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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, December 4, 2013 | 6 Prepare to roll through winter With the rst signs of winter showing up earlier than usual last week, it's time to think of winter safety. The arrival of Old Man Winter may elicit groans from many corners, and just as many sighs about the chores of preparing for this Canadian season. However, it's better to be safe than sorry. Safety measures taken today will pay off over the next few months. This week, as the rst snowfall arrived, St. John Ambulance sent out a reminder that it's time to get your vehicle ready to take on cold weather and harsh winter driving conditions. It makes good sense and could save a life -- yours or someone else's. Not sure where to start? Here's a to-do checklist: · Stock up on windshield wiper fluid · Check to ensure windshield wipers are in good condition · Make sure your vehicle has the correct oil -- if you're not sure, check the owner's manual · Make sure the battery is in good condition so you won't experience clinks, clanks or nothing at all as you prepare to embark on a wintertime adventure · Check tire pressure and keep it at the manufacturer's recommended pressure. It makes a vehicle easier to handle and will save money by improving fuel economy · Put on winter or snow tires -- they offer better traction in colder, snowy weather than all-season tires · Keep the gas tank full -- or as full as possible. It reduces the chances of gas lines freezing from condensation · Take your car in for a tune-up prior to the -- first snowfall. If it has been more than six months since a brake check, get them checked, too · Make sure there's an emergency kit in your vehicle at all times. A well-stocked emergency kit (which includes a rst-aid kit) can be a lifesaver if you nd yourself stranded on a highway in the middle of nowhere You can drop by the local St. John Ambulance branch to purchase a St. John Ambulance emergency kit for your vehicle, or shop online at www.shopsafetyproducts.ca. For more than 125 years, St. John Ambulance has been training more than 134,000 Ontarians annually in rst-aid and other healthcare-related courses and remains dedicated to saving lives at work, home and play. With more than 5,000 volunteers contributing more than half a million hours of community service a year, St. John Ambulance is an integral part of the community offering such programs as: medical rst response, disaster response, car seat clinics, health- and safety-related adult and youth programs and therapy dog services. As a charitable, humanitarian organization, proceeds from St. John Ambulance's rst-aid training and rst-aid product sales directly support these vital community services programs. In Oakville, its of ce is at 468 Morden Rd., suite 2 or call 905-469-9325. For more information on St. John Ambulance or to contact your local branch, visit www.sja.ca. Editorial U N I T E D E F F O R "Connected to your Community" T 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 144 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS Ford Assembly Complex employees recently dug deep to donate to the McMaster Children's Hospital's oncology department in Hamilton, as they entered or exited the Oakville plant for their shift. Here, with a poster of a poem in memory of Avery Lashapelle who died of leukemia are, from left, Dan Lewis, Sue Teepell, Shauna Canton and Jim Marek.| photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) Advertising Director DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production Do what's required to stop the violence I will remember to my dying day, the disbelief, shock and sympathy for the families of those 14 young women murdered while they were innocently attending classes at the École Polytechnique in Montreal. Twenty-four years have passed since that tragedy took place on Dec. 6, 1989; women murdered just because they were women. The Hamilton Status of Women Committee for the City of Hamilton acted quickly to alert the women's organizations and all the media, to gather in sad memory for these women at the Queen Victoria statue at Gore Park at noon the following day. In silence, hundreds of women and men gathered, including those noti ed and those workers leaving their place of business to stand and remember and pray. As each name of the 14 women was announced, a woman stepped forward and placed a red rose at the base of the monument. Today, once again, we remember them: Genevieve Bergeron, 21; Helene Colgan, 23; Nathalie Croteau, 23; Barbara Daigneault, 22; Anne-Marie Edward, 21; Maud Haviernick, 29; Barbara Maria Klucznik Widajewicz, 31; Maryse Leclair, 23; Annie St-Arneault, 23; Michele Richard, 21; Maryse Laganiere, 25; Anne-Marie Lemay, 22; Sonia Pelletier, 28 and Annie Turcotte, 21. As well, in our memories we remember Burl- Letter to the Editor SANDY PARE MARK DILLS ington teenagers, Leslie Mahaffy, 14, and Nina de Villiers, 19, and St. Catharines teenager, Kristen French, 15. Their lives were violently taken, 20-plus years ago, by ruthless killers. Sadly, while we hold these young women in our hearts and minds, countless more women of all ages are being murdered every day. We must bear in mind that, while we are more aware of this unacceptable situation, women's organizations are patiently asking for the elimination of such acts. Empirical evidence is abundant that the social conditions for such elimination are sorely lacking. Such as, affordable, accessible housing, higher wages, affordable child care, and most of all, to acquire these, opportunities for education and training for well-paying jobs are desperately needed to increase women's equality and protection from ongoing violence. On this National Day of Remembrance and Action to Stop Violence Against Women, just think, if all these women were allowed to live out their lives, how much they would have contributed to our society. Is this not enough for all citizens and government to do whatever they can to put a stop to violence in all its forms? Thelma McGillivray, on behalf of the Advancement of Women of Halton MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: OPC Ontario Press Council Defending principles to inspire public trust 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; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. 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.