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October 16th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON Nice to see a political organization that understands transparency. The Burlington Provincial Liberal Association held their Annual General Meeting last week and did all the usual stuff. Then they did something this reporter has not seen before in this city – they released their financial statements. Good on them.
October 15th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
Did the members of city council get hornswoggled by a couple of small time developers who seem to have succeeded in pulling a fast one?  The ranch style home reported to have been built in the 50’s There was a piece of property with a large ranch style house that was apparently built for the Newbold family back in the 50’s – specifics on just when the house was built aren’t clear. It fell into dis-repair and was bought by a developer who had plans to put five structures on the site. Neighbouring property owners had issues with the flow of water in small creeks and the number of units the developer wanted to cram into the space; city council listened dutifully and eventually went along with a three unit development. The people who brought the development to council grumped and complained about how hard it was to make a decent living in the development business and muttered about this being their last attempt to build in this city.  First application was for five homes on the site.  Following application was for just four homes on the site. The developer settled for just three – then put the land up for sale. The ranch style house was torn down and then the property was put up for sale at an eye popping $2,788,000. The real estate notice described the property as site plan ready, zoned for three single family homes in the 4000 sq. ft. range. Engineering drawings ready with full survey, soil and noise tests completed.  Home torn down – property put up for sale to a builder. Will this one come back to city council for some tweeking and maybe a run to the Ontario Municipal Board for an upgrade? The value added to the property by those who made the applications was getting it through council and then marketing it to a builder with a reputation for quality work. That wasn’t what council thought as going to happen when they debated the issue. Look for some pretty fancy prices for whatever gets build on the land.
October 14th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police continue to address the numerous traffic complaints provided from the residents of Burlington each day. Officers from 30 Division follow up on every complaint submitted in order to validate driving behaviors in a specific location throughout the City. Police will then target areas to conduct enforcement. The Police continue to encourage residents to report traffic complaints by going to the Halton Regional Police Website and submitting the required information on-line. A large number of traffic complaints received by police relate to drivers exceeding the posted speed limits. Officers will continue to target areas throughout the City of Burlington that have been identified as high traffic complaint locations. Officers conducted a one day targeted blitz around Waterdown Road in the city today due to a number of complaints forwarded by residents of Burlington. As a result of police presence all along Waterdown Road in the City of Burlington, 150 traffic stops were initiated for Highway Traffic Act violations and 117 Provincial Offence Notices were issued. 30 Division Officers will continue to conduct target enforcement throughout Burlington to ensure the safety of all residents using the roadways. The Halton Regional Police Service is committed to reducing dangerous and aggressive driving behaviors that put all road users at risk. If any citizen would like to report a traffic concern they can do so by visiting our website and submitting an online traffic complaint, – https://www.haltonpolice.ca/PRC/Pages/TrafficComplaints.aspx
October 14th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
Not quite sure how to take this announcement from our provincial government – let’s see what you think. GO train schedules are going to be displayed on highway signs telling commuters when the next train is leaving and how much time you have to get there. Ontario is introducing a year-long pilot that will use electronic highway signs to show drivers nearby transit information and promote alternative travel options, to help manage congestion and get people where they’re going sooner.  The province appears prepared to go to ridiculous lengths to get you to use the GO trains On October 17, a sign will be installed on the QEW near Appleby GO station displaying information about upcoming GO train trips departing from that station. The information will factor in the time it takes to drive there, park and catch the next available train. By the end of the year, the pilot will expand to Bronte and Oakville GO stations. Let me see if I understand this. I am in my car on the QEW, heading east for an appointment or maybe driving to the Rogers Stadium to watch a baseball game. And the sign on the highway is supposed to convince me to hang a right and head for the GO station and take the train instead. Did I get that right? The media release doesn’t say how much the province is spending on this initiative – nor do they make any mention about how they will measure the success of the idea. This one has the look and feel of the road diet we put New Street on. Where do these ideas come from? Is there something in the water we drink? Maybe I misunderstood the purpose of this project.  While there may be close to 3000 parking spots – finding an empty one can b a challenge at times. Reminding me that the GO train is a very good alternative, perhaps even better than driving to get me to the stadium to watch the ball game – and if you know anything about parking prices in Toronto – it is a better alternative. Telling me that this is a better alternative while I am already in the car. I don’t know about me changing my mind just like that. The media release did tell me that the Appleby GO station has 2,964 parking spaces. As part of the pilot, technologies will be evaluated that determine real-time parking availability at GO stations. This information could also be displayed on the signs. The two Jane’s going after the Progressive Conservative nomination to be the candidate for that party are going to have a field day with this one. Jane McKenna and Jane Micheal have announced they are going after the nomination.
October 14th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
There is quite a bit more to the story of the roll-over of that tractor trailer on Wednesday carrying 180 pigs to the Fearmans slaughterhouse. It took Burlington 35 years to create a memorial to Terry Fox’s remarkable attempt to run from coast to coast raising funds for cancer. He died of cancer before he could complete the run. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 5 million members and supporters has asked the City of Burlington to erect a 1.5 metre “tombstone memorial” at the intersection of Appleby Line and Harvester Road. City spokesperson Donna Kell has said it would get back to PETA in a couple of days.  Fire fighters, police officers and Fearmans staff do as much as they can to get the pigs out of the trailer; 42 to 48 of the pigs are reported to have been killed in the accident. It is not clear if any of the pigs were sent to the slaughterhouse assembly line and entered the food chain. At the same time the Ontario SPCA is appealing for witnesses as it investigates how the pigs were handled leading to the death of 42 animals. Deputy Chief Insp. Jennifer Bluhm said initial reports suggested two veterinarians responded quickly after the truck carrying the pigs rolled at 7 a.m. Wednesday of this week. The SPCA, which has fielded “numerous” calls of concern, is still probing the incident to decide whether charges are warranted. Bluhm said “within the next few weeks we should have a better understanding of what caused this and how it was handled and whether or not there were things that should have been handled better or differently,”  Mayor Rick Goldring with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne during Rib Fest several years ago. Lost in all this is the relationship the city of Burlington has with the hog business. Every year for the past 20 years a Rotary club in Burlington (the city has four of them) sponsors a Rib Fest that has been exceptionally successful in the past where thousands of people fill Spencer Smith Park to chow down racks of ribs – the meat comes from Fearmans.  Ribs are a great fund raiser for a Burlington Rotary. Rotary is very proud of this event. More than 175,000 people attended the festival in 2016; more than 150,000 pounds of ribs were sold over the course of the four-day event and more than $3 million has been raised for local community organizations and charities over the last 19 years. The Rib Fest is great for Rotary, very good for the city of Burlington and good business for Fearmans. Now that there is a bit of a crisis it would be nice to see all the beneficiaries of the pork business at the table working out solutions that will prevent this type of thing in the future. The Rotary and the “save the animals” crowd have a lot to say to each other.  Fearmans is a major employer in Burlington and a heavy hydro user as well.  Mayor Goldring reading a Proclamation about Burlington becoming a Compassionate city. Burlington city council, and the Mayor in particular, got four square behind the creation of a “Compassionate Charter for the city. The Mayor went so far as to read out a Proclamation on the city being a compassionate place. The “save the animals” crowd would like to see that Charter extended to the animals as well. The SPCA is asking witnesses to call 310-SPCA to provide contact information for follow-up. Sofina Foods Inc., which owns Fearmans Pork Inc., said Thursday it continues to co-operate with all parties during the police investigation. “Once they are available, we will review the findings to determine next steps,” spokesperson Daniele Dufour said. Halton Regional Police hadn’t yet said Thursday what caused the transport truck driver to lose control at the intersection of Appleby Line and Harvester Road. Dozens of emergency responders — including Health Canada, Ministry of Transportation officials, firefighters and police — helped get the pigs “safely and humanely” off the truck, police said. But an agency that specializes in animal law is calling for cruelty charges against the slaughterhouse. Witnesses just outside the Appleby Line plant were disgusted to see injured pigs suffering for hours in the sun without medical attention, said Anna Pippus, a lawyer with Animal Justice. Animal Justice has pointed to video footage showing pigs being hit with paddles to force them out of the truck. It wasn’t clear how many of the 42 pigs died as a result of the crash or were put down because of their injuries, police said. Dufour said the injured pigs were too badly hurt. “Except for the hogs that died in the accident, the other hogs were seriously compromised and could not be saved. In all cases, all proper and regulatory procedures were followed in collaboration with the authorities.” Animal rights advocates, however, don’t buy that, and are outraged the slaughterhouse didn’t allow them to take injured pigs to be rehabilitated in their care. “I did not understand for the life of me why an injured and otherwise useless, as far as they’re concerned, animal couldn’t be released to sanctuary,” said Steve Jenkins, who owns an animal sanctuary in Campbellville.  Anita Kryncj being placed under arrest for obstructing the police. The “save the animals” community would appear to have some momentum in raising their public profile. The leader of Toronto Pig Save was arrested on the accident site for obstructing the police and is at the same time faces a charge of “mischief” under the criminal code. What is normally a small matter for the criminal courts has taken up three days of a trial that is now scheduled to last five days.
The Toronto Pig Save group has been watering pigs in transport trucks at the intersection of Appleby Line and Harvest Road during the blistering hot summer days – the same intersection where the transport truck rolled over earlier this week.
October 13, 2106 BURLINGTON, ON
If there were any egos to be seen – they got checked at the door. Most are young professionals who are way past the getting signatures on a petition. These people understand policy and they focused on strategy right from the beginning – they are focused and determined. The smarter people at the school board will want to pay attention to these people – they are the ones that will be coming up with the solutions. The Facebook set up they are using has been changed – the NEW Facebook address is set out below. The introduction to the Facebook page says it “was created by the committee of parents/residents and alumni (replaces the Group that was started) to keep the downtown core community informed on the HDSB’s proposal to close Central High School in 2018. The Board of Trustees’ final vote would be in May 2017, and the recommendation to close schools may change based on public input. It is important for us to share info and keep you informed of important meeting dates where you can provide ideas and feedback.” While the Gazette can report on much of what the group does – their Facebook page will probably be the core source for information on an hour to hour basis. Bookmark it.
October 13, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
It was interesting, exciting and exhilarating to watch some 60+ parents, several with children in tow and babies in carriages talk about how they will go about ensuring that those children have a high school to go to. The Parent Council at the high school did a superb job of both organizing and pulling together information. A quick look at the sheets of notes highlights how thorough they are going to be. The trustee for the ward was doing what she is supposed to do – advocate for her constituents. The ward Councillor did her job as well. Her “I am here for you” was what the room needed to here. If one can assume that all four trustees are on side for keeping Burlington Central High open – that gets 4 of the 11 votes. What about the two more that will be needed to ensure that the proposal to close BCHS is not approved by the trustees? As an aside it looks like the parents with students going to Lester B. Pearson are comfortable with the decision to merge that school with M.M. Robinson.  The potential to become one of the best high schools in the province rests in the hands of the Parent Council. The people taking part in the first BCHS community meeting were active, engaged and offered some superb comments. This is their school – and this may be the opportunity for the community to not only oppose the closing of the school but put together ideas and proposals that would make the place one of the best in the province in terms of where students go for their education. The structure has a sense of style and solidity to it. It is in the downtown core. It does need a makeover which if done properly will make the school the one many students will want to attend. It is already unique with its K to graduation set up. It has a very significant number of bursaries and scholarship available to students.  These are the people that can make their school into whatever they want it to be. It has a parent population that in 1975 raised $100,000 to, we are told, refurbish the auditorium. Those were 1975 dollars. This is a group of people who should not limit themselves to the just keeping the school open. Dare to be Daniel’s and show your Board of Education that you have a vision for your community school. Salt with Pepper is an opinion column publish from time to time
October 12th, 2106 BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District school Board recently decided that they needed to look at the number of high schools it would operate in the city of Burlington. The review becomes necessary when the number of students in the school falls below a specific number – 65% of the schools capacity. The school board staff set out a list of 19 options; the 19th was the one chosen for a review. The decision to do a review is made by the trustees. Parents packed a meting Room at Wellington Square United Church – they will be doing that frequently in the next nine months. Last night more than 60 parents met at the wellington Square United Church in a room that was packed and decided what they wanted to do about any possible closure of the Burlington Central High school. They got an overview of what happened in 200 when Terry Ruff was the newly appointed principal at the high school learned that he might have to close the school. Ruff, a Burlington native, was also a Central high school graduate. They managed to beat back the idea of closing the school then – the community faces that same issue 16 years later. These parents are not going to go quietly into the night. The meeting was to begin the process o getting themselves organized. They set up four committees: Executive/Organizing committee: set agendas/meetings; includes Team leaders The following four people from the high school parent council are: Michael Kukhta – Neighbourhood Meeting Facilitator/ BCHS Council Chair Where are they at and what are they up against? The HDSB Director of Education gets staff to write a report to which is given to the elected Trustees recommending that a PAR be undertaken. Of the 19 options in the report staff recommended using Option #19 as starting point for discussions.  Burlington central High school was seen as being very close to the point where there are not enough students to justify keeping it open – parents think the numbers the board is using might be suspect. Option #19 recommends closing Burlington Central High School, and Pearson High School. Close BCHS; students west of Brant St redirected to Aldershot HS; students east of Brant St redirected to Nelson HS Close Pearson HS; students redirected to MM Robinson HS, including those in Late French Immersion program French Immersion eliminated from Dr Frank Hayden SS: FI students north of Upper Middle Rd redirected to MM Robinson HS New FI program started at Robert Bateman HS: FI students south of Upper Middle Rd attending Hayden SS redirected to Bateman HS; FI students east of Appleby Ln attending Nelson HS redirected to Bateman HS English program students south of Upper Middle Rd attending Hayden SS redirected to Bateman HS The parents at Central high school, with very strong support from their municipal councillor Marianne Meed Ward are opposed to closing their high school. The trustees were given the report on October 5th. On October 19th the trustees vote on whether to undertake a PAR. Assuming they do, a PAR Committee (PARC) Established on December 1st. That committee will include: Trustee from outside Burlington Once PARC is formed, municipal councillor or delegate is invited HDSB staff are available as resources from specific HDSB departments including (not limited to): School Programs, Special Education, Human Resources, and Planning. The goal the Central high school parents have set out for themselves is to participate fully in the Program & Accommodation Review, including HDSB Trustee meetings (Oct. 19 – vote on PAR; April 18 – public delegation meeting, May 3, May 17 – decision date) and public meetings (Dec. 8; March 2). Final report ready: March 29, 2017  Boiling all this down to the five key points is going to take a lot of work – the parents appeared to be up to the task if their first meeting is any indicator. Throughout the process they intend to make their case that Central high school should be kept open. They will be collecting their own data and evidence and first-hand knowledge and stories To build their case they are assigning different topics to research/write/present. The parents are very concerned about Walkability – their want their children to be able to walk to school. They are firm in their belief that much of the data the school board is using comes from outdated statistics; faulty enrolment projections, and a misunderstanding of downtown growth. They point to the problem in Alton where a band new high school was opened two years ago and is overenrolled due to multiple families living in the same household. The board staff weren’t aware that multiple families were living in the one house. The parents are suggesting that the data doesn’t always reflect reality on the ground. The impact on the feeder schools: Lakeshore, Tom Thompson, Central elementary is a concern. The audience was told that schools cannot be closed in what are defined as Urban Growth Centres in the Provincial Places to Grow plan, The audience was told that the staff report is thorough and that the focus of the report is on programs for students; heritage is on the list but it didn’t have much in the way of priority.  Former Burlington central High school principal Terry Rugg explained to parents what had to be done in 2000 when the board o education wanted to close the high school. The parents seemed to be focused on “community” and the role schools play in the creation of community. Central is the only school in the Region that is a K to graduation school – the parents don’t want to lose that feature of their community. Because it is an older school there are a lot of scholarships and bursaries attached to the school – what would happen to those were the high school to close? Admittedly, the school could use some upgrading – it is an old school and it needs some help – bu it certainly doesn’t need to disappear. In 1975 $100,000 was raised by the community to upgrade parts of the school. Data available to the parents’ points out that household income for the Central high school catchment area is the lowest in Burlington – how are those low income families going to handle the cost of transportation to Nelson or Aldershot? They point out that the report doesn’t offer anything in the way of a solution on what will happen to the grade 7 and 8 students should the high school be closed. This is going to be a very active story and one that is critical to what kind of a downtown core community the city is going to have – these parents are not going to sit still and lose their high school. There will be a web site with all the data and reports. The Gazette will let you know when it is up. There is a Facebook page with 1500+ people looking in.  Can the parents convince the Board of Education to keep the school open? The committee has collected $1750 of the 42500 target they gave – these funds will be used to print lawn signs and pay the rental fees for the space they use for their meetings. What the parents are going to have to watch very carefully is how the Board of Education chooses to interact with them. Tread carefully was the advice given to the meeting. Central High school is critical to the kind of downtown community the city has – there is a seperate high school a stones throw away. What doesn’t exist is a committee where the city and the board of Education meet to thresh out issues. Truth be told – the two organizations don’t get along all that well and tend not to cooperate very well.
There is a boisterous group of people that use the comments section of the Gazette fairly regularly. There are those that don’t yet understand civil discourse and tend towards comments we don’t publish. There are also those who make a significant contribution – one of those came in yesterday and we want to share it with a wider audience.
October 12, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
Over and above the dubious value of this entire project (the reconfiguration of the traffic lanes on New Street) is the unmistakable fact that it points to the differential input that various groups and organizations had into this project. Clearly, the overwhelming majority of ratepayers did not support this initiative and that was made obvious prior to the July vote. Despite this, the Mayor and most of Council went ahead and supported it anyway. The Cycling Committee and the folks from Share the Road wanted it, and their vocal support for this measure ensured its passage. The rest of the City now gets to live with the consequences, including a project that is badly designed, bike lanes that won’t be used six months of the year, and a communication process that is sadly lacking.  The original traffic lane configuration is on the left, the pilot project is shown on the right. The Cycling Committee is no longer a consultative or educational forum but rather, an advocacy group for cycling and cyclists. This raises bigger questions. 1) Where is the consultative forum in this City for pedestrians, or motorists, etc.? 2) Why is it that one group or one entity has a disproportionate input into the decision-making process? and 3) Where is the Committee to discuss the broader issue of traffic congestion in Burlington? Not only does the Cycling Committee have a Councillor attending their meetings (i.e. Jack Dennison), but they also have attendees from City Hall who seem hell bent on promoting bike lanes regardless of the expense or consequences. Read the Minutes of their meetings and it becomes evident that there is information shared with the Committee that the average citizen is not privy to. Fair? Hardly. As a taxpayer I bitterly resent subsidizing advocacy groups. Advocacy groups should not have exclusive, privileged or special access to decision makers, and clearly in this process they did. Education is one thing, advocacy is completely different. (N.B. Read the July 19th Minutes of the Cycling Committee (page 1) and the Chair is admonishing members not to indulge in advocacy). As part of the many changes at City Hall it’s time to seriously re-think consultative and advisory committees, and this is one group that should be disbanded post haste. Editor’s note: On the several occasions I have driven the stretch of New Street between Guelph Line and Walkers Line – there was very, very little traffic disruption – there was just the one cyclist seen during a rush hour. What the Gazette is seeing is a lot of comment from people who are unhappy about the pilot project and basically nothing from the city in the way of information. We must add that when a public meeting was held there were very few people at that meeting who were opposed to the pilot project.
October 11, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
The results of a two-day commercial vehicle (CMV) enforcement blitz held at the Mohawk Raceway in Milton on October 5-6, 2016 indicates that commercial motor vehicle operators, who travel on our roadways or through our region each day, need to be more diligent in complying to rules and regulations to ensure our roads are safe for all users.  Truck being inspected by police officer during a two day inspection blitz. Police Officers and Inspectors from seven police services and two provincial ministries yielded the following results: • Total CMV’s Inspected 470 In 2015, out of 472 inspected, 167 were taken out of service; a 35% failure rate. A total of 348 charges were laid in the 2015 blitz. Of the charges laid this year, the following is the top six offences: 1. Failure to complete annual inspection 88 “Results such as those achieved last week are a reminder of the need for continuous enforcement of commercial motor vehicle operators across the GTA and beyond. Given the transient nature of commercial vehicles, identifying an unsafe condition on a truck in Halton could just as likely prevent an injury or fatality in any City or Town where the involved vehicle travels. Commercial vehicle safety, and on a broader scale, the safety of all vehicles on our roadways, is everyone’s concern. Safer trucks equate to safer roads,” said Sgt. Ryan Snow, Traffic Services Unit. The CMV unit is currently planning a fall open house to continue to work with commercial vehicle operators to ensure our roads and highways in Halton Region are safe. Dates to be determined.
October 10th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
New Street is taking on mythological features – one of those things that happened and no one can really explain why. It seemed like a good idea at the time – then “things” got in the way. The Pier – that story is now part of the folk lore of the city – an expensive bit of our history. Now we are asking the same kind of questions about the “road diet” New Street was put on. The road diet is the lane pattern on the right. It was to be a pilot project to find out if cyclists would actually use a main thoroughfare and what reducing the number of lanes of vehicular traffic would have on the flow of cars. The price wasn’t bad – $210,000. It seemed like an idea worth pursuing. Then the different interests got into the game – the cyclists, who were well informed and well connected at city hall, kept putting out what appeared to be solid information. They were opposed by those who will enter the Pearly Gates behind the wheel of their cars. It was difficult to get a civil dialogue going and the city didn’t help. To the best of our knowledge they didn’t issue one media release. There is some information on the city web site where the statement is made that: “Currently, 60 cyclists a day use New Street between Guelph Line and Walkers Line.” That does not square with anecdotal evidence. To date there does not appear to be anything in the way of measuring equipment in place on New Street between Guelph Line and Walkers Line to determine if just what the flows of traffic are at different times of each day. The cyclists report that in a meeting they had with the city’s Transportation department there was detailed discussion about the technology to be used to measure traffic flows. But nothing in the way of a media release from the city. We then learn that parts of New Street are under repairs – something to do with grates in the road which apparently is going to limit usage by cyclists. What? Road construction is taking place while a pilot program is underway? Did one department not talk to another? New Street is a road managed by the Region. The people in Burlington’s Transportation department are in touch with the Region daily. James Ridge, the city manager, created a Leadership Team that meets once a week to go over what is being done and the status of the various projects. Every Director and Executive Director is reported to take part in those weekly meetings. A pretty good way to manage a city. Did someone in one of those Leadership Team meetings not mention that the Region was going to be doing some work in the gutters of New Street between Guelph Line and Walkers Line? Apparently not. Transparency and accountability fit into this scenario somewhere. When do we send in the clowns?
October 8th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
As I write this, hurricane Matthew has just pushed its toll of death and destruction, closing in on 900 killed in Haiti alone. The role of climate change in hurricanes is still being debated in the science community, but three factors make for a strong linkage. A warmer atmosphere means more humidity and more rain with the storms. Second, a higher sea level resulting from melting polar ice means flooding occurs more often and much further inland with each storm. And a warmer ocean has been associated with the creation of the storms.  More than 900 lives lost in Haiti alone as the result of Hurricane Matthew. Had the eye of this hurricane moved inland on the United States the devastation would have been record setting. At the least hurricanes have become more ferocious, do more damage and occur more frequently than when the earth was cooler. The other part of the science we don’t understand is how unstable, hurricanes, cyclones and tornadoes will be into the future as the planet continues to heat up. And then there are the other consequences: the northward migration of pests; losses of cold weather species such as the polar bear; longer periods of drought in some areas; and the propensity for even more raging wild fires, such as the one we witnessed at Fort McMurray last year.  Weather was a huge factor with the fire in Alberta this summer. Even before the fire had finished its rampage insurance claims in that northern Alberta town were totaling $6 billion . Another $2 billion was paid out by insurance companies following the massive flooding in Calgary only a few years earlier. And then there were climatic related events closer to home in Toronto and the flooding in Burlington. Hurricane Sandy cost over (US) $60 billion and Katrina a whopping $125 billion. That storm damage from Katrina cost the equivalent of the entire 2016 Ontario provincial budget of (Can) $134 billion. So Justin Trudeau this past week rose up in the House of Commons and in his best ‘pay me now or pay me later’ moment announced that he will impose a $10 per tonne carbon pricing levy in those provinces without such a scheme by 2018. Another $10 will be applied each year thereafter until the total is $50 per tonne by 2022.  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing a national carbon tax if the provinces do not create their own tax. The opposition wailed and railed, but the best they could do was demand Trudeau call it a tax, which it is – a carbon tax. But we pay a lot of different taxes and they’re not all bad. There are property taxes for municipal garbage removal and police and fire services and even income taxes go to make sure that even lower income Canadians can have access to health care, education and old age security. Besides, the provinces where the vast majority of Canadians live already have or are getting a carbon tax anyway. Quebec led the way back in 2007, with a carbon levy of $3.50 per tonne. B.C. followed suit and its tax is now $30. Alberta will be introducing one starting at $20 this year, in addition to an existing carbon pricing mechanism for the energy sectors. And Ontario’s new emission trading program will include an inherent carbon tax. B.C’s carbon tax amounts to about only seven cents at the pump. And – and that is the challenge.  Electric cars are one part of the solution to cutting back on the use of fossil fuels. The idea of a carbon tax is to change consumer behaviour by reducing their use of fossil fuels – forcing conservation through smaller cars, less driving, lower thermostats, etc. But if you want people to switch from their old daddy’s Caddy gas guzzler, they’ve already paid off, and buy a new Tesla EV (electric vehicle), the cost of gasoline has to rise significantly higher than seven cents. But if you make the tax too high, everyone will just get upset and vote for that other party next election. So there has to be a rationale for the carbon tax – beyond arbitrarily setting a price to get people out of their cars. And there is a rationale since we don’t pay the full price for the fossil fuels we use. They are implicitly subsidized. The real cost of a litre of gasoline should also include the clean up of tailing ponds at the oil sands, health and environmental deterioration from air pollution, the costs of clean up from leaking pipelines, impacts of exploding rail cars – and now the huge costs from climate change related disasters. But figuring out these external costs (since they are not in the price per litre) is a tricky proposition. So pay me $50 by 2022 is a good first approximation though we’ll still be paying more later. Trudeau has promised to return all the tax money collected to the pertinent jurisdictions so they can apply it to provincial programs, for example, assisting those with lower incomes, reducing other taxes, transitioning the economy to be less carbon intensive. Making the carbon taxation revenue neutral and not just a tax grab was a key aspect of B.C.s carbon tax. Alberta and Ontario also intend to use some of the revenue to transition their economies to a lower carbon intensity. It wasn’t that long ago that all the provinces agreed with the federal government on a strategy, which, in line with Mr. Trudeau’s election platform, called for the inclusion of carbon taxation. Still Saskatchewan and some Atlantic provincial delegates (NS and NL) walked out of a climate change meeting in protest almost immediately after Trudeau announced his mandatory carbon pricing policy.  A part of Canada’s Coat of Arms – From sea to sea A political cynic might call that grandstanding or just politics. Or perhaps there is genuine concern about a new tax being imposed in their jurisdiction, regardless that they get the proceeds. But it sure sounds like a pretty good deal to me – a common nation-wide carbon tax to level the economic playing field across the country. And the provinces get to keep the cash while the feds get the blame for it.
Background links: Climate Change and Hurricanes – Toronto/Alberta Disasters – Fort McMurray – Canada Ratifies Paris – Carbon Price – More Carbon Tax – Insurance for Climate Change – Even More Carbon Price – Even even more – Provinces and Climate Change – National Post on Carbon Tax –
October 8th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette asked Halton District school Board trustee Richelle Papin, ward 4, if she had made any plans to respond to the decision the board has made regarding the possible closing of the Lester B. Pearson high school? Papin’s response:  Halton District School Board trustee Richelle Papin. Trustees should not be responding to the recommended option the report acknowledged regarding the possible closing of the Lester B Pearson High School. I’m not sure if the question can be answered right now. The director has presented a report regarding bringing forward a Program and Accommodation Review for Secondary Schools in Burlington. Part of the report, Ministry, requirement, is that the report must include a recommended option. This is only one option which could very likely change after the PARC is completed. Due to low enrollment, underutilization in a number of Burlington secondary schools and the possibility of inequity in education for some secondary students, the director is recommending that the Halton District School Board undertake a Program and Accommodation Review (PAR). If the Board of Trustees approve the report, the Program and Accommodation Committee will begin the PAR. At this point, I need only respond to whether I agree that the report should be approved or not approved to begin the process. The trustees as a group will do that when we vote on Wednesday, October 19, 2016. The Gazette asked if Papin planned on organizing a public meeting. Her response:  Trustee Papin has not yet made any comment on what she thinks should happen to Lester B. B> Pearson high school nor has she commented on the views of parents in her ward. These may follow when she returns to Burlington from a short Thanksgiving vacation. The four Burlington trustees are planning a Super Council meeting for Monday, October 24, 2016 at the JWS office, Board Room for 7 pm to 8:15 pm. We will be meeting with the Director, some Superintendents, Principals and Secondary School representatives. The public is welcome. Papin was out of the country limiting communication. Parents in the downtown core concerned about the possible loss of Central High school have organized a meeting at Wellington Square United Church for Tuesday evening – October 11th at 7 pm.
October 8th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington and the Brantford Stamp Club have been persistent in their attempts to get a postage stamp issued that would commemorate the CF 105, better known as the– at least in Canada– famous “Avro Arrow”. Back in 2007 several Stamp Club members of the Grand River Valley Philatelic Association Clubs decided to approach Canada Post with the request – put the Arrow on a postage stamp. A letter was sent and we were given to understand that a twelve member Stamp Selection Committee recommended stamp subjects in any given year.  The official roll out of a Canadian war plane – described by many as the best aircraft of its times – better than anything the Americans had. It was shown to the public on the same day the Russians launched their first space craft. We were told the Director of Stamp Services for Canada Post would present our request to this committee. We are now nearing the end of 2016 and were just informed that the Avro Arrow again did not make the list for the 2017 stamp selections. Can you honestly see a group of twelve Canadians (they do change them around every 3 years) consistently refusing to select the Arrow, but selecting ghost houses and Zambonis for stamps? Some of our group had a theory about the influence of the governing party during that period and there may be some grain of truth there. After all, it was John Diefenbaker who swung the axe. We are told that the government does not influence the decisions made by the Canada Post committee.  In its day the Avro Corporation was a leader in the field of aviation development with a very proud history. The cancellation of the arrow put them out of business. In our Burlington Stamp Club we have a number of members who had friends and relatives working on the Arrow at A.V. Roe in Malton and have a strong interest in seeing a Canadian stamp issued, commemorating this wonderful aircraft. Just recently that the Arrow had most of the capabilities the new F-35 replacement for the old CF-18, will have if they ever reach production at a reasonable price These Burlington stamp club members are part of a wider group of philatelists Included in the Grand Valley Philatelic Association, who have been urging Canada Post for the last 10 years, getting just a slight sign of even a sympathetic ear, to produce/issue such a stamp. The Canadian Mint produced a $ 20.00 Silver, commemorative coin in 1996, without any political ramifications, making it even more difficult to understand the reluctance of the all-powerful Stamp Selection Committee.  The Mint issued a commemorative coin – the stamp collectors feel they deserve equal treatment. During the 10 year period, 2007 to 2017, the Stamp Selection Advisory Committee apparently have not even placed this Masterpiece of Canadian Ingenuity on the “Short List” for consideration. This in spite of numerous letters and communications to the Chairperson of the Committee and the Director, Stamp Services, Canada Post, the Arrow again not even make the short list for that year. 2017 will be the 60th Anniversary of the Memorable Roll-Out of the Avro Arrow. Another missed opportunity. Presumably we are featuring more haunted Houses for the yearly selection of hundreds of topics by the Selection Committee.  The Arrow preparing to land at what was then called the Malton airport. The Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow was a delta-winged interceptor aircraft designed and built by Avro Canada. The Arrow is considered to have been an advanced technical and aerodynamic achievement for the Canadian aviation industry. The CF-105 (Mark 2) held the promise of near-Mach 2 speeds at altitudes of 50,000 feet (15,000 m) and was intended to serve as the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) primary interceptor in the 1960s and beyond. The Arrow was the culmination of a series of design studies begun in 1953 examining improved versions of the Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck. After considerable study, the RCAF selected a dramatically more powerful design, and serious development began in March 1955. Intended to be built directly from the production line, skipping the traditional hand-built prototype phase. Flight testing began with RL-201 on 25 March 1958, and the design quickly demonstrated excellent handling and overall performance, reaching Mach 1.9 in level flight. Powered by the Pratt & Whitney J75, another three Mk. 1s were completed, RL-202 through -204. The lighter and more powerful Orenda Iroquois engine was soon ready for testing, and the first Mk.II with the Iroquois, RL-206, was ready for taxi testing in preparation for flight and acceptance tests by RCAF pilots by early 1959.  There were three Avro Arrows in production before the government canceled the program and ordered that the aircraft and the tools be destroyed. It was a major political upheaval at the time. On 20 February 1959, the development of the Arrow (and its Iroquois engines) was abruptly halted before the project review had taken place. Two months later, the assembly line, tooling, plans and existing airframes and engines were ordered to be destroyed. The cancellation was the topic of considerable political controversy at the time, and the subsequent destruction of the aircraft in production remains a topic for debate among historians and industry pundits. This action effectively put Avro out of business and its highly skilled engineering and production personnel scattered – many ended up working on the American space program. The stamp collectors believe this part of our aviation history should be celebrated with a postage stamp. Portions of this article were copied from other sources.
October 8th, 2106 BURLINGTON, ON
There are people in Burlington who don’t know just where the Freeman Station is now located – it’s right beside the Fire Station HQ on Plains Road – and last Saturday more than 800 people toured the station – it was the first time since 1988 this historic building was open to the public The Grand Trunk Railway station first opened in 1906 and was the spot on the railway line where fruit and farm produce was shipped out of Burlington to locations around the world.  It took years but the Freeman Station finally found a home – now it needs the last piece of its funding to complete the restoration. The station has had at times a tortured history – it was saved from the wrecking ball when a group of citizens refused to let their city council sell what was left of the building for kindling. It got moved from its original location when the space was needed for railway track expansion and was parked beside the fire station until a real home could be found. That real home turned out to be yards away from the fire station. A group of dedicated volunteers has worked for the past two years on making the space presentable for visitors. They welcome anyone who wants to take part in the rehabilitation of this historic structure.  Station gets moved to its new home and is prepared for the concrete basement that will be poured beneath it. They have set a very high barrier for themselves – the Grand Re-Opening of the station July 1st, 2017 – the day Canada celebrates is sesquicentennial – our 150th birthday. If anyone can make this happen – it will be the crew that shows up regularly to nail down, sand and paint the planks and walls that have been restored. They are about $250,000 shy of the budget they need to complete this work. The time has come for city council to put a sum of money into the 2017 budget so these people can complete the job they started back in 2011. The day the Friends of Freeman Station saved it from the wrecking ball.
October 8, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
If you live close to one of the parks listed below and have children that want a real Canadian experience – listen up. There is an opportunity to get out of the house at night and do something only real Canadians get to do – and that is water an outdoor rink and freeze your buns at the same time.
• Brant Hills Park (2 rinks possible) Residents can suggest other park locations provided the site is suitable and they are willing to take on the water supply at their own expense. The city is encouraging neighbours to come together this winter to maintain a natural outdoor ice rink in their local park. Applications for the Neighbourhood Rink program are available now on www.burlington.ca/neighbourhoodrink. Here is how the program works City staff will then install rink boards in each requested park. As the colder weather arrives, each neighbourhood group will flood the rinks to get them ready for a first skate. Groups looking to organize a neighbourhood rink will need a minimum of six people from their community to maintain the rink. Applications are due by Nov. 1, 2016. For more information, visit www.burlington.ca/neighbourhoodrink, email skating@burlington.ca or call 905-335-7600, ext. 6454.
October 7th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Region Health Department received test results from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on October 4 confirming a case of rabies in a raccoon found in Burlington. The Health Department is reminding residents to avoid all contact with raccoons and other wild animals. Rabies is a viral disease that causes severe damage to the brain and spinal cord, and if untreated before symptoms appear will lead to death. The virus is spread through the saliva of an infected animal, usually entering through a bite or scratch.  This raccoon is infected with rabies. “Anyone who comes in physical contact with a raccoon or other wild animal should see a physician immediately and contact the Health Department by dialing 311,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Medical Officer of Health for Halton Region. “After someone is exposed to rabies, timely use of the rabies vaccine can prevent the rabies illness. The rabies vaccine is extremely effective if it is administered before any symptoms occur.” There are a number of things you can do to protect your family and pets: • Make sure your pet’s rabies vaccinations are up to date. For more information on rabies, call the Halton Region Health Department by dialing 311 or visit halton.ca/rabies.
October 7th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Service has laid two Highway Traffic Act charges against the driver involved in Wednesday’s single motor vehicle collision involving a pig truck in Burlington. The 25 year-old male from Brunner, Ontario faces one count of Careless Driving and one administrative-related charge. Pigs being let out of a truck that had rolled over at the intersection of Harvester Road and Appleby Line earlier this week. Witnesses to the collision who have not yet provided statements to police are asked to contact the 3 District Uniform Staff Sergeant at 905-825-4747 ext. 2310. Hours after the truck rolled over a large group of demonstrators had descended on the location. The police had to cut a hole into the side of the truck for the pigs to get out and for a period of time there was considerable chaos while the pig were rounded up and then, according to people at the site, were walked to the slaughterhouse. It was not a pretty picture. Of the reported 180 pigs in the truck 40 are reported to have died. Anita Krajnc under arrest at demonstration. Anita KRAJNC, 49, of Toronto was arrested and charged with Obstruct Police and Breach of Recognizance in connection with this morning’s incident. KRAJNC was released on a Promise to Appear in Court. Krajnc is facing a criminal charge of mischief, a trial that is scheduled to last 5 days – Krajnc has been in a courtroom for three days so far.
October 6, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
The city is encouraging neighbours to come together this winter to maintain a natural outdoor ice rink in their local park. Applications for the Neighbourhood Rink program are available now on www.burlington.ca/neighbourhoodrink.
Nice quote – what the media release didn’t do was tell anyone which parks people can put a natural ice rink in. Sort of fundamental – you’d think. The Gazette will dig that out for you. Here is how the program works City staff will then install rink boards in each requested park. As the colder weather arrives, each neighbourhood group will flood the rinks to get them ready for a first skate. Groups looking to organize a neighbourhood rink will need a minimum of six people from their community to maintain the rink. Applications are due by Nov. 1, 2016. For more information, visit www.burlington.ca/neighbourhoodrink, email skating@burlington.ca or call 905-335-7600, ext. 6454.
October 6th, 2016 BURLINGTON, ON
Has the creation and declaration of Proclamations by the Mayor gotten out of hand? At the city Council meeting last Monday the mayor issued 20 proclamations and Declared that a specific day was being named as the day to celebrate whatever was being celebrated. Eight of the proclamations were for events that had already passed. Are these proclamations not “photo-ops” – part of the process of keeping your name before the public? Should politicians not be known, recognized and rewarded for the quality of the work they do?  They had every reason to be smiling. Councillors Meed Ward and Lancaster pose with five members of the Friends of Freeman Station after the Council meeting that approved the entering into of a Joint Venture that would have the Friends moving the station and taking on the task of renovating the building. Councillors Marianne Meed Ward and Blair Lancaster don’t do coffee all that often but they deserve gallons of credit for the way they joined forces and made sure that the Freeman station for to stay alive. They made that happen. Here is what our Mayor read out at Council Monday evening. You decide.  The effort to create a bigger sense of compassion for each other is noble and is certainly worth proclaiming. Terry Fox Day – September 18, 2016
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To a considerable degree the group of parents working to ensure that the Burlington Central High school is kept open are working on the fly. They are nimble, quick to spot the changes that have to be made and, if you ever wanted to see what collaboration is all about – sit in on a couple of their meetings.
Ray Rivers is an economist and author who writes weekly on federal and provincial issues, applying his 25 years of involvement with federal and provincial ministries. Rivers’ involvement in city matters led to his appointment as founding chair of Burlington’s Sustainable Development Committee. He was also a candidate in a past provincial election.
The 10 city parks that have a water supply suitable for winter watering:
