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6- The Oakville Beaver, Friday July 7, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com 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 WEBSITE Oakvillebeaver.com 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 Rekindling Cold War fears While the Cold War is the subject of history lessons for our young people, it's entirely possible that North Korea's test of a controversial missile this week could mark the start of a new arms race. Wednesday's reported launch of a longrange Taepo Dong 2 missile along with multiple Scud-class missiles by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is believed to be that country's first test of a weapon capable of reaching the continental United States. According to a Wednesday report by Jane's Defence Weekly, a leading authority on worldwide weaponry, while the longrange missile failed shortly after lift-off, its inaugural flight should have provided North Korea with sufficient data for future development of the weapon. The U.S., meanwhile, has deemed the test as "provocative behaviour" in "defiance" of the international community. Both the U.S. and Japanese governments had repeatedly warned North Korea not to test the Taepo Dong 2 prior to this week's test. Canada's neighbours to the south believe North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is playing with fire by developing a missile with long-range capabilities. President George Bush described the Taepo Dong 2 test launch as an "indication of the isolation of North Korea." The move is the latest example of North Korea's "everyone be damned" attitude that dates back to January 2003, when it withdrew from a joint Nuclear NonProliferation Treaty with South Korea. How far North Korea's newest missile is capable of travelling is a matter of some debate. The U.S. believes it could easily reach Alaska, with a lighter model possibly reaching major cities along the American West Coast. What is clear is that North Korea is hellbent on developing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and is far beyond the drawing board phase. While North Korea has developed its ICBM program in secrecy -- conducting much of its early testing underground -- Wednesday's above-ground launch was clearly a warning that long-range missile capability is within its grasp. The fact that this very public act of defiance would fall on the July 4th holiday is not lost on our American allies. Unless North Korea can somehow be convinced to back off, this week's development points to an escalation beyond a war of words. For everyone's sake, we hope the verbal threats and political posturing don't lead to something far worse. 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 Mistake to copy Toronto's tree bylaw I totally support the views expressed by Franz Opkerkuch (Private tree bylaw will create expensive bureaucracy, Oakville Beaver, June 28) in his recent letter to the editor. One has to question the judgement of our local politicians, and ours for electing them, when we see a raging debate over the pros-and-cons of spending exorbitant amounts to save one oak tree. To my knowledge oak trees are not an endangered species. The fact that the project might now be financed by private funds does not make it any less unconscionable given the real need we see every day. Now an equally-outrageous proposal to set up a new branch of the bureaucracy to second guess the residents of Oakville, who apparently in the eyes of our Town council, are not capable of making a reasonable judgement call when it comes to maintaining their private property. How many trees have been planted by Oakville homeowners over the years --thousands -- tens of thousands? How many will not be planted if we implement onerous and unnecessary restrictions? Let's give some thought to a more targeted approach and not merely emulate the ill-conceived bylaw passed by big brother Toronto. Theirs is a record of ineptitude we should not be envying. FRANK RIDEOUT Mind your own business Re: "People have priorities mixed up", July 1, (The campaign to save the 250-year-old white oak). David Bazar starts "With all due respect" and then disrespectfully proceeds to tell me how best to donate my private money. It's my money, my choice -- and "with all due respect" it's none of his business. DIANA LEVEY Wonderful sections I wish to let you know how impressed I was with the Mother's and Father's Day special insert spread with the kiddies drawings. It was an absolute delight to look at and see which children will hold their future as a potential Matisse or Cézanne. I spent well over an hour looking at those pages, and that must be some sort of tribute to the success of the idea! It also displayed beautifully - This is precisely what a community paper is all about and what it should always be. Kudos to the folks at the Oakville Beaver that created an instant treasure for the posterity of hundreds of Oakville family archives. CHRIS CARNOVALE 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