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The Voice of North Dundas

Vol 5, No 3

February 8, 2024

Illegal dumping on Gypsy Lane continues

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Garbage in the ditch of the Gypsy Lane trail near Belanger Road. Photo by Pam De Vries.

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Lane trail in Winchester’s chester and close to BeCritical Illness Insurance south end has become langer Road. The garbage so problematic that it is littered around paints the Group Benefits certainly not the doing picture of disgruntled resiof just a few individuals. dents who are angered Group RRSP Rather, it would appear when those working their -Life Insurance -Disability Insurance that many individuals garbage route refuse to -Critical Ilness Insurance have now decided to use collect extra bags beyond -Group Contact us Benefi todaytsfor a -Group RRSP the ditch along the trail no obligation the established limit. This Fax:quote!

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hoc landfill.

Other sections of the trail – including the stretch west of St. Lawrence St. that extends to County Road 31 – are littered with trash as well. It’s not just standard household trash in bags. Larger items such as furniture can be found as well, as can some chemical waste such as paint cans.

Perhaps the most troubling part of finding garbage along Gypsy Lane is the simple fact that the Boyne Road Landfill is so close by. For 5 minutes of driving and a small fee, the trash could have been

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disposed of properly. Why the disrespect for our own recreational areas?

It’s possible that the illegal dumping is not being committed by local residents, but rather by people from outside of the Township. However, this seems unlikely due to the magnitude of the problem.

Instead, the best explanation is that Gypsy Lane has become a well-known location where one can dump excess trash for free with little chance of being caught. Suggestions have been made of putting up trail cams in the area to catch any illegal dumping in progress.

The Township was contacted for information on plans to address the Gypsy Lane trash problem, including steps to enforce bylaws, and any plans for cleanup. However, the Times’ inquiry was redirected, and a response was not received from the relevant department head by deadline. Any updates that are received will be reported in the next issue. In the meantime, it may be up to community-minded volunteers to restore Gypsy Lane to its former beauty.

The only question is: How long will it last?

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The North Dundas Times

“Turkey Bowl” challenge strikes again at Chesterville Bowling Chesterville Bowling will be participating in this year’s “Turkey Bowl” event.

Think Turkey and Bowl Canada have teamed up once again to bring the Turkey Bowl challenge to bowling centres across Canada this February, with $17,500 in prizes to be won.

Canadians are invited to visit their closest participating bowling centre for a chance to win from February 17th to 19th, a holiday weekend in most provinces.

The challenge remains the same: bowlers must score a “turkey” – known in bowling as three strikes in a row in a single game.

Canadians who bowl a turkey and submit their entry will be entered in a draw to receive one of 250 $50 Visa gift cards as well

as a grand prize of one of ten $500 grocery gift cards to use towards their next turkey dinner.

“Last year we saw unprecedented attendance at bowling centres during the Turkey Bowl weekend, with hundreds of thousands of bowlers across the country participating in the challenge,” said Bob McKay, Marketing Chair at Bowl Canada. “We’re delighted to continue our partnership with Think Turkey again this year and invite families to enjoy some friendly competition.”

Approximately 300 bowling centres are expected to participate in the challenge from coast to coast.

To submit an entry, bowlers simply snap a picture of their “turkey” on the digital scoreboard and share to a public

Instagram or Facebook account with @CanadianTurkey and #ThinkTurkey tagged or upload it via the contest entry form at ThinkTurkey.ca/TurkeyBowl.

To get in the spirit, bowlers can fuel up for the challenge with turkey menu items like turkey nachos and turkey hot dogs available at select participating bowling centres.

“We were thrilled with the participation and excitement for Turkey Bowl in 2023 and look forward to bringing it back,” said Darren Ference, Chair, Turkey Farmers of Canada. “We hope bowlers take the opportunity to try the delicious turkey menu items at their local bowling centre.”

Last year’s Turkey Bowl resulted in record-high numbers with approximately

648,500 bowlers over the course of the long weekend.

The inaugural Turkey Bowl saw 729 Canadians bowl a turkey and enter for their chance to win prizes.

“A turkey dinner brings family and friends together, and so does bowling!” said Mark Hubert, President and CEO, Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors. “We hope this fun challenge becomes an annual tradition for years to come.”

A full list of participating bowling centres, along with the details and rules on how to enter, can be found at ThinkTurkey.ca/TurkeyBowl. The list of participating bowling centres will be updated daily in the lead up to Turkey Bowl, so be sure to visit before you bowl.

Former “Big Mamas” owners discuss challenges of restaurant business

major credit cards are fully paid for by fees charged to the business owners who accept the cards as a form of payment. The Big Mama’s duo didn’t feel like they had the option not to accept credit cards in a digital world, but the associated fees hit them where it hurt.

Many customers – who are undoubtedly feeling the pressures of the current economy as well – were seeking deals. The Big Mama’s team tried very hard to deliver in this regard, offering a 16” pizza for just $19. This deal resulted in a financial loss, but was intended to bring customers in. Unfortunately, the deal was too good and ate away at profits.

Now, several weeks after Big Mama’s ceased operations, its former owner and her mother are now doing everything possible to avoid a consumer proposal or bankruptcy as they continue to make payments on debts that the

The now closed Big Mama’s Kitchen in Chesterville.

by Brandon Mayer The mother and daughter duo that ran the popular but shortlived Chesterville restaurant called “Big Mamas Kitchen” are speaking out about the challenges of being in the restaurant business. Big Mamas announced its permanent closure on January 15.

The restaurant’s owner – and her mother, with February 8, 2024

whom she ran the business – wished not to have their names in print.

Big Mamas had many loyal customers, being located in a prime spot on Chesterville’s Main Street, next to the pharmacy and across from the town’s only gas station.

“What we found hardest was the rent, and the cost of the food,” the Times heard from the Big Mama’s duo. “It’s everything – the bills have gone

up!” Increases to the business’ electric bill and gas bill also impacted the bottom line significantly. Ultimately, the business was losing money, with every penny being made going straight to bills.

One lesser-known expense that the owners encountered was bank fees associated with customers who pay with credit cards. Many consumers don’t realize that rewards programs associated with 2

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business incurred.

It wasn’t just costs of food, rent, and bank fees that hurt the restaurant’s bottom line. A large deep fryer fire shut the business down for a week due to the fear and trauma it caused to the restaurant team (not to mention the replacement costs of the fryer).

Plans for the future for the former Big Mama’s duo include possibly reopening the restaurant, but in a more populated

area. They reported that their former location has already been leased to someone who intends to try his own hand at the restaurant business. The Big Mama’s Kitchen duo wishes him the best of luck. Meanwhile, their experience has taught them about the difficulties of running a small business in a very tough economy, not just locally, but across Canada. www.ndtimes.ca

Editorial

The something of nothing

by Brandon Mayer

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a newspaper editorial as “a newspaper article written by or on behalf of an editor that gives an opinion on a topical issue”.

This is something I myself learned only after I began to work for the Times. The Times team described editorials to me as a platform for the editor to comment on the issues of the week and the “state of things” that are locally important.

I’ve always seen it as an “introduction” to the current issue, even though it isn’t on the front page.

There have been many times when we are working on an issue (or even before we start working on an issue) that something has me so hyped up that I know right away what the editorial will be. Other times, I sit around thinking about it. Or I talk to local people and ask

The Voice of North Dundas

The North Dundas Times

them what is on their mind.

Or I peruse public forums, and sometimes I even just drive around and check for “anything new”.

Allow me to break down the fourth wall of journalism – this week, there was simply nothing that caught my imagination for an editorial! After going through my usual motions and coming up dry, I decided in total desperation to get up from my desk in the Times’ Winchester office and stare out the window at the traffic rolling by on Main St E. Perhaps I genuinely held onto the hope that “thoughts on the state of things” would fly up and smack the window.

This isn’t how it’s supposed to be! I’m not supposed to be confessing in my editorial that I couldn’t think of an editorial to write. How absurd, and yet, dare I say… amusing?

There is nothing to do in such a situation besides turning the absence of a

story into a story. Don’t we small town dwellers love it when nothing happens and nothing changes? Isn’t that what makes us love where we live? If I had looked out my office window at Main St E and seen an elephant parade, I may have been grateful for a sensational story, but certainly not for the shake up in my beloved town!

Do I want a Walmart to be built in the field off Gypsy Lane, causing traffic congestion and hurting the overall “feel” of North Dundas? Do I want a beloved local business to close? Do I want someone to lose their home or business to a fire?

No… no… and definitely not.

But then again, it was only two weeks ago that I was writing an editorial demanding progress. Am I now backtracking? Have I changed my mind? On the contrary… there is a difference between looking

toward North Dundas’ future and wanting controlled and manageable growth and progress, versus being glad that in a given two week period, the feces hasn’t collided with the ceiling mounted cooling device (the original saying is not family friendly).

There is always something to complain about, for those who are determined to look for such negativity. As I write this, I can hear the Main St E traffic from inside the Times office, and some vehicles race so fast down the street that you can hear their speed without having to see it. That’s certainly complaint worthy. In fact, I have often thought about the problem of speeding on our roads, and whether it is something that has been a problem since cars first hit the streets last century, or if it’s a steadily growing problem. If the latter, is it because people are busier now? Many people work

two jobs, they can hardly be blamed for wanting to get home sooner and enjoy what precious little downtime they have. Or could it be due to diminishing respect for others? Yes in hindsight, this could have been an editorial, but complaints about speeding motorists… have been done already.

There is also so much to be positive about. I am… dare I say… obsessed with my community. I love everything about North Dundas. And yet the positive things I have to say are based on personal experiences. I love working at a local elementary school where I have so many little buddies. I love owning property and raising a family here. I love going to Foodland or Mike Deans or Ricks Gas Bar or any number of other local stores and restaurants and chatting with 20 people I know. But this discussion… has also been done already. I would much rather

Beware of fake Ontario Energy Board visits Residents in Eastern Ontario have reported phone calls by individuals claiming to be from the Ontario Energy Board. The OPP have issued a warning to residents to be aware of this scam. The OEB does not engage and is not involved in any type of sales activity.

Typically, the individuals will contact a homeowner by way of telephone requesting to attend the residence in order to conduct a green energy assessment to qualify for a green energy rebate. Once in the home, the representative will use high pressure sales tactics to have the homeowner purchase products and services in order to qualify for a rebate.

Service scams continue to pose a threat to Ontario consumers and businesses.

Door-to-door salespeople can use high pressure tactics and can be aggressive in nature. Consumers may find themselves in a situation where they purchase a product or sign up for a

service contract they neither need nor want.

In 2018, Ontario banned unsolicited door-to-door sales of certain household appliances to better protect consumers from aggressive and misleading contracting at home. The new rules apply to air cleaners, air conditioners, air purifiers, duct cleaning services, furnaces, water filters, water heaters, water purifiers, water softeners, water treatment devices as well as bundles of these goods and services.

In 2017, Ontario banned energy retailers from signing up customers for an energy contract while at their homes to give consumers the ability to make choices about their energy supply at their own pace and with better information.

How can you prevent yourself from becoming a victim?

- Ask for photo ID, get the name of the person and the name of the company or charity they represent; - Be sure to get it in writing, ask for literature

1-888-495-8501 (toll-free) or report online at www. antifraudcentre.ca. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) Know your rights un-

and don't feel pressured to make a decision on the spot; - Never share any personal information or copies of any bills or financial statements; - Research before you invest. Don't sign anything and always read the fine print; - An energy retailer cannot sign you up for an energy contract while they are at your home. For more information about the rules that energy retailers must follow, visit: https://www. oeb.ca/knockknock.

- For other contracts signed within the home, you have a cooling off period.

For example, consumers in Ontario have the right to cancel a contract for any reason within a 10-day cooling off period. For water heater contracts, there is a 20-day cooling off period; and If you believe you have become a victim of fraud, contact your local police service and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at

culverts

ISSN 2291-0301 www.ndtimes.ca

The North Dundas Times is published bi-weekly by North Grenville Times Inc.

Nanda Wubs Huizenga Marketing Consultant nanda@ndtimes.ca 613.223.9765 February 8, 2024

OFFICE 613-215-0735 Editor Brandon Mayer editor@ndtimes.ca 613-215-0735

Accounting Pat Jessop cfo@ngtimes.ca

der the Consumer Protection Act, at: www.ontario. ca/page/your-rights-under-consumer-protection-act

read other experiences from locals (letters to the editor are always welcome!) rather than regurgitating my same fluffy drivel over and over again and hoping no one notices.

This is why today, I have settled on writing about nothing. Instead of worrying about the bad, the good, and the ugly, I am celebrating the non-existent. There have been no disasters, no mind blowing changes, and no uprooting of the quaint, wonderful life that most of us appreciate here in North Dundas. And yet that is something in and of itself.

The something of nothing – the news of the fact that our community keeps on ticking, with the humour and joy of “nothing ever happens around here” ringing in everyone’s ears as they “catch up” in the grocery store with someone they saw yesterday. “Nothing” can be just as exciting as “something” in a small town.

Oh and… since we have already broken down the fourth wall of journalism today, allow me to formally welcome you to the February 8, 2024 issue of the North Dundas Times. Enjoy!

Production production@ndtimes.ca 613-215-0735

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Mailing Address P.O. Box 1854 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0

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Council update

by Brandon Mayer Township of North Dundas Council met for a regularly scheduled Council meeting on February 1. The meeting opened with a brief presentation of a proposed vacation policy change for Township staff. The change – which recommends that staff plan their vacation for the year before April each year, when possible – was quickly passed.

Next, a water units allocation request from the Lactalis factory on Gordon Street in Winchester was considered. Council members were in agreement that while the water units request was acceptable, it should be Lactalis paying for it since they are a successful business (Lactalis had requested relief from the $14,000 cost). The Lactalis plant is the largest cheese factory in Canada.

Fire Chief Kreg Raistrick asked for a formal approval of a previously discussed policy of paying firefighters for a minimum of 2 hours for the

first emergency call of a given calendar day. This policy was proposed to help ensure enough firefighters respond to each call. The policy was approved.

After the discussion of a Delegated Authority Bylaw which assigns responsibility of certain duties to help add clarity to existing policies, Council heard an overview of this year’s draft municipal budget from the Township’s treasurer, John Gareau.

There are increases from last year in many parts of the draft budget, due in large part to the increased cost of many goods and services because of high inflation.

An error last year incorrectly identified some farm properties as residential properties, the latter of which have higher tax rates. This impacted financial numbers from last year, as well as causing an unintentional exaggeration of the amount of residential growth for budgeting purposes locally. The growth in this year’s draft budget there-

November break-in at storage facility has no leads

by Brandon Mayer Police are without investigative leads when it comes to a break-in of several storage containers at Mini Mall Storage in Winchester last November.

Photos posted to social media have recently documented the occurrence of locks being cut off storage lockers at the location. However, according to OPP Officer Serge Duguay, the break-in happened on November 1 around 7:15pm.

“Locks were cut off using a grinder,” said Officer Duguay. He reported that the file is now closed because there is insufficient evidence to proceed, with suspects unknown.

Anyone with information regarding this break in, including suspicious vehicles or people seen in the area at the time, can contact the SD&G OPP at 1-888-310-1122. If someone wishes to remain anonymous, they can call Seaway Valley Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You can also submit a TIP online at seawayvalleycrimestoppers.ca – you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.

count for inflation. This matter was left for discussion on another day.

Council must also consider a request from Dundas Manor to have their municipal taxes written off at a cost to the Township of $25,000 per year, which would cost the Township $75,000 initially due to backdating.

Next, Chief Raistrick gave an update on the fire budget for the year, which has some increases in terms of investing in new firefighters and training. Director Calvin Pol then gave a breakdown of the expenses in the Development Services department.

Director Jamie Cheney provided the update for the Public Works department, which is the department with the largest budget. He explained that the Township owes some money for previous bridge replacements, including the Cayer Road bridge. There are about 10 culvert replacement projects that need to be budgeted for in the near future. There is well over $1 million for road main-

fore shows as a negative number, but only because of the correction of last year’s error. In reality, growth for this year is 1.15%.

Property taxes are proposed to increase by 14.7% this year, or an additional $12.29 per month per $1,000 of last year’s annual tax bill. John pointed out that there are potential financial difficulties for the Township in the years ahead due to the costs associated with servicing debt.

Department representatives then took turns presenting draft budget highlights for their own departments. The “general government” proposed expenses from the office of the CAO include $160,000 for office upgrades, $25,000 for maintenance at Brown’s Cemetery, and $50,000 per year for Dundas Manor until 2029, among others.

Donations from Council to local organizations are also included in “general government”, and Mayor Tony Fraser suggested discussing increases to these donations to ac-

tenance and repairs in the draft budget for this year.

Deputy Mayor Theresa Bergeron had some questions for Director Cheney. For example, she questioned whether a proposed speed limit reduction to 40km/h for residential settlements in the Township is necessary for this year, due to the $35,000 cost for the signs.

The Deputy Mayor made it clear that she wants the change made, but questions the timing. Director Cheney explained that an agreement with the Counties may lower the cost of the signage.

Director Meaghan Meerburg of the Recreation and Culture department was up next.

The draft 2024 budget includes money set aside for municipal building repairs and upgrades, as

well as playground equipment for 3 playparks in the Township. Director Meerburg also pointed out that there are upgrades to the Winchester and Chesterville pools that must be completed before the season opens.

Finally, Director Danielle Ward of the Environmental Services department gave her presentation. Budget items for her department included changes due to the shifting of recycling responsibility to the producers of packaging, and expenses related to the expansion of the Boyne Road Landfill. The water and sewer portion of this budget was not included in the February 1 presentation.

More in-depth budget considerations will be made during the February 29 Council meeting.

23rd Annual Chesterville Spin In The 23rd Annual Chesterville Spin In will take place Sat Feb 3, 2024 at the Chesterville Royal CDN Legion Branch 434. Doors are open from 9-4. Tickets are $7.00 & children under 12yrs free. Door prizes are drawn throughout the day.

There are 17 vendors onsite and the theme for the day is Jacob & Icelandic sheep. A speaker will talk about Icelandic Sheep shortly after 10am and attendees will “Show & Tell” the items they have made using the theme of Jacob & Icelandic sheep. Heritage Breeds Canada will be in attendance as well. Many spinners/knitters/crafters bring their lunch and visit for the day, so there is lots of free advice for anyone interested in learning more about these subjects.

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Close to the edge

by David Shanahan The organisation, REAL Women of Canada (acronym for Realistic, Equal, Active, for Life), has released a statement calling for an audit on Federal Indigenous Funding, claiming that the Trudeau government “is pouring billions and billions of dollars into a bottomless sack held out by Indigenous activists with no accountability”.

The statement is typical of the general understanding among Canadians of the position of Indigenous peoples, and reflects the false idea that “Indians get everything for nothing”.

The REAL perception of the state of Indigenous societies in Canada contains true, half-true, and totally false statements which only serve to add confusion and increased prejudice on the subject. If there is one issue in Canada that desperately needs clarification and dependable information, it’s the whole issue of CanadianIndigenous relations, the oldest relationship we have in this country.

The REAL Women statement compares federal funding on Indigenous peoples with that spent in the federal budget: “Canada's federal budgeted expenditures for 2023-2024 are estimated at $10 thousand per Canadian but Indigenous Department expenditures are expected to be $27 thousand per Indigenous person”. This almost implies that each and every Indigenous person in Canada is getting $27,000 from the Canadian Government. But

a great deal of the funds involved is going to pay for the bureaucracy that has grown up to administer Indigenous affairs, including two full government departments and various social and cultural organisations and initiatives.

The statement states that: “These grants were not made on the basis of evidence or proof of actual harm, a standard required by the courts, but were based on the proposition that all government policies relating to the Indigenous were made with genocidal intent”. This is very misleading, even completely false. There are Treaties, signed in good faith by various Nations, and usually not implemented fully by the Crown, which require funding for Indigenous peoples in return for the vast lands, minerals, fish, timber and other natural resources ceded to the Crown across Canada.

They are not grants, they are treaty obligations.

Another area misrepresented by the REAL Women statement concerns the topic of unmarked graves connected to Residential School across Canada. On the one hand, the statement correctly points out something not understood by most Canadians, largely thanks to the very dramatic and misleading stories published in the media. There have been no missing graves discovered, no hidden mass graves, not a single body discovered that was not already recorded in official death certificates, reports, and school records.

The statement points out that: “These death certificates indicated that the children

Nanda Wubs Huizenga Marketing Consultant nanda@ndtimes.ca 613.223.9785 ww.ndtimes.ca

who had died while students at the residential schools had all died because of disease or accidents and were buried either on their home reserves or on hospital property”.

However, the statement goes on to talk about the amount of money being provided by the Canadian government to help communities locate and record where their children, who died whilst registered at a Residential School, are buried. The statement claims that “Only one Indigenous band, the Pine Creek band in Manitoba, actually carried out a search for the graves. It found no evidence of buried bodies or that any crimes had been committed. No other band has undertaken a search for the ‘missing graves’”.

This is completely false.

For example, three communities in Ontario have hired consultants to research the location of their children’s graves. I, myself, am working on two school cemeteries, on Manitoulin Island and the North Shore of Lake Huron (though not using government funding to do so). The real problem here is that a number of non-Indigenous companies are making a great deal of money by claiming to be able to “bring the children home”, even where no children are lost in the records.

Finally, the statement deals with the National Inquiry for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Two sentences follow each other in the REAL Women statement, to show doubt about the Inquiry’s Report: “According to Chief Commissioner, Marion Buller, there was a ‘deliberate race, identity and gender-based genocide’. In December 2023, Statistics Canada reported that nearly all of the murdered women (86%) were killed by Indigenous men”. Was it “genocide”, or internal community violence? If the women are missing, how can anyone

know who killed them?

The conclusion of the REAL Women statement lays the blame for everything at the feet of Indigenous people, ignoring the very real impact of history, colonisation, the Indian Act, and decade after decade of racial and ethnic discrimination: “It is simplistic to blame Aboriginal crime and violence on suffering due to ill treatment by society.

However, there seems to be something seriously disturbing about Indigenous culture that may be the cause of so many social calamities – a noticeable absence of stable family life”.

The only simplistic thing here is the conclusions of this statement. Reality tells a very different story, and Canadians need to know the truth, not the half-truths, or outright falsehoods. The real truth will paint no picture of saintly victims and evil bureaucrats: the truth is never that simple. But until Canadians know the facts, the history, the reality of Indigenous history in this country, there will be no Truth or Reconciliation. We all deserve better.

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Farm organizations benefit from diverse perspectives

by Clint Cameron, Director, OFA I’ve been involved in the agriculture community in various ways throughout my entire life, and this past fall, I stepped into a new role as a director on the provincial board of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA).

It’s an exciting challenge and I’m keen to put my skills and experiences to work for Ontario’s farming sector. My background is a little different than that of most of my fellow board members, but that’s precisely where I believe I can help make a difference and bring some new perspectives to the OFA’s advocacy efforts and collaborative partnership building. Let me tell you how I got there.

I was raised on a farm near Cardinal, a small Eastern Ontario com-

munity on the shores of the St Lawrence between Brockville and Cornwall.

I grew up haying and working as a relief milker on the many dairy farms in our area, as well as riding, showing and judging Quarter Horses on the U.S and Eastern Canadian show circuit until I was in my 20s.

After graduating from the University of Ottawa with a degree in criminology and administration, I worked at Newell, maker of popular brands like Rubbermaid and Coleman, for a few years before joining Ottawa-based Nortel as part of their global program management team, where I had responsibilities for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific Rim. It was during this time I also completed a postgraduate program in finance at the Smith School of Business at

Queen’s University.

My next career move brought me back to my roots with a senior position at Casco – now Ingredion – a corn, starch, sugar and animal feed processor in my hometown of Cardinal, where I was responsible for procurement, operations and inbound logistics.

In 2016, I left the corporate world and returned full-time to my family’s farming roots, which includes growing corn, soybeans and hay on about 500 acres, and supporting my mom, Bonnie Cameron, with her spotted and dappled Boer goat breeding business. I also bought a local custom agricultural services business, where we specialize in custom farm work and land clearing activities.

Around that same time, I became a local director on the board of the Grenville Federa-

tion of Agriculture. I’ve been a supporter of OFA and its work my whole life – you could say that Farms and Food Forever is engrained in my family – so it seemed like a natural thing to do to become more involved in the industry.

Last year, I was approached by my predecessor about letting my name stand for a spot on the provincial OFA board representing farmers in the counties of Dundas, Frontenac, Grenville and Leeds. It was an opportunity for me to step out of the tractor cab and be involved in the agri-food sector in a new way.

The strength of an organization lies in the diversity of perspectives among its leadership.

Our board members raise livestock, grow crops, run on-farm stores for consumers or agricultural supply businesses, are

involved with municipal politics and local fall fairs, or have specialized expertise in fields like agronomy, for example.

We each also bring our personal networks to the board table, whether that’s relationships with politicians, or involvement in other organizations. Last year, for example, I also became a member of the management committee at the Port of Johnstown, one of Eastern Ontario’s premier ports for truck, sea and rail shipping and receiving of grains, salt, aggregate and cargo.

As we were all quickly reminded of last fall during the St. Lawrence Seaway strike, our agri-food sector and indeed our entire provincial economy depends heavily on wellresourced and well-func-

tioning infrastructure, which includes our ports and marine transport.

Farmers make up on a small percentage of our population, yet the work that we do is essential in keeping our society functioning smoothly, from producing food and fuel to creating jobs and maintaining the economic and social fabric of communities away from Ontario’s major urban centres. To me, that means we also have a responsibility to preserve – and grow – agriculture to the best of our abilities. That’s the goal of the OFA, and as one of 18 voices around our board table, I am proud to represent the farmers in my area and support our collective advocacy, collaboration and partnership efforts.

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Barbers trained to spot troubled minds

Is necessity or curiosity the mother of innovation?

Sometimes, good old common sense is the driving factor, and there will be no Nobel Prize for seeing the obvious. That, however, is what’s behind a new development in barber shops and hair salons.

What’s the buzz? It’s that barbers and hairdressers are be trained to detect mental health problems among the clients sitting in their chairs. It makes perfect sense. People regularly confide in their trusted barber or hairdresser the most personal details of their lives. And these chats are enough to detect signs of troubled mental health.

With a small amount of training, hair stylists can help direct their customers to sources of support.

Using barbers and hairdressers as a portal to mental health assistance appears to be a growing trend in several countries including the U.K, U.S., and Canada. As Daniel Reale-Chin recently reported in The Globe and Mail, groups like Black Mental Health Canada (BMHC) are training barbers to become first responders to members of their communities. BMHC deserves credit for apply-

ing a little common sense, something as uncommon these days as the dodo bird.

Past Gifford-Jones columns have lauded taxicab drivers for having more old-fashioned horse sense than some doctors. Taxicab drivers and barbers are often wise philosophers and astute observers. They usually talk about and pass along sound opinions on many current affairs. Importantly, they are experienced in listening. There’s no doubt they can be effective in detecting early symptoms of stress, unusual behaviour, and mental anguish among their customers.

One of the great problems of mental illness is the stigma and fear of others knowing that you’re suffering from this problem. It will always be the stumbling block to early diagnosis. But being in a barber’s chair or sitting in a hairdressing salon is the right atmosphere to allow those with mental difficulties to unwind and inform their barber, or hairdresser, that something is disturbing their well being.

Moreover, many people build a trusted relationship with their hair stylist. You can talk about what’s eating you day after day without the whole world knowing.

The very fact that your normally polished exterior is removed in the salon mirror while having your hair done may facilitate the sense of a reality check. The trusted barber offers a private, safe place to hint that you’re not as calm and collected on the outside as it appears when the polish is on.

Alice Wiafe is a registered psychotherapist and president of BMHC. The aim of this charity is to improve mental health within the Black community. As reported by Real-Chin, she says that the number of Black people suffering from mental health challenges is even higher than found in surveys like the one conducted by Statistics Canada, in which 27.9 per cent of Black visible-minority respondents self-reported fair or poor mental health compared with 22.9 per cent of white respondents.

Wiafe notes, Black people need a little prodding to tell the truth about their mental health.

Taking the initiative to see a mental health specialist, or finding such services, can be a real roadblock. So training barbers, hairdressers, taxicab drivers, and even bartenders to help address this problem is an innovative move. BMHC trains barbers and hairdressers to tread carefully on this matter. They should only discuss mental health if they sense clients want to discuss what troubles them.

Now the key is to make sure sufficient services are available to handle the certain uptick in demand and referrals.

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Follow us on Instagram @ docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones.

Rollercoaster win for the Senior Rockets

by Murray Link In a potential first round playoff preview, the North Dundas Senior Rockets needed a full 60 minutes of play to overtake the South Grenville Rangers 7-6 on Saturday, February 3rd. In front of a packed house, the league leading Rockets (18-1) took on the fourth place South Grenville Rangers (9-9) in a Rollercoaster game which saw lead changes throughout the entire game.

The first period saw two quick goals by Mike Byrd and Brad Stitt to put the home team up 2-0. Broydon Stufko responded mid-way through the game to bring the Rangers within one.

Shots on goal after the first were 19-6 and it looked as if the Rockets were in control.

The second period looked much the same as the first as veteran forward Todd Marcellus netted a power play goal early with assists going to defenseman Shawn Moors and forward Ryan Lough. Lough wasn’t done putting his name on the score sheet as he ripped one past the goalie mid way into the second period making it a 4-1 game at the halfway point.

In the latter part of the second period and into the third, the Rockets found themselves in penalty trouble and the Rangers responded big with 5 unanswered goals to put the visiting team up 6-4 with 9 minutes remaining in the game. When asked about the onslaught of Rangers goals, the Rockets head coach responded “I think it was a case of the dreaded 3 goal lead”. In hockey, a 3 goal lead is considered the most dangerous because at that point, player mindset becomes relaxed and they

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7

play a different style of game. “I think our guys took the lead for granted and didn’t take the play to them and ultimately paid the price,” the coach added.

Down by two goals in the later stages of the game, the two time defending EOSHL champions found themselves in uncharted territory having to try to come back from a two goal deficit.

Things didn’t look good as Ryan Lough’s name graced the score sheet again, but this time taking a hooking penalty at the 9:45 mark. In a turn of fate, Chris Kushneriuk scored short-handed while killing Lough’s penalty and made it a 6-5 game.

It was at that point that the crowd started cheering non stop during play and the momentum seemed to be in the Rockets favour. With an offensive blitz during the last five minutes of play, the home team were bailed out by newcomer Marc-Andre Labelle, who scored his first goal in the cream and red jersey to tie the game up with 2:22 minutes remaining

on the clock.

Labelle, who is a two time EOSHL MVP, was added to the Rockets roster at the trade deadline and is certainly earning his keep.

With the game tied 6-6, the crowd were still on their feet anticipating overtime, until Rockets captain and Chesterville native, Derek Froats blasted past the Rangers defense in a last ditch attempt to win the game and snuck the puck by the goaltender to score the game winning goal with 1:37 remaining on the clock. “I thought the roof was going to come off of the barn,” exclaimed Froats.

“The fans in Chesterville are the best in the league.”

With the win, the Rockets remain first in the East division with a 19-1 record with one game remaining in the regular season. The last game of the season is scheduled for Saturday February 10 at 7:00 pm vs the Glengary Pipers. The question is, North Dundas: ARE YOU GOING TO THE GAME?

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Tid bit musings

by Elva Patterson Rutters RSSW Whoa! Put the brakes on. Why are you fighting so hard? Who or what are you fighting about? What is your desired outcome? How are you fighting? With the battles/rights you are fighting, are you contemplating the consequences? There is a direct correlation. Despite freedom of speech, you don't hurt others with your words.

The right to food entails growing, shopping, cooking and cleanup.

Fighting immediately conjures up physical altercations such as the schoolyard fight, bar brawls, assaults, sibling skirmishes and more magnified in size - war and threats of nuclear demolition. Sometimes the fights are to establish social, political or economic status or to bring attention to unruly behaviors like discrimination, racial slurs, and abolition of achievement. For all, the fight is a means to establish your identity. When you don't feel validated or acknowledged as worthwhile, the natural response is to fight. Social estrangement is a deadly form of fighting

prevalent in today's community settings. It coincides closely with apathy. When gossip is negative, be sure to seek out the other side before jumping to conclusions.

Every person when in life/death scenarios innately fights to live. With the option of MAID, there is a choice on how you will end your fight. Suicide follows that thought pattern: that you no longer want to fight those emotional/psychological demons. The pain is just too great and seen as a solution, not a punitive choice. That is your fight, your choice and does not reflect on family and friends’ interactions.

When you are fighting, have you established your parameters of expectation with clear concise terminology? If your fight is for your freedom - what freedom to be exact? Many times we do have a choice even if it is not to our liking. Is your solution, which you are obligated to supply, feasible? To topple the government, you need to go back to the voting poll. If there is no acceptable candidate, do the honors and run for election.

The criteria of solution

Baldwin's Birds is contingent on interpretation. The homeless person seeking a living wage gets housing and food whereas to someone else it means the latest fashions, a conglomerate of mechanized vehicles, extended holidays and the conveniences of affordable amenities. Life is not fair. Circumstances are as varied as the individual.

Contemplate the senior on a fixed income after working all through life to now be immobilized by insufficient funds and declining health.

This is often coupled with detached family support.

Defining your actions and outcomes is imperative. At that point a plan of attack on the situation becomes your fight.

Many other fights are unseen by the general community. Those striving every day against aging, illness, disease, or economic hardship seek relief from discomfort. Every morning is a fight to get out of bed. For others, the fight is to be able to access facilities and services. When the equality is obvious, the socialist fights on behalf of all for recognition with that status. The

same work should mean the same pay for all independent of gender, culture, religion or demographics. This is crucial that the reverse is not in play: equal pay but work excused because of the same qualifiers. Being appreciative of those who have fought on our behalf in years prior is not to be undermined.

Fighting can be a means to establish dominance or a social hierarchy. The tools used can be from words, to violence, from compromise to destruction. Fighting has positive and negative connotations. Choose your fight wisely and tread carefully.

Your footprint will leave huge markers for others and on others. You don't know the fight others are enduring, so be kind. Be gentle with your words. Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will hurt me forever.

If you can get "me", "myself" and "I" to agree on something, half the battle is accomplished! Smile - it takes less muscles to smile than to frown, so win that physical battle today!!!

ROMA calls for more local health services Rural communities are disproportionately impacted by Ontario’s healthcare crisis, according to a new report published by the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA).

The paper, titled Fill the Gaps Closer to Home, was presented at the 2024 ROMA Conference held in Toronto January 21 to 23. It calls for different approaches and solutions to help bring improved primary health and mental health care services to people in rural communities, and provides 22 recommendations to do so.

“While the health care crisis impacts both urban and rural communities, rural Ontario is different,” said ROMA Chair Robin Jones. “Our findings reflect the desperation shared by many residents and local leaders.

This is a priority for rural municipalities because it impacts our residents’ quality of life, and we are the ones who must manage the costly social and economic consequences of the health care crisis.”

ROMA undertook reFebruary 8, 2024

search on access to healthcare services as part of its priorities coming out of its 2021 report, Opportunities for Rural Ontario in a Post-COVID World, which detailed five key priorities for ROMA’s focus.

ROMA’s research for Fill the Gaps Closer to Home included surveys of rural municipal leaders and paramedic chiefs, interviews with municipal leaders and front-line service providers and organizations, as well as in-depth analysis of public data and reports.

According to the data, rural Ontario municipalities contribute more than $480 million to health and social service programs, despite not having equitable access. Rural communities face a number of challenges, including lack of primary care providers and mental health resources, frequent emergency department closures, and acute shortages in health care workers and recruitment. Additionally, travel time for rural Ontarians to access these services is significant.

The Voice of North Dundas

Among the 22 recommendations in the report, specific asks to the province include: - Fixing primary care by creating new and integrated models to deploy healthcare providers more effectively in rural areas, and to help shift demand from emergency rooms.

- Uploading a significant portion of healthcare costs from rural communities back to the provincial government.

- Building on current efforts to expand scope of practice for community healthcare providers like nurses, nurse practitioners and paramedics.

- Requiring Ontario Health Teams to include municipalities at the table.

ROMA’s data indicates that too few rural communities have been engaged.

The report indicates that these changes can start today. In some rural communities, collaborative efforts that align with ROMA’s work have already begun.

Rural Ontarians are losing primary care providers at a rate of 12% per year – four times faster

than people in urban centres. With current patient loads, it takes three new primary care physicians to replace one retiring family doctor. An estimated 525,000 rural residents are lacking a primary care provider. In both 2022 and 2023, there were more than 600 temporary Emergency Department closures in rural Ontario.

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To feed or not to feed !?

I do hope that you are all safe and well in these very icy times, and that you are taking all the precautions necessary to prevent a personal falls in our, at present, very icy gardens and driveways. Having been caught out myself at the end of last winter, I tend to think twice now before venturing out to my garden bird feeders, hence my rhetorical question to myself: "to feed or not to feed?" Yesterday I managed it, barely, by clinging to some low-slung pine-tree branches. Today, a bit more wisely, I did it with some "crampons" (spikes) attached to my shoes with a lot more re-assurance, but still very cautiously! Please be careful too!

Since my last article submission, I was privileged to spend a very interesting time chatting about our garden birds via a telephone link-up provided by the Seniors Community Services, here in Kemptville, with several bird-loving ladies. Personal pictures taken by the SCS organizer Jill Woodley, of many of our more common garden birds were made available to all the participants on the phone-in, as well as their recorded songs, so that everyone could relate to them, which included one lady who is blind.

What a thoughtful inclusive gesture by Jill. Thank you! They also paved the way for questions to be asked and answered by, not necessarily me, but by the other ladies in the group, so was very satisfying for all. This relatively amateur bird observer was quite impressed by how knowledgeable they were at recognizing their birds by sight and also their songs, so didn't have to expose his ignorance at all! I just kept my mouth shut most of the time and only had to answer the more personal questions about how I got to be a contributor to the NGTimes.

I expect that the Editor is still asking himself how he let that happen, so I'm not going to say anything to "rattle his cage", just in case he can think of a negative answer!!

Stay safe and well, Cheers, John Baldwin

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The Food Corner

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville Let’s get back to something Cajun with a bit of spiciness but mainly with a taste of veggies. It will remind us of what to expect come spring and summer and in any event, we are blessed by having vegetables available all year round. So how about you treat yourself to Cajun Dip with Naan Bread while watching a movie or a game on TV instead of chips and popcorn.

Mother and son photographic exhibit celebrates love

Crooked Rubz:

A new local business full of home-grown passion

Cajun Dip with Naan Bread

Ingredients · 1 X 8 ounce package of cream cheese at room temperature · ½ cup of natural unflavoured yoghurt · ¼ cup of sour cream (optional) · ¼ cup chili sauce, e.g., Tostitos · ¼ cup of chopped green peppers and of chopped green onions · 1/cup of chopped cucumber (optional but I like it with yoghurt) · ½ cup of dry sun-dried tomatoes · 2 garlic cloves, minced; or 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic · ½ of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper (to taste) · A dash of Tabasco sauce · 4 rounds of Naan bread (or more) cut into triangles Preparation · Place the tomatoes in a bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them · Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain and chop the tomatoes finely · In another bowl, mix the cream cheese, yoghurt, sour cream and chili sauce · Add the veggies, tomatoes, garlic, pepper, cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce · Mix thoroughly and refrigerate until ready to serve · Place the Naan bread triangles on a cookie sheet and spray with vegetable oil · Sprinkle with a spice of your choice, e.g., garlic or onion powder, Cajun blend, etc. · Bake in the oven at 350F till the bread turns nicely brown; remove and let cool To serve, you simply place the dip where folks can reach it, place the Naan in a bowl or basket lined with paper towel and bring out the beer to accompany. If you are feeling vegetarian, you can also prepare a bowl of dipping veggies, such as cauliflower or broccoli florets, carrot or celery sticks.

Let me know how you did with it, as always, at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

Family Meals

by Dana Douglas, LG&L District Health Unit A family meal is eating together, with others. A family isn't only immediate family members, like parent/caregivers, children or siblings, it can also include friends or other relatives. Eating together has benefits that include and go beyond healthy eating. For children and youth, family meals can help them: • Make healthier food choices • Perform better in school • Avoid high risk activities like substance use and smoking • Build and maintain close family relationships • Practice social skills As children get older, the number of meals a family eats together tends to go down. Focus on eating together and set realistic goals. If you aren't eating together as a family currently, try to eat together once a week to start. Schedule time for family meals, but be flexible with time and location. For example, if the whole family is at the soccer field for the day, have a picnic together between games. Keep the focus on family by removing distractions like screens, toys and books. This will help everyone focus on the food and social experiences of meal times.

For more information, visit our Health Unit website at healthunit.org, follow us on Facebook and X, or give us a call at 1-800-660-5853.

February 8, 2024

Falon and Brent Wallace

by Ann Brady February is the month we celebrate love, and visitors to the Winchester branch of SDG Library will find something quite unique in honour of that. Starting February 1, “Art in the Branches” will feature its very first mother and son photographic exhibit!

Local artist and photographer Sarah Stewart’s works are a testament to her talent and the remarkable journey she has embarked on with her young son, Linden, in his quest to create photographic art of his own. It is a true celebration of the power of art – and love – to transcend age and capture the beauty of life.

Sarah is a multifaceted woman who has passionately embraced various mediums throughout her artistic journey.

Born with a creative spirit, she discovered her artistic abilities at a young age while fashioning Christmas ornaments and jewellery alongside her mother. Now, at the age of 37 and a mother herself, Sarah finds inspiration in being a homeschooling mom of five, lovingly weaving art into the lives of her children and their educational experience.

Through her guidance and encouragement, Sarah’s three-year-old son Linden has already delved into the world of photography, which will be showcased alongside her own work at the library.

“As an artist and mother, I am driven by the belief that art has the power to transform lives and impact society,” Sarah says. She is dedicated to navigating the intricate balance of nurturing her family's creativity while pursuing her artistic dreams, leaving her mark on both her children and the world.

“Art and beauty are all around us,” she enthuses with childlike vision. “I approach artwork with a deep sense of curiosity and an unwavering commitment to capturing the essence of life's beauty,” she adds. “My creations evoke emotions, spark imagination, and invite viewers to experience art from a perspective they may not have otherwise considered.”

‘Art in the Branches’ is a gently curated program of the North Dundas Arts Council (NDAC) offered to local visual Artists of all genres and stages of their career. For more information on this free program, contact Ann at NDAC northdundasartscouncil@yahoo.ca or on Facebook at “North Dundas Arts Council.” Winchester Library is located at 547 St. Lawrence Street, Winchester, ON, open six days a week at various hours to suit all schedules.

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9

by Brandon Mayer A new food seasoning sheriff is in town, and it goes by the name of Crooked Rubz. The new and 100% local North Dundas business is all about BBQ and food seasonings. It was born from the passion that owners Brent and Falon Wallace have for BBQ, smoking meat, and cooking.

“We were never really happy with the store bought rubs that were available, and started developing our own blends of spices to suit our tastes and cut down on the high salt and sugar content found in most rubs,” Falon explained. “That isn't to say that there is no salt or sugar in our rubs, but we choose to use healthier products, such as Himalayan pink salt, and zero calorie sweetener as substitutes.”

The Crooked Rubz journey actually started in 2015.

After cooking for family and friends, the Wallace couple quickly discovered that their taste for good seasonings is one shared by others. They were often asked for the recipes of their four main rubs, and started a small home-based business to sell their creations. When the couple got busy with life and with the operation of their other business – a successful Ottawa based company – they put Crooked Rubz on pause. Now, they are ready to start it up again, and are officially reopened as of this week!

“We built our forever home in the outskirts of Winchester and love the community,” Falon added. “Our intention is to support other local businesses with this endeavor as much as possible. Our merch and labels are from a local supplier, and we will purchase as much local product for the rubs as we can. This community is amazing at supporting local and we always do our part. We also plan to be involved in local events.”

Any new business can expect to face challenges, but the Wallace couple reports that so far, it has “just been fun”.

They are glad to already have some returning customers from their initial run in 2015. “They still remember our rubs and are excited to be able to get them again,” said Falon.

“It’s so exciting and rewarding!”

When asked, Falon struggled to recall where she and Brent got their passion for good BBQ and good food. “It certainly wasn't in either of our upbringings,” she joked. “I think at some point you have a really good steak or a really good pulled pork or smoked ribs or smoked chicken thighs and you go WOW, I need to make this. We all deserve to eat good food and it doesn't have to be super complicated.

We love it when friends and family eat and have an amazing time.”

When asked about growth, Falon had more humour in store: “I don't think we'll ever compete with Club House,” she said. “But we don't really want to. We plan to remain a home-based business for as long as we can. We want to be able to connect with our customers and share recipes and know what they are doing with our products, and hear what they would like to see next from Crooked Rubz.”

Currently, the Crooked Rubz product line is sold directly from the Wallace residence on Cloverdale Road. The couple is working with some local merchants to get their product in stores as soon as possible. Those looking to support this new local business can place an order via the Crooked Rubz Facebook page, or by email at crookedrubz@gmail.com. www.ndtimes.ca

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CROSSWORD

Gerald Merkley

Passed away peacefully at the Garden Villa in Chesterville on Monday, January 8, 2024, Gerald Merkley, formerly of Winchester, age 75. Beloved son of the late Wallace and Dorothy Merkley (nee Reaney). He is survived by several cousins and friends. A Celebration of Gerald’s life will be held at the Royal Canadian Legion in Chesterville on Sunday, February 11, 2024, from 1-4 p.m. Memories will be shared at 2:30 p.m. Spring interment of cremated remains will be at Maple Ridge Cemetery in Chesterville. Donations to Dundas County Hospice would be gratefully acknowledged by the family. If you are making your donation online or by cheque directly to the charity, please include the following note with your gift “please notify the family”.

Online condolences may be made at marsdenmclaughlin.com.

Life with Connor the Weatherman

featuring Connor Mockett Hello, everyone!

Welcome back to another week of Life with Connor the Weatherman.

This week I thought I’d pull out the old fashioned Q&A for the first time in 2024. I always love to answer questions people have for me, so this will be fun. I’ll answer as many as I can, so here we go!

Q: What do you and your Fiancee like to do for fun/entertainment?

A : We ’ r e p r e t t y simple! Generally the movies are always a fun and easy thing to do for us for entertainment.

We really love going to hockey games together as well. Also, nothing wrong with a nice date night to Montana’s!

Q: How did you learn to forecast the weather? Is there an online course or are you self taught?

A: I’m actually both of those things! I self taught watching videos online, reading writeups, and reading breakdowns from people who are WAY smarter than me.

It all came so naturally to me as I’m so passionate about what I do, so it was easy for me to learn about it. Storm chasing helped a lot as well so I February 8, 2024

could physically see what was happening on the ground relative to what the environment was.

Q: If you could go anywhere in the world to chase, where would you go and why?

A: This answer is easy, it’s Texas. Well, it’s generally the US Plains in general, but Texas is at the top of the list. The US Plains is the leading area in the world for tornadoes and supercells. It’s just totally different there. I actually am planning to go there myself in May during their peak season for tornadoes!

Q: What’s your favourite forecasting snack?

A: I actually don’t snack much while I’m doing my forecasting work.

My fingers are too busy typing up a storm (pun intended) to be able to grab a snack. However, if I had to choose, it’d be Ruffles All Dressed chips.

Cannot beat those.

Q: What differences in weather are you seeing between Eastern Ontario and New Brunswick?

A: I actually find it way windier here than at home in Ontario. We’ve had very windy days here more often than we haven’t. Also, it has snowed more often, but that’s just because of the pattern the atmosphere is in right now.

Q: When did you first realize the weather and storm chasing was what you wanted to do?

A: I was young! I used to religiously watch Storm Chasers on discovery channel when I was 9

ACROSS 1. Office fill-in 5. Otherwise 9. Big bash 13. Jewish month 14. Tropical vine 16. Brews 17. Game on horseback 18. Medicines 19. Raise a stink 20. Strike 22. Sharpness 24. Equipment 26. Lacquer ingredient 27. Set afire 30. Frolicsome 33. Fascinate 35. Crook 37. Evening (poetic) 38. Marsh bird 41. Blemish 42. Colorful parrot

45. Spinal column bone 48. Principles 51. Most impoverished 52. Graven images 54. Urge (on) 55. Fellow student 59. Spread out 62. Debauchee 63. Avoid 65. Fork prong 66. Beast 67. Days in a week 68. French for "State" 69. Blue dye 70. Dispatch 71. Sandwich shop DOWN 1. Faucets 2. Ancient Dead Sea kingdom 3. Intense ill will 4. Dietary necessity

years old before getting on the bus in the morning.

From then on, I got addicted to that show, and I knew I wanted to do what they were doing. My first chase happened when I was 14 years old, right around Winchester on a tornado warned storm, and after that day I knew it was what I wanted to do.

Q: What was the most dangerous weather situation you’ve encountered when chasing?

A: Not that it was dangerous as a chaser Solutions to last week’s Sudoku because I knew where I was in relation to the direction that it was going, but it has to be the Findlay Creek tornado on August 3rd, last summer. I saw the wall cloud put the tornado down as I was driving east on Rideau Road.

The tornado was also moving east as it went Easy through Findlay Creek, so I was paralleling it, but it was objectively dangerous being about 2km away from a tornado that ended up doing damage as I was watching it.

That’ll do it for this round of Q&A! I enjoyed answering your questions and look forward to doing this again another time this year. Thanks for reading!

Hard

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5. Antiquity 6. Former Italian currency 7. Condiment 8. Overwhelm 9. Decorate 10. Away from the wind 11. Dregs 12. Inquires 15. Daisylike bloom 21. Consumes food 23. Broadcast 25. Referees 27. Detail 28. Stupendous 29. Cacophony 31. Peridotite 32. 10 in a decade 34. Fourteen in Roman numerals 36. Social group 39. Vigor 40. Anagram of "Sore" 43. Liqueur flavoring 44. Marries 46. Outstanding 47. What the volcano did 49. Weighty books 50. Thralls 53. Barrel part 55. Type of black bird 56. Corporate image 57. Certain something 58. Biblical garden 60. Nitpicky to a fault 61. Abominable Snowman 64. Finish

Medium

Solution to last week’s Crossword

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Op-ed

The North Dundas Times

The Voice of North Dundas

Where’s the catastrophe?

by Brandon Mayer I haven’t lived long enough to know whether people in the “good old days” era (whenever that is) complained about the world going to shame.

However, I am perfectly aware that it’s something we as a society do now.

We complain that housing, gas, and food are too expensive. We complain that kids have no respect anymore and are always glued to their screens.

We complain that moral values are slipping and the world is becoming an increasingly horrible place.

What is with all the drama? In psychology, we talk about “catastrophizing”, which is a tendency to focus on the worst possible outcomes or the most negative answers. Catastrophizing is a symptom of mental illness. It’s common in people with certain anxiety disorders, but several times this week, I have heard friends and colleagues apologize for an overreaction, saying “I was just catastrophizing!”

My question is… where’s the catastrophe?

No seriously… is it just me or are we becoming increasingly dramatic as a society? I hear people talk about the world being full of corruption and scandals and misery with no examples to back it up.

This August will mark 5 years since Jeffrey Epstein died. When his horrible crimes became public knowledge, the biggest talk of the day was that many celebrities were allegedly involved as well.

Now all these years later, I still can’t go a week without seeing a fake list of names on the internet purporting to show well known actors and musicians who visited Epstein’s island. Time and time again these lists are proven to be fake!

More recently, the nonsense regarding the school system and sex ed-

ucation has taken a similar path. I have worked in education for a long enough time to know how utterly idiotic parents sound when they scream wildly on the internet that schools are “grooming” children with inappropriate sex education. Nothing of the sort takes place! Some parents may not agree with the curriculum, but in most schools parents are asked for consent before the annual sex ed lessons in certain elementary school grades. To take such a small issue and toxify it with the word “grooming” is catastrophizing in the worst way! It’s offensive to those of us who know firsthand what a safe environment schools really are.

Speaking of children… they’re great! I have said many times in this newspaper and I will continue to say it forever: There is absolutely nothing wrong with kids today! The internet (notice a theme here?) tells us that kids are awful and disrespectful and glued to their phones and video games. Meanwhile, I’m writing this in my basement family room while watching my oldest son – who is polite, respectful, helpful, kind, and a great listener – kick a ball around trying to score on mini nets. He loves soccer, and practices his aim and his agility every day. He has video games, but chooses to have daily active time.

How many stories have been printed in this newspaper about youth who have come up with charitable initiatives or made amazing accomplishments in sports? I have worked professionally with hundreds of kids and can confidently say that our youth in this area are amazing. They have so much kindness, respect for authority, cleverness, and joy. Today’s parents are doing a great job. How dare some people sit behind a computer typing out nasty things on social media accusing the world

of going to shame. There is an obvious irony when those keyboard warriors complain about kids getting too much screen time while they don’t have the imagination to do anything else themselves.

It's time to love life again, and as much as I know social media is here to stay, I think that to let go of all this catastrophizing in the world and start seeing the world as an amazing place again, we need to view social media differently. It’s a safe haven for all the world’s most angry and nasty people who have nothing better to do than spread lies, negativity, and downright hate. If we must use it, then we should at least arm ourselves with the knowledge of the harm it can do.

I love my community, and I love the world we live in. There is no catastrophe – breathe. We should all be grateful for where we live, and for the amazing people who surround us. May everyone reading this find peace, joy and love in the simple things, every day.

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The North Dundas Times

UCDSB Board of Trustees Meeting

Tr u s t e e s w i t h t h e Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) met on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. Key items discussed in the public session are as follows.

Importance of Sleep and Bell Time Consultation – Status Update The UCDSB is exploring an adjustment to elementary and secondary school bell times based on scientific research showing that good sleep hygiene can increase academic achievement, school attendance, and both the physical and mental health of students.

Details of the consultation process and key findings were presented

by Principal of Carleton Place High School Casey Nelson to trustees at the Jan. 17 meeting. Nelson reported that two in-person sessions were held with parents/guardians in

November 2023 featuring an expert panel of professionals in child and youth health. These guests presented research demonstrating that 1 in 3 teenagers do not get enough sleep, which reduces academic achievement, school attendance, physical activity and mental health. The information sessions were streamed live, a recording was made available in the days following and a feedback form was distributed widely to parents and guardians.

Principal Nelson noted that of the 1,856 responses, 59% came from parents/guardians of Junior Kindergarten to Grade 6 students, 15.5% from Grade 7-8, and 25.5% from Grade 9-12.

Participants reported concerns surrounding family work arrangements (20%), extra-curricular/

sports (17.2%), before and after school care (16.7%), student employment (14.2%), transportation (13.3%), and daycare (10.2%).

Director of Education Ron Ferguson stated that further conversations have begun with the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario and with Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario.

UCDSB Exploring Expanding Child Care Options at UCDSB Elementary Schools Based on a motion from Ward 2 Trustee Carole Dufort and passed by trustees, UCDSB staff will explore the possibility of expanding before and after school programming in elementary schools, at the lowest cost possible to families.

2023-2024 UCDSB Financial Forecast 2 The second Financial Forecast of the school year was presented by Executive Superintendent of Business Services Jeremy Hobbs. The most recent Financial Forecast projects revenues of $424.0M and expenses of

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$423.8M for compliance purposes, resulting in no change to the projected in-year surplus of $0.2M for compliance purposes.

Detailing the minimal changes to the current forecast, Superintendent Hobbs said that projections may evolve as we approach year end. Staff absences, actual enrollment numbers versus projections, transportation expenses, heating costs, etc., may impact the forecast moving forward.

A third and final Fi-

The Voice of North Dundas

nancial Forecast is scheduled for April 2024.

PA Day Date Change Bill Loshaw, UCDSB Superintendent of Schools, informed the Board of Trustees of an adjustment to the 2023-24 School Year Calendar.

With a solar eclipse set to occur on April 8, 2024, the scheduled April 26 Professional Activity (PA) Day will be moved to April 8 to ensure the safety and well-being of UCDSB students.

Since the projected path would place UCDSB schools under the eclipse during dismissal and bus departure times, the move will help ensure students are not outside or enroute in diminished light conditions and will help reduce the risk of eye exposure to the sun.

This change aligns with adjustments made by other boards within our region, including the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.

Breathe easy: Doctors share tips to protect your health at home

by News Media Canada Taking steps to protect your family’s health at home is a natural instinct.

If there’s mold, you clean it. If you have a pest infestation, you remove the pests. But there’s a major pollutant commonly used in homes across Canada that increases risks to health that not enough people are aware of: gas.

Across North America, many cities are moving to ban gas in new housing – Montreal, Nanaimo and New York state, to name a few. Beyond the climate implications, decades of global scientific research has pointed to links between gas use and increased health risks. Yet, polling by Abacus Data shows that 47% of people in Canada are unaware of these risks.

To help equip families in Canada with the knowledge they need to reduce their risk levels at home, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment – an organization of Canadian doctors who advocate for better health by improving the environment – launched a new educational campaign focused on the health risks of gas called “Heat – Cook – Breathe”.

What does using gas at home mean for your health?

Gas, which is primarily methane, releases a mix of harmful chemicals including carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde and benzene, which have been linked to serious health issues including asthma and other respiratory diseases, cancer, reproductive issues and more. Even short-term

exposure can lead to coughing, wheezing, and eye, nose and throat irritation.

Children, seniors and people with pre-existing conditions face the greatest risk. In fact, kids in homes with gas stoves are 42% more likely to develop asthma. According to CAPE, there’s several things that can be done to help mitigate the potential health risks.

While gas stoves are marketed as the gold standard of cooking, today’s technology has introduced other high-performing options like induction cooktops. They work by heating the pan, not the stovetop, providing quick and precise heat. Not to mention, a safer option for kids helping in the kitchen. A portable induction cooktop is also an affordable alternative when only one burner is needed.

Electric heat pumps actually do the job of two appliances: the furnace and the AC. More efficient than gas furnaces, heat pumps extract thermal energy from the air to heat homes in the winter and cool them in the summer. They’re effective up to -30�C. Plus, research shows that heat pumps most often result in lower energy bills.

Adding to the savings, the federal government as well as several provinces and municipalities. offer financial incentives – potentially thousands of dollars to those who qualify – to help households make the switch.

Visit heatcookbreathe.ca for more information on these programs.

While the best option is to not use gas at all, the continued rising costs of living

can put new appliances out of reach for many people.

There are, however, several things that can lower, while not completely eliminate, potential exposure.

First and foremost, carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) detectors are necessary. Known as the silent killer because it is colourless, odorless and tasteless, CO is the cause of death for around 300 people per year, with hundreds more requiring medical attention.

For older and less wellmaintained gas appliances, the risk is higher still. Schedule regular inspections with a licensed technician who is trained to detect hazardous defects and leaks, and perform preventative maintenance.

According to a Harvard Health Publishing study, well-ventilated gas appliances still pose health risks, while a Stanford University study found that even when off, gas stoves can leak. To mitigate these risks, ensure the range hood vents to the outdoors, and always turn it on and open windows when cooking on a gas stove. It’s a good practice to leave the window open for a while after cooking to help clear out lingering fumes as studies show they can remain long after the gas is shut off.

Keep in mind, a range hood doesn’t eliminate the fumes. It transfers them outside, contributing to outdoor air pollution, so be extra cautious of kids playing near exterior vents when gas is being used. Patio furniture and leisure areas should also be placed well away from exterior vents.

To learn more visit heatcookbreathe.ca. www.ndtimes.ca