 By Pepper Parr
December 8th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There is trouble in paradise.
Jane McKenna who is reported to have won the Progressive Conservative nomination as the candidate for Burlington in the next provincial election, scheduled to be held on or before June 7, 2018. is having that nomination challenged,
A group led by Colin C.G. Pye has asked that:
Pursuant to Article 27.1 of the Constitution of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (“Constitution”) and Rule 21 of the Rules Governing Candidate Nominations (“Rules”), the undersigned Residents of the Electoral District of Burlington who support the Principles and Objects of the Party hereby protest and appeal the nomination of Jane McKenna as candidate for the Electoral District of Burlington on November 26, 2016.
 Jane McKenna’s nomination win as the PC candidate for the provincial seat is being challenged. There is all kinds of schedules attached to the request – which we willwork through and pass along as much as we can.
McKenna is reported to have won over Jane Michael by 41 votes. What has not been made public is the number of ballots cast. This is clearly a developing story.
In the request for a review the applicants state that:
As the nomination process and election has been tainted by numerous breaches of tl1e Nomination Rules and the Party Constitution, thus bringing the Party into disrepute, the Appellants request that
a. a hearing be held before tl1e Provincial Nomination Committee pursuant to Rule 21.7;
b. a new Nomination Process be held under supervision of the Board of Appeal pursuant to Rule 21.9., and;
c. pending the resolution of the hearing under Rule 21.7, Jane McKenna be enjoined from holding herself out as the duly nominated candidate for Burlington, and be further enjoined from conducting any campaigning or fundraising activity as the nominated candidate for Burlington.
The meeting got a little rowdy – check out the video below.
 By Jim Barnet
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Please take time to read Councillor Jack Dennison addition to the on line petition against the Road Diet on New Street. You will see he continues to view the project through his rose coloured cycling goggles. He neglects to tell you that Denmark, a world leader in cycling, keeps bicycles and vehicles separated by barriers.
This safety requirement was made in a clear and concise fashion to a delegation from Burlington, headed by the mayor.
Mr. Toderian, a consultant hired by the city told an open meeting at the Burlington Performing Arts centre ” The road diet on New Street is a poor design and its one I would not personally use. I would fear for my safety.”
 Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison uses roller blades and his bicycle. When will Jack tell about this?
Some other things that don’t get past the rose colour goggles.
A member of the cycling committee has put out a blog showing that sharrows give a cyclist a false sense of safety and should not be used.
Early data indicates that the transit time between Walkers and Guelph line has increased by 50 percent during evening rush hours and is even worse when the roadway approaches design capacity and gridlock starts to take place.
If the road diet was in place from Burloak to the Hospital, transit times on the route would be increased by close to fifteen minutes during rush hours, total capacity would be reduced and grid lock would occur more often.
Due to weather, bikes are only potentially viable five months of the year. In addition how does the hockey player strap his equipment bag on a bike?
In a meeting with Councillor Dennison he admitted that he did not have targets for the results to be judged against to measure success or failure. This is not a management style most people use.
 Jack Dennison and his partner Jackie are avid cyclists. Slowing speeds below 60 KPM increases green house gasses and becomes even worse in gridlock and stop and go situations. How much of an increase is Jack willing to accept when at the same time putting cyclists in a less safe environment?
The highway traffic act gives bicycles the right to use certain roadways. It also states they should stay within three feet of the shoulder and travel in single file. They are to obey all the rules of the road, yet according to Jack no tickets have been issued to cyclists in Burlington. Why is that when we know they ignore most stops signs?
We should encourage cycling. This can be done by licensing bikes that have proper reflectors, bells and lights, front and rear. Riders should be encouraged to wear clothing with reflective strips and if possible to have light coloured clothing.
Maybe some of the beatification money should have spent creating protected bike lanes that are a network rather than Hodgepodge of bits and pieces we have now.
 By Staff
December 7th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police are urging drivers to slow down during this holiday season. With the icy conditions quickly approaching, speed and distracted driving is only going to contribute to the potential of getting into a motor vehicle collision.
 Officers continued to conduct targeted enforcement throughout the City of Burlington. Police targeted three locations on December 6th based on complaints received by residents. Kerns Road, Prospect Street and the intersection at Walkers Line and Upper Middle Road were all targeted. As a result, 93 traffic stops were initiated for Highway Traffic Act violations; police issued 53 Provincial Offence Notices, issued four licence suspension notices and handed out 25 additional warnings to drivers. All violations were for excessive speed, drivers talking on their cell phones, running traffic lights and failing to stop at stop signs.
“There are so many factors that contribute to a collision. By adding excessive speed and distraction, drivers are greatly increasing their chances of jeopardizing their life and the lives of others. Poor driving conditions are only going to add to this. Drivers just need to slow down and focus on their driving and not their cell phones” said Sgt. Jared McLeod of the District Response Unit.
The Halton Regional Police Service is committed to reducing dangerous and aggressive driving behaviors that put all road users at risk.
If any citizen would like to report a traffic concern they can do so by visiting our website and submitting an online traffic complaint,
https://www.haltonpolice.ca/PRC/Pages/TrafficComplaints.aspx
 By Staff
December 7th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Cogeco, the cable TV provider for Burlington, has had a two week run of good news.
They were recognized as a Community Builder at the Ontario Business Achievement Awards (OBAA) in Toronto.
That award celebrates large businesses whose community investments have yielded the greatest social return on investment. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce thus recognized the company’s good practices and its commitment to supporting the communities of the greater Ontario region.
Cogeco Connexion’s leadership in community engagement has been highlighted on numerous occasions in recent years. “So much so, that our community focus is now part of our DNA,” said Cogeco Connexion President, Ken Smithard.
 Cogeco Cable live the Gala Opening of the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Host Mark Carr and Mayor Rick Goldring prepare to go on camera. “We believe it’s a privilege and a responsibility to invest in the communities we serve. Cogeco Connexion has been part of Ontario’s and Canada’s economic landscape for nearly 60 years, contributing to key sectors of their economies. Today’s nomination by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce only confirms the importance of our organization in Ontario and reinforces our desire to exert and maintain a positive impact on the communities in which we operate,” added Mr. Smithard.
Community engagement is not a short-term commitment and with major yearly investments of
$2.5 million in Ontario alone, Cogeco Connexion continues to support numerous worthy community endeavours in the areas we serve. Through employee community engagement, direct investment, sponsorships and donations, Cogeco Connexion’s leadership team is driven by the desire to prove it’s possible to sustain economic viability while helping those in need. “And we do so while continually innovating and offering amazing experiences that are developed and delivered locally by our talented and dedicated employees,” concluded Mr. Smithard.
 Parks and Recreation Manager Denise Beard tapes a program for Cogeco TV. For over 30 years, the OBAAs have recognized and celebrated Ontario’s business success stories. As one of the most prestigious business awards in Ontario, the OBAAs recognize the achievements in innovation, entrepreneurship, integrity and hard work of businesses operating in Ontario.
Getting a prestigious award was good positive news – launching its UltraFibre 1Gig service, that will allow its customers in Oakville and Burlington to benefit from speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second is good news for their customer base.
This announcement is the result of a series of investments in infrastructure upgrades carried out by Cogeco over the past months. Starting in several areas in Burlington and Oakville, Cogeco Connexion will continue expanding its ultra-high speed offering in successive phases in the Ontario and Québec markets where it provides services.
“Today, Cogeco Connexion is making a commitment to the communities it serves, enhancing its high-speed Internet offering to help power economic growth and development for businesses and residents,” stated Ken Smithard, President, Cogeco Connexion. “As we have always made our customers’ needs the primary focus of our priorities and decision-making process, today’s announcement is also further evidence of our unwavering commitment to offering our clients an amazing experience and helping them navigate evolving technology.”
 Cogeco’s popular At Issue program features Host Mark Carr, Casey Cosgrove, Che Marville, former Burlington Mayor Walter Mulkewich and Burlington lawyer Brian Heagle “With online entertainment usage growing exponentially, the proliferation of connected devices and increased home office broadband needs, our Internet customers’ current appetite for speed is definitely trending upward,” asserted Daniel Boisvert, Vice President, Marketing & Innovation. “Demand for ultra-high speeds represents a market with considerable potential, and we’ve chosen to respond to it. We are proud to enhance our customers’ online entertainment and to offer them a suite of ultra-high speed Internet services with our new UltraFibre 1Gig service.”
Cogeco Connexion is launching this service to prepare for the ultra-connected homes and businesses of the future, thanks to a powerful hybrid network consisting of coaxial cable (HFC) and 11,000 km of linear fibre running from Windsor, Ontario to Gaspé in Québec.
“Upgrading our current broadband network to enable speeds well beyond 1 gigabit is possible with the DOCSIS Evolution path and Cogeco Connexion Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH)/EPON technology,” explained Michel Blais, Vice President, Engineering and Operations. “As we continue to leverage our networks, we will keep pace with our customers’ needs. We will see to it that our customers have the right bandwidth speed and equipment, wireless technologies and service to optimize their online enjoyment.”
 Mayor Rick Goldring and Cogeco TV host Mark Carr prepare for a live broadcast from city hall’s Council Chamber Cogeco now has 2,550 employees and is the third largest employer in Burlington. The company offers video, high-speed Internet, telephony, fibre-based data and voice transmission, and cloud-based applications for businesses.
They have 11,000 km of linear optical fibre between Windsor, Ontario and Gaspé, Québec
COGECO TV is operated in Quebec where there are 15 stations and 22 in Ontario, with close to 1,000 volunteers)
Cogeco is the second largest cable operator in Ontario and Québec in terms of the number of basic cable service customers served.
In the United States Cogeco operates through its subsidiary Atlantic Broadband in western Pennsylvania, south Florida, Maryland/Delaware, South Carolina and eastern Connecticut.
Through Cogeco Peer 1, Cogeco Communications Inc. provides its business customers with a suite of information technology services (colocation, network connectivity, hosting, cloud and managed services), through its 17 data centres, extensive FastFiber Network® and more than 50 points of presence in North America and Europe. Cogeco Communications Inc.’s subordinate voting shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CCA).
 By Staff
December 7th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
On Monday at a Waterfront Group meeting the public learned that the developer behind the proposal to build 39 townhouse units on adjacent properties located at 143 Blue Water Place and 105 Avondale Court in Burlington Ward 4 has decided to appeal the city council decision to not recommend the project.
One of the reasons being used to justify the appeal was reported to be that the city chose not to retain waterfront land when they sold a strip of land to adjacent property owners between Market and St. Paul Streets.
The irony of it all is mind boggling and has come back to bite the rear ends of the current city council.
 An incredible setting – that is one Mother of a front yard. The Blue Water property is unique in a number of ways and is an example of a Burlington that once was but that is now being bought up and, many feel, is being over-developed.
Should the developer win at the Ontario Municipal Board hearing – yet to be scheduled – the 39 properties will get sold overnight. It is a magnificent site.
Residents on the other hand see a lot of problems with this development – they point to the significant increase in traffic that will take place – the plan calls for more than 75 underground parking spaces which means a lot of cars spilling out onto Lakeshore Road.
 This is what the developer wants to do with the land they have acquired. Can it be stopped? The residents also believe that should this project get approved at the OMB, all of Lakeshore Road between Sioux Lookout Point all the way to Appleby Line, which is zoned as R1.2 Low Density Residential permitting only single detached homes, will be at risk to the same kind of development.
They maintain, on their web site, that “Development here would serve as a game-changing precedent to allow similar future out-of-scale developments not in keeping with the character of our lake shore neighbourhoods.”
 The residents argue that if the Blue Water project is approved all the land in yellow is at risk of development. There might well be hundreds of property owners who would welcome the opportunity to reap a very significant gain on the sale of their land. On Oct. 31, 2016 the City Council voted to uphold the recommendation of the Planning Department to refuse the application for 35 townhomes and 4 Semi-Detached homes. The townhouses would have roof top decks making them what city planners call three storey homes.
First Urban, the developer, had reportedly said they would submit a new design. In a note on the residents’ association web site they say: “The developer has stated that they are working on a new application that will include only single detached homes. We will let you know what the details of this proposal are as soon as we receive them.”
They changed their minds and have appealed the city’s decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.
One of the points said to be set out in the appeal is the developers opposition to a requirement that they provide water’s edge land to the city. The developer, in their submission to the city, have a well developed argument. They maintain that the city has already broken the requirement that:
 An acceptable breakwater for the current use – not up to standard for any kind of development – and the city wants the land for public use. “Land below the stable top of bank is to be dedicated to the City as a condition of development;
A 15m strip of land above the stable top of bank must be dedicated as part of parkland dedication to accommodate the waterfront trail.
 The city approved the sale of this waterfront property – they ended up with less than a quarter of a million dollars for their share of the land. The Blue Water developers are arguing that the city really doesn’t have much of a leg to stand on when they say the waterfront has to be kept for public use. Many want to know where this requirement was when city council approved a decision to sell lake shore property between Market and St. Paul streets in April 2015?
Part II, Section 9, Waterfront of the Official Plan states:
“The shoreline is a unique natural feature, part of a sensitive and complex ecosystem, which adds significantly to the identity, character, setting and well being of the City and its citizens. Waterfront policies relate to property immediately adjacent to the Lake Ontario/Burlington Bay shoreline, including parks and open space. In planning for uses of the waterfront, the effects of human activities on the natural environment must be considered to maintain the future integrity of the waterfront”.
To have the city council April 2015 decision used as part of an appeal for the Blue Water development further along Lakeshore Road is particularly galling.
The opposition to that decision – selling the property between Market and St. Paul Streets – was supported by a petition with hundreds of signatures. It was one of the worst decisions city council made in 2015 – and it looks as if it is going to haunt us for decades.
Along with the “top of bank” requirement the city planners added the following:
As was indicated prior to the submission of the application and throughout the application process, the City of Burlington maintains that the proposal also requires an Official Plan Amendment. The calculation of density is currently based on the gross area of the site, which does not comply with the city’s policies for hazard lands.
 Are these hazardous lands? In general terms ‘hazard lands’ are areas where natural hazards exist, including floodplains, steep slopes or organic soils. Due to these site limitations, new buildings are generally not allowed in hazard areas. For the purposes of this report the hazard lands refer to the lands immediately adjacent to the shoreline of Lake Ontario.
The property is not located within an intensification area and is not identified in local planning documents as a site for which increased density should be considered;
A Functional Servicing Report should address limits of development, tenure of ownership, lots involved, and how services will be provided to surrounding homes;
All properties must connect to new municipal services. The Functional Servicing Report should address how to tie third party lands to the new condominium corporation.
When the rezoning application was submitted by First Urban in June 2016, the applicants provided the requested fees and studies and therefore met the requirements of the Planning Act for a complete application. That’s when the clock starts clicking – the city had 180 days to respond to the application – which put a squeeze on because public meetings tend not to be held during the summer when many residents are away on vacation.
Might that have resulted in a staff report that could have been better?
When an Official Plan Amendment application was requested, the applicant declined. First Urban Development indicated that they would be willing to reduce the number of townhouse units at a later point in the rezoning process in order to achieve a maximum of 25 units per net hectare as calculated on the developable portion of the site.
Unfortunately, as the application and technical studies were reviewed, it became apparent that there were major deficiencies in the application and technical documents, and that the proposed townhouse development could not be supported. A decision has therefore been made to bring a refusal report to Committee and Council within the 180 days provided for in the Planning Act.
 The city maintains they have a right to 15 metres from the top of bank – the developer is arguing that they don’t and are using the Market Street giveaway as a precedent. As part of their review of the rezoning application, Conservation Halton seeks to ensure that waterfront development be ‘generally directed to areas outside of the hazardous lands’. Hazardous lands are those lands adjacent to the shoreline of the Great Lakes.
Extensive tree removal (198 trees) is unacceptable;
 The proposal is to cut down 198 trees. Currently these two properties support two single detached dwellings. To redevelop the properties to support 39 residential units is an unsuitable form of redevelopment given that the land use pattern is not in keeping with existing single detached land use pattern of the existing residences. Similarly, this area is not a designated growth area and the infrastructure and public service facilities are not available to support current and projected needs as outlined in the development proposal.
Staff says “no go” to this development.
Staff have reviewed the rezoning application in accordance with applicable provincial, regional and municipal planning policies. It is staff’s opinion that the proposed development does not meet the policies of the Official Plan and that the submitted proposal requires an Official Plan Amendment. The calculation of density is currently based on the gross area of the site, which does not comply with the city’s policy related to hazard lands.
This rezoning application seeks to redevelop the property with a higher density/intensity than permitted under the existing zoning. The housing intensification policies are intended to permit residential intensification within existing neighbourhoods provided that the additional housing is compatible with the scale, urban design and community features of the existing neighbourhood.
 A developers dream – and a possible nightmare for the city. Where did this on go off the tracks? Overall the proposal represents an over intensification of a stable low-density neighbourhood, putting strain on an under-sized private road in an area under-serviced by public transportation. This report recommends refusal of the rezoning application to permit 35 two- storey town homes and four (4) two-storey semi-detached dwellings on the grounds that they do not represent good planning.
It is the content of the planner’s report, to refuse the development application that went city council who decided to concur with the planners.
It is that document that First Urban is appealing.
Burlington is terrified of OMB appeals – they seem consistently prepared to bend over to satisfy a developer.
This is another development story with long legs.
By Staff
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Painful and at the same time beautiful.
The video speaks for itself.
The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) gave Gord Downie, lead singer of The Tragically Hip, an Indigenous spirit name, which can be roughly translated as “Man who walks among the stars.”
The name was bestowed on Downie at a three-day special assembly meeting of the AFN at which the Chiefs asked “disillusioned communities to resist hopelessness, and seize the historic opportunity the Liberal government has afforded First Nations communities with its new spending.”
Well worth watching.
 By Staff
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Every month the Halton branch of Crime Stoppers published a story on an as yet unsolved crime. Some of the crimes are many months old – however Crime Stoppers has found that bringing these to the public’s attention sometimes is all that was needed to break a case.
On February 23, 2016 sometime during the daytime hours a daytime entry occurred on Townsend Avenue in Burlington.
The garage side door was unlocked. The inner door the home was then forced open to gain entry. Value of electronics and jewelry was stolen was over $9000.00. As of yet no suspect(s) have been identified.
This is the second entry to the house in four years.
Anyone with information on this or any other crime can leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by texting “TIP201” with your message to CRIMES (274637), or by submitting a tip online at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca
By Staff
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Wow!
Cannot wait for this one to come to my local supermarket.
Amazon GO has opened their first supermarket in Seattle. They seem to be into everything but listen to what they have added as a service – convenience feature.
When you take something off a shelf and put it in the cart – the cost of that item is automatically deducted from your Amazon account.
 Imagine – no more standing in a checkout line at a supermarket. Amazon GO lets customers walk in, grab food from the shelves and walk out again, without ever having to stand in a checkout line.
Customers tap their cellphones on a turnstile as they walk into the store, which logs them into the store’s network and connects to their Amazon account through an app.
The service is called Amazon Go. It uses machine learning, sensors and artificial intelligence to track items customers pick up. These are then added to the virtual cart on their app. If they pick up an item they later decide they don’t want, putting it back on the shelf removes it from their cart.
Do you know what that means?
No more standing in a checkout line.
No more standing behind someone who fishes through their change purse for the exact amount of change.
This is close to Nirvana.
 By Staff
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Faris and Sam are their names
In the corporate world there is usually a group that handles the promotion of the corporate image.
 From the left: Omar, Faris and Sam. Faris will always remind you that he is from Palestine – The Holy Land! When you are a small retailer that has been serving a community for years what do you do to celebrate and thank your customers?
You hold a day long thank you event serving soft drinks and desserts to the hundreds of people who come through your door each day.
And that is what the crew at Ray’s Variety did last week – it was their celebration of serving their customers for the past twenty years.
Congrats guys!
By Staff
December 6, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
With just over a year in office Burlington’s Member of Parliament can toss around numbers that are in the billions as she rises in the House of Commons to speak in support of legislation related to Canada’s international assistance.
Here is what MP Karina Gould had to say
In terms of new funding, budget 2016 allocated an additional $256 million over two years, 2016-17 and 2017-18, to the international assistance envelope, the IAE. The international assistance envelope is the Government of Canada’s primary planning tool for managing official development assistance and for funding our international assistance activities. Though the majority of the resources in the IAE are programmed by Global Affairs Canada, it is truly a whole-of-government mechanism for implementing the government’s international assistance agenda.
The budget 2016 infusion of new resources complements the significant steps we have taken to address key global challenges, including climate change, instability, and humanitarian crises in Iraq, Syria, and the surrounding region, as well as ongoing development challenges, particularly those facing women and girls.
 Gould speaking at a World Humanitarian Summit in Turkey. In the last year, our government has committed $2.65 billion over five years to help developing countries tackle climate change, provided over $1.1 billion over three years in development and humanitarian assistance to address the needs of people affected by the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, and increased our contribution to The Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria by 20%, to $785 million from 2017 to 2019.
The international aid commitments that the government has recently made are a reflection of our desire to help implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
We have leveraged our significant commitments to encourage other donors to dig deeper. During the event hosted by our Prime Minister in Montreal last September, donors pledged over $12.9 billion over the next three years to the fifth Global Fund Replenishment Conference to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. This is a tremendous global commitment to end the spread of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria once and for all.
Under the leadership of the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, we launched a review of Canada’s international assistance, including development, peace, security and humanitarian aid.
This means that we are reviewing what we do, where we are targeting our efforts, our operating practices, and the partnerships we must forge to make our contribution.
At the core of our review is a commitment to refocus our assistance on the poorest and the most vulnerable, including in fragile states. We will channel our efforts on advancing the empowerment of women and girls as powerful agents of change. By investing in their social, economic, and political empowerment, we can promote dramatic and positive change in the lives of entire communities.
 Burlington MP Karina Gould listening to a constituent. As a recent UNDP report highlighted, the future of the world will depend on us doing everything in our power to ignite the potential of a 10-year-old girl today. That commitment to a feminist and human rights-based approach will also be a catalyst for achieving all 17 goals of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
To ensure that we get this right, we consulted broadly and transparently with Canadian and international partners, seeking to build on areas of Canada’s success, examine evidence and best practice, and strengthen the partnerships, mechanisms, and tools needed for improved delivery on the ground. More than 15,000 Canadian and international stakeholders in over 60 countries took the time to contribute to these consultations. I thank them for their thoughtful, engaging responses.
We know that the global development and security context has changed and Canada’s international assistance needs to adapt to this new reality. In our response to crises in the Middle East, we are ensuring that our security, humanitarian, and development assistance is part of an integrated response in the region.
To move forward, the Government of Canada will need to forge new partnerships with Canadians, NGO partners, international organizations, research institutions, and the private sector to ensure that the best ideas and minds are brought together to develop innovative solutions to the most enduring problems. We will need to look beyond official development assistance and make use of different types of financial flows to overcome financing gaps.
Most important, we will continue to engage with stakeholders and local populations, including the poorest and the most vulnerable, to ensure that their voices are heard and form part of the decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods. In the coming months, we look forward to sharing our new international assistance vision that will support Canada’s engagement on the world stage, thus contributing to a more stable and prosperous world for all.
 By Pepper Parr
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It is almost as if each side was talking about something very different.
The Halton District School Board Director of Education Stuart Miller is explaining why some high schools have to be closed while parents feel their community will be torn apart if that happens.
 Director of Education Stuart Miller during a phone in Q&A session – it was not an easy night for him. Miller’s job is to deliver the best high school experience he can to every student. And by best he means course selections that allow a student to take the courses that will prepare them for the work force, community college or university.
There are many more course offerings available these days but the number of hours a student can spend in a classroom has not changed.
In larger high schools there can be several course “session”. A court session is the number of times a subject can be offered. Grade 10 Algebra can be offered several times in a large school so that students who have an interest in some other course at the same time as one grade 10 algebra course is being offered can take the class at another time.
Setting up these schedules is a mammoth undertaking which the Board seems to handle quite well. The problem is that in order to offer a particular subject at several different times there has to be teachers available; in order for there to be teachers there have to be students – and enrollment at several of the city’s high school is decreasing.
Miller has a serious problem, and as Director of Education he was required to advise the publicly elected trustees that he “has a problem”.
Miller did that and the trustees decided to do a Program Accommodation Review.
Miller’s ability to deliver the program he believes is necessary is impacted by a number of factors
The availability of the required courses
Ability to schedule courses so that students can access them
Variety of course types – this refers to the different pathways a student decides to take through their high school experience
The variety of optional area courses
The variety of classroom activities – extracurricular
Courses are more likely to be taught by teachers with subject specialization
And access to the supports and services needed to deliver program
Miller explains that with larger schools there is greater variety of courses and pathways possible, and he
recognizes there are benefits to smaller schools where the staff are able to get to know students better.
 Bateman high school students protesting when it looked like their football season was going to be cancelled several years ago. Students have a better chance of making it to one of the sports teams; there is less pressure on physical space – gym, library. There is a higher ratio of service staff to students for Guidance, Special Education, and Library which Miller points out increases the Boards costs.
Parents expect all the things Miller is required PLUS they want a school that is more than a collection of classrooms – they want and expect the school to be an integral part of the community.
At the high school level in Burlington this is really pronounced with Nelson and Central. Would anyone dare close Nelson high school in this city? Not if they wanted to live a full life.
Central wears its history proudly – it is on every wall in every hallway that isn’t taken up with lockers. It is a school complex where a child can go from kindergarten to high school graduation in the same location. There are some that don’t see this as a plus.
 Central high school’s history is spread throughout the building. Some fluff off this ”neighbourhood” part of a school as an emotional attachment to the parent’s student days and it is to some degree that is true. It is also cultural – and without culture you don’t have a community.
One of the things that makes the Burlington Teen Tour band the success it is goes back to the days when the parents were in the band. The number of couple that met in BTTB and later married is astounding. This is family to them and explains a large part of the success of that organization.
High schools are quite a bit bigger and require more in the way of management skills.
What seems to be lacking is a fuller, shared understanding on the part of the education bureaucrats as to just what the issue is – and unfortunately there is now some “us against them” creeping into the dialogue.
The Board hasn’t helped when it dumped a 147 page document, School Information Profiles that tells you more than you will ever want to know about any of the high schools on parents. The document has data on the schools condition; its utility costs, walking distances and courses/programs offered at each school.
Great data – but where are parents supposed to find the time to do the review and analysis needed to get a fix on just what it is they are dealing with? It is a pretty safe bet that the school board trustees don’t have a full grasp of the data that relates to the school they are responsible for.
 Former Central high school principal Terry Ruff explaining to parents what the review was like when he went through one in 2000. What the Gazette is seeing is a very focused and committed group of parents from Central high school organizing at several levels – with little seen at the other high schools so far. What they have not fully grasped is that every high school is at some risk.
Thursday is the first of the seven meetings of the Program Accommodation Review Committee that will take place during this long drawn out process are:
PARC Working Meeting #1
January 26, 2017
PARC Working Meeting #2
February 2, 2017
PARC Working Meeting #3
February 9, 2017
Public Meeting #2
March 2, 2017
 Notes taken during one of the early parent meetings at Central high school. PARC Working Meeting #4
March 23, 2017
Director’s Report to Committee of the Whole
March 29, 2017
J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Public Delegation Night
April 18, 2017
J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Presentation of Report to Board of Trustees for Decision
May 17, 2017
J.W. Singleton Education Centre
It is going to be interesting to see how this plays out.
 By Staff
December 6th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Tuesday, December 13th from 7-11 pm – Joe Dogs!
 It could well be a night to remember! Central high parents are working with the guys that run Joe Dogs to host a silent auction to raise money to support the parents with their fight to keep Burlington Central High open.
They would like as many people as possible to join them to show your support; invite all your friends too! Let’s make this the best fundraiser ever!
There will be a special appearance by singer Dania Thurman and guitarist Anesti K who will be providing entertainment so come on out, bid and enjoy!!
Thanks again and hope to see you all soon!
 By Staff
December 5th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Sometimes a local merchant will support something a local group is doing. But you don’t often see four of the major local watering holes saying they are behind you and then agree to take in your petition so people can sign the document while they are in the bar
#centralstrong, the Central high school parents group that wants to convince the school board trustees that Central high school should remain open did what any group does – put together a petition and go door to door to get it signed.
You miss a lot of people and there usually isn’t time to double back.
#centralstrong came up with the idea that they would ask local hospitality operations if they would take a copy of the petition and let people sign it.
 They are certainly getting the message out. Central high parents and students in front of the provincial legislature. Here is how the spokespeople, Dania Thurman and Lynne Crosbie put it: “A big thank you to all the dedicated volunteers who hit the pavement collecting signatures for our petition. If we missed you and you would like to sign the petition, I have some great news! We have some fantastic support from some of our downtown businesses who have offered to have our petition available for you to drop in and sign.
We are hoping that you will support these businesses like they are supporting us by stopping in for a drink or a meal when you are there sign the petition and show these establishments some BCHS love!
Remember to say thank you!
 Queen’s Head – just one of the local watering holes that keeps a copy of the Central high school petition ready for you to sign. Joe Dogs
Home
The Dickens
https://www.thedickens.ca/
The Queens Head
https://www.thequeenshead.ca/
Wendel Clark’s Classic Grill and Sports Lounge
https://wendelclarks.com/
By Staff
December 5th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Only days after the launch of the province’s annual Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E.) Program, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) reports that it continues to respond to impaired driving incidents in Burlington, Oakville, Milton, and Halton Hills.
 Halton Regional Chief of Police Stephen Tanner cracking down on those who drink and drive. Chief Stephen Tanner once again explains that “Impaired driving is a direct threat to the safety and well-being of all road users. We continue to take an aggressive, zero tolerance approach to dealing with it and strongly encourage members of the public to do the same.”
Signs of an impaired driver may include:
– A vehicle moving too fast, too slow or that fluctuates greatly in speed;
– A vehicle being driven erratically or that is not maintaining its lane;
– A vehicle whose driver blatantly disregards traffic signals or other rules of the road.
Follows are examples of impaired driving occurrences officers have processed region-wide in recent days:
1 District (Milton and Halton Hills): On November 26, a citizen reported a vehicle travelling erratically in Milton. The vehicle was located parked in a nearby lot a short time later. There, officers observed a male slumped over in the driver’s seat with the keys in the ignition. Numerous attempts were made to rouse the 39 year-old man before he woke up and was instructed to exit the vehicle. The driver displayed multiple signs of impairment. Results of breath tests indicated a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of more than 3.5 times the legal limit. He has been charged with Care and Control while Impaired and Care and Control – Over 80mgs.
 RIDE program – it works as much as a deterrent than anything else. Calls from the public really help. 2 District (Oakville): On November 27, a citizen contacted HRPS to report a suspected impaired driver. Responding officers located the vehicle in the drive through of an Oakville restaurant. The 25 year-old driver displayed numerous signs of impairment, and was transported to the station for a breath test which revealed a BAC of close to double the legal limit. He faces charges of Impaired Driving – Over 80mgs.
3 District (Burlington): On November 29, police received numerous calls reporting that a vehicle had struck a fence and fled the area. The vehicle was located a short distance away and the driver was arrested for impaired driving. Subsequent tests revealed that the 26 year-old driver had a BAC of 1.5 times the legal limit. He was charged with Impaired Driving – Over 80mgs.
Notice that all these situations are the result of vigilant citizens calling the police – keep it up. They are also the result of someone somewhere serving someone far too much alcohol.
The public are reminded that driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a crime in progress and to call 9-1-1 immediately to report a suspected impaired driver.
The police service’s Twitter and Facebook accounts should not be used for this purpose; they are not monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
 By Staff
December 3rd, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There are all kinds of events taking place during December which you somehow have to fit into the shopping frenzy.
 Half an hour to just relax is something that is appreciated and, if you happen to be doing some of your shopping at the Royal Botanical Garden there is a place just across the road where you can see some of the very best stained glass art work on display.
AGOG, Artistic Group of Glass is holding a holding a Glass Show & Sale that will run all December at the Teresa Seaton Studio & Gallery, 654 Spring Gardens Rd. Burlington ON L7T 1J2 – Thurs – Sun, 11am-5pmSeaton
 John Storey’s Dylan  John Storey’s The Rose Included in the group showing are: John Highley / Mosaic Glass
Siobhan Lynch / Copper Foil
Joe Speck / Fused Glass
Teresa Seaton / Copper Foil
John Storey / Leaded Glass
 Teresa Seaton’s Lower Dashwood
By Staff
December 2, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police are seeking the public’s assistance identifying two males that robbed a Burlington Taxi driver.
On Saturday November 26th, 2016 at approximately 8:00pm, two males were picked up by a Burlington Taxi in the area of Mountainside Drive and Industrial Street in Burlington. The males were driven to the area of Mount Forest Road and Nottingham Avenue. Upon arriving to this location, the males physically assaulted the taxi driver and stole a quantity of money. Both males fled on foot.
The two male suspects are described as follows:
 Suspect 1- Taxi driver robbery Suspect 1: Male, white, between 25-30 years of age, approximately 6’0″ tall, with a thin build. He was wearing toque and had a bit of facial hair.
 Suspect 2 – Taxi driver robbery Suspect 2: Male, white, between 26-32 years of age, approximately 6’0″ tall, with an athletic build. He was wearing a toque and had a bit of facial hair.
Anyone who may have information that would assist the investigation is asked to call the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 Ext 2316 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Pepper Parr
December 2, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton District school Board Director of Education Stuart Miller delegated to city council a while ago and explained why his organization was recommending that two high schools in the city be closed.
It was a polite delegation – none of the council members asked much in the way of questions. He had made his point and that was that.
Miller did explain the process that is used when a school is going to be closed. At the time he didn’t mention that the city is asked to provide a representative on the PAR committee.
Once the PARC was formed the city was then asked to select a representative.
A PARC is a committee to Program Accommodation Review.
In a report to council earlier this week the Mayor recommended that city manager James Ridge be appointed as the representative to participate on the PARC, in an advisory role, to be a conduit of information, and to provide meaningful input and feedback concerning the proposed solutions.
The Board of Education initial preferred option includes closing both Burlington Central and Lester B. Pearson secondary schools.
The Mayor said that James Ridge has been consulted and is supportive of fulfilling the appointment to the Halton District School Board PARC. The fact is that Ridge volunteered for the task.
In a report that was submitted under Mayor Goldring’s signature it said:
 Mayor Goldring speaking to media wearing his Chain of Office which identifies him as Mayor – a political role. “There is obviously a great deal of concern in our community, especially with teachers, parents and students and within the areas located in close proximity to both Central and Pearson. It is only natural that many residents would want Burlington City Council to get involved in this issue.
“Recognizing that it is the Halton District School Board that makes the final decision, it would be inappropriate for council to take any sort of official position on this issue. I do understand, however, the interest in members of council wanting to get involved simply as residents.
“I am of the opinion that James Ridges will be an excellent representative of the City as a community partner on the Halton District School Board PARC. In this advisory role, I am confident that he will effectively communicate a clear and objective perspective concerning the proposed solutions that will be part of the PARC discussions.
During the council meeting the Mayor said he had received a note from a citizen saying they thought the Mayor should represent the city because he was unbiased, fair, thoughtful and objective. The Mayor then said that those words applied to city manager James Ridge but that in his case these words were squared, a mathematical term, and that Ridge had the “big picture” as well.
 City manager James Ridge will represent the city on the Board of Education Program Accommodation Review Committee – a group that many see as very political in that it speaks to the interests of parents who want to keep their school open. Apparently the Mayor was having some difficulty deciding what to do and Ridge volunteered to sit on the PARC.
It is doubtful that the city manager has ever been in one of the city’s high schools – if he has – it was part of a tour. He would not know the character of the different high schools – what makes Nelson the school that it is and what makes M. M. Robinson the high school that it is. Ridge has been in Burlington for about 18 months and while he may see himself as a quick study understanding a city and and its character takes years.
Rick Goldring attended both elementary and high school in Burlington – he is a product of Nelson and know the rivalries that exist between the high schools and having raised children in this city he understands fully what the high schools in this city mean to the parents.
Ridge has children that he and his wife saw through high school – but those schools were not in this city. What Ridge will bring to the PARC is the view of a bureaucrat not a citizen with a deep understanding of the city and its needs.
Meed Ward responded to the Mayor’s decision with the comment that she had approached the Mayor privately and asked that he represent the city and that she was disappointed in his decision to recommend Ridge.
Meed Ward believes the closing of a high school is a political issue. She pointed out that one of the pillars of the Strategic Plan focuses on healthy communities and the walk-ability of the community centres was important.
The Mayor doesn’t appear to share that view – but he didn’t explicitly say so. He did say “we are all very interested observers of the process” and he felt the city manager could do the job that was to be done.
 The body language tells it all – Councilors Meed ward and Craven sit beside each other at Council meetings because they represent wards 2 and 1 respectively and council members are seated in numerical order with the Mayor in the chair. The two don’t like each other and share very few viewpoints. Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven had no such hesitation in saying what he thought. He said he totally disagrees with Meed Ward and the position she has taken. “We need to stay out of the work the school board trustees have to do. I am quite uncomfortable with this”… “but it is not something I have control over.”
Meed Ward explained that she has a son who attends Central high school and a daughter who attends Aldershot high school and it is her belief that what happens to a high school impacts the community and that is the business of a city council.
Of note is that there is not a structure for the Board of Education and the city to meet to discuss shared concerns.
The Chief of police has in the past delegated to city council to discuss public safety matters; the hospital boat will send their president to city hall to provide updates. The Dean at the McMaster DeGroote School of Business attends council to delegate.
Politics is doing the business of the people and the school board close to the largest employer and the recipient of a very large slice of the tax revenue pie. They need to work together on issues of shared concern – and if this city council doesn’t understand or appreciate that the closing of a high school is not a major political concern we are indeed in serious trouble with the city council we have.
The Gazette hears the phrase “this is a dysfunctional council” from far too many people who are admired, respected and the recipients of Burlington’s Best awards.
For a Mayor to avoid sitting on a committee that will prepare a report that goes to the Director of Education which he uses to prepare his report to the trustees who will make the eventual decision, this is almost a dereliction of duty, which is defined as “the shameful failure to fulfill one’s obligations.” That pretty well sums it up – doesn’t it?
 The parents committee at Central are delighted that Meed Ward accepted the request that she sit on the PARC. Dania Thurman, spokesperson for the parents group said: “Marianne was the right choice for our School’s council representative because she has a son at Central AND a daughter at Aldershot.
“This gives her a unique perspective that most of us do not have. She also has extensive experience sitting on different committees and is used to working with others to find solutions to complicated issues.
“As a group we wanted to choose the person who was best qualified and could work well under the pressure of being on a committee like this. Marianne is very well spoken and more than capable of sharing our concerns clearly and thoughtfully. As a parent of a student at our school she qualifies to be a member on the PAR just like any other Central parent.
By Pepper Parr
December 2, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It happens every year.
What do you get the person who teaches your children?
How much do you spend – what is appropriate and are you going to buy them another cute coffee mug they don’t want or need?
Gifting a classroom teacher is a good thing; the parents get a chance to say thank you; the student, especially if they are very young, just love the idea of giving a gift to someone who is a very important person in their life.
Teachers appreciate the recognition.
 But what to buy? It can’t be too expensive – can it be relevant? Some teachers have little collections, we knew one who collected elephant figurines – her student’s loved adding to the collection.
Teachers know where the help is needed in their classrooms – they see the kid wearing sneakers when the streets and wet and slushy; they see the threadbare coat and they are often able to call the Halton Learning Foundation and ask if there is some help available.
The Foundation has come up with a way for helping to be made easier and quite direct.
They have created on-line catalogue that people can browse through and choose the level of gift they would like to give.
A backpack full of school supplies seems simple and attainable, but is out-of-reach for many Halton families. Your $25 gift can ensure students have the basic tools they need to participate in learning
Many children and teens have no choice but to brave cold, wet temperatures in ill-fitting or poorly insulated coats and boots. Worse, some kids miss school days because they do not have appropriate gear for the weather. Your $75 gift can help a student stay warm and dry on the trip to and from school.
Many students miss out on the experience of field trips that enhance classroom learning because their families simply cannot afford to send them. Your Growth and Confidence gift can allow at least 10-15 students to be included in hands-on, experiential learning provided by field trips. An education isn’t limited to text books; the social skills learned while mixing socially with other students is vital.
 The person buying the gift gets to have a card sent along to the person who the gift is being bought on behalf of.
A household can go on-line and decide they want to pay for the Fresh Start gift and have it given on behalf of a classroom teacher. The teacher gets the card saying a gift as given on their behalf by a specific student.
There are people who get gift they forget about in a month. This special kind of gift tends to be remembered for a long time. Isn’t that part of the purpose of a gift?
The catalogue is on-line – have a look.
 By Staff
December 2, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
This Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016 is the Burlington Santa Claus parade. Due to multiple road closures, several routes and stops are impacted from approximately 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will require detours on Routes 3, 4, 10, 21, and 25. Stops will be bagged in road closure areas.
Visit Burlington’s parade information page to view a map and get more information.
Delays are expected due to increased crowds and traffic. Please adjust your travel plans accordingly and use Trip Planner or call 905-639-0550 for next bus information.
 By Pepper Parr
December 1st, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s kick off time for the holiday season!
 Expect politicians of every stripe to invite you to share the Season with them. First out of the gate is Indira Naidoo-Harris who has asked her constituents to join her for an afternoon of fun and excitement at her third Annual Holiday Skating Party on Saturday, December 10th.
The party starts at 12:30pm and runs until 2:20pm, at Milton Memorial Arena (77 Thompson Road South, Milton ON). Those who live in the northern part of the city get represented provincially by the Member for the Milton riding; they are sort of a political orphan.
While not related to the holiday season – it is interesting to note that both the Milton and the Burlington members of the provincial legislature are both members of the provincial cabinet.
No word yet on what the other federal and provincial politicians have planned for us.
Burlington will hold its holiday event starting at Civic Square where the Christmas tree will be lit – hopefully the Hydro crew will be able to make it work this year – something went wrong with the switch last year.
 The holiday season decorations in Spence Smith Park are close to a must – Hydro does a superb job and seem to come up with new features every year. Burgers galore from The Works will be handed out – hot chocolate and then the traditional tour through the city with participants will singing Carols.
We got a light sprinkle of rain last year – might have the same thing this year – but the event is a good way to spend an evening. A delightful number of people show up for the event
You won’t want to miss this great event!
 A light drizzle of rain last year didn’t deter several hundred people showing up for the lighting of the Christmas tree at Civic Square and the Carol stroll through the streets of the city. The Carol Stroll Friday night is followed by the Santa Claus parade on Sunday.
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