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•Th e IFP• H alton H ills, Thursday, M arch 6, 2014 7 WWW.BROOKS HEATING AND AIR.CA905-877-3100 HEATING AIR CONDITIONING FIREPLACE DUCT CLEANING WATER HEATERS INFLOOR HEATING Spring Cleaning? we offer professional quality AIR DUCT CLEANING Local experts you know and trust • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 We handle all insurance work. • your window & door professionals • 341 Guelph St., Unit 3 Georgetown 905.873.0236 www.buy-wise.ca info@buy-wise.ca • awarded readers choice 22 times • Visit our showroom COMMENT Halton Agricultural Forum: a successful showcase of agricultural opportunities On Jan. 30, Halton Region hosted the second Agricultural Forum at the Halton Region Museum in Milton. The Forum was first introduced in 2012 to help support the farming com- munity and to provide an opportunity to network and to discuss important and emerging is- sues. The event was a great success with more than 75 people in attendance to learn about a variety of funding opportunities available to farmers, food processors, agri-product processors and related or- ganizations. Guest speakers shared information about specific funding programs and the related eligibility criteria. The featured funding programs in- cluded Growing Forward 2, the Local Food Fund and the Greenbelt Fund. These funds were explained by the following four industry leaders: Paul Reeds, Regional Program Lead with the Ontario Soil and Crop Association, Peter Ilnyckyj and Susan Powell from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Franco Naccarato, program manager of the Greenbelt Fund. The presentations from each of these guest speakers can be found on Halton's website at Halton.ca/agriculturalforum. A healthy agricultural sector is vital to a healthy and sustainable Halton and Regional Council is committed to sup- porting and preserving our agricultural community. In 2012, Regional Council endorsed the Golden Horse- shoe Food and Farming Ac- tion Plan 2021. Completion of the activi- ties outlined in the Action Plan will foster a positive en- vironment for farming in the Golden Horseshoe, and in Halton. By coming together, sharing knowledge and tak- ing co-operative action, this sector will continue to play a key role in making Halton a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire. As always, if you have any Regional concerns or comments you would like to share, please feel free to email me at gary.carr@halton.ca. You can also find me on Twitter @ garycarrhalton, LinkedIn or Facebook. To receive further updates on Regional issues, please subscribe to my quarterly e-newsletter, "The Carr Report." -- Gary Carr is the chair of Halton Region GARY CARR 'I'm having a wake because I am still awake' --Amy Sloan... see story pg. 8 The Frazer sisters, Maggie, 7, (left) and Morgan, 5, got their hair cut to donate to a wig program for cancer patients. They each cut off approximately nine inches. Vince Russo from Red Lemon did the cutting. Got a photo you want to share? Email: cgamble@theifp.ca. HAIR PARADE From our readers 'Quote unquote' Councillor: Town offers prioritized service level Dear editor, Re: Letter to Editor from Drazen Belo- sevic (Jan. 16). Mr. Belosevic is concerned about snow removal in his townhouse devel- opment, the nature of which like many built in Ward 3 offers "tight" constraints on snow clearing and parking conditions. Halton Hills does not attempt to provide "all bare surface nor, instant service" but rather a prioritized level of service for all residents with safety and practicality the considerations. Several times I requested of staff and received extra attention for this area and did so again. Mr Belosevic stated, "Since Town ap- proved higher wages to public works staff responsible for snow clearing about three years ago (because they threatened a strike) we see a deterioration in service. You don't always get what you pay for!" There is no truth whatsoever to this ru- mor! Our Public Works staff has an excellent working relationship with Council and man- agement. There was no talk of a strike. We all worked together to achieve a fair collective agreement. During our recent 'weather event' all staff performed heroically foregoing their family Christmas festivities. Dave Kentner, Local Councillor Ward 3, Halton Hills Dear editor, Drazen Belosevic (January 16, 2014) thinks that since the public works staff got a raise "about three years ago because they threatened to strike," service has deterio- rated. A worker sells their labour at agreed and hopefully agreeable terms. When their contract comes up for negotiation it is their right to withdraw their labour, but only as a last resort; no one ever wants to go on strike. The town workers exercised their rights and thankfully, got a contract that is fair without having to disrupt our services. Ev- eryone deserves a decent paycheque. When things go wrong (and things always go wrong), we have to stop pointing accus- ing fingers at each other and treat frontline workers, the people who clear our roads, connect our hydro, pour our coffee, check us in and check us out, with the respect and gratitude that they deserve. That is what gets things done. Not bullying, threatening and belittling people. As a society we should strive to raise the bar for all workers, espe- cially our young workers who are faced with fewer and fewer prospects and anti-labour attitudes like Drazen Belosevic's. Delia Gaskill, Georgetown Front-line workers deserve respect Dear editor, It makes me wonder why cashiers don't help customers bag their grocer- ies. Is it not part of their job? When I ask the cashiers why they don't bag I have received all kinds of answers such as "Some people don't want us touching their groceries" (how did the groceries get stocked without someone handling them?) and "We used to, but not anymore" (why not?). Many of these cashiers are young kids...what are we teaching them? To do half their job? If I went to work and didn't do my job I certainly wouldn't keep it for very long. They sip their coffees and check their phones while you-- likely having put in a full days work yourself-- get to do their job! STOP bagging your groceries and let's see if things change! Cindy Wood, Georgetown Reader advocates 'stop bagging your groceries'