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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, May 7, 2014 | 6 Oakvillians have several major opportunities over the coming months and they should take full advantage of them. Those opportunities come in the form of elections -- at every level of government. A provincial election is set for June 12. It will be followed by a municipal election on Oct. 27. And if that isn't enough, in 2015, we'll go to the ballot box again at the federal level. Voting is a right, an opportunity and a foundation of our democratic country. Yes, it may be tedious to sift through the campaigning process, endless photo ops, the jostling for position, polls and empty promises, but casting a ballot is a right -- your right. Voting is something so many in other countries only dream about. Look around you. Are you happy with the landscape? Have things bothered you? Have decisions made sense? Do you feel we are moving forward positively and productively? Whatever your answers, it's up to you to do the homework and nd the person you believe would best serve your community. With a provincial election thrust upon us -- but a long time in the making -- we should all participate in the process. Now is not the time to be apathetic. We are all far too quick to complain and criticize. Our municipal governments have seen their mandates extended from the previous three, to four years of power. We had a provincial government that somehow managed a $1 billion-plus scandal and a change of premier without an election call. Governments often play the blame game and voters don't understand which level of government looks after which service. With the trio of elections in the of ng, there is an opportunity to learn about the people seeking of ce and what each level of government is responsible for in the community, province or across Canada. You will be voting for those who make decisions about things that affect you. Do you think your property taxes are too high? Do you have a job? Are you getting ahead nancially? Can you get around safely and ef ciently? Do you have a family doctor? If you've been to hospital, how was your stay? Are your municipal services lacking? Are your children having a productive experience in school? How much debt are you balancing? Do you have a retirement plan? Can you access the services you need? Meet the candidates running for your vote. See if their promises make sense. Ask them to explain their platforms. Will they work? Do they t your needs and that of your community? This is your chance to have your say. This is where you can make a difference. This is where you can vote. It's a privilege. Voters on the cusp of trio of elections C L E A Editorial N U P O N W E "Connected to your Community" S T M O U N T 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 54 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 A few dozen volunteers cleaned up their Westmount neighbourhood Saturday during a Red Day (Renew, Energize, Donate), a Keller Williams Realty initiative in which people clean up as much as possible in a 90-minute period. The Town of Oakville donated gloves and garbage bags and the work was capped off with a barbecue and kids' face painting. Kaitlyn Charlebois, 7, shows off a snail she found while Aaron Byers, 5, uses all his might to carry a full trash bag. | photos by Graham Paine­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution Strong investment keeps Halton great Gary Carr Halton Regional Chair My View CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Businesses want to be in Halton. Whether it's a professional of ce, manufacturing facility or distribution warehouse, Halton offers the right mix of competitive taxes, infrastructure and high quality of life. A critical component of our community is supporting and preserving our strong economy, while ensuring businesses keep coming to Halton. Regional council recently received Halton's 2013 Economic Review and I was once again impressed with how the Region's commitment to building a strong economy, along with our strong business community is contributing to a vibrant Region. A strong business investment in the region helped Halton's unemployment rate drop to 4.7 per cent in 2013, signi cantly lower than the rest of the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario. Also helping to lower our unemployment rate was the more than 1,000 jobs that came to Halton thanks to new businesses, such as Toronto Premium Outlets Mall, Gypsum Technologies, Amazon.com, David Roberts Food, UPS Canada and Lowes Canada, opening their doors in Halton. Another 2,800 jobs were secured with Ford Motor Company announcing its $700-million investment at its Oakville assembly complex. With Halton remaining a cost competitive location within the Greater Golden Horseshoe area for new industrial and of ce development, we can anticipate more businesses coming to the area. Halton is also seeing a con dent business outlook, with 91 per cent of Halton businesses surveyed anticipating economic conditions in Halton improving or remaining the same over the next year. Halton Region is an economic hot spot and businesses are choosing to locate here because of our low taxes, with eight consecutive years of a tax freeze; investments in infrastructure, with $289 see Halton on p.8 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: 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, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 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.