Barrhaven Independent May 10, 2024

Barrhaven is still recovering from the shock of the Barrhaven murders of the Wickramasinghe family.

A mother, her four children, and a family friend were brutally killed in March. They were Sri Lankan nationals who had not been in Canada for very long.

The community wondered how something like this could happen. What many did not know, however, is that it was not the first time a Sri Lankan national had been killed in the area.

While the Wickramasinghe family will forever be remembered in our local history, Shafiq Visram has all but slipped through the cracks.

Thirty years ago this month, the 19-year-old South Carleton High School student was sitting on the banks of Mud Creek near Prince of Wales and Bankfield Roads. No one knows why he came home from

school, grabbed something to eat – his brother told the Independent 30 years ago that he left his dishes in the sink – and went to Mud Creek. He didn’t take his wallet or any ID, but he did take his backpack. Visram’s bank accounts had never been accessed since his disappearance.

He left the house, and then he was gone. The last time he was seen, he was sitting on the banks of Mud Creek.

What happened? Why did he go there? Did he just get on a bus and go to Toronto because he hated it here? Was he abducted?

Nobody had a clue.

He is the boy who simply slipped through the cracks.

The 1994 case of Shafiq Visram remains one of the biggest mysteries in the history of the area.

Remains found

In 2016, human bones

unearthed at a construction site caused many long time Manotick and area residents to wonder

years later, we still don’t know what happened to Shafiq Visram

and speculate if, perhaps, the body of the 19-yearold student who went missing in May, 1994

may have finally been found.

The bones were found at a home in Phase 6 of Maple Creek Estates near First Line Road and Prince of Wales Drive, just south of Barrhaven and west of Manotick.

Tim Carver and Jason Pink were digging in front of the house on Cabrelle Place to install fence posts. When they went to take a break, Pink stepped on something hard. He looked, down, and saw what appeared to be a human jaw bone.

When the police were called in they agreed with the two contractors that the bone was likely human. A forensics expert was called in, and for the next few days, the home’s front yard turned into an archaeological dig site. Vertebrae were found, which would help experts determine the age and origin of the bones.

The police said that they could not begin to form a direction for the

investigation into the bones until information was received. Const. Marc Soucy said that, first, “we have to know if these are 600-yearold bones or 20-year-old bones.”

For longtime residents, their immediate thoughts went to the student who went missing from the nearby Mid Creek area.

Months after the bones were found, forensics confirmed that they belonged to Shafiq Visram. Visram had last been seen on Monday, May 30, 1994, returning home from school.

“We’re not sure what happened,” OPP Const. Ian McCurdie said at the time. “He is a good student but his marks had slipped a bit. That’s all we know.

“Ordinarily, we would not search for a 19-yearold, but from some of the information we had, we decided to look into it.”

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Ontario Legislative Page Program offers opportunity to youths

Last week, I had the pleasure of having lunch with St. Mark High School student Simon Valentini, who is part of the Ontario Legislatives Page Program.

Simon is the second Page that we have had from the Carleton riding in the last two years.

Each year, approximately 150 young students from across Ontario are selected to participate in Ontario’s Legislative Page Program. This unique educational program for Ontario students provides an opportunity to experience the provincial legislature in action and forge new lifelong friendships with peers from all over the province.

The program is designed for outgoing, high-achieving, community-involved students who have demonstrated responsibility and leadership.

Legislative Pages meet key parliamentary and political figures, and learn first-hand about

Ontario’s Parliament and the legislative process.

While at Queen’s Park, they are under the direction of the Page Program Coordinator who is a certified Ontario teacher. Pages also receive an honorarium during their term of duty.

Being a Page is sure to be one of the most exciting and memorable times of your life. It does, however, come with a number of responsibilities. If selected, you will have to study and prepare for your term of duty, wear a traditional black and white uniform, follow many rules and procedures, and commit to the program from Monday to Friday.

As we welcome the Pages

to the Legislative Building, their health and safety, as well as everyone who has direct contact with them, is top priority.

For the Fall 2024 period, applicants must meet the following criteria:

- Attend school in Ontario and be entering Grade 8 in the Fall of 2024

- Have an academic average of Level 4 or 80 % (or higher)

Students must also demonstrate an involvement in a variety of extra-curricular (in and out of school) and communitybased activities; leadership skills; responsibility, maturity, and commitment; an interest in current affairs; strong interpersonal and social skills; and an ability to get along well with peers and adults.

Applications from Ontario students are accepted online two times per year - April 15 to June 15 and September 15 to November 15.

For more information, visit

https://www.ola.org/en/visitlearn/programs/about-pageprogram.

Ontario Helping Family Doctors Put Patients before Paperwork

The Ontario government is taking further action to help family doctors and other primary care providers spend more time with their patients and less time on paperwork.

The government will allow primary care providers to spend more time with patients by making changes that encourage employers to use other tools instead of sick notes, such as attestations, that will help maintain accountability as employees request time off sick. The province is also expanding an innovative program to more than 150 primary care providers that safely uses artificial intelligence to automatically summarize or transcribe conversations with

patients who consent into electronic medical notes. This will result in a better patient experience and more accurate records.

These initiatives, in addition to other changes aimed at putting patients over paperwork, will free up to 95,000 hours annually for physicians to put back into their practices caring for patients, including:

- “Axe the fax” to replace fax machines over the next few years to speed up diagnosis, referrals and treatments while improving the privacy of patient’s health information.

- Expanding eServices to digitize more referral and consultation forms so they can be conveniently shared electronically in a timely manner to obtain specialist advice, often eliminating the need for an inperson specialist visit entirely.

- Improving the eForms platform to use more digital tools that make it convenient for providers to autofill and share forms.

- Working with the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) to streamline and simplify 12 key government medical forms that are burdensome, as well as digitizing and integrating more forms into electronic medical records.

- Accelerating the expansion of the centralized waitlist program for surgical and diagnostic services that will take the guesswork out of the referral process and provide faster access to care for patients.

Cutting unnecessary paperwork like sick notes and streamlining note taking during patient appointments are more ways that the Ontario government, through Your Health: A Plan For Connected and Convenient Care, is making it easier and faster for people to connect to the care they need, where and when they need it.

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Quick Facts

- AI scribes will only be used during a visit if the patient gives their consent, and the privacy of patient health information will continue to be protected under the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004.

- Research shows using medical scribes reduced the time doctors spent on afterhours documentation by up to 50 per cent and helped clinicians see an additional 12 patients per month.

- According to the Ontario Medical Association, family doctors spend 19 hours per week on administrative tasks, including four hours writing notes or completing forms for patients.

- Most employees have the right to take up to three days of unpaid job-protected sick leave each calendar year due to a personal illness, injury, or medical emergency. Proposed changes would prohibit employers from requiring sick notes from a qualified health practitioner in order for employees to take their entitled leave. Employers maintain the ability to require reasonable evidence from an employee that they were sick, such as an attestation or declaration.

Ontario Increasing Funding to Boost Reading, Writing and Math

With a focus on going backto-basics and preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow, the Ontario government is increasing Core Education Funding for the coming school year by $745 million compared to 2023-24. Together with other investments, this represents $29 billion in total education funding and the largest investment in Ontario’s education system.

Ontario’s plan will support getting back-to-basics, provide mental health supports and build more schools, faster. For the 2024-25 school year, the Ontario government’s investments include:

- $34 million to support the hiring of 300 school math facilitators;

- $13.5 million to fund school board math leads with a singular mandate to improve math skills;

- $68.68 million for education staff to provide reading supports, including the hiring of over 600 more specialized educators;

- $12.5 million for reading intervention support licences and $12.5 million for reading screening tools, so that every Senior Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 child benefits from screening this coming school year;

- An additional $80 million for the student transportation allocation, now at $1.3 billion, to better support reliable and safe transportation for students

- $10 million in new funding for school security infrastructure, including vape detectors;

- $2.9 billion as part of the School Facilities Fund for operating, maintaining, renovating, and renewing school buildings;

- Special Education funding is being increased to $3.5 billion, which includes an $11.5 million investment to support school boards’ ability to conduct professional assessments to hire more staff to help reduce wait times for speech and language supports. An additional $10 million this year is being invested as part of the Special Incidence Portion (SIP) modernization to support students with extraordinarily high needs.

iness, STEM, Indigenous education, mental health, literacy, French-language education, supporting vulnerable students and operations.

The province recently undertook a comprehensive review of education funding and recommended changes. The new Core Education Funding

staffing to school board administration. These changes make it easier for parents and guardians to understand how funding is allocated and strengthens school board accountability on how these funds are spent.

In addition to the new funding model, Ontario is investing $1.3 billion through the 202324 Capital Priorities Program creating more than 27,000 new student spaces and more than

- Mental Health funding is being increased to $117.65 million, an increase of 577 per cent since 2017-18. This includes $14 million that will provide students with mental health services over the summer months, including access to school-based mental health professionals, targeted programs and supports year-round in response to recommendations from families and student trustees.

In addition to Core Education Funding projected to be more than $28.6 billion in the next school year, Ontario is also projected to invest $403 million in 2024-25 for Responsive Education Programs and Funding to External Partners. This investment supports high impact initiatives through the province’s collaboration with education partners. This includes more than 150 projects focused on a wide range of themes, including student read-

1,700 child care spaces. This is more than double the investment compared to last year and is the largest one-year funding commitment to new school construction in Ontario’s history. The province is investing a total of $1.4 billion in 2024-25 to help school boards revitalize and renew aged building systems and components. This is part of the province’s ongoing capital renewal funding initia-

tive.

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

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The Visram family, originally from Sri Lanka, arrived in the area from Kenya two years earlier. Shafiq’s father has passed away, and most of his family is now living in the Greater Toronto Area. He has a brother living in England.

“What I remember about that case was how the community got together,” said Mike Williscraft, who publishes a newspaper in Grimsby but covered the story for the Barrhaven Independent and Manotick Messenger at that time. “It was an interesting time because community policing was just becoming popular, and people wanted to get involved and volunteer to help. There were people from Manotick, Barrhaven, Kars, North Gower, Osgoode and

Richmond all coming together to look for that boy.”

Hundreds of volunteers linked arms and walked through farm fields and through the woods looking for Visram. Police dogs were brought in, and helicopters flew overhead during the search.

“Eventually, the search was called off,” recalled Williscraft. “There were no clues. It was like he vanished.”

Visram was described by everyone as a good kid. He lived a clean life. He was not a kid who was into drugs, or any kind of trouble for that matter. Yet his disappearance remains an ongoing mystery in the community.

As the search was called off, South Carleton High

School would endure another tragedy less than a week later.

Scott Whittle, a student at South Carleton who played in the Osgoode Rideau Minor Hockey Association, was killed in a car accident. The Kars youth volunteered with the ORMHA initiation hockey program.

While Whittle’s death turned some of the focus in the community away from Visram, there were other factors at play.

“Right around that time, there were changes in policing in the area,” said Williscraft.

“The local OPP detachments like Manotick’s were being closed in favour of larger, regional police departments. While the Visram disappearance showed no clues or evidence, a lot of the police officers were preoccupied with what was going to happen to their own careers. Since they turned up nothing, the Visram file eventually became a cold

the optics appear that he was murdered and then buried in the area wear the housing de-

When the remains were found, it did provide some

But there was little comfort, as we are no closer to finding out what happened to him than

Blackburn cuts the ribbon as Wazoson Public School is officially open

Although students have been attending the school since January, Wazoson Public School is now officially open.

The Ottawa Carleton District School Board held a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday.

Holding the scissors was Donna Blackburn, the local trustee who fought to get the school built in Half Moon Bay.

“I am so grateful to the staff and students of Wazoson for making the official opening

such a memorable and exciting event,” Blackburn said. “I am also thankful to our Director of Education, Dr. Pino Buffone, OCDSB Chair Lynn Scott, and Councillor David Hill for joining us.”

When the doors opened in January, Wazoson was a building welcoming students for the first time. On Thursday, it was clear that Wazoson has become its own community, with students beaming with pride over

their new school.

“We were all impressed with the school choir and the student ambassadors who provided tours to guests,” Blackburn said. “The parents in attendance were beaming with pride.”

The name for the new school 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.

“Determining the name is a significant step in framing the school culture we would like to create,” said Janis St. Germain, principal of Wazoson Public School, when the name of the school was announced. “We want our school to be a safe, caring and nurturing environment for children to thrive. An Algonquin-named school also

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

Pronounced wuh-zoh-sohn, 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 OCDSB is very appreciative of Education Minis-

ter Stephen Lecce and funding from his ministry,” Blackburn said. “We look forward to further working with him to ensure the accommodation needs of our growing community are met.”

The new JK-6 school located at 989 Kilbirnie Drive in Barrhaven is dual track English and Early French Immersion. It opened with just under 650 students.

OCDSB Director of Education, Dr. Pino Buffone, joined local OCDSB trustee Donna Blackburn at the school’s opening. Gary CO u lO m B E P h OtO S

OCDSB trustee Donna Blackburn cut the ribbon to officially open Wazoson Public School.

INDEPENDENT EDITorIal

A boycott would only hurt the community

Are you taking part in the massive Loblaw boycott?

Or, like many, do you just shrug your shoulders, disregard, and shop wherever you feel like and wherever is most convenient?

In Barrhaven, families are struggling more than ever to put food on their table. There are many reasons for this. So why is Loblaw being painted with a wide acrylic brush on a canvas of greed? Why is nobody boycotting Metro or Farm Boy?

The backlash against Loblaw and its companies began years ago. The first time our newsroom caught wind of it was when they started charging five cents for plastic bags. That may have been the PR faux pas that planted the seeds of greed in the minds of consumers.

What makes Loblaw different is that they are profitable. Is it suddenly a crime for a business to make money? Are we boycotting Amazon because they made so much money during the pandemic?

Amazonis is actually a good comparison with Loblaw. They are two of the largest employers in Barrhaven. But during the pandemic, Amazon was bursting at the seems with profits and increased business that has changed consumer behaviour and destroyed many brick and mortar small retailers fighting to survive. Did we blame Amazon for their successes? No. We just ordered more stuff and had it delivered the next day.

Why is it cool and not frightening that Amazon’s Barrhaven facility is groundbreaking in the use of robotics? Does that not mean they have fewer jobs for people? Is it not kind of Skynet-like from the Terminator movies?

The biggest culprit in rising food prices is plain and simple. In Canada, it is global fuel prices, which went out of whack when Putin invaded Ukraine. We are reminded how expensive fuel is every time we are at the pump. But take a look at the diesel prices. They are double what they were pre-invasion.

The relation is simple. Diesel runs tractors on the farm. Diesel fuels the trucks that spend countless hours delivering food from farm to table across our country. It also goes beyond fuel. Every time the province raises minimum wage, the price to hire pickers and farm workers goes up with those increases. That is passed along to the end consumer.

Locally, Loblaw and its family of companies have done great things for us. The late Ken Ross, owner of Ross’ Your Independent Grocer (now McDonough’s), is singlehandedly responsible for the creation of the Barrhaven Food Bank. This week, the Riverside South Food Bank opened. Your Independent Grocer owner Jeff Brierly is not only involved in its creation, but he is hosting it in his store until it finds a home.

So go ahead and boycott Loblaw. If your kid or your neighbour or their kid loses their job over it, that’s on you. You aren’t hurting Galen Weston. You are only hurting the community.

This week, Star Wars geeks everywhere are speaking in languages we don’t understand and referencing things like wondering if Rosetta Stone has a CD program for Aurebesh.

from the other side

If you are like me, well, what the hell is Aurebesh?

If you ask it out loud in a Starbucks, guaranteed some geek will peek over his comic book and give an answer like, “Aurebesh was a writing system used to transcribe Galactic Basic, one of the most used languages in the galaxy. In the Outer Rim Territories, Aurebesh was sometimes used alongside Outer Rim Basic, another alphabet.”

And then, he’ll throw out a look like, “Don’t these people know anything?” before tucking back into whatever is going on in Stan Lee’s life.

Okay, so maybe you are like me. I love Star Wars, and I have seen all of the movies multiple times. But I don’t know anything about Aurebesh. In fact, the depth of my Star Wars trivia knowledge doesn’t go much further than ‘Who is Luke Skywalker’s father?’

My oldest son and my oldest stepson may not speak Aurebesh – I am guessing they know what it is – but they are certainly not that guy at Starbucks. But still, there are the t-shirts, giant collectible Stormtrooper figures, Wookie underwear, posters – my oldest stepson has the blue prints for the Millenium Falcon on his wall – and the gadgets.

So, obviously, they are both excited that Friday, May 4 is International Star Wars Day. If you have never heard of it, um, May the fourth be with you.

I grew up involved with the Anglican Church in Prescott, where my grandparents were both heavily involved. Later on, while I played football, I was involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Faith has always played a role in my life. My ex, meanwhile, was an agnostic.

“Jedi.” “Jedi?” “Yes, Jedi.” I paused for a moment.

“Can you put that?”

“I did. So have thousands upon thousands of people around the world.”

He went on to explain to me that in 2001, a movement started around the galaxy – or in the UK if you want to be a little more precise and normal – where people started to put ‘Jedi’ or ‘Jedi Knight’ down on their census forms for their religion. It started with a morning radio host musing about the idea. Don’t all messed up ideas come from morning radio hosts?

Jedi quickly rose to become the seventh most popular religion in the UK, behind Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism.

While the religion peaked in 2001, there are still many Jedi Knights around the world. The web-based Temple of the Jedi Order (TotJO), based in Beaumont, Texas, seems to be the online vortex of the Force.

In the US, TotJO is recognized as a legal charity. The organization offers a description of itself on its website.

“Temple of the Jedi Order (TotJO) is a legally recognized Jedi Church and ministry of Jediism. While our focus as an organization is on Jedi religious practice, our doors are open to everyone and participation with us does not require Jedi faith. We are a group of individuals coming together in a community to promote goodwill, understanding, compassion and serenity. We pursue a spiritual and human awareness so we may serve the world.”

They also throw out a disclaimer.

5567 Manotick Main St., P.O. Box 567, Manotick, Ontario K4M 1A5

News and Editorial: manotickmessenger@gmail.com

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Website: www.manotickmessenger.ca

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

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.

So it makes absolute sense that, at some point, my kids would want to talk about religion and try and figure out where they stand. I remember the day that my oldest son approached me about religion.

“I had to fill out a form and it wanted my religion,” he told me.

“What did you put?” I asked, puzzled.

“What do you think I put?” he replied, seasoning his answer with a dash of his old man’s sarcasm.

“I don’t know,” I replied. “In fact, we have never talked about religion before –well, except for the time I volunteered in the nursery at Calvary Christian Church in St. Catharines when you were two and I caught adult chicken pox and was in bed with a temperature of 105 for a week. So no, I don’t know. What did you put?”

He shot this look of swagger at me, and said it matter of factly.

“Here are some things TotJO is not: we are not a role-playing site, we do not teach mystical powers or how to build lightsabers, we are not a dedicated Star Wars fan site, we are not affiliated with George Lucas or Disney and we are not for people who just want to wear a badge reading ‘I’m a Jedi’.”

Who would even want a badge that says ‘I’m a Jedi?’

Oh, yeah, right, the guy at Starbucks. Never mind.

I am not sure what kind of celebrations there will be at home Friday. I’m excited about the new Hans Solo movie coming out, but Star Wars Day will come and go in my life. I will spend the evening doing what I do most evenings. I will watch the Yankees game on the baseball package with my scorebook in my lap, being a total geek.

And as geeky as I am, baseball and Star Wars are two parts of my life that never intersect.

Well, other than the fact that the Yankees are giving out Aaron Judge Jedi bobbleheads Friday night.

BARRHAVEN

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Government of Canada has allowed hate to fill our streets

The Editor,

Every day, I hear and see more and more the evil that has permeated into society.

Hate, more hate than would or should ever be tolerated in North America, in the USA and Canada. We in Canada especially were once greatly and widely known as peacekeepers.

Today, at the very doorstep of our sovereign democracy and in fact within our democracy, we have more than our share of crime, evil and corruption. It is to the point where the people are long past being content with the unworthiness of the disgraceful governance by the existing government.

Protesters from other nations are threatening the very existence of fellow Canadians with vehement hatred and calls

for death . . . and their ilk cheer them on. A failing leadership does nothing but allow this hatred and unwelcome behaviour in this once great nation. Where are the laws that stop this behaviour and even arrest and charge people for hate crimes?

Where is the leadership that so arrogantly initiated the Emergencies Act against peaceful Canadians protesting not for death, not for hatred but “for Freedom!” Freedom from a non-listening, uncaring, over-mandating government that suppressed peaceful, legally protesting Canadians with brutal force? Where are the police and the ‘aws of our land to stop this outof-control foreign group of people calling for the death of Jews and even those that are not beholden to their faith, where they threaten to take over

America and Canada?

Never have the words of The Right Honourable John Diefenbaker rung truer: “I am a Canadian, A Free Canadian, Free to Speak without fear, Free to worship God in my own way, Free to stand for what I think is right, Free to oppose what I believe wrong, Free to chose those who shall govern my Country, This Heritage of Freedom I Pledge to Uphold for Myself and all Mankind”

How many of these hate-filled people are being paid for and supported by our tax dollars only to take to our streets waving foreign flags and calling for our destruction and the death of Jews? This is abhorrent, illegal activity, the opposite of what the Freedom Convoy Protestors sought. Only to be fairly listened to by the people that were

ARE YOU THINKING OF SENIOR LIVING?

democratically elected to “Serve The People!”

Our government needs some serious rejigging because, somewhere along the way, the government who is employed by the Constituents of Canada, is to serve the people with fairness, and to ensure all Canadian’s benefit in many ways from the payment of taxes to ensure our nation’s infrastructure and the well-being of Canadians is first and foremost. Has this been the case?

Obviously not! Far from it. With a billion dollar a week interest debt on our $1.3 TRILLION deficit. This isn’t good governance, it’s outright criminal. Billions and Billions are gone!? Where is it? Why haven’t the RCMP investigated and why can’t a proper forensic audit be initiated? Why of all

things that Canada was so widely noted for is our Health System in shambles? These terrible failures don’t mean you get your built-in annual raise while causing millions of your Constituents to suffer and not have enough food and warmth for their families. This government has failed at appropriately distributing the Taxpayers Money to maintain a thriving Health Care System . . . instead, we are paying more annually on debt interest than national Health Care! This is unacceptable, and for your failures of this magnitude, you should have to resign and in essence, “You’re fired!”

As indicated, a rejigging where there is in place a safety-check or safety-stop where out of control spending and failure to care for our nation’s infrastructure means a mandatory review and the requirement to be released and step down from your role as government. If you can’t do the job and do it appropriately and professionally, you’re fired. Case in point: the introduction of a Bill to extend the period of elections by a week so that elected representatives can attain their six-year pension. Why? If you don’t get reelected and are short of your six years, obviously you weren’t re-elected for a reason . . . your constituents were not happy with your job performance. You’re fired. This is unacceptable and should be repealed as ‘unconstitutional’ because it has set a precedent! It’s saying if we can extend our period of service by a week; why not a year, five years, indefinitely? Unacceptable!

letter continues on page 9

Speed limit to be raised to 110 km/h on Highway 416 in July

Local drivers using Highway 416 will soon be able to drive a little bit faster.

The Ontario government is raising the speed limit permanently from 100 km/h to 110 km/h on the local 400-series highway, as well as nine additional sections of provincial highways in northern and southern On-

tario. The change builds on the safe and successful increase to six sections of provincial highways in 2022 and aligns with posted speed limits in other jurisdictions across Canada.

“Most of Ontario’s highways were originally designed to safely accommodate speed limits of 110

km/h and the data from our changes in 2022 shows they do just that,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “These evidencebased increases are a common-sense change to make life more convenient for Ontario drivers while bringing our highway speed limits in line with other Canadian provinces.”

Starting July 12, 2024, the speed limit will be permanently raised to 110 km/h on Hwy 416 between Hwy 401 and Ottawa; Hwy 401 between Hwy 16 and the Quebec border, and other areas of Hwy 401 west of Kingston.

All highway sections were selected based on their

ability to safely accommodate higher speed limits.

Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan have a maximum speed limit of 110 km/h, while in British Columbia, the maximum speed limit is 120 km/h.

Until 1975, Highways 400, 401, 417 and the Queen

Elizabeth Way were posted at 70 mph (113 km/h) before being reduced due to the energy crisis. Stunt driving penalties will continue to apply at 150 km/h. On the highway sections with increased speed limits, stunt driving penalties will apply at 40 km/h over the posted speed limit.

Forcing an extra commuting day is not the solution for downtown

By Wilson lo Barrhaven east CounCillor

Prior to the pandemic, the cracks in downtown’s 9-to-5 life were already showing.

Commuters would arrive downtown in the morning rush, work in their offices, then leave in the evening rush, benefiting businesses and restaurants with workday patronage, catering, and the need for caffeine.

Vanessa Carlton describes it well in the opening line of her song A Thousand Miles: “Makin’ my way downtown, walkin’ fast, faces pass, and I’m homebound”.

But outside those work

hours, the central office area was deserted. In turn, those businesses did not have a sustainable customer base, so it was not financially sensible to operate outside those hours.

There are residential areas downtown and pockets of vibrancy outside office working hours on Elgin Street, parts of Bank Street, and the Market, but their location on the outer edges of downtown rather than

as integral parts of that area meant downtown was dead without commuters.

Then the commuters went away.

Four years ago, a new reality abruptly took hold in the grips of the pandemic, reshaping lives as temporary work arrangements and changes in lifestyle became permanent. Even as things eased, people stayed in their communities more.

Just as downtown businesses benefited from prepandemic workday patronage, local businesses in Barrhaven enjoyed a boost in daytime customers, and Barrhaven enjoyed

a boost in life.

But now the federal government wants its employees back at the office three days a week. One extra day to take virtual calls or answer emails in an office.

I care about downtown revitalisation, but relying on commuters is not the solution.

As I’ve said before, downtown needs to be supported by downtown. To achieve that, downtown needs residents— people who are always there to give the area life beyond office working hours. A sustainable customer base will encourage businesses to be open longer

(and to be open, period), bringing vibrancy to the city’s core, including during working hours.

In turn, a vibrant and safe downtown will also attract more visitors from within and outside the city, further contributing to its economic and social success, further making downtown better. It’s a positive cycle.

The opportunity to meaningfully reshape and rethink a city centre comes once in a lifetime or less. Reverting to the pre-pandemic state will not address the cracks that were already showing, such as the

state of Sparks Street.

To believe that downtown revitalisation rests on the shoulders of commuters is short-sighted and only serves to be a detriment to our city’s core.

Downtown has enormous potential, especially with a new central library, with several residential projects, ongoing development at LeBreton Flats, and a potential new Senators arena…somewhere.

Downtown’s success is Ottawa’s success. To fully realise that potential, we need to rely on sustainable solutions, not bandaged measures.

Wise words and wise thoughts from wise people can help us all

By Larry ELLis

I read an article some time ago by Robert Fulghum who said that most of what he needed to know he learned in kindergarten.

These are the things he learned: Share. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that are not yours. Say you are sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some, and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day.

Take a nap in the afternoon. When you go out into

letter continues from page 7 Canadians have had decades more than enough and in less than a decade, this government has shoved a century worth of over-spending, corruption, potentially embezzlement, and gross violations of professional standards and ethics, It should be the Speaker of the House’s role to not only admonish these unacceptable violations, but to say step down or I prorogue this government and hold a new election and launch a criminal investigation if it is deemed crimes have been committed. Being elected to the Government of Canada does not mean you now can go rogue, become a tin pot dictator and rule rather than serve the people! As indicated, a $1.2 trillionplus deficit, nil transparency, and a wonton lack of accountability, you’re fired.

Get these unruly hate filled people of our streets if they don’t want to abide by the laws of the land. Initiate appropriate RCMP investigations

THis week, THIS MONTH

by Larry Ellis

the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows why, but we are all like that. Goldfish, hamsters, white mice, even the little seed in the cup – they all die. So do we. Will Rogers said – Live so you wouldn’t be afraid to sell the family parrot to the town gossip. Oscar Wilde said – ex-

into full accountability of where every nickel of the taxpayers’ money has gone, charges pending. Step down, if you don’t want to serve the people with the professionalism and principled ethics bestowed upon you as Members of Parliament and Members of the Senate. This immature, inappropriate and unacceptable type of governance is one hundred percent unworthy of those elected to serve their Constituents with the kind of professional candor and integrity that is an absolute in the Sovereign Democracy of Canada. If you are unwilling to fulfill these requirements of principled ethics, full and transparent accountability, sagacious application of tax money to build and maintain our nation’s infrastructure, our health systems, our military, our logical uses of our natural resources and ensuring that fair, reasonable and affordable access to essential services is available to every single Canadian, if you are unable to or un-

perience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.

Mother Teresa said –Man’s greatest sin is not hatred, but indifference to one’s brothers.

George Bernard Shaw said – There is no accomplishment so easy to acquire as politeness, and none more profitable.

So live – decently, fearlessly, and joyously - don’t forget that it is not the years in your life but the life in your years that counts. A great person is one who has not lost the heart of a child. The rules of life were given a long time ago. I pass them on for I have found them practical. The first is “Go”, the second is “Keep going” and the third is “Help someone else to go”.

willing to make a commitment to do these things in service to the people of Canada, nor want to do these things, you’re fired. Trust you may find some inspiration to find a modicum of wisdom as to why this rogue, democratically elected government has not been held to this requirement? You may be able to determine if there are some things that are unconstitutional and things that bleed corruption and unacceptable governance. You also may be able to stop this highly unacceptable and more than unfavourable lack of leadership and moral governance. You . . . you may be in that position, and you may have taken oath to protect and care for the people of Canada and when this is not happening, You, you may have to enact your role to do something to end this tyranny and most unwelcomed failure of democratic leadership. You, you may be the one that has to put an end to it. Dave Palmer

Ten years ago this week, a meeting on the proposed TransCanada Energy East Pipeline made people ask if pumping 130 million litres of tar sands oil per day under the Rideau River and through Eastern Ontario was worth the environmental risks?

From the Barrhaven Independent, may 8, 2014

The camps have been very clearly divided at the TransCanada Energy East Pipeline public meetings held over the past few months.

One side saw tremendous positive economic impact and a wealth of forward progress in the project. The other saw nothing but a deadly and costly environmental disaster waiting to happen.

With no middle ground in sight, people who have attended the series of public meetings on the subject one only one thing – more information.

A large crowd of more than a thousand people turned out in North Gower last month to learn more about the proposed pipeline that will connect the tar sands of Alberta to three refineries in eastern Canada.

As people went inside the

community centre to see the TransCanada display, they walked through a protest set up by Ecology Ottawa. Many listened to the environmental concerns of the group. Some signed a petition against the pipeline. Others debated and even argued the virtues of the group’s mission to stop a project that could have a greatly positive economic impact on rural South Ottawa and Grenville County.

The protests are nothing new to TransCanada.

“It’s the same at most of our information sessions,” said Philippe Cannon, the company’s Director of Communications. “But that’s why we have these sessions. We want to inform people. We want to answer their questions, and the more they learn about the project, the more questions they will have. We want everyone to know how serious we are about safety, and how the company has spent one billion dollars on a pipeline safety program.”

In 2013, the company held more than 60 open houses from Alberta to New Brunswick on the project. One was held in Stittsville, which like North Gower, sits in Ottawa’s Rideau-Goulbourn Ward. The pipeline that TransCanada is planning on using through the

area is a natural gas pipeline, which cuts southeast from Stittsville along Malakoff Road, around Barrhaven and into the Kars area. It goes under the Rideau River near Dilworth Road, and then heads east toward Winchester. It then dips south toward Iroquois, along the St. Lawrence. New pipeline would be built from Iroquois to head east, north of Montreal, and then continuing through Quebec and into New Bruns-

wick. According to Cannon, an existing TransCanada pipeline in the area would be put in use for natural gas. TransCanada has, in the past, successfully converted a pipeline from natural gas usage to oil usage. The pipeline, part of the Keystone Pipeline, was converted in 2010 and has delivered more than 550 million barrels of oil to the U.S.

The Energy East Pipeline would bring 1.1 million barrels

of tar sands oil per day through the pipeline. That total would represent 130 million litres of crude oil per day through the pipeline and through the area. It would be piped from Alberta with a final destination of one of three refining centres – SunCorp in Montreal, Volero in Lévis, Quebec, and Irving in St. John, New Brunswick. Oil would be shipped to the Quebec refineries as early as 2016, with the full pipeline oper-

ational by 2017. The economic impact on the immediate area would be the creation of numerous jobs. In addition to the installation projects along the pipeline, numerous pumping stations would be built along the pipeline, including one in Iroquois where the construction of the new stretch of pipeline will begin.

8:30 PM

Jo Wood and Gale O’Brien let the several hundred visitors to the April, 2014 TransCanada Open House on the Energy East Pipeline know that not everyone was in support of pumping 130 million litres of tar sands oil per day around Barrhaven and under the Rideau River in Kars.

Claudia Aguirre, Manager of Community Relations for the Energy East Pipeline, and TransCanada Spokesman Philippe Cannon, met with hundreds of local residents and addressed safety concerns of the project.

archives continues from page 10

“Many mayors across Ontario have come out and supported this project because of the economic impact the pipeline will have on their communities,” said Cannon.

One of those mayors is North Grenville Mayor David Gordon, who was positive about the pipeline’s proximity to Kemptville when the project was announced last year. Gordon said the pipeline was a benefit for Eastern Canada, and added that it would give us a secure oil supply.

“At this point in time we’re at the whims of foreign oil,” said Gordon. “It’s going to create jobs.”

One of the people who signed the petition against the pipeline was Barrhaven resident Jim Sauer. Not only was he concerned with the environmental impact of the pipeline, but he was also skeptical of the economic impact. He was also concerned about the effects the pipeline would have on natural gas availability. With natural gas bills in the area spiking up 40 per cent last month because of a shortage of gas in the area, he was not the only person with that concern.

“They told me that they have alternative arrangements for natural gas, but the information seems a bit vague,” Sauer said. “They are spending billions of dollars, but I wish they could have upgraded the railway with that money. And even though they say they are paying all this money on safety and investing all this money, don’t forget that we are the customers, and it’s us that is paying for all this in the long run. Indirectly,

we’re paying for the oil no matter how it gets to us.”

Sauer added that even though the pipeline will bring economic benefits to the area, “I’m not going to see any of it in my lifetime.”

Karen Switer-Howse, meanwhile, lives on a farm at the corner of Jennings Road and Spruit Road in Winchester.

The pipeline will be directly behind her home.

“I have a lot of questions and I want to find out as much as I can,” she said. “Of course they are going to make a lot of promises and try to reassure us about the safety of the pipeline. Where the real test for this company will be is when something goes wrong, and how they will handle it.”

Mike Fletcher of Ecology Ottawa is a professional in bio-fuel engineering and energy management. He said that tar sands oil, known as bitumen, is much different to ship than refined oil. Diluents, light and flammable hydrocarbons must be added to the bitumen to allow it to flow through the pipeline. Those materials are then removed and shipped back across the country. Fletcher said that while the perception is to get the tar sands oil off of the railroads to prevent the type of disaster that happened last year at Lac Magentic, Quebec, the pipeline will add as many as 450 cars per day to our rail system. The cars will be carrying toxic and highly flammable diluents.

“The risks associated with the pipeline are too high for Ottawa to take,” said Fletcher. “It is not a question of if a spill

will happen, but when, and it raises a lot of questions about whether we’re prepared for such a scenario.”

Ben Powless of Ecology Ottawa spent the afternoon and evening discussing the potential problems with people attending the open house.

“The pipeline creates a risk of dilbit spills into neighbourhoods and water supplies, while also increasing the chances of railway accidents due to the transportation of toxic and flammable diluents by rail,” he said. “We stand with the thousands of residents who have already said no to this pipeline.”

Jim Sauer of Barrhaven signed the Ecology Ottawa petition while Frank Farrell of Ottawa looks on.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Lions do it

5. In favor of 8. Rest here please (abbr.)

11. Pulpits

13. Leisure activity 14. Fertility god 15. Financial obligations 16. When you anticipate getting somewhere 17. Spanish river

18. Sporting events

20. Type of tree

21. Ceased to be 22. Persons

25. Synthetic resin

30. Relates to photochemical reactions

31. Father

32. Former Cowboys coach

33. City in Finland

38. Run batted in

41. Got through

43. They darken skin

45. In a harmful way

48. Form of weaving

49. City of Angels hoopster

50. Caucasian language

55. Syngman __,

Korean president

56. Sun up in New York

57. Paddled

59. Fishes

60. Affirmative

61. Nimble

62. Doctor of Education

63. Soviet Socialist Republic

64. A small island

CLUES DOWN

1. Cool!

2. Hebrew unit of measure

3. Swedish rock group

4. College army

5. Favor over another

6. Called it a career

7. Egg-shaped wind instrument

8. Israeli statesman

9. Hurries

10. Slog

12. Midway between south and southeast

14. Benedictine monk

19. Self-immolation by fire ritual

23. Family of regulator genes

24. Surrendering

25. Political action committee

26. S. American plant

27. Long-term memory

28. Bark

29. Breathes in

34. Take hold of 35. Everyone has one

36. Valentine’s Day color

37. Drivers’ licenses and passports

39. Outer walls of castles

40. Enters with force

41. One thousandth of an inch

42. Deceased Chinese politician

44. Sugary secretion of plants

45. Expressed pleasure

46. Shelter

47. Utilizes

48 Forest resident

51. Fashion accessory

52. A sharply directional antenna

53. __ Kristofferson, actor

54. A bad place to end up

58. MLBer Gordon

Landlord to sell Berrigan Drive home where March 6 killings took place

The Barrhaven home where six people were killed two months ago is going to be sold.

In the interview, Chhabra said he was deeply shaken by the events of March 6.

After a 911 call, the bodies of Darshani Dilanthika

Harpreet Chhabra, who owns the home on Berrigan Drive where the Wickramasinghe family was living, will be selling the home. He told OMNI News in an interview that he will be selling half of his real estate portfolio.

Ekanyake, 35, and her four children, Inuka Wickramasinghe, 7, Ashwini Wickramasinghe, 4, Rinyana Wickramasinghe, 2, and Kelly Wickramasinghe, two months old. Also killed was a Amarakoonmubiayansela Ge Gamini Amarakoon, 40, who was a family friend living with them at the time.

Surviving the attack was Danushka Wickramasinghe, who lost his wife and four children in the attack.

Chhabra said that the tragedy has had an effect on him mentally, adding that the Wickramsinghe family were “great tenants.” He said he was heading away on vacation when he got the call from the Ottawa Police Service about the deaths in the home he owned.

In the OMNI interview, Chhabra said a call like that is something you would never expect to happen.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he

said. “I was in shock.”

The victims were all Sri Lankan nationals. Febrio DeZoysa, a 19-year-old international students also from Sri Lanka, was arrested on the scene. De-Zoysa met Danushka Wickramasinghe when they were both students at Algonquin College. It has been

reported that they were roommates, and that Danuchka Wickramasinghe invited him to come and live with his family when they arrive in the Ottawa area from Sri Lanka.

Chhabra said in the interview he did not know that DeZoysa was living with them.

De-Zoysa is facing six

counts of first degree murder and another charge of attempted murder. Last week, the pre-trial dates were set for April, 2025, with the preliminary inquiry scheduled for May 12-14 of next year.

According to his lawyer, De-Zoysa has no intentions of seeking bail.

The owner of the home on Berrigan Drive where the March 6 killings took place will be sold.

This picture of the Wickramasinghe family was taken shortly before the March 6 attack.

Cancer survivor Arthur Hamlin drafted by Montreal Alouettes

It was one of the feel good stories of last week’s 2024 CFL Draft.

Cancer survivor Arthur Hamlin of Riverside South was selected 29th overall by the Montreal Alouettes.

For Hamlin, who played his college football at Colgate University in Ithaca, NY after graduating from St. Francis Xavier High School, the CFL is somewhat of a family business. Hamlin’s grandfather, Howard Hamlin, played for the powerful Toronto Balmy Beaches in the 1920s. His uncle, Howard Hamlin Jr., played for the Ottawa Rough Riders in the 1960s. Hamlin’s father, Geof, played fullback at the University of North Carolina and spent some time with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Geof Hamlin is also one of the most well-known and respected high school and youth football coaches in the city. Arthur’s older brother Nate played at Carleton and then played for the BC Lions, Ottawa Redblacks and Edmonton Elks.

Hamlin posted a video on social media of him receiving a call from the Alouettes, congratulating him and wel-

coming him to the team. In the video, he is surrounded by his family in their Riverside South home.

Hamlin’s journey took a difficult twist in 2021 when he noticed a lump on his neck during spring practice. His trainers prescribed antibiotics to him, but the lump was still there. When he returned home for the summer, he had a biopsy and an ultrasound. They confirmed that he had cancer.

At Colgate, the Raiders were motivated by the phrase, “So what, now what.”

“Basically it means this happened, but what are you going to do about it?” Hamlin said in an interview with 3 Down Nation. “You can sit there and you can dwell on something or you can take action,” Hamlin explained.

“How are you going to react

to a situation when something unfavourable is thrown in your direction? Are you going to pout? Are you going to sit down and just accept that this is what it is or are you going to get up and fight? Are you going to have the grit to get through?”

Hamlin stayed him and went through six months of treatments. Although he was unable to go to school, he continued to work out on nontreatment days and got a job at a local gym.

He was declared cancerfree in 2022 and returned to Colgate. In his first game back, he made seven tackles in a win over the University of Maine. Hamlin played in 17 games for Colgate in 2022 and 2023.

“I knew I wasn’t the first and I knew I wasn’t going to be the last, I was just the latest in a long line of people getting tested by this battle,” he said in the 3 Down Nation interview. “If someone did look up to me like that, I would be completely honoured. If other people are looking at my situation and being like, ‘I can do this,’ then I want to tell them that you can get through it, one hundred percent.”

Nepean Sports Wall of Fame looking for volunteer board members

The Nepean Sports Wall of Fame Inc. is seeking skilled and experienced volunteers for its Board of Directors. Applications will be accepted from candidates with one or more of the following areas of skill and experience:

• Knowledge of and connection to the Nepean sports community.

• Knowledge of and connection to the Nepean business community.

• Communications/media relations/social media

• Financial management (accounting designation preferred).

• Event management.

• Revenue generation (sponsorships and grants).

Completed Application Forms with personal resumes will be accepted until May 31, 2024 at 5:00pm.

Successful candidates will be notified by email on or before June 17, 2024. Submit documents to info@nepeansportswalloffame.org

As a member of the Board of Directors, candidates should be willing to commit 2-3 hours per month, plus pre-reading time. Board members will be expected to make every effort to attend about 8 Board meetings annually up to 90 minutes each and be a member of a Board Working Group that would meet up to 4 times an-

Previous experience with not-for-profit Boards is considered an asset. If you wish to apply, please download and complete the Candidate Application Form from our website nepeansportswalloffame.org

nually for about 60 minutes each meeting. Board members would be expected to contribute their professional skills to support various aspects of the Wall of Fame operations: financial, fundraising, communication, event logistics, etc.

The Nepean Sports Wall of Fame was established in 1985 by the Nepean Chamber of Commerce to recognize attained excellence and athletic achievement by Nepean athletes and athletic teams at the national and international level of competition. The Nepean Sports Wall of Fame currently consists of 94 inductees representing 35 different sports. All inductees’ plaques are displayed on the physical Wall of Fame, located in the Nepean Sportsplex lobby.