 By Staff
October 30, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Digital marketing is more than a buzzword, but it’s also not a replacement for your traditional marketing efforts.
It’s a new approach that’s disrupting the industry by changing how you connect with your customers.
 Something is brewing between the city and the University campus on the South Service Road. Mayor wasn’t ready to let that cat out of the bag this morning. The McMaster University DeGroote School of Business is putting on a presentation that will take place at the Ron Joyce Centre on Friday, December 1.
The panel of experts will be discussing and answering questions on topics such as:
Practical tips for using digital marketing strategically.
How to stay competitive in a digital economy.
The integration of traditional and digital marketing.
How to position and prepare content for multiple platforms.
How to build an authentic brand.
The challenges of managing digital properties.
Click HERE to register – $35 – includes lunch
The event is open to alumni, business community members, and students.
 By Pepper Parr
October 30th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District school board sent the Minister of Education what can only be seen as a pretty direct set of statements on the way they see an Administrative Review of decisions they made being handled.
The decision the Board of Education made last June was something parents could ask to have reviewed. Any review however was limited to the process the board followed and not the actual decision made by the trustees.
 Bateman high school parents and students protesting the decision to close their school. Parents from both the Lester B. Pearson high school and the Robert Bateman high school filed requests for Administrative Reviews. Of the twelve school groups across the province only the two in Burlington had review requests that were granted.
Read it all for yourself. The letter is the Board’s response to the request for an Administrative Review made by both the Pearson high and and Bateman high school parent groups.
We are writing in response to the request received on July 6, 2017, for an administrative review of the program and accommodation review (“PARN) process undertaken for the secondary schools located in the City of Burlington which resulted in a resolution of the Halton District School Board (“HDSB”) to close Lester B.Pearson High School effective June 30, 2018.
HDSB staff were able to verify that 194 of 213 supporters who signed the petition are parents of students from the Lester B. Pearson High School community or participated in the program and accommodation review process. This represents approximately 49% of the June 30, 2017 headcount (397).
 The PAR was initiated on October 19, 2016, with the Director’s Preliminary Report being presented to the Board of Trustees at a regular Board meeting On June 7, 2017. Approximately eight months
later, trustees approved motions regarding the Burlington Secondary Schools PAR, which included the closure of Lester B. Pearson High School effective June 30, 2018.
At the outset we believe it is important to establish the parameters and ground rules of a Ministry administrative review of the HDSB’s decision to close Lester B. Pearson High School. The purpose of an administrative review is to allow an objector to challenge a school board’s decision to close an operating school on the sole ground that the board’s conduct of a PAR did not comply with the board’s PAR policy.
 School Board trustees voting to close two of Burlington’s seven high schools. In the context of an administrative review, it is not open to a complainant to challenge the merits or reasonableness of a decision to close or not close a particular school. The trustees of a school board are elected to make those difficult policy decisions and the Ministry should not interfere with the proper exercise of a board’s discretion to use that power, which is granted under Section 171{1), paragraph 7 of the Education Act. Rather, the scope of a Ministry administrative review is limited to challenging a board’s decision to close a school on the narrow ground that the school board did not follow its PAR policy in undertaking the PAR process.
The merits of the HDSB’s decision to close Lester B. Pearson High School is beyond the ambit of a Ministry administrative review. The focus of this exercise is not whether the decision to close Lester B. Pearson High School was reasonable or financially prudent. Instead, the Ministry’s inquiry should be directed to the issue of whether the Board generally complied with the PAR policy in arriving at the decision to close the school. In order to succeed on this application for an administrative review, the complainant must establish a compelling case that (i} there was non-compliance with the PAR policy and (ii) the non-compliance was material such that the Board would likely have reached a different decision.
It is instructive to review the Board’s statutory authority to close a school. Section 171(1), paragraph 7 of the Education Act reads as follows:
171 (1) A board may,
“… determine the number and kind of schools to be established and maintained and the attendance area for each school, and close schools in accordance with policies established by the board from guidelines issued by the Minister. “
It is clear from this provision that the organization and conduct of a PAR is to be based on a Board policy that is derived from a Ministry guideline. It is a policy based on a guideline. Strict adherence to such a policy is thus not required given the very nature of policies and guidelines, which are considered general rules and flexible. Strict adherence would be required, however, if a PAR were governed by the provisions of the Education Act or a regulation made under that legislation. It is therefore sufficient if the process undertaken for Robert Bateman High School maintained the spirit and intent of the Board’s PAR policy. We are confident that the PAR process in this case more than satisfies that standard.
The arguments raised by the complainant, although framed as process related challenges, are in substance debating the merits of the Board’s decision.
The Board of Education provided a detailed response to the complaint filed by each parents group. They are extensive and will be set out in a seperate news report.
 By Staff
October 29, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Prime Minister was in town.
He spent a couple of hours at the YMCA meeting with people who are taking part in a YMCA Employment Services program and then making an announcement that has national implications.
Burlington is now a Liberal friendly city and the crowds were adoring.
 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau being greeted at the Burlington YMCA These Prime Ministerial tours are major productions with support teams that that amount to more than 25 people.
Security is thick – but not obtrusive.
For the first time in my experience I saw RCMP officers carrying rifles in special back backs that don’t give away what is inside them – these men are sharp shooters.
Easily ten plain clothes police – they are ranked by how close they can get to the Prime Minister. Each wear a button – a pin in their lapel – red ones mean they get close – they surround the PM – you have to get past them to get near the PM. The black ones are at the rear of the room.
There is always one, usually a nervous looking young man standing right beside the PM. It is a well-orchestrated event.
The first part of the visit had the Prime Minister in the lower level of the YMCA talking one on one with people taking part in the YMCA Employment Services program
As structured as the event itself was the Prime Minister didn’t seem to be WORD – he walked into the room – no one said a word – there was no applause. He was greeted by the head of the YMCA and asked a few questions and then began talking to the dozen or so people who were enrolled in the Employment Services program. Each was sitting in front of a computer monitor so the Prime Minister dropped to a squat and was able to talk directly – eye to eye to each person.
 He spent a good fifteen minutes going from person to person – asking what they were looking for in the way of work and the kind of help they were getting.
It was quiet – the only thing that made it a bit unreal was the dozens of photographers and television camera operators hovering.
There was no grandstanding on the part of the PM – he was just in the room talking to people. His communications support people – there were easily six – maybe eight of them – were everywhere paying attention to the details – there had to be a glass of water at the podium and it had to be in a clear glass. .
When all the students had been talked to the PM said a few words and headed for another room where there was a group of about 75 people, all invited, in a room that had Canadian Flags and a backdrop of Canadian flags and a podium for the Prime Minister to speak from.
 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meeting and greeting at the Burlington YMCA Television cameras from every network in the country were lined up. The PM announced a 2019 federal investment of $500 million toward the Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB).
Trudeau also announced a 2019 federal investment of $500 million toward the Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB). The Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB) will help those folks who are working hard to make ends meet and who are still struggling at the lower end of the income scale.”
With the speeches done the Prime Minister chatted with the invited guests then headed into the foyer of the YMCA where there were close to 100 people waiting to see him. Babies were held up for a Prime Ministerial kiss – two that we saw – and then out into the street where vehicles were waiting.
To ensure that this was a truly Burlington event there was one lone protester holding up a Save Bateman sign.
 By Staff
October 27th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Beginning school is a big step for parents and children. The Halton District School Board wants to make that transition as smooth as possible.
 Inquiring minds Throughout November, three-year olds and their parents/guardians are invited to attend one of four Kindergarten Open Houses to learn about starting school next year.
Drop by any one of the following open houses between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Georgetown Thursday, Nov. 2, 2017 — Park PS (6 Hyde Park Dr.)
Burlington Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 – Bruce T. Lindley PS (2510 Cavendish Dr.)
Milton Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017 – Tiger Jeet Singh PS (650 Yates Dr.)
Oakville Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017 – West Oak PS (2071 Fourth Line)
At the Open House, families will:
• Explore a Kindergarten classroom
• Learn about play-based learning
• Pick up information and resource material in a free backpack
• Access information about community agencies and resources in Halton
• Get information about before and after school care
• Connect with special education staff to discuss any developmental concerns
Children born in 2014 can start Kindergarten in September 2018.
Registration for Kindergarten begins in January 2018 and takes place at the school your child will attend.
By Pepper Parr
October 26th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
A number of people were as upset as we were over the way the Petition made to the Ontario Legislature by parents from Lester B. Pearson high school.
The MPP who read the Petition into the record really bungled the job.
 Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon didn’t read the Pearson high school parent’s Petition into the record in the Legislature because she was not allowed to do so. She is a member of the Cabinet and as such isn’t permitted to speak. The Government Whip does that job on her behalf. McMahon would have done a better job. Many people wanted to know why Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon didn’t read the Petition into the record.
Because she was not permitted to do so.
The rules for the Presentation of a Petition are pretty detailed
It is the responsibility of the petitioner(s) to arrange for a Member of the Legislative Assembly to present a petition.
Any Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, other than a Cabinet Minister or the Speaker of the House may present a petition.
The Chief Government Whip may present petitions on behalf of Cabinet Ministers.
If a petition meets all of the requirements for admissibility, it may be presented to the Legislature in one of two ways:
Presentation directly to the House
During any regular daytime meeting of the Legislative Assembly, MPPs are given the opportunity to present petitions by reading them aloud to the Members assembled. Such presentation will be recorded in the official record of debates (Hansard) as well as in the official record of proceedings (Votes and Proceedings).
Tabling a petition with the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
At any time during a Parliamentary Session, an MPP may file a petition with the Clerk of the House. Such presentation will only be recorded in the Votes and Proceedings.
 The Pearson high school parents are leaving “no stone unturned” in their effort to keep their school open. The Pearson high school parents worked with the Ontario Alliance Against School Closures who directed them to the MPP from St. Catharines who also happens to be the Government Whip. The Whip’s job is to make sure all the members are in the Legislature when a vote is being taken.
Once a Petition is read into the record the government is required to respond.
The rules for that are:
Within 24 sitting days of the day on which the presentation of the petition is recorded, the government is required to file a response.
The response is delivered to the Clerk of the House and to the MPP who presented the petition.
The Clerk maintains an index of all petitions that have been presented to the Legislative Assembly during a given Parliamentary Session. This index contains the following information:
A brief description of the subject of the petition
The date the petition was presented
The name of the MPP who submitted the petition
The date upon which a response to the petition was received by the Clerk.
 Margaret Wilson is the Facilitator doing the PAR Administrative Review Assuming the Minister of Education does respond – expect her to tell us that a Facilitator has been appointed and that the Minister is waiting for that report.
It is complex and riddled with rules.
There was a time when citizens were not permitted to Petition their government.
Let’s see how this plays out.
Related article:
Pearson parents Petition the provincial government – feel they got stiffed.
By Staff
October 25th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
 George Ward has a problem – and he is really, really ticked off with the way a Petition sent to Queen’s Park was handled.
The people behind the Save Lester B. Pearson high school – which is scheduled to be closed in June of 2018 – sent a Petition to the Legislature.
A petition is a request that the Legislative Assembly of Ontario take some specific action (or refrain from taking some action) to redress a public grievance. The action requested must be within the scope of jurisdiction of the Legislative Assembly, and the request must be clear, temperate, proper and respectful.
A petition must be addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.
If all that is done properly – and they are sticklers about the form a Petition is presented in – then the Petition is read out during the time allocated for the Reading of Petitions.
One would have liked to see that Petition read into the record by the Member for Burlington.
Click to see how badly this was done.
 The Pearson high school parents believe that the opening of Hayden high school and the changing of the feeder schools that served Pearson resulted in the need to close that school. They think they were short changed – to have their Petition bungled when it was read into the Legislative record just added insult to injury. Ward wants to know “if the petition was scheduled to be read by this MPP from St. Catharines at the last minute because it was known that he is totally inept or because it is a plot to avoid announcing our petition on purpose.
Ward sketches out his thoughts on both scenarios.
Was the Member for St. Catharines totally inept?
The MPP from St. Catharines stumbles on his introduction and states “I see I am almost out of time” – why waste time with this statement?
It is fairly obvious that the MPP has not preread or prepared in any way to read the petition – evidenced by the stumbling, fumbling and reading while looking at the floor and being soft in his speech.
The MMP from St. Catharines also is the one to state at the end “I see that I am out of time” – why stop and sit down rather than carry on.
The Speaker of the House states “You can finish if you wish” to which the MPP from St. Catharines refuses.
 Cheryl de Lught and Steve Armstrong, the Pearson high school members of the PAR Committee. Or was it a plot to stop the Save LBP?
Why was such an inept MPP from St. Catharines chosen to present our petition?
Why did the MPP from St. Catharines not prepare himself and read the petition ahead of time?
Why was our petition not read until the end of the session and ran out of time?
Why did the MPP from St. Catharines end his presentation with “I see I am out of time” and sit down?
Why did the MPP from St. Catharines refuse to continue with the petition when the Speaker of the House granted him the time to do so?
Ward thinks he will get a better response if he takes his complaint to Patrick Brown – Leader of the Opposition for his comment and corrective action.
By Staff
October 23rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Beginning in September 2018, the entry point for the Halton District School Board’s French Immersion Program will be Grade 2. In the Grade 2 French Immersion Program, 100% of the instructional day will be in French.
 In anticipation of questions parents may have before registering their Grade 1 child(ren) into the French Immersion Program, a series of parent information evenings are being offered:
• Halton Hills: Wednesday, November 8, 2017 from 7-8 p.m., Georgetown District High School, 70 Guelph St.
• Oakville: Tuesday, November 14, 2017 from 7-8 p.m., Garth Webb Secondary School, 2820 Westoak Trails Blvd.
• Milton: Wednesday, November 15, 2017 from 7-8 p.m., Milton District High School, 396 Williams Ave.
• Burlington: Wednesday, November 22, 2017 from 7-8 p.m., New Street Education Centre (Brock Room), 3250 New St.
Confirmation of attendance is not required.
Registration for the French Immersion Program is open to all Grade 1 students and will begin on Friday, December 1, 2017. The deadline for submitting your registration form is Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at 4 p.m. No registrations will be accepted after this date.
Parents may use the following link to determine which school their child would attend based on their home address: Find My Local School.Scroll down the page a bit – you will see a form that asks for your address – that will tell you which school is closest to you.
Please be sure to visit the www.hdsb.ca website for more details. Registration forms are available online or at your child’s home school.
By Pepper Parr
October 23rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
A year from today the people of Burlington will troop out to the polls to elect a Mayor, members of city council and school Board trustees.
Who will be in the races and what will the issues be?
We now know that the current Mayor will be in the race; he declared that last week.
 Meed Ward with the Mayor. Mike Wallace is understood to be lining up support and Marianne Meed Ward is understood to be on the same trajectory – one that will have her wearing the Chain of Office. That is something she has wanted to wear since the day she decided to move into ward 2 from ward 1 and run for that seat. She handily defeated Peter Thoem SPELL by focusing her campaign on saving the waterfront. She literally romped to victory in her second term and has grown to be a very effective representative for the people of ward 2 and has spread her impact into literally every ward in the city.
There is at least one new candidate for the office of Mayor. Aldershot resident Greg Woodruff has indicated that he plans to run. Woodruff ran for the office of Regional chair in 2014.
 Three of the our Burlington public School Board trustees sitting as observers during the PARC meetings. Election of school Board trustees is going to be contentious. The decision by the Board of Education to close two of the city’s seven high schools has divided communities and set them against each other. Parents from two of the school scheduled to be closed organized and filed requests for Administrative Reviews which were approved by the Ministry of Education. A decision from the appointed Facilitator should be in hand before the election.
The public School Board issues are clear; the same cannot be said for the municipal issues.
How the waterfront is managed is still very much an issue; added to that is just how the city is going to grow in the next decade has to be determined. That the population will increase significantly is a given – the province has mandated that Burlington grow and the developers have for taken proposals to the Planning department.
In 2014 the city decided their Strategic Plan would cover a 20 year time frame rather than the traditional four years. That led to the creation of a new approach to growing the city based on the creation of four mobility hubs. The Mayor talked about the need to intensify while one of his rivals maintained that the city was already meeting the population growth targets.
Programs to meet the needs of the growing senior’s population became an issue that was being given more in the way of the public attention – not all that much more in the way of funding.
Public transit was found to have been seriously underfunded during the last decade – the need for as much as $1 million a year for a number of years was part of the discussion.
 The planned look of the Joseph Brant Museum. The hope is that, weather permitting, the museum will open in 18 months. City council decided Burlington needed to transform the Joseph Brant museum and approved a $10 million plus project.
Citizens will also elect a Chair of the Regional council. Each member of the city council is also elected as a Regional Councillor – basically half of their salary come from the Region.
In 2014 every member of Council was returned to office.
Nominations officially open on May 1st of 2018.
 By Tom Muir
October 21st, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The timing of that PAR in relation to the timing of the Hayden build was perfectly orchestrated by the Halton District School Board (HDSB). The lack of a PAR for Hayden was denied as a point for discussion and the HDSB Board and Director of Education Mr. S. Miller worked extensively to keep it hidden.
Was there any transparency when it came to the Hayden build? Well, members of the community had to go to the Freedom Of Information in order to get any information at all to learn more about how Hayden was planned, approved with known consequences, and built regardless. It appeared that this consequential matter was buried by the Board at the very first Pupil Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) meeting. The parents never had a chance. Just having to go Freedom of Information (FOI) says a great deal about the motives involved.
 Hayden high school – sen as the nicest high school in the city – Muir thinks it was foisted on the public ti justify closing two high schools south of the QEW This decision by the Board to hide the facts of this was an ethical and moral failure. The PAR was started with dishonesty about how they planned and got us to that position, in the direct, known consequences of the Hayden build, and then it was hidden and covered-up throughout. The partnership with the city for more facilities is not a credible excuse, as this was something that happened after the fact of the build plan getting approved. The conception of the build, and the plan, had nothing to do with the partnership, which only came because the build was basically underway.
Reading through the Boundary Review of 2012, it is obvious again that Hayden could go to 1800 students, and that a PAR was justified then, on these grounds alone. Added to this, it was evident that most of the other schools were sure to be driven to much lower numbers. No warning was given to parents of these consequences.
While Lester B Pearson HS remained at 83% UTZ (utilization), there was no warning that this would change as the boundaries and feeder schools were chosen to feed and justify Hayden. MMR was projected at 48%UTZ, but was then favored with more students. A Bateman parent expressed her concern that her child’s special program would be moved, but was assured by the HDSB that programs would not be moved. These are just some of the reasons why parents are objecting to what was done.
Among other things, the FOUR top criteria of the Boundary Review (BR) were:
1. Balance of overall enrolment in each school in the review area to maximize student access to programs, resources, and extra-curricular opportunities.
There were no efforts to achieve this one, including in the PAR. With Hayden projected to an 1800 student enrollment in a 1200 student OTG, how can this criterion be claimed to be acted on and key?
This criterion was analyzed by many members of the community, revealing that balanced, optimal enrollment among schools would provide the best and maximal access to programs etc. – better than maximizing utilization, which is what was factually implemented. Again, how does this fit?
2. Proximity to schools (walking distances, safe school routes, natural boundaries)
Hayden has the second highest busing costs and moves 580 students, almost half of the On the Ground (OTG) capacity, and 1/3 of the high projected enrollment of 1800. On page 4, last line, in the Boundary Review report, it states that The majority of students attending the new Burlington NE high school will be able to walk to school. So how does this fit, as the busing data says it’s not so?
3. Accommodation of students in permanent school facilities and minimal use of portable classrooms
As noted again, there are 12 portables at Hayden and 6 more are stated as needed in future. These will house up to 600 overfill students. So how does this fit this key criterion?
4. Stable, long-term boundaries
 Certainly, it looks like no matter how overfilled Hayden was projected to become, and in fact did so, with portables, busing and 151% UTZ, the boundaries chosen, and feeders, that generated this result remained unchanged. This outcome, despite several other schools becoming under-filled and under-utilized, seems to reveal again the Board premeditated plan to close schools – the boundaries chosen by the board were kept stable, regardless of the cost of 2 schools.
 So they delivered on this criterion, even in the PAR. Again, how does this fit what the parents I think would consider a trustworthy and rational decision to contribute to the benefit and well-being of the students, and the community of schools?
Overall, the issue is not so much building Hayden, but that it was done without a PAR to provide information and analysis of the consequences for all the schools in the review area covered by a Boundary Review (BR). This BR was clearly inadequate and people were in effect deceived by a lack of dire warning of what was to be.
 The Halton Administrative Review requests were the only ones to be approved by the Ministry of Education The “timing” of that PAR in relation to the “timing” of the Hayden build, and the resultant planned and deliberate building of seats that became surplus in south Burlington, is what inevitably led to the decision to close two schools. It should also be noted, that the two Burlington requests for Administrative Reviews are the only ones that have been approved out of the 12 applications from across the province so far this year.
 Tom Muir Tom Muir, a retired federal civil servant has been a consistent observer and critic of civic government. He resides in Aldershot where he is an astute commentator on development in that community. His views are his own.
 By Staff
October 19th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police are now producing an Impaired Driving Offences Summary which they release to the media with this statement:
The operation of motor vehicles while drivers are impaired by alcohol and/or drugs remains a serious concern for Halton Region. In an effort to bring more attention to the risk of driving while impaired, assist in identifying witnesses and reduce continued offences, the Service is reporting the following incident:
Name: Jennifer Lahey (37) of Burlington
Date/Time: October 18, 2017 8:14 p.m.
Location: Burlington
Charges:
• Impaired operation of motor vehicle
• Impaired driving – over 80 mgs
Despite years of awareness campaigns illustrating why driving a vehicle while impaired by alcohol and/or drugs is dangerous, impaired driving remains the top criminal cause of death in Canada. The Halton Regional Police Service remains committed to road safety through prevention, education and enforcement initiatives.
The day before the Regional Police released the following:
Name: Harry Stecyszyn (63) of North York
Date/Time: October 17, 2017 4:00 p.m.
Location: Burlington
Charges:
• Impaired operation of motor vehicle
• Driving under suspension
Public shaming seems to be the route to go.
Call a cab or call a friend and get a ride home.
Online newspaper like the Gazette are public for a very long time. Everything we have ever published is still out there. If you drink – just don’t drive.
By Pepper Parr
October 18th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
 Steve Armstrong Steve Armstrong, one of the leads on the request for an Administrative Review of the Halton District School Board decision to close two of Burlington’s seven high schools, thinks that the Ministry of Education decision to appoint Margaret Wilson as the Facilitator was an “excellent” move.
“I’m looking forward to working with her, and the Board, towards a healthy discussion about the process Burlington went through. There is considerable room for improvement in a number of key areas, and I know a good number of fellow PAR Committee members see similar opportunities.
Although the exact details of how Ms Wilson wants to proceed haven’t been shared, with her experience I trust it will be thorough, said Armstrong.
 Of the twelve requests for Administration Reviews filed the only two approved were from Halton – a positive sign for many. He added that he learned recently that the two Burlington requests for Administrative Reviews are the only ones that have been approved out of the 12 applications from across the province so far this year.
“Clearly the Ministry of Education also wants to understand more about the actual execution of the HDSB Burlington Secondary School PAR.”
The government of Ontario has put a hold on starting new accommodation reviews, and has already begun an improvement process.
Perhaps one of the outcomes of our specific review might include a recommendation to test a better process.
There is within people that are angry over the decision the Board made the sense that the Facilitator can reverse the decision – that is not the case.
The Facilitator can recommend to the Ministry that they direct the Board to hold a new PAR. The only people who can reverse the decision are the 11 trustees.
Each of the high schools Bateman and Pearson, have taken different approaches to the request for a Review.
Bateman is believed to be talking a “human right” approach while Pearson is questioning the procedure that was used and the way critical information was not available to the public.
Margaret Wilson PAR Admin Review Facilitator Wilson started her job earlier this week – there is no word yet on when she might file her report.
Director of Education Stuart Miller has said that these reviews tend to be “paper heavy” and there are certainly a lot of documents to be gone through and a lot of questions for the staff on how they handled the PAR process.
The two parent groups, Pearson and Bateman, have not, at least not so far, chosen to work together. The Bateman crowd has chosen to keep to themselves.
Armstrong believes it is in the best interests of the community if the two at least communicate with each other.
Pearson Administrative Review Request
 By Staff
October 17th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Popular nutrition and lifestyle coach Mary Maciel Pearson will be speaking next week at a free parent evening titled, Living Healthy is a Family Affair.
Presented by Community & Parent Partners for Kids (C.A.P.P. for KIDS), the event is to take place at the New Street Education Centre (3250 New St., Burlington) on Tuesday, October 24, 2017 at 7 p.m
 Mary Maciel Pearson will talk to parents about high levels of stress family members can experience while touching on mental health issues on October 24th at the New Street Education Centre. As a well-known speaker and trainer within the Greater Toronto Area, Pearson is a regular contributor to Vitality Magazine, Tonic Toronto, Neighbours of Oakville Magazine and the Oakville Beaver. In her presentation, she will address the high levels of stress family members can experience while touching on mental health issues, fatigue and feeling overwhelmed.
The presentation will delve into the many ways parents and children can be healthy in body and mind including good nutrition, physical movement and unique ways to stay connected as a family.
Admission is free but donations toward future speakers will be gratefully accepted.
C.A.P.P. for Kids is a partnership between Halton Region, Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK), Our Kids Network, Halton Regional Police Service, Ontario Early Years Centres, Burlington Public Library, City of Burlington, and the Halton Multicultural Council.
By Pepper Parr
October 16th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Today, the Ontario Ministry of Education announced the appointment of Margaret Wilson as facilitator of the administrative review for the Burlington Secondary School Program and Accommodation Review (PAR) undertaken by the Halton District School Board during the 2016-2017 school year.
 Margaret Wilson will lead the Administrative Review of the Program Accommodation Review of the decision to close two of Burlington’s seven high schools. “Margaret Wilson is a well-respected educational leader with significant experience examining complex education issues,” says Stuart Miller, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “We look forward to working with Ms. Wilson and welcome a thorough, independent and impartial review of the PAR process the Board conducted.”
 Parents at the first public meeting that addressed the school board’s wish to close two high schools. In September, the Halton District School Board received notification from the Ministry of Education, granting administrative reviews of the Burlington Secondary School PAR. Requests for these reviews were submitted to the Ministry of Education by the Lester B. Pearson High School and Robert Bateman High School communities.
According to Ministry Guidelines, an administrative review is a process by which an independent, impartial facilitator reviews that the Board has followed its Pupil Accommodation Review policy. An administrative review is not an assessment of the decisions made by the Board of Trustees.
During this review period, the Halton District School Board will continue to keep student needs at the forefront. As such, the Board will continue to collaboratively plan for and implement the decisions made in June 2017. The Board will, however, be cognizant of minimizing the expenditures of the implementation during the review process.
The Board of Education Media Release doesn’t say very much about Ms Wilson – but she has certainly has a profile.
The Toronto Star reported on the work Ms Wilson did on the Toronto Bard of Education where she turned in a scathing report and an invoice for billing the government at a rate of $1200 per hour.
Here is what the Star had to say:
“Margaret Wilson, appointed by the province to look into dysfunction at the Toronto school board, was paid $1,200 a day ($150. An hour) for her work, according to documents obtained by the Star through a Freedom of Information request.
“As part of her final $48,034 bill, Wilson listed 40 work days in November and December of 2014, and January 2015.
“Based on an eight-hour workday, that works out to $150 an hour; for a 12-hour workday, $100 an hour.
“Review of TDSB: 68 interviews, read board + ministry documents, correspondence, previous reviews + audits & copious emails. Wrote report,” she noted in the expense form submitted to the education ministry.
“Wilson, a veteran educator and former union leader, also billed for two taxi rides at $17 each to the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association in downtown Toronto.
“Her report on the Toronto District School Board, released in January of last year, was a scathing look at both management and elected trustees and had been ordered after a string of scandals and amid concerns about then-director Donna Quan’s management style and secrecy.
 Former Minister of Education Liz Sandals, left, and education consultant Margaret Wilson. “Wilson criticized trustees for meddling and exerting undue influence on staff, repeated concerns about a “culture of fear” identified in previous reports, as well as a revolving door in the top job, and noted an “acute level of distress” among staff. The report made 13 recommendations to improve the board, including looking at whether it is too big to manage.
Wilson, a former Registrar and CEO of the Ontario College of Teachers, will consult with local accommodation review committees, the school board and people who participated in the process. The mandate of an administrative review is to determine if the board followed its locally developed accommodation review process.
The Ministry of Education approved requests for an administrative review of the accommodation review process related to Robert Bateman High School and Lester B. Pearson High School, both in Burlington.
Wilson will begin work the week of October 16 and will provide the Minister of Education with a final report upon completion of her review. The report’s findings will be released to the school board and the public.
By Staff
October 16th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Foundation shared the 2017 Vital Signs report last week.
The document is issued every two years and is seen as an important road map for where we are as a community and where the community can work together to make change happen in the areas of youth and young adults, mental health and wellness, housing, the environment and seniors.
Highlights from Vital Signs® 2017 Report part one:
• Connecting young people with opportunities is at the heart of building a strong and sustainable social fabric within the community. In Burlington, 16.5 per cent of the population is aged 15 to 29 years.
• Vital Signs finds that Burlington’s workforce is more highly educated than the Ontario average. Of those aged 25 to 44, 72 per cent have a post-secondary college or university education. This is good news as trends indicate that two-thirds of Canadian job openings in the coming decade will typically require post-secondary education or be in management occupations.
• The number of reportable mental health-related occurrences was 1,656 in 2011 and rose to 3,102 as of 2016. This means Halton Regional Police have experienced a startling 87 per cent increase in mental health-related occurrences involving police.
• In 2016-2017, Joseph Brant Hospital’s Emergency Department had a total of 2,156 visits, an increase of 15% over 2011-2012, and 302 visits among those less than 18 years of age, which represent a 63 per cent increase over 2011-2012.
• Average housing prices rose from $454,627 in 2012 to $785,851 as of June 2017 – a staggering 73 per cent increase.
• 51.5 per cent of Burlingtonians live in single detached homes, 23.2 per cent in row houses or semis and 25.3 per cent live in apartments.
• Halton Region is excelling at waste diversion – in 2015 alone, almost 57 per cent of the region’s waste from landfills was diverted. Efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle have led Halton to be ranked tenth amongst 243 Ontario locations.
• Local waters are cleaner. Hamilton Harbour has benefited from aquatic health improvements as well as improved water bird habitats. Vegetation has returned to Cootes Paradise Marsh and a multi-year habitat restoration project is being led by BurlingtonGreen in Beachway Park.
• Burlington’s senior population is growing – so much so that seniors are now our single fastest growing demographic. In the past five years alone, Burlington has seen a 18.9 per cent growth in our senior population compared to just a 1.3 per cent increase among those younger than 65.
• The wait list for long-term care housing is on the rise. Since 2013, wait lists have increased by more than 20 per cent. This means that right now, 2,616 people are on the wait list for one of 1,279 spaces. On average, only 32 spaces become available each month.
 Ron Foxcroft, Chair of the Burlington Foundation. “Vital Signs serves two significant purposes,” says Ron Foxcroft, chair of the Burlington Foundation Board of Directors. “First, it enables Burlington Foundation to focus our leadership efforts and granting program on the most critical areas of need. Second, it’s a valuable reference tool for other local stakeholders to connect the dots between people, numbers and opportunity.”
“Vital Signs is about connecting people to numbers in ways that foster new understanding,” says Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO, Burlington Foundation. “As a community convener, the report helps guide us in our leadership role where we encourage conversation and support collaboration around pressing issues. Whether it’s championing access to mental wellness programs which continues to be a focus for us, helping seniors live more independently, or helping young people transition to the workplace ensuring a greater sense of belonging to community, we’re connecting opportunity to action.”
Due to the release schedule of the 2016 long form Census data, Vital Signs will be published in two parts. In early 2018 the Foundation will share the latest local information about Poverty, Transportation, Work, Newcomers and Inclusivity.
As part of its commitment to incorporate learnings from the Vital Signs Report, Burlington Foundation announced a one-year partnership with Royal Bank of Canada that focuses on supporting youth and young adults as they transition into the workforce. This one-year commitment will focus on bringing together leaders from diverse sectors, as well as young adults, to engage in dialogue and address the opportunities and obstacles youth face as they seek employment.
 Ron Foxcroft on the left with Francine Dyksterhuis, Regional President of Southwestern Ontario, RBC and retiring Royal Bank vice president John Lever. “As leaders within our communities, both RBC and the Burlington Foundation, have the ability to bring attention to issues impacting the Halton community through research, speaking and convening,” says Francine Dyksterhuis, Regional President of Southwestern Ontario, RBC. “Working together has never been more urgent. All sectors must join forces and mobilize efforts, energy and expertise to improve near-term employment outcomes as well as develop the evolving hard and soft skills of our young people that will be required across all sectors.”
The partnership will include an innovative educational event this winter.
By Cheryl DeLugt
October 12th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The intrinsic nature behind the school closures in Burlington is clearer than most may think. For almost a year now the Halton District School Board (HDSB) has been instrumental in its’ ability to have consistently provided the community a false sense of good intentions when it comes to closing our schools.
Cheryl DeLugt and Steve Armstrong with the message from the community. Let’s face it….our schools were doomed, some would say…”A Done Deal”. Well, that was at least what was implied by the HDSB and how the majority of the community felt from the very beginning of the Program Accommodation Review Process (PAR). As the PAR process unfolded, it became more evident that closing a school or two was their primary objective.
The mere fact that our school was named and recommended to be closed in advance of any community input or public consultation, made it obvious the board had its own agenda, which in turn became the driving force behind the HDSB efforts to assure their plans to close Burlington high schools were achieved.
It now appears, to many community members, that the whole PAR process was intended to attain a controlled means of community input sufficient enough to claim community participation as part of the Halton District School Boards’ intent and plan to close two Burlington high schools. The process itself lacked honesty, transparency, logic, reason and effective community input. In addition, those who voted on the final decision were elected officials from outside of the affected communities, making the decision to close any schools in Burlington that much easier, or at least easier on one’s own conscience.
Fiscal responsibility to our community was by no means the predominate factor considered when making the decision to close our schools and if it was, a no school closure would have been given equal consideration. The cost savings of closing schools will be in the result of some staff savings and operating costs, but there will be added costs to decommission, insurance, maintenance, that will be added with closure. If one was to look at accounting for all costs, small schools such as Lester B Pearson are in fact more cost efficient on a per capita student basis than larger schools.
 Was Lester B. Pearson high school “doomed” from the beginning? Early on in the PAR process, it was apparent that there was reluctance and obstruction by the HDSB to engage in open and meaningful conversations with the general public and the communities affected by the school closures. This action alone revealed the school board’s lack of transparency and made many residents question the board’s motive for moving so quickly and forcefully to close our schools.
 Kim, a Lester B Pearson high school parent Perhaps the need for a greater emphasis on more open communication and input from our entire community including local and regional officials including the Mayor of Burlington, should have been actively part of the process. The Halton District School Board just recently announced its’ effort in exploring community partnerships now. In an effort of fairness, democracy, and the Ontario Ministry of Education principles, the HDSB had a moral and legal obligation to have explored other creative options more aggressively including possible community partnerships prior to proposing any school closures.
While the HDSB focuses their efforts on the transition process for Lester B Pearson high school and their desires for a “NEW” Administration building, many members of the community will now redirect their attention on the Burlington citizens appeal to the Ontario Ministry of Education now approved Administrative Review (AR).
With the AR soon underway, the need for better collaboration between the City of Burlington, its’ residents, and the Halton District School Boards prior restriction of information and the dissemination of correct, timely information in a transparent fashion will become apparent.
While the Halton District School Board continually reiterates to the public that the Administrative Review will NOT reverse their decision, it should indeed question it to a fair degree. The purpose of the Administrative Review (AR) is to thoroughly review the board’s honest commitment, integrity and ability to follow the HDSB and Ontario Ministry of Education policies while conducting the prior PAR process plus determine if there is need for HDSB procedural change.
 Ward 4 school board trustee Rachelle Papin at a school council meeting. In light of the approval of an AR, and with consideration of the facilitators findings, the community expects our elected Trustees to welcome the opportunity to openly review and change their June 7th, 2017 decision based on newly revealed supportive facts that the process they followed led them to a decision which was indeed without a doubt “flawed”.
After-all, how can and why would any school board or elected official stand behind a decision that they know was made using questionable methods, non- transparency and incorrect information and executed process?
A question we ALL should be asking at this point …especially the school board Trustees.
 Cheryl is a Registered Nurse who was a member of the Program Accommodation Review Committee that was unable to reach a consensus on which if any Burlington high schools should have been closed.
By Staff
October 12th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It used to be called the Boy Scouts association. Not anymore.
The Boy Scouts of America (USA program) recently announced changes to their membership policy to allow girls into the Cub Scout program and confirmed that older girls will be able to earn the rank of Eagle Scout.
 Queen’s Venturer Mikhayla Doroshuk and Terry Grant Chief Scout The Scouts Canada membership has been officially co-ed since 1998 and welcomes all to its membership regardless of gender, race, culture, religious belief, sexual orientation or economic circumstances and has always taken an inclusive approach to its membership.
Scouts Canada is a separate and distinct organization from the Boy Scouts of America.
Canada doesn’t have an Eagle Scout level – the Canadian equivalent is the Queen’s Venturer Award.
There is a very active scouting movement in the Region.
By Staff
October 12th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Policing the commercial traffic on our highways is vital. There was a time when we had wheels flying off trucks that were unsafe because they weren’t properly maintained.
 The Regional Police have a fully equipped vehicle with all kinds of inspection equipment. with the 401, the 403, the 407 and the QEW cutting through Halton region commercial vehicle inspection is a big job. Police officers and inspectors from seven services, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Finance/ Environment recently completed a two-day commercial vehicle (CMV) enforcement blitz held at the Mohawk Raceway in Milton on October 4-5.
Results of the showed some encouraging signs for road safety. The data shows a record number of vehicles being inspected and an increase in compliance over 2016.
The two day blitz this year yielded the following results:
• Total commercial motor vehicles inspected: 477
• Total commercial motor vehicles taken out of service: 156 (33% failure rate)
• Total charges laid: 331
• Sets of plates seized by police: 24
2016 Results:
• Total commercial motor vehicles inspected: 470
• Total commercial motor vehicles taken out of service: 179 (38% failure rate)
• Total charges laid: 476
• Sets of plates seized by police: 35
Top six charges laid by police in 2017:
• Fail to complete daily inspection (58 charges)
• Improper brake (24 charges)
• Failure to complete annual inspection (22 charges)
• Insecure load (21 charges)
• Fail to have permit (19 charges)
• Overweight vehicle (14 charges)
 Halton police officer checks the tires on a truck during a blitz. “The results of the 2017 Halton commercial motor vehicle blitz reveal that there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure commercial motor vehicles are safe. The rules of the road apply equally to all motor vehicle operators and ensuring a mechanically fit, safely loaded and secure vehicle remains the law. As always, safer trucks equate to safer roads.” said Sgt. Ryan Snow, Traffic Services Unit.
By Staff
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Fire Department is recognizing Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 8 to 14, 2017 with a contest for residents who connect with them through social media.
Residents are asked to look for Fire Prevention Week transit shelter ads around Burlington, take a photo clearly showing the safety message– selfie optional – and tag @BurlingtonFire on Twitter or @BurlingtonFireDept on Facebook to be entered into a draw to win a Fire Prevention Week gift pack.
The contest runs from Oct. 2 to 29, 2017.
Fire Prevention week is a province-wide initiative held each year in October. This year’s theme of Fire
Prevention Week is “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!”
In a fire, you may have just seconds to safely escape your home. Be prepared in advance with these simple steps for home fire escape planning:
 Fire and smoke move faster than you can. Plan and practice fire escape exercises. Consider the needs of everyone in your home
Identify anyone who needs help to get out of the home safely, such as small children or older adults.
Make sure that you have working smoke alarms on every storey of the home and outside all sleeping areas
Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm.
Identify all possible exits (doors and windows) and make sure they work
Know two ways out of all areas, if possible.
Everyone must know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds
Name someone to take care of those who need help.
Identify a safe meeting place outside.
Call the fire department from outside the home – from a neighbour’s home or a cell phone.
Practice your home fire escape plan at least twice a year
Have everyone take part.
Make changes to your plan if necessary.
Burlington Fire Chief Dave Lazenby tells people that “Fire and smoke move faster than you. There’s no time to figure out how to escape your home after a fire starts. Practice an escape plan before there’s a fire so you can get out safely.”
By George Ward
October 7th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Many residents in Burlington are still questioning why we are closing two schools in the growing City of Burlington. The Halton District school Board has presented its perspective and justification for the closures, it still doesn’t make sense.
 Hayden High school, Burlington’s newest built as part of a complex that includes a Recreational Centre and a public library with a skate park across the street. The school is well over its intended capacity and currently has 12 portables. To begin, closing both Pearson and Bateman high school does not alleviate the overcrowding at Hayden (overcrowded with over 1,650 pupils and growing, necessitating the use of 12 portable classrooms and a desire to add 6 more in the future).
Secondly, it does not alleviate the growing pressures on our busing system and in fact contributes to the growing problem and safety concerns. Closing our schools makes absolutely no sense, is unwarranted, unjustified, and simply put is very short-sighted.
The board seems to have lost sight of the fact that schools are public assets and that taxpayers have invested their money in these schools and communities. If one was to look at these school closures in Burlington solely from a financial perspective you would realize that closing Pearson and Bateman will result in a substantially higher costs.
Closing two schools save approximately $2 million, however, some of these operating costs, such as the pool and day care, added busing, and other new ongoing costs to take care of the closed schools are not accounted for. In addition, the costs of capital equipment and facilities to transition specialty programs to Nelson was put at $12 million, but there is concern that this will be much higher. While a no school closure would result in the expense range of approximately $250,000 in operating costs. How is that being fiscally responsible?
 Some of the data that was presented during the PARC meetings was out of date and conflicted with other data put forward. Many had difficulty figuring out just what the full story was. Superintendent of Facilities Gerry Cullen was challenged at times to give a satisfactory explanation. Throughout the Program Accommodation Review (PAR) process, it became clear early on of the lack of transparency when it came to information sharing from the board. From information and data changing periodically to the extensive and lengthy data provided, it became a challenge to gain insight into the facts that led to the decision to close our schools.
With more questions than answers, one might start to wonder: What is the real motivation behind the HDSB wanting to close these schools?
Perhaps when we go back through Board Minutes to understand why the board needs to move forward on school closures in Burlington.
Below is an excerpt from HDSB meeting minutes of February 2017:
The Halton District School Board Administration is experiencing significant growth pressures due to growth in student population and the increasing complexity of its work. As a result, the Board’s existing office facilities have become woefully inadequate. This is not a question of quantity of space, but rather of quality of space.
 It is only a concept but it gives you some idea as to how far along the thinking is within the Boar of Education Administration. Our analysis of how to meet the Board’s current and future needs presents an opportunity to provide the staff of the HDSB with a 21st century work environment: a new 95,000 sq. ft. facility to accommodate 350 staff within a single building, designed according to the guiding principles identified herein.
The sale of the existing J.W. Singleton site would make this project possible and in turn, create a facility that reflects the Board’s values, resulting in the delivery of the highest quality education for the Board’s students.
Budget Estimate: 95,375 sq. ft. x $310/sq. ft. = $29.6M
This estimate is based on the HWDSB (Hamilton-Wentworth) precedent and it is for project costs only. Land costs are not included, as they will depend on the site selection. Space for growth (10,000 sq. ft.. included) is based on HDSB projections, and can be adjusted should projections increase.
Costs:
• 1 move required
• Unknowns could impact the costs include site issues such as geo-technical, soil, zoning,
Benefits:
• Only 1 move – no temporary accommodations required, and minimized disturbance to staff.
• Because this would be a purpose-built environment, it is the option that would best meet the Board’s needs outlined in this report without compromise.
• Other sites no longer in use could be used to raise funds.
It is clearly stated in the minutes that it is NOT a situation of need for additional space but rather a desire for better quality of space. According to the board, a better facility for their staff would in turn provide better education. How does having a nicer work space for HDSB board staff contribute to a better quality of education for our students?
 Demonstrations didn’t make a bit of difference. The trustees, who are the people who made the decision, didn’t hear the parents.  Bateman high school parents chose to give their school a public hug. Shouldn’t priority be that our students have the “best quality learning environment”. Where students can walk or ride their bikes to school instead of sitting on the floor of an overcrowded bus. Where students are able to learn in an environment that is quiet, calm, and not overcrowded, where classes are not held in hallways, where students are not learning in portables, where there is sufficient heating, air conditioning, and/or proper ventilation systems?
The planning for a new Administration office for the Board Staff are moving along: The following comes from a report prepared by a firm of architects. The options before the Board were set out as follows:
Do Nothing,’ but maintain the existing facilities, for an estimated cost of $20M over the next 25 years, with no improvement to the actual offices in terms of functionality or design .
Complete a Renovation- Addition to one of the existing buildings, which would yield a compromised facility with increased disruption, for a similar cost to the final option .
Build a new facility, estimated at
$29 .6M (not including land) is the option that would best meet the Board’s needs as outlined in our guiding principals .
In order to obtain true value and create the desired synergies enabling Board staff to work at their best, we strongly recommend the Board proceed with constructing a new Administrative office facility .
Because of existing legislative requirements, selling the J .W . Singleton property appears to be the best way to generate sufficient dollars to fund this project . This would in turn allow for a new administrative facility to be centrally located in the Milton/Oakville area, where the Region’s growth is projected in the next 25-50 years .
The next phases of this Study will explore potential partnerships that could yield community benefits as well as capital and operating savings . Once specific sites are identified, concept plans, cost estimates and implementation strategies will be completed .
It appears that the need to accommodate 350 board staff takes precedence over the 76 elementary schools, and 17 secondary schools that serves over 50,000 students, excluding those in adult, alternative, and Community Education program within our school system.
Despite the fact the Minister of Education announced a moratorium on the Program Accommodation Review process and the fact that the HDSB is now subject to an Administrative Review, the HDSB continues to move forward on their plan to close two Burlington high schools, despite the fact the process that led to the decision has been publicly deemed to be flawed.
So, the question still remains.
Why is the HDSB really closing schools in Burlington?
Related article:
School Board announces it is looking for partners.
 George Ward is a semi- retired quality control auditor who is deeply involved in the community effort to keep the Lester B. Pearson high school open. Both his children and some of their children attended Lester B. Pearson.
 By Staff
October 6th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Community organizations and members of the public are invited to a meeting on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 7 p.m., to discuss potential planning and partnership opportunities within Halton District School Board facilities.
Partnership opportunities in existing schools and co-build opportunities in proposed new schools, as well as a new Board Administrative Centre, will be discussed at the J.W. Singleton Education Centre (2050 Guelph Line, Burlington).
 Education Centre – has been described as a development site. The full list of facilities available for community partnerships and the community planning and partnerships policy can be viewed at www.hdsb.ca.
Potential partners are requested to bring relevant planning information such as population projections, growth plans, community needs, land use and greenspace/park requirements to the meeting.
It’s a bit of a step in the right direction.
The HDSB has not been as aggressive in marketing the opportunities that exist in the buildings they have. There are numerous opportunities for the Board of Education to partner with the municipalities.
There is a pressing need for additional facilities for Seniors north of the QEW – this is the time to start those conversations.
There are a number of people who were members of the Burlington PARC who thought there was a sharing of facilities opportunity that would keep Pearson high school open and the Nursery operation at the location.
Hopefully the Board will be more open to some innovative ideas.
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