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A6 -The Canadian Champion, Friday, February 23, 2007 Uniform policy flot so uniform Like it or not, parents of students who attend two H[lton Catholic eiementary schools - Guardian Angels in Milton and St. Gaabriel Schooi in Buriington - wîll soon have ta purchase school unilorms; for their childi-en or face the prospect of having them sent home. In an uncharacteristicaily errarîc move, the Halton Catholir District School Board recentiy voted ta push ahead wlth a mandatory school unifarmu pilai project that, accord- ing to its own veteran chair, contradtcts board poiicy At a meeting eariier this month, Buriington Trustee Bob Van de Vrande engaged in a verbal joust with board Chair Ai Bailey over whether esrablishîng the pilot project was a [un- damentai change of the boards five-year-ald dress code poli- cy and therefore required 75 per cent trustee support. Roughly a month after being selected ta Iead the Catholic board's trustees for the seventh consecurive year, Bailey faund hiniseif at odds with the school uniforni committee assigned the task of developing the pilaf project. Whiie he insisted the test pragrani represented a change in board pal- icy and therefare required 75 per cent approval [rom trustees, arbers araund the board table disagreed. Van de Vi-ande challenged Baiieys authonity on the issue and won out by a slim 5-4 vote - essentially pavlng the way for the two-year pilat praject ta be sent steamrailing alang. It wasnt one of the boards mare unifying moments. Bailey and Van de Vrandes board table dispute aside, this pilot prajeet ta test aut a mandatai-y dress code appeared ta be a fait accompli long ago. in Mai-ch of last year, the board lssued a board-wide sur- vey of achools that sought a minimum 75 per cent parental approval for mandatai-y unifai-ns. 0f il elementary sehools that returned the survey none attained the 75 per cent approval ratlng. When asked why a proposed pilot program for elemen- tai-y achoal unifornis was cantlnuing when no schoals met the minimum 75 per cent parental approval rating, the chair of the pilot praject committee responded: "The trustees asked us ta ci-este a pilot pragram." While ira nat certain what overali impact the pilaf pro- gram will have an Halton familles, what is clear is thar a very vocal minonity graup bas managed ta get the ear of enaugh achool trustees ta keep the issue alive despite less than favourable results fram a parent survey and the board chairs apposition ta the pracess. CAR TODAY#.. Readers Writ.e Send your letters to miltoned@haknsearch oem or drop themn off et 875 Mam St. E. Editorial's concern certainly valid DEAR EDIOR: The Champions Februaiy 9 editori- ai voiced disappointment at Garth Turner joining the Liherals after being kicked out of the Tory caucus and becoming an independent. i share the concern that an eiected federai member wouidn't realize his constant refusai to toe the party line wouid resuit in bis being asked ro ieave the caucus. The caucus is the place a party mouids poicy, and irs expected once a course of action is decided that ail caucus members will support that palicy In watchmng the press conference at which Turner announced hc was joie- ing the Liberai party, if was clear he feit there was hittie input - if any - aliawed in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's caucus. While i don't agree with Turners overt actions that forced his coileagues to kick him out of their i ee TURNER on page A7 l1EJw C~anabiaîî Qjampicin Milons Community Newspaper Since 1860 875 Main St. E., Milton, Ont. L9T 3Z3 905-878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 wwwniütoncanadianchampionl.com Publisher Neil Oliver Advertising Director Wendy McNab Managing Editor Karen Micell Production Manager Tami Colos Circulation Manager Charleno Hai Office Manager Tort Casas he Canadian Champion, published every Tuesday and FRiday at 875 Main St E., Milton, Ont, 19T 3Z3, is a division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. - Group Publisher Ian Oliver. Advetsigi acoeped otecondtionhat inte eenof a tfflraPhra est. frhai porae of the adaerssaq space xcupied fry the erroneets (lem, togetfrer eet a reasoeate allowance for signa- ste ot not be chaeged for, butthe balace ofthe aderltiernent wll 6e pad fo at the gpicable rate. 10 pubOofrner renerven the ight to categonze adoerrlieeents oe declme. CCAB Audited Recognized for excellence by Ontario community O1 cSI Newspapers Association CCACanadian Coecrrnity S Newspapers Association UK é Suburban Newspapers mmof Ameensa E" itoi1sdes]k Ilope one day to For many working people the thouglit of owning their own home la just a fantasy. The coats are simply too high so they resort to renting as their only alternative. Renting isn't a bad thIng; if that's your pref- erence - therea definitely a big mai-ket for rentai unîts as houaing. But if you would really radier have a house to eau your owss but your situation in lfe wort shlow it, you're stuck right? Wrong. l've seen firstband over the iast few years that that isn't necessariiy the case. Since 2004, 1 have served on the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity Haiton. Itfs an aanazing orgaruzation that operates to fuifil one goal - to build affordable hous- ing. le's not a give-away organization. It builda, renovates and sella homes to low- uscome families on a nQ-profit, no-intereat basis. lit provides interest-free mortgages to be covering Haitas Milton build familles that would otherwise flot be able to, aflord their own homes. Eligibie famulies must have a steady mecome, positive work his- tory and contribute 500 hours to help buîld their home. 1 will be ieaving Habitat as my ai three-year term. on the board las over this month, but 1 will always have a special admiration foi- the organization and the people who î1 make it happen. i have neyer seen a moi-e dedi- cated bunch of people, especially past board chair Suaan Goetz and carrent chai-ian Tei-ry Quinn. But ail my boai-d colleagues ai-e so talent- ed. They ait through long meetings going over often comphcated reporta and must miake well thought out decisions for Habitat. 1 have been particulariy impressed with oui- executive directai-, Kathrin Delutis. i don't know how she keeps up aefficiently as she does - Rit ail the taaks required of ber. And then therea the other S staff and volunteers. Wow! S This Tuesday, Habitat for Humanity Halton wll hold its annuai generai meeting at S Burlington Central Libra-y on ~J~~New Street at 7p.m. lnterested citizens are invited ro attend to leai-n more about Habitat and its upcoming pi-ojects. While a Milton build isn't immilnent, l'm sure we'll sete Habitat in town eventually 1 hope when Habitat does arrive, it's wel- comed with open ainua. Judgîng by what 1 know about Milton, 1 suspect it will be. Tuie Cafiadian Champion is a proud media sponsor for: Haltot Healthuare w W M %S el Fn UNITEDWA Y i O OF MILTON TV AIJCTION YYMÇA SATHLNA li l'o Showcase Mcilton GAIA ~Az Aards MILTON SANTA CLAUS PARADE