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A6 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 20, 2007 Places to 'Groan' While Haltons elected officiais recently pumped up the volume on their protest of the provincial Places To Grow plan, Premier Dalton McGuinty and his govern- ment appeared to be turning a deaf ear. The premier was conve- niently pre-occupied by an announcement of his own when the political contin- gent that calîs itself 'Durable Hahton' came calling. Unfortunately few media ou tlets normally assigned to cver Queen's Park were in attendance for the Toronto press conference hosted by Regional chair Gary Carr and mayors Gord Krantz (Milton), Cam Jackson (Burlington), Rob Burton (Oakville) and Rick Bonnette (Halton H-ilîs). Despite the hollow recep- tion, Carr and the mayoral quartet have pledged to con- tinue to challenge the Province to explain how municipalities are to fund the population increases outlined in the plan. While growth is inevitahle, Haltons elected officiaIs raise a valid point when they suggest the region can't be expected to cope with a 68 per cent pop- ulation increase in the next 24 years, while simultane- ously sending tens of mnil- lions of dollars to Toronto each year to help fund its social serviccs. With Carr cncouraging voters to make Places To Grow a provincial election issue, it may only he a matter of time before the premier will he forced to answer the questions he and his govern- ment have so far managed to duck. Town's growth out of hand DEAR EDITOR: The type of growth Milton nls experi- cncing now is unsustainable and irre- sponsible. The town residents have heen severely mnconvenienced by council's greedy approach to development. Not even the oil boom towns in Alberta can dream of supporting growth like this. Wbhat makes counicil think that Milton cani? Milton's infrastructure can't support this kind of growth. Public transporta- tion, bealth services, education, recre- ational facilities, roads and services are all lagging because of this irresponsible approach by our local government. Now even the Niagara Escarpment ns under threat. It's up to our MPs, MPPs and count- cil members to protect what should be the pride of our region. Our politicians have been very quick to join the 'Green' bandwagon. I say to them, 'Show Me'. Stop this irresponsible developmrenit and potenflal envnronmental disaster. Furthermore, it seems to me - and I have expressed this concern belore - that our local govcrnment is favouring the newly-developed areas over the well-established west end of Milton, a factor referred to as well in lasi week's Toronto Star report. Mayor Gord Krantz's comment in the Star that "You can't survive on sen- timent and emotions" says it aIl. Mayor Krantz, l'm very glad I didn't vote for you. You are out of touch with Miltons proud history and tradition. You have sold your seat to, big box business and developers, and thrown away the heart and soul of our beautiful community. Ihe mayor and council should be asbamed of themselves. I caîl for a moratorium on ail devel- opment, and for protection of our green spaces and farmland in the vicinity of Milton until a proper assessment is done to guarantee that our town can support it and preserve it. MAURICE RIVAS MILTON Sweetheart Basket draw a great idea DEAR EDITOR: As the winner of the Downtown Business Improvement Area's (DBIA) Valentine Sweetheart Basket draw, 1 would like to show my appreciation 10 aIl the downtown businesses that con- tributed 10 the basket. It is an excellent idea to have such a draw because it encourages people to sbop in downtown Milton. It is impor- tant that Milton bas a viable downtown core year-round. I have tried to sbop as much Clown- town as possible. Miltonians should support the businesses tbere, or the downtown core will erode - as bas happened in many other towns. Thank you to Jacquelyn Garrad, the DBIA co-ordinator, for aIl ber work arranging for the basket and for per- sonally delivering the basket 10 me at my home. MARGARET GRAY MAPLEWOOD CRESCENT Turner's comments, on Green Party misleading DEAR EDITOR: I just want 10 clarify somnethnng from a report in the March 13 Champion by Melanie Cummings on a meet- ing bosted by Halton MP Garth Turner. Turner is reported to have said that he did mot become the first Green Party Member of Parliament because its platlorm is focused on just one issue, the environment. He then said that wouldn't satisfy his con- stituerits. Then in the second half of the meeting his con- stituents proceeded to talk only of thse environtment. Gee Garth, il seems you don't have an idea about whaî would satisfy your constituents. Turner had several meetings last faîl to ask bis con-. stituents what he should do in bis future endeavours as a politician, and out of 150 people responding onîy two said go liberal. So who, as Turner listening 10 anyway? He dom not seemt to, be listening toi bis constituents. For him to make a comment that the Green Party platfotrm ia omly about the environment tells me he bas neyer read the platform. His leader bas read it and even stole the Green slogan of economical prosperity social justice and envirommental sustainability Altisougis I do have to agree with Turner: he does mot fit as a Green. As a Green we are for lower taxes on what we want like income and profit and higiser taxes on what we dont want like pollution and waste. We are for imfproving Canada7s democratic process and giving the mndividual more say in Ottawa, first hy changing Our vot- ing system toi proportional representation. We are for supporting the health-care systemn while also funding; more health promotion programs. in fact we have pobicy on aIl topies a govemmurent ia requsred to address. We make these policies with thse consequences of today and the future. Green talk la everywhere - tIhe newspapters, maga- zines and TV Perhaps itfs trme to vote green too. DR. KYLE GRICE C08BSAN ROAD Irbr c~anablan Qlampion Milta, s Community Newspaper Since 1860 555 Industnial Dr., Milton, Ont. L9T 5E1 905-878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 vvww.miltoricanadianchampion.com Publisher Neil Oliver Advertising Director Wendy McNab Managing Editor Karen Miceli Production Manager Mhm Coles Circulation Manager Charlene Hal Office Manager Te-r Casas The Canadian Champion, published every Tuesday and Friday, lisa division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. - Group Publisher Ian Oliver Advetsrng is accepied on1he condition Tiat, ni te event of atypogcaphca errr, that potion ofthe ader- tisng space occupied by the ecsneouc item, together with acreasonable alloeace forsignature, willeot be chaqed fo, hut the halance of che advertisement oiI be pénl for al the applicable rate 1he pubitshe ceseres the ccqht te categscee advertseeca or dece CCAB Audited Ontario Coeccucety pocna secespapece Aessociation (C A Cctadian cosmmecty Sbra eecepapers Th aala hampion lis Haitonvo Heaorar Jigl e Fd CANADA DAY UNITED WAY TV- CTO OF MILTON T UTO MILTON SANTA CLAUS PARADE Avd Thr 0lie M Showcane Milton -tGALA ,4z A,,ards Readers Writequ Send youi letters to itoned@haltonsearch. oem W 09