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OPINION Be proud of OUR Canada They are a world away, living in less than ideal conditions. They never know from hour to hour where they may be headed or if and when they will return. Their thoughts are often of their loved ones and the beautiful country that they call home. As we prepare to celebrate Canada Day tomorrow we should all pause and think of the country's military personnel who are risking everything in an effort to improve the lives of people less fortunate. This is not the time to politicize the war in Afghanistan. It is, however, the time to come together and appreciate the men and women who are continuing to fight for the freedoms that we take for granted. Let's not forget, too, the thousands of Canadian peacekeepers who are selflessly working in farflung corners of the earth to offer security and provide comfort by their very presence. We cannot possibly comprehend the living conditions­ if you can call them that­ in Third World countries. How could we begin to understand unless we have seen first-hand the extreme poverty? Yes, Canada has its own homegrown problems but nothing compared to the millions trying to eke out an existence in countries plagued by drought and disease. Our country is so richly blessed with resources that we have no reason to complain. We need to embrace all that Canada has to offer and celebrate loudly this wondrous nation. We are an impressive role model for how so many people from so many different cultures can live and work productively together. Canada Day is more than backyard barbecues, social events and fireworks displays. It is a day to acknowledge all that is right with our nation and feel proud that this is your home-- our home. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Speeders on Miller Dr. concern resident (This letter was sent to Rick Henry, Engineering and Public Works director for the Town of Halton Hills. A copy was made available for publication.) Dear Mr. Henry, I am writing regarding the lack of traffic signage in Georgetown South. I live on Miller Drive which is becoming a very busy road. I did `choose' to buy a home on this road, but what I did not `choose' is to have individuals treat my residential street as a highway. On a regular basis many drivers speed along this road and I would estimate at 15-30km/h over the `unposted' speed limit of 50km/h. I know that when there is no posted speed limit typically it is 50km/h in town, but I seem to be one of a few who realizes this. When I pick up my children from school, which also happens to be on Miller Drive, I have seen many people brake heavily to slow down when entering the school zone which is also `unposted'; some don't brake at all. I'm pretty sure that school zones are always 40km/h. I thought most people were aware of this too, but from what I have seen, this is not the case. Recently I witnessed a driver almost miss the stop sign at Miller and Eaton and brake for only a second before continuing. Perhaps she was going too fast to see the stop sign? People have also passed me on this road-- once in the school zone! I am requesting that speed limit signage be put up immediately before something tragic happens. Who knows, maybe it won't help but it would sure be worth it to me. Pam Galvao, Georgetown Doggie doos and don'ts Dear editor, Disobedient dog walkers--pay attention. While the neighbours of Duncan Drive and Gower Road thank you for bagging up your dogs' crap, we would also like you to take it home with you and dispose of it properly. Do not throw it on our lawns, in our hedges, into our backyards or in our school yards. This is where our children play. Please have some decency to think about how your disgusting habit is affecting others. Hey, you never know who is watching you, perhaps, one day you'll open up your mailbox, reach in and find a few of those "black bags" you've been carelessly tossing around. G. Stephen, Georgetown Health benchmarks only a tool, says MPP Dear editor, It is nice to see that despite all his duties, our very busy Health Minister George Smitherman has the time to scour the pages of The Georgetown Independent & Free Press each week (re: June 21 letter, Ontario health minister rebuts MPP's column). It's also nice to see him and the McGuinty Liberals finally warming up to the idea of public benchmarks for health services, which I recall quite clearly, PC leader John Tory was championing more than two years ago. I strongly support establishing benchmarks for various health services because timely access is a fundamental measure of the quality of service. We have to first measure the health service in order to properly manage it. Then we need a history of benchmark information to determine if we are getting better or worse at providing services. However, the benchmark itself is only a tool. These benchmarks clearly show there are a lot of Ontarians getting their health care services well outside of the acceptable time frame. So I ask-- what is the health minister going to do now? Ted Chudleigh, MPP Halton Want to save water? Stop building houses Dear editor, In your May 23 edition, Halton Region implied we need to conserve water in order to meet essential uses and to fight fires, and gave suggestions on how we can reduce water use. Here's a water conservation suggestion that wasn't on the Region's list: stop building more houses. D. J. Williams, Georgetown