 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 30, 2013. The federal government announced that it was going to gift the recently born Prince a gift that would include a number of books fit for a Prince from his Canadian citizens.
We asked bookseller Ian Elliott at the Different Drummer Book Store what he thought would make an excellent collection of children’s titles from Canada.
And we asked Maureen Barry, CEO of the Burlington Public Library if she would prepare a list. Barry turned to her children’s librarians and here is what they came up with. Interestingly, there was just one title Elliott and the librarians suggested: Red is Best. Other than that there was no duplication.
We were delighted to see The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier on that list. The gift will come from the people of Canada sent by the Prime Minister and The Governor General who are both avid hockey fans.
We are going to pass this list along to those two gentleman and see what they decide to put in the gift package.
 A future King of Canada, Prince George Alexander Louis gets a list of books he might want to read as he grows up. The Prince, George Alexander Louis, third in line to the British throne has made just the one public appearance but expect to see a lot more of that child. He will be King of Canada to many of those children who currently buy books at the Different Drummer and borrow books from the library.
 I Have the Right to Be a Child, Alain Serres, illust. Aurélia Fronty, Groundwood Books
Alligator Pie, Dennis Lee, Harper Collins
The Hockey Sweater, Roch Carrier, Tundra Books
Something from Nothing, Phoebe Gilman, Scholastic Books
ABC of Canada, Kim Bellefontaine, illust. Per-Henrik Gürth, Kids Can Press
Picture a Tree, Barbara Reid, Scholastic Books
 Imagine a Day, Sarah L. Thompson, illust. Rob Gonsalves, Simon & Schuster
I Want My Hat Back, Jon Klassen, Candlewick Press
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Mem Fox, illust. Helen Oxenbury, Houghton Mifflin
On the Day You Were Born, Debra Frasier, Houghton Mifflin
I Like to Play, Marla Stewart Konrad, Tundra Books
 Red is Best, Kathy Stinson, illust. Robin Baird Lewis, Annick Press
The list that follows is a compilation of suggestions from Burlington Public Library librarians who have had the privilege of serving as children’s librarians at various points in their careers. They chose Canadian picture books because, as they said, “we have a rich treasure of wonderful Canadian stories and illustrations for children. These are all ‘tried and true’ at many a storytime! It was difficult to narrow down our choices because there are so many great options.”
Barbara Reid – Welcome, Baby (Barbara is both author and illustrator and her ‘illustrations’ are all crafted with plasticine! It’s true that little Prince George has caused smiles around the world. This book is about babies bringing happiness.)
Barbara Reid – Read me a book (This is a collection of several wonderful Canadian stories compiled by Barbara Reid. It is a way to give Prince George a taste of Canada before his first visit.)
Marthe Jocelyn – Same Same ( Exploring in very simple images how things that are different can be very much the same.)
Marthe Jocelyn – Where do you look? (A fun exploration of homonyms.)
Jan Thornhill – Wildlife ABC and 123 (It is pretty clear what this book is about)
 Michael Kusugak – My Arctic 1,2,3 (Learning numbers, counting and all about Arctic animals, this book is a gem.)
Edith Newlin Chase – The New Baby Calf (There may be a “no fly zone” over Bucklebury while Prince George is in town but we are certain there are baby calves in town. This is a lovely story of the first days of a baby calf.)
 Kathy Stinson – Red is Best (A perennial favourite story about a little girl and debates she has with her mother about the colour red. This books begs to be read again and again.)
Kathy Stinson – Big or Little (Little ones cannot wait to be big, but sometimes they realize being little is OK too.)
Robert Munsch – Mortimer (Prince William said that his son had a ‘great set of lungs’ and we think the very loud repeated chant of Mortimer who loves to make noise “ all day” will appeal in the Royal nursery).
 Phoebe Gilman – The Balloon Tree (The story is all about fantastical royalty with Princess Leora prepares to use balloons to signal her father the King if something goes wrong while he is out of the kingdom. Something does go wrong. There is a happy ending.)
 Prince George Alexander Louis with his Father the Duke of Cambridge; second and third in line for the British throne. How many parents who are avid readers and take their child to the library on a regular basis recognize these titles? Is this a good list of books to send to the future king of Canada.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 29, 2013. One side blinked; guess which one?
The City of Burlington and the Burlington Executive Airport have reached a settlement to stop fill operations at the airpark until a decision is made about whether the city has jurisdiction to regulate fill operations through its site alteration bylaw.
According to a city media release, “representatives from the legal teams for the city and the airpark continued discussions over the weekend to try and resolve the dispute. They reached a settlement on behalf of both parties, and together will request that the court endorse the following directions on Friday, Aug. 2:
that the city’s motion for injunction and the air park’s motion to strike or stay the city’s claim be adjourned pending the outcome of the air park’s court application regarding jurisdiction
that a hearing date for the application from the court be set for a date as soon as possible after Sept. 2, 2013
that the airpark will not bring any fill onto its land other than gravel and pavement grindings for a runway base (not to be mixed with any other fill) and asphalt for paving to allow completion of the work being done to widen a runway and taxiways
that the airpark will permit city staff on site to ensure no fill operations are taking place during the runway and taxiway base preparation and paving work
that the city will not exercise any self-help remedies, such as a prosecution under the Provincial Offences Act, against the airpark during the term of the settlement agreement
that the terms of the agreement will continue to apply until the court makes a decision on the airpark application.
Scott Stewart, the city’s general manager of development and infrastructure, sees this as “a positive step forward in resolving the issue of fill on the Burlington Executive Airport site.” He added that: “The settlement will ensure that fill is stopped on an interim basis until the disputed matter of jurisdiction can be determined by the court.”
Up until this recent shift in attitude the Air Park has been one tough customer. Shortly after a citizen, Vanessa Warren, delegated at city council the Air Park announced that it would be operating until as late as 11:00 pm some evenings while it dumped asphalt scraped from the 407. They explained at the time that this work had to be done at night because that was the only time the trucks had access to the 407. That didn’t go down particularly well with the city and the Air Park backed off that idea.
There will still be some trucks entering and leaving the airpark to complete the paving of the runway and taxiway, Stewart said, but truck traffic associated with the deposit of fill will not return until the court matter has been decided.
In the meantime, residents along Appleby Line and Bell School line are asking the office of the Regional Medical Officer of Health to test the water in their wells.
Sheldon said: “My suspicions and worst fears of Mr. Rossi’s mammoth landfill dumping operation have been confirmed by the environmental firm hired by City. Their report indicates the fill that has been accepted by Mr. Rossi does indeed contain contaminants.
“Mr. Rossi intentionally piled this fill, in some places at least 30 feet higher than my land, on three sides of my property and in very close proximity to my property line. Because of the towering elevations he created, Mr. Rossi has recklessly destroyed the natural storm water drainage pattern. Over the years, I have accumulated a great deal of documented evidence, photos and videos, of filthy surface water flowing onto my land and into my pond. I also have documented requests to Mr. Rossi, dating back to 2009, that he restore the storm water drainage pattern or at the very least have it professionally engineered to stop the flooding and ponding on my property. He never did.”
 Trucks bring in landfill described as contaminated onto their site south of a residents property. The fill is some 25 yards away from a pond on the residents property. Air Park has committed to stopping the landfill operation while the Court’s work out the matter of jurisdiction. “This dumping has been going on for 5 years, so I have grave (appropriate term) concerns about my well, my pond and my land being contaminated – if not already, then soon. These need to be thoroughly tested immediately and ongoing until the contamination and/or the threat of contamination has been permanently eradicated. For that matter, all of the landowners in this community need theirs tested as well. What about those here who farm commercially? Has Mr. Rossi contaminated their crops and endangered their livestock as well? And what about the treasured wildlife in this rural area – what happens to them when their water sources are poisoned? Not only have lives and livelihoods already been destroyed, but the significant natural elements of our rural green belt region have been jeopardized by this thoughtless, greedy man. I delegated to City Council a month ago that he is getting away with murder. Truer words I’ve never spoken.”
Sheldon advises her neighbours to call the Medical Officer of Health at the Region and demand to have the water in their wells tested to see just how contaminated it is.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 29, 2013. Why is he doing it? Does he need the money? He certainly doesn’t need the aggravation but none of that seems to be getting in the way of Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison from seeking a severance of his property on Lakeshore Road.
There are few of his neighbours on his side on this one. Many feel that Dennison can’t fairly represent the people in the community and at the same time seek a change in the size of his property that most feel will change the way Lakeshore Road grows.
 Bought by Ward 6 Councillor Jack Dennison under a Power of Sale in 2009 Dennison now wants to sever a portion of the property on the east side and construct a second house which he has said would be sold. Lakeshore is a premium location in the city. Large homes grace the road and properties are well maintained. Many feel that the attempt to severe a part of the property into a new lot will be the beginning of a process that will see others attempt to create smaller lots that will have smaller homes and that is not the way Rosedale sees Lakeshore Road.
 Chair of the Committee of Adjustment, Michael Ramsay put in a full day the evening his committee heard the Dennison application for a minor severance, which was denied. Chair Ramsay, on the left along with The vote went 3-2 against Dennison with Chair Malcolm Ramsay, members Grant Newbury and Robert Bailey voting against and members Dave Kumar and Sam Sarraf voting for. The Committee of Adjustment (CoA) didn’t see it that way and they turned down the application for what Dennison was calling a Minor Adjustment. Any Committee of Adjustment decision can be appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board which Dennison has done. That appeal will be heard at the end of August.
Residents of Roseland formed the Roseland Community Association to oppose a severance on Hart Avenue and won that case. “The request for a minor variances at 216 Hart Avenue was dismissed and the variances are not authorized.”
They feel confident that their argument against Dennison’s severance is even stronger and while the community doesn’t like taking their case to a tribunal they are quite prepared to do so on this occasion.
But the question lingers: why is Dennison doing it? Does he need the money? Jack Dennison has had financial problems in the past. The 2008 recession hit his business at the Cedar Springs Health and Racquet Club hard and for a period of time Dennison chose not to pay his municipal taxes. His was not the only business in Burlington that suffered financially. It was a tough decision to make – sitting as a member of council and not paying taxes, but one can do that. It was a business decision made during a time when business was terrible.
Dennison must have come close to having to shut the club down. He didn’t and today the business is understood to be healthy.
Still – why raise the ire of all your neighbours? Why put up with being black balled by the community association? No one wants to talk to Dennison at community events; city hall staff feel awkward dealing with him and are never sure if they are dealing with a citizen who wants to exercise a right that every citizen has or if they are dealing with a member of Council who expects favoured treatment.
Are there financial problems?
Sept 4, 2009 Dennison personally buys 3083 Lakeshore Road from FenFam Holdings Inc under power of sale for $757,000
On the same day he puts a $306,079 mortgage on the property from CIBC. The CIBC mortgage is Prime – 0.25%, and expires Sept 30, 2014
On May 17th, 2010 Dennison puts a second mortgage on the 3083 Lakeshore property for $460,235. This second mortgage is provided by TD Bank. The rate on this second mortgage is Prime + 5%, payable on demand.
On the same date Dennison puts a third mortgage on the 3083 Lakeshore property in the amount of $65,488 provided by Lillian and Loui Vukanovich. The Vukanovich loan had a rate of 9% and was due Feb 29, 2012; the charge is still on title.
All this information is part of the public record.
Total debt on the property is now $831,802, nearly $75,000 more than Dennison paid for the property. Neighbours report that virtually no work was done on the property.
In 2013 some work is done on the property. It is also the time frame within which Dennison seeks the severance from the Committee of Adjustment.
The real estate community estimates the property that Dennison wants severed would be worth about $700,000.
Many in the Roseland community want to understand what it is that is motivating their Council member to make financial decisions that raise the ire of the community and threaten to result in significant change to the make-up of the properties along Lakeshore Road.
They reflect on the difficulties Dennison had with his fitness enterprises and note that in June of 2007 Cedar Springs Tennis Limited borrowed $5,050,000 from the Hamilton Teacher’s Credit Union. The prime rate at the time was 6% but the rate shown on public documents for this loan was a demand loan at prime plus 10% guaranteed by Dennison and Castle rent-a-Car, Dennison’s private holding company.
On October 27, 2010 Dennison loans Cedar Springs $2,000,000 as a demand loan with a 5% interest rate. This loan is secured against the property.
 Dennison decides to personally sell a red convertible. No offering price was shown. Sometime in July Dennison parks his red convertible in his driveway with a For Sale sign inside the wind shield.
The community is concerned.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 26, 2013 Very early in July, the St. Raphaels Church located on New Street was vandalized by two suspects. Damage to the church included anti-religion and profane writings on both the doors and windows.
On Thursday, Halton Regional Police Service, 3 District Criminal Investigations Bureau arrested Patrick GRAY, a 21-year-old male from Burlington for one count of mischief under $5000. GRAY was released on a Promise to Appear and Undertaking with Conditions and is scheduled to appear in Milton court in August 2013.
 Use of Social Media helped police find and arrest a vandal. The wider community was able to assist the police using social media and Twitter accounts to help the police make their arrest. Graffiti is a community issue and it is partnership between the Police and the community that will help us address this issue.
Anyone with information related to this investigation or other acts of vandalism is encouraged to contact the Three District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext 2316, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting ‘Tip201’ with your message to 274637(crimes).
 By Ray Rivers
BURLINGTON, ON. July 15, 2013. It was a perfect storm. No, I’m not talking about the spectacular rain events that knocked out the great cities of Calgary and Toronto. I am talking about what hit the poor people of the small Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic. We can’t blame global climate change for this disaster – the responsibility lies a lot closer to home.
Rail World Inc. is one of those ‘take-over’ holding companies run by a modern-day tycoon, CEO Edward Burkhard. This rail road entrepreneur also specializes in buying up and privatizing public railroads from ideologically driven governments; running them into the ground, then selling back again for a profit. I’ve personally ridden on the rail systems where Burkhardt’s hands were busy, ruining rail transport in the UK and New Zealand. The formula is simple – sell snake oil, cut the bottom line, and keep cutting until the system is so bad that public outcry forces the governments to buy the rails back.
 Federal regulation let this accident happen. So one of his companies, in this case the Montreal, Maine and Atlantic, used the cheapest rail cars – single hulled and easily punctured – for flammable light crude (Bakken oil). The locomotives, hauling the cars, were so poorly maintained they regularly had engine fires, including on the night of this tragedy Then, the company figured it could save a few more dollars by reducing its operators to one. There would be no backup operator to take over the controls as the train ran from North Dakota to New Brunswick.
So there was nobody at the controls when/if the engineer went to the can, made a bite of lunch, caught a nap, or maybe had a personal incident, like a heart attack? And how could one person have properly set the handbrakes for an overnight stop when the procedure normally required two operators? In the evening the engineer had to leave the train for a good night’s sleep, unlocked, unattended and with the engine running so the air brakes would hold the train.
Lac-Mégantic, with less than six thousand residents, is a part of the glue that brought Canada together into Confederation – ‘a mari usque ad mare’. The town was built as a key juncture linking the Atlantic provinces and the rest of the country by steel rail. So it was such sad irony that the Canadian government was complicit, negligent and ultimately responsible for nearly destroying Lac-Mégantic so many years later. An environmental disaster, a burned-out downtown and as many as 50 people dead. How long will it be before separatist-minded Quebecers demand the federal government relinquish jurisdiction over rail safety to the Province?
One of the most basic roles of government is to ensure public safety. It does this through regulation. Yet the tanker cars, called DOT111, have long been determined unsuitable for hazardous liquids – and what is flammable oil if not hazardous. The risk of an accident has risen sharply since far more oil than ever is being shipped by rail. Unsafe tank cars and lots more of them…. duh? Finally, the federal regulator, in an unusual and thoughtless move, provided approval and authority for the company to run the train with only a single operator and no back-up personnel.
This was the worst rail accident in Canadian history and the worst disaster Quebec has ever seen. It was a perfect storm, an accident waiting to happen, and yet also perfectly avoidable. But isn’t that what happens when a federal government has taken its eyes off the ball – when it is more concerned about just moving cheap oil than about public safety?
Editors note: Since penning this piece the following has taken place:
Transportation safety officials have told Ottawa to rewrite train safety rules in the wake of the tragedy at Lac-Mégantic, Que., suggesting that Canada’s current regulations are too vague and open to interpretation by railway workers that can lead to disaster.
In a pair of letters sent to Transport Canada, the federal body that oversees the rail industry, the Transportation Safety Board said more detailed rules must be created to govern the number of brakes that must be set when parking freight trains, and whether those trains can be left unattended when carrying dangerous cargo.
 Ray Rivers was born and raised in Ontario and earned a degree in economics at the University of Ontario. He taught at a university in New Zealand for a period of time and then earned a Master’s degree in economics at the University of Ottawa. His 25 year stint with the federal government included time with Environment, Fisheries and Oceans, Agriculture and the Post office. After leaving the federal government he consulted for private sector and government clients. Rivers completed his first historical novel The End of September in 2012. This story about what might have happened had Quebecers voted for sovereignty association in that first referendum in 1980 is set in Ottawa and Montreal.
He has been active in his community including ratepayers groups, a food bank, environmental organizations, community journalism, policing and community associations and service clubs, churches, boy scouts, and community theatre. He has been active politically, running for municipal and provincial government offices as well as heading executive positions with the Liberal Party and riding associations. He developed the current policy process for the Ontario Liberal Party.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. – July 25, 2013. The Halton Regional Police would like to caution the public that scammers are using the names of the RCMP, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) in a computer scam.
Individuals report a frozen computer, or they have been locked-out of their computers, after receiving pop-up messages warning that the computer has been associated with pornography.
These warning messages claim to be from one of these agencies, and tell the recipient to pay a “fine” so the computer can be “unlocked.” The message also claims that if the “fine” is not paid within 72 hours, criminal proceedings will commence against the user.
“These types of messages, commonly known as “scareware”, are designed to create such shock and anxiety that victims respond by sending money quickly,” states the RCMP in a news release.
The public is advised that if you receive one of these messages please be aware that it is a scam and has not been issued by the CACP, CSIS or the RCMP.
Do not pay the $100.00 “fine”. Being “locked out” of your computer is an indication that your system may have been infected with malware and you will need to take steps to address that problem.
The police pass along some tips to help keep your computer protected:
• Never click on a pop-up that claims your computer has a virus;
• Update your anti-virus software often and scan your computer for viruses regularly;
• Do not click on links or attachments in e-mails sent to you by someone you don’t know;
• Turn on your browser’s pop-up blocking feature;
• Never download anti-virus software from a pop-up link sent to you in an e-mail.
If you have received a “scareware” message please report it to your local police office and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501).
One might ask why someone would be worried about being told there was pornography on their computer if they never visited one of those websites. Of course, if a person has visited such a site – perhaps there is reason to be afraid.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 25, 2013. The Regional government does regular water testing for all the beaches in Halton and report on what is safe and what is not safe.
We noticed that in the report for this week they advise that the Beachway Park water is safe for swimming but that the water at the foot of Brant Street is not safe.
 View of the mini-beach at the foot of Brant Street where people like to swim. Notice the large pipe on the right hand side in the top part of the picture. The rain run off from that pipe might be what is making that water unsafe for swimming. The geese that like that part of the waterfront don’t help either. Region might want to consider a warning sign in that area. Given that the two are quite close together we asked the Region “why” and they replied that the Manager of Healthy Environments explains that if “water samples collected have e.coli counts above the guideline, the beach is posted as unsafe for swimming.
“The e coli results for Brant Street beach were not within the acceptable guidelines while Beachway results were. There are various factors that affect bacteria counts in water including wave action, currents, wind, water depth, storm water outfalls and the amount of waterfowl in the water and on the beach. Ultimately, it is difficult to determine the exact factor or factors that caused the difference in the water sample results.”
 That made sense because there is a pipe that runs from under the Waterfront Hotel area right into the mini-beach that was created when the pier was built. Also, geese and other waterfowl love to walk along that mini beach and people tend to feed the critters – and you know what geese do when they eat don’t you?
Might not the Region post a sign in this area advising people that it is prone to having e-coli counts higher than normal and is therefore not a safe place to swim – especially for very small children.
Other than a few beaches in the Region it looks like it is going to be a healthy weekend to go swimming.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 25, 2013. In Kingston they refer to him as their “cultural czar” and they can’t understand why he is leaving. The contacts we spoke to didn’t even know that Brian McCurdy had resigned and was on his way to Burlington where he will serve as the Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre. He takes up the reigns in the middle of August.
Kingston’s Grand Theatre was undergoing a major renovation when McCurdy arrived in that city. He completed that job and put together what most people in Kingston felt was a very good program bringing in a number of acts from Europe that for the most part didn’t tour smaller Canadian cities.
McCurdy created a jazz festival that has proven to be very popular in Kingston; hopefully a jazz program will be something we might see from Mr. McCurdy early in the New Year?
McCurdy was said to have been very good at creating partnerships with small theatre groups in Kingston and while described as a cautious man, people in Kingston found that the proof was in the pudding and McCurdy did produce for them.
 Brian McCurdy, newly appointed Executive Director of the Performing Arts Centre. Burlington is about to get serious with its Cultural Plan which is working its way through city hall and a committee or two. McCurdy is said to have done “excellent” work setting the direction for arts and heritage in Kingston for the next ten years. Might he manage to set the bar a little higher at the Brant Museum?
The depth of experience that McCurdy brings to cultural development will be new to this city. Burlington has gotten a little mired in its approach to culture – this man, if the information we’ve been given is sound, takes a very sophisticated approach and at the same time fully understands the realities of the market place.
In Kingston McCurdy said once he was “worried about the success of the KidStage series” and found a remedy — he cut the children’s prices in half. “It really caught on,” he said. “The audiences doubled and tripled.”
 “When we did a survey at the end of this year”, said McCurdy, “ 92% said they got value for their money but would come to more shows if the prices were cheaper. So this year, we’re introducing three price breaks where you can save as much as $10 if you’re willing to sit further back in the theatre.”
McCurdy has a considerable amount of American experience which is usually a good thing. It gives him a broader view of culture and how it develops and rolls itself out. A university education at McGill University will have given him a firm understanding of the dual culture of this country as well.
Add to that some work in Hamilton with the opera crew over there and he at least knows where Burlington is. Has anyone told him about the most expensive pier ever built in this country? When he was taken on a tour of the city did they walk him out to the end of the thing?
As to why did he decide to leave Kingston, a city that has a richer, deeper arts tradition than Burlington and a very significant summer tourist traffic, a world-class university in the middle of the city and a stronger Canadian history pedigree than Burlington, no one could come up with a reason other than “these people like to move on quite a bit”.
 Our contact in Kingston did have one parting comment. “Burlington” he said, “has to stop poaching our people”. And then I realized that our police chief Stephen Tanner, also came to us from Kingston. This would put some validity to the Mayors statement that we are the best place to live in the country. Problem with that statement is that there are a number of correctional institutions in Kingston where we may not want this great news to get to.
For the moment let us welcome Brian McCurdy to the city and wish him well. If Burlington is to have a cultural identity – this man appears to have the capacity to get us there. He also has a community of artists who want to be at the table and the sense we got from the people we talked to is that this man understands artists – which will be welcomed.
 By Staff
Burlington, Ont. July 24, 2013 – The Burlington Theatre Board has selected Brian McCurdy as the new Executive Director of The Burlington Performing Arts Centre. Mr.McCurdy will assume his new role effective August 19, 2013.
Mr. McCurdy has served as Cultural Director of the City of Kingston, since 2008. In this role he was responsible for overseeing the management of the historic Grand Theatre, city museums, Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning, in addition to municipal cultural planning.
 Brian McCurdy has been appointed the Executive Director of the Burlington Performing Arts Centre – he joins that organization in the middle of August. He was also involved in the re-development of the historic Grand Theatre in Kingston which re-opened in the spring of 2008 following a 3-year renovation. Previously, Mr. McCurdy provided management for the Performing Arts Centre, University of Lethbridge; Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, a 1500 seat performing arts centre; and the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, University of California.
“This is an important leadership role and we are delighted to have attracted broad interest from top candidates across the country, and beyond.” said Rick Burgess, Theatre Board Chair. “Brian has provided leadership and direction for the planning, construction, opening and ongoing management of performing arts centres, and has extensive programming experience. He has held the position as the first manager of many performing arts centres and therefore understands the complexities and the excitement of an organization in its development stages. As we head into our third season, we are excited to welcome Brian to the team.”
 Some new light being brought to the Performing Arts Centre with the appointment of Brian McCurdy as the new Executive Director. Mr. McCurdy received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music from McGill University in Montreal and his Master’s Degree in Music with a major in arts administration from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He also studied arts administration at The Banff Centre, in Alberta, the Leadership Institute at the University of California at Berkeley, and has participated in numerous workshops and seminars on fundraising, board and community development.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 23, 2013. This is a nice little money-maker. The Region has had two red light cameras in operation since March 2012. They announced yesterday that an additional five are going to be installed. Any idea why? Public safety perhaps? Try again – think revenue stream.
As of July 19, there have been 663 red light infractions, which means that 663 people have gotten letters in the mail with a bill for $325
Rounding out the numbers at 330 infractions per camera and 7 cameras going in and the tickets priced at $325 – the Region will have pocketed $750,710 each year.
Nice little bit of business. The Region originally announced a total of 12 red light camera going in.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 23, 2013The Region wants you to know that bulk brush from the recent storm gets put out on your regular yard waste pick up day. Branches do not have to be bundled but are not to be more than three (3) inches thick.
If you are unsure of trash pickup days slip over to h Regional web site and enter your postal code which will tell you what gets picked up when on your street.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 23, 2013. So – they’re going to court. That’s a place where the wheels turn slowly and evidence gets dragged out of people one sentence at a time.
The city of Burlington and the Air Park have each sued one another and now begin the process of pulling together all the papers that will get put forward as evidence. Each side will prepare their witnesses and the lawyers will prepare their questions.
Somewhere along the way everyone might decide to play nice, nice and each party will back off a little and decide to settle this disagreement out of court.
Burlington and the Region have said they just didn’t know what was going on up at the Air Park. That would be nice if it were true but they did know. They were told in April of 2009 when the Air Park held a neighbourhood meeting. According to the Newsletter the Air Park put out the city’s planner was there, although they don’t name the person.
 Ward 6 Council member Blair Lancaster held some of her community meetings at the air park which was certainly a nice setting. Lancaster maintains that she had not hard from any of her constituents before March 15th of this year. The evidence suggests otherwise. The claim Oakville’s city planner was there as well and that the then council member for Ward 6 was also at the meeting. They misspell her name (Carol D’Emelio) but claim she was there along with 60 “neighbours”.
In its April 2009 Newsletter the Air Park reported as follows:
 The Air Park publishes a Newsletter for its clients. “As you might imagine, the neighbours of the airport have an interest in what happens next
door, or here at the airport. Recently we have been doing some preparatory work on the
west side of the airport including creating a road that will eventually access Appleby Line
and be the main road into the airport and to the proposed terminal building near the infield
of the airport.
“The neighbours rightfully were asking questions of ZBA actions and we were dealing with many rumours and untruths, so Feb 17th at Spectrum’s classroom we held a neighbours information session and presented the future plans of the airport.
Over 60 neighbours were in attendance, as well as Councillor Carol D’Emelio from Burlington City Council, City Planners from Burlington and Managers from Halton Region.
 Vince Rossi, owner of the Burlington Air Park has always played the politicians as hard as he could. At one point he had Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion sending fax messages for the Airpark from her office the Minister of Finance. In this picture, undated, he has Halton MP Lisa Raitt attending an event, believed to be a Christmas party before she became a Minister. Only time will tell if the influence is going to work for Rossi. Raitt is now the federal Minister of Transportation which is responsible for the oversight of Canadian air parks. “We addressed untrue rumours such as our intention to build a “Fuel Depot”, or a “Hotel Complex” on the field. We also addressed the untrue rumour that we are expanding th Length of the runway (while this would be nice, operationally there would be little advantage).
“Some things that were discussed, and that we all have a responsibility to abide by are operational issues and noise management. The Neighbours routinely observe, as do we, aircraft flying too low on final, or not obeying the 5 degree turn departing Rwy 14.
“We’d like to remind you that your considerate operation helps the airport live in harmony with those closest to us: Our neighbours!”
Was this just good corporate PR or did the airpark really reach out to the community? Has there been any undue political influence in the past? did the city know what was happening around their airport? Should they have known?
Are there any limits to what an air park owner can do on an operation that is federally regulated? And just how environmentally damaged is the land fill that has been dumped on the site for the past five years?
And what is the Region doing to test the water that the environmental report from Burlington’s experts has said could be tainted?
The Regional medical Officer of Health has a responsibility to ensure that the health of the community is secure. There is ample evidence to suggest bore holes should be drilled to test the makeup of that landfill.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 23 2013. —Hydro workers, firefighters and roads and parks maintenance staff worked through the weekend responding to damage, road closures and power outages caused by that Friday night storm.
By Monday morning power had been restored to all but 3,000 homes. Burlington Hydro staff called in colleagues from other hydro services to help today. The Burlington Fire Department called in the neighbour Oakville Fire Department. The city’s roads and parks maintenance staff and contractors worked through the weekend responding to fallen trees and maintaining road closures at locations throughout the city.
 This tree on King Road fell on one property landed on the hedge of the next property and then lay sprawled across the neighbours driveway as well. Hydro will then work on cleaning up and repairing the 25 broken poles with trees down stretching in a path along Cedar Springs Road and No. 1 and 2 Sideroads.
Burlington Transit had to reroute at least one bus line.
 Cathy Robertson, Director of Roads and Park Maintenance may not be certified to use a chain saw but she certainly kept her crews hopping over the weekend as the city dealt with hundreds of calls about fallen trees. Cathy Robertson, director of roads and parks maintenance said the city is “ working closely with Burlington Hydro to focus on what counts most—getting power restored to homes and getting people around the city safely.”
The Region created an enhanced brush pick up that basically lets you put out brush on your next regular yard waste collection. At that time you can put a pile of bulk brush instead of having to bundle it. That will make it easier for residents to clean up debris from the storm.
Burlington’s Robertson, who advises she is not certified on chain saw use but does manage very well is ensuring that city trees are cleared away as quickly as possible. Trees that are on city property are chipped and the wood chips are used on paths in some park areas and woodlots.
No one was yet able to put a number on just how many trees came down. The city is completing a street by street check – by the end of this week it should all be cleaned up. There were no reports of any injuries. But Sunday morning we certainly had a mess on our hands.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 22, 2013. Halton Regional Police Criminal Investigation Bureau does not believed there was anything criminal in nature in the death of a male found in a creek near Earl Park and that there are no public safety concerns.
However, the police would like to hear from anyone with information related to this matter. Contact police at Halton Regional Police Service at 905-825-4747 Ext 2315. Detective Jared McLeod, 30 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau has control of the file.
The victim in this matter has been identified as a 33-year-old resident of Hamilton. The victim’s family has been identified and his identity will not be released.
The body was discovered Friday evening floating in the creek near Earl Park in the Francis Road area of Burlington.
There were no obvious signs of trauma to the body. The male has been transported to the Hamilton General Hospital where a forensic autopsy will be conducted. The investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of death.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 22, 2013. It is getting nasty out there. And it is getting expensive but the city has taken the position that the dumping of landfill at the Air Park site south of Derry Road between Bell School Line and Appleby Line has to be stopped.
 Were you to drive by this site today the elevation would be considerably higher. The owners of the air park have been dumping fill on their property for more than five years without obtaining a permit which the city believes they must do. Last week the Air Park served documents on the city setting out an application they are making to Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice to have their rights, as they see them, clarified and enforced. In a delegation to city council late in June, lawyer Glenn Grenier, representing the Burlington Executive Air Park, tried to tell Councillors that they had no rights as far as what is done at an Air Park.
 City manager Jeff Fielding, on the left, making his views known to Air Park lawyer Glenn Grenier after a council meeting. City lawyers stand to the right. City manager Jeff Fielding was closed to incensed at the comments and on three occasions that evening advised the Mayor to send the delegation packing. After the council meeting Fielding had some choice words for Mr. Grenier.
Some saw that as a stall on the part of the Air Park. The city would very much like to see the rights the Air Park claims it has judicially confirmed. BUT – in the meantime – stop dumping landfill on the site and to make that point the city sued the Air Park seeking a permanent injunction.
Interestingly, the city filed its claim in the Ontario Superior Court in Toronto while the notice the Air Park served was filed at the Superior Court in Milton.
Can the two proceed at the same time in two different courts? The lawyers will work that one out. What is evident in all this is that the city is not stepping aside. Nor is it waiting for anyone to do something for them.
 Based on a voluntary decision not to haul landfill to the Air Park site you won’t see any King Paving trucks working this location. A bit of positive news is the decision on the part of King Paving to voluntarily stop hauling fill to the site. Kudos to them for taking that position. City Manager Jeff Fielding publicly thanked King Paving for “doing the responsible thing at this time.” This decision on the part of King Paving will certainly fracture their relationship with the Air Park. There was a point at which the Gazette could not get a comment from King Paving without their clearing it with Vince Rossi, owner of the Air Park.
Based on the opinions of a respected environmental testing firm the city now knows there are excessive levels of substances such as petroleum hydrocarbons, lead and zinc in some of the fill. Based on that evidence the city wants:
A permanent injunction restraining the Airpark or anyone acting on their behalf from placing or dumping fill, removing topsoil or otherwise altering the grade or any other form of site alteration at the airpark;
An interim injunction, along the same lines as above;
An order requiring the airport to remove all fill deposited on the airpark lands that does not meet the Table 1 of Ontario Regulation 153/04 standards; and
Recovery of costs.
The city has also asked the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to review the findings and take the appropriate action on behalf of Burlington residents and enforce any applicable ministry regulations against the airpark owner.
The city commissioned a review of the available environmental testing reports of the fill received at the airport amid growing concerns from residents and City Council.
 The culvert shown here is reported to run the full width of the Air Park property with thousands of tons of landfill for which there are not adequate testing data draining to the culvert and into land on the Cousins Appleby Line farm and into the area water table. According to the city’s Statement of Claim approximately 59% of the landfill dumped since 2011 is contaminated. In a report from Terrapex environmental, the company that did the review of the documents that set out what is in the landfill, there are not nearly enough documents (reports on where the fill came from and what is in it) to be able to give an opinion on just what is in the landfill dumped before 2011.
The only way to find out what is in the fill is to drill a series of “bore holes” throughout the site and analyze the results. The city feels it is up to the Air Park to do this testing at their expense and to make the results available to everyone.
The Air Park uses the fact that air parks are federally regulated – and on that point they are right; they also take the position that “everything” they do on their property also comes under federal regulation and this is where the city, the Region, the MOE and the federal department of transport bureaucrats have parted ways in terms of their thinking.
The Air Park has twenty days to prepare a statement of defense (they can ask for an additional ten days) and then the judicial process begins. If the city can come up with evidence that the contaminants in that fill are of significant and truly endangers public health this whole business can be expedited and a hearing held that could result in an interim injunction until more facts are gathered.
 By James Smith.
BURLINGTON, ON. July 20-2013. On a very warm evening, the Burlington Federal Liberals gathered to burn a few burgers and broil the present government at their annual BBQ in Aldershot. About 35-40 of the party faithful gathered to catch-up, and talk about everything from l’affair Duffy, to the latest in the soap opera that is the Toronto Subway saga, to the cabinet shuffle that sees Burlington’s Ms Raitt as minister of Transportation. With little surprise few held out hope that Ms Raitt was going to use her new job to fix the Airpark mess anytime soon.
 The Hon Judy Sgro, former Minister of Citizenship and Immigration speaks to Burlington federal Liberals at a recent BBQ. The guest for the evening was the Hon Judy Sgro, MP for York West Liberal critic for Seniors and Pensions, and the former Minister of Citizenship and Immigration in Paul Martin’s Cabinet. Ms Sgro is a natural and very relaxed politician, she and husband Sam seemed to be in their element as they easily chatted and mingled for most of the evening. When it came time for a speech, Ms Sgro spoke directly about how she had not supported Justin Trudeau for leader, (can you even imagine Mike Wallace saying something like that?) but as Liberal leader, she noted she’s impressed both with his commitment, his grasp of issues and his leadership ability in caucus. One gets the impression from her comments, that Mr Trudeau runs a pretty tight ship.
Ms Sgro also took the present government to task on a number of issues from immigration to pensions and had an interesting observation on the scandal plagued Senate. In contrast to the comments made by our MP Mike Wallace ,Ms Sgro suggested most of the good work reviewing bills is being done by Senators of both parties. The reason for this observation is legislation is often part of omnibus bills, crafted in rush, with often as little as three or four hours of review. Ms Sgro claims that closure (time limits on debate) has been used by the present government more than at any other in the past. In her opinion, this makes for sloppy legislation, and often mistakes and unintended consequences that are not caught until a bill becomes law.
In conclusion she urged her audience to keep involved in the process and to get ready for the next election, as she feels the election in 2015 will be critical to the future existence of a federal liberal party. Given the turnout on the hottest day of the year, it seems the Liberal faithful in Burlington are anxious to heed her call.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 20, 2013. Friday evening before the worst of the storm hit the city police were notified of a body floating in the creek near Earl Park in the Francis Road area of Burlington.
Emergency Services responded to the area and the body of a male believed to be 20-30 years of age was recovered from the creek. The male had no vital signs and was declared deceased.
There were no obvious signs of trauma to the body. The male has been transported to the Hamilton General Hospital where a forensic autopsy will be conducted. The investigation is ongoing to determine the identity of the deceased and the cause of death.
Halton Police will issue an update when more details are known.
 By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 20, 2013. —Hydro workers, firefighters and roads and parks maintenance staff worked through the night to respond to damage, road closures and power outages caused by last night’s storm.
As of 10 a.m., power had been restored to all but 3,000 homes. Burlington Hydro staff called in colleagues from other hydro services to help today. The Burlington Fire Department, with its neighbour the Oakville Fire Department, responded to 160 calls between 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. yesterday and this morning. The city’s roads and parks maintenance staff and contractors worked overnight, responding to fallen trees and maintaining road closures at locations throughout the city.
 Alton Village resident Neil Gallant videoed the storm clouds as they rolled across the city and over the Escarpment. Burlington Hydro is expecting to restore power to the Lowville area sometime this morning, which will reduce the number of customers without power to 1,500. Hydro will then work on cleaning up and repairing the 25 broken poles with trees down stretching in a path along Cedar Springs Road and No. 1 and 2 Sideroads. Hydro will also work to clean up the downed hydro poles and trees at Corporate Drive and Appleby Line.
Burlington Transit is rerouting Route 11 buses onto Ironstone Drive, Corporate Drive and Mainway due to the closure of Appleby Line in this area.
Local citizens had a great time filming the storm from the safety of their homes – others had to clear away fallen trees.
Cathy Robertson, director of roads and parks maintenance said the city is “ working closely with Burlington Hydro to focus on what counts most—getting power restored to homes and getting people around the city safely.”
To report downed trees or branches, call 311. For information about hydro outages, visit www.burlingtonhydro.com or call 1-877-310-4937.
 By Pepper Parr
BURLINGTON, ON. July 18, 2019. Are we seeing a whole new level of transparency on the part of the city? Are we also seeing a significantly and very welcome difference in the way city hall responds to problems its citizens run into?
The city posted a copy of the Writ served on them by the lawyers for the Air Park; not the kind of thing they have done in the past – they certainly didn’t handle the pier problems this way.
 When the ship is about to sink you throw everything overboard. Air Park owner Vince Rossi puts all its chips on the table and waits to see how the dice play out. With city hall now on a summer schedule and more people away than those at their desks it is difficult for those putting in the hours to stay on top of everything.
The city was preparing for a meeting with the lawyers representing the Air Park people while the Air Park legal team was focused on the wording of a Writ they served on the city earlier today.
The Air Park is seeking a number of court orders including:
A declaration of its rights under the Constitution Act, 1867 and the federal Aeronautics Act;
This is what the fight is really all about; does the Aeronautics Act trump a local bylaw?
A declaration that the City of Burlington’s Top Soil Preservation and Site Alteration By-law does not apply to the airport’s operations and construction of aerodrome facilities at the location;
For the sake of all of us – that had better turn out to be the case or municipalities across the country have real problems to deal with.
A declaration that the city’s order to comply is null and void and of no legal effect;
They wish is the only comment one can make on that one
An injunction to prevent the city from interfering with its operations and the construction of aerodrome facilities at the site; and
The city isn’t interfering; it is doing what is it required to do. The only fault on the part of the city and the Region is that they didn’t tackle this one years ago.
Costs against the city, including HST.
The upside of this one is that the city doesn’t pay the same level of HST as the rest of the world.
 The one consistent thing about the Air Park’s behaviour throughout this real mess is their tendency to bully and intimidate. The piece of equipment was parked overnight less than 50 yards from the home of an Appleby Line resident. It sat on top of a 35 foot + pole of landfill that should have never been put on the land in the first place. That is a very ‘ballsy’ move on the part of the Air Park. With the Environment Ministry buzzing around and the federal ministry of transport suggesting that the airport people do have a responsibility to adhere to some of the city’s rules and regulations and the Region in a position to have their Medical Officer ask some embarrassing questions and demand that the property owners do what has to be done to protect public health – the smartest move for the Air Park was to get out-of-town and into a court room where they can ask for delay upon delay.
The injunction they have asked for could backfire – the city might well ask for an injunction and should that request prevail the Air Park would find themselves under an injunction and involved in a court case that will last years – if it gets to the point where there is actually a trial date. If there is a trial there is going to be some very impressive legal counsel arguing before a judge in a Court room in Milton..
While all this happens the people in north Burlington, especially those whose property has been directly impacted, and wondering if they are going to get sucked into this legal black hole. And what if papers are served on them? They don’t have the deep pockets the city has to fight this fight.
For a city that started out the week with what they felt was a strong consultants reports to find themselves with a Writ in their hands and a date with a judge – it can’t be looked upon as a win.
However, it is far from a loss. Desperate people do desperate things
 By Ray Rivers
BURLINGTON, ON. July 18, 2013. It’s was a good day for the Ottawa printing houses. They were busy churning out new letterheads, business cards and other stationery. The shredder trucks would have been seen, parked outside government offices so that each outgoing minister’s staff could destroy any incriminating evidence of their boss’s tenure, along with all that old letterhead. And of course this was a field day for the pundits looking for a deeper meaning in it all.
Prime Ministers have always kept a fairly tight rein over their cabinet ministers for good reason. There is a danger that liberated, free-wheeling cabinet members might easily go off-message, do their own thing or even go rogue and contradict the PM.
Does the public think that the Ministers have all the good ideas? In normal times much government policy originates with the public service. The minister is not irrelevant in this process, just not as significant as we’d expect from the title and ceremony.
During my time at Environment Canada, I had the privilege of drafting briefing material and speeches for my minister, Jean Charest. He would personalize a speech but always stuck to the script I’d prepared. A Minister’s speech is automatically policy, so I always made sure neither my Minister nor the PM would be blind-sided. Brian Mulroney had adopted Pierre Trudeau’s practice of leaning on Cabinet committees and using the Prime Minister’s Office and the Privy Council Office to co-ordinate policy – so everyone was kept in the loop and the policy was mainly what the PM wanted. After all, the PM chooses his ministers.
Stephen Harper has taken control to new heights, even managing various ministries’ press releases and speeches. So shuffle or no shuffle – it amounts to not much more than a hill of beans. Policy will change only when the PM wants it to change.
Sometimes a PM will bring in a new minister as a way of signaling changes, but make no mistake, it is still the PM making the policy. I am not criticizing the PM for his focus on control – I think he is doing what he needs to do in our system of government, managing to ensure a consistent message and tone.
This Cabinet shuffle by the majority Conservative government saw eight new people added to the Cabinet, a few dropped, but the old guard is still firmly in place doing their old jobs at the key posts. Flaherty will continue to articulate economic policy from his boss, Harper the economist. Baird will continue with his party’s unbalanced foreign policy and Joe Oliver will keep on pushing the tar sands. Expect the same old from the same old.
Given my passion for the environment, I was really pleased to see Peter Kent gone. A good journalist in his day, he looked uncomfortable and almost pathetic as the ‘yes-man’ for Harper’s non-environment policy.
The PM claims he is making a ‘generational change’ with this Cabinet, lowering the average age a full 4 years from 55 to 51. That’s a generational change? And, there are now more female cabinet ministers, which can’t be a bad thing for a party well-known for its boys in blue suits.
It is customary for a government to shuffle a cabinet at the mid-point of its term, and Harper has certainly done that. Just don’t expect this to mean anything will change in the way Stephen Harper runs the country.
The only upside I see in the shuffle is that the Ottawa printing industry had a couple of good days.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat after which he decided to write and has become a political animator. Rivers was a Liberal 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. He is also currently the VP policy for the Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale Federal Liberal Electoral District
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