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OCDSB shoots down motion, uniformed police still not welcome at schools

Police officers in uniform remain banned from Ottawa’s English-speaking public schools except for the case of an emergency.

A motion to open communications between the Ottawa Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Police Service was shot down by the board’s Vice-Chair Justine Bell and did not even make it to vote.

Barrhaven Trustee Donna Blackburn introduced the motion at the board’s Committee of the Whole meeting Tues., June 13. Blackburn had said before the meeting that she wanted to reopen communication lines with the police beyond 911 calls, citing concerns about increasing violence in OCDSB schools and the benefits of having a positive relationship with the police.

Blackburn tried to introduce a similar motion last summer. Trustee Christine Boothby moved to defer Blackburn’s motion indefinitely, saying the motion would cause hurt to the community. Trustee Lyra

Evans, who is now the board chair and who has been an active anti-police advocate and provincial NDP candidate over the years, commented at the meeting that she was “of the opinion we punt this into space and never look back.”

Evans and other trustees lobbied for the cancellation of the Ottawa Police Service Student Resource Officer (SRO) program. Their reasoning was that having a uniformed police officer with access to the schools caused fear and anx-

iety to racialized (non-white) students and members of the LGTBQ+ community.

Blackburn updated the motion that was presented to the Committee of the Whole June 13. It read:

“WHEREAS the health and

safety of our students and staff is a top priority without which student achievement and wellbeing cannot be realized; and

“WHEREAS school safety can be enhanced by a partnership with the police service which supports the safety and

security of school communities and proactively assists students who may benefit from positive police involvement;

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We are temporarily reducing our opening hours during the pandemic to reduce the strain on our staff & so we can continue to provide an essential service in helping you stay healthy.

A motion to open discussions with the Ottawa Police Service did not make it to vote at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s Committee of the Whole Meeting June 14. As a result, uniformed police officers may only enter schools under emergency situations.

Groundbreaking ceremony at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino

It was an honour to be at the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa last week.

Hard Rock International is wholly-owned by the Seminole Tribe. We often equate Indigenous issues with past oppressions. Sometimes that overshadows the positive things happening. Their foresight and business savvy through the Hard Rock International brand has resulted in every single child born in the Seminole tribe being a multimillionaire by the age of 18.

Because of this, the Hard Rock brand is seen as unique, and as an inspiration around the world.

For the seventh straight month, we have seen an

increase in the number of jobs and investments like this one in Ontario. Since 2018, more than 600,000 good-paying jobs have been added to the province, and Ontario continues to lead the nation on job creation. Last month, the unemployment rate in Ontario dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 4.9%. This is the lowest unemployment rate in the province since 1989.

Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari speaks to the crowd at the ground breaking for Hard Rock Ottawa.

goldie continues on page 3

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Since 2018, the Government of Ontario has lowered the cost of doing business in Ontario by $8 billion annually. This has helped attract hundreds of millions of dollars into Ontario’s venture capital ecosystem. We are creating the best possible conditions for businesses to grow, and to create jobs.

These commitments to business growth have helped pave the way for projects like the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa.

National Indigenous History Month

More and more often, when we are at public events in the Carleton riding or anywhere throughout the city, we hear a statement acknowledging that we are on the unceded and unsurrendered traditional territory of the Algonquin and Anishinaabe Nations. We hear this before every Ottawa Senators home game –few people realize that Canadian Tire Centre is within the boundaries of

the Carleton riding – and we hear it at school events and many public gatherings.

I mention this because this month, Ontario is celebrating National Indigenous History Month, when we celebrate the rich traditions, heritage, and contributions throughout history of First Nation, Inuit and Métis peoples across the province and country.

I hope you are able to take part in the many cultural activities planned this month, including on June 21 in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day, to learn about the diverse histories, cultures and experiences of Indigenous peoples who helped shape this province.

Minister of Indigen-

reconciliation with Indigenous partners.

June is Seniors

Month in Ontario

June is Seniors Month in Ontario – a time to honour and celebrate the contributions and hard work that Ontario’s older adults have done all their lives to make Ontario the great place it is today. This year’s theme, Working for Seniors is about the programs and services helping seniors all over the province stay independent, fit, active, and healthy. Our government is working for seniors by investing more than ever before in hundreds of local programs and services every year because when seniors have more opportunities to be social and together, they have a hap-

active and connected to family and friends in their community – from Tai Chi lessons, lawn bowling and other physical activities, to arts and music appreciation, to virtual speakers’ series, day trips, and so much more.

We are also investing over $14 million to support nearly 300 Seniors Active Living Centres. These community hubs bring older adults, aged 50 + together so they can participate in classes and activities such as learning seminars, fitness, and cooking.

Ontario is the great place it is today thanks to our seniors, and I encourage all Ontarians to join me in celebrating Seniors Month throughout June.

Ontario Lowering

years of age to help communities address staffing shortages and make sure pools and recreational camp waterfronts across the province can be enjoyed safely. This change aligns the minimum age requirements with updated age requirements established by the Lifesaving Society’s certification course.

These changes went into effect on June 2, 2023. As a result, communities will now have access to more lifeguards so businesses and municipalities can hire additional staff ahead of the summer season. Access to more lifeguards will also help operators maintain and expand their hours of operation for public swimming and aquatic lessons.

be able to work safely as lifeguards, assistant lifeguards, or aquatic instructors.

- The National Lifeguard training and certification, delivered by the Lifesaving Society, is the professional standard for lifeguarding in Canada. It certifies lifeguards across the country and is recognized by the province of Ontario for lifeguarding public swimming pools.

- In July 2020, the Lifesaving Society lowered its age requirement for the national lifeguard certificate from 16 to 15 years of age.

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. Your voice at

Queen’s Park

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“THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: THAT the Director of Education engage in discussions with the Ottawa Police Service to establish standards of practice that allow for police support to schools respecting the safety and security of students and staff.”

College/KnoxdaleMerivale Trustee Amanda Presley called the motion harmful.

“I fear this motion will cause harm to our community partners and our community at large, as well as the perception and integrity of the board,” Presley said. “The voices who have trusted us to advocate for them should be centered in determining the expectations of the Ottawa Police Service community partner standards service and what they will look like inside of our institutions prior to any actions on the part of the board. I believe it will cause harm based on those things, and I believe that the communities we represent should be offered the opportunity to provide further consultation and consideration prior to moving forward.”

Bell, who was chairing the meeting, declared that Blackburn’s motion was out of order.

“On my determination, I

think you have clearly outlined the harm – reputational harm and harm to the community – so that will be my ruling that this is upheld and will not be considered.”

Blackburn spoke next on a point of order, but was almost immediately cut off by Bell. Blackburn challenged Bell’s decision.

“On a point of order, I would respectfully submit that it’s inappropriate to suggest that a trustee has put forward a motion that is going to cause harm,” Blackburn replied. “I’m actually trying to stop harm,” she said before being cut off by Bell a second time.

Bell’s decision to call Blackburn’s motion out of order and went to a vote. The trustees voted 8-4 in favour of Bell. The only trustees who supported Blackburn were West Carleton-March/Stittsville-Rideau Jock Trustee Lynn Scott, Osgoode/Riverside South-Findlay Creek Trustee Jennifer Jennekens, and Orleans Trustee Donna Dickson.

Blackburn was clear leading up to the meeting that her motion had nothing to do with revisiting the SRO program. It was about opening communications with the Ottawa Police Service to help build a relationship with the

schools, as the police are frequently called to the schools in cases of emergencies, including violence and potential threats.

She believed that the motion was not our of order, as it was carefully reviewed by staff and the Director of Education before it was presented.

“I was very disappointed the Board chose not to discuss a very important topic,

one that effects the safety of our staff and students,” Blackburn said. “At the end of the day, police will be in our schools and I thank the Ottawa Police Service for working with us.”

There were four speakers registered to speak at the meeting, all of whom asked that the matter of police in schools not be re-opened. Among the speakers was Mae Mason from the Asilu Collective, a group that worked with Evans and Bell to lobby for the elimination of the Ottawa Police Student Resource Officer program in 2021.

The day before the meeting, uniformed Ottawa Police Service officers were welcomed with open arms at Pierre-Savard High School in Barrhaven. That school is in the city’s French Catholic School Board. The police basketball team played a game against students from Pierre-Savard, drawing a large crowd in the gym. The reaction from the staff and students was overwhelmingly positive on social media. Former Barrhaven Community Police officer Sgt. Maria Keen posted photos on Twitter. She also tweeted about a police visit to a Grade 10 class.

“Today WE were INVTED to speak to a Grade 10

class about policing and racism,” wrote Keen, the first Filipino police officer in Ottawa. “Tough questions. We were honest and transparent. Clearly they didn’t have an issue of us coming to the school. These boys came up to US and engaged in a convo. In the end, they wanted a pic with us!”

The decision came just days after a report released from a survey done by the ODCSB.

The 2023 Educator School Climate Survey by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board concluded that 77 per cent of teachers received reports of bullying at schools during a fourweek window in April. It also showed that nearly one third of students (32 per cent) reported sexual harassment, and 35 per cent of students reported discrimination.

The board’s unwillingness to even discuss the matter of opening a dialogue with the police did not sit well with everyone. One parent told the Barrhaven Independent that was he saw at the meeting was an ideological way of thinking.

“They were not even open to engage with people who do not have the same viewpoints as they do,” said Wesner Estime, a parent with children at John McCrae Secondary

School and Barrhaven Public School.

“We are bound to our beliefs and values, but we must be open to what others have to say,” he said. “That meeting did not follow those basic principles. We did not get to hear what the other trustees had to say.”

Estime said that the review released by the board was a cause of concern in the community.

“There is a problem,” he said. “Two years ago there was a vote to stop the SRO program, and that is fine. But after two years, there is clearly concern. But the board is not open to see what can be done. It’s unfortunate the board did not try to be responsible. The board is telling us there is a problem, but then they have to come up with a solution.

“No decision ill make everyone happy, but the board has to find a solution. The only way that can happen is if we have to meet each other halfway. The board is not willing to do that.”

Blackburn will continue to push for repairing the board’s fractured relationship with the police.

“I am confident our staff will address the issues that have resulted in the elimination of the School Resource Officer Program,” she said.

The Ottawa Police Service was in full force at Pierre-Savard High School last Monday. The local French Catholic board school hosted the OPS basketball team, which is part of the OPS community outreach program. (Twi TT er PHOTOS/Sg T. Maria Keen)

Students engaged in conversations with the Ottawa Police after a visit to a grade 10 class about policing and racism.

Let’s bag the tags and focus on the Trail Road Landfill

Although conversations about the bag tag proposal occupied my mind the last few weeks, the larger issue loomed over that—the life of the Trail Road Landfill.

Now that Council has decided about the bag tag proposal, we need to focus on the bigger picture, and fast.

The bag tag proposal was part of the larger Solid Waste Master Plan (SWMP), a comprehensive strategy to update our city’s strategies on waste management, rooted in the fact the Trail Road Landfill should reach capacity in the mid2030s.

The SWMP’s goals include increasing waste diversion, extending the life of the landfill, and longterm solutions to residential waste management.

Residents and Council will receive updates and propos-

East Barrhaven Ward Report

als in service of those goals over the next year or so.

Did you notice I specifically mentioned residential waste management?

Ontario legislation requires municipalities to provide waste disposal for single residences only. Ottawa uniquely extends that service to multi-unit residential properties as well by contract.

Industry, commerce, and institutions (IC&I) must contract their own waste collection services. The City has initiatives that help small businesses that don’t generate enough waste to

justify contracting out a large provider. These also ensure those small businesses are also diverting their waste.

That means Ottawa’s waste diversion gap is its multi-residential and IC&I sectors. Although IC&I properties divert waste due to economics (e.g., metal, and industrial materials recycling) or through goodwill, the city’s residential efforts target single homes only.

Hope is on the horizon when we transition to a provincially mandated individual producer responsibility for recycling programmes, whereby the costs and operations of blue/ black box recycling falls onto producers rather than the municipality.

This means producers would be responsible for

the materials and packaging they generate. Ideally, this would incentivise them to innovate their packaging to decrease the costs of collecting and processing them, thereby increasing waste diversion from the landfill.

Transition to the new recycling programme begins in July, with a scheduled full switchover in 2026. Residents should not notice any changes to their collection.

Something else I’m following closely is waste-toenergy incineration. Early incinerators were dirty, polluting, harmful factories, but those have since given way to modern incinerators, which adhere to stricter environmental standards of our time.

Because people love comparing us to Europe,

since the banning of untreated waste from landfills around the new millennium, most European countries use waste-to-energy.

The closest and most used example in recent discussions has been the waste-to-energy facility in Durham Region.

The Durham York Energy Centre safely burns garbage, collects metals, and generates electricity — enough to power about 10,000 homes annually. Both Durham and York regions still operate effective waste diversion programmes to ensure the facility only processes garbage.

Incineration gives the garbage we produce a second life, and diverts harmful methane emissions from landfills, thus reducing our carbon footprint.

Furthermore, technology exists to make them even cleaner, from emissions capture to breaking apart the molecules of carcinogens. In fact, if Ottawa pursues the incineration route, we can take the lessons of the Durham York facility and make ours even better.

Part of innovating, sometimes through advancements, other times through trial and error, includes recognising solutions evolve and what was ideal for the early-2000s is no longer ideal.

There may be shame in being so far behind, but I’m looking at our current solid waste situation as an opportunity to take every lesson learned across the world and ensuring we adopt the best solutions to benefit our city for generations to come.

Wilson Lo, Councillor

INDEPENDENT EDITorIal

Restaurant visits and spending rise in first quarter 2023

By Sylvain CharleBoiS

If there’s one sector that deserves some good news, it’s the restaurant industry. This sector has been through hell due to the pandemic, putting our restaurateurs and their employees to the test. However, recently published reports indicate that the restaurant industry is making a strong comeback.

According to a report from Circana, the restaurant industry continued its robust recovery in the first quarter of 2023. Restaurant visits increased by 11 percent, and spending rose by 18 percent during the quarter ending in March compared to the same period last year.

This is great news considering the painful challenges this sector has faced in recent years. Since March 2020, despite higher prices, consumers appear to be visiting restaurants more often.

According to the Circana report, the increase in visits to food services at different times of the day can be attributed to changing behaviours, such as the gradual return of people to workplaces and engaging in formal or informal routines outside the home. Breakfast and morning snack periods experienced significant growth, with morning meal demand up by 13 percent, representing the largest share of daily traffic. Lunch and dinner visits also grew 10 percent, while afternoon snack demand increased by eight percent compared to the same quarter last year – all very encouraging metrics for the sector.

In summary, full-service restaurants showed the highest growth in traffic, with a remarkable gain of 24 percent. However, quick-service establishments still dominated with a 67 percent share of all food service visits, showing a nine percent increase during the quarter. Full-service establishments accounted for 22 percent of the total visits. The remaining share of traffic represents retail dining, including prepared foods in convenience stores and grocery stores.

No surprise here. The latest results from McDonald’s and Restaurant Brands International, the parent company of Tim Hortons and Popeyes, for example, indicate that the fast-food sector is doing better. This may not be desirable for some, but at least people are going out.

The restaurant industry remains one of the most important sectors in our economy. If the restaurant industry thrives, so will retail. Restaurants are the ultimate lure for the retail business, enticing people to go out. But according to Statistics Canada, we also observed that the sector generated as much revenue as in the first quarter of 2019 – the last complete pre-pandemic first quarter – but with approximately 100,000 fewer employees in the sector, including accommodation sites.

In short, the data from the restaurant industry is reassuring. Everything indicates that consumers may be going out to forget their despair at the grocery store. Perhaps the “might as well” syndrome is driving people to go out despite wallets still being intimidated by inflation.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University.

© Troy Media

BARRHAVEN

The worst Jellicle night of my life

We had that decision to discuss at home recently.

We were planning out our summer with the calendar and looking at a getaway weekend or two.

from the other side

Maybe it would be Toronto. Maybe it would be New York. Maybe we could go to a show.

That sounds like a good idea. But wait a minute.

“I’m not going to Cats again,” I said.

Ah yes, Cats.

We were on a cruise ship, and the show was the highlight of the entertainment week. The cast included experienced, award-winning actors and actresses, mostly from the UK. The reviews were that the show was identical to the Broadway show that had a run of more than 20 years.

So we went.

People were in the beautiful theatre on the ship. We nestled into our seats. We were kind of excited about it, because we had never seen Cats.

Eventually, it began with a song. The music and singing was great, the costumes were really good, and the set was identical to the set on the original Broadway play.

After a couple of songs, we realized that there was no dialogue in the play. We had to listen carefully to the lyrics of the song, because that was our only clue pertaining to what was going on. That was going to be difficult. I was in full on daydreaming mode, and my mind was doing its best to drift away to somewhere somewhat less, um, boring.

About three or four songs into the play, I accepted the harsh realization that I had no idea whatsoever what the play was about. I really concentrated and tried hard. But all I saw and processed was a bunch of people in cat costumes singing and dancing around a stage.

I applauded when everyone else did. I looked around. Did everyone else know what was going on? Was I the only who didn’t have a clue?

Finally, my wife leaned over and nudged me.

fully understand what the play is about.’ I didn’t like them. And my lack of liking them grew by the minute.

A few seats down from us and a row behind us, there was a kid with an empty water bottle. The crackling and crunching of him playing with the empty bottle was loud and annoying.

Behind us, it wasn’t any better. There is a very large man – he had to be about 500 pounds – he was burping, snoring, loudly shoving popcorn into his food processor hole and snorting as he chewed.

Finally, two of our kids couldn’t take it anymore. They got up to leave.

“Where are you guys going?” my wife asked.

“We’re out of here,” one said. “We can’t handle this anymore. It’s like the worst thing I have ever seen in my life. Like seriously, I can’t unsee the crap that I just sat through.”

They had to walk past the pompous couple on their way out. Their rant had disturbed their focus on the incredible performance on the stage. They shook their heads in disgust at our bourgeois kids and called them “uncultured” as they walked by.

Eventually, the play ended. At one point, there was a song called Memory that we recognized. We had no idea how it fit into the play. The last song sort of felt like the last song. When it ended, we couldn’t wait to get out of there and head straight to the bar to try and drink away what we just saw.

The next morning, I looked Cats up on Wikipedia. The play made even less sense after reading what it was about. The cats were a tribe called the Jellicles. I thought they were singing about being angelical cats. I was wrong.

And what the hell is a Jellicle cat? I looked it up. It’s not even a real word.

The cats were all singing about themselves and at then end, they came together at the Jellicle Ball to see which one would be chosen to ascend to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn to a new life.

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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 have no idea what’s going on,” she said.

I was relieved.

“I haven’t got a clue either.”

When you are sitting through something like that, you tend to look around and really notice things going on in the theatre. You also check out everyone and wonder if they have a clue what’s going on.

At the end of the row, there was a couple who looked older and quite pompous. They were visibly impressed by the show, drinking it all in and acting quite impressed. But they were over the top. It was like they were intentionally over-applauding, The looks on their faces were as condescending as it could get. Their faces were like, ‘look at us, everyone. We truly like this because we

What?

I pictured the cat ascending to somewhere, and then crawling out of a manhole cover to get hit by a truck on a New Jersey highway.

I’m sure that’s not would Andrew Lloyd Weber meant when he put his music to TS Elliot’s poems.

Regardless, you will always hear about Cats getting mixed reviews. Then the reviewer will go on about the music and the costumes and give it a positive review. They wouldn’t dare want to be considered uncultured.

A few years ago, someone thought it was a good idea to make Cats into a movie. Jellicle idiots.

It was a Jellicle disaster at the box office.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Some people believe the cat litter rumour but not facts on climate change

The Editor, I have to admit I have always enjoyed the “From the Other Side” columns which have always been either quite funny or extremely poignant, depending on the subject matter. The latest column, however, was neither, since it was focused on the preposterous rumour--which many people apparently accepted as fact-that schools were putting lit-

ter boxes in their washrooms to accommodate children who self-identified as cats. At first it seems humourous, but when you become aware of the number of people who actually believed this nonsense, it becomes very disturbing.

What’s so troubling is that this is so indicative of the war that’s currently being waged on truth. The folks who are so quick to believe in school lit-

ter boxes are often the same people who have been convinced that Climate Change is a myth and that there’s actually a huge debate raging amongst climate scientists about whether or not it even exists. (There is no debate, because 97% of the scientific community is convinced that it’s real and there’s really only a tiny handful of outliers.) Some of us seem to have lost the ability

to think critically, because as I write this there are over 400 wildfires burning in Canada, more than 200 of which are out-of-control. The air quality in Ottawa is actually worse than the air quality in Mexico City or Shanghai, which should be a wakeup call to everyone. The status quo may be working very well for the shareholders of Exxon-Mobil, but not so much for those of

us who would like to pass on a habitable world to the grandkids. The harsh reality is that we cannot continue to dump 37 billion tons of C02 into the atmosphere annually with zero negative consequences, which is what Climate Change deniers apparently believe. Needless to say, that may be the craziest theory of all!

But that’s where we’re at, living in a world where no one

lets the facts interfere with a juicy conspiracy theory if it can be sold to an unthinking public. I sincerely hope there are still enough informed people in this country who understand that we simply cannot continue to treat the atmosphere like a huge municipal dump, that our foot-dragging politicians can be forced to finally properly address Climate Change.

Andy Braid

OCDSB’s forced agenda and celebrations ruining Pride Month

The Editor, It has been very frustrating as a parent this month.

While, as a family, we fully support Pride Month, what has happened in our schools has turned something positive into

something negative. We believe in acceptance, and that the LGBTQ community should be accepted. But when a group like the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board turns a celebration into

Though compromising has its place, some things are simply non-negotiable. Your health and relationships, the two elements that go hand-in-hand in hearing healthcare, are areas where settling is simply unacceptable.

indoctrination, it has gone too far. Students and teachers are forced to “celebrate” all of the Pride Month activities. If they do not want to, they are accused of hate and transphobia.

On Tuesday, the Ottawa Po-

detailed and done by an Audiologist, you will want the selection unlimited, and the flexibility maximized.

lice came to the protest at Sir Robert Borden High School and the OCDSB headquarters. There have been at least three or four occasions now when the Ottawa Police Service have had to step in, calm down both sides

of these protests, and restore order in situations caused by the actions of our current board.

And how does the board thank the police? They ban them from schools and won’t even allow the OCDSB to have

discussions with them.

I don’t want to take my kids away from their friends, which is the only reason they will not be home schooled next year.

(Name withheld by request for safety of students)

The good news is that with nearly a dozen manufacturers, there are numerous product lines offering thousands of solutions, so with some detailed consideration of all the options, finding what’s best for you is possible. The key is to consult a clinician that can prescribe based on your unique needs and wants rather than be limited by the owner’s pre-determined product portfolio.

proper hearing health care,” says McNamee. “I came into this profession to improve my patients’ quality of life. To do so I need to consider everything available for each and every patient. I must do so with their particular needs and wants in mind – not my employer’s. Compromising on hearing healthcare is not an option for me. Every single patient deserves the best, and that “best” is different from one person to the next. What works for one will not work for another. Blanket solutions just don’t cut it.”

And so, she decided to set up her own business, doing it her way and putting patients first.

into this profession to improve my patients’ quality of life. To do so I need to consider everything available for each and every patient. I must do so with their particular needs and wants in mind – not my employer’s. Compromising on hearing healthcare is not an option for me. Every single patient deserves the best, and that “best” is different from one person to the next. What works for one will not work for another. Blanket solutions just don’t cut it.” And so, she decided to set up her own business, doing it her way and putting patients first.

hearing aid care.

In addition, there are no Hearing Instrument Practitioners or Hearing Instrument Specialists at Hearing Freedom. Rather, patients are seen by fully bilingual Registered Audiologists. With Masters and Doctorate-level University degrees, Audiologists are the most qualified in their field. They service both children and adults, whether they are private pay or third party supported (WCB, VAC, etc).

The good news is that with nearly a dozen manufacturers, there are numerous product lines offering thousands of solutions, so with some detailed consideration of all the options, finding what’s best for you is possible. The key is to consult a clinician that can prescribe based on your unique needs and wants rather than be limited by the owner’s pre-determined product portfolio.

Offering just that is Hearing Freedom, a locally owned, grown, and operated clinic.

Their customized intervention approach is unfortunately rare in today’s market, where retail settings, larger clinics and manufacturer owned chains have limited the patient’s options to a single or few manufacturers.

The unique and refreshing approach that sets Hearing Freedom apart from other providers was established over 20 years ago when Rosanne McNamee, Doctor of Audiology, decided to do it her way.

You take even the slightest hearing loss seriously because you have read the studies, you know untreated or improperly treated hearing loss not only has a negative impact on precious relationships, it is linked to health concerns such as cognitive decline and depression. And, you also know hearing is highly individualized, and so you want a solution tailored to you and your needs, not a one-size-fitsall or promo of-the-month program. The right solution cannot be pre-determined. To be successful, you will want the assessments to be

After interviewing for employment at many local clinics, she was disheartened to discover that the focus was always on sales targets and the company’s affiliation to certain manufacturers. “That was not my idea of

At Hearing Freedom, there are no predetermined products or plans. Each and every patient’s intervention plan is as unique as they are. The experience begins with a thorough assessment which is followed by a detailed needs assessment, giving proper foundation. All options, amplification or otherwise, are then discussed. “We devote all the time necessary to ensure our patients’ hearing needs are met.” explains McNamee, “We offer demos as well as a 90-day trial period on purchased hearing aids. These options give patients the confidence that they have chosen the right solution for them, their lifestyle and hearing needs.”

With a focus on rehabilitation and continued support, a 5 year service plan is included with your

Offering just that is Hearing Freedom, a locally owned, grown, and operated clinic. Their customized intervention approach is unfortunately rare in today’s market, where retail settings, larger clinics and manufacturer owned chains have limited the patient’s options to a single or few manufacturers.

The unique and refreshing approach that sets Hearing Freedom apart from other providers was established over 20 years ago when Rosanne McNamee, Doctor of Audiology, decided to do it her way. After interviewing for employment at many local clinics, she was disheartened to discover that the focus was always on sales targets and the company’s affiliation to certain manufacturers. “That was not my idea of proper hearing health care,” says McNamee. “I came

At Hearing Freedom, there are no predetermined products or plans. Each and every patient’s intervention plan is as unique as they are. The experience begins with a thorough assessment which is followed by a detailed needs assessment, giving proper foundation. All options, amplification or otherwise, are then discussed. “We devote all the time necessary to ensure our patients’ hearing needs are met.” explains McNamee, “We offer demos as well as a 90-day trial period on purchased hearing aids. These options give patients the confidence that they have chosen the right solution for them, their lifestyle and hearing needs.” With a focus on rehabilitation and continued support, a 5 year service plan is included with your purchase to ensure regular hearing check-ups and ongoing

“Not only is hearing complex, so are today’s hearing aids,” McNamee explains. “Dealing with the most qualified health care professional, in the most independent setting, is crucial to success.” At Hearing Freedom you can be certain that you have chosen the best place to trust with your hearing needs.

So, if you believe in your right to the best, fullest and most customized service available, make sure you book your appointment with Hearing Freedom. You will not regret your short drive to Manotick.

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Two protests on gender ideology in less than a week at OCDSB schools

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board had to contend with two separate protests and counter protests in less than a week over the board’s policy of integrating 2SLGBTQ+ content into course materials.

On Tuesday, June 12, a protest was organized by Muslim students from Sir Robert Borden High School, which is adjacent to the OCDSB headquarters on Greenbank Road. The protest centered around the board’s policy on issues like gender ideology policies and the use of washrooms, and how they are in conflict with the religious beliefs of many students. The organizing students also cited having biological males being able to enter women’s washrooms while female students had their hijabs off. They said the protest was also a

chance to speak out against discriminatory remarks made by OCDSB employees about Islam.

Hundreds of Muslim students and families, as well as supporting Catholic, Christian and Jewish families joined together in the protest against the board. Counter protestors in support of 2SLGBTQ+ rights also showed up. Many students and families from Barrhaven were at the protest.

The protest, which was the second large protest against the board in less than a week, was triggered by a memo that went out to all ODCSB staff and students May 31. While it was mostly peaceful, there was tension between protestors and counter protestors. Video showed up on social media of a student stomping on a Pride flag.

While some were praising the students for bringing the Muslim, Catholic, Christian and Jewish communities together for the event, many also condemned the protest. Among them were Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod.

“Earlier today there was a vile demonstration on the property of Sir Robert Borden High School protesting LGBTQ+ teachings in our schools. At first this saddened me, but as I witnessed the protest both as the local MPP and as a parent of a student there, I became more angry,” wrote MacLeod on Twitter.

“This so called ‘peaceful protest’ targeted the sexual orientation rights of my constituents’ children and also took aim at minors who are out, transitioning or contemplating sharing who they are with their family, friends

and classmates. So, it was not peaceful at all.

“While I was grateful to see and speak with the @OttawaPolice who maintained order, I am concerned about the LGBTQ+ population at the school who no doubt felt under attack today. Many

of these students are my daughter’s friends, kids I have known since Junior Kindergarten.”

MacLeod added that she has reached out to Education Minister Stephen Lecce to brief him on this protest and seek protections can

be provided in the future to students who may be the target of such protests in their school environment.

“I will not let up on this,” she added.

A protest organized by Muslim students at Sir Robert Borden drew a crowd of several hundred people Tues., June 12. Christian, Catholic and Jewish families also showed up to protest the board. (Twi T T e R phoTo ) protests continues on page 9

protests continues from page 8

The memo that triggered the protest was sent out May 31 to all staff from Mary Jane Farrish, Superintendent of Instruction, Equity; Shannon Smith, Super Intendent of Instruction, Indigenous Education; and Brent Smith, Acting Superintended of Programing and Learning.

The title of the memo was Supporting Inclusivity: Actions for Pride Month and Beyond. The memo provided a list of actions that can be taken during Pride Month and beyond to promote inclusivity and belonging.

The paragraph in the memo triggering much of the controversy is about pronouns and names.

“Educators can foster inclusivity in the classroom by openly sharing their pronouns. They can also consider adding their pronouns to their email signature. As well, educators can begin the school year using they/ them pronouns for all, until

students share their preferred pronoun. Using students’ preferred names and pronouns it an important part of our duty as educators to acknowledge and affirm 2SLGBTQ+ identities.”

The following day, there were protests in front of schools which pitted extremist groups from the left and right clashing. The protests were planned before the memo was released.

“The OCDSB has not put in place a mandatory requirement on the use of any particular pronouns for students,” stated Darcy Knoll, OCDSB Communications Advisor, in an email to the Barrhaven Independent.

“However, we ask that staff members respect and use a student’s pronouns and suggest the use of they/them if unsure.”

Former OCDSB teacher and ODCSB trustee candidate Chanel Pfahl posted the memo on Twitter June 5. The post went viral and

had more than a half million views after one week. Reaction in the long thread of replies was overwhelmingly critical of the memo. Many said the memo was a further step toward indoctrination. Comparisons were made to the Bolsheviks of 1922 and to George Orwell’s 1984. Pfahl, who is a lesbian, has been vocal on social media against what she calls gender ideology.

Many of the commentors to Pfahl’s post pointed out that if the policy is part of human rights, then why do people not have the human right to opt out for religious reasons?

“Learning in our schools does reflect diversity and is inclusive and welcoming for all students,” the memo reads. “Throughout the year we celebrate, honour, reflect and include learning about multiple traditions, beliefs, customs and cultures and identities… 2SLGBTQ+ learnings should

be offered to the school community without the option to opt out. It is essential to understand that human rights are not open to debate or selective participation.”

The memo goes on to read that “Families may choose to keep their child home during Pride Month learning activities, but schools should not offer the option to approve requests to opt out while in school.”

While the result of the memo was polarizing on social media, the intent was to provide an environment in schools where all were welcome and that differences were tolerated.

“As a learning organization, we work to teach and promote kindness and combat hate and discrimination,” Knoll said in an email sent to Epoch Times. “When providing learning experiences, we do not offer proactive exemptions or excuse students from the learning on the basis that

we may be highlighting a particular group of people defined by their race, religion/creed, ability, sexual orientation or gender identity. This would result in sending a message that a group of people in our community is not valued and do not belong.”

Protests at Schools

Five people were arrested Friday, June 9 at a protest organized by “Billboard Chris” Elston. The rally was called “Education over Indoctrination.”

Elston organized the protest against the use of puberty blockers for children who identify as transgender.

Elston says gender ideology does not belong in the public school system.

“We have all these kids being taught far-left politicial ideology in schools and that there’s such a thing as being born in the wrong body,” Elston said in an interview with CTV

Ottawa. “There’s no such thing as being born wrong.”

While the OCDSB asked people to stay away from schools during the protests, NDP MPP Joel Harden called for people on social media to come out and peacefully counter protest.

Harden became a sidebar to the spectacle. He posted a picture of his face with a cut, and then tweeted “I’ll take a punch for queer and transgender rights any day.”

A video was later posted of Harden being cut by his own megaphone as it hit his face when he was bumped. The counter protestors accused the protestors of hate.

“It’s important for the community to send a clear message that hate has no place in our community here in Ottawa,” Toby Whitfield, Capital Pride executive director, told CTV. “This transphobic, homophobic message that folks are trying to show today, they have absolutely no place.”

Two women who moved from Barrhaven to Richmond’s Fox Run community are upset after they were informed they would not be receiving referral money once promised to them by their home builder.

One woman approached the Barrhaven Independent and agreed to provide details if her name was withheld from the story to avoid conflicts within the neighbourhood.

“We were part of the first wave of families to move into the Fox Run community,” she said. “After we moved in, I took a friend to look at the model homes. We were told about Caivan’s referral program, where we would each receive $1,000 if she purchased and closed on a home.”

Her friend ended up buying a house and moved from Barrhaven into her new home in Richmond when it was completed in July, 2022.

The woman said that they were told on multiple occasions by the sales team at Caivan that they would be receiving the referral payment shortly.

“In January 2023, the salesperson told us we would be paid soon, and that we might have to come in to fill out another form.,” the woman said. “They told us the delay was because of the relocation of Caivan’s head office.”

Last month, however, they received an email from Caivan telling them that the referral program was over, and that they would not be receiving any money.

“I was surprised because the program was active at the time the purchase was made,” the woman said. “If the referral program was recently discontinued, it shouldn’t matter.”

The woman said she contacted Caivan and was told that there was no record of her referral in their system.

“I have a text from the salesperson we dealt with at the time, stating that she uploaded the signed document into their system,” she said. “I was never given a hard copy, and when I asked her, she said they did not give out hard copies to homeowners. The salesperson no longer works for Caivan. If they are not able to find the original uploaded document, that is not our fault. Because they can’t find it, my friend and I are both out $1,000.”

Caivan was contacted by the Manotick Messenger and responded with a statement.

“At Caivan, we greatly value our customers and have consistently honoured our referral program for all those eligible. These programs are validated by our experienced sales staff, who inform

customers of the process, including the requirement for a fully executed referral form at time of sale, to ensure transparency and fairness.”

When contacted to follow-up, Caivan did not respond.

“Obviously, they are not going to make good on the referral money, even though they told us just a few months ago they would,” she said. “There is no point in taking them to court because it would cost more than $1,000, and they are a big company with access to expensive lawyers.”

The woman added that the refusal to pay the re-

ferral is not consistent with her experiences with Caivan leading up to this.

“We love our house and we love our neighbourhood and the community,” she said. “We have never had anything but great things to say about our dealings with Caivan. But a $1,000 referral fee on homes that we paid more than a half million dollars for feels like they are nickel and diming us. It’s not like we will go broke without the money, but still, it’s a thousand dollars. With interest rates going up and the cost of living going up, it could help us out.”

She added that she does not know what her next

move will be.

“The entire back-andforth with them has caused a lot of stress,” she said. “I am dealing with a husband going through cancer treatments and we have a lot going on in our lives.

I don’t have the energy to deal with them. The whole experience has been very frustrating and disappointing. At some point, constantly chasing a thousand dollars no longer seems worth it.”

CLUES ACROSS

1. Ancient kingdom near Dead Sea

5. 2014 Winter Olympics host

10. Soft fabric

12. Covered in flowers

14. Works at a college or university

16. Keeps us cool

18. Corpuscle count (abbr.)

19. Similar

20. Birthplace of Muhammad

22. They __

23. Preamble to a book

25. Southern China people

26. Hair product

27. The woman

28. Partner to cheese

30. One point north of due east

31. Round Dutch cheese

33. Be in awe of

35. Christmas song

37. Emits coherent radiation

38. Something that is comparable to another

40. Monetary unit

41. The cutting part of a drill

42. Resinlike substance secreted

by certain insects

44. Touch lightly

45. Toyota SUV

48. __ and Andy, TV show

50. Made less dangerous

52. Assets under management (abbr.)

53. Nostrils

55. Moved quickly

56. Thai isthmus

57. TV personality Roker

58. Honors anew

63. Rags

65. One who obtains pleasure from inflicting pain or others

66. Marketplaces

67. Dark brown or black

CLUES DOWN

1. Nowhere to be found (abbr.)

2. Not new

3. Brew

4. Stain with mud

5. Chief or leader

6. Luke Skywalker’s mentor __-Wan

7. Type of sauce

8. Sharpens

9. Priestess loved by Zeus

10. Jean Henri __, French entomologist

11. Regulates supply of fuel

13. Disturbing and horrifying

15. Equal (prefix)

17. Hosts film festival

18. Tattered piece of clothing

21. Rich desserts

23. Unique motor (abbr.)

24. Disfigure

27. Chemical substance

29. Slang for famous person

32. Department of Labor

34. The A-team rode around in one

35. Beach cabin

36. Living things

39. Gun (slang)

40. Disconsolate

43. Stroke gently

44. Actress Richards

46. “Cletus Hogg” actor

47. Returned material authorization (abbr.)

49. Brazilian mountain range

51. Upset

54. One with supernatural insight

59. Insecticide

60. Taxi

61. “Much __ about nothing”

62. Cannister

64. Popular clothing retailer

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa will bring almost 2,000 jobs to area

Construction has officially started on the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa east of Riverside South.

Located at the Rideau Carleton Casino, Future Hard Rock, the ground breaking for the state-ofthe-art facility took place Wed., June 7. Hard Rock International representatives, elected officials, and business and community leaders shared the exciting details of Canada’s first Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, which will include:

- A 150-room Hard Rock Hotel, including 22 suites

- An expanded Hard Rock Casino with 1,500 slot machines, 40 live action table games, Sportsbook, high-limit gaming and a Baccarat room

- An 1,800-seat Hard Rock Live theatre with standing room for 2,200

- More than 10 restaurants, bars and lounges, including the award-winning and iconic Hard Rock Café and Council Oak Steakhouse - Rock Shop and Unity Store

“We are excited to be one step closer to bringing our iconic brand and

rich music history to the people of Ottawa and the surrounding region,” said Jon Lucas, Chief Operating Officer, Hard Rock International. “I wish to thank the provincial and municipal elected officials who helped us get here today. We are especially grateful to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) who have been incredibly supportive in helping make this possible. We appreciate our partnership with them.”

The completion of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Ottawa is planned for the spring of 2025. Rideau Carleton Casino, Future Hard Rock will remain open 24/7 during construction.

“It’s finally happening!” said Helen MacMillan, General Manager, Rideau Carleton Casino, Future Hard Rock. “After years of delays due to the pandemic, we are extremely excited to be making concrete progress on our plans to bring this amazing facility to life for our guests and employees, and for Ottawa’s residents and vis-

itors!”

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino an entertainment and tourism economic driver

The new facility is expected to generate significant tax revenues for the City of Ottawa, the Province of Ontario and the federal government during construction and once fully operational.

The $350 million construction project is one of the largest private investment developments currently in Ottawa. It is expected to create close to 1,900 direct and indirect construction and ongoing employment opportunities in the city of Ottawa.

“The new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino represents a significant investment in the south end of our city. It will create new jobs and build on the existing attraction at Rideau Carleton Casino,” said Mark Sutcliffe, Mayor of Ottawa. “I know many residents of the city are looking forward to enjoying this space and it will also be another great tourist attraction in Ottawa.”

Two local MPPs spoke at the occasion.

Nepean MPP Lisa Mac-

Leod selected the song

“Welcome to My House” by rapper Flo Rida to walk up to the stage to. MacLeod represented the area where the casino is until 2018, when the Nepean-Carleton riding was split into two.

MacLeod talked about the work she did in the 2010s to salvage the local horse ra-

cing industry and to help the casino get to where it is today.

Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari talked about the dedication of the Rideau Carleton Casino to the community over the years, giving a special shout out to Richard Gardner, calling him the “heart and soul of the

Rideau Carleton Casino.”

“Both during and after construction of this project, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa will become the largest employer in the riding of Carleton,” Ghamari said.

Casino continues on page 15

Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod called the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino “My House”. Ga Ry Cou Lo M b e P H otos

cASINO continues from page 14

“For the past 60 years, we have seen the evolution of growth from the early days of the Rideau Carleton Raceway to the casino and entertainment centre it is today. Upon completion, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa will become a vibrant social, economic, tourism and employment cornerstone of the riding of Carleton, and the City of Ottawa. The additional local contributions made by Hard Rock, beyond being an employer and tourism attraction, will further enrich the community in immeasurable ways.

“Since the full re-opening of Future Hard Rock, the City of Ottawa has received quarterly payments from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission that have averaged approximately $1.5 million, or $6 million annually. When Hard Rock Casino and Hotel Ottawa opens, the projected annual payments from the OLG to the City of Ottawa are approximately $13 million, more than doubling the

current payments.”

Since the gaming site was added in February 2000, the City of Ottawa has received approximately $6 million annually and over $93 million in total payments from the OLG for hosting Rideau Carleton Casino, Future Hard Rock within the national capital region. This amount is expected

to rise once the expanded facility is fully operational. An additional $1 million plus per year is invested in local sponsorships and nonprofits, benefiting local communities and the people within.

“This is an exciting day for the City of Ottawa and our colleagues at Hard Rock, and a proud day for OLG!” said

Duncan Hannay, OLG CEO & President. “The plans we are advancing here and with our other land-based gaming partners, are providing real local benefits and will support the long-term vibrancy and excitement of the casino experience in Ottawa, and across Ontario, for years to come. It is also National Indigenous History Month and OLG is committed to building new pathways of understanding, respect and action with our Indigenous and Tribal partners to advance the

principles of Truth and Reconciliation. This is an important way that we at OLG continue to ‘Play for Ontario.”

Connected to community

As part of the ceremony, Rideau Carleton Casino, Future Hard Rock presented a $20,000 donation to Minwaashin Lodge, a local Indigenous women’s shelter.

“Nothing is more important to us than contributing to the economic and social well-

being of our community,” said MacMillan. “As we officially kick off our expansion today, we want to make it clear that as our facility grows, so too will our efforts to support local businesses and community organizations.”

Hard Rock International, which is wholly-owned by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, is fully committed to supporting local and Indigenous organizations through charitable donations, sponsorships and partnerships.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said the new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa will be a tourism attraction in Ottawa

The new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa will open in 2025.

Hard Rock executives and elected officials used special Hard Rock guitar shovels for the official groundbreaking.

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