 By Staff
September 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The folks at the Mountsberg Conservation Area are going to use the coming weekend to celebrate one of nature’s most incredible, and frequently misunderstood, creatures – the vulture.
Believe it or not there is an International Vulture Awareness Day.
 Turkey vultures have a really big wing spread which allows them to float above their prey for quite a while. Vultures all over the world are facing ecological challenges brought on by loss of habitat and pressures from human activity. This is your chance to learn about these fascinating animals, including the Turkey Vulture, Ontario’s only native vulture species. Park visitors will have the opportunity to learn all about how beneficial vultures are to the environment, and how intelligent and social they can be.
The day will include:
 You get to meet Casey and Buzz – face to beak. He isn’t exactly pretty is he? Vulture-themed crafts and colouring
Vulture games
Vulture displays
Opportunities to meet the Raptor Centre’s residents Turkey Vultures, Casey and Buzz, up close and ‘nose-to-beak’!
The Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) is Ontario’s only native vulture species, and their graceful silhouettes are often seen soaring near the escarpment and over Greenbelt rural land. Their bald heads and grisly culinary habits often lead people to dismiss them as unsanitary and unattractive, but this is unfair to the hard-working and highly efficient turkey vulture.
This event is free with cost of park admission ($7.50 for adults, $6.50 for seniors and children 5 to 15 years, and free for children 4 years and under); Halton Parks members only need to show their pass for admission. Mountsberg’s International Vulture Awareness Day activities will take place throughout the day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 5.
A nice inexpensive way to ease the kids from those lazy hazy days of summer into the discipline of a classroom and text books.
The Mountsberg Conservation Area is located on Milburough Line, five km west of Campbellville, ON, between Highway 6 South and the Guelph Line.
 By Pepper Parr
September 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Prime Minister came to town and spoke to a decent sized audience at a small steel plant and told them if his government was re-elected there would be an Advanced Manufacturing Hub created in Burlington. A number of people in the twitter world were asking – what is an Advanced Manufacturing hub?
 Prime Minister Harper making his Advanced Manufacturing hib at a steel plant in Burlington on Tuesday. The Gazette is asking – where does that hub fit in with the long range Strategic Plan the city has been working on. We are in pretty close contact with the Economic Development Corporation in Burlington and we’ve not heard a word about this idea from them.
The city is certainly talking about hubs, mostly in a transportation context, with the idea of developing both housing and office accommodation as part of those hubs. The city has four mobility hubs of in mind; one at each of the GO Stations and another at the John Street bus terminal.
 Federal Liberal candidate for Burlington: Karina Gould Liberal candidate Karina Gould, who was in all probability not in the audience when the Prime Minister spoke, had these comments on the Conservative announcement.
“After a decade of watching manufacturing jobs disappear under Stephen Harper no voter is going to believe that he suddenly cares about the sector. Over the next 10 years a Liberal government will invest $60 billion in the kind of productivity enhancing infrastructure that all sectors, including manufacturing, need to compete in the 21st century.
“Strong economies produce goods. Manufacturing is the number one investor in research and development. It provides good jobs outside urban areas as well as in urban centres. We will help manufacturers to modernize and to reach new markets. We will help small and medium-sized enterprises in emerging markets and help them gain a foothold in Europe. We need to be prepared for the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
“Since Stephen Harper came to power our growth in exports has been the worst of any G7 country.”
 Conservatives at 28.8; NDP at 30.8 and the Liberals at 29.7 – tight. There is certainly an election taking place and with the opinion polls where they are it is an all-out effort on the part of every candidate.
 By Pepper Parr
September 1, 21015
BURLNGTON, ON
It wasn’t a debate – but it got pretty freewheeling a couple of times and it was a more than decent opportunity to hear what the candidates thought about specific issues and to get a sense of where they were coming from in terms of why they were in politics.
The national picture – tight – some of the Conservative seats are going to have a different seats are going to be a different colour – |Is Burlington one of them? Too early to tell.  The event was sponsored by 3Things for Burlington – and was an event intended for youth. There were as many adults as there were youth in Centennial Hall at the public library but the young people brought the energy to the room. Some adults had questions they wanted to ask – there was no time – the young people had good direct questions – it was a pleasure to see them involved.
 Randi Minaker introduces the panel: Laird, Best, Gould, Damoff, Shabaz, Clement and |Wallace. They each set out the position and their main arguments quite well. Some had to use notes – why? – while others wandered off the topic – Wallace. Attending were David Laird, New Democrat candidate for Burlington, Janice Best for the NDP in Oakville North Burlington, Karina Gould, the Liberal for Burlington; Pam Damoff the Liberal for Oakville North Burlington.
Adnan Shabaz the Green candidate for Oakville North Burlington, David Clement the Libertarian candidate and Mike Wallace.Member of Parliament for Burlington
David Laird is a long time New Democrat with some pretty hard boiled views on the economy and the role the banks play – he sees the money system as one that is a private thing run by the banks – he seems to have forgotten that the Bank of Canada is in the game and that the federal government regulates the banking industry.
Laird has the government in the pockets of the bankers. He referred to an Oxfam report that had 85 people owning 50% of the wealth in the world – which is a stretch.
Laird commented that he had never seen youth involved in an election before.
Karina Gould the Liberal candidate for Burlington reminded Laird that he once spoke at a civics class at MM Robinson – she was in the class – she went on to explain that it was those high school days that were the beginning of her political career.
Gould told the audience that most young people saw politicians as older men in suits. Gould said she found younger people don’t think they will ever have the lifestyle their parents have and that student debt and the environment were key issues – most seemed to feel they would never be able to own a home.
 Mike Wallace, Burlington MP, takes a closer look at art work at the Art Gallery of Burlington. Mike Wallace, the current Member of Parliament for Burlington has been an MP since 2006 and a politician for 26 years. Wallace commented on the audience having as many adults as youth – he wasn’t wrong. His advice for the young people: do your research and decide who has the competency to do the job.
David Clement is the Libertarian candidate for Oakville Burlington North. That political party. Which Clement described as fiscally conservative and socially liberal, has yet to actually elect a member to the House of Commons. Clement said he didn’t see politics as either left or right – what he wanted to see was a political process that empowered people.
Adnan Shabaz is the Green Party candidate in Oakville North Burlington. That party’s leader is a hero in Shabaz’s eyes – “She stands up and speaks her mind” and Shabaz certainly came across as very well informed with not much nonsense in his comments and answers to the questions he was asked.
He told the audience that a politician’s job is to represent the people; that their views are why a Member of the House of Commons is in Ottawa.
That is not what party politics is about. Several references were made to “whipped” votes – but no one explained to the young audience just what a “whipped” vote is.
Every political party has a person known as the “whip” whose job is to make sure the members of the political party are in the House and casting their vote in favour of the party’s policy.
The practice is referred to as “party discipline – without that discipline it would be very difficult to get anything done. However, it is when party discipline is overdone that democracy suffers; many feel that this is where politics in Canada has gotten to under the Harper government.
 Pam Damoff – Liberal candidate for Oakville North Burlington Pam Damoff, the Liberal candidate for Oakville Burlington North never tires of telling people that it is the young people that change the world – and she wants to be around as many young people as she can. The room at the Central Library certainly had more than her share of kids in red T shirts.
Damoff wants to see young people at the table – based on what was heard at the meeting Monday evening – those young people deserve a seat at the table – they had good questions and handled the meeting very well.
Damoff told the audience that the federal government is not doing enough at the municipal level – a point that Regional Chair Gary Carr would agree with that statement. The pie chart shows where the tax dollars go – that isn’t where the spending goes.
Janice Best, the New Democratic candidate for Oakville North Burlington commented that she would certainly like some of those young people on her campaign team.
She delivered one of the toughest comments to the young people. “You are going to become part of what is called the “precarious work force” – part time, low wages and no benefits. And if you did get to university” she added “you will leave with a degree and a debt load of about $26,000.
She pointed out that the student loan legislation has not been upgraded since 1971.
What was disappointing was that both Damoff and Best had to read from notes – one would have hoped that these two women would have had more than enough of a grasp on what they and their party stood for to be able to speak extemporaneously.
However – the two women were in the room – the same could not be said for Effie Triantafilopoulos, the Conservative candidate in Oakville Burlington North. She was a no show.
 Oakville Burlington North is a new federal riding.  Stephanie Bye and Randi Minaker made sure the event went smoothly – expect to hear more about Bye – WOW – she ran the event with an iron fist. Handling the speakers was left to Stephanie Bye – what a stick of dynamite this young woman was. Awesome she would say when a speaker had finished. Cool she would add. And when a speaker was getting off topic Stephanie was in there like a little Bull Terrier getting them back on track.
After each speaker had explained why they were there the questions came from the audience – here is where the audience got to see what they felt on an issue by issue basis.
Immigration was the base of a question from a young man who asked why a close friend had been waiting more than 11 years to get landed status. Mike Wallace did his best to explain what the issues work – but his colleagues were not buying it. It was almost a pile on.
Both Shabaz and Gould explained that if their parents had been in a Canada that has a Bill C 24 when they came to Canada– they would have been described as citizens with “second-class status”
 The boundaries for the federal constituency were changed – not by much but they were changed Bill C 24 is seen as a controversial piece of legislation that recently came into effect, allowing the government to revoke Canadian citizenship from dual citizens who are convicted of terrorism, high treason and several other serious offences.
As a result of the new provisions that came into effect a few months ago, many people warn that dual citizens, including those who were born in Canada, now have “second-class status” and that their Canadian citizenship can be “stripped arbitrarily.”
Added to that mix was the amount of information the government now collects on people. Both Shabaz and Clement felt this was a very serious problem. “No government should have that amount of information on any citizen” he said. The only person at the table who wasn’t comfortable with collecting of the data was Wallace – he seemed to buy into the government policy that this was necessary to catch the terrorists. Shabaz, Damoff, Gould and Clement saw this as fear mongering and believed that this approach to problem resolution was hurting the country.
 Karina Gould listens to a senior who had decided to take part in the Youth led event. Gould wanted to know “what has happened to Canada on the world stage” the reputation the country had twenty years ago is not the reputation we have today. The admiration and respect we used to have is no longer there, said Gould.
Damoff set out the environment, the economy, health issues and changing behavior as the issues that she wanted to hear about from people,
Clement wanted lower taxes “leave more money in my pocket” was his war cry.
Wallace, understanding what he has in the way of a political base, brought up the Old Age Supplement – he wanted to see the formula used to increase that monthly payment to seniors given an index that was considerably different than that used for the consumer price index.
His comments were well out of the ball park and Stephanie Bye shut him down pretty quickly.
 Richia Burke explains to members of 3Things for Burlington how she expects the meeting to go – and hands out the work assignments. The event was run by 3Things for Burlington, a youth group formed by Community Development Halton – they were great but no one said a word about that organization which is often struggling for funding to stay alive.
 By Staff
eptember 1, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Performing Arts Centre is going to be one of the stops for the World Premiere Tour of the unique classical ballet Sleeping Beauty.
The performance will take place October 2, 2015 at 8:00 pm.
Dance Critic Gary Smith will give a pre-show talk, in addition to a post-show chat with the artists.
 Sleeping Beauty, Performance, Act I Sleeping Beauty is one of the world‘s most famous classical ballets and holds a place in the repertoire of virtually every major company.
This major new ballet tells the enchanting story of Aurora and her prince complete with its inherently magical qualities and dazzling choreography. The fairy tale about a young woman placed under a spell to sleep for a hundred years only to be awakened by a kiss is an easily accessible story. It appeals to a child’s imagination and holds a special place in the hearts of adults.
 Superb performances of Sleeping Beauty are going to take place on the stage at the Performing Arts Centre – October 2 The underlying theme is the tug between the forces of good (the Lilac Fairy) and evil (Carabosse), serving as an important thread to the plot. Told in three acts, the ballet benefits from the character development and technical expertise for which Canada’s Ballet Jörgen is known.
Artistic Director and award-winning choreographer Bengt Jörgen focuses on the magical elements and the interpretation of the ballet as a nature allegory: The young woman represents nature, the wicked fairy is winter, who deadens life with pricks of frost until a young man, spring, cuts away the brambles to allow the sun to awaken sleeping nature. Sleeping Beauty by Canada’s Ballet Jörgen draws on the traditional choreography by Marius Petipa to spin a tale of nature and love that will inspire young and old alike.
 Sleeping Beauty has a very large cast – it is a traditional ballet that has been done as a Walt Disney film and is a favorite with young people and adults that appreciate the richness of the story and the strength of the dancers. The delightful story will be danced to the original 1890 score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, set to a libretto based on Charles Perrault’s story La Belle au bois dormant. In ensemble with stunning costumes and captivating lighting design, Sleeping Beauty by Canada‘s Ballet Jörgen is guaranteed to provide an evening of entertaining and inspiring live performance.
If you want your children to have some understanding of what great ballet is – this is the event to take them to – the Walt Disney movie version always does well – real dancers with fabulous choreography is one of those things every child should have an opportunity to see.
Tickets can be purchased online www.burlingtonpac.ca, by phone 905-681-6000 or in person at the Box Office located at 440 Locust Street.
By Staff
September 1, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
You know the federal election is in full swing when the Prime Minister comes to town and announces his government will build a new Advanced Manufacturing Hub in Burlington if he wins the Oct. 19 election.
Prime Minister fills the floor of a steel plant in Burlington – promises to create an advanced manufacturing hub in the city – if he wins the election. No details on who the private sector partners are or which part of the city this might be located in. Speaking at a campaign event at Harvester Steel in Burlington, Harper said the centre will focus on “cutting edge products and technologies.”
Everyone should know by this time that governments do not create jobs – unless they hire more civil servants.
The private sector creates jobs and there wasn’t much heard from the private sector about how much of their money was going to be pumped into this idea – and that is all it is at this point – an idea – a good one if it is executed properly.
The announcement will have come as a bit of a surprise to the Chamber of Commerce and the city’s Economic development Corporation who were expected to attend and clap at the appropriate time.
Harper’s event, which focused on beefing up the manufacturing sector, came on the same day that economists announced Canada is officially in a recession.
Does the Prime Minister’s visit to Burlington suggest that Mike Wallace’s seat is in trouble?
If we see him again before October 19th – then Burlington is up for grabs.
Cine Starz Upper Canada Place
460 Brant Street
WWW CINESTARZ.CA
SHOWTIMES September 4 to 10 , 2015
SINISTER 2 14A
Fri to Thur 1:20 3:30 5:20 7:15 9:10
AMERICAN ULTRA 18A
Fri to Thur 1:35 5:40 7:30 9:20
FANTASTIC FOUR PG
Fri to Thur 11:30 1:30 3:15 5:30
JURASSIC WORLD PG
Fri to Thur 11:10 1:00 3:20 5:10 7:00 9:15
VACATION 14A
Fri to Thur 11:20 1:30 3:15 5:10 7:30
SOUTHPAW 14A
Fri to Thur 11:15 7:20 9:30
INSIDE OUT G
Fri to Thur 11:15 1:15 3:15 5:15 7:15
PAPER TOWNS PG
Fri to Thur 11:00 3:30 9:30
AMY 14A
Fri to Thur 9:15
By Staff
September 1, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Below is a review of real estate sales for the full month of July 2015, provided by the Rocca Sisters and Associates, broken down by area with their latest forecasts.
 
The Burlington market has remained strong into the summer with a 3% increase seen in both average sale price and the number of home sales in July 2015 as compared to the same month in 2014. The number of days that a property remains on the market has also decreased from 29 days to only 27 days. We are experiencing a higher than average number of requests for evaluations this month, so our prediction is that there will be a strong, more balanced upcoming fall market.
By Staff
August 29, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Lane Restrictions on Pine Street – Sept. 3 to 5
 You are looking at a Master Coffee Brewer- finest coffee in town Halton Region will be installing new wastewater main liners on Pine Street, between Elizabeth and Pearl Streets. This construction will take place at night from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. starting Thursday, Sept. 3 to Saturday, Sept. 5.
Lane restrictions will be in effect.
Whew – so I can still get my engines going at Tamp – need that coffee
By Staff
August 31, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
A monument. A tangible piece of history placed in a prominent spot to signify the beginning or end of something – a life, a war, a turning point in history – that is what Burlingtonians can expect to see in the very near future.
 Prominently located at the west entrance to Spencer Smith Park there will be a six foot high, three foot wide place marker to remind the public and tell the youth of the future about the remarkable attempt a young man made to run across this county with one good leg and the other an artificial leg that was always uncomfortable.
There are several markers in the Terry Fox Journey – British Columbia where his dream was born; St. John’s, Newfoundland – where his journey began and sadly, Thunder Bay, Ontario – where his run came to an end.
“We as Burlingtonians make no special claim of ownership over Terry’s legacy,” said Greg Costa, the lead on the Monument project, “however, on July 13th, 1980 something extraordinary did happen here. Terry brought his Marathon of Hope along Lakeshore Road, to North Shore, up King Road, and across Plains Road.”
“We weren’t the beginning or the end of this journey, but we’re proud nonetheless to be part of the journey. While the end of his run, and subsequent death left a permanent mark on every Canadian, it was his journey that truly touched lives. It’s what brought people to the streets to witness a once in a lifetime moment. A moment that showed the full spectrum of what it is to be human. Terry’s run was about sacrifice, friendship, determination, and strength. Not just physical strength, but strength of character.”
On this the 35th anniversary of Terry’s run through Burlington, what’s the perfect way to mark the occasion? While 35 years is a long time, no doubt, it’s not nearly the end.
Terry reached Burlington with many kilometers behind him, and many yet to go. Just as we have reached 35 years of participating in community runs in Terry’s name to raise money for cancer research – we have many years ahead of us.
Terry said: “Even though I’m not running anymore, we still have to try to find a cure for cancer. Other people should go ahead and try to do their own thing now.”
And we did. We have for 35 years – but we’re not done yet.
 The Burlington Terry Fox Monument Project Team has proudly announced plans for a “mile”marker” monument at the west end of Spencer Smith Park to celebrate Terry’s journey. “We hope that this will not only pay respect to one of the greatest Canadian Heroes this country has ever known,” said Costa, ” but to act as a reminder that we’re not finished what he started. Not yet.”
The Monument group is grateful to the City of Burlington for donating the location where the monument will be placed.
Funds for the monument are being raised privately and separately from the Terry Fox Foundation or the Burlington Terry Fox Run Committee
This is a separate community project – they have decided to be very low key until the annual Terry Fox runs takes place September 20th. They do not want to confuse the public – the Monument is not part of the drive to raise funds for cancer – it is to pay for a marker; something that every citizen will smile at when they see it and every visitor will want to have their picture taken in front of.
Greg Costa at the Burlington Terry Fox Monument Project, is passionate about Terry’s vision and his legacy. You can reach him by calling 905-335-1909 or emailing him at costagreg@cogeco.ca.
Their goal to erect a monument to commemorate the 35th year of the Marathon of Hope in memory of Terry Fox and his life time achievements in the fight against Cancer.
 This is a private citizen group led event. Costa points out that “we are not a registered charity, your donation cannot be tax receipted.”
This initiative is the kind of thing that makes people proud of the city.
By Staff
August 31, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Do you remember the s l o w dances?
Sure you do – and Kyle Tonkens, a local installation artist would like you to experience those wonderful evening dances once again.
 Your invitation. On Thursday, September 10, between 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm., Tomkins is inviting you have one of those slow dances as the sun sets in the west. The event features a real-time two hour sunset, where there will be live music, refreshments, and of course wonderful works of art on display.
I wonder if they will play Red Sails in the Sunset – that one always worked for me.
The event takes place at the The Art Gallery of Burlington on Lakeshore Road.
 It was vision and cultural courage that got this piece of art outside the Art Gallery of Burlington – plus the desire of a man to make a statement of his devotion to his wife. It will be held in the RBC Community room where a glorious sunset will be projected on the south wall of the community room. For those who want the real thing in the way of a sunset – they will be able to dance outside close to the Rebbecca – one mans statement of his love for his wife.
The sunset that will be projected was filmed at Princess Point – a part of the Cootes Paradise where the view of sunsets is incredible.
Admission is free.
By Staff
August 31, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
If you see someone with behind the wheel of their car with their cell phone next to their ear – you know the driver of the car has at least $490 he doesn’t need.
On September 1, 2015, the rules of the road will be updated to include tougher penalties for distracted driving, new rules to protect cyclists and measures to ensure the safety of tow truck drivers and children riding school buses.
 This will cost you $450 starting tomorrow – plus three demerit points. Getting Tougher on Distracted Driving
Penalties for distracted driving will include an increased set fine of $490* and three demerit points upon conviction. Novice drivers will receive a minimum 30-day suspension for the first conviction and longer suspensions for subsequent convictions.
If current collision trends continue, fatalities from distracted driving may exceed those from drinking and driving by 2016. Research indicates that a driver who uses a cell phone is four times more likely to be in a crash.
Keeping Cyclists Safe
The “dooring” of cyclists will carry an increased set fine of $365* and three demerit points upon conviction. New rules will also require drivers to leave a one-metre distance where possible when passing cyclists, or they may face the penalty of a $110*set fine and two demerit points. Cyclists who don’t use the required bicycle lights and reflectors face a higher set fine of $110.
 This is called “dooring” – using your rear view mirror before opening the car door prevents that from happening. A bike must have a white front light and a red rear light or reflector if you ride between ½ hour before sunset and ½ hour after sunrise, and white reflective tape on the front forks and red reflective tape on rear forks.
Staying Alert Around Tow Trucks and School Buses
Drivers must now leave a safe passing distance between themselves and tow trucks stopped on the roadside to provide assistance. Failing to slow down and move over for a tow truck can result in a set fine of $490.* School buses will be more recognizable — they will now be the only buses permitted to be chrome yellow.
By Staff
August 31, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There is going to be a Town Hall meeting on transit issues on Tuesday September 1st at the Royal Botanical Gardens starting at 6:00 pm through to 7:30 pm.
 The event is being hosted by Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon and Hon Ted McMeekin, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs.
Ontario Transportation Minister Steven De Duca is the featured guest.
Not a lot of information in the meeting notice we were sent other than to say they will be speaking about transit issues and answering questions.
 Burlington MPP Eleanor McMahon and Hon Ted McMeekin, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs are hosting the Transit Town Hall meeting. Transit is a major issue for Burlington as it grapples with the intensification that is to take place and an ever more crowed QEW.
GO transit is a provincial service that is critical to Burlington.
There was no sense that a major announcement is to be made – but there is a federal election and the Premier of the province has gotten behind federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau who recently announced a policy that will pump millions into public infrastructure.
The event is for anyone who wants to be at the RBG – the Gazette will report on the meeting.
By Pepper Parr
August 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The headline said: Ontario Committed to Maintaining Roads and Bridges
The rest of the story was about vehicle licence fee increases that come into effect September 1, 2015 in order to help maintain Ontario’s road safety, support key services and improve crucial transportation infrastructure.
Fees for driver licences, renewals, replacements and commercial permits are among those increasing.
These changes support the recommendations of the Commission on the Reform of Ontario’s Public Services to cover the rising costs of maintaining provincial roads, bridges and highways, enhance cost recovery for the delivery of driver and vehicle licensing services, and to support quality public services Ontarians rely on every day.
Here’s the damage to your wallet – not all that bad.
  The Ontario government has committed over $19 billion since 2003 to design, repair and expand provincial highways and bridges across Ontario. There are about 12.1 million vehicles registered in Ontario.
Ontario is making the largest infrastructure investment in the province’s history — more than $130 billion over 10 years – which will support more than 110,000 jobs per year on average, with projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals.
 By Ray Rivers
August 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s messy out there and getting worse. Canada is in a recession, our second one in less than a decade. Oil and resource prices have collapsed and expectations are they’ll stay low for the foreseeable future. And all those jobs in the oil patch are disappearing since the tar sands are uneconomic at today’s oil prices. It’s little wonder that Albertans tossed out its provincial Conservatives and took a gamble on the NDP.
 NDP leader Tom Mulcair asks a question during Question Period in the House of Commons. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Sean Kilpatrick)
Any economist worth his/her salt should have seen this coming. NDP leader Tom Mulcair, who is a lawyer, warned the federal government a couple years ago about this so-called ‘Dutch disease’, a consequence of putting all our economic eggs in one basket – focusing on the high life afforded by oil, only to see your world come crashing down when that market changes, as it did for the Netherlands a few decades ago.
All these so-called free trade deals and federal disinterest in anything but oil have helped gut Canada’s manufacturing sector. Over 300,000 manufacturing jobs have disappeared since 2004. And dropping our corporate income tax rates into the cellar has done nothing for the economy, except make the big oligopolist companies richer, allowing them to dispense even more obscene executive bonuses, and to hoard the rest of the cash. Even the big auto companies have shifted much of their production to our NAFTA partner Mexico, now replacing us as the largest North American car maker.
Over the horizon, the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal promises to wreck our productive dairy and egg industries, handing them on a platter to New Zealand’s milk monopoly and subsidized American farmers. The current federal government is ideologically opposed to marketing boards. It dismantled Canada’s wheat board a few years ago leaving many grain farmers stuck without a way to get their crop to market last year. Thanks to the drought, which has diminished grain yields, that will be less of a problem this year.
 Prime Minister Harper, center, checks out the product at Ecosynthetix. Company CEO John van Leeuwen is on the left; Mike Wallace, Burlington’s MP brought home the bacon The ‘Dutch disease’ has taken the Canadian dollar down by over a quarter, reducing our international standard of living by the same amount. A lower dollar means higher prices for imported goods so expect to see inflation re-emerge after a two-decade holiday – and bet on higher interest rates as the Bank of Canada tries to wrestle with that nasty little problem.
The cupboard is bare. Paul Martin’s budget surpluses have been squandered thanks to the tax cuts given to the wealthiest Canadians and big corporations. Eight straight years of federal deficits and we’ve added $150 billion to the red – not a good place to be when your economy is hitting the skids. And with current interest rates already near zero, government spending and income redistribution will be needed to fix this mess.
So like it or not we are in for more deficits – or a very long period of austerity. That is the choice facing Canadians as we go into this longest election period of recent history. Everybody makes mistakes, even big ones, as the current government did, gambling on the oil sands as Canada’s goose laying golden eggs into perpetuity.
Fortunately there is an election happening, an opportunity for our political leaders to tell us what they are going to do about fixing the economy. Poll-leading Mr. Mulcair’s main plank is to establish a national child day-care program, much like the one his predecessor, Jack Layton, killed by voting against the government in 2005. But unlike that one there is no provincial buy-in for such a program today, so his chances of success are slim.
 Justin Trudeau, talking to one of the party faithful during a visit to Burlington. Mr. Trudeau would reform the tax system slightly to rob the rich and give to the middle class. This would be stimulative since lower income folks spend more of their income on goods and services than the rich do. His announcements also include funding support for developing new technologies and building more much-needed municipal infrastructure.
Mr. Harper has offered a tax credit for membership in service clubs, but mostly is standing proud on his record. Some would say, given that record, he should be running away from, rather than showcasing his leadership of the Canada’s economy. In fact one on-line comment on the CBC website called it “The Worst Economic Record Since the Great Depression”.
 Ray Rivers writes weekly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was a candidate for provincial office in Burlington where he ran as a Liberal against Cam Jackson in 1995, the year Mike Harris and the Common Sense Revolution swept the province. Rivers is no longer active with any political party.
Background links:
Harper’s Economy Dutch Disease Election
Deficits Deficit Debate More Dollar Infrastructure Plans
 By Staff
August 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Detective/Constable Calvin Bulbrook, is with the District Offender Management Unit of the Halton Regional Police. He goes after people who don’t want to get caught.
Bulbrook came to the Regional Police from the Toronto police force where there was a similar program doing very well. He convinced the Regional police to go with it – and so far it is working quite well. There was one instance where an individual who knew he was wanted decided to turn himself in before he made the Friday Fugitive feature.
Another who was featured one Friday was hassled by parents and friends to turn himself in and get his picture out of the paper.
 Ryan Wood has a tattoo of a “Maple Leaf” on his right shoulder and is wanted by the Halton Regional police as well as the Hamilton police. The Fugitive Friday program is now at Week 19; this time the police are looking for Ryan Andrew WOOD
There are numerous people who continue to evade the police and the court system and continue to live out in our communities while having a warrant for their arrest in place.
The Burlington station is reaching out to the public to help locate Wood who is 35 years old.
It is alleged that:
In March 2012, the accused falsified a report of a break and enter to his vehicle which he alleged contained close to 800 painkillers that had been prescribed to him.
Further evidence revealed that the accused was involved in trafficking the drugs. The accused was arrested in Burlington in possession of several of the items he had reported stolen and was charged with Fraud, Public Mischief and Trafficking in a Schedule I substance. He breached a condition of his release and was arrested again in July 2012.
The accused was granted release and scheduled to attend court in March and April of 2013 which he failed to do.
He is wanted by Halton Regional Police for:
Trafficking Schedule I
Fraud under $5000
Public Mischief
Fail to Comply with Recognizance x 2
Fail to Re-Attend Court x 2
He is also wanted by Hamilton Police Service for:
Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking – Schedule II
Production Schedule II – Marihuana
Fail to Re-Attend Court
WOOD is described as 6’, 200lbs, blue eyes and brown hair. WOOD has a tattoo of a “Maple Leaf”
on his right shoulder and the image of an “Angel and Devil” on his upper back. WOOD has ties to Burlington, Hamilton and British Columbia.
Anyone who may have witnessed this male or has information that would assist investigators in locating him are asked to contact D/C Bulbrook – Burlington Criminal Investigations Bureau – Offender Management Team at 905-825-4747 Ext. 2346 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.com, or by texting “Tip201” with your message to 274637 (crimes).
By Staff
August 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
In the summer of 2013 the Art Gallery of Burlington proudly launched the John Willard Fibre Arts Residency to celebrate the remarkable life of John Willard.
 Willard took quilting in a different direction – he was bold, at times outrageous and left a collection to guide others. Not one to follow the rules of tradition, Willard turned the craft of quilting into a truly remarkable art form. With scissors, needles, thread and fabrics Willard created his own one of a kind quilt designs whether inspired by traditional patterns that he had deconstructed or by historical events.
To continue Willard’s legacy as a fibre art teacher, the residency will enable emerging artists to have access to one of the AGB resident fibre studios in order to develop a body of work for their first solo exhibition in the RBC Community Gallery.
 Karen Cummings has a strong style of her own – she looks like an admirable choice to follow in some of the Willard footsteps Cambridge’s Karen Cummings has been named the first recipient of the John Willard Fibre Arts Residency for Emerging Artists. She describes her current work as abstract collage for which she uses fabric and fibre. Cummings sees her eclectic collection as an opportunity for personal expression, based on the classical techniques of machine and hand stitching. Her work at times can be careful, contrasted to the frenzied moments of fast machine-stitched along with the arranging and rearranging of fabric, thus creating endless possibilities of diverse surfaces. Between the harsh difference of the rate of speed at which Cummings works and techniques used, Cummings hopes to convey her message.
During the residency, Cummings will engage with the public to share her passion for textile art. This opportunity to share her work gives her a chance to talk about some of the processes she has come to use and to expand her fibre art language. Cummings shares “…that feedback from visitors is valuable and hopefully AGB visitors will ‘see’ and understand a little about the complexities of this medium”.
Cummings’s will begin her residency in September and expect to spend a few days each week at the gallery
The Art Gallery of Burlington is located at 1333 Lakeshore Rd, Burlington, ON L7S 1A9
Gallery Hours:
Monday: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday – Thursday: 9:00 am – 10:00 pm Friday – Saturday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Sunday: 12 noon – 5:00 pm
By Pepper Parr
August 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The don’t give up – they’ve got a cheque book that is pretty thick and they can spend; and right now the Regional Realty Services department is wanting to spend taxpayers money to acquire as much Beachway Park money as they can.
To put all this in context – there are 28 private homes in the Beachway Park that the Regional government would like to buy – and they want to do that buying on a willing seller – willing buyer basis. The problem with that is there is really only one willing buyer and not that many willing sellers – but that hasn’t stopped the Region from making offers.
 An attractive, well maintained home in the Beachway – the owner struggles to ensure that it will be eventually expropriated by the Regional government who need it if they are to build an announced park. Helene Skinner, who has been a Beachway Park resident since 2000, told the Gazette that the Region made us an offer back in the spring of $750,000. We said “NO WAY” The location, property and lovely completely renovated homes with all the upgrades is perfect for us !!
Keenan G. Lane, Manager of Realty Services for the Region, said in his letter to Ms Skinner: “On our end, all the reports we have received to date indicate Halton’s offers are certainly in keeping with the larger market.
“It is regrettable that our discussions regarding the Region’s proposed acquisition of your property ended so abruptly. Melissa and I were looking forward to a follow-up meeting with you, wherein we had planned to discuss the additional options outlined in the Burlington Beach acquisition program.
“There are several incentives we are offering all Beach owners, including a 5% purchase premium in recognition of the inconvenience related to relocation. This, together with the fact that you don’t pay commissions to Halton (market rate is 5% payable by the vendor), would mean that you are realizing a 10% premium relative to a private sale at the same number.
“We completely understand your position in this matter, but I hope that you will consider Halton if you do decide to sell your property.”
Skinner replied:
 This Beachway home was sold to the Region for more than $600,000 with additional incentives that included closing costs and the right to rent the house for a number of years. “As indicated by you on behalf of Halton Region, the multifaceted park plan, if approved will start and stop and/or work around the existing homes.”
Skinner uses every opportunity she gets to quote and remind the Region that they would like to buy her property; her concern and fear is that they will expropriate.
Skinner believes it is important for the public and real estate appraisers / agents to be assured that the Beachway community is NOT obligated to sell and/or sell to Halton Region/City of Burlington and that any park enhancements will be made to include the homes as they remain. Again…NO expropriation, hence, our homes can increase in value like all other communities on the open market. The fact that the Region would love to have our property is a value add. Little supply…BIG demand!!!!
 The Regional government released the plans for an impressive park design that would require the removal of the 28private homes in the park. Most residents have no interest in moving – the park design doesn’t allow for the homes. The Region revealed a very extensive Beachway Park re-development plan – that was impressive. One homeowner took exception to the plans and said in a public meeting that while it was a nice plan – “you seem to want to build it on my property and I don’t want you to do that.”
The Region will do what government does – the Beachway home owners will do that they have been doing for more than fifty years – hang tight and stand up for their rights.
Links to related stories:
Beachway Park plans made public
By Pepper Parr
August 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 A great way for the season to start at the Performing Arts Centre – new Executive Director starts that day as well. When asked what his favourite program was in the 2015/2016 Performing Arts season Executive Director Brian McCurdy said: the brilliant jazz guitarist Pat Metheny who appears on September 1. McCurdy retires in the very near future – we hope he was given a pair of tickets and that his wife will be able to join him for the performance.
This fifth season of programming at The Burlington Performing Arts Centre will see 68 artists and companies on the stages; it is The Centre’s largest offering of arts and entertainment to date. This Season delivers an exciting mix of returning favourites, and exceptional performers gracing our stages for the first time; from Canadian music icons and hilarious comedians, to world music stars and beloved childhood characters.
There will be opportunities to see Lighthouse, comedian Howie Mandel, Jully Black & Jarvis Church, José Feliciano, classical pianist Emanuel Ax, Broadway legend Colm Wilkinson, and many more.
In addition to world renowned talent coming to Burlington, The Burlington Performing Arts Centre is once again partnering with local professional theatre companies Tottering Biped Theatre, Nortesur Artistic Productions, and KooGle Theatre Company as part of the Theatre Series.
The Centre also partnered with the Live & Local Music Series – presenting six events throughout the season, putting local musicians on stage. New this Season, local acts will perform in the lobby prior to a selection of events, to provide pre-show entertainment and greater exposure for local artists. These initiatives collectively work towards supporting the growth of a strong regional theatre and music scene, with Burlington as the focus.
 Starting in the cabarets and jazz clubs of Toronto while still a teenager, Micah Barnes is now a well-loved singer-songwriter.
And if you didn’t know – this Friday there will be another of the Jazz on the Plaza – starts at 6:30 – the bar will be open and you get to hear the Micah Barnes – and the price is certainly right – free.
By Pepper Parr
August 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 A former Burlington MPP, George Kerr swam in the Bay to prove is was not totally polluted. And yes there was once a car that could serve as a boat as well. There was a time – maybe 30 years ago when the local MPP had to take a swim in Burlington Bay – Hamilton Harbour to convince people it was not that polluted. That was the best the government could do at the time.
It is different now – the government realizes that they cannot do all that much by themselves but if they involve the public they can be a part of making real and significant change.
Ontario created the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund grant to help community groups protect, restore and enhance the Great Lakes.
Now in its fourth year, the fund provides a grant of up to $25,000 to not-for-profit organizations, schools, First Nations and Métis communities and other local groups for projects that have a direct environmental benefit to the Great Lakes. Past projects and activities supported by the fund have included:
• Planting trees
• Creating rain gardens
• Restoring wetland habitat
• Controlling invasive species
• Cleaning up beaches or shorelines
• Naturalizing stream banks and shorelines.
Applications will be accepted until October 23, 2015.
To qualify, your project must have a direct environmental benefit and support at least 1 of the 3 goals.
 When Burlington Green gets the opportunity their members turn out in droves to plant seedlings and save as much as they can of the fragile ecosystem in parts of the Beachway Park. Goal 1: protect water quality for human and ecological health
Examples to meet this goal include: strengthening riverbanks to reduce erosion students restoring wetlands to manage stormwater runoff building fences to keep livestock out of waterways helping property owners maintain septic systems.
Goal 2: improve wetlands, beaches and coastal areas. Examples to meet this goal include:
youth planting native grasses to restore sand dunes, rehabilitating coastal wetlands by restoring fish habitats, organizing community events to clean-up shorelines, restoring wetlands using traditional ecological knowledge.
Goal 3: protect habitats and species. Examples to meet this goal include:
Students planting trees to provided shaded habitats along shorelines, creating habitats for wetland wildlife, restoring traditional harvesting areas by planting native species, creating fish spawning beds
This year’s fund will award $1.5 million in total for eligible projects.
 Once seedlings are planted they need care and attention and sometimes water. Since 2012, $4.5 million has been awarded to 221 community-based projects in Great Lakes watershed areas, including the St. Lawrence River Basin and the Ottawa River; more than 11,000 volunteers have helped plant 85,125 trees, release 2,133 fish, create or enhance 643 kilometres of trail and collect 586 bags of garbage.
Ontario’s Great Lakes Basin is home to 40 per cent of Canada’s economic activity and 95 per cent of Ontario’s agricultural land.
If you want more information about the Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund and want to look over the application form CLICK HERE – that will get you to the government web site
By Staff
August 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Operation Decoy – it’s going to hit Burlington it is a Regional Police traffic safety initiative that utilizes education and enforcement strategies to reduce the speeds of vehicles travelling along roadways in Burlington.
Operation Decoy will create an awareness of a high profile police presence in an area through obvious visual cues. The targeted result is the reduction of speeds and the promotion of safer driving habits.
 With the police office clearly visible – people were still pulled over for speeding. The project will consist of four phases.
1) Speed Sentry equipment will be placed by officers in an identified area to capture traffic volume and speed data for a period of time. The Speed Sentry will display vehicle speed and the posted speed limit. This would be deemed an “education” period for drivers.
2) Placement of a marked police vehicle at the identified location to provide drivers with a highly visible deterrent from speeding as they will not be able to determine if police officers are present or not. The Speed Sentry equipment will remain in place collecting data from this period of the project.
3) Physical police presence at the location with speed enforcement equipment. Vehicles detected speeding will be stopped and issued a Provincial Offences Notice.
4) Remove marked police vehicle from the area leaving only the Speed Sentry to collect data for this portion of the project. Data will be analyzed and if appropriate the area will be revisited within a short period of time to reinforce the speed limits. Areas will be periodically checked for compliance and a repeat of the enforcement will be conducted if deemed necessary.
 Signs are pretty clear. Police still nabbed a number of speeders during an All Hands on Deck which had the Chief of Police out writing up tickets. The two officers shown here were kept busy. Operation Decoy is upping the game with a more detailed program – obviously the police feel more presence is needed. In order to increase safety it is necessary for the public to recognize that speeding is unacceptable and can have catastrophic repercussions. As a result, police are hoping this campaign will remind drivers that as their speeds increase so does the risk of a collision.
Road Watch:
The Halton Regional Police Service is committed to combating dangerous and aggressive driving behaviours that put all road users at risk.
If any citizen would like to report a traffic concern they can do so by visiting our website and making a Road Watch complaint.
ROAD WATCH is a community driven program encouraging anonymous reporting of incidents involving dangerous and/or aggressive driving. This program is an opportunity to bring an aggressive driver to our attention.
Be the extra eyes and ears and learn more here: https://www.haltonpolice.ca/PRC/Pages/ROADWATCH.aspx
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