6 - The Canadien Champion, Friday, Fe-bruary 27, 2004 * comment *-The Canadian Champion Box 248, 191 Main St. E., Milton, Ont. 1-9T 4N9 (905) 878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Adverlising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified: 905-875-3300 CircBlation: 905-878-5947 Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Asrrrueate Pslolceher Jli Davis Edatr tee-Cltief Karen Smith Maetagietg Editor Wendy McNab Ade'erteseeeg Direacor Tim Coles Prodsuctiran Managrer Charlene Hall Dtistartt Matrager Teri Casas Offi4 e Manaear The Canadian Champion, published evens Tuesday and Friday at 191 Main St. E, Milton, Ont, LOT 4N9 (Box 248). is one of Tht Metroland Prnting, Pubtishing & brstributmog ttd. group ot subutban comtaoies which includes, Ajax/Pickering News Aduedtiser, Oiistot Henald/Courier. Barrie Odvatce, Bottet Enterprise, Brampton Orardiat. Butlrrrgton Post, Burlrrgttn Shopping News. 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Oduersrng is acceptea on the condition that rn the euent tt a typo- graphitai ennon, that poron of the aduerorsno space occutored bosshe enno- neos item, tagethes wieS a reasonable ationance ton signature, wîll rot be chtnged ton, but the balance of the adunrsement wîiI 5e paîd toi ai the appi- cable rate. The publîshen reseres te ight ta categonrie athuedisements ne S et lene. The Miton Canaden Chaeepion s a Besyctabin Peontuot ý; Fasten your selatbelts Less than a monBh ago, Bhere seemed lit- dec doubB who would be Bhc next prime min- ioBer of Canada. Most politîcal observers considered Paul Martin Bn be the unflappable golden boy heading toward a fait accompli Liberal vie- tory tiss spring or fali. WhaB a difference an auditor-gencral's report can make. With Bbc amrval of Bbc sponsorship pro- grain scandai oiar nation's political land- scape is expcriencing unprecedenBed upheaval lcaving the public's trust of elcl- cd officiais -lÏke Bbc missing 100 million tax dollars -nowhcre lo be found. Will Bbc electorate be willmng 10 look beyond Prime MinisBer Marins high-rank- ing affiliation witbi a Chrétien administra- lion likely 10 be remcmbered for aIl Bbc wrong reasons? As Martin's parly secs ils once secmingly irisurmounitable lead in popular support evaporating faster tban you can say Sbeila Fraser, tbc ConservaBives find tbemselves in relativcly unfamiliar terrilory in recenB hiBtory - a igbt second, wbile Bbc NDP appears Bo, be going nowbere. Somcwbcre in Ottawa tbere bas Bo, be a bigb-profile CPC member or Bwo kicking themsclvcs for not cboosing 10, challenge for Bbe party's leadersbip. Closer t0 home, the cbange in Bbc poliBi- cal landscape tumed equaily dramaBic lasi wcck. HaîBon MP Julian Reed dropped Bbc bombsbcll BbaB be isn't seloing re-election for personal reasons. Reed's news came lesB tban a weck after tbe MP bad said be would mun again. Before Bbc week was ouI, anoBber face familiar toi Halton volera; bad delivcred anotber eyebrow-raising announicement. Gary Carr, Bbc outspoken Oakville MPP and former speaker of tise housc, re-sur- faced ftom a bockey coaching job in Britisi Columbia 10, announce a cbange of bcart wbcre polies and political parties are con- ccmned. Witb Reed's intention to, caîl il quits wbcn bis current tcrm ends, Carr now seeks tbe Liberal nomination for Halton. If tbis kceps up, Haiton voters will need a scorecard Bo, kecp track of Bbc candidates and tbeir partics. Fasten your sorat-belts foiks. Tise firc- works tbaB arc likely to, fly during tbe spon- sorsbip program public inqUiry may make Bbc election Bbat follows seem ratber anti- climactic. ý*Our Readers Write Support for famîly overwhelming, says woman Dear Editor: Tbe incredible response last wcek toi tbc pligbt of tbe family who lost tbeir home and possessions 10 a horrendous bouse firc sbould make Miltonians ncw and old feel proud of our community. Within 24 bours of hearing of this family's disaster, tbere was an oui- pouring of genemosity. Money and clotbing came in t0 collection centres ai Chris Hadfield and E. W. Foster sehools almost immediately, and voluntccrs werc ablc toi deliver two large tmuckloads of new cloBbing and a substantial cash donation to help tide tbis fam- ily over until their insurance comn- pany can gelt Biem resettled. At Chris Hadfield Sehool, offers of help flowed in from individuais from aIl over town - from Bbose wbo've lived in Milton for gencra- tions and carry a strong rural tradi- tion of helping tbose in necd to, tbosc wbo've rccntly moved to town and wbo've embraced their new ncigbbours. Several businesses in town offered immediate aid, and our ncwest community churcb Tbe Sanctuary -also offcred help. In one of the most toucbing sto- ries aI Cbris Hadficld Scbool, a scbeduled birtbday party for a grade 2 student this past weekend was tumed into an opportunity 10, donatc gifts for tbe family's daugbtcr, wbo losB ail thc gifts from ber recent sixBb birtbday party in the fore. Several parents, aIl of wbom wisbcd to, remain anonymous, sim- ply emptied Bbeir wailets toi make casb donations. Not one person asked for recogni- tion or cbaritable tax receipts. Tbey just wanted to help. When wc opened Chris Hadfield School, two of our goals were te, welcomc new families to ail Milton bas toi offer and to be involved in creating a strong sense of commu- nity among our new neighbours. The fantastic support and com- passion sbowri last wcck shows tbat Multon's newest residents arc alrcady a vitai part of our commu- nity. Tbank you for sbaring. Rose Brooks, secretary Chris Hadfleld School Hey Milton, ready to take a leap this Sunday? Hey Milton, rcady 10i take a leap? small one. 'Mis Sunday is Fcbmuary 29 - that once-every- And there's plenty of ways toi do so right bcre four-years phenomenon Bbat gives many people in Milton. an excuse 10, ny ncw things and. attempt 10, huaI If Bbc Febmuary blahs bave still got you down out of Bbeir routine. why not tum the tables on old man winter wiBb Actuaily tbcrc's no real mystery surrounding leisurely stroil at one of our picturcsque conser- leap ycars. Our planet's solar year - Bbc timc it vation sites. takes to orbit around the sun - is exactIy 365 Those looking 10, add a littîr adrenalinc te, Bbeir days, fivc hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds. So ouldoor sojoum cani visit Glen Eden Ski and every four years we gel an extra day toi makc up Snowboard Centrc - wbich among its 12 or so tbe différence. slopes offers a heginner-lcvel hilI for firsî-timers. 0f course Bbere's noBbing practicaily significant and those (like myself) who haven't been on with prac about Febmuary 29 - its just another 24-bour skies for many years. you a rce pcriod on Bbc calcndar. But then the saine can be For the adventuresomc sort, there's also nearby great wa said for January t, even thougis evcry year moot Burlinglon Air Park -where Spcctrum Airways If you' of us mark Bbat day witb a wide varicty of New bas an introduction 10 fIying lesson for just tine a hi Year's resolutions. $49.95. Even if you orily make the appointment haven'tr So with Bbat in mi, let's lake advantage of on Sunday, tise idea of soaririg above your home- specifica Ibis frne day wiBb our own leap - even if il's a town - wbich I did about ninc years ago (and lintle cati Up fron t :tically no motion sickness) - will give aI sense of spontancity. Trust me, il's a y 10 spcnd a haîf-bour. re looking îo simply shake up your rou- t, perbaps trying a local restaurant you visitcd yet could do tbc trick. Miltons .lly Main Street - bas a number of cozy Cries Ibat for many of us provide a nice break from our evcryday consumrption. Or bow about using Febmuary 29 to, abstain from one of those indulgences - likc smoking or junk food - Bbat we had committed 10 cutting ouI of our lives just cight wecks ago. In my own case, Tim Hortons can surcly sur- vive without tise $2.40 for my moming and after- noon medium double-double. Well, maybe I can eut back 10 just one Ibis Sunday. 0f course nonc of Bbese tbings is going toi mag- ically change our lives. But bey, a dcparturc frors the normn - even a small one, even for one day - certainly can't hurt. And when Fcbmuary 29 falîs on a Sunday, Ihere's coco more incentive te, takc advantage of ihai extra day and do somcBbing different or spe- cial. And. in my opinion anyway, waîcbing those mind-numbingly boring Oscars doesn't court.