2 minute read

Book Review

Spy x Family

Story & Art by: Tatsuya Endo

In this slice of life manga you’ll follow the Forger family who all harbor some dark secrets. Loid, an undercover spy, needs to become a family man to infiltrate the leader of the National Unity Party to prevent an impending war. Loid finds himself fathering a six year old telepath and fake married to an assassin named Yor; all of them blissfully unaware of what the other does. Over time, they become akin to an actual family as they unknowingly work together to save the world from impending doom.

This is a perfect mix of action, humor and feel-good storytelling.

Submitted by River Bookshop Staff - Bookseller Grace the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and questioned whether Open Air was in line with that.

Rota said the event is accessible and that “there are no barriers with Open Air.” Students can move barricades, if need be, she noted, and those barricades are spaced apart simply to block off vehicles from entering the footprint.

“Anyone can get there. It is accessible,” she said. “If someone needs special assistance, we will walk them where they need to go or drive them in a golf cart. We go above and beyond to make sure it is accessible.”

Rota added set-up costs are the same whether it occurs Friday or Saturday.

Pouget questioned the effectiveness of using carts when streets are crowded, adding “that is not the way to treat people with disabilities.”

Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb spoke in favour of Open Air Weekends, adding while he doesn’t identify as disabled, his in-laws live at Richmond Terrace Long-Term Care Home and pushing their wheelchairs downtown during Open Air is a relief versus using uneven sidewalks that are not wide enough in places and have “trees growing out of them.”

“I have no interest in taking the program from three days a week to anything else,” said Gibb. “It’s a nonstarter for me. It will kill the event.”

Councillor Don McArthur advocated in favour of Open Air Weekends, believing it is a good value for the town and allows residents to enjoy their own town. He added it keeps people in Amherstburg rather than having them go elsewhere. Open Air Weekends has “a small town feel,” he added, and is safe event for children and youth to gather.

McArthur added “everyone wants a hotel in Amherstburg” but hotels need certainty and reducing the event won’t do that.

“It lures residents to our downtown,” he said of Open Air, adding regional tourism statistics show for every $1 spent, it leads to $3 contribution to the local economy.

Councillor Linden Crain believed Open Air Weekends provide a great return on investment to Amherstburg and also supported it. Courtney added “festivals, to me, are short-lived and not 20 weeks” and people aren’t seeing a return on their tax investment.

“Optically, it looks like it benefits certain people,” he said.

Courtney added “not one person is saying Open Air is bad.”

“It’s awesome,” he said. “It needs to be tweaked.”

Mayor Michael Prue said he has heard one complaint regarding accessibility, though noted his wife chairs the Amherstburg Accessibility Advisory Committee and no complaints have gone through that committee.

“This is one of the largest draws for any small community in the province,” he said of Open Air.

Prue said a new group of businesses called “The Core” offered up $20,000 for downtown programming and there are issues relating to Open Air that can be worked out, such as parking. He voted in favour of the report, breaking a 3-3 tie, but wondered if it could be beneficial “tightening up” Open Air from 20 weeks to 16 and cutting back on September dates.

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