Archiving our history
East coast exodus: They left Kawartha Lakes for a new life but is it everything they wanted?
Axes and taxes
An open letter to the residents of Kawartha Lakes
The Ontario government has announced it will be sending a cheque for $200 to eligible adults, and children under 18. This initiative comes at a time when many families are struggling and in need of support.
Some people have approached us, acknowledging that they are fortunate enough not to need the help themselves. They would like to donate their $200 cheque to create a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
As a collection of local social service organizations, we share a clear and urgent message: the demand for assistance has reached an unprecedented level. Many families in our communities are grappling with hunger, cold, homelessness, isolation, safety, mental or physical health issues and other critical challenges. Many charities work tirelessly to create lasting change through initiatives in Indigenous education, environmental conservation, youth mentorship, community care, and more. The organizations dedicated to these causes can continue to make meaningful impacts with the help of those who are able to contribute.
If you are in a position to do so, please donate your $200 rebate to a charity of YOUR choice. You can find many charities on Canada Helps or donate directly on your charity’s website.
We understand that addressing immediate needs may feel like treating symptoms rather than solving the root causes of systemic issues. However, as we work together as a community to find longterm solutions, we must also ensure that no one is left behind in the present.
Together we can collectively strengthen our community. Your kindness and generosity can bring hope to those who need it most.
Laurie Dillon-Schalk, Executive Director, Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes, Jim Armstrong, Chair, Kawartha Works Community Co-op, Janice Balfour, Executive Director, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Brenda Roxburgh, Executive Director, VCCS Employment Services, Lori Watson, Executive Director, Womens Resources, Amy Terrill, Executive Director, BGC Kawarthas, Richard & Sandi Gauder, Urban Tree and Biodiversity Planters, Plant Kawartha, Mark Majchrowski, CAO, Kawartha Conservation, Rodney Smith-Merkley, President of The Mishkodeh Centre for Indigenous Knowledge, Angela Ricciuti, Executive Director, A Place Called Home, Ryan Alexander, Chief Executive Officer, Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes, Dana Hetherton, Chief Executive Officer, John Howard Society Kawartha Lakes & Haliburton, Fay Carslake, Chair, Dunsford Food Bank, Kelland Sewell, Board Chair, Kawartha Lakes Food Source, Emily Beall and Shantal Ingram, Executive Directors, United Way City of Kawartha Lakes, Erin Coons, CFRE, Chief Executive Officer, Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation
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The archival options: History in the making. 10
They swapped Kawartha Lakes for Atlantic Canada. What was the result?
In Newcomer, the Advocate welcomes Brooke Goldring and family. 30 18
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letters to the editor 6 • benns’ belief 7
mansur’s musings 15 • KL public library 22 • crossword 23 cool tips for a hot planet 25 • just in time 26 trevor’s take 28 • the marketplace 29 • newcomer 30
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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.
Lupin flowers are a regular sight in Oromocto, New Brunswick. Many Kawartha Lakes residents moved to the east coast during COVID. Photo: Chris McMorrow.
to the editor
Unique careers article appreciated
Thanks to the article in the Jan. Advocate (Unique careers offer opportunities for local residents to thrive) by Aliyah Mansur. I was inspired by the career choice of Paige Andrews, Aquaculture graduate and an aspiring fish farmer. As an active member of the Health & Wellness Committee of the Canadians Citizens Care Alliance (CCCA), I am acutely aware of the importance of natural organic foods, especially those with high contents of healthy fat and protein. My father, deceased in 1991, often spoke of fish farming as his dream choice of profession, but teaching and raising five kids placed this dream beyond his reach. I wish Paige every success on behalf of my dad and the CCCA, and I hope to taste a meal with salmon from her farm some day.
— Gene Balfour, Fenelon Falls
Provincial election cannot be justified, says reader
Premier Doug Ford: You are considering calling an election almost immediately. I am 82, have worked for business, industry, education, and government. My experience as an archivist at the Public Archives of Canada immersed me in the structure and working of governments of all levels. I was in charge of the prime ministers collections. I do have wisdom and experience so should be heard.
When elected, you formed a contract to govern Ontario for four years. You say you are concerned about the cost of living in Ontario. The cost of an extra election at this time would fly in the face of the concern you have expressed. You, having a majority, already have a mandate. You did not ask us whether we wanted big millions of costs for a private spa. Your mandate is to govern Ontario today, tomorrow and until 2026.
With (U.S. President Donald) Trump’s antics, there is no leeway for you to stop fulfilling your contract to Ontario citizens. Neither the cost of an unnecessary election nor time lost by campaigning instead of dealing with current issues in Ontario.
With a Federal Election coming shortly, we need more handson attention. We need no extra useless election costs. To call an election now would only be an exercise in ego, not leadership. There is no reasonable justification for this.
— Muriel Ellis, Kawartha Lakes
Advocate brings Camille WilliamsTaylor to Lindsay to celebrate International Women’s Day
Perfect for entrepreneurs, managers, & public sector leaders
Following up on last year’s highly successful, sold-out International Women’s Day event, the Advocate is once again bringing a dynamic speaker to Lindsay.
Camille Williams-Taylor is an expert on public sector leadership, but she stresses her talk will bring real value to local business owners, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs and leaders who work in the public sector, whether in education, healthcare, or industry.
The director of education for the Durham District School Board, Williams-Taylor is an educational leader who encourages excellence through finding new possibilities. In her talks, she does the same for community business leaders and public sector leaders.
“Having worked with Camille years ago, I can say with confidence people are in for a great lunch and learn event on leadership,” says Roderick Benns, publisher of the Advocate. “Her style is dynamic, and her approach is practical. Local leaders and businesspeople are going to walk away energized and ready to tackle their 2025 goals,” he adds. The event will be held at The Pie Eyed Monk, upstairs, on Friday Feb. 28 from Noon to 1:30 p.m. There will be an additional half hour afterwards for anyone who wishes to chat with Camille and for general networking.
“We do this each year to celebrate the incredible women in our community,” says Rebekah McCracken, executive editor. “Come out and show your support for each other –and for your own learning. Everyone is welcome.”
To order tickets, visit lindsayadvocate.ca and click the yellow bar near the top of the page.
Correction
In the January issue of the Advocate, a letter by Robert Dingle of Fenelon Falls read “want to save seven per cent on your gas bill? That could fund the purchase of a plug-in hybrid.”
The number should have been 75 per cent.
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. Simply email roderick@lindsayadvocate.ca. Keep your letters to 200 words or less.
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Calling out the racism
By Roderick Benns Publisher
I guess I’ve never understood racism. I don’t understand the fear that leads to it, nor the obstacles intolerance builds in the way of connecting with another human being.
The Lindsay of the late 70s and 80s, when I grew up, was not the most accepting place to be for differences. I’m guessing it wasn’t the worst place, either. Of course, these are just the observances of a white man in reflection. I cannot know the experience from any other standpoint, other than as a young boy who listened to background intolerance, whether within his own family structure or peer group, and who learned to intervene as he found his voice. But I can’t imagine the lived reality for the people who were subject to such racism.
This is a call to action about the racism our city is seeing of late, especially online but sometimes in person. And let’s be clear about something. If you start off an online post or a conversation with “Now, I’m not racist but…” I’m pretty sure you’re about to say something racist.
The town I describe from my childhood was preternaturally white, with only a sliver of ethnic diversity. The Kawartha Lakes of today – and especially Lindsay – is growing more diverse with each passing week as people discover our proximity to the Greater Toronto Area and the incredible beauty and lifestyle they can have here.
The perpetrators back then, in my world, were small-minded boys and girls (mostly boys, though) who obviously didn’t have the push-back from their parents or peer groups to teach them this was unacceptable. These are the same people who have grown up and gotten their Masters in Message Boards, sharing their prejudice on social issues affecting our town and region.
This is what is happening too often of late, particularly directed toward our
growing Indian population, whether international students, small business owners, or families recently settled here from the Greater Toronto Area.
All racism is foul, but online racism is grimier. It’s the dirty business that anonymity brings, a coward’s way of finding some perverse way to matter. With each thumbs up given they are emboldened by their bigotry and reassured by a clan of faceless hordes.
The interventions by others are welcome of course. It is heartening to see well-thought-out responses, and there are many. But there are still too many voices – a minority, no doubt – who use their free platform to share latent or well-formed hatred.
If you start off an online post or a conversation with “Now, I’m not racist but…” I’m pretty sure you’re about to say something racist.
The Globe and Mail recently reported that only one in five Canadians talks to strangers. They are three times happier than those who don’t, according to researchers at Simon Fraser University.
So, if you find yourself triggered by racial differences, maybe start a conversation with a stranger, but obviously only if the moment seems appropriate and organic. (Tip: Don’t ask where they’re “really” from if they tell you somewhere in Ontario, like Toronto, Ajax, or Newmarket.)
There’s an inflection point that occurs when being exposed to something new leads to normalization. This is a journey, not a destination. But if we speak up when we see injustice, and if we eschew silence when we see discrimination, we can make this journey just a little bit better and our community that much kinder.
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Preserving the past: Archives in our community
By Ian McKechnie
For the past 40 years, the third week of February has been recognized by the Province of Ontario as Heritage Week. For most of us, the word heritage conjures up visions of historic buildings and historical figures, of museums and memorials. These are all very visible legacies of our collective heritage, and invariably receive a great deal of attention in the popular imagination.
But what about heritage that is, for reasons of conservation, largely kept out of sight and accessible only by appointment – or by taking advantage of online databases?
Archives – correspondence, photographs, reports, sound recordings, and much more – play an important role in our community. What do they collect, and what should you consider when deciding whether to deposit your or your organization’s records in an archival repository?
Kawartha Lakes Museum & Archives
The privately-run Victoria County Historical Society, which in 2022 renamed itself the Kawartha Lakes Museum &
Archives, has been collecting archival records since 1957. Today, it maintains one of the largest and most comprehensive collections in the area, with records pertaining to businesses, individuals, institutions, and organizations among other sources. For a museum, archival collections are also instrumental in curating exhibits and developing educational programming.
Under the leadership of its archivist, Zac Miller (who was not available for comment), KLMA has within the last five years made significant strides in building its archival capacity – particularly in adapting a building that was originally designed as the county jail to one that accommodates archival records.
Nowhere has this been more evident than in the museum’s digitization of more than a century of Lindsay Daily Post newspapers, which are available online through the Internet Archive.
KLMA offers research and reproduction services upon request, but as of this writing does not yet have its finding
aids (an important tool used to navigate a collection) publicly available. And as a not-for-profit organization, much of what KLMA is able to do with its archives depends on the availability of funding for, among other things, dedicated archival staff.
Kawartha Lakes Municipal Archives
Large and impressive though it is, the KLMA is not the only archive in Kawartha Lakes.
Down on Mary Street East, in Lindsay, a large and fairly nondescript building is home to some 3.5 linear kilometres of records collected from across the municipality.
Although the municipal archives primarily collect the records of enduring historic value from local government, it also collects private records from or about the people, businesses, and or institutions of Kawartha Lakes. “It is pretty standard for government archives at local, provincial, and national levels to collect both, and historically our policies account for both public and private records,” explains Angela Fornelli, who has served as manager of corporate records and archival services for Kawartha Lakes since 2020.
“What makes the Municipal Archives of the City of Kawartha Lakes different is we have those amazing government records that can’t be found elsewhere,” Fornelli says. “We have historic land deeds, historic assessment tax books, and school registers going back into the mid 1800s and in one case back to the 1700s. We also have our environmentally controlled records vault where we are able to securely put textual records in conditions optimal for ensuring their longevity.”
While the municipal archives welcomes visitors by appointment, it is also very active in taking its mission and mandate into the wider community.
“Built into my job description was a directive to provide advice and support for those societies and institutions with the City with archival collections,” Fornelli points out. “I have been lucky to be in the position to work with Kirkfield & District Historical Society, Manvers Historical Society, St. Paul’s Anglican Church, as well as the Kawartha Art Gallery.”
Fornelli also runs free workshops at various points in the year to help individuals care for their own archival records kept at home.
Kawartha Lakes Public Library
Over on the second floor of the Kawartha Lakes Public Library, Reference Specialist Erin Beach and her colleagues can often be seen fielding research requests for patrons trying to track down an ancestor or locate a family plot in a local cemetery.
“Kawartha Lakes Public Library collects, preserves, and
interprets material to make it available for public access,” Beach tells the Advocate. “We frequently work together with the municipal archives and records department and the Kawartha Lakes Museum & Archives by referring patrons to these institutions when the library’s resources have been exhausted.”
For the public library, collaboration with other repositories only serves to strengthen their offerings. “There are gaps in our current collection regarding the smaller communities, so we are always on the lookout for information to fill those holes,” Beach remarks. “Working with more local museums and historical societies in those communities will hopefully allow the library to make that goal a reality.”
Angela Fornelli, the City’s manager of corporate records and archival services, works at her desk in the municipal records centre. Courtesy City of Kawartha Lakes.
Church Archives
While local museums, the municipal archives, and the public library all offer comprehensive collections covering almost all aspects of our community, some institutions maintain their own, highly specialized archival collections. Given their cultural, social, and historical significance in Kawartha Lakes, it should come as no surprise that churches fall squarely into this category.
“When people think about church archives, access to baptism and marriage registers usually takes the forefront,” says Nicole D’Angela, managing archivist with the Presbyterian Church in Canada Archives, in Toronto. “The reality is that there is such a variety of records collected by churches.” As churches close, as has been happen-
ing at an increasing rate over the last few years, their collections are typically sent to the parent denomination’s national archival repository – though policies vary from one denomination to another. “Currently, the policy for The Presbyterian Church in Canada Archives is that records that are property of the church can be put into an external repository as long as the Archives is notified, and a digital/microfilm copy of the material is provided,” says D’Angela. “This is to ensure that a backup is created, and access is maintained by the church.”
Some congregations here in Kawartha Lakes, though, are investing in the resources necessary to keep their records safely housed and, eventually, made accessible to researchers. St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Lindsay is one such example, and over the past
year has rehoused more than seven linear metres of archival records. (Full disclosure: the author has been working as an archival consultant at St. Paul’s.)
As with the Kawartha Lakes Municipal Archives, these specialized institutional archives are keen to assist people at the local level. “Outreach and education are an important part to assist congregations manage their collections,” D’Angela notes.
Quite apart from the Kawartha Lakes Museum & Archives, the Kawartha Lakes Municipal Archives, the Kawartha Lakes Public Library, and various depositories administered by churches, Trent University and Trent Valley Archives in neighbouring Peterborough both house records with provenance in Kawartha Lakes. The papers of author Dr. Rae Fleming, former Premier Leslie Frost, and historian Archie Tolmie can all be found across the municipal border at these institutions.
Residents of Kawartha Lakes are thus spoiled for choice in deciding where to deposit archival collections and access the treasure trove of information these repositories offer up.
Which institution is best equipped to look after your records is an important factor in thinking about where to deposit them, as is the records’ provenance (place of origin), and whether they will be easily accessible to future generations of researchers.
That, after all, is what archives in our community are all about. LA
Nicole D’Angela, managing archivist and records administrator for the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Courtesy PCC.
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You’re fired!
By Aliyah Mansur Contributor
This time last year, I was fired from my dream job in the UK. Or more accurately, my dream internship, the precursor to my dream job. The earth seemed to shatter beneath my feet as the permanent position I’d been working towards for two years turned out to be nothing more than a mirage. One that kept me agreeing to low pay as my temporary contract was extended four times.
Though my internship was in the UK, and therefore subject to different laws and policies than we have locally, the experience I had triggered so many questions about what protections exist, if any, for the sometimes invisible and largely invaluable workforce of interns. If I had had a union would things have been different?
But any income was better than no income and getting a new job in the economic climate at the time as an immigrant on a temporary visa proved nigh impossible.
When it comes to internships in Ontario, many employers are unaware of their legal obligations, which are laid out by the Employment Standards Act. When the Ontario government did an inspection blitz focusing on interns back in 2014, it found 23 per cent of inspected employers with internship positions were in violation of the ESA. This could include not paying an intern for what should, under the law, be a paid position.
Interns who do manage to get paid minimum wage are often treated as
though they should be grateful for any compensation at all, as if unpaid was the norm when the opposite is true. In my case, I was paid the UK national minimum wage. But what was supposed to be a three-month contract was extended to six months, then a year, and twice more after that to tide me over until a permanent contract was approved. I was made to believe it was acceptable for me to start my new role without a written job offer, that it was fair because I had no prior industry experience outside of my internship. For six months I worked alongside my colleagues, doing the same work, for less pay.
Some people might blame me for my predicament, and it was suggested a handful of times that I should consider leaving based on this treatment. But any income was better than no income and getting a new job in the economic climate at the time as an immigrant on a temporary visa proved nigh impossible.
Thinking back, what I needed most at that time was negotiation skills and to better understand my rights. I wish there had been a union to help me understand what my employer was obligated to do for me. Maybe then I would have learned to more forcefully negotiate with the corporate goliath I was facing, which employed more than 80,000 people.
Things happen for a reason and today I can say I’m grateful I was fired and released from the never-ending internship extensions and mistreatment. But that doesn’t mean what I went through was right, and it certainly underscores why unions matter, especially in a large corporate environment.
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Maritime movers
Surging real estate prices drove scores of local families to Canada’s eastern provinces during the pandemic. But do they regret leaving Kawartha Lakes?
By Roderick Benns and Rebekah McCracken
In one of the most significant shifts Ontario had seen in years, the province experienced a net loss of about 86,000 people through interprovincial migration between July 2020 and June 2022, according to Statistics Canada.
We know scores of families were from Kawartha Lakes, especially after the spike in real estate prices during the pandemic.
Victoria Navy and her family were among them. For her, the move to New Brunswick from Lindsay with her family was a long-time dream, even if they didn’t realize it at first. They wanted a “slow-paced life without traffic,” according to Navy. It was COVID and its isolation from people that motivated them to make a move – but prices of houses in Kawartha Lakes vs. the east coast province was a major factor, too.
“Our family was put in a situation when we had to find a new place to live, and Kawartha Lakes did not have affordable housing for a family of five with four pets. As renters, “the purchase of a house in the Lindsay area was also out of the question because we could not afford a house in (southern) Ontario.”
Feeling like they didn’t have much time to research the best location, they chose Grand Falls, New Brunswick, just over the U.S. and Quebec borders.
The town of 5,000 offered the family an affordable house with three bedrooms, a big garage, a backyard, and driveway for six cars. In fact, it was so affordable they are living mortgage free.
“We are happy we made the move,” Navy said.
The family also has a small business for kitchen remodelling, and they are able to sustain it in a downtown Grand Falls location. “We would not be able to achieve it in Kawartha Lakes. Paying a mortgage and rent for a shop is very expensive in Ontario.”
For Nicole Southorn and her husband, who both grew up in Lindsay, the move was all about creating a better quality of life for their family.
“We wanted a slower pace of life with more financial freedom.”
Southorn says they were able to purchase a three-bedroom,
two-bathroom home in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia for just $189,000. “Our mortgage is under $900 a month and our property taxes are about $1,500 a year. We knew that staying in Ontario would mean being rent or mortgage poor,” she says, referencing the higher prices in Kawartha Lakes.
“We were sick of being financially stressed. We came to visit the province in October of 2021 and fell in love.”
She recalls walking to the edge of the ocean hunting for sea glass. It was at that moment they both instantly knew this was the life they wanted. They spent the next several months looking at homes via virtual tours to begin planning their big move.
“We took the leap and moved in August of 2022 and have no regrets.”
Retirees love the east
Chris McMorrow and her husband, Dan, moved from Oakwood to the east coast in late 2019 for other reasons. Like the Navy family, they also chose New Brunswick, although more centrally located in the province in the town of Oromocto. (This town is home to Canadian Forces Base Gagetown,
which is the second largest military base in the Commonwealth. The town has about 12,000 people.)
“We decided to move to New Brunswick after several visits to see my daughter. We loved the province and the people we were meeting,” McMorrow said.
She says by grandbaby number three, she knew she wanted to be closer to them. “Dan wasn’t sure about the move as he had kids and grandkids in Ontario.”
But one day while visiting the east coast, Dan said “I found a house that if we could buy, I’d move to New Brunswick.” It was not for sale. But before they left to go back to Ontario, they put a note in the mailbox of the house, stating if they were ever interested in selling their property to contact us. They had not even made it home before the owners emailed them. One year later, the McMorrow’s purchased the house.
While it was a huge change, moving in mid-December, and both retiring at the same time, the COVID pandemic ensured it would be an even greater adjustment than expected.
“For two years we didn’t see family in Ontario. We had grandbabies born that we met when they were 18 months and six months. It was horrible.”
Maritime life was an adjustment for the Navy family, too. Victoria Navy said her family had to make adjustments and learn about life in eastern Canada. For instance, they discovered wood heating for the first time, and realized it had big advantages over their home’s electric baseboards. “We did not know that we were supposed to order wood as early as possible in a year, season it in the backyard, and then bring it into the house. For our fist winter, we ordered one cord of wood in November, but it was not dry so it took us a long time to fire up wet logs.”
Another big adjustment for the family was more openness in eastern Canada. “People just drove to our driveway to say hi, introducing themselves and telling us about their families, city, neighbours, and other gossip. In Ontario, everyone is very protective of their driveway and property line. Most people don’t have a fence separating their properties from their neighbours. If we see someone putting in a new fence, we know its people from Ontario,” she said.
Navy said in the three years they’ve lived in Grand Falls, they have met “at least 20 families who moved here from Ontario.”
“They all said that house prices were the main reason for their move. One family moved from Oshawa, bought a house without a mortgage, and have since acquired two businesses – a gym and a tanning salon.”
She admits that not everyone who made the move were happy though. “One family moved here at the same time as us, and they absolutely hated it.” The woman was not bilingual, and New Brunswick is Canada’s only officially bilingual province. Navy said she had a hard time at work because many customers refused to speak English. They ended up moving
Above: Lobster cages in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Photo: Nicole Southorn.
Left: Prince Edward Island is believed to have the highest concentration of lighthouses in North America with 61 lighthouses and range lights. Photo: Jennifer Ridout.
to Bancroft, Ontario.
That was certainly not the experience of the Southorn family. They believe their life in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia has all major amenities needed, from great schools to a regional-sized hospital.
“Our favourite part of living here is being a short 10-minute drive to the ocean and countless provincial parks, beaches, trails and waterfalls. We no longer spend weekends in. We are literally out exploring every chance we get,” Southorn says.
The new Nova Scotian has starting training to get into a new field of work, while her husband, Brian, a tradesman, has had an abundance of work since moving.
“Wages are lower than Ontario, unless you work in the trades or health care,” but there are a lot of jobs for anyone in these fields.
The only downfall, she admits, is being far away from family.
Once the problem of not being able to see family during COVID subsided, retiree McMorrow said they have now gotten involved in their community, meeting many great people along the way.
“Everyone is so friendly and easy going. It’s much more laid back,” she said.
She admits homes are a lot cheaper on the east coast, but said everything else is more expensive. “Our property taxes have gone up almost $5,000 in five years. Gas, food, home and car insurance are all significantly more.”
McMorrow also notes that healthcare is a huge challenge. When they arrived, they were told to expect a two to three year wait for a family doctor.
The real estate reality
Jami Joy, a real estate agent based in Lindsay, says she remembers moving about seven families in early to mid2024 to New Brunswick, due to high interest rates driving up home prices in Kawartha Lakes.
“They were able to sell here, move out there and live mortgage free and start new lives,” says Joy.
She points out that even though interest rates have dropped, “housing costs there have sky rocketed,” given the demand.
“Homes there are (still) less then most residential units here, but not as attractive as they once were.”
Joy says during the pandemic one could purchase “a lovely home for $200-300,000, but now it’s difficult to find a home in the towns that have infrastructure for under $400,000.”
Evan Connolly, another Lindsay realtor, says the Kawartha Lakes market, along with other regions near the GTA, is directly tied to housing sales in Toronto, “which along with Vancouver, has seen the largest downturn compared to other markets across Canada.”
“Homeowners in…Kawartha Lakes aren’t getting the returns on home sales that they need to make the move to the maritime provinces. The margins are too small for residents to move out of province and (now) be mortgage free,” says Connolly.
He says since the pandemic and lockdowns ended, “there is less of an incentive for people to move outside of large cities to rural regions in Ontario, such as Kawartha Lakes or to the Maritime provinces.”
“More workers are now in person, kids are back in school, and families are back to their normal routines.”
Connolly adds that Lindsay and Kawartha Lakes is a growing community. “The investments from the government and property developers around the region show the growing demand to either move to Kawartha Lakes, or to stay.
Victoria Navy hugs her dog along the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean.
Evan Connolly.
Jami Joy.
Over time, services and amenities will grow and property values will follow suit.”
According to Statistics Canada, Atlantic Canada was the number one destination at the start of the pandemic until Alberta took over top spot in the third quarter of 2022.
Every census metropolitan area (CMA) in Ontario lost more residents to other provinces than it attracted between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. Between Jan. 1, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2024, more than 45,000 people moved from Ontario to Nova Scotia.
Though people are still moving to Nova Scotia from other provinces, the pace of these interprovincial moves has slowed from what happened during the pandemic.
As with many of the hundreds of Ontarians who moved to Atlantic Canada, Navy says they did so to achieve “a quiet life, enjoy the outdoors and be debt free – and so far we are on the right track.” LA
2025 Budget: Know Where Your Taxes Go
Our 2025 Budget upholds the municipality’s commitment to community safety, well-being, and responsible growth.
2025 total budget increase of 6.2%:
The 2025 Budget is set to increase by 6.2%. The increase is broken up as follows: 1.5% for dedicated infrastructure levy, 1.7% for policing, and 3% for city operations.
Upcoming 2025 Significant Capital Projects:
1. City Hall Parking, Traffic Flow, Ceremony Site
2. New Affordable Housing – Murray Street, Fenelon Falls
3. Lindsay Trail System – Jennings Creek Development
4. Omemee Arena Ice Pad System
5. Asphalt Resurfacing – CKL Road 38
6. Road Widening – Colborne Street West, Lindsay
7. New Affordable Housing – Gull River, Minden
8. Fire Service – Platform Aerial Truck 9. Paramedic Service HQ and Fleet Centre
10. Lake Dalrymple Bridge Replacement
11. Resurfacing of CKL Road 41
12. Somerville Landfill
13. Elm Tree Road Bridge Rehabilitation
Jump In to the 2025 Budget project in more detail:
www.jumpinkawarthalakes.ca/2025budget
You’ll find our easy to follow Budget 101 video series, more capital project details, frequently asked budget questions, and more!
Municipal Minute
Campobello Island in southwestern New Brunswick is a popular tourist destination. Photo: Chris McMorrow.
Women’s Resources of Kawartha Lakes CASH PLUS RAFFLE!
1st PRIZE: $5,000 CASH
2nd PRIZE: Sir Sam’s Inn & Spa
Two Night Getaway worth $500 PLUS $500 spending money
3rd PRIZE: $500 CASH
Draw Date: March 14, 2025
at Women’s Resources, 22 Russell St. E., Lindsay
Tickets: $10 per Ticket or 3 for $20 Only 4,500 Tickets Printed!
Purchase in Lindsay at: Women’s Resources, 22 Russell St. E. • Vicky’s Values, 50 Mary St. W.
For other locations to purchase tickets, please contact Women’s Resources as below: Questions? Contact Carolyn Fox 705-324-7649 ext. 223 or cfox@womensresources.ca 705-878-4285 | 22 Russell St. E., Lindsay, ON K9V 2A1 | www.womensresources.ca Shelter, Support and Referral for Women and Their Children Fleeing Abuse
Discover the latest programs and events happening at your local branch this month!
Movies in the Library – Lindsay Branch
Join us for free movies every Friday from 12:30pm – 2:30pm, everyone’s welcome! Movie ratings will vary. Please ask staff about upcoming films or suggest future films. February Lineup:
• Feb. 7: The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother
• Feb. 14: Grease
• Feb. 21: True Grit
• Feb. 28: Blast from the Past
At Home on My Own!
Participants will gain the skills and knowledge to stay safe and confident when home alone. This course covers essential topics, including safety tips for staying home alone, preparing snacks safely, managing challenges and emergencies, and basic first aid.
Cost: $65 + HST (payment required at registration). Ages: 10+ years old. Registration required.
• Fenelon Falls Branch – Feb 8 10:30am – 2:30pm
• Lindsay Branch - Feb 15 10:30am – 2:30pm
Kids Programs at the Lindsay Branch
• Baby & Me – Every Wednesday at 10:30am
• StoryTime – Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 10:30am
• More branch locations, times, and other kid-friendly programs on our website event calendar!
PA DAY at the Library – February 28
Join the fun at select Kawartha Lakes libraries with kids’ activities like crafts, Oreo tasting, and a dinosaur dig! Times, locations, and events vary, check our events calendar online to see what’s happening at a branch near you.
There are so many exciting programs happening at all 14 of our library branches. Visit kawarthalakeslibrary.ca for a complete list of offerings.
Smart Thinking
1 "___ top of the world!"
Cinephile's TV station
Cuckoo in the head
Like a manly man 16 "Isn't ___ bit like you and me?" (Beatles lyric)
17 Beginning of a food-related quip
19 Placed, as a classified ad 20 One in a confessional 21 Tasting like shallots or leeks
23 Part 2 of the quip
27 ___ Mix (cat chow)
28 3 on a grandfather clock
29 James Bond's college until he was expelled
30 Goof up
31 Part 3 of the quip
35 "Law & Order" fig.
37 Alice who played Gladys in "Bewitched"
41 Part 4 of the quip 45 Stereotypical Canadianisms 46 "Ish"
49 Anesthetized
50 Suffix with neur- or psych51 Part 5 of the quip
56 Oompa ___ (Willy Wonka's worker)
57 Play second?
59 Little monkey
60 End of the quip
64 Hoops grp.
65 Like a certain candlestick jumper
66 "Oh, here ___ again"
67 "Dig in!"
68 Emulated Fred Astaire, say
69 Part of C.A.A.: Abbr. Down
1 Types or sorts
2 Nicknames
3 Actor Carroll and singer Sinéad
4 "Tsk, tsk, be nice"
5 "The First Time ___ Saw Your Face"
6 Central, for short
7 Non-profit's URL ending
8 Never, in Nuremberg
9 Female author George
10 No-grey-area kind of question
11 Place for a lump or a frog
12 Have the intention
13 Where you might get a call back?
18 "Ben-Hur" writer Wallace
22 "... ___ man with seven wives..."
24 Winnipeg-born actress Vardalos
25 Web pic file
26 Broadcast
27 "Do ___ favour, ..."
31 Ugandan Amin
32 Stockholm's carrier
33 Rival of Reuters
34 Pluralized Ys
36 Afternoon coffee break hr., maybe
38 Gives a new name to
by Barbara Olson
39 Gab sessions
40 Return-to-small-screen key
42 Pip on a die
43 Positive word, in French
44 It's in the range: Abbr.
46 Seeing the sites?
47 Robotic floor vacuum
48 Drop by on the way
50 Canal-skater's city
52 "___ at 'em!"
53 Cheap Jamaican rum
54 Enclosed, as some communities
55 Robot attachment?
58 Binge to excess, as a TV show
61 Initials of U.S. president "Tricky Dicky"
62 Van. campus
63 "Terre" in "la mer"
Axes and taxes
Smokers pay extra taxes because smoking costs the health care system extra money.
We all breathe in the “smoke” (pollution) coming out of tailpipes, chimneys, and industries. And there’s a fee for that. Fortunately, unlike the tax on cigarettes, we get some of that money back via the Canada Carbon Rebate deposited in our accounts every three months.
Because Kawartha Lakes is a rural area, we get a 20 per cent top-up. My two-person household now receives $1,008 a year, or $252 every three months. For a family of four its $1,344 annually or $336 quarterly. Our 20-something daughter: $672 a year.
The carbon fee with dividend is also one way to nudge us in the direction of reducing planet-warming pollution. The costs of that have been hurting us for some time. Ten years ago, the former premier of Quebec said: “Nobody talks about the cost of not fighting climate change. This cost is passed on to citizens too, whether it’s health care, coastal erosion or spectacular weather events. This is hugely expensive for our society.”
Canada is not alone in pricing pollution. Worldwide, as of 2023, there were some 73 carbon pricing systems. They include the European Union with its 27 member countries. The EU is currently phasing in a border adjustment carbon tax on certain goods imported from countries without a price on carbon. So, we’re good.
But there’s a massive misinformation campaign that blames our carbon “tax” for everything from job losses to high food prices, to inflation, to forcing more people to use food banks. Really?
Look at food prices. The carbon fee increased on schedule in each of the last two years. In the same period, food price
inflation dropped from over 10 per cent to 2.4 per cent. Our food price increases are similar to those in the U.S. – which has no carbon tax. Many other factors affect grocery prices, including drought (worsened by global heating), reductions in cattle herds, and supply chain issues, according to an overview in the Financial Post.
What about the impact of inflation in general? A new study from the University of Calgary shows carbon pricing had minimal impact on inflation between January 2019 and April 2024. During those five years, consumer prices rose 19 per cent. Changes in the carbon fee and other taxes contributed only 0.5 per cent to that increase.
As for being a job killer, hmm. Maybe not so much. Studies of carbon pricing in the United Kingdom and British Columbia indicate carbon fees change the types of jobs available, not the number of jobs.
Is it effective? Sweden began pricing carbon in 1991. The country’s environment ministry estimates that, over and above other climate regulations, their carbon tax has reduced emissions by 20 per cent.
According to economists, putting a price on carbon is the least costly way of addressing our climate goals. Those waving the axes haven’t come up with anything better, and would make climate chaos worse.
Bottom line: most Canadians benefit from our carbon fee and rebate system. That’s particularly true for those in the lower half of the income scale. Many people are hurting financially and axing the carbon “tax” means axing their rebates, which increase annually.
Canada’s Conservative lumberjack-in-chief likes to talk about axing things. But what kind of Canada would he be building? LA
The Maple Leaf Forever
Some 30 years ago, Randy Read, a local educator, wrote a song to commemorate the opening of Dr. George Hall Public School in Little Britain. One of the lines in this song unintentionally evokes one of the most divisive debates in Canadian history: “We always think of who we are/As our flag’s unfurled.”
For those watching the maple leaf flag being hoisted into position on Monday Feb. 15, 1965, the question of who we are – or rather, who we were – was a matter of great national importance.
The story of how Canada’s national flag came to be is well-known. Faced with a vocal separatist movement in Quebec, the Lester Pearson ministry committed itself to designing a new national flag – one that featured neither explicitly British nor explicitly French symbols.
There’s more to the story, though.
Historian C.P. Champion, in his 2010 book The Strange Demise of British Canada: The Liberals and Canadian Nationalism, 1964-1968, makes a compelling argument against the prevailing theory that the new flag was a “purely Canadian” innovation. The colours of red and white were historically associated with England and France, respectively. They were also derived directly from England’s St. George’s Cross, and – along with the maple leaf insignia – had been used in various decorations and medals during the colonial period. Moreover, Champion observes, the individuals tasked with designing the new flag were themselves products of an Anglo-Celtic upbringing. Not only was the new flag not a “purely Canadian” concept, its design process
was not exactly pan-Canadian, either.
But these nuances were scarcely top of mind for many people in small towns such as Lindsay.
Many citizens were of the opinion that the existing Canadian flag – known as the Red Ensign, which had itself evolved in appearance over time – was good enough, and what was needed was better education about what it represented. Granton B. Carr, of Woodville, was one of those subscribing to this position. “Drive through the country and see how many school flags you (can) see,” Carr wrote in a letter published by the Lindsay Daily Post on March 20, 1963. “Whose fault is it? Not the children, but the trustees and teachers who think the flying of the flag is just a trivial matter.”
Debates about a new national flag prompted an organization called the Canadian Patriotic Association to issue this pamphlet in the early 1960s. Public Domain. Courtesy of Toronto Public Library.
Carr’s concerns may well have been overstated, because the following February, the Victoria County District High School Board voted in favour of flying the Red Ensign at local secondary schools. But even here, opinion wasn’t unanimous. “I suggest we defer the matter until we get a Canadian flag,” one board member remarked. “We won’t see that in our lifetime,” sneered another.
Whether local citizens liked it or not, a new flag was coming – though not without resistance. Charles Lamb, the member of parliament for Victoria and Haliburton Counties, stood up in the House of Commons during the early summer of 1964 and made a speech defending the old flag. “I will do all I can in my power to see that this great flag is retained as the national flag of Canada,” Lamb intoned. “The red ensign means something to Canadians that can never be wiped out. It is a symbol, and a nation’s flag is full of meaning.”
Lamb went on to say that he could not accept the argument that the Red Ensign had no meaning for those Canadians who traced their ancestry to places other than the United Kingdom. “These people came here from other lands by choice, knowing that the union jack and the red ensign were part of our history. In fact they were probably influenced by that very fact, because they are symbols of liberty, freedom, and equality.” For Lamb and others, the whole package of Canada’s British inheritance – complete with parliamentary government under a constitutional monarch, that traced
its origins back to the Magna Carta – was intertwined with the old flags, and a new national flag represented an attempt to distance contemporary Canada from its foundations.
The “great flag debate” rumbled on into the autumn of 1964, and on Dec. 16 of that year, the House of Commons voted 163 to 78 in favour of the maple leaf flag.
Two months later, the new national flag was raised at a sparsely-attended ceremony held outside of the Lindsay town hall. Unsurprisingly, reactions were mixed. “It is with a great deal of regret and sentiment that we see the Red Ensign hauled down from the flag staff for the last time today,” said Mayor Joseph Holtom wistfully. Up the street, Boy Scout Howie Robinson and Girl Guide Lea Woodward hoisted the new flag in front of Central Senior School as Principal Roy Neville waxed eloquently about the historical significance of the occasion. And Frederick Walton, building superintendent at the Department of Lands and Forests offices on Kent Street West, refused to fly the maple leaf because he felt it had not been approved in a national plebiscite.
“The flag debate seemed to take a very long time and my recollection is that people were becoming extremely tired of hearing about it,” remembers Jim Mackey, who was a teenager at the time. What’s past is prologue, though, for 60 years after that snowy Monday, debates about national symbols and what they mean still flutter in the breeze of contemporary discourse. LA
The maple leaf flag flies beside the Trent-Severn Waterway in Fenelon Falls on June 28, 2021. Photo: Glenn Walker.
It’s okay not to be okay
By Trevor Hutchinson Contributing Editor
Long time readers of this page may recall that I am not the biggest fan of February. To recap, I find February to be the worst month of the year, and not just because of its variable length or its stupid spelling.
The fact is that January and February can be downright depressing. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, the start of the year can have the “least favourable months when it comes to mental health. When the excitement of the festive season passes, and holiday bills begin to arrive, many individuals in Canada may experience what’s called the Winter Blues.”
For some people, winter blues is an indication of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which can be a very serious condition, if left untreated. For those unable to head south, it can be just a ‘blah’ couple of months. But for people who are living with mental health issues, it can be just two more months in a difficult year.
Statistically one in five Canadians experience mental health issues. By the time Canadians reach 40, 1 in two have, or have had a mental illness. Yet, according to the CMHA, “about 40 per cent of parents say they wouldn’t tell anyone (including the family doctor) if their child was experiencing a mental health problem, and 60 per cent of people with a mental health problem or illness won’t seek help for fear of being labelled.”
Despite the flashy, annual Bell “Let’s Talk” day, stigmas still exist towards those dealing with their mental health. Stigmas around addiction, which almost always are a symptom of other mental health issues, can be even worse.
But here’s the simple truth: ‘mental health’ is ‘health,’ period.
Jason Ward, retired local lawyer, and co-founder of Wards Lawyers, has been open and public about his own struggles with mental health and addiction and now works to de-stigmatize and raise awareness. He spreads the message of “Never judge; you never know someone’s journey. It is okay not to be okay.” Ward now spreads that message to the legal community across North America.
For those unable to head south, it can be just a ‘blah’ couple of months. But for people who are living with mental health issues, it can be just two more months in a difficult year.
Stigma aside, mental health issues can be scary for the people affected and their families and friends. But speaking as someone who has dealt with mental health issues over the years, I can attest to the fact that help is out there. Locally there is CAMH, Chimo (for children and youth) and FourCast (for addiction-related services), to name just a few. The new national suicide hotline 9-8-8 is now operational, and locally the city’s 211 service can direct people to the help they need. Sure, there will be wait times as with any health service, but help is there.
All of us can take small steps. We can help directly or get information on how to help. We can do our best to be nice and try to judge less.
Here’s to the best possible February for all of us.
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BROOKE GOLDRING moved to Lindsay with her family in August 2024.
The Lindsay Advocate: Why did you choose to move to here?
BROOKE GOLDRING: My mom passed away and my dad had moved to Little Britain so being close to him was the driving factor. Also, my husband grew up in Cameron and was eager to come back north.
The Lindsay Advocate: What is your favourite thing about Kawartha Lakes so far?
BROOKE GOLDRING: It really has that small town feel! Coming from an apartment in Ajax, we wanted somewhere that our kids could play outside with their friends and where we can get to know our neighbours. We’ve
gone to a few community events already, like the tree lighting and Santa Clause Parade, and loved it. We’ve also taken the kids to Century Cinemas a few times and it’s great.
The Lindsay Advocate: What are your favourite local restaurants or shops?
BROOKE GOLDRING: Favourite restaurants so far are Pie Eyed Monk and Gusto Grande.
The Lindsay Advocate: What do you think is missing from Kawartha Lakes?
BROOKE GOLDRING: I think well-paying jobs are lacking. My husband is still commuting to Ajax since he hasn’t been able to find anything comparable up here yet. I know
Walmart is a touchy subject I’ve learned, but I do think there is a need. Obviously shopping local and smaller is ideal, but that isn’t always feasible for everyone or everything.
The Lindsay Advocate: How were you involved in your previous community and how might you like to get involved in Kawartha Lakes?
BROOKE GOLDRING: Anywhere we’ve lived, I’ve been involved in local, grassroots political organizations and look forward to continuing that in Kawartha Lakes!
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.
