 By Staff
February 26th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
An application for a retail cannabis store in Burlington has been received by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Written comments due by March 6
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (ACGO) has received an application for a retail cannabis store in Burlington at 103-4031 Fairview St.
 Proposed location for a retail cannabis operation. On Fairview east of Walkers Line. Written comments about the proposed location at 103-4031 Fairview St. will be received by the AGCO until March 6, 2019 and may be submitted online at www.agco.ca/iAGCO. The AGCO will accept submissions from:
• A resident of the municipality in which the proposed store is located
• The municipality representing the area in which the proposed store is located and/or its upper-tier municipality.
Comments submitted to the AGCO should relate to the following matters of public interest:
• Protecting public health and safety
• Protecting youth and restricting their access to cannabis
• Preventing illicit activities in relation to cannabis.
After March 6, the AGCO will consider all written comments and available information to decide whether the application for the proposed store location will be approved.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has been an advocate for retail cannabis operations. During the election campaign she said she was surprised at the resistance to retail locations in the city.
When it came to a vote at city council Councillors Shawna Stolte, Ward 4 and ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentevegna voted to not have retail outlets.
 Mayor Meed Ward supports the opening of a retail cannabis site: two of the six Councillors were not n side with her. The Mayor said: “This is the kind of location where it is appropriate for accommodating retail cannabis stores in our city. It is more than 150 metres from any school or any of the other locations of particular concern, including parks, pools, arenas, libraries or recreation centres. And it is also along transit routes and near the QEW/Hwy. 403.
She added that the city “won’t be submitting comments to the AGCO on this application given its suitability. The public can submit their comments by March 6 to the AGCO’s website. Burlington City Council is in the process of creating a task force to develop a set of standard comments we would provide to the AGCO, when applications come forward, that reflect community perspectives on where these should be located.”
Meed Ward has been appointed as one of four members of a working group at the Large Urban Mayor’s Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO), part of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, that will work to develop similar guidelines for suitable locations. The working group includes mayors of two municipalities that opted in and two that opted out of allowing cannabis retail stores, recognizing that our concerns are similar. The guidelines we create will be shared with the AGCO and our municipalities.
 By Staff
February 25th 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board (HDSB) is currently reviewing the boundaries of Frontenac Public School along with the following Ward 4 elementary schools: John T. Tuck, Pauline Johnson, Ryerson, and Tecumseh.
This review will not impact current high school boundaries. That means students currently residing in the Nelson HS catchment will continue to be directed to Nelson HS.
 Pauline Johnson PS has a number of portable to accommodate the student population Boundary reviews are necessary when student enrollments are imbalanced. When populations exceed school capacity, portables are necessary. When individual school populations are consistently low (under 60% utilization), school closure conversations (otherwise known as a Program Accommodation Review) can be triggered.
The school board publishes an annual report on the current and long term enrollment predictions for all schools in Halton. This report is called the Long Term Accommodation Plan
The Boundary Review Committee (BRC) consists of a superintendent, a trustee, and two parent representatives from each school in the affected communities. BRC meetings will take place at the New Street Education Centre (3250 New Street), also known as Gary Allan HS, from 7–9 p.m. on February 26, April 9, and May 14. The public is welcome to attend, as observers, at any of the BRC meetings.
The public is invited to participate in the Boundary Review Public Consultation meeting being held on April 30 at the same location and time as above. Here, the public may view the options being considered and ask questions of the HDSB staff and Boundary Review Committee members in attendance.
 By Staff
February 23rd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
We are going to get through this winter.
 The people at the Art Gallery are so certain that we will they have announced “ officially “ that Spring + Summer Program Registration opens Wednesday, March 13!
You can register online at agb.life/springsummer2019 , by phone at (905) 632-7796, or in person at our Brock Lobby Front Desk!
The people who pump out the news at the AGB have said that: “If you heard that registration was starting on another date, ignore those rumours! In order to give you the best registration experience possible, we moved the time. We’re so sorry for any inconvenience this change may cause!
 By Pepper Parr
February 19th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The weather was great!
 Michael Jones talks to Liz Benneian about the turnout for Family Day – it was great. It had been a tough weekend weather-wise but it changed for Family Day and particularly for those who took the opportunity to gather at LaSalle Park and watch the Trumpeter swans and walk among them.
 People walked about the swans while those with impressive camera equipment were clicking away. The swans were at one point on the very edge of extinction and in some communities they are still at risk.
 At feeding time the birds cluster and poke away at the food. The birds with light brown colouring are younger birds. But at LaSalle Park on Monday they were out there for all to see. Liz Benneian stood at the entrance telling anyone who would give her two minutes more than they ever thought they would know about the swans and the problems and victories that the Trumpeter Swan Coalition have experienced.
The Gazette sponsored a photo contest with the Coalition. There wasn’t very much in the way of lead time but at the end of the day there were more than a dozen entries with more to come.
There are some stunning pictures that will be shared once the judges have done their job.
 Liz Benneian uses every opportunity she gets to tell the swan story. The Coalition shares the waterfront space with the Marina – that relationship gets stiff from time to time. With changes on city council there appears to be a much better relationship coming to the surface.
 A swan about to take flight. The public participation was good – and the people on hand to tell the swan story were exceptionally well informed.
 They mate for life and swim around in pairs much of the time. Is there a lesson here for the rest of us?  The swans gather in a small cove at the eastern end of the waterfront park.
 By Larisa Wong
February 18th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
One of the most popular social media platforms is Snapchat. It has grow in popularity ever since launching and it is particularly a hit with young adults and teens. If you use Snapchat, then you probably see many emojis, but do you actually know what they are and what each one means? Don’t worry because the rest of this article will go into more depth about what they are and what some of them mean.
What Are Snapchat Emojis
Snapchat emojis tracks the way you and your friends on the platform interact with one another. The emojis that show up on your friends tab can be affected by various factors, such as how often you and your friend send one another snaps, the length of time you’ve been friends and other users you interact with. These are the main factors.
Think of Snapchat emojis as other emojis that are commonly used on social media sites, but they are slightly unique.
What Do They Mean
Here is what the most popular emojis mean:
 The Baby Face– Do you see this emoji? If so, then you’ve just added someone new to your Snapchat’s friends list. If you just joined Snapchat, then this emoji will be shown frequently. Think of the baby face emoji symbolizing that you are brand new to the site or that you have new friends on Snapchat, if that makes sense.
The Birthday Cake Emoji– If the birthday cake emoji pops up near one of your friends as you’re scrolling your list, then you can probably guess what it means. If not, it means it’s their birthday. When a person signs up to Snapchat, they provide their date of birth and on that date is when the emoji will appear near their name. Don’t forget to wish them a happy birthday if you notice this emoji near their name.
Fire– Have you been snapping with a friend for at least three days in a row? If so, then you’ll see the fire emoji on your list. The number next to the flame will represent how many days your streak is. If it’s four days, then the number for will be next to the fire emoji.
Hourglass– This emoji means that your streak is about to end with the person that it is next to. All you have to do is send them a quick snap. After you do this, your streak will continue, but do remember that chatting along won’t keep the streak going. This is why you’ll want to take snap selfies via the selfie camera.
Grimace– The grimace emoji appears when you share a best friend with the friend that the emoji is showing next to. It indicates that the person interacts quite a bit with the friend you interact with regularly. The more you interact with specific users, the more likely you’ll end up seeing the grimace emoji appearing.
 The Smile Emoji- This emoji means the users is one of your good friends because of how frequently you interact with them. It also means they send you many snaps and so do you, but it does not indicate they are your number one best friend. The more active you are on Snapchat, the more of a chance you have of spotting this emoji.
The 100– This is one of the best emojis on Snapchat. Make sure you take a screenshot of it if you come across it because it means that you are on a huge streak. To be more specific, it means your streak with a specific person has hit the 100 day mark, which is quite impressive.
Purple Zodiac Sign– When you click on a user’s name to view their profile and you see a purple Zodiac sign near them, it means they have entered their birthday. The Zodiac symbol for that month shows up. If you ever get curious about who has entered their date of birth and what their Zodiac symbol is, then click on people’s profile.
Gold Heart- The gold heart emoji indicates that you and the person are best friends on Snapchat. It means you have sent this person many snaps and they have done the same. In fact, it means you’ve sent them the most and they’ve sent you the most.
 Sunglasses– The sunglasses emoji means you and the person share a close friend. A close friend does not mean they are one of your best friends, but it is a user who sends you snaps on a regular basis. Don’t be surprised to see this emoji pop up regularly as you become a more frequent user of the platform.
Now you know what Snapchat emojis are. You also have an idea of what some of them mean. With that said, if you’re not using emojis on Snapchat, then you should start.
Larisa Wong is a recognized expert on the use and meaning of emojis She works out of the Murcia region of Spain which borders on the Mediterranean Sea.
Related link:
More on the Snapchat people.
By Staff
February 11th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Second information session on private tree bylaw to take place February 26 – bylaw becomes effective March 1st in Roseland community.
The City of Burlington’s second public drop-in information session on the Roseland Private Tree Bylaw pilot is set for Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Central Arena’s auditorium.
The first drop in session took place at LaSalle Park, about as far away as one could get from where the impact of the bylaw is going to be felt.
The Private Tree Bylaw will come into effect on March 1, 2019, only within the Roseland community area, for two years. Later this year the city will begin the process of public engagement on the possibility of implementing a citywide private tree bylaw.
 These trees in the east end of the city are at the edge of land that a developer wants to put two apartment towers on – the trees would be cut down and replaced. The pilot project aims to protect private trees with diameters larger than 30 cm, historic and rare tree species from damage or destruction.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to attend to learn more about how the bylaw will protect Burlington’s tree canopy and how it will impact their homes and businesses.
Businesses such as landscapers, pool companies, homebuilders, general contractors and tree companies are also encouraged to come and learn about the bylaw.
The first information session was held earlier in the month specifically for Roseland residents. Approximately 25 people attended the session.
 Private property – private tree. This type of thing would not be possible under a private tree bylaw – without something in the way of consequences. About the Private Tree Bylaw
No person can injure, destroy, cause or permit the injury or destruction of a tree with a diameter of 30cm or greater or of a tree of significance (historic or rare).
To read the full bylaw, including information on permits, exemptions and fines, visit Burlington.ca/PrivateTree.
Examples of exemptions include:
• Trees with a diameter of less than 30cm
• For the purpose of pruning in accordance with Good Arboricultural Practices
• For emergency work
• If the tree has a high or extreme likelihood of failure and impact as verified or confirmed by an Arborist or the Manager
• If the tree is dead, as confirmed by the Manager of Urban Forestry, or designate
• If the tree is an ash tree (due to the Emerald Ash Borer), as confirmed by the Manager of Urban Forestry, or designate
• If a tree is within two metres of an occupied building
• For more exemptions, visit Burlington.ca/privatetree
 This will tree was taken down in |Spencer Smith Park because it was thought to be diseased and in danger of falling down. No permit was needed. Permits
A person wanting to remove a tree with a diameter larger than 30 cm or of significance can apply for a permit online by visiting Burlington.ca/privatetree.
Fines
Minimum fine is $500. Maximum fine is $100,000.
Public Information Session
Residents and businesses are invited to attend an information session on the Private Tree Bylaw pilot on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Central Arena (auditorium), 519 Drury Lane, Burlington.
The session will allow residents and businesses to learn about the Private Tree Bylaw and how it will impact their homes, business and neighbourhood by speaking with city staff including members of the Forestry Department.
For those who are unable to attend, more information can be found at burlington.ca/privatetree.
In comments from the Office of the Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said: “I know from talking to residents that there are many people in our city who are passionate about our trees. Their benefit extends far beyond the beauty they provide. Their ability to mitigate flooding and absorb pollution is tremendous. They are a critical part of Burlington’s green infrastructure; we need to protect them and that’s what we believe this Private Tree Bylaw will accomplish.”
Steve Robinson, Manager of Forestry explains that: “Every tree matters. Our trees are under constant threat from climate change, weather-related storm events, invasive insects and diseases, as well as people. The benefits trees provide to all of us are critical such as air quality, shade, and carbon sequestration. We are working hard to protect trees, including encouraging preservation and replanting to restore lost canopy. It takes decades for the lost benefits of one mature tree to be replaced. Together, we can keep Burlington green and healthy which benefits us all.”
 When large numbers of new trees have to be planted scores of volunteers show up. There are those that are having problems accepting that the city can tell them what they can do with trees on their property. Understanding that a tree is not a person’s property but a piece of nature that they have become stewards of while they are owners of the property. As a steward their role is to do everything they can to ensure the tree is cared for and allowed to grow to its full maturity and serve the environmental needs of the wider community.
One can no longer cut down a tree just because one no longer wants to rake the leaves up in the fall.
 By Staff
February 6th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
They are the largest swans in the world, native only to North America and they have made an amazing comeback from the brink of extinction. On Family Day, Monday, February 18th, come to LaSalle Park, in Burlington, to meet the Trumpeter Swans and hear their amazing story of conservation success.
 The event will be held between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. when members of the Trumpeter Swan Restoration Group and the Trumpeter Swan Coalition will be on hand to introduce you to these magnificent birds that have fought their way back from extinction with the help of a group of dedicated volunteers. Hear the Trumpeter Swans’ amazing stories and learn more about them from the team of women who band and tag the birds.
The event will be held along the shoreline of Lasalle Park, 831 Lasalle Park Road. Booths will be set up near the boat launch. Banders and taggers will be working in the beach area. LaSalle Park is the largest over-wintering site for Trumpeter Swans in Ontario. Between 125 to 200 Trumpeters gather near the harbour from December to March.
The event is free. All ages welcome. Dogs make the Trumpeters nervous so please leave your pets at home.
 By Staff
February 5th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
February is Heritage Month in Burlington.
 Empire Loyalist Union cemetery in Aldershot. The Ghent’s were a significant family when Burlington was known as Wellington Square. The City of Burlington’s Heritage Committee has been busy planning another exciting Heritage Month, Topics and events will include Black history, First Nations, Freeman Station, Burlington architecture, movies, panel discussions, stories and more. The full calendar listing is at bpl.on.ca and burlington.ca/calendar.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said: “Great cities aren’t made overnight. Our connections to the underground railroad, First Nations, the industrial revolution and, of course, our contributions to the great wars are well documented. Thanks to the efforts of the Burlington Heritage Month Committee and Heritage Burlington, they are also becoming well-told.”
Howard Bohan, Chair, Heritage Burlington had this to say:
“We are proud to offer such interesting and diverse historical and educational opportunities. Special thanks to the Burlington Heritage Month Committee and to Martha Hemphill of the United Empire Loyalists Association for her leadership.”
Black History Month is bringing the African and Caribbean immigrant experience to this city.
 Ancilla Ho Young takes part in an unveiling of noted Black citizens. She is with Mayor Meed Ward and an unidentified person. Burlington Caribbean Connection, in partnership with the City of Burlington, Halton Regional Police Service, both Halton school boards and the Halton Multicultural Council, is staging its third annual Black History Month Celebrations with two events in February.
The play Once On This Island, is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) at Nelson High School.
Once On This Island is a Caribbean version of Hans Christian Anderson’s tale of the Little Mermaid. It’s described as a colourful musical tale of love, loss and redemption performed by a group of Caribbean peasants as they wait out a violent storm.
The story tells of a young peasant girl who leaves her village in search of her love. It is the peasants’ version of what became of her, filtered through faith and imagination, music, drama, love and race.
Admission to the event is free but a donation box will be available to help fund events for next year. If you would like to attend but did not receive an invitation, call 905-332-9098 to reserve a seat, or send an e-mail to: thebcc2000@yahoo.ca.
The Halton District School Board celebrates Black History Month as a tremendous opportunity for our students to learn more about, and for our schools to highlight, the very significant contributions Black Canadians have made to the very fabric of Canada,” says Stuart Miller, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board.
 The $10 bill was released by the Mint to celebrate the contribution Viola Desmond made to progress for Black people in the Maritimes. The Halton District School Board named a school after the woman “In addition to the teaching that takes place all year, the month of February provides students even greater exposure and deeper learning into the many achievements of African Canadians. As a Board, we are so proud to have two of our elementary schools named after individuals who courageously stood up for civil rights in Canada (Viola Desmond PS) and bravely brought freedom to thousands of people escaping slavery through the Underground Railroad (James W. Hill PS).”
Some of the events taking place at Halton schools to celebrate Black History Month include:
• Robert Bateman HS (Burlington): Dwayne Morgan, a spoken word artist and motivational speaker, will visit the school on Feb. 21. He will conduct a Black History Jeopardy workshop where students can answer a series of Black History questions.
• Anne J. MacArthur PS (Milton): Students and staff will be led through a lively assembly on Feb. 5 by the organization Stay Driven, in which students and staff will learn about Black Canadian history.
• James W. Hill PS (Oakville): On Feb. 6, Inspiration Republic will host three performances at the school featuring the life stories of historical African Canadians: James W. Hill, Viola Desmond, Mary Ann Shadd, and Elijah McCoy.
• Ethel Gardiner PS (Halton Hills): On Feb. 7, Babarinde Williams will lead Grade 3-8 students and staff through a presentation about Black Canadian heroes. Kindergarten to Grade 2 students will participate in a drumming workshop, led by Williams.
Celebrating Black History Month aligns with the Equity and Well-being goals contained in the Halton District School Board’s Multi-Year Plan. The goal is to ensure every student learns in a respectful culture of high expectations that values diversity, and that students will see themselves reflected in their learning.
By Staff
January 31st, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The Joseph Brant Museum will re-open this summer.
One of the three permanent galleries will feature an interactive, hands-on space designed for future engineers, mathematicians & scientists!
 The words say it all It will be called the STEAM Zone, which appears to be picking up on the new program being offered by the Halton District School Board that starts an iSTEM program at Aldershot High School next September.
The school board people weren’t at all sure that the public would go for the program – the first registration – information night the high school was packed.
It would appear that both the Museum and the school board are onto something.
 Western retaining wall in place – museum addition scheduled to open in the summer.  Architect rendering of what the renewed museum will look like. Construction at the Museum appears to be on time and hopefully on budget. They are going to need more in the way of staff for the program offerings – nothing much in the current 2019 budget review that is being considered by Council
By Staff
January 26th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Community Development Halton, an community agency funded in part by the Hamilton Halton United Way and the Region of Halton regularly delivers a series of research papers on issues that matter to the health and social welfare of the Region.
The most recent paper focuses on the number and proportion of working seniors.
This sector of the working population continues to increase. Over one in five (22%) seniors in Halton worked at some point during 2015 compared to about 16% ten years ago (2005). The number of working seniors grew from 9,000 to 16,700, a 86% increase. Working seniors between 65 and 74 years old increased by 91%.
Do working seniors continue to work in the same occupation after retirement? Is there any difference between senior men and senior women? What are the most common occupations for working senior men and women?
For working senior men, the most popular occupation is sales and service (e.g. insurance, real estates and financial sales, retail salesperson and cleaners). About one in five (20.5%) seniors aged 65 to 74 and almost one in four (24.4%) seniors aged 75 and over are in that occupation. This occupation only accounts for 15% of older men working between 55 and 64 years of age.
Management is the most common occupation for men aged 55 to 64 years and is also a popular occupation for seniors aged 65+ (e.g. senior managers in various industries). About 17% of working senior men (65-74 years) work in trades, transport and equipment operator occupations. Many work as motor vehicle and transit drivers (e.g. taxi, limousine, bus drivers, and transport truck drivers).
For working senior women, the most popular occupation is business, finance and administration (e.g. general office workers, administrative officers, office administrative assistants – general, legal and medical). About 33% of working senior women aged 65 to 74 and 37% aged 75 and over are in that occupation. This is also the most common occupation for women between 55 and 64 years old.
Sales and service is the next popular occupation (e.g. retail salesperson and insurance, real estates and financial sales). Almost one in three (30.4%) working senior women aged 75 and over work in this occupation.
Over one in ten working senior women are employed in education, law and social, community and government services. Many work as secondary and elementary school teachers and educational counsellors, home care providers and elementary and secondary school teacher assistants.
 By Pepper Parr
January 25th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The works of that famous mime artist Marcel Marceau are lost to most of us.
 Trevor Copp as Marcel Marceau Trevor Copp is developing his skills and does an incredible Marceau performance. Copp doesn’t just do Marceau – he has extended the art of mime.
Marcel Marceau was a French actor and mime artist most famous for his stage persona as “Bip the Clown”. He referred to mime as the “art of silence”, and he performed professionally worldwide for over 60 years. He died in 2007.
Copp has picked up the art form and will be doing a performance on February 1st and 2nd at the
LIVELab ofMcMaster University; February 1 and 2 @ 7:30pm
Tix $15/$10 students. CLICK HERE for tix.
Directions/Parking Details – CLICK HERE
Copp has done this show before more than 8,000 people in the last year; audiences keep asking for more.
Reviews for TBT’s Mime Theatre
“A master of contemporary theatre….there is a sensitivity to the performance, an indefinable sense of risk taking that signals the true artist”
– Gary Smith, The Hamilton Spectator
“…inspirational cross-training for the soul… there is a deep seated need for this kind of physical art that people don’t even realize they have anymore. In the age of Netflix and downloads, return to the campfires of our primitive ancestors and feel how theatre first stirred our souls. And as a bonus, feel the incomparable magic of the man in the box bit done by someone who studied at the Marcel Marceau School in Paris and clearly knows what he’s doing.”
– Diane Lachapelle, Apt. 613 Blog
“He moves with beautiful fluency…simply too creative for words. Highly skilled….a fresh fusion between acting and modern dance”
– View magazine
Searching for Marceau is the story of a budding young artist trying to make sense of his two fathers: the real one raising him and the far away Marcel Marceau. The imaginary and the real battle in this theatre/mime piece that reinvents Marcel Marceau’s Mime tradition for the 21st Century.
Some examples of a Copp performance – short clips
Movement study: a bird flapping wings.
The old standard. I still get more requests for this than anything.
By Staff
January 25th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board is hosting a two-day conference this spring where professionals, parents/guardians and community will learn about an educational approach for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
The conference, called The SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Related Developmental Disabilities, will be held Wednesday, April 17 and Thursday, April 18, 2019 at the Burlington Convention Centre (1120 Burloak Drive, Burlington).
The conference features guest speaker Dr. Barry Prizant who is recognized as one of the leading scholars in autism spectrum disorders and communication disabilities. He has more than 40 years experience as a researcher and international consultant for individuals with autism and related disabilities. He is a certified Speech-Language Pathologist, an Adjunct Professor at Brown University and director of a private practice.
Formerly, Prizant was a Professor of Communication Disorders at Emerson College and Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the Brown University Medical School.
Mark Zonneveld, Superintendent of Education for the Halton District School Board is the lead on this project. The outcome for him is to “help our school and parent communities better understand Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and how we can effectively assist youth at school and at home.”
This presentation will provide an introduction to the SCERTS Model (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support). The Model is a comprehensive evidence-based framework for prioritizing goals and implementing practices that focus on the core challenges in ASD: Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and providing Transactional Support for children with ASD, and related social-communicative disabilities.
The SCERTS Model is a flexible and individualized approach that includes focusing on learning functional skills in everyday activities and is based on the unique learning style of persons with ASD.
In this workshop, assessment and intervention issues will be addressed for children with a wide range of developmental abilities and ages, including preverbal and verbal individuals, from preschool through elementary, middle, high school ages and adult services. Particular emphasis will be given to the core challenges faced by students with ASD and related abilities by emphasizing the interface between social, emotional and communication issues from a clinical and educational perspective.
The SCERTS Model has been implemented in more than a dozen countries in programs ranging from Early Intervention, school-age services and adult services.
Cost
Early Bird Registration (Received before Feb 15, 2019)
$395.00 (Includes Lunch)
Regular Registration (Received after Feb 15, 2019)
$425.00 (Includes Lunch)
For more information about the SCERTS conference and/or to register, click here.
 By Ray Rivers
January 23rd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
There was a time when butter was bad and hydrogenated margarine the cats’ meow. But that was so yesterday.
Then we were being told that meat, eggs and fat were full of cholesterol and bad for us. At least until Mr. Atkins came along and the Paleo crowd showed up. And when anyone consulted the official Canada Food Guide, it seemed that they were just too busy promoting Canadian farm produced dairy and meat products to be trusted.
 The 2019 version of the Food Guide There are thousands of recipe books out there. And to distinguish themselves and keep us from dying of nutritional boredom they guide us to cook our food every which way from Sunday, and to hurl a host of additives into our food. There was red dye #2 and saccharin which were proven to give you cancer. We now know that sugar has been linked to diabetes, and lots of salt is a recipe for heart disease. And God knows what ‘liquid smoke’ must do to your body.
Where better to learn how to prepare healthy food than by watching those colourful chefs on the food channel, you’d think? My favourite anti-hero is Canada’s John Catucci and his ‘You Gotta Eat Here’. His travelling food show features some of the most over-salted and sugared, deep-fried dishes known to man or woman.
Catucci’s show, and its ilk like Carnival Eats, and Guy Fieri’s ‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives’ are the anti-christ, the enemy of healthy eating. It may take more than Canada’s Food Guide to move us out of these greasy spoons and back into our own kitchens. But it is a start.
The Guide has traditionally been part of the school curriculum and is intended to be promoted by health and fitness professionals. And that should include food served at daycares and schools, recreation centres, workplaces and health-care facilities. But don’t count on it. Hot dogs, hamburgers, donuts, and all that other stuff we affectionately call junk food, are pretty regular fare when kids eat out.
My column is usually about politics. So why food and a food guide? Well, like everyone else I like food, healthy food. I even wrote and produced a play on the topic in the Hamilton Fringe festival one year.
Previous guides have always been a compromise between nutrition and supporting our dairy and animal farmers. You can find a flank steak and some skim milk in a few of the recipes in the new Guide but water is now the new preferred meal time beverage. And that pretty well sums up the new Guide.
 Meat is the most inefficient source of protein we can consume. No doubt the dairy and cattle farmers will be unhappy about what they’ll see as a move by a federal government agency to convince folks to eat less of their output. Albertans might even say this is more proof that Justin Trudeau is trying to destroy their livelihood, much like his father tried to do to the province’s oil men and women. Of course that is nonsense but there is a commonality between red meat and oil.
It’s how these products affect the environment and climate change in particular. Cows and other ruminants release huge amounts of greenhouse gases (GHG) when they digest their food. And meat is the most inefficient source of protein we can consume anyway. It requires far more land and water than soybeans per measure of protein, for example. And animal off-gassing is a leading source of GHGs – as we see particularly in places down under, where the Hobbits dwell.
The new guide recommends eating lots of fruit and vegetables, but otherwise stayed away from its past practice of identifying necessary food groups. It includes a number of healthy food recipes and openly encourages Canadians of all ages to get into their kitchens and start cooking. And there is a big pitch to bring the next generation into the time honoured practice of making our own meals, and by-passing the drive-thru.
It has taken three years to put this fairly simple guide together and must have cost a bundle. The authors consulted almost thirty thousand Canadians and every food agency in the country. Oh sure food guides and recipe books are a bit of reach back into nostalgia in this day of five minute delivery, one might think.
But whether you still living in a ‘Leave it to Beaver’ era kitchen or have outfitted yourself with the best of todays space-age culinary hardware, cooking your own food is fun and more economical than the alternative. The reality is that only one in five Canadians cook every day and some would say that alone is unhealthy.
 There is an epidemic of obesity in this country; just 29% of us have a healthy body weight. There is an epidemic of obesity in this country and the number one culprit is fast food. Anyone who hasn’t, should watch the epic documentary ‘Super Size Me’ (below). Poor diet is a leading risk factor for death in Canada. So the federal government has taken a somewhat passive stab at that issue with its new Canada Food Guide. And every Canadian should have a copy in their kitchen, and maybe even to show to their children at bed time.
I have to run now as my veggie chilli is just coming to a boil….
 Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Canada Food Guide – More Food Guide – Food For Thought – Super Size Me –
By Staff
January 22nd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
After years of getting to the point where there would be a Private Tree Bylaw Burlington is now ready to put at least a toe in the water of a very controversial issue: can anyone just cut down a tree on their property.
The Roseland Private Tree Bylaw Pilot comes into effect March 1. Information sessions are planned.
 Streets can look like this as long as the owners of the property those tress are on go along with the bylaw. The pilot project aims to protect private trees with diameters larger than 30 cm, historic and rare tree species from damage or destruction.
The two-year pilot will conclude in March of 2021. At the end of the pilot, a report with recommendations will be presented to City Council.
About the Private Tree Bylaw:
No person can injure, destroy, cause or permit the injury or destruction of a tree with a diameter of 30cm or greater or of a tree of significance (historic or rare).
The full bylaw, including information on permits, exemptions and fines, visit Burlington.ca/PrivateTree.
Examples of exemptions include:
• Trees with a diameter of less than 30cm
• For the purpose of pruning in accordance with Good Arboricultural Practices
• For emergency work
• If the tree has a high or extreme likelihood of failure and impact as verified or confirmed by an Arborist or the Manager
• If the tree is dead, as confirmed by the Manager of Urban Forestry, or designate
• If the tree is an ash tree (due to the Emerald Ash Borer), as confirmed by the Manager of Urban Forestry, or designate
• If a tree is within two metres of an occupied building
• For more exemptions, visit Burlington.ca/PrivateTree
Permits you will have yo get – and pay for:
A person wanting to remove a tree with a diameter larger than 30 cm or of significance can apply for a permit online by visiting Burlington.ca/PrivateTree.
Fines for failing to comply with the bylaw:
Minimum fine is $500. Maximum fine is $100,000.
Public Information Session
Residents and businesses of the Roseland community are invited to attend a drop-in information session on the Private Tree Bylaw pilot on January 29, 2019, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Burlington Seniors’ Centre, 2285 New St., Burlington.
 This is what Belvenia looks like now – a lot of the trees are on city property. The informal, drop-in style of session will allow residents and businesses to learn about the Private Tree Bylaw and how it will impact their homes, business and neighbourhood by speaking with city staff including members of the Forestry Department.
For those who are unable to attend, more information can be found at burlington.ca/PrivateTree.
A second information session will be held for those living and working outside of the Roseland community at a later date.
 There is a relationship between those trees and those geese. The geese were eating the apples that fell from the tree and they pooped on the church driveway – church didn’t like that – the trees were cut down. The Mayor has gone very public on this one. Marianne Meed Ward said: “As I mentioned in my inaugural address, protecting Burlington’s tree canopy is one my goals. Burlington residents feel passionately about this issue. These trees are a big part of what makes our city beautiful, and they are also important contributors to our clean air, an important part of mitigating flood risk in our neighborhoods, and they provide shelter and sustenance for countless creatures in our natural surroundings. They’re a valuable resource we need to protect.”
Mary Battaglia, Director of Roads, Parks & Forestry explains that: “Although the city is responsible for thousands of trees on its streets and in its parks and open spaces, most of Burlington’s trees are on private land which makes it so important to work with residents and other stakeholders who own or manage these properties throughout the city as they have the greatest ability to preserve and protect the city’s urban forest.”
Links and Resources
Private Tree Bylaw Pilot
 By Staff
January 21st, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
 How many people in Burlington remember this theatre that was on Lakeshore Road The City of Burlington’s Heritage Committee has been busy planning another exciting Heritage Month, that begins on February 1st.
There is an opportunity to learn more about the events and issues that have shaped Burlington and Canada by attending the informative sessions planned throughout the month.
Topics and events will include Black history, First Nations, Freeman Station, Burlington architecture, movies, panel discussions, stories and more. The full calendar listing is at bpl.on.ca and burlington.ca/calendar.
 Lower kitchen in Ireland House – it is a tour well worth the time. A kick-off event is planned for Friday, February 1st at St. John’s Anglican Church, 2464 Dundas from 1 to 2 p.m and at Ireland House Museum, 2168 Guelph Line from 2:30 to 4 p.m.)
1 p.m. – Greetings from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward; talks on St. John’s Cemetery, Burlington Agriculture and Oakridge Farm
2:30 p.m. – Refreshments (hot cider and freshly baked scones) and tours of Ireland House Museum.
Seating for this event is limited so please RSVP to arabellagore@gmail.com by Jan. 25, 2019.
Someone in the audience at the Ireland House presentation might want to ask the Mayor about the house she lives in on Martha Street; The Meed Ward family went to the effort to have their home designation as historically relevant.
Howard Bohan, Chair, Heritage Burlington that made this event possible worked with the Burlington Public Library, Museums of Burlington and the City of Burlington. He gives special thanks to the Burlington Heritage Month Committee and to Martha Hemphill of the United Empire Loyalists Association for her leadership.”
 By Andrew Drummond
January 21st, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Last week, the Ontario government announced a number of changes to the way the Colleges and Universities will be funded in Ontario. As with many of the changes that have been brought in by this government, these changes are short-sighted and will cause hardships that fall heaviest on the most vulnerable in our society.
The changes include:
– A 10% reduction in tuition for most undergraduate and diploma programs, with no funding to address the revenue shortfall this will create
– A reduction in the number of grants available to low income students and more stringent requirements needed to get a grant
– The end of free tuition for low income students
– A reduction in the amount of family income necessary to disqualify you from the OSAP program
– Changes to the application of interest to force students to pay back more money earlier.
Each of these changes will have different impacts and should be evaluated separately.
 In essence, what the Ford government is declaring is, a family that makes minimum wage is too rich for their kids to deserve a grant to attend college. The change the government is advertising the most is the 10% reduction in tuition fees. On its face this seems to be a positive policy change that will allow more students access to post-secondary education. When announcing it, Minister Fullerton called it “a historic moment that will better help low income…”.
However, the key to this policy is in the details of it. This reduction will cost universities and colleges $400 million per year in lost tuition revenue. When asked how the institutions would handle the reduction in funds, Minister Fullerton responded, “They will need to adapt. To innovate.” Anyone who has attended a university in the past 20 years will be able to figure out what sort of “innovations” this will entail. Larger class sizes, more part-time instructors. Colleges and universities will figure out how to do it with less, but it will come at the expense of the quality of education that students will receive.
Such action is short sighted in many different ways. If the goal of our colleges and universities is to best prepare the next generation for careers to move Ontario forward, is it not essential to protect the quality of that education? When we reduce the value of our institutions, it lowers Ontario’s ability to be competitive on both a national and international stage. The current government makes ubiquitous announcements regarding building Ontario up to be open for business. However, these actions are going to lower the quality of our future workforce, thus making Ontario less attractive for anyone looking to expand here.
Beyond the damage to the institutions themselves, the government also made it more difficult for students from lower income families to attend university. One of the most progressive policies brought forth from the previous Liberal government had been to develop a grant system by which a lower income student could receive free tuition. Now this grant system has been reduced so that is no longer possible. Additionally, the grants that remain are available only to students whose family income is less than $50,000, excluding a huge population that desperately needs this assistance.
It is worth digging deeper into exactly what the effect of lowering the threshold to $50,000 will do, and by extension what the government considers low income to be. A person making minimum wage full time earns $14 an hour. If they earn this wage 40 hours a week, their weekly earnings are $560. Multiply that by 52 weeks and a minimum wage earner working full time gets $29,120 each year (assuming they didn’t have to take any unpaid sick days). If both parents earn this amount, the family income (excluding money the student makes) is $58,240.
In essence, what the Ford government is declaring is, a family that makes minimum wage is too rich for their kids to deserve a grant to attend college.
Beyond the elimination of grants is the changes announced to the OSAP system. While there may be a compelling argument for reducing the threshold to apply from $175,000 to $140,000, it is still going to be a difficult change for some students whose parents cannot or will not help them and they will need to turn to private lenders.
Adding further damage is the announced change to the grace period before students have to pay interest on their owed loan amounts. Even Mike Harris’ government saw fit to allow a six month grace period given the difficulty most recent graduates experience in finding. This grace period is based on understanding that for youth there are struggles to break into their chosen fields and that a grace period to allow them time to start a life was necessary. Taking away the grace period and thus taking money away from recent graduates is a regressive step that will make it harder for young people to begin a career.
Taken as a whole, all of these changes amount to: lower standards for post-secondary education, increased barriers for lower income students, and more punishing requirements for students to hurt their abilities to build a life after graduation. What Ontario needs is more robust funding for better education. What we need is the removal of barriers so that every student is able to pursue education in their chosen field of study.
But most of all, what we need is a government who values these things and is looking to build Ontario for the future not cut it in the present.
 Andrew Drummond with Jane McKenna, the MPP for Burlington, Andre Drummond was the New Democrat candidate for Burlintong in the last provincial election.
By Staff
January 15th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The City has invited residents to attend a public engagement session and hear one of the best thinkers on how to make urban settings work for people.
 Gil Penalosa, originator of the 8-80 cities’ concept Gil Penalosa, originator of the 8-80 cities’ concept will talk on an Urban Park Strategy for Burlington.
The City wants a strategy to guide the development of a strategy for the parks that will be located in the mobility hubs that are going to be a huge part of what the Burlington of the future is to look like.
ing an Urban Park Strategy to guide the development of parks to align with the city’s Mobility Hubs and a focus on urban growth areas.
The evening of education and engagement takes place on:
 Gil Penalosa will speak at one of the better parks in Burlington. Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019
7 to 9 p.m. – doors open at 6:30 p.m.
La Salle Pavilion, Main Ball Room, 2nd Level
50 North Shore Blvd., Burlington
The evening will start with a key note from Gil (Guillermo) Penalosa: Founder and Chair of 8 80 Cities, a Canadian based international non-profit organization, grounded on the concept of 8 80. What if everything we did in our cities had to be great for an 8-year-old and an 80-year-old?
His talk will focus on the features of great urban parks and public spaces that create a sense of community.
After the talk, residents will learn about the City’s work toward an Urban Park Strategy for Burlington and be given the chance to share their ideas on what these parks could look like.
Someone at city hall deserves a huge kudo for this one.
By Staff
January 10th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board is now accepting registrations for Junior (Year 1) and Senior (Year 2) Kindergarten for September 2019. Parents are advised to visit or call their local elementary school to find out which dates have been established for Kindergarten registration in their area.
Parents and guardians are asked to register their child by Feb. 1, 2019. Once registered, children can sign out books from the school library.
Please bring the following original documents when registering:
 Can’t wait to get into that classroom! • 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 for Fall 2019, Junior Kindergarten (Year 1) children must be four years old by Dec. 31, 2019, and Senior Kindergarten (Year 2) children must be five years old by Dec. 31, 2019.
To determine your home school, refer to “Find My Local School” under the Schools section on the HDSB website at www.hdsb.ca.
If you require language assistance to register your child for school, please contact the Halton Multicultural Council at 905-842-2486. Parents/guardians should contact the principal/vice-principal of their school if they require accessibility accommodations to register their child for Kindergarten.
To learn more about the Halton District School Board’s Kindergarten Program, refer to the Parents section of the HDSB website (www.hdsb.ca) Search: Kindergarten.
By Ray Rivers
January 7th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Last year almost 40% of all cars registered in Norway were all-electric (EV). There are now 100,000 EVs in that tiny country of just over 5 million people. By contrast Ontario’s much more modest goal of 5% of its fleet being EV by 2020 is looking more like a pipe dream than ever.
 Will Ontario make the move from gas stations to electric charging stations. Norway makes EVs tax free, it has an extensive network of free charging stations and there are other incentives, such as preferred parking. To fund those amenities Norway, the third largest global oil exporter, has the highest carbon tax in the world.
Norway implemented the world’s first carbon tax in 1991. Now its main climate change policy, carbon pricing is used to incentivize EV’s and zero emission space heating as well as invest in new GHG emissions technologies. Norway’s goal is to become completely net carbon free by 2050.
There was a promising report out of British Columbia about somebody building a zero emission house, though it only went viral because journalists were amused by its eco-efficient electronic smart cat door which cost an extra $2000. Clearly carbon free is still considered a peculiarity in this country. Though the federal government is developing net zero emission housing plans presumably intended for life in provincial building codes.
 Quebec rated an A grade, placing seventh among a number of jurisdictions, on an international report card on GHG emissions, the only Canadian province to do so. In fact the province outranked Norway, which suffered from its extensive oil and gas industry emissions. Still both have fossil free electricity and a carbon pricing system to encourage GHG-free heating and fuel.
Alberta and Saskatchewan scored “D–” grades by contrast, owning the highest per capita GHG emissions. And those provinces helped bump up Canada’s per capita GHG emissions, putting us in a virtual tie with the U.S. and Australia for the worst.
The Ford administration likes to take credit for previous Liberal policies which reduced GHG emissions by 22% from 2005 levels, yet has shown no interest in continuing the progress which got us here. Those emission reductions were facilitated by the Green Energy Act.
Today only 3% of the province’s fossil fuel emissions come from electricity generation. But the Green Energy Act is history now, as is the Cap and Trade carbon pricing program which promised even greater emission reductions. Gone too are the electric vehicle, insulation, energy efficient window and efficient heating incentive programs.
In their place the Minister of the Environment has introduced a $400 million slush fund for the biggest industries to dip into as they experiment with ways of further reducing their emissions. It’s not a bad idea. But it’ll never amount to more than an iota of emissions reductions.
Though industry makes up about 30% of provincial GHG emissions its status as a big polluter has declined by 28% since 1990. And well over half of those emissions are from Ontario’s oil and gas production sector. Which gets us back to transportation, which is the fastest growing sector of greenhouse gas emissions in Ontario. And following closely is the building sector, with space heating responsible for much of that.
 Ontario Attorney General Carolyn Mulroney, will lead the provincial case against the federal carbon tax program. All this begs the question of why the Ford government has put all of its eggs, into the one sector of the Ontario economy which is arguably already doing a good job of reducing its emissions. And why would it just ignore the sectors which are growing at a problematic rate. Are they incompetent, stupid or just don’t care?
Alternatives exist. Already electrically powered farm tractors are on the horizon and there is even an Ontario made EV pick up truck. But new technology needs a push for adoption, be it financial incentives to encourage consumer uptake and/or disincentives to discourage using fossil fuels.
 Premier Doug Ford may have found himself unable to see the forest for the trees. Mr. Ford’s revisionist approach, reaching out for ‘Happy Days’ will only ensure a reversal of the progress made over the last decade and a half. Clearly he and his ministers need to e-write their climate change plan to make it more like those of Norway and Quebec – or at least the one which existed before last June’s election.
Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. He developed the current policy process for the Ontario Liberal Party.
Background links:
Electric Tractor – More Tractors – EV Truck –
Emissions Report Card – Norway – More Norway –
Cat Door – Net Zero Housing –
 By Staff
January 6th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
If you thought that your personal life was private – let us dissuade you of that fairy tale. Have a look at some of the patents Facebook has applied for in the recent past. The data we use comes from the New York Times.
One of the ways that the public can get some sense as to the direction a company might be going in terms of new product development is to keep an eye on the patents they apply for.
A patent sets out an idea for a product a company wants to produce and protects their idea from use by anyone else. In the past year Facebook executives have had to appear before Congressional committees in the United States and Parliamentary committees in the United Kingdom and asked to explain why they have made private information available to corporations who then mined that data and attempt to sway opinions.
There is a lot of evidence to suggest that the 2016 American presidential election and the decision made in the United Kingdom to leave the European Union was swayed by computer applications and “false” news stories on Facebook.
Many expect both Facebook and Google to come under some form of regulation that limits the information they collect and what they can do with information they do collect. Few people have any idea just how much information they have on us.
In a two part series the Gazette will be publishing a brief description of each patent and outlining what the impact of that patent might be.
Facebook has filed thousands of patent applications since it went public in 2012. One of them describes using forward-facing cameras to analyze your expressions and detect whether you’re bored or surprised by what you see on your feed.
Another contemplates using your phone’s microphone to determine which TV show you’re watching. Others imagine systems to guess whether you’re getting married soon, predict your socioeconomic status and track how much you’re sleeping.
 A review of hundreds of Facebook’s patent applications reveals that the company has considered tracking almost every aspect of its users’ lives: where you are, who you spend time with, whether you’re in a romantic relationship, which brands and politicians you’re talking about. The company has even attempted to patent a method for predicting when your friends will die.
 Mark-Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, appears before Congress – says he wasn’t aware of how much data they were making available to private corporations. Facebook has said repeatedly that its patent applications should not be taken as indications of future product plans. “Most of the technology outlined in these patents has not been included in any of our products, and never will be,” Allen Lo, a Facebook vice president and deputy general counsel, and the company’s head of intellectual property, said in an email.
Taken together, Facebook’s patents show a commitment to collecting personal information, despite widespread public criticism of the company’s privacy policies and a promise from its chief executive to “do better.”
“A patent portfolio is a map of how a company thinks about where its technology is going,” said Jason M. Schultz, a law professor at New York University.
Reading your relationships
One patent application discusses predicting whether you’re in a romantic relationship using information such as how many times you visit another user’s page, the number of people in your profile picture and the percentage of your friends of a different gender. The application would infer relationship statuses of users of a social networking system
If you are into this kind of stuff you can look at the complete patent application on the US government patent site. This one is U.S. PATENT APPLICATION NO. 14/295,543
Classifying your personality
 This one proposes using your posts and messages to infer personality traits. It describes judging your degree of extroversion, openness or emotional stability, then using those characteristics to select which news stories or ads to display. It is U.S. PATENT NO. 9,740,752 and intended to determine user personality characteristics from social networking system communications and characteristics.
Predicting your future
This patent application describes using your posts and messages, in addition to your credit card transactions and location, to predict when a major life event, such as a birth, death or graduation, is likely to occur. They appear to want to predict life changes of members of a social networking system. U.S. PATENT APPLICATION NO. 12/839,350
Identifying your camera
This patent considers analyzing pictures to create a unique camera “signature” using faulty pixels or lens scratches. That signature could be used to figure out that you know someone who uploads pictures taken on your device, even if you weren’t previously connected.
Or it might be used to guess the “affinity” between you and a friend based on how frequently you use the same camera. Patent US 20120072493A1 and U.S. PATENT NO. 8,472,662
Part two of this series will be published tomorrow.
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