in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, Ju ne 10 ,2 02 1 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the news- paper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca insidehalton@metroland.com facebook.com/OakvilleBeav @OakvilleBeaver WHO WE ARE VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Jason Pehora Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Director of Distribution Charlene Hall Circulation Manager Kim Mossman Director of Production Mark Dills Regional Production Manager Manny Garcia Directors of Advertising Cindi Campbell and Ryan Maraj CONTACT US Oakville Beaver 901 Guelph Line Burlington, ON L7R 3N8 Phone: 905-845-3824 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Advertising: 289-293-0620 Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail kmossman@metroland.com or call 905-631-6095. Letters to the editor Send letters to insidehalton@metroland.com. All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at insidehalton.com OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT INSIDEHALTON.COM EDITORIAL LETTERS & COMMENTARY Baby raccoons visit a wooded area of Bronte. Do you have a great local photo you'd like to share? Send it to sleblanc@metroland.com, along with a brief description. Jack Zamora photo SNAPSHOT WE ALL BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL CANADIAN CHILDREN Our Kids Network is sit- uated on the Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Traditional Territory of the Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat peo- ples. Our Kids Network em- pathizes with the incredi- ble grief and heartbreak of the families and communi- ties mourning 215 children, whose remains were dis- covered in an unmarked grave at the site of a former Kamloops residential school. We send our deep sym- pathy to the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc Nation. We hold you in our hearts and we honour the lives of these 215 children, and those children who sur- vived. As a network of caring professionals who work with children and families every day, we believe pas- sionately that every single child matters, and has the right to thrive. Canada's residential school system was pur- posely designed to remove and isolate children from their loving families, tradi- tions, and cultures to as- similate them into the dominant culture. This horrific discovery exposes Canada's long his- tory of the inhuman and vi- olent treatment of Indige- nous families and children, and this continues today. We all must take respon- sibility for the care and well-being of all of Cana- da's children. June is National Indige- nous History Month, and Our Kids Network calls up- on you to face the truth about the Indian Residen- tial School system so that you can take meaningful action toward Reconcilia- tion. "Reconciliation begins with oneself and then ex- tends into our families, re- lationships, workplaces and eventually into our communities." -- Reconcil- iation Canada CHRISTINE HARTLEY (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR) AND ANGELA BELLEGARDE (INDIGENOUS LEAD) OUR KIDS NETWORK For immediate assis- tance to those who may need it, the National Indian Resi- dential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419. "We believe passionately that every single child matters, and has the right to thrive." - Christine Hartley and Angela Bellegarde LLEETT"SS CCEELLEEBBRRAATTEE OOUURR CCOOLLLLEECCTTIIVVEE PPRRIIDDEE Pride Month may look a little different in the midst of a pandemic, but that shouldn't -- and won't -- deter us from celebrating all that the LGBTQ2+ community has achieved toward acceptance and inclusion. June is dedicated to the uplifting of LGBTQ2+ voices, celebration of LGBTQ2+ culture and support of LGBTQ2+ rights. Pride gatherings -- like the parades and festivals that have been held in normal times and the virtual celebra- tions of today's COVID times -- are rooted in the strug- gles that groups have endured for decades to overcome prejudice and be accepted for who they are. An avenue to embrace diversity, these celebrations acknowledge history and achievements, and they con- tinue the focus on fostering the rights and recognition that LGBTQ2+ Canadians deserve. The rainbow flag, a well-known symbol of the LGBTQ2+ community, has evolved over the years, but its message is the same. It aims to encourage awareness, kindness and acceptance for all. Do you know what the six colours stand for? Each has its own meaning. Red is symbolic of life, orange of healing, yellow of sunlight, green of nature, blue of harmony and purple of spirit. Could there be any- thing lovelier? The principle of inclu- sivity is key to the success of everything we do. By embracing diversity, we draw on all of the unique strengths and abilities of Canada's population. Inclusiv- ity unites all of us as one team, and Pride celebrations are a reminder of how amazingly diverse we are and how we garner strength through diversity. Sharing our Pride gives us unity of purpose, making each of us better as people reflecting Canadian ideals of diversity, inclusion and respect. The road that led us to this point has been a long one, and there is still much work to do. Together this month, in a safe and respective manner, let's celebrate and show our individual and collective Pride. We must remember that Pride matters for many rea- sons beyond celebration events in June. We must keep striving for total acceptance and inclusion, valuing what is most important to us -- our people, all people -- 365 days a year. It comes down to this. Everyone should feel comfort- able and safe being themselves wherever they are. Sadly, we're not there yet. 'The principle of inclusivity is key to the success of everything we do.'