Beaver THE OAKVILLE Voted Ontario's Top Newspaper Four Years in a Row - 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 www.brantflorist.com/ob 905.639.7001 www.carstaroakville.com 905-8457579 547 Trafalgar Rd. Mo bros Page 8 905-847 -2595 2212 Wyecroft Rd. www.dentistoakville.com 905-842-6030 A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 52 No. 140 "USING COMMUNICATION TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES" THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2009 24 Pages $1.00 (plus GST) Net play Young frugal compared to other Halton MPs By Tim Foran METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP The recession didn't result in any cost-cutting for Halton's MPs, whose office and travel expenses rose 11 per cent to more than $1.6 million in the last fiscal year, according to an annual summary of Canadian MP expenditures tabled in the House of Commons last week. The report covers the April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009 fiscal year and summarizes items such as MP's staff salaries, office expenses and travel expenses. Leading the pack was again Burlington's Conservative MP Mike Wallace, who spent $453,409 from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009 on items covered by his office budget, including staff salaries, as well as goods and services covered by the House of Commons, such as weekly travel between the riding and Ottawa and newsletters to constituents. That was an eight per cent increase over what DANIEL HO / SPECIAL TO THE OAKVILLE BEAVER REACH FOR THE TOP: Raj Dharni of the Loyola Hawks (left) attempts to avoid the block of Oakville Trafalgar's Tabe DeVries (5) and Andrew Wilkinson during the Halton high school junior boys' volleyball Division 1 final Tuesday at Sheridan. For coverage of the finals, see Sports. Soldier returns from Afghanistan By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF H is convoy had been returning to its forward operating base in southern Afghanistan's Panjwaii District when the Taliban attacked. From the confines of his armoured supply truck, 25-year-old Oakville native and Canadian Forces Trooper Carson McAulay watched as a well-aimed mortar round blew to pieces a pickup truck, driven by Carson McAulay members of the Afghan National Army. At this point, the relative security McAulay felt from being inside an armoured vehicle evaporated and the cold reality that his vehicle might not be enough to protect him set in. This was only one experience McAulay went through during his seven-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. While it was not his only brush with danger, it did prove to be one of the most intense. McAulay, who returned to Canada in mid-October, noted that right from the beginning Afghanistan was nothing like what he expected. Oakville MP Terence Young Wallace spent the previous fiscal year, when he also held the title of highest-spending MP in Halton. Wallace had the highest printing costs of all Halton's MPs at $57,000. These costs are paid for See Trooper page 3 See Oakville page 5 1/2 price i e 24" pine wreath With pine cones and berries. 51-4020-6 Reg. 19.99..................Each 9.97 al buy u 44 99 8GB MP3/Video player 1.8" colour LCD display. Plays music, video, photos and text. FM radio. Sorry no rainchecks. 99-4260-2 70% 3 12" red enam 67 frypan save Non-stick interior for healthy cooking. Silicone handle for cool-touch comfort. 42-0034-0 Reg. 65.99..................Each 19.79 DUNDAS & TRAFALGAR ROAD 400 Dundas St. East · 257-TIRE STORE HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 8:00am-9:00pm Sat. 8:00am-7:00pm Sun. 9:00am-6:00pm SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21 TO FRIDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2009 While quantities last. Sorry, no rainchecks. Quantities may be limited. OAKTOWN SHOPPING PLAZA 550 Kerr Street · 844-0202 STORE HOURS: Mon. -Fri. 8:00am-9:00pm Sat. 8:00am-7:00pm Sun. 9:00am-6:00pm