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6 -Thie Canadien Champion, Fniday, June 23, 2000 *COMMENT We' ve got three years to decide on casinos Last week the Province spared Milton from making what may have been a wrenching decision. A three-year freeze on new casinos in Ontario will effectively post- pone any debate on what to do with Mohawk Raceway. That gives both politicians and residents a breather; time to collect their thoughts, not to mention data on what juls or benefits gaming brings ico the community. But the issue is much like a sleeping giant. It will rise again, and res- idents now have three additional years to decide what kind of commu- nity they'd like this to be. On the one hand are fears about increased traffic, crime, addiction and the disintegration of families. On the other is the notion that aduits are expected to behave with *both accountability and responsibility for their actions. And at the bottom, of it ail there's a the potential of a big pile of money. Gainbling revenue cari be used to achieve any number of positive ends. But is it worth it? There's at least three years to decide. -MrieàwEenn Nz1 O UR READERS WRITE ~bf ~~ ,,, Remember you're innocent until proven guilty lià*#denc to-na makeg ate case for ta courts Nfltot s lways ad a reputation fosr belng a *ata tows witls tetty residents %vho onre about its appearaiser 1 was Ilserefoire imnpeard for tise way Main S"re looketi whess 1 arrived ta, sea up a stand for tise Fermera' Masrket early Saturday mislng, tIse day af 1er tise Jiane 16 Mponllglsl Magie event. Haif-finisheti pop boules had been heapei is tise guttand i4tossed ista tise beautifisl upraiseti flower betis tUt lisse Main Street. Cotton candy baga were plasteretiagainst Use bshles, anti partly- caten pizza slices with their accomipmisy- ing ppla tes werehi Street. (Candy wrappers wisere, andi fluoresents strisg' suk ta the atreet, andthle Wies of tIhe flower 1 hati ta apenti thse next tis mesas with a ahelper. Let's take pride is t looks andi while enjoyiî Moonligist Magie or rmemsier to keep t ca by depositing our trasis cais. * THECANADIAN CA iing i$own th Deur Editor: were evey- Regarding the topic in the editor- gobs of aSilîy isl section of your paper dated June thse sidewallc, 13, you implied those individuala es. released from Maplehurst on bail oicaning pending trisl as well as those htr released on parole are also pre- e way ilton sumed to carry the stigma of guilt n ex ay ilos as it were. Therefore, aIl of the above other events, should be treated with some appre- an Ild beautiflI hension in tise pubic domain under in the garbage the circumatancea you described. How then do you distinguîsh ICade Patick between the convicted on parole Mitn fromt those pending trial and released on bail predicated on the principle of innocent until proven guilty? M ONIGi I had tse misfortune a few es ago of having been arreated by police and charged with an offence. I prefer flot to go into detail -- thse Box 248, 191 Mais St. E., TSI Caeadae Ckamptan. puihrd aeri Tuesday and Friday ai 191 Main SI. E., Milton, Snt., LgT 4N9 (Bai 248), la aie ai Tire Metroland Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 PrnisfÛK, Psrislirg IL Diribsting LiW. graop ai subran campaies wici inciades: Ajax/Pickeriig Nens Adveriisei, Alliso lleraaltCaufiei. Barrie (905)8 8 2 4 AdMianais, Barrys Bay Tilh is eek, Salie, Erierprise, Brampton Ssardlai, Surlii5iai Poil. Bsîliosiar Shropping Neas. City Pareil. Ciiy oi Yarkr tuardiai, ColliagwoodlWasaga Coeclion, East Tarkr Mrar, trI, Editorial Fax: 878-4943 ~ AdvcaelCosoary Rouies, taiicilo tsarilaa, Flamborougr Posi. Pariai, Young, Georgetown IndependenilAdiiii Fiee Priss. Msrooii Business Advertising Fax: 876-2364 Times, Kiagaso Tis Week, Lindsay This Weoli, Maiiai tcoraomisl & Sua, MilandPeaetalguislue Mirra,, Mao Shlopping News, Massiasauga Classified: 875-3300) Business Times, Miaisiauga Nens, Napainee Solde, Nassaanepa Nana, NoniaarietlAuiaa taa-Baaiir, Northuamberland Nana, Narih Tarir Minao, Ian Oliver Publisher Oairville Beaver, Oakville Shoapping Nens, Sîdlimera Hickey Niws, Orilîla Taday, OshawalWiuiy/Claiiaiia/Psri Perry Til Waek, Owna Sound Nei Oliver Assoaciate Publisuier Tribune, Peterborrough Tis Weeli, Picla, Cssriy Sulde, Richlmond Bill Begin General Manager llilllThriIr augaira Liberai, Scarbarausir Miras,, Slaallallledtobridge Tribunae. KCaren Smith Edulsr Adverllsiag is accepier on die coiionia irai, ite aveut il a typio- Circulsawai Man gr apirical error, lirai poarti ai the ailvrirala space occapied Sp tie ea- Steve Croter Crcltiniaaer neoul ie. togelir nul a reaaoiairle alloance loi igatuae, aitl îol SI Teri Casai Office Manager cllarged for, bti lira balance ai lira adseiliaimeil null SI paid la, ai nhe applicable raie. TSI parliairer resaivs aile igili la calegorize adveriae- Tus Ceaie Proaductioan Manager oSais ai declise. ly oefused under prolonged interro- gation to confess to the crime I was charged with and waa told by the officer that if I confessed it would make it easier for everyone. I'm flot in the habit of confessing to allegations when I'm certain I'm innocent of the charges. That's what the courts are for -- to deter- mine one's gujit or innocence. As a result of my seeming intranaigence, 1 waa placed in cuatody for more than 36 houra and ended up in Maplehurst before bail was finally arranged. Incidentally, I was found not guilty when I came to trial more than two years later. Talk about justice delayed is justice denied. Unfortunately, there are some who fail to distinguish between a verdict of not guilty and a verdict of innocent declared in thse courts -- a matter of semantics perhaps? The media and the public are jointly concernied about those who've been wrongly convicted and rightly so. I believe we should also concemn ourselves about the countlesa unfortunates who've been wrongly charged much les convicted with inadequate evi- Meanwhile the indignities, loss of freedom and livelihoods forfeit- ed in aome cases appear to be of little concern to the cynics of our aociety, regsrdless of guilt or inno- cence before thse fact. To summarize, there's a con- sîituency in our Society who have a mind set thst once you're chsrged with a criminal offence and you're exonerated in a court of law, you should be etemally grateful. No doubt you had the luxwry of a good lawyer on your behaîlf, how- ever in tise cynicas self righteous- ness you're still considered guilty given the nature of the alleged crime. After aIl, they maintain with some conviction police charged you with an offence and you're stuck with it (the guiît) presumably in perpetuity, despite the outcome t0 tise contrary in the courts. AIl in the name of justice you might say. 1'm flot 50 sure. F. Kenyon Cabot Tral Pud by Steve Nease 'I