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The Oakville BeaverGuest Column467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566Classified Advertising: 905-632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742The 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 thecondition 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 chargedChamber hosts politiciansfor, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Editorial and advertising content of theOakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.John Sawyer, president, Oakville Chamber of CommerceNEIL OLIVERVice-President and Group Publisher,MARK DILLSDirector of ProductionMetroland WestMANUEL GARCIAProduction Managerharming, poised, intelligent and articulate are wordsDAVID HARVEY Regional General ManagerCHARLENE HALLDirector of Distributionto best describe Michael Ignatieff when he visitedJILL DAVISEditor in ChiefSARAH MCSWEENEYCirc. ManagerROD JERREDManaging EditorWEBSITE oakvillebeaverCOakville in April 2009 to speak at an Oakville.comDANIEL BAIRDAdvertising DirectorChamber of Commerce breakfast event.The Oakville Beaver is a division ofRIZIERO VERTOLLIPhotography DirectorNewly elected as the leader of the Federal Liberal Party,SANDY PAREBusiness ManagerIgnatieff and his people were co-operative and responsiveas we pulled together a breakfast event that swelled to 750John SawyerRECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY:Ontario Community Canadian Community Suburban Newspaperspeople.Newspapers AssociationNewspapers Associationof AmericaWhile the Chamber is strictly non-partisan, hosting political leaders gives us aTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:unique insight into their world. Such an early start to the day when Ignatieff and his wife, Zsuzsanna Zsohararrived and yet there was already an audible buzz in the air.United Wayof OakvilleNever panicked or looking stressed, Ignatieff entered calmly, speakingATHENAthoughtfully and genuinely to everyone he encountered on his way to his spot atAwardthe head table.Ignatieff made a point of individually thanking all the volunteers for theirassistance and acknowledging that events cannot happen without the hard workof those who work behind the scenes.Igantieffs message that day was to share his vision for compassion, creativity,competence and consensus. As he spoke from the podium, he commanded theattention of the room.Although he spoke eloquently, Ignatieffs message could have been bettergeared to a business audience. He often exchanged reassuring nods with hiswife. What we will remember most about that experience is that we, at the Chamber,and Ignatieff as leader of the Liberal Party, were both on a learning curve. We were building our event profile and Ignatieff was building his brand.We have learned from Ignatieffs political journey that politics is a difficultgame, even for the most intelligent and savvy person. We commend his desire toserve just as we commend all candidates. We truly understand the demands andcommitments required of someone in public life.We are also appreciative that Ignatieff made Oakville a priority. We are equally thankful that many high-profile political and business leadersaccept our invitations to speak to our members and others from the Oakville busi-ness community as it provides us an opportunity to keep Oakville top-of-mindwith these leaders.To Michael, we say thanks and we wish him well in his future endeavours.We will continue to extend invitations to our political leaders. PHOTO BY TERRY LISHCHYNA In preparation for the October provincial election, the Chamber hostedSPRING SIGHTS:Terry Lishchyna recently snapped this photo and sent it toThe Oakville Beaver, writingPremier McGuinty in February and we will host Tim Hudak on June 3. it's a sure sign of spring when traffic stops so a mother duck and her 12 ducklings cross the street.Becoming strangely philosophical from inhaling gas fumess spring advances, and the rain falls, and the grass grows like what happiness peddlers will have you your life, the greater the benefits, the more you enjoy and, as you get Aplayoff beards on NHL players only faster and less patchy (so, believe, there exist other emotions that are older, the more you appreciate. Personally, Im at the point where my really not like that at all) I spend more time atop my riding lawn-just as honest, healthy and real, and that can workout is often the best part of my day. Crazy, I know.mower: my hog, as I like to call the old temperamental beauty.be just as rewarding. Listen to music, religiously.There are plenty of things a man can get atop his hog. Hungry, You dont have to be happy all the time. And when it comes to music, be opened-minded, eclectic. Dont thirsty, stiff, bored. And to that mix, you can add: strangely philo-And if youre not perpetually happy, it get stuck in ruts. Give everything a shot. Remember: music is both da sophical. After a few hours of cutting, I tend to forget about the grass doesnt mean youre defective. While happi-bomb and the balm. As Nietzsche once said: Without music, life and start profoundly pondering this grand seriocomic tragedy we call ness cant be overrated, in our society, its would be a mistake.life. In all honesty, it might just be the gas fumes.overemphasized.Finally (for today, that is I have grass to cut), you need to Andy JuniperRegardless, I thought Id share some of my philosophizing, the Honestly, if Im advocating anything in remember that beauty, and all that is good in life, exists in the little thoughts and conclusions that have come to me over the course of this missive, its living mindfully taking things. Like Counting Crows Adam Duritz once sang: All at once you many years on this planet, and interminable hours on the hog.in the good, the bad and the ugly as life offers. Living mindfully means look across a crowded room to see the way that light attaches to a Dont worry, Im not going to go all guru-on-a-mountaintop on actually existing in the moment, not letting the truth of a precise girl. you. Im not going to hit you over the head with platitudes and suggest moment in your life be sullied by something that happened last week, Its my guess that such a simple, beautiful moment that light, you to sing like nobodys listening, or spend every minute of every day or that might happen next week. This takes practice. on that girl, in that second will be the sort of thing you consider smiling, and thinking pretty, pleasant thoughts.And its an art that is being lost on our multi-tasking youths who with wonder on your deathbed.You see, when youre riding a hog for hours on end, you know that have trouble fully experiencing any singular instant of time because, At least, thats what I think while atop the hog, but, then again, it life isnt all pleasant and pretty. ah, there is a really important text coming in.may be just the fumes.Anybody whos happy all the time is simple, drugged, delusional, To boot, let me advocate exercise. Break a sweat every day.Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, or oblivious to lifes grittier moments. Humans were not meant to sit and stare at things (TV, computers, found on Facebook http://www.facebook.com, or followed at So, am I advocating unhappiness? No, Im just saying that despite phones). Interestingly enough, the more you make fitness a part of www.twitter.com/thesportjesters.www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, May 26, 2011 6