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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, June 6, 2014 | 6 How will you vote? This is the last edition in which we will provide coverage prior to Ontario's June 12 provincial election -- allowing publication time for rebuttals and corrections if necessary. In our Wednesday, June 4 edition, our editorial It's time for a change endorsed the Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) party. Some readers have agreed, some have dissented. We understand the latter as we recognize we have a long-time, likeable Liberal incumbent, veteran municipal politician Kevin Flynn in one of our town's two ridings of Oakville and Halton. Nevertheless, as home to the infamous gas plant scandal, we found ourselves in a dilemma (much like voters, we are sure) unable to endorse Ontario's Liberal Party in Oakville this time around. In Oakville, it was under the Liberal watch that the gas plant plan played out. No matter how much ght -- and tax dollars -- went into its cancellation, it should never have been considered for our town in the rst place not to mention with a whopping price tag. Many criticize the math of the PCs' million jobs plan. We are not clear on it, either. But we can't ignore the math of a $1.1-billion scandal. It is more than a costly mistake. In the absence of a Liberal nod, we look to the NDP and PCs. The NDP has worked with the Liberal minority government as the gas plant plan ultimately played out into a huge, beyond expensive debacle. We, like voters next Thursday, faced a tough choice or stand. We made it. Whether you agree or not with our editorial stance (and we know some of you were not happy), you have a vote to cast. That is one thing on which we can all agree -- our right, our privilege, to vote. Today , as we honour our veterans on D-Day , we honour the very people who sacri ced their lives for our freedom, our democracy. The best way to pay tribute to them is by honouring those freedoms by heading to the polls. With voter apathy high -- in neighbouring Burlington for example, a Burlington Chamber of Commerce all-candidates' breakfast was cancelled because of a lack of interest -- if our Wednesday editorial resounded with readers or incensed them, it did its job. It generated interest, discussion, and questions -- we invite people to share their thoughts with us at www. oakvillebeaver.com. Each and every single voter has their own vote. It's yours and no one else's. Use it. Cast a ballot. Editorial B A T T L E V I C "Connected to your Community" T O R S 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 68 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 RIZIERO VERTOLLI St. Mary Elementary School's team won the Oakville Public Library's Junior Battle of the Books competition. Pictured are team members Taylor Pontet-DaSilva, Cassie Connolly, Leah Cheong, Maddie Paul, Julia Lupton, Natalie See-To, Abigail Au and Victoria Raposo. The school's senior team placed second to E.J. James Public School in the contest.| submitted photo Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS Letter to the Editor MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Who will you be voting for on June 12? According to Community Development Halton (CDH), we had an average 51 per cent voter turnout rate across all four municipalities for the 2011 provincial election. While this was higher than the provincial average of 49 per cent, we are facing record lows in voter turnout. With elections on the horizon, it got me thinking about what conversations we need to be having with each other, with our neighbours, to reconnect citizens with one of the most important parts of our democracy, our right to vote. Canadian social media strategist, Rahaf Harfoush who worked on the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign for then-incumbent Barack Obama, said this of the campaign's focus: "For politicians who are looking to engage voters, the activities must go beyond election ramp up. If you want people to be involved you need to give them something valuable to be involved in." More than 15 per cent of rst-time voters in the U.S. voted for then-Senator Barack Obama. In our Wednesday, June 4, Metroland West Media Group, Halton Division editorial, It's time for a change, we endorsed Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak and, incorrectly stated, "by extension, the incumbents representing Oakville's two provincial ridings." We are backing Halton riding incumbent Ted Chudleigh and Oakville PC candidate Larry Scott. The Oakville Beaver regrets the error and any inconvenience it may have caused. Correction How do we keep sight of the fact that when we vote, we are making choices about the community we wish to create? When we tell political representatives who knock on our door or attend all-candidates' meetings to improve social assistance programs, to build more affordable housing, and to increase the minimum wage, we are helping to shape the political agenda. When those in power know people do not care they may be less responsive to your needs. Voting holds them accountable. Two great resources that can help you make an informed decision are a series of Halton Residents Vote sheets from CDH (http://tinyurl.com/nupgdzl) and responses to a Halton Region survey that was recently sent to all of the provincial candidates in Halton (http://tinyurl.com/qj6jqyh). Voting sends a powerful message to the government and politicians, and is the best way to bring about positive change. Leena Sharma Halton Poverty Roundtable 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: 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. 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.