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HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY MARIO PALADINO To our very special husband, father and grandfather. We love you very much! Love Jeanie, Johnny, Mina, Tony, Rosalie and your grandchildren. > F F ; ? 8 E ; J ? % > F F ; G I @ : < % @ e j l i p f l i J 8 M < + , L G K F ! : X c c 8 c c j k X k \ = ` i j k ' ' ( < $ ' * & ( ' + + 2 3 3 # i - 2 4 1 - ! # i % # - ! 8 * 5 ( + + # i i . 1 3 ' i # 1 5 ( ! # i " i i * 5 ( + + # 1 1 * 5 ( + + # 1 + + 2 3 3 # ! i ! @ e Z c l j ` m \ f ] X c c f k _ \ i [ ` j Z f l e k j X g g c ` \ [ k f 8 c c j k X k \ ? j Y X j \ i X k \ j % K \ i d j X e [ Z f e [ ` k ` f e j X g g c p X e [ d X p m X i p Y p i \ ^ ` f e % I X k \ j X e [ [ ` j Z f l e k j j l Y a \ Z k k f Z _ X e ^ \ % ? K i X [ \ d X i b l j \ [ l e [ \ i c ` Z \ e Z \ Y p 8 c c j k X k \ @ e j l i X e Z \ : f d g X e p Vision To be the most livable town in Canada Want to learn more about how your tax dollars are spent? The 2011 budget process is underway! But before we make any decisions, we want to hear from you. Where do you want to see your tax dollars spent? What programs and services are important to you? What are we doing great and what areas can we improve on? You tell us. 2011 Budget Open Houses Sessions are as follows: Wednesday, January 26 7 to 8 p.m. Central Library Auditorium Tuesday, February 8 7 to 8 p.m. Woodside Library Wednesday, February 9 7 to 8 p.m. Town Hall Oakville Room Saturday, February 12 2 to 3 p.m. Glen Abbey Library Please join Councillor Tom Adams, chair of the Budget Committee, as he hosts 2011 Budget Open Houses so that you can share your ideas and concerns about how your tax dollars should be spent. The staff recommended budget proposes a total tax increase of 3.32 per cent that will ensure existing town programs and services are maintained. The proposed increase includes previous financial commitments such as road pavement improvements, renovations to Queen Elizabeth Park Community Centre, annualization of costs associated with Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, and the completion of a new transit facility. Where your tax dollars go Building Services Internal Audit ServiceOakville Economic Development Dev. Engineering Enviro. Policy Strategy, Policy and Comm. Regulatory Services Legal Services Admin. Executive Culture Facilities and Const. Human Resources Infra. Planning Political Governance Planning Services Financial Services Info Systems + Solutions Library Recreation Services Corp. Revenue/Expenses Parks and Open Space Infra. Maintenance Oakville Transit Emergency Services Per $100 paid on taxes $0.1 $0.1 $0.3 $0.4 $0.5 $0.5 $0.7 $1.0 $1.4 $1.4 $1.5 $1.5 $1.7 $1.7 $1.9 $2.8 $3.5 $4.4 $6.2 $7.2 $7.9 $9.5 $12.0 $12.3 $19.5 Come out and have your say! Visit www.oakville.ca for more information on the 2011 Budget and how you can get involved. w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER Th ur sd ay , Ja nu ar y 13 , 2 01 1 8 Paul Marai, a newly-elected Oakville trustee who is gay, raised the issue and asked how such a ban was written into the board's policy on equi- ty and inclusive education. He vowed to fight the ban and told the policy committee it has "dam- aged the reputation of the board." "This specific part of the policy must be revis- ited immediately," Marai said, adding his con- stituents had made it clear it did not reflect their views. Several policy committee members cau- tioned against rushing into drafting a new policy and said many of their constituents favoured keeping the ban. Student trustee Clarisse Schneider spoke out against the wording in the current policy and urged the board to consider the students and their best interests. "The message we are sending to my fellow students is twofold and simple," said Schneider, a Grade 11 student at Oakvilles St. Ignatius of Loyola. First, it is saying that sup- porting our gay peers and accepting them is wrong, that being yourself is wrong. A gay- straight alliance is nothing to do with homosex- ual activity, it is about acceptance and belonging, what this very policy tries to achieve. The sec- ond, our actions teach our students that if you don't agree with something then ban it. Is that what we teach children in our care? In her statement, met by applause from the audience, Schneider called for compromise and proposed that the revisions, if approved, create a Catholic gay-straight alliance group that encompasses the Catholic teachings, but also the support for our fellow gay students or for those who one day might identify as being gay. The next meeting of the school board is Jan. 19. It is saying that sup- porting our gay peers and accepting them is wrong, that being yourself is wrong. A gay-straight alliance is nothing to do with homosexual activity, it is about acceptance and belonging. New trustees support changing boards equity policy Continued from page 1 Clarisse Schneider, student trustee, Halton Catholic District School Board