Barrhaven Indpendent January 5, 2024

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FRIDAY • January 5 • 2024

The Year in Review: Gus Este is our 2023 Person of the Year

Barrhaven lost a true icon in 2023.

Clarence “Gus” Este passed away in his 92nd year, leaving behind a local legacy that is both unmatched and inspiring.

Gus Este was a Korean War Veteran who served 34 years with the Canadian Armed Forces. He first joined the Canada Post, Branch 79 of The Royal Canadian Legion (RCL) in Montreal in 1953. Since then, Mr. Este has been a member of various branches, including in Oromocto, Trenton, Nepean--now Westboro and Bells Corners. A charter and founding member of Barrhaven Branch 641, he was active since transferring from his previous location. Este has served as poppy chairman, service officer and branch

chairman. In May 2011, he was elected president and held a longtime seat on the executive. Throughout his notable involvement with the RCL, Este made service to Veterans his top priority.

In 2016, Gus Este was presented with the Order of Ottawa.

In 2013, the park located at 26 Brookstone Street was named the Gus Este Park to recognize the local veteran on the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. “I am very saddened to learn of the passing of my friend and hero Gus Este - a great Canadian, community leader and Korean War veteran,” Councillor Steve Desroches wrote on the X platform formerly known as Twitter. “Gus was a friend to many and admired and respected for his service

to his country and for his steadfast support for veterans. Condolences to Olive and family.”

Fellow councillor Wilson Lo also paid tribute to Este on X. “Remembering a respected community member today, who passed away recently. Gus Este was a Korean war veteran, founding member of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Barrhaven branch, and devoted so much time to #Nepean and Ottawa. Rest well, you’ll be missed.”

Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod knew Este well even before her six election victories to serve the community as the Member of Provincial Parliament.

“A hero left us last night,” MacLeod wrote on X. “Rest easy Gus Este.

Our country and our community thank you for your service from the Korean War, to helping found the Barrhaven Lions Club to founding the Barrhaven Legion.”

In 2020, the Barrhaven Independent celebrated its 30th anniversary by running an award-winning series of features called “30 years, 30 people” to recognize 30 community builders and inspirational people over the past 30 years. The first person featured was Gus Este, who was recognized for being a relentless volunteer, leader and builder with the Barrhaven Lions Club and the Barrhaven Legion. Este was also an employee of the Barrhaven Independent for many years before his retirement.

Este was also instrumen-

Gus Este is this year’s Barrhaven Independent Person of the Year.

tal in having the Barrhaven Cenotaph built at its current

location in front of John McCrae Secondary School.

Page 2 FRIDAY, January 5, 2024

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Ontario Government introduces measures to get schools built faster

By Goldie Ghamari, MPP for Carleton As we close the 2023 calendar for the last time and put one for 2024 on our fridges, it’s natural for us to stop and think for a moment of what we would like to do differently in the new year.

For some people, it might be a New Year’s resolution. We all want to eat healthier, lose weight, be more active, use that Peloton more or get to the gym or Yoga class on a more regular basis.

These resolutions all seem to concern our wellness or our well-being.

But how many of us will take the New Year’s Resolution season to make a difference in the community?

We want to make ourselves better, but why stop there?

What if we took that energy for renewal and applied

it to making our community better?

One group that has been dedicated over the years to making the community better is the Riverside South Community Association.

Throughout the year, the RSCA plans and organizes various events such as the recent Toy Mountain Parade, sleigh rides at the Rideauview Community Centre, the Holiday Lights Tour, as well as other events like the Riverside South Canada Day, the community garage sale, and several other events which make the community a better place to live for all families.

None of these things can

happen without volunteers.

I heard someone comment recently that Riverside South had only two seasons – hockey season and LRT construction season.

Hockey season is a special time for many boys and girls. Families spend countless time on weekends at places like the Fred Barrett Arena. For kids, some of their greatest memories will be created at their local outdoor rink, or “ODR” as the hockey kids say.

These ODRs don’t just happen. They are looked after by dedicated volunteers who make sure there is ice for the kids to skate on and play hockey after school and on weeknights, after homework is done of course.

The RSCA is looking for volunteers to take care of the outdoor ice pads in

the community. Training is provided, and for high school students, it is a great way to get volunteer hours.

If you want to become a volunteer for the rinks, visit riversidesouth.org/ outdoor-rinks. You can also send an email to icerinks@ riversidesouth.org.

The RSCA is the backbone of the community, thanks to their board and many volunteers.

Building Schools Faster

The Ontario government is introducing new measures to build modern schools faster that will cut construction timelines by nearly 50 per cent to meet the unprecedented pace of growth across the province. In Ontario, the average school construction timeline is 4-7 years, which comes from an obsolete capital process that

has not been meaningfully overhauled since 2010-11.

For the first time, Ontario will ensure school boards are building schools in nearly half the amount of time it took before through a faster, transparent, accountable and clearer process that prioritizes shovel-ready projects.

School boards will follow a more streamlined process to identify and dispose of unused property, generate more revenue to reinvest back in schools, create schools in mixed-use buildings like condominiums and use existing buildings in their communities.

The strategy overhauls the development, planning and building of schools so projects can be completed faster for the benefit of families in growing communities. Key reforms include: - Prioritizing shovel-

ready projects and enhanced accountability requirements as school boards provide realistic project costs and timelines.

- Strengthened accountability framework to reduce approval timelines and stronger project oversight with the introduction of project agreements that lay out key milestones and delivery timelines.

- Standardizing designs of new schools to reduce school board planning time and mitigate scheduling delays.

- Greater collaboration between school boards and municipalities to ensure planning and construction of schools is targeted to ongoing and future growth.

- Reducing red tape with streamlined approval and reporting requirements on new school builds.

goldie

continues on page 3

FRIDAY, January 5, 2024 Page 3

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT goldie continues from page 2 - Effectively using space by supporting school boards in working together to operate schools in jointuse facilities between two or more boards within the same building, where appropriate, or as shared-use sites where a school is part of a larger building with multiple users, such as a school within a mixed-use condominium.

- Identifying and disposing of unused surplus school board property at fair market value, first considering local school board pupil accommodation needs and then provincial priorities such as long-term care and affordable housing before being sold by school boards on the open market. School boards will continue to reinvest proceeds of disposition back into their school facilities.

These measures have been incorporated into this year’s (2023-24) Capital

Priorities Program as well as through new regulation that takes effect December 31, 2023. The reforms will address the changing needs of the province and ensure that Ontario is building schools faster and better utilizing taxpayer dollars effectively, bringing more and improved accountability and transparency for parents and families.

Quick Facts

- School boards submit detailed project proposals to the ministry through the Capital Priorities Program (CPP) to address their current or anticipated accommodation needs for funding consideration. This program provides funding for capital projects to address accommodation pressures, facility condition, access to French-language schools and create new child care spaces in schools.

- Ontario is committed to providing about $15 bil-

lion over 10 years to support school construction, repair, and renewal.

- Since 2018, the government has approved or supported the development of nearly 300 school-related projects including child care.

- Since 2022, 38 new school construction or school addition projects have opened across the province.

Ontario Crackdown on Puppy Mills

The Ontario government introduced legislation to help stop unethical dog breeding operations, often known as puppy mills. The Preventing Unethical Puppy Sales Act (PUPS Act) if passed, will amend the Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS Act) to stop harmful dog breeding practices, impose penalties, and make sure that dogs across Ontario receive the care

they deserve.

The changes proposed in the PUPS Act will prohibit the harmful dogbreeding practices most often associated with puppy mills and the reckless sale of dogs, such as: - Breeding a female dog more than three times in a two-year period, or breeding more than two litters from a female dog’s consecutive heat cycles - Breeding a female dog that is less than a year old - Failing to keep a dog with a contagious disease away from other dogs or animals - Failing to ensure a dog’s environment is sanitary and free from accumulation of waste - Separating a puppy from its mother before the age of eight weeks Under the new legislation, the province will introduce minimum penalties of $10,000 for bad actors operating a puppy mill

and $25,000 if these violations result in the death of a dog. Changes will also allow the province to help develop regulations to set conditions that must be met when selling or transferring a dog and establish regulations for recordkeeping.

To keep animals across the province safe, Ontario also intends to consult on regulations relating to medically unnecessary procedures for dogs and cats, such as declawing, tail docking, ear cropping, and debarking, and establish a framework for administrative monetary penalties under the PAWS Act. Cruelty to any animal is not tolerated in Ontario. If an animal is in distress or being abused, call 1-833-9-ANIMAL (264625).

Quick Facts

- The term “puppy mill” is used to describe a dog

breeder that engages in poor breeding practices such as the overbreeding of dogs in substandard conditions.

- Due to the inferior quality of care, puppies sold by puppy mills can have numerous health conditions such as parvovirus and behavioural issues.

- The PAWS Act came into effect January 1, 2020, making Ontario the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement a full provincial animal welfare enforcement system to enhance animal safety.

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

Year in Review: Thieves steal gifts for needy children, families Not even the Grinch would do something like this.

While Christmas is meant to bring joy to the lives of children, one or more thieves in Barrhaven left some needy children with no Christmas at all.

A load of toys, gifts and grocery gift cards were earmarked to be delivered from the Haven in Barrhaven to Blake House in Vanier over the 2022-23 holiday season.

When Adrian Benjamin, the Manager, Community Engagement and Volunteers of Multifaith Housing Initiative arrived at Blake House and opened up the back of his vehicle, he was shocked to find nothing but empty boxes.

“I was stunned,” he said.

“We wrapped the toys and gifts the previous night at the Haven in Barrhaven and loaded them up so that we could get going early the next

When Adrian Benjamin arrived at Blake House after loading up his vehicle with Christmas toys and gift cards, he was shocked to see nothing but empty boxes when he got to his destination.

(Submitted photo/Adrian Benjamin)

morning. Who would steal toys that were wrapped and labelled and ready to give to five year olds? What kind of person would do that? These toys may have been the only presents these children would receive at Christmas.”

The Multifaith Housing Initiative is a coalition of over 70 faith communities including Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindu, Unitarians, Baha’i and other faiths from across the city of Ottawa.

These members are dedicated to achieving MHI’s goal to create more affordable housing in Ottawa while promoting tolerance and respect among residents of all faiths.

Currently, MHI owns a total of 179 units, housing between 300 and 400 people, at five different property sites: Blake House, The Haven, Kent House, Somerset Gardens, and Veterans’ House: the Andy Carswell Building.

Benjamin said that the Christmas items were delivered to the other buildings before Christmas. However, because of the storm and bad weather, the Christmas items

for Blake House were delayed.

The toys that were distributed were from the various Toy Mountain drop-off centres in Barrhaven and throughout the city. Toys were also collected at the Toy Mountain Parade in Riverside South in late November.

Tenants were also to receive Food Basics gift cards.

MacKay United Church of Rockcilffe and Barrhaven United Church also made donations.

Benjamin said he could not put a dollar figure on the value of the items stolen.

Each Gift Was Special

“The toys were all very nicely wrapped at the Haven and sorted out by each child’s gender and age,” Benjamin said. “We wanted every gift to be special.”

Between the time he got home on the night of Thurs., Dec. 29, 2022 and when they left for Blake House the morning of Fri., Dec. 30, his vehicle was broken into.

Benjamin said something seemed strange when he got

into his vehicle.

“I had mints in my car, and someone had eaten the mints and left the wrapper on the seat,” he said. “Neither my wife or I would ever do that.

We wondered if the kids had done it. But it wasn’t until we got to Blake House that we saw that everything was gone.”

Benjamin said his initial reaction was to worry about what to tell the children.

“They were excited and they were expecting me,” he said. “I wanted to leave before they saw me so that

they wouldn’t be confused or upset. When I got back to Barrhaven I let our Executive Director know, and then we had to let them know at Blake House that everything was stolen. Here were 26 families that would have no gift cards and no toys.”

The Ottawa Police were contacted and are investigating the theft. Benjamin is happy about how seriously the police are taking the matter, especially since the police were actively involved in the Toy Mountain project and donated many of the toys.

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Page 4 FRIDAY, January 5, 2024

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Business owners, elected officials mingle at BIA networking event

It was an evening of optimism and positive energy as the Barrhaven BIA hosted its Barrhaven Business Networking Reception at Capital Funeral Home and Cemetery Fri., Feb. 17, 2023.

Several Barrhaven business owners mingled with each other and a plethora of special guests. Councillors David Hill and Wilson Lo, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Nepean MP Chandra Arya, Councillors Sean Devine (Knoxdale-Merivale)

and Laine Johnson (College), Conservative MP Scott Aitchison (Shadow Minister for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion), City of Ottawa Planning Manager Lily Xu, and OCOBIA Executive Director Michelle Groulx.

“The room was buzzing as we looked forward to what will be an amazing year in Barrhaven,” said Barrhaven BIA Executive Director Andrea Steenbakkers.

The Barrhaven BIA works

In the gold medal game, Clarke forced a turnover in overtime and got an assist on Shane Wright’s golden goal.

He finished the tournament with two goals and six assists for eight points in seven games, leading all Canadian defencemen in scoring.

Clarke was back home after the tournament and showed off his gold medal. Clarke has always been a big fan of the World Junior Tournament. He went to games with his parents and cheered on Team Canada.

He knows that kids who were just like him are cheering on Team Canada now.

“In the moment when the building was going crazy, nothing felt real,” Clarke told CTV Ottawa’s Jackie Perez. “It’s starting to feel real getting to show off the medal.

“Just to be a guy people look up to with my signature, it’s kind of crazy a cool moment,” added Clarke.

After nine games with the Kings, Clarke had two assists in nine games. He put up remark-

to create optimum conditions for all Barrhaven businesses to flourish. That means promoting Barrhaven as a prime shopping area, lobbying for ‘smart growth’ in the community and providing local businesses with tools for success.

Local business owners and elected officials mingled at the Barrhaven BIA business networking event at Capital Memorial Gardens Feb. 17.

Barrhaven BIA photo

2023 Year in Review: Brandt Clarke wins gold at World Jrs. able offensive numbers for a defenceman in Barrie last year with 59 points in 55 games.

Last summer, Clarke’s objective was to make the Kings out of camp. He did well and had a good pre-season, and he appeared in eight of the team’s first nine games. The limit for NHL rookies to play without burning a year of their contract is nine games.

As expected, after the tournament, the Kings sent Clarke back to the Colts.

Clarke responded by putting

up borderline historic numbers for a defenceman in junior hockey. In 31 games, he had 23 goals and 38 assists for 61 points. He added another 23 points in 12 playoff games.

He is currently playing for the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. Clarke has 27 points in 27 games.

Brandt Clarke led all Team Canada defencemen in scoring at the 2023 World Junior Championships.

Uncharted Media/ Hockey Canada Images

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FRIDAY, January 5, 2024 Page 5

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Year in Review: MacLeod inspires in her public mental health struggles As mental health issues were in the forefront during Bell Let’s Talk Day, Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod broke some of her media silence and sat down for an interview with TVO personality Steve Palkin.

MacLeod announced in 2022 that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and that she had been struggling with depression since 2014.

With her mental health struggles, the intensity of

the campaign and the scrutiny of various groups who were protesting her and politically attacking her became too much. MacLeod said she suffered a mentalhealth crisis in May, which led her to take time off to look after her personal and mental well-being after winning her seat in the Queen’s Park legislature for the sixth straight time.

In an October 2022 interview, Palkin asked how

MacLeod was. She replied that it depended on the minute, and that she was okay, but fragile. Palkin noted fragile was a word he had never heard used to describe her.

“They’ve seen me take my knocks and get back up again,” she told Palkin.

“They see me give a feisty answer at question period or ask a frightening question.

But I’m a different person than that.”

MacLeod said in the interview that she had been struggling with depression before that time, with the first signs happening during the parliament between 2011-14.

“The only reason I say that now is I recognize I was losing my hair and I was probably in a state of mania,” MacLeod said.

“But I definitely knew between 2014 and 2016 I was dealing with depression.”

MacLeod drew praise and was even called a hero by the head of the Canadian Mental Health Association for taking her battle with mental health issues public.

In last week’s interview with Palkin, MacLeod said she wrote herself a letter to say she would not run in the 2022 election.

She said time kept going by, and she ran again. It was not an easy campaign for her, and she was getting

mental health help during the campaign.

“You’re actually in the middle of an election campaign with your psychiatrist taking layers of you away and trying to depoliticize you as a politician,” she said.

“Maybe let’s not judge people,” she told Palkin.

“It’s okay not to be okay, or mental health is health.

That’s not a slogan for just one day a year.”

Clean up continues after area’s worst ice storm in 25 years Winter left an exclamation point on the snowiest season in 15 years.

A freezing rain warning left Barrhaven and surrounding area in a mess after the April 5 storm destroyed trees and knocked out power in one of the worst ice storms seen since the epic Eastern Ontario ice storm of 1998.

Pockets of Barrhaven were without power overnight, while some neighbourhoods experienced only light flickering as felled trees hitting power lines in the city and throughout the city caused problems with the grid.

School buses were cancelled for two straight days – the first day because of Hydro Ottawa workers worked through the night to help restore power after the April 5 ice the weather and the second storm. due to the damage and debris that were blocking Many local commut- 100 passengers stranded on power outages, along with streets or those that may ers were left stranded as board until firefighters cut a blanket of fog. be a hazard to residents the LRT was once again a a fence and helped them The City of Ottawa’s or property. Once hazards victim of winter weather. get to safety. OC Transpo Forestry Services have and streets were cleared, A total of five trains were provided replacement bus received hundreds of re- staff and contractors ad- stuck on the tracks after service throughout the day. quests regarding fallen dressed broken limbs, non- what OC Transpo tweeted More than 35mm of litrees or limbs across the hazardous removals, and was a power issue. It was quid precipitation was recity on the day of the brush/wood cleanup. These the highest number of corded at the Ottawa Interstorm. They and their part- weather-related service re- trains to ever be stuck on national Airport, breaking ners were prioritizing work quests were their focus for the line at once. One east- the previous April 5 preto address fallen trees and several weeks. bound train had more than cipitation record of 34.4

Longtime Nepean Eagles football coach and local drummer Ron Guilbeault posted photos on Facebook, including a shot featuring icicles on trees at his home, as well a shot of his dog having some fun with iced over branches.

mm set in 1984. Several flights in and out of Ottawa were cancelled, caus-

ing problems for travellers looking to get away for the Easter long weekend.

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Page 6 FRIDAY, January 5, 2024

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Getting my nerd on for spin class

INDEPENDENT Editorial

Three letters said it all. knobs in a 10 pound pillow case. Why Christmas comes under attack Cohen, They were typed by my buddy Russ would you be so cruel to even suggest I in New Jersey, who read on thefrom wear something like that?”

Diva’s Facebook wall that I would be “You’ll see,” she said with a coy smile. the other joining her for spin class.

Finally, the instructor came in – anin Canada again You can pretty much guess what they other guy – and we got started. The music side

The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) recently released a report, funded by taxpayers, addressing anti-racism in the workplace. Surprisingly, the report labels Christmas and Easter holidays as forms of discrimination and religious intolerance.

The report goes on to say that if Canada wants to end such intolerance, the nation must understand “how it persists, in what kinds of structures or practices it shows up and how it affects people’s lives.” It naturally then targets its enemies and exalts the left’s chosen victim groups, all in the name of freedom and equality.

However, hidden beneath these seemingly well-intentioned words is an agenda that promotes division and targets certain groups, all in the name of freedom and equality.

The CHRC’s report is not an isolated incident but part of a broader trend in which Christmas has become a battleground for ideological and political clashes.

In some areas, the term “Winter Break” has replaced “Christmas Break,” reflecting a broader shift in societal attitudes. The greeting “Merry Christmas” has also been challenged, with “Happy Holidays” becoming the preferred choice for some.

These changes are driven by a group commonly referred to as “the left,” which opposes the celebration of the birth of Christ and views Christianity as an adversary.

The left’s opposition to Christmas is rooted in its secular ideology. Leftists see religion, and Christianity in particular, as a threat to their worldview. They view Christianity as a form of oppression and an obstacle to their revolutionary goals. In their eyes, the more followers Christianity has, the less likely they are to achieve their objectives.

It is worth noting that the left has a different stance toward Islam, which they perceive as an ally in their battle against Western civilization, as they choose to confront religious Christians while avoiding confrontation with zealous Muslims.

The CHRC’s report claims that Canada has a long history of religious intolerance, but it fails to acknowledge that the left’s assault on Christmas is part of this intolerance. The report’s call for inclusivity is undermined by its targeting of Christmas, a holiday with deep significance for millions of Canadians.

To Christians, Jesus is their ultimate source of guidance and allegiance. No secular power or ideology can replace the significance of Christ in their lives. Christmas is a celebration of freedom and faith and a time to come together with peace, joy, and reverence.

The controversy surrounding Christmas has deep historical roots, and the recent actions by the CHRC and the broader left reflect an ongoing struggle over the holiday’s meaning and significance. As Canadians celebrate Christmas, they should do so with the understanding that it is a celebration of freedom and faith, not just a secular holiday.

Leighton Grey is a Senior Fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. He is also creator and host of The GreyMatter Podcast. © Troy Media

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were.

LOL Yes, spin class.

Couples spin class, he chortled.

It wasn’t even like I was turning my man card in. Actually, I think I had to turn my man card in when I crossed that emotionally spikey line and got a pair of Birks to wear around the house. The Diva shakes her head every morning when I gingerly amble down the stairs, holding myself up by the railing, with athletic socks and Birks.

“Just lookatcha,” she says, shaking her head while I get my nerd on.

“They’re corrective,” I say, blaming plantar fasciitis for what has happened to me.

We got to Good Life and I walked by all of the machines I was familiar with and stood in line at the back of the room.

I looked through the windows at all of the stationery bikes and at the spin class just finishing. The spinners were drenched in sweat and struggling.

Panic was setting in, though I tried to hide it. I just imagined my big cow heart exploding while sitting on a bike with my legs pumping around. I envisioned combustion, and that, in about an hour, the coroner would be looking at the pile of ashes inside my Adidas shoes, as that would be all that’s left of me.

The doors flew open and the keeners rushed into the room like teenage girls rushing to get the best spot in front of the stage in general admission at a Jonas Brothers concert. I settled into the back corner of the room, where, hopefully, I would not be noticed.

As the room filled, I realized that I might be the only guy in the class. Maybe Russ was right. Maybe I was wrongly venturing into Planet Estrogen. Maybe they were going to put The Notebook up on the big screen, or maybe everyone would start talking about The View or something.

Just as I was reaching the 50th Shade of Uncomfortable, another guy walked in to get his seat on the bike. It didn’t make me feel more comfortable, though. He had this professional biking uniform with a tight shirt with sponsor logos all over it and fancy spandex biking shorts.

“You should get a pair of those shorts,” the Diva said.

“Are you kidding me?”

“You should.”

“Why on earth would I do that? Could you imagine what I would look like if I was sausaged into what that guy was wearing? Talk about 20 pounds of door-

cranked, and we started spinning. Okay, we were riding our bikes at different speeds.

Within about five minutes, I started to realize why the Diva said I should get biking shorts. First of all, I don’t know who the Eunuch was who invented the bicycle seat, but there are clearly some flaws in the design. At the other end of the equation, my butt was aching before we got through two songs. There is good aching and bad aching. Good aching involves working and building muscle. Bad aching, like the kind I was feeling, comes from having all of your way-too-much weight isolated on scrawny little points of bone near your butt. With every pump and with every song, the butt pain got worse and worse. I can only imagine the bruising down there when the painful hour was up.

The next day, After I stood up to eat breakfast and stood in the living room to watch Sports Centre, and after I stood at my desk to type all day, we paid a visit to the sporting goods retailer.

There were two types of biking shorts.

There was the kind that the Lance Armstrong starter kit in spinning class was wearing, and then there were these baggy ones that looked sort of like a bathing suit. Perfect, I thought. I tried them on. I emerged from the change room. The Diva laughed.

“You look like you are wearing Depends under those,” she said. Even the young girl waiting on us – Megan or Brittany or Emily or whatever her name was – was giggling.

I went back into the room, took them off, handed them back to Meganly, and tried on the “real” bike shorts.

I squeezed into them, adjusted all of the different pads, and figured they weren’t too bad. I bought them.

When we went to our next spin class, I looked around, and this time, I was the only guy there. I wore my new shorts and the padding protecting my fragile bottom as I kept up with all the girls in the room, spinning hard while club music thumped off the walls.

At the end of it, the Diva and I toweled off, after burning about 700 calories.

“Wasn’t that great?” she asked.

“It was,” I replied before taking a swig of water.

“Hey babes,” she said. “Do you want to try a hot yoga class together?”

I’m sure Russ will get a good laugh at that one.

FRIDAY, January 5, 2024 Page 7

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Year in Review: Lisa MacLeod hosts corn boil at Mādahòkì Farm Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod made it known that she’s back to business as the Ontario legislature ramped 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.”

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 community 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

Nepean MPP hosted a corn boil at the Mādahòkì Farm is located on what was formerly the Lone Star Ranch off West Hunt Club Road. The day was special for her as it was the 250th anniversary of her family landing in Nova Scotia after leaving Scotland and crossing the Atlantic.

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.

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From September to November, she will host a series of “lunch and learn” events.

Page 8 FRIDAY, January 5, 2024

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Year in Review: Two protests on gender ideology in less than a week at OCDSB schools The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board had to contend with two separate protests and counter protests in less than a week over the board’s policy of integrating 2SLGBTQ+ content into course materials.

On Tuesday, June 12, a protest was organized by Muslim students from Sir Robert Borden High School, which is adjacent to the OCDSB headquarters on Greenbank Road. The protest centered around the board’s policy on issues like gender ideology policies and the use of washrooms, and how they are in conflict with the religious beliefs of many students. The organizing students also cited having biological males being able to enter women’s washrooms while female students had their hijabs off.

They said the protest was also a chance to speak out against discriminatory remarks made

by OCDSB employees about Islam.

Hundreds of Muslim students and families, as well as supporting Catholic, Christian and Jewish families joined together in the protest against the board. Counter protestors in support of 2SLGBTQ+ rights also showed up. Many students and families from Barrhaven were at the protest.

The protest, which was the second large protest against the board in less than a week, was triggered by a memo that went out to all ODCSB staff and students May 31. While it was mostly peaceful, there was tension between protestors and counter protestors.

Video showed up on social media of a student stomping on a Pride flag.

The memo that triggered the protest was sent out May 31 to all staff from Mary Jane Farrish, Superintendent of Instruction, Equity; Shannon Smith, Super Intendent of Instruction, Indigenous Education; and Brent Smith, Acting

The 2023 CFL marked another big year at the CFL Draft for the local football community.

Nepean Eagles grads James Peter and Max Charbonneau, both linebackers for the Ottawa Gee-Gees, were taken in the 2023 CFL Draft in May. James Peter, who is a graduate of St. Mother Teresa High School and who also played high school football for the Titans, was selected in the second round, 12th overall, by the Ottawa Redblacks. Charbonneau, a graduate of John McCrae Secondary School, went to high school at John McCrae Secondary School. He was

selected 71st overall by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

While many players from the Eagles program have gone on to play college football, the local program is continuing to send players into the professional ranks. Defensive end Deionte Knight, grew up playing in the program and went to the University of Western Ontario to play for the Mustangs, was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts last year. Two years earlier, Barrhaven wide receiver Phil Iloki was drafted by the Argonauts out of the Carleton Ravens program. Prior to that, offensive lineman Alex Mattaes (Ottawa), de-

A protest organized by Muslim students at Sir Robert Borden drew a crowd of several hundred people Tues., June 12. Christian, Catholic and Jewish families also showed up to protest the board.

(Twitter photo)

Superintended of Programing and Learning.

The title of the memo was Supporting Inclusivity: Actions for Pride Month and Beyond. The memo provided a list of actions that can be taken during Pride Month and beyond to promote inclusivity and belonging, including the use of students’ preferred names and pronouns it an important part of our duty

as educators to acknowledge and affirm 2SLGBTQ+ identities.”

The following day, there were protests in front of schools which pitted extremist groups from the left and right clashing. The protests were planned before the memo was released.

“The OCDSB has not put in place a mandatory requirement on the use of any par-

ticular pronouns for students,” stated Darcy Knoll, OCDSB Communications Advisor, in an email to the Barrhaven Independent. “However, we ask that staff members respect and use a student’s pronouns and suggest the use of they/ them if unsure.”

While the OCDSB asked people to stay away from schools during the protests, NDP MPP Joel Harden called

for people on social media to come out and peacefully counter protest.

Harden became a sidebar to the spectacle. He posted a picture of his face with a cut, and then tweeted “I’ll take a punch for queer and transgender rights any day.”

A video was later posted of Harden being cut by his own megaphone as it hit his face when he was bumped.

Year in review: Two Barrhaven players selected in 2023 CFL Draft

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James Peter (2) was selected 11th overall in the CFL Draft.

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fensive end Ettore Lattanzio (Ottawa), and offensive lineman Tyler Holmes (To-

ronto) were all CFL draft picks. All three won the Grey Cup.

Max Cjharbonneau (42) was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Year in Review: Barrhaven Canada Day well attended despite weather

It was a successful 41st Canada Day in Barrhaven as thousands descended to Clarke Fields for the annual celebrations.

New this year, the festivities began with a Country Fest on the main stage June 30. Canada Day started with a seniors breakfast followed by cultural performances, a kids zone, and musical performances.

“It was a very successful Canada Day and we were so happy to see so many people come out for a good time,” said Darrell Bartraw, president of Canada Day in Barrhaven.

“Despite the weather we saw large crowds who enjoyed the midway, music acts and fireworks.”

A series of weather alerts were issued throughout the afternoon, and there were concerns it would rain the festiv-

ities out. The park shut down after thunder and lightning was spotted, but reopened about an hour later.

The event was attended by Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, and councillors Wilson Lo and David Hill.

In his speech, Poilievre, who is Carleton’s MP and the former federal representative for Nepean, compared the dark skies to the state of the country.

“This is the greatest country in the world founded by freedom, supported by generations who have passed it down from one to the next. It’s a country where it doesn’t matter if your name is Martin or Mohamed, Chang or Charles, Singh or Smith, or whether you worship Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or not at all,” he said.

“As long as you’re prepared to work hard and serve others you can get ahead. That’s the country we know and love.”

During the afternoon show, an hour was dedicated towards Indigenous culture. Dance performances, singing, and drumming were part of the acts.

“It’s important to recognize that we are on the unceded territory of the First Nations people,” said Bartraw. “We need to embrace their culture and education.”

New this year, a vendor village was set up with over 30 local small businesses selling their products.

While Canada Day has been celebrated in Barrhaven for over four decades, there is concern the event won’t continue for future generations without funding. It costs around $130,000 to run, and is

Conservative Party of Canada Leader and former Nepean-Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre poses for a photo with a group of supporters.

covered partly through grants and private sponsors.

“I am totally embarrassed that so many people in Barrhaven came to this year’s 41st Anniversary of Mattamy

Homes Canada Day in Barrhaven taking in all the free activities and couldn’t even make a $5.00 donation,” said Bartraw, who added only 50 people donated to their Go-

FundMe campaign.

“We will be holding a postmortem soon on the event to decide if we can continue to have this event for years to come,” he added.

Year in review: Antler Ave. residents praise city for quick response after tornado Residents who live off Antler Avenue in Old Barrhaven praised city officials for how quick they were to respond after a tornado hit Barrhaven July 13.

Alison Kinahan, who lives nearby, said she was doing electrical work with her Dad when the tornado alert was first issued. She looked out her kitchen window to see clouds swirling in the sky.

“The rain started heavy, and the winds were howling,” she said. “We heard this loud riad — it was a loud, loud noise.

I got my mom and daughter who were making pies in the kitchen and we went off to the basement.”

When Kinahan went back upstairs, her street was unrecognizable. Roofs were blown off of nearby homes, trees were split into two, and large sections of fencing were down.

“It was wild. You didn’t want to turn around and look at your own house because you saw what was across the street,” she said, noting that besides a few branches and other pieces of debris in the backyard, her house was untouched. “Seeing people come out of their houses was a relief, knowing they were ok.”

Nearby, Barrhaven West

city councillor David Hill said a 13-year-old girl was in her bedroom when a hole formed in the home’s roof and blew off. The young teen is safe after quickly running down the stairs, he noted, leaving with a good story to tell.

Sandy Redford, who has lived on Antler Ave since 1986, said she was coming out of the shower when signs of a storm started to show.

“You didn’t hear the roaring train noise people say they usually hear. I started running downstairs and before I got there it was already over. It was very quick,” she said. “When I came back up my deck box that used to be at the front of my deck was by my house and I looked out front and went ‘oh my lord my tree is down.’

That tree was planted by

Redford’s husband. He passed away about five years ago.

“It was very emotional,” she said. “But we are very lucky compared to some of our neighbours.”

Hydro outages, which impacted around 16,00 customers, were restored in less than five hours. The fallen trees were also chopped up and hauled away by Thursday evening.

“The City of Ottawa came right away and went up and down the street checking all the hydro. They must have arrived about 15 minutes after the storm finished,” said Dawn Marie Bourgeois, who has lived on Antler Ave since 1995. “The trees were cut down very quickly and construction crews were here almost immediately to cover the

damage. We are just so very grateful for their help. In all my years living here we have never gone through anything

like this before.”

After helping their neighbours clean up, the street’s residents ended the night with

a block party in one person’s backyard, sipping wine and sharing stories of where they were when the storm first hit.

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FRIDAY, January 5, 2024 Page 11

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Year in review: Canadian champion Eagles head to Sr. League World Series We may not have world class transit, but we have a world class baseball team.

The East Nepean Eagles earned a trip to Easley, South Carolina for the Senior League World Series. They competed against some of the top teams of 15-16 year olds from around the globe.

“Obviously we are playing every game to win, but I told the boys that winning is not the most important thing here,” said Eagles coach Matt Beelen before the World Series. “The most important thing is for the boys to really enjoy the week and to have the time of their lives. How many people in Barrhaven, or anywhere, get to say that they played in a World Series? They are going to meet people and make friends from around the

world. They will remember this week for the rest of their lives.”

The Eagles earned the trip to the World Series by winning the Canadian championship at Hamilton Yards at the Nepean Sportsplex. After round robin play, the Eagles beat the Quebec provincial champion Diamond Baseball from the Montreal suburb of Boisbriand 3-2 in a game that featured three different weather delays.

“We were District 2 champions, but we were not allowed to play in the provincials,” Beelen said.

“As the host team for the nationals, we got an automatic berth.”

Beelen said there were advantages and disadvantages from going straight from the West Ottawa district level to the Canadian championships.

The East Nepean Eagles were Canadian Senior League champions.

“It would have been a good tune up for us to play

in the provincials,” he said. “But the advantage

was that we could watch the other teams play and get to know them, while

they did not get a chance to see us before the tournament.”

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FRIDAY, January 5, 2024 Page 13

Page 14 FRIDAY, January 5, 2024

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

Year in review: OC Transpo confirms LRT to Barrhaven might never happen

Any plans for light rail transit to hit Barrhaven could be put on the chopping block as OC Transpo finds itself in a tougher than expected financial situation.

While trains wouldn’t be rolling through the community for at least a decade anyway, the transit agency is trying to plan long term for a bleak outlook.

During a technical briefing on Sept. 18, it was confirmed that 25-year projections are down $3.7 billion — more than $100 million per year.

Pre-pandemic ridership now won’t return until at least 2030,

and the expected 112 million expected rides this year won’t even come close. All of this after OC Transpo had to dig into its reserves last year to cover its budget gap, running a $40.8 million deficit.

To help offset all these costs, multiple options are on the table including increasing fares, cutting service, adding a new tax, or axing any further light rail expansion plans.

In an interview with the Barrhaven Independent, OC Transpo general manager Renée Amilcar said it will be a “tough run.”

“Now people know, now

people understand the reality.

Maybe they can better accept the decisions we will need to take in a short term period so that mid term and long term we can have a sustainable transit here in Ottawa,” she said.

If light rail transit were ever to be built to Barrhaven, Kanata and Stitsville, it would need to be funded fully by other levels of government. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has made it clear that no further money will be promised until issues with the Phase 1 Confederation line are sorted out.

During the technical briefing, city staff did not make a

supportive case for a Phase 3 project, saying it would cost an estimated $64 million per year to operate. It would bring only an estimated 2 per cent increase in ridership, increasing funds by $5 million annually.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, who campaigned on seeing Phase 3 built, said he still hasn’t given up all hope.

He said the financials, however, are much worse than he predicted.

“I still believe that we can deliver Phase 3 to the residents of Barrhaven, Stittsville and Kanata. I think it’s an important part of the system and our

population is going to grow significantly over the next 25 years,” Sutcliffe told reporters.

“We’re not ready to push the button on Phase 3 this week anyway. We have a lot of work to do before we get to a point about making a decision about Phase 3, so we have to do that work and we have to have those important conversations with other levels of government.”

Amilcar meanwhile said when she took over as general manager two years ago, she never saw Phase 3 as a guarantee.

“We need to make sure that

we can fix the problem that we have with the Confederation line and we have to make sure that we have success with stage 2, then we will see,” she told the Barrhaven Independent. “Maybe we can see with bus rapid transit. BRT is very good as well. You don’t absolutely need LRT. BRT can do the same level of job.”

Amilcar said the latest financial report is a good “wake up call” over the impacts COVID-19 has had on Ottawa’s transit system and said federal office employees working from home are partly to blame.

While the Ottawa Police Service has been monitoring activity around the synagogues and mosques in the city, including Ottawa Torah Centre and the South Nepean Muslim Centre in Barrhaven, local political leaders have condemned the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel that took place Sat., Oct. 7.

Conservative Party of Canada leader and Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre, who served as Barrhaven’s MP until the Nepean-Carleton riding split in 2018 and remains Riverside South’s MP, was quick to react to the Hamas attacks on Israel.

“I unequivocally condemn the invasion of Israel by Hamas terrorists and the sadistic violence they have subsequently carried out against innocent civilians,” wrote Poilievre on the X platform after learning of the attacks on the morning of Oct. 7. “Israel has the right

to defend itself against these attacks and respond against the attackers. Canadians pledge their solidarity with all the victims.”

Less than a half hour later, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau echoed Poilievre’s sentiments with a statement on the X platform.

“Canada strongly condemns the current terrorist attacks against Israel. These acts of violence are completely unacceptable. We stand with Israel and fully support its right to defend itself. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this.

Civilian life must be protected,” the Prime Minster wrote.

Trudeau and Poilievre attended a community solidarity evening hosted by the Ottawa Jewish Federation Mon., Oct. 9. Also in attendance were Nepean MP Chandra Arya, Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod,

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, and Barrhaven Councillor David Hill.

“I stand proudly with the Jewish community of Ottawa against the terrorist actions of Hamas,” Hill posted on X. Hill thanked Rabbi Menachem Blum, the Ottawa Torah Centre and the Ottawa Jewish Federation “for leading the conversation on security for faith communities and the importance of fighting anti-Semitism.”

MacLeod posted that “the support for Israel and our Jewish Community was incredible tonight in Ottawa.”

Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari has been the most vocal in condemning the attacks both locally and provincially.

Since being elected in 2018, Ghamari has been outspoken about the dangers and horrors of Hamas and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,

the terrorist organization that seized control of Iran in 1979.

Hamas is largely funded by the IRGC. Media reports following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel indicated that the IRGC met with Hamas and helped plan the attacks.

Ghamari was born in Iran and arrived in Canada with her family after her father survived a roadside execution attempt and fled the country.

Thanks to a massive following on social media, Ghamari became a global voice against the IRGC after the September, 2022 murder of Mahsa Amini, who was killed by the IRGC for improperly wearing her hijab. Ghamari has been careful to speak out against the IRGC on her own time and not let it conflict with her duties in the Carleton riding. On Sat., Sept.

16, Ghamari was in the Rich-

mond Fair Parade with her staff, and then rushed to the airport to go to Toronto to speak at an anti-IRGC protest marking the first anniversary of the killing of Mahsa Amini.

“For over a year I’ve said the Iranian peoples’ fight for freedom, democracy, and desire to get rid of the terrorist and illegitimate Islamic Regime is everyone’s fight,” Ghamari posted on X.

Year in Review: Local politicians speak out against terrorist attacks

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Joining Rabbi Menachem Blum of Barrhaven’s Ottawa Torah Centre in a solidarity evening Oct. 9 were Barrhaven West Councillor David Hill, Nepean MP Chandra Arya, Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod and Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.

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BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT

FRIDAY, January 5, 2024 Page 15

Year in Review: Annual Santa Claus Parade returns to Barrhaven Barrhaven’s annual community Santa Claus Parade took place on Strandherd Drive Nov. 19.

Organizer Dawn Lilly said around 40 floats took part this year, including Amazon, Exhalo Spa, the Salvation Army, Boy Scouts and multiple schools and churches.

In 2022, the City of Ottawa estimates 38,000 people braved the cold temperatures to watch the parade. Lilly said more floats are taking part this year than last.

“We are celebrating the fact that we can get together and start off the holiday season in Barrhaven. It’s about six weeks before Christmas so the perfect time to start celebrating,” she said before the parade.

The Barrhaven Food Cupboard was in attendance collecting donations.

They had their truck and volunteers walking the parade route collecting non-perishable food items.

The Barrhaven Food Cupboard has felt the pressure of rising food prices with more families turning to them for services. They went from fielding 260 requests in Aug. 2022, to 450 during the same month this year.

To ensure they could keep their doors open at Walter Santa Claus was the star of the show at the annual Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade.

Baker, the BFC set a goal years. It started with the Barrhaven community, “It’s about bringing the of raising $180,000. As of Lions Club and has only has been part of the pa- community together to last month they were at grown since. Lilly said rade’s organizing team celebrate not just the holiover 75 per cent of their it’s a tradition families for eight years. She works day season, but our comtarget. look forward to every tirelessly throughout the munity as a whole,” Lilly Barrhaven’s Santa year. year to ensure the festive said. “I love to see the Claus Parade has been Lilly, who is a trail- occasion can continue for smiling faces of the kids in existence for over 25 blazing volunteer in the generations to come. when the floats, lights,

and Santa of course, goes by. I love working with all the businesses and organizations.”

The Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade is held every year on the third Sunday in November.

Page 16 FRIDAY, January 5, 2024

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