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Thursday, July 30, 2015 - The IFP - H alton H ills - w w w .theifp.ca Page 7 Furnace Air Conditioning Gaslines Boilers Water Heaters Radiant Heating 905-877-3100 proud local dealer of Canadian made products .ca Time to Move? Call Derek CallDerek.ca 905-877-8262 Derek Dunphy Sales Representative • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 We handle all insurance work. COMMENT The way we were The following information is taken, in part, from the book, "Mrs. Merry's Memories" from a series of taped interviews by Lou Brad- ley, edited by Deborah Quaile, published by the Milton Historical Society in 2002. The Bethel church at Drumquin was originally a wood frame building erected in 1848 during the pastorate of Reverend Mr. Boyle. This church replaced an earlier church/school building that had been across the road. A church with a past Alice Rice stopped at the park in Glen Williams one afternoon just as these rafters came paddling by.  Yes, this is what summer is all about! Have a photo you want to share? Email cgamble@theifp.ca THE DAYS OF SUMMER From our readers It's time to examine gravel pits in our communities Our Member of Parliament, Michael Chong, deserves enormous credit for the passage of his Private Member's Bill, the Reform Act. While many Private Member's Bills contain good ideas, very few are passed into law. Michael's thoughtful and dedi- cated perseverance on this important initiative, over a two-year period, was supported by Canadians across the country and across the politi- cal spectrum. The Reform Act gives Members of Parliament greater authority to speak their minds freely and repre- sent their constituents' views in Ottawa. The ability to "speak truth to power" is not always easy, but it is an essential prerequi- site of a healthy democracy. The Reform Act will help to restore Canadians' faith in our parliamentary institutions. ***** I was very pleased to drop by the Georgetown Market Place mall on Satur- day, July 18 to help publicize the upcom- ing Terry Fox Run in Georgetown. This year is the 35th anniversary of this iconic Canadian event, inspired by the amazing courage of an iconic Cana- dian. Since its inception, over $650 mil- lion has been raised for cancer research world-wide in memory of Terry Fox. On Sunday, September 20, Terry Fox Runs will be held not only in Georgetown, but also in Acton, Erin, Fergus, and Rock- wood. I want to express my thanks to all of the volunteers who are working hard to plan these special events. This year, it is my hope that we will see a record turnout of participants and money raised. Let's remember Terry, and conquer cancer. ***** The approvals process for new pits and quarries in Ontario continues to be a source of great controversy. I spoke in the Legislative Assembly on June 1, calling attention to this issue. In my statement to the House, I urged the provincial government to stop dragging its heels on updating the rules on aggregates. My remarks followed up a comprehensive, four page let- ter that I wrote to the Minister of Natural Resources on April 22. As a general principle, I believe that we need to strike the right balance between our ongoing need for aggre- gate resource extraction and our need to protect our environment. I also believe that the approvals pro- cess must be open, transparent, and sci- entifically-based. It should ensure that interested people have a meaningful op- portunity to have their concerns heard. The adjudication of disputes should be independent, impartial, and not cost- prohibitive. The Standing Committee on General Government, an all-party com- mittee of the Legislature, reviewed the Aggregate Resources Act two years ago. After extensive public hearings, the com- mittee made numerous recommenda- tions. We are still awaiting the Minister's firm commitment on when he will take decisive action to update the process. ***** I want to wish everyone in Welling- ton-Halton Hills a safe and happy sum- mer. Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Ar- nott welcomes your comments. He can be reached at 1-800-265-2366. His web- site address is www.tedarnottmpp.com. Ted Arnott