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6- The Oakville Beaver, Friday February 15, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: The Oakville Beaver is a division of IAN OLIVER Group Publisher Media Group Ltd. NEIL OLIVER Publisher DAVID HARVEY General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA ANCHOR Circ. Manager Making cyberspace safe In light of this week's conclusion to Ontario's largest co-ordinated child pornography investigation -- which saw two Halton men among those charged -- it's good to hear the provincial government is trying to be proactive about protecting children from online predators. The province announced Wednesday that it had partnered with youth television network (YTV) and the Canadian Centre for Child Protection to launch a program designed to educate children and their parents about cyber predators. Highlights of the program include: · YTV developing a series of animated television announcements with tips on Internet safety in partnership with the Ontario Provincial Police. The announcements direct viewers to a cyber safety game and more tips on YTV's website at www.ytv.com. · The province is also distributing three guides for parents of children between eight and 13 years old. The guides help parents understand what their children are doing in cyberspace. Developed by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, the guides will be sent home through schools and are available online at www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov. on.ca/english/news/2008/20080213-safebr.asp. Any parent who thinks cyber predators are not a growing problem better think again. According to the province, in 2007 police completed 1,353 Internet child pornography and luring investigations and laid 539 charges. Of course, the most vital players in the success of any program that aims to prevent strangers from preying on our children are parents. Knowing where our children are going online, controlling access to areas of the Internet through parental control software and taking the time to explain and educate our children about the real dangers that exist in cyberspace, are measures that must start at home and be reinforced at school and by all forms of mass media. We agree with Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Rick Bartolucci's statement that, "Kids today spend a lot of time online, and we all need to work together to keep them safe from predators." The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Generation Whenever being failed by Me Generation Hopefully someone at the Ministry of Education has read your Generation Whenever editorial (Oakville Beaver, Jan. 23) and the policy will be changed. How can we expect our children to grow up to be productive members of society when we don't ask them to meet deadlines? Life is full of deadlines, from income tax filing, to flight times, to hockey registration. You miss the deadline and something bad happens; you pay interest, you miss the flight, you don't play hockey. That is how life works. Failing to teach our children the importance of meeting deadlinesmeans that we are failing to give them the skills that they need for life. It is not fair to them and they will get an unpleasant surprise when they hit university or the work force. Unfortunately, it is not just "whenever you want" school assignments that is the problem, but rather a society-wide lack of responsibility and discipline fostered by the `Me Generation.' Just a week or so before the Generation Whenever editorial, the Beaver published an article on Burlington parents who refused to send their children to school in the school uniform and were upset when their children were not eligible for some activities (but not denied access to the standard curriculum). What kind of example do we set when the parents do not follow simple rules? What is next? "My Dad says I don't need to do math homework," "My Mom says the no weapons on school property rule is optional"? If the parents do not follow simple rules, why should the children? How many of these same children have now turned this position back on their own parents? Which one of these children have already said to these same parents. "I don't have to be in by nine, I don't like that rule," or "I don't have to make my bed, clean my room or eat broccoli -- that rule doesn't apply to me." These particular parents might not like school uniforms, but individual preference does not always govern. Rules apply to everyone and you do not get to obey only the ones you like. Try the "I only obey the rules I like" excuse with Halton Regional Police next time that you are caught speeding or running a red light, or to Revenue Canada when you haven't paid your taxes. Pud BY STEVE NEASE snease@haltonsearch.com See Rules page 7 The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.