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A6 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, June 19, 2002 EDITORIALS AND LETTERS Tin: IIA K V IL L I! nuw 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax; 337-5567 Gassified Advertising: 337-5610 Grculation: 845-9742 IAN OLIVER Publisher NEIL OLIVER Associate Publisher TERI CASAS Office Maiuiger JILL D A V IS Editor in Chief M ARK DILLS Production Maiuiger K ELLY M ONTAGUE Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLU Photography Director STEVE CROZIER Circulation Director ROD JERRED Managing Editor Mrt-ound Hitftno. Pltttfm Q & 0 o t r n m j Ufl. txX tia. A ^ l 'o e r r g New* Adwieer Aaeen h e a e lC tm e . l>% rpr» Nww. B r tu Adnarcr Barry* B»» \M acfc, Baton (fftrpnto Brampton GmnJan l U l n j t r Post h itn g tan Srecpng N w j Oy Parent. C o m K ftn h e * W i M r or Em W o a to L x u » i fin A s Etobcofc* Guardian Fwroorough Port. G*org»to*n m p m W A ctn Fiw IVim HvrMon Am**. K i m Dta n w Tmo» KhjKm Thu VM N fc. L r t a y Iho Week. MvWwn Economal &S«#v MdtanaPonelangLarww Mrror. M«on C a n a a n O u rrp o r U aan SDopCNng U n a UBSssajga E ts rw s Tkrm H m w g i to m . M o r e G udt. H w rm rtrt A uryj (r» ftim ri Hor9»r t»rtir»J Hem Hctt\ * * Mmx. 0 a M > B a m O M i ^ c t p n j N*w», OOfcnars Kx»*ir Hww, OrflM VxJr» O tfU N » W fte * O rn jtr f\*1 Pwry Tfca WMfc. Own S a n a Trtuia. P * m * » n CCMnw fW 6 o ro i0 i Thi VW, Ccu** Gc*> R ttm r U n f c T 'w r r c y j j / '* ' Ltxral Scartnrou/' Mmr. H tn . ( o m t n x n a Cly <* W OuarAan THE O A K V ILLE BEA V ER IS PROUD OFFICIAL M ED IA SPONSOR FO R: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newrspaptrs Association ^ \ TA Canadian Community N m pw rn Association VM CA T T i i r n J t& tM F u n d "U S A G O N .TM OME^ *3B & :o c ^ ss® NfiK SK d Sufcurtun Newspapers ot America ^ L n U t ° (| iiu n rm io M o | oakvllle galleries | P O flB 0$lf£$$D (C £ 1 1 £ JjC £ -- Legal way to cheat the taxman Smokers must really be wondering if they've got a target painted on their heads these days. First the Town o f Oakville enacts a restrictive sm oking bylaw which for bids them from enjoying their habit in most public places. Then the Federal and Provincial governm ents hit them with a com bined $9/carton tobacco tax increase raising the cost o f a carton o f smokes to about $50. G ood grief! It's alm ost enough to m ake a sm oker quit. W hat a brilliant idea. Sorry, we ju st can't m uster any sympathy for smokers. There is really no excuse for the habit. For decades smokers have been told their habit is harmful to them selves and to the rest o f society. Anyone who still believes that sm oking is not harmful is simply deluding them selves and is living (albeit a shortened life span) in denial. Following the announced tobacco tax increases. Dr. Elliot Halparin. president o f the O ntario M edical A ssociation, predicted the higher taxes would discourage m ore youths from sm oking and could prevent as m any as 35,000 tobacco-related deaths. We don't know o f a stronger argu m ent than that. If you are mad at the government for taxing you to death on cigarettes, then get even by quitting. At tax time many people spend countless hours trying to find ways o f keeping their money away from the taxman. Well, here's an easy way to cheat the tax man -- and it's legal. Simply quit smoking. A nd th ere's an added bonus. Besides gaining revenge on the feder al and provincial governm ents by denying them tax money, you will also find more money to spend on yourself, or your family, on other things. At $50 a carton, a reformed sm oker could now buy two high-priced CDs, fill up the car with gasoline or even treat the m inor hockey team to ham burgers or pizza. And w hat's more, you'll be able to sit in a restaurant and bar without walking outside every few minutes to join others, who haven't yet seen the light. L E T T E R ST OT H EE D IT O R Bullying is not an acceptable part of growing up In her letter to The Oakville Beaver on June 7. 2002. Alison Ziemianski wrote "Bullying in schools and playgrounds is all part of growing up." I can barely contain the outrage, disgust, and disappointment that I felt when I read that opening line to her letter to the editor. I guess 1 mainly feel sadness that there are still people in this world who advocate bullying as a means to help children to grow. Kids need to know that bullying in any form (teasing, name calling, deliberate exclusion) is not accept able and that "standing up for them selves" means that you turn the bully in to the authorities. To suggest that the victim "seek peer mediation and self esteem les sons" as a way to deal with being bullied is saying that it is solely their problem. It is the bully who really needs this type of intervention and probably more. Experts in this area continue to note that people who bully and harass others either suffer from low self esteem or have been (or are being) bullied themselves. So maybe that's their way of "standing up for themselves" is to bully back? And what weapon shall they use? Words? Fists? Knives? Guns? Or perhaps assembling a gang or posse would be a more appropriate way of "standing up for themselves" other than turn ing the bully in to the principal, which you (and probably others) feel is a weak thing to do? That "these kids should learn while they are young because the world is not always a friendly place" is a thought that I kept firmly in my mind as I explained to my kids this evening (as I do every night) that bullying is not acceptable and that they need to stand up for themselves - they need to report it right away! I explained that there are people in this world who would have them believe that if they are bullied it must mean that there is something wrong with them and that they shouldn't tell anyone about it. I tell them that the.se people are wrong and I continue to advocate for them in "standing up for them selves." Just because bullying is part of growing up doesn't mean that it is right. To my knowledge, there is no research that demonstrates that being the target of bullying builds charac ter. self esteem, or communication skills. SONIA HILL Protecting existing neighbourhoods We read with interest the editorial in your Friday edition regarding the significance of Council's decision to support the existing limit to the Oak Ridges condominiums adjacent to the GO Station. In it, you refer to the decision as representing a NIMBY approach to planning, ignoring Smart Growth princi ples. The Trafalgar-Chartwell Residents' Association supports Council's decision. Nevertheless, we are on record as favouring Smart Growth principles. Higher density development makes sense: it promotes live/work communities, and it makes public transit more economically practical and more attractive to those who choose between it and the private car. It also preserves more green space per capita. At the same time, in our neighbourhood, as in many others, residents have chosen their homes in part for the character of the area: the quiet streets, the proximity of uncrowded parks, and many other factors. The Town of Oakville planning department has as one of its stated goals, the preservation of the quality of life of existing neighbourhoods. Call it NIMBY if you like, but we do have legitimate expectations that what we chose will not be dramatically altered in the drive towards intensification. Smart Growth principles need to be applied within these constraints. Elsewhere in the same issue, you address the related issue of the lands north of Dundas, and of the likelihood that the other communities in Halton region will not support an attempt by Oakville to escape scot-free the effects of population growth in the GTA. No growth is not a realistic option for Oakville. New developments offer the planners the opportunity to apply smart growth principles to preserve green space, encourage the use of public transport and promote live/work communities, all of which are good for the environment, without changing the nature of existing communities dramatically. Those who choose these new developments as their home will be doing so knowing what they are doing; the ingredients will be listed on the box, so to speak. The issue is the balance between infill and new greenfield development in providing housing for Oakville's future resi dents. Given the 55,000 people Oakville must accommodate in the coming years, it would be impossible to preserve the quality of life of established neighbourhoods and block growth to the north of Highway 5. A managed growth approach, as supported by the Mayor and a majority of Council, will build a broad-based consensus between all stakeholders (the Region, the Province, the current residents, business, future residents, developers and others), taking into account the best environmental science and the most advanced planning principles available. Residents' associations like ours are important in building consensus. That is what happened when the original Oakridge Heights deal was struck with the developer an accommodation was reached that avoided costly and time-consuming OMB hear ings. Council's passage of OPA 198 is in part based on the position that development can be managed through negotiation with all stakeholders in later planning phases, and TCRA has supported this approach. In passing OPA 198, the Town took an important step in ensuring that Oakville will retain a significant voice in planning its own future. The integrity of agreements such as the one which limited Oakridge Heights to ten storeys will be key to this process, and Council was entirely consistent in upholding it. CHRIS STOATE, PRESIDENT TRAFALGAR-CHARTWELL RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION Smoking bylaw criticism by bar owners was premature Ed. Note: This letter was originally sent to Mayor Ann Mulvale and a copy was filed with the Oakville Beaver for publication. Hello Mayor. It's Doug LaDoucer. I've had several of my Letters to the Editor published in the Beaver regarding my strong support of the No-Smoking bylaw, one giving you thanks for your position on it. I read the article on the front page of the June 12 edition of The Oakville Beaver which I must convey is hogwash, and I hope that you are as aware as I am that this sort of response was predictable. I mean really, can bar owners be justified in measuring the impact on their business on the very first weekend of the bylaw being in effect? Let's face the facts. That week end was the first weekend of the season that provided us with good weather. Of course peo ple are going to take advantage of the weather by spending time at their cottages; on their decks at home; and/or at outdoor patios whether there is a new smoking bylaw or not. I played in a band for over 20 years and can tell you that bar business is always down when the weather turns good. (By the way, I just learned from my doctor last week that I have the onset of degen erative lung disease likely caused from the years of playing in smoke-ridden bars. Maybe I should launch a lawsuit against bar owners for allowing these unsafe conditions). Even if the bylaw did cause a drop in busi ness during the first week, this does not mean all of these businesses will go out of business as they claim. Like any change there is an initial reaction period and then people adjust and there is a lev eling out. Of course the smokers will 'react' at the beginning in a protesting manner, but as time passes they will go back to visiting their favourite establishments. They didn't stop going to work when smoking was banned in the work place. I get the strong impression the response of the local businesses and their representatives was planned well before the first week of the bylaw implementation. I know you are seasoned enough to have expected it, so I just would like to say 'Stay Strong" Mayor. You've made the right choice for the betterment of Oakville residents. DOUG LADOUCER Veterans Day was a worthy tribute On Saturday, June 15 a special tribute was held in Oakville to thank our war veter ans. I am not a veteran but I was in atten dance for much of the afternoon's festivities held on the campus of Appleby College. I watched and was thrilled by the mili tary tattoo. I thought the choir superb and I marvelled and waved like a kid during the flypast of the Lancaster bomber. I know the dinner and further entertainment was a huge success. Unquestionably the veterans deserve our respect and our thanks for giving so many of us the prosperity and freedom we enjoy today. I thank them all. I am told the prime organizer of the event was Rotary Club of Oakville West. They are to be congratulated. Its members and all others involved deserve our salute and our thanks for a job well done It was a unique event. It was quite a day. And for the many veterans it was surely a day to remember. JOHN F. MCKINNON Thanks for honouring veterans I wish to express appreciation of the leadership of Inspector Ford and his fine team of hard working supporters, for bringing to Oakville a Military Tattoo and belated recog nition of our veterans. It was splendid to see such a courageous group and be entertained by fine military music, in addition to the many excellent static displays which brought us up to date with the activities of our guardians of peace, law and order. The example of the young volunteers of the cadet servic es was exemplary. The sad note, what a pity so few took time to enjoy such a spectacle and endorse our appreciation of our Veterans. GODFREY OW EN Pud By STEVE NEASE Your Opinion Counts The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published. letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Road, Oakville, On., L6K 3S4. or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish any letter.