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I A6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday October 4, 2000 T h e O a k v il l e B e a v e r Ian Oliver Publisher Nei Oliver Associate Publisher Norman Alexander Editor KeVy Montague, Advertising Director Steve Crozier Circulation Director Ten Casas Office Manager Mark Dlls Production Manager Riziero Vertolli Director ofPhotography M etroland P rinting, P ubisrtng & D istributing U d.. includes: Ajax/Ptekering News Advertiser. A ttston H erakyC ourier. A rtfx r Enterprise News. Bame Advance. Barry's Bay T tis W eek. Botton Enterprise. Bram pton Guarcian. B u rlin g to n P o st. B u rlin g to n S h o p p in g N ew s. C ity P arent. C oingw oodM fcsaga Connection. East Vtxk M rror. Erin A dvocate'C ourtry R ou te s. E to b ic o k e G u a rd ia n . R am borough P o st. G eorgetow n Independent/Acton Free Press. Hamston Review. H uone Business T rie s . K ingston This W eek. Lindsay This W eek. M arkham Ecnom ist & Sun. M idland/P enetang uishine M irror. M ilton C anadian C ham pion. M ilton Shopping News, Nfcsissauga Business Times, Mesissauga News. Napanee G uide. N ew m arfcet/Aijora Era-Banner. N orthunbertand News, North \b rk M rror. O akvie Beaver. Q akvie Shopping News. O tdtm ers Hockey News. O rifa Tocfey, OshawaVvhrtty/Ctanngton Port Perry The Week. Owen Sard Tribune. Palm erston Observer, Peterborough This W eek. Picton County G uide. R ichm ond H ill/T hom hillA teughan Liberal. S carborough M irra , S toufM teU xbridge "W xjne. Forever M xng. C ity o f\b rk G uardar OPINION RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Nowspapors Association THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: O T ^M 1-..... ..... f 111 YMCA O FO AKVU E m JiNqls Bell FuNd LCOME* AGON it® 1 9 3 0 Jl J^thaia iJAward TV AUCTION S 0 'fahe (Sakville .t e u 7vivOv; Seiev IstrateggfarO F F fvUsUiit 467 Speers Rd., Oakville O n t L 6 K 3 S 4 (905) 8 4 5 -3 8 2 4 Fax: 3 3 7-5 5 6 7 Classified Advertising: 8 4 5 -2 8 0 9 Circulation: 8 4 5 -9 7 4 2 l» C N A S K t , Canadian Community ^w*papori Association & TH E B R O N t f iU T T E R F L Y C f o /f t f f t u f O N T A R I O O N T A R I O | oakville galleries | " Suburban Nowspapors of America S OaCOJU C hildren's Choir r own o t | o 4 t y i u i PC* J BJSHESKTHEAKTS E d ito ria ls S tra n g e reasoning W h a t's w ro n g w ith th is p ic tu re ? In Ju ly , H a lto n W o m e n 's P la c e , a c e n tre c o u n se llin g and h e lp in g a b u s e d w o m e n , re p o rte d th a t in IV s h a r d to b e lie v e th e p re v io u s tw o m o n th s th e y h a d re c e iv e d m o re th a n tw ic e th e u su al w h y th e O n ta r io 1 0 0 m o n th ly c a lls . T h e H a lto n W om en' s D ir e c to r a te V io le n c e P re v e n tio n C o u n c il c o n a x e d $ 4 5 ,0 0 0 in c lu d e d th a t an in c r e a s in g n u m b e r o f w o m e n in H a lto n a re in c risis. fu n d in g fo r H a lto n W ith th is in m in d , i t 's u n f a th W om en' s P la c e w h e n o m a b le to t h in k th a t th e O n ta r io W o m e n 's D ir e c to r a te h a s a x e d its t h e r e ' s a n o b v i o u s n e e d $ 4 5 , 0 0 0 . c o n t r i b u t i o n to th e fo r s u c h a fa c ility r e g i o n 's W o m e n 's C e n t r e . T h a t o rg a n iz a tio n re c e iv e s c o u n tle s s c a lls fro m w o m e n w h o are b e in g th re a te n e d , sta lk e d and b o th m e n tally a n d p h y s ic a lly a b u s e d . T h e C e n tre d ire c ts th e se w o m en so th ey c a n g e t h e lp a n d th e y c o u n se l w o m e n on jo b lo ss a n d o th e r p ro b lem s. J u s t w h a t w as th e P r o v in c e 's m o tiv a tio n in c u ttin g th is c o re fu n d in g th a t p a y s th e re n t, u tility , a d m in is tra tio n and o th e r c o sts? N o a n s w e r h a s b e e n f o r th c o m in g f ro m th e D ir e c to r a te b u t w e s tro n g ly s u s p e c t th e c u t is a n o th e r m e th o d to fu rth e r d o w n lo a d r e s p o n s ib ility f o r j u s t a b o u t e v e r y th in g , fro m Q u e e n 's P a rk to m u n ic ip a litie s . You can a lm o s t h e a r P re m ie r M ik e H arris in v o k in g h is `le t th e p riv a te s e c to r fu n d i t ' m a n tra w h en a p p ro v in g the cuts. A g a in , a n o th e r O n ta r io 's m o st v u ln e ra b le g ro u p s re c e iv e s a c o l le c tiv e sla p a c ro ss th e fa c e fro m th e v e ry b o d y e m p o w e re d to p ro te c t it. B itte r iro n y in d e e d . o <·) do CYCLIN G PO SITIVE DRUG T E S T S Y D N E Y 2000 B A SK ETB A LL Letters to the Editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes your comments. All letters must be typed, signed and include the writer's address and phone number. Send to: Letters to the Editor, The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, OnL L6K 3S4 TRA C K & F IE L D * Care good at March of Dimes facility Re: Articles criticizing Independent Living Centre I was appalled when I read the two recent articles printed in your newspaper. I'm referring to the one written Sept. 13th, 2000, by Howard Mozel and the other Sept. 15th, 2000, by Kim Amott. Both of these articles were written with in the same week, criticizing, tarnishing and th ra sh in g the O n ta rio M arch o f D im es, Independent Living Centre. The self-p ro claim ed group called Care Watch Halton, entered our building, several months ago and held their meetings, on several occasions. Many times, they slid information under our doors stating they were looking after our interests and wanted to improve the Health Care System. Little did we know they were scrutinizing our program only and have not looked into any other Health Care Program. Eventually, they slid a survey under our doors, which they asked us to complete. The responses were to be held confidential. I feel that your new spaper has printed unfounded allegations about us without check ing into the validity of this group. This kind of journalism is very scary. I never would have believed this would happen here in Oakville. I've lived in this building for five years and have received the best 24-hour care available for the physically challenged. Our attendants have always respected my dignity and have given me the privilege o f living a very fine quality of life. They've never refused any of my requests as far as self-directed care, unlike the allegations of one of our former consumers. This program has been a pilot project for the a p p re c ia tio n goes to M s. B lo k h u is w ho past five years and the Ontario March of Dimes prom ptly put together the article with only had done its best to give us the best possible one d ay 's notice. service they could afford by trial and error. R e p re s e n ta tiv e s fro m T he W o m e n 's As in any other health care facility, there is C en tre's board and staff held a conference always room for improvement, and there are c a ll w ith o u r M e m b e r o f P r o v in c ia l good and bad caregivers everywhere. But our P a r lia m e n t, G a ry C a rr. M e m b e r C a rr program didn't deserve to be given such bad assured that he was very concerned about publicity. I am only one of several consumers who are T he C entre's defunding and that he would very disturbed and upset. Many of our friends follow -up with the M inister responsible. and family are calling us and asking if we're Melvina Walter and Leanne okay and if we are being abused. I am embar Conick rassed to leave my building and ride my scooter Co-Directors in downtown Oakville. I fear being pointed out The Women's Information and Support as one of the consumers being abused. Letter of the Week S tu d e n t re n te r s ea r n p o o r r e p u ta tio n As an agent and as a superintendent, I w anted to address Scott Wilson's letter titled "Students deserved bet ter from the town," Oakville Beaver, Wed., Sept. 27th, 2000. As an agent and superintendent for several buildings in Oakville, I felt I would like to respond to Scott Wilson's accusations of prejudice against students. I agree that students have a bad reputation and the majority have earned it but, not all landlords are prejudi cial. If students expect to get a fair shake to the rental mar ket, they must be competitive with every other potential tenant When I interview (and I do interview potential ten ants), I look for the following -- the ability to pay the rent and the desire to pay the rent Some of the things I look for at the time of the interview are as follows: 1. Being punctual for the appointment time (I hate hav ing my time wasted). 2. Appearance. Is the person neatly dressed? If there is not much pride in the way someone comes to meet me for the first time, then I can assume the lack of pride will trans late into a messy and dirty apartment. 3. Bring references. They help establish your character and your financial stability. 4. If you are going to have a roommate, bring them! I want to interview both parties. 5. Come prepared to do business. If you want the apart ment, fill out the application right at the time and be pre pared to leave a cheque for the first and last month's rent. I will not take a rental property off the market on someone's word that eventually I will see the money before they move in. 6. Be prepared to sign a one-year lease and honour it 7. Employment is important in the ability to pay rent. An education grant is just that, a grant which is only good while you are at school. When your semesters are complet ed, where is the rent going to come from? Be prepared to offer a co-signer such as a parent. 8. Listen to what I have to say about the landlord's expectations of tenant's responsibilities and building rules, because I will enforce them. These are applicable to all potential tenants, not just stu dents. The landlord is a business person and expects a fair return for their large investment. The landlord does not expect costly expenditures due to unreasonable wear and tear on his apartment. They do not expect the high costs of court procedures due to non-paying tenants and so the screening process is stringent Do not condemn the landlord for prejudice when a very large percentage of students break the lease early (because school is over), and don't accuse landlords o f being preju dicial because a large percentage of students get into finan cial difficulty before their lease is up. How about looking at those institutions o f higher learning for more student accommodation or at the government for student housing. The landlord is in the private sector and has a God-given right to expect his investment o f hundreds of thousands of dollars will be kept in a good state of repair by tenants and that their monthly rental will afford him a reasonable profit after paying taxes, fuel, electricity, water, repairs, advertis ing and staff. After all, isn't that what you are furthering your education for in the first place? A large percentage of students have earned a bad repu tation by their deeds and, unfortunately, all will pay for this. So, look to clean-up the student image amongst your selves, because I look for the same from students as I look for in any other potential tenant. Women's Centre funding story appreciated We are w riting on b eh alf of the clients, v o lu n te e r s a n d s t a f f o f th e W o m e n 's Inform ation and S upport C entre o f H alton to thank T he O akville B eaver for its quick attentio n to and, fro n t page coverag e, o f the recent new s that T he W om en's C entre w ill no longer be receiving funding from the O ntario W om en's D irectorate. W ilm a B lo k h u is' front page article has already been a great help in The C entre's cam paign to get the w ord out and to rally support from the com m unity. O ur sincere Parking meters the pits I can safely say I have had it with the lack o f m aintenance and poor concern over our parking metres. They are in a constant state of badly-need ed repair. I say this with complete experience as I park downtown every day. Today is the last straw for me, as I always pay my tickets if I have forgotten to run out and fill the metre that's my problem. Today. However, I find the only parking spot and, of course, the metre is broken w hich I find out only after I have inserted my dollar. The town can issue tickets which demand paym ent or else yet I, as a citizen, have no recourse. It is beyond me to even think how they, the parking metre officers, can miss the problem when daily they are out on the street overseeing the metres. Since in the end their boss reports to the m ayor and the council, perhaps it is time for a mayor and a council that cares about the Town o f O akville and how it treats its town folk or have they forgot ten what service means. Centre o f Halton Doreen White P l a u d i t s f o r H a l t o n 's w o r k - f o r - w e l f a r e p r o g r a m senior management, the case workers and the entire w el fare staff are making a huge d iffe re n c e in th e liv e s o f many people. I also applaud the w elfare recipients who stepped up to the plate and em braced o p p o rtu n ities to w ork. A ll o f th ese peo p le deserve a hearty pat on the back for a job well done. Halton Region has made solid progress in developing work-for-welfare placements, but there's more to do. We can't simply declare victory and move on-- there are still m ore than 4 8 0 ,000 people collecting welfare in Ontario. However, I'm confident that by working together, we can h elp e v en m o re p eo p le in Halton Region gain the pride of independence and the dig nity that comes with getting a job. T h an k s to the team in Halton Region for exceeding last year's work-for-welfare placement target and for giv ing p eo p le on w e lfa re a chance to break free from the cycle of welfare dependency. Moving people from wel fare to work benefits us all. I would like to congratu la te H alto n R eg io n fo r exceeding last year's workfor-welfare placement target. By creating 310 placements la st y ear, H alto n R egion helped local welfare recipi ents get the skills, job experi ence and self-confidence they need to move from welfare to w o rk . T ax p ay ers d em and high standards and the team in Halton Region has not only met, but exceeded those stan dards. T h is ac c o m p lish m e n t would not have been possible w ith o ut the hard w ork and d e d ic a tio n o f ev ery o n e M. Haggas in v o lv e d . T he e ffo rts o f John Baird, MPP Ontario Minister o f Community and Social Services Pud MEN ARE FROM MARS, ,, / w omen are from venus by Steve Nease W H A T'S that ABOUT? ABOUT HOW ^ MEN ANP WOMEN "THINK ANP ACT DIFFERENTLY. its Name withheld by request