Barrhaven Independent July 7, 2023

Diane Burns Conseillère scolaire

Monique Briand Conseillère scolaire

Claude Lalonde Conseiller scolaire

The Barrhaven BIA has officially launched its campaign to bring urban experiences to the suburbs. Four eight-foot hearts were unveiled to go with banners that follow the “I heart Barrhaven” theme. Above, BIA Chair Jason MacDonald and BIA Executive Director Andrea Steenbakkers show off one of the 20 traffic control boxes that have been urbanized by a local artist. For the full story, see page 4.

Canada Day brought the riding of Carleton together!

The busiest and most exciting weekend of celebrations has come and gone in the riding of Carleton. For the first time in four years, there was a full slate of Canada Day celebrations and events in the riding.

Carleton is a large riding geographically, and we had Canada Day festivities at every corner of the riding and many places in between! Canada Day celebrations will take place in Riverside South, Vernon, Greely, Osgoode, North Gower, Stittsville and the Rideau Carleton Casino.

I hope you were able to attend one of the many events that I will be attending in the riding!

Free Fishing Week July 1-9

Over the next week and two weekends (July 1-9), Canadian residents can fish in Ontario for free. This means you do not need to buy a fishing licence

if you want to fish during this time.

Follow fishing rules

Free fishing periods remind us of the value of Ontario’s recreational fishery, and the importance of keeping it healthy for future generations. While fishing you must:

- follow conservation licence catch limits

- obey size limits and sanctuaries

- follow the fishing regulations

- carry a permit or identification card issued by the provincial or federal government, showing your name and date of birth

- Ontario Fishing Regula-

tions Summary

- Use Fish ON-Line

Free loans for rods and reels

TackleShare loans out rods and reels for free. Initiated by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and proudly sponsored by Ontario Power Generation, the TackleShare Program gives new and intermediate anglers the opportunity to go fishing by removing the barriers that prevent them from getting involved, such as access to fishing equipment, and knowledge about recreational angling. Participating anglers simply sign out a rod and reel, as well as an assortment of tackle in the same way that they would borrow library material from a TackleShare Loaner Site or learn about fishing from educational fishing videos on the tackleShare YouTube channel.

Goldie Ghamari, MPP for Carleton, caught the first fish of the day at the 2022 family fishing day on the Rideau River at Alfred Taylor Park in Manotick. goldie continues on page 3

goldie continues from page 2

New anglers can gear up at locations across the province including:

- Ontario provincial parks

- conservation authorities

- libraries

TackleShare is an Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters program supported by Ontario Power Generation.

Learn To Fish

Fishing is a fun and relaxing way to spend time outdoors, but for some people just getting started into the sport, it can be intimidating. There’s a lot to learn when it comes to fishing, like which fishing rod and tackle to choose, how to follow the fishing regulations, and how to identify fish species. These are only a few challenges beginner anglers face when taking up fishing for the first time.

The Ontario Learn To Fish guide is suitable for

signed for online reading or printing. If you would like a more interactive experience with videos and quizzes, check out our Learn to Fish Online program at https:// www.ontario.ca/page/learnfish-digital.

Ontario Invests in Electricians

I was honoured to be part of an exciting announcement last week, as Premier Doug Ford visited rural Ottawa with Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

The Ontario government is investing $2.7 million to support an innovative project to help 65 electrical workers upgrade their skills and meet the demand for qualified electricians in eastern Ontario. Led by KE Electrical, the free program will provide participants with the training needed to progress from labourer to apprentice, apprentice to

man to foreman. This will help electrical workers earn more take-home pay for themselves and their families, while tackling the critical shortage of skilled trades workers the province faces.

Across the province, we’re facing historic labour shortages with thousands of jobs going unfilled in skilled trades each and every day. Programs like these are helping to ensure we have the skilled workforce to build the homes, schools, hospitals and infrastructure projects our growing province needs.”

Across Ontario, at least 1,600 more electricians are needed– a number projected to grow in the coming years, with one-in-three skilled trades workers aged 55 or over and nearing retirement. This project will provide new and existing KE Electrical workers with the chance to participate in 8,500 hours of hands-on

ities, health and safety, professional development and other critical industry skills.

In addition to helping 65 men and women take the next step in their careers in an in-demand industry, the program will help the province find the electricians needed to help build its historic infrastructure plans. Training will be delivered at sites throughout eastern Ontario and will be free to all employees, while mileage and other travel expenses will be reimbursed.

The project is funded through the government’s Skills Development Fund, an over $700 million initiative, which supports innovative programs that connect jobseekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying careers close to home.

Minister McNaughton said something that was very poignant to my family. He said that when you have

adding that our government will continue to invest in ground breaking training programs that help people gain the skills they need to advance their careers and build Ontario.

Those words resonated with me as my father is an electrical engineer. He began working in the trades in Ontario almost immediately after arriving in Canada in the mid-1980s, and he still works as an electrician today.

Perhaps you could say that my job of being a Member of Provincial Parliament is an important job in Ontario as we represent people and create policies. But the jobs that thousands upon thousands of workers in the trades like my father have done in Ontario is just as important. After all, they built Ontario from the ground up, and they continue to do so at a record pace.

Quick Facts

- Through its first three

funding rounds, the Skills Development Fund has supported 596 projects, to help almost 522,000 people around the province take the next step in their careers.

- In March 2023, there were roughly 300,000 jobs vacant in Ontario.

- Ontario’s Skills Development Fund is supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

Office Notice:

My office is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. If you require assistance on any matter, please contact me at any time. My staff and I will be happy to assist. Even if it’s not a provincial issue, I’ll make sure to connect you with the proper office.

Goldie

Your voice at Queen’s Park

From the Residents and Staff at Manotick Place Retirement Community

Celebrate Canada's rich history and vibrant culture with us at Manotick Place Retirement Community! As we honor our beloved nation's 156th birthday, we invite you to join in the festivities and discover the incredible experiences we have in store for you.

At Manotick Place, we are more than just a retirement community. We are a close-knit family of individuals who cherish the values that make Canada so special. Call

To learn more about how we are celebrating and how you can be a part of it, call us today at 613-692-2121. Our friendly team is ready to answer any questions you may have and guide you through our exceptional retirement community offerings.

BIA launches campaign to promote ‘urban experiences’ in Barrhaven

By Charlie SenaCk

The Barrhaven Business Improvement association (BIA) has officially launched a new campaign designed to bring urban experiences to the suburbs.

On June 17, four eightfoot tall hearts were unveiled across Barrhaven, with the kickoff held at Boston Pizza on Greenbank Rd. The red metal structures were created to be a backdrop for people to take photos, much like the Ottawa sign in the ByWard Market.

The BIA has wrapped 20 traffic control boxes around the community with four designs produced by a local art-

ist. They are designed to represent the various businesses which make up the community: eat, shop, live and play.

Barrhaven t-shirts were also unveiled with proceeds raised going to support the Barrhaven Food Cupboard, which has seen an almost 50 per cent increase in calls for service this year. More than $1,600 has been raised to date.

The event was attended by Barrhaven councillors Wilson Lo and David Hill, alongside Nepean MP Chandra Arya, Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod, and MOVE radio host Stuntman Stu.

The “I heart Barrhaven” campaign first got its footing a few years ago when the lo-

cal BIA was the first suburban group to introduce banners to the streetscape. Over 100 are placed around the community with 40 more to be installed this summer.

“We are no longer a sleepy suburb and we are excited to bring urban style installations to our community to add a sense of pride and excitement,” said Crystal Logan, Barrhaven BIA’s marketing director. “We like to be leaders and are working to re-invent what it means to be a suburb and this was a large motivation in our new place-making initiatives.”

The Barrhaven BIA says they started to notice a positive shift in community pride when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Residents were spending more time at home and the local businesses saw a boost in service.

“For years we were a bedroom community where businesses thrived Thursday night, Friday, and Saturday. But now they have a steady seven days a week stream of customers,” said Andrea Steenbakkers, Barrhaven BIA executive director.

Revitalizing the suburbs

Looking ahead to the future, the BIA is continuing to reimagine a new pathway forward for Barrhaven. The community has hit 100,000 residents and is one of the fastest growing suburbs in Ontario.

Last year all three levels of government committed funding for a new Barrhaven downtown, which could include a new civic building, performing arts center, library, outdoor plaza, apartments, and shops. The land located behind Marketplace is expected to be acquired within the next few months.

Steenbakkers said as demographics in the community are changing, they would like to bring a Lansdowne feel to Barrhaven. The BIA wants to brand Barrhaven as a “selfsustaining community”, she said, which means rethinking public spaces.

“We have towers going up in the Marketplace area and with that it’s changing the demographic. It’s allowing empty nesters to sell their four

or five bedroom family home and it’s offering smaller space for people who are buying their first home or are young professionals who don’t have kids yet,” Steenbakkers said.

“With that we are trying to attract events that are happening in other areas. We want to sponsor them to come and host their events in Barrhaven,” she added. “We have the space, we have the population, we have the attitude and a BIA that can help with logistics.”

As Barrhaven continues to grow out, newer communities such as Half Moon Bay are sprawling with residential developments. The City of Ottawa has recently received applications to bring commercial retail development to that

side of the Jock River, including two groceries stores. Barrhaven West city councillor David Hill expects shovels to be in the ground by the end of year.

Barrhaven East councillor Wilson Lo said the changing retail landscape means residents no longer need to travel to Merivale Rd to access services. With more people staying in the community, his focus has been on ensuring its infrastructure has kept up with the growth.

As a supporter of remote and hybrid work options, Lo said it can’t be up to suburban residents to support downtown businesses. He’d like to see federal office complexes converted to revitalize the downtown core.

“I don’t think we should be responsible for supporting downtown businesses. I think downtown residents should support downtown businesses just like how Barrhaven supports Barrhaven and Kanata supports Kanata,” said Lo. “Downtown needs to support itself. It can’t rely on people who don’t want to be there.”

Part of that change, Lo said, is having more people live downtown.

“It can’t just be a residential building, a commercial building, or an office building. It needs to be a mixed space,” he said. “You can have shops on the ground floor — the first few floors even — and a shared work space above. Residents can then make the upper floors.”

Councillors Wilson Lo, left, and David Hill, right, were joined by OCDSB Barrhaven trustee Donna Blackburn.

Nepean MP Chandra Arya addressed the crowd.

Barrhaven’s own Stuntman Stu of MOVE was the MC for the event.

BIA board members and elected officials unveiled the Barrhaven heart at Boston Pizza June 17. C H A r L IE S E NAC k P HOtO S

Designs for 416-Barnsdale interchange presented to Transportation Committee

There is still no timeline on the planned interchange at Highway 416 and Barnsdale Road.

Last week, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation presented its designs for the interchange, which would help the rapidly growing southern Barrhaven communities of Half Moon Bay and Stonebridge have access to the highway. Currently, the only Barrhaven interchange on the 416 is at Fallowfield Road.

According to the presentation last Thursday, the City projects that the area south of the Jock River is expected to reach a population of 32,000 by 2031 and 36,750 by 2046. The interchange with Highway 416 at Fallow-

field Road, which itself is in the far northwest corner of Barrhaven, is over 9 km away from south Barrhaven. The Highway 416 interchange at Bankfield Road is a further 9 km to the south of the community, serves the villages of Manotick and Richmond and is too far south to be considered an effective highway access point for most residents and businesses of Barrhaven. In comparison, Ottawa’s other urban growth communities outside the Greenbelt have multiple interchanges that service them; Kanata has five interchanges with Highway 417 and Orleans has four interchanges with Ottawa Road 174 (formerly prov-

incial Highway 17).

The implementation of the North to West freeflow ramp and the East to North freeflow ramp require the closure of the following roads:

• Trail Road would be closed north of the interchange with a new culde-sac.

• Borrisokane Road would be closed north of the interchange with a new cul-desac. This closure will require a new connection to be provided between Borrisokane Road and Barnsdale Road. Through the EA process, the future Kilbirnie Drive Extension was identified to be the most suitable option for this connection. Because this roadway will likely

be required for development before the West to North free-flow ramp is needed (necessitating the closure of Borrisokane), it will be funded and constructed through future development practices. From Borrisokane Road, the Kilbirnie Drive Extension will connect to the future Realigned Greenbank Road to the east which will in turn connect to Barnsdale Road at its south end.

The Ultimate Recommended Plan accommodates the future widening of Barnsdale Road over the Highway 416. When the widening is needed, a separate structure will be constructed. The existing bridge would be used for the future eastbound lanes

and a new structure to the north would be used for the two westbound lanes and active transportation facilities.

The interchange design can be constructed in stages, based on future travel demand and/ or available funding. This phasing would include construction of the ramps on the south side of Barnsdale Road first, followed by the widening of Barnsdale Road when required. Both Trail Road and Borrisokane Road would remain open under the interim configuration and all interchange movements would be accommodated using the loop ramps on the south side of the interchange.

The MTO’s estimate

for the Ultimate Recommended Plan is $80 million. This includes design, construction, property acquisition and associated contingencies. This estimate does not include the future Kilbirnie Drive Extension which would be designed and constructed by local developers. The Interim Recommended Plan is estimated to be $70.5 million. This includes the loop ramps on the south side providing for all movements, the realigned William McEwen Drive, and the widening of Barnsdale Road. At this time, no funding sources have been identified to advance this project to detailed design and implementation.

Back to the basics

Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce was in Barrhaven on his whirlwind tour of Ottawa last week, and you had to sense he was on his toes waiting for something to challenge him from the Ottawa Carleton District School Board.

The OCDSB’s alliance of extremist trustees who control the board’s decisions have forced the board to spend an enormous amount of time on issues like who is permitted to use which washroom regardless of the religious violations to other cultures or the uncomforts and fears caused to many students and their parents.

Anyone who dared raise the topic for reasonable discussion at OCDSB meetings was immediately shut down and accused of hate speech and for being transphobic.

They also spent a lot of time making sure that the relationship with the Ottawa Police Service remained as poor as it could possibly be. Deep-sixing the SRO program made the students who are policephobic feel more safe. It made everyone else feel less safe.

And let’s not forget the first meeting of the year, which turned into a public dumpster fire when one of the woke alliance trustees tried to mandate masks for everyone, all the time, with no end in site.

What they seemed to spend no time whatsoever on, however, was education.

Lecce introduced Bill 98 earlier this year. The bill is also called the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act. It is designed to get schools and school boards to refocus on the basics of education.

Lecce said the bill was introduced to send a signal to school boards to refocus their energies on what matters most, which is improving reading, writing and math skills and STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] education.”

Lecce has been made well aware of what is happening locally. There has to be some relationship between Bill 98 and the actions of the OCDSB.

What we are waiting for, though, is how this Bill will change things in the fall, once it becomes law. What will the consequences be for the school board meetings that turn into gong shows? We still find it deliciously hypocritical that Board Chair Lyra Evans and her woke minions on the board are so hell bent on banning uniformed police from all public board schools, but they are quick to call 9-1-1 to have the police come to school board meetings to restore order when things get out of hand, which seems to be often.

For the record, that has happened three times so far this year.

There is too much politics in schools right now. And if a student’s politics aren’t pro-trans and pro-LGBTQ2+, he or she or whichever pronoun the child likes to use will be alienated and labelled.

The OCDSB woke alliance often forgets they represent parents. And many of those parents want them to leave the politics up to the parents at home and teach the children academics.

BARRHAVEN

78-year-old woman earns degree from Carleton

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

But you can certainly teach a 78-year-old woman about classic literature.

from the other side

Jennifer Murphy, who has lived in the area for 23 years, joined her young classmates on Fri., June 16 as she graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelor of Humanities Degree.

“It’s very exciting,” she said of her graduation. “My education and career was in science, so to come back to school and do this is something I am quite proud of.”

Murphy grew up in Manchester, England. She said she had no interest at all in humanities or liberal arts courses. She participated in sports and was on her school’s girls basketball team. Although she loved science, she had little or no time to put into non-scientific courses.

“I failed English Literature in high school,” she said. “I just wasn’t interested in it at all. I was interested in science, and that’s what my career was in.”

Murphy went to university in London and earned a degree in Physics. She went back to Manchester to complete her Masters in Radioastronomy in 1966.

She moved to Canada in 1976 and worked for the Department of Natural Resources, specializing in Earth observation using satellite data. Although she had no interest in politics in her younger days, she would end up becoming a policy advisor for the Minister of Natural Resources in the 1990s.

She retired 16 years ago, and spent eight years making trips to Nepal to teach English to young women who were training to be trekking guides.

Although she was successful in everything she did, failing English literature “hung like a wet blanket over me,” she said.

vad-Gita, Upanishads, Tao Te Ching; moving on to early literature such as Beowulf, Boethius, Augustine; European literature including Boccaccio, Michel de Montaigne, Don Quixote, Milton, Diderot; History of Western Music; History of Western Art; History such as Wollstonecraft, Burke leading to introduction to Canadian intellectual history and politics; some twentieth century literature e.g. Salman Rushdie, Ghandi. Take your pick,” she said. “I also studied French e.g. Molière, Chrétien de Troyes, and Renaissance authors, and ended up with a Bachelor of Humanities, High Distinction, Minor in French.”

While Murphy spent most of her life with no interest in literature, she now can’t wait to get her hands on books.

“The more I read and the more we studied, the more I fell in love with it,” she said. “And it has left me with a desire to read even more. I gave many of my texts to the College for future students, but since then, I have purchased two books, one on early philosophy – Lucretius: the Nature of Things; and Stephen Hawking’s follow-up book on The Origin of Time).”

Fitting in was one of the intimidating things about going back to school.

“I remember on the first day, going to class and wondering, ‘What are these 20-year-olds going to think of having a greyhaired old lady in their class?’ But they were all wonderful. Right from day one, we had wonderful discussions and dialogue in our class.”

Like many students, Murphy saw the social aspects of the university disappear when the COVID-19 pandemic started and classes moved to a virtual format.

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Staff/Contributors: Gary Coulombe, Larry Ellis, Skyler Fraser, Goldie Ghamari, David Hill, Wilson Lo, Jeffrey Morris, Greg Newton, Irene Staron.

The Barrhaven Independent is published every other FRIDAY in Manotick, Ontario. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and libellous statements. Display rates are available on request. The Barrhaven Independent is not responsible for the loss of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other material used for publication purposes.

“I attended several lectures and workshops through the Lifelong Learning Program at Carleton University, one of them on writing one’s life-story, and wrote my memoirs (“Our Family Had Big Dreams” – available from Friesen Press),” she said. “Another course was on Plato’s Republic. Professor Dr. MacIsaac invited anyone who was interested to join the Bachelor of Humanities program. Seemed like a really good idea! Fill in all those missing topics that didn’t inspire me as a teenager. What an adventure! Studying with people in their 20’s and knowing that I fit in with them in my desire to study.”

Murphy said the class studied the full spectrum of literature, from the earliest days through to the 20th century. Although classic literature to her classmates might be something written by J.K. Rowling, Murphy fell in love with ancient literature and the works of Plato.

“We covered topics such as: Greek, Roman, Mesopotamian early literature; early philosophy such as Plato and Aristotle; world religions such as Bible, Quran, Bhaga-

“That was an unfortunate thing for all of the students,” she said. “Especially in a program like ours, that group dialogue and interaction is a big part of the learning experience. You don’t get that with Zoom or a virtual class.”

Murphy is hoping that her experience and success can inspire other seniors to go back to school. She said she would recommend the experience to any senior who has the time and the capacity to take on going back to school. While learning is one thing, being able to be a part of the student body and make friends with people of all ages was what made the experience special for her.

“The relationship between me and the younger generation was excellent; and I want to promote the idea of seniors continuing their studies, either in a program such as this, or the Carleton University Lifelong Learning Program, which selects just a few topics.”

With her degree under her belt, Murphy is not sure what to do next. Shed has already had a great career, and she is certainly not looking to begin another.

The beaver, maple tree and maple leaf are symbols of Canada

In the late 1600s and early 1700s explorers, realizing that Canada was not the spice rich Orient, saw the fur trade as an opportunity to acquire revenue and both English and French fur traders soon were selling beaver pelts at a great profit. The beaver really achieved national significance when it was first featured on the first Canadian postage stamp –

THis week, THIS MONTH

by Larry Ellis

the “Three Penny Beaver” in 1851. The beaver obtained official status as an emblem of Canada when it gained recog-

nition as a symbol of Canada in 1975. In the mid-19th century, the beaver was near extinction but due conservation the largest rodent in Canada is alive and well. The beaver is prominent of the Canadian five cent piece.

Trees have played a meaningful roll in history and the development of Canada as they continue to be of commercial,

environmental, and aesthetic importance to all Canadians.

Maple wood products, maple sugar industry, beautifying the landscape are all attributes of the tree known for its hardness, toughness, and other properties. The maple tree was officially proclaimed national arboreal emblem of Canada on April 25, 1996.

“The Maple Leaf Forever”

was written by James Muir as Canada’s confederation song in 1867. The coats of arms for Quebec and Ontario were created the following year and both included the maple leaf. Between 1876 and 1901 the maple leaf was on all Canadian coins and appeared on the Canadian one cent piece. During the First World War the maple leaf was displayed as badges

on uniforms and at the time of World War 11 troops used the maple leaf as a distinctive sign of Canadian forces. On February 15, 1965, the Red Maple Leaf Flag was inaugurated as the National Flag of Canada.

I hope you celebrated Canada Day with pride of accomplishments of our great country!

Barrhaven Lions Club celebrates 43 years of service to the community

Service Clubs have been waning in many communities over the past few years, but fortunately this group is alive and strong. The local Lions Club now has 32 members, increased by six in the last year. With government cutbacks in community services, it’s important that private citizens band together for the benefit of those in need. The Lions focus on raising funds to support issues like childhood cancer, hunger, environmental issues, blind and visually impaired individuals and

diabetes outreach.

This week marks the 43rd anniversary of this important community service club and the introduction of the new board of directors for 2023-24. If you would like to devote some time to this important initiative, please contact Margaret Tucker at lionmargaret@gmail.com Did you know—Helen Keller challenged The Lions to champion The Blind? There are Lions clubs in 141 Countries. The modern challenge is to recruit younger members.

Pictured from the Barrhaven Lions Club are, back row from left, Gerry Langevin, Les Buckley, Sharon Baldwin, Paul Duguay, Robert Gilchrist, Tom Gowe, and Dave Voisey. Front row, from the left, are Susan Greenberg, Don Zogalo, Marilyn Southall, (incoming President), Nancy Campbell, (Immediate Past President), James Doyle, and Ameet Bhalla.

G A Ry Cou Lo M B e P h oTo

Viva Golden Voices bring the gift of music to their retirement home

Thanks to a group of seniors, the sweet sound of music is often ringing through the Viva retirement residence in Barrhaven.

Micheline Lortie, a resident in the home, has put together a choir. The Barrhaven Viva Golden Voices practice, they have uniforms, and last month, they sang their hearts out for fellow residents, family and visitors in a jam-packed dining room in the home.

“We have singers that come in to perform for us, and I was inspired,” she said.

Lortie has choir experience. For 20 years, she performed in concerts to raise money for the food bank.

“There was a need here,” she said of the choir. “We needed to have more joy. The people here have something to tell us. Just because you’re 90 doesn’t mean you can’t do anything anymore.”

Lortie put the word out to her fellow residents looking for anyone interested in singing and forming a choir.

“I thought maybe we would have five or six, but they recruited each other,” she said. “By Christmas we had 15, and now we have 22. And we have people who are moving in here, and they are saying, ‘I’m going to go in the choir.’ So it just blossomed.”

The performance by the choir was their second. They did a Christmas show in December, and have been preparing for their June performance for the past few months. They sang popular songs from years gone by like ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow,’ and ‘Que Sera Sera’. They had a pianist and an accordion player with them, and they even had some soloists.

Kathleen Stewart, 98, is originally from Yorkshire in the UK. She sang in the Salvation Army Choir for several years and also sang in school choirs growing

up.

“I’m not a singer,” she said, smiling. “I thought it was going to be a sing along every week, but then I found out it was going to be a choir. With Micheline’s help, I am a better singer.”

Stewart says the choir practices are something she looks forward to.

“It’s a lovely atmosphere,” she said. “We sing along and enjoy each other’s company and Micheline’s encouragement.”

Hartland Mulcahy is the most senior member of the choir. He is a 99-year-old World War II veteran who will celebrate his 100th birthday November 19. He was involved in two invasions, as he was involved in the North Africa and DDay, as well as the Battle of the Atlantic.

“When I was a kid, going to school, we used to sing in chapel,” he recalled of his childhood in Montreal. “I was raised Catholic, and we used to sing hymns on Sunday nights as well.”

Like the other choir members, Mulcahy looks forward to each practice.

“We practice every two weeks, but we should practice more often,” he said. “It’s fun.”

David Burden is a

76-year-old who was born in Argentina and grew up in England before making his way to Canada and Barrhaven.

“I always said that if I sang, it’s the best way I know of clearing a room,” he said, laughing. “Micheline is a force of nature. She persuaded me to join the choir. I surprisingly did not put everyone off. I was not too bad. I’ve enjoyed the last three or four months in the choir.”

The performance at Viva marked the first time

in Burden’s life that he had ever sung publicly.

“It was fun,” he said. “When we first started it was a very meek and mild choir. But as we got closer to the day of the performance, there were incredible noises coming from this choir. They really did a great job.”

Burden said the choir is about a lot more than music.

“A lot of people here are in their declining years,”

he said. “They didn’t have a lot of interest in life. But when they came to the choir, it gave them a new lease on life and a reason to be.”

Ann Cross joined the choir after the first concert and has enjoyed it a great deal.

“I don’t sing that great but Micheline says I sing fine,” Cross said. “She welcomes everybody and together we’re not too bad.”

Cross said that the choir is more than a sing along with friends.

“It feeds the soul when we’re singing,” she said. “We’re happy when we sing. It’s very uplifting.”

Lortie was asked if she had considered putting her choir on a bigger stage like Canada’s Got Talent or even America’s Got Talent.

“Oh I don’t know about that,” she said. “Being on television would be a lot of work for us.”

The Viva Golden Voices performed at their retirement home in Barrhaven last month. Ree G a n Belan G e R phoTo

Spectators and staff members couldn’t help but get up and dance. The choir sang classics, and even had some of its members perform solos.

Councillor recalls a key moment in his life that stays with him today

I am so grateful to have completed a 25-year career with the Canadian Army before the 2022 municipal election. Those experiences shaped my decision making and my perception and as such, I will, from time to time write an article or two that highlight some of those experiences and lessons learned. Today’s topic: An unforeseen meeting with one of the architects of the Haitian uprising in 2004. This operation was my first deployment. I deployed as the operations officer –coordinating the daily patrols, search operations, and training events with the Haitian police. I was junior, but led by two experienced and capable leaders as a part of our company group of 200 troops. About five months into the deployment, our Major was sent on a fourday R&R to the Dominican Republic, and as misfortune would have it, we had a porta-potty cleaning contract

Barrhaven West - Report

David Hill, Councillor , Ward 3

problem at the same time (trust me – in the 40 degree heat, this is a big deal!), our second in command flew to Port au Prince for a day to fix this issue, leaving inexperienced me in charge of the company group… what could possibly go wrong!

Not three hours after his departure the front gate called the ops room to inform us that ‘Ti-Will’, one of the architects of the uprising, was at the front of the base asking to speak to the Commander… well, I was up! I wasn’t sure whether we should be arresting him or denying him access to the base – but I settled on stalling. I brought him into our dining area and decided to hear him out while the ops room feverously called to

our higher headquarters and Canadian representatives in order to get their direction. Over the course of our conversation, I learned a heck of a lot.

I learned that he never went to school. That his father was a police officer. That as a kid he spent his time following along with his dad and cleaning his equipment. As he aged, he became skilled at cleaning and repairing police firearms and cars and essentially became the maintenance supporter for the Gonaives police force. However, as a young adult, he became disenfranchised with the corruption of the force and upon meeting other likeminded Haitians who wanted to see government change, came up with a tactical plan. At the end of a routine day, he took all of the serviceable weapons home for ‘maintenance’ and left the damaged and broken equipment on site. Then they set a fire at the station. When

the police arrived, they attacked and with almost no resistance, they took control. It happened so easily that other cities in Haiti sought to do the same, which led to the Canadian forces and a battalion of Marines landed as an interim peacekeeping force. The local insurrectionists realized that they had no real logistics or capacity to continue, so they went back to

their lives having made their point. What I remember most acutely were the scars that he had – on his knuckles, hands and face.

What he wanted from me was his personal pistol, which was confiscated during a recent raid. I said no as I didn’t have the authority and then I was directed to let him go. It was a surreal experience for a 25-year-old

who aged about a decade that day. I learned that adversaries are human and everyone has a backstory that got them to where they are in life. I learned about the murkiness of fairness, the need for consistency in justice, and how the civil society can react destructively when government fails its basic duties. It was a key moment in my early career that stays with me today.

Education Minister makes major child care announcement in Barrhaven

By Barrhaven Independent Staff

Education Minister Stephen Lecce was in Barrhaven Thursday morning to announce that the Ontario government was delivering 2,900 additional affordable child care spaces in Ottawa.

The announcement was part of Lecce’s trip to Ottawa last week. The night before, he attended an enthusiastic launch of Progressive Conservative candidate Sean Webster, who is running in the July 27 by-election for the Kanata-Carleton seat vacated by Dr. Merilee Fullerton.

Lecce also attended a special graduation ceremony for patients at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

“The pride in their parents’ eyes said it all,” said Lecce, who also thanked the educators and staff for going above and beyond so that every child could reach the finish line and complete their school year.

In Barrhaven, Lecce announced that the Ontario government is expanding licensed child care spaces in the City of Ottawa by investing more than $178 million in 2023 to support the implementation of the Canada-wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) system. This support delivers a significant reduction of child care fees for Ottawa families by 50 per cent on average and is helping to save families an annual average of $6,000 to $10,000 per child.

An additional 2,900 licensed child care spaces will be created in Ottawa by 2026. These new spaces for children aged zero to five will represent a 9.4 per cent

increase of child care spaces available in the community – increasing access to more families across the region.

“We are delivering savings directly to families while increasing access to child care spaces for families across Ottawa,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education.

“Our government believes that child care should not be the cost of a mortgage payment, which is why we took action to finally make child care affordable. In addition to cutting child care fees by 50 per cent, we are proud to deliver additional spaces so that more Ottawa families benefit and ultimately save their hard earned money.”

These new spaces in Ottawa are on top of the 29,601 spaces enrolled in the CWELCC system last year.

“Our government is continuing to support families with the addition of new child care spaces in our community,” commented Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod. “Today’s announcement, along with the reduction of child care fees is another positive step for families.”

Goldie Ghamari, MPP for Carleton, has the growing community of Riverside South in her riding. She echoed the comments made by her Nepean colleague.

“I am proud Ontario’s government is taking real steps to support parents and families with affordable, reliable child care,” Ghamari said. “Thousands more Ontario families have access to the child care they need, excited to say we’re getting it done for parents across Ottawa, and all of Ontario.”

Ontario remains committed to the success of the Can-

ada-wide Early Learning and Child Care system and will continue to work with municipalities and the sector to ensure affordable child care is available in communities where it is needed most.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe was also on hand for the announcement.

“Ottawa is growing in both population and opportunity. Providing accessible and affordable childcare to more families across our city is a welcome opportunity for many families,” Sutcliffe said. “The Provincial government’s investment will help Ottawa increase access to and support more families in Ottawa. This is a great investment for the future of our city.”

As of December 31, 2022, 92 per cent of Ontario’s licensed child care sites have opted in to the CWELCC system, meaning at these facilities across the province, families with children under the age of six are already seeing fee reductions of up to 50 per cent compared to 2020 levels.

The Ontario government has streamlined the application process for new child care operators when they apply for a licence. They will learn about their eligibility for CWELCC child care funding before investing heavily in becoming licensed. The applicants will also have to submit key municipal approvals, including zoning and permitted use, together with their application. This will significantly reduce the time it takes the applicant to acquire a licence.

Currently, there are more than 5,500 licensed child care centres, 145 licensed home child care agencies, and around 473,000 licensed spaces in Ontario.

Since 2018, the Ontario government has invested over $2.2 billion in capital projects within the education sector, including nearly 6,500

new, licensed child care spaces within schools. For 2022-23, the Ontario government has invested more than $57 million to create 1,502 school-based licensed child care spaces for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.

In March 2022, Ontario secured a five-year, $10.2 billion agreement with the fed-

eral government which will lower fees for families to an average of $10 a day by September 2025. In December 2022, as part of that agreement, Ontario announced a targeted plan to create thousands of new licensed child care spaces, with a focus on increasing access to Ontario families.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce congratulates a CHEO patient who graduated from his current grade while being hospitalized. (Twi T TE r p H OTO/@ S f L ECCE )

SHOP and dine LOCaL

Ottawa Police Service Operation .08 results in over 750 interactions

The Ottawa Police Service (OPS), alongside local partners have hit the roads and waterways addressing impaired driving.

Last weekend, OPS, OPP, RCMP, Military Police and MADD set

up several checkpoints throughout the city, with a zero-tolerance approach to impaired drivers. These checkpoints included roadways and on the water with our Marine Dive and Trail (MDT) Unit.

In a three-day period, officers interacted with over 750 drivers.

Of those, 70 mandatory alcohol screenings were conducted and officers dealt with Liquor Licence Act (LLA), Cannabis Act, and the Highway

Traffic Act (HTA) infractions.

In addition, frontline patrol officers regularly respond to potential “drunk drivers” on the road, and proactively conduct traffic stops verifying sobriety. This

weekend, patrol officers charged 10 drivers with impaired driving.

As with previous years, the message continues: “Drive Sober”; no amount of alcohol or drugs in your system is safe when driving.

If you plan to drink or consume cannabis, plan your ride home first. You can use a designated driver, taxi, bus or rideshare to get home safely. Call 911 to report a suspected impaired driver.

Charges laid in robbery on Greenbank Road, hate motivated incident

Ottawa Police Service Robbery Unit has charged three youths in relation to a robbery that occurred June 28 on Greenbank Road near Lisa Avenue.

At approximately 8:20 pm the victim was robbed by a group of males at the street corner.

The individual was punched and kicked and had their possessions stolen.

During the robbery, hateful comments were uttered to the victim and with respect to members of 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities.

Officers were called to the area and arrested three youths. The youths cannot be identified per the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The investigation con-

tinues with the assistance of the Hate and Bias Crime Unit. It is being treated as a hate-motivated incident.

Recent events within our city are adding to safety concerns for members of some population segments who may be at greater risk of being victimized by hate motivated incidents and crimes.

To be clear, a hate crime is a criminal offence committed against a person or property, motivated by hate, bias, or prejudice based on gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, race, nationality or ethnic origin, disability, or other similar factors.

Hate crimes are unacceptable and threaten the peace and security of

our communities.

The Ottawa Police Service has no tolerance for hate crimes and will fully investigate to ensure justice

We strongly urge the public to report these incidents so they can be fully investigated.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of what they perceive to be a hate-motivated incident, or have witnessed hate-motivated behaviour, please report it by calling 613-236-1222, pressing 1 for English, then 2 to connect to the Communications Centre, or filing a report online.

Anyone with information regarding this incident please call the Ottawa Police Robbery Unit at

CLUES ACROSS

1. Excited movements

8. Soap opera actress Patsy

13. Unknowing

14. Dangerous mosquitos

15. Exaggerated and sensationalized

19. Military policeman 20. Touch softly

21. Wrap 22. A story of one’s life

23. Midway between east and southeast 24. Toward the mouth or oral region 25. A list of dishes available at a restaurant 26. Changes the meaning of 30. Semitic Sun god 31. Sneaker parts

32. Capital of Zimbabwe

33. Breezed through 34. Partner to pedi 35. Becomes less intense 38. Bottoms

39. Tested

40. Vistas

44. Take care of

45. Traditional rhythmic pattern

46. S. African political party

47. Cologne

48. Men

49. The Science Guy

50. Gospel author (abbr.)

51. Act of signing up

55. Human feet

57. A very short time

58. Streetcars

59. Cuplike cavities

CLUES DOWN

si1. A type of pool

2. Malaise

3. Seasoned

4. A pair

5. Young male

6. Make a mistake

7. Experienced

8. It often accompanies injury

9. Old world, new

10. Commercial

11. Course of lectures

12. Promote

16. Female horses

17. Greek mythological figure

18. Small amount

22. Orthodox church altar

25. Actress Tomei

27. Excited

28. Looked directly at

29. Popular cold desserts

30. More reasonable

32. Disk above the head of a saint

34. Devoted to the extreme

35. Make an effort

36. It’s in the surf

37. Member of aboriginal people of Japan

38. Discounts

40. Cliff in Hawaii

41. Extremely wild person

42. All persons

43. Aromas

45. Popular kids’ game

48. A difficult situation

51. Popular

OSU supports Youth Sports funding agencies as part of 20th anniversary

This Spring, OSU has been pleased to make a $5,000 donation to the Canadian Tire - Jump Start Program, as part of our 20th anniversary activities.

OSU Club President, Bill Michalopulos was pleased to present the ceremonial cheque to the local Barrhaven Canadian Tire Operator and General Manager, Scott MacLaren.

Both organizations have supported many children within OSU over a number of years, and so it is fitting that the club recognize their efforts and contributions to facilitate sport in our community.

“JumpStart has helped make sure that children can access quality sport programs close to home. Since our inception in

2003, we have believed that no child should ever be turned away from playing due to financial constraints. Working together with charitable organizations, alongside our internal Help the Kids Play fund, we will continue to support youth in our community,” noted Club President, Bill Michalopulos.

East Nepean Eagles to host Senior Canadian League Championship

East Nepean Little League has been chosen to host the Senior Canadian League Championships in July 2023.

Teams representing British Columbia, Alberta, The Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic will travel this month to compete for the opportunity to represent Canada at the Senior League World Series in Easly, South Carolina.

East Nepean Little League President Bruce Campbell knows the significance of hosting a Canadian National event.

“The Senior National tournament is special. It’s special for the athletes, their family’s and for the city of Ottawa,” said East Nepean Eagles President Bruce Campbell. “This tournament is the opportunity for 15 and 16-year-old players to get one step closer to living out the dream of representing Canada at the Senior World Series. Every at-bat, ground ball, pitch and fly ball are important steps towards win-

ning” Campbell says. “We are honoured to host the players who train for this and for their families who commit to supporting them along the way.”

Hosting this event shines a spotlight on both the community and organization but also reflects the passion and commitment of the volunteers, a hallmark of East Nepean Little League’s success throughout the last 60 plus years in Ottawa.

L.a. sicoLi

OSU Club President, Bill Michalopulos presented a cheque for $5,000 Barrhaven Canadian Tire Operator and General Manager, Scott MacLaren.

OCDSB appoints Dr. Pino Buffone as Director of Education

The Board of Trustees is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Pino Buffone as the Director of Education for the OttawaCarleton District School Board. Dr. Pino Buffone has over 29 years of experience in education including provincial and public education leadership roles. has been Director of Education with the Renfrew County District School Board since 2017. He will officially assume the role of OCDSB Director of Education on August 1, 2023.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Pino Buffone back to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board,” said Lyra Evans, Board Chair. “Pino is a recognized leader in public education in Ontario, known for his creative and innovative leadership and his capacity to build relationships and lead change. The Board of Trustees were excited about the range of skills and experience Pino

brings to this role. His commitment to equity and inclusive education is well aligned with the work underway in our district. He is a candidate we believe will champion our new strategic priorities - learning, wellbeing, and social responsibility.”

The Board of Trustees undertook a comprehensive search for a new Director and was fortunate to have several exceptional candidates. “I am honoured and excited to return to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in the role of Director. I would like to thank the Board of Trustees for this opportunity,” said Dr. Pino Buffone. “I am looking forward to working with staff, students, families and community partners on the new strategic plan. Focusing our work on learning, well-being and social responsibility will ensure our students are provided with inspiring opportunities to

realize their potential in safe and caring environments.”

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank the current Director of Education, Michele Giroux, who has provided stalwart leadership to the district during this time of transition. Michele’s skills and experience brought stability, credibility, and continuity to the important work of the school district while supporting a newly-elected Board of Trustees in developing our next strategic plan. The OCDSB is fortunate to have a talented and dedicated senior team who have navigated a challenging school year.” Said Evans.

Since 1994, Pino has been a talented educator, serving first as a teacher in the Western Quebec School Board (1994-1998) and as a teacher, vice-principal, principal and superintendent in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (1998 to 2017). In 2017, Pino joined

OCDSB announces name of new school in Barrhaven: Wazoson Public School

The OCDSB is proud to announce that the new elementary school in the Half Moon Bay community in Barrhaven will be officially named Wazoson Public School.

Pronounced wuh-zohsohn, Wazoson is the Algonquin/Anishinaabe word for bird’s nest. A nest is a safe place to nurture the young. Birds of all types, sizes and shapes begin life in a nest. As there is a place for all those different kinds of birds in the natural world, there is also a place for every student in our school. Wazoson Public School aligns with the OCDSB Strategic Plan of social responsibility and well being and embodies care and belonging to our community. This name encourages engagement and connection with the

natural world around students.

The name was chosen following consultation through the spring of 2023 with students, parents, staff and members of the Half Moon Bay community. Additional input was provided from a member of the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee along with an Algonquin Elder and an Algonquin Knowledge Keeper.

“We are so thankful to all who participated in helping us find a name for our new school,” said Janis St. Germain, principal of Wazoson Public School. “Determining the name is a significant step in framing the school culture we would like to create. We want our school to be a safe, caring and nurturing environment for children

the Renfrew County District School Board (RCDSB) as the Director of Education. The OCDSB is fortunate to welcome Pino back beginning August 1, 2023.

As Director of Education for the Renfrew County District, he was accountable to the Board of Trustees, and through Statute, to the Minister of Education for the organization and operation of the district. Key areas of responsibility included: student welfare; educational leadership; fiscal responsibility; organizational management; strategic planning; personnel management; policy/procedures; Director/Board relations; communications and community relations; student, staff and district recognition/ public relations; and, system leadership. With this experience, PIno is well positioned for the complex role of OCDSB Director of Education - the largest school district in eastern Ontario.

In addition to his work with school districts in Eastern Canada, Pino has worked on secondment at the Education Quality and Accountability Office – an arm’s-length agency of the Government of Ontario responsible for provincial, national and international large-scale assessments – as an Education Officer, and subsequently, as Coordinator of English-language Assessments (1999-2003).

He is currently a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s Children and Schools COVID-19 Working Group (2020 to present) and an Education Partner with the Education Research Development & Innovation (ERDI) Institute (2018 to present). He is also a facilitator of the Supervisory Officers’ Qualification Program (SOQP) of the Eastern Ontario Staff Development Network (2017-2022) and a member of the Moderniza-

tion in Measurement Advisory Panel of the Education Quality and Accountability Office (2016 to present).

Pino has served as President of the United Nations Association in Canada – National Capital Region Branch (2007-2012), as well as Part-Time Academic Staff, Faculty of Education –University of Ottawa, for the Teacher Education Program & Native Teacher Education Program (2006-2008).

to thrive. An Algonquinnamed school also sends an important message of our commitment to reconciliation and learning about the rich knowledge, history and culture of Indigenous peoples.”

The new JK-6 school located at 989 Kilbirnie Drive in Barrhaven is dual track English and Early French Immersion, scheduled to open with approximately 645 students. Construction on the new school began in the summer 2022. Students will start the year at a temporary location at 595 Moodie Dr., (D.A. Moodie Public School) before they move into the completed school in January 2024. The students who will attend Wazoson are drawn from the community presently serving Half Moon Bay Public School.

Pino Buffone is the new OCDSB Director of Education.

aux finissantes et aux finissants

l'École secondaire catholique Pierre-Savard,

ECOLECATHOLIQUE.CA/FINISSANTS2023

Diane Burns Conseillère scolaire

Monique Briand Conseillère scolaire

Claude Lalonde Conseiller scolaire