A 6 - The Oakville Beaver, W ed ne sd ay, S e p te m b e r 3, 2003 EDITORIALS AND LETTERS THE OAKVILLE HEAVER 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax; 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext 224 Circulation: 845-9742 IAN OUVER Publisher NEIL OLIVER Associate Publisher TERI CASAS Office Mcmager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief MARK DILLS Production Manager KELLY MONTAGUE Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLU Photography Director CHARLENE HALL Circulation Manager ROD JERRED Managing Editor U a x r o Pnr* 0. ftiM m g 4 D a t t a g IB . n u a In f tM tN M U m iw tx lM lC a m M u t m n r m Nwa. Bam* M a m Buryi Ki» H a Wd*. Boton Erftrprap. Branplon Gairtor B jln g tr P a t f t i t r y t r Srcpprq Nw*. O b Parw*. Qof c j w idlW l l l Canocttn t m Urror. Dm A0«x3*ftCar*y toute. Efcfcccfc* GuwdRn. f lr tx r o u ^ Hcvw* Gtorgatmn M W « ) o rtto n FfW P*«r Hamaon toMw vtrona O i w Titw*. Knpacr tv» i n s i r Th« vfe*. MaWvn Economof &Sin M an lAfW M rgaN ii Wro. H -- p fljar--a Tkrw. I f c w i g i tew* fepanM Gudt NnMmWAtsora En Bmnw. Northurrcartand Np m North W iA Mora, ijaktfto Bwmi. 0*c*e Sruppng C W -- W g y Q am g tn Port P»ry Tha * » O w S o r t Trtxjw Pamankm Otaaraar Poa*t«rx<r Tt» V ot*. (\aori Cout> G l K V j R tfW rt f«TTKrrr*Y*j/un I M . S d tx n u i h u n » SbuM M M neoi I r tm , Fohmv nw ra C% tf W t (kantan THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL M EDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association i Halton Healthcare A ^® >C ^N A Canadian Community Newspapers Association : '-.u l l l l 'l L" T vm ca I I O V T I T» V t n « t n Jr&Mfvnd | oakville galleries | 0 =LCOME^t 'A G O N u* jH r SKY Suburban Newspaper* at America TV AUCTION U aM W jiv o (J/r © Oah'ille 0 FOR BUSINESS EX C U lttCf C fo M fin d H i o a ow ^ om r £ a 1 I < a a ffr Th*0«w«t life* and DWtt R IA L I t T A T I B O A R O M BS IrfevM M Pl'BUC LIBRARY Where's the money? Another school year has begun but, not surprisingly, the new year has not started with harmony in our Halton elementary school classrooms. Public school teachers with the Halton District School Board are being asked by their union (the Elementary Teachers of Ontario) to not attend staff meetings until further notice. This move is intended to apply pressure to the HDSB to get a contract settled with its elementary teachers who have been without a deal since August 2002. Earlier this summer, as contract talks stalled, the union pink-listed the Halton board - essentially asking teachers from across Canada not to apply for any HDSB teaching positions.While the teachers are in the classroom and not talking strike action, we hope the acrimony between the board and its teachers does not trickle down to the most important component of the education system -- the students. According to Maureen Weinberger, president of the local chapter of the ETFO. the union is seeking a three per cent per year pay raise and the stan dard "improved working conditions." She says they have been offered a hike of 2.1 per cent in the first year and three per cent in the second. Earlier this year, the board gave its secondary school teachers a two-year deal worth six per cent with money freed up by the province. So, we wonder why the elementary teachers are not being provided with the same deal as their secondary school counterparts, especially since the province ponied up the funding for just such increases. Back in May, board negotiator Dawn Beckett-Morton described the board as "very poor." In light of the fact that every other school board in this province has settled with its elementary teachers, it's hard to believe the Halton District School Board doesn't have sufficient funds to settle this contract and get on with the business of teaching the region's children. Did the HDSB not set this provincial cash aside for contracts? And if not, why not? Where was the money spent? Is this going to be another crisis in education? Plenty of questions...too few answers. At1least so far. LETTERS T OTH EE D IT O R Blueprint Oakville could include public galleries During the summer, editorial letters (at least six) and commentary (Craig MacBride, July 26) in the Oak\'ille Beaver have offered noteworthy inter est in comm unity responsibility of Oakville's public galleries. The main issue seems to focus on limits to community presence in its own galleries. Does Oakville need more gallery space? Or do we need to change the use of current space at Gairloch and Centennial? If the latter, then the mandate o f the O akville Galleries needs revising, if the former, then Oakville Parks and Recreation (which includes our town's galleries) would do well to establish an arts cen tre. The Burlington Arts Centre is a suc cessful example -- artistically and financially. It houses courses, artists' groups, travelling and guild exhibi tions, meeting spaces, a gift shop, rentals and offices. A closing Oakville school could be revitalized as such a centre. Thus, Oakville Galleries could continue. unrivaled, its much-needed and highly desirable emphasis on contemporary art. An Oakville Arts Centre could focus on community artists. For such an organization, a management body already exists -- the Oakville Arts Council. Interested participants already exist in guilds, independent artists, the atre and musical group. This fall offers a public forum for such ideas -- Blueprint Oak\'ille 2003. It includes a Parks. Recreation and Culture Master Plan. Bob McFarland at parksandrec@ oakville.ca invites ideas for planning types of recreation, leisure, and cultural services, pro gram s, facilities and venues. O rganization, location, timing and funding all require input. At last, negative attitudes about Oakville's galleries can ^become posi tive action. It is high time for citizens o f Oakville to plan wisely for future accommodation of both contemporary art an<# community artists -- two vital cultural aspects in Oakville. JANE CORYELL We must never forget the important role of firefighters Sept. 11,2001 -- America's bravest gave the ultimate sac rifice. More than 340 New York City firefighters lost their lives, in the national catastrophe and worst terrorist attack ever faced by the people of the United States of America. It was an event that no one will ever forget. It became evi dent how important firefighters are to us, and how dangerous their job is. As a citizen, do you recognize your local fire department as a partner in community services? Your local fire depart ment whether full time or volunteer has an important function within your community. The fire department performs fire suppression and life sav ing functions, and responds to many other types o f emergen cies such as motor vehicle accidents. Your fire department may also perform other services to your community such as: first responder for medical calls, fire and life safety education, and fire inspections. Many firefighters in Canada and the United States are vol unteers who receive no monetary reward for their services. Countless hours a year is spent on training, maintenance, and responding to many different challenging incidents. Times are tough with municipal cut backs. Essential serv ices budgets are being reduced, including your local fire department. Many fire departments have been fundraising extensively to offset the cost of fire and life protection, to you the citizen. I encourage everyone to help and assist your local fire department next time they are fundraising. When firefighters visit our schools, the fire and life safety education they provide is very valuable and has saved lives. Remember, if you never need what you learn about per sonal safety, you have lost nothing. But if you never learn what you need, you may lose everything -- your family and your life. Safety . . . it starts with you. TYLER J. M O FFITT SAFETY ADVOCATE FORMER VOLUNTEER FIREFIG HTER `Gentle stranger' helped woman appreciate her life I've been doing a lot o f soul searching lately; trying to find some sort of inner peace, or come to terms with my rapidly growing family at such a young age. I haven't had a mother in 10 years which I think has affected my decision to have a family o f my own. I am 24 with two boys under the age of three. This, more often than not, can be overwhelming. My husband, two sons, and I were downtown Oakville this afternoon enjoying the end o f summer with a coffee in the town square. During our brief stop at the coffee shop, an older gentleman (older than my husband and I) approached my family. He stood close and watched as I fed my two month old son. I thought he was an ordinary onlooker admir ing the miracle of such a young person, as many people do. What I hadn't realized was that this man had come to me as an inspiration. He told me about his boys, now in college and how quick ly they grew up and what wonderful people mothers are. By this, he caught me off guard. No one had ever approached me and told me what an incredible role I played in society and my family. People usually regard me as a kid who doesn't know the slightest about child rearing. I've been insulted by peers, criticized by older adults, and even treated disrespect fully by doctors who blame me for my child's ear infection. This encounter was unexpected, to say the least. This kind man recounted how his boys lost their mother to breast cancer when they were 13 and 15. I said casually, "so you are the mom and the dad." "No," he said, "they have their mother." He didn't mean that he had remarried and his boys had, once again, a female role model in their lives. "They will always have their mother. You can't replace a mother." This filled my heart with an appreciation I haven't even received from my husband. This gentle stranger, I feel was brought into my life to enlighten me and reassure me of the love I have in my life and the love I have created. This man showed me much more of my soul than what I thought was there when I woke up this morning. As we parted ways I said. "It was nice talking with you," and he told me. "You are amazing." I don't know this man's name or even if he is native to Oakville. I do know that I want to thank him for helping me to appreciate my boys, my family, and love myself -- espe cially in a time when there is so much hurt in the world. Sir, I want you to know that our conversation is one I won't soon forget. I have spent the night thinking about your wife and what a wonderful woman she was to leave such an impression. In her absence, she has touched my life through you. VANESSA NICKLE MISSISSAUGA When are you considered a senior? Letter writer questions different ages When will the Town of Oakville and retailers make the age for seniors uni form throughout all their various pro grams etc.? The eligible age for seniors' pro grams differs in several areas: · The Town o f Oakville Parks and Recreation Program states the fee for seniors to participate in the regular pro grams is 65 years of age. i.e. W aterfit. On the other hand, the Sir John Colbome and Kerr Street seniors cen tres states ages 50 plus. The recreational swim at Oaklands Regional Centre is in a 90 degree pool, which is too warm for someone with high blood pressure. · Three o f our major stores in Oakville state a different eligible senior age. For example, the Bay. Zellers and Shoppers Drug Mart offer monthly dis counts for seniors from 55 plus. · Golf courses across Ontario offer senior rates for ages 60 plus. We feel, along with all of the seniors we associate with, that the eligible age for seniors should be uniform. As the early retirement age is 55 and many are forced to retire early these days, why not make the standard to be 55 years of age? IRENE A N D PAT COMPAGNON Thanks for the support Thank you so much for selecting the pro same-sex mar riage issue as your letter of the week (The Beaver. Aug. 27). It took courage and a true belief in equality for all Canadians for the author to have submitted that letter to your paper. However, it took no less courage and a commitment to equality for you to print the letter and select it as the featured communication of the week. Thank you for your continued support. Very best wishes, M ICH A EL D . FEIN, M O NTREAL Pud You HAVETo FAY N F hish S C H O O L is ta il DIFFERED FR O M A ttention!,,, Y ou CANT FALL BEHIND P b -(5 R A D E 8 "^ S A M tA Y X X ok Y our W E KNOW/ BB CAREFUL H C W You B E H A V E . AN D 'W H O Yotl C H U MW nH! By STEVE NEASE We want your opinion The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considera tions and grammar. In order to be published, letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to T he Editor, OakviUe Beaver, 467 Speers Road, Oakville, O n., L6K 3S4. or via email to editor@ oakvillebeaver.coni. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish any let ter. The Oakvlle Beaver is a member of the Ontario Pres Council. The council is located at 80 Could SI. Suite 206. Toronto. OnL. MSB 2M7. Phone (416) 340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that. In the event at a typographical error, that portion ot adver tising space occupied by the erroneous Item, together with a reasonable allowance tor signature, wtl not be charged for. but the balance ot the advertisement be paid for at the applicable rate The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or dedine.