A 6 - The Oakville Beaver, W ednesday O cto b e r 17, 2001 T h e Oa k v ille B ea v er Ian Oliver Publisher NeH O liv e r .Associate Publisher Norman Alexander Editor Kelly Montague, Advertising D irector Steve Crozier Circulation D irector Ten Casas Office M anager Mark Dills Production M anager Riziero Vertolli Director o fPhotography M etrd an dP rin tin g ,P u b fe h in g&D istrib u tin gL td ., in d u d es: A ja x /P ic k e rin g N ew sA d v e rtise r, A llis to nH e ra ld /C o u rie r, A rth u rE n te rp rise N ew s, B a rrie A d v an ce ,B arry ' sB a yT h is W ee k ,B o lto nE n te rp rise ,B ram p to nG u a rd ia n , B u rlin g to n P o st, B u rlin g to n S h o p p in g N ew s, C ity P aren t. C o llin g w o o d /W a sa g aC o n n e ctio n ,E ast,M x kM in o r, B lnA d v o c ate /C o u n try R o u tes, E to b ico k e G u ard ian , F lam b o ro u g h P o st, G eo rg eto w n In d ep en d en t/A cto nF reeP ress, H a rristo nR e v ie w ,H u ro n iaB u sin essT im e s, K in g sto nT h is W e e k ,L in d sa yT h is W e ek ,M ark h a mE cn o m ist &S u n , M id lan d /P en etan g u ish in eM irro r,M ilto nC an ad ianC h a m p io n ,M ilto nS h o p p in g N ew s, M ississau g aB u sin ess T im e s, M ississau g aN e w s, N ap an ee G u id e , N ew m a rk e t/A u ro ra E ra -B a n n e r, N o rth u m b e rlan dN ew s, N o rthM x kM in o r, O a k v illeB e a v e r, O a k v illeS h o p p in gN ew s, O ld tim e rs H o c k eyN ew s, O rillia T o d a y ,O sh a w a /W h itb y /C la rin g to nP o rt P erry T h is W eek .O w en S o u n d T rib u n e ,P a lm ersto nO b se rv e r,P eterb o ro u g hT h isW e ek ,P ic to nC o u n tyG u id e , R ich m o n d H ill/T h o rn h illA fe iu g h a n L ib e ra l, S carb o ro u g h M irro r, S to u ffv iD e A Jx b rid g eT rib u n e ,F o re v e r> b u n g ,C ityo f> b ri< G u a rd ia n cca a RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community N ew spap ers Association THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: P O R(/B U S IN E S S ItT H E A R T S 'mb J in g e B eJ! F u n d J T h h e n a JAwari /'°TX^ ' TV AUCTION o fo a S O T ih e (yaki>ille FOR BUSINESS EXCELLENCE 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-2809 Circulation: 845-9742 , Canadian Community M ^ C N A N ew spap ers Association BRONlffifTTERFIY C M fftn d M fi jo ss& t s 1oakville galleries j The O akville, M iltonand D istrict REAL ESTATE BOARD Editorials Brianspeak 2001 style Will the real Brian Tobin please stand up. For those out of the political loop, Tobin is the federal minister of industry and likely one of the candidates to replace Prime Minister Jean Chretien as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. But it's often hard to determine just where Tobin stands on important issues from one day to the next. Spending up to $4-billion Here's Tobin's take on the federal finance sit on connecting all uation as told to a group of fellow Liberals at an Oakville fundraiser last week: "As a team our Canadians to high-speed government pulled together, under the leader internet service at this ship o f Minister o f Finance Paul Martin and we moved the country from the biggest-ever deficit time seems bizarre. ($44-billion) to the biggest surplus. I'm going back to work Monday focused on the future, to clean up the deficit, decrease taxes, and build on education and health programs... " But then there's the other Brian Tobin. At this same fundraiser Microsoft Canada President Frank Clegg said his company's next goal is to ensure all Canadians have access to high speed internet services by 2004. And guess who's trumpeting this idea in the Liberal caucus? One Brian Tobin and here's where it gets interesting. Published reports on the weekend suggest that tomorrow, Tobin will be asking his federal cabinet colleagues to back his plan to spend an estimated $1.5 billion on the internet access plan and about $75-million to administer the process. But a task force of private sector players has already tabled a report saying the cost would be more in the order of $4-billion. It's not like the idea is new. In a kind of chicken-in-every-pot view of progress, Jean Chretien promised everyone would have this kind of high-speed hookup. This would seem to mean that Tobin's expenditure has the blessing of his boss. So which Tobin is to be believed? Is it the one who said he wants to clean up the deficit or the one who is eyeing billions of dollars in spending in an economic down turn that will put more pressure on the federal budget and force us into a deficit sit uation? Perhaps Mr. Tobin doesn't see the irony that it's this kind of spending theory, through a series of Liberal governments beginning with Pierre Trudeau, that cata pulted Canada into the $600-billion debt that now hangs over all our heads. SK Suburban N ew spap ers of i Children's Choir to h k rM M Letters to the Editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes your comments. All letters must be typed, signed and include the writer's address and phone number. Send to: Letters to the Editor, The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, Ont. L6K 3S4 Manley showed surprising leadership abilities I was glued to CBC Newsworld Monday evening as I watched Canada's party leaders speak in a parliamentary debate on "International Actions Against Terrorism" and believe the CBC's interruption of Joe Clark's speech to go to 'an American update on the Anthrax threat' was nothing short of insulting. I wouldn't be thun derstruck if Sheila Copps gives the CBC a deserved chiding on Joe's behalf. Stockwell Day reminded the Liberals of how our inadequate D.N.D. has been degraded under Chretien's stewardship of our government. Reminiscent of his days in foreign affairs Joe Clark, with his new, upbeat colleague Debra Grey looking on, recommended that Canada per suade it's Commonwealth Allies including Pakistan to close ranks against terrorists. Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe said we don't need nuclear submarines but more ships; per haps, unaware that the Liberals were conducive in killing the Conservative's strategy to deploy 812 nuclear-propelled submarines that could ade quately patrol our vast northern waters unlike the 'used cheapies' the Liberals secured from the United Kingdom and hinting that Gilles may not appreciate that some of Canada's dozen 'state-ofthe-art' frigates that Mulroney had manufactured in Canada are now on route to support our N.A.T.O. friends. Sadly, Kim Campbell's EH101 sub-hunting helicopters won't be on-board as our young men and women go into harm's way and we all know why. True to her party, Alexa McDonough didn't let the 'protesting socialist-pacifists' down as she frowned on Canada's commitment to this under taking, which the Liberals seemed less enthusi astic about then the rallying British leader Tony Blair, when she whined that Canada should be part of a cumbersome "United Nation's" force and not a swift, unilateral N.A.T.O. counterstrike. An unflinching John Manley then startled me like no Liberal ever has, with a 'steely-convinc ing, Reagan-like squint' in his eye as he avowed, "the only way to stop this kind of enemy, is to search it out, strike it in the heart, and destroy it!" David C . Searle Use Halloween to help world's needy children In these days of recent tragedy, we have a unique opportunity to make a contribution at Halloween time, toward the issue of ending world hunger and especially hungry children. It is an opportunity to reaffirm our awareness in North America that tragedy is not only on this continent but also in many, many countries worldwide, especially for children. This year, let us pause and seriously reconsider our Halloween priorities. Why do we find ourselves stressed at the "Maxi" Halloween store over costumes and deco rations? Or at the store over candy or treats, when chil- dren around the world are moments from death or fear ful that this small meal is their last supper? There are many options. Children can take UNICEF boxes with them instead of receiving candy. Contact UNICEF at 1-800-567-4483. Parents could make home made costumes and send the money `saved' to UNICEF. This could also be a fun family project. (It involves the concept of quality family time...creativity...etc.) Home owners could explain that instead of candy, these fami lies will be making contributions to UNICEF - a coupon giving this information could be handed to the child perhaps this information might inspire the parents, care givers or child to take additional steps to assist UNICEF. Block parties or school parties could be held to celebrate our ethnic diversity, yet world unity. Halloween is a day o f celebration for the privileged children of North America. Let's use it, especially this year, for the children around the world who wonder where their next meal is coming from. Let's use Halloween to make a difference. Together we can do it, starting now. Kathryn Lund B a n s m o k i n g i n t o w n 's p u b l i c a r e a s Reading a recent article in the Oakville Beaver by Angela Blackburn `Public will have say on smoking in public places', I was pleased to hear that the Town is very supportive of ban ning smoking in public areas. I'm in favour of anything that may have the effect of reducing the number of those who smoke. I have been highly opposed to tobacco use since I began to learn of the health conse quences back in grade eight. It is very sad to see teens get caught up in this; considering the majority of smokers begin before they reach their 16th birthday. About 25 per cent of 15-18year-olds in Canada smoke cigarettes. O f those teens who do smoke, 91 per cent say they want to quit but can't. The tobacco industry is well aware of this and constantly use them as their target. Here are some fast facts. Smoking causes wrinkles and cataracts, you don't' want to be a living prune and blind in your 40's do you? You can get lung disease, heart disease, mouth and throat cancer and stomach ulcers from tobacco use. Every day in North America, the number of people who die as a result of smoking-related illnesses is bout the same as the number who died on the Titanic. To parents who are reading this: Use this as a time to talk to your children about the dan gers of smoking. When they are on their own, all they'll have is common sense and your guidance as reasons not to start. As for Dr. Bob Nosal, Halton Region's Medical Officer of Health, who said in the arti cle that it's his "passion to save lives by stomp ing out tobacco use." I'm very happy that we have someone in Oakville so dedicated to butting out smoking. I'm behind you 100 per cent. Erica Tim m erm an Trafalgar Village fine irks GO u ser Ed. note: The follow ing letter was sent to Pat Sutcliffe, manager of Trafalgar Village Malt - a copy was also filed with the Oakville Beaver. Ms. Sutcliffe: As a regular shopper at Trafalgar Village, I find the statement in the Sept. 21, 2001 issue of the Oakville Beaver: "...parking can be at a premium at the best of times...", to be complete non sense. The truth is that park ing at Trafalgar Village has been plentiful and significantly-underutilized for a very long time, especially in the southwest area since the departure of WalMart. Parking for shoppers has been ample and major entry points, particularly on the north side (not of interest to GO train commuters) have been easily accessible. I never had a prob lem parking when going to shop at Trafalgar Village. However, as an occasional and infrequent user of a park ing space to access the GO train at its peak travel hours, I felt that Trafalgar Village was acting as a "good neighbour" in allowing patrons (and even potential patrons) to use its underutilized parking space. Despite parking in a remote, unused area, I received a parking ticket on Oct. 4th. No `friendly reminder', no alert that the space was soon to be needed for construction or other activity. Just a blunt $20. fine. Some neighbourly gesture. Some encouragement to come and shop at the Home Depot and other soon-to-beestablished retailers. Some impression for old and poten tially new patrons of Trafalgar Village Mall. Blair R. Ferguson Helicopters death traps I think it's important that someone tell the Prime Minister and his Cabinet that if one Canadian Forces member is injured or killed due to the malfunction of a Sea King, he has left himself and Art Eggleton open to charges of manslaughter. To knowingly send men and women to war in what are known to be unsafe helicopters is an act of criminal negligence. I think it would be fairly simple to get a conviction. This is not a "heat of battle" situa tion, he should not have done this, he is gam bling with people's lives to and he knows it. Sharing this sentiment? Call your MP and let them know how you think. Every day! You may save a life. Jim C a lvert Ideologues and development In the past few weeks, while we have been watching in horror and sympathy, the devastation wrought upon our neighbours to the south, behind our backs and unnoticed, developers have been cutting down a forest on the Oak Ridges Moraine to make way for over 4,000 houses. Who is the Tory cabinet minister responsible for this breach of faith to the people of the GTA? Why, none other than Chris Hodgson, the minister closest to Mike Harris dur ing the Ipperwash Park massacre in 1995, when Dudley George, an unarmed aboriginal, was gunned down by the OPP, a murder which Harris has constantly refused to be sub jected to a public enquiry. If ever the old aphorism `T h e price of Liberty is eternal vigilance." was best remembered, it is now, under this set of developer-friendly ideologues who call themselves the Government of Ontario. K .J. Hazeldon Pud S-i by steve nease WUN6©.' Toward universal responsibility In the dark days now upon the earth, some of us may find guidance in these words of a great spiritual leader -- the Dalai Lama: I believe that to meet the challenge o f our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense o f universal responsibility. Each o f us must learn to work not ju st fo r his or her own self, family, or nation, but fo r the benefit o f all humankind. Universal responsibility is the real key to human survival. It is the best foundation fo r world peace. Brian Hopkins