Barrhaven Independent November 25, 2022

Barrhaven parents scrambling for children’s pain, cold and flu medicine

Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre was blunt and to the point in a Twitter post last week.

“Our shelves are empty. Theirs are full. No more excuses. Kids need medication now.”

Poilievre, the Conservative Party of Canada leader who served as the NepeanCarleton MP and lived in Barrhaven until the riding split for the 2015 election, has been outspoken about the lack of Children’s Tylenol and other children’s medications that are in short supply in Canada. Poilievre has a vested interest in the situation not just as the Official Leader of the Opposition, but also as the father of two young children.

In Barrhaven, pharmacies have struggled to obtain children’s pain medication. When what little is available arrives, it quickly flies off the shelves. Some parents needing medication for their children have

told the Independent that customers have a hoarding mentality.

“This reminds me of when COVID started,” said one mom of three children who agreed to speak anonymously to the Independent, but did not want her name used for fear of being smeared on social media or have her children face repercussions. “As soon as the lockdown and quarantine happened, everyone raced to the grocery store or to Costco in Barrhaven and started buying up any and all rolls of toilet paper, bottles of hand sanitizer, or Lysol or Chlorox Wipes. Now, when people see Children’s Tylenol or Children’s Advil, they buy it all because they are afraid of not having it when they need it. The harder it is to get, the more people are hoarding it.”

She added that the federal government and Health Canada have not been clear on

why the supply chain has affected Canada and not other countries.

Last week, Health Canada officials said that more doses of children’s painkillers will be on their way to Canada soon. There was no specific timeline given, and the amount of children’s painkiller products was also not specified. They gave little more information than that amount imported would “help address the immediate situation.”

According to reports, the Tylenol is coming from the United States, and the Advil is coming from Australia.

Supply has been short for several months, but it intensified late in the summer. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) combined with an early flu season, causing many city-wide and local illnesses. The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario entered a crisis mode last month with

long wait times and more overcrowding.

In August, Health Canada released a statement addressing the shortage.

“We share the concerns of parents and caregivers about their inability to find infant and children’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen. These products are essential for families, caregivers, and health care professionals to reduce fever and pain. We are committed to exploring every possible option to end this shortage.”

Second ICU

The situation became so bad at CHEO that a second pediatric intensive care unit was opened last week to address an unprecedented overflow of critically ill babies and young children with respiratory illnesses.

“Unprecedented feels like an overused word at the moment, but there’s no better term to describe the crisis facing our pediatric health-

care system right now,”, said CHEO Chief of Staff, Dr. Lindy Samson. She also pleaded that people wear

masks indoors and in crowded areas to prevent the spread of virus to youth and children.

Preet Sidhu compounds children’s medicine at Longfields Pharmacy.

CHEO is not the only hospital overwhelmed by the situation. Queensway Carleton Hospital admitted 24 patients through their ER despite having only 22 beds. They also saw more than 200 patients who were not admitted.

Health experts have linked the overcrowding and long wait times, especially at CHEO, with the shortage of children’s pain killers. Without the medicine, children are not able to get the much needed sleep it takes to fight off viruses and illness.

Search for medicine

Cross-border shopping has been slowly ramping up with the elimination of Canadian border restrictions due to COVID. With Black Friday coming, malls in upstate and central New York will once again be filled with cars with Ontario license plates. One of the most popular

The shortage of Children’s Tylenol and other children’s pain relief products has put tremendous pressure on CHEO.

items will be children’s cold and flu medicine.

While a border guard at the Prescott-Ogdensburg Bridge told the Barrhaven Independent that there had been an increase of Canadians declaring Children’s Tylenol among their purchases.

While there is not a shortage of the medicine in the United States, the pharmacy at the Ogdensburg Price Chopper told the Barrhaven Independent that they, too, are having trouble keeping the medicine in stock.

“We currently have none,” a Price Chopper Pharmacy employee told the Independent. “We are not permitted to release the information on who is buying the medicine or where they are from. We can only tell you that we currently have none in stock.”

Made in Barrhaven

Some parents desper-

ately looking for medicine for their children have found what they need in Barrhaven. Longfields Pharmacy and Fallowfield Pharmacy both have compounding labs within their stores.

“We are able to make Tylenol in house in liquid form in house for our customers,” said Preet Sidhu, who owns and operates Longfields Pharmacy. “We source the active ingredients from suppliers and are able to make medicine similar to Tylenol or Advil in liquid form.”

Sidhu said the medicine will last for 14 days and must be refrigerated. The Tylenol product is tutti fruity flavoured, while the Advil product is bubble gum flavoured.

“The one thing we do ask parents is that they provide us with the exact weight of the child so that we can dose it accordingly,” she said.

Carleton MP and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre shared this image.

Ottawa Public Health declares respiratory outbreak at local school

By Charlie SenaCk

Ottawa Public Health has declared a respiratory outbreak at St. Patrick Elementary School in Barrhaven.

A letter was sent to parents on Nov. 15 saying the school is “experiencing a greater than usual number of students and/or staff with respiratory illness”, leading many to be absent from class.

Special cleaning has been set up at the school and parents are reminded to keep their kids home if sick. While no mask mandates have been issued, Ottawa Public Health says schools are a “mask friendly” space.

“It is recommended to wear a mask when in public for 10 days following the start of respiratory symptoms or 10 days from the last contact with someone that has tested positive for COVID-19,” the letter read.

The province of Ontario is currently seeing an increase in respiratory virus’, particularly impacting the young population.

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), has opened up a second intensive care unit amid the “unprecedented” crisis.

“Unprecedented feels like an overused word at the moment, but there’s no better term to describe the crisis facing our pedi-

atric health-care system right now,” said Dr. Lindy Samson, CHEO’s chief of staff, in a news release.

Since opening in 1974, the Ottawa’s children’s hospital has never seen such an influx of illnesses including RSV, COVID-19, and the flu. Four children had to be resuscitated on Nov. 13, and another three on the following day.

FluWatch has declared an influenza epidemic in Canada. While illnesses are common at this time of year, experts say it’s beginning sooner than normal, and that infections are becoming more severe.

The Ontario government is “strongly recommending” that people wear masks indoors, but won’t mandate face coverings again — at least not yet. Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, said mask mandates would come back if hospital capacity worsens, but noted restrictions won’t go beyond that.

People are also urged to scale back on social gatherings and to wear masks at any functions they attend. If someone in your household is sick, mask wearing in your residence is also encouraged.

Vera Etches, Ottawa’s Chief Medical Officer, has urged Ottawa residents to mask up again, and has asked the province for help. She isn’t bringing

back a city-wide mask mandate yet, but has urged the Ontario government to look at options.

Meanwhile the Ottawa Carleton District School Board will debate making masks mandatory again. A similar vote was passed in April, but because direction did not come from the province, it could not be enforced.

Donna Blackburn, the OCDSB trustee for Barrhaven, said she won’t be supporting the motion.

“The board has no authority to enforce this and it will simply cause division in our schools like it did last spring,” she said.

The motion will be raised by newly-elected trustee Dr. Nili KaplanMyrth during a special meet “As board trustees, we can say that we 100 per cent want to do everything we can to support teachers, all educators, all children to ensure their health and their safety, it is our responsibility,” she told 580 CFRA.

The University of Waterloo has mandated mask use again. Carleton University, Ottawa University and Saint Paul University, say they won’t follow

suit. Instead, they are asking students to stay home when sick and are “strongly encouraging” mask

use. The post-secondary schools say they will continue to follow local health guidelines.

“This is not something we want right deal with yet again.”

Ottawa Public Health has declared a respiratory outbreak at St. Patrick Elementary School in Barrhaven.

INDEPENDENT EDITorIal

Accusing grocers of “greedflation” is pointless

As food prices rise, many are quick to blame grocers for profiteering and taking advantage of consumers. The notion of “greedflation” has emerged as one of the most talked about issues in the last month. Food inflation in Canada is at a 41-year high, at 10.3 per cent, and chances are that consumers won’t get a break anytime soon.

It is difficult to determine whether grocers have been inflating prices to benefit their bottom line. If greed exists in our grocery sector, how do we measure it? Well, our lab tried.

In a recent report, we used publicly available data to look at the gross profit (rev enue minus cost of revenue) for each of the three big Canadian grocers: Empire/ Sobeys, Metro, and Loblaws. We then calculated their respective “best” and “aver age” performances for the past five years. Next, we compared each company’s two most recent quarters of 2022 against their best and average years’ performances and quantified the excess (deficit).

Empire/Sobeys’ performance in 2022 was over-performing relative to their best years in Q2 by $7 million, while their Q3 numbers had them underperforming by $44 million. For the most recent two quarters of 2022, Metro Inc. had a net deficit of $11 million relative to their best years’ performances. Nothing overly scandalous.

Loblaws, though, is an exception. Loblaws’ gross profit thus far in 2022 outper forms its best performances of the past five years by $180 million, or about one mil lion dollars a day to date.

Does this mean Loblaws is greedy? Not quite. Loblaws’ reported revenues com bine food, health, beauty, apparel, and other general merchandise into one category. Grocers are incredibly diversified and sell cosmetics, drugs, and clothing.

But this doesn’t mean changes are unnecessary. Perhaps, companies like Loblaws should be required to report their food operations separately from their non-food operations. Unlike selling t-shirts or perfume, selling food, a necessity of life, is in herently ethical, and the stakes are very different.

Grocers are easily blamed, simply because we know them. The more obscure part of our food supply chain has been spared by “greedflation” accusations for months, even if several multinationals like Unilever, Kraft-Heinz and Kellogg’s have recently posted significant profits.

The constant food inflation politicization has led to more irrationality and confu sion within the population. Farming also contributes to higher prices at retail, but few are willing to point to farmgate economics as a contributing factor. The Bureau should look at the entire food system, from both ends.

More financial data to clarify food sales and a more authoritative watchdog in the Bureau, industry and grocers may be the only way to get consumers’ trust back.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is senior director of the agri-food analytics lab and a pro fessor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University. Samantha Taylor is a professor in Accounting at the Rowe School of Business at Dalhousie University.

© Troy Media

The best thing about open borders

So the land border at the Prescott-Ogdens burg bridge a little more than a half hour down the 416 is not completely wide open.

But it’s more open than it was. The Ar riveCan app is gone. As the border agent on the Canadian side of the bridge told me last week, “That app was useless.”

Visitors from Canada are re quired to be vaccinated if entering the United States, but there is no American version of the ArriveCan app.

from the other side

BARRHAVEN

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

News and Editorial: manotickmessenger@gmail.com

Advertising and Marketing: garyhcoulombe@gmail.com Website: www.manotickmessenger.ca

Staff/Contributors: Ryan Birtch, Gary Coulombe, Larry Ellis, Skyler Fraser, Goldie Ghamari, Jeffrey Morris, Greg Newton, Charlie Senack, Irene Staron.

DEADLINE FOR ALL ADVERTISING IS THURSDAY PRIOR AT 12PM

All layouts and composition of advertisements produced by employees of Manotick Messenger Inc. are protected by copyright invested in the publishers of the Barrhaven Independent.

The Barrhaven Inde pendent is published every other FRIDAY in Manotick, Ontario. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and libellous statements. Display rates are avail able on request. The Barrhaven Independent is not responsible for the loss of unsolic ited manuscripts, pho tos or other material used for publication purposes.

A recent trip to pick up some early Christ mas shopping at the Ogdensburg UPS store from a “Does not ship to Canada” website prompted my first trip to the Burg in what seems like forever. When my package ar rived, it was time to pry open my passport and dust off the cob webs.

I got to the UPS Store and chatted with Mike, the owner, whom I had not seen since Christmas of 2019. From there, it was off to Walmart across the road. I had the radio in my car tuned to WSLB 1400, Ogdensburg’s ESPN sports radio affiliate. The high school playoff game between the OFA Blue Devils and Canton Bears was about to start. Wal mart had the items I was looking for, includ ing Whoppers Malted Milk Balls and Gen esee Cream Ale. But none of my old Amish friends and their horses were in the parking lot, which meant no friendly chats and no selfies. They must have been at the game.

I was about to drive home, but then I heard an ad on the radio. It changed my trip plans. It was trip-changing. No, wait, it was life-changing.

The man’s soothing voice talked about the McRib Farewell Tour. Yes, the McRib was back for a limited time. I stopped. I salivated. On cue, my stomach growled.

‘I have to get one,’ I thought. ‘It might be my last one ever. What am I thinking? I’m hungry. I’m getting two.’

I got to McDonald’s, ordered on the big giant employee-replacing tablet, and waited anxiously like a kid at the front of the line at the mall when Santa decides to take a pee break just before it’s his turn.

But a McRib. This was better than Christ mas. This is the sandwich that I grew to love through my teenage years and beyond. It was perfect. As I would say when I was at Carle ton, it was sandwich adroitness bordering on superfluity. I spent a lot of money to go to school there just to learn words like that. If only I knew then that I would only use ex pensive words when the McRib was back.

The McRib was developed by McDon ald’s executive chef Rene Arend in 1981. He is from Luxembourg. Arend also invented the Chicken McNugget. He may be the most influencial creator in quick service restaurant history.

Chicken McNuggets became so popular that other QSR chains quickly rolled out their own versions. As a result, there was a chicken shortage in the food supply chain. The McRib was an alternative. Arend said the sandwich would have been cheaper and easier to produce if it was a round patty on a hamburger bun. But he is an executive chef. He wanted the McRib patty to look like a rack of ribs on a bun. It even had ridges. I wonder if anyone ever thought they would think there were bones in the sand wich and that they would chip their teeth? I guess when people say, ‘there is no such thing as a stupid question,’ we just blew up that theory.

The McRib patty is made from restruc tured ground pork shoulder. Meat restructur ing was a process developed by the US Army to deliver low-cost meet to its troops in the field. The process was not patented, and McDonald’s used the work of meat scientist Roger Mandigo, who had been funded by the National Pork Producers Council. Using Mandigo’s techniques, McDonald’s de veloped the McRib patty using small flakes of pork shoulder meat.

The McRib has come and gone, and come and gone again. Rarely does it appear in Can ada. But Ogdensburg is not too far away.

After my McRib sandwiches, I went back home, stopping at the border to pay the duty for my UPS pick up and my Genesee Cream Ale, which was $14 for a 30-pack. There was a big mirror inside the customs build ing. I noticed I had McRib sauce smeared all over my face. I looked at my hands. They were covered in McRib sauce. It was under my finger nails. It was on my wrists. It was everywhere.

‘I’m basically wearing McRib cologne,’ I thought to myself. ‘Why don’t they have that?’

That one was absolutely not a stupid ques tion.

I think I even got some McRib barbecue sauce on my passport. We will find out next time I use it if the pages are stuck together.

When I got home, I knew what I was in for.

“Look at yourself!” the Diva said, in dis belief yet not in disbelief. “Of course you would come home covered with McRib sauce. I will do a laundry, and I want you to go have a shower because you’re not going to bed smelling like a McRib.”

So much for the cologne idea.

Now, I sit here every day, thinking of a reason to get back to Ogdensburg before the McRib is gone forever.

At least until its next Farewell Forever Tour!

Ford government must stand strong against union demands

Ontario taxpayers need to know some important numbers as CUPE squares off with the government over wages.

· Their province is facing a fiscal reckoning.

· Their province is $469 billion in debt.

· Their province is the most-indebted sub-national government in the world.

· Their province is spending over $1 billion per month on debt interest payments, which are set to soar in the years ahead.

That’s the situation the province now finds itself in. Enter CUPE.

The province’s union bosses have decided to hold the province hostage.

The Ford government offered CUPE workers a raise. The union bosses rejected the province’s offer and continue to mislead Ontarians to get their way.

First, CUPE insists that the Ford government has cut

the education budget. That claim is patently false.

When Ford was first elected in 2018, Ontario was spending $29 billion on education. This year, the province intends to spend $32 billion.

An extra $3 billion in spending is a far cry from a cut.

Second, union bosses want Ontarians to believe that the average CUPE worker makes $39,000 a year. That rhetoric doesn’t tell the whole story.

Most of their workers work part-time and schools are closed over three months a year, so it makes sense to look at hourly wages, not annual wages.

It turns out that the lowest wage a CUPE worker can get is $20.82 per hour. That’s what a part-time cleaner is paid.

Educational assistants make significantly more. EAs working at the Ottawa

Catholic School Board, for example, make between $26.71 and $28.82 per hour.

That’s in line with the average provincial private sector wage, as well as many firefighters and nurses.

Yet CUPE demanded a 35 per cent wage increase over the next three years.

In the private sector, thousands of workers lost their jobs, faced pay cuts or lost hours at work during the pandemic. CUPE workers, on the other hand, were paid the entire time.

Even though those in the private sector have faced significant hardships over the past few years, no one in the real world can reasonably expect to walk into their boss’s office, demand a 35 per cent wage hike and get it.

Yet that’s exactly what CUPE’s doing.

The Ford government countered CUPE’s demands for a 35 per cent wage hike by offering to raise the wages

of workers earning less than $43,000 a year by 2.5 per cent annually and those earning more than $43,000 by 1.5 per cent annually.

But CUPE said no, and refused to offer a counterproposal that was even within the realm of reasonable.

If CUPE continues to refuse to accept a reasonable offer and threatens to walk off the job again, Ford should take a new approach.

When teachers went on

Save with FREE home energy upgrades

strike in B.C., former B.C. premier Christy Clark provided parents $40 a day while kids were out of school. With schools closed due to a strike, it was right to give taxpayers their money back. And that vital help ensured parents weren’t entirely at the mercy of union bosses.

Sure enough, the union came back to the negotiating table.

The deal Ford gives to

CUPE this time around will influence agreements negotiated with other union groups in the future.

Ford should tread lightly and make sure that any deal he agrees to is affordable and doesn’t take a wrecking ball to the state of Ontario’s finances.

Jay Goldberg is the Ontario & Interim Atlantic Director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

© Troy Media

The Enbridge Gas Home Winterproofing Program

provides free energyefficient upgrades, including wall, basement and attic insulation, draft proofing and a smart thermostat, to help income-qualified customers save on home heating and cooling.

Brampton homeowner Rosemary explains how she qualified for free attic insulation and draft proofing from Enbridge Gas.

Q: How did you hear about the program?

A: I watch CTV News every day and Pat Foran mentioned an Enbridge Gas Winterproofing Program. And I thought, well, that sounds like a good idea.

Q: Why did you decide to participate?

A: My house was built back in 1972, so it’s nearly fifty years old. I wanted to reduce my heating costs and I knew that the roof could use more insulation after so many years.

Q: After the free upgrades were installed, what difference did you notice?

A: I noticed that my bills are much better. I noticed a big difference in the comfort.

Q: How important is saving energy to you?

A: It’s very important because I’m a pensioner and so I budget very carefully.

Q: What would you tell others about the program?

A: I would really recommend the Enbridge Winterproofing Program. I think it’s really great. You’ve got nothing to lose. It’s free.

Q: Did you have any concerns about the program?

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

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.

Join more than 22,000 Ontario households that have participated to reduce energy use.

Whether you rent or own, you may qualify based on household income or if you receive assistance from government programs.

What happens next if you qualify?

• An authorized program delivery agent will contact you with a few short questions.

• They’ll visit your home to check whether it’s properly insulated, or if air is escaping through windows and doors.

• If your home is eligible for free upgrades, professional contractors will install them at your convenience.

• A delivery agent will make a follow-up visit to make sure everything’s working properly and to answer any questions.

Education workers and professional protesters picket in front of the office of Nepean MP Lisa MacLeod.

Wilson Lo, David Hill sworn in as Barrhaven’s new city councillors

By Charlie SenaCk

It’s the beginning of a new era in city Ottawa politics with a new mayor and 11 new city councillors representing the city.

On Nov. 15, council chambers at city hall was packed with hundreds of people who came to witness the new reign get officially sworn in. It was more for ceremonial purposes than anything with then councillor-elects signing their oaths days after the Oct. 24 election.

This year the ceremony was toned down, held at council chambers instead of a big ballroom in the Shaw Centre. Ceremonial robes were not worn, and councillors swore the oath instead of individually.

Barrhaven East councillor Wilson Lo was the first

to be bagpiped in during the procession of new and returning faces to city hall. He now represents the newly created ward 24 which used to be part of Gloucester South-Nepean and Barrhaven West.

What was going through my mind is ‘please don’t trip, please don’t trip. As soon as I sat down I had to lower the seat,” Lo joked. “But it was nice to see the landscape of what I’ll be seeing for the next four years.”

This was the biggest shakeup city hall has seen since amalgamation. Only three councillors from 2014 remain and all councillors from before amalgamation have retired.

Nearby, Laine Johnson takes over for Rick Chiarelli in College ward; Sean Devine takes over for Kieth

Egli in Knoxdale-Merivale; David Hill takes over for Jan Harder in Barrhaven West; Steve Desroches takes over for Carol Anne Meehan in Riverside SouthFindlay Creek; and David Brown takes over for Scott Moffatt in Rideau-Jock (formally Rideau-Goulbourn).

Further out in the city, Clarke Kelly takes over for Eli El-Chantiry in West Carleton-March; Jessica Bradley takes over for Diane Deans in GloucesterSouthgate; Marty Carr takes over for Jean Cloutier in Alta Vista; Stéphanie Plante takes over for Mathieu Fleury in Rideau-Vanier; and Ariel Troster takes over for Catherine McKenney in Sommerset. Another 13 incumbent councillors returned for another term.

With so many new faces coming to the council table,

Lo said he’s excited to start working on important city files.

“All 25 of us were elected on the premise of being a more unified council so we have to prove that we are serious about it and that we are serious about all the concerns that got us elected in the first place,” he said.

New Mayor Mark Sutcliffe appeared emotional as the chain of office was placed around his neck.

The local businessman and journalist said the divisiveness of the last term of council needs to be left behind as we build a better and stronger version of Ottawa.

“Unfortunately, we have witnessed a disturbing trend in politics. More than ever people who view the future as a choice between one team and another; between

competing ideologies; between black and white,” Sutcliffe said in his first speech as mayor. “I don’t want to win the battle, I don’t want there to be a battle at all. I want to work with everyone — not just the people who agree with me. I want all of Ottawa to win.”

The new council will debate many projects and developments impacting Barrhaven — now one of the fastest growing suburbs in the country.

The Barnsdale/Highway 416 interchange, public transit, LRT Phase 3, community safety, and the Greenbank Road realignment are all expected to be front and center concerns.

The new local representatives are striving to play a crucial role over the

next four years and want to ensure Barrhaven voices are echoed throughout council chambers and in committee rooms.

Newly elected Barrhaven West councillor David Hill, who has a background in military, is hoping to get a seat on the Police Services Board to help combat the record-breaking crime his ward saw last year. Wilson Lo, an employee of OC Transpo for nine years, is expected to widely-speculated to receive a spot on transit commission. Because of his two terms serving as a councillor in the past, Steve Desroches may receive a more prominent committee position, possibly serving as chair. During his last term, he served as deputy mayor.

Wilson Lo was sworn in as the East Barrhaven Ward 24 councillor.

Char L i E S E n aC k photo S

David hill replaces the retired Jan harder as the Barrhaven Ward councillor.

Mayor Sutcliffe said he’s aware of the challenges this term of council will face but is up for the job. Protecting greenspace, fixing light rail transit, prioritizing climate change, and dealing with “serious financial obstacles” are all part of his plan.

“Let’s not underestimate the task ahead, but let’s not underestimate what we can accomplish together,” Sutcliffe said. “This is the opportunity to set the stage for a better and brighter future for everyone.”

One of the first orders of business will be tabling the budget which currently sits at about $4.1 billion.

Municipalities are unable to run deficits, meaning they need to be cautious around spending. Because of reduced ridership — which is currently around half of pre-pandemic levels — OC Transpo is deal-

ing with a downfall of $85 million.

“There are a lot of financial pressures, but I have been meeting with city officials and we are looking for solutions,” Sutcliffe said. “I remain confident that we are going to be able to stick to our commitments, find savings and make the right investments for the people of Ottawa.”

Councillors and the mayor plan to spend the next month setting up their offices and hiring staff. The date for the term’s first council meeting has not been decided.

Sutcliffe began the swearing-in ceremony by taking a selfie with the new team of councillors. Innes ward councillor Laura Dudas and WestCarleton March councillor Clarke Kelly were not in attendance. Kelly was unable to make it after testing positive for COVID-19.

Looking forward to the Holidays?

While many look forward to the get-togethers and catch up sessions that the Holidays have to offer, for some of us the experience can be quite frustrating and disheartening. With even a slight hear ing loss, conversations can be difficult. What once were cherished interactions have become onerous and exhausting tasks. The good news is that alleviating some of the difficulties is possible. The key is implementing a customized hearing solution. Customization is most important because although the negative impact of untreated or improperly treated hearing loss is universal, the details of your hearing abilities and your hearing needs are unique to you. Consequently, overcoming your hearing loss is best achieved if the solution selected is just as distinctive as you are. To realize this, all products available need to be considered and discussed. Fortunately, at Hearing Freedom, this level of per sonalized detail is held paramount.

Locally owned, grown and operated, this Manotick clinic adopts a unique and refreshing approach to patient care which drastically differs with that of retail settings, larger clinics and manufacturer

owned chains.

In 2001, as a newly graduated Audiologist, Rosanne McNamee, Doctor of Audiology, had many interviews for positions at local dispensaries. At each establishment she was disappointed to find the same thing; the interviews had nothing to do with her knowledge and skills, they instead focused on the number of hearing aid units she was expected to sell and the company’s affiliation to a given Manufacturer.

“That was not my idea of proper hearing health care,” says McNamee. “The product cannot be determined before the patient is seen. The patient must be assessed and the needs determined first, then, everything available must be considered, not just the product lines providing the employer the biggest profit margins.” And so she decided to set up her own business, doing it her way and putting patients first, offering true Hearing Freedom. Now, over 20 years later, she and her team continue to help patients stay young, active and socially connected due to their truly customized care. To further ensure top quality care, all consultations are with a

bilingual Audiologist. There are no Hearing Instrument Practitio ners or Hearing Instrument Specialists on staff. Hearing Freedom patients are rather seen by regulated health professionals, with a Master’s or Doctorate degree in hearing healthcare, qualified to service both children and adults, whether they are private pay or third party supported (WSIB, VAC, etc.).

“Hearing is complex and so are today’s hearing aids,” McNamee explains. “Dealing with the most qualified health care profession al, in the most independent setting, is crucial. Customization is the only way to ensure the right solution is found for each unique individual. ” At Hearing Freedom you will never worry whether or not you have chosen the best place to trust with your hearing needs.

So, if you believe in your right to the best, fullest and most customized service available, make sure you go to Hearing Freedom in Manotick. You won’t regret the short drive!!

Parking is free. Home visits optional. Wheelchair friendly. For more information visit www.hearingfreedom.com.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe was sworn in at the City Hall council chambers last week.

Harder ‘worked tirelessly’ and was a ‘true leader’ as Barrhaven Councillor

By Charlie SenaCk

For the first time in two and a half decades, Jan Harder won’t sit around Ottawa’s council table.

The longtime Barrhaven Ward 3 councillor did not seek re-election in this fall’s municipal election, a promise she first made in 2018 after being sworn in for her seventh term.

Harder, 70, spent her final days as councillor in Florida where she was vacationing with her husband Larry Harding. In a since deleted YouTube video, Harder thanked residents for their support over the years and got emotional as she shared memories of her roughly 25-year political career.

The longtime Barrhaven representative admitted that some people are happy to see her go, whereas others are sad to see her reign come to an end.

Harder was first elected to Nepean city council in 1997. She was an active member of the community, involved in youth softball, a seniors’ band, Girl Guides, and was former president of the Barrhaven Community Association.

Taking 55 per cent of the vote that year, Harder beat her two opponents by campaigning on “fasttracking urban development” in south Nepean. She also vowed to increase the number of sports fields and ice rinks in the community,

while improving commuter roads and transit. Harder also promised to see a VIA Rail train station built in Nepean, a project which was completed in 2002.

When Nepean and Ottawa amalgamated in 2000, she ran against regional councillor Molly McGoldrick-Larsen. Pollsters predicted the race would be close but Harder ended up winning by several thousand votes.

Harder’s support continued to grow over the years, taking 75 per cent of the vote in 2006. During the 2018 election with four candidates running against her, Harder took over 74 per cent of the vote.

During her time in the councillor’s chair, Barrhaven grew from a small rural community to a bustling suburb of over 100,000 residents. Harder was a strong advocate for having the Minto Recreation Centre built, alongside the Treehouse Mike skatepark.

Throughout the past few decades, businesses have made Barrhaven home, chain stores have opened, and large companies are looking to make a mark in the community. Harder used to famously say it was hard to buy socks in Barrhaven.

But during her two and a half decades in city politics, Harder has witnessed multiple tragedies which have impacted the Barrhaven community. In 2005 when Jennifer Teage went mis-

sing, Harder received regular updates from Ottawa Police to update the worried community.

Sylvie Connell-Teague, Jennifer’s step-mother, said Harder was a big supporter through their grief.

“Jan has been a true leader in her community, showing up for families needing support. Ed and I are so grateful for the support and encouragement we have received from her over the years,” Sylive said.

“She once told me she admired my strength but the truth is, it’s people like Jan Harder that help to bring forward that strength in individuals.”

After the VIA Rail bus collision occurred at VIA

Rail station in 2013, Harder pushed for a memorial to be erected at the site. In the past she’s viewed this as one of her proudest accomplishments over the years

Jan Harder speaks to the crowd at Larkin Park after the 2018 tornado.

harder continues from page 10

And when multiple tornadoes touched down in the Ottawa region in Sept. 2018, Harder was among many community members to set up a command center at Larkin Park. Hundreds of people visited to grab a hot meal, charge their devices, and connect with their neighbors.

Darrell Bartraw, president of the Barrhaven-West community association, said many of Harder’s accomplishments over the years have gone unnoticed.

“I can tell you for everything you may know that Jan has done for Barrhaven, she has done so much more than that,” he said. ‘Jan has never been one to jump in front of the camera for a photo op; she just gets done what needs to be done and moves on to the next project. Jan will be sorely missed.”

That was a sentiment

echoed by Kelly Ross, former owner of Ross’ Independent Grocer. She said Harder put Barrhaven on the map.

“I really enjoyed working in the community with Jan over the years and I know my late husband Ken Ross, former BBIA Chair and Chair of the Barrhaven Food Cupboard, certainly respected and admired Jan for what she accomplished and was able to do for Barrhaven,” wrote Kelly in a statement.

“Jan is a mover and shaker, there is no doubt about that and she has a memory like an elephant,” she added. “Jan is really passionate about Barrhaven and wants nothing but the best for the people living here. I am very thankful that we had Jan as a city councillor.”

David Hill has taken over Harder’s seat at the council table. In her e-blast

video, she said Barrhaven West voters chose well out of the four candidates eyeing the position.

Earlier this year, Harder filmed a video with Hill talking about Barrhaven’s growth over the decades. In an interview with the Barrhaven Independent, Hill said Harder was an “institution” of the community.

“She’s worked tirelessly to grow this community. 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,” he said. “She’s passionate about this community and it means a lot to her.”

Harder isn’t sure how she will spend her retirement, but is looking to stay involved in the community. Hill is one of 11 new councillors who were elected this fall.

Make sure they do.

Did you know that 61% of people living with dementia are still living in their community and shopping at local businesses?

Get tips for optimizing your store experience, communicating and welcoming them in your business. Take our Dementia Inclusive Training.

Learn more, access free training. DementiaHelp.ca | 1-888-411-2067

Do people living with dementia feel welcome where you work?

Jan Harder was a councillor who always put the community first.

Meehan enjoyed serving the residents as Gloucester-South Nepean councillor

By Charlie SenaCk

While her time at city hall was short, Carol Anne Meehan said she’s enjoyed serving the residents of Gloucester-South Nepean.

The now former ward 22 representative attended her final council meeting on Nov. 9. It was the first time in over two years council chambers was full again, with almost everyone attending inperson.

Meehan had initially expected to seek a second term in the newly created ward of Barrhaven East, and even put her name on the ballot. But with three months to go until Election Day, the former media personality had a change of heart.

“With my youngest off to university this fall, I am now at a stage in my life that it’s possible to consider tackling different pursuits and checking off items on my bucket list,” Meehan wrote in a July

2022 statement.

“I have enjoyed advocating for and being an independent and vocal voice around the Council table,” she added. “Ottawa is on the cusp of an exciting new chapter. Next term there will be a new Mayor and many new Councillors and I am confident those who are making the tough decision to seek election have the best interests of their communities in mind. I wish them all well.”

It was a rocky four years for Meehan who struggled to fit in with a divided council. She spoke out on controversial projects the city was trying to push through, such as the South Merivale Business Park warehouse and changes to the floodplain in order to make way for a Caivan development.

While this didn’t make Meehan popular with her council colleagues, many in the community admired her unique style to local politics.

This summer, Meehan wrote a column in the Barrhaven Independent expressing “a derailment of epic proportions” which was taking place at city hall over the light rail transit inquiry. The problem-plagued Phase 1 system was in the midst of getting its issues ironed out, and questions over accountability were circulating.

In the column, Meehan blasted Brian Guest, of Boxfish Infrastructure Group, who was in the midst of testifying at the inquiry.

“People always worry that politicians have dark, sinister, secret plans up their sleeves,” she wrote. “It’s the unseen machinations of the bureaucracy inside City Hall we all need to worry about.”

This winter, Meehan, who sat on the Ottawa Police Services Board, became the center of attention during the so-called “freedom” trucker convoy, which held downtown Ottawa under siege.

The board came under fire after hiring a new Chief of Police less than 24 hours after former chief Peter Sloly Resigned. While the board had jurisdiction to make such a move, it wasn’t accepted

by council who felt left in the dark.

Mayor Jim Watson called for Meehan and Diane Deans, then chair of the Ottawa Police Services Board to resign, said sources, but they did

not. That led to Rideau-Goulbourn councillor Scott Moffatt tabling a motion to oust the two councillors from the board with council support.

Carol Anne Meehan poses for a photo with her children curing the 2018 election campaign.

meehan

While Ottawa city council voted to remove Deans from the board, Meehan narrowly won her confidence vote, but resigned shortly after in solidarity.

“I’m astounded by what’s happening to night,” a tearful Meehan said during the late-night emergency meeting. “Yes I’m an emotional per son, but I can say that I am truly disgusted by the cheap political stunt that is being played out here

tonight.”

Meehan also had a dir ect message for Mayor Watson, whom she feuded with regularly during her time in council.

“What’s happening to night is truly disgusting,” Meehan said. “It demon strates the lengths that you as the Mayor of this city will go to protect your leg acy. This is politics at its worst and certainly the fish stinks from the head on down.”

While there were highs

and lows during her time on council, Meehan has tried to keep an eye on the positives.

When a swarm of coy ote attacks took place in Riverside South, Meehan went out into the parks and forests herself to find the animals. She pushed city staff to do more and held public meetings about the issue.

When concern of ris ing crime arose in Findlay Creek and parts of River side South, Meehan held a

community barbecue with police officers to strength en community relations.

Unfortunately, over half of her time on council was plagued by the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought an end to in-person activ ities. Meehan said it took away many fun parts of the job.

In an Ottawa Citizen opinion piece, Meehan of fered her “congratulations and condolences” to Ot tawa’s new term of coun cil, who will face many

challenges over the next four years. They will need to improve public transit which is running at half its normal ridership levels, strengthen ties between the community and Ottawa Po lice, and prioritize where funds need to be spent.

In the column, Meehan urged the new councillors to stand up and ask ques tions, choose priorities carefully, and be an in dependent thinker.

“Don’t be a lap dog for the mayor, the bureau

cracy, or anyone else,” Meehan wrote. “Sure, it can be a delicate balance, but you can do it. Don’t purely be a cheerleader nor an apologist for staff. Do everyone a favour and think for yourself. Don’t allow yourself to be bul lied into a decision.”

Meehan said she plans to spend her retirement bird watching and trav eling. She plans to still be involved in the commun ity and is excited to try something new.

Blackburn sworn in as Barrhaven ODCSB trustee for fourth term

The ongoing saga of the LRT and the inquiry into how the former police chief handled the truck protest may not be the only drama offered in the theatre of local politics this year.

In their first meeting of the new term, the ceremony of new and returning mem bers being sworn in was overshadowed by discussion of a mask mandate and elec tions which saw a new Chair elected.

Barrhaven-KnoxdaleMerivale was happy to be sworn in for her fourth term serving Barrhaven.

“I was so very honoured to be sworn in for a fourth time as OCDSB Trustee for Barrhaven,” Blackburn said. “There are many challenges before us.”

One of the challenges is that Camille Williams-Taylor has resigned as the board’s Director of Education. She has accepted a position as Director of Education with the Durham District School Board.

“The Director of Educa tion has resigned and will be leaving us at the beginning of January,” Blackburn said. “We need to appoint an in terim Director and go about hiring a new one. The Director of Education is a pivotal role in any school District and I am hoping the Board chooses the most qualified person that is deeply committed to the

OCDSB.”

Zone 6, Rideau-Vanier/Ri deau-Rockcliffe Trustee Lyra Evans was elected as Chair of the Board of Trustees, re placing longtime Board Chair Lynn Scott.

“The year ahead promises to be an exciting time for our Board and our community as we work together to shape the future of our District. In the coming months, we will work to recruit a new Director of Education and to develop the OCDSB Strategic Plan for 2023-2027. These efforts will be guided and inspired by our commitment to student learn ing and well-being, equity, and human rights.”

Trustee Justine Bell was elected Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees. She is the trustee for Zone 10, Somerset.

“I am grateful for the op portunity to work with this new Board and appreciate the trust my colleagues have placed in me. I am committed to creat ing a positive and productive environment where we come together to move forward our agenda - with students always at the centre of our decisions, creating a culture of caring, innovation and social respon sibility.” said Bell.

Evans and Bell are both failed NDP candidates in pre vious elections. Their election has caused concern among some whether they and other provincial candidates on the

board will be committed to their term, or whether they will shift focus to the provin cial election. Their critics also wonder if the decisions and agendas they are pushing rep resent the best interest of the board, or if they are made to pad their political resumes.

Both Evans and Bell have knocked heads with Black burn. Evans lobbied suc cessfully to have the police resource officer program can celled. While the SRO pro gram was installed to have a police officer work with stu dents in the school commun ity and build relationships, Evans argued that some Black, racialized and Indigenous stu dents were afraid of the police, and that the program encour aged systemic racism. Bell supported Evans in her efforts.

Blackburn, meanwhile, has been a strong advocate to bring police presence back to schools to build relation ships between students and the Ottawa Police. Removal of the program has resulted in a lost link between schools, principals and the police. The issue became a local hot but ton last year when a student was stabbed at LongfieldsDavidson Heights Secondary School, leaving the school with the only option of calling 9-1-1. The event happened at a time when many residents in Barrhaven were calling for more police presence due to

the rapid rise in crime in the community.

In 2020, Blackburn filed a complaint against Evans and Bell over posts they made on Twitter. Bell had earlier called for Blackburn’s resignation over what she called an act of

anti-Black racism. Despite having knocked heads with the new chair and vice-chair, Blackburn said her top priority is representing her zone and her committee responsibilities and strength ening the school board.

“I was elected the Chair of the Budget Committee and look forward to exercising that duty in a respectful manner,” she said. “Staff morale has never been lower and I will advocate that we address this Immediately.”

Barrhaven

Donna Blackburn was joined by her daughter and cousin for her swearing in ceremony as Ottawa Carleton District School Board Trustee.

Ontario doubling fines for unethical and illegal new home cancellations

Home buyers in Barrhaven have received a layer of protection from the provincial government.

The Ontario government is doubling the maximum fines for unethical builders and vendors of new homes who unfairly cancel a new home project or terminate a purchase agreement.

“Hard-working Ontarians deserve to be treated fairly when making one of the biggest purchases of their lives, a new home,” said Kaleed Rasheed, Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery. “With these stiffer penalties, we are cracking down on bad actors and taking a zero-tolerance approach to unethical and illegal behaviour by builders and vendors of pre-construction projects. Instead of profiting on bad behaviour, they will face hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines that will go back into the pockets of their victims.”

Proposed changes under the New Home Construction Licensing Act (NHCLA), would, if passed, increase existing maximum financial penalties from $25,000 to $50,000 per infraction, with no limit to additional monetary benefit penalties.

Under these new changes, unscrupulous developers could now be on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for each unfairly cancelled contract. Unethical developers who engage in these practices could also face the risk of permanently losing their builder’s licence.

The proposed changes will also enable the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) to use the money received from these penalties to make payments back directly to consumers who have been adversely affected by builders and vendors who break the law. This change would make Ontario the first juris-

diction in Canada to provide such compensation to consumers.

Once proclaimed into force, the HCRA would have the authority to impose financial penalties retroactively to contraventions that occurred on or after April 14, 2022 – the date the More Homes for Everyone Act received Royal Assent.

“Ontarians who have saved and sacrificed to purchase a new home deserve to be treated fairly,” said Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “With today’s announcement, our government is making clear that illegal and predatory behaviour on the part of developers will not be tolerated, full stop.”

The government is also doubling maximum financial penalties for repeat offenders of the NHCLA, with individuals now facing charges of $100,000 and

corporations of $500,000, up from $50,000 and $250,000 respectively. Individuals found guilty may also face a sentence of up to two years in prison.

This builds on the gov-

ernment’s previous efforts to deter unethical builders and vendors, most recently in the More Homes for Everyone Act. The government doubled financial penalties for individuals and

corporations who breach the HCRA’s Code of Ethics by trying to rip off Ontarians to $50,000 for an individual and introduced a new fine for corporations at $100,000.

Raiders drop fifth straight after loss to Carleton Place

By Romano DeFRanco nepeanRaiDeRs com

The Nepean Raiders hosted the Carleton Place Canadians on a Sunday matinee showdown at the Nepean Sportsplex Steve Yzerman Arena Nov. 13. It was the first meeting between the two teams since the convincing 7-3 victory by the Raiders during the CCHL Showcase. The Canadians are 9-5-0-1 on the season and are 3-1-0-1 in their last five. Nepean entered the contest at 3-10-0-2 looking to halt a four-game losing skid.

Jackson Pundyk (4-2, 2.70 GAA, 0.913 SV%) was in goal for Carleton Place while Luca Sandu (2-3, 4.76 GAA, 0.893 SV %) got the start between the pipes in the Raiders’ net.

It was Carleton Place that struck first with Matteo Disipio beating Sandu just under his left pad from the left faceoff dot. The Canadians would make it 2-0 after Derek Hamilton lifted a wrist shot from the slot over top of Sandu’s glove.

Luca Sandu was forced to make a ton of saves including a 2-on-0 against Loic Prudhomme who took a Brandon Walker feed in the low slot.

The Canadians made it 3-0 on a seemingly harmless shot by Aidan Cooper from the neutral zone that eluded Sandu going over his glove and into the top shelf. That was a shot that the Raiders netminder would like to have back.

Derek Hamilton made it 4-0 taking a feed from Matteo Disipio and tapping it past a sliding Sandu. Josh Reid had Nepean’s best scoring chance with just 20 seconds left in the period taking a pass by Jack Matsukubo and taking it into the slot with a dandy move but his backhand was stopped by Pundyk.

The first period came to an end with CPC up 4-0 powered

by 17 shots versus Nepean’s 8.

Nepean thought they had their first of the game when Tyler Melvin took a shot from the red line and it shorthopped Pundyk and went in the net. The goal was waived off after Matsukubo had failed to clear the zone on a delayed offside.

The Raiders continued to have excellent scoring chances including Luca Ricciardi who took a fantastic pass that Owen Hardy threaded through traffic right on the tape. Ricciardi went forehand-backhand but slid the shot wide from the paint. Jackson Barnes and Anthony Rivard were stymied just moments later with point-blank shots that Pundyk scrambled to keep out of the net.

A Roughing penalty to Christian Berini gave the Raiders their first PowerPlay of the game but they were victimized for a short-handed goal after Derek Hamilton scored his third of the game on a breakaway. The goal would chase Luca Sandu and newly signed Jaden Cholette came into the game in relief.

Evan Jamieson made it 6-0 on a shot from the point with traffic in front of the net that made it tough for Cholette to track.

Nicholas Larkin quashed any ideas that Jackson Pundyk had of a shutout after pouncing on his own rebound and beating the Canadians netminder with a shot from in tight that went over the Pun-

dyk’s blocker. The PowerPlay goal was set up by a nifty pass by Jack Matsukubo that found Larkin at the far post. Luca Ricciardi picked up his fourth helper of the year on the goal.

After 40 minutes CPC had a 6-1 lead and despite being outscored 2-1 in the period Nepean was the better team in the period after they peppered Pundyk with 15 shots compared to the four on Sandu and the five on Cholette.

Luca Ricciardi made it 6-2 with a one-timer from the slot that Pundyk had no chance on. The play started with Nolan Mozer fighting to keep the puck in the Canadians zone. He dumped the puck behind the net to Luke Posthumus who dumped the puck in front of the net that Ricciardi made no mistake on.

Thomas Dickey slammed the door on any come-back with a goal to make it 7-2. The goal came after two great saves by Cholette but Dickey’s blasted a rebound over the glove of the Nepean netminder.

Derek Hamilton (3G) was named the game’s first star. Matteo Disipio (3A) was the second star and Nepean multipoint man Luca Ricciardi (1G | 1A) captured third star honours.

Nicholas Larkin was named the Hardest Working Raider for getting the first Nepean goal.

BARRHAVEN

The Raiders host the Rockland Nationals Dun., Nov. 27 at the Steve Yzerman Arena. Puck drop is 2:30 p.m. www.barrhavenindependent.ca