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FRIDAY • November 10 • 2023
Mayor optimistic light rail will reach Barrhaven — one day at least By Charlie Senack
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he isn’t giving up hope that light rail might one day be rolling through Barrhaven. This despite the head of OC Transpo and many councillors saying it might be time to pivot away from the ambitious plan and instead focus on funding bus rapid transit. In an interview with the Barrhaven Independent, Sutcliffe said he feels the Phase 3 extension is crucial to completing the system. “I still believe in light rail as a long term solution for the residents of Ottawa. I think one day when the problems with Phase 1 are fixed, we will have the reliable and safe service that the residents of Ottawa expect, deserve [and] paid for,” Sutcliffe said. “When we do, I don’t think it should stop at Moodie and at Algonquin College. I think it should go well beyond that and serve the residents of Barrhaven,
Stittsville and Kanata. Those residents have been paying for light rail along with everyone else for 10 years. We have time to talk about the funding model for that.” If LRT to Barrhaven was built today, it would cost an estimated $6.5 billion, which many councillors say isn’t worth it financially. Initial plans were to see trains role onto Barrhaven within the next decade, but timelines now appear to be at least 25 years away for it to make financial sense. The extension to Barrhaven alone would cost $4 billion. Last publicly available estimates were pegged at $3.5 billion. To put it bluntly, OC Transpo is in financial trouble. Twenty-five year revenue projections are down $3.7 billion — more than $100 million per year. OC Transpo had to dig into its reserves last year to cover its budget gap. The deficit for this fiscal year is now $40.8 million. And 112 million bus and train rides were
Plans for light rail into Barrhaven are still in place, though Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says it may take 25 years instead of 10 years due to financial constraints.
expected this year, but the actual numbers won’t come close. Sutcliffe had previously said he wasn’t aware of
just how bad OC Transpo’s books were when he was elected mayor in the fall of 2022. OC Transpo general manager Réne Amilcar has
said tough decisions will need to be made. That could include upping fares, decreasing service, and revitalizing routes.
Sutcliffe said the transit system will need to reflect a pre-pandemic world.
light rail
continues on page 8
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Page 2 FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Staff Sergeant Robin Easey was an inspiration and a hero to all By Goldie Ghamari, MPP for Carleton
The community lost a true hero in October. Former Ottawa Police Service Sergeant Robin Easey, who lived in Richmond in the Carleton riding, passed away at the age of 70. Sgt. Easey and his partner, Superintendent Ralph Erfle, were constables with the Nepean Police in 1984 when they responded to an armed robbery at Bayshore Shopping Centre. Both men were shot and survived, but Robin Easey was left blind and with serious mobility issues. He became a champion for rehabilitation and support for survivors of severe trauma. In 1988, Robin’s Blue Circle, a support group for police officers, was created and named in Easey’s honour. Robin’s Blue Circle remains active today. Ottawa Police Association
President Matthew Cox paid tribute to Sgt. Easey after his passing in an email he sent to CTV News. “From the Ottawa policing family, the name Robin Easey will never be forgotten,” Cox wrote. “Sgt. Easey was left in a wheelchair but was always proud to don his police uniform and attend police events and the Canadian Police Memorial on Parliament Hill where he would represent the Ottawa Police to honour the fallen,” Cox said. “Robin’s Blue Circle is probably one of the longest standing police peer support networks in North America. Robin is the inspiration and champion behind this group. To be part of
Staff Sergeant Robin Easey was honoured in 2018 as both he and Superintendent Ralph Erfle had streets named after them in Barrhaven. (X photo/Ottawa Police Service)
this group you must have been involved in a police shooting or been shot in the execution of your duties.” The Ottawa Hospital also honoured Sgt. Easey by nam-
ing the Robin Easey Centre in his honour. The Robin Easey Centre provides communitybased life skills instruction, cognitive rehabilitation (strategy-based) and education
services for adults who have sustained an acquired brain injury. The goal of the REC is to provide clients and their families with the information, skills and experience needed
to facilitate community reintegration and independent living.
goldie
continues on page 3
FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 Page 3
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT goldie continues from page 2 Ontario Helping Victims of Tragedies Access Postsecondary Education
first introduced in 2022 and the Ontario Remembrance Scholarship was announced in 2020.
The Ontario government is providing $2.5 million for two scholarship programs prioritizing students impacted by international tragedies. The Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship and the Ontario Remembrance Scholarship will provide over 200 students with $10,000 for their postsecondary education in Ontario. The Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities made the announcement, saying that Ontario is putting students first by renewing two scholarships that will help learners – many of whom have faced great personal hardship – access postsecondary education here in Ontario. This financial assistance will ensure students have the supports they need to complete their studies while honouring victims of recent tragedies and ongoing global conflicts. The province is investing $1.9 million towards the Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship for postsecondary students who have relocated to Canada on an emergency basis. Funding will support four $10,000 scholarships at every publicly assisted college and university in Ontario, for a total of 188 scholarships. The Ontario Remembrance Scholarship, in memory of the 57 Canadians who were lost in the fatal plane crash of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight PS752 in January 2020 — including many from Ontario’s postsecondary community — will support 57 eligible students. The Ontario-Ukraine Solidarity Scholarship was
Quick Facts
- Beginning this fall, the scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit and financial need to students enrolled in eligible publicly assisted colleges or universities in the 2023-24 academic year. - Students should contact their postsecondary institution’s financial aid office for more information on how to apply.
Ontario Strengthening Protections for Consumers
The Ontario government has introduced legislation that, if passed, would strengthen protections for Ontarians from unfair business practices such as price gouging, and make it easier for businesses to comply with consumer protection rules. Consumer protection laws have not been comprehensively reviewed and updated since the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, came into force in 2005. Since then, Ontario’s marketplace has transformed significantly with an increase in online shopping and the use of apps. The Better for Consumers, Better for Businesses Act, 2023, builds on existing protections to strengthen consumer rights by: - Prohibiting unfair business practices such as taking advantage of a consumer’s inability to understand language in a contract. - Limiting when businesses can make one-sided contract amendments, renewals, and extensions without
express consumer consent. - Prohibiting businesses from creating unnecessary barriers when consumers are trying to cancel a subscription or membership-based contract. - Providing fairer exit options to consumers and their families who find themselves locked indefinitely into a timeshare contract as well as homeowners tied to long-term leases for home comfort appliances like HVAC systems. - Providing stronger enforcement powers to better enable the ministry to hold bad actors accountable including doubling maximum fines to further deter offences and egregious business behaviour. The new Consumer Protection Act, 2023, would
make it easier for businesses to comply with consumer protection rules in our increasingly digital-first marketplace. This includes a single set of core rules written in clear, simple language that would apply to most consumer contracts, whether for online or in-person purchases. To prevent the harms that could be caused by identity theft, the proposed legislation would also make changes to the Consumer Reporting Act that would give Ontarians greater access to their credit information and greater ability to limit how their credit information is shared with third parties. The government is also seeking public input on ways to address and reduce the
harmful and inappropriate use of Notices of Security Interest (NOSIs) against unsuspecting consumers. A NOSI is a notice that can be registered on the land registry system by a business when it finances or leases certain equipment on a property such as an HVAC unit. In some cases, homeowners are not aware a NOSI has been registered on their title and businesses have charged them exorbitant fees to discharge the NOSI.
Quick Facts
- The proposed Better for Consumers, Better for Businesses Act, 2023, introduces a new Consumer Protection Act that would amend the Consumer Protection Act,
2002 which governs most personal and household consumer transactions. - The new Act reflects extensive consultation with the public and stakeholders over a three-year period and will make the marketplace easier to navigate for businesses and consumers alike. 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
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Page 4 FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
MacLeod raises awareness of sex trafficking in Lunch and Learn session Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod calls it “Ontario’s Dirty Little Secret.” MacLeod, speaking at the Barrhaven Hampton Inn Fri., Oct. 20 as part of her Lunch and Learn Series, addressed the issue of sex trafficking “It’s happening in every community across Ontario,” MacLeod said. “It’s happening in every hotel across the province of Ontario. One of the hot spots for North America is up and down the 401. Human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing crimes worldwide. Ontario is a hub for human trafficking, with the most police-reported incidents of human trafficking in the country, accounting for approximately 55 per cent of all police-reported incidents of human trafficking nationally. According to the Government of Ontario, the average age of recruitment into sex trafficking is approximately 13 years old. Over 70 per cent of human trafficking victims identified by police
are under the age of 25. “This is happening to girls in our community as young as 11 years old,” MacLeod said. “They are from families like mine and yours. Girls as young as 11 are trapped into this lifestyle because she’s been groomed. They have put her into a situation where she has decided that the man or boy or other women – she trusts them. They are the voices of support.” MacLeod became aware of Ontario’s sex trafficking problem after meeting Cynthia Bland, who spoke at the breakfast. Bland was first groomed by a neighbour who became friends with her parents at the age of five. The neighbour became sexually aggressive with her at six. Her family moved away when she was seven, but she was already an outsider filled with self doubt. She had abandonment issues when her father moved to New Zealand when she was 11. The next year, she was assaulted by five boys in the
woods near Carlington Park. Two of the boys raped her. Bland overcame a lifetime of abuse and was a victim of trafficking and turned her life around. She is a mother of four with a successful career. Bland, a sales and marketing consultant, is the founder and President of Voice Found. a non-profit organization committed to preventing child sexual abuse and supporting the healing of adult survivors. She started Voice Found because she understands firsthand the devastating effects of child sexual abuse. MacLeod was honoured to have Bland join her, and told the crowd how important the issue was to her. “Rowan’s Law was near and dear to my heart because it was a piece of legislation I developed right here in Barrhaven with (the family of) one of our constituents who passed away as the result of multiple concussions,” MacLeod said. “This would be right up there with that – I wouldn’t call it number two.
I would call it number 1.5. “Sex trafficking is important to me, not because I have intimate experience with it. I had the opportunity and I think the best privilege of my life to serve in cabinet and one of the most privileged positions I ever had was the minister responsible for of women’s issues.” In 2021, the Ontario government introduced the Combatting Human Trafficking Act, new legislation and amendments to existing legislation to build upon the province’s $307 million AntiHuman Trafficking Strategy. The changes included two new acts - the Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy Act, 2021 and the Accommodation Sector Registration of Guests Act, 2021 - as well as amendments to the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 and the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, 2017. MacLeod stressed that the victims of sex trafficking are not from marginalized families. They are from normal,
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Nepean MPP Lisa MacLeod hosted a Lunch and Learn Series session at the Barrhaven Hampton Inn on the topic of sex trafficking. X photo/@MacLeodLisa
middle class families where no one would suspect something was wrong. She said it happens in every hotel in the province. “This is happening in Ottawa,” MacLeod said. “It’s
happening in Nepean and it’s happening right here in Barrhaven. It’s time that we took a stand and say no.” To learn more about human sex trafficking, visit www.voicefound.ca.
FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 Page 5
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
First Poppy for 2023 presented to Governor General Mary Simon The Royal Canadian Legion presented the First Poppy of the 2023 National Poppy Campaign today, to Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada. The Legion’s Dominion President, Bruce Julian, pinned the Poppy on the former Barrhaven resident during the ceremonial event at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. “Each year, we are honoured by our Governor General’s gracious support in wearing the First Poppy,” he shares. “Her acceptance reflects this
symbol’s importance in Canada, as a means of visually recognizing and thanking our fallen Veterans.” As viceregal patron of The Royal Canadian Legion, the Governor General shared some remarks, pinned poppies on Veterans and guests, and exchanged a few words with them. Legion Grand President Vice Admiral (Ret’d) Larry Murray also greeted guests and spoke of the importance of the Legion’s First Poppy presentation during his remarks. “Indeed, Remem-
brance, as symbolized by the Poppy, remains our eternal recognition of the service and sacrifice of all the women and men who protect our freedoms,” he said. As part of the First Poppy presentation event, Rideau Hall displayed an image of the Legion’s “Poppy Stories” which highlights new stories about Veterans from peacekeeping missions this year. It is the second year for this initiative, which allows people to use a smart phone to scan their lapel Poppy to read the personal story of a Can-
adian Veteran. The Poppy is Canada’s symbol of Remembrance for fallen military and RCMP Veterans. It reflects the country’s ongoing thankfulness for their sacrifices and its image is a central part of the National Poppy Campaign. Funds donated locally during the campaign are distributed locally, to help support Veterans and their families, communities, and to promote Remembrance. The Legion’s National Poppy Campaign launches annually on the last Friday in October and began on October 27 this year.
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Royal Canadian Legion Dominion President Bruce Julian pins this year’s first poppy on former Barrhaven resident and Governor General of Canada, Mary Simon. (Royal Canadian Legion Photo)
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Page 6 FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
INDEPENDENT Editorial
Remembrance Day has become a battlefield for identity politics We Canadians are always learning to respond to our own failings, the misguided policies and injustices perpetrated by previous generations and governments, and the many institutions that remain unchanged today. Sometimes, clearing the fog of bias, hate and injustice has been a slow process. Nonetheless, the lens is being cleaned, and everyone today has access to that flawed vision of our past. This makes Canada different, a stronger and more just nation – not perfect but a work in progress. Unfortunately, accommodation has become altogether too common. We now have separate Remembrance Day celebrations for Indigenous soldiers who fought in the Canadian army, another for Sikh soldiers and a third for the rest. How about another for black soldiers, another for Chinese soldiers and another for women? How about Italian Canadians who fought against their own relatives and one for Jewish soldiers? The raising and lowering of the Canadian flag to half-mast has become so confusing and meaningless that most people no longer understand or care about it. At the War Memorial, every other nation’s flags are proportionately also lowered and raised with increasing frequency. By creating symbolic accommodations to disparate interests, the very symbolism of those practices and traditions is being irreparably eroded. Symbols are important, and everyone deserves to honour the traditions and symbols that mark their identities, accomplishments and aspirations. However, building up others’ traditions while tearing mine down is not fair, just or tolerable. Either we’re all Canadians, or we’re all free to tear off our own piece of the flag and replace it with a version of our own identity. There should be one Remembrance Day for all. We must honour those who fought and sacrificed for the futures they gave us: they were brothers and sisters regardless of creed, religion or colour. And whether our ancestors were alive then or not, whether we were in Canada then or not, we must remember the benefits we derive from our predecessors’ experiences. Everyone who enjoys the protections and freedoms afforded by this nation is obliged to remedy the past and contribute to a grander tomorrow. That won’t happen as long as we keep separating ourselves into more and more silos and self-interest groups. Remembrance Day can become better. It can be more inclusive of the prayers, the veterans and the words that commemorate the day. But we must do it together, as one. Remembrance Day should mean that we all stand strong and march together – to show our unequalled ability to be united despite everything and to demonstrate what’s still possible for Canada. Anil Anand is a research associate with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy. © Troy Media
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A Texas-sized Halloween from Hay-yell Did you spend the last couple of weeks carrying a Harry Potter book. thinking about Halloween costumes? “Y’all read Harry Potter?” she asked. We stress over what the kids shouldfrom go “Yeah,” he said excitedly. out as when they go to parties or to the go trickother “Well y’all are goin’ straight to Hayor treating. Sometimes they stress over it yell!” even more. She made devils horns with We can’t help thinking her fingers on her head and let about some of our own cosout this hissy noise that soundtumes as kids. Mine were preed like a live possum sizzling dictable at best. I would throw in a microwave. on my hockey equipment and And she never came over be a hockey player. One year, again. the only hockey sweater I had My neighbour on the other was a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater. Even side, Randy, was a little less Reverend Lovethough I was not a Leafs fan – at all – I re- joy and a lot more King of the Hill. He was luctantly put it on and tried to make the best the man who coined the phrase, “I was fixin’ of it, just as Roch Carriere put his Leafs to cut all y’all’s grass but my lawn mower sweater on when he was the only kid in done got broked up.” Ste-Justine not wearing a Maurice Richard I told him what had happened. sweater in his famed book. “Don’t y’all worry about him,” Randy “Oh look, it’s Dave Keon,” they would said. “The day’ll come when we’ll fix his say as they answered the door. wagon.” “Nope,” I would reply. “I’m Murray OliWe eventually did, but that’s another ver.” story for another day. There were other costumes, too. I was When we went out on our trick or treating Russ Jackson one year. I was Batman a journey, we started at the pastor’s house. couple of times, and once I insisted on being We rang the doorbell, and there was no Robin. And then there were the years where answer. The lights were off. They were I didn’t have a costume and my mom cut a probably hiding under their beds and quivcouple of eye holes in a bed sheet, threw it ering, imagining the witches of Salem or over my head, and sent me out as a ghost. I even the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse couldn’t see a thing, walking around in the descending upon their door. Instead, it was a dark night in our little rural hamlet, but it’s terrifying night of kids dressed up as Marvel ok, I didn’t get hit by a car. Almost, but not characters and Troy Aikman, a few princessquite. es, and my son, Harry Potter. Kids costumes always remind me of my We rang the doorbell again. years living in Texas, when my oldest son, “Hey Dad,” Jack said. “There’s someJack, would prepare for Halloween. He is thing here.” the only kid I know who was the same thing It was a basket with a sign that said for Halloween seven years in a row. He was “Please take one.” The basket was filled Harry Potter. Over and over and over again with envelopes. He picked one up, put it times seven. in his sack, and away we went to the next I loved Harry Potter, and he loved Harry home. He was hoping for a McDonald’s Potter. He was so Gryffindor but I had that coupon. Slytherin streak. But his costume drew a When we got home, we emptied Jack’s line in the sand with the self-righteous pas- stash on the kitchen table. I explained to him tor from the Second Baptist Church who that since we were living in what many conlived next door. sider to be the Bible Belt, there was thing “So what’s the deal, Lovejoy?” I asked called tithing. That meant that 10 per cent him one day. “Is Second Baptist Church, of all the Halloween candy, preferably anylike, better than Third Baptist Church but thing made by Reese, you get goes directly not as good as First Baptist Church?” to your father. He didn’t like me. He sent over a handful of assorted items. Not even a little. He gave me Rockets, which are called I even asked him why one day. Smarties in the U.S., a few Kraft caramels, “Is it because we’re Canadian? Are you a, and some Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. wait, not a racist… Are you a Canadianist?” Then, my savvy five-year-old from When we moved to Texas, the boys were Gryffindor handed me the envelope. young and we had only been there for a “Here, you can have this, too,” he said day or two when the little girl next door, to me. Lovejoy’s daughter, rang the door bell. She I opened it up. It was a printed card that wanted to meet Jack. She was a sassy little condemned us all for taking part in this Paself-confident thing who divided her time gan ritual. between church and the pageant circuit. Jack offered the type of wisdom that only Baptist church and pageants in Texas were a child could deliver. as similar as they were opposite. One day, “I wouldn’t have minded the card if it she rang the doorbell and Jack answered was tied to a Snickers bar.” it, wearing his Harry Potter t-shirt, Harry We laughed. Potter hat, Harry Potter socks, and he was Ten points for Gryffindor.
side
FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 Page 7
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters to the Editor welcome at manotickmessenger@gmail.com
We knew CUPE was greedy, we didn’t know they supported terrorism and genocide The Editor, We have long known that CUPE is completely out of touch with reality and driven by greed. But for Fred Hahn to come out and like a post on X (formerly Twitter) from a McMaster University staff member praising the Hamas attacks on Israel and the slaughtering of 1,400 Jews, and then to post “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” is noth-
ing less than disgusting. What Hahn posted is a well-known chant that calls for Israel to be eliminated from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. It more or less reinforces what we, the real people in the world, already think about CUPE. They are a tone deaf cult filled with professional picketers whose mandate is to strike whenever possible and hold both its members and the
public hostage in the process. But what none of us realized before this tragedy was that CUPE now has a mandate of sticking its nose in social policy. For those of you who are teachers, or more specifically, for those of you who belong to the ETFO who just voted in favour of striking, I hope you are paying close attention to the type of people that are once again leading you to their pro-
letariat purple Kool-Aid. Yes, teachers, Doug Ford is pure evil. And before that, Kathleen Wynne was pure evil. And before that Dalton McGuinty was pure evil. We can go all the way back to Mike Harris, who is still blamed for destroying the education system in Ontario. Parents have no time or patience for teachers’ union greed right now. We need to have our kids in schools. We have had enough with COVID. We have
had enough of cancelled bus routes. Many of us got laid off and took pay cuts and survived on CERB payments. Teachers did not lose their jobs or take pay cuts. So teachers, it’s bad enough that every couple of years CUPE convinces you to hold a sword over the lives of families and threaten strike action or work-to-rule action. It was already bad enough – and that was before we found out that
the union calling the shots on your behalf only supported genocide and the mass slaughtering of Jews. It’s too bad teachers don’t have the cajones to stand up to Fred and his real time version of Animal Farm and accept arbitration. Imagine what you would be teaching your students by doing something out of integrity rather than out of greed and submission. Cindy Ferguson
The Editor, Amid the ongoing inhumanity Hamas terrorists are perpetrating against Israeli civilians, people of goodwill worldwide are standing with Israel and the Jewish people. Soon, though, we are likely to see what we have seen again and again in re-
cent years. The author Dara Horn has written that “people love dead Jews.” The world is far less sympathetic to selfdetermined Jewish people who can defend themselves against the sorts of sadism and violence we are seeing in recent hours and days. Already, there have been
grotesque public demonstrations right here in Canada in support of Palestinian terror, rape and mass murder, celebrating them as “resistance.” If you are a Canadian who sees what is happening and wants to stand with Israel and the Jewish people but have not yet found an
avenue, please join us. We are a movement of diverse Canadians – left and right; queer, straight, cis and trans; religious, atheist and agnostic; of all backgrounds and identities – who are coming together to say ENOUGH to Jew-hatred, violence and the celebration of antisemitic terror disguised as a legit-
imate movement for Palestinian self-determination. We know that Palestinian rights, self-determination and freedom will come only alongside those of Israelis – not in place of them. There is no such thing as “proPalestinian and anti-Israel.” There is no such thing as “pro-Israel and anti-Pales-
tinian.” Peace and coexistence can come only when the world is genuinely proPalestinian and pro-Israel. We must never accept racist violence as “resistance” or rape and murder as “national liberation.” If you agree, join us at UpstandersCanada.com. Pat Johnson
Violence is not resistance, rape and murder are not liberation
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Page 8 FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT light rail continues from page 1 “People are not going downtown to go to work five days a week, they are not taking the buses often. Our passenger traffic is at about 70 per cent or less of pre pandemic levels. Other cities are going through this as well,” he said. “We are going to have big deficits in the years ahead if we don’t address that issue.” More money will need to flow from the upper levels of government, said Sutcliffe. That would also include any potential Phase 3 LRT out to Barrhaven. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has already made it very clear that’s off the table until issues with Phase 1 are sorted. “We don’t have the resources at the municipal level to deliver that service to our residents at the level they want,” Sutcliffe said. “We have a lot of work to do in order to restore the trust and confidence from our passengers. A lot of that work quite frankly needs to be done by the companies we hire to produce the system for us. They need to
come back with solutions to ensure that Phase 1 is the service that we paid for; that the axles work, that the wheels work, and that we don’t have more service disruptions like we did this summer.” Those solutions are slowly being implemented. Train-maker Alstom said they have found the root cause of why Ottawa’s light rail transit system had issues with its bearings in 2021. But there are mixed opinions. Rideau Transit Group (RTG), the private consortium that runs the LRT, and Alstom are not on the same page about what causes the failure. Alstom said the higher-than-expected lateral forces from the rail on the wheel loosen a nut inside the hub assembly, causing the part to fail. A pin will be used to hold the nut in place or a second locking nut to keep it from moving. That should reduce the number of costly and time-consuming inspections needed, says Alstom. That will take time and a prototype isn’t expected to
be ready until 2025, when it will then undergo testing. For those riding the buses, OC Transpo says a route review will soon be implemented. That could include splitting and shortening some routes to ease congestion and help prevent delays. Barrhaven councillors Wilson Lo and David Hill are both in agreement that bus rapid transit is the way to go — at least for now. Both local representatives also agree that local routes have failed to keep up with Barrhaven’s growth. Some communities like Stonebridge and Half Moon Bay have almost no access to public transit. Phase 2 of LRT’s Trillium line, meanwhile, won’t be operational until at least spring 2024. OC Transpo is aiming for sometime between March and June of that year. Once up and running, trains will run from Limebank Road in Riverside South to Bayview Station, where it will connect with Line 1 of the Confederation
Commuters are not the only ones who rely on buses. Many students at Carleton, uOttawa and Algonquin rely on transit from Barrhaven to get to school.
Line. A separate line will run from South Keys to the airport. “We’re not ready to open it for sure, it’s not because of the season,” Amilcar said. “It’s definitely, now we are
trying to commission the vehicles and it’s a tough run. As I said previously, it’s very, very important to make sure that everything is OK before we move forward to the training. We still have a
lot of job to do.” Councillors are optimistic that testing will be done during the winter, a season when Ottawa’s problem-plagued first phase has seen many problems.
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FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 Page 9
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Annual Santa Claus Parade returns to Barrhaven Nov. 19 By Charlie Senack Santa Claus is coming back to Barrhaven. The annual community Santa Claus Parade will take place on Strandherd Drive Nov. 19. The route will begin at Beatrice at 5:30 p.m. and will end at the Strandherd Park and Rise. Organizer Dawn Lilly said around 40 floats are expected to take part this year, including: Amazon, Exhalo Spa, the Salvation Army, Boy Scouts and multiple schools and churches. “We hope all of Barrhaven comes out so it would be great to see 90,000 people out their,” Lilly said. “Dress warm and come get a good spot on Strandherd. There is lots of space to spread out.” Last year, 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. The Barrhaven Food Cupboard will be in attendance collecting donations. Last year they raised about 2,000 pounds of food. “They will have their truck and volunteers walking the parade route collecting non-perishable food items,” Lilly said. “As we know the Barrhaven Food Cupboard has had a hard time this year so anything people can bring out would be great. They will also be walking with their QR code for monetary donations so people can click and donate right away.” 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 Baker, the BFC set a goal of raising $180,000. As of last month they were at over 75 per cent of their target. Barrhaven’s Santa Claus Parade has been in existence for over 25 years. It started with the Lions Club and has only grown since. Lilly said it’s a tradition families look forward to every year. Lilly, who is a trailblazing volunteer in the Barrhaven community, has been part of the parades organizing team for eight years. She works tirelessly throughout the year to ensure the festive occasion can continue for generations to come. “It’s about bringing the community together to celebrate not just the holiday season, but our community
Santa Claus waves to the crowd lining Strandherd Drive during last year’s parade.
Charlie Senack photo
as a whole,” Lilly said. “I love to see the smiling faces of the kids 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. Breakfast with Santa will
be held on Dec. 2 at Barrhaven Fellowship Church, and Barrhaven’s Family Skate Day will be held at the Minto Recreation Complex Dec. 3.
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Page 10 FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Canada’s wartime contributions included the Battle of Hong Kong By Wilson Lo, Barrhaven East Councillor While Canada’s contributions in wartime Europe, Korea, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and to peacekeeping, are far greater and receive more widespread recognition and education, I often focus on our involvement in a place closer to my heart— Hong Kong. In late-1941, Canada sent 1,975 soldiers from the Royal Rifles of Canada (Québec) and the Winnipeg Grenadiers (Manitoba) to reinforce Britain’s Hong Kong garrison. The soldiers had little field experience and lacked vehicles and major weapons. The intention was to fully supply, train, and prepare the soldiers for active defence after they arrived in November 1941, but just three weeks later, on 8 December 1941, the Japanese, who already occupied surrounding Chinese territories, invaded. Allied forces, mostly Canadian, British, Indian, and locals were to hold the mainland portion of Hong Kong for three weeks until reinforcements from Singapore could arrive. Quickly overwhelmed while fighting an experienced invading force four times its
East Barrhaven Ward Report Wilson Lo, Councillor
size, they retreated to Hong Kong Island by 13 December 1941. Two weeks later, Hong Kong fell with Governor Mark Young’s formal surrender on Christmas Day 1941. Thus began three years and eight months of Japanese occupation lasting until Japan’s surrender in August 1945. Anecdotal and confirmed accounts of the occupation, known locally as the “Three Years and Eight Months,” told countless stories of the brutality of Hong Kong under Japanese rule. People lived in constant fear, were subject to rations, abuse, and forced deportations to an unknown fate by the Japanese authorities. My grandmother, who was an infant when it began, has sparingly shared family stories of the occupation. Stories like her father having his legs broken for delivering flyers to a wrong address and having to beg a Japanese soldier to spare the life of her younger sister (an infant near the end of the occupation). We’ll never know all the
stories internalised by those not willing to relive their experiences. During their invasion, the Japanese executed an estimated 10,000 Hongkongers with countless more tortured, raped, or mutilated. The colony’s population fell from 1.6 million in 1941 to 600,000 when the British retook possession of Hong Kong in 1945. Allied soldiers faced similar cruelty during the invasion and following the surrender. There were multiple accounts of massacres, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, wounded soldiers bayoneted, soldiers killed after surrendering, and the storming of a field hospital. While this is certainly a story of the Japanese invasion and occupation of Hong Kong, it is also the story of what Canada and its allies fought against. When we hear “they fought for our freedom,” the sense of what that freedom is sometimes gets lost, but we only need to skim the surface of recent human history to remember that there is no guarantee of peacetime comforts in Canada. Take a moment on Remembrance Day to pause and commemorate the courage and sacrifice of soldiers
past and present. We are here because they fought for us over there. Canada lost 290 soldiers with 493 injured defending Hong Kong during the invasion. Another 267 died from
abuse, disease, hard labour, and neglect in captivity. Two hundred twentyeight Canadian soldiers are interred at Sai Wan War Cemetery, in Hong Kong, a site maintained by the Com-
monwealth War Graves Commission. Japan formally apologised in 2011 for its treatment of Canadian soldiers and POWs. Lest We Forget.
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FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 Page 11
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
There were beautiful fall colours outside, while inside, there were even more beautiful colours as the Artists of Stonebridge held their annual fall art show at the Cedar Hill Golf and Country Club. Among the artists on hand were Amanda Bennett, Atteeka Rashid, Debbie Cunningham, and Karen Scott were among the many local artists showcasing their work. Barrhaven Independent photos
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Page 12 FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
CLUES ACROSS 1. Happen again 8. Large flightless birds 13. A type of account 14. Beyond what is natural 15. Beloved comfort food 19. Rural delivery 20. Belonging to us 21. Typical 22. Pie _ __ mode 23. Returned material authorization (abbr.) 24. Not us 25. Discharge 26. Made empty 30. Fishing net 31. Fast-moving, harmless snake 32. Analyzed into its parts 33. In a way, chilled 34. Hindu queen 35. Circles around the sun 38. Used for emphasis 39. Reactive structures 40. Recommendations 44. Feel intense anger 45. Puke
46. Rural Northern Ireland community 47. Naturally occurring solid material 48. British watch brand 49. Toddler 50. Integrated circuit 51. Being revered 55. “Pets” you can grow 57. Continual 58. Puts together in time 59. Houses temporarily CLUES DOWN 1. Vital public document 2. Disinter 3. Musical performances 4. After B 5. Every body has one (abbr.) 6. Utilize 7. In a way, disproved 8. Fisherman’s tool 9. Of she 10. Trauma center 11. Commercial flyer 12. Administered medicine to calm
16. Popular R&B performer 17. Regretted 18. Leg (slang) 22. “Night Train” author 25. More supernatural 27. Baltimore ballplayer 28. Shoe parts 29. Scores perfectly 30. More lucid 32. Trim by cutting 34. Disreputable people 35. Dramatic behaviors 36. Disorder 37. Private box in a theater 38. More dried-up 40. Raw 41. In operation 42. Pillager 43. Butterflies with brown wings 45. Disallow 48. Own up 51. Hungarian city 52. A way to condemn 53. Tax collector 54. Lease 56. Not out
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 Page 13
Page 14 FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Ghamari delivers powerful speech at Queen’s Park about Hamas, IRGC By Barrhaven Independent Staff As the number of proHamas and anti-Israeli rallies continues to grow in Ontario and Canada, Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari delivered what critics say may be the most powerful and poignant speech of her political career in the Queen’s Park Legislature Wed., Oct. 17. She opened with words from 8th Century Iranian poet Sa’adi. They are from the poem Bani Adam, which means “the children of humanity” in English, calls for the breaking of all barriers in humanity. The poem, she said, decorates the entrance of the United Nations building. Human beings are members of a whole, In creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, Other members uneasy will remain. If you’ve no sympathy for human pain, The name of human you cannot retain. “’Never again’ is a phrase that’s been constantly repeated since the end of the Holocaust,” Ghamari said. “However, on October 7, the world looked on in shock and horror as ‘never again’ unfolded right before their eyes. Over 1,400 and counting innocent Israelis, including men, women and children, as well as numerous foreign nationals, were brutally raped, executed, burned alive, beheaded and taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. Six Canadians have lost their lives so far; two are
still missing. These terrorists shot dogs. They executed Holocaust survivors. They laughed. They tied up adults and children and burned them alive. As more footage comes out and more stories are shared, our collective horror as humanity rises.” Before the terrorist attack, Ghamari was perhaps the most vocal of any Member of Provincial Parliament against the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the terrorist regime that has controlled Iran for 44 years and the primary financial backer of Hamas and the architects of the attack on Israel. Since the killing of Mahsa Amini by the IRGC in September 2022, Ghamari, whose Carleton riding borders Barrhaven and includes Riverside South in our readership area, has spent her free time away from Queen’s Park and the Carleton riding to be a catalyst in Ottawa, in Ontario and throughout Canada in raising awareness of the terrorist regime. In 1986, when Ghamari was a year old, her father survived a roadside execution attempt when a terrorist tried to pull him out of his vehicle. Ghamari’s mother pulled him back in the car and they sped away. Shortly thereafter, the family arrived in Canada as refugees with one suitcase full of clothes and $50 cash. Ghamari called the Oct. 7 attack on Israel “an act of monstrous barbarity.” It was the single-largest targeted massacre of Jews in one single day since the Holocaust. “Now is the time for moral clarity, not moral relativism,” Ghamari said. “Hamas is an evil, genocidal, terrorist or-
Goldie Ghamari delivers her speech in the Ontario Legislature. Legislative Assembly of Ontario channel screenshot
ganization. Hamas is a listed terror group in Canada and has one main goal: the eradication of Jews and the annihilation of the state of Israel— in other words, genocide. That vile goal is enshrined in its charter of terrorism. Hamas builds military bases in hospitals, schools and apartments. Hamas digs up water pipes and uses them to make missiles. Hamas holds innocent Gazans hostage, using them as human shields. They spread misinformation. They kill Palestinians for their own political gain and share it through their terrorist news networks. “Thousands of innocent lives have been lost since Hamas’s brutal and monstrous attack, both in Gaza and Israel. My heart breaks for every single innocent life lost: Palestinian, Israeli, Canadian and all others. But
let me be very clear: Be they Palestinian, Israeli, Canadian or foreign nationals, Hamas is responsible, absolutely responsible for every single innocent life lost in this war, full stop. Hamas terrorists must release and return all hostages and lay down their arms. I support Israel’s inalienable right to defend itself, I support Israel’s right to exist, and I support Israel.” Ghamari said she was disgusted by the response of some people in Canada, who rejoiced after the slaughter of innocent people. “As reports of the gruesome and horrific massacre came out, the response here in Canada was just as vile,” she said. “Canadians looked on in shock and disgust as people took to the streets, dancing, celebrating and passing out sweets in response to Hamas’s terrorist attack. On
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Monday, hundreds attended pro-Hamas rallies in Canada, including Toronto, calling for the eradication of Israel and celebrating Hamas’s terrorist massacre of civilians as an act of resistance. “Footage from hate rallies in Canada and around the world show people chanting ‘gas the Jews,’ tense moments with police and saying ‘Khaybar’ to pro-Israel supporters, which is a reference to the seventh century slaughter of 100 Jews by Muslims. Terrorist flags of ISIS, Hamas, Taliban and more have been seen in rallies right here in Ontario. This is not something I ever thought I would see in 2023 here in Canada, and it is horrifying.” Ghamari calls the antiSemitic behaviour glorifying Hamas’s terrorist massacre ‘nothing short of radical extremism’ propagated by the
largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, the Islamic regime in Iran. “For those who are unaware, Hamas is trained, funded and armed by the terrorist Islamic regime in Iran,” Ghamari said. “This is the same radical extremism that Iranian Canadians have been sounding the alarm on at demonstrations calling for the end of the terrorist Islamic regime in Iran, the same demonstrations that made ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ a rallying cry for peace and democracy around the world, the same demonstrations that helped the world finally understand that the Islamic regime in Iran does not represent Iranians, and Iranians have been fighting against the Islamic regime for decades.”
speech
continues on page 15
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FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 Page 15
BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT speech continues from page 14 While Canadian politicians of all stripes were quick to condemn these proHamas hate rallies, some did not. Ghamari said “that silence is deafening.” “One horrifying and spine-tingling sentiment that I’ve seen on social media time and time again from people in the Jewish community is the following: ‘This week, I’ve learned which friends would hide me during the next Holocaust, which friends would not and which friends would hand me over. I’ve got ‘friends’ in all three categories. I see you.’ Chilling,” Ghamari said. “The Jewish people are living their darkest days right now, living their worst nightmares since the Holo-
caust,” she added. “I cannot even fathom what it must feel like to live in fear, to walk down the street and look at someone and think, ‘Will this person hate me just because I exist, just because I’m Jewish?’” Ghamari said that the support at the Israeli rallies given by the Iranian community has made her proud. Since the Mahsa Amini murder and the protests and rallies that have followed globally, the old Iranian flag with the symbol of the lion and the sun is starting to appear more prevalently. The IRGC removed the lion and sun symbol from the flag when they seized control of Iran in 1979. “Since the horrific terrorist attack by Hamas, Iranians
in Iran and around the world have been standing in solidarity with the people of Israel,” she said. “#IraniansStandWithIsrael was a hashtag that was trending on X for days. Every single peace rally organized by Israel and the Jewish community has been flooded with Iran’s lion-andsun flag and attended by hundreds of Iranians in a show of solidarity. Iranians inside Iran have been chanting slogans and secretly raising the flag of Israel in defiance of the terrorist Islamic regime’s anti-Semitic, Holocaustdenying and pro-Hamas policies. Jewish Iranian soldiers have been sending messages of support to Iranians through the Israel Defense Forces’ Farsi channel on X, saying
that they are in this together against the terrorist Islamic regime.” At the rally supporting peace in Israel that Ghamari attended early in the conflict, she said she saw something that became a fond memory in a very dark week. “After the rally, I noticed a standoff,” she said “On one side, there were a lot of Israeli flags, and on the other side, pro-Hamas counter protesters had shown up. It was very tense. I walked to the front of the lines to get a better look, and as soon as I got there, amidst the sea of blue and white, I saw two Iranian lion-and-sun flags standing right in front of everyone else—raising them high and waving them. I’ve never been more proud to be Iranian Canadian.” The history of Jews in Iran, Ghamari explained, dates back to late biblical times. After establishing the Persian Empire, King Cyrus the Great allowed all subjects to participate in governance. He borrowed the good deeds
of other cultures in the first sign of his commitment to diversity through culture. He set the Jews free from their Babylonian captivity that had taken place decades before. Cyrus the Great facilitated their return to the promised land, Israel, and he became a notable figure in the Jewish scripture as a saviour who helped them build the Second Temple in Jerusalem. This great event in Jewish and Persian history took place in the late sixth century BC, by which time there was a wellestablished and influential Jewish community in Persia. “For 44 years, the terrorist and illegitimate Islamic regime in Iran has tried to erase our shared history, has tried to say that Jews and Iranians are enemies, but they cannot erase our history,” Ghamari said. “These radical extremists who have been funding terrorism in the Middle East, these radical extremists who have helped Hamas attack Israel, who support this cause, who call for the eradication of Jews in Israel cannot erase
our shared history spanning almost 3,000 years.” Ghamari said she has never been more proud to be Iranian, and added that she is also very proud to be part of a government that has unequivocally spoken out against the “heinous terrorist attack” by Hamas. “There is no other way to describe what happened,” Ghamari said. “It is the darkest form of terrorism we have ever seen. It is pure evil. There is no ‘yes, but.’ There is no moral equivalency when you are burning babies, when you are killing people and then raping their friends next to them and then executing them. There is no justification whatsoever. Anyone who thinks so needs to take a good, hard look at themselves in the mirror and question whether or not they are human. After repeating the poem she opened her speech with, Ghamari ended with a simple statement. “I stand with Israel. Thank you.”
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The people of Iran and Israel have supported each other for generations.
X photo
Page 16 FRIDAY, November 10, 2023 BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT
Remembrance Day and the National Four important words on Nov. 11: We Will Remember Them War Memorial in Ottawa By Larry Ellis
The creation of the National War Memorial in honour of the 66,573 Canadians, who died in World War 1, was the responsibility of the Federal Government. In 1925 Vernon Marsh of Yorkshire, England won the international competition to design a national war memorial for Canada. After submitting a model he was authorized to commence the project. Marsh and his six brothers and one sister were of a farming background; none had any formal training in art or sculpture. The components of the memorial were conceived and completed in a garden. Although Marsh died in 1930 his siblings continued the project over a ten year span. When it was completed in 1932 it was shown in Hyde Park, London, where it received great public acclaim. For the ocean transport to Canada the huge sculpture was
THis week,
THIS MONTH by Larry Ellis
broken down into component parts and shipped in thirtyfive containers. Many readers likely have visited the site of our National War Memorial in Ottawa and will recall that it is in the form of a granite arch, atop which stands the bronze figures of the Victory and Liberty. Marching through the arch are twenty-two figures representing all branches of the armed services in World War 1. Upon the faces of these figures is the hope as they leave behind them the symbol of a cannon. The Memorial was unveiled by His Majesty King George VI in May 1939, Try and attend a November 11th Remembrance Day ceremony; it’s important that
you do; encourage the young people to attend and take the younger children; they need to understand the significance of November 11th. Pause for one minute of silence at 11:00 a.m. on November 11 to honour those who served and died in times of war, military conflict and peace Buy a poppy – wear a poppy!
Remembrance Day moves me every time, not just at the 11th hour on the 11 and the two-minute silence but the whole day. But this year, I am disturbed by current trends, in Canada, and certainly among our southern neighbours, that represent a level of intolerance, injustice, hatred and racism
The Barrhaven Remembrance Day service takes place at the cenotaph in front of John McCrae Secondary School, next to the Walter Baker Centre. Charlie Senack photo
Seniors know a lot, but there’s always more to learn.
Gov-of-Canada_Print_Newspaper_ON_10.25x5.5714_Barrhaven.indd 1
By Larry Ellis
THis week,
THIS MONTH by Larry Ellis
that are un-Canadian. My father worked in a munitions factory in Montreal during the First World War as his health would not allow him to join the armed forces. My brother was in the Royal Canadian Air Force for thirty-five years; my brother-in-law was also in the RCAF for about the same time; my aunt was in the Canadian Women’s Army Corps for four years; I was in the Army Cadets in Maxville during the last year of the war. My point is my family connections of those that served is little different from many families. They did their duty, they did it well - in the interest of freedom.
Freedom for the people of this country- all the people of this country- and beyond. It wasn’t heroic, it wasn’t romantic, it was hell on earth. This is the month we remember- the good, the bad, and the ugly of war. The greatest commandment was to love one’s neighbour. This Golden Rule, or a version of it, is shared by all the world’s religions. No other way is good enough. Try and attend a November 11th Remembrance Day ceremony; it’s important that you do; encourage the young people to attend and take the younger children; they need to understand the significance of November 11th Pause for one minute of silence at 11:00 a.m. on November 11 to honour those who served and died in times of war, military conflict, and peace WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.
Help ensure your later years are safe and secure by learning about programs, services, and information available for seniors. Canada.ca/seniors 1 800 O-Canada
2023-10-13 4:38 PM