Lanark, North Leeds & Grenville - Hometown News June 2020

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Vol. 7

No. 6

YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER - LANARK, NORTH LEEDS & GRENVILLE

JUNE 2020

Le Boat focuses marketing on Ontario as 2020 season begins Photo left Le Boat’s Rideau Canal fleet of Horizon houseboats took to the water June 1 for a delayed start to the 2020 season. The company is counting on business from Ontario residents who are unable to go overseas for vacations this year, but may choose to explore the canal instead.

Photo credit: Leboat facebook page.

Photo above Photo credit: Chris Must.

Smiths Falls - Chris Must editorial@pdgmedia.ca As 2020 unfolds we all feel like passengers on an unfamiliar voyage, and the staff of Le Boat’s North American headquarters in Smiths Falls is no exception.

Le Boat’s 24-vessel fleet of Rideau Canal houseboats entered the water Monday, June 1, a month later than normal and two weeks after the normal opening of the canal.

Lisa McLean, marketing manager for Canada, the US and Latin America, told the Hometown News that under Ontario’s rules during the Covid-19 pandemic, the houseboat rental business was not considered an essential service. Thanks to a relaxing of quarantine rules in May, the company was able to hire contractors to bring a crane to the boatyard on the canal just off Centre Street in Smiths Falls to put the houseboats into the water June 1.

Unlike the 2018 and 2019 seasons, in which 70 per cent of Le Boat’s customers came from the United States and Europe, the company will be counting on

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the support of clients from Ontario, especially the Ottawa area and other centres in the province within a four-hour drive.

“We are 100 per cent relying on Ontario travellers this year,” said McLean, adding that if the Ontario-Quebec border is reopened to travellers, Le Boat is hoping to attract some boaters from the Montreal area as well.

“The safety of all of our customers is paramount,” said McLean, adding that renting a houseboat is a good option for those who want to get out of the house safely. A houseboat, like an RV, is a self-contained environment that allows guests to spend several days on the water without having to go ashore. The boats contain enough fuel and water to last a week, and groceries can actually be delivered to the boat. Every cabin has its own bathroom. Plenty of masks and hand sanitizer will also be provided.

This option is already proving attractive to customers. “We’ve actually picked up in the last two weeks,” said McLean. “The inquiries are coming in.” continues on page 3

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Performance Printing closing down in June Smiths Falls - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca The recently announced closing of Performance Printing in Smiths Falls (slated for June 19) was a decision made because of “declining print volumes for newspapers, and especially for flyers,” said Bob Hepburn, spokesperson for Torstar, owner of the printing press since October 2011.

Torstar was reacting to “declining business across North America,” Hepburn added, which is undergoing “some exceptional challenges.” With this as a backdrop, “Torstar decided to amalgamate its printing facilities,” he added further.

Thirty-eight full-time and eight part-time staff will be affected in the shutdown; the small Ottawa Valley newspapers printed by Performance Printing will continue to be printed at the Tempo plant in Toronto. These are: the Smiths Falls Record News, the Arnprior Chronicle-Guide, the Renfrew Mercury, the Almonte-Carleton

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Place Canadian Gazette, the Perth Courier, and the Kemptville Advance.

The question for many is — does it presage the closing down of the newspapers themselves?

Ask Hepburn. He says, very circumspectly, they’ll last as long as they can.

Staff at Performance Printing has been asked not to talk to me-

dia but some disgruntlement and bitterness was briefly expressed about Torstar — situated in Toronto — closing down this small Ottawa Valley press while keeping other presses open close to home in the GTA. (Performance Printing has been in Smiths Falls for close to 40 years.) Only five days later, NordStar Capital announced its acquisition of Torstar.

Performance Printing will close its doors June 19. Photo credit: Sally Smith.

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June 2020

Page Two

Thoughts on Community Newspapers...

“Community papers are keepers of a town’s history”

Cartoon by Patrick Labelle

interior view rideau theatre

PART OF THE DISCOVER COMMUNTIY NETWORK

Hometownnews

An interior view of the inside of the Rideau Theatre that was located in the f lat-iron building on Chambers Street in Smiths Falls. The building is now home to a number of businesses including The Pickled Pig on one end and Sport X on the other. Photo credit: The Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum

Publisher

Photography

Patricia Krotki pmkrotki@pdgmedia.ca

Kathy Botham Chis Uhlig

Editorial

Sales & Advertising

editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Reporters Kathy Botham Sally Smith Chris Must Janelle Labelle Brian Turner Emilie Must John Kessel

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Hometown News is available at Your Independent Grocers across the region. Pick up your copy at: Andress' (Smiths Falls) • Barnabe's (Perth) Mitchell's (Carleton Place) • Patrice's (Almonte) PLEASE SUPPORT THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES.

Community newspapers Photo credit: Sally Smith

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Opinion - Sally Smith editorial@pdgmedia.ca With the announcement of Performance Printing closing, one immediate question comes to mind. If the printing press is shutting up shop, is The Record News closing, too? The two, in people’s minds, have a decades-long relationship.

Glo om-and-do omers might shake their heads, sigh, mutter under their breaths and predict the soonto-be funeral of not just The Record News (now that Performance Printing is going) but in a Chicken Little kind of way the death of all small community newspapers.

One doesn’t necessarily mean the other, however, and, in this case, not only The Record News, but the six other community newspapers printed by Performance, will continue to be printed in Toronto.

Just because they’re printed, are they read, though? A Newspapers 24/7 online survey completed by Totum Research just last year for News Media Canada says ‘yes’.

“It’s clear that people like to start their day with the comprehensive and in-depth reporting of a print newspaper and stay up-to-date on breaking news with digital as the day progresses” the survey found. It adds that boomers (37 per cent of the population) are dedicated print readers while millennials (34 per cent of the population) are the strongest digital readers. It concludes that “Canadian newspaper readership is at an all time high.”

Ontario Community Newspapers add something else; a newspaper is frequently read by more than one person and has a long shelf life. Not only that, but 83 per cent of Ontario adults are readers of their local community newspaper.

So what does a community paper bring to a community?

Several days ago it was

the

history

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pointed out to me by a grumpy old guy as I was walking that The Hometown News was only eight pages at its last printing. So what, I thought; The Citizen on that particular day was only 24.

Did you read the paper, I wondered, as it also seemed to me at that moment the news in The Hometown was a whole lot more pertinent (to Smiths Falls) than that in The Citizen.

So it brought me back to the question — what does a community paper bring to a community?

For all the parents of all the kids involved in sports in the area — hockey, figure skating, ballet, baseball, swimming — it’s good to see their achievements chronicled and pictured in the pages of the town paper. Small papers do this; big papers not so much. Grandparents’ refrigerators are covered with annual team pictures, to be eventually stored away in an album, a good moment-in-time memory, and looked at years later by now-grown kids.

Where do politicians start? They don’t start at the top, they have to get there and small community newspapers help; politician hopefuls find pictures of themselves in the news at events, at openings, at debates, supporting causes, with their opinions about everything caught in a cutline underneath. And during a re-election bid, they go back to the small papers for more coverage. But it’s the first story in a small newspaper that gets them started; it’s that story that shows folk who they are, and that’s the story that’s gone back to time and time again when they stumble off the path.

Friends are often in the pages of community papers.

Did you know that next-door neighbour Jane is a Master Gardener and has won prizes for her flowers not only in the Ottawa Valley, but in

Ontario, and across Canada. Or that card-partner Joe is an astrophysicist who’s worked all over the world explaining stars, planets and galaxies; and he draws comics, as well. It’s all there in community papers.

What about weddings and deaths? You thought you knew who his brothers and sisters were, his sons and daughters, but an obit adds a whole new perspective.

Local funeral homes print local deaths (or of those who moved away but had smalltown roots), and this background, written by someone who knew him makes these obits intimate, personal, real.

And who doesn’t like a wedding, or getting to see who was in the wedding party. We look, and it all falls into place…of course she’s tall! Her mother was tall, so was her grandmother. Where is this confirmed for us? In the pages of community papers.

It’s good to know what’s happening with police… easy enough listening to the radio or going on-line but the more thoughtful pieces on scams and fraud with comments from the local Chief, well-known in the community, have a far greater impact than content from Toronto.

Don’t forget the ads — business and personal.

Some of them are downright funny, but they all add to the make-up of the town and community.

And small community papers are a great learning ground for young reporters.

They get their feet wet, go off to bigger news organizations and then, in later years, head back to a small town paper bringing their expertise and competence to the pages.

Community papers are not only well read, they’re well written — good English, proper grammar, well-constructed sentences — all-inall a good read.

The best, and most enduring part of small town papers is the history they tell, the stories they print, the pictures they take. If you want to know something about your town from 50 years ago, go to the newspaper morgue; many small papers have their back editions bound in hardcover. Go there. Sit down. Leaf through the pages — a trip down memory lane — the feel of the pages, the smell, the smear of ink.

Our small local papers give us all this — flair, colour, history, intimacy, good stories, good writing. Take a moment to sit, read and reflect. It’s the small paper that gives you the taste of the town. They tell your story, and print your history.

Keep reading…

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June 2020

community Affordable housing may be coming to Harris Street in Perth Perth - Emilie Must editorial@pdgmedia.ca

The town of Perth will be looking into the feasibility of providing more affordable housing for the community.

Town council voted 4-3 in favour of directing staff to prepare a report on the possible development of six affordable housing units on Harris Street, at the teleconference council meeting Tuesday, May 26.

Regan Lee presented a proposal in hopes of obtaining funding to connect existing sewer infrastructure onto Harris Street for the proposed housing units.

Lee plans to build six

Harris Street between Garden Avenue and Drummond Street West in Perth could be the future site of six semi-detached homes with affordable rental units. Photo credit: Emilie Must

Adopt-a-Grad: help celebrate our community graduates

semi-detached houses with an affordability deed attached to them. The lower level units or accessory units would be rented out at an affordable rate.

“I’m not looking for a handout, I’m looking for a hand up to get these people in some decent living,” Lee said. “We’ve got a real problem on our hands.”

Mayor John Fenik said council is well aware of the lack of affordable housing in Perth, but disagreed with the town giving money to developers.

“If you call up the county (of Lanark) right now, they will tell you there are hun-

dreds and hundreds of people in low-income looking for affordable housing or rent to gear housing,” Mayor Fenik said. “We are far behind the 8-ball on that here.”

Lee brought up the 110unit building on Brockville Street in Smiths Falls with affordable housing units as a way forward for the town of Perth.

“I don’t see this as giving money to a developer; I see this as putting money into infrastructure that’s going to have to be done sooner or later on that street,” Lee said. “Sooner would help get people out of tents and surfing couches.”

pected to travel for only about three hours a day, at a speed of 6 to 10 knots – slow enough to ensure safety, and providing plenty of time to admire the view along the canal.

Le Boat is an international company which originally began operating in Europe, and offers more than 900 boats for rent worldwide. McLean said Germany ended its Covid-19 lockdown on May 25 and Le Boat employees there witnessed “a huge surge” in domestic

demand. Canals in France are also expected to reopen June 21. The Rideau Canal will remain open for tours until it is closed by Parks Canada on Oct. 12.

Many of Le Boat’s American and European clients who had booked tours for 2020 have cancelled, but the company hopes to reschedule their visits to 2021. “We’ve already seen huge growth for next year,” said McLean, noting that Le Boat still plans to add another four boats to its Rideau Canal fleet for 2021.

Le Boat focuses marketing on Ontario as 2020 season begins

Regional - Janelle Labelle editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Graduating is supposed to be one of the most memorable experiences in a young person's life. This year, due to Covid-19 closures, students are missing out on a treasured rite of passage. How hard it is to lose that special day when graduates walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, celebrated by the friends and family who helped them achieve this.

Amber-Lynn Ball watched her graduating son and his classmates lose so many special moments this spring. School dances, field trips, prom: canceled.

And now, as June arrives and the school year closes, graduation ceremonies have been devoured by the virus as well. So Ball decided to do something about it, and she created a Facebook group where the community can celebrate our grads and let them

know that we value their hard work. Graduation may be canceled, but celebrating grads is open to all.

Adopt A 2020 Smiths Falls & Perth Graduate! is the name of the group, and adopting a grad is quick and easy. There is a similar group for grads in Carleton Place and Almonte, named Adopt a 2020 Carleton Place & Almonte Graduate!

Parents or family members of a local graduate (grade 8 or grade 12) simply post their picture, and community members comment on the photo of the grad they wish to adopt. Once you’ve chosen your grad, send them some congratulations. Ball

encourages adopters to reach out to their adopted grads: “you could send them a card, gift card, letter, gift basket, etc. The gift is not the important part.

We want to make them feel special and for them to know that they are important! You never know the impact you can make, and kindness is so important during a time like this.”

If you are not on Facebook and would like to adopt a grad, please send an email to Amber-Lynn Ball at amberball82@yahoo.ca. Congratulations to all our graduates: we see your accomplishments, and we celebrate you. Well done!

Photo credit: Sally Smith.

Smiths Falls - Chris Must editorial@pdgmedia.ca Continued from page 1 The prospective of a vacation in “their own backyard” may appeal to those who live near the Rideau Canal but have never had a chance to travel along it by boat. A family can rent a boat for about $2,500 Canadian a week. The company provides an hour and a half of training on how to operate the boat, along with a video on its safety features. Boaters are ex-

For Your Information with Kathy Botham

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June 2020

community

Victory Gardens grow once again in Mississippi Mills

Photo credit: Submitted.

Regional - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca The history of Victory gardens goes back to the First World War, when Canadians turned front and

back yards as well as window boxes into fruit and vegetable plots in order to provide for their families and save valuable space on rail cars for war effort goods and equipment

(rather than being used to transport produce). Their popularity soared during the Second World War. Fast forward to our current year of the pandemic, when someone brought up the

idea of recreating this program in Mississippi Mills as a way to support the food supply chain. Mayor Christa Lowry told Hometown News that, at the time of the original discussion, community gardens were at risk of not being able to open due to Covid-19 restrictions (that position has since changed and those facilities have been allowed to operate). She saw the nutritional benefits of homegrown food and a way to provide some donations to local food banks as a great synergy with the added bonus of giving home-bound families some positive activities to engage in.

So the call went out to area gardeners and the response was overwhelming.

Lowry reports that over

300 families have signed up to plant their own Victory garden, or as the Mills calls it, the Municipal Backyard Garden Program. Mississippi Mills staff quickly set up an electronic sign-up sheet and is offering regular newsletters, virtual meetings, and videos with tips and advice on how to grow the most from a humble residential plot. The library sent out almost 100 seed packets and the municipality did almost the same number in garden-soil chits to help those with less than ideal soil conditions. The Neighbourhood Tomato Community Gardens run a friendly competition each year to encourage home and community gardeners throughout Lanark County to donate a portion of their

harvest to their local food banks and this Backyard Garden Program in Mississippi Mills is certain to increase those amounts.

But if you need more than some philanthropic reasons to get your hands dirty, consider that gardening can help reduce stress, improve your immune system, provide physical exercise at almost one third the rate of a gym workout, and of course put fresh, nutritious, and delicious food on your table with known origins and no travel time.

To learn more and sign up your household, check out the Mississippi Mills municipal website or simply Google it’s time to plant a backyard garden in Mississippi Mills.

CAREBRIDGE;

Bringing life to their motto "WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER" Regional - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca

Construction on Lombard to begin this fall Smiths Falls - Emilie Must editorial@pdgmedia.ca

The congestion every summer at the intersection of Lombard Avenue and Abbott Street in Smiths Falls could be lessened come June 2021.

Representatives Lisa Bowley and Lee Sheets of Novatech and Jim Bell of Partham Engineering joined the Smiths Falls town council at its virtual meeting on Monday, June 1 to answer

questions about their plans for the reconstruction.

“We will have a better idea of pre-emptive measures,” Bell said. “It will be a much more efficient type of operation than it is currently.”

The construction will include updated system controls alerting drivers and pedestrians when the Abbott Street bridge is closed, giving enough time to choose an alternative route.

There will also be accessibility features including

markers, countdown markers, audible signals and paint markings that meet modern standards which are currently not being met.

“It’s not going to be perfect depending on how long the bridge is closed for,” Bell said. “It will certainly work better than it does now where everybody just kind of stops.”

“It is a challenge-ridden area,” Chief Administrative Officer Malcolm Morris said. “We’ve looked at a

The Lombard plaza currently under construction runs adjacent to the Lombard Avenue and Abbott Street intersection. Photo credit: Emilie Must.

couple of options, one to flip the sidewalk on the bridge to the other side close to the park. With a bridge that swings it’s not an easy option, but we’ve approached parks Canada about that.”

Originally, the town wanted to construct a right turn lane from Abbott onto Lombard, but the engineers concluded “it would not provide a significant benefit to the road users or be cost effective.”

The town’s anticipated construction time is between Sept. 1 and June 30, 2021 and is expected to take eight weeks.

“The hope is we can stitch this together and have the construction occur after the Beckwith street project is done,” Morris said. “We fully expect to have two-lane traffic on Beckwith before this starts.”

For a group with a long history of helping others, Carebridge Community Support certainly isn’t one to rest on their laurels, but instead keeps rolling up their sleeves to put new ideas to work. Born out of the original Almonte Community Builders or Almonte Community Development Corporation from the 1970s, putting roofs over peoples’ heads was once a mainstay of their activities. The number of apartments, family homes, and other residences they crafted would have been a proud legacy to look back on, but different needs kept popping up and Carebridge Community Support kept answering the call. Fast forward to today and the Covid-19 pandemic has brought new challenges.

When everyone was locked down and in, the need for essential deliveries became evident, as well as the fact that there weren’t enough retailer resources to meet the growing needs, especially for seniors. Carebridge stepped up, asked for volunteers, and the rest, as they say, is a victorious history. Teams quickly assembled in Almonte and Carleton Place, two major grocery outlets devised and implemented an order system that could handle the numbers, and deliveries were happening faster than Amazon Prime.

There is talk of continuing this service after the emergency declaration is over due to the support that it is providing for a substantial number of local residents.

Carebridge’s community engagement director Jeff

Mills calls this initiative a ‘well-oiled machine’.

The food delivery service is only one arrow in a very packed quiver under Carebridge’s MMTogether label.

Family fun and senior packs have been put together just to brighten the recipients’ days and these have been gratefully accepted due to the kind and generous hearts behind them. Grocery vouchers are also being provided to those in a pinch, not to mention some delicious restaurant take-out meals to help those who are just overwhelmed. Masks MMTogether is supporting volunteers who craft non-medical masks and providing them to members of the community for any donation or for free if someone’s budget can’t budge.

When multiple families were displaced by a recent fire in Almonte on May 20, it was Carebridge on the scene to help out.

Their MMTogether plan also encompasses small businesses caught in the Covid crunch. “This is why we exist in the first place,” notes CEO Robert Eves. “We respond to community needs, jumping in and figuring out what needs to be done.”

Have questions? Want to get or give some help?

It’s as simple as calling 343-571-2312 or emailing mmtogether@carebridge.ca and of course their main website carebridge.ca has an easy to use donate button. Rest assured that if you want your donation used in your Lanark community, Carebridge will make it happen. It’s all part of the MMTogether philosophy.

Treat your dad to a special backyard BBQ. Andress’ has all you need for the perfect Father’s Day!

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June 2020

lifestyle Garden Matters:

growing your own food Lanark County Master Gardeners

Growing your own food is one of the hottest trends in gardening.

The benefits aren’t just having fresh, wholesome food to eat- you get exercise, you save money and connect to nature.

Most of our produce is grown from seed each year, but some worthwhile edibles are perennial in nature. Rhubarb is one example. It was a staple in every pioneer garden for good reason. Once planted, it will thrive for a lifetime producing the first spring treat. The stems are pulled, not cut from the plant. Both leaves and roots contain high amounts of poisonous oxalic acid, but the stalks are high in Vitamin C. The leaves can be safely

composted. All a rhubarb plant needs is a light coating of compost or manure each year. From late April until midsummer you can harvest tart stalks that combine well with almost any other fruit. Sun and adequate moisture will encourage your rhubarb.

Asparagus is another basic crop. Once established it will provide you with spring harvests for many years. The easiest way to start asparagus is to set out year-old dormant crowns in mid-spring.

Choose a well-drained site in full sun, either at the edge of your garden or in a separate bed that will not be disturbed by yearly tilling. Each plant needs about 18 inches of row space. To plant the

dormant crowns, dig a trench eight to ten inches deep. Sprinkle a high phosphorous and potassium fertilizer along the trench, then a coating of compost or manure. Dig this mixture into the bottom of the trench. Mold the soil in the trench into small mounds 18 inches apart and set a crown with the buds facing upward and gently spread out the roots. Cover with two inches of soil and water well. When the first shoots appear, fill in the trench a little at a time as the shoots grow. During the first year, let all the shoots leaf out to nourish the roots and water when needed. When the trench is all filled in, mulch the plants. In fall leave the

Photo credit: member of the Lanark County Master Gardeners.

ferny growth on the plant.

Next spring trim it off and you can harvest lightly for a couple of weeks. Mature plants can be harvested for about a month. To harvest use a sharp knife and cut just below the soil or use your fingers to snap

off the spears when they are about six inches long.

Do not harvest any spears that are thinner than a pencil. In recent years allmale hybrids have been introduced such as Jersey Giant, which will produce 15-20 spears if they

are kept weed free and given a top-dressing of aged manure or compost each year.

Article written by Helen Halpenny who is a member of the Lanark County Master Gardeners.

Birders rejoice as songbirds return

Seniors resuming their outdoor exercise classes. Photo credit: John Kessel.

Seniors to resume their exercise classes outdoors Regional - John kessel editorial@pdgmedia.ca It seems that taking care of seniors is finally on everyone’s mind.

Little wonder, with the history of Covid-19 and long-term care homes.

Smiths Falls, with the help of Mayor Shawn Pankow, has reopened seniors’ exercise classes, outdoors instead of indoors.

Kimberly Ducharme, who has been running the classes for the past eight years, says that she contacted town hall, but got no answer. So one of her students contacted the mayor for the okay.

Ducharme, certified as a personal trainer, says she’s never taken 10 weeks off in her life. Before the lockdown, she ran 11 classes in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, some in long-term care and retirement homes.

Exercise is not only good for the body, she says, but helps with cognitive reactions. She caters to those aged 60 to more than 80-year-olds, “some you would have no idea that they’re 80.

The exercise produces endorphins, which likely slow down aging.”

Ducharme believes the exercise class keeps some seniors out of retirement or long-term care homes and in their own homes Her bi-weekly classes resumed May 25 at Lower Reach Park with four students and Ducharme, the maximum allowable under provincial guidelines. Ducharme hopes to be able to up that to 10 people soon, but will continue with five until that happens.

Ever the jokester, Ducharme gives her class a joke to send them home with – off colour quite often. She even asked

the Hometown News photographer if he could trim off 15 pounds with Photoshop. Ten weeks of no classes has added a few pounds.

At the beginning of her first class, she gave each student a ball to keep for the next classes. No sharing during Covid-19. The ball was for compression exercises – squeezing. One of the students forgot the ball for the next class, but had a solution – a roll of toilet paper. Totally appropriate in the age of the Coronavirus.

The class had a good laugh.

“After so many weeks of self isolation and inactivity it’s inspiring to be back at class and in a beautiful park overlooking Victoria Lake” said Gillian Organ, one of Ducharme’s students.

“And I can’t wait to hear the next joke!”

Photo credit: John Kessel

Regional - John kessel editorial@pdgmedia.ca Hard to believe that there is a benefit; it may be just one, but the Covid virus is allowing songbirds to return to towns and cities.

Bird lovers believe it’s because of noise reduction – fewer cars and trucks on the roads and the occasional small airplane, few if any large airliners.

It’s personal for me, as I always get a smile on my face when a songbird lands on my feeder or a chickadee perches on my shoulder if I stand still enough.

Even the Baltimore Orioles and Rosy-breasted Grosbeaks have returned to my place. They haven’t been here in more than 10 years. They’re singing up a storm. The orioles have also consumed a half a dozen huge oranges and a half a jar of grape jelly since their return.

Photo credit: John Kessel

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June 2020

lifestyle

This traveller is not happy about airlines and credit card chargebacks Opinion - Brian Preston editorial@pdgmedia.ca In this day of social media and the ability to launch a protest or GoFundMe, surely there is a law firm in Canada willing to front a class action suit for Canadians who have been robbed by airlines, hotels and on-line booking companies like the one I used and by which I got fleeced for almost $2000 CAD when my travel was interrupted by the pandemic!

Credit card purchases for which the vendor cancels/does not provide the service or product, should be required to proactively refund the customer's credit card.

With regards to airlines, Transport Canada (I worked in their corporate HR offices for 10 years) is, in my opinion, simply a lackey to the Civil Aviation industry. Whatever they say, the government does. Beginning in the 1990s we have seen the federal government save millions by having the airlines do their own inspections with TC Inspectors simply inspecting the 'fox-inthe-henhouse' airlines; refusing to grant reimbursements to customers at a level comparable to almost any other country for delayed/ cancelled/overbooked flights; and now the Minister announces in the face of consumer

complaints that it is OK for airlines to just issue future credits. But to hear that customers are also being misinformed and put off by their own credit card companies when they launch a complaint seeking credit card reimbursement from a vendor, makes this an even worse situation.

Only the government can properly regulate these companies and they better start doing so in the best interests of Canadians instead of fleecing us to bail out airlines to keep them afloat. We thought our government worked for the people but it is increasingly clear that they are working for private sector corporations

and their interests, not ours where thousands are out of work with no income. If our government doesn't start working for us, I think we are going to see a significant number of smart travellers simply decide that 'staycations' or vacations that mini-

mize the need to fly will change the travel landscape with COVID-19 looming well into the future. It will be one of the few ways that travellers can be in charge of their travel dollars and plans, while at the same time derive some level of satisfaction in effec-

tively boycotting airlines, hotels, and cruise lines that will only offer 'future credits'.

Now, if the currency rate CAD vs USD could just get a bit better, I would have the entire North American continent as a playground on my terms.

Cycling Without Age helps seniors break free from social isolation

Photo credit: cyclingwithoutage.ca

Regional - Submitted editorial@pdgmedia.ca With support from Lanark County Council and several local businesses, Cycling Without Age Lanark County (CWALC) has taken the next step by launching a $7,000 crowdfunding campaign with the goal

of purchasing its first trishaw.

For those not familiar with the movement, Cycling Without Age (CWA) started in Copenhagen Denmark in 2012 and has spread internationally to 50 countries with 2,200 local chapters (as of March 2020). Special three-seat, electrically-assisted bikes called “Trishaws” allow volunteer cyclists called“Pilots”to provide free rides to the elderly while building friendships. Worldwide, CWA has 33,000 trained pilots and has served over 1.5 million people.

In a 2017 study conducted at the Saint-Louis Residence in Ottawa, pilots observed the following responses from their passengers: “Sang O Canada; Laughed a lot; Loved the sunset.

Waved to everybody; Smiled the whole ride; Happy; Laughing and stomping her feet; Loved the fresh air; Loved the beauty of nature; Yelled “Woohoo!”; Felt relaxed.” (Bruyère Continuing Care, 2017.)

CWALC aims to bring this experience to residents of Lanark County’s seniors’ homes.

“There is no doubt that our elderly have been hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. From those who live in seniors’ residences fearing the next outbreak to those who have contracted the disease facing a higher risk of mortality, this is a difficult time for the eldest among us. Taking an elderly resident for a ride in a trishaw will be a great way to show we care once the pandemic restrictions are lifted,” says Treff Peters, Lanark County CWA affiliate.

CWALC is partnering with the crowdfunding platform Wayblaze for this campaign. “We chose Wayblaze because it targets Social Inclusion, Health and Wellness projects in local communities,” Peters adds.

Donations can be made at the Wayblaze website - wayblaze. com/cwalc.

For more information, visit the Cycling Without Age Lanark County Facebook page or website – cwalc.org.

For more information about the CWA movement, see cyclingwithoutage.ca.

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lifestyle

Creating a virtual community opinion:

Photo credit: Brian Turner.

Carleton Place - Brian Turner editorial@pdgmedia.ca Ryan is a young adult living with his parents in Carleton Place. Ryan has a part-time job working as a janitor/cleaner at a local building supply store. Regular customers know him well by his unique sense of humour and work garb and his almost eidetic memory when it comes to the tens of thousands of stock items carried in the store. He can quickly point lost shoppers in the right direction and always has an opinion on his preferred brand. Ryan is also a long-time member of the

Lanark County Support Services Life Skills group, enjoying their activities and happy to help out when a volunteer is needed. You see, Ryan has a challenge. He has Tourettes and Aspergers syndromes, a diagnosis he received when he was 10 years old. Thanks to his mother, who never took no for an answer from any educational professional or doctor, Ryan thrived in public and high school, a feat made possible with the help of teams of caring teachers and educational assistants.

Fast forward to March 2020, and the world was a much different place for Ryan and his family. While at

one time he was satisfied to stay in his room and watch sci-fi movies, or head out to his wood-working shop to create a battle-sword replica, the lack of social contact brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic was taking its toll by removing some of Ryan’s favourite activities, especially his visual arts classes and work-out sessions with one of his closest friends, his former high-school principal.

And while he wouldn’t admit it, he dearly missed his coworkers at the store and his compatriots at Life Skills.

For the first few days of the lock-down, LCSS Life

Skills’ staff stayed in touch by phone and then came up with the brilliant idea of equipping everyone with i-pads and started hosting virtual get-togethers. This creation of a virtual community made the isolation much more bearable. Of course it didn’t take Ryan’s art teacher and fitness instructor long to get on the virtual band-wagon and with little interruption, these sessions continued. This brought Ryan’s art career back to life and once again he was painting beautifully detailed portraits and landscapes from images from one of his other hobbies, photography. His representations cover everything from brilliant blue parrots from the local bird sanctuary to forested lake shores to his favourite subjects, his nieces. This family connection brought him together with another local artist who holds annual shows on her rural property and hopefully this year’s event will take place providing a new showcase for a selection of his paintings.

Sometimes you just have to paint your own sunshine on a cloudy day and Ryan keeps his palette loaded with a little help from his friends.

He also recently got the call back to work, so if you’re lost looking for a certain cabinet hinge, you’ll be in luck.

Carrie Wynne

Am I the only one? civil society

I work in a little store and people come in and want to talk about the president.

Donald Trump does not care about political correctness and uses Twitter as his playground. People are obsessed with him and he loves all the attention. His provocative leadership style has turned civil society on its head.

What is happening online with Trump reminds me of a time I worked in a sales office managing a group of people. I had zero tolerance for troublemakers. There is always one. A toxic person allowed to run rampant can completely disrupt the flow of a business.

I understand why people feel compelled to react. Don’t we all have a little anti-establishment in us? But have we gone too far? Some people think so. This culture online is like the wild west. You will be attacked by a swarm of bees if your opinions are

different. To make matters even worse, media groups are profiting from division and discourse and people are being paid online to stir the pot. Did you know that hurling insults is a new sport in North American society?

As hostility escalates censorship starts to creep into the conversations. I fear for the future of free speech and who the gatekeepers will be.

There was a time I was not the least bit interested in politics. I wish I could go back in time, but I find myself looking up words like nationalism, populism and all the isms to understand what is going on in the world. I have a strange fascination with all of it, but I am thoroughly disgusted as well. It is very confusing.

A writer thinks about the person they want to be and the kind of country they want to live in. At this point in time I have this unquenchable thirst to know what the issues are.

Am I the only One? The opinions stated in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hometown News’ management, staff or writers.

9

June 2020

lifestyle

Perth Inside Out: VE-Day celebrated in Perth after surrender of Germany

Terry O'Hearn

On May 8, known as VE-Day (Victory in Europe), we again remembered the fallen, the wounded, and all those who fought in World War II. The negotiations leading up to the surrender of Germany to the Allies on May 8, 1945, were led by Canadian Lieutenant-General Charles Foulkes, who would be a visitor to Perth on two occasions after the war ended. An account of those visits was given in the July, 2019 column.

While all unexpected or preventable deaths are tragic, the losses in World War II were the result of Canadians offering up their lives “for King and Country”.

Perth and district lost 69 men in battle, and the names can be seen etched on a plaque at the Cenotaph of the Great War Memorial site on

Drummond Street.

To recap that phase of the war, Germany signed an unconditional surrender at Allied headquarters in Reims, France, on May 7, 1945, to take effect the following day. Thus, the European conflict of World War II ended, even though war in the Pacific continued on for a time.

There had been terrible losses at Hong Kong in 1941, and at Dieppe in 1942, but the effects of casualties were not really felt until 1944 during the difficult advances north up the Italian peninsula. That advance, and Normandy beachhead, resulted in far greater infantry casualties than were anticipated.

The news that day in 1945 was received with celebration in Perth and across the country, after nearly six trying years of heartache and suffering.

The Perth Courier front page of the May 10, 1945 edition blared: “VICTORY IS OURS!”, with the large text underneath proclaiming: “Monday the United Nations, Partners in Freedom, triumphed over the beast of Berlin and all

his Nazi Tyrants. Let us join in Joyous Thanksgiving, praising God, that through His Wisdom, Justice and Freedom have prevailed …

Thanks be to God which Giveth us the Victory.”

The rest of the front page was taken up by a large naval-themed drawing, flanked by two articles. The story on the left was titled “Germany Surrenders!”, and went on to say “Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Western Allies and Russia … The surrender brought the war in Europe to a formal end after five years, eight months and six days of bloodshed and destruction, was signed for Germany by Col. Gen. Gustav-Jodl …” The rest of that story recounted some of the formalities of the signing, and the first official announcement by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower of the United States. German broadcasts had already told their people that Admiral Doenitz had ordered the cessation of all fighting.

The right flank of the front page was headlined “Peace at last!” and the story gave some insight into the extent

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Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Great War Memorial Cenotaph with World War II memorial plaque shown to in the bottom photo. Photo credit: Terry O'Hearn.

of suffering endured by Canadians: “The civilized world has at last emerged from its hour of trial, the most awful in history. The agony of almost six years, since September, 1939, the slaughter of millions of men of youth and promise, the laying in waste of much of some of the fairest regions in Europe, the desolation of homes, the torture and outrage inflicted on millions, combine to make a picture of the horrors of war beyond all power of description …”

In Halifax, sadly, the celebrations erupted into looting and rioting as a result of built-up tension between the civilian population and the more than 25,000 servicemen there at the time. The riots began on May 7, the day of the signing, and continued through the next day.

What began as a victory celebration, left an indelible stain on the population of Halifax. Animosity exists to this day between members of the Royal Canadian Navy and Halifax residents.

The Canadian War Museum pegs the World War II death toll for our country at 45,400, with approximately 55,000 wounded. In addition, almost 9,000 were taken prisoner, including Perth war heroes Flying Officer Jimmy Kanelakos, DFC, and Flying Officer Ron Code, DFC.

Recent closeup of plaque. Photo credit: Terry O'Hearn.

More on Kanelakos and Code can be found on Dave Bromley’s Perth Remembered website, and The Perth Courier issue of May 31, 1945.

When U.S. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman coined the phrase "war is hell," he and other warriors knew better than those who talk about the war, or write the stories.

We have learned that whether we succeed or fail in war, everyone loses.

The latest statistics available from Veterans

Affairs Canada on Second World War veterans puts the number of living as of March, 2019, at 33,200, and that number would have dropped significantly since then.

Only one living veteran of that war is known to the Perth Legion as a member, although no doubt a few others are alive and well.

If you have any comments or suggestions, please email me at: terry@pdgmedia.ca

10

June 2020

Food & Drink

Beer, Wine and Spirits

Brian Preston

The Travelling Sommelier

On March 9, 2020 our tour arrived in the Franschhoek Valley where we stopped at the beautiful La Petit Ferme Winery Estate and Restaurant where we had lunch overlooking the lush green valley below and the mountain range (with some snow on top) ringing the sunlit valley around us - absolutely stunning views befitting a place that Conde Nast Traveller listed as one of the world's top 15 'Best Value' establishments. It certainly lived up to the billing as we dined from a set menu with accompanying wines.

La Petit Ferme menu choices Wild Coast Fish Cakes - flaked line-fish, spices (curry & fish masala) and potato moulded into round cakes and coated in a delicious crispy crumb usually eaten on the north coast of South Africa caper berry | Natal curried aioli | handmade chili oil | micro greens salad | grilled lime | salmon roe | leek root La Petite Salad chickpea butter | pickled sultanas | roast pear | gorgonzola | wild rocket | onion beresta Seared Trout - fresh farmed trout right in the middle of our beautiful mountains

pomegranate | charred kale | pickled fennel | steamed mussel | grilled corn | oregano & pumpkin seed crumb | teeny-weeny tomatoes | preserved lemon | dried dolma Heritage Lamb - slow-braised pulled Karoo lamb Moroccan hasselback | tzatziki | crispy chickpeas | micro aubergines | mint coral twill | chia crumb | Shiraz reduction Wild Mushroom Arancini - small risotto balls filled with wild foraged mushrooms and truffle truffle cauliflower purée | tempura burnt cauliflower | mushroom ragoût | preserved wild mushrooms deconstructed Waldorf salad | black truffle

La Petit Ferme wine selection Sauvignon Blanc 2019 - $13.40 CAD Grapes from three Franschhoek vineyards picked at different stages of ripeness. No skin contact, pressed and fermented in 100% stainless steel using a variety of yeasts strains. Left on the fine lees (basically the dead yeast settling to the bottom of the tank) to mature for three months with occasional stirring to develop a full rich body. The Semillon from Cape Agulhas is matured for four months in older French oak barrels giving hints of green apple, passion fruit and pineapple. Semillon rounds off the wine and gives length to the palate. Great with the salad, wild coast fish cakes, and seared trout.

La Petite Ferme Rosé 2018 - $9.48 CAD Made from 100% Merlot. Cold, whole bunch cold pressed and removed from the skins immediately to create the light salmon pink colour. Fermented in stainless steel tanks.

Aromas of citrus, grapefruit and strawberry candyfloss on the nose with the same flavours following through onto the palate while finishing crisp and dry. Rosés are very versatile and this one was great with the salad, wild coast fish cakes, seared trout and wild mushroom arancini.

Winemakers edition Variation 2017 - $27.65 CAD All the grapes come from their Franschhoek Estate: Shiraz 87%, Grenache 12%, Viognier 1%. Shiraz and Viognier were co-fermented and aged in 10% new French oak and balance in older barrels for 10 months. Grenache was aged in stainless steel and old French oak barrels to let the fruit shine through. Floral nose of violets and rose petals. The palate has a good balance between acidity and fruit with caramel and spice in the background. This wine is very drinkable with light oak and fine tannins, now 3 years old.

Fabulous with the Heritage Lamb.

Verdict 2016 (Cape Blend) - $31.21 CAD The Verdict is a Cape Blend consisting of 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 23% Pinotage and 18% Merlot. All varieties vinified separately and matured in French oak for 12 months, then blended and put back in older barrels for a further 6 months. All varietals harvested on La Petite Ferme and barrel matured in French oak for 12 months. Classic Cabernet Franc aroma of pencil shavings with spice and herbal undertones. Rich dark fruit, black cherry, cassis from the other three ending in a harmonious full bodied wine that went well with the Heritage Lamb.

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June 2020

lifestyle

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We are "Community Strong" Regional - Hometown news Staff editorial@pdgmedia.ca We see it in our frontline workers, our first responders, our families, friends, neighbors and even in the people we haven’t met yet.

We thank you for everything

you do as we go through this pandemic journey together.

On the back cover of this newspaper you will find a poster for our Community Strong campaign. Please display this poster in your windows, front doors, offic-

es, anywhere... take a selfie holding the poster and post it on social media with the hashtag #communitystrong, tag Hometown News and YourTV to show your gratitude to our front line workers. And when this pandem-

ic is over, put this poster in an album or file. In years to come, you can pull it out and say, “I remember this pandemic journey.”

We will get through this practicing social distancing, washing our hands, wearing

a mask, staying home and following other directives so we stay safe and healthy. We will do this together while being apart.

Help us to send the message that we are “Community Strong.”

#COMMUNITYSTRONG

ALMONTE, BROCKVILLE, CARLETON PLACE, KEMPTVILLE, MERRICKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI MILLS, NORTH GRENVILLE, PERTH, PRESCOTT, RIDEAU LAKES, SMITHS FALLS AND WESTPORT