 By Pepper Parr
March 11th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It is pretty clear that we are going to build more city; there are construction cranes poking up into the sky in several places in the city and literally dozens of project in front of the Planning department and even more in the board rooms of those developers active in the city.
Some of those projects are mired in the Ontario Municipal Board bureaucracy.
 The first of five towers going in on Fairview has reached its full height. Changing the sky line. Two that are coming along very nicely in the downtown core are the Molinaro Paradigm project on Fairview road next to Walmart and the Bridgewater project that is not above grade yet on Lakeshore Road and Elizabeth.
Some might suggest that Paradigm is not in the downtown core and they would not be wrong – watch the downtown core grow north to Fairview. The projects in the works for Brant street all but guarantee that.
The five tower Paradigm project has reached full height for the first tower – we now know what the skyline along Fairview is going to look like going forward. That project will add some 2000 people to the population of the city and change the Fairview street we used to know to something much more active. It will also change the product offering at the Walmart which is a parking lot away from the five towers that will eventually rise.
 The Bridgewater project has been in the works since 1985 – was approved by city council in 1995. Scheduled to open in late 2018 Bridgewater, which will be the toniest residence in the city is big hole in the ground right now with the four level garage being built and the base put in place for the three structures that will rise out of the ground. A singe garage will serve all three buildings.
 Upper left oblong is where the 22 storey condominium will be, bottom left is where the four star hotel is going to be with the seven storey condominium in below the hotel. The 22 storey condominium the nine storey hotel and the seven storey condominium that will be at the southern part of the property a couple of football fields away from the Pier.
Once the city and the Adi people work out their differences in front of the Ontario Municipal Board we will know what to expect in the way of structures on the north side of Lakeshore Road. If Adi gets the nod from the OMB expect to see at least one more tower on the lots to the immediate east of what Adi wants to do and then some eye popping proposals for the property between John and Brant streets.
 There are many wondering just what the city means when they say they intend to Grow Bold; new office at 1455 Lakeshore Road. If I were a betting man – I’d give odds on the Adi Development being turned down completely. The OMB hearing officer will give it a two thumbs down.
By Pepper Parr
March 11, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Here is the message I got – thought I would pass it along:
This Saturday night remember to SPRING FORWARD so you’re not late to church!
 The fire department reminds people that this is a time to ensure that you change the batteries in your smoke alarms.
Today everyone understands that the way we record the time of day is, for the most part, done by everyone at the same time. It wasn’t always that way. There was a time when every municipality could set the clocks that way they wanted which played havoc with railway schedule. What was noon in one town was 1 pm in another.
A man named Sanford Fleming advocated for a system of time zones that would be applied to the whole world. Fleming didn’t get what he thought should exists but he was instrumental in bringing about a standardized system.
 Sandford Fleming (in tallest hat) at the ceremony of the “last spike” being driven on the Canadian Pacific Railway. He advocated for the time recording system we use today. Fleming was an incredible Canadian – he designed the first postage stamp and was at the ceremony where the last spike was driven into the tracks of the Canadian Pacific Railway that ran across the country.
 By Ray Rivers
March 10th, 2017
BURLINGTON,ON
What did you do to celebrate International Woman’s Day? I attended a media roundtable with Ontario’s first female Premier at her office in Queen’s Park. Always professional and direct, Kathleen Wynne should have been facing a potentially tough media presser, the trendy term for press conference. But she got off lightly considering the topic, electricity pricing, has been largely responsible for her party’s position at the bottom of the opinion polls.
The sorry history of the electricity file most recently begins with that common sense guy, Mike Harris, who did to Ontario’s electoral sector what GW Bush had done to Iraq. In his ideological zeal to replace everything government, he broke up Ontario Hydro then banned Ontario Power Generation (OPG), one of the largest and most experienced power companies in North America, from developing alternate energy supplies.
 The look pretty well sums it up. His mismanagement spiked hydro rates and led to black and brown outs, even in that brief period of these changes before the Liberals ousted him. But then Dalton McGuinty had also drunk the Kool Aid, and in his passion to keep the lights on while he phased-out the coal power plants, continued writing lucrative 20 year private sector energy contracts like the proverbial drunken sailor. The contracts mostly guaranteed prices and quantities of power delivered, regardless of whether the energy was needed.
It made some sense from the point of view of the small energy supplier who needed market assurances in order to invest. But in the process Ontario not only bought over-capacity, but over-production, which periodically has to be sold at bargain basement rates to utilities south of the border – or spilled.
 Niagara Falls – the source of a lot of the energy that powers western Ontario. It once made the province a leader in hydro generation.
McGuinty and Harris and their cheering section of academics and industry special interests were wrong when they claimed electricity in Ontario shouldn’t be a natural monopoly. It is no secret that those public hydro monopolies in B.C., Manitoba and Quebec have the lowest utility rates in the country. Of course those provinces have vast stores of water power and Ontario did waste a ton of money experimenting with the nukes. But where has all this new alternative private power development landed us? When prompted, the Premier confessed that her staff had considered re-inventing the old Hydro One, but they believe the time for that option is long passed.
We are now stuck with our mixed private-publicly owned system and the consumers are stuck with the big bills we’ve seen of late. So instead of forcing energy users to pay those bills as we go, Ontario’s new ‘Hydro Plan’ involves buying a 30 year mortgage at today’s low interest rates. That way those billions of dollars committed to private sector contracts will spread out over a longer term, and even with the new financing costs, the average utility bill will fall by about a quarter. Of course that presumes that interest rates don’t start to rise.
 Will the arms be as open in June of 2018 – which is when we get to cast a ballot. The government will peg rate increases to inflation for the next few years, while doing something to bring down the outrageous cost of delivery and using more tax-based subsidy to assist households with lower incomes, and small business. Electricity is no stranger to subsidy and debt. We should recall the massive debt the old Ontario Hydro had run up prior to Harris’ version of shock and awe. Almost 30 billion in liabilities exceeded the assets of both Hydro One and OPG.
Wynne may call this a structural change, sharing the financial burden imposed by these contracts with the next generation. But it is really just about moving money around, taking out a mortgage to help cover sunk costs instead of paying as we go. And it’s not like there are any other options to lower the prices, short of tearing up the contracts, something the courts would never allow.
So the Premier got off pretty lightly with the media at the presser. Perhaps they all understand that she is short on options to deal with something that should have been dealt with a decade or two earlier. Or maybe they are just tired of this topic that has been played too frequently by a media looking for human interest stories, and opposition parties looking to raise their own profile.
 The Premier explaining … We should all hope that the mistakes of the past will not be repeated and that somebody in the energy ministry is working on a real plan, but that was not revealed in the Premier’s presser. Perhaps that is something she is keeping under wraps until the party’s election platform is unveiled next year? But for now it looks like this is as good as it gets.
 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:
Premier’s Statement – Wynne’s Popularity – Hydro plan – More Hydro Plan –
Voter Anger – Business Perspective –
 By Staff
March 9, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The consequences of leaving anything of value in your car were evident when two Hamilton residents were charged with theft from motor vehicle and subsequent fraudulent use of stolen credit cards.
The arrested have been identified as:
 Chantal Cindy BARDY  Allan Edward ALLAN and Chantal Cindy BARDY walking into a retail outlet. Allan Edward ALLAN ( 29 yrs) and Chantal Cindy BARDY (31 yrs) both of Hamilton. They have been arrested and charged with theft under $5000, possession of property obtained by crime and use stolen credit card.
ALLAN will appear in Milton Court on March 22nd 2017 and BARDY will appear in Milton Court on April 5th 2017.
Police would like to remind the public to ensure their vehicles are locked and avoid leaving valuables inside and/or in plain view and to report any suspicious persons.
Anyone who with information is asked to contact Detective Constable Mark Urie of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Residential Crime Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2338. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
March 9th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Closing schools isn’t just a Burlington issue.
The Halton District Catholic School board decided yesterday that two elementary schools in Oakviolle would be closed.
Holy Family and St. John’s were both at 75% utilization; staff recommended closure and the board voted for it.
“What happens when the areas north of Dundas in Oakville are wholly developed and we need the schools?” Was a question one board member asked after the decision was made.
It was the largest closure in Board history.
Oakville Trustee, Anthony Danko, voted to close the schools, citing fiscal conservatism for the vote.
With Jane Michael and trustees Paul Marai, Anthony Quinn and Helena Karabela voting against the motion it looked like there was going to be a tie vote which meant the motion would fail.
 HDCSB Director of Education Paula Dawson An observer at the meeting said she overheard Director Paula Dawson, saying to the Chair for this year, Diane Rabenda, to vote for closure. She did and the motion passed.
The Director of Education at almost every school board have a tremendous amount of influence over the trustees. Many Directors cultivate the trustees who are all too frequently in over their heads – to be fair education is big business (the Halton District School Board is the biggest business in the Region).
The province announced late this afternoon that there are 300 schools on the “chopping block”. Having settled their labour issues with the teachers the provincial government now wants to look for ways to cut their costs.
The price for what you expect to get in the way of lower hydro fees might be the closure of your local school.
You get your chance to have your say in June of 2018.
The provincial government is trying to convince the two schools boards, Catholic and public, to share facilities.
Our source said: “Someone brought that up at the meeting – sharing facilities with our Coterminous Board is very contentious. It is akin to saying we are good with One Board for all. All nine HDCSB Trustees would have to vote to even go down that road, and it would never be unanimous. “
 Best time to inflict the pain is right after a win. A long time ago former Premier Bill Davis arrived at an agreement with the Cardinal that the separate school boards would remain. Davis and the Cardinal used to smoke cigars and sip good Scotch together.
Premier Wynn and the current Cardinal will not be sipping Scotch together and she isn’t likely to even suggest that the two boards be merged.
Should she win in June 2018 she just might have to take some drastic steps. Best time to inflict the pain is right after a win – no pun intended.
By Staff
March 9th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Regional Police have identified and arrested two individuals responsible for numerous fraudulent purchases across the GTA of Canada Goose Jackets using digital gift cards issued by a well-known outdoor retail chain, Sail Canada.
 The investigation first began in October of 2016 after two males made suspicious purchases at the Sail store in Burlington, Ontario, using gift cards. With the assistance of the company it was determined that the gift cards had been purchased with fraudulent credit cards and involved a similar pattern that had been occurring across the GTA.
Investigators from the Halton Regional Police Service Fraud Unit continued the investigation that led to the identity of the two individuals involved. A total of 71 digital gift cards were used, these cards were purchased using the credit card data of 19 different victims from both the USA and Canada.
Arrested and charged are:
Li De HUANG (Male) 29yrs of Scarborough
Jun WANG (Male) 27yrs of Mississauga
The charges include Fraud Over $5,000, multiple counts of Identity Fraud, and Unauthorized use of credit card data all contrary to the Criminal Code of Canada. Both accused parties are to appear in Milton Court, March 29th, 2017 to answer to the charges.
Anyone with information pertaining to a fraud or any other crime is asked to contact the Regional Fraud Bureau Intake Office at 905-465-8741 or Fraud@haltonpolice.ca. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
March 8th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Marianne Meed Ward, city Councillor for ward 2 and Central high school member on the PARC said this morning that “We are disappointed with the vote of course, but now there’s an opportunity for the current government to bring forward its own motion for a moratorium on school closures and current PARs underway, including in Burlington. Recall that was one of the first steps former Liberal premier Dalton McGuinty took when he gained office.”
 Marianne Meed Ward at a media event at Queen’s Park with leader of the Opposition Patrick Brown. Meed Ward sat in the public gallery of the provincial Legislature and listened to the debate on a motion brought by the leader of the Opposition, Progressive Conservative Patrick Brown. Earlier in the day she took part in a press conference with Brown.
“A huge benefit of our visit: said Meed Ward is that “all party leaders have now gotten our message that this is not just a rural issue: communities across the GTA and 905 are facing potential school closures. We also outlined 13 ways the provincial funding formula and broken PAR process needs to be fixed, detailed in our Open Letter hand delivered to all party leaders.”
Meed Ward was also able to meet with Burlington MPP Hon. Eleanor McMahon yesterday evening.
“I ended up going back to Queen’s Park for the impromptu meeting, and unfortunately missed last night’s public meeting, but felt the meeting with our MPP was the best way to serve the community.
“Three of us had a two hour meeting after the vote with Eleanor and a staff member working on PARs in Education Minister Hon. Mitzie Hunter’s office after the vote.
“We shared our concerns about the process, detailed in our open letter. We asked for her to work with her colleagues for a moratorium on school closures and current PARs underway until the funding formula and process can be fixed.
 Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon at her first public event after being made a member of the Wynn cabinet. “McMahon was very receptive, listened intently to our concerns and asked a lot of questions. She is committed to bringing the issues we raised back to caucus and her Liberal colleagues for discussion. We are very grateful for the time she gave us” said Meed Ward
“It was a full day with ups and downs said Meed Ward “but it was time very well spent. We made progress on elevating the discussion to the real issues: a broken provincial funding formula and PAR process that will not deliver the best outcome for students or our communities in both rural and urban areas. We need a moratorium on school closures and PARs until what’s broken can be fixed.”
McMahon has yet to make a statement on what her party will do about a moratorium on the Program Accommodation Review taking place in Burlington. Her office did put out a media release on International Women’s Day.
 By Donna Grandin
March 8th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Where’s our Supercrawl, Burlington?
Yes, we have Sound of Music, but that’s an annual event in a park. The momentum of the annual Supercrawl is sustained by monthly art crawls, and the creative businesses on James St. N and surrounding streets.
 Donna Grandin is a successful local artist active in the annual Art Tour. Where is our local art scene? The pop-up galleries, established commercial art galleries, affordable artists’ studios, and then all the other businesses that develop on the fringes of the “scene”?
In the last five years especially, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know many of you Arts & Culture people in Burlington, but I’ve also seen us lose talented members of our community as they answered the call of lower cost of living, and a more support for the arts, in Hamilton.
Do we just not have enough people interested in buying local art, in going out to local arts events, in investing in the local arts community?
Apparently, there’s not enough potential for gentrification, our real estate prices are too high, rent is too high.
But I still see empty buildings here and there.
Any thoughts?
By Pepper Parr
March 7th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Photo description off the police officer has been revised – turns out he was a parent attending the event.
If the Fire Marshall had known how many people were in the room – he would have ordered the building cleared.
 You can’t ask for much more in the way of public engagement. Are views being changed? The room at the New Street Educational Centre was PACKED. It was the second of two public meetings to inform parents on the details behind the six recommendations that had been settled on by the Halton District School Board Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC). That committee may yet whittle the options down to two.
That PARC has two more meetings to take place after the Spring Break – and they will do their best to get closer to a consensus – they won’t achieve one, there are too many parents focused on saving their school. The facts as they know them suggests they will come up with two options.
Many parents don’t think the really hard work being done by the 14 PARC members is going to get reflected in the report that goes to the Director of Education.
 Will these people turn out in the same numbers for the 2018 municipal election? While parents were at the New Street Education Centre, a small group had gone to the provincial Legislature to take in the debate on a motion put forward by the leader of the Opposition Patrick Brown for a moratorium on both school closures in the province and a halt to all the PARC’s currently taking place across the province.
The motion did not pass leaving the parents who watched the debate furious with Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon who voted the Liberal party line.
There are too many reports of an overly emotional Burlington MPP who does not seem to be able to hold a rational conversation with the constituents she meets. Burlington parents feel their MPP, who is a Cabinet Minister, can have some influence on the Minister of Education, who has suggested that public school boards work with the Catholic school boards to see if they can find ways to share buildings.
A large part of the purpose behind the concept of separate schools boards was to keep the students apart. It will take decades to find a way for the two philosophies working in the same building.
 This is not a happy parent. No one liked what they were hearing at the Legislature and it wasn’t much different at the New Street Educational centre. Parents were close to enraged at times and emotions spilled over. Senior school board staff were publicly booed.
 The police officer was not on “duty” – he was a parent taking part in the meeting. What was the line in that song “You don’t take your guns to town”. The concern over how the public was going to react was so high that the board of education asked that police be on hand. The police officer on duty wasn’t there to blend in with the crowd – he was brute force incarnate.
Many of the trustees were in the room, realizing that they were next in line for a solid piece of the public ire.
Central high school parents were all over the place – some wearing the Save Central lawn signs that had been made as clothing.
Some of the trustees seemed several paces removed from what was going on.
 Wards 1 and 2 school board trustee Leah Reynolds speaking to Central high school students. During a discussion between a parent and a trustee over how keeping a school open would be paid for the parent, who appeared to have done her homework and was prepared to challenge the trustee, was told that she was being disrespectful. Not a positive sign.
There were five of the seven city council members at the first information meeting held a week earlier at Hayden high school for parents in the northern part of the city – not one in sight at this second information meeting.
 Nelson students were letting everyone know they expected to be standing upright when this was all over There was representation of Bateman parents at this second meeting but they didn’t appear to be as evident. On Saturday they gave their school a ceremonial hug – almost as if they were saying goodbye to the place.
Nelson high school made it very clear they were in the room and they expected to be standing up when this was all over.
Parents complained about not hearing any innovative or radical ideas from board staff who met in groups around board of education staff who clung to the party line – ‘we have to close schools to ensure that the children get the best education possible’.
Parents fully realize that the final decision, to be made May 17th, will be made by the trustees they elected and they want to see some steel in the spine of those trustees. The fear many, if not most have, is that the trustees are going to fold and eat the Pablum being served to them by board staff.
 The PARC members were in attendance – they are much closer to the parents interests than the trustees. Some very intelligent people look askance at the data the board is putting out and they experience serious disappointment over the way some senior staff at the board keep changing some of the numbers.
Others wonder what closing Central high school will do to property values? Will people want to buy homes in a community where their children will have to take buses to get to a classroom. They see Burlington as a community that buys into the concept of walk-ability and that want that as a big part of the lives they live.
Stuart Miller, the Director of Education attended – he is battling a virus and really should be at home recovering – but he was in the room doing what he does very well – trying to get his message across with all the passion and energy that makes the man who he is.
 Director of Education Stuart Miller listens – he truly wants to hear and to be understood as well. He doesn’t appear to be hearing what the parents he serves are asking for.
As the evening wound down staff wanted to know how many people came to the meeting leaving the impression that the number of people who showed up was the sign that the meeting was a success.
How did the parents feel when they left the building? They certainly weren’t happy campers. There seems to be a divide between the thinking going on within the Board offices and what the public wants. Parents want the trustees they elected to stand up for them and the bulk of the trustees that were elected do not appear to be up to the job.
As voters, parents are already talking about the revenge they will take in October of 2018 when municipal elections take place.
 The battle is for an educational system that prepares this young lady for what at best is an uncertain future. The week will wind down with everyone heading into a Spring Break – will there be some reflection and the kind of thinking that pulls people together during that break or will positions harden and get rigid?
The social health of the city is what is at stake – it isn’t at all certain that the thinking coming out of the boardroom senior school board staff meet in is going to change very much.
The people being paid good salaries and fat benefits do not appear to be acting as civil servants – they have taken a position they believe in and are going to stick with it.
By Pepper Parr
March 7th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
 Rivers looks at print media from time to time – he prefers the electronic format for the immediacy it gives him and the ability to link what he writes to solid background material, Our ace columnist Ray Rivers has become a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists, sometimes called the Centre for Investigative Journalism and plans on attending one of Premier Wynn’s media Roundtables being held for regional media to discuss Ontario’s Fair Hydro Plan and how it benefits communities across the province on Wednesday, March 8, 2017.
River cover politics for the Gazette – he’s been doing that for five years now.
Members of the media able to attend in person are asked to arrive at the Premier’s Office at 4:45 p.m. Those unable to attend are invited to call in.
 In his spare time Rivers like to play the guitar and enjoy the Goodness of Guinness. Rivers will be on deck Wednesday afternoon when he and a herd of other media will meet with the Premier as she explains what she plans to do to get her government past the post on the June 2018 provincial election
 By Staff
March 8th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Seeing Program Accommodation Review Committee member Marianne Meed Ward standing beside Progressive Conservative Patrick Brown at the Provincial Legislature is a bit of a stretch – she has been a liberal since the day she was born and a Liberal for the past five years at least.
 Ward 2 city Councillor and PARC member Marianne Meed Ward at Queen’s Park with Progressive Conservative opposition leader Patrick Brown. Nevertheless Meed Ward took to the microphone and spoke passionately to have all the Program Accommodation Reviews taking place put on hold until the provincial government comes up with a process that works for the tax payers and not just the school boards.
Here is what CBC reported earlier today – there will be more to come on this.
The opposition Progressive Conservatives are calling for a province-wide moratorium on school closures, as parent groups in cities and small towns across Ontario lobby their school trustees to keep schools open.
PC Leader Patrick Brown made the call at Queen’s Park Tuesday, accompanied by parents and children whose schools are threatened with closure in places that range from Burlington to the small town of Paisley, near Kincardine.
“There is a crisis in rural Ontario, that has now grown to the cities, on school closures,” Brown told a news conference.
Although school closure decisions are made by local boards, Brown blames the provincial government.
“It’s a system the Liberals have set up that actually rewards a school board for closing schools,” he said. “They actually tell boards they’re not going to get any capital funding unless they close schools.”
Education Minister Mitzie Hunter is urging boards across the four English and French public and Catholic school systems to look for ways of sharing facilities with each other before resorting to closures
In Question Period, Premier Kathleen Wynne rejected what she called the “blunt instrument of a moratorium”.
More to come
By Staff
March 6, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Ontario Legislature will be meeting on Tuesday, which will be an Opposition Day that has Progressive Conservative leader introducing a motion that reads:
Whereas, school closures have a devastating impact on local communities; and
Whereas, children deserve to be educated in their communities and offered the best opportunity to succeed; and
Whereas, rural schools often represent the heart of small towns across Ontario;
Therefore, the Legislative Assembly calls for an immediate moratorium on rural school closures and an immediate review of the Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline.
We, the undersigned, are asking for all-party support on March 7 for an immediate province-wide moratorium on school closures and Program & Accommodation Reviews (PAR). We’ve seen first-hand the problems with the PAR process, as one is currently underway in Burlington with the initial recommendation to close two schools: Burlington Central High School in downtown, and Lester B. Pearson High School in the North.
Our story is not unique; the challenges we’ve experienced are playing out in rural and urban communities throughout the province and led to the formation of the Ontario Alliance Against School Closures.
A broken process can only deliver a broken outcome, not in the best interests of our students or our communities. Stop closures and PARs until the broken “baker’s dozen” below can be fixed:
Provincial elimination of “top-up funding” for so-called “empty pupil spaces” in schools. This policy change penalizes school boards that maintain geographically diverse schools, situated within walking distance (or in rural areas a short bus ride) from where students and their families live. Boards are pressured to eliminate these spaces by closing schools and warehousing students into larger big-box schools, further from where people live.
This must change: The education funding formula needs a complete overhaul to focus on education not counting the number of students that can fit in a classroom.
A focus on what can be counted, not what counts: Boards can call a PAR if average utilization across several schools is less than 65%. The assumption is that programming choice suffers when utilization falls below this rate – but no evidence need be provided that programming choice is a problem before calling a PAR.
This must change. Communities deserve real, not anecdotal, evidence of programming concerns.
No guarantee savings from school closures will go into programming. In a classic government Catch-22, the PAR committee cannot discuss what might happen to savings from closing schools before we close the schools, because the decision to close schools hasn’t been made.
This must change. PARs called to deal with programming challenges must be required to show how closures will deliver programming improvements.
No quality control on data. The five year facility renewal costs for Burlington’s seven schools changed by a factor of $23 million halfway through the process, due, we are told, to a change in company and software used by the province, and whether costs were put inside the five year window or later than five years. Some costs were included that had already been complete. The new data contains errors.
This must change. The process should be stopped until reliable data can be procured.
PAR relies on enrollment projections that look backward not forward: Enrollment projections are based on Statistics Canada data which look at what has happened, not what will happen. Previous projections underestimated enrollment at Dr. Frank J. Hayden High School, and at Burlington Central. Recent Statistics Canada data has Burlington’s overall population well above projections; household data isn’t projected to be released till May – after the school board director has already released his preferred recommendation for a vote by trustees.
This must change. The process should be stopped until reliable data can be procured.
No requirement to include elementary students housed in high schools as part of any high school PAR. No solution has been or must be provided for the 260 grade 7/8s who are currently in Burlington Central High School if the school closes.
This must change. PARs called for high schools must require inclusion of all elementary students housed in high schools.
Impact on community and economic factors eliminated by this government as part of PAR considerations. Many of the schools targeted for closure in Ontario are located in areas where the most vulnerable students live, often in downtowns where the greatest number of low-income families, single parent families and immigrant families are located. Downtown schools like Burlington Central, are located in business districts that provide access to co-op placements, volunteer hours, and work placements at 430 businesses and several civic centres – which will all be lost if the school is closed.
This must change. Community considerations must be added back to the PAR process.
PAR decisions violate a range of provincial policies. PARs increasingly lean toward closing historic downtown walkable schools and shipping students to larger, newer schools outside their community (for example Barrie Central Collegiate, Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute, and Central which will turn 100 years old in 2022). This directly violates provincial policies to encourage walkable, complete communities, revitalize downtowns, protect our most vulnerable residents, give them equality of opportunity, and preserve Ontario’s heritage resources.
This must change. The government must ensure PARs uphold provincial policies.
Increased bussing in Burlington: 92% of students attending Burlington Central High School live in the walking catchment. If the school closes, 100% of students will be bussed outside the community. Walking to school is both physically and mentally the healthiest choice – one actively promoted by this government.
This must change. PARs in urban areas should be required to promote walkability.
A “recommended option” is required to start a PAR: The schools named in the recommendation are immediately on the defensive to save their schools, while other schools ignore the process – until they pop up later in the PAR as a potential option and feel ambushed.
This must change. PARs should have no recommendation or an open-ended recommendation that alerts all schools they could be impacted, to ensure full participation from the beginning.
Lack of clear communication about the PAR. PAR communication by the Board in Burlington has used jargon and mentioned “options” and “process,” without naming schools that could be closed.
This must change. The province should require boards to use plain language, name schools slated for potential closure and clearly communicate the gravity of proposed changes.
Involvement of MPPS, elected trustees, and municipal councillors is discouraged so as not to be seen as somehow interfering. This simply drives advocacy underground and behind the scenes, and deprives residents of the democratic right to have their elected representatives represent them – throughout the process, to shape the best outcome, not simply to react when a report and recommendation is already written.
This must change. Trustees, MPPs and municipal Councillors should be welcomed to full participation in the process.
Province and board play hot potato: When residents complain to the board about school closures, board staff throw the hot potato to the province: they are just following provincial policies and funding formulas. When residents complain to the Ministry of Education or their local MPPs, they throw the hot potato back to the board: the trustees have the final decision. It’s a perfect dodge to accountability by any level of government.
This must change. This government must fix the broken policies creating the crisis in education in rural and urban communities across Ontario, not shift responsibility to boards.
In conclusion
Our community’s faith in this process has been sorely tested, like so many other communities across Ontario who have gone through PARs. Residents feel the process is skewed and set up to promote the Board’s preferred option from the beginning. Public engagement has been stage-managed and appears simply as checking off the box of a Ministry requirement that the boards must go through in order to close schools. Incomplete, outdated or incorrect data is permitted. None of the information gleaned from the process needs to be considered by the board, because PARs do not make a recommendation. It’s time to stop the process and begin again.
Residents deserve and demand better than this broken process which is bound to deliver a broken outcome that hurts students, families, rural and urban communities alike. We are asking all parties to work together to support the motion on March 7 for:
An immediate moratorium on school closures
An immediate moratorium on existing PARs underway
Review and reform of broken PAR process
Review and reform of the broken education funding formula
Sincerely,
Marianne Meed Ward & Ian Farwell,
PARC members, Burlington Central High School.
centralparc@hdsb.ca
Dania Thurman & Lynn Crosby,
CentralStrong Community Group.
www.centralstrong.ca
 Members of the Program Accommodation Review Committee in session with the public observing.
By Pepper Parr
March 6th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a fully engaged crowd at the first public meeting held at Hayden high school where parents got to see just what the high school closing options were.
 The parents who attended the first public meeting at Hayden high school last week were fully engaged in trying to figure out and understand what the options for possible school closing were. They don’t like the way the information is being made available and they want to be able to ask questions.
Last October the Board of education trustees accepted a report from the Director of Education and agreed that a Program Accommod-ation Review should take place.
That resulted in a committee (PARC) looking at the staff recommendation that Central and Pearson high schools be closed and accepting other possible options.
The PARC looked at 30 options and whittled the list down to the six that are now being taken to public meetings.
The second public meeting takes place at the New Street Education centre – it is going to be noisy.
 The Board of Education staff put up large posters setting out the boundaries that would apply to the various school closing options. Parents found that the staff members on hand to answer questions didn’t have much in the way of answers. Comments from Gazette readers tell us that “many, many people (as in hundreds) are extremely dissatisfied with the way the so-called public information sessions are being held, specifically the display stations that were set up.”
“Parents want their questions answered, many have complained that staff at the last meeting were not able to do this properly. Every single member of PARC has asked that the format be changed to include a large group Q and A and they have refused.
“Their pathetic excuse is that the last meeting was with display stations and it wouldn’t be fair to the people who went to that one to change this one.
“Again, like so many answers coming from the board, this makes no sense.”
“Angry parents from Central, Nelson and Bateman are planning different tactics to have their voices heard at tomorrow’s meeting. Not sure how it’s going to play out but I think there might be fireworks.”
 This was the extent of public participation at Bateman high school when the Board of Education gave an overview of the school closing process. Everyone thought that Central and Pearson high schools were on the list. Truth was – every high school was at risk. Getting to the point where the Board of Education now has public interest has taken some time – earlier meetings at all seven high schools were very quiet and very poorly attended events.
That isn’t the case today – and parents want their Board of Education to respond to their demands.
The elected trustees are close to mute on this – they have the power to direct Board of Education staff to make changes in the way the public is informed – it is almost as if the trustees are in the pocket of the Director of Education.
The high school parents are not happy campers.
Central high school parents will be walking from the Roseland Plaza to the New Street education Centre. Nelson, Bateman and Pearson high schools are also reported to have plans.
By Staff
March 6th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario is boosting support for the City of Burlington providing them with reliable, long-term funding to improve and expand local transit and offer more travel options for commuters and families.
The funds are provided by the province – it is up to the city to actually spend the money on transit – in the past city council has opted to spend the grant from the province on road repairs.
 John Street terminal – will be designated as a mobility hub – what kind of a difference that is going to make is not all that clear. Starting in 2019, Ontario will increase funding for Burlington and other municipal transit systems across the province through an enhancement to the existing gas tax program, doubling the municipal share from two cents per litre to four cents by 2021. There will be no increase in the tax that people in Ontario pay on gasoline as a result of the enhancement to the program.
 Gas price are all over the map – but seldom below $1 a litre. Burlington which has received an average of about $2 million per year in gas tax funding, could see its funding increased to an estimated $2.5 million in 2019-20, $3 million in 2020-21 and to $4.1 million in 2021-22.
The City of Burlington is able to use gas tax funding to make major infrastructure upgrades, buy additional transit vehicles, add more routes, extend hours of service, implement fare strategies and improve accessibility.
Eleanor McMahon, MPP for Burlington sees this as “… great news for the City of Burlington. Increased gas tax funding will help tailor services to suit our community needs. Providing more options for commuters and families in Burlington will keep our region moving and will make transit a more convenient and attractive form of transportation.”
 A selfie of the Mayor on the day he rode the bus to work. The office of the Mayor provided the picture. The Mayor “… welcomes increased Provincial investments into our transit system and the continuation of sustainable, long-term funding. The increase will coincide with the work we are currently undertaking to develop a new transit strategy, which will continue to make public transit another viable travel option for our residents.”
Ontario made gas tax program funding permanent in 2013 to provide a stable source for municipal transit investments. One bus takes up to 40 vehicles off the road, and keeps 25 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere each year.
The problem Burlington faces is that its citizens don’t want to get out of their cars.
By Staff
March 6th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s Fraud Prevention Month (#FPM2017) and the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) releases the first of four graphics illustrating common scams used on innocent, sometimes gullible people.
The program is being run nationally with the RCMP who report that 748 victims lost more than $17-million in 2016 to con artists purporting to be in love. The figures are believed to be much higher as many victims are too ashamed to report the fraud.
 Poster being used to warn people about romance scams. Dating and romance scams often begin when an individual creates a fake profile and posts it on popular online dating websites and/or social media. From there, he/she solicits interest in an attempt to gain a victim(s) affection and trust. Soon thereafter, a request(s) for funds is made. Believing themselves to be in a committed relationship, the victim often willingly complies. Money sent is not re-paid and the con artist disappears when they believe they have received all they can from someone.
“Dating and romance scams are popular because fraudsters prey upon the desire many people have to be love and accepted,” said Staff Sergeant Chris Lawson of the Regional Fraud Unit. “Sadly, it is often those who can least afford to lose money – older men and women, people who live alone or those with limited funds – who are victimized.”
The following dating and romance scam safety tips have been provided courtesy of the RCMP and the Competition Bureau of Canada:
• Only use legitimate and reputable dating sites.
• Check the addresses of online dating websites carefully. Scammers often set up fake websites with very similar URLs to legitimate ones.
• Be suspicious when someone you haven’t met in person professes their love. Ask yourself: Would someone I have never met really declare their affection after only a few letters or emails? Like many scams, if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
• Be skeptical of out-of-the-ordinary stories. Common narratives include someone claiming to live nearby but who is working overseas or someone with a sick family member in need of funds.
• In some cases, scammers will try to lure potential victims with flowers or other small gifts before asking for banking details or money.
• Never send money or give credit card or online account details to anyone you do not know and trust.
 Not always what it seems. Anyone with information pertaining to a fraud or any other crime is asked to contact the Regional Fraud Bureau Intake Office at 905-465-8741 or Fraud@haltonpolice.ca. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
March 6, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The heavy weights are beginning to have their say about the closing of high schools in Burlington,
World-renowned artist and Robert Bateman High School namesake is speaking out against the possible closure of the school.
 Robert Bateman “The times that I’ve been there I’ve been just amazed at the things they’re doing that no school has ever done before but that were being done at Bateman,” said Robert Bateman, who taught at the south east Burlington school from 1970 when it opened until 1976.
Mr. Bateman now lives in Salt Spring Island, B.C. and still visits the school once a year. When he learned that Bateman HS was one of six schools being considered for closure by the Halton District School Board as part of the Program and Accommodation Review (PAR), he expressed concern about the impact it would have on students and the community.
“I think it’s much better for the kids and much better for their education to have schools in their neighbourhoods so you have the same geography and you have the same feeling for the history of it,” said Mr. Bateman.
“It’s extremely important for the emotional and human component of children.”
 Bateman high school students during a cook-off with Burlington fire fighters. Bateman High School has had more than $2-million in upgrades over the last six years, and with existing accommodations in place for the Community Pathways Program (CPP) it is the most up-to-date for AODA requirements. It fills a unique void in the city’s education system because of its wide range of diverse programming including: International Baccalaureate (IB) program; the self-contained CPP for students with special needs; LEAP Program to help transition students to grade nine; specialty facilities that include a highly customized kitchen for a culinary program and a specialized auto body paint booth for one of the many Ontario Young Apprentice Programs (OYAP).
There is also an Autism Social Skills and Drama Group, Robotics Specialized Course and multiple design/tech rooms. Having all program pathways under one roof is critical to student success as it allows movement between the pathways. Scattering those programs would effectively limit the opportunities available to our most vulnerable student population.
“The school has all kinds of departments that are getting kids much more prepared for life.”
“I think it’s a terrible idea (to close it) and it doesn’t make common sense” says Bateman.
Closing Robert Bateman would also result in the closure of the on-site YMCA Lord Elgin Day Care and could impact Centennial Pool, which had costly renovations last year.
 By Pepper Parr
March 6th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It is as official as it can get – Trevor Copp will be doing Shakespeare at the RBG ROCK next August. He is looking for a fund-raising intern for his summer “Shakespeare at the Rock” production at the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) at the Burlington-Hamilton border.
 Trevor Copp listening to RBG Director Mark Runciman at the opening of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Rock last year. Last summer Copp put on one of the more successful events in the city – 2000 attended last year’s event at the RBG’s new Rock Gardens over eight performances, which has now been extended to a three week run for August 2018.
The fund raising intern will be mentored in the areas of corporate sponsorship and individual giving by one of Canada’s most senior fundraisers whose experience includes leading campaigns for the Grand Theatre in London and the Development Director for the National Ballet of Canada.
 Eight performances of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream were interrupted by rain one one occasion, a serious traffic accident on the QEW that kept the cast away from the outdoor stage – but it was still the outstanding arts event of last year’s season. And its on again for a three week run next August. Ideal candidates are/intend to obtain full certification in corporate fundraising. This is a paid internship to occur over the course of 2-3 months from June – August with some responsibilities falling outside of these dates as well. If interested, please contact Tottering Biped Theatre’s Artistic Director Trevor Copp at
artisticdirector@totteringbiped.ca
The position involves professional level writing skills, the covering letter will show what your writing chops are like – that letter should have a couple of paragraphs on why you are ideal for the job – include references.
By Staff
March 6TH, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It was one of the crisp, clear, cold Canadian winter days with the sun shining brightly.
 Robert Bateman high school gets a hug from parents and students Saturday afternoon. More than 150 people gather at the Robert Bateman high school in the east end of Burlington to give their school, which is being threatened by a possible closure, what the community felt was a much needed hug.
In October, the staff at the Board of Education gave the elected school board trustees a report which said that the required criteria for a review on the high school accommodation has been met.
 Smiles on a Saturday afternoon – serious issue before the school board trustees. The trustees accepted the report and voted to create what is known as a Program Accommodation Review (PAR). A committee of two parents from each high school was created to review the options that existed and to put forward options. There were 30 options on the table at one point – that got whittled down to 14 and then down to six that are on the table at this point.
The closing options are:
Option 7b – No school closures
Dr. Frank J Hayden SS Boundary change
- No changes to schools south of the
- Lester B Pearson HS catchment expands to include Kilbride PS catchment area, John William Boich PS catchment area south of Upper Middle Road, and Alexander’s PS catchment
- Frank J Hayden HS catchment reduced.
Option 23d ‐ Robert Bateman HS, Lester B Pearson HS closes, Dr. Frank J Hayden SS program change
- No change to Aldershot HS boundary
- Burlington Central HS catchment expands to include Tecumseh PS catchment
- IB program added to Burlington Central HS from Robert Bateman
- Nelson HS boundary expands east. SC‐SPED & Essential programming redirected to Nelson HS from Robert Bateman
- MM Robinson HS ENG catchment expands to include Lester B Pearson HS
- Frank J Hayden SS FI program redirected to M.M. Robinson HS. No change to the English catchment.
Option 19b – Burlington Central HS, Lester B Pearson closes HS, Dr Frank J Hayden SS & Robert Bateman HS program change
- Aldershot HS catchment expands east to Brant St, ESL program relocated to Aldershot HS from Burlington Central HS. 10 rooms available from the Aldershot elementary facility to accommodate additional
- Nelson HS expands west to Brant
- Robert Bateman HS catchment include John William Boich PS catchment south of Upper Middle Rd, and the entire Frontenac PS catchment
- FI program added to Robert Bateman HS with same boundaries as the English program
- MM Robinson HS English boundary expands to include Lester B Pearson HS. FI boundary include Dr. Frank J Hayden SS with the exception of John William Boich PS catchment south of Upper Middle
- Frank J Hayden becomes English only school, with a reduced English catchment area
Option 4b –Robert Bateman HS closes
- No change to Aldershot HS
- Burlington Central HS expands to include the entire Tecumseh PS
- Nelson HS expands east to include Robert Bateman HS. Nelson HS receives the SC‐SPED and Essential programming from Robert Bateman
- MM Robinson HS catchment expands to include Kilbride PS catchment
- Lester B Pearson HS catchment expands to include Florence Meares PS catchment. IB program and Gifted Secondary Placement added to Lester B. Pearson HS from Robert Bateman HS and Nelson HS
- Frank J Hayden SS English catchment area is reduced.
Option 28d – Burlington Central HS and Lester B Pearson HS closes, Program change for Dr Frank J Hayden SS
- Aldershot HS catchment area expands easterly to railway tracks, ESL program added to Aldershot from Burlington Central
- Nelson HS catchment area expands west to the railway
- Robert Bateman HS catchment area expands to include John William Boich PS catchment area and Frontenac PS catchment
- MM Robinson HS catchment area expands to include Lester B Pearson HS catchment area.
- FI is removed from Dr. Frank J Hayden SS and redirected to MM Robinson HS
- CH Norton PS area that is currently directed to Lester B Pearson HS, to be redirected to Dr Frank J Hayden
Option 3b – Nelson HS closes, Dr Frank J Hayden SS and Burlington Central HS have a program change
- Aldershot FI expands to include Burlington Central HS FI catchment
- Burlington Central HS English catchment area expands to Walkers Line
- Robert Bateman HS expands west to Walkers
- FI program added to Robert Bateman HS
- Lester B Pearson HS catchment area expands to include John William Boich PS catchment area and Kilbride PS catchment area. The Secondary Gifted placement added to Lester B Pearson HS from Nelson
- Frank J Hayden SS FI program redirected to M.M. Robinson HS.
- Frank J Hayden HS catchment reduced.
 Members of the PARC deliberating on the various options that were before them. The original option came from the Director of Education – to close Central and Pearson high schools. Other options were added. Anyone can submit an option. The PARC that came up with these options has met on four occasions and will meet at least once more – and possible twice.
They will produce a report to the Director who will in turn give his recommendation to the school board trustees.
Burlington has four trustees on the 11 member school board. All 11 trustees have a vote.
 Amy Collard – Ward 5 school board trustee. Collard has been acclaimed in every election. The elected school board trustee for ward 5 is Amy Collard. She was acclaimed for every election she ran in and at one point served as the chair of the school board trustees.
The Board of Education has created an email list that can be used to communicate with the PARC members who are all volunteers
 Anyone can send an email to the PARC representatives. A single email address has been created for the two representatives for each high school. Lisa Bull, one of the two parents representing Bateman on the PARC said she was “So proud of the incredibly positive approach our community has taken in their support of Robert Bateman High School. Everyone today was highlighting how much they had learned about the great diversity of programs and students at Bateman and how much they really wanted to have this saved – for current, past and future students.
Bateman, as well as three other high schools in the city, are at risk of being closed – there are 1800 + empty high school classroom seats in Burlington and there isn’t a strong enough flow of students at the elementary level at this point to fill those seats in the near future.
The process of deciding whether or not to close a high school is complex. The Board of Education created PAR that will give prepare a report for the Director of Education who will in turn prepare a report for the elected school board trustees who will, on May 17th, decide which, if any, high schools in the city will be closed.
If there is a decision to close a school that closure will take place effective September 2018. The municipal election takes place in October of 2018
 There were less than five parents at the first meeting during which Board of Education staff explained the PARC process at each high school. Few at Bateman believed their school was a risk. Parents didn’t seem to be fully aware that their school could be closed. That is certainly no longer the case.
The next event regarding the school closures takes place Tuesday evening at the New Street Educational Centre.
Central high school is planning a march from the Roseland Plaza to the Educational Centre. No word yet on what the other high schools plan to do.
The schedule for the steps to be taken between now and the final decision date are set out below.
Public Meeting #2 (South Burlington schools)
March 7, 2017 at 7:00 pm
New date New Street Education Centre
3250 New Street
 Parents at the first public meeting where all six of the high school closing options were on display were very engaged. PARC Working Meeting #5
March 23, 2017 at 7:00 pm J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Director’s Report (with compiled feedback) to Committee of the Whole March 29, 2017 at 7:00 pm J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Public Delegation Night
April 18, 2017 at 6:00 pm J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line
Final Report to Board of Trustees for decision May 17, 2017 at 7:00 pm J.W. Singleton Education Centre
2050 Guelph Line.
Parents looking at the boundary maps and the details for each of th six high school closing options being discussed by the PARC.
By Pepper Parr
March 6th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
When the Lieutenant Governor of the province , the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, visited the Art Gallery of Burlington recently, to participate in a round table discussion with a group of 15 seniors on how Burlington meets the challenge of affordable housing she also brought with her an idea that she passed along.
 Lieutenant Governor of the province , the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell. Dowdeswell shared her idea of a project she has initiated called 150 Stories. In her words: “It is my hope” said Dowdeswell, “ that by actively listening to our stories we can become more aware of and better understand each other and, in turn, create the communities and country of which we can be proud.”
The idea took hold and the volunteers as the AGB are now actively looking for the 150 stories from the people who have made the AGB what it is.
The AGB is a community made up of many individual teams and people. Their strength lies in their ability to connect with others within our own Gallery community so that we can in turn can reach out and continue to grow.
They have decided to follow her Excellency’s inspirational idea and create their own 150 stories – specific to the AGB and are people to consider contributing to the AGB book of 150 stories.
In 150 words, share what it means to be a part of the AGB.
The stories will be collected from now until the AGB Volunteer Appreciation event on April 25th where the stories on display.
Touch base via email with Becky@agb.life. They are going to collect stories until they have reached 150!
Consider submitting images (yourself, or your art) along with your 150 words.
By Pepper Parr
March 4th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Lynn Crosby, one of the more passionate Central high school supporters advises us that next week there is an all-party debate scheduled in the provincial Legislature with a vote to follow.
The debate is on a motion to stop all rural school closures and launch an immediate review of all PAR processes province-wide.
 Is the solution to the closing of high schools in Burlington to be found in the provincial Legislature? This would stop all PARs currently underway. Crosby reports that the Central Strong group is going to try and see if the motion can be amended to include a moratorium on all school closures, not just rural.
Either way, says Crosby, this is huge.
Central Strong now want to know what position Burlington’s MPP McMahon will take on this vote.
Crosby says that “she votes against this she can kiss her seat in Burlington goodbye”.
 Lynn Crosby, a passionate Central Strong advocate, on the left, sees some hope in the Opposition Motion to stop all Program Accommodation Reviews in rural schools. Unfortunately Ms Crosby – it isn’t quite that simple. The first question is – is this a government motion or an opposition motion or a private members bill.
The tradition in Ontario Tuesday is for the opposition party in Ontario to have a day to introduce their parliamentary wishes. On Tuesday, Patrick Brown will introduce a motion that has the following preamble:
Whereas, school closures have a devastating impact on local communities; and
Whereas, children deserve to be educated in their communities and offered the best opportunity to succeed; and
Whereas, rural schools often represent the heart of small towns across Ontario;
Therefore, the Legislative Assembly calls for an immediate moratorium on rural school closures and an immediate review of the Pupil Accommodation Review Guideline.
The only vote that will take place on Tuesday is whether this motion gets any attention at all.
Citizens in Burlington can, and hopefully will, lobby Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon and while they are at it, get through to Jane McKenna, who, will not member of the Legislature, is the Progressive Conservative Candidate for Burlington in the next provincial election. She will be all over this issue locally.
This type of Opposition party bill tends not to get very far.
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By Pepper Parr
