A6 - The Canadian Champion, Friday, January 13, 2006 *'Comment The Canadian Champion Box 248, 875 Main St. E. Milton. Ont. L9T 3ZI (905) 878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classifted: 9)05-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 Ian Oliver Publisher Neil Oliver Assite Psublisher Voendy McNab Advisuîî Dîiri'îîttr Karen Smith dlanîîging i-Mtît Tim CoIns Prmidua, six, Mainag Charlene Hall (liri-laisaîn Maag er Teri Casas (iftia a' iaiaaar The Canadian Champion pubIlsried every iesdauy and Fi day ai 875 Mai St E Miton Ont [ST 373 iBox 248) isorl 0t the Metrolattu Prtntitc nu aliti & Dtstrtbufing Ltd tooriman it tusspîtes Adoristi tas acpted on the condtion triai ti the ieet of a ibuograbuttul eior, brat porttionc fit tadvtetsug spatu octipied bu te etutteo us itemn together wttna easonabe attowance toi signature suit cat be chre for bttrie balance of the adveutiseitent wit be pard fou at the applicable rate The pbbttber rueeues the uight o categai e advetisenteuis orte ti CCAB Audited RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY Ontario Coftuinitît Cauadtau Ctuumourito Sbobantu Neouspapecs N.iaesAssociauot C* N Ni sitapers Association B K %___ utuc THE CANADIAN CHAMPION IS A PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: sas d 5Y ai ia Showcase M itn -(,L e AiTV AUCTION UNITED WAY -'én4ýýàaa Chamepion ia Recyotatir Pieua No clear-cut winner Wbile plenty oit low btows \sîcre deliv- ered. anyone anticipating a decisive knock- out punch duning Maînday nigbt's national- ly-televised leadership debate had tii seutle for a splt decision. For those who had already made up their mind about who ta support on January 23, itu unlikely CBC's niationat clebate between Gilles Duceppe. Stephen Harper. Jack Layton and Paul Main oitleied mucb ta alter their decision. 'Me same is likely truc for the undecided voter looking for a compelling reason ta back sorneone - anyone. Betîveen defending bis goverument*s rote in the sponsorsbip scanda] and engag- ing Duceppe in a bair-splinting exercise over Quebec's status within Canada. Main seemcd ta expend much of bis ener- gy trying ta salvage tbe image of a Liberal Party tbe other tbree leaders cbaracterized as arrogant, lacking ethics and dishonest. From the eveningus opening rcmarku Mai-tin*s was by far the most emotionat delivery of the night. chastising bis oppo- nents, telling tbem "enougb is enougb' witb what be cailed 'drive-by smears." 1i-onically, Martin bimself waded intoa the mudslinging pit when he cballenged Harper's past public remarks ta UJ.S.-based conservative groups in whicb he describcd Canada as a sciitd-rate nationî mnd tîkened it tii a tiaitherro Euriipeat sieltarc state. The Cinnuci-atise teadcr shausscd he isas Up [o tile challetnge, questioiiig sshy Martin's tamily aisý ned business -Canada Steamsbtp LUnes -bas operatced shîps under the tiags ait lîîrcîgn gienments in uîrder ti i-cap tbe bencîti it tfutîser taxes. At tîmes it appca-cd Har-er usas havtttg ditficutty ccntautîîng bis smite -pci-haps a reacîtaîn ta bis party baving scraîched out îshat may pruise an insurmouintoîble tead in recent polis. Wbiie Harper prîuîîîsed a geerment t-c aot scandat. tasser GST, a crackduiwn on crime and reduccd watt times in bospitats. Layton questioncd the Conservative leader's math, uuggesting itiber services wîuld bave ta bc stasbed iii orider lii finance ait bis promises. While Layton presented himself as a legitimate alternative ta Liberat scandai and the vote-buying tactics oîf the Conservatîves, bis mesage was -ait imes -repetitiaus. He played on the fears of Canadians voIci-s wbo svarry about Quebec's separation. noting the sponsor- sbip scandai bas provided a boîtut ta ucpa- ratist recruitment. and suggesting Harper's lack of1 respect for Quebecus distinct socie- ty oniy adds tuel ta the ueparatist tire. * urRedr Write MP 's letter faitls to address valid question with regard to competence of Paul Martin Dear Editor: I usas disatppaiîitc by Haltan MP Gary Cari-s response ta the letter in ssbich Daryl Bassvick questtaned the chimpetence oîf Paul Martin. Mi. Baswick assented ibat since Mi-. Martin sias ftnance minister durtng the sponsorship scandat, be cither kucîs about tt or sboutd have knoisn wbat ivas gotng on in Quebec. Mr. Cari's response sias that Mr-. Martin made tbe correct chotce ta catt an inqui-y. In my opîinion he faited ta address Mi-. Baswick's assertion. and that speaks volumes. Mi-. Carri-s unable ta defend tbe indefétîsible. Fo- sorme i-cason, rather than address this important issue. Mr. Car- chose tii shitft the readers' attention by pîttitîg Mi-. Main against Brian Mulroîney. Mi-. Car- points out that books bave been wi-itîen about scandais in tbe Mulroney ci-a. He conventently ignores the tact that botb the Pierre Tr-udeau and Jean Chretien gavernments con- tributed ricbiy ta the bisto-y ai Canadian political scandais. He goes on ta say that Mi-. Ma-titi cleaned up a $42-billion deficit inberited fi-rn the Mulroney Conservatives. but neglecîs ta men- tion tbat it was Trudeau's Lîberats siho ushered in 15 years of deficit ftnancing and creatcd a crippiing national debt. I beliese Mi-. Carr faiied ta add-ess a vaiid question and instead antempted ta divert attention ta the bogeyman of Mi-. Mulroney. Nancy Ruhi Milton Letters welcome The Champion welcomes letters ta the editor. We reserve the right ta redit, revise and reject letters. Letters must include the writer's name, address and telephone number. Letters can be e-mailed ta mîltoned@haltonsearch.com, taxed to (905) 878-4943 or dropped off at 875 Main St. E. 200.)5 will be remembered as the year of growth I was reading aver The Champion's recent syn- opsis of wbat made the biggest news in 2005 and sometbing occurred ta me. Wben you look back at wbat was on aur front pages. there reaiiy weren*t any major news events - which are usually bad nesvs -in îown last year. Tbankfuiiy. there were no murders, no major accidents involving multiple deathu and no disas- ters. The anly tbing that came close ta a dtsaster wias; a series of grass fires that caused chaos, but no anc was burt. Most of the items ivere stonies about angaing major news events coming ta a close. like the set- tiement that Nias reacbed in the E. cati caue invotving E.C. Drury Higb Scboat students isba became sick aftei- antending their prom. And sentences were handed dlown ta the ex- wife and teenaged accomplice of Douglas Moore, svho is bclieved ta bave murdered the young Joseph Manchisi. Realiy the biggest neîvs in 2005 - what the year will be knawn for ta future generations - was grosvth. No, the toîvn's current housing baom didn't stant tast yea-. but it certainly continued in fuît sss'%ing and will have a iasting impact on what îîur toîvn beciimes. Now, as Mayor Goi-d Ki-antz pointed otut in aur recent story an si-at lies ahcad iti 2006, the nmaîn ai-ca of construction suili sbift this year ta Wvest Milton, conîîinuîng the gi-awîh tretnd. And that bi-ings me ta the questioîn -jusi sihat sill Milton became? What ssitl it be ltke 2<) years Prom the editor's desk fi-r nos-? Wbîle I haven't been sby tu point uout my dis- pleasure îiitb the current traffic ssoes caused by griuiith. 1 actually think in the long mun Milton siut be a better place. Its future itîcludes an expanded Tosvi Hall. libi-ary relocation and nemi arts centre (picase hu-iyî. Once tbtngs are ait sorted out, there siit be sa many more i-casons ta stay in the cammunity. Just look at the consumer picture already. I'm enjaying baving a Wal-Mart s0 close by. and the new Zellers; iu a big nupravement. The overali shopping experience is only gaing ta get brener at Milton Mail and l'm looktng fo- isard ta that. i sec good thttîgs in the future for the dosintosin as Weit. l.ltimately the cîîncem is suwit Miltan lose its coîtîmunity-mitîded quatities? 1 don tbinik sa. Tbey're firnily ptanted in its moots. And i-lias eau be pretty tîîugh iii dig oui. Kau-en Sniiihl uait lie i-eauted at tiiltoiied@'-h(il-