 By Pepper Parr
March 5, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario is proposing reforms to the Planning Act and the Development Charges Act that would give residents a greater say in how their communities grow and would provide more opportunities to fund community services like transit and recycling.
 City planner Bruce Bruce Krushelnicki will undoubtedly applaud the proposal the have Official Plan Reviews done every ten years instead of the current five. The proposed Planning Act changes, if passed, would:
Ensure residents are better consulted at the beginning of the planning process for new developments.
Encourage residents to provide feedback on the future of their communities.
Help municipalities resolve potential planning disputes earlier, reducing involvement of the Ontario Municipal Board in local disputes.
Extend the review of new municipal official plans to 10 years, instead of the current five-year cycle.
 If passed the Bfast people (Burlington for Accessible Transit) will burst with Joy! – and probably have to have Pacemakers installed to still their beating hearts.
Burlington has always had a confusing relationship with transit – most people don’t use it – and council doesn’t like spending for a service that isn’t used all that much
Changes to the Development Charges Act, if passed, would:
Help municipalities recover costs for transit services and waste diversion.
Create clear reporting requirements for capital projects municipalities financed though development charges, as well as section 37 of the Planning Act related to density bonusing and parkland dedication.
Working groups of stakeholders will review and consider further more complex land use planning and development charges issues, and propose solutions.
The proposed amendments are based on input from across Ontario including more than 20 public workshops and stakeholder meetings held from October 2013 to January 2014.
More than 1,200 submissions on the land use planning and appeal system, and the development charges system were received during the reviews.
Approximately 200 of Ontario’s 444 municipalities use development charges.
 Province appears to want more public input on transit decisions – might mean crating a new transit Advisory Committee. We scrapped the one we had. The announcement from the provincial government this morning are proposals that will have to be debated and it will take some time for them to work their way into the way business is done in the province. If passed they have the potential to make significant changes in the way transit development gets done and the rile the public can play.
The question left hanging for Burlington on this one is: Will we have our Official Plan revised and voted on before the province makes these proposals law?
Ten years between Official Plan reviews must have resulted in huge sighs of relief in the city’s planning department.
 By Staff
March 5, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Burlington Girls Hockey Club (BGHC) better known as the Baracudas; brought home three tournament medals, two GOLD and one SILVER, from two tournaments held this past weekend in Clearview and Oshawa (February 27 – March 1, 2015).
The not-for-profit hockey organization offers girls a fun environment to play Canada’s favourite sport has more than 750 girls (and growing) and offers programs for girls ages 4 to 21 at both the house league and competitive (rep) levels.
 The Atom BB’s were gold medalists The Atom BB were Gold medalists at the Cleaview March Madness tournament.
 They are pretty proud of themselves – and they should be: Novice take gold The Novice House league Blue Rebels were also Gold medalists at the Oshawa Lady Generals Spring Classic.
 The Panthers are letting it all hang out – hockey players that became divas. Silver for this team The Bantam House League Panthers were Silver medalists
2015 Oshawa Lady Generals Spring Classic Girls Hockey Tournament.
 By Mark Gillies
March 5, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part two of a four part feature
 John Waldie spent most of his time in Toronto during 1886 preparing to create his biggest business venture to date.
 The historic home called “Erin” was purchased as a wedding present for his second wife, Sarah Ann Jarvis. Sarah was to become the stepmother to John’s 13 children. While John Waldie was in Toronto, the family stayed in Burlington until John was ready to move his family into “Glenhurst”, the first mansion built in Rosedale. John, a widower for one year, had just remarried December 16, 1885 to Sarah Ann Jarvis, and almost immediately, he went to Toronto by himself to start his new company leaving Sarah in Burlington with his 13 children. As a wedding present, John had purchased “Erin”, a home for Sarah at 3265 Mayfair Place in Burlington. Sarah was to care for the children at this home until it was time to have them all move to Toronto.
On November 20, 1886, the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company was incorporated. John had purchased a failing sawmill in Victoria Harbour named Kean, Fowlie and Company. The former company had gone through rough times and were unable to continue.
The Victoria Harbour Lumber Company grew and prospered under the management of John Waldie. In order to make the business successful, it was necessary to create a village for the employees. The area was fairly remote at the time. Streets were laid out, and in 1888 construction began on buildings and houses.
 To make the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company successful, John Waldie built most of the town, enabling his employees to live and work locally. The general store was a company store, owned and operated by the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company.  Fortunately for John Waldie, the Grand Trunk Railway built a train station in Victoria Harbour. The location was ideal, as it was right across the road from his sawmills. The station was used to transport logs into Victoria Harbour, and to ship finished cut lumber out of the community. The Grand Trunk Railway had arrived and built their own train station. John Waldie built a general store. He had more than enough experience on how to build and run a successful general store, having purchased his first in Wellington Square when he was just 22 years of age. John had a second store built in Wellington Square, and it is still there to this day, at the northeast corner of Lakeshore and John Street.
 John Waldie built a library for the residents of Victoria Harbour and furnished it with books, just as he had done for Burlington. Pic: St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church John, always an avid believer in reading made sure that they built a library for the residences of Victoria Harbour. It was a beautiful facility, and is still in the village to this day, as well as the general store.
 John Waldie was a Presbyterian. He financed the construction of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Victoria Harbour. The church opened in 1906. Waldie, a devout religious man, built St Paul’s Presbyterian Church in 1906 for this little hamlet. The church is still functional to this day.
 This rare aerial view of Victoria Harbour was how the village looked around 1920. The intersection of William & Albert Streets is at the top and in the middle of the photograph. In the background, you can see the three mills, the log booms in the bay, the Grand Trunk Railway station to the upper left, railway box cars are to the upper right, the General Store and Library are across the street from each other on either side of the main intersection. If you’re going to have all these buildings for your employees, then you better have houses for them. John set out to build most of the houses in Victoria Harbour. They were small, but efficient. The houses had an early nickname, and were called “saltboxes”, but that went by the wayside when John had the houses painted in the company’s colours of white and yellow. The trim was white and the exterior walls were yellow. The new nickname was “canary houses”, and many are still referred by that name today.
 Once the logs had been cut, they were transferred to the planing mill. Here they were prepared into a finished product.  Victoria Harbour Lumber Company consisted of three sawmills: Mill #1 & planing mill; Mill #2, and Mill l#3. Workers poured in from all over Canada, the United States and Europe eager to work at the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company. There were three mills at the water’s edge, and they were kept busy, sawing and planing lumber. Timber was brought to the mills from all around the Muskoka area, even as far north as Sudbury and North Bay. The railway brought some logs and so did the ships. Logs were also floated to the mills from many different locations. Upon arrival to the mills logs were kept in the water with huge booms, and were dragged to the mills when ready to cut. The finished lumber was then loaded in to railway boxcars or ships and sent to their destination.
 Ships provided a second option to transport logs and finished lumber. The Victoria Harbour Lumber Company utilized both ships and rail for their products. The tiny hamlet of Victoria Harbour with about 200 dedicated workers at the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company had made John Waldie the second wealthiest lumber baron in Canada by the turn of the 20th century, in just over 20 years.
My next article will be a continuation on the wealthy philanthropist, John Waldie and his family. Whatever happened to his 13 children, some lives ending in tragedy? What happened to John’s two wives? Find out next time.
Mark Gillies is a lifelong resident of Burlington, who grew up in Aldershot and developed as a local historian, researcher, master genealogist and writer who has a passionate interest and extensive knowledge of the many early pioneer families.
Mark will write a regular column about colourful local history introducing Burlingtonians to the people that made this city what it is today.
 By Walter Byj
March 4, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton school board thought that it was a fait accompli, that the matter was done. Pineland would not have a full day kindergarten (FDK) starting in September 2015 but would continue the process of converting to a full French Immersion school by the year 2020. Parents, with children were advised to make other plans.
But some of the parents in the Pineland area are not accepting the decision. They feel that it is wrong on a number of levels.
Wrong because the concept of a community school is being destroyed with English students being forced to leave the area.
Wrong because it is forcing siblings to attend different schools.
Wrong because of all the busing for French immersion students at Pineland and most importantly, it is wrong because it contravenes the education act.
With these facts in hand, Denise Davy met with David Euale (Director of Education and Robert Eatough (Superintendent of Education). Her pleas fell on deaf ears so now it was time for plan B.
 Denise Davey is no slough – seen here with former Governor General Michelle Jean accepting the prestigious Michener- Deacon award for her writing. Board Policy required at least 15 children to be signed up for the FDK program – the board administration said they got just 13 sign ups – Sure claims Denise Davey one of the parents behind this effort – the Board did next to nothing to alert parents to the requirement. They ran a single announcement in a local paper a few days before the deadline.
A group of parents met earlier in the week to plan a strategy to continue with a FDK program at Pineland. Needing to act quickly, September is not that far away, a number of ideas are coming to play.
1. Create more community involvement so as to get a better understanding as to the number of families that would be affected by this decision in the future. This means canvassing door to door and creating and distributing flyers.
2. Reach the community through social media: a Facebook page ”Support Pineland Kindergarten“ has been set up.
3. Communicate via mail with concerned government officials stating their case. This would include the Minister of Education, opposition party education critics along with the local MPP and current trustees.
4. Secure a lawyer and file a lawsuit against the Halton Board. The basis of the lawsuit would be based on the following sections of the Education Act.
Operation requirement
2.1 (1) Every board shall, in every elementary school of the board in which instruction is given in grade 1, operate a full day junior kindergarten and kindergarten in accordance with paragraph 6.2 of subsection 170 (1) of the Act. O. Reg. 137/14, s. 2.
(2) Despite subsection (1), a board is not required to operate full day junior kindergarten or full day kindergarten in the following circumstances:
1. A board is not required to operate full day junior kindergarten in a school if, pursuant to a policy of the board approved on or before June 26, 2014, the school offers only French immersion, starting in kindergarten or later.
2. A board is not required to operate full day junior kindergarten or full day kindergarten in a school if, pursuant to a policy of the board approved on or before June 26, 2014, the school offers only French immersion, starting in grade 1 or later.
3. A board is not required to operate full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten in a school in a school year if the school is identified in a policy or guideline issued by the Minister pursuant to paragraph 3.0.0.1 of subsection 8 (1) of the Act, and published on a Government of Ontario website, as a school that is not required to operate full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten for the school year, due to facility or other operational barriers to the board’s ability to operate full day junior kindergarten or kindergarten in that school in that school year.
Exception re early childhood educators, less than 16 pupils
3. (1) A board is not required to designate a position in a junior kindergarten class, kindergarten class or combined junior kindergarten and kindergarten class as requiring an early childhood educator or to appoint an early childhood educator to such a position if there are fewer than 16 pupils enrolled in the class on a date selected by the board for each school year that is not earlier than September 1 and not later than September 30. O. Reg. 224/10, s. 3 (1); O. Reg. 133/12, s. 1 (1).
(1.1) The date selected by the board for the purposes of subsection (1) must be the same date that is selected for the purposes of section 3 of Ontario Regulation 132/12 (Class Size) made under the Act in relation to determining class sizes in elementary schools. O. Reg. 133/12, s. 1 (2).
(2) Except in the circumstances described in subsection (3), subsection (1) applies to only one class in each school of the board, whether a junior kindergarten class, a kindergarten class or a combined junior kindergarten and kindergarten class. O. Reg. 224/10, s. 3 (2).
(3) In each school of the board that offers French immersion in junior kindergarten and kindergarten, subsection (1) applies to,
(a) only one English class, whether a junior kindergarten class, a kindergarten class or a combined junior kindergarten and kindergarten class; and
(b) only one French immersion class, whether a junior kindergarten class, a kindergarten class or a combined junior kindergarten and kindergarten class. O. Reg. 224/10, s. 3 (3).
This will be an uphill battle for the Pineland community and the timeline is narrow but in their opinion, it is worth the effort.
 By Pepper Parr
March 5, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
There are some corporations that learn how to re shape themselves to meet a challenge – there are many that didn’t see the change coming and when it did hit them they didn’t know what to do and so they died.
Kodak, once a great American corporation died – the Yellow Pages saw the wave coming and turned themselves into a digital company that was slowly getting out of the printed telephone directory.
It has not been an easy change.
 Cheques this size tend to bring out smiles. The Burlington Downtown Business Association was the city that made the best use of the Yellow |Pages Shop your Neighbourhood program for the second time. Chris Long, VP Sales for the Yellow Pages was in town to give the Burlington Downtown Business Association (BDBA) a cheque for $5,000 for the job they did in making a lot of retail sales mileage out of the Yellow Pages Shop the Neighbourhood program.
The last time Long was in town he left the BDBA with a cheque for $10,000 – why the difference?
The Yellow Pages people have realized that they have to partner with people who need to get their message out to their customers. Directory advertising no longer has the clout it used to have – so the Yellow Pages people put together a program that carried the Yellow Pages “Let your fingers do the walking” logo on marketing material local retailers would use for the Shop your Neighbourhood program.
Yellow Pages honed in on a specific day that just kills local retailers – Black Friday and Cyber Monday – two days that the internet owns. The masses flood the internet and the Big Box stores run specials that a smaller retail operations just cannot compete with.
But the DAY in between those to massive events was the kind of niche opportunity Yellow Pages believed could be exploited by the local retailer.
They worked with more than 200 Business Improvement Associations across the country – providing marketing support and a campaign the public could identify with.
As he was handing over the $5000 cheque Long pointed out that those Burlington retailers who used the program did very well. He added that Burlington made the best use of the program; Your numbers he said were better than any other city in the country.
Fairholme Interiors used the program, to reach out to their client base and tell them about the 25% discounts
Long said Yellow Pages was delighted with the response and added that those who tied their marketing efforts to what we were offering did well. Retail is always going to be a “bricks and mortar operation” that are the commercial base for cities and towns across the country.
Retailers face a different marketing landscape – the telephone directory isn’t the only choice anymore – it’s a digital world and the Yellow Pages people want to be part of that kind of business.
 The ladies in the yellow scarves are from Fairholme Interiors – the Burlington retailer that did very well with the Yellow Pages Shop the Neighbourhood program. Janet Sachadi, on the far right owns Fairholme. Jennifer Walker , the other woman in a yellow scarf does marketing for the retailer. This is the third year Yellow Pages has run their Shop the Neighbourhood; they plan on fine tuning the program and running for several years.
More than 8,000 individual retailers across the country took part in the program – they recorded 750,000 visitors to their stores and racked up a reported $89 million in sales.
Was it all a direct result of the Shop your Neighbourhood program? Probably not but it is certainly having an impact.
Yellow pages provides marketing material and promotes the program on a critical day for Canadian retailers – that Saturday between Black Friday and Cyber Monday – watch for it next year.
By Staff
March 4, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
If you were with us way back in 2010 when we first hit the streets you would have known us as Our Burlington. The name for the newspaper on a web site was chosen by the late John Boich for reasons we all felt were good at the time.
 We realized in late 2011 that Our Burlington didn’t sound like a newspaper and we weren’t treated as a newspaper. So we chose Gazette as the name we would be known by.
When we called someone and said y we were from Our Burlington we could have been anything from a pet grooming operation to a flower shop.
When we changed the name to the Gazette people knew in an instant what we were – and for reasons we can’t explain – there was an immediate uptick in the readership. For the first few days there was a rise of 5% that then moved to 8% and the increase held.
We tell you this because we kept the Our Burlington name – there were still people who had us bookmarked as Our Burlington and that was how they got to us.
 Anyone looking for Our Burlington will get this message. The old website address is no longer functional – we have been the Gazette for close to two years. Anyone who went to Our Burlington got sent directly to the Gazette – they didn’t even know they were being transferred.
The Our Burlington web site address is no longer functional; it has been taken down. Try to go there and you get the Server not found message.
For those that lose their way – you’ll figure it and come back.
 By Pepper Parr
March 5, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
One would hope that a health club benefit is one of the perks that James Ridge negotiated when he met with the Human Resources people to negotiate his contract – he is going to need to ensure that his stamina is in top form.
 James Ridge – what kind of an administrative structure will he create? A number of files have been put on hold until he gets himself a chair to put behind the desk he will use. It will be interesting to see if Ridge goes the route that Jeff Fielding took when he moved from the 8th floor where he was a walk across the hall from the Mayor to the 6th floor where he was right in with his team.
That’s a pretty small team at this point. Scott Stewart turns out to be the only man on deck.
 Fielding, a city manager who excited staff and taught them how to rise up to almost any challenge. But he didn’t stay long enough to make a real mark – there are however going to be some stains. While Council members have had several interviews with Ridge, these were job interviews and the dynamic of that kind of a relationship is different. Ridge will have wanted to impress them and at the same time get the measure of the council he is going to serve.
Council members will have wanted to individually get the measure of the man and determine how their individual agendas might be advanced.
Given the style and ideological split on this Council Ridge will have figured out what he has to work with and for.
There are a number of significant files that are on hold until he arrives – officially that is set as March 23, 2015.
A Workshop that was planned on the “Alignment and Collaboration on Employment Lands” has been moved back to late May or June.
 Getting tough, tough about compliance with the Site Plan bylaw will occupy the new city managers for a time – bigger decision to be made is what role does an air park play in the city’s longer term economic development plans. No one at city hall believes they can work with the air park owner. There are some tough decisions to be made on the Air Park. The city is believed to be ready to use the authority the courts have given them to enforce the Site Plan bylaw. There are property owners along Appleby Line that are watching this with great interest. The pain on this one is going to be shared.
Emotions are running very high in at least one household.
Burlington has land that is designated for employment use – many in the real estate field believe that some of that land is much more suited to residential use – which is music to the ears of the developers that own the land.
Burlington has some very important decisions to make. The Fielding approach was to make all kinds of side deals – at least one of those is going to come back and bite this council in the backside.
Burlington is struggling to find just the right balance between residential and commercial and then figure out how we manage the very large seniors’ population we are going to have.
The politicians talk about how well they are going to take care of that seniors’ population – those people vote.
 Frank McKeown, former Chief of Staff to Mayor Rick Goldring now runs the Economic Development Corporation. His objectives don’t fit all that well with a growing seniors population that will require more in the way of services. Making Burlington a high-tech haven and a seniors heaven is going to be a challenge. Frank McKeown now runs the Economic Development Corporation – he isn’t comfortable with the idea of Burlington being seen as a seniors heaven; that doesn’t jive very well with a vision of a city that has loads of high-tech talent and is one of the most pleasant and safest places to live – expensive perhaps but the high tech field pays very well.
James Ridge and his wife are going to take four days to drive from Vancouver to Burlington with heir four pets in the car. One can imagine the conversations that will take place – between the husband and wife – we don’t believe the pets talk.
Staff know next to nothing about the man who is going to lead the administrative side of the city. Ridge will want to determine as quickly as he can what he has in the way of bench strength and figure out what he wants in the way of a senior level administrative structure. Right now many of the eggs are in Stewart’s basket.
During the early Goldring first term there were three General Managers. That got whittled down to two with the working relationship with one of those two less than sterling.
Roman Martiuk was the City Manager at the time; he wasn’t able to form the kind of working relationship Goldring wanted and after just over two years Martiuk moved on – ok he was pushed out.
Goldring himself had a very difficult first two years getting the hang of the job for which he wasn’t all that well prepared. His wisest move was bringing Frank McKeown in as Chief of Staff but that didn’t last.
Fielding’s octane level was far too high for this council. Time will show just how rough shod he ran over this council.
Besides the Air Park matter and the decisions to be made on what we do with the employment land we have there is a document that sets out what taxes could look like twenty years out. It is not a pretty picture.
Welcome to Burlington James Ridge!
By Pepper Parr
March 3, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Employers need to continuously develop new talent, acquire new skills, and be open to fresh insights and ideas.
Tech Under 20’s need hands-on work experience that will strengthen their resumes and take their skills and careers to the next level.
These two groups need to meet each other – which is part of what Silicon Halton is trying to do with their Meet Up at the Art Gallery of Burlington March 10 at 7 in the evening.
A team of teens and adult mentors are working together on this meet up, inviting local Employers and Tech Under 20’s to present ideas and discuss the importance of Tech Internships to the ongoing growth and success of all types of businesses in the region.
 The technically trained students are showing us a different world. There are forms are as different as their thinking. On the agenda are:
Tech-focused students who have recently completed internships and are looking for new opportunities’
Employers who have recently offered (or are looking to fill) tech-focused internships in Halton’
Government program representatives with information about funding (for employers) and opportunities (for students / grads).
Discussion after the presentations on helping Silicon Halton develop a new Tech Internship Program for the region.
TECH UNDER 20’s
Oleg L.
Grade 12 student, Oakville
Sofware developer
INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE: Recently completed a semester-long co-op with a software company that led to a full time summer job offer.
TOPIC: Oleg will discuss how demonstrating a high level of skill and commitment during a short term co-op can lead to extended opportunities with an employer.
Amanda R.
1st year UWaterloo
Honors Mechatronics program
Schulich Leader scholarship winner
INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE: After competing in robotics competitions for 6 years and volunteering in Lego robotics since 2011, she is currently working on her first co-op placement as an Automation Engineer at Camcor Manufacturing, Linamar
TOPIC: Amanda will discuss the importance of networking before, during and after internships and co-op programs.
Ella R.
Grade 12 student, Oakville
Competitive robotics software developer, autonomous programmer & on-field strategist
INTERSHIP EXPERIENCE: Completed a Thermal and Nuclear Internship with Hatch Inc. last summer.
TOPIC: Ella will discuss how her internship opened her eyes to the variety of roles available on engineering teams in a large company setting.
Eddie S.
Grade 12 student, Milton
Competitive robot designer, build team leader & on-field strategist
INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE: Eddie hasn’t taken part in an internship program yet, but want to learn more about opportunities related to engineering and design.
TOPIC: Eddie has advanced skills in design, engineering and robot fabrication, but he is unsure of where to turn for information on internships that would suit his interests and future career development.
Sam R.
1st year student at OCAD University
Majoring in Graphic Design
INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE: Completed a communications internship with Appleby College two years ago that led to a paid, full time position with their communications team the following summer.
TOPIC: Sam will discuss how his technical and creative skills in graphic design and digital photography were expanded while meeting the needs of the internship, and how he benefited from the responsibility and creative freedom provided by both the internship and full-time summer positions.
LOOKING FOR: Sam is interested in working with organizations that will stretch his technical and creative skills further, while providing opportunities to continuing developing his portfolio of graphic design, photography, videography and motion graphics work.
EMPLOYERS
Tom Murad – Ph.D., P.Eng., F.E.C., SM.IEEE; Head of Siemens Engineering & Technology Academy, Siemens Canada Limited
Vincent Hamel; Manager, Electro-Optical Engineering, L-3 Wescan
Ian Small; General Manager, AudioBooks
Mark Arteaga; President, RedBit Development
Mark will discuss “what we look for when we hire”.
Government organizations that have funding available will also be on hand.
Sandra Nuhn: Manager, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Halton Region
Sandra will highlight two young entrepreneur programs that the Halton Region Small Business Centre is delivering in the Region.
Summer Company: Provides hands-one business training and mentorship, with awards of up to $3,000 to help enterprising students between the ages of 15 – 29 start and run their own summer business.
Starter Company: provides training, mentorship and the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to $5,000 to youth between the ages of 18 – 29 to start, grow or buy a small business.
Kimberly Neale
Integrated Job Developer, Employment Services, Halton Region
Kimberly will highlight free employment services, programs and training incentives available to employers & job seekers in Halton Region. She will provide information / updates on Ontario’s Youth Employment Program, the Youth Job Strategy and Canada-Ontario Jobs Grant.
Sabrina Essner
Program Lead, Halton E-Mentoring & Newcomer Strategy, Halton Region
Halton Region is a welcoming, inclusive and supportive community. Sabrina will discuss the launch of Halton Region’s E-Mentoring program, community value and how to participate.
Registration can be done at Eventbrite
By Pepper Parr
March 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Finally – the Mayor is going to have a Chief of Staff – not sure if Brian Kelly will be given that title – his background appears to be in government relations – where he worked at McMaster and York University
The Mayor has been without a Chief of Staff since Jackie Isada left the Mayor’s office to do government relations work for McMaster University.
Kelly has some politics under his belt he ran in Hamilton where he got 172 voters placing 9th in a field of 15 candidates.
 He has a pedigree that is stronger than the Mayor’s except for one thing – the Mayor has won a number of elections.
We can expect an announcement out of city hall in the near future – we understand Kelly is due to pick up his business cards sometime next week
As for the pedigree – it’s extensive:
Advisor, Government Relations, Office of the President, York University – July 2012 – Present (2 years 9 months)Toronto
Candidate for municipal office; City of Hamilton – July 2014 – October 2014 (4 months)Hamilton
Principal: Brian Kelly Consulting. 2011 – July 2012 (1 year)Hamilton, Ontario
Expertise in federal, provincial and municipal government relations
Senior Advisor to the President on Government Relations, McMaster University
2007 – 2011 (4 years)Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Vice President: Public Affairs Strategy Group, 1998 – 2007 (9 years)Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Director of Government Relations: AT&T Corporation, 1995 – 1998 (3 years) Ottawa, Canada Area
UPS: Manager of Government Affairs, 1992 – 1995 (3 years) Toronto, Canada Area
Nortel Networks, Manager of Environmental Affairs, Director of Government Affairs
1988 – 1992 (4 years) Toronto, Ottawa, Ontario
Manager of Government Relations and Environmental Affairs: Bell Canada, 1986 – 1988 (2 years) Toronto, Canada Area
Regional Manager for Eastern Canada, Canadian Printing Industries Association, 1984 – 1986 (2 years) Toronto
Manager: Environment Canada, Acid Rain Office, 1984 – 1984 (less than a year) Toronto, Canada Area
Special Assistant to the Minister; Department of National Defence/ Department of Public Works
1980 – 1984 (4 years) Ottawa.
Senior consultant in public policy and government relations serving clients in the private sector, industry associations, quasi-public sector and non-profits – clients served include: Vancouver Port Authority; AT&T Corp; Baxter Corp; Hydro Quebec; Fairmont Hotels; Bio-Rad Laboratories; Canadian Electricity Association; InterVISTAS; Canadian Cancer Society; Cogeco Cable.
Kelly has been around. He told voters in Hamilton that the “city needs to play nice with the province” when he was running for office – words that certainly must have made Mayor Goldring’s ears perk up.
Kelly placed 9th in a field of xx candidates – talking 2.46% of the vote with 172 ballots.
Kelly will not be telling Goldring how to win elections.
 By Pepper Parr
March 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
At the beginning of each meeting of the city Councillors the Chair asks if there are any declarations of interest. Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison frequently has to declare an interest because his sports club operations provide recreational services to the city.
A declaration of interest prevents a member of council from voting for anything that he or she stands to benefit from. Other than that – it’s all pretty tame stuff.
A question cropped up at the Development and Infrastructure Standing Committee this afternoon when it looked as if ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman was in the process of getting himself into a conflict when he suggested that Lori McDonald spend some time in his part of town.
 Lori MacDonald is the woman who wants to bring ArtFest to Burlington for a three day gig she wants to hold on Old Lakeshore Road.
The dates for the event are May 29-31 – which happens to coincide with the Car Free Sunday that is sponsored by Councillors Dennison and Sharman using the $10,000 the pinched from the city budget
Mayor Goldring wanted to know if the organization could “pull this off” with the time they have. MacDonald sounded confident and she seems to have much of the hard early stage work done. There are a couple of hair dressers on Old Lakeshore that are concerned about their clients getting into their shop.
MacDonald has been working on this project since October but hasn’t been able to say anything about it until Council had given it a nod.
Artfest Ontario is MacDonald’s company – which she owns runs. She has been in the art development business for some time – got into creating Artfest when she took on the development of an art show at the Distillery District in Toronto.
She used to do three a year in Toronto but is cut back to one due to the Pan Am Games. She has run an Artfest in Kingston for the past three years and is looking forward to getting something going in Burlington.
She really wanted to be at Spencer Smith Park but that wasn’t possible.
 The tents will be set up along Old Lakeshore Road ans in the Emmas Back Porch parking lot. The old Burlington Art Centre (now the Art Gallery of Burlington) used to run an outdoor art show but after a couple of really bad years due to weather for the most part gave up on the project which created an opening for MacDonald
She expect to set up more than 100 10 x 10 foot tents along Old Lakeshore where she is getting great cooperation from Craig Kowalchuk at Emmas Back Porch who has turned his large parking lot over to the Artfest.
Council will give the go on this, if that is their wish, March 23rd.
In the meantime Sharman will be doing his best to coax Lori MacDonald to ply her trade at Sherwood Forest Park during the Car Free Sunday May 31st.
I could have sworn I saw Paul Sharman wink at MacDonald while she was giving her delegation
 By Ray Rivers
March 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
 That title has to be taken tongue in cheek. British author Maria Lewycka provides a valuable look into Ukrainian society through her charming novel about Ukrainian tractors. Although trade between Russia and Ukraine has pretty much come to a halt, except Russian gas, following Russia’s invasion, the economies of the two countries had been closely intertwined during the days of the USSR. As ironic as it seems today, Ukraine had been a major provider of military equipment for the Soviet block, including rocket and helicopter engines, and even tanks (tractors in the book).
At the moment it is like watching a school-yard bully kick the crap out of a smaller kid and steal his lunch money. And we in the west are holding a ring-side seat, frozen by the obscene spectacle and hoping, in vain, that the irrational aggressor will come to his senses. Having expressed our concerns and imposed some mild sanctions to ease our guilt, we find ourselves shouting words of encouragement from the sidelines but are hesitant to help with significant material substance.
Similarities to Germany’s 1938 invasion of Czechoslovakia are eerie. Russia, unable to control its lesser neighbour, has invaded on the flimsy and false pretext of protecting the linguistic rights of Russian speakers there. But in this the truth lies somewhere else. The cunning Vlad Putin is either unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality, or is so bent on aggression against his neighbour that it doesn’t matter.
It might look as if Russia’s invasion was part of a greater long term strategy, which recent evidence shows it was. Back over a year ago there were rumours of Russian parliamentarians exploring Hungarian and Polish interest in the division of Ukraine – in the spirit of Stalin and Hitler’s pact to divide Europe between them (Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact).
The former Ukrainian president Yanukovych, elected in 2010, was essentially Putin’s puppet. He ran down the military and the economy, making the country vulnerable and weak, and ripe for the ensuing aggression. Under Kremlin pressure he cancelled plans for the Ukraine to join the EU, which ordinary Ukrainians had regarded as their last hope of rescuing their failing economy and ending corruption.
When the people protested, he called on Putin to help him. And Putin apparently complied providing sharpshooters who killed over a hundred of the protesters. Then fearing for his life and having lost his moral authority in parliament, by even his own party, Yanukovych fled to Russia, taking the federal treasury ($40 billion) with him. Interpol has recently issued a warrant for his arrest.
 Crack Russian troops invading the Crimea. While Ukrainian parliamentarians were sorting out how to govern, and with the conclusion of the Sochi Olympics, Putin made his move. First he invaded and annexed Crimea and then moved into eastern Ukraine. As the recovering Ukrainian army was in the process of expelling the pro-Russian forces in the east last summer, Putin uncloaked his military might, sending in his crack troops, modern tanks and advanced weapon systems to defeat them.
A desperate Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire freezing battle lines (Minsk). However, the Russian president, despite all his denials, ignored every aspect of the agreement. He continued to send more troops and advanced weapons to ensure that the out-gunned Ukrainians would not be able to retake pro-Russian seized territory, and allowing his forces to continue grabbing more land.
Then there is the matter of the Russian missile which knocked down a Malaysian airliner last summer, killing all 300 people on board (including a Canadian). Since the rest of the world seems impotent to deal with this event, it will likely require legal action by the aggrieved victims’ families to register some measure of accountability. And there is now evidence that Putin’s people have been conducting a terrorist campaign, planting bombs all over Ukraine, including at a recent peace march.
Putin has been jailing or exiling all of his political opponents over the last few years, as he has steadily moved Russia back towards autocracy. On Friday his most effective opponent, in fact his once former deputy prime minister, was gunned down in a professional assassination – reminiscent of KGB contract killings.
Vladimir Putin’s Russia is the antithesis of the way we in the west believe a major military power should behave. Yet nobody is prepared to stand up to him in any meaningful way – in any way that might change his behaviour. Putin told the west that sanctions would not work and they haven’t. Yes, sanctions and lower oil prices have hurt the Russian economy, but Putin is not going to be swayed by economics.
 Putin won’t stop until he is stopped. Ukrainians know this but nobody else seems to get it. Obama, Merkel, Hollande, and even our own Harper, keep saying that there is no ‘military solution’ to the crisis. But they couldn’t be more wrong, as events have shown. The former KGB agent is all about his military might. To get his attention he needs to believe that his military could fail to meet its objectives. Negotiating terms with Putin is a one way street, with the traffic going only in his direction. Call this kind of negotiation what it is – appeasement.
Appeasement failed to stop Hitler in 1938 (Neville Chamberlain in Munich) and it will not work in Ukraine (Minsk). Ukraine has asked the west to supply it with modern weapons to defend itself against Russia’s unprovoked military aggression. Ukraine is in the process of a massive mobilization of its youth, but needs training and modern weapons for its conscripts to be able to defend themselves. We in the west, including Canada, have that technology in spades.
 Ukraine became a source of agriculture for the |Soviet Union and Europe. They were never quite as good as the Massey Ferguson tractors Toronto factories shipped to farms throughout Western Canada Canada has always had a special relationship with the Ukraine. After all this country has received more Ukrainian immigrants than anywhere else outside of Russia. Ukrainian-Canadians have recently been coming out to help the country of their heritage, including joining troops on the front line against the pro-Russian military forces.
Ukrainian-Canadians know we have the ability to supply the training and arms that Ukraine needs, or that we should be able to help influence other nations to move in that direction. There is no partisanship here. Every single Canadian government has supported Ukraine’s struggle for independence, including making us the first nation to recognize the new country after the breakup of the USSR.
Stephen Harper has been among the most vocal anywhere in defending the sovereignty of Ukraine. We have offered some financial assistance and some non-lethal military supplies. But our Ukrainian Canadians, who have become some of the PM’s staunchest supporters, know that we can and should do much more.
 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 describes himself “as of Ukrainian extraction”.
Background links:
Ukrainian Tractors Soviet-Nazi pact Invasion Strategy Appeasement Failure
Breaking the Ceasefire Breaking the Truce Mis-reading Putin Need for Weapons Putin
Full Scale War Russian Contract Killing Russian Terrorism Putin’s Plans Canada’s Role
Price of Appeasement
Canadians in Ukraine Canadian Persuasion
By Pepper Parr
March 3. 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
It is when people can appear before those they have elected and have an open dialogue; an exchange of ideas and concerns that the democratic process works at its best and the way it was supposed to work.
Burlington is not there yet.
Back in 2010 when the Shape Burlington report was published, it was a document put together by former Mayor Walter Mulkewich and the late John Boich. Boich was very close to then Mayor Cam Jackson – he ran his 2010 election campaign.
Jackson created the advisory group to produce a report to take away some of the heat he was getting from disgruntled citizens who were beginning to realize there were real problems with the pier.
 Crane working at the pier site topples. Proves to be the point at which problems with the design became evident. By this time the crane accident had taken place and things were beginning to smell. Law suits were threatened and writs were issued and everyone was off to meet with a judge.
City hall found their collective noses were a little out of joint when the Shape Burlington report was given to Jackson. They felt the report had slammed them, if ever so slightly.
Many people were unhappy with the treatment they were getting from the office of the Clerk.
In the municipal world – the Clerk is a major player. Both the Mayor and the Clerk must together sign each by law that is passed by Council – without the signature of the Clerk – the bylaw isn’t legal.
 City Clerk Angela Morgan; has been with the city for more than 25 years. Doesn’t live in Burlington. Council cannot meet officially without the Clerk being in the room. In closed sessions it is the Clerk who is in place to keep everyone on the straight and narrow. The Gazette has it from more than one source that Burlington’s city Clerk has had to be quite vocal and direct with Council when it is in Closed Session in the past. The Clerk or the chair of the Standing Committee has to read out a statement setting out why a council or a committee is going into a Closed Session and then ensure that the discussion is directly relevant to the reason for going private.
Both city staff and Council members are sworn to secrecy but it is possible to put together a collection of comments to get a sense of how your Council behaves in closed sessions.
In a related article we write about the comments made by the WHO that recently completed an investigation into a complaint from the Burlington Waterfront Committee (BWF) on what did get discussed in a Closed Session on the sale of lake front land between Market and St. Paul Streets south of Lakeshore Road.
BWF people have delegated a number of times on this matter. That group of people is fortunate to have people who delegate very clearly and have their facts well set out. There was an unfortunate occasion when Gary Scobie was delegating on the sale of the Water Street property and Councillor Sharman asked how his Water Street views squared with his views on the Beachway.
Sharman had introduced a totally different subject and put Scobie off his stride. Fortunately for Sharman Scobie was too polite to call Sharman to account for that old political stunt of changing the subject
 Monte Dennis delegates frequently – ask him what he thinks of this council and the way it responds to delegations. Delegating is an art. The way people delegate in Burlington is set out in the procedural bylaw which most people aren’t even aware of. It is the Clerk’s job to ensure that the bylaw is enforced.
It should also be her job to take steps to ensure that the public is fully aware of the bylaw and take some initiative to ensure the public is educated.
Burlington’s Clerk focuses on enforcement.
Recently a long time Burlington resident wrote us about delegating – how it can be done to be effective
“I have had a delegation or two that was not on the agenda” our source said. “You have to ask or tell the Clerk that you want to speak, and what about. Do this with skill and thoughtfulness.”
Our source had delegated multiple times on a matter that he had put on the agenda. The individual reminded us that ”you were there, and eventually came to my house for a chat about it”.
“I was very insistent about my right to speak”, said the source “although you may have to wait for a meeting date if the next Committee meeting has a full agenda already. The web site directions for delegations allows for this, it’s just more trouble. You just have to push.
 Gary Scobie has delegated frequently; is always well prepared – but can seldom get this council to agree with some of the exceptionally good points he makes “I was told by an ex-mayor that they can’t just stop you, but it’s not straightforward as when you are speaking to an agenda item.
“It also helps to be imaginative about how what you want to say might fit into an existing agenda. For example, the just completed budget process provided an opportunity to position the issue as a budget accountability, business case matter, where the delegate would ask about how this expenditure would fit in.
“The Strategic Planning process might provide another item – the question being how does this property deal fit into the city strategic thinking, and what kind of business case was proposed.
“Imagination and tact, with rational evidence based arguments are needed. It takes time and planning.”
Indeed it does – but it can be done – and when done effectively changes can be made.
 Councillor Marianne Meed Ward used delegations to propel her way into public office. She is one of the few that probes and asks questions of the delegators. It is interesting to note that in Committee of the whole meetings, which are not broadcast, the dialogue between staff and council is very open and very healthy. There is mutual respect most of the time – not always.
That same level of respect isn’t nearly as evident when voters, taxpayers, the people to whom elected officials are accountable to – the same people who consistently say it is an honour and a privilege to serve the public.
Evidence of that honour and privilege is not evident at city hall much of the time.
Our source wrote the Gazette to comment on some of the comments that were appearing.
“I went back and looked at the story again’, he said “and saw that I had commented twice, both suggesting action on the part of the commenters.
“My take in both cases, and similar ones, is that the commenters don’t seem willing to call the mayor or Councillor, or whoever, to account for the issue raised. You have to go to city hall, as a delegation, and demand an explanation. That’s the only way to seek accountability. You have to call them out.”
“The commenters either can’t be bothered, are too lazy, or have no case. Or they like the system the way it is in case they get in power and can act the same unaccountable way.”
By Mark Gillies
March 2, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Part oneof a four part feature.
John Waldie was born in Scotland in 1833 to James and Jessie Waldie. The family immigrated to Upper Canada in 1842 when John was nine years old. The family settled in Wellington Square, a village of about 400 residents. Nearby Port Nelson located at the foot of Guelph Line had about 60 residents.
John Waldie was an incredible businessman and philanthropist. He was “The Father of Burlington” & “The Father of the Burlington Library”. James Waldie was a tailor, one of four tailors working in Wellington Square until 1852. In that same year James, Jessie and their young daughter Agnes moved to Huron County and purchased 100 acres of farmland. Their son John, then 19 decided to stay in Wellington Square. Little did John Waldie know in 1852; that one day he would amass a great fortune and his decisions would affect so many people.
 John Waldie’s general store located on the northeast corner of Lakeshore Road and John Street was the place to shop in Burlington for clothing and home furnishings. The store employed 12 clerks, and everyone was kept busy serving a large clientele. John had been employed as a store clerk for one year at the dry goods store of local businessman William Bunton. John was adept at business, and at 22 years of age in 1855, he purchased the business from Mr. Bunton. Not long after, John Waldie built a new store at the northeast corner of Lakeshore Road and John Street. The building is still there, with most of the historic features not visible to most.
 The “Azov” was a freight sailing ship that transported both wheat and timber. The vessel was owned by John Waldie and William Bunton.  In 1885, John Waldie’s sailing ship “Sweepstakes” sank in Big Tub Harbour at Tobermory. Today, this is Canada’s most famous dive site for ship wrecks. William Bunton and John Waldie continued working together in other business partnerships. Both men entered into the shipping business and owned two sailing vessels. They were called the “Azov” and the “Sweepstakes”. Bunton already owned one of the three wharves located at the foot of Brant Street, and these two ships transported local timber and wheat. The name “Sweepstakes” may be familiar to diving enthusiasts.
The ship was built at Wellington Square in 1867 and sank in Big Tub Harbour at Tobermory around September 3,1885. Today the ship is the most visited dive wreck in Canada.
 John Waldie and William Kerns were good friends, business partners and political foes. John was a Liberal, and William was a Liberal-Conservative. Both represented Halton County at different times. From 1866 to 1885 John had been in partnership with William Kerns. The store was sold to Kerns when John Waldie moved to Toronto and began the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company. In 1887 Waldie decided to enter federal politics as a Liberal candidate, and represent Halton County. The riding was held by William McCraney, a Liberal, and a wealthy lumber merchant, who won the seat in 1882 when Sir William McDougall, a Father of Confederation, decided to run in another riding. When McCraney decided not to run for a second term, his friend John Waldie decided to run for office in the 1887 election.
Waldie’s Conservative opponent was local merchant David Henderson. The vote was close, Waldie 2,222 votes; Henderson 2,213 votes. Up to this election, John Waldie had been very active in the local community.
For two years, John had been the Reeve of Nelson Township and was elected to become the first Reeve of the Village of Burlington in 1873
Burlington was the name selected to replace the names Wellington Square and Port Nelson.
It was John Waldie who was the “architect” for combining the two communities together. In 1877, it was reported, “Whether for good or evil, the fact of incorporation is due to Mr. Waldie”. I think it is quite fair to say, John Waldie is the “Father of Burlington”. In 1877 John Waldie then moved on politically and became the Warden of Halton County for two years, a forerunner of today’s Regional Chairman.
 David Henderson and John Waldie had a mutual respect for each other. Both men battled for the same federal riding of Halton County several times. John Waldie represented Halton County federally several times. His 1887 win was short lived, lasting only one year. Amidst allegations of bribery, a by-election was called, and David Henderson, a Conservative in 1888 won Halton County. John Waldie did not contest the seat. But Henderson also faced similar allegations of corruption, and another by-election was held, just six months into office.
This time Waldie and Henderson faced off for a second time. The election was close. Waldie 2,042 votes; Henderson 2,018 votes. The next election was in 1891, and the two were at it again. The vote was close, Henderson 2,441 votes; Waldie, 2,337 votes. Another by-election was called in 1892 and David Henderson was acclaimed. In the 1896 election, the two men squared off for the last time. The election was close, Henderson 2,460 votes; Waldie 2,376 votes.
 John Waldie while serving in Ottawa as the Liberal representative from Halton County, developed a close friendship with Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier. This friendship helped Waldie after he left office. John Waldie was also President of the powerful Lumbermen’s Association, and he lobbied on behalf of the lumber industry, fighting against unfair trading practices by the Americans. John Waldie’s political career had come to its conclusion. While in Ottawa, he did manage to make some great connections. One of his closest friends was Sir Wilfred Laurier.
John Waldie and his family moved from Burlington to Toronto in 1885, however they still regarded Burlington as home. It’s not that they wanted to move away; they had to move in order to properly develop his new Victoria Harbour Lumber Company.
 Historic Knox Presbyterian Church on Elizabeth Street was the recipient of custom made imported stained glass windows; a gift from philanthropist, John Waldie. John Waldie was a Presbyterian, and a member of historic Knox Presbyterian Church on Elizabeth Street. When you drive by the church, have a look at the beautiful stained glass windows. John Waldie had them manufactured in Scotland and brought them over as a gift for Knox Presbyterian Church.
John Waldie believed in reading as the best means to develop your learning capacity. In the very early 1900s, the Village of Burlington was having difficulty with establishing any kind of a library system. At the time, various residents would keep a small selection of books in their own homes, and area residents would drop by and borrow one or two books. The system was not working and in danger of closing. On hearing of this situation, John Waldie proposed a solution.
 The new Burlington Public Library opened its doors in 1906. The building and books were donated by philanthropist, John Waldie. The Public Library was located on Brant Street, where the City Hall is today. If the Village of Burlington could find some land, Waldie would build the library building, and donate it to the village. When the new facility opened in 1906, Mr. Waldie also stocked it with a donation of 6,000 books. I think it would also be accurate to call John Waldie, “The Father of the Burlington Library”.
By a deed dated 30 September 1888, The Greenwood Cemetery Company of Burlington purchased eight acres for $2,000. The Greenwood Cemetery Company was owned by John Waldie and they purchased the land from local market gardener James C. Filman for the purpose of establishing a cemetery. Block 50, a large block near the centre of the cemetery was purchased by John Waldie on 2 December 1889. Waldie’s parents, both Presbyterians, died in 1864 and 1868 and were buried in St. Luke’s Anglican Cemetery. Knox Presbyterian Church did not have a cemetery. These two burials motivated John Waldie into creating the Greenwood Cemetery Company.
 Sarah Ann Jarvis was just 29 years old when she married the widower John Waldie, who was 52 years of age. Sarah was to become a stepmother, since John was the father of 13 motherless children. On September 18, 1885, John Waldie, a widower married for a second time. The new bride was Sarah Ann Jarvis, who at 29 years of age was 23 years younger than John. Waldie’s wedding gift to his new wife, Sarah was a home located at 3265 Mayfair Place in Burlington.
 John Waldie purchased 3265 Mayfair Place as a wedding present in 1885 for his new bride Sarah Ann Jarvis. The residence was called “Erin” and the home still retains this name today. It was called “Erin”. Originally built in 1845 by Henry Sovereign, a United Empire Loyalist descendent, owned later by Moses Wilkins, then owned by John Waldie, this historic home has undergone several cosmetic alterations. The residence is located behind the Water Treatment plant on Lakeshore Road, but at one time the home sitting on a small hilltop commanded a beautiful view of Lake Ontario. The Henry Sovereign residence “Erin” is very similar to “Sovereign House” in Bronte; another historic home that was built in stages by fellow relative Charles Sovereign between 1825 and 1846. Today, the home is operated by the Bronte Historical Society and is used as a museum.
John Waldie died at 3:00 PM, June 12, 1907 at his residence “Glenhurst” located in the prestigious Rosedale area of Toronto. A week prior to his death Waldie suffered from bouts of violent coughing. Waldie, already in ill health, had a weakened heart and was unable to survive.
The funeral procession for John Waldie originated in Toronto. The Grand Trunk Railway with a special funeral train transported the mourners and coffin from Toronto to Burlington’s historic Freeman Train Station. The coffin was removed and transferred to a hearse provided by the Edgar Williamson Funeral Home on Brant Street.
 Edgar Williamson operated the local funeral home in Burlington. Today, we know it as Smith’s Funeral Homes. Mr. Williamson provided the horse-drawn hearse to carry the late Mr. Waldie from the Freeman Train Station to his final resting place in Greenwood Cemetery. The procession slowly made its way to Greenwood Cemetery traveling south on Brant Street, and turning right on to Water Street. Brant Street was lined with mourners as they paid their final respects to a favourite son. It wasn’t a state funeral, but it was visually overwhelming. At Mr. Waldie’s funeral, one of the many in attendance to pay respects to this great man was David Henderson, John Waldie’s political adversary. John Waldie, a self-made man, had returned home to his beloved Burlington for the last time.
My next article will be about John Waldie’s Victoria Harbour Lumber Company. This company made John Waldie one of Canada’s wealthiest men, and the second most powerful lumber baron in Canada.
Mark Gillies is a lifelong resident of Burlington, who grew up in Aldershot and developed as a local historian, researcher, master genealogist and writer who has a passionate interest and extensive knowledge of the many early pioneer families.
Mark will write a regular column about colourful local history introducing Burlingtonians to the people that made this city what it is today.
 By Pepper Parr
February 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Revised
For some reason the Burlington Beachway seems to be making the news
 The community used to straddle the railway line that ran beside the lake – it once had more than 200 homes. Today there are just 30 left and they aren’t at all interested in selling or moving.
Councillor Meed Ward was interviewed on Cogeco Community television and mention was made of the very unsatisfied residents who felt they were not going to ever see the true equity in their homes.
That led Cogeco reporter Krista Sharpe to getting out into the community with her camera and asking questions.
Sharpe met Helen Skinner who has very strong opinions on what the Region and the City are doing to the Beachway community and has never been at a loss for words.
Form your own opinion – listen to Cogeco.
 The Region budgeted as much as $400,000 to buy |Beachway homes – this one was sold for $600,000 with the owner given the right to remain in the building for two years. What the public hasn’t been told all that much about is the work going on within the Burlington Parks and Recreation department – they are the people doing at least the early part of the design work of the proposed park.
The Beachway issue is: what kind of a community does the public want? The public is vaguely aware that the Region is prepared to buy the homes and if what Craven has to say is true they are actively “courting”‘ those home owners – you could say they are picking them off one by one. What the general public really isn’t clued into is what will eventually happen to the Beachway if the Regional policy gets carried out.
Councillor Craven says the home owners are not being pushed out and that they have been kept fully informed – that’s not the view one gets from council candidate Katherine Henshell who says that because of the zoning and the prospect of homes being tied up in red tape – residents can’t find willing buyers – and that depresses the value of their homes.
Henshell argues that the only buyer is the Region
That might be the case but the Region estimated the houses could be bought for about $300,000 each – the most recent sale was for $600,000.
The Beachway situation has always been complex – do the views of Craven, Skinner and Henshell impact what you think?
By Pepper Parr
February 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington has thousands of people who remember all too well the public debate over the adoption of a new flag for the country. Lester B.. Pearson, the Prime Minister at the time was giving a speech at a Legion gathering – they came close to booing him off the stage.
 Noon of February 15th, 1965 – the \red \maple leaf was flown from Parliament for the first time. But at noon on February 15, 1965 the red maple leaf went up the flag pole on Parliament hill – and at locations across the country – and has been there ever since. That flag had a very difficult early childhood.
The flag that is raised each day and taken down each evening on Parliament Hill is donated to some organization where it is proudly flown. The list for flag requests stretches four years into the future.
Now that it is part of who we are there are groups across the country who want to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the red maple leaf.
 A massive Canadian flag was passed hand over hand amongst a huge crowd in Montreal days before the citizens of Quebec voted in their referendum to remain a part of Canada. Hometown Proud, a unique national program, that is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Flag of Canada is doing a cross country recording session tour and will be in Burlington March 10th to record the students at Pauline Johnson public school taking part in a national version of O Canada.
This unique program commemorates and aims to educate students on the history of Canada’s national flag, as well as unite students in what may be the largest recording of O Canada.
Getting to the point where Canada could celebrate the 50th anniversary was not an easy process. The link below is a CBC clip on the raising of the new flag. It is lengthy – 20 minutes – but if you want to fully appreciate what we went through – take the time. Watch for that Canadian hero Georges Vanier who was Governor General at the time. Stooped and looking every day his 70 |+ years Vanier watches as a flag he loved and fought under – losing a leg in the process – is brought down.
The film footage is HERE
 The Gazette’s Education reporter Walter Byj needed a reason to get out of the house – and as chilly as it was he braved the wind off the lake and snapped this picture of the waterfront looking east. The small structure on the left is Emma’s Back Porch.
By Pepper Parr
February 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
Ontario is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the largest permanently protected greenbelt in the world and looking to the future by reviewing the land use  plans of southern Ontario. The Greenbelt protects farmland, green space and clean water.
Our Escarpment is a part of this review.
The Province will hold public consultations, across the Greater Golden Horseshoe and Greenbelt area, on the review of four provincial land use plans to grow the Greenbelt, protect prime agricultural land, build transit friendly communities and support economic development. The province will undertake a co-ordinated review of:
• The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe
• The Greenbelt Plan
• The Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan
• The Niagara Escarpment Plan
In addition to public consultations, like town hall meetings, Ontarians will also be able to comment through the Environmental Registry.
 David Crombie, former Toronto Mayor and one of the best friends Burlington has seems pained at Mayor Goldring’s comments.fourth The review, which is expected to be complete by early 2016, will also benefit from the input of an expert advisory panel, chaired by David Crombie, former federal cabinet minister and former mayor of Toronto. Other panel members include:
Keith Currie, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Rae Horst, former CAO, Credit Valley Conservation Authority
John MacKenzie, Commissioner of Planning, City of Vaughan
Debbie Zimmerman, CEO, Grape Growers of Ontario
Leith Moore, Senior Vice President, Urban Fieldgate Homes
Having this review panel chair by David Crombie is good news for Burlington. Crombie has been a friend of the city for years and in the past has chided Burlington for not doing all that it could do to ensure there is a consistent Waterfront Trail.
Burlington recently agreed to sell of some prime waterfront property along the edge of Lake Ontario between Market and St, Paul Streets because it didn’t believe there was any real potential for a trail continuation in that part of the city.
 The Escarpment is what gives us a large part of our identity. While the waterfront isn’t within the mandate for a Greenbelt review it is the waterfront and the Escarpment that define this city.
Burlingtonians know that there are still bureaucrats within the Ministry of Transportation who want to push a road through that part of the city
Citizens are invited to make comment on the Environmental Registry. Click here to get to the Registry – and if you can make any sense of it – tell us how you did it.
 An Extreme Cold Weather Alert has been extended by the Halton Region Health Department for the overnight period on Friday night into Saturday morning, February 28. Temperatures will once again drop into the extreme cold range during the overnight period on Saturday night into Sunday morning, March 1. This alert is issued when temperatures are expected to fall below -15 degrees Celsius (without wind-chill), or when weather conditions are severe enough to warrant alerting the community to the risks involved with prolonged exposure. The alert is intended to inform the general public and community agencies and recommend precautions. This alert is in effect until temperatures rise above –15 degrees Celsius (without wind-chill) or weather conditions improve and the risks involved with prolonged exposure are reduced.
By Pepper Parr
February 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
City hall has announced the closing date for nominations for a BEST AWARD. It is April 7, 2015
There are a number of categories – all have merit.
What the awards don’t have is an acceptable level of transparency which tarnishes what is an important program that recognizes individual effort to better the community.
Last year there were a number of nominees whose names were put forward by either their spouses, partners or parents.
This is what fan clubs do.
 An award given by a community with the nomination coming from people who have taken the time to think about who they want to recommend is a true award. When Mom fills in the form and sends it in – it just isn’t quite the same.
The prestige behind the award is paramount to its usefulness. To be a true award with value there can and perhaps should be years when an award is not given.
This city keeps telling anyone with two ears that we are “the best mid-sized city in Canada” There is an opportunity with the Burlington Best awards to begin to behave like one.
There have been comments in the past about people who have “’gamed” the nomination and used the award to start a political career.
In 2011 a small group of people had gathered in the foyer space outside the Council chamber at city hall to talk about John Boich’s health. It was not good and he died several weeks later.
One of the group said to the others” I want to nominate John for an award – the rest of the group immediately agreed and collectively they put together the documents.
John was named the Citizen of the Year several hours before he died in 2011.
The terms of reference for the Awards committee appear to have a sunset date of 2006 – they need an update.
The following are the awards given by the city.
• ARTS PERSON of the Year: An individual who has contributed to the arts in Burlington as an artist, patron or advocate including but not limited to, visual arts, media arts, musical arts, performing arts and literary arts.
• Citizen of the year: A person whose volunteer activity has made a significant and sustained contribution to the vibrancy and wellbeing of the Burlington community.
• Junior Citizen of the year: A high school student, 18 years or younger who has made a significant contribution to the Burlington community.
• Senior Citizen of the year: A person, 55 years or older who has advocated on behalf of seniors and/or made a significant contribution to the Burlington community.
• Environmental Award: An individual or group that improved and/or protects Burlington’s environment.
• Community Service Award: An individual or group whose volunteer activity has contributed to the betterment of the Burlington community.
• Heritage Award: An individual who has demonstrated a commitment to the preservation of Burlington’s heritage, and has volunteered their time in an effort to support the preservation of Burlington’s heritage.
There are people who have done some incredible service for both the city and its citizens. Forms and background on the procedures can be found HERE
 By Pepper Parr
February 27, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
If you can get yourself over to the Central Library on Sunday the 8th of March you will have a chance to meet one of those old timers who has done it all but doesn’t know quite how to hang up his spurs.
 Sandy Thomson recalling some history for Burlington |Gazette reporter Walter Byj Sandy Thomson, the great-great grandson of Captain George Thomson, a Berwick, England native who was the Burlington Beach Canal’s lighthouse keeper and diarist for 29 years in the 1800’s has produced a short film on the lighthouse.
The diaries became the base documents for the short film that Sandy and his small film crew have completed.
The diaries were preserved and are at the Brant Museum along with the lenses from the lighthouse.
Sandy Thomson still drives a motorcycle and has a small film operation – Cine 16 that keeps him busy.
 The Burlington canal lighthouse
The original Burlington Canal Lighthouse and Light station were built in 1838 to guide ships into Hamilton Harbour. The current stone structure as it stands today was built in 1858 and sits adjacent to the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge under the Burlington Bay James N. Allan Skyway.
The Burlington Canal Lighthouse Group (BCLG) is a non-profit organization formed by Hamilton and Burlington community members to preserve the Burlington Canal Lighthouse and Lightstation. Current member of the BCLG, Sandy Thomson says, “It is important to preserve the lighthouse that has both historical and educational importance. Other lighthouses have been restored on the Great Lakes and this is the only one left to be restored on Lake Ontario.”
 Captain Sandy Thomson at the wheel of a Russian tug Thomson is the owner of marine-parts manufacturer, Thordon Bearings, in Burlington. He provides innovative products to the marine industry around the world. While building a market for his propeller shaft bearings, Thomson captained a Russian steam tugboat, Rudokop, and toured all the major ports in Europe in the 1990-2000’s promoting Thordon’s propeller shaft and rudder bearings to ship owners and shipyards in the Baltic, North, Mediterranean and Black Seas.
“My great-great grandfather maintained the lighthouse for those vessels entering Hamilton Harbour on those dark and stormy nights, and as a former sea-captain, I can appreciate what a welcome sight that light is”.
The video will be shown during the BCLG’s general meeting at the Burlington Central Library on Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 2:00pm. The public and new members are welcome!
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