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th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, S ep te m be r 27 ,2 01 8 | 8 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@theifp.ca IndependentAndFreePress @IFP_11 WHO WE ARE Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Steve Foreman Regional Director of Media Holly Chriss Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Regional Manager Digital Content Karen Miceli Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Classified/Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Production Shelli Harrison Halton Media General Manager Vicki Dillane CONTACT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 905-234-1016 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, con- dense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncana- dianchampion.com or call 905- 234-1019. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT THEIFP.CA EDITORIAL LETTERS & COMMENTARY If you're waiting for the trickle of one Liberal MP abandoning her party to turn into a raging flood of de- fectors, don't hold your breath. It won't happen. Leona Alleslev's decision to cross over to the Conser- vatives the day Parliament resumed last week was per- fectly timed to stir up the most political drama, grab the most attention and cause maximum embarrassment to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. And judging by the ecstatic welcome she received from Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, you'd think Moses had just led the Children of Israel out of the wil- derness and to the edge of the Promised Land. Except this prophet was completely on her own. She's the perfect poster girl for what Scheer calls Canadians' "misplaced trust" in the Liberals. Just as Alleslev woke up to the unpleasant reality of her one- time party, so, too, will other Liberal supporters - or so Scheer hopes. Because the Liberals still lead in the polls. Playing up Alleslev's defection may appeal to the Tories even more because they've just lost a high-profile MP of their own - Maxime Bernier. He stormed out of their ranks to start a whole new conservative political movement that could make life tricky for Scheer in the next election. But for anyone wondering if Ottawa's tectonic plates just lurched to the right, there's less here than meets the eye. Alleslev may not have been following an unerring political compass as much as sniffing which way the wind's blowing in her own Toronto-area riding of Auro- ra-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill. The provincial version of that riding voted solidly Progressive Conservative in June's Ontario election and is now a happy part of Ford Nation. Alleslev knows she won her riding by a fairly narrow margin in the 2015 federal election. If she values the life of an MP, her chances of keeping it might be better if she's a Conservative, too. Other questions about her motives will arise, given her accolades for Trudeau and the Liberals just weeks before she turned around and trashed them. How strange, then, that just a few weeks later she met with Scheer to discuss the terms of her defection. And how odd that she left the Liberals denouncing their failures in foreign, defence and fiscal policies - none of which had changed much since she waved the Liberal banner in the 2015 election. Perhaps Alleslev's choice of a new political dancing partner merely shows the difference between being Liberal and Conservative is less than voters generally think and that pragmatism trumps party lines. What's certain is that Scheer's biggest challenge to- day isn't persuading more Liberals to cross the floor but keeping any restive Conservative MPs and voters from cosying up to Maxime Bernier and his new party. ONE NEW TORY MP DOESN'T MAKE A GOVERNMENT A FAIR TO REMEMBER As another successful Acton Fall Fair comes to a close I would like to take a moment to say thank you. Yes, you, the first-time attendee and also those who have been coming for generations. Yes, you, the first-time volunteers and those who commit count- less hours to helping us run the "Best Little Fair in Ontario." Yes, you, the longtime supporter and the first- time donor. Showing appreciation for all our supporters is one of the most powerful things we can do to strengthen our community and ensure our Agricultur- al Society's long-term suc- cess. Thank you. I would also like to thank those that did not come out to the fair, but ac- commodated the increased traffic and noise, and out- of-towners that may get a little turned around. Thank you to the fami- lies of the volunteers who keep things running on the home base. And the local businesses that take in pa- trons and exhibitors that come for a few or days. Without the support of this town we wouldn't be able to host such a diverse event. On behalf of the Acton Agricultural Society, thank you. DOMINIQUE ZELDIN, ACTON AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY PRESIDENT HONOURING TERRY'S COURAGE AND SELFLESSNESS When Terry Fox ran through Georgetown in Ju- ly 1980, he was hoping to raise $1 for every Canadi- an. Raising $24 million for cancer research was then considered an ambitious goal. By February 1981, he had met and surpassed it. We supported him then, and 38 years later, we con- tinue to run the Marathon of Hope in his name. The 2018 Georgetown Terry Fox Run raised more than $14,000 for the fight against cancer. This puts the total amount raised in Georgetown since 1981 at $407,000, or $9.70 for every resident. Nationally, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised close to $800 million. We were joined at the Gellert Community Centre on Sept. 16 by perennial contributors, first-time at- tendees, those who had seen Terry run along High- way 7 and some who had just recently learned about him in school. Together, as we do each year in Georgetown, we ho- noured the courage and selflessness of Terry Fox, while doing our small part to fulfil his ultimate goal: finding a cure for cancer in our lifetime. Thank you, sincerely, to everyone who participated, donated and helped orga- nize this year's Terry Fox Run. STEPHEN DAME, GEORGETOWN TERRY FOX RUN LEAD ORGANIZER SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT THEIFP.CA