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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, July 14, 2010 · 6 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 --Open 9-5 weekdays, 5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekends Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award NEIL OLIVER Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The Oakville Beaver is a division of Media Group Ltd. DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager Taxing fee While consumers have been sweltering in the July heat, cash registers have also been heating up with two additional charges-- the HST and eco fees implemented this month. The former was a well-publicized provincial move that "harmonized" the GST and the PST, adding 8% costs on items not taxed provincially before such as hydro bills and haircuts. The latter, eco fees, however, came as a surprise to many, and unless retailers designated a special eco fee on the sales receipt, many consumers would still be unaware of the additional costs they were paying. Eco fees are not a government tax -- it's the cost of doing business being passed down from manufacturer to the retailer to the consumer in the form of a fee imposed by Stewardship Ontario. This is not a provincial government department, but is a provincially-regulated not-for-profit organization that is funded by and governed by the very industries it sets these fees for. These fees are based on the amount of goods it puts into the marketplace. While the fees have been imposed on some items such as paints and solvents since 2008, on July 1, thousands of household items including batteries, hand soap, hand sanitizer, laundry detergent, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals and some prescription pills and syringes -- have been added to the list to coincide with the launch of a special waste program called Orange Drop. The fees these industries pay to Stewardship Ontario is used to develop better recycling and hazardous waste diversion programs. For Halton Hills residents Orange Drop will mean it will become easier-- and safer for the environment-- to get rid of hazardous waste with nearby retail store collection sites for paints and batteries, and collection sites at pharmacies such as Young's and Walmart for disposal of pills and syringes. While the program is commendable, letting consumers know after the fact the number of everyday common household products now included as of July 1 was not. Yes, Stewardship Ontario may argue that the fees are on their industries, but it was naive of them not to assume that these fees wouldn't be passed onto consumers. For many already struggling to recover from a financially difficult 2008 and 2009, to have both HST and these so-called eco fees (transparent or hidden) both occur on July 1 was a double whammy on consumers. Let's be clear, eco fees may not be a government tax, but they are taxing on an already stretched pocketbook of the consumer. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Letter to the editor System improves transparency Re: Mayor's race down to two as Kay withdraws in protest, Oakville Beaver, July 7. In the article, withdrawn candidate John Kay is quoted, saying, "Mary Chapin sent me an e-mail back stating that I had to go through this procedure to ask any questions" and he complains of a "lack of transparency." As a Town Councillor, I am ready and willing to respond to questions from residents, and I do so, daily. Kay was a candidate for Council and therefore became subject to the policy that is acurately described: candidate's questions, and answers to same, are published on the Town website for the benefit of all canadidates. As reported, this system is intended to make efficient use of staff resources and ensure all candidates have access to the same information. This approach, I believe, actually improves transparency. MARY CHAPIN, WARD 3, OAKVILLE COUNCILLOR Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via email to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Arguement for funding cuts based on streotypes Re: Funding cuts long overdue by Ed Belitsky, Letter to the Editor, Oakville Beaver, July 7. I believe that much of the writer's negative comments are based on ignorance and stereotypes. The large union presence in the G20 protest should be an indication of how inaccurate it is to portray protesters as freeloaders. In order to be a member of a union, you have to be employed somewhere, earning wages, producing goods and services, and paying taxes. The other stereotype made by the writer is the irrational and unfounded prejudice that the only work that is of any value in this world is that which earns a profit. This misguided belief has been behind much of the attack upon government since the 1980s. Both government and the non-profit sector exist to perform vital services that the private sector cannot or will not do. These are known in economics as `public goods'. Not everything that makes our lives better is capable of generating a profit. The health of mothers and children, conservation of the environment, and world peace are notoriously unprofitable sectors, but we all benefit from them. In recognition of this, and in recognition of the fact that private charity alone is not a secure financial basis, governments in the past have provided funding for groups promoting the public good. Unfortunately, the sentiments expressed in the letter have become all too common in our country over the past decade, producing cuts to government services and non-profit groups. As a result, we are now in a very weak position to meet the many challenges we face as a nation, from poverty, unemployment and inequality, to a crumbling infrastructure, an aging population, and a deteriorating environment. The ability of our government to promote the public good is undermined by a tax revolt that selfishly regards any public money that does not directly benefit the individual taxpayer as a waste. What is needed is a positive vision for our country, one that draws upon all the best qualities of human nature, such as cooperation, solidarity, and a commitment to a life with dignity for all Canadians, not one that draws upon all the worst aspects, such as greed, selfishness and individualism. Yes, the private sector has a role to play, but so too does the public and the non-profit sector. Only the combined energies of all three can produce answers to these problems. The only way we can meet the economic, social and environmental challenges our country faces is by working together, but this cooperation will remain impossible so long as we subscribe to the kind of mentality expressed by Mr Belitsky. JAMES EDE, OAKVILLE FEDERAL NDP CANDIDATE