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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, M ar ch 11 ,2 02 1 | 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 70 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 Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Halton Media General Manager Jason Pehora CONTACT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at theifp.ca Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncanadianchampion.com or call 905-234-1019. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT THEIFP.CA As the COVID-19 pan- demic continues to drag on, reading can provide us with an opportunity to escape while staying at home. In Halton Hills, we continue to have access to outstanding local li- braries, thanks to our council and staff. Our li- brary staff have gone to great lengths to safely maintain their services to local residents, and are among the essential pub- lic servants who deserve our appreciation. Here are a few books that I have found particu- larly compelling and im- portant in the past few months: "21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act" This book by Bob Jo- seph is an accessible and concise presentation of the deliberate and cal- lous efforts over the de- cades to assimilate Cana- dian Indigenous Peoples and, in the process, de- stroy their identity, cul- ture, and communities. It is shocking in its scope; searing in its intensity. If reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples in this country is ever to be achieved, non-Indige- nous Canadians need to learn more about the his- tory of the racist policy objectives of successive national governments, and this is a good place to start. "Resilience is Futile: The Life and Death and Life of Julie S. Lalonde" The winner of the On- tario Legislature's 2020 Speaker's Book Award, this is a riveting, harrow- ing true story of a young woman's courage in over- coming a violent stalker, who happened to be her former intimate partner. The prose is unflinch- ing and at times raw, but the story of Julie S. La- londe's journey from vic- tim to advocate for end- ing sexual violence is thought provoking and ultimately unforgettable. "Albatross" In the 1980s, Terry Fal- lis worked for a Member of Provincial Parliament at Queen's Park. He has gone on to become one of Canada's best-loved writ- ers, and has twice won the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour. "Albatross" builds on his impressive body of work. This time, the sub- ject is golf, and it is Fallis at his best. The book is funny and touching, with imaginative plot twists and a theme that appeals to a wide audience: what happens in your life when you follow your heart. Happy reading. Ted Arnott is the MPP for Wellington- Halton Hills. He can be reached at ted.arnott@pc.ola.org. ENJOYING A LITERARY EXPLORATION DURING ONGOING PANDEMIC LIBRARIES CONTINUE TO PROVIDE US WITH IMPORTANT SERVICE, WRITES TED ARNOTT Our leaders have some turbulent waters to navi- gate in the aftermath of COVID-19. The first order of busi- ness will be to restart our economy. That will re- quire spending in the mag- nitude not seen in our his- tory. Then the attention will shift to managing our country's bulging debt, in- cluding creative ways to reduce it. That's the challenge. We need to spend. And then we need to stop spending. These two challenges will start to pit different segments of our popula- tion against each other. The next level of dis- course will escalate. How do we bridge the gap be- tween the haves and have- nots of our country? All Canadians contrib- ute to the fabric of our country. As a nation we are respectful and for the most part considerate of others. But now we are down to money, and that's where great divide can occur. Government workers will continue receiving their salary and pensions. Some in business have en- joyed unprecedented op- portunities and are thriv- ing. Others are financially devastated. They include small business owners who have lost their business, their li- velihsood and potentially their house and other as- sets because those were pledged as securities for business loans. Others have seen their employer go out of busi- ness, or a shift toward a new economy that has left them unemployed or un- employable. The pandemic has been difficult. Our recovery might be more so. Peter Watson, of Watson Investments MBA, CFP®, R.F.P., CIM®, FCSI offers a weekly financial plan- ning column, Dollars & Sense. He can be contacted through www.watsonin- vestments.com. ECONOMIC CHALLENGES COULD WELL INTENSIFY TO BE A FEDERAL POLITICIAN NOW COULD BE THE BEST OF TIMES, OR THE WORST OF TIMES, WRITES PETER WATSON A hooded owl peers in a window of a home in Norval. Do you have a great local photo you'd like to share? Send it to sleblanc@metroland.com, along with a brief description. Maggie Bras photo SNAPSHOT TED ARNOTT Column PETER WATSON Column