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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, July 21, 2010 · 6 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 --Open 9-5 weekdays, 5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekends 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: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award NEIL OLIVER Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The Oakville Beaver is a division of Media Group Ltd. DAVID HARVEY Regional 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 SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager Disturbing similarities Close to a decade after a proposal for a mid-peninsula highway had residents from Burlington to Niagara region up in arms -- and the municipalities of Halton and Burlington threatening a joint lawsuit -- the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) is back, claiming it has a kinder, gentler approach to coping with traffic congestion. Many don't agree. While it may be true that the Province has all but abandoned its plan for a new superhighway to run from Burlington, through Ancaster and south Hamilton Mountain and wind its way down to Fort Erie/Niagara, the same portion of the mid-peninsula proposal that had local residents seeing red back in 2002 remains a central part of the MTO's plan in 2010. Specifically, the Province is still seeking a new highway link between Hwy. 403 in Ancaster and Hwy. 407 in Burlington. So, while some jurisdictions see the MTO's revised solution to increasing traffic volumes between Niagara and Halton as a victory for the little guy over government, in Burlington the threat of a new road that could carve a swath across the Niagara escarpment -- a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve -- remains very real. Environmental interest group Citizens Opposed to Paving the Escarpment (COPE) was formed in 2002 specifically to combat the mid-peninsula highway proposal. Today, the local group is noticing some disturbing similarities between parts of the original MTO proposal and those of the new plan that was revealed at public information centres (PICs) last month. (Visit www.copenomph.org for details.) They're not alone. Both Halton Region and the City of Burlington have already publicly stated their opposition and intention to fight such a road remains unchanged. For those who cherish the escarpment's natural landscape stretching along Burlington's northern boundary, the MTO's latest solution to combating traffic gridlock is essentially the same. We believe the fight against the current MTO proposal could be just as emotional and ugly as it was eight years ago. The only difference now is that fewer of our Niagara Region neighbours are likely to be standing shoulder-toshoulder with Halton residents to protect the natural landscape that attracted them to settle in the area in the first place. 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. Letter to the editor Harper a disgrace says Oakville MPP All Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area owe a debt of gratitude to those men and women of our fire services, police services and paramedics who kept Toronto's streets safe during the recent G8-G20 debacle staged by the Harper government at huge taxpayer expense. Ontarians should be completely outraged at the lack of respect shown by the Harper government in building fake indoor lakes, dinners at posh resorts and the forced closures of businesses and sporting events. Employees were denied access to work, GO train services were disrupted and schools closed. At a time when Ontario is leading the country out of the recession with excellent economic indicators reported for the last financial period, we need a more responsible and visionary leader in Ottawa not a laggard who is quite prepared to squander our hard-earned tax dollars. At a time when the McGuinty government has reduced the personal income tax rate to the lowest in the Canada, we don't need a snob who thumbs his nose at Toronto's position as the financial centre of Canada. Countless Ontarians watched in horror as violent protesters stormed Toronto streets breaking windows and ransacking businesses. The vivid image of a burning police car captured on television horrified Canadians who condone civil discourse and peaceful demonstrations. Harper knew exactly what he was doing in attracting international violent protesters and anarchists to the normally peaceful streets of Toronto all in the name of his own personal vanity. He is the cause of international embarrassment to our country, our province and our communities and should be ashamed. To the men and women of Ontario's emergency services who withstood the violence, the taunts and the assaults to keep order in our provincial capital, we all owe you a huge debt of gratitude and a commitment from Premier McGuinty that no matter what Stephen Harper wants, it will not be allowed to happen again. KEVIN FLYNN, OAKVILLE MPP Letters to the editor 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 email to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Let's Talk Oakville election propaganda I've just read the latest issue of Let's Talk Oakville. This is an excellent means for the mayor and council to make us aware of what is happening in the town and leads to better accountability of our elected council. I do have a concern in that it is all too positive, especially the Town council's four-year work plan. Being accountable means that you acknowledge both the successes and failures. Nowhere in Let's Talk Oakville does it mention they wanted to do something and were not successful or that they had to make major changes to their original plan. For instance, was there any appeal to the OMB that was lost and if so what was the end result? Without full accountability, including the failures or changes, then this document, especially during an election year, is only a pat on the back document for the mayor and councillors to get elected. In other words, it can be considered part of the incumbents' election strategy, but it is paid for by the taxpayers not by the incumbents. DES HUNTER, OAKVILLE Where have the chipmunks and squirrels gone? We have lived in southeast Oakville, surrounded by trees for many years. During that time we have had a countless number of squirrels running up and down the trees, burying nuts in my planters and the lawn. The chipmunks would sit outside our kitchen sliding doors enjoying whatever it is that chipmunks eat. In the winter we would have five and six squirrels at a time under the bird feeders eating all the seed thrown on the ground by the birds. We noticed quite recently that there do not seem to be any squirrels or chipmunks in our garden. We put out a tray of bird seed on the ground and have not attracted either squirrels or chipmunks. Someone suggested that the foxes in the area have eaten them. Can this be true? BONNIE HUMFREY, OAKVILLE