6 - The Canadian Champion, Friday September 27, 2002 SCOMMENTcoO + THE CANADIAN CHAMPION Box 248, 19)ien St. F. The Cand Champin ulseevrTedyadFia i19 Milon Ont. L9T'N) Mi iEMitn o.L4N9 (Box 248) Msoeo Metoal Prit g r ing & stiung tdgopo uub cm a esvh h (905)878-234 AevnceBry ByTi Wek otnitrpsBamonGnln Guatiuîto Coliîigwod/Wasagu Coinection East Yor Mirror Etit Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 AdvociteCOLitry Routes. Eoto ioke Giatttioi Flaintiotoiqh Post Forevet Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Young.q Georgetown IidepediitActott Free Press, Hltoit Businiess liiles HurîoOî.o Business Times. Kogstoii IllisWeek tui(Isay Tthis Wenk. Mreiatoi Classified: 905-87.5-3300 cotrii& Sun MidtaodiPeetai)guisticiie Mirunît Mtoî Shtopping RNuis itiuga RBusînss litns, Missss aiga News Napanee Guide Circulation: 905878-1947 Nasuioweoa Nevs. Ne.tmarket Auoro Era Bannr NortOunberl.tiid RNe s R Ian Oliver Publisher Hockey Nevs Oilli Today, OshuavdWOly/CatitiiiiPuBt Perty Ths Week Petrborough Ths Week, Picton ConClu Guide Rtitnionoi Neil Oliver R ittt Pidtll te'rl, HlI Tlonîîhîll, Vaughae Lîletal Scrborouug Mîtîni. StOuittuillîn UnItrlilt .1ll i s aîr n-C lle dpriig ieucete nth od tintan te ho net ot a tplo Karen Smith rpia ro.Mlprinoth defsn pc cuidbteer- nemIS eni. ogelhr wit a resonab e loirce tut signature tit1 eut e Wendy McNab %he ingM pige cagdfrbtheblne(f"eavrierei ilb adfraflepl- Stes e C rozier ('il llli) Vil, il cbert Th ulsbrrs vster tIocatettotize uitutisettieots ut leri Casas oli ,5li« eln TIm Loles pld( lin h MtnCadnChmons a Reupiabe Product * Tie one on for MADD ___________ Do you know somneone who drinks and then drives? If so, why not make today the timie to confront themn about your con- cern for their safety and that of the innocent motorists they could encouniter on their way home'? This past week. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Halton/Peel has been actively working to promote the elîrnination of people who drink and drive from- our roads. Members of MADD recently spent time at Halton GO stations to spread the word. Next month, the non-profit organization will hold its annual meeting - weicoming anyone interested in volunteering to attend. With so many reasons to celebrate - including Thanksgiving, Halloween, Grey Cup weekend, Hannukah, Christmas, New Year's Eve and Super Bowl Sunday - fast approaching, MADD certainly bas its work cut out for it. In November the organization wiii iaunch its annual Red Ribbon fundraising campaign, inviting drivers to "tie one on" while helping spread the anti-drinking and driving message. However, drinkers or flot, we ail have an important role to play in reducing the number of alcohol-related accidents on our roads. While its true the majority of today's motorists have adopted MADD's message long ago, it's up to the friends and family of those who stili ignore common sense, and the law, to challenge this careless behaviour head on. *OUR READERS WRITE Halton's Muslim community has in fact taken many steps ta curb discrimination, say reader I)ear Edilor: This letter i5 in respolise 10 Richard Bramwells lenter to The Chamîpion on Septeinher 17 coui tled 'More proactive steps should be taken te) curb risk oldiscrimina- tion' lits obvious thai Mr. Bramwell lias tumied a blind eye to the many opeln houses and peace events host- ed by Meslims and non-Muslims fromn Halton and the GTA. There was an open house ai the Halton Mosque on Fairsiew Street in Burlingion as mentioned on the Iront page of the September 1(0 Champion. 1 also antended one of the many events that took place on September Il a pcace event hosted by the United Church of Canada and the International Muslim Organization of Toronto. I lived in the Middle East for two years and as far as your comment. yes the Palestinian Christians and Muslinms would be Ircer and happi- been undcr for years would end. It's important for people around the world teo open their eyes and becomne vocal. li's crucial for every- one to understand that ignorance was a maljor cause of Septemiber Il.ý not1 one's religion. and that any gen- eralizatins will only incriminate the innocent. Sara Hasan-Alwahesh Mariam Taha Milton What bothers me is how it ail went down - or up Only in polities can you decide youire worth more than you're getting paid *and do somthing about i. This week. îown councillors and the mayor awarded theniselves significant raises. With the arrivaI of the new year. Mayor Gord Krantzs pay will increase front $41,385 to $44.340 and councillor pay will go froru $13.905 to $19,039. Wbether or not the raises are in order is a mat- ter of how well and bow much yoo feel your local politicians are working for you. The population is growing and their pays are currently ai the Io\, end of comparable munici- palities. But bow comparable are the municipalities esed in dtermining whats appropriate? Some have populations more thai, ioeble ihe suze of Milton*,. Personally. I dont believe a pay hike is in order. Being a councillor is a part-time position and the pay was always intended to be more of ai) honourarium than a salary. Council deserves some compensation for uts work. but the purpose of council is to make dcci- sions for the bettenrment of the community. not cash cheques. With the added population. the workload could be increasing somnewhat in Wards I and 4 where the population is growing. But the added work- load couldn't possibly be relative to the 37 per cent increase in pay. The mayor is the only ful-time member of council and. hence, I think is more justiied in receiving the raise. But that's not to say I agree sith it. WbatI1 take mosi issue with is the manner in wvhich the raises were awarded. No counicil should Be settirig their own pay cheques. However, ibis is more of a morality issue than a legality issue. Especially since there's nothing illegal about how il ail went down. I contend that every member of counicil knew what the pay was when they decided 10 run for election two years ago. -l bats the pay they signed on for and that's the pay they should get. If council was really worried about offering enough money to attract valuable candidates tn the nexi clectiot as was argued by Councillor John Chalinor - then the raise shouîd come into effeci stafling with the nexi term of office. By awarding the raise prior to the next temni wc cao aIl sec what's mosi important- getting paid. Last November. council also approved a policy for awarding theruselves annual increasee based. indirectly. on the rate of inflation. This was a realistie and acceptable mnethod - which will remain in place despite thc recent raîse. But now here we are again, arguing wbat coun- cil's time is worth. Wben will the lions stop feeding on the car- casses of taxpayers? Have your say with a letter to the editor. Fax us your letters to 878-4943, or e-mail them to miltoned@&hatolsearCh.COm. 1