 By Staff
October 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
A pretty smart guy from Hamilton and a partner from elsewhere in the province have come up with what they believe is a better way to borrow and a smarter way to lend.
Their initiative is not quite crowd funding – they call it debt funding which is a process that allows local small business to borrow from people in their community at decent rates – and at the same time allows people to invest in small businesses in their community.
The invest made by a lender can be as small as $50.
A small business can borrow as much as $500,000
Cato Pastoll and Brandon Vlaar call their business the Lending Loop.
Here is part of how hey describe their operation:
Traditionally, Canadians have had little choice when it comes to investing their money. Purchasing stocks requires substantial capital, time and knowledge. Mutual funds make hard earned money less accessible. Bonds pay little in the way of interest and bank savings accounts yield even less.
Today is a brand new day for Canadians and small businesses across the country, explains Lending Loop CEO, Cato Pastoll. With as little as $50, Canadians can lend their money to the thriving local coffee shop that needs new equipment to grow or the farm around the corner requiring staff to develop a farm-to-home produce delivery program.
 Lending Loop co-founders Cato Pastoll and Brandon Vlaar. They created the first peer-to-peer lending operation. Lending Loop was founded by entrepreneurs Cato Pastoll and Brandon Vlaar who, after witnessing firsthand the difficulties their friends and loved ones experienced as small business owners dealing with big banks, realized the need for a new financial model for small business to have fast and easy access to the capital needed to grow in a global economy.
Lending Loop believes they offer small business a better chance of getting the funds they need. While small businesses are believed to be the backbone of the Canadian economy, the traditional lending model offered by big banks often makes it difficult to access the capital they need to compete against global conglomerates and big-box stores.
Small and medium sized businesses employ nearly 90 per cent of Canadians working in the private sector and produce 40 per cent of the country’s GDP. Yet many are rejected by traditional financial institutions when seeking financing because they don’t fit the lending requirements of big banks. Too often, this means their only recourse is to source alternative or private lenders who charge rates well in excess of 20 per cent.
Canadian-owned and developed Lending Loop is leveraging technology to make the financial sector work more effectively for all Canadians, and small businesses in particular. It is the first peer-to-peer platform in Canada, and offers small businesses a better way to borrow, with a quick and easy application, flexible repayment options and considerably lower interest rates than alternative lenders. By using Lending Loop to access the capital they need to grow their business and expand their market, small business will be able to compete and win.
Lending Loop’s borrowers also have built-in advocates for their business – the lenders who want to see the company succeed because it helps their community and investment grow.
Lending Loop brings Peer-to-Peer lending to the Canadian market place; it is the first peer-to-peer platform in Canada. Investors who don’t have or want to put a lot of money into a local organization can get into something with as little as $50 and earn attractive returns commensurate with risk.
To protect the hard earned money of lenders, Lending Loop uses an all or nothing funding model, where loans only come into effect if the borrower receives the full amount of their loan request in total pledges.
The Gazette talked to Brandon Vlaar to get more detail on what looked like an intriguing idea.
Let’s look at this from a lenders perspective. Ideally a lender could allocate $5,000 and spread it over a dozen small businesses in different communities across the country.
What if the local business goes “belly up”?
The Lending Loop then moves in and does everything it can to recover as much of the asset as possible. If a baker bought an oven and the business doesn’t succeed the Lending Loop goes in and repossess the equipment and re-sells it distributing the amount recovered to the investors.
For borrowers there appears to be a pretty rigid set of criteria to borrow. They use the same forms that bankers use to approve a loan; they do credit checks, they go over financial statements and make sure the company doesn’t have any outstanding legal claims.
The two partners also put some of their own money into every loan that gets approved – and these are real loans. The difference is that the money being loaned comes from small local investors. This gives an investor an opportunity to get into the butcher, the baker and the candle stick maker – and you have the Lending Loop vetting the investment and going after your investment if anything goes wrong.
You don’t get that kind of service from your financial planner.
The Gazette wants to do a little more research on this idea and get a sense as to what the rates are for the borrowers; what the returns have been like for the lenders and what there might be in the way of fees.
It does look interesting. The Lending Loop: click here.
 By Pepper Parr
October 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Run, Jump, Play – every day. That’s the drill and Burlington got it off to a decent start with children and some staff skipping and twisting with hula hoops outside city hall as the Healthy community initiative got kick started.
The Healthy Community initiative involves the school boards, community groups including Community Development Halton and staff from the Parks and Recreation department and the YMCA.
 Hip swiveling and chalking are the recreational tools that will be used during the first phase of the three year Healthy Community initiative being funded by the province to the tune of $1.1 million The funding comes from the provincial Ministry of Health and Long Term Care that wants to get kids to those under 12’s that spend more time in front of some kind of screen and get them outdoors.
The program is a three year effort to get children outside and away from the screens – television and computers.
One of the school board trustees recently advised her colleagues that more than 2400 requests for courtesy space on school buses has been requested by students who would not normally be within the area where school bus transportation is provided.
 City hall staff show how its done with Hula hoops – the expectation is that they can get these things out into the community and have children under 12 swiveling their hips. There was a time when there was more phys- ed in schools – Stuart Miller, Director of Education explained that liability issues have made it difficult to provide the kind of physical education classes that used to be held. You don’t see ropes for kids to climb in the schools anymore; there are no more wall bars either he added.
Miller did say that students must get 20 minutes of exercise each day and that there are physical education classes – but it doesn’t look as if society is looking to the schools to ensure that children get the exercise they need in an educational setting.
That task has been taken up by the province and shifted to the city who in turn look to Community Development Halton who know where the pockets of the population who are not on good healthy diets and who don’t have the money to buy the equipment to play hockey or football live; those communities where running shoe’s come in at over $150 a pair are not in the household budget in the marginalized communities in the city.
Does this mean that Run Jump Play is for a particular sector of this city’s population? Difficult to say at this point – the maps outlining where Community Development Halton is going to focus their work have not yet been completed.
The program is a three year initiative with $1.1 million of funding in place. The intention is to collect a lot of data to determine how much weight can be lost with this kind of program.
 Mayor Goldring showing the four year old daughter of a city hall staffer how well he draws with chalk This kind of program was used in France where the results were reported to be very positive. Measuring Body Mass Index (BMI) changes is seen as a simple way to determine if there has been a change.
It is a positive program and it got off to a good start. The Mayor didn’t twist and turn with a hula hoop around his waist instead he drew with a piece of chalk – this after saying at the opening of his wife’s art gallery earlier in the week that he was so bad at art that his teacher gave him a 50 mark and suggested he leave the program.
Related article:
City gets $1.1 million in funding for health initiative.
By Staff
October 24, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The first thing you have to do is gulp.
Then sit down and let the facts sink in and then shout Holly Hannah.
The fine folks of Burlington decided Mike Wallace had served them long enough and elected Karina Gould to the House of Commons.
 This how you laugh all the way to the bank. Mike now has to travel to Ottawa, clean out his office and settle up with the paymaster – he should take a big briefcase with him or perhaps a Brinks truck.
Wallace served as a Member of Parliament for 9.3 years.
He will receive a severance package of $89,500
He will receive an annual pension of $46,036
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation estimates that the lifetime pension for Wallace, who is 52, will amount to $2,318,780
During his time as a Member of Parliament, Wallace contributed $115,932. to his pension.
Holly Hannah is putting it mildly.
 By Staff
October 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There are people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
This is the 27th week that the Halton Regional Police have published a “Fugitive Friday” notice that reaches out to the public for help locating wanted persons and hold them accountable for their actions.
The Burlington Offender Management Unit of the Regional police is searching for Jordan Travis MILLER, 28 years old, of Ohsweken, ON.
 Jordan Travis MILLER, 28 years old, of Ohsweken, ON. In July 2011, the accused was in possession of a vehicle stolen from an address in Cambridge.
The vehicle was located and recovered in Burlington. A warrant was issued for the accused after several attempts were made to locate him and he continues to evade capture at this time.
The accused has 29 criminal charge convictions for various offences such as Dangerous Operation, Theft under & Over $5000, Possession of Break and Enter Instruments, Flight from Police and Fail to Comply Probation.
He is wanted by Halton Regional Police Service for:
Possession of Stolen Property under $5000
Breach of Probation Order x 2
MILLER is also wanted by:
Brant County OPP – Possession of Stolen Property over $5000
Brantford Police Service – Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Possess Break and Enter Instruments x 2, Breach of Probation Order x 2, Attempt Theft Over, Drive Disqualified x 3 and Fail to Re-Attend Court
MILLER is described as 5’7”, 130lbs, brown eyes and black hair. Miller is known to frequent the areas of Burlington, Hamilton, Ohsweken and the surrounding areas.
Anyone who may have witnessed this person or has information that would assist investigators in locating him are encouraged to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
The police share “Fugitive Friday” information on their website and via social media through Twitter @HRPSBurl and @HaltonPolice.
 By Staff
October 23, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
November is Woman Abuse Awareness Month
Violence against woman is not a women’s issue – it is a men’s issue – they have to change their behaviour and find other ways to resolve their differences with the women in their life. It is really that simple.
Regional Chair Gary Carr and Halton Regional Police Chief Stephen Tanner and community leaders will join members of Halton Violence Prevention Council to mark the beginning of Woman Abuse Awareness Month.
Our language gas to change – “slapping someone around” is not acceptable language.
The Halton Violence Prevention Council will be hanging “Act Against Violence” banners throughout the Region for the month of November.
 The Council’s mission is to end violence against women and their children in our community. It is a coordinating committee working to improve services for women and children experiencing abuse, in order to achieve a healthy, safe and inclusive community.
HVPC members consist of more than 20 agencies in the Halton community, including representatives from legal and police services; counselling and sexual assault agencies; women’s shelters; child protection; addictions, housing and mental health sectors; health-based services and survivor-informed agencies.
The Council has been busy with many initiatives this year, including developing and facilitating training aimed at strengthening service provider responses to victims of violence who are also experiencing co-occurring issues, such as addiction and/or active mental health; supporting collaborative practices between the Violence Against Women sector and our Children’s Aid Society; and fostering survivor-informed initiatives, including our Speakers’ Bureau.
The launch this year will feature a member of our Speakers’ Bureau, who’s keynote address, “Life in the Shadows”, will focus on her experience of being stalked by her ex-partner.
In addition to these newer initiatives, the council continues to be engaged in the Neighbours. Friends and Families Campaign – a provincial strategy to raise awareness of the signs of woman abuse, so people who are close to an at-risk woman or a man who uses abusive behaviours can provide information, support and resources.
 The Council will use the launch to invite community members, businesses and organizations to engage in the “Purple Thursdays” campaign – a movement to draw attention to the issue of woman abuse and gendered violence throughout the month of November by wearing purple every Thursday as a way to start conversations, raise awareness and support.
Are you currently involved in an abusive relationship? You and your family can get help! Call the 24-hour crisis line of Halton Women’s Place (south 905-332-7892, north 905-878-8555) or the Assaulted Women’s Helpline (toll free: 1-866-863-0511).
 By Staff
October 23, 2014
BURLINGTON, ON
The province wants to help cities become more bike-friendly – that perked up the ears of council members as they worked through a draft of the Strategic Plan that is going to set a direction for the balance of the current term of office.
 MPP Eleanor McMahon is a strong and consistent cyclist. Burlington has an MPP, Eleanor McMahon who is a champion of sharing the road. The city has hundreds of kilometres of bike trails and a rural area that offers some of the most challenging terrain for the truly committed.
McMahon said: “Ontarians want to spend less time in their cars and more time travelling by active transportation. The number one reason Ontarians don’t ride their bike is because they don’t feel safe to do so. In addition to recent changes to the Highway Traffic act, the amendments support the development of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure by simplifying the process for municipalities to plan and build off-road multi-use pathways.”
Burlington could be the poster boy for community cycling. So when the province announces funding for more bike use – we are in.
Ontario is helping cities become more sustainable and environmentally friendly by making it easier to build off-road bike paths and large-scale recreational trails. The province will invest $25 million in #CycleON: Ontario’s Cycling Strategy to create a more cycling-friendly the province.
The province has created a new streamlined process for municipalities to submit proposals for environmental assessment on new paths and trails. The new process will be easier and quicker, saving municipalities considerable time, money and effort.
The amendments were proposed by the Municipal Engineers Association and received significant public feedback during the province’s public consultation. The new environmental assessment process also supports CycleON, the province’s long-term strategy to help make Ontario the number one province for cycling in Canada,
 Cycling enthusiast Rob Narejko keeps a couple of bikes in his garage and can often be seen on the rural roads. Supporting cycling and helping Ontarians reduce their carbon footprints is part of the government’s plan to build Ontario up. The four-part plan includes investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.
Great wording – now where would Burlingtonians like to see “off road bike paths” built?
Leave your ideas in the comments section.
By Pepper Parr
October 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
If you are a regular reader of the Gazette published by the federal government you would know that it is Official – Karina Gould is the Burlington member of the House of Commons.
When an election is called the Governor General instructs the Chief Electoral Officer to issue a Writ to the Returning Officer in each of the 338 constituencies. That Returning officer is the person who causes the election to be held in each constituency. The Returning Officer, Pat Barr in Burlington, writes the results of the election on the back of the Writ she was given to hold the election and sends it to the Chief Returning Officer by Priority Post.
 Karina Gould – Burlington’s member of the House of Commons. The Chief Electoral Officer has those results published in the Gazette which is the publication the government uses to make official announcement. At that point Karina Gould becomes the member of the House of Commons for the Burlington constituency.
She has a job.
Next week she will be in Ottawa for several days of Orientation. These are formal classes given to all new members who take five or six classes designed to teach them everything they need to know to get themselves to the point where they at least don’t get lost in the House of Commons.
The Gazette interviewed Karina Gould Thursday afternoon and asked when she would be setting up her Burlington office. “I don’t know” she said. She did say that she expects to take over the space at the Burlington Mall that Mike Wallace used for her constituency office.
When will you have an Ottawa office? “I don’t know” she said.
She thinks she will get a phone call from the Liberal party who will tell her where she is to be and what she is to do as a member of the government. One of the first things that has to happen is the swearing in ceremony – that might take place sometime after the Cabinet has been sworn in. Members are sworn in by the Clerk of the House of Commons.
Where will you sit in the House of Commons? “I don’t know” replied Gould.
It is rare for Karina Gould to say more than once that she does not know something.
For the immediate future her time and energy are going to be spent on getting herself organized and learning all the procedural rules and finding her way around the House of Commons and getting all the security passes she will need.
Samantha Nadler is handling some of the transition tasks from a campaign organization to the office of a member of Parliament.
What do you plan to do during the first month you are in Ottawa? “I don’t know” she replied.
At some point in the near future she will take part in her first Liberal Caucus meeting – which will be the start of the political part of her role as an MP for the next four years. Caucus is where the Liberals get brought up to date on what the leader of the government plans and where individual members get to ask political questions of the Prime Minister and to make their own comments about what they think of the direction the government is taking
Where will Gould live in Ottawa? “I don’t know” she said.
Are you excited? “Yes, I am excited” she said.
 Which of these seats in the House of Commons will be assigned to Karina Gould? Burlington now gets to see what a 28 year old with a good education, a quick mind, a sense of humour and a desire to make this country the kind of place she believes most people want it to be, can do for her constituents.
Campaign manager Claire LaRocca, who the Gazette thought was going to be a critical part of the team Gould puts together to serve the community, left Burlington for the UK where she starts a new job. During several conversations with LaRocca the Gazette talked about how she would manage the Ottawa office and the Burlington office for Gould once she was elected. She didn’t say a word about taking up a job the day after the election ended – so not quite the transparency we thought. Something to keep in mind as we track and report on the Member of the House of Commons for Burlington.
We have learned to probe a little deeper and to not assume that we are being given the full story. Such is the game of politics – it is seldom what it seems on the surface.
 By Staff
October 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Region Health Department has started the influenza (flu) immunization clinics for the 2015-2016 flu season with community influenza clinics for all residents aged six months and older beginning this week. Flu immunizations are also available at many pharmacies (for those aged five years and older), as well as in doctors’ offices, walk-in clinics and at some workplaces.
Getting the flu vaccine every year is the most important way to protect against the flu. It also helps to prevent the spread of the virus to those who are vulnerable to complications of the flu. The flu immunization is recommended for all those six months of age and older.
Most healthy people recover from the flu within a few days; however, influenza infection can lead to pneumonia and hospitalization, and can even be fatal, especially in the elderly, those under five years of age and those with certain chronic health conditions.
 Washing your hands frequently when you are not well prevents the communication of viruses. In addition to getting vaccinated, you can take everyday precautions against influenza by washing your hands with soap frequently, using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (when soap and water is not available) and avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
If you are sick, stay home from work or school to prevent spreading your illness to others and see your doctor if your illness worsens or doesn’t begin to improve after a few days.
Clinic dates for Burlington are:
| Tuesday, October 13, 2015 |
Burlington Seniors’ Centre |
2285 New Street |
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
| Monday, October 26, 2015 |
L.B. Pearson High School |
1433 Headon Road |
4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday, November 3, 2015 |
Robert Bateman High School |
5151 New Street |
4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. |
By Pepper Parr
October 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Mike Wallace is in the process of clearing out his office at the Burlington Mall and then getting away for a short cruise with his wife – we need a break he said during a short interview at his office.
 Mike Wallace during his last day an a Member of the House of Commons – taking phone calls and helping out. Wallace said he hasn’t a clue as to what he will do next. He expect to make one more trip back to Ottawa to clear out that office and learn what he has coming to him in the way of severance. He expects there will be one more Conservative Caucus meeting for him and then his career as a politician comes to an end – at last for the immediate future.
He got more votes this time around than he did in 2011 – it was just that the other candidate got more than he did.
The Returning Officer for Burlington signed the back of the Election Writ and send it by Priority Post to the Chief Returning Officer who will publish the results in the Gazette – which is the Official record of the election. At that point Mike Wallace is no longer a Member of the House of Commons.
Wallace, being who he is, is on the phone talking to people he has worked with, accepting their commiserations and commenting on the how and the why of the election.
Will he run again? Mike said he has absolutely no idea. “I might be taking the GO train to Toronto in November” he said.
While there are those tired circles around his eyes – this man is far from defeated – it is not in his nature to see the glass he drinks from as half empty.
He and his wife will get away and take a look at their future and decide what they want to do. Caroline has been the close to perfect political wife and has filled in for him admirably on a number of occasions.
Mike, who deals with type 2 diabetes lost forty pounds since the the 2011 election and the and looks very fit.
He know he served his constituents to the best of his ability and he will land on his feet somewhere. For the immediate future he will put his feet up and perhaps even smell the roses.
 You won’t see Mike Wallace at Bay and Front Street with a tin cup – expect to see him at Rotary meetings though. At some point, one hope, the Burlington Conservative Association will hold an event in his honour. If there is dancing at that event watch how Mike and Caroline glide across the floor – they are both very good dancers and know each other’s moves well.
People can disagree on the politics but it is very hard to disagree on the level of service Wallace gave.
There are times when the Gazette thought Mike Wallace was offside by a country mile – that’s all part of party politics. When people needed a helping hand – his was there.
Good luck Mike!
By Walter Byj and Pepper Parr
October 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The October 21 st Halton District School Board meeting was quick indeed. It started after the Blue Jays came ended and finished just before the Mets/Cubs came started. There were a number of housecleaning items that were passed unanimously.
The Community Partnership Policy had been posted on the Board’s website for the required 25 days and had just two comments from the public. Upon questioning from trustee Harrison (Oakville), Director Miller stated that the policy is usually reviewed every four years but will now be updated on a yearly basis.
 Joey Edwardh runs Community |development Halton, the organization working the community side of the Jump Play Run Healthy Community initiative funded by the province. Direction of Education for the Public school board watches a group of students with Ms Edwardh In a similar vein, the Trustees Expense Policy also resided on the website for the required 25 days and (with no comments posted from the public) was also passed unanimously. Perhaps this would be an ideal place to recap the remuneration that is available for the trustees.
Each trustee receives honoraria of $15,327.73 annually. There is a $4000 bump for the vice-chair to $19,309.23 while the chair receives $23,290.73. In addition, they have use of one of a number of different computer devices along with reimbursement of $59.85 for high speed internet service. They also have the use of either a monthly Blackberry or I phone plan that includes voice plan, data plan and long distance. The monthly reimbursement is $75.71 for the Blackberry plan and $107.35 for the I phone plan. All reimbursements are tax included. In addition, each trustee will have access to a $5,000 travel, personal professional development and office supplies amount.
With the hiring of a new Director of Education, Stuart Miller, the Director’s Performance Review Policy is now under review. This policy was last reviewed 5 years ago. The policy will be posted on the board website for the mandatory 25 days with the board to review any public comments in December. As of this writing, the policy has not yet been posted.
The board appears to rely quite heavily on the web site to convey information – and at the same time readily admits that the web site does not function all that well. Director of Education Stuart Miller tends to give people copies of information they need rather than send them to the web site
If the web site doesn’t work internally for the board there is little likelihood that it will work very well for the public.
Miller admits that the board is going to need every penny of the $100,000 allocated for the upgrade – probably a total re-build. And he adds that it will take six to nine months to get the job done.
Which suggests the flow of information is going to be limited – might be helpful if the board looked fore some kind of a work around to cover the major bases while the re-build gets done
Andrea Grebenc (Burlington) chair of the transportation committee noted that the board had applications totally more than 2400 for courtesy seats for the various bus routes. A courtesy seat is defined as a request for a seat on a school bus where the student who is not entitled to transportation based on distance they live from the school.
One would hope that the administrators would clamp down on this one – the board is involved in the Jump Play Run – Healthy Community initiative being funded by the province. Trustee Grebenc is all fired up on walking or biking to school – her vision should be shared with those parents who want their kid on the bus.
As the meeting neared conclusion, Director Miller reminded everyone of the upcoming public meetings of the Program Viability Committee that start on Monday October 26th at Nelson High School.
The Public School Board meetings to discuss English and French Immersion elementary programming begin next week. The increasing interest in French Immersion and the impact on the core English program has the board administration considering how these changes are going to impact the delivery of program. The board’s ability to recruit a sufficient number of qualified and fluent elementary French teachers is also part of the mix.
Parents/guardians are invited to attend to learn about the key issues, as well as the process and timelines to gather public input. Halton District School Board staff will present information concerning English and French Immersion program enrollment, as well as the preliminary recommendations of the Program Viability Committee.
All meetings will begin at 7 p.m.:
BURLINGTON Monday, October 26 Nelson High School (4181 New St.)
Director Miller told the Gazette that he doesn’t intend to do a lot of talking about the program initiative and the thinking that has taken place. “We want to know what people think and hope they will take the document away with then and get back to us with their thoughts”.
Miller points out that the uptake for French Immersion classes has created some difficult management problems. “It is very difficult to find really qualified French teachers” he said. And he added “ we have some English classes with as little as eight students in them” which is very inefficient from a teaching model aspect and not all that good for the socializing of students that takes place in a school setting.
The working up of the report and its recommendations was a file that Miller handled before he was appointed Director of Education so he has a really solid understanding of how large an issue the school board faces
 By Pepper Parr
October 22, 2105
BURLINGTON, ON
The photograph shown in an earlier version of this story was the wrong building. The photograph shown now is of the Aldershot branch of the Public Library. Our apologies and thank you to the reader who pointed out the error to us.
While he might be a little on the brittle side and a sense of humour is not the dominant part of his personality – ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven usually finds the facts that makes the point and drives it home.
 Rick Craven: Best committee chair the city has; not big on the warm fuzzy stuff through. Needs a hug badly.  The library works for the public; the library parking lot doesn’t work all that well – which doesn’t bother the ward council member – he wants people to get out of their cars and walk as much as they can. Parking and transit at times dominate discussion in this city – usually in the form of complaints.
Getting people out of their cars and walking the short distances to services they use has been a consistent thread through all the Strategic Plan debates. Councillor Craven explained how it has been made to work in his ward.
The new city library in Aldershot is part of a mixed use structure that works quite well. Parking is at the rear of the building, there is retail and services on the ground levels and the library.
People will complain about the lack of parking said Councillor Craven adding that the library is a very short walk for thousands of residents. Complaints about the lack of parking – there are 24 parking spaces at the rear of the building at Plans Road and Waterdown.
Craven makes a very solid point when he said that library registration is up by more than 400%.
It is a new library – so all it could do was grow – and if Craven’s numbers are right – the lack of parking space has not hurt library usage – and it has gotten people out of their cars.
A candidate in the municipal election didn’t see it quite the same way – he complained loudly that there wasn’t nearly enough parking and that it was difficult for his wife to get to the library pushing a three year old in a stroller.
It is going to take the city some time to break the “use the car” habit.
By Staff
October 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police are currently investigating a robbery that occurred at The Super Convenience Store located at 574 Plains Road East in Burlington.
On October 18th, 2015 at approximately 7:00pm a suspect, who was armed with a knife approached the clerk inside the store and demanded the clerk to open the cash register. The suspect subsequently fled to an awaiting vehicle. As a result of the robbery the suspect may have sustained an injury to his right wrist or lower part of his right arm.
The clerk was not hurt during the incident.
The suspect is described as:
Male, white, slim build, approximately 5 feet 8 to 5 feet 10 inches tall, wearing a black winter jacket with fur around the hood, black adidas track pants, white gloves and white shoes. The suspect had his face concealed by wearing dark coloured sunglasses and a red and white bandana over the lower portion of his face.
Any person with information related to this robbery is encouraged to contact Detective Phil Vandenbeukel at 905-825-4747 ext. 2343 or D/Sgt. Ron Hansen at 905-825-4747 ext. 2315 of the Halton Regional Police Service 30 Division Criminal Investigations Bureau or Halton Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
By Pepper Parr
October 22, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Aldershot resident Tom Muir wrote Ward 2 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward asking her why the city missed the 180 day deadline it had to approve a development application. His first request was not answered – he sent a second request and copied the Mayor and the city Manager.
 An architectural rendering of the 28nsorey tower the ADI Development group wants to build at the corner of Martha Street and Lakeshore Road The Mayor promised to get back to Muir with a “meaningful response” and asked him to be patient.
Meed Ward got back to Muir with the following:
Thanks for your inquiry and my apologies for the delay in responding. You raise a number of very important and thoughtful points, and these required time to provide an equally thoughtful reply. I trust you will not read anything into the delay other than it took some time to prepare. I acknowledge that it would have been helpful for me to simply acknowledge initial receipt of the email when I got it, and let you know I was working on a reply – I will do that in future so you know I am working on a reply and that it will take some time. My apology for not doing that in this case – I’m sure it would have helped.
As this is now a legal matter before the Ontario Municipal Board, I will attempt to give as full a reply to the issues without jeopardizing our case at the OMB and while maintaining confidentiality of any legal matters. The questions you have asked raise important issues of principle and I will attempt to speak to them at that level.
You ask why the 180 day time elapsed, allowing the developer to appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board for a “non-decision” within the legislated time frame. Based on the information I have received, and documented in the time line on my website, this file simply took longer than 180 days to process because of the complexity of the project and the number of agencies that needed to provide feedback. That often occurs with more complex files. We have dealt with several files at recent Development & Infrastructure Committee meetings that have gone beyond 180 days, and developers on these projects have been prepared to work with the city so long as they are assured the file is moving forward and being processed.
The timeline I provided in an earlier article helps to tell the story of the amount of work required on this particular application and that staff worked diligently throughout the process to complete the report in a timely fashion. The staff report had been prepared and the committee was four days away from a vote when the appeal was launched. Typically, an appeal is launched for non-decision when the city is dragging its feet on processing an application. That wasn’t the case here.
Nevertheless, I believe it is a worthwhile question of principle to ask in general: why isn’t every Official Plan Amendment and Rezoning application processed within 180 days and what would it take to make that happen? We know that most applications we will see in Burlington are infill, versus greenfield (having run out of large greenfield areas for redevelopment). We also know that these applications by nature are more complex and take more time to review. So we must ask: what changes would we need to make at City Hall to ensure we can nevertheless even process these more complex applications – all of them – within the timeframe?
It is a good question; you and other residents are raising it; and I have asked this of staff internally and we will continue to discuss this over coming weeks and months until we have some suggestions going forward. In my view, if the timeline is there we need to do what we can to meet it, and we need a better understanding of what it will take on these more complex files to achieve that outcome. I am committed to doing what it takes to achieve that outcome going forward.
You have also raised the question of whether the appeal for non-decision within 180 days impacts our position at the Ontario Municipal Board. A non-decision within 180 days is one route to the OMB; the other is disagreement with the decision by council on an application. It is worth noting that the staff report recommending refusal of this particular file was available before the 180 days elapsed. The developer knew staff were not in support of the project. So the question is: does it make a difference whether a file is appealed for non-decision within 180 days or because the project has not been supported by staff and ultimately council? It’s a good question and one that is being asked on behalf of residents by myself and council. I will continue to investigate this.
However, at the end of the day, the OMB makes its decision based on the planning merits of the application more so than by which route the file ended up at the OMB, whether it was because the 180 days elapsed or because of disagreement with the decision. The planning merits or lack thereof are primary matters for consideration. The city will present our case, outlined very well in the staff report, that the project does not meet the criteria for good planning. Those are the matters that will be considered at the OMB in rendering a decision.
Some residents have asked: does the fact that committee and council voted on the project after it was appealed have an impact on our position at the Ontario Municipal Board? The unanimous vote at committee, upheld by council, to support staff and refuse the project will be part of the information forwarded to the OMB when it is deliberating. So the voice of the residents, via your elected representatives, will be heard and will be part of the information presented at the board.
I hope this addresses your questions based on the information I have at this time, recognizing that this is an evolving issue and there are additional learning as we move forward.
Please be assured I am committed to exploring how we can meet the 180 day time frame for every application. City council relies on staff to give us professional advice and see us through the application process; we work together. So I am further committed to ensuring that council, city hall and our planning department take appropriate steps to learn from this situation. The dialogue has started and is continuing.
 Also be assured that my goal is the same as it has always been: to welcome and support development that respects our existing Official Plan and Zoning. As the staff report on this particular project states clearly – we do not need to overintensify this site or any other to achieve our goals and obligations under Places to Grow to intensify in the downtown area. I will continue to advocate on behalf of residents that we respect our Plan – and if it needs changing to do so within the overall context of an Official Plan Review which takes places every five years.
It has been gratifying that all of city council and city staff, and the vast majority of residents, have been united in our position that this particular application is not good planning, is overintensification, and needs to go back to the drawing board to come back with a more reasonable proposal in keeping with our existing planning goals for this site. As a community, we need to continue to stand together and make a strong case at the OMB to turn this down and seek more appropriate redevelopment on this site. I will continue to work with you, residents, city council and staff to see that through.
Whatever the outcome of this situation, city hall should always be reviewing and learning from major issues in our city as a standard practice and a matter of principle, to learn how we can be better. Please know that I am committed to undertake this review. That said, know that our first and immediate priority is to win this case.
Thank you for your contribution to this process.
Muir doesn’t buy the Meed Ward response and sets out the time line as he understands it.
Councillor,
Thank you for your message.
To cut to the quick, I must say that, sadly, you did not meaningfully answer my September 16 and October 8 requests to be informed about how the decision was arrived at to allow the 180 day period, mandated by legislation as default grounds for OMB appeal, to elapse before the Council vote was able to be made on the staff recommendation report on this project.
 Tom Muir, an Aldershot resident suggests the reasons ward 2 Councillor gave for the city’s failure to vote on an application development and asks: Did someone advise you to do this, or did you just drop the ball? As part of this request, I also asked a number of questions concerning the administrative management staff motivations and thinking that led to this decision. These questions were also not answered, and in fact, were never addressed.
Instead, your message is a narrative of excuses, rationalizations, and blame-shifting that does not fit the facts contained in the record of city proceedings and timeline in this matter. You also wrote several extended digressions, that collectively muddle, and side-step, the direct point of my inquiry.
I acknowledge that to some extent you are, as you say, basing your remarks on information you have received from others, and documented in the time line on your website, but there is no attribution on this, and of course, you are responsible for your choice of words. Whatever, I would be careful who you listen to in the future. They may be more interested in self than in you.
In evidence, we can consider the timeline you document in your March 31 website newsletter, and examine the city record of proceedings that are contained in this timeline.
Recall that the prescribed time frame or timeline of 180 days started on September 24, 2014, and elapsed on March 24, 2015.
Over this entire timeline there are a number of public meetings, and staff reports and correspondence available to examine in the proceedings, and there is no evidence that the working planning staff were not in control of the processing timeline, or found the file too complex to process in time.
In fact, the ADI project was generally opposed by the public, and the staff report was a thorough, fair, and strong planning based recommendation to refuse the application. There are no apparent complicating factors to make the file too complex or unwieldy to process on time, as you imply it was.
There is also no reason to expect that the refusal recommendation would lead ADI to be prepared to work with the city beyond the prescribed timeline, as you uncritically, and therefore misleadingly, state other developers might do if their application is moving forward.
I can’t imagine this happening in the face of a known refusal, and the staff record shows that ADI had no intention of negotiating changes. So you certainly can’t shift blame for the failure to meet the timeline to ADI for doing what they did, as you appear to.
I find your stated insinuation, that despite working diligently, staff were unable to overcome unspecified factors of complexity and time slippage, as you claim, and were only able to prepare the staff report 4 days before the Committee meeting date, incorrect, misleading, and totally unfair to the staff working on the file. They cannot defend themselves or set the record straight.
In fact, the timeline indicates that the staff recommendation report was presented to the then Director of Planning and Building, Bruce Krushelnicki, on March 2, which is 22 days before the 180 day timeline elapsed.
Then, the staff recommendation report was made public and sent to the Development and Infrastructure Committee on March 13. This means that the staff recommendation report was in Mr. Krushelnicki’s hands for 11 days.
One has to ask why this 11 days was needed if the planning staff process for the 180 day timeline was considered, as you claim, to be behind time, and if the responsible planning management staff was actually respecting the timeline. Did Mr. Krushelnicki really need 11 days to decide to support his staff, and where is the record of that decision process?
There is no apparent explanation of this seeming excessive use of time, given the situation, and its use as an excuse for the failure to meet the deadline of March 24.
What is also inexplicable is that the staff recommendation report was scheduled to be presented to the D&I Committee on March 30, and to Council on April 20, absolutely too late in the circumstances, and guaranteed to facilitate an ADI appeal to the OMB.
Even more inexplicable is that there was already a scheduled Council meeting for March 23, obviously 1 day before the 180 day timeline elapses, and this opportunity for a Council vote on the proposal was squandered with nary a mention.
Knowing all this on March 13, and before, the staff recommendation to refuse could have been scheduled for the March 23 Council agenda. The Mayor has authority to get this done. Why was this not done? Who is responsible?
Despite all this, four supposedly responsible senior managers ( Bruce Krushelnicki, Director of Planning and Building; Blake Hurley, Assistant City Solicitor; Scott Stewart, General Manager of Development and Infrastructure; and Nancy Shea Nicol, Interim City Manager and Director of Legal Services), who would have known all these facts – the expiry of the 180 days on March 24, and the already scheduled Council meeting on March 23 – still signed off on and approved the said, far too late, meeting dates for the staff recommendation report to get to Council.
In effect, this decision left the back door open for ADI to appeal on the easiest of grounds. The will of the public, and the staff recommendation report, were dead on arrival at Committee, and this seems to have been done on purpose.
What were these managers thinking or not thinking? Is this a deliberate action, taken regardless of the consequences for the city and public trust, or just stupid non-thinking?
Or is it worse, a case of creative bungling that sabotages the city interest and control over the rational planning of development within the existing OP and policy prescribed framework? This situation could do a lot of damage to the aspirations of city residents to develop according to a plan and process they have chosen.
How can we trust the legal department to present the city case at the OMB when they participated in this unbelievable muddle – headedness? They took the city’s legal right to decide on this development proposal and to refuse the application, and gave it away to ADI, and someone from the OMB to decide. Now what they want to do is confidential, and things are done in secret, and in camera.
 Nautique – the ADI Development Group project is being heavily marketed with a number of real estate agents offering the units for sale even though the development is the subject of an OMB hearing. Is this what the public is supposed to trust and have confidence in as proper, credible administrative implementation of the rules, regulations, and laws?
Tell us please, how this decision to kill the staff refusal recommendation, at delivery, serves the public and city interest? I want these managers called to account for how the interests of the city and residents are better served by what they have done in this case?
These points are what most of the other questions in my October 8 reminder message were asking. The responsible staff managers need to be called to account for what they did.
In all of this there is a role for the members of council, but particularly yourself, the Ward 2 Councillor, who would know, or be expected to know, all about what I have described here.
You knew about the March 24 expiry date of the 180 day prescribed time frame, and that the scheduled Committee meeting, and particularly the required Council meeting, where the staff recommendation report was on the agenda, were too late to ensure that the will of residents, and staff, met the planning rules and was therefore legally valid.
And yet you remained silent, and went along with what was happening, and what eventually did happen.
Why did you do this, remain silent?
Did someone advise you to do this, or did you just drop the ball? You are still going along with it, and actually making excuses and rationalizing in support.
You are even musing that maybe the killing of the city will on this development, and the forced OMB hearing, are not such bad things. This is beyond denial, bordering on delusion brought on by the forced acceptance, without protest, of the unchangeable nature of what has happened.
I could go on here and try to address the several digression aspects of your message, but that discussion does not really fit here, and are not what my initial inquiry and messages were asking about. One exception is about what I termed to be a gold rush and unethical mentality, using lies in advertising, and other selling activities, to promote projects that are not approved and at the OMB.
I will only say that if the city does not have bylaws restricting such promotions and advertising of unapproved project proposals, then the city should have one, and has the power to enact one. I suggest this as another policy development digression to add to your list for discussion.
It can get worse, and it is, as exemplified by a project on Plains Rd in Aldershot that advertises a 6 story, 75 unit condo, in preconstruction and coming soon, in an area where it is not permitted in the OP and zoning bylaws, and for which there is not even an application. Nothing is being done by the city about that developer behaviour either, and it is in fact being condoned.
We are on a very slippery slope, poised to lose control of development and our OP to speculators. The ADI situation is a test case that is being closely watched to see how easy it will be to bust Burlington’s Official Plan wide open.
Yours sincerely,
Tom Muir
Is there going to be another round to this argument?
And is Tom Muir ever going to see the “meaningful response” promised him by Mayor Goldring? Or does the Mayor feel he has a 180- day time line.
 By Staff
October 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
If you are a non-profit organizations that delivers community health or social service programs to Halton residents the Regional government has a funding program that might interest you.
 Halton Regional offices are in Oakville Two categories of funding are available to organizations that meet eligibility criteria.
Category One provides one year funding to non-profit, charitable or community organizations for short- term, small capital and/or innovative projects. Category One grants are awarded for a maximum of one year, for an amount up to $20,000.The deadline for Category One applications is November 27, 2015 at 2 p.m.
Category Two provides up to three years of program funding for charitable organizations. The deadline for Category Two applications is December 4, 2015 at 2 p.m. During this proposal call, there is approximately $200,000 available for funding commitments in each of 2016, 2017 and 2018.
“The non-profit sector and community volunteers provide tremendous support to individuals and families in Halton,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “Halton Regional Council is committed to keeping Halton a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire for all our residents and the non-profit sector helps our community thrive.”
Organizations interested in applying can learn more about the HRCIF by attending an information session:
• Thursday, October 29, 2015, 6 – 8 p.m. at the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre (Black Box Studio Theatre), 2302 Bridge Road in Oakville; or
• Tuesday, November 3 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Gellert Community Centre (Kinsmen Hall A), 10241 Eighth Line in Halton Hills.
To register for a session, or to access HRCIF guidelines, application forms and funding priorities, please visit halton.ca/investmentfund or dial 311.
By Staff
October 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Memex, a Burlington company that got a loan from the federal government to expand its operation is now part of it collaborative partnership that has joined with two very large corporations to make greater use of The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
The Internet of Things, known as IloT, has been bubbling away in the background for some time – it is now very real for MEMEX who have partnered with the Mazak Corporation and Cisco to showcase MERLIN software from MEMEX Inc.
 Dave McPhail, CEO of MEMEX walks pasty a stern looking management team during a federal cheque presentation last March The Internet of Things basically gives anything an internet address – which becomes the communications backbone that moves information in real time
The collaborative platform called SmartBox, developed by Mazak, is an industry-first launch platform for easy and highly secure entrance into the Industrial Internet of Things. SmartBox builds on MEMEX’s strategic partnership with Mazak Corp., which earlier this year named MEMEX to its exclusive Value Inspired Partner (VIP) program.
What follows is pretty technical and won’t mean much to most people – but it is very relevant to the economy the city wants to develop. This technology results in those high-tech, high paying jobs the city wants to attract.
“The SmartBox collaboration realizes the IIoT vision on the factory floor,” said MEMEX’s CEO David McPhail. “We’re thrilled to be participating in this powerful combination with Mazak and Cisco. As well as MERLIN software, we are contributing our easy-to-deploy Ax760 hardware adapters to SmartBox. They enable every machine on the shop floor, old or new, to become web servers that utilize the MTConnect® manufacturing communication standard.”
Using MTConnect® as its foundation, SmartBox connectivity of machines and devices allows for enhanced monitoring and analytical capabilities including advanced cyber security protection. SmartBox represents a huge leap in digital integration across manufacturing.
 MEMEX – a Burlington firm that is right up there with two of the largest heavy hitters in the manufacturing technical world. “With the development of SmartBox, Mazak continues to drive toward its iSMART Factory concept and connecting today’s shops to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to achieve levels of efficiency and productivity never before realized,” said Brian Papke, President of Mazak. “And while our concept centers around open connectivity and the Internet, we at Mazak believe it is our moral obligation to also provide customers the highest level of security possible with SmartBox. As with all the technology we develop, Mazak has first implemented SmartBox into our own operations before expecting customers to wholeheartedly embrace the system.”
Mazak developed SmartBox to work with any machine regardless of make, model or age and will offer it in various configurations/kits based on the scenarios and challenges in which the units will be used. The device physically mounts to the side of machines without having to integrate into a machine’s electrical cabinet. With several standard input/output connecting ports, SmartBox lets users quickly and easily connect any standard off-the-shelf sensors to the system for machine data gathering and condition monitoring. One SmartBox may service several machine tools along with other associated manufacturing equipment, depending on the application.
At the heart of SmartBox is Cisco’s Connected Machines solution, based on the IoT System, designed specifically for industrial environments and equipped with an MTConnect software agent. Using a fog computing model, MTConnect runs directly on the ruggedized Cisco Industrial Ethernet (IE) 4000 switch, providing MERLIN software’s real-time visibility and insights into data right on the factory floor.
MEMEX’s MERLIN software installed in Mazak’s factory allows for monitoring analytics of machines, test stands and other equipment within the plant. The Cisco hardware is designed to help prevent any issues with unauthorized access from both directions – to or from the machines and equipment within a network. SmartBox satisfies the highly critical security concerns of IT departments when connecting legacy equipment to a plant’s main network for the purpose of gathering manufacturing data via the MTConnect protocol.
MEMEX Inc. is a leading Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technology platform provider that connects to any machine and delivers real-time manufacturing productivity metrics. Industrial strength MERLIN software provides Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) efficiency metrics in real time, from shop floor to top floor. MERLIN connects to any machine, old or new, utilizing MTConnect, other protocols or hardware adapters.
The MERLIN magic delivers a 10% to 50% average productivity increase so that any manufacturer can achieve world-class standards of excellence. Based on just a 10% increase in OEE, customers see profit improvements of 20%-plus and payback in less than four months.
What does all this mean to Burlington?
During the federal election Prime Minister Harper announced that an Advanced Manufacturing Hub would be built in the city – tied in in some way to McMaster University’s de Groote campus on the south Service Road.
 Dave McPhail on the right explaining the technology MEMEX has developed that allows real time data to be delivered to management Dave McPhail works assiduously developing relationships – he has been working on a collaborative approach with Cisco for some time – that seems to have worked out well for the company.
Mike Wallace took part in an announcement that put a cheque for $899,000 on the table allowing MEMEX to expand their operations in Burlington. So far that federal loan appears to be doing what it was intended to do.
By Staff
October 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario has nominated Dr. Bruce Krushelnicki for appointment as the new executive chair of Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario, subject to review by the Standing Committee on Government Agencies.
 Former city planner, Bruce Krushelnicki, has been appointed as the Executive Chair of the Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario Dr. Krushelnicki, a veteran urban planner and public administrator, recently retired from the post of Director of Planning and Building at the City of Burlington after 11 years. Before his employment with the City of Burlington, he held key positions with the Ontario Municipal Board and the Institute of Urban and Environmental Studies at Brock University, as well as maintaining a small consulting practice in urban planning.
Pending review by the Standing Committee on Government Agencies, Dr. Krushelnicki will take over the role of executive chair from Alternate Executive Chair Jerry DeMarco in fall 2015.
Dr. Krushelnicki holds a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Waterloo, a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brock University. He is a member of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute.
Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario is a cluster of tribunals that resolve appeals, applications and other disputes under some 100 statutes in relation to land use planning, environmental and heritage protection, property assessment, land valuation and other matters. It is made up of five adjudicative tribunals:
Assessment Review Board
Board of Negotiation
Conservation Review Board
Environmental Review Tribunal
Ontario Municipal Board
Adjudicative tribunals play a vital role in the justice system by using their specialized expertise to hear a variety of disputes in an independent and impartial manner.
One of those disputes is the application the ADI Development Group has made to the OMB for the right to build a 28 storey tower at Martha and Lakeshore.
Dr. Krushelnicki will serve as the Executive Chair of all five adjudicative tribunals that make up Environment and Land Tribunals Ontario.
In Burlington we called him Bruce – he was without a doubt the most articulate staff member this city had – and also knew the best tailor in town
By Pepper Parr
October 21, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
And so now what does Karina Gould do? Begin looking for an apartment in Ottawa for starters and then going through the Briefing Books she will be given as she learns what it is to become a Parliamentarian.
She is twenty – eight years old, has solid university degrees and a hard fought election campaign behind her. She has experience with the Organization of American States in Washington and knows more about international trade matters than any other newly elected Member of Parliament.
 Claire LaRocca, centre, ran the campaign that is sending Karina Gould to office. Expect to see LaRocca running either the Ottawa office or the Burlington office. The two women go back a long way. There will be some significant committee work for her to do. If she thought she was busy going door to door as a candidate – she will wish for those days again once she has a year or two of experience as an MP behind her.
She will thrive in Ottawa – what kind of a constituent MP she will be is something we can only guess at today. She had a remarkable team working with her – expect to see the staff she has to create for both her Burlington office and Ottawa office as well to come from within that group.
Her campaign chair, Claire La Rocca might become the person who runs her Ottawa office – the two women go back a long way – they first met as students at McGill University. LaRocca bunked in with Gould’s parents while the campaign was being fought.
 Mike Wallace conceding the 2015 federal election to Karina Gould. “I have been in public service for 23 years” he said “tonight I was defeated by a 28 year old”. He said it with a smile. Mike Wallace, who was much more graceful in defeat than his leader Stephen Harper, now has to pick up the pieces and move on to another phase of his journey. It will be with a heavy heart that he closes his office at the Burlington Mall and does as much as he can to find places for the staff that have served him during his term of office.
Wallace has always had a strong sense of humour that served him well. He was able to laugh at his own short comings.
Burlington did well by Mike Wallace – Gould will have to work hard to even begin to equal his record.
The early numbers didn’t put her that far ahead of Mike Wallace – she too benefited hugely from the NDP disaster. She has four years to learn the craft of being an MP and to solidify what she won last night.
What to expect from this newly elected MP? We will hear thank you, thank you, thank you for the next few weeks – then she has to settle into a new career. The new government will be sworn in and we will watch for what she has to say during her maiden speech in the House of Commons.
Burlington is in the process of developing an Advanced Manufacturing Hub that the Prime Minister promised the city would get – if he was elected. That hub will be located in Burlington – a lot of work has yet to be done on it before it is a reality – Gould will need to meet with the people who are doing the ground work on the project. They will find her to be a delight to work with and very smart – add to that her being a quick study.
When will the new government be sworn in? November 4th. Justin Trudeau has to get his voice back and have the conversations with the men and women who will be in his Cabinet. Karina Gould will learn just how federal government bureaucrats work as she completes mountains of forms to get herself onto the payroll and learn where her office is going to be.
Her first caucus meeting will be exciting – she will fully appreciate then what it is to be part of a government that has a vision, has a mission and will want to do good things quickly.
How soon will we see refugees on the ground from the Middle East? What will the first piece of legislation be?
 Is this the first date of a significant political marriage? Mayor Rick Goldring moves in for a hug with newly elected federal MP Karina Gould. She does have a wary eye doesn’t she? Gould got off to a good start on her victory night – Mayor Goldring got a great hug – those two will get along just fine.
Her meetings with the Economic Development Corporation will be both interesting and fruitful. The Executive Director over there, Frank McKeown, would be well advised to ask Gould to sit in on one of their board meetings.
While the Mayor has yet to tell the citizens of the city why he was in China bits and pieces of that puzzle are coming to the surface. We know for certain that he was not in China to participate in a ping pong tournament – but there was a hint made recently that it has to do with foreign investment – there isn’t enough information available yet to say much more than that.
Gould has significant experience in foreign trade – the Mayor would be well served to give her a call and talk through just what he has been up to during his travels.
 These two women painted the town red. MPP Eleanor McMahon won the city and put a Liberal at Queen’s Park for the first time in 70 years. Gould followed up with a win earlier this week – replacing a two term Conservative. What kind of a city are we going to be four years from now? An added plus is the helping hand MPP Eleanor Mc Mahon will be giving. During the victory celebration McMahon came across as a proud den Mother – she will be a useful resource; ideally those two woman will serve the city well.
Can we expect Paddy Torsney, a former Burlington MP, to drift back into town to have a chit chat with our newest member?
 By Ray Rivers
October 20thj, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Sometimes things just happen to us – bad luck we call it. And sometimes the hens come home to roost and we reap what we have sown. Canadians overwhelmingly rejected Stephen Harper because of what he stands for and what he has done to us over the last decade.
 Justin Trudeau embracing his Mother Margaret before giving his speech the night he was elected Prime Minister of the country. what a sweet moment. As this longest election campaign in a century came to a close, Canadian electors decided to shed the misery of the past decade. We are a stagnant economy with the lowest growth rate and highest income inequality since the dirty ’30’s. We now have the least efficient and most secretive government in our modern history. And something has happened to that Canadian sense of fairness and tolerance.
So most Canadians went to sleep last night with the prospect of a better future than their recent past would foretell. Stephen Harper is gone! And a breath of fresh air, optimism and hope has replaced him. It is sad to say but Stephan Harper will not be missed, and his legacy will be a bookmark for an epoch lost in the dust of history.
 Stephen Harper showing up at a Rob Ford garden party. Of course Rob and Doug Ford will miss him, but then almost nobody ever missed the Fords once they left the limelight. And that big shindig they hosted for Harper on election eve may have been the icing on his farewell cake. But then I’ve come to bury Harper not to dwell on his failings.
Canadians changed the channel, in fact they bought a brand new TV. Positive – Better – Brought Together. Sweet words, Mr. Trudeau, but where do we go from here. The cupboard is a mess and the list is long. The economy, income inequality, that TPP, the oil patch, bombing in Iraq/Syria, whacky-tobaccy, electoral changes, the Senate, Bill C-51, green jobs, restoring environmental protection, climate change…
It should be a comfort to us that every province and territory is represented in the new Trudeau Liberal caucus, thanks to that overwhelming strategic vote last night. Mr. Mulcair’s party bore the brunt of that strategic effect, but he has only himself to blame, as discussed in my last column. Besides Trudeau, the federalist, has now been given an endorsement by his native Quebecers. What could be better for the federation?
It was interesting that The Globe and Mail endorsed Harper’s party but not Harper, in fact demanded he resign. Was that political naivety or an indirect call for voting ‘anybody but Harper, by a paper lacking the guts to break a tradition of supporting the Tories?
Also The National Post’s Andrew Coyne resigned as political editor after his publisher refused to print a column unsympathetic to the Tories. He has earned my respect for that. And was G&M columnist Margaret Wente trying to send a message when she ‘damned Harper with faint praise’ – saying he wasn’t the worst PM we ever had.
Mr. Trudeau came into the election amid low expectations, thanks to the Tory attack ads. Today it’s the reverse situation, as he wears the support of about seven million Canadians who voted for him, and so many others who would have made him their second choice. It is a tall order to undo the last decade in a heartbeat, and so it will take time.
 Stephen Harper – expressing an opinion. Therefore we all need to take a pill, or a toke (when it becomes legal), and chill to allow the new PM-designate the chance to get on with the job. This is an exciting time and the critics, including me, will be hounding him to deliver. And somewhere on my wish list would be how to get us into the 21st century when it comes to our next federal election.
I’m not talking about preferential (ranked) balloting, which Mr. Trudeau has already committed to. I’m referring to our archaic system of paper ballots, and pencils and manual counting. If we can do our banking securely via the internet, why can’t we vote that way?
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province.
Background links:
Federal Election Coyne Wente G&M Endoresment
 By Staff
October 20th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
SeeClickFix service disruption – Oct. 20 to 22, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
The SeeClickFix will experience service disruptions during system maintenance:
Oct. 20, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Oct. 21, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Oct. 22, 9 p.m. to 3 a.m.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
What is SeeClickFix?
Currently pothole, traffic sign, traffic signal, street light, graffiti, and coyote sighting requests are being accepted.
City of Burlington staff will be alerted and will respond within a reasonable time to address the request.
If you lose your hub cap in that pothole – SeeClickFix is the city’s interactive map where you can report thee things.
By Staff
October 19, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Union Gas handed over 500 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to the Burlington Fire department at a meeting at the Seniors Centre on the weekend. It is part of Project Zero, a public education campaign that provides combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to residents with the goal of reducing the number of residential fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths to zero.
The alarms were handed out at the seniors event, they were “won” through answering fire safety trivia questions.
 Fire Chief Tony Bavota. The few remaining alarms will be given to seniors registered in the fire department alarm assistance program, which helps those who are isolated and/or have disabilities or mobility challenges, which make it difficult to install and maintain their home smoke and co alarms.
Union Gas utility services manager, Marc Hoewing visited the Burlington Seniors’ Centre yesterday to present Burlington fire chief, Tony Bavota with the alarms.
“At Union Gas, the safety of our employees and our communities is our most important core company value,” said Hoewing. “And we share that commitment by supporting much-needed programs like Project Zero that helps us all stay safer.”
 They work – but only if they have fresh batteries. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless toxic gas that is often referred to as the “silent killer.” Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, burning eyes, confusion, drowsiness and even loss of consciousness, without the elevated temperature associated with the flu. In severe cases, CO poisoning can cause brain damage and death. The elderly, children and people with heart or respiratory conditions may be particularly sensitive to CO. Over 80 per cent of carbon monoxide-related deaths and injuries in Ontario occur in the home.
Fire Chief Tony Bavota said at the meeting that “Working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms save lives,” said Bavota, “Offering them to some of the seniors in our community will help to keep them safe in their homes.”
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