 By Pepper Parr
May 11, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 2 of a series
When we reviewed Councillor Galbraith’s audited campaign financials, available now on the City website, we noticed some anomalies and decided to look closer.
Focusing on the donors who donated $1000 or the maximum $1200, in more detail we asked:
Who are they?
Why did they donate this much money to a Burlington councillor in an election most voters ignored, where he was running against only one unknown opponent?
Did Galbraith need this amount of money to win his seat?
All Burlington Council incumbents won re-election easily, most with far less money needed.
Based on our research, including simple online searches, we note some information on several of the donors, which we believe to be both highly relevant and accurate. The $1200 and $1000 donors are:
Galbraith $1200 Donors:
Don Husack: Owner, Don Victoria Homes (Burlington resident)
Dr. Michael Shih: President, Emshih Developments (Burlington resident)
Jessica Dipronio: Executive Assistant, National Homes (Bolton resident)
Sara Defina: Executive Assistant, National Homes (Maple resident)
Jenne Wilches (Brampton resident)
Gunther Bluesz: Lead Designer & Project Manager, Vrancor Group (Hamilton resident)
Arun Anand: Manager of Construction Management Plan, Infinity Development (lists a Waterdown Road address, which doesn’t seem to exist)
Adam Peaker, (Burlington, Ward 1 resident)
Ken Szekely, (Burlington business address)
Galbraith $1000 Donors:
Jeffrey Paikin: President, New Horizon Development Group (Burlington resident)
Vincent Molinaro: President, Molinaro Development Group (Burlington business address)
Bruce MacDonald (Oakville resident)
Meetali Acharya (Burlington, Ward 1 resident)
Richard King (Burlington, Ward 6 resident)
Nigel Morgan (Burlington, Ward 4 resident)
Marion Cournoyer (Smithville resident)
Kathleen Sembrano (Burlington, Ward 4 resident)
The number of donations to Galbraith from those tied to the development industry are (as set out above) similar to the donations given to Councillor Sharman, a councillor in his 13th year on Burlington council, and one with a history of receiving developer donations.
 National Homes development on Brant Street south of Havendale.
Mayor Meed Ward has (at least since the 2018 election) taken the position that she would not accept donations from any developer. Her Deputy Mayor of Business Development and Red Tape Reduction does not appear to follow this practice.
Galbraith was the subject of an Integrity Commissioner complaint that claimed he had a conflict of interest because he owned businesses and properties in Ward 1 and should recuse himself when development proposals within the Major Transit Service Area (MTSA) were debated at council. The complaint was found by the City of Burlington’s Integrity Commissioner to be without merit.
 Ward 1 residents argued during the election that should Galbraith be re-elected, they would effectively be without representation at Council. A group of Ward 1 residents argued during the election that should Galbraith be re-elected, they would effectively be without representation at Council because of his perceived conflicts of interest.
So, what might all this mean? Well, ultimately it all depends on your perspective, your politics and how you view elections and the role of the public office holder.
Elections can be expensive if the race is tight and the competition fierce. Some candidates are able to fund their campaigns out of their own pockets. However, when campaigns come in costing $25,000 or more that is difficult for most candidates to pay for – they look to their supporters.
None of the Burlington ward races, or that for Mayor, were close in 2022. Each incumbent won easily. So, why if there was no real need, did Galbraith continue to collect funds from supporters and does it impose an inherent conflict when sitting in judgment of their development applications?
The source of any campaign donation is a mirror of sorts; a reflection of a candidate’s values and the types of interests that he or she attracts. For example, small donations from a hundred or more people might suggest that the candidate has a lot in the way of grassroots support.
A smaller number of donations from specific groups or interests – it could be developers, the commercial sector, hospitality or particular parts of the political spectrum – suggest that these sectors identify with the candidate as someone who best represents their particular community.
 A, D and C are properties owned by Galbraith. E is owned by Emshih Developments. B is a gas station at the corner of the intersection of Plains and Waterdown.  The yellow line that swoops through the graphic is the point where the Galbraith properties are located – on the west side of Waterdown. The have the same development designation as the property across the street. Burlington has, in the recent past, had a concern with the amount of money the development community contributes and how, as a community of interest, it tends to target particular individuals as the beneficiaries of their generosity and support.
 Ward 1 City Councillor Kelvin Galbraith first elected in 2018. They give a candidate money because they believe that he or she is most willing to support their interests; that a particular individual running for public office understands how they operate and is aligned with what they want to achieve.
In this context, there is a reason why developers have given the Ward 1 candidate so much money. They see it as a business investment and a perfectly acceptable expression of their support for someone amenable to their interests.
Other voters, applying different perspectives, goals and objectives, might see it a little differently. The optics of the Deputy Mayor of Business Development and Red Tape Reduction – a business owner in his own right – being the recipient of a very focused donation effort by the development industry is unfortunate. It can lead to unfounded speculation and conclusions.
 Where large developers are concerned, the sheer scale and massive dollar amounts involved in their projects make them different from any other type of donor. They have much more to gain (or lose) by council support and approval or non-support of their projects.
The ethics of Council members receiving and accepting donations from developers who have or will have in the future development projects in their Ward or city is something which plays out province-wide every election, with many council candidates publicly declaring that they will or will not accept such donations.
In part three of this article, to be published early next week, we will look at what all this means; the thousands of dollars of donations made by developers to ensure that the Ward 1 incumbent was re-elected.
We’ll chart where the major developments are in Ward 1 and show just how strategic Galbraith’s major donors were in seeding and protecting their investments.
We’ll illustrate how a perfectly legal activity – the act of campaign funding – can have dimensions that are not particularly attractive for a public official and can, quite quickly, lead to conclusions that the official would find uncomfortable.
Part 1 of this series.
By Staff
May 11th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
LaSalle Park Community Marina and public boat launch opening May 13
 LaSalle Park – bring about a boat on its way to the water. The LaSalle Park Community Marina and public boat launch will be opening May 13, 2023. The Marina is also home to the Burlington Sailing and Boating Club and the Burlington Able Sail program.
Through an agreement with the City, the Marina has been operated by the LaSalle Park Marina Association (LPMA) for 42 years. The City owns the wave break and the Marina.
LaSalle Park is owned by the City of Hamilton and leased to the City of Burlington for $1 per year. Burlington pays for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the park.
The Marina has 219 docking spaces and is protected by a new floating wave break that was installed in 2020.
The Burlington Sailing and Boating Club and the Burlington Able Sail program offer sailing programs at the Marina. In addition, the City has a public boat launch at the Marina that is protected by the floating wave break.
All good news. What the public might want to know is how are the discussions with the city of Hamilton going. Burlington currently leases the property and the lease is either up or very close to ending.
There was no mention of the $4 million that came out of the Hydro Reserve and used to pay for the breakwater. The Hydro Reserve was created out of the hydro bills that every household in the city paid month after month.
 The green part is city of Hamilton property.
 By Staff
May 11th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
An opportunity to see what the arts and craft community in Burlington does.
They include: Burlington Fine Arts Association, Burlington Handweavers and Spinners Guild, Latow Photographers Guild, Burlington Potters Guild, Burlington Rug Hooking Craft Guild, Burlington Sculptors and Carvers.
 By Staff
May 10th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Earlier this year, Burlington City Council approved the temporary patio program for the 2023 patio season to continue to support local businesses. Some patios have already been installed and sidewalk detours will begin this week in the downtown and will run until Oct. 31, 2023.
Sidewalk Detours
Some patios are being installed on City sidewalks. These sections of the sidewalk will be detoured onto the road with traffic barriers. These barriers will help with pedestrian safety.
City of Burlington staff will be installing the sidewalk detours starting May 11, 2023.
The sidewalk detours for patios are being installed in downtown Burlington on:
• The north side of Pine Street between Elizabeth Street and Pearl Street
• The east side of John Street between Pine Street and Lakeshore Road
• The north side of Lakeshore Road between Brant Street and John Street
• The north side of Lakeshore Road between Locust Street and Brant Street
• The north side of Elgin Street between Locust Street and Brant Street
Additional detours will also be installed throughout patio season, as needed for pedestrian safety up until Oct. 31, 2023.
 BDBA Executive Director Brian Dean in shorts that must have been on sale somewhere. Brian Dean, Executive Director, Burlington Downtown Business Association, can now sports his finest summer wear: “Burlington’s small business community is excited to work with Burlington City Council and staff for a successful patio season downtown. The Burlington Downtown Business Association (BDBA) is investing in a new pedestrian infrastructure to help residents and tourists better navigate the outdoor dining experience.
“This year will help the City and the BDBA transition to a more permanent patio program in the future. The BDBA is pleased to invest in this program and our hospitality sector. We believe that offering a better pedestrian experience this summer will cement our reputation as a dining hub for Halton Region.”
By Staff
May 10th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
When it came time to finally pass Bill 60, Your Health Act, into law yesterday, Health Minister Sylvia Jones wasn’t in the chamber to answer questions about the bill her government spent months arguing would end the dysfunctional status quo that leaves Ontarians languishing on wait lists for basic surgeries and diagnostic tests.
 Health Minister Sylvia Jones wasn’t in the chamber to answer questions about the bill her government spent months arguing would end the dysfunctional status quo that leaves Ontarians languishing on wait lists for basic surgeries and diagnostic tests. Jones’ decision to duck questions — in favour of attending a federal funding announcement with Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, where she did not actually speak — prompted suggestions from opposition parties that the PC government wants to put the controversial bill behind them. Its opponents, meanwhile, are vowing to make sure that does not happen.
Jones returned to the house at the tail-end of question period, in time for the third reading vote and just in time to answer the very last question of the morning.
“Bill 60 will actually improve community and surgical centres in the province of Ontario. Why? Because we don’t want people having to wait an inordinate amount of time for their surgeries,” Jones insisted.
After voting on the bill, Jones was gone again, dodging questions from reporters at Queen’s Park.
She didn’t have time, the government said, because she was giving a keynote speech to the Federation of Northern Municipalities.
Opposition leaders suggested the minister’s manoeuvring indicates the government is not feeling as confident about the legislation as it has previously professed.
“After the vote today, even their applause was lukewarm,” noted NDP Leader Marit Stiles.
“I don’t think that this government is really interested in engaging with or responding today,” said Liberal Health critic Adil Shamji. “The minister of health’s conduct is extraordinarily emblematic of the conduct of this government as a whole.”
 They are looking for more than 1 million referendum. votes – be one of them. This matters A Bill 124 redux
Opponents say they will not let the PCs turn the page on the controversial legislation — echoing the way in which Bill 124 has dogged the government since its passage in 2019, before being struck down late last year.
“We will fight this legislation until the end, even if it means through to the next election, because this is a pivotal moment in Ontario’s history for its public health-care system,” said CUPE Ontario regional vice-president David Hurley during a press conference at Queen’s Park ahead of the final vote.
Ontario Health Coalition executive director Natalie Mehra said her group will start its pushback with a “formal complaint” to the federal government or possibly “legal action,” arguing the province is already violating the Canada Health Act by not preventing existing clinics from charging Ontarians illegal fees for OHIP-covered services — which the PCs deny is happening.
Mehra told Queen’s Park Today her organization may go to court to seek a writ of mandamus, which is an order requiring the government to perform a duty owed to the public. In this case, that would be enforcing the Canada Health Act’s provisions against charging people for medically necessary care.
 The Mayor and the Minister at a meeting of the Ontario Big Mayors Group. Meed Ward is on the left with the Minister almost opposite her. Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga (and the next Liberal leader if I have it right) is next to Marianne The coalition and its allies are also organizing an unofficial “referendum” on Bill 60, with thousands of volunteers set to begin canvassing Ontarians across the province to cast a ballot answering the question: “Do you want our public hospital services to be privatized to for-profit hospitals and clinics?”
The effort will involve 1,000 voting stations collecting ballots on May 26 and 27. Organizers are aiming to get one million people to participate, a level of engagement they believe will make the poll too politically damaging to ignore.
“We have held tens of thousands of volunteers out in front of grocery stores, coffee shops, legions, union halls [and] faith-based organizations asking Ontarians to vote,” said Mehra. “If you are a private clinic owner in Ontario and think you’re going to set up shop here and charge OHIP and patients on top of that, you have another thing coming.”
Oppo warns investors not to set up shop
Opposition parties warned potential clinic owners and investors to save their money because the new system being put in place will not outlast the PC government.
 NDP Leader Marit Stiles. “It’s not over yet. We are going to continue this fight,” said Stiles, noting that provinces such as British Columbia and Quebec are already backing away from their own private clinic experiments due to the high cost of such clinics and their impact on the public system.
“I will say to those people who are thinking of investing in for-profit clinics: listen up, there’s going to be another government elected here in three years,” Stiles added.
“Is it a great investment? Probably not,” agreed Liberal Leader John Fraser.
By Staff
May 10th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
A loyal Gazette reader popped this along to us a few minutes ago.
This is the kind of problem we can cope with – maybe the coyotes will look for another town that might like them.
Animal Control says there have been several similar incidents recently. How they will move these large animals to a safe place is a mystery.
Is this part of what makes Burlington one of the best mid sized city’s to live in?
 On the street where you live.
By Staff
May 10th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The City of Burlington is looking for resident feedback on City-run recreation programs.
Feedback is welcome from the community as a whole – past and current participants and those that haven’t registered in our programs.
 Waiting for something to happen. Feedback from everyone will help to understand the needs of the entire community. The survey will ask questions about what City-run recreation programs you have participated in, what programs you would be interested in and, would like to see offered.
This review will help the City understand the recreation needs of our growing community. It will also help align the programs the City offers to serve all residents and visitors for aquatics, skating, inclusion, sport, camps, adults, older adults 55+ and programming in general for years to come.
The results of the survey will be shared in a report to Council in Fall 2023.
The survey can be found at getinvolvedburlington.ca/rec-review and is open until Sept. 1, 2023.
 Lawn Bowling Club is right beside the Seniors Centre. In good weather plenty of opportunity to get out and get some exercise and fresh air. The Library is a very short walk away. Much of what Seniors need in the way of civic services are in the immediate area. Renee Kulinski-McCann, Manager of Recreation Services explains: “The City offers a wide variety of recreation programs, from crafting to family sports. Having access to these recreation opportunities, both indoor and outdoor, supports the health of individuals and the wellbeing of our community. These recreation opportunities are a key service provided by the City so it is important to know what recreation programs our community wants and needs.”
By Pepper Parr
May 8, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Part 1 of a series
It happens every so often that something that you’re reporting on, expecting nothing but to close out a series that you started, suddenly reveals some surprising results, and what seemed innocuous or merely interesting in one light, becomes rather startling when other facts are considered, other context added and subtle background “noise” is amplified. This is one of those times.
 Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith serving as Chair of a Standing Committee. Recently, we looked at the audited campaign financial statements of Councillors Nisan, Kearns and the Mayor. We highlighted some noteworthy things but there wasn’t much that was too out of the ordinary. But then we looked at the campaign expenditures of Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith and things changed.
Remember that Galbraith was one of 11 candidates for the ward in 2018, and basically came up the middle and out of nowhere to win (by 437 votes). Four years later and easily re-elected to a second term, the picture is much different.
 Kelvin Galbraith as a member of a Chamber of Commerce Symposium on Red Tape Reduction. Josie Tavares, with CLV – the developers of the 8 tower project on Fairview next to the GO station has a questioning look. Here are basic facts about Galbraith’s 2022 campaign financial statements:
• Galbraith contributed $0 to his own campaign, other than a nominal amount for signs, $270 actually contributed in 2018. The other council members who did not contribute to their own campaigns were Rory Nisan and Paul Sharman.
• Galbraith’s only Ward 1 competitor, Robert Radway, contributed $7,002.25 of his own money to his campaign.
• Galbraith received the highest dollar amount ($22,350.00) from donations over $100 of any member of council, including the Mayor ($17,907.00).
• Galbraith had 25 donors who donated over $100. He did not hold a fundraiser.
• Ten of these 25 donors donated the maximum, $1200 (double the number who donated the maximum to the mayor). Eight more donated $1,000.
Looking at those total 25 donors, we note the following:
 Kelvin Galbraith at a council meeting. • 11 of them that we were able to identify are either developers, employees/family members of developers or connected in some way to the home building/development industry. Those eleven collectively contributed $11,100.00.
• 7 are from outside Burlington, 2 more used Burlington business addresses, so it’s not clear whether they are Burlington residents.
 • The two who used Burlington business addresses were: Burlington resident and developer Jeff Paikin ($1000) and Ken Szekely ($1200), who used the address on the North Service Road which is the Mercedes-Benz dealership.
• Szekely is the President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Burlington. He also donated the maximum $1200 to Paul Sharman.
• A different donor, using the same North Service Road Mercedes business address, donated the maximum $1200 to Marianne Meed Ward. The seven donors outside Burlington collectively donated $8,000.
We will continue our review on Thursday with part 2 of this article and some surprising facts about who these developer donors are and where their development projects are located.
The Washington Post has a phrase – “Democracy dies in Darkness”. Shining the light of informed reporting describes what we at the Gazette try to do each day. We believe that informed people can make appropriate, responsible decisions, but without the necessary information, they will often blindly fail.
What has the Gazette done for you? Perhaps less than we would have liked or intended but probably more than you realize.
We were the newspaper that broke the story about the illegal dumping of land fill at the Air Park in the northern part of the city.
We were the newspaper that was on top of the construction of The Pier – we followed that story from the first build right through to the second build – the city basically paid for The Pier twice.
We were the newspaper that broke the story of the closing of Emma’s Back Porch – that story set our record for the most readers in one day.
We were the people that pushed to get a copy of the presentation of the two structures that were to replace the existing Waterfront Hotel.
We were the newspaper that repeatedly highlighted the innovations that Plan B put before the City Planners and got their attention assuring the public that developments would not block the view of the lake from the foot of Brant Street.
We cover the Burlington and area municipal elections better than anyone else – the readership numbers support that fact.
The Gazette covered the Halton District School Board decision to close two of the city’s seven high schools – and followed what has happened to the one high school purchased to convert into a community hub.
Our search engine lets any reader enter a word or a phrase and get everything we ever wrote about anyone or anything that was in the news. Everything we ever published is still online and searchable.
We publish daily – on occasion we take a bit of a break on a weekend or holiday but that has been rare.
What has the Gazette done for you ? What can you do for the Gazette ?
To a large degree it is a labour of love – but it is also a resource intensive business. We need your support to continue. Become a Patron and help us give you news that you don’t get anywhere else.
 By Staff
May 10th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Recently there has been quite a bit of buzz around an NHL franchise landing in Burlington with the King Road site owned by Alinea mentioned as the location.
Don’t laugh – there was an occasion at the beginning of the first Goldring term that meetings were held in Ron Foxcroft’s office about building a sports field for the Hamilton Tiger Cats on the site. That didn’t go anywhere – but the location has a lot going for it. GO station is at the eastern end.
In a recent item on the Ontario bets web site Cecil Peters, who is an odds analyst, wrote the following:
 The Aldershot GO station could handle all the traffic from Toronto – where fans might want to watch a team that can win. “The NHL has expanded twice in the past few years, adding the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017 and the Seattle Kraken in 2021. It has only been a few years for Vegas and only two years for Seattle, but the early returns have been great on both ends.
“With such great success, for the league and Ontario sports betting, it is only natural for other markets without NHL teams to express interest, and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed at the March General Manager’s meeting that that was indeed the case, as a few markets and potential owners had reached out with interest in getting an NHL team.
“Bettman also confirmed that the NHL was not in an expansion mode, so it seems to be a moot point. But often where there is smoke, there’s fire, and it’s only natural to wonder about potential locations if the NHL does indeed decide to expand.”
A Trip Down Memory Lane
“The NHL’s expansion history is littered with successes — with the occasional failure mixed in — but to go from a six-team league in 1967 to the current 32-team league, they make a lot of correct decisions and the league is in a relatively healthy place.
“Expansion has come in stages in the NHL. There was the doubling of the league in 1967 from six to 12 teams, the 1979 WHA absorption when they added four teams, the two-year stretch from 1992-93 where four teams were added and the 1998-2000 stretch where they also added four teams.
“With the NHL now tied with the NFL for the league with the most teams, it does seem unlikely that they would lead the charge and become the first league to go beyond that number, but crazier things have happened.
“If they do decide to expand, there are several areas interested in bringing in a team, with Houston, Atlanta and Quebec City all confirmed as having interest. Perhaps the most intriguing potential location is in Canada, with the Toronto area’s ability to add another team creating an interesting dynamic along with Quebec’s desire to bring in a team of their own.
With this in mind, OntarioBets.com created hypothetical odds of where the next NHL franchise could be. You won’t find these on Ontario sports betting apps, but when it comes to NHL movement or expansion, we think it’s a matter if when, not if.
To be clear, the odds below are based on both chances for an expansion team, or current team location.
Could Quebec 2.0 Work For All?
“Quebec had an NHL franchise from 1979 to 1995 but the small market combined with a struggling Canadian dollar made the league move the Nordiques to Denver, Colorado for the 1995-96 season. The issues that caused the team to leave aren’t as glaring anymore, with the population of the area above 550,000 and an NHL-ready rink that hosts the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL dying to bring in an NHL squad.
“The Canadian Dollar isn’t at its best and that remains an issue, but it is not at the point it was in the 1990’s where most of the Canadian teams were struggling to stay afloat. If the NHL were to expand, Ontariobets.com gives the market a 22.5% chance of getting the next team and gives it hypothetical odds of +350.
“Another Canadian option is the Toronto area, most likely in Hamilton. Hamilton has a population around 800,000, which is more than enough people to support a second team in the way that New York does with the Rangers and Islanders and that Chicago and Los Angeles do in other leagues.
 Aerial view of 1200 King Road – with the rail line and Hwy 403 on either side and the Aldershot GO station in the distance. Made for a major development. “While there would certainly be demand among fans and the financial stability of the team would be fine, the Toronto Maple Leafs don’t want to see some of their fanbase change allegiances and nor do the Buffalo Sabres, who reside less than 70 miles south of the Hamilton area. The push-back from those two franchises leaves Hamilton as a longshot to get the next team, with hypothetical odds of +1595.
“There is definitely an appetite for a team in both markets, but both come with roadblocks as well, including Bettman’s stance that expansion isn’t currently on the radar.
“Several other areas will have a say, particularly Houston, which logically seems to be the next location for a team with its market size and arena readiness, hence their position as the favourite on the list at +300.
“Will Canada have an eighth team in the coming years? Unlikely, but the path is there for something to happen should the NHL change their tune.”
OntarioBets.com has you covered on all NHL news throughout the postseason, and we’re also home to the best Ontario gambling sites.
 By Staff
May 9, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
When the Ontario Health Coalition (OHC) warned last spring leading into the election that the Ford government was planning to privatize surgeries and diagnostic services , Ford repeatedly denied that was his plan. Those claims are shown to be totally false with Bill 60 , the Ford government’s hospital privatization legislation passed into law yesterday.
With no mandate from Ontarians, the government is moving to cut core services including surgeries and diagnostics out of our public hospitals and transfer them to private for-profit hospitals and clinics. Initially, they plan to move 14,000 cataract surgeries to new private day hospitals that they want to have up and running by next fall. The government has already announced repeated rounds of tens of millions of dollars for private clinics, even while underspending on public health care and failing to plan to meet population need for care. They announced that they plan to privatize hip and knee surgeries by 2024.
This will create two-tier health care in Ontario in which patients will be faced with an increasing array of user charges and extra-billing for care when they are sick, elderly, in need and least able to pay.
 The intention is to hold a province wide citizen led referendum through which they hope to pull in more than 1 million votes. This is why, over a century people in communities across Ontario funded and built their local public hospitals and our government responded 70 years ago by creating a public hospital system in the first place. It is also one of the reasons that private hospitals have been banned since 1973.
Bill 60 not only privatizes our core public hospital services, it also privatizes the oversight of the private clinics and deregulates health care staffing including who can call themselves a doctor, a surgeon, a nurse, an MRI technologist, a respiratory therapist and more.
A large group of health coalition members were joined by Erin Ariss, Ontario Nurses’ Association president, and Michael Hurley, Ontario Council of Hospital Unions/CUPE president, who, along with OHC executive director Natalie Mehra spoke at a press conference organized by the NDP then went into the Legislature to witness the vote.
In the Legislature yesterday, the Opposition parties repeatedly raised examples of constituents who are already being illegally charged for services at private clinics. The Health Minister did not attend Question Period and left responses to her parliamentary assistant Robin Martin, MPP, who simply kept repeating the government’s PR lines about clearing the surgical backlogs.
At no point did the government answer for the fact that Ontario already has operating rooms in every public hospital that we have paid for and are sitting idle every evening and weekend due to underfunding and staffing. (Ontario funds its public hospitals at the lowest rate in Canada.)
In fact, in a moment reminiscent of Donald Trump’s bombast, Doug Ford actually claimed “no one has done more” than his government to improve access to care. (In fact, his government repeatedly cites $800 million given to hospitals which is the total over four years — since the start of the pandemic — much of it funded by the federal government. In addition, this government has actually imposed wage caps and worsened what have become unprecedented staffing shortages for nurses, health professionals and doctors exhausted and burned out by working all out for the entire pandemic. While the staffing crisis has intensified, and dozens of local hospital emergency departments are facing repeated closures as a result, the government has chosen to under-spend our COVID funding by billions and is underspent on health care every year while overspending the budget on private clinics.)
While Premier Ford and his MPPs continue to claim that Ontarians will always be able to pay with their OHIP card, and not their credit card, a new report today by Global TV shows that private clinics already are billing patients thousands of dollars in illegal user fees every year. As the government knows very well, the history of private for profit clinics in Canada shows the OHIP card claim is not the case, and research done by the Ontario Health Coalition and with the Globe and Mail proves it.
Despite the evidence, and despite the unanimous opposition of the opposition parties in the Legislature, the Ford government voted down every single amendment proposed to the Bill, and yesterday, they used their majority to vote to pass the Bill.
“Along with virtually all Ontarians, we are unalterably opposed to the privatization of our hospitals and this legislation. The passage of Bill 60 is not the end. It is the beginning. We will mount the biggest fightback this province has ever seen to save our local public hospitals. Millions of people of every political stripe in our communities have spent a hundred years or more building our system of local public hospitals. They do not belong to Mr. Ford to dismantle and give away to health care profiteers,” Natalie Mehra, Executive Director
 The Ontario Health Coalition is building a province wide referendum campaign to stop what is the most undemocratic attack on our public healthcare in memory. And we need your support to make this happen. On May 26th and 27th and throughout the month online we will be asking Ontarians to vote on the question: Do you want our public hospital services to be privatized to for profit hospitals and clinics? Yes or No.
“Now that Bill 60 has passed, our job at the Ontario Health Coalition is to do everything in our power to stop its implementation. We have to make it politically impossible for the Ford government to privatize our public hospitals., To do this, we are mounting a massive People’s Referendum. We have set an ambitious goal of a million votes to save our local public hospitals.
To do this we are going to need tens of thousands of volunteers. Everyone matters. Everyone is needed.
• VOLUNTEER: https://publichospitalvote.ca/node/5
Everyone can do something…Distribute leaflets, help at a referendum voting station, help to get additional volunteers, help make ballot boxes, count and stuff leaflets, and help get out lawn signs.
VOTE: You can vote online now here.
 By Pepper Parr
May 9th 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The hall at Grace United Church may not have been overflowing with Millcroft residents but the story they heard was quite a bit different than the one that many people understood. The changes in the way development is going to take place at the provincial and Regional levels are undergoing significant disruption.
 It wasn’t a sold out crowd but it was an attentive audience Daintry Klein, speaking on behalf of the Millcroft Greenspace Alliance, urged those attending to write cheques to ensure that the funds needed to hire expert witnesses and the legal counsel needed to appear before the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) while Mayor Marianne Med Ward made it very clear that her efforts were being put into making sure that the differences between the developer who wants to build 98 new homes on the golf course and the residents doesn’t get anywhere near the OLT
Meed Ward is looking for a way to convince the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to declare a “provincial interest” in the Millcroft development which would put a stop to the application that is now before the OLT
 Daintry Klein handled the microphone and took the audience through what had been done so far and what had to be done going forward. Klein stressed the point that everyone in the community has more than a vested interest in the development that is being proposed. “It is getting more and more difficult to get flood insurance, which if not available will impact what happens when mortgage renewal time arrives.
“The marketability of homes in the community will be impacted – the properties that are now seen is as prime will not be is as desirable if there is the potential for serious flooding.”
City council’s decision to oppose the development was seen as a plus for the community – what is not working all that well is the existence of two community groups – both have Standing at the OLT hearing, despite numerous efforts to have one voice speaking for the community – egos seem to have gotten in the way.
 They have more than 5000 signatures on a petition and are urging the community to keep the pressure on their MPPs Klein explained the need for the expert witnesses and why MGA must have their experts and the city having its own experts.
It is a complex process that Klein explained as something that is evidenced based. The OLT bases its decision on the evidence that is presented. What complicates things is the spin that is put on the evidence.
MAG expects to retain Weir & Foulds as legal counsel. They could do a lot worse.
 One resident asked if the signature he placed on the petition that went around was enough – write or email your MPP urged Klein.
Klein wasn’t shy about saying this would be a political matter and if the two MPP’s representing the community wanted to keep their seats they want to ensure that they listen to the community.
 Regional Chair Gary Carr has been a politician since 1990; served as an MP, MPP and now Regional Chair. He was at one point the Speaker at Queen’s Park – knows the ropes. Regional Chair Gary Carr spoke and said “we are living in a different world”. The Regional government is getting out of the Planning business – staff reduction at that level will take place.
The province will tell each municipality how many homes they have to provide and the municipality will decide where to build them.
Mayor Meed Ward pointed out that Burlington has signed a pledge to create 29,000 new homes by 2031and currently has 23,000 units in various stages of approval.
By Pepper Parr
May 9th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
It has been some time coming but the self-serve tool called MyFiles is now out there that updates the pre-building approval process said to speed up applications for a building permit.
The new MyFiles tool lets applicants check on the status of their pre-building approval application in real time. It allows them to follow along as their application goes through each step in the review process.
 Getting through the paperwork to get to this point is expected to be easier with the MyFiles software. While applicants are still welcome to contact staff with questions, they can now login to this new portal to access information they may need about their application, if they prefer.
MyFiles can be used by residents who have applied for Pre-Building Approval after April 24, 2023. Once an account has been created, applicants can check the status of their files for applications related to:
• decks,
• accessory building or structure like a shed or gazebo,
• renovations such as additions or
• build a new house.
Process Updates
The process has been updated by separating the review of the Zoning Bylaw, Grading and Drainage Bylaw, and Tree Bylaw so that:
• a Zoning Clearance Certificate is needed before applying for a Building Permit.
• a Grading and Drainage Clearance Certificate is needed before a Building Permit can be issued.
• a Tree Permit is needed before construction can begin.
Background
In 2021, the Provincial Government awarded the City one million dollars to help modernize, streamline and accelerate its processes for managing and approving housing applications.
This funding, received through the Streamlined Development Application Fund, (SDAF) will help to reduce the project cycle time of development review and approval processes. It will also make the process more efficient and streamlined to improve customer satisfaction. This will contribute to the strategic goal to increase housing construction across the city and offer responsive growth management.
By Staff
May 8th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Juno Beach Centre (JBC), Canada’s Second World War museum and memorial in Normandy, France today announced that its Faces of Canada Today permanent exhibition will be entirely renewed and renovated for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June 2024.
 The Poppy Window at the Juno Beach Centre in Normandy France Since the JBC opened to the public in 2003, Faces of Canada Today has showcased Canada’s evolution since the war, and has helped visitors understand the country that over 1 million Canadian Veterans (in a country of 11 million in 1945) helped to build. However, the contents of the exhibition were created in the late 1990s and are now outdated and missing many significant events in Canadian history over the past 20 years.
“Faces of Canada Today will explore how the resilience of Canadian service personnel during and after the Second World War helped transform Canadian society,” explains Marie Eve Vaillancourt, Director of Exhibitions at the Juno Beach Centre Association. “This legacy guides us today as we strive to create a more just and tolerant society, able to overcome obstacles and serve others.”
These themes will be illustrated through several broader sections, the first of which explores post-war immigration, beginning with the return of Canadian Veterans and their European war brides and their great contributions to post-war Canadian society.
“The diversification of Canadian society and its growing multiculturalism will be explored, as well as the difficulties faced by minorities. The notions of tolerance and inclusion will help underpin how Canada is a country that strives to live in peace with itself and with others,” adds Vaillancourt.
One section of the exhibition will be dedicated to the volunteerism, activism, and environmentalism that drive Canadian society, while another will unpack the struggles of its colonial history with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The Juno Beach Centre appreciates the timely support of Veterans Affairs Canada, which provided a $25,000 grant through the Commemorative Partnership Program. This grant covered the costs to bring First Peoples Group into the project as an Indigenous advisory partner.
In addition, the exhibition will demonstrate that the service of modern Veterans – those thousands of Canadians who have worn the uniform since 1945 – continues to inform Canadian identity. Whether during the Cold War, through the United Nations and NATO missions, or during the war in Afghanistan, Canadians have continued to serve.
This renewal project will reflect the culture of remembrance and the history of the poppy symbol in Canada from the First World War to the present day.
 Many of the troops that went ashore did so under enemy fire. There were 1,074 Canadian casualties, including 359 killed. Juno Beach was the Allied code name for a 10 km stretch of French coastline assaulted by Canadian soldiers on D-Day, 6 June 1944, “Standing on Juno Beach today means reflecting on how a place of war has healed into a place of peace,” says Vaillancourt. “As we live in an increasingly troubled world, taking the time to reflect on peace is an act of engaged remembrance and citizenship. This new permanent exhibition will immerse visitors in an emotional contemplation of Canada’s growth and recovery since the end of the Second World War.”
With the approaching 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6, 2024, this project comes at an opportune time.
 Featuring stories from across Canada’s diverse population, Faces of Canada Today aims to be reflective, nuanced, and honest in its portrayal of courage, resilience, and sacrifice.
The Juno Beach Centre also wants to thank Région Normandie and REACT EU (250,000 €), and Direction de la mémoire, de la culture et des archives (DMCA) (200,000 €) for their support. Faces of Canada Today is a $1.25 million project and, thanks to our current funding partners, the JBC has raised nearly two-thirds of its goal.
Support for this project is the single most important investment donors can make as we stand on the cusp of the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy in 2024. More information on the Faces of Canada Today exhibition and opportunities to support can be found here: https://www.junobeach.org/upcoming-exhibitions/. If you would like to discuss sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to us at sponsorship@junobeach.org.
“The sacrifices made by our generation benefit this generation.” – Jim Parks, Canadian D-Day Veteran
 By Staff
May 8th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
 It was built as a community within a golf course – and the residents want to keep it that way. Spread the Word, Make an Impact!
Millcroft Greenspace Alliance is committed to preserving the entire Millcroft Golf Course Greenspace using an approach that is grounded in research, advocacy, and leveraging resources.
Tonight is the Night! Learn More about…
Our unique strategy to preserve the Millcroft Golf Course green infrastructure, and its importance to our community’s case at the OLT in response to recent legislative changes.
MGA has been fortunate to have significant professional and business support from our neighbours who have volunteered to help analyze the Millcroft Greens application and develop our strategy.
We have focused our efforts on advocacy to find a solution to maintain this greenspace in advance of the OLT. As the OLT hearing draws near, we must now hire a seasoned municipal litigator and a stormwater expert to represent our strategy.
When: Today (May 8th) at 7:30pm
Where: Grace United Church (Millcroft Park Drive and Walkers Line)
We encourage you to forward this email to neighbours, family or friends to remind them of tonight’s community meeting.
By Staff
May 7th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Are you prepared for an emergency?
 Would you have remembered to include a can opener in your kit? Emergencies or disasters can happen at any time. Emergency Preparedness Week is May 7-13 this year, and the City of Burlington is encouraging all individuals and families to be prepared by making a plan, building a 72-hour kit and staying informed.
Make a plan
Make a plan for what you and your family will do in an emergency or disaster. Do you know what will you do if you can’t access your home or if your family is not together when a large emergency or disaster happens? What will you do if there is no electricity for an extended time in the winter?
It’s important that you and your family have a step-by-step action plan in case of emergencies. Involve all your family members in the planning process and remember to review and update your plan at least once a year.
Visit burlington.ca/emergencyprep for more information about emergency preparedness, including a detailed emergency preparedness guide, preparedness information related to pets and several hazards, as well as directions on what to do if you are asked to evacuate or shelter-in-place during an emergency.
Build a 72-hour kit
Everyone should have basic essentials to last 72-hours in an emergency. It is recommended to keep your 72-hour kit in a location that is safe from flooding and easily accessible. Be sure to replace the food, water and medications in your kit before any of these items expire.
The following items are recommended for your 72-hour kit:
• A basic first-aid kit
• A battery-powered radio
• A small amount of cash
• Blankets
• Copies of your important documents
• Flashlights and batteries
• Warm clothes
• A one-week supply of medications for your family and pets
• A three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Twelve litres of water per person
 Stay informed
Stay informed by following trust-worthy sources of information. The City’s social media (@cityburlington), online newsfeeds and Service Burlington (905-335-7777) will be updated frequently during large-scale emergencies. To subscribe to the City’s newsfeeds, visit burlington.ca/subscribe.
Another way to stay informed is by subscribing to Alert Burlington, which is Burlington’s public notification system for community emergencies. Residents and anyone who works within Burlington are encouraged to subscribe to Alert Burlington.
In the event of a large-scale community emergency, Alert Burlington will send important messages by text, email or recorded phone message to anyone who subscribes and lives or works within the affected area(s). Messages can also be sent out in several languages, depending on your communication preferences.
To register, go to burlington.ca/alertburlington. You will be asked to create an account with your name, address and mobile phone number, land-line phone number and/or email address.
For those who have registered for Alert Burlington in the past year, Emergency Preparedness Week is the perfect opportunity to log into your Alert Burlington profile and confirm that your information remains up-to-date. More information is available at burlington.ca/alertburlington.
Information Booths
During Emergency Preparedness Week, the Fire Department will have information booths throughout the City, including at various community centres, Burlington Centre Mall and the Central Branch of Burlington Public Library. Residents and visitors can stop by to learn more about emergency preparedness.
 By Joe Gaetan
May 7th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Here’s what Karina Gould had to say in the House of Commons on The Economy on May 4th, at 3:05 p.m.
“Mr. Speaker, we understand that Canadians are struggling right now and that there is a high cost of living, but, unlike the Conservatives, we are actually acting. We have put measures in place, like the Canada child benefit, like the climate action incentive, like increasing the guaranteed income supplement, like the new grocery rebate. We are actually acting to help Canadian families at this time of struggle.”
In June 2019, Trudeau’s then environment minister, Catherine McKenna dismissed a report by the Parliamentary Budget Officer saying that to meet Canada’s Paris Accord targets the price on carbon would need to rise to $102 a tonne. McKenna said at the time that the government has, “no plan to increase the price post 2022. For Conservatives to suggest otherwise is simply false and misleading.”
Under the Government’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, the federal fuel charge is set to rise from $65 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2023-24 to $170 per tonne in 2030-31.
In 2023-24, the federal fuel charge will be expanded to include Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
In 2021 the cost of Natural Gas was .13 cent per cubic meter. The combined federal carbon tax and HST in 2021 added an additional .09 cents to a cubic meter natural gas. Fast forward to 2023 and the combined federal carbon tax and HST is now .21 cents a cubic meter of natural gas. An increase of 133% in four years. To add insult to injury the federal government applies the HST on top the carbon tax meaning we are being taxed on a tax.
 Karina Gould: MP Burlington, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. If nothing else and if Minister Gould and her government would like to help struggling Canadians, they will STOP adding HST to the carbon tax. This move alone would go a long way to help people who are struggling.
The federal government recently announced it was willing to give Volkswagen approximately $13 billion to build a battery factory in the area as part of the greening of the economy.
But when it came to putting something in the last budget that would help ordinary people make the green transition, the cupboard was bare.
The Parliamentary Budget Officer shows the carbon tax cost the average family about $402 in 2022 and $847 in 2023 even after the rebates. Not sure how that helps struggling Canadians.
If Canada did nothing or if we did everything, on a global basis we would have next to no effect on global greenhouse gas emissions. I think most Canadians buy into our social responsibility where GHG emissions are concerned, and we also need to be stewards of our natural resources meaning we shouldn’t waste them. Imposing unnecessary and needless taxes during these inflationary times is unnecessary.
Had this government stuck to their initial promise on the carbon tax, fewer Canadian would be struggling.
 Joe Gaetan is a Burlington resident who delegates on occasion and is a strong believer in holding the elected accountable and expects them to be transparent while serving the public.
 By Benjamin Anderson
May 7th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
It’s no secret that AI is now helping several industries at a rapid pace, where one might expect that artificial intelligence will replace physical manpower to cut costs and make parts of the industry faster and efficient.
 How big a hand will Artificial intelligence have in gaming? But to what extent can AI be used, and how can it effectively work in the gaming industry in Canada? We’re taking a closer look at what impact it might have and how the popular technology of AI will be used going forward.
AI solves problems on a daily basis
As daunting as it might be, where AI can replace different jobs and positions for people in several industries, it also has great upsides. For online casinos, the technology can provide personalized gambling experiences for players by analyzing player data by using machine learning. This helps on making automatic recommendations, tailoring both game offerings but also promotional offers. This is where the latest tech at new casinos has a big upside to them where the technology works as an additional support.
Security becomes tighter
Another advantage is the assistance of fraudulent activities, something that the gambling industry fights hard against in many ways. As AI is getting smarter by the minute with the help of machine learning, the algorithms can detect anomalies in transactions and behaviors that are unusual or suspect. This also goes for account creation, typically online casinos have tedious and long KYC requests to deal with when a new player creates an account, where now AI can be used to verify identities much faster than a regular check.
 Will players be able to invoke Artificial Intelligence? Player data becomes safer
Players don’t have a lot to go on when playing at newly released sites when it comes to security. The casino industry’s biggest stamp of approval comes from their gaming licenses, which shows that the business is legitimate and has certain checks in place to verify they are safe to play on. Here’s where AI will help in a bigger way, by automatically verifying the identity of each account it hinders fake account creation, which is big news for the industry. Not only that, but the algorithm can also learn along the way how they deposit, play games, and withdraw money. This makes the layer of safety much higher than before, where the algorithms learn the patterns, it can detect unusual transactions thanks to the use of IP addresses and additional data it has learned along the way.
This helps to build trust in the industry, especially for new sites which don’t yet have an established brand. In this research, it’s said that new casinos are released every month, and going forward, new casinos in Canada has hard competition to beat, which is why security will play a bigger role for the future.
 Is Gaming going to become the human mind up against Artificial Intelligence ? The gambling industry looking forward
It’s safe to say that the industry will continue to grow, by looking at total revenue for gambling related activities in Canada, the revenue for the whole country amounted to $14-16 billion, and all projections tell this number will be even higher in 2024. Online casinos have come a long way regarding player safety and tailoring experiences for all players. With the help of artificial intelligence, many of the tedious checks become more efficient and safer.
By Staff
May 5th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
 The virus, often a variant of the original Covid19, is still with us. Booster shots are advised. The World Health Organization said today that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency it has been downgraded from a pandemic to an epidemic.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today that “It’s with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency”
It is more than a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions of people worldwide.
The pandemic’s impact on society isn’t fully known yet; three years of being under a state of emergency had massive impacts on how we relate to one another. Do you notice how people deliberately stand apart from others – creating what came to be known is as social distancing?
That the U.N. health agency’s stated the emergency phase was over doesn’t mean , the pandemic has come to an end – there are still outbreaks in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
 Refrigerated trailers had to be used to hold the bodies of Covid victims when funeral homes in the United States ran out of space. WHO says thousands of people are still dying from the virus every week, and millions of others are suffering from debilitating, long-term effects.
“That does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat,” said,Ghebreyesus; warning that new variants could yet emerge. He noted that while the official COVID-19 death toll was 7 million, the real figure was estimated to be at least 20 million.
Ghebreyesus said the pandemic had been on a downward trend for more than a year, acknowledging that most countries have already returned to life before COVID-19.
He bemoaned the damage that COVID-19 had done to the global community, saying the pandemic had shattered businesses, exacerbated political divisions, led to the spread of misinformation and plunged millions into poverty.
 By Pepper Parr
May 5th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
Next Monday a large group of people who oppose what the provincial government wants to do to the health system we have will do their best to fill parts of the Public Gallery in the Legislature .
 Natalie Pierre speaking at Queen’s Park While the group sits in the Gallery Natalie Pierre will be in her seat and when there is a vote she will stand and vote with the government and I wonder how she will feel.
I met with Natalie for a very short period of time during the election. I was impressed – there was a sense of empathy that I felt during the short period of time I was able to talk with her.
There was supposed to be a longer follow up interview with Natalie but her handlers made sure that didn’t happen.
Natalie was new to the game and chose to follow directions rather than follow her instincts and inquire.
Her years at Sheridan College, where she worked in Human Relations, was a time when she developed the ability to listen.
I find myself wondering what Natalie will think is as she glances at the people in the Gallery and wondering if she will ask herself: Am I serving those people or am I one of a number of people in this place, here to support a government that I am a part of ?
The woman who represented Burlington before Natalie was elected didn’t have the ability to understand what people wanted or needed. She was an MPP looking out for herself.
The sense I gained when I talked to Natalie was that she was genuine; real and capable of knowing what people needed.
I expect Natalie will vote with the government knowing full well that to not vote will kill and chance she might have to grow is as a legislator.
My early sense was that this one was different.
There has not been an opportunity to interview Natalie since she was elected. Whatever her office sends out to media doesn’t come our way.
It has been our practice to publish the maiden speech of every member of both Parliament and Queen’s Park. We were in touch with Natalie’s office asking if they would let us know when she was to speak.
We didn’t hear from her office then and you didn’t get to hear what she had to say.
 So far the voice of Natalie Pierre has not been that strong. We understand that some people, elected to serve the public, aren’t comfortable with the way we report events. Their job is not to be comfortable but to be available to accredited media.
Were we to publish puff pieces often enough we would be made very welcome.
Our approach it to work at doing our best to inform the public so that they can make informed decisions.
Going forward we will work a little harder at getting through to Natalie Pierre.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
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