Editorials - Oct. 17, 2025
The price of peace
They said it couldn’t be done. And yet, here we are. There is relative peace in the Middle East. A ceasefire agreement with Donald Trump at its centre has many breathing a collective sigh of relief. And while it’s hard not to see the optimism in hostages being returned to their families, with all that has gone down, few believe there will be a lasting peace.
The situation is fraught with contradictions. Trump - always eager for attention and pathetically desperate for a Nobel Peace Prize - has been quick to take credit for this “peace” even as he has done about everything in his power to disrupt order both between nations and within his own. And then there’s the question of who exactly is left to benefit from this alleged peace. Over 70,000 people are said to have died in this conflict, over 68,000 of whom were Palestinian, many of them civilians and an estimated 20,000 of them were children. Somewhere between 200 and 250 journalists, many of them Palestinian, have been killed by Israel (like the earlier figure, estimates vary greatly). It feels like brokering peace between Mike Tyson and Michael Spinks in 1988 somewhere between Spinks confusedly crawling around the ring and him falling headfirst out of it after Tyson’s second knockdown in 91 seconds.
The biggest issue of all, however, is what comes next. Sure, the world is relieved that the killing will, at least for a time, come to an end, but what now? Many nations, including Canada, have recognized Palestinian statehood. It is also the opinion of many that Israel carried out genocide in Gaza (Benjamin Netanyahu has been charged with war crimes by the International Criminal Court, after all). Then there will be the question of where Hamas - designated as a terrorism organization by Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and others - ends and a potential Palestinian state begins.
This editorial board does not profess to have expertise in a conflict that has festered for generations. And while there is relief to be found in an end to the violence, more questions than answers may remain. – SL
Left behind
Next May, it appears, will be the end of an era in Brussels as the CIBC branch - the lone bank in the village - will close its doors. Blyth went through this exact process a number of years ago and, despite protestations from locals and inverted cries for consideration - “Won’t someone think of the seniors?” - CIBC, which boosted its net income from $5 billion in 2023 to $7.2 billion in 2024, closed the branch anyway, leaving a bank-sized hole on its main street.
Most retail spaces come and go all the time, especially in small towns. It’s never easy and it’s always a shame to see a storefront sit empty and people lose their jobs, but it is, unfortunately, part of life. Certain institutions, however - a bank, a newspaper, a post office, a grocery store, an arena - are legs that prop up a community. When one or more gets chopped out, it gets more difficult for it to stand.
Local residents, businesses and service clubs, once fiercely loyal to their home bank, will now be told to look elsewhere as once again a large, national corporation turns its back on the people of rural Ontario, who can’t help but feel that they’re being left behind. – SL
For the children
When the Well Community Collective Youth Wellness Hub officially opened at the Goderich Kinsmen Centre last week, it marked both a milestone for Huron County and the culmination of years of quiet, determined work - work that owes much to Shannon McGavin.
McGavin has long championed the cause of improving mental health access for rural youth. While many projects begin with ambition but struggle to take root, she persisted, often beyond the bounds of a typical job description, forging partnerships and navigating complex systems to bring her vision to life. Her leadership was the linchpin that helped translate community goodwill into a functional resource.
The hub is not simply a building. It is a statement that young people in Huron County deserve support close to home. Under McGavin’s direction, the Well Collective sought to integrate services, including mental health, education, employment and recreation, so that youth do not have to face barriers or travel long distances just to get help. Her approach was never about creating yet another program, but about weaving together existing strengths in the community into something more cohesive and responsive. The hub also reflects a broader commitment to inclusion, equity and reconciliation, ensuring that all youth, regardless of background, can access care in a safe environment.
McGavin’s emphasis from the outset has been on collaboration. She helped unite municipal officials, service providers, volunteers, donors and youth voices around a shared purpose. She has challenged the notion that rural settings limit what is possible for mental health support, instead insisting that rural communities can lead in innovation and care.
Youth now have a place to connect, access help before crisis strikes, regain hope and build relationships with supportive adults. This signals a future where youth are valued, heard and empowered to thrive. – SBS