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6--The Canadien Champion, Tuesday, October 21, 1997 SCOMMENT Milton, Ont. L9IT 4N9 (905) 878-2341 Fax: 876-2364 Classified: 875-3300 -ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Associate Publisher Davld BaS General Manager Rab Kelly Editor Karen Huisman Circulation Manager Tôri Casas Office Manager Tîn Coles Production Manager The Canaille Champion. pubiished twice weelai 1t91 Main St. E.. Milaon, Ont., L9T 4iN9 (lux 248), Is ane of The MetrOiand Printini, Publisiting & Wdistion Lti. group of suburban cumpa- nies whictt inciodes: Ajan I Pickiering News Advertisef: Ailiston ilerailCourinr; Banrie Advance; Bramtotn Guardian; lurlinitor Paon; City Parent: Coliintîmotd I Wasaîa Connection: lait Tanrn Mirror Etobicoke Soardian: Georgetomwn Indepemdnntl dette Free Press; tingston Titis Weeia: Lindsay Thtis Week; Marktram Econsmist & Sun; MidIanni 1 Penetungoisheoa MirnOr MISSisuga News; Newmarket 1 Aurora Ira lanner: Northuomberland News; North Yora Mirror; Saitlite Sauver triia Todiy; Oshnawa IWbfItby / Ciarington i Port Penny Thtis Weeia: Peterborougth Tiais Weeia: Riciamondi Hi 1ttîornhiil I Vaughtan Libeil; Scarborouil Mirror: tobridge I Stouttvitie Tribunt; Today's Seniors. Advertising Is accepted or the condiion thar, rn rt event ot i typoriraical error. niait piortion ot thet advertisinq space occoanied by thn erroneous Item. together wîtia a reasorabia aliowance ton signature, miii flot be chaunied tor, sot tiae balance ot thae advernssemnt wiii be paid ton at thae applicable rite. Tiae poiaiisiaar rasasses tian egiat la cattgonlzt advertisenrents or decine. Where's the leadership? The two candidates for mayor outline some of their posi- dions in today's paper and in his interview, we are treated to vin- tage Gord Krantz. It has been said that Mr. Krantz could wear a white linen suit to a volcanic eruption and corne back without a speck of dirt on him, so adept is he at dodging trouble. àHe bas moved to blunt what should be one of the more con- trOversial issues of the municipal election campaign - the fire truck controversy, by downplaying it, and subtly saddling nriunicipal staff witb any blame that may arise. In tbis manner he protects his contingent of allies on munici- pal council from any culpability in the matter, and makes Fire Cbief Harold Penson the fail guy. According to Mr. Krantz the idea of replacing fire trucks was discarded during what amounted to preliminary budget'dis- cussions witb municipal department heads, thus neyer even reaching counicillors. "The fire chief suggested perhaps he wasn't quite strong enough in voicing the department's truck requirements," Mr. Krantz notes. Then be dismisses the controversy with, "If that's the biggest and only issue in town then things are going quite well." Perhaps, but is it really fair to indicate that the fire truck episode is not much more than a tempest in a teapot?. Especially when one of the main campaign themes is to be leadership? How many other jurisdictions have seen two fire trucks break down on the way to the saine caîl? How many other municipalities have, in a knee-jerk reaction, opted to spend more than $500,000 in an emergency purchase to replace such vehicles? A real leader takes his or her lumps when they are due. Wbat Mr. Krantz should have said was that counicil is ultimate- ly responsible for what happens at the Corporation of the Town of Milton, and that council and the mayor are ultimately responsible for the fire truck fiasco. And Mr. Krantz should have said that although counicil dropped the baIl, when it became apparent how serious the problem was, they moved quickly to address it. Instead, we have Harold Penson being pushed gently so that he falîs on bis sword. Colin Best has said little about the fire truck controversy,'but remember, he was on counicil too, and councîl's job is to know if the municipal fire truck fleet is held together with strings and ¶chewing gum. We're hearing a lot about leadership from these two gentle- men already, and we' re going to hear a lot more. Talking about it is easy. Performing as a leader isn't. And it sure won't always make one popular. If these two are going to make leadership the central. theme of tbis campaign, each judging the other to be wanting, let the voters play close attention. They may botb be found deficient in tIle trait, in wbich case it will be a choice between the brightest of two lesserligbts. ~ ' .Rfkeily Cover stoiry nothing but trash [>ear Editor: Can we assume from the 30 odd paragraphs of absolute .rash in Friday's cover story that neither our local newspa- per nor "thoroughly frustrated" Ward 3 Councillor Marlon Hloward would have us elect anyone who was named in tbis libelous article? Perhaps we the voting public are to discem for ourselves those who were fortunate to have nol been named and cast our votes in their direction. We have been friends for many years, Marlon, and I arn sonry 10 iay that by belittling s0 many you have only belit- led yourself. Whal a shame. I for one will be voting for those candidates who profes- sionally represent the best interests of our community in a positive way. It is really too bad that we are stuck wîth a communîty newspaper that itself gels "acclaimed." This type of press would surely cost them the majorily of votes. Jefi Sales Milton Real issue sugar-coated Dear Editor: If this lelter could be titled, I would tidle il, 'Concemn over lack of professionalism shown by a Canadian Champion writer'. With regard to the October 7 article, 'Howard thought OUR READERS WMITE issue (although you would neyer know it by the titie). The real issue at hand la the long awaited, badly needed purchase of two new fare trucks for the Town. The older trucks had been breaking down before, on the way to and during fire calis. The chief has admitted that he should have been pushing for new vehicles long before now. This is the real issue. Steve LeBlanc shows a lack of wriler professionalism by choosang 10 report on Ms Howard' s decision (or lack thereof) regarding her running for the rnayor's position and the obviously unrelated coin- ments regarding her personal life. The issue at hand was the Town's lack of responsibility despite Ms Howard' s efforts relating to this emergency upgrade. Mr. LeBlanc seems to be attempting to sugar-coat the lack of attention paid by the Town to the public safety issue. In his effort to do so, he manipulated Ms Howard's words, created a title and presented a completcly unrelated issue to this article. It is important that the citizens of Milton know how their Town chooses to use money and if how they choose to do s0 puis us at risk. 1 arn no longer certain that the reporters for The Champion can give us the proper, no-nonsense, profession- ally-reported information. If Ms Howard's decision regarding the mayor's position ever becomes a real issue, I would have t0 say that she would be perfect for the job. -see OUR READERS WRITE on page 7 Pud by Steve Nease I «,-.