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

A6 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday JuIy 24, 2007 OTO We're getting old While there may be some debate over whether we're get- fing better, theres no question were getting older. According to 2006 Census data released by Statisticir Canada Iast week, Canadas sen- ior population (those over age 65) Ieapt by 13 per cent frorn 2001. Stats Canada projects that within a decade, seniors could outnurnber children under the age of 15. While the fact seniors today are heaithier and living longer than ever before is certainly positive news, the countrys aging trend rnay present prob- lerns down the road. For example, there is a 1: 1 ratio of people (age I15-24) about to enter the workforce compared to people (age 55-64) about to leave it. This will mean major challenges for ernployees in the future when it cornes to training and tumover. A critical labour shortage is a real possibility, as is the belief rnany baby boomers, who may not be able to afford retirement, could face a conundrurn if their health prevents thern from stay- ing in the workforce. An aging population will also put a strain on a variety of services, particularly those involving assisted living. And who will be around in years to corne to provide necessary assistance to todays caregivers? Will the health-care systern and pension plans be able to withstand the pressure of the boomers 10 or 20 years hence? The recent census statistics should not be a cause for alarrn, but rather a wake-up caîl for our politicians - and society in general. Adoptîng a proactive approach today in how to han- dle our aging population tomorrow is flot only sensible, but vital. ANYou CHANE ME BACK INTo A QUM~A? Readers Write E-mail your letters to miltonerl@haltonsearchcoem. Where's the accountability? DEAR EDITOR: Town council approved thernielves hefty raises, apparently without any discussion. This is unacceptable. If they intend- ed to give themselves a raise, this sub- ject should have been pant of their carn- paign during the last election. The rnayor received a 20 per cent raise. He says that it is neither too high nor too low cornpared to other munic- ipalities. This is Milton - it should flot rnatter what other town rnayors and councillors salaries are. And when you add on the benefits they also receive on the job, t.hey rnake substantially rnore than their salaries would indicate. One of the councillors clairns that she deserves this increase because of the long houts she puts in answering e- mails and doing research on the com- puter for her constituents. and because of ail the comrnunity event tickets she has to buy Do the rest of us flou buy the same tickets? Maybe we townspeople should ask the Town of Milton to give us some of the rnoney frorn Mohawk Slots. As far as the e-mails and research goes, 'm stull waiting for my own councillor to return y phone caîl from months ago. There should be a referendum any time there is a major decisuon to be made, like for raises or the expansion of Town Hall. Why does our mayor need his own ,407 transponder? is there any account- ability for the use of ail the 407 transponders loating around Town Hall? When 1 spent $5 to get information on the use of these transponders, it turned out to be incomplete and quite useless. Therefore, there is no accountability AGOST1NO GAUOTO MILTÔN There are too many unsafe drivers in town DEAR EDITOR: 1 agree with R. Devine thai Ward 2 Councillor Mike Boughton's staternent that 90 per cent of drivers do flot stop at stop signs is inaccurate. In fact, 1 believe that 99 per cent of drivers do flot corne to a complete stop at stop signir. In my opinion, Devine must flot be paying too rnuch attention, as 1 notice that drivers who are making a right turn on a red light only slow dowti enough to rnake the turn. 1 bav.estrk 4toi Qf Qtbet .h"nis thgt drivers do around town that probably would be considered unsafe. Although there are many incidents, 1 will reflect on orily orue. While waiting to make a left tum at a red light, 1 noticed that the yourig lady next to me had a cell phone tucked under ber car and was obvuously eating her morning cereal out of a large bowl. Why arn fot convinced that there are a lot of safe drivers around town? R. SCHILUNG Resistance to washroom use quite disappointing DER EDIOR I recently was Dut shopping with my daughter in downtown Mihton when 1 had an experience that could bave turned Dut to be ratiier enlbarrassing for me. We had been out for quite a while and we were in a store when 1 hail the need ta use thse restroota. Now Meore anybody thlnks that this is just a young mother, that held it too long, let me explain. 1 amn not a young mother anymore, as my four chul- dren ar ow gron and ail have families of their own - orne wlth grandchildren. So you see I arn wel into thec sixties-pus group. Anyway s we were in the storel1asked the young girl working if it was possible for me to use the reson, and she hrnrediately told me dta they Wa no restrocin that 1 could use. Then ta our shock, this young lady sug- gested that 1 walk acros tIsefour lattes of Main Street ta use the iestroor at a fast-food outlet. I tried ta explain ta at rny age 1 coukh't wmtt long enough ta cros four lanes cf a dangerous road, but she stood L[at 1i coud not use the res»mn My daughter asked to speak with the store nmager; who when surnroned would not show her face, but spoke from behlnd a partilly opens loor. When informned of the problern, she adrnitted that she nmost likey could not hold itthat long cither and reluctantly let me use the restrtorn. This is a fily common occurrence in a few Milton stores. 1 find it hani ta believe tIsat a store that us open to the public and depencis on it to survive would refuse ta allow a customer - let alaise a senior - ta use the rest- roorn. As 1 mentioned,' dis could have turned into a very embarrassiÀng situation had 1 not been allowed the use of the restroorn. # 1 t"in that sorne storés need ta be a little more appre- dlative of their custowers. SFO ------------~ I1RLEY RYDERU MIIION ~lbe Qanabîan Eljampwn Mitons Communiy Newspaper Snce 1860 555 IndustnialDr, Milton, Ont. L9T 5E1 905-878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertiaing Fax: 905-876-2364 C]assifled:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 www.miiltoncanadianchamnpion.com Publisher Neil Oliver Advertising Director Wendy McNab Managing Editor Karen Mîceli Production Manager Mom Coles Circulation Manager Charlene Hall Office Manager Teri Casas flu Canadian Osamnpion, publisbed eveey Tuesday and Friday, isa division of MelroladMedia GroiupLtd. - Group Publisher Ian Oliver irdvertisng io acceptWr on tire condition tirai in tire evn of a tpognaphical errer, tirai portion ni tire adven- Irsin space occupied iry tire erroneous in, togetiren aur a reasonable allowance for signature, oilot ire charged lor, but tire balance of tire adooirtneent will ire paid fon ai tire applicabrle rate.Tire publirher reserves tire riglir to caiegonze aovetisrenis or decline, CCAB Audited Recognized for excellence by Ontario Communiy AocS aNewspapers Association C C A Canadian Commoniiy Noaspapeis Association ffl uburan Nerespapers ofniAmerica The Canadien Champion is a proood media sponsor for: iaton Heatircare o N 11R 1 Jingle Bell Fond CANADA DAY UB YL UNITDWAY~ 0F MILTON TV AUCTION MILTON SANTA CLAUIS PARADE i THFNA ~ E Areods ho Ont ic SNllton 5bowcaseMilton i SGALA Th teC àndm hmio ecyclaboPýd,