By Pepper Parr

October 5^th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

They are doing it again.

Holding public meetings about important events before the public has had an opportunity to read up on a decision council is going to have to make.

The matter in this case is the announcement that the City is going to review the composition of City Council and the size and number of wards.  There are currently six wards in Burlington.

The first council debate on Tuesday will start with a presentation by Wilson, the company that did the early research.  Few if any know about the item on the agenda – difficult for people to delegate on something they not heard about before.

This is just so typical of this Council.

To the add to the concern and importance of determining how many Councillors there should be and if they should continue to also be Regional Councillors is the conflict they all face – half the pay cheques for the Council members comes from the Region.

This lip service on the claim to be engaging the public is getting very annoying.

The City has a large communications staff – do they never suggest that Council needs to up its game and be more direct with the public – or do they just churn out whatever they think Council wants.

Many of the staff at Communications are referred to as “advisors” – could they not advise council ?

Perhaps the Chief Administrative Officer might have a word with the Mayor

Related news article:

Changes to the size of city Council

Salt with Pepper is an opinion column reflecting the observations and musings of the publisher of the Gazette, an on-line newspaper that is in its 12th year as a news source in Burlington and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.

By Pepper Parr

October 4^th, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Oakville North Burlington Member of Parliament Pam Damoff stood in the House of Commons yesterday and said to the Speaker.

Pam Damoff speaking in the House of Commons.

Mr. Speaker, last month, I was thrilled to present the King Charles III Coronation Medal to 20 deserving individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities and to Canada.

 Commemorating the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and his lifetime of committed service, these medals recognize outstanding Canadians of all ages, abilities and from all walks of life for their dedicated service to bettering their communities and the lives of others.

With so much negativity in the world today, it is important that we take time to celebrate the accomplishments of others and the positive impacts they make to their communities, our country and, in many cases, the world.

These individuals truly exemplify the values of service and selflessness, professionalism and commitment.

I congratulate all the deserving recipients of this honour. Our country is better because of them.

For the most part the comments were true and had merit.

What bothered many people was adding the Mayor of Burlington to the list of 20 people were “presented” with the King Charles III Coronation Medal.

MP Damoff pictured with Mayor Meed Ward when she was “presented with the King Charles III Coronation Medal. Marianne Meed Ward holds both Canadian and American citizenship.

Representing the people is the Mayor’s full time job for which she is well rewarded financially. Of late the reward from her constituents is much lower than it was when she was elected Mayor in 2018.  Prior to that she was a very good Council member who brought the words transparency and accountability into the lexicon of the city and lived by it.

One can only hope that the practice of one politician presenting medals to another politician in the same city is something that doesn’t become a nice thing to do.

Politicians are in place to serve the public that elected them – they are not there to serve each other.

By Pepper Parr

October 3^rd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

We learned this morning that the reports on how the July Flooding were going to impact the 2025 budget, expected in October, will not get to Council until the November cycle of Committee of the Whole meetings.

Flood waters running out of community and on to the 407 Hwy.

In November the Flood Hazard Impacts and Mitigation Assessment and the July 15th storm event and response update will be presented.

This is going to take place at around the same time the Mayor will release a proposed Budget to City Council.

It is very hard to fully understand how the Mayor is going to table a budget report that doesn’t have all the data that is relevant.  There will not have been any opportunity for the public to delegate  – perhaps that’s the intent?

For the past three weeks the Mayor has been meeting with citizens in each ward looking for feedback on the budget knowing that critical data is not available.

We know that the on November 4, Mayor Meed Ward will release her proposed Budget to Burlington City Council.

On November 7, 2024 – Telephone Budget Town Hall hosted by Mayor Meed Ward – it will run from   7:00- 8:30 p.m.

Members of Council have until November 11, to propose amendments to Proposed Budget

November 18 & 21, Committee of the Whole will review of Proposed Budget amendments proposed via Motion Memorandum process

November 25, Council will review the Proposed Budget and at that time decide on what the tax increase for 2025 will amount to.

It is a very tight schedule that was put in place by the province when Strong Mayor powers were declared by the province.

The most essential part of the budget creation process is public engagement – with all the data available.  This looks like another one of those situations where the city is determined to be able to say that the public was engaged knowing that they did not have all the facts.

By Staff

October 3^rd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Royal Bank of Canada has created a security Index – the results suggest far too many Canadians are being careless with the amount of information they make available to people when they are online.

Once you enter data when you are using the internet – that data becomes available to thieves who access the data and use it to steal from you. Strong passwords keep these thieves away from your information.

Despite awareness of cyber best practices, many Canadians are still putting themselves at risk online, according to a new RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) survey, which found that two-in-five Canadians (38%) qualify as moderate to high-risk potential for becoming victims of cyber-attacks.

RBC’s new Cyber Safety Index reviewed how often Canadians engage in certain behaviours online. While the majority practice at least some good cyber hygiene, less than half say they always use all of the recommended online safety behaviours, which include keeping their software and operating systems updated (71%), using two-factor authentication/verification on online banking accounts (67%), enabling privacy and security settings on all devices (65%) and limiting who follows them on social media (63%). Less than a third (30%) always or often use virtual private networks (VPN) when surfing public Wi-Fi; or password generators to create secure, random passwords for online accounts (28%), leaving considerable room to improve across the board.

”

The responses to our Cyber Safety Index show that while many Canadians are aware of things they can do to be safer online, there’s still opportunities for them to change behaviours and close that risk gap,” said Adam Evans, chief information security officer at RBC. “At RBC, we’re focused on providing Canadians with the practical tips and education they need to take control of their online safety and mitigate risks in an ever-evolving digital world.”

On the flip side, many Canadians are also participating in risky online activities that could further increase the potential of exposure to cyber-attacks. Within the past year, over three-quarters (77%) have knowingly or accidentally engaged in at least one risky online behaviour, with the most commonly reported being using public Wi-Fi (49%). Others include consenting to share their personal information when asked (27%), clicking on pop-up ads (19%), visiting unsecure websites (18%) and ignoring privacy settings on social media platforms (13%).

Furthermore, over a third (35%) agree they have used the same password(s) across multiple platforms, and nearly as many are more concerned about missing out on exclusive events/activities than disclosing personal information online (32%), and/or have interacted with unsolicited texts or social media messages (31%).

The vast majority of Canadians said they are concerned about being victimized by online fraud (80%), identity theft (84%), corporate data breaches (79%), being hacked (84%), and/or experiencing unauthorized access to their online accounts (87%),

However, significantly fewer feel safe engaging in social media activities (69%; -7 pts) compared to 2023.

Fortunately, a growing proportion of Canadians (85%; +3 points) say they are comfortable learning new ways to protect their online information compared to last year, underscoring the importance of ongoing education and support to help them navigate the digital landscape safely and effectively.

RBC offers the following tips:

Limit the information you share on social platforms. Don’t accept friend requests from people you don’t know, and even if the privacy settings on your accounts are enabled, try to limit what you share online to avoid scams like spear-phishing.

Keep your financial information safe. Never log in to online banking using a link sent through email, text message, or social media. Instead, type the address into your browser. Clear your browser’s memory cache regularly to improve security.

Be vigilant when shopping online. Look for the little padlock icon to the left of the URL bar and ensure the website you’re visiting has an address that begins with “https.” Read reviews before you buy to ensure they’re legitimate and trustworthy businesses.

Create long, strong passwords. Always use the maximum password length allowed and aim for at least 16 characters. Longer is better, like “passphrases” made of randomly chosen words, that can be easy to remember and hard for someone else to guess.

By Staff

October 2nd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Results released from the Ontario Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) show Halton District School Board (HDSB) Grade 3, Grade 6 and Grade 9 students perform above the provincial average based on assessments completed in the 2023-2024 school year.

These results demonstrate that HDSB students are well above the provincial standard (Level 3 and 4, or a B grade or above) in Grade 3 and Grade 6 Reading and Writing, as well as Grade 9 Mathematics and the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (Grade 10).

Grade 3 results

In Grade 3 Mathematics, 69 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Math exceeded the provincial average by eight per cent.

With this kind of activity no wonder the ranking is above 77%

In Grade 3 Reading, 77 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Reading exceeded the provincial average by six per cent.

In Grade 3 Writing, 71 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Writing exceeded the provincial average by seven per cent.

Grade 6 results

Teaching math has always been a challenge. The subject is not one that the average student gets excited about. The difference in my experience is the teacher. I recall so very vividly the teacher tell me that he was going to teach me how to find two unknowns in an algebra class. I was hooked

In Grade 6 Mathematics, 62 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Math exceeded the provincial average by 12 per cent.

In Grade 6 Reading, 88 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Reading exceeded the provincial average by six per cent.

In Grade 6 Writing, 87 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Writing exceeded the provincial average by seven per cent.

Grade 9 results Mathematics

In Grade 9, 70 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the provincial standards. The percentage of HDSB students who achieved level 3 or 4 in Math exceeded the provincial average by 16 per cent.

Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT)

In the Grade 10 OSSLT, 92 per cent of HDSB students met or exceeded the requirements, exceeding the provincial average by seven per cent.

EQAO assessment results expand upon the current knowledge about student learning, and serve as an important tool for improvement at the individual, school, school board and provincial levels. The Board uses this data at the school and Board level, along with a variety of other student assessment data, to focus efforts toward continuously improving student achievement.

HDSB 2020-2024 Multi-Year Plan

The 2020-2024 Multi-Year Plan (MYP) that lays out five areas of focus, with the overall purpose of setting direction and prioritizing the collective actions of all stakeholders to ensure our efforts as an organization are aligned and coordinated to support the more than 65,000 students, 11,000 staff and the broader HDSB community.

HDSB staff told the Gazette that “Earlier this year, students, parents/guardians, staff and community members were invited to share their thoughts and identify areas of focus for the HDSB’s 2024-2028 Multi-Year Strategic Plan through community engagement sessions and an online questionnaire.

“We heard from more than 3,000 parents, guardians, caregivers, students, teachers, school staff, administrators, trustees, senior leaders, community partners, organizations, and members through various methods including focus groups, world café-style town halls, interviews and surveys.

“Trustees are in the process of finalizing the new Multi-Year Strategic Plan with the goal of approving it later this fall.”

Interesting to note that there isn’t much about the fundamentals: Reading, Writing, Math and Science. The province has changed where they want to focus. We will watch to see how the HDSB reacts to the changes called for at the provincial level.

Background resources

Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) Curriculum

2020-2024 Multi-Year Plan

By Staff

October 2nd, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

It is an opinion – nothing more than that.

An opinion that is supported by significant polling data which Tom Parkin uses to come to the conclusion that ” an “inevitable Liberal loss is no longer an inevitable Conservative win.  For those of us who want Pierre Poilievre to never become prime minister of Canada, there’s some excellent news today.

“Polls from Abacus, Nanos and Mainstreet released this week show the federal NDP overtaking the Liberals.  All three pollsters show the Liberals at their lowest level of support since the 2021 election and the NDP in territory they have never or rarely touched since the last vote.

New framing creates pathway to stop Poilievre

“Polls showing the NDP on the upswing and the Liberals on their way out start an important reframing of the next election.

“It’s a new frame Pierre Poilievre won’t like because it removes his preferred enemy and ends the inevitability of his win.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre

“As long as the next election was perceived as a battle between the Trudeau Liberals and the Poilievre Conservatives, a Conservative win remained as inevitable as the Liberal loss.

“The reason Poilievre is prime minister-in-waiting is not because his Conservatives are so liked but because the Trudeau Liberals are so disliked. The Conservatives prefer a battle framed as Poilievre versus Trudeau because it ensures they can rely on the large anti-Liberal vote rallying behind them for the win.

“A contest perceived as a battle between Singh and Poilievre is on much less certain ground. Conservatives lose the advantage of fighting the hated Liberals. And they face a new opponent also able to appeal to anti-Liberal voters.

Advancing the plot of the Singh-Poilievre competition

“To both coalesce the anti-Conservative vote and erode Conservative support, the NDP will no doubt attack Poilievre where is out of step with mainstream Canadian opinion and values.

“Look for Singh to talk about Conservatives cutting people’s dental care and pharmacare and point at Poilievre’s lack of climate policy. Singh may also pique memories about past Conservative cuts to veterans’ services, seniors’ pensions and health care transfers.

“The NDP may also point out that Poilievre loudly proclaims his goal to eliminate the $40 billion deficit but keeps his cuts plan quiet.

“The NDP must also reduce its vulnerabilities. Fresh policy can make it more difficult for Conservatives to cast Singh as Trudeau 2.0. And ideally, new stances will bait the Conservatives into showing they would be, like the Liberals were, unwilling to put Canadians first because they are too beholden to corporate interests.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh

“The path to stopping Poilievre is a tough one. But Singh has already done something few junior partners in a coalition or supply deal have been able to do: emerge stronger.

“Two years ago New Democrats were told that was impossible. Now New Democrats will be told the next step is impossible. Hopefully the final step is when Poilievre asks his campaign team what went wrong.”

Jagmeet Singh must be wondering what he needs to do next.

Tom Parkin is a social democratic columnist and commentator based in Toronto who has worked for the NDP in Saskatchewan and Ontario.

By Pepper Parr

October 1^st, 2024

BURLINGTON, ON

Has the change to having staff return to the office begun?

Amazon chief executive Andy Jassy just became the latest high-profile boss to insist that workers in the head office return to the their desks five days a week, most weeks (with exceptions for problems at home, work travel and the occasional need to work with zero distractions).

This is just a rendering of the new look of the ground floor of City Hall. During the past three months on those occasions the Gazette has been at city hall it has been close to empty except for the few people city at desks in the Service area.

The announcement sparked shock and outrage among many Amazon employees — and a wider fear that this could herald a rethink of remote work at other companies. In reality, it does signal a turning point for American workers.

The best job market of many people’s lifetime is over. Going forward, workers and job seekers will have less bargaining power in most industries, and this will affect their pay and perks. But it doesn’t mean that there will be a rush to follow Amazon’s lead. Five-day mandates run the risk of backfiring, because star workers will be given an excuse to look for new jobs.

What will this mean for Burlington?  Will staff return to their offices?

The pandemic meant that having people work from their homes was necessary – the pandemic is over but staff liked the hybrid arrangement – it certainly changed the life/work balance.

Jassy believes that getting workers back together full-time is necessary to maintain office culture and enhance productivity. Research on working from home shows that the jury is still out. Mark Ma, an associate professor of business administration at the University of Pittsburgh, has studied this issue extensively. He told me, “Five days a week in the office is unnecessary for productivity.”

City Staff during a BBQ day

The federal government is having serious problems getting people back to the office – insisting on three days at the office is proving to be difficult.

The millions being spent on changing the entrance to city hall and renovating Civic Square  is not seen as a needed change by many – just what is the purpose of a City Hall and is the one we have going to serve the public well for the next two decades ?

Long term in the view of the Gazette is that there will be a new city hall in a different location eventually.