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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, November 16, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 -- 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Oakville Beaver 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 OakvilleBeaver is a division of David Harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Strut Safely We have long cautioned Halton drivers to be aware when they are behind the wheel -- don't drink and drive, don't be a distracted driver, curb aggressiveness and more. Cyclists, too, must keep safety in mind. When a bike and a vehicle tangle, it's likely the cyclist who will be injured. It's also important for local pedestrians -- and that includes joggers, baby-buggy pushers and dog walkers -- to keep their head up and watch where they walk. That's the message Ontario Medical Association President Dr. Doug Weir and Hal Johnson from Body Break are driving home with the launch of Strut Safely, which urges pedestrians to be aware of their surroundings and to stay alert. With November and December being the darkest months of the year it's a timely message. The number of pedestrian fatalities in the province is alarming with approximately 100 pedestrians killed every year in Ontario walking and crossing the street. According to the Ontario Road Safety Annual Report, 55 per cent of pedestrian accidents happen after dark. The same report goes on to reveal that 20 per cent of pedestrians killed in accidents are inattentive or distracted by phones, mp3 players, or other devices. Alarming, too, is information on Halton Region's website on pedestrian safety. It notes that each year, approximately 50 Canadian children are killed and more than 1,000 are hospitalized as a result of pedestrian injuries. The five to nine year olds are the age group most at risk for pedestrian deaths. Ontario's doctors are providing some helpful tips and encouraging people to do the following while out and about this winter: · Put cell phones away when walking and crossing the streets; · Use one ear bud when listening to music so you can still hear bells, horns and other pedestrians; · Wear brightly coloured or reflective clothing so you are visible when it is dark. To view the Strut Safely video, click on the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwe7r4ziyTg. The best way to keep our streets safe is for everyone -- drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike -- to be courteous and cautious at all times. 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. 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 e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. A walk through the past at Vimy Ridge The past two weeks, my wife and I have been visiting my daughter and son-in-law in Paris, France. We all had the privilege of attending the Remembrance Day Services at Vimy Ridge in France and Iper in Belgium this past weekend. Vimy Ridge has been of special interest to me for some time. You see, my grandfather, James London, was in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division that took Vimy Ridge from the Germans in 1917, along with other members of the Canadian forces. As I walked through the tunnels and trenches at Vimy, I could only imagine what our brave solders must have thought in their minds; soldiers waiting in wet tunnels and muddy trenches; waiting for 5:30 a.m. when the attack against the Germans would take place. As they came out of the trenches as the battle began, what would be in their minds as they fought their way towards the Germans, moving over dead and wounded comrades? My grandfather was one of the survivors on that day. As a young lad in the early 1950s, I would ask my grandfather what the Great War was like. All he would say was "I was lucky, I survived." He did not want to elaborate and would never discuss his war experiences on that day. After my visit to Vimy Ridge, I now have a much deeper respect and appreciation for his commitment and for those of other Canadian military soldiers who made such a great sacrifice in the face of overwhelming odds. It truly is an experience I will not soon forget and it gives me a whole new meaning to the words, Lest We Forget. Ernie Nock, Oakville As an Oakville resident and business manager of Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers on Speers Road, I am insulted and offended the federal Conservatives have chosen to attack labour with Draconian legislation called Bill C-377. The legislation is nothing more than a blatant, barefaced, high-handed attempt to weaken labour and trample on the constitutional rights of our members and staff, and those who receive payments from our pension and benefit plans. It purports to force trade unions like ours to become more transparent and accountable, but it's really an Orwellian-type law that will usher in an era of too much government control. The legislation will result in excessive paperwork for our union and increase administrative costs for our pension and benefit plans by up to 20 per cent. It will also force unions to disclose salaries of staff and require administrators of pension and benefit plans to reveal personal details of plan members and beneficiaries as well as any payments in excess of $5,000 to the Canada Revenue Agency for publication on a website. This is clearly invasive and, quite simply, violates an individual's right to privacy. For example, a widow who receives a cheque for more than $5,000 in life insurance benefits would have his or her name disclosed on a public website for everyone to see. Everybody deserves the right to privacy and to be protected from criminals that prey on vulnerable people. Putting such information about our staff and members on a public website for everyone to see is, in my view, ruthless. See Bill page 11 Opposing Bill C-377 Letter to the editor