A6 - The Canadian Champion, Wednesday, August 27, 2008 OPIN ION Wi SAVIS' work ever be done? Last week residents from across Halton gathered in Oakville to *Take Back the Night.' Tbursday was the l8th international event designed to spread the mes- sage that women and chil- dren have the night to live without violence. The march, organized by Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services (SAVIS), is just for children and women - providing therm with the freedom to walk safely at night without having to ask along a maie family memn- ber or friend. It's bard to, imagine that after ail this time we stili need to plan for such events. But when you con- sider that 51 per cent of Canadian women will expie- nience at least one incident of sexual or physical vio- lence in their lifetime then you cao understand why SAVOS knows its work is neyer done. In fact, Halton police recently released its mid- year statistical report on crime and sexual assault bas increased while other violent crime is decreasing. According to Halton police, there were 50 sex assaults in 2007 compared to 59 during tht same time frame this year. Sadly, Take Back the Nîght is needed more than ReaclersWrite E-mai your letters to editonlal@miltonoenadianchampîon oem Increase in litter and vandalism Too many bad in community ils very disturbing dn*vers out there DEAR EDIOR: In 1983 wr move to Milton and have lived on tht same street lever since. Over these past 25 ytars, we have notned a lot of changes within tht community - some good and somne not 50 pleasant. During these years, we have walkrd our dogs throughout tht local ntigbbourhoods and have neyer had any prohlrms. Oatly, howrver, wr'vr seen a noticeable increase in litter and in stupid acts of vandalismn. You cant walk through tht local park on a wrrkend mom- ing now without having to dodgr broken brrr boules and garbage strtwn about. This was elevatrd to, a nrw level this past werkend. Wr first noticrd a number of smasbed solar lights on Crdarbrae Avenue. Wr countrd at ltast 12 on our walk. There wer broken branches off trets, whilr tht pylons iden- t.fying raistd man-hole covers and boOts fiom road construc- tion on Maple Avenue bad bren movrd and placrd on or bthind cars in drivrways. And there were plrnty of smasbrd bouîles in Melanir Park. Ot lookrd like someone had tsird to up-rnd tht garbage can but couldn't because it was chainted in place. There wer more smashrd lights and bro- ken gardien ornaments and planters on Applrwood Crescent, and a chair was stackrd on somneonir vebicîr. Whrn we anrivrd home, we chrckrd our own solar lights and found that thrrt colourrd glass globes had bren stolen from, our backyard. Wr found themn smashed on Streles Avenue. These culprits had to jump, over our fence in order 10 traipse through the gardien and steal these lights. Were these isolatrd inci- dents? Wr hope so, but when dors ibis become a property liability issue if someone is injured in our yard? Os it worth rrporting to the police? Wr dontl know. Howevrr, wr do feel iÈs nrcessary to notify thr community ai large. Il may srrm petty of us to comment on some smashed lighss, but anyonr who bas had their child's bicycle stolen from their yard or their shed or bad their garage broken mbt will undrrstand how we feel. RANDY AND BARB ROSS CEDARBRAE AVENUE MP's flyeilr blatant wastlLe of taxpayers' money DEAR EDITOR: equal share of tht equalizanion fundang or even Last week O rrceîvrd a flyrr from some MP to fix tht Employrnt Insurance (El) imbal- from Calgary ance. No not tht brad ME Stephen Harper - No, thry only have monry for this partisan another MP Ht ustd taxpayer funds to pay for tlcinrng ibis partisan mailing to me in Halton. rll on sa rino h icio 0W a As far as i can tril tht Conservatives hve Wel1sy bigontelcin wca spent mort monry on polling and advertising show Harper and bis frirnds first hand hol tht than any prrvious govemment. Thry dlaim thteOytrralywksithscuu budget is tapptd out, with no mort monry avail- FRED PRITHARD ablr for hrlalth rare or toi provide Ontario with its MOFFAT DMA EpITR 1 was sitting in my truck i Northi Bauleford, sasktichtwn recently lis- iening toi a talki show discuss the wu viof roui rage. sptclficallO, the show tallhed about an accident sesulting from, a motorist .dtving bis Pontiac dangeroisly in frcmî of a GMC Yuakoni, casssing il to swerve, crash and roll - ldiing flt drivr. O foutsd this intertstng hecause 1 hive jusi five minutes, front Jamts Snow Pierkway and havlng drivexi buses sinict 1973 O've sto counies driving actions thaï: - imylOpinion - should have mt wlth charIges of daxsgerous or carelea drivng. On helieve ihat i -tht case 'of mosi accidents, ont of these charges shouki lie laid, and wlth il: an imin- diat drivers licence 1suspension shouldhbe sppllt. Thiswould slowly elianinat the had, caseleas and dan- gerous drivers from our roeadway frlon anywhert froan a wtek toife& For example, a sidtswlpe on a highway could result i a charge of undue care sud a ont-month suspen- sion o! ole licence, which would only lie snelnsoaid after tht person t ook a drive trining course from a reputable schol There are far.too mny cars, on tht roati, and ibis would help solve tht prohitan. ROSS HINGSTON 11WAAUAR ROAD lErle (Canablaan Campion M:itonis Comn:tNewspae rSince 1860 555 IndustrielDr., Milton, Ont. 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CCAB Audited 1 Rvragnized for excellvence by fAjeSp Ontario Comteootty N ewspapeo Asocieation 4~A canadian Community C+ N evaspaperssAsociatont SSele5t Nelope SK~I ofAlonça The Canadiens Champion se a praud media sponsor for: HaltnHfeathcare Ji.~. ngl Biel Fond CANADA DAY ITE W --t nscn MILTON SANTA CLAUS PARADE L THSENA 'The O.k7I ll~Mt GALAd Aowtas itn ,P% The âto Cwadin Ciwý'lor a e ýd ,