A6 - The Canadian Champion, Friy September 5, 2008 Election cali - why now?. it appears more and more hikely (anadians will head to the polls October 14 10 casi their hallots in a federal elc lion. Pnime Mînîster Siephen Harper, who appeared 10 be doing is best Mats Sundîn (wîll he or won't he?) impres- sien, last week sad, "if 1 don' t hînk (Parliament) can be productive, ibm obviously il's my responsibilîty to mak sure the people of Canada can elect a Parlîsmneni that cari procee Why Harper feels Parîsamient has suddenly become dysfuncîional remains unclear. For the pasi several months MPs have enjoyed their sumnmer vacation. Pnior 10 ihai, the governing Tories managed 10 pusb îhrough mucb of their agenda as the Liberals simply stomped their feet and iben eiîher backed the legislation or chose not 10 vole on i ai ail. There's noîhîng like an Opposition party and the Liberals have, thus fair, been nothing like an Opposition pariy True, the Tories have passed the usual best-before expiry date of 18 months for a lypical minorily govem R a e s r t ment, but if the volets are ciamoring for anotber day ai the poils Harper must be the oniy one hearing their cries. Wbaî makes»this iikely election cal1 even more con- founding is ibat Harper admît Canadians can expeci more of the samne -a minority govemment. 1I t.bink thats the reality of the current poiit.ical chi- mate," he said lasi week. Public opinion poils of late indicate he's right - with the Liberais and Tories in a virtuai lie wit.b public support i the 32 per cent range while the NDP and Green Party hring up the rear with support fluctuating in the mid- teens. So wby, if littie is likeiy to change and a fixed election date is aIready in place for October 2009, do we need an election this fali? Perbaps the prime minister knows something we dont - or perhaps not. E-mail your letters toe aritorial@nmitnoendianchampiofl.om. Gym staff's action simply amnazing DEAR EDITOR: This goes above and heyond the ca While at Premier Fitness recenîly, of duty. A suspect was swaftly appre my locker was broken into and my keys hended by police and ail my belonging were taken. were returned in perfect condition. The thief was abie to get inside my A big thank you goes out t0 the pro car and steal my wailet. fessionalismn and quick thinking show The staff at Premier recognized a b h tf fPeirFtes person from a previous incident and by the staf ofeier gitness watched bis suspicious behaviour. Andmbe t0 mys ello gym goe They took it upon themseives to stail a rmme oawy epyu e suspect, cati the authorities and even wihyuaallmeotmtem i poîentially put themseives in bar the front desk for safe keeping. way by blocking my car in with anoth- C. MCDONAL et car. MILTO M)rJ eanaeian cb~ampion M0I'ý îCt,r Npýbpappr i 1860 555 Industrial Dr., Mvilton, Ont. L9T 5El 905-878-2341 Editorial Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified:905 875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 wvww.miltoncanadianchamlpion.com V.P. - Group Publisher Neji Oliver Gênerai Manager David Harvey Editor in Chief JiE Davis Managing Editor Karen Miceli Advertising Director Debbi Koppejan Production Manager nam Colas Circulation Manager Charlane Hall Office Manager Sandy Para T he Canadian Champion, publishe every Wednesday and Fiiday, isa aWW of Metrolad Media GToup Lid. - Pmeident: lan Olivet pialelal tioi , a oto f he adloiisWe la&l5ad bi tel not e hargd for, ut tebalanceallofWthe1a 1118II W te pa4d fr allihe apoicale raie lie publisher resewm ea rieght t CCAB Audited n Reeiognized for excellence by 'ý"pma Neespapers Asciîation is to C+?NA CanadiantCommunit NewspaperssciaboC3O D * S<1 u iai N apers Aroundtown= Victim impact statements sadly powerful, poignant On july 19, 2007, life changed dramati- cally for the Miller family. As mosi of you know, that was the day Andrew and Hennietta Millet died in a car crash on Trafalgar Road. They were pushed into the path of an oncomidng GO train by a car being driven by 29-year-old Ferguson Drive resident Ingralm Rahim Bakhsh. He was driving drunk. Nearly four-times- the-legal-imit-drunk. Two weeks ago, hie was sentenced toi seven-and-a-half years in prison. ln my article about the sentencing, 1 w&s- nit able to include much about the *victim impact statemnents read in court by thse Millets Iamily members due to the, tlgh prs deladime for thse late-brealngi story it wasalbitictthegeWtheextmmmgO i lemos pignntlievSef5m0fl So il seenis only right to devote ni space to the words of one of the two brave women who took t0 the stand jusi sîeps away front where sat the man who killed their loved ones. jennifer Millet ts the vicluns I daugbter. Her seven-year-old, soni Devin, their grandson. The day of the collision, Devin was supposed to, spend the day with his grandparents, but didi due to a last minute change in plans, jennifer told the court. lit was fate, she said that kept him sale. By thse end of the day she was iooking ait Devin's twisted car seat. which was in the wrecicage, reaalzig how dlose she came to iosing bier son in addition to lie parents. Courlageous Was thse word that came to minti a# jeni cletai the day duat wili forever bie imprinted on hier mmnd. Severai limes she turned îo look ai Bakbsb and spoke dlrectly to, buim froin across the room, eye t0 eye. She didnt flinch. With a cold, clear voîce, she îold him be was the garbage, nol het parents' beiongmngs, whicb were debv- eredoh ler in atrasb bag. AShe spoke about baving to sul od aot the rrible days teanod aone the hrrile nws - foilowed. As for lier son, lie wrote in bis stalement - which jennifer read - tbat hie missed niaklng panicakes and shopping with his nana, and working in the garage with his grandpa. Two lives needlessly taken. .Counles kmve haned forever. The Canadien Champion is a proud media sponhor for: inge Bel Fud CANAD tlAY UNITED WAY VATIN PRD 0F MILTON CL-TVACTO AAD TH Ara The Oak 11,e Milton Showcase Melton GALA _ uî\i