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6- The Canadian Champdon, Frîday, November 1,2002 SCOMMENT THE CANA4DIAN CHAMPION nox 248,191 Main St. E. Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 (905) 878-2341 Editonial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified: 905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 Ian Oliver Neil Oliver Jili Davis Karen Smith Wendy McNab Steve Crozier Teri Casas Tien Coles Publisher Associate Pubisher Fditor-in-Chief Editor Aderising Manager Crculation Manager Office Manager Production Manager The Canadiein Champion, tiublshed eaeny uesitay and Fiday at 191 Main St. E. Mitton, Ont., L9T 4N9 (Bon 248). is one nf The Meniaand Prnntîng, Pubishing & Distributing Ltd. qnnup nf sutiarban campanies wticti incides- Aax/Pickering News Adertiser Alistonn teald/Cnurier Banie Antanc, Barys gay Ths Weel, Blten Enterpise, Bamptnn Guardian. Burlngtnn Pnst, Buningtnn Shnppng News, Ciy Paent, City nt Yark Guardiani, Cllingwnndlvhasaga Cnnectan, East Ynnk Mirrai, Ernn Advncate/Cnuntny Routes, Etnbcnke Guariian, Flamttntnugh Post, Frener Yung, Georgetown Independent/Actan Fee Pess, Hahnon Business Times, Hunania Business Times, Kington This Werk. Lindsay Tis Week, Markitam Ecnnmist & Sun, Midani/Penetanguishenie Mtmn, Mtan Shopping News, Mssssauga Business Times, Mississauga News, Napanee Guide. Nasuagaweya News, NewmarketlAurona Eta-Bannen, Nrthumberland News, North York i Mînnu, Oaksîtte Beanen, Sakiaite Shroppng News, ldtimers Hockey News, Orilira laday. Oshawa/lNhitby/Claringtamn/Pitnt Penny Ths Week, Peterborough This Week, Pictnn Cnunty Guide, Richmond Hîil/ThrntillNaughan Libenat, Scanbnrnugh Mrnur, StnuttsilletSuxbidgt Tribune. Adertising is accettien nn the condition that, in the euent ut a type- graphicat ernan, ttiat prtion ot the aduetising space occutirei by the erra- nieaus item, tagether wtti a easanabte attnwance tai signature, wîtt nult e chargent for, tut the balance ufthte adertisement waît e paintfotai u th atpli- cable rate. Tht patiisher reserses the ight ta categanize adverisements an decine. The Milon Canadiran Campin ru a Reyetable Praduet * That's common sense The leaky faucet that has been dripping bad public relations for the provincial government since the E. coli disaster in Walkerton is going to be shut off by Ernie Eves' govemment. Or so the premier hopes. Mr. Eves and Environment Minister Chris Stockwell announced Tuesday that the governiment is introducing legislation to better protect Ontario's drinking water. The Safe Water Drinking Act, says Mr. Eves, takes into account the recommendations made iast January by Justice Dennis O'Connor in his officiai report on the E. coui disaster that kiiled seven people in 2000 in Watkerton. If passed, the proposed act wili mandate licencing and accreditation for ail drinking wýàtcr-testing laboratories, ensure ail operators of drink- ing water systems are certifitd and appoint a chief inspector to oversee inspection policies, training of ministry inspectors and frequency of inspections and annuai reporting. Whiie Mr. Eves dlaims the crux of the proposed act stems from Mr. O'Connor's report, the proposed mile changes contained within it seemn based on common sense. Water testing facilities shouid be iicenced, ail inspectors shouid be certified and there most definiteiy needs to be a hierarchy in place to ensure the summer Waikerton experienced two years ago is neyer *repeated. There's littie chance the public wiil toierate even one more death caused by someone sipping a cup of tap water. Nor shouid they. OUR READERS WRITE Pro-Lite supporter says it's important for her to make a public declaration of her beliefs Dear Editor: I 'm writing in responue 10 T. Stuar's October 18 letter regarding a recent anti-abortion demonstra- tion in town. For one hour a ycar, 1 stand on the street and hold a sigon that says 'Abortion Kilîs Children' or 'Adoption iu the Loving Option'. it may seem foolish to somne, but for me it's a sulent declaration of my beliefs. 1 stand there and pray for those in the womb, for ail the lives that have been snuffed out. 1 pray for ail the womnen who don't know that there's a better alternative than getting an abortion. 1 pray for those who may upend years in grief or depression over what they've donc or even in their have children becauue of their chciice. We're part of a chain of life that extendu from one end of the country 10 the other. Until my dymng breath, l'Il stand up for life and pray for protection for the unbom. Anne Jones CampbeivIIe Hospital shouldn't charge fiat rate for parking: reader Dear Editor: visit them every day, should 1 have 10 pay $4 if 1 only l'm complctcly in favour of lte hospital charging for go in for one hour? This would cost $28 for the week. parking, but why should it be a fiat rate of $4? 1 feel 1 feel there should be an hourly rate. Ibat is more thit i'a verv expensivp. Why do 1 have 10 nav the same reasonable. for one hour as someoe who s there ail day? If 1 have a sick relative an the hospital and I go bo Milton Do citizens really have much chance in the baffle? WIscn a large group of citizens oppose devel- opments in their neighbourhooda like a rilway terminal or a school closure, do they really have a realistie chance of fighting them off? Judging by recent cases in Iis area, il seemns the answer, sadly, is sfim 10 none. Take tIse residential development controvers at thc E.C. Druay complex as an example. Citizens group Fricnds of E.C. Dnary Park bat- lIed profusely against H.D. lnvestments t0 keep tIse land they had corne t0 know as a park avail- able 10 them and tIsenest of tIse public. But, as predscted by many, thcy lost aI thc Ontario Municipal Board Iearing. And las month, opponents of thc Dufferin Aggregates quarry expansion suffered a devastat- ing defeat. The expansion proposai. isa't a donc deal yet, but it jumped over a major hun-dle with thc recent approval of tIse Niagara Escarpmnent Commission. Meanwhile, othcr battles like Uic ones against CN's intermodal terminal and thc proposcd dco- sure of Perey W. Meny ScIsool appear grim. If democracy works Uic way it's supposcd to, should il rcally happen Uiat way? In a truc democracy, shouldn't Uic feelings of residents - Uic people - come first whcn major changes arc pn-oposcd in Uieirn- nighbourhoods? Amnong Uic availability of prope- hcalUi case and education, I tlsink wIsat's most important 10 our quality of life is enjoying Uic comniunitics in which we live. And we can't do Uiat if Uiingu arc bcing forccd upon us Uiat we don't want. Public officials will argue they surive t0 act Uic best Uiey can on behalf of Uic public as a wholc. For example, keeping a schooî like Perey Mcrry iwiUi such low enrolment open may n01 be finan- tcially responsible oven-all to Halton taxpayers. Prom the editor's desk Howeven-, aftcr hearing about Isow much parents and students cheriru heUic shool. I Uink il would be an injustice to Uiem 10o close il. There must be anoUien- way 10 approach Uic issue. I'm a fin-m believen- Uiere's usually a way 10 aecomplish something if you put forUi Uic effort. I mean, CN could be made to fmd a different location for is terminal - one that doesn'l tre. Iat only seems obvious. And as for te Dufferin expansion, supporters cite plcnty of reasons to justify thse action like lte aggregate needed in tIse building industsy and the cmploymnent benefits. But what will future gencrations think of ltaI decision if animal species are extinct and there's n01 enougit farmnland lefi on which 10 produce our own food? Truc, capitalism drives the economy and is the backbone of our standard of living, but there should be more emphasis placed on considering the people affccted by deveîopment decisions. Nevertheless, as hopelesu as il may scem, citi- zens can't stop taying t0 fightI for what they feel is best for them in their commninties. Recause if tIsey do, there realîy will be no democracy. Càd@L-ý