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A6 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday May 30, 2001 T h e Oa k v il l e B e a v e r Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Associate Publisher Norman Alexander Editor Kelly Montague, Advertising Director Steve Crazier emulation Director feri Casas OfficeManager Mark Dills Production Manager Riziero Vfertolli DirectorofPhotography Metroland Printing, Pubishing & Distributing Ltd., includes: Ajax/Pickering New s Advertiser. Alliston Herald/Courier, Arthur Enterprise News, Barrie Advance. Barry's Bay This W eekf Bolton Enterprise. Brampton Guardian. B urling to n P o s t. B urling to n S h o p p in g N ew s, C ity Parent. Cottngwood/Wasaga Connection. East Mark Mirror. Erin Advocata'Country R o u tes. E to b ico k e G u a rd ian . Flam b o ro ug h P o st. Geo rgeto w n Independent/Acton Free Press. Hamston Review, Hurcnia Business Times. Kingston This Week, Lindsay This Week. Markham Ecnom ist & Sun, Midland/Penetanguishine Mirror. M ilton Canadian Cham pion. Milton Shopping News. Mississauga Business Times, Mississauga News. Napenee Guide, Newmarket/Aurora Era-Banner. Northumberland News, North >brk Mirror. Oakville Beaver. Oakville Shopping News. Oldtimers Hockey News. OrilSa Today, OshawaM/Ntty/Clarington Port Perry This Week, Owen Sound Tribune. Palmerston Observer. Peterborough This Week, Picton County Guide. Richm ond Hill/Thornhill/Vaughan Liberal. Scarborough Mirror, StouffviertJxbridge Tribune. Forever Ntxjng, City of >trk Guardten cca O THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: T Y ymca Q a § ||| K X (/ BUSINESSKTHE ARTS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Preptrmg for Tom orrow* Health Cart j ^ .1 F t # ^ _ (xakvtlle ^ boards FO RBUSINESS E X C EL LEN C E Jinge Bell Fund JT kkw J/lward tv auction u 0 " ? e y 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax; 3376567 Classified Advertising: 845-2809 Circulation: 845-9742 THE * R O NW 'S U T T E R F L Y (7 A A W fin d ftrbkUH* I oakville galleries I T h e O a k v ille . M ilto n a n d D is tr ic t OPINION I O aC m * C h ild r e n 's C h o ir REAL ESTATE BOARD Editorials Too many & too few The next time you're caught in cottage country traffic or GTA gridlock, con sider this: the number of people living in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Saskatchewan is expected to decline steadily over the next 25 years. A report by Statistics Canada also points to coming problems for those provinces facing population declines, especially in the Atlantic provinces. In these areas, Stats Over the next 25 years, the Can believes the num ber of people under 15 populations of Atlantic years-of-age and those over 65, will amount to more than 60 per cent of the population. That Canada and Saskatchewan means huge infrastructure costs to deal with this will be in real decline. The . 2026 dependent population. same cannot be said for The east coast region o f the country has Toronto or Ontario. always had its problems in even maintaining population, let alone seeing it grow. O f particu lar note is New Brunswick where huge numbers of young people seek their for tune in Toronto, the birthrate is in decline and immigration is next-to non-existent. They're going to be caught in a Catch-22 situation. With a declining popula tion, the amount of money coming from Ottawa will also fall. And this at a time when more money will be needed to care for the young and aging population. Such news is nothing new to Saskatchewan, however, which has had to deal with static and falling population numbers for years. It has had the added stress of huge agricultural problems with farming failures forcing family breadwinners to leave in search of employment in other areas. For these people, Saskatchewan is not the land of opportunity that was painted for earlier generations of immi grants looking to start a new life in a new land. And no, you need not ask where all the people are going. They're heading to urban areas, particularly Toronto and Vancouver, and away from small towns and farms. So if you don't like the crowds and traffic now....just wait a few years. I DESERVE TO foRTHlsaoa XWoRK HARP ALL PAYI WORK LATE.., AND I even w ork webcends/ Ifo Gm G IN THERE AND DEM ANDING A 20%RAKE/ a t Letters to the Editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes your comments. All letters must be typed, signed and include the writer's address and phone number. Send to: Letters to the Editor, The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, Ont. L6K 3S4 Private school tax credit not unexpected Re: The tax break fo r private schools. It is d if f i c u l t fo r m e to understand the reasons why this causes a problem for some peo p le . S in c e 1 9 6 8 , th e p u b lic schools have been run, first by the teachers, then the T eachers' Union so, in effect, the U nion runs the schools. I am grateful to M ike Harris for endeavouring to change the sta tu s q u o by b rin g in g m ore accountability into the system , b u t th e r e s is ta n c e fro m th e U nion and its m em bers m akes this a lesson in futility. I h av e frie n d s w h o se c h il d re n a tte n d th e M o n te s s o r i School and w hen these young c h ild re n d e m o n s tra te d to m e how they could read and write at such a young age, I was very im pressed. It is a fact that some people may not have to endure hardship in order to send their children to private schools, but many others sacrifice the m ate rial things in order to do so. Letter of the Week Let's hope these aren't good old days The Official Plan Amendment (OPA) for Oakville is out. And I read it. It states that 55,000 residents can be located in the lands between Dundas and Hwy. 407. It projects that the population of Oakville will be 215,000 by the year 2016. An increase of 50 per cent compared with today. It also states in the Plan Concept that the Plan is intended to "enhance the quality and vitality of Oakville, while minimizing traffic congestion, while minimizing pollution and with due regard to the quality of life in established neighbourhoods". I looked to see how this miracle was going to be achieved, but alas did not find it. I am afraid, that unless more concrete actions are going to be taken to protect our quality of life, those of us who may be lucky (or unlucky) enough to still live in Oakville in 2016 will think back to the year 2001 with its traffic nightmares and poor air quality as representing "the good old days". If you are as concerned as I am, then please contact your councillors and come to the Town Council meeting on June 25 (7:30 p.m. at Town Hall) to speak up. Hank Rodenburg School vandalism has impact on students We are writing this letter to express our feelings about vandalism. We have just had an experience with vandalism. Over a recent weekend, some people spray-painted our school walls and windows. W hen we arrived at school on the follow ing Monday, we had many different feelings. Some us felt embarrassed about the way that our school looked, covered with drawings and designs that we didn't understand. Some of us felt angry that someone would vandalize a building that means so much to us, a build ing that we have come to for many years. Some of us even felt scared. How would you feel if someone dam aged something that means a lot to you? Vandalism is a waste of time and money. It is disre spectful and irresponsible. There are much better ways to share your opinion and spread your message. Please keep your an to yourself, or at least display it in a more appropriate way. Incidentally, everything else is characterized as `choice,' so why not education? C a n a d ia n s o c ie ty to d a y is predicated on m ulticulturalism . L et's all keep our own culture! Yet, on the other hand, the pub lic schools (according to those w ho are a g a in s t an y ty p e o f funding for private schools) are th e r e to in te g r a te a ll an d sundry. The consequence o f this p h ilo so p h y is an a tm o sp h e re that is anem ic and rudderless. H is to ry is o f a r e v is io n is t nature and the only significant symbol is the M aple Leaf: that is neutral; everything is neutral. No wonder the kids get fed-up. F u rth e rm o re, the tax re lie f d ire cted to p aren ts w ith c h il dren in the private schools is a drop in the bucket considering how m uch m o n ey is a lre a d y poured into the public schools, m o st o f it g o in g to p a y th e teachers' salaries. In c lo sin g , I w o u ld lik e to add th at alth o u g h I could not afford to send my ch ild re n to p riv ate sch o o l, I c e rta in ly do n o t s u f f e r f r o m t he m a l a d y called sour grapes. Halton Board Chair wants hearings on tax credits The following is an open letter to the Honourable Mike Harris, Premier o f Ontario, expressing the Halton District School Board' s strong opposition to the tax credit legislation proposing credits fo r parents who enrol their students in pri vate schools. Dear Mr. Premier: The following resolution was passed unanimously by the Halton District School Board on May 16.2001: "Be it resolved that the Halton District School Board write a letter to Premier Harris decrying the latest government edu cational initiative which severely undermines public educa tion - tax rebates for parents of students enrolled in private schools." Further, on May 23, 2001 the following resolution was passed: "Be it resolved that the Halton District School Board call on the Mike Harris government to hold full public hearings on the legislation to implement their tax credit/voucher scheme for private schools, in order to provide an opportunity for the public to present their views on this unexpected and profound change in public policy." For the past several years, public school boards and the residents of Ontario have been subjected to government action and rhetoric which we feel are designed to discredit and devalue public education in Ontario. We believe the tax credit proposed for parents who remove students from the public system is a huge step toward the privatization of public education and the erosion of a strong, proven education sys tem. In the Halton District School Board Strategic Plan, our Mission Statement and Guiding Principles are prefaced with the following comment: "Public education has been one of the major cornerstones of a prosperous and democratic Canada. Its essential and critical role must continue through commitment to our Mission and Guiding Principles". In approving our Strategic Plan, it is clear that our Board strongly supports the excellent public education system which has served Ontario so well for more than one hundred yeare. The provision of tax credits for parents who send their children to private schools is diametrically opposed to our strong and valued beliefs. The following comments specifically address our con cerns about the implementation of the tax credit legislation: -The $300 million estimated to finance the tax credit for next year would be better spent to strengthen our already under-funded public education system. Should the enrolment in private schools double due to your inviting proposal, $600 million would not be available to public boards of education. - The tax credit will create a two-tier education system, further segregating students based on religion, ethnic back ground and wealth. Students with behavioural difficulties, academic problems and physical challenges will not meet the criteria for admission to private schools. - The tax credit creates an obvious Ontario government double standard plan. Private schools will not be held to the same standards as public schools, namely: - Implementation of the new rigorous curriculum - Safe schools requirements including criminal checks - Provincial report cards and EQAO standardized testing - Teacher certification from the Ontario College of Teachers - Teacher testing - Creation of school councils to enable active parent par ticipation - The use of textbooks approved by the Ministry - The legislative requirement to not incur a deficit. (S e e `P u b lic ' p a g e A7) Grade 5 Classes a t St. M atthew School B e tty A . H a n s fo rd Tory MPPs should look to U.S. senator for political leadership T he c o u ra g e o u s d e c is io n by V erm ont Senator Jim Jeffords to leave his party and sit as an independent underscores the difference once person can make. In doing so, Jeffords has shifted the balance of power in the U.S. S en ate fro m the R e p u b lic a n s to the Democrats, jeopardizing President Bush's neoconstructive agenda. Senator Jeffords stands as a shining exam ple to politicians everywhere. Accountability begins with conscience, devolves to one's con stituents, then lastly, embraces the Party line. Would that members of the Harris govern m ent d isp la y s im ila r fo rtitu d e in p ro te st against an ideology threatening the future of public education through private school tax re b a te s; je o p a rd iz in g p u b lic h e a lth care through fiscal starvation; sapping the vitality o f our cities through dow nloading; and, in general, assaulting the public good through widespread privatization of essential services. Such a wholesale abdication o f responsi bility is reason enough for M.P.P.'s o f con science to follow in Senator Jeffords footsteps by crossing the floor, and sitting as indepen dents. The same goes for federal Liberals whose party endorses the massive concentration of power in the Prime M inister's Office; main tains an unhealthy intimacy with big business; backpedals on tough environmental legisla tion; promotes global free trade agreements contrary to the interests of Canadians; ignores the public transit and housing needs o f our m ajor c itie s; and re sists e lec to ra l reform aimed at democritizing Canada's antiquated political system. Where are they, these people of conscience w ho occupy governm ent seats at Q u een 's Park and in the House of Commons? Resting on their laurels...or sitting on something else? P ete r D. P e llie r Pud CAN I ASK YOU A QUEsnoN, rob,, about, like, G m s AND STUFF? 'SURE, BUT WHY Po n t you a s k DAD 2 by Steve Nease