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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, May 29, 2013 | 6 It's oh-so-easy to be cynical about the Western GTA Summit that was held in Mississauga last week. It amounted to seven hours of talk by community leaders about how the time for talking is over -- and the time for action is here. It's already evident the time for action was a couple of decades ago. The major issues on the table -- the need for more walkable, livable neighbourhoods, the absolute requirement for rst-class public transit and the need to drive the economy forward without leaving an impoverished lowerclass in its wake -- should have been integrated into the planning processes of the GTA as it evolved. But no one was co-ordinating anything in the region. Ontario's government proved impotent. It was afraid to abrogate developers' property rights and/or incur the wrath of civic leaders all determined to build their own "unique" cookie-cutter municipalities. The essential question posed at the summit was "Are We Facing Economic Gridlock?" The answer is a clear yes, or else there would be no need for this discussion in the rst place. So how do we dig out of this mess? Several speakers made the point that most of the required tools, especially to deal with traf c gridlock, are already on the table. It appears the GTA will have to come to a dead halt before we summon the will to use them. And the sad reality is that Toronto -- the key missing player -- is not that interested in nding a solution. As some politicians admitted, our fragmented model of shared governance is a major impediment to action. Parochialism promotes paralysis, which appears to be what we have at the moment. We hoped this summit would start to provide some answers. Instead, the unanswered questions just seemed to loom larger and larger. Last week, Metrolinx has stepped into the fray -- announcing a potential plan for raising the wads of cash needed to get us where we need to be. To that end, the plan would cost $477 annual per household investment in the region's transportation future. A one per cent hike in the HST; a ve-cent per litre hike in the gas tax; a 25-cent daily commercial parking levy and 15 per cent rise in development charges are the cornerstones of a $34 billion investment strategy released by Metrolinx on Monday. The revenue would fund a bundle of 13 transit projects, ranging from a downtown relief line for Toronto, electri cation of some GO lines and the Union Pearson Express train and, light rail in Mississauga and Hamilton. At Queen's Park, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Glen Murray was non-committal on what measures the Province might adopt. The NDP question more taxes and the Progressive Conservatives have rejected the Metrolinx plan. The questions loom large... still. To get on board -- or not Editorial "Connected to your Community" 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Fax: (905) 337-5566 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 63 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Thanks to Rotherglen teachers Picture Day. As I help girls see their hair is just right and boys' ties are straightened and buttons buttoned (with one or two boys also very concerned about their hair), I was moved by the friendships, the comfort in which they joked and laughed, teased and complimented each other. In many ways these classmates and peers emulated a family. Their excitement wasn't lost on me. It was a very different picture day than the ones before... this is Grade 8. Graduating year. Last year for them at this school, my son included, and like many of them, the school they have spent the past 10 years of their young lives. The rst two years being Casa or JK, as it is often called. This school is Rotherglen and although it's to these teachers and faculty that I direct my message, I'm con dent this message will resonate with many parents and guardians about their own children's schools. How can you truly thank someone for the positive role they've played in the course of your child's young life... is the sentiment "Thank You" enough? For... loving and hugging him in Casa, knowing before I did, the tears would pass and the two-way window when you couldn't convince me they would. Thank you for attending pool parties just because they really wanted you to. Thank you for welcoming their visits to your classroom long after they'd left it. Thank you for your stories and your life lessons. They miss you and will never forget you. Thank you for recognizing their individual growth. Thank you for their special handshakes. Merci for the lengths you would go to engage them in your class. Thank you for their opportunities to lead and your example to follow. Thank you for your love of music and support of their musical talents. Thank you for their earnest efforts at behaving, due to respect, not fear. Thank you for nding the time, bending the rules, looking the other way, knowing when to listen and knowing when to ask. How can these two words "thank you" be enough? They most likely aren't, but it's the best I have. For the difference wonderful teachers make in the life of a child on the road to becoming who they are destined to be, thank you. L.A. Martin, Oakville Letters to the Editor Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: ATHENA Award 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 e-mail to: ablackburn@oakvillebeaver. com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. 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.