Editorials - May 2, 2025

It is important to remember that “government” is not an entity unto itself. It is a creation of the public to administer the needs and wants of a community by pooling its resources to provide the things that we’ve agreed are important to our society: roads, water, sewage, hospitals, education, etc, etc. We elect a few good people from that society to oversee it, and then hire people to do the work. A municipality needs to remember that it is not a company providing a service for which we can go elsewhere. We rely on it for our everyday needs.

 

Two recent fumbles by the Township of North Huron have been poorly communicated to its constituents. In fact, the township staff has been dismissive in hearing concerns. First there was the tax grab earlier in the year with virtually no communication to the people who had large sums of money accidentally (and temporarily) removed from their bank accounts with no apology or notification. Now the transition to monthly billing has been bungled with no communication or offer of explanation. Water and sewage bills in January explained that the first flat rate invoice would be received in February. No such invoices were received, instead invoices were issued on April 17 with a “catch-up” schedule of twice-monthly billing and payments, with a request for patience.

 

Without active and engaged communication, bureaucracies begin to operate in a silo and citizens lose trust in both the staff and politicians that they have entrusted to keep our communities running efficiently, safely and in a cost-effective manner. The Township of North Huron needs a more effective strategy to stay in touch with constituents. – DS

There are many takeaways from Monday’s historic federal election. Mark Carney is our Prime Minister. Some ridings remain too close to call. The NDP has been largely decimated and Jagmeet Singh has stepped down. While Conservative golden child Pierre Poilievre made inroads in Ontario, he couldn’t even win his own riding. Conservative Ben Lobb won the Huron-Bruce riding for a historic sixth time. But, a one-off comment made during CBC’s election night coverage (and likely elsewhere) may have stuck with voters just as much as some of those takeaways - that we could return to the polls later this year.

 

Cue that famous Michael Jordan clip. “Stop it. Get some help.” The last thing Ontarians will want to do after two elections in three months is do it all over again. Not only does it cheapen the exercise in which we all just participated, but it undermines this democracy of ours. On Monday, Canadians made their choice clear with the largest turnout in nearly 40 years. Now, Prime Minister Carney, his Liberals, Poilievre, his Conservatives and the rest of the MPs owe us. We deserve to see this government try its damnedest to make it work; to get along, to reach across the aisle, to unite in service of a common goal and to find a way to make this government productive just as it is.

 

With challenges at home and threats from abroad, now is not the time for petty games and partisan whining, it is the time to pull together as Canadians, to protect this beautiful country of ours and its people and to help make life safe, prosperous and stable for Canadians. We deserve it and we have spoken. Politicians, from Carney to Poilievre to Lobb to whomever all owe it to us to listen. – SL 

The Student Art Show at the Blyth Festival Art Gallery is more than just a display of talent, it is a full-hearted celebration of creativity, community and the seasonal turning of the tide. As winter’s hold finally begins to loosen, this annual event never fails to feel like a breath of springtime itself: fresh, hopeful and full of the promise of growth.

 

The depth of talent and originality that local students bring to this exhibition is simply astounding. Each piece, whether bold, subtle, joyful or unsettling, bears witness to the imagination and voice of a new generation of artists. To walk through the gallery is to be reminded of the power of young people to surprise, provoke and inspire.

 

But this show does not appear out of thin air. While it is easy to be dazzled by the final result, it’s important to acknowledge the effort behind the scenes that makes this event what it is. At the heart of it all is Exhibition Committee Chair Kelly Stevenson, who works exhaustively to ensure these shows are not only mounted professionally, but that they also reflect the vitality and seriousness that student work deserves. There are others who assist, and the talent of our local students is undeniable, but the cultural scene in Blyth is indebted to Stevenson’s steady, staggering vision and unrelenting dedication. She has been a cornerstone in making art both accessible and challenging in this community.

 

As spring returns and the village begins to stretch and yawn its way out of hibernation, this show reminds us of what lies beneath the frost: renewal, inspiration and a profound creative spirit. For that, we thank the young artists who share their work, and Stevenson, without whom this beautiful burst of spring would not shine nearly as brightly. – SBS