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OPINION & LETTERSTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:The Oakville BeaverTHE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR:Canadian Circulation467 Speers Rd.,Audit Board Member Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 Recognized for Excellence by(905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571ClassiOntario CommunityCanadian Communityfied Advertising: 632-4440 Newspapers AssociationNewspapers AssociationCirculation: 845-9742 Open 9-5 weekdays,ATHENASuburban NewspapersAward5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekendsof AmericaEditorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. NEIL OLIVERVice President and Group ROD JERREDManaging EditorMARK DILLSDirector of ProductionUnauthorized use is prohibited.Publisher of Metroland WestDANIEL BAIRDAdvertising DirectorMANUEL GARCIAProduction ManagerThe Oakville Beaver is a division ofDAVID HARVEYRegional General ManagerRIZIERO VERTOLLIPhotography DirectorCHARLENE HALLDirector of DistributionJILL DAVISEditor in ChiefSANDY PAREBusiness ManagerSARAH MCSWEENEYCirc. ManagerLetter to the editorYouths do countMany young members of the community may not beCoyotes livingthat excited by the sizzle of an election campaign in the airin community but they should tune in and then get out and vote.The candidates and their parties know the value of I want to report an incident thatyoung votes and the progress led by young minds.occurred with my dog while walkingWitness Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff who visitedin Bloomfield Park (Westoak Trails)Oakville earlier this week he chose to pop into Sheridanon Sunday at around 7 p.m.College to announce a campaign that focuses on puttingI was followed and circled by amoney where it's needed one of those areas being educa-hostile and persistent coyote. tion.The incident began when theAt the same time as his visit, some were grumblingcoyote appeared on the path behindthey'd place odds against any high numbers of young peo-me (about three feet away).ple making their way to the polls on May 2.I screamed and waved my armsPlease do.to scare it away, but it would not goAcademic schedules may be hectic in the spring, thereaway. may be a lack of interest, even a lack of knowledge aboutI attempted to run onto the soc-the issues facing youths in general.cer field and it still followed.Many young adults hear on the grapevine from 'sea-I turned to face it and kickedsoned' voters that their individual vote wouldn't make asnow and continued to scream, butdifference in any case.it continued to come closer.But it does matter, vitally so.I then yelled 'help' for whatOne can be the difference between success or failure,seemed a few minutes as I contin-winning or losing, or, in colleges and universities, the dif-ued to wave my arms and kickference between a good mark and an excellent mark. snow.Consider, too, the team that loses the championship inThe coyote continued to keepovertime, the cardiac patient kept waiting an extra minutetrying to come closer.The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerationsLetters tofor the ambulance due to traffic, even the incumbent politi-and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Finally, a man jumped over hisLetters should be addressed toThe Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via cian turfed because of that magic number: one.backyard fence and came runninge-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. TheBeaverreserves the right to refuse to publish a letter.the editorToday's college and university students, amongst youngwith a broom. people in general, truly represent the future of the nation. He began waving the broom atThe last time he took the bus ...Those who don't choose politics as a career will helpthe coyote and helped to chase theThe last time I took the bus . . . I was the remotely among them. Each ride serves to shape policy from a distance, within their career fields,coyote away. only passenger aboard. The lack of patron-countervail well-to-do neighbours com-their families, their communities, with the taxes they pay. The coyote slowly went away andage really concerns me for all the obvious plaints that high municipal taxes subsidize In that context, they, along with everyone else, owe it toran through the playground area toreasons that need not be itemized here. transit that nobody uses. ourselves not only to exercise our democratic right, butsome bushes as the man walkedThe next time I was to take the bus . . . I The next time Ill take the bus . . . will inform ourselves of the issues, ask questions of the candi-with me back to the sidewalk.failed to do so. The GO train arrived three there be one? Perhaps that really was the dates seeking support and make sure we vote.I'm not sure what would haveminutes behind the bus schedule just in last time I took the bus.The information needed to make an informed decisionhappened if the kind gentleman didtime for about 30 of us to see the last buses I see this as some combination of a man-is a simple mouse-click away. pull away. Some faced an hour wait but agement issue and a morale issue. There not come to my aid.Check the leading newspapers once a day, visit thealmost no one waited for the next one.needs to be a serious discussion with bet-This incident occurred in a verynational political party and leader websites to learn aboutI use transit to/from the GO train for ter still, among the drivers. Any who do open area near the playground,their policy platforms, talk to peers and those close to youseveral reasons support for transit users not like dealing with the public and which is a little unnerving to thinkand personnel, the community, and to limit clearly, many dont should look else-to get a sense of what matters, to them and to you.that coyotes feel very comfortable sopollution. How best to put this? personal where.There really is no excuse to forfeit the privilege of votingclose to the park and are not afraidconvenience and financial need are not Norman Loveland, Oakville in a free country, in a nation where young men and womenof people. have given their lives in the pursuit of the liberties tooI have also left a message withmany of us take for granted.Pud BY STEVE NEASEneasecartoons@gmail.comthe Oakville & Milton HumaneResearch the issues. Get informed and get out on May 2Society about this incident.to cast your ballot. One of the federal parties will form theI think it is important to let othernext government. people know that coyotes are pres-Your vote just that one is as vital to the process asent in this area.any other.I have a 40-lb. English bulldog, Ican't imagine what would have hap-The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite pened if someone was walking a206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the much smaller dog.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 Eileen Lanigan, Oakvillebe paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, April 1, 2011 6