A6 - The Canadian Champion, Friday, August 18, 2006 OPINION Do you have what it takes?7 Halton police need new recruits to serve anLd prohiect Il can't bc easy bcing a cop - especiallv silnce our pop- ulation continues to grow in lcaps and bounds without thc neccssarv scrvices in place to sustain the growth. Of course rcsidents expect (demand5) the sanie level of police sersice they have been enjoy-ing over the N'cars. That service can mean anvthing from responding to traf- fie accidents t0 diffusing a tense domestic situation bo comforting a lost child 10 breaking the nexvs that a loved one won't bc coming home again. A police officer's job - or callîng - demands thai the indîvidual be a caring but strong soul. a marrnage court- sellor, chîld care acîvocate, teacher, social worker and, when required. a mîidwife. Somechow the policeman or woman is expectcd to be A of ihat olten with lîtîle appre- ciation from the community thev serve. But for most of the police officers who miake it their life's quest t0 improve the lives of others and tlîe safetN, of towns and cities in whîch they ssork, they wouldn't want t0 change t.heir profession. Thev love the job and embrace ahl of ils daily challenges. Their enthusiasîn for policing ss readily apparent in the new recruitment campaign being promoted by the Halton Regional Police Service. WVariety is the spice of life, so polîcing is very chaI- lenging and rewarding - plus you can really help peo- pIe," says Media Relations Officer Sgt. Peter PaNne. "You can look in the mirror and tell yourself you made a dîffer- ence. If you're dedicated to helping people, this is the job for you.' Halton police are currently louking lu draw from a large pool of applicants and want to encourage local resi- dents t0 consider a career in policing. If y'ou have what it takes t0 serve and protect the peo- ple of Halton, vou mîght want t0 check out wlwhrps.on.ca or caîl the recruitment informationi line at (905) 634-1831. ext. 5116. Readers Wri"te Send your letters te rnilton&l@halr.onsearchom or drop themn off at 875 Main St. E. Community fund aids our youth DEAR EDITOR: Great volunteer opportunities, fun social skills groups and an overall posi- tive influence in a childs life. Those arc ail things the Youth Aidîng Youih program bas been ahle 10 olTer tshe community of Milton thanks largely îo the help of a very gencrous sponsor. Those wýith the Milton Community Fund have helped our program t0 make a difference in the community through their financial support. About a year ago they generously decided t0 fmnancially support the program b), giv- ing us more than $20,000. Those with the Milton Commnnity Fund understand the need - and the importance - of this programn in our communîty. Without their financial support, Youth Aiding Youth wouldn't have been able to make such great gains in the Milton communlîy. esee SUPPORT on page A7 Upfront Overcrowding at our hun-ane sociely truly heartbreazng z4r~ (Eanab*an cbampion Mion' Commssni15 Newspaper Since 1860 875 Main St. E., Milton, Ont. L9T 3Z3 905-878-2341 Editonial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertiamng Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 svvw.mitoncanadianchampion.com Publisher: Ian Oliver Associate Publiaher Neil Oliver Advertiaing Director Ws'ndy McNab Managing Editor Karen Miceli Production Manager Tîm Colos Circulation Manager Charlene Hall Office Manager Teri Casas The Canadian Qianpion, publisWe every Tuenday and feiday at 875 Main St E., Milton, Ont, L9T 3Z3, is one of thse Metroland Ptinting, Publihisg & Distvibuting Ltd. camnmunity newspapes. Adsert5,ng is accepild on lie conditon tiaS in lie esentof a tymrqapssa efos lhia prion of the adsversog space ossuped by the erroeeoa lesm. tgeter eniha seawsalse aloasance for n a ture sell soib dangd for. butte blance of the aniservntsen sMU be paid for at 8eappiable ratele Nlis bier rsernes 8fe nosl 8 saegeese alsen&"mtsse or dedse CCAB Audited Sisscognized for excellence' by ~ fn Ontario Commusep WI.LI, Newsapers Assoaion CCA asadian Comessîiy 6 NA ewspapersscato U~Suburban Nesispapers m m f Arnefica aTho ss.ds, noaspoono pato Hsorhcai It's bard 10i decide whatIs sadder, tise situa- tion itself or tise reasons beisind it. What's clear is that a visit to the Oakville and District Humane Society these days will be downright heartbreaking, for any cat lover. Simply put, sffs like a feline refuge camp - witis cages occupying literally eveiy avail- able spot, including two in executive director Johanne Golders office and one in tise staff washroom. The shelter, wbich covers Milton as welI as Oakville, is neyer at a shoriage of cats this lime of year. However, tisis summer's overcrowding is ai a truly frightening level, with roughly 200 cats in their care. Part of the reason for this, Golder explained, is that many Miltonians stili don't realize that tiseir community fails withîn the Oakville shelters jurisdiction - and there- fore dont go looking there for lost pets. Unfortunately, thatIsjust one of many con- tributing factors t0 tise annual cat surge. Perhaps tise saddest of these is the short- lived commilment many people bave to find- îng their runaway kitties. Often deemed disposable -at least com- pared to dogs - these batl cats are quickly replaced in many cases and, subsequently, left homeless when they do finally show up at a place like the humane society 4 Then there's the people who give up tiseir cats due to a move or somte otiser type of lîfe change. Okay that's understandable, but as Golder points out, most of these situations seem to happen in the spring and summer and many people often drop off their cats; attse Iast minute - leaving tise humane society fur- tiser flooded with furry hlte residents. Tise fact that most people just dont seemn to adopt cats mn summer - figuring tisey'd rather be outside enjoying tise warm weatiser W~M% Jingle Bell Fond 55.008b 5.5/ unan instue caning tor a new pet - certainly- S contributes to the overflow. And of course part of tise prob- UNITED WAY lem lies in the fact that many peo- OF MILTiON î pie still arent geîîing their cals fixed - something 1'd consider - ethically criminal. given the over-i / population in mosî communities. Tise sad reality is that cats juat don't rate anywhere near as higb as H'I dogs on the pet pecking order. Our i emotional attacisment t0 a pet seenis t0 be tied 10 our financial investment in it. Let's see wbat we can do about changing tisis troubling trend. If you're flot willing to go and adopt a cat at our bumane society; please at least try not to add 10 their over- crowding. TY AUCOION MILTiON SANTA CLAUSI PARADE IYYMÇA Shosacase Mil il 4 .7,