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                      |   How
                        Old Would You Be If You Didn’t Know How Old You Are?
                        
                         Editorial by Robert Kirwan
                        
                         
 
 
 How
                        old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
 
 I’ve read a lot of books and articles in my
                        time, but when I saw the above question it really
                        started me thinking. Imagine if we lived in a place
                        without calendars and without any contact with the
                        outside world. Imagine living someplace where there
                        would be no one to compare yourself to and no one to
                        tell you how you should be feeling about your physical
                        or emotional state. Imagine if we could all just live
                        our life without paying any attention to how society
                        tells us we should feel about our bodies, our social
                        status, our health, or how to live according to our age.
 
 How old would you be if you didn’t know how old
                        you are? What is your answer? Can you even answer the
                        question? Can you block out all of the influences of
                        society and block out all that you know about age and
                        growing older? If you could, I think you would be
                        surprised at the answer.
 
 When I read the question I immediately thought of
                        a little story about a bunch of tiny frogs that had
                        arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach
                        the top of a very high tower.
 
 When the competition was about to begin a huge
                        crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and
                        to cheer on the contestants. The race began even though
                        no one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs
                        would reach the top of the tower.
 
 As the race began you could hear comments such
                        as:
 
 “It’s way too difficult!!”
 
 “They will never make it to the top.”
 
 “Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower
                        is too high!”
 
 The tiny frogs began collapsing, One by one,
                        except for those which, in a fresh tempo were climbing
                        higher and higher.
 
 The crowd continued to yell. “It’s too
                        difficult. No one will make it.” As they yelled, more
                        tiny frogs got tired and gave up.
 
 But ONE of them continued higher and higher and
                        higher. This one just wouldn’t give up!
 
 At the end, every frog had given up climbing the
                        tower, except for the one tiny frog who, after a big
                        effort, was the only one who reached the top!
 
 All of the other tiny frogs, naturally, wanted to
                        know how this one frog managed to do it. A contestant
                        asked another tiny frog how the one who succeeded had
                        found the strength to reach the goal.
 
 It turned out that the winner was DEAF!
 
 The winner was the only frog that could not hear
                        the negative and pessimistic comments being made by the
                        people as they were cheering. All that deaf frog was
                        concentrating on was achieving its goal of reaching the
                        top. There was never any self-doubt. There was never any
                        thought of giving up. There was never any pessimism in
                        its efforts. It simply pursued its goal until it reached
                        the top, while all of the others could hear the
                        pessimism of the spectators and eventually believed them
                        and gave up.
 
 And so, how old would you be if you didn’t know
                        how old you are? How many of your most wonderful dreams
                        and wishes have you abandoned because society said you
                        are too old or not old enough? How many times have you
                        stopped yourself from attempting something new because
                        you felt others would look at you and say, you are too
                        old.
 
 The next time you hesitate because you are afraid
                        of what others will say when they see a person your age
                        trying something out of the ordinary, remember the tiny
                        frog on its way to the top of the tower. BE DEAF to the
                        world and always keep thinking - I can do this!
 
 How old would you be if you didn’t know how old
                        you are?
 
 |  
                      | ROBERT KIRWAN'S
                        FOOD FOR THOUGHT |  
                      | For a
                        complete selection of stories and editorials that will
                        help you to reflect upon life's priorities, inspiring
                        you to take on the daily challenges you face very day... |  |  |  |  
    |  |  
    | 
      
        | A Very Successful 2006 Valley East
          Minor Soccer Season Comes To An End |  |  
    | Over 1500 players from as young as 3 to adult took part in the season-finale
    playoff weekend to bring an end to a marvelous summer of soccer.
    Thousands of parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters were seated along
    the sidelines taking in the action in what can only be called one of the
    most remarkable community celebrations of the year in Valley East. The competition was tremendous, with many games being decided by a single
    goal. And in the end, there was only one winner in each age category, but
    that didn't seem to matter as much as the pizza and pop that everyone
    enjoyed; nor did it seem to matter what colour of medal was placed around
    the necks of the participants. What did matter is that this was another
    great summer of soccer for an organization that is setting new standards of
    excellence every year. With several new fields expected to be ready for
    2007, many are already looking forward to next May when it starts all over
    again. |  
    |   |  
    | 
      
        | Please go to the link on the right to
          see many more photos that were taken during the soccer playoff weekend | 
                       |  |  
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    | 
        
          | Valley East Ladies' Slo-Pitch
            League Plays Every Monday and Wednesday Evening At Centennial Fields
            In Hanmer |  |  
    | 
        
          |  |  
          | BUDDIE'S GIRLS TAKE A BREAK FROM
            A TOUCH EARLY GAME IN LEAGUE PLAY
             To View Some of the other teams
             
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          | 
              
          | VALLEY EAST COBRAS AAA MIDGETS2006-2007 TEAM TRYOUT SCHEDULE
 |  
                |  Head
            Coach of the Valley East Cobras 'AAA' Midget team appeared
            optimistic about the season during the Annual Golf Tournament which
            was held at the Clearview Golf Club on August 19. "I'm happy with what I saw during the first week of
            training," Richardson explained when asked how things went
            during the first three practice sessions on Aug. 14, 16 and 18.
            "We're heading into the grind session this week on Monday and
            Tuesday. We'll take a day off and finish off the week with another
            two sessions on Thursday and Friday. I think we will see some more
            faces out this week." Richardson said he was pleased to see the core of last year's
            squad back. "That gives me a good 8 to 10 players who will form
            the nucleus of the team and leaves a good 8 to 10 spots up for
            grabs. I'm sure we will put a very competitive team on the ice this
            year - a team that the fans will like to come out and support. |  
                |  |  
                |  For
            Hilda Kingsley, seated, and Gabby Laberge, the golf tournament held
            on August 19 signaled that they were right back into the thick of
            things for another season of fund-raising and behind the scenes
            organization. Hilda and Gabby put in countless hours organizing
            special events, handling ticket sales during games, and helping
            making sure that the players and coaching staff can focus on putting
            a good product on the ice. "We have 72 players in the tournament this year and they all
            seem to be having a great time," said Hilda just before the sky
            opened up and the rain came down. Fortunately, the players were just completing their round and
            were starting to come in to the clubhouse. Many avoided getting
            drenched by a mere minutes. Others, however, were not quite as
            fortunate, but the meal and refreshments helped warm things up. |  
                | ICE TIME SCHEDULE FOR COBRAS |  
                | The
            following are the dates and times for the training camp on-ice
            sessions for the Valley East obras Midget 'AAA' club. Members of the
            public are welcome to come out and watch the try-outs and get a
            first hand look at the new club.
             Monday,
            Aug. 21,          
            
            8:00pm -
            9:30pm
                        
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
             Tuesday,
            Aug. 22,          
            
            8:00pm -
            9:30pm
                        
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
             Thursday,
            Aug. 24         
            
            8:00pm –
            9:30pm
                       
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
             Friday,
            Aug. 25,             
            
            8:00pm –
            9:30pm
                       
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
             Monday,
            Aug. 28           
            
            8:00pm –
            9:30pm
                       
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
             Tuesday,
            Aug. 29           
            
            8:00pm –
            9:30pm
                       
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
             Wednesday,
            Aug. 30      
            
            8:00pm –
            9:30pm
                       
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
             Thursday,
            Aug. 31         
            
            8:00pm –
            9:30pm
                       
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
             Friday,
            Sept. 
            1               
            8:00pm – 10:30pm
                      
            Raymond Plourde Arena                                       
              Possible
            game
            
            
             Sunday,
            Sept. 
            3              
            2:00pm – 4:30pm
                       
            Raymond plourde Arena
            
                                                     
            Possible game
            
            
             Tuesday,
            Sept. 
            5            
            9:00pm – 10:30pm
                      
            Raymond Plourde Arena                                         
                     
            Regular
            season
            
            
             Thursday,
            Sept. 
            7           
            9:00pm – 10:30pm
                      
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
            
            
             Tuesday,
            Sept. 
            12          
            9:00pm – 10:30pm
                      
            Raymond Plourde Arena
            
             Wednesday,
            Sept. 13     
            
            9:00pm –
            10:30pm
                      
            Capreol 1 (old side)
            
             All
            try-outs are $15.00 for 1 1/2 hours
            
             Players
            from outside 
            Valley East
             must have proper releases.
            
             For
            more info call: Dave Stone 897-6641 General Manager |  |  
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    | 
        
          | 
              
                | Combination
                  Locks Now Available At Sixteen Different Locations In The
                  Community Each Week.
                   You Could
                  Qualify For A Trip To Cuba! |  
                | 
                   | Valley East Lions' Charity
                  DaysWant to send you and a guest on an all inclusive
 Trip for 2 to CUBA!!!!
 (+$500 in spending cash)
 | 
                   |  
                | As was announced in The Vision Paper on July 5, from now until September 9th, 2006,
                  a number of Valley East
                  businesses, merchants and organizations will be giving random
                  combination codes to their valued customers.  There are 5000 codes available. There are 16 combination locks located in various
                  stores/businesses. If you receive an envelope containing a
                  random combination, please bring it to those locations where
                  locks are located. If your combination opens one of the locks,
                  CONGRATULATIONS! You've made it one step closer... On September 9th, 2006, all lucky winning combination
                  holders (remember there's only a maximum of 16 people who will
                  make it this far!) will be invited to the Centennial Arena as
                  part of our Valley East Lions' Charity Days festivities. (In
                  the event that nobody opens any of the 16 locks, non-winning
                  combinations, which will be retained by the vendors, will be
                  put into a drum, and a winner will be drawn from there. At the Valley East Lions' Charity Days, each person will be
                  given another random combination code, one of which will open
                  the treasure chest containing a TRIP FOR TWO TO CUBA!!! Please support your local businesses and come out to try
                  the combinations. If you have any questions, contact Marcel
                  Servais at 969-5898. Proceeds from this draw will benefit Palliative Care. |  
                | Locations
                  of Combination Locks from August 17 to 23 |  
                | Town
                  & Country Clips | Depanneur
                  Plourde Mini Mart |  
                | Pam's
                  Deli | Chenier
                  Marche Richelieu |  
                | Caza
                  Auto Parts | Cortina
                  Pizza |  
                | Jamie's
                  NAPA Auto Pro | Caisse
                  Populaire St. Jacques |  
                | Western
                  Valley Auto | Sudbury
                  Online Services |  
                | Valley
                  East Today | Pizza
                  Gallery - Val Caron |  
                | Sole
                  Mates Family Footwear | Hanmer
                  Medical Pharmacy |  
                | Remax
                  Crown Realty | Shelley
                  Martel |  
                | Locations
                  of Combination Locks from August 24 - 30 |  
                | Petal
                  Pushers | The
                  Cash Store |  
                | Hanmer
                  Bargain Outlet | Popcorn
                  Video |  
                | Valley
                  View Cleaners | Suzanne's
                  Sub |  
                | Hilltop
                  Video & Used Books | Just
                  For You Cards & Gifts |  
                | Vacuum
                  & Home Care Appliances | Jetty's
                  Variety |  
                | Valley
                  Plaza Barber Shop | Dairy
                  Queen - Val Caron |  
                | Hanmer
                  Home Hardware | Treasure
                  Den |  
                | Val
                  Caron Equipment & Rental | Loeb |  
                | Try
                  out your combinations on the locks located at the above sites.
                  If your combination opens the lock, you are one of the
                  finalists in the Trip To Cuba Contest. |  |  |  
    | 
        
          | EXCELLENT  FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY |  
          | 
          
           |  
          | FORMERLY KNOWN ASTHE CAPREOL FRESHMART
 (Enter here for 
          more photos)
 
            
              | Store Has Been Established Since 1929 Serving a population of over 4000 
          people Future growth from nearby mining 
          venture The only supermarket in town Potential sales of over $100,000 
          per week |  Successful 
          applicant must have 
            
              | 
                
          a vast knowledge of the grocery 
          industry;
          a minimum of 5 - 10 years 
          experience in grocery business;
          a minimum of $150,000 of 
          investment capital |  If you are interested in this opportunity 
          to own and operate your own grocery franchise contact Mr. Val Mazzuca by phone: (705) 858-1116by pager: (705) 671-7715
 or by
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    | 
        
          |  Doug
            & Linda Beswick Featured On The Cover of International Magazine
            For Oxyfresh |  |  
    |  Doug and Linda Beswick have risen to success
      as Master Directors with Oxyfresh. They are responsible for the rapid
      growth of this organization in Ontario and indeed right across Canada.
      They were featured on the cover of the company's international magazine. Long-time
      residents of Hanmer, Doug and Linda Beswick, were featured on the cover of
      a recent issue of the company's international magazine, Oxyfresh Visions. The
      magazine is sent out around the world to representatives of this
      Multi-Level Marketing company. The Beswicks were recognized for their
      accomplishments with the company.  In particular, they
      have helped Oxyfresh establish a strong presence throughout 
      
      Ontario
      
      and the rest of 
      
      Canada
      
      .  Doug is also the owner of Beswick Denture Clinic at
      the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre and on 
      
      Barrydowne Road
      
      in 
      
      Sudbury. Linda is a Registered Nurse who also runs a
      Footcare Clinic at both sites. The Beswicks have always
      been interested in giving back to their community - a community in which
      they have lived and raised their family. For example, when the Sudbury
      District Health Unit comes to the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre for their
      Annual Flu Clinic, Doug and Linda have gladly offered the use of their
      facility for the day long event, which this year will take place on
      Saturday, December 2, 2006. If you would like to find
      out more about Beswick Denture Clinic or the Beswick Footcare Clinic,
      simply go to their comprehensive web site at the following
      link>>>> |  
    |  |  |  
    | 
        
          | INTERESTED IN WORKING DURING THE 
          MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS? GO TO THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE FOR 
          DETAILS ENTER |  |  
    | 
        
          | JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT HANMER HOME HARDWARE
 (Located in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre)
 Customer Representatives NeededWorking The Floor
 Must Enjoy Working With The Public
 Contact Mike Lemieux at 969-7000
 or See Him In Person at the Store
 |  |  
    | 
        
          | PART-TIME BABYSITTERPart-time babysitter required starting September for 2
            children in my own
 home in Hanmer area (Laurence Street).
 Candidate must be responsible, reliable, and enjoy being around
            children.
 They must also provide their own transportation to my
            residence,
 however a ride home can be arranged.
 Required hours will be:
 Some weekdays from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and sometimes until 10 p.m.
 Some weekends but only during the day.
 Please contact Christine at 969-3814 or
 by e-mail shanzel@sympatico.ca
 |  |  
    | 
        
          | KOREA WAR VETERANS 
              The Korea Veterans Unit 19 Sudbury is always looking for
              New Members and if there is anyone out there who served in the
              Korean War we would be glad to welcome them into the Unit. Anyone
              interested can call Harold Payne at 969-4367 or George Haskin at geeoh@sympatico.ca
              522-0562.
              
             
              The next meeting of the Korea Veterans is on 27 Sep 06 at
              Branch 76 Royal Canadian Legion 1553 Weller St Sudbury
             |  |  
    |  |  
    | 
        
          | ON THE LIGHTER SIDE |  
              | A Large Tip...
                 A company, feeling it was time for a shakeup, hires a new CEO.
 This new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers. 
              On a tour of the facilities, the CEO notices a guy leaning on a
              wall. The room is full of workers and he wants to let them
              know he means business!
 
 The CEO walks up to the guy and asks, "And how much money do
              you make a week?" A little surprised, the young fellow looks
              at him and replies, "I  make $300.00 a week. Why?"
 
 The CEO then hands the guy $1,200 in cash and screams,
              "Here's four weeks' pay, now GET OUT and don't come
              back!"
 
 Feeling pretty good about his first firing, the CEO looks around
              the room and asks, "Does anyone want to tell me what that
              goof-off did here?"
 
 With a sheepish grin, one of the other workers mutters,
              "Pizza delivery guy from Domino's.
 Don't Mess With Grandma.....
 An elderly Florida lady did her shopping, and upon returning to
                her car, found four males in the act of leaving with her
                vehicle. She dropped her shopping bags and drew her handgun,
                proceeding to scream at the top of her voice, "I have a
                gun, and I know how to use it! Get out of the car!"
 
 The four men didn't wait for a second invitation. They got out
                and ran like mad. The lady, somewhat shaken, then proceeded to
                load her shopping bags into the back of the car and got into
                driver's seat. She was so shaken that she could not get her key
                into the ignition. She tried and tried, and then it dawned on
                her why. A few minutes later, she found her own car parked four
                or five spaces farther down. She loaded her bags into the car
                and drove to the Police station.
 
 The sergeant to whom she told the story couldn't stop laughing.
                He pointed to the other end of the counter, where four pale men
                were reporting a car jacking by a mad, elderly woman described
                as white, less than five feet tall, glasses, curly white hair,
                and carrying a large handgun. No charges were filed.
 |  |  
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    | 
        
          | Long
            Distance Calling????  Interested in Voice Over Internet Technology??? Need Your
            Computer Repaired??? |  |  
    |  Edgar
      Lajambe, is a 30-year old life-long resident of Hanmer. His passion for
      computers and information technology goes back to a high school co-op
      placement he had in 1994 with a company called the AMS Group. When he
      graduated from 
      
      St. Charles
      
      College
      
      he discovered that there were a lot of people who kept coming to him for
      computer repairs and consulting, so he formed his own company, Valley
      Computers & Consulting.    When
      VoIP (Voice over Internet Technology) was first introduced to 
      
      Sudbury
      
      , Edgar saw this as the future of communication and immediately jumped on
      board; studying everything there is to know about the technology. As a
      result, he formed another division of his company, called VCCNet.ca
      Internet Solutions, which deals with long-distance discount calling and
      the use of the internet for communication purposes.
      
          Edgar
      has joined forces with another locally owned firm, Infocom Canada Business
      Consultants Inc. which operates Valley East Today, a marketing &
      public relations company which publishes a community web site and weekly
      online news magazine.
      
           “The
      cost of long distance calling has always been a detriment to people living
      in the north,” Edgar explained when asked why he feels so strongly about
      the communication services he now provides to the community. “I know so
      many of my friends and acquaintances who have children or parents living
      in other parts of 
      
      Ontario
      
      . They would love the chance to talk to them more often by phone, but long
      distance charges really cut into the budget; especially for seniors who
      would love to talk to grandchildren, or parents who have children away at
      university or college.”
      
          “Once
      people find out how easy it is to switch over to my plan, and they realize
      that there is absolutely no risk or long-term commitment – that all they
      get is the freedom to talk on the phone to anyone in Ontario for as long
      as they want for one low price of $15.95 a month, they are sold,” Edgar
      went on.
      
          Edgar also repairs and programs
      individual computers for both commercial and residential use. You can drop
      in and see him at his office in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre, or he
      will come directly to your home or office.
          Whatever
      you are looking for, give Edgar a call at 670-4039 or you can go to his web site at www.vccnet.ca
      and see how he can meet your needs. 
       
       |  
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    | 
        
          | PREPARING FOR THE 2006 MUNICIPAL
            ELECTION |  
          | The next municipal election for the City of Greater Sudbury will take place on 
    Tuesday, November 13, 2006.  A lot of things happen during a four-year term. Some
      are good and some are bad. However, every decision that is made by our
      municipal council has a direct impact on the lives of people living in 
      Valley East and Capreol. Please note that Candidates have until 5:00 p.m. on September 29, 2006
      to file their completed nomination form.   It hoped that anyone who is
      serious about standing for election will declare his/her intention as soon as
      possible so that we have enough time to fully understand their individual
      platforms. |  |  
    |  
 |  
    |  
 |  
    | HANMER VALLEY SHOPPING CENTREPHONE: (705) 524-7006
 www.kirwan.ca
 |  
    |  ROBERT
      KIRWAN Responds To Questions Submitted By Constituents During Election
      Campaign If you have a question for Robert, just drop it off
      at his office or give him a call.
     |  
    | QUESTION OF THE
      WEEK...
     |  
    | Whenever we call City Hall or our Councillors about
      problems we get the run-around and if anything is done it takes forever.
      How are you going to be any different? |  
    | ANSWER
     |  
    |   
      I’ve been told that politicians should never promise anything
      during an election campaign, but I am going to disregard that advice
      because there is one thing I am not afraid of promising if I am elected to
      represent Ward 6 – Hanmer & Val Therese as Councillor. 
      
          The
      promise I make to all constituents of Ward 6 is that when I am required to
      intervene on your behalf with respect to a lack of service being provided,
      the only words I want to hear from City Managers are, “I will take care
      of it right away.”
      
          “I
      will look into it.” is no longer going to be an acceptable response from
      City Managers. As representative of the residents of Ward 6 – Hanmer
      & Val Therese, I will be the one ultimately held responsible for
      ensuring that my constituents receive the highest quality of service and
      satisfaction. If there is something bothering you and if it appears as if
      this is something that is a municipal responsibility, then there is only
      one thing I want to hear at the other end of the line when I make that
      phone call on your behalf. “I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT RIGHT AWAY!” 
      
          People
      at City Hall will soon understand that when Robert Kirwan receives a
      complaint, Robert Kirwan LOOKS INTO IT FIRST before calling.  I
      don’t just complain for the sake of complaining. That means that there
      is no need for anyone else to LOOK INTO IT. When I have to make a call I
      will be expecting action. I will expect that the matter will be TAKEN CARE
      OF RIGHT AWAY! And if it isn’t taken care of right away, there will be
      hell to pay at the next Council Meeting.
      
          The
      one thing I am finding as I speak to the thousands of concerned residents
      during my election campaign is that the issues facing the people of Ward 6
      – Hanmer & Val Therese are no different from the issues facing other
      municipalities in the City of 
      
      Greater Sudbury
      
      . Our playgrounds have rusty equipment with grass that is poorly trimmed
      buildings filled with graffiti. The ditches along the highways are filled
      with long grass and look ragged to visitors. Our roads are drastically in
      need of repair. Our taxes are too high for the services we are receiving.
      The City spends money trying to promote a healthy community and then
      charges user fees that discourage people from participating in
      recreational organizations. We have dangerous intersections that are in
      need of additional stop signs. The list goes on and on.
      
          What
      bothers me most is that I don’t see much of anything being done to
      rectify these problems. It seems pretty simple. If playground equipment is
      rusty, you paint it. If the grass needs to be trimmed, you cut it. If you
      have a dangerous intersection, you put up a stop sign. If the ditches are
      ragged, you cut and rake them. If user fees are too high, you reduce them
      and increase the participation level. You don’t spend the money on
      advertising to tell people how much they should be doing to improve their
      health when everything is in disrepair around us.
      
          I
      fully realize that these problems are not the fault of the front-line city
      workers. The problem begins at a much higher level where policy is
      developed and budgets are established. As City Councillor, I accept that
      the ultimate responsibility rests with me, as the representative of Ward 6
      – Hanmer & Val Therese, and with all of the other Councillors and
      the Mayor.
      
          With
      a Kirwan on Council, staff had better get used to the fact that there are
      only eight words I want to hear when I call about a problem being faced by
      one of my constituents. And I will not be happy until I hear those eight
      words. The new motto for City Hall from now on will be: “I WILL TAKE
      CARE OF IT RIGHT AWAY!”
      
      
     |  
    | LAST WEEK YOU ASKED...
     |  
    | Are you in favour of charging University Students $135
      for a City of Greater Sudbury Bus pass that they won't use? |  
    | ANSWER
     |  
    | The short answer: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! All three of my sons attended Laurentian University. I even attended
      Laurentian University in the early 1970's. We all travelled by car or in
      car pools with other students. The current policy of charging every
      full-time student enrolled at Laurentian University for their own
      Universal Bus Pass is totally UNFAIR and as far as I am concerned is
      nothing more than a tax-grab.  Let me explain.  First of all, there are approximately 6000 students who will be charged
      $135 for a transit pass this year. This pass will give them unlimited use
      of the City buses during the school year. That is a good deal if you use
      the buses. However, using the transit system is not practical for many
      students, especially those students who are pressed for time due to a
      variety of commitments from part-time jobs, family responsibilities,
      school assignments, recreational associations, etc. For example, a student
      living in one of the suburbs of Valley East must often walk quite a way to
      a bus stop along the highway. On good days, when there is no need to carry
      a lot of books and supplies, this is not so bad. However, on inclement
      days it is not recommended. Then, you have to take a transfer at the bus
      depot downtown in order to get out to the university. The whole process
      must be reversed when coming home. The trip home will often be after dark
      in the winter which means a long walk back to your home in unpredictable
      weather. For students who do absolutely nothing else (no part-time jobs; no
      research projects with classmates; no recreational activities, etc.) using
      the bus system may be fine. Nevertheless, on the days when you have a
      single one-hour class scheduled at 10:00 a.m. for example, you will have
      to take the bus from Valley East no later than 8:00 a.m. (if one happens
      to be going by at that time). If you can catch a bus right after your
      class, you should be getting off the bus back at your original stop at
      around 1:00 p.m. (if one is coming back to the Valley around the time you
      arrive downtown). This means that you will have to leave your house as
      early as 7:30 a.m. and get back home some time around 1:30 p.m. for a one
      hour class that runs from 10:00  to 11:00 a.m.  If you drive a car to school, you will leave your home at about 9:15
      a.m. and be back home again by 12:45 a.m. Taking the bus means an extra
      three hours or more of your time - time that is precious in the life of a
      busy university student trying to juggle responsibilities. This says nothing about the fact that when you drive your car you must
      pay for gasoline plus a parking pass of $160 a year on top of the $135
      Universal Bus Pass that is now charged on top of your tuition. This is just one example of how the City Councillors are out of touch
      with their constituents. And let us not forget that on the current City
      Council there are SEVEN - that's right SEVEN - Councillors who live in
      outlying municipalities and should have known better than to endorse a
      policy which would penalize students living in their Wards. Councillors
      cannot simply advise that taking public transit is better for the
      environment. Most students just cannot afford to take a bus to school
      because of their other time commitments. It is not a matter of money. It
      is a matter of time and the scheduling of buses. The one question that should have been asked is, "What happens if
      all of the students decide to take the bus?" The answer is simple. DISASTER!!! With 6000 students holding bus passes, if all of the students decided
      that for a whole week they would all take the bus to school, the City
      Transit system would collapse. It would be impossible to handle the load
      and there would be utter chaos in the city, especially at the downtown
      terminal. Classes would be missed; vehicle traffic would be interrupted
      because of the overflow of students on the city streets; regular adult
      passengers would have their travel interrupted and the City would lose
      thousands of dollars in regular fares. It would be a disaster!  If I am elected to City Council in November, there is no way that I
      will approve of this policy for the 2007-2008 school year. I don't mind
      selling passes at a reduced rate for students who need to use the bus to
      get to school, but I am absolutely against forcing all students to pay. I
      know I would have been very upset if my own children were forced to pay
      for bus passes that they could not use. Thank you for your question.
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