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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, June 4, 2014 | 6 It's time for a change In June of 1985, after 42 consecutive years of Conservative leadership, Ontarians chose change. Liberal David Peterson was the rst of four shifts in governing parties that the province's voters made over the next 18 years. He was followed by the NDP's Bob Rae in 1990, the Conservatives' Mike Harris in 1995, and, nally, the Liberals' Dalton McGuinty in 2003. Last year, under ever-growing pressure to explain the cancelled gas plants asco, McGuinty prorogued the legislature and resigned. Incoming Liberal leader Kathleen Wynne was appointed Ontario's rst female premier. We believe it is again time for Ontario to undergo a change of party in power. The tradition of newspapers offering their choice of leaders at the local, provincial and federal level has existed almost as long as the printed word. We do not expect to sway your vote, but hope instead to stir people to think long and hard about the importance of casting a ballot on June 12. We've decided to back Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak and, by extension, the incumbents representing Oakville's two provincial ridings. During their 11-year run, Ontario's Liberals have overseen reforms in auto insurance, increased health spending, created full-day Kindergarten and pushed for the protection of the Greenbelt (Golden Horseshoe). Unfortunately, they have also been at the helm for consecutive $1 billion spending scandals -- eHealth and the cancellation of power plants in Oakville and Mississauga. Three years ago, McGuinty weathered the storm of eHealth and managed to secure a minority government. Today, the $1.1-billion gas plant mess by the Liberals signals it's time to give someone else a chance to lead. Although Hudak's campaign promise of one million jobs is founded on some fundamental mathematical miscalculations, we believe it remains the most detailed plan to return Ontario to its haveprovince status. NDP leader Andrea Horwath lost some credibility with us by deciding she could no longer prop up the Liberals' budgets despite having demonstrated a willingness to do so in the recent past. Meanwhile, economists have described the NDP election platform as providing fanciful gures related to massive spending cuts with no detailed explanation of how the savings would actually be realized. While we once had high hopes for the Green Party's emergence as a legitimate fourth choice in Ontario, judged on performance to date, we believe this is still a party that's not ready for prime time. After all is said and done, we believe it is time for a change in Ontario. You make your choice with your vote. And with Ontario's election less than a week after this Friday's (June 6) 70th anniversary of D-Day, we encourage everyone to get out and exercise the right our forefathers fought and died to preserve for all Canadians. Go vote. Editorial T H E Y H A V E S P I "Connected to your Community" R I T 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 66 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN Winners of the Halton Catholic District School Board's S.E.A.C. 2014 Spirit of Inclusion Awards are Michael Paulic of St. Vincent Catholic Elementary School and Natalie Discenza of Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School. Left, Paulic's positive attitude and kind, caring and patient manner are evident in the support he shows all his classmates and staff and in particular in his friendship with a student who has Asperger's. He is a quiet role model for all, according to the school board. Right, Discenza, is a student leader who demonstrates a commitment to the betterment of student life as the leader of Titans for Wellness, as a Student Prefect, sports team and band member, as well as a volunteer in the community for many years working with students with special needs. | photos courtesy Halton Catholic District School Board RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Letters to the Editor Careless action wrecks vacation plans Thank you for ruining my vacation. To the person who hit my car in the parking lot at Speers and Morden roads, causing almost $3,000 in damage to my 2005 Mustang on Sunday, May 25, I hope you are sleeping well. You snuck away and left the scene without owning up to what you did, leaving me with the cost of your mistake. I have worked hard for the past few years, as an apprentice mechanic, to buy and x up my car. For the past several months, I was looking forward to going to the 50th anniversary Mustang Meet in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and showing my car. It is unlikely I will be able to get my car xed in time and the cost is likely to take up most of what I had planned to spend. I am only 23 years old, but it seems to me that over the past few years people are less and less willing to take responsibility for their behaviour. I hope that is not the case because the world will become a very sad place. Matthew Catalano, Oakville Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: It's good to see voters connecting the dots I celebrate the way many voters are increasing their understanding about how provincial elected folk can impact the quality of day-today life in Oakville. Of the direct in uence provincial policy and decision-making impact the amount of tree canopy and protected open space within the boundaries of our town. The `dots are being connected.' The engagement on the Merton land, at both the provincial and municipal level, is a very positive sign. Ann Mulvale, Oakville 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. 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, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter.