The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

6 - The Caniadian Champion, Fnday, February 13, 2004 *comment #The Canadian Champion Box 248, 191 Main St. E., The Canaien Chrampion,. published euery Tuesday and Friday at 191 Milton, Ont. L9Tr 4N9 Main St. E,. Milton, Ont., L9T 4N9 (Box 248), is one of The Metroland Printing, Publishing & istributing Ltd. group of suburban compaties which S341 includes: Ajax/Pickering News Aduertiser Altiston Herald/Counier Barrie (905)87 -2 4 Advance, Botten Enterprise, Brampton Guandian, Burlngton Post, Boniîngton Shopping News, City Parent, City of York Guardian, Collhngwood/Wasaga Coninection, East York Murer, Einn Aduocate/Country Routes, Etobicoke Editonial Fax. 905-878-4943 Guardian. Flambooough Bruiew, Fonever Youngq Georgetown IndependentlActon Frer Press, Halton Business Times Hutonia Business Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 TmesLindsay Titis Wrek, Mattntam Economist & Sun. Midlund/Prnetang- Clasifîd: 05-75-300 uîshene Mîrror, Meiton Shopping News, Mississauga Business Times, Classiied: 95-875-33 tuississauga News, Napanne Guide, Nassugawnya News, NewmadnetlAurora Circulation: 905-878-5947 Etu Banner, Northumberland News, North York Mitrion Sukille Beduer, Sakuille Shopping Noms, Oidtîmers Hockey News, -Orilliu Toduy. Ian Oliver Publisher Osnuwu/ihitby/Clarington/PoOt Penny This Wetk, Peterborough TOrs Wnek. Pmuon County Guide, Richmond HiI/Ohninhilldvaughan Liberai, Scarborough Neil Oliver Asorme rate Piîteliihlt Mîtror. Stouftulln/Uxbrîdge Tribune Jill avisEdito -inChie Advertistgg s uccnpted on tht conditin tut, in ton esent ot a typo- Jil DaisFdiunrrî (Irif grannical onror lhut portinn ot tht udunntîsng spuco occupied by tht tro. Karen Smaith Mtliua yintg Edtir inous item, together miti a reusonabin ullowance toi signature, nul ot e cnutged tnt. but tht balancentf tht adnemîisenent mîil On pud toi ut the uppli- Wlendy McNab AudIrtisiig Dir, etonr ccable rate Tht publîsher resorues tht righltO calngorite advenOîsemeits ot Tim Coltes Peruheetinrne Managte, declint, Cliarlene Hall De ciitorbnîî Managuaer Teri Casas O/ftiee Meaniager Tire Milt Caeadiae Champon ira Reopotabit Praduct Big round of apljplause We applaud the Ontario Liberal govem- ment's plan to take a strong am approach agant so-called 'deadbeat' parents. Under Comrnunity and Social Services Minister Sandra Pupatello, the Province plana 10 make the Family Responsibility Office (FR0) live up to ils naine. Arnong the stepn the govemment plans to take 10 improve the systern are: - A new $40-million computer sysîemn for rnanagmng cases; - Speciat teamns devoted 10 locatmng par- ents who are in arrears with their child sup- port payrnents t0 make sure they live up 10, their responsibilities; - Separate phone lines sol that urgent caîts from parents involved in child support arrangements aren't delayed by general inquiries tc0 the FR0; * Giving parents who are owed child sup- port private and secure access 10 records through the Intemet. The provincial govemment also hopcs 10 strike up partnerships with credit card comn- panies in order 10 access inform-ation that might help trace the whercabouts of dead- beat parents. On Ibis last point we expect some will be inclined 10 argue ira favour of the deadbcat parents right t0 privacy. We would couinter that such rights should be automnatically forfeited until these par- ents begin to live up tel their responsibility for the children. Far too, often in these cases the attention is focused on the parent who han willfully reneged on the tinancial commitment set out by the family court. The children in these cases become inno- cent pawns, caught between warrng par- ents and a govemment that has failed te, maintain a workable systern where parental responsibility is recognized, policed and upheld. The number of vicîirns in these cases is staggering. Thousands of Ontario wornen and chil- dren are forced te, turn 10 welfare as a result of the estimaîrd $1.2 billion in delinquent payments that have bcen perrnitted 10 arnasa under Ontario's inefficient collec- tions systemt. Pupatello admits ber goverorent's pro- posed changes won't corne ovcrnight. 5h11., lasi week's announcements Suggest a glimmer of hope that Ibese children who have donc noîhing wrong will stant 10 sec the money needcd 10 cloîhe thern, fccd theru and, hopefulty, give tbcrn a better quality of Ilife. *Our Readers Write First day of rural gaùorbage pick-up a reafli mess, says woman who doesn 't want it Dinar Editor: We've flow had our firaI day of garbage pick-up in rural Milton. Our household would prefer not 10, bave il for two main reasons. It will cost us more than double what we were previously paying, and more importantly because of bags waiting toi be picked up. One bag was open with garbage al] over the ditch. 1 assume that an animal had been rummaging through the bag. What a mess. Wc rccognizc that some people and somte don't. If the garbage that I saw last Friday is an indication of whaî will happen in Halton, then garbage pick-up mont worth it. By the way, il was still therc on Sunday. want garbagc pick-up, partty We nced to bave a better sysîemt because they previously chose 10 10i ensure the safety of everyone. the potential problems that will pay a contractor toi take their trash Pant of the problemt is nome people likely arise. 10 Halton's wasîe management choose 10 pay and some arc bcing One of them iv the garbagc bags facility. Wc chose 10 take il our- forced te, pay. ts that democratic? that are broken by animaIs or snow- plows while we wait for garbage pick-up. This poses both health and safcty concernis for aIl. Whitc driving borne lte last selves, and pay far, far lens. The Rcgion and town councit nced t0 recognize that the dccision for rural garbage pick-up shouldo't have been ruade vo quickly - 01 Fniday morning I noticcd one of the without rcaîty talking with resi- homes in our ares had two garbage dents. Sonne people want pick-up Now I can choose 10 take my garbage 10 the road or 10 the waste management site. Eithcr way il will cost more than double what I was paying before. 1 have no choîce. Denise Vogel RR#1 We looked ait everything including the kitchen sink I've been asked 10 judge many contesîs in my capacity as a reporter and editor over the years. tt's. one of the fun pants of tic job. t've chosen what I thought were thse tastiest pies and chili and the best parade floats, and I've picked tic prettient gardent. And Sooin Ill be a judge in Literacy North Halton's speîling bee. t've always taken thc contests neriously, but they were light-hearted in nature with modest prizes. Most recently, though, I had my mont challeng- ing content yet. tt was Home Hardware's Ugly Kitchen Content with a whopping $10,000 prize on the line. Myscîf and two oUier judges - Fem Evans, kitchen and baUi design consultant wiUi Home Hardware, and Cathy PotIer, owner/operator of Milton Windows, Walln and Beds - had the job of narrowing 125 entrien down 10 the five kitchens mont in need of a makeover. Il wann't an easy tank. We had 10 carefully perune Uic photographs sent in wiUi each cntry, scrutinizing Uic kitchenn' dejected staten. Sonne entrants really got ct-estive by leaving cuphoards open 10 nhow Uic dinorganization innide and others lefI dirty dishes on Uic couinter toi add 10 the effeet. Meanwhile, nome kitchens were nparkling dlean, but obviously worn and in necd of a facelift. The difficulty came in narrowing down Uie entrien to 20, and then 10 five for Uic final draw of the lucky winner by Mayor Gord Krantz Wednenday niglat. 1 dido't haveý Uic expertise in home decor like Fern. and Cathy but t thought I had enough good sense and tante 10 know an ugly kitchen when t Prom the editor's desk saw one. And togeUicr wc carefully analyzed aIl Uic entrien, connidering the age and condition of each kitchen. We looked aI how old Uic cuphoards were and what thcy werc made of. Wc exaniined the floor- ing. We checked ouI the countertops and nink. We read Uic entrats'commenta Uiat accomparlied Uic photographs, some of which wcrc humorous as Uiey describcd dcftcicncies we rnight not be able te, detect in the photos.. Some people even resorted 10 begging for a new kitchen. tIn soute cases, t noticed major différences in Uic state of Uic entries. t mean, none of Uic kitchens were overly attractive, but many were far frorn what I would consider ugîy and some were even lcind of cule. ItheUi end, we were confident we chose Uic Oive entrants mont deserving of atl Uie makings for a complete makeover - cuphoards, flooring, countertops, window coverings, ninlc, faucet and paint. It was a fun experience. Tlhanks, Home Hardware, for asldng me lo be a judge and Uiankn, content entrants, for inviting me into your kitchcnn, ugly or not.