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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 10 ,2 02 0 | 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 70 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 Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Distribution Representative Iouliana Polar Real Estate Kristie Pells Regional Production Manager Manuel Garcia Halton Media General Manager Jason Pehora CONTACT US The Independent & Free Press 280 Guelph Street, Unit 77 Georgetown, ON L7G 4B1 Phone: 905-873-0301 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Fax: 905-873-0398 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at theifp.ca Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail lpolar@miltoncanadianchampion.com or call 905-234-1019. OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT THEIFP.CA 2020 has changed the way we communicate, with correspondence in many instances replacing con- versation and letter writ- ing enjoying a resurgence. I recently received a let- ter from Town of Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette regarding the Province's response to COVID-19, and the following was my re- ply: Thanks for sending me a copy of your recent letter to the Premier, dated Nov. 19, concerning COVID-19. Like you, I have been enormously proud of our community's collective re- sponse to the pandemic, a challenge which is unprec- edented in our lifetimes. We have demonstrated our grit, our determination and our resilience. Our community spirit has shown itself in so many ways, coupled with our compassion and caring for others. In short, our people have been magnificent. Our local businesses have been tested in ways they would have never dreamed possible, but in many cases they have piv- oted to find new opportuni- ties. You, Town Council and staff have been tireless in your leadership, as all or- ders of government put partisanship aside and worked together. I am convinced that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. The re- cent news that several safe and effective vaccines have been developed and suc- cessfully tested represents hope that better days lie ahead for all of us, includ- ing our local businesses. To get there however, we will need to endure some difficult weeks that will test our resolve. But we need to keep the faith that has brought us thus far. The advice of our public health officials -- local, provincial and national -- has helped us chart the path to overcoming CO- VID-19. They too have been magnificent. All have tried their best; none have claimed to have been per- fect. And yes, clarity and consistency in the Prov- ince's messaging contin- ues to be important, even as we confront a virus which is the very defini- tion of a "moving target." Together, we have crushed the COVID-19 curve before, and we will do it again. Please pass along my thanks and best wishes to Town Council and staff. Keep well, stay safe, and take care. Ted Arnott is the MPP for Wellington- Halton Hills. He can be reached at ted.arnott@pc.ola.org. SO PROUD OF OUR COMMUNITY SPIRIT TOWN, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES DESERVE KUDOS FOR RESOLVE DURING PANDEMIC, WRITES TED ARNOTT TED ARNOTT Column I am convinced that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel. A possum prepares to hunker down for the winter in a Georgetown shed. Do you have a great local photo you'd like to share? Send it to sleblanc@metroland.com, along with a brief description. Al Manzer photo SNAPSHOT Firms that join the cov- eted Top 10 largest compa- nies by market capitaliza- tion in the United States of- ten do so because of tre- mendous growth. Since 1927, for the three years prior to joining the Top 10 largest market capi- talization companies, its stock values increased by nearly 25 per cent more per year than the general stock market. Those companies get a lot of press coverage and are the envy of the business community. Shareholders are happy, too. How did the stock per- form during the next three years? Not very well. During the next three years, those stocks outperformed the market by less than one per cent. After five years, those stocks underperformed the market by one per cent, and after 10 years stock market underperformance was slightly higher. This is measured by the Fama/ French Total US Market Research Index. The technology giant Intel had a similar stock market performance. Dur- ing the 10 years prior to as- cending to the Top 10, its stock beat the underlying market by 29 per cent an- nually. The following 10 years, Intel stock underper- formed the market by near- ly six per cent annually. The same thing hap- pened with Google. Five years after joining the Top 10, its stock value increases were about half of what it had been for the five years prior to joining the Top 10. Peter Watson, MBA, CFP®, R.F.P., CIM®, FCSI, of Watson Invest- ments offers a weekly fi- nancial planning column, 'Dollars & Sense'. He can be contacted through www.watsoninvestment- s.com. SHOULD YOU INVEST IN COMPANIES WITH PHENOMENAL GROWTH? STUDY SHOWS SHORT-TERM STOCK APPRECIATION HAS NOT BEEN SUSTAINABLE, WRITES PETER WATSON PETER WATSON Column SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT THEIFP.CA