 By Staff
Marcvh 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The city proudly announces that Dr. Ashley Worobec will be the Burlington community torchbearer for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay, presented by President’s Choice® and OLG.
 Dr. AshleyWorobec a Burlington chiropractor at the Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic, is an avid Crossfit practitioner at Crossfit Altitude in Burlington. The torch relay will visit Burlington on Friday, June 19, 2015 and will feature Dr. Worobec as the community torchbearer.
In December, residents were asked to help choose a local resident to carry the Pan Am flame on behalf of the city and voted on a short list of names selected by the committee.
The Burlington Pan Am Community Engagement Committee accepted applications and nominations until Dec. 14. To be considered, applicants or nominators submitted a photo and a letter of interest explaining the connection to Burlington and what being Burlington’s community torchbearer would mean to him or her. The finalist who received the most votes was Dr. Worobec.
Nominated by Marnie Post, Dr. Worobec is a Chiropractor at the Burlington Sports and Spine Clinic, an avid Crossfit practitioner at Crossfit Altitude in Burlington, and an avid runner, participating in numerous runs in and around the city. A mother of two young children, she is actively engaged in numerous community activities and blogs about her community, her practice, parenting and staying fit and healthy.
“Ashley Worobec will proudly carry the Pan Am flame as Burlington’s community torchbearer,” said Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring. “Burlington is excited to be a part of this historic journey, and we look forward to showcasing our community to the world.”
During the 41-day torch relay, each of the 3,000 torchbearers will complete, on average, a 200-metre relay segment. The torch will be carried by more than 60 modes of transportation and exceed 5,000 kilometres on the road and 15,000 kilometres by air.
“The torch is a unique symbol of the Pan Am Games and carries a powerful energy that will unite Canadians,” said Saäd Rafi, chief executive officer, TO2015. “The torchbearers will proudly carry the flame through more than 130 communities, igniting the Pan Am spirit as they go.”
Featured on the torch are the United We Play! pictograms — colourful depictions of people in motion —symbolizing the assembly of athletes through the celebration of sport and culture. The aluminum torch stands 65 centimetres high and weighs 1.2 kilograms (or roughly the same weight as a baseball bat). With a burn time of 10 to 12 minutes, the flame can withstand winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour and is visible in all kinds of weather conditions.
 By Staff
March 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 City Hall will be closed on both Good Friday and Easter Monday, March 30, 2015
Good Friday – April 3 2015
Easter Monday – April 6, 2015
Halton Court Services in Burlington are also closed.
 By Staff
March 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
REVISED:
THERE IS A PERSON ON OUR STAFF THAT WILL NOT BE GETTING A BONUS.
THE FIGURES ORIGINALLY POSTED WERE FOR 2013 – THE FIGURES BELOW ARE FOR 2014. WHEN WE GOOF, WE REALLY GOOF DON’T WE?
 $100,000 does bring out a smile. The first figure is the salary component, the second is funds paid for something other than salary that was defined as a taxable benefit.
The people shown in red are part of the Fire Department.
Council members don’t appear on the list because a large part of their income comes from the Region and that is a different list.
For some reason, none of the people at the Economic Development Corporation don`t appear on the list nor is the Librarian. No one from the Performing Arts Centre or the Burlington Art Gallery.
What is clear from this list is that public sector jobs pay very well.
The 2014 list is just a little shorter than the 2013 list.
ADCOCK ALAN Firefighter $102,031.26 $483.84
ALDHAM JUDY Field Services Supervisor $111,009.49 $2,185.06
ALLDRIDGE BRIAN Platoon Chief $125,971.19 $649.80
ANTONIOW PHIL Manager of Program Development, Budgets and Contracts $114,881.79 $636.11
AXIAK ROB Manager of Recreation Services $102,451.31 $562.56
BAKOS MICHAEL Captain $108,367.48 $570.96
BARANOWSKI DEREK Captain $102,812.05 $514.29
BARRY PHILIP Captain $108,850.00 $570.96
BATTAGLIA MARY Manager of Field Services $106,085.34 $1,248.03
BAVOTA ANTHONY Fire Chief $165,324.85 $2,974.19
BAYLOR MARK Captain $111,922.02 $570.96
BAYNTON STEVE T. Captain $111,754.92 $585.12
BAYSAN ERGUL Senior Traffic Signal Technician $100,847.25 $491.60
BEDINI CHRIS District Supervisor $110,226.37 $703.61
BENNETT RANDY Manager IT Infrastructure and Operations $117,482.38 $652.56
BERDAN MICHAEL Senior Transit Operations Supervisor $100,193.47 $458.04
BEVINGTON KIM Captain $103,733.66 $526.47
BIELSKI BIANCA Manager of Development Planning $136,058.28 $736.98
BIRCH CHARLES T. Captain $113,196.51 $585.12
BLACK JEFFREY Manager of Field Services $107,380.39 $3,169.47
BOYD LAURA Human Resource Manager $106,127.55 $595.79
BRILLON SYLVAIN Firefighter $100,768.89 $483.84
BURROWS TRACEY Manager of By Law and Administration $101,981.11 $11,207.00
CAUGHLIN DEBORAH Manager of Council Services $109,094.40 $587.86
CHOLEWKA CHRIS Captain $109,661.47 $570.96
CLARK CARY Manager of Development and Environmental Engineering $108,338.17 $592.77
COFFEY PETER Captain $109,134.34 $566.28
COULSON ANN MARIE Man Financial Planning & Taxation $131,771.98 $722.67
CRASS JOHN Manager of Traffic Services $106,951.19 $1,553.48
CRAVEN RICK Councillor $100,722.85 $562.10
DI PIETRO ITALO Manager of Infrastructure and Data Management $119,020.45 $655.90
DONATI DERRICK Firefighter $101,411.97 $495.00
DOWD TIMOTHY Captain $113,714.92 $585.12
DUNCAN JOHN Transit Manager $121,674.39 $680.72
DYKES RICHARD Firefighter $100,542.18 $509.16
EALES MARK Captain $107,463.41 $562.64
EICHENBAUM TOOMAS Director of Engineering $132,494.20 $511.91
EVANS FRANCES Manager Halton Court Administration $106,003.66 $580.83
FIELDING JEFF City Manager $163,343.09 $4,337.84
FORD JOAN Director of Finance $152,992.02 $845.42
FRYER E. TODD Firefighter $100,329.68 $509.16
GALEA KYLE Firefighter $100,919.65 $483.84
GILROY GERALD Firefighter $100,314.51 $485.36
GLENN CHRISTOPHER Director of Parks and Recreation $142,035.88 $758.76
GLOBE DARREN Captain $108,598.54 $570.96
GOLDRING PATRICK Mayor $170,025.95 $2,927.50
GRANO FRANCES Manager of Strategic Information Technology Service Delivery $101,898.44 $568.61
GRISON GREGORY J. Captain $111,754.92 $585.12
HAMILTON SCOTT Manager Design and Construction $116,702.59 $642.75
HAMMER CHAD Captain $105,795.32 $544.74
HAMMOND BILL Fire Training Supervisor $111,519.22 $567.96
HAYES DENNIS M. Platoon Chief $124,167.54 $649.80
HEBNER PETER B. Captain $113,567.52 $585.12
HURLEY BLAKE Assistant City Solicitor $133,679.42 $649.80
JAMES MICHAEL Fire Training Officer $101,861.64 $570.96
JARVIS DAWN Manager of Fire Communications & Admin $104,927.27 $575.94
JONES SHEILA City Auditor $129,085.03 $680.64
JONES STEPHEN Captain $106,570.42 $556.92
JURK ROBERT Senior Project Manager $105,669.95 $585.12
KELL DONNA Manager of Communications $114,981.30 $638.52
KELLOGG GAVIN Supervisor Golf Course $108,587.82 $552.16
KELLY JOHN Captain $110,066.14 $570.96
KOEVOETS MATT District Supervisor $118,371.00 $1,142.13
KRUSHELNICKI BRUCE Director Planning and Building $159,392.67 $891.60
KUBOTA ERIKA Assistant City Solicitor $134,953.30 $652.56
LANCASTER BLAIR Councillor $100,722.85 $562.10
LAPORTE N. JASON Captain $107,951.53 $570.96
LASELVA JOHN Supervisor Building Permits $104,601.68 $582.72
LEGG TRACIE Manager Business Services $101,413.14 $564.55
LONG MARK Captain $113,601.59 $585.12
MACDONALD GARY F. Captain $112,659.31 $585.12
MACKAY MICHAEL J. Captain $111,754.92 $585.12
MAGI ALLAN Executive Director of Corporate Strategic Initiatives $180,473.51 $982.32
MALE ROY E. Executive Director of Human Resources $180,372.37 $1,012.56
MARTIN CHRISTOPHER Captain $106,638.03 $556.92
MATHESON JAMIE Firefighter $100,887.23 $483.84
MCGUIRE CHRIS District Supervisor $108,192.88 $683.50
MEED WARD MARIANNE Councillor $100,722.85 $562.10
MEEHAN DAVID Firefighter $102,019.98 $510.10
MERCANTI CINDY Manager of Recreation Services $113,924.30 $473.50
MINAJI ROSALIND Coordinator Development Review $101,438.02 $568.14
MONTEITH ROSS A. Deputy Fire Chief $145,953.17 $1,372.72
MORGAN ANGELA City Clerk $143,711.02 $770.03
MYERS PETER R. Captain $111,754.93 $585.12
NICELIU KENNETH Firefighter $102,254.95 $509.16
NICHOLSON J. ALAN Captain $111,754.92 $585.12
O’REILLY SANDRA Controller and Manager of Financial Services $110,567.13 $604.47
PEACHEY ROBERT Manager Parks and Open Space $114,401.18 $633.57
PHILLIPS KIMBERLEY General Manager $185,505.87 $7,599.39
POLIZIANI MATTHEW Captain $107,805.24 $556.92
REID DAVID Fire Prevention Officer $101,295.09 $556.92
REILLY PETER Captain $111,754.91 $585.12
ROBERTSON CATHARINE Director of Roads and Parks Maintenance $149,458.02 $1,403.87
ROESCH GORD CHARLES Fire Training Officer $101,821.02 $542.88
SCHMIDT-SHOUKRI JASON Manager of Building Permit Services and Chief Building Official $133,681.16 $748.20
SHAHZAD ARIF Senior Environmental Engineer $102,105.76 $567.67
SHARMAN PAUL Councillor $100,722.85 $562.10
SHEA NICOL NANCY City Solicitor $172,124.38 $836.38
SHIELDS LISA Assistant City Solicitor $136,246.06 $651.90
SLACK CRAIG D. Platoon Chief $126,694.90 $649.80
SMITH CLINT Platoon Chief $125,523.38 $649.80
SMITH SIMON Firefighter $100,300.17 $495.00
SPICER MIKE Director of Transit $129,920.15 $721.53
STEIGINGA RON Manager of Realty Services $112,646.26 $619.76
STEVENS CRAIG Senior Project Manager $103,459.71 $568.88
STEWART SCOTT General Manager $227,077.25 $9,381.94
SWENOR CHRISTINE Director Information Technology Services $156,493.35 $876.68
TAGGART DAVID Manager Facility Assets $112,157.40 $462.71
THANDI JAZZ Manager Procurement Services $107,953.94 $592.99
VRAKELA STEVE Field Services Supervisor $105,436.15 $1,920.30
WEBER JEFF Deputy Fire Chief $116,019.23 $7,670.64
WHEATLEY RYAN Captain $110,028.42 $570.96
WIGNALL T. MARK Firefighter $101,647.73 $509.16
WINTAR JOSEPH Chief Fire Prevention Officer $110,961.56 $621.60
WOODS DOUGLAS S. Captain $113,128.08 $585.12
ZVANIGA BRUCE Director of Transportation Services $153,951.49 $787.56
By Staff
March 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Culture has taken on a deeper commitment from city council, due in large part from a delegation made by Trevor Copp, who asked city council why he had to travel to Toronto to ply his trade.
The Performing Arts Centre had opened and was going through a difficult phase but the public had become used to the place and had begun to understand that the city was going to have to continue to subsidize it forever.
In 2009 the federal government created and funded Culture Days which was to become a national network of cultural connections to provide Canadians with opportunities to participate in, and appreciate, all forms of art and culture.
 Different artists were able to take a tent during Culture Days last September and paint or sculpt of make pottery in Civic Square Through a three-day national celebration each September, hundreds of thousands of artists and cultural organizations in cities and towns come together and invite Canadians to discover their cultural spirit and passion.
This national initiative aims to raise the awareness, provide accessibility and encourage the participation and engagement of residents in the arts and cultural life of Burlington.
Burlington’s 2014 Culture Days was a resounding success due in large part to their being staff dedicated to managing the event.
The push from the cultural community and the creation of the No Vacancy event put new energy into culture at the street level.
The holding of the first No Vacancy event in 2013 at the Waterfront Hotel was what appears to be the beginning of the community creating its own events. No Vacancy is a private initiative that gets peanuts from the city.
The sixth annual Culture Days weekend will take place from Sept. 25 to 27, 2015.
A workshop will be held on Friday, April 24 at the Burlington Art Gallery for Culture Days event organizers to learn about resources available from the city and Culture Days Ontario. Space is limited and registration is required. RSVP to Adam Belovari, culture coordinator at adam.belovari@burlington.ca or 905-335-7600, ext. 7335.
Local creative organizations, venues, professionals and businesses are again invited to host events during the Culture Days to promote free, hands-on and interactive activities. The public is invited to participate in behind-the-scenes activities to see how artists; creators; historians; architects; curators; designers; and other creative people work and contribute to culture in Burlington.
 Trevor Copp talks with Angela Pap during the unveiling of the Spiral Stella at the Performing Arts Centre earlier in the week. Paparizo is now the manager of Arts and Cultural for the city. Paparizo, manager of arts and culture,
Angela Paparizo, manager of arts and culture expects to repeat the 2014 success in 2015, offering three days featuring different types of events, working closely with Doors Open, the Art Gallery of Burlington, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Burlington Libraries, Burlington Museums, Tourism Burlington and Burlington artists to make this happen.
This national initiative aims to raise the awareness, provide accessibility and encourage the participation and engagement of residents in the arts and cultural life of Burlington. For more information, or to participate in Culture Days, visit www.burlington.ca/culturedays or contact Angela Paparizo, manager of arts and culture, at angela.paparizo@burlington.ca or 905-335-7600, ext. 7352.
The Sound of Music kicks off the festival season for the city. Rib Fest follows, then the third year of the No Vacancy offering which will take place on Old Lakeshore Road this year and then the three Cultural days in late September.
The city came very close to having an ArtFest on Old Lakeshore Road as well but the “adamant refusal’ by three business owners on the Old Lakeshore Road put the boots to that opportunity. Council wanted the event – the event planner wanted to hold it in Spencer smith Park but they couldn’t get together on a date.
 It would have been a major arts event – drawing several thousand people to the city and to a part of town that has significant potential as a location. No one is saying who the tree commercial establishments that said no way to the idea – they felt their business would suffer. The effort to bring a large art sales event to the city by an experienced and proven promoter started back in October of 2014 – everyone was involved in the effort but three business people apparently would not budge so the planned 100 tents spread out along Old Lakeshore Road housing the wares of different arts won’t happen this year.
Emma’s Back Porch was so keen on the idea that they agreed to turn over their parking lot for the event. They had gone so far as to plan an Artists Feast for the occasion.
Expect this event to come back for another try.
By Staff
March 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette did not have a reporter at the public meeting last Thursday when the matter of coyotes roaming the parks and ravines of the city was the major issue.
A few days after the meeting we got the following from a resident:
I was walking my dog at 11:30 along the paved trail connecting Burloak to Appleby line. A large Coy wolf was walking along the trail on its own. Clearly was not afraid of me and my large black lab which seemed small compared to this animal. Did not expect this at this time of the day and clearly it was not afraid of us.
I warned a lone jogger who turned and decided to jog in the opposite direction. During the winter I came across a number of rabbits that were being fed on as well. There is a danger from these animals. Clearly the city needs to do something about this.
 A coyote sensing field mice beneath the snow prepares to pounce. Glenda Dodd, a Hager Street resident did attend the meeting at Central arena and sent in the following;
“I would like to make comment on the resounding applause I received from people in attendance. It was for my objection to the proposed bylaw and the fact it is a difficult bylaw to enforce. The stand I took was that Improper Garbage Disposal is what should be controlled. The fact I received such overwhelming response to my remarks is the reason for this e-mail and request that you pay heed to what the people said by their applause.
“I know surrounding areas have “no feeding bylaws” but what good are they if in the meeting it was acknowledged that coyotes are a problem everywhere because of urban expansion. Why have a bylaw if it is already proven to be ineffective in our surrounding cities.
“A number in attendance, because of their personal encounters are now fearful of using their back yards, parks or having evening walks with their dogs, they were looking for more response about what is being done to remove coyote population.
 Coyote den with pups. Dodd adds: “Across from my house in the wee hours, I have seen a coyote walk up our street past the apartment building through the parking lot to the Hydro right of way. According to people who walk dogs, there is a coyote den not far from my area (I’m assuming from their description that it could be somewhere around or past Grahams Lane). I have not walked the area to find it.
Because of this proximity I feel as familiar as anyone in the City to speak regarding Coyotes and the proposed by law. I strongly object to the proposed By-Law regarding feeding of animals.
“That is what they wanted, not a bylaw forbidding feeding. Whether there is a bylaw or not, if anyone suspects coyotes are being fed, a field observation would have to be made in order to apprehend whoever is doing and bylaw or not, if they really wanted to do such a thing would just become more evasive and discreet.
“I truly believe that instead of trying to redefine what a nuisance animal means the bylaw idea should be dropped altogether. Concentrate on something that can be enforced, like garbage and yard waste accumulation that houses mice and rats.
“We do not need a paint brush bylaw…Canada Geese and Seagulls are a specific problem then do what Midland did and enact a bylaw to prohibit the “Feeding of Canada Geese and Seagulls”
“As you admit, (Dodd is referring to either the Bylaw enforcement officer or the Mayor) it would be difficult to enforce such a bylaw, so why have it, to use in a worst case scenario, please. My comment was about not needing what was presented, that is what was approved via the applause I received. What the people wanted to know was what are you doing about the coyotes, they want them removed, not a nuisance feeding bylaw.
Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven, in an email response to Dodd said: “There was no “resounding applause.”
“What I heard was that people want support for the coyote problem. A wildlife feeding bylaw is a reasonable next step.
 Councillor Craven will often dress for the occasion. In a previous public meeting he chose to wear his McMaster jacket. “Yes, it would be difficult to enforce such a bylaw, but it would probably only be done on an exception basis to deal with the worst case scenarios. i.e. the gentleman in Tyandaga who is feeding the Canada geese in Fairchild Park to the point of damaging the park grass and attracting rodents….upsetting his neighbours.”
Unfortunately, the draft bylaw that was proposed does not appear to be on the city’s web site. We will work at digging this out and continue the discussion.
 By Staff
March 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
They want you to figure out how the city web site works and discover the new features and enhancements of the city’s website, www.burlington.ca.
 Are these citizens of Burlington looking for information on the city’s web site or are they just stocking up on Easter eggs? Starting with the homepage, adventurers will discover several new features of the redesigned website such as news and alert subscriptions, the events calendar and service requests. Upon completion, residents will be asked to fill out a short survey for a chance to win a chocolate prize pack including a Parks and Recreation gift certificate.
“Residents have told us they prefer to do business with the city online,” said Mayor Rick Goldring. “The new web enhancements and features make it easier to make service requests, stay informed and become involved.”
Another reason is – you usually can’t find or get through to who you want by telephone.
Let’s see how this on-line egg hunt works – The Gazette will try it and let you know how we do – you try it and let us know if you win a chocolate prize pack including a Parks and Recreation gift certificate. We wondering what is going to be in that gift certificate
The Egg-cellent adventure closes Thursday, April 9, 2015.
 By Staff
March 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Police are urging Facebook users to be cautious when accepting new friend requests from persons they don’t know.
There have been several recent reports of Facebook users accepting friend requests from persons of the opposite gender. The new friend will then engage in on-line conversation with a goal of moving the conversation to a video chat using Skype.
Once on Skype, the new friend will engage the user in conversation of a sexual nature and ultimately have the user display themselves nude which the new friend records without the users’ knowledge. The recording will then be used to extort money from the Facebook user as the new friend will threaten to post it on all of the users friends’ accounts and on YouTube unless the user pays them a sum of money.
Anyone who has encountered this scenario is encouraged to report it to your local police AND the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by phone at 1-888-495-8501, fax at 1-888-654-9426 or online at https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/english/reportit-howtoreportfraud.html
You can protect yourself by carefully screening new friend requests, especially ones from the opposite gender.
If you do accept new friends where the conversation turns to one of a sexual nature and you are asked to do a video chat, you are being set up to be extorted. Should this occur, you are encouraged cease all communication with that user, unfriend them and report the account to Facebook.
 By Ray Rivers
March 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Urban sprawl – it even sounds like a dirty word. Sprawl has gobbled up more potential farm and natural lands than any other form of development.
 Gas and land were cheap and it was the way people wanted top live. It will take several decades to unwind all this urban sprawl – perhaps Burlington could become a leader in the change. Because of the distances involved in servicing subdivisions and the inherent low population densities, sprawl is also the most costly form of development. And sprawl is dependent on the automobile as the primary (or sole) means of transportation, resulting in gridlock and the consequent lengthy commute times.
These downsides were recognized soon after this ‘California’ lifestyle became the dominant form of development in the fifties and sixties. But once adopted, going back was a tough call. There is so much more profit for developers in buying up cheap farm land and converting it to houses, than in expanding housing in existing built-up areas.
Back in the day, before immigration swelled our urban envelope, most of us hardly thought twice about the suite of problems associated with these ‘burbs’ popping out all around us. But Ontario’s Premier Bill Davis did. He, no doubt, had observed what had been happening to the US rust-belt cities, as suburban development swallowed up prime farm land and hollowed out the inner city core in the process, until nobody wanted to live downtown anymore.
So as early as the 70’s the Davis government sought to keep Ontario’s canvas painted more green than black. Putting an end to paving paradise and putting up more parking lots, as the folk singer Joni Mitchell had warned, was a timely ambition. So he undertook to create Ontario’s first greenbelt, setting out the Niagara Escarpment Commission to ensure protection from development.
 Bill Davis made decisions while he was Premier that made possible the protection of the environment that is being done now. And Davis didn’t stop there, he established the most advanced municipal planning system in North America. To help implement the system, he created new higher-tier regional governments to implement broad scale regional plans, which would permit stable and progressive development over a generation, while protecting farm and natural lands.
But it didn’t really work. The development industry is a powerful lobby and whether through their persistence at council meetings, campaign contributions for municipal candidates or sound arguments, they have been able to sway many development decisions in their favour – decisions that always involve more sprawl development.
And regional plans themselves became a catalyst for accelerated development. Once a land parcel was designated, developers pushed for early approvals in order to get their money out of the projects. And if that didn’t work there was always an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).
The OMB is a quasi-judicial institution which is an anomaly in Canada. Composed of political appointees, this unaccountable body acts as both judge and jury, and frequently overrides the authority of our elected representatives, making a mockery of municipal democracy. The Canadian Senate comes to mind, except that the OMB has real power.
In the end Ontario, with its fancy planning system ended up with about as much urban sprawl as did the bordering US jurisdictions with their more basic laissez-faire systems of municipal planning. It turns out politics, not planning, was at the heart of the issue.
 The Greenbelt – in place as a boundary to protect natural space My Conservative friends would prefer to remember Dalton McGuinty for the unfortunate billion dollar gas plant fiasco of a few years ago. But history will record the creation of Ontario’s current Greenbelt as one of his greatest achievements. Following the visionary lead of Mr. Davis, three decades before him, this is the single most important instrument the province now has to hold back the forces of urban sprawl.
Of course, even this initiative could not quash those development plans already underway, such as the ones which have transformed Milton into the textbook case of what not to do. The recent orgy of development there has transformed the once quaint town such that it is now unrecognizable. And as anyone driving on the 401 will attest, this development has also made the roadways largely impassable.
Last week I attended a meeting in Milton, sponsored by the Friends of the Greenbelt. The topic was preserving prime agricultural land and the meeting was well attended by urban planners, farmers and other business people, keen on making their thoughts known.. Listed below are links to other sessions in which the public can have their say on the Greenbelt and its future in Ontario.
Whether you are a farmer concerned about city-folk moving next door and then complaining about your hog operation; a nature-lover craving more opportunity for environmental diversity; or a developer wanting to build more houses on a farm you have just purchased, this is your chance to have your say.
Of course I drove to the meeting, but I did take the backroads to avoid sitting on that parking lot we call the 401. And there you have it – this time using the automobile to fight against urban sprawl.
 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.
Background links:
Premier Davis
State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference
Provincial Policy Statement
Greenbelt
The Greenbelt Review
Greenbelt Events
By Walter Byj
March 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Following a passionate speech by delegate Peter Schuler, an aboriginal member of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, the council unanimously voted to name the newest school in Oakville as Oodenawi Public School.
Oodenawi , the Ojibway translation for community, was chosen as an acknowledgement that the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation were the original inhabitants of the area now known as Halton.
The new Milton school will be called Boyne Public School which reflected the area where the school is located. Both school naming were unanimously approved.
An updated Student Trustee Policy recommendation was passed – more on that later in the week.
The balance of the school board meeting could be referred to as the “Gerry Cullen Show “the Superintendent of Facility Services presented a number of reports to the board.
The school board makes many of its facilities available through a rental permit process to the community. In Halton, as a result of a unique relationship with the board and the municipalities, the four municipalities are the primary tenants of the schools and through the parks and recreational departments they rent out the space. For the upcoming year, the rental rates will rise slightly by 1.36%.
This sparked a number of questions by the trustees. With the expansion of childcare/daycare centres at Halton schools, trustees Harvey Hope (Oakville) and Reynolds (Burlington) asked if usage of gyms as a recreation facility were being usurped by daycare usage. Superintendent Cullen assured the board that this is not a major concern as schools usually work out the problem within the school.
Trustee Gray (Halton Hills) asked if the board has any influence as to how parks and recreation rents out the space and if youth programs get their fair share of usage. Superintendent Cullen assured the board that parks and recreation are concerned with recreational activity feels that they are doing a decent job in renting out space.
 Part of the massive gym set up in the Haber Recreation Centre – space is rented out by the city of Burlington Parks and Recreation department  David Euale, Director of Education for the Halton District School Board is paid roughly what the Burlington city manager earns. He retires in August The city of Burlington has in the past had difficulty with all the paperwork involved in reconciling who used what when and where the funds received for use of the space is sent. For some Burlington Parks and Recreation staff – the paperwork was taking up far too much staff time.
Director of Education Eaule, who retires in August, brought the trustees up to date on the potential of a secondary school strike in Halton.
He explained that regulations in place do not allow a local board to negotiate with the Ontario secondary Schools Teachers Federation (OSSTF) until given a date by the ministry of Education. Late in February the Board and OSSTF agreed on nine meeting dates for the months of March, April and May. The dates are as follows;
March 4th 25th
April 1st, April 8th, April 15th, April 22nd,
May 6th, May 12th, May 14th
Those dates suggest there is no likelihood of a strike at the secondary level before school is out for the summer and Director Eaule has moved on to retirement.
The Director made no comment on where the negotiations are going or what the major issues are.
Chair Kelly Amos read a letter from a concerned parent who was objecting to the new health and physical education curriculum that will be introduced in September.
 Chair Kelly Amos read into the record a letter from a parent opposed to the new new health and physical education curriculum curriculum. Chair Amos said she was asked by the writer to read the letter to the trustees. The name of the author was not disclosed. Chair Amos swill respond to the writer and explained that the board is mandated to deliver the new curriculum.
Director Eaule added that the board will address parent’s concerns by explaining what options are available if they do not want their children attending these classes.
Other trustees added that they too are receiving negative comments from parents in their wards.
By Staff
March 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This isn’t a Burlington story – but it is both funny and a glimpse into how the police catch the dumber criminals.
On March 21, 2015, the owner of a 5 x 8 homemade utility trailer noticed it was missing from its parking spot on his property.
A short time later, the utility trailer, stolen from a residence in Halton Hills resurfaced on the Kijiji internet classifieds site listed for sale by someone claiming to be the owner.
The real owner confirmed the trailer listed for sale was in fact his. On March 25, 2015, Police locate the seller who was arrested and charged.
The trailer was recovered and returned to its rightful owner.
Accused:
Steve Medeiros, 20 years of age, from Milton has been charged with possession of property obtained by crime.
Medeiros needs to brush up his social media creds.
 By Staff
March 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
They never give up – they keep looking for new angles and each time they catch a few people – even one is often enough to have made it worth their while.
The latest Identity theft scam we’ve seen is related to American Express.
Look at what was received below. Can you spot the bit of information that tells you this is an attempt to steal your identification?
 Look carefully at the email address of the sender – see the error? they use americaexpress.com – the correct address would be American Express. If information about any of the financial institutions you deal with gets to you financially – check it and then double check it.
Electronically is the only way the thieves can get to you.
By Pepper Parr
March 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Premier of the province, Kathleen Wynne met with the Mayors and Chairs for what her office called the first provincially convened GTHA Mayors’ Summit”
You may recall the difficulty Premier Wynne had in getting a meeting with the Prime Minister, after more than a year she finally got to meet with the Prime Minister who was in Toronto to watch the Canada – Russia world junior hockey tournament – the two held a tête-à-tête before the game.
 Mayor Goldring meeting with then Minister of Transportation Kathleen Wynne. Karmel Sakran was the Burlington Liberal candidate at the time. The municipal sector is much more interested in talking to the Premier about transit and infrastructure than the Prime Minister was.
“Today” said the Premier in a statement released by her office, “I met with Mayors and Chairs from municipalities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area for the first-ever GTHA Mayors’ Summit hosted by Ontario.
“Our province is built on the strength of its communities, so strengthening the GTHA is integral to building a stronger Ontario. But we need to work together. Leaders across the region have shown a commitment to greater collaboration with the province and with one another, to address shared challenges and capitalize on shared opportunities.”
“Ontario’s partnership with municipalities has been crucial to initiatives like expanding regional transit through Metrolinx, planning for the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, and developing the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.”
 Mayor Golding meeting with Premier Wynne during a Rib Fest event. “Together, we have agreed to focus on three key issues: solving gridlock and improving transit; planning for growth and infrastructure; and promoting economic growth across the region. These issues are all interconnected. Improving transit helps drive productivity and economic growth, while improving everyday life for people across all parts of the GTHA.
“Addressing these issues requires a collaborative, cross-government, holistic approach. That’s why Ontario and Mayors and Chairs across the GTHA have committed to meet regularly to continue our progress in these areas. Ministers will continue to join us at the table and participate in any discussions that pertain to their portfolios.
“I believe that a new era of deeper co-operation is unfolding across the GTHA and that subsequent meetings will provide opportunities to build our partnership and reinforce its importance. I look forward to working together with municipalities to deliver concrete results for the people of this region.
“Our government is committed to building opportunity and security across every community in Ontario. Our success as a province depends on one another.”
All good stuff.
 Premier Wynne campaigning with candidate Eleanor McMahon at Martha’s Landing. Premier Wynne has a bit if a soft spot for Burlington. She personally recruited Eleanor McMahon to be the Liberal candidate in the last election and was in town on several occasions campaigning with her.
She and the Mayor appear to have a reasonable relationship – but we have no idea what the Mayor has to say about the meeting – we assume he attended – because his office has not made any statement, there is nothing in the Mayor’s blog.
Calls from the Gazette to the Mayor’s office have not been returned for the past few months. Apparently we said something the Mayor didn’t like and rather than meet and talk through his concerns the Mayor has decided to behave like a petulant little boy.
It wasn’t always this way of course – but things do change.
 By Staff
March 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Now that travelling transit is about to experience a sharp increase in ridership – heck the Mayor takes the bus to work now – Burlington’s Friends and supporters of Transit (Bfast) wants to pull together people who have used transit and hear what they have to say about the service.
 This is the third public meeting Bfast has held – their purpose has been to focus attention on transit in a city that hasn’t taken to that mode of transportation.
Bfast has had the view that city council isn’t really transit friendly – the Transit Advisory committee was shut down and some of the gas tax money the city gets from the province got put into infrastructure repairs rather than transit.
The first Bfast event had Paul Bedford, a former chief planner for Toronto and a strong transit advocate spoke about Transit from an overall GTA wide Lets-Just-Get-On-With-It point of view.
The second session was a Panel Discussion with a City Councillor Rick Craven,
a VP from Metrolinx, MPP & Legislative Assistant to the minister of Transportation, Mike Colle, Burlington Green, and journalist Lorraine Sommerfeld
 There was a point during the last term of council that the city looked seriously at the idea of closing the small ticket office – that led many to wonder how serious the city is about transit. If there was ever a place to locate a transit terminal – that would be John Street where the only terminal in the city is now located. This third public meeting they are attempting to shift the discussion to make it user focused. Bfast wants to be able to take the experiences of those who attend the meeting and work them into a set of Good, Bad, Ugly bits that we can then package up into recommendations for how to improve Burlington Transit.
There are 50+ registrations including the Mayor, and Councillor Paul Sharman plus the city’s MPP Eleanor McMahon.
Share your experiences and what it is like for you riding the bus with Burlington Transit
Share your ideas for improving transit and special transit
Register at electronically or by phone – 905-632-4774.
Complimentary continental breakfast provided.
 By Staff
March 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Armed Assailant Robs Burlington Bakery
On Monday March 23rd 2015 at approximately 5:35 PM, a lone male suspect armed with a black handgun, entered the East Way Bake Shop located at 4047 New Street in Burlington.
The suspect demanded money while pointing the handgun at an employee who then turned over an undisclosed amount of money.
The male suspect fled the store and was last seen running westbound along the plaza.
The suspect is described as a white male in his 30’s, 5’9″ to 5’10” tall, wearing blue jeans, blue plaid shirt, red toque and black sunglasses.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in identifying him are encouraged to contact Det. Phil Vandenbeukel – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Robbery Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2343 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 Pepper Parr
March 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 The red hair and a comb don’t appear to have met very often – but he made his parents proud when he accepted his certificate for taking part in the Gift of Giving Back to the community program that has collected more than 1 million pounds in the past nine years. In the world of politics it is all about being seen in the right situation at the right time – and if you can control that situation, so much the better.
Kissing babies has always worked – handling out awards to bright faced boys and girls who are playing sports is a very close second.
Last night Mayor Goldring got a chance to hand our certificates to hockey players who took part in the Gift of Giving program that pulled in a record 281,878 pounds of food that is given to local organizations – Salvation Army, Carpenter Hospice, Halton woman are among the recipients.
 While one boy accepts his certificate, a boy in the first row reads what he was given by the Mayor. The November 2013 total 273,571 lbs of food.
Included in the groups that pulled in all this food were:
Eagle Rep hockey team
Barracuda,
Burlington Firefighters
Cougars
Ravens
And Nelson High school students
    In the past nine years the Gift of Giving Back to the Community program has topped one million pounds of food.
Some of the boys and girls who were to get certificates were not able to attend. When the first name got called out with no one responding – there was a short awkward silence; when additional names were read out and no one came forward both the boys and the girls chanted in unison “not here” – they came close to taking the show away from the Mayor.
Mayor Goldring proudly handed out certificates to the boys and girls who trooped into the Council chamber to accept their certificates.
Goldring pointed out that there are 14,000 people (10% of the population) who live below the poverty line.
By Staff
March 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
People new to Canada hear the phrase all the time or see the words printed in advertisements – Canadian experience necessary.
When that happens we lose the opportunity to have access to people with skills and talents this country needs.
For a third straight year, Conservation Halton is offering, a training, engagement, and networking opportunity for foreign trained environmental professionals in Halton Region, starting in April.
 The Region has a geography that is hard to match anywhere else in Ontario. A great place for environmentalists trained in other countries to get experience. The New Canadians Conservation Course is a six-week certificate workshop series being offered by Conservation Halton for New Canadian immigrants. It is designed to help participants gain valuable, introductory knowledge and enhance their employment, volunteer, and engagement opportunities in the Canadian environmental management sector. Expert speakers will deliver a weekly workshop on topics such as:
• Planning and Environmental Management
• Local Ecology and Biodiversity
• Forestry Management
• Natural Hazards Management and Source Water Protection
• Recreation Management and Risk Assessment
• Governance, Communication and Social Media
• Environmental Education and Outreach
“This is more than just a formal course, it offers a forum to exchange ideas and compare notes on ‘what worked back home’ and what commonality we have between conservation issues and practices here and around the globe. Judging from past experience, there will be no shortage of ideas, networking opportunities, or people with PhDs, who now call Halton home, and are looking to contribute to conservation in Ontario” said Hassaan Basit, Director of Strategic Planning and Communication for Conservation Halton.
 The Region is probably one of the best places in the province for environmentalists to get experience on a wife variety of forests. “The course also has a second, equally important objective”, continued Basit, “it promotes Conservation Halton’s environmental and recreation programs and services to new and ethnically diverse residents within the watershed.”
Former course participant Junyan Zhang commented, “The Course offered me a broad overview of the various departments at Conservation Halton and what kind of work they do. It introduced me to great people as well as to a variety of conservation topics, regulations, legislation, and Acts I had no clue that existed. It helped me essentially for better career planning and advancement. Thank you!”
 The Halton Conservation Authority has legislated responsibility for large parts of the Region as well as stewardship of outstanding views. Spaces in the New Canadians Conservation Course are limited and interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter by Tuesday, April 7, 2015 by e-mail to the course coordinator at course@hrca.on.ca, or by mail: New Canadians Coordinator, c/o Conservation Halton, 2596 Britannia Road West, Burlington, ON L7P 0G3.
The course is free except for a registration fee of $15 for candidates who are admitted to the course. Successful participants will receive a certificate of completion at a formal graduation ceremony during the Conservation Halton Awards of Excellence on June 23. Click for more details:
 By Pepper Parr
March 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Our new city manager James Ridge is beginning to settle in. He and his wife drove across the country with their dog and have begun to settle into their new home.
The three cats are being flown into town today.
 James Ridge – city manager – chose not to speak during his first council meeting. He wasn’t asked any questions either. One can expect to see James walking his dog in the morning as the pooch tests all the fire hydrants in the area.
He will no doubt check in with Tracy Burrows, the bylaw enforcement officer, and get the drill on the bylaws related to off leash areas.
 City manager James Ridge and his wife are empty nesters with a dog and three cats – what’ not to like about a guy like that? Ridge appeared at a city council meeting – sitting in the middle of the horse show with Clerk Angela Morgan and an assistant.
Mayor Goldring introduced James Ridge – said that he had come from the University of British Columbia but made no mention of Ridge’s extensive municipal experience.
Ridge didn’t say a word all evening.
Perhaps we have a man of few words heading up the administration of the city.
By Pepper Parr
March 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
This is a great new story.
Have you ever heard of a Pop Up Patio?
Get ready – there is going to be a patio on Brant Street that will be out on the street and occupy two parking spaces.
 The City of Toronto sets out these umbrellas along the edge of the lake opposite the Toronto Islands. Something similar coming to Burlington? It will be in place from May 1st to October 1st as a one year pilot.
The Test Kitchen – which is one of the best meal deals in town – is piloting with the city on this one.
Finally – there just might be some colour and pizazz on the street.
The idea came out of the Planning department where Jody Wellings, Special Business Area Coordinator, beavers away at making the downtown core what it could be. It has been a struggle.
Wellings is quick to point out that she can’t take credit – “the idea actually originated in San Francisco, and has been used extensively there and in NYC. More locally, St. Catherine’s, Port Credit and Barrie have all tried the concept in various forms”
 The first Pop Up Patio restaurant in Burlington will be outside the Test Kirchner on Brant Kitchen. City is looking at other locations. The patio will occupy the two parking spots shown At this point there is just the one Pop Up planned but the city seems approachable to others – and not just on Brant Street.
There will be a wooden deck patio built on the road that will be flush with the sidewalk and will extend out onto the road.
 Location of the Pop Up Patio outside the Test Kitchen. Two parking spots outside the restaurant will be used – the Kitchen had to pay for the spots. The cost should be put on the tab of the Director of Finance when she shows up for lunch. It will be fenced off – ideally with nice green shrubbery – and safe from passing traffic because there will be cars parked at each end of the patio.
It is this kind of imaginative idea that just might make Brant Street Burlington’s hub bub of a Street.
But it isn’t always good news is it?
The two parking spaces that will be unavailable for vehicles- what about the lost revenue? Not to worry the bean counters are “leasing the spaces to the Test Kitchen. Alex Mickalow will be paying leasing for seven days even though parking is free on Saturday.
Mickalow was thinking in terms of painting the wooden deck black – it tied in with his corporate colours.
 Toronto took an unused wharf in the harbour, dumped several truck loads of sand and called is Sugar Beach because it was next to the Redpath sugar refinery. Close to impossible to get a deck chair. Burlington has an opportunity to open up parts of the water front even more. What would something like this look like along the pier? Can’t do that said the city – we want a consistent look – so much for artistic expression.
What will not be bland or plain is the food – the Test Kitchen serves up a fine meal at a dynamite price with staff that aim to please and always hit the target.
Mickalow saw the Pop Up idea in Oakville – brought it back to the city last October and took it along to Brian Deans at the Burlington Downtown Business Association (BDBA) – the two of them took it along to Jody Wellings at city hall and she got it through the various hoops.
Open May 1 – expect a line up.
By Pepper Parr
March 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
James Ridge may have arrived at city hall at least an hour before most staff people show up for work. A large part of his background was in the armed forces – military police – and those guys show up early.
Ridge will work on the sixth floor where the one General Manger we have on staff works. In the past City managers have worked on the eighth floor just across the hall from the Mayor’s office. Jeff Fielding, the most recent full time city manager we had, started out on the eight floor but moved to the sixth floor to be, as he put, “in the trenches with the troops”.
Ridge is starting on the six floor – he will want to be close to the team he is going to have to build.
 Newly minted city manager James Ridge takes the helm on a nice sunny day. Maybe he brought the weather with him from Vancouver. James Ridge comes to Burlington from Vancouver where the hockey team was not an ongoing embarrassment that has announced it will need the next five years to build a team that at least has prospects.
Ridge doesn’t have five years to build his team – and right now he really doesn’t have the bench strength he is going to need to get a team together that can take Burlington to where it can go – all we need is a vision, leadership and above average administration – people who can execute on the plan they are given.
The corporate structure might undergo a change in the hands of James Ridge – but at this point in time we have a single General manager and eight Directors and two Executive Directors
Of the directors:
Mike Spicer – Director of Transit
Cathy Robertson – Director Roads and Parks Maintenance
Nancy Shea Nicol – Director of Legal Services and city solicitor.
Joan Ford – Director of Finance
Bruce Zvaniga – Director of Transportation
Chris Glenn – Director Parks and Recreation
Sheila Jones – City Auditor
Christine Swenor – Director of Information |Technology Services
Bruce Krushelnicki – Director Planning and Building – his retirement has been announced.
Alan Magi – Capital Works and Roy Male Human Resources, serve as Executive Directors.
The consensus seems to be that none of the Director level staff are ready for promotion to general manager – which means Ridge will have to look outside the corporation for the talent he needs.
His first task is going to be to interview all the senior staff as well as the members of council and get a sense of what he has to work with and what they key issues are.
Fortunately – there is enough money in the bank to pay the bills and Ridge will have a Director or Finance who will keep him up to date on how the spending and tax collection is doing.
Expect Ridge to be slightly stunned when he realizes just how many Master Plans there are floating around out there and how far behind the city is with the upkeep of its infrastructure.
Will he become part of the conspiracy to hoodwink the tax payers when the special tax levy put in place to raise the $60 million the province said we had to come up with to pay for the hospital re-build continues to be collected after the $60 million has been raised?
 The special tax levy to pay for the re-development of the hospital will end once we have raised the $60 million. Will the new city manager insist that the public have some say as to whether or not the levy stays in place and gets used for infrastructure repairs? The financed people have already earmarked those dollars for infrastructure work that we are millions of dollars behind on.
Or will James Ridge prove to be the kind of civic administrator who demands that the public be informed and involved in critical decisions. Only time will tell.
One of the more pressing issues is going to be the Air Park and the problem with getting them to submit a site plan for work that has already been done – or face some serious consequences.
Ian Blue, the lawyer the city hired to fight the two court cases over whether the city had the right to require the Air ark to submit a site plan – Blue won in both instances – is back on the payroll which means something is in the works.
 The Air Park and its failure to deliver a site plan to the city is a major issue – it will be interesting to see if city manager James Ridge gets along with Ian Blue, the lawyer who won two court cases for the city, as well as former city manager Jeff Fielding did. The Air Park is reported to have hired a new lawyer. Having a good lawyer is always useful – having a good case would be better.
A city manager sets the tone for the administration of a city. His corporate values are the driving force.
Jeff Fielding goosed the enthusiasm at city hall to levels it had not seen in some time. Staff were excited; great things were going to get done – and some good things were done.
Some staff were not all that keen on the Fielding approach and his sudden departure hurt a number of staff. It also brought to the surface a number of problems that could come back to take a bite out of the city.
 Joe Lamb, on the left, did the negotiating for the Seniors’ Centre and basically took then city manager Jeff Fielding to the cleaners with the deal he talked the city into. Will James Ridge get pulled into the same trap? The Seniors at the Seniors’ Centre are hoping that Ridge will be as generous as Fielding was – he gave them more than the proverbial kitchen sink.
James Ridge has walked into a city where people at city hall are not that keen on getting excited again. He has some sales work to do. Let’s see what he gets done in the next month.
Fielding wanted his senior people out on the street once a month for part of a day meeting people, telling the city’s story and listening. That idea apparently didn’t go down all that well with senior staff.
What will Ridge do to show the direction he will take and what kind of an administrator he is?
 Certainly not the best photo op he’s done – Mayor Goldring’s selfie – the one he sent the day he took the bus to work. Perhaps he will take the bus to work – if he happens to live in the same part of town as the Mayor they can sit beside each other and take selfies of themselves.
By Pepper Parr
March 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It wasn’t the nicest day to be out on the streets knocking on doors but Burlington’s federal Liberals and their candidate Karina Gould roamed the streets in the Cavendish – Melissa part of town.
They had 50 volunteers doing what MPP Eleanor McMahon did to win the provincial seat as a Liberal for the first time in 70 years – knock on doors and get to know people.
Gould sees the work as part of her listening to people.
 Karina Gould flashing one of her smiles to a volunteer. The next federal election is scheduled for October but there are some who think it could be called much sooner than that. There is certainly the sense that a battle is brewing and that there is a Prime Minister who has a fight on his hands.
The Trudeau name has always been a draw – but a Trudeau has never had to go up against anyone as crafty and as strategic as Stephen Harper.
Gould left her job as Trade and Investment Specialist for the Mexican Trade Commission in Toronto to become a full time candidate .
 Mike Wallace waiting to do his part in a federal funding announcement for a local corporation. Earlier in the week the sitting MP for Burlington Mike Wallace took part in two events that had cheques being handed out to local corporations. Good photo op for the MP – Gould just wishes Wallace was doing more of this. “The federal government has more than $137 million in economic development funds that it has not handed out. She would like to see more of that funding coming into the Region.
In her campaign work Gould hears of the difficulty single parents have with day care costs and they wonder why Quebec has a program that doesn’t cripple households financially. Many want to see the federal government deliver on the old promise to create a national day care program.
She hears stories about students who can’t handle the crushing cost of a university education and then the difficulty they have finding a job when they do graduate.
Gould is working at getting a sense as to what the issues are for the city she was raised in and where she has spent most of her life.
A university graduate with several degrees: a joint Honours degree in Political Science and Latin American Studies from McGill and a Master’s degree in International Relations at the University of Oxford in England.
Her work now are to gain the widest possible understanding of the constituency and its needs. When the election is called she expects to have covered every street in the city and have a solid grounding that she can work with as she campaigns to become the member of the House of Commons for Burlington.
The campaign team is made up of quite a few young people, several who are already in close to full election mode
The campaign manager is a college colleague who said she “knew Karina was going to run for public office when we were students together at McGill University”.
While those doing the door to door work are out on the street, there is another team working the telephone – two teams are on the telephones getting a clearer sense of where the population is in terms of what they think and what they want their federal government to do.
 Karina Gould, on the right with her campaign team going over the numbers for the day. Last weekend was a Day of Action for Liberals across the country. Other weekends – it’s Karina Gould and her team going door to door.
They meet at a local pub for coffee then head out in their cars to different parts of the city and return four hours later for updates, pizza and political chit chat.
The fifty people who were out last Saturday were a combination of older people who have been Liberals most of their lives and a healthy number of young people who have energy and ideals that still shine.
Eleanor McMahon used the door to door approach to win the provincial seat. She was fortunate enough to have Premier Kathleen Wynne join her on a few occasions.
Does that mean Burlington might see Justin Trudeau walking door to door sometime in September?
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