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Wednesday May 30, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A7 COMMENT Public education needs to be supported Right from the start, let's get it on the table: not everyone who sends their kids to private schools is filthy rich. But let's also not be disingenuous about this whole battle over education dollars: The plan to give parents of pri vate school students a tax credit has very little to do with parental choice. It has everything to do with the disman tling, one brick at a time, of a multicul tural, multi-faith public school system. This is not fear-mongering or badmouthing the government just for the heck of it. This is what is happening in DIANE HART this province and it's only going to get worse. Anyone who cares at all about public education (Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul, w h ere art thou?) h as g o t to lo o k at w hat w ill hap p en to a fraying em b attled p u b lic school System should m o re people flee. Name bridge after Mr. Bronte After reading a letter that a reader wrote saying that.she thought the new bridge in Bronte should be named after Mr. William "Bill" Hill, I am compelled to also write in. I'm 38 years old and Letters can still remember hold to the ing onto my m other's E d ito r hand as we shopped for groceries in Mr. H ill's store by the water. I never realized it then, but my parents, being immigrants had hard times occasionally and Mr. Hill would allow them to run a tab for whatever they needed. He never sent them a bill or questioned them about when they were going to pay and when my parents had enough money, they'd clear their debt with him. He trusted everyone: Something that we don't see very often anymore these days. He also gave many kids their first jobs stocking shelves and helping out for a wage. I don't think there were many kids around me that didn't start out in the work world at Mr. Hill's place. He never asked any questions. He just trusted that you'd do what he was paying you to do. He was patient with each one of us when we got sidetracked and when we moved onto another job, he smiled and wished us luck. He was a Godsend for a lot of kids who needed that first job. He gave both my sister and me our starts along with our friends. I thank Mr. Hill for driving his van year after year and bringing groceries to families without cars, elderly residents and the disabled people of Bronte. He was a familiar sight in Bronte all my young life and he was as important to Bronte as ice cream is to summer. Unfortunately, many of the residents who benefited from his service are now long gone, so I believe it's up to us, the generation that were just children at the time when Mr. Hill started out, to stand up and speak about a time where trust was the currency in small towns and people were struggling for a common goal. I urge all of you out there that had similar experiences as I, to take the time out of your busy lives and give your opinion. I, for one, as does my family who have benefited so very much from his kindness, believe Mr. William Hill's name belongs on that bridge. It's a small honour for a man who has done so much for a community. Alex Klein And flee they will -- in droves. Case in point: they already have. Business is very good at Ontario private schools and it's only going to get better. Sending your child to private school is simply not as uncommon as it once was. In many cases, who can blame par ents? Weary of the unremitting cuts, strikes and squabbles, they've decided to jump ship. This is a time for government to intervene on behalf of public education. Instead, we have a government eagerly to undermine it. The result? A quiet but stealthy exodus from public to private. Welcome to The Decline and Fall of public education. The frustrating part of it all is the fact is there are still some very good public schools around. The question to be asked is: for how much longer? Yet, in the growing chorus of dismay over the province's tax credit plan, there is one ray of hope: an ad hoc coalition of Jewish, Muslim and Christian parents said last week that the use of tax credits will undermine the already beleaguered public school system. They send their children to a public system to have their own kids educated beside kids of all faiths and cultures. In part, the coalition was responding to representatives of other religious groups who said they support the plan for the tax credits and wanted schools in their faiths to receive full provincial funding. Commented spokesman Mark Rosenfeld: "For children to be exposed to a multi-faith, multicultural society, it's important to send your kids to pub lic education." He stressed the coalition is not opposed to religious schools that don't receive government aid, but that their concern was supporting public educa tion and not having anything detract from it. Hoorah. Someone to tell it Hke it is. In Friday's Globe and Mail, a pro fessor from OISE, my brother-in-law as it happens, wrote on the op-ed page about a survey that pointed to the overwhelming support for the public school system. The majority of people in this province like the public school system, he and his colleague wrote; they support it as a good thing in soci ety. Now, I'm not biased in favour of my brother-in-law, but I have to say another heartfelt hoorah. More and more evidence is being supplied that says public education needs to be propped up, not tom down. We don't need a government policy to encourage more use of private schools. We certainly don't need an incen tive program initiated at the govern ment level to get more people into pri vate schools. We may need policies to fix a host o f problems in this province, but rewarding parents who pull their kids out of public schools isn't one of them. Auction Thurs. May 31st 2001 6:30pm Preview 5 pm Ledome 1173 North Service Rd, East Oakville Ont. East of Trafalgar East of Eight Line. An elegant sale of contemporary French style furniture, country furniture A rtw ork & Collectibles, Comodes with marble tops, linen cabinets curio cabinets, night stands, chairs, oil paintings framed limited edition prints, framed beveled glass mirrors, clock sets, bronze figurines, M oorcroft pcs. decorators pcs. G > O A K V IL L E (9 0 5 ) 8 4 5 -6 6 0 1 C o u n c il & S t a n d in g C o m m it t e e Monday, June 4,2001 Council Meeting ' Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. M e e t in g s Monday, June 11,2001 Planning & Development Council Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 12,2001 Community Services Committee 7:30 p.m. - Oakville Room Administrative Services Comm. 7:30 p.m. - Bronte Room Monday, June 18,2001 Council Meeting Council Chambers 7:30 p.m. Apple Auction Services 905 634 7217 Terms chq. M astercard, debit, Cash C o u n c i l & C o m m it t e e T o u c h t o n e P h o n e L in e 8 1 5 -5 9 5 9 \M ) S M I I S S I O N 3. M acdonald S cott Consultants sponsors the Halton Professional Business Womens Network Celebrating their NO I K RI I *\ R I O l SO I I O l S I R IM .I s 1 . 0 I S I \ \ l > 1. ( O M I II O l D l M ) VS S I R i l l 5 th Anniversary w ith Guest Speaker Usa Brant ofC H Ff FM 98 discussing 'Trust Your Instincts" A n evening full o f fun and networking opportunities · · Keep education in school Re: Letter o f the Week, May 13, 2001 issue Oakville Beaver `More dis- ' tance needed between Church & State'. More distance needed between Church and Schools. The above letter was published at a · very opportune time. It is high time that all the provincial school boards copy the Newfoundland government and move to non-denominational school boards. In my opinion, education belongs in the schools and religious training in the Church and in the homes. · Prizes, Door Prizes & Surprises Presentation to the winner o f the "Why I Love the Halton Professional Business Women's Network" contest. TAKE NOTICE THAT: 1. The Council for the Corporation of the Town of Oakville at its meetings of February 7, 2000 and April 17, 2001, declared certain lands surplus. These lands are described as follows: Part of Lots 1 and 2, Concession 3, South of Dundas Street, Town of Oakville, Regional Municipality of Halton, designated as Parts 6, 11 and 12, on Reference Plan 20R-13488, and Parts 1 to 8, inclusive, on Reference Plan 20R-14075. 2. This notice is in compliance with the Town's By-law 1995-71. 3. Copies of Reference Plans 20R-13488 and Plan 20R-14075 showing the lands to be sold are available for inspection at the office of the Man ager, Realty Services at the address shown below, by appointment by calling 845-6601, extension 3022 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Maynard Millman, AACI, P.App., Manager, Realty Services Legal Department The Corporation of the Town of Oakville 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario L6J 5A6 Bonus to M em bers & D irectory Participants: Andrea Nielsen & M. J. Mendes w ill be on hand to take your directory photo. Hair touch-up by Diana Saulez and make-up freshening by Mo Wlodarczyk & Janice Joyner. June 12th Open to Business Women: Le Dome Banquet Hall 5:00 p.m. $30.00 for members $40.00 for non-members + GST NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING . Zoning Amendment & Draft Plan of Condominium To reserve your space call 844-4410 2370-2378 Marine Drive and 2361-2371 Ontario Street (Lots 87, 8 8 ,1 0 2 & 103, Part Lots 89, 90, 91, 92, 93,100 & 101, Plan M-8) APPLICANT - Marine Cove Developments and Allan & Jo Foster File: Z.1729.47 and 24CDM- 930001/0 Please be advised that a public meeting will be held to discuss the proposed Zoning Amendment and Condominium application, as submitted by the above-noted applicant. A Public Information Meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 13, 2001 in the Trafalgar Room, commencing at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 1225 Trafalgar Road. Oakville. Any individuals wishing to attend the meeting and the subsequent meeting, which is yet to be determined, and speak to this matter are invited to do so. A summary of the subject proposal and a key map may be found below. If a person or public body that files a notice of appeal of a decision in respect of the proposed zoning amendment or plan of condominium to the Ontario Municipal Board does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or does not make written submissions before the proposed zoning amendment or plan of condominium is approved, the Ontario Municipal Board may dismiss all or part of the appeal. You may direct any written submissions and/or questions to Sally Stull at the Town's Planning Services Department, Town o f Oakville, P.O. Box 310, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, ON. L6J 5A6. Tel: 845-6601, E x t 3261, email address: WEST ROAD LAKESHORE sstull@town.oakville.on.ca. ID Location - The subject g property is located within the mid-block area of Marine MARINE £ D R IV L , Drive. Jones Street, Nelson Street and Ontario Street The land is legally described as Lots 87. 88, 102 & 103. Part Lots 89. 90, 91. 92. 93. BRONTE HARBOUR 100 & 101. Plan M-8 ONTARIO ST Official Plan - Figure 12. Bronte Community. West of Third Line, designates the subject lands medium density residential. 37 units per site ha and low density residential. 20 units per site ha. Zoning - The site Ls zoned R5. residential and subject to Special Provisions 282 & 386. Proposal - The applicants have submitted a proposal involving a zoning amendment and draft plan of condominium to permit a total of 24 dwelling units. O f the 24 dwelling units. 18 units are proposed in a condominium format consisting of 14 townhouses and 4 detached dwellings located on a private road. The remaining 6 dwelling units art proposed as freehold townhouses with frontage on Marine Drive. Dated at the Town of Oakville this 30th day of May 2001. John Ghent. Manager. Current Planning Section. Planning Services Department Jorgen Poschm ann Public input needed (C o n tin u e d from p a g e A 6 ) Mr. Premier, on more than one occa sion you have stated that your govern ment is committed to a strong public education system in Ontario. You have also stated that you would not support a voucher system or charter schools in the Province of Ontario. I would like to point out that the poorly disguised voucher system you propose through the tax credit scheme will do absolutely nothing to strengthen public education. Diverting money from public schools, where Special Education programs have been decimated, where textbooks are in short supply, where transportation costs far exceed the funding envelope, and where critical Junior and Senior Kindergarten programs are not fully funded, will do absolutely nothing to strengthen public education. On behalf of the Halton District School Board. I call on you, Premier Harris, to hold public hearings on the legislation to implement the tax credit/voucher system. The public absolutely must have an opportunity to respond to this latest sudden, dramatic attack on public education, and indeed on the democratic principles upon which our public education system was built. We strongly believe you have been given no mandate by the people of Ontario to implement this tax credit since it was never a part of your election strategy or campaign. Within clear equi ty of access parameters, there should be immediate and extensive public hear ings on such a major shift in public pol icy. from petite to full figure A, B, C , D , E, F, G, H 107 Reynolds S t, (noith at UkeshorcRAEJ Downtown OAKVILLE Ethel G ardiner Chair Halton District School Board 8 4 5 -1 2 1 0 1225 TRAFALGAR R O A D · OAKVILLE, O N TA R IO · L6J 5A6