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A6 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, December 12, 2006 OPINION That's our money Siting governments must look forward to auditor gen- eral reports the way tbe rest of us anticipate a root canal from a dentisi with a bad case of the shakes. Usually such reports detail how the government and agencies tînder its purview waste taxpayers' hard-earned money. Such was the case last week wben provincial Auditor Generaf Jim McCarters report ont- lined a litany of prohlems witb tbe way Dalton McGuinty's I iberal govern- ment spends tax dollars. Among the lowlighîs: eCbîldrcn's Aid Society (CAS) assessinents for yul- nerable cbtldren weren't donc in time in 73 per ccnt of the cases. One CAS executive received a $2000 gym mem- bersbip and an additional $2,600 for a personal tramner. * Two senior CAS execu- tives were given SUVs worth $53000 and $59,000. 0 One teacher spent $52,000 over two years using a scbool board pur- chasiîîg card. lncluded in that total was $4,000 spent during a summer break on DVDs, eyeglasses and Christmas ligbts. * Three senior school board staff mnembers went t0 L as Vegas for a four-day cuon- ference but stayeci a week and charged $660 for a one- week car rentaI. Noss that the govet iment bias had is baud slapped and sarious cmployees have been "outed" we can bc con- fident that our money will no longer be spent foolishly That is, until we gel the next auditor general's report. We can bardly wait. Readers Write Send your letters to mufltne@haltonsearch.coer or drop them off at 875 Main St. E MP's independence flot helpful DEAR EDITOR: The Champions article reportng on Gartb Turners town hall meeting made no mention of my question to bim concerning bis effectivencss as an independeut MP Despite the fact that Fi-laton was one of the f ew Ontario rd- îngs t1 elcci a (ouservative, and tberefore a member of the governmeut, we bavent seen one mnember of the cabinet vîsît [lton nor hase we seen any fedetaf ftînds flow 11110 the ridl tng Io help) us with ilt asti uc- tutre. But that shottî comne as noi surrise toustdcrtug wlîo oci- niember of plia ttieni is. \\ hN, svocîld aciy gosern- tuenitcistrifîtte ftucis tuto a rîditîthlat s t elrescîtîcd lis'an NiP svho not otily aîtacks ithe liulictes andc dec istotis of thli goverum-eni, but goes even fuîr- ther by launcbîng persîtual attacks againsi the prime min- ister and other meînbers of that government? At the meeting, C olin Besi stated that 1Ilai cmn requtres over $100 miillion tii repair tiur bîgbways, bridges, water and sewage systeins - fundîug that mîust c.(iie frcîîî the uîiîer lev- els cof governînent. liortuuately, as lonîg as limurer is tuiîîeîîilir tof îaî fia- muenit, IlicItes e ss ecati Itrget abouît recels îîg au>' assstaîic c tout (itasa- AS lotrt' Qtilefc rtesolu- tnon, li rigîig fotsvtrcli t estîlcioti as lieclicl, Stellicti Hat pert îtuttîtî res ,c'îtcl a lîî'î-Su'ur.tîîst imitionIttti tut coîitîg liii xiacf, luit lice wws also aille tii get tllie Sejuaiattst Bloîc members tiivcote in favour tif a restlutitîn recognizîng 'a uniîed Canada' - something no previttus PM bas ever been able tii do. l3y fasi îracking the resolu- tiou, the pirime miniter bas avtîîded a relîcat cif a divtsive natioînal debate remîniscent tif' tlîe Mcccli Laike dehate. [bat clebate eveîîttally led tii îîîcreased supjpotnfocr separa- titu ici Qtebecth fe crcatioît tf lie Bloc Qocliecots aîid sepa- ratîsts iîectpintg scats iin Canaclas Pat lîiient. mitre tliiîi2(-0tif (Cantadas efectecl NII's s itecf itifavtut oftifeicris- iii tioti ,csirsîs 15 sivho tipitscd lt. 0(1ytintt'iv ill IcIl sSfiii was i5 tIi RICK MALBOEUF WOODWARD AVENUE Caring Tree an appropriate symbol for nurses DEAR EDITOR: n f sipate o aii t, vciii , n. o a. i i î,tt iii '.dw, il c i iiî ai the fîtspital's atntual trec lightîng eveut. I was applacîding the nurses in the complex care unit as they guided my family througlî the sad evetît of our mom passîng from us. Nurses' decisions impact the lives of their patients and their fani lies. Families come romt afar, based on a nurses advice, private rooms are arranged by nuîrses, comfort practices are prosided 10 patients at cnit- ical times, information to improve understand- lu(l CI L . i t hai 1)mo l Olive, leather, Kit set, Tara, Mary faîte, Melanie, Marilyti, CaI, Sherri, Karen P, Monique, Laurie, Sonia and their charge nurse, Nîcolina. Dr. Kamouna continued to guide us along 100, with a very personal touch. The 'Caring Tree' was lit in honour of past, present and future staff. There is no question that the presetît staff demonstrates caring. SHARON GILBERT MILTON Is car horn beeping really a big deal? DEAR EDITOR: I'm writing this in response b oie November 3 letter tii the editor enti- tled 'Late-night car boni beepung quite annoying'. I don't live on the same street as the person who wrote this letter, but 1 do lîve in Hawthorne Village. I come from the other side of the page on this one. I work nights. Nowadays we ail have ici do what it takes to pay our buis. I gel home at about 7 arn. and have to listen to people locking their car doors aIl day long as they come in and ont of their bouses wbile Inmi nit1 sleep. l'm not trying to make a complaint ont of this. I realize that my work day is uiferetît from nîany, bunt my point is tlîat iii tlis ever-cbanging 24/7 world, ycîu have toi larui to relax a bit. If the biggest tlîiig yîîî have tut ciîtîîlain abtîtit is a beep tîtise at tlîîîgs like îlîat, guess wlîat I would do - the sarne thing at 10:50 p.m., just t0 make sure my door is locked. Please people, relax. Oh, and in regard lii sitting in your driveway la>'- ing on the horn at 6 arn., I dont thmnk a beep and laying on the horn are really comparable. JAMES SMITH MILTON z: C Qanabian QDampion Milos Cmmunty Nevwpaper Since 1860 875 Main St.E., Milton, Ont. L9T 3Z3 905-878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advartisirig Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 wwvw.mittoncanad.ianchampion.com Publisher Neif Oliver Advertising Director Wendy McNab Managing Editor Karen Miceli Production Manager Tîm Cales Circulation Manager Charlene Hall Office Manager Teri Casas The Canadian Champion, pubfiihed eveîy Tuenday and Fniday ai 875 Main St E., Milton, Ont, 191' 3Z3, i a division of Meiroland Media Groîîp West - Group Pubither Ian Oliver Adertlsi,îgi aciepted cirie uondiion liatinîîthe e emtfa ypographial eîîii itaperinfthei ii dieî tisiilgipaie oîîied bi the e,,ilîeiîsitîe, gelheî euth for, but the balancue if lie adverlieîenit ilt bi paid for ai the appliable raie Tie piblier lieeves the it ti ualeoizîe adielsieienii or decline. CCAB Audited i'et'ugnt'zeii for ei hl.iieiy Ontaio Csm(unuty OCfla Newpapeîî Assiation C C A Canaian Cummuiîy Newupapeîî Asuciation Subutaaît eîupapers oftAmera me<'ia '3 tot HaItr eau*c UiNITD WAY 0F MILTON TV AUCTION MILTON SAN TA CLAUS PARADE IMN i eliluii Mt,. A.M., (G I