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he recent Council meeting I that dealt with increased conâ€" trols on handguns sparked more interest and public participaâ€" tion than any other issue I‘ve seen. It seems that at one time, gun control was both an emotional and a tragic issue. From Council‘s perâ€" spective, it seemed there were many different issues embroiled in the sinâ€" gle heading of gun control. By Stephen Sparling Perhaps, it could be said that the two main issues were identified by the comments of councillor Fred Oliver who suggested that gun conâ€" trol is a federal issue and by councilâ€" lor Kevin Flynn who said that vioâ€" lence is an important community issue. J ou know what I like best about the Jays? I love the passion that stirs whenâ€" ever they are mentioned And as we kiss the days of summer goodâ€"bye and brace ourâ€" selves for a cold snap or two, there is some comfort in knowing one of the best parts of summer has yet to be laid to rest â€" baseâ€" ball. And who better to watch than the Jays? Gun control has more to do with society than anything else One reporter on the scene later wrote that it wasn‘t clear "what the fuss was about" since the motion before Council wasn‘t different (from what he could see) from the 1991 resolution. He said he couldn‘t see the threat to the recreational activities of the hundreds of gun owners who came to the Council meeting. Looking at Wendy Cukier‘s remark that Oakville‘s reconsideraâ€" tion of the issue had generated a "tempest in a teapot", it would seem that she, too, was in agreement with that view. e < *‘ Spevaidh . Summer lives on in fall thanks to ‘the boys‘ This summer, everyone had an answer to the trials and tribulaâ€" tions of the Jays. "We need a pitcher, that‘s for sure," said one fan stoutly, quesâ€" tioning the move to "rent" Rickey Henderson when help in the bull pen is clearly needed. In retrospect, 1 can‘t help but wonder whether this issue isn‘t an example of all sides agreeing on similar goals, yet unable to find the language and compromises to bring them to the same ground. Firstly, the Town of Oakville‘s position would always be a very simple one: "A safer environment for the citizens of the Town and anyâ€" thing that Council can do in support of that goal." From that (it‘s almost a mission statement), we would go to a thorâ€" ough reading of the close to two hundred pages of submissions from both sides of the gun control issue Dt Another cursed the trade of GET OUT, STAY OUT: Your Fire Safe Response Monday, September 13, 1993 Tuesday, September 14, 1993 COUNCIL & STANDING COMMITTEE MEETINGS What would you do if your home caught on fire? Would you know where to go if smoke or flames blocked your escape? There is no time to think about these questions in a real fire. It‘s hot, smokey, and so dark you may not be able to see your own hands. Know ahead of time what to do if there‘s a fire. Tuesday, September 14, 1993 Wednesday, September 15, 1993 199 CALENDAR OF TOWN HALL MEETINGS ~~ TOWN OF OAKVILLE 345â€"6601 Get Out, Stay Out: Your Fire Safe Response For information call: Oakville Fire Dept. 338â€"4404 and the points that emerge reveal that one group is fearful for public safety and the other is saying they‘re prepared to help. If we were to create a charted comparison of the goals of each group, it would probably look like this. * Registration of all future gun purchases; #1 â€" Town of Oakville A safer environment for the citiâ€" zens of Oakville. The main points of Council‘s motion are: * Ban on ownership of automatic weapons and semiâ€"automatic conâ€" verted to automatic Kelly Gruber, the regrettable leave taking of Dave Winfield, and the truly unremarkable play of a guy like Ed Sprague. But for many this year, it has all come down to pitching. "Stottlemyre...have you seen how that guy has played? And Morris. Well, Morris is just Morris," groaned another fan. I have to admit to feeling a mite jealous of that mean Seattle pitcher who blew away the Jays a week or two ago. What a team we‘d have if they had been sucâ€" cessful in luring that guy away from the Mariners. But, no matter. The Jays are still the Jays and I love them unrepentently. Last month, when the Jays WEW! T JustH THE WoRST DREAM! * Greater control of ammunition 1225 TRAFALGAR ROAD + OAKVILLE, ONTARIO + L6J 5AG6 Planning & Development/Council 7:30 p.m. Council Chamber Community Services Committee 7:30 p.m. Oakville Room Administrative Services Committee 7:30 p.m. Bronte Room Special Council Meeting 7:30 p.m. _ Council Chambers Develop an escape plan with two ways out of every room. You‘ll need a second way in case your primary exit is blocked by smoke or flames. And make sure every exit is accessible, including windows. Getting out is your first priority in a fire. And once out, stay out! [A Point of View played shoddily under the noneâ€" tooâ€"sure tutelage of Jack Morris, a guy sitting beside me at the Dome was bitterly condemning the man. ECS; "Morris," he said, biting off the name sharply. "Morris. He‘s a manager‘s nightmare." This year, everyone it seemed, knew exactly what was wrong with the Jays and the best way to turn the team around, to light the spark that was so much in eviâ€" dence last year. Oh yes, when it comes to the * Stricter penalties and sentencâ€" ing of anyone convicted in which a gun was used. #2 â€" Coalition for Gun Control * Better screening of gun buyers; * Longer waiting period; * Ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines; * Registration of all guns; * To control the sale of ammuniâ€" ton; * Make the system selfâ€"financing. #3 â€" Legally Registered Gun Owners Legally registered gun owners were represented by various clubs THE OAKVILLE BEAVER and both the National Firearms Association and the Ontario Handgun Association. Their briefing positions repeatedly agree with... In just a few short seasons, fans have gone from one of the quietest types in the league to a passionate embracing of the team that calls Toronto its home. Of course, the fans have nothing on the Bronx zoo where people pelt players routinely and boo our national anthem. * To send a legislated message that committing a crime with a gun will earn an automatic and specific prison term; elimination of plea barâ€" gaining and concurrent sentencing for crimes where guns have been used: Ssay * Registration of guns; safe storâ€" age and transportation conditions; * Support for laws aimed at misâ€" use of guns; * Action to reduce blackmarket trade and illegal importation of guns; No. Toronto fans are a gentler sort. Some may try to run on the field and help out our guys, but for the most part Jays fans are a pretty docile lot. Jays, everyone has something to And yet, in their own way, Jays‘ fans feel deeply about the game and about the players themâ€" selves. Ask somebody about the upcoming federal election and Better enforcement of already To receive your complimentary copy of our Oakville Cemeteries brochure, call us at (416) 338â€"4236 or write: PLANNING AHEAD For Peace of Mind 1225 Tratalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario, L6J 5A8 TOWN OF OAKVILLE CEMETERIES there is an uncomfortable pause, a shifting of feet. Ask them about the Jays and watch them come alive. Oddly enough, a baseball playâ€" er who makes a zillion dollars just by donning his uniform and playing a bit of ball generates far more excitement â€" certainly far more respect â€" than the person who wants to run the country. Politics just doesn‘t have the same allure as baseball. I think it has a lot to do with the fascination for the game itself. And, for many, it harkens back to the days of childhood when Saturday night hockey was made doubly exciting when you were actually at the Gardens watching your heroes in action. That is, existing legislation From an analytical perspective, all parties seem to be looking in the same direction except that at the Council level our concern is general and overâ€"riding. i.e., public safety, and whatever we must do to achieve it and maintain it. That‘s a major part of our (as a Town Councillor) official responsibility. One point which I think has come out of this whole issue and which may be especially troubleâ€" some is the possibly inadequate enforcement of laws already in place. Maybe that‘s something we have to think about because in the January 1993 edition of Gun Lc ncommmeen somiin e e se anirnane on en ceate e en e in o hi se S on med eo e ies uces 5 5 7 Haiancane e mt n ty NR C S nagss <amence: > on ce ons nb ho in neeoneoin n Chncoighins. .. irrraineiaieriiraameeeemrerentate by Steve Nease Cemeteries are not exempt from inflation and escalating costs. Your family would benefit by visiting the Town of Oakville Cemeteries to learn what is offered regarding memorial property and then consult together, ahead of time, to decide what is best for all. when hockey wasn‘t the mud wrestling sport it has become. For Jays‘ fans, the team is secâ€" ond to none. And most of them believe passionately in the Jays. Control News (published by the Coalition for Gun Control), the CGC referred to the 1992 Concordia shootings and said of Mr. Fabrikant... "There had been conâ€" cems about him raised when he had asked one of the victims to act as a reference on his restricted weapons permit application. The university had written a letter expressing its concerns to the police, but the sysâ€" tem broke down." H&R BLOCK For me, I‘m content to sit and savor the rhythm of the game, be intrigued by all the rituals and cheer on my own personal favorites of the team. Who cares if many say they just don‘t look as good as last year? Tomorrow night, I‘ll be sitting at the Dome, handing out snacks to the kids, trying to persuade them away from Sky Macs and all the rest of the paraphernalia, and just enjoy a simple pleasure â€" watching a little baseball. Summer may be over. But there‘s always the Jays. Another point that may be worth looking at in the gun control arguâ€" ment is that one side appears to be concentrating on the point that only crnminals use guns, while the other side may have greater fear of the ordinary person (nonâ€"criminal) who one day decides a gun would be a solution to all of the problems they may have (as has happened in the Ecole Polytechnique and at Concordia). These events may well represent the people or moments whom all of us are worried about and, perhaps, it is about them that this whole issue is about. But, in the end, what it may all come down to is the question of not what‘s wrong with gun control but what‘s wrong with us as a society, and what do we have to change about ourselves to prevent future Ecole _ Polytechniques _ and Concordias? Councilior for Ward 4 Stephen Sparling is the Halton Regional