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A6 - The Canadian Champion, Friday, JuIy 13, 2007 Announcements simply ring false Clear case f pre-election campai gning Maybe we sbould bold a provincial clection cvery year? Tbat way we souldn't bave to watt tour years for tbe gov- ernment of tbe day t0 sbel * out our tax money for projectan we bave been waiting for funding for several years. Latety, tbe major goverument funding announicernents h ave become a little more frequent and sorte a ltîle more suspect. Take tbe most recent announcement tbat tbe Province îs providing Halton Healtbcare Services wtb $12.5 million in funding to plan tbe new Oakville bospital in nortb Oakryille - wbicb will no doubî service a good portion oif local resi- dents lrom town, particularly as our population continues, t(i grow. Also part of Monday's announcement was tbe fact tbat Milton District Hospital will gel a $2.5 million injection for renovations andl service upgrades. Granîed tbis is good news, andl tbe money is wlcoîne, but wben tbe Province beld a press conference back iii Marcb 10 announce a new bospital would be btîîlî on the Dundas Street and Tird Lîne site by 2013, does anyone believe tbey didn't know wbo was guîng to fund tbc planning for tbe bos- pital? lnstead, at a ime wben governments are supposed to bc conscious of tbeîr carbon footprint on tbe planet, ibe Province invites everyone back to tbe same site îbree montbs later for anoîber announcement. Last montb, tbe I iberals beld anoîber major press confer- ence 10 announce tbe stant of construction on a tird main- fine GO Transit Track beîween neigbbouning commttnities Mississauga and Oakvîlle. Trouble was, construction bad already begun in April and tbe plans for tbe track biad beeni announced mnonîban before. Tbe major annotîncement really bad noîbing new to announce. Obviously, tbese announcements are part of a well-orcbes- traîed pre-election campasgn by tbe Lîberals desîgnated to achieve maximum public exposure - A at tbe expense of tbe taxpayers, wbo foot tbe bill for îbîs expensîve pre-elec- tion campaign. ls a practice that bas been followed by nearly every ril- ing party of every level of government since Confedieration. Quite frankly, bowever, its become a tiresome praclice. We deserve better. Readers Write E-mail yor letters to -iltonai@haftnsearch oem. Abbamnania concert the perlect highlight for Milton's Canada Day DEAR EDITOR: I vaould like 1(1 take thîs oppos-tu.nity to tbank bis Worship, Mayor G1ord Krantz, councîllor Cindy Lunau, I 5th Anmiversary Master Committee mem- bers, Town of Milton staff, sponsor Heatbwood Homes, Canada Day Committee members and ail of the vol- unteers in making Canada Day's Abbamania performance a great suc- cess. Tb the staging. sound and produc- tion staff, manager Gary L.îcbacb andl tbe cast of Abbamania, tbank you. Wiîbout the long volunteer bours and planning, tbis major event would- nit bave been possible. Tbe funding for tbîs event was pro- vded by tbe I 5tb Anniversary Master Committee. Tbis is wbat Milton is saying about a ea RAVE on page A7 Our pets certarnly have a way of wiggling Pets require trne, energy and money They and worming their way mîto our hearts, dou't can hrixsg mounds of joy but, as N'e seen they? Furry, smooth, feathered or scated, pets tately in two sad instances, also wreak liavoc can cliarm, cajole and caddie wth the best of on your emnotions. em. Taking home a pet means ptedg- My new husband and 1 recently adopted a ing ta be a responsible pet owner kitten - we named her Chloe - from a for the duration of that anitnalý life. nearby animal shelter, and ît's fair ta say she's For now, responsible pet ownership been the centre of ourt ives for thse past tliree for me means keeping Chlae weeks. indoors, mnicro-chippig lier and if's funny haw a two-paund hall of fur can cammittmng ta spay her.r keep your hands sa entirely fult. Whether But at another stage in lier life, were cliasing lier across the room or rescu- being a goad owner miglit meant - ing aur aduit cat, Oscar, fromn ler constant knowtng when ta let go. desire to wrestle, it seems like a ful-tne job.' Fortunatety, I haven't yet had te make thse Chiot actually started out an Oliver. Yup, difftcult decistoit ta put dowu a pet. But my apparently it's not a given that shelter staff fritnd Melissa had to go tbrougli tliatrecextî- can tell tht males ftrm the females. ly afrhrbeloved poochWilson justwasnnt TakIng an a pet is a huge conminent, tnjoyfig lfe anymort. somtthing 1 realiz e rnid more every day And mort recentinlu owu, a resident 0 nanied George decided ta have lits Germain shepherd, Shadow, euthamized after the dog attacked a woman a few weeks aga. Althougli George initially said lie was gomng ta figlit to keep Sliadow alive, lie later changed lits mind. As mucli as there's a commit- ment ta aur pets' wellbeing, 7 theres also one to the safety of those around us. The decision was one George and lits wife grappled witli, but it -iMi was undaubtedly the right one. If oniy A pet parents were as responsible. Animal awnership isn' some- thang ta take lightly. Tliey need ta be taken care of for better or warse, in sickuess and healili, for riclier or poorer, 'tii deatli do you part. And sometimes difficuit decisions need ta be made. Jusî ask Melissa and George. zbr (!Vaabîau QEampion Milon rrmuniy Nwvpap e 55 80 555 Industnial Dr. Miton, Ont. L9T SEl 905-878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertismng Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 www.niütoncanadiancharnpion.com Publisher Neil Oliver Advertising Director Wendy McNab Managing Editor Karen Micehi Production Manager Tim Colos Circulation Manager Charlene Hall Office Manager Tert Casas The Canadian Champion, published every Tuenday and Fniday, i a division of Metroland Media Group Ltd. - Group Publisher Ian Oliver. 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