 By Staff
July 9th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Write Here. Write Now contest received an incredible number of entries this year—they doubled last year’s total! The creators ranged in age from 10 all the way up to 93.
The Gazette is publishing the two winners in the short story 18+ category. The first is below, the other will follow later in the week.
The winners in each category are:
Poetry
10-12: Kayla Gareau, Dream experts, Dream catchers, Dream chasers
13-17: Griffin Dekker, Beginning of an End
18+: Denny Williams, Reflections on pet ownership
Short Stories
10-12: Avery Parkes, Ali in Winterland
13-17: Mia Greene, Nefelibata
18+: Jennifer Filipowicz, The Swan and Gregory Blount, Cooper Falls
Comics
10-12: Brody Hanks, Muffinhead and Bagel-Brain
13-17: Ali Thompson, The Duck
18+: Dominique Bowler-Brown, Elephant Bones
Gregory Blount proves to be imaginative and quite a story teller.
Well worth a read.
Chief Librarian Lita Barrie explained that two of the short stories were so good they decided to make both winners.
The were certainly right. The story reminds me of Stephen Leacock’s Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town
Enjoy
It was a sunny June day. Russell Stewart and I were cutting through Memorial Park on our way home from the falls. As usual, I wasn’t feeling very sunny myself. There were two spots up at the river where a kid could test their courage, Chicken Run and Dead Man’s Bluff. Chicken Run was about ten feet over the water, and Dead Man’s Bluff, at the top of the falls, was about twenty-five feet high. Russell, a freckle faced redhead, wasn’t the only boy in town brave enough to run right off Dead Man’s Bluff, but he was the only one who could do it blindfolded. I, on the other hand, had never progressed past Chicken Run with my eyes wide open. I would sometimes crawl out along the slippery rocks of Dead Man’s Bluff, but one look into that dark green water far, far below with the roar of the falls drowning out all other sounds and I would start shaking so bad I’d have to crawl right back away from the edge. Russell was always pushing me to try things. Life was easy for him and he saw no good reason why it shouldn’t be easy for me too. We were opposites, but we were also best friends.
On our way home we passed the old cannon near the gazebo in the centre of Memorial park.
Russell stopped and made an announcement, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, for our final performance this afternoon we proudly present Sam Cooper, the Human Cannonball! He will astound you with his amazing 500-foot flight into this glass of water.’ He held out a pretend glass of water. ‘Sam, do you have any last words?’
‘Russell, this is silly, come on?’
‘Come on yourself! Need I remind you this is not Dead Man’s Bluff, Sam. Do you have any last words?’
I knew when I was beat and announced, ‘I would like to dedicate this feat to Mary-Anne McCovey the prettiest girl in the universe!’
Russell and I both had a major crush on Mary-Anne McCovey.
‘Dream on,’ said Russell, ‘and now observe ladies and gentlemen as the fearless Human Cannonball enters the cannon. Get in the cannon Sam.’
‘Come on Russell.’
‘Come on yourself Sam! Need I remind you that … ‘
‘ … this is not Dead Man’s Bluff,’ I finished. Okay.’
And I lowered myself into the cannon feet first.
And Russell pulled the lever.
Now one fact that neither of us was aware of at the time was that the park caretaker, Elroy Stubbs, had made no mistakes in his job these 25 years. Two days earlier, he was loading that very cannon for a 21-gun salute for Flag Day. Elroy carefully placed the charges in the cannon, ‘1, 2, 3,’ he counted; I want you to remember that last number, 3.
At that very moment, the Mayor of Cooper Falls, a round and soft young man by the name of Junior Follows (who incidentally was up for re-election that year) ceremoniously marched out to the cannon where Elroy was working to present him with his Error-Free Certificate.
“Elroy Stubbs,” the Mayor interrupted, “For 25 years of error-free service I hereby present you with this lovely certificate. I hope I can count on your vote, Elroy.” Whereupon, he handed the certificate over to the astonished Elroy, shook his hand and marched back to City Hall.
Elroy folded up the certificate, shoved it into his pocket, spit, and with a puzzled look on his face, resumed loading the cannon, ‘3, 4, 5, 6,’ etcetera.
The upshot of this was that after the ceremony was over, there was still one charge left in the cannon. And as I climbed in, and Russell pulled the lever to “pretend” fire the cannon there was an ear-shattering … BOOM!
Several things happened very quickly at this point. The dinner plate sized circle of blue sky that I was looking at out the end of the cannon was instantly replaced by a scenic view of Cooper Falls from about 300 feet up. My body was going quite a bit faster than my brain at this point. In fact my brain was still trying to work out how I could be seeing all this from inside a cannon.
As my body exited the muzzle of the cannon there was a loud THWACK as my clothing exploded. Singed articles of clothing drifted to the ground not more than ten feet from the end of the cannon, shirt, socks, sneakers, bathing suit.
Deafened, Russell froze on the spot with his hand on the lever, his mouth hanging open, and his red hair standing straight up. Then he looked into the barrel and saw nothing but a bit of smoke. He must have thought the clothes were all that was left of me. Then he high-tailed it, screaming, across the park to the police station where he commenced to blubbering something about shooting his friend. When it was obvious no one there understood a word he was saying, he grabbed one of the deputies, and with superhuman strength carried him kicking and screaming into the park.
By an extraordinary coincidence, three blocks away, the beautiful Mary-Anne McCovey was having a pool party. There were a dozen girls from our class sitting along the edge of her pool with their hands carefully placed on their thighs and stomachs, and so on, marking the furthest splash up to that point in the cannonball contest. Mary-Anne McCovey was standing on the diving board about to take her turn.
At about 500 feet, I felt a queasy sense of weightlessness. Time itself seemed to slow down. I began to fall.
That was when I learned something about myself that I hold dear to this very day. I did not scream hysterically, and my life did not pass before my eyes. The screamers and those whose lives pass before their eyes do not often survive the predicaments they are in. It is the people who spend this short time planning who, on occasion, survive. I found out that I was a planner.
I looked down and saw a tiny rectangle of blue in front of me. Could it possibly be a swimming pool? And could it possibly be directly in line with the cannon in Memorial Park? Was there any chance that I might land in a swimming pool? I began to move my body as I had seen stunt men in the movie serials do, head down, feet up, slow tumble to land flat on my back.
But as I picked up speed, I realized that even if I was lucky enough to land in water, I had better not land flat on my back so at the last moment brought my knees up and held them in my arms … SPLOOSH!”
The resulting splash blew all twelve girls flat against the fence, and Mary-Anne who you will recall was on the diving board at the time found herself looking down from her neighbour’s roof. I couldn’t climb out of the pool on account of the new water level, and had to be rescued by Mary-Anne McCovey and her friends, which they did shortly after they rescued Mary-Anne from her neighbour’s roof. I would have been out quite a bit quicker if the girls had been able to control their laughter.
Around this time, the town’s three deputies were dragging Russell to jail for his own protection. And old Abraham Johansen, a farmer on the outskirts of town, who had been scanning the horizon and wishing for rain for more than five weeks, was burning his copy of the Farmer’s Almanac. He thought he heard thunder, and ventured out onto his porch. Several drops of water splashed his face. He looked up at the clear blue sky, and grumbled, ‘Very funny.’
I won the cannonball contest, although the girl who was ahead at that point challenged it briefly on a technicality, and for several weeks my rear end swelled up to four times its usual size.
You see, in the end, that trip to the falls changed Russell and me forever. About a month later I went up to the falls and easily leaped off of Dead Man’s Bluff.
Russell was never the same again. Although we remained friends, he never again went near the cannon in Memorial Park. He never even went near the park if he could avoid it. However every now and then down at the gas station where he works, a car backfires, and he loses about a week of his lifespan.
I was fortunate enough to marry Mary-Anne McCovey, and periodically, whenever I get too serious about things, she’s kind enough to lean up close and whisper into my ear …BOOM!
“Oh yeah, and Elroy Stubbs had to return his certificate to the Mayor
 By Pepper Parr
July 9th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The decision on the part of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce to mention the politicians who took part in the Scholarship Breakfast and neglect to name and recognize the students has resonated with a number of organizations that create scholarships for students.
A member of one of those organizations brought to our attention that “many scholarships are handed out at this time of year by service organizations, private foundations, etc. One organization recently awarded eight High Schools (cash scholarships for students taking further education – as we have done for many years) and about thirty elementary schools (a brand new program – modest achievement awards to grade 8 graduates heading into high school) for a total of about $16,000.
 Sitting in the front row: Burlington High School students recognized during a Scholarship Breakfast. “Nothing wrong with an additional recognition event for the youth at the Chamber, but it does look a bit strange with all the big shots in a photo op.
“It should be acknowledged that other organizations and people in Burlington do the same without much fanfare.”
 By Staff
July 8th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
On Monday, July 10th from 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm the BGYN will be hosting a panel of incredible Guest Speakers from A Greener Future.
We will welcome Nicole, Maddi and Paige to share their journeys with us. Plus, event guests will learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities right here in Burlington.
Check out our IG page for more info about each individual speaker.
Visit the link in our IG bio or check out our Youth Network webpage for the Zoom link.
 By Staff
June 29th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Schools are closed in July and the first three weeks of August. The Halton District School Board is offering families of elementary students the opportunity to register their child(ren) for school this summer for the start of school in September. Registering at this time helps the HDSB prepare for the upcoming school year and provides students more time to become familiar with their new school.
The following elementary schools are open to families to register their child(ren) starting Kindergarten – Grade 8 in Halton:
In-person registration for all elementary schools in Oakville is available at Oodenawi Public School (385 Sixteen Mile Dr, Oakville) July 11, 12, 13, 18 and 19 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
In-person registration for all elementary schools in Milton is available at Rattlesnake Point Public School (1385 Kovachik Blvd, Milton) July 11, 12, 13, 18 and 19 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
In-person registration for all elementary schools in Burlington is available at John William Boich Public School (2474 Sutton Dr, Burlington) July 11, 12, 18 and 19 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
 Preschool and eager Families can find their local school by visiting the HDSB’s Find My Local School webpage. For more information, visit the Register for School in the Summer webpage on the HDSB website.
Secondary students (Grade 9-12) new to the HDSB can register for school when all secondary school offices reopen on Monday, Aug. 21.
All HDSB school offices will reopen the week of Aug. 21. The first day of school for students is Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023.
Families are asked to bring the following original documents when registering:
• Proof of age: birth certificate, passport, or baptismal/faith record for your child.
• Proof of address (any two of the following documents): lease or deed, car registration, utility bill, residential telephone bill, moving bill, property tax bill, bank statement, credit card statement, correspondence with a government agency. Note: A driver’s license will not be accepted as documentation for “proof of address”.
• Proof of citizenship: birth certificate, passport, Record of Landing (IMM 1000) or Permanent Resident Card.
• If you are not the parent and your child is under 18 you must provide proof of custody (court order).
For more information, visit the Register My Child for School webpage on the HDSB website.
 Ready for the start of a school year Welcome Newcomer Families
Newcomer families ready to begin the school registration process must complete the Welcome Centre Intake Form for Registration. Families new to Ontario and who speak an additional language other than English are asked to complete the Where Do I Register My Child? Form to determine where the registration process begins.
The Welcome Centre will follow regular office hours (8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday to Friday) for the week of July 3. The office will be closed July 3. From July 10 to Aug. 10 inclusive, the operating hours will be 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday to Thursday, with the Centre closed on Fridays.
The Welcome Centre is open to visitors and can offer assessments on an appointment basis. Beginning Aug. 21, 2023, the Welcome Centre will return to regular office hours: Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. To book an appointment, email welcomecentre@hdsb.ca or call 905-335-3665 ext. 3440.
 By Staff
June 26th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board is proud to announce that four students are recipients of the Schulich Leader Scholarships:
Evie Bouganim, Grade 12 student at Oakville Trafalgar High School
Ella Chow, Grade 12 student at Milton District High School
Caroline Huang, Grade 12 student at Abbey Park High School
Manasva Katyal, Grade 12 student at White Oaks Secondary School
The scholarships total $440,000 to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in their post-secondary education.
Selected for their outstanding academic achievement and involvement in extracurricular activities, Bouganim, Chow, Huang and Katyal are among 100 recipients to receive this scholarship in Canada.
 Schulich Leader Scholarships are Canada’s most coveted undergraduate STEM scholarships. One hundred are awarded to entrepreneurial-minded high school graduates enrolling in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math program at 20 partner universities across Canada.
Half are valued at $120,000 for engineering scholarships and half are valued at $100,000* for science and math scholarships. Every high school in Canada can nominate one graduating student each year to apply for the scholarship.
The STEM program in the Halton District School Board got its start at the Aldershot High School – none of the scholarship recipients were from Burlington High Schools.
“On behalf of the Halton District School Board, we are so proud of the accomplishments of these four exceptional students, they represent a shining example of the excellence that permeates our Board, ” says Curtis Ennis, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board. “We wish them all the best in their future endeavours and look forward to seeing all that they accomplish in their postsecondary careers.”
By Staff
June 26th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
A Summer Reading Club
Free to join, and open to everyone, including adults.
The Burlington Library kicked this off with two launch parties.
 What’s missing in this picture ? No one is glued to a cell phone. For those who didn’t take part – you can still register online or at any library.
The Summer program for kids is something the kids should really like – the challenge is to get them there. Be a dinosaur detective or help out the turtles. Stretch like a lion, then watch a fun puppet show.
There’s so much to do at BPL this summer. Many of the programs require registration and will fill up fast, so secure your spot now!
Registration page is HERE
June 23, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Where in the city of Burlington is a bunch of balloons like this be put on display ?
Not the Catholic School Board.
Lobby of the Joseph Brant Hospital.
Why do two different organizations – both very important to the city – have such different approaches the the PRIDE statement ?
By Staff
June 19th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Joyce Family Foundation has provided continuous support of YMCA Beyond the Bell™ for the past 14 years. The 2023 contribution amounted to $370,000 that will help vulnerable children get the help they need to reach their full potential.
Students in Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford, Six Nations and other Indigenous communities, will have better access to academic help through YMCA Beyond the Bell™ to provide programming at its current locations and will look to expand into other priority communities and neighbourhoods.
 YMCA Summer camp programs. Children from low-income backgrounds, family trauma and other social determinants of health, are faced with an academic disadvantage compared to their middle-class counterparts before even starting school. Reading at grade level by Grade 3 is a crucial milestone that predicts future school success.
Three quarters of children from low-income neighbourhoods fail to meet this milestone.
The pandemic had a considerable impact on the communities where YMCA Beyond the Bell™ delivers programs, while also changing the way the program traditionally operated. Between 2020 and 2022, the program was delivered through a hybrid model of virtual programming and in-class programming in fewer schools. Right now, the program is being offered virtually as well as in-person with the goal of returning to predominantly in-person delivery of YMCA Beyond the Bell™ at 10 schools by September 2023.
“Now more than ever, students need our help. The pandemic has caused significant disruptions in academic learning, but it has also hampered our children’s social development,” says Manny Figueiredo, President & CEO, YMCA of Hamilton|Burlington|Brantford.
“In YMCA Beyond the Bell™, we found an impactful program academically, that provides support and personal relationships in the lives of young people,” says Michele Thornley, Trustee of
“Mentors and role models are so important in the development of young people. It is transformative for a young person to have consistent support in their educational path.”
 The Joyce Family Foundation is a private, family foundation created by Canadian entrepreneur Ronald V. Joyce. His philanthropy reflects a deep-rooted sense of responsibility to give back to his community. The Foundation’s primary focus is to provide access to education for children and youth with significant financial need or facing other socio-economic barriers to success.
 YMCA programs help break the cycle of poverty and closing the achievement gap. The YMCA of Hamilton|Burlington|Brantford has delivered the YMCA Beyond the Bell™ program for more than 20 years. The objective has been to help break the cycle of poverty and closing the achievement gap experienced by low-income children compared to their higher income peers through a highly unique after-school and summer program. YMCA Beyond the Bell™ features a unique blend of literacy, numeracy, nutrition and recreation elements.
The four key goals of the program are to realize academic achievement, improve health and wellness, explore culture and creativity and develop social skills.
 By Pepper Parr
June 18th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
Jeff Hill is a Deputy Chief with the Halton Regional Police Service.
 Jeff Hill: Deputy Chief of Regional Operations Halton Regional Police Service where he oversees Regional Investigative Services (including Intimate Partner Violence, Frauds, Victim Services Unit, Child Abuse and Sexual Assault Unit, Intelligence, Forensic Identification, Drugs and Human Trafficking, Tech Crime, and Homicide) He was one of several people who delegated at City Council recently on the Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) incidents in Burlington.
He reported that last year the police responded to 3500 calls, 1346 of them came from Burlington. 341 arrests were made.
As of last week the police attended on 544 incidents so far this year.
It was numbers like this that brought the problem to council where they passed a resolution declaring that Intimate Partner Violence had reached epidemic levels.
Deputy Chief took the issue several steps further.
He said “the police alone are not the solution to this issue and we will not arrest our way out of this epidemic. If we don’t do something different, the problem will continue to grow.
“Intimate partner violence cannot be a private issue. We cannot be silent about the violence that is occurring. The resolution before you is a start but we must do something to raise community awareness and education on the surveillance of the issue with the necessity for a holistic approach from the community as a whole; one entity cannot do this alone.”
Hill made an additional comment that was chilling. After saying he was not a big social media participant he then said that whenever he tweeted about IPV, the number of people tuning in dropped. “People don’t want to hear about the issue.”
Hill closed his delegation saying in “the last 40 years the Region alone has seen 22 women murdered at the hands of their partner, a woman was murdered every other year in our region alone. This absolutely has to stop.”
The Region has a 24 member intimate partner violence unit that responds to every call. The victims are supported and charges are laid. The police believe that they hear from about 30% of the women who are victims. The others live in fear believing that they will not be believed or supported.
The victims are one part of the issue – the men who beat their partners are the other side. Sending them to jail isn’t going to change the behaviour – that is not what jails do.
There has to be programs that work with men to change their behaviour. Having groups of men walk in women’s high heeled shoes does a little bit to bring the issue to public attention. I doubt very much that it changes behaviour.
Research has to be done to understand why men feel they can beat their partners. It is certainly an anger management problem – but I suspect there is much more than that to it.
Hill came close when he said there had to be “a holistic approach from the community”.
The shape and form that approach takes has yet to be determined. It can start with men saying to men: You cannot do that and then helping those that do get the help they need.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Pepper Parr
June 16th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
This is a story about delegations that were made at city council recently. It was about an epidemic – something the delegations referred to as IPV.
It is a long article – that was edited for brevity.
IPV is intimate partner violence – domestic abuse.
Halton Deputy Police Chief Jeff Hill told Council that police make an arrest a day in Burlington alone.
There were four delegations on the issue.
Jennifer Kagan, a physician and advocate against gender based violence in all its forms, delegated to council on the resolution that proposed Burlington declare intimate partner violence an epidemic in the city. .
 Jennifer Kagan, a physician and advocate against gender based violence. Kagan said “this recommendation stems from the 2022 Renfrew County inquest into the deaths of Carol Collington Anastasia Cusick and Nathalie Warmerdam. (A link to a seperate article on what happened in Renfrew Councty is included at the end of this article.)
“It is something I hear about from women in the Region every single day. Women who fear for their lives and their children’s lives. Women with nowhere to turn because systems that are supposed to protect them are failing. Women who are fearful to engage with many systems because this can often make things worse for them and their children. The numbers are staggering.
“We are seeing an unprecedented increase in the need for domestic violence related services. This has only been exacerbated by the COVID 19 pandemic; this dovetails with my perspective on the ground as an advocate for survivors of violence and with my own experience.
“I was a victim of domestic violence and coercive control in a previous relationship. While I was able to leave the relationship fleeing with only a few essential items, I sought protection for our nine month old daughter, Keira via the courts. Keira was failed by many judges, child protection services and was ultimately killed at the age of four by her father in February 2020.
Dr. Kagan’s experience resulted in the passing of Kiera’s Law
According to the Canadian Femicide Observatory for Justice and Accountability, a woman is killed somewhere in Canada every other day on average; 30 to 40 children a year in Canada are killed by a violent parent.
“One is too many. Those who work with survivors of violence see the impact that lack of resources has on the lives of women and children fleeing violence. I commonly hear from colleagues looking to find shelter space for abused women; they cannot find it and that police cannot meet the unprecedented demand for services.
“By declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic it will ensure the city can better meet the needs of women and children fleeing violence. It will also raise awareness about the scourge of domestic violence so that survivors and children living with violence and escaping violence know that they are not alone. Passing this resolution will save many lives and I am in strong support of it.”
Councillor Nissan asked Dr. Kagan if she had anything “on a wish list for us at the municipal level? W hat are the next steps after this resolution comes forward?
Kagan: “Training is a very large focus of our advocacy. Educating the students and teachers as well would be two items if I could think just off the top of my head.”
 Halton Police Service Deputy Chief Jeff Hill Deputy Chief Jeff Hill of the Halton Police Service spoke virtually regarding the same item saying “I very much wanted to be a part of this discussion and humbly submit is of the utmost importance, and needed desperately to help combat and intimate partner violence.
“I’m going to be concise, and paint the picture from a policing perspective of the surveillance of intimate partner violence in the city of Burlington. Regionally speaking to the rise, in intimate partner violence in 2015 we responded to 2757 calls and laid 1145 charges.
“Last year we responded to 3500 calls and doubled our charges, laying 2141 charges.
“That’s effectively responding to 10 incidents of intimate partner violence a day. Specifically speaking to the city of Burlington, of those 3500 occurrences 1346 of them were in the city of Burlington. Stemming from those occurrences we made 341 arrests; that’s basically an arrest a day.
“As of last week, we have already attended 544 incidents of IPV in Burlington.
“I’ve seen the statistics and I’m aware that this largely an under reported crime. We believe that only 30% is actually reported to us.
“Halton police has a dedicated 24 members, intimate partner violence unit, that partners with such entities as Women’s Place and the mentoring members of the Halton Violence Prevention Council. We’re doing everything we can in the areas of risk intervention, incident response prevention and social disorder, social development. Our Victim Support Unit reaches out to every victim of intimate partner violence that is reported to us. Even with all those resources being dedicated, the number of incidents that we respond to has remained steady since 2020, with a number of arrests rising year after year.
“Let me be clear, however, that the police alone are not the solution to this issue and we will not arrest our way out of this epidemic. If we don’t do something different, the problem will continue to grow. Intimate partner violence cannot be a private issue. We cannot be silent about the violence that is occurring. The resolution before you is a start but we must do something to raise community awareness and education on the surveillance of the issue with the necessity for a holistic approach from the community as a whole; one entity cannot do this alone. As you heard from Dr. Kagan, every six days in Canada, a woman is murdered by her partner.
“I want to leave you with this final statistic, the last 40 years the Region alone has seen 22 women murdered at the hands of their partner, a woman murdered every other year in our region alone. This absolutely has to stop.”
 Councillor Bentivegna asked the Deputy Chief: “Is there something that you can share with residents throughout the region of things that as neighbours we could be doing. Are there signs out there that you can share that say hey, you know, this doesn’t look right. I don’t know whether we should approach the individual or maybe make a call to halt and say, you know, here’s what I’ve seen, or are there clues out there?
Deputy Chief Hill: “I think it’s just the awareness that this is happening around us. I think it’s the need for people to know, and not be willing to turn a blind eye to it. I’ve often made the comment, I’m not a social media person, but what ironically happens is what I even alone advocate for, you know, violence against women – to speak to it – I actually tend to lose followers. It’s like people don’t want to speak about it. And it’s something that we have to bring to the forefront, the entire community has to bring it to the forefront. We have to watch out for our neighbours.
“The reality is by the time a lot of these issues get to the police they are at the point of crisis in the cycle of violence. So we need people to intervene earlier – we need to help talk about it. We need funding for the people that we are going to speak to next. I think the very beginning of it is just a recognition that we’re all in this together. This is not a women’s issue. This is not an individual issue. This is a community issue.
Lori Hepburn Executive Director of Halton Women’s Place was one of the several delegations. Speaking about the intimate partner domestic abuse crisis in Burlington.
 Laurie Hepburn Executive Director of Halton Women’s Place She said the Halton Violence Prevention Council plays a leading role in supporting and empowering survivors of intimate partner violence and domestic violence. “I stand before you to discuss a pressing matter that requires our collective attention – declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic within our community to emphasize the urgency and significance of this declaration to examine the findings of the Renfrew County inquest, a recent and notable case that sheds light on the severity of the issue.
“The inquest was conducted following the tragic deaths of three women who were victims of domestic violence. Its findings revealed a series of system failures, missed opportunities and service provision gaps that could have saved these women’s lives. The number one recommendation of the inquest is for the province of Ontario to declare intimate partner violence as an epidemic. Women’s Place provides refuge and support for several hundreds of women and children each year who are escaping abusive situations.
“Last year in our community, Halton Woman’s Place supported 126 women and children through safe shelter, and over 6061 women through our community outreach programs, and we received over 2200 crisis calls to our support line, approximately 25% of the women who access our services identified coming from the City of Burlington.
“These are alarming statistics. And they aren’t just numbers, but they translate into the lives of real women and children whose lives are being derailed by intimate partner violence. The Renfrew County inquest serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of intimate partner violence and the need for comprehensive proactive measures to address this epidemic.
“IPv is no longer an issue that can be ignored, kept behind closed doors. Declaring intimate partner violence as an epidemic the City of Burlington can signal its commitment to implementing these measures that prevent similar tragedies from occurring within our community.
 Seating area just inside the doors of the Halton Women’s Place located in Burlington. “In March 2023, Mayor Mead Ward stated that the city of Burlington must stand by and be prepared to provide the services needed that reflect our community’s commitment. Stand by one another, come together in collaboration to ensure every single Burlington resident feels respected, safe and supportive, in alignment with the values upheld by the City of Burlington.
“Last year, the Halton Regional Police responded to over 3500 intimate partner violence calls, which translate to approximately 10 calls a day. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Many survivors suffer in silence and do not seek assistance due to fear, stigma or lack of resources. It is the under reported violent crime that makes this problem an epidemic. The City of Burlington acknowledges the harsh reality faced by survivors in our community, recognizes that this issue extends beyond isolated incidents – it is deeply ingrained in our society.
“This declaration acts as a call to action demanding that we come together as a community to address the root causes of violence and support survivors and their journey towards protection, healing and safety. Furthermore, this declaration demonstrates our commitment to data driven decision making.
“By acknowledging the prevalence of intimate partner violence we can more effectively allocate resources and implement evidence based strategies to prevent further harm. By intentionally changing our actions, we shift the narrative of dismissiveness towards IPv and step into the messiness and say to the individuals facing intimate partner violence, we see you, we hear you and we are driven by the courage, resilience and bravery of our survivors to fight for change in our local community.
“For the City of Burlington to declare intimate partner violence as an epidemic within our community, together, we can break the cycle of violence, support survivors, foster community that prioritizes safety, respect and equality for all.”
Councillor Nissan asked: “Laurie do you have suggestions for how the city of Burlington can follow up on this declaration and work with both yourself as well as the Halton Violence Prevention Council ? I see Halton Region as one of the partners which is really important, but how can the City of Burlington fit in to the to the plans?”
Hepburn: “I think Burlington can fit into the plans – helping with community awareness. That’s part of the biggest piece that’s missing with domestic violence is it’s typically been something that has been hidden. There’s so much fear and stigma around speaking about domestic violence, and that’s part of the cycle of control. Having somebody who feels powerless and doesn’t feel that they can share what’s happening to them – there’s so much judgment out there. We need to make sure that we’re normalizing these conversations about domestic violence adding that Councillor Bentivegna shared a really great point – let us know the signs about domestic violence.
“These things are happening to our neighbours, friends and families in the community. Hepburn added that “We’ve applied for a grant to have an educator getting the word out to the community; the goal is to have 20 presentations – lunch and learns – for businesses in North Halton because we know there’s a need out there. Creating awareness and making sure our communities are educated – we cannot do the work alone, we need our entire community to be talking about domestic violence and have a zero tolerance for domestic violence.
“We are looking at putting purple benches throughout the Region to signal to survivors of domestic violence that we see, we hear and we believe you and want you to know we are going to be here for you if you need support.”
 Kirk and Sonya Robinson sat in the public gallery of the Senate when Kiera’s Law was passed. Kirk and Sonya Robinson were the final delegation. It was not easy to hear what they had to say.
Kirk started by saying “my wife Sonia and I sat in the Senate public gallery and listened while Kiera’s Law was passed. It is now a federal and provincial law. Relatives of IPV played a significant part in this with along with the unwavering support of our mayor and council here in Burlington. Our family and most likely 1000s of families will benefit from your support. We’re thankful for the opportunity today to delegate and tell our story with the hope of increasing awareness of intimate partner of domestic abuse.
“In April we were in Ottawa for the final reading and vote in the Senate for Kiera’s Law. Sonya and I met many survivors of intimate partner domestic abuse. We shared stories back and forth. When I met and spoke with them, I was overcome with many emotions ranging from grief to guilt, thinking about how we as a society can sit back and allow this to happen. We have great respect for the courage of survivors to continue to fight for change.
“One of the survivors I met was beaten by her husband so many times that she feared she would die. If she did she feared he would take her baby. She devised a plan to make a hiding spot for the baby under the stairs and put a note in her pocket so the police could find her baby when they found her body.
“Another survivor I met was there with her daughter. I learned that her husband had attempted to put one of their daughters in human trafficking, and she fought to save her. I learned that some of her encounters with law enforcement tended to favour her husband.
“I sat next to the daughter while listening to the Senators debate the bill that was before them. I could not help but wonder what this girl had seen or had been exposed to or how sad it was that someone was not there to help her when she needed it most. I learned recently of a suicide attempt in her family and I have no idea if it was her sister.
“Another survivor of child exploitation, drug use and drug sales by the father told of being interviewed by Child Protective Services worker and told that she had to wait for clarification on some issues that would take weeks, if not months. In the meantime the mother had to answer her seven year old daughter’s question. ” I thought the lady was here to help me. Why didn’t she help me?
 Kirk said he had many more stories adding “you get the point. It has been my experience that the police services do not have the resources they need to get ahead of this and save those that fall through the cracks. Burlington has led the resolution supporting Kiera’s Law – let’s be a leader again supporting our police services who work tirelessly to save us from intimate partner domestic abuse.”
Mayor Med Ward followed with: “It’s important for us to listen – it is very very hard to hear those things. Thank you for all that you do, on behalf of all my colleagues. We are deeply grateful for your efforts.
Background links:
The Renfrew County Inquest
Kiera’s Law
By Staff
June 12th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board announced today that Wade Richardson, Teacher and Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) Lead for the HDSB, has received the Lifetime Membership Award from the Ontario Council for Technology Education (OCTE).
The award recognizes an individual who has made a “substantial contribution to advancing Technological Education in Ontario through work with the Ontario Council for Technology Education over a dedicated period of time.”
 Wade Richardson, Lifetime Member Ontario Council for Technology Education “I’m honoured to have received this Lifetime Membership Award from OCTE,” Richardson says. “It is so satisfying to know the difference that we, as an organization, have made to furthering technological education in Ontario, and I’m thrilled to have played a part in that alongside so many talented, dedicated and devoted professionals.”
“The Halton District School Board is so proud of Wade for receiving this award,” says Nick Frankovich, Superintendent of Education for the HDSB. “His commitment to advancing technological education, not just in Halton but across the province, has been exemplary. He collaborates with his department to ensure secondary program colleagues have a voice in supporting technological education, and they couldn’t be happier for Wade. He has accomplished this as a teacher and system-lead to the benefit of countless students, and we extend our congratulations to him for this provincial recognition.”
Over the years, Richardson has worked in many positions on the executive board for OCTE including conference organizer, stakeholder relations, OYAP representative and is currently the Chair. He has worked on many projects with OCTE over the years to support technological education. Some of the projects have been creating supporting resources for teachers, such as lesson plans and student information resources.
“Wade connected our organizations with consistent messaging and advocacy through opportunities such as the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development Youth Advisory initiative, which ultimately led to very important policy changes for education including the introduction of the compulsory Technological Education credit for all Ontario students,” according to OCTE.
“Wade is a well-liked and effective leader and supporter of Technological Education in Ontario. The future of OCTE and Tech Ed in the province are in great hands with the leadership that Wade offers.”
 By Staff
June 8th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board trustees welcomed and observed the swearing in on the newest trustee.
Robbie Brydon will be a welcome addition to the Board that has a heavy agenda ahead of it.
It is going to be interesting to see how Mr.Brydon does as the trustees wade through budgets and take a deep look into the longer term program.
School boards come under the thick thumb of the Ministry of Education; Brydon has a considerable amount of experience working with senior levels of government.
 Newly elected Burlington wards 1&2 school board trustee Robbie Brydon with Director of Education Ennis Curtis.
 By Staff
May 30th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington has declared the official results from the by-election for the seat of School Board Trustee for Halton District School Board (HDSB) – Burlington, Wards 1 and 2.
Of the 36,119 eligible voters in Wards 1 and 2 in Burlington, 2,193, or 6.07per cent, voted in the by-election.
In accordance with the official by-election results, Robbie Brydon has been elected to the position of Halton District School Board Trustee – Burlington, Wards 1 and 2.
By Staff
May 25th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board (HDSB) has issued a call for membership, looking to fill three vacancies on the Human Rights & Equity Advisory Committee (HREAC).
Since 2021, the HREAC has proposed and responded to human rights and equity initiatives that support the HDSB’s focus on student achievement and well-being, helping to support commitments outlined in the Human Rights Equity Action & Accountability Plan: The Way Forward and 2020-2024 Multi Year Plan.
 The Committee is composed of parent/guardian and community organization representatives living in or providing services to Halton children, youth and families, as well as Indigenous Inherent Rights Holder and Treaty Partner and HDSB staff representatives.
Those interested in joining the Human Rights & Equity Advisory Committee are invited to view the HREAC – Call for Membership from Parents/Guardians and Halton Community and complete the HREAC Community Expression of Interest Form by Tuesday, June 13 at 6 p.m.
“The HREAC has been a vital part of the HDSB’s work to promote human rights and equity across our system,” says Jennie Petko, Superintendent of Education with responsibility for Indigenous Rights & Education, Human Rights, Equity & Inclusive Education.
“As we continue the work outlined in The Way Forward and seek to dismantle systems of oppression and challenge dominant traditions, we look forward to welcoming new members and fresh perspectives to this Committee.”
The HDSB Human Rights Equity Action & Accountability Plan: The Way Forward requires ongoing action on the part of all individuals and departments within the Board. The plan identifies strategies and actions to ensure all students, staff and families are supported in schools and workplaces by creating and maintaining equitable and inclusive learning and working environments.
By Staff
April 28th, 2023
BURLINGTON. ON
The Halton District School Board has set out an ambitious series of activities for each day of next week to celebrate Education Week.
Monday, May 1 – Equity and Inclusion: This area of focus shows how schools champion supportive and inclusive practices to ensure equitable access to positive opportunities and outcomes for all.
 Figuring it out. Tuesday, May 2 – Mental Health & Well-Being: This area of focus highlights how students strengthen safe and caring school environments that promote well-being, and enhance relationships and positive learning and working climates where everyone belongs and feels safe. May 1-7 is also Mental Health Week, as designated by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), which promotes mental health awareness, decreasing stigma and helpful resources.
Wednesday, May 3 – Environmental Leadership: This area shows how students and staff take action to help create a sustainable world and will be showcased to demonstrate how HDSB schools are providing opportunities to learn about connections between ecosystems, social justice and climate, as well as elevate local environmental initiatives and practices.
Thursday, May 4 – Learning & Achievement: Examples will be shared of how the HDSB strives to create learning environments to elevate student achievement, foster a culture of high expectations to maximize student and staff achievement and promote innovative strategies.
Also on May 4, the HDSB is proud to recognize the success of students through the annual Celebration of Student Excellence event. This virtual event will start at 7 p.m. Each year, one student per school is honoured for their excellence in self-improvement, enhancing the school and/or local community, citizenship, student leadership, academics, vocational studies and specialized programs or extra-curricular activities.
A link to view the ceremony will be on the HDSB website (hdsb.ca) on Thursday, May 4 at 7 p.m.
Friday, May 5 – Indigenous Perspectives & Awareness: On the final day of Education Week, the HDSB will highlight the many learning opportunities for students and staff that help promote knowledge and understanding of Indigenous perspectives and realities.
Open to all! No registration needed.
Join a group of people who are concerned about public safety issues affecting our community for a panel discussion and speakers who know the issue very well.
 Panel Speakers:
MP Shannon Stubbs of Lakeland AB, Shadow Minister for Natural Resources, previously Shadow Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Halton Chief of Police Stephen J Tanner, Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS)
Marcell Wilson, founder of the One by One Movement, a think tank to decrease extreme acts of violence across the globe beginning with the GTA
 By Staff
April 17th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The official list of certified candidates running for the position of Halton District School Board Trustee – Burlington, Wards 1 and 2 is as follows in alphabetical order:
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- Robbie Brydon
- Celina Close
- Michael James Duhacek
- Chris Goff
- Anthony Alexander Hoyes
- Omar Kayed
- Ross Montgomery
- Daniel Warren Oke
- Voting for the School Board By-Election takes place between May 15 and 29, 2023.
- Eligible voters have three ways to vote:
online, using Internet voting, from May 15 to 19, 2023
in person, at advance polls on May 24, 202 in person, on election day, May 29, 2023
- Individuals eligible to vote in the by-election for Halton District School Board Trustee – Burlington, Wards 1 and 2 must be:
a current English-public school board supporter
resident of Burlington (own or rent) in Ward 1 or Ward 2
non-resident, but you or your spouse own or rent residential property in Ward 1 or Ward 2
18 years of age or older
a Canadian citizen
not prohibited from voting under any law
By Pepper Parr
April 17th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The province isn’t happy with the school boards across the province are doing. They don’t like the number indicating where student achievement is waning. They want more power over school boards’ academic priorities and in particular wants to improve training for senior leaders.
Legislated tables today by the Minister of Education would impose new standards of training for directors of education and senior staff, as well as how their job performance is measured, giving trustees a say as well as an opportunity for the Ministry of Education to weigh in.
 Education Minister Stephen Leece at a community event. Minister Lecce said: ““It’s about expecting better from the system,” adding that “Boards need to refocus on what matters, which is student achievement.”
The legislation would also give the government a say in priorities in student achievement, especially in the basics of reading, writing and math, and ensure all 72 publicly funded boards provide information on that progress to parents in a transparent and timely manner, as well as update teacher training at universities.
On the trustee side, the bill would ensure boards are using integrity commissioners to deal with disputes between elected officials in a bid to keep their focus on students.
The bill is also intended, in part, to address the varying academic performance among boards and would give the province a say in “setting priorities for student achievement” as well as usher in “more consistent information (for parents) and approaches to student learning.”
The legislation comes after the province had to step in and supervise and reform the Peel public school board amid allegations of systemic racism. That came three years after the York board failed to act on parent complaints that racist incidents were being ignored, and as multiple incidents of trustee misconduct and dysfunction were brought to light.
More recently, Lecce has publicly chastised the leaders at the Halton District School Board for failing to deal with the controversial dress of a shop teacher that led to months of disruption at Oakville Trafalgar High School, including protests and bomb threats.
The Halton board, which more than a month ago voted to bring in a special adviser to help it move forward, has yet to do so. It also released promised a “professionalism policy” but parents are calling for more specifics on standards of dress for educators.
 Minister Leece with a group of students. The focus on the basics may be in response to parent concerns that boards are focusing too much on non-academic issues.
The province is making a number of changes with the legislation, noting that while Ontario has a 89 per cent graduation rate after five years, some 15,000 students aren’t earning a diploma in that time. EQAO results in math have been an ongoing concern, as have those in literacy, where roughly two-thirds of students in grade 3 aren’t meeting the writing standard, which is equivalent to a B grade.
The Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act is wide-ranging legislation that would also speed up disciplinary processes for teachers, particularly in cases where the educator has been found guilty of a crime.
It would also give the province first say when school boards are selling off properties, and will mandate better communication with municipalities. To save costs and but also bring in consistency and help cut red tape, boards would also have a set of standard new school designs to choose when rebuilding.
It comes as the province is focusing on the skilled trades and ensuring students have a pathway to earn a diploma should they choose to take on an apprenticeship in Grade 11.
On Sunday, Lecce announced $180 million for literacy and numeracy supports, saying it would create 1,000 additional teaching positions to help students, many of whom are struggling with post-pandemic learning loss.
NDP Education Critic Chandra Pasma expressed disappointment with Minister Stephen Lecce’s recent ‘smoke and mirrors’ announcement, stating that it is unimpressive and fails to address the urgent needs in Ontario’s education system:
“The government talks about accountability but blindsides us with last-minute changes to the education sector without adequate funding for meaningful change,” Pasma stated. “As a parent, this announcement is frustrating and feels like smoke and mirrors. The underfunding of our education system is impacting our kids directly. We know why they are struggling – oversized classrooms, lack of specialized learning programs, and anxiety levels at an all-time high. How can students focus and succeed in such conditions?
“Adding new demands at this pace sets our students up for failure,” Pasma emphasized. “We need a government that truly address the scale of issues we see in the education system, including huge class sizes, issues with violence and mental health.”
Pasma further raised concerns about the government’s approach to funding, citing the disparity between the government’s stated increase of 2.7% in GSNs (Grants for Student Needs) and the much higher inflation rates of 6.8% in 2022 and the predicted 3.6% for 2023.
“How will this meagre increase in funding help when inflation rates are much higher, and the scale of issues in education requires much more support?” Pasma questioned. “We need a government that takes responsibility and stops shifting the blame for the fact that schools are struggling. The funding announcements are well below the inflation rate, and more is needed to address the scale of issues we see in our education system. The government’s failure to adequately fund education hinders the system’s ability to provide quality education to our students.”
By Staff
April 17th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
 Minister of Education Stephen Lecce Minister of Education Stephen Lecce plans to introduce legislation today that will “ refocus the education system on improving outcomes for students.”
He will speak to media as soon the legislation has been tabled.
The Ontario government is investing more than $180 million in targeted supports in the classroom and at home to help students build the math and reading skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the workforce. This investment will support nearly 1000 more educators to help students develop these important skills.
 By Staff
October 3, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
While the new normal has a few iffy spots to it – the closing of two sections of the Joseph Brant Hospital where Covid19 outbreaks were declared – the Region is slowly finding its way to whatever normal is going to be as we head into that time of year where we spend more time indoors.
Conservation Halton decided it was possible for the Halton Children’s Water Festival to return to Kelso Conservation Area and welcome back over 800 students this year for an in-person program focused on protecting water in our community.
This is the fifteenth year for the festival which has educated over 50,000 elementary school students with the support of over 6,000 high school students over the years.
 The objective was to step though each of the tires and keep whatever was in the bucket – in the bucket. “Today, I’ve learned about water and the correct bins the garbage goes in,” said James, a Grade 5 student from St. Anne Elementary School, Burlington. “Right now, we’re playing a game and it’s really fun!”
The festival offered the Grade 5 students curriculum-linked environmental education programming, over three days, that gave students the opportunity to learn about water and society, water conservation and protection, water health and safety and water science and technology. Fun, themed learning activity centres such as Waterfront Quest, Garbage Juice, What’s That?, the Great pH Challenge and Beneficial Bugs allowed for hands-on learning outdoors where students could enjoy the views of Kelso Reservoir on one side and the Niagara Escarpment on the other.
“The water festival gives our students the opportunity to be stewards of the earth by investigating and participating in real-life, hands-on activities that are designed and lead with the Ontario Science and Technology expectations,” said Clare Slaven, Grade 5 teacher, St. Timothy’s Catholic Elementary School, Burlington. “It is a wonderful fun-filled day where we can show what we value and celebrate in Halton and the environment.”
 The grade 5 students were kept busy – learning how their environment works and the role water plays in everything they do. A virtual Water Festival Program will continue again this year. Since launching in April 2022 more than 1,600 students have participated in the online field trips.
The Halton Children’s Water Festival is presented by Conservation Halton and Halton Region in partnership with Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board and Conservation Halton Foundation, with the support of the Town of Oakville, Geo Morphix, City of Burlington and the Town of Halton Hills.
Conservation Halton is the community based environmental agency that protects, restores, and manages the natural resources in its watershed. The organization has staff that includes ecologists, land use planners, engineers, foresters and educators, along with a network of volunteers, who are guided by a Board of Directors comprised of municipally elected and appointed citizens. Conservation Halton is recognized for its stewardship of creeks, forests and Niagara Escarpment lands through science-based programs and services. Learn more at conservationhalton.ca.
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