” Konarski and the loving mother of Richard and Brenda Konarski, Seaforth; Irene and Jim Maguire, Markham; Betty and Derek Divok, St. Catharines and Teresa and Mike Brenner, Grand Bend. She was the cherished grandmother of Jason, Jenny, Brendan, Caitlin, Nicole and Jordyn.

Kay was predeceased by her granddaughter Angie and her brother Henry Jaskula of Toronto.

A private funeral liturgy was held at the Falconer Funeral Homes in Clinton on Wednesday, Feb. 17.

Livestream will be available.

Interment at Clinton Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Alzheimer’s Society, or a memorial Mass card for the repose of Kay’s soul, would be appreciated by the family.

Condolences may be placed through falconerfuneral homes.com.

GRACE JESSIE GERTRUDE (NÉE HANDY) WHITAKER Dec. 21, 1938 - Feb. 9, 2021 Grace Jessie Gertrude (née Handy) Whitaker passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021 at Ritz Lutheran Long Term Care Facility in Mitchell.

Grace was predeceased by her husband Gerald (1977) and son Steven (2020). She is survived by her sons Richard Whitaker (Dawn), Gerald Whitaker (Carla), her daughters Kelly Lawson, Karen Radske (Jeff), Krista Gomez and her sister Marie Bromley.

Grace was the beloved grandmother of Glendon, Jaime, Shane, Gerard, Tiffany, Tyler, Jessica, Jonathan, Crystal, David, John, Timm, Victoria, Ashleigh, Justine and Frankie.

The family would like to give a special thank you to Milton Dale for the love and support he gave to our mother over the years. Thank you to all the staff at Ritz Lutheran for providing exceptional care to our mother during her time there.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a private family service was held at Falconer Funeral Home, Clinton, n Saturday, Feb. 13. Interment will be scheduled for a later date at Clinton Cemetery.

The family is asking donations of memorial donations to be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Budget to return next month Continued from page 1 bridge projects being proposed for 2021, saying the county will be utilizing debentures with the estimated amount of $4.3 million.

There is an option for the county to use some of its OCIF funding to offset debenture costs, but nothing has been finalized.

Insurance costs will also represent a significant budget pressure for 2021, Blumhagen said. The county’s insurance costs have increased by nearly $420,000 from 2020 to 2021, he said, which accounts for nearly one per cent of the county’s entire 2021 levy.

The county’s reserves, he said, will be drawn down by nearly $11 million this year, projecting to end the year at just over $48 million, as opposed to the reserve levels of just under $59 million that had been projected at the end of 2020.

Blumhagen said that the county is facing significant infrastructure costs in the years to come, but its reserve levels remain healthy.

After Blumhagen’s presentation, council had very little debate on the budget. One item that was discussed, however, was an additional $50,000 in the Huron Clean Water Project budget for 2021 on top of its annual budget of $400,000.

Several councillors spoke against the increase, including Bluewater’s Paul Klopp and North Huron’s Bernie Bailey, saying that, just like any other departmental budget, those behind the project should work within the constraints of their budget.

Others, however, felt the increase was warranted, with others saying they felt the increase should be even higher due to the importance of Lake Huron to all of the county.

Goderich Mayor John Grace said that if it were up to him, he would increase the budget by $100,000, rather than $50,000. He said the increase, in the context of the county’s budget, is a very small amount and he would be embarrassed if council voted to eliminate it.

Both Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn and Huron County Warden Glen McNeil supported Grace, saying they wanted to see it left in, which council did.

Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan said he wasn’t initially supportive of the increase because the project’s budget still had money in it, so he didn’t see the need for an increase.

Morris-Turnberry Mayor Jamie Heffer, however rebutted

MacLellan, saying that the Huron Clean Water Project awarded approximately $410,000 in grants in 2020, $10,000 more than its annual budget, so the need is there.

The only change to the budget that remains outstanding is the proposed elimination of the 30 per cent tax reduction for vacant and excess land for industrial and commercial subclasses. The impact of that change on the county’s residential class, he said, would be a reduction of 0.08 per cent with a shift of over $32,000 in taxes to the vacant and excess land subclasses from other classes like residential and farmland.

“With the elimination of the tax reduction, the residential tax rate increase is 0.77 per cent and, if kept the same [ratios] as in 2020, the residential increase would be 0.85 per cent,” Blumhagen said in his report. “While the overall impact is minor, this will bring the vacant and excess land subclasses in line with the changes made by the province for the education rates.”

That discussion was set to take place at council’s Feb. 17 meeting.

Council approved the budget as presented by Blumhagen. Final approval would come in March when he would bring forward formal tax bylaws for council’s approval.

PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021.

Return to school likely a welcome change for some PEOPLE AROUND LONDESBORO

By BRENDA RADFORD Call 523-4296

I am sure I heard an immense sigh of relief the morning of Monday, Feb. 8 as parents in the area eased their children out the door to school once again since before the Christmas break. Everyone, I'm sure, has their finger crossed that this is it, no return to virtual learning!

Honestly, it is the switching from one form of learning to the other that must be the most frustrating about the teaching/learning. I have much respect for the teachers who are constantly learning and changing as

they go with virtual teaching and the parents who are coping with one more aspect of parenting.

Stay strong! All of us are growing in personality and strength as we deal with all that the pandemic has forced on us. Learning is a lifelong process and this global event is shaping us too. Mental health has become a major concern and I strongly encourage you to seek comfort from your family or friends if you are experiencing a troubled moment or day. We are all in this together and compassion and help are as close as your phone.

The Citizen published a notice recently to do with that local telephone book that they publish each spring. It is so much easier to use than the yellow one that also comes. I spoke with Joan Caldwell at the The Citizen and she explained that they use the Bell book listings to publish their book. The problem is Bell doesn’t take the time to remove

numbers no longer in use.

My reason for calling in was to remove the listing for Radford’s Farm Equipment. It is unlikely Bell would do this, so I felt it my responsibility to make that call. I also noticed a number in the Blyth exchange for a couple who have not lived in Londesborough for many years. Like changing your address remembering to change your phone contact is important, too.

Many people are getting rid of their land lines and still others are moving to another system.

Personally I find it frustrating to try to find those new numbers for they are not listed through Bell. Again consider calling The Citizen office and changing or deleting your number as needed.

Although the COVID-19 numbers are currently slowly coming down each day, officials continue to talk about a third wave caused by the more easily transmissible variants.

Let's work hard doing our part to prevent more cases.

With all that uncertainty in mind, Seaforth’s annual Breath of Spring has been put on hold again until April of 2022. Hold onto that ticket you purchased for the event in 2020.

It will be honoured in 2022.

The sympathy of the community is extended to Marie Bromley and Milt Dale on the passing last Tuesday of Grace Whitaker. Grace was Marie’s sister who came from the Hamilton area back to this area following the death of her husband. Milt and Grace were school friends and reconnected when she moved to Blyth. Villagers will remember her from the time she lived with Milt in Londesborough.

At the time of her passing Grace was living in the Ritz Villa in Mitchell. Londesborough United's minister, Susan McIlveen, conducted the funeral service from the Falconer Funeral Home.

For her online worship for Sunday, Feb. 14, Susan McIlveen spent time in conversation with Jim Lobb regarding his faith. Jim has been a farmer and outdoorsman. And that is where Jim's faith has its

NEWS FROM LONDESBORO foundation. Raised in a family of faith, Jim finds its expression in the cycles of nature. All parts of creation are full of wonder and mystery. Jim tells us that because of that wonder and mystery there has to be a creator.

The scripture passage for the worship service was Psalm 19.

Letter to the Editor Story appreciated THE EDITOR, Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the Feb. 4 issue of The Citizen about the great storm. It was so personable and brought back so many memories.

I was one of the lucky ones who was sick that day so I was at home

but I had family and friends who were either storm-stayed in Clinton or tried to walk home and luckily lived to tell the tale!

Keep up the good work and bring more of these past stories which helped to shape our future!

Connie Tasker.

Four-square With enough snow to make playing soccer a slog, students at Hullett Central Public School took to the four-square courts last week. Enjoying their time outdoor are, from left: Alexis Ansley, Mackenzie Shannon, Emma Howson, Summer Shannon and Lukas HubbardBuffinga. (Denny Scott photo)

IPM set to go ahead in Lindsay Directors and staff of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association are proud to announce that they will be moving forward with plans for the 20/21 International Plowing Match (IPM) and Rural Expo. While continuing to honour and respect the health situation and health regulations caused by COVID-19, the organizers will be simultaneously planning both the traditional IPM and a re-envisioned IPM. Local and provincial volunteers look forward to welcoming visitors to the Municipality of Kawartha Lakes from Wednesday, Oct. 13 to Saturday, Oct. 16. As planned, the IPM will be hosted on the Lindsay Fairgrounds and neighbouring farms.

The traditional IPM features such as the BMO Plowing Competition, the Hydro One Education Centre and the Queen of the Furrow Competition presented by Ontario Mutuals may look a little different

this year, but they will be just as exciting and memorable.

Alternate designs for both the tented city and the RV park are being developed. The revised designs will protect exhibitors, volunteers and visitors with additional health protocols.

“Our provincial and local volunteers will be ramping up their committee planning with conference calls and video calls. And, we really look forward to the in-person committee and community meetings that we will be holding just as soon as the provincial health situation allows”, said Don Priest, VicePresident of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association.

As part of its commitment to the community, and through the generosity of the Celebrate Ontario grant program, the Ontario Plowmen’s Association was pleased to partner with the Lindsay Agricultural Society to present the

“Merry and Bright Festival”. The IPM display highlighted some of the features you will be able to see in person at the IPM later this year.

Visitors and volunteers are urged to check additional plans and progress at www.plowingmatch.org

Citizen-To-Citizen “SWAP SHOP” ad “One person’s junk is another’s treasure”

Let us help you turn that junk into $$ ➨ Free ad up to 25 words, person to person only (no businesses), items valued at $1,000 or less. Your ad will run three times unless it sells faster! ➨ The Citizen reserves the right to limit the number of items or ads per person.

Call 519-523-4792 or email: info@northhuron.on.ca

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021. PAGE 17.

From the Minister’s Study

Here’s everything you want to know about Lent

By JoAnn Todd Trinity Anglican Church, Blyth St. John’s Anglican Church, Brussels Here is everything you wanted to know about Lent but were afraid to ask. Well, maybe not everything, but the basics, for sure! For observant Christians, Lent begins this week, and it’s a time that, for many, has lost its significance. Something is only significant to us if we understand the reasons behind it. So I thought I would take this space to explain Lent in a question-andanswer format.

1. What is Lent? The 40 days (not including Sundays) before Easter.

2. Why are Sundays not included? Each Sunday was considered to be a ‘mini-Easter’ because, traditionally, a service of Holy Communion, the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, was held each Sunday.

3. Why 40 days? Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the desert, when he was tested by Satan with various temptations, a time for his preparation prior to his ministry beginning. Forty is very symbolic number in the Bible, associated with a time of preparation before a new beginning: Noah and the ark – it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, Moses was on Mount Sinai with God for 40 days and nights when he received the 10 Commandments and Elijah answered God’s call to fast for 40 days and 40 nights while he fled to Mount Horeb, where he encountered God in the silence in the cave. Also consider, a full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks! Lent is the opportunity to recall these 40-day periods of trial and renewal, and use the time to renew ourselves spiritually. Times of trial and temptation help us realize our need for God, for Christ to strengthen us, for the Holy Spirit to empower us; a reminder that we don’t need to deal with life’s challenges alone. Lent recalls for us how Jesus overcame temptation, and was strengthened for his ministry in his time in the desert.

(Matthew 4: 1-11) 4. What is traditionally associated with Lent? Fasting, often from food considered as ‘treats’, or giving up a food/drink that we have come to be reliant upon (think sugary foods, or coffee and the like); almsgiving, centring our attention on giving to those less fortunate; a focus on prayer and study, often penitential prayer to consider where we have fallen away from our Christian life, and looking to rekindle our relationship with God; simplicity in lifestyle: a focus

Evangelical Missionary Church

Watch HuronChapel.com/VIDEOS Sundays 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Feb. 21 1st in Lent

Pastor Ernest Dow “The Compassion of Jesus — Despite Our Wretchedness” (Mk. 1:40ff) Virtual Communion

during these six weeks to put the complexities of our lives away for a while, things that can get in the way of our relationship with God. In the early Church, Lent was a time of catechesis-a time of training new adherents to Christianity.

5. When does Lent start? Ash Wednesday.

6. What is the significance of Ash Wednesday? It is a service of penitential (asking for forgiveness) prayer, a reminder that we are mortal, God’s creatures, created by God and who will return to God. Gen 2: 7 “..then the Lord formed man from dust of the ground.” The dust is signified by ashes. During an Ash Wednesday service, those who wish may receive a cross of ashes on their foreheads as a reminder of our mortality and dependence on God for everything.

7. Where do the ashes come from? Traditionally, from the burning of palm fronds and crosses from the previous year’s Palm Sunday.

8. Where does the word Lent come from? Old high German “lenzin”: springtime.

9. Where does the idea of Pancake or Shrove Tuesday come from? It was a way for medieval households to use up the foods in the larder they considered extravagant, like eggs, butter, cream and meats.

10. What does “shrove” mean?

‘Shrove’, derived from ‘shrive’, refers to the confession of sins as a preparation for Lent, a usual practice in Europe in the Middle Ages.

11. What is the ‘colour’ associated with Lent in the Church? Purple, as it traditionally is

the colour of royalty, for Jesus, who is Christ the King of Glory. In ancient times, purple dye was very expensive to make, only the very rich could afford it. Over time, purple has also come to symbolize fasting and penitence (asking God for forgiveness). During Lent, the liturgical frontals (the coloured cloths that hang from the altar, pulpit and lectern) are purple.

12. When is Palm Sunday? It is celebrated the Sunday before Easter.

13. What is the significance of Palm Sunday? It marks the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. In ancient times, the king or ruler of a country would ride the main street of town on a white horse, often triumphing over a conquest.

The crowds would put palm leaves down along the parade route and wave palm branches. Jesus, instead, chose instead the colt of a donkey, to symbolize not his kingliness or his rule over the people, but his role as a servant to the people. The crowds placed palm leaves along the route Jesus took into the city. (Matt 21: 19) 14. What is traditionally given out on Palm Sunday? Crosses made from palm leaves.

15. What is the week before Easter called? Holy Week. It includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

16. When does Lent end?

Maundy Thursday.

17. What does “Maundy” mean?

The word ‘commandment” in Latin is ‘mandautum’, which is where the old English word ‘Maundy’ comes from, and where the word ‘mandate’ originates. This refers to John 13.34:

BRUSSELS

United Church As the pandemic changes our world take comfort in these words “Do not be afraid. Peace. Be Strong now, be strong.” Daniel 10:19

Weekly worship services continue via YouTube “Brussels and Blyth United Churches Contact Alex at minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com Website: brusselsandblythuc.ca P.O. Box 359, Brussels ~ 519-887-6259

MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS

entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save his people from their sins. As terrible as that day was, it had to happen for us to receive the joy of Easter.”

20. What is Holy Saturday? It’s a time of waiting, waiting for the resurrection of Christ. Observant churches will have an Easter Vigil service. ‘Vigil’ comes from the Latin term ‘vigilia’, meaning ‘watch night’. The vigil service begins after sunset on Holy Saturday outside of the church. It begins with the kindling of a fire (signifying the coming of new light) and the Paschal (or Christ) candle is blessed and then Continued on page 19

Brussels Mennonite Fellowship Great News!

God’s not in lockdown!

His love is always there for you.

Your friends at BMF pray that God will continue to keep you safe through these challenging times.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

(Isaiah 41:10)

No in-person services until further notice 250 Princess St., Brussels • 519-887-6388 • Pastor Ken Gazley

The Regional Ministry of Hope Join us for worship on our facebook page or on youtube @ St.Paul’s-Trinity Anglican Church Wingham.

Rev. JoAnn Todd, Rector 519-357-7781 email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca The­Regional­Ministry­of­ Hope

Trinity

St. John’s

BLYTH

BRUSSELS

St. Paul’s Trinity

WINGHAM

COME WORSHIP WITH US!

Blyth United Church As you head into 2021 may you continue to feel loved and safe as our worship services continue via YouTube “Brussels and Blyth United Churches”

The Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Contact Alex at: minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com

Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches blythunited@tcc.on.ca ~ 519-523-4224

Search on YouTube for "St. Andrew's and Melville Sermon" for a new virtual worship every Sunday morning.

Stay safe and healthy!

Brussels Soup and More 2 is cancelled until further notice.

519-357-5273

Join us for our 10:00 am and 7:30 pm livestream services.

Video services can be found by searching on YouTube “Blyth Christian Reformed Church”

Check out our online LifeGroups during lockdown!

huronchapel.com huronchapelkids.com huronchapelyouth.com 119 John’s Ave., Auburn 519-526-1131

“I give you a new commandment (mandautum novum), that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13: 1-17).

18. Why do we wash feet during the Maundy Thursday service?

Jesus showed his love of his disciples by doing the job that the most menial of servants or slaves would have done in his time, washing the feet of those who came into a home; thereby teaching them that no one person is better than or above another.

19. Why is it called ‘Good’ Friday? In English, the origin of the term “Good” is debated: some believe it developed from an older name, ‘God’s Friday.’ Regardless of the origin, the name Good Friday is

BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743

THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH

OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE

CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE

Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m.

17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m.

220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph’s Sunday 11:00 a.m.

1025 Wallace Avenue N.

PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021.

15 years for Clean Water Project

Well done When the Huron County 4-H Association handed out its annual awards in Blyth, Lily Shapton, right, claimed a number of them. She earned the Press Reporter Award, sponsored by The Citizen, the Hill & Hill Limited Award for high junior judge and the CIBC Huron County Branches Award for top overall judge. Handing out the awards that day was Curtis McNeil, president of the Huron County 4-H Leaders’ Association. (Hannah Dickie photo)

With the Huron Clean Water Project celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2020, it offered those behind the project an opportunity to reflect on all that has been accomplished in the county.

Doug Hocking, a water quality specialist with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, spoke to the program at Huron County Council’s Feb. 3 meeting, providing a year in review for 2020 for council.

The program was launched in 2004, he told council, with the first projects being completed in 2005. It is a voluntary Huron County initiative that provides funding and technical assistance for best management practices for farmers, rural residents, cottagers, villagers and more to improve water quality throughout the county.

Delivered by the Ausable Bayfield and Maitland Valley Conservation Authorities, the program is administered by way of a project review committee comprised of Huron County councillors, a citizen

appointee and a representative of the farming community.

Hocking told councillors that 2020 was another successful year for the program, administering 260 approved projects. That, he said, was on par with 2019, meaning that the COVID-19 pandemic did not slow applications at all.

Of the 290 new project applications received in 2020 (compared to 292 in 2019), 260 were approved with the other 30 were denied. With $400,000 allocated to the project for the year from Huron County, the estimated value of the projects that went ahead in the year was just under $1.9 million – a greater than 6:1 matching ratio to the county’s base funding allocation.

Nearly all of the projects (243) were completed in 2020, compared to 251 completed projects in 2019.

Hocking said tree-planting projects accounted for 29 per cent of the approved grants, followed by erosion control at 20 per cent, cover

crop projects at 15 per cent and well projects at nine per cent, accounting for the top four project categories.

These projects, however, were just a drop in the bucket when compared to the success of the program since it began over 15 years ago.

In that time, Hocking told council, the Huron Clean Water Project has supported the completion of 3,172 initiatives with reported projects costs in excess of $13 million.

Since the project’s inception, approved projects include: 864 treeplanting projects, 591 wells decommissioned, 404 wells upgraded, 24,000 acres of cover crops planted, 216 kilometres of windbreaks planted, 273 erosion control projects completed and 99 unused liquid manure storages decommissioned.

Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn congratulated Hocking on the program’s success, saying he has likely completed over 12 projects on his home farm over the years and he believes in it strongly.

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021. PAGE 19.

NH approves plan for hall accessibility ramp

The plan Despite some concerns with cost and having accessible parking on main street, North Huron Township Council approved an accessible ramp project, outlined in red, for the municipality’s town hall in Wingham. A less intensive option was also considered, however it would’ve resulted in bottlenecking pedestrian traffic according to Huron County’s Accessibility Advisory Committee, resulting in a recommendation for the above project. (Image submitted)

By Denny Scott The Citizen North Huron Township Council decided to pursue a more

comprehensive accessible entrance to the municipality’s town hall after being told that funding assistance may not be available for a smaller project.

Council first dealt with the issue at a meeting late last year, however councillors were uncomfortable going forward until the Huron County Accessibility Advisory Committee could be consulted.

During that debate, two options were presented: The first option consisted of a ramp that wrapped around the hall to the north entrance, offering space for users to enter from the parking lot. The second option focuses on the front of the building, seeing a single ramp structure that would service both the centre and north door, creating separate ingress and egress options for those using the ramps.

During council’s Feb. 1 meeting, Clerk Carson Lamb explained that the committee had consulted on the project beforehand and said either option would be sufficient, but that

the second option would be better.

The first option could result in a bottleneck, as there is only one door for both an exit and entrance, Lamb explained, so he also recommended the second option.

He also said the municipality had received a $100,000 grant for the project, and that $60,000 had already been put aside in the budget for the project. He said the total cost of the project could be up to $185,000, meaning the municipality may need to find an additional $25,000 to cover the shortfall.

In his report, Lamb explained that the first option could cost as much as $120,000, but the grant wasn’t issued based on that option, which included changing one interior and one exterior door, it was based on the second option, which would include two exterior doors and one interior door.

“That would be deviating from the scope,” he said. “We would have to give back a portion of the grant and possibly go through the application again.”

Lamb said there was no guarantee the municipality would receive funding if the municipality reapplied.

Councillor Paul Heffer was against the second option for several reasons, including price and the fact that, as it exited on to main street, accessible parking would need to be created there.

“I’m sorry, I think that’s putting a person in a wheelchair at risk,” he said. “I’d prefer [the first option] for

safety alone. I think that was overlooked here.”

Heffer then said he’s there to make decisions for all taxpayers and that the less expensive first option would meet the requirements and be safer.

Councillor Kevin Falconer, who had originally pushed to have the report sent back for comment from the Huron County Accessibility Advisory Committee, said he was in favour of the second option.

Councillor Chris Palmer commented that “the skateboarders are going to love it,” adding council had an opinion, not direction.

In the end, council voted to go ahead with the second option with Heffer and Palmer voting against it.

Happy 1st Birthday Austin (Feb. 13)

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Brighten Their Day with our Celebration Special Single file please The process of getting to and leaving school was different when students returned to school last week, including some strict rules about bus boarding and departure. From left are Ireland Nurse, Lexi Greidanus and Principal Dree Park at the end of a school day last week. (Denny Scott photo)

Holy Saturday explained Continued from page 17 lit from the fire. As the big candle proceeds through the church, those gathered light small candles from the Paschal candle. Baptismal vows are renewed and if there are candidates for baptism, they are baptized this night. In the early church, new adherents were

baptized on this evening, the culmination of their learning about Christianity, their catechesis.

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PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021.

EDO Hawley recounts 2020 at BIA meeting

By Denny Scott The Citizen

As part of the Seaforth Business Improvement Area’s (BIA) recent annual general meeting, Huron East Economic Development Officer Jan Hawley highlighted some of the local initiatives undertaken in the area.

She started with the Digital Main Street program, in which she applied for $20,000 in funding from the province to help several business areas in the municipality, including the BIA. The program, which helps enhance online opportunities for business, includes consulting with a professional to help.

Hawley then highlighted the “Looking Out My Back Door” campaign, which looked to revitalize the alleys behind main street businesses in Seaforth, allowing many buildings to remain accessible during the ongoing construction over the year.

Hawley also highlighted awards and nominations received for efforts pursued, including for the video

aspect of the “Looking Out My Back Door” campaign.

Hawley also published a weekly main street construction newsletter over the construction period to keep the community up to date on the issue.

The community also served as the location for the Fight Unemployment pilot project, which featured #ShiftYourSpend, designed to get people to shop closer to home.

She also highlighted the banners and flower baskets that the BIA had erected with assistance from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and Huron East.

The BIA also worked on signage initiatives to help throughout the construction and the Ontario’s West Coast initiative by Huron County.

Hawley also touted her work welcoming new business ventures to the community and projects for 2021 like updated signage and audio tours through downtown Seaforth.

Hawley then highlighted important information for the members of the BIA, including grant opportunities.

A community that cares In response to the recent COVID-19 outbreak at Seaforth Manor, several area citizens formed “Seaforth Community Cares” to aid the home in its time of need. In just a few days, the group raised over $3,000 to purchase food and other items for the home. Bryan Vincent of the group, right, recently delivered food to the home, purchased at Seaforth Foodland (owner Kevin Baer, is pictured at left). Residents are now decorating their homes in support of Seaforth Manor and the Seaforth Lions Club is receiving cheques for the group and placing them in an account at the town’s branch of TD Bank. (Photo submitted)

NH moves on park

By Denny Scott The Citizen

staff had suggested the land should be high-density residential, though he was content with council receiving expressions of interest with plans to better steer the future of the land.

“Personally, I like fourplexes like what’s happened in Blyth,” he said.

“That suits there.”

He said that the higher-density residential classification of R3 encompasses too wide a range of buildings.

“We need a discussion as to what would be our preference,” he said.

Through discussion, council was told the R2 designation, which has been used on several different developments in the municipality, allows single detached or multiplexes, while R3 doesn’t allow single detached homes.

Council approved a motion to have BM Ross and Associations work towards submitting applications for official plan and zoning bylaw amendments and further that the land be declared surplus. The motion also called for staff to receive expressions of interest and negotiate terms and conditions of potential offers to be brought before council at a future meeting.

North Huron Council took the next step towards having the Wingham trailer park turned into space for residential development during its Feb. 1 meeting.

After a request for a report on the progress of converting the site from a seasonal campground into shovelready residential land came forward during recent budget meetings, Chief Administrative Officer Dwayne Evans laid out a recommendation that will have the land available for sale in the near future.

“The development community has and continues to express an interest in these lands and it is recommended council declare the lands surplus and invite ‘expressions of interest’ and offers of purchase and authorize staff to negotiate terms and conditions to be included as part of any purchase and sale agreement considered by council,” Evans stated in his report.

The lands, which still need to be rezoned and have their designation changed in the official plan, are currently identified as open space with special provisions that allow the campground to operate there.

While council is pushing forward with the project, Evans reminded councillors that there are still complications to be addressed and the entirety of the lands can’t just be sold. He said access to an easement between the property and the Wingham branch of the Royal Canadian Legion needs to be retained, the community trail goes through part of the land and there is a Union Gas structure located there as well.

That said, Evans suggested appointing BM Ross and Associates as agents for submitting Local photographer Liz Allan caught applications to work towards preparing the this cardinal recently. Share your land for development. nature photos with the citizen by eThe review came after mail reporter@northhuron.on.ca.

Councillor Chris Palmer (Photo courtesy of Liz Allan of the Maitland Valley expressed concern that Camera Club)

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