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

•T h e IF P • H al to n H ill s •T hu rs da y, M ay 1 , 2 01 4 6 OPINION Is an unpaid internship simply a synonym for slave labour? Or, is it an excellent way for job seekers to dip a tentative toe into the work- force -- plumping up their resumes with valuable work experience? Does an internship act as a speed bump of real job creation, and inflate the actual employment numbers in this province? All good questions, and hopefully many of them will be answered if, or when, a provincial election is called this spring. Recently, the Ontario labour ministry cracked down on unpaid internships at magazines Toronto Life and The Walrus. It says they were "in contra- vention of the Employment Standards Act." Both publications cancelled their internship programs. One of our readers charges that Stats Canada includes 'unpaid internships' as full-time jobs -- thus artificially padding the employment num- bers. She also says many colleges claim 100 per cent employment for graduating students based on a high per cent of placements when, in fact, many are unpaid internships. Many companies and non-profits also "em- ploy" interns, throwing them the carrot that one day they might gain full-time jobs. Countries like Switzerland (very low unem- ployment) do not use unpaid interns. Employers have to compensate these entry-level workers with a livable wage. It's clear that our job market is ever changing. College and university graduates might have five or more careers in their work lives. Some practical on-the-job training in a company only enhances their career aspirations, right? But working for zero compensation is a no-win for all. Have we blurred the lines between job cre- ation and exploitation? Not yet -- but we're getting there. Ontario should be creating good, solid, and well-paying jobs if this economic recovery is to "work" for all. The Independent & Free Press is published Thursday and is one of sev- eral Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copy- right. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Independent & Free Press is a member of the Ontario Press Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns. For additional information or to file a complaint, contact info@ ontpress.com or call 416- 340-1981. The Independent & Free Press The phantom workforce Letters to the editor I had the privilege of attending another National Day of Mourning in Oakville on April 28, commemo- rating workers whose lives have been lost or injured in the work- place. Flags were flown at half-mast on federal buildings and establish- ments in Canada, including the Peace Tower in Ottawa. The Canadian Centre Occupa- tional Health and Safety, Work- place Safety and Insurance Board, International Confederation of Free Trade, and more than 80 countries recognize this event. We all can do our part to breathe new life into efforts, strengthen the resolve to establish and secure a safe workplace for all. I truly believe that our actions encourage the ability to make a difference in each decision we make to promote a healthy and safe working environment. As we operate in an atmosphere of co-operation, be effective, dili- gent and promote self-awareness through networking. Every worker has the inherited right to return home, safely, to their loved ones. Through continued commit- ment to provide ongoing educa- tion, collaboration to ensuring safe working conditions, and in- creased awareness through inter- nal responsibility systems, hazard identification, and prevention we can pledge collectively to be safe. Let's look forward to saying, "work safe." Jamie Leach, Georgetown Re: Lay off the drugs, Editorial April 24. As the baby boomer genera- tion continues to age, I agree that our healthcare systems need to be adapted. A rather large population has already started to enter our nurs- ing homes - nursing homes which aren't monitored closely enough. The amount of improper treat- ment and neglect nursing home residents suffer is repulsive. The drugs being given to our elders are not always safe, prescribed, or given in the proper doses. Speaking as someone who lost a loved one in a nursing home from something as basic as dehydration, I think that our Ministry of Health needs to step its game up, and redefine for its employees exactly what proper and legal patient treat- ment is. Rebecca Scarr, Georgetown Do you think Gardiner Public School should be renamed Ethel Gardiner Public School? Yes (50%) No (50%) WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.theifp.ca) We all have a role in safety Letters must include the author's name, address and daytime phone number. Anony- mous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publica- tion is not guaranteed. Email: cvernon@metroland.com Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 77, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. Letters policy 905-873-0301 Publisher: Dana Robbins General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca) Managing editor: Chris Vernon (cvernon@metroland.com) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca) Classifieds/Real Estate Kristie Pells (classified@theifp.ca or realestate@theifp.ca) Classified Call Centre 1-855-415-8237 haltonhillsclassads@metroland.com Accounting 1-866-773-6575 Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@theifp.ca) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@theifp.ca) Get the latest headlines delivered to your inbox by signing up for our twice weekly electronic newsletter. Go to www.theifp.ca and click on 'Newsletter sign-up' at the bottom of the homepage. Our seniors deserve much better