ND Times Issue 3 2022 February 9

Truck convoy protestors visit North Dundas

thousands of protestors gathering in downtown Ottawa, particularly on or near Parliament Hill. Media reports of the events have mostly focused on protestors committing morally unacceptable acts, such as displaying racist flags and putting signs on the statue of Terry Fox. This has also been the focus of Trudeau’s comments on the matter. He has consistently denounced the movement, calling the views of the protestors “unacceptable”.

by Brandon Mayer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

On February 1, with many of the region’s school students off for a PA day, a group of truckers with the so-called “Freedom Convoy 2022” and other protesters made a journey to thank local supporters, passing through Embrun, Finch, Chesterville, and Winchester. The Freedom Convoy started in response to mandates which were introduced in January requiring all those crossing the Canada-USA border (in either direction) to either be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, or to isolate for a set period of time before entering the country.

lost of income for unvaccinated truckers, the new rules effectively constitute mandatory vaccination requirements for any truckers who move goods between Canada and the USA. Since its inception, the convoy has evolved into a movement that is claiming to be the voice for all who are against government instituted COVID-19 pandemic mandates and restrictions, including mask-wearing, vaccine passports, and gathering limits.

Fax: 613-475-5331 • Tel:1-800-339-5662 • 613-475-2927

Since isolation periods would cause significant

The rally has drawn the attention of both supporters and critics globally. The convoy has been the first movement to apply significant pressure on the Canadian and provincial governments in the two years since the COVID-19

pandemic began. The original goal of the rally was to force the government into submission by gridlocking Canada’s capital until all pandemic restrictions and mandates were lifted. More than a week into the protest, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government had not budged regarding COVID-19 mandates, but the convoy organizers and participants certainly achieved the gridlock they were hoping for. Within the first few days, reports surfaced of the inconveniences caused to locals and businesses in the downtown core, while traffic reports consistently showed downtown streets impassible because of the protests.

Aerial photos have also shown what appears to be

Leader of the Opposition Erin O’Toole (who has since been ousted by his party for unrelated political reasons) strongly criticized the Prime Minister’s response to the protests, as did Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre. The men have argued strongly in line with the views of the protestors, seeing them as average working Canadians who have been hit hard by the pandemic and simply want to be heard. Criticisms from O’Toole and Poilievre have focused on Trudeau’s unwillingness to meet with the protestors, which they argue is wrong, since the Prime Minister should hear and represent all Canadians, not just those he agrees with.

People’s Party of Canada leader, Maxime Bernier, also drew attention for joining in as one of the protes-

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Protesting trucks travelling through Winchester.

tors, as did Saskatchewan MPs Andrew Scheer, Rosemarie Falk, Kevin Waugh, Warren Steinley, and Fraser Tolmie. In response to the movement, some provinces have dug their heels in regarding mandates, while others, including Saskatchewan, have taken a softened position, and have agreed, at least in part, with the protestors’ concerns.

With neither the federal Liberal government nor the protestors showing any willingness to budge, talks began late last week about the possibility of military intervention to end the gridlock in Ottawa’s downtown core. It is not clear as of the time of writing whether such steps have been taken by the time of publication. The protests started becoming more forceful by the end of last week, with many of the truckers blowing their horns at all hours of the day and night. Locally, reactions to the convoy have been mixed. On January 29, a smaller “Winchester convoy” of mostly passenger vehicles showed support by trekking down Highway 31 to Parliament Hill. Like nearly all aspects of the current COVID-19 pandemic, opinions about the merits of the “Freedom Convoy” are unlikely to ever resolve into agreement.

Meet Your Neighbour: Sean Donovan

Phone: 343-777-2702

Email: hayley@ndtimes.ca

by Jennifer Westendorp

Sean Donovan is dedicated to serving his community and country. He put on his first uniform at the age of 13 and, though the clothing has changed, he’s never veered away from his true calling: keeping people safe. Sean is originally from Kingston, but since he never hung out with the Tragically Hip, we’ll jump forward a few years. At the age of 17, he joined the reserves – his eyes set on a military career. In 1987, he moved to Ottawa to study computer engineering and transferred reserve units.

“I always knew I wanted to be in the military,” Sean says. “I joined the cadets at 13, and the moment I put on that uniform, I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life.”

Back in those days, there was a waiting list to get on with the regular forces, so Sean stuck it out with the reserves – doing call outs, and running basic training for his unit.

“That’s where I met my wife,” he explains. “She’s a manager for a healthcare clinic, and one of the hardest workers I’ve ever know.”

They have three kids –two daughters and one son – and one granddaughter, age 8. The family lives in Chesterville.

“Our neighbours are

great,” he notes. “There’s some retired military people like myself… a mix of younger couples and older couples. It’s a great place to live, and everyone has been very welcoming.”

Sean has travelled all over the world with the military, including the Arctic and Europe.

“I’ve got all my continents covered,” he says. “I was stationed in San Diego for three years, and had the opportunity to deploy.”

By deploy, he means spending 8 months at sea on what they call a big deck, otherwise known as an amphibious warship.

“It’s interesting…definitely a culture shock,” he says of the experience. “The food was very bad.”

Also not ideal was sharing a bathroom with hundreds of people, but Sean survived by working a lot and relying on care packages from home. The ship stopped at ports in Hawaii, Guam, Singapore, Abu Dhabi, and Australia, which afforded breaks on land and sight-seeing opportunities. When he got back, his family was waiting for him on the pier.

“It was a long trip and I was very glad to be back.”

The family returned to Canada in 2005, settling in Russell for 15 years before making their final move to Chesterville. Sean retired from the military in 2012,

after nearly 25 years of service. His “retirement” consists of working fulltime for the federal public service and signing on as a volunteer firefighter for North Dundas.

“I retired from the military on a Friday, and started work on the Monday,” he laughs. “My wife is bugging me to retire-retire, but I don’t think I’ll ever do that. I need to do something to stay sane.”

He joined up with the Morewood Fire Station in 2019, and stayed with them until transferring to the Chesterville Fire Station.

“After leaving the military, I was missing something,” Sean explains. “One day, I was driving by and I saw that they were looking for firefighters, so I stopped in to say hello.”

Right now, he’s working on expanding the fire prevention side of things, and growing community involvement. While the rest of the world was hoarding toilet paper, Sean was going to school online to add to his credentials with a certificate in emergency management.

“I did all that in the hopes of giving back more to the department,” he notes. “North Dundas has a very strong, dedicated group of people here.”

cont'd Off. 613.918.0321 Realtor, Independently owned and operated C. 613.407.8869 51 King St W, Brockville, On

EOHU urging eligible individuals to get booster dose

The Eastern Ontario Heath Unit (EOHU) is urging all eligible individuals to receive their booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they’re eligible. The booster dose will provide them with an improved immune response, and help prevent severe outcomes from COVID-19 variants like Omicron, which has proven that protection from the two initial vaccines decreases with time. Individuals can receive their third dose 84 days after they received their second dose.

Booster dose still recommended following covid-19 infection:

While the first two vaccines will reduce the odds of severe outcomes like hospitalization and death, they are not preventing infection from the Omicron variant. This has led to breakthrough infections amongst people who are fully vaccinated. Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health at the EOHU, recommends individuals get their COVID-19 booster dose following infection with COVID-19.

“If it has been at least 84 days since your second dose, I recommend you book an appointment for your booster dose as soon as you have finished your isolation period and no longer have any symptoms following infection,” he says. “While an Omicron infection will provide you with a certain level of immunity, we don’t know how long that protection lasts.”

Accessing a Third Dose:

If it has been 84 days since your second dose, and you meet the criteria for a third dose, we encourage you to seek vaccination at one of the EOHU’s communitybased clinics. Appointments are available at www.Ontario. ca/bookvaccine for individuals 18 years of age and older who are eligible for a third dose. Individuals who require assistance with booking can call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-9433900. If you need assistance, or special accommodations, you may also call the EOHU at 1-800-267-7120.

Walk-in clients eligible for a third dose are accepted at community-based clinics;

Province meets with small and rural municipalities on housing

however, clients are encouraged to book an appointment. We continue to welcome individuals needing a first or second dose, with or without an appointment, as well.

You can also receive your third booster dose through a partnering pharmacy or your health care provider.

If you don’t know if it has been 84 days since your second dose, please use the EOHU’s COVID-19 Third Dose Date Calculator.

If you do not fall within one of the eligible groups for a third dose, or you have not reached the minimum interval of 84 days since your second dose, please do NOT try to schedule an appointment or walk-in. Clients seeking a third dose will be asked to provide proof of eligibility before receiving their vaccine. We are requesting everyone’s collaboration and patience as we continue this enormous vaccination effort. For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine and how to access it, please visit www.EOHU.ca/vaccines.

Visiting restrictions at Long-Term Care Homes eased

The Ontario government has begun to lift restrictions on Long Term Care Homes as of this week. Since Monday, a number of changes have made it easier for family and caregivers to visit residents of the LTC homes, and, depending on their vaccination status, residents will be able to enjoy social day trips outside the homes.

In an statement announcing the new rules, Paul Calandra, Minister of LongTerm Care, said: “Our government responded swiftly to the Omicron variant to protect the health and safety of residents and staff in longterm care homes. With public health and health care indicators now improving, we are cautiously lifting these measures so our residents can spend time with more friends and family that play such an important role in their health and wellbeing.”

Under the new arrangements, the maximum number of designated caregivers per resident is increasing from two to four and will continue to be subject to a limit of two per resident at one time. The rules for social day trips

require that residents have had at least three doses of COVID-19 vaccine. As for visitors to the LTC residences, general visitors, five years and older, who have had at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccine will be able to resume visits. The number of visitors at a time, per resident, will also increase from two to three, including caregivers.

The ability of visitors to visit the residences also means that adult day programs can resume, along with the return of entertainers and external personal care services in the homes. However, the government is asking that social group activities should remain small, with up to 10 individuals.

More changes are coming in March. Effective March 14, general visitors under five years old will be able to resume visits, and the number of visitors at a time, per resident, will increase from three to four, including caregivers. All residents regardless of their vaccination status will also be able to enjoy social overnight absences. Testing requirements for all staff, caregivers and visitors con-

Recently, Premier Doug Ford and Steve Clark, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, hosted the Rural Housing Roundtable with Ontario’s smaller and rural municipal mayors, reeves and wardens to discuss the housing crisis and coordinate efforts to increase housing supply across the province.

Following the OntarioMunicipal Summit on January 19, 2022, the virtual roundtable provided an opportunity to collaborate with smaller, rural, Northern, and remote municipalities on ways to build the right mix of housing, share best practices and discuss these municipalities’ unique experiences with the housing supply crisis, such as the cost of supplies, and aligning housing with infrastructure needs based on changing populations.

participated in today’s roundtable, as we work to identify and implement concrete solutions to allow more families to realize the dream of home ownership.”

The provincial government’s housing policies under More Homes, More Choice: Ontario’s Housing Supply Action Plan are working to make housing more affordable by increasing the supply of the full range of housing options, from missing middle, to high-rises and family-sized rentals, to single-family homes. In 2021, the second year after More Homes, More Choice was implemented, Ontario saw the highest level of housing starts in history and the highest level of rental starts in thirty years.

ment recently held a public consultation on increasing housing supply, and is engaging with industry leaders through the Housing Affordability Task Force, which will provide expert recommendations in a report in early 2022. These consultations will help the government identify and implement solutions to increase housing supply of all kinds to make it easier for all hardworking Ontarians to find a home that meets their needs and budget.

tinue to be in place.

The government stated noted that “it is important for Ontarians to not let their guard down in the ongoing fight against the pandemic.

All staff, caregivers, visitors and residents in long-term care homes need to continue to practice basic public health measures as required such as screening and testing at entry, masking, physical distancing, hand hygiene and staying at home when sick”.

As of February 3, 2022, provincial data shows that about 84% of eligible longterm care staff, and about 91% of eligible residents, have received their third dose. In addition, a fourth dose is being offered to eligible residents.

“While every municipality is unique, the housing supply crisis hurts Ontarians in every corner of the province – not just large, urban communities – and our government will continue to work with all our municipal partners to get shovels in the ground,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Thank you to each and every municipality that

But more needs to be done to increase the supply of all kinds of homes to meet demand, which is driving home prices out of reach for too many Ontarians. A recent Scotiabank housing report concluded that Ontario is last in the country in per capita rates of housing, and would need to build 1.2 million additional homes to match the per capita housing rate of our G7 peers.

That is why, along with collaborating with municipalities, the govern-

“We know the key to addressing the housing crisis is getting more homes built faster. Today’s housing roundtable with smaller, rural, remote and Northern municipalities was another important next step as our government coordinates with municipalities to make it easier to unlock and fasttrack housing,” said Minister Clark. “We know that there is no silver bullet to increasing housing supply, and the crisis cannot be solved in one meeting. We will continue to collaborate with all our municipal partners to increase housing supply across the province and ensure they have the tools they need, to make it easier for Ontarians to live closer to where they work.”

Doyle’s restaurant to become Fat Les’s

Former

by Brandon Mayer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The large piece of prime restaurant real estate in Chesterville which was vacated by Doyle’s Pub and Eatery at the end of October will become the newest location of the Fat Les’s franchise. News broke of the planned location last week, with the opening set for some time this spring. The new location will reportedly offer take-out, delivery, dine-in, and may even serve alcohol.

Reactions to the news online were overwhelmingly positive. While a restaurant opening or closing would likely not be seen as a big deal for residents of a large city, small businesses play a critical part in what make small towns tick, and small town residents are deeply invested in the news of new restaurants opening, since it creates more opportunities

to spend money locally on different “tastes”.

An American not-forprofit organization called Strong Towns advocates for the building of more appropriate and sustainable infrastructure, housing, and economic development, amongst other things. An article posted to their website strongly argues that small businesses are the lifeblood of small towns.

The reasons for this are many. Small businesses, of course, contribute to local taxes, but often in more ways than one. The owners of these local businesses often live in town as well, and thus pay residential property tax, and have children who go to local schools. They are often typically invested in keeping the town active and vibrant, as this contributes to the success of their business. In terms of the local economy, estimates suggest that small businesses account for more than 60% of

new jobs created.

When these jobs are filled by people who live locally, it can eliminate the negative environmental aspects of commuting to work, and can encourage small towns to grow, as many people wish to settle in the same communities in which they work. With a town the size of Chesterville, even one commercial building sitting vacant can cause significant hurt for the community. Not only does it represent lost jobs, it is also aesthetically unappealing for tourists and others who might otherwise want to explore the town on foot, and spend their money. Having a vacant space filled is, therefore, of tremendous importance and significance. One can only hope that Fat Les’s sees success in their newest location in the heart of Chesterville!

Our home and Native Land

by David Shanahan

In the middle of all the dramatic media coverage of the Indigenous Residential Schools issue over the last year, it became very clear that there are many inaccurate and misleading ideas circulating about Indigenous matters generally. Much of the coverage of these issues contained far more heat than light, and that has only added to the misleading impression many Canadians have about what Indigenous peoples deal with on a daily basis.

The Municipality of North Grenville has just announced a new Land Acknowledgment statement which they intend to incorporate in all future activities. The municipality is also carrying out training for staff on Indigenous matters and in dealing properly with the Indigenous community at large. This is a process that is being followed by many other municipalities across Canada, as they grapple with the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) dealing with the mu-

nicipal level of government.

It is becoming quite common these days to hear such Land Acknowledgments being recited before various events and activities, and that is a clear sign of the growing awareness within the population at large of the importance of recognising Canadian history and its founding peoples. But there are still very many who consider these developments in a most negative light. Old prejudices die hard, and a misunderstanding of what initiatives like Land Acknowledgments actually mean, and what implications they might have on other Canadians, often leads to opposition and antagonism.

As someone who has worked with, and for, Indigenous communities and organisations for over thirty years, I have seen the reality behind the image that too many Canadians still have about Indigenous people. There is the old and inaccurate idea that “Indians get everything for free. They don’t pay taxes, and they are lazy and spoiled by not having to work like we do”.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Is good planning going down the drain at City Hall?

On a whim, I decided to tune into the North Dundas Council meeting on January 25. It didn’t take long for me to hear something that made me fall off my chair.

Early in the agenda was the 2022 update on the ability to expand water and sewage systems for new residential and commercial construction. The update was short and sweet: “At this time, there is zero water and sewer allocation capacity for future developments.”

Wait…what? Surely I must’ve misheard. Yet there it was, confirmed in writing in the agenda package. And the only thing faster than the update from staff was the speed at which Council hustled along to the next item. No comments. No assurance that the matter is in hand. Heck, there wasn’t even a lame excuse about the dog eating somebody’s homework.

On the other hand, there are those who are keen to see these positive developments, and would like to join in the campaign to deal with historic grievances and hurts. The problem is that they don’t know what it is they can actually and practically do. At the Day of Reconciliation last September 30, there was a large turnout for various events around the country. In some places, a smudging ceremony was held, and the public were invited to take part. But, due to uncertainty about what the ceremony was actually about, or because they were not sure about how to take part, there was a reluctance on the part of the most supportive people attending the events to join in the ceremony.

There is, in fact, a cultural ignorance on the part of Canadians. As with so many other areas of life, informed citizens are a necessary part of reconciliation and nation building. If there is to be any progress away from the traditional apartheid system which Canada has historically imposed on Indigenous

peoples in this country, we, as citizens, need to know that history, need to understand the cultures and traditions of the first peoples. You may note that I use the plural: “nations”, and “peoples”. There is a tendency to speak of all Indigenous people as a single, monolithic group, not recognising that the Algonquin are completely separate in culture, language, and history, from, for example, the Haida of British Columbia. There’s another interesting issue concerning terminology. British Columbia: an expression of colonial history. Not that those names and titles need to be abolished, but there is a need to understand that they do not always reflect the history of the land. What is Haida G’waii to the Haida people are the Queen Charlotte Islands to others. Not recognising the differing cultures of the First Nations is like thinking of the Irish and the Germans as the same, just because both are European peoples.

So, there is much to be done to remove false narratives, misunderstandings, both within those who are suspicious of initiatives like

Land Acknowledgments, and those who want to be part of the Truth and Reconciliation process. What we at the Times can do is bring information to readers, information about Indigenous history, culture, experience. Over the coming months, we hope to publish articles on these topics, to allow Indigenous writers, artists, and others to have a voice also. I have never believed, as an historian, that only those involved in a group can write and discuss matters concerning that group. It is not just Irish people who have the right and the credibility to write about Irish matters. In the same way, non-Indigenous people can discuss and write about Indigenous issues, bringing to the work a different perspective, while honouring and acknowledging that “inside” information that Indigenous people bring to the table.

Not everyone will consider this to be “appropriate”, perhaps. Many people believe that newspapers should only publish news, and be objective and dispassionate. We don’t agree. Informing readers about things is publishing news, new facts and

ideas, sometimes differing viewpoints and attitudes. Because we do not all agree on everything, no matter how informed we may be. Different perspectives can be about far more positive changes than a simple and single interpretation of history.

One of the great lessons the historian learns is that, in a sense, there are no “good guys”, nor should we expect to find them. We are all flawed human beings, not by any means perfect. To live together in peace and community we have to acknowledge that, too. And, as always, if you don’t want to know, if you don’t want to find out, then don’t read those articles. But I believe it is worth the time and effort to find out, to examine, debate, and explore, even when it makes us uncomfortable. That is what life is all about, isn’t it?

Now, I know that the growth experienced in our community in recent years has been steady, and keeping pace with the appetite for municipal services is a challenge at the best of times. Likewise, it’s worth celebrating that more folks want to live in Winchester and Chesterville and enjoy what they have to offer.

But it seems fair to ask – how does our Council find itself having to hit the pause button on new water and sewage permits? Roads, garbage, public utilities – overseeing these things is the basic job description of any municipality. The records for Council meetings in 2021 are heavy on approving remaining water and sewer hook-ups, but light on proposing solutions for meeting future demand for essential infrastructure.

Regardless of whether Councillors are asleep at the switch or are now playing catch up off-camera, the outcome is the same. Got plans for a new home or business in

2022 and want the water and waste to flow? Sorry, ain’t no more taps to go around.

When my wife and I moved our family out of the big city to North Dundas several years ago, it was a dream come true. Sadly, for many with similar ambitions, it seems that such hopes – at least for the time being – are just a pipe dream.

Patrick Brown

Dear Editor,

Mr Fry's recent article regarding energy generation in Ontario highlights the main issue with today's Conservative politicians: they have no vision for how to govern, beyond the narrow short termism of cut, cut, cut.

Renewable energy has upfront costs, which can be amortized over a long period of time. Using fossil fuels for energy and heating exposes Ontarians to volatility and long term price increases. Just today, February 3, Shell announced their profits had quadrupled at the same time as British households are facing 50% increases in energy bills. A sensible long term

plan would have been to continue investing in renewable energy and reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

By repealing the Green Energy Act, the Ford government has cost us four vital years in the battle to cut emissions and keep global heating below the vital 2C threshold. We need to elect politicians who have a viable long term strategy to build a better future.

Steve Gabell

Dear Editor,

Why don’t the Unvaccinated realize that they are the ones prolonging this Pandemic.

Vaccinated individuals would gladly get rid of the restrictions if the Unvaccinated stopped using our doctors, nurses and hospital space so that we could get back to normal and allow all surgeries to take place and individuals to access the Health Care system.

We are denied Health Care because of the numbers of Unvaccinated people clogging our system.

Name Withheld by request “because of the fear of violence from the Unvaccinated”

Dear Editor,

Our bias toward believing that the recent past equates to normalcy is a human trait that does not always serve us well. The ongoing truck protest in Ottawa is not an isolated or atypical event in Canadian history. It may not be a direct echo of the past, but it has parallels.

A cursory examination of this country’s past provides several examples. The 1837 rebellions in Upper and Lower Canada were episodes of violent unrest in which the perpetrators were condemned as unruly, threatening Yankees— and Lount and Matthews were hung as traitors by the government.

That early violence flared up again in 1849, when the legislative buildings at Montreal were burned to the ground, this time by the lawand-order establishment of the day. We have the Louis Riel uprisings in western Canada in the latter decades of the nineteenth century, violent anti-conscription protests in Quebec during the First World War, student protests in Toronto in the 1960s, and more recent road and rail blockades resulting from various environmental grievances.

As a direct antecedent, we can look at the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 and that city’s multi-week shutdown that ended in bloodshed when authorities violently broke up demonstrating crowds. Another close parallel

is the Great Depression’s “On to Ottawa” journey of 1935, when unemployed men by the thousands left the work camps into which the federal government had forced them, and hopped trains for the nation’s capital to confront then-Prime Minister R.B. Bennett. Bennett, a cold and disliked Prime Minister, did at least agree to meet with protest leaders, though it resulted in a verbal spat that resolved little. Matters came to a head with a vicious and destructive battle between protesters and police in Regina, after which only a few trekkers continued to Ottawa. Of local note, that group left Ottawa and walked south through Kemptville before hopping trains to disperse. Bennett’s perceived indifference to the widespread suffering of the Depression led to his political downfall later that year. Through these events run two common threads. The first, is that they result from grievances that take time to fester and are not solely the result of apparent immediate causes. The second, is that those who protest are characterized by their opponents with the most inflammatory and derogatory terms of the day. The “traitors” and “Republicans” of the nineteenth century were the “cowards” and “Bolsheviks” and “foreign agitators” of the early twentieth century, and have become today’s “Trumpists” and “fringe minority.” The political battle for the mind of the public never ends.

We cannot predict how this current situation will end - but we do have past examples offering some guidance. That guidance can be summed up as this: that these events do not signify the end of the world, but do indicate broader trends, and that the cacophony of reactive anger and dismissal clouds our ability to see where these changes may take us as a nation.

Craig Stevenson

Local artist talks chalk painting and waste reduction

ing ideas in terms of how she will teach others her craft, but she knows there will be many different options.

For example, she is hoping to be able to provide a heated shop to work in, and, for those who want to work more independently but have a guide, Julie would be happy to be that person. When asked whether she had any ties to environmental or zero-wastelife movements, Julie had a unique way of answering in the affirmative.

Study to be conducted on deadly Chesterville intersection

by Brandon Mayer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Winchester artist and furniture restorer, Julie Bissell, has a unique outlook on items that a lot of others see simply as garbage. Julie spoke to the Times about how people often resort to bringing their beloved furniture items straight to the landfill, without first considering other options.

“They have no idea that, maybe, the piece of furniture that they’re going to throw out, that does have some family meaning, could be restored back to its original form, or something that meets their today’s-needs décor,” she said. “A lot of people go and spend the money on really expensive, yet really cheap, furniture.”

Julie is originally from Ottawa, but moved to Winchester about three years ago. She has lots of experience, both with creative artwork,

and in working with youth. She was Program Coordinator at the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa for many years, but has been off work during the pandemic and has been focusing on her art. Her Winchester business, Chalk it up to Julie, has many facets, including art, restoration, retailing, and teaching. Her Facebook page is filled with photos of commissioned furniture projects, for which she uses chalk paint.

Doing custom work for customers means getting to know their personalities in order to be able to do the best job. Now, Julie is hoping to get into teaching classes, and she recently offered many classes for free. The classes were not just about the art –she has also made it her goal to help people through mental health struggles, by combining her experience in the field with the therapeutic nature of art itself. Julie is still develop-

“I’ve taken bits and pieces off different furniture and built stuff,” she said. “I won’t throw anything away!” She discussed many of the unique pieces of furniture in her home that have been created by repurposing old things. Those interested in learning more about Julie’s work, or getting in touch with her, can visit her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Chalkituptojulie.

It seems that many local small towns have at least one intersection that is notorious for frequent accidents and fatalities, and Chesterville is no exception. At the intersection of County Roads 43 and 7, on the southern boundary of the town, a flashing red light warns drivers approaching from the north and south to stop, while a yellow light warns east and west travelers to be alert.

However, 17 times since 2013, these lights have not been enough to prevent a major collision, and, in one case in 2015, a motorcyclist was killed in one of these collisions. These statistics only point to collisions deemed “major”, and, in fact, there have been dozens more. The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry bears responsibility for the county road

system in SD&G, including the deadly intersection in Chesterville. At a meeting in January, the Counties agreed to spend between $5,000 and $10,000 to have an independent study of the intersection conducted, hopefully to improve safety at the location.

But safety measures often look diff erent from location to location. Such measures are based on traffic flows, visibility restrictions, and many other factors. Those who have left Chesterville going south on County Road 7 will undoubtedly have felt and heard the jarring sound and vibrations from their tires meeting ridges shaped into the asphalt roadway, shortly before approaching the stop sign. The purpose of these ridges – which were installed several years ago – is, of course, to startle drivers to attention, so they don’t miss the upcoming intersection, but this cannot prevent collisions for other reasons, such as drivers not being able to see oncoming cars due to glaring sunlight.

To the west of North Dundas, at the intersection of County Road 43 and South Gower Drive, near Kemptville, repeated collisions have ultimately led to a decision to install a roundabout. Roundabouts are proven to be among the safest types of intersections, but they are costly. A recent Standard Freeholder article points out that the speed limit through Chesterville’s intersection remains 80km/h, while to the east, in Avonmore, a similar intersection, with just as few residences along the roadway, has a lower 60km/h limit. Talks among Avonmore locals at the time the speed limit was reduced (over a decade ago) credited multi-generational resident, Murray Barkley, for suggesting this change after a four-way stop sign was not deemed to be appropriate. Perhaps the voices of a few similarly-minded Chesterville residents could spark the first positive changes for Chesterville’s own “notorious corner”.

Local MP comments on Conservative Caucus Leadership vote

Local Member of Parliament for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry, Eric Duncan, released the following statement after the Conservative Caucus voted to remove Erin O’Toole as Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada:

“Today, our Conservative Caucus made the decision to order a leadership race to select a new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. I fully respect the decision, and look forward to engaging our members in the months ahead. We need to focus on uniting our Caucus and Party, and to focus on defeating the Liberals in the next election.

“It is a difficult role to serve as a political leader, and I want to thank Erin O’Toole, his wife Rebecca, and their family, for the efforts and sacrifices they have made the past 18 months. I am personally grateful for the opportunities Erin provided me to serve our team and the experiences I’ve been given.

“I am proud to be your Conservative Member of Parliament, and I’m optimistic about the chance to move forward and tackle the many issues facing our country. Our country needs a change in national leadership, and I will work tirelessly to elect our next Conservative leader as Prime Minister of Canada.”

Artist Julie Bissell

by Brandon Mayer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The right people The right products The right

Fertilizer - Seed - Crop Protection

$4 million investment to help farmers access veterinary care

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing up to $4 million dollars through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership) to help give farmers improved access to veterinary services when and where they need it.

The Livestock Veterinary Innovation Initiative is a new, cost-share program that will increase the access options for veterinary care, especially in rural and northern Ontario, to better support animal health, the livestock agri-food sector and the strength of the province’s food supply.

In consultation with farmers and stakeholders in the veterinary sector, this investment focuses on improving virtual care options, expanding telemedicine access and addressing issues with mobile clinics to address current challenges, such as long distances between farmers and animal heath care providers and the shortage of food-animal veterinarians working in underserviced areas.

Examples of projects eligible for support under this initiative include:

- Equipment to help veterinary practices deliver enhanced virtual care, diag-

nostic work and tele-medical support for farms.

- Portable, specialized, livestock handling equipment to help veterinary practices or farms manage animals while receiving care; and

- Training for veterinary professionals to help them use new equipment, techniques or deliver more efficient and accessible support to livestock farmers.

"Canadian farmers take great care of their animals. It is essential that they have easy access to veterinary services, no matter where their farm is located,”said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

“Our investments will accelerate the implementation of innovative animal health solutions, such as telemedicine, to increase access to veterinary care throughout Ontario."

“We know farmers need reliable and timely access to veterinary services to keep their animals healthy and to grow their businesses,” said Lisa Thompson, provincial Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

“This investment will help farmers protect the welfare of livestock animals and add

to our government’s efforts to strengthen access to the high-quality foods our farmers produce.”

Eligible applicants can receive up to 35 per cent cost share for eligible expenses province-wide and up to 50 per cent cost-share in areas that have been identified as underserviced in terms of available veterinary capacity. Maximum funding amounts differ by project category.

Since June 2018, both the federal and provincial governments have committed over $100 million in support to more than 5,000 projects through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The Partnership is a fiveyear, $3-billion commitment by Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments that supports Canada's agri-food and agri-products sectors. This includes a $2 billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40% provincially/ territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

Veterinary businesses can apply for support through this initiative starting February 15, 2022 to March 31, 2022. Approved projects must be completed by September 30, 2022.

OFA releases statement on freedom protests

The tractor rallies that are currently targeting Queen’s Park and local MPP and MP offices are not organized by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

OFA respects the right to peaceful public protest that all Canadians enjoy, provided there is no risk to the biosecurity and safety practices that ensure the well-being of people, animals and the food supply.

And we understand that the pandemic has been difficult on everybody and is causing rising frustration. We have felt the pressure that has been put on all parts of the food supply chain — farmers, processors, truckers,

restaurants, grocery stores and consumers — by public health measures intended to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

But these pressures also underscore the importance of having and protecting local sources of food. Throughout this pandemic, we have and will continue to work with all levels of government, supported by science and health-care professionals to find the best way to return to normal once again.

Ontario agriculture is an economic powerhouse that will help to pull this province and country out of this pandemic.

We all need to eat, and the local food supply chain

is essential to all Ontarians. It ensures food on our plates and drives economic growth in both urban and rural Ontario. Farmers will continue to meet the challenges and ensure there are food and drinks on our tables and around the world as we edge closer to the end of this pandemic.

OFA will continue to work towards Farms and Food Forever.

Get Ready to Bid! Morrisburg to lose Beaver Dental factory

By Jane Adams

While we can’t get together for the Murder Mystery Night, we can still gather online - and shop ‘til we drop! The WDMH Foundation is pleased to launch the WDMH Foundation1920's Murder Mystery Auction, which started on February 7.

There is something for everyone in the auction – from spa gift certificates, to artwork, to an axe-throwing party for six! Funds raised will be directed to the Foundation’s Family Care Fund – to support families just like yours.

“Thank you to our wonderful community volunteers, who have spent several months gathering auction items. We are excited to feature them all online,” explains Justine Plummer, Manager of Direct Mail and Events. “And thank you to everyone who has donated an item.”

The auction started at 8 am on Monday, February 7, and runs until Monday, February 14 at noon. Check out the auction site and get registered at www.32auctions. com/1920sMurderMysteryAuc2022. Watch for more details on our Facebook page.

Happy shopping and thanks for your support!

Empty Bowls luncheon postponed once more

by Jane Schoones

The annual Empty Bowls luncheon scheduled for Saturday, February 12, and sponsored by Community Food Share, has been postponed again for 2022, a victim of the COVID pandemic. Last held in 2020, just prior to the start of the pandemic, the event provides participants a warm bowl of soup in a handfashioned bowl they can take home. The bowls, provided by several area artisans, are each one-of-a-kind, ensuring that tickets are always snapped up early. The event has been re-scheduled for February 11, 2023, again at the Williamsburg Christian Reform Church.

The postponement is one of many disappointments for the local charity that provides emergency food supplies for several hundred clients in Dundas and Stormont. Counties. The good news is that, despite all fund-raising activities having been cancelled during the past two years, Community Food Share is still able to meet the needs of its clients. That is thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our community, and support from federal, provincial, and local governments. That

assistance has enabled Community Food Share to provide enough healthy, nutritious food for a family for a period of 7 to 9 days, compared to the previous 5 to 7 days’ supply.

After offering curbside pick-up of food by clients during the pandemic, plans are being made for a gradual return later this year to the client-choice model that had been in place for several years. For more information about Community Food Share, check our website, www.communityfoodshare. ca, or Facebook page.

by Brandon Mayer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

News broke last week of the expected closure of the KavoKerr factory in Morrisburg, known to locals as Beaver Dental. The factory currently employs about 150 people and is reported to be Morrisburg’s largest employer. It opened about 75 years ago, and has provided employment to countless locals throughout the years.

Reports have not specifically stated why Beaver Dental is closing. Both South Dundas Mayor, Steven

Byvelds, and SD&G MP, Eric Duncan, expressed sympathies to the community in light of the news, particularly those individuals and families who will be directly impacted by the loss of employment. The factory will close by early 2023. The Municipality is offering assistance to those affected, but there is a limit on what type of help can be provided.

office has offered to help the workers find new jobs once the factory closes. Reactions to the factory closure online were understandably negative, with many expressing

sorrow on behalf on those who will lose their jobs. A few social media users pointed out that many townspeople are likely now regretting their opposition to a proposed cannabis growing facility that had been planned to open up in Morrisburg, considering that the town could use the jobs now, more than ever. Morrisburg made the news late last year over concerns that the smell of the cannabis facility would permeate other businesses, including Eckel Noise Control Technologies, and the McIntosh Inn. It is not clear whether a final decision has been made regarding the opening of the cannabis facility.

Hayley Bedford Marketing Consultant

The Municipality cannot offer financial assistance, but can provide information for affected individuals on applying for government social assistance, such as Employment Insurance. Eric

Duncan’s

Counties prioritize infrastructure renewal with 2022 budget

Green Party statement on the “Freedom Convoy”

The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry has approved, in principle, its 2022 budget, which focuses on infrastructure renewal throughout SDG.

Counties Council, at its January 24 meeting, put the final touches to the 2022 document, which sets the budget at $66 million. The budget means a 2.34 % increase for an average residential property in the Counties. Every $100,000 of assessment in SDG results in $589 on a Counties’ tax bill. In 2022, a typical SDG residential property assessment totals $222,750, a 0.5% increase compared to one year ago.

Total Counties taxation in 2022 is $52.3 million, an increase of nearly $1.6 million from 2021.

“Counties Council has agreed on a budget that

addresses priorities around our vast inventory of infrastructure in SDG,” said Warden Carma Williams. “2022 represents an opportunity for the Counties to pivot from COVID-focused spending, to making improvements to our infrastructure that residents can see and appreciate.”

Some large-scale infrastructure projects that will be completed in 2022 include:

Road resurfacing (minimum of 48km) $11 million;

Pavement preservation activities, (micro-surfacing, crack sealing) $800,000;

Bridge rehabilitation activities (including $780,000 for Ferguson Bridge) $5 million;

Culvert repair and rehabilitation $1.4 million;

Preparatory activities for SDG 22 reconstruction (ongoing) $1 million to date.

“The Counties continues

Queen's Park Update

by MPP Jim McDonell

The Ontario Science Table acknowledges that Omicron has peaked in Ontario, confirming that our recent public health measures have helped blunt transmission. Hospitalizations are currently stable and may take some time to fall to more reasonable levels. Vaccines continue to provide strong protection against COVID-19 and its variants. However, vaccine effectiveness can be confusing, and I thank Dr. Paul for circulating an informative explanation found at https:// youtu.be/wa4NAW9ZLE8.

Although just 11 percent of those over 12 years old are not fully vaccinated, they occupy 50 percent of our ICU beds. As the video shows, there would be significantly fewer people in our hospitals and ICUs due to COVID-19 if more people were fully vaccinated. This would decrease the pressure on our hospitals, allow elective surgeries to return sooner, and save lives. For

its focus on infrastructure renewal, both capital and maintenance,” said Counties CAO, Tim Simpson. “In 2022, nearly $29 million will be spent maintaining and renewing vital Counties infrastructure, notably an investment of nearly $6.5 million on bridges and large culverts. Our goal is to invest as much as possible in infrastructure, utilizing asset management, life-cycle costing, and capital preservation techniques, to maximize the utility of each dollar spent.”

The investment Counties ratepayers make via taxation continues to be the chief source of revenue for SDG.

“Consistent with most municipalities, SDG’s main source of revenue is property taxes,” said Financial Services Director, Rebecca Russell. “As funding declines, property taxes increase to support services. Taxation currently accounts for 80% of our total revenue.”

Council’s donation reserve will be used to fund a $50,000 request from Ronald McDonald House for Charity. A police surplus will fund $12,000 for the purchase of defibrillators to be used by local OPP.

Counties Council will officially set the 2022 budget by way of bylaws at its February meeting.

The Green Party of Canada condemns the hatred, racism, misogyny, homophobia, and utter disrespect for treasured Canadian institutions displayed by some of the participants in the so-called “Freedom Convoy” protest in Ottawa.

“We will always defend the right of citizens to assemble in peaceful protest, but what we have seen over the past four days is indefensible,” said interim Green Party Leader Amita Kuttner. “The catalogue of outrages is long, well-documented and, frankly, appalling: flying swastikas and confederate battle flags; desecrating memorials to our veterans and to national hero Terry Fox; stealing food from the homeless; and threatening local residents and businesses.

“Whatever legitimacy this ‘protest’ may have had has been squandered by these images being beamed out of Ottawa.

“As the pandemic drags on, we recognize that many people are struggling, while many more are tired and frustrated. But that does not justify this display of hate and anger in Ottawa. This is a time for Canadians to work together to minimize further sickness and death, and to ensure that the lessons of COVID are learned and acted upon.

“We call on the protesters to end the takeover of our national capital, and we urge all Canadians to follow the advice of public health officials and get vaccinated.”

OPP warn of a fraudulent investment scam

In June of 2021, the Grenville County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received an investment fraud complaint. The victim reported investing approximately $100,000 with an individual who claimed to be a securities investor offering book keeping and income tax services. The suspect was found to be operating within the following areas: Grenville County, Leeds County, Rideau Lakes Township, the City of Brockville and the City of Kingston.

Although most investment advisers are honest, you still need to be careful in choosing who you invest with.

In Canada, anyone trading securities, or in the business of advising clients on securities, must be registered with the provincial or territorial securities regulator, unless an exemption applies. A securities regulator will only register firms and individuals if they meet their standards.

Before investing follow these simple steps:

Check registration

role is developing rules and guidelines that protect investors. The public is advised to Check before you invest | OSC.

Fraud Prevention Month

(in March) is about the fraud prevention community working together to create greater awareness, and to highlight the various ways that all Canadians are being targeted by fraud. By emphasizing the education component, Canadians can be better prepared.

vaccination information, visit www.EOHU.ca or call 1-800267-7120. Book your appointment at www.Ontario.ca/ bookvaccine or through a local pharmacy and primary health practitioner.

Since 2018, the Ontario government has invested over $1.5 billion in capital projects in education, including 76 new schools, 75 additions and renovations to existing facilities, and 4,908 new licensed childcare spaces. Locally, the province provided the Upper Canada District School Board with approval to proceed with the $6.6 million to tender for the Williamstown Public School addition. The project will add 121 elementary student spaces and upgrades to the existing facility to provide students with a new, quality learning environment. In addition, as part of $600 million to support ventilation improvements in schools across Ontario, the UCDSB received $5.9 million for ventilation improvements and has 1,996 HEPA filter units in place.

The Ontario government is providing over $28 million to help 322 small and rural municipalities find better and more efficient ways to deliver local services for residents and businesses. The funding is being delivered through the Municipal Modernization Program. The Counties and its townships, and the City of Cornwall received assistance to move ahead with several projects: to implement joint subdivision and site-plan documents, integrate public works permits, modernize general operations and administration, upgrade information technology and municipal websites, improve accessibility, and add new road patrol software. The funding allows municipalities to update their processes, saving taxpayers' dollars. Project funding amounts have not been released as it would compromise the process for future procurements.

The Ontario government is also investing $25 million to build, upgrade and rehabilitate storm and wastewater

The OPP and the Brockville Police Service (BPS) have identified five (5) additional victims, having lost an estimated $800,000. Due to the ongoing investigation, the name of the suspect and the company cannot be disclosed at this time, however investigators believe the suspect may be continuing to target possible investors.

How can investors protect themselves?

Being an informed investor is one of your best defences against investment frauds.

infrastructure. Critical storm and wastewater infrastructure in many municipalities are under pressure. Our government is making this crucial and much-needed investment to build storm and wastewater infrastructure necessary to ensure cleaner water and tackle the pollution and toxic overflows facing many communities across the province. This commitment will also invest $10 million to help 20 municipalities, including Cornwall and Hawkesbury, to upgrade sewage monitoring and public reporting capacity. It will launch a public consultation and release a draft guidance document to improve Ontario's wastewater and stormwater management and water conservation. The

Check disciplinary history

Check the news and search the internet

Check available tools and resources

Check investor alerts

For further information, check out: Are They Registered? - Canadian Securities Administrators (securitiesadministrators.ca).

Ontario Securities Commission (OSC):

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) regulates capital markets in Ontario, and an essential part of its

Anyone who suspects they have been the victim of cybercrime or fraud should report it to their local police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre's reporting system, or by phone at 1-888495-8501. If not a victim, report it to the Canadian AntiFraud Centre anyway.

The public is encouraged to engage in the conversation to help recognize, reject, and report fraud by using the hashtags #FraudFriday, #FPM2022, #kNOwFraud, #Take5, #Tell2, Twitter: @ canantifraud.

province also seeks input on a proposed subwatershed planning guide to help municipalities and other planning authorities with land use and infrastructure planning. With the Municipal Modernization Program, the new Streamline Development Approval Fund, and the Audit and Accountability Fund, our government is helping municipalities across the province make

their planning and approval processes more efficient to unlock and fast-track new housing to address the housing supply crisis.

Remember to follow public health guidelines, get vaccinated if you have not done so, and stay safe.

Regards,

Jim McDonell MPP for Stormont-DundasSouth Glengarry

Transportation Services accounts for nearly half of the Counties’ $66-million budget [Numbers show percentage of budget on each category]

The Food Corner

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville

I think it’s time we gave some room for more veggies. Particularly, the Everything Salad, a versatile way of introducing vegetables into our winter diet. The nice part about this salad is that you can enjoy playing with the ingredients; anything goes, as long as they suit your tastebuds and those of your family. It can be great for vegetarians and meat eaters alike; simply adjust accordingly. It also keeps well, so making a big batch is not wasteful. Give it a whirl.

The Everything Salad:

Ingredients for the Basic Salad

2 cups of Rotini pasta, cooked and drained

1 can of artichoke hearts, drained

1 cup of broccoli florets sliced

1 cup of Monterey Jack or white cheddar cheese

½ cup of green onions, sliced

3 hardboiled eggs, peeled, chilled and sliced (may also be pickled eggs, if you prefer)

Protein Additives:

You can choose among:

A small can of tuna or salmon, drained;

2 small skinless and boneless chicken breasts, poached, chilled and diced;

1 small beefsteak, fried, chilled and diced;

A half a dozen jumbo shrimp, slightly cooked, chilled and diced; Whatever else suits you e.g., tofu.

Dressing:

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ olive oil (or half and half olive and vegetable oil)

¼ red wine vinegar

3 good shakes of Worcestershire Sauce

1 tablespoon oregano and some freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon of sugar

Preparation:

1. Place all of the dressing ingredients in a blender and mix thoroughly. Taste the result and adjust by adding ingredients, such as spices.

2. For the salad, place everything you have chosen to include in a bowl and toss.

3. Slowly add the dressing to get an even coating; if too much, reserve excess dressing for another time.

4. Place in the fridge for a half hour and toss again. Then, serve.

Once again, this salad begs for a nice slice of Grahame’s Bakery bread and a chilled white wine.

We are now in count-down mode for spring 2022, starting on Sunday, 20 March! Please stay in touch. I can be reached at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

New Intake for the Rural Economic Development program

The Ontario government is launching a new intake of the Rural Economic Development (RED) program on February 7, 2022 to help build rural Ontario by investing in projects that boost economic opportunities in rural and Indigenous communities, create jobs and strengthen the labour force. Details of the intake were announced today by Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, at the 2022 Rural Ontario Municipal Association virtual annual conference.

“Our government understands rural communities have been affected by COVID-19. This targeted RED intake focuses on initiatives that will attract new residents and workers to rural communities across the province, while also creating opportunities for youth, workers and job seekers, and supporting innovative initiatives that position local

CROSSWORD

businesses on a successful path forward.”

This funding will support initiatives that address barriers to economic development and position rural communities for economic growth and job creation, such as:

- Marketing and outreach campaigns to grow rural Ontario’s workforce.

- Connecting youth and apprentices to job opportunities and placements.

- Creating dedicated spaces such as innovation hubs and youth centres to develop partnerships and foster innovation.

Minister Thompson also announced up to $3,847,999 in funding for 61 projects that have been selected through the previous RED intake. Funding from this intake is being used to help diversify local economies, retain skilled workers, and attract opportunities, workers, and investment to rural communities.

The RED program continues to support rural

communities as they respond to the local economic impacts of the pandemic by supporting actions that will address barriers to economic development, and better position rural communities for economic growth and job creation.

Applications for the new targeted RED intake will be accepted from February 7, 2022 to March 7, 2022. The Government of Ontario has committed more than $15.2 million to fund more than 287 economic development projects through the RED program since 2019.

Projects in the Economic Diversification and Competitiveness stream are eligible for up to 70% cost share, up to a maximum of $150,000 per approved project.

Projects in the Strategic Economic Infrastructure Stream are eligible for up to 50% cost share, up to a maximum of $250,000 per approved project.

North Dundas High report

CO2 Down to Earth 8

Going back to a Semester System

by Savannah Coleman, Minister of Communications

We are officially done the first half of the 2021-2022 school year! It hasn’t gone exactly how most of us had anticipated, but we pushed through it as the wonderful ND team that we are!

We entered the beginning of a semester system on Wednesday, February 2, with Tuesday, February 1, being a PA Day. The semester will run with a 5 period, 4 class day system. Students will have their first class of the day for 2 hours, followed by a 1-hour class, a 50-minute lunch, and 2 more 1-hour classes. The daily schedule changes every day, based on the order of classes; it will

take some getting used to, but, once everybody gets the hang of it, it will be a breeze. The order of classes is posted at every entrance of the school and is changed every morning for students to look at when they come into North Dundas. Students have received their timetable for the upcoming semester, as well as a schedule of the tumble order that we will be following.

North Dundas students and staff continue to keep their distance and follow the rules and guidelines that have been asked, to keep the spread at a minimum. As of right now, there are no extracurricular activities going on, but the student council are still planning spirit weeks and activities to participate in as a class to keep a positive vibe throughout the school.

An upcoming spirit week is Olympic week, where each class will be given a country or sport to represent and will have tasks to complete throughout the week – may the best team win!

On behalf of the ND Student Council, we wish everybody a smooth start to their semester! We can do it!

Send in your letters to the editor to editor@ndtimes.ca

Kin Club of Russell’s Catch the Ace launch sets local records

by the Kin Club of Russell

The Kin Club of Russell’s Catch the Ace 4 lottery is back and setting incredible local records! The first week of the lottery saw a weekly win awarded to Jim Cooper of Embrun of $5,216, an amount that took 28 weeks to achieve during Catch the Ace 3. The week one Catch the Ace 4 jackpot of $7,824 took the Kin Club ten weeks during Catch the Ace 3 to achieve.

Catch the Ace 4 chair, Doug Anthony, believes the jump in sales can be attributed to a number of significant factors; the quality of the six new charities, and their work to promote their causes – (Good Neighbours Food Bank (Township of Russell), Kin Club of Russell’s Storage Centre For Local Service Clubs and Charities, Osgoode Care Centre, Valoris Foundation, Victoria’s Quilts Canada, and WDMH Foundation); the increase in the price of tickets from $5.00 to $10.00 to match the majority of other Catch the Ace lotteries; the increase in retail locations selling paper tickets (from 11 to 32 generous retailers); and, finally, the loyalty and unwavering support of thousands of Catch the Ace enthusiasts and supporters trying to help their community.

For further details, please visit our updated website: https://kinclubofrussell.ca, or the Kin Club of Russell’s Facebook page. The website and Facebook page are updated on a regular basis.

For technical assistance in purchasing tickets, please contact us via email at russellkinhelpdesk@gmail.com. For all other inquiries, please contact us via email at kinclubofrussell@gmail.com.

Thank you everyone for your very generous support of this project!

Greening Green Energy

done with the massive stockpiles of radioactive waste already accumulated. So far, no certainty on this file.

Gas, replacing coal generation, is cleaner, but still produces CO2, and is not an adequate long- term solution.

enous wildflowers to enhance biodiversity.

by Philip Fry

After weeks of little response, I have been overwhelmed with informative and encouraging messages, some brief and focused, others full of exciting and detailed research. I have read the messages and replied, but have not had time to assemble all the data and points of view received. A few general issues stand out though; I will try to resume them, leaving many items for later discussion.

There is a decided mistrust in the manoeuvres of the Provincial government with regard to the energy needs of local and regional communities. (Need I recall the jail issue, as a confirmation of mistrust?)

There is also a strong trend to reject “mega-systems” in favour of local community control. This view is based on a number of factors, the main one being that the conditions for generating and transmitting electricity change from one landscape patchwork to another, differing significantly from locality to locality, so that those with local experience are best placed to know what is to be done. Also brought forward were: the disproportion between the amount of land required for solar and wind installations compared to their (intermittent) energy output, and the consequent impact of land loss on local well-being; the monocular vision of energy corporations, focused on profit (the “bottom line” and “dividends”) rather than on service to the community; and the transmission of power over long distances, seen as both environmentally and financially costly. Is it possible that “green energy” is not yet as “green” as it seems? If so, should we not be looking at ways to mitigate damage and proceed with caution?

According to the Ontario Energy Quarterly Q1, 2020, our provincial grid-connected generation capacity by fuel type is 34% nuclear, 29% gas, 32% hydro, 12% wind,

1% biofuel, and 1% solar. The claim that this consists in largely “clean energy” is considerably weakened when we notice that the measurement of emissions is limited to the point of electric generation, and does not include the effects of inputs, infrastructure, and transmission. If we include impacts on biodiversity as critical elements of “green energy” in our present dilemma, the messages sent to me paint an even more sombre picture.

Nuclear is clean, only if we ignore how uranium is mined, processed, and delivered to the 16 nuclear units at Bruce, Darlington, and Pickering, then blindfold ourselves about what is to be

Hydro relies on dams, which create large bodies of stagnant water upstream that destroy the habitat of biota dependent on running water, block the passage between upstream and downstream, and disrupt normal downstream flow. Much of the large-scale potential of provincial watersheds has already been exploited, but some small-scale use of submersible generators might be possible, if disruption of the site could be avoided.

Wind and solar largescale installations face considerable land use challenges. These problems are open to creative mitigation – extensive use of sites already bearing a “carbon footprint”, such as rooftops, for example – and the innovative design of solar and wind installations to permit market gardening, herding of small domestic animals, and planting indig-

The current embedded (local) generation capacity statistics for Ontario show an interesting shift in the grid percentages: solar jumps to 62% and wind to 17%, leaving the “big” provincial fuels far behind. This is the direction we need to go, but it will mean supplanting the “one focus, one use, and for profit” attitude with a community based, multiple use, biodiversity-friendly approach to land use.

Many of the adverse impacts of wind and solar can, I believe, be reduced by introducing mitigating conditions during the early planning stages of a project, and, if the site is already constructed, by negotiating appropriate interventions. We do not need chain link fences and warning signs surrounding large parcels of land in our patchwork landscape. Next time, I will discuss possible mitigating techniques.

If you have comments and suggestions, please contact me at: wildflowerguy@ gmail.com

"My daughter is turning

"

Brockville Solar Farm array in the snow. [Photo by Rachel Everett-Fry]

Winchester business bought by Delta Power Equipment

The Reis Equipment Center in Winchester, along with two other locations in Renfrew and Dunvegan, has been bought by Delta Power Equipment and will become part of that company’s fourteen stores across Ontario. Reis Equipment Center has been operating in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec for around forty years, with product lines such as Case IH and JCB.

“Like Delta Power Equipment, Reis Equipment Center has a legacy of providing outstanding service to customers,” says Cameron Currie, Delta Power Equipment’s General Sales Manager. “We look forward to building on our commitment of delivering the best support to farm and construction customers together.”

With the acquisition of Reis Equipment Center, Delta Power Equipment now operates eight Case IH dealerships across Ontario in addition to six New Holland dealerships. In addition to agricultural equipment, Delta Power Equipment’s stores also include teams focused on construction and powersport equipment.

The Winchester store will carry on business under the new name: Delta Power Equipment .

A wave of Heart Disease among Healthcare Workers?

There has always been a lot of heart in the practice of medicine – literally and figuratively. Typically, the focus is on the beating heart of the patient. But has the pandemic, unlike any challenge to the medical profession before, impacted the hearts of front-line healthcare workers themselves?

Medicine is “a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.” These words of Sir William Osler, a founding figure of modern medicine, were a warning as much as a motivation. A contemporary of Osler, Dr. Maude Abbott, a cardiac pathologist, was one of Canada’s earliest women in medicine. Her calling was challenged by refusal of entry to medical school. (She was barred from entrance to McGill’s medical program due to her gender. Bishop’s College graduated her in 1894.) But she was driven to be a doctor.

Are would-be doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals so keenly motivated today? That medicine requires emotional and physical fortitude is understood. But is there now a price to be paid in heart health?

Miners know that even with the best safety equipment, they are often working in dangerous environments. Bus drivers know the sedentary nature of their jobs can place them at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Test pilots are probably most acutely aware that their jobs could kill them. But do healthcare

Baldwin's Birds

Our ground feeding Juncos continue to visit, a lovely sight with their dark grey back feathers and their distinctive brilliant white bellies and yellow beaks. The Robin that I mentioned in one of my articles doesn't seem to be in the garden anymore, but quite a number of you have seen other ones in their own Kemptville neighborhoods, so they are still around to be seen.

workers know the calculus? How are emerging trainees perceiving their future?

In 1945, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that “physicians die of coronary-artery disease at the same age as the average person with the disease.” Since then, it would seem doctors got healthier. In pre-pandemic 2019, JAMA Network published a study showing the “incidence of cardiovascular death was 52% lower among physicians than the general population.”

Medical careers have always involved long hours and stressful situations. But the pandemic has resulted in extreme exhaustion for many healthcare workers.

According to Dr. Susan R. Bailey, the president of the American Medical Association. “A lot of physicians were hanging on by a thread from burnout before the pandemic even started.”

Now, new research is showing a relationship between chronic stress and heart disease. A study published last year in JAMA Psychiatry reported that people who suffered from four or more depressive symptoms were 20% more likely to experience cardiovascular disease or death. What are some of these symptoms? Uncomfortable emotional stress that persists. Situations that generate a sense of dread or anxiety. Traumatic life experiences. These may be the symptoms of patients with PTSD, anxiety disorders, or depression. But they also read like the ev-

eryday work environment of our frontline healthcare workers.

Time will tell the outcome, but this research suggests that pandemicera workers in the health sector are at increased risk of heart disease. Doctors should know the benefits of prevention. But they are trained in treatment.

So a word of advice. For many, chronic stress isn’t going to evaporate anytime soon. In the interim, the best way to take care of the heart is to arm that most precious of muscles with the ingredients needed for long-term performance. That is, regular exercise and rest, balanced nutrition, and a daily maintenance routine.

Keep arteries clear of plaque build up. Vitamin C in high doses, combined with lysine, lowers cholesterol levels for a safe, natural defence force against heart disease and an alternative to drugs.

Next week, a refresher to readers about the Omega 3 Index, a way to measure your personal risk factors for heart disease. And later this month, a personal celebration of a quarter century since a life-threatening heart attack.

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By John Baldwin

friends! Their natural food not being evident means that they have to turn to us for a bit more support. The Gold Finches certainly seem to think so, and are busy on our Nyjer seed feeder all day long.

I heard a Nuthatch today, but haven't seen too much of the Woodpeckers over the last few days, or the Mourning Doves and Bluejays - maybe someone else has got tastier treats than I do! It’s probably only a temporary lull in their feeding habits and we'll see them back again soon. The same goes for the squirrels too, but, then again, they are not quite so welcome as the birds! Still, live and let live. I hope that you are getting to see your fair share of our garden birds. Enjoy and stay safe and well.

Cheers, John Baldwin.

Seaway Surge gearing up for a full season of baseball

The Seaway Surge Baseball Club is back on the field this weekend, as teams prepare for their first full season of baseball since 2019. There is much to be excited about this year, as Seaway Surge Rep Teams from 13U ‘AA’ and older begin their indoor training at the Russell Sports Dome in preparation for the season. Players will be working with their NCCP accredited Coaches on conditioning and refining their baseball skills in order to prepare for a full season ahead.

Younger players from 9U to 13U ‘A’ are invited to stay tuned to our website and Facebook page for tryout announcements for the 2022 summer season. Tryouts are expected to be held indoors sometime in March.

The Seaway Shootout Tournament returns this year on several weekends in July where players from 9U to 22U will compete with teams from all over Ontario and Quebec. Games will be played in communities across the Seaway area, including Kemptville, Brockville, Morrisburg, Chesterville,

Winchester, and Merrickville.

The Seaway Surge will also be hosting the 2022 15U Provincials, bringing a high level of competition to the area on Labour Day Weekend. Baseball news is not limited to our competitive programs, as House League is set to return for its second year under the Surge banner. Registration details and more information will be released online in the near future.

“We are excited to welcome back our Seaway Surge families for a full season of baseball. We have a busy season ahead, and the Executive continues to work behind the scenes to ensure quality baseball programs are available to everyone regardless of skill level”, said Jason Broad, President of

the Seaway Surge Baseball Club.

To learn more about our programs, volunteer, or learn how to become an umpire, please join us virtually at our Information Night on Wednesday, February 23, at 7:30 p.m. More information is available online on our website and Facebook page.

www.seawaysurge.com

www.seawayshootout.com

Facebook: Seaway Surge Baseball Club Inc.

With the quick change from a deep freeze to a lot more welcome and warmer snowy time, the coating of snow on the trees and shrubs seems to be a little off-putting to some of our feathered