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6- The Canadian Champion Frîday December 20 2002 + COMMENT +THE CANADIAN CElAMPION Bonx 248, 191 Main Si.E, Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 (905) 878-2341 : 905-878-4943 x: 905-876-2364 : 905-875-3300 n: 905-878-5947 Pubisher As4w îiîtîe Pîetittîîiii Fî!itoi-î-jr iri-t/ Edînenî Aî!certmoîng Manager CircidatinîMaenaeger Office Manager Producetion îManager The Canadian Champion publshed eery Tuesrtay and Friday ai 191 Main St, E Milton. Onit-LOT 4N9 (Box 248), s one ot Tre Metroanri Prioling Pribising & DistribotinO Ltd group ot suburttan compares which ictdes AtsdPîckertng Nws Aderiser Atistan HraldCouier, Barrie Advance, Barrys Bay This Weti Bottn Enterprise, Bramptun Soardian, Brtînigton Post. Brintori Shoppng News Gity Parent, Ciy ot Yorki tasaralan. LoiingwoTWasaga Lonnctioti. C rt York Mirror, rn AdocainlCouniry Routes, Etobicoke Suararan Faribirougtr Post Prever Young, Gnorgtown IndnpenîntoActon Frnn Prss, Halton Business Tnnnes Huron Businss Tms Kinston This Wnnk Lndsay This Wnnk. Martitai Econornist & Sun MidandlPennnairaoishennn Mrror Milonr Shoppingo Nevis Mssssaîîaa Business Tiiies tuississauga Opi,, Naîraiirun Gride Nassaganiepa News, Nvniarket!AiOrin LiaBarnier Northii henira Neu,,s North Sork iMrrrr akurle Ornuir Oneuin Shopping New.sdiners HockieyNeins Orrlîn Todan1 OsiarWiittiu Carrirgtoir tort terrýi Oh Weeii Peteehirroigh This Weitr Pîrti uri CriiOian Rîcvintrr n Hiut Thorehill) Vaghan Liral SCarirOrar LItutirrur StîittVIiie 'Unýtilge Tribune Adenlising is accepted on tire conditirn tiinithe Capt outpio- graphîcat ercr, tlat portion 01thte advertisnq space ocra pied y te erre- neou item. togther wth a reasonatite allouîaîîcnoi signature, wll nt e chargnd tor but the balancenofthtenadenlisement uit On epara toi athtonappli- cabte rate Thn puttistier reserues then rîgte categorian adetîsemerîts or dcin The Mtion Canaden Chamnpion is a RectaBte Peoi S We just can't give Up __________ quest to ht the target OUR READERS WRITE The Champion's Christmas Bureau Fund for the Salvation Army stili needs a big push over the next few days if this year's goal is to be reached. At press time yesterday, $18,288 had been raised in the cam- paign, which ensures ail local famnilies have a nice Christmas complete with dinner and toys for the children. And surplus dona- tions hetp keep the food bank stocked througbout the year. A lot more help is needed, however, if this year's goal of $25,000 is to be reached. Last year, just shy of $25,000 was raised. We can't give up trying to reach our goal. Since the December 24 dealine is almost here, please drop off donations in person at our office, 191 Main St. E. If you can't get here until the weekend, you can drop your cheque payable to the Christmas Bureau Fund through the mail slot at the front door. Donations of non-perishable food and toys would also be great- ly appreciated. The deadline is just four days away, but we know, like always, Miltonians will corne through. Holîdays can be a partîculàrly dangerous tîme for fîres, warns Ontario Fîre Marshal Lear Editor: Wbile the month nflDecember is îradiîionally a lime tor famîlies to come together and enjoy the festive season, its also a trne of year when we sec a marked increase in the number of fatal fires. For Ontario fi re departments, Decemnber tbrougb March is, wiîbout a doubt, the deadliest time ni the year. Last year on Decembcr 25. a Toronto family, like thousands ni others. sat down to enjoy Christmnas dinner. That night. the iamily awoke to a blazing fire that destroyed the bouse and claimed the lives of an 18-year-old and bis I 4-year-old sister. This tragic fire last Christmas Day îsjust one heartbreaking examn- pie nI bow easily a celebration can tumn into disaster. No one can afford to dismiss a home ire as sometbing îbaî happens to someone else. Survive the holidays witb these simple ire prevention steps: - Smoking or cooking while under the influence of alcobol are serious tire risks. Drink responsibly and keep an eye on tbose who don't. - Smokers'materials are a leading cause of fatal ires. If you must smoke indoors. noake sure aIl ciga- rettes and matches are fully extin- guisbed. Keep matches and ligbters out of sigbt and reacb of cbildren. - Keep candles in a sturdy holder away from cbjîdren. pets and com- bustible materials. - Make sure you have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside ail sleeping areas. Test your smoke alarmns every month. - Create and practiBe a homne escape plan with your family. Know two ways out of ail areas in case your main exit is blocked. No one needs to die in a ire. The ire department will do its very besi to protect you if a fire occurs. but ultimatcly ycîur family's safety is your responsibility. Have a fire-safe holiday season. Bernard Moyle Ontario Fire Marshai Council Chambers sometimes resembled a circus From a news standpoint, Iis bas been an enter- taining year for local municipal polies. We've bad intemnal accusations of abuse of position, backtracking over policy and a fat coun- cil raise, not 10 mention the political fiasco also known as the smoking bylaw. While tbese actions bave a real impact on peo- pie in the community, our local politicians bave reduced the issues 10 caricatures. Lets take a look ai the circus around tbe smok- ing bylaw. We bave a Town that banned smoking in ail bars and restaurants. Then il took 50 long t0 enforce i- assuming il bas started by now - that numnerous businesses went against il and protited wbile law-abiding businesses suffered. Then, wben law-abiding bar owners asked the Town 10 eitber enforce il (that was tbe irst request) or repeal it, counicillors became 50 caught up in the procedural noud that nothing was donc aI ail. Next, we bad some serinus back peddling relat- ed to policy revisions of the group homes bylaw. After public outcry over the establisbment of a group bome on Victoria Street in 2001, council went tbrougb the process of proposing massive changes to the bylaw that would bave seen tigbter restrictions and public involvement - a knee- jerk reaction if tbere's ever been one. But this year, council was forced 10 back track on the issue - and rigbtfully so. It seems the ini- tial knee-jerk reaction forgot about ail the gond group homes do and catered to the fears of resi- dents. The bylaw is now mucb as it was before - the Town doesn't really have the authority 10 do wbat councillors initially proposed. In addition to tbe typical mudslinging around Council Chambers (Challinor, Malboeuf, 'm looking ai you two specifically), we also bad our sbare of wild accusations and alleged misleading From my perspective of the public. l'm talking about the mess over Councillor John Cballinor's donation-seeking flyer for tbe Friends of E.C. Drury Park. The flyer - wbicb was circulated in January - sought donations 10 retire the Friends' debt related 10 an Ontario Municipal Board challenge of development on the Drury lands. Contained on the flyer were tbe Town's corpo- rate name, address and contact information. Wbile il's undersiandable that inclusion of tbe Town's name and address could have been mis- leading 10 some residents, Councillor Rick Maîboeuf deemed it a deliberate attempt 10 con- vince residents tbe Town supported the group. For more than two weeks we saw the two court- cillors square off in debate over botb tbe flyer and residents' intelligence to, understand - each claiming tbe public was easily confused by the others tacticti. In the end, the accusations and dlaims died down. It tumed out the flyer didn't break coun- cil's code of conduct - it didn't bave one. And wbo could forget Mr. Maîboeuf 's com- ments wben counicil gave itself a 37 per cent raise. 'I dont support it. but l'Il take il." Ah... if only 1 could patent tbe character rigbts for television. Milton council is a cartoon that would give The Simpsons a non for its mnney. Editonial Fax Advertising Fax Classif jed Circuation Ian Oliver Neil Oliver Jili Davis Karen Smith Wendy McNab Steve Crozier Teri Casas Tim Coles