705 - 864 - 2785
CHAPLEAUEXPRESS
JeanChrétien:Canadianswillnevergiveup thebestcountryintheworldtojointheU.S.
ByJeanChrétien Todayismy91stbirthday.
It’s an opportunity to celebrate with familyandfriends.TolookbackonthelifeI’ve had the privilege to lead.And to reflect on how muchthiscountrywealllovesomuchhasgrown andchangedoverthecourseoftheninedecades I’vebeenonthisEarth.
This year, I’ve also decided to give myself a birthday present. I’m going to do somethinginthisarticlethatIdon’tdoveryoften anymore, and sound off on a big issue affecting the state of the nation and profoundly bothering me and so many other Canadians: The totally unacceptable insults and unprecedented threats toourverysovereigntyfromU.S.president-elect DonaldTrump.
I have two very clear and simple messages.
To Donald Trump, from one old guy to another: Give your head a shake! What could make you think that Canadians would ever give up the best country in the world – and make no mistake, that is what we are – to join the United States?
I can tell you Canadians prize our independence. We love our country. We have builtsomethingherethat istheenvyoftheworld–when it comes to compassion, understanding,
tolerance and finding a way for people of different backgrounds and faithstolivetogetherinharmony.
We’ve also built a strong social safety net – especially with public health care – that we are very proud of. It’s not perfect, but it’s based on the principle that the most vulnerable among us should be protected.
This may not be the “American Way” or “the Trump Way.” But it is the reality I have witnessed and lived my whole long life.
If you think that threatening andinsultingusisgoingtowinusover,youreally don’tknowathingaboutus.Youdon’tknowthat when it came to fighting in two world wars for freedom, we signed up – both times – years before your country did. We fought and we sacrificedwellbeyondournumbers.
We also had the guts to say no to your countrywhenittriedtodragusintoacompletely unjustifiedanddestabilizingwarinIraq.
Webuiltanationacrossthemostrugged, challenginggeographyimaginable.Andwedidit againsttheodds.
We may look easy-going. Mildmannered. But make no mistake, we have spine andtoughness.
Andthatleadsmetomysecondmessage, toallourleaders,federalandprovincial,aswell as those who are aspiring to lead our country: Start showing that spine and toughness. That’s
whatCanadianswanttosee–whattheyneedto see. It’s called leadership. You need to lead. Canadiansarereadytofollow.
I know the spirit is there. Ever since Mr. Trump’sattacks,everypoliticalpartyisspeaking outinfavourofCanada.Infact,itistomygreat satisfaction that even the Bloc Québécois is defendingCanada.
Butyoudon’twinahockeygamebyonly playingdefence.Weallknowthatevenwhenwe satisfy one demand, Mr. Trump will come back with another, bigger demand. That’s not diplomacy;it’sblackmail.
Weneedanotherapproach–onethatwill breakthiscycle.
Mr. Trump has accomplished one thing: He has unified Canadians more than we have beeneverbefore!Allleadersacrossourcountry Cont’donP.8
WeatherSummaryforOntario December2024:TemperatureSwingsandIntenseSnowsqualls
Temperatures
December was mostly warmer than normalwiththeanomaliesincreasingtowardthe FarNorth(seethemapbelow).Southernportions of eastern Ontario, however, recorded a slightly cooler than normal month. Temperatures fluctuated, alternating between cool and warm spells that increased in intensity as the month progressed.
The first week was slightly cooler than normal in the south and the second week was slightly cooler in the north. In the third week, most places saw a peak from some very warm days,coolingoffsharplytothecoldestdaysofthe whole month. Finally, in the last week, temperatures rose steadily and sharply provincewide. Many high temperature records were set on the 29th (e.g. Oshawa at 11.7oC, Bancroftat9.6oCandPeawanuckat-1.4oC).
Precipitation
Precipitation totals for December were nearnormalformostoftheprovince,butpartsof the northwest were slightly wetter than normal and parts of the northeast were drier. Some locationssawlocallymuchmoreduetorepeated off lake squall activity. Provincewide,
precipitation occurred throughoutDecemberwithout any extended dry periods. During the final days of the month, a moist system from the south brought significant rains to much of southern and northeastern Ontario. Record daily precipitation amounts were set in the southwest on the 29th (e.g. Rodney with 41 mm, Orangeville with 28 mm and St. Thomas with 31.5 mm).
Snowfall
Snowfall was slightly below normal for most of the province for December. Locally higher amounts were recorded in the traditional lake snow areas. There were several systems which brought snowfall to the south and northeast (three in the first half of the month) interspersed by brief melting periods. Sudbury Airportrecorded21.6cmofsnowonthe4th.
SignificantEvents
December6:Punishingsnowsqualls
Persistent snowsqualls from Georgian Bay and Lake Huron slowly shifted in a northwesterly then westerly flow through the day. Travel had become dangerous. Much of Highway 21 near Lake Huron was closed for much of Friday into Saturday, and Highway 48 north from Toronto for several hours. Fatal crashes occurred in Sutton and Caledon
withmultipleadditionalinjuries.Therewerealso severalcollisionsonHighway400.NearInnisfil, twocarsandadumptruckcollidednearnoonand latertherewasa3-carcollisioninBradford. Note: There were other days with intense snowsqualls, particularly in the first half of the monthorso,causingdangeroustravelconditions whichresultedinsimilarimpacts.
December 7: Snarling and treacherous snowfall
A system from the Prairies swept across the province bringing heavy snow in abundance for mostofthesouthandnortheast.Highways11and 17 were closed between Wawa and Sault Ste Marie, near Shabaqua (after a crash) and in Kakabeka Falls (following a collision). There were5separatecollisionsonHighway17inthe Sudburyarea,onetothewest,twototheeast,and two in Sudbury itself. In the south, widespread collisions resulted in three fatalities in Milton, OttawaandLanarkCounty.Also,InClarington,a manwalkingalongavehicleonHighway2was struck and killed by a vehicle early Saturday evening.SaultSte.MarieCont’donP.9 Cont’dfromP.2
Chapleau Moments
by MichaelJ. Morris
Oliver Korpela, perhaps best known in Chapleau as a lumberman, actually wore many hats, including one asabomberpilotinWorldWarII,whose plane was shot down over Holland in 1944.
Born in Nemegos on the Canadian Pacific Railway line east of Chapleau on June 18, 1920, in his early years, Oliver spoke Finnish, French and Cree, according to Oiva W. Saarinen in his book "Between a Rock and a Hard Place". Therewasnobodytoteachhim English.
His grandfather and father had arrived in Nemegos in the early 20th century and had become logging contractors, cutting and delivering logs to be sawed into mining timbers and railwayties.
As a youngster Oliver enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping, canoeing, skiingandswimming.
However,by1931hehadmoved toSudburyandattendedschooluntilthe end of Grade 10. By 1939 and the outbreakofWorldWarII,Oliverwanted tojointheRoyalCanadianAirForcebut hisfirstobstaclewasthathehadnobirth certificate. Nobody had registered his birth.Thiswasresolved.
Thiswassortedoutbuthecould
WorldWarII bomberpilotOliverKorpelaexpanded familylumber
operationsinChapleauarea
not train as a pilot without Grade 13, so he took a crash course, upgraded and was postedtopilottraining.
Posted to England after graduation as a pilot officer, he later joined the Royal Air Force Bomber Command and conducted successful bombing missions over GermanyflyingLancasterbombers.
In September 1944, his Lancaster was shot down, and he parachutedsafelyintoHolland.
Oliver ended up aided by the Dutchunderground.Hisexperienceis included in his memoir 'The Autobiography of a Bomber Pilot" a copyofwhichwaskindlyprovidedto mebyhissonRichardKorpela.
Disguised as a mute Dutch tailor he eluded capture by the Germans until Holland was liberated in1945.Afascinatingstoryinitself.
Upon arriving in Sudbury, Oliver went to the barber shop at the Coulson Hotel, and discovered that hisparentswerestayinginthehotel-apparently a great welcome home partywasheld.
After returning to Canada after the war, he worked for Kormak Lumber Company founded by his fatherandOliverMaki.
As a part-time bush pilot Oliver made Kormak one of the first lumber company's to do extensive timber cruising from the air. He continued flying into his late seventies.
Squadron 50, where he piloted his Lancaster bomber on many successful missions before being shot down over Holland. He workedcloselywiththeDutchResistancefor7monthsandescaped manyclosecallswiththeGermans.
After the major forest fire of 1948, the company opened mills at FlameLake---Oliver wasinoneofthefirst cars to travel over Highway 129 from Thessalon to Chapleau in 1949 whenitopened. As an aside, FlameLakewassuch a going concern that the Ontario Provincial Police stationed an officer thereforatime. 6
Oliver Korpela was attached to the RAF Bomber Command,
CourtesyRichardKorpela
from OTTAWA Rapport d’Ottawa
by/par Carol Hughes Federal member of Parliament Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing
Carol Hughes, MP for AlgomaManitoulin-Kapuskasing, made the following statementinresponsetotheresignationofPrime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Prorogation of Parliament:
“Yesterday, in the face of mounting pressure from all sides, the Prime Minister resigned,andproroguedParliamentuntilMarch
MPHughes'StatementontheResignationofthe PrimeMinisterandProrogationofParliament
24th.Canadianshaveshownthattheynolonger have faith in his leadership. Through a cost-ofliving crisis he hasn't effectively dealt with, a housingshortagehehasfailedtomakeanimpact on,andaclimatecrisishehasbeentooslowtoact on, he hasn't lived up to the “sunny ways” he promised.
But rather than read the writing on the wall monthsago–whenNewDemocratsscrappedthe Supply and ConfidenceAgreement,or when his owncaucusstartedtorevolt,orwhenhisFinance Minister publicly resigned hours ahead of the FallEconomicStatement–hestooddefiant.That is, until the last possible minute, mere weeks
before the threat of tariffs from the incoming Trump administration could harm Canadians evenfurther.
Proroguing the House at this point, just like every time Stephen Harper did it, is cynical andself-serving.ItonlyservestheLiberalParty. Conservative slogans and their cut-and-gut agendaaren'tgoingtohelpCanadianswhenthey needitmost.We'vebeenthere,donethat,itdidn't work. Canadians deserve an NDP government who looks out for their best interests, one who willworktoimprovepublichealthcare,andfight the kind of corporate greed that leaves working familiesbehind.”
Déclaration de la députée Hughes sur la démission dupremierministreetlaprorogationduParlement
Carol Hughes, députée d'AlgomaManitoulin-Kapuskasing, a fait la déclaration suivante en réponse à la démission du premier ministre Justin Trudeau et à la prorogation du Parlement:
« Hier, face aux pressions croissantes de toutesparts,lepremierministreadémissionnéetle Parlement a été prorogé jusqu'au 24 mars. Les Canadiens ont montré qu'ils n'avaient plus confianceensonleadership.Avecunecriseducoût de la vie qu'il n'a pas gérée efficacement, une pénurie de logements sur laquelle il n'a pas eu d'impactetunecriseclimatiquesurlaquelleilaété
troplentàagir,iln'apasétéàlahauteurdes«voies ensoleillées»qu'ilavaitpromises.
Maisplutôtquedelirel'écrituresurlemuril yadesmois-lorsquelesnéo-démocratesontmisau rebutl'accordd'approvisionnementetdeconfiance, ou lorsque son propre caucus a commencé à se révolter, ou lorsque son ministre des finances a publiquementdémissionnéquelquesheuresavantla déclarationéconomiqued'automne-ilestrestésur ses gardes. Et ce, jusqu'à la dernière minute, quelquessemainesseulementavantquelamenace de tarifs douaniers de la nouvelle administration TrumpnenuiseencoredavantageauxCanadiens.
Proroger la Chambre à ce stade, comme chaquefoisqueStephenHarperl'afait,estcynique et intéressé. Elle ne sert que le parti libéral. Les slogans conservateurs et leur programme de réduction des dépenses ne vont pas aider les Canadiens lorsqu'ils en ont le plus besoin. Nous sommes déjà passés par là, et cela n'a pas fonctionné. Les Canadiens méritent un gouvernement néo-démocrate qui veille à leurs intérêts, un gouvernement qui s'efforcera d'améliorer les soins de santé publics et qui luttera contre la cupidité des entreprises qui laisse les famillesdetravailleurssurlecarreau.»
Moreandmorefamiliesfromdifferent cultures are moving to Chapleau and the Club Maria Chapdelaine, French senior's club, wouldliketowelcomethem.Therefore,weare trying to organize a Culture Day that would take place on March 1st or 2nd, 2025.What a great way it would be to start the new year by celebratingtheculturaldiversity,art,musicand
cuisine of the people of Chapleau.We believe intherichnessofculturalexchangessoafestive eventlikethisonewouldbeagreatwaytolearn moreaboutthem.
Wewanttoknowifpeopleorassociations would like to submit a request to have a tableatthisevent.Ifthereisenoughinterest,we wouldgoaheadwiththeactivityandmeetwith the interested parties. Contact us by the end ofJanuaryat(705)864-0516(Lilianne)orby emailatclubmariachapdelaine@gmail.com. Don'thesitatetoleaveamessage!
CelebratingOurCulturalDiversity SHOP
Quatrechosesquevousdevriezvraimentfairecetteannée
EN) En cette période de l’année, nous sommes nombreux à dresser des listes de choses que nous avons l’intention de faire dans les mois à venir. Voiciquatrepointsàprendreencomptedansvotre liste.
Mettezdel’ordredansvosfinances
Enraisondel’inflationetdestauxd’intérêt élevés, vous faites peut-être partie des nombreux Canadiensquiontdumalàjoindrelesdeuxbouts. Sic’estlecas,lapremièreétapepourmaîtriservos finances consiste à établir un budget détaillé. Ce budgetdoitcomprendrevosrevenusetunelistede toutesvosdépenses.Ledécomptedevosdépenses comprendra un mélange de coûts fixes, comme le paiementduloyeroudel’hypothèqueainsiqueles factures de services publics, en plus de dépenses facultatives comme les repas au restaurant, les billets de cinéma et d’autres divertissements. Plus votrebudgetestdétaillé,plusilvousserafacilede trouver des choses sur lesquelles vous pourrez réaliser des économies lorsque vous serez à court d’argent.
Concentrez-voussurvotresanté
Peu d’entre nous peuvent se vanter d’être enparfaitesanté.Maisplutôtquedevousefforcer d’en faire trop d’un seul coup, essayez de vous concentrer sur un ou deux domaines à améliorer. Voici quelques mesures à envisager : arrêter de fumer, réduire la consommation d’alcool, s’alimenterdefaçonpluséquilibréeetpratiquerune activitéphysiquerégulièrement.
En vieillissant, vous devriez également parleràvotremédecindesexamensliésàl’âgeque vous devriez passer, notamment les coloscopies et lesmammographies.
Rédigezvotretestament
Quel que soit votre âge ou votre état de santé, il n’est jamais trop tôt pour rédiger votre testament. En l’absence d’un tel document, les tribunaux interviendront probablement pour décider qui doit s’occuper de vos personnes à charge et comment votre succession doit être partagée si vous décédez de façon inattendue. La façonlaplussimplederédigeruntestamentestde
travailler avec un avocat de confiance (ou un notaire si vous vivez au Québec ou en ColombieBritannique)ouunservicedetestamentenligne. Faitesundonàunorganismedebienfaisance
Dans le climat économique actuel, vous avez peut-être du mal à faire des dons de charité. Mais il existe un moyen facile d’apporter votre contribution sans nuire à vos finances actuelles : faireundondansvotretestament.
Lorsquevousrédigezoumettezàjourvotre testament,ilvoussuffitdedésignerunouplusieurs organismes de bienfaisance que vous souhaitez inclure parmi les bénéficiaires et d’indiquer le montant ou le pourcentage précis de votre successionquevoussouhaitezleurattribuer.Votre don réduira également l’impôt à payer sur votre succession,cequifaciliteralatâchedevosproches. Vous ne serez pas seul. Plus de trois millions de Canadiens ont fait un don à un organisme de bienfaisance dans leur testament, un nombre qui augmentechaqueannée.
ChapleauMoments
Philanthropyforall:Asurprising waytogiveback
(NC)Whenyouhearawordlikephilanthropy,youmightthinkit onlyappliestotheextremelywealthy.Butthetermsimplymeansa desire to promote the welfare of others. That can be achieved by donatingyourtime,expertiseormoney.
Therearecountlesswayspeoplecandonatetheirtime,from volunteeringattheirchildren’sschoolandshovellingthesidewalk of an elderly neighbour to helping out at a food bank or soup kitchen.
Similarly, we each have different skills we’ve developed over our careers that we can use for good. Options range from mentoringyoungpeoplelookingtogetintoyourfieldtodoingpro bonolegalormedicalwork.
But there’s one unique way to gift a significant amount of money,evenifyoudon’thaveanytospareatthemoment:makea donation in your will. While it may be a new idea to you, it’s something that more than three million Canadians have already done,andthatnumberincreaseseveryyear.
And the benefits are multifold. By donating through your will,you’reabletogivemoremoneythanyoumightbefinancially able to today. Even giving a small percentage of your estate to charity could help create a conservation area, fund lifesaving researchorkeepyourlocalfoodbankgoingthroughtoughtimes.
Yourfamilywillalsobeprotectedfromapotentiallylarge taxbillthatwouldhavetobepaidonyourestate.How?Whenyou pass,asecondaryhome,leftoversavingsinyourRRSP,andother assetswillturnintotaxableincome–oftenaverybignumber.Buta donationtocharityinyourwillcanhelpoffsetthetaxes.It’sawinwin: you support the causes you care about while helping your familyatthesametime.
Plus,yougettoknowthatyou’releavingalegacy.
Learnmoreaboutthebenefitsofdonatingthroughawillat willpower.ca.
Dont’dfromP.3 Interestingly,atonepointinthe company's expansion they chartered aircraft to bring workersfromFinland.
By the 1960s, the lumber operations included Kormak, Island Lake and Wesmak, which were all amalgamatedintoWesmakwith Oliver as president. In 1966 he acquired Biglow Lumber Company with Fred Fielding. All merged in due course after taking over Chapleau Lumber in 1981 and became Chapleau ForestProductsLimited.
Oliver wore many hats including bomber pilot, bush pilot,lumberman,horserancher andphilanthropist.
Afterthewarhebecame
active in the Royal Canadian Legion,andfollowinghisdeath on February 19, 2006, his son Richardmadeapresentationof $5,000 from his father's estate toBranchNo5presidentDarryl Brunetteforthebranch.
Oliver will also be remembered for his generosity indonating27acresofland for a Finnish Senior Citizens Complex in the Minnow Lake area at Sudbury, as well as a significant donation for a wetlands park which bears his name.
I extend my most sincere thanks to Richard Korpela, Oliver's son, who providedmewithacopyof'The Autobiography of a Bomber Pilot'---afascinatingread.
UCFO
Une année mémorable pour le cercle UCFO : entre défis et créativité
L'année écoulée a été marquante pour le cercle, qui a su naviguer à travers des moments d'émotions intenses, de surprises et de créativité. Le décès de sa présidente, un événement qui a profondément touché l'organisation et sa communauté. Face à cette perte, le cercle a dû se réajuster, trouvant la force de continuer grâce à l'engagement et à la solidarité de ses membres. « Ce fut une année éprouvante, mais aussi une année de résilience. Nous avons honoré sa mémoire en poursuivant nos projets avec détermination et passion, » a déclaré un membre du comité.
Le cercle a su maintenir son dynamisme en proposant des initiatives qui ont rassemblé la communauté autour de valeurs de créativité et de partage. Par
exemple, le projet intergénérationnel en collaboration avec les écoles et le Club Maria Chapdelaine, les portes ouvertes qui sensibilisent la communauté à l'art du tissage et sa participation aux foires qui ont eu lieu pendant l'année. En mai, il fut hôte du Congrès régional de l'UCFO.
Un immense merci est adressé àAgnico Eagle, nos collaborateurs entre autres :
Club Maria Chapdelaine, FormationPLUS et Centre culturel Louis-Hémon et à tous ceux qui ont soutenu le cercle dans cette période difficile. Ce soutien a permis à l'organisation de se relever et de continuer à écrire son histoire avec espoir et ambition.
Alors que l'année 2025 commence, le cercle UCFO regarde vers l'avenir. Restez à l'écoute, car elle s'annonce tout aussi captivante!
Club Maria Chapdelaine
CÉLÉBRONS NOTRE DIVERSITÉ CULTURELLE
De plus en plus de familles de différentes nationalités viennent s'installer à Chapleau et le Club Maria Chapdelaine aimerait leur souhaiter la bienvenue.Alors, nous essayons d'organiser une Journée de la Culture qui aurait er lieu le 1 ou 2 mars 2025. Quelle belle façon de commencer la nouvelle année en célébrant la diversité culturelle, l'art, la musique et la cuisine des gens de Chapleau. Nous croyons en la richesse des échanges culturels donc un événement festif serait une excellente façon d'apprendre davantage sur celles-ci. Alors, nous voulons savoir si des gens ou des associations souhaiteraient soumettre une demande pour avoir une table. Si la demande est là, nous
irions d'avant avec l'activité en rencontrant les gens intéressés.
Contactez-nous d'ici la fin janvier au (705) 864-0516 (Lilianne) ou par courriel au clubmariachapdelaine@gmail.c om. N'hésitez pas de laisser un message!
C'est quoi la Journée de la culture? Une journée pour célébrer la diversité culturelle, l'art, la musique et la cuisine des gens de Chapleau. Les gens auraient des tables pour nous présenter leur culture.
er Quand? 1 ou 2 mars 2025 Inscription : Nous invitons les gens ou les associations à soumettre une demande pour avoir une table. Si l'intérêt est là, nous irions d'avant avec l'activité en rencontrant les personnes intéressées.
JeanChrétien:Canadianswillnevergiveup thebestcountryintheworldtojointheU.S.
Cont’dfromP.1 have united in resolve to defend Canadian interests.
When I came into office as prime minister, Canada faced a national unity crisis. The threat of Quebec separation was very real. Wetookactiontodealwiththisexistentialthreat in a manner that made Canadians, including Quebeckers, stronger, more united and even prouderofCanadianvalues.
Now there is another existential threat. And we once again need to reduce our vulnerability. That is the challenge for this generationofpoliticalleaders.
And you won’t accomplish it by using the same old approaches. Just like we did 30 yearsago,weneedaPlanBfor2025.
Yes, telling the Americans we are their best friendsand closesttradingpartneris good. SoislobbyinghardinWashingtonandthestate capitals, pointing out that tariffs will hurt the Americaneconomytoo.Soareretaliatorytariffs – when you are attacked, you have to defend yourself.
But we also have to play offence. Let’s tell Mr. Trump that we too have border issues with the United States. Canada has tough gun control legislation,but illegalguns are pouringin from
the U.S.We need to tell him that we expectthe UnitedStatestoacttoreducethenumberofguns crossingintoCanada.
We also want to protect the Arctic. But the United States refuses to recognize the Northwest Passage, insisting that it is an international waterway, even though it flows throughtheCanadianArcticasCanadianwaters. We need the United States to recognize the NorthwestPassageasbeingCanadianwaters.
We also need to reduce Canada’s vulnerability in the first place. We need to be stronger.Therearemoretradebarriersbetween provinces than between Canada and the United States.Let’s launcha nationalprojectto get rid of those barriers! And let’s strengthen the ties that bind this vast nation together through projectssuchasrealnationalenergygrid.
We also have to understand that Mr. Trump isn’t just threatening us; he’s also targeting a growing list of other countries, as wellastheEuropeanUnionitself,andheisjust gettingstarted.Canadashouldquicklyconvene a meeting of the leaders of Denmark, Panama, Mexico, as well as with EuropeanCommission President Ursula von der Leyen, to formulate a planforfightingbackthesethreats.
Every time that Mr. Trump opens his
mouth,hecreatesnewalliesforallofus.Solet’s get organized! To fight back against a big, powerfulbully,youneedstrengthinnumbers. Thewholepointisnottowaitindreadfor DonaldTrump’snextblow.It’stobuildacountry and an international community that can withstandthoseblows.
Canadiansknowme.TheyknowIaman optimist.ThatI am practical.And that I always speak my mind. I made my share of mistakes over a long career, but I never for a moment doubted the decency of my fellow Canadians–orofmypoliticalopponents.
The current and future generations of political leaders should remember they are not each other’s enemies – they are opponents. Nobodyeverlovedthecut-and-thrustofpolitics morethanme,butIalwaysunderstoodthateach ofuswastryingtomakeapositivecontribution tomakeourcommunityorcountryabetterplace. That spirit is more important now than ever, as we address this new challenge. Our leadersshouldkeepthatinmind.
I am 91 today and blessed with good health.Iamreadyattherampartstohelpdefend theindependenceofourcountryasIhavedone allmylife.
ViveleCanada!
WeatherSummaryforOntario
December2024:TemperatureSwingsandIntenseSnowsqualls
received19cmofsnowonSaturdaywithratesof23cmperhourattimes.
December 23: Widespread snowstorm impacts travel
A system brought widespread significant snowfall amounts across much of southern, and partsofnortheasternOntariocausingcollisionsand road closures. Multiple collisions occurred on Highway 400 in the Barrie area. Collisions were reported on Highway 11 at Huntsville, Highway 400inPortSevern,Highway69inParrySoundand Sudbury, Highway 17 in North Bay, and Highway 64 north of Sturgeon Falls. In Lindsay, a pickup truckstrucktwovehiclesMondayafternoon.Inthe GTA,snowfellheavilyattimesMondayevening. In a hilly section of midtown Toronto, a vehicle Cont’donP.5t
struck a pedestrian sending him to hospital with seriousinjuries.CrashesoccurredonHighway401
in Milton (two), Mississauga, and Pickering. Just after midnight, an SUV crashed into a light pole nearYorkdaleMall,alsoswipingabusandsending twopeopletohospitalwithminorinjuries.Earlier, collisions occurred on Highway 404 in Richmond Hill,2inStouffville.OttawaOPPrespondedto27 collisions Monday night, with numerous vehicles leftinditchesalongHighways416,Highway417, and Highway 7. One car became sandwiched between the road and roof of an underpass on Highway417westofOttawa.Another8collisions occurredonOttawacityroadsMondaynight,and6 on Gatineau roads, including a ten-wheel truck hittingalamppost.Snowfallamountswere10to20 cm in eastern Ontario, and 8 to14 cm in central OntarioandtheGTA.
December27-29:Icyroadsandtravelwoes
Freezing rain and icy roads caused widespread highway closures, precluding travel over much of northeastern Ontario. Multiple collisions spreadaroundtheregionresulting in one fatality on Highway 11. Closures occurred on Highways 11, 655, 144, 101, 66 and 560. Highway 11, a major route, was closed in multiple locations and forover19hours.
Ice Conditions in the Great Lakes
Ice in the Great Lakes slowly formed through the month of December as water and air temperaturescontinuedtocool.Iceformationwas mainly confined to the bays, inlets, and the shoreline around the lakes. Most of the ice formation occurred during two particularly cold periods,thefirstaroundmid-monthandthesecond at the end of the third week of December. Warm temperatures settled over the Great Lakes basin at the end of the month, leading to some ice melt, decreasing ice concentrations across the lakes. Despite the freeze and thaw trend through the month, ice coverage increased each week at near theclimatologicalpacebeforeitdeclinedslightlyat theveryendofthemonthandfinishedthemonthat slightlybelownormal.Thisisatypicalicecoverage trend for the Great Lakes in December before ice coverage starts to increase more consistently in January.
OutlookforJanuary
The temperature outlooks suggest cooler thannormalonditionsinthesouthandwarmerthan normalconditionsonlyintheFarNorthtightlynear JamesBayandtheHudsonBaycoast.Precipitation products indicate mostly a dry upcoming month withthemostconfidencefromLakeSuperiortothe southeast and east toward Quebec. The European model presently suggests a wetter than normal JanuaryinthesouthandFarNorth.
Lastweekssolutions
MOMENTS IN TIME
On Feb. 2, 1897, inventor and businessman Alfred Cralle, a porterattheMarkellBrothersdrugstoreinPittsburgh,patented thefirsticecreamscoop,whichhecalledthe"ice-creammold and disher." The Pittsburgh Press reported that the scoop couldserveup"40to50dishesoficecreaminaminute,"while avoiding "the soiling of the hands." Cralle was the first Black maninPittsburghtoreceivehisownpatent.
3waystoweedoutfakenews
(NC)The internet quite literally allows us to have all the world’s information at our fingertips. Unfortunately,muchofthematerialwefindonline is error-filled or outright wrong. Here are three waystoensurethatthethingsyou’rereadingonline arereal.
Usetrustedsources
If something sounds too good – or too outrageous–tobetrue,itprobablyis.Forexample, if you see something shocking in a social media post,checktoseeifthestoryhasbeencoveredby anyofyourtrustednewssources.
Add news sites that you regularly visit to your bookmarks. That way, you’ll know you’re beingdirectedtotherightplace.Ifyou’rebeingled toasitebyalink,makesurethattheURLisspelled correctly. Legitimate sites will also have a lock symbol and “https” in the address bar, indicating thattheyaresecure.
Most reputable news sources credit the writersoftheirstorieswithanauthor’sbylineorthe nameofthewireservice,suchasCanadianPressor Reuters,indicatingwhowrotethestory.Alackofa bylinedoesnotnecessarilymeanthestoryisfake, butitcouldwarrantfurtherinvestigation.
Ifajournalistmakesspecificclaims,sayin anarticleentitled“4waystoboostyourlifespan,” theywillcitethesourceoftheirinformation,such as Health Canada or another recognized health authority.
Finally, check if the story is current. Sometimes older news articles resurface, but the informationisoutdated.
Don’tgetbaited
Headlinesareanimportanttoolthateditors use to catch readers’ eyes but, oftentimes, the headline doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s always a goodideatoreadanarticleinfulltogettheentire context instead of making assumptions from a headline.
Youshouldalsobeawareofspoofwebsites that intentionally have the look and feel of a real news site, such as U.S.-based The Onion, which posts humorous news articles that some people mistakenly share for real news. There’s also a CanadianequivalentcalledTheBeaverton.
Checkthesource
WhileasitelikeWikipediamightseemlike an accurate source, information on lesser-known topicsislesslikelytobeproperlyvetted.
If you are trying to verify whether something is true or fake news, a great resource is Snopes.com. For 30 years, the editors of this site havebeenreviewingimagesandarticlesandusing rigorous fact-checking standards before rating them as true or false, or if the accuracy is undetermined.
Ifyou’redoingresearchforworkorschool, know that librarians are expert researchers. When indoubt,askyourlocallibrarianforsuggestionson other credible online information sources. They mayalsorecommendyoulookintodigitalliteracy resources and courses, such as those offered by ABCLifeLiteracyCanada.
Learn more about how to find trusted informationonlineatabcconnectforlearning.ca.
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Inrecentyears,therehavebeenseveralpopularTV showsthatfeaturedancerswhoaretryingtobreak intotheentertainmentindustry.Someofthempair amateurswithfamouscelebrities.WhileIamnota fanofsuchprogramming,IadmitthatIhavebeen known to draw a fair amount of attention at powwows occasionally. Judging from the smiles and giggles on the faces of other dancers and the audience,Iassumemyskillsleavesomethingtobe desired.Iwillleavetoreaders'imaginationwhymy danceformgarnerssomanylooksandsmiles.
As readers undoubtedly know, one of the duties of an MPP is to bring the voice of constituents to the Legislature, ask questions that people want answers to, and hold the government accountable for its decisions. This is one of a member'smostimportantresponsibilitiestovoters, and I take this very seriously. However, over the years, I have learned that many cabinet ministers andmembersonthegovernmentsidedon'talways share the reciprocal responsibility of providing direct and informative answers to questions. Further to this problem is that when members question a minister, they are limited to asking an initial question followed by a single supplemental question. Nothing in the parliamentary guidelines saystheMinister'sresponsehastoactuallyanswer thequestionexplicitlyasked.
Needlesstosay,thisishighlyfrustratingfor thememberandtheconstituentstheyrepresent. The thing is, this dance is no accident. Ministers deliberately skirt questions asked for various reasons. Grant Ainsley wrote an article published on May 13, 2024, entitled Why Do Politicians Refuse to Answer Questions. The post explained thatthereasonstheydothismayinclude:
· Avoid statements or explanations that couldleadtocontroversyorbacklash.
· Staying on message and talking points to supportgovernmentpoliciesanddecisions.
· Following a planned political strategy designed to reinforce government success or underminethatofpoliticalopponents.
· Avoid powerful media scrutiny, as every word a government official says is analyzed and parsed.
Unfortunately, while the above-stated purposes of avoiding direct answers may be understandable,theeffectsofdeliberatelyderailing questionsareconsiderable:
· Erosionofpublictrustinpoliticians.
· Lackofaccountability.
· Public frustration in resolving real concernsorpractices.
· Fueling apathy leads to disengagement, thusturningtolessdesirablealternatives.
AcaseinpointhereinAlgoma-Manitoulin
Ford'sMinistersJustGot'aDance
involves several communities in the area surrounding the Agnew Lake uranium tailings management site near Nairn Centre, just west of Sudbury. The Township of Nairn and Hymen requested assistance from my office in obtaining information about a massive project on a mine tailings site that neither the municipality nor any local residents had any knowledge of. When they askedtheprojectsitemanagerswhatwasgoingon, they were told that the project details were confidential.
Butwhy?
Afterweeksofinvestigation,itwasfinally revealedthatthegovernmenthadaplantoremove several thousand tons of old niobium tailings and aggregatematerialsfromasitenearNorthBayand transport them to Agnew Lake. The tailings are radioactiveandcontainuranium,lead,thoriumand potentiallyhazardousmetalsandmaterials.
Giventhepotentialforbothlong-termand short-term dangers, why wasn't the government moreforthcominginsharingthisvitalinformation with local officials and residents? Had there been an accident or spill at any time, local authorities would not be able to be adequately prepared to handle the situation. Without protection and understanding of the nature of the materials, the welfare and lives of first responders and the security of the local water supply could be put at risk. We are talking about transporting hazardous materialsonpublichighwaysandthroughmultiple communitiesenroute.
When the nature of the project was discovered, needless to say, the municipalities and nearby residents were outraged because no one had informedthemoftheplan,letaloneconsultedwith them.Thisfailureisbeyondunconscionable.
In light of the above failure, I wrote to Premier Ford and the Hon. George Pirie, Minister ofMines,toinvestigatethismatterandfindoutwhy communitieswerenotconsultedbeforetheproject began.
And that's when the dance party began. It became immediately apparent that Minister Pirie wasayouthfromthe60swhenTwistmusicwasall the rage. His response resembled the spinning, shaking and twisting dance movements as he claimed the ministries had informed the local leadersandeveninvitedthemtosubmitfeedback. However, hidden within his twisting dance moves wasthefactthattheplanningbeganovertenyears prior,andtheconsultationtookplacebackin2018 –2019–sixyearsbefore.Therehasbeennofollowuporcommunicationonthemattersincethen. Not to be outdone by her colleague, George Pirie, Health Minister Sylvia Jones treated Northern Ontarianstoexquisitedancemovesasshewaltzed her way around questions about promised improvementstotheNorthernHealthTravelGrant program. In January of last year, Minister Jones includedinthenewbudgetpromisestoupdatethe rates and benefits of the 20+-year-old program to
meet modern standards. For months after the announcement,myofficereceivedcallsandemails almost daily asking for the details of the changes andwhenthey'dtakeeffect.Eachtimeweenquired withtheminister'soffice,theroutinewasthesamesoon. Finally, after elegantly waltzing around the Legislature'sballroomfloorfor7or8months,the MinistercommittedtoDecember2024.
Now, was that so hard?Why did Northern Ontarianshavetogothroughmonthsofflourishes and flouncy responses just to learn a date so they couldmakeplans?
Ifyouaskme,oneofthemostmasterfully skilledministerswhocandancearoundanswering questions directly is Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria. Some will recall that I have repeatedly requested details about replacing the swing bridge to Manitoulin Island. Islanders are askingwhenconstructionwillbeginandhowmuch itwillcost.
OnNovember5,duringQuestionPeriodin the Legislature, I raised the frustration that people and business owners are experiencing long delays orevenbeingstrandedbecausetheswingbridgeto ManitoulinIslandkeepsbreakingdownorisclosed for repair.After years of surveys assessments, the lastbudgetincludedcoststoconstructthebridge's replacement.Yet,notoneshovelhasbeenputtothe groundtodate.
I asked Minister Sarkaria when Islanders can expect construction to begin. The Minister's responsetreatedMemberstoamasterfulHip-Hop dance routine. He bounced, rocked and popped as heravedwithprideabouthowtheMinistryplansto spend$28billiononroads,bridgesandhighways–overthenext10years.Healsoreaffirmedthatthe Ministry knows how important the bridge is as a transportation link. Then he honoured me by bringing me into his Hip-Hop routine, saying, "I wouldhopethatmemberstandsupforhisresidents in the north, stands up for his community, and especially that specific project … I'm hoping to count on that member's support to ensure that we continue the process of getting that bridge under construction and built for the people in the communityandforthoseinthenorthwhouseit."
Of course, I support it. That's why I asked the question. As much as I hate to say it, Minister Sarkaria'sdanceroutineisallflourishandnofinish –justlikehisbridge.
In looking across the aisle at the many dance recitalsheldduringQuestionPeriod,Ican'thelpbut wonderiftrainingattheFordSchoolofDanceisa prerequisite for all Ministers or if they are handpickedfortheiralmostprowessatdancingaround questionswithoutgivingupanswerstothepeople ofOntario.
As always, please feel free to contact my office about these issues or any other provincial matters. You can reach my constituency office by email at mmantha-co@ola.org or by phone Tollfreeat1-800-831-1899.