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50 cents (+GST) Circulation 22,500 Wednesday, October 8, 2008 36 Pages www.independentfreepress.com Jaguars roll over Georgetown rivals in senior boys football action Page 16 Candidates meet several times Page 8 Around town ...in pictures Page 9 Trail sign unveiling turns sour Page 3 INSIDE Downtown Georgetown was the place to be Saturday if you were the least bit hungry as International Flavours A Taste of Historic Downtown Georgetown was held. Katrina Maheu of Georgetown and daughter Claire, 3, enjoyed a chocolate mousse at The Cellar. Passports were sold in advance so participants could sample the food at several down- town Georgetown eateries. Pro- ceeds from the event went to the Georgetown Hospital and George- town Bread Basket. For more pho- tos see page 9. Photo by Calvin Dyke Editorial 6 Rick Bonnette 7 Entertainment 15 Sports 16, 17 Calendar 18, 20 Classifieds 21, 22 The Town will soon begin considering ways of increasing population in the Georgetown core. For details about a pub- lic meeting see Fridays edition. FRIDAY... REFINANCING? PURCHASING? BOB WOODS Mortgage Specialist (905) 877-1490 *Rate subject to change 360 Guelph St., Georgetown 5.25% 5 YR FIXED (905) 873-1655 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown APPLE Auto Glass Truck Accessories Upholstery Heavy Equipment Glass Window Tinting GEORGETOWN CHRYSLER We handle all insurance work. Georgetown Kia 905-877-7818 The Power to SurpriseTM 2 Locations 314 Guelph St. (Hwy. 7) Superstore Open Sundays 199 Guelph St. 905-877-8375 See us fo r de ta i l s ! 3 FREE LEASE PAYMENTS ON ANY NEW 2009 MODEL. For breaking news go to: www.independentfreepress.com Halton Hills award-winning newspaper Enjoying a taste of the downtown An early all-candidates debate Friday morn- ing was marked more by the dismal turnout of local businesspeople than by the blasolitical point-making by the candidates. Discounting local politicians and chamber staff, less than 20 people turned out to hear four of the five Wellington-Halton Hills candi- dates who attended the breakfast meeting, organized by the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce at the North Halton Golf and Country Club. The four candidates were Brent Bouteiller (Green), Bruce Bowser (Liberal), MP Michael Chong (Conservative) and Jeffery Streutker (Christian Heritage). NDP representative Noel Duignan sent his regrets. However, being as it was a Chamber event, the candidates did focus on their economic platforms. Plus, with the Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette, a few Town councillors/staff and Halton Region chair Gary Carr in atten- dance, municipal infrastructure funding became a recurring theme throughout the early morning speeches and question and answer session. All candidates supported an infusion of cash to aid municipal budgets on infrastructure funding. Bouteiller pointed to the Green policy of revising the current grant system to a fairer process via a long-term pool funded through RRSPs and 1 per cent of the GST. Bowser and Chong outlined their parties plans: $70 billion over 10 years (Liberal) and $60 billion over 6-7 years (Conservative). Streutker suggested a post-Second World War program that provided interest-free loans to municipalities that were repaid over the long-term. All of the candidates were basically on the same page when it came to Sustainable Halton with Bowser calling it the number issue hes hearing when door-knocking. The candidates supported more intensification of housing in current population centres such as Toronto and Mississauga, before moving to expand in other municipal borders. Chong and Bouteiller added that funding for mass transit (bus and rail) is critical for the success of any growth plan. But few businesspeople turn out to listen Candidates outline economic policies See CHAMBER, pg. 8 CYNTHIA GAMBLE Staff Writer