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6 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday,September 6, 2011 OPINION Life-saving shows An upcoming musical celebration of life will give Halton residents an opportunity to openly discuss a topic that's not easily talked about-- suicide. Saturday, Sept. 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day and in recognition of that the Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition, along with volunteers from Compassion and Peace and Canadian Mental Health Association-Halton Region Branch, have organized Live4Life: Concert for a Cause. Live4Life is intended to bring together a diverse range of musical talents in order to draw more attention to suicide in Halton. Four venues in Halton, including The Roxy at 6 Mill St. in Acton (from 11:30-5 p.m.), will host a total of 13 musical acts during the day intended to bring more attention to the social problem that claims more than two dozen Halton lives every year. We applaud all of the musicians who will be volunteering their time and talents to make Live4Life a successful event both musically and socially. In Halton today, suicide statistics remain both startling and frightening. They include: · 30 suicide deaths occur each year on average in Halton · In Halton there are more than 420 hospitalizations each year from attempted suicides · Halton Regional Police receives, on average, one call per day related to suicide Organizers of Live4Life hope that by keeping people talking about suicide the statistics can be dramatically reduced and lives saved. "This event is important as it will hopefully reduce some of the stigma associated with suicide," said Jenna Masciantonio of the Canadian Mental Health Association's Halton Region branch and one of the organizers of Live4Life. For more information about the concert's schedule, and the organizations involved in putting Live4Life together, visit www.live4life. ca. 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@theifp.ca) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@theifp.ca) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@theifp.ca) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@theifp.ca) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@theifp.ca) Letters policy Letters must include an address and daytime phone 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. Email: jmcghie@theifp.ca Steve Nease Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Letters to the editor Liberal's tribute was selective Dear editor, Re: Murray Gold's lovely tribute to Dalton McGuinty and his band of merry Liberals (Sept. 1 letter, McGuinty fixed Tory problems). He fails to mention the massive debt (doubled since they took power) that the Liberals have foisted upon us. He fails to mention the $1 billion McGuinty wasted on ehealth and he fails to mention how spending has increased over 70 per cent on McGuinty's watch. There is also no mention of the incredible lack of leadership on the Caledonia issues. By continually referencing a party that hasn't been in power for a decade shows how desperate the Liberals are to hide their massive failings. Why didn't McGuinty make the HST an election issue? No guts. Why did he tell us he would never raise taxes? He's a proven liar. Why did he not tell us he will make us a "have not" province? Mr. Gold mentions the $5.7 billion deficit McGuinty was left with, compared to the $14 billion deficit this year. Kind of makes you long for the old days. Any government can increase taxes and debt, it's a good government that doesn't! Greg Thoms, Georgetown Mike Harris years remembered fondly Dear editor, Steve Ferris' August 30 letter (Harris years invoke many bad memories) is filled with the same half-truths and outright lies that Mike Harris-haters have been spewing for years, including the following: Lie--Harris cut $800 million from the health care budget. Truth­ Between 1995 and 2002 Harris increased health care spending by $6 billion. (Source: Ontario Ministry of Finance website) Half-truth-- Harris cut income tax by 30%. (This makes it sound like he reduced government revenue). Whole truth-- Between 1995 and 2002 Ontario government revenue increased by $16 billion (a 50% increase), because the cut in tax rates helped spur economic growth. (Source: Ontario Ministry of Finance website) Harris also turned Bob Rae's $8 billion deficit into a surplus by 1999 and produced three balanced budgets. So yes Steve, truthful, well informed Ontarians are nostalgic for the good old days of Mike Harris. Mike Baker, Georgetown Theft of bicycle `saddens' resident Dear editor, We have lived here most of our lives and have always felt it is a small town of people with great values. So it saddens us to know that recently someone felt it necessary to steal the "Black Free Agent BMX" bicycle attached to our trailer belonging to one of our children. It may not seem like much to some, however, it is huge to the child who saves for months to help purchase the bicycle they want. This has left us a lot less enchanted with the town and neighbourhood we live in. It's our hope that if someone sees the bike and knows it doesn't belong to them, it would be returned. Rick Wilson, Georgetown WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.independentfreepress.com) The Halton Catholic District School Board is installing video security cameras in all its high schools. Do you support the use of security cameras in high schools? · Yes (88%) · No (12%) 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.