Barrhaven Independent September 29, 2023

Lisa MacLeod serves up some rolls during her Nepean corn boil at Mādahòkì Farm on West Hunt Club Road.

the event featured bison burgers, bannock, hamburgers and cotton candy. Kids were able to pet animals and get their faces painted.

OSTA Funding Gap Was Addressed by Ministry of Education Months Ago

In my five years as the MPP of Carleton, I have never seen the level of frustration that has been shown by parents in the western suburban and rural parts of Ottawa over the lack of school bus services and the cancellation of school bus routes.

The Ministry of Education, the Ottawa-Carleton School Board (OCDSB) and the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB) met with the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) over the summer to address their funding gap. At that time, the Ministry of Education and both school boards pledged $1.8 million each to the transportation shortfall.

I was very surprised to learn that OSTA’s presentation to local politicians earlier this month was the

same one presented to the Ministry in the summer, still citing the same funding gap that had already been addressed as a problem in securing bus drivers and a western operator.

On Tues., Sept. 19, OSTA reported 54 school bus route cancellations. The Ministry of Education will be conducting a thirdparty review of OSTA to see what has gone wrong, and how to avoid school bus disruptions in the future.

In the meantime, if you or anyone you know is looking for part-time work and think that maybe

you would like to drive a school bus, please visit the OSTA website at www.ottawaschoolbus.ca.

Carleton Community BBQ

I want to say thank you to everyone who attended the annual Carleton Community BBQ at the Richmond fairgrounds Sat., Sept. 9. Approximately 500 people showed up to the event to enjoy the food, fun, petting zoo, entertainment and the bouncy castle.

Bobby B provided the music for the day, Dr. Kaboom was a big hit, and Ottawa Redblacks mascot Big Joe had a high five for everyone.

It was also an opportunity for people to sign the petition to start the process to re-open Munster Elementary School. Jennifer

Bugden of Munster spoke about the positive impact that re-opening Munster Elementary School would have for the community.

Carleton riding mom Cheri Nixon also spoke about the difficulties facing local families who have had their school buses cancelled due to a shortage of drivers in the area. Adding to the problem was that the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority did not inform the parents of the school bus cancellations until just a few days before the start of school.

I was also pleased to announce that I had a very encouraging discussion with the Ottawa Catholic School Board. If the OCDSB will not entertain re-opening Munster Elementary School, perhaps another board can buy the

school from them.

And last but certainly not least, I want to thank the staff in my constituency office and the many volunteers who helped make this event possible. Volunteers are the backbone of any community event or organization, and this BBQ was no different. We could not have put on this event without our volunteers, and I am truly grateful of their time and hard work on Saturday. Thank you to all of you!

OCDSB Trustee Behaviour

If you are concerned about the behaviour and performance of the trustees at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, I would like to hear from you.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be compil-

ing feedback from local residents regarding the behaviour of the OCDSB trustees at their meetings. The report will be submitted to Ontario Minster of Education Stephen Lecce and Ontario premier Doug Ford.

Last week I was interviewed on the radio by both Sam Laprade and Bill Carroll, two excellent radio hosts who both happen to be residents in the Carleton riding. I told them there are four school boards in Ottawa, and I have a great relationship with three of them. I have the Minister of Education on speed dial because of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, and the issues I have had to deal with because of them in the past five years.

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This is a board that received funding to build a public high school in Stittsville long before the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s still not done. They received funding to build a public high school in Riverside South in 2020, and they’ve just put shovels in the ground. They refused to prioritize building a second elementary school in Findlay Creek when the recently opened Vimy Ridge Public School has well over 20 portables. This is a school board that shamed local parents who were concerned about bathroom safety for their children. This is a school board who told a mother of a Grade 1 student in our riding who is an Ottawa Police Service officer that she is not welcome to the Grade 1 career day if she comes to the school in uniform and now, they are suggesting divorced parents affected by the OSTA school bus cancellations to change the custody arrangements of their children as a resolution.

I have been monitoring this situation for a long

time, and I have made sure that Minister Lecce is also aware of what is going on. If you have an opinion on the OCDSB and you want to be heard at Queen’s Park, this is your chance.

Please send your comments to: www.goldiempp. ca/contact/

Congratulations to the Richmond Fair

It’s hard to believe that the Richmond Fair is 11 years older than the City of Ottawa, and 23 years older than Canada.

More than any other event in South Carleton, the Richmond Fair brings the community together. There are a lot of people who worked hard to make this fair the best to date.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of more than 175 fall fairs in Ontario. The Government of Ontario understands that groups like the Richmond Agricultural Society and Metcalfe Agricultural Society are the backbone of rural communities

throughout the province. The Government invested $1 million to ensure that fall fairs throughout Ontario would continue on into the post-pandemic era.

Last year, I was thrilled to join the Richmond Agricultural Society for an announcement that they had received a $54,500 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation Resilient Communities Fund. The grant was used to make improvements to the fair office and to create a year-round meeting room for the Richmond Agricultural Society, including the installation of heating and cooling systems.

But what local fall fairs mean to every family is the magic of fun – a level of fun that makes forever memories. We often hear parents talk about the excitement of bringing their kids to the fair, and they reminisce about how they attended the fair when they were kids. Now, of course, the rides are better, the food is better, and the entertainment is better, and there is such a thing as wi-fi

and QR codes, but the Richmond Fair will always be the Richmond Fair.

That could not happen without the incredible support from the Richmond Agricultural Society, the Richmond 4-H Club, the Richmond Lions Club, and the many other volunteers. I want to say, from the bottom of her heart, and on behalf of the Government of Ontario, a big thank you to all of the volunteers and organizers for making the Richmond Fair one of the biggest and best rural fairs in Ontario!

Metcalfe Fair This Weekend

Speaking of the biggest and best rural fairs in Ontario, the Metcalfe Fair takes place from Sept. 28-Oct. 1. This is the last of Ottawa’s great rural fairs for the season.

If you missed the nearby Capital Fair and the Richmond Fair, the Metcalfe Fair provides a great opportunity to get out of the suburbs and into rural Ottawa with your family for a day. The Metcalfe Fair was first held in

BARRHAVEN

1856.

For more information visit metcalfefair.com.

Office Notice:

My office is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm.

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

Goldie

Your voice at Queen’s Park

www.barrhavenindependent.ca

Lisa MacLeod hosts corn boil at Mādahòkì Farm on September 16

By Charlie SenaCk

Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod is making it known that she’s back to business as the Ontario legislature ramps up for another season.

MacLeod, who took a step back from her duties to deal with mental health struggles, held a community corn boil at Mādahòkì Farm located off West Hunt Club Road on Sept. 16. It was attended by Ottawa’s top doctor, Dr. Vera Etches, alongside 400 people.

“When I was minister of tourism, I was so proud to say that Ontario — and in fact Canada — is the world in one province, and the world in one country,” MacLeod said during her roughly seven-minute speech. “Today here we are with the Indigenous peoples of the Algonquin tribe saying thank you to

them for allowing us to be on their land to support our great community and national capital.”

Mādahòkì Farm has “the mission of sharing the land, stories and food from an Indigenous perspective,” according to their website. In Oct. 2021, they signed a 25year lease with the National Capital Commission to farm on the 164-acre property, formally known as the Lone Star Ranch, located in Ottawa’s Greenbelt.

The event featured bison burgers, bannock, hamburger and cotton candy. Kids were able to pet animals and get their faces painted.

MacLeod, who wore a traditional Scottish Dress to celebrate the 250th anniversary of her family immigrating to Canada, said it was an opportunity to thank her com-

munity for 18 years of support over six elections.

“You have been truly remarkable friends, supporters, and constituents, and it’s been really wonderful,” she said. “I know there have been many

ups and downs and I’m not going to repeat them because we have seen them all play out on the news, on tv and in the papers. I want to thank all of you who have asked how I’m feeling and I’m feeling great.”

MacLeod paid tribute to Ottawa’s medical system and thanked the various healthcare providers who have been there to treat her and others over the last few years. She slowly returned to public life last fall and has picked up a full-time schedule this summer. From September to November, she will host a series of “lunch and learn” events.

“I will not let you down when it comes to defending your interests at Queens Park,” she said. “As we go there in the next couple of weeks my voice will be as ever strong as it’s ever been for the people of Nepean and more broadly for the people

of the City of Ottawa.”

MacLeod served in a series of ministerial positions since the Doug Ford-led Progressive Conservative government took office in 2018. She was left out of cabinet as she took time off to address her health challenges, but Ot-

tawa South Liberal MPP John Fraser has called on Ford to have her return. He said while the two have varying opinions on many topics, MacLeod is a fighter for the residents of Ottawa. The city has been without a minister since Merilee Fullerton resigned in March.

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The Mādahòkì Farm is located on what was formerly the Lone Star Ranch off West Hunt Club Road.

Barrhaven caterer Darrell Bartraw had 400 mouths to feed at the Lisa MacLeod Corn Boil. C H a R L i e SenaC k p H oTo S nepean Mpp Lisa MacLeod gave a passionate speech and led off by saying that the day before, it was the 250th anniversary of her family landing in nova Scotia after leaving Scotland and crossing the atlantic.

Carleton MPP says OSTA funding gap was already addressed in summer

As the 2023-24 school year is into its third week, Goldie Ghamari, MPP for Carleton, says it is “unacceptable” that there are still many students in the western rural and suburban areas of the city without school bus service.

In the early summer, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB), the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB), and the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority (OSTA) informed the Ministry of Education about transportation funding for the 2023-24 school year. OSTA had then threatened route closures in Ottawa if additional funding wasn’t provided.

Throughout the summer months, the Ministry of Education worked with the OCDSB and OCSB on supporting the boards with additional funding for the 2023-24 school year.

“Our government committed an additional $1.8 million to OCDSB and OCSB on top of our student transportation investment of $75M for the 2023-24 school year. This also includes a commitment from the two school boards to address remaining transportation pressure needs to ensure that transportation services

are stable for parents, students, and school communities,” said Ghamari.

OSTA’S website which states on July 25th confirms this commitment with the following: “Over the summer, we worked with our partners at OCDSB, OCSB, and the Ministry of Education to address the expected $6M funding shortage for the upcoming school year.”

“School transportation is funded in the same way across the province,”Ghamari explained. “Yet about 75% of current route cancellations occurring in the entire province are still in Ottawa’s two English school boards, with the vast majority affecting children at the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board.”

“This is unacceptable,” said Ghamari. “While students are back in class and getting back to the basics of reading, writing and math, through OSTA’s mismanagement with the school boards, families in Carleton and across Ottawa have experienced unnecessary duress.

“I look forward to the Ministry of Education’s directed third party review of the Ottawa Student Transportation Authority so that there is a better long-term sustainable

solution to ensure this does not happen again,” said Ghamari. “In addition, I would encourage parents to contact their local trustees to let their voices be heard.”

OSTA has been able to provide OC Transpo vouch-

ers for students 12 and over in urban and suburban areas where city bus service is available, but that is not an option for most rural families.

“We expect better financial management from Ottawa’s two school boards and OSTA

so that students can benefit from a stable and enjoyable school year with the full school experience of extracurriculars like clubs, band, sports that build real life and job skills that go beyond the

classroom,” Ghamari added.

“I am encouraging parents and children impacted by this situation to share their experiences with me directly through my contact form: https://goldiempp.ca/contact”

Many students in Barrhaven, Stittsville and rural Carleton have been without school buses so far this year.

INDEPENDENT EDITorIal

Trudeau refuses to cut gas taxes to ease the burden facing Canadians

By Franco Terrazzano

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau refuses to do the one thing that would immediately make life more affordable: cut gas taxes.

The federal government makes you pay a fuel tax, a carbon tax, a second carbon tax and a sales tax every time you fuel up. In total, federal taxes add about 31 cents per litre to the price of gas, or about $20 extra to fuel up a large sedan.

To add insult to injury, the feds and all six provinces east of Manitoba charge their sales taxes on top of the other taxes. This tax-on-tax adds about $2.65, on average, to the cost of fueling up a large sedan.

Trudeau is cranking up his carbon tax until it hits 37 cents per litre of gas in 2030. The feds also recently imposed a second carbon tax through fuel regulations. When those fuel regulations are fully implemented in 2030, it’ll add up to 17 cents per litre to the price of gas. There are no rebates with the second carbon tax, and it’s being layered on top of the original tax.

In just seven years, federal taxes will cost about 74 cents per litre of gas. According to data from the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the two carbon taxes alone will cost the average family more than $2,000 every year.

Gas taxes make life more expensive beyond the pumps. By making it more expensive for farmers to produce food and truckers to deliver food, the carbon tax makes it more expensive for families to buy food.

The big rig truck driver who delivers groceries to the store pays more than $260 in federal taxes every fuel up. The carbon tax on propane and natural gas will cost Canadian farmers $1 billion through 2030, according to the PBO.

Across the pond, the United Kingdom announced billions of dollars in fuel tax relief. Sweden provided hundreds of millions of dollars in fuel tax relief. Australia cut its gas tax in half. South Korea cut its gas tax by about 30 percent. The Netherlands cut its gas tax by 17 cents per litre, while Germany cut its tax by 30 cents.

Norway reduced fuel taxes to “help make everyday life a little easier for households and businesses.” India cut fuel taxes “to keep inflation low, thus helping the poor and middle classes.” Ireland, Israel, Italy, New Zealand and Portugal also cut fuel taxes.

About three-quarters of countries don’t have a national carbon tax, according to the World Bank. Canadians now pay two. If Trudeau even remotely cared about making life more affordable, he would follow in the footsteps of provinces and countries of all political stripes and reduce his gas taxes.

Franco Terrazzano is the Federal Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

© Troy Media

BARRHAVEN

Metroland’s departure will strengthen community

The demise of the Metroland newspaper chain in no way reflects the health of the community newspaper business in Ontario.

For the past few years, the community newspaper industry has seen growth in Ontario. There is a thirst for hyperlocal content with relevant news that relates directly to the community in which we live. There is also a thirst for the credibility of journalism that must adhere to standards. When you read news in a newspaper, it is real because of the rules and parameters that newspaper must operate within. The models that most community newspapers have seen success with is not the same model that Metroland was operating under. It is not even close.

from the other side

There were some very good journalists that worked for Metroland locally, but none of them had a true feel for the community. None of their employees lived in Barrhaven or Manotick. The reporters who did not live in the area didn’t understand how frustrated local commuters trying to get to work using OC Transpo were. They didn’t have a feel for the business community, which at that time faced a problem of most of Barrhaven’s shopping dollars being spent anywhere but Barrhaven by people who worked downtown or in other parts of Ottawa.

Metroland was the community newspaper division of the Toronto Star. Their image in many of the communities they were in were corporate and distribution oriented. The experience we had with Metroland locally, and the experience that many community publishers have told us over the last few years, was that there was not enough focus on the community, and too much focus on building a product for the sole purpose of inserting sales flyers into it. That is not entirely true and is likely exaggerated, but when publishers across the province are sharing the same experience, you have to pay attention.

A few years ago, Metroland went on a shopping splurge and purchased many community newspapers in Ontario. For some reason which we never figured out, they turned around and shut down many of the newspapers they purchased within two years. That is why newspapers like the Kanata Standard, Stittsville News and Barrhaven-Nepean News disappeared. The result was that communities and small towns that relied on their local newspaper, both print and digital, were suddenly gone. Some of these publications were more than 100 years old and were cornerstones in the community, both for readers and for businesses that advertised to reach their readers.

For us as a small and flexible company without the huge overhead, layers of management in expensive suits, and numbers to hit as a publicly traded company, we had all of the competitive advantages we needed. We produced good newspapers with local, relevant stories and features. Also, we were local. When businesses advertise with us, they are supporting local. When they advertised with them, they were supporting the Toronto Star. We live and breath local. We shop local. We eat local. Our kids go to school local. We understand local. The Metroland newspapers in our community did not.

As for the communities that lost their newspapers? We have seen many new newspapers by small and flexible and passionate independent publishers pop up across the province at a record pace over the past few years. Within the next six months, many of these communities will get new newspapers.

Like any local business, we will always be fighting to survive and be successful. We, too, face obstacles. Our business model relies on advertising. With the exception of a handful of businesses, we get almost no support from the Barrhaven business community.

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

The Barrhaven Independent is published every other FRIDAY in Manotick, Ontario. Letters will be edited for length, clarity and libellous statements. Display rates are available on request. The Barrhaven Independent is not responsible for the loss of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other material used for publication purposes.

One thing that we have always been proud of is that the Barrhaven Independent and its sister publication, the Manotick Messenger, are two of the only newspapers in the province who ever took Metroland on in a community newspaper turf war and won. Do you remember corporate publications like the Barrhaven News, Barrhaven EMC and Nepean Barrhaven News? The Ottawa Sun also produced a community newspaper in the decade of the 2000s and could not cut it.

They made it very clear to anyone who would listen, particularly in the business community, that their mandate was to put us out of business in Manotick and Barrhaven.

They didn’t, and those publications shut down long ago.

So what made the Barrhaven Independent and Manotick Messenger unbeatable against the corporate giants?

That can be summed up in two words: quality and community.

Although we don’t go into every home, we still get thousands upon thousands of eyeballs on our print product. We also have months where we have had more than 40,000 visitors to the BarrhavenIndependent.ca website.

Now, instead of the Toronto Star, we are battling Meta. The Barrhaven Independent and Manotick Messenger Facebook pages can no longer carry local news as Meta has blocked us. That’s okay. We don’t need them.

And for advertisers out there, we can reach way more people through newspaper and online ads for the same cost as a Facebook post and boost.

We will always support the local business community. We hope the business community can return the favour and start supporting local with their advertising dollars instead of giving their money to a California-based mega corporation trying to kill the Canadian news industry.

Thank you to everyone for reading our newspaper in print or online, and thank you to our loyal advertisers for keeping us alive. And please support your community and shop local.

Reminiscing about the good old days of radio

Radio is one of our most important means of communication, and it enables people to send spoken words, music,

codes, and other communication signals through the air to any part of the world. By using radio, people can also

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communicate far into space. There are two-way radio communications used by the military, air traffic controllers, truckers, police, firemen, construction workers, sportsmen and security officers. The most familiar use of radio is broadcasting; everyday millions of people throughout the world listen to radio programs in hundreds of languages. The radio is in the home, car, boat, aircraft, park and the beach. Radio broadcasting once had much the same entertainment role the television has today.

Starting at $3,650/mo all inclusive!

by Larry Ellis

station in every country in the world and altogether there are more than 30,000 stations. The world’s first radio station was XWA Montreal in 1919, now CFCF, and claims to be the oldest radio station in the world still broadcasting. In 1927, Canada’s Diamond Ju-

bilee was marked by the first coast to coast radio network broadcast.

The “glory days” of radio are considered to be from the mid 1930s to the early 1950s.. Those were the days we heard Foster Hewitt broadcast the NHL hockey games; the World Series when almost nobody won except the Yankees; the heavyweight boxing matches when Joe Louis won the heavyweight crown every year from 1937 to 1948.

We listened to the wonderful sounds of the “Big Bands”;

with Bert Pearl; Fibber McGee and Molly; George Burns and Gracie Allen. Dramas included Buck Rogers and the 25th Century; The Shadow; The Lone Ranger with Tonto; The Green Hornet and Superman. Soap Operas included The Guiding Light, John’s Other Wife, One Man’s Family, and Ma Perkins. Radio’s famous comedians included Jack Benny, Fred Allen, Eddie Cantor and Bob Hope. Your impression of the people behind the voices on radio was, and may still be, limited only by your

OSTA la vista baby: Councillor kicked out of school bus meeting

West Carleton-March Councillor and Deputy Mayor Clarke Kelly was ejected from a virtual meeting last week after getting into a heated discussion with Ottawa Student Transportation Authority general manager Vicky Kyriaco.

After a heated exchange, Kyriaco announced “Coucnillor Kelly is out of this meeting” and ejected him. Kelly yelled back, “I hope you’re out of a job soon,” seconds before he was out of the virtual meeting.

The meeting, which took place Sept. 14, featured a presentation on the current school bus driver shortage that has led to the cancellation of many routes in the city’s west end.

Kyriaco had mentioned during the presentation that transportation to and from schools was a privilege, and not a right. Kelly interjected and commented that people in the rural area pay taxes just like everyone else, and that for the last 50 years school bus transportation was expected.

Kelly also wanted to know what was different between this year and previous

years. More than 75 per cent of the province’s school bus cancellations are in Ottawa, with most of them being in Barrhaven, Stittsville and the rural western part of the city.

Kyriaco informed Kelly that the presentation was not open to comments and exchanges, but that he could use the chat function. They agreed to have a Q and A session after the meeting.

During the presentation, Kyriaco explained that there was a number of reasons for the bus driver shortage. The vast geography of Ottawa’s rural area was one of the main reasons given. Rideau-Jock Councillor David Brown commented that his ward alone was geographically larger than the entire GTA.

She also explained that the average income and standard of living for seniors in Ottawa – most school bus drivers are retirees looking for a part time job to either keep busy, make extra money or both – is higher than that of seniors in Toronto and other parts of the province.

Kyriaco also said that many bus drivers were unwilling to go into the rural

areas because of the dangers of bad weather as well as the extremely deep ditches. Throughout the area, deep ditches provide a challenge to bus and truck drivers. The problem is not just rural.

In Barrhaven, Borrisokane Drive has ditches that are among the deepest in the city.

OSTA was able to secure contracts with nine of their 10 operators. One of the operators declined the contract. Kyriaco said that the operator was the only one in the western and rural western area.

During the Q and A, Clarke made the comment that OSTA was making no effort to solve the problem in the western rural area, which triggered Kyriaco to snap back at him. That led to a heated exchange and his ejection from the meeting.

Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari commented that it was the only time she had ever seen an elected official kicked out of a meeting by a non-elected manager.

On Tues., Sept. 19, OSTA reported 54 school bus route cancellations after reporting 29 the previous day.

Councillor Clarke Kelly was ejected from the OSTA information meeting.

Our long-awaited Barrhaven Police Station is going ahead

The Ottawa Police Services Board has formally (and finally) approved the construction of the South Facility, the long-awaited Barrhaven police station.

It’s been a long road for a facility identified as needed in the southern part of Ottawa early last decade. After being shelved twice (once to wait for the completion of the Vimy Memorial Bridge, the second time due to the pandemic, costs, and social

East Barrhaven Ward Report

Wilson Lo, Councillor

environment), I’m incredibly happy this project is finally pushing ahead.

The police station will replace existing facilities on Greenbank Road and at Bank/Leitrim, which are

both past their useful lives and have become expensive to upkeep. The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) will also terminate long-term leases at their facilities on Queensview Drive and Concourse Gate and move them into the new station.

The marine unit, traffic unit, special events unit, 9-11 call centre, and records management unit, among others, will also be calling the new police station home.

Along with the facilities redistribution, operational costs will decrease, but service efficiencies should improve with so many areas of the OPS in the same building.

Locally, the police station will include a collision reporting centre and bring hundreds of well-paying, in-demand jobs to the community, which will benefit the local business community.

Barrhaven and Riverside South combined have a population rivalling Kingston, a city with an entire police force. I’m grateful the OPS recognised the need in our community.

Residents have shared concerns with me including street racing, traffic violations, petty crimes, and car thefts that have eroded their sense of safety and security in their own neighbourhoods.

Although the new police station will not increase the number of officers assigned to Barrhaven in the shortterm, it will bring about a greater police presence in the community, especially closer to the facility.

It’s only one part of a wider solution we need to improve community safety in Barrhaven, but it is a major step towards that goal. Concurrently, Chief Stubbs will be reintroducing the district policing model, whereby command is decentralised to allow local commanders to allocate resources to suit local needs. The Barrhaven police station will serve as the new southern district’s headquarters.

The Chief is also advocating to the provincial government to grant OPS recruits more spots at the Ontario Police College to help meet our city’s recruitment targets.

Construction will begin later this year, with an anticipated opening in 2026.

Kaplan-Myrth, Blackburn have heated exchange at special OCDSB meeting

After a heated exchange, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board Trustees came one vote short in finding that Trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth had committed a code of conduct breach.

The vote was made at a special board meeting on Sept. 11. It was called for after Trustee Donna Dickson filed a complaint that KaplanMyrth was “insensitive, insulting and disrespectful” in a text exchange in November, 2022 during Kaplan-Myrth’s campaign to mandate masks for OCDSB schools for the 2022-23 school year.

Kaplan-Myrth was seeking Dickson’s support for her mask mandate. Dickson was originally supportive of the motion, but changed her mind after consulting with her constituents.

Dickson wrote that parents in her zone overwhelmingly indicated they did not want a mask mandate, and as their trustee, she felt she must respect their wishes. KaplanMyrth replied by saying that Dickson was hearing only from angry people, and not the people who support the mask mandate.

“The anti-mask crowd has mobilized to send out letters. Many of those people aren’t even Ottawa families. This disproportionately affects the very people whose families are poor, who cannot miss work or school, who are most likely to end up in hospital. I beg you to reconsider,” Kaplan-Myrth’s text read.

Kaplan wrote to Dickson that three trustees, including Barrhaven Trustee Donna Blackburn, did not care if children got sick. The other trustees were former Board Chair Lynn Scott and Matthew Lee. Dickson called those comments defamatory.

“…This is hard, but it is a way to help children in Ottawa to stay in School,” Kaplan-Myrth’s text read. “Blackburn doesn’t care if Black and Indigenous children get sick. Scott doesn’t care if children who live in poverty get sick. Lee doesn’t care if children with disabilities and immunocompromised family members can’t safely go to school. We

should all care.”

During the OCDSB meeting Nov. 22, the vote on Kaplan-Myrth’s motion did not take place as the meeting was interrupted by protestors opposed to mask mandates in schools. Kaplan-Myrth texted Dickson, who is the board’s only Black trustee, that the organizers of the protest were white supremacists, and that one was a cofounder of a transphobic anti-vax racist organization.

The board reconvened for a special meeting Nov. 24. During the meeting, KaplanMyrth texted Dickson to try to convince her to abstain from the vote.

“You should abstain,” Kaplan-Myrth wrote. “Don’t vote with white supremacists.”

“Leave me alone,” Dickson replied.

“Don’t talk to me about equity then,” Kaplan-Myrth replied.

During the meeting, Barrhaven Trustee Donna Blackburn was blunt in her assessment of Kaplan-Myrth’s texts to Dickson.

“The texts clearly indicate that Trustee Kaplan-Myrth, in my opinion, not only disrespected Trustee Dickson, she also disrespected me, she disrespected Trustee Lee, and she disrespected Trustee Scott,” Blackburn said. Blackburn acknowledged that Kaplan-Myrth issued an apology for her texts to Dickson.

“Apologies are words, from time to time,” she said. “We say we’re sorry. But in my opinion, when those words are not backed up with actions, they are meaningless…

“I will no longer tolerate my reputation my reputation being disparaged by any member of this board.”

Trustee Donna Dickson, whom the texts were sent to, also spoke at the meeting.

“Based on her action and from the report, given by the board’s third party investigation, I believe it is necessary to vote in favour of sanctions against Kaplan-Myrth,” Dickson said. “My code of conduct complaint arises from the action of Trustee

Kaplan-Myrth considering a vote on a motion she put forward November 24th.”

Kaplan-Myrth, who was not to participate in the meeting, interrupted Dickson to claim that her complaint was out of order. Chair Lyra Evans informed her that it was indeed not out of order.

Blackburn, who went through a code of conduct meeting in 2020, raised the point that Kaplan-Myrth was not to participate in the meeting.

“I’ve been sitting here for 13 years now, so I have been through all of them, I’m just asking that Trustee Kaplan Myrth follow the same processes that others before her have had to follow,” she said.

Eventually, Dickson continued to speak, and talked about the apology that was sent to her by Kaplan-Myrth.

“In an attempt to have me withdraw my code of conduct complaint, Trustee Kaplan-Myrth sent myself and other members of the board an apology letter on Feb 19 – an apology letter that came with a notice that legal counsel would be getting involved if the code of conduct complaint was not withdrawn” she said. “I think that speaks for itself as to how sincere Trustee KaplanMyrth is about her apology and taking accountability for her action.”

Dickson asked the board to vote in favour of the sanctions against Kaplan-Myrth.

Trustees Amanda Presley and Justine Bell both supported Kaplan-Myrth with their comments. It was suggested that Kaplan-Myrth may have made the mistake as she was a new trustee.

Blackburn was the last trustee to speak before Kaplan-Myrth started shouting and caused Evans to call for a recess.

“Nobody needs any training to know that saying the following is wrong: Blackburn doesn’t care if Black and Indigenous children get sick. Scott doesn’t care if children in poverty get sick. Lee doesn’t care if children with disabilities and immunocompromised family members can’t go safely to

school. I don’t understand how any reasonable person could argue that you need to have special training to know that those comments were inappropriate,” Blackburn said.

“As my colleague stated, we weren’t even sworn in three weeks when those comments were made about me, an open Lesbian who has been sitting here for 13 years, who has proudly raised a Black daughter. How could somebody say that about me? And Trustee Scott has been sitting here for 25 years.

no sanctions against KaplanMyrth.

“It is our opinion that the Respondent’s text communications contravened Sections 3.17 and 3.18 of the Code of Conduct. However, the Respondent made sincere efforts to apologize and explain her actions after the Complainant’s concerns were fully brought to her attention as of February 17, 2023. As the Respondent’s correspondence of February 19, 2023 sets out, her communications were made in

the conduct in question does not merit sanction by virtue of the express language of Section 4.36 which specifically provides that no sanction shall be imposed where a Board member committed an error of judgment made in good faith.”

Seven trustees voted in favour of sanctions against Kaplan-Myrth while Evans, Bell, Presley and Alysha Aziz abstained from the vote, meaning the code of conduct breach failed by one vote.

After the meeting, Ka-

Ottawa Fire Service meeting response times despite rise in incidents

At their Sept. 21 meeting, the City of Ottawa’s Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee received an overview of Ottawa Fire Services’ activities in 2021 and 2022.

Despite demand increasing significantly, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers, the service met standards for response times in all categories, in both years. In 2021, the service responded to 23,875 incidents, up six per cent from the previous year.

In 2022 that response went up again to 28,633 incidents, an increase of 18 per cent from 2021.

False fire alarms increased significantly and, in 2022, firefighters responded to 10,478 false alarms, up 17 per cent from the previous year. Medical-related incidents increased more than 30 per cent during the same period.

In 2022, Fire Services launched a new recruitment and hiring strategy aimed at increasing the number of qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds. Women made up 17 per cent of successful applicants and new recruits that year.

The service responded to several large-scale incidents in 2022, such as

the Merivale Road explosion, the illegal occupation of the City’s downtown core and the derecho storm. Beyond emergency response, the service continues to focus on fire prevention, code enforcement and education outreach to reduce the number of fires and raise awareness about fire safety.

Committee approves new by-law for outdoor clothing donation boxes

The City of Ottawa’s Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services Committee has approved a new by-law for outdoor clothing donation boxes, including a mandatory permit system and regulations, to come into effect January 31, 2024.

Several charities and not-for-profits have clothing donation boxes in various parking lots throughout Barrhaven.

Clothing donation box owners would need to obtain a city permit and follow regulations around box placement, signage, safety and maintenance. The proposed annual permit fee is $500, plus $150

per box operated by the permit holder.

Boxes would need to display the owner’s name and contact information. Charities and not-forprofits would need to display their valid registration numbers while non-charitable organizations would need to indicate clearly that they are not a registered charity. Box owners would be responsible for ensuring their boxes are regularly emptied and maintained, are safely designed and are placed in safe and secure, well-lit areas.

Donation boxes at city facilities, such as the Walter Baker Centre, will

also be included under the new permit system; however, only registered charities could place boxes at city facilities, and only at specific, preapproved locations.

The by-law would allow the city to prevent and address common concerns about outdoor clothing donations boxes. These include donated items left outside of boxes, waste and debris left at box locations, incorrect or misleading information on boxes, boxes placed on private property without consent, potential safety risks, theft, vandalism and illegal dumping. It would

also help inform future initiatives to divert more

textiles from the city’s landfill, by collecting donation data from permit holders annually.

The May 2022 derecho stretched the Ottawa Fire Service and many other emergency services to the limit.

CLUES ACROSS

1. Outsourcing (abbr.)

4. Post

8. German city on edge of Black Forest

10. “__, but goodie”

11. Spiced stew

12. Passionately

13. Monetary units

15. Group of living organisms

16. Organic compound derived from ammonia

17. High honors

18. 5-yearolds’ classes

21. Swiss river

22. Old woman

23. Cash machine

24. A way to soak

25. Hair product

26. Deride

27. “The Blonde Bombshell”

34. Cause to become insane

35. Bluish greens

36. Supported with money

37. Type of equation

38. Court officials

39. Indian god

40. Rids

41. Leak slowly through

42. Units of ionizing radiation

43. Midway between south and southeast

CLUES DOWN

1. Native of Slovakia

2. Deli meat

3. Fibrous substance in fungi

4. Cutting

5. Vedder and Van Halen

6. Horror comic novelist

7. Rulers of Tunis

9. Shaped like a circle

10. Make a pig of oneself

12. Aphorism

14. Witness

15. Single Lens Reflex

17. Freshwater North American fish

19. Nautical ropes

20. Leg (slang)

23. Pokes holes in

24. Moved quickly on foot

25. Fix-it shops

26. Type of bread

27. Repaired

28. Synthetic diamond (abbr.)

29. Type of drug (abbr.)

30. German city along the Rhine

31. Animal disease

32. Martini necessities

33. Get away from

34. Village in Mali

36. Djibouti franc

See page 7 for solution

Chili-heads filled the EY Centre for the third annual hot sauce expo

Ice cream was available to cool down those taste buds.

was selling some spicy baked goods.

From hot sauce, to salsa to even spicy cookies, there were enough samples tor everyone all day.

celebrates her victory of the pepper eating challenge. Salera recently moved to the valley from Melbourne. this is the second pepper eating competition she has won. Salera was the only one who ate the last two peppers, as everyone else had tapped out.

Angela and Haico of Barrhaven pose for a photo in front of this year’s hot sauce winners. Haico and Angela are the founders of Heating up the Capital as well as owners of Haico Hot Sauce. Skyler Fr A S e r P H oto S

Nakita Gomes of Capital Cookie Company

Michael Corvese is back again with Purple tongue Hot Sauce.

Nathalie Des rosiers was on hand with lady killers hot sauce. each bottle of hot sauce is inspired by a different female serial killer.

Gabriella Salera

Jordan leal from Hastings of the Hub Sauce Co. started the business in January 2023. their Gold Metal Mustard took first place for medium hot sauce as well as king of Sauces which is the best hot sauce at the expo.

Nico Serum with kar y-Ann Deer of the Capaicn Cartel is back again with the heat. they took first place in the hot category with their Umami Drago sauce.

Former Barrhaven resident, His Excellency Whit Fraser, speaking in Manotick

The Manotick and Area Centre for the Arts and Wellness (MACAW) has invited His Excellency Whit Fraser to come to Manotick to discuss his award-winning book True North Rising. This Book Talk is part of a Writer’s Forum that will take place on Tuesday, October 10th at 2 p.m. at Manotick United Church.

Mr. Fraser, a former Barrhaven resident, is an author and a storyteller who has had a front seat to many of the historic events in the last half century in the Canadian Arctic. His passion for the Arctic and its peoples began more than five decades ago when he relocated from Nova Scotia to the Canadian Arctic to work as a journalist with CBC North. From his base in Iqaluit (then called Frobisher Bay) and later Yellowknife, Mr. Fraser travelled to the far corners of the Canadian North, as well as to Alaska and Greenland, to share important stories

for Indigenous peoples and other northerners on TV and radio. His coverage included the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline Inquiry, the negotiations leading to the signing of comprehensive Inuit land claims agreements, and the historic First Ministers’ meetings in the 1980s where Indigenous rights were affirmed in Canada’s constitution. In all, Mr. Fraser spent 25 years with the CBC, including 8 years as a national Parliamentary reporter in Ottawa.

In the years following his extensive journalistic career, Mr. Fraser remained closely connected to the North. He was the founding chair of the Canadian Polar Commission from 1991 to 1997, working with the board of directors on a series of recommendations and measures aimed at enhancing science policy in the polar regions and improving human health and social issues in the North.

According to CBC

Books, “In True North Rising, Whit Fraser delivers a smart, touching and astute living history of five decades that transformed the North, a span he witnessed first as a longtime CBC reporter and then through his friendships and his work with Dene and Inuit activists and leaders. Whit had a front-row seat at the MacKenzie Valley Pipeline inquiry, the constitutional conferences and the landclaims negotiations that successfully reshaped the North; he’s also travelled to every village and town from Labrador to Alaska.”

There is no charge for this event thanks to the funding MACAW receives from the New Horizons for Seniors Funding provided by Employment and Social Development Canada. Those interested in attending should contact Lisa Richards at 613692-4576 or admin@ manotickunitedchurch.com to register.

Former Barrhaven resident Whit Fraser will be speaking at the Manotick United Church Tues., Oct. 10.

Several Barrhaven players suiting up for annual Panda Game

The annual Panda Game between the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees and the Carleton Ravens will have a strong Barrhaven presence on the field.

The Gee-Gees won last year’s game 37-7, and have won the last four Panda Games over their crosstown rivals. Their offence and defence are both led by graduates of the Nepean Eagles football program.

Linebacker Max Charbonneau, who played for the Eagles and went to school at John McCrae Secondary School, leads the OUA in tackles with 28.5 in three games. Charbonneau was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the spring and has returned to uOttawa for his final season of university football eligibility.

Last year, Barrhaven’s James Peter, who played alongside Charbonneau, led the league in tackles.

Peter, who played for the Eagles and St. Mother Teresa High School, was drafted in the second round of the CFL Draft and is currently playing for the Ottawa Redblacks.

Quarterback Ryan Licandro, who sat last season out as he transferred to uOttawa from Queen’s, will be at the helm for the Gee-Gees due to an injury to veteran starter Ben Maracle. The 6’5” Licandro, who played two seasons for Queen’s, has completed 37 of 74 passes for 401 yards in three games. He is still waiting to throw his first touchdown pass as a Gee-Gee, while he has thrown four interceptions.

Licandro went to St. Peter High School and led his team to a win over Ashbury in the 2018 NCSSAA championship game. He played for Team Ontario in 2017 and 2018.

Fullback Ben Williams went to St. Joseph High

School and was in the Football North program, while defensive lineman Anas Faid joined the GeeGees from the Barrhavenbased Nepean Broncos midget team.

For the Ravens, Barrhaven linebacker Schneider Cave, who

played high school football at St. Joseph, is fourth on the Ravens in tackles with 12.5 in three games.

Fullback Aiden ArnottSmith is a veteran with the Ravens and is playing in his third Panda Game. He played in the Nepean Eagles program before

joining the Football North program at St. Joseph.

The Panda Game is at TD Place Stadium Sunday, Oct. 1 at 12 p.m. It will

be broadcast on the radio by TSN 1200 and it will stream live on CBC Gem.

Ryan Licandro has passed for 401 yards this year.

Aiden Arnott-Smith is playing in his third Panda Game. Go R Av en S.c A P h oto

Winnipeg Blue Bombers draft pick Max charbonneau is leading the oUA in tackles. Go R d We B e R P h oto

Schneider cave is fourth on the Ravens in tackles.

Coming

Real Food, Real Opportunities – New M&M Food Market Franchise Coming This Fall to Riverside

As fall rolls in and we adjust back to our routine this is a great time to re-evaluate our work-life balance making now the perfect time to consider owning your own business.

The kids are now settled back in school, and we resume our lives but with a shift in our attitude towards work. The professional landscape has changed with many Canadians ditching their traditional 9-5 jobs in favour of entrepreneurship. Whether they want the flexibility and balance of self-employment or the rewards and growth that come from ownership, many are looking for new opportunities to build their own business.

Come join Canada’s largest frozen food retailer. M&M Food Market is seeking passionate Franchise Partners to expand the national footprint and introduce the brand into new markets and local communities across the country.

As an added incentive and for a limited time only, eligible Franchise Partners will receive up to 50 percent of the cost of construction for their new store, reducing the upfront investment and capital required to get started.

If you’ve been looking for an exciting, communitycentric franchise opportunity, now is the time to consider the benefits of bringing a new M&M Food Market to Riverside.

A Turnkey New Store Franchise Opportunity

M&M Food Market provides the tools, training, and support needed to achieve success with the brand.

All Franchise Partners go through comprehensive classroom and in-store training prior to operating their

own location. Cloud-based daily training programs, operational manuals and guidelines, ongoing development opportunities, and regular calls with local Area Managers ensure Franchise Partners always have a place to turn to for help.

Regional and national advertising campaigns build brand awareness, and the personalized customercentric Rewards loyalty program brings customers to your doors.

Robust technologies and software platforms simplify the operations and management of the business., while limited perishable inventory, a simple and predictable business model, and a history of success make M&M Food Market a turnkey and easyto-operate franchise opportunity.

Proud to Serve Local Communities

M&M Food Market is proud to play an active role in communities, small towns, and local neighbourhoods across Canada.

Franchise Partners get to know their customers. They share in their milestones, learn their preferences, and become trusted sources of product recommendations and meal advice. And they support local community organizations and charities that make a difference in the lives of their friends and family.

In communities across Canada, M&M Food Market franchises have become local hubs that provide greattasting, easy-to-prepare frozen meals made with absolutely no artificial colours, flavours, or sweeteners.

A Modern Store Designed for the Future of Retail

Food brings people together. As Canadians

navigate our ever-changing economic landscape, M&M Food Market offers an attractive alternative to restaurants and other entertainment brands when celebrating special occasions or sitting down to dinner after a busy day at work.

M&M Food Market products offer not only great taste, convenience, and variety, but also an experience that can be shared around the table with friends and families.

A revamped, modern store design brings food out from behind the counter and makes it easier for customers to browse, discover new products, and try new seasonal flavours.

M&M Food Market has also implemented industryleading online shopping capabilities, rolling out a new and improved eCommerce website, in-store or curbside pickup, and delivery across most stores.

Finally, an enhanced one-to-one customer loyalty program allows Franchise Partners to offer personalized recommendations, tailored promotions, and other discounts to customers based on their unique tastes and purchase history.

Bring an M&M Food Market Franchise to Your Community Today

M&M Food Market is ready to build on past success and grow into new, previously untapped markets.

If you’re ready to make a change in your life, now’s the time to consider an M&M Food Market franchise. For more information about the opportunity available at Riverside, please contact Liz Riley Director, Franchising at lizr@mmfoodmarket.com or 905-8142420.