Own your opinion

I love living in Canada.

In Canada, we have the right to freedom of expression, as laid out in Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In fact, any of the rights in this section of the charter have been deemed fundamental freedoms.

The fundamental freedoms are freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of belief, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.

It is because of this section of the charter that Canadians can enjoy many of the things we do, such as gathering at a church or community event, having open conversations without fear of being sent to Siberia, or reading newspapers such as this one.

Of course, there are some limitations – hate speech, for one, is not tolerated. Nor is obscenity.

However, it is because of this freedom of expression that some of a newspaper’s most popular pages –the opinion pages – exist.

These pages go by different names in different publications, but quality opinion pages have much in common. There is usually a cartoon that tackles a hot topic in society; an editorial piece, written by one of

Turnbacks

Ten Years Ago

2012 – The seventh annual Relay For Life event took place in North Perth, surpassing $800,000 raised over the years.

Listowel’s Zellers location closed, while Livingstone Manor celebrated 100 years.

LDSS student Erin Katerberg won gold at OFSAA in junior girls’ high jump.

Twenty Years Ago

2002 – Rod Martin from LDSS won gold at Skills Canada in Vancouver. Over 650 students from across the country competed in 39 skilled trades and techno- the newspaper’s staffers that reflects the stance of the paper on an issue; opinion columns, where staff reporters or contributors weave a wonderful web of words to give their opinion on a local topic of interest, or tell a funny story; and letters to the editor, where you – the reader – present your thoughts on a local issue or a story that appeared in the paper.

Personally, I love receiving letters to the editor – both positive and negative – because it tells me that people are reading and paying attention. It also gives me an idea of what issues readers are engaged in.

Locally, the proposed deep geological repository in South Bruce is a bone of contention with many. We’ve published letters from both sides – those for and those against – as we believe that everyone has their right to their opinion.

Most recently, the flying of the Pride flag and other Pride decorations has rubbed some the wrong way.

In Minto, Pride decorations on Palmerston’s Main Street have been damaged or removed. In Wingham, at least one resident has called on North Huron council to not fly the Pride flag this month. In fact, the logical competitions.

A foursome of doctors – Russell Latuskie, John Conners, Rex Warren and Barry Neable – was the first group to play the new nine at the Listowel Golf Club.

Thirty Years Ago flag pole in front of town hall in Wingham was damaged prior to the Pride flag being raised, leading to some last minute MacGyvering by municipal staff to ensure the flag raising could take place.

1992 – Chris Long of LDSS placed second in long jump at the all-Ontario track meet.

Local officers raised $2,500 in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics.

Al Walters was named Male Athlete of the Year by the Ontario Broomball Association.

Other communities, such as North Perth, are flying the Pride flag at the municipal office for the first time this year. And even that decision was not without opposition – not the flying of the flag, but rather flying it at the municipal office.

Personally, I think it’s great that our communities are flying the Pride flag for the month of June.

I also think it’s great that we fly the flag for the Terry Fox Run, Crime Stoppers, or any other local organization or special interest group that requests it. As long as the flag is not racist or associated with a hate crime, let it fly.

With that said, I know that not everyone agrees with me on this stance.

I received a letter to the editor the other day regarding the Pride flag flying in Wingham. The letter writer provided their reasoning as to why the flag should be removed, and proceeded to tell me to stop “shoving” Pride down their throat. The writer proceeded to end their letter by saying, “I think you won’t print this in your paper.”

They are right. Not because I don’t agree with their viewpoint, but because they didn’t include their name and contact information as required by our letters to the editor policy.

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Forty Years Ago

1982 – Michelle Bartman of Gowanstown placed first in senior soprano and sacred solo at the Midwestern Ontario Rotary Music Fest in Walkerton.

Wallace P.S. students performed the musical Calamity Jane Henry and Eleanor Brown opened a chip wagon in a yellow bus, which they moved around town throughout the day.

Fifty Years Ago

1972 – Members of the Listowel and District Ministerial Association spent several weeks constructing a bandstand in Memorial Park.

Atwood Presbyterian Church had its largest confirmation class ever, as 20 young people from the area officially joined the local church.

A Scottish woman on exchange with the Junior Farmers said that Canada’s greatest asset was “the friendly people.”

Sixty Years Ago

1962 – Building permits passed the $1 million mark, more than the entire previous year.

The Listowel Tennis Club reduced its annual membership fee from $3 to $1, hoping this would increase membership with both new and occasional players.