The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

AIS - The Canadian Champion, Friday, March 23, 2007 OPINJIONJ Budget strategic Monday's budget announcement sawjim Flaherty put on a demenstration that wculd have made the mcst adept tightrcpe walker prcud. cAs the finance minister dangled the carrot of increased federal spending, tax culs and debt reduction in front cf his polîtical opponients, Gilles Duceppe cf the Bloc Qucheccis teck a bite - giving Stephen Harpers Conservative govem- ment aIl the support it needs te pass the budget and avcid a non-confidence vote. If the Consersatives bave accurately gauged the mccod cf thie electorate, this mnix oI provincial transfer paymenîs, tax crdits for working families and billions in equalization pay- ments for Quebec will have provsded the perfect prelude te a 2007 federal election. StilI, Flaherty sent some mixed messages on Monday - * offering this omincus warning te news media during the * budget day lockup: "The day in Canada cf gcvernments wîth their hands eut te other go ernments are passing," said Flaherty "Its tîme for gevernments te be self-reliant and te bc answerablc te their own taxpayers, whîch is one cf the benefits cf fiscal bal- ance." Apparently Flaherty wasn't refcrring lo ibis ycar - oi next. Federal transfer payments in the budget provide O[ntario wîth $2.33 billion over the next two years and give Qtîebec $2.3 billion for 2007-08 - asstîmîng, ci course. Harpers crew is retumed if there's an election. The increased transfer payment news is gccd for Ontanio and will likely see Halton politicians continue te pressure Premier Dalten McGuinty te show them some infrastructure money te help the region cope with the next îwc decades cf prejected growth. But tbis was net a budget that targeted every Canadian. lî was a budget that teck dead atm at scoring sîraîegîc votes. It was about securing a future for Harpers party - beth in the Heuse cf Commens and in the house cf popular opinion. It had far less te do w&ith spreading Canadas wealth among the nation's poor, ils aboniginal population or big cîties lîke Toronto. With Duceppes support, Harper finds hîmself free te catI an election on bis terms. The Conservatives appear te, have recycled some of their own pre-electien strategies hy promîsîng just enough te eneugb cf the Canadian population te put them over the top on electien day This petent cembination cf a budget chcck full cf goodies and Harpers edge in populanity over Liberal leader Stephane Dion should add up te an election caîl scon- er than later. Readers Wriate Send your letters te mjltoeaz@haltonsearch. om Power plant letter contradictory DEAR EDITOR: I would like te publicly respond te A. Paxton's Fehruary 9 letter regarding the power plant te be built in nearby Halton His. Paxton contradicts himself by say- ing. "White 1 fully support environ- mental issues," and then gees on te negate the feasihility cf friendly power sources such as wind and solar alterna- tives, eventually promoting a gas-fired power plant as the only option. Paxton aise failed te mention the flyerrs notice suggesting an elaberate environmental study done on the plant te better understand the pollutant met- rics advertised by the plant. Why Milton? Do the developers of ibis power plant feel that the amount of exhaust from the two carbon dioxide venting stacks trapped by six water vapor venting stacks will be cleaned up by the escarpment? If so, then that *see MILTON on page A7 Irbr Qcanaean eIMampion Milton's Cornirrmy Nevvspaper Since 1860 555 Industrial Dr., Milton, Ont. L9T 5El 905-878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertismng Fax: 905-878-3187 Classified:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 www.m-iltonr-anadianchampion.com Publisher Neil Oliver Advertising Director Werady McNab Managing Editor Karen Macela Production Manager Tam Coles Circulation Manager Charlene Hall Office Manager Teoi Casas The Canadian Champion, published every Tuesday and Friday, is a dMîiian of Metroand Media Group Ltd. - Group Publisher Ian Oliver. Adaenscng a aaaepfed on the conditon Chat, in the event of a typevîapial enrra that por0t io ofte adetsin nqpace oaaupied hi the eeeoifaaa item, CageCher wit a Ceasanahie altoeaance for signa ture, witl not se chaeged fort the baýnce of the adverasemrent wii e paid for atthe applicabe rate he puiher reerves the right to cateqoraze advertisenta or devdine CCAB Audited Recaogna-.rad for excellence loy Otro Commnity ,ýO C Sl N ewsar Asociation 4?N Cnadian Cornray C NA Newspapera Association U " Suburban Newaapapers S m f merica Ediýtor'sdesk Oakvi1leé really great hut I'm getting a hlie homesick Ever taken a tnip that you thoroughly enjoyed, but it sure was a good feeling when you a.,ived back on your home turf? That's how I feit earlier this week when 1 left my temporary work station in Oakvilte te visit the Champions new office on tndustnial Drive. The Oakville Beîaver bas heen my refuge over the past several weeks since the fire at the Champion in late February. Se far our advernistng department has set up shep in our new second-floor dîga, but the news- roomn won't follow until late March or early April. Oakville really is a nice place. It hasail the amenities you could want - goed restau- rants, a wide array of shopping opportunt- ties, a quaint downtown. My Oakville Beaver quarters are comrfortabte and my equipment ta in good workting order. My coworkers are friendly, helpful and professionat. There reat- ly tanft anything net te, like down here. knowledge of the fire as they didn't mention Stil, 1 can'î quite put my finger on it, but it. And thats when 1 flgured it eut. its just net Milton. I miss my lunch heur treks te La Rose Bakery and Main Street Donuts, and te, the maIl I miss the MiII Pond, especially now that the westher's gettng warmier. And belteve or note 1 even miss the hustle and bustle of Mttton's growth. Sure, the town has been a big part of my life over the past 19 years, but t think it was more than familtarity playing a rote in the wan t felt upon My reture. Back in Oakville, a birthday ai well known Miltonians Norm an< Coutter had mnade it te, my desk It c Hlonda. They ha&, obviousty sent i What makes Milton ta te people - the most kind, caring people 1 bave ever known. People like the Coulters who he fones who inethefirPepl lk thyer foge myo bitheiPep, - have catled and sent e-mnails expressing concerro about my wetl betng and condotences. à~ Sonry te some of you who, tn - ail the crazîness, t haven't had a cbance te thank. But piease -n feeling know 1 appreciated every phone message and e-mail. And t wilt be seeing you very soion. t erd from. wtilt make a point of it - hecause that's wbat JDonna Mittonians do. ime from Karen Miceli can bc reached ait twithout miltmwsd@tialtonsearch.com The Can.raùa ('Ia-taxapion la a proaL naedaa sipoansor for Haio Heahcar ~M3 * ~CANA UNITED WAY 0F MILTON TV AUCTION YYMCA Showcase milon ~ t GALA AM . Pd MILTON SANTA CLAUS PARADE qq Jingle Bell Fund