ND Times Issue 22 2021 June 30

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The Voice of North Dundas

Vol 2, No 22

June 30, 2021

Local woman needs the gift of life from a living donor!

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Tina VanBreugel needs the gift of life. She hopes that someone out there will be a match! Tina’s best hope is finding a living donor.

Tina has cirrhosis of the liver. When initially diagnosed, she was given 6 to 12 months. That was two years ago. She credits her family with helping her to keep a positive attitude. Tina has three children, ages 16, 17, and 30, a grandchild, and

another grandbaby expected in October.

Tina worked at Dundas Manor for many years, then ran her own home daycare.

She had to shut the daycare down when she got sick. She now lives with her parents in Winchester. Her older daughter lives and works in Ottawa, and her younger two children now live nearby with their dad. They visit her every day.

Tina makes the trek to Ottawa every week for a paracentesis, where they drain up to 8 liters of fluid from her abdomen, and regular blood

transfusions. She does not currently drive, so relies on her parents to drive her to Ottawa weekly. Her energy is gone, her joints ache and seize, she relies on a wheelchair or walker, and she has lost half her body weight. She takes a multitude of medications and vitamins, she has no appetite, and must avoid all salt.

In a living donation, a portion of the donor’s liver is transplanted into the patient.

The donor’s liver regrows within 6 to 8 weeks. Similarly, the donated portion grows

to full size in the recipient.

Transplants are done in Toronto, but initial tests to see if you qualify as a donor can be done closer to home. The transplant process is intended to be as stress-free on the donor as possible. Tests, such as blood tests, ultrasounds, and CT scans are not invasive.

If you decide to go ahead to see if you are eligible to be a donor, there is no obligation!

You can change your mind at any time. Do not let that stop you from reaching out to the transplant clinic and finding out if you’re eligible!

Donors must have a compatible blood type, and be similar in height, weight, and build. Donors can be 16 to 60.

Tina’s blood type is A+, so blood types A+/- and O+/- are compatible.

Visit the University Health Network website to read more about how to become a living donor. Or call 416-3404800 extension 6581. Or email livingdonorliver@uhn. ca uhn.ca/Transplant/Living_Donor_Program/Pages/ living_liver_donor.aspx Currently there are over 1600 people in Ontario waiting for an organ transplant to save their life. Every three days someone dies waiting for an organ. Please sign your donor card and register to donate. Go to: beadonor.ca.

In Ontario, 90% of people support organ donation, yet only a staggering 35% are registered.

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The North Dundas Times

Cycling Tourism Ambassadors to help vacationers

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Andy Gadbois, of Long Sault, is studying philosophy via Carleton University. Kyra Butlin is studying English at St. Francis Xavier University and Isabelle Hebert is studying engineering chemistry at Queen’s.

Visitors and staycationers can count on a trio of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry (SDG) ambassadors to help them with everything from finding the most picturesque cycling route in the Counties, to helping to change a bicycle tire.

Kyra Butlin, Isabelle Hebert and Andy Gadbois are the new Cycling Tourism Ambassadors employed this summer by the United Counties of SDG. Their main duties will include patrolling the waterfront trail and providing mobile visitor services experiences, greeting visitors, responding to inquiries, and promoting the SDG region.

In the past, our ambassadors have even helped a cyclists change a deflated tire.

“As COVID-19 restrictions are loosened, more people are enjoying our popular cycling trails,” said Karina Belanger, Counties tourism coordinator. “Our students have completed their training and will be spending much of their time interacting – while physically distancing – with visitors and cyclists to showcase amenities in and around SDG.” The students are looking forward to the balance of the summer and helping individuals visiting SDG or enjoying some time close to home.

The Law Office of

Connie Lamble Happy Canada Day North Dundas!

Discover Tourism Guide released Chamber of Commerce North Dundas United Counties of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry We are excited to announce that the 2021 Discover Guide has landed!

This uplifting publication

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of our region will help readers plan their visit to SDG, once the time is right. The guide will take you across our entire region, highlighting local favourites along the way.

We will begin local distribution of the guides

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2

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as well as some face masks next week, and would love to get as many out into our communities as possible.

It would be great if they could be put on display if possible, or given to customers with their orders.

Please let me know how many boxes you would like (90 guides/box), and I will arrange delivery.

I want to thank all of our advertisers and great businesses in SDG, without you this guide wouldn’t be possible!

Contact: Karina Belanger, Tourism Coordinator at: kbelanger@sdgcounties.ca www.ndtimes.ca

The North Dundas Times

Province provides additional funding for hospitals The office of MPP Steve Clark has announced that the Kemptville District Hospital will receive additional funding of $334,400 to meet demands for services. This is in addition to the funding of $16,715,040 received for 2020/21.

The Brockville General Hospital will receive new funding of $4,999.200 in addition to the $69,605,226 received for 2020/21.

The Winchester District Memorial Hospital will receive an additional $576,900.

This is in addition to the $28,843,115 received for 2020/21.

“This new investment, which is above and beyond the typical increase to base funding, is just one way Ontario is supporting highquality and timely access to health care both during the pandemic and in the future,”

Public Meeting North Dundas: Two Zoning Bylaw Amendments

said MPP Clark.

Over the last three years, the Ontario government has made significant investments in Ontario’s hospitals. This includes overall sector increases of 2% in 2019-20, 3% in 2020-2021 and most recently, 3.4% in 2021-22.

Ontario’s Action Plan: Protecting People’s Health and Our Economy, brings total investments to $16.3 billion to protect people’s health.

by Joselyn Morley A public meeting was held by the Township of North Dundas on June 22 to discuss proposed Zoning Bylaw Amendments on two properties, one in Harmony south of Winchester, and one in Morewood. The proposed Zoning Bylaw Amendment in Harmony concerns the last stage of development by Falcon Homes, by Maurice Lafortune Investments: Marc Brisson.

The application seeks to rezone two blocks from Rural (RU) to Estate Residential – Exception Three (ER-3) to allow development of single detached dwelling units. This is the fifth and final stage of development. The two blocks are on either side of Country Lane. One block is 5.38 acres, the other is 5.14. Both will contain six lots for single-family homes. There is easement for drainage planned for both blocks. Both the United Counties Official Plan and the Provincial Policy Statement on Land use support this development. There is adequate space for septic and well. There were no comments submitted by the public, no comments from ministries or public bodies, and no one from the public spoke at the meeting.

The proposed Zoning Bylaw Amendment in Morewood will change a small lot from Institutional to Light Industrial Exception One. This is to allow for a small woodworking shop and a garlic drying facility. The building was a church in the past, sitting on a lot of 0.07 acres.

Both the United Counties Official Plan and the Provincial Policy Statement on Land use support this type of use. This small shop has been operating, and the owner seeks to move forward to ensure it is a legal use, and for insurance purposes. There is no land use conflict, and this industry will not pollute groundwater or surface water resources. There were two comments submitted by the public, one written, and one oral when a neighbour spoke with the Planning Technician during a site visit. Both supported the use of this property for the small woodshop and garlic drying. There were no comments from ministries or public bodies, and no one from the public spoke at the meeting.

New builder Code of Ethics and improved claims processes coming into force The Ontario government is further strengthening protections for buyers and owners of new homes by introducing a new Code of Ethics for builders and vendors of new homes, clarifications to the simplified warranty and protections claims process for defects in new homes, and a mediation process for homeowners who dispute a warranty claim assessment.

These changes come into effect on July 1, 2021 and will support a standard of work and professionalism that reflects the best of Ontario’s homebuilding industry.

Announced by Ross Romano, Minister of Government and Consumer Services, the new Code of Ethics – under the New Home Construction Licensing Act, 2017 – will require licensed builders and vendors of

new homes to operate in a professional manner with honesty, integrity, financial responsibility, and without intimidation or coercion.

It also provides the Home Construction Regulatory Authority with a new discipline committee and an appeals committee process to hold bad actors accountable.

“Since taking on overdue changes to this important sector, our number one goal has been to protect homeowners and support ethical practices and top-notch service by homebuilders and vendors,” said Minister Romano. “We all benefit when we raise the bar for quality new home construction in Ontario and make it easier for buyers and owners to get what they paid for. Our government is proud to be reaching the next milestone in this journey on

July 1st.”

Enhancements are also being made to Tarion, the organization that administers Ontario’s new home warranty and protection program. The dispute resolution and new home warranty and protection claims processes has been adjusted to simplify the claims process for consumers and improve transparency.

These changes add to other improvements for consumer protection including the Rebuilding Consumer Confidence Act, 2020 and the designation of the Home Construction Regulatory Authority as the regulator responsible for builders and vendors of new homes. These changes also address the Auditor General of Ontario’s recommendations in the 2019 Special Audit of the Tarion Warranty Corporation.

Tid Bit Musings

by Elva Patterson Rutters RSSW What is all the hype about graduations these days? One graduates from nursery school, JK, SK, Grade 6, Grade 8, and then high school and any post-secondary education institutions after that. Is it simply a reason for a party or an actual accomplishment? Inevitably one graduates from diapers to pull ups to potty trained, or from bottles to solid foods, and then the reverse as you become aged! I recall the grade 8 grad being instituted for celebration in case one did not graduate from secondary school.

Perhaps in a world where achievement leads to success, we need to re-instate the essence of hard work, reliability, and accountability as the marker stones. People need to feel accomplished in what they genuinely achieve. Not holding your youth responsible for their actions does not credit the child in any manner of citizenship. It takes a community to raise a child, so we all have a part to play to raise a child to maturity. We learn from our mistakes and history makes the past a valuable tool. You are not responsible for someone else's choices unless you instructed/forced them to do whatever. There are always a few bad apples that spoil the barrel. Try to not lump everyone by the same brush. Differentiate between the person and the behavior. The person is worthwhile but the behavior is unacceptable. Eliminate "good/ bad child' from your vocabulary. The behavior is good/bad, not the child.

Take your time to celebrate those who have worked diligently to achieve their accolades.

Each accomplishment is a milestone in your journey of life. For the addicted person, each hour is an achievement. Name and claim the achievement as yours. You are special and worthwhile just because YOU are YOU!!!

Province reviewing recommendations of Tourism Recovery Report The provincial government has released a report prepared by the Tourism Economic Recovery Ministerial Task Force, which makes recommendations on how to support the province’s $36-billion tourism industry recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries, was joined by Tim Hudak, Chair of the Tourism Economic Recovery Ministerial Task Force, to provide details about the report, which will feed into the ministry’s strategic five-year plan.

The report provides 10 key recommendations about how to rebuild and reshape the future of Ontario’s tourism industry. The recommendations include reducing red tape for tourism busiJune 30, 2021

nesses, restoring consumer confidence in visitors through collaboration between public health officials and the tourism industry and encouraging Ontarians to experience the province through industry co-ordinated travel days.

The report also suggests new opportunities to showcase the best Ontario has to offer through itineraries, packages and trails that will make it easier to find local Ontario products and experiences.

“COVID-19 has had a devastating effect on Ontario’s tourism industry. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have listened to and worked closely with industry experts from across our sectors to help assess the impacts of the pandemic and how best to support them,” said Minister MacLeod.

“The Ontario Tourism Re-

covery report will assist our local tourism attractions and events as they recover from the pandemic,” said Jim McDonell, MPP for StormontDundas-South Glengarry.

The Tourism Economic Recovery Ministerial Task Force was asked to provide strategies and advice to help position Ontario and its local communities as destinations of choice for travel, as well as identify products and experiences that enhance destination development. The task force’s report is informed by industry research, advice and recommendations put forward by the 14 Ministerial Advisory Councils at the onset of the pandemic, and formal submissions received from individuals and sector associations across Ontario’s tourism industry.

Minister Hudak served

as the Task Force’s Chair.

He said, the task force was, “comprised of a membership of so many talented tourism leaders to help craft a plan that will help people create memories of a lifetime. The work of this group will also play a key role in getting Ontarians back on the payroll in our tourism and hospitality sectors.”

Ontario will carefully review the task force’s recommendations. This input will be critical to the development of the ministry’s strategic five-year plan and will help encourage essential sector transformation, ensuring Ontario tourism continues to be a key pillar of the province’s economy and regional employment while remaining globally competitive for tourists and investment.

The Tourism Economic

3

Recovery Ministerial Task Force was created in March 2021 to provide advice and information to the Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. In December 2020, the ministry asked industry partners in the heritage, tourism, sports, and arts and culture sectors for their feedback on a White Paper. The paper, Reconnecting

Ontarians, is a broad-based recovery strategy that touches on all industries represented by the ministry. Tourism is a key economic driver in Ontario – in 2018, the tourism industry supported more than 390,000 jobs and generated over $36 billion of economic activity for the province.

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Editorial

The North Dundas Times

Canada Day, and the call for allies in justice

by Lorraine Rekmans I am writing this with the understanding that you will be reading this on the eve of Canada Day, and I hope it encourages you to make this a better country, to stand up for social justice, to stand vigilant in protecting your democracy, and to hold your governments and institutions to account, and to remember that Indigenous Peoples were originally partners in the founding of this nation.

The end of National Indigenous History month on June 30 precedes the celebration of Canada Day, which this year, will be darkened for many.

The province of Ontario has provided $10 million to aid in the search for unmarked graves containing the bodies of Indigenous children.

According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, there were 18 Indian Residential Schools in Ontario. The last residential school closed in 1991. Some of the sites where the schools were located since then have been repurposed, abandoned, or destroyed. First Nation communities across the province are beginning the work to

search for the bodies of children who never returned from these schools. There were 139 such schools in Canada.

The provincial government of Saskatchewan has pledged $2 million to search for unmarked graves, the province of Alberta created an $8 million fund. It was the province of BC that provided the funding resources for the work to uncover the secret children’s graves in Kamloops in May. It was done in spite of the federal government’s denial of requested funds to do this work. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission requested $1.5 million in funding to search for unmarked graves in 2009, but that funding was denied by the federal government.

The latest discovery of 751 children’s bodies in unmarked graves at the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan by the Cowessess First Nation is the second in what is expected to be many forthcoming discoveries as the work continues to research and uncover what was hidden from the nation. It should be chilling to learn that governments and institutions could perpetrate such horrors in a free and democratic country, and work

so hard to hide the evidence.

We may have to hear this story 130 more times, as sites at each of the schools are searched for thousands of children’s bodies. As the list grows, even though we know what is coming, it doesn’t make it any easier to know, and it doesn’t hurt us all any less.

The Prime Minister’s primary response to this was to acknowledge his shock and grief and demand that the Catholic church accept responsibility, and that the Pope offer an apology.

The fact that the federal government denied the support needed to uncover the truth is not lost on Indigenous Peoples, especially in this era of Truth and Reconciliation. It was only after provinces stepped up that Ottawa pledged $27-milllion to help communities locate and identify those lost. It took a nation-wide push from people who are outraged at this injustice to get this government to finally act, despite the knowledge that the Department of Indigenous Services (Indian Affairs) had for decades.

In recent news, the Prime Minister criticized the human rights violations in China’s systemic abuse against eth-

nic Muslim Uyghurs. China responded by criticizing Canada’s treatment of Indigenous Peoples. In international circles, Canada has lost any moral authority to criticize other countries on human rights. How far we have come from our shining days as an example of peacemaking and diplomacy.

In 1957, Canadian diplomat and soon to be Prime Minister Lester Pearson received the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in resolving the Suez Crisis, setting Canada onto the world stage as leaders, who would show the world the way to peace. In 1965, Canada unveiled its new Maple Leaf flag to thousands of cheers. How far we have strayed from our path of peace, diplomacy and social justice. Today we live in a country that is digging up the hidden bodies of children.

We live in a country where the state is today, denying the human rights of children, and our government is fighting in the courts to continue that denial. You may hear the pleas from Indigenous leaders that this abuse continues even today under federal policy.

They need your help to stop it.

When Justin Trudeau was elected, he announced that there was no relationship

more important to him than Canada’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples. Despite his claims, his actions have been to deny support to communities, fail to provide clean drinking water, dragging First Nation foster children through the courts, and shirking responsibility by casting blame on the Pope.

On June 21, which was National Indigenous Peoples Day, here is what Minister of Indigenous Services MP Marc Miller had to say in the House of Commons, “Mr. Speaker, it is important to be clear to all Canadians and Parliament that as part of this process, not a single child has had to testify. Let me be clear once again that every single first nation child who has been discriminated against by the broken child welfare system will be fairly, justly and equitably compensated.” Imagine that these very words were spoken aloud by government in a democratic country just days ago. Imagine! Would we ever require children to testify because their human rights were being violated? What kind of place is this House of Commons?

The promises and the rhetoric continue, by a government that continues to

tarnish the people of Canada, with the shade of its systemic racism, denial of basic human rights, and abuse of children.

The images of tiny bodies exhumed from unmarked graves is fresh in my mind.

The anger at the continued denial and inaction of this government is fresh in my heart. I hear the chatter about a Fall election, and the confidence that the Liberal Party holds in that it may win a majority government, and it bewilders me that they could think they are so popular with all this going on.

It makes me think there are two Canadas. One for the privileged, and the other for the rest of us.

On this Canada Day, remember the contributions that Indigenous Peoples have made to this country. Remember we are Nations who were the original partners in the founding of Canada. Remember we were once your allies, and we need you now.

accept females as equal members. Potential members seem to have various reasons for not wanting to join a service club. Examples: I’m too busy; I can’t afford to pay dues and purchase two meals per month and also pay “fines”, buy raffle tickets, etc.; I don’t have the time to plan and organize a fund raising event, but if you would like some help on the day of your event, give me a call, if I can, I’ll give you a hand; Certainly I heard about the Lions helping the handicapped young child or that ill person, but, we can do the same thing with a “go-fundme” page on social media.

Does this mean that Service Clubs, or my Lions Club in particular, is no longer a benefit to the people and the community we are trying

to serve? Are we a dying breed, or is there some way in which we can “modernize” our Club so we once again become an attractive organization to which community members would like to be part of? If you have an opinion, please speak to a Lions member.

Well President Guy, you are a full year older than you were at this time last year. You know a lot more about Lionism. You KNOW A LOT MORE about how the Club should function.

You feel a lot more comfortable speaking in front of a group of people. You are much more able to stand up and express your opinions. You have much more confidence. You are better able to organize. You know how to reserve time for the

things you have to do. Yes, President Guy, you are a better person for having taken on the responsibilities of being a leader. Just like the Presidents before you, you can be proud of your accomplishments, proud of the fact that you did it and you did it through COVID-19 too.

YOU DONE GOOD SON! Effective July 1, 2021, Lion Tammy Cinnamon Sadler will become the Presi-

dent of the Lions Club of Winchester, Inc. Lion Tammy has ideas and goals for the Club and is asking that we support her in the coming years of Lionism, and particularly as our PRESIDENT!.

LIONS LINE submitted by Bob Porteous Fellow Lions, the past 16 months have been difficult, unusual, strange, different, disheartening, challenging, problematic, frustrating, complicated, uncomfortable, daunting, and awkward to say the least. We have not been able to meet regularly but we have tried to carry on with Lions’ duties. Your editor, and I expect most of you, have found it difficult to maintain interest in the Club and its activities because of the inability to get together, to discuss problems and to explore potential solutions. It has been easier to let things slide. Hopefully, with the increasing number of people receiving their second vaccine, we can soon get back to having regular, interesting meetings with friendships renewed and strengthened.

In any event, the end of the fiscal year and of President Guy’s term is fast approaching. Hopefully, we can get together on June 30 to wrap up a frustrating year for Lionism.

In years past, the Lions Club of Winchester had a June 30, 2021

good reputation and a high profile around our community. We were involved in several areas in minor sports, had our booth at the Arena, participated in community betterment projects like building ball diamonds, participating in the winter carnival, holding softball tournaments and many other interesting and worthwhile things. Our name was frequently in the public eye.

Our membership had an average age of 40 – 45. We had a membership of 30 – 40 members and it didn’t seem difficult to recruit new members. Lions, at that time was for men only.

Today Service Clubs have much difficulty in attracting and retaining new members even though they have modernised and now

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OFA targets leadership recruitment as a pillar for building strong organizations and communities

Paul Vickers, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture What makes Ontario’s agri-food industry strong is the abundance of strong, confident and spirited farmers we have leading our organizations and businesses, striving towards building a bright future for the next generation.

As an organization governed by grassroots, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) values the power of leadership. We understand the importance of utilizing the voice of our membership.

OFA aims to develop leaders within our 51 county and regional federations, encouraging a new wave to pursue a role at the provincial level.

OFA is committed to driving further success in our industry and rural communities by providing our grassroots with the opportunity to use their voice and evoke positive change for our sector. Each year, OFA works to identify and recruit new leaders during the nomination period for the open Zone Director positions across the province. With a rolling governance structure for director elections, five zones are up for election annually during the month of June. The position is for a three-year term on the Board of Directors, representing members in a designated zone.

This year, nominations are open in Zones 4 (ElginOxford), 7 (Huron-Perth), 9 (Dufferin-Waterloo-Wellington), 13 (Peel-Simcoe-York) and 14 (Glengarry-PrescottRussell-Stormont). NominaJune 30, 2021

tions, which opened on June 1, will be accepted until June 25. All nominees must be active OFA members who reside in the zone.

Through ongoing advocacy work with government policymakers and industry partners, our Board of Directors are committed to enhancing the agri-food industry, rural and northern communities, and the business of farming for all farmers in Ontario.

Although it may seem intimidating, sitting on OFA’s Board as a Zone Director can be a very fulfilling experience for those interested in taking an active role in advocacy and using their voice to influence policy and legislation that will benefit the entire agriculture industry.

OFA’s board is comprised of 18 dedicated, passionate and hardworking leaders elected by our membership to represent the diverse interests of our 38,000 farm business members. Each director brings their own unique voice and farm background to the table, offering a distinct perspective on issues impacting their local communities.

When I joined the board in 2019, I was pleasantly surprised by the open-minded and progressive individuals sitting around me at the table. Our sector is extremely diverse and there is a benefit to being able to look at issues from all viewpoints.

The responsibility of a provincial director is to attend 11 board meetings throughout the year, including a board tour in the summer (COVID-19 notwithstanding) and the Annual General Meeting in November. It offers the opportunity to engage federal, provincial and municipal policymakers and staff by participating in meetings, roundtable discussions and lobby day events on issues facing the agri-food sector and rural communities. Directors are given the chance to connect with grassroots members and industry stakeholders on key priorities and opportunities

Happy Canada Day!!

to grow our dynamic sector.

This active role allows for collaboration with enthusiastic and passionate board members and staff to ensure the farming and food sector continues to thrive across the province.

What initially attracted me to the role of Zone Director was my desire to learn and give back to my community.

Through my leadership role in OFA, I was given the opportunity to serve agriculture in a different way by giving it a voice and striving to improve the sector for the next generation.

Joining OFA as a Director is not only an exciting opportunity to work alongside knowledgeable, experienced, and motivated members of the board and staff, but it’s also the chance to represent your local farming community and positively impact the livelihoods of 49,600 Ontario farms. It’s a commitment that has the potential to benefit you and the agri-food industry.

We all have a duty to make things better and try to improve the industry that gives us our livelihood and provides the province with food, fibre and fuel. If someone in your community embodies what it means to be a strong leader and has the desire to make a difference for the industry and their community, take the first step in filling out a Zone Director nomination form.

For more information about the nomination and election process, please visit our website.

From the Council and Staff at the Township of North Dundas

Happy Canada Day North Dundas!

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47 Christie Lane House of Lazarus grateful for community support First Garden Party Winchester

Janet Carkner is retiring after 15 years of service with the House of Lazarus

by Joselyn Morley The House of Lazarus held its Annual General Meeting via Zoom on June 14. In the Land Acknowledgement to recognize the original Indigenous nations, at the beginning of the meeting, Reverend Dan Hayward spoke of reconciliation, referenced the 1986 apology from the United Church, and said, “the church had confused the gospel with European ways.” The House of Lazarus is a United Church Mission, and as such, began with a prayer by Reverend Christine Lowson of the Winchester and Hope Springs United Church.

Mark van Delst, as the

HOL Board Chair, encouraged anyone interested to join the HOL Board, or to volunteer in any capacity. There is always room for more help.

There are currently ten members on the Board.

COVID-19 has been a challenge for HOL and all its programs. HOL closed its stores to donations and purchases with the first wave of the pandemic. Staff were laid off, income from their stores stopped, and many of their in-person programs had to be put on hold. Programs offering meals in-person, such as Lunch & Learn and Dinner on the House, ceased.

The year has been very difficult for staff, volunteers, and clients of HOL. With sales down, and in-person fundraisers difficult to organize, the HOL worked very hard to access grants. The Board acknowledged the great amount of work of the HOL staff in identifying, applying for and accessing grants.

The community supported HOL exceptionally well. The Board, staff, and volunteers were amazed and moved by the level of community support throughout the pandemic. The community itself, through service organizations, fundraising such as Giving Tuesday, and individuals, donated $50K more than the previous year. Donations of household goods and clothing overwhelmed staff after the first lockdown. The

ing program, whereby youth can take the Hunting Safety Course. This year, 10 youth benefitted from that. Restrictions were placed on numbers in attendance because of the pandemic.

Grants formed a huge part of the funding for HOL for this past year. HOL received over $225K in grants, from sources such as: Reaching Home – United Way Simcoe & Muskoka, and United Way SDG; Winter Warmth – United Way SDG; Social Services Relief Fund from the Provincial government; Food Banks Canada from the Federal Government $150 million Campaign; Rural Kids Grant – Newman’s Own & Feed Ontario; Landlord Registry & Advocate Training – United Way SDG; and UCLC School Nutrition Program. Grants covered needs such as rent, hydro, and heat relief for people impacted by the pandemic.

Janet Carkner, Assistant Executive Director, is retiring after 15 years with HOL. There was a photo montage, and many tears! She will be missed. She says she has really enjoyed it, and will miss the people. Janet gave flowers to Cathy Ashby, Executive Director, just because it was a really hard year. The Board, staff, and volunteers at HOL have indeed had a very challenging year, including laying off 75% of the HOL team three times.

Lions Club of Morrisburg donated HOL two tents to help protect donations for sorting.

The HOL Food Bank Member Programs supported 240 families, or 641 people: 38% of those are children and 6% seniors. 24% of Food Bank clients are new. There were fewer clients but they needed more food. The Community Garden managed to produce a whopping 1036 pounds of produce. This is exceptionally important as food bank donations are often non-perishable goods. Other HOL programs included 94 Adopt a Family, 27 Adopt a Senior, and 44 Adopt a Couple. Medical supplies and school supplies were provided. The Clothing Program provided 398 adults with clothing vouchers, and 217 children. The Household Goods Program provided 57 Adults with vouchers, 64 children, and 166 families. 203 Crockpot Cuisine kits were given out with 6 crockpots.

The HOL Outreach Programs that went ahead this year included Heat for the Holidays that helped 38 families. Neighbours Helping Neighbours assisted 18 families, and Handyman Heroes 3 families. Starting Over program helped 12 adults and 4 children. 2 Adults were helped out through the Back to Work program. Operation Backpack served 168 children with 5632 backpacks providing meals and snacks.

HOL has a Youth Hunt-

Market held

by Joselyn Morley June 19 saw the first of the season Garden Party Market, held at The Planted Arrow Flowers and Gifts, and at the Giving Garden of St Paul’s United Church in Winchester. The weather cooperated, and more than 300 people visited the two sites. Social distancing and sanitizing protocols were followed. Markets will be held throughout the summer and fall: July 10, July 24, August 14, September 11, October 9 from 10 am to 3 pm. The markets are held at The Planted Arrow, 535 St Lawrence St, and St Paul’s Church, 517 Main St. Each market hosts 25 Amazing Local Vendors in Winchester. Email info@theplantedarrow. com for more information or to become a vendor.

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Part Time News Reporter Wanted The North Dundas Times

The North Dundas Times is an independently owned publication serving the population of North Dundas and surrounding area. We are seeking a talented and motivated journalist. Responsibilities include: collecting and analyzing information of public interest and writing news articles for a bi-weekly publication. The successful candidate will be gathering information, conducting interviews, writing articles and taking photographs of events in the local community.

Please consider submitting your resume if you are a person with: Excellent news judgment; Strengths in accurate, clean reporting; The ability to initiate stories and features; Excellent reporting and writing skills; Experience at a news organization in a deadline-oriented reporting/writing role; Ability to work quickly and independently, meet multiple deadlines, and make efficient decisions.

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Student Nutrition Programs reach 40,000+ students across Eastern Ontario in 2020-21 Submitted by Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training (UCLCET) School buildings and student programming sites have become more than just a destination for children and youth to socialize and engage in learning; amongst the many other roles these sites play in our communities, for many children they have also become an important source of nutritious food.

Throughout this very different school year, student nutrition programs across Eastern Ontario have found unique and creative ways to continue to fulfill this role.

More than 200 schools and youth agencies throughout the counties of Prescott Russell, Stormont Dundas & Glengarry, Leeds & Grenville and Renfrew provided breakfast and snack programs for students in the 2020-21 school year.

In typical times, healthy food is offered by these programs at no cost to students through food bins, buffet settings or student self-preparation areas. This year student nutrition programs in schools could only offer pre-packaged individual servings, with strict health guidelines for the preparation and distribution of foods. School building closures throughout the year, and the increased number of remote learners created additional challenges for offering nutritious foods to all students.

“School staff, teachers and administrators have gone above and beyond to ensure students continue to have access to nutritious foods for better learning outcomes in this unique year,” explains UCLCET Student Nutrition Program Manager, Jennifer Cuillerier. “To support families with increased food costs

related to at home learning, they’ve helped to distribute vouchers redeemable for healthy foods to more than 12,000 students.”

“Local food banks have also played an important role in ensuring access to healthy foods for students this year,” added Cuillerier. “Through the generosity of our funding partners, food producers, and distributors we partnered with food banks that met the well-established service and delivery models and standards established by Feed Ontario, to provide healthy food to families with schoolage children and youth in our communities.”

“Traditional service models have not been possible, but student nutrition programs have still reached more than 40,000 students this year while ensuring every safety precaution is taken,” Matthew Raby, UCLCET Executive

Director noted. “Schools and communities have really come together to make sure we are still getting to students with healthy food options to promote better learning, wherever they may be learning. It has been a truly remarkable response and through this we have a lot of optimism for the future.”

Upper Canada Leger Centre for Education and Training (UCLCET) is a communityfocused organization that seeks to find innovative ways to spearhead unique projects supporting education, diversity, health and well-being in Eastern Ontario. UCLCET is responsible for distributing financial support for student nutrition programs from the provincial Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, among other funding partners, food producers and distributors.

Very few of us can redirect everything that we use out of the landfills. Our society worships consumerism. Success is shown by owning more: bigger and better. In the ecomantra “Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle,” the Recycling part is the last of the three.

Recycling is obviously a great goal, but it’s important to remember that if we can avoid single-use, or expendable products in the first place, we have less to reuse or recycle. Before purchasing something, ask yourself if you really need it. If the answer is yes, then ask around to see if there’s some way of buying it used, or better yet, getting it for free if someone is passing an unused item along. If we can reduce our demand for cheaply made products, we can keep more out of the landfill. If we can use something that we already have, or buy second hand, we aren’t creating a demand.

If we can buy something well-made, and avoid fastfashion for example, it will last longer, and stay out of the landfill. Admittedly, there’s an element of classism in this philosophy. Not everyone can afford to buy good quality items intended to last.

Many people buy what is June 30, 2021

available, when they need it. Understandable. And standing in judgement of their actions doesn’t help the environment at all, because it divides people.

The best defense against mass consumerism and waste is a united, helpful community, working as a group to change policy, habits, and the culture of more, bigger, and better.

There are some things that are difficult to reuse, or recycle. Earth Hub helps to keep some of these things out of the landfill, and connects people with a surplus of something difficult to recycle, with people who can reuse it. It’s a movement based on volunteers; others who share a passion for keeping stuff out of the landfill! Collect the items.

When you have a few, send an email to the specific address for your city. You will be directed to a volunteer where you can drop off your bulk items that need recycling. Drop-off locations are usually people’s homes; people who share a passion for keeping things out of landfills. Monetary donations from those who are able can help offset costs for collection. Some of the things Earth Hub helps to recycle include: prescription containers, used internationally for medical supplies; mascara wands, used for wildlife rehabilitation; pop cans,

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bit, and to decrease our consumption and waste.

Reuse is to use again when possible, including restoring or re-processing. Repair is the action of fixing or mending, while aiming to acquire more durable items, and more things that can be fixed. Rethink means to change how we approach consumption.

Recycle, means to process something used into something that we can use in another way. If saving bread tags and milk bags is just a bit beyond what you can manage, especially when there is so much more to do and deal with during the pandemic, that’s ok.

If you do want to recycle egg cartons or prescription bottles, there is a place to do so. Remember, we don’t need a few people doing zero-waste perfectly, we need many doing it imperfectly.

donated to raise money for Empties 4 Paws and similar animal rescues; big 4 liter milk bags, used by the Legion for their Leave the Streets Behind operation making sleeping mats; cardboard or plastic egg cartons, used by food banks and local farmers; broken and single-use crayons, lip balm, or glue sticks, melted down and used for various projects; old markers and toothbrushes, given to the TerraCycle Program; plastic bread tags and bottle caps, to reuse the plastic.

The Ottawa email is Ottawa@earthub.ca. In the Kanata and Stittsville area, ecowestenders.ottawa@ earthub.ca. Some more “Rs” to keep in mind while working to a more sustainable system: Refuse, is to express oneself as unwilling to accept the culture of waste and disposability. Reduce is to lower in degree, to bring down a

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Knights Cemetery Memorial Service July 11th 2pm

Guest Speaker Rev Melody Trolly Featuring Live Music from the Trolly Brothers Located on the corner of Van Camp & Mulloy Road, Inkerman.

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Gardening: such as potassium, cal- Wort, or mother’s herb. It Succession Planting

Medicinal Plants

by Joselyn Morley A weed is just a plant that is growing when we don’t want it. Have you ever wondered what you can do with the so-called weeds? Many of them purport to have medicinal qualities. Some of the more pervasive so-called weeds in our area have been used for generations in some medicinal capacity. Here is the obligatory disclaimer: I am not a doctor! This article is for interest, and should not be taken as medical advice.

Incidentally, if using any plants in the making of skincare products, such as salves, soaps, or lipbalms, it is against Health Canada regulations to make any health claims regarding your product.

People use plants in a variety of ways. Teas can be made with dried or fresh plants. Tinctures can be made by soaking plants in alcohol. Soaking plants in vinegar, or making vinegar from plants, is another way to get their benefits.

If you do not use alcohol for whatever reason, you can infuse glycerine or oil with a plant. You can use many parts of plants, from roots to seeds, depending on the plant. Many plants get bitter after they flower.

It’s a defense mechanism to help the plant propagate; if a plant tastes awful, an animal or human is less likely to eat it, meaning the plant has more chance of surviving until it can seed and propagate.

Here are some of the more common uses for the weeds outside your door: To make a tincture, soak the plant’s leaves, roots, or flowers in alcohol. Most people just use vodka. Obviously don’t do this if you are using it for children, or if you don’t want alcohol in your house. In this instance, use an oil, glycerine, or vinegar instead.

Dandelions are full of vitamins and minerals, MAY 31 AUTOMOTIVE

cium, magnesium, iron, and vitamins A, B, C, and K. If you want to eat them, they’re tastier when young, before flowering. You can still eat them later, but you have to boil off some of the bitterness before sautéing them in olive oil, or using them in some other cooking. The roots are believed to help with digestion, lowering blood sugar, treating jaundice or other liver ailments. The leaves and flowers are thought to reduce skin irritation.

Dandelion is often found in skincare products such as salves, soaps, or balms.

Mullein are those large, sage-green plants with the soft fuzzy leaves and the tall flower stock with small yellow flowers. The entire plant is thought to be beneficial for anything to do with lungs, and all things breathing related. At one point in time, dried leaves were smoked to help alleviate coughs; somewhat counter-intuitive to be sure!

It is used in tinctures, vinegars, and oils. They’re one of the first plants to colonize disturbed ground. The leaves contain mucilage, which is believed to sooth mucous membranes. Tinctures, or teas, are used for chest colds, asthma, bronchitis, coughs, or kidney infections. Tea made from the dried stalks is used to treat cramps or migraines.

Oil infused with mullein is used to treat earaches, as is tincture made with the flowers.

Motherwort is used to treat heart problems, and all things falling under the category “female ailments.” Teas and tinctures are used for any problems with menstruation, menopause, or pregnancy.

Please consult an herbalist or natural practitioner before using anything during pregnancy. Motherwort tea was traditionally given to mothers in all stages of their child-bearing lives, hence the name Mother-

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calms nerves and reduces anxiety for anyone, and it helps with digestion.

Plantain is said to be great for the skin. Leaves are used in anything topical for skin ailments. Poultices made with crushed leaves reduce swelling, irritation, stings, sunburn, blisters, bug bites, sprains, and strained muscles. It’s often found in natural shampoos or hair rinses as it is believed to help with dandruff and psoriasis. You’ll find it in salves and balms for all things to do with skin ailments. Teas were used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal worms, and bleeding.

Stinging nettle is loved by herbalists and foragers, and hated by uninitiated gardeners. If you grab it to pull it out of a flowerbed, it will tingle your hand. If you brush up against a bunch of it while hiking, it can feel like an electric shock in a localized part of your body.

Some people experience mild sensation. Others, such as my husband, appear to have been zapped by high botanical voltage!

Jewelweed and dock (not burdock, but dock) are said to alleviate the tingling if applied right away. Stinging nettles are used by people with joint pain and inflammation. Run fresh stinging nettle over your joints. The numbness alleviates pain and inflammation, and the effects seem to be lasting. They are used dry for teas or in lotions for skin ailments.

Tea is said to relieve gout, anemia, poor circulation, dysentery, and diarrhea.

Drying and blanching both remove the sting. They are full of vitamins, similar to most dark green plants.

They make a lovely soup, and nettle juice can be used as a plant-based alternative to rennet.

This information might just change the way you look at weeds from now on.

by Joselyn Morley Sometimes in gardening it’s feast or famine. One day you are watching your cucumber vines set flowers, and waiting for a crunchy cucumber, and by the next week you’re begging your neighbours to take some more cucumbers! Or the first few leaves of Kale or Swiss chard are yummy and welcome, and a week later you swear you will never eat another green leaf in your life!

If this is you in the summer, think about succession planting. In short, it means you’re not sowing all your seeds at ones.

Maybe plant some new seeds every week. This will stagger your harvest, prolonging your season for many crops. You will enjoy green leaves all summer, or get to enjoy a few weeks of fresh beets or carrots. Tomatoes and peppers are a bit harder to succession plant, because of the length of time they take to get to maturity and fruiting. You start them early inside to give them a good jump on the season, but you can only put them out when all risk of frost is gone. We had frost very late in May this year, so the only thing the early bird got is dead tomato and pepper plants. Consider trying different varieties of tomatoes or peppers. Some mature earlier than others. Some of the Russian varieties, for example, will set fruit very soon after getting them into the ground. There are determinate and indeterminate varieties of tomatoes. There are some that fall in the middle of the two, but generally, determinate varieties will keep growing up, up, up as long as they have space, heat, and light. By staking indeterminate varieties of tomatoes on high trellises, stakes, or fences, while judiciously pruning off suckers and limiting the plants to a single stalk, you can keep your tomatoes fruiting until first frost, or even a hard frost. Check out how some of the hothouse tomatoes are grown! They’re really vines, and as long as they’re supported, they will grow and fruit, providing they’re indeterminate.

Changing locations of plants as the season progresses can prolong your season as well. You probably, wisely, chose a warm, sunny, and dry location in which to plant your first handfuls of seeds for cold-hardy crops such as lettuce, chard, kale, or other brassicas. Many of these crops don’t like the high heat and sun of late June and July. As the season progresses, consider planting these in shadier areas of the garden when sowing more seeds. There are also a lot of crops, such as brassicas, that you can plant later in the season for a fall harvest.

Things grow a bit slower when the daylight starts to wane, but there’s still lots of opportunity for planting!

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Happy Birthday Michael Roosendaal We hope you have a great day!

With lots of love from all your family....especially Frankie! xxx

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Summer Break has arrived

by Jamie Wilson The 2020/2021 school year ended last week. We had our graduation ceremonies with grade 8 and grade 12 virtual graduation ceremonies on June 22 and 23, respectively.

On Thursday, June 24 and Friday, June 25, the grade 12 graduates had a scheduled drive-through graduation where they received their grad gift packages and had the opportunity to say goodbye to their teachers and take some photos. Congratulations to all the graduates! Grade 8 graduates, best of luck entering high school next year! Your high school experience is what you make of it; get involved, make memories, and have a good time. Grade 12 graduates, wherever life takes you next year, make the most of it. You are all capable

Send in your letters, stories, events to editor@ ndtimes.ca 8

of doing great things with your lives. Thank you for all the memories.

This is my last article as Student Council Minister of Communications at NDDHS. Despite the nature of this year with remote learning and covid restrictions on the typical school events, I have had a fantastic final year of high school. Thank you to my fellow student council members for putting effort into making this year fun, even though we could not have a lot of our typical events. Spirit day competitions with Seaway were my personal favourite thing to come out of this year; maybe they will become a new tradition between our schools. Throughout my four years at NDDHS, I have learned some advice that I would like to pass on: ask for help, believe

you are capable, and find joy in the little things. That is what got me through all the ups and downs of high school. It has been my pleasure writing weekly articles for the community for this year. Have a wonderful summer!

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Canadian Blood Services celebrates donors for loyalty to patients during pandemic Canadian Blood Services celebrated blood donors during National Blood Donor Week (June 13-19) for maintaining consistent collections throughout COVID-19 and supporting patients in need of lifesaving blood products.

Donors are a critical link in Canada’s Lifeline. Their essential support has ensured patients in Canada receive blood where and when they need it.

“In a disruptive and uncertain environment where we’ve seen frequent shortages of products and services around the world and various pandemic waves, blood donors have ensured that no patient in need of blood or blood products went without,” says Rick Prinzen, Canadian Blood Services chief supply chain officer and vicepresident of donor relations.

“Cancer patients, accident victims and people with blood disorders rely on blood, platelets, and plasma transfusions every day. Coping with the pandemic hasn’t been easy and we are extremely grateful to all donors across Canada for their commitment to meeting patients’ needs in these difficult times.”

Even with COVID-19 and its impacts, donors have

helped maintain the national blood inventory, and they have also extended their support to other areas of Canada’s Lifeline.

“Whether you have donated blood, plasma, stem cells, cord blood or financial gifts that have helped us increase our donor recruitment this year, we appreciate all donors for keeping Canada’s Lifeline strong,” Rick says.

Canadian Blood Services has had enhanced safety measures in place in all its facilities across the country throughout the pandemic to ensure the wellbeing of donors, its volunteers and staff is safeguarded. Despite increasing levels of concern on the perceived threat levels of COVID-19, donors have shown unprecedented levels of confidence and trust in Canadian Blood Services to protect them.

Ipsos poll surveys led by the organization have tracked donor perceptions since the start of the pandemic. Findings over the last three months have supported the tremendous response from donors. The most recent findings among donors surveyed in May indicated that most donors (97%) continue to feel it is safe to donate blood at

munity to donate,” says Eric Prinzen.

Legislated by the Government of Canada in 2008, National Blood Donor Week (June 13-19) recognizes and celebrates donors who selflessly help their fellow citizens.

In addition to booking appointments this summer to help hospital patients, we invite you to share how your connection to Canada’s Lifeline started at blood.ca/ reasons and on your social media channel(s). Tag us @ Canadaslifeline so we can like and share your posts and use the hash tags #CanadasLifeline #NBDW2021.

Download the GiveBlood app and join Canada’s Lifeline. Please call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283) or book now at blood.ca.

Canadian Blood Services is a not-for-profit charitable organization. Regulated by Health Canada as a biologics manufacturer and primarily funded by the provincial and territorial ministries of health, Canadian Blood Services operates with a national scope, infrastructure and governance that make it unique within Canadian healthcare.

this time and a majority (99%) feel confident in the ability of Canadian Blood Services to protect their health and safety.

The continued support of donors provides a lifeline for patients like Jakob Guziak, a 20-month-old toddler from Edmonton, Alberta who has a very rare immune disorder.

He is treated with a medication made from plasma and urgently requires a stem cell transplant from an unrelated stem cell donor.

Jakob’s father, Kamil Guziak, is white, and his mom, Andrea AbdulRahin is Hispanic. His best match would likely be a donor who shares his mixed-race background. However, Hispanics and those with mixed-race backgrounds make up a small percentage of the prospective donors in Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry.

The family is pleading for more potential stem cell donors from diverse ancestry to join Canada’s Lifeline.

“At all times, donors play an essential role in meeting patients’ needs across Canada. The need is constant for blood, stem cells and plasma donors. To show your support as we head into summer, please encourage your friends, family, and com-

Cornwall Mayor appointed to the Senate

Bernadette Clement, Photo source Facebook Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has appointed City of Cornwall Mayor Bernadette Clement to become the Senate’s newest member.

“I want to wish my sincerest congratulations to Mayor Clement. It is a special honour in Canadian politics to be named to Canada’s Red June 30, 2021

Chamber,” said Jim McDonell, Member of Provincial Parliament for StormontDundas-South Glengarry.

“I truly believe Ms. Clement will become a valuable representative not just for her home region of Cornwall and the surrounding area, but for the entire province of

Ontario. During three terms as a city councillor and her current term as mayor, which has been very challenging during the pandemic, she has demonstrated a strong passion and commitment to serve her constituents well.

Ms. Clement is sure to bring a fresh perspective that will best represent the Canadian mosaic. I look forward to continuing the close working relationship I have enjoyed with Ms. Clement as our region faces the challenges of a post-pandemic world.”

Ms. Clement was the first Black woman to serve as a mayor in Ontario. She was elected mayor of Cornwall in 2018. Before becoming

Mayor, she was a three-term city councillor. Ms. Clement, a lawyer, was born in Montreal, attended the University of Ottawa, obtaining degrees in Civil Law and Common Law. She is also a former federal Liberal candidate in the riding of Stormont--Dundas--South Glengarry in the 2011 and 2015 elections.

Local Member of Parliament Eric Duncan (StormontDundas-South Glengarry) also offered congratulations to the new Senator, but added he had to, “respectfully note that this appointment breaks the Prime Minister’s promise of appointing non-partisan Senators.”

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Queen's Park Update – June 2021

by MPP Jim McDonell This past month marked the first step of our Reopening Ontario plan and the return of retail shopping and outdoor patios. Our health and infectious disease experts are analyzing our progress, and the statistics look promising, especially locally. Our riding's caseload has consistently been in the single digits, numbers not seen since last summer. We are now able to graduate two days ahead of schedule to Step 2 on Wednesday, June 30. This will allow welcome improvements: increasing outdoor gatherings to 25 from 10, allowing indoor groups of up to five people with restrictions, and resuming sports, leagues, overnight camps, meetings, and events with capacity limits.

For businesses: non-essential retail capacity rises to 25 percent, while essential retail jumps to 50 percent; outdoor dining increases to six per table, and personal care services reopen ith masking. Other improvements include the resumption of indoor religious gatherings at 25 percent capacity. Please visit https:// www.ontario.ca/page/reopening-ontario for complete details.

While these are promising developments, the potential outbreak of the very contagious Delta variant remains a serious concern. If our vaccine program can maintain its rapid pace, and we continue our proven safety measures, we should enter Step Three in the third week of July.

Thanks to increased shipments of vaccines, and our local health units' ability to get shots in arms, we have made substantial headway towards achieving a two-dose summer.

Most Ontarians over the age of 70 have received their second dose, and anyone over 18 became eligible to book theirs this week. Students 12 years old and older also began receiving vaccinations this month, setting up their second dose before returning to school in the fall. We have 16 pharmacies providing the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in our region, with more programmed as vaccine deliveries increase. The second dose interval of AstraZeneca has also been reduced to eight weeks from the previous manufacturer's 12-week recommendation. At the start of June, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit had administered nearly 111,000 doses and now expect to surpass 180,000 by month's end, quite the accomplishment by Dr. Paul Roumeliotis' dedicated team. Book your appointment at www.ontario.ca/bookvaccine or by calling 1-888-999-6488 if you have a red and white OHIP card or need assistance.

The EOHU is adding additional clinics as supplies arrive, allowing you to reduce your interval for Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to a minimum of 28 days. Check the above website, and if you book an earlier date, your previous appointment is automatically cancelled.

As we allow for more social gatherings and events, I know some organizations and groups require assistance. The Ontario government has opened up the 2020-21 Seniors Community Grant Program for applications. This grant will assist not-forprofit community groups in developing projects to encourage greater social inclusion, volunteerism, and community engagement for seniors. Applicants can apply through Transfer Payment Ontario (formerly Grants Ontario) online at Ontario.ca/ GetFunding. The deadline for all applications is July 15, 2021, at 5 pm. Remember to follow our public health guidelines and keep our community healthy. www.ndtimes.ca

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CROSSWORD

Staff awards at United Counties Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Council

by Joselyn Morley The Council of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, & Glengarry (SDG) met via Zoom on June 21. Lyle Warden, Deputy Mayor of South Glengarry, served as Acting Warden for the meeting.

Staff awards have been presented to various people working for SD&G, and a short video introducing the recipients and telling of their achievements was shared.

The winners exemplify service to the Counties. Dana Grant of Transportation Services received the Innovation, Sustainability & Leadership Award. Dana always integrates technology into his work in every way possible, and that expertise has benefited the Transportation Department, particularly during the pandemic. Rachel Viarais of SDG Library received the Customer Service Award for the second year in a row. This year it was specifically her work in IT during the pandemic that served as the basis for the award. Serge Matin from IT Services received the Safety Smart Award. As a new supervisor, Serge has ensured that his department is working to health and safety regulations, particularly during the pandemic.

Long-service awards were presented to Sabrina Ade and Monique Lefebvre for 20 years, Rebecca Russell for 15 years, and Timothy Simpson, Peter Leyenaar, and Tracy Clouier for 10 years. 2020 saw three staff retire, Helen Thomson after 42 years, Catherine Francis after 34 years, and Donna McMillan after 7.

MP Eric Duncan made an appearance at the SDG Council meeting in his capacity as a volunteer with the SDG County Archives. He came to report on the excellent progress of the Newspaper Digi-

tizing Project. So far 210,000 pages have been digitized.

There are still more to go, and they are still receiving more papers. There are three papers from Glengarry that they have just received, and the Lost Villages Museum is providing photos and information.

The Council will maintain a modest digital reserve fund for ongoing work, and will receive an annual report for accountability and information.

In the end, there will be 35 to 40 thousand pages of archived material. The owners and staff of the newspapers have been amazing and supportive.

There was the opportunity prior to this meeting for the Councillors to tour the Historic Warden’s House and Jail, in order to be able to better understand the work needed.

The process of making the buildings more usable for office space is ongoing. The Counties will hire contractors on a piece-by-piece basis for the ongoing renovations.

The first task is to address the structural supports in the basement. Mayor Tony Fraser appreciated the opportunity for the tour, and said that the tour served to alleviate a lot of his concerns about the renovations. It is hard to make good decisions about funding renovations without having toured the building in person.

Speed on various County Roads has concerned residents. New subdivisions are being developed in Hallville near County Road 43 and in the north part of the town.

There is also the Hallville Community Park to consider.

The 50 km/hr zone in Hallville will therefore extend further north. Once the speed limit changes, the OPP will be notified to encourage adherence to the new speed limits.

Community Safety Zones are also being considered in various places in SDG. Mayor Fraser raised the possibility of extending the 50 km/hr zone on County Road 3 west

of downtown Winchester out past the new developments.

The Transportation Department looks at speed limits when the issue is raised by residents, so residents can bring their concerns about speed to both North Dundas and the Counties.

The Eastern Ontario AgriFood Network is excited about two new Farmers Markets in Cornwall and Cassleman. They are discussing local food initiatives, and an Apple & Arts Tour with local tourism initiatives. MP Eric Duncan urged support for the Crisis 988 Hotline. Someone in distress should not have to remember a 10 digit number.

The Counties supports the 988 National Crisis Hotline.

The Council acknowledged Pride Month, and agreed to raise the Pride Flag at the Counties Building. It is unfortunate that Counties Council didn’t do this last month so that the Pride Flag could have flown for the entire month of June in celebration of Pride Month. Council held a closed session at the end of the meeting to discuss an appeal to the Official Plan.

There was a fulsome discussion around the Council table about how best to replace former Warden Prevost who was charged by the OPP on June 8. The majority of Councillors thought that continuity was important going forward. Most were in favour of a vote to elect an interim Warden to serve the remaining 5 ½ months of Warden Prevost’s term, rather than a rotating position of Acting Warden. Current procedure governing such situations will be examined in future meetings. The vote to replace Warden Provost for the remaining 5 ½ months was held after the meeting, where our own Allan Armstrong, Deputy Mayor of North Dundas, was voted in as the Interim Warden for SDG.

ACROSS 1. Scrimp 6. Behold, in old Rome 10. Whacks 14. House style 15. Diva's solo 16. Dash 17. Lacquer ingredient 18. Obtains 19. Way in 20. Corridor 22. Dogfish 23. Enticed 24. Creek 25. Beige 29. Asserted 31. Metalworks 33. Very drunk (British slang) 37. Repleted 38. Characteristic of winter

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DOWN 1. Stair 2. A city in western Russia 3. Midmonth date 4. French for "Names" 5. Courtroom event 6. Thirstily 7. Embroidery yarn 8. Stronghold 9. Not difficult 10. In spite of everything 11. San Antonio fort 12. Terrace 13. Move stealthily 21. Protected 24. Start 25. F F F F 26. Metal money 27. Govern 28. Made without yeast 30. Tartarus 32. Type of hat 34. Send forth 35. An exchange involving money 36. Killed 40. Widow 41. Terrestrial 43. Ripe 45. Damp 46. Delete 47. Spry 49. Anagram of "Space" 51. Insulation 52. Sister and wife of Zeus 53. Colored part of an eye 54. Orderly 55. Require

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The North Dundas Times

WDMH Annual General Meeting focuses on Gratitude

Throughout the past year, the WDMH team has received many letters and gifts of support and gratitude, including these cards from the students at Iroquois Public School. We are so grateful!

The WDMH Annual General Meeting was held on June 22 and the key word was gratitude.

“We want to celebrate healthcare workers, families, supportive communities, volunteers, and generous donors,” noted Board Chair James Pitruniak in his remarks. “While COVID-19 dominated our lives this past year, it also shone a light on acts of kindness and caring.

Let’s all applaud that.”

Board Chair James Pitru-

niak and CEO Cholly Boland shared updates from the past year, noting that the WDMH team has responded – sometimes daily - to the many COVID-19 directives ordered by government. In partnership with the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, WDMH set up and continues to staff the COVID-19 Testing Centre in Winchester – sometimes receiving more than 1,000 calls per day. The Centre has expanded to also serve as a Vaccination Clinic for high-risk

COLLISION CENTER

populations and as an Assessment Centre for certain respiratory conditions. WDMH has cared for COVID-19 patients and welcomed other patients transferred from city hospitals. This allowed the larger hospitals to care for patients from Toronto and other areas. More than 95% of WDMH staff and physicians have chosen to receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. And WDMH was one of only two hospitals in the region where staff members volunteered to go and work in impacted city hospitals. A true ‘one team’ spirit.

“Through it all, our very generous communities have rallied around WDMH – sometimes literally with drive-by salutes. We have received so many positive messages, donations, and ongoing gifts of food and treats. We are humbled and grateful for the support,” added Cholly Boland, CEO. Despite COVID-19, other accomplishments over the past year were also applauded. Quality and safety initiatives remain a top priority. WDMH is proud to be partnering with the Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN) to save more lives through

organ and tissue donation and transplantation. To date, more than two dozen referrals have taken place, resulting in two successful eye donors. And new staff have been added to the WDMH team, including a Geriatrician and Respiratory Therapist.

At the AGM, the Board welcomed four new members: Annik Blanchard, Steve Densham, Jennifer Milburn, and Eric Stevens. Appreciation was also extended to Marieke vanNoppen, Shawn Sutton, and Elise Guest who have completed their terms.

Meet the WDMH Board of Directors at www.wdmh. on.ca/meetourboard.

The AGM ended with a motion put forward by Bill Smirle “to recognize the dedication and enthusiasm of everyone who works at WDMH and thanking them for their tremendous work under great duress over the past year. WDMH truly has an outstanding team.” It was passed unanimously.

A joint Report to the Community will be delivered to close to 60,000 homes in our region in early July.

by Rachel Everett-Fry

Following the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops Residential School, Mannie Giles of South Mountain erected a small memorial at the Church of St. Daniel the Martyr in South Mountain.

It was a modest memorial, composed of a lantern, children's shoes, and some flowers. On June 25, following the discovery of 751 unmarked graves at the Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan, Mannie returned to the memorial with her children and more flowers from her garden. She found that the memorial had been removed.

Mannie grew up attending the church. "My mum brought me to that church.

So, the likelihood of me knowing who it was (that removed the memorial) is high." The removal of these symbols comes across as continued erasure of the role played by the CathoJune 30, 2021

lic Church in the genocide against Indigenous peoples in Canada. But erasure isn't the answer.

Mannie said, "As painful and as uncomfortable as it is to hear the news and to be learning these things, it's imperative that we really sit down as people, especially if we belong to a Catholic Church, to really unpack how we're going to move forward."

Mannie notes that many good people are congregants at St. Daniel's, and that, "there's so many different emotions that are valid: anger and frustration and confusion — you name it" when processing tough news. But one's own manner of processing should not involve "dismantling other people's attempts to grapple with this."

"These issues are more deeply ingrained than most people have been aware of.

I was never taught about what happened to Indigenous communities." Mannie, who attended St. Michael's

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

Catholic High School in Kemptville, explained, "our churches are not teaching the truth, and our schools are not teaching the truth."

Further, "if these organizations, the Catholic Churches and schools, are unwilling to accept responsibility for the fact that things need to change, and that needs to be part of a conversation, then that's telling."

If you or someone you love is a survivor of a residential school, you can call the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419 for support.

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Auntie Anabel

It’s been a tough couple of weeks heading up to this Canada Day. Lots of terrible news of late that’s likely got a lot of people upset. I got a call from a woman who was complaining about the memorial for the Indigenous children who were found buried at Kamloops in unmarked graves. She was disturbed by the memorial that was placed at St. Daniel’s church in

South Mountain and wanted, what she called “garbage” removed. Yah, we all know the Pope has refused to apologize for the atrocities that occurred at these Indian Residential Schools- but people still have a right to mourn, grieve, and express their remorse, despite what this person thinks. In fact, things are changing in Canada as more information comes out to the masses.

New immigrants are asked to swear an oath to Canada that now includes the following statement, “..and that I will faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations.” Maybe an affirmation of citizenship for all people who are already Canadians wouldn’t be such a bad idea. www.ndtimes.ca

The North Dundas Times

Discriminatory Gay Blood Ban

MP Eric Duncan attends council meeting

by Joselyn Morley

by Joselyn Morley The North Dundas Council held its regular meeting via Zoom on June 22. It was broadcast on the Township’s YouTube channel. Mayor Fraser began the meeting by congratulating Deputy Mayor Armstrong for being elected by fellow County Councillors to sit as Interim Warden at the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (SDG) Council. Deputy Mayor Armstrong thanked the Mayor, saying he was, “truly humbled and honoured to have been given this opportunity during this ‘difficult’ time for all the municipalities” in SDG. MP Eric Duncan made his annual appearance at Council, discussing six points. He noted that the constituency office in Cornwall is now open to walk-in traffic. Satellite offices in Winchester and Morrisburg will resume by appointment. Citizens are advised to call or email before visiting. The key contact is Adrian Bugelli, at Adrian.Bugelli.502@parl.gc.ca.

Cell service Ongoing challenges with cell and internet service is a concern. The funding for the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) Cell Gap is confirmed. There is bipartisan support for EORN Gig Project, yet funding from the federal government is lagging, and timelines are slower than MP Duncan would like.

High-frequency rail Via Rail is proposing a new high-frequency rail project. MP Duncan stressed that this is a high-frequency line, meaning many trains, from Quebec City to Montreal, then up through Alexandria to Ottawa, and a new way of going down through Peterborough to Toronto. They have selected this route so that they can have a sole dedicated line, owned by Via, where they are the priority. This is good news for people needing more transportation options, but there are many questions, as cities along the 401 Corridor are not on this line.

National Suicide Crisis Hotline MP Duncan is also looking for support for the 988 National Suicide and Crisis Hotline. Most of the municipalities have indicated their support, and North Dundas added their support at this meeting. Someone in distress should not have to remember a ten-digit number. Eric stressed the need for funds going to more frontline supports for mental health. In the case of the OPP Nurse Ride Along Program, the Counties paid for the project because they believed it would help. It turns out it is cost neutral, but the province is not funding it. This speaks to problems getting money from where it is to where it is needed. He says that there is work to be done to ensure the provincial resources are in place to support the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline.

Last week MP Duncan wrote four notes of condolences to bereaved families of four male suicide victims under the age of 35, including a 16-year-old. Eric said, “We don’t need more studies. We don’t need more action plans. We just need dollars delivered to local providers so if someone does need counselling, or does need social work, or does need addictions help, they can get that in a timely and affordable manner….this is desperately lacking.”

Affordable Housing MP Duncan is concerned about affordable housing. He indicated there is a need for diversified forms of housing aside from the single-family dwellings. He said condominium and rental housing development is required to help meet the need and the province is working hard to tackle issues of supply. The high cost of building materials is a concern. There are claims that the cost of materials have come down recently, but demand and costs outstrips supply and inflation. He said three issues need to be addressed. There needs to be a temporary freeze of non-resident foreign buyers. One in five new mortgages in Canada currently are coming from foreign buyers. These investments sit empty, taking away much-needed supply, and introducing unhealthy competition. People are using real estate for money laundering the proceeds of crime. We need tax incentives for purpose-built market rental housing, such as 6-12 unit apartment buildings.

Access to infrastructure funding Finally, MP Duncan addressed infrastructure funding, saying that we need to get our fair share in SDG. Timelines need to improve. There is no shortage of money and promises of money.

Projects need to be delivered in a timely manner. Often the timeline for using infrastructure grant money is very short, and impossible to get the work done because of market constraints.

Timing of grants needs to take this into consideration. Eric encourages the Township to make use of the Enabling Accessibility Fund, and New Horizons for Seniors.

Council met for a 25-minute closed session based on: Section 239 (2) of Municipal Act 2001, c) a proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the Municipality or local board.

Pools The pools in Chesterville and Winchester are open, and there is public swimming. Only one pool is open each day, due to lifeguard shortages, and only 15 people in the pool for 45-minute blocks. You must register. Registration for group and individual swimming lessons is open.

Rezoning on John Street An application was made to re-zone a property on John Street in Chesterville, to remove a building formerly used for Jujitsu and the Legion, in order to allow for the development of townhomes. There will be a public meeting on July 13 prior to the regular meeting of Council.

Pride Flag Finally, to round out Pride Month, the Policy governing Flag Protocol was discussed. Three members of council supported changing the policy to allow for the flying of the Pride Flag.

Two did not. Mayor Fraser, Deputy Mayor Armstrong, and Councillor Annable supported flying the pride flag. Councillors Thompson and Hoy did not.

On World Blood Donor Day, June 14, MP Eric Duncan (Stormont Dundas and Glengarry) tabled a private member’s motion to end the Gay Blood Ban. He urges Canadian Blood Services to move to a more genderneutral screening process that focuses on behaviour and risk of the donor.

June is Pride month, and as such, is an opportunity to raise awareness of issues affecting the LGBTQ2+ community. The discriminatory Gay Blood Ban is such an issue.

In November 2020, MP Eric Duncan asked Federal Minister of Health Patty Hajdu when the government would make good on a fiveyear-old promise to end discrimination against gay men in the Canadian Blood Services. Hajdu replied that although she agrees that the ban is discriminatory, Canadian Blood Services is independent of the government, and as such, set their own regulations. In the ensuing exchange in the House of Commons, Hajdu reiterated that the government has funded research by both the Canadian Blood Services and Hema Quebec to help end the blood ban.

Under the federal Conservative government, the deferral period for men who have had sex with men (MSM) was five years. Under the Liberal government, the deferral period has dropped to 3 months.

Canadian Blood Services says they plan to change their

current policy that states that men are eligible to give blood if it has been more than three months since their last sexual contact with a man. They want to move to a sexual behaviour-based screening for all donors. They intend to recommend this change to Health Canada, who oversees the Canadian Blood Services, by the end of this year.

The UK recently changed its eligibility criteria to focus on behaviour, asking questions about sexual activity rather than sexual orientation.

New criteria in the UK allows gay and bisexual men who have had sex with men to donate blood if they have had the same sexual partner for the previous three months, allowing gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships to donate blood.

Canadian Blood Services argues that Health Canada alone has the authority to change the eligibility criteria for blood donation. Currently blood is screened both through a questionnaire to donors, as well as blood tests on each donation. The tests can detect hepatitis B and C, Chagas disease, West Nile virus, and HIV. As there is a lag time between when a person is infected and when the test can detect infection, Canadian Blood Services maintains that the questionnaire helps to reduce the risk of missing infections.

Health Canada has refuted the claim made by the Canadian Blood Services that it is Health Canada alone who has the authority over donor eligibility. They have refuted

Baldwin's Birds

Good day Dear Readers, I hope you are all healthy and well and starting to relax a little, as more of us reach the ultimate goal of full immunization against Covid 19.

There is still a long way to go, but as long as everyone does the right thing, it will be over quicker. Meanwhile nature proceeds in its own inimitable way and the weeds sprout in abundance and the birds nest and forage for food for their offspring. The birds not sitting on eggs or, seemingly, not June 30, 2021

having anything to do, regale us with their beautiful singing. Particularly prolific, in that regard, are the Cardinals who sit, hidden, in the tops of the tallest trees. It is amazing that such a brightly red colored bird can conceal itself so effectively, in the greenery, only giving its whereabouts away when it moves. The ones in our garden had a bit of competition the other day, when an equally raucous and persistent "beep beep" was heard and it wasn't a bird!

this claim in a recent court case stating that it has never issued a directive requiring Canadian Blood Services (CBS) to uphold the ban.

Health Canada is claiming it has no authority to direct the (CBS) to do anything. A federal judge has rejected Health Canada’s claim. In 2019, the Canadian Human Rights Commission stated that the relationship between Health Canada and the CBS should be examined. It therefore appears that Health Canada’s role in maintaining the Gay Blood Ban will be examined at the Human Rights Tribunal.

The Gay Blood Ban dates from the 1980s and the emergence of HIV and AIDS, when it was believed HIV and AIDS was only found in gay men. Confidence in the blood donation system in Canada was destroyed in the 1980s when thousands of people were exposed to HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products. Over 30 000 Canadians were infected with hepatitis C between 1980 and 1990, and approximately 2000 Canadians were infected with HIV between 1980 and 1985. Approximately 8000 of those people who received tainted blood have or are expected to die from this tainted blood. Some of the tainted blood was sent overseas to Germany, UK, and Japan.

In 1993, a Royal Commission of inquiry was set up to investigate the blood system in Canada to find out how contaminated blood got into the health care system. This failure of the system fueled prejudice and discrimination.

Going to my barbecue, I found, sitting on the soft black cover, the originator of the distinctive sound, - a beautiful little Tree Frog.

(Note its lovely unique toes, for climbing.) Being still daylight, and not quite dusk, he wasn't making too much noise then, but did later. I had to move him to prepare our meal, but he only stayed in his new location for the one night, which was just as well, because he would have given us pretty sleepless nights with his "beep beeps" echoing in the darkness!

Yesterday, when restocking my bird (? squirrel !? ) feeders, I had to rescue from one of them a panicking Tree Sparrow, who had got into it through a hole gnawed by a marauding Red Squirrel in the perspex wall liner. A modification has now put glass panes in the feeder to, 12

hopefully, prevent anything else from getting trapped in it. No doubt the red, gray, or black squirrels will find another way of getting in, but that remains to be seen! Until then, enjoy all your garden creatures and plants. Stay safe and well. Cheers!

John Baldwin

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