www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, October 17, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 905-845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 -- 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington 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 OakvilleBeaver is a division of David Harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Speculation has abounded since Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty announced Monday he's calling it quits and proroguing the governance of the province until a replacement can be found. Whether part of a master plan, or a case of reading the writing on the wall, the electorate will likely never know. What we do know is that Premier Dad has left his family flailing. And the timing of this sudden exit is curious, with no clear successor in sight. Certainly, in his nine years as Premier, McGuinty recorded successes, implementing forward-looking -- albeit costly -- policies such as full-day Kindergarten and heavy investment in hospitals and healthcare. Ontario is now a world leader in education, and the province's hospitals boast the shortest wait times in Canada. However, there are too many scandals -- namely, the eHealth and ORNGE air service fiascoes -- darkening the past and too much unfinished business on the books to declare McGuinty's reign a complete success. Going forward, who will defend Bill 115, with its potential impact on collective bargaining and civil liberties? What calm hand will ensure the controversial decision to scrap two gas plants won't jettison the province's energy security for years to come? What about the future of the horse racing industry, which could come to a screeching halt as the Slots at Racetracks Program is scrapped next spring? Timing, it is said, is everything. That holds especially true in politics. McGuinty's timing couldn't have been worse... for the province. By proroguing the Legislature, he has ensured little will be accomplished in the House in the next several months while the Liberals select a new leader. This, at a time when unemployment in Ontario is at eight per cent, the deficit has climbed to $14 billion, the manufacturing sector is hurting badly, the horse racing industry is about to lose thousands of jobs, unions are waging war over Bill 115 and teachers are hinting at job action. While McGuinty proved his worth as a politician by leading his party to two majority victories and the current minority, his record as Premier was not as impressive. Only months after taking office in 2004 he broke his promise to not raise taxes by bringing in a health tax. Under his watch we endured the billion-dollar eHealth mess and a $200M Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation boondoggle. He brought in an eco-tax under the guise of an environmental fee, only to later scrap it. The wasteful spending has been unprecedented. Frankly, Ontario deserves better. 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. Thanks, Dalton Thank you to the Good Samaritan who helped Letter to the editor 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. Help GRAN with a cause Nov. 1 On Thursday, Nov. 1, Canadian grandmothers and grand-others will be gathering across the country to send a united message to Parliament Hill: Pass Bill C-398. Our local grandmothers group, GRAN, Grandmothers Advocacy Group -- Oakville invites you to join them in this national event at Oakville Towne Square, on Lakeshore Road at George Street, from 1-1:45 p.m. Journalist and writer, Sally Armstrong and other local celebrities will attend to speak of the importance of Bill C-398. Bill C-398 is a humanitarian bill designed to make affordable generic versions of essential medicine available to the world's poor. Canada's grandmothers care deeply about Bill C-398 because they are convinced it can save thousands of lives. The stark reality is that there are more than 7.5 million people worldwide who do not have access to HIV/ AIDS treatment, while more than half of the babies born with HIV do not reach their second birthday. Access to affordable medicines, not only for HIV/ AIDS but also for TB and malaria, could turn these numbers around dramatically while making a significant difference in the lives of real people. Canada's grandmothers are hopeful that a groundswell of public support on Nov. 1 will remind our MPs of the urgent need to pass this legislation. Please mark Nov. 1 on your calendars and take a few minutes out of your busy lives to join the grandmothers as they call for attention to this important bill. It would be great to see old and young, family, friends and neighbours come together to raise a shout heard in Ottawa. Save Lives! Pass Bill C-398! Bev LeFrancois, for GRAN, Oakville On Saturday morning, Oct. 13, my husband and I had just set out for a walk towards the lakeshore in Bronte when I tripped on an uneven sidewalk in front of the Bronte Athletic Field and crash-landed, face down. A kind gentleman who was walking his dog immediately came over to help us; he and my husband turned me over on my side to make sure I was OK, and then both lifted me and brought me over to sit on the bleachers. This gentleman thought I might need to go to the clinic to get a couple of stitches next to my left eye. My husband went home to get the car and he stayed with me, dabbing away at the blood, ever so kindly and patiently. People in their cars stopped by to see if we needed help and another kind man came by with ice cubes to bring down the swelling around my eye. I was a bit shaken but ever so grateful that more serious injuries did not befall me. When my husband returned, we both thanked this Good Samaritan again but neglected to get his name. So, if you are reading this, you know who you are, thank you once again for your kindness and patience. Thank you, also, to all of those who stopped to see if we needed help. Beautiful Bronte indeed, my home. By the way, I did need to get a couple of stitches. Sharon Charlebois, Oakville