A6 - The Canadien Champion, Friday, January 27, 2006 The Canadian Champion Boxe 248, 875 Main Si. E_ Ian Oliver Publisher Milton, Ont. L9T 3Z3 'dcii Oliver tAttttIni.h' (905)878-2341 NNcndýN cNah ,tt/icitiii ý'Itrei s', Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Kare.n Smiith Va1i1tîIgcn bi'tioi Adverlisinc, Fax: 905-876-2364 'Fini ('nies V'aei~ttSnattgisel Classified: 90l5-875- ', ' (() ('harline liait t /iiîtb' Circulation: 905 'ý878 5947 Teri Casas i i,, c 1i'~ The Canadan Champin P;,she u., ,, tii l", Il U i3 Md " MI 1, T i b hlS Pri,11( PLi,hIî5ý &Dt:1Uil [Ill Adertî i, s; 101,'1', o t3î 1 M 1 Il.' '1ý tl '/i 131iV 'i error 31111. II ,aIlede 0 ,, 1t er13le seiIDgethe,,',i ,o3,b, li.111,i Iw "'3'i e ,i u,'toîiI i, t,I,3î,î. ut Ile,Il e, af o teapiibl rt Th.pI Sier rý ori th 1133113 io càIuI iie î aderIs,meil urd ,l CCAB Audited RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY Nesepos Asî _di Ne,, acers Associaion c Aî,îeî,,j THE CANADIAN CHAMPION IS A PROUD MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Halton Healeleore lielS B TV AUCTIN UITEC WAY A~~ndOF M YY CA 4 C Shwae~o ~ AwarnI The Mo canadien Chaenpn. s aRecy Suni Pc i * Voters have spoken If there's a lesson to be leamed -by al politicians -from Monday's federal elec- tion resulîs îî's ihis: Don't take the elec- torate for granîed. In a rebuke to Paul Martin*, leadership (or Iack of) and 12 years of' Liberal rule. Canadian voters elected a minority Consersative goverroment -Stephen H-arper's Conservatives - j.usi as many pre eleciion polis had suggested îbey would. The faci Harper NIas able to bring Conservatives bo povser barely two years after riding sbotgun oit a inerger betsseen Reformers and Consersatives, and only 18 months after an electon defeat. is testament 10 bis abulity 10 seil Canadians what the Conservatives have to offer. 0f course. he had pienty of help -most- iy in the florin of Martin and the Liberals. Wbile Harper can be credited n tth doing the seemîngly impossible. the saine can be said for Martin. His party was in flrm con- trol of this election when il began, yet he failed to convince Canadians the Lîberals were nîjîl best for the country despite a boomning economy and low inflation and unemployment rates. Insiead. the uriiocused Grils adopied a *who cares" attitude sshen il caîtne to the crucial issue of the spo.nsetrship scandaI (and other scandais). and fajîrd io ici on a number of' promises during the past 18 months. Martin and ettmpany blithely tgn(ired obs tous signs the eleciorate wsas out for blood - govenîtng bliîo-d. The Liberals got titf to a sîttîs stai in the caipaign. stumbled repeaiedly, theu in tbe final two sseeks tried tii detîietiie flite Totries (and especialîx Hiarperi aj '.trate,,x they used successînîl> last titte. 'Mhis lime. however fui enttuLeh sîtets ss'ere buyîng the Liberals' mnessage. attd because they weren'i, patd moire attetionit 10 tbe Conservatives' vision fi titis couti- try. The national trend was es ciiit locally wiîh the Liberal incumbeni (jar Carr lits- ing bis seat to Conservatisec candidate Garth Turner. While enough veiters gase Harper the keys 10 the car Monday. they did so ginger- ly -banding him only the slîgbtest mînor- ity win. How Harper and his party proceed will be interesting to svatcb. * Our Readers Write Town flot allowîng lits cîtîzens enough input Ikar Editor: Asa former itember of' ioNs n cteticil. 1 taise tii agrec tiially \s 1h ibe cîîtîîîocîts iii Boîb Beyeite's let- te, tif Jantuary 6t peotttîttg tii the aibuse oii the lenrocratic piN.e>ss Mr. ieYetîe cited fic budgct lertcess as an exattîple. Tbituglî its., the tîttsi recetît and gl.iring exain pie. it's by uit meats the iîtly tote. Whîle sers'ing ais town and rettînal cttuncillor tii Wards 2 and 4. 1 ý as iîtsolved in six local and six tegitnal budgets, ste l'in in a ptîst tîtti tsi compare (ie priîcess ai boîb lexels tif gîîvemnîent. At the Region. cotuncilîtîrs and the public are given many v.eeks tît analyze. dîscuss antd provide input on the projected budget. Compare ibat iii the couple of days allîîcated teor the Town budget. '[bere's no reastîn tii Tain these budgets tlîrîugb. except tii deti> Miltoitîans svbî wss to do sec tbe tipptunty to prtiperly aîtaly ce aînd hin- tic urssarcl aîîy cîttcertîs tir isustley îîîay baive svitb tbe pro- jected budget. ibat's wby \vie baive seen Miltotn priipeoy taîxes itîcrease esery year tior tîte pasi tbree years. Despile the cttntitîued sîtits revenue aînd tbe mtajor tîterease iii reventue frîtru the residential, commercial and indus- trial griNs tINse're expeienicing. cîur taixes cotinute lui gît up svitl no tîease iu sers ce lesels. iii faci, many Miltoin resîdetîts svill say ibat the qualiîy tif' life and enjoymiet of' our communiiy bas decreased tiser ibis same period. Tbe blame fotr ibis, 1 believe. lies ssiîb this cîtuncil. Oftbe 1l neinhers of counicil, six base served tîîgether for five termns tir nitre. aînd svith the exception of Cituncilîtti Barry Lee, tbey're utnit- ed in ssat, i belteve. is conimttnly releTebl ti ais the 'Old Boys Club'. Thits diieso't serve Mtttotn or uts taxpaxers swell. lit order tii bave ctunicîl funiction as îîîtended. sve must cbange the face of' ctunicl. In tbe upcomtng municipal ellection. sse mnits eleet metobers of counicîl wbo svill tbink on their ossni and îmuly represent ibeir constituenîs. Failiîîg to do so svill simply mean more of the same -increased taxes, decreased services and a reducîjon in our qualily of flfe. Rîck Malboeut Hey doc, thanks for the much-needed wake-up cal l svas a nigbt wben 1 just svanîed 10 go te, sleep early. but got a real wake-up caîl inslead. After a long day ai work about Iwo sveeks ago. 1 dragged myseif to an aIl-candidates meeting at Bishop Reding Secondary Sebool. Tbougb flot usually too inlrigued by sncb events. 1 found myself quite impressed with our local Green Party candidate, Dr. Kyle Grice - wbose elo- quence and passion about the environment and our ongoing neglecl of tf grabbed my attention a number of limes during the evening. He wasn't saying anylbing Ibat 1 didn'î already know -or aI least sbould already know -but sometimes il's flot junt wbat's said but bow il's said that can really gel a person tbinking. Bareiy 10 minutes afier leaving the meeting, I found myself visiting a nearby fast-food estab- iishment -idling my car for neyerai minutes while waiting in te drive-Ibmu. As if ltaI wasn't enougb, a couple hours later 1 peîllîîed the air a filie more witb a cetmpletely unnecessary tNvet minette drive to tbe ceitventence stoere fetr a quick munebies rix - n a nîgbt ssben tecather cottdi- tions were more than ideal for svalkîng. As suemetine ms bei usually grasps ai least the bla- tanlly obvietus tlîings arutnd tue. 1 ccîuldiî'î deny the sad synergy betsveen ssbat Dr. Grîce ssas try- ing tut say and my eîîînteîîtional yeî tîttal disre- gard f'or it. So 1 saîy enoeîgb already. Much like our nesv Haîltein MP Gaobh Turier had a simple seveit point plan tbat belped usher him back into office. i've corne up svitb a seven- point pledge to Dr. Grice and the Green Party. Caîl il a beiated New Year's Resolution list of sorts. Here il goles. -At leat once 4, week I piedge 10 walk somte- wbere titat 1 wouid normaliy drive. And no Up fron t exceptions because otifIe Nsealbcr. - 1 pledge to recycle flnot just soine tuitîes, but ail of the time. That's flot aisvays practical for someone Nvho lives in an aparlîneni, but then nobody said proîecîing the environmenî svould always gel with our convenience. * 1 pledge 10 start eating beaithier. Maybe if 1 stop polluting my body l'Il have more energy in miy efforts iii stop) pollting tîcr eus irittîment. 1 i pedge tee stoîp leasing so many damn ligbts on around my aparument and beip eut back on this cttunlry 's ridîculîtusly-lîîgl cttusuretpution ofi electrîcity. * 1 pledge to bectîme hetter intîrnied of what sse're dting loi- î plaîtet aînd the enheretît dan- -ers iii thatileeglet. tîediebrcimce 1pledge t p u h rv-hucnpee ly as a tîceains tiI geutitgý my citffe. Wit tuty caI leine cotisuueptitîn preîty bi,,b, tbis cîîuld be a t,îll taîsk. but Vve grise up tIi the couniter tsvice already tbis sveek aîîd -surprise, surprise - t really Nvasn't thai big tif an ordeal. * Once a tîîonîh 1 pledge Ici get out and enjoy one of Ibis area's many conservation parks. Perhaps if I develop a stronger appreciation for our environtîment, l'Il be less likeiy 10 keep dinre- specting il.