6 - The Canadian Champion,Tuesday, Match 9, 1999 ~ COMM NT . ES AFRAID THE LaCourse is out of uine Y2KBUG * Who exactly does Paul LaCourse think he is? G THM 0 Mr. LaCourse is a spokesperson for the Halton Regional Police Association, which is basically the police union. In today's issue, Mr. LaCourse tells off Oakville regional Councillor Keith Bird because Mr. Bird had the temerity to suggest looking at part- U time policing. Mr. Bird brought that up in the context of examining al options as police service is reviewed. The review is important, because it could establish a benchmark and . philosophy about policing in Halton. Police generally favour what is commonly known as cop-to-pop < financing. That is, as Halton grows, more police officers should be added in what amounts to a ratio. Some people are reluctant to accept that. Maybe Mr. Bird is. His remarks about part-time policing would indicate that he wants to analyze as many options as possible with an eye to keeping the lid on costs. That after ail is part of Mr. Bird's job, and he is not exactly inexperi- enced at it. He is a veteran municipal politician with years of experience on regional counicil, and substantial background as a regional delegate to the police services board. Mr. LaCourse wants to muzzle the scope of Mr. Bird's inquiries, it would seem, and that is wrong. He is out of line. Mr. Bird is weIl within bis rights and duty limnits in his comments and actions. He is not interfer- ing with day to day police operations. He is thinking strategically, not tactically. SO UR READERS WRITE Budget hike 1$ outra geous Dear ditor: Last year the Canadiab Senate received a 10 per cent increase in their overall budget - and tltey still over- spent, Now they are askiuag for another 6 per cent! If they get it it adds'up to a 16 per cetbudget ncrease ovr two yar. That's ourageous. Who else gt a 16 per cent budget ihsrcase? Ntunadpgessd fannmrs Not woi*ers. Not senose. Not thle home~les or thse unenmpk"dt. Not otar laealth case or education budgets. Canadians can stop the increase. 'Mse House of Comnsons will vote on thse Senate oequest tn early March. 'Me NDP wfll be voting strongly against it, just as Wé voted against last year's increase. And, as it wil flot be a confidence vote, other MrPs can vote according to their beUiefs, Contact yoiur M? andt tell himg or ber tissE Canaulians do not support the exist- in$ Se1sate, let alort ivio #Wttena s16 pet enlt budet incPftS oWve thbe next twoyena.. &tter yes, colina senator anid tell thens ltow yoil fe. about titis casha gruli. Any senotor cai be reached toll free at 1-800- 267-7362. Leorne Nyatrom, NDP MP for Regina - Qu'Appelle THE CANvDINv CHAMiwPION Box 248, 191 Main St. E., lTe Canadien Champion, published every Tuesday and Friday Milton, Ont. 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Advertiaing as acctpttd an the condition that, in the event nf a Rob Kelly Editor typographical ernr, that portion ut the advtrtnlng space occu- Itarn Croes Circulation Manager pied by tht erronenan Roem, tagether with a reasonable allnwance TeriCam ffic Mangerfor signature, wlt not bie chargeit far, but the balance nf the TerI Ceu C(fice Ma age avertinement wlI be pald for at te applicable rate. Tbe pablinher TInt Colea Production Manager renervea the rlgbt tn categorize advertinementa nr decline. Lîaberal con tender clears air Dear Editor: Thank you for your article about my Liberul Nomination candidacy. I was pleased that Irene Gentie captured the essence of what we diacussed very weIl. She condensed 15 minutes of conversation into a tight article. There is one issue that needs clarification in the pro- file of me you ran last week. I did go to York University, where I majored in political science and business, and I took seyeraI courses in law. I did not graduate. Throughout my business career most people assumed that I was university educated because of the positions that I have held. My university studies were cut short in 1974, when a major retailer (Hudson's Bay) offered me a very good job, that was better than any 1 expected to find upon graduation. At one time during my career with Conchem Lafarge, I wau asked to attend a meeting with the chainnan of the board of a company that was building a $500 million structure in Toronto. Conchem was supplying the projeet with a new technology. When I arrived in the boardroomn there were some 20 other people present. A secretany appointed each of us a seat, and requested that we put our namnes, com- pany, title and degrees on a seating plan for the chair- man's use. I noticed that among the P.Eng's, archi- tects, Iawyers, etc. that there were several people with multiple degrees such as, LLB. MBA, P.Eng. B. Comm., and I was impressed. When it came to tilling in my degrees I simply put HSG. As the meeting was about to begin the chairman was perus- ing the seating plan and he said, "Mr. Tate, I am not famil- iar with your degree designation HSG, could you enlightpn me?" 1 replied, high Paul Tate school graduate". Thtis made everyone including the chainnan laugh. When the laughter subsided, the chairmant said, "Well, it's obvious that you didn't let school stand in the way of your education". I was fortunate to be in that position at The Bay (at age 22) and then in 198 1, the manager's job ut Conchem, belore 1 was 30. 1 wus fast-tracked because of experience, not education. Paul Tata Milton Pud by Steve Nease