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“6 ‘WSm-WIW Fab. 7:2009 TWO recent Ottawa decisions leave me wondering if the job retraining program should begin in the anservative caucus. Maybejob retraining should start in Conservative caucus ‘ First, 5 contract for‘ 1,200 new army trucksisgiventoaSL'Ihomasfinnwhichis Tlfisisthesamefinnmatreceivedagov- emment grant of $65,000,000 five years ago to build the plant. and which is cumently laying off 350-plus workers in Canada. Secondly, a $3-billion contract to replace about 20 Beaver aircraft in military service, given to a US. firm and its Italian partner. . I understand they have improved on the old DeHaviland design. A BC. firm that has similar capability was refused permission by Peter McKay to even put in a bid. ' It all defies logic. Mytivo calls to our local federal representative, MP Paul Calandra, have gone unanswered. Do other seniors have trouble with snow plow leftovers? I am wondering whether other seniors in Stouffville have the same problem as I do cience has taken a beating over the past few years, espe- cially in the U.S. and Canada We’ve put up with inces- sant braying from climate change deniers who, in the words of Guardian writer George Monbiot, “ignore an entire canon of science, the statements of the world’s most eminent scientific institutions, and thousands of papers published in the foremost scientific journals” just so they can “pick up a crumb: a' crumb which then disintegrates" in theirpalms George Bush’s administration was so anti-science â€" blacklisting and purging scientists and suppressing or altering scientific studies - that 60 top scientists released a state- ment in 2004 accusing the admin- istration of distorting scientific fact “for partisan political ends”. Shience hésn’t fared much better here in Canada. A year ago, an editorial in the scientific journal Nature criticized our government for its skepticism about the science of global warming and for muzzling federal scientists [ETTEIS POLICY The Sun-Tribune welcomes your letters. All submissions must be less than mo weeds and must include a daytime telephone number. name and addressL The Sun-'mbune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and upooe WDOOW. mun-m, canon-Ina New president puts science in rightful place I.“ I07 lmuontymgxom PINION lETTERS TO THE EDITOR R. BLAKE TUFFORD STOUFFVILLE Immcnvn MEDIA W M W‘W Bonnie Rondeau and closing the oflice of the national science adviser. How refreshing it was. then, to lis- ten- to US. President Barack Obama’s inaugural speech. “We'll restore science to its right- ful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care’s qual- ity and lower its cost," the president said. “We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories.” What's even more refreshing is President Obama is backing those words with action. He has appointed top scientists to key positions, including Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Chu as energy secretary, leading marine biologist lane Lubchenco to head up the National Oceanograch and Atmospheric Administration and Harvard physicist John Holdren as head of the White House Office of Science and Technology. President Obama also under- stands the geopolitical ramificaâ€" tions of policies that help fuel cli- matechange,ashemadeclearinhis speech when he noted that “each day with snow clearing and the pile left by the For'tunatel'y, a very dice young man driv- ing an oil truck helped push me back into place, and there I have been ever since. Thankyou to him, snow plow. It is now Feb. 3. I have not been able to move my car since Jan. 29, when I risked dn'ving through it and got stuck. I hive called the Town of Whitchumhâ€" Stoufl’ville, but I have not had the courtesy of a reply. Anéther senior on my street has given up and pays to have this snow removed. A third gets help from her neighbour when she's desperate. I would be pleased to hear fromanyone else with this problem. Maybe more united fonces will get some action. D Whatdoyouminkofthese issuesmothers? E-mail lettets to the editor to jmasoné’ynnqcom HAVE YOUR SAY, WHflCHUBCH-STDUFFVILLE Ammsmc Saw-Tribune 6290 Main St. WflN. MA 167 www.mn PUBLISHER Ian Proudfoot brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adver- saries and threaten our planet". It was refreshing also to hear the new president talk about choosing “hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord" and about “what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose and necessity to courage.” That common purpose and need for courage, as the president knows, extends beyond US. borders. After all, migratory Pacific salmon don’t recognize the line between our STOUFFVILLE Special Events Manger Pam Burgm phurgrssOyrmg.mm David Suzuki ESE ( Bum-m Cum:I DebomKeUy Robenlnzurko nations, nor do rivers such as the pristine Hathead, which flows from BC. into Montana and forms the western boundary of Montana’s Glaâ€" cier National Park. In British Columbia, most species at risk cross back and forth regulariy between the two countries We can’t hope to protect them without strong and complementary habitat-protec- tion policies in both countries We also need agreement on poli- cies to protect the waters that flow between our two nations President Obama said during his campaign he opposes industrial development in the headwaters of the Flathead. “The Flathead River and Gla- cier National Park are treasures that should be conserved for future gen- erations.” he said in reaction to a push by the BC. government for development in the region. includ- ing an open-pit coal mine 40 km from the Canadaâ€"US. border. Climate change is another issue that must be addressed quickly and effectively by both nations. ‘Indficd President Obama has proposed Fu Fu DISTRIBUTION 905-640-26l 2 ADVERTISING 905-640-2612 Sod: 1-800-743-3353 n: 905-64043778 905-640â€"2612 a: 905â€"640~8778 EDITOR Ml A York Region Media Group community newspaper TheSmTrlbune. published evefyThulsday and Saturday. isadMsionoftMMetmlandMediaGroupUd..awholtyowned I l subsidiaryoflocstatCorporafion.Memlandiscompflsedof 9 Immunnymmmauossomm.meMRegion 1 WW M10051?» Ubeml,seMngRichmond Hill and W.Wn Cinemmo Eraâ€"Bum (mam/Mm). WEmnlstS«m.GeapmAmocate.MRegion mmmammmgsonmm mmmm. @Jfibune an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists and economists aroundtheworldknowthatputtinga price on carbon emissions, through cap and trade and carbon taxes. is the best way to bring our emissions under oontmL While Canadian provinces have joined with US. states to implement cap-and-trade programs, our federal government has yet to act. It’s great to see a US. administra- tion that isn't afraid of real progress and change. But, as President Obama noted, it isn't just up to the American government to create that change; it's up to all of us And while he was referring to American citizens, Canadians must also confront the challenges that both our countries. and indeed. the entire world. face. It's time to realize. when it comes to finding solutions to our common problems, science matters mmmtesmoocasmalcolumnfor TheSurrTnbune. You: Ramon Pnnrnm;