www.dentistoakville.com905-842-6030MECHANICAL SERVICESAUTOPRO OAKVILLE2212 Wyecroft Road, Oakville905-469-2442SNA NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 2010ONTARIOS TOP NEWSPAPER - 2005-2008Haiti - one year laterSee Livingautoprooakville.mechanicnet.com48 Pages $1.00 (plus tax)A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd.Vol.49 No.12USING COMMUNICATION TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIESFRIDAY,JANUARY 28,2011Sparse turnoutat first budgetopen houseBy Kim ArnottSPECIAL TO THE BEAVEROnly a handful of residents turned out to aWednesday evening open house organized by thetown to gather feedback on its proposed 2011budget.However, Councillor TomAdams, who chairs Oakvillesbudget committee, said theirfeedback will still be helpfulwhen local politicians considera list of possible ways to paredown a 7.6 per cent increase intown spending.When combined with therecently-approved regionalWard 6 Councillorbudget, the increase wouldTom Adamsresult in a 3.32 per cent taxhike for Oakville property owners, or $132 more ayear for a home assessed at $400,000.Residents who attended the meeting were givenred and green stickers and told to place them on a listNIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER of possible budget cuts to indicate what services theywould support cutting.FAIR TREATMENT: John Trantom is a decorated war veteran,who fought for England in the Second World War.Today the Oakville resi-The list of services included such varied items as:dents is among 155,000 British pensioners in Canada asking the Briitish government to unfreeze his pension.If Trantom were living in the Unitedclosing Oakvilles five outdoor pools (savings ofStates or Europe,he would receive an annual increase to his British pension.$297,700); eliminating the Oakville Arts Councilgrant ($75,000); reducing library hours ($200,000);cutting two bus routes and eliminating transit serv-British war vet fights for pension fairnessice on statutory holidays ($118,700); ending windrowBy David Leasion and the pensions of around 155,000pensioner lives. British pensioners livingremoval services for seniors ($86,200) and cuttingOAKVILLE BEAVER STAFFother British pensioners living in Canada.in Canada, South Africa and Australiacontracted repair maintenance for road infrastruc-The Canadian Alliance of Britishhave their pensions frozen. British pen-ture by 15 per cent ($102,200).He went to war for six years to defendPensioners, of whom Trantom is a mem-sioners living in Europe, America or evenTown staff have developed a list of budget reduc-England and now hes hoping his formerber, has said Britain has about a millionIsrael and Jamaica receive increases.tion items totally $4.3 million (or 3.4 per cent ofhomeland will help him.pensioners living outside the country andThat is unfair. Its doubly unfairspending) that councillors may consider as they workOakville resident and Second World Warof those, about half of them get regularbecause we are not getting health treat-through this years budget process.veteran John Trantom, 90, is calling on thepension increases and half do not.ment paid for by Britain. We have to buyAlong with service and program cuts, the listBritish government to unfreeze his pen-The discrepancy depends on where theSee War page 3See Residents page 4Oakvilles New State-of-the-Art Hearing Clinic$30OFFWeoffer:a pair of C omprehensive Hearing BatteriesVisit our new officeTests for all ages PersonalAudiomusician across from Winners A ll makes and modelsMonitorsTrplugsPascale-Annie Roy afaDallgebHeaaroring Aids Noise PlugroM.Sc.S.,Reg CASLORdAudiologist Trialperiod Sleeping Plug289.837.1137 A ssistive Listening Swim PlugAnnick Mrd r2387 TDrafalgar Road, kM.Sc.S.,Au.D,Reg ClASLPO aDevices Bilingual ServiceWkaValid until Feb. 28, 2011DoctoOr of AudiologyOakville ON L6H 6K7DundasStEWIONaNkERPS/aHrokmBeSlvednsePostridgeDr