Mercedes-Benz Q.E.W. & Dorval Dr. M eet O akville's master m odel ship builder A r tsc e n e OPEN HOUSE OCT. 25 www.chisholmcentre.com C h is h o lm (905) 844-3240 www.oakvillebeaver.com N O R T H l i A Metroland Publication Vol. 40 No. 126 c A 'S M O S T A W A R D E D C O M N W S P A P E R WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2003 5 6 Pages $1.00 (plus G ST) `USING COMMUNICATION TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES" Mayor presses for OMB changes Appealsfor removal of "90-day-gun-to-the-head By Kim Arnott SPECIAL T O THE BEAVER O akville M ayor A nn M ulvale is pressing the new provincial L iberal g overnm ent to m ake im m ediate changes to the O ntario M unicipal Board (0M B ). M u lv ale has w ritten D alton M cGuinty, soon to be sw orn in as O ntario's new Premier, asking him to imm ediately suspend the 0 M B 's 90day provision. The provision allow s developers to request an OM B hearing on any appli cation 90 days after it has been filed with a municipality. M ulvale, who describes the provi sion as a "90-day gun to your head," says im m ediate suspension o f the clause would allow the incom ing Liberals an opportunity to m ake prom ised reform s to the OM B. She also hopes it w ould avoid m ov ing som e developm ent proposals into the O M B forum that m ight not end up (See Mayor' page A3) Paul Milne · Special to the Oakville Beaver O akville fire fig h ters co n ten d w ith th e heavy sm o k e fro m th e house fire on F ela n A venue S a tu rd a y A venue w h ich claim ed th e life o f a 13-year-old d isa b le d girl. EAs back in classrooms By Tim Whitnell SPECIAL T O TH E BEAVER Special needs students and their per sonal instructors returned to H alton's public schools on M onday. Nearly 600 perm anent, contracted, casual and supply educational assis tants, all m em bers o f the H alton District E du catio nal A ssistants (EA s) A ssociation, voted to end a 13-day strike against the Halton District School Board at a contract ratification meeting on Sunday. The board and the union m et with a pair o f provincially-appointed m edia tors all day last Friday w ith an agree(See `Deal' page A7) House fire claims life of disabled teen C a u s e o f b l a z e u n d e r i n v e s t i g a t i o n By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Felan Avenue and St. James School communities are mourning one of their own this week, someone they barely got to know before Saturday's house fire claimed her life. M artinique. Som e, how ever, said they Thirteen year old M artinique Parisee died in hospital less than a hour after often saw the teenage girl sitting in her she w as found by firefighters w ho w heelchair at the end o f her drivew ay as searched the sm oke-choked hom e for she w aited to be picked up by a special the disabled girl. van. "The staff and students are coping In M artinique's G rade 8 classroom , w ith the loss as best we her unattended desk has can," said St. Jam es prin b eco m e a m em orial " One meeting with cip al Jo h n S usi, w ho w here students have Marti and you saw her explained that a special p laced p ray ers and p ray er service for kindness and her sense p oem s, som e o f w hich M artinique w as held at w ere read aloud during of humour. They the school on M onday. M o n d a y 's aftern o o n formed immediate "She's m issed." prayer service. Som e per friendships." T he Felan A venue sonal effects o f "M arti," · St. James school neighbourhood near the as she was affectionately house w here M artinique, Principal John Susi called, are also on display. her tw o sisters and m other "It show s that she is had lived for only a few weeks is also still rem em bered an d m issed," said reeling from the loss. Flow ers, for Susi, adding that the school is looking exam ple, have been left on the front into a "m ore lasting m em orial." lawn. M artinique's im pact on the staff and "It's unfortunate and tragic for the students is all the m ore striking consid family," said neighbour Susan Cowan. ering she had attended St. Jam es for "W e'll be praying for her family." only a w eek before she died. S atu rd ay 's fire w as the second "Everyone form ed a real bond with tragedy to strike M artinique, w ho was her," said Susi, explaining th at her about six years old when she w as hit by G rade 8 class really put out the w el a car and left both physically and m en com e m at w hen she arrived. "O ne m eet tally disabled. ing w ith M arti and you saw h er kind A fter separating from her husband, ness and h er sense o f humour. They her m other m oved the family to Felan form ed im m ediate friendships." A venue during the past m onth and D uring the prayer service held at the m any neighbours had yet to m eet (See `School' page A3) '03 Grand Caravan '03 Caravan PURCHASE FINANCING for up to # Editorials........ ........ A6 Focus ............. ......... B1 Artscene.......... ......... Cl Classifieds....... ......... C4 Update............ ......... C6 Business.......... ......... C8 Sports............. ......... 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