 By Staff
March 12, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Most of the US will have a great chance to see the first lunar eclipse since 2022.
The filtering of sunlight during a total lunar eclipse can give the moon a red or orange tint.
The full moon in March will be extra special. This Friday, a total lunar eclipse is expected to turn the moon into a visible glowing red color, sometimes called a “Blood Moon.” Although the space show will take place late at night, it should be visible to most of the US and North America. Here’s when and how to watch this remarkable event in the sky.
While eclipses may feel like rarities, they come around throughout the year in different forms. There are solar eclipses and lunar eclipses and partial eclipses and total eclipses.
The March event is a total lunar eclipse thanks to the positions of the sun, Earth and moon in relation to each other. Earth will drape its shadow over the moon until the moon is blanketed by the darkest part of the shadow. This doesn’t blot out the moon, but it creates a change in its color.
Depending on where you are, the eclipse will kick off late on March 13 or early in the morning on March 14. Check in with Timeanddate.com and look up your location for the exact start time, the time when the eclipse is at maximum and when it ends.
If you like staying up late, then you’re in luck. Where I’m at in New Mexico on Mountain Time, the eclipse will kick off at close to 10 p.m. on March 13 and come to an end around 4 a.m. on March 14. It reaches maximum at close to 1 a.m., which is past my bedtime, but worth losing a little sleep over.
“This is a great eclipse to watch because the full moon will be passing through the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow (called the umbra), and it is well-timed for night-owl observers in the US,” says Emily Rice, associate professor of astrophysics at the Macaulay Honors College of the City University of New York.
Rice points out the eclipse happens for most of the US on March 14, also known as Pi Day because the date can be written 3/14, the first three digits of Pi, 3.14. She calls it a “nicely nerdy coincidence.” This could be the perfect time in indulge in a MoonPie for an eclipse snack.
Earth’s western hemisphere is in line for good eclipse viewing, according to NASA. Most of North America and South America will be prime viewing locations. You have a shot at seeing it as long as weather conditions are clear.
“Lunar eclipses are easier to observe than solar eclipses, because the Earth’s shadow is much larger than the full moon, so anyone who can see the full moon will be able to see the eclipse,” says Rice. “This is different from a solar eclipse that is usually only visible along a very narrow path on the Earth.”
Cloudy weather in the forecast? Too cold to stand outside? No problem. You can tune into a total lunar eclipse livestream and watch the action from the comfort of your screen with Timeanddate.com’s coverage.
What is a blood moon?
Lunar eclipses have attracted a slew of sensational nicknames, so you might see terms like “super harvest wolf moon.” A total lunar eclipse is sometimes called a blood moon thanks to the red or orange tinge it takes on from sunlight filtering through our planet’s atmosphere. “It’s as if all the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the moon,” NASA said.
The color effect can be subtle, so don’t expect a moon that’s as red as a Corvette.
“They are usually a bit overdramatic,” Rice says of the moon nicknames, “so I worry people will have high expectations and be disappointed, but really anything that gets people paying attention to the night sky like this is wonderful.”
Tips for viewing the lunar eclipse
Five phases in a curve of a blood moon lunar eclipse with the full moon looking red at the end.
This composite image shows the phases of a 2015 lunar eclipse as seen over NASA’s Glenn Research Center. NASA/Rami Daud
Rice has two key pieces of advice for eclipse viewers: get comfy and be patient. The full duration of the eclipse in New Mexico, for example, is about 6 hours. March evenings can still be chilly for much of the US, so you may want to bundle up or grab a blanket. Even better if you have a comfy chair and a spot with a clear view of the night sky. Try to avoid light pollution if possible.
Eye safety is a key issue with solar eclipses, but lunar eclipses don’t require eye protection.
“You don’t need any special equipment, but it’s still a good opportunity to try out binoculars or a telescope if you have them,” says Rice. She recommends scoping out the moon prior to the eclipse start time to get a sense of its location and brightness.
If you only catch part of the eclipse, aim for totality, especially if you’re setting your alarm and only plan to witness part of the celestial show. Totality is when the moon is entirely covered by our planet’s shadow.
“At first the change will be very gradual as the partial phases begin, but once totality starts the moon will grow dark and look orange or red for about an hour during totality,” Rice says. “How striking it is will depend on local weather conditions.”
March’s blood moon may not be at the most convenient time for a lot of people, but consider taking a late night or setting an alarm to witness the eclipse peak. It’s a worthwhile moment of awe.
“We’ve become so disconnected from the natural world,” says Rice. “And a lunar eclipse is a great way to experience it first-hand.”
 By Staff
March 7th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) announces the launch of the Bruce Trail GeoHikes Hub, a free virtual geology education program developed in collaboration with the APGO Education Foundation and the McMaster University School of Earth, Environment & Society.
Bruce Trail GeoHikes are interactive digital tools that offer Bruce Trail users an accessible and innovative way of learning more about the geology of the Niagara Escarpment. Each GeoHike is a one to three-hour non-intensive self-guided tour that highlights the significance of the local geology. GeoHikes can be used as guides while walking the Trail in person, or as a virtual alternative at home or in the classroom.
 Ball’s Falls. Photo by Brooke Kochan. (CNW Group/Bruce Trail Conservancy) Most GeoHikes include virtual 3D models that show the locations of fossils and other geological features, 360-degree photos or drone videos, slide bars with overlays of important features or geologic information, and written and audio descriptions of the geology.
“For over 60 years the Bruce Trail has brought people into greater connection with nature, and specifically the Niagara Escarpment. In addition to the incredible biodiversity that can be found here are geological features that tell the fascinating history of the landscape.
“Over the past 3 years the BTC has taken their goal of covering the Bruce Trail with interesting and informative GeoHikes from concept to realty.
There are currently nine Bruce Trail GeoHikes available, which include popular destinations such as Ball’s Falls in the Niagara Region, Tiffany Falls in Hamilton, and the Cheltenham Badlands in Caledon. An additional 12 Bruce Trail GeoHikes throughout the 1,300 km Bruce Trail system will go live this spring, including four on the Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula.
“The GeoHikes contained within the Bruce Trail Hub are easily accessible guides that aim to inform the public about the fascinating geological features they can see at selected sites along the Bruce Trail. The GeoHikes have been researched and compiled largely by undergraduate students at McMaster University who have not only learned about the geology of the Niagara Escarpment but also have gained experience in communicating scientific information to the public.
For more information and to access Bruce Trail GeoHikes visit geoscienceinfo.com/bruce-trail-hub/.
About the Bruce Trail Conservancy
The Bruce Trail Conservancy is one of Ontario’s largest land trusts that secures, protects and restores the vulnerable habitat and biodiversity of the UNESCO Niagara Escarpment Biosphere. For more than 60 years we have responsibly connected people to nature through the Bruce Trail. We are a member-driven, volunteer-based, charitable organization governed by a 19-member Board of Directors. Working with each of the nine Bruce Trail Clubs, we are committed to caring for the Bruce Trail and to preserving land along its route. The Bruce Trail Conservancy is a leading Canadian environmental charity and has been named one of the Top 100 Charities in Canada by Charity Intelligence.
About the APGO Education Foundation
The APGO Education Foundation is a registered charitable organization under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. The purpose of the charity is to advance the education of the public in the area of geoscience – see https://apgoef.ca. GeoscienceINFO.com, developed by the Foundation, is an innovative one-stop spot for the public to gather information about the earth beneath their feet. This website provides interesting information on all facets of geoscience. A particularly exciting feature of GeoscienceINFO.com is the highlighting of virtual field trips in different areas in Ontario. This enables viewers to experience and learn about the geology of an area while traversing it digitally in ESRI ArcGIS OnlineTM and StoryMapsTM.
 By Staff
March 3, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
It started on Saturday – the Sweetest time of the year! Conservation Halton celebrates Maple Season at the 150-year-old sugarbush at Mountsberg’s Maple Town.
The kids can get to see how sap tapped from the maple trees and transformed into maple syrup.
 Pails collecting the sap from trees at Mountsberg’s Maple Town.  Syrup being boiled in cast iron kettles. Maple Season programs are offered on weekends, holidays, and March Break until Sunday, April 6, 2025.
Mountsberg’s Maple Town is a cherished family tradition. In the sugarbush, visitors can watch maple sap transform into syrup in the evaporator, warm up by a fireside lounge, or help their kids become ‘certified’ Sugar Rangers with the new and returning challenges for 2025! Satisfy sweet cravings with maple sugar and syrup samples, maple syrup drizzled pancakes at the Pancake Pavilion, and other maple products available to take home from the Country Store.
Mountsberg visitors can add a horse-drawn wagon ride or a maple sugar making workshop to their visit for a truly unforgettable experience. Maple Town visitors will learn about the history of sugar making from its Indigenous origins, to iron kettles, to today’s technology, and all about how Conservation Halton staff care for our amazing trees.
For tickets, pricing, and details about Maple Season, visit conservationhalton.ca/mapleseason.
Crawford Lake Conservation Area, 3115 Conservation Road
Milton, ON, L9T 2X3
By Staff
March 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Classroom Mini Marsh
Registration Opens on March 7
Thus is a program teachers apply for – if you want you child to become more environmentally aware – bring this to their attention
Teachers in schools across the Hamilton Harbour watershed, it’s that time of year!
Registration for the Classroom Mini Marsh program will open on Friday, March 7, 2024 @ 9:00AM<
What is the Classroom Mini Marsh program?
 K to 8 students could get a chance to grow their own mini marsh in their classroom; its the kind of program that lets students see how the environment actually works. Bring a bit of Cootes Paradise Marsh into your classroom with our Classroom Mini Marsh kits!
Since 1993, BARC has offered Mini Marsh kits free of charge to schools within the Hamilton Harbour watershed.
The kits include native marsh plants, a bowl, gravel, and a snail. Students plant their shoots in the gravel, maintain the water level in the bowl, and watch their Mini Marshes grow!
At the end of the school year the plants are returned to Royal Botanical Gardens for planting in Cootes Paradise Marsh, connecting students with the restoration of this Hamilton Harbour wetland.
Teachers are provided with curriculum-linked activities to share with their students, including details about the restoration of Cootes Paradise Marsh. Approximately 10,000 students participate in this program each year!
Mark your calendars and share with your colleagues in education, the kits go fast!
How Do you Register?
Click HERE
 By Pepper Parr
February 26th, 2025
BURLINGTON. ON
The Halton District School Board has announced that secondary school students Kaitlyn Hou and Jay Xu are to be the Board’s Student Trustees for the next school year (2025-2026).
 These students were the successful candidates elected to the role by their peers through an online election that took place on Thursday, Feb. 20. This year’s election included 19 candidates and a total of approximately 3,970 students casting votes.
Hou is returning as Student Trustee for a second term, while Xu will be entering the role for the first time.
Hou is a Grade 11 student at Abbey Park High School and Xu is a Grade 10 student at White Oaks Secondary School.
The new term of office officially begins on Aug. 1, 2025. In recognizing the results of the Student Trustee election, Trustees of the Halton District School Board welcomed Hou and Xu to their roles as Student Trustees for the 2025-2026 school year. Hou and Xu shared the following thoughts about their upcoming terms as Student Trustee.
 Jayson Zu, is a Grade 10 student at White Oaks Secondary School. “I am incredibly grateful and honoured to have been selected as a Student Trustee from such a well-qualified group of candidates,” says Jason Xu. “To advocate for the student body that has supported and helped me so much throughout the election, I cannot thank you all enough. Now, I look forward to working alongside my peers, the Board and the community as a whole to fulfill the expectations for which I was elected, and to ensure that our beliefs and calls for meaningful changes resound across Halton!”
 Kaitlyn Hou is a Grade 11 student at Abbey Park High School. “I am beyond humbled and honoured to have been elected for another term as one of the two HDSB Student Trustees representing Halton,” says Kaitlyn Hou. “My absolute favourite part of being a Student Trustee is the connections and relationships I was able to build. After learning the ropes, starting passion projects and connecting with so many incredible, inspiring students from across Halton over the past year, I feel nothing but excitement and anticipation for the continued growth, development and change that is to come!”
Chair of the Board of Trustees Amy Collard said: “Student Trustees play a vital role in representing all HDSB students, amplifying their voices at the board table and collaborating with Trustees to make a positive impact in Halton schools. The Board values student perspectives as we work to equip our students with the resources and opportunities they need to achieve their goals. We look forward to working with Kaitlyn and Jay in support of student learning, achievement and well-being.”
In that she is spot on. In the decade that I have been following the public school board I have seen some remarkable high school students who delivered on a level that some of the trustees could not match.
An observation: I don’t ever recall seeing a student trustee from Burlington. The gender balance has always been good – realize that these trustees are chosen by their peers. That 19 students chose to run for the job has to be seen as a ray of hope for the future. The students from Oakville schools seem to be the most active – that activity is reflected in the number of community groups in Oakville compared to what we have in Burlington. There is a link between the two.
The other interesting point is that many, if not most of these student trustees, are from diverse communities.
By Staff
February 20th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
All that snow withstanding – Summer camp registration at the Art Gallery of Burlington is now open.
If you know a kid who loves art, this is the camp for them.
They spend most of the day in the studio, with trips into the galleries and breaks for snacks, lunch, and outdoor time throughout.
Registration HERE
Bursaries
Thanks to the generous support of the Burlington Foundation the AGB is proud to offer an Arts Program Bursary for children from low-income families. Through this program we are able to offer a limited number of camp bursaries for children and youth to attend our camps free of charge!
The bursary application form opens at 10 am on February 14, 2025 for families seeking bursaries for camp programs in the 2025 year. This includes March Break Camps, Summer Camps, and PA Day Camps.
When applying for a bursary, do not register for camps — your child(ren) will be registered for camp by AGB staff if they are selected as bursary recipients.
Families who want to send multiple children to camp can include information for all campers in their household on their form.
Successful applicants will be notified by email and asked to confirm acceptance of the bursary to finalize registration for camp.
Deadline for Submissions
March Break Camps (March 10 – 14, 2025): bursary application cut-off date is February 21, 2025. Parents will be notified by February 26 if they have been selected.
 By Staff
February 20th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
While Winter storms continue to create havoc across the country, including the city of Burlington, the need for keeping blood products at optimal levels is important.
The heavy snowfall, ice storms and extreme cold have resulted in hundreds of cancelled donation appointments. During storms, many people offer acts of kindness, such as helping their neighbours clear snow, shoveling out cars or providing warm spaces for those in need. Donating blood is another way people can give back to their community.
 These donours are well past the 100 mark. Kudos to them. Open appointments to donate are available in Burlington at 1250 Brant Street.
Eligible donors are asked to book at their earliest convenience — and consider inviting a new donor to join you. If you’ve never donated before, now is the time to join a community of people committed to saving lives. Every day this winter, we need 450 new donors across Canada to help fuel Canada’s Lifeline. Beat the winter blahs and get Canada’s blood pumping!
Help people right here in your community and across Canada. Book now on blood.ca, use the GiveBlood app or call 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-6283).
By Staff
February 15th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Canada’s greatest plastic scale model contest and sale is to take place on March 21st at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum from 9 am to 4 pm
Contest categories include Aircraft, Armour, Automotive, Ships, Figures, Space, Collections as well as Intermediate, Junior and Bantam entries.
Admission: Adults $20 (Age 18+), Kids $15 (Ages 6-17). LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE – to guarantee your museum entry, purchase your tickets in advance.
WIN A FLIGHT in our World War II D-Day Veteran Dakota FZ692* – purchase your admission ticket by March 21, 2025, at 12 noon EST and you will automatically be entered into the draw for a pair of seats.
 CONTEST REGISTRATION FEE – Unlimited number of model entries. Adult (Age 18+) $10, Juniors FREE. SAVE TIME & BUY IN ADVANCE!
No exchanges or refunds. Free admission for museum members and children 5 & under. Complimentary passes are not valid for this special event.
Vendor tables – SOLD OUT.
Winner of the flight on the Dakota will be notified March 23, 2025, by phone, must be minimum 12 years old to fly, and flight to be taken in 2025 at a mutually agreed upon time.
Additional info on the MODEL REGISTRATION, CONTEST RULES, AND CATEGORIES available HERE:
By Staff
February 8th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
We have a 311 service, we have a 911 service and now there is a 211 service.
 The Halton Hamilton United Way (HHUW) was a founding partner of 211 service in Canada, providing funding and support for the program, and advocating to make its services available to all communities across Canada.
211 is the largest national database of community services and government programs in Canada. It plays a critical role in helping people navigate available local resources.
The service 211 connects people in Halton and Hamilton to essential social services, including housing support, mental health resources, and food security, through a free, 24/7 confidential service available in over 150 languages.
Continue reading Do you know what the 211 service is?
By Staff
January 31st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board (HDSB), in collaboration with SAVIS of Halton and EFRY Hope and Help for Women, will host a third information session on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025 to continue to raise awareness about sex trafficking and sexual exploitation in the Halton community.
The session will be held from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Georgetown District High School (70 Guelph Street, Georgetown).
 This session is being held in response to overwhelming participation in the joint Anti-Sex Trafficking information sessions held in February and June 2024 in Milton. This third session will be held in Halton Hills and will be identical in content to reach those in the community who were unable to attend the first two sessions.
Those interested in attending can register online. The information session is open to all members of the Halton community, and registration will remain open until the event reaches full capacity. Child minding will be provided at no cost for school-age children (Kindergarten to Grade 8). Overflow parking will be available next door at St. George’s Anglican Church (60 Guelph Street, Georgetown).
The session will uncover the realities of sex trafficking and exploitation and provide insight into who is at risk, digital and cyber security considerations, warning signs and how to keep our children and youth safe. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from survivors of sex trafficking and representatives from Halton Regional Police Service, SAVIS of Halton and EFRY Hope and Help for Women. This event offers a unique opportunity to learn about the direct effects sex trafficking has on the individual and their community.
Background resources
Anti-Sex Trafficking – Halton District School Board SAVIS of Halton
EFRY Hope and Help for Women
February 2024 Anti-Sex Trafficking Information Session Recap Video
 By Pepper Parr
January 22nd, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
She was a great ship with a proud battle history.
Julie van der Muellen created this 10-foot model made out of Lego.
Julie assembled and donated her 10-foot-long HMCS Haida to the Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton. It will be archived as a museum relic and displayed in a glass display case.
 Julie van der Muellen with her father and a 10 foot Lego model of HMCS Haida. Continue reading HMCS Haida, created out of 40,000+ pieces of Lego, will be on display at the Wartime Heritage Museum
By Staff
January 9th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
 Students in grades 4, 5 and 6 are invited to answer the question “What does home mean to you?”
The annual Meaning of Home Habitat for Humanity writing contest is open until February 21, 2025,
The goal this year is t0 entice 850+ student submissions across Halton Mississauga and Dufferin Region!
Access to safe and affordable housing continues to be a top priority for all Canadians, including children, who understand how it can provide their family with a place to pursue their dreams and build a better life. Our model of affordable homeownership helps families in need of housing to buy their own home through an affordable mortgage geared to income — helping them build a strong foundation and the financial stability to plan for their children’s futures.
Continue reading What does home mean to grades 4,5 and 6 students?
By Staff
January 1st, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The start of a new year is a chance to pause, reflect, and think about what you want to achieve in the next twelve months. Make 2025 a year of adventure and discovery by setting a reading resolution with the BPL Reading Challenge! Sign up online now to get started, then pick up your tracker from any BPL branch. It’s completely FREE to join.
Reading Challenge 101
The goal of our Reading Challenge is to read one book every month on a different theme or topic. In January, we kick off with the challenge to read a book set in a faraway place. It can be any book, fiction or non-fiction, that takes place somewhere else, whether it’s a different part of Canada, a different country, or even a different planet! If you’re not sure where to start, our librarians have curated a list of recommendations.
Stay Motivated
Every month, we’ll send you a reminder to check in online and let us know what book you read. When you check in, you’re entered into both our monthly and end-of-year grand prize draws for a chance to win great prizes. We’ll also share a new set of recommended reads, and other ways that we can help you find a book we think you’ll love that fits the monthly theme.
Connect With Other Readers
It’s like having a gym buddy, but for books! We’ll host a monthly meet-up for challenge participants, where we’ll chat about what we read, what we did and didn’t love, and exchange reading recommendations. Bring a friend, or come to make new ones. There’s no need to register, and you can find all the dates and locations on the BPL Reading Challenge web page.
Try Something New in 2025
Your monthly read can be in any format or genre, so why not challenge yourself even more and read outside of your comfort zone? Try a new genre, like romance, mystery, fantasy, or non-fiction. Or make 2025 the year you commit to audiobooks—it’s the ultimate in multi-tasking. You can tune into a great story while you’re driving, exercising, or cooking dinner.
Other Reading Resolutions
Beyond the Reading Challenge, there are lots of fun ways you can motivate yourself to read more in 2025. Here are some fun ideas for reading resolutions:
- Read the alphabet: Start with A and work your way through reading authors or books starting with each letter of the alphabet.
- Make a to-be-read jar: Anytime you hear about a book you want to read, write it on a scrap of paper and toss it in a mason jar, then pick a book from the jar when you’re not sure what to read next.
- Travel through books: Make a list of all the places you want to visit someday, then pick books set in those places.
- Expand your shelf: Exploring stories from people with different lived experiences can challenge your thinking, improve your empathy, and expand your understanding of global issues.
- Take on the classics: They’re (usually) popular for a reason, so consider tackling the books you skipped (or skimmed) in high school. For a fun twist, read the graphic or comic version of a classic novel, too!
- Ask us for a booklist curated by our book-loving staff through our Handpicked For You Service!
May your year ahead be filled with great books!
 By Staff
December 10th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON, ON
Support Burlington Public Library’s
Kids Learning Fund this holiday season
Give a gift that inspires a lifetime of learning! By donating to BPL’s Kids Learning Fund, you’re directly supporting literacy, creativity, and discovery for children in our community. A $30 donation can purchase up to four books for our children’s collection. A $100 donation can buy supplies for a STEAM programming session. And a $200 donation can help replace aging play equipment!
Click HERE to donate online or in any BPL branch from now until December 31. Tax receipts are provided for all donations over $20.
Shopping for someone who has everything? Honour their love of books and learning with a truly meaningful gift! Your contribution in their name is a gift that keeps giving.
Your donation helps us enhance our children’s book and tech collections, fund free programs that ignite a passion for reading, science, and art, and create welcoming library spaces with engaging toys, furnishings, and technology.
By Staff
October 14th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Don’t miss the October 19th Take Action Day.
Join BurlingtonGreen and our event partners at the Burlington Centre (mall) on Saturday, October 19th from 10 am to 4 pm for this FREE event featuring a variety of opportunities to take ACTION for the environment.
 By Pepper Parr
October 8th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Second of a series on the changes taking place in print media and the challenge keeping the public informed.
In the period leading up to 2000 media found itself facing realty difficult times.
When Y2k (remember that event) was upon us no one really knew what was going to happen when we moved into the new millennium.
 Newspapers were selling their printing presses and contracting the work out. Media covered the event like a wet blanket – there were those that said it wasn’t really a problem while others suggested the machines that drive production would come to an immediate halt.
Media did a lot of reporting – but they didn’t pause to ask: what does this mean to us as an industry?
I don’t recall reading about any industry wide workshops; I don’t recall seeing anything in the way of op-ed pieces on what the industry needed to do in the way of changes.
Media covered disruption – without realizing that they were in line for some major disruption to their industry and they weren’t prepared.
The industry no longer had the aura of Watergate or the Pentagon Papers that made reporters heros – at that time thousands flooded into the industry wanting to be reporters. Reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were the subject of close to fawning news stories, television specials and movies.
By the late 1980s journalism schools were being closed. The number of students that graduated got smaller and smaller.
The age of the men and woman in the news rooms was made up of people in their late 40’s and 50’s – there was no new blood coming into the industry. And there were few MBAs on staff of the large newspapers.
Those that were public corporations had financial analysts looking at profits which were decent at the time – what those analysts didn’t see was that the boat was moving quickly toward a Niagara size waterfall.
When the disruption of the revenue sources began media didn’t have a Plan B – they watched is losses began to climb and subscriptions slowly slipped away.
 The data relates to American newspaper – the number will not be much different for Canada Part 1 of a series.
 By Pepper Parr
October 1st, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
It was early evening. The weather was great.
 The crowd grey to about 100 people. Around 100 people had gathered at the Pavilion in Spencer Smith Park to take part in a Truth and Reconciliation Day event.
The majority wore the Orange T-shirts that had the Every Child Matters in bold letters on the front.
A few Indigenous women spoke – some drumming took place there was some singing before the group headed to the Beachway in a parade along the Promenade.
 An Indigenous woman sing and drumming during the ceremonial parts of the event. I was expecting more. There were no male speakers. The women told of their experiences with Residential schools. Is there a single person who is not by now fully aware of what was done to these people?
And are there very many people fully aware of what we are still doing to these people ?
 Lydia – one of the few young people at the event. Literally no Indigenous people that I could see at the event.  Lydia – getting restless. The chemicals that were dumped in the Grassy Narrows waters; the hundreds of communities that still do not have potable water – what they drink has to be transported into their communities.
How many thousands of people have to live in sub-standard housing where mould is a constant problem ?
They call themselves First Nation people and they are – but we don’t even treat them as citizens.
I expected more of what took place at Spencer Smith Park on a pleasant evening.
I wasn’t quite sure what it was we were celebrating.
 Indigenous art was displayed throughout Spencer Smith Park.
By Staff
September 10th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
 Now that the kids are back in school, learning to live without their cell phone in their hands the province is interested in know what you think they should be taught in terms of life skills like: learning how to change a car tire , learning how to sew buttons and put a hem on a pair of trousers.
I thought those were things that parents and grandparents taught you to do? Maybe I’m old school.
Link to the provincial survey is HERE
By Staff
September 3rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
The new cell phone policy that students will face when the return to class on Wednesday.
It is not expected to go easily.
 Will scenes like this be part of the classrooms across the province on Wednesday? Kids in kindergarten to Grade 6 can’t use their phones during the day, including lunch and recess; those in grades 7 to 12 can’t use them in class. Devices must be off and out of view. If not, kids will have to place them in a storage area. If they refuse they’ll be sent to the principal, who will consider a range of responses, including suspension. Students will be responsible for their devices and any consequences from breaking the rules.
But teachers, at the forefront of enforcing this policy, have raised concerns about what happens when a child doesn’t comply, or a confiscated device is lost, stolen or damaged.
 Minister of Education Jill Dunlop At her first press conference as education minister, Jill Dunlop recognized that “enforcement is going to be a big issue” for educators, but said the government has their backs.
Teacher are now going to enforce tough new provincial changes limiting cellphone use in schools, an issue Minister Dunlop knows well.
“I’ve been an educator in the past — although it was in a college, I do have a sense of that time in the classroom with students, and it leads to the work that we’re doing on distractions in the classroom.”
Today is a Professional Development day for teachers who are preparing for students on Wednesday. Many expect it to be a difficult first week.
By Staff
August 14th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Export Development Canada (EDC) has announced the recipients of its 2024 Youth Education scholarships.
Twenty students received the International Business Scholarship, and for the second year, seven students from equity-seeking communities were awarded the Community Leadership Scholarship.
All scholarships are in the amount of $5,000. In addition to strong academic standing, the Community Leadership recipients demonstrate dedication to the advancement of their communities through extra-curricular and volunteering. Representatives from six of EDC’s Employee Resource Groups (ERG) were part of the scholarship nomination and selection committee. In addition, a seventh scholarship recognizes Ukrainian students for academic excellence.
 Ellie Moroz, Ellie Moroz, a Carleton University, 4th year Sprott School of Business students from Burlington said: “Receiving EDC’s scholarship not only alleviates the financial burden of my final undergraduate year but also empowers me to contribute more actively to my school’s community through my involvement in student leadership”.
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By Staff
