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6 - The Canadian Champion, Saturday December 28, 2002 <~COMMENT THE CANADIAN CHAMPION Bin 248t. 1') I MainSt. 1- Mitîtn. n. l)et Q4N') (905) 878-2341 Editoia] Fax: Advertising Fax: Classified: Circulation: 905-878-4943 905-876-2364 905-875-3300 905-878-5947 Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Assoeate Publisher Jili Davis Ediror-in-Chief Karen Smith Editori Wendy McNab Adrertising Manager Steve Crozier Circuloation Manag~er1 [cri Casas Office Manager Tim Coles Producton Manager Tiie Canadien Champion, publisrred every Tuesday and Frlay at 191 Main ir St. Milton, Onit,,[HT 4N9 (Box 248), is oneletfThe Metroland Prirtiig. Piitlisfliig & Distrittuting [Id. groep of salburban companies whictr iciudes Aa/Pickering News Advertiser. Allistoni Herald/Courier. Barrie Aitoance, Barys Bay This Week. Blten Enterprise, Brampton Guardian, Brîinglan Post. Brington Shopping News, City Parent, City of York Guardian. Collngwood/Wasaga Connecrîone Easr Tonk Mimeor, Einn Advocate/Coanrry Rotes, Etebîcoke Soardian, Famborogh Post, Fonentr Young, Georgetown todependenfiActon Fiee Pres. Haton Business Tmes, Huroota Business Tmes, Kingston Ths Week, Lndsay Ths Week, Makham Ecenomist & Sue, Midand/Penetaeguistrene Mimeor, Mton Shropping News, Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News. NapaneSarde, Nassagaweya News, NewmarketAurora Era-Banner Nrdhumberland News, No York Mîror. flakoîtte Beaver Takville Shopping News, Otditmers Hockey News, Orllia Todap, OshawaNhitby/Caringon/Podl Perry This Week. Peterborough This Week, Pîcton County Sarde, Rchmond Hilg/hornhitt/Vaaghan Lberat, Scarboroogfl Mirnor Stouttoiite/Unbnidge Tribune. Adedtising is accepted on the condition that, in the event et a type- graphical errer, that pern et thn adoertising space eccupînd by the erre- nenes item, tegeihen wdth a easenabte altewance ton signature, wîtt net be changed to, but tOn balancenet the arleeisement wîtt be pard ton at the appli- cable rate. The pubtsher reserons the right le categenize adveedîsements or dectîne. Th Mlton Canadien Champion i a Reepetabtle Pmoducl In praise of peace The holiday season is meant to be about peace. But this year, it arrived as many nations bolstered both their defensive and offensive capabilities following the September il attacks. The war on terror appears to be gearing up for a showdown with Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein, and peace in the Middle East seems no dloser to becomrng reality. On a domestic level, native leader and Order of Canada recipient David Ahenakew embarrassed tbe nation with his verbal attack on Jews while Republican Senate Leader Trent Lott found bis support deflated after seeming to speak wistfully about the good old days of segregation in the U.S. Botb have apologized themselves silly, which while good, is irrelevant. The damage bas been done. There is some good news. A war crimes tribunal in The Hague bas seen former Bosnian president Biljana Plavsic admit ber culpability in tbe deatbs of tbousands of innocent Muslims and Croats at the bands of Serbian nationalists. And tbe west found an unlikely ally ini Palestinian leader Yassir Arafat, who bas called upon Osama bin Laden to stop using the Palestinian cause as an excuse for bis reign of batred. Wben the last century closed, it did so as one of tbe bloodiest in bis- tory. The new millennium was supposed to change that but tbis Christmas, a lastmng peace seems as unlikely and precarious as ever. Peace on Earth, goodwill toward men? We're still bopmng. + OUR READERS WRITE Establishing looser Iaws for marijiuana possession won 't bene fit Canada: reader (The foiiowing letter was addressed to Haiton MP Julian Reed and a copy wasfiled with The Champion.) Dear Editor: This letter is directed 80 Halton MP Julian Reed. As one of your constituents 1 want to request that you fully inform yoursetf on tbe pros and consB of decrimmnatizing marijuana hefore voting. I've chatted witb a lot of police ini the region, as wetl as those working in rehabiitation centres and deten- tion centres for youth in this area. t've yet to meet anyone directly involved witb our teenagers wbo says anytbing other than that mari- juana is a gateway drug. 1 recently met one 16-year-otd youtb who spend time in a rebabili- tation centre. He bas spleen dam- age, liver damage and damage to botb retinas because of substance abuse. There are a number of US. reports that document the damage done to our seens and the body. De- criminalizing the drug will surely increase its availabitity 80 our youtb and compromise the work done by our rehabilitation and detention centres. Witl it be legalized after that and then taxed? Is this supposed 80 beneit Canadians? Please find out the facta before contributing to worsening the situa- tion for our youtb and tbose pre- cious Canadians who are working 50 bard 80 keep our youth drug free. Or. Chrastopher Eriksson, CEO The Art of Healthy Living mnc. E-mail your letters to the edîtor to miltoneDhlosa .cm In a split second, a drunk driver could end your life Imagine bow awfut it woutd be to tose your ife or that of a loved one 80 a drunk driver. tt's bard 80 imagine it bappening, but it bas hap- pened 80 tbousands of Canadians. And despite the good efforts 80 remove drunk drivers from our roads, tbe tbreat is atways out tbere. That reatity bit me recently on the way home from my office Cbristmnas party in Oakvitte - a gatbering wbere our publisbers bad ensured tbe 'don't drink and drive" message was beard loud and clear. le's too bad that message didn't get out to att of Oakville that nigbt. t was travelling northbound on Trafalgar Ruad sbortly after 11 p.m. when I noticed a wbite van pull out of a driveway in tbe southbound lanes. The problemn was, tbe van went north. It was travelling northbound in the soutbbound lanes- driving on tbe wrong side of the road. And a centre median separated the northbound and southbound lanes so tbere was no quick way out. "Oh no," 1 said t0 mysetf. "Mis guy's going to plow straigbt into somnebody." t saw tbe ami of a passenger in the front seat of the van pointing abead, maybe trying 80 direct the driver out of tbe situation. t was bard 80 say wbat was gomng on in the vebicle. The van continued nortbbound in tbe south- bound lanes for about baif a mile. There was nowbere t0 tum off and he didn't try 80 turn around. Luckily, the soutbbound lanes were basically bare except for one vebicle, wicb luckily passed .the van without incident. He was driving adjacent 80 me. I didn't go ahead of bins so I knew wbere lie was at al times. For my own safety, I wasn't letting hlm out of my sight. Prom the editor's desk We approached an intersection. Stili Uiere were no other vebicles nearby. t hoped be would take Uic opportunity to get into Uic northbound lanes, and lie did. t let boin in front of me and t fett relieved Uiat no one bad been hurt. Then 1 started to tbink about getting bis licence plate number and calling Uic police, although It bad no cel phone with me. Suddenly, the van made a quick rigbt tum from the lefit ane - across two lanes - and went down a side street out of me sight. I continued on my way home wondering if someone would end up being thc victim of that driver that night. 1 can't say for sure that thc driver was drnk, but in ail likelihood be was intoxicated, cither from alcobol or drugs. 'flen Uic next night I was stopped in a RI.DE. spot cbeck on Steeles Avenue between Ontario and Martin streets. A had a new appreciation for the RJ.D.E. pro- gram because of my experience on Trafalgar Road Uicenight befure. tt got me to tbinkieag that in split second, your tife could be over because of a drnmk driver. And Uic chances are even greater at Uis ime of year. Please be careful out Uiere.