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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2007-09-26, Page 44 Times—Advocate Wednesday, September 26, 2007 zkocna =CNA Editorial Opinion TIMES ADVOCATE PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511 We acknowledge the Financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs. Canada Jim Beckett — Publisher Deb Lord — Production Manager Scott Nixon — Editor .F CNA 2007 BLUE RIBBON Si ft The Times -Advocate is owned by Metroland Media Group Ltd. Metroland 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Media Group Ltd. Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • 519-235-1331 Doug Rowe -General Manager, Southwestern Ontario Division EDITORIAL Tight race The provincial election campaign is heating up with only two short weeks left until Ontarians head to the polls to decide if Liberal leader Dalton McGuinty gets to keep his job as premier. The polls, maybe surprisingly, still have the Liberals in first place, with a lead over the sec- ond place Progressive Conservative party. We say "surprisingly" because of the healthy amount of criticism the Liberals and McGuinty have received from the other parties, particularly con- cerning broken promises and the health tax. Locally, this is a good week for Huron -Bruce voters to get up to speed on where their local candidates stand on issues. This week's Times - Advocate includes profiles on all seven Huron - Bruce candidates. Because of space limitations, there are only so many questions we can ask each candidate, but voters will have the chance firsthand to speak to the candidates at an "All Candidates Meeting" hosted by the Huron County Federation of Agriculture Thursday night at the Goderich Township Hall in Holmesville. The meeting starts at 8 p.m. and will give all candi- dates the chance to present their platforms and let voters know their opinions and concerns. Audience members will also be able to ask ques- tions at the meeting, so if you're unsure on where any of the candidates stand on a particular issue, plan to attend Thursday's meeting and find out for yourself. Voters in Huron -Bruce are lucky to have such a wide choice of candidates to choose from. In addition to the mainstay parties such as the Conservatives, Liberals, NDP and the growing Green Party, we have a candidate representing the Family Coalition Party as well as two Independents. Huron -Bruce's race should prove to be an inter- esting one, because it features some names, at least in the southern portion of the riding, that are very familiar to voters. Former South Huron Mayor Rob Morley makes his first leap into provincial politics, while former NDP Huron MPP Paul Klopp returns to provincial politics. Both are well known in the area and will probably receive strong support. Can Liberal incumbent Carol Mitchell hold them off or will Huron -Bruce have a new representative in Queen's Park? We'll know in two weeks. About the Times -Advocate Encourage volunteer activities by employees Summer road trips, backyard barbeques and days at the cottage with friends and family are coming to a close. For many, autumn is associat- ed with beginnings and a time to start something new. Forward thinking employers are transform- ing those intentions into action, by encouraging and supporting their employees to volunteer in their communities. In organizations across Canada, September has traditionally meant the start of the local United Way campaign, but there is a shift underway. In addition to raising funds to support causes in their community, many Canadian companies are going one step further. Rather than advocating the more tradition- al "cheque book" philanthropy, companies are focusing their com- munity involvement in other ways, such as matching gifts or employee donations, supporting `volunteer - based' employee sabbaticals for extended periods of time, and more recently donating their employees' time during paid work- ing hours to volunteer. According to a 2006 national survey by Imagine Canada, 49 per cent of Canadian companies encourage volunteer activities during an employ- ees' own time and 22 per cent encourage employ- ee volunteer activities during work hours. As well, 57 per cent of employers provided non -mon- etary support for their employees who engage in volunteer activities. It's a great way to support people's desire to help those in need, and in some cases it gets peo- ple started on a lifetime of volunteering. It also makes good business sense. In a tighten- ing labour market, employers need to respond to what is a key priority of the next generation of OL employees they want to be part of an organization that goes beyond simply making money to one that puts corporate social responsibility at the forefront of its agenda and makes a greater con- tribution to the community in which they operate. So how to begin? Employers interested in encouraging volunteer activities amongst their employees can start by directing employees to the local volunteer bureau in their city or town to see what organizations are active in their community. An organization can be chosen based on an indi- vidual's interest in a particular cause or reflect the company's affiliations. A company's Corporate Social Responsibility report can be an excellent resource for employees who have always wanted to be involved, but didn't know where to start. These reports often list chari- table organizations that the company has supported in the past. Employers can go beyond advising of opportunities; they can provide a means to volunteer. This can include putting poli- cies in place to support an employee's volunteer work while maintaining their ability to effectively do their job and keep a work/life balance. A final tip on encouraging volunteerism is to cel- ebrate those employees who contribute their time and services. Companies can offer small gift cer- tificates to reward an employee's good works, donate money to local charities in the name of an employee volunteer or develop awards to recog- nize outstanding achievement in volunteering. This fall, think about what more your organiza- tion can do to encourage and support employee volunteerism. It benefits the company, your employees' personal development, and our com- munities. UNTEER Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Holidays. Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales 519-235-1331 24-hour automated attendant 519-235-1336 Fax number for all departments 519-235-0766 Subscription Rates One year rate for addresses in Canada: $42+GST Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $75+GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada:$160+GST Call 519-235-1331 to order a subscription. Classified Rates Word ads: $12 for 20 words, 20(t for each additional word+ GST. Notices (births, announcements, coming events, memoriams, cards of thanks): $15 + GST for up to 50 words, All ads must be pre -paid. The classified ad deadline is Monday at 10 a.m. Display Advertising To place a display ad, 519-235-1331 weekdays 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. or evenings 519-235-1336 (leave message) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Fri. 2 p.m. E-mail Us Web site: www.southhuron.com TA e-mail addresses consist of the person's first initial and last name followed by @southhuron.com. For example, Jim Beckett's e-mail address is <jbeck- ett@southhuron.com> Our general e-mail address is ads@southhuron.com. The Times -Advocate Team Publisher Jim Beckett ext. 109 ADVERTISING Deborah Schillemore ext. 112 EDITOR Scott Nixon ext. 105 REPORTERS Pat Bolen ext. 113 Nina Van Lieshout ext. 107 CUSTOMER SERVICE Sue Rollings ext. 101 Jennifer Skonieczny ext. 102 PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Manager Deb Lord ext 103/114 Nikki Cyr .ext. 103 Kelly Gackstetter ext. 103 ACCOUNTING STAFF Anita McDonald ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 MargPertschy ext. 108 Heather Clarke ext. 111