Barrhaven Independent May 26, 2023

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Lyne and Dave

Another sign that summer is here came last weekend as the Barrhaven Farmers Market opened for the season Sat., May 20. The market operates at the Log Farm on Cedarview Road just north of Barrhaven every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For the full story, see page 3.

With boating season upon us, let’s keep our children safe

The Victoria Day weekend in May kicks off a special season for the Carleton riding for many families. There is no official beginning to boating season on the Rideau River, but many enthusiasts in the Carleton traditionally get out on the water for the first time over the long weekend.

I am hoping that Bill 93, a private member’s bill called Joshua’s Law *Lifejackets for Life), will pass its third reading and become the law in Ontario in the near future.

Joshua’s Law is named after Joshua Steinberg, who was an 11-year-old boy when he drowned in a boating accident in the St. Lawrence River in 2018. Joshua was not wearing a life jacket when the boat he was in capsized, and his body was not recovered until 49 days after the tragedy.

Norm Miller, MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka, first introduced the bill in February, 2022, but it did not pass before the last provincial election. MPP Miller retired from politics and did not run in the 2022 election. Joshua’s member, Cara McNulty, is a resident of the Carleton riding. We discussed the bill and I was more than happy to reintroduce the bill, which has unanimous support from all parties. She has been a strong advocate for stricter laws regarding children wearing life jackets on the water.

If passed, Joshua’s Law

will require all children 12 years old and younger to wear a life jacket when they are in a boat. Currently, it is mandatory to have a life jacket in the boat for everyone on board, but wearing them is not required, even for children. Like many people in Ontario, I was surprised to learn that lifejackets were not mandatory for children in a boat. Many people assume it is required.

The bill would levy a fine of $200 against parents or guardians for children not complying with the requirements. There are exemptions, such as children involved in rowing competitions or in enclosed cabins.

I am hoping Joshua’s Law will pass before the summer and be in place for the summer boating season. If the bill does not pass its final reading until the fall,

I hope that we can keep the dialogue active and encourage all boaters to ensure that children are wearing lifejackets on the water.

Joshua’s Law will be make Ontario the first province in Canada to have a law requiring children to wear lifejackets while on a boat.

Ontario Combats Hate to Create Safer Communities

The Ontario government is investing $25.5 million over two years to help address the rise of hate incidents against religious and minority groups. The new Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant will help faith-based and cultural organizations enhance or implement measures to ensure community spaces remain safe and secure.

The grant will provide

up to $10,000 to help religious groups, Indigenous communities and cultural communities better protect and secure their facilities from hate-motivated incidents, graffiti, vandalism or other damage. Grant funding can be used for things such as building upgrades, enhancing locks, installing cameras, training staff, completing security assessments, introducing safer cybersecurity measures, hiring short-term professional security personnel and making repairs.

Since 2021, the government has allocated $40 million through the Ontario Grant to Support Anti-Hate Security Measures for FaithBased and Cultural Organizations. The redesigned Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant will now cover the cost of additional

prevention and capacity building measures, and allows for more organizations to apply.

Eligible organizations include:

- Religious and spiritual communities (e.g., mosques, synagogues, temples, churches, etc.)

- First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban Indigenous organizations

- Cultural groups (e.g., 2SLGBTQQIA+ groups, Black, Asian and other diverse organizations offering programs, workshops and ceremonies that promote their communities’ cultures)

- Applications for the Anti-Hate Security and Prevention Grant will open in summer 2023.

goldie continues on page 3

Log Farm, Barrhaven Farmers Market now open for the season

The Log Farm is open for another year, as is the Barrhaven Farmers Market.

The Log Farm, located just north of Barrhaven at 670 Cedarview Road in Nepean, is a little hidden treasure of local heritage. The farm offers guests a glimpse into the past of what a family farm would have been like in the late 1800’s as well as how we currently farm today.

The Log Farm was settled in 1854 by the Bradley family. The farm’s current owners, the Orr family, takes pride in continuing in the Bradley’s footsteps, as they currently have three generations working the farm today.

“This will be our sev-

goldie continues from page 2

Quick Facts

- Indigenous, Black, Muslim, Jewish and 2SLGBTQQIA+ communities have been among the most targeted groups of hate crimes in recent years. There were more than 1,500 police-reported hate crimes in Ontario in 2021.

- The Ontario Grant to Support Anti-Hate Security Measures for Faith-Based and Cultural Organizations provided funding to more than 1,200 faith-based and cultural organizations to protect communities against hate.

- Ontario invested an additional $1.6 million in the AntiRacism Anti-Hate Grant to

enth year operating The Log Farm as a family farm,” said Larry Orr. “Our goal is to provide a place where families can step away from their busy lives, get both that feel of the history of family farms and have the kids enjoy both the animals and the many play areas. We kicked off our summer season with the May long weekend.”

Orr said guests will enjoy some family fun down on the farm throughout the seasons.

“We always have lots of friendly animals to see, feed and touch at the farm,” he said. “Along with play areas for the kids including hay structures and sensory tables. You can visit the farm from March through December.

support 24 additional projects. Through this grant, the Province has supported a total of 82 community projects to increase public education and awareness of the impacts of racism and hate.

- The Ontario government is investing more than $1.5 million through the 2022-2024 Safer and Vital Communities Grant program. This funding will help 17 community-based, not-for-profit organizations and First Nations Chiefs and Band Councils, support projects that prevent online hate crime, human trafficking and fraud.

Ontario’s Learn and Stay

The farm changes with the seasons, offering different experiences throughout the year.

“We always have lots of friendly animals to see, feed and touch at the farm. Along with play areas for the kids including hay structures, sensory tables the pig pen and our new pioneer play house.”

Tickets are now available online at www.thelogfarm. com and at the door.

Farmers Market Open

One of the busiest attractions at the Log Farm over the past couple of years has been the Barrhaven Farmers Market.

The market, which opened over the long week-

Grant Open

As of May 16, students can apply for the newly-expanded Learn and Stay Grant. The grant provides full, upfront funding for tuition, books and other costs for students who enrol in an eligible nursing, paramedic or medical laboratory technologist program and agree to stay in underserviced communities to work after graduation. The program is designed to encourage students to learn and stay locally, helping to bring in-demand health care workers to communities that need them most across the province.

Grant applications for the

end, runs Saturdays from 9-2 and with more than 30 vendors there is something

for everyone. The Farmers Market is located in the trees by the entrance to the farm it

is a perfect place to do your shopping for the weekend BBQ’s.

2023-24 academic year are now open for postsecondary students who enrol in their first year in eastern Ontario. Students can find the application, as well as information about eligible programs and regions, online at Ontario.ca/learnandstay.

The Obtario government has dedicated $61 million for the Ontario Learn and Stay Grant. Students can apply up to 60 days before the end of their study period, meaning they can apply for the grant well after they’ve started their eligible 2023-24 program.

To be eligible for the grant,

students must:

- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person and live in Ontario

- enrol in the first year of an eligible diploma, advanced diploma, undergraduate, masters or post-graduate program in a priority region

- commit to work in the region where they studied for a minimum of six months for every year of study funded by the grant.

- For the 2023-24 academic year, only first year students may apply. After 2023-24, the grant will continue to be available to these students as they move into their second year and

beyond.

- can also apply for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) to help pay for other costs, such as living expenses.

Office Notice:

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

Goldie

Your voice a Queen’s Park

Parking and admission are free. For more info on the Log Farm, visit www.barrhavenfarmersmarket .com. and www.barrhavenfarmersmarket.com.

OCDSB backpedals, will allow police in uniforms to attend career days

sion made by the board.

The Ottawa Carleton District School Board will allow police officers in uniform who are parents to speak to the boards children and classes.

The announcement was made last week after the board issued a memo to the Ottawa Police Service saying that officers in uniform would be welcome to attend schools in the board while in uniform to speak to students at events such as community career days.

The OCDSB became the second school board in Ontario to not allow a uniformed police officer to participate in a career day. Last month, a female police officer was told she could not participate in uniform or bring her police car to the school for her child’s Grade 1 career day where parents who have jobs that help in the community were coming into the class to speak to the children.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Ontario Minister of Education Stephen Lecce, and Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe expressed their disapproval with the deci-

The premier posted on social media and called it a “disturbing trend that needs to stop.”

“Police officers are the people we call when we need help,” the premier also said via social media. “They deserve so much better than this. I’m calling on the (OCDSB) to immediately reverse this policy and show our heroes on the front lines the respect they deserve.”

Lecce issued a memo to all public school boards in Ontario stating the expectation that parents would be allowed to wear their uniforms when appearing at schools as guest speakers.

“Those school boards who are not allowing parents in their service uniforms are enabling division instead of bringing all segments of civil society together as we work to counter very real threats to communities across the province,” Lecce wrote in the memo.

The OCDSB softened its stance on the issue, stating in a memo that police officers who are parents would be allowed to where their uniforms when giving presentations in schools. According to CTV Ottawa, the

memo from Lecce wrote, “my expectation that these parents, and others who proudly wear uniforms as part of their occupation, are to be welcomed,” adding “any parent of a student within a publicly funded school has the right to participate in their child’s education and school experience.”

The board would not share the memo with the Barrhaven Independent when asked for a copy of it, but they did issue a statement.

“We appreciate the direction provided by the Ministry,” the OCDSB statement read. “The OCDSB values the engagement of parents and our partnership with police. Where there are requests for uniformed officers to provide direct learning to students, we review each request to assess the learning opportunity and consider it in the context of alignment with the Board direction to have an emergency response based relationship with police.”

The statement also references the meeting that took place between Ottawa Police Association President Matt Cox and the OCDSB

Director of Education Michele Giroux.

“Following up from what we shared previously, last week, the Director met with the President of the Ottawa Police Association to discuss this issue. A meeting with the Ottawa Chief of Police has also been scheduled. These conversations are an opportunity to work together to establish new protocols for police involvement in schools which focus on students, safety, and relationships of trust, respecting the community concerns raised during our police involvement in schools review. The guidance from the Ministry will form part of those discussions.”

End of SRO Program

In 2021, Trustee Lyra Evans, who is now the OCDSB Chair, lobbied her fellow trustees and rallied the community to put an end to the Ottawa Police Service Student Resource Officer (SRO) program at the schools. She garnered support from within the board, and then worked with a group called Asilu Collective, who made a presentation of testimonials they

had collected from students. The report made accusations that the SRO program made students of colour and who are gender-oppressed feel scared and anxious.

Evans, a former provincial NDP candidate, has used her personal social media accounts to call for the defunding of police. The Ontario NDP has a plan in place for defunding the police in Ontario should they win the next provincial election.

Barrhaven-KnoxdaleMerivale Trustee Donna Blackburn voted against eliminating the SRO program.

“If you read the motion where we cancelled the officer resource program, it doesn’t speak to a parent coming in for a career day,” said Blackburn in an interview with CTV. “So I think it was a bit of a stretch and, in my opinion, a very embarrassing stretch which lost us a lot of public confidence.”

Blackburn will be putting forth a motion on June 13 to the OCDSB’s Committee of the Whole calling for a return to a positive and proactive relationship between the board and the Ot-

tawa Police Service. OPA Gets Involved

The issue with the Stittsville parent/officer escalated earlier this month when Cox was contacted by the officer. The OCDSB’s decision not to allow the parent to participate in the Grade 1 career day while in uniform did not sit well with the Ottawa Police Association. Cox, sent a letter to the board, its trustees and local politicians. The letter was also sent to the Barrhaven Independent. The letter asks why members of the Ottawa Police Service were not allowed to be in uniform when talking to Grade 1 students.

“Could someone please explain why? If we are trying to build relationships in the communities and educate students who may wish to pursue a future career in Emergency Services how is this decision the appropriate course of action? Opportunities like this to educate the next generation youth and provide a positive interaction with police should be something you strive to achieve.”

ocdsb continues from page 4

Cox went on to say that the actions of the board were disrespectful to the police.

“The brave men and women who wear the uniform deserve better. Police officers should receive the same support and respect as any other profession that has been invited to speak to your students.“Minister of Education Lecce has come out publicly to support the police stating, ‘I find it entirely unacceptable for a school board to prevent a parent of a child in that school from attending take your parent to work day’.”

On May 4, the OCDSB issued a statement on the board’s stand to the media and also sent a letter to Cox. Both were sent to the Barrhaven Independent. The OCDSB said that to align with Board Policy regarding police involve-

ment in schools, the parent had been asked not to wear her uniform or arrive at the school in a police vehicle.

“I appreciate the many perspectives and concerns that have been raised on this matter,” said the Board’s Director of Education, Michele Giroux. “Our priority is to work collaboratively with the Ottawa Police to develop protocols that support student learning and school safety and are responsive to the community concerns.”

Giroux’s letter to Cox called the OPS an important community partner to the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.

“We share a common commitment to serving the diverse needs of our community and a recognition of the importance of building relationships of trust. With that in mind, I would

like to arrange a meeting with you to discuss police services to schools and better understand the perspective of your members.

This will be an important first step in mapping out a path forward. I will also be reaching out to Chief Stubbs to arrange a meeting with him about the relationship between the OCDSB and OPS and the need for us to build a new partnership protocol.”

Giroux stated that after ODCSB trustees voted to end the SRO program, the board moved toward an emergency response-based relationship with police and away from having uniformed officers in schools providing direct learning to students.

Giroux added that the parent was “warmly invited to attend and to share her work experience with

OPEN HOUSE

the class”, but asked to do so without the uniform and the police car. She said it was an effort to find a balance between the direction of the board, student learning, parent engagement, and safety.

“There will be some who say that the easy path forward is to allow the parent to attend in uniform; others will maintain that

uniforms and police cars are not essential to classroom learning about policing,” Giroux wrote. “The Board decision remains in place until ‘further evaluation is complete’. After careful consideration, I do not believe that any decision on this single incident will bring clarity to practice. That will only come as a result of more fulsome

BARRHAVEN

discussions about how the OPS and OCDSB can work together to support student learning, well-being, and safety. These discussions will need to reflect on the concerns that the community raised during our police involvement in schools review, with an intentional commitment on the part of both parties to building new practices.”

www.barrhavenindependent.ca

INDEPENDENT EDITorIal

The Governor-General’s New Clothes

Most of us have had a bit of a soft spot for Mary Simon since she was first named Canada’s Governor-General. She checked all the right boxes, which is important to the optics-oriented Trudeau government. She is the first Indigenous Governor-General. And she is a local person with roots in the community as a former local resident.

But most importantly, she was the right person for the job and seemed to be the one who would be the right fit for the position.

But we knew she would be living under a microscope, and that many struggling Canadians do not want to hear about our political leaders spending taxpayers’ dollars on lavish lifestyles.

The latest target is the Govrnor-General’s wardrobe. Evidently, she is not shopping at Winners in the Rio-Can Marketplace.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the federal government to end the policy that allows governors general to bill taxpayers for clothes.

“The feds need to rein in the governor general’s out-of-control expenses,” said Franco Terrazzano, Federal Director of the CTF. “Canada’s governor general already takes a $342,100 salary every year so they can pay for their own clothes.”

Governors general Julie Payette and Mary Simon expensed more than $88,000 in clothing that they get to keep. Expenses include a $680 “top,” $590 dress pants, $20 t-shirts, a $160 scarf and $1,064 in boots.

“While some of the items were worn for specific ceremonies connected to the governor general’s role, many others appear to be clothing for personal or dayto-day business use,” according to the National Post.

A governor general is allowed to expense up to $130,000 in clothing purchases over their five-year mandate.

The governor general’s annual salary is $342,100, which is about $40,000 more than it was before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Many Canadians are actually stressed about the price of clothing, but the governor general isn’t one of them,” Terrazzano said. “If the prime minister and ministers can pay for their own clothes then surely governors general can too.”

At the coronation of King Charles III, Governor-General Simon commissioned an outfit to reflect her Inuit culture.

The dress, or annuraaq, Simon wore to the ceremony was designed by fellow Nunavimmiut Beatrice Deer, the celebrated singer-songwriter, designer and mental health activist.

After meeting with Simon, Deer spent a month-and-a-half creating the garment.

The different fabrics included sheer green material on the arms, caribou fur details and a white fox-fur collar, the process included beading and embroidering the Governor General’s official coat of arms for a chest piece on the annuraaq.

We don’t know exactly how much money was spent on what was truly a remarkable outfit. We also don’t know if it will ever be worn again.

Maybe people would feel better about expenses like this if the outfit was auctioned off to raise money for a Canadian charity.

BARRHAVEN

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

We wondered when we would start getting the same inquiries that have been circulating in other parts of Canada and the United States for nearly two years.

Finally, it happened last week.

No. There is no truth to any rumour anyone might tell you regarding students who identify as cats demanding the placement of litter boxes in the washrooms at schools in Barrhaven and Riverside South.

from the other side

fueled the rumours in late 2021 when he asked a former US house representative about litter boxes placed at an unnamed school for students who identify as furries.

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.

The rumours have been circulating since 2021. We aren’t sure who started this particular rumour or which town was the first to deal with it. But it’s here now. And the saddest thing about the rumour is that in the current world where many of us feel trapped between the woke and anti-woke movements, the cat litter thing is very believable.

In the fall of 2021, Prince Edward Island was the first to deal with the barrage of calls and emails inquiring about rumours of cat litter being placed in restrooms for students who identified as cats. Norbert Carpenter was the provincial education director who had to issue a statement stating that there was no truth to the rumours. In an interview with CBC, he said it was no joke.

“It seemed to me like it was a backlash against some of the progressive things that our schools are doing, and we would have many that would say this is rooted in hate and transphobia and homophobia and that message needs to be clear, it’s not acceptable,” he said.

Not long after the PEI situation, the rumours hit much closer to home. The Renfrew District School Board and the Renfrew District Catholic School Board both had to issue statements assuring parents that no cat litter or litter boxes were being placed in restrooms at many of its schools.

The National Post reported that earlier this month, the Durham District School Board had to deal with similar rumours and issue a statement.

“As a district, we are concerned that these types of rumours about accommodating students identifying as furries, may be rooted in transphobia and homophobia with the intent to diminish and trivialize gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation and cause harm to students and staff who identify as 2SLGBTQI,” the statement noted. “This is unacceptable and we are continuing to take steps to support and uphold rights for 2SLGBTQI communities.”

The Durham response to the ridiculous rumours that just keep popping up like cold sores on the face of Canada’s social climate has been the best and most effective. But by looking at the response, we have to wonder why the furries are being dragged into the same conversation as non-binary and transgender rights.

In the United States, the cat litter box in schools rumours have been even more socially and politically harmful than they have been here.

Rogan never confirmed the rumour before he ran with it. Since then, according to an NBC report, 20 Conservative politicians in the US have falsely claimed that litter boxes were being placed in schools to accommodate students who identify as cats. NBC did their homework and fact checked. No schools placed litter boxes in schools.

Last November, University of Waterloo Professor Sharon Roberts wrote a story for Canadian Press addressing the issue and explaining what a furry is.

“If your knowledge of furries comes mostly from television or social media, then what you’ve heard about furries is probably wrong,” she wrote. “It’s not your fault — the misinformation is pervasive. I’m not a furry, and I once held erroneous views of furries, too.”

Roberts has been studying furries and Furscience for 15 years.

“Have you heard of cosplay, where people costume as characters? They might dress up as a storm trooper or superhero and attend a comic book convention to have fun with friends. Furries do a similar thing, but with a twist.

“Furries are people who have an interest in anthropomorphism, which specifically refers to giving human characteristics to animals. In its most distilled form, furries are a group of people who formed a community — or fandom — because they have a common interest in anthropomorphic media, friendships and social inclusion.”

So, according to Roberts, furries are no different than people who walk around wearing a Leafs-Sens game wearing Auston Matthews or Brady Tkachuk jerseys.

She also says that the litter box scenario is unlikely.

“Is it possible that somewhere someone has asked for a litter box? Anything is possible and I can’t disprove a negative. But are litter boxes an integral part of the furry fandom? We’ve never observed litter boxes at any of the dozens of furry conventions we’ve attended internationally…

“Many of the litter box rumours also fixate on cats. However, most furries’ fursonas are wild and mythical animals, such as foxes, wolves and unicorns or hybrid species, such as a kangaroo-dragon. These are not the kinds of species that would use litter boxes, anyway.”

So there you have it. There are no litter boxes in schools.

There is also no reason to drag the nonbinary, transgender, they/them crowd into the conversation of litter boxes at schools, which we will remind you again is not a thing.

We do our best to be accepting of everyone in this changing world. But in all honesty, is anyone else terrified of the thought of a kangaroo-dragon?

Popular right wing podcaster Joe Rogan

There are no litter boxes in local school washrooms

Pay as you throw trash program does not address main issue

By DaviD Hill WarD 3 CounCillor

Good day Barrhaven!

Well it is clear to me from my inbox over the past few weeks what is on the mind of folks in the community. The proposed ‘Pay as you Throw - Bag and Tag’ curbside waste programme. Let me be clear up front, I am not supportive of this proposal in its current form.

Firstly, restricting curbside pickup to two bags of garbage every two weeks does not address the main issue – our landfill will expire in the next 15-25 years and we need a permanent, sustainable, long-term solution. The City needs to identify realistic and appropriate options, of which there are many, including: incineration, waste to energy, renewable natural gas, next generation landfill, and cooperation with other Municipalities. All of which will come with costs, advantages and disadvantages but what they have in common is pro-

Barrhaven West - Report David Hill, Councillor , Ward 3

viding a long term solution to a problem that has been kicked down the road for too long.

Secondly, the proposed ‘bag and tag’ model will only extend the life of the Trail landfill by two years. This is an inadequate return on investment for the increased annual cost of administration for this program of over $1.5 million dollars per year. That money should instead be invested in the solid waste reserve fund in order to pay for an amortized long term solution. In this way, we avoid the additional bureaucratic costs and illegal dumping issues that would follow a ‘bag and tag’ programme, while still moving forward on addressing our larger waste management crisis.

Furthermore, I would

like to see increased public education and engagement, better access to green bins in multiplexes and enforcement of a biweekly ‘four bags no tags’ curbside pickup policy. This would allow for continued support to families of all sizes, continued improvement in our diversion strategy, and an enhanced environmental stewardship in a non-punitive manner.

I look forward to debating this topic in committee and council. I will be fighting hard for a common sense outcome that meets our long-term landfill and environmental requirements without penalizing large families and lower income residents. I have spoken to many of you on this topic and want to continue to be engaged – please send me an email and I would be happy to chat further on this topic. If you are interested to follow this debate, the report on the ‘Bag and Tag’ model will come to the Environment Committee on the 5 June at 0930 and then to council

likely on the 14 June at 1000. The Ward three office has office hours from 9am to –3pm daily at 100 Malvern Drive (next to the Ruth E. Dickinson library). Email is the best way to connect (David.hill@ottawa.ca) ,

and it is recommended that you include your phone number and address so that we can best support your request. Regular updates on community activities are dispatched through a weekly email – if you are

interested in community activities and events, please scan the below QR code to be included or consider following our office on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DAVIDHILLBARRHAVEN/

Why are traffic lights red and green?

I have often wondered why traffic lights are red and green, have you?

Long before roads needed traffic lights, signalcontrolled railway trains. The earliest nineteenthcentury railway signaling systems involved a ball and what looked like a canvas kite. Hauled to the top of a post, the kite

THis week, THIS MONTH

by Larry Ellis

indicated danger and the ball meant “all clear go ahead”.

From 1841, semaphore was widely used: a signal arm in a horizontal position ordered the engineer to stop, lowered to a 45-degree angle it meant proceed with caution, and pointing vertical skyward meant the track ahead was clear. Signals were painted red, the colour thought most likely to attract the

engineer’s attention.

At night, oil lamps were added to the signal poles. A red light signified “stop” and white “carry on”. About 1872, an additional yellow lamp told engineers to proceed with caution to the next signal and wait for further instructions. In 1893, green lights replaced

white to avoid confusion by engineers of then widespread street and house lights.

When railway signals were electrified late in the 1890s, the standard became a red light for stop, a yellow or amber for caution and green for go. The colours were used later in electric lights controlling

road traffic. The world’s first automatic traffic lights were installed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1914. Final words on this subject are – don’t run a red light, anywhere, it may and should cost you hundreds of dollars, your vehicle and most importantly it is dangerous and may cost a life!

Transit access key to building a sustainable community

By Wilson lo Ward 24 CounCillor

Earlier in the year, the Canadian Urban Transit Association (CUTA) invited me to join their Transit Board Members Committee (TBMC). The TBMC is comprised of people—mostly elected officials—who sit on transit committees, commissions, or their local equivalents across the country.

Along with the board invitation, CUTA invited me to attend their spring summit and annual general meeting in Saskatoon. So that’s where I was earlier in the month!

The TBMC meeting was a chance to gain more firsthand knowledge about transit performance across the

East Barrhaven Ward Report

Wilson Lo, Councillor

country, challenges, and upcoming projects.

Most transit agencies across the country have met or surpassed their pre-pandemic ridership, though they were all small-to-mediumsized systems in cities with a heavy industrial workforce.

Across the country, there are exciting transit projects like Montréal’s RER and Calgary’s Green Line LRT. Montréal’s is approaching completion and Calgary’s is under construction. Both projects will bring rapid transit to areas currently under-

served and aim to significantly improve connectivity between communities.

Interestingly (and embarrassingly), both projects have used our LRT and the public inquiry report as an example of what not to do.

Edmonton recently completely redesigned their bus network and introduced on-demand to areas of their system. Not only has ridership increased, but their on-demand service—currently Canada’s largest—has increased ridership in the communities it serves by 50 per cent.

Hopefully, we can achieve comparable results with the initiatives as part of our ongoing route review.

The theme of the larger CUTA summit was how transit and housing are com-

plementary items when it comes to building livable cities for everyone.

Traditionally, transit arrives to new communities after construction, but with changing policies and positions across the country, it is time to bring housing to transit instead—a chicken and egg problem.

Through improved zoning and land use around major transit hubs, we can build sustainable communities where people can rely less on their cars, which is better for our built environment as well as our natural environment.

Forthcoming initiatives like the Permanent Transit Fund, which CUTA hopes to expand to include land acquisition around transit stations, will help improve

transit usage. There are opportunities for this in our own community, like the land at Nepean Woods and Fallowfield park and rides, which are currently well-underused. These are chances to build vibrant

communities to replace the seas of asphalt.

I am grateful CUTA invited me to sit on their TBMC as our city’s representative and I enjoyed the opportunity to attend the summit in Saskatoon.

Costs of renting a home or condo continue to rise in Barrhaven

While the housing boom has made the dream of someday owning a house an impossibility for many, even renting a home in Barrhaven has become has become something many will not be able to do.

The trend is not just an increase in value of homes in Ottawa. It is happening nationally.

Average asking prices for rental units in Canada rose 20 per cent in April for all property types to $2,002 over the pandemic low in April 2021 of $1,662, according to the latest Rentals. ca and Urbanation National Rent Report.

That’s an average increase of $340 per month over the past year.

Ottawa came in 14th on the list for average monthly rent in April for a one-bedroom at $1,940 and 15th for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,375. Year over year, average monthly rent in April for a one-bed-

room in Ottawa was up 14.2 per cent and up 17.7 per cent for a two-bedroom. While the most obvious factor in rent increases is the costs of homes and interest rates on mortgages for owners and landowners, supply and demand is also at play as the number of people and families needing homes is rising faster than homes are becoming available.

“Rents continued to face upward pressure across Canada during April, with the strongest growth felt in markets that see the highest levels of immigration,” said Shaun Hildebrand, President of Urbanation. “Tenants that signed leases during the pandemic may be facing rent increases of 20 per cent or more if they decide to move, causing reduced turnover that is exacerbating the low supply situation.”

In Barrhaven, home prices have fallen for buyers and sellers over the last year due. Limitations of foreign

buyers has slowed down the demand for homes in Barrhaven, particularly among Chinese investors. Rising interest rates have also cooled off the market, causing prices to fall after they ballooned from 2020-22.

For renters in Barrhaven, townhouses and houses are renting in the $2200-$3000 range per month. One bedroom condos are currently available from $1400-$1900. Those looking for a room in a house can expect to pay $700-900, while basements are available in the $1000 range.

“Canadians have become accustomed to increasing rents after the pandemic,” said Matt Danison, CEO of Rentals.ca Network. “Record immigration with most newcomers renting, high interest rates keeping firsttime home buyers on the sidelines, and inflation are all drivers of rising rents, increasing demand and low vacancy rates.”

Ottawa average rents in April were up 15 per cent in April for condo rentals and apartments.

Average monthly rents increased the most in Ontario at 29 per cent for condominium rentals and apartments compared to the pandemic low in April 2021.

Hildebrand and Danison expect average asking rents to increase in the next few months because of high demand from Canada’s growing population, and from more tenants staying in the rental market with the high cost of homes and high interest rates. But, the year-overyear percentage of increases should begin to moderate as the country and the rental market came back from the pandemic last year.

Average monthly rents increased the most in Ontario at 29 per cent and British Columbia at 28 per cent for condominium rentals and apartments compared to the pandemic low in April 2021.

The National Rent Report charts and analyzes monthly, quarterly and annual rates and trends in the rental market on a national, provincial, and municipal level across all listings on the Rentals.

ca Network for Canada. The data from the digital rental platform Rentfaster.ca data is incorporated into this report. Comparisons and analyses are based on the new and bigger dataset.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Wear away by friction

7. Insecticide

10. Elicited a secret vote

12. Beef

13. Disagreement

14. __ Crawford, supermodel

15. Jeweled headdress

16. Digits

17. Trillion hertz

18. Snap up

19. Classical portico

21. Residue after burning

22. Large integers

27. Free agent

28. Where ballplayers work

33. Blood type

34. Scottish city

36. Google certification (abbr.)

37. Serbian monetary unit

38. Make a sudden surprise attack on

39. Wood or metal bolt

40. Relaxing attire

41. Famed neurologist

44. Dullish brown fabrics

45. Member of ancient Jewish sect

48. Griffith, Rooney

49. Lawmakers

50. Government lawyers

51. The arch of the foot

CLUES DOWN

1. Nonflowering aquatic plant

2. Britpop rockers

3. National capital

4. Consumed

5. The habitat of wild animals

6. Sun up in New York

7. Cygnus star

8. Male parents

9. Talk to you (abbr.)

10. A place to clean oneself

11. Southwestern US state

12. South Korean idol singer

14. Pirate

17. Pituitary hormone (abbr.)

18. Mistake

20. Promotions

23. Prepares

24. Partner to flowed

25. State lawyer

26. Patti Hearst’s captors

29. Pound

30. Electronic data processing

31. Sports player

32. Treats with contempt

35. Apprehend

36. Excessively talkative

38. Highways

40. Ribosomal ribonucleic acid

41. College organization for males

42. Any customary observance or practice

43. Employee stock ownership plan

44. Male parent

45. The 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet

46. Female bird

47. Autonomic nervous system

The 2023 edition of the Pony Platter at the Polo Club grounds at Highway 416 and Bankfield Road proved to be the biggest of its kind since its inception in 2012.

With over 100 women and men participating from the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, the tournament was set to showcase the best of Australian Rules football on the east coast of Canada.

From it’s humble beginnings with only one game of co-ed footy played between Ottawa and Quebec where Ottawa were victorious in 2012, this time around the tournament would have 4 men’s teams, one from Ottawa, one from Nova Scotia, and two from Quebec and two women’s teams from Ottawa and Quebec each supplemented by players from Ontario, hailing from as far as Hamilton.

The opening game, pitting the two favourites against each other, the Ottawa Swans and the Quebec 1st team, proved there was very little between the two sides with Quebec winning the game by a margin of 6 points 1.1 to 0.1.

The following game between the Nova Scotia Lions and the Quebec 2nd team showed that The Lions were in Ottawa on a mission to prove themselves in their second visit to Ottawa and the Pony Platter. Their silky skills and precise movement of the ball proved too good and they ran out easy winners with a score line of 39 (6.3)

to 14(2.2).

The two Quebec sides played next with the Quebec 1st team continuing their

strong performance overcoming the second team by 29 points 5.2 to 0.3.

The surprise of the day

came from the game that followed where the highly favoured home side, the Ottawa Swans, were up against

The Lions. The Swans squandered chances to put the game out of reach and the Lions were victorious by a point in

a very close affair with a final score of 14 (2.2) to 13(2.1).

The Ottawa Swans women’s team prepares for their match against Quebec.

swans continues from page 14

The women’s game followed with four 10-minute quarters where the Ottawa Swans women’s side came up against the Quebec Saints. A game

that has always proven to be a very close match up was no different this year. With the game tied at three quarter time it appeared there would be very

little again to separate the sides, but three quick goals by the Swans early in the last quarter proved too much for the Saints and the Swans ran out even-

tual winners with a score of 33 (5.3) to 22 (3.4) and reclaimed the Pony back from the Saints.

After the excitement of the women’s game the men were back on with what would ultimately be the Pony Platter deciding game between The Quebec 1st side and the Nova Scotia Lions. After a few minutes were the Lions held their own, the class and experience of Quebec proved too much for the Lions as they were overrun and could not stop the flow of goals with no answer to their strong defence, the final score was 46(6.10) to 0.

The last game of the day, the Ottawa Swans were determined to improve on their performances of the first two games and were up against the Quebec 2nd Team. For the first time, the Swans showed glimpses of what was a trademark of their premiership seasons moving the ball with ease across the field and stifling

the opposition and locking the ball for most of the game in the opposition’s defensive 50. The Swans wrapped up their day with a win and a final score line of 46 (7.4) to 12 (2.0).

With 3 wins and 0 loses the Quebec 1sts won back the Pony Platter after it spent the winter in Ottawa. The Nova Scotia Lions finished second with 2 wins and 1 loss, followed by the Swans in third with 1 win and 2 losses and the Quebec 2nds finishing last.

The Ottawa Swans

would like to thank AFL Quebec and AFL Nova Scotia for helping make the Pony Platter the huge success it was in 2023, and AFL Canada for supporting the event. The Swans are looking forward to hosting the event again next year and will try and win back the Platter and retaining the Pony.

For more information about the event or the Ottawa Swans Australian Rules Football Club please email info@ottawaswans. com.

One of the more action-packed games of the day at the Manotick Polo Grounds last Saturday saw the Ottawa Swans women’s team come back and knock off the Quebec Saints.

Unbeaten Jaguars earn three shutouts in first four games

The St. Joseph Jaguars are off to a hot start in the National Capital Second-

ary School Athletics Association Girls Tough Football League.

The Jags are 4-0 with three of their wins coming by shutout.

St. Joseph blanked St. Mother Teresa 18-0, Longfields-Davidson Heights 210, and John McCrae 27-0. The only score they gave up was in a 13-6 win over St. Mark.

Since losing to St. Joseph, St. Mother Teresa has rebounded with shutout wins over St. Mark (2-0), John McCrae (20-0) and Longfields-Davidson Heights (14-0).

LDHSS posted their lone win of the season by beating John McCrae 19-0.

Baseball

The St. Joseph Jaguars are off to a 3-2 start in the NCSSAA OFSSA Baseball League.

The Jags lost a 9-2 decision to St. Mark last Monday but rebounded with a 10-3 win over Sacred Heart and a 7-4 win over Cairine Wilson.

In the Tier I Division, Longfields Davidson Heights pulled off three wins last week. The Ravens beat West Carleton 12-5, John McCrae 8-6 in extra innings, and Pierre-Savard 8-6.

St. Mother Teresa is on their heels in second place, also having defeated John McCrae and Pierre Savard last week.

Lacrosse

John McCrae is on a three-game win streak in NCSSAAA boys lacrosse.

The Bulldogs beat Merivale 10-8, AY Jackson 8-2 and St. Mother Teresa 8-6 in their last three games.

Soccer

The St. Mother Teresa Titans Sr. Girls soccer team is unbeaten after five games. After a scoreless draw with Sacred Heart, the Titans bounced back with an 8-0

win over John McCrae to improve to 4-0-1 and in first place in the NCSSAA OFSAA Wet Division.

LDHSS split their games last week, losing 3-2 to Nepean before blanking John McCrae 7-0.

Rugby

The St. Joseph Jaguars boys hosted a jamboree-format tournament May 10 and earned a pair of ties in three games.

The powerful Lisgar squad beat the Jags 24-5 in their first game, but St. Joseph turned around and tied St. Patrick 5-5 and St. Laurent Academy 0-0 in their next two matches.

In girls rugby, Longfields-Davidson Heights is unbeaten at 4-0-0 after posting wins over Osgoode (270), Immaculata (22-10), St. Francis Xavier (20-0) and Holy Trinity (20-0).

This Month’s Do’s & Don’ts

For several years now, May has brought Hearing Health to the National forefront. You now know untreated hearing loss is linked to an increase of dementia, depression, anxiety, falls, social isolation and more! Early intervention of even the slightest hearing loss is crucial to your overall health. You are now motivated to pursue your own hearing health…but where do you go from here?

Here are a few do’s & don’ts to help you navigate the hearing healthcare terrain in your journey towards better hearing and ultimately better overall health and quality of life.

DO Look for an Audiologist

A physician’s referral is not required to be assessed by an Audiologist. Audiologists are healthcare professionals with Masters or Doctorate levels of education. They are regulated by the College of Audiologists and

Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario. Consequently, they are quality assured and accountable. They are the most qualified to assess your hearing abilities and discuss what the next step should be, whether that is treatment through medical intervention or rehabilitation through the use of hearing devices.

DON’T Limit your potential of success.

Because hearing is highly individualized, the hearing device prescribed must be as unique as you are. What works for one, will not necessarily work for another. With nearly a dozen Manufactures offering different products, you owe it to yourself to get the one amongst them that suits you best. To achieve this, look for an independent clinic with no product limitations. Many locations today are either manufacturer owned or carry limited manufacturers,

so all patients are prescribed the same product line despite their unique set of hearing needs and wants. This is great for the business as it provides greater profit margins, but is not in your best interest. A limitation to one or a few product lines may mean you will unknowingly settle for a product sub-optimal for you.

DO Make sure your initial assessment is thorough Get confirmation that your ear canals are free of earwax and that your eardrums have good mobility. Look for an Audiologist that will assess your ability to hear sounds and words in quiet, but also in noise. Look to have a comparison between your abilities with one ear versus two. Have your sensitivity to loudness assessed. It is crucial that the initial assessment be very detailed because that assessment is the foundation for everything else thereafter.

Such an assessment will generally require a 1.5 hour consult.

DON’T Get discouraged

Learning to hear again takes time. Your brain cannot relearn overnight what it lost over the last 5 to 10 years. Be patient and persistent, especially in those first weeks when your voice sounds awfully strange and the noises seem so intrusive. This is normal. The dust will settle…but only if you wear your new devices consistently and power through the first few uncomfortable weeks.

DO Understand your device

The performance can greatly vary from one product to another. Have your Audiologist explain to you what you are, and aren’t, getting. Understand how your selected technology will treat the environment. Make sure the trial time and

service plan is generous because it can take some time to wrap your mind around all the details. The more you understand how your product will react to the environment, the better you can work with it, giving you greater success and satisfaction.

Hearing is complex, and so are today’s hearing devices. Dealing with the most qualified health care professional, in the most independent setting and getting a customized intervention plan is crucial to success. Finding that right solution is not a simple process, but with the guidelines within, success is possible!

Parking is free.

Home visits & Remote Care is available. Location is wheelchair friendly.

For more information visit www. HearingFreedom.com

The St. Mark Lions used their passing game to defeat the Longfields-Davidson Heights Ravens in high school girls touch football last week.