The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

6 - The Canadian Champion, Friday, November 16, 2001 ILCOMMENT ' THE VeADIAN CIIMMPoN Box 248, 191 Main St. E.. The Canadien Cleami pubiished eveny Tuesday and Fniday ai 191 Main Si. E., Milton, Ont., L9T 4N9 (Box 248), is one oi The Metroland Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 Prnning, Publishing & Distributing Ltd. aoup ai suhuninan comiianies wtiicn inciudes: Aax/Pickering News Adoertiser, Ailiston Heraid/Courier, Barne (9 5 8 8 2 3 1 Advance, Barrys Bay Thn Week, BotnEnterprise, Brampton Gaardian, Goardian, Coliingwood/Wasaga Connection, East Yorki Mirror, Ern Editofial Fax: 905-878-4943 Aitoocaie/Counnny Routes, Etobicoiie Guardian, Flannboroouh Post, Forever Young, Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Press, Hliton Business Tepues, Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Huronia Business Timer, Kingston Tis Week, Lindsay This Week, Mariîiam Ecanomîsi & Sun. Midiand/Penetangoîshene Mirror, Miton Shopping Bews, Classified: 905-875-3300 Missîssauga Business Times, Mississauga Neas, Bapanee Guide, Nassagaaeya Bews, Bewmarket/Aunora Ena-Banner, Northumberland News, Circulation: 905-878-5947 BNth Yonk Minron, Oakville Benuen, Saicuilie Shiopping Becs, Oldtimens Hockey Becs, Onîllia Today, Oshiaa/hitby/Cianington/Port Penny Tis Ian Oliver Publishier Week, Petenbonough This Week, picnon Counny Guide, Richmnnd Hiii/ThonnhiiiNaughan Liberai, Scarbanougn Minnon, Stotffiii/uxbnidge Neil Oliver Associate Pablisher Tribune. Aduertising a uaccepted an nthe condinion ninan, in the eueni af a typa- Wendy McNab Advertîsing Maenager graphicai ennar, ninan portion oi the advertising space accupied by the erra- Karen Smith Edînor neous item, tagenher ails a neasanabie aiiawance fon signature, wîil non Se c hargrd fr, but the balance of nthe adoertisemerai ai be paîd ion ai the appli- Steve Crozier Cueculation Manager cable rane. The publishen nesenves nthe igint na categanîle advertîsements an -. ... . - . - decline. leri Cass Tim Cibles Prodsction Manager The Minern Canadiar Chamepon Becycable Pendaae Ple ase give generously to our Christmas fund- The Champion's annual Christmas Bureau Fund is being officially launched toda and, amazingly, donations have already corne i n. The Salvation Army fundraiser is aimed at helping needy families* enjoy ail thse holiday trimmings, including gifts for the kids. It's unfor- tunate but a fact that many Milton households won't have those things without assistance.I Last year we. were amazed when we started out with a tali order to raise $25,000 and Miltonians came through with a whoppmng $24,626. Based on that, we've set the 2001 goal again at $25,000 with the hope of this year gomng over the top. t We donate to the cause ourselves here atMTe Champion, but our main involvement in tise fund is to collect donations, ensure their kept safe and forward themn to Use Salvation Amsny. Credit to the success of the fundraiser goes to generous citizens who take action to help others. We realize numnerous charities have their hands out asking for sup- port, particularly during the holiday season, and it's already a finaos- cially-strapping tinse of year. But we're hoping we can reach our goai this year. If you cati help, please send donations payable to Use Christmas Bureau Fund, Box 248, Milton, Ont., L9T 4N9, or drop themn off at our office, 191 Main St. E. +OUR READERS WRITE Reader catis for Iandmine ban in Afghanistan )ear Editor: I've recently becomne involved witis the Canadi-an Landmine Foundation and attempt Bni stay tbreast of Bbe issue as it pcrtalns Bn bie current situation in Afghanistan. Among Bbc multitude of issues concerning Bbc state of affairs in this country at present, t believe, is Bbc use of Iandmines. This is prevalent for two reasons. Firstly, mines Ieft over from pre- eious invasions are posing a duceat to tbe mass exodus of civilians from witbin Afghanistan. Secondly, Bbc Unitedi States bas Bbc option to use or not use sucb indîBeriminate weapons in their attack. (Tise U.S. is one of Bbc few rcrnaining count- tries in Bbc world Bbat basn't signed Bbc Ottawa Treaty to han use and production of landmines). lB seemo radier silly that we ask others that if they're going to faght toi at least fight nicely. The reason we do this is that weapons sucb as landmines or cluster hombs maill or kilt innocent civilians even aller tbc war us over - decades upon decades aller a war is over. Altbough l'm involveri with an international organization, 1 notice that it's rather difficult to dissemi- nate news of an important issue. 1 ollen ask myself bow 1 can make a difference - how 1 can stop the use of indiscriminate weapons. Wbat 1'm sharing wiBb Bbc coin- rnunity is infonnation on Web sites and Ietter-writing carnpaigns Bbat will and do preasure our govem- ment to in tomn pressure Bbc interna- tional community of govemments to make changes. Please sec Bbc following Web site for a sample letter to ban indiscrim- mnate weapon use in Afghanistan: www.icbl.org/action/afghanistan2O Ol.btmnl ('icbl' refers toi Nobel Peace Prize laurcate, the International Campaigo to Ban Landmines). Or write your own Ietter and address it Bn: T'Me Honorable Authur Egglcton, Minister of Defense, National Headquarters, Major- Gencral George R. Pearkes Building, Ottawa, Ont., KI AOK2 Log onto www.canadianland- rnine.corn for more facts on ban- ning Bbc use of landmincs. Diane Cheela Childa Drive Let'sfiîght back against th-ese destructive vandals Recent acta of vandalism tn retail stores on Main Street rernind us duat Milton isn't immune En randorn acta of scnselcss destruction. Last week, thice flower plasters were destroyed outside of Halton His Fine Jcwclry. A plastic flower planter outaide of Tony's Barber Sbop was also smaabcd. Was it just a group of bored youngsters looking to liven up, their nigbt wiBb sortie gond nId dernol- isbing tacties? Maybe. Was Biais just a random act of utter stupidity? Perlsaps. Det. Kim Duncan of 12 Division in Milton toïd me acta of vandalism, ae rarely repotted on Main Su-ct and extra paroi wil e froaing tie strei in light of Bbc Christmas scason. Maybe mmoe owncrs do experience acta of destructo w i propcrty more oficd tisshey repet M4aybe Bbey assime ltrakos A~c POU mlta a4eco* did *cwPt ina nuffle. But it's people like Anita Mangoticb, owner of Bbc jewelry store on Main Surcet wbere Bbc plantera were dcstroycd, wbo're ltrying Bn make a différence in Bbc cornrunity by spcaking out against vandalisrn. She's taking a stand by letiaag residenta know sbc's not taking Bbc recent eventa ligbtly. Wbcn 1 went to Bbc store ton md out Bbc details of Bbc damnage, prson aller prson wbo walkcd by thc atore stoppcd. stared at Bbc broken fiower pots, lonkcd up tbrougb dbc window and gave Ms Mangotica a quizzical look. AUl sbc could do was slowly s"ae bier hcad, to wbicb Bbc passieiby wouald dmc look back at Uic darnaged pots with s kxskimatny. She was planning tn decorate Bbc Po t n e for Christma. W*B Bbc htsliay wason ut arnuntheBb cornter, mmy boo lan Muns wNl soon dcck nmt -twf prnprty wiBb decorative lights, wreaBbs and ornarnenta. Store owncrs may be besitant Bni dcc- orate Bbeir stores in fear Bbeir bard work rnay be destrnyed. Sbould we bow (oui beada) in defeat Bni Bbc vandals dma leave us feeling vulnierable and untnaatisg in oui own town? Or slsould we show Bbemn we're not going Bn livc mi fear and wiIl con- tinue to embrace Bbc cornmunity we bave grown to, love? Living in Toronto, l'in used to dirty streets, bearing people sbouting at aIl bours of Bbc nigbt, bornes and stores being rohbed on a daily basis and countless acta of criminal activity. But bere in Milton, people aren't used Bn this type of bebavinuir. So Bn one day corne into work only Bn diseover your store (or propcrty) bas been randornly van- dalizcd cas dcstroy more thas juat wbatever it was Bbc vadals got hold of - it cas destroy the trust you place in the comnrunity. So wlsat eut be donc Bn iake tbc people of tbis town fée], mnw ctase whcn it cornes Bn Bbc safe- ty of their plae of butsiness? Ms Mangotich sug- gestcd forming a neighbnoodw watcb rnigbt belp tn cub die problcmt. Aller ail, don't you want a s* Iqmay Bn woit and live mn? Office Manager