February 5, 2015 vol 3 issue 5

www.ngtimes.ca

Vol. 3, No. 5

The Voice of North Grenville

February 4, 2015

The Central Canada Hockey League do it for Daron

The North Grenville Times is Locally Owned and Operated

Kemptville 73’s wearing their custom Gongshow hats and enjoying the DIFD showcase weekend!

by David Shanahan The ice rinks at the Municipal Centre were busy last Saturday as all twelve Junior A teams in the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) came together under one roof for their 2nd Annual “Hockey Day”.

Between 1 pm and 10 pm, six games were played, with the net proceeds from admissions and the 5050 draw going to Hockey Talks Mental Health Awareness. The main organisation benefiting from the day’s events was Do It For Daron (DIFD).

On November 13, 2010, 14-year-old Daron Richard-

son died by suicide. From this tragedy came a movement to transform youth mental health. Spearheaded

by Daron’s parents Luke and Stephanie Richardson, a decision was made to support young people who suffer in silence from the pain and stigma of mental illness. Do It For Daron encourages young people to talk openly about mental illness and to ask for help when needed. DIFD provides young people, their parents, teachers, coaches and other adult role models with the resources, outlets and, most importantly, courage to overcome the shame and fear of discuss-

ing mental illness. The purple DIFD heart, a creation inspired by Daron’s favourite colour, has become the youth-driven symbol of this movement.

It is a visual reminder that only love and awareness, not hiding in the shadows, can combat youth mental illness.

In Ontario, approximately 500,000 young people (1 in 5) suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder. A third of these youth cannot access the services they need. Youth Mental Illness does exist and is the second leading cause of death among 1524 year old Canadians, and

Canada’s youth suicide rate is the fourth highest among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

Kevin Abrams, CCHL Commissioner, was very pleased that the CCHL could be part of the growing movement to bring mental health issues out into the open, especially for young people. “We’re very excited to host this event again, the fact that we can showcase our whole league under one roof, and also bring more exposure to the growing issues around teen mental health makes continued on page 2

The North Grenville Times

Sustainable North Grenville Cheese and Wine Evening

continued from front page it that much more special”.

The Hockey Day in Kemptville event is one of many similar activities across the country, at both local and CHL levels, designed to get people talking about these issues and eliminate the stigma that often attaches to mental health problems.

To underline the point of the Kemptville event, the league conducted a ceremonial face-off prior to the 7 pm game, when the Kemptville 73’s host the Pembroke Lumber Kings.

The 73's do not intend to make this a one-off event.

DIFD merchandise will be available for sale at every Kemptville 73's home game all season (mitts only $15), so everyone has a chance to contribute to this vital initiative.

Sustainable North Grenville invites you come out to our cheese and wine (or beer!) evening at The Branch, on Monday, February 9. Bring your ideas for future SNG events and share them with us over a delicious selection of local cheeses to be presented by and served with breads produced by The Crusty Baker. The cheese and bread are on us; there will be a cash bar for the wine and beer.

Sustainable North Grenville attempts to be just that…Sustainable… and in order to do that we need ideas for topics for our monthly events. These could manifest themselves in the form of talks, workshops, movies or even outings. We will have some chart paper and plenty of markers for you to record your ideas. We look forward to your input.

February can be a tough month to get through; good food and good company helps. The wine and beer don’t hurt either! See you on the 9th at the Branch Restaurant and Texas Grill, 6:45pm.

Bishop’s Mills Women’s Institute Meeting Submitted by Susan Jenkins The January meeting of the Bishop’s Mills Women’s Institute was held at the home of member Patricia Habberjam on January 8. There were nine members present, and the roll call question was “Have you ever had a spa experience and did you enjoy it?” Most people had at least some experience to report, ranging from a pedicure to an overnight stay, and had enjoyed it – though one member reported that while the foot massages in Thailand were lovely, some others they experienced on their travels were a little too forceful for comfort!

Our activity for the evening was making a sugar body scrub and we all came away with a beautifully scented,

moisturizing product to enjoy.

The evening concluded with tea, coffee, tasty treats and a chance to visit.

We discussed the annual Christmas Auction which took place December 11 at the Community Hall in Bishop’s Mills. This long running event (over 25 years and counting!) was, as always, great fun for those in attendance, and raised over $600 for the Salvation Army and Beth Donovan Hospice as well as collecting food for the food bank. We would like to thank our wonderful auctioneers, Jane and Vicki Graham, for keeping us all laughing – and buying!

T h e B i s h o p ’s M i l l s Women’s Institute has been involved in the community

since 1985, including documenting the history of the village and encouraging positive change. The Bishop’s Mills Women’s Institute holds monthly meetings and welcomes new members interested in meeting their neighbours and getting involved in their community.

The next meeting will be held on February 12 at the home of Jillian Wainwright.

For information about attending local meetings, please contact President Sheryl McKim 613-926-2472 or Jeanne Lambert at jmlambert@tdgraham.com If you are interested in finding out more about WI, see the Provincial organization’s website: www.fwio. on.ca.

The Oxford Mills Sisterhood of Guiding hosts Dinner Theatre

By Beth Nicol The Dinner Theatre hosted by The Oxford Mills Sisterhood of Guiding at the Kemptville Legion on Saturday January 24 was a perfect antidote for the colder than frigid temperatures outside. The program promised an evening of culinary delight followed by a play showcasing young talents.

The culmination of many practices, it offered the girls the opportunity to celebrate their newly acquired skills and an opportunity to build confidence while connecting with their community.

The kitchen was a hub of activity with Leaders and parents working together to produce the tasty 3 course meal. Dinner included appetizers, locally raised Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, an Heirloom Carrot Medley and Green Beans Casserole along with fresh buns. A vegetarian selection was available as well. Serving the meal were guiders working

Laura Smith, centre, and Sue Jeakins, on right, from Beth Donovan Hospice, are presented with a cheque from Jeanne Lambert, member of the Bishop’s Mills Women’s Institute. Each year at Christmas, the BMWI holds a fundraising auction. This year some of the proceeds also went to the Salvation Army.

For the surrounding area of North Grenville

• Go to: ngt.treasurechestmarketplace.com • Place your free ad • Click to share it on your social media • Haggle it if you want • Sell your treasures and make money February 4, 2015

The Voice of North Grenville

2

on skill badges. The effort put into making the dining experience a good one was heart-warming. Along with coffee, tea and hot Apple Crisp, the Sisterhood dished up a healthy serving of talent.

Acts included songs, dance and guitar and piano pieces.

The play, “Winter Wonderland,” was written by Amanda and Mary-Anne Leang. The fantasy filled adventure takes place in Snowy Hallow and features characters old and new; the Big Bad Wolf meets Olaf and Elsa.

It included choir numbers, dance, drama and a heap of fun. The girls shared their skills in many ways: acting, creating the detailed backdrops, helping with backstage organization and prop procurement. The wall decorations were the work of Sparks, Brownies and Guides. The event co-ordinator was MaryAnne Leang. Judging by the smiles and laughter from the filled to capacity hall, it can be considered a theatrical success of the best kind.

The event was an example of our community working together at its finest. The Legion donated its space for rehearsals and the event itself.

B & H and Graham’s Bakery lent their support; all food and supplies were locally sourced.

Additional assistance came from the Law Offices of Warren and Jansen, 416 Courier and the Kemptville Wildcats.

The evening raised close to $1 000 which will be used to purchase dining tents for the Sisterhood’s overnight camp weekends.

The Oxford Mills Sisterhood of Guiding is an active organization consisting of Sparks, Brownies, Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers.

They meet in different rooms at Oxford on Rideau Public School in Oxford Mills on Tuesday nights. A joint opening once a month allows for positive interaction between the groups. Including leaders, they have over 80 members and are still accepting registrations from interested girls aged 3 - 17. www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Holy Cross head one of “Canada’s Outstanding Principals”

Cathy Empey, Principal at Holy Cross Catholic School in Kemptville, has been named as one of “Canada’s Outstanding Principals” for 2015 by The Learning Partnership, a national charity dedicated to “building stakeholder partnerships to support, promote and advance publicly funded education in Canada”. The Learning Partnership honours principals from every

province and territory for exemplary leadership and every year a selection of Principals throughout Canada are chosen for the honour.

Cathy is one of only forty individuals from across the country that has been selected this year, and will attend a special gala in Toronto on February 24 to receive her award. She will also be invited to a five day executive leadership training program at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. As an Outstanding Principal, Cathy will also have access to ongoing networking, mentoring and professional development opportunities, according to The Learning Partnership.

Canada’s Outstanding Principals™ are nominated by their peers, school staff and/or community members.

pal is an extremely demanding job. Principals shoulder the responsibility of leading and managing everything that happens in their school.

From effective teaching and learning to operational oversight of facilities and establishing community partnerships, their ultimate goal is to enhance student achievement and prepare them for the future. Canada’s Outstanding Principals honours leaders in this challenging profession and shines a spotlight on the importance of strong leadership in public education.”

Cathy has been teaching at Holy Cross since 1982, and, aside from two honorees from Ottawa, is the sole representative in the 2015 Canada’s Outstanding Principals list from Eastern Ontario.

Winners are selected on a representation-by-population basis. The first round of adjudication is completed by the local Principal’s Association.

Finalists are then forwarded to a National Selection Committee made up of distinguished Canadian education, community and private sector leaders. Candidates are chosen using comprehensive criteria including: evidence of innovative leadership; evidence of partnerships with staff, parents and community; examples illustrating successful change resulting in improved student achievement; and corresponding letters of support.

“A great principal is the driving force behind a great school,” says Akela Peoples, President and CEO of The Learning Partnership. “We recognize that being a princi-

Erick Le Pors

STRESS FREE ENTERTAINING

613-860-2539

Catering For All Occassions www.dialachef.ca

For Advertising rates please contact Peter at peter@ngtimes.ca or call 613 989 2850

St Paul's Church Donation to KYC The North Grenville Times is Locally Owned and Operated

Let us be your LOCAL INSURANCE BROKER

Heather Stewart, St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church Clerk of Session (left) and Reverend Samer Kandalaft (right), present a $500 donation to Kemptville Youth Centre youth Will White and Desi Eady. St. Paul’s congregation chose to donate their Christmas Eve free will collection to the Youth Centre. This donation goes a long way to allow the Youth Centre to provide great programming for youth aged 12 to 18.

of choice!

It’s never too early to review your insurance coverage.

Call or stop by our office - NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY!

Let’s build it, test it, break it, and remake it!

Creekside Centre 2868 County Road 43 Kemptville ON K0G 1J0

Have you ever wondered how things are built? Come out to Girls Inc. ENGINEER IT! during March Break. It’s a fun way to learn more about creating things using engineeringthemed experiments, projects and activities.

Messes and fun are a guarantee!

Thursday, March 19 Kemptville North Grenville Public Library, 1:00pm– 3:00pm FREE for all girls 6-13 years old Call or e-mail today to reserve to ENGINEER IT! before it’s too late!

613-345-3295 or admin@uppercanada.girls-inc.org Girls Incorporated of Upper Canada is dedicated to inspiring all girls to be strong, smart and bold through programs that promote education, leadership, sports, health and self-esteem. Girls Inc. empowers girls aged 6-18 to be the best they can be; to say “I can”.

“Inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.”

February 4, 2015

613-258-8898

info@kemptvilleinsurance.com

HOME | AUTO | BUSINESS | COMMERCIAL 3

www.ngtimes.ca

Editorial

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

I’m the Taxman relatively large increase.

It seemed that candidates in the municipal election were quite positive about North Grenville’s financial situation, and yet, within weeks of re-election, they’re bringing in this kind of increase. The municipality has released statements attempting to explain why this is happening, including an official press release which is published in this issue.

However, these statements are just a little bit disingenuous; there seems to be some skating over the important facts and blaming everything on reduced provincial funding to municipalities generally.

There is no doubt that losing more than $1 million in grants from the Ontario Municipalities Partnership Fund [OMPF] over the past three years has made a big difference to our bottom line. Other costs have increased also, and many of these were costs about which the municipality could do nothing.

All of that is true. But the fact is that none of

by David Shanahan As you will see from the Letters to the Editor page in this issue, there’s been a lot of reaction to the news that tax rates in North Grenville are increasing by 6.18% this year. And it is not just the NG Times that has received angry letters: our municipal councillors have had their ears burned too. To add fuel to the fire, the increase is only part of what’s coming in terms of increases. The 6.18% tax rate increase is over and above increases to individual property assessments as conducted by MPAC for 2015. Property assessment and municipal taxes represent only 47% of the total bill that will be arriving in mailboxes in 2015. Education taxes account for another 34%, with the United Counties share amounting to another 19%.

What seems to have really upset people in the community is the sudden announcement of such a

these revenue losses were a surprise this year. We have known for the past three years that the OMPF grants were being cut, and even the larger than expected cut this year is balanced, at least in part, by decreases in policing costs over the next four years. So, why weren’t we prepared for this? Why the large increase for 2015?

One thing must be made clear: complaints that the new councillors are somehow responsible, that they have betrayed election pledges, are unwarranted. They were elected at the end of October, sworn in at the start of December, and had to get a grasp of our financial plight in weeks.

The problems that led us to where we are today did not happen in the past three months. What has happened is that previous councils, rather than risk losing friends, refused to raise taxes, continued borrowing, and used up any reserves available, in order to meet rising operating expenses. While

bleating away that old refrain, “Growth pays for Growth”, they dug us further into the hole we’re in now.

Instead of acting in a fiscally responsible manner, they decided that their job was to keep taxpayers happy by introducing minimal tax increases. The end result is that taxpayers are now faced with a large increase in one year, instead of reasonable and necessary smaller increases spread over a few years. Two of the members of council that created this situation have retired. The remaining two have a lot to answer for. They knew revenues were going down. Tim Sutton has been in charge of the Finance Committee for all but two budgets in the past seven years. His definition of job well done is interesting: “We’ve been able to deliver some good results for our taxpayers here, with minimal tax increases through that period of time”.

There’s no point blaming staff either (at least, not

too much). Council were presented with suggestions for cutting costs which included staff salaries and staffing levels, and council decided they were more afraid of encouraging a union forming among the staff than they were of raising taxes. Some question the role Brian Carré, the CAO, played in presenting the budget at council meetings. Perhaps if Tim Sutton had bothered turning up for the budget vote, the responsible councillor could have performed that function. Or perhaps the CAO understood the budget better?

This budget is an adjustment: a necessary step to bring our finances back under control and stop us living on borrowings. It remains to be seen whether further similar adjustments will be needed in later years. What is certain is that we need a 2% increase each year from now until 2024 to pay for replacing outdated assets, equipment, vehicles, etc. There is a new Chair of the Finance Committee, and new

Dear Editor: I have just read a news item about two policemen in Cornwall who were called to an apparent domestic dispute. When they arrived they discovered a pensioner who was struggling to look after his sick wife and who had pawned his wedding ring to buy food. The police went away and raised enough money to buy food for the couple and to redeem the ring.

My first reaction to this report was pleasant surprise. My second reaction was to ask myself "why surprise?". After all, policing is supposed to be a community-oriented activity, and most police whom I have encountered are very decent, communityoriented people. Then why "surprise"? I suppose because my superficial view of police and policing has been skewed by sensational headlines ("police shoot

unarmed youth on Toronto subway") which remain before us for an extended period, or hysterical and violent TV series like CSI Miami in which the police and criminals (and guns) occupy the glamorized foreground and ordinary folk form merely the anonymous backdrop (unless called to dive out of the way of recklessly driven cars).

While the overwhelming majority of police in Ontario act for the safety and well-being of their communities, we hear very little of activities such as the one reported in Cornwall, and I am not aware of any series which portray the police in that light. The only one I can ever recall was a BBC series in the late nineteen fifties, Dixon of Dock Green, which did portray a policeman as a member of his community (perhaps also the currently

voices and energy around the council table. This is a wonderful community, with talented, generous people who care about their neighbours and the future of their children.

They deserve to be told the truth, to be given a fair deal, to have situations explained to them, instead of having unpleasant surprises sprung on them so soon after the sunny vistas described by candidates who knew better.

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor: Tax dollars at work?!

I would like to see these questions answered by someone - this might seem like a small issue, but if it is reflective of how our tax money is being managed, it gives me, personally, greater cause for concern.

Municipal calendars went out to the public in December in the EMC, according to one of the municipal office staff when I went in to ask for one yesterday (Jan. 27). I certainly never got one - delivery of the EMC is extremely sporadic.

I live just blocks south of St. Mike's. My neighbour, on James, is literally steps

Dear Editor: Wake up North Grenville, we have been had by politicians and bureaucrats again, this time at the Municipal level. At a time when the economy is sputtering, financial markets and the Canadian dollar are tanking, our municipal politicians and bureaucrats are wanting more of our money by approving a budget that requires a more than 6% tax increase. When is the last time you have had a pay raise of more than 6%?

This nonsense has to be reversed. It will only be reversed if people speak out.

Victor Jarjour

from my side door, and she hasn't had the EMC for three months, even though I do get some delivery, such as last week. Naturally, she too does not have a calendar.

My questions - how much money does the municipality invest in these glossy calendars, how much is paid to the EMC to include them in delivery, how many actually got delivered, where did the missing ones end up, and is the municipality demanding a refund of our tax money from the EMC on missing merchandise and inadequate service?!

D. Jones

Marketing Gord J. Logan gord@ngtimes.ca 613-258-6402 February 4, 2015

Marketing Peter Peers peter@ngtimes.ca 613 989- 2850

Mailing Address P.O. Box 35, Oxford Mills, ON, K0G 1S0

ISSN 2291-0301

The North Grenville Times is published weekly by North Grenville Times Inc.

www.ngtimes.ca 613-258-5083

Editor David Shanahan david@ngtimes.ca 613-258-5083

Copy Editor Pat Jessop editor@ngtimes.ca 613-258-5083

4

Production Manager Marguerite Boyer production@ngtimes.ca 613-258-5083

running Murdoch Mysteries, but that is set in the nineteenth century).

While individual police might balk at the spotlight (as the police in Cornwall did), it seems to me that it might be of benefit to our community and the profile of the police within it if the NG Times undertook to show the police working in our community and underline the real contributions (as police and as individuals) which they make. After all, Ontario is not in the United States, where police have often seen themselves as an occupying force, and it does ourselves and our police no great service to permit a few sensational headlines and a large number of made-in-America action dramas to skew our perception of what they do.

Roger Blockley Oxford Station Road

Graphics Micheal Pacitto mike@ngtimes.ca 613-710-7104

Accounting Staff Reporter cfo@ngtimes.ca Beth Nicol 613-258-4671 beth@ngtimes.ca 613-258-0033

www.ngtimes.ca

Municipality Matters

The North Grenville Times

Ontario responds on Kemptville College The Ontario Government has issued its first response to the report prepared by Lyle Vanclief on the future of Kemptville College. Last Friday, three government ministers issued a joint statement welcoming Vanclief’s report, as well as another prepared on the situation at Alfred.

The basic message of the response was to welcome the idea of opening negotiations with the Municipality of North Grenville “to provide resources and support, and establishing a working group to explore new models for delivering agricultural learning, training and instruction at the Kemptville Campus... as the government enters into negotiation with North Grenville to transfer the property to the municipality”.

It would seem from the statement that the Ontario Government is committing itself to continuing the college at Alfred to ensure “the sustainability of agricultural education and supporting French-language post-secondary education are part of the government's economic plan for Ontario”.

Jeff Leal, Minister of Ag-

riculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said in a statement that: “Kemptville and Alfred campuses represent more than bricks and mortar, buildings, roads, and equipment. They are an important part of the culture and tradition of agriculture in eastern Ontario, as well as an economic pillar for the local communities...

Future plans will support local economic development, as well as agricultural learning and training in eastern Ontario.”

The Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Reza Moridi, also issued a statement that seemed to offer more support to Alfred than to Kemptville: “Our government is ensuring that students at each campus can complete their programs.

Moving forward, we will continue to assist the respective municipalities as they evaluate strategic and sustainable long-term options that encourage agricultural and French-language postsecondary education.”

This official response adds very little to what was already known about Ontario’s plans for Kemptville. The aim is to have the

municipality take over the administration of the College facilities, at least for the short term, and to establish a Board that would transition the campus into a multi-use location for a variety of initiatives, not all of which may be connected to agriculture, or agricultural training.

North Grenville Mayor, and Leeds&Grenville Warden, David Gordon, gave the government response a cautious welcome. On the one hand, he believes it is a good reflection to what Vanclief had recommended, and gives the municipality control over the future of the campus. The provincial government has also indicated that they would provide financial support for the College until such time as a more permanent arrangement could be made. However, the precise details of this support have not yet been clarified.

“Once we sit down and negotiate, there will be more information forthcoming but the initial response from the government is positive,” Mayor Gordon said.

Rather predictably, Conservative M.P.P., Steve Clark, was more measured in his

comments on the Liberal Government’s response.

“I’m disappointed because while the minister has announced financial support to bring a new cohort of students to Alfred this fall, there was no money for education and students at Kemptville.

Instead, all our community got from the minister today was a vague commitment to form a working group,” he said.

“That’s unacceptable to me and to the agricultural community in Eastern Ontario who have said from the start of this process that maintaining and expanding the agricultural degree and diploma programs at Kemptville College is a priority.”

He stressed that, until the government steps up with a firm commitment to fund and support a post-secondary partner in establishing new degree and diploma programs in Kemptville, any talk from the minister about supporting agricultural education is empty rhetoric. He did, however, welcome the government’s decision to enter talks with the municipality regarding a take-over of the campus.

I cannot fathom this. I am accountant and very few of my clients have a payroll expense this high. And the ones that do, have much higher revenues (I mean revenues in the six and seven digits) or at the very least several locations.

Are the Library’s financial reports available to the public? I would like to scrutinize them.

To further fuel my righteous indignation, and as if learning these budget numbers was not enough of a slap in the face, I then turn the page and find Ms. Simpson responding to Dr. Shanahan’s comments from the previous week. In her letter, Ms. Simpson states “a substantial part of that is due to labour legislation”. I would like clarification on this, as the only labour legislation that I know of that would affect the salaries expense category was an increase in minimum wage. In 2010 the minimum wage was $10.25 and in June 2014 that was raised to $11.00 for the general sector. I have looked and I did not see a special rule for library workers so I think I can safely say they would fall within the General Sector parameters (perhaps even the Municipal Workers category, which also has no special rules).

Perhaps, as I do not have any “library” clients, there was a legislative expense that I do not know of, and if this is the case, I would like to know more about it. We cannot use Accessibility for all Ontarians or new Health and Safety legislation as a reason for increased salary costs because these two pieces of legislation should not have a direct payroll consequence.

We also cannot consider Employer Health Tax, because at $326,000 in salaries, the Library falls below the $450,000 threshold. I am well aware of employer cost for statutory deductions of CPP and EI and that library services has a very low WSIB rate category of approximately $0.36/$100 earnings.

Regarding the financial position of the Library, I specifically want to know what are the revenue streams that provide the $42,000 in revenue and more importantly I would like to know how the $326,000 breaks down: • The base salaries for the library assistants as opposed to the managers and co-ordinators.

• Are library assistants full or part time and how many hours do they work?

The Voice of North Grenville

Kemptville drugs bust Last Sunday, January 30, members of Grenville County OPP Crime Unit and the East Region Drug Enforcement Team arrested two occupants of a residence at 2 – 132 Prescott Street, Kemptville on a number of drug-related charges. A search of the residence resulted in the seizure of 549.8 grams of marihuana, 91.1 grams of cocaine, 12.5 grams of MDMA, 207 hydro morphone pills and Canadian currency.

Derek Crowell, age 29, and Megan Vogelgesang, age 22, both of Kemptville are charged with possession of a number of Schedule I substances for the purpose of trafficking – cocaine, cannabis marihuana, MDMA, and hydro morphone pills, as well as possession of property obtained by crime. Derek Crowell is also charged with two counts of failure to comply with conditions of recognizance. Both of the individuals arrested are being held in custody for a bail hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice, Brockville.

One of the substances found at the scene, MDMA, is also known as ecstasy, Molly, or “E”. Police have also issued a warning to the public about the danger of ecstasy, which can include the rapid and acute onset of symptoms and can lead to sudden death. Using the drug can cause problems with the body’s ability to regulate temperature, which can lead to hyperthermia, causing liver, kidney and heart failure.

It is not known at this time whether there is any connection between these arrests and the death of a young 23 yearold Kemptville woman a few weeks ago. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene and a quantity of ecstasy was found in the woman’s home. An autopsy was ordered into the woman’s death, and the cause of death cannot be confirmed until that is completed, which may take some weeks. Nevertheless, the way in which the OPP linked the presence of the drugs with the woman’s death implies a connection.

Anyone with information on the above occurrence or any other crime is asked to call Grenville County O.P.P. Communication Centre at 1-888-310-1122, the Kemptville Detachment at 613-258-3441 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-(TIPS) 8477 or submit your tip on-line at www.tipsubmit.com. Crime Stoppers does not want your name, you don't go to court, and you could earn cash reward.

Letters to the Editor continued Dear Editor: Thank you David Shanahan for your touching and kind tributes not only to Jim Bertram and Peter Nicol, but to all our elected officials and their families for the untold sacrifices they make. So often we can be quick to judge and/ or disagree with decisions/ directions taken by our politicians (at all levels) and very seldom do we acknowledge that they are doing the best they can for the community as a whole. This is one of the best columns ever printed in the NG Times. I would encourage everyone to read it - more than once - and then make a point of thanking those who were elected to fill these difficult roles the next time you see them.

Diana Scanlan Open letter I am a taxpaying resident of North Grenville, residing in Oxford Station. I also own and operate my accounting firm within North Grenville and my firm serves several businesses within the municipality. My husband also owns a small home based business and our daughter lives and works in North Grenville. As a way of introduction, I must be honest and state that none February 4, 2015

of the three of us have yet to set foot inside the new Kemptville branch of the library. To be honest, I have not been to a Library since Oxford Mills was closed and I attended that library even when I lived in Kemptville because it had a nicer selection of the books I wanted to read.

So tax increases: Of course, like most residents in NG the tax burden increase is astonishing to me. Out of all that I read there was very little that I felt was justifiable and warranted the increases the taxpayers will face. I have several complaints but in this venue I shall only speak to the Library expense.

We have a small municipality of 15,000 people, limited hours of operation at the Burritts Rapids Library, and a reasonable number of hours at the Kemptville branch. How could we have such a high salaries and benefit expense and yet have such a small revenue base…am I wrong or is there something drastically wrong with this equation?

I read last night in the NG Times that the proposed budget for the Library has income of approximately $42,540 and is expected to have salaries of $326,580. Did I read this wrong? Was there a misprint?

5

•

Are there bonuses and if so, please quantify and explain who receives the bonuses.

• Benefits? I would certainly like to know what benefits are offered, what benefits are actually contributed to by the staff through payroll deductions, what the employer contribution is for those benefits and also, what are taxable benefits supplied directly by the employer.

Please do not misunderstand me here: I do not have a problem with staff being paid fair and comparable wages. I am an employer myself and value my staff so I will not downplay the importance of recognizing the value of the staff working on the frontline.

I look forward to your responses. I hope to receive a response from each you, with your own thoughts on this. Please do not insult my intelligence by sending a trite little answer. I expect to have my questions addressed and responded to in a professional and detailed manner.

Catherine Ellis

Join the

Conversation Attracting, Welcoming and Retaining Newcomers

Please join the Leeds and Grenville Immigration Partnership February 25, 2015 8:30am-12:00pm at the Employment & Education Centre for a community conversation. Participate in a facilitated interactive workshop that will enable Leeds and Grenville to continue to build welcoming communities and a thriving economy.

Melissa Francis , Program Manager, Leeds & Grenville Immigration Partnership, states “We are looking forward to speaking with employers, immigrants, service providers and community members to share ideas on creating and sustaining vibrant, diverse and welcoming communities.

Limited seating. Please register by February 13, 2015 with Loretta: loretta@eecentre.com; 4982111-261

www.ngtimes.ca

Municipality Matters

The North Grenville Times

Municipal statement on 2015 budget North Grenville, ON – Every budget cycle has challenges, and North Grenville plans to deal with those challenges with sustainable measures. Residents will see a .18% increase to the Municipal portion of their tax rate ($32.05 per $100,000 of assessment). This is over and above increases to individual property assessment as conducted by MPAC, and acknowledging the Education and County levies on the Municipal tax bill are yet to be set.

The Municipality has seen a significant loss of funding from the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund.

Cuts in this funding over the last 3 years have resulted in a compounding reduction of $1.1 million to the municipal budget. Temporary measures were implemented to absorb

these cuts in the first two years; however this approach is not sustainable in the long term and Council agrees that implementing the inevitable increase at this time is prudent and in the best interest of residents.

“Through our Community Strategic Plan, we have a vision of the lifestyle that our residents seek” remarked Mayor David Gordon. “This increase will position our community to continue to enjoy a sustainable quality of life which we all desire for our families.” Like our residents, the Municipality faces increases in operating costs such as hydro, contracted services, and insurance. In some cases, these increases are higher than the rate of inflation. On top of operating costs, we have aging infrastructure that must not

be ignored. In 2014, the Municipality completed a Long Term Financial Plan to guide the maintenance and replacement plans for this infrastructure.

The 2015 budget has no new borrowing, an increase in transfers to reserves and a number of capital projects including: road resurfacing, gravel road, bridge and culvert rehabilitation; a new ice skate and helmet lending program at the Municipal Centre; continued trail development including the Rail Line Trail, Waterfront Trail, and Settlers’ Grant Trail; and communications improvements including an electronic agenda management system and new corporate website.

“Moving forward, Council and Staff will continue its commitment to cost-

effective service delivery to its residents and businesses and responsible stewardship of Municipal assets” stated Barb Tobin, Deputy Mayor and Chair of Corporate Services. CAO Brian Carré added that “staff will continue to look for savings and efficiencies in municipal operations in order to maintain the community lifestyle and values that our residents have grown accustomed to.

Residents should continue to be engaged in the processes of local government as we work together for the future of our community.”

For more information, visit www.northgrenville.ca.

Media Contact: Brian J. Carré, Chief Administrative Officer, Municipality of North Grenville 613-2589569 ext.155 bcarre@northgrenville.on.ca

The Voice of North Grenville

Council pay report The 2014 remuneration for mayor and councillors was presented at Monday night’s council meeting. Mayor David Gordon receives a few dollars short of $30,000 a year, while each of the four councillors gets $18,000. There are also benefits paid in addition to this base sum, covering mandatory payroll deductions such as Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, Employer Health Tax, and the municipal pension plan. Some councillors received expense costs for attendance at conferences, but these amounted to just over $400 in total for the year. In all, $110,421.89 was spent on council remuneration in 2015, including $8,020.11 in benefits.

The North Grenville Fire Service recommends the following tips for safe wood heating;

by Mark McFall, NG Fire Prevention Officer

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

1. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.Carefully follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installing and maintaining your chimney or appliance. If you do not have instructions, call the manufacturer. For masonry chimneys, call the builder.

2. Inspect and clean your chimney regularly. The Ontario Fire Code requires homeowners to maintain the safety of their chimneys and inspect them at least once a year. Your chimney could have a problem you cannot see. If in doubt, consult a WETT (Wood Energy Technical Training) certified chimney sweep.

3. Check stovepipes and connections. Ensure screws are located at every joint. Also look for leaching (dark staining or white powder) at every joint. This could be a sign of chimney trouble – consult a WETT certified chimney sweep.

4. Check for creosote. Creosote can form quickly and is a major cause of chimney fires. Check chimney and flue pipes often and clean when necessary – never let creosote or soot build up.

Check walls for excessive heat. If the wall is very hot, it could be a sign of improper installation of the chimney or stove pipe. Check with a WETT certified chimney sweep.

Install a rain cap. A rain cap should be installed on top of all metal and masonry chimneys. If you have a spark screen around the chimney cap, inspect it regularly for blockage.

Watch for smoke coming into the room. This could indicate a blockage in the chimney or a faulty damper control mechanism. Check it out!

Protect floors and walls from heat and sparks. Keep combustibles safely away from your appliance. Always use a properly fitting screen for your fireplace.

Regularly check for signs of problems. Your heating appliance, flue pipes and chimney can deteriorate over time. Look for corrosion or rust stains on the outer shell of a metal chimney and check for bulges or corrosion in its liner. Loose bricks, crumbling mortar, broken liners, dark stains or white powder indicate problems with masonry chimneys. These should be fixed immediately by a qualified mason.

For more information please contact: Mark McFalls Fire Prevention Officer, Emergency and Protective Services, North Grenville Fire Service, P.O. Box 586, 259 County Road # 44, Kemptville, Ontario K0G 1J0 613-258-2438 x3 (office) 613-258-1031 (fax) 613-915-5464 (cell)mmcfalls@northgrenville.on.ca

New Deputy Clerk named The Municipality of North Grenville has named Katie Valentin as the new Deputy Clerk for the municipality, filling the position left vacant by the recent retirement of long-serving Deputy Clerk, Heather Render. The job has been redefined to include responsibility for Communications Co-ordination, which includes managing the municipality’s website, press releases and preparation of electronic agendas. Katie Valentin was the Clerk of the Township of Montague, and has more than a decade of experience in the field. Ms. Valentin began work at the Municipal Centre on February 2.

February 4, 2015

6

www.ngtimes.ca

The Voice of North Grenville

More legal headaches for municipalities The Municipality of North Grenville spends more than $320,000 in insurance premiums every year, in order to protect itself from legal liability claims against it for a wide variety of situations for which it might be held responsible. A recent Ontario Superior Court decision has added even more to concerns over potential liability, as a Lambton County farmer has been awarded over $100,000 in damages because the County uses salt on its roads in winter.

The Ontario Good Roads Association [OGRA] has warned that the Superior Court decision over road aalt use sets a dangerous precedent for Ontario municipalities. OGRA President, Tom Bateman, County Engineer for the County of Essex said “municipalities need to apply salt to keep roads safe during inclement winter weather and

this ruling sets a dangerous precedent for Ontario municipalities.”

Joe Tiernay, Executive Director of OGRA, stated “this is basically a damnedif-you-do and damned-ifyou-don’t situation for Ontario municipalities. The same judges that are ruling in favour of plaintiffs claiming that municipalities are not doing enough to keep the roads safe in winter are now ruling that we are doing too much.” He went on to say that “municipalities have a statutory duty to keep the roads safe. They cannot carry out those duties while at the same time being concerned that an abutting property owner will sue for damage to crops or ornamental bushes and trees” The Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled in favour of the farmer, awarding him a total of $107,352 in damages. This includes

tain amount of road salting during the winter months, and so the Court decision has implications for the use of salt in rural areas. Karen Dunlop, Director of Public Works for the municipality, explains: “North Grenville uses a 8 to 1 ratio of sand to salt on paved surfaces. Last year North Grenville used 440 tonne of salt and have electronic spreaders in the large plow trucks which regulates the use of the mixture according to the speed of the truck.

On average North Grenville would use about 88kg of salt per km.” Snow removal, sanding, salting and plowing are carried out by municipal personnel from vehicle depots in Kemptville and Oxford Mills. Karen believes that there is potential for all municipalities to be affected by the Superior Court ruling.

$56,700 for the depreciation in value of their property and $45,000 for crop losses from 1998 to 2013. OGRA has decided on a campaign to respond to the Superior Court ruling. The mandate of the OGRA is to represent the transportation and public works interests of municipalities through advocacy, consultation, training and the delivery of identified services. The Board of Directors has decided to petition the Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to amend the Municipal Act to provide municipalities protection from nuisance claims in connection with the escape of road salt or de-icing materials from a highway or bridge. They are also working with Lambton County to investigate any grounds for an appeal against the ruling.

The Municipality of North Grenville does a cer-

Seniors Community Grants accepting applications The Government of Ontario is now accepting applications for the Seniors Community Grant Program to help more seniors stay safe, active and engaged in their communities. Funding for the grant has been doubled in size to $1 million to give seniors more opportunities to participate in their communities. Last year’s grants went toward projects such as, helping seniors learn new skills like cooking or using tablets, and encouraging physical activity like dance, lawn bowling and tai chi. Recent initiatives include: • Launching the $1.5 million Age-Friendly Community Planning Grant Program, which helps municipalities plan for aging residents.

• Introducing the Family Caregiver Leave, which allows people in Ontario up to eight weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to provide care or support to a family member with a serious medical condition.

• Launching the Community Transportation Pilot Grant Program, which helps municipalities to improve access to, and options for, community transportation services for seniors, persons living with disabilities, youth and other members of the community.

• Implementing the Retirement Homes Act, which enforces new care and safety standards and allows licensing for more than 700 retirement homes to keep residents safe.

The Seniors Community Grant Program is accepting applications from January 28 to March 27, 2015 and will support projects that allow seniors to contribute to all aspects of community life. Individuals representing non-incorporated seniors groups, incorporated not-for profit organizations, municipalities, Local Service Boards and Aboriginal groups are eligible to apply for Seniors Community Grants. As of 2015, for the first time, people over 65 account for a larger share of the population than children under 15.

UPDATE UPCOMING MEETINGS COUNCIL Monday, February 9th,, at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Centre. For agenda information, please contact the Clerk’s Office or the Municipal website.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Monday, February 16th, at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Centre.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS Library Board—Thursday, February 12th at 7:00 pm at the North Grenville Public Library, Norenberg Building.

WINTER PARKING RESTRICTIONS Parking on Municipal roads is prohibited between 11:00 pm and 8:00 am from November 15th to April 15th. A vehicle which is parked in a manner interfering with snow clearing/removal may be issued a ticket and/or removed at the owner’s expense.

For info call 613-258-2438 ext. 6.

2015 DOG LICENSES Renewal notices have been mailed to all currently registered dog owners. If you are not a currently registered dog owner, please contact By-Law Services at 613-2582438 Ext 6 for further information. The 2015 rate for Dog Licenses is a flat fee of $15 for each dog. For information on Kennel Licenses, please contact By-Law Services.

2015 BURN PERMITS In accordance with By-Law 33-12, a Burn Permit is required to conduct open burning on property located outside of the urban area. Burn Permits for 2015 are available at the Municipal Office or at the Fire Hall at 259 County Rd. 44 for a fee of $15.00. Please contact the Fire Hall at 613-258-2438 ext. 5 for conditions prior to burning.

The Municipality of North Grenville 285 County Road #44 PO Box 130 Kemptville, K0G 1J0 Tel: 613-258-9569 Fax: 613-258-9620 general@northgrenville.on.ca Building: 613-258-4424 Fax: 613-258-1441 Fire Services Info: 613-258-2438 Fax: 613-258-1031 By-Law Services: 613-258-2438 ext. 6 Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002

www.NorthGrenville.ca

Building a Sustainable North Grenville

What’s Happening @ KYC Free Programs at Kemptville Youth Centre

Ross McNeil Cook Night 4 - 8pm (Thurs. Feb. 5th)

Computer Build It 6 - 8 pm (Fri. Feb 6th)

Trivia Night 3 - 4pm (SATURDAY Feb. 7th)

BNI Sports Night 6 - 7:30pm (Tues. Feb. 10th)

Video Production Workshop 4 - 6pm (Wed. Feb. 11th)

5 Oxford Street West www.kemptvilleyc.com 613-258-5212

February 4, 2015

7

www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Check out our large selection of fresh cut flowers for Valentine’s Day

301 Rideau Street, Kemptville

Regular Store Hours: Mon.- Fri. 8 to 8, Sat. 8 to 6, Sun. 9 to 6

613.258.3014

Prices effective: Friday, February 6 to Thursday, February 12, 2015 “We reserve the right to limit quantities to reasonable family requirements”

February 4, 2015

8

www.ngtimes.ca

North Grenville Photography Club

The Voice of North Grenville

Tall stemmed with trumpet-like blooms, the Amaryllis symbolizes radiant beauty. For many who received the gift of this bulb at Christmas, their homes may soon be filled with wonderful blossoms!

This one was called Happiness. Photo by Michelle McEvoy.

Wetlands vital for a healthy environment World Wetlands Day, celebrated every February 2, encourages citizens around the world to turn their thoughts to wetlands and their importance in our lives. Wetlands provide a reliable food supply and help purify freshwater for billions of global citizens.

Like giant sponges, they absorb and replenish water to buffer flood and drought risks. Wetlands are also vital nesting, breeding and staging grounds for waterfowl and many other species and continue to be among the most diverse ecosystems of all. And that’s barely skimming the surface of wetlands’ wonders.

In spite of their important roles, our worlds’ wetlands are facing serious woes. Troubling statistics estimates that 64 percent of world’s wetlands have disappeared since the 1900s.

Canada, home to a quarter of the world’s wetlands, is not immune to these trends.

Southern Ontario for example has lost an estimated three-quarters of its wetlands through agricultural conversion.

Dan Kraus, conservation scientist with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, says wetlands are under various kinds of human-induced environmental stresses. For example, “road construction through a wetland can drastically alter their natural flow cycle, February 4, 2015

9

which is why there is a lot of interest in finding ways to mitigate and offset the negative impacts of infrastructure development on wetlands.”

This is an issue that has relevance here in North Grenville too. Large-scale residential and commercial development in the municipality over the past ten years has had a measurable impact on the local environment. The Colonnade Mall was once a thriving system which was completely destroyed by development.

The North West Quadrant, between County Roads 43 and 44, is currently being clear-cut, with unofficial ditches being dug to drain the natural wetlands which once covered much of the land. This is ironic, as the wetlands were used as a marketing tool to gain planning permission in the area.

The official plans for the area show the wetlands intact, with panoramic views available from the houses that are being built there.

The marking of World Wetlands Day could be celebrated most appropriately, perhaps, by a systematic examination of the state of North Grenville’s wetlands, and how quickly they are being lost. Information and phonographs could be shared with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, or the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Conservation organiza-

tions like the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) have long been working to protect and restore these precious ecosystems for the benefit of wildlife and human alike. For more information about Nature Conservancy of Canada’s conservation work across the country and how you can help, visit www.natureconservancy.ca. The Rideau Valley Conservation Authoritycan be reached at www.rvca.ca and through their Facebook page.

www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

North Grenville Curling Club Highlights bles Bonspiel at the club over the Christmas break.

Heather Pitt and her husband Wayne were the big winners in the skins game competition, picking up $70 of a possible $80 against their opponent.

By Jim Dolan Much has happened at the North Grenville Curling Club since I last wrote a curling article.

Christmas Spiel As part of its 10th Anniversary Celebrations, the Club held a very successful Turkey Spiel before Christmas. Thanks to Steve Dunne’s willingness to climb a rather large

step ladder, the club was able to capture a picture of many of the participants surrounding the 10th Anniversary Logo in the ice.

The overall winning team in the point spiel was Pam Owen, Theo Hunter, Wendell Scott, and Sue Deschamps. The runner ups were Dave Cross, Francine Cross, John & Sue Roeterink and Dave Pelletier. It was a fun day with people

throwing turkeys attached to rocks and exchanging gifts and winning numerous door prizes. I think the Bouwman family won most of the prizes. Hats off to the organizers Al Wetzel, Bob Featherston, Kel McGreavy and all the rest of the members, who made the day a success.

Scotch Doubles Bonspiel Eighteen teams participated in Scotch Dou-

Jason Pickard on top of OVCA Colts League Standings After the first three events in the OVCA Colts League, North Grenville’s Jason Pickard and his teammates, Travis Stephenson, Jeff Hadrovic and Braden Gray sit at the top of the standings with 505 points.

Pickard has a narrow 15 point lead over Huntley’s Mike Robb and a 20 point lead over Ardsley, New York Curling Club’s team Gallegos.

The final regular season event will be played at the Carleton Place Curling Club on February 28 – March 1. (the results will be reported in the club’s next article).

At the completion of the four-event regular season the top six teams in the 23-team league will compete in the Tournament of Champions to be held at the Buckingham Curling Club in late March.

The OVCA Colts league is open to curlers who have been curling for less than six years. Teams can consist of all males, all females or both sexes. Teams are awarded 100 points for showing up at each event and points are also awarded for teams that win or finish high in each event, with the A Event winner receiving 100 points. Colts is a great way for beginner curlers to advance their skills by playing other less experienced teams from a number of clubs.

Virginia Cunningham wins Granite Ladies Invitational Congratulations to Virginia Cunnigham and her teammates Brenda Condon,

Jean Hartjes and Monique (from the Granite) for winning the Granite Curling Club’s Ladies Invitational spiel on January 14.

All proceeds from the event went to the Maplesoft Centre for Cancer Survivorship Care.

Third Annual NGCC Ladies Invitational The third annual Ladies Invitational was held at the NGCC on Wednesday January 28. Ten teams from Morrisburg, Prescott, Smiths Falls, Perth, Richmond, Russell and from the Ottawa clubs – the Granite, Navy, Carleton Heights and R.A. participated in the event. The event was a two game total points spiel, with cash prizes awarded to the First Place and Second Place teams. The overall winning team was skipped

by Kathy Fyke from Perth and the runner up team was skipped by Raja Wysocki of Russell.

Home Team Advantage at Shoeless Joe’s Onasanya, Bertram and Sutton were on hand, along with CAO Brian Carré and Tammy Hurlbert, Recreation Coordinator for the municipality, not forgetting Kemptville Little League’s new mascot, Wally the Wildcat, who struck up an instant rapport with David Gordon.

Representatives of all the sports leagues and teams who gained from the prize money watched as the cheque was presented, knowing that this particular loyalty program was something that had real and concrete benefits for our community. And the party isn’t really over. The Home

Team Advantage Program continues at Shoeless Joe’s, so register your team and start adding up those points for next year’s prize.

It is true, as the competi-

tion title says, that “If Your Team Wins, Your Community Wins”. Thanks to Jeff and the folks at Shoeless Joe’s, many local teams have won, and so has our community.

KDLL mascot Wally the Wildcat, Mayor David Gordon and Jeff Underhill

by David Shanahan Some businesses have customer loyalty programs, a free coffee after you buy ten, perhaps. But Shoeless Joe’s in Kemptville has a whole new take on the idea, and a lot of local sports groups have benefited this year. Last Thursday, January 29, there was quite a party at Shoeless Joe’s at the Colonnade Mall, as a cheque for $20,000 was handed over to Mayor David Gordon by restaurant owner, Jeff Underhill. The funds came from the Home Team Advantage program run by the restaurant chain. As part of that initiative, the “If Your Team Wins, Your Community February 4, 2015

Wins” competition rewards customer loyalty in a very tangible way. Local sports teams register with Shoeless Joe’s, and then, every time they have a meal at the restaurant, points are accumulated for the community. The more teams participate, the more points the community builds up. In 2014, the Kemptville Shoeless Joe’s won the first place prize of $20,000. How the funds would be distributed was a joint decision between the restaurant and the municipality.

Working closely with Mayor David Gordon, Shoeless Joe’s and the municipality have decided the funds will go towards multiple

local projects. The North Grenville Youth Skate and Helmet Lending Program, Kemptville Minor Hockey, Kemptville Minor Baseball League, Kemptville Minor Soccer League, Kemptville Minor Football League and Kemptville Ladies and Men’s Adult Sport Teams will all receive a portion of the funds to help promote sports and recreation across a variety of areas.

Guest host Liam Maguire, one of the world’s foremost experts in hockey and everything NHL was on hand, putting Hockey Trivia Questions to the crowd and “distributing” prizes around the room.

Mayor Gordon, Councillors

10

www.ngtimes.ca

History

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Kemptville goes bang!

Constable Deb Sayeau on the old Prescott Street bridge

by David Shanahan Clarence Goodman was enjoying a quiet evening at his home on Water Street in Kemptville at the beginning of April, 1948, when he heard a loud noise coming from his basement. It sounded to him like an explosion, unlikely as that may have seemed, so he went cautiously down his cellar steps to investigate.

When he saw flames, he im-

mediately ran across the road to the Fire Station in the old Town Hall to raise the alarm.

Fortunately, the entire team of firemen were holding a meeting at the time and jumped into action at once. As they went to cross the street to Clarence’s house, a second, and more powerful explosion rocked the street. One of his neighbours claimed he saw a large ball of flame coming from Clarence’s cellar. It soon

ber of close escapes. A crowd had gathered on Water Street, near the Fire Station, when suddenly flames shot up from a manhole, rising some forty feet in the air. The flames subsided then, but remained burning for fifteen minutes, as high as four feet above the manhole cover, which burned red hot. Other sewer openings also exploded in flames nearby, and there were continuous rumblings and loud bangs in the area.

Constable Sayeau had an even closer encounter. As he walked down Asa Street on his way to his home around the corner on Thomas, the two manhole covers, which were situated in the middle of the junction of the two streets, suddenly exploded in flames, blowing the two heavy iron covers into the air, along with part of the wooden sidewalk which ran above the sewer.

Fortunately for Deb Sayeau, the manhole covers fell safely back into the hole left by the explosion, and he emerged unscathed, though shaken, from the experience.

The series of explosions continued, especially around the Asa Street-Thomas Street junction, and storm windows in Arthur Tobin’s house were

became clear that whatever was happening was not confined to just one house, and not even to Water Street.

Town Constable, Deb Sayeau, felt the effects of the blast at his home too, and immediately thought of the strong smell of gasoline that had been hanging in the air that day. When daylight returned early the next morning, Friday, April 2, curious residents noticed that gasoline was floating on the surface of the South Branch, coming from the sewer pipe that entered the river at the bottom of Thomas Street. Further investigation discovered very strong gas fumes coming out of a hole that had been blown in the ground nearby.

The smell of gas became stronger as the morning wore on, and became so bad inside some stores in the area that owners were told to advise their customers not to use matches or open flames in case they ignited the fumes.

The entire block bounded by Prescott, Asa, Thomas and Water Streets was rocked by a series of explosions, which seemed to come from underground. Residents reported that their homes shook from the blasts. There were a num-

broken. The blasts were described as being “on several occasions exceptionally heavy” and “were coming from unexpected spots”. As noon approached that Friday, people living on the affected block began to pack their belongings to move away until things calmed down again.

Some families moved in with friends and family for the night, but as the explosions began to die away, some returned home, watching and waiting to see if it was safe to remain.

But there were no further explosions, and the Fire Department spent the afternoon flushing out the sewer pipes in the area, resulting in large quantities of gasoline and oil to empty into the river from the pipe at Thomas and Water Streets. Then the investigation began. The focus of the inquiry quickly centred on two gas stations around Prescott and Asa. One was the Johnston Motors garage on the corner of the two streets, where the old Scotiabank building is today. The other was just beside that, on Asa Street on the site of the current apartment building. The Pelton & Reynolds gas station was operated by Charlie

Pelton, and it was thought that there was a leak allowing gasoline to drain into the sewer system.

The investigators began digging on Friday afternoon, after the sewer system had been flushed out, to determine where the leak might have been, but, for some reason, the excavation was ordered to cease and the hole filled in again. Decades later, when Prescott Street was being redesigned and repaved, it was found that the ground at that corner was contaminated with lead, most likely from the days when the gas stations had been operating. That specific location in Kemptville, Asa Street near the Prescott Street corner, was the starting point for two fires, a major one which destroyed most of Prescott Street in 1872, and another in 1910 which burned down that side of Asa Street almost all the way to Thomas Street.

The gas explosions of 1948 resulted in houses and residents being shaken and disturbed, but, very fortunately, there were no injuries and life quickly returned to normal for the people living on that block in downtown Kemptville.

1808 School Days Past 1965

by Anne Newton This latest publication of the North Grenville Historical Society is a delightful read full of many surprises and nuggets of information that will set the hearts of local and family historians aflutter. The photographs of students from 1880 on; the biographies of wellknown figures from our community; the history February 4, 2015

of education in Ontario; the sections marked Recess 1, Recess 2, Recess 3; the articles submitted by individuals who attended or taught in oneroom schoolhouses; the copies of report cards and attendance sheets; samples of the High School Entrance exams for the years 1904 and 1923; the Map of Oxford Township 1861-62; pictures of the schools then and now; studio portraits done by Charles Cook

who share my sentiments.

The book brings back memories of the freedom that we experienced as youngsters, of the teachers who influenced our lives and concept of self, and of the classmates with whom we shared a deep affection for this place called HOME. Doug MacDonald, David Shanahan, Maggie Boyer, Larry Loke, Michelle Carré, Sandy Arcand and the many other individuals who contributed articles, mementoes and memorabilia for the book are to be commended for A JOB WELL DONE.

Pelton who was the most sought after photographer of his day – all combined to create a “must have” book for those who wish to preserve the past and to have a tangible record of life as it once was in the villages, hamlets and towns in our area.

As the historian for our family, I was especially pleased to discover a school photograph from 1931 which included my second cousins, Marjorie and Dorothy O’Callaghan, S.S. No. 3 Oxford-onRideau. I was also very happy to see that Larry Loke had enhanced his article on The Pelton Brothers with a beautiful photograph of Mariam Margaret Beach c 1910 and a portrait of my Great Uncle Hiram O’Callaghan, his wife Mary Agatha (née Dolan) and their five sons (John, Frederick, Gerald, Charles and Claude). The latter was taken in February 1916, shortly before Hiram left home and hearth for the battlefields abroad. I know that I am not unique in my appreciation for School Days Past because I have spoken with many others

11

www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville 

CLASSIFIEDS First 10 words are FREE for North Grenville Residents. Extra Words: 50 cents a word. Email classifieds@ngtimes.ca SERVICES The Pet Nanny - Pet sitting, dog walking Kempt./ Merrickville. 613-979-2616 petnannykemptville.com Property cleanup,trees/ b r u s h / y a r d waste,scrap,dump runs,anything removed Wayne Scott RR#5 Kemptville 613-286-9072 SERIOUS ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT? www.herbalone.com Effective, affordable programs and/or products.

Call 613-258-4242 Mention this ad to SAVE 10%.

a House Wife. Sandi 613-2197277

 

pets; available immediately.

613-295-0552

Al’s Cleanup Services Dump runs, Kemptville 2 bdr house, 4 apGrass, Landscaping Al Scott R R pliances $900 + utilities, no #1 Oxford Station(613) 258-3847 pets. Call John 613 258 2753 YOGA for everyone. Wed and 2 bedroom upper level of Thurs., at YIG. Call 258-9902 duplex in downtown Kemptville. 4 applicances/parking/ Food-HealthConnec tions water included. Call 613 296 seminars for your company, 5906. group, school. Nutritionist Carol Pillar RHN. www. Log chalet nestled on a w h o le su map p r o ac h.co m mountainside facing north, 258-7133 Mont Tremblant. 4 bedrooms, fireplace, hot tub. Book now 613 203 2897 chantillyplace.

FOR RENT tremblant@gmail.com

Rock My House Music Centre is looking for Instructors. Furnished bedroom for rent in private home in downtown 613 258-5656 Kemptville. Walking distance to all amenities. Rent incl.

“DROWNING in MESS?!

Individually tailored Coach- utilities. Call 613 878 4738.

Kemptville – 1 bdrm – 506 Rideau St; $800 + utilities; hardwood floors; gas heat; covered balcony; no smoking or pets; available immediately. 613-295-0552

Qualified English tutor: reading, writing, grammar, etc...I Kemptville - 2 bdrm – 506 Rideau St; $950 (water inmake it fun! 613-269 2367. cluded) + utilities; hardHouse Cleaning-Every work- wood floors; gas heat; coving Mother and Father needs ered balcony; no smoking or

                 

Large one bedroom in Heckston for rent $775.00 plus utilities. 613-258-4741

Spacious 3 bdrm bungalow.

Fridge, stove, washer, dryer ing packages now available www.sarahsorganizingser- Kemptville 4 BDRM Century incl. Large lot. $1275 + utiliHome Finished basement all ties. 613 853 6592FOR SALE vices.com” appliances 1 ½ baths large Need help with social media? deck sauna hot tub 613 720 For Sale Business or personal. Email 0942 Galvanized, vinyl,dog kennel alwaysoncanhelp@gmail.

Old Town Kemptville – 10 8’x14’x48”, insulated doghouse com or call 613-227-3009 Prescott St. – commercial 251/2” x 311/2”, $350,989-2836 HANDY MAN SPECIALIZ- retail space – 690 sq. ft., ING IN RENOVATION AND available immediately. 613- 2002 F350 diesel quad cab 2x4 excelHOUSE STAGING. WE DO IT 295-0552 lent workhorse $4500 613-314-9327 ALL CALL 613 294 2416 Old Town Kemptville – 113 Jeep hard top storage doly/dust Mr & Mrs clean residential/ Prescott St. – commercial cover. Incl. 2 carts, nests together. commercial cleaning. Mrand- retail space – 1,878 sq. ft., $500. 613 215 0253. mrsclean613@gmail.com, available immediately. 613295-0552 613-867-2184 Chainsaw, Makita Model SC341, Nutritional Counselling to customize a wellness plan for all your health concerns. w h o l e su m a p p r o ac h.co m 613-258-7133



16”bar. Spare chain and file incl. $160. Call 613 325 0845.

Murray Pro Series snow thrower.

Electric start 11 HP/29” $350. Call 613-805-1427.

The North Grenville Times is Locally Owned and Operated

Building a Sustainable North Grenville

M UNICIPALITY OF NORTH GRENVILLE NOTICE OF SPECIAL COUNCIL M EETING REGARDING THE FIVE-YEAR REVIEW OF NORTH GRENVILLE’S OFFICIAL PLAN TAKE NOTICE that the Corporation of the Municipality of North Grenville will hold a special meeting of Council, open to the public, on Wednesday, March 18th, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. at the Municipal Centre (285 County Road 44).

THE PURPOSE of this special meeting is to discuss revisions that may be required to North Grenville’s Official Plan as part of the Municipality’s five year review of the Official Plan. This is in addition to, and a continuation of, consultation conducted in 2014 through Place Speak and staff presence at events within the community.

THE INFORMATION gathered will assist Council in determining what aspects of the Official Plan will need to be updated.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION relating to this item is available through the Planning and Building Department’s office during regular business hours from Monday to Friday telephone (613) 258-9569.

DATED THIS 5th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2015.

Request for Tender

North Grenville Accessible Transportation

Contract: Dispatch Services 8am to 7pm. Seven days per week.

Provide drivers for local and long distant drives.

Driver Services 8am to 7pm. Seven days per week.

Operating one NGAT owned accessible vehicle.

Apply by Email to: proberts@bell.net or by mail to: NGAT, Box 1696, Kemptville, Ontario, K0G 1J0 Lowest Tender not necessarily accepted.

Return submissions by: March 13, 2015

CLASSIFIEDS:

First 10 words free if submitted by email.

Extra word 50 cents, photo $10, border $2, shading $5.

Submit to classifieds@ngtimes.ca.

Email must include name, address and phone #.

Must be related to North Grenville.

February 4, 2015

12

www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

COMMUNITY EVENTS Feb 5 Feb 8

Feb 10 Feb 14

Feb 15

Feb 17

Feb 17 Feb 19

Feb 28

CROSSWORD

Youngsters of Yore, Kemptville Public Library, 1:30 pm. Members Art Show.

17th annual Sweetheart Brunch, North Grenville Municipal Centre.

Live entertainment, a draw for cash prizes, 8:30-1 pm. Tickets $10/ adults, $5/children aged 6–11. Children under 6 eat free. Tickets available at Royal LePage Gale Real Estate, Solution One Tax Services, O’Farrell Financial, Brewed Awakentings St. Michael’s CHS Student Art Show, by over 90 students in the Visual Arts Program. Open for viewing 6-8 pm in the cafeteria.

Valentine's Day Pancake Breakfast, 7:30-10:30 am at Kemptville CRC, 2455 County 18. Enjoy some pancakes, sausages, scrambled eggs and more - and help support Jasmine Kaldeway's upcoming training and missions work in Australia and third world countries with Youth with a Mission. $10 per person, $30 per family, $5 kids under 10.

Breakfast at Kemptville Snowmobile Clubhouse, 8-11 am, $5. All welcome. Snowmobile Rally, registration at clubhouse 8-11 am. (about 100 km) $25 per person. Big prize money and lots of door prizes.

Followed by a Ham Supper at Kemptville Legion, $15.00. Participate in all 3 events at a cost of $40.

Oxford Mills Community Association (OMCA)"Pancake Tuesday" in support of our ongoing activities? $5 per person, two sittings - 5 pm and 6:30 pm. Seating is limited, reserve early! For more info, please email Maplewoodhall@cogeco.ca or call 258 - 6485.

Pancake Supper, Shrove Tuesday, 7 pm, St. James. Leslie Hall, Kemptville. Cost $8 The Friends of the North Grenville Public Library Annual General Meeting, Norenberg Building, 1 Water Street, 7-9 pm. Following a short business meeting, Phil Jenkins will entertain us with stories from his books on the history of the Ottawa area.

Kemptville Legion Breakfast, 8 – 10 am. Adults $5.00 per person, Children under 12 $3.00. All welcome.

ACROSS 1. Nematode 5. Relieves 10. A city in western Russia 14. District 15. Plant life 16. Colored part of an eye 17. Glance over 18. Deaths 20. Discussion 22. Weird 23. Snagged 24. Leg joints 25. Inapplicability 32. Thresholds 33. Steer clear of 34. Unhappy 37. Young girl 38. 3-banded armadillo

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

M,W,F

BNI Networking Group Breakfast, Grenville Mutual Insurance Building, 380 Colonnade Drive, 7- 8:30 am. Call 613-918-0430 for more information.

Mixed Pickup 18+ Basketball is back! All skill levels welcome. Holy Cross School on Tuesday, 7-9 pm. $5 per night or $60 for the season.

Please call Jeff or Samantha at 613-258-1847 or samantha.rivetstevenson@rbc.com. Please remember there is no basketball on snow days !

Bridge- St. John’s United Church, 12:15 pm. Cost $4. "All levels of bridge players welcome. Come discover Duplicate Bridge. "Info, contact Sandra at 613-258-2691.

The Branch Artisans Guild, North Grenville Community Church, 2659 Concession Street every 3rd Tuesday, 7 pm. New members welcomed!

The North Grenville Photography Club - Meeting first Wednesday of every month at the Auditorium at the Municipal Centre on Hwy 44. For more info see ngphotoclub.ca.

Bingo- First and third Wednesday of the month, Kemptville Legion.

Games start at 1 pm. All welcome. Refreshments available.

Klub 67 Euchre every second and fourth Wed. of the month beginning Sept 10, 1:15 pm, St. John's United Church downstairs. Everyone welcome, $5.00.

KCCB, NG High School band room,7-8:30 pm. Brass and Woodwind musicians of all levels welcome! Music covers a wide range of musicals, classics, jazz and modern pieces. For more information, email dennis843@gmail.com Bridge - St. John’s United Church, 6:45 pm. Cost $5, partner preferred but not necessary. For more info, contact Sandra at 613-258-2691.

North Grenville Toastmasters - Meeting 1st & 3rd Thurs. of the month, 7 pm at O’Farrell’s Financial Services, Cty Rd 44. Info, call 258-7665.

Friendship lunch, Leslie Hall, Clothier St. W. Sponsored by St. James, St. John, Kemptville Pentecostal Tabernacle, Salvation Army and Holy Cross churches. Serving begins at 11:30 am. No charge. Goodwill offering. All are welcome.

The Kerith Debt Freedom Centre. Confidential coaches will help you get out of debt and stay out of debt. Free, open on the 2nd and 4th Sat. of the month from 9:30-11:30 at the NG Community Church. Appointments can be made at kdfc.ca or by calling 613-258-4815 x103.

Kemptville and Area Walking Group, Municipal Centre - Early birds: 8 am, others 8:30 am. Contact: Eva 258-4487.

February 4, 2015

39. Balcony section 40. An uncle 41. Hoar 42. Canoe 43. Ceramic ware 45. Abyss 49. Band booking 50. Breach 53. Craftsperson 57. Desperate 59. Windmill blade 60. Phone 61. Anagram of "Coast" 62. Prima donna problems 63. Leg joint 64. Seethes 65. Lease

DOWN 1. Stinging insect 2. Killer whale 3. Genuine 4. Administrators 5. Decadent 6. Winglike 7. Drunkard 8. Historical periods 9. Sodium chloride 10. Moon of Saturn 11. Pee 12. Feudal lord 13. Donkeys 19. Annoyed 21. Volumes (abbrev.)

25. Doing nothing 26. Wander 27. Thorny flower 28. Steam 29. Nautical for stop 30. Not south 31. Spy agency 34. Kind of bean 35. Food thickener 36. Apollo astronaut Slayton 38. Genus of macaws 39. A maker of laws 41. Leg bone 42. Make a sweater 44. Exit 45. A painful muscle spasm 46. What we are 47. Big name in computers 48. Inscribed pillar 51. Rodents 52. French for "State" 53. Affirm 54. Wise one 55. Nameless 56. Where a bird lives 58. Frozen water

SUDOKU

Weekly and recurring events Tues

The Voice of North Grenville

Easy

Medium

Hard

Solution to last week’s Crossword

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

13

www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville Fundamentals

One Way

Capilano’s Pizzeria About 15 years ago, two brothers from Ottawa recognized the need for their product and menu and decided to open a business in North Grenville .

Their mission statement was to offer the best food in town and in 2005 were rewarded with winning the 2nd best Pizza in the Ottawa region among the 38 participants.

Offering a full menu of Italian delights while specializing in pizza and their extraordinary donairs, you will want to return again and again to tantilize your taste buds.

Delivered, eat in or take out….you have a choice from chicken wings to salads and of course pizza, subs, spaghetti, and much more.

Drop in or call for a mouth watering experience today.

Blair Hamilton, owner

613-258-3520

301 Prescott St., Kemptville

50% off Winter Clearance

on all clothing and footwear

613.258.0166 207 Sanders St., Kemptville

February 4, 2015

www.tbcconsign.com

14

by David Shanahan When I was growing up in Ireland, there were two kinds of people. There were Catholics and there were Protestants.

No distinction was made between various kinds of Protestants: if you weren’t one of the 98% of the population in the Republic there were Catholic, then you were Protestant.

Simple. I remember, after I became a Christian, whenever I told someone that I was a Christian, the response was usually: “what’s a Christian?” Seriously, that term was too vague for most people. There was a general sense that calling someone “Christian”, not “a Christian”, just Christian, meant that they were good, nice, generous, etc. It was a social and moral title, not a spiritual one. Saints, in the general culture, were special people acknowledged by the authorities as very spiritual and holy people indeed. All dead, of course. To tell them that the New Testament called all believers “saints”, even the not so perfect ones, brought looks of disbelief and even suspicion.

In Northern Ireland it was a bit different. It was far more serious. There was the story of the man who was stoped by the police and asked his religion. He answered: “I am a Jew”.

“Yes”, replied the officer, “but are you a Catholic Jew, or a Protestant Jew?”. That was funny until people started getting beaten up, or killed, depending on the answer you gave to that question. Even then I wondered how someone who claimed to be a follower of Jesus could hate, hurt, or even kill another person in the name of Jesus. Over time, I came to realise that Jesus had absolutely nothing to do with it all. These people weren’t fighting each other over doctrine, or the interpretation of Scripture, or anything like that. The terms “Catholic” and “Protestant” were simply political labels that reflected historical divisions, they were not religious ones. Once again, the meat-eating vegetarians were muddying the waters, using Christian terms for other reasons, and bringing Christianity into disrepute. By their fruits you will know them.

It was an interesting time in Ireland. People went to church on Sundays and had a generally spiritual approach to life. It was a normal part of life and death; religion as a socio-cultural expression. But once they started seeing what “religion” was doing in the North, and when clerical scandals were exposed, the reality, or depth of that spirituality was also exposed and the churches were deserted. The country that had been known for sending missionaries to Africa began to find African clergy being imported to fill the vacancies caused by a precipitous fall-off in native clergy-in-training.

When I was in university in the early-1970's, I met some people who really confused me. They were “religious”all right, but in a different way. They talked about Jesus like he was someone they knew, first-hand. Not through their upbringing, or through someone’s else’s words, but for themselves. They sang and laughed, even danced, and were almost like Christian hippies. Not your normal hippy types, though. University profs, mail carriers, long hairs and short hairs, working class and upper class, all sorts and types of people, but all with the same experience of encountering Jesus.

When they prayed, it was not in stilted and learned phrases, or in solemn or “spiritual”tones of voice: it was like they were talking to their friend (which, of course, they were); relaxed, loving, thankful and free. But there was a depth and a solid foundation to this: these were intelligent academics and students of science, medicine, history, philosophy, psychology and so on. And they talked, sang and prayed a lot about the Holy Spirit, which was kind of new for me. I was acquainted with Jesus, of course, at least in general. And God the Father was the one most talked about at church. But the Holy Spirit had always been a bit of a mystery to me, a vague add-on to things.

But it seemed that he was quite central to what was going on with these people. There are so many stories from that time.

I remember so clearly, in such detail, one lunchtime on campus. A group of these Christians had met for lunch, sitting around in a circle on the floor and talking about this Jesus they’d met. When we had to go somewhere else to continue the chat, I had to stay behind and help clean up. I remember running after them, wanting to hear more, not from them but about the one they were talking about. As I ran through the halls of the university, so eager, hungry even, to hear more, I was suddenly struck by a realisation: “this is how people ran after Jesus to hear him speak, desperate not to miss one word.”

In that moment, and every moment since 1972, I have run after to hear more of his word, knowing that following him is not a matter of labels, not a socio-cultural expression of some kind.

That he is there, and he is not silent. That he loves me and has never forsaken me. And that to love him involves all of my heart and soul and mind. www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

Rotary Food Drive fills the shelves

Rotary supports Science Fair

Pictured above: Rob Horning (right), vice chair of the Rotary Club of Kemptville Youth Committee, presents a cheque for $1,000 to North Grenville District High School teacher Matt Wilson (left), and two students Erica Bates and Fynn Lystiuk, to help support the school’s intermediate science fair.

By Allison Grange, Upper Canada District School Board The Rotary Club of Kemptville has donated $1,000 to North Grenville District High School (NGDHS) for its inaugural intermediate science fair scheduled for Friday, March 27 from 8 am – 1:30 pm.

The science fair, which will be named, “The North Grenville Rotary Science Fair,” is spearheaded by teacher Matthew Wilson.

Last October, Wilson presented at a Rotary meeting where he talked about the importance of science in the lives of students. He

shared his wish to create an annual science fair at the school. Following his presentation, club members decided to donate funds to help make Wilson’s idea a reality.

“A major priority for our club is youth,” said Jennifer Franssen, the club’s Youth Services Committee chair. “We want to help make this an ongoing event by being involved each year.”

Wilson, who has been teaching for 14 years, but is new to NGDHS, has hosted science fairs at a number of

INCHESTER PRINT & STATIONERY

The Voice of North Grenville

schools. But, his new goal is to create a science fair at NGDHS that grows each year to involve secondary grades and students from other schools.

This year’s fair will be open to students in Grades 7 and 8, and will involve community judges. Student participants will have the opportunity to win Best of Fair, Best Visual Display, and an environmental naturalist award sponsored by the Ferguson Forest Centre.

“I want to thank the Rotary Club of Kemptville for their donation to the

science fair,” said Wilson.

“I feel science is extremely important in this day and age. There are so many careers that involve science, and it’s great to get students involved as early as possible.”

The Rotary Club of Kemptville held their Rotary Day of Service last Saturday and Sunday, with the aim of helping the House of Lazarus through collecting donations of food and cash through the churches in Kemptville “to assist people and families who are having difficulty obtaining adequate healthy food”. The Day of Service, which actually stretched over the weekend, was part of the World Hunger Awareness project.

The slogan attached to this local initiative: “Rotarians believe that no child should ever go to bed hungry”, states the motivation behind this wonderful project and the response Rotary received was very encouraging.

On Saturday, people gathered at the United Church on Prescott Street to make quiches, and they certainly worked hard at that. Almost sixty large quiches were made, as well as seven smaller ones. The following day, about sixty bags of groceries were collected from a number of local churches, including the United and the First Christian Reformed Churches. The North Grenville Community Church committed $500 to the House of Lazarus, in addition to cash and food donations from individuals around the municipality.

Both the B&H and Beking Poultry Farm donated supplies for the baking side of things and their generous contribution to the Day of Service added much to its success. The House of Lazarus were naturally delighted to be the recipient of all this work, especially as this time of year, between January and March, often finds their food bank low on supplies and makes it harder to care for all of those coming to them for help. It is important for the wider community to remember that, in spite of the wonderful work done over Christmas, hunger and need exists all year round, and food banks need restocking regularly.

The Rotary Club of Kemptville have helped to fill the gap for now, and the initiative can be considered a wonderful success. This was the first year such a project was undertaken by Rotary locally, and the plan is to make it the first of bigger and better days in years to come.

WINCHESTER PRINT & STATIONERY

WINCHESTER PRINT & STATIONERY

February 4, 2015

WINCHESTER PRINT & STATIONERY

15

www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

“Genghis Khan, He Could Not Keep, All His Kings Supplied With Sleep.”

Welcome back, generally good natured reader.

It’s week five in the fifteenth year of the new millenium.

It’s a good time to for a ‘State of Things’ examination. A brief perusal of headlines, this past weekend revealed: Sarah Palin’s at it again.

She of the Raucous Right ranted incoherently about the direction conservative Americans should be heading. (This is the lady who told North and South Korea to get along because, after all, they were both Japanese) She had members of The Tea Party wondering what she was talking about...join the club.

Justin Bieber, our proof to the world that not all twenty-something Canadians are grown up, has revealed that he is not the person that he ‘has been pretending to be’. Perhaps his mother’s prayers have been answered.

Michael Moore took to Facebook...that place where all things important are revealed, to let us in on the time that Clint Eastwood threatened to shoot him.

‘Reload, Clint’, some might be saying. What would we do without celebrities to entertain us? Now, if they’d just do it without firearms.

It has been predicted that this year’s Superbowl will be one for the ages... or did they mean ‘aged’?

The Super Bowl’s American advertising has been banned in Canada, but will be permitted by 2017. How will we fill the intervening years? And speaking of advertising....

In a 30 minute time span last evening, my television was infested/infected by, what seemed like, an endless parade advertisements from the federal government, crowing about its Apprenticeship Program.

As with the Economic Action Plan ads, the ones that burned through enough of our taxpayers’ money to cover the debt in Ontario....a truly staggering amount... these current ads are nothFebruary 4, 2015

ing more than Harper Government ad-speak...political blather from the Party that is in permanent election mode. Ooops, I digress again...back to the celebrities: those who are famous for being, uhhh, famous.

Tiger Woods blew up in the Arizona desert and shot a round of golf that looked so abysmal, I thought he was one of the old geezers that I get to stroll around the links with. It was hard to feel sorry for ol’ Tigger as he climbed aboard his private jet and skee-daddled back to Florida Eugenie Bouchard had a melt down in Australia, but everyone loved her despite her loss. We Canadians are just so darned cute and loveable; no one seems to be able to stay mad at us.

And we are surprisingly nice too. A B.C. man gave $7 to a panhandler. The next day, he gave $40. On day three, he opted for nothing and was beaten and robbed. There is a lesson there somewhere.

The federal government is finally back to work in Ottawa. And you thought teachers had too many holidays. Mr. Harper has tabled a new anti-terrorist Bill. He is going to portray himself as the only person who can save us from extremists.

Ah, but who will protect us from the extremists in his Party? There are more than just a few.

Oil remains below $50 a barrel. Things are getting so desperate, that Alberta, with its economy bleeding billions, is considering a sales tax. I didn’t think it was that cold. Is Hades freezing? What’s next? A Toronto Stanley Cup? The Conservative Party-the Party micro-managed by a fella named Steve, will soon inundate us with ads, at most mind-numbing rate, designed to convince us that he, and only he can balance a budget...no matter what the price of oil. Those ads will be interspersed between the attack ads which will be of a most malicious,

nasty nature, designed to denigrate any and all who have the temerity to oppose him. Some may think he’s cute, but he sure doesn’t play nice.

So, get yourself ready, apprehensive reader. The ads are coming. The Super Bowl ads...which you will have to go searching for,

the plethora of Conservative apprenticeship ads and the soon-to-be-arriving smear campaign/election attack ads.

Now all we need are the ads from our municipal government telling us that we shouldn’t be alarmed by the increased tax rate...a mere 6.18%...the increase

they had to see coming before the election, but took care not to mention.

The ads that will attempt to convince us that it is the Canadian thing to do...to suck it up and stop whining.

This type of tough-love autocracy is enough to make Genghis Khan sit up and take notice.

(* If you are confused about the heading/title, it’s Bob Dylan, so, it’s confusing simply for that reason) Peter Johnson Upper Oxford Mills (on a county road that is not getting upgraded, due to budget constraints... despite the 6.18% tax increase)

17th Annual North Grenville Community

Sweetheart Brunch Sunday February 8, 2015 North Grenville Municipal Centre 285 County Road # 44, Kemptville

All-You-Can-Eat-Brunch Served Continuously From 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Draw for Cash Prizes!!

Come “Celebrate Our Community Working Together”

All Proceeds Will go to Sponsoring Our Local Charities and Community Initiatives Adults $10.00, Children 6 - 11 $5.00, 6 & Under Free Continuous Entertainment Tickets are available at the door or Scotiabank, 300 Colonnade Drive, (613) 258-5961 (Scotiabank will match all onsite ticket sales with a donation)

Royal LePage Gale Real Estate, 304 Colonnade Drive, (613) 258-1990 Solution One Tax Services, 3 Clothier Street East, (613) 258-9492 O’Farrell Financial Services, County Road 44, (613) 258-1997 Brewed Awakenings, 2868 Hwy 43, (613) 258-6251

Sponsored By

Holy Cross Council 5333 Knights of Columbus 16

www.ngtimes.ca