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6 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, July 22, 2010 OPINION Bravo, CT! Some random musings on current events as we enter the dog (-gone hot) days of summer · A round of applause to Canadian Tire Corporation for being the first major retailer to denounce the Ontario government's seriously flawed eco-fees scheme. The popular retailer pulled no punches in its criticism of the implementation of the fees and the government's handling of the mess. Less than 24 hours after calling out the Province, the government withdrew the fees and said it will spend the next 90 days trying to come up with a better system. · Conrad Black gets out of prison; Lindsay Lohan goes in. In either case, why should we care? · Area residents should heed the Town's and Conservation Halton's warning about handling giant hogweed. This large plant (six feet tall at maturity) has been known to cause serious burns if handled and its clear sap can also blind a person. If you find some on your property contact a licensed weed removal company to get rid of it. · Several weeks ago we lamented the fact no new faces had signed up to run in this fall's municipal election. Now, with roughly eight weeks to go before the nomination deadline of Sept. 10, there are races in two wards and for the public school board trustee position. Hopefully more names will soon be added to the candidates' list. · Qther municipalities, particularly those in the Golden Horseshoe, should follow Halton's lead in calling on the Province to provide intervener funding when it comes to implementing the Province's growth plan. Mayor Rick Bonnette took the lead on this issue last week at the Region, saying the Province should pick up the tab for costly Ontario Municipal Board appeals that are sure to come once the growth plan is implemented. Having municipalities foot the bill for those appeals--to a provincial plan-- is simply wrong. 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@independentfreepress.com) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@independentfreepress.com) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@independentfreepress.com) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@independentfreepress.com) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@independentfreepress.com) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@independentfreepress.com) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@independentfreepress.com) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@independentfreepress.com) WEB POLL RESULTS The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association says 2010 is the hottest year since records began being kept in 1880 and worldwide temperatures have been rising for the past 100 years. Does this trend disturb you? · No (45%) · Yes (55%) Go to www.independentfreepress.com Steve Nease Letters to the editor Mill restoration should be simple Dear editor, Re: Barber Mill site. How nice of the Sierra Club of Peel to have their nose in our town's business. I suppose the thousands of animals using this natural corridor use the other side of the river just like the last hundred or more years the mill has been there. And a paper museum too! Wow, perhaps we could create some former-gas-station-now-vacantlot museums along Guelph St. as well. The Credit Valley Heritage Society says they have cultural concerns about developing this property. Can anyone tell me what this means? Everlast wants to develop this property to make money, just like we all go to work each day for. Is there anything wrong with this? They want to spend millions on what looks like a terrific project on what is now a massive chain-linked eyesore in our town because they believe the project is viable. Let them do this and, if successful, give them the vacant gas station lots next, instead of the "natural habitat" of concrete blocks, fence and weeds that exist on them now. We have a chance to have a nice tourist destination along the Credit River that will bring people, jobs and tax revenue to our town. It all seems so simple, why does it have to be so complicated? Ray Eckert, Georgetown conception. We are all living proof of this... look in the mirror. Tony Smyth, Georgetown Cyclist offers thanks Dear editor, On July 2, I was the victim of a hit and run accident while cycling with my husband along 15 Sideroad. I want to thank the four Good Samaritans who stopped to help. I don't remember your kind deeds, but I am very grateful for all the help you gave my husband by calling the ambulance and providing comfort and shade while we waited. I want to thank the paramedics and the staff at Georgetown Hospital for their speed and thorough attentive care. A special thanks to Dr. Blair and nurse Michelle. I also want to encourage everyone to wear a helmet when cycling. Without my helmet I am certain I would have suffered either severe head trauma or death. Finally, to the driver of the van who hit me, paused and then continued on their way; what a cowardly, despicable thing to do. The measure of a person is not in the mistakes they make, but in how they handle those mistakes. Karen Boothroyd, Larry Biggin and family, Georgetown Clause needs changing Dear editor, Re: Recent editorial, Looking for answers, about abortion's renewed prominence in the media. Pro-lifers have been on Parliament Hill regularly reminding our elected governments that abortion is unacceptable. The national arch for life each May has been mostly disregarded by the secular media. Yes, our prime minister is maybe deciding to not allow our foreign aid grants to pay for abortions or counselling abortions. In Canada our tax dollars and medical insurance programs should not be paying for this. Science has proven that we are born and start to live and grow from conception. As a result, our government needs to change the clause that says a person is a human being at birth to say that a person is a human being at Letters to the editor policy Letters must include an address and daytime telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. E-mail: jmcghie@independentfreepress.com Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. The Independent & Free Press The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.