www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, June 25, 2010 · 6 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 --Open 9-5 weekdays, 5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekends Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award NEIL OLIVER Vice President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The Oakville Beaver is a division of Media Group Ltd. DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager Give peace a chance With the G8 and G20 Summits underway, it is our fervent hope that those planning to protest the talks do so peacefully. Unfortunately, indications leading up to the summits are that not all groups intend to be law-abiding. "We will take back our city from these exploitative profiteers, and in the streets we will be uncontrollable! This is a militant march where many forms of resistance and tactics are welcomed and respected," says one Internet posting promoting an "anti-colonial, anti-capitalist convergence" organized by a group calling itself the Southern Ontario Anarchist Resistance. The right to protest the actions of any government and its leaders is a cornerstone of any democratic society and no one is suggesting those intending to march in Toronto this weekend do not have the right to do so. However, we can't help but wonder if those protesting these talks can't see the irony in how their "fight for the little man" is adversely affecting the very segment of society they profess to be fighting for -- the underprivileged and ailing. Due to the planned protests, small business owners will be forced to close their shops, hospital services have been affected and even a Meals on Wheels service has been suspended for several days. Past protests have seen clashes with police and damage to public and private property. Again, we fail to understand what point the protesters are trying to make by breaking the law? What societal change would be enacted through lawless behaviour? How would breaking a struggling store owner's window help feed starving children in Africa? Much has been made of the $1 billion in security costs Canadian taxpayers are paying to ensure the safety of the world's leaders at the G8 and G20 summits. While extreme (and expensive) security measures must always be taken to ensure the safety of those attending the summits, we cannot help but wonder how much money is being spent to keep the protesters away from the world leaders. How much of the $1-billion security bill at the G8 and G20 summits could be better spent on the very causes the protesters claim to support, if they conducted themselves in a more peaceful and orderly manner? Something to keep in mind as we watch the protests in Toronto this weekend. 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 416-3401981.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. Letter to the editor De-stigmatizing mental health I have been reading the Oakville Beaver's coverage of the Sara Carlin inquest with interest. I am an 18-year old student and have been taking Paxil for depression and anxiety for a few months. Personally, I have responded well to this treatment. While I cannot speak on Sara Carlin's behalf, I feel, if monitored correctly, Paxil can be a beneficial medication. Moreover, I would like to commend the Oakville Beaver on its coverage of the inquest. It has remained neutral and informative. It is important for teenagers to know that this happens, so they can know the signs of depression. I agree with the Coroner's suggestions for an educational program, especially de-stigmatizing mental health and educating students about what options are available to them. I was lucky that I had a friend who identified the signs and sent me to get help. Unfortunately, not everyone has someone close to them who will step in and help. Halton needs a program like this. Only when people are willing to talk about it, and that includes the media, will lives be saved. PETER (I DO NOT WISH FOR MY LAST NAME TO BE PUBLISHED FOR PRIVACY REASONS -- THE STIGMA IS STILL THERE) Letters to the editor 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 must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. In praise of personal service workers Thank you so much for your series on personal service workers (PSWs). I know someone who works in this profession and I can certainly confirm that these people are vastly under-appreciated and often treated very badly by their superiors. They are left short-handed, having to care for far more patients than they can handle, and then criticized for not doing their jobs well enough. They witness abuse and are powerless to do anything about it. Their jobs are tenuous at best -- all it takes is a cranky superior to get annoyed and their job is gone. Someone needs to help the hard workers in this profession. Not only are they taking care of some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, they are vulnerable themselves to the whims of an unstable workplace and because of the low pay for the very challenging work they perform. CRYSTAL SMITH, OAKVILLE BY STEVE NEASE neasecartoons@gmail.com Coverage warranted Re: Inquest coverage disgraceful, Oakville Beaver, June 23 Your coverage of the inquest examining the possible link between the anti-depressant, Paxil, and the tragic death of Sara Carlin may help to prevent this kind of horror from happening again. The grandmother's protestation concerning front page coverage is horribly misplaced. Teens, parents, grandparents, the entire community needs to know of the risks of prescribing anti-depressants off label. Awareness and education are the key. Not a head-inthe-sand mentality. JACQUELINE CURTIS, OAKVILLE Pud