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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, January 4, 2013 · 6 Opinion & Letters The Oakville Beaver 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 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, Halton Region 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 Privatize LCBO? Ontarians vacationing in the U.S. are dumbfounded to find, when entering one of those liquor outlet stores, that a case of beer or a bottle of rum costs about half the price of what they can find at their local Beer Store or LCBO retailer. Progressive Conservative leader Tim Hudak is looking to capitalize on an opportunity. As a Niagara resident, he has heard complaints about the cost of alcohol in Ontario and how it is more accessible in the U.S. Recently, he promised if the Tories win the next election they will cut taxes and privatize the LCBO, a money-making giant that has turned over $1.6 billion in revenue to the provincial government, and $13 billion over the last decade. Hudak is treading in an area former Progressive Conservative leaders Mike Harris and Ernie Eves and former Liberal premier David Peterson backed away from. All three promised to allow the private sector to get into the liquor business, something the Costcos, Walmarts, and other retail giants are just salivating to pounce on. Despite the superficial appeal, privatizing alcohol sales has experienced a mixed bag of success. Alberta allowed the private sector into the game in 1993 and the public lost big time. The provincial government gave up $1.5 billion in revenue, while the cost of beer, wine and hard liquor in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan remain among the highest around. At a time when Ontario is looking to cut its $14.8-billion deficit, Hudak and the Conservatives are promising to cut taxes and provide more opportunity to the private sector. Didn't the previous Tory government make the same promises when they got rid of Hwy. 407 in what is now regarded a fire sale? Wasn't that a good deal? Letter to the editor Halton MPP takes issue with Flynn's column Re: Ontario to build on dynamic economic plan, The Oakville Beaver, Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012 I read Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn's column in The Oakville Beaver and, like virtually anything out of the mouth of an Ontario Liberal, I again find it necessary to set the record straight. Mr. Flynn quotes job growth from the bottom of the recent trough in June 2009, but fails spectacularly to include any of the previous five years his government held the reigns of power where Ontario lost hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs. Despite Mr. Flynn's claim of Ontario's allegedly high competitiveness ranking by some unnamed group, our province is still a recipient of federal transfer payments from other provinces. Calling Oakville's new hospital "on time" is a joke, as the Liberal government delayed the project for years. Further, characterizing a PC suggestion to privatize some of the retail aspects of LCBO as financially irresponsible ignores the fundamental difference between liquor tax revenues, which nobody has suggested should be reduced, and the high cost of retailing liquor in Ontario which is reflected in cost of the product paid by consumers. Mr. Flynn's suggestion that Hwy. 407 was "sold for nothing" ignores the $3.1 billion the province received for its long term lease -- not for nothing, and not a sale. Disinformation by omission -- how very Liberal of Mr. Flynn. Ted Chudleigh, Halton MPP A world of good As a fixture in Oakville, we couldn't be more proud of the annual Courage Brothers' Polar Bear Dip and its recent announcement that the event has surpassed its $1-million mark in raising funds for World Vision Canada and clean water projects in impoverished communities around the world. For nearly 30 years, the Courage Brothers, Todd and Trent, have been an inspiration of how a simple act -- which has grown to include more than 650 dippers from Halton and beyond taking the icy plunge -- can do a world of good. 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. Thank you to the Beaver for getting the word out on COCP I anticipated that the Children of Christmas Past would be challenging this year and it was. However, it is without a doubt, the outstanding articles and space The Oakville Beaver provided for the Children of Christmas Past that gave us a tremendous response, which resulted in approximately 3,000 gifts for our seniors. It was also a year, surprising to us, that after 13 years, countless people remarked they hadn't heard of the program until they read the articles. To reporter John Bkila, you put so much warmth and compassion into what you wrote and there wasn't a sentence that felt sterile. I have always stressed to the public that it's the media that gets the word out. There are no marketing dollars in this program. You, our local media, are to thank for donations to our seniors. In fact, it is the Beaver and (its sister paper) Burlington Post that directly got the attention of a vacationer from Lethbridge, Alberta, which resulted in our first out-ofprovince chapter opening this year -- it then branched to Canmore, Alta. I simply cannot thank you enough because the articles and coverage were so incredibly sincere and written so well, that people "felt" it more than they had in previous years. Thank you so very much again and all the best in 2013. Jill Harrington co-founder/chairperson Children of Christmas Past 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.