 By Staff
December 1, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
A house fire on Deerhurst Drive is being investigated as an arson.
The Halton Regional Police Service is investigating a residential fire that left a number of residents with smoke inhalation after 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
At 3:36 p.m. emergency services were called to Deerhurst Drive where residents were forced to flee their residence as a result of a localized fire in an upstairs bedroom. Residents were treated for smoke inhalation by responding EMS personnel.
Due to the circumstances surrounding the nature of the fire, the Arson investigators were called to the scene and have since taken carriage of the investigation.
As a result of a subsequent investigation by police, a 59 year old male resident was charged with Arson – Disregard for Human Life and Arson – Damage to Property contrary to the Criminal Code.
 By Pepper Parr
November 30th, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
It won’t be the cowboy hat and the blue jeans Monday evening for Haley Verrall, the Nelson High student, who will take to the stage and lead the people at the Performing Arts Centre in the singing of O’Canada as they witness the Swearing In of the new city council.
Hayley is a young, 17, Burlingtonian who is fashioning a career as a singer song-writer who wants to change the world with words and music.
She took part in the city’s culture week and was recognized by Angela Pap Paparizo at city hall and then got a call from the Mayor’s office asking if she would be interested in singing the national anthem for the Swearing In.
Both Hayley and her Mom Kim couldn’t say yes fast enough. The question then was – “Do I have to wear a dress” asked Hayley.
 Hayley Verrall at the keyboard. She will sing the national anthem at the Performing arts Centre during swearing-in of new city council. The budding artist has six songs written, a CD with her picture on the cover and more lyrics in the works. Her preference is country and western – with bluegrass where her heart really lies at this point in her career.
Hayley plays piano, trumpet, ukulele, banjo and guitar – you know which the favourite is as she slides the guitar strap over her should and adjusts the instrument to her body and strokes the strings.
Hayley plays around town wherever she can get herself in front of a microphone in Burlington. She has a spot in Waterdown that makes her welcome as well.
 The guitar is her instrument of choice. Hayley Verrall singing “Follow Your Dreams”. Besides being a musician, Hayley is a gamer. She thinks university is in her future with McMaster or Western as the destination for her. Teaching music is something she thinks she could do quite well – but the long term career isn’t the real focus for Hayley. Right now it is writing some and playing wherever she can find people who want to listen
Her Mom, Kim gets a credit as the co-writer for several of the songs written so far. Described as a musician with influences as diverse as country, rock and pop Hayley has been written up as “a versatile performer who blends her instinctive attitude for fresh melodies with a consistent background as a skilled classical pianist.”
Music for Hayley is more than simple entertainment; it is a medium to inspire, share and tell stories that can relate to an audience in a unique way.
We won’t get to hear the true love music on Monday – not unless Hayley rolls from the national anthem to “Young Gambler”, a featured piece on her CD titled: You Ain’t seen Trouble Yet.
 By Staff
November 29, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
If you haven’t got your weekend plans worked out and you are looking for something different to do with the kids – what do you think about Synchronized Swimming ?
The Burlington Synchronized Swimming Club (BSSC) invites families and friends to join us for a FREE family swim as part of the Burlington Sports Festival. Celebrate the power of sport that builds strong communities and get active with BSSC!
 Join the Synchronized Swimming Club at the Centennial pool to learn more about synchronized swimming and try some of the moves. Did you know that synchronized swimming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance and gymnastics, consisting of swimmers performing a synchronized routine of elaborate moves in the water, accompanied by music?
Join us to learn more about synchronized swimming and try some of the moves.
SATURDAY, November 29, 2014 from 3:00 – 4:30 P.M. at the Centennial Pool, 5151 New Street,
Have fun with a FREE family swim that includes a “try it” session offered by BSSC
 By Staff
November 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Are you a teen in the Halton Region who would like to understand more about the Police, Ethnicity and Culture (PEACE) in our communities?
Are you interested in a career in policing?
Have you ever wondered what the police do, how they prevent and investigate crimes and what the different units within the service are responsible for?
Would you like to have hands-on practical experience of what it’s like to be a police officer?
 If you are 15 – 18 years old and the answers to these questions are yes, maybe you’d like to check out the Halton Regional Police PEACE program!
There are still spots available for the Winter Police Ethnic and Cultural Education (PEACE) program, which runs from 6:30 – 9:00 pm every Tuesday night for twelve weeks, starting January 20, 2015 and April 7, 2015.
Each week, students will be given presentations by the different units and bureaus within the police service, with the emphasis being on practical demonstration and involvement. As well, students will learn about cultural awareness and inclusion, how the police service strives to provide equitable service for all communities within our Region and how we are educating new Canadians and recent immigrants about policing in Canada.
You can find out more about this free, voluntary program by visiting our website and clicking on Diversity.
Just complete the application form on line and Email it to the Diversity Coordinator at the contact information on the form.
 By Pepper Parr
November 28, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Many a political career has been started with a citizen serving on a city board or committee.
There are hundreds of people as well who have served on a board and found immense satisfaction in being able to make a difference.
Burlington citizen advisory committees provide Council and staff with input about a wide variety of subjects through discussions, presentations and recommendations. Some committees also organize and participate in community events.
Burlington welcomes citizens who represent the diverse backgrounds of the community to participate on these committees. Becoming a member offers residents a unique chance to volunteer their highly valued skills and to strengthen our shared sense of community.
One of the key groups is the Burlington’s BEST Awards Committee. It is made up of 10 voting members, including: six citizens from the community, and four representatives from media and information agencies.
 The committee was established in and is seen as a Planning Committee reporting to City Council through the Community Services Committee.
Their mandate is to recognize citizens of Burlington who have brought favourable publicity and honour to the City of Burlington, to increase awareness of the committee so all citizens of Burlington have the chance to be recognized for their achievements.
The recognition is provided through Burlington’s Best Awards an annual event at which Burlington recognizes the Citizen of the Year; a Junior Citizen of the Year; an Arts Person of the Year, and a Seniors Person of the Year;. The city also gives a Community Service Award, an Environmental Award and a Heritage Award.
These awards are important – but there is a problem. In 2014 the nominations or recommendations did not come from the Planning committee – their task was to vote on the nominations they had before them.
Those nominations came from anyone who wanted to send in a nomination. The result was we had wives nominating husbands, Mothers nominating their children and girlfriends nominating their boyfriends, which, while admirable, is surely not Burlington’s definition of the BEST we have?
In the next few weeks the Clerks department will go through the applications for people who would like to be on the Planning Committee. Let us hope that the committee that chooses the people who will vote for the BEST that Burlington has are people who get to vote on merit.
There are some people in this city who have in the past year served us exceptionally well. They deserve to be recognized for what they have done – not for who they are or what their Mother, Father, husband, wife or girlfriend thinks of them.
Friends and family should be applauding the choice the committee makes – they shouldn’t be sending in nominations – nor should the committee be accepting them.
 By Staff
November 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
They are going to do it again this year.
Last year with a lot of pushing from ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward the city made all of December a free parking downtown month.
“We heard from many people last year who enjoyed the free parking promotion and took advantage of the offer to do some of their holiday shopping and celebrating in the downtown,” said Scott Stewart, general manager of development and infrastructure. “We hope the return of free parking throughout December will encourage residents and visitors to explore the people and places that make downtown Burlington a great place to visit, live and work.”
 Throughout December, vehicles parking at on-street parking meters can park free for up to three hours. For vehicles parked at municipal parking lots or at the parking garage at 414 Locust St., there is no maximum time limit. Overnight parking in municipal lots is allowed except during snow removal activity between 2 and 6 a.m.
The city created a cute video to get the message across.
 The City of Burlington provides more than 1,400 municipal public parking spaces in downtown Burlington and offers free parking year-round in downtown Burlington on weekends, Monday to Friday after 6 p.m. and holidays.
When the city announced the program last year the people working at the local retail locations saw a good deal and made the best of it – it was hard to get a space in some of the more popular lots – they were filled with people who worked downtown – not the people who had come downtown to shop.
The city manager at the time put out a pretty stiff memo but it took a few days to get the needed attitude change. Interim city manager Pat Moyle might want to dig out that memo and re-issue it.
Related articles:
The free parking was supposed to be for customers – not staff at retail locations.
Councillor argues that free parking for city employees is a taxable benefit.
Councillor goes after free parking during budget discussion.
 By Ray Rivers
November 27, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
Before the British North American colonies converged into a new nation, Ontario and Quebec shared history as the united ‘Province of Canada’. The Act of Union in 1840 brought together the former Upper and Lower Canadian colonies into a union which lasted until confederation in 1867. This union gave birth to the responsible government in the colonies, involving both English and French Canadians despite occasional disagreements, as in 1849, when rebelling Tories burned the provincial capital buildings in Montreal.
 The hanging of Louis Riel created a major rift between Quebec, the aboriginal community and the federal government that to some degree still exists today Ontario and Quebec have had their disagreements; Louis Riel, conscription, liquor marketing restrictions and cross border labour disputes – but there has always been a fraternal amity, not unlike that between the western provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Premiers Robarts, Davis, Peterson, McGuinty and Wynne were always strong promoters of Quebecers’ interests in Canada including through those troubling periods when Quebec was threatening to leave the federation.
So it is gratifying that Premiers Wynne and Couillard are taking steps to bump up their cooperation on language policy, climate change, electrical energy and strengthening the central Canadian economy. This sounds like a no-brainer though and provincial residents should thank the Prime Minister, if only because the federal government’s neglect is the spark that has driven this initiative. After all, Mr. Harper has spent virtually no political capital on central Canada’s economy, rather focusing his energy on the further development of the Alberta tar sands
Ontario and Quebec make up about 60% of the country’s population and its gross domestic product (GDP). So expanding trade between them should help expand their economies and allow them to pay down their debts. New approaches to sharing electrical grids will help keep electricity rates in check, which is good for the economies as well as the rate payers. But what would really help is a much needed boost to infrastructure, transportation infrastructure in particular, to keep their major cities from choking on their own success.
Throughout history the federal government has always been the driving force in the economic development of this country. It was the feds who gave us our national railways (and have since sold them off) that brought B.C. into the federation and bound us all together. The TransCanada highway is the centre piece of Canada’s national road transportation system. Environmental management across the country was only made possible with federal resources to build water and waste water facilities. The federal government (Trudeau) even salvaged the oil sands when Alberta was ready to throw in the towel, in its earlier days.
So, in keeping with that tradition the Harper government, a few years ago, announced a program to help the provinces fund their growing infrastructure needs. But Ontario’s share is less than three billion dollars while the provincial government needs to spend about $130 billion dollars over the next decade.
 The “Ring of Fire”; the name given to a part of the province that is believed to be rich in natural resources but cannot be reached because there are no roads into that part of the province. Ontario wants federal government help to build those roads. The federal government wants pipe lines to move tar sands bitumen from Alberta to the east coast. Then there is the ‘Ring of Fire’.
The so-called ‘Ring of Fire’, site of potentially billions of dollars worth of valuable minerals, lies about 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, but is currently inaccessible except by helicopter or canoe and portage. Both Ottawa and Toronto agree on the need to develop this resource and the Province estimates about a billion dollars is needed for a transportation system. The federal government has decided that this should come out of Ontario’s piddly $3 billion in that infrastructure fund – and therein lies just another disagreement between Canada and its largest province.
Premier Wynne has requested a meeting with the PM to talk about this matter among others. But Harper is refusing to meet her because he can see no benefit in helping a provincial Liberal government improve its economy. So he’s got nothing to say and no more money to offer. That is, no more money for Ontario if he is going to balance his budget; give another $2 billion in tax cuts to reasonably well-off Canadian families; and keep his fighter jets running missions in Iraq.
Then there is that Ontario pension program which Wynne has decided to undertake, all on her own, since the feds refuse to undertake much needed upgrades to the existing Canada Pension Plan.
And there is Premier Wynne’s demand for a more equitable share of the federal equalization program, now, when the province needs the money most. But then Ontario just voted Liberal in the last election – so who can blame the Conservative PM for not wanting to help her out.
Canada’s record on climate change is abysmal. We had once gained considerable reputation as a front-seat participant in different forums dealing with the the global issue. But Canada has surrendered its commitment to the Kyoto protocol and is unlikely to meet even the softer targets the Harper government recently set. Still, the PM likes to take credit for the recent modest improvement in emissions statistics, notwithstanding his ‘full-speed-ahead’ on oil sands development and the pipelines he envisions to move all that oil.
And any reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon emissions which Canada can boast about are almost entirely due to Ontario’s green energy program and the shut down of coal-fired electricity – an initiative which Ottawa refused to help finance. In fact Ontario and Quebec are the only two jurisdictions in Canada which have significantly reduced their GHG emissions over the years, again without help from the current federal government.
 Premiers Wynne of Ontario and Couillard of Quebec have begun to work together to protect the economic interests of Central Canada Mr. Harper’s party managed to pull a couple of wins in the recent by-elections, one of them in Ontario. The general election this coming year will be a greater test for his government. It will be an opportunity to discuss climate change, energy policy and infrastructure in a way that they were not debated in the by-elections.
It is unlikely that Mr. Harper will lose much political support in his western home base over his almost antagonistic approach to the rest of Canada, However voters in central and coastal portions of the country will need to ask themselves what they have been getting out of this confederation. And do we need to rethink the make-up of the political union we call Canada – as Quebec and Ontario seem to be doing. Or do we just change the channel at the polling booth.
 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 against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province.
Background links:
Infrastructure Quebec-Ontario Partnership Canadian Federalism
Respect Ontario History Federal Infrastructure Program
More Infrastructure Even More Infra Ring of Fire
 By Pepper Parr
November 26, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s a community that just keeps on giving – a little like that Energizer bunny.
 TD District VP Cosimo Mazzafero on the left approving a withdrawal from the bank for the Burlington Community Foundation Laura Pizzacalli is pleased as punch with the donation. Ron Foxcroft know what it took the reel this cheque in. Yesterday it was the Toronto Dominion Bank that handed over their cheque for $20,000 – thank you very much said Ron Foxcroft as he added another notch to the fund raising goal for Flood Relief.
 The Burlington Sports Alliance came through in a big $20,000 way for the flood victims. From the left Mary Nichol, John Tait, Collen Mulholland, Rick Dawson, Jean Longfield and Angelo Bentivegna Next day it was the Sports Alliance that turned in its cheque for $20,000 as well. Not to take anything away from the bank – but for the Sports Alliance to bring in $20,000 is a major achievement.
The revised goal is now $1 million and with the donations in the wings and that last minute hustle Foxcroft has put on community organizations and major corporations the target is certainly achievable.
The Burlington Community Foundation is now winding down the hard push for funds – it is still important – but the task now is to begin putting together the files that have to be completed to put the money raised into the hands of the people who need it.
As the tremendous community effort works its way to the date – December 15th – on which funds begin to get distributed those who did the really hard day to day work to produce the results are beginning to think about the lessons that have been learned.
Tuesday morning Collen Mulholland who has been the driving force behind making this all come together, took part in a McMaster DeGroote School of Business event at the Ron Joyce Campus on the South Service Road where she talked about how communities are going to have to prepare for the “not if but when” extreme weather situations that most believe are the result of global warming.
Last weekend Buffalo got thumped with snow that was as high as seven feet in some areas; the next day the GTA had a wind storm that got as high as 100 kmh.
 Help was needed from wherever it could be gotten in Buffalo when they got more than six feet of snow. In Buffalo there were shovel brigades consisting of dozens of people pushing snow. Many of the people in Burlington who will benefit from the Flood Relief funds raised did not have insurance – they weren’t able to buy any. Others had severe caps put on the amount of insurance they could buy.
These were all responsible people – they just weren’t able to buy the protection they needed. We are going to see more of this type of weather related damage done to communities.
Mulholland talked about the difficulty in raising funds quickly. Burlington had people who were in very real dire straits – they had been wiped out through no fault of their own. Many were able to turn to family and savings – but this country is no longer known for its high savings rate. A lot of families carry quite a bit of debt.
Mulholland explained that there are hundreds of Foundations that have funds which they make available – but as Mulholland explained: “It takes a long time to actually get the funds”. There are all kinds of hoops that one has to go through. She suggested communities might want to begin looking for and creating new models to meet the needs of a community. The Burlington Community wasn’t created to do what it found itself doing.
 It is difficult to financially support something you can’t see – when the waste bins were off the streets – the need wasn’t visible anymore – but the need is still there. The Mayor made the call and the BCF took up the challenge. Mulholland wonders if there is an opportunity to create a structure that has a Community Foundation in every city, town and hamlet in the country with each creating an endowment and being set up and able to move funds from one community to another.
Canada has a fine tradition of communities helping communities. Burlington recently agreed to send a truck and a front end loader to Buffalo to help clear snow.
We seem though to be entering a different environment where events such as the 191 mm of rain that fell on relatively small parts of Burlington in four to five hours was something the bureaucrats said could not possibly prepared for. There are differing views on that but the point is well made – we have different weather these days and both people and property are going to be hurt.
Burlington appears to have decided to become proactive and serve as a leader in the thinking that has to be done to create the structures needed across the country to let people help people and prepare for the kind of significant environmental changes we are going to have to deal with.
By Pepper Parr
November 25, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
We got the tease piece on Monday – be ready for a biggie announcement on a major drug arrest.
They were going to have pictures and even the Chief was going to be on hand to strut and show his stiff.
The Halton Regional Police Service Drug, Gun and Gang Unit had concluded an eight month drug investigation earlier that day with assistance from Hamilton Police Service, Waterloo Regional Police Service, Niagara Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Peel Regional Police Service and the Durham Regional Police Service. They executed a total of 15 search warrants throughout Halton, Hamilton and Toronto.
They raked in a substantial amount of drugs, cash and firearms. Further details were to follow; a press conference was planned for the next day.
It was the end of an eight month investigation into a group involved with trafficking cocaine and marihuana. The investigation revealed the network was well entrenched in the drug culture in Halton Region, the City of Hamilton and the City of Toronto.
 Modern day technology and counter-detection techniques deployed by this group presented significant obstacles to the investigative team. However, investigators were able to unravel the layers to this sophisticated drug trafficking operation. As a result, police identified the parties involved, their respective roles, drug stash locations and concealment methods.
Police arrested and charged 15 people, disrupting and possibly dismantling this drug trafficking network. Police seized the following evidence:
2.5 kilograms of cocaine
105 pounds of marihuana
1 kilogram of cannabis resin
2 semi automatic handguns and ammunition
$155,000
4 vehicles as offence related property
The charged persons are as follows:
James EVANS-O’CONNELL, 27yrs, from Burlington
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Cocaine (7 counts)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Marihuana over 3 kilograms (6 counts)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Marihuana less than 3 kilograms
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance (13 counts)
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Garth WATKINS, 29yrs, from Burlington
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Cocaine
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (2 counts)
• Obstruct Police
• Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
• Breach of Probation
• Breach of Prohibition Order
Derek JACKSON, 24yrs, from Hamilton
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Cocaine (7 counts)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Marihuana over 3 kilograms (6 counts)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Marihuana less than 3 kilograms
Erik STRONG, 29yrs, from Toronto
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Marihuana over 3 kilograms (3 counts)
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Jessica GRANT, 26yrs, from Burlington
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Cocaine
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (2 counts)
• Obstruct Police
• Possession of a Prohibited Weapon
James DEROSA, 27yrs, from Waterdown
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Cocaine and Oxycodone
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
• Breach of Recognizance
Adam DEBOER, 24yrs, from Millgrove
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Cocaine
• Possession of a Controlled Substance
Joshua YEAGER, 29yrs, from Milton
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Marihuana
Ryan KNAPMAN, 29yrs, from Burlington
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance (2 counts)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Cocaine and Marihuana
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Sean KNAPMAN, 27yrs, from Burlington
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance (2 counts)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Cocaine and Marihuana
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Amir PAREKH, 26yrs, from Toronto
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Marihuana
• Possession of a Controlled Substance
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Frank GELENYI, 30 yrs, from Oakville
• Breach of Recognizance (currently on outstanding firearms charges from 2012)
• Unlawful Possession of Firearm
• Knowingly in Possession of an Unauthorized Firearm
• Possession of Restricted Firearm with Ammunition
• Breach of Firearms Prohibition
Greg JONES, 33yrs, from Toronto
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance
• Trafficking a Controlled Substance; Marihuana
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Marihuana
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking; Cannabis Resin
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Merrick BROOMFIELD, 27yrs, from Stoney Creek
• Conspiracy to Traffic a Controlled Substance
Tristan MIGNOTT, 26yrs, from Stoney Creek
• Unlawful Possession of a Firearm
• Knowingly in Possession of an Unauthorized Firearm
• Tamper with Serial Number on Firearm
• Possession of Restricted Firearm with Ammunition
• Possession of a Controlled Substance
That was certainly a big bust; the lawyers in town will be busy; no word on who got bail.
 By Pepper Parr
November 24, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
The National Energy Board (NEB) has made it very clear to Enbridge that the pipeline they want to reverse and pump Alberta tar sands bitumen to eastern Canada is not going to be as simple as they thought it was going to be.
The NEB recently told Enbridge that their Line 9 plans failed to meet the requirement that shutoff “valves shall be installed on both sides of major water crossings”, and also challenged the company’s definition of what constitutes a major water course (WMC).
The Board has demanded a new company submission “at least 90 days prior to applying for the final leave to open” the pipeline which significantly sets back Enbridge’s previously announced intention to start shipments later sometime in November.
 There are seven creeks that run from the Escarpment into Lake Ontario. We know how volatile those creeks can get when they are flooded. They would carry an oil spill right out into the lake threatening our water supply. “The Board notes that only 6 of the 104 MWCs identified by Enbridge to date appear to have valves installed within 1 km on both sides of the water crossing, while the majority appear to have valves installed more than 10 km from the water crossing on at least one side,” explains the NEB letter to the company. “The Board is of the view that Enbridge’s criteria for determining MWCs are not adequate.”
One of those major water crossing is Bronte Creek. Hamilton has a community committee that has done their homework and are on top of the issue. Burlington isn’t as fortunate. BurlingtonGreen has some expertise but not much in the way of profile on this.
 The location of the valves – underground – that are controlled from the Enbridge office in Western Canada. Are there enough of these in place? The city’s engineering department has a small group monitoring but they don’t appear to have focused on those water bodies that are within our boundaries. Hamilton is pressing very hard to ensure that the required shut off valves are installed so that if there is a spill the flow can be stopped.
We don’t hear about Burlington banging their fists on the table to make sure that the seven creeks that flow through are city have the protection needed.
Burlington is going to have to be at the table pushing for what our problems are. Sam Sidawi, Senior Engineer with the city said “we are part of a thing called the Municipal Liaison Group”, and seemed content to leave it at that. Hamilton is a part of the same group and they aren’t leaving the protection of their Major Water Crossing in the hands of others.
The Conservation Authority is in there somewhere but try getting a map from them delineating all the creeks that run from the Escarpment to the Lake and they will tell you there are GIS licensing concerns. Balderdash.
We did get a copy this morning after months of asking
 Enbridge was sucking oil out of the river and creeks that had oil from the spill in them four years after the spill. Burlington could not go that long. At this point Burlington doesn’t have a problem – nothing is running through Line 9 – but when they get the clearance they need – we could have a problem – that line is close to 40 years old.
Kalamazoo Michigan had an oil spill that sent an estimated 800,000 gallons of crude oil into Talmadge Creek and the river. Nearly four years later since the spill was discovered July 26, 2010 near Marshall, the Canadian pipeline company is wrapping up the cleanup.
By Staff
November 24, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
The cops need some help and so does the Arctic Spa – they are missing a 16 feet long by 8 feet wide Hudson Swim Spa valued at $25,000. The Halton Regional Police are looking for any information that will help identify the person(s) responsible for the theft of Swim Spa.
On Wednesday, October 8, 2014 shortly after 10:00 pm a dark coloured pick-up truck with silver trim at the bottom and towing a 20 foot trailer with a forklift, pulled into the parking lot of Arctic Spa located at 990 Fraser Drive in the City of Burlington.
The forklift was used to load the Swim Spa valued onto the trailer.
Anyone with information is asked to contact D/Cst. Dikran Tokat, 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau – Commercial Crime Team at 905 825-4747 ext 2333, 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 Staff
November 24, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
News reports will make mention of video the police obtained to identify a suspect. Where do they get that video?
From people who have video cameras installed. Most commercial establishments now have video cameras – as well as many homes.
 The Halton Regional Police have created a new data base that will list all the known video camera set ups in the city.
If you have a security video system at your home you can register that camera and system with the Halton Regional Police. All the police do is make a note of your address and the fact that you have a video surveillance system around your house.
The police don’t have access to your system – they just know it is there because you voluntarily registered it with them.
In the event that there is an accident or a crime committed within range of your system the police know that you have cameras and will ask if they can have access to that video.
Called the Security Camera Registration and Monitoring (S.C.R.A.M.) Program; it is seen as a new crime prevention and investigative tool.
In 2013, the Region of Halton was named the safest Canadian regional municipality with a population of more than 100,000. In fact, it was a record year with the crime rate dropping to the lowest it has been since 1974. There are many reasons why Halton enjoys this status; one of which is the reciprocal relationship that the Halton Regional Police Service shares with the community it serves.
This partnership between community and police has allowed Halton to experience a declining crime rate, despite a growing population.
Private home security is a priority for many residents in an effort to protect their home and family. As our population is growing, so is the number of residential video surveillance cameras being installed in neighbourhoods throughout the region. As the number grows, so does the opportunity for police to have access to video/photo evidence that can assist with criminal investigations and lead to suspect identity and a conviction in court.
The new S.C.R.A.M. Program is a community based crime prevention opportunity and investigative tool that enlists the help of Halton residents and can help prevent crime on three levels. Residential video surveillance cameras can deter criminals from entering the area, can prevent crimes from occurring and can help solve crimes by providing valuable evidence to the police.
The S.C.R.A.M. program enables community members to voluntarily identify and register their residential video surveillance equipment through a simple, secure, confidential, online form located on the Halton Regional Police Service website.
Once registered, a database of surveillance camera locations will be available for officers when investigating a criminal offence. The database will provide officers with a more efficient manner of locating surveillance evidence in the critical initial stages of an investigation when time and public safety are potential factors. The program is an innovative and cost-effective way to increase resources that help solve crimes.
Currently when officers are involved in an investigation their only method for locating surveillance evidence is through a physical canvass which is both time consuming and resource heavy. The S.C.R.A.M. database will allow officers access to registered video surveillance in a particular area by utilizing an interactive crime mapping tool.
This program is a creative way of empowering the Halton community to take action against crime in their neighbourhoods. The program facilitates secure information-sharing between the community and the police, and promotes a united response to crime prevention. Because participation in this program is voluntary, S.C.R.A.M., in essence is a community-led initiative and encourages people to become part of the solution, while providing the police with a valuable investigative tool.
 By Pepper Parr
November 24, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
He left us on this day in 1807. Sometime after his community transported his remains to Brantford where he is celebrated and revered.
Burlington was the location of the land grant Joseph Brant was given for his service to the British Army during the American Revolutionary wars.
 Joseph Brant was a part of making Canada what it is today – he just isn’t adequately recognized for his contribution. The city is littered with the history of the land transfers that piece by piece transferred every acre from Joseph Brant to other people in Burlington. The Kerns family was the first to buy property from Brant – 200 acres on the east side of Brant Street.
Each August the city holds an event at the LaSalle Park and Joseph Brant does get a mention.
The Board of the Brant Museum on Lakeshore Road has elaborate plans for a modern display telling the Brant story and the copy of the original Brant home will be part of the structure but the public won’t be able to actually go into the building – that will be used for “administrative” purposes.
 Architect’s rendering of what a “new” Joseph Brant Museum might look like. It would be built on an intersection that will become one of the busiest in the city when the re-developed hospital opens in 2018/19 Poor Joseph Brant – we keep short selling the man and his exceptionally significant achievements.
There is hope. Rick Wilson, the man who corrected a major error in historical fact when he pointed out that an historical sign on the Burlington Heights side of Burlington Bay was incorrect when it described a War of 1812 battle.
That error got corrected and there is now a piece of signage that sets that story straight. Wilson has some thoughts that he hopes will result in the creation and erection of a suitable statue of Brant.
There is hope.
Related stories:
Citizen finally gets the province to recognize their error.
Signage goes up telling the true story of the Burlington Races.
By Staff
November 23, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a good idea at the time but time may have gotten the best of Councillors Dennison’s intentions.
At one of the shortest Council meetings this term (18 minutes) the significant seven whizzed through a short agenda but weren’t allowed to go home right away – Councillor Dennison had an idea. He didn’t have a motion and the Mayor really wanted to upbraid him for that – but Jack Dennison doesn’t get points for his efficiency with the paper work.
 Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison always has an eye open for an opportunity – convinced Council they should send some equipment to Buffalo to help with their snow problems. Dennison told Council that he and “a couple of the guys” were talking about the huge amount of snow that had fallen on Buffalo and he wondered if Burlington could send some of its equipment their way to help out. Dennison wanted to send a truck and a front end loader.
After getting a motion on paper – Council went for the idea and left it to staff to make it happen.
 Buffalo bound? Might be. Councillor Jack Dennison got Council to agree to send some equipment to Buffalo if they needed it. Rain may replace snow in the Buffalo area. Things like this inevitably end up on the desk of the “make it happen guy” at city hall. General manager Scott Stewart got in touch with the city of Buffalo but they said they didn’t need any more equipment but some of the towns surrounding the city might need some help.
Stewart got in touch with the office of the Governor of New York state to ask if Burlington could assist. No answer at the end of the day on Friday and – with the snow fall coming to an end and rain coming on the Buffalo area is now worried about flooding –something Burlington can tell them a lot about.
It was a good idea and Dennison deserves a kudo for bringing it up.
By Pepper Parr
November 23, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
Jackie Isada, Chief of Staff, Daphne Jaques, Assistant to the Mayor and Corry Holloway, Assistant to the Mayor’s Office will all have new digs come the New Year.
City Hall announced that Ms Isada will be leaving her job with the Mayor and joining McMaster University as the Manager for Government Affairs at McMaster University. Ms Isada joined the Mayor’s office in 2013
 Jackie Isada leaves the Office of the Mayor to join McMaster University. There is no replacement at this time. The Gazette learned that the Mayor is going to go back to square one and start all over on the staffing side. Staff in the Mayor’s office are all contract employees
When he set up his office in 2010 Mayor Rick Goldring brought Frank McKeown in as his first Chief of Staff and Daphne Jaques as an assistant; both were part of his election campaign team. Julie Rorison joined the eighth floor staff soon after.
That all came to an end when McKeown left the job as Chief of Staff in December of 2012 and Ms Riordan left the Mayor’s office to join the Clerk’s office in 2014.
There has been no mention as to who will replace Ms Isada however a few names have been put in front of the Mayor.
When asked Mayor Goldring said he was not aware of any situation in the past when a Mayor replaced all his staff members at the beginning of a second term.
 Mayor Rick Goldring loses his second chief of staff and decides not to renew the contracts of the balance of the team on the eighth floor. When Goldring was a Council member for ward 5, Georgie Gartside was his assistant. At the time she fully expected to join the Mayor on the eighth floor but that did not happen. Gartside was asked to work with newly elected Council member Marianne Meed Ward where she became one of the most efficient councilor assistants and serves almost as an advisor to Meed Ward.
Senior staff at city hall are not quite sure where the Mayor is going in terms of staffing and what he has in the way of longer term plans. Citizens might get some sense of where the Mayor wants to go with his thinking and what he feels he needs in the way of staff when he delivers his Inaugural address December 1st.
Right now it looks like chaos and confusion.
By Staff
November 20, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
David Packer pled guilty to charges under the Conservation Authorities Act in relation to undertaking unauthorized development within areas regulated by Conservation Halton. Guilty pleas were entered at the Burlington Provincial Offences Courthouse on August 12, 2014.
On February 22, 2013 Conservation Halton staff confirmed that fill material was being dumped and graded at 1400 Snake Road. David Packer had arranged for the disposal of fill material into the Burlington property. The development activities were undertaken without written permission from Conservation Halton, which is required as the development activities took place within a valley that is regulated by the Conservation Authorities Act.
 Trucks dumping landfill at the Air Park site on Appleby Line. David Packer pled guilty to six charges and was fined a total of $3,000 plus the victim surcharge. In addition to the fine Packer voluntarily removed the fill material at his own expense.
Conservation Halton administers Ontario Regulation 162/06 which regulates development activities within and adjacent to natural hazard areas such as watercourses, creeks or streams, wetlands, the Lake Ontario shoreline and valley slopes.
Hazardous lands are defined as areas that could be unsafe for development because of naturally occurring processes associated with flooding, erosion, dynamic beaches, or unstable soils or bedrock. By regulating development in these hazard areas, Conservation Authorities ensure that people and property are kept safe and the tax payer is not burdened with the cost of replacing and/or relocating development from these areas when natural disasters occur.
There are residents on Appleby Line who will shake their heads in dis-belief when they read the above. Where, they will ask, has the Conservation Authority been the past three years while the Air Park owners were dumping tonnes of land fill on their 200 acre property?
By Pepper Parr
November 19, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
I found myself thinking about the Swearing in ceremony that is going to take place December 1st at the Performing Arts Centre and wondered why the Mayor or perhaps one of the council members or maybe the manager of the city’s communications department or – heaven forbid, the people who are supposed to be working on “community engagement” – didn’t look for ways to open up the evening.
There will be as many as 700 people in the Main Theatre at the Performing Arts Centre. What an opportunity for this Council to use the occasion to actually listen to what residents have to say.
The organizers of the event could have four or five of those hand held microphones and the Mayor could invite people to ask questions of any member of Council.
These wouldn’t be delegations – just people asking questions.
Limit the time for this part to say 30 minutes. Anyone can ask any question. All they have to do is stand up and have the microphone placed in their hands. The questions would have to be short and direct
It wouldn’t hurt if there were a little back and forth permitted as well.
People in this city have things to say. Many will have nice things to say while others will ask pointed questions.
Somebody will have to control the event. Have current General Manager Scott Stewart take on that task; he’s pretty good at managing this kind of event. It will give the public a chance to see the man in action; they are going to be reading a lot more about the guy in the near future.
Is it risky? A bit – but leaders are supposed to lead – show by example. There are not many occasions when there are 700 citizens in one place and every member of Council in that place as well.
Worth a try folks and there is still time to juggle the agenda – no one is going to mind the additional half hour. Most people will stay glued to their seats waiting to hear the questions.
No pre-screening the questions – whatever comes out – comes out.
It will take a little courage but it is worth it.
 By Staff
November 19, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
No one ever went wrong talking about energy saving – especially when the temperature outside was double digit below and when our friends in Buffalo were getting more than two feet of snow.
Burlington’s Sustainable Development Committee will host a free event on Nov. 25 for homeowners to help reduce home energy costs.
 Lynn Robichaud, the city’s senior sustainability coordinator takes part in almost every environmental event in the city – heading up the energy efficiency seminar later this month. Takes place Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Burlington Public Library, Central Branch, at 2331 New St.
“Homeowners can learn valuable cost-saving tips to make their home more energy-efficient,” said Lynn Robichaud, the city’s senior sustainability coordinator. “Industry experts will be on hand to answer questions.”
Participating organizations include: Burlington Hydro, GreenVenture, Halton Region, Philips Lighting and Union Gas.
In 1990, the City of Burlington declared itself a Sustainable Development Community and set up the Sustainable Development Committee as an advisory body to City Council.
The role of this volunteer citizens’ committee, which includes members of the public and the business community, is to get people talking about sustainable development and to integrate economic and environmental planning at the municipal level.
By Staff
November 18, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON –
Samuel, Son & Co., Ltd., also known as GO Packaging, has pleaded guilty and has been fined $70,000 after a worker suffered fractures and other injuries after being caught in machinery.
On June 7, 2013, a worker was learning how to thread multiple strands of plastic strapping material at the company’s workplace at 735 Oval Court in Burlington. The worker was participating in peer-to-peer job advancement training with a senior, experienced operator who was also a lead hand. The task involved running four strands of plastic strapping repeatedly back and forth the full distance of the production line to allow the hot, freshly extruded plastic strapping to cool by air.
The trainee worker was instructed to shut down the machine and, while reaching for a side stop control panel near exposed rollers, one hand and forearm became entangled in plastic strapping. As the worker tried to use the other hand, it also became caught.
The lead hand witnessed the event and stopped the machine. Co-workers used a hack saw to cut through the accumulation of strapping material and extricated the worker. The worker suffered bruising, sprains and bone fractures as well as amputation of the tip of one finger. A Ministry of Labour investigation followed.
Samuel, Son & Co., Ltd. pleaded guilty in court to failing to appoint a competent person as supervisor when it appointed the lead hand as the supervisor.
A ‘competent person’ is defined as a person who is qualified because of knowledge, training and experience to organize the work and its performance; is familiar with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the regulations that apply to the work; and has knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace.
The employer had not made the lead hand familiar with the Occupational Health and Safety Act or the Industrial Establishments Regulation, which applied at the workplace; the lead hand was thus not a competent person as defined by law.
Samuel, Son & Co., Ltd. was fined $70,000 by Justice of the Peace Eileen Walker in Provincial Offences Court in Burlington. In addition to the fine, the court imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.
 By Staff
November 19, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON.
They are taking the show on the road.
On December 1, the Mayor and the six council members will take their places on the main stage of the Performing Arts Centre and be sworn in.
In 2010 the city spring for some pretty good food – this time it will be coffee and a cookie with pop for the kids. It looks as if that great bar in the Centre won’t be open. Shame.
 The Mayor`s chair and his chain of office will get taken to the Performing Arts Centre for the Swearing in on December 1. Moving the swearing in to the Performing Arts Centre will allow for many more citizens and city hall staff to attend. Each Council member will have ten tickets to distribute for reserved seats – the Mayor gets twenty tickets.
The Burlington Teen Tour Band will take part and Hayley Verrall will sing O’Canada.
New this year will be words from Ron Foxcroft who will be the keynote speaker. He is expected to use some thought from a basketball player who talked of “elevating his game”. Foxcroft wants the city to “elevate” its game.
Justice Dale S. Fitzpatrick will oversee the swearing in while the Venerable Stephen Hopkins of St. Christoper`s Anglican Church will do the Blessing.
 The Burlington Teen Tour Band officially opened the Performing Arts Centre a few years ago. They will march during the Council Swearing in on December 1 in the Main Theatre. The Mayor will also deliver his Inaugural address. We might get to hear some of the “setup” he mentioned in his election campaign but never did expand on.
The Mayor’s chair will be transported to the Performing Arts Centre. There will be seating for each Council member, the interim city manager and Clerk Angela Morgan on the stage with space made available for the Judge, the Clergyman and other speakers.
The event will begin at 6:30 pm. The Main Theatre can hold 700+ people.
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