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

th ei fp .c a Th e IF P -H al to n H ill s | T hu rs da y, D ec em be r 20 ,2 01 8 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca newsroom@theifp.ca IndependentAndFreePress @IFP_11 WHO WE ARE Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Steve Foreman Regional Director of Media Holly Chriss Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Classified/Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Production Shelli Harrison Halton Media General Manager Vicki Dillane CONTACT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 905-234-1016 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, con- dense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncana- dianchampion.com or call 905- 234-1019. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT THEIFP.CA EDITORIAL During the provincial election campaign, Doug Ford was caught on video telling a room full of development supporters that he would hand over a "big chunk" of Ontario's Greenbelt to those same developers. The public reaction was fast and furious, and Ford had to backtrack quickly, finally promising: "The peo- ple have spoken - we won't touch the Greenbelt." Could it be that when he makes this sort of promise, he actually means the opposite? As in, we won't cancel the basic income pilot project, and then doing it? As in promising to invest in mental health services and then doing the opposite? Given this track record, we shouldn't be surprised that Ford has apparently reversed again and is trying to let developers into the Greenbelt. He's using the back door this time. In an omnibus bill about cutting red tape, Bill 66 - Restoring Ontario's Competitiveness Act, the government plans to make it easier for munici- palities to apply for exemptions to a number of protec- tion measures under the guise of speeding up approvals for building offices and factories. The measures in question include the Clean Water Act, the Great Lakes Protection Act and the Greenbelt Act. So if your municipality supports building a facto- ry on Greenbelt land, it just has to apply to the prov- ince with assurances the development will create jobs and generate revenue if the protective measures imped- ing it can be set aside. The government insists this doesn't amount to en- dangering the Greenbelt, that its promise to protect it is still in force. But if that's the case, why is the act specifically mentioned, along with other important environmental protection measures? We're not just talking about the Greenbelt here, either. If a municipality wants to waive aspects of wa- ter or Great Lakes protection legislation, it will apply to the province to do so. Don't worry, the government says. Any deviations from protective measures will still require provincial approval. That sort of "we've got your back" rhetoric might be comforting except that this is the same politi- cal party partially responsible for the Walkerton disas- ter. And they want to be trusted to make decisions that won't jeopardize public safety and the environment? If there's a bright spot here, it is this: Municipalities have to make the application to start with. On one hand, this isn't comforting. Local governments are under the most financial pressure to keep taxes down and generate revenue. But on the other hand, they're more accessible to citizens and therefore likely to hear and act on grassroots pressure. That means if you feel strongly about not allowing Ontario's 7,200-square-kilometre Greenbelt to become Swiss cheese with pockets of development, speak out. The same holds true with Great Lakes and ground- water protection. Let your local councillors know how you feel. Insist that any time exceptions are being con- sidered meaningful public consultation and is part of the process. Better yet, tell your local government to follow the example being set by Burlington, where new Mayor Marianne Meed Ward is already saying her council will stand up for the Greenbelt and not seek exemptions. That will send a clear message to the province, which might even listen. FORD'S GREENBELT PROMISE ISN'T MEANINGFUL Nothing cattle prods the lustre out of Christ- mas shopping like the 40- minute scour for a park- ing spot beforehand. It has become a gladiatorial combat, game of chance more suited to type A gamers than the average Joe or Josephine. Every male would sooner pour hot soup on his stomach than repeat this yearly ritual. But be- cause we love our fami- lies, we buckle up and set out to the local big mall to do battle and snap up a prize or two to add to the holiday offerings. It's not that guys are cheap (we are) or that we're thoughtless (we're full of thought). It's just that we think long and hard about buying someone something before we don't. We're kind that way. It's why we love gift cards. Nothing proclaims Merry Christmas like a nice piece of colourful plastic that says, "Here, buy yourself something nice." We certainly don't see the necessity for the ritu- alistic pre-Christmas parking lot scramble. It's the outright tossing out the window of politesse that irks me to no end. Then you have to adopt the very tactics you de- spise in the competition. With all spots taken, even the illegal ones, you resort to scanning for re- turning shoppers with their arms looped through bags, fishing for keys and trying to re- member where they parked. You cruise close behind them surrepti- tiously like a hunter with a foliage hat and second guess where they may be going. When the shopper lifts their keys in a tired salute you strain to hear the beep-beep of the car lock. More importantly, you wonder who else has spotted this fleeting op- portunity. Sure enough other cars are sidling up nearby like greedy barra- cudas. Then, crestfallen, you see your shopper is only dropping off packag- es. When you finally do snag a prime spot, a mile from the mall doors, it's usually because someone has pulled out right in front of you. You can't help but do a victory dance in that moment, something your spouse always finds distasteful. Try to remain calm. It'll bring a little therapy to your home. Merry Christmas. Stephen Ilott is a pro- fessional home organizer, lurching about in park- ing lots, and author of "The Domestic Archaeol- ogist." For more informa- tion, visit www.declutter- ing.ca or contact him at info@decluttering.ca or 416-460-8098. THE BATTLE FOR PARKING IS A HOLIDAY SEASON RITUAL YOU NEED STRATEGY, SPEED AND DETERMINATION, WRITES ILOTT STEPHEN ILOTT Column