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6 - The Canadien Champion, Ftlday, April 30, 1999 <OPINION Box 248,1t91 Main St. E., Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 (905) 878-2341 Editorial Fax.- 878-4943 Advertising Fax: 876-2364 Classified: 875-3300 Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Associase Publhsher Bill Begin General Manager Rùà Kelly Editor Karen Crosa Circulation Manager Teri Casas Office Manager Tino Colea Production Manager The Canadian Champion, published tntry Taesday andi Frlday ai 191 Main St. E., Milton, Ont., L9T 4N9 <Bos 248), isont of The Mttrsland Printing, Peblishing & Distribating Ltd. grsap sf tub- arban campanies which includes: Ajax / Pickering News Advertiser; Alliston Htrald/Coaritr; Barrit Advance; Brampton Geardian; Burlington Post; City Parent; Collingwnsd / Wasagu Connection; Eant York Mirrar; Etobicoke Goardian; Georgetown Independtntl Acton Free Prtss; Kingston This Wttk; Lindsay This Week; Marhham Economnist & San; Mldland / Ptnttangaishene Mirror; Mississauga News; Newmarktt I Aurora Era Banner; Nsrthsmbertund Ntws; North York Mirror; Oakvilit Beaver; Orillia Today; Oshawa I Whltby I Clarington I Part Ptrry This Week; Peterborough This Week; Richmand Hili I Tharnhill / Vaughan Libtral; Scarborough Mirror; Usbridgt I Stauffaille Tribune; Tottay's Seniors. Advtrtising is accnpttd on tht condition thet, ni tht ement of a typographical trror, that portion of tht advertlsing space occa- pitd by tht erronenas item, tagethtr with a reanonabit attowance for signaturt, wiII tnt be chargtd far, but tht balance af tht adntrtisement wiII be paid for ut tht applicable rute. Tht pablisher rtstrvts tht right ta categarize udvtrtioements or dtclinu. They have to just say 'no' It would probably be better if Milton council refrained from. putting ads in service club magazines, no matter how worthy the cause. Lt would just save trouble in the long mun, as was clear following the controversy Monday night. Mayor Gord Krantz broke a 5-4 tie in favour of putting a $250 ad in the national Kinsmen magazine. The club is active in Milton on a number of fronts, and its members contribute meaningfully for charitable causes. They ask for much less from the Town of Milton than they offer. Stili, counicil must be sensitive to establishing a precedent. Why is it fair f0 give the Kinsmen a $250 ad, yet tum down some other deserv- ing service club? After all, there is no shortage of people asking for municipal fund- ing. Beyond club activities, there are elite athletes seeking help in trip financing to attend championships. There are students going abroad to study or work in non-profit ventures, to name but a couple of instances. Rarely does a less than deserving person appear before counicil searching for money. The question is then; how can they all be fairly treated? The answer of course if to treat themn all the samne way. Property tax money was not mearit for such purposes. On top of that, political animosities can easily and needlessly sur- face, as they did Monday because Councillor Rick Malboeuf is a Kinsmen member. Councillor John Challinor hinted of a conflict of interest when Mr. Malboeuf voted to pay for the ad. Councillor Malboeuf shot back angrily that there was no conflict. It's a lot of needless tension over $250 and a token gesture. The policy should be to turn down aIl such groups. OUR READERS WRJTE Denver massacre Clînton hypocri tcal 'says FPlae Dear Editor: The culture of death is evoked in America by violent and pornographic shows and videos. The atrocity of partial birth abortion (specifically wanted by-U.S. President Bill Clinton) and the use of violence and war sanctioned by the state has again manifested its ugly face in a tragedy in a "normal" neighbourhood near Denver. I would like to point out the hypocrisy of Mr. Clinton in quoting St. Paul and asking people to, pray for the victime of the massacre. It is him that denies children the right to recite Christian prayers in ochools. It is him who leads the attack on morals and family values, the only safety net that helps prevent teenage violence. How long will he continue to use the media and fool the people? Gluseppe Gori Leader, Family Coalition Part of Ontario Letters must be signed and the address and the telephone number of the writer included. Mail letters ta: The Canadian Champion, Box 248, Milton., 19T 4N9, or leave themn at our office, 191 Main St. E. I'd pay for those kids not to wash my window I've been seeing a lot of those Squeegee Kids recently in downtown Toronto. I have a *good view of them because my windshield is always dlean. Not because of them, mind you, but because of tlsis thing they've built into cars they caîl a windshield washer. It even comes with a button or lever. These Squeegee Kids annoy me - not just because they're prnviding an unnecessary ser- vice, or that they are intimidating to people, but also because of their lack of entrepreneurial ini- tiative. I don't find them intimidating, personally, but I can see where people would. In fact, they've very respectful most of the time, and generally pleasant. AUl you have to do is wave them off and they'll move on to the next car. Only once bas a desperate Squeegee Kid sluang ber squeegee on my window after I declined the offer, an obvious ploy that probably works fire- quently. I sbook my bead again and waved my arma and she washed the whole window and didn't comte looking for money. I wouldn't have given ber any, anyway. The other nigbt it was pouring rain and tbey're running around from car to car with their squeegees. That's dumb enough in itself, but even dumber were the people wbo were actually giving them money for washing their windows in the rain. I have a difficult time thinking of them as hard-working industrious kido who need finan- cial help. I think they're lazy, opportunistic, extortionists, who intimidate suckers into giving them money for nothing. Washing your windows in the rain? Don't tell me they have any pride in working for their money. Their only pride is in duping enough idiots to pay tbem for nothing. In fact, aven if they wasbed the side windows or the back win- dow, where we don't have built-in washers, it would make a Bidle more sense. If they spent some of their non-taxable profita on Windex instead of getting free dirty water, it 0 might even be more acceptable. I be would psy them NOT to wash our w would. I'd give them money if they wal with a box at the stoplight with as 'Will flot Wash your Windshield'. would show some originality. They' enterprising enough to find a way business or to provide a useful servic If l were me, I'd have some sqî pouring muddy water down fromn an an intersection or two before - or di of value, even something as simple as selling flowers or newspapers. The city should ban them. They're an eyesore, and I'm not talking about their physical appcar- tIf ance. That's unimportant. n th The caty spenda zillions of dollars trying to beautify îtself and to encourage touriats. Then toose they allow these pests to make going to on town Toronto unpleasant. They spend ridiculous î fl amount of money on equally ridiculous sculp- tures. t Most of us Have the Squeegee Kida do some sculptures; indshields. I moot of us wouldn't know the difference. I won- ke rudder if the politicians in Toronto wbo argue their ked saound case would like it if every day some kids came At îeast itt hi rn yard, raked leaves for 12 seconds, re not even and then came toi the door with their hand out. to increase Event in the winter. e.Come to think of it, that may not be such a bad ueegee pals idea. Look for me on your front lawn sometame overpass at soon. something And get your money ready. M 1 THE CANADIAN CHAMPION