 By Staff
November 25th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
An entire Grade 9 class spent the day handing out kindness cards in Burlington, spreading smiles throughout their school and neighbourhood.
You had to see it to believe it and to pick up on the delighted comments that come across on the video.
Look carefully at the students in the high school handing out the cards to their fellow students.
And look carefully at the school – it is scheduled to be closed in June of 2018.
The Halton District School Board voted to shut down two high schools – Pearson is one of them.
The parents have asked for and were given the opportunity for an Administrative Review to take place. That review is ongoing and a report will be made to the Minister of Education on whether or not the process used by the board was in accordance with Board policies.
Margaret Wilson, the independent Reviewer brought in to look at all the documents and to listen to the parents cannot order that the School Board change its decision – but she can say if the process met all the provincial requirements.
If the process was flawed the Ministry could order that the School Board revisit the Program Accommodation Review (PAC) and maybe hold that PAC a second time.
The video of the students is a delight; click on the link.
By Staff
November 26, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Tony Brecknock, a parent with children who graduated from Pearson high school, the school he once attended came out of the gate swinging at the Administrative Review meeting held to hear the views of parents on a school board vote that closed the high school. He didn’t choose to thank the chair for allowing him to speak – he went straight to his main point.
“The HDSB policy clearly states that “There must be no fewer than ten (10) business days between the public delegations and the final decision of the Board of Trustees” , this simply did not happen on June 7, 2017.
 Tony Brecknock, male figure in the centre, attended the PARC meetings and delegated the evening the vote to close the schools was taken “I was notified of my delegation on June 6th, the day before I was expected to present and it was received and presented on the same day of the vote, June 7th, which means there was a failure of the board’s own policy, namely to provide the Trustees with the sufficient time needed to fully process any and all information before voting.
“This lack of due process, negatively and directly impacted the final decision to close two schools in Burlington.
“My delegation was to be a strictly timed, one shot presentation – I had submitted over 13 pages full of data – so I made sure to include the documents as attachments in my submission, of which a receipt was confirmed by the Board – at noon on the day of the vote.
“There is simply no way that all of my information was clearly ingested.
 It became painfully clear that Chair Amos, on the left and the vice chair, Kim Graves did not know how to manage the confusing flow of motions that were before the meeting. “On the night of the vote it was also apparent there was a lack of understanding of how to proceed.
“It seemed that the possibility of not being done, prior to a summer break, pressured decisions to be made ad hoc – not because of clear judicial thinking, but because of the clock ticking,
“During the meeting, the Trustees constantly bounced back and forth amongst specialists in the room, trying desperately to decipher the rules of engagement that they should have studied in advance.
“From that chaos, random recess’ started to happen – one of which was conducted, strategically prior to the final vote.
“The meeting should have been stopped right there, with everyone regrouping.
 The vote was taken to close two of the city’s seven high schools so late in the evening (after midnight) that the electronic vote software had shut down. The trustees voted by a show of hands. “This decision was made during the very late evening hours, after listening to an overabundance of information – it was a vote made under mental, emotional and physical duress, that in the end was pushed through.
“The prudent course of action would have been to wait 10 business days, as policy dictates, to allow for a period of reflection before a final vote.
“It needs to be mandated at a higher level, that the Boards are fulfilling their due diligence. They need to ensure they are delivering the best educational experience to ALL students.
“A Provincial moratorium on school closures, was put into effect, just two weeks after the vote for a reason – the realization of a flawed process.
“Had the Board adhered to their own policy, this vote would have been deferred to a time of better and calm understanding.
“This committee and by extension the Board, needs to take this review and adhere to the many key components within their own guidelines.
“They need to listen to those that continue to express dissatisfaction with the result, and re-vote to pause the closures – until they have fixed the process.”
By Staff
November 25th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The next scheduled meeting of the Halton Regional Police Services Board will take place on Thursday, November 30, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. in Resource Room 305/307 at Burlington City Hall.
 Ward 1 Councillor Craven is Burlington’s representative on the Police Services Board. Copies of the agenda and reports are available from the Board office and on our website at www.haltonpolice.ca.
The Police Services Board oversees the role of the Regional Police – they approve the police budget and are the group that interviews and makes a recommendation to Regional Council on who should be hired to serve as Police Chief.
Community members are encouraged to attend meetings, make a presentation to the Board, or invite a member of the Board to an event.
By Pepper Parr
November 25th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It was dramatic!
Diane Miller, a parent with children in both Lester B. Pearson (LBP) high school and the Robert Bateman high school stood before Margaret Miller, the provincially appointed Reviewer to conduct a review of the process the Halton District School Board used to decide to close two of the seven high schools in Burlington.
“I was going to use my three minutes to stand in complete silence” she said.
“Why you might ask given the importance of our time with you and this Accommodation Review?
 Diane Miller, a Lester B. Pearson high school parent, reading her delegation to provincially appointed Reviewer Margaret Wilson. “Because I wanted my silence to represent how much weight, importance, and consideration that I felt my correspondence to the HDSB, Trustees, Local MPP, Ministry of Education & Premier meant. No matter what came out of my mouth or via email, I felt it wasn’t heard or listened to.
“No matter how much research, how many logical facts, how many ideas either myself or our LBP group or Bateman group presented, they were discarded. The five minute delegation, which I spent hours on, was discounted and forgotten by the time the next person came up to speak. I might as well have said nothing at all. That is how I felt.
“Today I am hoping you will hear me and that this terrible flawed decision, based on a flawed process, will result in a call for this decision to be revisited.
“Communication by definition is an of exchange of ideas. It is a means of connection between people.
“During the Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) review process there was no direct communication between the PARC representatives and the school trustees. The information was filtered or directed to/from the HDSB. While the trustees could attend PARC meetings or public meetings there was no discussion or Q & A with them.
“The public is unaware if there was ever a time when the trustees met to discuss the ideas presented other than at the public HDSB meetings. Trustees seemed to be discouraged from engagement.
“How is this meaningful?
“As delegates we were given five minutes to rush through our presentations. If the trustees had questions then one had the ability to expand on their topic. If not, that was all. No feedback. Nothing.
“The trustees indicated they read through 700 emails (so someone – HDSB? perhaps) was keeping track of that number. Good to know as only two or three trustees ever responded to my correspondence and then only one or two provided more than the automated, I have received your message response.
 During the first public meeting in December 2016 parents were asked to answer questions put up on a screen using hand held clickers. The school board was gathering data – the parents thought they were at a meeting where they could ask questions. “During the first public meeting in December, which most participants seemed to think was a Q & A meeting, the discussion, led by the consultant, appeared to be one way. The audience was given clickers, very slanted questions were put up on a screen and the audience was instructed to click on one of the answers.
“Any questions were met with either silence or that the information was being collected. It was highly frustrating. The process got off to a very bad start.
“It was difficult to get information about the PAR / PARC process to the general public who were not online.
“The information on the HDSB took a bit of searching for some to get updates. It wasn’t until the second PARC meeting in January (2017) that the LBP PARC representatives contact information went up on the LBP website. Principals were under the impression that meeting space and other resources were to be made available. In fact, when I called to ask if a student council meeting, where our trustee would be attending, would allow for Q & A, the principal said she did not know and for me to contact the trustee.
“Community members, at their own cost, and during their own time distributed literature, held meetings, and tried to get information to the students that someone was fighting for their school and for them. It was difficult. The HDSB had all the contact information; the resources to disseminate their information. It was a tilted playing field.
“Is this what the board determines is “communication”?
“Community members were not the only ones who were led to believe that their input would be of value. Students also had that impression.
“In December, before the 1st PARC meeting, a student survey was sent out. The PARC members had no input into the questionnaire. The results of this survey were shared with parents, with the PARC members.
“However, while it is an appendix in Mr. Miller’s report, the contents do not appear to have shaped the decisions made. For example, LBP students marked the fact that teachers knew them; they were there to help them by a large percentage. They were known.
“That is important and impacts learning. It impacts social interactions and mental wellness. LBP is a smaller school. Yet at a HDSB meeting, when asked if he had considered a smaller school within the HDSB parameters moving forward (and I paraphrase here) Mr. Miller said, “no he had not considered a smaller school”. Students were told there would be interaction, yet none seemed to appear during the execution of the PARC phase.
 Survey stations were set up at one of the public meetings. “Question – Why do a survey if you are going to ignore the data? Especially by the group that you say you are most interested in – the students.
“Teachers who have first hand knowledge into the learning behaviours of their students and interact with them the most had no seat at the PARC table. A survey to capture teacher input was done but with seeming reluctance by the HDSB. The information was given to the trustees but not to PARC members. The rationale was that much would have to be redacted as there would be personal identifying factors. Yet, even redacted, it was not made available to the public. One wonders if the responses did not fit the HDSB narrative.
“The PARC members met seven times yet it was just at the end they felt a positive discussion on innovative ideas was happening. The public, some of whom felt this was a done deal, was left wondering with a variety of both rumours and facts, as to what was going on.
“In a city that is growing why were two schools being targeted for closure? Given that LBP was on 12 of the proposals for closure is it any wonder that the population felt targeted. One still wonders if this process was done in good faith. Why do I ask that?
“a) Our school population, along with Bateman was left to starve of students with the reduction in the number of feeder schools
b) During the PARC a boundary review of a new build happened without LBP (the closer school) even being considered
c) Rumours abound that LBP is to be the home of the HDSB Administrative buildings – I have yet to hear an out and out denial of this rumour. If true, one wants to know when this decision was made. If made prior to the PAR/PARC review or during the review then this process was not entered into in good faith.
e) Bateman is a one of a kind school – yet was put on last minute as a closure and is slated to cost $12 M to replicate at Nelson (everyone knows this figure will balloon)
 The PARC consisted of two representatives from the seven high schools; a trustee representative and a city of Burlington representative. The debated issues on one side of a room while the public sat on the other side. There wasn’t any “PARC was going to be an island. Only selected participants were going to be allowed onto the island. Communications were to be minimal if non-existent at best. The HDSB wanted to meet the “minimum” requirements to say they went through the process.
 “On June 7th, delegations were heard, prepared speeches were read, a vote was held. Two schools were to close. Tell me did those delegations mean anything at all? Especially given the prepared statements that were read that night of why trustees were voting in favour of closure. Did the 10 day between delegations and a vote violation mean anything to the HDSB or the trustees?
“Communication is actively listening, speaking, considering, answering and responding. It is two way. This did not happen.
“The end result. The closing of two schools in a growing community. Schools that are overpopulated; schools that will be thrown into overcapacity with the two school closures.
“A flawed process resulted in flawed decisions.
“Revisit this decision.”
Margaret Wilson listened carefully – took copious notes and at the end of the evening, after listening to everyone who wanted to speak she said the the audience: “I have heard what you had to say.”
By Staff
November 24th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s lobby will be lit up with a colourful and festive display of trees that should spark some yuletide enthusiasm in anyone that visits The Centre. The festival is a joint community fundraising initiative by The Burlington Performing Arts Centre and the Arts & Culture Council of Burlington (ACCOB).
The Festival of Trees takes place from November 29 to December 19.
 Canadian Tire has donated Christmas trees that have lights already on them. One of the trees will be in the Santa Claus parade. Each Christmas Tree is sponsored and decorated by a local business or an organization within the community. Patrons and visitors to The Centre will have the opportunity to take one of these stunning trees home by purchasing raffle tickets for the Festival of Trees draw.
All trees will be raffled and winners announced onstage Tuesday, December 19 prior to An Evening with Cathy Jones and Mary Walsh. Proceeds benefit a new BPAC/ACCOB Community Studio Theatre initiative that will provide greater access to The Centre for local community organizations.
Stop by The Burlington Performing Arts Centre to take a stroll through the Festival of Trees and light up your holidays!
By Pepper Parr
November 24th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The process of being heard for parents who have students at Lester B. Pearson high school and the Robert Bateman high school began last night at the Gary Allen high school on New Street.
Margaret Wilson, the provincially appointed Facilitator who was tasked with meeting with all the parties involved and preparing a report for the Ministry of Education on whether or not the Board Program Accommodation Review (PAR) policies were followed, set up a series of public meetings at which parents could delegate. The large room certainly wasn’t filled but the comments made were what parents needed to say – and last night they were heard.
The process put in place allowed for three delegations from each school. The speakers had a set amount of time to speak – but Wilson found she was able and prepared to extend those time slot to let people finish their delegation.
 George Ward being interviewed by Cogeco TV George Ward, one of the Pearson high school delegations, was direct – at times almost pugnacious in his comments.
Ward argued that delegations at the Halton District School Board (HDSB) were in some cases refused, that the Board would send email notifications late in the evening on the night before the delegation day, requesting a 250 word description of the delegation. Ward charged that this was done to “deflect” delegations.
“There is no Board policy requirement for a 250 word outline to be presented prior to delegation” said Ward who added that “in spite of providing the last minute 250 word outline I was still refused to delegate on two occasions May 17th and June 7th.”
There were, said Ward 65 delegations presented over four evenings – 95% of the delegations indicated that it was totally inappropriate to close two Burlington high schools.
Ward pointed out that Board policy states: The Director’s Final Report will include a community consultation section that would include:
• Feedback from the public delegation will be compiled and included
• The Director will present the Final Report, including the compiled feedback from the public delegations
He added that the Director’s Final Report on community feedback is only 5 lines on page 20 and includes only delegation dates with an incorrect number of delegations reported.
Ward took exception to the statement in the HDSB response to the Pearson Administrative Review request that said: “One local Burlington Councillor provided feedback on the closure of Robert Bateman …”. In fact there were four submissions from city Councillors expressing concern with the closing of Burlington high schools.
Ward maintained that the records are incorrect and do not comply with the Board’s policies.
 It was a tough meeting and the Chair, Kelly Amos didn’t always have have it under control. Ward pointed out that at the June 7th meeting, at which the trustees voted to accept the recommendation from Stuart Miller, HDSB Director of Education, the Board Chair, Kelly Amos, failed to competently manage the sequence of voting motions and amendments. Despite having both the Board’s legal counsel and a Parliamentarian in the room Amos was still unable to competently conduct the sequence in orderly fashion and as a result lost control of the meeting.”
Ward said that at that point in the meeting, the Director of Education, said to Amos: “Perhaps I may be of assistance” then proceeded to filibuster on the recommendations in his Final Report, then called upon Board Superintendents who continued to delegate.
“After this extended acquiescing of control and inappropriate delegations of over an hour, a recess was called where the Director, Superintendents and Trustees save one, went into a segregated closed door meeting. Upon their return a vote was held which resulted in the Trustees voting to close two Burlington High Schools” said Ward.
“Thus we have incompetent meeting control with an inappropriate hour long school board last minute delegation that is non-compliant to the Board’s “No fewer than ten (10) business day Policy between delegations and the final decision of the Board of Trustees.”
Ward didn’t detail the “No fewer than ten business days” concern that many had. The PAR policy required to HDSB to hear delegations and then allow a period of ten days to elapse before a vote was taken.
The HDSB was hearing delegations as late as 11:00 pm, taking breaks during which trustees, some Superintendents and the Director of Education met for close to an hour and then returning to vote on the recommendation.
The ten day period during which trustees could think about all the delegations, review what they had heard during a process that started six month earlier and reflect was lost.
The vote took place after midnight of a meeting that started at 7:00 pm.
Many felt the fix was in – that the trustees had no intention of doing their jobs – but had decided they were going to go with the recommendation that came from the Director of Education.
For the first time parents from schools that were scheduled to be closed had an opportunity to say what they felt in a public meeting.
 By Pepper Parr
November 23rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The first of the public delegations made to the Administrative Review facilitator Margaret Wilson takes place this evening.
 Margaret Wilson Ms Wilson met with the members of the Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC) last night; not all of the 14 members showed up. Trustee Donna Danielli who was part of the PARC attended. James Ridge, Burlington city manager didn’t make it.
It was a private meeting – difficult to get much in the way of comment however there were people who attended who felt it was “cathartic” and that Wilson really listened and is reported to have said she watched a lot of Board meeting videos.
There was, apparently, good open dialogue between the PARC people and Ms Wilson. Tom Ward, a Ministry of Education official who is responsible for how the Halton and Peel Regions meet their obligations, sat in on the meeting and explained the procedure that will be followed.
Ms Wilson expects to have her report completed before Christmas.
Her report is given to the Minister of Education.
Her report is not public unless the Ministry decides to make it public.
The Ministry will then decide if the Program Accommodation Review (PAR) that the Board held was done according to the Ministry Guidelines.
 Observing, listening or praying? If it wasn’t – then the Ministry can direct the Board to hold a second PAR.
There was a rather significant point made during the private meeting having to do with the timing of the PAR meetings.
The Board has its delegation procedure; the Ministry had its own delegation procedures which trump those of the Board.
 Fourteen citizens, pulled together to serve as the communications channel between the Board of Education and the community, while a Program Accommodation Review recommendation was being debated by the trustees. There were, Apparently, a couple of significant Ministry policy violations – one relating to the number of days between the last of the delegations and when the trustees met to vote on the recommendation that had come from the Director of Education.
Was that violation significant enough to make a difference – many parents think so.
What most parents think is that the Ministry Guidelines were so flawed that a sound public review of the recommendations given to the trustees was not possible.
 Four of the 11 Board of Education trustees sitting in on one of the PARC meetings. What didn’t help was that the majority of the trustees were way in over their heads; they didn’t have the experience or the understanding to properly do the job they had taken on. I wasn’t an easy job.
 By Pepper Parr
November 23rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
What is wrong with this picture?
City hall tells a group of citizens they cannot use space at city hall for a community meeting organized by a group that is opposed to a decision city council made to approve a 23 storey tower in the downtown core.
A week earlier the city announced a workshop on Cultivating the Power & Possibility of Citizen Leadership: Creating Caring and Resilient Communities.
The fee for this workshop is $175.
There are currently two well organized groups challenging city hall on significant matters;
 The Tyendaga Environmental Coalition wants the city to step in and support their fight to prevent a shale mining operation from beginning to mine a quarry that is yards from their homes.
 The Plan B group wants a better deal for the re-development of the Waterfront Hotel.
Less than six months ago city council attempted to limit the amount of time residents could have to delegate at city council meetings. The residents won that battle.
There are a lot of people who want to see genuine community involvement and not just lip service from those elected to run the city.
Quite recently the city had staff congratulating themselves for an award they were given for the quality of the city’s community engagement.
It is difficult not to be cynical when all the evidence is looked at.
It wouldn’t take much to pull together a group of at least 500 people who would stand at say that their city does not listen to them.
The video the city posted on how engaged they think they are is like something out of a book written by George Orwell.
The only person who has said formally that they will be running for public office in the October 2018 municipal election is the Mayor – he wants a third term.
 By Staff
November 23rd, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Parents never stop being proud of their kids. You see it at the Christmas concert when those grade fivers are on the stage singing their little hearts out.
You see it at graduations and of course at their weddings.
 Dave Foxcroft to referee the 105th Grey Cup game. Ron Foxcroft is wearing one of those million dollar smiles when he tells people that one of his boy’s, Dave, is going to officiate at the 105TH Grey Cup game on Sunday, November 26th at TD Place.
Ron doesn’t mention that the Tiger Cats didn’t make the cut this year
This group of officials were the highest rated officials at their respective positions during the 2017 season.
Referee: #30, Dave Foxcroft. This will be his 18th Season as a referee; he has worked 273 Games – this will be his 5th Grey Cup Game.
Ron’s comment – pretty neat!
No comment from his Mom – she would have said ditto!
 By Staff
November 23, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Jim Young sent us a note earlier today – a group of people who are very unhappy with city council’s decision to approve a 23 storey tower on Brant Street opposite city hall want to find a way to appeal that decision to the Ontario Municipal Board.
 Jim Young Young is the Aldershot resident who took city council to task over their attempt to limit delegations to five minutes from the current practice of ten minutes.
 421 Brant – a 23 storey tower approved by city council by a 5-2 vote. He mentioned to us that the group, Engaged Citizens in Burlington, planned a meeting under very short notice – it was to take place at City Hall, but had to be hastily rearranged when city officials banned the group from using the city hall room.
Banning seems to have become a bit of a practice at city hall. It can only be described as an astonishing decision by people who have a limited understanding of what community engagement really means.
The group was able to pivot quickly and will hold their meeting on Saturday, November 25th at Bunton’s Wharf, Brant St. and Lakeshore, 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm. The entrance to the building is on the Brant Street side
Young describes the now approved tower as a “23 story monstrosity, so out of character, in conflict with city height bylaws and opposed by 1435 signatures on a petition collected over just one week, may be the final straw for people who are opposed to downtown development.
Both the Gazette and Spectator columnist Joan Little have written about the need for new forms of engagement in Burlington
Little suggested it may be time for the good people of Burlington to organize to fight back against their city council’s refusal to listen to their concerns. Citizens feel ignored on new street bike lanes, under funding for transit, lake shore hotels and condo developments and most recently on the 23 story tower on Brant Street just across from City Hall.
City hall has this annoying habit of thinking that if you say something often enough it will become true. In the comments made by the judges hat gave the reward they said:
- The city knows “How to make P2 a part of everyday practice in the city of Burlington, through the Burlington Community Engagement Charter adopted in April 2013. Engagement was included as a strategic direction in 2016 Strategic Plan.”
- “Employees now ask how to engage — not whether.”
- “Engagement is part of the annual budget, has a dedicated, full-time staff person, and communications personnel promote and coach on P2.”
- “Demonstrates an organizational long-term commitment to P2, beginning in 2013 and now enshrined in the 25-year Strategic Plan.”
Really!
Related article:
Young takes city council to task.
 By Staff
November 18, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The provincial Ministry of Government and Consumer Services charged a Burlington contractor for unfair practices that took place in September of 2014 – a conviction was handed down in provincial court recently.
 Provincial Court – Burlington. Justin Smith, operating as D & S Electrical Contractors accepted a deposit to supply and install a generator at a consumer’s residence. Work commenced, but was not completed and the generator was never delivered or installed.
On September 21, 2017 at the Ontario Court of Justice in Milton by Justice of the Peace Paul Welsh imposed the following against Mr. Smith:
• Payment of $7,500 in restitution to the consumer
• Two-year probation with terms of restitution, a reporting requirement and reporting an address change
Consumer Protection Ontario suggests deposits should be no more than 10% of the estimated cost.
 By Pepper Parr
November 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Notice of Meeting was sent to Scott Podrebarac chair of the Program Accommodation Review (PAR) and to members of the Program Accommodation Review Committee (PARC).
It was sent on behalf of Margaret Wilson, Ministry of Education appointed Reviewer of the Burlington PAR
The language was stiff and stilted bit it did set out clearly what was going to happen.
 Liz Sandals.ember of the Wynne government cabinet introduces Margaret Wilson. “Margaret Wilson has been appointed by the Minister of Education to examine the Burlington PARC process relative to the Halton District School Board Program Accommodation Review (PAR) policy.
“Ms Wilson has been charged with the responsibility to review the process and has no authority to change the decision of the trustees of the Halton District School Board
“The purpose of this communication is to provide the details of the private PAR committee members meeting which is to take place, Wednesday, November 22, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm in the Lockhart Room, New Street Education Centre.”
The Agenda starts with an introduction to the PAR process that will be given by Margaret Wilson followed by the introduction of the 14 members of the PAR committee members.
That is followed by feedback from the PAR committee members that will include brief remarks from each of the PAR committee members related to the PARC process – three minutes per presentation.
Then there is open discussion
The session ends with closing remarks from Margaret Wilson.
Neither media nor the public will be present at this meeting as it is private to members of the PARC.
On Thursday, the 23rd and on Tuesday the 28th parents from the schools get their chance to tell Wilson what they thought of the PAR process.
 PAR committee members in one of the seven public sessions they participated in – they were never able to reach a consensus. Time slots will be set aside for a spokesperson from the two schools that are scheduled to close; parents from any high school in the city are permitted to speak at these two meetings. Each speaker has three minutes to speak.
The presentation from the Bateman and Pearson high school parents get 10 minutes to make their point.
Wilson will not want to hear how unfair the decision to close a school might have been – she is there to review the process – did the HDSB follow the policy that was in place?
 HDSB parents at PARC meeting looking less than impressed. This is a very difficult for many parents to get their heads around – they are arguing that it is the process that was faulty to begin with.
Board of Education staff were not forgotten in this process. Ms Wilson met with all the Superintendents to set out for them their role in the review process. She explained to them what they can do and what they cannot do.
Ms Wilson will have gone over literally every piece of information. She will meet with the Chair of the PAR.
 HDSB Director of Education at one of the many public meetings he took [part in. Stuart Miller got a call from the Ministry of Education that gave him his marching orders. The Review is a Ministry of Education initiative that came about when parents from Robert Bateman high school and Lester B. Pearson high school requested an Administrative Review of the process that was used.
The role of the Board of Education – both staff and trustees is to step aside and let the Review take place.
A number of school boards across the province requested Administrative Reviews – the Halton Board schools were the only ones that got a positive response.
There are all kinds of theories floating around the community.
Many feel that the Ministry now realizes that the procedure they put in place for the school boards to follow was flawed and as a result of the realization the Ministry ordered the no new PAR’s be put in place.
Will the Wilson report touch on that point or will she write a report that says the Board followed the rules – can she say that the rules were less than fair and couldn’t result in a fair decision?
Will the Ministry realize that their guide lines – regulations were flawed and first change them and then direct the school boards to hold new PAR’s?
 From the left: Trustees Papin, Reynolds, Ehl Harris and Grebenc observing one of the public meetings. Where do the trustees fit into all this? They are the elected leaders of the Board – they set policy and decide where a school is to be built and where a school is to be closed.
Those who paid close attention to the way the HDSB handled the issue quickly came to the conclusion that the Halton Board trustees were not up to the job.
Would a second PAR be under the same procedures that didn’t work the first time?
While Burlington works its way through the Review – the province looks months ahead to June when there will be a provincial election. If the public elects a new government and makes Patrick Brown the Premier expect a significantly different set of education policies to be put in place.
The Pearson and Bateman high school parent groups are taking much different approaches to the Review process. Pearson is using a data approach while the Bateman parents are using a human rights approach.
There was a time when the two parent groups worked together but that didn’t last very long. Now there are reported rifts between the parents in the Bateman group. Some describe the Bateman parent leadership as “obsessed”.
The better observers seem to be coming around to the view that the process was indeed flawed and that the Ministry of Education has admitted as much.
Choosing Margaret Wilson as the Reviewer for the HDSB situation and the consultant who wrote a stinging report on practices and procedures at the Toronto Board of Education, suggests to these observers that she will ferret out all the concerns and give the Ministry as report that will allow them to revise the PAR process.
 Pearson parents at a Board of Education meeting. Will that result in a decision to have the Halton District School Board to do a second PAR? And how long will that take – and what will happen to the work being done now to integrate the Pearson students into M.M. Robinson.
Pearson is scheduled to be closed in June of 2018.
Interesting times ahead.
By Staff
November 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
On November 21, 2017 at 9:50 am, two masked men entered the Royal Bank of Canada, located at 2025 William O’Connell Boulevard, Burlington.
They indicated they were armed and demanded money. The two men were unsuccessful in obtaining money and quickly fled that Royal Bank of Canada.
At 10:46 am, the same two masked men entered the TD Canada Trust, located at 2325 Trafalgar Road, Oakville.
This time, the two men received an undisclosed amount of money and fled to an awaiting Mazda 3 driven by a third culprit.
The Halton Regional Police Service quickly responded to the area and successfully followed the three culprits to a commercial plaza located at the intersection of Burnhamthorpe Road West and Creditview Road, Mississauga.
All three culprits were safely arrested. Officers recovered a replica firearm, the undisclosed amount of money, clothing worn during the robberies, the Mazda 3 and a small amount of marijuana.
All three were transported to the Oakville police station where they were held in custody pending a bail hearing. The three culprits are expected to appear for a bail hearing at the Milton courthouse on November 22, 2017.
Arrested and Charged:
1. Abdeljhafour HOUEM (19) of Mississauga has been charged with:
• Robbery (3 counts)
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
• Possession of a controlled substance (marihuana)
2. Kadir AIDARUS (18) of Mississauga has been charged with:
• Robbery (3 counts)
• Wearing a disguise during the commission of an indictable offence (2 counts)
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
A male youth (17) of Mississauga has been charged with:
• Robbery (3 counts)
• Wearing a disguise during the commission of an indictable offence (2 counts)
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Constable Autumn Mills of the 2 District Criminal Investigation Bureau at 905-825-4747 ext: 2285. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers “See something, Hear something, Say something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
The Regional police contact officer on this case is: D/Constable Autumn Mills, 2 District Criminal Investigation Bureau , 905-825-4747 ext: 2285
Be reminded that all persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
 By Pepper Parr
November 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
They had my attention.
The moment I saw that Netflix logo on the screen I immediately went to the Netflix bookmark to see if there was a problem with my service.
Whew! There was nothing wrong with the service – the email was an attempt to steal some of my identity. All they had so far was an email address – I didn’t want them to have even that much but they picked it up somewhere – part of what we have to put up with in this digital age.
 I am really enjoying the multi-episode feature – The Fall with Gillian Anderson – she of XFiles fame.
The Identity Thieves are getting craftier – be careful – don’t let them learn anything about you. They will create a profile of you and when they reach a certain point they will begin probing and see if they can get credit card or banking information.
One of the protections you can create is to use a pre-paid credit card. It really isn’t credit but it allows you to pay people who use credit cards as their form of collecting for services they provide.
With a Prepaid credit card you control the amount on the card – you can re-load it almost instantly.
Ask you banker to set one up for you.
This is the email that sent me to my bookmarks.
 By Pepper Parr
November 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
I describe Cameron Brown as the “warm up band” for David Suzuki’s presentation at the Performing Arts Centre last night.
 Cameron Brown – intense and direct, motivates a Burlington audience. Brown is an intense young Australian who was touring Canada and was available. Burlington Green added him to the program – the audience got a no holds barred talk from a deeply committed environmentalist.
Cameron Brown is a motivational story teller who plays the piano and makes really bold statements.
“You have to run everything you do through three filters” advises Brown: “What does what I am doing do for me; what does it do for others and what does it do for the plant.”
Brown will tell you that “ it is really that simple”.
While Brown is part of the program that features Dr. David Suzuki, he has never met the man and had yet to have a conversation with him. They certainly share the same environmental committement.
Brown talks about human behaviour and emotional intelligence and the need for society to make intelligent decisions.
Brown’s passion is to get people to “experience” the environment.
While Brown isn’t into owning “stuff” he does love his drone. He uses it to “experience” the environment and as a teaching tool when he is in parts of the world where electricity is limited and the drinking water is nowhere near what we take for granted in Canada.
The kids I work with are cool about saving the planet; it is one of the ways the find themselves – the are “fricken awesome”
 Making an event happen takes a team of people – those that made the Connect the Dots sessions work line up for their photo op. Brown created a corporation – The Thriving Collective – that is committed to making a positive impact in the world, and was built for those dedicated to using their own unique talents and strengths to do the same.
 Cameron Brown “I believe” said Brown “that every person has the potential to use what they’ve been given in this life, to create positive change and succeed in a way that only they can.
“When someone is thriving in their lives both personally and professionally, they’re in flow, they’re doing their best work, they are happier, more connected, higher performing and highly productive.”
It would be hard to find better or more fitting words to close the evening event at the Performing Arts Centre where Brown played music with the theme “There’s Still Time”.
We certainly hope so.
Related news story – Suzuki talks.
By Staff
November 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
With the re-developed Joseph Brant hospital now basically fully open the public is going to get a chance to make a different kind of use of the space.
 An architects rendering of the new entrance to the Joseph Brant Hospital which now faces the lake. . This year, on Sunday, December 3rd, the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation is hosting their first Join the Joy! Holiday Open House and Designer Tree Auction, held in the new Michael Lee-Chin and Family Patient Tower.
They want you to join them from 11:00 am-1:30 pm on the 3rd for some holiday family fun!
Proceeds from the Join the Joy Holiday Open House and Designer Tree Auction will support the Hospital’s Labour and Delivery program, helping to ensure the best possible care for our Hospital’s youngest patients.
General admission is free of charge and includes complimentary parking, hot cocoa and musical entertainment.
There is a Children’s Festive Passport of Fun that is being sold for just $5.00 that will give your child (ages 2-12) full access to our holiday activities:
Picture with Santa
Festive Holiday Crafts
Teddy Bear Clinic (Children are encouraged to bring in a teddy bear, stuffed animal or doll)
Face-Painting and Balloon Animals
Make Your Own Finger Cast
Investigating Germs
Festive Photo Wall
Parents and Guardians are welcome to admire and bid on the beautifully decorated Designer Holiday Trees as well as take part in:
Silent Auction
Children’s Gift Draw
WHEN: Sunday, December 3
11:00 a.m. to 1:30 pm
WHERE: Michael Lee-Chin & Family Patient Tower, Joseph Brant Hospital, 1245 Lakeshore Road
Please note: Children are not to be left unattended and are under the responsibility of their Parent and/or Guardian at all times.
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By Staff
November 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
Getting something from your bank that starts by calling you an “Esteemed Customer” tells you that the writer of the note knows nothing about banks in Canada.
This most recent attempt at Identity Theft got sent out to as many names as the thieves could lay their hands on. We don’t bank with the Royal – but for those that do – the note may have been something they would respond to.
Kiss of death if you do that.
Rule # 1 – if in doubt don’t.
There are some that will have clicked on the link – that will be a painful experience.
This email is filled with clues – why would a bank have the words hairdresser in the email address? And what bank do you know that would refer to you as an “esteemed customer”. Be vigilant and you will be safe. This form of Identity theft is with us for at least five years.
By Pepper Parr
November 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
David Suzuki has been doing media interviews for at least 50 years – he is an old hand at it.
The energy isn’t what is was a decade ago but the passion and the belief that we are the only people who can make the change if we are going to save this planet.
Suzuki tells his audiences that we human beings are the only creatures on this planet that think in terms of having a future – our challenge is to decide what that future is going to be.
 David Suzuki – preaching his gospel knowing that we can save this planet on simple step at a time – he reminds us that WE have to take those steps. Asked if it is too late – he will look at you through those eyes we have seen when he was doing Quirks and Quarks on CBC and on The Nature of Things, a CBC program he is still doing.
Suzuki works at two levels – evangelizing and getting out the big picture. He takes to the stage and repeats the same message – it is ours to live, work and play in – and now we need to save it – we have come perilously close to killing this planet.
His other level is more personal. He still rants about the damage done by the Harper government and still gets back to his core message – “pay attention to the science.”
He rails at what he sees the politicians doing and tells the story of a high school classmate who in the 50’s said he wanted to be a Politician because that is the level at which you can make a difference.
At that point David Suzuki will look at you intently and ask – “Do you know any young people who want to go into politics today?”
About a decade ago (was it really that long) the federal government decided that it would no longer have Statistics Canada do the long form census. The science community – indeed all of the academic world was stunned. (The long form census is the document that gathers all kinds of data that is used to learn what is happening in the country – what people are doing. It is a critical measuring device without which it is very difficult to make decisions.)
 The long form census was brought to an end by the Harper government – sanity prevailed and it was brought back quickly by the government that succeeded him. When the decision not to continue with the long form census was made by the Harper government the head of Statistics quit in protest. “They should have all walked out the door and made a statement” says Suzuki. David shrugs, looks up and without saying a word conveys the feeling that it is difficult at times to understand why people do what they do.
Suzuki asks: “How old are you” – I tell him – he says “you’re looking pretty good” – realizing that both of us are getting a little long in the tooth but don’t know how to stop fighting the good fight.
Later in the evening Suzuki will take to the stage and talk to an almost adoring audience. He is an icon that the young people admire, respect and look to for some of the answers.
When he gets going the energy comes back and he is close to unstoppable.
He touches the lives of all and he knows it – so he travels the country and spreads his gospel.
 The Blue Dot message. Suzuki was brought to the city by Burlington Green – they brought Jane Goodall a couple of years ago. These marquee speakers do well with the young audience that Burlington Green attracts. They are energetic, keen, wide eyed and bushy tailed. Suzuki put it very well when he said: “They get it.”
Tied into the talks Suzuki gave was the “blue dot” which is a project that wants every Canadian to have the right to clean water and a healthy environment.
“When our provincial and federal decision-makers have recognized our right to a healthy environment, we will turn toward the ultimate goal: we seek to amend the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to include the right to a healthy environment, so that we can join the 110 countries around the world that already have this right included in their constitutions.”
There are now more than 150 municipalities that have signed on to the Blue Dot movement – Burlington made that decision in 2015.
Related news story.
By Staff
November 22, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Husky Gas Station at 5319 Lakeshore Road, was robbed on Tuesday at approximately 10:00pm.
A lone male suspect entered the gas station and approached the employee behind the counter. The suspect made a verbal demand for cash. The employee complied with his request and an undisclosed amount of cash was provided to the suspect.
The suspect fled the gas station and was last observed running northbound on Kenwood Avenue.
No weapon was observed during the robbery, nor was anyone injured.
 The suspect is described as:
• Male, possibly black
• 20 -25 years old
• 5″8 to 5″9 tall
• Slim build 140 – 150 Ibs
• Black Jacket with fur rimmed hood
• Black gloves
• Black pants
• Red bandana
• Carrying a black backpack
Anyone with information regarding this robbery is asked to contact Detective Phil Vandenbeukel of the 3 District, Criminal Investigations Bureau – Robbery Team at 905-825-4747 ext. 2343. Tips can be forwarded to Crime Stoppers; “See Something, Hear Something, Say Something” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), through the web at www.crimestoppers.ca or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
Detective Det. Phil Vandenbeukel, 3 CIB, 905-825-4747 ext 2343
By Pepper Parr
November 21st, 2017
BURLINGTON,ON
It was close to a throw away idea, something that was put on the table, almost as a distraction.
The Halton District School Board trustees were debating the staff recommendation to close two of the city’s seven high schools.
No one was sure quite what to call the initiative: was it to be a theme school, an incubator, a magnet to attract a specific group of students.
Part of the reason for coming up with an idea was to give the Aldershot high school more of a purpose. There are elementary schools in Burlington that has a larger enrollment than Aldershot.
Despite how low the enrollment at Aldershot was – it wasn’t going to be possible to close that school.
Especially when during the early stages of the PAR process when Central high school was recommended for closure.
 The idea for something different in Aldershot got included with the resolution the trustees were debating – it both didn’t have traction in the minds of any of the trustees and several didn’t event understand what the idea was about.
With the decision to close Pearson and Bateman done – the parent groups at both schools shifted their energy to getting a request for an Administrative Review approved by the Ministry of Education.
The schools that were to remain open settled back and resumed a normal life.
 Superintendent Terri Blackwell talking to a parent during public meetings on high school closings. Superintendent Terri Blackwell was given the task of overseeing the transition of the schools that were being closed into schools that were being kept open. She was also given the task of handling what became known as the Aldershot Exploration.
They started out by asking people for ideas – what did people want?
Blackwell was working with a clean slate. There was no agenda – it was almost as if they threw the spaghetti against the wall to see what stuck.
And a lot of that spaghetti did stick. There were more than 200 ideas sent in.
And they were good – so good that Blackwell and her team found that they had to create themes and came up with 15 of them – which is really quite remarkable.
     The public got to see the themes at an Open House on November 13th. The ideas were set out on tables at stations where the themes were displayed.
The next step for the Blackwell is to narrow the 15 down to a manageable number. “We don’t have to choose the one theme – this is a wide open situation” said Blackwell. “We want to see where the interest is and then begin thinking how we could make what the public has suggested work.”
Making it work is not a simple matter – curriculum material has to be created, figuring out where the staff will come from and understanding where the students will come from are just part of the challenge.
Some of the parents who were on the PAR think the idea is a great one and has the potential to offer courses that meet the needs of the changing world high schools are going to be going into.
         Blackwell is excited and the people working on the project are just as excited.
Steve Armstrong thinks this is an idea that could define what the Halton School Board is all about.
The final recommendation to the Board of Trustees will be a concept developed from one of these themes, a morphing of multiple themes or a yet to be developed theme as a result of continued input, ideas, and research.
The Halton District School Board has created a survey for the public to provide input on the themes identified.
We encourage parents/guardians, students and community members from Halton and beyond to give their input as it will further inform the Exploration Committee.
• All responses will remain anonymous.
• The order in which the themes appear in the survey is alphabetical.
 The HDSB has sent an email to parents/guardians of all current elementary and secondary students, as well as staff, with a link to the survey. Members of the public can complete the survey directly
The survey is available from Monday, November 13 to Monday, November 27, 2017.
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