 By Pepper Parr
November 13th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It is a continuing process – no sooner have you elected one level of government than you have to consider who you want to lead you at another level.
The provincial Liberals who were almost wiped off the map in the provincial election of June 2018 are now in the process of determining who the next leader of that political party will be.
At this point there are five people running for that job.
 Mitzie Hunter, former Wynne government Cabinet Minister re-elected in June of 2018. Kate Graham, a candidate for a seat in the legislature during the 2018 election. She did not win the seat but wants to be selected by the party membership as their leader.
Alvin Tedjo, also a candidate in the June 2018 election – he was defeated.
 Steven Del Duca, a member of the Wynne government Cabinet. Del Luca was not re-elected in June 2018. Mitzie Hunter, a member of the Wynne government cabinet is after the job. She was re-elected in the June 2018 election.
Michael Coteau was re-elected as a member of the legislature in June 2018. He was a Cabinet Minister in the Wynne government.
Steven Del Duca was a member of the Wynne government cabinet who was not re-elected in June of 2018
Alvin Tedjo is the focus of this story. He ran in Oakville North Burlington and was soundly defeated by the Conservative candidate – she got almost twice the number of votes as Tedjo.
That has not deterred him from wanting to lead the Liberal Party.
 Home for the Tedjo family is Burlington. He is the father of three children who are all attending Catholic schools. Alvin and his wife are both practicing Catholics who believe that the two educational organizations should be merged.
His plan is to create one English language school board and one French language school board.
“For students, this change means the convenience of attending their closest school, less time on the bus and access to an optional religious curriculum. For teachers and early childhood educators, it means smaller class sizes, availability of more resources and the freedom to teach in any publicly funded school,” said Tedjo.
Charles Pascal, a former Ontario Deputy Minister of Education and professor at OISE*/University of Toronto has previously said, “When it comes to publicly funded education in Ontario, it’s time to let go of our “separate ways” so we can come together. Providing Catholic education with public money is an anachronism waiting to be brought to an end by a courageous Queen’s Park legislature.”
From a fiscal standpoint, Tedjo argues that his plan to merge the school boards will result in substantial savings to the province. This figure is an estimated $1.6B dollars per year that would be reinvested back into public education for ongoing improvement.
“Quebec, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador have already done this. It’s time for Ontario to make a change and stop spending precious education dollars to maintain twice as many school boards as we actually need,” said Tedjo.
“Under the current system, the government is quite literally wasting billions of dollars to keep children apart. I firmly believe that a better solution is to have all of our kids – Catholic and non-Catholic – Learning Together,” said Tedjo.
 The Tedjo family grew to three children in four years, which meant that they had two of them in childcare at a time for four consecutive years. Tedjo wants to see massive changes to our child care system.
He tells the story of how when he and his wife Rebecca started having children they worried about things most first-time parents worry about: are we ready, will we be good parents, how are we going to survive?
“We also knew that we had to try and get a spot at a daycare as soon as possible, enough friends and family had told us that. Living in Toronto at the time we went on the city’s waitlist. We eventually gave up and found a different solution that made sense. We did eventually get a call back, only it was two years later while we were expecting our second child.
The Tedjo family grew to three children in four years, which meant that we had two of them in childcare at a time for four consecutive years. “Between our reduced income during parental leave, and the cost of childcare at $17,000 per child ($34,000 per year), those years were tough. We calculated that we were better off financially with Rebecca going back to work as a registered nurse full-time than we would be if she stayed home, but not by much.”
We only stopped paying for daycare last year when our youngest started full-day kindergarten, and we couldn’t help but feel like it was a bit late for the government to start supporting children, where childcare before that magic age of four cost us as much as sending an 18-year old off to college or university.
Tedjo claims that childcare has become so unaffordable that 80 per cent of Ontario families with children under four years old cannot afford the cost of licensed child care. He adds that there are only enough licensed spaces to accommodate 23 per cent of kids under the age of four. This is just not good enough. Many families are paying mortgage-level fees to access licensed childcare, and many more families can’t afford childcare at all.
The solution to this problem is right in front of us. High-quality universal licenced childcare can support better education outcomes for school aged children, improve social cohesion, take pressure off the family budget, and above all else, boost Ontario’s economy by giving families, and particularly women, the option of returning to the workplace sooner, leading to increased economic productivity as well as additional tax revenues for the government.
 Tedjo: The solution to the child care problem is right in front of us. The plan will take time — it’s a big project with no quick fix. After the review, we will start to deliver universal childcare in phases. As we implement phase 1 and build out the capacity to support and provide preschool aged children with childcare, we will work with our partners on expanding universal childcare to toddlers (age 1 ½–2 ½ years old).
In the short term, this expansion will require investments. In the long run, increased employment for parents, particularly for mothers, will contribute to the growth of Ontario’s economy. The taxes associated with their spending power, improved educational outcomes for children, and decreased costs to social programs will provide a return that makes this plan an economic winner, as well as the right thing to do.
The consensus among experts and economists is that for every dollar invested in quality early childhood education, there is a $2.40 return to the economy.
A study by Deloitte estimates that by addressing the wage gap, Ontario government revenues from personal and sales tax could increase by $2.6 billion. The same study also estimates that government spending on social assistance, tax credits, and child benefits could decrease by $103 million, due to the projected increase in families’ income.
Electoral reform is a big issue for Tedjo as well but he wasn’t prepared to talk about that at this point.
Transit has to be changed radically if we are going to get people out of their cars. Policy position on this objective are to follow.
Tedjo plans to implement the Basic Income pilot program that was in place when the Liberal government was defeated.
Tedjo believes our social safety net; ensuring our elderly don’t live in poverty, and making sure our children have the basic necessities of life, is something Canadians are proud of. This is where the Universal Basic Income (UBI) comes in.
Fighting poverty isn’t a partisan issue, at least it shouldn’t be. And it’s not an idea owned by progressives either. There have been nearly 500 studies on basic income, including pilots in Ontario and around the world.
Ontario’s Universal Basic Income would add over $10 billion to Ontario’s economy, create up to 80,000 jobs, and save the Ontario government hundreds of millions of dollars in administration costs and red tape. UBI grows the economy and unlocks opportunity for those stuck in the poverty cycle.
 The early end of the pilot Basic Income Guarantee program in Ontario was ended months after the Ford government took office. This basic income would replace programs more difficult and expensive to administer, like Ontario Works and ODSP, while retaining additional benefits and supports for people with disabilities. This brings dignity to our system, so people don’t need to justify the need for food, clothing, or shelter every two weeks.
The benefits of a universal basic income are well established. It provides a safety net for workers who lost their jobs that is less expensive to administer and easier to access than our current system.
And, like every other politician, Climate Change is right up there at the top for Tedjo. He would bring an immediate end to all the time and money he thinks is being wasted on court battels and go along with what the federal government Climate Change policy. Tedjo did not say if he would create model for Ontario. “It is too early to make that decision” he said.
In the game of politics endorsements can mean something – but not always. Frequently a candidate can get an endorsement from someone who is either a member of the legislature or planning on running and would like to be considered for a Cabinet position.
Hugh Segal, an intellectual giant within the Progressive Conservative movement, has endorsed Alvin Tedjo. Segal, the former senator and chief of staff to Progressive Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and Premier Bill Davis, has fought for a universal basic income in Canada for over 40 years. THAT is an endorsement well worth having and speaks volumes about what Tedjo is setting out to do.
Tedjo wants change at just about every level. Not change for the sake of change but change to bring about a society that meets the needs of everyday people.
The Liberal government that was defeated in June of 2018 was not in touch with what people needed and not keeping in touch cost xxx
 Tedjo: “People are feeling uncertain about their future. For many, the cost of living is going up, but their salary isn’t keeping pace. We also face a rapidly changing economy where artificial intelligence, automation entrepreneurship and clean technology will be increasingly important. Tedjo believes that “People are feeling uncertain about their future. For many, the cost of living is going up, but their salary isn’t keeping pace. We also face a rapidly changing economy where artificial intelligence, automation entrepreneurship and clean technology will be increasingly important. Even so, the current government is making short-sighted decisions to cut the programs that will help us prepare for what’s coming.”
The Liberal Party will choose a new leader in March of 2020. Then they have to rebuild and put their vision out there and prepare for the 2022 provincial election. The Doug Ford government isn’t all that popular today but they have shown some capacity to change.
Three years in the world of politics is the equivalent to a century. Alvin Tedjo is the local lad who is after the brass ring – we shall watch his progress.
 By Pepper Parr
November 13th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The big national corporations have deep pockets and layers of resources to mount a public drive to show that they care about the communities the operate in. It’s just good business and in this day and age expected.
What do the mid-sized local firms do that can express their concern for their community? Many firms have found a niche that allows them to involve their staff in giving back to their community in their own way.
 The response was more than overwhelming. Woolcott staff had to scramble a bit to find space for everything that was donated. The five tonne truck that was taking the donated goods was more than half full. Jayne Woolcott, partner at Woolcott Team, said to be the largest real estate brokerage in the Hamilton – to Burlington market (by dollar volume) said the idea for the clothing drive came out of their “mastermind” team. “We operate in a very collegial manner and are open to almost anything from any staff member.”
“We’ve been doing this for five years now – this drive was our biggest ever, partly because of the new location on Dundas east of the Waterdown core. Our signage is much better and having the truck parked in the driveway helped.
“Prior to that we worked out of a supermarket parking lot.”
 Trunks were filled with winter coats and other household goods. The flow of traffic into the Woolcott parking lot on Dundas east of the Waterdown core was consistent during the several hours they were open – the five tonne truck was half full by the time it was ready to head out to the Good Shepherd operation in Hamilton where the coats and other household goods were to be sorted and readied for distribution.
 Everyone who drove into the parking lot was greeted by a Woolcott staff member. Marty Staz was greeting the gentleman on the right and getting ready to take the coat he was holding thinking it was being donated. The gentleman on the right told Marty that it was his own winter coat and the goods he was donating were in the trunk of his car. It was a nice coat. Woolcott spent more on social media and emails to their extensive email list.
Each year Woolcott Team gets the names from the Good Shepherd of several families that need help during the festive season.
“We provide the funds for the food and buy the gifts that the families are just not able to provide” explained Jayne Woolcoot.
It’s a project that has grown – the Woolcott people can see no reason why it shouldn’t continue.
 By Pepper Parr
November 5th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Some thoughts and observations on the Committee of the Whole meeting that took place on Monday.
The number of city hall employees who quit increased by more than 80% during January to October 31st, 2019 when measured against the 2018 numbers for the same period.
 Councillor Sharman explaining his Father. Councillor Sharman told the world that his 98 year old father still drives a car, has a new girlfriend and is moving into a condo.
The difference in salary for people holding senior jobs who have decided to work somewhere else was reported to be as high as $15k to $20k
Retirements are up 67% over last year.
Council went into a closed session to discuss an Appendix to a report from Human Resources Director Laura Boyd who has told the city that there are some serious problems with the city’s pay rate.
 City manager Tim Commisso spoke about the The Evolution of the Customer Experience. They also went into Closed Session to discuss The Evolution of the Customer Experience. The report came from the hands of the City Manager who delivered it to Council late in the evening. That customer being you.
Mayor Meed Ward made it clear that she wanted to see more action and less waiting for reports from outside consultants.
Centurions are going to get a lot more attention in the months and years ahead. There are plans in the works to pay much more attention to those who have lived for 100 years. The city has literally dozens of them.
 Lining up for a Brown Bag lunch – annual Seniors’ Centre event held at Central Park this year. The Seniors’ Centre is said to be busting at the seams – but there are no plans to build another one elsewhere in the city. Councillor Stolte didn’t see it that way and let the meeting know that she thought it was time to look for a location north of the QEW.
Councillor Sharman let it be known that he thinks Freeman Station should be operated by the Museums group.
There is a longish list of projects the city has been asked to take on – but they aren’t funded. Shortfall is $720,000 in 2020 alone.
 Mayor wants the city to be “nimble, agile and to move quickly Mayor Meed Ward told her colleagues that she is a little jaded on “plans”. She said she thinks she has seen four or five on transit alone.
She added that “we know we are going to plant thousands of trees – why do we need to wait until a plan is written?”
She wants city staff to be “nimble, agile and to move quickly”
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.
By Staff
November 4th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Sometime later in the month, we assume, the Mayor is going to give a full report on her trip to Japan. So far all the public has seen is what the Mayor put up on her web site – where you can influence outcomes for a Better Burlington.
The link to that collection of pictures is informative.
The reason for the trip was to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the twinning relationship Burlington has with Itabashi, a city that is a special ward located in Tokyo Metropolis
Here is what the Mayor adds on her web site
DAY 1
“After a full day of official meetings and ceremonies, some of the highlights from our first day in Itabashi included a visit to the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo (about a 20-minute car ride from Itabashi) and a meeting with JETRO — Japan’s External Trade Organization — to talk economic exchange.”
Not a word on what might have come out of those talks.
“We then toured Tokyo starting with a visit to the Sensoji Temple where you can read your fortune and incense is burned outside for people to wave good fortune. We next headed to Ueno urban park that features many stones and historic markers, a shrine, and a giant lake with massive water lilies.
“We also toured famous commercial streets in Tokyo, including the largest intersection in the world — Shibuya Crossing — where approximately 2,500 people cross at a time.”
 A cultural deep dive. DAY 2
“To start off Day 2 of our official visit, we headed to Itabashi City Hall where our hosts literally rolled out the red carpet to welcome us.
“There is a subway stop right in City Hall — the rail lines are privately owned, earning revenue from development around stations.
“Itabashi City Hall was filled with displays commemorating the 30-year anniversary of our twinning relationship. There was even a paper “maple tree” where people could write messages to Burlington and our citizens. One million people are served at Itabashi City Hall each year and the city has a population of about 550,000 citizens.
“I was honoured to bring greetings from Burlington and on behalf of our Official Delegation that included Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan, who is Council’s representative on the Mundialization Committee (the committee that maintains our twin city relationships).
“Children at the on-site day care made us paper frogs. The frog is considered a Japanese lucky animal, seen as good fortune in things returning.
 Mayor Meed Ward in the Itabashi Assembly Hall with Mayor Sakamoto. “We also had a tour of the Assembly Hall where I had an opportunity to sit Mayor Sakamoto’s chair and the large elevated chair reserved for the Chairman, who presides over the meetings. There are 46 Assembly Members, seated by parties or affiliations, similar to a parliament.”
The Mayor brought back a box of cookies that were shaped in a crest – wasn’t clear just what the crest was – but they were shared with people taking part in the Committee of the Whole.
We learned as well that the Mayor brought back some sake and some sake glasses.
 Mayor Meed Ward took every advantage to immerse herself into Japanese culture. “We then had a spectacular traditional lunch of sushi, soup, rice and sweets, served in a traditional-style Bento Box. These lunch boxes were used by Samarais when they would visit the Sakura trees in the spring.
“After lunch, we toured City Hall and got a glimpse into the City’s disaster operations room. They have two high-altitude cameras in Itabashi that are used to detect fires or floods. They also have 7 rivers through the city with rain gauges. In one rainfall, more than 3 metres fell in 30 minutes.
“Itabashi aims to be very environmentally sustainable. The tiny tiles on a street they named “wine block” is made with recycled wine glass bottles. Silver seats for seniors and the disabled are also made with recycled wine bottle glass. Itabashi aims to be “green” with planted medians on their streets.”
DAY 3
“This was a day to learn about and immerse ourselves in Japanese culture.”
 Fushimi-Inari-Shrine DAY 4
“This day was one to learn more of the history of Japan and visit sites of historical significance.
“Our first stop was a bullet train ride to Sendai (about a two-hour train ride from Itabashi) to visit the Yuriage Port Market Cooperative in nearby city Natori. The market there was hit by a devastating tsunami in 2011 that caused by an earthquake under the sea.
 The tsunami that struck the city of xx was devastating – close to the worst this world has experienced. “It was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan, and the fourth most powerful earthquake in the world since modern record-keeping began in 1900. The earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves that may have reached heights of up to 40.5 metres (133 foot) and that travelled, in the Sendai area, at 700 km/h for up to 10 km inland. Residents of Sendai had only eight to ten minutes warning, and more than 19,000 were killed, many at the evacuation sites — more than 100 of which were washed away.”
Of note – when that tsunami hit that city Burlington didn’t offer a dime in the way of financial support. Sendai was not the city we were twinned with however there is a citizen in Itabashi who send Burlington a reasonable sum of money every year. He is the gentlemen who sent us the cherry trees in Spencer Smith Park many years ago.
Today, we learned that during the trip Lisa Palermo, the Mundialization Committee clerk was searched at some point and got left on a train platform.
Palermo is a very effective, efficient member of city hall staff; no reason was given as to why she was searched or quite how she got left on a train station platform. Her role appears to have been the person who set things up for the Burlington visitors. Her effective efficiency would have been put to good use.
This trip belongs in that “nice to have” category the mayor used effectively in her three Burlington election campaigns.
By Pepper Parr
November 4th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Change only happens instantly on television.
The people in the Goodram – Lakeshore Road community are putting up with noise that would drive anyone bonkers – this at 2 am.
They have been asking for help for more than 18 months.
 The Monster Mansion that is being rented out via Air BnB was finally shut down by police – albeit well after midnight.. The efforts of their member of Council and a reach out to the police to step in has shut down the Air BnB operation that was the cause of all the concern.
Ward 4 Shawna Stolte said she has been pushing hard for relief for the residents in the area in regard to the troublesome AirBnB.
Saturday night was another big party with the police intervening multiple times and shutting the place down by 2am.
Councillor Stolte explains that: “The immensely frustrating challenge is that we have no jurisdiction to shut them down or enforce ceasing to operate as an AirBnB as we have no bylaw that speaks to this yet.
One option may have been to try to enact an immediate ban on all Short Term Accommodations in Burlington in order to catch this one…but that would have unfairly impacted the 160 other AirBnB’s in the city who are abiding by the rules and offering a great service.
Licensing will take a bit of time, it is being implemented by the Planning Department, who are so “under water” with the dramatically shortened timelines due to Bill 108 as well as the Official Plan and the Interim Control ByLaw timelines. Councillor Stolte said she “could have demanded something sooner but I know we would have ended up with an incomplete, not well thought out licensing bylaw.
“The property in question never would be granted a license to operate as they are anyhow…this situation is a matter of them using the guise of AirBnB to skirt the zoning bylaw and rent out a residential property as a commercial event venue.
“The fastest way to shut down this property is to take the legal approach re: residential zoning infraction which is what has been happening these last 6-8 weeks. We are well into this process and should see an impact any day now.
 Shawna Stolte: Rookie Councillor who took on a defeated a double decade incumbent is proving to be very effective. The Gazette had asked why the MAT (Municipal Accommodation Tax), was being considered at this time; she explained that “this is a completely separate issue that coincidentally just happens to include Short Term Accommodations. It is being spearheaded by the City Managers Office, not the Planning Dept. “Believe me, if I thought for one second that the Planning Department was taking time to implement the MAT instead of dealing with the Licensing Bylaw, well let me leave it at that.” She added that “I am holding the Planning Department’s feet to the fire as much as I can without running the risk of damaging things for a department that is struggling with the workload.
“The ultimate result is to get this AirBnB shut down by whatever means possible. As of Friday the advertisement for the offending property is gone from the AirBnB website. I had had contact with the AirBnB company as had a number of residents. Now AirBnB has banned all “party houses” after the shooting last week at a “party house” in California.
The residents may now finally have some peace and quiet on their street. Give the Councillor a kudos on this one.
Related news story:
City Council vows to take action
By Pepper Parr
October 29th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
 The land between Lakeshore Road and Old Lakeshore Road has been referred to as the football every since we started publishing. Why would the city want to name is the peanut? Is it a football or a peanut?
What most people know as the “football” was referred to as the peanut by Director of Planning Heather MacDonald at one of the Action Plan sessions last week.
 Is it a football ….  …or a peanut? It is probably the most significant piece of developable land left in the downtown core.
In time it might equal Spencer Smith Park in importance to the look, feel and public open space in the city.
Right now there are developers crawling all over the land with proposal for developments that will rise more than 25 storeys.
The Carriage Gate Group subsidiary Lakeshore Old Burlington gave a presentation to a very small group at a public meeting recently. No one has yet to explain why that meeting was so poorly promoted.
 Not much of that quaint, walk-able community in this 3d model of what the CORE Development group want to dump into the ‘football’. The CORE Development group gave the public a good look at what they have in mind for the properties to the west of the Burlington Old LAkeshore proposal.
They will be making the required Statutory presentation to city council on November 5th at city hall
 Lakeshore Mixed use precinct – on the north and south side of Lakeshore from Locust to Martha. Each property will have its own rules put in place. During the two Action Plan workshops the city held for residents some people wanted to know why the “football” and the Lakeshore Precinct were not included in the public think sessions.
They were told by the Director of Planning, Heather MacDonald that those precincts were to be the subject of separate studies once the revisions to the adopted but not yet approved Official Plan are in place.
One can sympathize with the workload the Planning department faces but the “football” and what has been defined as the Lakeshore precinct are just as important as the look and feel of Brant Street if not more so.
What makes Burlington the city it is – is the lake.
 At the eastern edge of the football – the tower will become the gateway to the downtown core.  This structure is to the immediate west of the latest Carriage Gate Development.
The millions spent on the Pier; the millions spent on getting public access to the lake at the foot of the Bridgewater development and public access to the lake through that development will be for naught if there are no rules that apply to the football and the Lakeshore precinct.
At this point there are two mammoth development applications for the “football” on the table
Let us not repeat the terrible mistake with that Anchor Hub – the label that got stuck on a tiny bus terminal.
Related news stories:
The stunning development planned for the “football”
Can high rise development be brought to an end?
 By Pepper Parr
October 28th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
Update:
In the closing sentence of this article we said: “They wonder why Burlington could not find a decent Catholic candidate to represent them..
The they was the Catholic community. Several readers questioned the Catholic reference, informing us that the candidate didn’t have to be a Catholic and that is correct. What we were saying is that many in the Catholic community in Burlington wanted someone to represent their views in the House of Commons. The Conservative party leadership appeared to like the look of Jane Michael. Many Catholics in Burlington didn’t. And many who were not Catholic were terrified that Michael would get the traditional Conservative vote and take the seat. Sanity prevailed.
It is just a little after the votes were counted and the riding of Burlington re-elected Karina Gould that the Gazette was finally able to communicate with a second person who was able to confirm what we were given by a Burlington resident on the way Elizabeth Jane Michael was named as the Conservative Party candidate.
We wanted someone to corroborate what we had learned – but were not able to do so before the election.
Our source wrote the following. We have been able to confirm that the writer is real but for personal job related reasons we cannot reveal the names of either source.
“I could easily add to all the ‘unusable’ dirt I hear you have been receiving about Jane Michael, but I’m not going to do that now.
“The line you have about Burlington conservatives not being able to understand how Jane Michael became the Conservative candidate is certainly true. The information I have will shed some light on this and explain why CPC chose Jane Michael to be Burlington’s candidate. This is just me putting the threads together. Jane Michael’s Campaign Manager is Paul Marai. Their history goes way back. They served eight years together as trustees on the HCDSB. Marai also has a big connection to the Conservatives.
“Here are a few of bits of info:
Elizabeth Jane Michael was sanctioned by the HCDSB in May of 2018 for ‘violating code of conduct’ at an in-camera meeting.
“In a news report in another publication HDCSB Anthony Quinn said: “The reprimand may not seem like much, but it’s the strongest sanction available to the board under the legislation.”
 Paul Marai was Michael’s Campaign Manager. He is also the Director of Digital operations for RMG – The Responsive Marketing Group Inc “At the board’s public meeting May 15, 2018, vice-chair Paul Marai read a motion announcing the sanction and stating the penalty: Michael is barred from attending two board meetings, removed from her position on the discipline committee and excluded from the search for a new director of education “from the beginning to the end of the hiring process.”
“Michael had the highest trustee expenses while with HCDSB. Many other controversies.
“Michael’s Campaign Manager, was Paul Marai who is a Digital Director of RMG – The Responsive Marketing Group Inc. This company does work for political parties, and election work from federal to municipal. One service they provide is robo calling.
“In RMG marketing material RMG is described as an industry leader for over 20 years. “Responsive Marketing Group is Canada’s preeminent integrated political marketing services company. We bring together decades of experience in voter contact, fundraising, and cutting edge data science to offer unparalleled audience insight and engagement services.”
“RMG does work for the Conservative Party of Canada and has done work in the Burlington and neighbouring ridings for years provincially and federally. Paul Marai, through the company RMG, has a connection to Andrew Scheer’s campaign team and Conservative party staff.
“Marai was helping Jane when she tried to win the PC nomination in 2016.
“This ‘Michael to Marai to Scheer/Hamish Marshall connection’ is why Burlington conservatives ended up with Jane Michael.” Hamish Marshall was Andrew Scheer’s campaign manager.”
Our source adds that “there is certainly nothing wrong with all these connections.” She felt the public had a right to know.
Our first source gave us basically the same information.
The Conservative Party liked the strong Catholic anti abortion position Michael had taken and were prepared to go to some lengths to get her there.
But there was just too much that didn’t smell right and the voters of Burlington decided to stay with the incumbent. Many strong Conservative Catholic voters in Burlington spoke to the Gazette saying that they couldn’t stomach the candidate they were told they had to take.
They wonder why Burlington could not find a decent Catholic candidate to represent them.
They are out there.
Related news stories:
Gazette hacked.
Pepper Parr is the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
By Staff
October 25th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
 Conservation Halton advises that an incoming weather system from the Gulf of Mexico is forecasted to bring a significant accumulation of rainfall this weekend, beginning late in the evening on Saturday and lasting into the overnight period and until mid-day Sunday.
Rainfall amounts of approximately 30 to 50 mm are anticipated for our immediate area.
 The forecasted precipitation will result in increased water levels and flows within our rivers and streams over the next several days. The combination of slippery and unstable banks and cool water temperatures will create hazardous conditions close to any river, stream or other water bodies.
Widespread flooding is not anticipated. Our reservoirs are at our seasonal holding levels and have storage capacity available. However, fast flowing water and flooding of low lying areas and natural floodplains may be expected. Localized flooding may occur where leaf litter blocks storm sewers. Municipalities, emergency services and individual landowners in flood-prone areas should be on the alert.
Conservation Halton is asking all residents and children to keep a safe distance from all watercourses and structures such as bridges, culverts and dams. Elevated water levels, fast flowing water, and slippery conditions along stream banks continue to make these locations extremely dangerous. Please alert children in your care of these imminent dangers.
Conservation Halton will continue to monitor stream flow and weather conditions and will issue further messages as necessary. This Flood Outlook Statement will be in effect through Tuesday October 29th, 2019.
 By Staff
October 25th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Parents/guardians are invited to attend a free evening presentation on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019 aimed at addressing the importance of looking after themselves as caregivers in order to look after their loved ones.
The presentation by Michele Sparling is titled “Putting ‘Self’ in Caregiving – How Looking After you Helps You Look After Them”.
 Who is taking care of the care-giver? In this session, parents/guardians and caregivers will hear why self-care is an important part of the regimen of care, what it is, what it is not, and one family’s story of finding room to breathe and reset, in order to be there for their loved ones.
Presented by Community & Parent Partners for Kids (C.A.P.P. for Kids), the event runs from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at Gary Allan High School/New Street Education Centre (3250 New St., Burlington). There will be community displays from 6:45 – 7 p.m.
Michele Sparling is a Partner at Innovative HR and has 30 years of in depth experience as a results-oriented senior human resources professional. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration, and a Master of Industrial Relations. She is trained in mediation, facilitation, ASIST, Mental Health First Aid, and as a SocioPsychological Health and Safety Advisor. Michele and her family have lived in the Oakville community for 23 years.
C.A.P.P. for Kids is a partnership between Halton Region, Halton District School Board, Halton Catholic District School Board, Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK), Our Kids Network, Halton Regional Police Service, Ontario Early Years, Burlington Public Library, City of Burlington, and the Halton Multicultural Council.
For more information about this event, email capp4kids@gmail.com.
By Pepper Parr
October 23rd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
We are being surveyed to death.
The city seems to have several surveys on the go at the same time. There are three they want you to respond to – soon.
These surveys aren’t all that short. Useful – but is there not a limit as to how many surveys can be put before the public?
The Sound of Music is asking for your views on what they do as a Festival and what they want to do. They need public input for the funding report they will put before council. They are too late to get anything from the public trough this year.
 The musicians who didn’t make it to the big stages – they got some space on the streets of the city. For those who do the SoM survey – their names will be entered into a draw for a full weekend VIP Pass to the free festival, June 18-21.
A closer look at some of the questions and a little condition at the end of the questionnaire gives rise to some concern.
Why is a survey respondent “consenting to receive email communications from the survey author’s organization based on the information collected.”
Who is the survey author’s organization?
We live in a time where personal information is both a valuable commodity and something we need to be vigilant about protecting.
In our communications with the Sound of Music and its board we have found them to be very adverse to being open and transparent with their dealings with media. In a phrase – we don’t trust them.
So when they ask you you: “Please provide us with a small amount of personal information. Your city and state is purely for data capture. We use your contact information to enter you into the VIP Package draw. You will not be added to our mailing list, or any receive any further marketing. This is simply to contact you should you win our VIP Package draw.”
And when they add: “By entering my personal information, I consent to receive email communications from the survey author’s organization based on the information collected.” my eyebrows arch.
Set out below is a part of the survey. You decide if you want to respond.
By Pepper Parr
October 23rd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
This story has been revised. A reader pointed out to us that the Mayor did provide a very detailed report on her trip to France for the D Day remembrance. A link to that report is now included.
Our Mayor is in Japan.
 The mayor has gone rogue – taken to Japanese fashion. She has been there since October 15th and will return on Friday.
She is part of a delegation that is celebrating our 30th anniversary of the Twinning of Burlington with Itabashi, Japan.
Attending with the Mayor and one of her daughters. The Mayor is picking up the cost of her daughter’s travel expenses.
The city manager and at least one staff member and Ward 6 Councillor Rory Nisan is part of the delegation. Members of the Mundialization committee are also part of the delegation.
 Mayor Meed Ward marching through the streets of Itabashi, Japan with city manager Tim Commisso doing his best to keep up. Other than the recognition and the celebration of the twinning relationship there is no clearly stated reason for the trip.
There has been some discussion about possible business opportunities with different Japanese cities.
When the Mayor returns she has said she will tell us all about the trip.
When Mayor Meed Ward took part in the 75th Anniversary of the D Day landings in France the public was given a very detailed report that included how much was spent. That report can be found HERE
The Mayor did report on what she spent – the sums were reasonable and acceptable. She took one of her staff members with her and they shared a room.
There is very little in the way of news from the Mayor directly – there are a number of pictures posted on one of her social media pages.
We share those with you and wish the Mayor safe travel as she prepares to return to Burlington, ranked as Canada’s best community and best place to raise a family. It is a city where people, nature and businesses thrive.
 Mayor Marianne Meed Ward enjoying a Japanese delicacy with Councillor Nisan in the background wondering perhaps if he too will be fed.  Councillor Rory Nisan taking part in what may be a cooking class.  The Mayor is on the right. There was no detail provided on the pictures.
By Pepper Parr
October 22nd, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
What does the Karina Gould win in Burlington tell us and what can we expect from her in the 24 to 36 months ahead of us before there is another federal election?
 There are all kinds of problems the Liberals have with the people in Western Canada – and they will get resolved in some way – enough to keep the country together is another matter.
Let’s talk about what this election tells us about ourselves.
The 6.5% of the vote that Gareth Williams got for the Greens is more than disappointing. He got less than 5000 votes.
 Gould didn’t miss much in the way of work time while pregnant. The son became a feature on those occasions hat she took the child to work. Did Burlingtonians not care all that much about the state of the environment? Or was the concern over the threat from Jane Michael, the Conservative candidate, so strong that every progressive vote went to Gould to ensure that Michael didn’t win the seat?
Despite the hundreds of negative comments made about Michael and her decision not to take part in debates where she would have to defend her positions she did take 33% of the vote. 23,467 were prepared to accept the way Michael ran as a candidate. Proof positive that there is a solid vote that is not Liberal in Burlington. Was it a Catholic vote or a Conservative vote?
We heard from a number of strong Conservatives who were embarrassed with their candidate and deeply disturbed by the way she got the nomination in the first place.
How Burlington overcomes that divide is something Gould is going to have to work on. Good luck on that one. The responsible, decent Conservatives are going to have to find people who truly represent them if there is to be any change.
 Despite putting forward a very credible case for the Greens Gareth Williams was not able to pull in much in the way of voter support. Back to that environmental vote. Gareth Williams did a very good job of setting out the Green Party case. He just didn’t get the buy-in he deserved.
The New Democrats selected a nice lady to carry their banner. It takes more than nice to win an election.
What does Karina Gould do now?
 Karina Gould at a Parliamentary committee. We are all but guaranteed to have a lot of discussion about the way we choose who is to represent us in the House of Commons. Gould was the Minister of Democratic Institutions. Prior to her appointment the Liberals had not been able to make any progress on getting a buy-in from the other political parties and basically gave up on the idea.
Gould was brought in to ensure that the job the previous Minister, MP Maryam Monsef, wasn’t able to do didn’t get any worse than it was.
Karina Gould found herself standing before the national media in front of the doors to the House of Commons Chamber explaining that there would not be any change to the way Canadians chose their federal leaders.
Will the Prime Minister keep her in the portfolio – he should. Will she be able to craft a response to the problem and get a solid buy-in from her Cabinet colleagues? Hopefully yes for the sake of the country.
The New Democrats will work at making this their issue and pressing the Liberals to do something soon. The Liberals need at last 16 of those votes to get their Speech from the Throne and the next budget passed. Gould has her work cut out for her on this file.
 This was the last major greenfield site in Burlington – there is nothing affordable being built. There are other demanding tasks that Gould will need to focus on. Building housing that is affordable is vital. Gould can certainly support the case for building housing that people, especially younger people, can afford so they can remain in Burlington where housing is far from affordable.
Finally, Gould has some reaching out work to do. She has been very good at it. Her support for One Burlington was a good start. Helping those conservatives that need a home where their values are respected is a bigger job than Karina Gould can do – it will take time.
By Pepper Parr
October 21st, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The electioneering is over.
Now the citizens of the country get to choose who should lead at the federal government level.
 This is what a debate is about. Why can’t we have stuff like this in Burlington during our elections? I suspect that we are in for a bumpy ride and some big surprises – which should come as no surprise.
What do we know now about the candidates that wanted to represent Burlington in Ottawa? Not much more than they wanted to tell us unfortunately because for the most part we really didn’t grill these men and women.
There were no debates – we did the usual Burlington polite thing.
Burlington doesn’t appear to be very comfortable with holding people accountable for what they do.
Debates, when they are moderated properly, give audiences a chance to see the candidates in action; see how they respond to the thrust and parry of a debate.
Candidates and potential candidates need to know that there is a bar of expectations they have to reach. You have to be good, really good, if you want to represent Burlington in Ottawa.
Debates bring out the best in candidates and they put a spotlight on the flaws. The public is entitled to that level of transparency. If someone believes they have what it takes to represent the public – show us.
Unfortunately, Burlington has never had an organization that will take on that role. Cogeco doesn’t want to offend anyone – all they want to do is ensure that their cable TV license is never put at risk.
The Chamber of Commerce isn’t much better – they seem proud of their Q&A approach to candidates: Never rock the Boat, and for heaven’s sake don’t disrupt – bad for business.
 Church halls were filled – the public wants to hear what candidates have to say. ECoB has done some very good work. They televised the municipal events that took place and drew crowds that filled church halls. It was evident that the public wanted more.
The ECoB events made it clear that it was time to look for stronger moderators; people with more depth and the capacity to push the candidates.
What isn’t immediately evident is that you get better representation when you push. A look at what Burlington has at the provincial level and what it has been offered at the federal level on the Conservative side of the political spectrum xxx
One can only wonder what John Robarts, probably the best Premier the province has ever had, would think of what we have done to the Conservative reputation.
A long time Gazette reader told us of a time when there were “ratepayer” groups throughout the city that communicated with the school board and city council. Those parents aged and their children grew up and the world changed.
The pressure on households is much different these days; parents don’t have as much time. In most households both parents work, and there are a lot more single parent families. Also, government is much more complex and the needs of the community are greater.
Students face an environment that is a lot different than the one their parents experienced. We also have a community that was nowhere as large as it is today – the baby boomers are moving into retirement and the millennials have made it clear that at least some of them expect to be at the table.
The bureaucracy is different as well – it doesn’t respond the way it used to; the pace is different, development is much more aggressive and the relationship between the electors and the elected isn’t what it could be.
These are changing times – and we are going to have to adapt. How well we adapt will determine whether Burlington really is the “best place to raise a family. It is a city where people, nature and businesses thrive.”
By Pepper Parr
October 20th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
So who is it going to be?
There are three constituencies representing the people of Burlington.
Milton, which covers parts of wards 3 and 6 – the northern part of the city
Oakville North Burlington which cover part of eastern Burlington and part of Oakville.
Burlington is where the bulk of the people in the city will vote
Maps of all three are set out below.
Where is the vote going to go? Some of the best political minds in the country don’t know; what seems to be pretty certain is that we will have a minority government. The Conservatives believe they will form that government – the Liberals are just as certain.
The NDP and the Greens aren’t going to form a government – but one of them will probably hold the balance of power.
Our take on the candidates:
 Sean Weir for the Conservatives in Oakville North Burlington  Karina Gould for Burlington  Lisa Raitt for Milton. Burlington where the candidates are: Karina Gould, the incumbent; Gareth Williams – Green Party; Lenaee Dupuis – NDP; Peoples Party – Peter Smetana and Jane Michael – Conservative.
The Gazette sees Karina Gould as the best choice – although Gareth Williams has done a superb job for the Greens even if he didn’t put in as much time as he should have campaigning. How and why Jane Michael ever got the Conservative nomination has astounded most of the Conservatives we talked to.
The candidates in Milton are: Lisa Raitt – Conservative; Adam van Koeverden – Liberal; Eleanor Hayward – New Democrat; Farina Hassan – Green Party and Percy Dastur – People Party
In Milton, new comer Adam van Koeverden has a chance – we think Lisa Raitt will hold her seat.
The candidates in Oakville North Burlington are: Sean Weir – Conservative; Gilbert J. Jubinville – Peoples Party; Pam Damoff – Liberal; Nicolas Dion – New Democrat and Michael Houghton – Green Party
In Oakville North Burlington Sean Weir could beat Pam Damoff. She hasn’t been that strong a Parliamentarian.
We will learn just how serious people in the Halton Region are about Climate Change when we see what the vote count for the Green Party is – the surge in the New Democrat vote is yet another sign that in
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.
 The portion of Burlington that is in the Milton constituency  Oakville North Burlington  Boundaries for voters in Burlington.
By Pepper Parr
October 20th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
Oakville North Burlington – the constituency that is neither Oakville nor Burlington.
 Pam Damoff left the job of Town Councillor to run for the new riding of Oakville North Burlington when the nominee dies suddenly. The incumbent, Liberal Pam Damoff, has had to struggle to create a strong profile that she can identify with.
She was a Town Councillor in 2015 when she sought the nomination when the man, Max Khan, nominated for the new seat died suddenly.
Damoff came out of a successful career in the private sector and was doing just fine in Oakville where she created and nurtured the growth of community organizations. The Terry Fox Run is what it is in Oakville because of her years of effort.
 Pam Damoff in the center – If she could take the cold waters of Lake Ontario on January 1st – it was assumed she could take the heat in the House of Commons. She ran into Lake Ontario on a January 1st to create the Polar Dip.
She was an effective Town Councillor serving two terms until she resigned to run for the federal nomination. During her time as a Town Councillor Damoff was effective but didn’t put down the kind of roots that would take her to a higher level.
The split between two communities was a divide hard to manage. There was a Canada 150 event when the Burlington MP, the Mayor of Burlington and Pam Damoff were involved. Damoff had to remind everyone that they were in her riding.
Damoff’s job wasn’t made any easier with having a young, popular colleague in Burlington who was made a Cabinet Minister, the youngest woman ever to be given a Cabinet position.
Damoff decided to play to her strengths and began to work with women’s groups proving to be a critical factor for woman new to Canada who needed help understanding what their government could do for them.
She was also deeply involved with getting younger women involved in public life. For those young girls Damoff was a terrific role model.
 Damoff in discussion with the Minister of Health. Her work in Ottawa took a bit of time to find its niche. She was the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women.
She ends her first term as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health; a demanding job headed up by a Minister with an agenda.
Working with the media wasn’t one of the Damoff strengths. We never were able to actually do an interview with Damoff; time constraints
to her schedule seemed to get in the way.
The Gazette did not get a response to a request for an interview with the Conservative candidate Sean Weir
The other Oakville North Burlington candidates are:
New Democrat candidate: Nicolas Dion
Green Party candidate: Michael Houghton
Peoples Party – Gilbert J. Jubinville,
Related news stories:
Rip snorting speech given by Damoff in the House of Commons.
Damoff wins the Liberal nomination for a new constituency.
 By Pepper Parr
October 20th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
From October 22-25 from 1-5 pm each day, The Hobbyist will be performing on site maintenance, collecting and documenting trash in the area, and conducting a short survey with participants.
The city invests a considerable amount of money in public art and throughout each year contests are held that allow artists to pitch their ideas for what is referred to as “installation” art; something that is not permanent and is often work that can be interacted with.
The city announced seven installation art locations that were to be launched along with Culture Days which took place late in September.
A communications glitch got in the way of our publishing and promoting these events. The Senior Manager Strategic Communications prevented us from talking to the Manager of Cultural Services for some clarification. The answers the Senior Manager Strategic Communications gave us were not clear and we didn’t have the time to do the back and forth that was required to get clear answers.
Cobalt Connects, the Hamilton based organization that manages the selection of artist’s process, made what appears now available and we share it with you.
With information that is clear we can now share with you what the city made possible.
These installations were available on September 27 and will be on display until October 27, 2019. There are seven Temporary Art Installations
These artists transformed spaces across Burlington with temporary public art installations. By placing art in unexpected spaces such as parks and community centres, the Public Art Lab brings contemporary art to new audiences. All installations are free of charge! The Public Art Lab is produced by the City of Burlington’s public art program.
The art is pretty well distributed throughout the city – except for Aldershot – they got stiffed.
There are two installation in Spencer Smith Park. Arianna Richardson (AKA The Hobbyist), holds a Garbage Party that is a Mixed Media Sculpture + Performance
 Now that is a garbage can! Garbage Party is an interactive project that invites visitors to engage with a 10ft long, handmade waste receptacle as its physical form would suggest: as a fully functioning garbage bin with a wide variety of collection categories.
This installation prompts the public to consider their own relationships with waste and recycling, presenting a playful and absurd site in which to engage in conversations about our consumer society and the impact of the waste it generates.
From October 22-25 from 1-5pm each day, The Hobbyist will be performing on site maintenance, collecting and documenting trash in the area, and conducting a short survey with participants.
Arianna Richardson is a sculptor, performance artist, and mother from Treaty Seven territory (Lethbridge, AB). Richardson most often works under the pseudonym, The Hobbyist, employing hobby-craft techniques to work through an investigation of ubiquitous consumption, gendered labour, waste, excess, and spectacle.
More at: ariannarichardson.ca
 By Ray Rivers
October 19th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
 Conservative candidate Lisa Raitt describes the current campaign as the nastiest since Kim Campbell. “Isn’t this the nastiest campaign” I asked, and Milton’s Conservative MP, Lisa Raitt, completed my thought with “since Kim Campbell”?
Andrew Scheer’s campaign started out short on policy but long on name calling and character assassination. He has taken the offensive in every sense of the word, hurling insults like ‘phoney and fraud’, ‘criminal’ and ‘liar’ at the prime minister. And his campaign has been involved in creating and disseminating so much disinformation, it makes the Russian troll factories look like amateurs.
Leaflets falsely claiming Liberals were going to apply capital gains tax on your primary residence. Adverts in the Chinese language media that Trudeau was going to legalize hard drugs. Rumours that Trudeau had been fired from his former teaching job; a} because he’d had an affair with a student; and b} because he had an affair with a student’s mother.
 A “Climate Barbie Doll”. Really? Scheer’s campaign manager is Hamish Marshall, a former corporate director and contributor to ‘The Rebel,’ an ultra right-wing medium which has been soft on white supremacist stuff and/or anything sympathetic to the red neck crowd. The Rebel attempted to discredit Canada’s environment minister, labelling her Climate Barbie, until she faced them down for their pathetic attempt at character assassination.
The Conservatives started the campaign saying Trudeau is ‘not as advertised’. Indeed the Aladdin costume stunt did surprise/shock many of us, but older Canadians would have watched Justin grow up as son of one of Canada’s most flamboyant and longest serving prime ministers. We actually know a lot about the Trudeaus. And after four years as prime minister it is hard to understand how ‘not as advertised’ even makes sense.
But Mr. Scheer is that proverbial fella in the glass house throwing stones. He tried to lie about his work experience – neither a broker nor having met accreditation criteria to be one. He tried to conceal his firm position against a woman’s right to choose. He refused to apologize for his earlier anti-LGBT same-sex marriage rants. And he tried to hide his dual nationality, while attacking other party leaders and a former governor-general for theirs. And he must/might have broken US law by crossing the border without using a US passport.
 Regrettable – it did take place 20 years ago when he was a much younger man. But Mr. Trudeau apologized for his ethics violation, for having worn an Aladdin costume and for having mismanaged the SNC prosecution issue. Scheer had never accepted ownership for his past mistakes, has shown no remorse, and appears not to have learned from those experiences. And that just makes him look even nastier.
And it seems to be contagious. Jagmeet Singh has caught the bug. Making things up as he goes along, he has been taking shots at his Green Party opponents, trying to align them with the ‘nasty’ Conservatives. Then as his poll numbers started to climb he turned his attack onto the Liberals, claiming they are in the pockets of the corporate giants, playing the offended sympathy card. His pitch for Pharma care, which all three left-of-centre parties are promising, included erroneous claims that drug prices are rising, when generic drugs have, in fact, fallen over the last decade starting back in the Harper years.
 Elizabeth May scolding the Prime Minister. But unlike Mr. Trudeau, Elizabeth May has strenuously fought back against these false accusations. At the outset, Trudeau had pledged not to campaign on wedge issues, but the Liberals have now started to fight back, though it is probably too late. Mr. Scheer has been effective at tearing down Trudeau’s character – and in this election of personalities that seems to be all that matters. And the debates just made that all the easier.
 Kim Campbell Kim Campbell’s 1993 campaign gets the prize for scraping the bottom of the barrel, and there have probably been other ugly ones before that. It is hard to believe that two seemingly likeable people, Kim Campbell and her campaign manager John Tory, would do such a dastardly thing. But desperation makes us behave in unpredictable ways. So take heart if you don’t think this has been the nastiest campaign yet, there are still a few days to go.
 Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links;
Kim Campbell – Dirty Campaign – Lies About Drugs –
Conspiracy Theories – Rebel Media – Scheer Campaign –
School Affair Lies – NDP Lies – Scheer US Travel –
Scheer More Lies – Scheer Angry – Not the Nastiest –
By Ray Rivers
October 19th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
It was the fall of 1972. I had cast my ballot in Orangeville, where I’d been working as purchasing agent, then hit the road for Ottawa. I’d been offered a better career job with the federal government.
On route one of our vehicles lost its electrical system just outside of Ottawa and we spent the night in a motel watching the election results that night. When the dust had settled I was left wondering whether I would still have a job. The Trudeau Liberals had lost their solid majority and had fallen into the uncertainty of minority government.
 Pierre Trudeau. It had been a tough election. The over-riding issue during Pierre Trudeau’s first term was national unity. Trudeau had ended the immediate threat of separatism by introducing the War Measures Act, eliminating the terrorist organization, the FLQ. But Quebec’s quiet revolution would ensure that the demand for equality in the federation was far from over. So the Liberal government introduced official bilingualism, a concept at least as politically divisive as today’s carbon tax. Though fifty years later there is no longer any debate – it was the right thing to do.
Baby boomers had been pouring into the job market in record numbers, competing for scarce employment with still growing numbers of US draft dodgers arriving across the border. And the economy was recovering from the downturn of the late sixties. New grain markets had been opened up in China. Canadian cultural industries were on the move. Economic growth was projected to exceed by over 6% and the federal budget was close to being balanced. Indeed the land was strong.
So Pierre Trudeau somewhat arrogantly decided to run on his record rather than lay out a new vision for the future. But nobody was reading the fine print and that almost put an end to his vision of the just society. Voters are human after all. They want to know what’s in it for them.
So when Justin decided to run on his record he followed his father’s footsteps and polls show will end up much like his father did, if he is lucky. Andrew Scheer and Jagmeet Singh on the other hand have promised affordability, and suddenly their polls are swelling. Affordability? This is the number one issue for Canadians, more important than protecting our survival and the planet’s climate.
 Justin Trudeau Yet Canada’s economy has never performed better – doesn’t that mean affordability? And this performance is largely the result of policies enacted by the Liberals after 2015, when the nation was teetering on the brink of a recession. Close to a million people, including 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty, exceeding the government’s own projections and making this the lowest rate of poverty ever in Canada’s history.
Employment is at a record high and unemployment is the lowest since we started recording those numbers. Inflation is at historic low rates as are interest rates, and economic growth is among the best in the G7. Affordability? What else would one expect of a government? Well there is the matter of house prices and the still growing gap between the wealthy and the rest of us.
Housing prices are a function of demand and supply. But there are serious physical limits to increasing supply in our sprawling communities. Only Maxime Bernier’s People’s Party has a viable short term plan – reduce demand, cut off the number of immigrants coming here – the number of people looking for new housing. But his policy is simply dismissed as Donald Trumpian racism. And there may, indeed, be some of that among some of his candidates.
Humanity is almost never satiated, that is both our weakness and our strength. When the times are good as they are now, or as they were when PET arrogantly trotted out ‘The Land is Strong’, those who now have more want to know why they can’t have even more. Pierre Trudeau ended up losing his majority thanks in part to a brilliant campaign by the NDP’s David Lewis and his catchy refrain ‘Corporate Welfare Bums’. Why can’t we have some of theirs?
All of the opposition parties today are claiming to cut corporate welfare, though nobody seriously believes that would happen with the Tories. Even their lower class income tax cut will benefit the wealthy more than the middle class. And aren’t they promising to restore those unfair tax breaks for the business sector? And seriously, have we forgotten Stephen Harper and Doug Ford?
 Jagmeet Singh Jagmeet Singh may be a newbie in federal politics but he is a quick learner. He knows that if you want people on-side you simply tell them what they want to hear. As the third party he knows he won’t have to deliver at the end of the day. And look how Mr. Scheer’s false promises have been working for him. He started his campaign by telling everyone he would put more money in their pockets.
Singh has pulled a page out of David Lewis’ campaign book and is telling people he’ll make their lives better and more affordable by guillotining the heads off the rich and using them to feed the disadvantaged. Steal from the rich and give to the rest of us. Now isn’t that more appealing than just saying ‘The Land is Strong’?
Ray Rivers writes regularly on both federal and provincial politics, applying his more than 25 years as a federal bureaucrat to his thinking. Rivers was once a candidate for provincial office in Burlington. He was the founder of the Burlington citizen committee on sustainability at a time when climate warming was a hotly debated subject. Ray has a post graduate degree in economics that he earned at the University of Ottawa. Tweet @rayzrivers
Background links:
Comedy or Cringe – !972 Budget –
 By Pepper Parr
October 18th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
The city invests a considerable amount of money in public art and throughout each year contests are held that allow artists to pitch their ideas for what is referred to as “installation” art; something that is not permanent and is often work that can be interacted with.
The city announced seven installation art locations that were to be launched along with Culture Days which took place late in September.
A communications glitch got in the way of our publishing and promoting these events. The Senior Manager Strategic Communications prevented us from talking to the Manager of Cultural Services for some clarification.
The answers the Senior Manager Strategic Communications gave us were not clear and we didn’t have the time to do the back and forth that was required to get clear answers.
Cobalt Connects, the Hamilton based organization that manages the selection of artist’s process, made what appears now available. With that information we can now share with you what the city made possible.
These installations were available on September 27 and will be on display until October 27, 2019. There are seven Temporary Art Installations.
These artists transformed spaces across Burlington with temporary public art installations. By placing art in unexpected spaces such as parks and community centres, the Public Art Lab brings contemporary art to new audiences. All installations are free of charge! The Public Art Lab is produced by the City of Burlington’s public art program.
The art is pretty well distributed throughout the city – except for Aldershot – they got stiffed.
Kristina Bradt has done Intersection which is a Soundscape Projection installed in the lobby of the Tansley Woods Community Centre.
Bradt visited the facility at different times throughout the season to collect sound using a field recorder. By capturing the sounds of the activities, events, and people that move through the space, Bradt captured that which often goes unnoticed.
 The different sounds from activities at the Tansley Woods Community Centre got transformed into art. Bradt then uses these recordings to create a large-scale floor projection that features bright, abstracted imagery that has a contemporary feel and brings a sense of wonder and curiosity directly inspired by the energy and livelihood of those who inhabit the space. What you see is the artist’s interpretation of the sound data, turned visual art.
Kristina Bradt is an artist and public art enthusiast living in Windsor, Ontario. Bradt earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from University of Windsor (2017) with a focus in Sculpture, Drawing and Digital Media.
Her interest in 3D printing inspired her research into art that depicts the visualization of sound over the past 2 1/2 years and led her work at Artscape Gibraltar Point for her first residency this past February (2019).
By Pepper Parr
October 18th, 2019
BURLINGTON, ON
 Did we get it right? A year ago today we all woke up and headed for the polling station during the day and elected ourselves a new city council.
Did we get it right?
Most people appear to think that we did. There are certainly some who think mistakes were made but on balance we have seven people who have a clear vision as to where they want to go.
Next Monday we get to go to the polls again.
Let us try and get it right.
There is a lot of small minded bickering and pettiness being voiced.
Is the dual citizenship that Andrew Scheer has really that big a deal?
Is it what the creation of a government is decided on?
 The people, you and I get to decide who runs that |House of Commons. Think really hard about who you send there to do the job. The Black face was and is a big deal – but it was 20 years ago. Has Justin Trudeau grown up? Has he learned a lesson?
Do we trust him?
That applies to all of them – do you trust them?
There are some very big, fundamental issues before us. If we don’t get them right – we are in serious trouble.
 When this falls apart – we all fall apart. It will not be a pretty picture. There is a tipping point, a point at which we cannot go back.
Are we there yet?
How close to that tipping point are we and do we really want to test it.
If we are wrong – there really isn’t a future.
There is some hard hard thinking to be done.
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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