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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, August 5, 2010 · 6 The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 905-632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 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. Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Commentary Guest Columnist Leading in job growth Lisa Raitt, Halton MP July brought some very welcome news for our economy. Statistics Canada reported that 93,000 new jobs were created in June, the second largest monthly employment gain in Canadian history. Lisa Raitt That growth represents the sixth straight month of gains, not an insignificant fact. More so, over the past year Canada has created more than 400,000 new jobs. Some of these jobs are the direct result of Canada's Economic Action Plan efforts right here in Halton. The opportunity for a great quality of life is why I decided to raise my family in Halton. It is a community that I am proud to represent, live, work and volunteer in. That is why I am proud of the new jobs are being created at the Appleby Ice Centre where they are twinning the rinks and at Burlington's Orchard Community Park where they are building an artificial turf sports field. Workers in Burlington are renewing the Skyway Wastewater Treatment plant and readying shovels to be put in the ground to widen Tremaine Road. These improvements in our community create new opportunities and experiences that benefit young and old alike. We are creating opportunities for young Canadians as well. This summer more than 75 students were able to find gainful employment through the Canada Summer Jobs Program. These local youths are now working here in Halton contributing to the community through public and not-for-profit organizations. Canada weathered the global recession last year better than virtually every other industrialized country in the world, thanks in part to the actions our government took before the global recession. By cutting taxes for families and seniors, reducing the GST from seven per cent to six, and then to five, and by responsibly paying down government debt, we made sure Canada was in a strong position to face the global recession head on. The International Monetary Fund predicted that Canada's economic growth will be at the head of the pack among the G7 this year and next. Little wonder, the BBC recently declared "In this economy, we all want to be Canadian." It is encouraging to see Canada's economy on the right track. Though the global recovery remains fragile, our government will continue to work on the priorities of Canadians and ensure we maintain our spot as the country with the best fiscal position in the G7. NEIL OLIVER Vice-President and Group Publisher, Metroland West 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 The Oakville Beaver is a division of WEBSITE oakvillebeaver.com Suburban Newspapers of America Media Group Ltd. RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE BY: Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: United Way of Oakville ATHENA Award PHOTOS COURTESY ANDREW AHMED AT THE SIXTEEN: Oakville resident Colin Woodcock regularly organizes cleanups of 16 Mile Creek. Here's a group that spent the morning bringing garbage up to the road for pick-up from the creek. In the group photo (left-right) are Gay Ahmed, Reid Van Kuren, Colin Woodcock and Alan Roy. Larry McCoy was also cleaning up, but was absent from the photo. On whether the Internet should be a provincial park perk recently heard a lively debate on the car radio regarding the pros and cons of Ontario provincial parks adding wireless Internet service to their package of perks -- perks that currently include things like Mother Nature and The Great Outdoors. Apparently the agency that runs our province's provincial parks is experimenting with Wi-Fi at Pinery Provincial Park. And, if campers like the convenience, they'll consider implementing Internet access at other parks. Because, as a manager for Ontario Parks noted: "It's not 1950, and we want to look at what their (campers) needs are." I can't tell you who won the lively radio debate on this topic -- significant salvos were being fired from both sides of the topic -- because, upon reaching my destination, I bailed on the program. But I can tell you the whole topic was goosing my blood pressure. Listen: I know it's not 1950. And I'm not a Luddite. In my mind, technology, innovation and progress are wonderful. However, when I hear wireless Internet being described as a `need' for campers, well, I start to lose it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the basic concept of camping to shed the shackles of city life I and get back to nature? Isn't camping all about turning off technology, about getting out of the air-conditioning and into the fresh air, about escaping your current reality and replacing it with a whole new experience? If I'm some poor guy who has taken a week off work to be with his family, and I find myself sitting around a campfire all Andy Juniper by my lonesome -- as my wife catches up on work e-mails and my kids camp out online over their laptops -- I'm liable to pack up and go home. Our 14-year-old daughter recently attended a 10-day session at the Celtic Sports & Arts Camp in Lion's Head. One of the initial orders of business for camp counsellors was to confiscate each camper's cell phone that, naturally, they'd all been unable to leave home without. A few parents complained: why couldn't their little Janeys and Johnnies keep their phones so they could stay connected to their parents and friends via text messaging. Conversely, my wife and I applauded the confiscation. For starters, Celtic aims toward "Building Character Through Adventure," not "Building Sedentary Souls Through Technology That Makes It Seem Like You Never Left Home." Secondly, how much friendship-building, nature-appreciation could occur if each kid was glued to a cell phone? Finally, with today's technology, a phone is not just a phone. Let the kids keep their phones and they're surfing the Internet, chatting with friends back home, and watching You Tube videos for the entire 10 days. Take away their phones and they spend their time having a blast, experiencing new things like actually interacting with other human beings (gasp), and creating memories and friendships to last a lifetime longer than any You Tube video. Returning home, our daughter was brimming with stories and bursting with the news that she and her campmates had actually slept outside. Under the stars. On rocks. Sure, they'd been offered tents. But no, these city girls declined. They chose the pure outdoor experience instead. Imagine. Yeah, I think we should keep our provincial parks Wi-Fi-free. Honestly, I think we can manage. I think we'll somehow survive. Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, or followed at www.twitter.com/thesportjesters.