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6 - The Canadien Champion, Fniday, January 1, 1999 <OPINION Box 248, 191 Milton, Ont. (905) 878 Editurial Fa; Advertising Fa, Classifie( Ian Oliver Neil Oliver A ci, Pl Main St. E., The Canadien Champion, published every Tsesclay ani Friday L9T 4N9 at 191 Main St. E., Miltan, Ont., L9T 4N9 (Box 248), iS Onetaf Tht Metrolaad Printing, Publishiag & Distribtting Ltd. groap of sub- arban companies which includes: Ajan / Pickering News -2341 Advortistr; Alliston Htrald/Courier; Barrie Advanct; Brampton Guardian: Burllngton Pont; City Parent; Collingwood / Wasaga c:878-4943 Coanectien; East Yerk Mirrnr; Etabicoke Guardian; Geergetown Indtptndtntl Acton Fret Press; Kingston This Week; Lindsay Thtis c:876-2364 Week; Markham Econamiat & Son; Midland / Penetangaishent 1: 87-3300 Mirrar; Misaissanga Ntws; Newmarktt I Anrera tra Banntr; 87 -30 Northumberland News; North York Mirrar; Oakvillt Btantr; Orillia Publisher Today; Osthawa I Whitby I Clarington / Part Ptrry This Wttk; Ptterborough Thia Wetk; Richmond Hll I Thornhill I Vaughan .sewiate Publisher Libtral; Scarborough Mirror; Uxbridge I Stoattoilît Tribunt; General Manager Today's Stniors. Adntrtising la accopttd on tht conditian that, in tht evntofe a Editer typographical orror, that portion of tht adnertiaing space accu- rculati<rn Manager pied by tht orroeoas item, togethtr with a reasonable atlowanct OfieMngr for signature, miii flot bt chargtd for, bat tht balance et tht OfieMngr adnertiaemtnt will bo paid tor at tht applicable rate. Tht pabliahtr odaction Manager roservea tht right ta categorize adnertiaomeota or docline. Tone of discourse lex, a good deal to be desi The tone of political infighting locally is getting prei Councillor John Challinor is fighting with taxpayer adv Kelly. Pat Kelly is beginning to fight back, having appai enough. Various municipal counicillors and Mayor Gord Krantz ai with regional Councillor Rick Malboeuf. They are dismi Malboeuf's criticisms over counicil procedure as unwarran also charge that Mr. Malboeuf likes to grandstand, since h cious littie better to do in the political arena. Now, there is such a thing as the normal give and take ç But lately, in several quarters, there has been a more bitter e discourse. Mr. Challinor, for example, seems intent on di Mr. Kelly and the organization Mr. Kelly represents -- a r lobby group. Mr. Malboeuf generally paints the majority of his counicili as ethically compromnised in terms of the matters they deb closed doors. He charges that they should be discussing tf, openly, in front of constituents, in public counicil sessions. His opposite numbers angrily denounce Mr. Malboeu amounts to an itTesponsible gadfly. Acrimony and controversy may seIl newspapers, but theri Much of this stuif is a little too personal. If that's warranted if it's not, let's see more talk on the issues, and a little bit the personal shortcomnings of antagonists. + OUR READERS WRITE >1 Poituc* OId days weren't this bad ,dge to the Da dtr screditing IDea dior: an adee ycomns trb ,atepayers' ute<lW dt my aat n d sarth dened bycomeg n en Gentle's article 'Chudleigh acclaimed' in the Friday, colleagues Dec. 12 edition. aebehind ."I ran in tbe last election because sometbing had to te be done," stated Mr. Chudleigh. iese issues Let's see what Mr. Chudleigh and bis colleagues have "dune" to bealth care in Milton since he was f as what elected: 1. Milton District Hospital now bas 29 per cent fewer beds than when Mr. Chudleigb was elected. -I's a limit. 2. More patients bave tu wait in Milton's emergency 1, fine. But ward for a bed to become available because of bed less about closures. 3. Beds are closed at Milton District Hospital to save muney, and thus to help our amalgamated partner Rob Kelly Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital deal witb its cbronic budget deficit. 4. The obstetrics ward at Milton District Hospital is closed. 5. Milton women must now go to other townn to deliver tbeir babies. 6. The waiting time for micerobiology test resulta ait Milton District Hospital has increased from two to Oive days. 7. Skilled nursing staff has been laid off. 8. Morale among the medical and tbe nursing staff is at an alI-time low. Wbat puzzles me moot is, in ligbt of the above facts is that Mr. Chudleigh believes, "Now that things have improved, it's bard to remember how bad it had been." Mr. Chudleigh, if what you have donte to health care is an improvement, my patients, colleagues and I are unanimous in our desire Eu retumn to the bad old days. Dr. Garnet Maley Milton My days ofprocrastinating are over ... well maybe I bad the perfect stury for a Christmas column last weck, but I left it unEil the last minute when it was ton latte. Su, I flgured it would du for New Year's just as well. 1 didn't get aruund to Ebat either until I had run out of time again. Su, that's my New Year's resolution. I'mi not going to prucrastinate anymore, or maybe ll just wait until next year for that une. Here are somne other randum thoughts. - I thought the sand and sait trucks did a great job in Milton the uther night wben the roads threatened te, tumn into a skating rink. I tbuught they did a iuusy job laisE year, su consider this positive reinfurcement. * Everywhere I go I see these new mega-the- atres being buit or already finished. I don't knuw wbat that bas Eui do witb anything, but I'mn tbinking about it, and will get back to yuu. - I consider myseif a hockey arena snack bar expert, baving heen tu almost every une of them witbin a 100 miles radius uf here. My 1998 rank- lngs place the une at Miltun Memorial Mrena number une. TE bas great selection, great drinks, and most importantly, great popeumn. The pop- corn, bowever, onty ranks second in the top 100 bebind Mount Joy Arena in Markbam. - I got a Dixie Chicks compact disc for Cbristmas. 1 like the Dixie Cbicks. And tbeir music is pretty gond, too. - I'mi not a big New Year's Eve party fan. I don't particularly like kissing people I don't know, and I can't imagine they'd feel any differ- ently about me. Now, if tbe Dixie Cbicks were ait the party.... - Once I was at a New Year's party, and tbis guy said tu me: "I don't know wbat everybudy's soi bappy about, it's juat anotber year of being miserable." - I've lost 23 pounds since tbe picture for ibis column was taken. Please use some kind of marker Eui erase a chin or twu Eui get a better per- spective of wbat I now look like. - IE bugs me that 1 agreed Eu pay tbe cable company for the extra channels that everybody else is sEull getting for free. I want a refund. e My five favourite hockey Eeams are the Halton Twisters Girls UPS team, Caledun Hawks AA minur peewee, Markam Waxers o AAA peewee, Multon Winterhawks and the Odeosa Jackalopes of the Hockey League. The latter, juat be name. 1 don't know what a jackak( must be a cross between a jackra antelope. Fascinating. - I'mn going to quit smoking this: year. Guaranteed. * I had to take my daughter to M Hospital recently. I expected the hour wait you get at ail hospitals, bu checked, and had a prescription w 15 mrinutes. Caîl that positive reinfo - I alwaya say I like culd weather and snow. But, wben we actualiy get it, I tend to change my mind. - My three lavourite songs of ali-time are Stairway Eu Heaven (Led Zeppelin), Money n th e (Pink Floyd) and Time of Your ie(rn Day). As if you cared. loose -My threc favourite things to eat are shrimp, casbews and turkey. As if you cared, Part [H. *The holiday hockey toumament season is a treat for me. One day this week 1 saw four differ- AA midgets, ent hockey games at three different locations. Westemn Pro The Milton Beaver Toumnament ix une of my ~cause of its fvuiead fcusyucngtgo .ebbit nta snacks, t on. My bmother coaches and my nephew plays for the peewee AAA Markham Waxers. year, or next Thcy were at the Bell Challenge Cup tbis week witb 20 of the best teams from Ontario and the ilton District United States. The hockey is fantastic, and the usual tbree- size of some of these I 3-year-olds is unbeliev- t abe was in, able. They made it tu the final four, but 1 wun't ritten witbin know if tbey went un until 1 watch the semni-final rcement, tuu. game, which is where I'm going nuw. Bill Begin Rob Kelly Karen Cross Tera Casasa Tim Coles