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6-me Canadîsut Champion, Flday, February 22, 2002 ** COMMEN,.IT +THE VAADIAN 6'ÏkvPIN Box 248, 191 Main St. E., The Cantadien Chiampioni, publisitei eoery Tuesday and Friday ut 191 Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 Main St. E., Miton, Ont., L9T 4N9 (Box 248), is one ot The Metrolanit Printing, Poblisiting & Distnibuting Ltd. gnoup ut suburban companies witich iinldies: Ajax/Pickering News Aitoertisen, Alliston Heralit/Courien. Barrie (905) 8 7 8 -2 3 4 1 Advance, Ba"n's Bay Tihis Week, Bolten Enterprise, Brampton Suandian, Guardian., Collingwood/Wasaga Cornntction, East Yorke Mono,, Erin Editorial Fax: 9)05-878-4943 Adoocate/Country Routes, Etobicolie Guardian, Flambornueit Pose, Forever Advetisng ax: 05-76-364 Ynung, Georgetown Independenn/Actnn Fnae Press, Haftnn Business limes, AdvrtiingFa: 95-86-264 Hunnnia Business imes, Kingson Thtis Weetî, L.indsay Tis Week, Matitiam Clcitd 9585300 Economînst & Sun,Mittiand/Penetanguishene Mimeor, Mio hopn News, Circulation: 905-878-5947 Na:eagaw eya News, Newmarttet/Aurora Era-Banner, Northumberland News, Nontit Verte Mimeor, Saltoilte Beaver, Sateuitie Shtopping News, Stittimers Ian Oliver Publisher Hockey News, Oritlia Today, Ostiawa/Wttitby/ClaringtenPot Penny This Week, Peterborough This Week, Picten County Suide, Richtmond Neil Oliver Associate Pubisuer lifIVThorntriltNaugtan Liberai, Scarborougit Mimeor, StouBfvilielbridge Tibtune. JiIi Davis Editor in Chief Adoettising le accepted on the condition titat, ie the eeent et a type- Karen Sfnsltb Editor gragtiical errer, Brat portion efth01e adetieing space occupient by the erre- ceeus item, tegetiter with a reasonable allesance for signature, witl net be Wendy McNalb Adenerising Manager cýhargeit for, but tne balance oi the advertisement will te paid ton an the appli- Steve Crozier Circulation Manager cable rate. The publisiten nesemves 0the rigtnt te categerize adeertisemeels or .5CM SSaSdecline. Tlm Coles Office Manager Production Manager 111 Mlte Cadieni Chreepme se a Recyctabt %dueta é4 It's time to vote for Milton's top citizen OUR READERS WRITE Milton bas no shortage of community-minded volunteers - those who go out of their way to make this a better place to live, play and work. It's flot often we get the chance to fomxally acknowledge their tireless efforts, but this month represents a golden opportunityr to do just that through voting for the Chamber of Commerce's 2001 Citizen of the Year award. A community ballot form can be found in today's Champion (page 12) givmng evetyone the chance to choose between tlnalists Barbara Singleton, Kathy Powell and Scott Scholtzhauer. Ail are worthy nominees and boast impressive volunteer resumes - which, mclude everything from training lay pastoral care workers to helping organize various town funictions. While these three have taken very different roads toward helpmng oth- ers, they ail represent just what makes this a wonderful community. Now it's time to show them that. So cast your vote for your favourite volunteer. Ballots can be dropped off at the Chamber of Commerce, 251 Main St. E. The deadlime for entry is Thursday, Febnaary 28. The 2001 Citizen of the Year will be announced durmng a gala ban- quet i April. Letter on White Cane Week heip fui:f reader Dear Editor: I would like 10 thank you for printing the letter from. E. Kidole explaining how tisa individual took tise time 10 demonstrate tise uee of ber father's cane to a clase of stu- dents. Not too long ago I led a busy life not giving too much notice 10 tise odd person I would see witis a white cane on tise etreet or in the mail. Now the choc is on tise otier foot co -to-epeak and I'm vision impair-ed. 1 can no longer drive my van here or there, but muet be driven anywhere I go. 1 muet take my rime witis my own whtte cane toi make my wsy around outside my home. No I'm not absolutely, totally blind, but vision impaired, as are moot people with white canes, or guide doge. t still have corne peripheral sight and I flasd people watching me saying, "You can stili see, why do you have a white cane?". Please, pleace let your read- ers know that people don't have 10 be totally blind to use a whsite cane, or have a guide dog. It doesn't mean that they don't need tise white cane or guide dog any less or do not need a littie extra room in crowded mails. IPm fairly new 10 using tise white cane and arn not quite used to peo- ple bumping mto me or tripping over my cane without an much as a -pardon me". As an acide, vision impaired mndi- viduals are given a great deal of assistance from the Canadian National Institute for the Bind. However tise white canes have to be purchased by the individual, andl so do the replacements when someone careleesly steps or tripe on it and breaks iL I believe education je thse key to havmng people understand what the white cane or guide doge are ail about. I would ask the two local echool boards what they are doing to help educate our young people in the area of vision impairment. 1 may stand corrected, but 1 uasdersîand that thse Halton CNIIB asked tise two local boards if they wanted to have volunteers corne to the schoole to educate our young people, during the White Cane Week. Silence was their only answer. Fran Cranl.y Milton Unified ban on public smoking the ight choice Most of our neighbouring municipalities have banned public smoking. Why are we concidering taking s watered-down approach? As debate over whether 10 completely ban smoking in bars and restaurants continues, il appearc tisere are reaily only two options on tise table - 100 per cent smoke frite or deeignated smoking roms. With neighbouring communities such as Guelph, Mississauga and anon Oakville eimeinat- ing butts fromt public places, Milton should take no lese of a stringent approach. If the Town is as concemed about msintaining tise "level playing field" as local and regional politicians have etated, there je no otiser option than to keep smokers ai tise door. Everyone knows about tise health issues related to smokinsg, an tlsere's no need 10 push those bot- tons. But thse economic impacts of a smoking ban may alan favour butting out. Initiaily, business je bound to go down for tisose estabishments tisas have a high quantity of smok- ers. But the experiences of our municipal neigh- bours have shown thse business retourne. And if we're keeping our arguments to, strictly economical factorc, creating designated smoking roms can be quite costly. There's tise expense of segregating a room, instailing a separase ventila- tion system and of course the disruption 10, regu- lar business while ail this is going on. Now, for tise sake of argument, let'e say the Town goe witis tise smoking room option. Bucinesses around town want 10 please their smoking customers and spend thousands of dol- lars to mecs desiguated smoking room require- ments. Evcs3'Ihing cecms 10 be going good for a cou- ple years, then anmething astounding happens - Prom my perspective tise Provincial govemment reaizes smoking us a health issue and makes the smoking ban province-wide. mas means those businesses that stnaggled 10 comne into compliance with tise Town bylaw now have 10 kick their cmokers to tise curb anyway. Although it's unlikely tise Province wiil ever grow enough courage 10 lead, Ibis ie a possibility tissE muet he considered when tIse Town flasaily makes a decision. To have your opinion heard on this master, con- tact Cowsciilor Rick Malboeuf during the day as (905) 878-1299 or in the evening as (905) 878- 0111. The Town of Milton Clerk'c Deparunent is also accepting written eubmissione on tise matter. Mr. Malboeuf and Councillor Ken Keates rep- resent town counlcil on tise Smoking Bylaw Review Committee, which us currently dis- cussing how Milton should approach the master. The committee is expected toi submit a report 10 town council with recommendasions ianplement- ing a new byîaw on March 25. Councillors passed a motion st fanl etating tiseir intention to have 100 per cent cmoke-free public places by May 31 - a date whach could be extended should council favour.desiguated smoking roome.