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e -èCanadiàri ChaýmpIon, PridagDecemlbbr B,2ooôt +THE CÀVALAJ CILMMPON Box 248, 191 Main St. E., Thre Canadien Champion, publisited eoery Toesday and Fiday ai 191 Main St E., Milton, Ont., L9t 4N9 (Box 248), is one of The Metrolard Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 Prnfîng, Pubising & Distributing Ltd. group of suburban conies wfticii inciodes: Aia,/Piciiering News Adventisen, Ailiston Henaid/Courier, Barrie 3 1 Adoance, Bannys Bay Titis Weeit, Boiten Entetprise, Brampton Guardian, (905 87 8 - 3 4 1 B unington Post, Buliîngton Shopping News, City Panent. Cityi oi Yonrk Guandian. Coi innaoo dlWa saga Correction, tast York Mitron, trio Editoial Fx: 87 -4943 Advocateiçounttti Boutes. tobicone SuandaPian t moroogt Post, Poneven EditrialFax:878-943 oung, Georgetown Irdeperderftctor Free Press, Haiton Business Tines, Advertining Fax: 876-2364 H""l l Bsiess Timet. Kingston Titis Week. Lindsay Titis Week. Marmiton Eo it& Son. Midiand/Peretarouistene Mitron, Milon Shopping News, Mîssîssauna Business Tines, Missistauga News, Naparre Soide, Classified: 875-3300 fdassagaweya Niews, NewnarketlAurora Bra-Banner, Northumberland Niews, Not okMitr, Sakoilie Beaver, Sakoîie Shopping News, Sidtîners Iant Oliver Pubisher Hockey News, Snîirla Today, Ssitawa/Wittylarirgton/Port Penne Titis Week, Oween Sound Tribune, Peterborought Titis Week, Piceon County Guide, Neil Oliver Asoeciaate Publisaer Bichtmond Hii/Titnrnii/Saogitar Liberai, Scarboroogh Mitron, touonniiBe/obidge Tribuone. Wendy McNab Ada.ereii.ng Manaager Adoertisirg is occepted or te condition tit, rin event of a type- Karen Smaitht Editerr grapica errer, that portion 0Sthse adveneising space occopîed by the erre- neous itm. togetet srith a reasoratie aifosearce ton signature, wiii ntrse Steve Crozier Ciruaoa n Maanager citarged ton, bot rthe balance of the adoertîsenet ent il e pard for an the applicable rate. fThe puiiiisitetneseroes rthe îgit t o cafegorîce advertise- Teri Casas Office Manaag'er mnrs on dectine. Titra Cales Produciotn Manager ThMitonu Canradien Chatepeee à a Bee>niabàg Peedoe Here' s our wish list Since ail The Champion staff are fortunate enough to already be in possession of their two front teeth, we respectfully submit a grown-up Christmas wish list to Miltonts new council. 1. Remember who you are. With governance issues set to take centre stage, identity is more important than ever. Change may be necessary, and even good, but dontt throw the baby out with the bathwater. Wetre a nice town and desire to, be a nice town in the future. OnIy bigger. 2. Stay fiscally responsible. Despite ail the talk of fronit-ending devel- opment costs, there's a price tag that comnes with growth. So stay ahead of the game. Cut down debt - thus saving pricey debt payment costs. Spend siot machine revenues wisely.*lIfs a bonus, not stable income. 3. Choose your battles. The community is about to burst at the seams and current residents wiIl soon be on edge from the seemingly endless dust, noise and delay from various construction projects. So if another E.C. Drury type war arises - and it likely will - think carefully about whether itts worth the time, money and bitterness to fight it. It might be. But since the consequences of these decisions will far outlast the current counicil, think long term when making them. Then have a restful, rejuvenating Christmas. After aIl, our Easter wish list is only a few months away. OUR READERS WRITE 'Godspell' was a great experience ail-round Dear Editor: This fal 1 had lte greal privilege to, be in the production of the musi- cal 'Godspell' along witit a bunch of my friends who make up the St. Paul's Phoenix Youlh Theatre Group. The production was performed November 23, 24 and 25 at St. Paul's United Churcit. inm so proud of ail the people who performed. We had so mucit fun logether. The members of the congrega- lion were very generous and allowed the cast and crew 10 rehearse at the church every Sunday aflemnoon, Tuesdays aller school, and Thursday nights wiîh the help of our direclor Rob Cmoezen. The communily stupport was so, great. Assisling Rob on mot dayt were Mr. Coales, a teacher at WlI. Dick Middle School and Mr. Twiss, the vice-principal of WlI. Dick. Also, Ihere was Mr. Longlcy, lte faîher of one of our musicians, who creal- ed our aweome set. On behaîf of te witole cast and crew, I would like to thank every- one in our community who helped us make 'Godspell' possible. It was such a greal experience and lhanks especially 10 our direc- lor, Robt. His tolerance with hyper- active, adolescent drama kings and queens was nothing short of a mir- acle. 1 only hope lthe positive response is even greater next year. Jui Heinz EIIiott Crescent We- truly believe what we write lis hon est andfair At some point in ils ink-sîained history, news- papers weren'l meant 10 be objective. Instead, lhey were expected 10 sitout te party lie, and anyone wanting another view simply rcad anolther paper. And not long ago, joumalisîs made judgmenl calîs on witich trutits were in tite public interest and whicb wveren'l. Tbink back 10 John Kennedy witen reporters were fully aware of ongoing peccadilloes and kept tem quiet. Until ltcey werc busled. Then lthe pcndulum swung te otiter way, particularly in te United States. Titat created lthe image of ncwsitound as blooditound, sniffing aller lte moit mundane and personal trulths, sucit as the brand of Bill Clinlon's infamous cigar. Today, lte truth - aIl trutit - is meant 10 be an inlegral part of lte newspaper business. Tite people are supposed 10 have lte rigt t 10 know, and we're supposed 10, be lte ones tinding il aIl ouI for them. Once we do, we'rc meant 10 deliver tite resull in a ntraigitî-forward, unbiased manner. Witicit we toy 10. Believe me, we tay. Thte ironic result is the only people I know hiable 10 believe wtl lthey read are otiter reporters. Espccially otiter eommunity newspa- per reporters. Titat's because we tmuly believe wbaî we wrile is itonest and fair. We donIt want 10 pack an arti- cIe full of lies. Not even one lie. Instead, we bend over backwards 10 be ait accurate as possi- ble. Having said titat, mistakes arc ntade. Tbings slip by. If yoii knew itow mucit we hale 10, sec correction notices in our pages, you'd know itow bard wc try to gel titings rigt lthe first lime around. But ltere are citoices lIt be made in any story. A reporter bas 10, make lte caîl on wbal informa- lion 10 put in and witat 10 leave out. Not every- one agrees with taI caîl, but il's made in good faitit. And lte fenisitd producl can te alîcrcd furtiter ltrougit space considerations. If lte article is longer titan lte news itole available for il, some- titing bas 10 go. Placement in lte newspaper bas also been interpreted as evidence of bias. A charge was IGent/e persuasion made recenlly ltaI Tite Champion favoured the LiteraIs in lthe recent federal eleclion because our tirst candidate profile, con lthe front page, was of Julian Recd. Wit lthe reader may nol bave rcalizcd was Mr. Rced was lthe tonly candidate going aI lthe lime. Thte cîcclion bad just been announced and ail thte otiter parties were playing catch-up. Their candidates wcre feaîured laîcr, some also on lthe front page. Coverage of events ix anotiter area vulncrable 10 accusations of biao. As a rule, we aI Tite Champion believe com- muniîy evenîs are important. We would like 10 promole, follow-up or attend as many as posse- bIc. Titere are îwo caveats 10 (bat. Thte firsl is wc bave to know about il. Titere's nol mucit point in yclling at us over events no one informcd us of. Thte titinking oh titose wito do s0 àppcars 10 be lthaI as lthe community paper. we sitould jusl know. Mucit as I'd love 10 dlaim lthe power of 'just knowing' anylthing, Il's beyond me. Wc know ltings because people tell us about tem. So gcl lthe meitiage 10 us clearly, and carly. Il' you loy and caîl on lthe dayýof lthe event, ltere's a chance ilîIl be too laIe. Thte second cavcaî is somecone bas 10 be avail- able. Our staff us smaller titan lthe Busit-Gore margin of vicîory. Our one fulI-time pitotograpit- er works bard, but he isn't always on eall. And our rcporting personnel us almost.as tiny. No malter witat lthe future of journalism is, Shere wall be titose who mosisI il bas jusl a passing acquainlance with lthe trutit. Dcspitc tit, our intentions remain as solid as last weck's LiteraI majority. And for those seeking bias in itis col- umn, ltat's an illustration, not a plug.