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6 6- The Canadian Champion, Frlday, March 22, 2002 *COMMENT l DOt4rI P AN ARMY THE CAVADIAN CwiilPoïv CE ¶lU6Yg To MAKE Box 248, 191 Main St. E., The. CanaieBn Champion, publisteed euery Te duyadFidya 9 Militon, Ont. L9T 4N9 PitgPbihng&iitbun LdropMain St. E.. Milton. Ot. L9T 4N9t (Box 24) isoeo h Merln -.»URE~ 1 inciudes: AjaxIPickering News Aduertîser, Aiiston Herald/Coufier, Barrie (905) 878-2341 Adoance, Burrys Bay Titis Week, Boter Enterprise, Brampton Guardian, Burliigton Posi. Barlitgton Shopping News, City Parent, City ot York Suardian, ColiingwoodNlasaga Connection. East Yotk Mirron, Etîn Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advocate/Country Boutes. Etobicoke Suandian, Fiambonough Post, Fonever Advets Fax: 905-876-2364 Young, Georgetown Independent/Acton Free Pness, Haiton Business Times, AveritBstngHuronra Business Times, Kingston Titis Weeli, Lindsay This Weeli, Markbam Clasifed 90-87-300 Economist & Sun. Midand/Penetaogaisbeoe Mitron. Miton Shopping News, Classfied:905-85-33 Mîs'sissauga Business Times, Missîssauaa News, Napaoee Guide, Circulation: 905-878-5947 Nassagaweya NewsNwaktArr r-anr Northtumberland News, Ian Oliver Publisher Hockey News, Stillia Today, Ssitawa/Whiiitby/Ciaringtun/Port Penny This Weeli. Peterborought Titis Week, Pîcton County Guide, Richmond g Nei Oliver Associate Publisher HiltTiornhilliVaugban Literai, Scarborouait Mîrror, Stouttviile/Sxitridge JUI Dvis dito-in-hiefTribune, JiIiDavs Edtorin-Cief Aduedtisina is acceyted on the condition that, rn the eveot of a typo- . c Karen Smith Editor grapiticai error, tit portion ni the adueOîisiog space occupîed bit tite erro- - neous dtem, togetiter witii a reasonabie ailowance toi signature, miii not be Wlendy McNalb Adsertising Manager citarged toi, but the balance ot the aduedtisemeot wili be paîd tor utithe appli-. Steve Crozier Circulation Manager cable rate. Tite publisoier resemves rte rîght to cutegorite aduegîisements or Teri Cass Office Manager dcie Tim Coles Production Manager 7ilS Mfitia Cnada Champea isa Rnqyilbt Producl IEP Report brings good ZMAW news and bad news OUR READERS WRITE There's some good news and bad news relating to a report distributed to the Region's healtb and social services committee earlier this week. Thankfully, the vast majority of Halton variety stores and gas bars are refusing to seli cigarettes to teenagers. An enforcement program, bas 15 and 17 year olds - hired by the region - attempt to buy cigarettes. The teens paid visits to 341 gas bars, variety stores, restaurants and grocery stores in an effort to buy a pack of smokes. They were suc- cessful in just 15 per cent of their attempts - down from, 18 per cent in 2000. While it is positive 80 leamn that our retailers are wising up, the fact remains that Milton stores sold to teens 9 per cent of the time. It's surprising variety store employees would take the risk of selling smokes to minors, especially when the Tobacco Control Act says retail- ers can be banned from selling tobacco if convicted of two or more sales offences within a five-year period, where tbe same person sold the cigarettes. Perhaps die current fmne of $215 for selling cigarettes to teens needs to be increased to sometbing more appropriate like $2,000 to act as an effective deterrent. We need to help our young smokers kick the habit. And if that means commng down bard on the people wbo seli them tobacco - 50, be it. Thanks for your support, aslte writer Dear Editor: 1 would like to Bbank Thomas E. LaPoint for bis support of my letter to Bbc ediitor by putting pcn to paper. 1 also receivcd many personal calîs front toitaily disillusionied. and frusitratcd fellow citizens for so accucatcly putting to ligbit Bbis sad situation in Milton. lncludcd were many references to Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallîon's brilliant wock and success, even ait ber age, aiong with some for Toronto Mayor Mel Lastmnan. However, George Murdych of the Town of Milton totally missed Bbc point of Jeif SmiBb's comorents wiBb bis brisk rebuttal on Friday, Mac. 15. Mr. Smitb's point printed on Tuesday, Mar. 5 was wby do we have to put up wiith uneven road cuits? They have to paitch tbe area anyway, so why not do a decent job to begin witb? Why hagn't ut been fmnished yet? So wbat if thc road is going to be repaiced (fmisbed) in 2002, which by Bbc way has another niase months of car-bashmng lefit. 1 waa discussmng this wiBb a neigbor last week wbo quipped uts 40 road cuits, not 37. Mc. Murdycb's letter shows us ail Bbc attitude Bbc Town has toward our concernes. This attitude illustrates my point about 'driving on dirt paiths until .... Ripping up Main Street in the downtown bas noBbing really to do wiBb ail of this, hut wby are we doing this for yet a third time? If's more money wasted again to in a few yeacs? As many past letters have pointed out, ail the work in the world won't bring the world to our downtown. lit geems that more empbasis should be placed on establishing a better selection of stores, their mer- chandise and better customer serv- tce. This was evident bece in Februacy with a letter discussing wedding plans a resident atitempted wiith a local merchant and experienced by myself recently. 1 was completely ignored in spite of standing there trying to get some attention while regulars who kept commng in after me got ail the atten- tion and service. Andrew Wlloughby Tremaine Rd The 'Main E vent' is on so keepn coming downtown AUl Bbc ruckus outsidc The Champion office Wcdnesday momning was a clear indication Bbait Main Street re-construction bais goitten down to business. In fact business is Bbc kcy word bere as our downitown merchants necd your support now more Bban ever. 1, personally, don't intcnd to let Bbc ripping up of Main Sitreeit sidewalks and curbit bctwecn James and Commercial strecits stop me fromn my cveryday coffcc at Espress Yoursclf Café, gro- ccay shopping ait Quality Greens or grabbing lunch ait Bbc tvy Anma or A Catered Affair. And you sbouldn't lcet Bbc construction binder patronizing youc favoucite stores and resitaurants, either. Tfle Milton Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is one of the players that bas put a lot of work into a plan aimed ait making Bbc mucb-needed downtown re-consitruction Bbc least discupitive to Bbc liveltbood of businesses over Bbc next Bbree monBba. The DBlANs 'Main Evenit' (clever name) camv- paign is on, advising residents Bbat pedestrian and vehicle trafic flow will be maintaincd Brougb- out Bbc re-construction project, and encouraging citizens to, keep coming downitown. So Bbc many senior citizens in particular wbo walk and sbop in Bbc cote can continue to do an safcly. And once construction is completed, Bbecldown- town will he even more safc for Bbem to enjoy. Kicking off Bbc 'Main Event' promotional cam- paign us 'Our Easter Bonnets are Hard Hats'. AIl DBIA businesses bave been issued plastic bard bats for eiBber Bbcic staff to wear or decocate and put in Bbc window. (Check out ours in The Champion office front window.) Furither promotions will sec draws for prizes, wbicb, will correspond wiBb numbcrcd rocks dug; out of a sandbox, and MoBber's Day activities. Weekly advecitisements will alan be publisbed in The Champion toi keep people informed of wbat Bbc re-construction will entail Bbe following week and what Bbat means to shoppers. The point is, businesses aren't Sitting back and complaining, Bbey're bcing pro-acitive, taking action. You can do Bbc samne by continuing to sbop downtown, or perbapo stacting if you didn't before, even if ut meano a little inconvenience. Used to parking on Main Street? Well, Bbere's lots of oBber places foc youc car like parking lots on Mill and Mary strecto, side streets and Bbc rear of businesses. Downtown Milton is relying on you. 06 - . - - -1 - - - --l- ý - M