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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, Ju ly 19 ,2 01 8 | 6 The Georgetown Independent & Free Press, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corpora- tion. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. The Independent & Free Press is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the newspaper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@theifp.ca IndependentAndFreePress @IFP_11 ABOUT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 905-234-1016 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncanadiancham- pion.com or call 905-234-1019. CONTACT US VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague General Manager Steve Foreman Retail Advertising Manager Cindi Campbell Regional Managing Editor Chris Vernon Regional Managing Digital Editor Robyn Wilkinson Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Classified/Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Production Shelli Harrison WHO WE ARE OPINION • EDITORIAL • • LETTERS & COMMENTARY • Electoral reform idea not practical says reader Re: Electoral Reform- How on earth would find- ing "a way to vote for some- one you like who is run- ning but not necessarily that party" work in prac- tice? You could get the per- son you like as premier, but with some other party hav- ing a majority in the legis- lature. Cabinet ministers appointed by the premier would be constantly under- mined and overruled by the majority of MPPs. The only plus to that would be that the politi- cians and premier would be so busy fighting each other, they wouldn't have time to be able to actually do anything to us! In my opinion, the closest we could hope to get to a rea- sonable system would be one using proportional representation. As all three of our established parties are in lockstep re- garding "multicultural- ism", "diversity" and "in- clusiveness," that would provide an opportunity for us dissenters to gain a voice in provincial af- fairs, at least. Jeff Goodall A nation is far more than a flag says reader I have relatives and friends in the United States and have spent Ju- ly 4 with them on occa- sions ... and am left with the impression they cele- brate a fantasy. They have a nation ravaged by rac- ism, widespread poverty, political corruption and social injustice where black athletes kneel rath- er than stand for that hal- lowed flag. And yes, it would be nice to see more flags on Canada Day but while the States strives to portray itself as a melting pot where all are blended and equal, the fallacy leaves them honouring and cele- brating a singular unity that has never existed there. Canada is more like a stew with every ingredi- ent maintaining a distinc- tive difference that is per- petuated as a component of an ongoing feast and Canadians are able to qui- etly celebrate a real fu- ture made safer, stronger and more secure by its "powerfully diverse na- ture." We are quiet and polite, we try to help oth- ers and we have friends all over the world. The States has enemies all over the world and seems to make new ones every day. A little patriotism goes a long way and a na- tion is much more than a flag. Cavan Gostlin l MORE ONLINE Read all our published letters at theifp.ca Letters See what our readers are saying about the issues that matter to them theifp.ca/letters Every year there are numerous reminders not to leave young children and pets in cars in the hot sum- mer weather, yet every summer you can count on chil- dren and pets being found alone inside cars in the scorching heat. There's already been a fatality involving a child who had been left alone in a sweltering car this summer when a Montreal father left his toddler in a car all day after forgetting to drop the child off at a daycare centre last month. And, in May, a three-year-old boy left unattended in a hot car in Burlington died after being exposed to high temperatures for a prolonged length of time. A Burling- ton man faces charges in connection with the incident. Just last week, a woman in the northeastern Ontario town of Temiskaming Shores was charged after Onta- rio Provincial Police officers rescued a child locked in a hot car. Although there are no similar statistics for Canada, so far in the U.S., 20 children have died as a conse- quence of being left in hot vehicles. The yearly average is 37 of these child fatalities in the U.S. According to the Canadian Safety Council, extreme heat affects infants and small children more quickly and dramatically than adults because of their size. The core temperature of infants and small children can increase three to five times faster than that of an adult. Heatstroke, or hyperthermia, occurs when the body's core temperature reaches 40.5 C (105 F). As for pets, SPCAs across Canada receive hundreds of reports of pets being left in cars every year, accord- ing to the No Hot Pets website (www.nohotpets.ca). The Ontario SPCA recently issued a reminder to pet owners about the dangers of leaving pets unattended in vehi- cles. Leaving pets at home where they are cool and safe is the best option during hot summer weather, the On- tario SPCA advises. The Ontario SPCA is asking the public to share the dangers of leaving pets in vehicles using the hashtag #nohotpets on social media. On the No Hot Pets web- site, there is a pledge the public can take to never leave an animal in a vehicle and to report it if you see it hap- pen. There is really no good reason for leaving a child or pet in a hot vehicle. Can we state this any more clearly? Don't do it. It only takes a few minutes for a vehicle to heat up under summer weather conditions. And, a few minutes of high heat inside a vehicle can prove deadly to kids and pets alike. No good reason to leave children, pets in hot vehicles