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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, March 19, 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 Justice for all? We have often railed in this corner at the apparent injustices within our judicial system. Be it "slap-on-the-wrist" sentences for drunk drivers to judges treating killers and child molesters with kid gloves, we have long felt our judicial system has often focused more on rehabilitation and providing "second chances" in many cases than on dispensing justice. Sadly, another case in point arose this week. On Tuesday, police killer Craig Munro finally won unescorted passes from his British Columbia minimum-security prison. Munro, 59, was convicted of first-degree murder for murdering Toronto police Const. Michael Sweet during a botched robbery in the early hours of March 14, 1980, at George's Bourbon Street restaurant in Toronto. At a closed hearing, Munro was granted up to four unescorted passes a year for up to 15 days each. It was the first parole Munro has been granted since he shot Sweet and let him slowly bleed to death, while he and his brother, Jamie Munro, then 21, held police at bay with a semi-automatic rifle and a sawed-off shotgun. The case was particularly harrowing in that, for 90 minutes after shooting the officer, Munro ignored the pleas of Sweet about his three daughters and taunted the bleeding officer, telling him he would never see his wife or children again. Munro was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, while his brother was released on parole in 1992 after being convicted of second-degree murder. Munro has argued that he is a changed man, having converted to traditional aboriginal spirituality. He has been housed in a minimum-security prison near Chilliwack. Frankly, it matters not a whit if Munro is a changed man. He murdered a police officer, left a family without a father and husband, was sentenced to "life in prison" and now has been granted partial freedom 30 years after his vile deed. Again, we are perplexed to see where the justice is in this decision. 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. Letter to the editor Power plant too close for comfort I feel obligated to respond to Keith Simpson's March 12 letter to the editor defending Ford Canada and its role in the power plant proposal. Mr. Simpson's commitment to his former employer is admirable, and the role that Ford has historically played in Oakville's development is undeniable. What is also undeniable, however, is the role that Ford is currently playing in the proposal to locate this plant, with its toxic fine particulate matter and all its other well-documented health and safety risks, on Ford property just 400 metres or less from homes, schools and workplaces. This has nothing to do with "$1million homes" as Mr. Simpson contests. This should not be built near anyone's home in Ontario, including Mr. Simpson's. If this were to be built 400 metres from Mr. Simpson's home, I'm sure he would welcome his neighbours and other concerned citizens getting involved to try to relocate it to a safer, more environmentally sustainable location. MICHAEL FARRELL, 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. Find a safe, alternative site for power plant There is no question that Ford has been a good neighbour. The government and town have shown our thanks by continuously providing funding as Ford grew and invested. Windsor is a recent example. TransCanada will no doubt make every attempt to be a good corporate neighbor when they arrive at their final destination as well. But the dispute about the location of the plant is not about attempting to be a good neighbour. Mayor Rob Burton and others have continued to remind us, in a sometimes spirited way, that it must be health and safety first. Exactly! It's important that all sides do not get caught up in the rhetoric often seen in this column. As an old boss used to tell me "facts are friendly." Build the plant, but build it where it makes sense for everyone. Make compromises. We only get one chance for our town, families, and business community. Focus on the facts, not the rhetoric. My opinion is that the facts presented by C4CA are more compelling. There are alternative locations that do not compromise the health and safety of the community. MICHAEL BRAIDEN, OAKVILLE Pud BY STEVE NEASE neasecartoons@gmail.com