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6- The Canadian Champion, Frlday, January 3, 2003 SCOMMENT THE CArNk L«C'II"PIoN Box 248, 191 Main St. E.. Milton, Ont. L9T 4N9 (905) 878-2341 Edîtorial Fax: 905-8784943 Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified: 905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 Ian Oliver Pubisher Neil Oliver Associate Publisher Jili Davis Edtor-in-Chief Karen Smith Editor Wendy McNab Ads'ertising Manager Steve Crozier Circulation Manager Teri Casas Office Manager Tim Coles Production Manager The UCnadian Champion, puilisheil every Tuenday and FFnday at 191 Main St. E., Milton, Ont., L9T 4N9 (Box 248), is onle of The Mefroanil Printing. Puilisiing & Dnnnîibuting td, grnup of nubuninan companies wiicle incndes. Aa/Pickcring News Aivertiser. Allitnn Herakl/Courier, Bannie Advance, Barrys Bay fiis Weele, Bolten Enferprise, Bramptnn uardian. Burlingtnn Pnst, Buringfnn Shopping Newsn Ciy Panent, City etfVYile Soardian, Collingwood/Wanaga Coniection, tast VYnrn Mirron, Ein Ailnncae/Countny Routes, Efoiicolie Guandian, Flamboneagli Pns, Frever Young, Georgeoan lndependent/Acton Free Press, Haton Buineslimes. Iluronia Business 'rimes, KingstnnThiis Week, Lindsay fTis Weeli, Manlham Economist & Sun, Midand/Peneanguisinene Mir.r Mifon Shonpping Sean, Misînnauga Business Timen, Misssauga Nean, Sapanee Guide. Sassagaaeya News. Seamanlief/Annra tra-Banner, SNrtnumbertand Newn, North orki Mirrnr. Oakolle Beaner. Oafeille ShoppigNean. Olitimers Hockey News, Oilia fnday, OsiawalWiny/ClarngtnnPort Perny Ths Week, Peterbnonoughn Tiis Weeli. Pîcton Contny Soide. Richnmond HiIl/fhominlauginan Liberai, Scaninongi Mînron, Stouffille/teinridge Tribune. Anfonnising is accepted on the condition niat, nnfine enent of a typo- grapsical eror, fial portion of fie advertising space nccupied y fine ero- nenas iem, togefiner ait h a reasonable alînwanece fon signature, aill ot inn miargeil fon. but fineialance of fine adnenfsemenf ail e paid fon affine appli-i cable rafte. Tine pebilsher resemves fine igit f0 categerize adnerfîsemenfs on dncline. Th ien eeCaeadae Cinannpenes a Recnn rriil odect Would you eaul 2002 another typical year? If the terronist assault on the United States made 2001 a year of infamy, could it be said 2002 will be recalled as the year things retumned to 'normal'? Suicide attacks in the Middle East (and elsewhere) continued to be common occurrences as innocent victims' blood was spilled ailins the naine of a holy war. The enviromnent once again came under attack from man as horren- dous forest ires gobbled up thousands of hectares and seas were black- ened by leaking oil tankers. At home, our prime minister announced hie would be stepping down in February 2004, much to the delight of many Canadians, especially Paul Martin. There were moments of great sadness (the friendly tire deaths of four brave Canadian soldiers) and joy (our men and women's hockey teams' triumphs at the Wmîter Olympics). Provincially, we said goodbye to Mike Harris and hello to Emie Eves and were able to tell the difference. In Halton, we were bugged by the West Nule Virus, saw the popular- ity of marijuana grow houses rise dramatically and were treated to a visit by the Queen. Ail in all, just another typical year? OUR READERS WRITE Reader says E.C. Drury development builder has destroyed a beautiful part of community Dear Editor: TIhis letter is ina reoponse f0 Gary and Marg Cbristie's December 26 letter naying thanks f0 the E.C. Drury development builder. One day a builder had a dream- f0 mrate some cash by building and paving over a beautiful part of nature in thte heart of Milton. It was a place where cbildren would fiy their kites, people would take walks and soccer gaenes were played ina front of a backdrop of nafure's colours. One day another man beard about tItis builder's ides about paving over the park and was firious. So he acted with passion and fougbt for the right to have a little bit of greenopace for bis children, bis neighbours and bis town. But ina the end, big money won the day and now Milton is just one step dloser to becoming a iuburb radier tItan a town. 1 was privileged to give money when the Friends for E.C Druay Park camne knocking on my door for a donation. To te builder wbo found money by going under the guise of 'adui living' and pouring bis concrete over our beloved park, 1 say shanse on you. Jon Whtey Beaver Court Letter writer addicted to tobacco, says Alberta man Dear Editor: lt's obvious, too, Usat Usas addiction is being handled Pat Kelly is addicted to fobacco. That's Use only con- by having tobacco legal Usan by making it illegal. clusion Usat can be reacbed affer reading bis letter in Bruce Symlngton Use December 17 CItampion. That's too had. Medicine Hat, Alberta Try not talking about it so much and just doing it Happy New Year, Milton! WitIt the gift-giving, party-going, stuff-your- face season now behind us, it's time to put those New Year's resolutions into action. 'Mat is, assuming you made any earlier this week in the final countdown to 2003. 1 can't say I've got a particularly iorpressîve frack record when if cornes to living up f0 resolu- fions - at least not beyond the first two weekn of January - but ike many of you out fbere I keep rehashing them year after year. 0f course there's nobing logical about making dlaims to start beftering one's self on January 1. It's just another day of die year and doesn't pos- sese any magical motivation - no more tItan any odier date on tbe calendar sbould. Ever wonder Itow New Year's resolutions got started? My fheory is that one of our founding faiher felt ao greaf about surviving bis very first New Year's hangover - punisbment for a fool- ish amount of elbow bending the night before - that he believed himseif capab~le of nof only returning bis regular routine but of underfaking new challenges as well. And like any other tradi- tion, it gradually caugbt on. Okay, maybe that's a bit farfetcbed, but let's face it - most of us instinctively have a renewed sense of purpose on the first of the year which pushein us toward self-improvement. And witb no hangover f0 recover from thts year, (as Iteavy drinking days are well bebind me now), I've already gotten starfed on my 2003 To Do List. Just don't expect me f0 divulge te details of if liere - or to aryone for that matter. You see, my thinking is tbat thse mosf effective way to sabotage a goal is to let a lot of people in on if. I know many of you likely believe the exact opposite, that if others know about your plans Up front you've got no easy back-out. But in my opinion, this just crates too much pressure and more often fban not results in failure. Ira fact tse only timne tbat 1 recall genuinely inoproving myself outside Use confmes of work is when bardly anyone knew about my efforts. Like my younger brother bas said on more tItan one occasion - 'Don't talk about if so much, juat do it. Wbetber or flot he's accomplisbed more than yours truly is open for dehate, but he's certainly done a lot more interesting tbings s0 far- including skydiving. And why? Because he didn't make a big build up of it. He junt went ouf and did it. 1 myself won't be leaping ouf of a plane any- tinte soon - unlesn a local pilot slips a large amount of booze into my momning coffee and decidein fo have some flan - but 1 detinitely have some thingn 1 want to accomplish witlsn the next 363 days - tomne big and some small. And as usual, I guess I needed a new calendar year to gef me started. I'm sure many of you bave New Year's resolu- fions as well, wbherw it be to stop smoking, lose weigbt or whatever. So good luck Milton - just do it!