 By Pepper Parr
October 1, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It was supposed to be a big surprise – and for many it was. The unveiling of Showtime, a Walt Rickli, sculpture that Dan Lawrie purchased and then donated to the Art Gallery of Burlington along with a cheque for $100,000 was a wonderful surprise.
 Showtime A grateful chair of the Art Gallery Foundation Anne Swarbrick announced that the court yard of the Gallery will forever after be known as the Dan Lawrie Family Courtyard.
Almost every name you could think of in the art community took part in the event.
The Showtime sculpture barely made it into the Gallery – Rickli brought in a small crane to lower the one tonne piece of polished stone onto its base which sits in a reflecting pool in the Courtyard. His challenge proved to be the doors of the Art Gallery – “there wasn’t enough room to slip a piece of silk in between the doors and the sculpture” he said.
 Dan Lawrie donated the sculpture and $100,000 to the Art Gallery of Burlington. Dan Lawrie was rightfully lauded by the audience, many recalled the tag line he used while building his insurance business – which is now ranked as one of the top five in North America. “The man who knows” was called out by many in the audience – proving that advertising does work.
We learned that Lawrie is an amateur artist in his own right and has a showing in the lobby of his building. He did point out that everyone wasn’t invited over after the unveiling to look at his art.
Lawrie has funded some sculpture at the Royal Botanical Gardens and was the man who put up a very significant sum to pay for the creation and installation of the Spiral Stella that stands beside the entrance to the Performing Arts Centre.
 Gallery Foundation chair Anne Swarbrick, Mayor Rick Goldring, Gallery Executive Director Robert Steven, artist Walt Rickli and philanthropist Dan Lawrie stand before Showtime Photographed in the evening with bright spot lights doesn’t do show time justice. The piece is large with all kinds of angles making it very complex. A child might say it looks like a fat guppy with all kinds of things sticking out – and that would be an acceptable description – until you have a chance to stand before the piece of art and try to fully understand its complexity.
This is not a trivial work – it is complex, nuanced and deserves more than one viewing. I expect there are people who will travel to Burlington to look at this piece of art.
Generations are going to be thankful that Dan Lawrie paid to have it placed where it is.
 By Staff
September 30th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Detours will be in effect for Routes 3, 4 and 10 from approximately 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. due to several road closures in downtown Burlington.
Route 4 will not be able to access Teen Tour Way (into the Central Library and Senior’s Centre bus stop location) and will need to use Drury Lane instead.
The remaining detours are as follows:
Route 3 North:
• From the Terminal
• Left on Pine Street
• Left on Elizabeth Street
• Right on James Street
• Left on Drury Lane
• Right on Woodward Avenue
• Left on Guelph Line
• Resume regular routing
Route 3 South:
• From Guelph and Woodward
• Right on Woodward Avenue
• Left on Drury Lane
• Right on New Street
• Left on Elizabeth Street
• Right on Pine Street
• Right on John Street
• Into the Terminal
Route 10 West:
• From New Street
• Right on Woodview Road
• Left on Rexway Drive
• Right on Cumberland
• Left on Prospect
• Left on Drury Lane
• Right on New Street
• Resume regular routing
Route 10 East:
• From New Street
• Left on Drury Lane
• Right on Prospect
• Right on Cumberland
• Left on Rexway
• Right on Woodview Road
• Left on New Street
• Resume regular routing
 By Staff
September 30th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
As the city moves into October United Way volunteers in Burlington and Greater Hamilton will be hosting events to kick-off their annual fundraising activities for United Way and help raise awareness of the needs in our community. The initiative highlights the importance of pulling together to create lasting change.
 Kick-off at Specs on Pearl in Burlington at 9am on Thursday The event will kick-off at Specs on Pearl in Burlington at 9am on Thursday and will include attendees from surrounding businesses, a few words from Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger, Deputy Mayor Rick Craven and United Way Campaign Chair and President of JanKelley Marketing Chantel Broten.
Activities throughout the day will include challenging obstacle courses at both JanKelley Marketing and Mohawk College, a bus pull at McMaster University, and a United Way led twitter challenge with prizes, just to name a few.
United Way GenNext members will host closing festivities beginning at 6pm at Stonewalls Restaurant in Hamilton. Proceeds from the closing event will support LGBTQ and newcomer youth initiatives in Burlington & Greater Hamilton.
 At past United Way campaigns the city really put their backs into the program. Here, former city general manager Kim Phillips helped pull a water truck down Brant Street. “United Way Day is really about encouraging individuals and organizations to get involved and help create possibility for residents of Burlington & Greater Hamilton. One in 3 people in our community will access services supported by United Way in their lifetime. This could be a friend, family member, or neighbour. We all know someone who has been helped by United Way” said Broten.
United Way kicked-off the annual fundraising campaign earlier with a breakfast event at the Royal Botanical Gardens. The campaign will be championed by Hamilton Chair Paul Johnson, Director of Corporate Initiatives for the City of Hamilton and Burlington Chair Chantel Broten, President JanKelley and long-time Burlington resident. Together, they will highlight the unique needs of Burlington & Greater Hamilton and encourage collective community action.
“The need in our community is great and we could not begin to meet that need without the support of volunteers like those participating in United Way Day. This year, the ultimate goal of United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton is to impact over 164,000 lives, because we know our community isn’t great, until it is great for everyone” said CEO Jeff Vallentin.
By Staff
September 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
If you enjoy fast paced, high scoring baseball games in October, the End of Season Fastpitch Tournament is for you and your family. Come on out for the action and support a local charity.
 Everything about Fast Pitch is fast – did the runner make it to the bag? Sixteen teams from across Southern Ontario will meet this weekend at Sherwood Forest Park. Starting Friday evening, all day Saturday with Sunday championships games.
Fastpitch is much quicker paced than baseball, with 7 inning games games lasting about 1.5 hours, faster in-field play and more big hits!
There will be a Bavarian beer garden serving BBQ’ed hotdogs and burgers. Fifty-fifty draws will be held with a portion of proceeds going local charities.
This event is put on the Burlington Intermediate Men’s Fastball League (www.BIMFL.weebly.com) and the Hamilton Rosedale Fastpitch League.
 By Pepper Parr
September 30th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Standing in rain that would not stop – some sixty people involved in the electrical generation business listened to polite speeches and cut a large red ribbon to open a pilot co-generation station at the south end of the Burlington Hydro offices on Brant Street.
 Cutting the ceremonial ribbon is Deputy Mayor and ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven. To his right are : Bob Delaney, MPP, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy, MPP Eleanor McMahon, Hydro President Gerry Smallegange. Defined as a Micro Turbine Cogeneration Plant it is part of the City of Burlington’s Community Energy Plan (CEP).
Natural gas is fed into the unit which then produces both electricity and heat – enough to heat one third of the Burlington Hydro offices on Brant Street.
 Three micro turbines and a heat recover unit in this micro co-generation project produce 90kv of electricity and enough heat to take care of one third of the needs of the the Hydro head office on Brant Street; Bob Delaney, MPP, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy explained that “Projects like this one not only offer a sustainable way to generate electricity, they can also provide valuable insights for other organizations considering the benefits of future cogeneration or district heating projects in the Burlington area.”
As a central partner in the development of the CEP, Burlington Hydro has committed to demonstrating technologies and evaluating their effectiveness in commercial and larger residential buildings by undertaking certain pilot projects through its affiliate, Burlington Electricity Services Inc.
“Increasing sustainable local energy generation in ways that support the City’s economic competitiveness is an important objective identified in the Community Energy Plan,” says Deputy Mayor Rick Craven, and Ward 1 Councillor. “Not only does this project represent a positive step forward in the implementation of that plan, but because the plant is self-contained and portable, it is well-suited for permanent relocation at sometime in the future.”
 The dignitaries had to stand in the rain to speak to the guests who were tightly packed inside the tent. An interconnection into the building’s electrical supply and heating system produces 90 kW of electricity, enough to offset one third of the building’s peak load and provide sufficient heat for much of the building.
District heating can provide heat for multiple buildings from a single heating plant. Hot water or steam is distributed to these buildings through underground piping. This is an efficient source of energy as district heating systems operate at higher efficiencies than individual building heating systems.
“Cogeneration involves the production of electricity and heat simultaneously from a single fuel source,” explains Gerry Smallegange, Hydro President and CEO. “This is more efficient as the heat normally generated through conventional thermal electricity generation is not wasted.”
 One of three micro turbines that Burlington Hydro bought for the micro co-generation project that is now operational. Smallegange explained that Burlington Hydro became aware of a surplus unit in Kelowna BC, “and we bought it for $37,500 – put it on a flatbed truck and built the shed that encloses it all with lumber donated to us by Habitat for Humanity”.
By Staff
September 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
City Hall will be getting some upgrades to the electrical system which will result in a number of services will be unavailable from 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 until-mid morning on Saturday, Oct. 3.
 Communicating with city hall will be very difficult Friday evening and Saturday morning – email service is included. During the upgrade, the following services will be unavailable:
• Inbound calls to city buildings, including Burlington Transit
• Emails to and from the city
• Online payments and registrations
• Credit and debit card payments at recreation centres
• Parking exemptions
• Marriage licences
• Dog licences
• Tax payments
• Online reporting
Users of the city’s website may also experience service disruptions.
Calls to 911 will not be affected.
All services are expected to be restored and operational by mid-morning on Saturday, Oct. 3.
 By Pepper Parr
September 30, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
We used to refer to the group that have organized themselves as an Art Collective – ACCOB – which stands for the Arts and Culture Collective of Burlington as an “emerging” group. That day has passed – they are now trying very hard to gain a foothold and to have an impact on the way arts and culture policy and spending are done in Burlington. So far they aren’t getting the traction they need and feel they deserve.
 Art Gallery of Burlington – costs the city close to a million to run – is there value for money? Of course there is – but without artists would we need it?  The Performing Arts Centre has had an immense impact on the artistic growth of the city – and the arts community is now able to make great use of the space. They are dealing with a city hall that is close to patronizing to the individual artists and at the same time spends million on buildings and the subsidizing of an Art Gallery, a Performing Arts Centre and a Museum Board.
The artists feel they should form an Arts Council and be at the table with the same clout, financial benefit and influences the other organizations.
 Jeremy Frieburger, author of a report that provided direction for the city’s cultural plan based on reams of data he had gathered. Now the city has to determine how it wants ti implement its Cultural Action Plan. The city has a Cultural Action Plan and a committee that is involved in overseeing the roll out of that plan. One would like to think that having artists sitting on that implementation committee would be a positive sign – and indication that the artists are finally getting the influence they feel they deserve.
Afraid not – there is trouble in paradise.
 The Art in Action Studio Tour is a ten year success. The event is free to the public and there isn’t a dime of public money in the project. Teresa Seaton, who is a significant part of the driving force behind the Art in Action group that holds an annual art tour that is very successful – they have been putting on the event for more than ten years and are financially successful enough to be able to award a scholarship each year, thinks an Arts Council is needed.
Seaton is also a commercially successful Stained Glass artist with a studio in the west end of the city.
On the Collective Facebook page she made some comments … well let’s let Seaton speak for herself:
“Interesting meeting today as a delegate from the External Body Committee to CAPIC -The Cultural Action Plan Implementation Committee. Seems we are still defending the need for an Arts and Culture Council to the city. One of the questions that came up was: What would an Arts and Culture Council do for us, the arts and culture community, in Burlington. As far as I can tell one of the first things an Arts Council would do with funding it hopefully gets is to ask the community what can an Arts Council do for you? And because it seems we are a long way from getting any funding for an Arts Council I thought I might throw up the question here on face book. My personal suggestions…”
An Arts and Culture Council could;
1. Lobby the city to implement, or increase, the already existing public art fee on new developments. I believe the existing recommendation is 1%. I have trouble finding this information.
2. Lobby to lower rental cost for art and culture makers and organizations. No artist that I know can afford retail prices for space. Guess why they all move to Hamilton.
3. Assist arts and culture organization in allowing them access to city printing presses and costs. I know my organization, Art in Action, spends 2,000.00 every year to print its brochures. That money could be used to buy more advertising.
4. Run courses for non-profit organization in gaining more sponsorship dollars. As artists we are not particularly good at this either.
5. Run courses on Succession planning for non-profit organizations. We need help at this.
6. Set up courses for individual artist on social media. How to use it, how to design websites and communicate effectively.
7. Set up forums and try to figure out why the local guilds don’t talk to the local contemporary artists who don’t talk to the local traditional artist who don’t talk to the local crafters who don’t talk to anybody.
 Teresa Seaton – stained Glass artist “Don’t get me wrong; the City of Burlington has come a long way in the last few years. I see the institutions working together more. There seems to be more community involvement in these institutions. But let’s not let this momentum stop.”
CAPIC: the Cultural Action Plan Implementation Committee consists of:
Scott Stewart, General Manager for the city
Angela Paparizo, Manager of Culture for the city
Chris Glenn; Director of Parks and Recreation
Barb Teatero Manager of the Museums Board which runs the Joseph Brant Museum and Ireland House.
Maureen Barry, president of the library
Rossana Dewey, an artist
Trevor Copp, a dancer
Andrea Battista, involved with Symphony on the Bay
Robert Steven, Executive Director of the Art Gallery of Burlington.
Six of the eight people on the committee are bureaucrats – there is no balance here.
The meeting Seaton attended and delegated at also had two other city hall staff and a ward Councillor.
Seaton is quite right when she talks about how far the artists have come – they have risen, literally, and said “we are here and we want to be heard”. And city council, a bit surprised at the artistic energy they didn’t know existed, put money into hiring a consultant who put together a cultural action plan that the city adopted – sort of, and the created a committee to implement that plan.
And that is sort of where things are stuck.
The artists don’t fully comprehend that politicians and bureaucrats do not give away power – they accumulate power and they are for the most part loathe to share that power.
The only way the people (in this case the artists) wrestle power from the bureaucrats is to threaten the power base they have.
 Joe Lamb, on the left, negotiated a deal for the seniors – he didn’t get the kitchen sink because he didn’t ask for it – but he got everything else he wanted. Then city manager Jeff Fielding was told to keep the seniors happy and he did. There is a lesson for the arts community here. A classic example of this was when the seniors began to complain about what they were not getting from the city. They, the seniors, were not happy with the people city hall had sent over to administrate their Centre and they were quick to get on the phone and let the Council members know they were not happy.
The new city manager at the time was sent over to meet and negotiate with the seniors who got everything they had asked for and more. Jeff Fielding, the city manager at the time, was told to meet with the seniors and keep them happy.
Canadians learned yesterday that Canada now has more people over 65 than we have under 14 – the power has shifted to the seniors and they are going to get what they want o they will vote the politicians out of office.
What kind of clout do the artists have? They are creative people with the ability to give the city character, colour, reputation and a reason to visit the place.
The Sound of Music hasn’t learned yet how to use the clout they have. They constantly complain about how little they get from city hall and compare that with how much business they create for that downtown core that is still looking for its vibrancy.
Imagine what would happen if the Sound of Music decided they would not put on their event for a year. You can only imagine the hair pulling that would take place at city hall.
Seaton is right on another level as well; the artists have to begin working like an orchestra and all play from the same sheet music. The squabbling that goes on between the different artists and the different groups is not pretty. They are admittedly high strung people – they go without to be artists but at some point they have to create a united front and use the strength that comes from unity to make their case.
City council has consistently said the arts are important – and they do pump a lot into the institutions we have. The artists want a real seat at the table – they are going to have to require the politicians to walk their talk. It will not be easy – but it can be done – look at what the seniors achieved.
By Staff
September 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
If you are a tweeter – I mean a full time addicted tweeter – then this is for you.
You are invited by the Regional police to join the conversation about what is going on in police services on Twitter during the 5th Global Police Tweet-a-thon.
 On Friday October 2, 2015, police services all over the world will be participating in a 24 hour tweet-a-thon with the intent to connect with communities, build relationships and educate the public on what the police are doing.
Between 00:00am and 11:59pm, follow the hashtag #Poltwt on Twitter and see what is going on around the globe.
For the tweet addicts – this is as good as it gets.
@HaltonPolice will be participating and will be tweeting about operational calls for service across the region, traffic, impaired driving, cold case homicides, drugs, frauds, canine and educational topics and safety tips from our website.
 By Pepper Parr
September 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Parks and Recreation department has decided to re-launch of the neighbourhood rink program for winter 2015/16.
The positive impacts from a community rink on private property in the Mountainside Area and two consecutive cold winters was enough to bring back the outdoor rink program.
 Parks and recreation department thinks a total of 17 neighbourhood rinks could be created – all people have to do is apply. Eleven parks have a flat area that is in close proximity to a city water supply and are able to support a neighbourhood rink. Some parks can fit more than one rink, for up to 17 outdoor rinks.
The following parks can take an outdoor rink:
Brant Hills Park, Bridgeview Park, Central Park, Ireland Park, Lowville Park, Mountainside Park, Nelson Park, Orchard Park, Sheldon Park, Sherwood Park, and Tansley Woods Park,
Other parks may be considered on an individual basis if residents are willing to provide their own water supply, and the park has a suitable flat area.
Residents interested in having a rink need to gather at least six other neighbours and complete an online application form that will be available at burlington.ca/skating.
Staff will review submissions, award rinks, and provide an information package to successful applicants on how best to make and maintain ice.
 There are parents out there that take great pleasure in going out late at night after the kids are in bed and flooding the neighbourhood rink. Staff will put up boards, supply hoses and provide an orientation session for the residents. Staff will also conduct an initial rink inspection.
The neighbourhood group will perform the initial and subsequent floods, shovel the snow, and manage issues among themselves as much as possible.
Help get the word out!
Please share the messaging about the program with the residents. Staff will supply communication pieces that members of Council can insert into their ward communications. Encourage residents to get out and get active this winter!
Key dates:
Late September: Communication Launch to Residents
Sept 28-Nov 1: Application Period
Mid November: Rink locations awarded
Mid December: Rink boards setup in approved locations
March: Rink take down (weather dependent)
By Pepper Parr
September 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
“Oh yes, you do that” was the comment from Ward 6 Councillor Blair Lancaster who was serving as the Deputy Mayor at a city Council meeting Monday evening.
The Mayor has in the past appointed a Deputy to represent the him at an event; should he not be available for a Council meeting – his Deputy fills in. This rarely happens in Burlington.
 Councillor Blair Lancaster serving as Deputy Mayor and chairing a city council meeting. Lancaster needed to get a grip on the job of serving as Mayor and chairing a Council meeting. She stepped a little outside the rule book when she began to call a recorded vote and surprised city Clerk Angela Morgan who is the person who calls the roll when a vote is being recorded.
 Blair Lancaster, serving as deputy mayor gets her paper work looked over by her Mother, Donna Lancaster, after the Council meeting. Lancaster did a fine job. She brought her poise and politeness to the task and explained to the view audience (Council meetings are broadcast live via Cogeco Cable) what was happening each step of the way. She did a better job at that task than Mayor Goldring does; he often appears strained when he is explaining something.
Lancaster was just loving the job – the only thing she didn’t get to do was wear the Chain of Office.
The event was big enough in the Lancaster household for Blair to have her husband and Mother Donna in the Council Chamber to witness the event.
Are the pictures they took part of some future campaign literature?
As for the Mayor – well no one is saying where he is other than that he is away on “official business”. The Gazette had learned that the Mayor was in China and his office was able to confirm that the Mayor was on an out of town trip. Which when asked they added he was in China and due back on Wednesday.
Municipal government rarely, if ever, works directly with a foreign government. One can speculate that the city’s economic development department has put together a deal with a Chinese company and that the Mayor has travelled to welcome the company to the city.
The Executive Director of the Economic Development corporation is away on vacation and not due back until October 5th; the Gazette understood the McKeown vacation was planned some time ago.
 Mayor Rick Goldring in China on “official business” The Mayor’s communications adviser and his Chief of Staff are not on the trip to China.
It is all a bit of a mystery – but something is up.
Burlington takes has a different definition of community engagement – ‘tell them what they should know when we feel they should know’ just about sums it up.
Ciné-Starz
Upper Canada Place, Burlington, ON
Burlington, ON L7R 4B6
Showtimes
Week of Friday, October 02, 2015 through Thursday, October 08, 2015
The Perfect Guy (14A)
Fri – Sun: 3:20, 5:30, 7:30, 9:30
Mon – Thu: 1:15, 3:15, 5:15, 7:15, 9:15
No Escape (14A)
Fri: 3:25, 7:00, 9:00
Sat: 3:25, 7:15, 9:40
Sun: 3:25, 7:00, 9:00
Mon – Thu: 1:20, 3:20, 7:20, 9:20
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (PG)
Fri – Sun: 1:15, 7:20, 9:30
Mon – Thu: 1:00, 3:10, 7:10, 9:20
Straight Outta Compton (18A)
Fri – Sun: 7:00, 9:15
Mon – Thu: 1:00, 7:00, 9:00
Ricki and the Flash (PG)
Fri: 1:30 PM
Sun: 1:30 PM
Mon – Thu: 3:20 PM
Shaun the Sheep ()
Fri – Sun: 11:20 AM, 1:40, 3:20, 5:20
Mon – Thu: 3:40, 5:20
Pixels (PG)
Fri – Sun: 11:30 AM, 3:25, 5:00
Mon – Thu: 5:20 PM
Ant-Man (PG)
Fri: 11:30 AM, 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40
Sat: 11:30 AM, 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30
Sun: 11:30 AM, 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40
Mon – Thu: 1:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40
Mr. Holmes (PG)
Fri: 11:20 AM, 11:20 AM, 1:20, 5:15, 7:15, 9:40
Sat: 11:20 AM, 11:20 AM, 5:15, 9:35
Sun: 11:20 AM, 11:20 AM, 1:20, 5:15, 7:15, 9:40
Mon – Thu: 1:00, 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:40
Inside Out (G)
Fri: 11:30 AM, 1:30, 3:30, 5:25
Sat: 11:30 AM, 1:20, 3:30, 5:25
Sun: 11:30 AM, 1:30, 3:30, 5:25
Mon – Thu: 5:15 PM
Built NOT Bought ()
Sat: 7:00, 8:30, 10:00
 By Staff
September 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Police Services Board Chair, Oakville Mayor R. Burton announced today that two Halton Superintendents were selected as the Police Service’s next Deputy Chiefs of Police.
Superintendent Carol Crowe, the current Commander of 2 District (Oakville) and Superintendent Nishan Duraiappah who is in charge of the Services’ Office of Continuous Improvement and Strategic Management were appointed by the Police Services Board at a special meeting held on September 25.
In making the announcement, Board Chair Mayor Burton expressed extreme pleasure with the calibre of talent the successful candidates bring to their roles. He also noted that an internal/external search was conducted and is proud that the Board was able to promote members of the Halton Regional Police Service to Deputy Chief.
Board Chair Mayor Burton stated: “The Board and I are confident that Carol Crowe and Nish Duraiappah will maintain and build upon the legacy of excellence and integrity demonstrated by members of the Halton Regional Police Service which is expected by the citizens of Halton.”
Both Crowe and Duraiappah are residents of Halton and possess impressive skills.
 Described a Councillor Jack Dennison as a “home grown” girl and a fine addition to the senior ranks of the Halton Regional Police Service as a Deputy Chief. Deputy Chief Crowe joined the Halton Regional Police Service in October 1989. She holds a Bachelor of Physical Education from McMaster University and has taken numerous policing courses through the Canadian Police College. She has been assigned to various patrol and administrative bureaus within the Police Service, most recently as Commander of Oakville, Professional Standards, and Human Resources Services. She gives back to the community by serving as a Director on many not-for-profit community organizations.
Crowe said: “I am truly honoured to be appointed as Deputy Chief for the Halton Regional Police Service. Leading in a police organization has many challenges but I am confident that together with our dedicated team of sworn and civilian members, we will continue to provide our community with the effective police service they deserve. I look forward to continuing to build upon the positive relationships we share with our community and working together to ensure Halton remains a safe place for citizens to live, work and raise a family.”
 Nish Duraiappah got his first taste of police work when he took a PEACE (Police Ethnic and Cultural Education) Program course offered by the Halton Regional Police Service Deputy Chief Duraiappah became interested in policing by attending the Service’s PEACE (Police Ethnic and Cultural Education) Program while in high school. He went on to complete a degree in Criminology and Sociology at the University of Toronto, and is completing his Diploma of Public Administration from the University of Western Ontario. He started his policing career in 1995 when he was hired by the Halton Regional Police Service. He has worked in numerous assignments such as Regional Drug and Morality Bureau, Diversity Coordinator and uniform and investigative roles. He was also involved in the establishment of the Region’s first Community Mobilization and Engagement Strategy collaborative hub which is being implemented across all Districts. He also is involved in many community initiatives both locally and internationally and recently returned from a short term mission to Haiti to assist in their rebuilding projects.
“I am honoured and proud to accept this new and challenging role with the Halton Regional Police Service. I’m looking forward to working with our service members, leadership team, Police Services Board and the many community members and organizations who contribute to this being one of the safest communities in Canada. Without a doubt, our citizens should know that they are policed by some of the best police officers and civilians within the field of policing – this is what makes me proud, and allows us to continue to lead community safety initiatives and meet the needs of our changing community” said Duraiappah.
 Chief Tanner now has two deputy chiefs from within the ranks of the police service he commands. Chief Steve Tanner said: “As Chief of Police I am extremely proud of our two new Deputy Chiefs and I want to congratulate them on their success. I very much look forward to working with both of them on our senior executive team as we prepare the Halton Regional Police Service for the challenges of the future. We have a collective opportunity to further our tremendous organizational successes and to continue to identify and implement strategies to make us increasingly effective and efficient. I am confident that both Deputy Chiefs Crowe and Duraiappah possess the knowledge, skills, experience and attitudes to contribute significantly to the future success of the Service, and in doing so to the safety and security of all we serve.”
The Swearing In Ceremony for Deputy Chiefs Crowe and Duraiappah will take place on October 9th.
The Halton Regional Police Services Board is a seven member civilian Board that oversees the Halton Regional Police Service. Under the Police Services Act, the Police’s fundamental responsibility is to ensure adequate and effective police services are provided to the citizens of Halton Region. The board is also responsible for the Police Service operating and capital budgets; strategic planning; policies and priorities.
What is particularly commendable is the promoting of female officers to the very senior ranks and placing members from diverse communities in these roles as well. That Superintendent Duraiappah got his start in policing due to a course offered by the |Region when he was a young man and then went on to become part of the senior level of the police command speaks well of the level of community involvement the Halton Police Service has made one of its hallmarks.
Hiring from within is not a bad practice – but new blood is important. Halton does not want to become known as a police service that never brings in “outsiders”.
 By Staff
September 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The U.S. Steel request to be relieved from paying pension supplements and health benefits to retired Hamilton-area steelworkers demonstrates the Conservative government’s failure to stand up for Canadian workers and how far they’ve let the Canadian steel industry slip away at least that’s the way Liberal candidate Karina Gould sees it.
 Conservative incumbent Mike Wallace, who served as chair of the parliamentary steel caucus which was formed in the late 1970s and has strong Burlington roots, welcomed U.S. Steel’s acquisition of Stelco Inc. and at the time “shrugged off concerns about the loss of Canadian ownership in the sector” in 2007.
That shrug has come back to haunt Wallace who has yet to make any comment on what he thinks should be done for the workers in Hamilton –many who live in Burlington.
Liberals support foreign investment in Canada but also believe in the protection of vital Canadian industrial sectors and in putting community-based economic development back on the agenda.
Gould, who understand the economic investment file wants to see the “Investment Canada Act amended to introduce new transparency and enforceability measures to ensure clear and long-term benefits are achieved for Canadians when a foreign takeover takes place.”
“I have spoken with too many people in this community” said Gould “who are frightened about the future of their pension.” Gould added: “The silence of the current Member of Parliament and secret dealings of the Harper government on an issue that could negatively impact thousands of people in our region is simply unacceptable.”
 Liberal candidate Karina Gould wraps Mike Wallace’s knuckles over the attempt on the part of US Steel to change pension benefits “Liberals believe in the principle that employers must honour the commitments made to retirees, and that pensioners must be included in any consultation and planning process to make changes to their existing plans. We have a collective legacy of valuing the long-term pension security of Canadians; a belief upheld in both words and deeds.”
“The Conservative government’s lack of action to protect pensioners in the Statutory Review of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act was completely unacceptable, and is yet another example of them ignoring the concerns of Canadian pensioners.”
There is an election going on and every issue that can be used to gain some mileage will get highlighted. Many thought it was pretty brassy on the part of US Steel to ask that they be permitted to not pay pension benefits and get a waiver on municipal taxes as well.
The pension issue is scary for a lot of people.
By Staff
September 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Halton Regional Police have concluded an investigation and have charged a Burlington man with sexual assault.
On Wednesday September 23, 2015, the accused, a client at a tanning salon in Burlington, offered a 17-year-old female a ride home after finishing her shift working in the same salon.
The accused drove to his apartment to pick something up and the victim used the washroom.
While in the apartment, the accused made sexual advances towards the victim which were refused. After attempts to prevent the victim from leaving, she was able to get out and wait outside.
The accused continued to drive the victim to her friend’s and made further advances towards her in the vehicle. The accused sexually assaulted the victim.
On Sunday, September 27, 2105, the accused was arrested and charged.
Richard SHAMOON, 35 years, from Burlington has been charged with:
Sexual Assault and Forcible Confinement
Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Pepper Parr
September 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Have we seen this before or as the late Yogi Berra put it – “It’s like deja-vu, all over again.
On Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at the West Plains United Church there was a community meeting at which the city’s planning staff set out a proposal that had been submitted by the ADI Development Group for the development of land that was south of the rail line, east of Waterdown Road and immediately north of Masonry Road
 Some site preparation works seems to be taking place on that part of the property that will be stacked townhouse along with back to back townhouses. It was a staff presentation and the first time the community got a look at what the developer had in mind. Using the language of the planner it was an application to subdivide a 5.09 hectare parcel of land located south of the CN Rail tracks on the east side of Waterdown Road.
The subdivision design includes a road running north/south, extending north from Cooke Boulevard, and a 3.08 hectare development block on the east side of the proposed road.
Proposed development for the development block includes 200 stacked townhouses, 64 standard townhouses and 60 back-to-back townhouses.
The ADI Development group put the plan forward. At the time they were looking for site plan approval and a plan of sub-division.
At that time people in the audience expressed some concern over the lack of amenities – that same concern existed within the planning department and additional discussions were expected to take place.
 Just to the west of the stacked townhouses is the land on which the ADI Development groups is believed to want to build apartments in the future. The apartments would be close to the new re-build and widened Waterdown Road. Since that public meeting took place ADI withdrew their plan of sub-division. City planners issued comments for the developer – those comments are not public – they are comments made by the planners setting out the concerns they have and what it will take to ameliorate those concerns.
The planning department is expecting a revised site plan and perhaps a plan of condominium.
 The content of the sign is perfectly legal – putting them up around the community without a permit on the weekend when the city tends not to enforce the bylaw isn’t kosher. Sprouting up like weeds in the Aldershot community are A frame signs marketing the site – five of these signs were seen along Plains Road on Sunday. Is a project that has yet to be approved being offered for sale? No – all ADI is doing is letting people register their interest in a possible purchase when the project has been approved.
It is an excellent way to gauge buyer interest in both the layout and design and the price point. All good marketing. The people in ward 2 where the Nautique project is now before the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) take heart with the Yogi Berra quote “It’s like deja-vu, all over again.”
To date there have been no revisions to the proposal and a Statutory Public Meeting has yet to be scheduled.
Stay tuned!
 By Ray Rivers
September 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Ray Rivers has been writing a column on political issues in the province and across the country. The Gazette asked Rivers to drop his regular column and write instead on what took place during the week. This is his third column on the federal election and what has transpired to date.
Since the beginning of this election campaign the NDP have held the lead. This is the first week that polls show their numbers dropping and the party falling into third place. Support for the once-socialist entity seems to be vaporizing across the entire country, including in Quebec. But never say never in an election this close.
In contrast, the Harper Conservatives have picked up steam mid-campaign, making it seem like a Tory minority is in the works, come Oct 19th. And the polls may actually be underestimating the number of seats Mr. Harper will ultimately win.
 Burlington MPP Mike Wallace, second from the left, taking part in the handing out of federal funds to Burlington industry. For one thing he has more money than the other parties combined, and given the extended election period will assail the other party leaders with a ton of attack ads, which we know work. Then, there is this orgy of recent spending for pre-election goodies in Tory ridings, to showcase, promote and help profile Tory candidates.
Further, Mr. Harper’s government has changed the electoral map to his advantage. With 30 new seats in Parliament it is expected that the Conservatives could win 22 of them, based on the results of the last election. It’s called the ‘gerrymandering’, what his party’s Republican cousins south of the border have perfected, configuring the geography of ridings so the demographics favour the election of Tory candidates.
For example, my riding of Flamborough-Glanbrook was configured by segregating the rural areas from Tory-hostile urban Hamilton. Since rural folks are typically expected to favour Conservatives candidates, the strategy is for the ‘big blue team’ to hold at least one seat in red/orange Hamilton. The riding configuration makes no sense otherwise. It would take longer to drive from one end of the new riding to the other than a trip to downtown Toronto in rush hour.
 The Flamborough – Glanbrook constituenmcy is a classic example of “gerrymandering” – a form of boundary setting that has little to do with the voters as a community – more to do with putting like minded voters in the same riding to ensure a win for the governing party. Holding the most seats in the House, and unlikely to improve on that, Mr. Harper’s strategy is strictly defensive. So, in an effort to discourage voters who aren’t likely to vote Tory, the government enacted its “Fair Elections Act”. Another idea borrowed from southern Republicans, this legislation sees election rules and responsibilities altered so as to restrict the ability of marginal voters to cast a ballot. And it sure looks like some kind of revenge, that Elections Canada’s powers to police cheating have been curbed.
Speaking of cheating, recall that in 2006 Mr. Harper’s back-room boys broke the election financing rules, enabling them to illegally move money around to expand their campaign. The Conservative party ultimately pleaded guilty to exceeding election spending limits and submitting fraudulent election records, and agreed to repay $230,198.00 for its role in violating Canadian election spending laws.
In the 2011 election a Conservative Party staffer blitzed over 6000 non-conservative voters in Guelph with robocall mis-information in an attempt to keep them from casting ballots. It is thought that as many as 200 voters went to the wrong polling places as a result. There were over 800 complaints to Canada’s election commission over this, and seven ridings sought to have their results overturned.
It’s not that the other parties are always squeaky clean. The NDP recently tried to use public money to mail political flyers. More recently, a provincial Liberal campaign worker was charged by police in connection with last February’s by-election in Sudbury.
 Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien using a golf ball to make a point during an inquiry into federal spending – several senior bureaucrats went to jail for that one. It was not one of Chretien’s finest hours – and Burlington’s Paddy Torsney lost her federal seat over that issue. And then there was the Liberal ‘Sponsorship’ scandal, the consequence of which has seen the federal party lose its place in Quebec politics for the last decade. No other scandal in modern Canadian history has resulted in this kind of rebuff. By comparison, robocalls, a flagrant attempt to prevent voters from casting their ballot, has apparently been forgotten/forgiven.
I watched this week’s debate, in French, since the English language version was virtually unintelligent – with the leaders and moderators talking over each other in both official languages. Mr. Harper joined the Bloc in playing to Quebec’s social conservative base in discussing the Niqab ban, and both parties rose in the polls as a result. Quebecers, and most Canadians apparently agree with the PM on this issue.
Mr. Harper’s self-defence strategy has him feeding his party’s base, hoping to give them enough religion that they will return the faith – showing up on Election Day. To that end he has now added another unenforceable economic policy with the ridiculous name of ‘tax lock’. He is promising no federal tax increases of any kind for the next four years if he wins. This is the second silly shoe, given he’s already passed a balanced budget law – which most experts believe will be broken come year end.
And finally this week, it seems that at least one Hamilton area NDP candidate has reduced her chances of winning over the voters. Alex Johnstone, when
 Hamilton Ontario, Sept 22, 2015 Alex Jonstone NDP candidate for Westdale, Dundas, Ancaster at debate Tuesday night in Dundas. Cathie Coward / Hamilton Spectator confronted with an improper remark about Auschwitz she’d made years ago on social media, apologized by claiming she didn’t know it was a concentration camp. I guess this school board official must have skipped that class in candidate college.
 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. Rivers is no longer active with any political party.
Background links:
Seat Projections Redistribution Rural Votes Gerrymandering USA
Fair Elections Act In and Out Scandal
Tory Winning Harper Winning
Spending Money Robocalls
Niqab
By Staff
September 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
For just one week (October 18th to 24th) during Ontario Public Library Week, you can pay outstanding fines with food. We accept *unexpired* canned and dry food items. All food collected goes to Burlington Food Share to help local community members in need. So, clear up your fines and help others at the same time. One food item = $1 in fines, 2 items = $2 in fines, up to $10/card.
 Use food to pay your library fine. Nice policy – but if you don’t play the game the way they want you to – they get nasty and send your fine odd to a collection agency.
The Library will send your account to a collection agency and adds a $15 administration fee when:
• you have items overdue 60 days with an outstanding balance of $35 (formerly $50) or more, or,
• you have an outstanding balance of $35 (formerly $50) or more on your account for 60 days.
I have an overdue fine – but the notice from the library doesn’t tell anyone how to find out what you owe them. Do I take in several jars of peanut butter and a couple of bags of rice? Don’t even know what I owe them
 By Pepper Parr
September 26, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It takes the EllisDon Construction Team an average of three weeks to pour concrete and form the columns for one level of the new patient tower.
 The view of the construction site as seem from the Earth Cam Saturday September 26th. There is a link to the camera in this story. Bookmark it and drop in to see how the construction is doing, This means that in just a few months we can expect to see the slab for Level 7 completed, before the winter weather is upon us. The before and after photos show how fast the tower continues to rise.
The construction of the Level 4 deck has started and will continue over the next couple of weeks.
Level 4 is a double-height space there is no Level 3.
Eight elevator shafts from Level 1 to 2 are finished and shafts from Levels 2 to 4 are in the process of being built.
Three main stairways have been completed up to Level 2. The stairways from Level 2 to 4 are being constructed over the next couple of weeks.
The micro piles for the bridge that will connect the parking garage to the main hospital building will be installed by the end of this week. A micro pile is a mini version of a caisson (a structure that is drilled down to bedrock to support the bridge).
A new ramp on the Level 1 balcony in the courtyard area of the hospital has been completed.
Masonry work and roofing continues on the loading dock.
A new bulk oxygen tank arrived last Friday and will be installed in the loading dock area.
 There are many people in this city who remember hospital rooms that looked like this. The move to four patients in a room was seen as a huge advancement. The hospitals of today are eons away from what a hospital used to look like. People will be taken aback when they see just how attractive and modern looking the new hospital rooms are going to look like.
The hospital administration decided they would create mock-ups of what a Patient Room, Emergency Department Exam Room, Trauma Room, Intensive Care Unit Room and an Operating Room will look like
The mock-up rooms are being built in a warehouse off-site and are nearing completion.
 This is where the construction crews had gotten to on September 10th. The construction site has a camera that is live all the team showing the new patient tower as it rises. The photograph shows where the site was on September 10, they are certainly growing.
How are they doing so far – Click here.
By Pepper Parr
September 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington is about to enjoy a small part of the Brian McCurdy legacy – his decision to make space for local groups that have significant artistic merit and reflect one of the original purposes for the building of a Performing Arts centre in the city is what got the Form Contemporary Dance Theatre (FCDT) into the Studio Theatre for a three day dance program that knows where the edge of the envelope is and heads straight for it.
 The FORM Contemporary Dance Theatre company in rehearsal for the two day – three performance of Blue on October 9th and 10th at the Performing Arts Centre. (FCDT) is presenting their Reflective/Vulnerable which makes strong use of physically raw movements. The Reflective/Vulnerable performance guides, pushes and pulls audiences through emotional extremes.
 Developing the form and feel of a dance production takes time and practice. The Form Contemporary Dance Theatre will be at the Performing Arts Centre October 9th and 10th Reflective/Vulnerable is a mixed program featuring an interactive video installation from guest artists from The Burlington Wholeshebang and several other works of choreography each exploring different worlds of everyday experiences. Some of these worlds are filled with joyful and quirky movement; others examine the wandering rambling thoughts of our mind; and still others offer an intense exploration of control, power, and the individuals who challenge and overthrow.
 A member of the Form Contemporary Dance Theatre in rehearsal. The company will perform in Burlington in October. Reflective/Vulnerable offers audiences a variety of movement styles, themes, and emotions. With the support of ArtHouse and Michelle Hopkins Dance Studio we are thrilled to provide children from the Halton region professional dance experience as part of Reflective/Vulnerable. We are very excited for you to experience all that Reflective/Vulnerable has to offer.
FCDT sets out to create art that is inviting for audiences, art that combines extremes in its emotional content and art that is informed by human experiences. We aim to create works of art that have a raw and vulnerable essence.
Mateo Galindo Torres, artistic advisor explains: “Nothing should be absolute or immobile; everything needs to be challenged to allow for growth and evolution.”
The performances take place in the Studio Theatre:
OCT 9th 7:30pm (pre-show talk 7:00pm)
OCT 10th 2:00pm (pre-show talk 1:30pm)
OCT 10th 7:30pm (pre-show talk 7:00pm)
Tickets are available at The Centre Box office 905-681-6000 or online at www.burlingtonpac.ca.
 The Form Contemporary Dance Theatre does excerpts from the Nutcracker Suite each year with a Cambridge orchestra. The company is very strong on costume – something very evident in these photographs. Top ticket price $20
Form CDT is a Hamilton/Burlington based company founded in February 2014. Within Burlington and Hamilton they have been part of Flounder Festival, Burlington Culture Days, Hamilton Fringe Festival 14/15 and have collaborated with the The Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, Burlington Student Theatre and Art House. They have participated in Series 808 (Take Two) in Toronto, FRESH BLOOD in Toronto, Dance Matters in Toronto, and 2014’s Hemispheric Encuentro: Manifest in Montreal.
Most recently Form CDT has been commissioned by UNU-INWEH to choreograph and perform at their 20th Anniversary Celebrations in the Fall of 2016. Form CDT is very active in dance and movement education and to facilitate this passion we founded a sister company called Transform CDT.
By Pepper Parr
September 25, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
During the municipal election the Gazette followed a candidate who was running for the first time to give readers a sense of what running for office is all about. We track the candidates experience and document their trials and tribulations.
We don’t endorse the candidate however we do sprinkle some of their thinking and what motivated them to run in the first place through the articles we will write. We chose a candidate in this federal election who was serious and committed and didn’t seek the nomination.
Vince Fiorito, the Green Party candidate in the October 19th federal election, approved the layout and content of his election flyer yesterday – his business cards were approved the day before. .
On Monday of next week he expects to be at the GO Station platform handing out his flyers and chatting with people while they wait for the GO train to whisk them off to work.
 Vince Fiorito lives beside the Sheldon Creeks and spends hours and hours with friends hauling garbage out of land that the city actually owns. This is his first election campaign. He didn’t see himself as a political candidate – he didn’t seek the nomination – he was asked to run and thought it was another way to talk about his concern for the environment.
Getting through the organizational hassles was not something he was prepared for – finding the people he would need to make a decent showing has taken more effort than he expected.
The close to total lack of support from BurlingtonGreen stunned him. “I got more support and advice from Mayor Goldring than I did from BurlingtonGreen” he said.
Getting the 100 names on the nomination form proved to be a bit of a challenge as well. Fiorito found that he did quite well walking up and down Brant Street and asking people if they would sign his nomination papers was an experience he isn’t likely to forget.
I pushed a little too hard with one lady and wanted to find out who she was so I could apologize. He eventually got his 100 signatures and all the forms the Returning Officer hands out. The bank account was opened and he got a piece of paper saying he was the Green party candidate and his name would be on the ballot.
His wife is looking askance at what her husband has decided to do – she supports him but wonders what in heavens name he is doing. The two have been married for more than 30 years and she has come to expect her husband to do things differently. The couple bought the home they live in because Vince wanted to be beside the Sheldon Creek – a stretch of land for which he is now the “steward”.
Fiorito has some well thought out views on what we human beings are doing to the environment and explains to anyone who will listen that the planet is going to kill all of us if we don’t change the way we treat the planet.
 Part of the haul for on Saturday of cleaning up ravines in the city. Fiorito is no nut case – his just looks at the available evidence and comes to the conclusion that most of us don’t really get it yet.
Global warming is just part of the problem that we created. We are losing millions of different species says an exasperated Fiorito, and for the most part few people even know that is happening.
The steward of Sheldon Creek takes thing environmental seriously. While looking for the headwaters of the handful of creeks that run from south of Side Road 1 down the Escarpment and through the city into the lake, Fiorito spots a rather well kept lawn on a property beside the Bronte Creek. “Do you know what that guy is doing to the environment” asks Fiorito. “He is killing the creek and doing great harm to the Lake. All the pesticides he needs to put on the grass to make it as green as it is – is doing a lot of harm.” Fiorito doesn’t think people should have the right to do that to the environment – statements like that are not going to make him popular in Burlington.
Popularity is not his concern – matters of principal are and for those matters he will tilt at every windmill he encounters
Election signs: You can have one – well actually you will not get a Fiorito election sign given to you – but you can rent one from the campaign. The cost is $20 for a small lawn sign and $100 for a large sign.
Fiorito will install and pick up any signs that are rented. He wants the people of Burlington to know that when they see a Fiorito election sign – the use of the sign has put their money where there mouth is.
There isn’t going to be a campaign office – the campaign will be run from the kitchen table of the Fiorito home
If you haven’t heard of the Rights of Nature – listen up – Fiorito will explain to you that the creatures and critters we share this planet with have the same rights as you and I – that includes the mosquitoes that want to suck the blood out of us.
 The amount of trash people toss into the ravines amazes Vince Fiorito – this in a city in which close to 1000 people show up for a GreenUp/CleanUp day each year. Fiorito will tell you everything you might want to know about invasive species and why they are a problem.
Fiorito will not have a web site – he does have a Facebook page and he is looking forward to the two debates scheduled for Burlington.
Fiorito talks in terms of winning and believes that ideas will win out.
Well watch his progress with interest.
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