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SOUND SOLUTIONS FOR A CLEAR TOMORROW

At Lindsay Ear Clinic, our goal is to provide comprehensive audiological assessments. From the results of these assessments, we will educate, and inform our patients so they can make an informed decision about their hearing needs.

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ANNE MARIE SINASAC B.A.(Hons.), M.Cl.Sc., AuD., Doctor of Audiology, Registered CASLPO Audiologist

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BRENT

Roderick Benns PUBLISHER

Trevor Hutchinson CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Mike Puffer WRITER-AT-LARGE

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Please send editorial inquiries to Roderick Benns at roderick@lindsayadvocate.ca or 705-341-1496.

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Mena enjoys a cold one by the pool. Craft beer, non-alcoholic brews, and mocktails are all finding their place in the local summer drink market.

Food insecurity is increasing at an alarming rate, Vital Signs research shows.

The Manosphere is influencing many male youth into adopting toxic male traits.

Craft beer and mocktails are summer time favourites in Kawartha Lakes — and there’s many venues to choose from. 32

our mission

lindsayadvocate.ca • @lindsay.advocate

Fireside Publishing House is the premier print media company in Kawartha Lakes through its family of magazines and all-local weekly newspaper. We believe that community-based media can bring people together and change lives for the better through the power of storytelling, reflecting local culture, and creating informed and engaged citizens. Our commitment is to deliver high-quality and relevant content that reflects the diverse voices and experiences of our communities. We believe in the transformative power of local media to inspire, educate, and empower.

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Photo: Geoff Coleman.

to the editor

Patterns of extreme weather are there, says Advocate columnist

Re: ‘Extreme weather is not necessarily a pattern,’ from Carl Sweetman, July Advocate.

The most recent IPCC report came out over three years ago. Back then, it said evidence related to human influence on extreme events had grown more certain in recent years, in particular for extreme precipitation, droughts, dry/hot events, fire weather and tropical cyclones. (IPCC sixth assessment report, Chapter 11).

NASA, UN Secretary General Antonio Guiterras, and the Canadian Climate Institute among many others acknowledge the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including many storms. The derecho of 2022 was spawned under a heat dome west of Chicago. You can read more about the effects of climate change on NASA’s website. Here’s an excerpt: “If we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today, the rise in global temperatures would begin to flatten within a few years. Temperatures would then plateau but remain well-elevated for many, many centuries.”

The Insurance Bureau of Canada tells us that prior to 2008 the industry paid out about $400 million annually due to extreme weather events. Since 2020, annual costs have ranged from $2.4 billion to $9.4 billion per year.

— Ginny Colling, Seagrave

Alto high speed rail project would help Canada move forward

We recently received a flyer from our MP, Jamie Schmale, about the Alto High Speed Rail project. It’s an opinion piece that ignores some simple observations.

Schmale says he supports the Shining Waters Railway initiative which would link Peterborough and Toronto with few stops along the route. This is basically a commuter rail concept with limited benefits.

However, he fails to mention that engineering old tracks to higher speeds is expensive, and like Alto, might require new right-of-way where corners are too tight or Toronto rail corridor alignments don’t match routing needs. Forecast revenue may not support a local project.

Yes, financial questions and answers are essential in any plan. However, Schmale appears to object to taxpayer costs, but fails to note that all government projects have taxpayer costs.

The real question is future needs and benefits – does the Alto project represent a good investment in transportation convenience and a greener future for the region ?

The Alto mailing does not mention eliminating airline flights between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. France did this for all short haul flights where centralized rail services can eliminate the inconvenience of early arrival, check-in, and weather delays normally found in congested airports.

The Alto project seems similar to planning Highway 401 in Ontario many years ago. It too, was an expensive project requiring government money and land acquisition to reach initial completion.

Where would we be today if this roadway did not exist? Passenger rail service sounds like a better way to mitigate transportation congestion than the Ontario concept of a ‘Highway 401 tunnel’ near Toronto.

Sometimes it’s better to look forward and do a job ‘right’ rather than force-fit obsolete arrangements into a shortterm solution. The Alto project would help Canada move forward in an area of advancing technology while NIMBY attitudes allow the world to get ahead of us.

— Eric Lansdell, Kawartha Lakes

‘Courageous’ column, says reader

Re: Benns’ Belief, “Keep Pushing the Rock,” July edition of the Advocate.

Thank you, Roderick, for your willingness to share your personal experiences with your community.

This is a well written piece. So thoughtful, reflective and courageous. So characteristic of your work as a prolific writer and community developer.

The Advocate deserves special commendations for the outstanding service it provides the community. Your stories have enlightened us, and I will always remember that you were one of the first to raise our awareness of issues such as the need for basic income in society.

In my work as an educator, I have always extolled the virtues and importance of journalists and the role they play in furthering the cause of democracy. So often you highlight the issues that show us what humanity looks like at its very best.

— Avis Glaze, International Education Adviser, Tsawwassen, B.C.

Lifford focus brings back bittersweet memories

Re: Lingering in Lifford, July Advocate, by Ian McKechnie. St. Mary’s Church in Lifford holds a special place in our family’s history. My great-grandmother, Alberta (“Bertie”) Neals, was a Preston, and my great-grandparents, grandparents, as well as several aunts, uncles, and other relatives are buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery. For many years, the annual St. Mary’s Garden Party, held in the church hall, was a cherished family tradition.

I was also there on the evening of the 1993 fire as a volunteer firefighter with Manvers Township. I was operating the Bethany pumper while tankers from Bethany, Janetville, and Pontypool shuttled water to the scene. With temperatures around -15°C and a biting wind, the hoses, nozzles, pumper, and even the firefighters were on the verge of freezing up. Water running off the fire turned the sloped driveway into a sheet of ice. It was heartbreaking to watch such a historic church burn, but it was wonderful to see it rebuilt so beautifully and in keeping with the character of the original. Moments like that remind you how a community comes together in times of need.

Just as important is remembering the many happy occasions. My cousin and her husband were married in the church, a beautiful setting with deep roots in our family’s history. St. Mary’s has been the backdrop for so many meaningful moments over the generations, and it’s heartening to see that legacy continue.

— Randy Neals, Kawartha Lakes

History column enjoyed

We really enjoyed reading the story by Ian McKechnie in the July issue of the Advocate (‘Lingering in Lifford.’)

Ian always does a great job with his columns. There would have been a lot of research go into it and then riding a bicycle for an hour and a half makes me realize how much he enjoys doing this. Keep up the good work Ian. We look forward to reading them every month.

— Mina & Jim Coons, Lindsay

Panel discussion challenged audience to get involved

Thank you so much for organizing the panel discussion at Kindred about the treatment of women in politics. (Empty Seats: Why too many women are leaving politics behind and what we can do about it.) Roderick Benns and Dara Bergeron did an excellent job moderating it.

I’m grateful to Coun. Tracy Richardson for speaking up about the appalling harassment she has experienced. Thanks to her courage, I believe that the evening was able to achieve several goals. It focused on the problem and gave the three women (Tracy Richardson, Maryam Monsef and Diane Therrien) an opportunity to outline their personal experiences serving in public life; it offered some guidelines for moving forward; and, perhaps most importantly, it challenged the audience to get involved.

I fully support Maryam Monsef’s clear identification of the issue as yet another example of violence against women. Harassment of female politicians is part of a much larger societal norm that women have been battling for decades (indeed centuries). It is essential that we keep naming it and that we find constructive ways to address it. We desperately need women’s voices in government.

— Kathy Anderson, Lindsay

In praise of in-person activities

In the last issue, a clean-cut Trevor Hutchinson lamented the decline of social gatherings in sports bars and music venues and recalled decades past when he was active in the music scene. I can relate.

I attended Woodstock in August 1969, then a three-day rock festival in Essen Germany, and Oktoberfest in Munich two months later. I was 18 and travelling Europe in a beat-up Volkswagen minivan. Those were heady days when nobody seemed to suffer PTSD-like symptoms from incessant fear-generating warnings about viruses, CO2 levels, human trafficking and the like.

Times have changed. The growth of couch surfing evolved as the most convenient and inexpensive way to comfortably consume entertainment, news and social messaging on devices which we have allowed to become central to our lived experience.

I’ve heard, however, that FIFA has been a catalyst to increase the pre-COVID shared social experience among soccer enthusiasts in clubs and at home. As golf enthusiasts, my wife and I recently served four days as marshals on hole number 12 at the Canadian Open to watch our favourite PGA golfers in person. Now an annual mini-vacation, we stay at a local B&B with to-die-for breakfasts which fuel us for those long days among thousands of golf enthusiasts. Good times!

—Gene Balfour, Fenelon Falls

The Advocate welcomes your letters. We do not publish anonymous letters unless it’s a matter of public importance and/or someone risks harm by writing us. We publish under strict guidelines & only if we can verify the person’s identity. Keep your letters to 200 words or less. Simply email roderick@lindsayadvocate.ca.

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School's back in session,

Wanted: Real Alberta leadership

By Roderick Benns Publisher

Every few years someone insists Alberta would be better off cutting ties with Canada, marching toward some fantasy republic of pipelines and Stetsons, grizzlies and grievances.

Some of those grievances aren’t imagined.

Former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s National Energy Program took billions of dollars in potential oil revenue away from the province through federal taxes and controlled prices. So when Prime Minister Brian Mulroney came along and cancelled the National Energy Program, they loved him for a Calgary minute. But it didn’t last.

But slumps come and go, especially in boom-and-bust Alberta. Few premiers there have thought beyond sending out unimaginative cheques during boom times, saying they are returning the money to the people.

Former Premier Peter Lougheed created the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund in the 1970s, kind of a provincial sovereign wealth fund. But successive governments kept treating it as ordinary income, spending windfalls like drunken, landlocked sailors.

Alberta’s prosperity was built inside Canada. The province has benefited from national institutions, national markets, national stability. The idea that it could simply walk away, keep all the upside, dodge all the downside, and thrive is political theatre. It’s not serious nation-building – and Premier Danielle Smith is not acting like a serious leader.

Her separation question is a dud.

Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum

on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?

No such legal process exists – utter rubbish.

And then there’s non-constitutional questions like this one:

Do you support the Government of Alberta taking increased control over immigration for the purposes of decreasing immigration…and giving Albertans first priority on new employment opportunities?

Most leaders know that inciting anti-immigrant viewpoints is not a recipe for statesmanship, but Smith doesn’t care. She’s got a base to satisfy – and ‘base’ is a great word for the sentiments this kind of talk provokes.

Alberta’s prosperity was built inside Canada. The province has benefited from national institutions, national markets, national stability.

Canada works best when we resist the temptation to retreat into provincial bunkers. In fact, nearby Lakefield author, John Boyko, wrote an entire book about this in 2017. Called Sir John’s Echo: The Voice for a Stronger Canada, its central thesis is Canada has always been strongest when the federal government leads national issues and that, as Sir John A. Macdonald intended, Ottawa should remain the central voice for all Canadians. Alberta’s frustrations are real — but so are Ontario’s, Quebec’s, the Atlantic’s, and the North’s. And that makes this a local issue for me – and for any Canadian reading this.

The federation survives because we hash it out, loudly, imperfectly, and together. That’s the deal. That’s the country.

Food insecurity on the rise in Kawartha Lakes, despite best efforts of community groups

Analyzing 11 major indicators of community wellbeing through Vital Signs

By Mike Puffer

Illustrations by Ruth Kelly-Koebel

When Janet moved to Lindsay five years ago, she never imagined needing to access a food bank to make ends meet.

Retired after a long professional career, Janet (not her real name, in respect of privacy) regularly attends a local lunch program at Lindsay’s St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. Despite a company pension and government benefits, she remains financially challenged due to the rising cost of food and additional living expenses.

In addition to the St. Andrew’s soup kitchen luncheons, Janet also gets support from other local providers, including A Place Called Home, the Lindsay Salvation Army, and Kawartha Lakes Centre of Hope. Even local grocery stores have assisted from time to time.

“I’m grateful for all of the providers and facilities that are here in Lindsay,” Janet says. She has taken the initiative to seek out available services for people in her situation, which isn’t always the case for some others.

“A lot of people are not inclined to do more to help themselves,” she observes. “They can have other complications in their lives that make it worse than just needing to get help with food.”

Despite a situation where she needs some assistance, she’s not sitting at home feeling sorry for herself. She strives to be proactive and to access available support.

“I enjoy the social aspect that the soup kitchen provides, and the supportive atmosphere of the group. I’m grateful for where I am today.”

The church has presented the luncheons three days a week for more than a decade. There are also Sunday Suppers twice monthly. Lunch attendance averages 40 people and has steadily increased this year. More than 70 people recently attended the Sunday Supper.

“It’s a real community effort,” says Dianne Dalton, St. Andrew’s member and one of the drivers behind the food programs. “People from several other local churches, as well as residents who are willing to help us, get involved.”

When it comes to food security in our community, the numbers are only going in one direction – up. Rising food prices, increasing cost of living, and escalating number of people in need of help leave more individuals than ever in crisis.

Food insecurity cuts to the heart of many other relevant issues confronting a significant portion of Kawartha Lakes’ population.

Local food banks and programs dedicated to helping those in need try to connect households and families with healthy, adequate nutrition. They are facing critical stress, meaning the entire community is being called upon to help at unprecedented rates.

Statistics bear out the serious situation. From 2021 to 2025, the number of local residents served by member food banks of the Kawartha Lakes Food Source nearly doubled: from 983 households representing 11,600 people in 2021 to 1,466 households (21,819 people) last year. More than one in five Kawartha Lakes households struggle with food insecurity.

Volunteers from Lindsay’s Cambridge Street United Church prepare weekly Friday lunches for more than 200 King Albert Public School students, helping ensure children are ready to learn.

Organizations have called on the federal government to set reduction targets for household hunger and inadequate access to nutritious food. Statistics Canada’s Canadian Income Survey shows that close to 25 per cent of the country’s population experiences food insecurity.

Though the local ratio is slightly less than the national average, that’s no reason to feel reassured about Kawartha Lakes’ situation. According to the recent Vital Signs report released earlier this year by the Kawartha Community Foundation and Kawartha Works Community Co-operative, the rate has risen steadily since 2019.

In addition to local food banks and regular food drives in almost every Kawartha Lakes community, a multitude of organizations and groups give time to support those in need.

Kawartha Lakes Food Source, a not-forprofit supplying food and personal care items to member agencies, operates from a centralized distribution centre. Food is collected from local donations as well as reclamation sources throughout Ontario. Food Source can purchase food in bulk, sort and store supplies, promote awareness of hunger and its impact, and co-ordinate fundraising.

Food Source Executive Director Ashley Anderson hopes the Vital Signs report will allow the City to see more clearly where changes need to be made.

The public is consistently generous in its financial support of local organizations, especially near year’s end as the “season of giving” coincides with reminders to make donations prior to Dec. 31. Giving trends take a dramatic turn over the next few months, however.

“Donations drop immensely once January comes,” Anderson says. “We use the abundance that comes in through the giving season to carry us through the first few months of the year. We have to, or we wouldn’t have enough to give to the local food banks.”

To meet the ever-growing number of those in need of assistance, Food Source has reached out further than ever to sources of support. Distribution centres notify Food Source when large amounts of surplus product become available. The organization regularly receives skids of food such as cereals and canned goods. A successful grant application led to getting a “retired” refrigerated courier delivery truck that helps immensely in the pickup process and will enable the acquisition of fresh produce. “Catch-22” issues arise, however, due to smaller food banks’ inability to store large amounts of products.

“We really don’t want to hold food, we want it getting to the food banks as soon as possible to avoid past ‘best before’ dates and to ensure they have enough to distribute, as numbers are often higher in the winter months,” Anderson says.

Though Food Source was established almost 25 years ago, she feels the concept of a “warehouse” for local food banks is a new concept to many. “It’s so vital for food banks – they are so busy and many are volunteer run. They don’t have the same capacity to fundraise, to shop with the Food Source’s buying power, and serve their clients at the same time – especially when most food banks have doubled their numbers of clients over the last few years.”

One member organization that has seen significant increases in demand is the Omemee Food Bank. The number of regular monthly clients has risen from 30 to nearly 50 in the last few years – equating to approximately 60 adults and 30 children monthly, says Omemee Manager Cathie Morrissey.

Support and shipments from Food Source are appreciated, Morrissey says, but are not enough. In a recent month, more than $800 worth of essentials (milk, bread, eggs, fruit and vegetables) was paid for out of the Omemee fundraising coffers. The organization receives financial and food donations from a generous community, but meeting an increasing demand is a constant challenge.

Vital Signs also points out there is a rising need to support lunch programs at local schools. Throughout the school year, volunteers from Lindsay’s Cambridge Street United Church prepare weekly lunches for King Albert Public School students.

“In the last two years, our numbers have increased due to the rise in food costs and lack of affordable housing in Lindsay – people are moving out to our area in hopes of finding housing that’s less costly than in Lindsay.”

Vital Signs also points out there is a rising need to support lunch programs at local schools.

Throughout the school year, volunteers from Lindsay’s Cambridge Street United Church prepare weekly lunches for King Albert Public School students.

“For kids to learn, they have to be properly nourished,” says Darlene Sinclair, head volunteer for the program. Volunteers prepare and serve Friday lunches for more than 200 students. The number will increase in September, as there are more Kindergarten students entering King Albert than graduated Grade 8s. Most other local schools have been able to establish similar meal programs for students. Many youth also benefit from the food programs presented by BGC Kawarthas, formerly the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes. The club offers be-

fore-school breakfast and after-school snacks. Approximately 60 students attend daily during the school year, and many more during summer camps. The programs are at the club in Lindsay and at several local schools.

BGC also offers cooking classes, menu planning and smart shopping at its Youth Warehouse programs in Lindsay and Fenelon Falls, for elementary and high school students. Kids at the Warehouse can also enjoy dinner at a reasonable price, with emphasis on healthy eating, menu planning and nutrition.

Throughout this summer, BGC is presenting suppers three days a week, says Carly Veitch, manager of support services.

“Since the youth centre opened, the number of users and demand has increased. I hear from my colleagues and peers in the community that the need for more programs is on the rise all across our community.”

“I was thankful that the BGC program was offered to me and am glad it is there for others like me who don’t always have enough,” one parent of the programs says. “The items each week are carefully thought out to help with snacks and meals but also provide staple items that help the whole family. While I do not access any other food bank at this time, I have in the past, and our town actually has a few programs to help families with that.”

Prior to assuming the Food Source’s lead role, Anderson managed the organization’s Lindsay Community Food Market. Clients register in an in-take process to access the Market.

“Last year was probably the most that I ever shed tears,” speaking with registrants seeking support, Anderson says. The circumstances leading to residents looking for help are varied and widely different in each situation. She adamantly stresses that people should not be embarrassed in having to ask for some support, though.

Many youth also benefit from the food programs presented by BGC Kawarthas, formerly the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kawartha Lakes. The club offers before-school breakfast and after-school snacks.

“People have actually been losing their homes because they’re falling behind on the cost of living, and I want them to let us help them where we can – let us help them to stop having to use their credit cards to ring up even more debt,” she says. “There’s no shame or stigma in having to come for help.”

As for Janet, she strives to be positive about her situation. “I could sit in my room and cry all day, but I don’t do that.”

Next month: a look at Vital Signs’ income, wealth and poverty indicator.

Mike Puffer has lived and worked in Lindsay all of his adult life. Retired since 2022, he is heavily involved in the community as a volunteer with many local organizations and enjoys golfing, biking, hiking and travelling with his wife Cathy.

Inside the manosphere

How online misogyny is shaping young minds

Colsyn Wylie was mopping the floor at her paid job at Kindred in Lindsay — work she does to help pay for university — when an older female customer told her it was good practice for becoming a housewife.

It was a passing comment, but it carried the same message young women say they are hearing more often online and in person: that a woman’s place is still supposed to be in service to men.

While it doesn’t usually come from older women, as in Wylie’s case, it’s an echo of what young men are absorbing online in what is broadly known as the manosphere. This is a loose network of influencers, podcasts and online communities built around hyper-masculinity, resentment toward women and a promise to teach men how to win back power they believe they have lost.

Influencers with millions of followers are trying to give other men the ‘cheat code’ to win at life. They try to show them it’s important to have access to high levels of power. Oftentimes, these men can be seen showing off their physique (also referred to as looksmaxxing), talking about investing, and showing off their

By Robyn Best

wives – who often are stay-at-home moms who also take care of household chores. Many of these men also practice what is called one-sided monogamy; their partner is expected to be monogamous, but they’re allowed to have multiple partners.

Wylie, 19, says this behaviour is something she’s often seen online. The Kawartha Lakes resident says the most prominent platform for these content creators is TikTok.

“I feel like the influencers who are spreading this message are saying (to men) if you want to move up in the world and you want to have money, you need to have people, who are women, working for you and doing these things for you, so you can focus on your career and your investments. And when you come home, everything’s taken care of for you.”

Many of these men say things that has Wylie having to double check if they’re being serious. “In my own head, I feel like I’m telling myself that there’s no way that could actually be how these men are viewing me as a woman, but then you see men in real life, and you’re like, wait, this is actually how they choose to conduct themselves.”

Perhaps the most infamous figure associated with this world is Andrew Tate, who built an online empire around female subjugation and hyper-masculinity. His central message to followers is that men have been weakened by feminism and by a society he portrays as stacked against them. (At press time Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, were arrested in the U.S., accused of rape and sex trafficking. They are fighting extradition to the United Kingdom.)

Andrew Tate founded an online network called The War Room, which costs users $8,000 per year, based on the mantra “free the modern man from socially induced incarceration.” There men have access to classes to help shape them into being the ideal man.

Perhaps the most infamous figure associated with this world is Andrew Tate, who built an online empire around female subjugation and hyper-masculinity.

While Wylie hasn’t seen too much of this extreme behaviour in person, there was the mopping incident and a regular stream of male customers telling her she should smile more.

Sage Stapleton said she was around 10 when she faced misogyny. “I remember the first time I ever got called something misogynistic was in fifth grade. I don’t even think the kid even knew what the word was, and how can you be a slut in Grade 5?”

Stapleton, also a Kawartha Lakes resident, didn’t know what the word meant, but she knew it was being used as an insult.

She volunteered at a summer camp a few summers ago and had one six-year-old boy consistently say

had to explain to him why that wasn’t okay to say. While this isn’t the extreme behaviour that is seen online, it’s evident that misogynistic behaviour is still seen in society. Wylie said there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a wife and a mom who stays at home. “(But) you don’t need to be pushing that onto other women who want to do more,” she says of other women who try to influence this thinking.

This is known as a “tradwife” online. They make the life of a stay-at-home mom seem glamorous and essentially turn it into an aesthetic that all women should want. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burk, a recent bestseller novel that came out this year, has further spread the idea of the tradwife to a new audience.

The concept of tradwives is very accessible to young girls who are around 14, as the influencers posting about this aesthetic tend to target younger girls on Instagram. “These girls are not in a position even to be thinking about marriage,” said Stapleton, noting they often push “getting married at 18 and kids by 19.”

Like Wylie, she agrees that there’s nothing wrong with a woman choosing to live that life, but it should be her decision and not influenced by what’s trending online.

They make the life of a stay-at-home mom seem glamorous and essentially turn it into an aesthetic that all women should want.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burk, a recent bestseller novel that came out this year, has further spread the idea of the tradwife to a

(Local men whose online profiles appeared to be clearly linked to looksmaxxing and manosphere activity were contacted for this story, but none responded to requests

Anne Dranitsaris, a Dunsford-based developmental psychotherapist and author, said that while some people might question why women would stay with men who spread a lot of misogynistic messages, it comes down to

Illustrations by Takyah Smith.

“When people are in survival, of course they become rigid. They’re driven by more fear and anxiety, and this is where roles and predictability come in. Especially in relationships where, if you can say predictably, this is my job in the relationship and this is your job in the relationship, then we have social order and we prevent chaos.”

In earlier decades, when it was still common, and expect ed, for women to stay at home, this need for social order is what made those relationships work. She said to under stand it, you need to look at how historically men have tra ditionally had roles of authority.

“(They hold) authority because those are qualities of the masculine brain. So, being authoritarian in a relationship with a woman, they would hold those qualities and char acteristics, and the woman would hold the nurturing and empathy, and so the two together made a perfect whole.”

Things changed however, when women started to push against those gender roles.

When it comes to the manosphere Dranitsaris believes “it was in reaction to the feminist movement and men wanted to secure their own place.” Men felt a loss of power in their relationships “because they could no longer just get women to defer to their authority and they didn’t like that.”

A lot of the prominent members of the manosphere, as well as their viewers, are also young.

Dranitsaris said that when people get into relationships young and it feels safe, they won’t leave it even if they realize it’s not exactly what they want. “If you form a relationship, for example, in your early 20s, your brain isn’t even totally developed yet. So, you go through your 20s and you’re practicing to be a grown up, and you shift into a role because that’s what you think you’re supposed to be.”

She said for some women in these more traditional roles, they believe they can change their partner even if he’s laid out what his expectations of her are.

For Wylie, the main reason these male influencers feel the need to spread their message is that they feel threatened by women. “Women, through generations, we’ve been pushing back more and pushing against the patriarchy, and men don’t like that. Women are succeeding in the systems that (men) set up for themselves, and they don’t want that.”

Dranitsaris said changing people is hard, especially when a lot of these thoughts men learn are in the households where they grew up. Her family is part Greek, and when she was younger it was explained to her that her brother would get certain things just because he was a boy. Despite her getting better grades in school, it was her brother who had university paid for, all because he was a boy.

“Women, through generations, we’ve been pushing back more and pushing against the patriarchy, and men don’t like that. Women are succeeding in the systems that (men) set up for themselves, and they don’t want that.”

At the time, it was logical to her as she didn’t know any better. “The minute you start to question, you initiate change,” she said.

For her, these men online act the way they do because they’re insecure. “They’re flaunting their image, they’re not showing you who they actually are. Because if they showed who they really were, you’d see the anxiety that’s driving that behaviour.”

Wylie said while this content does mostly affect women, she does also worry for the young boys who are being exposed to these ideologies. “When you’re seeing these people push this idea of being super strong and super fit and looksmaxing and all these things, that’s not healthy for young boys to be pushing themselves in that way.”

She’s also noticed investing is a large part of the manosphere community, and these creators tend to bring across the message that without money, a man is worthless. “What do young boys know about investing? These people have an agenda. They don’t actually want what’s best for these young boys. They have programs. They’re making money off of this.”

Stapleton has found it interesting to look at what comments get made about men and women when comparing the same situation. “If you’re a woman and you’re sleeping with people, exploring your sexuality, you’re immediately branded as a slut or a whore. But if you’re a man and you’re exploring your sexuality and just doing what comes naturally as a human being, then you’re attractive.”

These ideologies tend to come up when talking about the more extreme side of the manosphere, the incel community. “(Incels) revert to these rules of previous generations and blame the feminists for destroying everything,” Dranitsaris said.

She’s found that regardless of gender, men online will always be competing with someone. “Even if you were to remove women from the equation, you still have the pressures that men put on each other. They’re putting women in a box while also putting themselves in a box, and then we get the idea of (them having) to make a certain amount of money, to be at a certain height, to be attractive…and funny.”

Dranitsaris said when talking about topics like toxic masculinity, it’s equally important to touch on the opposite – toxic femininity. Where men expect a perfect woman, women also expect a perfect man.

The incel, or involuntarily celibate, community is full of men who find themselves unable to find romantic or sexual partners, so they often foster a deep sense of entitlement, self-loathing and hostility toward women. Essentially, they believe that all women should be attracted to them.

The 2018 Toronto van attack that was carried out by Alek Minassian was later tied to the incel community. After the attack, investigators found a Facebook post where Minassian directly labelled himself as an incel and praised another wellknown member in the community, Elliot Rodgers.

Rodgers carried out his own attack in the UK in 2014. Before his attack he posted a YouTube video where he announced his intention to “punish” women for their lack of interest in him. He also emailed a 137-page manifesto to several people where he described his major life events, personal struggles, and frustrations at having remained a lifelong virgin.

Wylie said it’s hard for social media platforms to be able to properly monitor the content that’s being uploaded, but she said Canada is headed in the right direction with its proposed social media ban.

The Safe Social Media Act is still going through the legislature, but if passed it would ban social media platforms for those under 16. Wylie said with kids continuing to gain access to social media at earlier ages, this ban could give them time to form their own ideologies instead of being influenced by what they see online.

“I feel like it’s better to expose people to this stuff later when they have more critical thinking skills and can deconstruct this ideology rather than just absorbing it and taking that as the truth throughout their teenage years,” she said.

Stapleton echoes this sentiment, saying that while men who are a part of this community will still find ways to spread their message, limiting access to social media for youth will help to tone it down. “It’s so easy for (young boys) to see one video and be like oh there’s an adult man saying this, this has to be how the real world is.”

While it’s hard to say how this behaviour can be completely erased, Stapleton said education is the key. However, it’s hard when a lot of learned behaviours come from a household. “I feel like the only way to fix the issue is to just start as young as possible and start teaching children about right and wrong.”

Ultimately, while not every man holds these ideals, and not all the ones who do hold such extreme views, Stapleton has found most women have been left scared of what those extreme individuals could do.

“I see a lot of stuff (for women) online about ‘what a man would never understand,’ and some of it’s cute stuff like getting ready with your friends before you go out, and then the other half of it is fearing for your life as you’re walking down the street.”

By the time those messages reach a workplace, a classroom or a sidewalk, they may no longer sound like ideology. They may sound like a joke, a compliment or advice from a stranger. For young women such as Wylie and Stapleton, that is part of what makes them harder to ignore.

Robyn Best is a graduate of Carleton University’s journalism program. Raised in Lindsay, she has a love of storytelling and a bigger love of dogs.

Glossary of the Manosphere

Alpha / Beta Male

A hierarchy of masculinity: “alphas” are framed as dominant and desirable; “betas” as weak or unsuccessful.

AWALT (“All Women Are Like That”)

A blanket stereotype used to claim women share negative traits; common in incel and redpill spaces.

AWFL / AWFUL (“Affluent White Female Liberal”)

A derogatory label for progressive, urban white women.

Becky

A term for a supposedly “average” or less desirable woman, often racialized or classcoded.

Black Pill

A nihilistic incel worldview claiming romantic outcomes are biologically predetermined and hopeless for “inferior” men.

Body Count

Number of sexual partners; framed positively for men and negatively for women.

Bop (“Been Over Passed”)

A misogynistic term used to shame women as promiscuous.

Briffault’s Law

A pseudoscientific claim that women use men solely for personal gain; used to justify antifeminist attitudes.

Chad

The archetypal alpha male: muscular, confident, sexually successful. Often contrasted with incels or “betas.”

Incel (“Involuntary Celibate”)

Men who feel romantically unsuccessful and often blame women, leading to misogynistic or violent rhetoric.

Red Pill / Blue Pill

Borrowed from The Matrix: “red pill” signifies adopting manosphere ideology; “blue pill” means rejecting it.

Stacy

The female counterpart to “Chad”: conventionally attractive, socially successful.

— UN Women’s 2026 glossary of manosphere terminology.

Room to stay

By Sarah Fournier Contributor

Eight years ago, we renovated the kitchen in our century home. Apparently, we put it in the wrong room.

This realization came courtesy of a friend who casually mentioned they were surprised we hadn’t moved the kitchen into our dining room when we first renovated. I laughed, but the truth was simple: it had never occurred to me that you could just... move a kitchen.

There was a kitchen. We fixed the kitchen. It felt logical.

To be clear, that renovation wasn’t part of some grand vision. We were preparing to move in when we discovered the butcher block countertop was rotting through. Suddenly, a new kitchen moved from the long-term wish list to the much more immediate category of “places where I am comfortable preparing food.”

But three busy kids later, I understand our house differently.

I laughed, but the truth was simple: it had never occurred to me that you could just... move a kitchen.

Our kitchen is wedged between the front and back doors, making it a high-traffic thoroughfare for the kids and their friends. Two people can’t comfortably cook at once, and if you want to talk to whomever is making dinner, you stand awkwardly by the doorjamb. Meanwhile, our massive dining room sits nearby, being used as a dumping ground.

And now, I can’t stop picturing the kitchen there. I see an island with teenagers doing homework, a place where I can read with my orange pekoe tea in the mornings. A kitchen connected to the living room, close enough that cooking doesn’t mean disappearing from everyone else.

Admittedly, I may be planning several years ahead. Our kids are still young, but eventually they’ll be those teenagers, living lives that don’t revolve around their mom.

I know a new kitchen won’t guarantee they will want to hang out with me. I’m not that optimistic. But I’ve started wondering how the spaces in our home will quietly influence the way we spend time together as they grow.

When we moved in, we didn’t know how we’d actually use the house or that the dining room was brutally cold every winter. We didn’t know we’d eventually have to tear out the lath and plaster, reframe the walls and insulate it properly. Maybe we couldn’t have moved the kitchen then because that job would’ve been biting off more than we could chew.

We’re still figuring out whether we can make it work, likely with some DIY and lots of help from professionals.

The more we talk about it, the less interested I am in designing the perfect kitchen and the more I want to create a room people stay in. Maybe that’s what makes a kitchen the heart of a home in the first place.

BUSINESS Today

Jennifer Mabee, of Mabee & Associates in Lindsay, accepts the national award from David Dickson, regional vice president of IG Wealth Management.

MABEE AND ASSOCIATES HONOURED WITH NATIONAL AWARD

By Robyn Best

Mabee and Associates IG Private Wealth Management, located in Lindsay, recently won the Jeff Carney award for financial planning excellence. The award is only given to three winners across Canada every year. One for IG private wealth management, one for IG wealth management, and one for corporate channel employees.

Jennifer Mabee, executive financial consultant, said she knew that Regional Vice President David Dickson had nominated Mabee and Associates, but she didn’t imagine receiving the news that they had won.

“I knew we ticked all the boxes with full financial planning, involvement in the community, and the client testimonials, all the things that are involved with the award, but I never did think that across Canada that we, in Lindsay, would win this award,” Mabee said.

The award is only given to three winners across Canada every year.

The award was created in 2023 and named after IG Wealth’s CEO who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. On top of the award, winners are given $5,000 to donate to their local Alzheimer’s Society, something that aligns with Mabee’s goal to give back as much as she can to the community she lives in.

“I just feel like whenever you can make a difference it counts, whether it’s a small, tiny way or whether it’s big, it’s meaningful no matter which way it happens.”

Dickson said that “Jennifer is a passionate advisor who is 100 per cent dedicated to her clients. Her practice is grounded by ethics and an unwavering focus on always doing what’s right for the client. Jennifer has always been about family first and has successfully integrated her family into her practice. A true family business which continues to thrive after almost 30 years.”

For Mabee the award gives a sense of validation that over the last 30 years the business has been serving the community in a way that has had an impact. “Canadians deserve the right to financial security and independence, and so we really kind of thrive off of that,” Mabee said. “You just go to work every day, and you love what you do, and you want to help clients achieve all of their financial objectives and dreams. I’m lucky, I love what I do every day.”

Mabee and the team work with business owners, retirees, and people who are just starting to want financial advice. “I was very young when I started in this business, and I had incredible mentors. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am. Without my clients, I wouldn’t be where I am. It takes all of (the team) to make something like this happen every day for our clients.”

SWITCHING FROM ‘ON’ TO ‘IN’ WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR BUSINESS

By Corey Norman

Summer in Kawartha Lakes has officially kicked off. With it brings the annual shift that virtually every business owner experiences: going from working ‘on’ your business, to working ‘in’ your business. While focusing on the big picture strategic planning, growth, and management are essential for longterm success, there is also tremendous value in being directly involved in the day-to-day operations of a business.

Working in the business provides insights that cannot always be found in reports, dashboards, or management discussions. It allows leaders to experience the organization from the front lines and gain a deeper understanding of customers, employees, systems, and operations.

When business owners and leaders are actively involved in daily operations, they often gain a clearer picture of what customers truly value. They hear complaints firsthand, recognize emerging needs, and better understand what drives loyalty and trust. This kind of direct feedback is invaluable and often reveals opportunities for improvement or innovation that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Operational involvement also exposes where processes break down. Leaders can quickly identify inefficiencies, communication gaps, bottlenecks, and areas where systems may no longer support growth. These experiences help organizations build stronger and more practical processes over time.

Equally important is the insight gained about people and workplace culture. Working closely with employees helps leaders recognize emerging talent, understand team dynamics, and see how organizational values are reflected in everyday interactions. Culture becomes visible not through mission statements, but through behaviour under pressure, collaboration, and accountability.

Perhaps most importantly, working in the business often highlights where the organization has become too dependent on the owner or leadership team. If every decision requires one person’s involvement, growth becomes difficult and sustainability is at risk. Recognizing this is often the first step toward building stronger systems, empowering employees, and creating a more resilient organization.

Ultimately, working in the business teaches operational truth, while working on the business builds long-term direction and sustainability. Successful leaders understand that both are necessary, and that real growth happens when operational insight and strategic leadership work together. If you are the owner or operator of a business, enjoy this period, but make it a goal to learn at least one new thing to improve your operation after this period is over. LA

YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS, BIG AMBITIONS: 2026 SUMMER COMPANY PARTICIPANTS

Media release

Kawartha Lakes – Get ready to cheer on an incredible group of young business owners. The 2026 Summer Company Program is excited to introduce this year’s entrepreneurs. They’re a creative, hardworking, and inspiring group ready to make their mark this summer.

This year’s lineup includes:

Ayva Callieu - Game On Event Rentals

A jumbo games rental business for events

At Game On Event Rentals, they offer a wide selection of jumbo yard games, including Giant Connect Four, Giant Guess Who, Giant KerPlunk, and many more! Their games are perfect for birthdays, weddings, corporate events, school functions, and other special occasions.

• Phone: 705-312-8226

• Email: Gameoneventrentals@outlook.com

• Instagram: GameOnEventRentals

• Facebook: GameOnEventRentals

Emily Durley - Essential Equine

An equestrian show prep service

Corey Norman is the executive director of Launch Kawartha. Visit launchkawartha.ca to find out how Launch can help your business begin or grow.

Essential Equine offers premium horse show prep services, including braiding, clipping, bathing, grooming, and tack cleaning. Her attention to detail ensures every horse steps into the show ring looking its absolute best.

• Phone: 705-821-2500

• Email: essentialequine@hotmail.com

• Instagram: essentialequine

• Facebook: Essential Equine

Caden Parker - Caden’s Professional Mobile Detailing

A car detailing business

Caden offers premium mobile car detailing delivering showroom-quality results at your doorstep. He specializes in deep interior cleaning, stain removal, and high-quality exterior detailing.

• Phone: 416-903-5869

• Email: cadenparker706@gmail.com

• Facebook: cadensprofessionalmobiledetailing

• TikTok: Cadens.detailing_

Kendra Korpela - KissaMoon

A retailer of products from Finland

KissaMoon is a specialty retail pop-up shop offering Finnish candy, gifts, and Nordic-inspired products in downtown Haliburton. The store celebrates Finnish culture while creating a unique local shopping experience at 201 Highland Street, Haliburton, ON.

• Email: info.kissamoon@gmail.com

• Instagram: Kissamoon.official

• Facebook: Kissamoon.official

• Website: www.kissamoon.ca

Teddy Haber - Haber Handyman and Hauling

Handyman and Hauler

Haber Handyman and Hauling does almost all the odd jobs you can’t do (or don’t want to!).

• Phone: 705-341-6717

• Email: haber.handyman.hauling@gmail.com

• Instagram: haberhandyman

• Facebook: teddyhandyman

Teagan MacIntosh - Scrum Queen Athletics

Rugby Ware for Females

Scrum Queen Athletics. Teagan designs and sells premium women’s rugby apparel, for athletes on and off the pitch. You can find all her products and her rugby story on Instagram.

• Email: teaganmacintosh@gmail.com

• Instagram: scrumqueen.athletics

Turning ideas into reality

From helping customers shine to bringing fun to community events, these entrepreneurs are turning their ideas into reality and gaining valuable business experience along the way.

The Summer Company program gives students the opportunity to launch and run their own businesses while receiving mentorship, training, support, and a grant of up to $3,000.

This program is an initiative offered through the Kawartha Lakes Small Business Centre (KLSBC) in conjunction with the province of Ontario. It’s an exciting first step into entrepreneurship, and this year’s participants are ready to show what they can do.

We invite everyone in the community to say hello, follow their journeys, and support these amazing young entrepreneurs throughout the summer. Whether you’re looking for a service, a unique product, or just want to encourage local youth, every bit of support makes a difference.

Here’s to a summer filled with big ideas, new experiences, and entrepreneurial success. We can’t wait to see what this talented group accomplishes!

Craft beer still flows, but mocktails make waves across Kawartha Lakes

By Geoff Coleman

After delivering two major heatwaves already, Mother Nature has more than done her part this summer to supply weather suitable for enjoying a cold beverage. As cottagers and residents seek shaded patios and porches, or breezy decks and docks, there has never been a wider variety of drinks available to wet the whistle. From craft beers to non-alcoholic cocktails, here is a look at what is happening at some Kawartha Lakes watering holes this summer.

The Fenelon Falls Brewing Company has 10 in-house varieties on tap, and in cans or growlers for at-home consumption. Brewmaster Russell Gibson says the Grapefruit Radler they introduced last year has become their bestselling “dock drink.”

Calling it “a mix of lager beer and grapefruit soda, equal mixes of citrus fruit, candy and a touch of hop bitterness,” it took nearly a year of experimentation before the 2.5 per cent alcohol by volume drink came to market.

The beers range from the milder Mexican Lager to the 6.2 per cent Farmhouse Belgian Ale. Gibson recommends a sampling flight arranged in order from the most approachable to the more adventurous to ease into craft beers for the uninitiated.

“We may be looking into new brands later in the year around the Christmas period. Generally, we’re looking at more seasonal brands for next year,” adds Gibson who personally brews all products on site.

All photos: Geoff Coleman.

Patio summer

Russell Gibson, brewmaster, at Fenelon Falls Brewing Co.

You’ll see the Radler and their recently re-branded beers on the expanded patio with pizza oven all summer at the restaurant adjacent to the brewery.

Drinks are in flight across town at the Locker by the Falls as well. Last summer, the second generation of the restaurant put their mark on the menu when owner Samena Kennedy’s daughter, Lily, created their “Mojito & Margarita Flights,” a twist on the classic draft sample flights. More than 800 sold in one summer season.

A proud mom explained this year’s contribution.

“She presented the concept of “signature staff cocktails and menu items,” giving staff the opportunity to share a piece of themselves with our guests. Both our front of house and back of house are involved. Guests love the idea...and it just reaffirms our team concept.”

One of the most popular new creations is “Mandy’s Spiked Heel,” which combines Hypnotic, raspberry vodka, Sprite, strawberry juice, a sugared rim, and a watermelon wedge garnish.

“Guests absolutely love watching our bartenders create their drinks, but pouring a draft properly is still the king of the hill,” says Kennedy.

One of the most popular new creations is “Mandy’s Spiked Heel,” which combines Hypnotic, raspberry vodka, Sprite, strawberry juice, a sugared rim, and a watermelon wedge garnish.

Down the road in Bobcaygeon, 72 Bolton Sports Cafe has streamlined their drink menu to feature customer favourites and “the most refreshing cocktails summer has to offer.”

According to Sarah Matthews, “this season, some of our biggest hits have been the strawberry pomegranate transfusion, our famous spicy margarita, and our signature pineapple coconut margarita.”

“Every off-season, we travel and sample cocktails from around the world, bringing home fresh ideas and inspiration to create exciting new drinks for our guests each summer.”

If you’re looking to re-create one of their signature cocktails at home, the pineapple coconut margarita is a great place to start. It features tequila blanco, pineapple juice, coconut cream, and a splash of fresh lime.

Meanwhile in Lindsay, the Lindsay Brewing Company continues to satisfy thirsts and appetites at the Pie Eyed Monk. Coming off a winter where they were at capacity and turning away diners many weekends, summer sales of cans and growlers remain strong.

Erastus Burley, general manager, says, “our biggest sellers are from a shakeup we did three years ago. We had a lot of the really ‘crafty’ stuff – heavy, heavy pale ales, double IPAs and the community here wanted to embrace us, but a lot of folks don’t love those big, ‘mouth-feel’ beers and they don’t love the high-alcohol content IPAs. So we dialed it back and developed our golden ale and Lindsay Light Lager which proved incredibly popular.”

He describes the new lager as “easy-drinking, well-carbonated, crisp, with a tiny little fruit note, and not a lot of complex flavours. You can crush it on the dock or around the campfire and it goes great with many menu items.”

The trend of the summer at the Pie Eyed Monk and beyond has been the popularity of non-alcoholic beers and cocktails.

While the Lindsay Brewing Company doesn’t brew any near-beers themselves, Burley, who has been the GM since 2019, says they are hard to keep available at the restaurant. “We can’t keep a Heineken Zero in stock. Non-alcoholic beer is very trendy right now.”

“There’s a big shift in the hospitality industry as a whole. Our sales for non-alcoholic craft cocktails are between 400 and 500 per cent higher than they were last year.”

He attributes that to increased health awareness, changed attitudes toward drinking and driving, and a cultural shift where young people are more likely to stay home with online gaming, gambling, or streaming services for entertainment instead of going to a night club or a dance.

The trend has resulted in new drink menu choices. “We’re bringing in some really high-end, non-alcoholic liquors and spirits. We have a drink with non-alcoholic Amaretto that is selling like crazy. I thought I had bought enough for a couple weeks, and it was gone in the first weekend.”

Ana Mena of Lindsay enjoys a Mango Mule.

Mexican Lager from the Fenelon Falls Brewing Company.

Mocktails are now big business for most pubs and restaurants.

Jason Lynn, co-owner of Murphy’s Lockside Patio and Pub in Fenelon Falls, agrees sales of non-alcoholic drinks are expanding. “The biggest seller in our restaurant is by far, soda pop. We’ve introduced more brands of non-alcoholic beverages, not mocktails as much, but definitely beers like Corona, Erdinger and Guinness 0 per cent as well as alcohol-free apple ciders.”

“We’re bringing in some really high-end, non-alcoholic liquors and spirits. We have a drink with non-alcoholic Amaretto that is selling like crazy. I thought I had bought enough for a couple weeks, and it was gone in the first weekend.”

Recipe tip

The Pie Eyed Monk’s Strawberry Pineapple N/A Amaretto Sour:

Add 2 oz Non-Amaretto, .75 oz strawberry syrup, 3 oz pineapple juice, .75 oz lemon juice to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain over fresh ice before garnishing.

Back at 72 Bolton, Sarah Matthews makes the same observation. “One trend we’ve seen explode this year is the demand for non-alcoholic beverages. Our top seller has been Michelob Ultra Zero, and we’ve also introduced a lineup of handcrafted mocktails, including a Mimosa, Lime Margarita, and Moscow Mule. They’re so full of flavour, you’d never guess they contain zero alcohol.”

Gibson, at the Fenelon Falls Brewing Company says the trend can’t be denied. “The one thing we get asked the most about are non-alcoholic brands. This is reflective of the public’s reassessment of their relationship with alcohol. Gen Z is apparently drinking less and this is, in my opinion, a healthy and natural progression. The technology for making zero percent beers is substantially getting better, making the taste far more appealing. It still requires some investment in equipment, such as pasteurizers, which can have some serious upfront costs.”

He adds, “Personally, I don’t think alcohol is going away anytime soon, but it’s a good reminder that if you like your local businesses, it’s important to support them in what ways you can.” LA

Geoff Coleman has been a freelance writer since the days of the Commodore 64. When not fishing or in his woodworking shop, he can be found playing in an as yet undiscovered classic rock band.

Kawartha Lakes’ Mike Flannery with a Manhattan.

Municipal Minute

Stay There Responsibly

Summer is one of the busiest times of year in Kawartha Lakes, with thousands of people visiting our lakes and communities. Many choose to stay in a short-term rental (STR), which is a home or cottage rented for less than 28 days in a row.

Aaron Sloan Manager, Municipal Law Enforcement

To help keep guests, property owners and neighbours safe, all short-term rentals in Kawartha Lakes must be licensed Licensing helps ensure rentals meet important safety requirements and that owners understand their responsibilities.

Being a great host goes beyond providing a place to stay. Hosts should make sure guests know about local rules before they arrive. These include parking, noise, waste collection, control of pets, campfires and fireworks. Sharing this information helps visitors enjoy their stay while respecting the community.

Visitors also have a role to play. Please be a good neighbour by following local rules, respecting quiet hours and leaving the property and surrounding area the way you found it.

If you are dealing with noise, parking, garbage or other shortterm rental issues, you can report a concern by calling our 24/7 hotline at 705-990-2497 or using our online complaint form at www.kawarthalakes.ca/STRComplaint

Together, we can help everyone Stay There Responsibly and keep Kawartha Lakes welcoming, safe, and enjoyable all summer long

The Mindful Move - with Nicole Naylor

What If Nothing Had to Be Wrong?

When people think about moving, there's often an assumption that something has to force the decision. Maybe the stairs have become too difﬁcult. The house has become too much to maintain.

Health has changed, or ﬁnances have made the choice unavoidable.

But what if nothing had to be wrong? What if wanting something different, was reason enough?

Sometimes we convince ourselves that we need a "good enough" reason to make a change.

We wait until a home becomes a burden before allowing ourselves to consider something different.

Choosing a home that better suits your lifestyle doesn't mean you've failed or given up on the one you're in. It simply means your priorities may have changed.

Perhaps you'd like to spend weekends exploring, rather than maintaining a large yard.

Maybe you'd enjoy traveling more if you didn't have so much to look after. Or maybe you're simply ready for a home that gives you more freedom and less responsibility.

There's nothing wrong with loving the home you've built memories in while also recognizing it no longer ﬁts the life you're living today.

A mindful move isn't about waiting until you have no choice.

Sometimes it's about giving yourself permission to make a choice before you have to.

Mindful Takeaway:

You don't have to wait for life to force a change before choosing what feels right for you.

Nicole Naylor REALTOR®

Experience What’s Coming!

19 Cambridge St. S. will soon come alive with exhibitions, music, workshops, tours and community events. Here’s a preview of what’s ahead.

October

• Beginner Watercolour Class

• Fashion Show

• Walking Tour

November December

• Juried Exhibition

• Music Series

• Winter Market

Looking ahead to 2027

• Adult & Youth Programming

What’s

happening

at Kawartha Lakes Public Library this August!

Summer is flying by, but the fun isn’t over yet! Visit our online event calendar for full schedules, including our popular Touch-a-Truck events and these exciting events:

Special Guest Events

Invasive Species Detectives: Learn to protect Ontario’s ecosystems, meet invasive species experts, and examine real specimens.

most of summer at your library.

“NUMBER,

PLEASE?”

Lindsay Telephone Exchange

ACROSS

1. Perimeters

6. Tart apples, for short

10. Bear in the night sky

14. Item's worth

15. Jai ___ (court sport)

16. Makes lace

17. '___ Gorge', near Guelph

18. "Buy low, ___ high"

19. Yeses, to sailors

20. * Owner of old Lindsay phone exchange

23. Superior tea

24. Literary collection

25. Negative replies

26. Long lists of prayers, petitions

29. High-quality French vineyard

31. Hearing organ

32. Pose for a portrait

33. * Lindsay's first operator-run phone exchange opened in the year 18_1

37. Mushroom type

40. Short sleep

42. Water's edge

43. * Phones went from ___ dial to push button starting in 1963

45. Fashion craze

47. Pirate's domain

48. Sheep talk

49. Sticky strip to catch small bugs

52. Sizzling bacon sound

55. Nautical miles: Abbr.

57. “Heartbreak Hotel” singer

58. * Location of old Lindsay phone exchange: 91 ___ North (2 wds.)

62. Opera solo

63. Listen

64. Low tides

67. Giraffe's longest feature

68. Prairie province: Abbr.

69. Dark, not illuminated

70. Leg joint

71. Flower stalk

72. Saunter along

by Joan Corrigan, Fun & Done Crosswords

By Joan Corrigan, Fun & Done Crosswords

DOWN

1. New Year's ___

2. Lentil dish

3. Travel the world

4. “I have found it!”

5. He set a ___ the envelope before mailing it. 2 wds.

6. Sailboat pole

7. Away from the wind, to sailors

8. Lily

9. Sounds of ___ (Simon & Garfunkel)

10. U.S. state that isn't Iowa or Ohio

11. Synthetic silk

12. Old-time dictation taker

13. Donkeys

21. Flower garlands

22. Capital of France

23. Grand musical instrument

26. Stare rudely

27. One, in German

28. Office workers

30. Disgusted grunt

34. Medical buildings

35. Elms and oaks

36. 12-month period

38. Ancient Hebrew measure

39. Tehran native

41. Friend

44. Some pianos or motorcycles

46. Artisan who colours cloth or yarn

50. Assembly with all members present

51. Skin care brand advertised by Jennifer Aniston

52. Imposingly fashionable and elegant

53. Fire truck sound

54. Piece of pie

56. Liquify ore to produce metal

59. Big pond

60. Satisfy, as hunger

61. Cable car

65. Apple or lemon meringue

66. Enclosure for pigs

The bird cat-astrophe

I’ve been known to leap down a retaining wall to rescue a bird from the jaws of my cat.

Cats are astonishingly effective predators. While firm numbers are hard to pin down, studies estimate that Canada’s 18 million cats kill anywhere from 60 million to well over 150 million birds every year. That includes kills by feral (unowned) cats, and pets allowed outside. Their threat to birds is second only to habitat loss.

At one time our family let our resident felines roam. No more. It’s too hard on the cat, neighbourhood birds and countless other creatures. Cat bells have not been proven particularly effective. And well-fed pets are still efficient killers.

Some argue it’s cruel to keep cats inside, but our indoor cats have been feline fine. Granted, they’ve occasionally pulled off a great escape. Outdoors, they face myriad threats: other cats, coyotes, infestations of ticks and fleas, parasites, diseases, extreme weather, and cars. My longest-lived indoor cat died at 21. One outdoor cat lived to be eight. Typically, outdoor cats live half as long as their indoor cousins.

Cats are listed among the worst 100 invasive species on the planet. Keeping them indoors helps to rein in a nonnative invasive predator. Many organizations advise against letting cats roam, including Nature Canada, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society, and the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.

Despite their strong prey drive, cats can be trained to safely enjoy the outdoors. “Ours was,” said Rob Stavinga, a member of City of Kawartha Lakes’ Bird Friendly committee. “It would come out with us into the garden but understood that it could only leave the deck with us, and was to stay close. She went inside when told and was never outside without us. I also had a cat when I was a kid that I trained to deliver papers with me. It heeled, no leash.”

I haven’t had patience or luck with leash training but many do. If that doesn’t work, you can create a confined outdoor “catio” to let your cat safely experience the sounds, sights and smells of nature without endangering other creatures. Our cat, Shen, enjoys lying near a screened window or door monitoring those birds and chipmunks.

For cat exercise, some recommend getting a second feline. Others opt for challenging toys.

Importantly, all cats need to be spayed or neutered to reduce the population.

Some years ago, a feral cat decided our shed was a great nursery. Once the kittens were old enough, I found them homes. My officemate took Bonnie and Clyde, a local vet clinic took Julie as an office cat. And another vet passed a kitten on to a client. Momma cat gradually became adoptable.

Dropping a cat off at the side of the road does not help the situation. If a car doesn’t end the feline’s life, starvation or a parasite might. A friend told me about seeing a cat dropped off in front of a farm, probably with the expectation it would miraculously become self-sufficient. A day later, the cat was still standing on the side of the road. That kind of story stresses meowt and adds to the cat-astrophe.

Aug. 8 is International Cat Day, promoting feline health and safety.

Neutering, training, and keeping cats indoors would help. We just need a change in cattitude.

Ginny Colling was passionate about the environment before retiring from teaching college communications students. After retiring she trained with Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project. She has presented to numerous groups about the climate crisis.

“Do you want fries with that?” Serving up fast-food history in Kawartha Lakes

The smell of salty French fries was unmistakable as locals ventured into Pinder’s Lunch on Lindsay Street North one summer’s day in 1941, wooed by a clever advertisement in the local paper. “One of the best meals served in town for 25¢,” they read. “Fish and Chips that are always fresh, hot, and greaseless. Cooked the modern way. Served at all hours.”

Cooked in Crisco, the famous brand of shortening, D. J. Pinder and Howard St. John’s product may not have been the healthiest option in town – but it was an affordable one at a time when memories of the Great Depression were still fresh. Moreover, those who lined up at Pinder’s 85 years ago were surely enticed by the prospect of not having to do the cooking themselves for a change.

That, after all, has always been one of the attractions of eating out – not least in globally-recognizable chain restaurants that trace their origins to the consumerism and optimism of postwar North America. Long before the golden arches of McDonald’s and its various culinary competitors made their presence felt in this area, the humble fish and chip shop, together with independently owned and operated roadside snack bars, were the purveyors of what we today call fast food.

Nearly 100 years ago, a business calling itself the Ideal Fish and Chip Shop was offering takeout options from its location at 32 Lindsay Street South. “Those who desire large orders to take away are requested to phone them before calling,” noted an ad from 1928. The fish and chip business grew following the Second World War, with other entrepreneurs setting up shop in the general vicinity of Lindsay Street – no doubt on account of it being one of the principal thoroughfares leading into town.

Those who lined up at Pinder’s 85 years ago were surely enticed by the prospect of not having to do the cooking themselves for a change.

Among the best-known of these businesses was Chris’s Fish and Chips, which was located at various addresses in the south ward during the 1950s and 1960s. Chris Grazos famously wrapped up his fare in newspaper until approximately 1968, when the business became known as Pelican Fish and Chips under the proprietorship of Clarence Adams. (The Adams family’s culinary legacy is carried on to this day by Darryl Adams, owner of Terry’s Fish and Chips, which his brother began in 1979.)

Chris’ Fish and Chips promised Lindsay residents a “delicious change from routine meals” in this 1955 advertisement.

Just as fish and chips grew in popularity from the 1920s into the 1940s, so too did the family car, and the fast-food scene in Kawartha Lakes has long been inextricably connected with the prevalence of automotive-focused tourism. Snack bars, often operated in conjunction with roadside service stations, popped up along increasingly busy highways crisscrossing the county.

Margaret Valentine’s family ran a snack bar at Coboconk’s British-American gas station more than 75 years ago. “During the war, there was no pop – sugar rationing was in effect,” Margaret recalled in a 2022 interview. “We mixed orange concentrate and sold it by the paper cup for 5 cents. We [also] sold breakfast, sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, and the best home-made pie ever.”

Other snack bars dealing in traditional fast-food items included the rustic-looking Club Balsam in Rosedale, Henry Sternberg’s Hamburg Bar in Fenelon Falls, and the short-lived Dairy King, which was located at the Embassy dance hall on County Road 36, just east of Lindsay. Starting in 1965, Dairy King was advertising a “Papa Burger,” a “Moma Burger,” and a “Baby Burger,” all of which could be purchased with a milkshake for 70¢, 59¢, and 39¢, respectively.

Two years later, Dairy King had rebranded its mainstays as King, Queen, and Princess burgers – perhaps to avoid confusing its “burger family” with that of A&W, which originally opened in 1965 just east of the Kent and Albert Street intersection. A&W, like the roadside snack bars, was designed especially with the private automobile in mind. Female servers, known as car hostesses, were hired to bring orders of hamburgers, fries, and root beer to consumers waiting outside. According to an advertisement placed in Peterborough and Lindsay papers at the time, car hostesses “must be 5’ to 5’ 6” tall, size 10-16, neat, courteous, accurate and presentable to the public, married and single.”

Dairy King (not to be confused with Burger King or Dairy Queen) was a popular destination for those craving burgers and milkshakes in the late 1960s.

The fast-food scene was growing. Colonel Harland Sanders made an appearance in Lindsay to open a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise at Foster’s Chicken Villa on Lindsay Street South, in 1968. And in 1977, history was made when McDonald’s opened its very first Canadian drive-through restaurant in Lindsay. Sporting 146 seats, and overseen by general manager George Wright, McDonald’s heralded a new era on Kent Street West. By the first decade of the 21st century, most of Lindsay’s fast-food franchises, including KFC and A&W, had relocated to that part of town.

Snack bars, often operated in conjunction with roadside service stations, popped up along increasingly busy highways crisscrossing the county.

Despite the dominance of multinational corporations, family-owned operations – such as Deighton’s chip truck, owned by MaryJane Herlihey’s parents – remained ubiquitous. “Starting I think in the late 60s, they began parking it on the corner of Kent and Victoria on the weekends,” Herlihey recalls. “When Weldon opened, they parked it at their house on Weldon Road and opened only at lunch for the students.” The Deightons served long lines of hungry students, and business was brisk. Though that chip truck is no more, local entrepreneurs and large chains alike will continue to satisfy our cravings for fast food. Pass the ketchup, please.

The Hamburg Bar, owned and operated by Henry and Getrud Sternberg, served take-out hamburgers, French fries, ice cream, and Coca-Cola products to tourists making their way through Fenelon Falls in the early 1970s. Maryboro Lodge: The Fenelon Museum collection.

Ian McKechnie is a freelance writer, local historian, and researcher who has compiled and edited three books.

Nature is gay

I think a recent cancer diagnosis has put me in a reflective mood. It will all work out, thanks to math and science. But I find myself, in the quiet times, thinking of really deep questions. Like, why do the Eagles suck so much? Did Jim Morrison and the Doors open up an interdimensional portal to absolute crap, making all music that followed worse just by the influence of that horribleness? Why, for the love of the sweet baby Jesus, isn’t there an advance green going south on St. Joseph at the Lindsay Mall traffic light?

In psychology, getting exhausted by your mind churning with such existential questions is called rumination or intellectualization, where the brain treats every abstract thought as an urgent puzzle to solve right now. Buddhism has a better phrase to describe this: monkey mind.

From Buddhism, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn normalized mindfulness in Western medicine and psychology. In his seminal 1994 work “Wherever You Go, There You Are,” Kabat-Zinn defined the concept as the intentional act of observing the present moment without judging it. This is now routinely used to treat chronic pain and depression relapse. The concept has been expanded to the social sciences. Lama Rod Owens advocates mindfulness as a tool for marginalized people (like the LGBTQ+ community) to process the trauma of systemic oppression, while people holding prejudice must use it to interrogate their own internal conditioning.

I tried using this knowledge last month at the amazing Kawartha Lakes Pride at Victoria Park. I walked around the smiling, diverse crowd and just breathed it in. I looked up at the trees and thought: Nature is gay.

By Trevor Hutchinson Contributing Editor

Seriously, while not completely gay, there are at least 1,500 animal species in every geographic region that exhibit same-sex behaviour. This includes mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and insects. Countless species change sex for environmental or social reasons. Hell, there is a mushroom called the splitgill (Schizophyllum commune) that has more than 23,000 distinct sexes.

There is only one species that shows hateful prejudice and violence to these facts of nature: Homo sapiens.

And it was that sad fact that was highlighted to me when many friends, family members and colleagues volunteering at Pride wore lanyards identifying themselves as security. When I asked about it, I was told the organizers had to be ready for protesters at the event. This had happened in the past.

I can only try to imagine how that makes the LGBTQ+ people in my life feel. All I can do is be an ally. I was ready to wave my cane, straight-white-oldman style. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that.

I expressed a hope that any loser who would even think about protesting such an amazing event uses mindfulness to deal with their disgusting homophobia. And perhaps, instead of going to the library to protest a drag queen event, they might actually start checking out books.

the M A R K E T P L A C E

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St. Luke’s Cemetery, Downeyville

DECORATION DAY Sunday, August 2, 2026

Mass at 10 a.m. (New Cemetery)

Please bring a lawn chair.

St. John’s Anglican Church INDOOR Yard Sale

1948 Sturgeon Rd; Dunsford

August 15th 8am - 12noon

DIXA moved to Lindsay from London, Ontario in 2023.

Lindsay Advocate: Why did you choose to move here?

DIXA: I did the sustainable agriculture course at Fleming College in 2023-2024. I was also doing agri business management at Fanshawe College. But London has too much traffic and issues with their bus service. Drug problems there were also an issue. Here in Lindsay I feel so safe.

Lindsay Advocate: What is your favourite thing about Kawartha Lakes so far?

DIXA: I really like the people here. I’ve heard that some of the people here are grumpy toward Indians, but I have never experienced that myself. I find the people here are helpful and supportive. I like their kind nature towards me.

Lindsay Advocate: What are your favourite local restaurants or shops?

DIXA: I like Winners. Stacked Pancakes, too, because breakfast is my favourite meal. And downtown, I like Kindred -- I’ve been there many times with my friends and my boyfriend. Nice for breakfast and for coffee.

Lindsay Advocate: What do you think is missing from Kawartha Lakes?

DIXA: I kind of feel there’s no one in Lindsay doing anything after 10 p.m. It’s really dead. We should have some restaurants and other things open late so we can hang out. I think this is missing.

Lindsay Advocate: What’s next for you?

Are you new in town? If you moved to Kawartha Lakes within the past two years and want to be featured here, email us at info@lindsayadvocate.ca.

DIXA: I am moving to the U.S. to pursue my PhD in Horticulture. In this community, I just talk with people and they’re so nice to me. I feel at home here. I am going to miss you guys.

Photo: Roderick Benns.

Photo: Veronica Price-Jones