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6 Independent & Free Press,Thursday, October 7, 2010 OPINION Winds of change? If recent public opinion polls are any indication, there is an angry electorate out there. A recent Toronto Star-Angus Reid survey indicated 76 per cent of Ontarians want a new government. The same poll said 71 per cent of respondents felt the Dalton McGuinty-led Liberal government is "on the wrong track." For months Rob Ford-- seemingly a cross between Bozo the Clown and Vlad the Impaler if you believe many pundits-- has been leading the Toronto mayoral polls. Inane policies, arrests and a penchant for constantly removing his foot from his mouth so he could put the other one in seems to have had little negative effect among voters who apparently are desperate for something new. Even in the United States, a recent poll indicated the majority of voters wanted a new congressional representative-- regardless of party affiliation. Last month in New Brunswick the governing Liberals were crushed by the Conservatives-- the first time since Confederation that a government in that province has failed to win a second consecutive mandate. With the municipal election less than three weeks away, it will be intriguing to see if a similar desire for change will spread to Halton Hills. There are incumbents facing challenges for the following council seats: Regional Wards 3&4, Wards 2, 3 and 4 as well as both the public and Catholic school board trustee positions. The decision facing voters is whether it is wiser to send experienced people back to the council table or if an injection of new blood will be of greater benefit as the Town faces many tough decisions-- particularly when it comes to growth-- over the next four years. Make no mistake, the winds of change are all around, but whether those winds are strong enough to reach Halton Hills won't be known until Oct. 25. 905-873-0301 Publisher: Ken Nugent General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@independentfreepress.com) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@independentfreepress.com) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@independentfreepress.com) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@independentfreepress.com) Classifieds Kristie Pells (classified@independentfreepress.com) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@independentfreepress.com) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@independentfreepress.com) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@independentfreepress.com) WEB POLL RESULTS A new survey says 86 per cent of Ontarians claim it is harder now than it was two years ago to make ends meet. Do you agree? · Yes (87%) · No (13%) Steve Nease Go to www.independentfreepress.com Letters to the editor Youth pleads for bicycle's return Dear editor, To the person who stole my bike: I am a nine-year-old boy from Georgetown. Last weekend my bike was stolen from my yard. My bike was my only transportation to school and to my friend's houses and to the park. My parents bought my bike for my birthday in March and I really liked it. I'm very upset that my bike was taken and I would like to ask the person who took it to return it to my home on Cleaveholm Drive. The bike is black on the front and white on the back half. It says "bent" on it and there is a piece of duct tape on the back spokes from when I decorated it for the Canada Day Parade. There are stunt pedals on the front tire and it is a 20-inch frame, BMX. If you have seen it please call the police or return it to my home. I really want it back, and I don't know when we can afford to buy a new one. If you stole it because you couldn't get your own you could ask your parents to save the money like mine did, or go to Wastewise and get a used one. You didn't need to take my first bike from me. I was going to give it to my little brother when he's older. Hayden Downes-Mills, 9, Georgetown reduction program of your choice, what would you do with the money? I'm pretty sure I know what program would NOT make the top 10 list. Can anyone even dream of how many lives would have been saved or crimes prevented, had this breathtaking amount of money been entrusted to a law enforcement group with even a shred of competence? The thought sickens. C. Wilson, Georgetown Registry too costly Dear editor, I'm confused by the President of the Halton Regional Police Association's position on the gun registry in his recent letter (Sept. 21 Cops back registry). He states that "most Canadians would agree that if it (the gun registry) can prevent human injury or death, it would be worth it." He then follows this statement by telling us in the past 10 years, 14 police officers have been killed with a long gun. Haven't we had the gun registry for pretty much the past 10 years? So, is he saying that the gun registry is working or not? Doesn't sound like it's working to me. One other question I have not yet heard asked of any law enforcement group: If we, the taxpayers, offered you $2 billion (yup, that's what the gun registry has cost us so far), to spend on any ONE crime Blackberry stolen Dear editor, My daughter's Blackberry was stolen on September 18. She worked for a month to purchase the Blackberry. If your son or daughter has recently acquired a Blackberry without a reasonable explanation as to how they came into possession of it, it may not belong to them. Please call 905873-1984 to arrange the return of this phone. A reward is being offered for any information which results in the return of the Blackberry. The serial number of the phone is available for confirmation. Shirley Norton, Georgetown Letters to the editor policy Letters must include an address and daytime telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. E-mail: jmcghie@independentfreepress.com Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. The Independent & Free Press The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.