 By Pepper Parr
August 29th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
Elections are about power.
Those who have it want to keep it.
Those who don’t sometimes think they can get it and they do their very best to win power.
The current Prime Minister wanted a majority which would give him the power he wants to run the country the way he wants.
 Karina Gould has a seat in this house – Emily Brown wants that seat – you the public get to decide which woman will represent you best. Remember they both take an ideology with them. There was no need for this election but the Governor General decided to agree to his request to form a new Parliament.
Karina Gould wants to be part of that government Emily Brown thinks she can win the seat.
The public will decide – our role is to do what we can to ensure that the voting public is well informed.
The candidates may not like what we write – we aren’t writing for the candidates. We are writing for people who are going to decide who they want to represent them
Emily Brown brings a lot to the table. She thinks she can win and should she do so – she will want to be a Member of Cabinet.
The Conservatives see an opportunity and they are going to fight as hard as they can to win the seat.
Both Karina Gould and Emily Brown have impressive educational achievements.
This country had a tradition of politicians meeting with media.
The argument that she is too busy organizing her campaign office to meet with media is spurious at best.
Ms Brown speaks of supporting traditional family values – truth, honesty and decency.
Ms Brown was the child of a military family. One would have thought she would be defend the values her Father put on a uniform to ensure we kept the democracy we have.
The power is always in the hands of the people. Those who want that power are obligated to to be transparent and accountable. Going door to door is part of the process, meeting with media is another part.
We wish her the best – and hope that she chooses to be what she is telling us she is.
Should she win the seat and find herself sitting in the House of Commons she will be a force to contend with.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Pepper Parr
August 28th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
We ran a piece on Burlington Conservative candidate Emily Brown that generated a lot of blow back from several of our readers.
 Burlington Conservative candidate Emily Brown As publisher I asked Ryan O’Dowd to send me a list of all the contacts he had with Ms Brown and her responses to his email and telephone calls.
That list is set out below:
On August 17th I received the contact information for Emily Brown. I received it at the same time I received Karina Gould’s contact information and I sent emails to both candidates on August 17th, 20 minutes apart from each other. Here is the email I sent Emily:
“Good morning, Emily,
Ryan O’Dowd with the Burlington Gazette here, I’m hoping we can meet for an interview sometime this week to discuss your platform and the key issues of the election.
I look forward to speaking with you, let me know the time and date that works best.
Thanks for your time,
Ryan”
On August 18th I followed up by phone. I called Emily Brown three times and did not receive an answer.
On August 19th I spoke to Emily Brown and she could not commit to a time period(I tried to arrange an interview that afternoon) but she asked for interview questions to be emailed to her and said she would provide her availability, she did not.
I sent her the following shortly after the phone call:
“Good morning, Emily,
Ryan here with the Burlington Gazette, we spoke on the phone this morning. I’m hoping I can drop by the office for a brief chat this afternoon if that works for you.
I look forward to speaking with you.
Thanks,
Ryan”
I called to follow up on August 24th, she answered on my second attempt.
Brown said she could not take an interview all week as they were discussing strategy at her office. I asked her about the following week and she made no firm commitment.
I said I would follow up with her next week and fully intend to but at this point we needed to begin covering Emily Brown so my publisher made the decision to go ahead with what we had.
 We will talk to Emily Brown whenever she chooses to make herself available. Our belief is that informed people can make informed decisions; our role is to inform people.
As credentialed media we adhere to the view of the National Newsmedia Council that a strong democracy is possible when those who strive to lead are transparent and held accountable.
 By Staff
August 28th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Everyone on a pension or people who rely on the investments to live comfortably – will want the best investment they can find.
If you belong to a public sector pension plan you want them to make wise investments.
Is investing in the fossil fuel industry a good investment?
The dividends are good and the share price is holding. If the biggest issue we face as a society is climate change how does that square with investing in the fossil fuel business
 The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives had some comments to make on this conundrum saying that Canada’s biggest public pensions are still banking on fossil fuels.
Two of Canada’s biggest public pension plans could lead the way toward a global transition to a greener, more sustainable economy, but their commitments to climate action may be more talk than walk. The Canada Pension Plan and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec say they are serious about tackling climate change, however, they continue to bank on fossil fuels, this Corporate Mapping Project report shows.
The Canada Pension Plan has increased its shares in fossil fuel companies since Canada signed the Paris Agreement in 2016 and while the Quebec plan has slightly decreased its fossil fuel shares in the same period, it has over 52 per cent more fossil fuel shares than the Canada Pension Plan. The investment patterns of both plans do not reflect the urgent action needed to address the scale of the climate crisis. Both are heavily invested in member companies of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, which has a history of obstructing the necessary transition away from fossil fuels required for Canada to meet the targets set out in the Paris Agreement.
 The authors question why the fund managers of these public pension plans are investing in companies that are actively derailing necessary climate action.
The report includes recommendations for Canadian public pension fund trustees and investment boards and for the federal and provincial governments regarding how Canadians’ pension funds should be invested.
Full report
 By Staff
August 28th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Pride is breaking out everywhere; this time it is within the Black community that took part in the presentation of a police SUV that was decorated with images that came from the community.
The Regional Police have decorated another SUV – those colours are certainly West Indian.
Earlier today the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) Black Internal Support Network and community partners gathered at Police Headquarters to unveil the HRPS Black Heritage Police Cruiser.
 Colours just burst from the cruiser. The cruiser design was conceived by the Queen of Heaven Catholic Elementary School’s Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism and Equity (iDARE) Committee, comprised of Bonnie Wiltshire, Valerie Nelson, Sokomba Effiong, Gabriella Ball, Margaret Keats, Andrea Domenico, Jane Thomas, and Amos Olujide. The group submitted the design as part of a design contest held in February 2021.
“This design concept seeks to lay a foundation for healing and a path forward for the Black Halton community and the HRPS working together with a common understanding and a common purpose,” says Bonnie Wiltshire, Chair of the iDARE Committee, the winning design team.
“The intertwined ribbon design on the cruiser weaves the narrative of enslavement of Black Peoples in North America to the resilience as they fled to safety, whose stories became footprints of success on the landscapes of both Halton and Canada. The words inscribed along the ribbon are just merely some of the ways the Black community in Halton and Canada have contributed to the very fabric of these communities and paved the way for others,” adds Wiltshire. “Further, the ribbon is symbolic of the strong threads that bind the Black community and their allies together as we create new paths to success and strengthen our community as a whole. The ribbon is composed of the colours that represent both Black History Month 2021 and the HRPS to further emphasize those symbolic connections.”
The cruiser also features a quote from Jean Augustine that resonated with the design team for its overarching message about the celebration of Black history. The quote reads, “Black History is not just for Black People. Black History is Canadian History.”
The vision for the HRPS Black Heritage Police Cruiser was created by members of the HRPS Black Internal Support Network and funded by African and Caribbean organizations, who have graciously provided a one-time $2,500 academic scholarship to the winning design team.
The iDARE Committee has presented St. Francis Xavier Catholic Secondary School graduates, Vanessa Broomfield-Bryce and Alisa Robinson, a Queen of Heaven High School Graduate Scholarship in the amount of $1250 each, with the funds from the contest. The two students will use this to help support their post-secondary studies.
The HRPS would like to thank the following community partners for their support:
• African Caribbean Council of Halton
• Black Mentorship Inc.
• Burlington Caribbean Connection
• Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton
• Caribbean and African Coalition of Canada
• Halton Black History Awareness Society
• Halton Regional Police Association
• I am. I can. I will.
These partnerships represent relationships both new and old for the HRPS, and we are eager for the opportunity to learn from their lived experience, not only through this initiative but also through future endeavours.
“I am so proud says
 Jean Augustine – first African Canadian Women to be elected to the House of Commons. Dr. Jean Augustine, the first African-Canadian to be elected a Member of Parliament, who paved the way for Black History Month in Canada was proud to “participate in the unveiling of the HRPS Black Heritage Cruiser where the message is around who we are as a community,”
“From police services, to community groups and educators, this work around diversity and inclusion is an important message for people to see. Black history is Canadian history and we all need to recognize that.”
 By Jelena Direct
August 27th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
When Derek Muller had first started his YouTube channel Veritasium, he had no idea it would go viral and that a more significant sum of money could get involved. At the end of the video there is a fascinating discussion, and someone has to pay. No spoilers.
Big Money in Question
 Derek Muller: A Physics Prof Bet Me $10,000 that I was Wrong “Derek, can you just turn Veritasium into a gambling channel where scientists with opposing views put money on the table and face off to try to convince one another of the true answer? I’d watch that.” – is the text of the comment that got 74k likes under Muller’s YouTube video about a physical experiment.
 Moves faster than the wind – with no engine Spicing things up is always fun, right? Although excitement as this science bet on the favourite YouTube science and education channel doesn’t sound as exciting as sports betting, this was not an ordinary bet. Alex Kusenko, a physics professor from UCLA, has challenged Derek Muller to prove that his experiment works and the discussion went viral and brought out a bet from a scientist. However, Derek Muller went for a chance to have its 10 thousand dollars multiplied. That is a lot of money, but probably Muller couldn’t have said no to Kusenko while he claimed his YouTube channel was terrific.
It started in May when Muller published a video in which he is driving the Black Bird, a car powered only by the wind with no motor and no batteries. Additionally, Black Bird has a propeller at its back end. The propeller connects to the wheels over a gear system, and it turns the opposite way of the wind direction.
Fan Mechanism
The propeller on the Black Bird pushes air backward, so it functions as a fan. The wind is driving the propeller, but the wheels are turning. Because of this, it moves in the opposite direction to how the wind is pushing it. That accelerates the car.
Once Muller gets up to wind speed, there is no visible, apparent wind on the vehicle. If the propeller were spinning like a windmill, this would mean that there can be no more thrust. But, since it is operating as a fan, it can accelerate air backward, generating thrust.
The key to this car experiment is that the power is being harvested at a higher speed with lower force and deployed at a lower rate, higher strength. It’s possible due to the existence of a tailwind, and it wouldn’t have worked in still air.
Science Is (Not) All Fun and Games
Science videos are golden Internet content – they can be educational, inspirational, and motivating. Veritasium is one of those channels. That is probably the reason it has got more than 9.5M subscribers on YouTube.
Most people who had watched the first video with the Black Bird just had to watch the latest one, where the severe bet is in question.
When a respected scientist like Alex Kusenko challenges an idea (and the formula), and when he is a big fan of the channel, how could anyone say no to that?
Science can be fascinating, as well as profitable. Muller’s video is the best proof of that. However, when money gets involved, there is always a certain kind of tension. Watch the video yourself, and see for yourself how it all went.
By Ryan O’Dowd: Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 26th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Emily Brown is running a unique platform as the first Burlington candidate to bring gun rights and crime to the forefront of her concerns.
Brown has been unable to make the time to speak to the Gazette; we will be profiling the candidate and her campaign as comprehensively as we can with the resources available until we have the opportunity to actually interview the candidate.
As the Conservative candidate for Burlington she has appeared on conservative-centric youth shows and repeatedly hit out at the Trudeau administration for failing to be tough on crime and “attacking” law-abiding gun owners.
 Emily Brown has won awards at numerous levels – a respected member of the gun community. Brown, a long-time sport shooter, sits on the Board of the Ontario Provincial Sharpshooting Association, the Ontario Council of Shooters, the Canadian Trapshooting Association, as well as the Canadian University Shooting Federation, and has been endorsed by the National Firearms Associations as an advocate for the gun owning community.
Brown has lived in Burlington for the eight years and teaches mathematics at the Pilon school where her focus is on Business Math, Business Calculus and algebra.
In Twitter exchanges, Brown claimed “she is the gun lobby” and unequivocally stated gun control does not impact criminals.
“I have been a sport shooter for over 47 years. I AM the gun lobby. I know how ineffective gun control, bans, more legislation will be. Stand down.” Brown tweeted in a dispute on November 13th, 2020.
“The Liberal government and particularly this ‘public safety’ Minister have left Canadians unsafe in their homes and communities. Gun control does NOT impact criminals. Time to get tough on crime!” Brown tweeted on December 16th, 2020.
The Halton Regional Police Service announced recently that Halton region has maintained its position of having the lowest Crime Severity Index (CSI) of all Canadian municipalities with a population of 100,000 or more.
Brown stands with Conservative leader Erin O’Toole on repealing Bill C-21 and the OIC firearm bans, both have been bashed as punishing law-abiding gun owners by the Conservative representatives.
O’Toole objected to Trudeau’s proposed gun legislation as an attack on the rights and freedoms of Canadians saying it was a fact that the legislation would not save a single life. O’Toole proposed steering the conversation around guns to those illegally purchased and used this as an example of Trudeau being divisive, Brown has done the same.
Dismissing any effectiveness of gun owner legislation Brown instead has raised concerns about 3D printed firearms and firearms smuggled across the border. While Canadians share Brown’s concerns about smuggling most don’t have qualms with the banning of “assault-style weapons,”( a term O’Toole dismissed as “misleading” and “loaded,” but the one used for the available polling data) in a Global News poll from 2020. 9% of Canadians disagreed with the ban and an equal number strongly disagreed with the ban while over half strongly agreed with the ban and a total of about 80% agreed with the ban on some level.
 Passionate about guns, Brown describes herself as the gun lobbyist in Ontario Brown is passionate about gun owner rights but it remains to be seen how interested voters will be in this as a primary concern of their potential representative.
Brown speaks as well to a rise of crime in Burlington as well as human trafficking, calling it “rampant.”
“Human trafficking is rampant in Burlington, and happens right under citizens’ noses. I will be addressing it as the federal Conservative candidate here, and am happy to see your focus on it too. Conservatives at work for Canadians!” tweeted Brown on May 20, 2021.
The question of how important Burlington citizens see Brown’s focus on guns will likely extend to her safety concerns for the city. In a city often ranked among Canada’s safest citizens surely want to keep it that way but may have trouble identifying with Brown’s concerns, crime is increasing in Burlington at a moderate level. The Halton Regional Police Service achieved an all-time high Weighted Clearance Rate of 56.41 per cent. This score is tops among Ontario’s ‘Big 12’ police services.
Brown’s claims about rampant child trafficking in Burlington could not be verified.
 Brown wants to restore Canada’s international reputation. Brown says she decided to run because she is really concerned about the state of Canada.
Among her other biggest issues are the economy on which she has reiterated O’Toole’s party message to balance the budget within ten years and championed the need for well-paying and reliable jobs for Canadians while supporting small businesses. Brown says when people earn good money they will be willing to spend which promotes activity and growth in the economy.
Divisiveness is a key concern, Brown says this is because she has friends who talk about separation as an option.
Brown also wants to restore Canada’s international reputation. She has hit out at Canada taking vaccines from third world countries through COVAX, a program in which her Burlington opponent, Liberal representative and Minister for International Development, Karina Gould is directly involved.
Emily Brown is a professor of Mathematics at the Pilon School of Business, Sheridan College, and obtained her Master’s degree in Calgary.
We hope to speak with the candidate soon and hear her expand on her platform so we can provide a more comprehensive picture.
By Ryan O’Dowd: Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
In the second part of her interview with the Gazette, Burlington Liberal candidate, Karina Gould said she looks forward to what Canada can expect if the Liberal administration wins re-election.
 Karina Gould rousing her troops on the campaign trail. Gould discussed the snap election call, pandemic recovery, vaccine mandates and what the country will look like for those who refuse the vaccine, government role in internet censorship, Bill C-10, the cost of living, and environmental racism in Canada.
Much has been made about Justin Trudeau’s decision to call a snap election, surveys conducted by Gazette field reporters returned mixed reactions skewing negative. The Leader of the Opposition blasted the decision as everything from a cynical power grab to a dereliction of duty. Gould defends the election call, assuring Canadians the dissolving of parliament will not hinder the response to a potential fourth COVID-19 wave or Afghanistan evacuation. Gould also thinks this is an important time for an election.
“It’s been a year and a half that we’ve been in the pandemic, our systems are in place, whether it’s income supports, we’ve extended those right through to the end of October. So everything is in place to respond at the federal level, the Public Health Agency of Canada is continuously involved with the provinces and territories in terms of pandemic response. And whether it’s the recovery hiring benefit, whether it’s the recovery benefit for people who still can’t go back to work, or whether it’s the rent subsidy, those programs already exist and are working and are extended beyond the election. So there’s nothing preventing us from responding to the fourth wave.
“When it comes to Afghanistan, Minister Garneau, Minister Mendicino, Minister Sajjan, and I are working on it on a daily basis. We also put together before the election the policy on bringing in 20,000 Afghan refugees, we already had our airlift set up. So there’s not a lot of major policy decisions that need to happen because that infrastructure was already in place before the election was called. Canada continues to be engaged and involved, and we’re still responding. And we’re responding very quickly to things as they’re evolving on the ground.
 Chaos and fear at the Kandahar airport in Afghanistan while thousands wait for an airlift out of the country. “I actually do think it’s an important time to have an election. There’s been a lot that’s happened over the last two years that was not anticipated. When we went to the polls in 2019. We brought in a whole lot of new programs that no party ran on in 2019. And so it’s a moment to say to Canadians ‘okay, we’ve turned the corner and the pandemic, you know, we’re the most vaccinated country in the world, yes, we’re concerned about a fourth wave. But we also want to set ourselves up for recovery. And these are the plans that we’re putting forward for recovery. Is this what you agree with? Is this what you want us to be doing right now?’ And so those are the questions that we’re asking Canadians,” said Gould.
.
Vaccine mandates are quickly becoming a dominant election issue with Justin Trudeau eager to paint Conservative leader Erin O’Toole’s suggestion regular testing would be adequate for those who refuse the vaccine as dangerous. Gould took a bipartisan approach when speaking of what the future of Canada looks like for those who refuse vaccination without medical justification, pointing to Thursday’s dismissal of a Conservative MPP for refusing vaccination. Vaccine mandates will allow people to choose not to get the vaccine, but the choice to abstain will lead to fewer choices elsewhere.
“We’ve seen the Ontario Conservative Party saying, ‘if you’re not vaccinated, and you don’t have a legitimate medical reason, then you’re not part of our caucus.’ We saw one MPP, who was ejected from caucus on Thursday, said that if you’re not vaccinated without a legitimate medical reason, then you can’t come into work. So these are the kinds of questions that we’re asking ourselves, Canadians have stepped up in a huge way, right here in Burlington, I think over 80% of our population who’s eligible has gotten their vaccine. And so people have really stepped up to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their community, and they want to get back to doing the things that they want to do.
 The drive now is to get the unvaccinated to go for their needle . “But we’ve seen that this is really becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated. We put in a mandate at the federal level to have all federal employees vaccinated to say, ‘if you’re going to take a train or a plane, you know, where you are in close quarters with other people, you need to be vaccinated.’ It’s everybody’s choice at the end of the day, whether they want to get vaccinated or not. But there may be some things they might not be able to do because they might be putting other people at risk. And that’s not fair to those people who have really done everything they can to protect themselves, their families, and their communities,” said Gould.
Bill C-10 has been the subject of Conservative criticism for infringing on free speech through internet censorship. Gould says the bill is “nothing of the sort”. And adds that Conservatives supported Bill C-10, which she says is about updating the Broadcasting Act to include the internet and protect cultural identity, until they decided to take the line of censorship which “wasn’t even entirely accurate.”
Independent of Bill C-10 Gould didn’t dismiss the government playing a role in internet censorship, lamenting the lack of protection from hate speech online.
“When the conservatives were in power, they got rid of section 13 of the Human Rights Act. And section 13 protected Canadians from hate speech online. We think we need to bring something back, that protects people from hate speech online, you’re protected from hate speech, out on the street, right? In communal settings. But for some reason, there’s differentiation with what happens online. I think that’s a really old way of seeing things because, for people who’ve grown up with the internet, there’s no difference between what happens online and what happens offline. And so we’ve been hearing calls, particularly from minority groups, from Jewish groups, Muslim groups, black Canadians, Indigenous Canadians, the list goes on and on and on, that they need those protections for hate speech online because we’re seeing a rise in hate rhetoric. And so this is a really important conversation and debate to have. And you know, we already have those provisions in the offline world, there’s no reason we shouldn’t apply what we wouldn’t accept offline to be happening online,” said Gould.
 Housing that people can afford is critical across the country. Cost of living is always at the forefront of the national conversation for Canadians, O’Toole has called it a crisis, Gould pointed to a number of areas the Liberal government is helping combat growing affordability concerns. Gould mentioned the 2017 $40 billion National Housing strategy in response to Conservatives taking the federal government out of housing when in power. She alluded to building affordable units in Halton and making it easier to put a down payment on a home in metropolitan areas where the cost of living is higher. In the rental market, Gould pointed to foreign buyers tax on properties to potentially steady the soaring costs of rent. Gould also spoke about the $10 a day childcare, and as many of her Liberal colleagues she sees economic benefits in the investment.
“We’ve signed agreements with eight out of the 13 provinces and territories for $10 a day childcare. In our community, you can be paying between $1500 and $2000 a month for childcare for children, one to four, right. And so, on top of your mortgage, on top of your grocery bills, on top of all of these things, you basically are paying for a university education and the first four years of your child’s life, right?
“We’re helping out families, we’re getting more women into the workforce. And it’s really good for the economy. So this is a super, super important program. Unfortunately, the conservatives said if they get elected, they’re going to scrap it entirely. Once again, they’re demonstrating they’re not there for kids, they’re not there for families, and especially not there for women,” said Gould.
Bill C-130 to redress environmental racism made some progress under the Trudeau administration and if passed it would be the first of its kind. Gould spoke about how important it is to acknowledge environmental racism, which is particularly rampant among Indigenous communities who still suffer from boil water advisories, and exposure to unsafe environments such as Sarnia’s chemical valley where 60 chemical plants and oil refineries sit in a 15-mile-wide section outside town and cancer rates are high.
 The Black Lives Matter statement was painted on the sidewalk in front of city hall. It was important. “It’s hugely important. And I think it’s another lens that you have to put on policy, that and laws that you’re putting forward. The past year has brought racism to the forefront in a big way, which is good because we have to be dealing with it. It’s terrible that we’re still dealing with the realities of racism in 2021, but we’ve had a completely different conversation. And we need to have that conversation because it cannot be acceptable anymore. And it needs to be part of the conversation and every policy that we’re putting forward. And that’s why our government does gender-based analysis that looks at the inter-sectional discrimination that happen through all of our policies, and so whether it’s environmental, whether it’s economic, whether it’s social, we need to be taking all of that into account,” said Gould.
Gould’s final message to voters was that the Liberal government has had their backs through the pandemic and will have their backs through recovery.
“I think the most important thing they should have on their mind is that we need a government that’s going to be there for them for the recovery. We were there for them throughout the pandemic. We have their backs, and we’re going to have their backs as we get through to recovery. I really hope I can count on their support on September 20. I’m so passionate about Burlington, I love this community. I’m so proud of how we have responded to the pandemic here. I’m, like, blown away by the kindness, the generosity, the resilience of this community. And I really hope that I’ve earned their trust to continue serving them for the years,” said Gould.
 By Pepper Parr
August 26th,2021
BURLINGTON, ON
We ran a story last week on small events that were taking place in the downtown core that were not very well promoted.
A trusted reader provided the information.
The Communications unit at city hall took exception and asked us to correct the story.
Their view was that:
None of the events in your post was organized by the Mayor or her office. The Mayor was also not at the Aug. 21 event and did not “open” the event as your post claims.
- CRAFT Live Marquis Music Series is an extension of a Community Support Fund project which took place virtually over the winter on YouTube and YourTV. Bling Events International presented these live music events in recognition and celebration of Black, African, Caribbean, Canadian appreciation month – which was a proclamation Carlene Ling (Event Organizer) requested and received through the Mayor’s office. This means the Mayor endorsed it but was not the organizer
- The event for Indigenous people was not promoted because we were in a different stage of the pandemic and there were very restrictive gathering numbers
- The Islamic prayer was organized by the mosque with a three-day turnaround time. There was no time for a wide promotion
Most of these events are listed as “pop-up events.” The nature of pop-up events is that they are not intended to have a large promotional campaign and not intended to draw large crowds. These work quite well for our pandemic situation and precautions.
The communications people added:
About the Community Support Fund
The Community Support Fund program will join existing programs to provide financial support to residents and community groups who want to enrich and connect the Burlington community through sport, recreation, art and cultural experiences. The combined fund will simplify the funding process and make it easier for Burlington residents and community groups to access financial supports to enhance their community’s well being. The amalgamated Community Support Fund brings the Love my Neighborhood, Community Development Fund, The Neighborhood Matching Fund and the Arts and Culture Fund together temporarily during COVID-19 and is intended to create a sense of community.
This fund will help a variety of sport, recreation, art, and cultural events, programs and projects in Burlington neighbourhoods and communities. The fund supports two types of applications:
- Community gatherings/Neighborhood parties/Health and fitness classes and similar events for an amount of up to $1,500 per application
- Special projects for an amount of up to $5,000 per application
Applicants can apply for funding one-time per year. The program is designed to recognize the importance of supporting Burlington’s communities during these challenging times. By providing access to funding, the City is looking for innovative ideas to connect and enhance our community; events/activities that can offer exciting and meaningful opportunities to strengthen and nourish community spirit.
Did we get it wrong? Was our reader misinformed. We have worked with this reader for some time.
Here is what we published on the 23rd:
It appears that the Mayor is sponsoring or holding events in the downtown core but not telling very many people about them
That has some residents ticked.
Mayor Meed Ward just may be doing the right thing.
The Caribbean Association was giving it a go –
What the city doesn’t need is large crowds of people gathering to take part in an event. Tough to maintain social distancing under those circumstances.
Holding small pop-up type events does help give people something to do.
Our reporter toured the downtown area and on up to the Orchard and then on over to Bronte Creek Park and found few people outdoors – they heat was surely part of the reason for people staying home.
The Mayor opened Black/Caribbean month. Residents are complaining that no one was notified. “The only way I found” said our reader, “about last night was chatting with one of the girls involved. I was watching the BPAC music and she said I should come to City Hall on the 21st for a party. I asked if she was sure and she said Yes – the Mayor is putting it on.
“That’s when I went to the tourist office to dig a little deeper. They send out happenings in Burlington all the time.
“Marianne told me the last time, they didn’t want to advertise the prayer celebration for the indigenous kids, prayer for the Muslim family (hundreds of attendees), pride party… so as to keep the numbers down.
“Is that not selfish to the rest of Burlington?
Wasn’t much of a crowd..
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns got wind of the event and sent out a late notice. Our reader thought this should have been “virtual”
“Pretty much like all the rest of MMW’s “events”. If we can’t celebrate CANADA DAY (except virtually), how is it we can celebrate all these other days outdoors?
Our writer though that the downtown business people might have been able to benefit as well had there been more notice.
“Two Saturday ago”, continued our reader (who chose not to be identified) the same thing. Party at Spencer Smith Park put on by the mayor and nothing advertised so that we could all attend. I found out after the fact.
“I’m not sure if you are aware, but next Saturday it’s back at Spencer Smith again.”
There are times when the Mayor can’t win for trying. Managing public expectations is not a simple task.
By Staff
August 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette has decided to look to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives for guidance on just what the issues are in the election that is underway.
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social, economic and environmental justice.
Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canada’s leading progressive voices in public policy debates.
 Seniors have earned the right to respect and dignity as they enter retirement. There are important choices to make during this election. The CCPA sends us the best information they have based on their ongoing research.
“The big question they suggest is whether we all, by default, revert to the “same old, same old” after the pandemic crisis. Or will we seize the opportunity to build back better, recognizing that this last mile will be the hardest?”
They identify what the define as the Care Economy as a major issue.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced a well-overdue conversation to the forefront: In times of crisis, who gets sidelined? And what must our governments do to protect the most vulnerable?
The CCPA team has spent the last year publishing research that highlights the impact of COVID-19 on Canadians. Their conclusion? Without significant policy changes and significant investments in the care economy, it’s likely that seniors, care workers, women, and marginalized people will continue to be sidelined, with devastating consequences.
As we dive head first into this election season, all political parties will need to show how they will make sure that no one is left behind.
Seniors: To better protect seniors, who experienced the most devastating impacts of COVID-19 in the first few waves, Canada needs to transition away from for-profit care models.
 The pandemic has taught what we were doing that was wrong with those in long term care. The profit motive has to be removed. The Care Economy: COVID-19 has shown us how essential care work is to our economy, from child care to long-term care. We need more publicly led services.
Women’s Return to Work: Women need to be prioritized in the post-COVID recovery, with more affordable, publicly funded child care options, a safer and more inclusive work environment, and decent work opportunities.
Tackling Discrimination: Now that we’ve uncovered the inter-sectional impacts of COVID-19, it’s time that all political parties dismantle barriers to full participation in society.
Something to think about as we listen to what each of the political parties have to say as they vie for our votes.
 By Max Bowder: Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 26, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Brant street is home to numerous small businesses that have fought hard to stay alive as business entities during the Covid Pandemic.
To encourage customers to continue shopping at these businesses the Burlington Downtown Business Association created a late summer promotion called the Shop Small Crawl that has over 35 businesses participating in the down town area with gifts ranging from free $50 gift cards to $500 grand prizes.
 “It’s a great multi level networking concept so all the businesses are really together,” said ODDSPOT store manager Rich Marcone.
The promotion in its earliest days was said to bring in lot of eager customers from both in and out of Burlington attracting age groups from teens to mid 40’s.
Its reaching clients from a larger area and not just local,” said Natasha Farley of lingerie D’Amour.
The Shop Small Crawl has been running since August 21st and will continue until September 5th.
“Definitely the first day, I saw a lot of people interested in it the first day (August 21st),” said Julia Smith of Cento Gardens.
After the weekend passed businesses were expecting the promotion to keep bringing in more customers but due to Covid paranoia as well as most people keeping busy with work throughout the week, business in stores has slowed down to the pace it was at before Shop Small Crawl happened.
Some businesses say that the promotion had little effect on the traffic that comes through their area; most rely on their local and loyal customers.
“I haven’t necessarily seen a huge uptick in clients in association with it,” said Burlington Physiotherapy & health clinic employee Kate Reeds.
Despite the low turn outs, the Brant St. businesses are still optimistic about the campaign bringing in more business while others feel that the campaign was effective for a little while but not strong enough to bring big turnout after getting to the middle of the week.
“It’s a great benefit for everyone involved,” said Joe Dogs Gasbar Grill manager Adona Brown.
Businesses such as Cento Gardens continue to promote the Shop Small Crawl with social media promotions.
“We are putting it on our Instagram,” said Jennifer Klassen of Cento Gardens.
All Brant Street businesses say despite the staggering success of the campaign it was a very good way to support small, local businesses and hope that the Burlington Downtown association create make more programs like this in order to keep small businesses afloat during the Covid pandemic.
“We always support these programs because its downtown and all the businesses downtown work together on this … anything related to downtown we will support,” said Klassen.
Clothing stores in the Brant street area are having continued success with their online offerings selling to loyal customers.
“We’ve had online business that helped quite a bit,” said Ally Tesoni of Joelle’s.
Brant street businesses have felt connected to each other not only because of the program; they are all struggling to not go bankrupt.
 By Staff
August 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The HRPS is the first police agency in Ontario, and only the second in Canada, to transition their members from traditional paper-based notes to electronic notes.
 The days of hand written notes for Halton Regional Police are coming to an end. And yes – we know the police officer is American – haven’t been able to find a local police officer we can connect with. “Note-taking in the policing sector has not evolved in over 100 years, and we are proud to be adopting technology that the newest generation of officers expect and want,” says Deputy Chief Roger Wilkie. “This is just one of the latest ways the HRPS is striving to optimize effectiveness and efficiency by purposefully harnessing innovative technology.”
Approximately one-third of HRPS sworn members have already received extensive training and successfully transitioned to eNotes using the Smart Squad application by Faction Four Systems Inc on Service-issued cellphones. All sworn members will be fully trained by early 2022.
The HRPS eNotes application has been customized and optimized to contain features that the Service recognizes as key to policing operations. As a result, it provides unparalleled efficiencies to officers on patrol. Officers are now more mobile, no longer constrained by limitations of paper notes or tied to the computer in their cruisers. Officers can now access and add to police databases and record systems from anywhere. Further, eNotes equips officers with a secure means to obtain audio statements and take supplementary photos or recordings. All of these new functions are bolstered by heightened transparency and credibility to officer notes, with time-stamped entries and increased legibility.
It will be interesting to see how this works out when a police officer has to take the stand to testify – will his (or her) enotes be shown on a large computer screen where anyone in the court room can read them.
 By Staff
August 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is preparing a COVID-19 Staff Vaccination Policy applicable to all City staff, regardless of work location.
This policy will require all City staff to show proof of vaccination, and provide reasonable time for staff who are not yet fully vaccinated time to do so, with some exceptions for those who are legally entitled to accommodation.
Rapid Antigen Testing for those City staff not yet vaccinated prior to entry into the workplace will also be required.
An update on this new policy will be brought to the September 9 Corporate Services, Strategy, Risk and Accountability Committee meeting.
City requiring all staff to be vaccinated – even if they are not working at city hall At that committee meeting, the City will also be looking into a potential vaccine policy for the public entering City facilities to help protect staff and the public.
The health and safety of staff and residents continues to be a top priority for the City.
The City, as an employer, has an obligation under Ontario law to take all necessary precautions to protect its workers. The City will be encouraging contractors and partners of the City to do the same in order to protect our staff, their employees and the public we serve.
 Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward Mayor Marianne Meed Ward supports the policy and said: “While science continues to support the effectiveness of vaccinations in this pandemic, we can understand there is some apprehension about a required proof of vaccine. It’s important to note this is not a new concept in Canadian society. Proof of vaccination against at least 9 different illnesses such as polio and meningitis has been mandatory for Ontario children attending public elementary school for many years.
“We are already seeing healthcare settings, post-secondary schools, private sector businesses and other municipalities across the country implementing these policies to help protect our communities and our health care capacities. Where there are special circumstances, exemptions are provided.
“Though you can still contract and spread COVID-19 after being vaccinated, we’ve heard from our local medical and health staff the infectious period is shorter and it’s less likely you’ll need hospital care. Currently in Ontario, more than 90% of people in hospital with COVID-19 are unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status.
“The City of Burlington is committed to the health and safety of its staff and visitors from the public who may interact with staff. The City will also be looking at a public policy that will come to Committee and Council in September – I look forward to that discussion with my Council colleagues and hearing from the community.”
 City manager, Tim Commisso City manager, Tim Commisso has had staff develop a policy that will go to Council September 9th. “Our number one goal throughout this pandemic” said Commisso “has been and continues to be focused on keeping all Burlington staff and residents safe while working to stop the spread of COVID-19. Bringing in a vaccination policy for our staff is another step we have taken to meet that goal.
He added: “The City will comply with its human rights and privacy obligations and accommodate employees who are legally entitled to accommodation, while protecting staff. I want to thank our staff for continuing to provide the valued City services to our residents during these trying times.”
 By Julie Saunders
August 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
You can have fun playing free slots in all online casinos. But if you want to win real money, you have to play for real money. And if you want to add a big prize on top of the money you can win from slots, you should join casino tournaments. These fun events allow you to compete against other players and try your luck for a big prize just by playing games. So, what exactly are casino tournaments, and what should you consider when choosing them? We answer these questions below.
What Is a Casino Tournament?
Casino tournaments are usually monthly events. Casino management selects a set of games, mostly from a particular supplier, and makes them part of the event. These games are almost always slot machines, and players who play them during the event period earn points for various achievements. These points determine your place on a scoreboard: the more points you earn, the higher your ranking.
 The Games offered are really varied – all kinds of choices When the tournament is over, the top 10 ranked players split the grand prize among themselves. Other players get consolation prizes such as free spins. But in this respect, the rules of each casino are different. Some casinos reward the first 50 players, others only the top 5. Therefore, it is very important to read the terms and conditions before participating in a tournament. In this way, you can understand what you need to do to win and learn where you need to be in the ranking to win prizes. Speaking of prizes, the amount is variable: most casino tournaments have a prize pool ranging from EUR 10,000 to EUR 100,000.
Types of Casino Tournaments
Casino tournaments are basically divided into two categories: free and buy-in. Free tournaments are the most common nowadays, and you only need to be a member of an online casino to participate. In other words, you do not need to pay any additional fees. If you are a member of the casino and play the games included in the tournament, you will automatically participate. Buy-in tournaments, on the other hand, are quite rare nowadays. You must purchase a separate ticket to attend these events. So, you pay an additional fee, and the tournament only covers ticket holders.
It is possible to divide casino tournaments into two categories according to the way of earning points too. In these events, you win points based on either the bet amount or the prize amount. The latter is more advantageous, and you should prefer it whenever possible. To briefly explain both:
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 Sometimes it is the name of the game that makes you feel lucky. Bet-based tournaments: In this type of event, points are earned according to the amount of the bets. For example, a player who deposits 100 EUR in a slot game included in the tournament gets 10 points. The player who deposits 10 EUR can only earn 1 point. In these tournaments, it doesn’t matter how much you win in games. The total money you spend matters, and even if you don’t win a single prize, you can still win the tournament if you’re the one who spends the most.
- Prize-based tournaments: In this type of event, points are earned according to the amount of payouts. For example, a player who wins 100 EUR in a slot game included in the tournament gets 10 points. The player who wins 10 EUR will have to settle for 1 point. It doesn’t matter how much you bet. Those who win the most in the games get the highest points. Therefore, if you are lucky enough, you can participate with a budget of only 1 EUR and still win the grand tournament prize.
As mentioned above, prize-based tournaments are better because they are based on luck, not budget. That’s why it’s essential to read the Terms and Conditions. This is how you can find out if your tournament is bet-based or prize-based. In this regard, it is recommended not to expect much from bet-based tournaments if you are playing on a limited budget. You can still get a certain place in the ranking and win a consolation prize, but it will be impossible to get into the top 10 (unless you have enough budget).
 If this is what you are and you are on a roll – have fun. One of the best things about casino tournaments is that the prize is wager-free. So, if you win a prize, you don’t have to complete a wagering requirement to be able to withdraw it. Even if you don’t make it into the top 10, you can still win a prize. Moreover, all you have to do for this is to continue playing the games you are already playing. It is possible to participate in this event almost every month and try your luck again. For all these reasons, it is strongly recommended to participate in casino tournaments: you can have fun and make additional profit.
 By Pepper Parr
August 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It will be as noisy as a virtual meeting can be.
The event takes place on September 8th, from from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
It is billed as a virtual pre-application community meeting hosted by Burlington 2020 Lakeshore Inc. for its proposed mixed-use redevelopment of the Waterfront Hotel.
 An architectural rendering of what the owners of the Waterfront Hotel want to build on the site once the existing building is demolished. Burlington 2020 Lakeshore Inc. (the “Owner”) is hosting a virtual pre-application community meeting to discuss a proposal to demolish the existing Waterfront Hotel Burlington building and replace it with a sleek and modern mixed-use development that will accommodate retail and service commercial uses at-grade that will frame the public realm, offices, a banquet facility and restaurants, hotel, and residential apartments.
In total, the proposed redevelopment will provide 557 apartments, a 130-room hotel, as well as commercial, office and other accessory uses all within two towers (35- and 30-storeys) inclusive of a 5-storey podium.
The city has not received an application and no decision has been made by the City.
 This eight storey structure will be demolished if the developer can get his proposal for two buildings: a 30 and a 35 story structure can get past the Planning department and the Ontario Land Tribunal. What the public will see is what the owners of the property would like to build on the land.
Public comments may be directed to the applicant on September 8th,
Once a complete application has been submitted the public will be notified, and comments will be received by city staff. This Consultation meeting is the first step in a comprehensive review of the draft proposal. The purpose of the consultation meeting is for the Owner to address key questions and obtain community feedback prior to the submission of any development applications.
During the meeting, the Owner will provide an overview of the proposal and City Staff will provide an overview of the development application review process and how the public can be involved.
There will also be a question and answer component about the various aspects of the proposal and the planning process. Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns will be in attendance to listen to the discussion.
Meeting Agenda:
Introductory comments by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns;
City Planning Staff Presentation on the Planning Process.
Review of Waterfront Hotel Study;
Owner Presentation on the Development Proposal
Comments and Questions & Answers with the public.
After the event, additional comments, questions, and feedback for the Owner can be directed to the planning consultant, Bousfields Inc., at esugden@bousfields.ca or 905-549-3005, ext. 259.
This development pre-application is separate from and not related to the City’s Waterfront Hotel Study which has established key policy directions for development on this site and is planned to continue later this year.
How to Join the Meeting
Participate On-Line via Zoom:
www.burlington.ca/2020lakeshore OR https://zoom.us/j/93677332408
Webinar ID: 936 7733 2408
Participate by Telephone:
1-647-374-4685 (audio only)
The Gazette will publish background material and just how things got to where they are today.
By Ryan O’Dowd: Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
August 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
My interview with Nick Page was lengthy and I was not able to convince my editor to run all of it in one story.
Page discussed the importance of expanding our healthcare system to cover such areas as dental, optometric, and pharmaceutical. Tying benefits to employment in the current system “screws” the lower class, said Page.
“Right now you can go to the dentist if you have a good job but if you don’t have a good job you neither have dental coverage or the money to pay the dentist, so you’re screwed. If you don’t have a good job, you don’t have optometry coverage in Ontario. And so by decoupling those from jobs, from having a good job, you help everyone out.
“You also help the businesses not have to pay for insurance employees like that, which is a big expense for some companies like smaller companies who still need to pay benefits to their employees. That’s a cost they don’t need to have, they only really have it because the government doesn’t come through. And it’s interesting because that came about from wage tax in the US back in World War Two. It was a way to get around wage taxes by giving people more benefits, and then it just kind of became how we do things,” said Page.
One of Justin Trudeau’s most often maligned broken election promises was his vow that the 2015 election would be the last under the first past the post system.”
 Nick Page- Burlington NDP candidate Page puts forward a case for a proportional representation using Green Party data – which he claims would lead to federal representation that would more accurately reflect the popular vote. Page also alludes to the use of ranked ballots which would theoretically diminish so-called “strategic voting,” particularly in conjunction with proportional representation. You would rank the candidates in order of preference so you don’t need to be dictated by who can win, and your vote would be more meaningfully represented in government.
“You have some of the people who are elected to government assigned to specific districts, and some of the people elected to government are assigned from a party list. And you do the normal voting in a district, probably with ranked voting to figure out who represents that district. And then you use the country-wide proportional ballots.
“So if, for example, the Green Party gets 8% across the country, it doesn’t all have to be focused on their one riding in Vancouver, or Victoria river is exactly to get a seat, they could have 8% votes across the country, and they’d get 8% of the seats, we would bump them up off their party list, and that way that 8% of people in our country would actually be listened to, they have a voice in government, as opposed to right now, where if after the 2015 election Trudeau only had, votes from like 38% of people, but he got to make all of the decisions because of how first past the post, but he should have had to work with people to make decisions after 2015,” said Page.
Page noted proportional representation may be the best opportunity to implement a government to deal with climate change.
“I don’t think any party with a majority would do what needs to be done to deal with climate change so I think proportional representation or some sort of voting change is what it’s going to take to get the environment under control,” said Page.
 2019 federal election results “In the 2019 federal election, the Green Party received 6.6% of the popular vote and scored 3 seats out of 337, based on the methodology outlined in the 2016 report of the House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform under a proportional representation system the Green Party would have scored 22 seats from the same percentage of the popular vote. If we accept more Green Party seats at the table correlates to more climate change action then Page’s correlation between electoral reform and environmental action may have merit.”
In federal elections there are usually all candidate debates – that is not likely to happen this time around – the logistics of a virtual debate are very awkward.
Page did a podcast in which is sets out where he stands – worth a listen if you want to dive into what the New Democrats hope to achieve. Link here for what he has to say – runs just over five minutes.
The New Democrats have a very stringent set of rules in place when candidates come into contact with voters – don’t expect to see them at your front door all that often..
By Staff
August 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It happens every election.
Someone with more time on their hands than brains takes their uninformed opinion and decides to vandalize an election sign.
The candidate cries foul and those running against the candidate who took the hit resolve to run a clean campaign.
 Two campaign signs – located on private property vandalized. Two large Lenaee Dupuis election campaign signs were vandalized with the words “NO COMMIES” written in green spray paint across the Candidates name. The signs were located in Oakville on a Supporter’s residential property.
Lenaee Dupuis, the NDP Candidate for her home Riding of Oakville North-Burlington, posted a tweet on her Twitter account @lenaeeD following the news of the vandalism to her sign:
 Lenaee Dupuis, the NDP Candidate for her home Riding of Oakville North-Burlington, “I was so disappointed to see this uncalled for vandalism. I will fight fair and for good, and never would I expect this sort of behaviour from my supporters in the #oakvillenorthburlington riding.”
In her multiple tweets, Dupuis makes a pledge to the people of Oakville North-Burlington and is committed to having a positive election campaign. She asks the same of her Candidates, Liberal Pam Damoff, PPC Gilbert Jubinville and Conservative Hanan Rizkalla in her tweet. At time of posting, both Damoff and Rizkalla pledged the same.
 By Pepper Parr
August 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s a bit of an iffy situation for the merchants that give the downtown core that special feeling people want to keep and support.
 The merchants need the business but not everyone has cash to spare. The Food Bank is still feeding families where the breadwinner has not been able to get back to work.
Not everyone is certain that getting out and shopping is that smart a thing to do.
Commerce has to continue – and the merchants are going to give you a very warm welcome.
By Pepper Parr
August 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
An event application has been received by the city for a Christmas market that will make use of the Elgin Promenade from December 9th to 12th.
 The White areas designate space that the applicants want to use for an annual Christmas Market. There would be live music on some of the evenings. No one seems to know who submitted the application – the Gazette was told that it was not the BDBA Burlington Downtown Business association. The membership there must be just short of livid.
After a very tough year and a half a glimpse of hope and someone wants to set up shop and take business away from the downtown merchants?
 Brian Dean – Executive Director Burlington Downtown Business Association working the phone. Really nice idea – just not this year.
The merchants on Brant and John Street and other locations in the downtown core are just beginning to recover from the terrible winter, spring and early summer – this is not the time to kick these people in the shins and allow someone who doesn’t have any skin in the game come along and scoop the business.
Brian Dean, Chief guru of the Burlington Downtown Business Association must be howling.
No name that we can see on the document that were sent to people living in the immediate area identifying just who is behind the idea.
And not a peep so far from the Ward Councillor or the Mayor?
 The Elgin Promenade is at the top right – the Elizabeth Street Parking lot stretched out behind.
By Staff
August 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The country struggles with how to deal with a fourth wave of Covid19 infections.
The country gets plunged into a federal election.
And the world watches as thousands of people in Afghanistan fee for their lives terrified that the Taliban will change the country.
In Burlington people are still buying and selling homes in uncertain economic times.
The Rocca Sisters, a real estate agency, advise that:
While prices remained steady with an average sale price of $1,260,080, up 21.7% year over year, sales were down by 36.8% when compared to July 2020. The big news at the end of July was inventory levels.
On average, for the past 5 years, there were 334 active listings at the end of July. At the end of July 2021, there were 78. During the month of July properties sold for 105.75% of the listed price and in an average of 12 days (compared to 10 days in June) and a slightly higher list/sale price ratio in June when it was 105.22.
The remarkable sales that we always referred to in months gone by are becoming less and less remarkable and more and more predictable. Prices are stabilizing and a good real estate agent should be able to predict outcomes much more accurately these days.
 Price and sales data for July 2021 freehold sales What does all this mean?
August will be a quiet month. While there still does not seem to be any shortage of buyers, there is just not enough inventory to keep them active. It is likely a very good time to list your home given the incredibly low inventory levels but, the buyer pool has shrunk. We expect to see inventory and sales ramp up fairly early in September and we also expect to see a strong, slightly more balanced fall market which is good news for everybody.
Condo market
Average sale prices in the condominium market were up 7.6%, price per square foot was up 17.5% and sales were down 43.9% in July, as compared to July 2020.
Condo apartments sold for 100.10% of the listed price and in an average of 16 days.
Inventory levels were at 53 active listings, down considerably from the 5 year average of 89. Year to date, sale prices have increased by just over 16% and price per square foot has increased by just over 18% when compared to the same period in 2020.
 Pricing and sales data on the Burlington condo market.
By Pepper Parr
August 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It turned out to be a more active and somewhat hectic term of office for Stuart Miller who retired this month as the Halton District School Board Director of Education.
During the early part of his appointment the decision was made to hold a Program and Accommodation Review (PAR); a process defined in a school board pupil accommodation review policy, undertaken by a school board to determine the future of a school or group of schools.
It proved to be contentious and divisive and ended up with the closing of two of the city’s seven high schools.
 The Bateman high school parents put up a strong fight but the numbers were against them and the trustees did not see the pluses that the school had going for the students. Miller’s tenure ended in the waning days of a pandemic that threw the education sector into a tail spin from which Miller said he doesn’t expect will come to an end for 18 months to a year.
With the active part of a career as an educator coming to an end Miller looks back at what he managed to achieve and has come to the conclusion that equity and inclusion are the words that sum up what education is about.
Miller is passionate about his view that every student is entitled to the best education we can give them.
“The pandemic highlighted where we are not meeting that challenge” said Miller
 Stuart Miller listened to the students and tended to hear what they were saying. Adding, “the classroom is what makes education real – the casual conversation between a teacher and a student doesn’t happen in a virtual setting.
“There are some subjects, some situations and some students who excel in a virtual setting but that doesn’t and should suggest that we need more virtual experiences.
“There are those that learn a little slower than others; being slower shouldn’t be a reason to be left behind.
 Stuart Miller developed staff which was reflected in the classrooms.
“I was fortunate”, said Miller “to have a staff that loved what they do. It was my good fortune to watch teachers grow into principals and some principals become Superintendents.
“The struggle for my staff during the pandemic “was to find ways to insert some normality into situations that were far from normal. The mental health of our students is always a concern but this pandemic brought to the surface the struggles the students have. We had to pivot and find the resources to deal with these situations that began to overwhelm us.
“In a classroom you spot the student who is struggling – in a virtual setting it is another matter.
“The classroom teachers let me see just how professional they are – they were thrown into a situation they were not trained for – in a matter of days they had to learn how to use new technology and come up with different ways to teach. They were no longer able to turn to the blackboard and illustrate – there were no blackboards in that virtual classroom.
“The technology we had at the beginning was pretty rudimentary – that changed over time and going virtual began to be a little easier. Most of the teachers were able to make the leap from a classroom full of students to a computer screen.
 It was one of the toughest days of his tenure as Director of Education. He had to explain to the public what he felt had to be done and the best way to do it. “The students watched as their teachers adapted and in the process learned that they too could adapt. There were some positives.
During the last week serving as the Director of Education Miller wasn’t certain that the system would not have to once again fall back to a virtual setting – “if that does happen we will be much more prepared.”
Equity has always been an issue for Miller who will say that we are not there yet. Inclusion is a large part of equity – Miller believes significant strides have been made
Miller talks about what was achieved with the PAR that closed two high schools and emphasizes the upside.
The students who went from Lester B. Pearson to M.M. Robinson had 20 additional course choices and 10 additional extra curricular offerings.
There are now Community Pathway programs at M.M. Robinson and Nelson.
 Stuart Miller with Superintendent Terri Blackwell. His support and her drive resulted in one of the most desired high school programs and a shift in direction on how teaching took place. Aldershot High School, which looked as if it might be closed. is now one of the “hot” schools in the system. The iStem program that came out of the PAR is now consistently over subscribed and there are now iStem programs in Milton and Oakville.
A program they stumbled into proved to be one of the best things Stuart Miller did – when the opportunity was not much more than an idea Miller and his staff were able to research, build community support and create something that became a stellar program Board wide.
Before Miller got into education he was working with a private company in the food sector and earning $30k a year which was very good money in the 80’s.
He left that work to become a teacher for $18k a year. “The difference was that I was very happy” said Miller
Stuart Miller is still a young man who will be around education for a long time yet. There have been some job offers and there is an opportunity in the north with the Indigenous community that he is excited about.
 Ward 5 trustee Amy Collard giving Director Miller a hard eye. The Gazette found Miller to be very accessible. He would never duck an issue – he was quick to realize when he didn’t get it quite right.
He had a board of trustees that held him to account. He will never forget the day that ward 5 trustee Amy Collard blind-sided him over his decision to close Bateman High School. She was passionate about keeping that school open and she wasn’t wrong.
We expect to hear more about Stuart Miller in the years ahead – the world of education isn’t finished with him yet – and he isn’t finished with education.
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