Issue 39 2024 October 03 NG Times by The North Grenville & North Dundas Times

The Voice of North Grenville

A “two birds one stone” labour market solution

by Brandon Mayer

It’s a problem that almost sounds like a prank rather than a reality: There are too many good paying jobs available and not enough workers to ﬁll them! If we went back in time 20 years and told just about any Canadian that in the near future, good paying jobs would be in plentiful supply, they would undoubtedly have seen it as a good thing. Unfortunately, Leeds and Grenville (and much of Canada) has been experiencing a labour market crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic impacts of it are anything but good.

Fortunately, CSE Consulting provides the Employ-

ment Ontario services for our local area, and they are ready and eager to help! Tracy McDonald – the Employment Services Supervisor at the agency – is stressing the huge potential of an upcoming local job fair.

“We need to make sure that employers are coming out to events like this,” said Tracy. “We are always trying to provide opportunities with these job fairs – matches between employers and employees.”

One of the reasons why jobs are not being ﬁlled is because of an apparent communication gap. Many small business owners are “time poor” in the sense that they spend so much time working hands on in their own business that they don’t feel

they have the time for hiring new staﬀ. Likewise, with the plethora of jobs available on job boards, including the CSE Consulting job board, potential employees may feel overwhelmed by the options. A job fair is the perfect “two birds one stone” solution because it makes job matching easier for both job seekers and employers.

Tracy explained that at a job fair, employers have the candidates right there and can do a pre-screen and possibly even an interview on the spot. CSE Consulting has partnered with the Municipality as well as many employers, with plenty of well-paying jobs available. One example career avenue job seekers can explore at the job fair is that of an AZ

truck driver, with trainers on site at the job fair to explain the process. Ultimately, the greatest beneﬁt of a job fair for both employers and job seekers is that it shortens the hiring process.

CSE Consulting holds job fairs twice per year, and they can also offer onsite hiring events in their own Kemptville location for interested businesses that need to hire staff. Tracy gave lots of examples of different fields and career opportunities that currently need employees locally. “It’s a must attend event,” she said. “We also offer job coaching - if anyone does not feel comfortable putting their best foot forward, we can help with that.”

As one example of a partnership at the upcoming job fair, Kellie Weir, the Principal of TR Leger Kemptville, said: “TR Leger is so excited to share our apprenticeship and upskilling programs in the motive power sector”.

The job fair will be held on Tuesday, October 8th from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the North Grenville Municipal Centre. The event will feature more than 25 of the region’s top employers, along with 6 service agencies and a variety of training providers to provide additional resources at this year’s event. Employers are encouraged to book a table, and job seekers should not hesitate to come and explore career options. You won’t want to miss it!

THOMAS M. BYRNE

Friends of NGPL update

Friends of NGPL have had a very active and successful year to date. Our AGM was well attended and the speaker much enjoyed. The afternoon theatre matinee, hosted in cooperation with St. John's United Church, was a hit. We supported a summer student and saw the Musical Instrument Lending Library, for which we helped raise funds, begin operating.

And now we are looking forward to our annual fundraiser. Mark your calendars! Saturday, October 19, nationally renowned storyteller and para-olympic competitor, Kim Kilpatrick, will be bringing her seeing-eye dog Ginger to North Grenville Public Library to entertain us with her experiences. And Donnie Higgins, a popular local musician, will entertain with some dog related songs. Refreshments are complimentary and there will be a silent auction with lots of things for dog lovers. Full details are on the attached poster. We look forward to seeing you next month.

Your Friends of North Grenville Public Library Executive

15th Anniversary celebration at Salamanders

Salamanders of Kemptville celebrated its 15th anniversary over a four-day period from 19 to 22 September 2024. It was a full house with a large number of our loyal guests coming out to oﬀer their best wishes. Entertainment was provided by André Courtemanche, Rosewood, Roxy’s Proxy and Birds of a Feather over the four days. John Wilberforce of Birds of a Feather actually played for us 15 years ago in our opening days.

Liane, Beth, Paul and all of the staﬀ, past and present, wish to send a heartfelt thank you to our guests of so many years. You have made Salamanders into a community hub, where people of all ages come together to enjoy each other’s company while partaking in Liane’s special dishes.

UCDSB

C4K Golf Tournament sets record

The 17th annual Champions for Kids Foundation (C4K) Golf Tournament, held at the Brockville Country Club this summer, set a new fundraising record.

The annual event drew 120 golfers, more than 50 sponsors and raised $60,898, all in support of Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) students and their families.

“We are incredibly grateful to the golfers, sponsors, and community members who helped us achieve this milestone,” says Laura Oliver, current foundation President. The record-breaking amount raised will make a huge diﬀerence in the lives of students across the UCDSB, allowing them to participate in activities and experiences that will enrich their education and personal growth.”

The funds will help ensure that UCDSB students have access to sports and other extra-curricular opportunities, while also providing ﬁnancial support for essential needs when families require assistance.

Since its founding in 2008, C4K has been dedicated to leveling the playing ﬁeld for all students.

The continued success of the C4K golf tournament demonstrates the strong support for helping students thrive within the UCDSB community.

This year, C4K has raised approximately $150,500 from various fundraising activities, with the charity's cumulative fundraising total now reaching an impressive $2,601,684. So far in 2024, the foundation has disbursed more than $133,000.

The 18th Annual C4K golf tournament will be held on Friday, July 4, 2025 at the Smiths Falls Golf and Country Club.

Canadians and the Russian Civil War, 1919

Canadian

by David Shanahan

There was a littleknown role played by Canada in Russia 105 years ago that has become less than a footnote in Canadian history. Towards the end of 1918, the First World War was coming to a brutal and bloody end. In March, the new Bolshevik regime in Russia had taken their country out of the war against Germany and AustriaHungary, and a civil war began between the Red Russians (Bolsheviks) and the White Russians, supporters of the Czar. The Allied governments supported the Whites in order to bring Russia back into the war, although this support did not extend to King George V allowing his cousin, Czar Nicholas, and his family safe sanctuary in Britain.

Canadian Prime Minister, Robert Borden, pledged to send a contingent of Canadian troops to support the Whites and an Order in Council was passed in August, 1918 to that eﬀect. It is believed that his motives were less to aid the Whites than to increase Canada’s role within the British Empire with a view to having a larger role in the post-war world. However, an attempt to raise a volunteer force was unsuccessful, and it was not until October that a contingent composed of conscripts and other soldiers was gathered and sent to Victoria, on route to Siberia. The Canadian Expeditionary Force (Siberia) (CEFS) consisted of 4,209 men,

Jacques

and one woman, a Red Cross nurse, of whom fully one-third were conscripts.

The soldiers involved were not happy to be traversing Canada from one war zone to another, particularly after the Armistice of November, 1918 ended the war in Europe. To make matters worse, their train carried the Spanish Inﬂuenza pandemic across Canada, as well as aﬀecting many of the soldiers on board. Morale was low and the conscripts believed their continued use after the Armistice was illegal. Nor were they alone in this belief. Labour unions, newspapers, the United Farmers of Ontario, and, most significantly, members of Borden’s own Cabinet. The Acting Prime Minister, as Borden headed for the peace talks in France, wrote to him with a warning:

“All our colleagues are of opinion that public opinion here will not sustain us in continuing to send troops, many of whom are draftees under the Military Service Act and Order in Council, now that the war is ended. We are all of opinion that no further troops should be sent and that Canadian forces in Siberia should, as soon as situation will permit, be returned to Canada. Consider matter of serious importance.”

Borden refused to cancel the operation and the troops were scheduled to embark on December 21. But, as they marched through Victoria on their way to the ship, many

The Canadian command dedicated fourteen wooden crosses and a stone monument at Vladivostok's Marine Cemetery on Monastirskaia Hill, along with soldiers from British, French, Czechoslovak and Japanese detachments which had also been sent to Siberia.

of the conscripts refused to go any further. Officers ﬁred shots in the air and ordered the obedient troops to use their belts to whip the mutineers into line. They were them marched to the ship, “escorted” by soldiers with fixed bayonets. During the ﬁve-week voyage to Siberia, these men were in chains, and not allowed showers or a change of clothes. Charges against the men were dropped because of concerns that their continued enlistment after the Armistice was illegal under the terms of the Military Service Act for a mission tangentially connected to the "defence of the realm".

By the time they reached Vladivostok, attitudes had changed in the Government of Canada, and Borden sent word that the CEFS were not to undertake active service. Instead, most of the men remained in Vladivostok with little to do but visit the town’s sights and organise sports and other entertainment suitable to soldiers far from home.

Others did venture nearer to the war zone, and experienced attacks by Red detachments. But, by May, 1919, it was recognised that the entire expedition had been a dismal failure and the CEFS was returned to Canada by the end of June. But they left behind either fourteen or nineteen men (the exact number seems unclear) who had died in Siberia or on the outward voyage. Five Canadians deserted while in Russia, and another four died on the voyage home.

During the Soviet period, this site was largely unmaintained. In 1996, a Canadian squadron of warships visited Vladivostok; during the visit, sailors from HMCS Protecteur, assisted by members of the Russian Navy, replaced headstones and generally repaired the graves of Canadians buried in a local cemetery. The entire enterprise was quietly forgotten in Canada, overshadowed by the Winnipeg General Strike of May and June, 1919, during which police ﬁred on and killed Canadian workers. That is another story.

chaplains Harold McClausland and

Oliviere, joined by other Canadian oﬃcers, at the dedication of the Canadian Memorial, Marine Cemetery, Vladivostok, Russia, 1 June, 1919. Photo Credit: Stephenson Family Collection, Burlington, Ontario

Reconciliation: more than one day a year

by David Shanahan

Last Sunday was the official National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, introduced by legislation in 2021 in response “to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s call to action number 80 by creating a holiday called the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which seeks to honour First Nations, Inuit and Métis Survivors and their families and communities and to ensure that public commemoration of their history and the legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process”.

Aside from the one day set aside annually for the purpose, the intention of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s [TRC] call to action was to encourage Canadians to learn and understand the history and legacy of residential schools in the history of Canada and the Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island. How far we’ve progressed in learning that history, much less

understanding the legacy is not encouraging. Meeting with representatives of the various Anishinabek communities affected by one particular residential school recently, it was pointed out that truth can be hard; not just the terrible facts and the multi-generational impacts of what boys and girls experienced in the schools, but also facing the truth that many children actually enjoyed their school days. The structure and friendships experienced ﬁtted well with their personalities. For many others, school was hell on earth.

What has always impressed me over many years has been the resilience, the strength of so many survivors, as they tried to break the cycle of trauma that impacted them and their families. Boys and girls caught for as long as a decade or more in an environment that denied them love, warmth, family, went on in time to become parents with their own children. Many found it impossible to express love, provide warmth

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

While I have sympathy for P. Johnson’s plea for a paved road (A modest proposal: IV), I suggest caution, as we sometimes get more than we wish for. I was thankful when the northern end of Townline Road was paved, reducing the dust clouds in summer, and again when the speed limit reduced to 60km. Unfortunately, traﬃc has signiﬁcantly increased, and a once walkable road is now quite unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists. In recent years, I wished for a marked centreline and was pleased to see one painted recently. However, this has further increased the number of speeding events, a problem now noted by private signs cautioning drivers to slow down. So… I’m nostalgic for the days when traffic was limited, and its speed policed, by pothole quantity and size.

Tony Huxley

Dear Editor, Mr McKee is correct to state that Trump is racist (“Time to speak out”, Aug 15), but Trump is much worse than simply being racist he is a fascist. Fascism is the murderous ideology of Mussolini and Hitler; it was responsible for World War II and the Holocaust. Fascism cannot be allowed to become normalized as right-wing politics.

If there were any doubts left, Trump dispelled them in his debate with Vice President Harris and in the days that followed. Repeating baseless claims about Haitian immigrants in Springﬁeld eating pets during the debate, he then went even further saying “Illegal Haitian migrants have descended upon a town of 58,000 people, destroying their way of life” and promising that “the largest deportation in the history of our country” would “start with Springﬁeld”. Earlier this year when talking about immigrants he

and support to their own children because they had never known such things themselves. Others found themselves passing on to the children the same negative behaviours they had learned in residential school.

Generations suffered long after the schools themselves closed. There were positive aspects too: education opened doors that would otherwise have remained closed; but at what cost? Children spent time in school, then returned home to ﬁnd a barrier had been raised: some no longer understood their own language, and found it hard to communicate with their parents and siblings. They were even unable to join in prayers and ceremonies. Others discovered that a level of education denied to their ancestors was another barrier that they found difﬁcult to overcome.

For non-Indigenous people in this country, there has been an awakening to these truths, and a growing desire to help in the reconciliation that is needed on both sides

said, “they’re not humans, they’re not humans, they’re animals”.

Thanks to Trump’s extremely inflammatory rhetoric there were at least 30 bomb threats to schools and other public buildings in Springﬁeld within a few days of the debate with VP Harris. Throughout his political life, Trump has attracted the support of people such as David Duke, the former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, as well as many neo-Nazi groups.

Umberto Eco (19322016), the Italian author and philosopher, published an essay titled “Eternal Fascism: Fourteen Ways of Looking at a Blackshirt” in 1995 where he outlined the core characteristics of fascist movements, although only one needs be present to allow fascism to coagulate around it. Among them are a cult of tradition, disagreement being viewed as treason, fear of diﬀerences, appeal to a frustrated middle

the north grenville

in order to heal the wounds of the past. That can also be a problem, as well-intentioned people have acted without truly learning the full truth of the past. Misleading media reports are accepted without question, especially if they paint the darkest picture of the past, and produce a simplistic viewpoint that fails to see the details, the variations in the experiences of Indigenous children across time and geography.

There can be no reconciliation without truth: that is a basic fact. How can we be reconciled when we have an incomplete or inaccurate picture of what we need to be reconciled about?

This is something that all of us, Indigenous and nonIndigenous, have to do: the “history and the legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process”. People may know nothing of the history beyond the one oftrepeated quote about “killing the Indian in the child”, not the same as killing the Indian, but reflective of a policy which sought to, as

class, obsession with a plot, enemies being cast as being both too strong and too weak at the same time, contempt for the weak, and machismo. Understanding history is essential for seeing parallels with events today and in avoiding repeating the same mistakes. From leading a failed coup to demonizing minority groups to declaring he would be a dictator on day one, Trump is aping the actions of previous fascist leaders. He is such a danger to democracy that even former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney has publicly denounced him. Our fathers and grandfathers fought heroically to stem the tide of fascism sweeping across Europe with many making the ultimate sacriﬁce. We cannot let this sacriﬁce be in vain by allowing Trump and his cheerleaders and sycophants here in Canada to resurrect the horrors of fascism.

Steve Gabell

D. C. Scott stated in 1920: “I want to get rid of the Indian problem...Our object is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question, and no Indian Department.”

That may, or may not be considered a deﬁnition of “cultural genocide”, but it is a far more nuanced approach than what is often understood as the Crown’s assimilisation policy, or, as it was known from 1830, its “Civilisation Policy”. In other words, while the effects of Residential Schools have been generally disastrous for Indigenous communities, creating serious and deep-rooted trauma for generations of people, Canadians still don’t “get it”. The general level of knowledge and understanding about Indigenous history overall is still remarkably, and appallingly, vague and confused. So, rather than just marking National Day of Truth and Reconciliation once a year, let’s make it an incentive to learn and inform in a more

Dear Editor, RE Close to the Edge

While it is disappointing that both party leaders on Parliament Hill have resorted to wallowing in the mud while conducting their business, maybe the rules of debate should be updated to reflect more civil and healthy debate. To suggest Poilievre is like Trump and copying Trump's rhetoric so Canadians should fear him – is that not putting a target on his back? Yes the world is changing, and maybe not for the best. Yes, horrible events happened in the past that we would never want to happen again. We get it – but to blame Trump for what is happening in the world for the past few years is very short sighted. He is not in power and has no influence on what is going on in the world. No matter who is elected in the next US election, we are so dependent on them for so many things. The US has already started to slide – they

complete and deeper way. Canada’s Indigenous peoples are not simply victims of colonisation, though they are that: they are also peoples with varied and rich cultures and traditions. They have proved themselves to be resilient, unbelievably patient and strong; deserving of respect and toleration as much as any other ethnic communities in Canada, but with deeper roots in the land, perhaps a greater sense of our place in the environment. Mutual respect and understanding is the goal, and the way to get there is through knowing the truth – the real truth. It is said among Indigenous peoples that healing takes seven generations. We all need to ﬁnd and enable healing, understanding that this will take much more than marking one day a year and thinking we’ve done our bit. So many false ideas dominate the conversation; so many deep-rooted racist and unconscious assumptions need to be exposed and corrected. But, as someone said, “the Truth will set you free”.

are already in trouble, and as they go over the cliﬀ, we will be right behind them.

D Lewis

Dear Editor, Heather Popazzi's letter in the September 26 edition was great, but one thing is being forgotten. With the widening of Highway 43, the buffer zone for the 13 acres is gone. There will be Highway 43, the sidewalk and then the 13 acres. In the winter, the spray, slush and snow thrown up by the vehicles and the plows will land in the fields. Come spring, whatever salt is in the snow, when it melts, will leach into the soil and burn the tree seedlings. Wollastonite will certainly benefit from those fields’ rehabilitation every year. Can the Ferguson Forest Centre afford that?

Lynn Paibomesai (I think the 13 acres would be great for the Kemptville Disc Golf club)

Letters contd on page 5

Community Futures Grenville innovating to support local businesses

Community Futures Grenville gathered today in Kemptville with business owners, volunteers and community partners to mark the end of a successful year supporting small businesses in Grenville County. The Annual Meeting celebrated local business successes, and exciting new initiatives. In 2023-24, the organization launched the Community Futures Grenville Initiative, an economic development funding program supporting strategic economic development projects. They also developed three new loan products to assist local businesses; a CIP-matching loan to support businesses with approved projects through their municipal Community Improvement Plan, a notfor-proﬁt loan for revenuegenerating social enterprises with a not-for-proﬁt structure, and a Recovery Loan, to assist businesses

Dear Editor,

Recently, Ralph Raina and I went for a joyride on a nice sunny day on our electric mobility scooters. Ralph said “let’s stop at McDonalds for a coﬀee and a donut”.

We got out order and as we walked to our booth, I noticed a lady with a sweet little girl in a booth we passed. I looked and saw the little girl had the same Crocs as mine with shoe jewelry of colour animals. She was so surprised and happy to see someone else with the same decoration on their Crocs.

They ﬁnished their meal and when they stood up to leave, the girl opened up a little box that was supplied by McDonalds and handed me her “surprise”. It was a small plastic Croc shoe with the McDonalds logo on it.

I was so surprised she offered me her little treasure. I thanked her and her mother, very very much! When a little girl would give up her prize, I realized there is still kindness in Kemptville and in this world. My hope is that when she grows up, she continues to pass on kindness to others to make our world a better place.

Thanks again to that little girl and her mom, and thank you for printing my story.

Rudy Finzel Kemptville Resident

in reﬁnancing their Regional Relief and Recovery Loans.

Community Futures Grenville is one of 36 organizations in southern Ontario delivering the Community Futures Program. This community-driven economic development initiative is designed to assist communities in Canada’s rural areas to develop and implement strategies for dealing with a changing economic environment. This program is funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

In the last year, Community Futures Grenville disbursed loans to 25 local businesses with financing valued at over $2.7 million and impacted the creation or retention of 73 jobs. Its free business advisory services provided coaching to 151 businesses, impacting 182 jobs. Through the new Community Futures Grenville

Dear Editor, Wow! A new, reduced speed limit on River Road! It has suddenly been reduced to 60 km/hr from the northern municipal boundary all the way to Hwy 43 in Kemptville. What could have changed to make this road so dangerous?

Well, nothing has changed. I suspect that someone who chose to live on this arterial/commuter road wants the gate slammed shut behind them. North Grenville has chosen to do that. So goodbye Canadian Tire/Walmart shopping centre. So long Kemptville stores, restaurants, and gas stations. The next time I want something, I will turn north on River Road, away from Kemptville.

Jack Wisnicki River Road (80 km/hr zone) Manotick

Initiative and other special projects, the organization invested over $15,000, leveraging more than $150,000 in collaboration with a total of 103 local partners.

Jen Barrer of Sew Kool Embroidery, and Tina Murray of The Village Pantry Spencerville, shared their experiences as successful entrepreneurs working with Community Futures Grenville. Jen Barrer spoke about her experience obtaining a Community Futures Grenville loan to purchase Sew Kool Embroidery, “They were able to provide all the paperwork and guide us through the process, and it was just fantastic.” Tina Murray added, “They are active in the community that they work in and that they do business in, and that is so important for small businesspeople.”

Community Futures Grenville welcomed three new members to the Board of Directors. Ryan Hreljac,

Dear Editor,

Finally, the county and municipality have seen the light and reduced the speed limit on Rideau River Road, County Rd 19 which is almost entirely a residential road.

Given the fact that it parallels Highway 416 and both roads go to basically the same place on 43 highway, 416 was built to a higher standard than CR 19 and can accommodate heavier transport trucks and 4 times the number of cars at a higher speed. This will go a long way in reducing the maintenance on Rideau River Road, and make the approximate 8 school bus routes a whole lot safer, not to mention the residents.

Well done Leeds and Grenville and the county

a highly skilled, innovative not-for-proﬁt leader working both locally and globally, and founder of Ryan’s Well Foundation; Abby McIntyre, an award-winning communications professional with extensive governance experience; and Alan McKay, a cybersecurity professional with a longstanding commitment to community volunteerism.

“It has been an honour and privilege for me to serve as Director and Chair of Community Futures Grenville,” said Cathy Sheppard, outgoing chair. “This organization has assisted so many of our local businesses over the years, providing accessible, ﬂexible loans to meet their needs. It’s so rewarding to drive through the community and see the results on the ground of the Community Futures Program every day.”

warden Mayor Peckford and her staﬀ at the municipality. Anonymous

MELISSA OTTENHOF

Marketing Consultant

Phone:613 329 0209

Email: melissa@ngtimes.ca

OPP focus on preventing railway deaths

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) detachments across eastern Ontario joined forces with agencies across Canada and North America on Tuesday, September 24 for "Operation Clear Track" – the continent's single largest rail-safety law-enforcement initiative.

Coordinated by Amtrak, Operation Lifesaver Inc. and Operation Lifesaver Canada, Operation Clear Track aims to reduce railway crossing and trespassing incidents in Canada and the U.S. – incidents which seriously injure or kill more than 2,100 people each year. The event is held annually during Rail Safety Week (September 23-29, 2024).

"Ignoring railway signs and signals, being distracted at rail stations or crossings, or using tracks as a shortcut or a recreational path can lead to track tragedies that are entirely preventable," said Chris Day, Interim National Director, Operation

Lifesaver Canada. "Operation Clear Track's goal is to encourage people to avoid risky behaviours around tracks and trains so they stay safe and stay alive."

More than 600 locations across Canada are participating in Operation Clear Track this year. Each will promote rail safety by having conversations and sharing tips with drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. They will share rail-safety resources and content, and – as ever – they will enforce rail crossing and trespassing laws.

Chris adds: "Track tragedies affect not only the individual, but their loved ones and entire communities. Railroaders and first responders, too. Rail safety is a shared responsibility. We all have a role to play."

For more information about Operation Clear Track, Rail Safety Week and other rail-safety initiatives and tips, please visit: operationlifesaver.ca

CT Scanner campaign receives donation from Ole Timers Hockey Club

The Kemptville Ole Timers Hockey Club closed its doors recently and donated $1,904.56 to the CT Scanner Campaign.

For many years, the Hockey Club welcomed beginners as well as seasoned veterans to come out to play. Hockey games were held two times per week. Originally, the games were held in the old arena, which is now the North Grenville Curling

Author Peggy Blair to visit Merrickville

The Merrickville Readers Book Club invites the community to a book event with Ottawaarea author Peggy Blair. The event will be held at the Merrickville Legion, 245 Main Street West, on November 2 from 2-4pm. As seating is limited, please register at 613-791-4733. Admission is free, but the Book Club asks attendees to make a donation to the Merrickville Public Library. These donations help the library purchase new books.

Ottawa-area author Peggy Blair was a lawyer for more than 30 years and now works in real estate. She is also a renovator, artist and high-level boxer, who has penned six ﬁction books and one non-ﬁction book.

Peggy Blair’s first mystery novel, “The Beggar’s Opera”, was turned down 156 times before it was shortlisted for the U.K. Crime Writers As-

sociation Debut Dagger Award. She didn’t win the prestigious award, but after a brief encounter with writer Ian Rankin (now Sir Ian Rankin) in a hotel bar in Harrogate the night before she headed home, he told her 156 rejections “wasn’t too bad” and that she should contact his Canadian publisher and use his name.

As a result, she ended up represented by Rankin’s U.K. agent, hit the Frankfurt Book Fair hotlist, and was published internationally, to critical acclaim. The story of how Ian Rankin helped her was retold as far afield as the Sydney Herald in Australia, where the newspaper suggested that next time she should buy Rankin a beer.

Her recent novel is “Double Vision”, wherein Ottawa homicide detective Jamie Wallace joins forces with a Russian hitman to track down a killer.

Rockets hockey team travels to BC

Club. Later, the Club continued for many years on the rinks at the North Grenville Municipal Centre.

Willy Meerakken, representing the Club, presented the cheque to KDH Foundation Board Director, Deb Girard on September 18. He said it was important to support this Campaign.

Every donation brings us closer to the goal of bringing a CT Scanner to Kemptville District Hospital. This vital diagnostic tool is urgently needed and will mean better care closer to home.

Thank you to the Kemptville Ole Timer's Hockey Club for your wonderful support!

For more information and stories about the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign and how you can donate, see kdhfoundation.ca

A local men’s senior hockey team, the Upper Canada Rockets, travelled to Parksville, British Columbia on September 8 to participate in the 22nd Annual Parksville Classic. This tournament was founded by Hockey Night in Canada commentator, Howie Meeker with its purpose to bring together senior hockey players for 3 days of recreational hockey and camaraderie. There were 4 divisions, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+ with 19 teams from Colorado, Alberta, Ontario and BC. The Rockets played in the 65+ division with 6 teams in their division, and came out on top winning all 3 of their games. They played against a team from Gibson, BC; Parksville (host team) and a team from Victoria, BC. This is an “invitational” tournament which means that only the teams that display the competitive and recreational spirit that is aligned with the intent of the tournament are invited to attend.

The Upper Canada Rockets play recreational/pick up hockey in Kemptville every week including all summer. Some of the guys play up to 3 times per week. Ron Littau and Gary Lapier are the key guys that organize the hockey for senior players that are aligned with the recreational, ﬁtness and social intent of Canada’s favourite sport. Most of the team has participated in a few other tournaments, including the Ontario Senior games this past winter.

The team had such a great time together in Orillia at the “Games” that it seemed destined that more tournaments were in the team’s future. The event not only strengthened friendships among the players, but also among their spouses, aﬀectionately dubbed "The Rockettes," who provided enthusiastic support, and it was just a matter of time before more events like this took place. Mark Comfort, who has participated in a number of senior hockey events over the past 20 years, made the initial connection with the Parksville Panthers to see if there might be an opportunity for the team. As a team had pulled out of the tournament, there was room for the Rockets. And the rest is history. We will see where this goes from here… already some talks in place for possibilities in the future.

L to R – Mark Comfort, Ronnie Lachance, Dave Valcour, Eldon Baker. Back Row – L to R – Paul Forgues, Kevin Empey, Ken Judge, Goalie Daniel, Ron Littau, Bill Byker, Shane

Jordan

Willy Meerakken, representing the Kemptville Ole Timers Hockey Club, presented a cheque to KDH Foundation Board Director, Deb Girard, for the CT Scanner Campaign

Season wind-down for the Rideau Glen Ladies Golf League

While most of September brought mid-summer weather, the changing trees signaled the arrival of fall. The month began with participation in the Ottawa Valley Golf Association Seniors Intersectionals, closely followed by our League Championships. Our tireless co-captains and tournament co-ordinators continue to succeed at the daunting challenge of keeping everyone happy with tee-time preferences, month-end fun-games, and tournaments. With excellent turnout for all our regular games, we ﬁlled the course with good cheer. Then the wind-down with an afternoon shotgun and year-end dinner, awards, prizes, and many thankyou’s. Our ﬁnal event of the season will be a Hal-

loween tournament in midOctober.

The league championship saw twenty-two players vying for the big win. Ideal golf weather helped everyone play their best. After keen competition, everyone gathered on the deck for trophy presentations, and to celebrate. Our Champion this year is Leslie Cheal. Our flightwinners are: 'A' Flight 1st Place - Cathy Maur and 2nd Place – Heather Pitt.

'B' Flight 1st Place - Jenny Thibert and 2nd PlaceYvonne Lane. 'C' Flight 1st Place - Libby Price and 2nd Place - Cecile Fortier. 'D' Flight 1st Place - Lynne Ferguson and 2nd Place –Pat Kealey.

Recognition for league members who made birdies in August and September

goes to: Leslie Cheal, Etta Drost, Maureen Fournier, Susan Laewen, Joyce Lavigne, Penny Laschinger, Brenda Lawson, Nancy LeBrun, Maureen Leason, Donna Lush, Cathy Maur, Su Ouellette, Heather Pitt, Suzanne Sampson, Brenda Seeley, Nancy Stelzer, and Jenny Thibert. Leslie Cheal added another eagle. And members who broke 100: Georgia Crawford, Yvonne Lane, Suzanne Sampson, and Jenny Thibert.

Many thanks-you’s are owed. To the executive committee who make our league successful. To Rideau Glen Golf Course for making us welcome and ensuring every game day went oﬀ without a hitch. To sponsors who have donated prizes for our events. And last but not least, thank you to all the members for your cheerful participation, genial competition, and friendship!

SUPPORT THE NORTH GRENVILLE TIMES YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

HELP US WITH A VOLUNTEER SUBSCRIPTION!

We’re locally owned, locally operated, and committed to our community. You can help us continue with our commitment to keep NG residents informed and entertained with community news and happenings. FOR ONLY $60.00 A YEAR.

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE

1. ONLINE: Visit ngtimes.ca to pay with PayPal

2. CHEQUE: Send a cheque to The North Grenville Times Box 1854 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Include your name and address

3. BY PHONE OR IN PERSON Pay with a credit card by phone, or at our ofﬁce where you can also use cash, or cheque.

Our ofﬁce is located at 215 Sanders St, Suite 106, Kemptville, ON . Hours are Tuesday-Thursday, 9AM to 3PM.

If you leave us a phone message or send us an email, we will call you back to process your order. 613-215-0735 or subscription@ngtimes.ca

A community without a local newspaper is a community with a VOID What does your North Grenville look like?

Join us for a consultation on living, working, and playing in our community as we prepare to update the Municipality’s Official Plan. Your input is vital in guiding North Grenville’s growth and development.

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the North Grenville Municipal Centre www.northgrenville.ca/OfficialPlan

League Champion Leslie Cheal, with league tournaments co-chair Donna Lush

73’s stagger in 3 game contest

Just not enough.....Samuel Dumont launches blocker six hole to put Kemptville on the board during contest with Smiths Falls Bears on Friday evening

by G.J. the sportsguy

After their home opener, the 73’s were pumped as they met with the Grads in Navan for a matinee showdown and redemption with a 5 - 3 victory.

It was a seesaw session with the ﬁrst twenty being blanked with stupendous stopping power in both ends.

Sebbie Johnson with helpers from Kingwell and Carpenter put it behind Rylan Donovan to open the second for Navan at 4:27. Kemptville responded with a single shot from Nicholas Esposito over top of Nathan St. Germain at 7:08 for a tie.

Navan broke the tie with extra man when Jenken with Johnson found Noah Carpenter PPG at 1:08. Kemptville countered with PPG from McDougall with Bennett, back to Eric Sweetapple to pull the trigger at 2:07 for two all. A combination of Dumont with Nicholas Bennett for tie breaker to put the 73's ahead at 4:44. The Grads evened it up at 15:17 assisted from Leverone and Kennedy to Shaan Kingwell in the slot. Game winner for 73’s when F. Canevari transitioned to McDougall, unto the slick stick of Emile Trottier at 15:40. Navan pulled their stopper for extra attacker at 18:42 and a stretch pass from McDonald to Gavin McDougall on his horse for the insurance ENG just before the buzzer at 19:59 to make a 5 to 3 win for

your 73’s.

Navan outshot Kemptville 29 to 26 with 1/3 PP and 1/2 PP.

The Coach felt they executed their game plan, with connection on the power play and their stopper standing tall. Overall, a great team eﬀort to build on moving forward.

Friday evening into Smiths Falls to face the Bears was a lackluster eﬀort for both teams as Kemptville fell short with a 2 to 1 loss in the last seconds of the third.

In the initial frame, Kemptville found themselves in a hole with three minors with their stopper and special teams closing it out scoreless.

Kemptville put it behind Ethan Morrow at 8:17 when Shaw stymied an attack unto Sweetapple to spring Samuel Dumont up the wing to launch it blocker six hole. Smiths Falls answered back with assists from Paquette and Oulette for Jackson Heron to ﬁre it into a crowd past Trenten Bennett at 17:45 for a tie.

Final twenty was uneventful when last ditch eﬀort with Travis Oulette with helpers from Booth with Herb directed the game winner to the blue paint, to be ricocheted oﬀ a body over the line at 19:38. Kemptville relieved their stopper for extra man at 19:44 without results and the Bears sneaked a 2 to1 win.

Smiths Falls 33 to 20 SOG with 0/4 PP and Kemptville 0/1 PP.

The Coach felt that the Bears showed more energy

UCDSB EQAO scores improved

The Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) is excited to report it has seen a signiﬁcant increase in student achievement in all areas of the EQAO provincial assessments. According to EQAO, the UCDSB was the only school board in the province to improve in every area and the only board to see a greater than 5 per cent increase in the Grade 3, 6 and 9 Math assessments.

Each year, these assessments oﬀer insights about how Ontario students are meeting the provincial standard for achievement. The provincial standard is where students achieve a score of Level 3 (or at least 70 per cent or higher) on the assessment.

UCDSB staff have put a significant focus on EQAO and ensuring students have the tools they need to be successful. Since last year’s assessment, the UCDSB has seen a significant jump in Math scores, with increases of 7.6 per cent in Grade 3 Math, 7.7 per cent in Grade 6 Math, and 5.6 per cent in Grade 9 Math.

“These gains are a testament to the work our system and teaching staff are doing, and the hard work our students are putting in. Innovative teaching practices and a focus on fundamentals have paid off for our students. Everyone should be proud of these results. Education isn’t a sprint to the finish, it’s a life-long journey,” says Chair of the Board Jamie Schoular.

Assessment scores are also up in Reading and Writing across the board, with the most signiﬁcant gain being seen in Grade 3 Writing, with a 5.3 per cent increase.

and executed their game plan. Our goalie gave us a chance to win or at least a point. Unfortunately, we didn't get the job done.

Onto Saturday evening to battle the Ottawa Junior Senators on their home turf that Kemptville hung in for a point after commanding a huge advantage.

Kemptville came out hot connecting with ﬁrst goal past Josh Scully for Carter Graves from Sweetapple and Voicey at 16:55.

The 73’s still hot into the second from Rutley with Voicey to Samuel Dumont to make it two zip at 5:02. Carter Graves PPG second of the game from Sweetapple and McDougall with extra attacker at 10:55 to put Kemptville ahead by three. Kemptville on a roll with Avry Shaw, assisted from Loreto and Dumont at 15:11 to end the period with a four goal lead.

The train left the track for Kemptville as Ottawa came out hard in ﬁnal frame with four comeback markers. PPG from Jack Matsukubo assisted from Brennan with Poudrette to spoil Rylan Donovan's SO at :57. At 2:29 from Demers and Webb to Leo St. Michel. Combination with Jack Matsukubo for his second to move Ottawa within one at 5:06. Helpers from Brennan with Matsukubo to Xvavier Guillemette PPG on a PP to force OT at 11:57.

Game winner for Junior Senators with combination from Matsukubo to Brennan at 2:14 for 5 to 4 victory.

Kemptville peppered Ottawa 47 to 21 with ⅓ PP to 2/4 PP for Ottawa.

See you around the wall for next home game on Friday to meet with the Renfrew Wolves.

Although district-level scores are below the provincial standard, the gap is closing. “We acknowledge that we have some work to do, but the progress we’ve seen just since last school year is amazing. We are absolutely committed to continued improvements,” says Director of Education Ron Ferguson.

The UCDSB is the only school board in the province to see such global gains over the last year and it has drawn the attention of EQAO CEO Dan Koenig. On a recent visit to the school district, he congratulated staﬀ on the results, and was interested in learning more about what the UCDSB is doing to see such success.

The UCDSB plans to build on this success by continuing with the implementation of high-impact practices through staﬀ professional learning, the development of new resources to support teachers, the sharing of best practices across the district, and the continued expansion of the use of digital learning tools for students.

Karen Finner celebrates 25 years cancer free

to mark the occasion and donate to the CT Scanner Campaign

Karen Finner is a Medical Radiation Technician and Team Leader at Kemptville District Hospital (KDH). In 1999, she was in her mid twenties and in her ﬁrst week of employment at the hospital, when she discovered a lump in her breast. Karen immediately contacted her doctor and had a mammogram. What followed was a diagnosis of Stage One cancer and three years of treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy. Concurrent to losing her hair, she planned a wedding and brought home a puppy. She called them “great distractions” during a dif-

ﬁcult time and “happily, her hair grew back in time for the wedding”. Karen gives credit to her husband, family, friends and colleagues who helped get her through her cancer. In an article Karen wrote for KDH Health Matters in 2012, she shared, “They fundraised and walked and shaved their heads and stayed up all night to raise money for cancer research… Thankfully I was lucky to beat it; I have two great kids and I live life to the fullest.”

Upon reflection, she feels her experience with breast cancer heightened her professional commitment to the importance of women having a mammogram.

Now, some twentyﬁve years later, she asked friends to contribute “$25 for 25”.

Karen explained: “To mark this 25-year milestone, I would like to give back to the cause by asking 25 of my friends to consider donating “$25 for 25 years” to the Kemptville District Hospital CT Scanner in memory of someone in your life impacted by cancer.”

She added, “CT technology has become a basic diagnostic tool even in the smallest hospitals. Almost everyone is going to have

a CT at some point in their life. CT scans are not just for strokes, brain injuries, trauma, heart conditions, lung cancer, back pain, kidney disease and so on. CT scans are important in cancer diagnosis, staging, measuring response to treatment, and giving peace of mind that the cancer has not returned.”

Karen described her “ask” of $25 as a win-win. “You are donating to your own health!”

The tally for Karen’s initiative was $1,325. Karen said, “This is wonderful! I am so excited that I helped (with the Crossroads Campaign).”

Joanne Mavis, KDH Foundation Executive Director, was also thrilled with the results and said, “we so appreciate Karen’s eﬀorts in raising funds for the CT Scanner. We know that having this technology in Kemptville will be an outstanding asset for the community, bringing urgent patient care closer to home.”

For more information and stories about the CT Scanner Crossroads Campaign and how you can donate, see kdhfoundation.ca

Karen Finner, celebrating 25 years since she was diagnosed with breast cancer, asked friends

Ain’t nothing like the real thing

by David Shanahan

A few weeks ago, a regular reader of the Times wrote to us to question an article we had recently published. His concern was that the article may have been the result of Artificial Intelligence [AI]. There was a factual error in the piece, and aspects of the style seemed to indicate an outside inﬂuence. He had used an app designed to identify AI-generated text, which appeared to conﬁrm his suspicions.

As it happened, the author of the article in question was known to members of the Times staff, and we could quickly confirm that he was the genuine source of the piece. All was well. But it showed very clearly the problems that face editors and readers trying to discern the real from the artificial. And, as developments with AI programs continue to produce more effective fakes, whether in text, audio, pictures or videos, it may well become impossible to know true from false. To add to the confusion, the very apps used by our reader to try and identify AI products are themselves AI programs.

Separating truth from falsehood has never been more difficult, but it didn’t begin with recent AI developments. Those have simply fed into a growing atmosphere of distrust with all claims of authority and credibility. Social media has provided a source of conspiracy theories, added a sense of weight and believability to the most outlandish ideas, and undermined peoples’ trust in anything that contradicts their own opinions. In the last years, we’ve seen this phenomenon extend into

mainstream media outlets, as they have become polarised, identiﬁed with one political point of view and openly taking one side or another.

Even before that, over time, there has been a concerted attack on the idea that truth is even a thing that can be known. Relativism gained acceptance as a valid policy: what is true for you is not necessarily true for me. Do your own thing, it’s just as valid as anyone else’s. People have become confused between what is objectively true, and what is personal preference or opinion. This now has led to the idea that only what I prefer to believe is actually true, and what someone else believes is false. It is a short step from that to believing that “what I believe is good and therefore what they believe

is not”. This is, in fact, wrong and dangerous.

Add to all of that confusion the ability to create artiﬁcially a photograph or video or audio file that appears to confirm all of your assumptions about the “other”, and any hope of compromise, discussion, sharing of ideas, becomes more and more impossible. Forget about virtual reality, AI goes so much further by creating a “reality” that is impossible to conﬁrm or refute. And it is very obvious already at this stage of AI development that individuals, political parties, anyone with an agenda, are quite willing to spread fake news, images, or “facts” in order to discredit an opponent, create anger and hatred against another, or to destroy peoples standing, credibility and authority. The really worrying thing

about all this is the willingness to lie and deceive in order to achieve their aims. That this is true of traditional political parties or otherwise responsible entities is what is particularly dangerous to the health of society in general.

But the genie is out of the bottle now, and there’s no way of going back to a simpler era when you could believe the evidence of your eyes and ears. For those who base their entire belief system on only what their senses tell them, this is a major problem. If you believe that only what you can experience with your physical senses is what is real, what really exists, that there is nothing beyond that, then AI may remove any hope you have of ever knowing what is real or not.

Where do we go from

here? Do we continue to wander down the rabbit hole, or is there a way we can control how AI is used? And who has the responsibility to impose that control, to be the gatekeeper of the true and reliable? But here we come to yet another contemporary dilemma. Technology, and those who control it, have become more influential than those we depend upon to protect society from these kinds of issues. The general failure of national governments to inﬂuence the content on Tik Tok, Facebook, X, or Instagram, was just the beginning of trouble. The role of Elon Musk in actually encouraging negative content on X, including hate speech, racist content, or even personally reposting disinformation, may be a sign of things to come. Social media

platforms have claimed to be neutral providers of space, not responsible for actual content, but that has changed with Musk. Now they are openly allowing, even creating, misinformation, disinformation, and destructive ideas.

The government in Brazil have had a limited success in forcing Musk and X to be more answerable for their influence in that country, but it is only a matter of time before content creators can ignore laws, regulations, government directives, and follow the money. But when it’s not just about the money, when it becomes political and social power and inﬂuence, then prospects for responsible and transparent use of the technology we’ve developed are really grim. Where do we go from here? Who knows?

Fall into Winter

fitness class options, you can find the one that ﬁts you the best. Get in shape, stay in shape, or come to just get your body moving. theworkshopdance studio.com

Upgrade Your Custom Windows NOW with Kemptville Windows & Kitchens

Make your home your own with creative yet practical design options from kemptville windows & kitchenS.

Whether you’re creating your dream kitchen or upgrading to improve resale value, our experienced contractors can make the process an eﬀortless and enjoyable experience by installing custom windows in your Kemptville home, and more. We proudly serve Kemptville and surrounding areas, from south and west Ottawa to Prescott and Chesterville.

At Kemptville Windows & Kitchens, our philosophy is quality products, quality service, and fair prices. We provide homeowners with expert design and installation, working with you every step of the way from start to ﬁnish, delivering stunning results at incredible value. On top of exceptional products and workmanship, we also oﬀer our in-depth knowledge of industry codes, standards, and current trends to help you make the most informed decisions.

www.kwandk.ca

Tibidabo Home & Away - What we do

Walk-through of your house to ensure all systems are in working order.

Check for signs of unwanted surprises (burst pipes, mold/moisture buildup, rodent activity, etc.) and communicate necessary next steps to remedy the issue. Flush water through your taps and toilets, eliminating any standing and stagnant water.

Clear mailbox by eliminating ﬂyers and compiling your mail inside your home. If required, we will also send you pictures of your mail and take further steps to process or forward it as requested.

Start and run your vehicle to ensure health of battery.

Water and care for your plants.

Document each walk-through to fulﬁll home insurance purposes. for more of our services go to tibidabohome.com/away

Fall into Winter

43 Autoworks Winter CHECK LIST

Preparing your vehicle for winter in Kemptville is crucial due to the harsh weather conditions, including snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get your vehicle ready for the cold season: Install Winter Tires

Why: Winter tires provide better traction on snow and ice compared to all-season or summer tires.

Tip: Look for the snowﬂake symbol on the tires to ensure they meet winter tire standards. In Ontario, it's not mandatory to use winter tires, but they're highly recommended for safety. Check Tire Pressure Regularly

Why: Tire pressure decreases in cold weather, aﬀecting handling and fuel eﬃciency.

Top Oﬀ Fluids

Engine Coolant: Ensure your vehicle has a proper mix of antifreeze (usually a 50/50 mix of water and antifreeze) to protect your engine in freezing temperatures.

Windshield Washer Fluid: Use a winter-grade windshield washer ﬂuid that won't freeze in sub-zero temperatures.

Oil Change: Switch to a winter-grade oil if your manufacturer recommends it. Cold weather can thicken oil, making it harder for your engine to turn over.

Inspect the Battery

Why: Cold temperatures reduce battery capacity, and an older or weak battery is more likely to fail.

Check the Heater and Defroster

Why: A functioning heater keeps you warm, and the defroster ensures good visibility by preventing fog and frost from accumulating on the windows.

Change Your Cabin Air Filter Before Winter

Why: Prevents Foggy Windows: A clogged or dirty air ﬁlter can reduce airﬂow to your HVAC system, making it harder for your defroster to clear fogged-up windows.

Inspect the Wipers and Replace Them

Why: Good visibility is essential during snowstorms and freezing rain.

Lubricate Locks and Doors

Why: Locks and doors can freeze in extremely cold temperatures.

Keep an Emergency Kit in the Car

Keep the Gas Tank at Least Half Full

Why: A fuller tank helps prevent moisture from accumulating in the gas lines and reduces the risk of freezing.

43 Autoworks can help get your car ready for winter. They offer services such as installing winter tires, performing battery checks, oil changes, inspecting wipers, and changing cabin air filters, among other winter preparation tasks. Contact us to see what specific winterization services we provide at 613-258-5800 or 43autoworks@ gmail.com

NGFS urges residents to make sure their smoke alarms are working

The North Grenville Fire Service encourages all residents to actively engage with the 2024 Fire Prevention Week (FPW) theme, “Smoke Alarms: Make Them Work for You!” Working smoke alarms are essential for enhancing safety during a home ﬁre, providing critical time for escape. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign serves as an important reminder for everyone to prioritize these vital safety messages and take action,” stated the Fire Service.

To support residents, the North Grenville Fire Service recommends the following key smoke alarm safety tips:

- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area (such as hallways), and on every level of the home, including the basement.

- Ensure that smoke alarms are accessible and suitable for all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.

- Test smoke alarms at least once a month by using the test button.

- Replace all smoke alarms that are 10 years old or older.

In support of this year’s FPW campaign, the North Grenville Fire Service will host a series of community events:

- Sunday, October 6: Fire Prevention Education Meet and Greet at Walmart in Kemptville from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

- Thursday, October 10: Door-to-door voluntary smoke alarm checks, where ﬁreﬁghters will visit various neighborhoods to conduct residential alarm assessments and answer related questions, starting at 6:30 PM.

Throughout Fire Prevention Week, the North Grenville Fire Service will visit local schools to observe ﬁre drills and promote ﬁre safety and prevention education.

Residents wishing to have an alarm inspection conducted can sign up on the North Grenville municipal website, or contact the Fire Prevention and Education Division.

For more information about FPW programs and activities in North Grenville, please contact the North Grenville Fire Service at 613-258-9569 ext. 205 or via email at ﬁreprevention@northgrenville.on.ca. Additional resources about Fire Prevention Week and smoke alarms can be found at fpw.org.

Tid bit musings

by Elva Patterson Rutters, RSSW

“Cut the cheese, toot, backﬁre, foist, farting, break wind, passing gas or ﬂatulence” all indicate a situation that embarrasses us but ultimately makes others chuckle! Where, what or when was the most humiliating situation that you have been in when nature took over in a not so inconspicuous manner? Was it in church, bending over to put your shoes on, during sex, funerals, doctor appointments, shopping, or in the library? You may be chuckling just reading this article! Why do we laugh so hard? You may be disgusted that such a topic is even addressed! Why?

Flatulence is very normal for EVERY human being. “Normal” means it occurs 15-20 times a day due to the digestive activity in the lower intestine. It may occur more frequently due to gastro issues such as IBS, food allergies, Crohn's disease, stress, or a diet dominated with foods like beans, cabbage, peas, onions or garlic. Retention of the gas causes pain of varying levels. With infants, we bend the legs up towards the stomach to expel the gas, but with adults that is more challenging to accomplish! The pressure released expounds the sound. Most gas is relieved without a sound and usually without a smell. Painful gas means a medical intervention is needed to help.

Have you ever been "dutch ovened?" That is when someone "cuts one" under the blankets holding your head hostage to the stench. The belief is that the more familiar you are with someone, the more cavalier you are at letting one go. At the hospital/clinics where they ﬁll your abdomen with gas for surgery, they relish the return of said gas to indicate all systems are running.

You will sometimes notice a rat-a-tat-tat, or kaboom in the aisle just beyond your visual range and a scuttle of relocation of the culprit to eliminate association. You chuckle in response to lower the self-imposed concept that elegant folks don't fart! We all do, and are chagrined when it occurs in settings we prefer that it didn't. Naturally, we all try to be discreet. Many a joke exists around that expulsion in what we think is discreet. The surprise is even bigger when your own turns out to be a "wet" one. Meanwhile, its a stinker, but be thankful our human body works!!

COMMUNITY EVENTS

RECURRING EVENTS

Monthly Suppers prepared by Knights of Columbus at Holy Cross Church Hall at 503 Clothier St W. Suppers will be held on the last Thursday of the month. Cost $10 per adult, $5 for children under 12 and $25 for families.

PROBUS: Fellowship, Fun and inFormed presenters are part of the PROBUS gathering on the third Wednesday of each month at St Paul's Presbyterian Church Hall at 9:30AM. For more information contact at n.g.probus97@gmail.com

Kemptville Legion: Fridays 3-9. Free Pool and Darts. Everyone Welcome

BINGO, Kemptville Legion, Bingos run from the beginning of September until the end of June on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays.

NG Duplicate Bridge Club, Masonic Lodge 311 Van Buren Kemptville, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 12:15. All Levels of bridge players are welcome. Info call 613-795-7155

Friendship Lunches are oﬀered to everyone every Friday. Please join us in our lower hall by 11:30 for a free meal, companionship and fellowship at St. John's United Church hall at 400 Prescott St. and begin at 11:30. There is no charge. A free will oﬀering is appreciated. Everyone is welcome.

Friendship Café is open to the community Tuesday's from 10 to noon. All are welcome to stop by, enjoy a hot beverage, a sweet treat and some friendly conversation all at no cost. At St. John's United Church hall at 400 Prescott St. 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. Oct 21, Nov 11. The Drummond Building, 22 Ryan Street, Spencerville Ontario BID EUCHRE at Pierce's Corners (aka the Marlborough Community Centre) at 3048 Pierce Road on Tuesday, October 8, 22, November 5, 19, December 3 and 17. Registration starts at 6:00 p.m., play starts at 6:30 p.m. Contact Debi at debiar@ymail.com Kemptville Farmers' Market: Many local farmers, producers and makers. Every Sunday from noon til 4pm, May 12 - October 27. Located at 301 Rideau St, Kemptville, across the lot from B&H Grocers St. John’s Drawing Circle is every Friday at 4 pm. This is a 3 hour drawing studio with life drawing models (clothed) for artists of all ages and abilities. Cost is $120 for 12 weeks or $15.00 for drop ins. RSVP please Jennifer @ gowjb@msn.com. At St. John's United Church hall at 400 Prescott St. Tuesday Community Hub hosted by the House of Lazarus All are welcome to drop in. Advocacy, “make a meal, take a meal” cooking opportunities, community services assistance are just a few of the weekly programs. Stop by and visit or contact House of Lazarus directly at 613-989-3830 for more details. “Building Community, Sharing Hope”. Upstairs at St. John's United Church at 400 Prescott St. Winchester Open Mic Cafe, Sundays 2pm to 5pm at the Old Town Hall, 478 Main Street, Winchester. Free, accessible, everyone welcome.

Modern Square Dancing in Kemptville with the Grenville Gremlins Square Dance Club. Monday Evenings 7:30 - 9:30pm. North Grenville Municipal Center County Road 44 For more info call Debbie at 613-795-3032 or Google "Kemptville Square Dancing" Saturday Art Social every Saturday morning at the NG Public Library! 10 am - 11:30 am at the NG Public Library. Free with basic materials provided

UPCOMING EVENTS

Art & Craft Supplies Sale. October 5 from 10am - 2pm.Yard sale-style event for crafting supplies. NG Municiapl Centre High Tea. October 5 at 10:00 am - 3:30 pm

High Tea Fundraiser for the Kemptville Hospital CT Scanner hosted by the Quilters’ Guild of Kemptville There are two sittings - 10 - noon and 1:30 - 3:30. Tickets are $25. Please contact Linda at 613-258-4581. Enquire about our take-out option. Held at the United Church.

WIZARD CARD GAME TOURNAMENT. October 6 at Pierce's Corners, also known as the Marlborough Community Centre, 3048 Pierce Road. Registration starts at 12:30 and play starts at 1:00 p.m. $5 per player. For information contact debiar@ymail.com.

Music for an Autumn Afternoon. October 6 from 2:00 pm

St. John’s United Church will resound with music for piano, cello, clarinet and voice. Free will oﬀering at the door towards St. John’s Church Outreach programs.

St. John's United Church 400 Prescott Street, Kemptville Job Fair. October 8 from 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Presented by CSE Consulting. North Grenville Municipal Centre, 285 County Road 44, Kemptville

National Association of Federal Retirees. Branch information and new member recruitment meeting. Guest speaker Lynn Nasralla, Medoc / Johnson Insurance. October 16, 2024 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. North Grenville Municipal Hall, Salon A. Kemptville Touchdowns & Terrors: A Fundraising Gala for the GridIron - October 26. Cocktails at 6:30. Dinner at 7. Kids party starts at 6:30 at the North Grenville Municipal Centre. Get those costumes out and join us for a spooky evening of fun & fundraising to help support youth football in North Grenville. Get your tickets today! https://app.teamlinkt.com/fundraisers/support/kemptville_ minor_football_club_touchdowns_and_terrors_gala A Christmas on Campus

Join My Local Markets and the North Grenville Arts Guild as we celebrate the festive season at the Kemptville Campus. November 16 & 17 from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. Kemptville Campus, 75 Campus Drive, Kemptville, ON Free Parking | Free Admission

Donations to Beth Donovan Hospice are welcomed.

The Food Corner

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville

My grandson Ayden and I are very fond of a tuna melt for lunch. We have perfected our recipe over the years and are very happy with the result. Since coping with the increasing cost of the food basket is a challenge these days, a simple and economical lunch dish is always welcome, particularly for seniors. Here is our recipe for a tasty Tuna Melt.

Tuna Melt

Ingredients

1 X 184 gram can of tuna, drained (1 can of tuna serves two people very nicely)

3 tablespoons of mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

3 tablespoons of sweet relish

Two slices of cheddar or Havarti cheese (not processed cheese, please)

2 Kaiser rolls (Grahame’s are great) sliced in half and lightly buttered Preparation

Empty the can of tuna in a medium sized bowl

Mix in the mayo and sweet relish; add more if you wish but don’t make the mixture too wet

Spread the mixture over half the buttered Kaiser roll

Place the cheese slice over the mixture

Place the assembled buns, one at a time, in the microwave on high for a minute

Now, there are loads of options for this recipe. If you don’t have the rolls, you can make a sandwich, using a couple of slices of untoasted full-grained bread. We have popped these into one of those spiffy heated sandwich makers with great success. Obviously, if you prefer salmon, you can substitute it for the tuna. You can even use hard-boiled eggs as a substitute or add it to the recipe. If you don’t have cheese slices, you can grate a half cup of any flavourful cheese into the mixture. Ayden and I use Ma Cormier’s great home-made relishes, e.g., her corn or her zucchini relish, but you can use the standard sweet relish you can find anywhere for flavouring hotdogs. So, you can improvise and make this your very own Tuna, or Salmon, and/or Egg Salad melt.

As always, enjoy and let me know how things turned out at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE

Dry stacked hardwood firewood. Located east of Kemptville. $115 per face cord incl HST. 613-258-7778 or millerak43@gmail.com

iPhone 12 in excellent condition for sale. Asking $275.00. call 613258-8000

3 Plastic Fuel Csns: 1.5 litre, 2.5 litre & 5 litre. Call Doug, Kemptville: 613 258-4573

4 winter tires on rims 225/60R/17, fits Hyundai. $500, Call 613258-1058

4 Snow Tires on rims - 225/65/17 - asking $600 - call Reg 2587606

Drill press on stand. Delta model 11-960C $150 Call 613-2582604

Table saw Delta model 36-325C $300 Call 613-258-2604

Pegasus mobility scooter, like new, $1400 or best offer, silver gray. Call 613-258-7020

Assorted sports memorabilia for sale 613-2150665

Canoe, Cedar and canvas, 15 1/2 feet. Comes with 3 paddles. $800 nadfudt@gmail.com

Electric fully-enclosed 4-wheeled scooter, lightly used, good price, 613-269-2432.

Mixed hardwood firewood. $120 per face cord. Call or text Jon 613-227-3650.

4X4 round bales and small squares of hay, suitable for horses. Call or text Jon 613-2273650.

Womens hooded spring & fall coat front pocket beaded emblems med tall $40. Mens white cardigan sweater button front med.$10. contact Dan at nadfudt@gmail.com

Arborite countertop grey specs round front 22X38X 1.5 inches $15.00 Used kitchen sink stainless steel 20x18x7 inches

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MISCELANEOUS

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FOR RENT

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A lottery snag

Photo courtesy: Facebook

Chesterville resident Robert Paquette bought a lottery ticket at the local MacEwen gas station two months ago, and won a massive $405,000 prize in the August 9 Lotto Max draw. A snag has unfortunately kept him from his winnings thus far – one of Robert’s immediate family members works for an Ontario Lotto and Gaming Corporation authorized retailer

While this falls within the OLG’s deﬁnition of an “insider win”, it isn’t as big of a deal as it may sound. The win just requires a more thorough review, as well as a 30 day waiting period to ensure there are no other claims on the ticket.

One reason why this is necessary is that a lottery retail worker, when checking a winning ticket, could pretend a ticket is not a winner and then pocket it to cash later. Other safeguards are in place to prevent this, such as self-check machines for checking lottery tickets which are available in most stores, an OLG app with which lottery players can scan and check tickets, and the visual and auditory alerts that play when a retail worker checks the ticket. Caution must nevertheless prevail, and so extra care is taken for “insider wins” when the claim is more than $10,000.

Robert can expect to receive his windfall payout on October 25 if no additional claims are made on the winning ticket before then.

CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Cobblers' tools 5. Unit of land 9. Paddles

13. Overshoe

14. A very prickly woody vine

16. Calf's meat

17. Risque

18. Mud volcano

19. Sea eagle 20. Graven images 22. Space rock 24. 5280 feet

26. Satan 27. Resolution 30. Empathize 33. Until now 35. Primitive weapon 37. French for "Friend"

38. Diving apparatus

41. 56 in Roman numerals

42. Turning point

45. Umpires

48. Got uptight

51. Gallivant

52. The business of selling goods

54. Whale

55. Misgivings

59. French for "Our"

62. Concept

63. Rubber wheels

65. Unfreeze

66. Dross

67. Muse of poetry

68. Game piece

69. In this location

70. Nestling hawk

71. Cards with one symbol

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

DOWN

1. Dugout shelter

2. Blue dye

3. Train engine

4. Fashionable

5. Stomach muscles, for short

6. Pack to capacity

7. Angered

8. Christian holy day

9. Intersection

10. Pertaining to ﬂight

11. Hindu princess

12. Sleigh

15. Female ruﬀ

21. Turn on a pivot

23. Lubricates

25. Makes a mistake

27. Fella

28. Boundary

29. And more

31. Paranormal

32. Roof overhangs

34. Not your

36. Ascend

39. Wager

40. A bushy hairdo

43. Performing

44. Russian emperor

46. Deserve

47. Cheese used in lasagna

49. Wash out with a solvent

50. Craving

53. Drift

55. Plate

56. Inactive

57. Burn the surface of

58. Bristle

60. Rattling breath

61. Flock members

64. Mayday

When push comes to shove in healthcare

Many factors determine who gets what care when ﬁghting illness. It makes a diﬀerence where you live, what kind of insurance you have, and what health problem you face. But the bottom line is that there are only so many healthcare dollars to spend, and people are making decisions on our behalf about where the money goes. It’s time to ask if we have the balance right.

Trade-oﬀs are inevitable. Do we place a priority on reducing wait times for essential surgical treatments? Do we ensure everyone has access to a family doctor? Do we ramp up more support for drug use rehabilitation? These are tough questions with no easy answers.

But when push comes to shove for limited resources, there should be urgency in putting an end to wasted money. We know good people are dying from drug problems, and they need care. But there are extremely nefarious people proﬁting from pushing illegal drugs, and it’s these criminals who have us spending tens of millions on safe-use and treatment centres.

It’s another problem that otherwise good people make terrible, irresponsible decisions to misuse medications or buy drugs on the street. Let’s add in the doctors who readily prescribe powerful, addictive painkillers to patients without a thought for how to get them oﬀ the drugs or manage longer term use for chronic conditions.

There has been enough experimentation in ﬁghting illegal drug use and the evidence is piling up that current approaches are not working. There does come a time when millions of hard-working taxpayers have to say, “Enough is enough.” Law enforcement needs to continue to go after the criminals and put them away. And we must ask ourselves what’s the acceptable allocation to money to keep saving irresponsible people, often time and time again, from their follies. What are the trade-oﬀs we are willing to make?

In assessments of the “war on drugs”, it’s common to ﬁnd calls to abandon punitive policies and adopt approaches grounded on harm reduction and human rights. But when eﬀorts to uphold the highest standards of human decency are not working, we need to regroup.

Particularly for those who have seen loved ones waiting for delayed cancer operations and other procedures, watching tens of millions spent on substance abuse centres is a bitter reality. It’s tragic for people who develop a cancer through no fault of their own and then need to wait for treatment. It’s a measure of society’s priorities when drug users can walk freely into treatment while cancer patients and their families have no option but to queue for surgical operations, chemotherapy, and other needed treatments.

What do we do about the tragic overdoses of teenagers making bad decisions in using dangerous drugs? What about those falling into circumstances where addiction to illegal drugs leads to other crimes?

We repeat, there are no easy answers. But we do need to observe where the costs of societal problems are spiralling out of control and make changes to how we spend our money. Putting the price of cancer care alongside that of illicit drug programs might be one way to sharpen the issues.

What do you think about this matter? Should we be good Samaritans at all costs, or should we lean into tougher punishments? Should we pay for more drug treatment? Or should we advance funding for cancer care? In your opinion, what is the right way to frame a discussion on the choices we must make? We’d like to hear from you, and we’ll publish your views in a future column.

Send your thoughts to contact-us@docgiﬀ.com.

Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us on Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones.

Pre-construction begins for Kemptville CT Scanner

Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) is delighted to announce that construction is underway for their new CT Scanner addition. Pre-construction work started on Monday, September 23, with the removal of the parking island and cement curbs around the new CT Modular Cassette space. The prefabricated addition will be located at the back of the hospital just around the corner from the Emergency Room (ER).

This work is being done in preparation of the CT modular cassette unit, which is expected to arrive before Christmas 2024. The 1,350 square-foot addition will house a state-of-the-art CT Scanner from GE HealthCare and tie into KDH’s Diagnostic Imaging (DI) Department, making it seamless for patients.

“All of us at KDH are very excited to see progress happening with the CT Scanner,” said the hospital’s CEO, Frank J. Vassallo. “We are so grateful to our generous and caring community for supporting the Crossroads Campaign, and our excellent Foundation for getting us to this point. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this critical project over the years because it’s going to beneﬁt countless people.”

Construction contractor delays have pushed the anticipated opening date by a few weeks, to early 2025, but KDH is working with the contractor to see how much time can be made up.

A small portion of the main KDH parking lot, closest to the ER, will be fenced oﬀ to accommodate construction. A few parking spaces will be impacted over the coming months, but additional parking is available behind the KDH Health Centre across from the ER, as well as in the upper parking level.

Having a CT Scanner at KDH will improve access to medical care for ER patients and inpatients who need CT, free up local ambulances by decreasing the number of patients being transferred to other facilities, and help reduce CT wait times for the region as a whole.

You can support the Crossroads Campaign by visiting: https://www.kdhfoundation.ca.

Celebrating and supporting our f rancophone farming heritage

Paul Maurice, Director, OFA

September 25 is Franco-Ontarian Day in our province. It’s a celebration of the cultural, historical, social, economic and political contributions of francophones in Ontario.

At the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), nearly 600 of our members report French as their primary language and of our 15 regions across Ontario, nine are home to at least ﬁve or more French-speaking members.

I am proud to count myself among this group –born and raised French in the bilingual community of Lafontaine, just west of Penetanguishene, where our son Alex grows crops and produces chicken as the ﬁfth generation of our family on our farm. Since 2021, I’ve also served on the provincial board of the OFA as the director representing farmers in Peel, Simcoe and York.

I’m also proud of the work that OFA does to provide communications to francophone members in their native language and to work together wherever possible with our French-speaking colleagues at the Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens (UCFO).

In 2021, with the support of funding from the provincial government, we collaborated on a project with UCFO to translate many of our fact sheets, policy documents, and other important resources into French and make them available on the OFA website.

Since then, we’ve carried forward a commitment to ensuring key news releases, opinion columns like this Viewpoint and other communications on key and province-wide topics are translated and made available in French.

We also make sure all of our OFA election information is provided in both oﬃcial languages so that the democratic process of our organization is transparent and accessible to our members.

And for the past year, OFA has been working closely with our counterparts at UCFO to promote a program they’re leading in Ontario called AgriMentor that provides one-on-one mentorship coaching nationwide in French or English for women working in agriculture.

I’m one of three French-speaking directors on the OFA board and we also have staﬀ who can support our members and respond to inquiries in French, ensuring timely ﬂow of information.

It was former OFA director Réjean Pommainville from Limoges, who passed away in 2021, who really championed OFA’s eﬀorts in this space and encouraged us to take a more active role in it.

He represented farmers from Prescott, Russell, Stormont and Glengarry on our provincial board from 2012 to 2021 and he was a lifelong volunteer in our industry and in his community.

He was particularly well known for being a strong and proud advocate for French and Francophone heritage in Ontario and he and his wife Barbara were named winners of the 2020 Prix d’Excellence en Agriculture Pierre-Bercier, awarded by the UCFO for work promoting the agriculture sector and providing leadership in the Franco-Ontarian agricultural community.

He believed in the importance of French language communications and his legacy lives on in our organization. As a fellow Franco-Ontarian, it’s also important to me that we make this eﬀort for our members.

I understand the strong ties of language and culture and how important it is to keep that heritage and tradition alive, and I’m proud that OFA is committed to supporting our eﬀorts to do so.

Guiding Tails –Celebrating dogs in stories and songs

An event featuring Kim Kilpatrick, her dog Ginger, and musicians Mary Moore and Donnie Higgins is coming October 19 to the North Grenville Public Library at 7:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.).

Kim is an enchanting storyteller who has been blind since birth. She has had ﬁve guide dogs, and she will speak about their incredible importance in her life. Her present dog, Ginger, will accompany her.

Kim participated and excelled in competitive swimming and became a Paralympian. In 2013, she was inducted into the Ontario Blind Sports Association Hall of Fame.

Kim is a team leader and leads workshops for blind people. She is an access technology trainer and a music therapist with children and adults.

Kim has performed in Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary and Victoria. Her humorous presentations have inspired audiences across Canada.

Start practising your dog tunes now because Mary Moore and Donnie Higgins will entertain everyone with lively songs about dogs! The audience may even get to sing along! There will also be a silent auction of dog related items including gift certiﬁcates from local businesses.

It promises to be a special evening, and there will be complimentary refreshments and a door prize. Tickets are $20 and are now available at the library and from any member of the Friends Executive. Funds raised will be used for library programs including the Musical Instrument Lending Library, and the employment of a summer student who will provide programs for children.

Baldwin’s Birds

A period of transition

A relatively slow time for my garden birds, at this time of writing, gave me some time to replace my original two home-built pedestal feeders in the front garden, ready for the upcoming colder and damper Autumn (Fall) and Winter weather. So far, the birds haven’t been rushing to use them, there being still plenty of natural food for them to forage for in the trees and on the ground. Our regulars are here, however, especially the ever-lively Chickadees and our Gold Finches, who

favour the hanging feeders rather than my new ones. Of course, the Chipmunks and Squirrels have found them and are busy ﬁlling themselves with the “freebies” that they oﬀer, why wouldn’t they!?

I haven’t seen any more of the “Anting” behavior witnessed previously, when watching the Cardinals, so am thinking myself very lucky at having seen it happen at all. With the weather starting to get a bit cooler and damper, the need for this type of activity is prob-

ably not so necessary for the birds’ bodily comfort requirements, so I’ll just have to wait until next year to see if it will happen again.

Soon the sky will be filled with skeins of Canada Geese on their migratory flights, to the warmer climates offered “Down South”. There have been a few already passing this way in their well disciplined “Vee” formation flights, with the odd straggler being seen flying feverishly in pursuit, invariably in the wrong direction, trying to catch up! I

HISTORICALLY SPEAKING

by Donna Ross, MDHS Lecture Series Coordinator

The Merrickville and District Historical Society announces the October lecture, “Conserving Heritage Trees”, to take place on Tuesday, October 29th, at 7 pm at the Merrickville Legion.

Heritage trees are like our built heritage and land-

know how that feels!

My pictures this week highlight the distinguishing diﬀerence between the two Nuthatches, both of which we get at our feeders. Apart from their obvious names being very descriptive, their other notable diﬀerence to look for is whether or not it has an eye-bar. The Whitebreasted doesn’t have one, but the Red-breasted one does. Stay safe and well, Cheers, John Baldwin

scapes… they are part of our community’s history and something to value. The old mature giants are also doing the heavy lifting – providing not only carbon storage, but also a myriad of social, environmental and economic beneﬁts.

We will hear from longtime environmental activist and tree guru, Toni Ellis,

about Tree Trust, an organization she started, and the importance of mature, legacy trees – true climate champions. Combined with her presentation, Mariana Iglesias, Manager of Planning Services for the Township of Centre Wellington, specializing in the ﬁeld of heritage conservation, will speak on tools that mu-

nicipalities can use to identify and, more importantly, protect heritage trees from negative impacts and removal. Heritage matters to these two speakers.

Take a snapshot of your property. How many large mature trees are making a difference and could be considered a heritage tree? Consider its uniqueness, age, rarity, size and historical value, and the impact it makes on your property.

We look forward to seeing you on October 29th, at a lecture that speaks to us about the importance of mature trees and how they fit into the landscape of our community’s history. Suggested donation at the door: $2.

And what is a MDHS lecture without a sweet treat from Violets on Main Bakery?!

Credit: Tree Trust

Plaid Shirts and Pie: My Epic Tour of Eastern Ontario’s Fall Festivals

by Robin Kers, 2023

Fall in Eastern Ontario is like a marathon of harvest festivals, pumpkin overload, and more baked goods than one stomach should rightfully handle.

I had decided that that year, I was going to hit as many events as possible— because what else screams “autumn enthusiast” like driving from fair to fair, stuﬃng my face with cider doughnuts, and running from haunted mill to haunted corn maze.

The adventure started with the Spencerville Fair. Mid-September rolled around, and I pulled on my most festival-appropriate plaid shirt and headed oﬀ.

The Spencerville Fair is a big deal around here, with enough livestock to make you question why you ever thought of living in the city. I did my best to act like I knew the diﬀerence between a prize-winning cow and... well, a regular cow, while nodding sagely at the farm folk.

“Yep, that’s a ﬁne heifer you’ve got there,” I said to a passing farmer, who immediately knew that I knew nothing about livestock and gave me the stink-eye. Right. Time to hit the food stands.

After surviving the fair, I shifted gears for some more reﬁned fall fun: apple picking at Mountain Orchards, north of South Mountain.

I arrived, picked a few apples, and pretended I was going to make a pie, though the cashiers suspected I was just there for the cider and the excuse to jump on a hayride.

Afterward, I drove over to Cornwall for the Apples & Art Studio Tour, where I spent more time admiring art than I did pretending not to eat an entire caramel apple in one go. There are only so many apples a person can pick before giving up and heading straight for the treats, after all.

By early October, I was in full fall spirit. First up was the Iroquois Apple Harvest Festival, where I tried to maintain some self-control, but let’s be real—it was apple pie season.

I stocked up on apple fritters like I was preparing for an apocalypse where only apple-based goods would be currency. The lady selling cider took one look at my collection of apple-ﬂavored everything and said, “You sure you’ve got enough?”

I nodded. “I’ve trained for this my whole life.”

The next evening, I headed over to Upper Canada

Village for Pumpkinferno. I don’t know who carves 7,000 pumpkins or why, but I’m grateful. Walking through a sea of glowing pumpkins, I pretended it was totally normal to get this excited over squash. Every year, I told myself I wasn’t going to take a million photos. Every year, I failed. Is it weird to have a whole camera roll of jack-olanterns? Don’t answer.

Thanksgiving weekend approached, and my plan was ambitious: Merrickville Artists’ Guild Studio Tour in the morning, Kemptville Farmers' Market in the afternoon.

My wife in tow warned me that the pumpkin spice latte I was chugging for fuel might be overkill, but what did she know? Spoiler: she was right. By noon, I had had three conversations with artists in Merrickville where I’m pretty sure I just nodded energetically and said “beautiful work” over and over. I didn’t even know if they were painters or sculptors.

We made it to the Kemptville Market, where my real goal was to ﬁnd some Thanksgiving pies. I saw a vendor selling butter tarts, and well, one thing led to another, and suddenly I was buying an entire pie for “later” (a.k.a. the car ride home). My wife looked at me as I tried to balance everything, hands full of pastries and a coffee in one precarious stack.

“You really committed to the fall aesthetic,” she said.

“It’s a lifestyle,” I responded.

Mid-October hit, and the leaves were at their ﬁery peak. Time to ramp things up with some spooky fun. I headed to Cannamore Orchard for their corn maze, which is delightful during the day, and turns into an actual nightmare at night when they add “haunted” to the title. Naturally, I thought I was prepared. It’s just corn. How scary can it be?

Turns out, pretty terrifying when there’s a guy with a chainsaw popping out of the stalks. I may have screamed a little. Or a lot. But no one has proof, so it didn’t happen.

That same week, I made the questionable decision to hit the Spencerville Haunted Mill. There’s something unsettling about historic buildings and fake blood. Halfway through, I was sure I was being followed by a ghost, which turned out to be my own shadow. Classic.

By the end of October, I thought I had done all the fall things there were to do. Then I remembered Cornwall’s Ghost Walks.

It was almost Halloween, so why not embrace my spooky side one more time? The tour guide told us tales of haunted buildings and wandering spirits. I tried to look brave, but when I felt a cold draft, I nearly jumped out of my skin. The guide assured me it was just the wind, but I was not convinced.

Finally, in early November, I wrapped up the fall festival circuit with the Merrickville Lantern Festival. It was peaceful, as everyone gathered with homemade lanterns, lighting up the darkening days of autumn. As the lanterns glowed around us, I realized something: I had successfully attended nearly every fall event in Eastern Ontario, eaten an irresponsible amount of pie, and survived multiple haunted attractions.

My wife turned to me, watching as I tried to balance a lantern, a hot chocolate, and yet another pumpkin doughnut.

“So, what’s next?” she asked.

“Winter festivals,” I said, grinning.

Because there’s no rest for the truly festive.

Fundamentals: It is written...

by David Shanahan

A pivotal event in the history of both Jews and Christians (and, I think, the whole world) came thousands of years ago, when Abraham was told to sacrifice his son, Isaac. The incident is referred to as God testing Abraham, but when God “tests” people, he is not trying to find out something about them. He already knows everything there is to know. But testing comes so that we can learn something about ourselves, something we would otherwise be ignorant of. For Abraham, it was the fact that his whole focus in life had become centred on the son God had given him when it was impossible for him and Sarah to even have a child. There was a promise attached to this gift: that through him, God would make Abraham into a great nation. Now it seemed that everything that had been promised would be taken away if Abraham sacrificed his son.

It seemed that God was really emphasising the coming loss when he instructed the old man. “Take your son, your only son, whom you love – Isaac – and go to the region of Moriah. Sacriﬁce him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” [Genesis 22.2] Imagine the scene as Abraham takes his son to the mountain in the region of Moriah. What was he thinking, and what did he feel?

“On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance... Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God

himself will provide the lamb for the burnt oﬀering, my son.” [v. 4-8]

Of course, God did not allow the sacrifice, supplying an animal in Isaac’s place. “So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide”. [v. 14] What had this meant to Abraham? We are told in the Letter to the Hebrews that Abraham had come to the conclusion that God could not break his promise, and would therefore raise Isaac from the dead. He trusted God that much. This was a moment in his life he would never forget, and he would never be the same man again. He knew something about himself now, something that a later friend of God would express like this: “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him”. [Job 13.15].

There is so much in this story for us as well. Not just the spiritual lessons, and the insight into faith and trust. The journey to the region of Moriah took place about 2,000 B.C. In the centuries after, Moriah itself would become the location for the Temple that Solomon built, where the glory of God rested in the Holy of Holies. But we are told that Abraham was sent, not to Moriah, but to the area around Moriah, to a specific place God showed him. There is a hill near Moriah where, two thousand years after Abraham, another Father laid wood for the sacrifice on his Son’s shoulders, his one and only Son, whom he loved. He went up the hill carrying the wood and was then bound for sacrifice. But this time there was no lastminute substitution. He was the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world [John 1.29], and on that hill, the Lord did indeed provide.

No-one can claim that this was deliberately done to make it look like fulﬁlled prophesy. But two thousand years before Calvary, God wrote in the life of Abraham and the life of Isaac a promise, a foretelling of what he had already planned to do.

Even the details are fascinating. Isaac is referred to in Genesis as Abraham’s “one and only son”; but Abraham had another son, Ishmael. But Isaac was the son of the promise, the one through whom the blessing would come, the one who was a gift to Abraham and Sarah. Ishmael had been their attempt to bring about the promise on their own. Isaac was the “one and only son whom you love” in that way. And so we read that “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. [John 3.16]

Abraham went through the trial of understanding God’s will for him, and ﬁnally decided that God would raise Isaac from the dead. And, in a way, he was indeed restored from death to his father. We are also told that this took place “on the third day” [Genesis 22.4]. The Bible is “God-breathed”, as Paul told Timothy [2 Timothy 3.16] and a thread runs through it from beginning to end. It is the promise God made to Adam and Eve: that the Fall was not the end, that there would be someone sent to restore what had been lost then. More than that, that something greater would be given in its place, something not even they had known. Like Abraham, we can easily lose sight of that promise, or get caught up in the secondary things, the unimportant things, that take the focus of our trust and hope away from its proper place. What we learn today from the events of almost 4,000 years ago is this: God keeps his promises. His Word can be trusted.