ONLY W IN T E R m g U 0 T U N E -U P 9 ¥ K8? Blast from Abbozzo gallery the Past in elite com pany A u t o m o t iv e A r ts & e n t e r t a in m e n t [Silbaier's custom urhLiM cry lui F o r the finest in C U S T O M U P H O L S T E R IN G call B a ie r's. M akers o f fine upholstered furniture. OAKVILLE 337-1373 Corner of Portal & Speers (b e tw e e nB ro n te & T h in ]L in e ) 0LI*w01 2333 Wyecroft Road, I nit 7 DVT AMetroland Publication Vol. 38 No. 20 W E D N E S D A Y , F E B R U A R Y 1 6 ,2 0 0 0 52 Pages 7 5 C e n t s (plus GST) Better addiction treatment coming Streamlined treatment services part of `made-in-Halton ' solution to concerns By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF ccess to addiction treatm ent program s is about to im prove dram atically Lif the Halton-Peel D istrict H ealth C ouncil has its way. In its just-released "H alton-Peel Addiction Treatment Plan for Integrated Services," the group advocates several initiatives to better allow individuals entry into programs in order for them to receive help expeditiously. According to Health Council senior planner Ron Wray, this streamlining would include the creation of a toll-free line as a single point-of-entry to ensure those in need are "plugged directly" into the system. An im m ediate'assessm ent could then be carried out followed by routing to the most appropriate program. "You can m ake a phone call from Toronto to reserve a hotel in Hong Kong through a call centre in N ew Brunswick," said M ayor Ann Mulvale, chair o f the Health Council addiction committee. "W hile meeting the needs of a person with an addiction problem is obviously more challenging than book ing a room, the bottom line should be the same - good customer service." D istrict health councils across Ontario were asked by the Ministry of Health last year to develop local plans for re-organizing services. The resulting local plan reported that in general, funding was being allocated where it is best needed. Problems were found, however, with how people are able to access and move between pro grams. It found that access is especially problematic for the homeless, seniors, ethno-cultural communities and those with histories of sexual/physical abuse and mental illness. "Former clients and health and social professionals told us that it's difficult enough facing up to an addiction prob lem without being bounced around or refused service," said Wray, who added that Halton's programs were more inte grated than those in Peel. Those with concurrent disorders mental illness and substance abuse for example - may be in parallel programs when a fully integrated approach is far more effective, said Wray. "This creates a more seamless inter vention," he said. The Health Council plan also calls for the developm ent o f neighbourhood teams with active outreach services to be placed in each o f Halton-Peel's seven municipalities. The ensuing creation of common policies and approaches would help make sure clients access the most effective services. The 1-800 line, for instance, would link callers directly to the appropriate team. This system, which Wray hopes to have running by year's end, would also help professionals compile a single wait ing list for service, whereas now a person could be on more than one. Wray explained that it has yet to be determined whether a local number will be established or whether a partnership will be created using a provincial num ber - hopefully with some M inistry financial backing. "Halton-Peel will be one o f the most efficient in the province," said Wray. Speaking o f funding, W ray said Halton-Peel is among the lowest funded districts in Ontario with estimates sug gesting the regions received $7.96 per capita in 1996 while the provincial aver age was $12.70 per capita that year. The H ealth Council report says that an investment of at least $4 million is need ed just to match the 1996 average. "W hile we need to improve how we deliver addiction treatment services, we also need more funding to effectively meet the addiction need o f two o f the fastest growing areas in Ontario," said Mulvale. Wray pointed out, though, that if their stream lining plans succeed, service providers will be "overwhelmed" by those in need. Current resources will work for a while, he continued, but demand will "hit a wall early on." W itnesses sought in GO bus Q EW crash W itnesses are being sought in connection with M onday m orning's G O bus collision on the Queen E lizabeth Way (QEW ) in Oakville. Two people in another vehicle were injured in the accident. A cco rd in g to the O P P 's Burlington D etachm ent, the mishap occurred around 10:30 a.m. when the driver o f a 1996 Chrysler lost control o f his vehicle and was struck by a G O bus on the eastbound QEW at Burloak Drive. The driver o f the C hrysler and his fem ale passenger were transported to O ak v ille-T rafalg ar M em orial H ospital with non life-threatening injuries. There were 26 passengers on the G O bus but none o f them was injured. There are no charges. A nyone w ho may have w it nessed the collision is encouraged to contact O PP Const. Kurpel at 6812511. P h o to by P e ter C. M cC usker V A L E N T I N E I N G E N U I T Y : A flow er seller at Speers R oad and D orval D rive kept his selling space clear o f snow M on d ay by u sin g his san dw ich board sign as a snow shovel. T he V alentine's Day storm put a dam per on the y e a r 's special d ay for sw eethearts. CD promotion doesn't have ok of nun's estate An Oakville businessm an m arketing a com pact disc using the nam e o f the late M other Teresa, is doing it w ithout the perm ission o f her estate, her law yer says. "This is one o f the m ost flagrant misuses o f M other T eresa's nam e and likeness I've ever seen," Jam es Towey, her personal law yer for 12 years, said in a telephone interview from his Tallahassee, Florida, office. Oakville businessm an Jim Briggs claim s he has the blessing o f the Vatican in his project - selling the $14 10-track disc at selected E tobicoke stores in a venture to raise m oney for his ailing com pany, G uaranteed Estate Law yer for M other Teresa's estate, says businessm an cari't use fam ous nun's nam e Bond Corp. It was produced by a Toronto studio, Black Russian, and features songs per form ed by the C hildren's International P eace C hoir, along w ith soloists Brandon Strongm an and Jessica Baker. T he 65-year-old grandfather has said m ost o f the profits from the com pany, w hich plans to sell life insurance, will go to help the poor in Third World countries. But Towey said Briggs never asked permission from M other Teresa's order, the M issionaries o f Charity, and if he had, it never would have been granted, he added. "We don't perm it M other Teresa's name to be used in fundraising efforts," Towey said. "This project smells o f bad faith." In an affidavit to the court, Towey said he intended to notify U.S. border guards to stop the disc from being shipped into the country. M other Teresa died in 1997 in Calcutta at the age o f 87 after spending a lifetime helping the poor. (See `Man' page A2) Man faces charges in smuggling `sting' A n Oakville man is one o f 12 peo ple charged by the RCM P following an 18-m onth jo in t forces investigation into the sm uggling and selling o f con traband spirits. Police also seized three vehicles and 1,800 litres o f contraband spirits with an estim ated value o f $55,000. Police believe the jo in t forces oper ation has resulted in the dism antling of tw o alleged organized crim inal net w orks believed to be engaged in the sm uggling and selling o f contraband spirits throughout southern Ontario. T he op eratio n involved C anada C u sto m s and R evenue A gency (CCR A ) investigators from Hamilton and N iagara Falls w orking in partner ship with RC M P m em bers from the K itchener C ustom s and Excise Section and RC M P m em bers from the Toronto E ast and W est (Bowm anville, Milton and H am ilton/N iagara Falls) detach ments. A m ong those charged is A lbert Fattore, 52, o f Oakville. He is charged with conspiracy to smuggle unlawfully im ported spirits. Fattore is scheduled to appear in court in K itchener on Feb. 22nd. Teen in search for bone marrow match For leukemia victim, 17-yearold Chris Cooling, Feb. 23rd bone marrow registry could be a life-saver By Claudia D'Souza SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Christopher C ooling's diagnosis acute myeloid leukemia - cam e as a shock. But it was even more shocking considering the 17-year-old O akville teen's previous medical history. "In 12 years of school h e's only missed two days," says his father Scott. "H e's rarely been sick. M aybe a few colds, but that's it." "T h ere's no fam ily history o f leukemia on either side o f the family," adds his m other Paulette. "H e's always been very active and healthy. He loves snowboarding, hockey and all kinds o f sports." So, last June when the Grade 12 Oakville Trafalgar High School student began having unlikely symptoms - unex plained exhaustion, anemia, runny eyes and then a lump under his chin, they knew something was wrong. A battery of tests at the M cM aster University Medical Centre confirm ed the unthink able. Since then, their lives have been a series o f arduous trips to the hospital. His parents take turns staying overnight with their son, sleeping on a p.ullout couch in his room. Their suitcases are always packed and ready to go at any sign of a downward spiral. "We thought it was a bad dream," C hristoph er C ooling: Looking for su itab le bone m arrow donor. Scott confesses. "It's been an emotional rollercoaster, but we take it one day at a tim e." Acute myeloid leukemia or AM L is a rapidly progressive disease in which can cer cells are found in the blood and bone marrow. It's difficult to diagnose because the early signs mimic the flu or other com m on diseases. Normally, the bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside the large bones o f the body, makes cells called blasts that mature into red and white blood cells and platelets. AM L affects the blasts that develop into infec tion fighting white blood cells. Primary treatment includes chemotherapy that kills the cancer cells, but in some cases, bone marrow transplantation is neces sary. For Chris, an early diagnosis meant chemotherapy treatments began immedi ately and he did go into remission last fall, but tests confirmed a relapse in D.ecember. A second round of chemotherapy recently ended and the Coolings are now looking for a suitable bome marrow donor. Those between 17 and 59-years-old, who are in good health and want to find out how bone marrow registries work, should attend one o f two 45-minute inform ation sessions at O akville Trafalgar High School on Devon Road on Wed. Feb. 23rd. The first session begins at 6:45 p.m. and the second at 8 p.m. Doors close 10 minutes after each session begins (limited to 150 people per session). "Chris doesn't have any siblings and all family members have already been tested," says Paulette. "W e're hoping to find a donor, but we also hope people will come out to learn how the registry works. They may not be able to help Chris, but they may be a match for some one else." In the meantime, Scott and Paulette are grateful for the enormous support they've received from family, friends, the medical team at McMaster, even total strangers, but mostly, from Chris him self. "H e's been so strong. H e's kept us going. W hen he found out he grew up just like that," smiles Paulette snapping her fingers. "He said, `It's going to be (See `Gift' page A2) t o d a y 's p a p e r Editorials............................. A6 Focus.................................. B 1 Entertainment......................B6 Automotive.......................... C 1 Classified............................ C5 Business............................. C8 Sports.................................01 Homes & Gardens..................D6 Spettal Supplements: Home delivery: Hy & Zeis Partial delivery: BiWay, Lansing Buiidall, flew Garden, little Caesars, Business Depot, Ennisclaire Interiors, fladio Shack Canadian Publications Mail Product Agreement #435-201 'Q c id rty L ic e n s e d C h a r a c te r M e rc h a n d is e " I P e t e r W atso n M I N V E S T M E N T S Free Anytim e - C h ild re n A re In vited T o W atc h Their Favorite C a rto o n s A n d Play O u r 3 V ideo Games. Erin Mills Centre 3050 Vega Blvd., Mississaug (D undas/H w y403) ( 905 ) 828-5511 N e w A rriv a ls [C la s s ic P o o h C lo th in q : Sizes 0 - 3 x R E T IR E M E N T P L A N N IN G S P E C IA L IS T S F r e e C o n s u lta tio n 8 42 -2 1 0 0 Peter C. Watson I M .B A ., C E P ., R -K R .