The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

OPINION Last-minute gift ideas Dear Santa, With the hours ticking down to Christmas Day we thought we'd send you a last-minute wish list for some newsmakers from the past year. Some have been naughty; some have been nice. We'll leave it to you to decide which is which. A drawing board for Prime Minister Stephen Harper so he has something to go back to in an effort to rethink his government's environmental strategy. A mirror for new Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion to watch his back now that he named leadership runner-up Michael Ignatieff his deputy leader. A second chance for Halton Catholic District School Board officials to rethink their decision not to join Halton Region, Halton District School Board and Halton Regional Police in their bid to construct a Region Campus for all four organizations. A big bowl of stability for the Georgetown Raiders' Jr. A hockey team which goes through coaches the way Paris Hilton goes through boyfriends. Earplugs for Halton Hills councillors and staffers who are likely to get an earful from local sports groups when the Town gets down to the nitty-gritty in its recreational facilities study next year, not to mention its budget. A phone book for Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong who obviously has forgotten this newspaper's number. It's great to make a national splash by resigning your seat over a matter of principle, but the likeable young MP should remember he owed a direct explanation for his actions-- through the local media-- to the people who elected him. A press release doesn't cut it. The nation's support and a safe return home (whenever that may be) to our troops in Afghanistan. A new record player for Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh to play his "All Liberals are evil" album on. Perhaps with a new player his broken record of a column might sound somewhat fresh. A round of applause and a pat on the back to all the volunteers in Halton Hills who have given time and energy to a wide array of causes. These selfless individuals have worked tirelessly to make this community better for all of us. A hefty raise for Liberal and Conservative MPPs for the hard work they do on behalf of their constituents year-round and to bring their pay to a level of other politicians. Wait, scratch that idea Santa...they took care of it themselves. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR MPPs don't warrant 25% pay increase Dear editor, Poor Mr. Ted Chudleigh, I really feel sorry for you to have to try and make ends meet in this day and age with a pathetic salary of only $88,771. I mean this equates to an embarrassing $44 an hour for someone who works 40 hours a week. I am not sure what the math is in your case, given the tax breaks that elected officials receive and the summer and winter shutdowns that you enjoy, but it is probably safe to say it would work out in excess of $50-plus an hour. As I sit here and try to comprehend your justification for a 25% salary increase a thought comes to mind as to what it must be like on your planet. Do you actually think that anyone with an IQ greater than a soap dish will buy into your theory that in order to get "good talent" we need to pay someone $110,775 a year? An MPP does not offer the same value-added services that a policeman, fireman, doctor, caregiver, etc. does. You folks give us... let me see... hold on it will come to me eventually.... I give up! I cannot figure out where your value-added services come close to anything that all the previously mentioned careers offer at far less pay. Oh, I remember now, you were on the committee 8-10 years ago to investigate the collusion of gas prices. Well now that worked out well as we see there have been no changes there. If you do not like your job, do the public a favour and quit. Just stop hitting the taxpayers for a job not well done. Craig Gray, Georgetown `God bless Canada' Dear editor, (Re: Dear PM: Leave God out of your speeches, Nov. 10 letter) I have an idea. Let's leave God, and his son Jesus Christ, out of everything we do, say and celebrate. We can do it all on our own, in our own strength and human power. Let's just see how we do. Welcome to our Canada, my what a fabulous job we've done. Merry Christmas-- oops, sorry can't say that. Easter? What's the point? There's a baby being born-- who cares? Why did we let that one live? Marriage? Oh, that doesn't mean anything. How many murdered now? Hey, that's a record! Thanksgiving? Thanks to whom and for what? Thank God for naïve, praying Canadians (including PMs) who want to see this country flourish and become an example of health, safety, peace and freedom. And thank God He never gets overwhelmed or tired by the prayers of His people. God keep our land glorious and free. God bless Canada. Marie Kroeker, Georgetown Where are the Canadian flags, reader asks Dear editor, While driving around the countryside it is unbelievable how many homes have a foreign flag flying but no Canadian flag. Are these homeowners ignorant? Don't they have any respect or pride in their adopted country? I passed one home with a small Canadian flag at the top with a much lower Ontario flag lower down. Another home had four different foreign flags but Canada was not represented. I am sure the United Nations in New York, even with their differences of opinion about American foreign policy still respects the host country. Recently I passed one home with two foreign flags of the same size but no Canadian flag. Another home had a large foreign flag and a very small Canadian flag. From what I know of the residents of these homes they are hard-working immigrants who deserve the homes they acquired and are an asset to Canada. However, they could never have accumulated their wealth in their homeland so there is no excuse for not giving Canada the respect it deserves and giving the Canadian flag prominence. I wonder what would be said in these other countries if Canadians flew only our flag and did not show respect for the host country? If people do not like Canada why do they stay here and for that matter, why did they come here? Frank Spingola, Erin