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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, July 20, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 -- 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Oakville Beaver 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 OakvilleBeaver is a division of David Harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circ. Manager Keeping food cool Hot weather has been dominating the headlines in recent weeks and that's how it should be in July. It's likely to be with us for at least another month or more, and specifically, humid temperatures are expected to make a comeback this weekend after we all spent the last couple of days ducking outside of the air conditioned coolness to take in some Mother Nature coolness. With that cool air an elusive goal in summer, people should also be seeking to ensure their food products stay chilled as well. As the temperature rises, so does the risk of foodborne illnesses, says Health Canada. Hot and humid weather are the perfect recipe for the rapid growth of bacteria. Health Canada estimates there are approximately 11 million cases of food-related illness in Canada every year. But many of these cases could have been prevented if Canadians followed four simple steps: clean, separate, cook and chill. · Clean -- Wash your hands and surfaces to avoid the spread of bacteria and always wash raw fruits and vegetables with clean water. · Separate -- Be sure to separate your raw meat from cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid crosscontamination. Keep raw meat on the bottom of a cooler or fridge to avoid its juices from dripping onto other foods. Wash any dishes utensils or boards that may have touched that raw meat before using again. · Cook -- Kill the harmful bacteria. Don't rely on traditional clues such as colour to ensure meat is cooked. Instead use instant-read digital thermometers to ensure readiness. · Chill -- Keep cold food cold. Keep foods such as your meats and potato and pasta salads in the fridge or in coolers with freezer packs. Store the leftovers as soon as you've finished eating. Those are four simple rules. But there is a fifth, and perhaps the simplest, when it comes to food safety: When in doubt, throw it out. In the lazy, hazy days of summer spent with friends and family around the backyard barbecue or campsite, the rules can be easy to forget. But remember food illnesses -- some of which can cause serious health issues -- never take a vacation. 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. 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 e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. SUBMITTED PHOTO Enjoy the photo, strangers from Oakville My name is Paul Blake and I found a picture I had lost. (It was when I) was attending the Vancouver Winter Olympics for one night only in 2010. I was there for a business event and afterward happened to be sitting with total strangers later in the evening watching the second last game against the Czech Republic and Canada. It was a memorable evening because the strangers ended up being from Oakville and so am I. We also won this game and went on to win it all two days later. It was a great win for us and a fun evening. I never got their names to thank them later for such a great evening that night. Enjoy the photo, strangers from Oakville. Paul Blake, Oakville Re: Butting out in the park for youths, The Oakville Beaver, Friday, July 6, 2012 I just recently read this article from The Oakville Beaver. Kudos to Oakville for taking this major step. I could not be more thrilled to see this happening so close to home and where we frequently visit amazing parks such as Coronation. I do not need to reiterate the importance of passing a no smoking in public parks bylaw in Burlington. Cities have continued to do this same thing across our province. Why is Burlington still not stepping up to the plate? As reported in The Burlington Post back in September, a widespread ban would not be feasible -- something I still do not understand. Obviously it has become feasible in Oakville, as well as other cities in Ontario. One of the issues is how to enforce this type of bylaw. Bylaws are not enforced 100 per cent of the time. Even laws are not enforced 100 per cent of the time -- you just have to trust in your citizens to abide by the laws. I don't understand why this is even an argument. If it is against the law, most smokers will refrain and those who don't will be told to move by other citizens. There isn't someone standing guard at all parks to ensure dog owners pick up their dog's feces, yet most owners know the law and are considerate of others. Unfortunately, without a bylaw, not all smokers are considerate, as I experienced firsthand at Ribfest last year when trying to protect my children from second-hand smoke. It is time that Burlington live up to its reputation for being the second best city to live and to raise children in Canada. Michela Bodnar, Burlington Kudos to Oakville Letter to the editor