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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, November 11, 2011 · 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 --Open 9-5 weekdays, 5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekends 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: C Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member A THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association S Suburban Newspapers of America o Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award NEIL OLIVER Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The Oakville Beaver is a division of DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor 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 Thank you y Once again, it's time to remember... but Remembrance Day is so much more than that. It's not just about a moment of silence in our busy lives, or a quick prayer for those who are gone. It is about appreciating sacrifices made for us and learning from the past. It is a time to feel pride for the country we've become -- to the values we, as a nation, hold dear and the efforts of our ancestors and our neighbours to build upon it. We need to go out of our way to say thank you to our veterans because without them we would have become a very different country than the one we are today. They lost friends, family and for far too many, their lives. They fought and died for freedom. That's worth a lot of respect. We wear poppies near our hearts to demonstrate that our veterans hold a place in our hearts and that we recognize that we must never forget what they did for us. We need to continue remembering all the contributions, sacrifices and efforts made to secure and ensure our freedom, and pass that knowledge on to our children. We need to remember how important all the contributions, sacrifices and efforts made, and the many lives lost, to secure and ensure our freedom today. During the past few years, we have seen more ugly images of war. We have been given a sense of what it is like for our soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. Through the media and social media, we have seen footage and learned about their hardships. Our soldiers are defending us so we can continue living in peace. We need to be grateful for that and value their efforts. We should take the time to support them and their families and pray for their safety. We must remember that the sacrifices of our military personnel and their families is the very same sacrifice made -- for many at the highest possible price, their life -- in the past. We, in Canada, enjoy a country to live in that is peaceful, offers abundant opportunities, freedom to live our lives and respect for all of its citizens. Freedom and respect are priceless. They should never be taken for granted. Our veterans knew that, and we should, too. They offered their lives to defend it. To all our service people, both past and present, we offer you our most sincerest thanks. Letter to the editor Humane Society can use some extra help Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver r 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 r reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. New meters causing confusion Who decided to get rid of the parking meters on Lakeshore Road downtown? I recently used the new system -- having had to walk back to find the machine. I could not locate the receipt and then realized it was behind a plastic shield. In raising up the shield I cut my finger. I noticed other people looking for a parking meter and since it was not there, they just walked into the shop they wanted to visit. I saw no prior notification about this change and indeed might have thought parking was free had I not walked along Lakeshore Road recently and seen the parking machines. Nora Smyth, Oakville Pud BY STEVE NEASE neasecartoons@gmail.com 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. On behalf of the Oakville & Milton Humane Society staff, volunteers and most importantly all the animals in our care, a heartfelt thank you for your continuing coverage of our ringworm infection outbreak. The Oakville Beaver r has helped us share our story with the community, giving people a window into our world while our shelter windows remain closed. We have received more than $9,000 in critically needed donations from your readers, which has helped us as our costs to battle the infection skyrocket. You have helped us find homes for adoptable animals, encouraged people to bring much needed supplies to the shelter and promoted our fundraising events ensuring their success. At a time when major newspapers are wire services for international news, The Oakville Beaver r continues to be that best of all community newspapers, informing, supporting and educating the community it serves and we are so grateful for all you do. Brenda Dushko, manager, Fund Development, Oakville & Milton Humane Society