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www.insideHALTON.com | O A K V IL L E B E A V E R | Friday, January 27, 2 0 1 7 | 6 Editorial W earep ro u d tob eC an ad ian As our country embarks on its sesquicentennial year, much will be written in the coming weeks and months lauding the accomplishments of Canadians, and our contributions to the world. And rightly so. Celebrations are underway as we head to the July 1 an niversary marking 150 years since Confederation. Parks Canada has offered free passes to all of its lands and his torical sites from coast to coast this year -- what better way to learn about the attractions and their history? The federal government has organized a "Red Leath er Couch Tour" that will see the sofa make stops in com munities and offer a place where citizens can share their stories. Some additional nation-wide events include a canoe race in Edmonton, a legacy park statue in Fort Saskatch ewan and a history of radio in Alberta. These are all great ways to pay tribute to the astonish ing accomplishment that is Canada: over the past cen tury and a half, a small population of people has tamed a giant landscape while creating a welcoming society that is as diverse and rugged as its geography. But even as we marvel at all of the natural resources and world class cities that make up the fabric of our land -- the majestic Rocky Mountains come to mind at one end of the scale, the cosmopolitan chic that is Montreal at the other -- Canada' s true strength is its citizens. Of course, there are those who have made monu mental global changes, and whose names grace schools and government buildings. Heroes like artist Tom Thomson, whose images so vividly depict the soul of northern Ontario, Dr. Norman Bethune, who brought modern medical techniques to rural China, or Terry Fox, whose quest to raise enough money to fund a cure for cancer may not yet have been realized, but who continues to inspire generations of Canadians to think big, and set goals that exceed our grasp. While gestures to pay tribute to all things Canadian this year will certainly play out on a grand scale, we urge local residents to make small, everyday contributions that can make a difference in our community -- not unlike those made by the people who came here seven or eight generations ago. As featured on the front page of this edition, many community groups will be staging special events or projects... to celebrate and to further make our commu nity, and thereby our country, stronger. We have much to celebrate about our great nation, so let' s show our pride and make 2017 an especially memorable year. Keep abreast of the celebrations and find out how you can participate through our ongoing coverage of local happenings and our own Metroland special projects. Let' s make it a year to remember. Happy Birthday, Canada. 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 m ust contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5 0 4 6 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 or via email to ablackburn@ oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. "Connected to your Community" ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ U C V IL L E Beaver. 5046 Mainway Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Classified Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 55 | Number 7 The Oakville Beaver is a division of ·* m e tro la n d m e d ia · * Connected to your community® 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 Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN DANIEL BAIRD KELLY MONTAGUE NEIL OLIVER Managing Editor RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager MARK DILLS LORI ANN GZOVDANOVIC Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager MyView Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN CHARLENE HALL Circulation Manager Canadians to celebrate in 2 0 1 7 Beaver. The ! Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member T his year, 2017, promises to be a year long celebration full of national pride and special events from coast to coast as Canada celebrates 150 years of Confederation. The sesquicentennial celebration will bring us closer together as we explore our shared his tory, heritage and hopes for the future. The vision for the Canada 150 revolves around four major themes: diversity and inclu sion, environment, youth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Community foundations across Canada are working hard planning events revolving around those themes and designed to encour age all Canadians to contribute to their com munities in a way that will foster a greater sense of belonging, support meaningful recon ciliation and leave a lasting legacy now and for future generations. The federal government will fund 11 Canada 150 projects in Oakville through the Oakville Community Foundation. Recognized for Excellence by A W I Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Pam Damoff A c c r e d ite d I V I e d ia association Oakville North-Burlington MP Proud Official Media Sponsor For: WL L C O M li^ From celebrating the sport of rugby, the con tributions of women and the unique beauty of Canadian art, to honouring Trafalgar Town ship, Oakville' s Black History and Indigenous heritage, Canada 150 grants will help Oakville North-Burlington residents reflect on the past and where we want to go in the next 150 years. Thanks to Canada 150 funding, you will soon be able to stop and read First Nations in formation stations in Bronte Creek Provincial see Promote ° n p. ealthcare o.w, O n t a r io P re ss C o u n c il V y JL Defending principles to inspire public trust The Oakville Beaver is a m em ber o f the Ontario Press Council. The council is located a t 8 0 Gould St., Suite 2 0 6 , Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 41 6 -3 4 0 -1 9 8 1 . Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event o f a typographical error, th a t portion o f advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will n o t be charged for, b u t the balance o f the advertise m ent will be paid fo r a t the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Pud by Steve Nease b lRTll DAY P A r T IES I · LEGO · ART · PA IN T · N ew LEGO® Make & Take · Star Wars · Minecraft · Pokemon 9 0 5 -8 2 5 -9 9 9 4 - 461 N. Service Rd. W Oakville SPECkLESARTSTUDI0.COM