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

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday September 28, 2007 - 7 Candidates differ on daycare policies Continued from page 5 Party candidate Stan Lazarski denied there was any kind of environmental problem that justified Kyoto and warned the audience to guard against environmental alarmists who would take their rights away. "Let's be reasonable. The world is not going to end because of gases that plants breathe or carbon dioxide," he said. "Let's take steps to curtail pollution, but let's not scare the daylights out of everybody and impose restrictions and taxes, which are unbearable enough already." Halton NDP candidate Pat Heroux countered that the environment was a very real issue in Halton as the rate of children struggling with asthma has increased over the years. "The NDP Party is committed to meeting the Kyoto targets by 2012. Howard Hampton has dealt with these issues from a realistic point of view with realistic solutions," said Heroux. "We need to help people reduce their use of electricity and greenhouse emissions." On the subject of subsidized non-profit childcare in Ontario, opinions again differed wildly. For Zemlak, increasing the number of childcare spaces is an important issue, as working parents need to be able to work without fear for their children. "We have to have a healthy place for our children to be. That daycare system has to be put in place and I hope to see more money go into that over the next couple of years," he said. "That gives working mothers a chance to have a place that's safe for their child so they can go and continue with a career." Lazarski had a somewhat different view on the subject. "I for one do not want the government involved in raising my children. For the last 30 years I've worked six days a week, I've worked two jobs and my wife stayed home and looked after the children," he said. "I raised my children and I don't want someone telling me I have to raise someone else's child now." Stan Lazarski, Halton Family Coalition Party "I raised my children and I don't want someone telling me I have to raise someone else's children now. I've done my job. So, lower the taxes, let perhaps one parent stay home and look after the children and rebuild the society fabric of our community where parents have the power and ability to look after the children, not big brother." Heroux said not all parents have the luxury of staying home, as personal situations sometimes do not allow for it. "In a perfect world I would have loved to have been able to stay home and raise my children, I think there are few mothers that wouldn't, but I was a single parent raising five children and work was a necessity," she said. "The NDP firmly supports single parent families of having supportive daycare where the funds are partially covered, so the low income single parents will have a safe place for their children while they are at work." While Chudleigh believes childcare is important and requires extreme regulation to ensure the people running such institutions are qualified, he also believes childcare is a matter best handled by the private sector. Chlobowski, who attended state-sponsored daycare in Poland before immigrating to Canada, is amazed this country does not supply quality childcare. "It is really a pity that this country doesn't provide the childcare that communist Poland, a much poorer country, could afford," he said. "For biological reasons and cultural reasons it is women that take care of the little kids in our country and therefore it is an important women's issue to have the freedom to either stay at home or go to work. Sometimes you have to go to work because there is no other way, but for other women there is a choice and a woman should have that choice. We Greens are very much for affordable childcare because certainly we are very much for woman's rights." With the evening's debate at an end many members of the audience remained to speak to the candidates about concerns not covered during the debate. For some, the choice of who to vote for on Oct. 10 had been narrowed. "Some of the environmental things and infrastructure things that Mr. Chudleigh is so critical of, it seems to me it was his party that cut the environmental budget, and we got Walkerton, cut public transit, and we have this terrible gridlock, plus we have that mess on the 407," said Karl Eden, of North Burlington. "I'm not completely defending Mr. McGuinty because I certainly don't like his position on nuclear energy. I think that's a backward step, so I would basically see the Green Party or the NDP as a more sustainable choice." Some were not impressed at all with anything they heard. "I think there was a real issue in staying on track and answering questions, too. With almost every question there was a lot of avoidance of what the question truly was," said Doug Parsons, of Oakville. "I'm not sure any of them blew us away at all." For others, the debate brought crystal clarity to their voting choice. "I thought there was a lot of smooth talk and a lot of people speaking without backup of what they were saying. I thought the only one that spoke in truth was Stan Lazarski," said Luke Madansky, of Milton. "He's the only one that, from reactions in the audience, obviously upset people, but I think he more or less stirred people's hearts because they didn't want to hear what was true and I really respect that in leadership." TICKETS ON SALE NOW! hirdual T nn A AGAZINE RNING SYMPOSIUM, EXPO AND ONE-OF-A-KIND INTRODUCTION TO RETIREMENT! Preparing for retirement takes great planning. Spend the day with experts and gain the knowledge you need to make the most of your retirement. WELCOME TO YOUR RETIREMENT: Keynote Speaker Dr. Elaine Dembe ­ the "Passion Doctor", author of Use The Good Dishes, will inspire and re-energize you! Dr. Dembe shows us how to value the process over the outcome, how to embrace change, how to cherish all experiences, even the painful ones, and how to celebrate the ordinary moments that befall us every day. Quality, value and selection since 1982 Canada's largest bulk food retailer & more. Now over 100 locations and growing. Franchise locations available in Ontario, Atlantic Canada and Manitoba - (905) 886-6756 Store Locations A FULL DAY FOR ONLY $20 Admission fee provides attendance to all the above seminars, program, on-site demonstrations and loot bag. Seating is limited so book today! Tickets available at the Living Arts Centre Box Office 905-306-6000 or 1-888-805-8888 Sponsored by: & online at www.livingartscentre.ca Partner For information on available sponsorship/marketing opportunities, call 905-815-0017 ext 421