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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, March 12, 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 Sign of spring Clad in the colour of spring -- and a bit of history --Eddie Williams, wearing his Toronto St. Pat's hockey jersey, will be spotted making a beeline into downtown Oakville next Wednesday. Local residents have become used to the sight every March 17 for 34 years. Irish hats off to Eddie, who is now not only marking his 34th year of the walk, but his 58th year. While a sure sign of spring every March 17, Eddie himself admits he is no longer a spring chicken. We expect Eddie will make the trek for some years to come -- especially in 2012, which will mark the 90th anniversary of the walk that began when a group of Irishmen in Toronto, frustrated with Prohibition, walked to Oakville for bootlegged green beer in 1922. Eddie is the last of a trio of men that included Charlie Priestman and Barney Heard to carry on the tradition. Thanks to Eddie, it has become more about preserving a small piece of Canadian history than beer. It may, however, be time for someone to pick up the challenge -- the same as Eddie did when he took over from Heard in the mid-1970s. It may even be that a local group picks up on the tradition or turns it into a fundraiser, though Eddie has traditionally kept all manner of cash out of his effort. If no one does, it's very likely that what began as a crazy stunt in 1922, but sparked the imagination to become an 88-year-old local tradition, will find itself relegated to the pages of a local history text, or perhaps more simply, the archives of the local newspapers, which have been following the story for years. Just as Eddie honoured the spirit of the Irishmen, Priestman and Heard, Eddie's long-standing commitment, personal effort and sacrifice to honour a small piece of local history deserves the same respect. We hope it will be. Letter to the editor Retired Ford worker upset with mayor As a retired Ford employee and resident and taxpayer in Oakville for the past 45 years, I think it is time that our mayor realizes that there are more than "east Oakville" taxpayers in Oakville. I grew up in (Lakeview) Mississauga in spitting distance of the Lakeview generating plant. I don't recall anyone complaining about it being too near schools and major highways, etc. The only thing is that it wasn't built near $1-million homes. It supplied power to millions of our homes and industries such as Ford. Oakville would still be a onehorse town if it weren't for Ford and the industries it brought to this town. We would wouldn't have a world-class hospital if it wasn't for Ford and its thousands of employees. Oakville is expanding north of Dundas Street with upwards of 10,000 people. Energy will be required to maintain them. Where is this power to come from at a reasonable cost to homeowners (maybe North Bay)? The mayor says Ford only produces one-half of one per cent of the tax dollars, however he didn't mention the thousands of Ford and ex-Ford employees who also pay taxes to our town. The mayor wants a new hospital, but the air quality bylaw and stance against a power plant are going to scare business away from Oakville. Let's bring back Ann Mulvale, who cared for the people of all Oakville, not just the millionaires, who live here, but work in Toronto. KEITH SIMPSON, OAKVILLE 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 email to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Corporations deserve respect There is probably no member of this community that doesn't applaud the efforts of the Town to manage environmental issues. What the residents will not stand for is "stone throwing" tactics at the solid, upstanding corporations that continue to support this community with more than just taxes. They support this community with jobs, financial donations to community organizations, sports teams, and energy purchased from Oakville Hydro. The corporations are a critical web to this community, yet the mayor is intent on driving them away. These corporations operate with ethics and integrity, and deserve more respect than that being displayed by the mayor. BOB MISKELLY, OAKVILLE BY STEVE NEASE neasecartoons@gmail.com Correction In the editorial Wrong Weapon, Oakville Beaver, March 10 it was incorrectly stated that the Town has never explained how it arrived at its threshold levels to determine major emitters in its Health Protection Air Quality Bylaw. This information was contained in the Town's Health Protection Air Quality (HPAQ) Report dated Feb. 1. The Oakville Beaver regrets the error and any inconvenience it may have caused. 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. Pud