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

6 ·The IFP· Halton Hills ·Tuesday, April 24, 2012 OPINION Elmer says Three times this month a child has been involved in a collision with a vehicle in Acton. One young girl was seriously injured when she ran out onto the road between parked cars, another Acton girl was knocked down, but not injured, when crossing the road, and the third, a boy riding his bike on the sidewalk, ran into the side of car. As a result Halton Police sent a police constable to McKenzie-Smith Bennett School yesterday to review the rules of the road with the students. It's something that all parents should do with their children. For generations, Elmer the Safety Elephant from the Canada Safety Council, has been offering his Traffic Safety Rules: 1. Look all ways before you cross the street. Cars drive very fast and you must be very sure it is safe, before crossing. 2. Keep away from parked cars. People driving cars can't see people in between other cars. They expect people to be at corners. 3. Ride your bike safely. Obey signs and signals. Use proper signals to turn and stop. Cyclists must obey all Highway Traffic Act traffic laws including stop/traffic signs, traffic lights, right of way etc. 4. Play in a safe place away from the street. Streets are for cars. Parks are for playing. You can also play safe in your yard with mom or dad. 5. Walk when you cross the street. It is easier for the drivers of the vehicles to see you. It is also safer so that you don't fall down. 6.Where there is no sidewalk, walk on the left, facing traffic. Of course, it is always best to use a sidewalk. Additional motorist and cyclist safety tips are available online at www.haltonpolice.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 Anonymous letters will not be published.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 Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Steve Nease Vote against budget is a vote against Hospital expansion Dear editor, I read with interest Ted Arnott's column (April 10, MPP can't support budget) where he explained his reasons for not supporting the Provincial Budget. Arnott states that the budget contains no effective jobs plan. Obviously, he is unaware what has been going on in the Legislature. The McGuinty government has been addressing job creation using detailed legislation specifically focused on that objective. As a result, Ontario has the highest rate of new job creation in Canada and has been internationally recognized for that achievement. Mr. Arnott has voted against all job creation bills such as the recent South West Ontario Development Fund bill, as well as the highly successful Eastern Ontario Development Fund. Mr. Arnott also states that spending is continuing to rise and that the budget maintains a deficit. He fails to acknowledge the long-term financial plan to eliminate the deficit by 2017/18, exactly the same Letters to the editor plan the Conservatives put forward during the last election. The most important factor for Halton Hills is that the proposed budget retains the funding to expand the Georgetown Hospital, a project that this town desperately needs, and one that Mr. Arnott says he supports. A vote against the budget is a vote against the Georgetown Hospital expansion. If Mr. Arnott truly represents this community, he would support the budget. Moya Johnson Georgetown Editor's Note: Johnson was the Liberal candidate in the last provincial election. ill-prepared subdivision plans, importing of fill, application of sludge or biosolids, major rezoning and six lane highways. Full knowledge and disclosure has been necessary to deal with, and in some cases, accept these disturbances and the opportunity to participate in the decision-making has been helpful for both peace of mind or a resolution of the problem at hand. I must now ask what are the changes to the Regional Official Plan (ROPA 38) made by the Minister of Municipal Affairs? These changes are not accessible electronically at municipal, regional or provincial level. No effective notice has been provided to the public to participate or to be informed although the municipalities, developers and special interest organizations have had sufficient notice to file appeals within the twenty day limit which expired December last. It appears that knowledgeable scrutiny by or participation of the general public is not welcome in this process. The affected rural homeowners of Halton Hills are expected to wait patiently to be advised of the done deal when it is done. Andrew Stabins, Norval WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.theifp.ca) Halton Regional Council has directed its staff to prepare for climate change, which could mean more heatwaves in the future. What are you doing to prepare? 1. Becoming more focused on the environment and energy conservation (46%) 2. Buying an air conditioner (8%) 3. Nothing (46%) Public not consulted before Ministry changed ROPA 38 Dear editor, Re: Town among many to challenge Province on ROPA 38 (Tuesday, April 3). I have been a rural resident of Halton Hills for over 40 years and have seen proposals or projects in my neighbourhood area for gravel pits, electrical transmission lines, 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.