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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, D ec em be r 24 ,2 02 0 | 8 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca insidehalton@metroland.com facebook.com/OakvilleBeav @OakvilleBeaver WHO WE ARE VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Jason Pehora Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Director of Distribution Charlene Hall Circulation Manager Kim Mossman Director of Production Mark Dills Regional Production Manager Manny Garcia Directors of Advertising Cindi Campbell and Ryan Maraj CONTACT US Oakville Beaver 901 Guelph Line Burlington, ON L7R 3N8 Phone: 905-845-3824 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Advertising: 289-293-0620 Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail kmossman@metroland.com or call 905-631-6095. Letters to the editor Send letters to insidehalton@metroland.com. All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at insidehalton.com OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT INSIDEHALTON.COM This holiday season, let's celebrate and give thanks for the way commu- nities and Canadians have stepped up to support and care for each other during the pandemic. From first responders and long-term care work- ers to teachers, grocery store employees, charita- ble organizations and ev- ery-day Canadians, every- one has come together to weather this storm. While we are all in a pandemic boat, we are not all in the same pandemic boat. Some people, business- es and organizations need more, specific help than others. Our government has been there from the very beginning with tar- geted supports wherever and whenever they are needed. The Canadian Emer- gency Response Benefit (CERB) helped Canadians pay their rent or mortgage, put food on the table and manage their bills. The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) helped businesses stay open and keep staff on the payroll. The Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assis- tance (CECRA), now the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS), is helping businesses pay rent, and the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) helps business owners manage cash flow with in- terest-free loans. The Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) supports Ca- nadians not eligible for EI who need income support while available and looking for work, and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB) supports employees who are sick or must self-isolate due to CO- VID-19. We also invested $350 million in Canadian chari- ties like United Way, Red Cross and Community Foundations Canada to help Canadians, including those in our community, weather and begin to re- cover from the pandemic. I am so impressed by the generosity and compas- sion of people in Oakville North-Burlington. While our holidays will look dif- ferent this year, the need for donations in our com- munity continues, and its greater than ever right now. Please donate if you can to local food banks and charities this holiday sea- son. You can make mone- tary contributions or do- nate gift cards to organiza- tions to ensure everyone in our community can enjoy a healthy and happy holiday. Pam Damoff is the MP for Oakville North-Bur- lington and parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services. She can be reached at Pam.da- moff@parl.gc.ca or www.mpdamoff.ca. PLENTY TO BE GRATEFUL FOR THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO'VE STEPPED UP DURING THE PANDEMIC, WRITES PAM DAMOFF There are 52 weeks a year. But Christmas is so special. Daily routines change. Many exchange gifts and family and friends social- ize, celebrate and recon- nect. For some it is emotional, as we think of those no lon- ger with us. At Christmas, people of- ten think of their values and traditions and what makes us tick as human be- ings. This column explores different ways of managing your personal finances. Managing your money does not have to be done in isolation of your family val- ues. Are there charities that you can support during the year through volunteering your time, effort, and skills? Cash donations are also needed to support worthy causes in our communi- ties. Is there a particular cause that is near and dear to your heart that you would like to recognize in your will? That donation could be directed to a school, col- lege, or university that helped launch your career, enabling you to enjoy a comfortable standard of living. Help that institution launch the careers of oth- ers. Perhaps family mem- bers can co-ordinate ef- forts to build an education- al fund that will assist the next generation of family members in getting a strong educational founda- tion before entering the adult world of work. Educational gifts can be made via a lump sum one- time payment or be set up to contribute monthly. One thing that has changed for the youth of today is the staggering cost of post-sec- ondary education. Let the Christmas spirit act as a springboard to pro- pel you into a kinder, gen- tler way of thinking. Peter Watson, of Watson Investments MBA, CFP, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI offers a weekly financial planning column, Dollars & Sense. He can be contacted through www.watsonin- vestments.com. A TRULY SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR CHRISTMAS BRINGS OUT TRADITION, MEMORIES AND ACTS OF KINDNESS, WRITES PETER WATSON PETER WATSONColumn A rather unique looking sunrise casts itself over the pier at Sixteen Mile Creek. Do you have a great local photo you'd like to share? Send it to sleblanc@metroland.com, along with a brief description. Doug Ball photo SNAPSHOT PAM DAMOFF Column