January 19, 2023

Province looks to private sector to clear backlog

THE PROVINCE IS LOOKING TO the private sector to help deal with the backlog in the healthcare system, including providing some surgeries.

The plan will be rolled out in three phases, beginning with cataract procedures.

In announcing the

new approach, the Ford government said some 14,000 more cataract surgeries will be performed each year at three diagnostic centres in Windsor, Kitchener-Waterloo and Ottawa. The first phase will also include MRI and CT scans, ophthalmic surgeries and minimally invasive gynecological surgeries. With this plan, the

province predicts a return to pre-pandemic levels for surgical wait lists by March.

Phase two will continue to focus on cataract surgeries, MRI, CT scans, and colonoscopy and endoscopy procedures.

“This will allow hospitals to focus their efforts and resources on more complex and high-risk surgeries,” the govern-

ment said in a release Monday.

The third phase will include introducing legislation that will allow community diagnostic centres to perform more MRI and CT scanning, expand surgeries for hip and knee replacements and strengthen oversight of community surgical settings.

ate backlash from critics, including public sector unions and the Ontario Health Coalition. Opponents say the funding should go to established public system, arguing the move will worsen wait times at hospitals, siphoning doctors and healthcare workers away to the private sector.

Council of Hospital Unions of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). He says the provincial government has been repeatedly cutting hospital funding.

“Hospital budgets are being cut. And they have unused capacity in terms of their operating rooms, and also some of their diagnostic equipment like

The plan drew immedi- →

Michael Hurley is the president of the Ontario

Woolwich giving out smoke/carbon monoxide detectors

A CAMPAIGN TO ELIMINATE CARBON monoxide and fire-related deaths gave a boost last week to the Woolwich Fire Department.

The township organization is providing 244 combination carbon monoxide and smoke alarms through Safe Community Project Zero.

“Every year in Ontario there are unnecessary deaths from smoke and CO alarms that don’t work. In Ontario in 2022 there were 33 such fatalities taking an extreme toll on families, communities, and

fire fighters,” said Dennis Aldous, Woolwich fire chief, at an event January 12 at the St. Jacobs fire hall. “This donation gives the fire department the ability to make sure as many people as possible have a working detector.”

The donation came through Safe Community Project Zero, a “public education campaign that will provide more than 8,000 alarms to residents in 50 municipalities across Ontario,” according to a release from the Township of Woolwich. Enbridge Gas provided $250,000 to the project this year.

The local donation is a

Leah Gerber

Observer Staff

→WOOLWICH 5

Woolwich fire chief Dennis Aldous; deputy chief Craig Eveson; Cathy Harrington, executive director of Community Care Concepts; Tina Reed, community support coordinator with Woolwich Community Services; Ward 1 Coun. Nathan Cadeau; Ward 3 Coun. Bonnie Bryant;

Mayor Sandy Shantz; Ward 1 Coun. Evan Burgess; Bryan Mchenfelder, vice president of the Elmira Legion; Randy Narine of the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Fire Safety Council and Shawn Artt, operations supervisor for Enbridge Gas, attended the announcement Jan. 12 of the donation of 244 combination carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. Leah Gerber

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

News tips are always welcome.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com Online: observerxtra.com/tips

Looking at ways to improve the health of the Grand River

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

THE FRIENDS OF THE GRAND River have teamed up with the University of Guelph to begin what they hope will be a years’ long process to thoroughly study the Grand and get to the bottom of its health problems.

For about four or five years now, members of Friends of the Grand River, a group of volunteers who work to protect and promote the waterway, and primarily its trout fishery, have noticed that the annually stocked trout in the river are not surviving past their first year. The trout fishery is not thriving and they are trying to find out why.

To this end, last year they launched two studies simultaneously: one to understand the socio-economic importance of the Grand River for the Fergus and Elora communities in terms of how much of the economy depends on the river each year, and another study to understand what is going on with the river’s biology and ecology, mainly to understand why the trout aren’t surviving.

Last summer, Prof. Ryan Prosser from the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph took on the project and launched the study. He and his team began by looking at the levels of benthic biodiversity, that is the diversity and quantity of insect life present

in the river. Insects are sensitive to water quality, some species more than others, and the presence or lack of benthic biodiversity indicates the river’s health. Insects are also at the foundation of the river’s food chain, since the trout rely on them as a main food source.

Last month, Prosser presented his preliminary findings about benthic biodiversity in the Grand to the Friends of the Grand River. His team took samples at 18 sites between the Shand Dam and West Montrose.

Generally, Prosser and his team found that biodiversity was lower closer to the dam, and grew higher downstream from it. The highest biodiversity was found in the Elora Conservation Area, and upstream from West Montrose. The worst section was near the Pierpoint area in Fergus.

Prosser took his findings about which insect species were present at each of the sites, and reported them as a biotic index, where higher numbers represent less biodiversity. The biotic index numbers closest to the dam were some of the highest, ranging between 6.2 and 6.5. Prosser says a river is considered healthy when it is in the range between four and the low five’s.

“The higher the number, the poorer the quality, or the more insensitive the community,” said Prosser during his presentation.

“So the trend that we’re seeing from the sampling

ANOTHER TEMPORARY RESIDENCE HAS OPENED its doors for Ukrainians coming to Waterloo Region. Karen Martin, owner of Hillside Residence in Maryhill, has shifted focus at the site after 23 years of operating a retirement home.

“When I decided to end it was a fairly quick decision. It was based on a bunch of things,” said Martin, pointing to the likes of the pandemic and funding models. “Bigger places had an easier time. And I thought maybe this space could be used for another good reason.

“I really liked our clients and our families that we were working with, so it was a really hard decision, but I also thought and felt really badly about all the Ukrainians,” she added at an open house event last

Fire dept. budget

The Woolwich Fired Department is looking for an 11.8% hike in its operating budget, township councillors heard Jan. 12, with expenditures for 2023 set at $2,542,503, up from $2,274,921 in the 2022 budget. The increase is driven by a 7% increase to firefighter pay and plans to hire a full-time training officer. Chief Dennis Aldous notes call volumes rose to 642 last year from 560 in 2021 and 486 in 2020.

From the archives

A major sewage spill last summer prompted Woolwich engineering staff to request $400,000 in the 2003 capital works budget. The money would be used to eliminate a pumping station in Elmira’s south end. Loss of power to the station on July 12 caused one million litres of waste to be dumped into the Canagagigue Creek. From the Jan. 18, 2003 edition of The Observer

Saturday.

The residence will provide temporary housing for six months for 22 Ukrainians. It is set to welcome its first occupants within the next two weeks.

Michael Doroshenko, president of the Waterloo-Wellington branch of the Canadian Ukrainian Congress, noted this is now the second such residence in Woolwich, the first being the former Jakobstettel Inn in St. Jacobs, which opened to refugees last summer.

“I think that is amazing. That just goes to show how welcoming the Woolwich community is and it is extremely important,” Doroshenko said.

“This is the biggest thing for newcomers from Ukraine, the lack of housing, the lack of stability when they arrive in Canada, and it is pretty critical. So for instance,

imagine you come to Canada, and you don’t have a place to stay. If you don’t have a place to stay you cannot find work. And if you cannot find work, you don’t have a place to stay. So it’s a vicious cycle. These housing initiatives are really impactful in that they help to break this vicious cycle and help people stand on their feet faster,” he said.

Doroshenko, who came to Canada eight years ago, noted the difference between when he left Ukraine and the situation today’s newcomers face.

“I was privileged enough to do that move when there was no war, so I had enough time to prepare and do things. However, these people who are coming now, they don’t have that privilege. They did not choose to leave Ukraine. They were basically forced to leave Ukraine. It was never in

their plans. It was never their design to come and move to Canada for some of them, and it is extremely difficult,” he said.

The Waterloo Region Grassroots Response to the Ukrainian Crisis (WRGR) helped with the transition of the Maryhill residence. While housing is still a challenge for incoming Ukrainians, the group has seen an increase of people willing to host the new arrivals.

“There’s going to be a never-ending list of Ukrainians in need of housing. We [recently] had an additional 25 hosts reach out to us, which was absolutely phenomenal, so we’re looking for that trend to continue.

Basically, within a week or two of those new hosts signing up, they’re already connected with families that were in need

AD SPOT - NON PRINTING

If it matters to you. It matters to us.

Stephanie Goertz with Waterloo Region Grassroots Response; Karen Martin, owner of Hillside Residence; Michael Doroshenko, president of the Waterloo-Wellington branch of the Canadian Ukrainian Congress; and Myroslava Grygorachyk of the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre gathered Saturday afternoon at the open house event in Maryhill. Bill Atwood

Bill Atwood Observer Staff

CAT scans and MRIs. And yet we’re talking about building new operating rooms and adding new CAT scans and MRIs in a private system. That’s concerning – costs will be higher,” he said.

Hospitals in Ontario already have thousands of vacant positions and turnover every year, he noted.

Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Mike Harris said this week the government has been investing in hospitals. He took issue with critics’ assessment. “There isn’t necessarily capacity across the system,” noting the province prepared ahead of time to make sure there is extra staffing to fulfill the plan.

“You have to look at the sum of all the pieces, right? This is just one piece of legislation, one piece of regulation. But if you look at all of the things we’ve done to try and increase the amount of health human resources that we have here in the province, whether that be doctors, nurses, personal support workers, we’ve taken steps over the last few years to be able to do that, to get us ready for this.”

Among such preparations is a plan to streamline the licensing process for people with foreign credentials, working with schools to get more students through the schooling system and getting more people enrolled, he pointed out.

Last year, the province

announced an expansion of undergraduate seats and postgraduate positions for all medical schools in the province, as well as a new school of medicine in Brampton at the Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).

Rosslyn Bentley, executive director of the Woolwich Community Health Centre, says she welcomes efforts to address the province’s surgical backlog, though she is conscious the issue is often a lack of staff.

“As the private sector increases staffing to meet this new demand, they will have to recruit staff from somewhere. It’s not just surgeons and specialist nurses but all the ancillary roles such as lab tech, therapists and admin support who may move from public organizations to do this work,” she said.

Health care union representatives say private clinics often charge patients much more than they should. In a release, Natalie Mehra, executive director of the Ontario Health Coalition, said that for-profit clinics in the province charge patients thousands of dollars for surgeries and “routinely upsell medically unneeded services to elderly patients. They pressure and manipulate patients into paying hundreds or thousands of dollars that they should never have to pay in our public health system.”

Harris responded by pointing out the concept

is present throughout all of healthcare.

“This is not uncommon, it’s not something that is new. If you go to a hospital, and you are having a cataract surgery, there are other products that are not covered by OHIP that they do offer as well.

If you go to your doctor or your local pharmacy, you often have a choice between a name-brand medication, or the generic version. If you’re at a hospital, and you need a wheelchair, OK, we’ll cover your basic needs with a wheelchair. But if you want something that’s got all the bells and whistles, it’ll be offered to you, and you can make a choice whether you want to go ahead and spend that extra cost.

“So for people to say that this is new, and that it’s unscrupulous, these are things that are already occurring. It’s about choice. If you don’t want to pay an expense out of pocket, you want what is covered by OHIP, you will have that option. If you’re in a place to be able to make other choices, then you have the opportunity to do that as well.”

Critics are also worried that this plan indicates a move toward privatization of Ontario’s health-care system, with Harris noting such a system is already in place in many provinces in Canada, and elsewhere around the world.

Hurley argues there is a slightly higher death rate at private operating rooms because in case of prob -

lems during the procedure, patients need to be transported to hospital rather than already being in one, increasing the risk factor.

He also says that although this mix of public and private is prevalent elsewhere, the public healthcare system is the most efficient.

Bentley said she doesn’t believe the move is necessarily a step toward wholesale privatization of the province’s health care.

“Many developed countries have a blended public and private system, so this step at the Ontario provincial level does not necessarily mean the end of the Canada Health Act and a public system in itself,” she said. “However as a community health centre we would emphasize the importance of investing in a comprehensive health-care system as the most equitable way to provide care. Effective health promotion and prevention, promoting good public health, leads to fewer people needing some of this care in the first place – an even more important long-term goal.”

Harris said that there will be a process for private facilities to be licensed, including a request for proposals, a screening process and a check-in process to make sure the facility operators are fulfilling their obligations. He stressed Ontario will never move to an American-style health care system.

“I’ll be point blank with it. If you’re going in for a procedure that is covered by Ontario’s Health Insurance Program, you will not be billed for it. You’ll go in, just as if you were going into a hospital or a family doctor, or a pharmacy – depending on what it is that you’re doing or have done in the past. Just like you would, you show your OHIP card and you will not be charged out of pocket.”

Critics likened that promise to Premier Doug Ford’s pledge not to touch the Greenbelt.

“When we look at our commitment to the Greenbelt, we are adding land to the Greenbelt, we are growing the Greenbelt. When we look at what you could say has been taken out, or the parts that are going to be used for development, these are pieces of land that are already adjacent to communities, these are pieces of land that are already serviced or easily serviceable. And will give an opportunity for people to be able to own an affordable home,” said Harris.

“When you look at what’s happening with health care, again, the status quo isn’t working. And you’ve heard the premier, you’ve heard the minister of health saying that we need to be innovative, we need to look at new ways of thinking. This is something that’s already been done across other jurisdictions. … This is about outcomes for people.”

of housing, and some of the families are actually already coming,” said WRGR volunteer Stephanie Goertz.

Goertz also emphasized the need for donations to help fund the operating costs of the Hillside Residence.

“The space is not free. Karen has operating costs, obviously, even though she’s doing this out of the goodness of her heart. She can’t do this and cost her money. We do need donations to help allow residents to stay in the space through some type of subsidized rate they know. We never want to turn any families away. Some families can pay the rental rate and some do need help. So we desperately need people to help raise funds and money for this space,” she said.

For locations such as Hillside to work it is dependent on the community, Martin noted.

“It requires a network. [WRGR] helps with that. All the volunteers – Grassroots is made up of volunteers, and donations too. For many people… maybe it doesn’t work for them to take somebody into their home. We have this space. So we can provide this space and then people can donate, volunteer, help out,” she said.

“These intelligent, independent people; they just need a footing and then they can thrive,” she said of the Ukrainian refugees.

HEALTH CARE: Critics balk at increased privatization, while government points to other provinces

WOOLWICH: A boost to safety

joint effort by the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council, Woolwich Fire Services and Enbridge to increase safety in the township.

“We are partnering with Community Care Concepts, Woolwich Community Services and the Elmira Legion to place them in homes throughout the community. Our firefighters will install the alarms,” said Aldous.

Aldous says that over the last few years, the department has seen an increase in non-working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms during their annual alarms program, which prompted him to apply for the grant.

The detectors are powered by maintenance-free sealed batteries, and have a lifespan of

approximately 10 years.

Craig Eveson, Deputy Fire Chief estimates the alarms are worth about 90 dollars each.

“Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’ for a reason, and evidence shows that prevention saves lives,” said Shawn Artt, a supervisor at Enbridge Gas in a release. “We know that the best way to avoid carbon monoxide exposure is to eliminate it at the source by properly maintaining fuel-burning equipment, and that the alarms are a critical second line of defense to protect against carbon monoxide poisoning.”

“Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms save lives so please make sure to check yours to make sure it works,” said Aldous.

REPORT

Police issue warning about threatening text fraud incidents

Police are issuing a warning after receiving reports of various threatening text and social media scams throughout Waterloo Region.

Since January 1, Waterloo Regional Police have received 16 reports of extortion-type scams involving unknown suspects.

In one case, police received a report on

JANUARY 13

7 : 23 AM | Police responded to a report of a break-in at a business on Bonnie Crescent in Elmira. A black SUV was observed outside of the business at the time. The suspect(s) is believed to have broken into a rear garage and stolen industrial wire. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777. To provide anonymous information, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit online at www. waterloocrimestoppers. com.

7:42 AM | Emergency services responded to a single-vehicle collision on Erbs Road in Wilmot Township. The driver of the vehicle lost control, slid off the roadway and became stuck in a field. The driver was transported to hospital by ambulance with minor physical injuries. Through investigation, it was determined that the driver lost

January 12 in which an unknown individual(s) texted and called the victim demanding money and threatened to cause harm to the victim if they did not comply. The scammers then sent various threatening and disturbing images to the victim in an effort to force the victim to send money, police said in a release.

In other scams, fraud-

control due to poor road conditions as a result of snow.

JANUARY 14

12:41 AM | Two unknown males entered a business in the area of Arthur Street North and Kenning Place in Woolwich Township via an insecure access point. Nothing was stolen during the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call police or to make an anonymous report to contact Crime Stoppers.

9:47 AM | Police received a report of a two-vehicle collision in West Montrose, where a white pickup truck travelling south on Covered Bridge Drive started to make a leftturn onto Stonefield Drive and struck a red pickup truck travelling south on Covered Bridge Drive. The red truck then lost control and struck a hydro pole, resulting in minor damage to the pole. The driver of the white truck, a 51-yearold West Montrose man,

sters have contacted victims online and through social media. The scammers build a relationship with the victims in an attempt to receive intimate images. Once the images are sent, the fraudsters threaten to make the images public if they do not receive money.

Police advise the victims do not send money, offering up the following tips:

was charged with ‘turn not in safety’ under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act.

JANUARY 15

9:01 AM | A collision involving a white van and a horse-drawn buggy brought police to Floradale. Both vehicles were travelling east on Ruggles Road near Westview Court when the van struck the buggy from behind. The driver of the buggy sustained minor physical injuries as a result of the collision. The driver of the van, a 17-year-old Drayton woman, was charged with ‘careless driving.’

JANUARY 16

11 : 02 AM | Police responded to the scene of a two-vehicle collision at Arthur Street and Howard Avenue in Elmira. A black SUV was travelling south on Arthur Street and turned left onto Howard Avenue, colliding with a white sedan heading north on Arthur. The driver of the

• Block unknown calls or text messages.

• Do not add anyone on social media that you do not know.

• Look out for misspelled email addresses, websites, or messages.

• Do not click on suspicious attachments or links.

• Do not provide personal information, including financial information, to anyone you do not know.

SUV, an 83-year-old Elmira woman, was charged under the Highway Traffic Act.

JANUARY 17

12:30 PM | Wellington County OPP responded to a three-vehicle collision at the intersection of Wellington Road 7 and Wellington Road 12 in Mapleton. Initial reports indicated that a tractor trailer, minivan and SUV had collided and that one person had sustained serious injuries. Police, Mapleton Fire/ Rescue, Guelph Wellington Paramedics Service, and Hydro One attended the scene. The driver of the SUV was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. There were no other reported injuries. The cause of the collision is being investigated. The roadway was closed for approximately five hours. Police are asking anyone that may have witnessed this collision to please call 1-888-310-1122.

An Elmira woman is facing charges after turning her Ford SUV into the path of a Mitsubishi on Arthur St. at Howard Ave. in Elmira on Jan. 16. Leah Gerber

Opinion

When local news matters

Connect: observerxtra.com/staff

OBSERVER EDITORIAL

Health system needs changes, but no room for ideology

as the Ford government hit on the ideal solution to improve Ontario’s problematic health care system? Probably not.The province this week announced plans to address a backlog of surgeries by having private clinics to take up the slack. That there’s a problem with wait times for the likes of cataract surgery is indisputable. That having for-profit companies in the mix is the way to go remains open to dispute.

And dispute there is, particularly from public-sector unions, though the self-interest angle mutes some of the impact from that quarter.

Opponents argue the decision is simply a way to transfer taxpayer money to private companies, a move that will eventually lead to poorer outcomes and a weaker public health-care system.

There’s plenty to support such arguments – the COVID-19 crisis underscored the disparity in the long-term care system, for example, where for-profit homes had worse outcomes. Conversely, calls for increased spending – i.e. throwing more money at the problem – are also unhelpful.

Canadians have been spending increasingly large amounts of money on health care, and the problems have only got worse.

Collectively, health spending in this country was some $330 billion last year – more than $8,500 per person – which made Canada one of the biggest spenders among industrialized countries. Comparisons to other OECD nations puts us fourth behind the US, Germany and the Netherlands. Total spending accounts for more than 12 per cent of GDP.

In Ontario, Ministry of Health spending was more than $74 billion last year. By 2025, that number is expected to reach $78.4 billion, $14 billion more than in 2020. And those numbers reflect a slowing in annual budget increases, which in the previous couple of decades often outstripped inflation by a factor of two or three. Despite unsustainable increases, the likes of wait times, access to family doctors and so-called hallway medicine only worsened.

Studies by groups as diverse as the Wait Times Alliance (made up of doctors’ organizations) and the Fraser Institute (a corporate-interest advocate) show waiting times for the likes of referrals to specialists and medically necessary treatment reached 27.4 weeks in 2022, well beyond the 9.3 weeks seen in 1993.

Obviously, something’s gotta give.

But any changes that smack of ideologically driven motives – privatization, for instance – aren’t likely to give in the right direction.

Underlying such suggestions is the belief that the private sector can do a better job of administering health care in this country. Because we have a public system, the reasoning goes, it must be wasteful. An American-style system would trim the fat, or so proponents of privatization would have us believe.

Advocates of US-style health care have long pointed to the delays in our health system – every additional day that somebody’s mother has to wait for a knee or hip replacement, the case for a speedier alternative grows stronger. It’s the wait-time argument that is driving much of today’s debate on the future of medicare. Proponents of privatization want to put that spin on the discussion; admittedly, the issue does have weight, but is overshadowed by the real crux of the matter: emulation of the US model by default.

Americans, we’re told, have quick and easy access to medical tests and treatments. Canadians, on the other hand, have long waiting times for even basic services. They have millions of uninsured citizens who can’t afford health care, while we have a universal system.

Yes, we must do something to cope with costs. An aging population, new (high-priced) technology and rising drug costs are putting constraints on the health-care budget.

By all means, make the system better. But really better for the people who use it: all of us. Ideology has no place in our healthcare system.

P

Some 47% of Canadians say they are concerned about their current level of debt, a record high. Additionally, more Canadians this quarter say they regret the amount of debt they’ve taken on in life (49%, +7 pts). Fewer are confident in their ability to cover all of their living/family expenses in the next year without going further into debt (51%).

ANALYSIS OF CURRENT WORLD EVENTS

A tale of two failed populist coups

GWYNNE DYER

undits are making much of the similarities between the attempted coup in Washington by Trump supporters two years ago and the one by Bolsonaro supporters in Brasilia last week, but they are missing the biggest one. These debacles were the most incompetent and half-hearted attempts to seize power illegally in the history of the world.sentatives in the Capitol, the Brazilian Congress, Supreme Court and Presidential Palace were all empty. (It was Sunday, stupid.)

the police off the backs of the rioters – but thousands of others were waiting for a sign from Bolsonaro that never came.

There are rules for how to do a successful coup. Seize control of the key media. Have your candidate for dictator declare his intentions early and clearly. Get the military, or at least part of the military, on your side. Make it look like you have already won, even if you haven’t. Don’t be afraid of a little exemplary killing.

Did our heroes follow those rules? Trump promised he’d join his thugs and cosplayers at the Capitol, but he let his Secret Service driver take him back to the White House instead. Not even Fox supported the seizure of the Capitol. The US military were not part of Trump’s plans at all.

Bolsonaro wasn’t even in Brazil. He was in Orlando, Florida when things kicked off in Brasilia. He too had failed to get the military’s support. And while Trump’s people did trap all 635 senators and repre-

Above all, neither man had any plan for the end-game. Okay, you’ve seized the centre of official power, but what are you going to do next? Who are the top 200 people you need to arrest? Have you declared martial law yet? Are your own armed supporters out on the streets, wearing official-looking armbands giving them the right to ‘keep order’?

Have you shut down all the hostile media by physically occupying their premises or just cutting their power? Will the many state governors who share your views take over their states the same way you are doing at the centre – and have you fired the ones who oppose you yet? Have you a serious plan at all?

Certainly not in Bolsonaro’s case. He knew the take-over of the capital was planned for January 8, but chose to be abroad to avoid arrest if it went wrong. The governor and police chief of the Federal District were lined up to keep

Bolsonaro is basically a coward who willed the end but did not dare the means. So is Trump, who sat transfixed before his television wishing the insurgents to ‘win,’ but never really understood that a win of that sort would ultimately require major violence. Fantasists, the two of them.

But that’s where the similarities end. The aftermath in Brazil has been brisk, verging on breathtaking. At least 1,500 of those who broke into the Congress, the Supreme Court and the Presidential Palace have been arrested, and most will face trial. The governor of the Federal District has been suspended and his police chief fired. Bolsonaro is self-exiled.

‘Follow the money,’ which the Brazilian police have got very good at, will lead them back to the planners and funders of the events of January 8, and there will be more arrests, trials and sentences.

A number of the foot-soldiers of the attack in Washington have been tried and convicted as well, but despite the passage of two years it remains to be seen if there

...

... it matters where you get your local news.

“It would be one thing if workers were receiving equally generous pay increases as the country’s highest-paid CEOs are enjoying, but that’s nowhere near the case: the CEO-to-worker pay gap is now 243 times more than average worker’s pay, smashing 2018’s previous record of 227 times.”

Economist David Macdonald notes that by 9:43 a.m. on Jan. 3, the 100 best-paid Canadian CEOs already made $58,800, the average Canadian worker’s wage for a year.

Verbatim

Monitor

That doesn’t mean fixes aren’t needed, however.

→DYER 8

Blue Monday, and the end of the world as we know it

January already got you down? It might get worse before it gets better, at least if you subscribe to the pseudoscience – and even that’s used charitably – of Blue Monday, which we marked this week.

Based on a public relations exercise in 2005, the third Monday of January is Blue Monday in the Northern Hemisphere, born of a combination of winter weather, post-Christmas debt, broken New Year’s resolutions. And, oh yeah, the whole Monday thing. What better time to dwell on the end of the world?

Forget about how much money you spent shopping or the ups and downs of winter thus far. If life as we know it ended tomorrow, would any of that matter? Ever have mattered?

There’s a thought designed to perk up your day, Monday or otherwise.

Speaking of the world’s end and other sunny thoughts, the sun is at the heart of the eventual obliteration of the planet. Eventually, the sun will begin to run out of fuel, expanding to engulf much of the inner solar system. Whether or not that includes the Earth, life here will be wiped out.

As that scenario is more than five billion years off, it’s not surprising very few of us are worried today. Still, it is the ultimate end if nothing else happens in the meantime. That, however, is not a safe bet.

Today, we are already killing the planet, just far more slowly. While the Earth would not be reduced to space dust, it’s not inconceivable to think of the place bereft of human life. The third rock would continue circling its star – until the sun goes through its death throes, that is – oblivious to the

loss of Homo sapiens.

According to the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University, there are a variety of scenarios that could see catastrophic consequences unfold –from volcanic eruptions to pandemic infections, nuclear accidents to worldwide tyrannies, out-of-control scientific experiments to climatic changes, and cosmic hazards to economic collapse.

We haven’t determined all of the risks. And of those we’ve identified, we can’t always pinpoint just how big the risks are. There’s a pretty good probability, for instance, that a big asteroid will crash into the planet eventually. It might be tomorrow (well, probably not) or in 50

million years, but something akin to the collision that’s believed to have wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago will play out again.

The cosmological risks – the sun becoming a red giant, collision due to galaxies passing through each other or freezing as the universe expands – are of such a distant future, that we can largely ignore them. The other risks are the kind that might play out in this century, perhaps.

Prior to 2100, the chances more than a billion people will be killed by war is 30 per cent, according to the FHI’s Global Catastrophic Risk Survey. By engineered pandemic or nanotechnology run amok, 10 per cent. The risk of human extinction is much lower, but still in the range of one to five per cent.

Natural disasters, in

particular a super-volcanic episode such as the one that nearly wiped out humans 75,000 years ago, could spell ruin for civilization even if they didn’t kill off the species. The ash and other particulate spewed into the air would be akin to the nuclear-winter scenarios commonly discussed during the Cold War, lowering temperatures globally for decades.

That would be counter to the most talked about environmental issue in recent years: climate change.

While the Future of Humanity Institute sees the short-term risk from climate change as relatively small, the risk grows with the decades and even centuries, if we make it that far.

Whether or not we’re inducing climate change, if the changes are severe enough, they will have

consequences for how we live … if we live.

The Earth has undergone massive changes in a history that’s included humans for only a tiny, tiny fraction of time. The convulsions and catastrophes that preceded us may have shaped our existence, but the ones yet to come will have a direct impact on us.

Natural catastrophes aside, we’re also likely to do ourselves in – either as a species or a civilization – by something manmade, from a biological agent to artificial intelligence gone rogue.

As FHI’s Nick Bostrom postulates in his vulnerable-world hypothesis, there may in fact be a level of technology at which the destruction of civilization becomes inevitable. It’s a least something worth considering he suggests in an exercise

“One way of looking at

human creativity is as a process of pulling balls out of a giant urn. The balls represent possible ideas, discoveries, technological inventions. Over the course of history, we have extracted a great many balls – mostly white (beneficial) but also various shades of grey (moderately harmful ones and mixed blessings). The cumulative effect on the human condition has so far been overwhelmingly positive, and may be much better still in the future,” Bostrom posits.

“What we haven’t extracted, so far, is a black ball: a technology that invariably or by default destroys the civilization that invents it. The reason is not that we have been particularly careful or wise in our technology policy. We have just been lucky.”

We don’t know of any prior civilizations that have been wiped out by its own inventions, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen, especially given the unprecedented rate of technological change we’re experiencing – see, for instance, the current issues around ChatGPT. For some people, the thought of humans having an impact on global climate or unleashing Skynet is as inconceivable as humans ceasing to exist. That doesn’t make either improbable or even unlikely. (As noted, on a cosmic scale, the end will come.) But science tells us more than 99 per cent of all species that ever existed on the planet are now extinct. We differ from all of them in our ability to think, recognize the dangers and, perhaps, do something to alter coming threats. That doesn’t, however, mean we’ll act, nor does it make us immune to the outcomes.

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STEVE KANNON

Editor's Point of View

Appropriate response to inflationary pressures are all relative, it seems.

Notice of Intention to Pass Fees and Charges By-Law

The Region of Waterloo intends to pass a By-law to Establish Fees and Charges, which includes new fees and charges, as well as amendments and/or removal of existing fees and charges. Some of the changes included in the by-law are for transit services, waste management services, airport services, cultural services, seniors’ services and paramedic services.

The by-law will be considered at the Regular Council Meeting, where the Final 2023 Budget approval will also occur, scheduled for: Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. Held electronically in the Council Chamber 2nd Floor, Administration Building 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener

A copy of the proposed by-law will be available for review in the Council and Administrative Services Office, Region of Waterloo, 2nd Floor, 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener. If you have questions concerning the amendments, please email budgets@regionofwaterloo.ca.

If you wish to speak at the Council meeting regarding the proposed by-law, please register as a delegation with the Region's Council and Administrative Services Division, using the Delegation form at: https://forms.regionofwaterloo.ca/Council-and-Administrative-Services/CAS/ Delegation-Registration or by calling 519-575- 4400 by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 20, 2023.

Dated this 17th day of January, 2023.

William Short Director, Council and Administrative Services/Regional Clerk 150 Frederick Street, 2nd Floor, Kitchener, Ontario N2G 4J3 regionalclerk@regionofwaterloo.ca

All comments and information received from individuals, stakeholder groups and agencies regarding this by-law are being collected to assist the Region of Waterloo in making a decision. Under the “Municipal Act”, personal information such as name, address, telephone number, and property location that may be included in a submission becomes part of the public record. Questions regarding the collection of this information should be referred to Council and Administrative Services.

The Dry January campaign originated in the UK.

Better mood, sleep, skin, immune system and mornings are some health benefits of abstaining from drinking alcohol.

Martha Stewart has become a celebrity advocate for Dry January as a former alcoholic.

ↆ LAST WEEK:

Truth: According to a Statista Global Consumer Survey conducted January 3, 2023. Survey conducted in the United States.

Truth: 75 per cent keep resolutions after one week. 71 per cent keep their resolutions for two weeks. 64 per cent maintain commitment after a month and 46 per cent of people are still successful after six months according to discoverhappyhabits. com

Lie: Online betting hasn’t monetized your broken New Years resolutions yet. Makeitorbreakit.com is a site looking for the next big singer.

To the Editor, Woolwich council, in its budget discussions, is considering delaying the Winterbourne bridge project. The bridge has been closed since 2017 and in the meantime the cost of rehabilitation has ballooned. Another delay will probably kill the project completely.

Residents in other communities in Woolwich may have a “suck it up’ attitude towards this small project, but a little history lesson may be in order.

Winterbourne residents have spent at least the last 50 years paying our fair share into the tax coffers of Woolwich Township. In those 50 years we have not had a single significant infrastructure project completed by Woolwich. While other communities have township-supported amenities such as commu-

nity centres, arenas or rinks, ball diamonds, public playgrounds, libraries, sidewalks and municipal water and sewers, Winterbourne has not a single item from that list. For 50 years we have paid our taxes, asked for little and held no grudge as more fortunate communities benefited from Woolwich initiatives.

Seven years ago our bridge across the Grand was closed by Woolwich Township. After many decades of investing virtually nothing in its maintenance, the bridge was declared “unsafe” and steel walls welded across to prevent even pedestrian use. The residents of Winterbourne consider that bridge our one and only recreational structure as it allows access to the Grand with stunning views of the river and its wildlife as well as beautiful walks along the river and through the countryside on both sides of the river. The bridge also has significant historical significance as it is one of

the last of its kind.

After years of waffling by Woolwich council and hard work by Winterbourne residents, a project was hammered out to prevent the demolition of the bridge and provide pedestrian access. That project is being jeopardized in current budget discussions.

Council must be convinced that this is not a disposable project. A half-century of neglect of our village, the use of our tax dollars to the benefit of other Woolwich communities, and the long-term neglect by Woolwich of a historically significant structure all dictate that Winterbourne be finally treated with respect as a full member of the Woolwich “family.” Please contact your councillor(s) in support of completing the project. We residents of Winterbourne will appreciate any support from our more fortunate Woolwich neighbours.

Paul Marrow WINTERBOURNE

will ever be charges laid against those who go to work in suits. And while Bolsonaro slinks off into exile, Trump prepares his comeback run for the presidency.

What lessons can we draw from these events? We can certainly say that Brazil defends its democracy more vigorously than the United States, but can we also say that the crest of the populist wave has passed?

Probably not. Bolson-

aro got 49 per cent of the votes in the recent presidential election and could try for a comeback if he recovers his nerve. President ‘Lula’ da Silva faces a hostile Congress and will find scant resources for another round of boosting the poor out of poverty.

Trump probably can’t win the presidency again after his behaviour during the Capitol events. However, a more presentable candidate like Florida governor Ron DeSantis, flying the same populist

flag, could take back the presidency in 2024 unless Trump runs too and splits the Republican vote.

Modi is thriving in India, Orban is doing all right in Hungary despite the war next door, and in the United Kingdom Boris Johnson is allegedly planning a comeback coup against Prime Minister Rishi Sunak later this year.

It helps when the ‘bad guys’ are cowardly, lazy and stupid, but you really shouldn’t count on it.

„ Woolwich needs to push ahead with Peel Street bridge project

LETTER

News that hits home. Local people in action.

Sports tips are always welcome.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com Team Scores: observerxtra.com/scores

The art of ladling’s not just for soup

Hittin’ the trails

Launched this week on Blue Monday and running through mid-March, Trans Canada Trail’s third-annual Blahs to Ahhhs winter wellness campaign encourages people to get outdoors to beat the winter blues along the world’s longest trail network. The trail connects some 15,000 communities, and 80% of Canadians live within 30 minutes of it. www.tctrail.ca/blahs2ahhhs

Volleying for position

The EDSS senior girls’ volleyball team (7-4) beat GCI by a score of 3-0 on Monday, then followed up with a 3-1 win over WCI the following day. The junior girls’ squad (4-7), meanwhile, beat GCI 3-2, but fell to WCI 3-1 in their Tuesday afternoon match. Both Lancers teams face FCHI today (Thursday).

Kings take two of three in busy weekend schedule

t seems we are finally going to get an arctic blast of cold air coming through to give us what meteorologists call a “real winter”and what the rest of us call “real @#!$@ lousy weather.”

I

On the bright side, in many ways colder weather is good for ice anglers. First, it makes the ice safer. More than that, however, it justifies all the purchases of power augers, ice fishing shelters, rods, lures, heaters, sleds and flotation suits.

On a side note, it also teaches you about the importance of the lowly ladle. I think this is crucial because the lowly ladle does not get enough credit for the value it brings to the hole-maintenance process. Yet, without one, our ice fishing holes would constantly freeze right over.

The angler who is proficient in ladle use is also a valuable addition to the fishing party. He or she is only second in importance to the angler you get to drill holes for you. Without either of those, ice fishing would be no fun at all.

There are two kinds of ladlers though – the good ones and the bad ones.

And the difference between the two comes down to grip strength.

STEVE GALEA Not-So-Great Outdoorsman

a person who looks guilty and sheepish, when you ask the question, “Where is the ladle?”

Sometimes, he or she might shrug. But if you watch closely, their eyes shift occasionally to look at the hole they just dropped the ladle down.

Ice anglers don’t talk about this much but, if my experience is any indication, the bottoms of our ice fishing lakes are littered with ladles. So much so that if I were ever to give financial advice to my kids, I would tell them to buy stocks in December in a company that manufactures ice fishing ladles – and dump them in March.

How bad is this issue?

I personally believe that archaeologists in the distant future, after recovering artifacts from the bottom of our lakes, will deduce that we were a soup eating culture, based solely on all the ladles they find. And they will also conclude that our soup-eating civilization failed because all of our ladles had holes in them.

A good ladler is one who never lets go of the ladle when slushing out the holes. A bad ladler is → GALEA 10

Over the years, I have witnessed at least 10 ice fishing ladles dropped through holes in the ice, sometimes in water

Kannon Observer Staff

HAVING WON TWO GAMES ON the road, the Elmira Sugar Kings’ fell short of winning three in three over the weekend when they fell at home.

A 3-1 win in Listowel last Friday was followed by a 4-3 OT win over the Redhawks in Cambridge the following night. Upon returning home Sunday, however, the Kings were unable to keep up the momentum, falling 4-2 to the Ayr Centennials in a match that was decided in the final minute.

“It was a good weekend. We were working hard, and things are generally going to tend to go your way when you’re working hard. So, we were pretty good in all facets of the game,” said head coach Scott McMillan of the weekend’s play.

“We were pretty tired – three games in three nights – but we worked hard.”

The weekend started well on Friday the 13th, with the Kings visiting the Listowel Cyclones.

The only scoring of the first period came off the stick of Elmira’s Jayden Lammel at 4:23, with help from Adam Grein and Brock Reinhart.

In the second, the Kings again provided the lone goal-scorer. This time it was Dustin Good, from Chris Black and Lammel,

who made it 2-0 at 8:56, which is where things would stand heading into the second intermission.

Grein’s shorthanded goal just 38 seconds into the final frame, assisted by Luke Della Croce, definitely sealed Listowel’s fate, though the home side would finally get on the board with a power-play goal with less than four minutes on the clock.

Shots were 27-19 in favour of the Kings, with netminder Daniel Botelho stopping 18 on route to the win.

Elmira was 0-4 on the power play, while the Cyclones were 1-7.

The Kings were in tougher Saturday night in Cambridge, where a power play that clicked proved to be a key part of the eventual victory.

There were a few scares along the way, starting with the fact the home team was up 1-0 before the game was a minute old. It would be more than 18 minutes before the Kings replied, Madden MacDougall’s power-play goal at 19:07 tying the

score. Assists went to Grein and Reinhart.

In the second, the scoring plays belonged to the visitors.

Della Croce scored at 5:01 with Elmira enjoying the man advantage, with help from Reinhart and Austin Mumby. Ten minutes later it was 3-1 for the Kings when Mumby collected his first of the season from Malcolm Scott and Good.

Things got hairy in the third, however, as the Redhawks scored twice in a four-minute span late in the period to tie it at 3-3 and forcing overtime.

Just shy of the three-minute mark in extra time, Good (Reinhart) ended any thought of a Cambridge comeback, capping a 4-3 victory.

The Redhawks edged the Kings 24-22 on the shot front, though it was Elmira that had the edge when it came to special teams, going 2-7 on the power play while Cambridge was 0-5. Hayden Sabourin stopped 21 shots to earn the win.

“Saturday night, we worked hard, competed hard. Those are games where you can work hard,

and it can go either way,” said McMillan of the outcome that went Elmira’s way.

Back on home ice Sunday night, the Kings found themselves in another tight game, one decided only in the final minute of play.

The host side fell behind in the first period, the Ayr Centennials scoring shorthanded with less than eight minutes to go and holding that 1-0 lead right into the intermission.

In the second, however, two goals 65 seconds apart let the Kings take a shortlived lead.

Brady Schwindt’s goal at 11:18, assisted by Mumby and Jackson Heron, tied it up. At 12:23, Lammel (Black, Grein) made it a 2-1 game, though Ayr would reply just over five minutes later while on the power play. The teams headed back to their rooms deadlocked at 2-2. And that’s how it would remain until there were just 29 seconds left on the clock, when the Centennials went up 3-2 before scoring an empty-netter with just a second to go.

Ayr also had the edge in shots, 33-30, going 1-3 on the power play, while Elmira was 0-3. Botelho stopped 29 in the losing effort.

“It’s really tough to be that close to getting that point and going in over-

Steve

WOOLWICH WILDCATS

■ Atom U10 A

Jan/06/2023 vs Milton Winterhawks

HOME: 3 VISITOR: 3

GOALS: Braxton Wideman, Daxton Habermehl, Brayden Clemmer

ASSISTS: Matteo Abate, Matvii Kamyshnyi

■ Atom U10 A

Jan/08/2023 vs Burlington Eagles

HOME: 7 VISITOR: 0

GOALS: Daxton Habermehl (3), Brayden Clemmer, Matteo Abate, Mason Roadknight, Jack Frey

ASSISTS: Keegan Bakker (3), Jack Frey (2), Braxton Wideman (2), Daxton Habermehl, Devin Vogel

SHUTOUTS: Oren Ball

■ Atom U10 A Jan/11/2023 vs Centre Wellington Fusion

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 4

■ Atom U10 A Jan/14/2023 vs Centre Wellington Fusion

HOME: 2 VISITOR: 3

GOALS: Mason Roadknight, Daxton Habermehl

ASSISTS: Daxton Habermehl

■ Atom U10 A Jan/15/2023 vs Milton Winterhawks

HOME: 6 VISITOR: 4

GOALS: Connor Shantz (3), Keegan Bakker (2),, Matteo Abate

ASSISTS: Jack Frey (2), Matteo Abate, Spencer

Martin, Brayden Clemmer, Devin Vogel

■ Atom U11A

Jan/15/2023 vs Oakville Rangers

HOME: 1 VISITOR: 2 GOALS: Colton Cooney

ASSISTS: Jack Frede

■ Bantam U15BB

Jan/13/2023 vs Orangeville Flyers

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 1

■ Bantam U15BB Jan/15/2023 vs Guelph Gryphons

HOME: 2 VISITOR: 4 GOALS: Sam Kruschat, Adam Bloch ASSISTS: Charlie Basler (2), Sam Krus

WOOLWICH WILD

■ PeeWee U13A

Jan/14/2023 vs Owen Sound Ice Hawks

HOME: 3 VISITOR: 0 GOALS: Taylor Rayfield, McKenzie Rank, Rachel Heckendorn

ASSISTS: Stella Grundy, Taylor Rayfield, McKenzie Rank

SHUTOUTS: Elle English

■ PeeWee U13A

Jan/15/2023 vs Guelph Jr Gryphons

HOME: 3 VISITOR: 0 GOALS: Ellie Clemmer, Megan Nixon (2)

SHUTOUTS: Elle English

■ PeeWee U13B

Jan/07/2023 vs Waterloo Ravens

HOME: 1 VISITOR: 3

GOALS: Allie Desbarres

■ PeeWee U13B

Jan/14/2023 vs Huron

Heat

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 0

■ Bantam U15B

Jan/03/2023 vs Grand River Mustangs

HOME: 1 VISITOR: 1

GOALS: Macey Robbins

ASSISTS: Eve Snyder

■ Bantam U15B

Jan/06/2023 vs Lakeshore

Lightning

HOME: 2 VISITOR: 5

GOALS: Jaiden Radler, Alexa Grundy

ASSISTS: Alexa Grundy, Jaiden Radler, Evie Klaehn

■ Bantam U15B

Jan/06/2023 vs Cleveland Lady Barons

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 0

■ Bantam U15B

Jan/07/2023 vs Windsor Wildcats

HOME: 1 VISITOR: 7

GOALS: Lexi Weber

■ Bantam U15B

Jan/07/2023 vs Cleveland Lady Barons

HOME: 2 VISITOR: 3 GOALS: Addison Searth, Evie Klaehn

ASSISTS: Eve Snyder, Jaiden Radler

■ Bantam U15B

Jan/15/2023 vs Saugeen

Shores Storm

HOME: 1 VISITOR: 0

GOALS: Mia Medeiros

ASSISTS: Brooklyn Pope, Jaiden Radler

SHUTOUTS: Emily Bauman

GALEA: Some advice from someone who’s been there

→ FROM 9

so shallow that you are tempted to try jigging for them. Or at least marking the spot so you can return for them after ice out, which we never do.

As far as I can ascertain the only way around this is to fish with a person who spent a lot of time working in soup kitchens.

KINGS: Sweater auction will follow Sunday’s home game

→ FROM 9

time and having a chance at the extra point and then losing them both with 30 seconds left,” said the coach, noting there were plenty of teachable moments coming out of that game.

This weekend, the Kings (21-15-1) are in Caledon (6-31 ) Friday night, then return home for a Sunday matinee (2 p.m.) against the Listowel Cyclones (16-16-2). That game will feature the team’s annual charity auction, with proceeds to Friends of Hockey.

Or at the very least, find a fellow ice angler whose handshake crushes your own.

I happen to plan my ice fishing adventures based on the amount of ladles I have at the time. If Jenn asks me how long I am going to be on the ice, I will answer with something like, “I just have

three ladles, so probably an hour or two.”

I am not known for my iron grip.

I know this is not really groundbreaking news for experienced ice anglers, but I feel it is important information for those new to the sport.

Someone needs to give them the scoop.

Lancers captain Isaac Lorentz battles against Waterloo-Oxford in a Jan. 12 matchup at the WMC, a 7-1 loss. Bill Atwood

Business

Leading the way.

Shining a light on local enterprise, stoking the economic engines.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com New Business: observerxtra.com/enterprise

Housing starts down The grass is greener

Monthly housing starts for all areas in Canada declined 5% in December (248,625 units) compared to November (263,022 units) according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Urban starts also declined 5%, with 227,708 units recorded in December. Multi-unit urban starts decreased 4% to 182,850 units, while single-detached urban starts fell 11% to 44,858 units.

Many workers will be eyeing greener pastures in the new year despite economic uncertainty, research from talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half shows. According to the company's biannual Job Optimism Survey, half of respondents are currently looking or plan to look for a new role in the first half of 2023, up from 31% six months ago.

Putting the spotlight on organic farming

THE OLDEST ORGANIC CONFERENCE IN the country returns next week to the University of Guelph.

The event brings together the best minds, thinkers, doers and shakers in the organic world for a few days. This year it will take place January 23 to 29.

The keynote speaker is Paul Holmbeck of Holmbeck EcoConsult, who spent 25 years leading the organic lobby in Denmark. He is credited with unifying Denmark’s organic movement as a driving force for market development, farm innovation, consumer support and strong organic food politics. He is also credited with helping the country achieve 60 per cent of all public kitchens in the country serving organic food.

Denmark tops organic sales in the world, with 80 per cent of Danes choosing

organic food and over 75 per cent buying it every week, according to conference organizers.

“None of this happened on its own,” said Holmbeck in a release. “Ontario is poised for a similar breakthrough.”

Carolyn Young, the executive director of the Organic Council of Ontario, says the partnerships Holmbeck created in Denmark are, “together with effective consumer communication, credited with making Denmark number one in the world for organic sales with 13 per cent of the food market (compared to Canada’s three per cent).”

She says her organization came across Holmbeck’s work in an article discussing how US organic policy could learn from Denmark.

“It was all about bringing everyone together on the same page,” she said.

“We are excited to bring him to Canada to learn from his inspiring work

in Denmark and to open up a conversation about the differences in organic policy between Canada and Europe.”

The Guelph Organic Conference was started in 1982 by a pair of grad students and has continued with multiple organizations helping to keep it

alive since. Most recently, the Organic Council of Ontario has become the primary organizer.

So why continue this conference? Why does it matter?

“People who farm organically often report feeling isolated in their communities – organic

producers make up only 18 per cent of all farmers and operate on only 1.45 per cent of all agricultural land in Ontario. This conference has been the meeting place for organic businesses for almost four decades. People come to see old friends and to do business,” Young said.

“The Guelph Organic Conference has seen the organic movement grow from the seed of an idea to a thriving industry, one that is a solution provider for the climate crisis, biodiversity and human health.”

Jennifer Osborne runs All Sorts Acres, an organic sheep dairy and art gallery in Grey County. She is presenting at the conference about exploring value-added livestock operations. With her small sheep farm, she’s been able to explore producing products like art supplies, ice cream and non-traditional wool products.

“An event like the GOC is a place where one can meet people with vastly different backgrounds. This kind of environment can plant the seeds for unique innovation and collaboration. It’s a great place to learn and be exposed to interesting ideas. It’s also a welcoming space for those that don’t come from an agricultural

Being ethical should come naturally to the grocery sector

Canada’s grocery industry is in the throes of creating a code of conduct. And given the way it’s raked in profits in the face of inflation and a global pandemic, I guess it’s better for the sector to have some guidelines in place about how to conduct itself, rather than to have none at all.

It shouldn’t need them. It’s not a sector that deals with emergencies, moral questions and crises, like police or other first responders for example,

who can look to a code of conduct for guidance when trying to handle hot issues.

These are grocers, and perhaps, those elsewhere along the supply chain.

And while the task of presenting food to us is not easy, isn’t it obvious how they should conduct themselves? You’d think so.

For example, act ethically. Don’t cut each other’s throats. Consider more than profit when pricing food.

Don’t take advantage of the people who count on you for sustenance. Remember families are on the receiving end of the prices you set when determining profit. Take responsibility. Don’t charge outrageous prices then blame it on a supply chain that no one really understands or can

easily see.

Be transparent. Everyone understands that you need to make a profit; no one is denying that. But you’re in the same boat as banks – we all want banks to be solvent, but it’s pretty hard to feel like they’re on our side, helping us battle inflation, when they charge 20-plus percent on credit card interest.

Stop using your near-monopolies to squeeze out small producers and companies

clamouring for some shelf space.

And finally, don’t even think about pointing fingers at farmers when you boost prices. True, their income is up, for some commodities. But their expenses have skyrocketed. So have yours… but their profits are not record profits like yours. And many of them have jobs off the farm to make ends meet.

Last week, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Marie-

Claude Bibeau waded in. She was trying to show support for the code development process, which so far has not been driven by Ottawa.

“We do recognize that a Grocery Code of Conduct will not address all pressures facing the food supply chain,” she said in a news release. “Issues at stake are very complex and we need to consider a variety of conditions and perspectives.”

In the minister’s words,

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

University campus hosts the Guelph Organic Conference next week, supporting a growing sector

OWEN ROBERTS Food For Thought

A variety of items from producers will be highlighted at the Guelph Organic Conference. Submitted

Advertising Placing a classified ad

Seven days. One paper.

A bestseller every week.

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 104 Email: ads@woolwichobserver.com Job Listings: jobs.observerxtra.com

Help Wanted Help Wanted

HELP WANTED IN BAKERY - FULL OR part time. Hillcrest Home Baking 519-669-1381.

PERFECT PITCH HEARING SEEKING PT receptionist. 15 daytime hrs/week, Monday-Friday. Send resume to perfectpitchhearing@gmail. com or 29A Church St. W. Elmira.

Farm Equipment

WE HAVE 2 USED RO UNITS AVAILABLE with Panelview state of the art controllers. One 4" membranes capable of 15 gpm product (needs a pump) the 8" same flow. Condition like new. 5 years operating on one of the units. Perfect for refining maple syrup. 519-669-8003, Elmira Pump Co.

Farm Services

BAGGED PINE SHAVINGS AGRICULTURAL Spray Lime, 22.5kg. bag; feed grade lime, 25kg. Delivered. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

FERTILIZER AND SEED GRAIN - AT competitive pricing. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141.

ICE SALT & ICE MELT - ICE SALT COMES IN 20kg, Ice melt comes in 20kg bags. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

Commercial: $15 per 20 words (30¢ per extra word)

Farm Services

KILN DRIED CORN & CORN SCREENING Delivered by Einwechter. Minimum 15 ton lots. Call George Haffner Trucking 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

Wanted

STILL BUYING ALL ANTIQUES, COINS, jewellery, wrist and pocket watches, Omega, Rolex, Tudor etc. Fair, honest prices. Over 40 years in business. gallamore@golden.net or call Terry at Elmira 519-242-6900.

Automotive

2017 CHEVROLET EQUINOX LS, AWD 140700kms, BLACK, CLEAN, Includes snow tires on rims, HUSKY liners. Call Sarah (519)580-7124.

Coming Events

THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE ELMIRA Farmer's Shed will hold their annual meeting in the Farmer's Plus board room on Fri. Jan. 27, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.

44 ACRE FARM FOR SALE

Through our customized tender process, 205 Sandy Hills Dr. Woolwich Twp. (5km north of Elmira on Arthur St. East on Sandy Hills Dr.), for Allan and Dorothy Frey.

Initial Offer Deadline: TUESDAY FEB. 21ST, 6:00 P.M.

44 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, sandy loam soil, 25 acres workable, approx. 10 acres bush, a large, picturesque spring fed pond, well-maintained lawns & gardens. House (Built in 1990) – Brick and angel stone bungalow, 2 car garage & 12 X 24ft. deck, asphalt roof, vinyl windows. Main floor –(approx. 1750 sq. ft.) – Large kitchen with oak cabinetry, 3 bedrooms, bathroom, washroom, living room & laundry room. Finished walkout basement – Kitchenette, 2 bedrooms, bathroom, large rec-room with wood stove, cistern. Heating/cooling - 6 year old propane “air to air” furnace. Detached 24 X 32ft. insulated storage shed. Drilled well. A beautiful farm in a good location. 5 minutes to Elmira, 20 minutes to Waterloo, 25 to Guelph. See www.gerberauctions.net for photos. Contact Gerber Auctions for more info on process and to view.

seeing from the sampling in August – and you could tell this just by looking at the samples we were taking out – up by the dam and downstream from the dam is not great. You can see the biotic index, you get these large numbers, and then as you go downstream you’re starting to see taxa that are more sensitive to changes in water quality.

“And it was obvious. The first couple ripples downstream of the dam are dominated by isopods and this group of trichoptera called hydropsychidae. So these are common in areas that are impacted by nutrient pollution. So that was pretty obvious. You’re picking up rocks and you’re not seeing those perlidae, those stoneflies (which are a more sensitive species),” he said.

Water from Belwood Lake is released to the Grand River from the bottom of the Shand Dam. This provides cold water that cools down the river and makes the trout fishery possible, since the trout species present generally rely on colder water temperatures to survive.

“There’s obviously some sort of environmen-

tal issue, I would say, in that upper stretch,” said Rob Voisin, the chair of the board for Friends of the Grand River. “Because the water itself should be the coldest of the entire river and there’s lots of good water to be producing a healthy bug population.

“That, I think, is the eye-opening piece, is the fact that it’s the worst water in terms of the survival rate for some of these more sensitive insects suggests that there’s something water quality-wise or environmental-wise that we’ve got to get to the bottom of here.”

Voisin noted that anglers noticed better survival rates for trout this year than the last few years during the pandemic, “So hopefully we’re trending in the right direction,” he said.

Besides looking at benthic biodiversity, Prosser and his team also set up studies to learn about the presence of pesticides, the salinity of the river and the possibility of toxic algal blooms in Belwood Lake. He is also working on accessing long-term data about the river’s temperature and in depth data from a former benthic biodiversity

study conducted 20 years ago. Anglers have also noticed a lot of geese on the river, and are hoping he will consider this as well.

The salinity study results will come in over the winter, and next summer Prosser plans to measure biodiversity even more, along with continuing the other studies he started.

So far, the University of Guelph has covered the laboratory costs for the study, but Voisin says as the study continues, fundraising will be needed to cover these costs.

“Hopefully the river is important to everybody that lives in these communities and accesses these communities. And, in the climate change era, healthy water is something that should be a priority that’s on everybody’s mind for our generation and future generations. So getting involved either with volunteer hours or donations would be an amazing way to ensure we keep getting to the bottom of our health of the Grand River.”

To find out more, Voisin says people can go to www.friendsofthegrandriver.com.

Fred and Edna Vandenberg

Notice of Public Meeting Township of Woolwich Technical Advisory Group (TAG)

Thursday, January 26, 2023 6:30 p.m. Public Meeting

How to Participate:

You can view the meeting by registering on or before 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. To register, please contact the Support Specialist at licensing@woolwich.ca or 519-669-1647 ext. 6119. Following registration, the Support Specialist will provide virtual participation options (i.e. Zoom or toll-free by phone).

Please Note: Written delegations must be submitted a minimum of eight (8) business days prior to the Technical Advisory Group meeting date to be included on the agenda. For more information, visit the Committees of Council page on www.woolwich.ca.

Apply to Join a Woolwich Township Committee or Board

or contact the Clerks Office at 519-669-6005.

The application deadline is Friday, January 27, 2023. Appointments to Committees of Council will be approved in February 2023 for a term ending approximately in February 2027.

Interested but want more information? Contact Alex Smyth, Deputy Clerk by phone at 519-669-6005 or email at asmyth@woolwich.ca.

Obituary

Brubacher, Lucinda

Continued from page 14

Obituary

Ken Bauman

Ken was a loving son, brother, uncle and friend, a hard-working electrical lineman, a hockey and baseball player of considerable skill, a lover of music and a writer of poetry.

July 22, 1952 – Jan. 21, 1973 Still missed after 50 years Your loving siblings Jim, Esther, Lois, Lucy, Charlie

In Memoriam

Please join us to celebrate the life of

Larry Martin

In Memoriam

Celebration of Life for

Oct. 18, 1957 – Jan. 24, 2021

Passed away at Caressant Care LTC, Harriston peacefully in his sleep after a difficult struggle with dementia. Bob was born and raised in Elmira, ON and after retirement he moved with his wife Irene to Wawa, ON to be closer to family. Bob was known for his hospitality and sociable nature. The people closest to him knew him to be a devoted husband, father, and friend. Bob was a rock in times of crisis, and he could always be counted on for his patience and kindness. Bob was a hardworking and dependable employee through the years driving truck for different companies. He most recently worked for Damar Fuels and was particularly proud of his years of service there. Bob strove to instill his work ethic in his children. Bob was predeceased by his wife Irene in 2020. He will be missed by his five children and five grandchildren: Steve and his wife Rochelle, and their children Tiana (Danny) Springer and Carter; Shane and his wife Andrea; Joel and his wife Bobbi-Jo and their children Seth (Cassey) and Levi; Elliott and his wife Jenn and their son Gibson; as well as Bob’s precious daughter Allison of Nelson, B.C. He will be missed by his brothers and sisters: Marnie (Bill) Doolittle, Brian (Judy), Bruce (Rose), Linda (Harry) Liese, Beth (Brian) Beattie, the late Blair (Diane), Brenda (Gary) Cooper, Brent, Barbara (Alex) Lee, and Bradley (Sherry). He will be lovingly remembered by his many nieces and nephews. Bob was predeceased by his parents Murray and Geneva. Honouring Bob’s wishes, cremation has taken place. Friends and family are invited to visit and share memories on Saturday, January 21, 2023 from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Dreisinger Funeral Home, 62 Arthur St. S., Elmira. Refreshments will be served. Special thanks to the staff of Caressant Care LTC in Harriston for their compassionate attention to Bob’s needs. At the family’s request, donations can be made to Canadian Cancer Society as expressions of sympathy, and may be made through the funeral home.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Passed away at her home in Elmira on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 in her 87th year. Mother of Wayne and Wilma Brubacher of Elmira, Wilma and Ervin Bauman of Wallenstein, Erma and Maynard Martin of Elora, Fern and James Martin of Listowel, Mary and Lorne Horst of Mt. Forest, Martha and Paul Martin of Listowel, Luella and Cleason Martin of Wallenstein, Laura and Nelson Martin of Elmira, Lorene and Mervin Martin of Harriston, Marvin and Almeda Brubacher of Elmira. Survived by 73 grandchildren and 58 great-grandchildren, sister Adeline (Angus) Bauman, and sistersin-law Lydia (the late Edwin) Weber and Mary (the late Henry) Weber, brother-in-law Leonard (Gladys) Martin (the late Almeda Weber). Also remembered by the Brubacher in-laws. Predeceased by her husband Lester Brubacher (1995), her parents Henry and Lydiann Weber, sons Cleon and Mark in infancy, one grandson Lewis Martin, four brothers and two sisters. Visitation was held at the home of Marvin Brubacher, 1665 Scotch Line Rd., Elmira from 5 – 8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, and from 1 - 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 19, 2023. A family service will take place at the home at 9 a.m. on Friday, January 20, 2023 then to Elmira Mennonite Meeting House for burial in the adjoining cemetery and further services.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Jackson, Joan Marie (Moyer)

Passed away peacefully, attended by family, on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 in her 89th year. Beloved wife of the late W. Graham Jackson (2005). Dear mother of Joanne (Allwyn) Rennie and Brad (Kelly) Jackson. Proud grandmother of Tessa Jackson and Danyal Rennie. Joan is lovingly remembered by sister-in-law Grace Moyer, nieces and nephews and their families, as well as her cherished friends. Predeceased by her parents Floyd D’Arcy and Margaret Loreen (Frey) Moyer of Elmira, her brother John Moyer, as well as in-laws Frances and Ron Corbett, Betty and Ed Ellis. Honouring Joan’s wishes, there will be no visitation or funeral. A private service for immediate family has taken place.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Obituary

Martin, Mary (nee Bauman)

Perrin, Elizabeth “Beth”

Our beloved husband, dad, papa, brother, brother-in-law and friend passed away almost 2 years ago. We will be celebrating his life on Sunday, January 22nd, 2023 at the Elmira Legion from 2-4pm. All are welcome.

Write a letter to the editor and submit it online today.

observerxtra.com/letters

Death Notice

BELCOURT , BENJAMIN - Unexpectantly passed away on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at his home, from a possible counterfeit drug. Benji of Wellesley at the age of 19 years.

COOK, JOHN DAVID - Passed away at Heritage House in St. Jacobs on January 15, 2023 in his 86th year.

ZEHR, JOSEPH N. - Joseph Nicholas Zehr passed away peacefully at Knollcrest Lodge in Milverton, on Friday, January 13, 2023, in his 86th year.

Passed away peacefully at home, due to complications from prolonged Parkinsons, on Saturday, January 14, 2023 at the age of 71. Loving wife for 51 years of Bill Perrin. Devoted mother of Andy and Beth, and Rob and Debora. Treasured Nana to Wesley, Austin and Max; Chloe and Carson. Will be greatly missed by her brother Bill (Barb) Watts and sister Anne Near, and sister-in-law Connie (Mark) Robinson and brotherin-law Jim (Irene) Perrin. Special Auntie to many nieces, nephews and their families. Beth was well known in the Elmira community as a hairstylist and sales associate in ladies fashion. Most of all, she treasured raising her two sons and later caring for all five of her cherished grandchildren, and was known for her love of dogs. Cremation has taken place. Friends and family were invited for visitation on Wednesday, January 18, 2023 from 2 – 7 p.m. at the Dreisinger Funeral Home, 62 Arthur St. S., Elmira. Refreshments were served. Donations in Beth’s memory to Parkinson Society Canada would be appreciated and may be made through the funeral home.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Brown, Robert Glen (Bubbles) May 25, 1952 – January 16, 2023

Dave Koebel

Living Here

It's about all of us.

Leading the way reporting about the people and places of home.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com Report it: observerxtra.com/tips

Funding for seniors Alzheimer Society event

Federal Minister of Seniors Kamal Khera and Kitchener-Conestoga MP Tim Louis this week announced $474,342 in funding for 22 community-based projects to support seniors in the region, including $17,075 for To Thrive Together Sustainable Living’s workshop series to promote social inclusion. The funding comes from Ottawa’s New Horizons for Seniors Program.

After two years of running virtually, the Alzheimer Society of Waterloo-Wellington's Winter Warmer whisky-tasting is returning to an in-person event, to be held Feb. 9 at the regional museum. The organization notes more than 16,000 people in the area are living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. By 2053, that number is expected triple. www.alzheimer.ca/ww

Conestogo man collecting items for the homeless

experience a lot of that loss,” he explained.

Observer Staff

ROBSON RECENTLY MOVED

BACK to the Waterloo Region area, and landed in Conestogo.

When he heard about the tent encampment on Roos Island in Kitchener’s Victoria Park, he decided to donate materials that could be useful to people opting to live in tents during the winter.

Recently he put out a call on Facebook asking residents to donate materials.

Items such as shipping skids, packing foam, tinfoil, insulation and carpet cut-offs are on the list of needed items.

These things may seem like junk to some people, but Robson says he’s learned they are actually really valuable to unhoused people.

“The hard thing about tenting or camping is where you’re going to lose a lot of your heat is the ground. It just leaks the heat and if you don’t have a barrier, you’re going to

He says the skids are used to lift the tents off the ground, and the foam, styrofoam and insulation pieces insulate the tents.

People have responded to his request, and he’s collected everything from warm socks and underwear, jackets and boots, to pieces of foam, carpets, and grass mats and the like. The mats help keep dirt out of the tents, he says.

Robson says many people wonder why people living in tents don’t go to shelters.

“These individuals are just trying to seek refuge because there’s various reasons why someone decides to camp or put up a tent. A shelter is not the only option for folks, which a lot of individuals think. They’re, like, well, ‘there’s shelters.’ Well until people actually experience what a shelter is like, and the lifestyle of being in a shelter (they won’t understand),” he said.

He mentioned theft can

be high at shelters, and impermanent as people need to constantly leave during the day. Tents offer

some amount of continuity for people, he said, and when they are grouped together, people can form

a community, he said.

“They’re there for solidarity and support and alliance with other

individuals in similar positions. Because it becomes a community for these individuals, they have individuals looking out for each other,” he said.

Staff at the Crowsfoot Smokehaus in Conestogo  responded and set aside shipping skids for Robson to pick up.

“We have them (skids) constantly stacking up outside. We don’t use them for anything,” said Kevin Augustus,  general manager at the restaurant.

“When we found out it would be for a good cause, we said ‘absolutely.’”

The skids were taken before Robson could go pick them up, but someone else on Facebook offered more.

Robson says he experienced homelessness for about six months in his life, and this is a driving factor for why he is collecting these materials for those living in the park.

People have been living in tents on Roos Island in Victoria Park since the summer, in part as a

Decongestants can sometimes cause more harm than good

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have used decongestants over the years when I'm ill, but my doctor recently said that I should be cautious because nonprescription decongestants can have significant side effects. Is this true?

ANSWER: While many people rely on nasal decongestants to help ease nasal symptoms of a cold or flu, these medications can sometimes

cause more harm than good, especially if used improperly or taken by patients who shouldn't use them.

Examples of commonly used decongestants include phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine. Often these ingredients

are included in multisystem cold and flu preparations. Due to the nature of medications, it is important to always read label ingredients for medications and warnings on boxes to know what you are taking and whether it is the correct product, especially if you have certain medical conditions or take other medications or supplements.

Taking an oral decon-

gestant can temporarily ease congestion, but it also can create an increase in your blood pressure and blood sugar, aggravate glaucoma or urinary conditions, increase seizure risk, and affect heart conditions. If you already have one of these conditions, especially if it's not controlled, this may be a concern.

Decongestants can interfere with the effectiveness of certain blood pressure,

epilepsy, heart, diabetes or thyroid medications, but also may affect the chronic condition itself. If you have any of the above conditions, check with your primary health care provider or pharmacist before taking an oral nasal decongestant.

Some other common side effects that nasal decongestants can cause include insomnia, nervousness, anxiety and tremor. Side effects are

usually more common as the dose is increased.

Oral decongestants should never be taken with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MOAIs) or within two weeks of stopping them. MOAIs are used for Parkinson's disease, anxiety and depression. Also avoid excess caffeine or herbal supplements while taking oral decongestants, as they may increase the risk

▢ Mayo Clinic Professional Clinical Health Advice

Leah Gerber

CHRISTOPHER

In response to the number of people living in tents over the winter, Christopher Robson has been busy collecting donations of materials that can help make their lives more comfortable. Leah Gerber

Christopher Robson is eager to help those living in tents cope with the winter weather

Barbecue chicken ... indoors? No, we're not pulling your leg!

It might not be outdoor grilling season, but you can still enjoy barbecue chicken! Start by making a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce in a skillet and then cook the chicken right in the sauce to help it absorb lots of great flavor. Two forks make quick work of

Pulled Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

1. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together ketchup, molasses, mustard, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.

2. In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 1 minute (oil should be hot but not smoking). Add shallot, chili powder, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in ketchup mixture, scraping up any browned bits.

3. Add chicken to skillet. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium- low, cover, and simmer for 4 minutes.

4. Flip chicken pieces over. Cover and simmer until chicken registers 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn off heat. 5. Transfer chicken to a large plate. Let cool slightly, then use 2 forks to shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Return shredded chicken to skillet and stir to coat with sauce.

6. Heat chicken over medium heat until warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Evenly divide shredded chicken between hamburger buns. Top with pickle chips, if using, and serve.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: chicken drumsticks, noodles, veg, roll, dessert $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25

▢ Senior's Community Dining at Linwood Community Centre. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch and fellowship. Cost $12. Must register by noon on January 20 by calling 519-664-1900.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: BBQ burgers & jumbo dogs, coleslaw, dessert $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28

▢ Elmira Legion's Take Out Spaghetti Dinner. Pick up from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Menu: spaghetti with meat sauce, Caesar salad, roll, dessert. $13 per person. Order in advance call Donna Vervoort 519-669-5894.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Doors open at 4 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: Quiche, salad, roll, dessert $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8

▢ Senior's Community Dining at Wellesley Community Centre. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch and fellowship. Cost $12. Must register by noon on February 3 by calling 519-664-1900.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9

▢ Woodside Evergreen for Seniors at Woodside Church, Elmira, 10:30 a.m. "Eating Well for Less" by Amy Sonnenberg, Registered Holistic Nutritionist. Music by Joyce Ruppert and Encouraging Words by Pastor Daniel Moes, Woodside. Suggested donation $10 includes hot lunch. Preregister by February 5 at www.woodsidechurch.ca/evergreen or 519-669-1296.

▢ Senior's Community Dining at Breslau Community Centre. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch and fellowship. Cost $12. Must register by noon on February 3 by calling 519-664-1900.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20

▢ Woolwich Gardeners February Speaker. Join us at St. James Lutheran Church, Elmira, 7 p.m. with Speaker Karin Davidson-Taylor (Royal Botanical Gardens). She will speak on "Healing Plants". Freewill donation for non-members. Open to the public. "Lug a Mug" for refreshments and treats.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22

▢ Senior's Community Dining at Linwood Community Centre. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us for lunch and fellowship. Cost $12. Must register by noon on February 17 by calling 519-664-1900.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9

▢ Woodside Evergreen for Seniors at Woodside Church, Elmira, 10:30 a.m. "Songs and Stories of Bringing Healing and the Gospel of Jesus to the Indigenous People of Canada" by Rick and Linda Martin of Niverville, Manitoba. Suggested donation $10 includes hot lunch. Preregister by March 9 at www. woodsidechurch.ca/evergreen or 519-669-1296.

Swedish or otherwise, these meatballs deliver taste

here’s a scandal around Swedish meatballs, which may have their origin well beyond the Scandinavian country.

The premise of any meatball is to bind ground meat together so it sticks by using the right amount of moisture and binding agents (i.e. breadcrumbs)

This concept was adapted to being used

CHEF DUFF

for dishes into the 20th century such as hamburgers and meatloaf.

Meatballs themselves are much, much older. There’s evidence of their existence as far back as the Roman

Swedish Meatballs

empire, but they were likely around as far back as ancient China, so that’s a lot of meatballs over the years!

The scandal is that what we know of as a Swedish recipe – the premise of using sour flavours – was actually brought to Sweden by King Charles – no, not that King Charles – from Turkey!

garlic powder, salt, pepper

1 egg

Combine ingredients together and allow to marinate. 2. Roll into 30g balls.

allspice, nutmeg,

3. Sear until well browned in frying pan –add sauce and simmer until cooked through.

4. Serve with buttered noodles (1pkg. egg noodles, 1/4 lb. butter, 1/4 cup parsley).

of side effects through drug interaction. Those who may be taking amphetamines for attention deficit, hyperactivity or weight loss are at higher risk of side effects and should not take oral decongestants without speaking to their health care provider or pharmacist.

In addition, using nonprescription decongestant nasal sprays for more than three or four days can cause worse nasal congestion once the decongestant wears off, a condition called rebound rhinitis. All too often, people think their colds are getting worse, so they increase their use of nasal spray, leading to a downward spiral of more medication use and worsening congestion. The way to reverse rebound rhinitis is to stop the nasal spray in one nostril until that nostril is clear, then stop it in the other nostril and that nostril should clear, as well. Other occasional side effects of nasal sprays may include nosebleeds, headache and rapid heartbeat in suscep -

tible patients. Some prescription medications can cause congestion, but this is uncommon.

It is important to note that children are more prone to side effects from decongestant nasal sprays and may experience sedation, agitation and even, in rare cases, seizures. Keep in mind that other over-the-counter nasal sprays help with nasal congestion indirectly, but are not decongestants. Sprays containing fluticasone, budesonide or triamcinolone are corticosteroids and work differently by overall lessening your nasal passage reaction to allergens. When nasal sprays are dosed, they should be directed away from the septum, or nose center, to help avoid nosebleeds. This can be accomplished by using the right hand to spray the left nostril and left hand to spray the right nostril.

Other factors to consider are products with decongestants that also contain antihistamine, dextromethorphan guaifenesin and acetaminophen. The acet-

aminophen can add to the daily limit of this medication to cause liver toxicity, while antihistamines can add to urinary conditions, aggravate asthma or other lung conditions, and should not be taken by those with glaucoma. Dextromethorphan can interact with antidepressants. In addition, common energy drinks can contain caffeine or other stimulants, and may contain herbal supplements that interact with decongestants and worsen some medical conditions or increase side effect risk.

Thankfully, symptoms usually last no more than a week and a half. If you have continued congestion, it may be time to visit your health care provider to explore treatment options that may be more effective. It is always best to speak to your primary health care provider before starting new medications.

ↆ Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. E-mail a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit www. mayoclinic.org.

ↆ Chef Bruce Duff is the operator of “Chef Duff at RiverSong” Banquet hall, Café and Culinary Centre just outside of St. Jacobs, which hosts private events, banquets, team building and cooking classes and also run breakfast and lunch in the café from Wed. – Sat; info@chefduff.ca.

Recipes from the chef's table

MAYO CLINIC: Don’t be so quick to reach for these meds

HOMELESSNESS:

protest to raise awareness about the growing housing crisis in the region.

Last year, the Region of Waterloo estimated more than a thousand people experienced homelessness. Of this, 412 were living in encampments, on the street or in their vehicles. The rest were in emergency shelters,

ORGANICS: Organization looks to boost growing sector

→ FROM 11

background.”

Osborne says she first became interested in organic agriculture in 2005 after a large electrical blackout. “It was that event that suddenly got both my husband and I interested in where our food came from,” she said.

According to Young, consumers and farmers are more and more going down that same line of thinking, especially in light of inflation attributed to far away global events and fragile supply chains.

“Organics couldn’t be more relevant than at this current moment,” said Young. “In the wake of the COVID pandemic and the ongoing strife in the Ukraine, Canadians are demanding more from their food; they are looking to invest in their health, in local and secure supply chains and in solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises. With the cost of fertilizers and inputs going up, more and more farmers are turning to organics for solutions. Inflation is testing consumers’ commitment to these principles, but organics are still leading the charge for regenerative and climate-friendly foods. And with a global market worth more than $172 billion, organic is no longer the fringe market it was in 1982.”

living out hidden homelessness-meaning they were staying temporarily with friends or other people though with no place of their own, in transitional housing or in institutions.

Last week about 30 people gathered in support of people living at the encampment, because there was speculation

ROBERTS:

city staff were planning to evict people.

Robson says he is hoping no one will be evicted, and will continue collecting and donating items.

Robson says the best way to be in touch about donations and to hear more is through the Facebook page www.facebook. com/Surviving.KW.

→ FROM 11

with businesses united, “the Code of Conduct can be even more effective, which ultimately, will not only benefit the industry, but consumers as well.”

She’s certainly right about part of it. Who knows if consumers will benefit. But industry will, if the alternative is to have the government step in and tell it how to conduct its affairs. No one wants that...but as the minister alluded to, transparency,

predictability and fair dealing is not a hallmark of the grocery industry right now. It’s a bad image.

A nagging worry though is what happens when someone breaks the code. Will consumers even know? And if so, will the offenders be forgiven?

Making sure a mechanism exists to raise public awareness of violations would go a long way towards its credibility and success.

Industry should take steps to ensure its own credibilty

Numbers are on the rise, and the issue goes beyond the highly visible people living in tents

→ FROM 16

Christopher Robson with some of the items he’s collected for the homeless. Leah Gerber