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

THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, December 23, 1994 â€" "OPINION THE OAKVILLE BEAVER 467 Speers Road, Oakville, Ont. L6K 354 845â€"3824 Fax: 845â€"3085 Classified Adverfislng 845â€"2809 Circulation: 845-9742 or 845-9743 Ian Oliver Publisher Newmarketâ€"Aurora Eraâ€"Banner, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Orillia TWWTMMPMT%W*WW Tim Coles RoducinMnagr â€" consent of the publisher. patt EDITORIAL Christmas hope g s we head into Christmas on Sunday, the world‘s Christians will again celebrate the birth of Jesus in humble circumstances. For believers of the faith, it is a time for reflection, celebration and introspection. And yet, for many people in the world, it is a time of deprivation, terror, hatred and bitter contflict. We think about the civilian population of the former Yugoslavia who have endured war between Bosnian Serbs and Muslim factlons In this war, there are no winners and the losers are many. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter says he has negotiated a ceasefire between the two groups as they head into a January 1st meeting that will hopefully end the fighting. .__ It will prove to be a tough task for the 70â€"yearâ€"old Carter and those who take part in the talks. The Serbs control 70 per cent of the country but a peace plan being backed by the U.S., Russia, France, Germany and France, would see 51 per cent of the country given to a Muslim and Croat federation with the Serbs getting the rest. Unfortunately, ceasefires in Bosnia haven‘t meant much over the almost three years of fighting and there‘s little reason to suppose this latest effort will succeed any better. Still, this is a season of hope. But while all this highâ€"powered diplomacy goes on thousands of miles from Canadian shores, the impact of the war is felt in this country. As usual, in times of war the real sadness revolves around the innocent men, women and children, who, through no fault of their own, find themâ€" selves under attack. Kenan Malkic is a classic example of this grim and tragic reality. The 12 yearâ€"old Bosnian boy arrived at the Canadian Armed Forces base in Trenton this week to begin rehabilitation. He lost both arms and a leg in a grenade attack on his schoolyard in September. 4 He will be fitted with artificial limbs through a Canadian government and Red Cross initiative which will see 20 seriously . injured Bosnian children and adults treated here. So while our children look forward to a peaceful Christmas with visions of electronic games and other presents, Kenan Malkic wants only one thing for Christmas...a leg so he can again play soccer. We have so much to be thankful for in Canada and there‘s no better time of the year to reflect on our good fortune. As we celebrate this weekend, let‘s all remember that while we enjoy special festivities, elsewhere in the world, it‘s just another day. The ancient Christmas message is one of miracles and hope and for the warâ€"weary Bosnians, it may signal a return to peace. What better Chnstmas gift for these people and our own peaceâ€"keepers. Let‘s enjoy it now ; What a difference a year makes. Last year at this time, the Hamilton Automobile Club was swamped with calls to start cars during the start of a frigid and snowy winter. But this week, as the days begin to get longer, we‘re basking in unseasonâ€" ably warm weather. Weather forecasters are calling for a green and very mild Christmas. That‘s the nice thing about our Canadian winters, you never know what you‘re going to get from one year to the next. Let‘s enjoy it while we can. Will you be going out to celebrate New Year‘s Eve? Cast your ballot by calling 845â€"5585, box 5008 to vote. Callers have until 12 noon Thursday to register their vote. Results of the poll will be published in the next Fnday edition of the Oakville Beaver. RESULTS OF LAST WEEK‘S POLL Are you in favor of the federal government taxing RRSPs? Yes: 5 No: 10 Alook back at the events that made headines in Oakvile. No one to handle coal, old family business closes 40 years ago 6 6 o one wantsâ€"to shovel coal anymore â€" and you can‘t blame them. "With that comment J. Frank McDermott uttered the epitaph for a business which had been in existence in Oakville for 36 years. McDermott‘s Fuel and Ice ceased operating this month "solely through lack of labor," its proprietor said. McDermoftt stated he had disbanded the oldâ€"estabâ€" lished business, founded by his father, the late Charles McDermoftt, in 1917, because of the "difficulty of getâ€" ting help." He said small oldâ€"time businesses such as his had taken a "hard knock" from big plants in the fight for labor. "Small businesses can‘t compete in wages," he said, "and the arrival of the modern plants makes it hard to get anyone to do a job like handling coal. We had to shift 100 pound bags of coal and sometimes carry them down into basements or up flights of stairs. It was hard and dirty work." â€" The Oakville Recordâ€"Star, Dec. 23, 1954 30 years ago Catering to a little boy‘s bloodthirsty needs is the "Johnny Seven" gun, perhaps the fastest selling item in Oakville. At least one store has sold out, reordered, and almost sold out again. â€" "Every kid in Oakville‘s going to be shooting each other this year with a Johnny Seven gun," says Mrs. M. Granlund, a store employee. â€" Daily Journalâ€"Record, Dec. 23, 1964 An 18â€"yeamald Oakville youth had a charge of drinking while under age against him dismissed yesâ€" terday because he had consumed alcohol in the United States where it is legal to drink at age 18. The youth was charged with drinking while a minor on November 18, but Magistrate Kenneth Langdon dismissed the case when the youth showed proof he had been drinking in the U.S. and not in Canada the night he was charged. â€"Daily Journalâ€"Record, Dec. 18, 1964 20 years ago To Canadians earning between $6,000 and $8,000 a year, "this may sound incredible," Halton MP Dr. Frank Philbrook was saymg, but ‘"it‘s hard to make ends meet as an MP." That‘s why Halton‘s man on Parliament Hill will go along with the majority who have indicated they will support a government bill that would boost MPs® salaries from $18,000 to $27,000 annually and raise their nonâ€"taxable expenses from $8,000 to $12,000. The bill was withdrawn Wednesday â€" at least temporarily â€" for reconsideration because of public and media reaction. The proposed packet of $39,000, representing a 50 per cent increase, would put Members of Parliament in Canada‘s top one per cent income bracket. Philbrook says he‘s prepared to support the bill although it has put â€"him and his colleagues in the "embarrassing" position of defending it. The fact is, according to the rookie MP, that there‘s been no salary adjustment for the last four years. "In a time of unpredicted inflationary increases, we‘ve actually had quite a setback." In 1971, MPs were given an increase retroactive to October 1970 that raised their total salary to $26,000. Basic salaries were boosted from $12,000 to $18,000 and allowances from $6,000 to $8,000. â€" Oakville Journal Record, Dec. 20, 1974 10 years ago Halton will start in February to ship 400 tons of garbage a day top an American company south of the border to ensure the region‘s remaining garbage dump is not filled before the next dump site is in operation. Regional council, Wednesday, approved the resurâ€" rected proposal to ship garbage to Niagara Falls, New York, for burning in an energyâ€"fromâ€"waste plant owned by Occidental Chemicals Corp. "We really don‘t have too much choice," said Oakville councillor Ann Mulvale while trying to conâ€" vince her colleagues of the merits of such a proposal. â€"Oakville Beaver, Dec. 20, 1984 ©JJ Taken from the archives of the Oakville Beaver including stoâ€" ries from The Oakville Recordâ€"Star, The Oakville Trafaigar Joumal, the Oakville Journal Record and the Oakville Beaver. oo oi n it _MMMM I s t ced A ts l J