 By Dennis Savoy
March 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Betting has existed since ancient times and there are more and more users every day.
It is a hobby of many people who like to taste their happiness and hope to win.
Over the years, the list of things to bet on has been expanding. Most often it is in a sport, but there are also events outside the sport, such as the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest and similar.
 The Eurovision Song Contest is an event that has millions wagering on the outcome – online With the development of betting and the expansion of betting offers, it is to be expected that the betting industry will not stop there and will work on it on a daily basis. With this hard work we got online betting. What is online betting?
Online betting is one of the novelties in the world of betting and it greatly facilitates our daily betting. Online betting can be accessed from many device that supports internet connection.
Many bookmakers have online betting on offer and their offer is large. There we have many games in which we can participate to bet and hope to win. They are working on the development and improvement of these games every day, and over the years of online betting, much progress has been made in design, graphics of games that look much more realistic today than before and troubleshooting bugs that are decreasing day by day.
In addition to the efforts invested in the development of online betting, we are also working on increasing the number of users and promotion. Today we can often see many advertisements on the internet that promote online betting and its benefits but this is not the only way to promote.
 Online casino bonuses are today an everyday part of online betting where the user receives certain bonuses in the form of free money or spins that they will use in betting and potentially make a certain profit. Casino bonuses are a great form of promotion on the marketing side because they attract new and reward old loyal customers. Casino bonuses of course vary from bookmaker to bookmaker and we need to be careful here.
It is necessary to check all the conditions well before we agree to certain bonuses in order to avoid possible problems. For the best casino bonus there are many sites on the internet but don’t miss the only online casino bonus guide you need.
When we find the best betting offer it is usually necessary to sign up and add a bank account for winnings. After that we can leave the benefits of online betting and hope for winnings.
Benefits of online betting
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- Accessibility
- Large selection of bookmakers and games
- Facilitated the process of payment and withdrawal of money
- Online bonuses
Online betting is growing very fast and there are more and more bookmakers offering it. As with everything on the internet, we should be careful and research each option well before betting, but after everything is over, an exciting adventure awaits us for sure.
 By Pepper Parr
May 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
What will the province look like on Friday June 3rd?
Put a different way – How bad could it be?
Province wide the polls say that Doug Ford will be returned at Premier.
Who will form the Opposition?
The polls again suggest that the New Democrats will continue to be the Opposition
 Steve Del Duca: Risks losing his seat – Liberals will have to find a new leader. What the polls are also telling is that Steve Del Duca may not win his own seat leaving the Opposition leaderless.
The New Democrats will be deeply disappointed about not being able to form a government and will need to think about their leadership.
The leadership of the Liberals will have to come out of whatever they have in the way of members sitting in the Legislature.
Will this happen?
The Gazette survey results show a very tight race
Polls are never accurate – but they are an indicator.
 By Staff
May 26th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
For the past three weeks the Gazette has had a reporter out on the streets of the city asking about the provincial election.
He asked the following xx questions
Question 1: Do you know there’s going to be an election in June?
Question 2: Do you know anything about the issues?
Question 3: Are you going to vote (if not, why)?
Question 4: Would you like to say who you will vote for?
The number of undecided responses was higher than we expected – so we have added a 5th questions asking people is there a political party they are favouring
The latest results are set out below.
 By Jason Octavo
May 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The purpose of an election is to get more votes than anyone else and be able to form a government and serve the needs of the public that elected you.
That is what every politician will say and get in that line about it being an honour to serve the public.
Elections are something more than that. Most of the people running for public office love meeting people at their doorsteps, and listening.
 NDP candidate Andrew Drummond NDP candidate, Andrew Drummond and his team were working the streets of the Mount Forest part of the city hoping to meet people face to face and have conversations trying to convince them to vote for him.
The NDP is doing much better this time around. Last election, they had 216 signs around the neighborhood. This time, they have 366 signs.
The candidate never knows who will answer the door and what they will say. They may use the occasion to take a strip off the hide of the candidate or assure them that their vote is solid.
 On the doorstep – soliciting a vote. Drummond and his team have been going door to door for about two and a half hours every day since March.
For those who answered the doorbell, Drummond was ready with the NDP policy and how their leader Andrea Horwath was going to change the way government works and how voters will benefit.
If their is no answer to the door knock – a flyer would be left in the mailbox.
One house that was approached had a sign at the front of their door saying that a registered nurse lives here and that anyone from the PC party should stay away.
One person Andrew spoke to was a single mother of two children. She worries about housing and child care. She also thinks that candidates tend to break their promises and that people are struggling.
Another person was 72 years old and retired. He said that not too long ago, he had his rent doubled. Despite his age, he has been raising his kids for 30 years. He doesn’t believe that Doug Ford will live up to his promise of lowering gas prices if he gets re-elected as Premier.
Drummond knows where his support is. He has grown that support in the years he has been a candidate; the belief this time is that he has the numbers to get a majority in Burlington.
The last person Drummond spoke to on the time I was tagging along told him that he and his team “are doing much better.”
A campaign gives a candidate a small peek into the lives of the people they want to represent – it tells them as well if they are talking to the needs of those people.
 The data – this what had been done up to the 20th of May Campaign offices are filled with charts and data that show where the strength is and what the vote potential is – the task next week will be to get that vote out on election day.
Campaigns are hard work. Everyone loses some weight; everyone is committed – the enthusiasm is high. It all comes to a couple of hours on the evening of Thursday June 2nd.
The tradition used to be that everyone gathered at the campaign office – workers and supporters – to watch the ballot counts come in.
The anticipation – the disappointment and the fear that it might not go their way is part of the evening.
Some contests get stretched out until the early hours – sometime everything is put on hold while the Returning Officer (the person who oversees the vote count that comes in from each polling station and deals with the problems) – there are always problems.
Jasmine Attfield, the Drummond campaign manager has decided that the candidate will not be at the office until the results are known.
Losing hurts – there is only one winner and in the game of politics – to the winner go the spoils.
The practice in Canadian politics is for the losers to drive over to the office of the winning candidate – congratulate them and then go back to your team and make the best of the evening.
By Staff
May 24th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
More than 9,000 swimming pool permits issued in 2021 – up 33%
Swimming pools were obviously popular through 2021 according to MPAC’s analysis of Ontario home building permits.
 High end of the market – expense doesn’t see to matter in many of the markets. The counted 9,059 swimming pool permits issued in 2021, an increase of 33% over the previous year. This continues a trend that saw a 53% increase from 2019 to 2020.
“The pandemic likely continued to put a focus on the home,” says Carmelo Lipsi, Municipal Property Assesment Corporation (MPAC) Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer. “Whether it’s because people were staying close to home due to restrictions, or were uncertain about future travel, many property owners invested in a pool as part of creating a backyard oasis to enjoy with family or friends.”
 The economy version – they work. The City of Ottawa was Ontario’s swimming pool capital for the second straight year, with 1,372 pool permits in 2021, a 47% jump. The City of Hamilton was next with 566 permits, followed by the Town of Oakville (315) and the City of Burlington (293).
Top 10 Municipalities: Swimming Pool Building Permits 2021
City of Ottawa 1,372
City of Hamilton 566
Town of Oakville 315
City of Burlington 293
City of London 286
Town of Milton 196
City of Windsor 189
City of Kitchener 178
City of Cambridge 153
Town of Lakeshore 150
Percentage-wise, the City of Clarence-Rockland was the leader, with a 175% increase (88 permits, compared to 32 in 2020). The Town of Oakville was next with a 160% increase, followed by the Township of Tiny (136%) and the Township of Middlesex Centre (130%)
 Add a wooden deck and you are about as Canadian as you can get. Top 10 Municipalities: Swimming Pool Building Permits 2021 by Percentage Increase from 2020
City of Clarence-Rockland 175%
Town of Oakville 160%
Township of Tiny 136%
Township of Middlesex Centre 130%
Town of Amherstburg 119%
City of St. Thomas 114%
Town of Pelham 107%
Town of Fort Erie 100%
Township of Centre Wellington 93%
Township of Beckwith 90%
That is a lot of water – what will the impact on climate change be?
 By Staff
May 23rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette uses Malwarebyte for much of our cyber security. It has worked well for us in the past – we recommend it. It is not free.
David Ruiz is a Pro-privacy, pro-security writer. Former journalist turned advocate turned cybersecurity defender. Still a little bit of each who writes for MAlwarebyteLabs. The following is a piece he wrote early in May – well worth reading if who gets to use your personal information matters to you.
Swearing off a company used to be easier. Rude customer service, an unfortunate bout of food poisoning, even standing up for workers’ rights against the alleged involvement of a private company to order a country’s military to brutally quash a strike—almost every facet of an individual boycott could be satisfied by simply refusing to purchase a company’s products.
But such a move can be far more difficult to accomplish today, especially when you’re trying to sever your relationship with an Internet conglomerate. Tired of Facebook? Be sure to jump off Instagram and WhatsApp, too, which are both owned by the social media giant. Over Amazon? Good luck trying to navigate the web without landing on at least one site hosted by Amazon Web Services.
And what about Google?
 The online behemoth has become so much more than a search engine, as it owns and produces hardware like Android phones, Google Pixel phones, Nest thermostats, and FitBit devices, while also operating Google Chrome, Google Mail, Google Calendar, Google Hangouts, YouTube, and Waze.
Saying goodbye to Google, then, isn’t as easy as refusing to buy an Android phone. It means likely changing several aspects of your life, including some that will affect the people around you.
Thankfully, this daunting task has already been taken on by the cybersecurity evangelist Carey Parker, who spoke recently on the Lock and Code podcast from Malwarebytes. According to Parker, it isn’t that he wanted to remove Google because he “hates” its products—if anything, he’s a fan. Instead, he wanted to start supporting other companies that will respect him and his data privacy.
“Google knows so much about us,” Parker said, explaining that Google makes the overwhelming majority of its revenue from online advertising, which it can only do because of how much data it collects from its users. “For me, it was about limiting as best I could how much information Google knows about me, removing as much as I can for things they already know about me, and then wanting to support companies who put privacy first.”
 For anyone who has wanted to take a similar plunge into a Google-less life, here are some of the tips that Parker shared with us.
Start with the individual—Search, Chrome, and Android
Getting rid of everything Google product all at once could be a disaster, as there are simply too many services and products to track. Instead, Parker began the first steps of his experiment by only removing the products that directly affected him.
“I started with the easiest things—at least I think the easiest things,” Parker said. “The ones that have maybe the least tendrils into other things. They don’t affect anybody but yourself.”
For Parker, that meant removing and finding new providers for Google Search and the web browser Google Chrome. When it comes to stepping away from Android devices, Parker found that easy—he’s been using iPhones for years.
In finding an alternative to Google Search, Parker offered two suggestions: DuckDuckGo and the search engine Startpage, both of which claim to refuse any user data tracking for revenue purposes. Instead, the companies say they serve purely contextual ads based on the searches themselves—like showing ads for Nike and Adidas for anyone looking for shoes—and they do not record or keep data on users’ specific searches. In fact, Parker said, Startpage actually works with Google to deliver search results, but the company tells users that it refuses to collect user IP addresses, device information, and browsing history.
“You don’t have to track people to make money,” Parker said, “and Startpage is proof of that.”
In looking for a different, privacy-focused browser, Parker suggested his personal choice, Mozilla’s Firefox, and also the up-and-coming browser Brave.
Bigger shifts with Gmail and GCal
Having found different solutions for searching and browsing the Internet, Parker said he then focused his attention on finding alternatives to Google services that impact those around him.
 “[Google Search and Google Chrome were] the first tier, and then, the next one, which is harder—a lot harder, because it involves other people—are Google email and Google calendar, Gmail and Gcal,” Parker said, “I’ve got shared calendars with my family and I am not going to expect them to drop Google like I am trying to do, so for that reason, I’m going to be stuck there for a little while, but I can minimize it.”
After researching the many options out there, Parker found two email providers—one that fulfills much of Google’s functionality and integration with a calendar function, and another that provides end-to-end encryption on messages sent and received between users of the same program.
The first suggestion is Fastmail. Fastmail, Parker said, is a for-profit email provider that users pay to use through a monthly subscription. The email provider also has a calendar solution that works directly with its main product. Even better, Parker said, is that Fastmail respects its users’ data.
“[Fastmail] explicitly say they don’t mine your data, and they are privacy-focused even if they’re not end-to-end encrypted by default,” Parker said. “It’s a really great service and it has the full suite of email, calendar and contacts, among other things. I use it for all my business stuff and some personal stuff.”
For user who wish to prioritize security, Parker suggested ProtonMail, which, by default, provides end-to-end encryption for all emails sent between ProtonMail users. That means that even if your emails get intercepted by a third party along route, those emails cannot be read by anyone other than you and your intended recipient.
More complexity with Google Drive and Google Docs
For users who want to take even more data out of Google’s view, there are just a couple final products to remove from the daily workflow. Those are the cloud storage service Google Drive and the cloud-based word processor Google Docs.
 For each product, Parker encountered headaches and obstacles, but he managed to find alternatives that both respected his privacy and provided similar feature sets and functionality.
In finding a proper cloud storage platform, Parker recognized that some of the major players, such as Box and Dropbox, did not provide meaningful encryption for users’ data that would prevent the companies from scanning and gleaning information from user files.
Parker offered several suggestions depending on what users want most. If a user wants to securely send a private file to someone else, he recommended the online services Swiss Transfer and Mega, which can give users the option to set certain parameters on how they share a file, including how long a shareable link is active and whether the file requires a password to access.
For pure storage options, Parker recommended the service Sync.com because of its client-side encryption. Many of the cloud storage providers today, Parker explained, will promise to keep your data secure, but they will also hold the decryption keys to anything that you store on their servers.
“Machines will review the files that you have stored on these drives, either for advertising purposes or, a lot of times it’s for copyright violations,” Parker said. “They’ll look and see—are you trading movies or music with other people? And they’ll flag that and give you grief.”
But after extensive research, Parker found that Sync.com actually provided users with a type of encryption that the company cannot work around.
“[Sync.com is] end-to-end encrypted,” Parker said, “meaning that, even if behind the scenes, Sync.com uses Amazon Web Services, Amazon can’t see what my files are.”
As to finding an alternative to Google Docs, Parker said he struggled a great deal, simply because Google Docs works so well. After first trying to adopt a solution that Parker said is “secure, it’s private, it’s end-to-end encrypted—as far as checking boxes, it checks them,” Parker grew disappointed with the solution’s interface and its sluggish response time. Then, a second option called OnlyOffice was, as Parker put it, “not for the faint of heart” because of a high technical bar which could require renting out cloud servers.
The best, most accessible alternative, then, Parker said, is Skiff, which has an easy-to-use interface, but which only has a replacement for Google Docs, and not for the other, related tools, like Google Spreadsheets or Google Slides. Skiff’s tool can be found at Skiff.org.
Step by step
Taking Google out of your life can be a long and complex process, but it doesn’t have to be hard at the very beginning. And remember, if you ever start to doubt what you’re doing, think about what made you want to start the process. If you’re anything like Parker, you’re motivated to keep your data private and out of the hands of a company that is making money off of you and your browsing habits.
“At the end of the day, we are in an age of surveillance capitalism,” Parker said, “and Google is a publicly traded company with a fiduciary responsibility to maximize profits for their shareholders. Absent privacy regulations in the United States, the financial incentives are just too great to ignore. That’s money off the table.”
Parker emphasized that until Google creates—and there’s no evidence this will happen—a version of its products that users can pay for with their own funds rather than with their own privacy, that users should assume that “at any moment, any Google product unfortunately can and probably will, somehow, monetize your data.”
As the saying goes, Parker said, “if the product is free, then you are probably the product.”
By Staff
May 23rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Data collected locally suggests that the Burlington seat is still very much up for grabs.
Jason Octavo, a Sheridan College Journalism student about to graduate this year, has been spending hours outside supermarket and LCBO stores – inside malls and in Spencer Smith Park. North and south of the QEW.
By the time the survey work is completed he will have interviewed more than 750 asking the following questions:
Question 1: Do you know there’s going to be an election in June?
Question 2: Do you know anything about the issues?
Question 3: Are you going to vote (if not, why)?
Question 4: Would you like to say who you will vote for?
We have added a 5th question: Is there a political party or candidate that you are favouring?
Are the numbers relevant, do they mean anything? They are certainly quite different than the province wide numbers where the Progressive Conservatives have a clear lead.
That province wide sentiment is quite a bit different than what is taking place in Burlington.
Impressive data – can the solid 2018 results be improved – enough to win the seat? The decision making in Burlington is informed by the significant number of New Blue Party signs that are showing up – especially in the rural part of the city; the size of the Muslim vote and if it will turn out for the Liberal candidate. And will the NDP vote locally continue to grow from the record vote level in the last provincial election. They have raised more money than ever this time around and have a spacious office set up with a motivated team of volunteers.
The Progressive Conservatives did themselves no favours when they pulled their candidates province wide from taking part in debate or interviews.
They see themselves as leading and don’t want to have a candidate say something that will blow up in their faces. There is very little being said by PC candidates on social media.
Everything comes from the Premier and so far none of the other candidates have been able to lay a glove on him.
Will voters be disgusted with the way they have been treated? Not the base vote for certain. Winning is all that counts. The voter be damned.
Octavo will be in the field up to May 31st – if there is a break in the news flow on something that could shift voter sentiments he will back back out until the day before the election.
 By Ray Rivers
May 23rd, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
The Ontario leaders election debate took place this past week. And the undisputed winner was the party which, if people were listening, should do a lot better than they ever have – but probably won’t. The Green Party’s Mike Schreiner was eloquent, articulate, passionate and to the point, and challenged the front runner, Doug Ford, as the other opposition leaders only wish they could have done.
 Andrea Horwath – working the crowd Andrea Horwath did herself no favours talking over-the-top of the other leaders. And when it was her turn to speak, mostly avoided the question while recounting tales of meeting people on the street – accounts which are probably just scripted fiction. And when she finally got to the point of a question, used the opportunity to attack the wrong enemy, her Liberal opponent.
It was clear Horwath was still fighting Kathleen Wynne and the 2018 election. She looked desperate and caused Mr. Del Duca to note that every time she attacked him, Doug Ford would smile. There is little light between the policies of the three left-of-centre opposition parties, so if they really care about those issues, their natural political opponent is the Tory in the house.
Del Duca was calm and factual but somewhat robotic as he kept getting gut punched by Doug Ford Del Duca was calm and factual but somewhat robotic as he kept getting gut punched by Doug Ford and his notebook of imaginary numbers. Del Duca was a little plastic, but at least he didn’t tirade. It’s not clear how the debate will affect his party’s standing, but without a knock out and/or Ford knocking himself out, it’s a long shot for any of these opposition politicians.
Ford probably could have skipped the debate, he’s so far ahead in the polls. But he showed up with his notebook. Candidates had been asked not to bring notes, but Ford is the front runner and he is the Premier, so he can do as he pleases. Ford appeared calm throughout, even when attacked; exuding positivity and optimism, confident that he was on the right track even if it was a railway built in the 50’s and 60’s.
The moderation at TVO studios could have been better. Steve Paikin warned that he would shut off microphones if the contestants misbehaved. But he never followed through on his threat, even when it seemed chaos was at the door. Besides, the confrontational debate format, itself, is partly to blame for encouraging over-talking. Finally, the studio venue clearly hadn’t been COVID-proofed, since two of the debaters tested positive immediately afterwards.
 Ford is running on his record Ford is running on his record as incumbents typically do. So what is that record? It’s not unfair to say that of all the candidates running in 2018 Mr. Ford was not the most qualified. His ‘bull-in-the-china-shop’ gambit at the start of his reign disclosed a clear lack of understanding of the roles of the province and federal government, not to mention the energy and climate files.
He came out of the gate, and without a shred of evidence, accused Wynne of corruption and fiddling the books. So he set up an elaborate audit to find out the real numbers. And the real numbers were pretty much what Wynne had presented except for where she disagreed with the provincial auditor general (AG) on a couple of points. It was all show and an embarrassing waste of time and money. Why didn’t someone in his entourage tell him that the independent AG was mandated to review the provincial books prior to each election, so he wouldn’t have to do it?
Ford’s early government was highly visceral, he governed from his gut with bearings set to his ideological predisposition. He declared war on Toronto City Hall, his old stomping grounds. He went after the Liberal federal government, unions (teachers and nurses in particular) and just about everything environmental. And his nihilist environmental attitude rang up a costly sum. According to a study by Environmental Defence his dismantling of climate change policies has cost taxpayers of this province over $10 billion since the 2018 election.
Most of those financial impacts included the loss of expected income from the greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program, Ontario’s alternative to the carbon tax. But there were real damage payments made, including $30 million to the giant US based Koch brothers. Then he wasted $30 million foolishly fighting the federal government over the carbon tax in the courts. And, while claiming he was saving hydro rate payers money by cancelling renewable energy contracts, actually cost us all almost a half of a billion dollars. Heck, even Tesla received $125,000 in legal compensation.
 Ford acted too slowly with respect to measures that would stop viral transmission. Ford’s early polling numbers dropped like a power line in an ice storm, reflecting his dismal performance in his first years as Premier. But Ontario rallied to its premier when the pandemic scared us all, and Ford and the prime minister were our solace during those early stressful days. Ford makes much of his fight to get personal protection equipment (PPE) supplies into Ontario, and the failure of the previous Liberal government to maintain inventories. But that doesn’t explain why his government had left those inventories empty during the first two years of his premiership.
Ford acted too slowly with respect to measures that would stop viral transmission and save lives in long term care (LTC). Although he inherited a troubled long term care program, the decision to have his ministry forego spot inspections of facilities just made the problem worse. And instead of actually implementing his ‘iron ring’ he allowed LTC staff to float among various facilities for way too long, inadvertently spreading the virus. His failures in LTC finally became apparent when he had to ask the federal government to send in the army.
 Ford has a habit of repeating his mistakes Ford on several occasions ignored the advice of the provincial science table and dropped restrictions prematurely or failed to tighten them early enough, thereby contributing to another wave. His refusal to re-instate the sick leave provision of the former government meant that workers would continue to show up at their jobs sick and spread the disease. And Ford had a habit of repeating his mistake – jumping the gun rather than waiting for lower and safer infection transmission rates before removing social distancing restrictions.
Each new case of COVID represented an additional cost to society, manifest in hospital and other health care expenses, lost income for those affected, lost economic productivity, and the very real personal costs of sickness, and sometimes death. Most of the financial costs were picked up by the federal government, but as we know there really is only one taxpayer.
Mr. Ford is proud of the jobs in new electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing he will be bringing to Ontario. That is a huge accomplishment, but these investments are also federally funded and likely would have been brought forward regardless which political party was in power in Ontario. And it is remarkable that Ontario has been able to attract EV production when Ford had been so hostile to the sector, killing the EV purchase grants, tearing out GO parking lot charging stations, and cancelling requirements for EV charging in buildings.
The promise of extracting valuable metals and rare earths from the so-called ring of fire, clearly helped attract a new battery manufacturing facility. But the province has still not built the road or rail connections it had promised back during the 2018 election. And, more recently, issues are looming around electricity supply for those industries.
Ford’s government is big on replacing renewable energy with natural gas, even as the rest of the world is trying to stop using gas. He spent $3 billion buying gas powered electricity plants which will almost ensure that the province will miss its climate change goals and drag Canada’s effort down with it. Natural gas is more destructive as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, and yet Mr. Ford has doubled gas use for electricity over his term in office.
Even though we are still kind-of in the pandemic, we’d all like to think it was a lifetime ago. And Ford’s earlier antics are even further away in our minds. So the number one election issue is something called affordability. There is no precise economic definition for affordability but that doesn’t matter to someone filling their tank, paying their mortgage or looking to buy meat at the grocers.
 A public wish and a badly needed solution – what will a new government be able to deliver? And polls show that when it comes to affordability, the word in Ontario can be abbreviated to just plain FORD – even if he is paying you with your own and your children’s money. He talks a good story about lower gas and electricity prices. And didn’t he just return all the money you paid in licence fees? So Mr. Ford is projected to win with as much as a 10 seat majority.
That could still change if strategic voting comes to pass but there is little sign of that happening this election. Both main opposition leaders know they’ll lose, but they’d rather lose than be nice to each other. So they’ll both be running for second place rather than first.
 Premier Ford – happy at this point. And the big truth is that both Horwath and Del Duca blew their chances to impress the voters at the leaders’ debate. Horwath’s platform is stale and Del Duca’s piece meal. And Ford, just like the first time he ran, doesn’t even have a platform. But he doesn’t need one because the opposition parties are playing Ford’s game, almost aping the big man, but not topping his non-campaign promises of affordability and the good life, as he smiles on.
 By Pepper Parr
May 22th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
There is just something not quite right about the sale and purchase of the Bateman High School property.
It is monumentally expensive.
The paucity of public information resulted in the sanctioning of a council member based on a complaint by two other Council members.
Councillor Stolte was docked five days’ pay for talking publicly about something that was discussed in a CLOSED session of Council – a no no in the municipal world.
Councillors Nisan and Galbraith filed a complaint to the Integrity Commissioner.
Then there is an announcement that there will be a l and swap – the city would sell the sports field to the west of Central High school – the proceeds of that sale would go towards paying for the Bateman property owned by the public Board of Education.
The city announces that there will be public engagement – before that a short survey.
Short survey has a short life – the cit y pulls the survey and provides some detail on a public meeting.
That gets the social media close to the boiling point. Those networks are going crazy over the Bateman high school and Central High school sports field matter,
Lynne Crosby, a frequent Tweeter, makes a comment – the city picks up on it …
… then ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman puts in a few words.
So failure is a possibility?
By Pepper Parr
May 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
There is just something not quite right about the sale and purchase of the Bateman High School property.
It is monumentally expensive.
It brought about the sanctioning of a council member based on a complaint by two other Council members.
Councillor Stolte was docked five days’ pay for talking publicly about something that was discussed in a CLOSED session of Council – a no no in the municipal world.
Councillors Nisan and Galbraith filed a complaint to the Integrity Commissioner. The issue was related to comments about the sale of the Bateman high school property n property.
Then there is an announcement that there will be a land swap – the city would sell the sports field to the west of Central High school to the Halton District School Board – the proceeds of that sale would go towards paying for the Bateman property owned by the public Board of Education.
A Gazette reader sent us a couple of tweets that were sent yesterday.
 Here we have Lynne Crosby talking to someone with concerns and questions.. Civil enough But then the following appears.
Were these meant to be assuring words? Is Councillor Sharman offside on this? He isn’t just a citizen with an opinion – he is a councillor with all kinds of inside information that a lot of people would like to hear him expand on.
Our faithful reader said: “My take is that the city has too much invested in this already to walk away. Look how they spent dollar after dollar for the pier to nowhere with no accessibility to the upper area for those who cannot walk up the stairs.
“Residents will never know the true cost of the Bateman project.
“Someone suggested to me that one of the reasons why so few people are entering the Municipal race is because they don’t want to have to work with our current Mayor, and presently no one is really challenging her.”
The social media types and their networks are going crazy over the Bateman high school and Central High school sports field matter. Amidst all this there is chatter over it all being a done deal
Don’t think it is a done deal and there might be a chance that it will fall apart.
By Pepper Parr
May 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
Ukrainians celebrate Vyshyvanka Day annually on the third Thursday in May. So I went to visit Gazette columnist Ray Rivers at his home. A Vyshyvanka is a traditional festive Ukrainian outfit shirt, for men and dress for women, which is hand-made and embroidered. It represents the history of the once great nation of Ukraine before it was invaded and its’ people oppressed over the years.
Rivers is of Ukrainian decent and has visited the land of his grandparents a couple times. The last time he and his wife, Jean, went there for a month to teach English, French and western culture to school children in Cherkasy, a city just south of the nation’s capital Kyiv. Ray was also on assignment to visit and cover Canada’s effort at training the Ukraine military near the western city of Lviv.
It was a memorable trip, his best vacation ever, even though it was a working holiday. While covering the military story for the Gazette Ray discovered the home of his third cousin living nearby in a small village, the birthplace of his paternal grandparents just outside of Lviv.
While teaching Ray and Jean were billeted by a couple of families with children in the schools. Once the Russian invasion began on February 24, Jean contacted the families to let them know that they would be welcome to come to Canada and the River’s would sponsor them. Since males between 18 and 60 must stay to support Ukraine’s war effort and defend the country, the mother and children of both families had accepted the offer but so far only one has made the journey from Ukraine.
 Artem listens carefully and then translates for his Mother The mother and son didn’t know much about Canada – they knew about Tim Hortons and hockey. Their plans? To return to Ukraine when the war is over – with no idea at all when that will be. They have adapted exceptionally well. Mila and Artem were driven by Mila’s husband from Cherkasy to Lviv and then across the Polish border to Krakow. A friend of the Rivers’ daughter worked at the Canadian embassy in Berlin and was delighted to help expedite the voyage of these new refugees from Krakow to Berlin and accommodate them for the almost three months it took to obtain a Canadian visa to come to Canada. They finally arrived in Toronto after a tiring journey last weekend.
Their first week here was mostly taken up with completing all the red tape required for their stay here….SIN numbers and health cards and medical exams. Jean had mentioned on a local Carlisle Facebook group that the refugees were arriving and one of the Pollard Window family offered to employ Mila if she met their requirements.
 From the left: Jean Rivers, an accomplished artist, Artem, Ray Rivers and Mila After an interview, Mila, who has an excellent resume with experience in furniture design, but is still struggling with her English, was offered a position with the company and starts the day after Victoria Day.
Mila and Artem will be staying only a few blocks away from the Pollard factory with Ray and Jean’s daughter and her family. Artem, who is 16 and in his second last year of school in Ukraine is completing his year virtually and planning to attend regular school here in Ontario next school year.
At this stage nobody knows how long the war will last but they are hoping to return once it is over and will return to their native country that much the better for the experience of living and working in Canada and with an appreciation for the kindness and consideration we have all extened them during this very troubling period in their lives.
Related news story:
When the Rivers first met their house guests
 By Pepper Parr
May 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 First it was Doug Ford’s buck a beer – that didn’t really take off.
Then it was the Liberal buck a ride for transit – there wasn’t a lot of detail band it came across as gimmicky.
Then Andrea announced the NDP would regulate the price of gas — capping gas prices, outlawing gouging, and saving Ontarians money at the pumps.
They had my attention.
Then NDP leader Andrea Horwath got on her soap box and said: “Every day, people are being gouged by oil and gas companies who are already making record profits,” said Horwath. “It’s time for Ontarians to get a break at the pumps. We’re going to cap gas prices and ban gouging — so you pay less.
“Ontarians need a government that will look out for them, not for their friends or giant corporations.”
She added: “Horwath and the NDP will regulate retail and wholesale mark-up of prices. The Ontario Energy Board will set a weekly price that includes reasonable profits for gas companies — not more.
“Four years ago Doug Ford promised to lower gas prices by 10 cents per litre. He has not. And the Ford and Del Duca scheme to temporarily lower the gas tax will only benefit gas stations — there’s no requirement that they pass that break on to drivers. Only Horwath and the NDP will get tough with oil companies and ensure permanent savings at the pump.
“Gas prices in Ontario have reached record highs, even though the cost of crude oil and refined products have not reached record highs.
“Gas prices are currently regulated in a number of provinces — it’s time Ontario did too.”
Nice election perk – is it enough to make her the Premier of the province – and if that happens – can she run a government ?
Something to think about,
By Staff
May 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
This hurts!
Average rent for all Canadian properties listed on Rentals.ca in April was $1,821 per month, an annual increase of 9 per cent from $1,676 per month in April 2021, according to the Rentals.ca and Bullpen Research & Consulting latest National Rent Report.
The April 2021 rent figure was the lowest national average rate over the last four years, with the monthly results in 2022 close to pre-pandemic rent levels. April 2022’s average rent is about $25 lower than the levels experienced the same month in 2020 and 2019.
Burlington came in third on the list of 35 cities for average monthly rent in April for a one-bedroom home at $2,017 and eighth for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,261.
 Rates are high, inventory very tight – the rental market is likely to stay this way for a while. Year over year, average monthly rent in April for a one-bedroom in Burlington was up 15.9 per cent and up 11.8 per cent for a two-bedroom.
Toronto finished second on the list of 35 cities for average monthly rent in April for a one-bedroom at $2,065 and for average monthly rent for a two-bedroom at $2,849.
Year over year, average monthly rent in April for a one-bedroom in Toronto was up 13 per cent and up 17.2 per cent for a two-bedroom. Month over month, average rent in Toronto was up 2.1 per cent for a one-bedroom and up 2.6 per cent for a two-bedroom.
Average rents in Toronto and Etobicoke for condo rentals and apartments were up annually by 15 per cent to $2,303 and $2,173 respectively;
Hamilton average rents increased 11 per cent to $1,790; and Mississauga, and London rents rose 7 per cent to $2,070 and $1,581, respectively.
Ontario had the second highest average rents at $2,093 per month (median: $2,000).
Ben Myers, president of Bullpen Research & Consulting said:“Average rental rates for single-family homes, townhouses and condominium apartments have experienced strong month-over-month growth as demand increases for higher-end properties. Big city rents are surging with Vancouver and Toronto leading the way. A return to the office, high gas prices, and rising interest rates are all fuelling demand for centrally located rental offerings.”
 By Staff
May 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
If you make it through the provincial election there is light hearted relieve for you.
Burlington’s Drury Lane Theatre is bringing I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE to the stage.
The production begins Friday, June 3rd and shows continue through Sunday, June 26th.
I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE is the longest running off-Broadway revue in history. This celebration of the mating game takes on the truths and myths behind the contemporary conundrum known as “the relationship.” Act I explores the journey from dating and waiting to love and marriage, while Act II reveals the agonies and triumphs of in-laws and newborns, trips in the family car and pick-up techniques of the geriatric set. This hilarious revue pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the portal of romance, and to those who have dared to ask, “Say, what are you doing Saturday night?”
 Invite your favourite person to join you in the comfortable cabaret setting at The Loft at Drury Lane on New Street. Enjoy a beverage from our licensed bar while watching the show and celebrate your own “perfect” relationships! Tickets are on sale at www.DruryLane.ca and by calling our Box Office at 905-637-3979.
By Barclay Gilmore
May 20th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
In spite of the diverse metrics applied to determine the popularity of various kinds of sports, it is extremely hard to determine which one is the most ubiquitous. The impact of these metrics is immense on the lives of onlookers and players.
 All sports are fun and educational, playing sports may also help children develop life skills such as teamwork Sports are often thought of as a type of social interaction and a way to connect with people. Aside from being fun and educational, playing sports may also help children develop life skills such as teamwork. Here are the 1most ubiquitous sports globally.
- Football
The most-watched sport over the globe is football, the North Americans call it soccer, with nearly 3.5 billion followers. Although football is a global sport, it’s most prevalent in regions such as Asia, Europe, and South America as well as in diverse countries, with over half of the populace watching the World Cup every single year. There are also many online sports games with casino promotions.
- Cricket
More than 2.5 billion humans all over the world pursue the sport of cricket. The game is widely loved in various countries, such as England, Australia, and India.
The basic rules of cricket involve a bowler running up to the batting team member and taking a run-up to catch the ball.
- Basketball
Although soccer and basketball are comparatively new sports, both of them have tremendous followers, with a number of 2.4 Billion Followers. Basketball has been around for a very long time, however, relatively new status, and it’s very prevalent in various countries such as the US and Canada. It is on its way to getting ahead of football and baseball as the most widespread sport in America.
- Hockey
 Hockey is a North American game with some of the best players coming out of Russia. In the US and Canada, ice hockey and field hockey are the most widespread kinds of games, in addition, in other countries, like Pakistan and India, both types of games are also generally played. Unlike other sports, hockey has loyal followers with the amount of 2 billion followers and a high-quality streaming audience.
- Tennis
As per a list by Top-End Sports, tennis is the most widespread sport globally, with 1 billion followers. It is played by around sixty million human beings worldwide. Aside from playing against one another, doubles are also commonly practiced.
- Badminton
Although it’s widely acknowledged that badminton is a widespread sport over the globe with 950 million followers, it is also very popular in Asia. Because of its fame, it’s produced, several well-known athletes.
- Volleyball
In spite of being considered a distinct sport, volleyball is still very popular in many countries over the globe, with 900 million followers.
Although it is less ubiquitous than other sports, it is still considered an Olympic sport.
- Table Tennis
Although table tennis is widely regarded as a popular sport with nearly 875 million followers, it doesn’t have many pro chances for aspiring players. As per the popularity of the game, it’s usually only performed in certain regions, such as Indonesia and China.
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 Baseball is another North American game played in Japan where it is very popular. Baseball
Despite baseball being considered one of the most ubiquitous sports in the US with more than 500 million followers, it is still considered the country’s national pastime. Baseball has even overtaken football as the most-watched sport in America.
- Rugby
Owing to the popularity of football and soccer, various other kinds of games have arisen as well. One of these is rugby, which is extremely prevalent in tightly populated regions. In addition, with almost 475 million followers, it’s followed globally but mostly in countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
By Jason Octavo
May 18th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Gazette assigned a reporter to learn how people in Burlington are handling the election for the next provincial government.
The assignment was to approach people and ask four questions:
Q1 Do you know there is going to be an election in June?
Q2 Do you know anything about the issues?
Q3 Are you going to vote? (If not – why note)
Q4 Would you like to say who you will vote for?
We captured the following additional data:
Male or female
Under 40 – over 40
Do they live in Burlington?
The interviews took place at GO stations, outside supermarkets, outside LCBO retail outlets, in Spencer Smith Park and the malls.
The results to date.
By Pepper Parr
May 18th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
 Fantastic Negrito – will be part of the summer Sound of Music program.
We’ve not heard much from the Sound of Music people.
One of their acts – Fantastic Negrito plays on June 17th
He is a three-time Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, musician, and activist
Fantastic Negrito (neé Xavier Dphrepaulezz) unveils his forthcoming studio album and film White Jesus Black Problems, out June 3 via Storefront Records. The multimedia project is based on the true story of Negrito’s seventh-generation white Scottish grandmother (Grandma Gallamore), an indentured servant, living in a common-law marriage with his seventh-generation African American enslaved grandfather (Grandfather Courage); in open defiance of the racist, separatist, laws of 1750s colonial Virginia.
With a pedigree like that – this might be someone very different and interesting to listrn to.
You get your chance – he is on stage June 17th, 2022
 By Staff
May 18th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is looking for residents’ feedback on a proposed land transaction with the Halton District School Board (HDSB) and leasing arrangements with the HDSB and Brock University for the City’s planned acquisition of the Robert Bateman High School building and property.
The proposed transaction with the HDSB would see the City transfer ownership of approximately five acres of City owned-land (sports field at Central High School) to the HDSB as a component of a land exchange for the Robert Bateman site.
 The sports field beside Central High school is owned by the city. Selling it to the school board frees up some cash that can be applied to the purchase of the Bateman location. It is a complex deal with a number of players that may not have had the benefit of some some take our time second thought. Some are wondering – why the rush? One pressure point is that Brock wants to be in the space they are renting – when? Tight timeline. The City owned-land in question is located near Burlington Central High School and includes the high school football field and running track.
The HDSB has wanted to own the sports field beside Burlington Central High School for some time; that desire is consistent with the HDSB’s long-term intention to continue operating Burlington Central High School as a school. This land exchange component will advance the City’s efforts to secure the Robert Bateman site in continued public ownership, ensuring that the Robert Bateman site is available for continued educational and community-oriented uses.
Feedback will also be sought on proposed leasing agreements with the HDSB that wants to use some of the space and Brock University that wants to locate one of its departments in Burlington.
Both leases are expected to be long-term but not to exceed 25 years.
Burlington City Council directed staff to gather feedback from the public on these proposals. Public feedback can be provided at the City’s online engagement portal, Get Involved Burlington. The time frame for getting sufficient public feedback is short.
 The site is a big one; the plans to re-purpose the location from a local high school to a multi-use site that would pull together local residents, a unit of Brock University, a public library and a number of gymnasiums with lots of space left over. A considerable amount of controversy is expected from the downtown community where there isn’t all that much open space to begin with. The 100th anniversary event was planned to take place on the sports field in June of 2023. Will that space still be available to the public once it is in school board hands?
Any thought of a community centre with a pool in that part of town would be lost. With three towers planned for Ghent and Brant, a short walk from the sports field, residents wonder if they are going to be locked out of creating more in the way of public amenities.
Click for the Link to Get Involve
This engagement opportunity will be open to Burlington residents until June 13, 2022.
Following public input, staff will report back to Burlington Council with a final report and recommendations at the June 21, 2022 Council meeting.
Some background:
In June 2021, HDSB announced that it has declared Robert Bateman High School surplus to its needs.
In December 2021, Council provided direction to staff to submit a formal offer to purchase the Robert Bateman High School site
On Feb. 3, 2022, Burlington City Council endorsed next steps to advance the potential acquisition of the Robert Bateman High School site from the HDSB.
Shortly after, also in June 2021, the City of Burlington announced that an expression of interest would be submitted to the HDSB to purchase the Robert Bateman site through a partnership with Brock University.
By Staff
May 18th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
If it worked twice – it will work a third time.
 The Drive thru worked well the past two years. Rotary will do it again on Victoria Day and plan for the traditional event in September. Canada’s Largest Ribfest, a fundraising initiative of Burlington Rotary Lakeshore, will be holding a taste of summer kickoff on Victoria Day in the Burlington Centre parking lot.
The public is invited to stop by the Burlington Centre parking lot, at 777 Guelph Line from 10am to 7pm to experience the fun and flavour from the comfort and convenience of your vehicle.
Brent Paszt, a Past President of Rotary Burlington Lakeshore, and Co-Chair ofthe Ribfest this year said: “While we are looking forward to our eventual return to Spencer Smith Park for our traditional annual Labour Day Weekend event, the need in our community remains great. So what better way for us to maintain the spirit of our Ribfest alive by delivering delicious ribs & great local entertainment and at the same time help Rotary Burlington Lakeshore support local charities in need.”
The Ribfest has a loyal following, and there has been tremendous support for our Drive-thru Ribfests the past 2 years. While we all want to be back in Spencer Smith Park at the end of summer, our guests understand the need to adapt and have embraced our drive-thru alternative.” added Jay Bridle, Co-Chair of the Ribfest this year
Guests are asked to enter Burlington Centre from the Fairview Street entrance and will remain in their vehicles for the duration of their visit. Food vendors will take orders and payment (cards preferred) and will deliver each completed order to your vehicle.
Gloves and masks will be worn by all staff, vendors, and volunteers.
Four award-winning rib teams in attendance will include Camp 31 BBQ, Billy Bones BBQ, Sticky Fingers & Uncle Sam’s BBQ Stand. Cogeco will once again be onsite offering their crowd favourite take home bbq spice to the first 1500 vehicles as well we welcome new sponsor Mosey & Mosey who will make sure your steering wheels remain ribsauce free by providing wet wipes for our guests. The event will also include live music for guests to enjoy while they wait in the comfort and safety of their vehicles.
By Staff
May 18th, 2022
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board put out the following media release.
The Halton District School Board is advancing a land transaction with the City of Burlington that would see the exchange of the City-owned sports field at Burlington Central High School (1433 Baldwin St, Burlington), with the sale of the former Robert Bateman High School (5151 New St, Burlington).
 The school will own the sports field once the negotiations are complete The parcel of land adjacent to Burlington Central High School is approximately five acres and includes the sports field and track to the west of the school. The Board’s purchase of this land ensures the continued operation of Burlington Central High School by the HDSB for the foreseeable future.
In June 2021, HDSB trustees approved a plan to declare the former Robert Bateman High School facility surplus to its needs and retain an interest in a portion of the facility to relocate the Burlington Gary Allan Learning Centre. In September 2021, the City of Burlington expressed interest and submitted their formal offer on Feb. 3, 2022, which was accepted by the Board.
This opportunity to acquire the area at Burlington Central H.S. presented itself to the Board and the City as part of the negotiation process, where the land exchange was incorporated as part of the final offer. This was supported by the Board, as it advances its long-term facility accommodation strategy in Burlington. The Board sought Ministry of Education approval and received a positive response to proceed with the transaction.
The outcome of this transaction addresses key objectives for the HDSB and the City by ensuring important educational and community programs continue to be offered within Burlington.
The Board looks forward to continuing to work with the City of Burlington on this matter.
The acquisition of the sports field is related to the Robert Bateman High School land transaction.
The bigger story is that the city had to find a way to lessen the public pressure on a price tag that was being floated and resulting in a lot of indigestion. Whatever the city gets for the sports field will lower the cost of the Bateman site.
The city is gearing up another engagement effort to get some grease on a very squeaky wheel.
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