28 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday November 10, 2006 www.oakvillebeaver.com Turner backs decision to let retired couples split incomes Halton MP Garth Turner is applauding Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's announcement last week that Ottawa will allow retired couples to split their incomes for tax purposes starting next year. The decision means more than two million pensioners will see a basic tax unfairness corrected, said Turner, who has championed the reform and hosted a national conference on the issue three weeks ago. "I am delighted beyond words that Flaherty has recognized that these people need this recognition and this help," Turner said. "Today's retirees lived and worked in families where one spouse usually stayed home with kids, which means pension income now flows in through the hands of just one person. That increases the tax rate, and seriously impairs the lifestyles of millions of people on fixed incomes. Finally, we have a bright light at the end of the tunnel for these folks." Turner spearheaded a group of 17 pension groups representing more than 2.4 million retired people pushing for pension splitting. The effort culminated in a conference on Parliament Hill on October 3, with more than 30 MPs representing all parties in the House of Commons in attendance. "This is a victory whose time has come," said Turner. "Today's retirees usually have no more income options, and to tax them at the highest marginal tax rates -- as has happened for decades now -- is to rob them of precious purchasing power. This change sends out a signal that the Conservative federal government understands and is prepared to reverse a long-standing wrong." Turner highlighted the irony of the situation, since he was ousted from the national Conservative caucus just days ago, in part because of his lobbying inside and outside caucus for policy issues that weren't on the Stephen Harper administration agenda. "Yes, I pushed hard for this one and I know the finance minister was not happy with me," said Turner. "But suddenly, getting tossed out of caucus was worth it -- about two million times over!" Halton MPP Garth Turner H U R RY I N , S A L E E N D S S U N D AY N O V E M B E R 1 2 T H , 5 P M ! FA L L NAF FLOORING $399 6 INVENTORY BLOW-OUT! First 30 Customers will receive a FREE CHINESE Select Grade ONLY SQ. FT. Oak Cognac 3¼ x ¾ Maple 3¼ x ¾ Natural Lifetime Structural Structural Linnea Click - Select Grade Engineered Hardwood Made in Sweden First Quality ONLY Nugget Special Designer Berber For Any Traffic Areas Downtown Oakville tree lighting slated for next Friday SQ. FT. ONLY $ 99 SQ. FT. 3 ONLY $ 49 SQ. FT. 2 ONLY $ 69 SQ. FT. 1 installed with premium pad Compare $ 49 SQ. FT. Compare $ 699 Compare $ SQ. FT. 499 Compare $ SQ. 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Applicable taxes due at time of purchase. Limited time offer. Custom orders require minimum 25% deposit. See in store for full details. Quantities are limited so hurry. In the event if printing errors, items will be sold at the correct price. 36 monthly installments. In stock carpet only. **Minimum purchase of $2000.00 is required to receive the free area rug promotion. Downtown Oakville will kick off the Christmas season with its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 17. The festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. and continue to 8 p.m. in the Downtown Oakville Towne Square, located on the south side of Lakeshore Road at George Street. The official Tree Lighting Ceremony countdown will begin at 7:30 p.m. Every year in the week following the Downtown Oakville Tree Lighting Ceremony, numerous Oakville residents offer to donate trees from their yards to the Town of Oakville for the following year. Richard Jean, Supervisor of Urban Forestry in the Parks and Open Space department of the Town of Oakville, checks out all of the offered trees and selects one. The following November, the Town of Oakville removes the tree of choice and transports it to Downtown Oakville for the tree lighting ceremony. Richard Jean has been selecting Oakville's Christmas trees for 16 years. "I love Christmas," says Jean, "and I always enjoy that part of my job because people always have good comments about the tree." Salvation Army volunteers, the Salvation Army Band and Santa Claus will welcome visitors to Towne Square with hot apple cider, Christmas carols and Christmas cheer beginning at 6:30 p.m. At 7:00 p.m., Mayor Ann Mulvale and Santa Claus will lead a community Christmas carol sing-a-long to the accompaniment of the Salvation Army Band. For directions to Downtown Oakville and parking information, visit the Downtown Oakville Business Improvement Area website at www.oakvilledowntown.com. The Downtown Oakville Tree Lighting Ceremony is organized by the Downtown Oakville Business Improvement Area, a non-profit organization that represents over 400 Oakville businesses located between Allan, Church, Robinson, and Navy streets, and is completely funded by those businesses. Its primary mission is to promote and enhance Downtown Oakville and make improvements to municipally-owned properties. Kelly G. Yerxa joins law firm Kelly G. Yerxa has joined O'Connor MacLeod Hanna LLP, Halton's largest full-service law firm. Yerxa will be joining the O'Connor MacLeod Hanna Real Estate/Municipal Law Department and working with Andrew C. Knox, Q.C., Blair S. Taylor, Harold R. Watson and James McAskill. Immediately prior to joining the firm, Kelly was the City Solicitor and Corporation Counsel for the City of Burlington (2000 2006). In addition to her professional responsibilities, Kelly is currently the Chair of the Municipal Law Section of the Ontario Bar Association and has been a member of the Municipal Law Section Executive since 1997, and is a frequent speaker at professional development seminars.