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6 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, A pgust 13, 2003 EDITORIALS AN D LETTERS THE OAKVILLE: H I M 467 Speers Rd,, Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext 224 Grculation: 845-9742 IAN OLIVER Publisher NEIL OLIVER Associate Publisher TERI CASAS Office Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief KELLY MONTAGUE Advertising Director MARK DILLS Production Manager RIZIERO VERTOLU Photography Director ROD JERRED Managing Editor M it a M ) Ftm try. P ic fe n n j a C w rtu m g i m r a u d s flows AJteicr H tra ttC a re r d r t u Enfwuao fe w *. 8 jrre A M n o s Bartys I t « Vltefc. Baton E m tp v * . Brairpicn Guardkm Part. B u l x j f c i ' S * w v P a n rt C otrgiM XiV toaai}! Ccmecaorv East tttfc Ern A V x M k C c u tty Roulea. (tcfeoota GuarUaiv farroorcugf> Pott. GacQe«wn Buunas Tirwt Kngtfon Tho W w*. I nSst, T h* M tK U xW vm k c r c m c l A S m U r t s x J P t r e U v * / * * U r o I Efa Bl tx M v K m Orflha Todjv 0 # w * W h E » O a m jD n W P m y !h » w m Omn S o r t I r O r t P» r q t K » OOwver. The W n *. PWon Courty O u t* R U m cn ] NfcrThamhR.V*/*«n Utxnt Scattorough M ro r S k u M M M M g i W i n f a » * r <Ojr»j 0 > of (xardkin THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FO R: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association /T 7 \ - A A Canadian Community Newspapers Association ym ca H O N T t %TH! t . f T T U r t Y J ir g e B d f Fu nd m r * i WfeLCC L C O M E ^P I^AG o [oakvlllc galleries! S 7 A > w auction >///r 7>»C o C fc W fitu / h F O RBusiness EXCEUENa R IA L ItTA TS B O A R D O & JJL C M * w t Omtr 'i t e g g f MAS FLBLU . 1 IB 1 A K V Making the system work As the dust settles in the aftermath of the OPA (Official Plan Amendment) 198 OMB (Ontario Municipal Board) deal, it is remarkable just how much a grassroots concern over the environment affected the outcome of the agreement. We hesitate to say final because, as both Clear The Air and Oakvillegreen represen tatives have stated, this is just the beginning. Work for the secondary plan is still ahead and an OMB hearing could eventually be held over that stage o f the planning process. But through their hard work and dedication. Clear the Air and Oakvillegreen have managed to raise the awareness of environmental issues at the municipal government level and have forced a commitment to ensure these concerns will be part of the plan ning process in the future. However, it is a stretch to suggest, as Peter Pellier (OPA 198 opponents raised envi ronmental awareness ) does in his letter below, that the two environmental groups have forced the Town of Oakville to adopt a more open planning process. Sorry, we just can't agree with that. Such a statement discredits too many politicians and municipal employees who have worked long hours and very hard in the past for the good of the Town. Over the years, it has been our observation that the Town of Oakville has operated openly and has tried its best to encourage public involvement. Sometimes, however, the public hasn't responded. Such was not the case with OPA 198, and for that we have to tip our hats to the mem bers of Oakvillegreen. Clear the Air and numerous other residents who took a keen inter est in the development of rural lands north of Dundas Street in Oakville. But it is unfair and inaccurate to suggest that the Town of Oakville has tried to dis courage public involvement in the past or has operated in secrecy. That has not been our experience. Look at the lengthy process leading up to the final council vote which led to the OPA 198 OMB appeal. Opponents of OPA 198 were upset by the final vote, but they can't argue they weren't given a chance to voice their opinions or were shut out of the process. We in Canada enjoy an open democratic system that is the envy of many countries. At the local level, homeowners and residents can exercise their democratic rights to shape the future destinies of their communities. But like everything else in life, those rights have to exercised properly or they become weak and ineffective. Rather than arguing that the environmental groups forced the town to operate in a dif ferent manner, we would argue that, for once, an interested public took advantage of the system which was always at their disposal. /fe £>3 RERA1RS CO M PLETE, m CAPTAIN MILTONREADY FoR TAKEOFF/ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Pesticide ban in Oakville long overdue RE: No reason to ban use o f pesticides in Oakville (Letter to the Editor, O akville Beaver, Aug. 6). In my opinion, the Oakville Beaver has been reasonably balanced, over the last year or two, in presenting both sides o f the pesti cides issue. I acknowledge that the pro-pesti cide lobby feels there is no reason to ban use of pesticides in Oakville, but this is a view that reflects a self-interested minority. The majority who are concerned about protecting public health feel that a bylaw ban ning the unnecessary use and abuse o f toxic lawn and garden pesticides use is long over due. There are plenty o f reasons to support such a by-law in Oakville and Town Council needs to look no further than the Province of Quebec or the 60 or more municipalities across Canada that have banned urban pesti cide use to find out why Oakville must act soon rather than later. Comparing relative safety of other chemi cals (DDT, Dioxins,Thalidomide, etc) to lawn pesticides, w hich provide no significant health benefit, is a time-honoured technique employed by such bastions of scientific truth as the tobacco industry. It attempts to shift focus from the defendant product, creating the illusion of less concern. The Canadian Cancer Society, which achieves its mission of "...eradication o f can cer... by funding excellence in research for all types o f cancer," published the following position statement: "Since the ornamental use o f pesticides has no countervailing health benefit, we call for a ban on the use o f any pesticide for ornamental purposes that has not been scientifically demonstrated to be noncarcinogenic." While both sides of the pesticide debate may provide compelling evidence to support their arguments, caring councillors should apply precautionary principles and protect the citizens o f Oakville and nature from these unwanted lawn toxins until they are proved completely safe. TANIA ORTON LET T ER O FT H EW E E K High school curriculum discourages musical instruction Before anything else, I want to applaud the Oakville Beaver on its cover story o f Mrs. Jean Grieve in the Weekend Newsmagazine of Aug. 2. As a music teacher, both privately and at high school, I share both her passion and her dedication to promoting the value of making music. My parents started me on piano at the age of eight and insisted on my practicing. It took many years for me to understand that they realized the gift they were giving me long before I did. Where could I begin to thank them now? I have learned to play the violin, the guitar; I lead the music at worship in my parish: I have written and recorded my own tunes; I teach piano and have recently been afforded the opportunity to teach instrumental music at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. The joy all this gives me is beyond words: making music; helping others make music and, per haps, help them to know the joy I do. But I also share Mrs. Grieve's concerns: the tragic lack o f importance music has in the lives o f our children, espe cially evident, as she points out, in our schools. The place of music in our popular culture is. perhaps, best exemplified in the recent Rolling Stones Concert: half a million people lis tening to other people make music. I take nothing away from this. Like most people, I have en extensive CD collec tion and listen to music every day. But sticking some head phones into your ear and pressing "play" just isn't the same. Among his many wisdoms. Victor Fankl observes that meaning in our lives is derived primarily from the act o f cre ation. Walkmans don't cut it; drawing a bow across a string does. The new four-year high school curriculum is killing not only music, but all the arts. After a very successful semester in Grade 9 instrumental music this past year, I encouraged all the students to continue in Grade 10. Most really wanted to; they also said they just couldn't fit it into their timetable. The fact is that learning to play a musical instrument just isn't part of our popular culture. At least not enough that it can compete with other activities for our children. I have had several of my piano students quit over the years. While in some cases it has been a lack o f commitment to practice (this is where parents play a key role), most have stopped lessons because they're too busy with ice-hockey or soccer or some other activity that simply enjoys more glamour in our popular culture than piano or cello lessons. O f course, the media greatly shape our popular culture and so. again. I salute the Beaver for this article and the many others it has printed that celebrate Oakville's musicians. I certainly agree with Mrs. Grieve's observation that the study o f music helps children in other subjects.,But. for me, it gives a joy that will last my lifetime. And I hope that more parents, like mine, will give their children this wonderful gift. JO H N PICO N E OPA 198 opponents raised environmental awareness Though hailed as a triumph, .the OPA 198 agreement represents a Pyrrhic victory at best. In return for a series of environmental initiatives undertaken by the Town, development on the subject lands will proceed full steam ahead. By 2016. green space will be occupied by 55.000 residents and assorted commercial operations. The real fight was over before it began when Ontario Municipal Boar vice-chair J. L. O'Brien instructed the parties urbanization of lands north of Dundas -could not be contested. All that remained for the developers was to resist any encroachment on the profitability of their vari ous plans of subdivision. Faced with ' considerable expenses, Oakvillegreen and Clear The Air acted prudent ly in reaching a settlement. After all, the subtext ? f raising environmental awareness had been achieved. The efforts of these two groups were laudato ry M the extreme. Challenging the deleterious consequences of such a massive development on the Town's ecological equilibrium took courage as well as commitment. They are owed an enor mous debt of gratitude. Another positive outcome concerns how the Town plans it future. Henceforth, not only will the people of Oakville be involved every step of the way, but also the most stringent environmental standards will guide the process. We live and learn. PETER D. PELLIER Stones prove you're never too old to rock The media seems bent on knocking the older fans of the Rolling Stones -- as well as the Stone's themselves. Sure, Sir Mick has just turned 60. And the other boys in the band are around the same age. But anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear knows that the Stones haven't lost their energy, edge or talent. Nor have most of their older fans lost their energy, edge or enthusiasm. The depictions of Mick, the boys in the band and their older fans are ageist -- and unrealistic. Replace ageism by racism and sexism, and you get irresponsible journal ism. Perpetuating the myths of aging is no different. Wake up media and hear the music. Our population is aging, yes. However, they are all still rocking, but not in a rocking chair. By 2030. one in four Canadians will be over 65 and this new demographic will be a continuing reality for the ensuing 30 years or so. The new older generation will live healthier and active lives. The media -- and society -- have to embrace the realities of this demographic rather than painting sniggering pictures. Explore this inevitable change in an open, positive and honest manner. So. as we celebrate the Stones, let's also express a joyful sound for the generations they reflect. JUDY CUTLER CARP (Canada's Association for the Fifty-Pus) Fibre Festival deserves support I have read with interest letters to the editor regarding the issue of using the Centennial Gallery for the Fibre Arts Festival scheduled for 2005. I fully understand that the mandate of the Oakville Galleries is committed to present ing contemporary art. And I strongly support this and applaud the effort and planning that has gone into bringing the gallery to the high level with which it is regarded. However, the mandate is committed not only to providing innovative programs of exhibitions, but. and I quote "...to providing services relevant to its local population." It is therefore imperative to recognize that the Fibre Festival, comprised as it is of the juried output of several guilds, is a highly regarded artistic endeavor, and as such deserves to be exhibited in our Centennial Gallery, to reconsider their mandate and provide exhibition space for the Fibre festival in 2005. FRANCES PETERS P ud 7 By STEVE NEASE i fell on tAY ROOERBIADES AND BROKE MY sorry Y X SHOULD HAVE AfoLO&llE INSISTED YOU WEN? FRoTEOIN/E SAM M Y. GEAR--I BLAME CONY Set W H M HAPPENED1 We want your opinion The Oakxille Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considera tions and grammar. In order to be published, letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to T h e Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Road, Oakville, O n., L6K 3S4. or via ernail to editor@ oakvillebeaver.com . The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish any letter. The Oakville Beaver ts a member of the Ontario Press Coundl. The round 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 adver tising space occupied by the erroneous Item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement wiD be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. TO YOU?/ M O M 'S 39 Ai b t e S i IT WAS FA U L T .