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406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e rs . c a MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS ICON SERIES WOOD BURNING FIREPLACES w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER W e dn es da y, O ct ob er 6 , 2 01 0 1 6 By Hiba Kesebi SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER From the provincial courts recent decision to strike down criminal pro- visions concerning prosti- tution laws to questions about federal stimulus packages, Oakville resi- dents had the opportunity to voice their concerns to Halton MP Lisa Raitt, dur- ing an open forum town hall meeting. The meeting, which was held Saturday after- noon at the River Oaks Community Centre, was Raitts third for the day as she held meetings in Milton and Burlington prior to arriving in Oakville. Raitt said the purpose of the forums is to provide an opportunity for Halton con- stituents to have their ques- tions answered as well as give their opinions on what their priorities are for the upcom- ing session of Parliament. Thats exactly what Oakville residents came out to do. Tara Bumstead and many others sought clarification on how stimulus funding was allocated for projects throughout the country. The stimulus funding is part of the governments Economic Action Plan, which was put in place two years ago to help Canada out of the recession. It ensured that funding was allocated for des- ignated regional or municipal projects. Bumstead asked for clarifi- cation on how the funding was distributed. Accusations and allega- tions are always going to be made about who got more and who didnt get a lot, said Raitt in response to Bumsteads concern. The goals of the projects were to both stimulate the economy, but do so to make sure that were thinking about stuff in the future. Raitt said the government had asked municipalities to prioritize what they thought were important projects and then an assessment was made by both the federal and provincial governments to determine which projects would be funded. Some were deemed a priority, like that of the Blue Water Bridge in Windsor an NDP riding. It is the biggest single project funded in Canada and is deemed a priority because it will reduce traffic conges- tion and facilitate local border crossings. Oakville received the bulk of Haltons stimulus funding with $30 million going towards a new Oakville GO parking facility, $31 million for Sheridan College and $500,000 for the North Park sports field. Raitt said she was lucky in Halton as the projects were ones that you can see, touch and feel and all the mayors in the region cooper- ated in a fantastic way. Although the Economic Action Plan is two-years-old, it is going to be a key component of the fall Parliament session, Raitt said. Thats because it is winding down: March 31 is the deadline for completing the projects. Only those projects completed by the March deadline will be reimbursed by the government. Theres a little bit of concern right now from some municipalities that theyre not going to finish their work in time, she said adding that the Minister of Finance James Flaherty recognizes this concern. Other key issues in the parlia- ments agenda this fall include law and ordermaking sure that Canadian communities, streets and families are kept safe from crime and terrorismas well as a focus on the economy, especially job growth. While the meeting was primarily to hear the concerns and views of Oakville residents, Raitt also sought the input of attendees on certain issues, such as the Ontario Courts recent ruling on prostitution. On Sept. 28, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice struck down crimi- nal code provisions surrounding prostitution because they con- tribute to the dangers faced by sex- trade workers. The Conservative government appealed this decision, Raitt said. Those attending the meeting had mixed emotions on the issue. Some believed the provisions surrounding prostitution did indeed put sex-trade workers at risk and as such, found the ruling fair and jus- tified. Others supported the appeal, deeming it unfortunate that the courts would determine prostitu- tion legal. Raitt said the government has requested a stay, and that the pro- visions will continue to be enforced while the issue is before the court. The 90-minute forum addressed many of the concerns held by Oakville residents. Bumstead, who is a new Oakville resident, was espe- cially appreciative. I really hope the Conservative government can put forth some of the things that they have in the works to bring to the parliamentary table and that we can have a really productive couple of sessions of Parliament and no election, she smiled. Halton MP hears residents concerns at town hall meeting NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER FORUM: Halton MP Lisa Raitt met with constituents at a town hall meeting at the River Oaks Community Centre on Saturday. 570 TRAFALGAR RD., OAKVILLE AT THE QEW 905.844.3273 Oak-land Ford Lincoln THEWORKS FUEL ECONOMY PACKAGE $5999 We Service All Makes & Models Thanksgiving Day Dinners Sunday, October 10 & Monday, October 11 RESTAURANT 754 Bronte Rd., Oakville Located inside the Quality Hotel Call for Reservations 905-847-1566 www.hamptonsrestaurant.ca Coffee or Tea *Seniors-10% Discount * Children under 12 half price