Barrhaven Independent November 11, 2022

Sutcliffe’s Barrhaven priorities are Greenbank Road realignment and

By Charlie SenaCk

Journalist and business owner Mark Sutcliffe is getting set to become Ottawa’s next Mayor after winning with over half of the vote.

It was a landslide victory for Sutcliffe who dominated the suburbs, winning 19 of Ottawa’s 24 wards. He took 51.4 per cent of the vote, with Catherine McKenney coming in second place with 37.9 per cent, and Bob Chiarelli coming in third with five per cent.

“I am feeling a lot of emotions right now. Humility, excitement, joy, relief. But most of all I am feeling incredible gratitude,” Sutcliffe said in his victory speech. “I’m so thankful for the experience that (my wife) Ginny and I have had throughout this campaign. And I’m especially grateful for the tens of thousands of people who support our

vision for the future of Ottawa.”

In Barrhaven East, Sutcliffe took almost 60 per cent of the vote with McKenney taking almost 29 per cent. In neighboring Barrhaven West, Sutcliffe took 67 per cent with McKenney taking a little over 26 per cent. In Riverside South-Findlay Creek, Sutcliffe garnered almost 58 per cent of the vote with McKenney taking 27 per cent.

After losing the election, McKenney noted that while it wasn’t the results they hoped for, their commitment for fighting issues won’t stop.

“It’s tough and it’s disappointing, but we are going to move forward,” said McKenney. “Tonight, we’ll share some drinks —but not on me though, I’m unemployed.”

McKenney wished Sutcliffe success saying:

“he believes in this city and its potential.”

Throughout the campaign, Sutcliffe made multiple stops in Barrhaven. A few days before the election, he released a press release expressing an interest in fast tracking the Greenbank Road realignment.

“I’ll fix our roads and get the Greenbank Road realignment expedited,” he said in a video taken outside of the Minto Recreation Centre. “Instead of spending $250 million on bike lanes, I’ll get Phase 3 LRT out to Barrhaven and invest in Police and paramedics to make your neighborhood safer.”

In a previous interview with the Barrhaven Independent, Sutcliffe said existing plans for Phase 3 LRT out to Barrhaven need to be approved, despite the $5 billion price tag and low ridership levels.

Sutcliffe continues on page 3

Incoming Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says getting the LRT extended to Barrhaven and getting the Greenbank Road realignment completed are his top priorities for the community.

Sutcliffe continues from page 2

Sutcliffe, a former 1310 news radio personality who founded Great River Media, also said we need to “modernize and invest” in the Ottawa Police Service. Barrhaven West saw a 20.7 per cent increase in crime last year — more than any other ward in Ottawa. Sutcliffe wants to hire more police officers and cut down on speeders.

“I think a lot of people want to see change at Ottawa City Hall. They want to see the right kind of change, change that works for them,” he told the Barrhaven Independent. “I’ve been working and living in this community my whole life, I’ve worked in the media, I’ve been a small business owner, a volunteer, and I want to help deliver the change people want.”

The new term of council, which will see 11 new faces, will officially be sworn in on Nov. 15.

Barrhaven West, Barrhaven East, Riverside South-Findlay Creek, Rideau-Jock, College, and Knoxdale-Merivale are among the wards getting set to see new representation.

David Hill will replace incumbent Jan Harder in Barrhaven West, whereas Wilson Lo has been elected as the first councillor in Barrhaven East. Steve Desroches is making a comeback in Riverside SouthFindlay Creek after Carol Anne Meehan decided not to seek re-election. Sean Devine replaces Keith Egli in Knoxdale-Merivale; Laine Johnson replaces Rick Chiarelli in College; and David Brown will

take over for Scott Moffat in Rideau-Jock (formally known as Rideau Goulbourn).

Sutcliffe will be the first new Mayor in Ottawa since Jim Watson won the position in 2010. This was the biggest shakeups city hall has seen since amalgamation in 2001. With Harder and Chiarelli no longer on council, their are no representatives left from the former City of Nepean.

Sutcliffe has been well known in Barrhaven for years beyond being a citywide media personality. He has been involved as a spokesman, host and participant in the Barrhaven Run for Rogers House and the Barrhaven Lung Run. The former marathoner is also well-known among Barrhaven’s active running community. Early in is

joirnalism career, Sutcliffe was also an occasional contributing writer for the

Barrhaven Independent. Voter turnout in Ottawa was 44 per cent, the highest

in the city since 2010, and the highest in Ontario this municipal election season.

Mark Sutcliffe was humbled and thankful to the voters of Ottawa after his election night victory.

Wilson Lo takes

By Charlie SenaCk

Wilson Lo is making history in multiple ways after winning Barrhaven East ward with 37 per cent of the vote.

Lo is the first Asian-Canadian to sit on Ottawa city council, and the first councillor for the newly created ward.

“I am exhausted but I am really happy and grateful for the support I got from the community and the trust they put in me,” he said after his historic win.

“I know that visibility and representation matters, but my parents raised me to be Canadian,” Lo added. “I campaigned as a neighbor, a resident of Barrhaven, and a former employee of OC Transpo, so that we can make our community even better.”

Lo is one of seven candidates who ran in Barrhaven East (ward 24). He won all but two poles and received 4,403 votes cast under his name. Richard Garick came in second place with around 25 per cent of the vote and Patrick Brennan came in third with 18 per cent. Kathleen Caught, Atiq Qureshi, Dominik Janelle, and Guy Boone, each took less than 10 per cent.

Out of the 31,307 eligible voters in Barrhaven East, 39.11 per cent cast their ballot.

The new Barrhaven East city councillor credits his win to the hundreds of hours he put in campaigning. Lo said he knocked on every door in Barrhaven East, and walked 960,000 steps — totalling around 720 kilometers.

Before running for office, Lo worked at OC Transpo for nine years, seven of which were spent as a bus driver. The state of Barrhaven’s transit system was one of the top priorities heard at the doors, Lo said, hoping his first-hand experience will be an asset around the council table.

“We are still clinging onto this hope that everyone is going to go back downtown every single day of the week. That is an irresponsible use of our resources and money,” Lo said.

Lo wants to see better routes in place to take commuters from the heart of Barrhaven to employment districts in Hunt Club, Colonade, and other underserved areas. He’d also like to see easier options for students going to Carleton University.

When it comes to light rail transit one day rolling through Barrhaven, Lo said he’s not against the idea, but existing plans need to change. With ridership patterns shifting after the pandemic, and fewer people traveling across the city, Lo says priority needs to be given to localized bus routes.

“We have this gift of time. We have three years before Stage 3 contract negotiations even begin,” he said. “In this time we need to make sure that we are using lessons learned from Stages 1 and 2, and take all recommendations for the review and apply it to the contract.”

Lo also wants to fix the condition of roads in Barrhaven East and ensure there is a greater police presence in the community.

“There are times when

East Barrhaven seat at city council

it is worth making the extra investment upfront so we don’t have to pay to repair it again and again or replace it much sooner than we need,” Lo said. “That includes the quality of asphalt we are buying or making sure we repair a sidewalk properly with the materials it is supposed to be built with.”

Barrhaven as a whole will be served by two council-

lors, Lo said it’s important to remember it’s still one community.

A recent ward boundary review saw parts of Barrhaven West become part of newly created Barrhaven east. The former GloucesterSouth Nepean ward was split into two separate districts, with Riverside South-Findlay Creek becoming its own ward and Barrhaven east be-

coming the other.

A large portion of the new Barrhaven East boundaries was represented by longtime Barrhaven West councillor Jan Harder, whereas the other section was represented by councillor Carol Anne Meehan. Both incumbents did not seek re-election.

Ottawa city hall saw a major shakeup this election with 11 new faces getting a

seat around the council table. A new Mayor will also lead the group after Jim Watson decided to leave city politics.

“Even though you are a councillor for just one ward, what you do has an effect in the end on the rest of the city as well,” said Lo. “We have to collaborate to get things done and we need to move things forward so we don’t delay major projects.”

Wilson Lo celebrates his election night victory with his wife Amelia.

Ch A r L i e Sen AC k photo

David Hill wins race to replace outgoing Ward 3 Councillor Jan Harder

By Charlie SenaCk

For the first time since amalgamation, Barrhaven West (Ward 3) will have a new representative at city hall.

David Hill won the ward with 44 per cent of the vote, receiving 6,230 ballots cast under his name.

“I’m really excited about moving onto a platform that I think really resonated with people and has a lot of great potential for the future of Barrhaven,” Hill said after his election win. “I’m excited to work with my colleagues locally like Wilson Lo and Steve Desroches, but also with those across the city.”

With four candidates in the race to replace outgoing councillor Jan Harder, Taayo Simmonds came in second place with a little over 33 per cent of the vote; Jay Chadha

came in third place with over 15 per cent of the vote; and Sadaf Ebrahim came in fourth with about seven per cent.

Out of the 31, 446 eligible voters in Barrhaven West, almost 46 per cent cast their ballot.

Hill was seen by many as a frontrunner in the race, being the first candidate to launch his campaign. In the winter he started a well-signed petition encouraging the Greenbank Road realignment to be fast tracked. It garnered thousands of signatures.

The new Barrhaven West councillor takes over for Harder, who announced in 2018 she would not seek reelection after two and a half decades in council chambers. She served as a Nepean city councillor for one term before amalgamation, and six terms as an Ottawa city councillor.

“Councillor Harder is an institution of Barrhaven. She’s worked tirelessly to grow this community,” said Hill. “I have the greatest respect for the work she’s done here in the community and I look forward to reaching out to her from time to time. She’s passionate about this community and it means a lot to her.”

After being sworn into office on Nov. 15, Hill plans to advocate for a better transit system in Barrhaven, a file he admits will be a “long term issue.”

On roads and infrastructure, Hill said he wants to look at traffic patterns and has a list of about half a dozen or so intersections where concerns have been raised.

One of those crossings is on Jockvale Road near Barrhaven United Church, where community members have brought up safety con-

cerns since the mid 1990’s.

“It’s just down the street from where I live and I cross it regularly to go to church or bike to the retail stores,” said Hill. “This has been an issue that has come up regularly for the folks in Steepleview Crossing. We have a senior citizen demographic in Barrhaven we need to pay particular attention to with pedestrian issues and accessibility.”

Out of the 88 people living in the affordable housing complex, roughly 40 per cent struggle with health challenges and 20 of the residents use wheelchairs or mobility devices.

A public meeting was held in September where many of the residents shared their concerns about the crossing. Ideas for solutions included putting a median in the middle of the road, erecting traffic lights at the site,

and moving the existing OC Transpo bus stop closer to the church.

Hill is also hopeful the Greenbank Road realignment project can be fast tracked. Current plans have construction starting in 2030 with a completion date in 2032 — a decade and a half after plans for the infrastructure invest-

ment were first made.

“Residents were under the impression this was coming for years,” Hill said.

“I will continue to work as hard as I canin order to advance this project. It’s genuinely important from a transit perspective, a safety perspective, and an economic perspective”.

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David Hill celebrated with his family at his election victory party at Barrhaven Boston Pizza.

C H a rlie SenaC k P H oto

INDEPENDENT EDITorIal

No one has ever loved Barrhaven more than retiring

Councillor Jan Harder

When you look at why anyone would even want to put themselves through the public ringer of being a politician at every level, you have to look at what their motives more.

We have seen people represent us at various levels who are thirsty for power and control. Some crave the public attention. Some have even gotten into politics for the money and the pay raise, only to find out later that the 24/7 stress and having to be available and accessible is not worth the money.

And then, there are people who tackle politics because they love the community and the people, and they want to do something positive. That, in a nut shell, is Jan Harder.

Like many successful politicians, Harder never saw herself as becom ing one. She became involved in the community at the volunteer level because she was a parent. Eventually, some long chats with people like Mary Pitt and former Nepean Mayor Ben Franklin led her to become a City of Nepean Councillor. From there, the rest is history. No one has taken more criticism in Barrhaven than Harder over the last two decades. Some did not agree with her on a number of things, while others applauded her.

But looking back, Harder took a small, bedroom suburb and helped turn it into one of the fastest growing, most vibrant young cities in Canada. To accomplish that, Harder did what she did best. She fostered relation ships. She worked with city planners. She worked with developers and community groups and businesses. She brought people to the same table and had a knack for putting everyone on the same page.

Barrhaven would not be what it is today without Jan Harder. But more than that, Jan Harder represented the people in the communi ty with compassion and friendship. Jan Harder was doing what she did for Barrhaven, and she did what she did to make our lives better. Sometimes the worst scenarios bring out the best in people. Jan Harder was at her best showing compassion to the victims in the VIA-OC Transpo crash. She was at her best in the aftermath of the 2018 tornado. Jan Harder showed love and passion for the people of Barrhaven and the community like no one ever has, and no one ever will.

At some point, something in Barrhaven will be named after Jan Harder. Maybe it will be a street or a park. Whatever it is, it probably won’t be enough. One of our recreation centres is named after Walter Baker, a politician cut from the same cloth as Jan Harder. He was a community builder who put people first. Maybe we can be the first to throw out this suggestion. Don’t you think the Jan Harder Minto Rec Centre has a nice ring to it?

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The greatest game that nobody saw

Sports is back. Kids are back at the rinks and in the gyms. We can even go to games in sold out arenas and stadiums.

As a football player, I was lucky enough to suit up and play more than 200 games. My first game was with the South Grenville Giants high school team when I was 16. My last was playing semipro football when I was 49. It didn’t end well. I got hurt. And after all the king’s horses and all the king’s men scraped me off the field and brought me to the trainer, I called the Diva to tell her I had to go to the hospital. She was at work that evening and couldn’t come to the game. It’s best she didn’t see what hap pened.

have been there that day.

from the other side

There were three or four girlfriends watching – they were more like vol unteer trainers to make sure we didn’t kill each other – but there were no fans. There weren’t even parents there.

When it was done, we walked off the field at Churchill Pub lic School on Merwin Lane, which had not been torn down yet. We all had to go home and face our moms. We were muddy, head to toe, and most of us were hosed down in the garage. I’m sure the boys from Cardinal went home to the same fate.

When I called he, there was silence for a moment.

“What did you think was going to happen?” she asked. “You’re 50 and you’re playing tackle football against 24 year olds. Of course you got hurt.”

But if I was to sit back and think about the best and most intense football game I ever played in, it was none of those.

It was on Remembrance Day in 1981. We had the day off school. Our high school season had just ended and I had just had a cast removed from my right leg after an ankle and Achilles tendon injury shortened my last year of high school football.

We got together with our friends at school and concocted a Remem brance Day football game. The boys from Riverview Heights, where I lived, would take on the boys from Cardinal. I quarterbacked our team – it was my last ever game as a starting quarter back after a less than memorable high school season in which I led our team to zero wins. Pete Hoy quarterbacked the Cardinal team. After I left to play at Carleton, he took over as QB at South Grenville and led the team to a cham pionship. He gave up football for base ball and ended up pitching for the Bos ton Red Sox.

It was cold, rainy and windy. There were no pads and no helmets. Just the boys out playing tackle football in the mud. We had the Malovic brothers, Mike Toshack, who eventually joined me to play football at Carleton, Chris Whitley, Andreas Noe, Wilf Richter and the rest of the boys. The Cardinal boys had Pete and Mike Hoy, Currie Gra ham – yes, the Hollywood actor Cur rie Graham who sacked me twice that day – Scoop Murray, the Patrick boys, the Stitt boys, the Cook boys. The only noticeable absences were Scot Birnie of Riverview Heights and Todd Gill of Cardinal, who were both away playing junior hockey. I wish they both could

The next day, we were all back at school, laughing and showing each other our bruises from the game.

As basketball and hockey seasons started, the game was soon forgotten about and thought of as little more than just a day to go to the field and have some fun on a day off.

But as time went on, I found my self thinking about that game more and more. Maybe the good feeling I have about that day wiped out some of the negative feelings I brought upon myself during that winless high school season. It was the day I started trying to make my teammates better instead of pointing fingers at them when we lost.

Now, I sit here in my basement man cave, complete with a barnwood sports bar, two big screens, and wall-to-wall memorabilia. There couldn’t be a better place to be in quarantine.

One of the areas on the wall is my glory wall. It includes photos, team pics, plaques and awards from my 26 years of playing. I have newspaper clip pings from almost every game I ever played. One of the photos is of the Lockport (NY) Invaders from 1992, the year we were U.S. National Semi-pro champions. That team was and still is a family. Every time I look at the wall, I realize how blessed I am to have ex perienced playing the game I love for so long.

If I could go back in time to that muddy Remembrance Day in 1981, the only thing I would change is that one of the girls would have had a camera to take a picture of all of us together after the game.

I don’t know how many of the boys think back to that game or even remem ber it. I don’t know if they would want a photo from it. But if I had a pic from that day, I know exactly where it would go on my wall. It would hang right be side my Lockport Invaders national champion team photo.

And not to sound like a Millennial, but a participation trophy from that day would be a nice touch too.

SNMC celebrates Islamic Heritage Month with activities in Barrhaven

October was a special month at the South Nepean Muslim Centre as Islamic Heritage Month was celebrated.

Islamic Heritage Month in Canada was established by the Canadian Government in 2007. Islamic Heritage Month provides an opportunity to learn and honour the rich his-

tory of Islam, and contributions of Muslims in Canada. It is important to recognize the diversity that exists within the faith of Islam, and the folks who practice it including the multitude of people, stories, and cultures that have shaped, and continue to shape Canada.

The goal of Islamic His-

tory Month Canada (IHMC) is to celebrate, inform, educate, and share with fellow Canadians the rich Muslim heritage and contributions to society: Contributions in sciences, humanities, medicine, astronomy, and other disciplines that have greatly benefited human progress. IHMC believes that through

education and sharing positive stories, all Canadians can grow and connect in mutually beneficial ways.

The Long and Forgotten History of Muslims in Canada “Many people believe the first Muslim people came to Canada in the 1950s, but this is not true. The community’s real history in this country ac-

tually begins 150 years ago.

In Barrhaven, the South Nepean Muslim Community (SNMC) celebrated by opening their doors on October 22, 2022 to the community to learn more about the diversity of the people and to honour the rich history of Islam. Many activities were organized for the public to enjoy, including a full display of posters explaining the contributions of Muslims around the world, calligraphy and hennah artists, crafts led

by the Girl Guides of Canada and of course delicious refreshments. Imam, Zijad Delic, prepared guided tours to those interested and a special presentation was done by Dr. Sheema Khan, Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from Harvard University to explain Islamic Art, Spirituality and Mathematics.

They even learned that more than 200 medical instruments were invented by a Muslim physician in the 11th Century.

Sjenny LeBoldus and Donald Rodd were among the many artists who took part in the Artists of Stonebridge art show at the Cedar Hill Golf and Country Club Oct. 22-23. The show brought artists from Barrhaven and the surrounding area together for the first fill AOS show since 2019.

Local volunteers showcased the diversity of Muslims around the world during Islamic Heritage Month at the south Nepean Muslim Centre.

Local woman using Miss Canada pageant to raise awareness for mental health

While Lauren Pederson is spending this week in Toronto representing Ottawa in the Miss World Canada Pageant, the thought of even being in a pageant had never even crossed her mind. The, someone suggested that she enter the Miss Ontario pageant as a way to promote a cause she is passionate about.

Pederson, the daughter of local resident Shawn Pederson, is using the contest to raise awareness and advocate for additions to the mental health care industry in Canada.

Currently a Bachelor of Social Work student at the University of Victoria, Pederson graduated from St. Lawrence College in Kingston in Child Youth Counselling and was a student representative and also on the Dean’s List.

Her eventual goal is to become a psychotherapist.

While in school, Pederson had been doing some modelling, and it was suggested to her that she should enter a pageant.

“I had never done anything like that or even thought of pageants,” she said. “But the more I looked into it, the more I realized that this was a great way for me to be an advocate for mental health.”

The Miss World contest uses the slogan ‘Beauty with a Purpose’. The program started 50 years ago, with the countries involved choosing a project. Each contestant is encouraged to create and execute their own personal project to be presented at the Miss World Canada contest.

“What really got my attention was that there was money available for the charities that you chose,” Pederson said. “If I placed well, then it would help the cause I was working on.”

Pederson developed and facilitated a fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. The fund was used to purchase art supplies, gifts, and other items for CHEO’s mental health patients.

One of the main fundraisers was a monthly 80s and

90s Trivia Night, held at the Mill Tavern in Manotick.

“I worked at the Mill Tavern part time while I was finishing my clinical counsellor placement at CHEO,” Pederson said. “It was an absolute pleasure to be part of such a loving team. The Mill Tavern really made what I am doing possible.”

Miss Ontario Pageant

Pederson competed in the Miss Ontario contest earlier this year. She was among more than 50 contestants, and she finished in sixth place.

She said that the experience was enjoyable, even though she felt a little bit like an outsider.

“There were different groups of people,” she said. “There were girls that had grown up doing pageants, and there were other people with dance or acting backgrounds. Then there was me. I didn’t really fit into any of those groups.”

The main part of the pageant for her was to use the experience as a platform to promote her mental healthbased project.

“I have worked first hand in CHEO’s inpatient psychiatric ward, Mental Health classrooms, non for profits, and homeless shelters,” she said. “I have seen a great need for much more accessible and affordable forms of therapy.”

By finishing in sixth place at the provincial level, Pederson has earned the title of Miss Ottawa – she was the top finisher from Ottawa and the Eastern Ontario –and she earned a spot in the Miss World Canada finals in November.

She has been very visible in the community, appearing at the Capital Fair and other local events in addition to the Mill Tavern trivia nights.

“My whole reason behind entering pageantry, was to broadcast my mental health based ‘Beauty With a Purpose project,’ The top 5 winners at Miss World Canada get funding for their project. The Mill Tavern empowered me with friendship and sponsorship for my

Miss Canada pageant, so I hope to bring as much positive attention as possible to them too.

Last month, she got the opportunity to go to the Bell Media building on York Street in the Byward Market for some interviews. Among the people she met was longtime Barrhaven resident and CTV Ottawa news co-anchor Patricia Boles.

“It was exciting to be interviewed and to meet people and tell them why I am doing this,” she said. “I have met a lot of people on this journey who have really made an impact on my life. Meeting Patricia Boles was really exciting for me. She is someone who is very well respected in the city, and someone I have looked up to for a long time.”

Last week, Pederson did a photo shoot for Faces Magazine. Like everyone else, the photographer asked her how she got involved in the pageant. When she told him, he stopped in his tracks. He, like everyone else she has discussed the Miss World Canada pageant with, has found her answer refreshing.

“I don’t think he expected the answer I gave him, but I just told him exactly why I entered the pageant,” she said.

This week will be busy for Pederson. It began early Monday morning, and each morning will begin at 5 a.m. Pederson said she will enjoy the week and make the most of the opportunity of competing in the pageant. Where

she places in the pageant is somewhat irrelevant to her, as it is out of her control and in the hands of the judges. Regardless of how she fares, she still has a year of being Miss Ottawa to look forward to for the next several months.

“I make the most of having the title of being Miss Ottawa for the next year to raise awareness for mental health issues,” she said.

Miss Ottawa Lauren Pederson presents a cheque to CHEO’s Mental Health Professional practice leader, Sonia Lavergne.

Ghamari leads moment of silence for those tortured and killed in Iran

It was a moment at Queen’s Park when silence said more than a thousand words.

Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari called for a moment of silence for all Iranians who have been tortured and murdered by the terrorist regime over the last 43 years in that country.

The day marked the 40day anniversary of the killing of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini, who was killed by Iran’s morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. The incident sparked protests and demonstrations around the world. Ghamari, who is the first Iranian-Canadian woman ever elected in Canadian politics, has been front and centre of the protests in Ottawa and Toronto. Many Iranian-Canadians from Ottawa, including Barrhaven and Riverside South, which is in Ghamari’s riding, attended the protests.

Ghamari was one year old when she arrived in Canada

with her family. Her father, an electrical engineer, had just survived a roadside execution attempt in Iran and decided to move his family to the safe haven of Canada. The family arrived with one suitcase full of clothing and $50 cash.

“Mr. Speaker, 40 days ago, on September 16, 2022, a young 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman, Mahsa Jina Amini, was brutally murdered by the morality police of the terrorist and illegitimate Islamic regime in Iran. Since then, the brave people of Iran have been protesting—protesting 43 years of a brutal dictatorship,” Ghamari said in her member’s statement.

Ghamari added that the same dictatorship shot down Ukrainian Flight PS752 nearly three years ago. Fifty Canadians died in the crash, including a handful of local residents.

“Hundreds if not thousands of Iranians have been arrested, murdered, tortured and killed by the brutal and

terrorist illegitimate Islamic regime in Iran,” Ghamari added in her statement. “For Iranians mourning someone’s passing, the 40th day is incredibly significant. And it’s not just Mahsa Jina Amini’s family that is mourning; all of the people of Iran are mourning. Iranians around the world are mourning, and the world is mourning with them. There are nation-wide strikes happening, and while pro-Islamic regime lobby groups like the Iranian Canadian Congress have tried to apologize for the regime, the world has opened its eyes.”

Ghamari has been giving interviews to media outlets in Ottawa, throughout Canada, and around the world in the past month. She says it is important to give the oppressed people of Iran a voice.

“The regime has shut down the Internet to prevent the voices of the people of Iran from being heard,” she said. “But they are asking the world for one simple thing: to

be their voice, to share their stories and to make them heard.

“I have several hundred constituents in my riding

who, just like me, are of Iranian origin. Today, I want to let the people of Iran know that they are not alone in their fight for freedom and dem-

ocracy. Here in Canada, we are blessed to live in a free and democratic society. The people of Iran deserve the same.”

How to get free insulation, draft proofing and a smart thermostat

That’s what Brampton homeowner Rosemary, like many Ontarians, had often wondered. Rosemary’s home was built in 1972 and at fifty years old it was drafty, especially through the windows, electrical outlets and attic hatch.

One afternoon while she was watching TV, a news reporter mentioned the Enbridge Gas Home Winterproofing Program, which provides free insulation, draft proofing and a smart thermostat to income-qualified homes.

She thought it sounded like a good idea, so she took a few minutes and applied. Not long after she learned that she qualified, she received a visit from a program delivery agent, who checked her home and confirmed she could receive free insulation and draft proofing.

Once the free upgrades were installed, Rosemary saw a difference almost immediately. “I noticed a big difference in the comfort. The upstairs was

definitely much warmer in winter and much cooler in the summer.”

Like many older adults, Rosemary is on a fixed income, so every little bit she can save on energy use helps with household budgeting. “I budget very carefully,” she says. “Saving money on heating helps me, my budget, a great deal.”

If your home qualifies, there is no catch—the program really is free and there is no cost to the homeowner. It may sound too good to be true, but in fact more than 22,000 Ontario households have participated in the Home Winterproofing Program. Could yours be next?

“One of my friends said she’d heard about it but she thought it was a scam,” Rosemary says. “And so I told her no. I said, ‘I’ve been in touch and they’ve done it for me.’”

If you’re looking for ways to save energy and live more comfortably and sustainably at home, take Rosemary’s advice and apply. “You’ve got nothing to lose,” she says. “It’s free. The workmen that came were great and the assessor was really nice and everybody has been really good and it’s been very efficient and I would really recommend it.”

To learn more about the program and see if you qualify, visit enbridgegas.com/ winterproofing or apply by phone in minutes at 1-844-770-3148. Whether you rent or own, you may qualify.

“

got nothing to lose.

free!” Rosemary

Is there a simple way to make an older home more energy efficient and comfortable?

Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari leads a moment of silence in Queen’s Park last week.

Blackburn, Warren retain seats as local school board trustees

By Charlie Senack

Donna Blackburn and Spencer Warren will be returning to their school trustee seats after winning their respective zones by a landslide.

Warren, Barrhaven’s Ottawa Catholic School Board Trustee, is going into his third term with 48 per cent of the vote. He received 3,370 ballots cast under his name.

The OCSB Trustee was up against two other challengers: Greg Hopkins who came in second place with about 29 per cent (1,998 votes), and Nicolas Caravaggio who came in third with 23 per cent (1,589 votes).

“I am humbled by the amount of support I received from the community. I would like to thank all those who supported me during the campaign and who voted for me,” Warren said. “My message throughout the campaign has al-

ways been that I believe in a collaborative board where we work with parents and staff to collectively support the best interest of our school community.”

Warren says one of the biggest issues the Ottawa Catholic board will face over the next four years is with overcrowding in schools. The concern has been a long time topic in Barrhaven where seas of portable classrooms sit outside of schools to meet the demand.

While multiple new schools have been approved for Barrhaven, Findlay Creek, and Riverside South, many will be over 100 per cent capacity on the first day they open.

“I have been working hard to get smaller classrooms by advocating for new schools in my zone,” said Warren. “I have successfully advocated for four new schools, one of which has already been opened in Half Moon Bay and the

other three will hopefully open in 2024.”

“It’s no secret that St. Joseph’s High School is over populated with students, even though the majority of the classrooms are below 30 students,” he added. “I’m working on a business case to build another high school in Barrhaven to help offset some of the pressures.”

In 2021, Warren brought forward a successful motion to fly the Rainbow Pride flag at all OCSB schools during pride month in June. It was approved by all but one Trustee, Glen Armstrong, who lost his seat to Eugene Milito.

“This is just a stepping stone to help create safe spaces for these types of conversations and support,” Warren said. “This has allowed us to remove barriers when supporting our school community in areas once felt to be ignored.”

Donna Blackburn celebrated her fourth consecutive victory as OCDSB trustee at Greenfields Pub. trustees continues on page 11

trustees continues from page 10

Warren wants to spend the next term continuing to focus on basic human rights with diversity, equity and inclusiveness.

Blackburn wins fourth term

In the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, Donna Blackburn won her fourth term with almost 46 per cent of the vote, totalling 7,267 ballots cast under her name.

Blackburn was one of three names on the ballot for OCDSB Trustee, with Patricia Kmiec coming in second at 32 per cent (5,160 votes), and Natalie Rowe coming in third place with over 22 per cent (3,627 votes).

“I’m honored and humbled to serve the people of Barrhaven for a fourth term,” Blackburn said. “I’m very grateful to the dozens of people in Barrhaven who helped me with a successful campaign.”

The OCDSB will have seven new trustees around the board room table, and Blackburn said she’s al-

ready spoken with many of the fresh faces. With many incumbents not running again, she’s now one of the most senior members on the board.

Over the next four years, Blackburn intends to continue advocating for a stronger relationship between the OCDSB and Ottawa Police.

In June 2021 the board voted to end their longstanding student resource officer program with Police, after some students and par-

ents claimed the program caused harm to the BIPOC and gender-oppressed communities. Earlier this year Blackburn brought forward a motion to reinstate talks after a stabbing occurred at Longfields High School in March, but it was unanimously shot down.

“I made a promise that I’d continue advocating for a positive and productive relationship with the Ottawa Police Service,” Blackburn said. “People were very clear

about that at the doors. I think we need to go back to having police officers in the school so there are people to deal with problems. Those officers need to be specifically trained to deal with youth.”

Every time a new board is sworn in, they are in charge of bringing forward a new strategic plan for the next four years. Blackburn said she would like to see more of an emphasis on respecting different pathways students

take after graduating high school.

The Barrhaven public board trustee also wants to keep working to address overcrowding in local schools.

‘The next big project we need to get in Barrhaven in the not so distant future is a third high school,” said Blackburn. “When (the new Riverside South) high school opens, that will help some of our issues because we now have the Vimy Bridge. The

funding for that has already been approved.”

In the French Catholic board, Chad Mariage lost his trustee seat by around 600 votes.

Claude Lalonde will now represent zone five after taking 63 per cent of the vote with 1,694 ballots cast under his name. Marriage came in second place with 37 per cent of the vote, totalling 1,002 ballots.

All trustees will be sworn in on Nov. 15.

With overcrowding an issue at St. Jospeh High School, Spencer warren wants to build a case for another Catholic high school in Barrhaven.

OSU U14 girls beat Brampton to win Ontario soccer championship

By Barrhaven Independent Staff

Ottawa South United’s U14 girls are the Ontario soccer champions.

The team travelled to the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughn last weekend and came home with the 2022 Gary Miller Charity Shield after outscoring Brampton 4-3 in an exciting, highscoring final.

It didn’t take long for OSU to get on the scoreboard. Brampton committed a turnover in the second minute and a long, looping shot from Mya Angus was mishandled by the Brampton keeper and found its way into the back of the net to give OSU a 1-0 lead.

The lead would not last long, as seven minutes, Brampton’s Niyah NoelGordon intercepted a pass in the OSU six yard box and scored to tie the game at 1-1.

Brampton took a 2-1 lead in the 17th minute, capitalizing on an OSU mistake. Brampton crossed the ball on a free kick but the at-

tempt to clear the ball failed.

Gabriel Istocki was there for Brampton to put home the loose ball.

OSU tied the score at 2-2 before halftime as midfielder Cindy Yang fired a beautiful shot from 20 yards out with the equalizer.

The action and goals would continue in the second half.

OSU took the lead in the 58th minute as Naomi Lofthouse put home a free kick to put OSU up 3-2.

Brampton had a chance to tie the score in the 53rd minute as a corner kick bounced into the box to Noel-Gordon, whose chance for the equalizer was stopped by a sliding tackle by defender Danielle Chukwu.

Moments later, OSU scored their fourth goal and went ahead by two as Angus struck a free kick near the corner flag and it looped into the net, beating the Brampton keeper from an extremely difficult angle.

The game was seemingly over with a score of 4-2 heading into extra time, but

Brampton turned on the offense and went on the attack.

One minute into extra time, Brampton scored what appeared to be their third goal, but were called for offside. Six minutes into extra time, Brampton did get their third goal to bring them within one. They continued to push for the tying goal, but they ran out of time and OSU claimed a 4-3 victory.

U15 Girls edged in shootout

While the U14 girls won on Sat., Oct. 22, the U15 girls were in the provincial final the following day. After playing to a 1-1 draw, OSU came out on the short end of a penalty shootout, losing 7-6 to Markham SC.

It was OSU who scored the opening goal of the game in the 17th minute through Isabelle Chukwu who tapped in a second rebound after a long range shot from her sister Anabelle, and initial rebound shot from Francesca Mureta.

Markham nearly scored

the equalizer from a free kick only three minutes later. The ball was crossed to Jayda Schoburgh at the far post, who headed the ball

just wide.

Markham did however get the equalizer in the 30th minute through Naomi Phillips who converted a penalty

From Child to Champion

shot.

The teams continued to battle in the second half.

Student Moira de Ste.Croix on Blue Ben, 2014 Ontario Team Member

OSU won the U14 Ontario championship by beating Brampton 4-3. osu

osu continues from page 12

It was OSU who had the first second half chance in the 58th minute. Anabelle Chukwu dribbled through a few players and fired a long range shot from 25 yards out that didn’t miss by a wide margin.

Markham replied in the 65th minute with a good chance of their own. A long free kick cross fell to Alessandra Geraneo who flicked the ball on net from within the six yard box but did not have much power on it resulting in a rather comfortable save.

It was back to OSU who had the next good scoring chance in the 80th after a cross to call-up Mya Angus at the back post. Her shot was hit just wide as she was at full stretch attempting to put the ball in the open net.

Once again, Markham counter punched and almost scored in the 84th minute when Kennedy Belfon was sent in on a clear breakaway

as the defender tried to pinch the pass and missed.

Belfon decided to keep the ball and shoot, despite a teammate streaking down the right flank unmarked, and in the end the shot was rather tamed and directly to the keeper who made a comfortable save.

The game would end 1-1 after fulltime requiring penalties where the dramatics continued.

Markham would miss their fist kick but were able keep their nerve and make their next three to give them a chance. OSU on the other hand, made their first three kicks giving them the opportunity to take the win with their fourth kick, but Olivia Busby made a great save to push the shootout to extras.

In extras, both teams made their first two kicks.

In the third round, Markham stepped up and scored, forcing OSU into a must score

out going.

the game on the

Presenting

Finals the day earlier with two goals in the game. Unfortunately, Nusby would

assocIatIon wIth

win this duel with a big save to give Markham the 7-6 victory on penalties.

scenario to keep the shoot-

With

line, OSU called on call-up Angus who helped Markham win the Girls U14

OSU won the silver medal at the provincial championships after losing to Markham in a shootout.

High school playoffs in jeopardy due to education workers’ strike

First, it was COVID that kept student-athletes on the sidelines for most of the last two-and-a-half years.

Now, high school sports and student-athletes are looking at being collateral damage once again as Ontario’s education workers are on strike demanding pay raises.

On Friday, St. Joseph’s final regular season senior girls basketball game against St. Mark was postponed due the labour walkout. St. Joseph is in third place in the NCSSAA West Division with a 3-3 record.

The Longfields-Davidson Heights Ravens also had their first playoff game cancelled, as they were to host Glebe Collegiate.

In junior girls basketball action, the John McCrae Bulldogs improved to 6-2 with a 48-19 win over St. Peter Nov. 3 and a 43-26 win over Earl of March Oct. 31. They were to play at unbeaten Louis-Riel in the first

round of the playoffs Monday, but as of press time, it was uncertain if and when the season would resume.

The St Joseph Jaguars junior girls finished with a 3-5 record after a hard fought 42-32 loss at home against South Carleton Oct. 31.

In high school football, the St. Joseph Jaguars finished the regular season with a 6-0 record and were scheduled to host Franco Cite in their first playoff game Monday. As of press time, it is not known if or when the game will be played.

St. Joseph continued to roll as they beat the North Grenville Knights 35-8 Wed., Nov. 2.

The St. Mother Teresa Titans ended their regular season with a 29-7 win over Arnprior Wed., Nov. 2. They were scheduled to visit the unbeaten St. Matthew’s Tigers in Orleans in the first round of the playoffs Mon., Nov. 7.

In senior boys soccer,

John McCrae finished with a 4-0-2 record by posting wins over St. Francis Xavier and St. Peter last week. The first place Bulldogs were scheduled to host Earl of March Wed., Nov. 9 for a playoff game. St. Mother Teresa lost their final regular season game 1-0 to St. Peter on Nov. 1, while St. Joseph lost their final game 1-0 to Sacred Heart on Halloween Day.

In boys high school noncontact hockey, St. Joseph edged John McRae 4-3 Nov. 1. The Jags earned a 3-3 tie with St. Mark Oct. 26. John McCrae, meanwhile, lost thrtee straight games last week. In addition to being edged by St. Joseph, they also lost to St. Mark and Osgoode.

The St. Joseph Jaguars may have been called for holding on this play, but everything else this season has gone right for them. The Jags are 6-0 and waiting for their playoff season to start.

SEPT 30, OCT 1, 2, 3 OCT 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 OCT 14, 15, 16, 17 OCT 22, 23, 24

Sept 29, 30, Oct 1, 2 Oct 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Oct 13, 14, 15, 16 Oct 21, 22, 23

OCT 29, 30, 31 NOV 5, 6, 7 NOV 11, 12, 13, 14

Oct 28, 29, 30 Nov 4, 5, 6 Nov 11, 12, 13 Nov 18, 19, 20

The St. Joseph Jaguars may have been called for holding on this play, but everything else this season has gone right for them. The Jags are 6-0 and waiting for their playoff season

BARRHAVEN

Jr. A Raiders drop pair of CCHL games, look to rebound at home

By Romano Di FRanco nepeanRaiDeRs com

It was a tough week for the Nepean Raiders, as they dropped two Central Canada Junior Hockey League contests.

The Raiders travelled down the 416 to visit the North Grenville Municipal Centre as they faced off against the Kemptville 73s Oct. 28 for the second time this season. In their only previous meeting the 73s came away with a 5-3 after a pair of third period goals put them ahead to stay.

Both teams entered the game playing decent hockey as of late with the Raiders 3-2 in their last five games while the 73s are 2-2-1 in the same span.

Gage Stewart (1-5 including 2 shoot-out losses, 3.27 GAA, 0.908 SV%) got the start in the Nepean Goal while Jacob Biron (2-3-2, 3.66 GAA, 0.895 SV%), son of former NHL netminder Martin Biron, was in goal for Kemptville.

After 20 minutes the game was still looking for its first goal but the 73s had the edge in shots pelting Stewart with 15 shots to the six that the Raiders put on Biron. Luca Ricciardi had the best chance for Nepean on a 2-on-1 with Jacob Dupont but his blast was deflected by Biron into the netting.

It would be Nepean striking first for the eighth time in their 12 games. Joshua Reid snapped home a pass by one-timed Brandon Reinisch from behind the net. It was Reinisch’s hustle for a Nicholas Larkin pass that set

up the play. It was Reid’s fifth of the season after scoring in the Raiders season opener and netting a hat-trick against the Carleton Place Canadians in the second game of the CCHL showcase.

The Raiders had a chance to extend their lead after Jack Matsukubo was awarded a penalty shot after he was interfered with by Wyatt Warner on a breakaway. Matsukubo could not capitalize however after losing the handle attempting to go backhand-to-forehand at the top of the crease.

Kemptville would get the equalizer after Ty White skated from his own blue line and used Devon Savignac as a decoy before blasting a shot from the top of the face-off circle that eluded Stewart before he could close the five-hole. It was also Whyte’s fifth goal of the season to make it a 1-1 game.

In the third period, Kemptville took the lead on a seemingly harmless shot by Matt Thomas from the top of the near face-off circle somehow found the five-hole and to beat Stewart. The unassisted goal was Thomas’s first CCHL goal.

The 73s extended their lead to 3-1 on Ty Whyte’s second goal of the game. His shot beat Stewart blocker-side and just found the inside of the post.

A late penalty by Gavin McDougall gave Nepean a final shot to get back in the game. The Raiders pulled Stewart for the extra attacker with the faceoff in the 73s zone but Ty Whyte won the race to the puck

and put it into the empty net for the short-handed hat-trick goal.

The final was a 4-1 victory for the home team powered by a three-goal outburst in the third.

Last Sunday, the Raiders hosted the Ottawa Junior Senators at the Nepean Sportsplex – Steve Yzerman Arena. It was the first meeting of the season between the cross-town rivals and both teams entered with a record of three wins and two losses in their past five games.

The starting goalies for the afternoon tilt were former Raider netminder Connor Shibley (5-1-0-1, 2.13 GAA, 0.932 SV%) in goal for the Junior Sens Nepean Goal while Luca Sandu (2-1, 4.63 GAA, 0.898 SV%) guarded the goal for the home team.

Both teams have made a habit of scoring first with OJS striking first in 10 of their first fourteen games while Nepean has scored in eight of their first 12 games. Ultimately it would be Nepean who would open the scoring in the first minute of the second period. Tyler Melvin picked up a loose puck in Junior Senators zone and skated through the Ottawa defense before depositing the puck behind Shibley for his fifth of the year. Joshua Reid and Nolan Mozer were credited with assists.

The lead would be shortlived however as Massimo Gentile replied for OJS just 37 seconds later to make it a 1-1 game. The visitors would take the lead on the PowerPlay after Brandon Reinisch was booked for Tripping. It was Emile Vil-

liard tipping a Vincent Velocci shot from the slot that fluttered over the head of Sandu.

After 40 minutes the visitors sported a one goal lead up 2-1 after outshooting Nepean 11-10 in the middle frame.

The third period was all Nepean Raiders as they pressed for the equalizer. Despite outshooting OJS 15-8 in the third and

37-33 in the game it as Ottawa that would eke out a one-goal victory against a scrappy Raiders squad.

The goaltenders were the stars of the show as Connor Shibley (36 saves on 37 shots) and Luca Sandu (31 saves on 33 shots) nabbing star one and two respectively while Vincent Velocci (2A) taking home third-

star honours.

Lone Raider goal-scorer Tyler Melvin was named the Hardest Working Raider picking up his fifth of the season.

The Raiders are at home to Carleton Place Sun., Nov. 13 and Smiths Falls Sun., Nov. 20. Both games are at the Steve Yzerman Arena with 2:30 p.m. puck drops.

A safe and reliable power supply is essential to ensure the City of Ottawa can continue to grow now, and into the future. Hydro One is committed to supporting this growth by modernizing the Merivale Transformer Station (TS), one of two major transformer stations that together, supply approximately 60 per cent of power to homes and businesses in Ottawa.

A critical part of electricity planning is gathering community feedback, and we’d like to hear from you. This project is currently undergoing a “Class Environmental Assessment for Minor Transmission Facilities (2016)” (Class EA for MTF), established in accordance with the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. Through this process, we will identify potential project effects and mitigation opportunities. An important part of this process involves gathering feedback from residents, community associations, elected officials and other stakeholders that may be interested or affected by this project.

Please join us to learn more about the Merivale TS modernization project and speak directly with members of the project team as we plan this important work. A map of the station and planned modernization is shown below.

Community Open House

Sandman Signature Ottawa Airport Hotel

250 West Hunt Club Road, Ottawa, ON K2E 0B7

Tuesday, November 15, 2022

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

All personal information included in your request – such as name, address, telephone number and property location – is collected, under the authority of section 30 of the Environmental Assessment Act and is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public. As this information is collected for the purpose of a public record, the protection of personal information provided in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) does not apply (s.37). Personal information you submit will become part of the available public record unless you request that your personal information remain confidential.