Cine Starz Upper Canada Place
460 Brant Street
WWW CINESTARZ.CA
SHOWTIMES September 25 to October 01, 2015
SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE G
Fri to Sun 11:20 1:40 3:20 5:30
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:10 5:30
MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. PG
Fri to Sun 1:00 3:15 5:00 7:10 9:20
Mon to Thur 1:00 2:45 5:00 7:10 9:20
NO ESCAPE 14A
Fri to Sun 11:30 1:30 3:30 5:30 7:30 9:30
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:00 9:00
PIXELS PG
Fri to Sun 11:30 1:30 3:20 5:20
Mon to Thur 5:00
RICKI AND THE FLASH PG
Fri to Sun 11:20 1:20 5:30 7:30 9:30
Mon to Thur 1:00 5:20 7:10 9:30
TRAINWRECK 18A
Fri to Sun 7:20 9:40
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:00 7:00 9:15
JURASSIC WORLD PG
Fri to Sun 11:20 3:15 7:10 9:30
Mon to Thur 3:00 7:10 9:00
SOUTHPAW 14A
Fri to Sun 9:30
Mon to Thur 3:15 7:10 9:30
INSIDE OUT G
Fri to Sun 11:20 1:20 3:30 5:25 7:30
Mon to Thur 1:00 5:15
 By Staff
September 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This is a different way of promoting fire safety.
Fire official’s report that the #1 cause of home fires is unattended cooking.
 Fire Chief Tony Bavota, Mayor Goldring, people from the Burlington Restaurant Association and Robert Bateman High School are joining together for activities to help spread this public safety message.
 Mayor Goldring brings a bit of an edge to the cooking competition to take place at Robert Bateman – he flips ribs pretty well – let’s see what he flips at the high school. Spreading the fire safety message is being tied to the Top Chef Competition at Robert Bateman High School. Four teams, each with one Burlington firefighter and two Robert Bateman High School culinary students, will compete to create a fiery dish from a mystery box of ingredients. Contestants can earn points or be penalized by answering cooking safety trivia.
Other features of the event include interactive stations with information on smoke and CO alarms, the 911 call system, career options in the fire service, a firefighter crash course and technology demos as well as Burlington Fire Department truck display.
This sounds like a neat event; it isn’t open to the public – the Gazette will tell you all about it
 By Pepper Parr
September 20, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The crowds they had hoped for did not materialize but the weather did hold. There were more people at No Vacancy’s Supernova this year than there were at the Cirque event held at Village Square last year.
 Perhaps outside some comfort zones. Let’s look at what was good. The Art Market was good – some of the exhibits stunned people a little – others were a pleasure to look at. Art is supposed to take you out of your comfort zone.
The Teresa Seaton/Tomy Bewick event and the Kune Hua event were superb – illustration art at its best.
Hua was a last minute entry – 36 hours before the opening he was still working through his concept – it turned out to be one a very emotional event for many people.
 Several thousand ribbons were draped over the branches of the trees in the Wishing Garden. Set in a lot that was once a gas station the Wishing Garden was a collection of birth tree branches planted into pots with small white lights strong along the branches.
Visitors were invited to take a ribbon and write a wish and then tie it to one of the tree branches.
Hua believes that with all that energy; all those wishes collected in a single place – change was inevitable. Only those who tied a ribbon will know if there was a change – one can say however that there was a mood in the darkened space where you could smell the lake and not feel you were being intruded upon by the noise from Emmas Back Porch just yards away.
 Tomy Bewick intoned in a strong passionate voice while Teresa Seaton spread the feathers about the ground “feathers spinning in the downdraft” The Seaton/Bewick event was more of a performance – and for those that listened there was a sense of trance as Bewick spoke ans Seaton moved around the space placing feathers fashioned out of stained glass on the ground while Bewick chanted
she’s walking down that road again
flying off the fumes
this highway life on a long enough stretch wears thin
Seaton would gently place a few stained glass feathers on the ground while Bewick continued …
watching the freebirds float above
feathers spin in the downdraft
wind kicks sand across face releasing strained tears
the rain makes the asphalt seem slick
the sheen of blacktop coated hopes slippery
you see the machinery from a distance
silhouettes like soldiers along a long abandoned flightpath
from a thousand miles the towers look like flamingoes
stilted sun refracts rainbows in cracked glass
It wasn’t dramatic but it drew you in as the Bewick voice continued to intone and the feathers took their place on the ground as Seaton stepped around gently
 The audience didn’t move while Bewick and Seaton performed – they stood silent for a few moments when the performance ended – it was that kind of event. she’s walking down that road again and the fumes are getting stronger
the feathers falling faster
there is disaster on the horizon, stretched like the skeleton of industry
It was a fine performance given every hour. If you missed this – you really did miss something.
The problem areas – getting crowds out means promotion – some thought there wasn’t enough done. The location was very good – did the organizers create too much space?
They were able to set aside basically all of the Old Lakeshore Road but there weren’t enough artists to take up the space which left the event feeling it was a little thin on the contents side.
There were a lot of people at the event – it was hard to appreciate just how many because there was acres of space. At Village Square everything was crowded in – which made it seem very busy.
There could have been more artists – it takes time for this type of event to gain a foothold. This was the third event put on by the No Vacancy group.
 It was electric – it had energy and it had three dimensions – you left feeling better after looking at this piece of work. One of the problems they might want to give some attention to is the identity of the event. No Vacancy is the sort of umbrella name with each event given a different theme name each year. That gets a little confusing for the casual visitor.
The organizers do something few other events of this type do – they ensure that the artists are paid – and that can be a real grind when other than the beer garden and perhaps some revenue from the art market there is no revenue stream. There were sponsorship’s and the city did kick in some money – there may not have been enough.
 The Poacher Ukelele Band and the jugglers didn’t seem to fit into the art theme – but there were people who enjoyed both. The juggler was determined to make the event pay for him – which was outside the boundaries set by the organizers of the Supernova There was security that wasn’t needed – this was a very tame crowd that mixed well with the people that troop into Emma’s Back Porch.
But there was something missing – and the organizers are going to have to take some time in a month or so and think through what the recipe needs. A little more spice? Perhaps. More interesting artists and a program with a map of who was where. There apparently was a map – we didn’t see it until after the event.
Printing a program means getting advertisers – and that requires time which the organizers just didn’t have.
 The Art Market was in a smaller space this year and it had the crowds that in retrospect were what people missed overall. There was a very cruel, uncalled for comment from an artist who said ‘this was probably the last No Vacancy event. The artist who made the comment had submitted an event but was turned down and is reported not to have been prepared to make revisions to what was a collection of paintings that were for sale. Supernova was not at art sale – it was a collection of art illustrations – an event that you interacted with.
It was an uncalled for comment from an artist currently looking to the community for financial support.
After two outstanding successes the turnout this year is a bit of a setback. The arts are fickle – it doesn’t always turn out the way people hope it will
What the arts community has to do is be mature and stop going on about how great the event was – it wasn’t great. This year something was missing – the people who did all the grunt work will work it out.
 The Beer Garden was well situated – the band was loud – by the time this reporter was ready for an ale – the gates had closed – it was after 11 pm. The arts community has to call a spade a spade and work towards improving the event – what was great was the close to incredible support from the volunteers – who don’t get as much as a dime.
Be kind to Selena and Dean Eckersall – they put their hearts into this and deserve an opportunity to put the event on next year
By Allan Harrington
September 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The weather was perfect – a great day for those of us who appreciate almost everything British to see about 1,000 motor cars on display in neat rows on the pleasant grass-covered fields of the Bronte Creek park. Some came from as far away as New York and Pennsylvania to get nestled between the trees.
 Thousands of cars – all British – and a perfect day. There is such a rich variety among British motor vehicles that are distinctively different from the typical style of North American cars. Whether it is their soft curved lines, google-eye headlights, or being slung low to the ground.
 Proud – very British – posh! Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Land Rover
Majestic people carriers suitable for a chauffeur to romp across a country estate. One Rolls Royce there claims to be the original used in the old Grey Poupon mustard advert.
 Meant for narrow windy roads – with the wind in your hair. Triumph, McLaren, TVR
Sporty models built to easily traverse the thin winding two lane back roads of England.
Austin Mini, Sunbeam, MG
Tiny ones that can dart through the busy congested city of London a la Mr. Bean.
 They look like Smarties in a bowl – all bright colours – great for skipping about crowded streets. De Lorean
Famous from the Back to the Future movies. About 11 made it to the show in their typical stainless steel silver plus and one in a bronze gold colour. Being made in Belfast Northern Ireland they are welcome among the other Brit-Mobiles. Yes all the flux capacitors were functioning.
Lotus, Aston Martin
High tech cars James Bond can do his spy business with.
Isn’t car manufacturing dead in the UK? No. There are over 30 car manufacturers in Britain with total output being just over half the number made in Canada. Well “somebody” needs to keep making the cars with a steering wheel on the wrong side.
 A grateful child – with a picnic basket to make the day perfect. Boots and Bonnets
Visitors were asked to vote on their favourite and with so many excellent choices — it was impossible task for this visitor.
 By Staff
September 17, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
All the work, all the anticipation and then the scurrying around to make it actually happen – and we realize that it comes down to the weather.
There are some people who don’t know about the event – where have they been?
It is Supernova – takes place on Old Lakeshore Road from 7 to midnight. More than 20 artists showing you what they do.
 Last year it was called the Cirque – 3500 people showed up – this year it is a Supernova on Old Lakeshore Road. Worth the walk. Last year the event took place at the Village Square – 3500 people showed up.
This year there is a lot more space – enjoy the night.
One of the artists has created a Wishing Forest. Here is how he tells that story.
 By Pepper Parr
September 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was an evening during which half a dozen people spoke glowingly about a man who is a classic introvert and in public settings painfully shy. A crowd of perhaps 100 people wandered around the Family Room of the Performing Arts Centre (now to be called The Centre) and gossiped, got caught up on things and then listened as various people spoke about Brian McCurdy, the retiring Executive Director of The Centre.
 An apprehensive Brian McCurdy listens as he is lauded and recognized during a goodbye reception
 A smiling Brian McCurdy – he is going to be missed. while with us he did a superb job. His replacement, Suzanne Haines was on hand – the people who are at the centre of much of what happens in this city introduced themselves to her.
The Centre’s first Executive director was on hand to watch the passing of the torch. She was given some of the credit and recognition she should have been given before she left the position several years ago.
Mayor Goldring spoke about the difference the Centre has made to the city and the growth that has taken place in the arts. During McCurdy’s time the program grew to include more local talent and a broadening of the program plus a significant increase in the number of performances on the two stages.
McCurdy commented on what is involved in opening a new theatre. “I have opened three new theatres and know that it is not easy. What I was able to build during my time here was due in no small measure to what was done before I got here.”
There was more than one occasion when city council had to speak rather forcefully to a former Chair of the theatre board about the size of the subsidy that was needed. When the $500,000 a year the city was prepared to live with ballooned to $1.2 million – Council came down hard on the theatre board – changes were needed and the then Executive Director left the position.
Wednesday evening was a time to celebrate and those taking part in the pleasant goodbye got a chance to see how McCurdy worked with his staff. The star of the evening was the young man who runs the ticket office. Ty Howie told of a Brian McCurdy most people seldom see – a series of anecdotes and jokes and McCurdy’s difficulty with the GO train schedule gave us a glimpse of the man.
 From the left: Theatre Board chair Ilene Elkaim former Executive Director Brenda Heatherington, retiring Executive Director Brian McCurdy and newly appointed Executive Director Suzanne Haines. The words staff watched for very carefully was when McCurdy said “I have an idea” – they knew changes were coming. Those ideas resulted in the 80 performances put on last season and the 100+ that are expected during the season we are now into.
A man with more than 35 years’ experience in the theatre world had seen it all and brought that depth of talent to the footlights of the Centre’s stages – the results were evident.
McCurdy started his career wanting to play the trombone – that wasn’t where he belonged. Brian Coulter, a colleague of McCurdy’s who recently retired from an arts position in Oakville said McCurdy is the kind of person you “hear of long before you meet him”
Watching McCurdy as all these accolades flooded around him was awkward for him. “It was kind of surreal” he said – “they were talking about me.” It just wasn’t something he was used to or comfortable with.
Ty Howie, the ticket manager, told the audience how McCurdy would continually ratchet up the goals and things just worked out.
The Jazz in the Plaza series was an astounding success – expect that to be expanded next year; making stage and rehearsal space in the Studio Theatre available to community groups was a particular joy for McCurdy. Instead of booking a show and working with agents – he was working directly with the talent and having the time of his life. “That’s why we get up in the morning” he said during his remarks in which he set out just how much had been done.
 Newly appointed Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre: Suzanne Haines The programming base for the season we are into has been set, there is a solid management team in place. The Board is well rounded with an energetic chair. Combine that with a new Executive Director and a level of satisfaction at city council we can now watch to see how Suzanne Haines builds on what was done before her.
One of the most positive notes was McCurdy telling the audience that a Council member recently said to him: “I don’t get calls anymore.”
By Pepper Parr
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Look in almost any car in a mall parking lot and you will see a car seat for a child in the back. Legally required and gratefully used by every parent – was the seat properly installed?
A the leading provider of Canadian car seats is sponsoring the Canadian Walmart Car Seat Clinic that will take place in the parking lot of the Walmart located at 4515 Dundas Street W on September 26 from 10 AM – 4 PM.
The sponsors are encouraging people to make an appointment on their website (www.gracobaby.ca/news), but we will also take drop-ins.
 There is a right way and a wrong way to install a car seat. You have to have one – might as well do it properly. Appointments will last for approximately 30 minutes (per car seat). The technicians will check and install seats for all ages and stages and any brand car seat. They encourage people to bring the manuals for both their vehicle and their car seat, along with their child if possible.
Graco Canada, the sponsors of the event, claim that 90% of Canadian car seats are installed improperly and/or misused. Common errors include a missing top tether, an improperly positioned chest clip, and loose harness straps, not to mention children riding in seats that do not accord with their weight, height, and age.
The simple habit of a child wearing a winter coat within their car seat can render the seat ineffective. The reality is that parents and caretakers love their children, but they don’t always know how to best protect them in a motor vehicle.
 By Pepper Parr
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The recommendation in the Staff report was to Dissolve the Flood Disaster Relief Committee and direct the City Clerk to notify the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing of the dissolution of the City of Burlington’s Flood Disaster Relief Committee.
Dry, cold, bureaucratic wording that added: the purpose was to comply with the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) Guidelines that require municipal councils to pass a resolution to dissolve their volunteer disaster relief committees.
 The storm came in from the west and hovered over the headwaters of the creeks – and stayed there for more than six hours. And that was it – Burlington’s response to the August 4, 2014 flood was now officially closed.
Yesterday, many of the people involved with responding to the flood gathered at the Performing Arts Centre (now to be known as The Centre) to congratulate those who had done so much and hand out the obligatory plaques, which are an important part of the process, and to watch, as Mayor Goldring put it, “the world Premiere of the half hour documentary: Flash Flood produced by Cogeco TV”
The film told the story of how on Aug. 14, 2014, ten days after the rainstorm, at a special meeting of Council, the city unanimously supported requesting the Province of Ontario to declare the City of Burlington a disaster area for the purposes of seeking funding (both the public and private components) through ODRAP.
The Burlington Community Foundation was approached to assist with the establishment of a Flood Disaster Relief Committee (DRC) to help address the financial needs of the residents impacted by the storm. Colleen Mulholland was given a plaque and for the first time in the past year she had her picture taken without a cardboard donation cheque in front if her. Ron Foxcroft, who can now take Colleen’s phone number out of his speed dial list said his city was “aggressively generous” – and it was.
The documentary told the story of how the community pulled itself together, helped each other and fought hard, and it was a fight, to get financial support from the province.
There were perhaps 50 people in the room watching the documentary was shown. The strongest point that came across was the way people managed the loss of personal property – pictures, mementos, keepsakes that were gone forever.
One woman had the shoes she was to be married in stored in her basement – they were saved and she wore them several months later.
One couple told of learning that there insurance was limited to $5000 – with a $1000 deductible.
The audience learned that the Mayor, whose home was badly flooded, was just settling the finer points of his claim with his insurance company.
 Mark Preston on the left was one of the insurance brokers evaluating the claims – Rick Burgess on the right gave legal advice through the claims process. Mark Preston, an Aldershot based insurance broker said that he had three clients that were flooded and that the local group of insurance brokers had more than 40 claims on the go.
Mayor Goldring made the comment that those who bought their insurance on-line learned the hard way of the real value an insurance broker brings to the table.
 Nancy Swietek, on the right, listen to a flood victim during a public meeting. Colleen Mulholland and Ron Foxcroft were once again lauded for the outstanding work they did – it was well deserved. The three insurance experts who were drafted – which is the best way of explaining how they ended up doing the job they did – were also recognized. The two men and one woman worked for hours every second week as they reviewed every claim and determined what could be paid out. Those three insurance people, Mark Preston, Nancy Swietek and Bruce Russell didn’t get paid a dime. Nor did Rick Burgess, who sat in on all the meetings of the Claims committee providing legal advice.
The Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP) allowed the agency that co-ordinated the fund raising and the claims process to be paid for the reasonable expenses they incurred. The Community Foundation submitted a bill for less than $85,000 – the bargain of the century for the city.
The final speaker, at an event with an open bar, not something done in this city very often, was Eleanor McMahon, who at that time was newly elected and had never heard the acronym ODRAP – neither had any one at city hall for that matter. “We learned what that meant pretty quickly” said McMahon who did a fine job of binding the city’s wounds and putting a soft, dignified close the a disaster that while local was nevertheless devastating for those whose homes filled with water much faster than they thought possible.
 Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon at the Elwood Street party months after the flood. “We had people in this city whose lives were on their front lawns” said McMahon, “going through an experience they believed they would only see on television”. But it happened in Burlington where people learned very quickly how to ask: “How can I help?”
One man told of a lady who went door to door in the Regal Road area with green plastic bags asking people to put their laundry in the bag and she would return with it washed and folded. The speaker in the documentary had difficulty telling that story – he kept gulping. While she would not want us to say who she is – it was Carol Gottlob who walked around taking in laundry.
Councillors Dennison and Sharman made hundreds of visits to homes even though there wasn’t all that much they could do personally other than follow up on matters.
The handling of the claims and the concerns had been outsourced by city hall to the Burlington Community foundation – which is what the ODRAP regulations required. All the city was permitted to do was pick up the reasonable costs incurred by the foundation.
For many people in the flooded areas – it was the occasion when they met many of their neighbours for the first time.
The city and Regional Council have set aside $110 million to improve the management of storm water. An additional person has been added to the payroll to set up procedures and over see this kind of problem in the future –a future that everyone believes will include more weather related problems – climate change and its consequences are being visited upon us.
 The Storm Water Management tax is going to hit the strip malls heavily – the asphalt covering didn’t allow for storm water to drain off quickly. There is expected to be an additional line on the tax bill related to the management of storm water – the Fairview strip malls and the large mall parking lots are going to feel the weight of this tax more than anyone else. The huge swaths if asphalt that cover those parking lots meant the flood waters had nowhere to do – expect that problem to get some hard nosed thinking at city hall
 For many residents it was a very personal experience and they needed help – badly. The documentary Flash Flood will premiere for the public this Sunday (Sept 20th) at 8:00 pm
Kristen Demeny was the camera operator and interviewer and the energy behind the production. Joey Ricottone did the editing and Ben Lyman was the Executive producer.
In the not too distant future a plaque with the names of the major donours and the people that were there when they were needed will be bolted to a boulder in Civic Square – future generations will glance at it and know next to nothing of the day that 191 mm of rain fell on a part of the city in less than seven hours and damaged more than 3500 homes and scarred the hearts of many for life.
“Whenever it rains” said one man in the documentary “I look outside and wonder how long it is going to rain this time.”
 By Staff
September 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 3 of a 3 part feature
All of the artists taking part in the Supernova this Friday are looking at the weather forecasts – this is an outdoor event.
throughout the area are gathering together the material and tools they will need to set up their art installations along Old Lakeshore Road for the third annual No Vacancy event – which this year is being called Supernova.
 Dozens of art ventures will appear on the Old Lakeshore Road, immediately outside, adjacent to and across the road from Emma’s Back Porch the evening of Friday, September 18th beginning at 7 pm – the installations will be in place until just after midnight and then disappear just as quickly as they appeared.
The now annual event that began in 2013 at the Waterfront Hotel where new ground was broken in the Burlington arts world. The second year drew 3500 people to the Village Square made No Vacancy, which is given a different title each year, an event that was now a must for the city.
Selena Eckersal and her crew – the people making all this happen with a piddling $5000 in financial support have announced that The Poacher Ukulele Band will be performing at SUPERNOVA on September 18th on Old Lakeshore Rd in Downtown Burlington, Ontario. They are a fun, passionate group that will have you singing and dancing along with them! Stay tuned to find out exactly what time and where they will be playing.
The Gazette has given a bit of a background on each of the participants – there are about 20+ of them – all up for one enchanting evening.
We start this time with:
 Emilio Portal
My practice is based on hunting and creating stories, scenarios and objects that explore the hidden, oppressed, unexpected, appalling, subtle and forgotten.
I am of mixed ancestry: my father is Peruvian; my mother, French Canadian. My origin is a constant personal reminder of the complex story of colonialism, expansion, growth, and its precarious and paradoxical terrain.
Through a multiplicity of means, (story-telling, photography, drawing, printmaking, poetry, video, sound, woodworking, installations and slow performances) I contemplate the questions:
How do we make meaning?
What is our ethos?
emilioportal.com
 Liz Little
Liz Little is a multidisciplinary artist working mainly in drawing, printmaking, and installation. She is a recent MFA graduate from the University of Waterloo and received a BFA with Distinction from Concordia University in 2010. Her work has been exhibited in Canada, the United States, and Germany and is part of national and international private collections. She is the recipient of several scholarships and awards, including the Sylvia Knight Award in Fine Arts, the Keith and Win Shantz Fellowship, and the Bill Watson Memorial Award for Printmaking. She currently lives and works in Toronto, ON.
lizlittle.org
 Caitlyn Jean McMillan
Caitlyn Jean McMillan earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay ON in 2008, her Masters of Fine Arts at the University of Regina in Regina, SK in 2012, and completed two residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts in 2008 and 2010. Since graduating, Caitlyn has shown in Thunder Bay, Toronto, Sudbury, and Sarnia, where she currently juggles art-making while working as the Community Arts Educator at the Judith & Norman Alix Art Gallery.
Caitlyn Jean works in a variety of media, from painting and drawing to new media and projection. Sometimes she enlists the help of Lisa Smith for her expertise with new media work.
caitlynjean.com
Miles Rufelds
 Miles Rufelds is a video and media artist from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He received his Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Ottawa in the spring of 2015. Coming from a background of abstract drawing and painting, he has come to work primarily in video and installation art, but branches at times into photography, sculpture, and audio. Rufelds’ art addresses the absurd and often-contradictory relationships that have existed between human beings and inanimate objects throughout history, abstractly questioning the role that nonhuman things can play in both the construction and diagnosis of the post-industrial human psyche. He has exhibited in various channels of the Ontario art community, such as the University of Ottawa’s Gallery 115 and Paradigm Gallery, as well as Cambridge, Ontario’s Idea Exchange gallery.
 And All Was Bright
And All Was Bright (Ben Robertson) is a musician and multimedia installation artist from Burlington, Ontario, Canada. His sound arrangements are progressive, emotive and strongly driven by concept; they span the spectrum of melodic dronescapes, noise, and heavy distortion. His video arrangements are abstract yet convey the underlying concepts behind the work. The installations are fully immersive. He fills the performance space with heavily-processed sound, projected visuals and controlled lighting, occupying the viewers’ auditory, visual, and physical senses.
andallwasbright.com
 VERSA
Versa is an audio/visual collaboration between process-based artist Monika Hauck and musician Alex Ricci. Influenced by contemporary soundscape, instrumental post-rock and 60’s psychedelic, the project combines heavily effected bass guitar compositions with projected visuals created live on stage. The composition of the music serves as a cause for the visuals, and vice versa; the need for movement in the visuals dictates choices made in the arrangement.
Tomy Bewick
Tomy Bewick is the founder, host and artistic director of the Burlington Slam Project (BSP), a monthly poetry platform in Burlington, On. He is a poet familiar with national and international finals stages, as well as a full-time professional with a specialty in environmentally sustainable construction (LEED AP, BD+C). Tomy has published two collections of poems, released three full length spoken word CD’s and featured across Canada, with multiple appearances in the US. He enjoys working with new poetic voices in his community, as well as continuing to provide a platform for local and international artists to share their words, at the BSP.
www.burlingtonslam.wordpress.com
 Klaus Pinter
Klaus Pinter is an International Artist who Lives and works in Vienna. Quite how he wound up in Burlington is something you can ask him when yiou meet him Friday evening.
klaus-pinter.net
 Frances Adair McKenzie
Picture
Frances Adair Mckenzie lives and works in Montréal. She combines genres and technologies to invoke fantastical internal and external worlds. Her work results in a din of concentrated effects, melding both high and low cultural references.
Frances attained a diploma in New Media from B.C.I.T. and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Concordia University. The National Film Board of Canada has com- missioned her animations and her work has been exhibited at the Musée de art Contemporain de Montréal, and the Société des Arts Technologiques. Frances also collaborates with Aleks Schurmer, to form the collective Party Like it’s 1699. The collective’s aim is to take classical music from the confines of the modern concert hall and reclaim it as a popular medium in the form of a digital Baroque opera.
 Brody Robinmeyer
Brody Robinmeyer is of European-Dominican descent, was born in Toronto moved to Iceland and then back to Ontario. Briefly studied in the U.K. as well as Germany. Graduated with a fine arts degree from Ryerson University. His artistic practice is strongly influenced by current scientific understanding and its intersection with eastern philosophies (i.e. hsin hsin ming). Currently working from his atelier in Hamilton.
Ms. Anonymous
 Ms. Anonymous has been namelessly creating art for almost two decades. You may have already seen her work without knowing it was hers, been in her presence without noticing her, and been touched by her work in some way. Ms. Anonymous prefers to remain nameless, faceless and unknown without the need for any recognition. She wishes for her art to speak for itself, with a voice of its own and an energy and life force that lives beyond the need for a creative host. Ms. Anonymous believes that it is her anonymity that allows her to be bold, provocative and unafraid in art.
Part 1 of a 3 part feature.
Part 2 of a 3 part feature
 Cine Starz Upper Canada Place
460 Brant Street
WWW CINESTARZ.CA
SHOWTIMES September 18 to 24 , 2015
PIXELS PG
Fri to Sun 11:15 1:15 3:15 5:15 7:15 9:15
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:00 9:00
RICKI AND THE FLASH PG
Fri to Sun 11:30 1:30 3:30 5:30 7:30 9:30
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:00 9:00
TRAINWRECK 18A
Fri to Sun 3:00 5:10 7:20 9:30
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:00 5:10 7:20 9:30
AMERICAN ULTRA 18A
Fri to Sun 11:20 1:10 3:45 5:30
Mon to Thur 1:10 3:15 5:10
JURASSIC WORLD PG
Fri to Sun 11:15 1:10 5:20 7:15 9:40
Mon to Thur 1:00 5:15 7:15
SOUTHPAW 14A
Fri to Sun 1:30 7:20 9:30
Mon to Thur 7:00 9:15
INSIDE OUT G
Fri to Sun 11:20 1:15 3:15 5:15
Mon to Thur 5:20
PAPER TOWNS PG
Fri to Sun 11:15 3:25 7:40
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:15 7:30 9:30
AMY 14A
Fri to Sun 9:30
Mon to Thur 3:00 9:30
By Staff
September 15, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Artists throughout the area are gathering together the material and tools they will need to set up their art installations along Old Lakeshore Road for the third annual No Vacancy event – which this year is being called Supernova.
Dozens of art ventures will appear on the Old Lakeshore Road, immediately outside, adjacent to and across the road from Emma’s Back Porch the evening of Friday, September 18th beginning at 7 pm – the installations will be in place until just after midnight and then disappear just as quickly as they appeared.
The now annual event that began in 2013 at the Waterfront Hotel where new ground was broken in the Burlington arts world. The second year drew 3500 people to the Village Square made No Vacancy, which is given a different title each year, an event that was now a must for the city.
During the next few days the Gazette will tell you a little bit about each participant – there are about 20+ of them – all up for one enchanting evening.
We start this time with:
 Apollonia Vanova is a Contemporary artist from Slovakia, currently residing in Canada. She is a graduate from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, BC. Before she attended university, she travelled to Italy and became an apprentice to the famed sculptor Tomasso Gismondi. Upon her return to Canada, she opened Vano inc., where she designed and produced large ceramic murals. Her first commission at the age of 20, was a 20′ x 5′ pediment sculpture for a Neo-classical private villa. Apollonia works out of her private studio in Toronto, Ontario and continues to create contemporary sculptures and installations in various media including bronze, steel, leather, hair, as well as paintings in oil and acrylic.
Her work has been exhibited in galleries across Canada, and acquired internationally in private collections. Currently, her artwork explores narcissism within contemporary society through the meaning and interpretation of language, myth, dreams, instincts and objects of desire.
vanovaart.com
 Ryan Van Der Hout
Ryan Van Der Hout is a photo based artist working in Toronto. His work explores photographic materials and experimental processes. Ryan has an ongoing documentary project focused on artistic process and studio space.
Ryan’s work has been exhibited across Canada, the U.K. and in New York and is held in both private and public collections.
He’s a graduate of Ryerson’s photography program.
ryanvanderhout.com
 Keith Busher
Hamilton, Ontario based artist Keith Busher started Precious Mutations in January 2012. Inspired by the art of David Irvine, and tired of his kids watching the same old television programs repeatedly Keith took his kids to the local ‘Drop n Shop’ to find an up-cycling project. Keith came home with several ceramic figurines and began his mutating career. Since then he’s created over 50 mutations and continues to create every day. In May of 2013 Keith shared a show with David Irvine at Manta Contemporary Gallery entitled ‘Re-Visions’ and was featured in the Hamilton Art Crawl.Highlights of what he’s accomplished so far include his ‘Zombified Nutcrackers’ which were highly sought after during the holiday season of 2012 and saw his work get shipped globally to Australia, Japan, Europe and throughout North America.
Keith has expanded his ‘mutations’ to include photography and other items being up-cycled, no longer just figurines. You can find Keith and his Precious Mutations at this years upcoming Toronto Zombie Walk on October 26, 2013.
preciousmutations.com
 Sanjay Patel
Sanjay is Canadian of Indian descent, residing in between Hamilton and Toronto. His main focus for, “Live Art” is to capture the atmosphere and energy of the particular events he attends. This talented artist is also carving a path with his one-of-a-kind commissioned work; a unique experience that offers the client a custom abstract representation of the their energy, tastes and personality, while taking into consideration the current colour, lighting, and space in the room.
sanjaybpatel.com/
 Reg Moore
Reg Moore is a projection and light artist holding unique events under the name Realtime Activities. Realtime turns the clock back and forth with shout-outs to eclectic moments and personalities in motion picture, photography, animation, music and popular culture. Using an existing site and manipulating it, Realtime creates installations that are a visual feast for the average individual and a delight to the more seasoned viewer who recognizes Realtime’s incorporation of such ground-breaking works as “Moth Light”, “Rhythmus 21”, “Dog Star Man”, and “Matrix III”, to name a few. A Realtime installation is both a fabulous live event and a compelling expression of art.
realtimeactivities.com
 Jordyn Stewart
Jordyn Stewart is an emerging artist from the Niagara Region. Coming from a small town, she adopts child-like fascinations and curiosities from her upbringing. Now, immersed in developing urban environments, she investigates the materials found within these spaces in search for the familiar. Working predominantly in video and performance, she creates site-sensitive performances.
Stewart recently received her BA, Specialist in Art and Art History at University of Toronto, joint program with Sheridan College. She has most recently exhibited works at Trinity Square Video,Video Fever 2015, as well as, The Blackwood Gallery, Horizon Line. She is currently living in Toronto, interning as a curatorial assistant for Christine Shaw, the curator of The Work of Wind, an exhibition featured in this years Nuit Blanche. Jordynstewart.ca
 Tiffany Schofield
Tiffany Schofield is an emerging Canadian artist and curator. Her practice explores the relationship between the body, place and history through site-specific performances, photography, and video installations. Her recent work is concerned with the physical and psychological manifestations of the suburban landscape. Schofield recently completed her Honours Bachelor of Arts with a Specialist in Arts & Culture (Studio) at the University of Toronto Scarborough, where she received multiple awards and scholarships. Most recently, her work has been exhibited at Artscape Youngplace and Trinity Square Video in Toronto.
tiffanyschofield.com
 Elyse Portal
Somewhere between meditations and memorials, Elyse Portal’s creative research is rooted in embodied intimacies generated between local material research and place-based exchanges. Textiles and video confront solastalgia, a term coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht, which means the “homesickness you have when you are still at home.” Here, beauty is (re)discovered within the micro-processes of indigenous and invasive plant species. Materia medica is an ontological survey of ecological remembrance, including dye experiments with organic cloth and video of the watery plant pigment ecologies – alongside urban traffic.
elyseportal.com
There are others. The event, which has broken several of the artistic boundaries that kept Burlington a quiet sketches of flowers town for a long time is at that point where it will take on a life of its own and draw people from well outside the area. Will it ever equal the Supercrawl in Hamilton – would city hall ever let that happen?
 By Pepper Parr
September 14, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a good healthy crowd.
All the right people said all the right things and when it was over Pam Damoff had a campaign office that was open and ready to take her campaign to the next level.
The campaign was close to running out of signs – a good omen? Depends on how many signs they printed up the first time around.
 Campaign chair Ed McMahon and campaign manager Keri Schoonderwoerd go over the agenda for a full campaign office opening. Fund raising is always a challenge – the Liberals fell back on a tried and true approach – pass the hat. It soon filled with $20 biils
Damoff is the Liberal candidate for Oakville Burlington North,(ONB) a new riding which makes it appealing to everyone.
 The western boundary of the Oakville North Burlington constituency is Burloak and Bell School line. With candidates in three different constituencies – voters are going to be confused on where they are supposed to vote. Messy re-distribution. This riding had quite an early history. Last summer, former Conservative MP Eve Adams and local chiropractor Natalia Lishchyna abandoned their bids for the Tory nomination amid allegations of wrongdoing.
 Liberal candidate and Oakville Town Councillor Pam Damoff opened her campaign office in Burlington on the weekend. Ward 6 Councillor for Oakville, Max Khan was the party’s original nominee. Mr Khan died in September, 2014. Oakville Town Councillor and longtime community volunteer Pam Damoff was acclaimed as the Liberal candidate on May 26, 2015.
There are five candidate: A Liberal, a Conservative, a Green candidate; a Libertarian candidate and a New Democrat.
The race in this riding, ONB, is between the Liberal and the Conservative. The eventual winner will probably be decided by the strength of the coat tails of Stephen Harper or Justin Trudeau.
The NDP candidate brings little to the race, the Greens hope for a strong showing so they have something to build on – and the Libertarian is there because the democratic process allows him to be a candidate.
The Conservative candidate has a very strong pedigree, impressive as well but it is going to be difficulty to see her in action.
Effie Triantafilopoulos is the Conservative candidate for Oakville North-Burlington. Prior to her candidacy, Effie held key roles in Ottawa as a Chief of Staff to Ministers responsible for three important departments: including, External Affairs and International Trade, Industry Canada and the Treasury Board of Canada. In these jobs, she provided strategic advice to the federal government on how to increase trade and economic growth.
She has also served as Deputy Director and Senior Advisor at the Summits Management Office of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada for the G20 Summit in 2010.
In the private sector, Effie specialized in corporate, international trade and immigration law while working closely with Canadian companies to create jobs, attract investment and find markets for Canadian products. She served as a director at leading business associations, including Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, Ontario Exports Inc. and the Forum for International Trade Training.
In the not-for-profit sector, Effie served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children Canada. In this role, she promoted programs focused on improving the health and education of children in Canada and in countries across the world.
Effie received her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Toronto, followed by a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Ottawa and a Master of Laws in International Trade and Competition Law from Osgoode Hall.
Effie is committed to public service and volunteerism, and has played an active role in community and national not-for-profit organizations for more than 25 years, including the Hellenic Heritage Foundation and Accessible Media Inc.
The Gazette sent in a request to be added to the ONB media list – and were told we would be added – nothing so far – but then it is early in the campaign.
The Green Party nominated Adnan Shahbaz an educator working in the Curriculum Support Services division of a local school board as an Instructional Coach.
Libertarian Party of Canada nominated David Clement. David is a local entrepreneur in the consulting field.
On March 22, 2015 members from the ONB NDP nominated Rebecca Rajcak,an OSSTF member and high school teacher in Oakville. She later resigned the candidacy and Janice Best, a local union official, replaced her as the NDP candidate.
The Conservatives have reportedly told their candidates to keep their heads down – don’t take part in any debates; focus on the core vote, those died in the wool Tories who will take their ballot to the grave with them. The objective will be to get the Tory vote out and hope that the tide does not turn on Mr. Harper.
The first candidate campaign for Burlington had candidates from both Burlington proper and Oakville North Burlington (ONB) meeting in the Burlington library answering questions from youth.
 Candidates from both the Burlington and Oakville North Burlington constituencies take part in the first federal election event in the area. Wallace took part and managed to get out a statement on the Old Age Supplement – there were some seniors in the room – that is his target market. If he can keep them – and they do like him – he could be safe.
They appear to be depending on the solid Conservative vote in this part of the province. Effie Triantafilopoulos does not have a local profile but the party membership thought she was a better candidate than Blair Lancaster who was prepared to give up her ward six Burlington council seat and sit in the House of Commons.
We are now into the thick of the campaign that pollsters are calling a dead heat between the Liberals and the New Democrats nationally with the Conservatives losing a bit of the lead they had
 Pam Damoff campaign manager Keri Schoonderwoerd passes the hat to raise funds for another print run of campaign signs. The focus of the campaign appears to be shifting from one scare tactic – that the terrorists are going to arrive on our shores in droves to a new scare – the economy is not safe in the hands of either Liberal Justin Trudeau or God forbid the socialists.
If the Conservatives can scare enough people – they might get themselves returned to office.
Damoff has local experience – she serves on the Oakville town council; she is personable, knows the issues and understands Ottawa where she worked in a number of administrative capacities for a Cabinet Minister.
She is certainly visible and has an active, committed, focused campaign team.
Burlington residents are now part of one of three different constituencies and will now be represented by three different people: all three could be female.
Going to be tough to get anything out of Ottawa with that kind of representation. The municipalities and the Region will have to scurry to get someone to listen to them.
.
 By Pepper Parr
September 14, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
How did this manage to happen?
Two of the more significant community events scheduled for the same day at basically the same time?
 Amazing Bed Race – doing its 6th Annual event – same day as the Terry Fox Run The 6th annual Amazing Bed Race on Brant Street in downtown Burlington, Sunday, September 20, 11am-3pm.
The Burlington Terry Fox Run course is a 5km or 10km loop long the beach and Spencer Smith Park. The start and finish are at the Pavilion at Beachway Park on Lakeshore Rd. Runners for 5km and 10km start at 9:00am. Everyone else starts at 10:00am. Registration opens for runners at 8:00am.
We have food, music, a raffle, balloons and tattoos, and even dog treats. Joins us for a run or walk and a great party atmosphere. It is a great day for a run or just a family day to remember Terry Fox and keep his dream alive.
The Amazing |Bed Race has people who formed teams, decorated a bed and race up Brant Street trying to beat a clock – it’s great fun
 Burlingtonians have been doing the \Terry Fox Run for 35 years. Raised close to $1 million. The Terry Fox isn’t so much great fun – it is a time of reflection and celebration for the thousands of people who show up – the way they have for the past 35 years.
It is a true pity that the two groups were not aware of the conflicting dates.
A person could cover both events – it would be a bit of a dash to get from one to the other.
Better planning would have made a difference.
 By Staff
September 10, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Route 1 bus Detours in Downtown Hamilton Sept. 11 – 14
 Beginning Friday, Sept. 11 through to Monday, Sept. 14, Burlington Transit’s Route 1 will detour in downtown Hamilton during the James Street Supercrawl.
Detour Information
Friday, Sept. 11 from approximately noon to 5:30 p.m.:
• Regular routing to York Boulevard and Queen Street
• Right at Queen Street
• Left at Main Street
• Left at John Street
• Left at King Street
• Resume regular routing
Friday, Sept. 11 (at approximately 5:30 p.m.) through to Monday, Sept. 14 (at approximately 1 a.m.):
• Regular routing to York Boulevard and Queen Street
• Right at Queen Street
• Left at Main Street
• Left at John Street
• Left at Cannon Street
• Resume regular routing
Cine Starz Upper Canada Place
460 Brant Street
WWW CINESTARZ.CA
SHOWTIMES September 11 to 17 , 2015
WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS 14A
Fri to Thur 1:20 3:10 7:20 9:15
SINISTER 2 14A
Fri to Sun 5:20 9:10
Mon to Thur 7:40 9:30
AMERICAN ULTRA 18A
Fri to Sun 1:30 5:40 7:30 9:20
Mon to Thur 1:30 3:30 5:20 7:10 9:20
FANTASTIC FOUR PG
Fri to Sun 11:30 1:30 3:30 5:20
Mon to Thur 5:30
JURASSIC WORLD PG
Fri to Sun 11:10 1:00 3:20 5:10 7:15
Mon to Thur 1:00 5:10
VACATION 14A
Fri to Sun 11:20 1:30 3:15 7:30
Mon to Thur 1:00 3:15 7:20
SOUTHPAW 14A
Fri to Sun 11:15 7:15 9:30
Mon to Thur 1:15 3:00 7:20 9:30
INSIDE OUT G
Fri to Sun 11:15 1:15 3:15 5:15 7:15
Mon to Thur 5:40
PAPER TOWNS PG
Fri to Sun 11:00 3:20 9:30
Mon to Thur 3:30 5:15 7:30 9:30
AMY 14A
Fri to Sun 5:00 9:15
Mon to Thur 1:10 3:20 9:00
 By Staff
September 8th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Keith Marshall will be at the Fireside Lounge at the Art Gallery of Burlington to talk about his latest on Wednesday September 9th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
 His work is on display and will be open to the public until September 28th.
By Pepper Parr
September 8, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Once the “love in” part of the evening was over – those in the room at the Royal Botanical Gardens were able to take part in a good discussion on what the province was planning on doing about transit in the province.
 Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs is in the thick of transit issues as well – Ted McMeekin takes part in Town Hall on Transit Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon and Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs MPP Ted McMeekin hosted the event at which Minister of Transportation Steve Del Luca did most of the talking and the listening.
The stopover in Burlington was the fourth Town Hall type meeting Del Luca has held – 40-50 people in the room – close to a quarter of them bureaucrats of one flavour or another.
He told the audience that his mandate was to “catch up” and “keep up” on transit matters. While highways are a large part of that mandate – this meeting was about transit.
Difficult for a Burlington audience not to want to drift into highways when the QEW and the 403 cut us into pieces.
Del Luca pointed out that the government has committed $130 billion over ten years into getting a transit system that meets the needs – it’s amazing how these people throw around those big number – billions – millions.
An additional $31.5 million has been has been added to put a 15 minute – both ways service in place on the Lakeshore, Kitchener, Stouffville and Barrie services.
De Luca made a strong point when he explained the situation on the Barrie line: four trains leaving Barrie every morning and four leaving Union Station for the trip home each evening.
Which was Ok for people who just commute and stay in the city all day but for those who want to slip into the city for an early afternoon meeting and then head back to an office in Barrie the current service doesn’t work – those people explained Del Luca drive in and out – adding to traffic congestion and wasting a lot of time behind the wheel of a car.
The Transportation Minister added that getting 15 minute service has some hurdles to be gotten over – and the electrification of the system has its own problems.
Track ownership is also a problem – but Del Luca was able to leave the impression that he has a strong team and that they can learn to understand the problems and then find solutions.
What was refreshing was that Del Luca didn’t even try to sugar coat the problem.
 Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon hosts a Town Hall on Transit and lets the Ministers do all the talking. He made it clear that he wants to see the changes made within a decade and that to make it happen there has to be a change in the culture – the car isn’t going to be what it has been – both in the way it is used and in the way it is designed for the future.
The rail lines are going to be electrified – if we don’t do that greenhouse gasses will kill us all.
Everyone wants better service but the changes we need to make to provide that service will be disruptive – which boots the ball into the political realm. Del Luca’s trip to Burlington was to get a sense of what the public in this part of the world was thinking.
Something not usually seen at Burlington based event s was the participation of students from McMaster. All males and all appeared to be graduate level students – and they had good questions.
Del Luca, who represents Vaughan in the Legislature, pointed out that his mandate is focused on capital projects – this guy is building a transit system – all the bells and whistles on what happens when the transit system is in place is the responsibility of the municipalities that connect with those rail lines.
The only thing the Ministry does, explained Del Luca, is give the municipalities a portion of the gas tax it collects. Burlington got between $20 and $21 million last year.
There are Buringtonians who come close to swallowing their tongues when they see some of that tax rebate being put into infrastructure (roads) upgrades and upkeep.
The cultural change the Minister is working to bring about hasn’t penetrated as deeply as it is going to have to in Burlington – the city may be one of the last to fully understand what has to be done.
There were people from Burlington transit and transportation in the room – but they didn’t seem to be paying a lot of attention from where I was sitting.
There was a little bit of money for new ideas and pilot projects explained Del Luca. “We put $1 million into a fund for new ideas and doled it out in $100,000 grants. It was so popular and useful that we increased the annual allotment to $2 million.”
Milton got a grant to create an application that would let commuters use their smart phones to tap into their transit schedule – there was no mention of any application from Burlington Transit.
 Minister of Transportation for the province Steve Del Luca engages Greg Woodruff on the role of the car in future transit plans – both agree the car isn’t going away. Aldershot activist Greg Woodruff engaged the Minister on the role cars would play in transportation. He pointed out that the car is undergoing a very radical change and added that research suggests there will be 40% fewer cars on the road within the decade – what does that do to your transit plans he asked.
Del Luca told Woodruff he didn’t think he was wrong and added that within the decade 70% of the cars on the rod will be automated. Both men agreed that the car was not going to go away and it doesn’t need to go away – it will just play a much different role and will not dominate the way it has for the past number of decades
While transit was the focus of the meeting – land planning policies that make sense was a critical clutch point – and the sense in the room seemed to be that we weren’t doing all that well on developing those policies.
 Ted McMeekin, a political activist who got into government to make changes talks with Rishia Burke, a staffer with Community Development Halton – an organization McMeekin got started with others many years ago. One could almost see the torch being passed. Minister McMeekin, who wasn’t saying all that much, explained that he was coordinating a review of the urban sprawl we have to work with and what part urban boundaries play in transit planning.
There are transit advocates in Burlington who wonder why the Oakville, Milton, Burlington and eventually Halton Hills transit services are not rolled into a single service – York Region has done that very successfully.
At some point there is going to be transit service along Dundas and rolling up into Milton – whose court will that ball be in – Milton or Burlington?
Creating a smoother transition for transit users in the east end of the city who want to or have to use both Oakville and Burlington transit is another problem
When Burlington’s politicians got all hairy about transit and began taking the bus to work, and making sure there was a photo op to prove they had actually ridden the bus, ward 2 councillor Marianne Meed Ward took the bus to a Regional meeting – that isn’t something she will be doing again.
It has become clear to the government that in order for transit use to be increased – growth and intensification has to be along transit lines.
 Vito Tolone, interim director of transportation for Burlington, did a lot of listening as the two provincial minsters did all the talking. Their comments seemed to tie into the Draft Transportation Master Plan Tolone is working on Where are the transit corridors going to be in Burlington. Vito Tolone, interim Director of Transportation, is working on a Transportation Master Plan – a draft was put together by people from both planning and transportation. While far from complete – there were some pretty solid suggestions as to the direction the city could consider taking.
Unfortunately there wasn’t much in the way of enthusiasm in the response from city council on what was a well presented set of suggestions and ideas – whatever Burlington does – transit is going to have to be the core – and this city council just doesn’t have much of an appetite for more busses on the streets – all they can see is empty busses going by.
Minister Del Luca asked the municipalities to “work with us and get it right” He wants to do away with the artificial transit barriers and the artificial municipal barriers to get it right.
It is not going to be easy to do that with the city council Burlington has today.
The last topic to get some time was the HOT lanes that were put in place for the Pan Am Games. It may not be popular, but High Occupancy Toll lanes are becoming the flavour of the month in transit and transportation circles.
Ontario transportation officials are fine-tuning a plan to introduce the concept to selected highways in the Greater Toronto Area. Most Ontarians are familiar with HOV (or High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes that require a vehicle to have at least one passenger.
The HOT lane expands upon that, extending access to lone motorists — but charging them a toll. The government is moving ahead on installing high occupancy toll lanes. These are on the way but “we want to make sure we get it right,” he told the media.
At the Burlington event Del Luca said the move wasn’t intended to produce revenue but to free up capacity – the thinking being that if someone was prepared to pay a fee to drive in a HOT lane that meant their car would not be taking up space in the free lanes.
Del Luca told the Burlington meeting that the government had not clearly communicated what the program was, how it would work and the difference it would make.
He certainly got that part right. Many wonder just what the cost would be – and how much would be spent on creating the things – whenever government and technologically are in the same room – the costs just seem to rise – remember the mess and the expense with making hospital records electronic – gazillions – and it isn’t done yet.
By Pepper Parr
September 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Prime Minister came to town and spoke to a decent sized audience at a small steel plant and told them if his government was re-elected there would be an Advanced Manufacturing Hub created in Burlington. A number of people in the twitter world were asking – what is an Advanced Manufacturing hub?
 Prime Minister Harper making his Advanced Manufacturing hib at a steel plant in Burlington on Tuesday. The Gazette is asking – where does that hub fit in with the long range Strategic Plan the city has been working on. We are in pretty close contact with the Economic Development Corporation in Burlington and we’ve not heard a word about this idea from them.
The city is certainly talking about hubs, mostly in a transportation context, with the idea of developing both housing and office accommodation as part of those hubs. The city has four mobility hubs of in mind; one at each of the GO Stations and another at the John Street bus terminal.
 Federal Liberal candidate for Burlington: Karina Gould Liberal candidate Karina Gould, who was in all probability not in the audience when the Prime Minister spoke, had these comments on the Conservative announcement.
“After a decade of watching manufacturing jobs disappear under Stephen Harper no voter is going to believe that he suddenly cares about the sector. Over the next 10 years a Liberal government will invest $60 billion in the kind of productivity enhancing infrastructure that all sectors, including manufacturing, need to compete in the 21st century.
“Strong economies produce goods. Manufacturing is the number one investor in research and development. It provides good jobs outside urban areas as well as in urban centres. We will help manufacturers to modernize and to reach new markets. We will help small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets and help them gain a foothold in Europe. We need to be prepared for the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
“Since Stephen Harper came to power our growth in exports has been the worst of any G7 country.”
 Conservatives at 28.8; NDP at 30.8 and the Liberals at 29.7 – tight. There is certainly an election taking place and with the opinion polls where they are it is an all-out effort on the part of every candidate.
 By Pepper Parr
September 1, 21015
BURLNGTON, ON
It wasn’t a debate – but it got pretty freewheeling a couple of times and it was a more than decent opportunity to hear what the candidates thought about specific issues and to get a sense of where they were coming from in terms of why they were in politics.
The national picture – tight – some of the Conservative seats are going to have a different seats are going to be a different colour – |Is Burlington one of them? Too early to tell.  The event was sponsored by 3Things for Burlington – and was an event intended for youth. There were as many adults as there were youth in Centennial Hall at the public library but the young people brought the energy to the room. Some adults had questions they wanted to ask – there was no time – the young people had good direct questions – it was a pleasure to see them involved.
Randi Minaker introduces the panel: Laird, Best, Gould, Damoff, Shabaz, Clement and |Wallace. They each set out the position and their main arguments quite well. Some had to use notes – why? – while others wandered off the topic – Wallace. Attending were David Laird, New Democrat candidate for Burlington, Janice Best for the NDP in Oakville North Burlington, Karina Gould, the Liberal for Burlington; Pam Damoff the Liberal for Oakville North Burlington.
Adnan Shabaz the Green candidate for Oakville North Burlington, David Clement the Libertarian candidate and Mike Wallace.Member of Parliament for Burlington
David Laird is a long time New Democrat with some pretty hard boiled views on the economy and the role the banks play – he sees the money system as one that is a private thing run by the banks – he seems to have forgotten that the Bank of Canada is in the game and that the federal government regulates the banking industry.
Laird has the government in the pockets of the bankers. He referred to an Oxfam report that had 85 people owning 50% of the wealth in the world – which is a stretch.
Laird commented that he had never seen youth involved in an election before.
Karina Gould the Liberal candidate for Burlington reminded Laird that he once spoke at a civics class at MM Robinson – she was in the class – she went on to explain that it was those high school days that were the beginning of her political career.
Gould told the audience that most young people saw politicians as older men in suits. Gould said she found younger people don’t think they will ever have the lifestyle their parents have and that student debt and the environment were key issues – most seemed to feel they would never be able to own a home.
 Mike Wallace, Burlington MP, takes a closer look at art work at the Art Gallery of Burlington. Mike Wallace, the current Member of Parliament for Burlington has been an MP since 2006 and a politician for 26 years. Wallace commented on the audience having as many adults as youth – he wasn’t wrong. His advice for the young people: do your research and decide who has the competency to do the job.
David Clement is the Libertarian candidate for Oakville Burlington North. That political party. Which Clement described as fiscally conservative and socially liberal, has yet to actually elect a member to the House of Commons. Clement said he didn’t see politics as either left or right – what he wanted to see was a political process that empowered people.
Adnan Shabaz is the Green Party candidate in Oakville North Burlington. That party’s leader is a hero in Shabaz’s eyes – “She stands up and speaks her mind” and Shabaz certainly came across as very well informed with not much nonsense in his comments and answers to the questions he was asked.
He told the audience that a politician’s job is to represent the people; that their views are why a Member of the House of Commons is in Ottawa.
That is not what party politics is about. Several references were made to “whipped” votes – but no one explained to the young audience just what a “whipped” vote is.
Every political party has a person known as the “whip” whose job is to make sure the members of the political party are in the House and casting their vote in favour of the party’s policy.
The practice is referred to as “party discipline – without that discipline it would be very difficult to get anything done. However, it is when party discipline is overdone that democracy suffers; many feel that this is where politics in Canada has gotten to under the Harper government.
 Pam Damoff – Liberal candidate for Oakville North Burlington Pam Damoff, the Liberal candidate for Oakville Burlington North never tires of telling people that it is the young people that change the world – and she wants to be around as many young people as she can. The room at the Central Library certainly had more than her share of kids in red T shirts.
Damoff wants to see young people at the table – based on what was heard at the meeting Monday evening – those young people deserve a seat at the table – they had good questions and handled the meeting very well.
Damoff told the audience that the federal government is not doing enough at the municipal level – a point that Regional Chair Gary Carr would agree with that statement. The pie chart shows where the tax dollars go – that isn’t where the spending goes.
Janice Best, the New Democratic candidate for Oakville North Burlington commented that she would certainly like some of those young people on her campaign team.
She delivered one of the toughest comments to the young people. “You are going to become part of what is called the “precarious work force” – part time, low wages and no benefits. And if you did get to university” she added “you will leave with a degree and a debt load of about $26,000.
She pointed out that the student loan legislation has not been upgraded since 1971.
What was disappointing was that both Damoff and Best had to read from notes – one would have hoped that these two women would have had more than enough of a grasp on what they and their party stood for to be able to speak extemporaneously.
However – the two women were in the room – the same could not be said for Effie Triantafilopoulos, the Conservative candidate in Oakville Burlington North. She was a no show.
 Oakville Burlington North is a new federal riding.  Stephanie Bye and Randi Minaker made sure the event went smoothly – expect to hear more about Bye – WOW – she ran the event with an iron fist. Handling the speakers was left to Stephanie Bye – what a stick of dynamite this young woman was. Awesome she would say when a speaker had finished. Cool she would add. And when a speaker was getting off topic Stephanie was in there like a little Bull Terrier getting them back on track.
After each speaker had explained why they were there the questions came from the audience – here is where the audience got to see what they felt on an issue by issue basis.
Immigration was the base of a question from a young man who asked why a close friend had been waiting more than 11 years to get landed status. Mike Wallace did his best to explain what the issues work – but his colleagues were not buying it. It was almost a pile on.
Both Shabaz and Gould explained that if their parents had been in a Canada that has a Bill C 24 when they came to Canada– they would have been described as citizens with “second-class status”
 The boundaries for the federal constituency were changed – not by much but they were changed Bill C 24 is seen as a controversial piece of legislation that recently came into effect, allowing the government to revoke Canadian citizenship from dual citizens who are convicted of terrorism, high treason and several other serious offences.
As a result of the new provisions that came into effect a few months ago, many people warn that dual citizens, including those who were born in Canada, now have “second-class status” and that their Canadian citizenship can be “stripped arbitrarily.”
Added to that mix was the amount of information the government now collects on people. Both Shabaz and Clement felt this was a very serious problem. “No government should have that amount of information on any citizen” he said. The only person at the table who wasn’t comfortable with collecting of the data was Wallace – he seemed to buy into the government policy that this was necessary to catch the terrorists. Shabaz, Damoff, Gould and Clement saw this as fear mongering and believed that this approach to problem resolution was hurting the country.
 Karina Gould listens to a senior who had decided to take part in the Youth led event. Gould wanted to know “what has happened to Canada on the world stage” the reputation the country had twenty years ago is not the reputation we have today. The admiration and respect we used to have is no longer there, said Gould.
Damoff set out the environment, the economy, health issues and changing behavior as the issues that she wanted to hear about from people,
Clement wanted lower taxes “leave more money in my pocket” was his war cry.
Wallace, understanding what he has in the way of a political base, brought up the Old Age Supplement – he wanted to see the formula used to increase that monthly payment to seniors given an index that was considerably different than that used for the consumer price index.
His comments were well out of the ball park and Stephanie Bye shut him down pretty quickly.
 Richia Burke explains to members of 3Things for Burlington how she expects the meeting to go – and hands out the work assignments. The event was run by 3Things for Burlington, a youth group formed by Community Development Halton – they were great but no one said a word about that organization which is often struggling for funding to stay alive.
 By Staff
eptember 1, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Performing Arts Centre is going to be one of the stops for the World Premiere Tour of the unique classical ballet Sleeping Beauty.
The performance will take place October 2, 2015 at 8:00 pm.
Dance Critic Gary Smith will give a pre-show talk, in addition to a post-show chat with the artists.
 Sleeping Beauty, Performance, Act I Sleeping Beauty is one of the world‘s most famous classical ballets and holds a place in the repertoire of virtually every major company.
This major new ballet tells the enchanting story of Aurora and her prince complete with its inherently magical qualities and dazzling choreography. The fairy tale about a young woman placed under a spell to sleep for a hundred years only to be awakened by a kiss is an easily accessible story. It appeals to a child’s imagination and holds a special place in the hearts of adults.
 Superb performances of Sleeping Beauty are going to take place on the stage at the Performing Arts Centre – October 2 The underlying theme is the tug between the forces of good (the Lilac Fairy) and evil (Carabosse), serving as an important thread to the plot. Told in three acts, the ballet benefits from the character development and technical expertise for which Canada’s Ballet Jörgen is known.
Artistic Director and award-winning choreographer Bengt Jörgen focuses on the magical elements and the interpretation of the ballet as a nature allegory: The young woman represents nature, the wicked fairy is winter, who deadens life with pricks of frost until a young man, spring, cuts away the brambles to allow the sun to awaken sleeping nature. Sleeping Beauty by Canada’s Ballet Jörgen draws on the traditional choreography by Marius Petipa to spin a tale of nature and love that will inspire young and old alike.
 Sleeping Beauty has a very large cast – it is a traditional ballet that has been done as a Walt Disney film and is a favorite with young people and adults that appreciate the richness of the story and the strength of the dancers. The delightful story will be danced to the original 1890 score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, set to a libretto based on Charles Perrault’s story La Belle au bois dormant. In ensemble with stunning costumes and captivating lighting design, Sleeping Beauty by Canada‘s Ballet Jörgen is guaranteed to provide an evening of entertaining and inspiring live performance.
If you want your children to have some understanding of what great ballet is – this is the event to take them to – the Walt Disney movie version always does well – real dancers with fabulous choreography is one of those things every child should have an opportunity to see.
Tickets can be purchased online www.burlingtonpac.ca, by phone 905-681-6000 or in person at the Box Office located at 440 Locust Street.
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