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6- The ,aladian.,!G a ptif,îo; sdaai J y 281 98- SCOMMENT Box 248, 191 Main St, E. MiloOn.L9)1'4N9 (905) 878-2341 Fax: 878-4943 Classified: 875-3300 Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver As.oiate Publisher David Bos General Manager Rob Kelly Editear Karen Cross Circulation Manager Teri Casas Office Manager TIns Colles Production Manager The Canadien Ctampon publishedt eice weekly an 191 Main S.E Mlo, nît L.iL9T 4N9 itBox 248) i, oie of ni InnMelroii Pinting, Puhiîslnîng & Dstributing tdLii roup ofl suburban comfpa- nies whicit inuites: Aax / Pickeeing News Adertiser, Aliston HeraktlCourier, Barrie Adeance, BaMrs Bay This Week, Botn Eterprise, Brampton Gardian, Burlingion Shopping News, Burlitaton Post. Ciy Parent, Collleuwood 1 Wsaga Coneection. East York Mimeor, Erin Advocate/Counninj Routes. Etoticoke Guardîan, Flamborougli Post, Geogetown Indeltendentl Acton Free Press, Kingston This Weak, Lindsoay Ttis Week. Markitam Economist & Sun, Midard / Penetaniguisitene Mineur, Mississauga News, Newmanlen / Auroea Ea Banrer, Nothtumberland News, North Yonk Mitron, itakville Beaver, Oalinille Shtopping News, Onllia Toilai, Oshawa / Whtby / Claitgtoe This Weeli, Peterborough Tiis eeel, Richtmond Hill 1 Theenitili I/Vaughan Liberal, Scaeherough Mienne, itobnige I SouffCele Tribune, Today's Seniors, Cty ut York ituardian. Adveatising is accepted on tht condition tit,in the vnt ofta ypogapiical errer, hat potioneot tht advattisieg space occu- piedl by te erroneous item. Cgehr with a reasonable allowaece ton sigeature, sili rot ha chargeit fo, but tht balance etfCita adveetise- ment wll ha paid ton ai tae applicable rate. Tht publisiter rsantes te rgit to categenlze adetisennenin or decline. Kids the ones getting hurt Two ongoing labour disputes are turning uglier and sadly the victims are children. The Halton Adolescent Support Services (HASS) strike has shut down the organization's teen crisis line, coun- selling services and Pilkey house -- the Burlington-based residential treatment centre. Teens from that program were either re-located to one of three alternative residences in Milton, Oakville and Burlington, or sent home - to places where they, for var- ious reasons, have already found they couldn't live. If fact, you could go as far as saying the youths are being treated like trash. It was reported in Friday's Champion that the union bas stopped or slowed waste pickup as well as mail delivery at ail HASS facilities. The youths have complained publicly that they are caught in the middle of a labour dispute -- one right out- side their door -- and the replacement workers aren't cut- ting it when it cornes to getting the help kids need. They are the innocent victims. Hopefully, events surrounding the HASS strike are only temporary, however another ongoing dispute - between teachers' and the Mike Harris goverument - could prove detrimental to many active students. Dire predictions that secondary school sports programs will be scaled back or scrapped due to a new requirement for school instructors to teach one extra 40-minute class per day are alarming. In today's Our Readers Write section, teachers say their dlaim that they won't have time to volunteer as coaches or mun other extra-curricular activities isn't a union tactic to protest the changes. One writer says that in the corporate sector, "it would seemn unlikely that an employer could demand and receive volunteer time from their workers" and "it would be even less likely to occur if the employer was self-serving and prone to dishonesty." Really. We didn't know the teachers were staying after hours to please the boss. We thought they coached teams and ran clubs to better students' lives and for personal rewards. Regardless, the bottom line is that children will suifer. Has everyone forgotten them? In both cases, like domestic conflicts such as separation and divorce, children are the biggest victims. It's sad to think that these two institutions created by adults for the betterment of youngsters and society as a whole are being compromised by the problems of adults. Karen Smith *OUR REA4DERS WRITE Man 'wonders' if MPP informed Dear Editor: This letter is in response to the recent article 'Union prob- ably behind push for school sports dispute: MPP'. Not once in the comments attributed to Mr. Chudleigh did he indicate that he had any idea of the facts in this matter. He "wonders" and -thinks" that "probably" the unions ."seem to be heading the charge" on the issue of voluntary activities. Does this man actually know any of the facts surrounding this complex and inflammatory issue? The diminished enthusiasm of teachers to commit to vol- untary activities hait littie to do with the additional in-clais tîme mandated by our employer and everything to do with a mistrust of politicians who cloud issues to serve no one but themselves. Like any employee, teachers will adapt and adhere to the expectations of their employer. Whether the employee views these conditions of employment as prudent or well planned us moot. This issue hait not been presented to teachers as a negoti- ating tool as Mr. Chudleigh would have your readers believe. A teacher hait no fear of making a personal decision on the matter of voluntary time even if the union may be against the idea in principle. Nor is there any peer pressure by colleagues of the type faced by auto or postal workers ho toe: the line. Ini the corporate sector, it would seem unlikely that an employer could demand and receive volunteer time from their workers. It would be even leits likely to occur if the employer was self-servîng and prone to dishonesty. tan Mcintosh Rockwood Stop guessing and start asking Dear Editor: As I read Ted Chudleigh's comments in your July 24 arti- cle, 'Union probably behind push for itchool sports dispute: MPP', I shuddered ho think that a man so uninformed could be our representative in the legislature. Instead of guessing - incorrectly - about how teachers are feeling regarding possibly not being involved with sports and other extra-cumrcular activities this coming itchool year, Chudleigh should try a novel approach: listen- ing to what teachers are saying. While teachers would prefer ho continue to run extra-cur- ricular activities, they're fed up with the lack of respect they get from the Harris govemment. But more importantly, and what Chudleigh just doesn't seem ho understand, is that a cut mn teachers' prep time results in teachers being fired. When a teacher leaves, so does the coach. Who will tilt in -- the remaining teachers, who now have an extra claists o prepare for, teach and evaluate? Finally, our MPP's thoughts hardly rate a front-page headline. Your paper obviously feels differently. That's fane, but just ho show how out of touch he was and still us, here's another Champion headline, this one from September 30, 1997, as the teachers opposition ho Bill 160 was heating up: 'Chudleigh doesn't think they'll strike'. Dave Toderick Wilson Drive Pud by Steve Nease