 By Pepper Parr
May 17th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
He is back – with not just one but two business cards and, we are advised, a seat on the board of one of the city’s cultural institutions.
We are not clear as to whether it is the corporate board of the Foundation board of the organization that our former Member of Parliament sits on.
Mike Wallace took quite a wallop during the last federal election. At the time he said he got beaten by a person whose age was less than the number of years he had served the public.
 Mike Wallace, Burlington MP, takes a closer look at art work at the Art Gallery Burlington. To his credit Mike has bounced back nicely and has jumped into the industry that Burlington treats so well.
Wallace has a business card for his real estate sales business and another for the consulting organization he created. The latter resulted in a meeting with members of council where he is reported to have represented a developer’s interests.
On his web site he says:
You provided me the opportunity to contribute to the quality of life that we enjoy in our community. I strived to meet my commitments to you responsibly, thoroughly and with integrity. I love our City and the people that make it the number one mid-sized city in Canada.
Many have asked “What will be my next career path?” There was no question that I wanted to continue to serve and care for the residents of Burlington.
 You always know when Mike Wallace is in the room – you hear him. At times he is the consummate prankster on other occasions he can manipulate a parliamentary committee as well as the best of them. After your family and their health, your home is the most important part of your life. It is where you do most of your living, through shared good and tough times. Therefore, after many hours of personal reflection, I have decided to pursue a career in residential real estate.
As a realtor, I will provide the trusted, transparent and timely service that you would expect and deserve in dealing with your critical real estate assets. If I can be of any assistance, now or in the future, please contact me.
Mike and his wife Caroline (26 years) are part of the RE/MAX Escarpment Realty Inc., Brokerage and work out of offices at 4121 Fairview St, Burlington. You can reach Mike at (905) 632-2199.
The office location is a little too far east for Mike to set up his campaign office when he takes a run for Mayor in 2018.
 By Pepper Parr
May 16th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Where is the Mayor?
He wasn’t at the city council standing committee last night.
The chair, Blair Lancaster – who is still having problems managing the agenda – she forgets which page she is on and forgets the procedural steps that have to be taken.
 When the meeting opened Lancaster as chair announced that the Mayor was “at another meeting” – that was it. Nothing about what the meeting was about or where it was taking place.
Last night her cell phone was getting almost as much attention as the job of being chair.
It was a short meeting – and didn’t resolve anything. The biggest report was given a “receive and file” which puts it back into the hands of the bureaucrats. We report on the re-development of the Nelson facilities elsewhere.
The really interesting news was the article in the Globe and Mail about the changes the province is going to make on the environmental front. City manager James Ridge said that the news article was the most talked about subject within the leadership team at city hall.
 Burlington Hydro leased high end BMW electric cars and loaned them to members of council to get some data on driving patterns. Ridge said they were waiting to see the document the province produces – due sometime in June – all they had so far was the Globe and Mail news report. The newspaper headline reported a $7 billion program that would slash the size of our carbon foot print which will impact every aspect of life in the province and disrupt the automotive and energy sectors.
Energy means Burlington Hydro for us – and automotive – well we all know what they are talking about.
More than 76% of the homes in Ontario are heated with natural gas – the province wants to see that number brought down – and promises to start phasing out natural gas for home heating. This will be done partly through incentives for owners of homes and buildings to install geothermal and solar heating, and partly by changes to the building code mandating that, by 2030, all new houses and small buildings be heated by something other than fossil fuels. Natural gas currently provides 76 per cent of the province’s heat.
The plan also promises hefty subsidies for electric vehicles, more charging stations and sets ambitious targets of raising the number of electric vehicles sold to 12 per cent of the total by 2025; at the moment, just 0.16 per cent of the vehicles on the road in Ontario are electric.
 Big changes coming – it would have been nice to see a comment from the Mayor. His new key aide – Mike Greenlee, who replaced Brian Kelly, who replaced Frances Grano, who replaced Jackie Isada, who replaced Frank McKeown kept himself busy taking notes.
Greenlee and Grano were seconded from within other departments in city hall to help out in the Mayor’s office.
By Staff
May 17th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The police are driving the message home: Canada Road Safety Week starts today
For the next seven days, until the end of the Victoria Day weekend, motorists who travel anywhere within the Region of Halton – from our urban centres to our rural areas – can expect to see an increased Police presence on our roadways.
How can you avoid being stopped by a Halton Police officer?
1. Drive now, call & text later. Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of motor vehicle collisions.
2. If you drink, don’t drive. Impaired driving remains the leading criminal cause of death on Ontario roadways. Halton Drug Recognition officers are also reminding drivers that drugs & driving don’t mix either.
3. If you’re under 22yrs of age, don’t drink & drive period. You must have a zero blood alcohol level to operate a motor vehicle in Ontario.
4. Buckle up. Over 700 Halton motorists were charged in 2015 with failing to wear a seat belt. What’s holding you back?
5. Slow down! Speed kills. Remember, we’ll see you before you see us. Speed limits will be enforced!
Motorists found in contravention may be subject to arrest and charges, including licence suspensions, vehicle seizures and costly fines. Halton Police encourages all road users to obey the rules of the road.
 Do your part and make our roadways safe for everyone.
If you observe a vehicle being operated in a manner which places you, or anyone else in danger, please call 911 for an immediate police response.
Let us see what the police report after the holiday weekend.
By Pepper Parr
May 16, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
We learned today that the “Windows on the Lake” at Market and St Paul Street are going to be at the final drawings stage and should go out to tender very soon – and according to Rob Peachey the construction work should get done before the end of the summer.
 You wouldn’t know it – but this is public property and anyone can walk out to the end and look over the lake. City will remove the boulders and the fence barrier which was illegal but the city did nothing about. The area is going to be upgraded to a Window on the Lake. Good news – the view from those two locations is about as good as it gets – one can take a picnic basket out there and really enjoy a summer afternoon or evening.
There was a time when there could have been a nice pathway that would have joined the end of Market Street to the end of St. Paul but the current city council could not see or understand how big an opportunity they let get away on them.
 What could have been – a pathway for resident to bike along and take a pleasant walk – but city council let the opportunity get away. They had it – the city owned a significant portion of the land with the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources owning the rest – but instead the land was sold to the people whose property abutted the bits of land along the water’s edge.
The problem wasn’t with the sale of the land to private interests – some intelligent people saw the opportunity and moved quickly to buy the land. The shame is on the city council for letting that happen.
All the public gets is a small patch of land – which does have a great view. It will be interesting to see what the final drawings look like.
 By Pepper Parr
May 16, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Friends of Freeman station have to be nominated next year for one of the Burlington’s Best awards. This is without a doubt one of the best community organizations in the city. They fought hard to overcome serious inertia on the part of city hall and city council to save the Freeman Station.
 Sitting on some “cribbing” with a sign badly in need of several coats of paint, the Freeman Station gets ready for its big move. The city at one point had a very significant federal government grant to move and refurbish the station but couldn’t agree on where it should be located.
At one point the city ran an advertisement asking if anyone wanted the thing – to the best of our knowledge no one responded.
The late Jane Irwin fought hard to find a way to keep the structure that was in very sad shape sitting on cribbings beside the fire station on Fairview.
A city engineer actually told a Standing Committee that it couldn’t be save. That didn’t deter a group of die-hards who were not prepared to let the station get reduced to kindling.
 They had every reason to be smiling. Councillors Meed Ward and Lancaster pose with five members of the Friends of Freeman Station after the Council meeting that approved the entering into of a Joint Venture that would have the Friends moving the station and taking on the task of renovating the building. Councillors Marianne Meed Ward and Blair Lancaster who don’t agree on very much most of the time did come together and champion the Friends of Freeman Station. Now whenever there is a photo op the rest of council can’t line up fast enough to get their picture taken. Wait until the day the Station is officially opened – they will all be there with their best smiles painted on their faces.
But I digress – the Friends are going to be at Tansley Woods Community Centre, 1996 Itabashi Way, on Wednesday, June 1st – 9:30 – 4:00 to tell anyone who wants to listen about the station.
“Nostalgia… and fun!
— will be the order of the day when the Friends of Freeman Station travelling model railway exhibit is displayed at the Tansley Woods Community Centre in conjunction with the City of Burlington’s Parks and Recreation Department kickoff of Seniors’ Month — Wednesday, June 1st from 9:30 AM to 4 PM.
Nostalgia… “I remember travelling by train from the Burlington Junction Station…” Young-at-heart Burlington seniors recall fondly their experiences, as we re-create the era of steam power. You’ll see a model steam locomotive and passenger train, arriving and departing from a model of the the Burlington Junction Station just as it happened in the early Twentieth century. A beautifully crafted 1/24 scale model of the Station will be part of the display.
Fun! “Look, Grandma! It’s Thomas the Tank Engine!” Bring your grandchildren to see a rare demonstration of Thomas and friends Percy, Annie, Clarabell, Troublesome Truck #1, and Troublesome Truck #2 running on our scale model railway.
 Bob Chambers points to a detail of the Freeman Station model he built in his kitchen in a short 41/2 months. The model will be on display at the Tansley Woods Community Centre. Tansley Woods Community Centre
We’ll be there… to share the amazing story of the relocation and restoration of Burlington’s 1906 Grand Trunk Railway Station, slated for completion in 2017. There, on the Lower Level, we’ll be constructing a historic model railway diorama depicting early Twentieth-century life in the hamlet of Freeman, now a part of Burlington.
This is one of the organizations that deserve whatever you can manage in the way of donations. Every dollar they get does into the refurbishing that are a a 100% volunteer organization –no one is paid – they rely entirely on private and corporate donations to fund the costs of restoring the Burlington Junction Station under an agreement with the City of Burlington.
They are superb at scrounging as well
 By Staff
May 16th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
We expect to use the picture frequently – it is a disturbing picture because if reflects an attitude towards the environment and the damage it is doing to the planet we live on.
 The crude decal is located inches above the exhaust pipe. Young people tend to flout conventional standards – but this standard is what is wrecking the weather system we have.
When we took the photograph the driver was parked in from of a shop with the engine idling while he chatted with the women in the car with him.
It was a nice car – there appears to be something about yellow in this city – see the link below.
One wonders what the parents think about the statement the young man chose to put on his “muscle car”
Related article.
What’s with yellow and this city?
 By Staff
May 16, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Regional Police Service want to remind the public that the commonly known “CRA scam” is still very much alive and active. In the past week, two separate victims in the region have both fallen prey to this scam and suffered a total loss of $9,000 dollars.
In the latest version of this scam the fraudster is threatening arrest of the victim for money due to Revenue Canada. The fraudster is now asking the victims to make payment using I-Tunes gift cards and directing the victims to several locations in order to purchase the cards.
Halton Regional Police Service are reminding the public that the Canada Revenue Agency would never act in this manner and certainly would never accept I-Tunes gift cards as a form of payment.
The police would also like to request that the vendors of these types of cards remain vigilant to large purchases of I-Tunes gift cards and to initiate a conversation with the buyer to ensure they are not being defrauded.
In one of the more recent cases an alert employee at a Rexall Pharmacy in Hamilton prevented a victim from purchasing an additional $3,000 dollars’ worth of cards. Unfortunately the victim had already previously transferred $3000 dollars of cards purchased at two other stores prior to being stopped by the alert employee.
 By Pepper Parr
May 15th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Caroline Simpson was the person responsible for making sure the Regional Chair’s Annual Golf Tournament went smoothly. She was looking for items that could be put into the silent auction and approached the Art Gallery of Burlington where she crossed paths with Mary Mazur, the EA to the CEO.
They talked and Simpson came away with a piece of art for the golf tournament silent auction and also knowing a lot about an event the AGB was sponsoring at the Performing Arts Centre. Simpson felt good about the new contact she had made and delighted to be able to get to a concert she might not normally have gone to – an evening of music played on a flute.
 Gordon Burwood points out the location of the hotel that Caroline Simpson, on the left, will stay at during her week in Paris – a prize she won at a raffle during the Evening in Paris event sponsored by the Art Gallery of Burlington at the Performing Arts Centre. Karen Burwood looks on. Oh joy – one might say – but this evening was not just a concert – it was an art history lesson, it was an opportunity to not only hear the music, which Simpson, really didn’t’ know much about, but to learn about the context and the times the music was composed.
She didn’t know that the Impressionist art movement came out of the same period and that the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel tower were created during the same time frame as well and that the Paris Opera House came out of the same time period.
What she did know at the end of the performance was that she has heard a superb flutist perform – and that she was going to Paris
Simpson is a Laurier University “poly-sci” graduate with three kids at home and a demanding job.
Part of the “Evening in Paris” event put on by the Art Gallery in Burlington at the Performing Arts Centre was a draw for two tickets for a week in Paris. The prize was donated by DH Tours – tickets were $2 each.
 Serene Martin on the left, Ondrea Crockett on the right – Caroline Simpson in the middle. Simpson had bought 40 tickets, she said she “had a sense I was going to win. “I wasn’t totally surprised” she said “but it did take a minute for my winning to sink in.”
“I knew the range of the tickets I had bought – the winning ticket was the last one in the range – 0597. I think my friends, Serene Martin and Ondrea Crockett were more excited than I was.”
The prize included $500 of spending money.
As of Saturday afternoon Simpson had not told her children. “I was thinking about who I would take with me – my daughter who is turning 16 – if I take her what do I do for my 13 year old? I have thought about taking my Mom – that would be nice.”
But right now explained Simpson “I can’t spend any time thinking about when I go to Paris or who goes with me – I have a golf tournament to get done.”
Simpson is the enhancement programs coordinator at the Willow Foundation – an arm’s length agency of the Region of Halton that raises funds for the for the seniors living in the three village retirement residences run by the region. The Foundation, a non-profit, registered charitable organization, was established in 2002. Governed by a volunteer board of directors, funds are raised to further enhance the lives of seniors and disabled adults in the Halton Region’s three long-term care homes: Creek Way Village in Burlington and Post Inn Village in Oakville and the Allendale Village in Milton where there are about 575 residents
 Regional Chair Gary Carr a community event. The golf tournament, known as the Regional Chair’s Annual Golf Tournament, is taking place Thursday – the 18th at the Crosswinds Golf and Country Club. Simpson is beavering away at all those last minute details – that seem to be never end. Event registration, if you’re interested: https://birdeasepro.com/thewillowfoundation
“The Chair is a big supporter of the Willow Foundation. It is nice to work for an organization where there is strong leadership.
Simpson thinks about sitting at a café in Paris and reading some of the books she doesn’t have time to read these days. “It will be different – won’t it” she suggests.
By Pepper Parr
May 15th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There were few gifts in the weather this weekend.
Our Member of Parliament Karina Gould was scheduled to throw out the ceremonial pitch at a Burlington Bandits game – cancelled due to rain.
Hayley Marie Remple gave her Masters Class to flute players and then left town to begin her tour of western Canada. They are in for a treat.
 Monument marking the 3582nd kilometer of the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope Run that took place 35 years ago. The plaque noting that the historical Brant Inn used to be located a dozen yards or so to the south sits to the left of the monument.
There was an event that took place on a knoll on the north side of spencer smith Park where some history got cemented into place – not something Burlington has been all that good at doing.
A group of citizens thought it would be fitting for there to be a monument commemorating the day Terry Fox passed through Burlington on his Marathon of Hope 35 years ago.
The group that made this happen has chosen to be quiet – their concern was that the creation of the monument not take anything away from the annual Terry Fox run.
 The Brant Inn was located close to the edge of the lake – immediately south o the plaque – the Terry Fox monument sits on a bit of a knoll just west of the pond where small model motor boats will soon be scooting around. The monument is a very handsome structure.
It was originally going to be located closer to the intersection of |Lakeshore Road and Maple – some one came up with the idea of a more prominent location – right up beside the plaque that notes the existence of the Brant Inn – once a hot spot for American musicians who came to Burlington by train where they could play, sleep and eat in the same location.
 The plaque tells the story. It was the place to be in those days. Nothing like it in the city today. Pity The Brant Inn plaque is 15 to 20 yards from the site of the famous Inn. With the Fox monument steps away from the plaque – Burlington now has a spot where some significant history is commemorated. The Joseph Brant Museum is but a football field length to the west.
It will be interesting to see how the Tourism people feature the existence of the Fox monument in their literature and web site.
Make a point of getting out to see it – it is both handsome and significant.
Good things can happen in Burlington.
By Pepper Parr
May 15th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Our thanks to Kim Verrall and Louise Marie Vien for this collection of pictures.
Who knew there were that many people involved in ACCOB – the Arts and Collective of Burlington. They gathered on Sunday for a “family portrait” – the final image is in the hands of the photographer – it is to be posted to the ACCOB Facebook page – where everyone can tag the names.
An impressive gathering – we were told the Mayor had asked to attend – not sure if he made an appearance.
With the family portrait in place – city council now knows the arts community is real – and that it needs support – which does not appear to be forth coming.
ACCOB has a number of committees that are either sub-committees or affiliated with them – that have been meeting with various people at city hall – including the city manager – word is that there hasn’t been all that much traction and that Cultural Days in September is going to have to get by on $2500.
Feelings are quite high with one member of a group declaring that the city manager has lied to them.
Any hope for an Arts Council seems dim at best.
For today – the Family Room at the Performing Arts Centre was love, peace and kindness. The Gazette was unable to attend – Sunday of us is a day of worship and thanksgiving.
We wonder if those people with instruments broke out and if Tomy Bewick did a slam.
We will pick up what actually happened when we talk to people during the week.
In the meantime some on the spot pictures.
By Staff
May 14th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
Hayley Marie Remple plays the flute – at time she attackes the instrument and on other occasions you can almost feel her straining to find the air she needs to finish the bars of music she wants you to hear.
Remple was on the stage of the Performing Arts Centre doing a benefit concert for the art Gallery of Burlington. Don Graves, a noted Burlington landscape artist with a life of music as his frame and a noted book reviewer as well describes what the audience saw and felt this way:
 “A group of clever, inspired French composers: Debussy, Ravel, Saint-Saens, Faure, Widor and Satie. The time is 1870 to 1910. Add a gala young woman who mergers with her instrument, the flute, to weave an Evening in Paris, full of masterful playing, displaying that technique is something an artist should know but not show, a musician that spins history with multi-media storytelling and some of the finest flute playing I’ve heard in Burlington…ever.
“What brings this evening at the PBAC to a special moment in time is Haley Marie’s exquisite bringing together of music, history, coloratura playing and dynamic story telling.
Not a silo in sight. Music, painting, history, the era of impressionistic music in Paris and unveiled in an informal, warm and technically sparkling visual concert that earned her a well-deserved standing ovation.
 “Is this where the concert hall may be headed? Did the Art Gallery of Burlington and the Burlington Performance Art Centre launch something that speaks to the future of an evening listening to music, listening to a story and watching a screen that unfolds the place, the atmosphere and its time? Yes, it happened in Burlington and this young flutist raised our sights, our visions and our joy.
One of the unfortunate aspects of single night performance is – we can’t say to you – “Ya gotta see this performance” – because she is gone – off to complete her five province tour.
Graves describes the performance well – he catches mixture of visual, verbal and the sounds from the flute well. He is a man with a good eye and a strong appreciation for music – he nailed this one.
He might have added that during the performance Remple has words pop up on the screen that explain the complexity of the music – nothing too deep – things like “I have to breath really hard for this part”
What the public saw and heard was a Carnegie Hall class artist who performs superbly and adds comments with words on the screen that add to the quality of the performance.
There are times when Remple comes close to attacking her flute – the finger work is superb.
She will do a Master Class for flute students Saturday afternoon.
Might she return – it was a performance worth recommending to friends.
By Staff
May 13th, 2106
BURLINGTON, ON
It took just over a month – but the police, with the help they got from the public, were able to identify and then arrest Rafael MAIA (29yrs of Mississauga) He has been charged with Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Theft Under, Drive Disqualified, five charges.
Investigators credit the public for their assistance.
On March 23rd at approximately 3:00am a garage was accessed while the homeowners were asleep in their residence. Two vehicles were stolen. The cameras on the 407 eastbound from Burlington identified one of the two cars stolen. . One was recovered in Toronto on March 24th.
The second car, a 2006 grey Infiniti G35 was used in a gas drive off in Toronto in the early morning hours on March 30th.
Photos of the driver were made available.
 By Ray Rivers
May 13, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Even deep ecologists, the folks who’ll tell you that fire is a natural part of a sustainable forest, cannot defend what has been happening at Fort McMurray, Alberta. The ‘Beast’, Fort McMurray’s runaway fire is not a controlled burn by any measure. This has been called the worst environmental disaster in Canadian history.
 The fire, named the Beast bu he men and women who had to fight it day after day, moved into communities an wiped out everything in its path. The Beast has gobbled up over 200,000 hectares of woodland so far. That is more acreage than foresters harvest in B.C.annually. And it is twice as much as gets taken down each year in Ontario, generating 13 billion dollars in revenues, including some five billion dollars in forest products exports for our province. Also, Ontario’s treasury gets $100 million in royalty payments, and of course there are all those spin off benefits.
Firefighters managed to save an estimated eighty to ninety percent of the building stock in the Fort McMurray, though some suburbs were virtually destroyed. And the entire city and surrounding communities, as many as 100,000 residents, had to be evacuated. In a show of national unity all Canadians and many of their provincial governments came forward contributing fire-fighters and money to help with the consequences and aftermath of this event.
Canada is no stranger to forest fires. As a country which has the world’s second largest land mass, much of it sparsely populated, we typically lose over 600,000 hectares to fire every year. But the fire season has barely started this year and the Beast has already claimed a third of that with the fire still burning. The exceptionally hot and dry spring, and possibly a careless human, are the likely causes. But authorities worry that Edmonton, also experiencing exceptionally dry conditions, may be next.
Is climate change to blame? This is exactly the kind of event that climatologists have been predicting. And that would make this the second time in only a couple years, that Alberta has been hit with a major climate related event – recall that monster flood in Calgary a couple years ago. But few people are saying that in public. Well, Elizabeth May, the Green Party leader, is but then she’ll never be PM so she can say what is truly on her mind. Our new climate-change-fighting PM was reluctant to make the linkage, though he doesn’t really need to – it’s obvious.
Of course nobody wants to be accused of blaming the victims, including the oil sands operators who have had to suspend operations. Our hearts go out for the people who’ve lost their homes and possession, and have spent the last several days living in community centres, or with family somewhere else. And the truth is that leaping to shut down oil sands operations, in recognition of the reality before us, would hardly reverse the climate change we are experiencing in the short run anyway.
 The Leap Manifesto should at last be read – Rivers has created a link to the document at the bottom of his column. You may have heard about the Leap Manifesto, something which nearly tore the heart out of the recent NDP national convention in Edmonton. Avi Lewis, son of former Ontario NDP leader Stephen Lewis presented it in the faint hope of obtaining an endorsement by that party. Its non-partisan sticker notwithstanding, the document was produced to influence last year’s federal election and presumably energy policy in Alberta, though even Mr. Mulcair seemed to have mis-interpreted it and Alberta’s Premier was deadly opposed.
Lewis and his wife; journalist, author and social activist Naomi Klein, initiated this project as an afterthought to her book “This Changes Everything” and his documentary of the same name. A number of aboriginal leaders, other social and environmental activists, and wannabes assembled to write the Manifesto which reads, as one would expect, like something written by a committee.
Still Leap has morphed into something of a movement with over 40,000 signatures of support in its call to leap beyond business as usual this leap year, including the call for a guaranteed annual income for all Canadians. And as one of its primary targets, it has raised the hackles of the oil industry by its not so veiled call for shutting down the oil sands and any more pipeline construction.
Fort McMurray, Alberta’s oldest European settlement dating back to 1788, started out as a lonely fur trading establishment. Today it is known as the city that services Canada’s oil sands industry and Canada’s most valued export industry, despite the collapse of oil prices last year. The city will rebuild and recover, the forests surrounding it will regrow and things will go back to normal, for a while anyway.
But the message of the Leap Manifesto is right about how and where we ultimately need to get our energy. Forty years ago we didn’t speak of climate change or global warming. Fossil fuels seemed like the future, energy independence seemed critical and Canada was running out of oil.
Alberta with the help of the federal government, then led by Mr. Trudeau’s father, supported the oil sands mega-project. But given what we know today, It may well take another Trudeau to help Albertans move away from producing the dirtiest oil on the planet.
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. Rivers is no longer active with any political party.
Background links:
The Beast – Fire Damage – Climate Change – Oil Exports – Forest Facts –
Canada’s Forests – Carbon in Forests – Still Burning – Leap – This Changes Everything –
Mulcair on Leap –
By Staff
May 13, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
On May 12th 2016, the Halton Regional Police, Burlington Street Crime Unit (SCU), concluded a drug trafficking investigation that resulted in three arrests and the execution of Controlled Drugs and Substances Act search warrant at a Burlington hotel.
Seized as a result of the Investigation:
• 142.2 grams of Heroin (6 separate bags)
• 2 grams of Shatter (marihuana oil)
• 2 grams of marihuana
• 3 crack cocaine rocks
• $4615 Canadian Currency
The drugs have an estimated street value of $36,000
The following persons have been charged;
Stephen Mark O’SULLIVAN (39 years) currently of no fixed address (held for a bail hearing)
• Possession for the Purpose – Heroin
• Possession for the Purpose – Cocaine
• Possession of controlled substance -Marihuana (under 30 grams)
• Possession of controlled substance – Hashish
• Breach Probation
• Breach Recognizance (two counts)
Stephen Mark O’SULLIVAN (63 years) currently of no fixed address (released on Promise to Appear in Milton Court on June 1st 2016)
• Breach Recognizance
Thanh Van TRAN (37 years) of Hamilton (released on Promise to Appear in Milton Court on June 14th 2016)
• Trafficking- Cocaine
Investigators remind the public to utilize Crime Stoppers to report any illegal drug, gun or gang activity 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
May 12, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
There are five things the Joseph Brant Hospital administration want you to know about the re-build/re-development taking place on Lakeshore Road.
1. Construction Highlights – Starting on Friday, May 13, 2016 the EllisDon team will begin to disassemble one of two crane towers on our main construction site. The disassembly of the crane is a significant construction milestone as it means that most of the large mechanical and electrical equipment has been delivered and installed. Moving forward, the building materials and equipment will be transported either using the existing crane or the man and material hoist on the side of the tower.
The building envelope continues to go up on Levels 5, 6 and 7. By early June, the building will be weather-tight and electrical and mechanical work will begin on the inside. Roof work is taking place on multiple levels of the new tower and will be complete by early fall. Inside the tower, brick walls are being constructed and duct work is happening in the penthouse (Levels 8 and 9) which will house generators, electrical equipment and air handling units. On the Main Level, dry wall is going up and on each level, structural steel framing of the rooms continues.
 Contractor expect the new building to be “weather tight” by the end of June. 2. Technologically driven – New hospital technology will change the way we deliver care. Some of the technologies will include; a new nurse call bell system that incorporates handheld devices; a real time locating system that easily locates staff and patients; and new telemetry and patient monitoring that connects medical devices to critical alarms. Our electronic documentation project, which has been deferred until after the move into our new tower, will enable staff to document a patient’s chart electronically and make clinical decisions at the point-of-care.
3. Programs Moving into the New Tower – Some of our biggest programs will be moving to our new patient tower in the fall of 2017 including our Emergency Department, Operating Rooms, Medical/Surgical Inpatient Units, Intensive Care Unit and Oncology.
 Early architectural renderings slightly different than what is being built. It is going to be a fine looking building. 4. Current Moves and Renovations – In preparation of the renovations happening in our existing hospital there are a series of temporary moves taking place across the hospital which will continue throughout the project. The renovation of our new Maternal Child Unit on 2 East and the construction of a new link corridor on our main level will begin at the end of May 2016. The link will connect the existing hospital to the new hospital. Upon completion of the hospital project there will be links on each level, tying the existing to the new.
5. A New Entrance – The new main entrance will face Lakeshore Road, changing the address of the hospital. Our new entrance connects the hospital to the beauty of Lake Ontario and the Waterfront Trail and will serve as a single point of entry for many of our departments, including the Emergency Department (Main Level), Surgical Services (Level 2), and the Intensive Care Unit (Level 4). The current hospital entrance will be the new entrance to our Ambulatory Care Clinics.
 By Pepper Parr
May 12, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
Staffers at city hall are there to carry on the business of government – they are there to do the things that council has decided are best for the city.
That Council, which you elected, hired a city manager who directs the bureaucracy – who – and this is something they tend to forget – are there to send the money that you the tax payer give them.
They are there to do your will – and that of course is where it gets a little tricky.
Whose will? There are many “wills”. There are those who want bicycle lanes everywhere; there are those who want to see less money spent on buses because they feel no on uses the things.
There are those who want calming bumps on street and there are those who want the speed limits lifted.
This is where the politicians have to sense what the public wants and then actually lead rather than react to three people who show up at council meetings to complain.
 LaSalle Park Marina – boats getting put back into the water.  Water that is shared by the Trumpeter swans. One of the more interesting conflicts is what the environmentalists and the boating people are going through at LaSalle Park. The environmentalists want to ensure that the trumpeter swans have a safe place to live – the boating people wants a safe place for their craft.
Both have legitimate arguments – and both have rights – finding a balance that will work for both is proving difficult for this council – it remains to be seen how this one gets worked out.
Spencer Smith Park is one of the city’s gems. It is used by thousands and taken care of by staff who have a real challenge on their hands.
The park is going to be extended west towards the canal that separates us from Hamilton. There was a lot of controversy over the decision to create a park that was a huge upgrade from what is in place now.
 Ingrid Vanderbrug – a city landscape planner During a Jane’s Walk put on by the Sustainable Development Committee last weekend we learned a lot more than city hall was telling people.
The Gazebo which is a significant part of the park – might be seeing the end of its life – the city has plans for something that is accessible and will allow for significantly different uses – there wasn’t any public discussion that we were aware of.
With the technology available today it is so easy to get opinions – the city spent hundreds of thousands on the software that allows them to get a response on any question in a matter of days – add that to the soundings the members of council have and it doesn’t take long to get a sense of what people want – and it is their city – it is their park.
 The plan is to grow some vegetation behind the benches which we hope planners will have some wood on top of the concrete – creating a comfortable place to rest. During that same walk we learned that the patch of land in Spencer Smith Park where the original Brant Inn used to be located is going to get an upgrade which will be one of the first steps in the creating of the several parks that will appear in the Beachway
The landscaping people in the planning department have realized that there aren’t many places in that stretch of the park to sit in shade.
A set of benches are going to be put in with a trellis to shade the area and plants that will stop the geese from coming into the park from the water.
 A very attractive monument marking a point in the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope run 35 years ago will be unveiled in Spencer Smith Park this weekend. The benches will give a very clear line of sight to the Terry Fox marker/monument that will be unveiled this weekend.
Preparing the existing Beachway community for the major changes coming to that part of town are slowly coming about.
The sand dunes in the Beachway are significant and sensitive parts of the ecology of the Beachway. Seedlings are being planed and invasive plans being pulled out – all under the guidance of the Regional planners who are designing and will implement the plans. The city will operate the park once it is completed.
Earlier this week the city began the task of raising Lakeshore Road where it curves around the Joseph Brant Museum and leads to the new entrance to the hospital expansion that is under construction.
 This home is in a location that just doesn’t fit with the plans that have been created for a much different Beachway community. Do plans ever get changed – and if they were changed how would this home be integrated into the existing plans? Don’t expect the couple that live in this home to go quietly into the night with a big cheque in their pockets. Would you?  The owner of this home is putting on insulation – perhaps with a federal or provincial grant, which would be ironic. This owner doesn’t look like a willing seller. All this takes place while the delicate back and forth of property purchases takes place. The Region has what they refer to as a willing seller/willing buyer policy that has them buying the 25+ homes in the Beachway from any seller who wants to part ways with what they own.
 Why would a home like this be torn down? For a park? The implication here is that every property owner will eventually sell. Wait for the really nasty fights when the last three or four hold outs meet wit the power of local government.
By Staff
May 11, 2016
BURLINGTON. ON
Twenty of the city’s best were nominated and seven of those were named as the best we have at the annual Burlington’s Best Awards ceremony on May 11, 2016.
Six of the 20 came from ward 6.
“All nominees have shown passion, dedication and caring for their fellow residents and their city,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “They have a ripple effect of kindness and compassion that is inspiring. I applaud the Burlington’s Best Awards Committee for managing the difficult task of picking only one winner in each category.”
The Burlington’s Best categories include:
• Heritage Award
• Community Service Award
• Environmental Award
• Arts Person of the Year
• Junior Citizen of the Year
• Senior Person of the Year
• Citizen of the Year
Heritage Award
This award is sponsored by Heritage Burlington, a City of Burlington citizen advisory committee comprised of 14 volunteers with a mandate to provide advice to City Council on issues related to the conservation of Burlington’s cultural heritage.
The award goes to an individual who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to the preservation of Burlington’s heritage, and has volunteered his or her time to support the preservation of Burlington’s heritage.
Winner: Winifred Stewart
Stewart has been a leader and supporter of heritage and culture in Burlington for more than 40 years. At Joseph Brant Museum, she has documented collection pieces, provided tours to young and old and has worked tirelessly to ensure future generations will continue to learn about the early settlement and development of Burlington and the important relationship with First Nations through Joseph Brant, Thayendanegea.
Stewart was a member of the Friends of Ireland House and spent hundreds of hours raising awareness and funds to ensure it became a museum for the citizens of Burlington. Her dedication and commitment to preserving, documenting and presenting Burlington’s heritage is a strong testament to her sense of community.
Community Service Award
This award is sponsored by COGECO, a diversified communications company that strives to meet the communication needs of consumers and advertisers through cable distribution and radio broadcasting. Cogeco Cable is the second largest cable telecommunications company in Ontario and Québec in terms of basic cable service customers.
The Community Service Award is given to an individual or group whose volunteer activity has contributed to the betterment of the Burlington community.
Winner: Janice Martin
Martin is a compassionate person, with a natural ability to make people feel safe and appreciated, who makes things happen in her community. She spearheaded a single moms’ group at Tansley United Church, which has empowered many single moms, allowing them to form positive and nurturing connections.
Martin helped to set up an after-school program called Chill Zone; a seniors program. She volunteers twice a month at the North Burlington Community Dinners and oversees the Food for Life program at the Tansley distribution location. Martin finds a way to meet needs either directly, by partnering with other community organizations or by sourcing funds and volunteers and then applying her impressive organization skills to make things come together.
Environmental Award
This award is sponsored by Walker Environmental Group, a leading waste management company that develops solutions for environmental challenges—solutions that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable—including aerobic composting, alternative energy production and environmental project management. The company’s diverse range of services provides sustainable solutions that reduce waste, improve energy efficiency and enhance the environment.
The Environmental Award is given to an individual or group that improved and/or protects Burlington’s environment.
Winner: Ken Woodruff
 Ken Woodruff Woodruff has tirelessly volunteered his time, energy and expertise for the past decade. He believes in the importance of giving of oneself to create a better, healthier Burlington for others to enjoy.
His hard work and dedication to environmental initiatives in Burlington, including protecting the rural environment and valuable green space, has touched many lives. Woodruff has pushed for environmentally sustainable policy and decision-making and has led the BurlingtonGreen team to grow as an effective, impactful organization through various programs, services and advocacy campaigns.
Woodruff’s passion and determined efforts to protect the health of the environment have made Burlington a better city for all of us to enjoy, now and in the future.
Arts Person of the Year
THE K.W. IRMISCH AWARD
The Arts Person of the Year Award was donated to the City of Burlington by the Irmisch family to recognize the importance of the arts in the community and to recognize all of the volunteers who work so hard to showcase the amazing talent and culture of Burlington.
The award is given to an individual who has contributed to the arts in Burlington as an artist, patron or advocate, including, but not limited to, visual arts, media arts, musical arts, performing arts and literary arts.
Winner: Dan Murray
 Dan Murrray Murray is a co-organizer of the Burlington Slam Project and has grown from a participating local poet into an international competitor and local artistic mentor.
In his co-organizer capacity, he has hosted nearly half of 2015’s monthly poetry shows, co-facilitated several free writing workshops with HYWire (Halton Youth Writers) at Burlington Public Library and has served in the official coaching role for Burlington’s 2015 International Slam Team.
Murray has become a top ranked Canadian spoken word artist who has successfully branched out into a musical career and continues to lend his time to help other writers. His contributions to this community as an organizer, artist and emerging mentor have had a tremendous impact on all who know him.
Junior Citizen of the Year
Youthfest was founded in 2002, and avidly promotes the importance of youth in our community, develops youth responsibility and action in the community and connects youth to meaningful volunteer opportunities and available supportive service. The winner will receive a $500 bursary, courtesy of the Bank of Montreal, which has been a leading and supportive partner since the inception of Youthfest.
The Junior Citizen of the Year Award is given to a high school student, 18 years of age or younger, who has made a significant contribution to the Burlington community.
Winner: Chris Choi
Chris is a natural leader, bringing dedication and passion to his various community volunteer roles. He has made a significant contribution at Burlington Public Library by assisting with the Teen/Senior Tech Meet-Up program where teens help seniors with computer skills.
Choi is recognized as a leader on the library’s Central Branch Teen Advisory Board and is a Youth Representative on the Library’s Advocacy Committee promoting lifelong literacy. Chris helped shape the development of 3 Things for Burlington, supported by Community Development Halton and Burlington Public Library, which promotes random acts of kindness by teens to create a positive impact on the citizens of Burlington.
Senior Person of the Year
This award is sponsored by the Williamsburg, an award-winning residence for seniors located in Burlington’s uptown core. Visionary in its design and progressive in the lifestyle offered, the Williamsburg is a community of vibrant, engaging and friendly residents.
The Senior Person of the Year Award is given to a Burlington resident aged 55 years or older who has advocated on behalf of seniors and/or made a significant contribution to the Burlington community.
Winner: Bob Pring
 Bob Pring Pring’s volunteer community contributions are many and include the Art Gallery of Burlington, working with youth in hockey, developing skills across the generations in lawn bowling and helping those less fortunate through local social service agencies.
Pring recently initiated a project to make handcrafted canes for Burlington’s veterans and recruited members of the Sculptors and Woodcarvers Guild to help carve them. He knows the power of the arts can improve the lives of children in both school and life and has actively engaged and instructed children in woodcarving demonstrations for many years.
Citizen of the Year Award
This award is courtesy of the Rotary Club of Burlington-Lakeshore and the Rotary Club of Burlington North.
The world’s first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, was formed on Feb. 23, 1905. Since then, the club has grown to include 1.2 million Rotarians belonging to more than 32,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries. Service above self is Rotary’s guiding principle.
The Citizen of the Year Award is given to a person whose volunteer activity has made a significant and sustained contribution to the vibrancy and wellbeing of the Burlington community.
Winner: Brenda Hunter
 Brenda Hunter Hunter’s leadership and dedication to the healthcare needs of Burlington through her work with the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation is inspiring.
She is a true champion of the hospital’s “Our New Era Campaign” which has raised more than $48 million and she successfully led the “One room at a Time Campaign” which raised $400,000 in support of the refurbishment of the Palliative Care Unit. Hunter is an example of leadership and volunteerism and her many contributions have transformed our community.
Burlington’s Best Awards are managed by a citizen’s committee established in 1965 with the mandate of recognizing Burlington residents who bring honour to the city and make a difference in their community.
Links:
Nominees for the 2016 Burlington Best Awards
 By Staff
May 11, 2012
BURLINGTON, ON
 On Saturday, April 30, Halton Region hosted its 16th Annual Scout Tree Planting event at the Halton Waste Management Site (HWMS) in Milton.
Hosted in partnership with Conservation Halton and local scouts from across Halton, over 150 scouts and volunteers participated in the event and planted 250 trees in celebration of Earth Day and Arbour Day.
“Protecting and enhancing the natural environment is a priority for Halton Region,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “We are committed to working with our community partners to reduce our carbon footprint. Events like the Annual Scout Tree Planting contribute to the long-term sustainability of our community and give young Halton residents a chance to make a difference in Halton’s future.”
 From left to right: Halton Regional Chair, Gary Carr, Scout Deputy Area Commissioner, Bob Collison and Conservation Halton Board Chair, John Vice. Chair Carr was joined by Conservation Halton Board Chair, John Vice and General Manager Hassaan Basit. Town of Milton and Regional Councillor and Conservation Halton Chair, Colin Best, along with Scout Deputy Area Commissioner, Bob Collison, were also on hand to show their support. The short opening ceremony recognized Conservation Halton’s dedication to protecting and restoring the local environment and the hard work and community spirit demonstrated by Halton’s local Scouts. After planting the trees, participants enjoyed a celebratory barbeque lunch.
 From left to right: Halton Beavers – Cameron Reid, age 8 and Jacob Reid, age 6. “The Annual Scout Tree Planting is a great example of what Conservation Halton values, three organizations coming together in partnership to do good work which will benefit the community now and for years to come,” said Conservation Halton Chair John Vice. “We get particularly excited when young people get a hands-on outdoor experience like planting a tree. Thank you to the scouts and their parents for planting trees at the Halton Waste Management Site.”
By Staff
May 11th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service has created a web dedicated to information on drugs appearing on the streets of the Region.
AddictionaryHalton.com is a new online resource, provided by the Halton Police Drug, Gun & Gang Unit, aimed at helping to educate parents, guardians and Halton’s youth about the dangers of drug, substance abuse and criminal activity connected to illicit drugs.
In this resource you will find a listing of street drugs that have been found in Halton, current drug trends, community resources to help with addiction and video stories about drugs and the recovery process.
Visit AddictionaryHalton.com’s blog to learn about recent drug seizures made by Drug, Gun & Gang Unit. The blog will also post warnings to the public regarding dangerous drugs circulating in the community along with merging drug trends.
Anyone wanting more information about street drugs, addiction and recovery options, please visit: www.addictionaryhalton.com or follow us on Twitter at: @HRPSRID.
If you live in and around the Halton Region then this site is for you.
 When marijuana is made legal – what will that do to the police statistics? Marihuana continues to be the main controlled substance seized by the Halton Regional Police. Cocaine is once again the second most common drug seized in Halton. There has been an increased in prescription drugs, including opioids and benzodiazapines. Crystal methamphetamine seizures are a concern as the Halton Police Drug Unit continues to see an increase throughout the region.
By Pepper Parr
May 11th, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
We hear the news
We see the pictures of the devastation with street after street not much more than a pile of ashes.
We wonder what it must have been like as those people drove down that highway with flames licking the side of the road and flaming embers landing on the road in front of their vehicles.
More than 2000 homes – gone.
Fire approaches a street that has been evacuated. Burlington has a large swath of rural land were the bush is thick. How would this city handle a serious forest fire?
We asked Fire Chief Tony Bavota what the protocol was and where did he turn to should his crews be unable to handle a blaze.
“I have ten trucks that are on standby day and night and if I need to I can ramp up to 18 in a very short period of time.
“How short Chief” we asked – “I’m talking hours” he replied.
There are also reciprocal agreements between all the municipalities in the Region. We can be in touch with one another in minutes.
When it became evident how bad the situation was in Calgary the Ontario Fire Marshal was in touch with the Fire Marshall in Alberta to offer assistance.
 Devastation left once fire has passed through a community. It is much the same in the Region of Halton – when we have a serious situation the Regional Fire Coordinator makes the call. Burlington’s Bavoda is the co-ordinator at this point in time.
He drives around with what amounts to a small communications station in the trunk of hi vehicle and can set up a command station almost anywhere.
There is back up all the way up the bureaucratic food chain explained Bavota with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) there to help.
If we needed aircraft to drop water – we work with the MNR people who know where the flight people are.
In Burlington there are bylaws that determine where fires can be lit. The Chief can cancel any permit given to someone to do a local fire burn.
The Chief has direct contacts with all the people that matter – he is either aware personally of a situation or has people who keep him informed as to how dry it is in the forested part of the city. What the water situation is in the creeks.
 Fire chief Tony Bavota handing out cards with direct line telephone numbers and ensuring that people got the help they needed. Bavota said he wasn’t going to worry about lines of authority – if they need help – Bavota did everything he could to get it to them during the ice storm. “All the fire burning permits go through the fire department and one of our inspectors goes out to the location to advise the person who wants to do a controlled burn and tells them what they have to have on hand”, said Bavota
The Fire Chief can override any permit that has been given out “I’ve done that in the past” he said.
So far this year there have been a few grass fires – nothing serious but when we get those kinds of calls we need to move quickly – winds shift and you’d be amazed at how fast a flame will race across an open space and suddenly light up a stand of trees.
As we saw from the Alberta situation – fires take on a life of their own – and they become very difficult to stop. Fire marshals in Alberta are still investigating the source of the blaze
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