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6 - The Canadian ChampIon, Tueeday, June 22, 199 SCOMMENT Do they see the liglit? People running red ligbts may pose a problemr in Toronto and other simnilar sazed centres, but how mnuch of an issue is this, really, i Halton Region? Yet regional counicil is, looking at spending more than $200,000 in a pilot project that involves flot only procurmng at least one camrera, but agreeing to back it up with police enforcemient. That latter detail is a stipulation of the provincial goverrnent for cornmnu- nities interested in testing the red light camnera concept. Pat Murphy, Halton's planning commuissioner, indicates that costs of the system will be offset i the long terni by lighter policing expenses. A regional report on the matter also idicates that if the threat of getting caugbt on camrera ternes aggressive drivers, the frequency and severity of accidents wiil declinie, thereby taking somne of the load from bealth care ser- vices. That may ail be tnie, but thc theories beg questions. Mr. Murphy, an astute civil servant by any mneasure, is in ail probabilitY correct that certain policing costs would be reduced through this initiative. But Uic fact is policing is labour-intensive, there are neyer really enough cops to go around, and so they always want more money to hire more peo- ple. That won't change with one camnera or 10 camneras. There miay be fewer accidents in Halton with Uic one camiera, under discus- sion, but bow many fewer? And how many camneras, once thc test is over, wii be purchased? What will thc total package cost? Is it really worth it to Uic beleaguered taxpayer? Nobody knows, and nobody asked. Thie camneras are a questionable expenditure here, at best. 'O UR READERS WRITE People's short-sighnted views on welfare hurt society in the long run, warns reader ý- 1 .. ., 1 - , -. 1 '.. 1 , -Dear Editor: îs My moeni ýbvius-Do.,Wew*t I im writng in response ta your theiý w W g sen' uerecndy-qetod nstaeý,or hei article published June 8, 'Study in ýe C $WlýÀ- asWeils t , fier ý- wgbni ownNfafin finds helping Uic poor doesn't cost 1 would like ta Uiank Councillors "Wb," DY ty Rick Malboeuf and Jack Dennison for articulating exactly thc attitude thUat assures dic continued existence ý1N(,= w0w bc o bm abus af a 'welfare clasa'. tdh pîo Wouild V/hile acknowlcdging thc posai- bic merits of pmoviding recreatianal An#W"K09th programs for children in families Mo that receive social assistance, they state Uiat such expenditures more than likely wauld be a "hasai sell" ta taxpayers. * THEC4NA IA1v HAMPON Te idea is that it isn't fair for + THE ANAD W CHA PION hard-wodcing, tax-paying people ta have ta psy for programs while others get ta, send their children for Box 248, 191 main St. B. Tb Cadi ChmpIqo publisbed every Tuesday and Mrdy fr. Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 Mt lo1 Main St. E. Milton, Ont 19T 4NO (Box 248), is on of The I instinctivcly offends aur sense Motro"a Prlntlng PublMIsIt & Dlstrlbuting Ltd. group of sub- of fair play and erades aur basic Q~Q 2A1 urban companles which includea. Aiax Pickering News notion of quality ta think that (905) 878-2341L Advertlser Alilston HeraldCourler; Barde Advance; Brampton someone la getting somctbing for tiuardlan; Burlington Post; City Parent; Collingwood I Wasaga Editorial Fax: 878-4943 Connection; Eat York MIrror; Etobicokte Guardian; Georgetowen Advertising Fax: 876-2364 inepns«AtonF@ rs;IggtnTi ee;UdyTi Pud Classifaed: 875-3300 Mirror; Msiau News; Nrt m Y rke 1ir ror a mbhi haer,1 Ian Oliver Fublisher Today; Oshawa I Whitby 1 Clarlngton 1 Port Perry This Week; (CS Peterborought This Week; Richmond HillI/ Thomitili I Vaughan tl/,1 Neill Oliver Associate Publisl.er Liberal; Scarborougit Mirror; UxbrIdge I StouftvIlie Tribune; Bill Begin Griserai Manager Todays Seniors. Ro el lr Averfsng laaccepted on thecoendtion that,In theeavnt of aG Rob KUy Eitortypograpuical error, that portion of thse aslvertlsing space occu- A Steve CramSer Circulation Manager Pied by lit errOneou Item, togethr wltf a ra1souable aliowance Ta C1011 ofic Mnaerfor signature, will not be charged for, but lte balance of te- Tort C Office M anag erluisernent wdl me -al fore utis pUn calale rate. lTe publiher ~ / T1108 cokn Productio Manager reseuves thse rigf ilo catgorize adeulaserents or decline. 4 nothing. I believe that Mr. Maibocuf and Mr. Dennison arc exactly right in implying Uiat these are widcly hcld views. Unfortunatcly, thcy're also short- sighted vicws that ultimatcly threaten aur hard-working, tax-- paying community. Thic report pre- scnted by Dr. Bmowne states that anc Uiird of childrcn fmmi social assistance families have behaviaur problemas. It takes vcry little effort ta under- stand Uic drain these children oep- resent ta an already-strappcd cdu- cation syatem, or ta project the future coat on Uic penal and judi- ciasy aystems. It is well known dta a dollar spent in early intervention saves aociety $7 in future damage controI. Surely public officiais know about the cycle of poverty. The aaid truth is that those raised in poverty ofien repeat Uic bad choic- es and self-destructive behaviour of their parents. But the idea that welfarc depen- dence is often a lcamned behaviour is an unpalatable truth. For it states that wclfare mois will not decline until we offer concrete help ta tic innocent children trapped in the cycle. For o matter what we feel about parental responsibility, free rides and welfare bums, thc children are flot there by choice and they wilI fll the welfare mills of tomorrow unless we help themn now. Frankly, gentlemen, 1 don't want ta pay for tomorrow's welfare mIlfs. Hard selI or not, 1 implore you and aIl aur public officiaIs ta, take the lead in educating thc public on the basic common sense of this approach. Sandra Voisin Milton by Steve Nease *1 A M