By Lisa Bohler

October 2nd, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

In Toronto’s 2023 housing market, buyers are often finding themselves entangled in costly bidding wars. While the temptation to outbid others is high, such competitions often lead to inflated prices and buyer’s remorse. But it’s not decided that you’ll end up in such a predicament. There are proactive measures to take that could circumvent this roadblock altogether. Let’s break down the lesser-known tactics that can provide you with an advantage.

Overbidding Trends: What You Need to Know
Recent data analysis reveals that overbidding is becoming increasingly common in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). A study conducted in May found that 68% of GTA neighborhoods saw homes selling for more than their list prices. The increase in overbidding is a consistent trend that began in February. The data considers both condos and houses and excludes neighborhoods with fewer than five transactions per month.

It is not surprising that homes priced below their actual value tend to sell quickly, often at or above their listing price. So, if you wish to avoid getting stuck in a bidding war, it’s important to be aware of this trend.

Areas with Affordable Underbids
The same study also points out areas where homes are selling below their listing prices. Here are some neighborhoods with median prices below $700,000:

York University Heights, North York

In York University Heights, the median sold price for homes stands at $630,000, with an average underbid of -$4,000. This suggests that homes in this area tend to sell for slightly less than the listing price, making it a good area to explore if you wish to avoid a bidding war. The affordability of this neighborhood is a significant advantage for potential homeowners, especially first-time buyers.

Yorkdale, North York
Similarly, Yorkdale in North York features homes with a median sold price of $646,000, and an average underbid of -$4,500. This area also offers the opportunity for buyers to potentially negotiate a lower price than the listing. The proximity to Yorkdale Mall and accessibility via public transit make it an attractive area for many buyers, yet the prices remain relatively modest.

Erin Mills, Mississauga
Erin Mills in Mississauga presents a different scenario with a median underbid of -$14,000 on a median sold price of $660,000. It indicates that the homes in this area generally sell for significantly less than the listed price. Given the spacious lots and family-friendly environment, this makes Erin Mills an ideal target for those looking to avoid getting caught in bidding wars.

Concord, Vaughan
In Concord, Vaughan, the median sold price is $670,000 with a median underbid of -$9,000. The area is known for its convenient location and burgeoning community facilities. Yet, the median underbid value suggests that buyers still have a good chance of avoiding a bidding war here.

Smithfield-Clairville, Etobicoke
With a median sold price of $695,500 and a median underbid of -$4,900, Smithfield-Clairville in Etobicoke is another area where buyers may not have to face stiff competition. The neighborhood is up-and-coming, with several new developments and community centers, making it attractive for young families.

High-End Neighborhoods: A Different Scenario
When it comes to more affluent communities, the pattern is quite distinct. Only 25% of such neighbourhoods witnessed underbidding. Here are some examples:

Hoggs Hollow, North York
In contrast, Hoggs Hollow in North York is an affluent neighbourhood where the median sold price is significantly higher at $1,705,000. The area typically sees a 5% underbid, translating to around -$92,750 less than the listing price. Though the homes here are expensive, the tendency towards underbidding means that well-off buyers can still avoid a bidding war if they choose wisely.

Southwest Oakville
Southwest Oakville also falls in the high-end category with a median sold price of $1,842,500. With an average underbid of -$84,000 or about 4%, this area provides opportunities for negotiation even within the luxury market. Its lakeside location and well-maintained neighborhoods make it an attractive option for those with a bigger budget.

Old Oakville
Lastly, Old Oakville features a median sold price of $2,350,000 and typically sees underbids of around -$79,000 or 3%. Given its historic charm and luxurious amenities, the lower bidding activity might come as a surprise. Yet, for those with the means, this means a potential deal without engaging in intense bidding.

Townhouses, Condos, and Homes: Different Effects
Another important consideration when navigating the housing market is the type of property you’re interested in. Whether it’s a townhouse, condo, or standalone home, each comes with its unique market dynamics.

• Toronto townhouses for sale are particularly interesting, as they often serve as a middle ground between condos and detached homes. The demand for townhouses is usually steady but may not provoke the same intensity of bidding wars as detached homes, mainly because they offer fewer amenities than full-fledged houses but more space than condos.
• Condos are generally the most abundant and may offer the most opportunity for avoiding bidding wars, particularly in buildings with many similar units. Often located in dense urban areas, the sheer volume of available condos can sometimes counteract the high demand, allowing for more negotiation room on price.
• Detached homes, on the other hand, are often the trigger for the most intense bidding wars, especially in highly desirable neighbourhoods. With land at a premium, these properties are fiercely competed for, often driving prices well above the listed value.

Practical Tips to Steer Clear of Bidding Wars
Conduct Thorough Research
Doing your homework is instrumental in avoiding a bidding war. Being well-informed about current real estate trends in Toronto, especially in neighbourhoods you’re interested in, puts you a step ahead. Research can include anything from understanding the average price range for homes in specific areas to the rate at which homes are selling over the list price. With increasing overbidding trends in the GTA, having up-to-date information is particularly valuable. Thorough research will not only help you set realistic expectations but also better prepare you for what lies ahead.

Pre-Approval is Key
Having a mortgage pre-approval is often underestimated, yet it holds significant importance. A pre-approval letter from a reputable lender shows sellers that you’re financially secure and can afford the home you’re interested in. This not only speeds up the purchasing process but also gives you an advantage over other potential buyers who may not have taken this step. In a seller’s market, where overbidding is increasingly common, having this competitive edge can be highly beneficial.

Hire a Skilled Real Estate Agent
Navigating the Toronto real estate market can be complex, especially with the growing number of neighbourhoods experiencing overbids. In such conditions, professional guidance is not just helpful but almost essential. A competent real estate agent can provide insights that might not be easily accessible otherwise. They can also assist in strategizing your bids and negotiating terms that could save you money in the long run. With the right agent, you can better understand the subtleties of Toronto’s housing market, such as why some neighbourhoods like Markham are hotspots for overbidding while others offer more reasonable pricing.

Flexible Timeline
Time is another important factor to consider. If you’re not under immediate pressure to buy a home, observing the market for a better entry point could be advantageous. While waiting might not seem ideal, it could result in more favourable conditions. For example, there may be months when fewer neighbourhoods are experiencing overbids or seasons when sellers are more inclined to negotiate. Flexibility can make a significant difference, offering you a chance to purchase without engaging in a bidding frenzy.

Negotiation Skills
The art of negotiation can never be overstated in real estate transactions. Knowing how to negotiate effectively can help you get a fair deal without necessarily engaging in a bidding war. It can be particularly helpful in affluent neighbourhoods like Hoggs Hollow and Southwest Oakville, where underbidding is more common. Effective negotiation involves multiple elements, such as timing your offer well, understanding the seller’s motivation, and being prepared to walk away if the deal isn’t right.

Home Inspection
One of the most important aspects of home buying is having a thorough home inspection conducted. This step not only provides assurance of the home’s condition but also offers room for negotiation. For instance, if the inspection reveals issues that will require immediate repairs, you can use this information to renegotiate the purchase price. A detailed home inspection can also prevent you from making a costly mistake, particularly in areas where the home prices are high.

The Bottom Line
Vigilance, preparation, and a well-thought-out plan can be your best assets. The stakes are high, but the advantages of sidestepping a bidding war are even higher: financial stability, peace of mind, and the opportunity to invest in a home that you can truly afford.

By Zoe Demarco

September 29th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Soaring interest rates are inducing anxiety in nearly half of Canadian homeowners for whom mortgage renewal looms.

Twenty percent of homeowners “worry all the time” about their ability to afford their mortgage when it comes up for renewal — a figure that has risen 9% in just a year — and another 27% “worry often.” Just 3% were unbothered by the proposed predicament.

Amidst stubbornly high inflation, more than 9% of homeowners are already struggling financially, and nearly 30% are in a “tight” financial situation but are managing.

The findings are courtesy of Zolo’s 2023 Homebuyer Sentiment Survey, which polled 800 Canadians on their home buying experience and sentiment, as well as their feelings on the economy and real estate market.

The majority of homeowners surveyed are up for renewal in the next two to three years. If they opted for a five-year fixed-rate mortgage, which has historically been the most popular in Canada, they did so when the Bank of Canada’s (BoC) overnight rate was between 0.25% and 1.75%. It’s now at 5%.

For those on a variable-rate mortgage, though — particularly those with fluctuating payments — the anxiety has been realized 10 times over since the Bank of Canada began hiking rates in March 2022. One respondent who purchased a home in 2021 told Zolo their monthly mortgage payments have already risen by roughly $2,500.

In addition to causing anxiety for the future, interest rates also played a role in homebuyer’s initial decision to purchase property. Forty-one percent of those surveyed said rising rates and a competitive real estate market had “a lot” of influence on their decision to buy a home, and another 52% said the factors had at least “some” affect.

While many economists believe the BoC will begin cutting interest rates in early to mid-2024, there is little consensus on whether they will hike again in the interim, with the bank itself stating it is “prepared” to do so if underlying inflationary pressures persist.

Should such a situation occur, 9% of survey respondent said they would be unhappy in their home. However, 45% indicated they would still be happy even if the BoC delivers another hike before the end of the year — a “hard-pressed but happy outlook” on homeownership.

By Pepper Parr

September 29^th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Truth and Reconciliation – How far have we come?

Are there still people who can’t tell you what Truth and Reconciliation means?

It is now celebrated as Orange Shirt Day

Every child matters Orange T shirts are seen everywhere.  How many high school students know what that means?

Phyllis Jack Webstad, whose personal clothing—including a new orange shirt—was taken from her during her first day of residential schooling, and never returned. The orange shirt is a symbol of the forced assimilation of Indigenous children.

Orange Shirt Day was first established as an observance in 2013, as part of an effort to promote awareness and education of the Canadian residential school system and the impact it has had on Indigenous communities for over a century.

The orange shirt now symbolizes how the residential school system took away the indigenous identities of its students. However, the association of the colour with the First Nations goes back to antiquity, the colour represents sunshine, truth-telling, health, regeneration, strength and power.

Today, Orange Shirt Day exists as a legacy of the time when Indigenous children were taken from their homes to residential schools. The tagline, “Every Child Matters”, reminds Canadians that all peoples’ cultural experiences are important.

When high school students ask – what do they mean when the Indigenous community say “we are a First Nation”?.

The use of the word Indian is no longer acceptable.  It has been used in some reports because of the historical nature of an article and the precision of the name. It was, and continues to be, used by government officials, Indigenous peoples and historians while referencing the school system. The use of the word also provides relevant context about the era in which the system was established, specifically one in which Indigenous peoples in Canada were homogeneously referred to as Indians rather than by language that distinguishes First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Use of Indian is limited to proper nouns and references to government legislation.

There are dozens of web sites with very good material on what we did to the Indigenous population.  This web site has a collection of stories told by Indigenous people.  Worth spend some tine on.

 

Shortly after Confederation in 1867, the ministers inherited the responsibility of advising the Crown on the treaties signed between it and the First Nations of Canada. Prime Minister John A. Macdonald was faced with disparate cultures and identities and wanted to forge a new Canadian identity to unite the country and ensure its survival. That was the thinking at the time.

Macdonald’s goal to absorb the First Nations into the general population of Canada and extinguish their culture. In 1878, he commissioned Nicholas Flood Davin to write a report about residential schools in the United States.

One year later, Davin reported that only residential schools could separate aboriginal children from their parents and culture and cause them “to be merged and lost” within the nation. Davin argued that the government should work with the Christian churches to open these schools.

The government began funding Indian residential schools across Canada in 1883, which were run primarily by the Roman Catholic Church the Anglican Church, United Church of Canada, the Methodist Church, and the Presbyterian Church.

When the separation of children from their parents was resisted, the government responded by making school attendance compulsory in 1894 and empowered the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to seize children from reserves and bring them to the residential schools.

When parents came to take their children away from the schools, the pass system was created, banning Indigenous people from leaving their reserve without a pass from an Indian agent.

Conditions at the schools were terrible, schools were underfunded and tuberculosis was rampant. Over the course of the system’s existence—more than a century long—approximately 150,000 children were placed in residential schools nationally.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada issued its report in 2008 reporting deaths of approximately 3,200 children in residential schools, representing a 2.1% mortality rate.  Justice Murray Sinclair, the chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission later stated that the true number of deaths could be as high as 6,000.

Most of the recorded student deaths at residential schools took place before the 1950s. The most common cause of death was tuberculosis, which was also a common cause of death among children across Canada at that time.

Some residential schools had mortality rates of 30%.

Dr. Peter Bryce reported to the Department of Indian Affairs in 1897 about the high student mortality rates at residential schools due to tuberculosis. Bryce’s report was leaked to journalists, prompting calls for reform from across the country; the recommendations were largely ignored.

 Duncan Campbell Scott, the deputy superintendent of Indian Affairs from 1913 to 1932, who supported the assimilation policy said in 1910 said: “it is readily acknowledged that Indian children lose their natural resistance to illness by habitating so closely in these schools and that they die at a much higher rate than in their villages. But this alone does not justify a change in the policy of this Department, which is being geared towards the final solution of our Indian Problem.”

In 1914 he added, “the system was open to criticism. Insufficient care was exercised in the admission of children to the schools. The well-known predisposition of Indians to tuberculosis resulted in a very large percentage of deaths among the pupils.”

Many schools did not communicate the news of the deaths of students to the students’ families, burying the children in unmarked graves; in one-third of recorded deaths, the names of the students who had died were not recorded. Sexual abuse was common and students were forced to work to help raise money for the school.

By the 1950s, the government began to loosen restrictions on the First Nations of Canada and began to work towards shutting the schools. The government seized control of the residential schools from the churches in 1969 and, by the 1980s  few schools remained open. The last school closed 1996.

We have been working at this for a long time.

In 1986, the United Church of Canada apologized for its role in the residential school system. The Anglican Church followed suit in 1992. Some Catholic organizations have apologized for their role in the residential school system but the Roman Catholic Church had not formally apologized for its role in the residential school system.

In 1991, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples was formed to investigate the relationship between indigenous peoples in Canada, the government of Canada, and Canadian society as a whole. When its final report was presented five years later, it led the government to make a statement of reconciliation in 1998.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized in 2008, on behalf of the federal Cabinet, for the Indian residential school system and created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada to find out what happened at the schools.

The commission released its final report in 2015.  It found that the Indian residential school system was an act of “cultural genocide” against the First Nations of Canada, as it disrupted the ability of parents to pass on their indigenous languages to their children, leading to 70% of Canada’s Aboriginal languages being classified as endangered.

It found that the deliberately poor education offered at the residential school system created a poorly educated indigenous population in Canada, which impacted the incomes those students could earn as adults and the educational achievement of their children and grandchildren, who were frequently raised in low-income homes. It also found that the sexual and physical abuse received at the schools created life-long trauma in residential school survivors, trauma and abuse which was often passed down to their children and grandchildren, which continues to create victims of the residential school system today.

Getting to the point where the country could put all this behind was a tortuous journey. In 2017 Minister of Indigenous Services Jane Philpott and Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett encouraged people across Canada to participate in this commemorative and educational event. The following year, the Department of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism announced that it was considering tabling a bill in Parliament to establish a statutory holiday that recognized the legacy of residential schools; September 30 was one of the dates considered.

The Heritage Committee chose Orange Shirt Day, and Georgina Jolibois submitted a private member’s bill to the House of Commons, where it passed on March 21, 2019. However, the bill was unable to make it through the Senate before parliament was dissolved ahead of an election.

During the subsequent parliamentary session, Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault tabled a new bill on September 29, 2020, proposing Orange Shirt Day become a national statutory holiday. The new holiday would be officially named the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

On May 28, 2021, the day after it was reported that the remains of 215 bodies were discovered in an unmarked cemetery on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, all parties in the House of Commons agreed to fast-track the bill, which passed in the House by unanimous consent.  The bill passed the Senate unanimously six days later and received royal assent on June 3, 2021.

 The legislation made September 30th a statutory holiday for federal government employees and private-sector employees to whom the Canada Labour Code applies.

The first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation federal holiday in 2021 was marred when it was learned that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had been invited to spend the day with the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc nation, near the place the first Indian residential school unmarked graves were discovered.  

Trudeau ignored the invitation, and his schedule showed him having meetings in Ottawa that day. However, Trudeau instead took an unannounced private holiday in Tofino, British Columbia, attracting widespread criticism from the public and media alike. Kúkpi7 (Chief) Rosanne Casimir of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc described his lack of attendance as a “gut punch to the community.”

There is on balance a better public understanding of the residential school issue and the damage that was done.  There is a process of healing taking place and an acceptance of the Indigenous population that didn’t exist five years ago. But we are not there yet.

Why do we accept that hundreds of Indigenous communities still do not have potable water?

When I talk to people and ask if they would agree to being taxed one dollar a month that would be set aside to ensure that every Indigenous community has potable water I have yet to hear someone say – I don’t want to do that. The public is ready to do more.

The calling out of the Prime Minister at a Gord Downey concert in Kingston Ontario is not something the public had ever seen or heard in a CBC nationally broadcast event.

We have come a long way – but there is still a long way to go.  At least now we have momentum.

Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward has been an admirable and consistent advocate -doing everything she can to keep the issue in front of the public.

Related news story:

It isn’t my Canada Day

By Pepper Parr

September 28th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

$63,099.00 – not too shabby.

That’s not the salary – that’s the increase City Council went along with paying City Manager Tim Commisso getting him to a total annual salary of $315,495.00 stating September 10th.

Commisso was a full time employee for a number of years before he went to Thunder Bay where he was City Manager. Retired from that job, came back to Burlington and worked with MNP as a consultant until Mayor Meed Ward invited him for a cup of coffee and convinced him to serve is as her interim city manager while she got about firing the then City Manager James Ridge.

After a time – city council decided to make Commisso the City Manager.

Every City Manager bring a style to the job.

Commisso decided to do away with General Managers and created the position of Executive Directors. It has worked – there are still a few of those who don’t fit in all that well – but on balance Commisso has created an organization that works.

A number of exceptionally talented people have joined the city; some of quite young.

The question many will ask: Is Tim Commisso worth $315,495.00 annually?

Doesn’t matter what you think – Council thinks he is and so that is what he gets,

With that kind of a remuneration package expect Commisso to renew whatever contract he has.

Squawk if it makes you feel better – it isn’t going to make a difference.

Tim is a big picture thinker – he believes he knows what Burlington is going to look like in a decade and is doing the work to make sure the administration can handle the really explosive growth that is taking place.

By Pepper Parr

September 28th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Sometimes the photo op is an unfortunate mistake.

Burlington’s MP Karina Gould chose to take part in this photo op with the Speaker of the House of Commons, and a person identified as the son of Yaroslav Hunka who has been identified as a man who fought for the Germans in Ukraine during WWII.

The Speaker of the House is being blamed for not vetting the man thoroughly. Some are saying that all it took to learn just who Yaroslav Hunka was is a quick Google search.

Yaroslav Hunka is a Ukrainian World War II veteran of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, a Nazi Germany military formation. Hunka was born in Urman, then part of Poland, and volunteered for SS Galizien in 1943. He emigrated to Canada after the conclusion of World War II.

Division members are accused of killing Polish and Jewish civilians, although the unit has not been found guilty of any war crimes by a tribunal.

The unit was renamed the First Ukrainian Division before surrendering to the Western Allies in 1945.

The division was later known as the 1st Ukranian Division, the historian Olesya Khromeychuk wrote in a 2012 article for the Canadian Slavic Papers journal, and its legacy has been disputed for years. Khromeychuk wrote that the division’s veterans “are often portrayed as traitors, opportunists and war criminals,” while others see them as people who chose “the lesser of two evils” during the war by joining the Germans “to defend their motherland against the Soviet invasion and build a nucleus for the Ukrainian army.”

Dominique Arel, chair of Ukrainian studies at the University of Ottawa, told CBC News that the division Mr Hunka was part of had attracted thousands of Ukrainian volunteers, many joining with hopes they could achieve Ukrainian independence.

The Speaker, Anthony Rota, was very expansive when he was introducing Yaroslav Hunka.

At one point, Mr. Rota pointed to Mr. Hunka who sat in the gallery, saying the man was “a Ukrainian hero, a Canadian hero, and we thank him for all his service”.

The introduction resulted in two standing ovations with every Member of the House of Commons taking part along with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Several days later, the Speaker apologized for the comments he made; that proved to be less than Members of the House of Commons. A day later Anthony Rota resigned as Speaker.

Liberal MP and House Leader Karina Gould called the situation “deeply embarrassing for Canada” and called on all parties in Parliament to agree to remove the recognition of Yaroslav Hunka from the official record of the House of Commons.

She also said the government would have vetted everyone who attended the speech for security concerns, but was not responsible for deciding to recognize Hunka.

The House of Commons protocol team — comprised of non-partisan bureaucratic staff — was responsible for collecting lists of invitees from various parties and the Speaker’s office, and sending them to the Parliamentary Protective Services (PPS), one government official explained.

The individual referenced was invited and recognized by the Speaker. The government and the Ukrainian delegation had no prior knowledge of this.”

The PPS did not respond to questions about the incident.

“Members did so because we took the Speaker’s word that this individual should indeed be granted this honour in good faith.”

In a statement, Rota said that on 22 September “in my remarks following the address of the president of Ukraine, I recognized an individual in the gallery.
“I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so.”

Mr. Rota said that “no one, including fellow parliamentarians and the Ukraine delegation, was aware of my intention or of my remarks before I delivered them. This initiative was entirely my own, the individual in question being from my riding and having been brought to my attention.”

Liberal MPs, including House Leader Karina Gould, accused the Conservatives of ignoring Rota’s acknowledgement of blame, and implored the opposition to refrain from making the situation “partisan.”

Gould called the situation “deeply embarrassing for Canada” and called on all parties in Parliament to agree to remove the recognition of Hunka from the official record of the House of Commons. Gould said she felt “personally hurt,” given that she is a Jewish Canadian whose family survived the Holocaust and lost loved ones in the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz.

She also said the government would have vetted everyone who attended the speech for security concerns, but was not responsible for deciding to recognize Hunka.

“There are many times when we recognize people in the gallery, and we do so on your good advice, on your good offices. And all of us here did that in the chamber on Friday because we trusted you on that,” Gould said, addressing Rota from the floor of the Commons.

“It is very important that we collectively work together to strike this recognition from the record, and I will work with my colleagues to do that.”

In recognizing Hunka in the Commons, Rota referred to him as a 98-year-old from North Bay, Ont. He was later identified in an Associated Press photo caption as a member of what was known as the “Galicia” division of Nazi Germany’s Waffen SS.

In the 1980s, a public inquiry set up by Prime Minister Brian Mulroney examined allegations that war criminals from the Second World War had immigrated to Canada after the conflict. Although the broader German Waffen SS was determined to be a criminal organization during the Nuremberg war trials, the public inquiry concluded in 1986 that “mere membership” in the division was insufficient to justify prosecution for war crimes.

The inquiry also concluded that individual members of the division were screened before they emigrated to Canada, and that “charges of war crimes against members of the Galicia Division have never been substantiated.”

How did something like this happen?

And what was Karina Gould thinking when she went along with having her picture taken with Yaroslav Hunka. The man had no link with Burlington. While Gould did not know anything about Hunka when the picture was taken – there didn’t seem to be any reason for a picture to be taken. It had no relevance to her constituents.

What moved a graduate of Oxford University to suggest that everything that happened when and after Hunka was recognized be expunged from the public record.  If anybody with a degree from world class university Gould knows and understands that civilized people don’t even think of trying to rewrite history.  The Jewish community has been fighting that battle for decades.

Gould spoke at length in the House of Commons on September 25th. For the record we have set out what she said:

September 25th, 2:20 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, as a descendant of Jewish Holocaust survivors, I am personally very hurt by the fact that this chamber recognized this individual. I am sure that everyone feels the same way in this chamber.

September 25th, 2:20 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, like all members of this chamber, I am incredibly disappointed in the fact that this individual was invited. As you yourself, Mr. Speaker, confirmed, this individual was recognized in the gallery. I found out just like every other member in the House at that time that this individual was present. This is deeply embarrassing for us as parliamentarians, as Canadians. It is something that I think all of us take extremely seriously, and I would ask my hon. colleagues not to politicize this moment.

September 25th, 2:20 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, like every other member of the House, I was extremely disappointed by this situation. Personally, as a descendant of Jewish Holocaust survivors, I was very hurt, and I know everyone in the House was hurt too.

As the Leader of the Opposition knows, and as you mentioned, Mr. Speaker, it was your decision and yours alone. Neither the government nor the Ukrainian delegation was aware of the situation ahead of time.

We are all very disappointed by the situation.

September 25th, 2:25 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, everyone in the House is deeply hurt by what happened on Friday. We were all taken by surprise. This is something that is completely unacceptable. There are communities across Canada, including Jewish and Eastern European communities, for whom the Holocaust and the Second World War are particularly painful.

As a descendant of Jewish Holocaust survivors, I take this very seriously. I think this is an opportunity for us all to reflect—

September 25th, 2:25 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question.

As I mentioned, it was a very painful incident for everyone in the House and, of course, for all Canadians, especially those who have family members who were affected by the Holocaust, namely, the Jewish and Eastern European communities. This really hurts. Personally, I was disappointed by what happened.

I would like to ask everyone to deal with this responsibly.

September 25th, 2:25 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I know the Leader of the Opposition does not want to rely on the facts, but the facts in this situation are that the government had no prior knowledge that this individual was being invited, nor that he would be recognized.

If members go back and recall what happened on Friday, they will see that it was indeed the Speaker of the House who recognized this individual. We were all caught off guard. It is deeply embarrassing to this Parliament and to Canada. I ask that we all deal with this responsibly.

September 25th, 2:30 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I would again ask my hon. colleague to stick to the facts. We know and he knows, because you stated publicly and in this chamber, that it was your decision to invite this individual, your decision alone to recognize him in the chamber. We were all caught off guard on Friday.
Everyone in this chamber stood, because we trusted the Speaker to know who this was. At the same time, we must all take this seriously, and we must not politicize this. Communities are hurting, and we need to be there to be united at this time.

September 25th, 2:30 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, as a Canadian of Jewish origin, I have shared very clearly with the House on several occasions how disturbing this event is for me personally. I also know how disturbing it is for Canadians who are Jewish right across this country. Today, on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the Day of Atonement as we prepare for the New Year, this is particularly disturbing.

However, I have to correct my hon. colleague in the sense that the government was not aware this individual was invited. It was completely the prerogative of the Speaker; it was his decision, and we need to make sure the facts remain on the table.

September 25th, 2:35 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, as a Canadian of Jewish origin, I am extremely hurt by what happened last Friday. My grandfather is a survivor of Auschwitz. This is so very painful for me, and I know that it is also very painful for all members of the House. However, the facts are the facts. It was the Speaker of the House of Commons who invited this individual and decided to recognize his presence in the House. No one in government or in the Ukrainian delegation knew ahead of time that he was going to do that.

September 25th, 2:35 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat for my hon. colleague what I have already said because it is a matter of fact and the truth. Neither the government nor the Ukrainian delegation knew in advance that this individual was invited or that the Speaker of the House would draw attention to his presence during his speech. We have all been hurt by this incident and we are deeply disappointed by what happened. This has repercussions on parliamentarians, Canada, and of course Canada’s reputation in the world. Nonetheless, it is something that everyone must take seriously and—

September 25th, 2:35 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, let me continue to lay out the facts for this chamber.

It is a fact that the individual was not granted access to either the President of Ukraine or the Prime Minister of this country. He was specifically invited by the Speaker of the House, who did not make either the Government of Canada or the Ukrainian delegation aware. We all found out at the same time, when he was recognized in the chamber.

We are all deeply embarrassed by this. It has embarrassed Canada. We must reiterate our strong allyship for Ukraine, Ukrainian Canadians, and Jewish—

September 25th, 2:35 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I have tremendous respect for my colleague opposite. He was the Speaker, and he is the House leader now. He knows how this chamber operates.
He knows that the Speaker has prerogative for whom they invite to the Speaker’s gallery. The Parliamentary Protective Service followed all screening protocols to ensure the security of the event on Friday.
Nevertheless, neither the government nor the Ukrainian delegation was aware of that individual’s presence until he was recognized by the Speaker. Those are the facts.

September 25th, 2:40 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, as I have already stated, the Parliamentary Protective Service followed all screening protocols to ensure the security of last Friday’s event. I agree with the member opposite in that it was profoundly embarrassing for Parliament and for Canada that this individual was both invited and recognized. However, as the member knows, and as all members know, it was the Speaker of the chamber who decided to invite this individual and recognize him. We were all caught off guard, and we are all hurting because of it.

September 25th, 2:45 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, as a descendant of a Jewish Holocaust survivor, this is something that is profoundly disturbing and upsetting to me, as it is to everyone in Canada whose family has been impacted by the Holocaust and, indeed, to everyone around the world.

It is not lost on me that the President of Ukraine is Jewish and has also suffered the same way my family did, but I will reiterate to the member opposite that this was not the government’s decision, and it had no prior knowledge of this. It was a decision made by the Speaker of the House. He has apologized. We were all owed that apology because it was profoundly embarrassing—

September 25th, 2:45 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, as I have stated, I think the episode on Friday was one of profound embarrassment for parliamentarians and for all Canadians.

As has been stated clearly, the Parliamentary Protective Service did all of the required security protocols to ensure the security of the event.
However, neither the government nor the Ukrainian delegation was aware that this individual would be present in the gallery nor that he would be recognized, until such a time as the Speaker did that. The Speaker has made that public and clear, and we were owed and received an apology—

September 25th, 2:50 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows, because she heard it from you this morning and from me several times today, that it was not the Prime Minister who either invited this individual or recognized him. She acknowledged that he was recognized during the Speaker’s remarks, because the facts of the matter are that this individual was invited by the Speaker of the House and was recognized by the Speaker of the House, who did this without informing either the Government of Canada or the Ukrainian delegation. This is profoundly embarrassing to us all, and we all need to take this seriously.

September 25th, 2:55 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, in fact, the Speaker has already clarified and expressed that this was his decision alone, that he did not inform the government or the Ukrainian delegation, that this was entirely his decision.

I cannot force Conservative members to believe what the facts are. I can only put them on the table as they are. They have been clearly outlined, and we will continue to stand by them, because that is the truth.

September 25th, 2:55 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I have clearly laid the facts on the table several times today.
In fact, the only person who invited this individual and decided to recognize him was the Speaker of the House. The Parliamentary Protective Service followed all security protocols to ensure the security of the event.

However, I agree with the member opposite that this should never have happened. It is profoundly embarrassing and disappointing to all members of the House and to all Canadians. To that end, we stand with all Canadian communities that are impacted, and of course with Ukraine.

September 25th, 3 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I can only share the facts and the truth. The truth and the facts are that, no, the government did not know that this individual was invited, nor that he was going to be recognized by the Speaker of the House.

As the member opposite heard the Speaker say earlier today, this individual was from his riding. He decided to recognize him. He did not inform either the government or the Ukrainian delegation. This has caused profound hurt and embarrassment to this chamber, to Canada and to Canadians from so many different backgrounds, Jewish Canadians, Canadians of Eastern European descent, Ukrainian Canadians and, of course, the President of Ukraine.

September 25th, 3 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague knows, because he listened to you this morning and he saw your message yesterday that you clarified that it was your personal initiative and that you had not notified the government that you were inviting this individual and drawing attention to his presence.

We are all deeply hurt. We are hurt as parliamentarians and as Canadians.
More importantly, communities across the country are hurt by this initiative of the Speaker of the House.

September 25th, 3 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, the truth is that neither the Prime Minister nor anyone in his cabinet or in the Ukrainian delegation knew in advance that this individual was invited or that he would be recognized by the Speaker of the House of Commons.

As I said many times, the Speaker of the House of Commons invited this individual of his own accord and he made the decision himself to recognize him. It was very painful for all of us, as parliamentarians, who were there and who were surprised by this decision.

It is painful for every Canadian who was affected by the Holocaust and the wars—

September 25th, 3:05 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, again, I would invite my colleagues on the Conservative benches to rely on the facts. You have laid out both in a statement as well as in an apology to the House that it was you who decided to invite this individual.
You decided to recognize him in this place without informing the government, the Ukrainian delegation or, indeed, any parliamentarian.

I think we are all profoundly hurt and embarrassed by this as are Canadians.
We need to take this seriously and not politicize it. We need to make sure that we are bringing Canadians together during this difficult time.

September 25th, 3:05 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, again, that hon. colleague would have seen your statement yesterday and heard your apology in the House today. The Speaker confirmed that this was his decision, and his decision alone, to invite this individual from his riding and to acknowledge him in the gallery. We were all caught off guard by this. We all stood and applauded, but this was not the individual we were led to believe he was. That is something that hurts all of us and embarrasses all of us, but there was no prior knowledge from the government.

September 25th, 3:05 p.m.
Guests in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague heard your statement this morning. He knows very well that this was your decision, and your decision alone, to invite this individual and to recognize him in the gallery, without informing the government, without informing the Ukrainian delegation.

We are profoundly hurt by this. We are profoundly embarrassed by this. I would ask that the Conservative colleagues pay attention to the facts, rely on the facts, and treat this matter with the seriousness that it deserves.
There are communities across the country that are hurting, and politicizing it helps no one.

September 25th, 3:10 p.m.
Rick O’Brien
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

I would like to ask for unanimous consent to adopt the following motion.

I move that, notwithstanding any standing order, special order or usual practice of the House, the recognition made by the Speaker of the House of an individual present in the galleries during the joint address to Parliament by His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy be struck from the appendix of the House of Commons Debates of Thursday, September 21, 2023, and from any House multimedia recording.

That motion did not pass.

The photo op is used as often as possible by politicians of every stripe.  It gets them re-elected.

This photo op didn’t work out that way – something that might give the elected class a reason to pause before they step in front of a camera.

By Staff

September 28th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

The final report for the Downtown Heritage Study and Engagement Program is now available for viewing: click HERE.

The consultant team recommends that people read the whole report to understand the complete scope of research and analysis that informed the final recommendations. However, if you have limited time, you could choose to focus on the “Key Findings” section at the beginning, the Recommendations section, and the part of the Appendices that concerns your particular property or area.

To summarize the recommendations, the following individual properties are being recommended for heritage designation:

• 620 Brant Street
• 574 Brant Street
• 524 Brant Street
• 518 Brant Street

The following areas were found to meet the definition of a cultural heritage landscape and are being recommended for designation in the short or long term:

• Burlington Avenue & Lakeshore Road
• Luke’s Church & Cemetery

Although the other study areas were determined to not sufficiently meet the definitions of a significant “cultural heritage landscape” and are not being recommended for further study for heritage district designation, the report highlights individual properties in the study areas that have the potential to qualify for heritage designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act and could be protected individually. Please review the section of the report discussing your study area to find out if your property has been highlighted.

Staff and the consultant team will be available to discuss the report with you at an open house on Monday, October 2nd from 7:00PM-8:30PM at the Art Gallery of Burlington in the Shoreline Room. Please drop into the Shoreline Room where you will find refreshments, information about the City’s heritage incentives, a short audio/visual presentation about the project and a series of display boards.

You can then visit the adjacent “Rotary Room” and speak to staff and consultants at any of the following four stations with display panels summarizing results of the study:

1. Brant Street Individual Properties & Village Square
2. Foot of Brant Street & Downtown East
3. Burlington Avenue and Lakeshore Road & St. Luke’s Church and Cemetery
4. Locust Street

 

 

 

 

By Pepper Parr

September 27^th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

We missed this one.

Ward 2 Councillor Rory Nisan found himself in a seat at the United Nations in New York during the summer.

We didn’t hear anything at Council.  We don’t get all that much from Nisan in terms of newsletters.  We are not on his list of people he keeps in touch with.  It was quite a bit different when he was running for office.  We worked with him to develop a few opinion pieces as he was creating a personal profile.  Acouple of lunches and some conversations related to which ward he would run in.

A sharp eyed Gazette reader alerted us to news he posted on his Linked In page.

His report on the trip to New York – all on the public dime:

After spending an engaging week at the United Nations High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York representing the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), I wanted to share some of my key takeaways from what was a vitally important event.

Local and regional governments play a critical role in advancing Canada’s global development goals, particularly around climate, adequate housing and the myriad of solutions to sustainable cities and communities. As a member of the FCM Executive Committee and Deputy Mayor for the city of Burlington, Ontario, I know first-hand that no single order of government can tackle these issues alone.

I was therefore very pleased to work with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to present Canada’s update to the United Nations on our Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities. ESDC recognizes the importance of collaboration across all orders of government and the partnership between FCM and ESDC to deliver this update exemplifies the value of cross-government collaboration.

At the UN, I participated in the Local and Regional Governments Forum organized by the UCLG’s Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments and had the chance to talk about housing and equitable cities with my federal counterparts from Chile and Botswana. I detailed the innovative work that Canadian cities and communities are delivering on the ground.

We see a trend here.  Nisan decided to move out of Ward 3 and into ward 2.  After talking the move through with a number of ward 3 residents we came to the conclusion that Nisan will probably not run for a council seat – we suspected he might be angling for something to do with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

The trip to New York suggests we just might have been right.

Rory has always aspired to much more than a Council seat

 

By Pepper Parr

September 27th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

OPINION

The gall; the astounding level of hypocrisy.

During the closing half hour of the City Council meeting yesterday Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said:

I want to send that message to the community. We hear you, we hear the concerns and as noted, we will be dealing with this later this year. And we also I think, you know, and I do appreciate the comments from council with the you know, just huge empathy for what Mary Alice and others have gone through when they tried to ask people to just be good neighbours.

There is no place in our city for harassment, for abuse for, violating. You know, really all of the things that she has experienced violate our bylaws.

And they certainly violate the standards of civil society. So and maybe that’s, how we deal with this –  we just call it out whenever we hear it and let our community know that we have higher expectations for their behaviour, and we expect them to behave within the rules of law that have, that we have all agreed as a community and as a society, are helpful to us to get along well together.

The Mayor was talking about comments made by some of the delegators who had neighbouring properties turned into AirB&B locations and rented out for weekend parties where the noise and abuse was terrible. The delegators were upset, which would be putting it mildly, and on occasion they were, according to the Mayor, picking on staff unfairly.

This kind of behaviour doesn’t advance a point of view – but it does let Council and Staff know that there are some very unhappy people who expect their city administration to help.

What the Gazette has difficulty with is a Mayor saying: “we just call it out whenever we hear it and let our community know that we have higher expectations for their behaviour”.

We so wish the Mayor had followed her own advice when she attempted to coerce a fellow Council member to issue an apology.  It was one of the most disgraceful performances I have ever heard from an elected official – and I have been following local politics for more than 50 years.

Here is what Mayor Meed Ward said when she was doing some agenda management and trying to force a fellow member of city Council to issue an apology during a Council meeting.

We have published the Mayor’s comment on numerous occasions and will continue to publish them until the Mayor has the decency to say it wasn’t one of her best days and apologize to Councillor Stolte.

Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.

By Alan Harrington

September 26th, 2023

BURLINGTON, ON

 

Just before Burlington Post’s last “print version” came off the presses last week, it ran an ad for an upcoming local musical performance. Burlingtonians LOVE musical performances – this one was different.

It was an ad for the RCMP Musical Ride.

One of those events usually held in some far-flung village nobody can get to across Canada’s vast expanse. Like South Moose Antler Ridge, Saskatchewan.

And it’s OLD. Thing’s has been around since Sir John A Macdonald was our prime minister.

I decided – why not? grabbed a $10 ticket and went. Location was right next door at Woodbine Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville

Parking was free – the lot was packed. A horse race was running when I arrived (SPICY PASTA won) and then they closed the track to set up for the Musical Ride. I watched them measure and precisely place the pylons in a square on the track.

Before the Red-Coated Mounties trotted in on their black horses everyone stood for the singing of O Canada and listened to the Land Acknowledgement that had more meaning than usual, this being Mohawk raceway, and our RCMP who have a long relationship with First Nations.

RCMP Superintendent Fahey was the emcee, and his majestic horse was a beauty – the show was underway.

A symbol of tradition, honour, and pride, the Musical Ride is a Canadian icon recognized at home and abroad. The troop of 21 riders, who are all police officers, perform intricate formations and drills set to Canadian music, lasting about 30 minutes. These movements demand the utmost control, timing, and coordination.

The kids would like the way the horses moved about the field – but for me sitting front row, it was watching riders control their mounts. Some horses get persnickety and moody – and maybe don’t always want to be on their best behaviour.

The Mounties use one hand on the reins to maintain horse-choreography whilst holding their lance in the other. I understand these are professionals – but not an easy task and still fun to watch in action.

Some of the Mounties had never ridden a horse before joining the force.

The announcer called out the different movements the group made including a “Double Diamond” – made special for the late Queens 70th Jubilee. The Queen always had a fondness for our Canadian horses and the RCMP often leads the royal parade in London. Our RCMP paraded in Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee procession in 1897 and taken part in every coronation since King George V’s in 1911. The tradition continues as the RCMP gifted a seven-year-old black mare named Noble, to King Charles III earlier this year.

Some history about the equestrian showcase: It was formed in 1887 and has run intermittently since then. Women joined the crew in 1981 and they do about 45 shows a year May to October – raising money for local community charities.

Back to the show, the next display was the “Dome” (which is the image on the old fifty-dollar bill), and then they did “Charge…!!”

The show ended to great applause as the sun slipped down over the horizon.

Afterwards, the crowd were able to meet the horses and riders one-on-one in the parking lot. I asked if any other riders that night had participated in the Coronation parade and indeed an officer I spoke with was one of four in London that day in May.

I know the RCMP get some bad press – and they have a very difficult job to do in the field – but nothing is more Canadian than watching this show. A virtual soak-bath in maple syrup for the soul.

The Musical Ride supports front-line police operations by building positive relationships, supporting recruiting efforts and promoting the RCMP’s image in communities in Canada and around the world.

If you want to catch the show you’ll have to wait for North Moose Antler Ridge Saskatchewan in 2024.