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OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, July 22, 2009 · 6 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 www.oakvillebeaver.com 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: NEIL OLIVER Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The Oakville Beaver is a division of Media Group Ltd. DAVID HARVEY General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager One-for-all approach The Greater Toronto Region Economic Summit released its report last week on how to ensure a swift economic recovery for the region that stretches beyond Toronto and the 905 municipalities to much of southern Ontario. The report, Choosing Our Future: An Action Plan for Economic Recovery, emphasizes the need to think regionally. The ideas emerged from a summit held in May, co-chaired by Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion and Torstar Corp. Board Chair John Honderich, which brought together 250 of the region's leaders. Key recommendations called for "a war cabinet," made up of politicians and economic development officers to promote the area and a financial services task force to come up with new strategies to focus on Canada's banking strength. The `war cabinet' would include regional chairs, mayors, economic development officers and the provincial government and McCallion is intending to convene a meeting this fall to focus on the economic health of the entire region. Honderich called the summit a good first step, but acknowledged changing a Toronto-centric mindset to one that views the GTA as what it is -- a diverse region-- will be difficult. "We are one economic region. We have to start thinking and acting like it," he correctly said. While its unlikely that any `war cabinet' dominated by politicians and bureaucrats will easily win over the public's confidence, the idea of such a collective think-tank is a sound strategy provided ALL of the GTA is represented and given a voice. Since the region includes outlying areas such as Halton Hills, Waterloo, Peterborough and Niagara Falls, it is hoped that the smaller centres and their unique aspects will not be ignored by the larger municipalities. For example, farmers should be well represented and included in all future discussions. Only time will tell if Toronto, the GTA and municipalities outside the 905 area are able to adopt a "one-for-all and all-for one" approach to battling the economic downturn, but it is an attempt worth making. 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. Letter to the editor Mary Gago's late night visitor. How to outsmart pesky raccoons Re: Green bins no match for raccoons, Letter to the Editor, Oakville Beaver, July 17. We have found that four posts driven in the ground on each side of the green bin make it impossible for the raccoons to knock it over. Also we found that attaching bungie cords also keep them out. One end of the cord is attached to the handle, the cord is wrapped behind, underneath and back up then attached to the metal clasp. I think we have outsmarted the raccoons. LORI DOHERTY Letters to the editor 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. Bi-weekly garbage pick-up works fine To Mary Gago (Green bins no match for raccoons, Letter to the Editor, Oakville Beaver, July 17), who suggested that many Oakville residents would agree with her that we should return to weekly garbage pickup because she's freezing food to go into her garbage. Heads up, food goes in your green bin. What food are you freezing to go into your garbage every two weeks? I for one have zero food content in my garbage. There is no food in my freezer that is intended for the garbage. I am perfectly happy with garbage being picked up every two weeks as my family of four doesn't create enough garbage (thanks to Oakville's wonderful recycling and green bin program) to warrant having it put out every week. Why create more work for yourself? Take the food out of your freezer and put it in your green bin and you are all set. Another tip is to put the green bin out in the morning. That way the raccoons don't get in it. AMBER GAUDER Green bins need raccoon proofing Thanks to Mary Gago (Green bins no match for raccoons, Letter to the Editor, Oakville Beaver, July 17) for providing photographic evidence on the resourcefulness of raccoons. I disagree on the need for weekly garbage collection and find that with the green bins our garbage is nowhere near the volume and odor level that it once was. However, I find it amusing that the purveyors of these bins did not have the foresight to turn their design loose on a pack of raccoons as a quality assurance test. I hope that future versions are made more secure from midnight invasions. GREGG ANDREWS Tip of the hat to Waterfront festival shuttle bus driver I would like to send a thank you to the bus driver, I believe his name is Tony, who drove the shuttle for the Waterfront Festival on Saturday, June 27. My daughter and a group from her school were volunteering with cleanup. She and her classmates are in the Lifeskills program at White Oaks Secondary School. These kids are special needs and as parents we were waiting to pick them up when they were done. A hot day, a nice cool bus ride and a really friendly helpful driver helped make her day and mine nicer. DEBRA DERSHKO