 By Ray Rivers
October 15th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
A couple of weeks ago Canada’s Heritage Minister, Mélanie Joly, announced the country’s new creative industries strategy. There was more money for Canada’s creative sector but for the most part she and her announcement have largely been ignored or panned.
 Heritage Minister, Mélanie Joly One reason could be how she has been dealing with Netflix and internet streaming more generally. With virtually unlimited global access through the internet, Netflix and Amazon can be broadcast right into anyone’s home and not be subject to the (HST) as are the TV and cable broadcasters. And by the same token these streaming companies can escape Canada’s outdated domestic content rules.
So the government wrangled some Canadian content into Netflix by getting the US based company to invest half a billion dollars over the next five years into Canadian productions. Details are scarce as hen’s teeth, leaving the impression that this is a deal still at the concept stage. But what about the taxation issue?
 And what was really missing from her announcement is an indication as to how the government plans to deal with the evolution taking place with the daily news. The dailies are a dying breed as advertising revenue, circulation and employment are all in a downward spiral. And once the papers go, so too will the press associations which they support, the ones which provide front-line reporting of events upon which we should all depend.
Some broadcasters like our own CBC utilize their own staff reporters for many stories, and don’t rely solely on the Canadian press service. But broadcast news is also facing challenges, especially in the US, where the president has called what the networks report as ‘Fake News” and has threatened to pull their broadcasting licenses.
Of course he can’t really do that, given the arms length relationship between him and them, and those in that country who do manage media policy. And besides there is that constitutional first amendment. But what he has done with his bluster is erode the public’s confidence in conventional news media and create confusion about what President Trump’s people have called alternate facts.
Those alternate facts have abounded on social media, particularly given the intrusion into the US domestic social networks by the Russians. Even if we disregard those kinds of malicious and fraudulent cyber postings as transitional, there is a plethora of blogs and opinion pieces which masquerade as facts, and serve only to distort the truth.
 American President’s used to hold “Fireside” chats and talk to the public. Donald Trump chooses to tweet and tweet and tweet. Trump, is reported to only watch the Fox News TV channel, a network many mock for its misnomer of a moniker – ‘fair and balanced’. And he prefers to release his own news reports via Twitter from the peace and comfort of his inner sanctum in the White House, rather than at a news conference where reporters can clarify and ask questions. After all, he is the president.
Democracy resides on a three legged platform. Universal suffrage is one leg, the freedom to run as a candidate another. And the free communication of accurate information makes up the final support. Facts are critical, and it is fair game for opinion writers to interpret to their hearts’ content, within the bounds of reasonableness. But there is no such animal as an alternate fact.
 Does Netflix dominate? Canada has been well served by our traditional mixed media, a government owned public broadcaster provides balance to the private paper giants – and they in turn provide a check that the GBG/Radio Canada sticks to the message and doesn’t get seduced by who is providing the pay cheques. Perhaps that is why consideration of this aspect of our communications sector escaped the Heritage minister’s attention.
But even the giants are hurting and there are things a government can do help slow down the bleeding, such as greater advertising purchases. And fair taxation is just as important among the internet and other media as it is for small incorporated business owners.
That is something our negotiators need to keep in mind as they plod their way through these difficult NAFTA negotiations. After all, as the old adage goes, news is what’s in the newspapers.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington in 1995. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Turkey Talk and Rookie Ministers – Canadian Content – Canadian Content Updating – Canadian Press – Periodical Fund – Newspaper Ask –
Media Funding – Faking News – State of US Media – Threat to First Amendment –
 By Staff
October 15th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Over the past three months various businesses within Burlington and Oakville have been victimized by an unknown male suspect, targeting staff member’s personal belongings.
The suspect would casually attend businesses in busy plazas, such as hair salons, dental offices, and massage parlours. The suspect would interact with employees as though he was a client of the business. When the opportunity presented itself the male would enter the staff room where the employee’s purses and belongings were kept and steal cash and gift cards located.
On one occasion the suspect was seen getting into a newer model 4-door silver Jeep Wrangler with a black hard top, no licence plate obtained.
The male is described as male, black, 45 – 55 years old, 5’10, heavy build, bald with a distinctive dark mustache.
Anyone who may have any further information pertaining to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Constable Autumn Mills of the 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext: 2285, or Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca or by texting “Tip 201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
October 14th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
On October 12th 2017 at approximately 3:10 PM, police were alerted to a bicycle theft that had just occurred at the Mapleview Mall .
Police responded to the area where they located a man riding the stolen bicycle eastbound on Plains Road near Francis Rd. After being confronted by police, the man attempted to flee but was arrested a short distance away after a brief struggle.
A search incident to the arrest, police located a pair of bolt cutters, a cut cable lock and a quantity of crystal meth (5.4 grams) and 5 oxycontin pills.
Sean Michael BRAZIL (34-yrs) of Hamilton was held for bail charged with the following offences:
• Theft under $5000
• Mischief under $5000
• Assault with intent to resist arrest
• Possession of break-in instruments
• Possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking (crystal meth)
• Possession of a controlled substance (oxycontin).
There was a time when a bike could be left leaning against a building and it would be where you left it when you came back. Somewhere along the way we lost that respect for someone elses property. Police now remind cyclists to consider the following recommendations to prevent become a victim of theft:
 Record your bicycle’s make, model and serial number. Keep the information, along with a digital photo, in a safe place.
Make your bicycle as undesirable as possible. Consider removing decals or repainting your bicycles to disguise top-of-the-line models.
Consider a beater bicycle for everyday use. Leave expensive bicycles at home and commute on a less expensive, less appealing model.
Make your bicycle un-rideable. Remove wheels and saddles to make it impossible for thieves to ride away on your bicycle.
Report stolen bicycles or parts. While most of the time police can’t do anything to locate a stolen bicycle, they can take action if there are several thefts in a given area.
Don’t support the stolen bicycle black market. Buy only from reputable shops or from people you trust. If you are unsure, ask questions, request to see a receipt/registration or call the police.
 By Pepper Parr
October 13th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It has been a long time in getting to this point and the decision to take the plunge and transform the existing Joseph Brant Museum into a 17,000 square foot location was not a unanimous city council decision.
Councillors Jack Dennison and Marianne Meed Ward were not onside for this nor was Councillor John Taylor all that enthusiastic about the plans that were put forward – but all it took was the votes of four of the seven members of council – and that they got – so they moved on to the next step of breaking ground.
 Spades in place waiting for the breaking of the ground. Shortly before the spades were put into the ground Burlington MPP Eleanor announced that the province was going to come up with the final million that was needed to see the development as fully funded.
There was some concern about the $1 million actually coming from the province – but city council wanted this project so badly that they went out on a limb, decided which of the reserve accounts they would raid for the funds and hoped the province would come through.
With a budget that seem to have to edge into the 4% increase level each year and the discovery that Burlington transit is going to need a very healthy sum of money – that million as important.
 Barb Teatero and her husband during the round breaking ceremony for the transformed Brant Museum. With the immediate financial concerns covered the Museum Staff and the Museum Foundation Board gathered together and watched two indigenous dancers perform ceremonial dances and then took part in a smudging ceremony that was quite something to observe.
The weather held and the hope was expressed that 18 months from now a ribbon cutting ceremony would take place to open the site.
 Members of the White Pines Indigenous dance group atch while the dignitaries make the speeches. Aron Bell a noted indigenous story teller is in the center There are dozens of hurdles to overcome between now and then but Friday morning was an occasion to celebrate – the performances would have made Joseph Brant proud.
The original house was the building Joseph Brant died in – the structure on the site is a 1937 replica of the house Mohawk native Joseph Brant, Thayendanegea, built on a 1798 Crown land grant.
A modern addition to the museum will be built into the grassy area under the current museum.
The expansion, a modern addition to the museum will be built into the grassy area under the current museum by contractor Aquicon Construction that will add more than 12,000 square feet to its current size.
The hope and the expectation is that the transformed Joseph Brant Museum will become a cultural destination and a place to host national exhibitions and the collection of artifacts.
 Indigenous dancer does a grass dance to prepare the land for the ground breaking. During the ground breaking event McMahon said that those who worked so hard to make the ground breaking possible will, at some future distant date, be lauded for the decision they made.
We should make a record of those people in the event that the public finds that lauding is not what gets done. There are a lot of questions to be asked and the requirement for much, much more in the way of transparency and accountability.
There is some pretty fast poker being played here.
 The traditional dance wear has 365 small bell sewn into the skirt. The Joseph Brant Museum Transformation will include total square footage of 17,000 square feet in the expanded site. Construction is expected to take 18 months, depending on weather
The total project amount is approved at about $11 million, which includes a contingency fund and allows for cost increases due to a winter construction period. Funding includes:
$3.4 million from the City of Burlington
$4.7 million from the Government of Canada
$1.5 million from the Province of Ontario
$2.5 million from the Joseph Brant Museum Foundation
The museum has 25,000 artifacts and receives a reported 18,000 visitors a year.
Joseph Brant, Thayendanegea, was born in 1742 and died in 1807. In 1798, the Mohawk and British captain was granted 3,450 acres at the head-of-the-lake (Burlington Bay) by King George the third.
 The Joseph Brant tomb outside a Mohawk Chapel just outside Brantford, Ontario Brant’s body was carried by members of the Mohawk tribe from Burlington to Brantford, Ontario where his remains rest in a small white chapel,
By Staff
October 13th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Shortly before 9:00 PM, yesterday evening, a 55-year old female victim was walking to work when she was approached by a young man who asked her for a cigarette. The victim told the man that she didn’t smoke and they went their separate ways.
The victim continued to walk along Fairview Street west of Brant Street when the man reappeared and without warning, struck her in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground then ran away. The victim got up and continued to walk westbound on Fairview when the man approached her again; pushed her to the ground and stole her black & white “Sephora” bag then ran away. During the incident, the victim sustained scrapes to her hands and knees, a bloody nose and swelling on the back of her head.
The victim arrived at work and immediately reported the incident to police. The area where the incident occurred was searched by uniformed officers with the aid of a Police Service Dog however the male was not located.
Over three hours later (12:15 AM), a resident on Stephenson Drive caught a young man that had been observed breaking into cars in the area. Police responded and arrested the man. After further investigation, it was determined that he was the person responsible for the earlier incident.
Zachary Michael HELLICAR (18-yrs) of Treeland St in Burlington was held for bail charged with the following offences:
• Assault
• Robbery
• Theft under $5000 (two counts)
• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000
• Fail to comply with recognizance
Detective Sergeant Hansen commented that “Investigators are extremely grateful to the resident on Stephenson Drive for helping apprehend and identify this man whose random violent behaviour posed a safety concern to the public”.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Phil Vandenbeukel of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext. 2343 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800 222-TIPS (8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637.
 By Cheryl DeLugt
October 12th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The intrinsic nature behind the school closures in Burlington is clearer than most may think. For almost a year now the Halton District School Board (HDSB) has been instrumental in its’ ability to have consistently provided the community a false sense of good intentions when it comes to closing our schools.
 Cheryl DeLugt and Steve Armstrong with the message from the community. Let’s face it….our schools were doomed, some would say…”A Done Deal”. Well, that was at least what was implied by the HDSB and how the majority of the community felt from the very beginning of the Program Accommodation Review Process (PAR). As the PAR process unfolded, it became more evident that closing a school or two was their primary objective.
The mere fact that our school was named and recommended to be closed in advance of any community input or public consultation, made it obvious the board had its own agenda, which in turn became the driving force behind the HDSB efforts to assure their plans to close Burlington high schools were achieved.
It now appears, to many community members, that the whole PAR process was intended to attain a controlled means of community input sufficient enough to claim community participation as part of the Halton District School Boards’ intent and plan to close two Burlington high schools. The process itself lacked honesty, transparency, logic, reason and effective community input. In addition, those who voted on the final decision were elected officials from outside of the affected communities, making the decision to close any schools in Burlington that much easier, or at least easier on one’s own conscience.
Fiscal responsibility to our community was by no means the predominate factor considered when making the decision to close our schools and if it was, a no school closure would have been given equal consideration. The cost savings of closing schools will be in the result of some staff savings and operating costs, but there will be added costs to decommission, insurance, maintenance, that will be added with closure. If one was to look at accounting for all costs, small schools such as Lester B Pearson are in fact more cost efficient on a per capita student basis than larger schools.
 Was Lester B. Pearson high school “doomed” from the beginning? Early on in the PAR process, it was apparent that there was reluctance and obstruction by the HDSB to engage in open and meaningful conversations with the general public and the communities affected by the school closures. This action alone revealed the school board’s lack of transparency and made many residents question the board’s motive for moving so quickly and forcefully to close our schools.
 Kim, a Lester B Pearson high school parent Perhaps the need for a greater emphasis on more open communication and input from our entire community including local and regional officials including the Mayor of Burlington, should have been actively part of the process. The Halton District School Board just recently announced its’ effort in exploring community partnerships now. In an effort of fairness, democracy, and the Ontario Ministry of Education principles, the HDSB had a moral and legal obligation to have explored other creative options more aggressively including possible community partnerships prior to proposing any school closures.
While the HDSB focuses their efforts on the transition process for Lester B Pearson high school and their desires for a “NEW” Administration building, many members of the community will now redirect their attention on the Burlington citizens appeal to the Ontario Ministry of Education now approved Administrative Review (AR).
With the AR soon underway, the need for better collaboration between the City of Burlington, its’ residents, and the Halton District School Boards prior restriction of information and the dissemination of correct, timely information in a transparent fashion will become apparent.
While the Halton District School Board continually reiterates to the public that the Administrative Review will NOT reverse their decision, it should indeed question it to a fair degree. The purpose of the Administrative Review (AR) is to thoroughly review the board’s honest commitment, integrity and ability to follow the HDSB and Ontario Ministry of Education policies while conducting the prior PAR process plus determine if there is need for HDSB procedural change.
 Ward 4 school board trustee Rachelle Papin at a school council meeting. In light of the approval of an AR, and with consideration of the facilitators findings, the community expects our elected Trustees to welcome the opportunity to openly review and change their June 7th, 2017 decision based on newly revealed supportive facts that the process they followed led them to a decision which was indeed without a doubt “flawed”.
After-all, how can and why would any school board or elected official stand behind a decision that they know was made using questionable methods, non- transparency and incorrect information and executed process?
A question we ALL should be asking at this point …especially the school board Trustees.
 Cheryl is a Registered Nurse who was a member of the Program Accommodation Review Committee that was unable to reach a consensus on which if any Burlington high schools should have been closed.
 By Pepper Parr
October 12th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Two men, both from Aldershot, delegated at city council earlier this week – both had similar comments and both had problems getting their material into the record – no one knew what happened.
 Greg Woodruff, who ran for Chair of the Region in the 2014 election, had comments to make about the development planned for 35 Plains Road. While he didn’t like the idea of an additional two floors of density being given to a site that is zoned for six storeys – that wasn’t his biggest concern,
His objections to the 35 Plains road development were that the building is not of pedestrian scale. It is important he pointed out that we not create buildings which tower over the pedestrian walkway
Woodruff pointed out that the building does not comply with employment usage. This application he said seeks to remove employment space requirement and still want the “mixed use” designation.
The building is close to a transit hub, which allows people to commute to Toronto and would also allow people to commute to employment uses in Aldershot. There are people doing that now in Burlington.
Woodruff thought that 70% was a good requirement because it would create commercial pedestrian densities if enforced. “We are far better served with creating employment usage in the area than just residential. There is no vibrancy or transit enhancement created by people commuting to Toronto and gone from the area all day. Vibrancy requires people here all day – which employment usage properly creates.
 Woodruff then added that the 35 Plains Road proposal does not comply with the Aldershot Village vision. The vision calls for sites that have large landscaping and large generally open spaces.
Woodruff wants to see a minimum amenity area maintained. Zoning minimums are required because buyers can not asses reasonable levels. Creating a large number of small inexpensive low amenity units create a building were the major selling feature is low cost. Though this looks attractive at first long term it creates problems.
The developer wants the parking spaces reduced from a required 130 to a proposed 100 and have visitor parking reduced to 17 from the required 28 spaces.
Reduction of commercial parking is a mistake. While it is generally available vendors do no keenly enforce it.
Thus a shopper can park at once place and walk the near other businesses. At this site you can see someone using it and the adjacent bank without moving their car. However if customers cannot park easily vendors will enforce it – this requires movement of cars for every trip to every store.
We all know how this has worked out at the parking space at the No Frills plaza on Brant Street.
Woodruff told council of comments made by Brent Toderian at a public meeting. Toderian is a Vancouver based consultant who has done a considerable amount of work for Burlington who was asked:
How do you make density something that communities welcome?
 The Toderian line of thought – make sure that you’re spending the value on things that make density successful. Toderian responded: “I don’t support stupid density. I sometimes have as much concern about the YIMBY [Yes In My Backyard] movement as I do about the NIMBY movement. I don’t buy an absolute not-in-my-backyard, but I also don’t buy the argument that we should get rid of our zoning codes and have at it, build as much as we can. Both of those are the extreme.
Toderian was then asked: Explain density bonusing.
Toderian: “You have a base density, but [a developer] can increase to a higher density by negotiating amenities that make that higher density more livable. The key is to make sure that you’re spending the value on things that make density successful. Doing this “… gives the community a sense that the additional density is translating into something that’s going to support quality of life. They can see a connection between the additional density and amenities their community needs, but probably won’t be able to afford.
Woodruff doesn’t think the Planning department has taken to heart the Toderian line of thought. He suggested to Council that they were paying more attention to what the developer was asking for than they were to the zoning in place and the policies that had been adopted.
 Tom Muir recognizes the difference between evidence-based policy-making, and policy-based evidence making. Tom Muir, who has been delegating to city council for more than 25 years saw the same kind of thing happening but chose different language to make his point.
“In my 45 years of policy and issues analysis I learned to recognize the difference between evidence-based policy-making, and policy-based evidence making. This looks to be the latter – decide what you want first, and then pick the evidence.
Oftentimes, sections of the Policy Framework said to be used, are selectively chosen that support the recommendation to approve. Other parts raising issues of approval are sometimes stated, but not followed up on. As a result, the viability of existing business and commercial economic development is being sacrificed by planning recommendations such as this one. What I continue to find disturbing is the continued de-commercialization of Aldershot.
Muir made it clear that both the Provincial Policy Statement and the city’s Strategic Plan point to the need for commercial uses to be planned for and increased not reduced and the needs of existing business to be accounted for, not sacrificed. “But the proposal” said Muir, “contradicts what the policy calls for. It talks about complete communities, but goes in the opposite direction
“Aldershot is losing retail to residential builds. We are told there needs to be more residents to support retail, which is not generally true except for a grocery store. However, if you get the residents, but no longer have the land supply to build retail/commercial, and a cost structure that is not competitive, you still don’t get the commercial.
What seems to be missing is any representation of the present reality, of the real businesses, with real business value, real jobs with real employees, and real customers, who are being plowed under, forced to leave and maybe drive more. This is happening at an increasing pace. Who of you speaks for these folks? The only one around this table that made sense of this is Councillor Meed Ward.
 Tom Muir: Its pie in the sky to me, promising a Mobility Hub utopia where the business dead will rise again. Muir argues that “we are told that the mobility hub plans will take us to another place with everything we want, and that we should celebrate, although here fanciful speculations are blurring proper judgement more and more, with each new proposal that comes along. Its pie in the sky to me, promising a Mobility Hub utopia where the business dead will rise again. I can hardly call this “good planning”.
Delegations are made before the meat and potatoes part of city Council meetings.
Council voted 6-1 in favour of the 35 Plains Road development that will be eight storeys in height with the first six floors being basically flush to the sidewalk – no set back and no trees.
Councillor Craven held a community annual meeting last week at which he brought his constituents up to date on the numerous developments taking place in Aldershot – the Gazette will report on that event soon.
 By Staff
October 12th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Policing the commercial traffic on our highways is vital. There was a time when we had wheels flying off trucks that were unsafe because they weren’t properly maintained.
 The Regional Police have a fully equipped vehicle with all kinds of inspection equipment. with the 401, the 403, the 407 and the QEW cutting through Halton region commercial vehicle inspection is a big job. Police officers and inspectors from seven services, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Finance/ Environment recently completed a two-day commercial vehicle (CMV) enforcement blitz held at the Mohawk Raceway in Milton on October 4-5.
Results of the showed some encouraging signs for road safety. The data shows a record number of vehicles being inspected and an increase in compliance over 2016.
The two day blitz this year yielded the following results:
• Total commercial motor vehicles inspected: 477
• Total commercial motor vehicles taken out of service: 156 (33% failure rate)
• Total charges laid: 331
• Sets of plates seized by police: 24
2016 Results:
• Total commercial motor vehicles inspected: 470
• Total commercial motor vehicles taken out of service: 179 (38% failure rate)
• Total charges laid: 476
• Sets of plates seized by police: 35
Top six charges laid by police in 2017:
• Fail to complete daily inspection (58 charges)
• Improper brake (24 charges)
• Failure to complete annual inspection (22 charges)
• Insecure load (21 charges)
• Fail to have permit (19 charges)
• Overweight vehicle (14 charges)
 Halton police officer checks the tires on a truck during a blitz. “The results of the 2017 Halton commercial motor vehicle blitz reveal that there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure commercial motor vehicles are safe. The rules of the road apply equally to all motor vehicle operators and ensuring a mechanically fit, safely loaded and secure vehicle remains the law. As always, safer trucks equate to safer roads.” said Sgt. Ryan Snow, Traffic Services Unit.
 By Staff
October 12, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison asked: “How fortunate we are to live in a city which provides Leaf Collection?”
And then he hands out a “thank you” to city staff for “the tremendous efforts” of the city’s Roads & Parks Maintenance (RPM) team who coordinate and carry out this service. Based on last year’s collection schedule RPM staff revised this year’s Leaf Collection as follows:
 Specific dates have not yet been determined. The RPM are going to be more cautious this year. Collection will start the week of Nov. 6, 2017, with the last collection scheduled for the week of Dec. 11, 2017. A reminder that after the last pick updates, there will be no further collection from the city. For more details including guidelines to ensure a smooth-running pick-up, visit Leaf Collection.
 Leaf pick zone boundaries. Last year the people with trees on their property were very upset – with very few good words for city staff.
It was brutal. One south Burlington resident said:
“Who is responsible for this lack of proper planning/scheduling? I do understand that scheduling must be done in advance but surely City Hall has access to the same long-term weather reports as I do?
“And I assume city staff responsible are capable of looking outside to see how much of the leaf fall has occurred? None of this has happened with the consequent poor results. What is the City going to do to rectify this?”
Related article:
By Staff
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a short public meeting – lasted a few minutes.
City solicitor Nancy Shea Nicol serving as Acting City Manager with Finance and Capital Works people around the horseshoe went into a Closed session of Committee of the Whole while they discussed three separate items each related to the acquisition or proposed acquisition of property.
 Councillor Meed Ward chaired the Closed session of a Committee of the Whole They don’t tell you any more than that.
Ward 2 Councillor Meed Ward chaired the meeting
Might have to do with the property the Joseph Brant Museum sits on – that is a messy file that involves the Hospital which has title to the land but the federal government has a major say in what the hospital can do with the land.
The city wants the land so they can get on with the total rebuild of the museum,
This is pure speculation on our part.
It is unusual for Burlington to have property acquisition matters on the agenda.
The public should learn more when the recommendations from the Committee of the Whole get to Council later in the month.
 City plans to break ground for the construction of a much larger Joseph Brant Museum. The city has announced a ground breaking ceremony for the museum expansion on Friday.
By Staff
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Fire Department is recognizing Fire Prevention Week from Oct. 8 to 14, 2017 with a contest for residents who connect with them through social media.
Residents are asked to look for Fire Prevention Week transit shelter ads around Burlington, take a photo clearly showing the safety message– selfie optional – and tag @BurlingtonFire on Twitter or @BurlingtonFireDept on Facebook to be entered into a draw to win a Fire Prevention Week gift pack.
The contest runs from Oct. 2 to 29, 2017.
Fire Prevention week is a province-wide initiative held each year in October. This year’s theme of Fire
Prevention Week is “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!”
In a fire, you may have just seconds to safely escape your home. Be prepared in advance with these simple steps for home fire escape planning:
 Fire and smoke move faster than you can. Plan and practice fire escape exercises. Consider the needs of everyone in your home
Identify anyone who needs help to get out of the home safely, such as small children or older adults.
Make sure that you have working smoke alarms on every storey of the home and outside all sleeping areas
Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm.
Identify all possible exits (doors and windows) and make sure they work
Know two ways out of all areas, if possible.
Everyone must know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds
Name someone to take care of those who need help.
Identify a safe meeting place outside.
Call the fire department from outside the home – from a neighbour’s home or a cell phone.
Practice your home fire escape plan at least twice a year
Have everyone take part.
Make changes to your plan if necessary.
Burlington Fire Chief Dave Lazenby tells people that “Fire and smoke move faster than you. There’s no time to figure out how to escape your home after a fire starts. Practice an escape plan before there’s a fire so you can get out safely.”
 By Staff
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison wants you to know that the New Street Road Diet Pilot is not about the number of bicycles that are on the road – it is about making New Street safer, more accessible and calmer without significantly increasing travel times.
 New Street with lanes for cyclists on each side – under construction. Dennison said he has been advised “that the report with staff’s recommendation will be presented on Monday, November 27, 2017 at a Committee of the Whole meeting.”
The report will be made public on Friday, November 17, 2017. We will get the details to you.
 What we used to have on the left – what we have now as a pilot on the right. In between – more public engagement that this council every expected. Anyone interested in speaking to this item at the meeting, please be sure to register.
By Pepper Parr
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Mayor tried this once before – it didn’t work out all that well. But he is game to try it again.
 Mayor with Mark Carr preparing for a live call in Cogeco broadcast from city. Sometime during his first term of office the Mayor teamed up with Mark Carr and Cogeco and set up a call in show that was done live from the city Council Chamber. There were very very few calls.
This time the Mayor is going to talk to his constituents about the budget priorities in an online Town Hall.
In the past the city has held public meetings to talk about the budget – the Mayor is now saying that “We’re making changes to our budget engagement strategy based on last year’s survey results which told us residents didn’t want to come to a public information centre and would prefer a more convenient way of being informed and asking questions.”
The photographs taken of previous public budget meetings show a room filled with people. There was one exception – in 2015 – a snow storm kept people away.
 A rapt audience listened to an overview of the 2014 budget. .  Lot of people showed up for the 2011 budget review meeting.  The 2015 budget review meeting didn’t draw very many people – there was a snow storm – however the arena right next door was packed. The Telephone Town Hall on the 2018 Proposed Budget will take place on Wednesday, October 18th, between 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. for residents, businesses and community partners.
Participants will learn about and discuss the proposed 2018 budget priorities with Mayor Rick Goldring and senior city staff.
Residents, businesses and community partners will be randomly selected to participate by telephone invitation from the Mayor. Anyone who does not receive a telephone invitation can call 1-800-537-6616 at 7:30 p.m. on October 18th and listen in to the conversation.
The purpose of the Telephone Town Hall is to discuss the proposed 2018 budget priorities with the Mayor and senior city staff.
In this live, call-in session, residents, organizations and business owners can ask questions about the upcoming budget. There will be an emphasis on:
• Resident satisfaction with value for service
• Increased funding for transit
• Support for city infrastructure renewal funding
There is no mention of any documentation or overview of what the 2018 budget is going to contain which makes it a little difficult for people to comment. It does give those who get invited to take part to rant publicly – which makes one wonder just who is going to get invited. The selection of participants is said to be random – random from what – a list of voters or those who donated to the Mayor’s election campaign or those on his Christmas card list?
The discussion will start shortly after 7:30 pm – those who want to listen in can call in a minute or two early; anyone who is late will be able to join anytime. The system can handle up to 20,000 participants.
 Joan Ford, the city’s Director of Finance knows where every dollar comes from and where every dollar gets spent. Joan Ford, Director of Finance adds that: “The budgets are being drafted right now. The feedback we receive from the Town Hall will be put into a report and presented to City Council for their consideration. All questions received during the Town Hall, regardless of whether they were discussed live will be posted online with answers a few days after the event.”
 By Staff
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Hidden Valley Road, from Hidden Valley Park to the north end of the street, will be closed for paving on
Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Only emergency services will have access.
For more information, call Marc Daffre
905-335-7600, ext. 7640
By Pepper Parr
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It was promoted as the “Official Opening” of the Joseph Brant Hospital; the television cameras were on hand with more guest chairs than one usually sees set out for this kind of event.
The Premier wasn’t on hand to turn over a cheque – the hospital has gotten all it is likely to get from the provincial government for some time.
 Premier doing one of those Photo Ops – while checking in on a patient. The Premier was there to do a tour of the new digs and to have one of those photo op conversations with a patient.
This was the first occasion we had to tour the new building – and it is very smart looking. A lot of effort went into making it look and feel like a nice place to be if you aren’t well.
People comment favourably over the view – most seeing the lake as the best side. Once you’ve seen a stretch of water what else is there to see other than a sunrise.
The view from the escarpment side are very very nice.
The corridors are wide, the colour scheme is soft, welcoming.
The rooms are large, really large.
 Hospital president and CEO Eric Vandewall and MP Ted McMeekin It is certainly a huge, huge improvement over what people had to put up with. Eric Vandewall has every reason to be proud of what he has done. Vandewall is quick to credit the team he had working with him – the job wouldn’t have been done as well as it was done without Vandewall’s leadership.
The Hospital Foundation now needs to round up a couple more million to complete the raising of the $60 million they were tasked with.
The next step for the hospital is to make itself a Centre of Excellence and show that this hospital is a lot different than what the public had to put up with.
 The Premier seemed to be a little off her mettle this morning.  She didn’t sparkle. She seemed tired. The Premier seemed to be a little off her mettle this morning. She didn’t sparkle. She seemed tired.
Ted McMeekin, her Loyal Servant and Subject was on hand to greet her when she walked in the new entrance.
He was joined by Kevin Flynn, Minister of Labour, Eleanor McMahon, Burlington MPP and Minister of Tourism Culture and Sport along with Eric Vandewall, President and CEO of the Hospital and Chair of the Hospital Board Kathryn Osborne.
The Premier was in Burlington to tour the hospital and comment on the end of another busy construction season, celebrating significant progress on many hospital, school, transit, road and bridge projects across the province.
For this she came to Burlington?
By Staff
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The City will be doing some upgrades to its IT systems.
As a result, phones and most online services, including registrations, will be unavailable Saturday, October 14, 2017 from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The upgrade will provide benefits as it will enable the delivery of increased internet and processing speeds and network capacity, which supports our continued goal of technology modernization.
 Information technology services getting an upgrade. During the upgrade, many services will be unavailable including:
• Online registrations, including parks and recreation
• Parking exemptions
• Business licence renewal
• Marriage licences
• Dog licences
• Tax payments
• Online reporting
• Burlington Transit phones and Trip Planner
• GIS/Mapping
• Phone and voicemail
Please consider using the city’s systems at alternative times.
We apologize for the inconvenience while this necessary work is being done.
By Neil Sullivan
October 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
When we think of Niagara, we imagine an area that thrives almost by default. Aside from Toronto, it’s probably the biggest attraction in close proximity to Burlington, and it’s known the world over as a sort of natural wonder. This fall, however, there have been some troubling reports indicating that the area is experiencing some potentially serious financial woes.
 The water isn’t as clean as many people think it is. For the most part, these woes appear to be due to a dispute between the State of New York and the Seneca Nation of Indians. For some time now these two entities have essentially had an agreement in place to share revenue from the casinos in and around Niagara, which actually account for a great deal of Niagara’s budget. However, the dispute has resulted in disruption of incoming casino revenue for the city. Because of a hitch in the extension of the revenue sharing agreement, the Seneca have declared that they owe the State of New York no further payments – which, if they stick to it, will be a fairly devastating position.
New York is also in a fairly poor position to exert any sort of pressure on the casinos themselves. For one thing, the Seneca Nation is its own entity and appears to have every right to operate the venues independently. Additionally, however, if casinos did close or receive pressure, New York would risk losing gamers over the border. As we know, Canada has its own legal casino venues not too far from the area. And online casinos have become more popular as well, with iGaming sites and software providers partnering to create the most cutting edge games for those who would rather play online. In short, there are alternatives to the Seneca casinos just on the Canadian side of the Falls.
These are the core issues giving Niagara trouble, though it should be mentioned that tourism, too, could be in a precarious position. Naturally the Falls are the main draw to the area, and will always attract tourists regardless of what’s going on with the casinos. However, if there’s anything that can make the Falls less appealing as a destination, it’s probably the overflowing wastewater that’s been plaguing them of late. Just recently reports surfaced of a 15 million gallon discharge of “untreated sewage and stormwater” flowing out at the base of the American Falls, and it wasn’t the first time this season that something like this has happened. Naturally the Falls have a way of cleaning themselves up, at least to the naked eye – but think about how much 15 million gallons really is. The mere thought of that much sewage would give any traveller pause regarding whether or not to visit the area.
Fortunately, these issues shouldn’t have big enough economic consequences to directly affect Burlington, and they may even be limited largely to the U.S. side of the Falls. But it’s still a fairly significant issue for the greater area if these problems cause a significant crisis for Niagara.
By George Ward
October 7th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Many residents in Burlington are still questioning why we are closing two schools in the growing City of Burlington. The Halton District school Board has presented its perspective and justification for the closures, it still doesn’t make sense.
 Hayden High school, Burlington’s newest built as part of a complex that includes a Recreational Centre and a public library with a skate park across the street. The school is well over its intended capacity and currently has 12 portables. To begin, closing both Pearson and Bateman high school does not alleviate the overcrowding at Hayden (overcrowded with over 1,650 pupils and growing, necessitating the use of 12 portable classrooms and a desire to add 6 more in the future).
Secondly, it does not alleviate the growing pressures on our busing system and in fact contributes to the growing problem and safety concerns. Closing our schools makes absolutely no sense, is unwarranted, unjustified, and simply put is very short-sighted.
The board seems to have lost sight of the fact that schools are public assets and that taxpayers have invested their money in these schools and communities. If one was to look at these school closures in Burlington solely from a financial perspective you would realize that closing Pearson and Bateman will result in a substantially higher costs.
Closing two schools save approximately $2 million, however, some of these operating costs, such as the pool and day care, added busing, and other new ongoing costs to take care of the closed schools are not accounted for. In addition, the costs of capital equipment and facilities to transition specialty programs to Nelson was put at $12 million, but there is concern that this will be much higher. While a no school closure would result in the expense range of approximately $250,000 in operating costs. How is that being fiscally responsible?
 Some of the data that was presented during the PARC meetings was out of date and conflicted with other data put forward. Many had difficulty figuring out just what the full story was. Superintendent of Facilities Gerry Cullen was challenged at times to give a satisfactory explanation. Throughout the Program Accommodation Review (PAR) process, it became clear early on of the lack of transparency when it came to information sharing from the board. From information and data changing periodically to the extensive and lengthy data provided, it became a challenge to gain insight into the facts that led to the decision to close our schools.
With more questions than answers, one might start to wonder: What is the real motivation behind the HDSB wanting to close these schools?
Perhaps when we go back through Board Minutes to understand why the board needs to move forward on school closures in Burlington.
Below is an excerpt from HDSB meeting minutes of February 2017:
The Halton District School Board Administration is experiencing significant growth pressures due to growth in student population and the increasing complexity of its work. As a result, the Board’s existing office facilities have become woefully inadequate. This is not a question of quantity of space, but rather of quality of space.
 It is only a concept but it gives you some idea as to how far along the thinking is within the Boar of Education Administration. Our analysis of how to meet the Board’s current and future needs presents an opportunity to provide the staff of the HDSB with a 21st century work environment: a new 95,000 sq. ft. facility to accommodate 350 staff within a single building, designed according to the guiding principles identified herein.
The sale of the existing J.W. Singleton site would make this project possible and in turn, create a facility that reflects the Board’s values, resulting in the delivery of the highest quality education for the Board’s students.
Budget Estimate: 95,375 sq. ft. x $310/sq. ft. = $29.6M
This estimate is based on the HWDSB (Hamilton-Wentworth) precedent and it is for project costs only. Land costs are not included, as they will depend on the site selection. Space for growth (10,000 sq. ft.. included) is based on HDSB projections, and can be adjusted should projections increase.
Costs:
• 1 move required
• Unknowns could impact the costs include site issues such as geo-technical, soil, zoning,
Benefits:
• Only 1 move – no temporary accommodations required, and minimized disturbance to staff.
• Because this would be a purpose-built environment, it is the option that would best meet the Board’s needs outlined in this report without compromise.
• Other sites no longer in use could be used to raise funds.
It is clearly stated in the minutes that it is NOT a situation of need for additional space but rather a desire for better quality of space. According to the board, a better facility for their staff would in turn provide better education. How does having a nicer work space for HDSB board staff contribute to a better quality of education for our students?
 Demonstrations didn’t make a bit of difference. The trustees, who are the people who made the decision, didn’t hear the parents.  Bateman high school parents chose to give their school a public hug. Shouldn’t priority be that our students have the “best quality learning environment”. Where students can walk or ride their bikes to school instead of sitting on the floor of an overcrowded bus. Where students are able to learn in an environment that is quiet, calm, and not overcrowded, where classes are not held in hallways, where students are not learning in portables, where there is sufficient heating, air conditioning, and/or proper ventilation systems?
The planning for a new Administration office for the Board Staff are moving along: The following comes from a report prepared by a firm of architects. The options before the Board were set out as follows:
Do Nothing,’ but maintain the existing facilities, for an estimated cost of $20M over the next 25 years, with no improvement to the actual offices in terms of functionality or design .
Complete a Renovation- Addition to one of the existing buildings, which would yield a compromised facility with increased disruption, for a similar cost to the final option .
Build a new facility, estimated at
$29 .6M (not including land) is the option that would best meet the Board’s needs as outlined in our guiding principals .
In order to obtain true value and create the desired synergies enabling Board staff to work at their best, we strongly recommend the Board proceed with constructing a new Administrative office facility .
Because of existing legislative requirements, selling the J .W . Singleton property appears to be the best way to generate sufficient dollars to fund this project . This would in turn allow for a new administrative facility to be centrally located in the Milton/Oakville area, where the Region’s growth is projected in the next 25-50 years .
The next phases of this Study will explore potential partnerships that could yield community benefits as well as capital and operating savings . Once specific sites are identified, concept plans, cost estimates and implementation strategies will be completed .
It appears that the need to accommodate 350 board staff takes precedence over the 76 elementary schools, and 17 secondary schools that serves over 50,000 students, excluding those in adult, alternative, and Community Education program within our school system.
Despite the fact the Minister of Education announced a moratorium on the Program Accommodation Review process and the fact that the HDSB is now subject to an Administrative Review, the HDSB continues to move forward on their plan to close two Burlington high schools, despite the fact the process that led to the decision has been publicly deemed to be flawed.
So, the question still remains.
Why is the HDSB really closing schools in Burlington?
Related article:
School Board announces it is looking for partners.
 George Ward is a semi- retired quality control auditor who is deeply involved in the community effort to keep the Lester B. Pearson high school open. Both his children and some of their children attended Lester B. Pearson.
By Ray Rivers
October 6, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
I’ve heard it said that Tom Mulcair would have won the last federal election if only he’d shaved his beard. But I guess the NDP rank and file missed that barb, since they have just chosen a new leader with an even more impressive facial mane.
 Singh organized his community and brought in far more new members than any other leadership candidate. Now to see what he has in the way policy ideas. Jagmeet Singh won the federal NDP leadership on the first ballot. And of course he did! He had signed up over a third of the NDP membership and most of the others didn’t even bother to vote. Who can blame them? Of all of their previous leaders only Layton gave the membership hope of winning the top prize. And after the last election they are back to where they started.
 The Minister of Defence wears a turban – not as colourful but something we have accepted in most parts of the country. So the old NDP was ripe for a change, needed to do and be something different. And no candidate less represented the good old losing days than the 38 year old lawyer and MPP from Brampton. There was a buzz about this articulate young snappy dresser, even with that colourful turban he dons, which unfortunately reminds one of the TV cartoon character Marge Simpson.
He had the numbers and ran a winning campaign, at least within the confines of the NDP. The old guard in the party either gave up or went along for the ride, tired and hopeless, after the unexpected whopping they experienced at the polls last time around. And with a new leader and so many new members, almost a tripling of the membership, this is truly a ‘New’ Democratic Party.
Yet despite all the buzz about this new whiz kid they’ve chosen to follow, he hardly seems ready for the job of PM. For one thing he is reluctant to sit in the House of Commons, at least until the next federal election in 2019. That would make him a bit of a ‘pig-in-a-poke’ come the time to cast our ballots. You’d think Singh, himself a master of martial arts, would be itching to step into the ring, to flex his muscles and to take on the current knock-out champ?
 Jagmeet Singh is colourfull both in dress and character and very intense. Perhaps the real reason is that his policy envelope is nearly empty when it comes to anything but social policy – immigration and racial equality in particular. Of course that is his background, as a defence lawyer and MPP, where his main claim was pushing the Wynne government to end the practice of police racial carding.
His religion obviously plays a big part in his life given how he dresses and what he fights for. For example, he advocated for Sikh motor cyclists wanting to be exempted from wearing helmets, because they didn’t want to remove their turbans. Was Singh placing his religious preference over public safety?
Sikhs make up less than 2% of Canada’s population though they have proven to be a powerful political force in their own right. How else would one explain how their children are allowed to bring ceremonial daggers to school with them, or how they alone among recruits can override the RCMP dress code? It is a religion of peace, but then aren’t they all?
Some will want to draw comparisons between Singh and Obama, another leader of a major political party, representing a visible minority and campaigning to deliver social equity. A key difference is that with Obama, faith was between him and his maker, but Singh’s is conspicuous. That can be both a strength and a shortcoming.
Already there are concerns about how he will be received by the average voter in Quebec, and whether he will be able to ever win back all those Jack Layton voters who went to Justin. Quebecers generally disapprove of the blatant display of religiosity, be it by Muslim, Hassidic Jew, or even by the more traditional Catholics. And without Quebec how can he ever hope to form the government in Ottawa?
Perhaps that is how it was meant to be. For in the history of Canadian politics the NDP has always been that bridesmaid, not the bride, the king’s advisor but never the king. The social democratic movement’s greatest gift was when the CCF pioneered single payer health care, though they have also left their imprint in many other areas of public policy.
Still wherever the NDP has formed provincial governments, even in Ontario, they aspired towards mostly pragmatic and middle-of-the-road policies, much like the Liberal governments they sometimes replaced. And that is the problem. There is already a progressive Liberal party – why does Canada need two?
Nobody soft-shoed around socialism more than former NDP leader Mulcair, plunking himself in the middle between a rightish Harper and a leftish Trudeau. And he lost big time. Would his party’s showing have been any worse had he just stood up for what his party is supposed to represent?
 Will the turban be something that Canadians take to? Notwithstanding their new leader, the best the NDP can ever expect is to continue to be a third party, hopefully the party of Canada’s social conscience. Their dream of ever becoming the government was thrashed when they scuttled Trudeau’s plan for a preferential ballot, forcing him to entirely pull the plug on electoral reform.
With our first-past-the-post system now secured into the future, there will certainly be opportunities for third parties in the next minority government. And that may come as soon as 2019. But it all will depend on just how well Mr. Singh plays his cards in the great game of Canadian politics.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington in 1995. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
NDP Election – More NDP – Sikhs on Bikes – Singh Bio –
Police Carding – Sikhism – Trudeau’s Worst Nightmare –
Singh Interview – Leadership Race – Quebec – Absentee Leader –
By Staff
October 6th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Community organizations and members of the public are invited to a meeting on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 7 p.m., to discuss potential planning and partnership opportunities within Halton District School Board facilities.
Partnership opportunities in existing schools and co-build opportunities in proposed new schools, as well as a new Board Administrative Centre, will be discussed at the J.W. Singleton Education Centre (2050 Guelph Line, Burlington).
 Education Centre – has been described as a development site. The full list of facilities available for community partnerships and the community planning and partnerships policy can be viewed at www.hdsb.ca.
Potential partners are requested to bring relevant planning information such as population projections, growth plans, community needs, land use and greenspace/park requirements to the meeting.
It’s a bit of a step in the right direction.
The HDSB has not been as aggressive in marketing the opportunities that exist in the buildings they have. There are numerous opportunities for the Board of Education to partner with the municipalities.
There is a pressing need for additional facilities for Seniors north of the QEW – this is the time to start those conversations.
There are a number of people who were members of the Burlington PARC who thought there was a sharing of facilities opportunity that would keep Pearson high school open and the Nursery operation at the location.
Hopefully the Board will be more open to some innovative ideas.
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