Barrhaven Independent January 8, 2021 by J Morris

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FRIDAY • January 8 • 2021

MacLeod says Ottawa’s 28-day lockdown will be reviewed after 14 days

Barrhaven businesses are facing yet another obstacle as Ontario entered a 28-day lockdown on Boxing Day. It is the second provincial lockdown in the past nine months. The news delivers yet another dark cloud to hover over local businesses who have been fighting to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. Details were provided in an announcement by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health, and Dr. Naveed Mohammad, President and CEO, William Osler Health System. “The number of daily cases continue to rise putting our hospitals and long-term care homes at risk,” said Premier Ford. “We need to stop

the spread of this deadly virus. That’s why, on the advice of Dr. Williams and other health experts, we are taking the difficult but necessary decision to shutdown the province and ask people to stay home. Nothing is more important right now than the health and safety of all Ontarians.” Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said he was “blindsided” by the lockdown. He and Dr. Vera Etches both expressed disappointment and asked the Premier to reduce Ottawa’s lockdown to 14 days instead of 28 days. Municipalities north of Sudbury were handed a 14-day lockdown, while south of Sudbury, municipalities are facing a 28day lockdown. Nepean MPP and Minister Sport, Tourism, Heritage and Culture Lisa MacLeod appeared on

CTV Morning Ottawa last week and supported the province’s decision for the lockdown. “These are difficult decisions and not ones that we take lightly nor ones that we wanted to make,” MacLeod said in the interview. “We would love to keep our economy open. We would love to see our hospital capacity go down. But the reality right now is that the Queensway Carleton Hospital and the Ottawa Hospital, despite the fact that our government brought in 254 new beds, are still over 100 per cent capacity. We don’t want to be in a position where we continue to cancel surgeries that are for cancer patients or deny people that need other support in our hospitals.” The Ottawa and Eastern Ontario numbers will be reviewed 14 days into

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Most businesses in Barrhaven will have to rely serving their customers via curbside pick-up until the lockdown ends later this month. Jeff Morris photo

the lockdown. MacLeod said she is in contact daily with the Premier, and he

agreed to review it three hours after Mayor Watson approached her with the

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Page 2 FRIDAY, January 8, 2021

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lockdown continues from page 1 “We made a decision as a cabinet that we would continue to look at this,” she said. “I think that’s a positive win for the City of Ottawa as well as for our Mayor, who made that request to me.” In response to these exceptional circumstances, the Provincewide Shutdown would put in place time-limited public health and workplace safety measures similar to those in other jurisdictions. It would help stop the trend of high COVID-19 transmission in communities, preserve health system capacity, safeguard vulnerable populations and those who care for them, and save lives. Measures include, but are not limited to: Restricting indoor organized public events and social gatherings, except with members of the same household (the people you live with). Individuals who live alone may consider having exclusive close contact with one other household. inProhibiting - person shopping in most retail settings - curbside pickup and delivery can continue. Discount and big box retailers selling groceries will be limited to 25 per cent capacity for in-store shopping. Supermarkets, grocery stores and similar stores that primarily sell food, as well as pharmacies, will continue to operate at 50 per cent capacity for in-store shopping. Restricting in-

door access to shopping malls - patrons may only go to a designated indoor pickup area (by appointment only), essential retail stores that are permitted to be open (e.g. pharmacy, grocery store), or, subject to physical distancing and face covering requirements, to the food court for takeout purchases. Shopping malls may also establish outdoor designated pickup areas. - Prohibiting indoor and outdoor dining. Restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments will be permitted to operate by take out, drive-through, and delivery only. On the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, all Ontarians are advised to stay home as much as possible with trips outside the home limited to necessities such as food, medication, medical appointments, or supporting vulnerable community members. Employers in all industries should make every effort to allow employees to work from home. The current COVID-19 Response Framework will be paused when the Provincewide Shutdown comes into effect. The impacts of these timelimited measures will be evaluated throughout the 14 days in Northern Ontario and 28 days in Southern Ontario to determine if it is safe to lift any restrictions or if they need to be extended. The Chief Medical Officer of Health will assess

and apply lessons learned thus far to the COVID-19 Response Framework to ensure appropriate and effective measures are in place to protect the health of Ontarians and enable economic recovery after the Provincewide Shutdown ends. This will include an assessment of how a revised approach for the safe reopening of retail may be operationalized, according to the latest available evidence. “This was not an easy decision before the holidays, but we have reached a tipping point,” said Minister Elliott. “We continue to see sharp increases in hospitalizations and occupancy in intensive care units is reaching concerning levels. Urgent action must be taken to prevent our health care system from becoming overwhelmed. By implementing a Provincewide Shutdown, we can work to stop the virus in its tracks, safeguard hospital capacity, and save lives.” The government is also providing $12.5 million to implement a High Priority Communities Strategy to contain the virus in high-risk communities. The strategy will take a tailored, communitybased approach to fund community agencies in 15 priority communities in the York, Peel, Durham, Ottawa, and Toronto regions. The funding will also allow for the hiring of community ambassadors to make people aware of available services and assistance, for coordina-

Ontario Premier Doug Ford poses for a photo with Nepean MPP and Cabinet Minister Lisa MacLeod during a pancake breakfast in Barrhaven in 2019. BI file photo by Jeff Morris

tion of increased testing opportunities and for the arrangement of wraparound supports for those who are COVID-positive. Additional funding of $42 million will also be available to establish isolation centres. The province will work with our local municipal partners to establish new isolation centres to help those who may need to isolate following testing. “We continue to see

the number of cases in the province grow and the trends in public health indicators worsen. Additional measures are needed provincewide in order to interrupt this concerning growth,” said Dr. Williams. “We must work together to enable everyone to follow these new and time-limited restrictions and protect our health system and our communities.” The government is

working to limit the transmission of COVID-19 in workplaces by supporting essential businesses in doing whatever is necessary to keep workers safe. The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development is leading a multi-ministry COVID-19 Safety Team. The team will partner with local authorities to carry out additional enforcement blitzes in sectors where they are needed most.

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OCDSB, OCSB announce protocols for return to school

While the Ontario government says transmission in schools remains low, all publicly funded and private elementary and secondary schools are to move to teacher-led remote learning when students return from the winter break on January 4, 2021. This action is being taken in support of the Government’s broader efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19. For schools in Ottawa, elementary school students are planned to be able to return to in-person learning on January 11, 2021, and secondary school students will continue learning remotely until January 25, 2021, at which point they may resume in-person learning. During this period, childcare centres, authorized recreational and skill building programs and home-based child care services will remain open. From January 4-8, 2021, when elementary students move to remote learning, before and after school programs will be closed and emergency childcare for health care and frontline workers will be provided. As part of the government’s efforts to pro-

tect the most vulnerable, boards will be required to make provisions for continued in-person support for students with special education needs who cannot be accommodated through remote learning for whom remote learning is challenging. “While our schools are not a source of rising community transmission, we can play an important part of the solution to save lives from COVID-19,” said Education Minister Stephen Lecce. “During this period, students will pivot to teacher-led online learning, with child care provided for our frontline workers. We are taking proactive and preventative action to protect schools following the holiday break to ensure kids can continue in-class learning — something we believe is so important — for the remainder of the year.” The Ottawa Carleton District School Board sent a notice to families that schools in the public board would be pivoting to online learning after the two-week Christmas break. “The OCDSB has been planning for this possibility

and all OCDSB elementary and secondary in person schools will shift to teacherled remote learning after the winter break,” the statement reads. “Students attending OCV will continue with their usual schedule beginning January 4th.” For OCDSB schools, learning for students will be scheduled each day based on the daily Ministry requirements for learning using both synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning. Kindergarten students will have 180 minutes of synchronous learning opportunities (120 minutes asynchronous) a day during the regularly scheduled class time. Grade 1-8 students will have 225 minutes of synchronous learning opportunities (75 minutes asynchronous) a day during the regularly scheduled class time. In-person classes are scheduled to resume on Monday, January 11th. For OCDSB secondary school students, remote learning will occur from Monday, January 4 to Friday, January, 22, 2021.

Berrigan Elementary will be free of students for an extra week as local schools shift to online learning during the lockdown. Jeff Morris photo

The daily schedule will be modified for the period of the closure to allow both cohorts (A and B) to learn together, both courses to be taught each day, and students will have two 112.5 minute blocks of instruction daily. In-person classes are scheduled at this time to resume the week of January 25, 2021.

Students with special education needs will continue to be supported by their classroom teacher during this period. Students enrolled in specialized program classes have been learning on a blended model and this will continue. On January 4th, students in these classes can expect to start with a focus on remote learning.

The OCDSB remains committed to ensuring that the students with special education will be engaged in remote learning with appropriate support(s), and in some cases in-person learning may be possible. Work is underway to determine how this could be safely operationalized.

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INDEPENDENT Editorial

The new pandemic-induced pet food economy According to a recent report by Narrative Research, 18 per cent of Canadians say they got a new pet since the start of the pandemic. That means more than 6.8 million pets were adopted since March. That can be added to the more than 16 million cats and dogs Canadians had in 2019, prior to the pandemic. That’s a lot of domestic animals. And feeding domestic animals can cost $20 to $60 a month, which can add up. More than 38 per cent of generation Z members have adopted a pet since March, according to the report. These adoptions were likely due to boredom, wanting companionship and because people have been forced to spend more time at home. So having a new pet makes sense. And the odds are very high these young people will adopt more animals in the future. As a result, the pet economy looks very different than before COVID-19 and, chances are, this change is going to last a while. The pet economy represents tremendous growth potential for the food service industry. Pets are already influencing the market. With lockdowns in effect in many regions of the country, restaurant operators have pivoted and are offering food to be consumed outside their dining areas. Curb-side pickup spots and drive-throughs are in fashion and incredibly busy. Pets can easily accompany humans on their journeys to pick up a coffee, a meal or a snack. And some are treating the pooch along the way. Many restaurants still don’t allow pets in dining areas, for obvious reasons. However, the pandemic has made the market consisting of consumers seeking pet-free space much smaller. Having a menu for pets could also be critical to attracting new consumers in the future. It won’t be for everyone but for outlets with high traffic, accommodating pet owners and their friendly companions can only help. Once we leave this lockdown-heavy period, restaurant operators will have an opportunity to engage with or commit to a pet-linked new market. Helping people prepare food for their pets at home could also be of value – meal kits for pets. New pet owners would get proper information about feeding their pets. The food industry could help existing pet owners improve pet diets and perhaps allow pet owners to save money. During the pandemic, food sector merchants have thought outside the box in serving humans, so there’s certainly room for pets. As we hear about more recalls affecting pet food, such as the recent massive Pedigree recall, quality and food safety will become critical issues for many pet owners. Troy Media – Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

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The COVID-19 pandemic from A to Z A – Asymptomatic. We knew this word be living through it. before the pandemic hit, but it had never P – Porchie. If you were grinding the played such a big role in our everyday lives. Crown on Netflix during the pandemic, how Asymptomatic means you are a carrier of an could you not love “Porchie.” Henry Herillness or disease but show no symptoms. bert was a close friend, confidant, and horse This has been a big problem in getting the trainer for Queen Elizabeth II. Although virus under control. they were shown as potential love interests B – Blursday. What day is it? What month in the Crown, there was no evidence to supis it? Early in the pandemic, every day be- port that. “Porchie”, by the way, is short for came Blursday. Lord Porchester, the title his father held beC – Coronapocalypse. We love to com- fore he did. bine words to make new Q – Quarantini. Who words, and one of my didn’t race to the LCBO favourites emerged early FROM THE OTHER when the first lockdown as we tried to come up started? The original Quarwith a label for what the antini is an easy lemon honcoronavirus has done to ey Martini, but the meaning Jeffrey Morris our society. We were in of the word spread to include the Coronapocalypse. all mixed drinks consumed D – Dexamethazone. during non-traditional hours This is a steroid that chemo patients take. during the quarantine period of the pandemIt was also the miracle drug that President ic. Trump was taking when he allegedly had R – Rona. This quickly became a nickCOVID-19. name widely used for the coronavirus. “You E – Epidemic. I didn’t know the differ- better wash your hands so you don’t catch ence between an epidemic and a pandemic the Rona.” COUNCIL S – Spendemic. If you wonder why Amabefore this year. An epidemic hits one counCORNER try, and a pandemic is global. zon and Shopify shares have gone up a gaF – Fomite. I didn’t know this word bezillion per cent since last March, it’s beMayor Suzanne Dodge fore this year. It is something that can be cause half the country went on the mother contaminated with an infectious organism. of online shopping sprees that still hasn’t It could be a door knob or the buttons on a ended. That is the great spendemic of 2020. bank machine or the handle of a shopping T – Thirty-three. There are a lot of pocart. tential T’s. One of them is Tik-Tok, the app G – Grinding. This word has always been that got families to do stupid and mindless around, but its most common usage now throughout April and May. The only THEisNOTdances SO to describe binge watching a series on Net- thing stupider than the dances was that some NEW GUY flix or Crave. of the 15-second videos got hundreds of Tim Ruhnke H – Hamsterkaufing. This is a German thousands of views. But the T we are using word that defined the first two weeks of the is thirty-three. As of this week in the United pandemic. It is used as a verb for frantically States, someone is dying from COVID-19 buying things to hoard in a crisis. Everyone every 33 seconds. According to the Washat Costco was hamsterkaufing toilet paper ington Post, every time you hear Bing Crosand Lysol wipes. by’s White Christmas, five people in the US I – Incubation. That is the time between will have died from COVID-19 during the being exposed to the virus and becoming song. sick. U – Uncle COVID. He is a character creWALKER HOUSE J – Joe Exotic. Early on in the pandemic, ated by the Alberta government for an ad everyone seemed to be grinding the Tiger campaign. He is creepy, ugly, and extremely Susan Vallom King series on Netflix. And Joe Exotic beeffective. came a household name. V – Vaccine. It’s what we will spend a big K – Karaoke. We all know what karaoke part of 2021 waiting for. I can’t wait until is, but because of the transmission of drop- we aren’t waiting. lets while singing, karaoke became a social W – Wuhan. It’s where it all started. lightning rod. Ground Zero. Let’s hope they don’t give us L – Lockdown. Here we go again. COVID-21. M – Morona. Another double word andBLAKE’SX – Xenophobia. The coronavirus brought I love this one. President Trump is suchTAKES a out of the worst in us, including racism. I’m morona for not taking the virus seriously. Blake McKim not talking about Black Lives Matter here. N – N95. Not many of us knew what N95 I’m talking about how many people were was before this year. These are the most ef- horrible toward Asian people during this fective masks – the Cadillac of masks. They outbreak. Blame the Chinese government if are way more effective than the cloth masks you want, but the Chinese Canadian in front most of us have been wearing. of you in line at Costco is no more responO – Outbreak. Do you remember when sible for COVID-19 than you are. Outbreak was a 1995 movie with Dustin Y – YouTube. Get online and check out Hoffman, Morgan Freeman, Donald Suth- Uncle Covid. erland and Rene Russo? Who would have Z – Zoom Bombing. Just make sure you thought 25 years later to the week we would are wearing pants.

SIDE

NEWS

FRIDAY, January 8, 2021 Page 7

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT School continues from page 4 OCDSB Extended Day Programs (EDP) will be closed between January 4th and 8th and will resume on January 11th. Infant, toddler and preschool programs operated by third-party providers may operate subject to restrictions, please check with your provider. OCDSB Infant Toddler Preschool programs will be open during the week of January 4-8th and beyond. Early ON and Family Centres will transition to providing virtual activities from January 4-8th. Inperson activities will resume on January 11th. Emergency childcare is

available for health care and frontline workers through the City of Ottawa. “We have made every effort to respond to today’s announcement as quickly and with as much information as possible,” the board’s statement read. “This has been a challenging year for everyone. Today’s announcement is an important reminder about the need to follow public health guidelines.” The Ottawa Catholic School Board is also planning on having K-8 students returning to class on Mon., Jan. 11 and secondary school students re-

turning to class Mon., Jan. 25. There will be no changes for students who are already enrolled in online learning. “Our schools will look a little different in January due to a province-wide shutdown,” said an OCSB statement. “School buildings may be closed, but learning continues at the Ottawa Catholic School Board.” According to the OCSB, approximately 75 per cent of the instructional day will be synchronous learning for students in Grades 1-8, and 25 per cent will be delivered asynchronously. Students in Grades 9-12

will receive approximately 80 per cent of their course delivered synchronously and 20 per cent asynchronously. OCSB educators will use their professional judgement to provide flexibility to students who cannot fully participate in synchronous learning. Teachers will continue to provide various learning experiences, not all of which will require online computer-related instruction. Assessment continues during both in-person and remote learning during the lockdown. Students with special education needs will con-

tinue to be supported by their classroom teacher in the online environment. Students that receive resource or educational assistant support in person will receive similar supports in remote learning during the lockdown. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) offers various services to help those struggling with mental health concerns. To learn more about how to talk about mental health, check out have THAT talk. Please visit OPH’s Parenting in Ottawa mental health page for information about child and or youth mental health agen-

cies. If you have a youth in crisis, contact the Youth Services 24/7 Crisis Line (24 hours a day/7 days a week) at 613-260-2360, if outside Ottawa toll-free 1-877-377-7775. Students and families can also contact Kids Help Phone, which offers 24/7 counselling and referral services across the province. To use this free resource, children can call 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868. School Mental Health Ontario also has many great resources for students, parents and families on their website at www. smho-smso.ca.

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Page 8 FRIDAY, January 8, 2021

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

30 years, 30 people: Jennifer Teague changed Barrhaven forever

Since the Barrhaven Independent began publishing 30 years ago, the community has seen more than its share of tragedy. They have all shocked us. We have lost young people to things like accidents and cancer. We lost people in a horrific bus-train collision. The tragedies cannot be compared. But of all the tragedies, none changed the fabric of the community more than the 2005 abduction and murder of Barrhaven teen Jennifer Teague. By Jeff Morris I will never forget the words of Ed Teague. I interviewed him in 2015 as we approached the 10th anniversary of the abduction and murder of his daughter, Jennifer. “Usually, when there is a killer, people remember the killer but they don’t remember the victims,” he said. “You remember Luka Magnotta or Clifford Olson

or Paul Bernardo, but nobody remembers the names of the people they killed. But nobody remembers who Kevin Davis is. They remember Jennifer Teague.” On that night in early September, 2005, Jennifer Teague had bussed from her shift at Wendy’s in the RioCan Marketplace to meet with friends at the Mac’s Convenience Store at Jockvale and Tartan. From there, they left to walk home. It was something they always did and had never worried about. Her friends made it home

Read an excerpt from Sylvie Teague’s 2015 book, ‘Behind the Darkest Hours: Where Hope Lies’, on pages 14-15

safely. Kevin Davis, however, knew where Jennifer would be. He abducted her, and, later that morning killed her. The tragedy and its aftermath left the Teague family emotionally lawn-mowered. Jennifer’s mother, Jean, was uncomfortable being in the media spotlight. The raw sting of her grief was haunting to those in the community, as she found it hard to speak through the heavy sobs. Ed, Jean’s ex-husband, took criticisms for some for being too outspoken and for wearing his Christianity on his sleeve during the process. Despite the strong leadership role he took during the search for his daughter – fighting desperation with his strong faith – some in the community had the audacity to spread suspicions that he may have been involved in the murder. Those who speculated and spread those rumours and suspicions clearly had no idea how suffocating the heavy blanket of darkness and desperation that smothered the Teague family really was. Who were these people to judge? As we look back now, what really strikes me is that less than half of the people living in Barrhaven today were here for that tragedy. Barrhaven has doubled in size since then, and statistics would say that more than half

The 2005 abduction and murder of Barrhaven teen Jennifer Teague changed the community forever. BI file photo

of the 90,000 people who live in Barrhaven today did not in 2005. Most have heard the story or have read about it during a Google search of the community, but they didn’t feel it like those of us that

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were here. Before Jennifer Teague, nobody thought twice about walking alone in the dark late at night. Employers suddenly realized that they needed to make sure that their young

employees had rides home. It wouldn’t be accurate to say that fear gripped the community. But it would be to say that a sense of awareness did.

teague

continues on page 9

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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT teague continues from page 8 Barrhaven Ward Councillor Jan Harder said on the tenth anniversary of the abduction that the changes to the community that happened in the immediate aftermath of Jennifer’s abduction and murder have stayed with the community. “Everyone is more aware, and that’s a positive legacy for Jennifer Teague” she said. “Employers are more involved in making sure that young people working for them can get home safely. People are more aware when they are taking buses or walking. The bus routes themselves are better and safer.” Harder was hosting her

annual golf tournament in June, 2006, when reports came out of a large, naked man stopping cars on Fallowfield Road, telling people he had killed Jennifer Teague. When questioned by police, Davis denied knowing anything about the case. Days later, he turned himself in to an off-duty police officer at a Barrhaven shopping plaza. While many trials can be long and tedious, the Davis trial was cut and dry. He admitted to the killing and wanted to serve his full 25year sentence for what he had done. “We were lucky in the sense that everything fell into

place for us during the trial,” said Sylvie Teague in 2015. “Not every case is like that, but for us, it made the situation easier to deal with.” Ed Teague would never suggest that his pleas to the then-unknown killer may have led to a surrender, but they certainly may have played a role. Davis, at the time of the abduction and murder, was living in public housing beyond the right field fence of the former ball diamond at Barrhaven United Church. The church became command central for the search and the media after Jennifer’s disappearance. No one had any idea that Kevin

Davis could watch the entire process live from his bedroom window – the window of the room he killed Jennifer while his mother was asleep down the hall. “I don’t wish anything bad to happen to Kevin Davis,” Ed Teague said in 2015. “He is where he belongs, in prison. He was in isolation and demanded to go into general population, and from what I understand he was beaten up quite badly. But, for him, I guess guilt finally got the better of him and he is where he belongs, paying the price for what he has done.” Since Jennifer Teague’s murder, there have been a

Epiphany has been observed Jan. 6 since the early 300s

A few days after Christmas Christians celebrate Epiphany or Little Christmas as a holy festival observed on January 6th in many Christian churches. Since the early 300s it’s been a time when we remember the coming of the wise men to see the baby Jesus. We have heard the carol, “We three Kings of Orient are… “, many times over the past month. It’s interesting to look behind the carol and see what the Bible really says about them. First, they were not kings. The Bible says they were Magi – wise men. They were probably priests who’d traveled from Persia, and whether they’d ridden camels like the Christmas cards show

THis week,

THIS MONTH by Larry Ellis

or come on horseback or in chariots we just don’t know. Second, the Bible never tells us how many wise men there were. Old legends say there were twelve, but wherever you may look today the number usually comes down to three. The main reason for thinking three is probably because of the gifts mentioned – gold, incense and myrrh – and everyone assumes they each brought something. The important thing

though is not who they were, or how many they were, or even what they brought to Jesus but the fact that they were searching for something. They were reaching out beyond themselves and their own backyard for

something, someone, to give meaning to life. That is what Jesus still offers through the whole year! Christmas began in the heart of God; it is complete only when it reaches the hearts of people.

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string of tragedies in the community. There have also been other murders, including the killings of Michael Swan and Jagtar Gill. But the Jennifer Teague murder seemed to have more of a lasting impact. Councillor Jan Harder probably summed it up better than anyone. “When the Jennifer Teague tragedy happened, Barrhaven grew up,” she said.

“People realized the dangers that are there, but more importantly, they came together. They showed incredible love and support for the Teague family, and they understood that we all have to play a role in keeping our community safe. Even little things like making sure the light on your front lawn isn’t burned out is a big thing when it comes to public safety.”

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Page 10 FRIDAY, January 8, 2021

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Getting off of social media gave student a new level of freedom

Name: Emily Zhou Age: 17 Address: Riverside South School: St. Francis Xavier High Grade: 12 Parents: Fei Qi (Mom), Jian Zhou (Dad) Brother: Alex Zhou, grade 6, Steve McLean Public Pet: Daisy, an Australian Shepherd Pet Peeves: “People who don’t cover their mouths when they cough. I’m a bit of a germaphobe, so I can’t help but imagine the bacteria that is entering the air around me.” “People who do not respect boundaries.” “Passive-aggressive behaviour. I’m a problem solver, so I prefer it when people come and talk to me about issues instead of giving the silent treatment, or being petty.” Part-time Work: “I work part-time as a model at Angie’s AMTI. I have gained so much life-experience from my work, including how to network and take care of my body and mind. I’ve had the chance to work for large companies: like Disney, Shoppers Drug Mart and Rogers, all thanks to my field of work. “Of course, every job comes with its downsides.

fOCUS ON

YOUTH by Phill Potter

For one, modelling is an appearance-based industry, so getting judged and criticized was a common occurrence. I started at the young age of 13. At first I had yet to face the harsh industry, and it took a huge toll on my mental health. In the following years, I struggled with an eating disorder and it consumed my everyday life. I would say that was the hardest thing that I have ever surmounted. To this day, I still struggle with many ‘bad’ days, but what matters is that I’m on the path to recovery. I hope to one day be able to share my experiences openly with others, and reach out to those who are going through the same things. I know how scary it is to feel isolated, like the only person in the world.” Favourite Subjects: “This year I’m taking; Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, English and Computer Science.” What do you enjoy reading for pleasure?

Healthy and Delicious Tea

“I indulge myself in books during my spare time. I would definitely consider myself a dreamer who gets a bit detached from reality. I constantly envision myself leaping into the pages of books. A book that I would recommend is They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera. I first discovered it in my freshman year for my independent study summative. It was fate. I know the title seems like a huge spoiler and “ruins the book”, but I beg to differ. It’s the utilization of dramatic irony, the perfect blend that comes back to bite you in the end. The novel raises many philosophical questions about life and death, and the power and consequences of unnatural knowledge. Silvera immerses the reader into a futuristic world, where technology plays a huge role in the daily lives of humanity. It makes us wonder how our technological advancements may affect us in the future.” Who is your favourite author? “My favourite author at the moment happens to be Amanda Lovelace, an American poet who is the mastermind behind the award-winning poetry book The Princess Saves Herself in This One. I have always

been fascinated by poetry, because I find myself and my story in them. Amanda’s poetry in particular focuses on women empowerment and the societal stereotypes that are placed upon us. She exposes the emotional turmoil that goes on behind the scenes, of how hurtful words can be ,and the journey taken to heal.” What is your greatest accomplishment? “As a child I was dead silent. People often wondered if I had a voice at all. And honestly, I wasn’t sure. I suffered from social anxiety. I was often looked down upon. I never had the courage to stand up for myself. As I grew older, I began to Emily Zhou is on the St. Francis Xavier High School students talk more, but I grew to be council. She says that because of the limitations of this year, a pushover, a people pleaser. the council has successfully come up with innovative ways to incorporate traditional activities, utilizing technology Submitted photo

potter continues on page 11 and other virtual sources.

FRIDAY, January 8, 2021 Page 11

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT potter continues from page 10 I was known as the ‘nice’ friend that would agree to help with anything and everything, even at the cost of my own well-being. I was afraid of being disliked, and the anxiety automatically turned everyone against me in my mind. Over the years, the emotional build-up from all the injustices I faced, became unbearable. I felt trapped. I didn’t know what to do. “Now my greatest accomplishment would have to be the seemingly simple act of being myself, and putting myself first instead of always accommodating other people. “In grade 10, I took a major social break. I got off of social media and isolated myself from my peers. For the first time, I felt free to express myself, away from the gaze of other people. In the past few years, I have lost friends, made new connections and found a circle of supportive comrades and family. Although I am still working to better my social anxiety, I have taken a huge step towards becoming comfortable in my own skin, and letting my voice

be heard.” School Activities: “This year has definitely been completely different in contrast to other years. The school system looks completely different, and many of our familiar habits now cease to exist. I have always been an active member of my school community, participating in clubs and leadership groups. However, this year many of these groups were removed due to the pandemic and the safety risks that they posed. “I joined the student council in hopes of making this year the best it can be for my fellow students. It has been difficult to plan out activities, because everything is so limited, but we have come up with innovative ways to incorporate traditional activities, utilizing technology and other virtual sources. “Another important school foundation that was just recently established is the STEM club. Here, our goal is to promote science and technology fields to the younger generation, especially girls and minor-

ities. Given that it’s a maledominated field, our club wanted to do our part in providing the resources and the information, in order to encourage more diversity within the field.” Career Goals: “As for right now, my goal is to attend university for computer engineering. I have always been a problem solver who ponders the possible solutions to global-scale questions. Especially the potential to use technology to combat climate change, which is arguably the greatest issue of our generation. On top of that, as a woman in STEM, I am aware of the fact that this is a maledominated field. My goal is to become a role model for younger girls who are interested in similar fields, and inspire them to follow their dreams, regardless of the opinions of society.” Comment: “Personally, the compact and fastpaced work environment at school have been challenging to adapt to. I find myself working long hours, and often become frustrated by the amount of workload. However, life is not

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Page 12 FRIDAY, January 8, 2021

CLUES ACROSS 1. Crow species 4. Partner to flow 7. Male offspring 8. Sedate 10. Orange beverage 12. Pair of small hand drums 13. 12th month of Jewish civil year 14. Former Pirates star Jason 16. Computer company 17. Made angry 19. Beverage container 20. Charlize Theron film “__ Flux” 21. Localities 25. Consume 26. Don’t know when yet 27. Bed style 29. Make a low, continuous sound 30. Wrath 31. Pollinates flowers 32. Association 39. Prejudice 41. Unhealthy

42. Hasidic religious leader 43. Distinctive philosophy 44. Short-term memory 45. In a good way 46. Emperors of Ethiopia 48. Imaginary line 49. Of barium 50. One’s sense of self-esteem 51. Man who behaves dishonorably 52. Monetary unit CLUES DOWN 1. Rear of (nautical) 2. He minds the net 3. Ring-shaped objects 4. When you hope to get there 5. Young children 6. Beloved hobbit 8. Pigpen 9. Wish harm upon 11. Quick=eyed (Scottish)

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

14. Scrooge’s phrase “__ Humbug” 15. One more 18. A ballplayer who only hits 19. Once vital TV part 20. Sixth month of Jewish civil year 22. Advantage 23. Type of tree 24. Luke’s mentor __-Wan 27. Life stories 28. Vase 29. Tiny 31. Package (abbr.) 32. A photog’s tool 33. Wood 34. One of the six noble gases (abbr.) 35. Pueblo people of New Mexico 36. Wild goats 37. A way to comply 38. Horatio __, British admiral 39. Actress Leslie 40. Sir __ Newton 44. Pouch 47. Have already done

FRIDAY, January 8, 2021 Page 13

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

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Page 14 FRIDAY, January 8, 2021

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

An excerpt from the 2015 book, ‘Behind the Darkest Hours: Hope Lies Beyond’ By Sylvie Teague We searched the entire churchyard and surrounding area while trying to hang onto hope. Ed and I searched behind some of the housing developments, and as we came into contact with young people, we would stop to show them a picture of Jenny and asked if they had seen her or even knew of her. This really led nowhere. We continued the search down by the train tracks, trying to keep a keen eye for anything that looked out of place or strange. Again we found nothing useful. We searched for several hours without any success and then decided to return to Jenny’s last known location. During our search, Ed informed me that after her 12:30 a.m. phone call, Jenny had also contacted some of her friends to meet up with them at the convenience store at the corner of Jockvale Road and Tartan Road. Her friends Alicia and Lydia met up with her, and they “hung out” until around 1:00 a.m. before parting ways and heading home. Jenny was less than a 20-minute walk from home through a nice, quiet resi-

dential community where no one could envision a disappearance. The two girls made it home safely, but in the days to follow they couldn’t understand why Jenny had not. While we talked and searched, Ed insisted there was no way Jenny could have been taken by force without a fight. There had to be traces or signs of a struggle somewhere, but we found nothing. At the junction of the path off Jockvale Road, we simulated someone trying to get her into their vehicle and how Jenny might have responded. She was a fighter; she had strong legs and could run. All our scenarios ended up with Jenny being scared but home with her family. I suppose that in our minds, we were not prepared to put Jenny at a disadvantage and seeing harm come to her. While at the pizza shop where she and her friends were last seen, Ed and I questioned the manager who was on duty at the time. He had regular hours there, and he knew Jenny. I was feeling so desperate having not received any helpful information that I suddenly interrupted the

conversation between Ed and the manager, asking, “Can we take a look at your surveillance tape?” I must have caught him off guard because he paused for a second and then responded, “Sure! But I don’t know what you’ll get from it.” He led us to the back of the store, removed the surveillance tape and handed it to me. We were so thankful and hopeful that there would be some information to help in this helpless moment. I assured him we would return it as soon as possible. He told us to take as long as we needed. Armed with the surveillance tape, we embarked on a new quest. We needed to find out what was on the tape. We took it to Jenny’s home and put it in the VCR, but it wouldn’t play properly. Although you could tell there were images there, it was mostly grainy and distorted. A friend at the house offered to take it to her home, where we hoped to have more success. At her home, we tried two different machines without success. We knew the tape contained images, but none of us could determine why three per-

Jennifer Teague and her brother, Carey, celebrate the wedding of their father, Ed, and Sylvie.

fectly good VCRs could not replay this tape. We knew it wasn’t rocket science, yet the reasoning escaped us at that moment. Feeling annoyed, Ed and I thought we should just hold onto the tape until we could figure it out. The store manager seemed sincere, so there had to be better quality images than those being displayed. With that, I was handed the tape, and we left to visit Rose, who’d been waiting for us. We needed someone to help us make sense of what was happening. • We spent a lot of time rehearsing all the events, trying to understand the impossibility that something so unexplained and tragic could have happened to our Jenny. Really, it sounded like news you would hear coming from places like Toronto, other parts of Canada or even places in the United States. This could not have happened in our backyard, to our family, and no one knows anything. We rationalized that it was so quiet in that neighbourhood that if something bad had happened to Jenny, someone definitely would have heard something. We went

‘Beyond the Darkest Hours’ was released in 2015. Proceeds from Sylvie Teague’s book went to support the charity Victims of Violence.

over her strength and agility and her potential ability to fight off any attacker should that have been the case. Every time we completed a possible scenario, it left us wondering where she could have been those past few days. Surely one of her friends would have heard from her by now. That was the only part we kept failing to rationalize. Our minds fought to not think about or verbalize any wrongful acts. Every time we reviewed the facts as we knew them, trying to find an ending that was either acceptable or at the very least sensible, nothing could explain Jenny’s sudden disappearance without any contact to anyone. This constant reviewing of the events put us in a loop that was enough to drive anyone crazy. We were unable to find an ending to her disappearance that left us feeling positive. Finally, to stop the madness, Rose encouraged us by saying, “We just have to pray to God that nothing bad has happened to her. He is the

only one who knows.” That thought we all agreed with. As was customary, Rose had her radio tuned to the local news station. We heard them announce Jenny’s disappearance for the very first time. We were relieved people were finally going to take notice that whatever had happened to Jenny was unusual, and more drastic measures were necessary if we were going to find her at all. With this community announcement and support to follow, we could put an end to this misery we were feeling. The problem was, it seemed so formal and definite it was daunting. They broadcasted: Eighteen-year-old Jennifer Teague was last seen walking home from work last Thursday morning, She lives in Barrhaven. The announcement took us by surprise. We hushed our voices and waited in anticipation as they continued reading the missing person’s information.

excerpt

continues on page 15

FRIDAY, January 8, 2021 Page 15

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT excerpt continues from page 14 They described Jenny as white, five feet four inches, 106 pounds, with shoulderlength dyed dark-brown hair. At first we looked puzzled but then remembered she was sporting the new look when we last saw her. Her natural colour is closer to blonde. They reported Jenny carrying a backpack with her work uniform inside when she vanished. They said she was wearing a pair of lightblue jeans, a white tank top with a black zip-up sweater and red shoes. At the end of the announcement, they urged the public to contact the police with any information relating to Jenny’s disappearance. They read the contact number several times. Each time we hoped someone would hear it and call. After the announcement, we turned the radio down and engaged further in a discussion of what it all meant. We suddenly realized we had now entered a different reality – one that could include unbearable tragedy as an end result. For a brief moment, we became extremely quiet, so much so that you could hear the hum of the refrigerator and the kitchen clock ticking among the voices on the radio. The sudden awareness that something horrible could have happened to Jenny was now taking on reality in our minds. In between the news broadcasts on the hour and half-hour, the constant announcement about the missing Barrhaven teenager, Jennifer Teague, was hitting home the reality of her disappearance. The dreadfulness of the situation was beginning to take shape. The question was, what happens next? • We were only at Rose’s a few hours when her phone rang, and the call was surprisingly for Ed. We thought no one knew we were there. He took the call and began what seemed like an official conversation. Finally! We were gelling somewhere. At least so we thought. An officer from the missing persons location of the police department came to the understanding that we

had taken the surveillance tape and was asking that we turn it in. We gladly got ready and headed over. We arrived within 20 minutes to be met with the same cavalier attitude Ed had first encountered trying to report Jenny’s disappearance at the station near her home. I was not impressed, and it was unacceptable. I was extremely annoyed. I was losing my patience, and we were very tired. After listening to what I believed to be total nonsense, I wanted to grab this man by his collar and get into his face with Jenny’s photo. I wanted to make him understand the urgency and the frustration we were feeling. Not to worry – I didn’t do it. I’m really not like that, and besides, my bad attitude would not have helped our cause. This officer offered no useful information about what to do next, and it was visibly taking its toll on Ed. I didn’t like it. Notwithstanding, I remained calm, but I couldn’t believe what we were hearing. A child’s life was at stake, and here was this officer patting the pile of folders on his desk and making excuses why he couldn’t address Jenny’s disappearance until “maybe Monday.” The only eloquent response I could muster was, “Are you kidding me?” He tried to justify setting her file aside with, “Maybe she’s just at a friend’s house sleeping off from a party. “ Wow! This officer really took his job seriously, I thought. I couldn’t help but ask him if he treated all his cases like he was treating ours. He had put her file on the bottom of the pile on his desk. He had taken the surveillance tape from us but had not planned on doing anything with it until after the weekend. Ed and I looked at each other in total disbelief. That glimmer of hope we’d had in getting help from the police was quickly fading with this officer’s attitude. I told him of our unsuccessful efforts to view the tape. He did take the lime to explain that it could only be viewed with a

specific machine. He asked whether or not this was Jenny’s usual behaviour. We tried to explain who Jenny had become and that it is not something she would be capable of doing now. Every word we spoke appeared to go in one ear and out the other. His opinion remained unchanged. It was incredible! Five years earlier, on a Friday night, Jenny hadn’t come home and hadn’t called. She was only 13 and at a rebellious stage in her life. By Sunday, there was still no word from her. I had called the police, and they were able to track where she was. It was easy then to detect that her friends were covering for her. They couldn’t keep their stories straight, and they weren’t concerned that Jenny had neither come home nor contacted any family. This incident was on her record, so the police still held to the opinion that she was just partying with friends. Jenny had matured so much since then and was involved in community activities. She was working with children and focused on Earth care. Not the same teenager she was back then. How could it be that finding Jenny now was not being considered important? She was still her daddy’s little girl. The photo of Jenny that Ed had urgently delivered to the Barrhaven police station still had not made its way to the Missing Persons unit where we were, and wouldn’t be there until Monday. By Monday, Jenny would have been missing for four consecutive nights. That was completely unacceptable. She was worth more than that, and I wasn’t leaving until I had a commitment from this officer that something was going to be done. Ed tried to remain calm and encouraged me to do the same, but the officer’s cavalier attitude was pushing the limits. He was convinced Jenny would be home when she woke up from partying with her friends. He made no effort in giving her credit that not every I8-year-old is ir-

Ed and Sylvie Teague sit on the bench placed in memory of Jennifer Teague at the Stony Swamp Conservation Area, just steps from where the Barrhaven teen was found 13 years ago. BI file photo by Charlie Senack

responsible and so carefree to not attend school or work. Ed and I were holding onto hope. Real hope! That explanation just seemed plain and simply wrong. I asked the officer if she was partying, with whom did he believe she was partying? I reminded him that all her friends she could possibly be with were all heartbroken with grief and shedding more tears than they knew they had. I also informed him that none of them were Academy award-winning performers trying to deceive Jenny’s worried family or their own parents. None of her friends were that cruel, and neither was Jenny. I wanted to know what motive he thought could be behind such an elaborate conspiracy to evade her family and cause so much chaos. The alarming sight of all these teenagers in distress was more than enough confirmation that this was not some prank or joke. You’ve heard the expression “saved by the bell”? Well, he certainly was that evening, in a strange sort of way. His phone rang, and he narrowly escaped giving us a response. Unfortunately

for him, whomever was on the other end of the phone had more influence than we obviously did because it caused him to immediately sit upright in his chair and take notice of the missing Barrhaven teenager, Jennifer Teague. He quickly discarded the cavalier attitude and found one of a diligent police officer he was apparently saving for another opportunity. What a difference in his tone once he got off the phone. During the conversation, he pulled out her file and actually opened it to view its contents with some earnestness. Now we were getting somewhere. All those prayers and phone calls for assistance placed earlier in the day were now taking effect. That evening we left the police station with confidence that something was being done at last. Shortly after we returned to Rose’s, Ed’s cell phone rang. It was a clear indication that things were finally going to move. It was a reporter from one of the local television stations requesting an interview with Ed that evening. He wanted Ed to make a plea for infor-

mation leading to Jenny’s whereabouts. People would become aware, and help was on the way! We would find Jenny, and everything would be all right! Ed asked me to be with him for the interview. About 30 minutes after the call ended, the doorbell rang. We both got up and went to the door. It was about 9:00 p.m. Before we opened the door, the thought came to me that no matter what, God was still on our side. Somehow that thought became audible, and I said to Ed, “Let them know your faith is in God.” Without hesitation, he agreed, saying, “Yes. I know.” And he did just that. He held fast to his faith and his beliefs regardless of how dismal the outcome appeared. It didn’t matter to him what others thought about his beliefs. ••• It is easy in the world to live after the world ‘s opinions; it is easy in solitude to live after your own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Page 16 FRIDAY, January 8, 2021

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT