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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, August 15, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters The Oakville Beaver 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 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 Circulation Manager Sustainability Sustainability is a familiar word in Ontario's classrooms when teaching students about the environment. Ontario teachers were among the first to understand the need to accept and promote sustainability in all facets of society. Their union leaders, however, seem to be following a different text on a sustainable educational system. How else do you explain the backlash from teachers and their unions after the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) announced a new two-year deal with the government? It includes a two-year wage freeze, three unpaid days and loss of sick days -- and was quickly, and loudly, denounced by union leaders representing other teachers and CUPE workers in the education system. Their reaction was predictable. We can't blame them for objecting to a pay freeze. No one likes their wages frozen. But many private sector employees have seen their wages frozen -- or worse, cut. Many have lost their jobs. What we have difficulty accepting is the argument the agreement will somehow hurt students. Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), argues it's impossible to take hundreds of millions out of public education without hurting students. Yet the agreement isn't taking money out of the education system. It cuts costs by turning three previously-paid professional development days into unpaid holidays. We don't see how this hurts students. In their previous contract, Ontario teachers enjoyed a 12-per-cent cent wage increase over three years -- larger than any private labour sector over the same period. It's unrealistic. So, too, is an outdated sick pay system. Neither is sustainable. Last week, we reported Ontario Education Minister Laurel Broten is giving school boards and teachers' unions until the end of August -- when most current collective bargaining agreements expire -- to sign new contracts. She's calling for school boards to use the ministry's agreement with the OECTA as a road map with other unions. The unions have said the deadline is unrealistic and the Catholic teachers deal is unworkable for their members. We agree the timeline is unreasonable. It took the ministry and OECTA five months to negotiate a deal. But as school boards face increasing financial pressure, especially in growing Halton, urgency does exist. If all the teachers' unions accept a similar deal as the English Catholic teachers, it would remove a $1.7-billion liability for school boards. We don't see how that hurts students. If the Province can't find ways to curb rising education costs through contract negotiations, it will be forced to remove the money from programs. That would be bad for students. 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 Editorial missed the mark Political strength is what's needed Re: The end of AIDS is in sight, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, The Oakville Beaver Irene Clarke, in her letter to the editor, said it all. The end of AIDS is in sight. According to the experts we have the tools, but the question that remains is do we have the talent? I don't mean skills of gifted Canadian scientists and researchers or the abilities of advocates like Stephen Lewis, Darien Taylor and campaigning grandmothers everywhere. I mean talent with regard to a government that often cares more about posturing than substantive policies and global change for the common good. With regard to foreign affairs, George Bush was often an international embarrassment, but at least some of his legacy will be tied to PEPFAR -- the President's emergency, and sometimes controversial, fund set aside for the response to the pandemic -- billions of dollars and capacity to combat HIV/AIDS. Canada has followed the lead of the U.S. before, but we're a little behind in this regard. We'll spend billions on new fighter jets instead. End AIDS, as the Washington conference has revealed we can do, or buy some fancy planes? The tools are available. The leadership, courage, and political will may still be lacking. Irene and those at GRAN understand only too well that strength of character, passionate intention and 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. radical support are necessary to end such a pointless disease and all the trouble it brings. As she has so rightly reminded us, Bill-C-398 must be revised. Write your MP. E-mail the Senate. Sign the petition. Join the movement for amendment. Believe me, it helps. Ask Irene Clark and the grandmothers who are helping other grandmothers. They know how little things can make all the difference. Convincing our current leaders, though, is another story and seems like that may require a different kind of talent altogether. David Peck, executive director SoChange Re: LHINs are ailing, Friday, Aug. 3, 2012, The Oakville Beaver Your recent editorial, LHINs are ailing, misses the mark when it comes to improvements in health care since the Local Health Integration Networks (LHIN) were created. We know that if you measure health care, you can improve it. That's why the Mississauga Halton LHIN sets targets, and the result has been better health care across the region. Since 2005, wait times for knee replacements have been cut by 268 days, hip replacements by 94 days, and cataract surgery by 49 days. Since 2003, 163 more family doctors are increasing access to healthcare in the region, as well as 151 specialists. In addition, the MH-LHIN has helped to balance hospital budgets and pioneered the Home First philosophy to keep seniors out of hospital thanks to home care and community programs. All health care leaders recognize that more work needs to be done to improve our system. The MH-LHIN has set aggressive targets, and challenged local health care providers to not only meet the provincial target, but to surpass them. Working together with local nurses, doctors, allied health professionals and staff, we will continue to improve the quality of care for the people of the MississaugaHalton region. Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care