6- The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday June 2, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 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. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Commentary Guest Columnist Reflecting on the past and looking to the future Rick Byers Ontario PC Party Candidate for Oakville ast Sunday, like many other Oakvillians, I celebrated our town's rich history by participating in the Rick Byers festivities that were organized to celebrate Oakville's 150th birthday. Whether it was in Bronte, on Kerr Street or at Erchless, the enjoyable activities reflected the character, history and achievements of our town. Congratulations go to Mayor Rob Burton, Town Council, the town's BIAs and the many, many volunteers who worked so hard to make the day a great success. An occasion like Oakville's birthday allows us all to reflect on the past while looking to the future. We see how much the town has changed. Fifty years ago, at its 100th birthday, Oakville had only 10,000 residents. Fifty years later, we have seventeen times that number and a host of unaddressed issues that go along with rapid growth. We can only wonder what our town will look like when we celebrate its 175th and 200th birthdays. With a provincial election in Ontario scheduled for Oct. 10, we are offered a similar opportunity to reflect on the past and look to the future. First, we can reflect back on the commitments made by the McGuinty Liberals during the 2003 election campaign. In 2003, the McGuinty Liberals promised us that: · coal-fired electricity plants would be closed by 2007 · tolls on Hwy. 407 would be rolled back · 60 per cent of municipal waste would be diverted by 2005 · medically-necessary healthcare services would be funded · taxes would not be raised Four years later: · coal-fired plants have not been closed · tolls on Hwy. 407 have not been rolled back · the 60 per cent diversion target has not been met · eye exams, chiropractic care and physiotherapy have been de-listed · the Health Tax was imposed in 2004, the biggest tax increase in Ontario's history These are but a few of the 50 promises broken by the McGuinty government since 2003. We can also look forward to the next provincial election. As I talk to Oakville residents in the lead-up to this fall's vote, they are concerned about many issues: · lost confidence in a government that doesn't keep its word · the declining health of Ontario's economy (in 2006 Ontario was last in Canada in economic growth) · controlling growth and development in our community · access to healthcare services close to where they live As Oakville's candidate for the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party in the October election, I am working with John Tory on a program that will help restore faith in government and provide confidence that Ontario's economy will support the services we need for our families. I look forward to sharing this program with Oakville residents over the next weeks and months and to providing an effective choice on Oct. 10. NEIL OLIVER Publisher JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director TERI CASAS Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Metroland Media Group Ltd. includes: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser, Alliston Herald/Courier, Arthur Enterprise News, Barrie Advance, Caledon Enterprise, Brampton Guardian, Burlington Post, Burlington Shopping News, City Parent, Collingwood/Wasaga Connection, East York Mirror, Erin Advocate/Country Routes, Etobicoke Guardian, Flamborough Review, Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press, Harriston Review, Huronia Business Times, Lindsay This Week, Markham Economist & Sun, Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror, Milton Canadian Champion, Milton Shopping News, MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA CALHOUN Circ. Manager WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver is a division of IAN OLIVER Group Publisher Media Group Ltd. Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News, Napanee Guide, Newmarket/Aurora Era-Banner, Northumberland News, North York Mirror, Oakville Beaver, Oakville Shopping News, Oldtimers Hockey News, Orillia Today, Oshawa/Whitby/Clarington Port Perry This Week, Owen Sound Tribune, Palmerston Observer, Peterborough This Week, Picton County Guide, Richmond Hill/Thornhill/Vaughan Liberal, Scarborough Mirror, Stouffville/Uxbridge Tribune, Forever Young, City of York Guardian L RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: United Way of Oakville TV AUCTION Lamenting the loss of real men like The Duke and Bubba T hey say that 50 is the new 40, small is the new big, and green environmental green, that is is the new gold. And now to that odious list of this-is-the-new-that, I hereby add that men are, well, men are the new women. That men aren't all they once were became painfully evident to me last week on two separate occasions. First off, I read an article that said men actually suffer more than women when couples break up. That's right, contrary to everything we read in romance novels and see in chick-flicks, it's not women, it's men who weep and rail and obsess and hijack the Haagen-Dazs when love tragically tanks. My second insight into the decline of modern men came when I tried calling a friend only to be told by his awfully informative offspring that he was out shopping with his wife. For bras. Seriously, I'm not making this up. Now, picture a real man's man like, for example, John Wayne (who would have been 100 this week if not felled by cancer). Now picture John Wayne (a) out shopping (b) out shopping with his wife (c) out shopping with his wife for brassieres. Can't do it, can you. No, as hard as you try you cannot conjure up an image of the Duke out shopping for anything lacy or supportive. Not even if some guy dressed in black was holding a gun to his head and threatening to blow him to smithereens. I guess it goes without saying, the next time I saw my bra-buying buddy, I told him that he had badly broken The Guy Code (thou shall not shop, particularly with your wife, and certainly not for girlie apparel), Andy Juniper and then I told him his slip was showing. There was a time not so long ago when guys were all macho and stoic, not showing their dopey emotions, not forever prattling on about their forsaken feelings, not cooking quiche and shaving their legs and wearing scarves and getting pedicures and gleefully calling themselves metrosexuals. There was a time when guys were all grit and guts. Hell, Bobby Baun led the Leafs to the Stanley Cup in 1964, playing on a broken foot for the last two games. After the final Cup victory, he joked: "This was the best break I ever had!" Damn straight, Bobby. And how many times do you think Bobby went bra shopping with his wife? Given the sad decline of the species known as "real men" seriously, these guys are nearly on the endangered list --it's good to know there are a few guy's guys left. Most of them live in the United States of America and most go by the name Bubba. Saturday, in case you missed the announcement, is National Bubba Day. Now, guys, unless you're all busy buying bras, I suggest you celebrate (that is, if your wives will let you). And, in case you've forgotten what being a true Bubba is all about, here are a few reminders, gleaned from The Bubba Code (yes, even Bubbas have a code): Thou shall not ever rent the movies Love Story, A Beautiful Mind, or Erin Brockovich...Two men should never share an umbrella unless they are in a football stadium and it's hailing stones as big as softballs.... No Bubba is ever required to buy another man a birthday present in fact, not even remembering the birthday is optional.... And, finally, no Bubba should ever own a cat, live in a house that has a cat, or even date a woman with a cat cats are a waste of fur. Amen, Bubba. Happy National Bubba Day. Now I'm off to buy some linens with my lady. Andy Juniper can be visited at his Web site, www.strangledeggs.com, or contacted at ajuniper@strangledeggs.com.