OPINION & LETTERSTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:The Oakville BeaverTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:Canadian Circulation467 Speers Rd.,Audit Board Member Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 Recognized for Excellence by(905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571ClassiOntario CommunityCanadian Communityfied Advertising: 632-4440 Newspapers AssociationNewspapers AssociationCirculation: 845-9742 Open 9-5 weekdays,ATHENASuburban NewspapersAward5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekendsof AmericaEditorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. NEIL OLIVERVice President and Group ROD JERREDManaging EditorMARK DILLSDirector of ProductionUnauthorized use is prohibited.Publisher of Metroland WestDANIEL BAIRDAdvertising DirectorMANUEL GARCIAProduction ManagerThe Oakville Beaver is a division ofDAVID HARVEYRegional General ManagerRIZIERO VERTOLLIPhotography DirectorCHARLENE HALLDirector of DistributionJILL DAVISEditor in ChiefSANDY PAREBusiness ManagerSARAH MCSWEENEYCirc. ManagerLetter to the editorReform pension Enjoy the sweetsystem for MPssounds of summerRe:Long weekend spoiled byDerek Fildebrandt, the national research director noise, Oakville Beaver, May 25.for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), I was reading the paper this after-summed it up perfectly.noon like I always do when I cameFor people responsible for overseeing the perfor-across the letter to editor section. Imance of our economy, (our MPs) are remarkably was reading the article about how thedivorced from its realities.long weekend was spoiled by noise. The CTF is calling on Prime Minister Stephen I don't understand why peopleHarper and Jack Layton, leader of the NDP and the have to complain so much about theofficial opposition in ice cream truck. I, for one, love theOttawa, to reform MP Under the current sound of the truck and run out to seepensions.system, taxpayerswhere it is every time I hear it.We support their A part of summer is playing out-contribute $4 to an efforts wholeheartedly. side and hearing the ice cream truckMP's pension forMP pensions are out of coming and watching all the kids runevery $1 they chip control. Under the to get ice cream. I have a neighbourin themselves.current system, tax-in my neighbourhood who complainspayers contribute $4 about the noise from the truck. All I have to say to those people isto an MPs pension for don't you remember what it's like toevery $1 they chip in be a kid and have fun. themselves.As to the fireworks going off allMany MPs who were defeated or chose not to run weekend, its not like it happens every-again in the May 2 national vote will begin collecting day in the summer, it's one weekendannual pensions of more than $100,000 at age 55.out of a month. Maybe you should sitCTF estimates the 113 defeated and retiring MPs back and enjoy the fireworks withwill collect $4.9 million in pension payments in your ice cream and stop complainingtheir first year, reaching a cumulative total of $111.5 The Oakville Beaverwelcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerationsup at your cottage.Letters toand grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. million by age 80. In addition, another $4.3 million Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via S. Myers, Oakvillein severance cheques will be issued to former MPs.e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaverreserves the right to refuse to publish a letter.the editorIn Mississauga, former MPs Paul Szabo (Mississauga South) and Gurbax Malhi (Bramalea-Mental illness can strike anyone at any timeGore-Malton) both of whom were elected in 1993 will ride off into the sunset with annual pension Re:Phoenix gives new life to those withprogram, I can't say enough in support of other defined group as such.in excess of $100,000.psychosis, Oakville Beaver, May 20.Dr. Hastings and his team of support staff.We are all vulnerable. John Gatens from the National Pensioners and I would like to express a heartfelt thankIt is programs such as this that exem-Through ongoing direct educa-Senior Citizens Federation called those pensions you to Dr. Tom Hastings and the Phoenixplify the strides being made in the mental tion and discussion, we are improv-obscene.program.health care field, but it is just the begin-ing the lives of individuals livingSpeaking from experience within ourning.with mental illness by reducing theCertainly, our elected representatives are out of family and our subsequent direct involve-Mental illness does not differentiate itself associated shame and stigma.touch on this issue.ment with the Phoenix early interventionaccording to culture, social status or any Thank you to Dr. Hastings andLess than half of working Canadians have RRSPs his staff working to change people'sor a retirement plan. Only 30 per cent of workers lives with their leading edge pro-belong to an employer-sponsored pension plan.Pud BY STEVE NEASEneasecartoons@gmail.comgram so crucial to the progressionTaxpayers should match an MPs pension contri-desperately needed in this field of butions on a dollar-for-dollar basis. And, those MPs healthcare.shouldnt be eligible to collect their pension until at Akin to cancer, AIDS and otherleast age 60.noteworthy causes, we must allThats much closer to how the rest of us live.speak out, educate, participate anddonate our talents, time and moneyThe Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted to this worthy cause. You'll be sur-on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space prised at just how much we all haveoccupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. in common.The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.Susan Brown, Oakvillewww.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, May 27, 2011 6