 By Pepper Parr
December 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
She did it differently from the very beginning.
For Marianne Meed Ward, connecting with the people she had chosen to represent was her prime focus. Her style was to listen and to be aware of what was happening in her community. Many assume that is why we elect politicians – comments from Gazette readers suggest that does not always happen.
Meed Ward created what was loosely called a ‘ward council’ soon after she was first elected to represent ward 2 at city hall and gave the thirty to forty people who showed up at the regular meetings work to do.
 Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward has identified 15 different communities in her ward and is looking for people to liaise with her on what’s happening in each community. Participating democracy was the approach she used and it worked. For many her supporters are a fan club. During the swearing in ceremony at the Performing Arts Centre for her second term of office the applause from the audience was significant – it came very close to being a standing ovation. No one else got that kind of applause.
Meed Ward has taken the ‘getting right into the community’ a couple of steps further when she announced the creation of Community Liason committes.. She has mapped ward 2 into 15 different communities and is asking for people who want to volunteer to be her eyes and ears in each of those communities.
Meed Ward said: “Residents are the eyes and ears of your community; you know your neighbours and are often the first to learn of issues or opportunities in your area. I’d like to stay in the loop of activities in each neighbourhood in my Ward. So I’m working on creating a Community Liaison committee and am looking for volunteers.
 Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward at an event with Mayor Rick Golding at the opening of a plaque on the waterfront. She added: “We’ve identified 15 distinct neighbourhoods in Ward 2. I’m looking for at least one point person for each area to serve as a Community Liaison, to assist me in sharing information from my office to the neighbourhood and vice versa. Once or twice a year, I’ll convene a meeting of the Community Liaisons to share issues and learn from each other. The idea is that this group would replace the less formal Citizens Advisory Committee from the previous term of council.
“I will be gathering all interested Community Liaisons together to share more information about the role and ask for your ideas. The meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 20, 2016, 7:00 p.m. at the Salvation Army, 2090 Prospect St.
This is a new initiative and Meed Ward wants input and ideas from the volunteers involved. If you are you interested in being a Community Liaison contact Meed Ward’s assistant, Georgie at Gartside@burlington.ca, and plan to attend on January 20.
 By Staff
December 18, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Children at local elementary schools were challenged with designing an engaging poster around the theme of the RBC Blue Water Project. Launched in 2007, the RBC Blue Water Project is a 10-year global charitable commitment of $50 million to help provide access to drinkable, swimmable, fishable water, now and for future generations.
RBC and Art Gallery of Burlington teamed up to spread awareness of this project while instilling values of environmentalism and creativity in our future generation.
 “We all know that a picture can tell a thousand words and then some. At RBC, we believe in the power of art to enrich our lives and enhance our communities. We are proud to support the Art Gallery of Burlington and the RBC Children’s Exhibition which encourages students to explore their creativity through visual art,” stated John Lever, Regional Vice President of RBC Halton South.
There were 119 entries; all from Catholic schools.
RBC announced the winners of the environmental-themed children’s art contest at the Art Gallery of Burlington earlier this week. The winners of what the bank calls it’s Leo’s favorite” award were:
Grade 8 – Holy Name of Mary School – (group ) Ariana, Giuliana, Kasia, Natalie & Renata
Grade 6 – St. Gabriel School – Candice
Grade 2 – St Mark School – Lilyanna
All the artwork is on display at the AGB until December 23rd. The event was a curated Kids’ Exhibition
RBC will also be making a donation to the Environmental Charity of choice for the winning participants.
The winners were each awarded with a bag of art supplies from the Art Gallery of Burlington. Additionally, each of the three schools will receive an in-class art instruction from one of our educators.
By Staff
December 18th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The students at Brookville Public School will have been told that the Police Service dog (PSD) they named Arrow earlier this year will be on active duty on Monday.
The public first saw Arrow as a cute puppy recruit who needed a name. In June 2015, all elementary schools in the Region of Halton were asked to participate in a name the dog contest. Brookville Public School was the winner in offering the name “Arrow”.
 Police Service Dog Arrow goes on duty next week. PSD Arrow, a pure Belgian Malinois, was born December 30, 2012 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the United States. He immigrated to Canada through a breeder in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario. His father is an active Police Service Dog serving with the Baton Rouge Police Department and his mother is a high ranking sport dog. Constable Kyle Gibson is PSD Arrow’s handler.
Arrow is a “Bark and Hold” trained dog like the rest of the canine team. As a general patrol dog, he is trained to perform the following disciplines; tracking, open area, building, articles, obedience, apprehension, handler protection, and agility. PSD Arrow is also crossed trained in narcotics detection. He has proven himself to be fast, agile and intense.
 Police Service Dog Arrow – in his early training days. Cst. Gibson has been training with PSD Arrow since September 2015 on the basic handler’s course. They have achieved certification and have successfully completed the course. PSD Arrow’s first shift is Monday December 21, 2015. The addition of this team will take the active Canine team compliment of dogs and handlers to six.
The Regional Police are anticipating the retirement of PSD Tracker.
Another new recruit, PSD Jax, is working hard to join the team.
 Jax, a new police service dog will be will be cross trained in narcotics when he matures. PSD Jax was born November 5, 2014 in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario. His father is a Belgian Malinois, and his mother is German Shepherd. Jax is big, strong and only 13 months old.
PSD Jax will be utilized for General Patrol, and will be cross trained in narcotics when he matures. Like father like son; PSD Jax’s father is a General Patrol Dog employed with the Niagara Regional Police.
Please Welcome Our Two New Canine Team Members, Police Service Dog Arrow and Police Service Dog Jax.
When Arrow first became a police service dog.
 City hall doesn’t shut down for the holidays until next week but Mayor Goldring clearly wants to get a word out to those people who are packing bags and heading for the airport for the holiday season. Many are looking for snow. In what might become an annual thing Mayor Goldring sends Seasonal Greetings to the people he represents in the best mid-sized city in Canada.
December 18th, 2015
By Mayor Rick Goldring.
Burlington, Ontario
“With the arrival of the holiday season, I am reminded of everything we have to be grateful for in Burlington” he said.
“We live in a city that is rich in environmental beauty, from the Niagara Escarpment to Lake Ontario. These areas offer an opportunity to connect with and appreciate nature.
“Burlington is also a city that brings people together. This season, residents can skate at Rotary Centennial Pond, visit the spectacle at the Burlington Festival of Lights or enjoy a walk along one of our trails. These are times to come together with friends, old and new, and celebrate the season.
 Mayor Rick Goldring “We are an inclusive city, where diversity is embraced and celebrated. We can also be proud of being a safe community. Thank you to those who put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve.
“Among our many assets are our residents, who with caring and compassion, give back to Burlington. “I encourage you to take a moment during the busyness of the season to reflect on what you are thankful for – your family, your health, your neighbours and your community.
“I also ask you to assist, if you can, those who may need a helping hand. There are many organizations across our city that help individuals and families of all ages and backgrounds not only during the holiday season, but year round.
“On behalf of Burlington City Council, as well as the Goldring family, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and wonderful holiday season.”
 By Staff
December 18th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
This is the 35th time the Gazette has published a “Fugitive Friday” feature based on information provided by the Regional Police which they use to reach out to the public to help locate wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions.
Every Friday, the Burlington Offender Management Unit has shared information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual. The police also share “Fugitive Friday” information on their website and via social media through Twitter @HRPSBurl and @HaltonPolice.
This is the last edition of Fugitive Friday for 2015.
 The Burlington Offender Management Unit is searching for Kerry Lee HENWOOD, 54 years old of Hamilton ON.
In November 2015, the accused attended Joseph Brant Hospital and stole employee’s wallets while they worked. He went to various stores and made a number of purchases with the victim’s credit and debit cards. Investigation revealed the identity of the thief and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
To date this career criminal has managed to amass 87 convictions for various offences including; Thefts, Frauds, Break and Enter, Assault with a Weapon, Fail to Comply
Probation and Fail to Attend Court.
He is wanted by Halton Regional Police for:
Theft under $5000 x 3
Use of Credit Card x 7
HENWOOD is also wanted by Hamilton Police Service for:
Fraud under $5000 x 7
Theft under $5000
Possession under $5000
HENWOOD is described as 5’5”, 140 lbs with grey hair and blue eyes. He has numerous tattoos – Right upper arm – “Tasmanian Devil”, Left forearm – skull, Left upper arm – “Devil”. HENWOOD is known to frequent the areas of Hamilton, Burlington, Brampton, Toronto and surrounding areas.
Anyone who may have witnessed this person or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are encouraged to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
News report on the theft of personal property at the hospital.
 By Ray Rivers
December 18th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There are only a few days left to buy something to put under the tree for my wife. But what I really need is another car. My beloved decade-old Prius has found a new home with my daughter. I bought the car after reading “The Weather Makers” by Australian paleontologist and climate scientist, Tim Flannery. He was so persuasive I even wrote a song about him.
 A Prius – best car Rivers ever bought – he’s in the market for a new one. According to Flannery the single best thing we can do to reduce our carbon footprint is stop driving gas guzzlers. So, I bought a hybrid. And after 200,000 kms at 4.9 l/100 kms (60 mpg), I figure half of my mileage (100,000 kms) was virtually costless and free from emissions, when compared to a conventional auto.
Last week almost 200 national leaders signed up to the Paris (climate) Agreement. But that was the easy part. We’ve been this road before with the Kyoto Protocol, back in 1997, only to find a change in politics killed the deal. Climate deniers GW Bush and our own Stephen Harper did their best to scuttle any attempts at restraining global warming.
And thanks in some small part to them, 2015 will be the warmest year on record. Greenland’s vast glaciers are now melting twice as fast as predicted by climate scientists. And that means that rising sea levels combined with declining polar ice packs will shift the earth’s mass towards the equator slowing down the planet’s rotation and shifting it on its axis – scary stuff.
 Ice fields in Greenland melting faster than anyone predicted – water flows towards the equator impacting the way the earth rotates – and some still don’t see climate change as a problem. Mr. Trudeau has committed to meet with the premiers and come up with a feasible plan of action early in the New Year. A major component of any plan will be a smorgasbord of carrots and sticks to help Canadians get out of old habits. For example, since almost half of all Canadian homes are heated with natural gas, we should expect some financial help with home insulation and alternate heating. And a carbon tax on heating fuels would make sense to help fund these kinds of incentives.
Transportation accounts for about a third of our greenhouse gas emissions and the private motor car makes up about half of that, so expect more incentives to get us onto the new public transportation they keep promising, and into more efficient automobiles. Ontario already offers rebates of up to $8500 for full battery-electric vehicles (BEV) and $5000 for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHV). But the uptake hasn’t been huge and good luck trying to find them at the car dealer. And even better luck finding a salesperson who knows anything about electric vehicles (EV), PHVs or even hybrids – or understands why you should buy one.
 Get used to see more signs like this – Mayor has one where he normally parks his car. But that’s pretty much it – the rest is stuff we individuals can’t do. The oil sands will require a massive clean-up one way or the other, given where oil prices are going. Some provinces in the prairies and Maritimes will need help converting their electricity generation, as Ontario did recently. Then there is the need for increased reforestation and the development of green technologies.
Fighting wars requires massive amounts of energy and results in all kinds of emission releases, especially when oil-tank cars are being hit by bombs. Yet there has been no discussion of finding better ways to resolve conflicts among nations – especially as the world enters a new era of global tension.
International trade, well that is all about moving goods great distances and burning lots of fuel. It is pure hypocrisy when governments which support more free trade simultaneously sponsor those buy-local campaigns. And speaking of goods transport, trucks now release almost as much greenhouse gas emissions as cars. There was a time when most goods were transported around the country efficiently by rail. Today the rail cars are all busy carrying oil to refineries so it can be burned by the trucks which have now replaced them.
Some folks are saying we need to change the foods we eat as well. According to one researcher lettuce has a greater GHG footprint than pork production. But I don’t believe it. Still other researchers claim that meat production accounts for 15% of all GHG emissions. To that end New Zealand has implemented a cow ‘fart tax’. And beef is the worst of the meats apparently, being labelled the ‘SUV of food’. Which gets us back to motor vehicles.
 Gas was cheap and the highways were seldom clogged – the drivers felt like Kings – those were the days! I confess that I have always been a car buff. I was just a tadpole when my dad brought home a new Plymouth with those monstrous fins. He wintered his beautiful baby in our barn and I’d occasionally climb in behind the odd-shaped steering wheel and stare at the push button transmission, pretending I was actually driving the big V8 powered behemoth.
My dream car today is the Tesla, named after Nikola Tesla the brilliant Serbian inventor. The car was developed by Elon Musk, a Canadian/American South African guy who invented PayPal and runs Space X as well. A friend of mine has one of these electrically powered beauties and it can go over 300 kms on a charge and move like a cat on catnip. But it costs a bomb and is the only EV with the kind of range I’d be comfortable with, given where I live.
So, unless my publisher pays me a lot more money to write these columns, I’d have to sell my farm and move to the city in order to be able to afford one. But if I did that, one of those more modest EV would do the job – or I could just use environmentally friendly public transportation instead. I hope you’re having better luck with your Christmas shopping than I am.
 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 where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. Rivers is no longer active politically.
Background links
Cool Video Tim Flannery Flannery Song Paris Agreement
Ignorant Car Dealers Tesla What People Can Do The Hard Work Begins
Earth Slowing Down Electric VehiclesRoad Transport
Trade and Climate Household Energy Use Unattainable
Cow Farts Electric Vehicles EV Rebates
Meat is the New SUV
Car and Truck Emissions Greenland Melting Lettuce Causes Climate Change
 By Pepper Parr
December 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Major and surprising shake up at Conservation Halton – a leadership change was announced by the Board who appointed Hassaan Basit as General Manager, replacing Ken Phillips, who served as Chief Administrative Officer for just over nine years.
 The Conservation Authority has been around for 60 years – new leadership is being sought to adjust to the changes taking place in how these Authorities operate and the role they play in the development of the Region. The recruitment of a new CAO is anticipated to be completed at the end of June.
Hassaan Basit, was the Director of Strategic Planning & Communication for the Conservation Authority.
“Decisions like these are difficult but it has become necessary for Conservation Halton to look ahead and change our approach in order to ensure that we are able to reach our goals and grow as an organization.” said John Vice, Chair of Conservation Halton. “This will require a defined strategic plan, more efficient, effective operations, strong financial foundation, trust and accountability, and a willingness to invest in innovations.” continued John Vice.
“Transitions can be tough, especially when an organization is going through some turbulence. However Conservation Halton is a resilient organization, staffed by professionals who are focused on their jobs. We are about to enter our 60th year as a community-based conservation authority, and underpinning our new strategic plan will be the core of what we do and have done for decades at Conservation Halton: providing sustainable, quality conservation programs and services to watershed residents and visitors.” said Hassaan Basit, now the General Manager of Conservation Halton.
“As the strategic plan is developed and implemented, the next six months will be nothing short of a transformation for Conservation Halton, and the Board of Directors has absolute confidence in Hassaan as the new General Manager.” added John Vice.
 Hassaan Basit appointed as General Manager of Conservation Halton while the Board searches for a new CAO. Is Basit a candidate for that job? A biologist at the University of Toronto early in his career, Hassaan Basit has been with Conservation Halton for 12 years, starting out as Communications Specialist, before moving to Community Engagement and then Director of Communications. His latest role as Director of Strategic Planning has demonstrated his commitment and skill in engaging staff, asking tough questions, building consensus and moving forward in a focused, strategic direction. He also served as acting Director of Lands, which has allowed him a thorough understanding of Conservation Halton from a conservation, regulation, and operations perspective. In addition to his experience at a senior leadership level, his academic qualifications include a B.Sc in Biology from the University of Toronto, M.Sc from Queen’s University of Belfast, and Masters Cert. in Business Administration from the Schulich School of Business.
Basit commentd that the board has to review the job description, form a hiring committee, retain an executive search firm, advertise for at least a month, and then go through the interviews which will likely be late spring.
Basit added that: “The other is that there is a very critical strategic planning process under way at the moment at Conservation Halton, which is going to not just formulate a new set of priorities for the organization but also needs to take a deeper look at current barriers to executing strategic priorities and address those.
“It turns in to a bit of a review of what we do at CH, why we do it, should we continue to do it, and how should we do it in the future. All this requires some time, if we are to move forward as an organization that offers a clear set of programs and services that are sustainable and add value to our stakeholders and to the conservation needs of the watershed. The Board would like this work to continue unhindered, which probably gets us to June again. A steady hand at the tiller if you will.”
By Staff
December 17, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau is currently investigating a suspicious fire that occurred at 606 Artreva Court in the City of Burlington on Saturday December 5,2015
 Halton Police received a call to attend the residence as it appeared there had been a fire inside the home that was no longer active. The fire appeared to have originated in the basement crawl space. Flame marks and black soot damaged the living room area on the first floor.
The owners of the residence had moved out by noon on Friday December 4, 2015 and the damage was observed by a neighbour who attended to clean the home at 1:00pm Saturday on December 5, 2015.
The Ontario Fire Marshall’s Officer attended and determined the cause of the fire was criminal in nature.
Halton Regional Police are appealing to the public for any information that may assist with the investigation as it may lead to identifying the culprit in this crime. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Detective Constable Mallinson of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 ext 2334 or anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Pepper Parr
December 17th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Flu season – time to get your flu shot which is now a lot easier. Many pharmacies in the city offer the service. I got my flu shot at the supermarket – took just a few minutes – no line up, no appointment necessary.
 James Morrison, Walmart pharmacist give Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon her flu shot Burlington’s Member of the provincial legislature, Eleanor McMahon, got her flu shot at Walmart yesterday – took it like the trooper she is.
James Morrison, pharmacist manager for Walmart said they have given about 250 shots “basically the same number as last year”. The government pays Walmart $7.50 for each shot they administer.
 Waiting for the flu shot. “We have been doing both nasally applied flu shot and those given by needle said Morrison.
The Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association surveyed people who got their flu shots at local pharmacy – the 1,610 people surveyed said that for the most part they were happy with getting this kind of service at a local pharmacy.
By Staff
December 16, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halloween contest worked very very well – so it made sense to use the same approach to getting reader attention to run a Christmas house decoration contest.
Even a quick drive around the community will tell you there is plenty to choose from.
 Leslie Bullock Leslie Bullock, a Realtor who has served the city for several decades – she also served as a city councillor when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor, has always come up with imaginative ways to involve the community.
She asks: “Do your neighbours compare your house to the Griswold’s at Christmas time? Or do you prefer to take tips from Martha Stewart?
“Either way, I would like you to capture your snowmen, reindeer, lights and the rest of your (exterior) holiday decorations in photos and send them to us! Get creative, take your best pictures and upload them to our Facebook page.
 To enter, simply post your photos, no more than three please, to our 2015 Christmas Contest photo album. You must then send us a Message via Facebook that includes your name, address, email and phone number so we can contact you if you’re one of our winners.
All entries must be submitted no later than 11:59pm on Friday Dec. 25th. This contest is open to all residents of Aldershot and the city of Burlington.
The top five entries will be selected by our team and posted to our Aldershot Facebook page by Monday Dec. 28th. Visitors can then vote for their favourite home on our
Facebook page by sending us an Inbox message noting the address of your selection. Voting will run until Friday Jan. 1st at 11:59pm, with the winners being announced by Monday Jan. 4th. The Facebook page is HERE
Prizes: First Prize: A full-year Family Membership to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Aldershot (value = $115), compliments of the RBG
Second Prize: A $50 gift card from Mapleview Mall in Burlington
Enter today and share the most festive images of your home all decked out for the season. Remember, the entry deadline is Christmas Day, December, 25th.
Privacy Policy: We understand that your personal information is very important to you. We at Team Leslie Bullock won’t use, share or sell your personal information to anyone. Nor will your personal information be posted to our Facebook page and photo albums – we will only mention your street name on the page. This information will be used strictly to administer this contest and to inform all winners if and when they are selected.
 By Pepper Parr
December 16th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is that time of year when the eggnog is there to be ladled into a cup and the conversation is genial. You use the occasion to get caught up on the gossip and who is doing what.
If the get together has even three or four people who work at city hall then there is going to be some mention of how things are going with city council and the changes that are taking place in the senior staff ranks.
 Will the chain of office be part of Rick Goldring’s wardrobe in 2018 “The Mayor’s office is a mess” said one imbiber, – “the Strategic Plan will get completed – no one is prepared to say exactly when” added another.
A really interesting comment came from a rather athletic male who wanted to huddle in the corner and talk about the “slate of candidates” he and some colleagues were trying to put together to clean out the current city council.
The current council has completed a quarter of its term of office – people who follow politics (some of one crowd I spent time with live politics) ask who is likely to run for office next time around?
Are Councillors Dennison and Taylor nearing the end of their political careers?
What has ward six Councillor Blair Lancaster got her eye on?
Will the public look at Councillor Sharman any differently now that the discussion of the Lakeside Village Plaza has actually begun to take place?
Do the plans ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward have to reach for the brass ring still alive?
Will Rick Goldring go for a third term as Mayor? Not with the mess that office is in. If not Goldring and if Meed Ward is beginning to look iffy – who?
“Pepper”, said my host who seemed to have had his share of the eggnog – “you aren’t looking beyond all the people in the play pen now.”
A quizzical look must have appeared on my face because my host asked if I knew what Mike Wallace was doing these days?
 Wallace conceding to Karina Gould October 19th, 2015 Really I thought – Wallace? Is there any potential there?
Mike Wallace was a council member that many saw as the heir apparent when MacIsaac moved on – however Cam Jackson, who was basically shown the door at Queen’s Park decided he could become a Mayor and the resident’s voted for him.
Mike Wallace had finally beaten Torsney and won a ticket to Ottawa, courtesy of the shellacking the Liberals took over the Sponsorship scandal.
The time line that had former Burlington MP Paddy Torsney beating Wallace in one election then losing to him in another when the Sponship scandal killed the federal Liberals is full of twists and turns. Torsney is now at the United nations
Many thought Wallace was a potential city Mayor – that didn’t work out – he went to Ottawa instead but then got beat by Karina Gould who is now the Burlington MP
 Mike Wallace preparing to deliver a speech. Wallace served the city well while he was the MP. He brought a lot of bacon to the city and put in the hours that were needed.
He may not have done all that much as a legislator and he did soil his copy book with hi shenanigans over that Justice Committee mess – but Wallace did deliver. He knew how to get cheques sent to the city treasurer and numerous organizations in the city.
Mike back at city hall – huh! Possible? Most certainly.
Wallace didn’t personally lose his federal seat. The Burlington New Democrats failed to cast their ballots the way the usually did and Wallace had a Prime Minister who had taken on an odious bent.
Karina Gould ran a solid campaign and while it is way too early to suggest that she couldn’t be beat next time around, she is looking pretty good. Wallace is smart enough to know that she is going to warm the Burlington seat for at least two terms unless Justin Trudeau really blows it.
 Close up – Burlington’s MP Mike Wallace looks closely at a piece of art at the Art Centre. Politics tends to find a balance, an equilibrium. All the seats in and around Burlington are pained a bright Liberal red – the public likes to see at least a bit of a balance.
Mike Wallace never made us famous but he never embarrassed us either. He also has a very smart and capable spouse. Expect to see Mike at a number of events during the next couple of years getting his picture in the paper and keeping the profile fresh.
By Staff
December 15th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The month of December is a time of holiday parties, work get-togethers, and family celebrations. Most events include the consumption of alcohol. The Halton Regional Police are well aware and ready to ensure people make the right decision through education and prevention or pay the price of being arrested for impaired driving.
 Regional police doing RIDE checks – four arrested in Burlington so far this season. The first week of our Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (R.I.D.E.) spot checks ran from Sunday December 6, 2015 to Sunday December 13, 2015. Over 3500 cars were stopped in R.I.D.E. checks. 11 impaired driving arrests were made throughout the Region.
Milton/Halton Hills: 6
Oakville: 1
Burlington: 4
On Thursday December 10, 2015, just before 7:00am, a woman drove herself to the Georgetown District Hospital to get medical attention for an injured finger. After being release four hours later, and ignoring the physician’s advice to not drive as she appeared to be intoxicated, police located her in her vehicle in the parking lot of the hospital. A 50-year-old woman from Halton Hills has been arrested and charged with care or control over 80 mgs.
On Saturday December 12, 2015 at 10:00pm, Milton officers were conducting R.I.D.E. checks on Main Street in the Town of Milton. A vehicle was stopped and police detected a strong odor of fresh marihuana coming from the vehicle. In addition to a small package of marihuana concealed on his person, a further investigation revealed a large duffle bag with 202 grams of marihuana and a significant amount of cash. A 20-year-old man from Milton was arrested and charged with possession for the purpose. A good example that RIDE stops don’t only catch impaired drivers.
On Saturday December 12, 2015 at 4:40 pm, a motorist and his 13-year-old son were driving westbound on Dundas Street near Sixth Line in the Town of Oakville. The motorist observed a white Dodge Ram that was also driving westbound, swerving in and out of the westbound lanes. After narrowly missing the motorist’s car several times, the Ram truck accelerated quickly and attempted to change lanes, ultimately colliding with the vehicle occupied by the father and son.
A 34-year-old man from Burlington was arrested and charged with impaired driving and driving with more than 80 mgs of alcohol in blood. The driver had not been drinking that day; his level of impairment was a residual of drinking the night before.
On Saturday December 12, 2015, just before midnight, a motorist called police to report an erratic driver on Walkers Line in the City of Burlington. Officers located the vehicle and discovered both passenger side tires were flat and the vehicle was being driven on its rims. A 27-year-old woman from Burlington was arrested and charged with impaired driving and driving with more than 80 mgs of alcohol in blood. The woman had a blood alcohol concentration of over three times the legal limit.
Halton officers will be out in full force the remainder of the month working diligently to reduce impaired driving everywhere.
If you see a suspected impaired driver, please call 9-1-1. Officers will respond immediately to ensure the driver is investigated and dealt with accordingly.
The advice and direction is simple: “Don’t drive impaired, you can lose a lot more than your licence.”
 By Pepper Parr
December 15th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The government is delivering on its promise to allow beer sales in grocery stores by announcing the first 58 locations across the province where Ontarians will be able to buy beer.
There won’t be one in Burlington this time around – the closest will be in Oakville and Hamilton – Longos will have the Oakville location. Their Fairview location in Burlington happens to be in a plaza that already has an LCBO and a Beer Store.
 Premier Kathleen Wynne and Minister of Finance Charles Sousa announced the 13 independent grocery stores and 45 stores owned by large grocers that are now authorized to sell beer.
This is the first round of Ontario’s commitment to make it more convenient for people to buy beer. Ultimately, beer will be available at up to 450 grocery stores province wide — roughly the same number of locations The Beer Store currently operates in Ontario. Beer in grocery stores is part of the biggest shakeup to beverage alcohol retailing in the province since prohibition was ended in 1927.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which visited all 58 locations as part of the authorization process, will now monitor them to ensure that they adhere to laws on the safe retail of alcohol. These include designated sales areas and hours of sale, limitations to package sizes and alcohol content by volume, and rigorous social responsibility training for staff.
Premier Wynne’s comment that LCBO locations would be ideal for the sale of marijuana is a testament as to just how far Ontario has come. There was a time when the then Premier of the province would not allow news photographers to take his picture if there was a glass of beer in his hand.
 By Pepper Parr
December 15th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is a little like bowling pins – this great big ball comes rolling down on the pins that are standing there unable to get out of the way. Every time the ball comes rolling – some of the pins take a whack and disappear.
Another pin took a hit – the pin was one of the houses on Willow Street in the Beachway.
 The house in the centre was sold to the |Region for a reported $405,000 with the owner becoming a rent free tenant for two years. Another house was reportedly purchased by the Regional government which basically puts an end to housing on that street.
The house is reported to have been sold for $405,000 with the owner having the right to remain in the building for two years rent free.
 This house was sold to the Region for a price in the $600,000 plus range. This latest sale brings the total to six out of the 28 homes that are in the community.
While the Regional real estate people pick off the homes one by one people in the Regional Planning department toil away at completing the design of the Beachway Park.
 Regional planners are working up a plan that will turn what was once a community that had its own newspaper and was home to hundreds of people. The plan for the park is a splendid piece of planning – but will it meet the longer terms needs of the city – and will it b a safe place? The park design, at least what the public has seen to date, is splendid. The intention is to purchase the homes in the Beachway, on a willing buyer – willing seller basis – which is a bit of a canard and they do seem to be grinding away.
Quite why some of the homes could not be left in the park making it a safer place when the public gets to use it has never been made clear.
By Pepper Parr
December 14, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
We see the candidates when they are knocking on our door asking for our vote. We might listen to them during a debate, we might see them at an event – what they do in Ottawa, sitting as a Member of the House of Commons, is something we know very little about.
Karina Gould was elected to the House of Commons on October 19th – ask her what impacted her the most when she took her seat and she will tell you “voting in the House of Commons”.
The House of Commons met December 4th to hear the speech from the Throne. In that month and a half Karina Gould entered a whole new world where she would be intellectually changed and emotionally taken right over the top.
A 28 year old graduate with a several degrees and experience as a trade specialist with the Organization of American States, she now serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development – an assignment she says she was not interviewed for – they just told her what the assignment was.
As Parliamentary Secretary Gould speaks for the Minister when the Minister is not in the House and is tied tightly to the mandate the Minister has. The appointment fits very nicely with Gould’s private work experience.
 The early Gould voting record. That, given that ISIS has taken responsibility for recent deadly attacks in Paris, Beirut, and Africa, and has declared war on Canada, this House: ( a) acknowledge that now is not the time for Canada to step back and force our allies to take on a heavier burden in the fight against ISIS; (b) remind the government of its obligation to our NATO partners and its responsibility to protect the freedom, democracy, safety, and security of Canadians; (c) call upon the government to maintain the air-combat mission of the RCAF CF-18 fighter jets; (d) express its appreciation to the members of the Canadian Armed Forces for their participation in the fight against terror; and (e) reconfirm our commitment to our allies to stop ISIS. As the member of the House of Commons for Burlington she would speak on matters that are important to Burlingtonians. In our interview with Karina she commented that the city now has a different voice speaking on their behalf and while she didn’t explicitly say what that voice would sound like she did say there was now a different attitude and approach to representing her constituents.
There is a deliberateness to the approach Gould takes to what she does. She is very much a team player, she doesn’t pull rank, she listens, rather widely actually, which is something her predecessor didn’t manage to do.
She doesn’t fudge her answers – in one interview she said: “I don’t at least four times” because she didn’t know.
While she can certainly be partisan that is not her prime focus – the mandate she has given herself is to represent the people of Burlington – their politics are not her concern.
The House of Commons is just one part of the world of a parliamentarian – the Caucus is something else. Gould wouldn’t – she actually couldn’t – say what goes on in Caucus – which is the time when the political party gathers to hear what the leader of the party has to say and then to listen to what the members of the party want to say.
 The Member and the party leader: Karina Gould and Justin Trudeau The health and vitality of a Caucus meeting is set by the leader – Gould reports that her first Caucus meeting taught her that having Justin Trudeau as the leader is about as good as it is going to get. Trudeau to the country that the government was going to be led by the Cabinet – his was not going to be a one man band.
For Karina Gould this has to be one of the most exciting times of her life – the Gazette intends to watch her growth and to hold her accountable to the community she serves.
 By Staff
December 14th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This is more of an Oakville story but in the off chance that someone in Burlington happened to have their hair cut in Oakville at a particular barber shop – listen up
 Halton Region is asking clients of Bronte Barber Shop located at 2290 Lakeshore Road W. (Bronte Plaza) in Oakville to contact the Halton Region Health Department as part of an investigation into potential exposure to blood-borne infections through the reuse of single-use/disposable razor blades.
“On December 11, The Halton Region Health Department issued a written Order under Section 13 of the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA) to Bronte Barber Shop, to eliminate the practice of reusing disposable razor blades on clients,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Medical Officer of Health for Halton Region. “At this time, there is no evidence of the transmission of infectious disease, but we need to take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety, health and well-being of our residents.”
“The operator of Bronte Barber Shop is unable to provide the Health Department with a list of clients, so we are asking those who may have received services using razor blades at the Oakville location to contact the Halton Region Health Department as soon as possible, by dialing 311 or 905-825-6000,” said Dr. Meghani. “The Halton Region Health Department will provide information on the recommended tests to rule out any potential blood-borne infection.”
 To reduce the risk of infection and disease outbreaks, Halton’s public health inspectors routinely perform inspections of personal service settings (including barber shops), restaurants, long-term care homes, childcare centres and throughout the community. The Halton Region Health Department works to promote high standards of infection prevention and control to protect the health and well-being of all Halton residents.
For information about infection prevention and control in personal service settings, visit halton.ca/ipac or dial 311.
By Pepper Parr
December 13, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Monte Dennis is an activist – he makes no apology for the way he takes on public issues. He is a responsible citizen who delegates at times at city council.
He produces well researched papers on different subject. He is an engineer by profession and lives in rural Burlington where he was one of the founders of the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition.
 Monte Dennis – wrote a Letter to the Editor of the Hamilton Spectator – he got sued for that. In April of 2014 Dennis read a piece that Vince Rossi had published in the Hamilton Spectator. Rossi is the owner of the Air Park in Burlington that was dumping tonnes of landfill on the property to level the property for further development as an aeronautical operation. Rossi had plans to develop something much bigger than the single runway that was in place when he purchased the property.
Dennis read the Rossi letter, which is reproduced below.
Hamilton Spectator, April 16, 2014
By Vince Rossi
As the owner of the Burlington Executive Airpark, I am proud of our long and accomplished history in Halton Region.
The airpark opened in 1962. Since that time, it has served as a flight training centre, an aircraft maintenance base, a recreational flying facility and a key transportation hub for Halton residents and businesses.
Thousands of pilots have received their training at Burlington Airpark, many of whom are now airline pilots who safely transport thousands of Canadians every day. The training and maintenance facilities, along with the charter services, are independently owned and provide skilled employment opportunities for our community. In addition, there are jobs for those who provide services to the airpark and the businesses located there.
Many leading companies, including Ford Motor Company, Mercedes-Benz Canada, Evertz Microsystems and L-3 Communications, use the airpark for the transportation of people and key materials.
The airpark is also used for patient transfers and organ donation flights, given its proximity to medical institutions that serve Burlington, Milton, Oakville, Mississauga and Hamilton.
Ontario’s air ambulance service uses special facilities installed at the airpark for advanced training.
The airpark is also used for law enforcement, search and rescue, military and ambulance flights.
Finally, the airpark is home to a thriving recreational aviation community. It is the host of community service events such as educational flights for school groups, the semi-annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Airlift and serves as a partner and rest stop in the PwC Epic Tour Halton, a regional biking event.
There is a shortage of smaller general aviation airports in southern Ontario with reasonable proximity to cities. The airpark is a unique and essential asset for Halton Region.
But we want to improve and do more.
I purchased the airpark from the Kovachik family in 2006, having done my own flight training here.
Since then, I have invested more than $4 million in infrastructure improvements. I have not received financial assistance from any level of government. This has included widening and improving both runways, adding taxiways, improving the refuelling facilities and building additional hangars.
We have always been open about our plans and goals to improve the airpark. Over the years, we have posted plans on our website and we have held a yearly reception as well several open houses and barbecues that have been attended by neighbours, airpark users and politicians of every level. At these events, we have shown our improvements and plans for the future.
 This Appleby Line resident wonders if the Court decision will mean this pile of earth will be hauled away. Or does the decision mean she has a claim against someone for the damage done to the value of her property? Our efforts to improve the airpark were halted in July of last year, after complaints were raised by a few of our neighbours, some of whom had only recently purchased their homes. They made unsubstantiated claims that the fill being imported to level the remaining airpark lands was waste, which, of course, it was not.
The situation then became political. City of Burlington councillors repeated the unsubstantiated rumours of contamination. The City of Burlington, citing its site-alteration bylaw, took steps to stop the improvements. Despite the fact the airpark is federally regulated, we met with the councillors, city officials and our neighbours to try to address everyone’s concerns reasonably. Notwithstanding, the mayor of Burlington publicly vowed to take whatever steps the city could to stop the infilling.
To be clear, every test of neighbouring streams and wells has met or surpassed federal and provincial environmental standards. There have been six inspections, studies and/or tests carried out since 2009. None have indicated a problem with the fill or an adverse impact on local water. Further, after discussions with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, the airpark is in the process of voluntarily completing the most comprehensive study to date by carrying out a test well program.
Sadly, we and the city are spending time and money in court to find out whether the city is entitled to control improvements at the airpark. During the past 60 years, courts across this country have held that the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over the location, design and materials used to build and improve airports. There are more than 1,400 airports across Canada. It would be chaos if each one was subjected to different municipal standards, which is what the courts have consistently held. We hope for a resolution in June.
I’ve always respected our neighbours and the City of Burlington and was hopeful that we could have reached a compromise that protected and enhanced the interests of all parties.
In the meantime, the Burlington Executive Airpark will continue to serve the interests of our community, and our region. We’re here for the long term and look forward to moving forward with our neighbours.
Vince Rossi is the owner of Burlington Airpark Inc.
Monte found much that he felt was not quite the true and he wrote a letter to the Editor of the Spectator. The original version of the letter was signed by the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition. The Spectator called Monte Dennis and said they needed the name of a person and he agreed that the Spectator could use his name.
The Monte Dennis letter is reproduce below:
April 24, 2014
Missing Facts from Airpark Article
The recent article, “Airpark Improvements up in the air” in the Hamilton Spectator by Burlington Airpark owner Vince Rossi leaves out very important and relevant facts.
• The Burlington Airpark’s own soil analysis data, provided to the City of Burlington’s soil specialists Terrapex, showed that much of the fill imported onto the Airpark is chemically contaminated, and represented only a portion of the imported fill.
• The tens of thousands of loads of fill dumped onto the Airpark were spread throughout the site and will require a grid-work of soil sampling to find and quantify.
• Depending on imported soil types, conditions, groundwater mobility, precipitation amounts and other factors the negative impacts could take years to find and be detected in area wells.
• Although the dumping has stopped, the concern is that toxic materials in the soil will sooner or later leach into neighbour’s wells.
 John Hutter in the foreground along with Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster, Carey Clarke from the city’s Engineering department and property owner Carl Cousins inspect the landfill at the edge of the Cousin’s farm property that was flooded and not usable for farming.
• The immediate neighbours have experienced excessive water runoff due to the altered drainage. Some of the land is too wet for farming.
• Some of the wells are silted, making the water undrinkable.
• Airpark neighbours’ vistas have been blocked by huge amounts of fill, resulting in the loss of enjoyment of their properties.
While waiting for a court settlement and the Ministry of Environment research results, the surrounding residents are suffering from the stress of the uncertain future.
The clean-up and rectification of this mess could take years and cost millions.
Why won’t the Burlington Airpark share the soil and groundwater test results? The Airpark is claiming that the data is private and confidential!
The Ministry of Transport directive asks the airparks to comply with Provincial and local regulations that do not affect aviation. Federal legislation regulates the safe movement of aircraft. The Airpark lost the court case on the validity of the Burlington fill bylaw and is presently going to appeal in June 2014. In the case of Scugog Airpark, a judgment decreed that fill operations must comply with Scugog’s municipal fill bylaws, which should be the case with all municipalities. This would not result in chaos as suggested but lawful, responsible and environmentally sustainable development.
Sincerely,
Monte Dennis
That letter resulted in Dennis being sued by the Air Park Inc. Pepper Parr and Vanessa Warren were included in the libel suit for material they had written.
What is interesting is that the Spectator wasn’t sued by Rossi – just Dennis, Parr and Warren.
Dennis and Warren found that the cost of defending themselves was proving onerous and they turned to the public for support. A fund raising web site was used to give the public an opportunity to help.
 Landfill being dumped on air park property without the city’s knowledge or permission. The Gazette first brought to the public’s attention the heavy truck traffic on Appleby Line that was taking load after load after load into the air park property.
Those early news reports led to the city beginning to ask questions about just which laws applied to the Air Park and the formation of the Rural Burlington Greenbelt Coalition. As the news reports kept being published the city began to take a closer look at what was going on and eventually sued the Air Park – at the time the city was suing the Air Park and the Air Park was suing the city – a Judge pulled the two law suits together and a trial took place.
The city won the trial – which was over whether or not the air park operation had to comply with municipal by laws. Justice Murphy said they did have to comply; the Air Park appealed but lost the appeal.
Nothing happened – all the city had was a decision saying the air park had to comply with municipal bylaws.
The city then sued the Air Park again, asking a Judge to order to Air Park to comply and remove the landfill and file a site plan.
That court case, heard in November, is awaiting a decision.
Meanwhile Dennis, Warren and Parr wait for their day in court. Dennis and Warren are asking the public for financial support.
 They have reached the 5% level of their drive for the $100,000 they feel they need.
You can support their battle at: fundrazr
By Staff
December 11, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is week 34 of the Halton Regional Police Service, Burlington station, Fugitive Friday initiative that reaches out to the public for help locating wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions.
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
Every Friday, the Burlington Offender Management Unit will share information on a wanted person in hopes that the public can assist in locating the individual.
We will share “Fugitive Friday” information on our website and via social media through Twitter @HRPSBurl and @HaltonPolice.
The initiative has proven to be effective and is being reviewed to determine if the program should be rolled out to other communities in the Region.
One consistent trait with the people the police want to take into custody is that many were arrested, appeared in court and then failed to return fopr their day with the justice system.
The Court’s tend to release people on bail because the cost of keeping them in jail is just too expensive. The flouting of the bail conditions and the requirement to return puts the integrity of the judicial system at risk.
Someone somewhere should be thinking this through.
 Benjamin BRZEZINSKI 41 years old of Etobicoke wanted for theft and failing to comply with a probation order. In this edition of Fugitive Fridays with the Holidays fast approaching the 3 District, Burlington Offender Management Unit is searching for Benjamin BRZEZINSKI 41 years old of Etobicoke ON.
In June and November of 2015 the accused attended a store in Burlington and stole a laptop during each incident, with a combined value of over $5000.00 for the thefts.
The accused was identified and found to be on probation for similar crimes in Milton, Toronto and Brampton.
The accused has been convicted of multiple thefts from Bradford to Toronto that go back to 2007.
A warrant has been issued for his arrest and he remains at large.
He is wanted by Halton Regional Police for:
Theft under $5000 x 2
Fail to Comply Probation x 4
BRZEZINSKI is described as 5”11”, 160 lbs with black hair and brown eyes. BRZEZINSKI is known to frequent the areas of Burlington, Mississauga, Toronto and the surrounding areas.
Anyone who may have witnessed this person or has information that would assist investigators in locating him are encouraged to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
December 10th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Regional Police investigators in both Oakville and Burlington are working on a string of break and enters that have the possibility of being connected.
On December 10, 2015 at 12:39am an alarm went off at Pioneer Pools on South Service Road in the Town of Oakville. Upon police arrival, the front glass door was smashed by an unknown object. Suspect(s) targeted the cash registers and took two tills containing up to $200.00 cash.
On December 10, 2015 at 1:45am an alarm went off at GNC on Wyecroft Road in the Town of Oakville. Front door was smashed by an unknown object. Suspects took an unknown amount of store product and cash.
As police attended the break and enter at GNC, officers observed the neighbouring business; Focus Eyeware, had also been entered. The front glass door was smashed by an unknown object. An unknown amount of product from the store display cases was taken.
On December 10, 2015 at 1:56am while conducting patrols in the area, an officer came upon a break and enter in progress at Supplement King on Brant Street in the City of Burlington. Suspects smashed the glass front door with a sledgehammer and proceeded to the cash registers. One cash till was removed and as the suspects attempted to exit the store, an officer was at the door. Suspects dropped the cash till and fled out the back door into a stolen vehicle and fled south on Brant Street. There were no handguns used or observed.
A vehicle pursuit took officers into the City of Hamilton where the suspects exited at Main Street East. Halton officers discontinued the pursuit at this time. The vehicle, stolen from Peel has not been recovered at this time. Below is suspect and vehicle description from the Burlington incident.
Suspect vehicle: 2000 Honda Civic 4 door Silver
Suspect description:
Suspect #1: approx. 5’7″ 140lbs grey hoodie and grey pants
Suspect #2: approx. 5’6″ 140lbs black hoodie and black pants
Investigators are gathering evidence and believe the four incidents may be connected. Anyone with information on any of these break and enters is asked to contact Det. Craig of the Oakville Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 ext 2255 or Det. Bale (ext 2312) or Det. Couce (ext 2307) of the Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 or anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
 By Ray Rivers
December 11th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There is much to celebrate about how Ontario’s energy sector has progressed over the last decade or so. Going off coal has ended mercury and sulphur emissions as well as vastly reducing the province’s greenhouse gas emissions. That should make us a star at the climate change conference going on in Paris. And the lights never went off – except for that nasty ice storm a couple of Christmas’ ago, an act of God.
 Ontario shut down all electricity generating plants run with coal. Going off coal was courageous public policy, getting well ahead of the curve and ahead of just about every other jurisdiction in North America. But there is no free lunch in life. Ontario’s Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk, tells us that this road we’ve travelled has cost us dearly – some $37 billion dollars if her numbers were correctly reported by the newspapers.
I have written a few times on the energy file, as followers may recall. Ontario Hydro was never a perfect institution though it did make electricity a household word in this province. But Ontario Hydro, once the largest electrical utility anywhere, has also served as Ontario’s energy test kitchen.
The Davis government decided to adopt Canada’s home-grown nuclear reactors when he could have bought other, arguably, better systems off the shelf elsewhere.
 Cost over runs and nuclear generation plants seem to go hand in hand. And we paid a huge price for that experiment, as cost overruns became the norm and technology failures all too frequent. Then like drunken sailors, with too much booze in our heads and too few coins in our pockets, we just put it on our tab. And we’re still paying off that mighty tab with every energy bill.
Sometime before Y2K then Premier Mike Harris thought he’d seen the light. He believed that scrambling Ontario Hydro would create the perfect omelette. But his recipe was flawed and once the egg was cracked the result was blackouts, brownouts and rapidly rising electricity costs. Too late to get the egg back into the shell, it was left to his successors, Premiers Ernie Eves, Dalton McGuinty and now Kathleen Wynne to try to convert this mess into something more digestible.
 Small solar renewable energy set ups are now generating more power than the province needs – the contracts they put in place require the province to buy all the power generated even if they don’t need it. The Auditor General articulates the issues clearly. To ‘keep the lights-on’ the government contracted to pay renewable energy providers a fixed price for what they produced, whether we needed the power or not. These contract terms were so attractive that green energy adoption has been a huge success in Ontario.
In fact it was so successful that there is now more electrical generation capacity than we need, even with the coal plants gone. And we have to buy all that energy regardless; what we don’t use – we sell as surplus and at a loss. The knuckle-headed bureaucrats and political advisors didn’t see that coming. These were the same ones who had the energy minister at the time sign contracts for gas plants without a cancellation clause.
To be fair, the nuclear plants operate pretty well now that the bugs were nuked out – so we can thank Bill Davis for that. And with our dirty coal plants shut down, even Alberta is following our lead in attacking climate change – thank you Dalton McGuinty. But what about the 70% price rise in our electricity bill since 2006?
The Auditor General does a good job of nailing those factors which contributed to this situation. Poor or inadequate planning, flawed decision making, an absence of benefit/cost analysis, and those really bad contracts for energy supply. There is so little debate over the Auditor General’s well-documented conclusions – the government has already accepted most of her recommendations.
Though she didn’t say as much, it seems that we need to renegotiate or buy-out these lucrative 20 year contracts – or we’ll end up even further in the hole. Former provincial Tory leader Hudak had promised to cancel the contracts, but we all know that was never going to happen. Compounding the poor economics is the fact that energy use is falling, making the capacity issue even more of a problem.
 Renewable energy has proven to be a reliable source – solar panel farms are operating all over the world where sunlight is plentiful. The province’s $2 billion energy conservation program may finally be working, but more likely, the high price is doing what economic dis-incentives are supposed to do. Ironically we are conserving energy just when producing energy has become almost environmentally benign. The Auditor General points out that, with the coal plants closed, electricity generation is no longer a major source of climate warming gases. Instead transportation has taken its place.
Mass transit expansion, something both federal and provincial governments have promised, will require more electricity. But given Ontario’s urban sprawl, cars will still rule. And competitively priced electricity will be essential to propel all those electric cars we’re going to need to replace the gas guzzlers. To that end, the Premier has already committed $20 million in new money for province-wide electricity charging stations.
Christmas is supposed to be a season of joy, yet too many people find sadness and depression, more readily than hope and happiness this time of year. If you are one of those, I suggest you put off reading the well-written Auditor General report until the New Year.
We should all ask our Premier to make an unbreakable New Year’s resolution to get out the broom and sweep away the kind of problems the Auditor General has uncovered. Premier Wynne has barely three years left in the electoral term to fix this problem – notwithstanding it’s a problem she mostly inherited. Ontario rate payers need to see their electricity rates start to fall instead of rise. And wouldn’t that be a nice Christmas present for us all?
 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 where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. Rivers is no longer active with any political party.
Background links:
AG Report
Charging Stations
Fusion Reactors
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