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6- The Oakville Beaver, Friday May 5, 2006 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: IAN OLIVER Publisher NEIL OLIVER Associate Publisher JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor KELLY MONTAGUE Advertising Director DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Manager TERI CASAS Business Manager MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA CALHOUN Circ. Manager Metroland Printing, Publishing & Distributing Ltd., includes: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser, Alliston Herald/Courier, Arthur Enterprise News, Barrie Advance, Brampton Guardian, Burlington Post, Burlington Shopping News, Caledon Enterprise, City Parent, Collingwood/Wasaga Connection, East York Mirror, Erin Advocate/Country Routes, Etobicoke Guardian, Flamborough Review, Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press, Harriston Review, Huronia Business Times, Lindsay This Week, Markham Economist & Sun, Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror, Milton Canadian Champion, Milton Shopping News, Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News, Napanee Guide, Newmarket/Aurora Era-Banner, Northumberland News, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Oakville Shopping News, Oldtimers Hockey News, Orillia Today, Oshawa/Whitby/Clarington Port Perry This Week, Owen Sound Tribune, Palmerston Observer, Peterborough This Week, Picton County Guide, Richmond Hill/Thornhill/Vaughan Liberal, Scarborough Mirror, Stouffville/Uxbridge Tribune, Forever Young, City of York Guardian Budget makes a statement Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's first Conservative budget in more than 13 years -- delivered Tuesday -- was as much a political statement as it was a financial one. Supported by a staggering surplus in Ottawa's coffers, Flaherty was able to accomplish two things: (1) deliver on two of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's election pledges (a one per cent cut in the GST rate and a $1,200 parents' allowance for every child under the age of six) and (2) give Canadians a taste of what to expect from a Conservative government. Flaherty's budget, unlike previous Liberal ones, deals more with the immediate or near future instead of promising cash for items years down the road. Of course, with a shaky minority government under their feet, the Conservatives really had little choice but to table a budget that only has a two-year lifespan, when another federal election is anticipated. Saying Canadians pay far too much in taxes, Flaherty took steps to let taxpayers keep more cash in their wallets. This was, for all intents and purposes, an "election budget" with something for almost everyone from students to small business to the military to seniors to the provinces. Unquestionably, Canadians will see tax relief with this budget, and likely a little more than they would have enjoyed under the Liberals' proposed budget six months ago. Critics will argue that in order for the Conservatives to pay for their largesse in this budget, service cuts will be coming down the road a`la former Ontario Premier Mike Harris-- Flaherty's former boss. With a booming economy, Harper and company have two years to figure how to improve on this budget. The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Outgoing cancer society fundraising coordinator grateful to community After spending two years working in Oakville as the Fundraising Coordinator for the Canadian Cancer Society, it is with a very grateful heart that I will be leaving my position. I have been fortunate to work in a community that truly takes care of its own. Although we are heading up fundraisers throughout the entire year, Oakville continues to open its doors, shave their heads, walk all night, purchase daffodils, and remember those battling cancer during special occasions in their lives. I am one of a very small, but caring staff at the Oakville Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society, and not one of these fundraisers would be possible without the talented, hardworking volunteer committees. These volunteers are incredibly passionate about what they do. They make it look easy, when in fact, they give up nights at home with their families, take vacation days from work, and even go without sleep all night long to help build a community where no one fears cancer. Although the level of time commitment may range from chairing committees and council membership, to the child that has set up a lemonade stand and hands me a jar full of pennies, their passion remains the same. Oakville residents make themselves available to assist their community and its residents, and to support families battling all types of cancer. Our volunteers are committed to making sure funding is available to continue to assist Oakville families with transportation to their treatments by one of our thoughtful volunteer drivers, provide peer support and reliable, up-to-date information. Together with the support of the Oakville business community, independent and public schools, and organized clubs and groups it adds up to an amazingly powerful team -- a team like I have never seen before and one that I am so proud of! Thank you to all of the Oakville volunteers, donors, businesses, the CCS' small, but mighty staff, and to the Oakville Beaver staff who make sure your efforts get recognized. I will miss all of you. It has truly been my pleasure! JOAN GOWSELL FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR OAKVILLE UNIT The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Pud BY STEVE NEASE snease@haltonsearch.com