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6 -The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 3, 1998 SCOMMENT Box 248, 191 Maini St.E, MiltinOnt, 1,9T 4N9 (905) 878-2341 Fax: 878-4943 Classified: 875-3300 Ian Oliver Publisheri Neil Oliver Assecate Publisher David Bos General Manager Rob Kelly Editar Karen Huisman Circulation Manager Teri Casas Oflice Manager Tim Coles Production Manager Th Canadian Champion. pubifsted twice weeky at 191 Main St E. Mîlot, Ont_ 9T 4N9 (Box 248) jr one of The Metroland PrWifnqPubisnq & Dstrihtinj Lit roup (ftjSrhdn or5 i mes which nuudesý Ajax / Pickering News Adveriser, Alliso H-erali/Courier, Barrie Adance. Barrys Bay Tis Week, Bolton Enterprise, Brampton Guartuan, Brtngton Shopping News, Burington Post, City Parent, Cotigwona i Wasaua Cornection, East Pork Mirror, rin Adocate/Country Routes, Etoiicoke Gardiar, Flamttorogf Post, Georgetown Independenti Aon Free Press, Kngston This Week, Lindsay This Weei, Maniuiam conomist & Sun, Midiaird / Penetarguishere Mrrnr, Mississauga News, Nesmanluet 1 Arra Era Banner, Northumberand News, Northr Yorik Mrror. Oairvitte Braver, Oakvitie Shopping News, Oriffia Today, Oshawa P Whitiby / Carngton Tis Week, PeterboroaghrThis Week, Ricimond BHi/Ttorrhitt I Vaughfan Liberat. Scarborougfx Mrror. Uoiridge I Stoattoitte Triane, Tndays Seniors, Ciy af Yorkr Goardiat. Atietisinru s accepteti on theecontion tiainrtire eent of a typograpiricat error. thon potion oth1e atierfising space ocrai- pied by tire erroreous item. togetirer with a reasorahie affowance for signature, sutl not be cirargeot for, bt thre baance of the advertise- ment sut 8be paid for at the applicable rate. The pubisher resernes tire rght to categorize advertisements or decine. Board move positive It was both shrewd and dipiomatic - perhaps the tv many ways interchangeable - of the new Haiton School Board to withdraw its grievance agailkst teachev There was something to be gained - at least a mcý goodwill - and absolutely nothing to be lost. Thisv than apparent after a cursory glance at the board's finari tion subsequent to last fall's late and unlamented teachel The public school board saved almost $2 miùllion ci work stoppage, money that can be thrown against itsi O approximately $3 million. In dropping the grievance, which was originally lauri * ing the heat of labour difficulties surrounding Bill 160. board has made a clear gesture that involves no risk, and erated a positive response from the teacher unions. No doubt secondary school teachers' union presidentJ recognizes the largely ceremonial nature of the gesture.1 ed that out by noting the board bas no financial down ai( front subsequent to the strike. Since the grievance was originally launched to seel damages from the teachers' union over tbe strike if co board soared, there was no rationale for keeping thec alive. Burlington Trustee Michael Ellis is to be congratu putting forward such a motion. Nerves and emotions may still be frayed and raw unfortunate November clashes, but someone on the mai side bas at least extended an olive branch. This does everything alright again in anyone's mind, but it certai n't make anything worse. Score one for Grit Que must give the federal Liberals their due. They anced Canada's books, something that eluded their pre from the supposedly right-of-centre side of the politicai, If the situation was likened to that of a household, have a homeowner who bas piled up enormous debt, least stopped adding to it every minute of every day. T'he question now is, how serious is the presiding fÀ ernment about whittling away at Canada's debt ioad? The answer, despite protestation from Fi#ance Min Martin, is that the Grits probably aren't toc committi score. l T'he party, aithough thoroughiy grounded in the poli ism that comes from govemnment by poli t#king, is a fra tion when grappingwith the deb governiment bas carried through on-jân important pi( tamed our deficits, aibeit with someotiff tax hikes. That is more than the ProgressiveiConservative fede, ingless taik about fiscal prudent &AL 1 *e70'-e -e dvI - SOUR READERS WRITE complaint Looking at the bigger picture Dear Editor: uiated for I saw a picture of myself in the paper a few months ago. I wanted 10 give something back for what that picture unex- from the pectedly gave to me. anagenent Recently, I did the one thing that I always told myself I naeetwould neyer do. I bought a house. Everyone dreams of not make owning their tirst home and I arn no different. iinly does- 0f course, I am only four payments in, SO technically, 1 guess the word 'owning' is a touch strong, but the sentiment Rob Kelly remains. This isn'tjust any house, eîther. It is a temrfic house. It has everything that I always wanted 10 have. It is perfect. T'here is only one thing that is puzzling. The geography. Not only is this house located in my home town, il is rhave bal- smack dab in the centoe of my childhood neighbourhood. I rdecessors nerdremedthaï. I would end up back here. 1 had big plan, bgge thn 1thought this place could handie, and 1spectnlm. although over the last decade I have hung my hat as far we would away as the Bahamas, 1 go for my nightly walks and see so but bas at many things that 1 had long forgotten. It has become a game to test my memory. 1 remember demil gov- where ail of my school fniends lived, the shortcuts and cat walks t0 gel there faster, the hidden parks that mark where several courts converge. master Paul I remember my walk 10 grade school that many imes ed on that took. me past the front door I have now lovingly decorated, Pud rýWZ kEýs.g B~~ UT Syo1 ALWAYe OW/ J + 1MA GNeIMYO Ag~~ AN I)AZi - WULD PAVE L.OFTIER I7 AL5,,1 and the mail box that now bears my name. On thre curb in front of my kitchen window, 1 once sat and cried about the loss of my fît-st love. On thre street I can see from thre yard, 1 sat in a car and kissed for tIre first time the man who wil[til the rest of my life with love. I played in this very spot as a child long before the builders came, and I hated it when they arrived. The convenience store on the corner used to be a smail pond where we would collect tadpoles and marvel at their metamot-phosis. There was a huge apple tree in the middle of where an empty park tlrroughway now culs. That treo sheltered and protected us from any monsters that might emerge from the long grass. On these streets 1 leamed to ride a bike and drive a car. I scraped my knees and became a double dutch expert. One block away 1 nervously oeadied myseif for my hîgh school prom and wedding. A few months ago there was a pîcture of my old Brownie troupe from June 1976 in the paper. I lookeri hard at the faces in that black and white print. 1 didn't need the caption at thre bottom to identify any of themn. It was in that moment tIraI I realized what a wonderful place this is 10 live. A place tIraI remembers you as fondly as you remember your ime here. There aren't very many places like il. ibis neighbourhood, this town, are a bigger part of mie than 1 knew. Ie best part. Usa Denis Miton by Steve Nease