Oakville Beaver, 11 Aug 1999, Editorials, A6

The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

A6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday August 11,1999 The Oakville Beaver OPINION Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Associate Publisher Norman Alexander Editor Kelly Montague, Advertising Director Martin Doherty Circulation Director Teri Casas Office Manager Mark Dills Production Manager Riziero Vertolli Director of Photography Metroiand Pmtng. Pufcisrtng & Dstributng Ltd., includes: Ajax/Pckemg News /V̂-ertoer, Atcton Heraky Courier, Bame AcVance, Barry's Bay This Week. Bolton Enterprise. Brampton Guardian, Burtngton Post. Burtngton Shoppng News. City Parent, ComgwoocWtesaga Connection. East York Mrror. Em Artaxat̂ Country Routes. Etotxoke Guardan. Ramboroû Post. Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press. Krona Busness Trnes, Kingston This Week. Lindsay This Week. Markham Ecncmst & Sun. Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror. Milton Canadian Champion. Milton Shoppng News. Mesesauga Busness Times. Mssissauga News. Napanee Gude, Newmarket/At/ora Era-Banner. Northunterland News. North York Mrror. Oakvie Beâ r. Oakvte Shopping News. Otdtmers Hockey News. Onia Today. OshawaWvtty/damgton Port Perry The Week. Owen Soind Tribune. Peterborough This Week. Picton County Guide. Richmond HiH/ThomhA/Vaughan Liberal. Scarborough Mirror. Stouftvile/Uxbhdge Trtxne. Forever Yxng. City of Mark Guardan 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont L6K3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax; 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-2809 Circulation: 845-9742 RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: TH E OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL M EDIA SPONSOR FOR: S 3 i& Yymca... w Xbmtm mtHt+hCat I 1 f J l ' TV AUCTION i o ii r j United WayJiNqlE BeII Fund of Oakville Editorials Speed bump The scene: any major highway in Ontario such as the QEW or the 401 The issue: Ontario Provincial Police say that since the number of speed infractions on these roads has been declining, speeds should rise from 100 km/hr to 120 km/hr. First off, let's put the issue in perspec­ tive. How many people travelling around the GTA can even find enough space in traffic to travel 90 km/hr, let alone 120 km/hr? The issue is moot for a good part of the day including from about 6 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and again from about 3 p.m.- 6:30 p.m. Motorists using major arteries at these times are really in a parking lot, not an expressway. The second point is that motorists will speed regardless of the limits placed on the highways. How many of us take the rule-of-thumb that 'we'll take five and they give you five' to justify cruising at 10 km/hr over the speed limit? This comes as no surprise to the OPP who count on that kind of thinking when speed controls are contemplated. For those who were driving more than 20 years ago, you may recall the QEW had a 115 km/hr speed limit that was reduced when the oil crisis hit and it never recovered. But traffic at that time was a fraction of current rates. So what's to be done? As far as the province is concerned, it's really a non-issue. The Ministry of Transportation position is that it hasn't given the OPP position any thought nor has it contemplated a reduction in the speed limit for truck traffic, often seen by some as a major factor in road accidents. Instead of an all-or-nothing approach, we suggest the MOT have sections of 400 level highways using increased speed limits to see the impact on traffic flow and accident rates. But to raise speeds on the QEW above current levels, even when attained, is literally and figuratively, an accident waiting to happen. Instead o f an all-or-nothing approach, we suggest the MOT have sections o f 400 level highways using increased speed limits to see the impact on traffic flow and accident rates. 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 Child pornography ruling must be challenged This past June 30th, the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled, in the John Robin Sharpe case, that a person has the "right" to own child pornography. The court based this decision on the freedom-of-expression clause in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Despite the ruling. Justice Minister Anne McLellan has stated that the federal govern­ ment will wait until the Supreme Court of Canada rules on the case, before deciding what is to be done. It is impossible that the Supreme Court of Canada may support the B.C. Supreme Court ruling and legalize own­ ership of child pom. Child advocates say that simple possession of child pornography can be harmful to chil­ dren. First, the use of actual children in pornography constitutes child abuse. Second, Pedophiles sometimes entice children by showing them child pornography, claiming that such activity is 'normal'. And third, recent research suggests that most child pornography circulates for free through the internet. Legalizing possession would essen­ tially protect this form of kiddie pom distribu­ tion. We at WatchDog are asking readers to write protest letters that the 'notwithstanding clause' be used to override the ruling. Readers wanting more information on this problem can contact us at WatchDog Newsletter, 247 Leeds Dr., Fredericton, NB, E3B 4S7 or by e-mail at dmurrell@unb.ca or by fax at (506) 454-8245. David Murrell Editor and Publisher WatchDog Newsletter Hospital needs to explain long term care debacle Re: 'No short term so lu ­ tions fo r long term care ques­ tio n s ', O akville Beaver, Sun. Aug. 8, 1999. It has been w ell over 10 years since Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital expressed a strong desire to take over the ad jacen t six acre OTHS (O ak v ille T ra fa lg a r High School) site. Many in the pub­ lic were reluctant to see unnec­ essa ry funds spen t on new schoo l fa c il it ie s on D evon Road in southeast Oakville, but supported making the former site a v a ila b le because they believed that OTMH expansion w ould so lve the im m ed ia te c r it ic a l long term care bed problem . A bsolutely nothing has happened since then! In the early 1990's, much to the chagrin of local residents, OTMH even spent many thou­ sands more dollars getting the site rezoned to accom m odate multiple buildings up to eight stories, well beyond any real defined need. It is clear now that the hospital had no con­ firm ed m aste r plan and no authorization to proceed with any long term care solution on Reynolds Street. This valuable land and buildings in the centre of our community has been left in a wasteful, non-productive, abandoned state. The Ministry of Health rep­ resentative states that the cur­ rent Extendicare residents at OTMH will have the first crack at new beds if and when they are available in Oakville. Since many of the current residents won't live to see the new facil­ itie s , th is is n 't m uch o f an offer. It is time for some straight talk from the key stakeholders in th is co n tin u in g debacle. There appears to be another agenda here that everyone is re lu c tan t to state in public. Possibly the number of private nursing care beds available in Oakville is too high to justify MOH involvement in long term care beds or the halton Healthcare Services is respond­ ing to another squeaky wheel in the rest of the region. Has OTMH executive done some­ thing to rile the M inistry of Oakville MPP should rally behind the aged Re: Editorial and article on long term health care, Oakville Beaver Sun. Aug. 8, 1999. Noticeably absent, by name or comment in your article and editorial, was our representative to the Ontario Legislature...Gary Carr. Is there anything in your files where he has commented or indicated his action on this issue? Was he present at the Thursday meeting and if not, will he respond to the question (reportedly not answered), as to "why the zoned and serviced OTHS site, next to the hospital was passed over by the Ministry of Health during the first round of applica­ tions?" Oakville has an existing and growing aged population that will need these beds. Some do now. This situation should not be left just to the residents and family members concerned to deal with. An immediate response with action is needed by Mr. Carr. Bruce Craig Health? Or is there political motivation here? Possibly Gary C arr ju s t h a sn 't been loyal enough? W hatever the case , the province and the hospital have some explaining to do. The for­ mer OTHS site is the logical cho ice for h o sp ita l-re la te d activity. But is there something about this site that means part or all of it is unlikely to ever be used for long term or acute care beds? Is the hospital in the wrong location? W ill we be motoring by this site 10 years from now wondering when, or if, anything is going to hap­ pen? Does the Town need to get working on another solu­ tion? In the m eantim e, fam ilies with relatives on the 5th Floor at OTMH had better be quick abou t m aking a lte rn a te arrangements, as there doesn't seem to be any room at the inn. In the m onths and years to come, HHS will be left in the unenviable position of making decisions between the quick and the dead that had previous­ ly been assigned to a higher authority. A lex Sm ith Letter of the W eek Cedar Croft properly deserved better fate Re: 'Cedar Croft lands best used by young peo­ p le ', Oakville Beaver, July 28, 1999 No-perhaps, this is best. And first of all may we state that we would fight for the Powleys (or anyone else for that matter) right to sell this property to "whomever they wish" and most definitely we are not "people who think we should be arbiters of the disposition of privately- owned property..." We are, however, (and yes we are guilty of pure, unadulterated emotion too) people who think that somehow there could and should have been a better (different) way to have put this property to different use-in fact we believe (and after the initial emotional charge had subsided) that there was probably literally hundreds of better ways to approach this than the desecration that did happen. This, despite (Appleby College) Headmaster (Guy) Mclean's ludicrous state­ ment that they "obviously tried to minimize the tree removal"-from any reasonable observance of what happened, they quite obviously didn't try to minimize anything. Back then to some potential "better ways"-how about the auction of trees that could have been com­ memorated as reminders of the beauty and the history of the property, with the proceeds going to charity? That's just one idea-how about another thought-what was done to protect the abundant wildlife within? How about the artifacts? Pictures for posterity? and on and on. Please, who has more "let's do this better- perhaps just more respectful" ideas? G o rd and D o re e n C la rk Pud by Steve Nease You MAY HAVE' won t h e battle, but you havent W0N1HE C o lu m n on F re n c h deem ed offensive Re: Columnist's bit o f flu ff was not hate literature, Patrick Bourke, Oakville Beaver, July 21, 1999. I would like to reply to Mr. Bourke. Is that what call the purpose of the original column by Mr. (William) Thomas, a bit of fluff? Just having a bit of fun was he? But isn't that what they always say, I was joking, I meant no harm, where is your sense of humour? Remember that judge in Toronto who harassed those women telling them they could flick his switch anytime? Ha ha, he was having fun so he said. Fortunately, the authorities were not amused and gave him the boot. Similarly, bullies used to have great fun rolling (assaulting) homosexuals, and vandals desecrating Jewish burial grounds and husbands beating their wives, (remember how the males in Parliament laughed a few years ago when this came up?) No, Mr. Bourke and Mr. Thomas, this is not funny at all, not when you blatantly call the French people a nation of cowards. Think of the insult to our Quebecois who are proud to call themselves French. Try substituting other nationalities for French in the original article. Include, say, Jewish and try Canadian on for size. Yes, it is insulting because whole nationhood is involved rather than an individual and it is that aspect that offends me deeply. Mr. Thomas is entitled to his opinion but his column was in extremely bad taste neverthe­ less. I believe Mr. Thomas or the Editor should consider doing something about it, it's that bad. Alan Stuart 4 ' / mailto:dmurrell@unb.ca OPINION 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont L6K3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax; 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-2809 Circulation: 845-9742 RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Editorials Speed bump Letters to the Editor Hospital needs to explain long term care debacle Oakville MPP should rally behind the aged Bruce Craig Alex Smith Letter of the Week Cedar Croft properly deserved better fate Gord and Doreen Clark Alan Stuart

Powered by / Alimenté par VITA Toolkit
Privacy Policy