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6 - The Canadian Champion, Friday, Saptember 17,1999 + OPINION Box 248, 191 Main St. E., The Canadian Champion1, publisheti every TuesdaY anti Frlday Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 at 191 Main St. E., Milton, Ont., L9T 4N9 (Bon 248), is one of Tht Metrolant Pninting, Publishing & Diotribatina Ltd. group of sub- O~O i lAI urban companies which incitnies: Ajan / Pickering News (905)878-2341 Atinerniser; Allioton tleraldlCoarier; Barrie Advance; Brampton Guardian; Burlinaton Pont; City Parent; Collingwooti / Wasaa Editorial Fax: 878-4943 Connection; tant York Mirror; Etobicoke Gtardian; Georgetown Independent/ Acton Free Press; Kingston This Week; Lindsay î hit Advertising Fax: 876-2364 Week; Markham Economiot & Sun; Midlanti / Penetanguittient Classified: 875-3300 Mirror; Misoissauga News; Newmarket I Aurara Era Banner; Northambertand News; North York Mirror; Oakville Beaver; Orillia Ian Oliver Publisher Today; Oshawa I Whitby I Claringlon I Port Perry This Week; Peterboroagh This Week; Richmondf Hiil I Thornhili I Vaughan Neil Oliver A.n.ociare Pablisher Liberol; Scarboroagh Mirror; Uobridge / Stoaffville Tribune; Bill Begin General Manager Totinyt Seniors. Advertising is accepteti on tht condition Ifiat, in thent on sa Rob Kelly Editor typographical error, that portion of tht advertioing space occa- Steve Crozier Circulation Manager pied by tht erronenas item, together with a reasonoble allowance TeriCass QficeManaer tor signatare, miii not be chargeti for, bat the balance ot the Teri aaaa QfJte Maager atvertitement mili be paiti tnr at the applicable rate. The pablioher Tina Colts Prodactmon Manager reterven tht right ta categorîze ativertlnemento or declint. Council did right thing Halton regional counicillors have taken a significant and meaningful step in safeguarding the Niagara Escarpment with their recent decision to oppose development on the majority of properties across the road from the cijif face. Regional staff, in particular Pat Murphy, Halton's planning commis- sioner, also made the right choice in a report recommending the area be protected from developers. Mr. Murphy was neither swayed nor intim-idated despite some bleating from the development community before regional counicillors Wednesday about Halton staff taking developers by surprise. The development industry is adept at striking whatever posture is in its best interests, and Wednesday its representatives played wounded suitors. Sony, but no Oscars will be forthcoming. The Niagara Escarpment in Milton has been compromised time and again and it must stop. It has been mined, blasted, hacked at, and probed for legal weakness over and over. These proposed developments would be yet another compromising toe- hold. The fight is far from ended, but council's decision wiIl carry weight. Congratulations to Barry Lee and Rick Malboeuf, Milton counicillors who opposed development. Why didn't Mayor Gord Krantz do the saine? *OUR READERS WRITEr We couldn't have doane it wîthout you: Red Sox Dear Editor: The Milton Midget Red Sox baill team have been to the Sault and back, complete with hardware! On Labour Day weekend, this team represented Milton at the Ontario Provincial Championshipo, A Division, and retumed as silver Thank you Milton for ail your support. To ail the people who made our barbecues and car washes 50 suc- cesaful; to Une manager and staff ait, Loblaws for aliowing us the use of their premises; to Karmax donation, and to The Canadian Champion for the excellent cover- age throughout the season -- it's been a great season. Hope to see you in the park next year. Players and Coaches Mldget Rep Team, 1999 Common ground? Mo vie stars and I share lots They're making a movie here in Milton called Common Ground. I've happened by the sets a couple times and it's, well, you know, cool. Who doesn't want a glimpse of a famous movie star and wbo isn't curious about how movies are made? This isn't the firat movie made in this area. You migbt recaîl Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson were here not long ago to film The Long Kiss Goodîoight, in which they blow up a bridge. Most of us can remember when Uney actually did that because it feit like we were having an earth- quake. During the winter they were filming up Highway 25 at a café, but I can't remember wbo was in it. I Uink it was one of Unose rapper guys, maybe somnebody witb ice cubes in bis namne. And I know at least one oUner movie was done here because I saw Une Fiftb Wbeel Track Stop in it. It was an oid Canadian movie (maybe Jennifer Smith knows Une naine) and it was pret- ty bad. I nearby Rockton, Uney fiimed Agnes of God, and I happened to see Jane Fonda when I stopped on my way by. inm not overwhelmed by seeing movie stars because Leonardo DiCaprio and I are almoat buddies. Before Titanic was made I stopped at a coffee shop in Bolton and just abead of me was a limousine. out popped Une driver and a young actor who I recognized, but whose namne 1 couidn't place. He stood directly in front of me in uine, althougb my concentration was more focused on wbich donut to buy, so it was more of an unspoken friend- ship. But, afterwards, I went to a convenience store to check who it was and there was bis pic- ture piastered ail over the teen magazines. 1 have a couple movie credits myself, you know. Sort of. When 1 worked in downtown Toronto a long time ago, they were filming Kidnapping of the Prenident with William Sbatner. Anyway, I became an unpaid extra, standing on Bay Street waving as the president's motorcade drove by. And then ait Nathan Phillips Square, ail the extras stood there and were told to pretend there was an explosion and make a run for it. So, I stood Unere and wben they toid us to go in a panic 1 panicked and didn't move. Finaiiy, 1 ran like crazy, the last one to leave Une area. I think tbey would have fared me had Uney hired me in Une first place. Around Une samne time tbey were falming Silver Streak ait Union Station, starrnng Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder. I had sort of snuck in with the extras for some reason, maybe because I had act- ing experience in Kidnapping of the President, or maybe because it was lunch time and I had nothing better to do. In one scene, we stood in an area on the main floor and were told to pretend a train was crash- ing through the wall and to point and look terri- bly shocked. So, wbon they gave us the signal, I pointed with my m6utb open. I felt kinci of stu- pid because there was notbing Unere. I was going to yeil, "Cut!" and get my proper motivation O; - wit MURAY TO from tne director, but I had to get real work. I have some television experience TSN was doing a speciai on sports g they camne to my bouse. They spent day there and then I appeared for a 10 seconds when it aired. Wben 001 asked me for something similar thanko'. Last year, on The Hockey News Si Sportonet I also made a couple ap did a weekly thing about hockey p only decided to start with it late i said 'no' when first asked, mosti thought I'd be lousy ait it. Finally,]1 guess what? 1 was right. 1 wasn't nervous, but I wasn't v able either Une first time. They put on a teleprompter. It took 12 take minute spot, and by the end of it 1 like a zombie. Tbey kept stopping move your head, move your haoad camkser, o'tpick lue your noseonth Icawme idra iyUe iattm, didn't evenou nse atI on teIsid onl ahd idt telI ainybod Iv nz th e was on. The second time 1 was much better, through pure wili on my part and it took us oniy 1 Se two takes. lE stili wasn't good, because I ad to lo e talk way too fast to get it ail in in the time allowed. This year, I'm supposed to be on week- ly, but we'l see. I might be bad for ratinga. back to my When I'm ait Une CBC during Une playoffa for Hockey Night in Canada, sometimes li sneak too. Once, off and watch Une taping of some show. After a aMbling and while, however, it becomes very boring. Too moot of the much waiting around doing notbing, althougb >pro)ximate-ly Une free food is always enticing. At lest with Une mebody else hockey, ît's ail live, although that sometimes I ad'opresents somte of its own probiems. Lots of fans 0n, on c'r', around, too, looking for autographo fromn Don pearances. I Cherry anad Ron McLean. 1 get asked too, .. .well, ols, but Uney 1'm asked if I have somne paper or a pen. n the year. I Like any of us regular folks I've daydreamed y because 1 about acting on Une silver screen. Heck, any mile [agreed, and Patrick Swayze, Mel Gibson or Brad Pitt plays, 1 ery comfort- could do. Okay, maybe not them, but 1 bet I what I wrote couid do Unat Newman character on Seinfeld. ~s for a two- As for Common Ground, they would be wise was reading to contact me. I am outstanding ait standing in a me - don't crowd and looking surprised. And if they need a s, talk faster, stand-in for Une love scenes, inm Uneir man.