ND Times Issue 15 2024 July 25

Forever Home of Dairyfest

by Brandon Mayer

Who hasn’t heard of Winchester Dairyfest?

No one, that’s who! Well, at least no one who lives in or near North Dundas. Dairyfest was started in 1988, when Winchester turned 100 years old. It therefore predates North Dundas itself by a full decade. The event was conceived by a committee of merchants to celebrate Winchester’s centennial year.

As the Dairyfest website states: “Joel Steele was one of the founding fathers of Dairyfest, and passed the torch on only after ensuring that Dairyfest was well rooted and an annual event that residents looked forward

to every August.”

However, even festivals with sturdy roots can sway in the wind. There was a period of time very recently when many North Dundas residents surely thought Dairyfest was coming to an end, because technically, it did.

The annual Dairyfest event was cancelled in 2020, but not due to the Covid-19 pandemic unlike countless other events including those such as Meet Me on Main Street. In fact, it was in December of 2019 that word first broke of the cancellation of Dairyfest 2020. At the time, the committee simply announced that the festival was “taking a break”.

Why? Although money is almost always a factor in matters such as these, perhaps the biggest issue for Dairyfest was achieving the volunteer base needed for it to run.

In 2021, August was fast approaching with no word about Dairyfest when its committee –consisting of just four active members and no chairperson – released a statement that although a 2021 Dairyfest would not happen, the concept of the beloved Winchester tradition was far from dead. The committee pleaded with the community for volunteer help, while deciding not to run a 2021 event because it felt inappropriate at the time to be asking local busi-

nesses for sponsorship money while they were still recovering from the financial strains of the pandemic.

Even when Dairyfest surely felt dead and gone to many locals, others were doing their part to remind us that such a time-honoured tradition is never really gone. On August 8, 2021, less than two weeks after the Dairyfest committee confirmed there would be no Dairyfest that year, Farmer John Cinnamon fired up his tractors and ran the traditional Tractor Parade through town and past the Dundas Manor, joined by many neighbours (you can learn more of Farmer John’s story later in this issue).

When a community holds onto its heritage, there is little to stop it from thriving. Thanks to some dedicated and wonderful members of the community, Dairyfest returned in full force in 2022, and is indeed back to its former glory. This year’s Dairyfest will take place August 9 – 11. An events schedule is enclosed, or you can visit https://www.winchesterdairyfest.com/ to learn more. Take the family out and enjoy some truly local fun!

Farmer John Cinnamon has been running the Tractor Parade as part of Dairyfest for 20 years. Read more about Farmer John and the Tractor Parade on page 7.

Hundreds turn up to celebrate pharmacist Wayne Burns

About 600 people showed up to celebrate long time local pharmacist, Wayne Burns and his wife, Huguette late last month. “There were old colleagues and employees, family, neighbours, and friends,” said Cindy Ault Peters, who organized the event. “People were very appreciative of Wayne’s generosity with the event. Everyone complimented on the food and the décor, which was nice! Wayne and Huguette were thrilled with the turnout!”

Local MP Eric Duncan was the emcee of the event. He wrote on social media after the event: “Every community benefits from a good pharmacist. Every community benefits even more from good angels. We’ve been very fortunate to have the wonderful Wayne & Huguette Burns fulfill both of those roles for over half a century.”

Indeed, the evening was planned not only to celebrate the success of the PharmaChoice Seaway Valley Pharmacy – which has now changed ownership but still has active leadership from the Burns family – but also the 53rd wedding anniversary of Wayne and Huguette.

“[They] have supported, donated, volunteered and promoted an endless number of charities and causes for 53 years and counting,” MP Duncan continued.

The event was attended by countless friends and family, including Mayor Tony Fraser, Rev. Thurland Brown, and Dr. David Flowers, and featured catering by Winchester Catering & Events, and a dance with music provided by Eddy and the Stingrays. “A great time was had by all”.

To celebrate the new North Dundas Swim Team and its logo that was generously designed and donated by Chris VanBridger, lifeguards gathered with Chris and pool coordinator, Delaney Halpenny on July 11 to take a photo marking the occasion. Thanks to Chris, and the entire North Dundas pool team for all that you do!

Dundas County Dairy Club

– Meeting 3 update

by Kaylee-Lynn Daines

On June 8th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, the Dundas County Dairy Club held their 3rd meeting at the Velthius’ farm. This was a double meeting. We started the meeting with Vice President, Ethan V. leading the 4H pledge, and we asked our Secretary, Emily V. to provide the minutes of the last minute meeting and a roll call. Our question was “How many times have you worked with your calf?” Then Taylor M. handed the meeting over to the leaders. Leader Dave then showed us how to clip the top line of a calf and gave us tips and tricks. We then got into groups of three for clipping. Each group was assigned a calf, a set of clippers, a blow dryer, and some brushes. During the time together in our groups, we were to clip our calves and blow up our top lines, as though we were getting ready for a show. Once everybody had finished clipping their calf, we took a break for lunch and had pizza and juice boxes with ice cream sandwiches at the end. After we finished lunch, we were split into two teams, where we were to name the parts of a cow. After we were told the correct answers and found out which team won, we moved back over to the barn where we talked about sire selection to improve the faults on our calf that we had clipped earlier in the meeting. Each group went over the proof sheet and talked about the faults with a leader, and once everybody had talked about it, we went over the selections as a club on what we thought would be best sire for our calf. At the end of the meeting, we thanked the Velthius family for hosting our meeting and Ethan adjourned the meeting. We all enjoyed a snack of cookies and Kool-Aid.

Local U15 girls softball team takes 1st place

Congratulations to the North Dundas U15 girls’ Sox softball team who finished in first place overall out of eight teams on Sunday, July 7. After a great season of 9 wins and 3 losses during their regular season from May to July, the U15 girls’ team came out on top as champions. Their season ended with a two day tournament in Williamsburg on July 6 and 7. They won their first game on Saturday morning against ROMSA 1 (Rideau Osgoode Minor Softball Association), followed by a win against ROMSA 2 in their second game Saturday afternoon. This put the team in the gold

medal game on Sunday afternoon, where they defeated Kenmore 2 with the score of 12-2 for the title of first place overall.

The girls played six home games and six away games during their regular season from May to July. There were eight teams in the U15 division – Kemptville 1, Kemptville 2, North Dundas, Williamsburg, Kenmore 1, Kenmore 2, ROMSA 1, and ROMSA 2.

Front row (l-r): Coach Tylor Copeland, Laila Copeland, Hannah Sadler, Addie Hicks, Tori Szeifried, Coach Stephen Simpson. Back row (l-r): Coach Colleen Szeifried, Coach Kenny Mills, Chloe Pringle, Sophia Guy, Kahlan Heuff, Lily Carkner, Mia Rose Waters-Martin, Marisa Latimer, Taylor Simpson, Morgan Simpson, Coach Chris Guy (Absent from photo: Abby Houle, Olivia Stinson, Ainsley Holmes)

July 18 Council meeting update

by Brandon Mayer

This month’s meeting of North Dundas Council took place on July 18. Unusually, two Council members – Councillors John Lennox and Matthew Uhrig – were both on vacation and therefore absent for the meeting, which ran with just 3 members instead of the usual 5.

The meeting began with a relatively lengthy update presentation from Storm Internet, which is locally based but provides services throughout Eastern Ontario and Ottawa. The presentation was well received.

The three attending Council members approved a motion to enter into an Animal Shelter Agreement with the Township of Russell. This came after much talk in previous meetings about the need for a new solution, since several mu-

nicipalities in the area have been sharing one dog catcher and one dog pound for years. North Dundas will now use the Animal Shelter in Russell for stray dogs picked up locally.

Next, Council passed a motion to request that the United Counties of SD&G include 25 conditions in the Plan of Subdivision for the proposed development located southwest of Moffat Street and south of Thomas Drive in Morewood. Council also quickly approved two applications under the Township of North Dundas Community Improvement Plan (CIP), which provides grant money to help significantly offset the costs of local business façade upgrades.

Council was next asked to go through some administrative approvals required for the Township to receive its share of the federal Can-

Baldwin's Birds

Internationally similar birds

Having just returned from a trip abroad, it never fails to amaze me the similarities that exist between the birds of the different countries that I have visited over my lifetime. Of course this doesn't apply to our good old faithful Canada Goose, who pops up somewhat unwantedly, in many public parks in Britain and

ada Community-Building Fund, previously known as the “Gas Tax”. This funding reroutes a portion of the tax funds collected at gasoline pumps back to municipalities to help pay for transportation infrastructure, such as road improvements. Deputy Mayor Theresa Bergeron made a comment about the name change of the Fund, saying “I guess they don’t want people to know that electric vehicles are not paying this tax – all cars use roads, and all cars should be paying the tax”.

Council next agreed to allow reserve funds to pay for a condenser replacement at the Sam Ault Arena in Winchester at a cost of $89,000, before hearing a lengthy presentation on a newly written document –the “Design Standards and Guidelines for Subdivisions and Site Plan Control” for the Township of North Dun-

Cotswold Hills, which has trees very nearby to their backyard. This relatively postage stamp sized garden, compared to most of ours, has some feeders of different sorts for attracting the various English birds to it, hence being written the third verse of the song titled "English Country Garden" (version on YouTube by Jimmie Rodgers - https://youtu. be/xf9EsJXSMXg?si=z44EzSFyLp9l24). Some of the birds mentioned I don't think are English, but are North American, still a nice song anyway!!

das. This document intends to set consistent standards for developments within the Township. Including appendices, the Guide is nearly 300 pages long.

As part of the Township’s Strategic Plan, staff hope to implement a new and improved Communications Strategy to improve communication both internally, and between the Township and North Dundas residents.

Other routine business was discussed, including an update on the pausing of the wetland mapping process which was already discussed in the last issue of the Times, and a Fire Services update which outlined the success of new training for firefighters, a planned upgrade to the inter-firefighter communication system, and some other needed equipment upgrades. Council also heard from the local Minor Hockey

Association, which made a request for the Township to refund insurance fees paid at a recent Arena fundraiser. The request amounted to a donation request of approximately $450, and Council

approved it with enthusiasm. Including a brief closed session meeting period, the June 18 Council meeting lasted for just under two hours.

a stool and watch out of their kitchen window to spot any birds that I could.

Europe! However, it is always a welcome sight to see them, when visiting away from our Canadian borders, adding that little bit of home familiarity to whatever surroundings I happen to be in. It can be said that the trip, just completed, brought me another bird similarity treat, but in a different way. A couple of my relatives have a house adjacent to the beautiful English

He, my brother, being an avid photographer, makes the most out of those moments, when the birds do use the feeders. Recently, he got a surprise when they got a visit from not only a lone member of a Great Spotted Woodpecker family, but also the youngsters too! This particular type are very similar in coloration to our Downys and Hairys, so I was very keen to get some pictures for myself, to compare them. On a previous visit, he had shown me where a Green Woodpecker was located, in a place well away from where people were, so when he told me about the Great Spotted actually coming into his little enclosed garden patch, I was looking forward to seeing it (or them). We weren't actually staying with them this time, so my chances of seeing their birds were a little bit slimmer, but did actually successfully come about, as you can see. I was able on two occasions just to sit on

On one of our days out, we were able to make a visit to the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge Gloucestershire (https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/WWT_Slimbridge) and see a great number of different types of water birds from all parts of the world. The location is very near to the River Severn, so it’s a very natural habitat for birds to be, and many of the residents fly in from Europe and Scandinavia on their own volition and are free to go whenever they please.

On one occasion there, I was able to see Cranes that had come in from Europe, and another time I got to see, but not photograph, an English (Eurasian) Kingfisher, which is a brilliant blue color but very elusive! One of these I did not see this time round!

On our return to Canada this week, we were pleased to be told by our friends, who had been housesitting for us, that they had watched the Bluebirds and House Wrens fledge their brood of chicks, during our absence, which was very pleasing to hear and something that they had really enjoyed watching.

I hope too that you have

been able to witness such happenings, in your own particular part of this world and have, or are still enjoying, what the birds have to offer you. My feeders are now restocked and a Hummingbird has visited us already, as well as an immature Rose Breasted Grosbeak that my wife spotted this morning. Stay safe and look after yourselves, Cheers, John Baldwin

culverts

Aim at foot

by Brandon Mayer

One common topic of conversation around the region lately is the LCBO workers’ job action. For me, as I write this, the strike is still ongoing. For you, as you read this, it may still be happening, or it may have just recently ended. Letters to the editor on this topic have been plentiful between our local North Dundas Times, and our sister paper, the North Grenville Times. The arguments seem to break down into two groups. 1) “Doug Ford is horrible” and 2) “A strike is a terrible way for these workers to get their point across”. Well… yes, and yes. It's hard to get behind any politician anymore. Then again, maybe that is partially a good thing. We need to leave the “fangirl” behaviour for celebrities, and use our brains when it comes to electing leaders. Too many people don’t make this distinction, and politicians capitalize on this. Hitler gained power largely through manipulating the masses. We may think those days are behind us, but you know

what they say about those who fail to learn history –they are doomed to repeat it. Take Trump for example. No, he is not Hitler, and anyone who makes that reference should stop and realize what an insult it is to Holocaust survivors, and the recent attempt on Trump’s life was also totally unacceptable, and I condemn anyone who makes jokes such as “better luck next time”. But how Trump can have the absolute brainless following that he does from millions upon millions of Americans – and sadly, many Canadians too – is beyond me. It either shows that so many of these supporters are bullies at heart, just like Trump, or they are too ignorant to notice what their cherished leader is really like (I don’t know that any movie writer has ever accomplished writing a more self-absorbed fictional character than the very much real-life Donald Trump). Either way, it points to a doomed country.

The comedy movie “The Campaign” with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis does an excellent job at using satire to point out the flaws in

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

RE last week’s letter from the LCBO employee. I worked in the Kanata high tech for 30 years. We were basically contract workers without sick days or any benefits. After 30 years, I decided to change careers and start my own business. I still don't have benefits and don't have sick days.

Ray Cloutier

Dear Editor,

While I disagree with Dr. Gifford-Jones on a number of things (not least his enthusiasm for vitamin C), I do agree that many seniors are taking medicines that may be doing more harm than good. This is particularly true for the most elderly in society – what is good and

appropriate treatment at 70 may not be so at 90. Unfortunately, many medical studies exclude people over certain ages or those with multiple medical conditions, so there is not a good evidence base to guide prescribing and deprescribing in the elderly.

Many commonly used medicines have potential side effects that become more troublesome or potentially dangerous as we get older. Side effects like dizziness can cause a fall which can have life changing consequences in the elderly. Stopping medicines in the elderly is a challenging endeavour, and there can be a reluctance to change something that does not seem to be causing any issues, even when someone has a life-limiting diagnosis.

US politics. Fair warning though – it is quite a vulgar movie. It highlights the reality that actual policies and leadership principles matter far less in politics than token concepts such as “supporting our troops” and “creating jobs” to gain popularity.

This latter point –“creating jobs” – reminds me of former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader, Tim Hudak. He relentlessly pushed his “million jobs promise”, so much so that I can still hear him in my head on the TV talking about “1 million jobs – good, middle class jobs!” One would have to be completely thick to think that in a province of 12 million people, a single party could “create” not only enough jobs for approximately 12.5% of the province’s adult population, but “middle class jobs” nonetheless. You’d have to be even more thick not to notice that in the same campaign, Hudak’s government announced plans to cut government jobs through attrition.

It's interesting how much psychology actually plays into politics. Studies show that lower class people tend to be-

It is always worthwhile asking questions about risks and benefits of medicines as your age changes, though of course medicines should not be stopped without discussion with your healthcare team (ideally both a pharmacist and physician should be involved).

I highly recommend the book "Being Mortal" by Dr. Atul Gawande. It is a thorough discussion of the issues facing people as they get older or are faced with a life-limiting diagnosis, and discusses what can be done to help improve quality of life. I greatly appreciated the insights from it when I was working as a pharmacist in palliative care.

Steve Gabell

lieve that they are “middle class”, and upper class people tend to believe that they are… well… middle class! This bit of psychology is used in campaigns a lot. One would think that a campaigning party would want to appeal to the lower class – the people in poverty who really need help – but that doesn’t properly play the odds. The reason we hear from parties on both sides of the House of Commons about “helping the middle class” is because an overwhelming majority of the population thinks they will be the ones getting the help!

If I had the time and space, I would write pages and pages on how politics is nothing more than a game played between parties. Politicians play, and regular people like us… we are the spectators. Oh, and every now and then, we get to participate in the “audience choice awards”, otherwise known as an election.

Being short on both space and time, I will return my focus to Doug Ford. I share the concerns of many. I do believe that Ford’s heart was in the right place when he

Dear Editor,

"The local health unit is reporting cases of pertussis (whooping cough) in our communities. Pertussis is highly contagious and can be very serious in vulnerable patients.

One impact from the Covid-19 pandemic has been waning uptake of routine vaccinations. Vaccinations that help to protect everyone in society. Family doctors can provide routine, publicly funded vaccines, but over 2.3 million people in the province do not have a family doctor. Health units offer appointments for vaccines, but often at times that are not accessible for working families and at locations that may not be accessible to all. Pharmacies played an essential role in the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, and have

first ran for office, but that he has since gone off the rails in terms of his duty to Ontarians. His plans to pay a penalty of $225 million to cancel a contract with The Beer Store so that alcohol can be sold in more locations has been described in the Globe and Mail as “a scandal”. Perhaps – but so was Kathleen Wynne’s choice to enter into a 10 year agreement with The Beer Store in the first place. Politicians make decisions with votes in mind. Doug Ford wants to be remembered as the reason why you can by beer at Circle K when you are standing in front of the ballot box. That said, the “conservative” in “progressive conservative” stands for “fiscal responsibility”, and when it comes to $225 million, the responsible decision would have been to wait until next year when the contract expires.

This all perhaps makes LCBO workers “right” in their principles, but it doesn’t mean their job action makes sense. I recently picked up some alcohol for a party at my usual place –the amazing Rick’s Gas Bar in South Mountain.

There was no change for me, but I’m sure many people discovered how many convenient places there already are to buy alcohol in this province after being turned away from their local LCBO by “closed” signs. This strike action sounds a lot like a case of “let us prove that you don’t need us”. It sounds like the LCBO union followed a two-step instruction manual: 1) Aim at foot. 2) Fire when ready. No politician will ever please everyone, but that’s a fundamental part of democracy. A leader who pleases everyone is likely to be more skilled in the art of brainwashing than policy making. A lone person can’t change the face of Canadian politics, so instead I’ll just grab my popcorn and continue spectating. We’re almost at the season finale, and it’s sure to be a good one.

been delivering publicly funded flu vaccines for over a decade. Pharmacies are located in every community and many have extended opening hours. At a time of falling vaccination rates, outbreaks of highly contagious infections, and limited access to family doctors, it is nonsensical to exclude pharmacies from the wider publicly funded vaccination schedules.

As a pharmacist, I know the struggles people face to get routine vaccinations. Ontario Greens are calling on the Ford government to include pharmacies in publicly funded vaccination services in order to increase access to these life saving vaccines which help keep everyone in society safe. Steve Gabell

Op-ed

Canada needs a fair electoral system

by Steve Gabell

Imagine you are a high school student sitting a civics exam. You open the exam paper and see the following questions:

1a) Five parties running in a national election receive the following share of the vote: 34%, 24%,12%,14% and 7%. How many seats does each party get in the House of Commons?

1b) The party that won 34% in the most recent election increased their share of the vote by 1.7% from the previous election. How much did their share of the seats increase by?

Under a fair, representative, and proportional electoral system, a party winning a third of the vote would win about a third of the seats in Parliament, a party winning 15% of the vote would win about 15% of the seats, and a

Op-ed

party seeing a small increase in their share of the vote would see a small increase in the number of seats won. Unfortunately, the UK and Canada do not have such a system and the number of seats won depends on how votes are distributed across the country, so the questions above are impossible to answer.

Thanks to First Past The Post (FPTP), a party can win an enormous majority while having the support of less than one in three voters. In the recent UK general election, Labour won 63% of the seats on 34% of the vote (and an increase from 31% of seats on 32% of the vote in 2019). The Liberal Democrats were close to achieving a proportional result, with 11% of the seats from 12% of the vote, while Reform and the Greens both

won 6% of seats but won 14% and 7% of the vote respectively. While I disagree with Reform's policies, it is clearly absurd that a party can win twice as many votes as another party yet both win the same number of seats.

FPTP is a throwback to a bygone age where few people had the right to vote, MPs were known personally by many of the small electorate, MPs had some degree of independence, and communication was slow and limited. None of this applies now (with the exception of Greens at federal and provincial levels who do not whip their MPs/ MPPs). FPTP is not fit for purpose in the 21st Century and needs to be replaced by a more proportional system; one where the number of seats won reflects the share of the vote won.

The heart of the matter

by David Shanahan

Two events that took place recently have brought attention back to the issue of Canada’s relationship with the Indigenous peoples of this land. The Assembly of First Nations held their annual conference in Montreal, and they were addressed by Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Opposition and presumed next Prime Minister of Canada. It wasn’t an altogether successful appearance. Some delegates stood and turned their backs on him while he spoke, while others contented themselves with either walking out, or booing. For Indigenous people, these were out of character and showed the depth of hostility which exists, not only towards Poilievre, but the Conservative Party generally. Memories are fresh about the way Stephen Harper’s regime treated Indigenous issues, and the ongoing lack of respect shown to the First Nations. Yes, after researchers compiled damaging evidence of Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples, particularly concerning Indian Residential Schools [IRS], Harper

did formally apologise in the House of Commons. But then, weeks later, he cut all federal funding for those same research offices by more than 70% - both a punishment and an attempt to ensure they never found anything damaging again. On that level, he failed completely.

Following the apology, Poilievre went public with a statement that he questioned the value of compensating residential school survivors, instead of pushing the values of "hard work and independence." This did not go down well in Indigenous communities, where the reality of the IRS effects are only too real.

Poilievre’s promise to the AFN conference that he and his Party "believe that economic reconciliation is part of social progress. We need jobs and opportunity for First Nations communities", sounded fine, but one wonders what is meant by "economic reconciliation": does it mean investment in Indigenous communities, or simply throwing money to people with no actual economic development opportunities because of the location and character of the land on which they were deposited in decades

While I may be delighted to see a Labour government elected again in the UK after 14 years of Conservative rule, it is inherently undemocratic for a party to be able to wield unchecked power thanks to the votes of one in three people who actually voted (and the support of only one in five of the electorate as a whole). Such a disproportionate result could happen here at both federal and provincial levels and would be just as undemocratic.

Canada needs a fair electoral system. One where every vote counts, where everyone is properly represented. One where a government needs the support of at least half the electorate to implement their policies. We need a proportional system, and we need it now.

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• Cleaning/washing windows

• Report to Administrator of supplies required

• Check maintenance sheets and notes from Administrator and tenants

• Snow removal of sidewalks, shoveling main entrance, salting and/or sanding, use of a walk behind snow blower

• Preparing apartments for move outs and move ins

• Maintain cooperative working relationships with staff and interact positively with tenant population

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gone by. The record does not inspire confidence.

The other event with important implications for Indigenous relations with the wider Canadian society was the release of an interim report by Kimberly Murray, Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools. It was a damning indictment of government handling of IRS institutions over more than a century, complete with concrete evidence of serious and sustained neglect, and worse, of Indigenous children attending such schools. There is much to say about this issue and Ms. Murray’s report, but it deserves time and analysis before discussing it in detail. This is especially so because of the way in which the report has been presented in the media.

As with the controversy which arose with the claims of unmarked graves at Kamloops and other IRS sites, more heat than light was shed on the subject by media and government at the time. There was a rush by governments at all levels to take actions in response, or at least to look like they were act-

ing. Much of what came about was a series of rather empty and purely symbolic events, lacking any genuine depth or awareness of what the gestures really meant. It seemed they grew out of a panic-stricken guilt rather than a true awareness of history and reality.

History is never that simple, never as clearcut as we’d like it to be. Treating all IRS institutions as part of a monolithic conspiracy which involved every government since the 1880's (and before), every religious order involved in operating the schools, every teacher, staff member and bureaucrat in the Indian Department, does a disservice to both history and the survivors of the schools. Because, given public antipathy in many cases, a general ignorance of Indigenous history, and a reaction against the attacks and guilt provoked by the media response, there is bound to be a reaction, a backlash. And if there’s any inaccuracies in reporting the facts, any exaggeration or false claim, it will only feed into that backlash and damage the genuine cause of truth and reconciliation.

We all, Indigenous and Settler, owe it to the

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past, the children, the survivors, and ourselves, to ensure that we get this right, that there are no politically motivated claims that cannot be substantiated. I have worked for Indigenous communities and organisations for over thirty-five years, and I know how Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples is as horrific as that of the United States regarding slavery and civil rights. It is our own national disgrace. But we can’t undermine the reality by rushing into making statements and

using words that cannot be supported by the facts. I’ve said this many times, but it deserves repeating: there can be no Reconciliation without Truth; and the truth in this case, is bad enough. Canadians need to know their history, so do Indigenous people; we cannot assume we know it, we have to do the hard work, face the unpalatable facts, and deal with the reality. That is our responsibility to all those who have suffered.

WDMH AGM “full of gratitude”

This year’s Annual General Meeting was filled with gratitude – for our local communities, as well as WDMH staff, physicians and volunteers.

“There is an old adage that feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it,” noted outgoing Board Chair Bruce Millar in his remarks.

“As we reflect on the past year at Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH), we have many gifts of gratitude to

give as we say thank you to everyone who is part of our healthcare family.”

“To begin, thank you to the WDMH team –more than 900 staff, physicians, midwives, volunteers and students – for the care you provide every day and night to our communities. We call it Compassionate Excellence,” added CEO Cholly Boland. “Thank you as well to those communities for your ongoing support. Gratitude is also extended to our closest colleagues – the WDMH Auxiliary,

Getting a diagnosis without leaving home

When a Dundas Manor resident isn’t feeling well, a trip to the hospital is not necessarily the best medicine. Often the transition can be difficult and uncomfortable. New equipment at Dundas Manor is helping residents get the diagnoses they need, without leaving their home.

Dundas Manor purchased an ECG machine and a Bladder Scanner through a new Ministry

of Long-Term Care program.

“Our nurses were so excited to add these new pieces of equipment to their toolkit to care for our residents!” noted Ursula Lamoureux, Dundas Manor’s Director of Care.

“They immediately identified residents who could benefit from this testing.”

A Bladder Scanner is a portable 3D ultrasound scanner used to measure urine. It helps decrease

the Patient and Family Engagement Committee, Dundas Manor LongTerm Care Home, our partners in the Community Care and Dillabough buildings, as well as the donors and staff at the WDMH Foundation. Together, we care for our local communities.”

At the AGM, the new Executive was confirmed. Thank you to Jennifer Milburn, Annik Blanchard and Tyson Roffey who will serve as Chair, Vice Chair and Treasurer of the Board. Bruce Millar was

recognized for his tenure as Board Chair and Steven Densham was thanked as he completes his time on the Board.

Incoming Board Chair Jennifer Milburn noted: “I’m excited to take the helm as Chair of the Board and look forward to working with this committed group of volun-

teers. When my family moved to Winchester in 2020, WDMH was obviously such an important part of our new community, I was thrilled to be part of the board. I value the importance of health care close to home and I want to support our local hospital in any way I can.” Kelly Goulet was

welcomed as the newest Board member. Kelly lives just outside of Winchester: “I am honoured to join the WDMH Board. I am deeply committed to ensuring that our community has access to the highest quality healthcare close to home. WDMH was a big part of why my husband and I chose Winchester as our forever home, and I look forward to working with my fellow board members to support the exceptional care provided here."

At the end of the meeting, a motion was made by Bill Smirle to thank everyone who works at WDMH for their commitment and hard work. It was passed unanimously.

unnecessary catheterization and reduces the risk of urinary tract infections.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the simplest and fastest tests to evaluate the heart. Activity is measured and interpreted to show how fast the heart is beating, steady or irregular rhythms and the strength and timing of electrical impulses. Changes in an ECG can be a sign of many heart-related conditions.

“We are so happy to have this equipment onsite at Dundas Manor and potentially avoid unnecessary trips to the hospital,” sums up Ursula Lamoureaux.

Tyson Roffey

Kelly Goulet

Annik Blanchard

Jennifer Milburn

Winchester Dairyfest August 9,10 & 11

by Brandon Mayer

This year’s Tractor Parade at Winchester Dairyfest will boast significance as the 20th of its kind! The annual tradition was created when the Dairyfest Committee called Farmer John Cinnamon years ago and asked him if he would put on an antique tractor show as part of the festivities. He told them it would be no problem and that it didn’t sound too complicated. That is, until the Committee asked if he would be able to select a first, second, and third place “winner” for the show. John joked in a con-

versation with the Times last year: “I said ‘well you can count me out’ because there’s no way I’m telling my neighbour that he’s got a nicer tractor than the other neighbour!”

It was at that point that John suggested a tractor parade instead of a tractor show, an idea which the Dairyfest Committee graciously accepted. The annual Dairyfest Tractor Parade initially started as an event featuring antique tractors, and evolved over the years to accept tractors of all types, sizes, and ages.

This year, Farmer John has his lineup ready to go once again, and he is excited for the 20 year

milestone. His oldest tractor is a 1940 Case, which belonged to his wife’s grandfather. He also has a Farmall A that he recently bought because his wife said she used to drive one when she was 10-12 years old, as well as a tractor that his father purchased brand new decades ago.

The rules for participating are similar to previous years. All are welcome, but Farmer John stresses not to come to the Curling Club (where the parade begins) right at 2:30pm when they are set to leave. He urges people to come at noon –there is a large area to park the tractors on the north side of the Curling Club so that people can come and look at them.

Another firm rule is that there be no riders on open tractors. Riders should only be permitted on tractors with a cab and a door that closes, with a proper seat for riders. This is purely for safety. “If someone gets hurt, it would just be awful,” added Farmer John.

One general guideline is to “let the tractors come out in their work clothes”. There is no need to get the tractors all shined up, although all tractors are welcome. A lot of Farmer John’s tractors are not restored at all, and he plans to keep it that way!

Dairyfest Tractor Parade: 20 years and counting

For Farmer John’s own fleet of about a dozen tractors, he enlists the help of relatives to drive them in the parade. He has two daughters and two sons, as well as two sons in law, all of whom drive. He also gets friends to help. Included in his own fleet are two wagons fitted with sides and a tarp to carry passengers that want a ride, even in the rain. That said, the Tractor Parade hasn’t been rained out in 20 years, though Farmer John recalled that on two occasions, the drivers got “thoroughly soaked” not only with rainwater but also with mud being thrown up from the tires on the way home when thunderstorms hit.

Organizing the Tractor Parade each year takes some effort, but Farmer John doesn’t mind. He only had to purchase one new battery this year (at a cost of $200), which beat the two batteries and two tires he had to buy last year! Through the years, some tractors have needed to be towed home, but more often than not, they all make it under their own power.

This year’s Tractor Parade will take place on August 11, leaving the Curling Club around 2:30pm. As always, the drivers will aim to be at Dundas Manor at 3:00pm. “They clean the cars out and nobody parks there, and all the residents come out,” said Farmer John. “They love it and we love doing it. To see the look on their face when we go by there is just priceless.”

This year’s Tractor Parade will follow the usual route – down Main Street and Christie Lane, passing the Lions Hall and of course the Dundas Manor, finishing at the Curling Club again. Come out and enjoy an annual tradition that’s as local as can be!

Farmer John stands with his fleet of tractors on July 15.

Grateful for Our Local Communities

Our 2024 Report to the Community

Welcome to a joint update from Winchester District Memorial Hospital, Dundas Manor Long-Term Care Home, the WDMH Auxiliary, and the WDMH Foundation. It’s our annual opportunity to share some of the highlights from the past year and to thank our local communities for your incredible support. We also want to thank our healthcare teams for their commitment to the very best care.

Caring Connections

The entire team was amazing and caring. … The hospital is so clean. … I felt safe, heard and respected. Our health care is in good hands. … WDMH is my health care place of choice.

Every day, we hear from patients and we are so grateful for your feedback and support of our team. Your words of encouragement inspire the 900 staff, physicians, midwives, volunteers and students at WDMH to continue to provide the compassionate, excellent care that our local hospital is known for. Thank you!

This past year, the WDMH team cared for more than 80,000 patients. New services, including Pulmonary Function Testing and Rheumatology Clinics, as well as a Lung Screening Program, were launched. Wait times were reduced in the Emergency Department and we introduced PocketHealth to support our Diagnostic Imaging patients. Beyond WDMH, we continue to work with local health partners to advance the Great River Ontario Health Team. Our research program is a leader in international clinical trials. And finally, WDMH is an employer of choice and a place where students choose to come to learn – in part because of our focus on team education and team spirit.

Thank you for being an active partner in this care – and for your support of health care close to home!

A Warm and Welcome Smile

As pandemic restrictions have lifted, so have the masks. We are so grateful to be able to see the smiling faces of our volunteers as they greet patients and families and support them throughout the hospital. They are an essential part of our care team.

The WDMH Auxiliary also raises thousands of dollars each year for hospital equipment and presents bursaries to high school students. In fact, the Auxiliary recently provided $30,000 to purchase five syringe pumps for patient care. And two high school graduates were chosen to receive $750 each for their ongoing studies.

We are also grateful to the community volunteers who sit on the Patient and Family Engagement Committee, various hospital committees, and the WDMH Board of Directors. Thank you for your commitment to health care close to home.

To learn more about WDMH, visit www.wdmh.on.ca. Don’t forget to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

The Magic Continues

This past year has been one of planning for our new home while ensuring ongoing everyday magic for our residents in their current home. Part of the magic is our wonderful collaboration with local schools and colleges. We had more students in co-op and training roles than ever before. And we’re proud to have been awarded the Co-op Placement of the Year by North Dundas District High School.

December 15th was a special day as the official groundbreaking ceremony for our new home took place. And then, everyone was feeling the love on Valentine’s Day as a giant excavator rolled down the street to begin construction.

The new Dundas Manor will be more than double the size of the current home. Thirty additional residents will be welcomed. There will be four resident home areas called Homesteads. Each one will have a wonderful gathering space as well as beautiful outdoor gardens nearby. Hallway dining will be a thing of the past as there will be four large, bright dining rooms with enough space for everyone. Rooms in the new home will be larger – and everyone will have a window.

The Dream Team

The healthcare team at Winchester District Memorial Hospital works hard to provide compassionate care close to home. Did you know that you are part of that team too?

Because of our wonderful donors, the WDMH Foundation has written a cheque to Winchester District Memorial Hospital for $922,993.77 this year. Among other things, this money has been used to purchase nine new pieces of equipment to care for patients – including two new sterilizers at a cost of over $200,000 and a state-of-the-art mammography machine valued at about half a million dollars. Wow!

It has also been an exciting year next door at Dundas Manor as we work with generous donors to raise funds for the new home. To date, donors have pledged more than $13.4 million to the Expanding the Circle of Compassionate Care campaign. And we know we will reach the $18 million goal – with everyone’s help. Thank you to those who have already donated and to all those considering a gift to the new Dundas Manor.

The WDMH Foundation has existed for thirty years. While much has changed over three decades, the basic premise of why we are here has not. We care for one another. We are so grateful to the community volunteers who support our work, including the Board of Directors for their

To learn more about Dundas Manor, visit www.dundasmanor.ca.

We are so grateful to everyone for your support!

commitment of time and expertise. And, of course, we are grateful to our donors. Thank you for being an important part of our team through your compassion and generosity.

Winchester Dairyfest August

Patients breathing easier with new pulmonary function testing clinic

A new outpatient clinic at Winchester District Memorial Hospital (WDMH) has patients breathing a little easier –literally. The Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) Clinic is designed to support patients with Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Pulmonary Hypertension and Pulmonary Fibrosis.

“One of the biggest challenges that patients face is adherence to therapy and to lifestyle changes that can improve their lung health,” explains Clinical Manager Shannon Horsburgh. “We want to support our patients in taking charge of their own health.”

The new PFT Clinic is staffed by a Registered Respiratory Therapist and Respirologist Dr. Qasim Alikham. It is for patients over the age of 15.

Each appointment includes an assessment, a lung test called spirometry, as well as a review of medications and how the devices work. Patients are taught to identify signs of concern as well as triggers that may lead to bigger challenges. Smoking cessation support is also provided if needed.

“The goal is to increase knowledge so that patients can play an active role in optimizing their health and managing their disease. For example, being able to recognize the first signs of loss of control or infection can help avoid hospital admission and improve their overall quality of life,” adds Shannon Horsburgh.

A physician referral is required.

If you would like to provide comments or suggestions about hospital services, please contact Cholly Boland, President and CEO, Winchester District Memorial Hospital at 613.774.1049 or by email at cboland@wdmh.on.ca.

The Food Corner

This time of year, folks are investing in themselves and their homesteads by enjoying the outdoors: hiking, gardening, cycling, cottaging, swimming and even mowing the lawn are all part of the summer months. When you come back in, it’s good to fill your nutrition bank. Today’s sandwich does that very thing. It’s a Summer Hefty Sandwich aimed at getting you ready to go back out again. The Summer Hefty Sandwich Ingredients (per sandwich)

1/8 cup of softened butter (margarine works also)

1/8 cup of crumbled blue cheese

1 long bun per person, e.g., a large hot dog bun, sliced lengthwise

1 sliced tomato

1 sliced chicken breast

3 or 4 slices of salami (to taste)

2 slices of Swiss cheese

Some lettuce leaves

Some ranch dressing or a dressing of your choice, e.g., blue cheese dressing

Preparation

Mix up the butter and blue cheese and spread it on your bun halves

On the bottom half of the bun, lay on the tomato slices, chicken, salami and cheese

Top with lettuce and slather with some dressing Cover with the top half of your bun

Cut the sandwich in two for ease of handling

For more sandwiches, just adjust your ingredients and start a production line. Some folks will have enough of half a sandwich, so adjust accordingly. Other folks may wish to toast the bun in the oven with the butter and blue cheese prior to loading it up. Vegetarians can use green or red peppers and some tofu if they wish. You might wish to try some of the new 0% beers with this great sandwich. I’ve been enjoying the citrus flavoured Kronenburg 1664 alcohol-free beer this summer and it’s a great addition to any sandwich. Thanks for your feedback and suggestions and keep ‘em coming at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

They’re back! Let’s play hockey with some hockey superstars!

Jamie Clare says she is ready to lace up again for the WDMH Foundation’s All-Star Hockey Game

When Jamie Clare heard about the WDMH Foundation’s very own ‘Hockey Night in Winchester’ last year, she was intrigued… and excited to get on the ice with some NHL superstars! So, she registered to play and got down to work.

“I was initially intimidated by the prospect of raising $850. But when I realized that all donations

went towards the WDMH Foundation, I was motivated to help our community,” says Jamie. “I posted on my Facebook page and reached out to several local businesses to donate. Along with donations from friends and family, I easily raised the money required to participate.”

Jamie is no stranger to the rink. She has played hockey for years, includ-

Tid bit musings

by Elva Patterson Rutters RSSW

Lost in Translation. Have you ever seen that movie where a message is lost in translation from language to language? Loss in translation can be due to the languages used, gestures, tones, miscommunication, wrong words used within the same language, the interpretation of the message, and even the time of the delivery of the message! A number of years ago, we had guests from South America and France here at our hillbilly home when one asked for his clothes from the "boot", and shoes were brought but no clothes. The France French varied from Quebec/ Ontario High school French. Much was lost in communicating that weekend!

Think of the last

ing time with the South Grenville Rangers, Kemptville Storm and Brockville Angels. She continues to play in many local leagues – from pick-up to ladies’ leagues to the Play Therapy tournament team. She also coaches minor hockey. Jamie says the chance to play with some of her hockey idols was awesome: “It was great and I even got to try on several Stanley Cup rings! I can’t wait to play again this November and help support our local hospital.”

Now it’s your chance to lace up with NHL celebrities - including Wendel Clark!

The WDMH Foundation’s second annual All-Stars Hockey Game in support of the Family Care Fund will take place on Saturday, November 2nd. The fun happens at the Joel Steele Community Centre and Sam Ault Arena in Winchester. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the game starts at 7:30 pm.

To qualify to join the NHL players on and off the ice, register today. There is a $155 registration fee and players can either give or fundraise a minimum of $845 more (for a total of $1,000) to qualify to play. The more money you raise, the better chance you have

to choose your preferred playing position. Players will also have access to a VIP meet and greet after the game. Just 18 of the 26 positions are still available, so register soon!

We also invite the community to come and watch the game. Tickets to watch the game are $35 each or $15 for children. For $100 (or $50 for children), you can purchase a VIP ticket that also includes a Meet and Greet with the NHL celebrities after the game. Throughout the evening, there will be raffles, games, and a free photo booth. Food will be provided by Graham and Lori Ball of Triple B Canteen. Local hockey enthusiast Liam Maguire will be our emcee for the evening. Thank you to Jackson Events for their support. For all the details, to register to play, or to buy tickets to attend, please visit www. wdmhall-starshockeygame. ca. If you have questions or wish to purchase tickets at the hospital, please contact Justine Plummer at 613-7742422 ext. 6172 or jplummer@wdmh.on.ca.

time or a time you shook your head wondering how someone reached that conclusion from the words used. Certainly with the acronyms now floating around, we do ponder the meaning. We can reduce the immediate impact of our frustration by calling some one a PITA – and they grin until they understanding it stands for Pain In the A--! Just a gentler way of translating your irk!

Auditory factors can also defer or limit the message received. A single mom of four shouted to her two younger boys 6 and 8 to "calm down" at bedtime in their shared bedroom. The 16-yearold son in the bathroom responds with "they are all gone!" That is mindboggling, so she calls the older son to her bedroom, where he explains the "condoms are all gone”. Why would he think his mom alone needed con-

doms at bedtime!! Lost in translation!

Typos or auto-correct will also send out questionable remarks, feedback or inquiries. A very meticulous lady responded to an invite with "Hell yes" which was not a reflection of her normal demeanor. She left the "O" off hello!

Interpretation of a message reflects your mood at the time, your experience of interpretation of the words, and the dysfunction of your psyche or even your observation of the noncongruent words and gestures. The key is to clarify and reiterate what you are hearing and interpreting. Hearing loss itself filters out decibels and perhaps nuances that would change the understanding of the message given or received, as would speech impediments.

You can't control what others "interpret", but

you can strive to be as concise, direct and accurate as possible to negate wrong meanings that inflect hurt. Learning to adjust to sarcasm is a skill. Many times if you ascribe a new meaning to a word it deflates the hurt – if some-one calls you a B---H, just smile and say “you got it” – Beautiful, Intelligent, Talented, Caring and Helpful. The sting or hurt dissipates and a new translation has evolved that creates harmony and positivity for you. Be cognizant that "Maybe, No, Yes and I'll think about it" are not synonymous! You are the one driving your journey through life. Don't get lost in translation and you will come out smiling!!

Matt's Iphone Repair

613-899-7203

Serving Winchester & Area

UPCOMING EVENTS

Gnomeo & Juliet Golf Tournament in support of the new Dundas Manor! JULY 26 at 5PM. $30 for members and $40 for guests. Carts are $10 per rider. Call 613-535-2323 to register and book your group. Taking groups as large as 8 people. Cedar Glen Golf Course in Williamsburg Spencerville Agricultural Society planning general meetings. If you are interested in joining our committee, please email info@spencervillefair.ca to receive all of the meeting details. Aug 12, Oct 21, Nov 11. The Drummond Building, 22 Ryan Street, Spencerville Ontario Roller Skating Friday Nights. 7-10pm at the Sam Ault Arena in Winchester .FREE ADMISSION. Every Friday from June 7 to August 9, 2024. Bring your own skates. Roller blades welcomed. Helmets strongly recommended. Bee Amazed. On July 27th and 28th and again on August 3rd and 4th from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Once again this year, Smirlholm Farms is opening its doors to the community to showcase the beauty of Morewood and raise funds for the WDMH Foundation's Cancer Care Fund.

Tickets at $8 online or $10 at the door. For tickets, visit www. smirlholmfarmshoney.ca for the QR code or contact Glenn Smirle at 613-371-0962.. Smirlholm Farms is located at 65 Main Street in Morewood.

Scavenger Hunt by Car hosted by A Bunch of People Arts and Events. The event on Saturday, July 27, 2024, starts at the North Dundas Business Centre in Winchester. Participants are expected to check in at 10:30 am at 457 Main St. E, Winchester.

Garden Party. August 10th from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Welcome to our GARDEN PARTY MARKET, shopping local has never been easier! Stop and stay a while, cause we've got live music and games as well! Dates are easy to remember, being the second Saturday of the month, from May to October. Hosted at 100 Club Park (Winchester Arena) 577 Main Street, around the local pool, park and baseball diamonds.

2024 Summer Library Games. Saturday, August 3, 2024 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM. Winchester Branch Music in the Park Sept 14 Spencer Scharf 10:30am/1:30 pm 100 club Park sponsored by Lofty Nest./ No Limits Auto Parts/ Precision Diesel

ZEAL Creative Studios

Pottery Summer Camp Kemptville, Ontario

8 to 12 year-olds

August 12 – 16 or August 19 – 23 9 AM – 4 PM

$400/week with great inclusions!

For more details visit zealcreativestudios. com.

CHURCH Directory

Southgate Winchester Campus

539 Main Street, Winchester Phone: 613-258-6123

https://southgatechurch.com/ Services: Sundays at 10am (Kids program for toddlers - Gr 6)

Play Group for parents of babies to preschool meets Wednesdays at 10am.

The Pulse Youth (Gr 6 -12) meets bi-weekly on Fridays at 7pm.

The Ladies Group meets bimonthly. Contact the church office for more info

The Gathering House

2 Water Street

Chesterville, ON K0C 1H0

613-448-1758 Sunday church service 10 am. Nursery and Sunday school available for children.

Various adult Bible studies throughout the week. Details at thegatheringhouse.ca

STEM program & Youth group Wednesdays at 6:30 pm

Playgroup drop in 10:30 am on Fridays

HUB youth drop in 7 -10 pm

Fridays

Cafe Mon & Fri 9 am -4 pm Wed 12 -4 pm

Solomon’ Porch

Nationside Pentecostal Church

Pastor Scott Sayers

Meeting Sunday 10:30am.

9 William St. Chesterville, Ont. ( The Nelson LaPrade Centre) Box 292 Chesterville 613-448-2272

nationsidepentecostalchurch.ca

Winchester Pastoral Charge

Winchester United

Church/Hope Springs

United Church

Summer Schedule- all services at 10:00 a.m.

July 7 Winchester United July14 Hope Springs U.C.

July 21 Winchester United July 28 Hope Springs U.C.

Aug. 4 Winchester United Aug 11 Hope Springs U.C. Aug 18 Winchester United Aug 25 Hope Springs U.C.

Winchester Baptist Church

486 Main Street, Winchester Phone: 343-649-2204

https://m.facebook.com/groups/ WinchesterBaptistOnt/ Services: Sundays at 11:00 (hymn sing 10:45)

“Snack and chat” (lunch) after the service on the last Sunday of every month

Join us for prayer every Tuesday evening anytime between 6:30pm and 8:00pm Come and celebrate with us the 165th anniversary of our congregation, Sunday September 15, 2024 at the 11:00 service

ACROSS

1. Fate

6. Not closed

10. Tins

14. Electronic letter

15. Flower holder

16. You bake with it

17. British penny

18. Otherwise

19. Old stories

20. Hybridize

22. Not prerecorded

23. Fruity pastry

24. A person who rules

26. Huge

30. Dog command

31. Estimated (abbrev.)

32. Balm ingredient

33. Bright thought

35. Approaches

39. Substitute

41. Relating to heat

43. Affirmatives

44. Bristle

46. Dogfish

47. Seven in Roman numerals

49. Obtain

50. Yearn

51. Highway divider

54. Anagram of "Nose"

56. Wood-chopping tools

57. Infuse completely

63. Short skirt

64. Murres

65. Leg bone

66. As well as

67. Itemize

68. Select by voting

69. Observed

70. Domestic

71. Genders

DOWN

1. Visored cap

2. Ends a prayer

3. Tirade

4. Rodents

5. Ready for anything

6. Countermands

7. A painter's tool

8. Being

9. You sew with this

10. Incidental

11. Evade

12. Audacity

13. Contemptuous look

21. Early computer language

25. Feudal worker

26. Deviate

27. Away from the wind

28. Soaks (up)

29. TV

34. Weaken

36. Ammunition

37. Precipitation

38. Dross

40. Largest continent

42. Bigot

45. Conceit

48. Show contempt for

51. Mothers

52. Banishment

53. Thick

55. Satisfies

58. Diva's solo

59. Game piece

60. Wild goat

61. Pleasant

62. Handguns

Chesterville family deported to Mexico after losing appeal

by Brandon Mayer

It was a sad day for North Dundas last week when the word got out that the Chavez family – a mom, dad and three young sons – was deported to Mexico after their application to remain in Canada was denied. The family consists of Ramon Chavez, wife Andrea, and sons, Uriel, 12, Said, 7, and Andrew, 1. They were true neighbours to their fellow Chesterville residents.

The family had every reason to seek the refuge of Canada. At their former home in Mexico, a drug cartel was demanding large payments from the profits of their small shoe store business. They decided to shut the business down

and live a simpler life, attempting to survive only off Ramon’s employment wages as a field worker. When the cartel would not back off, and the Mexican police could not help, Ramon came to Canada in 2018 and set up roots for his family here.

Andrea did her best in Mexico, attempting to fly under the radar by selling shoes directly to her former customers. In 2021, in was time for her and the boys to join Ramon in Canada. In Chesterville, the family fit right in. Uriel and Said attended St. Mary’s Catholic School for several years. They learned to fluently speak English in school, and played with the local North Dundas United Soccer Club. They had many friends here in North Dundas – a place that was as much their home as it is ours.

Ramon and Andrea were supporting themselves and their children with construction jobs before their work permits were revoked. They may not have dotted every I and crossed every T in their move to Canada, but it’s hard to blame them for not executing their move perfectly when under such duress. The family had years to show that they belonged and flourished here, and that (as many locals have put it), they are the type of immigrants Canada needs.

The family has already been flown back to Mexico. The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada refused to accept that they qualified as refugees due to a claim that the family had a safe place within Mexico to which they could relocate. Even if there is any safe place for the family in

Life with Connor the Weatherman

featuring Connor Mockett

Hello, everyone! Welcome back to another Life with Connor the Weatherman column. This week will be a continuation of the story of each chase day from my Tornado Alley vacation this past May. Last column I talked about our Colorado chase, and left off with a little bit of a cliffhanger about the day after Colorado, which was Iowa. So, this story time will be about Iowa! After our Colorado chase ended at 11:00pm on May 20th, we knew May 21st in Iowa was going to be a big day for tornadoes. Of course, being in Colorado, we’re a good distance away from Iowa, especially at that time of day. But, we’re there to chase storms, so chase storms we shall. We knew if we stopped to sleep that we wouldn’t make it to the storms the next day, so we drove all night long. A 5 hour drive in the middle of the night from Yuma, Colorado to

Lincoln, Nebraska. We were totally exhausted when we got to our hotel at 4:30am, and were very thankful that the Motel 6 just off I-80 let us check in at that time. We parked the truck, went to bed, after 5 or 5 1/2 hours of sleep. Back on the road we went around 9:30am.

Our drive to our target area in Iowa, around Greenfield, was about 2-3 hours away from the hotel we stayed at. So we ended up getting in the area around noon-ish. As soon as we stopped, storms were already forming and tornado warnings by 12:30 in the afternoon in Iowa. Very early start. We looked up at the sky and thought “man, this sky just has violent tornado vibes”, as a “particularly dangerous situation” tornado watch was issued. We all stood around in a parking lot and had a conversation with the team, making sure everyone was on the same page, as the day could get out of hand rather fast and we didn’t want anyone getting left behind.

We went further east near Winterset, Iowa, to wait for the tornado storm warning to come to us so we could line it up with where we were. We wanted to play it safe with how violent the atmosphere

Mexico after thwarting the extortion attempts of a powerful drug cartel, it’s clear that Mexico is no longer the Chavez’s home.

Teachers at St. Mary’s Catholic School and its associated Catholic Church raised money for the family’s legal fees. The community rallied around the Chavez’s in every sense of the word. It was a great loss for North Dundas to see them go.

Readers can encourage a reversal of the decision by reaching out to Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, at Marc.Miller@parl.gc.ca or by contacting our local MP, Eric Duncan to help forward their concerns to the appropriate officials. It’s not too late – let’s try and bring our neighbours home!

Restoring hope is job one

It’s happened before, and it was only a matter of time until it happened again. A brutal act of violence against a candidate for political office shatters the hope that reasonable people can exercise the democratic process. As has also happened before, these events cause a surge of short and long-term impacts on the health of society – especially children, teens, and young adults.

There’s no escaping the economic cost of violence. Gun violence is just one kind of trauma, costing the U.S. a staggering $557 billion annually according to the National Institute for Health Care Management. What’s behind that gargantuan number? Medical costs are less than $3B. Policing and criminal justice costs add $11B. Employer hits to revenue and productivity are half a billion dollars. These are small change in that $557B figure.

But there are two biggies. Income lost due to death and disability, work loss of caregivers, and incarceration costs $53.8 billion on average each year. Quality-of-life costs and the pain and wellbeing lost by those injured or killed and their families amount to a walloping $489 billion annually.

was that day, so our chase style was a bit different in terms of letting it come to us instead of being aggressive. As we were waiting, the storm ended up producing an incredibly violent tornado that went through Greenfield, Iowa, completely obliterating the town that we were in before. The tornado dissipated before getting to us though, so we missed the whole thing.

Honestly, I was quite alright with missing that tornado. It completely destroyed homes and businesses, killed people, and ruined people’s lives. Not sure I’d want to be a part of search and rescue, coming up on injured people after a tornado that violent. In the weeks after, the tornado would eventually be found to be the strongest tornado EVER recorded. Stronger than the 2013 El Reno and Moore, Oklahoma tornadoes, stronger than all EF-5’s ever. It would have been a sight to

see, but after what it did, I’m glad we missed it. The storms were moving so fast that day, that we had to go upwards of 80km/h in order to keep up with them, and even then we couldn’t with winding roads and stop signs. We ended the chase in Oskaloosa, Iowa after the storm ran us over and quickly left the area. We hung out for a bit, chatted with other chasers, and then hit the road again for some more driving.

Initially we thought we were spending the night in Kansas City, but since we are there to chase, we ended up driving to Wichita, Kansas to try and get to Texas in time to chase on the 22nd. I’ll have that story in the next column. It’ll be a longer one, that’s for sure. Thanks for reading!

These numbers are calculated based on an annual average in the U.S. since 2020 of about 45,000 people dying from gun-related incidents.

Now consider the impact of gun violence as witnessed by the world with the assassination attempt on a presidential candidate. Like him or not, Donald Trump is a figure well known to all of us. Every shooting is horrible. But as the statistics above confirm, when it is someone we know, the effects are catastrophic, and it’s the innocent and vulnerable who pay the most.

Maybe young adults have the fortitude to avoid negative impacts on their psyche, motivation, confidence, and general outlook. But we can’t find the studies to show it, and there’s not a lot of overt evidence for that.

For millions of teens and younger children, one wonders how they internalize these events, the societal shock, then weeks of questioning, and the inevitable barrage of media, much of it depressing. What do these costs amount to for them?

Times like this call for bold leadership at the highest levels. But who wants to take up the opportunity in politics? The ideal of shaping a better future through the debate of policies in a democratic system is all but lost. Now, the “wellbeing” calculus is deterring would-be aspirants. The number of young people turning away from the preparation for holding public office is bad enough. What’s alarming is the easy alternative of reckless abandonment of the principles that uphold a decent society. Apathy is another sad and likely outcome.

Montesquieu was the French judge and political philosopher who took up the leadership challenge. In 1748 with the publication of his book, “The Spirit of Law”, he upended old political ways with his theory of the separation of powers into executive, legislative, and judicial branches of administration. And he warned, “The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy.”

We’ve seen the cost of this in terms of war and peace. We also need to see it in terms of general health. Can we measure the social, economic and health costs of loss of hope in the political process?

With half of the world’s population living in the nearly 100 counties having elections this year, 2024 was bound to be tumultuous and costly. Is it time for healthcare leaders to take a bolder stand?

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- Seed - Crop Protection

Farmers support Senate soil report recommendations

by Drew Spoelstra, President, OFA

The Senate of Canada has made a series of recommendations around the future of Canada’s soils and their strategic importance to our country. The findings are part of a report released last month by the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry called “Critical Ground: Why Soil is Essential to Canada’s Economic, Environmental, Human, and Social Health” – and they’re particularly welcomed by farmers whose livelihoods depend on healthy, productive soils.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture would like to congratulate the Senate for tackling a topic that isn’t always headline-grabbing, but is fundamentally important to Canada’s food security and economic prosperity. In particular, we’d like to give a shout out to Senator Rob Black of Ontario and his colleagues whose leadership and drive helped move this study forward.

Nearly two years in the making, this report follows the Senate’s last report on soil health released in 1984, and signals the need for re-

newed attention on the issue of soil health, conservation and protection in presenting 25 recommendations for government consideration.

These recommendations reflect how attitudes towards soil health and conservation have evolved in the last 40 years, and points to today’s greater urgency to not only recognize how vital healthy soil is to maintaining a robust and resilient agricultural sector, but also how critical it is to protect and maintain it.

The recommendations focus on themes of understanding soil health and its evolution, building soilbased incentives and initiatives for agriculture, and promoting soil health and agricultural and forestry land preservation for a better future.

The OFA supports these recommendations to government and now is the time to take action.

The agriculture sector is keen to turn these ideas into reality across the landscape. Farmers want to help Canada be a leader in soil health and conservation, preserve our soils and ensure that we leave our soils in better condition than we found it, so that future generations have the opportunity to grow food, fibre, fuel and flowers if they wish to do so.

For OFA, this means continuing to advocate for the funding and resources that will support soil health improvement on the farm, as well as making sure our members are aware of what they can do to continue to

implement best management practices that will contribute to better soil health.

Canada’s soils are very diverse across the country, so it’s important to recognize that soil health solutions and practices can’t be a onesize-fits-all approach. At the same time, we encourage the federal government to put a greater focus on soil health nationally and incentivize farmers across Canada to work towards the same goals.

Recommendations aren’t functional without the proper resources to implement them, and we appreciate that the report recognizes the need for financial and resource support for soil health initiatives.

One recommendation in particular calls for funding soil extension services and peer-to-peer learning, which recognizes that implementing soil health beneficial management practices may need technical support to be adapted to the wide variety of farms and agricultural landscapes in Ontario.

‘Collaboration’ and ‘consensus’ are recurring themes in the recommendations. This is absolutely necessary, and there are many positive activities already underway spearheaded by organizations and groups like the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, the Ontario Soil Network, the Greenbelt Foundation and the Soil Action Group, which is working towards the implementation of Ontario’s Soil Health and Conservation Strategy.

Farmers themselves are keen partners in soil research and adopters of new soil health practices and technologies, and we’ll need all the pieces to come together to see successful action and impact.

For OFA, it was also encouraging to see a recommendation focused on ensuring the economic viability of farm businesses – this is a very necessary pillar of environmental sustainability.

Agriculture must be able to be profitable and competitive in order to have the resources to make investments in the new technologies and practices that will encourage soil health and conservation. This means farmers need tools and programs that will mitigate the risks of adopting new practices and encourage implementation of new technologies.

Long term, this will benefit all Ontarians. Afterall, soil is a fundamental building block of our ability to produce food – and food security is a key pillar of our national security. That’s why preserving our soils and making sure our prime agricultural land is protected and available to farm is so important.

When beauty and kindness meet

Meet Catherine Munro, a traditional Artist known for her realistic paintings of wildlife, musicians and pop icons. Residing in the Chesterville area since 2000, she is well-known as a participating visual Artist in the annual Art on the Waterfront event.

Catherine’s hobbies of flash photography, baking and bird watching inspire her overflowing creative spirit. “Creativity runs in my family,” the self-taught Artist explains. “My sister, my Mom - even as a young kid, I was creative with whatever medium was at hand.” And as she got older, she began making detailed replicas of historical costumes. This led Catherine on a whole

new adventure as a philanthropist. “I just happened to be at Comiccon in Ottawa one day, when I noticed the local Legion and the Doctor Who Society were looking for donations. I had art at home that hadn’t sold, yet, so this was perfect! Right place, right time.” Catherine believes in art as a force for good – and the force has been generous with her. Her artwork has been auctioned off to raise funds for Montreal Children’s Hospital; Sainte-Justine’s Children’s Hospital; the Make-a-Wish Foundation; and CHEO’s Neonatal Unit, which holds a special place in her kind heart. “I was premature, as well. I know how hard it is for mothers because of what my Mom went through with my birth,” she says.

Public warning: Crypto currency scam

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Cyber-Enabled Fraud Team is assisting in an investment scam investigation where victims are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in fake crypto currency investments.

Investigators are warning the public not to engage with the following websites:

- www[.]How2Crypto[.]com

- www[.]How2Crypto[.]net

If you or someone you know has had dealings with the mentioned websites, please contact your local police service and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center at 1-888-4958501 / antifraudcenter.ca

Protect yourself:

- Once you send your crypto, it is gone.

- Government agencies do not accept cryptocurrencies.

- Conduct your own due diligence, ask questions and do your research before sending anyone your crypto.

August SDG Reading Challenge – Fantasy!

Catherine Munro’s stunning pieces of art will be on exhibit from July 27 through the end of August, as part of the ‘Art in the Branches’ exhibit series organized by NDAC in partnership with SDG Library. Winchester Library is located at 547 St. Lawrence Street in Winchester, and is open six days a week at varying hours. Artists residing in North Dundas Township, who are interested in participating inthis free program, should contact NDAC at northdundasartscouncil@ yahoo. ca or at https://www.facebook.com/NorthDundasArtsCouncil. Artists of all genres and stages of artistic development are welcome to participate!

in Poison" by Judy I. Lin, who took tea and made it even more magical than it already is (yum). There could be a thousand novels with competitions, but the puzzles and outcomes are all different, like Hunger Games with magical powers. The possibilities are endless!

Whether you're a fantasy fan, or want to read books in the genre a bit more, I'm excited to give you all some hand-picked

quests, competitions, intrigue. Summer is the season to dream and relish in the unimaginable. Delve into fantasy realms this August with the next chapter of our SDG Reading Challenge! Join characters as they embark on epic quests, harness their magical abilities, compete in grueling competitions, suffer heartbreak, and fight in imaginary battles, all from the cozy comfort of your armchair (or under a shady umbrella, 'tis the season)!

One thing I love about fantasy is that anything is possible. Imagination can run abound without needing to stop and think, "Would this be possible in real life?" It doesn't need to be! While each story might have similar tropes or plotlines, beyond their back cover summaries, they are all so varied and creative with world-building and magic systems. They can take a simple concept and rewire it to be something much more. Below, you will see my recommendation "A Magic Steeped

recommendations -- most of which I have read, and the rest I am excited to read!

Ranging from short and sweet, to long and enthralling, check out this booklist highlighting some handpicked fantasy recommendations: https://sdglibrary.bibliocommons.com/ list/share/2238671149_ sdg_techservices2/2578903379_sdg_ reading_challenge_-_august_2024

by North Dundas Arts Council (NDAC)

by SDG Library Staff Magic,