Issue 12 2022 March 30 NG Times

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The Voice of North Grenville

Vol. 10 No. 12

March 30, 2022

The community has lost Kika Smith

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by Paula Rhyndress In a blink of an eye, it’s over. Our beloved Kika is gone. She has passed, died, gone to heaven, joined Adrian, call it whatever you like. She’s gone.

Peacefully and on her own terms.

I have struggled over the last couple of days to come to terms with my loss. Although I have always fancied myself a bit of a wordsmith, the words that I have relied on in the past have abandoned me.

They fled on Tuesday, along with a bit of my heart and a lot of my joy.

Tears and hugs (Covid be damned) have become a fixture. Listening to others share their stories has become a balm on my soul.

Kika was never a flashy person. She was never one to call attention to herself. She went quietly about her business, being a boss, a business person, a sympathetic shoulder, a listening ear. Her smile and laugh could lift spirits. Her sweetness could help anybody over a rough patch.

Her generosity helped legions of folks in North Grenville, whatever life handed them.

Over the last couple of months, I have come to realize what a gift North Grenville had in Kika.

What made me recognize that was the overwhelming support she inspired in her community when her cancer diagnosis became public knowledge. How many people stepped up to help, how many people donated, how many people wanted to know how she was. I never got the impression that people were just being nosy, but I did get the sense that people had problems believing this could be happening to somebody

that never asked for help but always offered. They couldn’t believe that a truly good-hearted person was suffering.

But through all this, Kika maintained her pride and her dignity. She was gob-smacked by the support her community extended to her. She just could not believe the heart-felt good wishes that each and every cent raised, represented. She still struggled to understand why that generosity was directed at her. It was an absolute bitch that she ever got cancer, but it was karma that caused people to open their pocketbooks.

I have been lucky enough, so far, to have had some amazing people in my life. People that have inspired joy, generosity, love, laughter, hope.

People who have been through tremendous life struggles and not been bitter or angry. Kika Smith has been, for many years, an inspiration to me. That won’t stop because she is no longer of this mortal coil. I will continue to rely on Kika to be my guide in helping others. If I can leave behind a fraction of the broken hearts she has comforted, I will count my goal met.

Good-bye, sweet Kika.

May the next part of your soul’s journey be filled with the peace and joy you have selflessly brought to so many others. Love ya!

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Knights of Columbus donations bring many smiles

by Brandon Mayer

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The local chapter of the Knights of Colombus has distributed its fundraising money to several local charitable organizations. Six organizations received a combined total of $7,500 in donations.

Ryan’s Well, Community Living North Grenville, Naomi’s Family Resource Centre, Seniors Community Services, and Leeds & Grenville Interval House, each received $1,000 from the Knights. The Beth Donovan Hospice got a larger donation of $2,500.

Some of the money that was donated was raised from this year’s annual Sweetheart Brunch, which took place online. However, Grand Knight,

Michel Blais, told the Times that not much money was raised this year, and so some of the donated money had been funds carried over from last year. This marked the second year of the Sweetheart Brunch being an online fundraiser owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community support was still evident for the online events, but not as much as when the events took place in person. Michel was clear that the Knights were grateful to receive the donations they did get this year and last, simply because of how financially difficult these times have been for average individuals and families. With pandemic restrictions now largely lifted, and life returning more to a

Kof C Mike Blais, Dawn Rodger, Executive Director at Senior’s Community Centre Kemptville and Knights of Columbus Richard Savoy.

page at www.facebook.com/ KnightsofColumbusKemptville, and click on the blue “Learn More” button to be directed to the donation page.

state of normality, the Knights are hopeful for a return to normal fundraising practices.

Their next major fundraiser will be the annual golf tournament in September.

Michel emphasized that all donated money must be distributed - the organization does not keep any of it, so that every penny can help those in need. Donated money can be used for the Knights Food Bank, or can be earmarked for charitable donations. Those who donate can even have a say in what their donation will be used for. Anyone donating online will receive an instant tax receipt, which simplifies the process for many.

To make a donation, visit the Knights of Columbus local chapter’s Facebook

KofC Richard Savoy hands out roses to the recipients

KofC Mike Blais, Sue Walker, Executive Director at Beth Donovan Hospice and Knights of Columbus Richard Savoy.

KofC Mike Blais, Sandra McNamara, Executive Director at Community Living North Grenville and Knights of Columbus Richard Savoy.

Kof C Mike Blais and Ryan Hreljac, Ryan’s Well Founder and Executive Director.

KofC Mike Blais and Katherine Parker, Vice Chair and interim Treasurer at Leeds and Grenville Interval House.

Knights of Columbus Mike Blais and Deborah Thomson, CEO at Naomi’s Family Resource Centre and Knights of Columbus Richard Savoy.

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Buskerfest to be sponsored by Urbandale Construction

The volunteers of the Kemptville Buskerfest Organizing Committee are thrilled to share the news that they have reached an historic agreement that will see Urbandale Construction become the Event Title Sponsor for the 2022 Kemptville Busker-

fest, to be held in Downtown Kemptville on Saturday May 21, 2022.

“This agreement will allow the committee to continue its work to provide the best possible experience to festival-goers,” added Sierra Jones, Chair of the Kempt-

ville Buskerfest Organizing Committee. “We know that, after a long winter, people need something to look forward to, and would greatly benefit from a day of enchanting entertainment, delicious food, and endless fun.”

“We were excited to get the opportunity to get involved in this first year event, and look forward to supporting it for the next three years. It was wonderful to meet some of the amazing volunteers involved and hear all about the plans for this signature event. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our connection with the community and to provide the highest quality homes for residents of North Grenville",

said Melissa Boudreau, Sales & Marketing Manager for Urbandale Construction.

Urbandale Construction is a family-run business with 40 years experience building high quality homes in the Ottawa and North Grenville area.

The Kemptville Buskerfest event features a cornucopia of local and professional street performers, a vendor showcase, fresh food options, and activities for the entire family. Hosted amongst an eclectic offering of small businesses, including professional services, restaurants, and boutique retail shops, the Kemptville Buskerfest is sure to create lasting memories for everyone.

For more information about the Kemptville Buskerfest contact: Deron Johnston, Executive Director, Old Town Kemptville BIA, bia@northgrenville.on.ca.

Federal Liberal and NDP parties strike a pact

by Brandon Mayer

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party, and Jagmeet Singh’s New Democratic Party have brokered a pact that will see the two parties work together, and will make it very likely that Canada will not see its next federal election until 2025. The agreement is a “supply and confidence” agreement, which, despite rumours, is not a coalition.

A coalition government occurs when two parties work together and combine their seats in the House of Commons to produce the voting power needed for a majority against the opposition. One characteristic of a true coalition is that the parties hold power together by each holding Cabinet posts.

True coalitions are rare. In fact, the only coalition which has formed at the federal level since Canada’s Confederation was Sir Robert Borden’s Union Coalition during the First World War, which was formed to support conscription, and only lasted about a year. In 2008, the federal Liberal, NDP, and Bloc Quebecois parties signed an agreement to form a coalition March 30, 2022

government shortly after that year’s election, but Conservative Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, asked the Governor General to prorogue parliament, thus avoiding the coalition. When parliament resumed, new Liberal leader, Michael Ignatieff, made it clear that he was not a supporter of coalitions.

The deal struck earlier this month between the two Party leaders will still see the Liberal Party alone as the governing party of Canada, and the pact simply ensures support for the Liberals in policy areas where the two parties feel they share at least some common ground. These areas include climate change, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and efforts to make life more affordable.

Opposing political parties are often motivated to form

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pacts when the governing political party only has a minority of seats in the House of Commons, since few policies can be passed by such governments without at least some collaboration. Minority governments typically only last less than two years, because of the diminished ability to pass legislation, which drives calls for an early election.

With the current Liberal-NDP pact, an election is highly unlikely to be called early, with the next one scheduled to take place as late as October 20, 2025. Part of the pact also stipulates that the NDP will support the Liberals in the event that a confidence vote is called, further securing the Liberal Party’s governing status until 2025, provided that the pact remains in place.

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Theatre group confirms dates for Ripcord performances

by Brandon Mayer

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The North Grenville Community Theatre [NGCT] is excited to announce the official performance dates for their upcoming production, “Ripcord”. Three evening performances will take place at the Urbandale Arts Centre on April 28, 29, and 30, beginning at 7:30 pm. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday, May 1, starting at 2 pm. Doors open for the evening performances at 7 pm, and for the matinee performance at 1:30 pm.

“Ripcord” has been in the works since late last year, when the NGCT began preparing to return to a reality beyond the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rehearsals for the performance have been ongoing for months, with the first full dress rehearsals anticipated in the coming weeks. “Ripcord” will be the first major performance put on by the NGCT

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since the pandemic began, with the organization having kept active with smaller scale activities for the past two years.

The producer of “Ripcord,” Debbie MacGillivray, provided the Times with an update since the lifting of many pandemic restrictions, including mask mandates, on March 21. “Currently, the guidelines for the Urbandale Arts Centre allow for full capacity in the theatre, with no need for social distancing,” Debbie said. “We are also allowed (unless COVID rules change) to sell water during the intermission.”

Last month, Debbie told the Times that, for the first time in NGCT’s history, tickets to “Ripcord” would be sold online only. However, that has since changed. Tick-

ets have been available online for weeks, but in-person sales began this week at the B&H grocery store. Tickets for the performance will also be sold at the door of the Urbandale Arts Centre on the performance dates, if they are still available.

While history has shown that pandemic rules can change quickly, Debbie confirmed that she does not believe masks are required for guests at the Urbandale Arts Centre since the loosening of restrictions on March 21. If rule changes occur, the NGCT will follow the guidelines that are current at that time.

“Ripcord” is described as “a fascinating, edgy contemporary comedy”. Tickets can be purchased at B&H, or online, for $20 each by visiting www.ngct.ca/tickets.html.

Send in your letters, stories, events to editor@ ngtimes.ca www.ngtimes.ca

Editorial

The North Grenville Times

The West’s awake

by David Shanahan A few issues ago, I wrote about the leadership race in the Conservative Party of Canada [CPC], noting that it seemed the fight between the candidates was one for the soul of the party. It seems that others share that opinion. Most notably, Alberta Premier, Jason Kenney, has been heard to warn that the conservative provincial party in Alberta, ironically called the United Conservatives, is in danger of being taken over by those he called “lunatics” who are “trying to take over the asylum”.

He is in deep trouble himself, and facing a leadership review, he points the finger of blame for the disunity of the United Conservatives as what he sees as a far right element who have been actively infiltrating the party and signing up members in a bid to oust him. How dangerous does he think this element is in his party? In a recorded speech before staff, he said: “I will not let this mainstream conservative party become

Letters to the Editor An open letter to Steve Clark, MPP Dear Mr. Clark: With the elimination of masking and other safeguards against being infected by Covid-19 or variants, it would seem to me to be even more important that the population be fully vaccinated.

My husband and I are seniors. We each have had the original two vaccinations, plus one booster shot. We received the booster shot on December 15, 2021. We had understood that those of us over the age of 65 would be eligible for the second booster shot three months later.

I went online to try to book an appointment and was told that we could only get this booster if we get a letter from our physician confirming that we are immunecompromised. Before going online, I visited both the Pharmacy at the Independent Store, and Shoppers Drug Mart in Kemptville, and was told that they have no supply of vaccine on hand and have no idea whether or not they will have it at some future date.

I am at a loss to understand the rationale behind this. There is no doubt that seniors are more vulnerable, that the removal of the requirement to wear masks in public places, and opening up large venues, will increase the

an agent for extreme, hateful, intolerant, bigoted and crazy views. Sorry to be so blunt with you but you need to understand what the stakes are here.”

This situation seems to mirror that of other conservative political parties in Europe and North America, where the rise of populist groups has become a source of concern in many democracies. The influence of social media platforms has enabled this growing influence, and the growing numbers of these groups, as well stemming from a deep distrust of anything that is seen as “mainstream”, whether that is in politics, the media, or other social groups. Conspiracy theorists like Qanon, no matter how far-fetched, based on no evidence, or on a severely flawed analysis of the facts, have fed into this suspicion and given it a form of legitimacy and a certain credibility far beyond reason or logic.

While it might be easy to dismiss Premier Kenney’s comments as being a problem for Alberta, he and others do risk of infection, and that a new variant has now been identified.

Surely, it would make sense to encourage more people to become fully vaccinated. I have not seen any vaccination data lately as this, as well as the numbers of Covid-19 cases, appear to no longer be published. However, the last data I am aware of was that approximately 80% of the population has had only one vaccination. One would think that the goal would be at least 85% fully vaccinated, including at least one booster shot.

I fully expected that the Ministry of Health would make it easier, not harder, to get vaccinated, and that a campaign would be organized to encourage the population to be fully vaccinated. You have even closed the vaccination centre at the Municipal Centre in Kemptville, so, as a result, when we do obtain the required letter from our physician, we will have to travel to Winchester or Brockville to be vaccinated.

I have read that we are now being told that Covid-19 will be epidemic, as is Flu, and that we just have to learn to live with it (or die with it). We have no problem obtaining the flu vaccine each year. In fact, every pharmacy has signs encouraging us to have the flu shot, and our physician's office phones to make an appointment for our

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not agree. He has also indicated that he is afraid of the same thing happening at the federal level in the context of the CPC leadership race.

And there is some evidence that he may be right. Of the eleven individuals who have declared their candidacy, or are expected to do so before April 19, some are still calling for an end to mandatory vaccination certs, for example, even though the country has already moved to do so. Others promise they will defund the CBC and end all government supports for media generally.

One candidate, Joseph Bourgault, is also president and co-founder of Canadians for Truth, Freedom and Justice, an organization that claims that the pandemic is being used by “governments, who are controlled by globalists, to justify the so-called ‘great reset’ which we STRONGLY OPPOSE”.

The views of Pierre Poilivere are well known and certainly reflect a more rightist position compared to some of the other candidates who seek a return to “traditional Conservative” policies and values. This

group is generally seen as including Jean Charest and a few other candidates.

The leadership race is not one for the worker on a minimum wage. According to the CPC “Rules and Procedures for the 2022 Leadership” document on rules for the contest, to get into the race initially, you need to pay out a $50,000 deposit. Then you have to pay the rest of the $150,000 registration fee, a $100,000 security deposit, and provide 500 signatures of endorsement from party members (which must span at least 30 Electoral Districts in 7 provinces). The document limits expenses to $7,000,000, so a candidate needs deep pockets to even declare as a candidate.

But the deeper significance of the contest is to see whether the CPC goes the way of the Republican Party in the Excited States, or the Conservatives in the U.K., where both parties have changed their traditional policies and attitudes since 2016.

Republicans, the one-time enemy of Russia and Communism, now seem content to submerge their identity in

favour of blind obedience to a Great Leader, even going so far as to justify attempts to overthrow an election, violent attacks on their own legislature, and ignoring evidence of Russian interference in their democracy.

The British Unionist and Conservative Party, to give it its full title, has endorsed leaving the largest trading block available to them, choosing a known liar and charlatan who has been fired from almost every job he has had (not too many of them, either) for lying in print, and badly mishandling the pandemic, from which many of their friends and partners got very rich. In short, old-fashioned conservatism has been completely undermined and policies and attitudes which previous Conservative leaders would have considered unacceptable are now at the forefront of appeals for votes.

So, the situation exposed

by Premier Kenney in Alberta is not in any way irrelevant to the rest of the country.

The same situation exists here, also. Which way will the CPC go from this leadership contest? The strange

thing is, in a way that is very much the same as the position of the Republicans to the south, there seems to be a real problem for the CPC if they go too far to the right.

Although those candidates pushing in that direction have the most favourable ratings among party supporters in opinion polls, those are the very candidates most other Canadians would reject in a general election. Instead of ideology, it seems the most important thing for political parties these days, right, left, or centre, is not holding to a set of principles, but figuring out what they could promise that will get them elected.

A very strange time in Canadian political history. The potential was once eloquently expressed by W. B. Yeats in The Second Coming: “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blooddimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.”

Yes, we live in interesting times. Wasn’t that a curse?

flu shot. So why would you not make it just as easy to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and its variants?

I hope that I will receive an actual response to my question and not just a form email from your PA. This question has come up in discussions with a number of seniors I know who will also be waiting for your response.

Shirley Price Kemptville

I believe the land should be kept for the town of Kemptville.

For the town’s use in future planning and development; perhaps recreation, housing, schools, or a bigger hospital to serve the growing population. Kemptville is a booming town which attracts people because of its good quality of life. Planting a prison in the middle of this town is not good government or city planning, nor is it respectful of the organic way towns grow. This will define a large portion of the town and the lands surrounding this prison forever.

On January 14, I made an ATI request to the Ontario government about the work being done to determine the suitability of the location of this prison.

After a delay, which the government unilaterally granted itself, I received my final decision on March 21 at three minutes to five. They were statutorily bound to give it on that day, and I would say they dragged that out to its limit. I was given a big fat “NO”, hidden behind the vague phrase of “protecting third-party rights”.

Our Supreme Court ruled on ATI, and clearly stated that the “purpose of access legislation is to facilitate democracy by helping ensure that citizens have the information they need to participate meaningfully in the democratic process and that poli-

ticians and bureaucrats remain accountable to the citizenry”.

With ATI, we have a clearly established right to know, which is balanced against an equally important right of protecting an individual’s private information from prying eyes. But this does not appear to be the case here.

I am left to suspect that the unnamed “third party” whose interests are being “protected’ against my right to know is a corporation interested in building on the land.

As taxpayers, we have a right to know whether our public institutions are functioning as they should. I will appeal - at greater cost - but I am doubtful of a better outcome. The process ratchets up, and the individual rights are affected, as people can’t compete against the government and big corporation.

This appears to be an absolute frustration of due process and a desire on their part to have me drop it and go away without ever getting the answer I need.

Suzanne Gahagan Ottawa

like to be tortured for the way I was born if I happened to be gay.

I would take Jean Charest any day over the aforementioned. I actually worked for him when he ran before.

Does “sign up now to help me replace Trudeau and restore freedom” refer to the freedom that the truckers wanted? No restrictions, lawlessness, free for all, no concern for fellow Canadian citizens at all. Disrupted businesses in downtown Ottawa; was so horribly noisy and polluted from diesel fuel many people have health problems. Also, there was racism and sexual harassment and other obscenities.

And our “friend”, Mr. Poilievere, supports this? I’m guessing he thought January 6 in the U.S. was a good thing too.

If Mr. Barrett became Minister of Health, we could maybe kiss our Health Card goodbye.

Hello private insurance for the more well to do. Some people still love Donald Trump. In Canada, even. Go figure.

Thank you Jim Bertram for your heartfelt letter. You are very courageous. I sincerely wish you the best.

Kath Piché

Dear Editor, I have one burning question about the process of public consultation as it relates to the redevelopment of the Kemptville College Lands (KCL). Is the Government using the Access to Information legislation (ATI) to promote our constitutional right to know, or is the government using it to avoid full disclosure and meaningful public consultation?

I am opposed to the way in which these valuable lands at the KCL are being dispensed with.

The lack of transparency and meaningful public consultation about what is going on breeds distrust and doubt about the protection of the public’s right to know and our right to decide how this land will be used before it is gone forever. This is an irreversible step which needs meaningful public consultation and due diligence.

the north grenville

ISSN 2291-0301 www.ngtimes.ca

TIMES Editor David Shanahan editor@ngtimes.ca 613-215-0735

OFFICE 613-215-0735

Accounting Pat Jessop cfo@ngtimes.ca 613-258-4671

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Staff Reporter Brandon Mayer brandon@ndtimes.ca

Dear Editor, Thanks, David, for the great Editorial, “Twist and shout”. I am one of those ‘scary’ leftists that Barrett and Poilievere so dislike. I’m not in favour of torture and the Conversion Therapy as Michael Barrett is. I wouldn’t Mailing Address P.O. Box 1854 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Production production@ngtimes.ca 613-215-0735

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United Counties report

Counties Council Approves 2022 Budget: The Council for the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville has voted to approve the 2022 budget with a 2.14% tax rate increase over 2021. The United Counties will collect $43.2-million from property taxpayers this year. The approved budget provides for total expenditures of $108.5-million. Capital expenditures account for $54.7-million.

“The 2022 Budget is a step toward building solid asset and financial planning that will prioritize infrastructure investment,” said Counties Chief Administrative Officer Ray Callery. “The budget increase focuses on affordable housing, paramedic service response and transportation infrastructure,” he said. “These advancements will be delivered with a greater awareness of accessibility, communication and climate change challenges to position the Counties to support sustainable community growth and development.”

The Province-wide assessment did not occur again in 2022. The average residential property, not on water in Leeds and Grenville, is assessed at $215,000. The approved budget will increase the Counties taxes on the average residential property by $18.99.

“With the hard work of staff, Counties Council has been able to approve a 2022 Budget that reflects the financial challenges of a post COVID-19 economy,” said Warden Roger Haley. “It increases the ability of future Councils to ensure infrastructure needs can be achievable. Facing a possible double digit increase in taxation, I am very pleased at the level of cooperation amongst elected officials to finalize a fiscally prudent and responsible budget,” the Warden said.

Ontario Renovates and Secondary Suites to increase Affordable Housing: Counties Council has approved the Secondary Suites Program.

The Ontario Renovates Secondary Suites Program, funded through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), is intended to increase the supply of affordable rental housing for low-income households in Leeds and Grenville. It is a sub-component of the Ontario Priorities Housing Initiative (OPHI) Funding is provided in the form of a 20-year, interest-free forgivable loan to eligible homeowners based on the cost of approved work items and HST, payable up to $25,000. Major repairs required to create a secondary suite can include plumbing, electrical, framing and insulation, drywall/fire separation, kitchen bathroom fixtures and cupboards. Soft costs such as drawings and specifications, applicable taxes, building permits, legal, appraisal and inspection fees are included.

The project is designed to help homeowners create a secondary suite or garden suite within Leeds Grenville, including the separated municipalities of the City of Brockville, Town of Prescott, or Town of Gananoque. Only one applicant per address will be considered.

Applicants must own the project property as their sole and principal residence for the duration of the affordability period Funding is provided in the form of a forgivable loan to create a secondary suite on the property. The applicant’s household income and assets are not subject to income or asset limits.

Maximum funding for accessibility repairs is $5,000 and is in the form of a grant so repayment is not required. Accessibility repairs are modifications to a unit to reduce physical barriers related to housing and reasonably related to the occupant’s disability. Examples include, but are not limited to, ramps, handrails, chair and bath lifts, height adjustment to countertops, cues for doorbells/fire alarms.

Rents must be charged at or below 80% of the CMHC Average Market Rent (AMR), or Alternate Average Market Rent (AAMR), as applicable, for the Service Manager area for the entire loan forgiveness period.

The Leeds and Grenville Landlord Secondary Suites Program is another method of advancing affordable housing in this area. The Leeds and Grenville Landlord Secondary Suites Program, funded by the Counties, is intended to increase the supply of affordable rental housing for low-income households in Leeds and Grenville through the creation of a secondary suite on the property of an existing residential rental unit. Funding is provided in the form of a 15-year, interest-free, forgivable loan to small landlords based on the cost of approved work items and HST, payable up to $25,000.00. A small landlord is defined as an individual or corporation that owns and rents up to ten residential units that are subject to the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006. Tenant eligibility includes the criteria that income must be at or below the 60th Income Percentile, $45,500.00 for Leeds Grenville.

In-person Council Meetings will commence in April: Counties Council has approved a return to in-person Council meetings effective in April, with temporary measures such as practicing social distancing, which restricts occupancy numbers. As such, all Council and Committee meetings that are not a closed meeting, under relevant provisions in the Municipal Act, will continue to be livestreamed. Meeting agendas and videos are posted on the Counties website. The Counties is committed to openness and transparency.

Members of the media and public are welcome to submit any questions during or following a meeting to the County Clerk.

March 30, 2022

••

The Voice of North Grenville

UPDATE

For updates related to COVID-19 and the North Grenville Municipal Centre visit: www.northgrenville.ca/coronavirus

MUNICIPAL OFFICE HOURS

The Municipal office is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Please note: Renovations at the North Grenville Municipal Centre reception area are underway. Access to the facility will continue to be through the main entrance doors located on the North side of the building.

Customer service will be moved upstairs for the duration of the renovation project. Access to the 2nd floor stairs and elevator will be available during this time.

Sign-up to Mayor Peckford’s e-newsletter at: northgrenville.ca/connect.

MAYOR’S ADDRESS

Join the North Grenville Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Municipality of North Grenville for an engaging and dynamic event as Mayor Nancy Peckford addresses key business topics in our community.

Mayor’s Address – Thursday, March 31, 2022 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

North Grenville Municipal Centre – Suite A To register for the event (in person or virtual) visit: www.northgrenvillechamber.com.

UPCOMING MEETINGS COUNCIL MEETINGS Council will resume meeting in person on April 5, 2022. Please pre-register with the Clerk at clerk@northgrenville.on.ca. Masks must continue to be worn when physical distancing cannot be maintained. If you require accommodation, please advise the Clerk when pre-registering so that we may best assist you.

To make a deputation in relation to an item on the agenda, please provide your comments no later than two hours prior to the start of the meeting to clerk@northgrenville.on.ca Council meetings will be live streamed on YouTube at: youtube.com/user/NorthGrenville/featured and on the Municipality’s website at: northgrenville.ca/govern/governance/agendas-and-minutes.

Council agendas are available at: northgrenville.ca/govern/governance/agendas-and-minutes.

• Council Meeting (Closed followed by Open) – Virtual – April 5, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.

• Council Meeting (Open) – Virtual – April 13, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS

Committee meetings will be conducted virtually via Zoom. For any members of the public wanting to attend the meeting, pre-registration is required by e-mailing the Clerk’s Office at clerk@northgrenville.on.ca.

• Community and Economic Development Advisory Committee - April 4, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.

• Agriculture and Rural Affairs Advisory Committee - April 6, 2022 at 4:15 p.m.

• Heritage Advisory Committee – April 7, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.

• Health Wellness and Fitness Advisory Committee – April 11, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.

• Health Wellness and Fitness Advisory Committee ParticipACTION Working Group – April 14, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.

NORTH GRENVILLE POLICE SERVICES BOARD

Police Services Board meetings will be conducted virtually via Zoom. For any members of the public wanting to attend the meeting virtually, pre-registration is required by e-mailing the Clerk’s Office at clerk@northgrenville.on.ca • Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 1:30 p.m. (CANCELLED)

2022 DOWNTOWN KEMPTVILLE COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Financial incentives are once again available for businesses and property owners to continue the revitalization of Downtown Kemptville To learn more and to review the full program guidelines visit: www.investnorthgrenville.ca/doing-business/funding or contact Hillary Geneau by email at vision@northgrenville.on.ca.

2022 INTERIM TAX BILLS All 2022 Interim Tax Bills have been mailed. If you have not received your bill, please contact the Administration Office.

The installment due date is March 31, 2022. Final tax bills for all tax classes will be mailed in June. Reminder: Payments can be made by credit card when paying online through our website.

VOLUNTEER AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Please visit northgrenville.ca/careers for updates on volunteer and employment opportunities.

Parks, Recreation and Culture Summer Intern The Municipality of North Grenville is seeking to fill a Summer Intern position in the Parks, Recreation and Culture Department.

Please visit northgrenville.ca/careers for the job description. Interested applicants may submit a cover letter and resume outlining qualification in confidence to hr@northgrenville.on.ca no later than 4:00 p.m. Friday, April 8, 2022.

Water Wastewater Operator (2 Positions) The Municipality of North Grenville is seeking to fill two permanent positions of a Water Wastewater Operator in the Public Works Department. Please visit northgrenville.ca/careers for the job description. Interested applicants may submit a cover letter and resume outlining qualification in confidence to hr@northgrenville.on.ca no later than 4:00 p.m. Monday, April 11, 2022.

North Grenville Public Library The North Grenville Public Library is seeking to fill the positions of Technical Service Coordinator, Summer Student Program Coordinator and Summer Student Program Assistant. Please visit ngpl.ca/about-north-grenville-public-library/employment/ for the job descriptions and application deadlines.

The Municipality of North Grenville 285 County Rd. 44, PO Box 130, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Tel: 613-258-9569 Fax: 613-258-9620 general@northgrenville.on.ca www.NorthGrenville.ca Building: 613-258-9569 x130 Fax: 613-258-1441 Fire Services Info: 613-258-9569 x201 Fax: 613-258-1031 By-Law Services: email: bylawinquiries@northgrenville.on.ca 613-258-9569 x211 Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002 5

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The Voice of North Grenville

Nearly 5 million pop can tabs raised for Mya Jackson the tab off of a pop can and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter drop it in a bin, it is an easy way for people to donate to a In September of 2019, cause. Now, the overwhelma young local girl’s family ing support for Mya from the began a mission to collect community has been shown pop can tabs to raise money by the almost 5 million pop in her name, and the result can tabs which have been of this “Mission for Mya” collected since 2019. has become nothing less than Mya’s mother, Tanya Laspectacular. Mya Jackson is marche, sees her daughter’s now 13 years old, and has strength every day. “She’s been undergoing treatment doing her 50th treatment next for years for a disease called week on the 7th anniversary Neurofibromatosis. She cur- of her brain surgery in Monrently has over 30 tumours, treal, and has been doing which grow on her nerves as treatment for three years,” a consequence of the disease, Tanya told the Times. “NF2 specifically the NF2 subtype, is different in all cases, so it’s in which the tumours grow hard to know what to expect.” internally. Mya’s tumours are The collection of nearly 5 mostly on her brain and spine, million pop can tabs is nothcausing losses of vision, hear- ing short of astounding. The ing, and mobility.

Guinness world record for the Two-and-a-half years ago, most pop can tabs donated Mya’s family began collect- in one year is just under 2.8 ing pop can tabs at their busi- million, set by a hospital in ness, Krown Kemptville, in Puerto Rico. While Mya’s the hopes of raising money. family collected their tabs Aluminum has a value of over a longer period, the sheer approximately 40 cents per number of tabs collected is pound, and, since it is free and still an incredible feat. The takes virtually no time to pull Guinness record for the largby Brandon Mayer

Mya Jackson and her amazing collection of tabs

Debunking vehicle registration myths

by Brandon Mayer

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Last month, news broke that Ontario would be eliminating the need to pay yearly registration fees for most types of vehicles in the province. Fees were eliminated for passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and mopeds, but remained for larger commercial vehicles, such as transport trucks. However, what may not be clear to some Ontario residents is that, even though the fees have been eliminated, the requirement to register vehicles, and to renew that registration every year, has not. While this may seem to serve little purpose, it is intended to force vehicle owners to pay outstanding fines (registration cannot be renewed otherwise), and it also allows the province to check for liability insurance, which is mandatory.

An unfortunate rumour has been circulating online recently, particularly on social media, stating that the $120 annual vehicle registration fee in Southern Ontario would be replaced with mandatory annual vehicle inspections, at a cost of approximately $300, with any issues found meaning more March 30, 2022

expenses for the vehicle owner, due to the cost of repairs.

To be clear, this is nothing more than a myth. Some jurisdictions, particularly in the USA, do require annual vehicle inspections, but this is simply not the case in Ontario.

The question as to who would start such a rumour seems obvious – anyone whose politics don’t align with those of Ontario Premier Doug Ford would be motivated to pit the public against him, whether by using truthful information, or not. But how should one go about separating fact from fiction when it comes to online “news” that is actually myth and rumour designed to inflame and mislead?

The first step in spotting internet lies is to trust your instincts, particularly in regards to individual social media posts with no sources, or external links.

For example, anyone who has ever had to have a safety inspection done after buying a used vehicle knows that a base inspection for a car not in need of repairs should not cost $300 – average prices are closer to the $100 mark. After using instincts and common sense to develop skepticism of an online “news” report

est collection of pop can tabs (regardless of how long it took to collect them) was set in the USA in 2012 by a man who raised over 22 million tabs as a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House.

When asked whether an attempt to beat the world record was a possibility for their family, Tanya answered, “We are still going strong, and will continue to collect.”

A question that remains is where the money will go when the millions of tabs are recycled. The family would like to donate the tabs collected for Mya to NF2 Bio-

Solutions, a non-profit organization which uses 100% of proceeds for Neurofibromatosis research. The disease has no cure, so funding research is important for Mya’s family.

Referring to NF2 BioSolutions, Tanya said “They are a team of amazing doctors and researchers from all over the world, unlike any other that pulled together to find a cure.”

Anyone with tabs to give can drop them off at Krown Kemptville. Mya’s story can be followed on her Facebook group, Mission for Mya, at www.facebook.com/ groups/1705361626354831

NG PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB

A Death Café: hosted at the Beth Donovan Hospice

Club outing to Andrewsville. Photo by Trevor Meunier. that simply doesn’t ring true, search for the same news in a reputable source, such as the website of a news organization, or in the print edition of a newspaper. Even if you don’t find anything, you will have your answer – if the myth was true, why hasn’t it made it into the news?

For countless Ontario vehicle owners, the truth about vehicle registration renewal will come as a great source of relief.

Marketing/Sales MELISSA OTTENHOF

melissa@ ngtimes.ca 613 329 0209 6

Have you ever heard of a Death Café? Have you ever attended one? The premise is simple: people gather, drink tea, eat cake, and discuss death - not to be morbid, but rather to raise awareness and to help people make the most of their lives. There is an emphasis on listening and sharing, and the focus is that life is finite, and we want to talk about that. We all have interests and concerns about bereavement, loss, grief, or dying. Let’s have that conversation.

The Death Café movement started in 2011, when Jon Underwood and Sue Barsky Reid held their first in London.

Inspired by Swiss-born, Bernard Crettaz, it was to open up discussion about death and death-related subjects. Death Cafes are now held all over the world.

It is important to note that Death Cafes are open to all, and are conducted in a respectful manner that prioritizes confidentiality. There is no set agenda, no objective or theme. It is not a grief support group, nor a counselling session. There is no intention by the organisers to lead participants to any conclusions, buy any products, or take any course of action.

They are not religious, and are always ‘not for profit’ events.

Our goal at the Beth Donovan Hospice is to normalize discussions about death and dying, so that we all feel a little more comfortable doing so while we are alive. We invite you to join us at the Hospice for a Death Café on Tuesday, April 12, at 6:30 pm.

To reserve your spot at the Death Café, and for more information please contact the Beth Donovan Hospice at 613258-9611, or visit our website: www.bethdonovanhospice.ca. www.ngtimes.ca

2794 County Rd 43, Kemptville The North Grenville Times

Kemptville College role in Ontario’s heritage tomato

by William J. Langenberg, M. Sc. Env. Biol.

Many local gardeners in the North Grenville area are probably making a tomato variety selection in determining the type of tomato to grow in the garden this coming season. Ontario has its own heritage tomato with exceptional high qualities in flavour and fruit size: “Basket Vee”.

At the request of the Ontario vegetable growers and market gardeners, the Ontario Government was asked to come up with a specific ‘Ontario’ garden tomato that is early, and is of a good fruit size and flavour.

Each country has its own tomato variety that performs well as a garden and market tomato. Ontario is no exception. Dr. Ernest (Ernie) Andrew Kerr a long-time plant breeder with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs Horticulture Research Station in Simcoe,

spent over 30 years breeding plants for newer and better varieties. After five years of testing tomato variety generations, Dr. Kerr introduced Basket Vee in 1977. The parental material for Basket Vee is Campbell 1402 and Heinz 1350.

After its introduction in 1977, Basket Vee was thoroughly tested through replicated tomato variety trials, for roughly six years, by this author, assisted by Horticulture Technician, Bill Hossie, of the Horticulture Division at Kemptville College of Agricultural Technology (KCAT). The evaluation was for maturity date, fruit size, and fruit colour. The students and staff of the Food Science and Home Economics Division at KCAT performed the culinary taste tests.

Basket Vee is an Open Pollinated determinate (bush) type tomato plant, with vigorous, somewhat open, vines.

The Voice of North Grenville

Invisible disabilities cause a struggle when parking

The plant grows about 4 feet tall, therefore staking and pruning is required. Basket Vee produces high quantities of medium-size tomatoes (8-9 ounces, 224-252 gm).

The ripe fruits are firm; the skin is thick, smooth, and crack-resistant. The fruits have good vine storage and shelf life. This means that the fruits won’t go soft quickly when stored. The culinary tests conducted by KCAT’s Food Science Department gave Basket Vee a “Thumbs Up” for flavour.

Basket Vee is perfect for sandwiches, salads, and slicing and canning. It is an excellent choice for home gardens and market gardens alike. Therefore, this author, owner and operator of Grenville Herb Farm since 2003, decided to have Basket Vee in its selection of tomato transplants for this coming season.

“It is important to preserve knowledge and horticultural achievements of the past generation”.

William J. Langenberg is a former Horticultural Researcher, and current owner of Grenville Herb Farm

by Brandon Mayer

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A married couple took to Kemptville’s community Facebook page last week to express their frustrations over comments they received from a stranger in the Walmart parking lot, which they felt were discriminatory. The poster, who did not wish to have her name published, was parking at Walmart with her husband, who is disabled.

He has back problems, caused by service in the Navy, including deployments to the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. As a result, he has a valid disabled parking permit which allows him to park in designated spots closer to business entrances.

“He’s had many people in the past say things”, the poster told the Times. “Usually, a simple ‘did you know that’s handicap parking?’, is what he gets. He’ll say ‘yes thank you, I have my pass displayed’, and they normally apologize and it’s nothing.”

But what happened last week was much different.

The stranger approached the couple and was rude right from the beginning, even

going so far as to say that the poster’s husband doesn’t look disabled, after he informed her that he had a handicap parking pass.

The original Facebook post urges people to be mindful of invisible disabilities when they witness someone parking in a handicap parking space. “It’s demeaning and humiliating to those with invisible disabilities to explain why they’re justified to park near the entrance,” the post reads.

With several hundred reactions, and well over 100 comments on the post as of the time of writing, the outpouring of support from the community was strong.

Nearly all of the comments contained words of support for the couple, with many sharing their own experiences of having unpleasant comments or glances when

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parking in disabled parking spots, since their disabilities are invisible. However, a few comments offered a different perspective, admitting that they do question people using handicap spaces sometimes, but only to ensure they are available for those who need them.

While individual municipalities set their own penalties for illegally parking in a handicap space without an accessible parking permit, North Grenville’s set fine for this offense is $325. However, it is not up to the public to enforce this by-law, particularly for motorists who have their permit clearly displayed. A person using an accessible parking permit has no obligation to discuss the nature of their disability with anyone, and, more often than not, attempts to intervene can do more harm than good.

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Classic line-up for Kemptville Live

by David Shanahan The organisers of Kemptville Live have found a great way to celebrate the return of the music festival in July. They have gathered a line-up of classic musicians from a golden age in rock n’ roll, with the reunion of two of Canada’s best. Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings are doing a cross-Canada reunion tour entitled, Together Again, Live In Concert, the first time they’ve played together in more than ten years, as they perform the music of The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive and Burton Cummings.

The songs form an amazing body of work for the two legends, including, of March 30, 2022

course, These Eyes, Laughing, Undun, No Time, American Woman, No Sugar Tonight, Let It Ride, Takin' Care Of Business, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet, My Own Way To Rock, and Break It To Them Gently.

It’s an incredible list and you can see it all on Friday, July 22.

The day before, on Thursday, July 21, sees the return of one of the best performers to appear at Kemptville Live, and another Canadian legend, as Tom Cochrane hits the stage once more. When he appeared in 2015, Tom gave one of the stand-out performances of the Festival to date. Hard to believe, but Tom’s been a working musician for 45 years, from the folk days in Toronto to the international success of his album with Red Rider, “Mad Mad World and its phenomenal hit "Life Is A Highway", which made Tom a real rock legend around the world.

Sunday’s line-up has also been confirmed and it is yet another made-in-Canada roster of classic sounds,

tire day of great Canadian rock and pop.

But these are just a few of the acts appearing at Kemptville Live in 2022.

Check out the full listing and get your tickets for the Festival at www.kemptvillelivemusicfestival.com.

starting at 2 pm with Andy Kim. Most remember his huge hits, “Baby, I Love You”, and “Rock Me Gently”, but there’s also the songs he wrote for others, like “Sugar, Sugar” for the Archies. Andy is following Honeymoon Suite, who start their set at noon, and then the headliner will be Glass Tiger at 4 pm. An en-

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Financial Forum 2022

Ontario seeing economic challenges in 2022

by David Shanahan The world’s economies have seen hard times over the last two years as areas such as retail and tourism were hit hard during the pandemic.

Even since restrictions began to ease, employers were finding it difficult to find workers to fill vacancies, as many

people looked to change direction in terms of career opportunities. Overall, Canadians are facing rising costs in energy, housing, and food.

In January, 2022, inflation in Canada rose above 5% for the first time since 1991, up from 4.8% the month before.

Of all of these costs, housing rose most, an increase in

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housing costs, year over year, of 6.2% in January, and prices for goods generally saw an increase in January of 7.2%, once again, higher than the December, 2021 increase of 6.8%. The increasing cost of homes, which rose faster than at any time since 1990, also adds to the cost of maintaining, heating, and the costs of mortgages and rents.

We have all seen the rapid rise in gas prices, which rose as high as $2 a litre in places around the country. The uncertainty regarding supplies has been reflected in the range of prices being charged at the pumps. Last week, gas prices in North Grenville were a full 10¢ a litre cheaper than in Ottawa. The problems with supply chains for all areas of the economy is causing shortage of some goods in supermarkets. For example, there it has not been possible to find a basic item like corn starch on the shelves for weeks now.

However, the most recent Economic Update to be released by the Office of Economic Policy for the Ontario Government shows some signs of improvement in the overall picture. The unemployment rate in Ontario, which had risen considerably during the pandemic,

has begun to drop slightly.

In January of this year, the rate stood at 7.3%, and this has since dropped to around 5.5%. But the average weekly wage in Ontario has still not recovered from the shocks of the last two years, averaging a monthly increase of around 3.3% over the last four months.

In a global economy, there are limits to what federal and provincial governments can do to control supply chains, energy prices, and balance of payments. The long-term costs of government supports for the economy during the pandemic will take some time to calculate, and the debt load taken on as a result of initiatives such as CERB will have an impact for the foreseeable future.

The impact of external

factors, most recently the war in Ukraine and its effects on energy supply and prices, can leave governments looking for alternatives. On one hand, higher costs for energy and transport, as well as food and housing, may have to be accepted, at least in the medium term. On the other hand, there seems to be some sign that the energy issue is forcing governments and business to take another, more positive look at alternative energy sources. This may well turn out to be a positive effect of recent crises.

One major realisation that has dawned on us all through the events of the pandemic and war is how integrated the world’s economies are now.

Globalisation has always been seen as a potentially dangerous idea, and it has

Kemptville Office: 2 - 4 Industrial Rd, South Gower Business Park T: 613.258.3282 Prescott Office: 304-235 Water St. W. T: 613.925.3535

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caused serious problems for developing nations. But now we have a better understanding of how much control over national economies has been lost in the past decades. But, perhaps, since, to use a phrase that has become common since covid, we’re all in this together, at least in theory, it may be possible for international organisations and free-trade partners to work together to soften the impact of debt loads and other results of pandemics and wars. The pressure on housing alone requires new and imaginative approaches to the challenges being faced because of rising costs in the residential market. Perhaps this time of transition and crisis can also be a moment of change in the way capitalism works internationally. Perhaps.

website: www.wapc.ca

Financial check-up It’s important to protect yourself and your family from the financial impact of lost income due to accident, illness or disability.

Do you have a plan in place?

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COACHING ~ MORTGAGES ~ TAXES ~ LET’S TALK MONEY

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info@morethanenough.ca Website: morethanenough.ca

World Water Day 2022

by Jeanne Lambert, Bishop’s Mills WI World Water Day 2022 which took place on March 22, is an annual United Nations Observance, started in 1993, that celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2 billion people currently living without access to safe water.

World Water Day is an opportunity for citizens of the world to consider the importance of water in their lives. One of the most invisible sources of water is a critical one: groundwater may be out of sight, but most of all the liquid fresh water in the world is groundwater.

North Grenville has large municipal wells, and manages wastewater to serve people in March 30, 2022

613-878-1367

the Kemptville area, but the majority of NG citizens rely on their own private wells and septic systems to serve their rural homes.

To increase the awareness of the importance of water, local citizen groups are working on water protection in North Grenville. Members of Sustainable North Grenville, and the Bishop’s Mills Women’s Institute, are keen to see North Grenville become the next Blue Community in the world, which will show its support for the protection of water resources for future citizens of NG. A resolution has been presented to the local municipality through one of the citizen committees, and proponents

hope that it will be approved by council soon. The Blue Community designation promotes principles allowing for reasonable use, equal distribution, and responsible treatment, as well as the preservation of clean water for nature and future generations.

Blue Community designation promotes water and sanitation as human rights.

This is in keeping with the United Nations 2010 Resolution, and has principles which include supporting public ownership of water and water systems, and phasing out the sale of bottled water in municipal facilities.

For general information about Blue Community designation and the list of other

*Mutual fund business is done with your advisor through Sun Life Financial Investment Services (Canada) Inc. Advisors and their corporations conduct insurance business through Sun Life Financial Distributors (Canada) Inc. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada is the insurer and is a member of the Sun Life group of companies. © Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, 2022.

Blue Communities, see Council of Canadians https://canadians.org/water. For World Water Day info check out www.worldwaterday.org.

For more information about the local initiative, contact Jeanne Lambert, Bishop’s Mills WI: jeanne. lambert828@gmail.com.

8

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TIMES MELISSA OTTENHOF Marketing Consultant

Phone:613 329 0209 Email: melissa@ngtimes.ca www.ngtimes.ca

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CO2 Down to Earth

Kika Smith

Working to Enhance Our Habitat

Hepatica acutiloba

by Philip Fry Not long after my last contribution to this column, I received an email message questioning my purposes. I was asked: “What is it you are trying to achieve, if you know yourself? Your inputs ramble on, ever seeking a landing place. At times you wax on about the lack of governance, little respect for plant species, green energy, wetland values, etc. You conclude with the...'need to get going on this'. Get going on what, specifically? Much needs to be done? On what, specifically?”

For a moment I was taken aback, then realized that the

author was, in a sense, right, for I have avoided proposing any coherent plan of action that others should follow.

What I have attempted is to contribute to an open discussion about what we can do to respond to the impact of climate change and the loss of biodiversity, here, in our region.

Consequently, I have been pointing at various aspects of our habitat, using the metaphor of a landscape quilt and the workings of its elements. People have indeed responded to me about their concerns, and I have tried to echo them in the column. That doesn't make for a systematic

The Voice of North Grenville

Owner/Operator Brewed Awakenings abandoned fields, fence lines, windbreaks - that are ecologically damaged and in need of restoration. They could eventually be connected to create safe wildlife corridors.

But before that, all the stakeholders in the sites will need to understand the value of remediation and negotiate the terms of its execution.

The scale of potential restoration projects, whether they involve private or public lands, requires the development of significant inputs of materials and labour: reliable seed of indigenous plants (sourced by collection or from seed banks); finding people and acquiring equipment for the germination and potting of the plants; delivering and planting appropriate species in the target sites; and postplanting monitoring of the plants' introduction to the site.

Take, for example, Hepatica acutiloba, a delightful, spring-blooming woodland plant. Its flowers can be pure white, rose, sky blue, or mauve. Its seeds must be collected at exactly the right moment; they are hydrophilic, that is, they must not dry out, and therefore need to be planted immediately, or kept in refrigerated, damp conditions. They also need to pass through warm and cold periods to germinate, which sometimes takes two years.

When growing seedlings, one is never sure of what colours they will be. When they finally bloom after three to five years of care, that is exciting.

But not cost effective.

The public institutions and organizations dedicated to environmental concerns - The Ferguson Forestry Centre, the Conservation Authorities, for example - have been helpful with restoration projects in the past. But the work I am suggesting is too extensive and time consuming to be done directly by their staff. This means we need to muster up a lot of volunteer help, which calls for strong personal motivation on the part all concerned, the recognition of each volunteer's abilities, and a willingness to learn appropriate methods of plant care. In my next column, I will write about the Ferguson Forestry Centre and how it could, perhaps, frame and enable such volunteer activity.

Please contact me with your ideas at wildflowerguy@ gmail.com.

overview, but it does signal strategic points for debate.

With this openness in mind, I am now going to begin focusing my remarks on an approach to habitat enhancement based on my personal experience in wildflower gardening and landscape restoration. The idea is to assess the capability of our habitat for resilience and adaptation, then take agreed upon steps to work with that capacity using native plants – trees, shrubs, and non-woody flowering plants – as mediums of positive change.

An important project could be, for example, to identify and protect relict woodlands and wetlands, where that has not already been done. Such sites are dispersed throughout the region, and are still home to species that once flourished here.

Of intrinsic value in themselves, these locations are also an index of what might be achieved in ecologically degraded sites.

There are other sites, both public and private - roadsides, ditches, hydro easements,

Peacefully, at the Winchester District Memorial Hospital on Tuesday March 22, 2022, at the age of 57 years. Beloved wife of the late Adrian Knops. Loving mother of Christian Smith (Erin), Alyssa Smith and Alexandra Knops. Much loved sister of Jocelyn Robertson (the late Calvin), David Smith (Theresa), Valerie Thompson (Kenneth), Heather Westendorp (Harold), Greg Knops (Charlene) and John Knops. Predeceased by her parents Joan and Peter Smith. Cherished aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to visit the Kemptville Chapel of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry, 805 Prescott Street, Kemptville on Friday April 1, 2022 from 11 am to 3 pm & 5 pm to 8 pm. A Memorial Service will be held at the Kemptville Pentecostal Church, 1964 County Road 43, Kemptville on Saturday, April 2, 2022 at 11 am. Donations in Kika’s memory may be made to the Huntington Society of Canada or Winchester District Memorial Hospital.

Condolences/Tributes/Donations Hulse, Playfair & McGarry www.hpmcgarry.ca 613-258-2435

Charbonneau, Jean-Paul

Passed away after a mercifully brief bout with cancer, at the Kemptville District Hospital on Monday March 21, 2022, at the age of 82 years. Beloved husband of Kathleen Charbonneau (nee O’Farrell). Loving father of Robert (Viviane) and Michael (Jing-Jing). Cherished grandpa of Tanya, Treawna and Ava. Great grandpa of Alice. Also survived by his sister Denise Mongeon, his sister-in-law Mary O’Farrell and numerous nieces and nephews.

Predeceased by his daughter Lynne, his brothers, Maurice, Jacques and Roland, and his sister Micheline Gagnon.

A special thank you to the staff of the Kemptville District Hospital for their care and compassion. Donations in Jean-Paul’s memory may be made to the Kemptville District Hospital.

Condolences/Tributes/Donations Hulse, Playfair & McGarry www.hpmcgarry.ca 613-258-2435

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March 30, 2022

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The Voice of Merrickville-Wolford

Fundraiser ongoing for Mike Oomen

by Brandon Mayer

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A Merrickville man fighting stage 4 terminal cancer is not ready to give up the fight against his disease, but he needs help. Mike Oomen was first diagnosed with colon cancer last year, and underwent surgery to have a tumour removed. Unfortunately, it was discovered that the cancer was spreading and, despite initial beliefs that all cancerous tissue was removed, tests proved otherwise. Mike found out that his cancer was terminal, and he was given 1-3 years to live, depending on the results of chemotherapy treatments. To make matters worse, these treatments didn’t work, and rather than continuing to try different types of chemotherapy, Mike decided to change course on the advice of his doctors.

The recommendation

from Mike’s doctors was an expensive one – FoundationOne CDx testing. This testing can identify the underlying DNA alterations that are driving tumour growth, thereby pointing doctors in the direction of the best treatment drug. This “targeted therapy” is expensive, however, and it is only available in the USA, where medical care is not government-funded. Since OHIP and insurance would not cover the costs, Mike and his wife, Judy, turned to their friends, family, and other locals to help with the costs and give him a fighting chance.

As is often the case in small communities, people quickly rallied for Mike. His GoFundMe fundraiser was able to quickly cover the cost of the FoundationOne CDx testing, which is $6,998.77.

As of the time of writing, the fundraiser had raised $11,540 of a total $50,000 goal. With

Violets on Main Village Bakery bursting with new flavours the testing now complete, the results will inform treatments, which are expected to cost between $5,000 and $8,000 bi-weekly.

An update on Mike’s GoFundMe page has listed the fundraiser as “on hold” until the family knows exactly what the recommended treatments are, and their cost, though the page was still accepting donations at the time of writing, presumably to prepare for the cost of treatment.

Last year, Mike became a small business owner in Merrickville when he opened his store, Spinner Aas Fishing & Outdoor Store. He became a member of the MerrickvilleWolford Chamber of Commerce, but, sadly, had to put his business activities on hold after learning of his diagnosis.

Mike’s GoFundMe page can be found at https://gofund.me/3e67f1dd.

Trevor and Patti Johnson enjoy creating new desserts, gourmet cakes, breads and savoury items like soups and meat pies from the Economic Development eNews Violets on Main Village Bakery owners, Patti and Trevor Johnson, say they're introducing new creations along with serving your favourites after purchasing the popular Nana B's Bakery business. Former owner Anne Barr retired last year.

"We hit the ground running," says Patti of their start last September. "This is a very busy business."

After just a few months, Patti and Trevor are loving the fast pace, and are expanding their offerings. "It's a new adventure for the two of us, and

we love it here," says Patti.

"The community is great, and we like how we can do this together."

You'll find everything from specialty breads made

by Trevor, including flavoured whites, sourdough, and ancient grain, to cream pies, cookies, butter tarts, croissants, squares, and so much more. Try their meat pies and homemade soups. In May, when the Rideau Canal opens, they plan to offer lunch items.

The couple come from very busy careers. Patti was a fire department dispatcher before they moved from Van-

live in fear. In recent news, the Taliban have closed schools to teenage girls, having decided that this age group do not require further education.

What can we do about it? Precious little. But we can help.

There is a family whose application under Canada's special Afghan refugee program is now being processed, and, if and when it is successful, a family of three adult women and two children will be coming to our area to start a new life. Similarly, the close relatives of this small family group are being processed by CARR in Perth, Ontario – it is hoped that all fourteen members

of the same family can be reunited in Canada to start a new chapter in their lives.

Yes, we can help.

Rideau Bridge to Canada is a group of volunteers based in Merrickville who have successfully sponsored two Syrian refugee families.

It is now sponsoring an Afghan family which has fled Afghanistan. RBC has

Refugees for Merrickville Wolford

by Rideau Bridge to Canada Only a few short weeks ago, the country that first came to mind when we thought of helping refugees was Afghanistan. It was only nine months ago that the leaders of Afghanistan fled their country and the Taliban walked into Kabul unopposed. Since then, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have been forced to flee to safety. They are scattered around the Middle East, Europe, and even as far away as East and West Africa, all hoping to be allowed to settle somewhere and rebuild their lives in a safe place. Canada has promised to take in 40,000. Now, we are transfixed by a shocking new disaster in Ukraine, after Russia's unprovoked aggression and war of conquest.

And yet, we should not forget our commitment to help these Afghan refugees.

So far, about 8,000 Afghans have been admitted to Canada, and there are many more being processed, including a family destined for Merrickville.

March 30, 2022

While the Taliban has reduced the level of violence after the American withdrawal last August, the future does not look promising. The United States warned the Taliban that pursuing power through military rather than political means would lead to the same result that Afghanistan suffered under Taliban rule in the 1990s; it would preside over an impoverished, pariah state. The Taliban's shadowy Supreme Leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, and his allies ignored the warning, which now seems to be coming to pass.

The country was extraordinarily dependent upon foreign aid when the Taliban sought a military victory. Given that the Taliban formed a government that included individuals and groups on international terrorist lists, the United States, joined by its Western allies, are not willing to prop up the new government and have frozen its foreign assets and introduced sanctions. The Taliban's new friends in the

region, and beyond, have not filled the gap left by the withdrawal of Western aid, with catastrophic consequences for the Afghan population.

The new government is also not representative of the country. The Taliban is a Pashtun dominated movement, and has created almost a uniquely Pashtun-led government. But the Pashtuns are only 40% of the population, and the other three main ethnic groups, the Tajiks, the Uzbeks, and the Hazaras, have been largely excluded.

Talks hosted by Iran, between the Taliban and nonPashtun groups demanding a share in a more decentralized government, have so far failed. The country faces the prospect of renewed sectarian fighting.

Most importantly, the place of Afghan women has been reversed. The new government has no women in its cabinet, and their access to education and employment, while not completely cut off, has been greatly reduced.

Educated women who had positions in the old regime

10

couver to Ottawa 12 years ago. Trevor has worked in air traffic control until now. Patti decided to go back to school for baking and the pastry arts. She has been working at bakeries in Ottawa.

"I've always wanted to have my own place," says Patti, who notes the name, Violets on Main, comes from the day they first came to Merrickville to see the business.

There were violets growing along the street at the time.

The couple jokingly call each other Mr. and Miss Violet.

"Baking makes us happy, and we have a very good product," says Patti. "It's a nice feeling that it's our own business. If I feel like making Nanaimo bars, I make Nanaimo bars."

The couple are grateful for their kitchen team and the community support. They also support local charities and causes and use local products whenever possible.

"It's one of the best things I've ever done," says Trevor, adding that, though busy, it is less stressful and he doesn't have to travel.

Learn more about Violets on Main Village Bakery by visiting their website and their Facebook and Instagram pages. Give them a call at 613-454-1380, or send an email. They are located at 316 Main Street West. been, and will be, hosting a number of fundraising events including: an online auction of donated items, a charity poetry workshop in June, and a charity golf tournament in September.

Donations may be made through the ‘donate’ page on www.merrickville-bridge.ca.

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Melissa Ottenhof Marketing Consultant

Email: melissa@ngtimes.ca

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The old Clothier Hotel before renovations transformed it into Olde Porch Primitives

by David Shanahan Many older buildings around North Grenville have disappeared over the years; some by fire, others demolished. But there are some which are still around, but no longer recognisable as the original building. These are hiding in plain sight. We’ll look at some of these over the coming weeks.

The Clothier Hotel, 9 Water Street, Oxford Mills Here is a building that no-one but older residents of Oxford Mills will recognise.

It was constructed c 1835 of timber frame and served as a hotel until 1914. It had a 2nd storey balcony and 1st storey veranda both of which ran the length of the front facade. It was built by Asa Clothier and was owned

by numerous individuals, many of whom also used The Oxford Mills Orchestra in the Orange Hall in 1952. the property for other busi- Larry Kempfler, Ted Whaley, Bernard Oron, Ken Hawes, nesses, such as shoemaking, Charlie Crawford and Malcolm MacMartin. over the years. The last hotel keeper was Thomas Warren, was not necessarily the most preserved for another century who left here and moved to comfortable place. It took through their work.

Kemptville, where he ran the five wood stoves to keep the In the original plan for White House on the corner of interior warm. the Village of Oxford Mills, Clothier and Prescott Streets The Lodge had as many a road allowance ran to the for many years. The hotel in as seventy members at one north of this property, from Oxford Mills was sold to the time. The Lodge ‘went into Water Street to the river bank.

Loyal Orange Lodge No. 72 darkness’ in the 1970s and the By Street, as it was to be in 1915. The Lodge and Re- village library operated from called, remains an unopened galia rooms were on the 2nd the first floor. The building road allowance today, and is floor and there was a large was owned by Harold and marked by the Canada Post hall on the ground floor that Bernie Patterson for many post boxes standing on that saw many community dances, years, from which they op- side of the road. masquerades and dinners. The erated their electrical and The Clothier Hotel was Hall had its own Band, which plumbing business, before a major social hub for the played there regularly. From it was bought by Gerry and village for decades, and it its days as a hotel, there were Debbie VanGurp. They trans- remains, although disguised, horse sheds and stables be- formed the building into Olde and serving new purposes tween the Hall and the river. Porch Primitives, and it is today.

But the old building, with its completely unrecognisable wood frame construction, from the old hotel. It is now

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Ontario farmers stand united with Ukraine

by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture Ontario farmers are doing their part to support Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homeland, or are staying behind to defend it.

The fundraising effort started with a motion put forward by a director with the Essex County Federation of Agriculture (ECFA) to help support many local families with Ukrainian roots. As a result, ECFA committed $500 to the Canadian Red Cross Ukrainian Humanitarian Crisis Appeal and challenged other federations across the province to do the same. No matter the size of the donation, federations can also consider donating funds to support Ukrainian families through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

“We may have our challenges with weather or government policies or trade agreements, but at the end of the day Ontario farmers aren’t faced with a situation where we are using our tractors to haul away the tanks of an invading military,” Leo Guillbeault, President of the March 30, 2022

Essex County Federation of Agriculture. “While Ukrainians stand on the front lines fighting for freedom, the least we can do is show some support for those who have been displaced by this war.”

It has been estimated that more than 2.3 million Ukrainians have already fled Ukraine. Currently, 19 county and regional federations have stepped up to the challenge from Essex County, raising a combined $12,000. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is contributing to the challenge by matching donations up to $20,000.

“The situation in Ukraine is horrific,” says Peggy Brekveld, OFA President.

“Millions of people have been forced to flee, and those who have stayed by their homes are putting their lives on the line. It is an unfathomable reality. Every little bit we can do helps.”

The donations from Ontario farmers are being made to several charitable organizations providing humanitarian relief in Ukraine, including the Canadian Red Cross and the Canadian Foodgrains

15 churches and church-based agencies dedicated to ending global hunger. It typically works with local groups in developing countries to meet emergency food needs, and has been actively working in response to the humanitarian crisis resulting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Donations to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank can be made

Bank.

To date, the Canadian Red Cross has committed $45 million to the International Red Cross response to provide critical humanitarian assistance to those in need because of the conflict. To donate to the Canadian Red Cross, please visit redcross.ca.

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a faith-based humanitarian organization of

11

by John Baldwin My breakfast preparations were interrupted this morning by a glimpse of blue on one of my nesting boxes! Could it be!?

Yes it was! A Bluebird and not a Blue-jay, as first suspected!

My zoom lens confirmed the sighting, along with my excitement at seeing it. Quite the early Spring treat! On scanning the grass in exposed areas of the still snow covered sections of the back garden (yard), I was able to see a couple of Robins optimistically checking the ground for worm-like food, and a Blue-jay flitting about in the trees, and another bird checking out my multi-nest condominium.

This happened to be a Starling, who was up to its shoulders in one of the nesting section entrance holes, having a good look inside and, at times, pulling something out. Whether this was old nesting material, or a bug or two, I am not quite sure.

Anyway, the bird itself looked too big to get into the box, but it might prove me wrong if it has the tenacity to keep on trying. I am obviously going to have to drag my steps out into the snow and get up to clean out all my nesting boxes before they get occupied, or, conversely, they put-off any potential nesting dwellers!

The geese are now flying over in quite large numbers in their characteristic "V" formation skeins, honking as they pass overhead. A friend of mine and his father have spotted a Golden Eagle in a field near one of Kemptville's eastern area churches, and I have spotted what I think was a Turkey Vulture, whilst driving along one of our highways, so the birds are very definitely returning for the summer.

Keep your eyes peeled and you may see some of the more familiar ones, but also may see the less familiar ones, as they either move back in, or just pass us by on their migration flights. Whichever they happen to be, enjoy them all, but stay safe and well.

Cheers, John Baldwin www.ngtimes.ca

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Local company offers scholarship for young writers

by David Leonhardt Eastern Ontario-based THGM Writing Services is offering a new $630 scholarship to high school seniors enrolled in a first-year post-secondary writing-related program. One applicant will be selected from somewhere in Canada or the United States. Young writers accepted into first year of a post-secondary writing-related program can now apply for the THGM MUSE Scholarship.

“Our job is to the right words for our clients,” explained THGM President, David Leonhardt. “Now, we are helping young writing students find their own right words, by supporting their studies in writing-related fields. First year fees are always the toughest, so we’ll be their muse.”

Among the programs that qualify are creative writing, journalism, English literature, communications, and some theatre programs. Students must be registered for full-time studies to qualify.

The application consists of a 400-600 word short story about a character in the program they are enrolled in. This helps students ready their mindset for their studies, while giving them a common theme on which to focus their creativity.

“There are very few scholarships just for writing, and even fewer that Canadians can apply for,” David Leonhardt added.

“First year is always hardest to pay, so this scholarship should help get past that first challenge.”

Providing innovative tools to support the writing community is nothing new for THGM Writing Services, having created free case studies, worksheets and other tools for writers.

The deadline for students to apply for the THGM MUSE Scholarship is May 15. Interested candidates are invited to apply at: https://thgmwriters.com/resources/scholarship.

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ACROSS 1. Flower stalk 5. Mimicked 9. A type of writing tablet 14. Rear end 15. Amble 16. Chocolate 17. Stars with 5 points 19. Forestall 20. Perspiration 21. Concern 23. Proficient (British spelling) 25. Device 28. Gesture of assent 29. Chapter in history 32. Financially solvent 33. Animal companion 34. Body fat 35. Stratum

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Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

Wednesday April 20, 2022 At the Kemptville Pentecostal Chruch, 1964 County Road 43, Kemptville This evening our speaker will be Candice Dressler "Colour through the seasons" Everyone welcome.

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Indigenous matters

FINDERS KEEPERS – THE DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY

This is part of a series of articles on Indigenous issues and history to promote awareness of our shared history among the general population.

by David Shanahan

Imagine a typical Canadian family packing up and heading off to the cottage for a few days. Naturally, it’s beside a lake, very rough and ready, no hydro or running water – just how they like it. Imagine, also, their shock on arriving at the isolated spot to find a U.S. flag flying outside their cottage, which is occupied by Americans. On challenging the trespassers, the Canadians are told that the Americans have every right to occupy the cabin, since it was not properly maintained, developed, or otherwise made use of. A rather unlikely scenario, perhaps? And yet that is precisely what happened when Europeans “discovered” Canada. The few sailors who came ashore in a small boat immediately claimed the land on behalf of their King.

Completely ignoring the fact that there were people already settled in the newly discovered lands, people with a long history and sophisticated culture, the Europeans rationalised their claim by pointing out that the inhabitants had not “properly” used the land they roamed, and that the highest authorities had granted to Europeans the right to claim such territory. On the face of it, the arrogance (not to mention ignorance) of the Europeans is astounding.

It was like the old nursery rhyme: “Finders keepers, losers weepers”. But this was no nursery rhyme: this is Canadian history, and the daily life of many thousands of indigenous people in this country ever since those fateful sailors arrived on these shores.

Behind it all is what is known as the “Doctrine of Discovery”, a claim that goes back to the time of the first exploration of North America

by Europeans. Shortly after the first voyage of Columbus in 1492, it was recognised that there were territories to the west and south, in the Americas, Asia, and Africa that could be exploited by Europeans: lands which promised great wealth to those who could get their hands on them.

So, on May 4, 1493, Pope Alexander VI issued a Papal Decree entitled Inter Caetera, “Among other things”, which granted his gracious permission to European monarchs to March 30, 2022

lay claim to any territory their subjects might discover, as long as it was more than 100 leagues to the west or south of European lands. He did this, he claimed, “out of the fullness of our apostolic power, by the authority of Almighty God conferred upon us in blessed Peter and of the vicarship of Jesus Christ, which we hold on earth”. So it was, that, on landing on this huge landmass on the other side of the Atlantic, this handful of Europeans, in their ignorance and arrogance, laid claim to everything in the name of a European monarch.

When the British Crown conquered the French Crown in Canada in 1760, the British King simply assumed title to what had been the “property” of the French King, by right of conquest. However, he had not conquered the native people at any time, nor did any subsequent monarch in Canada. In 1763, in issuing a Royal Proclamation detailing how the newly acquired territories would be administered, the British King drew a line on the map, running roughly from Lake Nipissing to Cornwall, beyond which was “Indian Territory”. But even that vast and still relatively unknown land was nevertheless claimed by the King, who graciously allowed the indigenous people to remain there under his jurisdiction.

“And We do further declare it to be Our Royal Will and Pleasure, for the present

as aforesaid, to reserve under our Sovereignty, Protection, and Dominion, for the use of the said Indians…all the Lands and Territories lying to the Westward.”

From the moment the Pope issued his Bull in 1497, up to the present day, monarchs of Europe, and in particular Great Britain, have laid claim to the lands that now comprise the Dominion of Canada. The rights and freedoms of the indigenous peoples of the territory were restricted and confined to whatever that monarch and their governments chose to allow them. Although most Christian denominations have repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery and called for its repudiation by governments, it has been used in court cases to buttress government control over indigenous people. Pope Francis has been officially requested by indigenous groups around the world to formally repudiate the Doctrine, so far with no effect. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples [UNDRIP], accepted by the Canadian Government, refutes the Doctrine of Discovery.

In Senate hearings in May of last year, government officials declared that UNDRIP would not alter Canadian laws. It seems that a fifteenth century papal bull will continue to over-ride Canadian and international rights for indigenous people.

The Voice of North Grenville

Ontario mandating Naloxone kits in high-risk workplaces The Ontario government has introduced legislation to protect workers on the job and save lives. If passed, the Working for Workers Act, 2022 (Working for Workers Act 2), will require workplaces that are at risk of a worker opioid overdose to have naloxone kits. The legislation would also introduce the highest fines in Canada for companies that fail to follow workplace health and safety laws.

“Everyone in our province knows someone who has been impacted by the opioid epidemic,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “These are brothers, sisters, mothers and daughters, and we need to do everything in our power to save lives. That is why our government is bringing life-saving naloxone kits to high-risk settings such as construction sites, bars and nightclubs.”

Approximately 2,500 people died from opioid-related causes between March, 2020, and January 2021 – of the victims who were employed,

30% were construction workers, by far the most of any industry impacted. Bars and nightclubs are also seeing increased opioid usage, which often involve recreational drugs laced with deadly opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil.

“While Ontario’s workers have been there to support us before and during this horrible pandemic, it’s just as important that we are there to support them,” said Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “By ensuring access to life-saving naloxone kits where and when our workers need them, our government is helping to protect more Ontarians struggling with addiction from preventable deaths and taking decisive action to address the challenges of the opioid crisis.”

Naloxone is a medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and allow time for medical help to arrive. Requiring businesses in high-risk settings to have naloxone kits on hand will help reduce the stigma around opioid abuse,

raise awareness about the risks of accidental overdoses, and potentially save hundreds of lives a year.

Also included in Working for Workers Two are changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act to increase the maximum fines for businesses that fail to protect their workers to the highest in the country.

The proposed increased fines would reinforce the importance of putting worker safety first and further penalize those that treat injuries as the cost of doing business.

Officers and directors of businesses that do not provide a safe work environment that leads to a worker being severely injured or dying on the job could face fines of up to $1.5 million under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) if convicted.

Charges for other individuals are also rising to up to $500,000.

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73’s on slippery slope as they sustain a playoff spot

A special event…73’s and Wolves captain’s Johnny Howie and Tyson Tomasini with Bob Harlow dropped the puck in honour of the Adam Harlow Foundation to initiate Friday night’s battle against the Renfrew Wolves. The Foundation has allowed more than 200 youngsters to be part of the Minor Hockey Program for the past twenty years. by the sportsguy Navan Grads hosted the Kemptville 73’s for a Sunday matinee that was a see saw battle with OT required to decide a 6 - 5 victory for the Grads. Tyler Laureault for the 73’s with Carter Garvie getting the honours for the Grads as starters for their team.

Navan opened the first with man advantage from Lovisek and Drouin to Alexandre Hogue PPG at 6:52. Kemptville reacted with Howie combining with Campeau to find Devon Savignac wide open for a tie at 10:21. Grad’s Ryan Burke assisted by McKinnon with Hall to break the tie at 10:43. Insurance goal for the Grads from Alec Lovisek, with helpers from Faust and Orpana at 10:57. Taylor with York on PP setup Brock Kru-

licki PPG to bring the 73’s within one at 5 15:42. Taylor worked his magic with Ty Whyte to even the score 3 all at just :43 to start the second stanza. Howie on the attack with Beaudry saucer pass to Brock Krulicki for his second of the game at 9:32 to move ahead. Navan countered with Hall so Ryan Burke could pick up his second at 14:08 to make it even. At 15:30, the tie breaker from Drouin and Parsons for Ryan Burke’s hat-trick to put the Grads in the lead.

In the final frame, 73’s Merrett tic-tac-toe to Howie, over to Devon Savignac for his second and force OT at 19:27. Nicholas Paone assisted by Orpana with Burke to decide the conclusion and award Navan a victory at 4:45.

Rocking for Ukraine Bonspiel 2022 The North Grenville Curling Club (NGCC) is in its 17th year of operation as a nonprofit sporting organization with a focus on fun, fitness and friends. We are a self-sustaining club that generates its revenue through membership fees, advertising revenue, club activities and bonspiels. The success of the club is totally dependent on the membership and support of the community it serves.

Normally, at this time of year, we would be holding our St. Paddy’s Day Bonspiel, which is one of the social highlights of the year. However, in view of developments on the world stage, the club has decided to hold a bonspiel on April 2 in support of the citizens of Ukraine. All of the proceeds from “Rocking for Ukraine Bonspiel 2022” will be donated to a charity in support of the Ukraine people.

The NGCC would appreciate your support through a donation of an item that we could use as a prize for the March 30, 2022

event in an auction, a raffle or door prize. A monetary donation in kind would also be graciously accepted and given to the charity.

We would also encourage you to become a supporter of the club by advertising your company if you are already not involved. Please approach the undersigned for details.

Together, along with your support, we will continue to provide North Grenville and its citizens a great venue in which to curl. We hope that our collective efforts this year will make a difference in the lives of others less fortunate than ourselves.

Remember the Rocking for Ukraine Bonspiel 2022, April 2, 2022, at the North Grenville Curling Club, 200 Reuben Crescent, Kemptville.

Any questions can be directed to: Randy Hughes, President North Grenville Curling Club/Rocking for the Ukraine Bonspiel Chair. ngccpres@gmail.com

Navan outgunned Kemptville 41 to 35 and 1 PPG on 3 attempts and Kemptville with 1 PPG with 7 opportunities.

Another matinee on Tuesday, to face the Ottawa Jr. Senators on their home ice, proved to be a tight, close contest to fall into another 3-2 loss. Tyler Laureault for Kemptville and William Desmaris for Ottawa received the call for the challenge. Ottawa counted first, when Edwards found Tomislav Brennan in the slot to bury it at 2:54.

Kemptville came back at 9:37 with stick to stick from York to Whyte to let Brock Krulicki find the back of net to even it. Ottawa got on the board in the second when Recine fed Phillips Jacques at 12:19 for the tie breaker.

Julian Recine, with helpers from Jacques and Provost at 13:36, for the insurance goal in the last twenty. Kemptville pounced back at 18:39 with an extra attacker, when Taylor combined with Devon Savignac PPG to make it a one goal deficit and Ottawa captured a win. Ottawa outshooting Kemptville 33 to 23, with 7 PP without results, and the 73’s 5 opportunities with one success.

The 73’s hosted the Renfrew Wolves for a Friday evening excursion that also

honoured the Adam Harlow Foundation with opening puck drop. Tyler Laureault for Kemptville, and Will Craig for Renfrew, pulled the short straws. Howie held the line up the wall to Lammi with Hunter Brazier to pull the trigger at :21 to draw first blood for Kemptville. Wolves bounced back with Elvis Slack, as he buried a rebound with assist from Kalin and Phare at 5:58 for the one all tie. Tie breaker for Renfrew at 16:46, when Charlie Johnson from Parent.

Charlie Johnson for his second stroke, with helpers from Parent and Willits at 17:38 to give the Wolves a 3 to 1 lead.

Howie robbed the rubber during Renfrew PP to stretch out to Larkin through the neutral zone to catch Chase Lammi SHG waiting on the doorstep to put Kemptville one behind at 18.48 to end the first. Kemptville tied the game in the second, as PP awarded Brock Krulicki PPG his 23rd goal after Howie pinched the line and Brazier found opened the slot at 13:25.

Last twenty remained scoreless, as both stoppers stood on their heads to close out with 3-way tie to force OT. OT ended without results to setup a SO, that Charlie Johnson sniped one in to give the Wolves a victory.

The Food Corner

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville I have been neglecting our vegetarian and vegan folks recently and apologize. In the first week in May in 2020, I introduced you to a Carrot Salad. I confess to loving raw carrots, but am not so fond of them cooked. This Hot Sherry Carrots recipe is a bit of both: the carrots are somewhat cooked, but the sauce brings them back to life. Carrots are generally not too expensive, so this is good budget food also.

Hot Sherry Carrots Ingredients: 5 cups carrots, sliced thinly ½ cup of dry sherry (you can use a Sherry such as Taylor’s or Dry Sack or also Madeira) ½ cup of dry currants 3 tablespoons of wine or cider vinegar (you can add a bit more if you wish) 1 teaspoon of corn starch (for thickening) 1 dozen or so chopped pecans or walnuts

#27

Nathan Merrett Nickname: Mary Born: Ottawa, ON, Nov 17, 2002 Position: Defence Previous Hockey Club: Kemptville 73’s u18 AAA Hockey Hero: Alex Pietrangelo Most Inspiring Person: My big brother Favourite Movie: Step brothers Favourite Food: Chicken Alfredo Favourite sport (beside hockey): Lacrosse Favourite Hockey Moment: Winning the championship as a kid Life as a Jr. A player: Making memories everyday with brothers for life One word that describes me: Menace

The Law Office of

Connie Lamble 222 Prescott Street, Kemptville

613.258.0038

SOG were 40 to 37 for Renfrew, and 5 attempts without results, and Kemptville only capitalizing on 1 of 3 chances.

Looking for revenge as the 73’s face the Navan Grads for a Sunday matinee.

Next home game will be Tuesday, March 29, with a 6:30 start to battle the Pembroke Lumber Kings.

Hockey with edge…see you around the wall.

Tara McRae MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker,

Psychotherapist

CMAP Health

https://cmaphealth.com/ therapists/tara-mcrae/ tmcrae@cmaphealth.com

Preparation: 1. Place the carrots with the currants, sherry and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

2. Then, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender but also crisp.

3. Drain and set the carrots aside in a bowl like a salad bowl. Reserve the liquid.

4. Bring the reserved liquid to a boil and stir in the cornstarch to thicken.

5. Pour the resulting sauce over the carrots and top with the chopped nuts. Serve warm.

By the way, this dish is also diet food, at about 60 calories per serving, but only if you don’t have a glass of the sherry while cooking. So, enjoy!

Please keep in touch at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

14

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Upcoming Events Spring 2022

Menu #106 Wed - Fri Mar 30-April 1

Please Preorder the day before for next day pick up Order & Pay online www.cateredaffairs.ca 613-324-3136 $39.99 Complete Meal for 2 + HST $74.99 Complete Meal for 4 + HST All Family Meals include Chef's choice of appropriate Side Dishes. (Some items may be modifed based on product availability) Add on a Dessert of the week: Chocolate Eclairs $2.50 each Sticky Root Beer BBQ Meatballs (G/F) Sweet ‘n’ Tangy Sauced All-Beef Meatballs | Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes | Cheddar Hush Puppies | Chef's choice of veggies | Salad Chicken Kiev Crisp Chicken Cutlet Stuffed with Parsley-Garlic Butter | Whipped Potatoes | Chef's choice of veggies | Borscht | Salad Brazilian Fish Stew ( Moqueca Baiana) (GF/DF) White fish & Shrimp in a savory Herbaceous Coconut Tomato Sauce | Cilantro Rice | Lime wedges | Market Veggies | Salad | Brazilian Cheese Bread

Menu #107 Wed - Fri April 6-8

Add on a Dessert of the week: Carrot Cake with Creamcheese Icing $2.50 each

STORE HOURS Monday to Friday 8:00am to 7:00pm Saturday 8:00am to 6:00pm Sunday 9:00am to 6:00pm

613.258.3014 301 Rideau Street, Kemptville

Genealogical Society presentation Join us on Monday, April 11, at 7 pm for a presentation from author, John Immersee. The topic is “For a Better Life: Post-War Dutch Immigration to Canada”. Those of us living in Leeds & Grenville Counties are very familiar with the many Dutch names that populate our farms, villages, and towns.

John will give us a first-hand glimpse into how some of the half-million Dutch emigrants who left the Netherlands for a better life in the post-war era helped our Counties grow and thrive in the last half of the 20th Century.

Beginning in 1947, almost 500,000 Dutch emigrants left the Netherlands following the end of World War II. Of this number, almost 200,000 left for Canada. This presentation examines the situation in the Netherlands before and during the war years, the reasons for emigrating, and the challenges facing families as they set out to rebuild their lives in their new homeland.

John Immerseel was a biologist by training, before becoming an author. “I had a long career with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, during which I held several positions with the Ontario Provincial Parks and Protected Areas Branch.

I retired as zone manager for southeastern Ontario in 2005.

Since retiring, I have devoted myself to writing.”

Everyone is welcome, but registration is required. Visit our website www.leedsandgrenville.ogs.on.ca for a link, or directly at: us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAuc2orDkvHNJ0l5nQgfioTf_e73xt31fy.

March 30, 2022

Pork Schnitzel & House Made Spaetzle Crispy Pork Cutlet | Spaetzle | Roasted Potatoes | Sauerkraut | Lemon-Caper Butter | Sauteed Red Cabbage & Caramelized Onions | Salad Red Thai Coconut Chicken Curry (G/F) Or Pumpkin/Tofu Curry (Vegan/GF) Chunks of Chicken Breast or Pumpkin braised in a Coconut Curry Sauce | Jasmine Rice | Asian Noodle Salad | Mango summer rolls | Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce | Vegetables Smoked Beef Enchiladas or Bean Medley & Tofu Enchiladas (Veg) Soft flour tortillas with smoky Pork, Cheddar & Beans with Enchilada Sauce | Pico de Gallo (chunky salsa) | Sour cream | cheddar | Mexican Rice | House fried Tortilla Chips Casseroles… Easy go to Meals or Stock Your Freezer $40 each Cabbage Rolls | Beef & Cheese Lasagna | Mac ‘n’ Cheese | Bacon Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Book your special occasion or corporate event with Catered Affairs.

820 Heritage Dr. Kemptville Campus.

613-324-3136 info@cateredaffairs.ca

Have you picked up your copy yet?

Available at the B&H Grocer, at the reasonable price of just $15.

Proceeds will go to Naomi House

Written & Illustrated by Maggie Boyer 15

Catered Affairs and the Kemptville Campus’s own On The Bend Sugar Shack present:

Winter Harvest 4-Course Maple Menu April 9th 2022

$65/guest plus tax and gratuity Dine-In with reservation 6pm-8pm or Curbside hot meal pick up 4:30-5:30pm SALAD: warm maple-balsamic Burt’s Greens / cranberry-glazed pork belly burnt ends / savory oat granola SOUP: maple-roasted parsnip & celeriac puree / crispy French toast croutons ENTRÉE; choice of: Duck Two Ways: maple-seared duck breast with wild blueberry reduction / maple onion rings / duck confit cassoulet / sautéed garlic and greens OR Salmon: Salmon filet with maple-poached Beking’s egg / candied bacon / rosemary fried barley / sauteed garlic and greens DESSERT: crepe and maple custard torte / spiced apple compote / sponge maple-toffee crumble & Rideau Roastery coffee & tea Easter Buffet Brunch (Heritage Hall) Sunday April 17th 10am - 1pm RSVP $39.99 Adult $19.99 Child (age 3 and under free) visit www. cateredaffairs.ca for details.

Easter Take Home Turkey or Ham Family Meals Friday April 15th & Sat April 16th, Pick up 12am - 2pm: Pre order by Sunday April 10th $115 + HST ( Family of 4) $60+HST (Adult meal for 2)

Moist and tender brined local Berube Turkey sliced white and dark meat (gluten/dairy free) Made-in-house Herb & sweet onion confit dressing | Whipped mashed potatoes | Vegetable medley | House made gravy |Fresh cranberry/apple Sauce | Assorted Cupcakes Brown Sugar & Mrs McGarragles Mustard Glazed Ham Pan jus | Scalloped Potatoes |Vegetable Medley | Brown Butter & Sugar Glazed Carrots | Butter topped rolls | Asst Cupcakes

Mothers Day Brunch Buffet Sunday May 8th 9am - 2:00pm

http://www.cateredaffairs.ca/

Sustainability Fair features local music and local food

After a two-year break, the 13th Annual(ish?) North Grenville Sustainability Fair & Market is back on Saturday, April 23, 2022 - 10am-3pm at the North Grenville Municipal Centre. In addition to the local and sustainable shopping options in the Market Hall, the Sustainability Presentations, and the Electric Vehicle show, the Fair is also an excellent opportunity to experience an earful of Local Music and a taste of Local Food.

While you are enjoying the Sustainability Fair, you can also enjoy some locally sourced food, with a concession courtesy of Bruce Enloe and Nicole LeBlanc - former owners and chefs from the Branch Restaurant and Texas Grill (in association with Catered Affairs). Options include Bruce’s (famous?) central Texas-style hardwood smoked beef brisket, and feature locally sourced, natural, and organic ingredients, as well as vegetarian choices and beverages.

Musical performances kick off with Thrum’Mah (Mannie Giles) at 10 am, singing her heartfelt and heartstring-tugging original tunes. At 11:15, enjoy rhythm and boogie-woogie blues player, George Buys. After lunch, enjoy local legend, folk singer-songwriter, Arthur McGregor (12:30pm). And finally, stick around for the beautiful harmonies and mystical strings of Tripoly (Doug Hendry, Elizabeth McNally, and Glenna Hunter) to close the day (starting at 2 pm). The music can be found near the concession area in the main hall.

For more information, please visit our website www.sustainablenorthgrenville.ca, find us on facebook (Sustainable North Grenville) or email info.sustainablenorthgrenville@ gmail.com The 13th Annual N. G. Sustainability Fair & Market Saturday, April 23. 10am-3pm.

North Grenville Municipal Centre. www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

CDSBEO Board Meeting Highlights Health Units Chief Medical Officers update: Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, and Dr. Paula Stewart, Medical Officer of Health for the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit, joined the Board of Trustees to share a virtual presentation on COVID-19 and the complex considerations for students, families, and school communities that come with the changes under the new provincial guidelines which came into effect on March 21.

While testing is limited, current monitoring in Ontario public health units includes proxy indicators such as hospitalizations, outbreaks, and wastewater monitoring, all of which are demonstrating a general trend of decline in Eastern Ontario. Progressive lifting of restrictions in the province, which has been mirrored in schools, includes the lifting of mandatory masking, while maintaining protective measures like rapid tests, ventilation improvements, enhanced cleaning, and screening.

Communities have journeyed through two years of pandemic response, which Dr. Roumeliotis noted, has taken a toll on the mental health of some students. In this new stage of reopening, many are learning to live alongside COVID-19, and it is important to now understand the possible anxieties and fears among children, youth, and their families, that comes with this new lifting of restrictions.

“We are now in a time of transition,” explained Dr. Roumeliotis. “We have had parents reaching out to us on both sides, urging us to stop masking, and others begging us to continue masking, and so there is now some uncertainty after we have been doing this for two years. This is a significant transition, and we need to be understanding, to respect decisions, to be supportive of students and families, and to be aware of the sensitivities, individual situations and needs of members of our community.”

March 30, 2022

Dr. Stewart added that all COVID-19 vaccination clinics would now also be offering the routine immunization program for students in grades 7 and 8. As public health begins to plan for more usual programming on specific topics of concern such as mental health and drug use, feedback and support will be provided to schools.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusive Education: At the Board meeting on March 22, 2022, Norma McDonald, Superintendent of School Effectiveness, accompanied by Fr. John Whyte, CDSBEO Faith Animator, Kate Veinotte, CDSBEO Religious Education Consultant and Marian LawsonMacDonald, CDSBEO Indigenous Consultant, presented an overview of the many Equity and Inclusion initiatives within CDSBEO schools.

These initiatives collectively work to address anti-racism, understanding the impact of poverty, cultural awareness, and how to create safe and accepting school environments.

The CDSBEO focus on Equitable and Inclusive Education prepares students to be collaborative contributors who respect the rights of all and contribute to the common good. Through these initiatives, students have the opportunity to grow to become responsible citizens who give witness to Catholic social teaching by promoting peace, justice, and the sacredness of human life. Many rich learning opportunities and

programs are provided to students which support cultural awareness and understanding, including an inspiring virtual speaker series, celebrations and learning for Black History Month and the upcoming Asian Heritage Month, as well as an All Colours are Beautiful art contest. Additionally, special projects for staff and students have been delivered by the Religious and Family Life Department which support the Board spiritual theme of belonging: I Belong Here – Together we are God’s good news!

Board administrators will also participate in three equity leadership sessions this year, continuing the work on critical consciousness in education with Dr. Nicole West-Burns. The Building Foundations in Equity: Administrators’ Series, helps school leaders to build their knowledge and examine the critical role they play in equity work. Throughout the spring, Equity School Team Leaders will also attend five sessions to further explore Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI).

In the area of Indigenous Education, CDSBEO has continued its work with landbased teachings, working with community partners, First Nations, Métis and Inuit Knowledge Keepers and Elders, and supporting schools through resources, projects, Teams pages and traditional teachings.

The Voice of North Grenville

Water levels elevated across Rideau Valley watershed

by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority Although much of the snow has already melted, some snow remains in the watershed, especially in the upper Rideau Valley watershed areas.

The forecasted rain and on-going snowmelt are expected to keep water levels elevated and cause some flooding in all low-lying areas, especially those identified below. Parks Canada staff who manage the water levels for the Rideau Canal have indicated that water levels in upper watershed lakes will continue to rise as the snowpack melts.

Some specific areas of concern are highlighted below:

A FLOOD WATCH continues for all the low-lying areas along Stevens Creek and Taylor Drain in the Village of North Gower.

A FLOOD OUTLOOK continues for all the lowlying areas around the smaller creeks and streams in the Rideau Valley Watershed, including any connected creeks or ditches.

Extreme caution should be exercised by everyone when near local waterbodies.

Parents should inform their children of the risks and provide appropriate supervision.

Pets should be leashed near all bodies of water. Please contact your municipality if you see any ice jams that are causing localized flooding.

Residents in flood prone or low-lying areas, historically susceptible to flooding, should continue to take the necessary precautions to protect their property, such as:

Ensuring sump pump is clear, in good working condition and has a backwater valve Ensuring easy access to a portable backup generator and pump Ensuring downspouts are clear and the outlet is at least 3 metres from the dwelling Securing items that might float away as flows increase Removing valuable items from basements or lower floors that could be subject to flooding K e e p i n g e m e rg e n c y phone numbers handy Familiarizing yourself with your municipality’s Emergency Preparedness Plan This watershed conditions statement is in effect until March 31, 2022, at 5 p.m. and will be updated at that time unless the forecast or conditions change.

AL'S PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

Property - Home - Clean - Up (Interior - Exterior) Carpentry - Fencing - Roofs - Basements

DUMP RUNS: everything goes

FULLY INSURED

C: 613.295.0300 16

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