 By Staff
June 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Today, Halton’s Regional Chair along with the Mayors of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville sent a letter to the Ontario Premier outlining how the Halton community has, in fact, met the criteria set by the province to move Stage 2.
Halton region does not have the same issues as other municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area and Greater Golden Horseshoe, and given this should be allowed to move to Stage 2.
In the letter, the Halton Municipalities detailed how the community has met the Provincial criteria. As of June 8:
• Halton has 745 confirmed cases and 91 active cases of COVID-19;
• no known institutional outbreaks;
• Halton’s COVID-19 case numbers make up a small fraction of the total provincial cases;
• local hospitals are sustaining adequate capacity;
• 90 per cent of new COVID-19 contacts are being reached by Halton Region Public Health within one day; and
• strong adherence to physical distancing and public health measures within our community.
“Halton Region is appreciative of the Provincial Government’s leadership in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19 and partnerships with all levels of government continue to be important” said the letter, adding that “As the focus turns to recovery both locally and across Ontario, the Halton Municipalities will continue to protect residents from COVID-19 and support our local economy.
 Burlington wants a Stage 2 designation. “The Halton Municipalities strongly urge the province to reconsider allowing Halton Region to transition to Stage 2 of the reopening.”
All Mayor Meed Ward had to do was add that Burlington is the best city in the country to live in and that should get us something. Other than that all the phrase does is take up space on media releases and perhaps business cards.
By Pepper Parr
June 9th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a good idea at the time – but by the time the city gets around to this one much of the summer might have passed us by.
 Councillor Stolte looking for a response to her motion – put forward last April A motion was presented to Burlington Council on April 20, 2020 by Councillor Shawna Stolte which sought to direct staff to prepare a list of potential streets under the City’s jurisdiction that could be closed for the purpose of allowing space for walking and cycling within the roadway/road allowance in a manner that does not conflict with provincially mandated social distancing regulations. This motion failed, however in its place, the following staff direction was approved:
Defer item 14.1 “Shared Streets Burlington” (ADM-02-20) regarding road closures to aid social distancing during the COVID-19 emergency to staff to determine criteria and return back to Committee or Council in May.
It is now June
In preparing this report, staff kept the following significant principles in mind:
• There must be demonstrated and measurable need for increased space for pedestrians and/or cyclists.
• That any road space re-assignment does not encourage large gatherings.
• That any road space reassignment be sensitive to the impacts to neighbourhoods and businesses and will be effectively communicated.
• A “one size does not fit all” approach to developing solutions to identified problem areas.
After careful consideration and taking into account the above principles, staff recommend a “responsive” approach as the best way forward when considering whether to implement road or sidewalk closures. This approach involves the identification of an issue requiring consideration of closures and developing a plan that addresses those site-specific conditions.
Once a particular roadway section, intersection or sidewalk has been verified as a problem, staff can take a phased approach commencing with education, signage, coning off areas of conflict and/or proceed with the closure option from the very beginning.
With several variables to consider when closing roadways and/or sidewalks, it was determined that setting pre-determined criteria for closures would not give staff the flexibility needed to address a wide range of issues and changing conditions at locations across the city.
For example, finding solutions for the downtown or the Aldershot business areas require distinctively different approaches given the needs of merchants versus other areas of the city who may have the luxury of underutilized private parking lots.
Given the State of Emergency it is further recommended that the Emergency Control Group (ECG) and Task forces be advised of any need to close roads and sidewalks to ensure consistency and alignment with provincial orders
Through the City’s Delegated Authority By-law (099-2012), authority is given to the Director of Transportation Services, Director of Engineering, Director of Roads and Parks Maintenance, and Fire Chief, or their designate(s) to approve short-term emergency and temporary road closures. Any closures which could involve a longer time period will require consultation with Legal Staff and Council approval.
In response to the varying needs already identified, the following initiatives have been undertaken by Transportation Services staff:
Traffic Signal Timing Changes
As a measure to address issues of social distancing for pedestrians waiting to cross at signalized intersections, traffic signal timing changes have been implemented at intersections with high pedestrian volumes. Specifically, wait times for pedestrians were reduced through eliminating advanced left turn phases where possible and activating the pedestrian walk symbol automatically during every cycle to reduce the need to use the push button.
Paid On-street Parking Conversion to 20 min. Drop Off Zones
As Burlington retailers begin to re-open and offer curbside pickup, the City of Burlington has made changes to all on-street parking within the downtown. Changes include converting all on-street paid parking areas to 20-minute parking only. This initiative, developed in conjunction with the Burlington Downtown Business Association (BDBA), is intended to aid businesses in providing curbside pickup and was implemented on May 22, 2020.
 Will Burlington see special lanes opened up for cyclists and walkers? The downtown is an obvious source of high numbers of pedestrians, so it is not surprising that it has emerged as an area that requires attention. A number of intersections on Lakeshore Road through the downtown are continually being monitored by staff in order to quickly respond to changing conditions. City By-law staff who are continually circulating around the city are reporting hot spots so that staff can focus their attention on developing solutions.
Staff recognize and appreciate the importance of Burlington residents communicating with their ward Councillors. Staff plan on using this intelligence by holding an open weekly invitation to Council members to convey what they hear from their constituents as it relates to pinch points around the city.
Options Considered
A pre-determined list of criteria to support road and sidewalk closures was considered, however, the varying nature of roadways across the city and the limited number of issues identified to date has resulted in staff preferring to take a responsive approach that examines the merits of each request and considers context-sensitivity when developing a solution.
This one gets debated in a virtual city council Standing Committee meeting.
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By Pepper Parr
June 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
We have a city Council that is approaching the half way mark of the term. It has been a roller coaster of a ride so far. From firing the city manager on basically their first day on the job to having to deal with a totally different form of doing their jobs – locked down in the homes and doing everything via Zoom while the City Manager runs the city with in a way he didn’t think he would be doing when he signed on.
 City Council meeting – before COVID Five of the seven had absolutely no civic government experience; they were flying close to blind with nothing but their aspirations to guide them. Every one of the five have learned that this was not a simple gig. All have never worked harder in their lives. Some may decide this isn’t the business for them – and for some this isn’t the business for them.
There are people who live and breathe what goes on at city hall. We refer to then as “local wags” people who have their ear to the ground.
One of them gave us their view at what we were getting from our politicians. These are the views of people other than Gazette staff.
And no – we are not going to identify the wag. This person has been a very useful source of information.
Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith – wants Aldershot to secede from the city so he can become Mayor of Aldershot. Could be – you never know.
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns – wants to be Mayor at some future date. Don’t put any real money on that every happening.
Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan – wants to serve as the Mayors Lieutenant. Isn’t he already doing just that?
Ward 4 Shawna Stolte – not bad for a former social worker. Tough on the spending side.
Ward 5 Paul Sharman – the moment he thinks the Mayor is about to slip on a banana peel he will be at city hall filing nomination papers for the Office of Mayor.
Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna – he is better than the person he replaced but not by that much. Has serious difficulty fully understanding the issue in reports.
Mayor Meed Ward – she leads a council but that council doesn’t work as a team under this Mayor. And this is a Council that wants to be led in a collegial fashion.
 By Pepper Parr
June 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Despite some tough financial days ahead the public art program is continuing its annual Local Artist Program this year.
The program commissions local artists to create a variety of small to medium scale artworks throughout the community. The City is inviting local artists to submit their design ideas that will be installed on traffic control signal boxes throughout the city later this year.
Councillor Sharma n talking to Angela Paparazzo at an arts event.
 Councillor Sharma n speaking to Angela Paparazzo Artists are encouraged to submit artwork that focuses on inspiring and uplifting the community during these challenging times. This artwork will form an urban art gallery that can be experienced by residents while still practicing appropriate social distancing.
Artists wishing to apply to this project can get help to prepare their application and learn how to transfer their artwork/designs into a digital format. These educational opportunities will be offered via videoconference and email to make sure appropriate social distancing is practiced.
For deadlines and more information on how to get application help and/or apply, please visit www.burlington.ca/publicart.
 Timeline
 By Staff
June 8th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Mayor Meed Ward met with members of the Large Urban Mayors Caucus of Ontario (LUMCO) via webcast last week and discussed the urgent need to get financial support from upper levels of government to municipalities in dire need.
Guelph Mayor and LUMCO Chair Cam Guthrie explained, “Municipalities are facing a perfect storm of increased costs and decreased revenues in the face of this public health crisis; this threatens our ability to deliver critical services when our residents need them most.
“While we have heard for weeks that the Prime Minister and Premier have been talking about this pressing need, the time has come for action. Mayor Guthrie asserted that “On behalf of Ontario’s big city mayors, please, conclude your negotiations and start supporting our residents and the services we all need to support the recovery.”
Nothing new here. Mayors are always money grubbing the province and the federal government for funds. Meeting via Zoom broadcasts isn’t new anymore either.
What was different was that those participating in the LUMCO event were able to see each other on their computer monitors. Same thing with the Halton Regional Council meetings
 All the LUMCO participants are on the screen. Public doesn’t get that advantage in Burlington. Burlington city Council now holds all council meetings in what we call a virtual format. But citizens of Burlington do not get to see the people taking part in the meeting other than the Mayor.
 The Mayor and the Clerk are in the Council Chambers – rest of Council sit elsewhere with their photograph coming up when they speak  On the plus side, Meed Ward does a good job of running a smooth meeting; she continually has to remind participants to press the mute button.
The city explained that the reason we cannot see the participants is because the captions are running beneath the visual and the system cannot handle both running “closed captions” and giving full video. That might be true – however just how many people read the “closed captions” – they are often incorrect.
There is the belief that council prefers that their official photograph appear on the screen when they are talking.
 The winner does take all. We have a Mayor who thank the media for participating and refers to her 22 years as a journalist and the importance of media to the democratic process – while at the same time doing precious little to ensure that media has access to the full proceedings of Council.
Due to the pandemic conditions everyone is under there are numerous Special Meetings of Council – often called at short notice. These are all done “at the call of the Mayor”. The notice that there will be a Special meeting is posted to the city calendar. To keep on top of the meeting schedule one would have to log into the city calendar twice a day to ensure they didn’t miss anything.
Not a reason in the world for the Mayor not to advise media that she has called a Special Meeting – our belief is that she just doesn’t want to.
During the October 2018 election Marianne Meed Ward met with media whenever they asked.
The government of Ontario is currently looking for feedback on what to do with schools in September. The feedback e-mail is: EDU.consultation@ontario.ca (Include your name and the name of your school board/organization, use “Ontario’s Plan to Reopen Schools” in the subject line, attach your submission as a PDF or Word document.)
 By Greg Woodruff
June 6th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario needs to provide options to parents. They need a mostly traditional school, a COVID-19-adapted school and a virtual school option for the upcoming years. Parents must be able to select the appropriate environment for children.
The primary problem is Ontario’s new Learning Framework presents the overarching priority to “ensure the utmost safety of those returning to school.” Safety must be balanced by social development and educational priorities.
Please imagine for a moment the parents’ goal of utmost safety. Your child requests a playdate with another child. When you call this child’s parent, they say that they can’t condone a playdate, as driving poses a minute risk to the safety of their child. Safety is their utmost priority. Even if you offer to drive your child over, reducing the astronomically small chance of harm to their child, a small risk still exists to others. After all, you can not guarantee a mechanical failure in your own car won’t pose a hazard to yourself or others. The other parent similarly bans unnecessary driving, walking outdoors, biking, playing, swinging, sports or even running. Any protests about the value of these activities are met with a simple reply: You must not care about the safety of your children as much as they do.
This idea — clearly pathological — when presented by a person with a healthy child, now seems to be accepted wisdom when presented by the school administration. While extreme safety may be appropriate in some cases, parents must make that decision. The goal of raising children is not to keep kids safe at all costs; it’s to prepare them for life. Without an assessment of benefit, no activity more than sleeping and eating can be justified. The reverse is also true; All restrictions designed around safety have to be balanced by the harm that limitations do.
 He knows what he want to get done and is confident he will be able to do it. I don’t think we should pretend that instead of encouraging kindergartners to share, now in the name of COVID-19, forbidding them from sharing items won’t hurt them. We are considering telling kids not to play with friends at school because those friends might be diseased. The long-term effects of these ideas on the socialization of children are unknown. Some kids lacking healthy development will likely lack social skills and die from deaths of despair later. I don’t see how you will easily remove these ideas once the threat is “minimal” because the threat to these children is below minimal now. COVID-19 is not a disease seen in children anywhere. We are already below any conceivable threshold of COVID-19 danger to children.
The idea that children can’t normally interact at no harm to themselves because they might later pass the disease on to others is not reasonable. If this is the fear, then interventions need to take place at the point of contact with vulnerable populations. It’s more efficient to place distancing or testing protocols when children visit grandparents then prevent two million school-age children from playing with friends and doing group work in class. We can’t force children to carry a heavy burden for others just because they don’t vote and can’t defend themselves. I realize that some parents or siblings will themselves be immunocompromised and need additional safety measures.
 Students getting the play time, exploring and learning in a traditional school setting. That is why we also need a COVID-19 adapted school. Some families will not be able to accept any risk, and virtual options are needed for them. I am not suggesting COVID-19 is something to be ignored; it just needs to be handled in a more customized way than one school solution meets all families’ needs.
Heath experts and school board staff should not be in a position to place kids in damaging environments. The burden of making tradeoffs falls alone on parents. Thus, I suggest we must let parents decide what situation represents the best fit for the kids they know. I suggest allowing parents to select if they prefer a mostly traditional environment for children, an environment with intrusive COVID-19 interventions or virtual school options. The administration can then select locations for each type of school for the next one or two years. The staff can similarly be asked which setting they prefer. Kids can then be bussed to the location that fits them. This is already done for four different school boards; surely, one more configuration is possible.
Simply relying on “health experts” to draw up school rules is not appropriate. Although they may be disease experts, they are almost certainly not experts in the education and development of children. Without being an expert in children, they cannot evaluate the harm caused by COVID-19 measures correctly. If no harm is recognized now, then there is no incentive for removal later. As time goes on, more children will be exposed and have immunity naturally. We could end up with highly tortured school environments where 99% of children are immune to COVID-19, but where we have no structure to normalize school.
We have to face the fact that for political reasons, many proposed COVID-19 measures will likely go on for years. COVID-19 interventions do not represent some response to a temporary emergency. In September, COVID-19 will have been present in our community for six months. The best case is then another year or two to a vaccine. Perhaps we will never have a COVID-19 vaccine. Thus, the damage to children is occurring over the years of developmental time and is likely permanent.
Any interventions established as the “new normal” will be demanded by some number of parents forever, even if COVID-19 is eradicated.
As an example, let’s say “no gym” in the name of possible transmission of the disease. If you try to restore gym class later, any parent in the school can now say, “Gym is now a danger to my child. The school board has defined it so.” Even if the risk of flu is low to them, it risks spreading the flu to Grandma, whose immune system is compromised. This is the same logic used to justify interventions now. Once “gym” is defined as a danger now under what construction is, it no longer dangerous? Again, COIVD-19 does not affect children at any significant rate.
 Is the day of the happy student charging off the school bus to get to the classroom behind us? I would put forward that some easy COIVD-19 interventions can be added to schools without damaging the social development of children. Measures like preventing febrile children from attending, washing hands every hour or disinfection of shoes when entering school grounds should be taken. It’s not that COVID-19 transmission should be ignored; it’s that heavy interventions that damage the normal social growth of children should not be globally applied without parental approval.
Ontario needs to support families by providing the school environment best suited to them. Three options need to be provided: traditional school, COVID-19 adapted school and virtual school.
 Greg Woodruff is an Aldershot resident with children at the elementary school level. He is an active participant in social issues and has run for public office on more than one occasion
 By Staff
June 5th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
A Burlington drug trafficking investigation that began in May, resulted in five being arrested on multiple charges.
The Burlington Street Crime Unit arrested and charged the following individuals;
Marcie JORDAN (39 years old from Burlington)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking- GHB (2 counts)
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking- Methamphetamine
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking- MDMA
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking- Oxycodone
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking- Psilocybin
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking- Fentanyl
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
Darcy TAYLOR (30 years old from Burlington)
• Possession of a Controlled Substance – Fentanyl
• Breach Form of Release
Shad ATKIN (32 years old from Hamilton)
• Possession of a Controlled Substance- Methamphetamine
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
• Breach Release Order
Anita MARTINEZ (48 years old from Burlington)
• Possession of a Controlled Substance- Methamphetamine
Marc VINCENT (45 years old from Burlington)
• Possession of a Controlled Substance- Methamphetamine
• Possession of a Controlled Substance- Oxycodone
• Possession of a Controlled Substance- Psilocybin
On June 5th 2020, Investigators with the assistance of the Tactical Rescue Unit and K9 executed search warrants at two residences and two storage units in the City of Burlington. The following items were seized:
 • 69 grams of methamphetamine
• 70 oxycodone pills
• 7 grams of MDMA
• 21 grams Psilocybin
• 180 Milliliters GHB
• 16.3 grams Fentanyl
• Five cellular phones
• Four digital scales
• $580 Canadian currency
• Replica Uzi Machine Gun
• Stolen TREK Mountain bike
$9,350 worth of drugs was seized as a result of the search warrants.
All parties have been released from custody pending a court appearance in Milton.
Anyone with information in regards to this investigation is asked to contact Detective Scott Heyerman of the 3 District Street Crime Unit at 905-825-4747 ext. 2342.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
Please be reminded that all persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
 By Staff
June 5th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Those fences along the Beachway didn’t last all that long – they certainly raised the hackles on the back of a lot of necks.
Some felt the city was a little heavy handed – but the rules were were pretty clear – Beaches were closed.
At a Special Meeting of Council on Wednesday, Council approved interim modifications to the City’s parks operations service, including the removal of the fencing currently in place at Beachway Park.
 If the people in the center are all from the same family this would be legal. The rules are in place for a very good reason – they prevent the transmission of the virus. The changes to the parks service also allow for temporary washroom facilities to be installed at Spencer Smith Park, Beachway Park and Burloak Park with enhanced service.
The fencing at Beachway Park will be taken down next week and the portable toilets and handwashing stations will be installed at Beachway Park, dependent on availability.
When walking along the beach, residents are reminded to continue to be vigilant about public health practices and provincial directives to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including:
• Maintaining 2 metre physical distance from anyone you don’t live with
• Gathering in groups of 5 or fewer
• Staying home if you feel sick
• Washing and sanitizing hands before and after visiting the area.
 The washroom facilities in the Pavilion on the Beachway are in terrible shape. They have been in need of an upgrade for some time – that work is not scheduled to start until September. Access to washrooms
The washrooms in the pavilion at Beachway Park will remain closed as a result of pre-existing structural issues which are scheduled to be corrected with construction in September 2020. In their place, portable bathrooms and hand washing stations will be made available and cleaned by City parks staff on a regular basis.
The temporary washroom facilities at Spencer Smith Park, Beachway Park and Burloak Park will be installed once available from the supplier, approximately the end of June. The re-opening of other city park washrooms, with enhanced cleaning, will be phased in.
Beach maintenance and safety
City Council approved the hiring of students and temporary staff to assist with this important service and general parks maintenance. City parks staff will provide reduced beach maintenance, including grooming the beach and enhanced cleaning of washrooms. Please place waste in receptacles or take it home with you for disposal to help keep the beach safe for everyone.
Halton Region monitors public beaches to help ensure safe water quality for swimmers. Water quality testing at Beachway Park by Halton Region Public Health is currently not taking place. For updates and more information, please dial 311.
The resumption of City services and spaces is something everyone is looking forward to, but caution that it is vital to continue to do it slowly and carefully with the right precautions.
The city is asking for your patience and understanding as the City works to ensure it has resources and policies in place that align with Provincial regulations and the latest guidance from Halton Region public health to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
City pools and splash pads are still closed until the province loosens up the rules.
By Staff
June 4th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Parking spot for those getting tested. Some of the negative and positive fall on the COVID19 front.
Testing at Joseph Brant has gone up 70% since the Premier encouraged more people to get tested
Test results are taking 24-48 hours to come back, on average
A big question being asked, being led to a large degree by Collen Mulholland, is how charities will have to do things a lot differently in the years ahead.
 This is what the Salvation Army would like to see – it may not be what will happen. The Salvation Army Kettle Campaign won’t be able to proceed as usual without retail locations they can be in front of and the handling of cash will be different – that’s a $400K campaign for them annually.
 A very successful event that raised thousands for Rotary and was heavily attended. Can the event recover if they close for a year. Cancellation of Ribfest is a huge loss for Rotary fundraising.
There is a need to look at innovation and flexibility in how charities fund raise – something to give thought to in future meetings.
Domestic/family violence/mental health continues to be an issue – upcoming June public meeting to hear messaging around support.
There are a lot of questions that have to be addressed.
By Pepper Parr
June 4th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Where is the Mayor?
There are dozens of places where her presence – at a safe social distance would be welcomed. The Burlington Food Bank would like to see her helping out for a bit; the Compassion Society would make room for her.
A drop in at any one of the Ambulance stations would be appreciated.
A bit of a tour in the hospital, personally thanking the staff.
A picture of her wearing a mask and once again getting out her message – six feet apart and wear a mask – and if you are in quarantine – please follow the rule.
She was seen yesterday on the webcast of a Special Meeting of Council she called – media wasn’t advised.
She will be chairing the Mayor’s Task Force on Covid 19 this evening – starts at 6 pm
Many municipalities post their Mayor’s daily schedule on line.
By Staff
June 4th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Seniors facing higher costs for groceries, transportation and prescriptions due to COVID-19 can expect emergency aid payments of up to $500 in early July.
 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing the date for that seniors COVID bonus. He hasn’t looked very happy of late. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced during his daily news conference in Ottawa Thursday that the payments would be distributed starting the week of July 6.
Trudeau initially announced the one-time top-up on May 12.
The payments are to offset increases in the cost of living due to COVID-19. Seniors who qualify for Old Age Security (OAS) will be eligible for a one-time tax-free payment of $300, and those eligible for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) will get $200.
 By Ray Rivers
June 4th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s not the first time that America has come to this point over race relations. Meanwhile Canadians are embroiled in a debate about whether there is systemic racism in this country, and asking why we still haven’t done anything about the legacy of missing and murdered indigenous women. Still the sudden prominence of racial issues almost provides a relief from COVID 19 crisis, allowing the the news media to change the channel.
 The lessons to be learned from SARS was lost It has been about six months since we first heard about this novel coronavirus. We understand it most likely originated from an exotic animal in one of those disgusting wet markets in the heart of the Chinese city of Wuhan. Apparently we don’t learn from history so are having to relive the SARS epidemic of only a few years ago. Except that COVID 19 is far deadlier and more contagious, so perhaps we’ll get the message this time.
Six months in, and beyond the sickness and death and the economic collapse, we are witnessing changes in the mental health of our society.
The extent of protests over the George Floyd killing is perhaps a manifestation of people living on the edge, angry about all the sickness and death, out of work, tired of the isolation, and asking why.
 Ray Rivers in his latest mask: He jabbered and jabbered until his message began to be heard. Even mild mannered columnists, like me, are finding it harder to stay positive in light of all the bungling and betrayal by our federal and provincial governments.
The US is a basket case, but many other nations have safeguarded their population from the disease much better than Canada has. Some didn’t even have to lock down their economies and others are almost back to normal now.
One columnist recently complained that Mr. Ford has mismanaged the lockdown, squandering the effort without significantly lowering the infection rate. Others have contrasted how B.C., after an early long term care (LTC) home outbreak, mobilized to effectively protect its seniors, while Ontario dragged its feet while all those seniors died. And, of course, eliminating annual inspections of Ontario LTC homes didn’t help.
But it is the feds who got us here in the first place. Primarily concerned about the political optics of restricting travellers from China, they refused to close the borders until we had established our own homegrown contagion. And then the chief medical officer of health instructed Canadians not to wear protective face masks – something which might have saved thousands of lives.
 Wash your hands at least eight times a day. Research shows that physical distancing and being outdoors are the safest ways to interact with others. Research has also cast doubt on whether the virus is actually spread from contacting surfaces, and thus the high priority given to hand washing. Though hand washing is always a good idea – epidemic or not.
But since the virus is spread primarily from our mouths and noses, being in close quarters without face protection is a front seat to the virus. Seniors’ homes, hospitals, prisons, meat processing and other industrial facilities, grocery stores and schools head the list of dangerous places.
Face masks are now mandatory in over 50 countries globally. Had nursing homes insisted that guests and staff wear masks, much of the carnage could likely have been avoided. As it is, the elderly in these close-contact places have accounted for the bulk of this country’s fatalities – victims through no fault of their own.
And so it is upsetting to hear, Jason Kenney, the noisy premier from Alberta rant about why he thinks his province’s economy should be fully opened up. According to his numbers the average age of death for all people in his province is 82 and of those dying from COVID is 83. So bring it on!
There were casualties among younger folks at the Cargill meat plant and from those working the oil patch as well. But I guess those lives don’t count anymore than those parents and grandparents who might otherwise live into their nineties? Somehow it is strange to hear Mr. Kenny bang on about the immorality of a woman’s right to choose, but promote letting old folks die prematurely from COVID.
 Jason Kenny: It was a grossly irresponsible comment and demonstrates a willful misuse of statistics. It was a grossly irresponsible comment and demonstrates a willful misuse of statistics. But that’s Mr. Kenny, and that perhaps reflects why his personal polling is near the bottom compared to the other premiers.
Renewed emphasis on racism in North America has moved the needle away from sexism and the Me Too movement, at least for now. But there is another ‘ism’ that also needs public attention. You may not see swaths of senior citizens brandishing their placards on the streets and setting police cars on fire – something they might have done in their youth. But they are still the victims of ageism, at least in Alberta.
It is said that the true measure of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members – in this case our elderly. At least we know where Mr Kenny stands. He has shown his hand… and it isn’t pretty.
 Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links
Six Months – Squandered Time – Canada Bungles –
Early Action – Mandatory Face Masks – Doctors on Masks –
More Masks – Not Just Alberta Seniors – Kenny – Mental Health –
By Pepper Parr
June 3rd,2020
BURLINGTON, ON
More grief in store of those who depend on or live near New Street.
The final phase of the renewal of the street – from Walkers Line to Burloak where resurfacing is to be completed.
The City of Burlington is making improvements to New Street as well as Shane Court, Patrick Place and Bower Court.
The work to be done is extensive. All the details are set out below.
 New Street west of Walkers Line was done more than a year ago. The biggest concern for many might be the disruption to home internet or telephone service which may occur. The city is aware of the heightened concern with respect to families who are working from home and has raised this concern with utility companies and their need to react quickly to disabled services. Our goal is to have affected internet connections repaired by the utility companies within 24hrs of an issue occurring. The contractor typically contacts the utility company, however if you lose service, please feel free to contact us.
The City of Burlington and Halton Region are working with the contractors to make sure this work is done in a safe and timely way.
This construction site is managed by Associated Paving Ltd (APL). It is APL’s Health and Safety Policies and Procedures that will govern the job site. City of Burlington staff, Halton Region staff and all other consultants that go to the project site will follow APL’s policies for onsite health and safety.
Project Contacts
Inquiry/Concern Contact Contact/Road construction inquiries
Jason Forde
Construction Inspector
905-220-6682
jason.forde@burlington.ca
All other inquiries
Marc Daffre
Contract Administrator
289-208-2606
marc.daffre@burlington.ca
June 2020 Project Scope
New Street – Walkers Line to Burloak Drive
• Resurfacing
• Base repairs as required
• Curb and sidewalk repairs as required
• Bus stop landing pad improvements
• Minor drainage improvements
• Pavement markings
New Street at Walkers Line (in addition to the above noted works)
• Pedestrian accessibility improvements
• Remove traffic island north east corner
• Renew traffic signal
New Street at Longmoor (in addition to the above noted works)
• Widen Longmoor Drive to accommodate right turn lane
• Pedestrian accessibility improvements
• Minor traffic signal improvements
New Street at Belvenia Road (in addition to the above noted works)
• Pedestrian accessibility improvements
• Minor traffic signal improvements
New Street at Shoreacres Road (in addition to the above noted works)
• Pedestrian accessibility improvements
• Minor traffic signal improvements
New Street at Appleby Line (in addition to the above noted works)
• Full depth asphalt replacement
• Pedestrian accessibility improvements
• Minor traffic signal improvements
New Street at Timber Lane (in addition to the above noted works)
• Pedestrian accessibility improvements
• Minor traffic signal improvements
New Street at Adams Street (in addition to the above noted works)
• Pedestrian accessibility improvements
• Minor traffic signal improvements
New Street west of Wedgewood Drive (in addition to the above noted works)
• New Street widening to extend centre turn lane
New Street at Hampton Heath Boulevard (in addition to the above noted works)
• New Street widening to create centre turn lane
• Pedestrian accessibility improvements
• Minor traffic signal improvements
New Street at Amanda Crescent (in addition to the above noted works)
• New Street widening to create centre turn lane
New Street at Burloak Drive (in addition to the above noted works)
• Pedestrian accessibility improvements
Shane Court
• Full depth asphalt replacement
• Curb repairs as required
• Minor drainage improvements
Patrick Place and Bower Court
• Asphalt resurfacing
• Curb repairs as required
• Minor drainage improvements
Project Schedule and Temporary Lane Restrictions
Construction Start: May 2020
Construction Completion: November 2020
New Street works including the road widenings, curb and sidewalk repairs as well traffic signal improvements will be completed weekdays during daytime hours. The removal and replacement of the asphalt surface on New Street will be completed at night.
Work on Shane Court, Patrick Place and Bower Court will be completed weekdays during daytime hours.
The roadworks will progress from east to west over the project duration.
Traffic signal work will be completed in advance of the roadworks.
Single lane restrictions will be in place in the area of the active work.
Sidewalks will be closed where work is being undertaken.
Access to Businesses
Vehicle access to and from businesses will be maintained. Where a business has two driveways, one may be closed temporarily when work is being carried out in the immediate area.
Access to Your Residence
Vehicle access to and from your residence may be affected during normal construction hours, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Driveways will be temporarily closed when work is being carried out in the immediate area.
Burlington Transit
This project will include upgrading most of the bus stops between Walkers Line and Burloak Drive.
During the construction, Routes 4, 10 and 25 will be impacted with possible delays and stops may be temporarily inaccessible or moved. Signage will be installed at all affected bus stops.
Lawn Irrigation System
If you have a lawn irrigation system where a curb and sidewalk are to be replaced, please disconnect and remove any sprinkler heads within the City’s road allowance. Please flag all other irrigation heads.
Vibration
You may experience some minor vibration in your home during construction. We recommend you remove small, light objects from shelving in your house.
Waste Collection
Please continue to put your garbage and recycling out on the usual day. It is the contractor’s responsibility to move your bags and containers to a location that can be reached by the waste collection vehicles and return your containers. To help the contractor, please mark your house numbers on your garbage cans and recycling bins.
For more information, please contact:
Bob Jurk, C.E.T.
Senior Project Manager, Design and Construction
Capital Works Department
905-335-7600, ext. 7682
bob.jurk@burlington.ca
By Staff
June 1st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
 Legislature will meet on Tuesday to get a motion to extend the State of Emergency Assuming the Provincial Legislature approves the motion the state of emergency, which was set to expire on June 2, will be extended until June 30.
Included under the province’s state of emergency are a number of emergency orders. The emergency orders include restrictions on social gathering limits.
This morning, Premier Ford said his government is “aggressively” working on a plan to continue reopening the economy.
“If numbers go down, we’ll be looking at other stages,” Ford said. “I want to get the economy going but we have to do it safely.”
The province was hoping to make an announcement on allowing larger social gatherings last month but said it was due to an uptick in cases.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Christine Elliott said the province “still needs to go some distance” before moving to stage two of the reopening plan.
“We need to take a careful and measured approached based on four factors: the number of new cases needs to go down, make sure that we have sufficient capacity in our hospitals, make sure we’re doing adequate testing and we need to do contact tracing with public health units.”
A list of the Order the government has issued and the details behind the order is set out below. Just click on the link and you will be able to read the orders. This is what government is all about.
By Staff
June 1, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
The Regional Police Service (HRPS) has made three arrests in connection to the investigation into objects being thrown at vehicles on the Queen Elizabeth Way. This incident took place on Sunday May 10, 2020
 On Sunday May 31, 2020 police arrested and charged:
Alias Ouzzine (20) of Burlington
• Mischief Cause Danger to Life
Geoffrey Prins (18) of Burlington
• Mischief Cause Danger to Life
A 17 year old male from Oakville was also arrested and charged with Mischief Cause to Danger Life however police will not be revealing the identity of the youth.
Investigation confirmed the accused were throwing eggs at vehicles driving on the QEW in Burlington.
All three arrested parties have been released from custody pending a court appearance in Milton.
 Dropping eggs on cars as they pass under an overpass was really stupid. Hours and hours of community service is called for Investigators would also like thank residents for their assistance in this investigation. Police received a large amount of information from the public after the initial media release, and that information helped investigators immensely.
A social media video was posted on Sunday May 10, 2020.
In the video two male persons are observed on the South Service Road and were throwing objects at moving motor vehicles in the eastbound lanes of the QEW. The males are observed doing this numerous times and laughing as they attempted to hit vehicles with objects.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
Please be reminded that all persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
By Staff
June 1st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Is the cheque in the mail?
Not yet, but Burlington Member of Parliament Karina Gould (who is also a Cabinet Minister) assures everyone that – well let’s let the MP speak for herself:
 That cheque is close but it isn’t in the mail yet. For most people the $300 will go directly into your bank account. “Over the past week, a number of Burlington residents have contacted my office asking when they will be receiving the one time Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement Payments.
“This one time payment will be a separate payment to the OAS and GIS cheques that seniors receive at the end of each month. I can assure you that these payments will be delivered automatically as soon as possible and that beneficiaries do not need to apply. Further details will be available soon.”
Soon is the best they can do at this point.
By Claire Nash
May 31st, 2020
BURLINGTON. ON
The gambling scene has certainly come a long way over the last few decades.
With the proliferation of online casinos and gambling platforms, the opportunities for high-quality and dynamic playing have never been greater. Although America tends to enjoy the more robust reputation for gambling possibilities – it is home to Las Vegas after all – there are actually a few key differences in gambling legislation that give Canada’s casinos a bit more freedom. That’s good news if you’re looking for an awesome online casino for Canadians that will present few obstacles to the gameplay. There’s no doubt that you can certainly find excellent gambling sites no matter where you are, but it’s a good idea to take a few minutes to understand the different laws that govern this activity in Canada and the United States.
The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act
Back in 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIEGA) was introduced into US legislation under President Bush. Although it has since been clarified and it’s restrictions loosened, it initially served to prevent payments on various kinds of online gambling. Although in its current iteration it focuses mostly on determining how betting on sporting events can be done, it still causes some headaches below the border. Ultimately, it can make it difficult for players to use certain types of payment when playing at online casinos. The way it is implemented varies state-to-state, meaning that some places enjoy more streamlined access to online casinos.
You can learn more about that here.
There is less red tape in Canada
Despite the fact that the UIGEA doesn’t necessarily prohibit online gambling, it can simply add another step and therefore acts as a big enough inconvenience to dissuade some players from taking advantage of all the online gambling opportunities that exist.
 In Canada, on the other hand, there is no need to overcome these limitations. No federal framework governing the parameters of online casinos exists, and therefore they can operate more freelance and are only subject to the controls imposed by each jurisdiction. Overall, the lack of an overarching legal requirement makes it easier to transfer money directly to the gambling site of one’s choosing, using a variety of payment methods, and to be able to withdraw without hassle. With fewer impediments to account for, it provides a pleasant and coherent online casino experience.
You should still do your research
That being said, there are always going to be crooks out there ready to take advantage of a loosely governed situation, and it is therefore important to do a bit of research before deciding where to play. Keep in mind that having a gambling license is just the first step in running a fully legal operation, and in order to ensure that everything is being done above board, you should dig around a bit and see what you can find about the casino in question. If anything seems fishy, you’d be well advised to look elsewhere. There are plenty of great gambling opportunities that are 100% legal, so there’s absolutely no need to put yourself at risk.
The last word.
Online gambling is legal in both Canada and the United States, and both countries offer plenty of legal online casinos to choose from. Due to the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which exists exclusively in the United States, it can be a little bit more difficult to transfer and withdraw funds for certain types of gaming. As it stands, there is no equivalent legislation in Canada so it presents a more economically flexible environment in which to explore the world of online casinos and gambling. Nevertheless, it is also advisable to research a specific casino before playing.
 By Staff
May 31st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
New Covid19 infections show up in Burlington, Milton and Oakville, reports the Halton Public Health Unit.
The data released by the Halton Public Health brings the total confirmed and probable cases in Halton to 717.
Eight more residents across the four local municipalities are now listed as recovered — two in Oakville, two in Milton, three in Halton Hills and one in Burlington — bringing the total number of resolved cases to 581.
Summary:
Oakville has 212 confirmed cases and 196 recoveries
Milton has 167 confirmed cases and 147 recoveries
Halton Hills has 140 confirmed cases and 125 recoveries
Burlington has 122 confirmed cases and 113 recoveries
Among the total Halton cases, 11 % have been residents or patients associated with a confirmed institutional outbreak.
There have been 25 Halton residents whose death has been attributed to COVID-19.
 By Staff
May 31st, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
It started on the 25th when the weather was great – that Beach was either just too tempting to stay away from or there are a lot of people who are hard of hearing and can’t read.
On the 28th, Thursday, the city decided they would take strong steps and put up fences to keep people off the beach.
 People want to be near the water – it’s the lake and beach that make much of what Burlington is all about. The province mandated that Beaches were to stay closed period.
Many appear to have thought that if they respected the six foot social distance rule they were Ok – they weren’t.
The Premier of the Province has taken part in a media event every week day for some weeks. We expect that he will be on TV again on Monday – maybe that rule about beaches being closed will be relaxed.
 It used to be people, people, people – for almost as far as the eye could see along the Beachway. Province said No and the sound has fenced off the area. There are a lot of people who aren’t happy with those Beaches being closed.
The Mayor isn’t one of them. When asked why, she is reported to have told other media that they can look to the FAQ section on the city website for the details.
 Mayor Meed Ward presiding over a virtual city council meeting The Mayor’s statement is reported to read: “Unfortunately, despite announcements and signage asking people to comply with the Provincially-mandated beach closure, last weekend, we saw a high volume of users on the beach who even when approached with educational measures by our bylaw team, still refused to leave,” reads the statement.
“Our options at this point are either: to issue a high volume of costly tickets; to accept increasingly higher numbers of COVID-19 in Ontario as we have seen since May 10; or to put up a fence.”
Public beaches across Ontario are currently closed following the provinces Emergency orders.
By Pepper Parr
May 28th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Parting ways with a senior member of the team is never easy.
Today the city parted ways with Fire Chief David Lazenby.
 Fire Chief David Lazenby. during a presentation to a fireman who saved a senior having difficulty in a swimming pool. The standard practice when a senior member of the team that runs the city when they decide to move on is to thank them for their service and to wish them well.
Our colleagues at the Bay Observer caught this try before we did – the picked it up from a Twitter feed and published a short piece.
We popped a note along to Kwab Ako-Adjei, Director, Corporate Communications & Government Relations who responded with:
The City of Burlington does not comment on specifics of personnel matters. We would like to thank Dave Lazenby for his service as Fire Chief over the last 3 years.
So Dave got turfed.
He was a good Fire Chief. He worked well with most people and was very accommodating with the Finance people during budget discussions.
Lazenby was one of the few people on the Emergency Coordinating Group (ECG) with command and control experience; something critical in an emergency environment.
Of interest is the part of the city council meeting that went into closed session on a “Human Resources” matter earlier this week. I think one can connect the dots.
While the City Manager makes the staffing decisions – for the Fire Chief position he would be obliged to take it to Council
Was the Human Resources matter a behaviour issue or was there a significant difference of opinion between the City Manager and the Fire Chief.
We will never know – we might pick up some scuttlebutt in the days ahead – the fire people are a tight group.
In the meantime – the city needs a new Fire Chief and Tim Commisso needs some new weight on his Emergency Coordinating Group
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