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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, June 15, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 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 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award Neil Oliver Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The OakvilleBeaver 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 Know what to do At this time of year, our chances of coming into direct contact with wildlife increases. For example, Conservation Halton (CH) is asking residents who see turtles, snakes or frogs along the road, to submit your observations online by using the CH Road Ecology Survey -- which is on the CH website www.conservationhalton.ca. Data collected helps CH better understand the need for safe wildlife crossings and effective landscape planning. Also, as you head out to enjoy the trails or any number of beautiful local landscapes, keep an eye open for wild animals. Though beautiful to watch from afar, you never know how an animal is going to react, so exercise caution. Should you come across an animal, which appears sick or wounded, the Ministry of Natural Resources reminds us what to do: · If you can get close enough safely, don't take the animal home with you or otherwise move it, as picking it up may cause more harm than good. · When animals do need help, they require specialized care to recover properly and return to the wild. · You may also come across an animal that looks like it's been abandoned -- don't assume that is what happened. Some species leave their well-camouflauged offspring alone for part of the day to reduce the chances of attracting predators to them. · If an animal seems to have been abandoned, leave it be and check back periodically to see if it is still around. · Keep dogs and cats away from the area, as the parent may not return if predators or people are nearby. For help assessing the situation, call 1-800-6671940 or visit the Ministry of Natural Resources' website at www.ontario.ca/mnroffices to search for and contact your local district office. To report dead wildlife, including birds or bats, call the Canadian Co-operative Wildlife Health Centre at 1-866-673-4781. The Town of Oakville and Oakvillegreen Conservation Association Inc. will also host a coyote information meeting in Bronte next Wednesday (June 20) as part of an ongoing Town initiative to educate residents, and students through school presentations, on what to do if you meet a coyote. 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. Re: Summer weather heralds the arrival of the parking brigade, The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, June 13, 2012 Thank you so much for almost, verbatim, saying what I had verbalized to the `First Attendance' when I called on Monday morning. I was one of the ticketed cars at Bronte Athletic Field. I've been attending my grandson's foot- Ticket adds insult to injury Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver 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 reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. ball games for three years. It was adding insult to injury -- the injury being that my grandson's Oakville team lost to Kitchener-Waterloo 45-0; the insult is obvious. I am quite happy that after 45 years in Livable Oakville, I'm on my way out and not in. Thank you for seeing the injustice. Elmira Hellmann, Oakville By Steve Nease neasecartoons@gmail.com Pud If there weren't already compelling enough reasons to quit smoking, think about the risk to your vision. While it's well-known that smoking can cause cancer, heart disease and stroke, until recently there has been little awareness that smoking can cause serious and permanent vision loss. For a long time, I personally bemoaned the fact Canada had no requirements that cigarette packaging carry a warning about smoking and blindness. Cigarette packaging in other countries -- like Australia -- have carried the message "smoking causes blindness" for some time. But on June 19, my wish will be granted. New regulations for tobacco products labelling in Canada mean that, as of Tuesday, retailers can only legally sell cigarettes that display new health warnings, including the fact that smoking increases your risk of blindness. Specifically, the warning points to the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the leading cause of vision loss in Canadians 50 years and older. AMD causes damage to the macula, the central part of the retina responsible for seeing fine details (such as reading print or seeing faces). People with AMD generally experience blurred central vision and a growing central blind spot. The good news? Quitting can make a difference. Studies indicate a person's risk for AMD will decrease each year they don't smoke, so that after 20 years the risk is equal to that of someone who has never smoked. Smoking is also a risk factor for developing cataracts and vision loss from diabetic retinopathy. I sincerely hope those people who are still smoking will heed the new warnings about the risk of vision loss. So, if the well-known risks associated with smoking aren't enough to make you quit, think about the implications of losing your sight. Dr. Keith Gordon Vice-president of research, CNIB Smoking can risk vision Letter to the editor