 By Pepper Parr
June 3rd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 Doug Ford spoke in the Legislature before they recessed until October 27th. Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles gave Premier Ford a blasting as he headed off on another extended summer vacation, after spending just 30 days in the Ontario Legislature.
“The Ontario Legislature sat for just 30 days this session,” said Stiles. “Doug Ford spent that time buying himself a private jet and changing the law to hide his phone records.
“While we were fighting to make life affordable for Ontario families, Doug Ford gutted OSAP, voted against banning surveillance pricing, and against scrapping the HST on food, putting grocery giants’ profits ahead of the people.
 Marit Stiles, Leader of the NDP Opposition at Queen’s Park tells us that Doug Ford was focused on wasting taxpayer dollars for the 30 days the Legislature met. The Ontario government has shut down the legislature until Oct. 27 after sitting for just 30 days so far this year, taking an extended summer break that opposition leaders charge is meant to shelter Premier Doug Ford from a series of recent controversies.
The Progressive Conservative Premier, who won his third straight majority last year, has lost some public support, according to recently published opinion polls. In particular, he has faced a storm of criticism over his April purchase of a $28.9-million private jet, which he then sold within days after a public outcry.
He has also faced flak for exempting himself, his ministers and most of his MPPs from freedom of information legislation. The FOI changes, forced through without the typical scrutiny of a legislative committee, appeared set to wipe out a court order requiring him to hand over his cellphone logs to the province’s information watchdog.
 By Gazette Staff
June 3rd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
There’s something special about patio season in Burlington Downtown. It’s gathering with friends on a sunny afternoon, discovering a new favourite spot, lingering a little longer over dinner, and making the most of warm days and vibrant evenings.
That’s why Burlington Downtown is excited to launch the Patio Passport: Sip, Savour, Repeat — a free digital passport designed to encourage locals and visitors to explore the incredible patios, cafés, restaurants, breweries, and outdoor spaces that make our Downtown a must-visit destination all season long.
Running from June through October the Patio Passport celebrates outdoor dining and local discovery. Whether you’re enjoying a lakeside lunch, meeting friends for happy hour, starting your morning with coffee on a patio, or planning a weekend outing Downtown, the Patio Passport makes it easy to turn every visit into a new experience.
Here’s your invitation to spend time Downtown, explore local shops, stroll our streets, and discover the more than 400 businesses that help make Burlington Downtown such a vibrant and welcoming community.
So find a seat in the sunshine, raise a glass, and start checking off patios along the way. Your next favourite spot might be just around the corner!
Download your free Patio Passport and get ready to sip, savour, and repeat all season long!
 By Pepper Parr
June 2nd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Whenever a development is proposed, the city is required under the Planning Act, to hold a Statutory Public Meeting at which Staff present the development, usually in as few words as possible. The public can then comment.
In most situations, the developer’s planner makes a presentation.
On June 9th, the city has scheduled a Statutory meeting for the Bronte Creek development. In July, there will be a Statutory meeting for the King Road development.
The City doesn’t do very much to promote these events. There is a mention on the city website.
Both developments will have a significant impact on the nature of the city, especially the King Road development.
Bronte Creek includes 5164 to 5900 Upper Middle Road & 5201 Mainway is currently a large parcel of vacant land. It is adjacent to Bronte Creek Provincial Park and is bound by Sheldon Creek to the west, Burloak Drive to the east and Mainway to the south.
 The site has been a farm field for decades. Phase 1 will be made up of 254 lots and blocks including parks and open space blocks, employment blocks, natural heritage and stormwater management blocks, and a new public road network as “Phase 1”. Phase 1 will provide approximately 597 new residential units in a mix of single-detached, townhouse and medium-density mixed-use residences.
Phase 1, shown on the left, and Phase 2 on the right.The second development that will be discussed on July 7th.
1200 King Road will be a mixed use development consisting of 26 development blocks including: four mixed use development blocks, an entertainment block, three educational blocks, six residential blocks, a park block, two natural heritage system blocks, three blocks associated with Indian Creek, two stormwater management pond blocks, one landscape buffer block, two MTO property line blocks and one future development block.
 Aldershot GO station is to the left; King Road is the eastern boundary. Both are Alinea Land Group developments. That isn’t the issue.
What is at issue is that the two of them are taking place with very little in the way of public notice. Both are very significant developments that the public has not had much in the way of an opportunity to comment on.
The Gazette has reported in significant detail on both developments. It is time for the public to comment on what is taking place.
All good stuff – but let the public be at the table.
Anyone can comment in person at City Hall on the 9th about the Bronte Creek development. You can also comment virtually.
Mark your calendars. And take part.
 By David Graham
June 2nd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
I grew up in Cape Breton, N.S., in the 1970s. The parents of kids at my school had jobs at the steel plant, the coal mine, the fish plant. They weren’t rich. But most of them owned homes. They saved, they bought and the houses were there to buy because builders could afford to build them.
What builders have to go through today to get a construction permit would be unrecognizable to anyone in 1975, when Canadians were putting up 230,000 new homes a year with two-thirds of the work force we have now.
Fifty years later, with twice the population, we are still putting up the same number of homes. CIBC economists Benjamin Tal and Katherine Judge explained the problem succinctly in a recent report: “Prices are too high to buy and not high enough to build.”
Every story about Canada’s housing crisis is focused on “affordability,” and for good reason. Families are squeezed.
 Every story about Canada’s housing crisis is focused on “affordability,” and for good reason. Families are squeezed. Young people are locked out. It’s painful, but affordability is the symptom of an underlying disease. The disease is feasibility.
For almost 20 years, Atlantic Developments has built and sold condominium projects in downtown Halifax.
In many instances, we provided the opportunity for young people to get into home ownership. But construction costs in the past five years have gone up much faster than the incomes of potential buyers. The economics of building condominiums in Halifax, like much of the rest of Canada, is broken.
Here’s the hard truth: If it’s not feasible for the people who build conventional market housing to make a profit, they stop building. Private developers are the source of 95 per cent of Canadian housing supply. When they stop building, the consequences show up three to five years down the road, with less supply, tighter vacancy rates, higher rents and longer commutes for workers who can’t live near their jobs.
Canada is now one of the hardest places in the developed world to get a construction permit. We’ve built up, layer by layer, a regulatory maze.
A small apartment project in a mid-sized Canadian city can take four to five years from conception to completion. A big project in Toronto or Vancouver can take a decade. Consider this: We ask builders to bet on economic conditions five to 10 years out, in a country where even the Bank of Canada won’t forecast beyond two or three years.
Canada is not alone. Consultants from McKinsey and Co. reported that global construction productivity has not improved in decades, and an RBC report says that Canadian construction labour productivity declined by 37.3 per cent from 2001 to 2023.
Every project is a prototype. Every site has different zoning rules, approvals, inspectors and utility hookups, involving two or three levels of government as well as water, power and telephone utilities. Cumulative oversight, and fees that sometimes comprise 30 per cent of construction costs, are suffocating project feasibility.
Municipalities, creatures of provincial charters, with limited revenue sources and much infrastructure obligation have paid for growth with growth, distorting market efficiency. We have hit a tipping point.
If the federal government wants more housing fast and cost effectively, it must negotiate deals with provinces and municipalities that reduce development charges, hasten approvals and help pay for infrastructure that aligns with population forecasts.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford made a good start with their recent $8.8-billion infrastructure announcement that included development-charge reductions, cost sharing on infrastructure and a time-limited 13-per-cent rebate on HST for all buyers up to $1-million that declines for a home purchase above $1.5-million.
The Carney team must make similar deals with other provinces and municipalities.
Continued and expanded Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. construction and takeout financing programs, make it feasible to build and attainable to buy with the double-barrelled benefit of price competitiveness and additional opportunities for home ownership.
Finally, Ottawa should aim to reduce market uncertainty. It is easier for builders to take calculated risk in a complicated industry if governments project population trends and intentions.
A long-term steady and stable supply of housing is vital to social cohesion, equality, productivity, GDP and Canada’s ambitious prosperity plan.
In my old neighbourhood, homes that were built for steel workers and miners 50 year ago are still providing shelter to families.
For decades we have, step by step, with the best intentions, made it harder and harder for builders to put roofs over our heads.
If we want more homes, governments have no choice but to tackle feasibility.
Private developers are the source of 95 per cent of Canadian housing supply. When they stop building, the consequences show up three to five years down the road, with less supply, tighter vacancy rates, higher rents and longer commutes for workers who can’t live near their jobs.
David Graham is the Founder of Atlantic Developments
By Gazette Staff
June 2nd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
New national unity council to study what’s driving increase in antisemitism.
The new national unity council will assess what is driving antisemitism in Canada and improve research and data collection on hate incidents, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday.
 Prime Minister Mark Carney speaking at a synagogue in Toronto. Speaking at a synagogue in Toronto, Carney said “antisemitism has surged to levels not seen in the postwar period,” noting incidents including the firebombings of synagogues and bullets fired at Jewish schools.
He said more than two-thirds of all religion-motivated hate crimes in 2025 were directed at Jewish Canadians, who make up only one per cent of the population.
Combatting the problem starts with an admission that currently Canada is “failing Jewish Canadians,” he said.
“The crisis of antisemitism in Canada today is specific, it’s severe and it demands a targeted response, and that is what our government is fully committed to,” Carney said.
Senior Rabbi of Holy Blossom Temple Yael Splansky said antisemitism is “not a Jewish problem.”
“Just as people of colour cannot fix racism, just as women cannot correct misogyny, Jewish citizens cannot rid the country of antisemitism,” she said. “Only government can govern.”
“Canadian stability is being tested now. Canadian values are on trial now. At this watershed moment in its history, Canada must make good on its promise of peace, order and good government.”
By Pepper Parr
June 2, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
This is one of those occasions where “better late than never” would apply.
I suppose there had to be an official opening.
Whoever set up the event decided it was an occasion to celebrate.
 Public takes part in the celebration of a site that cost them $100 million The Mayor kept calling it a milestone event.
The conversion of what was once Bateman High School is the most expensive development the city has undertaken. It exceeded the cost of the Pier, which was built twice.
Bateman High School was determined to be surplus by the Halton District School Board (HDSB), which made it available. Other school boards, the city and other organizations were able to acquire the property if no one else wanted it – commercial operations, which everyone assumed meant developers could bid on the property.
Tim Commisso, who was the city manager at the time, decided that Burlington could acquire the property and create a community hub.
It was a convoluted exchange of properties. The city owned the playing field to the west of Central High School. The city exchanged the playing field for an interest in the Bateman property.
 The place is home to a number of groups – it has yet to take on a character of its own. They then did a deal with Brock University to have them take space on what would become the second level.
They then moved the Appleby Line Library into the new Bateman Community Centre.
The Halton District School Board took up a lot of space as well
Tech Place, a part of the Burlington Economic Development and Tourism Corporation, a not-for-profit operation that operates at arm’s length from the city took up space
The details were messy.
During the multiple meetings leading up to the closing of the deal, Alan Magi, one of the city’s Executive Director’s at the time could not utter the word asbestos – a product the site was riddled with.
The soccer field at the rear of the building was turned into a parking lot – this was when the city was talking up the use of public transit.
 The Bateman Community Centre has all kinds of space for people to hang around in. Other than the library, there isn’t much that can be used. There doesn’t appear to be a way for community groups to use the gymnasiums or the swimming pool. The design of the space is certainly not an example of the efficient use of space. It is cavernous. There is enough space in the area where you enter to play pickle ball. There is nothing warm about the space.
The multiple communities that use the space don’t have much in common.
During my early tour of the place, the one thing that struck me was – there was no coffee shop or cafeteria; just a vending machine that offered different beverages.
 Lots of space for people to sit around. The three gymnasiums were not in use when I toured the building a month before the Official opening.
 Brock University went all out to connect with the public that attended the Official opening. For the most part, Brock doesn’t have much of a connection with the city. Brock University has a library for its students adjacent to the public library on the ground floor. They also have change rooms and storage space on the ground floor. A visit to the Brock space on the second floor had to be put off to another time.
The HDSB is understood to operate the space that is owned by the city.
As I read about the Celebration of the Official opening, I found myself seeing it as a wedding that was being performed for an unwed but pregnant teenager. These things are usually done quietly in a chapel somewhere – no need to tell the world about the circumstances.
It appears that Burlington saw it as an opportunity for multiple photo ops – and with an election on the horizon, photo ops are not something you take a pass on.
Hopefully, at some point, the place will take on a character of its own – or become a white elephant that didn’t quite work out.
Tim Commisso will have to wear that one, but he has moved on.
By Gazette Staff
June 2nd, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Insurance for car drivers undergoes a significant change on July 1st.
Nine out of 12 standard auto accident insurance benefits become optional. They are meant to give consumers more choice.
 Get the insurance cover you need, given your individual circumstances. The provincial government is making these changes to provide Ontario drivers with more flexibility.
The changes mean consumers have to make some difficult trade-offs between modestly lower premium costs and taking on additional risk.
What’s optional and what’s not?
The following auto accident benefits will become optional: income replacement benefits; non-earner benefits; caregiver benefits; lost educational expenses; expenses of visitors; housekeeping and home maintenance; damage to personal items; death benefits and funeral benefits.
Standard medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits will continue to be included in all auto insurance policies, which cover medical expenses, therapy, personal care assistance for injuries from an accident (including doctor visits), physiotherapy and help with daily activities such as bathing.
How will this impact insurance premiums?
Drivers on tight budgets may choose not to opt in.
Removing all of the optional auto accident benefits will save Ontarians approximately $100 a year (that’s around $8 a month).
Who should opt in and who should opt out?
Those purchasing a policy on or after July 1 will have to opt in to the optional accident benefits they want to purchase. Make a point of asking your insurance agent or broker which benefits are included in your quote.
For some Ontario drivers, it might make sense to opt out of some of the benefits. A retired person likely won’t need income replacement. What new changes mean for pedestrians not covered by insurance
 Talk to your insurance broker to get the details you need. For those trying to save money, reach out to an insurance broker to see if there are other ways you can save
The IBC and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) have information on their websites that explain what each of the nine optional benefits encompass. Consumers with questions about the changes can reach out to the IBC through its consumer information line at 1-844-227-5422.
You can change your optional accident benefits any time, so if you have a change of heart or your circumstances change (having a child or starting a new job), you can contact your insurer, agent or broker to review your options. Just keep in mind that only the coverage in place at the time of an auto accident will apply to your claim.
 By Gazette Staff
June 1st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Rory Nisan held his first campaign to be elected Mayor of the City on Sunday at a downtown location.
That location wasn’t made public – Nisan appears to have wanted his people in the room and not those who might have some pointed questions.
The campaign is reported to have three pillars
Fiscal responsibility
Affordability
Quality of life.
Nisan didn’t have much to say about any of the three other than to point out that business people have two ways to get control of the finances: earn more – spend less.
 Nisan: his budgets would be tied to the rate of inflation. No word on what he would cut if he had to. City’s said Nisan have a third option, which is to tax the public.
The “dozens” of people at the meeting are reported to have chanted Rory, Rory, Rory.
Nisan said he said no to the city’s last three budgets. Instead, his potential budgets would be more tied to the rate of inflation.
Nisan is reported to have said Council “will be a real team of seven, which is something that has been lacking lately.”
 Nisan did a whack job on Councillor Sharman and his pension benefits. On that note, Nisan is correct. The whack job he did on Councillor Sharman over his pension benefits was close to the most disgusting behaviour seen at what has been a very divisive Council. The only one who bests Nisan is Mayor Meed Ward and her rant on Councillor Stolte.
The event, filled with handshakes, hugs, and photos, included only a brief speech from the councillor, and was otherwise an informal interaction between him and supporters.
Burlington Today reports that “Nisan has served as Ward 3 Councillor since 2018. He was previously a Senior Police Advisor with Foreign Affairs Canada.”
Foreign Affairs department is officially known as Global Affairs Canada,
He was not a “police” advisor. The role he held was not a Senior position. He did advance work for meetings that were scheduled by Global Affairs Canada.
 By Gazette Staff
June 1st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 A Burlington minor hockey team’s season of giving back came full circle this weekend, as the U10 Burlington Bulldogs travelled to Kelowna for a once-in-a-lifetime experience with NHL legend Jarome Iginla through the Giuseppe x Dr. Oetker Practice with a Pro program.
 The team earned the opportunity after a season of meaningful community impact, raising funds, collecting donations for families in need, and supporting seniors and veterans across Burlington.
While in Kelowna for Memorial Cup festivities, the Bulldogs participated in an on-ice practice coached by Iginla, as well as took part in a series of hockey-themed experiences, celebrating the recognition of their efforts beyond the rink.
By RESCON
June 1st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The housing affordability crisis in Ontario is no longer a cyclical enigma that will magically correct with time.
It is structural, decades in the making, and the result of public policy failure. The data tells a stark story. Without deliberate, co-ordinated reform across all orders of government, affordability will not return to historical
norms for at least another decade – if at all.
 The scale of the problem is difficult to overstate. Housing starts in Ontario totaled roughly 12,700 units in the first quarter of 2025, the weakest quarterly performance since the aftermath of the 2008-09 financial crisis. In the GTA, new home sales collapsed to just 5,314 units in 2025.
This is happening even as the province targets 175,000 new homes annually. Actual delivery is falling short by more than 100,000 units per year.
The gap is not a blip. It is the result of four decades of policy accumulation that has fundamentally reshaped the cost structure of housing. The affordability ratio – which is the share of household income required to carry home ownership costs – peaked at roughly 63 per cent in 2022, far above the long-run average of about 38 per cent. While it has eased to around 42 per cent in early 2025, it remains structurally elevated. Without reform, a full return to historical norms is unlikely before the mid-2030s.
The good news is that this crisis is, in substantial part, policy-constructed – and therefore policy-addressable – but only if governments are willing to undertake reforms that are politically difficult but economically necessary.
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS
Without deliberate, co-ordinated reform across all orders of government, affordability of housing will not return to historical norms for at least another decade – if at all.
First, there must be a permanent restructuring of development charges.
Government-imposed costs now account for 35.6 per cent of the price of a new home in Ontario. In some markets, municipal fees alone add between $102,000 and $196,000 per unit. In Toronto, the charges have risen more than 1,000 per cent since 2009 – vastly outpacing inflation.
These charges function as a hidden tax on new buyers, forcing them to finance infrastructure upfront that benefits entire communities over decades. The solution is straightforward in principle: shift infrastructure funding away from
upfront levies and toward long-term financing tied to asset lifecycles.
This would immediately lower entry costs for buyers and reduce the compounding “tax-on-tax” effect created when HST is applied on top of these fees.
Second, we must have enforceable limits on approval timelines. Time is money in housing development, and Ontario’s system is extraordinarily slow. Approval timelines in the GTA range from 14 to 25 months, nearly double the national average. Each month of delay adds thousands of dollars per unit in carrying costs. The province must impose statutory limits – ideally under 12 months – with financial consequences if municipalities fail to meet them.
Third, Ontario should make HST relief permanent on new homes up to $1-million. The temporary nature of the recent announcement limits the impact. Making HST relief permanent – and ideally extending it through federal participation – would remove a significant demand-side barrier, particularly for first-time buyers. It would also improve market confidence.
Fourth, industrialized and offsite construction needs to be scaled up. Governments must actively support a transition toward modular and off-site construction through targeted incentives and procurement reforms. These methods can reduce construction timelines by up to 50 per cent.
Fifth, building codes need to be modernized to unlock missing middle housing. One of the most impactful reforms is the adoption of singlestair building designs for mid-rise construction. Widely used in Europe and recently embraced in B.C., this model allows for more efficient building layouts on smaller urban lots.
Requiring two sets of stairs makes many mid-rise projects financially unviable. Changing the rules could unlock a substantial share of urban land for gentle density and increase supply without altering neighbourhood
character dramatically.
 Developers have put some of their projects on hold -no one is buying. Together, these five reforms would address the core drivers of the affordability crisis: excessive government-imposed costs, regulatory delay, weak productivity, and constrained land use. They are practical, evidence-based measures that directly target the policies inflating housing costs. Without structural reform, Ontario will remain trapped in a cycle of undersupply and unaffordability. Temporary measures – such as the short-term tax relief or funding agreements – will provide a brief reprieve, but they do not sufficiently
address the underlying problem.
Recent federal-provincial cooperation and growing political consensus around the severity of the housing crisis create the conditions for meaningful change. But that window will not remain open indefinitely. Without action, an entire generation will be priced out of the market.
The goal of restoring affordability is achievable but only if governments are willing to confront the policies that created the problem in the first place – and commit to fixing them for the long term.
By Gazette Staff
June 1st, 2026
BURLINGTON. ON
 Frank Domenic: The voters in Ward 6 get to decide if this is the kind of person they want representing them on City Council. Frank Domenic, a candidiate running for the Ward 6 Council seat, said on his Twitter (X) account that “Two Burlington City Councillors are collecting bonuses for being senior citizens, a move which Councillor Rory Nisan calls unprecedented.
Councilor Nisan was wrong when he went on at length about pension monies Councillors Sharman and Betivegna were paid once they pass the age of 68.
People on the city payroll have a sum deducted from their paychecks that goes into the OMERS pension fund. As a benefit that every staff member gets, the city adds an amount. The employee and the city amounts are invested by the OMERS people which pays out the pension when a person retires.
OMERS does not accept pension payments for a person older than 68.
 Questioning the pension funds that were given to Councillor Sharman was close to the most disrespectful thing done by one Council member to another. Councillor Sharman felt that was unfair and believed he should be given the city contribution.
After considerable research the city HR department agreed with Sharman and an amount was paid out.
The payment was not a bonus. It was funds that every council members get. Those under 68 have the funds put into their OMERS pension fund. For those over 68 – they are given the funds which they can put into whatever pension arrangement they have.
The Halton Region Police Services Board did this with Chief Tanner. It is a common practice and Frank Domenic knows or should know that.
One could conclude that Frank Domenic may not be suited to serve as a City Councillor
By Pepper Parr
June 1st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
The 2026 municipal election is going to be a lot different than what took place in 2022. The pandemic resulted in people having the behave differently and to be careful about how the congregated.
 Voters will decide on who the Council members will be on October 26th The 2028 election resulted in a huge change in the makeup of the seven member council. Five of the seven were brand new to politics. The hope was that they would grow as a team. Council turned into a divisive organization.
The election we are now working through is going to be much more robust than what took place in 2022. It also has the potential to elect a new Mayor.
There are good candidates in most of the wards, the exception being ward 6.
The Gazette has decided it will not be accepting election advertising from any candidate.
We will however, offering editorial space to those who are running for the first time.
 Each month from June to September each candidate will be offered free news space where they can set out their campaign, what they would do as a Council member if they were elected. The only role the Gazette will play in the content is the writing of the headline. Incumbents have a huge advantage over people running for the first time. We take the position that voters deserve to hear what a candidate has to say.
The Gazette is preparing to hold debates at both the Mayoralty and ward levels. We are preparing to meet with people who will serve as moderators and others who will serve as panel members. Panel members will be putting questions to the candidates.
The Roseland Community Organization will be hold a Mayor level debate and debates involving the ward 4 vote only. That will take place on October 20th, at Port Nelson United Church where there is a limited amount of space.
The Gazette is looking at a location with more than enough space for a large turnout and plenty of parking space.
By Pepper Parr
May 31st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Actions speak louder than words -that is more true in the world of politics.
About six months ago we became aware of Burlington Helping Burlington; a group of people that raise funds and then give those funds to orgabnizatins that need money to serve the community.
 Burlington Helping Burlington has a good story to tell – you can find them HERE. Burlington Helping Burlington (BHB) is a volunteer-based, registered charitable foundation that brings businesses, charities, and community members together to support local causes that matter most.
 Sean Campbell One of the people leading the organization is Sean Campbell.
I first met Sean at the Lisa Kearns event in Civic Square when she made it known that she would be running for Mayor.
I sensed then that he would be seeking public office. At the time he didn’t deny he might be running and said he would rather than we not publishing anyting. He added that when he was ready to announce his intentions he would be in touch. He actually said he would “tell me first”. An immediate sign in my experience was that this man is not going to deliver on his word.
I crossed path a little later when Sean attended one of Lisa’s ward meetings.
Gary Carr, current Chair of Halton Regional Council was also in the room. Why I wondered was Gary Carr in the room. Was he a potential ward 2 candidate?
Brad Harness, publisher of the Burlington Independent, was also in the room.
I met Sean a third time at the Lisa Kearns Election Platform event. He told me at that time he would be filing his nomination papers on the Friday.
We talked a bit about what he would be up against with Gary Carr now in the race for the ward 2 seat. We talked a bit about his background and I said at the time that I would want to do an in-depth interview just as soon as he was named as a candidate on the City MyVote website.
 Sean Campbell I emailed Sean and left several (that means three or more) phone messages. None of the email was answered nor were any of the phone calls returned. That made the “I’ll call you first” statement a little on the hollow side.
Then I saw the news report in another media that had some detail on Sean’s background.
I wondered if we should reach out again and decided not to make another call or sesnd another email.
Instead write on our experience with Sean Campbell and let the public decide on how Sean interprets the words “action” and “words”
By Pepper Parr
May 31st, 2026
BURLINGTON ON
From the Leader of the Opposition, Pierre Poilievre, to the Prime Minister,
On Friday, you became the only leader in the G7 to have taken your country into a recession. Statistics Canada reported that Canada’s economy shrank in two consecutive quarters, the definition of a recession.
You promised you would deliver the fastest-growing economy in the G7. You delivered the only recession in the G7.
Excuses about tariffs and the war in Iran do not work either. All the other G7 countries contend with tariffs and the war. None of them – not one – is in recession. Just Canada. Under your watch.
Before you dismiss it as a technicality, there are many other facts surfacing this month alone pointing to a recession:
 112,300 job losses in the first three months of this year alone, with 45,800 more Canadians unemployed since you became Prime Minister. - The second-highest unemployment rate in the G7, a third higher than in the U.S.
- The economy shrank in three of the four quarters you have been in power. No other G7 country has had that happen.
- Business investment fell another 0.7%, the fifth consecutive quarterly decline.
- Over $20 billion of net investment has fled our economy ($109.3 billion has left and only $88.4 billion has returned).
- Equifax reported that insolvency volumes increased to levels not seen since 2009, up nearly 19 per cent year-over-year. 1.5 million Canadians missed a debt payment in the first three months of this year alone, with mortgage delinquency rates climbing 32 per cent year-over-year.
- Canada has the highest household debt in the G7 by far.
- The CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto said this week that one-tenth of Greater Toronto Area residents are now using a food bank. Last year saw a record 4.1 million visits, a 340 per cent increase from 2019.
As you can see, the two back-to-back quarters of declining GDP are not a fluke, anomaly or technicality. It is one of an avalanche of proof showing a collapsing economy with fast-rising costs.
The recession is real. It means moms with empty stomachs, grocery baskets and bank accounts. It means homeowners tossing and turning in bed at night, wondering how they will make the next mortgage payment. It means parents telling their kids, “We have to sell our house. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
Speeches, fake MOUs, discussion papers, announcements, paid media coverage and other illusions will not reverse the damage or stop the economic hemorrhaging. You need to reverse course. Now. Before it is too late.
You love to give speeches. I am inviting you to give one.
By Pepper Parr
May 31st, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
Just what did Burlington gain with the strong Mayor Powers that Premier Ford handed out several years ago?
It certainly divided city Council.
The Toronto Star recently published a feature showing what different municipalities across the province did with the power they were given.
The data they collected on Burlington’s use of that power is set out below.
 
The biggest thing the Mayor did was use the power to approve bylaws Council debated and agreed upon.
The rules in place required the Mayor to produce a budget that Council, with one exception – Lisa Kearns, approved.
Last week Council spent far too much time discussing how the powers will be used going forward. The one power Mayor Meed Ward kept, she used to three times, was the ability to hire and fire the City Manager – now called the Chief Administrative Officer.
Should there be a change in the leadership of Council after the October municipal election, expect to see this come up again.
Strong Mayor Powers were handed out by Premier Ford, who expected City Council’s to use them to build more housing. That didn’t work out.
The data shown below shows just what the city has underway in terms of local development as of March 18th, 2026.
 By Alan Harrington
May 30th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 Being a paid member of Burlington Performing Arts for the past few years, I got to attend the Season Kickoff. A timely break from all the noise and violence in the news.
It is usually a fun evening, and last night was no different.
 White Eagle Stonefish The evening began with WhiteEagle Stonefish’s Good Words and Intentions from Canada’s First Nations people.
Canada has a rich history and, as the home of Joseph Brant, Burlington is the perfect place to celebrate our Indigenous folklore.
First Nations stories are OUR stories.
 Chuck Commanda, a Birch Bark canoe builder. There will be an opportunity to interact with Chuck Commanda, a Birch Bark Canoe Builder, who will be building a canoe at BPAC in September of this year.
Our hosts for the evening were Lisa & Annie who supplied a rundown of the upcoming music events.
Canadian icons Jim Cuddy, Men Without Hats, and Trooper. I am a big fan of Trooper – but they don’t mention that this Trooper show does not have the original guys.
Brooks & Bowskill gave us a sample of their country music skills.
We were able to get a sample of three singing acts – one of whom was Myriad Ensemble (I counted 80 members) singing together. They will soon represent Burlington and Canada, among other groups from around the world at the “Choir Olympics”. They will assemble in Stockholm where the Swedes know a thing or two about assemblies. Am I right IKEA?
Our hosts moved onto upcoming comedy nights, one show being “A Brief History of Smoking Cigarettes”. It sounds interesting and segues perfectly into their next comedy show “Hold On To Your Butts”. A reminder not to throw them on the ground.
 Shakura S’Aida More music with Shakura S’Aida who got us on our feet singing and dancing, wowing her to announce “Burlington audiences are better than Toronto audiences”.
There are many, many more shows offered including interactive numbers, magic, and kids themes.
Overall, the 26/27 schedule seems to me to harken to earlier days. Like the 1960s with hippies – where it was just the music before all the lasers and pyrotechnics.
The evening closed with Kate Dickson and Shannon Thunderbird, two other First Nation speakers who are part of the new season.
It was so positive to see our nation’s Indigenous culture at the forefront sharing their stories as part of our Burlington arts scene. Something that we can showcase to the world.
I have already bought some tickets for shows in the fall.
By Eric Stern
May 30th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
The National Theatre School Drama Fest Provincial Showcase took place from May 20 to May 23rd, at York University with Nelson High School’s entry, Disconnected, competing in the showcase.
 August Frade is on the right. Two students from Nelson, August Frade and Cecelia Sheehan, won the prestigious Ken & Ann Watts Scholarships: It will contribute $3,000 for each student towards post-secondary education.
Disconnect won two awards, with Cecelia Sheehan receiving an “Outstanding Achievement Award” for choreography and Elijah Moore receiving a Mira award for Innovative Design.
Congratulations to all the Burlington students who participated in the district, regional, and provincial festivals.
 The Nelson High School students who took part in the Production Disconnected. Three Burlington high schools participated in the Drama Fest
Nelson High School, DisconnectedM.
MM Robinson High School, No Cause for Concern
Burlington Central High School, The 146 Point Flame
The awards handed out by the NTS DramaFest Provincial Showcase for 2026.
Adjudicator – Mike Payette
Venue Coordinator – M Graham
KEN & ANN WATTS SCHOLARSHIPS
Cecelia Sheehan, Nelson H.S. (Burlington, ON)
Simon Bilmer, O’Neill C.V.I., (Oshawa, ON)
August Frade, Nelson H.S., (Burlington, ON)
Galen Armbruster, Erin D.H.S. (Erin, ON)
KEN & ANN WATTS BURSARIES
Clara Christopher, Loyalist C.V.I. (Kingston, ON)
Gabrielle Cudmore, Greater Fort Erie S.S. (Fort Erie, ON)
Tia Cahill-Easton, McKinnon Park S.S. (Caledonia, ON)
WAYNE FAIRHEAD NEW PLAY AWARD
Our Roots of Patience by Maahrukh Adeel Ahmed, Cedarbrae C.I. (Toronto, ON)
STAGE MANAGEMENT AWARD
Greta Zoethout (John F. Ross C.V.I), Here’s What You Missed
SPIRIT OF THE FESTIVAL
The Way Home (Wallaceburg D.S.S.)
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:
Stage Combat : There Is No Play (Bowmanville H.S.)
Direction: Here’s What You Missed (John F. Ross C.V.I.), Quincy Kavanagh & Grace McGinnis
Scenography: The Way Home (Wallaceburg D.S.S.)
Choreography: Exstrophy (St. Patrick C.S.S.), Julia Doria & Maya Marles Hart
Choreography: Disconnected (Nelson S.S.), Cecilia Sheehan
Choral Work: The 146 Point Flame (Chippewa S.S.)
Vocal Work: Mere Mortals (West Ferris S.S.)
The Turn Back Time Award: Our Roots of Patience (Cedarbrae C.I.) – For excellent exploration of time devices and shifting between timelines and geographies
LOL (Laugh Out Loud Award): The End (The Woodlands School), Jeff Zhang
LOL (Laugh Out Loud Award): The Seven (Loyalist C.V.I), August Fulkner
Thunderbolt Award: Entre les linges (E.S.C. EJ Lajeunesse) – For a shocking, powerful moment onstage
The Best Line Award: The Call to 10 Fires (Lorne Park S.S.)
MIRA AWARDS:
Dramaturgy: Exstrophy (St. Patrick C.S.S.), Chloe Fleisher
Stage Presence: The 146 Point Flame (Chippewa S.S.), Lily Gilbert
Monologue: The End (The Woodlands School), Hector Acioli Matos
Innovative Design: Disconnected (Nelson S.S.), Elijah Moore
Composition: Entres le lignes (E.S.C. EJ Lajeunesse), Robert Rousseau & Brady Dessurault
Outstanding Performance: The Way Home (Wallaceburg D.S.S.), Angel Williams
The National Theatre School, located in Montreal, took over the operation of the Drama Awards in 2017 when Sears (the department store) dropped out of the sponsorship.
The Drama Fest first took place in 1946
The author, Eric Sterns, is a co-founder of Focus Burlington. A granddaughter took part in the play Disconnected
By Gazette Staff
May 30th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
 Police presence will be enhanced today. Police report that they are anticipating a “large youth gathering” at Burlington Beach on Saturday.
Police say they are taking steps to ensure public safety, should a gathering occur; other than that they don’t appear to know very much. Specific details seemingly not known to the police.
.Safety measures include enhancing police presence in the Burlington Beach area warning “unsafe, disruptive, or unlawful behaviour” may lead to “enforcement action.”
The HRPS have also encouraged parents and guardians to “speak with their children and reconsider attending the area.”
By Pepper Parr
May 29th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
It was a Members Only night – the turnout was impressive.
There may have been 15, could have been 20, empty seats – the Main Theatre will hold 750 people.
It was an over-50 crowd for the most part.
 People gathered during the Intermission to chat with friends. They had come to learn about the new season and to be entertained. It wasn’t until after the Intermission that they saw a great performer lift them out of their seats. People who had come to hear what the 2026-27 Season was going to look like and to place their orders once they had looked at what was scheduled.
The Season has some exceptional events – what wasn’t exceptional was the presentation done by Executive Director Sara Palmieri and Annie Wilson, BPAC Director of Programming and Marketing.
They took turns explaining what was planned – I got the feeling they were selling me something rather than telling me what was being presented with some vim and vigour.
There was nothing that moved the audience, nothing funny, nothing that resulted in an immediate burst of applause.
The one live performance by Brooks and Bowskill before the intermission wasn’t all that good.
During the intermission, I button-holed a few people and asked what they thought of what they had heard. “I was not blown away by any of it so far” was the first response I got. Another woman who brought her father to BPAC events often said there wasn’t something that she knew she had to see or something the knew her Dad would like.
That is not to say that there weren’t performances that looked to me as really interesting that I personally would like to see.
 Pareidolia – not to be missed. Pareidolia is not to be missed, and Modern Biology is not a high school presentation. Just incredible is the best way to describe that production
I saw this Members Only event as the way BPAC management was saying Thank You to the at least 700 people who are paid-up members.
I thought the event was an occasion when BPAC was going to Wow! their membership. Instead, the two women leading the event chatted back and forth.
The audience wasn’t dead – it was the presentation that was limp and on life support until some of the performers were on the stage.
Being a Master of Ceremonies requires a certain skill set – people who can read an audience and pull them in. They make it an occasion for you, and you leave with some energy and enthusiasm.
 Shakura S’Aida told the audience she expected to see them when she returned in February. Shakura S’Aida was on stage during the second half of the evening. She was the kind of performer who wasn’t prepared to let the audience sit on their hands. She had them clapping to her vocals and at one point on their feet, moving their hips the way white people don’t usually move their hips.
Several community greats will be back. Sara Harmer and Totering Bipod doing “Sometimes it Snows in April.
There will be a Very Charlie Brown Christmas Concert – but no Nutcracker Suite this season.
The presentations were wrapped up by two Indigenous women, Kate Dickson and Shannon Thunderbird, sisters who were informative and very funny.
 WhiteEagle Stonefish They wove the Indigenous story into their explanation of what BPAC was about. The evening had opened with WhiteEagle Stonefish speaking, for a little too long, I thought, about the land we live on and our responsibility to preserve what we have been given.
 Couples went over the program schedule and chose what they wanted to attend, and placed their orders before going home. With the presentations complete, people gathered in that huge open space outside the theatre to enjoy a nice selection of hors d’oeuvres.
My ride home was due to pick me up at 9:30 – the line-up at the cash bar was still there.
And there were people at the two box offices placing their orders.
Sara Palmieri told me this morning that they didn’t close the place down until 10:30 and that a record had been set for the number of tickets sold on the Members Only occasion.
A good sign for certain.
Just Wow them next time – this is show business.
 By Pepper Parr
May 29th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
I needed to get some fresh air after dinner and before heading to the Performing Arts Centre for their Members Only event.
I decided to walk out to the end of the Pier and enjoy the lake for a few minutes.
The Gazette covered the construction of the Pier like a wet blanket when it was being built.
 There are other ways to leave your mark. This kind of graffiti takes away what the Pier has to offer to those who look for some peace and quiet and a place to sit down and chat with friends.
There was an attachment to the place that was marred by the graffiti that people had scratched into the metal rail. Made the place look a little shoddy and took away the pristine look people have come to expect.
The city is now going to have to send staff out to repaint the metal railings. And maybe install a politely worded message asking people to respect the place.
Put security camera up and capture the miscreants who do things like this.
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