 By Pepper Parr
February 24th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board released its Multi Year Plan for the period 2020-2024 earlier this week. One quarter of the time frame has already passed making the document, in our view, a little less relevant.
The Gazette asked HDSB trustee chair Andrea Grebenc why the delay. She explained that “traditionally the plan has been announced just as we begin the school year in which it was intended to start – so summer 2020 would have been the appropriate time.
 Andrea Grebenc, Chair of the HDSB learned that listening was the biggest part of creating a Multi year Plan “We ended up soft-launching by approving it in the fall. The MYP creation process is a 6-month plus process and was interrupted by the pandemic. The process involves dedicated time from senior level staff and trustees and when the pandemic hit mid-March, both trustees and staff were pulled into dealing with the crisis at hand.
“We run a very lean administrative compliment (meaning we spend less than our provincial allocation on senior staff and redirect into the schools) so the pandemic stretched us and briefly pushed the MYP development down the priority list.”
The pandemic did much more than stretch the public school system – they had to create a new, effective way of delivering an education to students with nothing in the way of a play book to follow.
It will be some time before classes return to anything even near normal. There are some solid lessons to come out of the pandemic – those will have to be thought through.
Next September the Board should have a new Director of Education in place; he or she (it could and should be a she this time) will have to rebuild much of the way Boards of Education prepare students for a much different future.
The purpose of the MYP, approved by Trustees in November 2020, sets direction and prioritizes the collective actions of all stakeholders to ensure efforts of the HDSB are aligned to support the Board’s more than 65,000 students, 9,000 staff and the broader community.
The MYP 2020-2024 consists of five key areas:
• Equity & Inclusion
• Mental Health and Well-Being
• Learning and Achievement
• Environmental Leadership
• Indigenous Perspectives and Awareness
 The Board identifies its commitment within each area and outlines goals that define the key strategic work the Board will undertake during the next four years. While there are five distinct areas to the plan, no one area stands alone or above another as each is connected.
Adaptability, Relationships, Innovation, Communication, Accountability and Engagement are foundational elements of the MYP plan that describe the values of the HDSB and how staff and stakeholders will work together to achieve the goals outlined in the plan.
The Indigenous Perspectives and Awareness area of the MYP demonstrates the HDSB’s commitment to expanding knowledge and understanding of Indigenous perspectives and realities. To further the Board’s commitment to this area, Stephen Paquette has been hired into a permanent position as the Board’s Indigenous Knowledge Guide ＆ Engagement Advisor, to provide expertise to staff, schools and departments.
As part of the Equity & Inclusion area of the Plan, the HDSB created the Discriminatory and Harmful Language Protocol to provide clear expectations for how staff respond when harm is caused. This protocol will be followed by students and staff to promote a school environment free from discriminatory language.
In September 2019, the Board initiated a process to develop a new MYP. A steering committee was created to help guide the development of the MYP. An external consultant, Maximum City, was hired to initiate an extensive stakeholder consultation process to review the contents of the previous MYP and seek input about what the HDSB community values and would like to see represented in the next MYP.
Input on the MYP was received from more than 4,000 HDSB respondents including parents/guardians, students, staff and community members on a broad range of issues.
Chair Andréa Grebenc said “The resulting plan clearly outlines the focus of the next few years and recognizes the key priority areas we heard from students, our staff and the broader Halton community.”
The pandemic will have bumped some of those priorities down the list – there is a whole new world ahead of the education system – the challenge will be to identify the positive opportunities and at the same time take a pass on some of the past practices.
Link to the MYP
 By Staff
February 17th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
It should come as no huge surprise – COVID19 infections are being reported at several schools in the Region.
 A single student was infected and the class was closed – the school remained open. Just the one infection reported in Burlington at the Mohawk Public school where the classroom has been closed.
Classes resumed at schools this week.
How many infections are there likely to be? No one has any idea. At this stage everyone is keeping a very close eye and readying for whatever they think could happen and be ready to respond.
It is going to be stressful week – we know why the infection took place – someone without the infection came in contact with someone who was infected.
The virus is in the community. How deep is infection rate likely to be ? We don’t know yet.
 By Ray Rivers
February 17th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
In even the darkest days of our lives, and 2020 has been the darkest I can remember, there are some silver linings. For example, on-line sales have never been better. Naturally, Amazon is the first thing we think of but other companies have also done well in this area.
While searching out a source of respirators on-line, I located a company selling Canadian made n95 surgical masks for less than $5 each. Mikhail Moore, a Vancouver engineer got together with some like-minded entrepreneurs and health specialists from McMaster University to design and manufacture respirators last summer. And in a matter of months he had ramped up a manufacturing facility and was turning out a million Vitacore face masks a month, including the highly effective n95 which had been in short supply only a few months earlier.
 Purely Canadian One problem Mr. Moore encountered was that Canada doesn’t even have standards for respirators. We simply adopt the US NIOSH standard, but for a Canadian that means one can only get certification if the product is manufactured in the USA. So Vitacore had to work with the National Research Council and Health Canada in order to obtain an interim certification order to meet the US standard.
Canada is apparently nearly self-sufficient in PPE now, according to the PM. But that doesn’t answer the question about why we were so unprepared at the beginning of the pandemic. Following the SARS outbreak two decades ago, Dr. Teresa Tam, currently Canada’s chief public health officer, authored the Canadian manual on pandemics. That included a call for a 16 week stockpile of personal protection equipment (PPE) in order to cover potentially two waves of a pandemic in this country.
But over the years, and over the last two governments, the stockpile had diminished. Then, in early February last year, the health minister shipped the last 16 tonnes of PPE to China to help them with their COVID fight. The government obviously believed the risk of an outbreak here was minimal. And for that reason neither did they initially close the border to prevent travellers from China and elsewhere bringing the virus with them.
And then a month or so later our hospitals were becoming overwhelmed and long term care was in such a mess that the army had to be called in. And, of course, the PPE we all needed was in critically short supply. Our traditional supply from the US had been blocked by Donald Trump. The hapless bureaucracy at Health Canada ignored offers by companies like Honeywell to send us masks from their factory in Mexico. And shipments from China had to be discarded as unsafe.
So health care workers re-used their disposable masks, and made their own cloth ones, or got sick, and possibly infected even more people in the community. And Dr. Tam shamelessly delivered a barrage of mixed messages about masks, including her initial comments that people were safer without one, as health officials everywhere debated what should have been obvious.
 The Atlanta based Centre for Disease Control provides information and specifications for PPE. And unfortunately it wasn’t just about PPE. Canada’s entire record on this epidemic is abysmal. Whether it’s the federal government failing to secure our borders from day one or the provincial premiers lessening restrictions too soon. And now the question is whether these jurisdictions can get us vaccinated before another variant shows up and possibly renders the vaccine irrelevant.
Australia has announced that they will be manufacturing their own AstraZeneca vaccine and therefore have more control over its supply than we do. Of course, the Aussies, with near zero COVID transmission, don’t have to be in a hurry. Still, at least we Canadians now have affordable Canadian-made face masks. And if we used them we should be able to protect ourselves and our children, at least until the vaccines do arrive and get jabbed into our arms.
 Face masks coming off the Vitacore production line. Vitacore has already moved forward to develop an even more efficient n99 mask and is anticipating the potential export of their products. The company is also embarking on a timely recycling program for used/soiled PPE in cooperation with McMaster University. They are setting up drop-off stations in Vancouver and will be sanitizing and palletizing the material for reuse in road building.
And another silver lining when we consider all the money the governments have been spilling, is that Vitacore has not needed federal or provincial subsidies to make their business model work. I wonder whether Vitacore president Mikhail Moore has ever thought about running for public office. We certainly could use some of those leadership skills.
 Ray Rivers, born in Ontario earned an economics degree at the University of Western Ontario and a Master’s degree in economics at the University of Ottawa. His 25 year stint with the federal government included time with Environment, Fisheries and Oceans, Agriculture and the Post office. Rivers is active in his community; has run for municipal and provincial office.
Background links:
Vitacore – PPE for China – Canada’s PPE –
Turning Down Masks – Government Mess – Standards –
Nearly Self-Sufficient – Canada’s Plan –
https://shop.vitacore.ca/collections/frontpage/products/copy-of-can95-masks-health-canada-approved-1-box
 By Pepper Parr
February 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Sometime between now and the end of August the Halton District School Board trustees are expected to decide on who the next Director of Education will be.
 Stuart Miller, current Director of Education, to retire in August. Stuart Miller has served as the Director for the past five years. He submitted his resignation to the Board late last year.
Every member of the Board of Trustees will serve on the Selection Committee where the objective is to reach a consensus.
There are at least two of the current roster of Superintendents, (both female) that are certainly qualified.
 Grebenc, (left) and Miller have worked well together Consultants are being brought in to guide and direct the trustees through the process.
Board Chair Andrea Grebenc will Chair the Selection Committee, the vice chair of the Board Tracey, Ehl Harrison, will serve as vice chair.
 By Staff
February 16th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The schools may not have been as open as parents would have liked but the bills still have to be paid – which means putting together a budget.
Getting that job done is going to be a challenge for both the Staff and the trustees. Doing things virtual is not fun – ask any classroom teacher.
 Halton District School Board values input from parents/guardians, members of the community, staff and students concerning the development of the 2021-2022 budget.
Individuals are encouraged to provide input on budget priorities for the upcoming school year online – a questionnaire can be found on the Halton District School Board’s website at www.hdsb.ca. Input must be received by March 5, 2021.
Before providing input, individuals are encouraged to review the Board’s Multi-Year Plan 2020-2024,
Special Education Plan and Operational Plan. A key objective of the annual budget process is to align the Halton District School Board’s financial resources with these important documents.
Community members are also able to delegate to the Board of Trustees. Please follow the Delegation
By-law posted on the Halton District School Board website (found under the ‘Our Board’ tab).
 By Staff
February 11th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
The province has not cancelled the March Break – they did push t back to April 12 to 16.
Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Education, issued the following statement regarding March break:
 Stephen Lecce, Ontario’s Minister of Education, “In support of our collective efforts to keep schools safe, we are postponing March break until April 12-16, 2021.
This decision was made with the best advice of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and public health officials, including consultations with many local Medical Officers of Health.
“Many students have been learning remotely since the start of 2021. It is critical we follow public health advice to protect schools and avoid a repeat of the concerning spike in youth-related cases over the winter break, when students and staff were out of schools for a prolonged period of time. We are taking this precaution based on advice from health experts, including the province’s Science Table and the Chief Medical Officer of Health, to help protect against the emerging COVID-19 variants of concern.
“We appreciate the hard work of students and staff in the education sector and I want to be clear: March break is being postponed, not cancelled. To keep schools open, we must keep them free of COVID-19. The actions announced today serve to limit opportunities for congregation – while reaffirming the evidence that schools are safe for students. By continuing to follow public health advice, and by introducing additional safety measures and more testing, we are supporting our collective efforts to keep COVID-19 from entering our schools.
“With respect to travel, our government’s position on this is unchanged. Ontarians should refrain from travelling, particularly given the increase in new variants that pose a direct risk to our country. Please stay at home as much as possible and continue following the direction of public health officials so that we can keep schools open and protect our seniors, frontline health workers and all families.
“These decisions – based on the advice of medical experts – are never easy, but they are necessary to keep Ontario families safe.”
 By Staff
February 7th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Several of Canada’s finest instrumental jazz musicians, will be on-line February 10th – 7pm via Zoom – not to be missed.
Thanks to a generous grant from the City of Burlington’s Community Support Fund, a special program created to support Burlington artists during the pandemic, One Burlington has commissioned Joe Sealy and his colleague Paul Novotny to create a special 25-minute video version of Africville Stories to be launched in Burlington at 7 pm on Wednesday February 10th , 2021.
Joe Sealy and Paul Novotny will be available for a Q&A immediately after the showing. The video will subsequently be provided to both Burlington school boards for telecasts during the week of February 15th.
 Africville was seen as a slum – but it was home to a small but very robust black community that was forgotten until the city of Halifax wanted to develop the land. Joe Sealy is one of Canada’s premier jazz pianists and composers. His Africville Suite won a Juno Award as Best Jazz Recording of 1996. Joe Sealy subsequently created an attraction called Africville Stories, which relates the stories behind the various musical selections in the Suite. He wrote several additional songs for the great Canadian jazz/gospel/blues singer Jackie Richardson, who serves as Narrator for the 75-minute work. Africville Stories also features several of Canada’s finest instrumental jazz musicians, including saxophonist Alison Young, bassist Paul Novotny and percussionist Daniel Barnes.
Africville is a community on the outskirts of Halifax that had little, if anything, in the way of municipal services. The residents of that community were treated terribly.
One Burlington, Burlington’s organization dedicated to the celebration of faith and culture in the City of Burlington, is planning an event in commemoration of Black History Month.
Africville Stories is Joe Sealy’s musical tribute to the Halifax community of Africville, a neighbourhood built by generations of Black immigrants to Nova Scotia subsequent to their arrival from post-Revolutionary America. The community was razed to the ground in 1960 as part of a Halifax urban renewal project. Joe Sealy’s mother was born and raised there.
 Paul Novotny Africville Stories fit well into One Burlington’s mandate to celebrate the cultural diversity of its citizenry, and especially those communities that are under-served, and to provide insights into the often difficult histories of these multicultural communities. We stand proud in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Joe Sealy’s Africville Stories, featuring Jackie Richardson and Paul Novotny.
Wednesday February 10th, 2021 at 7 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.usj8507806860?pwd=MFVlKzZsTnBEbWZCNCt5MkkyWGd1UT09
Meeting ID: 885 0780 6860
Passcode: 231098
If that link doesn’t work, please go to zoom.us and enter the Meeting ID and Passcode to get in that way!
For more information contact Robert Missen at 905-632-6047 or rmissen@sympatico.ca
By Staff
February 3rd, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Intimate Partner Violence is the dark under belly part of our society.
We don’t want to hear about it, however it is going on all around us.
 9-1-1 call from an individual reporting that a male was assaulting a female in a residence, and that help was urgently needed. The Halton Regional Police Service report that if the current trend continues, officers will attend more than 4,000 intimate partner violence incidents by the end of this year.
Last month, the HRPS received an early morning 911 call.
Officers were dispatched and arrived at the residence. Nothing could be seen or heard from the house which was in total darkness. Officers gained entry to the house and soon located a male, as well as his common-law partner who had multiple red marks and bruising on her upper body.
Officers learned that the male party had been drinking for several hours during the evening. Two children in the home reported hearing slapping, yelling and loud noises throughout the remainder of the night until police intervened.
The male was arrested soon after and subsequently transported to Central Lock Up. Thereafter, the HRPS Intimate Partner Violence Unit took carriage of the investigation. The accused was charged with Assault, Assault Causing Bodily Harm (Choking), and Forcible Confinement.
The female party was admitted to hospital for her injuries and was referred to the Halton Regional Police Service Victim Services Unit.
The Victim Services Unit connects victims to appropriate support services in the community, assists with victim care, and, through the Victim Quick Response Program (VQRP+), can provide immediate short-term financial support toward essential expenses for victims of violent crime.
Last month, our officers fielded 343 calls regarding intimate partner violence (IPV), compared with 279 calls in January 2020. In the same time period, we made 83 IPV arrests, compared with 51 IPV arrests in January 2020. A total of 206 IPV-related charges were laid in January 2021, compared with 85 IPV-related charges in January 2020 (an increase of 142 per cent).
Tragically, January is not an anomaly. Our analyses indicate that this is a continuation of a trend of an increasing frequency and severity of intimate partner violence incidents in the community over the course of the pandemic. What is particularly concerning is that we recognize that all forms of family violence are under-reported.
 An increase of 142 per cent year over year for the month of January. If you see something, say something. Someone’s life may depend on it.
Every person has the right to feel safe in our community.
Victims of intimate partner violence or sexual assault and witnesses are encouraged to contact the Halton Regional Police Service.
The following is a list of support services and resources in Halton Region for victims of intimate partner violence and/or sexual violence:
• Halton Regional Police Service Victim Services Unit 905-825-4777
• Halton Women’s Place 905-878-8555 (north) or 905-332-7892 (24-hour crisis line)
• Halton Children’s Aid Society 905-333-4441 or 1-866-607-5437
• Nina’s Place Sexual Assault and Domestic Assault Care Centre 905-336-4116 or 905-681-4880
• Thrive Counselling 905-637-5256 or 905-845-3811
• Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services (SAVIS) 905-875-1555 (24-hour crisis line)
By Pepper Parr
January 25th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
There are times when having to do something ‘virtually’ turns out to be a plus.
The Halton District School Board held their second Symposium on the Rights of the Child. It came very close to being cancelled after more than a year of work that looked like it was going to be laid to rest by COVID.
They had a fabulous speaker lined up and were looking forward to a good turn out.
That was in March of last year – and of course things changed for everyone.
The Halton Director of Education, Stuart Miller said that it looked as if the event would have to be cancelled but senior staff and the Director took a closer look at what they were up against and realized that if they web cast the event through their Facebook page they would draw much more than the 250 + they got in 2019.
They certainly got much more than the 250 + – there were 3400 people logged into the Facebook page. Stewart points out that many of those log-ins were from a classroom that would have had 15 to 20 students taking part. There could have been 5000 students listening.
 One of the strongest speakers in Canada, Stephen Lewis addressed thousands of Halton students virtually on Friday about the Right of the Child. They were fortunate to have one of the great Canadian orators and a very passionate advocate for social justice in this country. Stephen Lewis, a Companion of the Order of Canada, the holder of 42 honorary Doctorates, is a living legend.
Hearing Lewis speak when he is really passionate about his subject is something one never forgets.
Lewis led students and community partners in a day long program focused on children’s rights. “I spent a large chunk of my life” said Lewis, “dealing with the Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
“When I worked with UNICEF, I was responsible for travelling around the world to persuade governments to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child and take all of its clauses seriously. The Convention provides a tremendous range of rights for children, all of which I hope to be addressing before you.”
Lewis was joined by Michel Chikwanine, now a motivational speaker, author and human rights activist based in Toronto and originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Chikwanine is more than a child advocate. When he was not much more than a young boy he was kidnapped from the soccer field outside his school in the Democratic Republic of Congo; he and his childhood friends were “recruited” to be rebel soldiers.
 Michel Chikwanine: Kidnapped as a young boy and forced to serve as a child warrior Chikwanine is a compelling speaker. People find themselves riveted to their seats when he speaks.
At the end of what was a very full day the Students were to create a Call to Action, a document that would set out what they wanted to do about improving the Rights of the Child.
Superintendent Rob Eatough will be responsible for overseeing the development of these Calls to Action.
Tomorrow the Gazette will publish interviews with some of the students who took part in the event.
By Staff
January 14th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
School boards are looking at the bigger picture – the pandemic will end and a normal life will return. We wish!
The province has treated the educational sector in a rather shabby way – schools are open, then they are closed, and then they are opened again.
Many parents are at their wit’s end.
The Halton District School Board said yesterday that they are now accepting registrations for Junior (Year 1) and Senior (Year 2) Kindergarten for September 2021.
 Students at the kindergarten level – before the pandemic. Mask-less. Will the class of September 2021 look like this? Families are advised to call their local elementary school to find out which dates have been established for Kindergarten registration in their area. Registration will be by appointment only (in-person and/or virtual). Parents/guardians are asked to register their child by Feb. 5, 2021.
Registration forms are available online at www.hdsb.ca (search: Registering for Kindergarten).
To determine your home school, visit the HDSB website at www.hdsb.ca (search: Find My Local School).
Families should contact the HDSB Welcome Centre to book an appointment if they hold a work permit and are registering their child with the HDSB for the first time, or if either the parent or child has a Study Permit/Visa, or the parent is a Permanent Resident applicant on visitor status.
 Hopefully the school boards will see students like this next September. Please have the following original documents when registering:
• Proof of address (any two of the following current documents): lease or deed, car registration, utility bill, residential telephone bill, moving bill, property tax bill, bank statement, credit card statement, correspondence with a government agency
• Proof of age: birth certificate or passport or baptismal/faith record for your child
• Proof of citizenship: birth certificate or passport, Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Permanent Resident card
• If you are not the child’s parent, or if you have sole custody, please bring proof of custody (court order).
To register to begin school in Fall 2021, Junior Kindergarten (Year 1) children must be four years old by Dec. 31, 2021, and Senior Kindergarten (Year 2) children must be five years old by Dec. 31, 2021.
To learn more about the Halton District School Board’s Kindergarten Program, visit the HDSB website at www.hdsb.ca (search: Kindergarten).
At kindergarten.hdsb.ca, future students can explore a Kindergarten classroom to see what their classroom will look like next September. There are videos to watch, pictures to view and fun activities for kids. Parents/guardians can learn about the Kindergarten program at the HDSB, play-based learning, community resources in Halton and before-and-after school care. Families can also sign-up to receive a welcome package from the HDSB including a free children’s book.
Parents/guardians who require language assistance to register their child for school can contact the HDSB Welcome Centre:
• For schools in Oakville – 905-335-3665 ext. 3438
• For schools in Burlington – 905-335-3665 ext. 3452
• For schools in Milton, Georgetown, Acton – 905-335-3665 ext. 3438
Parents/guardians who require accessibility accommodations to register their child for school can contact the Principal/Vice-principal of the school.
 By Mildred Austria
January 8th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
‘Who says you can’t have fun and earn a living at the same time? Brian Christopher from Burlington, Ontario, proves that it is possible to take gambling to a level that is more enviable than having a lucky streak. From classic to progressive slots, gambling has been more than enjoyable for the 39-year-old gambling enthusiast.
 Christopher is not making money directly from winning at slot machines, although he occasionally earns some from them. He is having slots as his “full-time job” by being a YouTube who plays slots. He is now one of the leading YouTubers who specialize in videos about wagering.
Christopher did not plan any of his YouTube fame and money-making. It was in April 2016 when he posted his first ever video on the video sharing platform. He thought only his family and friends would consider giving his video the views. However, in around a month after posting his first video, he noticed his followers were growing rapidly. This led to him getting an invite to be part of YouTube’s partner program, allowing him to monetize the content he posts.
He said he decided he would record some of the instances he was enjoying slots after seeing others doing the same. It would be fun, he thought, and he was not seriously considering giving it a lot of effort. It was just about him filming for fun.
After seeing the growth of his channel and making money out of the videos he used to post without any thought of monetization, Christopher decided to make it his full-time job. He eventually planned trips to casinos where he can create his unique content. He also thought of posting videos daily since nobody playing slots was doing it at that pace.
Christopher thinks that his channel grew further because of the frequency he was posting videos. He was not doing something that is in a very narrow niche. It’s not the same as the content produced by many of the top YouTubers around. However, he managed to attract regular viewers of his videos because he was doing it daily, so he had something new to offer to his subscribers every time they visit his channel.
In an interview with The Star, the successful YouTuber expressed elation over doing something he enjoys. He said being a gaming-focused YouTuber is so much fun. He unapologetic ally professed his fondness for gambling and his desire to entertain people, two things he is able to do and make money from by being a YouTube video blogger.
On average, YouTuber content creators earn in the range of $3 to $5 for every 1,000 views their videos get. A single video with a million views in a month can already generate a hefty amount to pay for living expenses.
Christopher’s channel averages 207,000 views per day. Many of his videos are already above the 1 million view mark. As of January 6, 2021, his channel has already accumulated more than 201 million views and 314,000 subscribers.
Mildred Austria tracks and analyzes the any ways social media is used by several sectors.
By Pepper Parr
January 6th, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
At the beginning of a year people make resolutions.
Losing weight is one that is at the top of many resolution lists.
We care about the way we look.
Some people care much more than others and go to great lengths to change their natural appearance
Emily Lauren Dick, Burlington author, graduated from Wilfred Laurier University where her focus was on Women’s Studies. She began to learn about the intense focus on what women should look like.
The fashion world set the tone, the media picks it up and men were persuaded that THIS is what an attractive woman looks like.
Billions of dollars were poured into the marketing of what women had to look like – the pressure on young women – girls actually, is intense.
For many young people it was not a pretty picture.
Anorexia was prevalent as early as the middle years of school.
 Interviews with 75 women about what they look like and what, if anything, they want to do about it. Emily’s book, Body Positive, is made up of a lot of pictures and interviews she did with more than 75 women who came in all shapes and sizes.
It’s not easy being a girl today. We live in a culture in which Average Girls feel bad about themselves for being unable to achieve society’s ideal standards of beauty. The media makes it nearly impossible for girls to develop a positive body image. Many of you may feel alone in your struggle with your body image. But you should know that your experience is . . . well, average.
Some of the quotes from the interviews actually hurt:
“The media pressures girls of all ages to be perfect and cool-looking, from having the newest Barbie when they’re young to having the perfect everything when they [are] elementary-school age and older. It’s ridiculous because people get teased . . . about their appearance— not even their personality, but their appearance—and it’s so hard not to get wrapped into it. People usually do. I know I do.”
—Madeleine
“The media is the biggest reason for my being anorexic.”
—Alli
“Perfect skin, long eyelashes, big eyes, pink lips . . . I don’t know, I just think it’s pretty. That’s always shown in films and in magazines and stuff. I just love the look I can’t do. I’m just ugly, and I can’t be [bothered] to do makeup—don’t have much money for makeup anyway.”
The book tends to focus on younger women – because Emily feels that is where the most help is needed. “This is the age most impacted by anorexia”, she said.
The objective is to teach people to be who they are and that who they really are is perfectly alright.
This is a book you work with – the pictures themselves say a lot about different sizes and shapes – it is the comments and the questions that are out to readers that makes it worth the time and effort for those who question what they look like and go to some length to change that look.
You can order online anywhere that sells books – specifically Amazon Canada, Chapters Indigo, Amazon US, Bookshop, Indiebound, Books-A-Million, Barnes and Noble, Workman!
By Staff
January 6, 2021
BURLINGTON, ON
Buying a house is something most people know a little bit about.
 The Baxter was a very successful condo development; seen as a prime location and an attractive building. Not the same with a condominium. The rules are a little different for the condo world.
The province has released a CondoGuide that sets out just what the buying process is and what you need to know. The Guide was developed by the Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS) and approved by the Minister as a helpful resource for the buyers of residential pre-construction/new condo units.
Realtors are required to give you a copy of that guide and to allow a ten day cooling off period once the paper work is completed.
The Condo Guide equips prospective buyers of residential pre-construction/new or resale condo units with information on condo ownership and the condo purchase process.
It also contains various topics including moving into a residential pre-construction/new condo unit, condo living, and how condo owners can resolve issues.
Although the Condo Guide is primarily written for condo buyers, if you have recently purchased a unit, or even if you are a long-time condo owner, the Condo Guide may also be of interest to you as it covers many topics relevant to condo ownership.
You can access a copy of the CondoGuide HERE
By Staff
December 23rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
News about the schools is pouring from every source, making it difficult for parents to keep up.
One piece of news that will help make their day – the province wants to give parents $200.
 Each of those students will attract $200 to the family budget. Notice how this group is respecting the social distancing rules.
Parents of high school students in Ontario are eligible for a one-time payment of $200 per student to offset the cost of mandatory home learning this January.
Following the winter break, high school students will learn from home until Jan. 11 at the earliest, as part of the latest province-wide COVID-19 shutdown.
Premier Doug Ford announced on Dec. 21 that all schools in Ontario will remain closed after the winter break as part of the province wide COVID-19 shutdown, with secondary school students returning to the classroom on Jan. 11 in Northern Ontario and Jan. 25 in Southern Ontario.
Elementary school students across the province will also return to school on Jan. 11.
The province has made lump sum payments of $200 and $250 available twice this year for parents of children up to 12 years old or children and youth up to 21 years old with special needs, but this is the first time payments have been offered to parents and guardians of all students from 13 years old to those in Grade 12.
“While Ontario schools remain safe, we won’t take any chances following the holidays — we will pivot to teacher-led online learning to help protect against the spread of COVID-19 in our communities,” said Education Minister Stephen Lecce.
“We are providing direct financial support to parents of elementary, and now high school children. to help them get through this pandemic.”
The provincial government will post application instructions to the Support for Learners web page in January.
Applications for secondary school students will be open from Jan. 11 to Feb. 8. The application deadline for payments for children up to 12 years old or children and youth 21 years old and younger with special needs — which was announced in November — has also been extended to Feb. 8.
The Gazette will let you know when the application forms are ready.
 By Claire Ward
December 20th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The marketplace is changing, and nowhere is this more apparent than with the Canadian e-commerce boom.
While this increase in e-commerce sales has been growing for quite a while, only recently has the true weight of this trend become fully apparent.
How E-Commerce Took Canada By Storm
First, the facts: in total, there was around a 99.3% increase in retail e-commerce sales in Canada in May 2020 compared to February of the same year. This totaled about $3.9 billion in sales.
Those are huge numbers, but they are indicative of a much larger trend that has continued even over previous years. For example, e-commerce sales have recently doubled with a 110.8% increase compared to May 2019.
That’s a big jump in only a little more than a year. Digital industries, more than any others, are set to rise in the coming decade.
While it’s clear that COVID-19 and personal shopping restrictions definitely played a role in this astronomical growth, it’s also clear that e-commerce has been on the cusp of exploding for quite a long time. All the tinder needed was a match to light the first spark.
 Covid has taught how to use online retailers – now to find an organization that can do the job. Now, this development has the potential to restructure the entire Canadian retail industry from the ground up. For example, retail sales plummeted by 29.1% from February to April 2020 (which, admittedly, is in lockstep with the coronavirus restrictions that were rolled out across the country).
Still, it’s hard to deny the advantages that e-commerce inherently has over retail locations:
It’s easier than ever for people to find more products that physical stores may not have.
Ordering online often feels more convenient than visiting a physical store – even when grocery shopping!
Most e-commerce stores now offer free shipping, putting their prices equal to or more affordable than prices for equivalent products in retail stores
All in all, the future is abundantly clear: e-commerce is the way of the future for retail in Canada and beyond.
Winners and Losers – How Web Design Impacts Successful E-Commerce Stores
This being said, not every Canadian retail outlet will automatically benefit from huge profits over the coming months and years. Factors such as web design, which affects the look, navigation, and loading time of an e-commerce storefront or website, will determine which retail outlets will be successful compared to those that fail.
The reasons for this are relatively obvious:
People would much rather spend their time on a site that feels easy to navigate and fun to use rather than have to navigate a site that’s clunky and unintuitive
Furthermore, people are more likely to recommend an e-commerce site (and bring in more business for the retailer) if they appreciate their experience while they are there
Perhaps even more importantly, good e-commerce web design can provide credibility to a retailer. It shows that they know what they’re doing
Does Great Web Design Really Matter?
Absolutely! Knowing the benefits that well-designed eCommerce sites can bring to any retailer, it’s more important than ever before that companies build their digital storefronts with excellent web design agencies.
It may particularly be a good idea to hire a domestic agency if you’re looking for great web design in Canada, as these agencies will be able to craft an online space that’s perfectly tailored to your industry and unique needs.
But regardless, any retailer looking to take advantage of the rise of e-commerce in the Canadian market should look for an agency that:
can successfully identify customer pain points
can build a website that addresses those pain points
can provide a fast loading and intuitive web experience for all users
Time will tell which retailers rise to the challenge and craft new e-commerce stores with the capacity to grow and capture new markets.
By Pepper Parr
December 16th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Back in January when the world was normal I was invited to serve as a judge of different online media for the Canadian Online Newspaper Awards organization.
The awards have been given for the past 12 years.
 I was assigned to student newspapers, a market segment close to my heart – having worked as the features editor for the Queen’s Journal when I was a student.
I had stories from three student on-line newspapers: The Signal from Kings College, Dalhousie University;The Thunderbird, University of British Columbia and the York University, Student Magazine.
The students at The Signal covered a murder trial, with a different student reporting each week.
When it came to actually doing the judging we were smack dab in the middle of a pandemic that had shut down large parts of North America – the day to day focus was on keeping a flow of needed Covid news and information to the Burlington community. Finding time to look at the entries from three university newspapers was a challenge.
I managed to get the judging done just in time for the finals to be determined.
My choice for the best article made it to the finals.
 It was the best piece I judged; about a subject few want to know much about. The headline was brilliant. I was impressed with the talent and the quality of the entries. However there was one that really stood out – both because of the headline and the content – especially the subject. It wasn’t the kind of thing that I expected to read in a student newspaper.
I wrote the journalism course leader at UBC and asked for permission to re-print the piece, which is set out below.
The author, Akshay Kulkarni was born in Mysore, India, but has lived most of his life in Bengaluru. He has a BA (Hons) in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University, and plans to work as a multimedia journalist when he graduates from the Master of Journalism program at UBC.
He got the idea for the piece after reading a long feature about end-of-life and how to make it sustainable. He then wondered whether aquamation, the eco-friendly body disposal method outlined in the article, was legal in British Columbia and the article arose from there.
 Here is a link to the story that made it to the finals. I’ll let you know how how it placed when the awards are announced in January.
CLICK HERE to read: A burning issue
 By Pepper Parr
December 10th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
There are some things that you don’t want to miss watching.
The tearing down of the Berlin Wall in Germany.
President Obama speaking to the students at Notre Dame University.
There are others of course.
This evening Burlington Green has arranged for a screening of the film I am Greta. Her story is one parents will want their high school level students exposed to – great stuff.
 Greta Thunberg’s international crusade to bring climate justice to the forefront is an important story, the film explore the behind-the-scenes journey about how she become a force of nature.
Registrants will be sent a confirmation email with a ZOOM link to the event.
REGISTER HERE TODAY!
By Staff
December 4th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Another Town Hall on Covid19.
This next one will be on December 16th, between 6:00 and 7:00 pm.
There will be a sharing of information and answering of residents’ questions about our ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The format of this town hall will be different than the previous telephone-only town hall events. The December 16 town hall will be a virtual one, made available through Zoom, with attendees having the option to call in by phone or join in online.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward will host this virtual town hall and will be joined by a panel of local leaders to help answer residents’ COVID-19-related questions, including:
• Tim Commisso, City Manager, City of Burlington
• Chris Glenn, Director of Recreation Services, City of Burlington
• MP Pam Damoff, MP for Oakville-North Burlington
• Dr. Dale Kalina, Medical Director, Infection Prevention and Control, Joseph Brant Hospital
• Eric Vandewall, President and Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Brant Hospital
• Anita Cassidy, Executive Director, Burlington Economic Development.
How to Participate
Residents who would like to participate in the town hall can do so in the following ways:
1. Join virtually: Residents are invited to join just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16 to take part in the town hall via Zoom at http://bit.ly/townhalldecember16. If you have not downloaded Zoom before, you will be prompted to do so and create a personal account. Please be advised that more than one attempt may be required due to the high volume of traffic. A maximum of 1000 participants will be able to join in this virtual town hall. If we exceed 1000 guests, you will still be able to watch the recorded event online once it is posted at burlington.ca/townhall.
2. Join by phone: Residents are invited to join by phone by calling 647-374-4685 and entering webinar ID 880 1886 1286.
Once the town hall begins, a moderator will provide participants with instructions for how to submit their questions to the leadership panel. As with previous public town halls, the focus of this event will be on the situation surrounding COVID-19. Participants are requested to ask any questions related to COVID-19, the city’s response, impacts to residents, businesses, services and programs, hospital and health-related questions, and the broader impact of the pandemic on our community.
A recording and related transcript of the town hall will be posted online after Dec. 16 at burlington.ca/townhall.
commitment to providing the community with essential services remains a priority. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at Burlington.ca/Enews and download the free City of Burlington app.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward is “I look forward to the final public town hall of 2020 and engaging this time with residents both over the phone and virtually via Zoom. As always, our goal is to help answer questions related to COVID-19 so we can keep our community healthy, safe and supported through this challenging pandemic.”
Quick Facts
• Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the City of Burlington has hosted six telephone town hall events, on March 26, April 14, June 4, July 16, Sept. 23 and Nov. 18 to provide updates about what the City is doing to protect the health and safety of our community and to address concerns from the public related to COVID-19.
• Audio recordings and full transcripts from the previous town hall events are available online at burlington.ca/townhall. Answers to many of the questions asked by the public during these town hall events are also available at the same location on the City’s website.
COVID-19 Links and Resources
• For information about COVID-19 in Halton Region, including the latest public health guidance and the status of COVID-19 cases, please visit halton.ca/coronavirus
• Community questions and requests regarding City of Burlington services can be directed to Service Burlington by phone at 905-335-7777, by email at city@burlington.ca or online
By Staff
December 3rd, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board (HDSB) will host a virtual Student Census Information Session on Tuesday, December 8 at 7 p.m. at www.hdsb.ca.
The Information Session provides an opportunity for HDSB families to learn about the Student Census, which will be conducted starting in January 2021.
The Student Census will confidentially gather data about students’ identities such as their first language, ethnic and racial background, religion, gender identity and for older students, sexual orientation. Students will also share their perceptions of school climate, sense of belonging and experiences with bullying.
Families have the opportunity to submit questions before and during the information session through this form: https://bit.ly/StudentCensus_Questions
Following the event, a full recording of the information session will be available with closed captioning and translated versions of the presentation. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) will also be made available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish and Urdu. These resources will be posted on the HDSB Student Census webpage.
 Rob Eatough, Superintendent of Education. “The HDSB is committed to providing a supportive, inclusive and respectful learning environment for students,” says Rob Eatough, Superintendent of Education. “In order to do this, we must truly understand the needs of all students and families.”
All school boards in Ontario are required by the Anti-Racism Act, 2017 and Ontario’s Education Equity Action Plan to gather and report identity-based data by 2023. The data from the Student Census will help the HDSB and its schools to:
• fully understand the needs of all students and families to support student success and well-being
• identify and eliminate discriminatory practices, systemic barriers and bias in order to ensure equitable opportunities and outcomes
• allocate resources to support students and programs where the need is greatest.
 By Staff
November 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
They never really stop trying to fool you into giving them critical information on how you bank on line. There are thousands of people who send out email scams trying to get at your money.
Using the internet is a little like crossing a busy street – even though the light is green – you still want to look both ways.
 We don’t bank at the Royal Bank of Canada. They are a very good, quality banking operation.
They, or rather someone wanting us to think that it was the Royal Bank reaching out to us to do something. Had we been a Royal Bank customer we might have responded.
Here is what was sent to us:
Dear (RBC Royal Bank) Client,
We are making important changes to your Royal Bank Account and Services.
We might request RBC Business & Personal Clients, to go through a verification process to maintain the integrity of our systems. Please review the Electronic Agreement attached to this email for more details.
We value your business and hope you have a great day!
For more information go to RBC Royal Bank
Best wishes,
Edward Loews
Head of RBC Online Services
Royal Bank of Canada
There was a Pdf attached to the email. Opening that Pdf would have given them access to almost everything on our computer.
Read the email that you get carefully and if in doubt – don’t.
Like crossing the street on a green light – look left and right, the consequences if you don’t could be very painful.
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