Class 3: 2nd place Elmira Woolwich Observer September edition
PITCHED AN 11 PER CENT tax increase for 2025, even Woolwich councillors balked, suggesting Tuesday night that staff come back with some firmer numbers.
The budget parameters rolled out by director of finance Colm Lynn suggested a 7.5 per cent increase to the base budget, plus a 2.5 per cent infrastructure levy and another one per cent for greening projects.
At 11 per cent, the average homeowner would pay an additional $130 on the township portion of their taxes, based on a home assessed at $418,000.
That increase would follow large increases of about 8.7 per cent over each of the last two years, a compounding path that would see taxes double every eight or nine years. It gave pause to councillors, who suggested staff look at a lower target in preparing a budget for 2025.
Katie Musselman named Wellesley Fair ambassador
Bartlett.
ON TOP OF BEING
NAMED the township’s junior citizen of the year, Katie Musselman, 17, was also named the new Wellesley Fair ambassador Tuesday night. She was passed the sash and crown from the previous ambassador, Katelyn
Musselman was selected from a field of three that also included Olivia Lebold and Katie Sommer.
“It’s crazy,” said Musselman. “I’m shocked but also so excited and so happy for what this year is going to bring.”
She added: “I’ve been representing this town-
ship in my own way without a title for the past year, and I can’t wait for all the new opportunities as an ambassador that come with the sash and crown.”
This was the second year she had run for the position, with perseverance being integral to her speech as part of the competition.
“The truth is, nothing good comes without a little bit of hard work and perseverance, and none of this would have been possible for me. I wouldn’t have stuck to my word and not let that setback stop me, so I could not have been here.”
other for a job well done with a fist bump.
This fall fair was the first year running the junior ambassador, which Musselman organized.
She will continue the junior ambassador program and attend the monthly fair board meetings.
was also named winner of the fair’s first junior ambassador competition.
“No words, I’m speechless,” said Hayer. “Honestly, I don’t know what to say. I’m just really grateful to be able to just be a part of this.”
At the end of the candidates’ speeches, all three hopefuls supported each → AMBASSADOR 5
Also at the fair Tuesday night, Manni Hayer, 15,
She added: “It has been a wonderful experience; I think being here and
Steve Kannon
Best friends Evan Brooks, 2, and Westlyn Waugh, 3, hold hands at the Heidelberg Family Fun Fair on Sept. 7. Julian Gavaghan
Andrea Eymann Observer Staff
News tips are always welcome. Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com Online: observerxtra.com/tips
Woolwich approves Trinity United redevelopment plan
SOME LAST-MINUTE OPPOSITION WASN’T ENOUGH to derail plans to convert the site of Elmira’s Trinity United Church into a housing development, as Woolwich council this week gave approval to the project.
Given the nod was an expanded version of the project, which will be six storeys instead of five, and provide 52 apartments, up from 40.
The new plan calls for 32 one-bedroom and 20 two-bedroom units constructed over four floors, with the rooftop being used for indoor and outdoor amenities, bringing the total to six storeys.
Trinity United has for many years sought to redevelop the Arthur Street site, replacing the existing structure with a new building that would house a multi-use space on the main floor – church services would be held there – and apartments on the floors above
As with opposition discussed at a July public meeting, traffic and parking remain a stumbling block to some critics. There will be just 57 parking spots, including those to be used by the church.
For David Playford of William Street, there’s also an issue with the size of the building, from the shadow cast to the density that would have an impact on existing residences.
“There’s going to be shadow that’s going to
be cast when you go up six or eight floors. I haven’t met anybody that I’ve talked to that is not concerned about that. They’re concerned about the parking. And they’re concerned about the traffic that’s going up and down Arthur Street right now.
“I live on the corner... and I have to wait for two or three stoplights before I can get on the road. We have a big problem with traffic on Arthur Street, and we shouldn’t be adding more cars from a developer,” he said, suggesting a three-storey building would be more suitable for the small lot size, which measure a little under 0.8 acres.
As he did in July, Joseph Metz of Elmira Bag & Burlap said he’s concerned about the intended use of on-street parking, noting instances of people parking in front of the doors of his Arthur Street location, blocking truck access.
Township clerk Jeff Smith said bylaw enforcement officers would respond to such complaints, noting, however, that the policy would be to ticket rather than tow the offending vehicle.
Given that traffic is already a problem on Arthur Street, the new project could make things worse, Metz added.
“This big building, it’s going to create a problem. Not for the people who live there, but for the people that live around there.
→ TRINITY UNITED 5
Despite massive cost overruns for staffing –some $387,000 in the rec. department alone – and equipment costs, Woolwich ended up with a surplus of $216,544 from the 2023 operating budget, largely on the strength of higher-than-expected investment returns and supplemental tax revenue. On the capital side, there was a surplus of $223,575, as some projects went undone, council heard this week.
from the
Elmira Mennonite Church set to celebrate 100th anniversary
Julian Gavaghan
Observer Staff
WHEN IT WAS BUILT, IT soon became known as “the red church on the hill” among the townsfolk.
Now, as members prepare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Elmira Mennonite Church (EMC), the building has retained the same distinctive hue and remains every bit as imposing.
To mark its centenary, a special musical event is being hosted on the evening of September 21 followed by a celebratory Sunday service the next morning.
A lot has changed since volunteers helped build the church for $12,000 and the original 58 members and their families first prayed in the sanctuary together in 1924, said Gord Davis, who is helping to organize the commemorations and first attended in 1973, along with his wife Jessie.
“In the early 70s, when
we came in through the front door, the men would go down stairs one side and the women would go down the other,” he said.
“Once we went into the sanctuary, people sat with their spouses and that kind of a thing.
“But, when the church started, it was always men sitting on one side and women on the other.”
And, while the first
pastor was Oliver Snyder and only men could do that job, today two women, Kara Carter and Charleen Jongejan Harder, lead congregations.
Davis said that at the time the church was built there would have been relatively little difference between the daily lives of its own more progressive members and those of Old Order Mennonites, whose place of worship was built next door and who, a century on, continue to live traditional rural lives without modern conveniences such as cars.
Gord Davis is helping to organize centenary celebrations
Julian Gavaghan
Steve Kannon Observer Staff
Elmira hit-and-run incident leaves family shaken
Julian Gavaghan Observer Staff
A SHOCKED MOTHER
SAID HER two sons were hurt in a hit-and-run incident by a driver who stopped only to yell at the boys for crossing the street near an Elmira school.
Tanya Stevens told The Observer that the motorist, a white man in his 50s with greying hair, then drove off in a dark blue SUV, without helping the injured 12- and 15-yearolds.
Police say they are searching for the driver after the collision at the intersection of Second and Arthur streets near EDSS.
Stevens, who took her youngest son to a hospital after the August 30 collision, believes the driver may also live in Elmira and is calling on anyone with information, particularly if they have seen a similar vehicle with a damaged hood, to speak to detectives.
“I am angry that somebody has just walked away from this, and the children are the ones suffering through it all,” she said.
“I'm disappointed
that someone in Elmira might do this. This is a small town with a very closeknit community, and I'm shocked that someone would just drive off and not stick around to ensure that the children were okay and that an ambulance or somebody was coming to check them out.”
She added: “I would expect a child or a teenager to have taken off, not an adult.”
Neither child, nor an adult witness, was able to identify the make or model of the vehicle, nor the licence plate, according to Stevens, who was also unsure what speed the vehicle was travelling at.
Her youngest son, who she did not want to name, was riding an e-scooter while her oldest, Deloyn, was on an e-bike when the incident happened at around 4:15 p.m., she said. They were travelling north on the western sidewalk along Arthur Street and crossing Second Street just as the hit-and-run motorist, who had been travelling in the same direction, turned left onto the road, she added.
Tanya Stevens with her elder son Deloyn, one of the two boys struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run incident Aug. 30 in Elmira. Julian Gavaghan
“They were going across, and the driver hit my 12-year-old, he hit the hood of the car and rolled off onto the road, and then my 15-year-old hit the car with his bike, and he was knocked off his bike,” Stevens explained.
At this point the driver stopped and spoke to the boys – but not to ask how
badly hurt they were, noted Stevens.
“He shouted at us and told us we were going too fast,” said Deloyn, whose $1,400 e-bike, which he had got only two days earlier to help him travel to a part-time job, was so badly damaged that its pedals do not work anymore and the handle -
bars are bent.
A woman working on a construction project at the school had seen the incident and walked over to the scene and it was at this point that the man drove off, Stevens said, noting that she called the police as soon as her oldest son phoned her.
Both boys were hurt,
but “thankfully, they don't have many injuries,” the mother added.
“My 12-year-old did have a bruise on his head. He's got a scraped knee, and he's got road rash on his shoulder.
“Aside from that, he’s mentally anxious. My 12-year-old had earned the money to buy that scooter, and now he no longer wants to ride it. He wants nothing to do with it.”
The $500 e-scooter has “ripped-up” handlebars because it “flew up in the air and hit the ground,” she added.
Stevens, who claimed she had previously been hurt in a car crash herself and saw the other driver prosecuted, is hoping the hit-and-run driver will also be found and taken to court.
“Accidents happen, I understand that, but you stick around, and you deal with it, you don't take off like a coward,” she said.
“I'm really upset that now my children are dealing with this and they don't even get closure, because this person isn't being held accountable for what they did to them.”
Most of the EMC congregation would have travelled in from their farms on horses and buggies, explained the retired EDSS teacher, who established the school’s first drama program in 1971.
“When Mennonites first settled here, it was more of a closed community, by which I mean, you didn’t travel anywhere, you didn’t go outside of your community,” he said.
“Even when I started teaching at the school, I had students who had never been further than Kitchener.
“Things changed I think as people left the farms and as whatever technology there was started to influence their lives.”
He added: “The world has changed and so Mennonites have changed along with it.
“But what’s changed is just the form, but the basic theology and faith is still the same. It’s just the outward stuff that has changed.”
Davis, who had grown up in the Salvation Army and was inspired to become a Mennonite because of the “lovely kids” he taught that attended, said one of things he appreciates most is the volunteerism the religion encourages.
This spirit was part of the very foundation of the EMC, he said as explained the roots of the century-old place of worship.
“The church was born out of Floradale Mennonite Church because there wasn’t one in Elmira and
having a multicultural experience and differences in the future is going to look nice, and I love that for our community.”
Hayer is originally from Brampton, where there wasn’t much community involvement – moving to the township has allowed her to be involved in the community, especially in the agricultural field.
“Seeing the behindthe-scenes of where the food on my table comes from, the hardships and all the different parts of the system – I think seeing how close it is to this community itself and how valuable it is – is a really good experience.”
Moving from the city to the small town was a big change for Hayer.
“Wellesley is really tight-knit. It’s really close. They’re very welcom-
people going to Floradale lived in town here or nearby,” he said.
“That’s a lot of horse and buggies and they just found it difficult to go to Floradale all the time, so they decided to build a church here.”
While the cost of $12,000 – worth $221,000 in today’s money – may seem low, the volunteers’ efforts were incredibly high.
“When they dug the foundation and everything, it would all be done by horses pulling wagons and carting stuff away,” he explained.
“It was all volunteer, basically, like all the people from Floradale and from Elmira, and I imagine there were people from outlying areas as well.
“But it was sort of like a barn building, where they all got together and built the church.”
It took a while for the
church to be fully established, with the original pastor going back and forth between Elmira and Floradale for services.
But soon congregations were increasing and the church was thriving.
To keep up with growth, new extensions were added in 1954 and 1976.
From the 1940s, the church began to develop a reputation for its music, aided by the excellent acoustics in the sanctuary, said Davis, who said this was one of the aspects he enjoyed most about worshiping there.
It was Pastor Ezra Brubacher, who also had a musical radio show, who promoted the four-part a cappella sound the EMC has become well known for.
“He used to have a singing school every Sunday afternoon, where he would
teach people how to sing in four parts and that kind of thing,” said Davis, a father of three and grandfather to five.
“So there was a strong tradition of four-part a cappella singing here.
“So, basically, the congregation is the choir. We don’t have a choir as such, but we do put one together sometimes, especially for Easter or Christmas Eve.”
The church has seen many touring choirs, some from the U.S., because “our acoustics upstairs in the sanctuary are phenomenal,” Davis added.
However, this sound was once threatened, the former teacher revealed.
“At one point, they decided that they wanted to lower the ceiling, and so they put acoustic tile in the ceiling.
“They redid the whole sanctuary, and then the first Sunday that we went in, after it was finished, we started to sing, and the sound was gone, all of a sudden.
“You felt like you were just singing all by yourself and it took us, I think, four or five years to persuade people that that ceiling had to come down because we weren’t enjoying our singing anymore.”
Davis hopes this famous sound, with an array of music, including traditional Mennonite hymns, and the promise of a potluck lunch after the Sunday service will encourage a big gathering as the church celebrates its centenary.
ing, and they’re really upbringing. It’s very pleasant to work with them and alongside them.
“They really care about all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes, and I love how they put more effort into what their community stands for and how they’re going to run
their community,” she noted.
“I really look forward to all the different things that we can add and prosper in this community,” she told The Observer.
The theme of the 171st fair paid tribute to the community’s heritage and ongoing evolution.
HIT-AND-RUN: Family looking for accountability as police investigate
→ FROM 4
She added: “I was in a car accident myself, and just having the closure of the incident is a lot, knowing that that driver is held accountable for what they did, having a proper report so that, if years down the road my children have issues, there's someone accountable for this stuff.”
Waterloo Region Regional Police confirmed that officers are investigating.
“On August 30, 2024, at approximately 4:40 p.m., police responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by an unknown vehicle in the area of Second Street and Arthur Street South in Woolwich,” a spokesman said.
“The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police continue to investigate to locate the driver.”
TRINITY UNITED: Traffic and parking remain a public concern
→ FROM 3
“Maybe council should consider it’s too much at this point, especially with Arthur Street being so narrow.”
Church administrator Cheryl Fisher countered with the argument that a downtown location is a
prime spot for this kind of higher-density development, which will meet the demand for other forms of housing in the community.
“It’s a benefit to the community overall,” added Chris Moore, part of the Trinity United building committee.
Along with the ambassadors, the event also officially recognized Claire Birrell, named Citizen of the Year, Katie Musselman, named Junior Citizen of the Year, and Barb Nowak, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, honours that were previously announced.
Katie Musselman was named ambassador and Manni Hayer became the first junior ambassador as the 171st Wellesley Fall Fair started Tuesday night. Andrea Eymann
The first pastor at Elmira Mennonite Church in 1924 was Oliver Snyder. Submitted
The incident took place at the corner of Arthur and Second streets, near Elmira District Secondary School. Julian Gavaghan
“I don’t think our residents are onboard with that,” said Coun. Eric Schwindt of the 11 per cent figure. “That’s a number I’m not comfortable with.”
Coun. Bonnie Bryant said that target is way out of line with the input she’s been getting from her constituents.
“The feedback I’ve been getting has been they want to see us sit at inflation, 2.5 per cent. They are really getting frustrated with the increases we’ve had over the last couple of years. They’re telling me they don’t feel these are sustainable,” she said, noting that that people see taxes outstripping their ability to pay.
“This is just not acceptable to my public. I’m just going to say it: I won’t support an 11 per cent budget. I can’t.
“It just out touch with today’s financial reality, is the comments I’ve been getting back.”
She suggested a total increase in the area of five per cent, instead of the 11 proposed.
Others, including Mayor Sandy Shantz and Coun. Kayla Grant, offered up a target in the six or
seven per cent range as a starting point for the 2025 budget.
For Coun. Nathan Cadeau, the costs of growth being paid for by current residents was something a stumbling block.
“If that’s the case, the old adage ‘growth is good’ is not the case in our situation,” he said.
“I’m faced with the question, is growth a good thing?”
Lynn noted that the cost of growth isnt’ being covered by growth alone, and that as the township population increases in size, there may be pressures for yet more spending, as people request more services.
If that’s the case, there will be more pressures on current ratepayers already nearing the breaking point, Cadeau suggested.
“At what point does the system break, and residents just can’t keep up? And we’re not that far away from that now.”
The kind of large increases in township taxes come as the Region of Waterloo imposes even greater costs on residents, along with large increases expected in water and
wastewater fees.
In its budget planning, the region is currently proposing a 12 or 13 per cent tax hike. Even at the 10 per cent level in Lynn’s estimated budget impact report, the average household would be hit up for another $265 next year, above and beyond the escalating rates of recent years.
While Woolwich’s increases have a lower dollar value, Schwindt dismissed regional comparators in judging local tax rates.
“I really struggle with using school board and regional tax increases as a comparison to what we are doing. They’re providing totally different services, and are kind of irrelevant – they just get collected by us,” he said.
“We’re responsible for the money we collect and we spend on behalf of township residents. That’s the number I want to concentrate on when we’re doing our budget deliberations.”
Unable to set firm parameters, councillors ultimately deferred a target, requesting more information for the September 24 meeting.
WCS figures reflect large jump in demand for food bank aid
Julian Gavaghan Observer Staff
LOCAL FOOD BANK USE HAS soared to record levels as the number of Ontarians visiting centres across the province was this week revealed to have passed the one million mark for the first time.
Lisa Martin, who runs the food bank for Woolwich Community Services (WCS), said there had been a 60 per cent increase in the number of monthly hampers handed out since this time last year.
one of the world’s richest countries.
“Food banks cannot keep up with the unprecedented need they’re seeing,” said Carolyn Stewart, the organization’s CEO in a news release, as she called for governments at all levels to take more action.
“Across the province, we are hearing reports of long lines, empty shelves, and a growing concern that some food banks may have to close their doors,” she added.
had exacerbated hunger issues since the pandemic.
The organization also blamed reductions in social support programs and a failure to adequately invest in affordable housing.
Stewart said that, as a result, 69 per cent of food banks in their network are concerned about not having enough food to adequately provide support to those in need.
Additionally, 53 per cent worry about having enough funding to sufficiently meet the demand in their areas, according to the study.
This followed a 51.2 per cent spike between 2022 and 2023, she said, noting that new households are registering every month and that it is difficult to keep up with demand.
“With the growth in numbers of hampers given out we are seeing our food bank items being handed out as fast as they come in, but our community continues to provide,” Martin told The Observer.
This month, with supplies falling, WCS is running a corporate challenge, asking local businesses to collect two specific items for the program.
“This is an essential food drive coming off the summer months where donations are down, due to holidays and business of people,” added Martin.
The revelation comes as Feed Ontario, a body that represents food banks across the province, warned that a growing housing and cost-of-living crisis is forcing more people to go hungry in
More than a million people – nearly one in 15 Ontarians – used food banks during the past year, according to a Feed Ontario report released on Tuesday.
Centres were visited 7.6 million times over the course of 12 months, which is a 134 per cent increase from 2019-2020, the study revealed.
This marks the eighth consecutive year of growth and represents an all-time record for food banks usage.
“When we released record-breaking data last year, we thought that was the high-water mark,” said Stewart.
“But food bank use has only continued to climb as more Ontarians find themselves struggling to make ends meet.
“When will our governments say enough is enough and take meaningful action against food insecurity and poverty?”
FO said that a rapid spike in the cost of living, coupled with stagnating incomes and rising economic vulnerability,
Making the problem worse is that fewer people can afford to donate food as their own standards of living have been squeezed by rising costs, Stewart explained.
“Food banks were only ever designed to be a temporary measure. They were never meant to patch holes left in our weak social safety nets. We need to act now,” she said. An FO statement also said the province’s own 2020-2025 Poverty Reduction Strategy had not done enough to stop people falling through the cracks and depending on charity to eat.
The organization called on the government to “develop a more robust” plan to raise wages and reduce the cost of living.
“If we work together, we can build a better future where everyone in Ontario has access to the food they need,” said Stewart.
“Together, we can achieve an Ontario where everyone is food secure.”
Organizer Lisa Martin says use of the Woolwich Community Services food bank has risen 60 per cent in the past year. Julian Gavaghan
Labour Day proves tragic on the roads
Provincial police report it was a tragic Labour Day long weekend on and off the road, with two pedestrians, a motorcyclist and an off-road vehicle driver among the seven traffic fatalities that occurred in separate collisions in OPP jurisdictions. Throughout the week-
AUGUST 29
10 : 34 PM | Waterloo Regional Police responded to a residence on Perth Road in New Hamburg for a report of a break-in. The suspects entered by forcing a door open. The residence was vacant and nothing appeared to have been taken. The investigation is ongoing.
AUGUST 30
4 : 27 PM | Police responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by an unknown vehicle in the area of Second and Arthur streets in Elmira. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police continue to investigate to locate the driver.
AUGUST 31
2:51 PM | A cyclist was struck by a vehicle while travelling on Erbs Road in Wilmot. The cyclist received serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
SEPTEMBER 3
7:24 AM | A collision brought police to the area of Union Street and South Field Drive in Elmira. A driver exited their vehicle on the shoulder when they were struck by oncoming vehicle. The injured driver received minor physical injuries and was transported to a local hospital.
end, the OPP laid 9,143 traffic/marine and Criminal Code charges across the province. Aggressive drivers were the most significant offenders, making roads unsafe for the many families and other people travelling throughout the province to take in the last
SEPTEMBER 4
8:58 AM | Police received a report of a vehicle broken into overnight on Stamford Street in Breslau. Sometime around 12:30 a.m., two unknown males entered the vehicle and stole property. It is unknown if the vehicle was locked at the time. The males are described as approximately 5’10”-6’1” tall, with thin builds. One male was wearing a baseball hat, a white hooded sweatshirt and Adidas running shoes. The other male was wearing a black t-shirt. Anyone with information is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.
2:42 PM | An unknown suspect broke into a vehicle on Dolman Street in Breslau and stole property. Anyone with information is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.
9:04 PM | Police received a report of a vehicle broken into overnight on Norwich Road in Breslau. Sometime around 1:20 a.m., an unknown suspect(s) entered the vehicle and stole property. Anyone with information is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.
SEPTEMBER 5
10 : 47 AM | Police received a report of a commercial break-andenter in Breslau. Sometime around 2 a.m., an unknown suspect entered a business on Fountain Street North and stole computer
long weekend of summer, the OPP reported this week.
Officers laid a total of 4,841 speeding charges and 124 stunt driving/ racing charges. Among other charges were no seatbelt: 545, impaired driving: 234, and distracted driving: 102.
equipment from an office. Anyone with information is asked to call police or Waterloo Regional Crime Stoppers.
SEPTEMBER 6
11 : 27 AM | A male attended a business located on Hutchison Road in Wellesley Township and stole merchandise. As a result of the ongoing investigation, a 66-yearold Waterloo man was arrested and charged with ‘theft under $5,000’ (two counts).
SEPTEMBER 9
10:00 AM | Wellington County OPP, Mapleton Fire Department and Wellington County Paramedic Services responded to a report of a multi-vehicle collision involving three vehicles on Wellington Road 8 at the intersection of Wellington Road 10 in Mapleton Township. One of the involved vehicles was a Wellington County Paramedic response vehicle. Two vehicle occupants were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries. One driver has been charged with an offence found in the Highway Traffic Act. The Wellington County OPP is requesting anyone with information to call 1-888310-1122. Should you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477 (TIPS) or submit a secure web-tip at www. cstip.ca, where you may be eligible to receive a cash reward of up to $2,000.
Welcoming New Patients!
A police canine unit and four cars were stationed on Kingfisher Drive, Elmira on Tuesday after spending the night there. A Waterloo Regional Police Service spokesman said: “It was part of an ongoing investigation and there is no crime scene or concerns for public safety.” Julian Gavaghan
Neighbours enjoyed the 23rd annual block party on Hampton Street, Elmira on Sept. 7. Organizers Randy and Barb Smith with Bailey and Sonya Martin (front) joined the rest of the group under a washing line collection of special T-shirts that are made each year for each event. Julian Gavaghan
matters where you get your local news.
Connect: observerxtra.com/staff
Ottawa must begin undoing the harm it has done
Surely, Justin Trudeau knows the jig is up. He must, right?
The unpopular NDP and even more unpopular leader Jagmeet Singh have abandoned the deal to keep the minority Liberals in power, clearly looking to distance themselves from the government.
Within the ranks of the Liberal party, there have been some high-profile exits, including longtime campaign director Jeremy Broadhurst, who is said to have told Trudeau a fourth term was out of reach, and Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan. Now, Quebec lieutenant Pablo Rodriguez is musing about leaving federal politics.
Add to that reports that five chiefs of staff to federal cabinet ministers are departing, and you’ve got a picture of insiders aware that the next election will oust the Liberals. It’s time to get out while the getting’s good.
The next election is slated for October 2025. That could be moved up if the government falls now that the NDP has backed out of the supply and confidence agreement.
There’s been many rumblings about Trudeau’s future, especially following the byelection loss earlier this summer in the hitherto-safe riding of Toronto-St. Paul’s. The Prime Minister maintains, however, that he’s preparing to carry the banner into the next vote, citing his record.
That’s unlikely to sway voters, who are well aware many of the country’s woes can be traced right back to Trudeau’s policies since first coming to power in 2015.
Certainly, not every problem can be blamed on the government, including the economic fallout from the pandemic and subsequent inflation/greedflation. That said, Ottawa made plenty of poor spending choices, but the pandemic-related problems were global in nature, beyond any one government.
The most harmful of the choices are ones being walked back just now, albeit in no way effectively. Facing a growing backlash, Trudeau has reversed course an insignificant way on foreign students and, more recently, the much-abused temporary foreign worker (TFW) program.
The government said it would reduce amount of TFWs that can be employed by businesses, many of whom have taken advantage of loopholes that turned the program from stopgap to a way to suppress the wages of Canadians and worsen Canada’s already poor productivity numbers. In short, instead of finding ways to make jobs more attractive to Canadian workers and promote innovation, many companies simply rely on a stream of TFWs.
Aside from the harm to the economy, including direct costs to taxpayers via government spending, the millions of new arrivals have done massive damage to the health-care and education systems, all the while leading to an unprecedented crisis in housing affordability.
While Ottawa backpedals somewhat, it’s done little to stand up for Canadians, particularly the middle class to which Trudeau has paid lip service, starting in 2015. Today, some four million people in the country could be sent home immediately as the first step to reversing the Liberals’ damaging immigration policy.
We’re already living in a time of flux. Increasingly, good-paying jobs have disappeared, replaced by crappy service jobs. Well, in part. Fact is, across Canada and the U.S., there are fewer real jobs even as the population increases. Where the labour hasn’t been sent offshore, high immigration levels – legal or otherwise – have been used to drive down wages and to provide fodder for our consumer society. Canadians are increasingly in debt as we become poorer, as witnessed by the falling per capita GDP for which Ottawa is directly to blame.
With good jobs increasingly scarce even as the unemployment rate rises, clearly the government must begin reversing course for real, not just mouth platitudes.
We’re seeing the instability of the status quo at this very moment. Among the questions to come, the most important is what can we do to change the underlying nature of the economy to avoid repeating today’s experiences.
Netanyahu is Israel’s curse
Six Jewish hostages were murdered by Hamas just before the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reached them, and a controversy has erupted in Israel about whether Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu should have done more to save them. But only among the ignorant and the credulous, because everybody else knew he never intended to save them.
If your child is kidnapped and you get a ransom note, do you:
(A) pay the ransom if you can possibly raise the money, informing the police only after your child is safe; or do you
(B) ask the police to find and free the child, accepting the risk that she might get killed in the process; or do you
(C) write the child off, as you have other priorities that take precedence?
Most parents would choose option (A) if they could afford it and option (B) if they could not. Almost none would choose option (C). But politicians are dealing with other people’s children, and the calculations are different.
When Hamas fighters from the Gaza Strip attacked Israel last October, killing 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 others back to the Strip as hostages, Israel’s Netanyahu owed the
latter group a duty of care, but it wasn’t unlimited.
Option (A) was politically unavailable to Netanyahu. He could not afford to pay the Hamas kidnappers off, because their price would be the complete and permanent withdrawal of all Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
In current circumstances, no Israeli leader could sell that outcome to Israeli voters, Netanyahu’s coalition government would crumble, there would be a general election, and he would lose.
Option (C) was also off-limits, at least as an openly declared policy. He could not publicly write off the hostages as a lost cause, because that was an emotionally unacceptable conclusion for a large proportion of Israel’s Jewish voters.
For public consumption Netanyahu adopted Option (B): ask the police (or actually the army, in this case) to find the hostages and liberate them, although he must have known privately that they would be killed before they could be rescued.
This is a reality that is often
ignored by the hostages’ families and their supporters. The kidnappers in this case are not random criminals but trained and fanatical soldiers. They are holding the hostages in tunnels as much as 20 metres underground. Of course they will kill the hostages before Israeli soldiers reach them. There is no real Option (B). These are the facts, and they would have forced Netanyahu to write off the hostages or accept a cease-fire even if he were a wise and honest man. He is neither, of course. He is a man facing likely conviction in three criminal trials for corruption that have been interrupted because of the war. Conviction could carry a jail sentence, so he is in no hurry for the trials to resume. He is a man who is playing for time, because the longer the time between last October’s Hamas attacks and the date when the inquiry opens into his responsibility for not preventing that disaster, the better for him. Something else might turn up: a Trump election victory, a war with Iran that drags the Americans in, anything that changes the subject.
He is a man who, 11 months into the war, has yet to give a single hint about how he
ANALYSIS OF CURRENT WORLD EVENTS
GWYNNE DYER
Global Outlook on World Affairs
Is equality before the law under threat in Canada?
Equality before the law has always been a point of pride for Canadians. It’s a fundamental part of who we are as a country – a belief that no matter your background, race, or financial situation, everyone should be treated the same in the eyes of the law.
However, some legal changes happening in Canada are raising serious questions. Are we still a nation where everyone is equal under the law, or are we slowly becoming a society where legal rights are determined by race and history?
This is a question that Brian Giesbrecht, a retired judge and senior fellow with the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, has been thinking about for some time. In a recent conversation I had with Brian, he shared his thoughts on how the legal landscape in Canada is shifting, partic-
▢ David Leis Guest Column
ularly when it comes to Indigenous land claims and the implications for equality under the law. One of the biggest developments is occurring in British Columbia, where the Haida Title Act is shaking things up. This act recognizes Haida Aboriginal title over 10,000 square kilometres of land in Haida Gwaii, effectively handing control of that land over to the Haida Nation. On the surface, this might seem like a positive step toward addressing historical wrongs, but there are some major concerns about how it will affect landowners, businesses, and residents. For example, legal experts, including Aboriginal law scholar Tom Isaac, have pointed
out that this agreement doesn’t clearly protect private property rights. This means people who thought they owned their land outright are now left wondering what their property rights really mean.
But this isn’t just about British Columbia. The issue of Indigenous land claims is playing out across Canada, thanks in large part to the Supreme Court’s interpretations of Section 35 of the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms Aboriginal and treaty rights. The court has introduced concepts like Aboriginal title and the duty to consult, which have created a legal environment where Indigenous groups can challenge the government’s control over land – much of it Crown land – across the country. The result? A lot of legal uncertainty. And while
the intention behind these rulings was to address historical injustices, they’ve also raised some tough questions about the future of property rights in Canada. For example, in British Columbia, where much of the land isn’t covered by treaties, the courts have created what Giesbrecht describes as a Pandora’s box of legal uncertainty. Property owners and businesses are now left in limbo, unsure of where they stand. Making matters even more complicated is the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which Canada adopted and British Columbia enshrined in law. UNDRIP asserts that Indigenous peoples have the right to control lands they traditionally occupied. While this is framed as a step toward reconciliation, its implementation
has left many Canadians wondering what it means for their own property rights.
Supporters of these changes argue that they’re necessary to right historical wrongs and that Indigenous peoples deserve a greater say in how land and resources are managed. But critics, including Giesbrecht, worry that we’re heading down a path that could divide the country. If different sets of rules apply to different groups of people, what happens to the principle of equality that’s supposed to be at the heart of Canadian society?
And it’s not just the legal changes that are raising eyebrows. The way these changes are being implemented is causing concern as well. Take the recent attempt by the NDP government in British Columbia to push
through major changes to the Land Act with almost no public consultation. The government’s lack of transparency has led to accusations that they’re trying to reshape the province’s legal landscape without properly engaging with the people who will be most affected.
The consequences of all this are already being felt. In 2022, a violent attack on the Coastal GasLink pipeline project in northern British Columbia highlighted just how tense things have become over Indigenous land rights. Despite millions of dollars in damage, there have been no charges against those responsible. This kind of hands-off approach raises serious questions about the rule of law in Canada. If some groups are above the law, how can we continue to claim that we’re all equal?
DYER: Netanyahu delays the process as he scrambles to save only himself
thinks the Gaza Strip should be governed when the war ends. Not even addressing the issue postpones the evil day when the reality of a cease-fire and a peace settlement must be discussed and decided.
He wants to avoid that day because his coalition is critically dependent on an extreme right-wing party that relies on the turmoil of the war to distract attention from its campaign to drive as many Palestinians as possible out of the occupied West Bank.
Some sure signs that
JOE MERLIHAN Publisher 519-669-5790 x107
DONNA RUDY Sales Manager 519-669-5790 x104
JULIAN GAVAGHAN Reporter 519-669-5790 x101
PATRICK MERLIHAN Online Editor 519-669-5790 x105
STEVE KANNON Editor 519-669-5790 x103
CASSANDRA MERLIHAN Production Manager 519-669-5790 x106
ANDREA EYMANN Reporter 519-669-5790 x102
Find Us: 20B Arthur Street North, Elmira, Ontario, N3B 1Z9
“Today, we have power in the government,” said National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a leading light of that far-right group. “I’m not ashamed to say that we’re using this power to
About Us: Independent, locally-owned and the only weekly community newspaper serving the residents of Woolwich and Wellesley Townships. Real news, real reporting concentrating on the close-tohome issues in our communities. When it comes to reaching our residents, The Observer is unsurpassed.
Press Oversight: The Observer is a member of the National Newsmedia Council - an independent organization established to deal with acceptable journalistic practises and ethical behaviour. If you have concerns about editorial content, contact: 519-669-5790 ext 103 or editor@woolwichobserver.com.
If you are not satisfied with the response and wish to file a complaint, visit mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163 for more information.
prevent a reckless deal and to stop any negotiations altogether.” To prevent any deal and any negotiations at all, in fact. There were big pro-cease-fire demonstrations on the day after the murdered hostages were found, including up to five per cent of the Israeli population. There was a six-hour ‘national strike’ by the country-wide trade union Histadrut on the following day, but they tamely shut it down when the courts ruled that it was ‘political’. Netanyahu is Israel’s curse, but he and his strategy are safe at least until the US election in November, and a lot longer if Trump wins then. Nothing Joe Biden can bring himself to do or say in the meantime will change that.
Subscriptions:
Annual subscriptions to The Observer mailed within Canada/U.S. are available by contacting the office or by visiting us online: observerxtra.com/subscribe. The annual fee is $73.45 (Tax included)
Letters to the Editor: Letters must be exclusive to this publication on a topic of relevance to the community. It must contain the author's name, address, contact info and be no more than 300 words. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. The Observer declines announcements, poetry, thank-yous and unsigned letters. Deliver to: editor@woolwichobserver. com or online: observerxtra.com/letters ISSN #: 12039578
Store: www.newsmart.ca
Founded in 1996.
summer is over, from school break to the BBQ circuit.
On Farm Safety
Study shows farm kids not immune to farm stressors
They say it takes a village to raise a child.
And a new study is highlighting that notion when it comes to mental in farm youth, revealing that children aren’t immune to stressors on the family farm
The study, from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, explores how economic stressors affect the mental health of farmers and their adolescent children.
“Mental health with youth in agriculture is often overlooked. We have, rightfully so, put emphasis on the owner-operator who makes the decisions on the farm and has to sit with those decisions. But we haven’t looked at the impacts on the farm family,” explains Josie Rudolphi, an assistant professor and Extension specialist at the University of Illinois and one of the study’s co-authors.
“When families go through trauma, it’s usually not just one person who experiences trauma. It’s experienced by the family. So, when we think about tough economic situations, it’s
being felt by everyone in the family. With farming, there are a lot of stressors that aren’t typical of most work arrangements and lines between home and work are often blurred.”
In the first two years of the five-year study, data has indicated a higher prevalence of symptoms for depression and anxiety in farm parents and youth compared to the general population. The study found that about 60% of both adults and adolescents met the criteria for at least mild depression, while 55% of adults and 45% of adolescents met the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder.
“Those statistics are much higher than what we see in the general population. Even during COVID, we typically saw, among the general population, 28% to 35% of people meeting the criteria for at least mild depression,” says Rudolphi. “So, we are seeing upwards of double those figures, which is very concerning.”
While the study looks at U.S. farmers and adolescents, Rudolphi notes that → KIDS 11
Siblings carry on parents’ legacy with family fish farm
RJ Taylor never imagined he’d return to work at his family’s fish farm after he left home at 18.
But that’s exactly where he is today, working alongside his sister Arlen to manage Cedar Crest Trout Farms, which their parents, Jim and Lynette, started more than 30 years ago.
And while they are carrying on the family business, it looks quite different from the singlefarm operation their parents started with. Today, the business, which also operates under the Springhills Fish brand, has multiple land-based fish farms in southwestern Ontario’s Grey County, a partner-
ship with Sheshegwaning First Nation for a fish farm on Manitoulin Island that utilizes offshore technology to grow fish in floating nets, a processing plant, an expanded team, and a working relationship with major retailers. Springhills Fish also delivers fresh fish, including rainbow trout, coho salmon, and Arctic char,
to more than 1,500 homes in Ontario every month.
Though the siblings are now well-established in their roles as second-generation fish farmers, Taylor says the succession process to get there wasn’t the easiest.
“There is a certain amount of uncertainty and unknowing when → FISH FARM 12
Siblings RJ and Arlen Taylor are second-generation fish farmers who took over management of the fish farming operation their parents started more than 30 years ago. Submitted
Safety While Sharing the Road – It’s a Two-Way Street
Too often, many of us overlook the fact that we might be sharing the road with agricultural equipment.
We hear of traffic incidents involving motor vehicles and agricultural equipment on public roadways every year. Unfortunately, many of these incidents have severe outcomes for motorists and farm equipment operators alike. In fact, according to Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting (CAIR) data, traffic collisions made up approximately 7% of all agriculture-related fatalities between 2003-2012.
Here are some tips to help keep everyone safe while sharing the road: Motorists
Spring planting and fall harvest time tend to see more agricultural equipment on roadways. But it’s important to keep an eye out all year long, especially when travelling in rural areas.
Agricultural equipment travels a lot slower than regular traffic. That means a motor vehicle travelling at the speed limit can approach farm equipment more quickly than expected. Make sure to stay alert and slow down when approaching any farm machinery.
Leave plenty of space behind farm equipment to allow for potential debris coming from the machinery. Keeping a distance will also help assess when it is safe to pass the equipment.
If you can’t see the operator, they can’t see you – and may not know you’re there!
We all know how easy it is to get impatient when driving behind a slow-moving vehicle. But only pass when it is safe to do so, and the operator can see you.
When passing a piece of farm equipment, always follow the same road rules that apply when passing other motor vehicles, like never passing on a solid centre line or corner.
Pay attention to turn signals and any hand signals from the operator.
Tractors and other farm equipment need plenty of room to make left-hand turns. If the operator veers to the right, it might mean that they are about to make a lefthand turn – this is NOT an indication for the motorist to pass!
Agricultural Equipment Operators
It’s best practice to use side roads instead of highways whenever possible, given the size and limited speed of farm machinery. Before heading out on the road, take time to plan your route.
Ensure that all loads are secure and that your equipment won’t leave debris on roadways or send projectiles towards motorists.
Make sure your equipment has reflective materials and a
Slow-Moving Vehicle (SMV) sign that are in good condition and visible. Be sure to replace these items as needed. Take care to check that all lights, beacons, and turn signals are clean and working properly before operating on any roadway.
Use signals whenever you turn or change lanes.
Know the width and height of your equipment and adjust mirrors as needed. This will help to ensure safe travel and clearance with potential obstructions such as road signs, overhead lines, and bridges.
If you’ll be transporting oversized loads/ equipment or have to travel on highspeed roadways, use a pilot vehicle whenever possible. (NOTE: Some provinces have requirements regarding pilot vehicles, while others do not.)
Always wear a seatbelt when operating a tractor or other agricultural equipment.
Keep in mind that anyone operating agricultural machinery on public roadways must possess a valid driver’s licence and comply with traffic laws.
Remember that we all share the same public roadways. And that means we all have a responsibility to help ensure everyone makes it home safely.
ↆ More farm health and safety tips are available at casa-acsa.ca.
KIDS: Creating an environment for the next generation
the findings are consistent with other studies around the world. The Survey of Farmer Mental Health in Canada, undertaken between February and May 2021 and led by Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton at the University of Guelph, found that stress, anxiety, and depression were higher among farmers than the national average. The research also found that suicide ideation was twice as high among Canadian farmers compared to the general population.
Of particular note in the new study’s findings is the correlation between how farm parents’ mental health and well-being affect that of their adolescent children.
“If a parent meets the criteria for depression, it’s almost guaranteed that the adolescent will as well,” Rudolphi explains. “We have to, of course, acknowledge that some of this is genetic. But what it really underscores is that youth are experiencing what their parents are experiencing; they are absorbing and internalizing their experiences.”
The study has also found a “very strong association” between mental health and risk-taking among farm youth, indicating that those who participated in more risk-taking behaviours were more likely to meet the criteria for at least mild symptoms of depression. That finding echoes a similar conclusion in the research “Health and Well-Being Among Youth People from Canadian Farms: Associations with a Culture of Risk-Taking,” which found risk
behaviours to be high among farm adolescents and associated with various negative indicators of health and well-being.
“When we compare what we found to what the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] has found in non-farm adolescents, we see a higher proportion of our sample participating in those risk-taking activities,” Rudolphi says.
One glimmer of promising news, says Rudolphi, is that today’s youth have a heightened awareness of and engagement in mental health conversations.
“There is still some stigma with mental health, in some populations especially, and I think rural and agricultural communities at one point were among the most stigmatizing. But we are starting to see that change,” Rudolphi says. “Youth are really interested in talking about mental health. A lot of it has to do with generational changes.
Millennials are more likely to talk about it than their parents, and Gen Z and beyond are growing up in environments with much more normalized conversations about mental health.”
Of course, capitalizing on that youth interest and engagement means providing adequate and accessible mental health resources and services.
And, as the study’s findings underscore, there is a need for more mental health supports focusing on farm youth and farm families.
“Is it concerning that we see a high proportion of our sample meeting the criteria for depres-
sion? Yes. But what’s also concerning is the lack of adequate access to mental health care in rural communities,” explains Rudolphi. “Because we know that these are treatable conditions; we have a spectrum of mental health and people are moving through it constantly. It’s very treatable and manageable, if you have the resources at your disposal.”
While there is no quick solution to address mental health and wellness among farm families, Rudolphi hopes the study brings more attention to the experiences of farm families, particularly youth. Though there are plenty of benefits to growing up on a farm, she notes, it’s also important to acknowledge and work to address the risks, which extend beyond physical well-being.
“If we’re going to encourage people to go into farming, if we’re going to encourage people to grow our food, then we need to make sure they’re taken care of from a physical and mental perspective,” she explains.
“These youth today are our next generation of farmers. If they aren’t safe and healthy, then we don’t have our future farmers and ranchers.”
To find mental health resources, information, and supports in your area, visit www.casa-acsa.ca/ mental-health.
ↆ Kids FarmSafe Week is a public awareness campaign hosted by the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association with the aim of promoting the safety and wellness of children and youth on Canadian farms. More information can be found at www.kidsfarmsafe.ca.
trying to sort things out with succession planning. It certainly isn’t something that you can rush,” says Taylor, noting that the entire succession process took nearly five years.
The move home all started with a phone call that Arlen received from their father asking for help with a sudden surge in orders. Arlen, who at the time was working overseas and had just accepted a contract to set up refugee camps in Iraq, agreed to return to the farm to help out for what she thought would be a temporary situation. After a few years, Taylor says that Arlen began to see more opportunities for the family business.
“Arlen had looked at the business, and she and I started talking about where the business could go and what the needs were,” Taylor explains. “She had worked alongside my dad for a bit, who was getting into his late 70s by then, and that’s when my parents started talking about some sort of succession plan.”
To get things rolling with the succession process, the family brought in a third-party mediator who did a strategy session about what each individual wanted out of life, where the business could go, and the requirements to get there.
“It helps having someone there who isn’t part of the family and who doesn’t have emotions tied up in the process. It also gave my parents an opportunity to say they wanted to step back from daily operations on
the farm. Those types of conversations, I don’t know that they would have come up if we didn’t have a mediator,” says Taylor, adding that the strategy sessions with the mediator also opened his eyes to how his skills aligned with what the business needed.
“When we were going through this process with the mediator and figuring out the business needs going forward, all of the gaps that were on the whiteboard were my strengths,” explains Taylor, who worked for several large science research centres after graduating from university. “So, it was only a matter of time before I called up Arlen and said ‘Okay, let’s do this.’”
As they got into the thick of the succession process, Taylor says they quickly learned an important lesson about finding experts suited to their personalities and business vision.
“My parents had an accountant from a larger firm who worked with all the farms in the area and this individual was of the mindset that there is only one way to do succession,” Taylor explains. “There was just no out-of-the-box thinking for understanding the personalities at play and the business and where we wanted to go.”
They decided the best move would be to have a fresh start with new experts. Taylor and his sister found an accountant with an entrepreneurial focus who helped create a succession plan that was in line with what the family and business needed. They
also switched banks and lawyers.
“Starting with a clean slate was really helpful. It’s a new relationship and those individuals aren’t comparing you to your parents and how your parents ran the business,” he says.
Taylor is also quick to give his parents credit for being open to a process that suited what he and Arlen envisioned for the future of the business, noting that the tremendous growth of the family farm meant it was becoming less like the business his parents ran for decades.
“For my parents, the business was starting to boom just as they were reaching the end of their careers. So if they were to remain in a decision-making position with the business and holding the purse strings, it would be very hard for the business to grow and modernize. I’ve seen that happen on other farms, so we are very fortunate that our parents were open to something else,” explains Taylor. “I think there was also some awareness on their part that it’s a different industry now from when the business started.”
In addition to growing the business and increasing production, the siblings have focused on communication and interactions with the public, something that Taylor says wasn’t a priority – or even perceived as a good idea – with his parents’ generation.
“A big change was when we opened the gates to the public and became more engaged with the
public through social media and local events,” he says. “It’s been a pretty amazing transition for the business, because people are genuinely excited to learn about where their food comes from and the people who produce it.”
The fish farming operation also prides itself on being recommended by Ocean Wise and certified by Best Aquaculture Practices, which Taylor calls the industry’s “gold standard” for animal welfare, environmental impacts, and worker health and safety.
The dust has long since settled on the family’s succession process. Though he never thought he would be managing his family’s fish farm, Taylor now can’t envision doing anything else – particularly since he gets to work with his sister to carry on their parents’ legacy.
“Building this farm was my dad’s dream. I feel very grateful for my parents’ belief in us to carry the business forward.”
And Taylor’s advice for others looking to start a succession process? Find the right experts to work with.
“Find people who are willing to find something that is customized to your situation. Because there’s a surprising amount out there who are not like that. When it comes to ensuring a successful succession, having the right people along the way is pivotal.”
ↆ Erin Kelly for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association Every year, CASA raises awareness about the importance of safety on Canadian farms
Sports tips are always welcome.
Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com
Team Scores: observerxtra.com/boxscore
Motoring on in the face of adversity
Last weekend my brother and I travelled to one of our favourite waterfowl spots to build a duck blind. Unfortunately, we chose to do this on an incredibly windy day. Worse still, my brother’s formerly reliable 15-horsepower motor decided to act like an underpowered eggbeater that day. This turned what is normally a 10-minute ride back to the landing, into a 40-minute cruise. This was made even less pleasant by the fact that we were running against the wind and fighting high waves and whitecaps.
Even so, we remained calm and collected, provided you discount that one point when I was seriously considering standing on the bow and singing “My heart will go on.”
But here’s what I came to realize.
When you are in water with high waves and a questionable outboard the best thing to do is come up with plausible contingency plans. For instance, I readied an oar, so that I could use it to whack my brother in the head should his motor quit completely. For my brother had broken the cardinal rule: He brought out an unreliable and practically useless unit to build duck blinds with – and the boat and motor weren’t any good either.
At one point in the journey, I actually started thinking about the geography of the big water we were on and how to best survive a shipwreck on its desolate shores. My plan
STEVE GALEA
Not-So-Great Outdoorsman
was simple. I would build an unapproved hut so that we would immediately be found and rescued by a local bylaw officer.
I also began thinking of a plausible back injury to fake, should rowing become our only option. I settled on sciatica.
The sad truth is, in a situation like this, you must be prepared to throw dignity overboard.
Luckily, none of these options were required.
The boat, though slow, ploughed through the whitecaps and waves while my brother and I tried to identify what the problem was with the motor, even though we both know as much as the inner workings of an outboard as we do about astrophysics.
If you think I’m exaggerating, let me just reveal that we both diagnosed that the elastic band that ran the propeller needed rewinding. And we took the cowl off to see if we could do just that. Unfortunately, it was even worse than we thought. It turns out the elastic was gone altogether.
But all that was beside the point.
The point was we made it back to shore and they were able to pry the oar out of my hands. I’m not saying it was a long ride, but I believe by the time we beached the boat, I was experiencing the onset of scurvy.
Senior Women’s National Team wrapped up the 2024 Paralympic Games as the fourth seed – the best finish for the basketball team in 20 years. Canada concluded the Paris Games with a hard-fought battle against China, coming up short in a 65-43 decision. The fourth-place finish in Paris is the best result for the SWNT since they captured bronze at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.
Exhibition matches help Jacks prepare for season that opens this weekend
Julian Gavaghan
THE WELLESLEY APPLEJACKS
RETURNED TO the ice on Saturday as fans turned up to watch two exhibition games ahead of the start of the regular season this weekend.
Coach Derek Lebold, a former player for the side, saw his team struggle in the first match in the morning after failing to find the net in a punishing 4-0 defeat to the Hanover Barons.
Later in the day, they finally got in a scoring habit in a thrilling 3-3 tie with no overtime against the Kincardine Bulldogs, including a goal from new signing Harrison Holroyd. With a palpable buzz in the air among the more than 100 fans, who were watching the Jacks compete for the first time
at the new Wellesley rec. centre since the team’s disappointing first-round playoff exit in March, the home side got off to a promising start on Saturday morning.
But, despite dominating the early part of the game, the players failed to put away their chances as they were continually thwarted by Hanover’s imposing goalie, Derek Hartley. By the time the Barons opened up the scoring on the stroke of the fourth minute, with Kyle Maloney netting, the visitors had grown into the game and soon began to create more turnovers and chances, which made life for the Jacks increasingly uncomfortable.
Unable to be clinical in front of goal, though, Lebold’s players were then forced to soak up a lot more pressure.
However, they main-
tained the score through to the buzzer, with Xavier Bussiere making nine saves in a penalty-free first period, with Wellesley replying with seven shots on Hanover’s goal.
In the second frame, it was more of the same, although the play became more fractious, with Wellesley receiving three penalties, against Evan Sylveria for boarding, Mac Roy for hooking and Jake L’Heureaux for cross-checking.
Hanover got two penalties, but neither side were able to use their man-advantage to score.
The Barons were only able to convert one of their 13 chances, with Wellesley registering just seven shots.
The visitors had to wait until 11:16 for Sam Barrett to give them a two-goal advantage.
Wellesley’s frustrations
continued in the third period, as they failed to capitalize on the lone power play of that frame, while registering nine shots without scoring. Hanover’s third goal, a single-handed effort by Barrett at 12:25, for his second of the encounter, put the result beyond doubt.
They rounded off the scoring with four after Mark McIntosh netted one at 16:29 and maintained the shutout until the final buzzer, with Hanover’s goalie making 23 saves, while Wellesley’s Bussiere stopped 32 of the visitors’ 36 shots.
The Jacks fared considerably better in the second game of the day, although certainly Kincardine had the better of the first period, with Kohen Matthews potting the first puck at 7:12.
→ JACKS 28
Wellesley’s Roenick Jackielaszk (left) and Hanover’s Danny Scott jockey for the puck in the Applejack’s 4-0 defeat on Sept. 7. Julian Gavaghan
There’s no question that addressing historical injustices is important. Indigenous peoples in Canada have faced centuries of discrimination, and we absolutely need to work toward ensuring that they have the opportunity to thrive. But Giesbrecht believes that we can’t pursue reconciliation at the expense of the basic principles that make Canada what it is. Equality before the law needs to stay front and centre. If we start allowing legal rights to be determined by race, we risk dividing our society and undermining the very foundation of our nation.
The road ahead is going to be tricky. Canada needs to find a balance between addressing historical wrongs and making sure that all Canadians – Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike – are treated equally under the law. This will require careful thought and a commitment to transparency and public debate. Only by doing this can we ensure that equality before the law remains a reality in Canada, not just a lofty ideal.
After putting the boat back on the trailer, my brother and I went our separate ways. I drove my car back to the county. He drove his boat and motor straight to a marine mechanic. This is not something that any backyard outboard motor mechanic ever wants to do. But the truth is, sometime you just can’t find the right-sized elastic.
And that’s when these technicians are the guys and gals you must visit. It’s never easy, and it is sometimes humbling. But you have to accept that they know more about motors than you, and then just give them props.
Emily Hughes
ↆ David Leis, a former Woolwich mayor, is the Frontier Centre for Public Policy’s vice president for development and engagement and host of the Leaders on the Frontier podcast.
Members of the Bloomingdale A’s after winning the Woolwich Men’s Recreational Slow-Pitch League on September 8. Back row: Stefan Lemoine, Jesse Schott, Tom Hazel, Jordan Schott, Matt Fulcher, Greg Murphy, Rich Graham, Brad Hollebrandse, Kory Stemmler, Tyler Wendland and Ben Gunn. Front row: Chris Wood, Tony Roes and Adam Stemmler with youngsters and future A’s, Mackenzie Schott, Finn Stemmler, Lucas Fulcher and Oden Gunn. Troy Wilson was absent for a fishing trip. Ron Stemmler, an A for over 40 years and member of the 1996 championship team, was there to cheer the team to victory. Submitted
Kings finish preseason with pair of wins, prepare for home-opener on Sunday
Steve Kannon Observer Staff
THE PRESEASON SCHEDULE HAVING
WRAPPED up, the Elmira Sugar Kings are now working to finalize their roster as they prepare for the regular season that opens this weekend.
There were plenty of familiar faces on the ice –and the scorecard – as the Kings finished the preseason with a 5-2 win over Ayr and a 3-1 decision versus the KW Siskins last Friday night.
“I liked that we were able to get in some of our roster guys to get a get used to each other a little bit, and start to see some different line combinations and guys playing with different guys. That was great,” said head coach Dane Horvat of the last two games of the preseason.
The September 4 victory over the Centennials was something of a payback from the previous week’s 4-3 OT loss, with the home side taking over in the second and never looking back.
The visitors from Ayr were first on the board, scoring a power-play goal at 17:03, but the Kings would reply just a minute and half later thanks to newcomer Sam Ratcliffe, who picked up his first goal with some help from Rhys McCloskey and Ian Speiran.
It was 1-1 as the teams went back to the room for the first intermission.
Brett Warrilow gave Elmira a lead it would never relinquish just 79 seconds into the middle frame. Assists were provided by two other players familiar to fans: Joey Martin and Luke Della Croce.
Della Croce made it 3-1 on a power play at 13:52, assisted by Tanner McDonald and Alexander Kyriacou. That’s how things would stand after 40 minutes.
In the third, Martin needed just 54 seconds to make it 4-1, with help from Della Croce and Warrilow.
The Centennials got one back at 12:50, but the home
KW Siskins. Julian Gavaghan side would seal things away when McDonald buried a empty-net goal at 18:41 as his team played shorthanded.
Shots were 31-21 in favour of the Kings, with netminder Elliott Hartwick turning aside 19 to post the win. Elmira was 1-2 on the power play, while Ayr went 1-3. Back on the ice at the WMC Friday night to host the Siskins, the Kings got the game’s first goal on Ryan Forwell’s third of the preseason, assisted
by Speiran and McDonald. Ninety seconds later, Waterloo tied the game, but that would be it for their scoring.
Elmira scored the lone goal of the middle frame –Warrilow, from Della Croce and Martin at 11:52 – to take a 2-1 lead, adding a third at 5:30 of the final period off the stick of McCloskey (Isaac Lorentz, Nolan Battler) to make it 3-1 when the buzzer sounded.
Elmira again outshot the visiting team, 31-25, as
victory over the
Reed Straus turned aside 24 on route to the win. The Kings’ power play went 0-1, while the Siskins were 0-5.
Both new goaltenders have impressed thus far, said Horvat, noting other newcomers seem to be fitting right in.
“Elliott Hartwick and Reed Straus are both goalies that have had an opportunity to play a full game now, and they've shown really well. Sam Ratcliffe is another local kid, a forward, that we've picked up who’s really impressing us with his offensive ability and upside.”
Having wrapped up the preseason, going 2-1-1, the Kings are preparing to open the regular season Friday night in Stratford. They return to Elmira for Sunday afternoon’s homeopener against the LaSalle Vipers, now a fellow Western Conference team thanks to this year’s new alignment in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL).
“I really like the potential of this group. It’s shown flashes of it in the last couple games. It’s early, but that's what preseason is for, figuring out where are the areas that we need to address first and go from there, but the potential and the flashes that we've seen say it’s going to be an exciting year,” said Horvat, noting the roster was about 80 per cent set by early this week.
The Kings are waiting on the status of some players still at OHL training camps prior to having a final roster.
Sugar Kings players Isaac Lorentz, Brett Warrilow, Brady Schwindt, Ian Speiran and Noah Milne at the Jumpstart event at Canadian Tire in Elmira on Sept. 7, the day after their 3-1
Chef Duff finds a new home in St. Jacobs
Following the sale of the RiverSong property, he’ll continue his culinary journey at the TriSisters Art House
Julian Gavaghan Observer Staff
IF CHEF BRUCE DUFF
WAS a dish, he says he’d be a stew.
“Because I simmer slowly, but I’m very flavourful at the end,” explains the entrepreneur, who is preparing to continue serving his famous soups and other much-loved meals at TriSisters Art House in St. Jacobs village.
His new Chef Duff Culinary Creations, which officially opens on October 2, is set to cater special events for up to 50 people, hold cooking classes and prepare take-out items for order at the new venue.
The announcement comes six weeks after he lost his tenancy and had to close Chef Duff at RiverSong, the picturesque waterside restaurant and banquet hall that the veteran culinarian had turned into a popular and profitable business over five years, which included the difficult pandemic period.
Duff, who describes himself as “laid back” and certainly “more mild mannered” than TV chefs like Gordon Ramsay, is sad yet also sanguine about the building’s purchase by the multi-premise events catering firm, The Stella Collective.
“God closes a door and a window opens,” he joked as he explained why he’s hopeful about moving on, noting that he was delighted to stay in Woolwich.
The fact that he will now work surrounded by art and artists is also something he appreciates – not least because he sees his own food in a similar light.
“It’s like art, you know,” said the versatile chef, who was busy receiving equipment orders to set up his new kitchen when The Observer interviewed him.
“You might spend hours on the painting, but when it’s done, you can stand back and look at it and go, ‘Hey, I did something good. I had success, it was worth the trouble.’
“Of course, it’s different with food because when it’s gone, it’s gone. You won’t get to see it again.”
This desire to see the results of his creativity, has motivated the Mississauga native ever since he finished his classical chef training at Humber College in Toronto and followed his then-girlfriend and now wife of 34 years to Waterloo Region in 1989, first working as an apprentice in the kitchen of the Walper Hotel in Kitchener.
Since then, the fatherof-two has worked at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Guelph Place Banquet Hall and was also head chef at the Huether Hotel in Waterloo.
Then, in 2019, he took over at RiverSong, on the banks of the Conestogo River west of St. Jacobs, and was able to flourish as a business owner.
After half a decade of considerable sweat, Duff, 53, found it hard to close
the beloved venue, serving his final customers there on July 25, after his landlord had agreed to sell the premises.
“One of the frustrations with that was because we were there for five years,” he said.
“We just got to the point we had ramped up really well. And we had got through Covid and all that, so we didn’t really get a fair chance to start off properly.
“So, really, we had a couple years beyond that to build things up and we had got to a point where we were actually making a profit.
“There was a lot of
potential. I had events booked that I had to cancel, which really sucked, because it looks unprofessional.
“People understood, but I still feel like it makes me look unprofessional.”
However, Duff, who lives in Kitchener, admits his years of grafting at RiverSong were not all in vain as he prepares to move on at TriSisters Art House.
“I’m not starting from scratch this time, so that’s really nice. I have some regulars, hopefully, that will come back,” he said.
“There’s a little bit of noise going on with some of my regular customers already, which is nice.”
As he sat surrounded by the paintings of John Rula, the artist’s wife, Jax Rula, the Three Sisters artistic director who helps run TriSisters Art House, walked by and pointed out a host of events happening there.
They include the month-long SpiritHumanity - Earth: Exploring Healing Through Art exhibit that started on September 7 and features portraits by Suellen EvoyOozer and a sculpture collaboration between Jeremy Freiburger and Six Nation artist Adam Monture.
After Rula went, Duff said he will also appreci-
ate having more people around in future.
“There’s two other businesses on this property. One is the art house and one is the Tasting House,” he said.
“So I like that as well, because I was on my own in the other place, also in the middle of nowhere.
“But here we have an opportunity to help each other with collaborating on different things, and also mixing our customers up.
“So if somebody’s coming in for the one purpose, but then see you also have this, I think there’s a lot of opportunity for that sort of thing.”
Chef Bruce Duff surrounded by the paintings of John Rula at TriSisters Art House, where he opens for service on Oct. 2.
Julian Gavaghan
Farmers and kids win with new school food program
Food is the bridge between rural and urban in Canada. That’s a win for anyone who can connect agriculture and food and help get them out of their silos.
And as much as the federal Liberals do their best to draw our ire, they hit a homerun with the new School Food Infrastructure Fund and the next phase of the Local Food Infrastructure Fund, announced last week. Both programs can help close the rural-urban gap and most importantly for farmers, help the public get more familiar with the food production on its doorstep.
The $20-million school fund will bolster existing school food programs across the country. Specifically, it will help not-forprofit organizations invest in infrastructure and equipment to support school food programming.
The local food infrastructure program, which has existed since 2019, has already committed $65 million to support more than 1,100 projects to improve food security across Canada. These include community
gardens and kitchens, refrigerated trucks and storage units for donated food and greenhouses in remote and Northern communities.
Ottawa describes the investment as “support for increased access and availability of local, healthy, and culturally appropriate foods, with a priority focus on equity-deserving groups within communities.”
These initiatives are part of the federal National School Food Program, a $63-million effort designed to allow more children and youth to have healthy meals and snacks at school.
Last week’s announcement was dripping with some of the syrupy pre-election government rhetoric that you’d usually dismiss, like how the government is trying to make life more affordable for families through programs like this. Such comments are to be expected, given that high food prices are becoming chronic and government
programs haven’t helped rein them in.
However, there’s also merit to statements such as the following, from Jean Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development:
“Every parent and teacher knows that a good meal can make all the difference in a child’s day,” she said. “A child’s ability to succeed and reach their full potential starts with the basics – a full belly and a nourished mind. By partnering and working with community organizations, we’re working towards our shared goal – ensuring that children in Canada have access to healthy meals that help them learn, grow and thrive in school and in life.”
South of the border, connecting food with kids’ health is a hallmark of the US Farm Bill, one of the world’s biggest, most influential and most complex pieces of agriculture legislation. It supports school programs too, and by its very name, does more to associate farming with food than any other initiative imaginable. Its complexity and cost – over $450 billion –
means it moves at a snail’s pace sometimes. But its support for schools and children is ingrained in the county’s culture.
The new school infrastructure program here
has exponentially less support and won’t have the same foundational effect on society.
But it’s a start. The program’s success will hinge on community
creativity to use it, and support from local agriculture and food groups to get involved and capitalize on it. Kids and farmers are the winners if it all falls in place.
Be a Part of Woolwich HistoryApply to Join the Woolwich Heritage Committee!
The Township of Woolwich is looking for engaged citizens who are passionate about preserving and promoting our Woolwich Heritage. Motivated candidates are willing to learn what it takes to identify and designate heritage properties, work with like-minded citizens and township staff, and contribute in various ways to complete committee tasks and special projects. While the committee would benefit from candidates with strong related professional experience, enthusiastic candidates are equally welcome to apply.
The Woolwich Heritage Committee meets once a month, for a minimum of nine times a year, to promote cultural heritage awareness, education stewardship and conservation; to recognize excellence in the cultural heritage community within Woolwich; and to provide advice to Council on cultural heritage matters in the Township of Woolwich.
For detailed information about the committee and how to apply as a volunteer, please visit www.woolwich.ca/heritage or contact the Clerks Office at 519-669-6004.
The application deadline is Thursday, September 26, 2024 and successful applicants will be appointed by the Township of Woolwich Council. Once appointed, the Committee member’s term aligns with the term of the current Council. Interested but want more information? Contact Tanya Bettridge, Council and Committee Support Specialist, by phone at 519-669-6004 or email at tbettridge@woolwich.ca.
Members of the Moonshine band – Steve Todd, Dean Merkle and Jody Moser, with Mark Waechter on drums behind them – performed at the Jumpstart event at Canadian Tire in Elmira on Sept. 7. Enjoying a bag toss game there were brothers (left) Garrett, 7, and Grayson, 3, with their dad Evan Grieve. Cheryl Clark watched her grandson Sage Babor, 5, play the same game. Julian Gavaghan
Local stories that inspire.
Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com
Tips: observerxtra.com/tips
Shayna Jones, Afro-centric folklorist, spoken word artist, and performance storyteller, presents “Old Stories” Sept. 24 (7 p.m.) at First United Church, Waterloo. Those attending are invited to bring their folktales, fairy tales, myths and legends for the upcoming free event in the “TELL!” series. www.mtspace.ca
The Wellesley Fall Fair invites people to take in this year’s “Scarecrow Trail,” with participants’ scarecrows on display throughout the township (Wellesley village, Crosshill, St. Clements, Heidelberg and Linwood). In the village, Wellesley PS alone is home to nine scarecrows. www.wellesleynehfallfair.ca
His musical career has always included Bowie
Former Eye Eye vocalist Michael Bell brings the songs and looks of the icon to a Nov. 30 show at the Fergus Grand Theatre
Peterborough since his childhood.
SINGER MICHAEL BELL
VIVIDLY RECALLS the Christmas of 1975, while aged 14, because it’s when he discovered David Bowie – and the ch-ch-chchanges it affected have been profound.
“I grew up living with my grandmother, my aunt, my grandfather and my dad. We all lived there,” he said.
“My aunt was six years older than me, and that Christmas I bought her a copy of Young Americans, and I just fell in love with it right away.”
It inspired both an enduring love of the influential songwriter and his own music career, which included singing in the iconic 1980s Canadian new wave band Eye Eye.
Now, decades later, Bell and a host of other performers are going on tour and will pay tribute to the late English legend with a special stage show called The Bowie Lives at the Fergus Grand Theatre on November 30.
The 63-year-old, who bears an uncanny likeness to Bowie in his later life, but insists they looked even more alike “before he got his teeth done”, says the show is not simply him dressing as Ziggy Stardust and belting out Space Oddity, Rebel Rebel, Let’s Dance, Ashes to Ashes, Fame and other classics you might expect from a tribute act.
“I really try to take the focus off me and pretending that I’m him and all that kind of stuff,” said Bell, who has lived in
“It’s about the joy of it and the aim is to facilitate a celebration of the guy for everybody else, and just make it a happening thing where people can get dressed up.
“I want to share it, absolutely, and throw it out to the audience to sing stuff back. We get them on stage.
“We’re also using dancers to parade the costumes, because there’s no way I’m gonna jump into a skin tight outfit.
“I see dudes not quite my age even doing that kind of stuff and I can understand why Bowie fans think it’s a horrible idea, until they see the show. Then they go, ‘Oh, this is something different. This is a celebration of the guy. This isn’t like some dude pretending to be him.’ Because who could do that, right?”
The act, which is meant to encompass a fan’s perspective on Bowie and highlights the singer’s constant reinvention over his long career, has come full circle since Bell first attempted a similar tribute in the 1980s after leaving Eye Eye.
Having always sung Bowie songs in all his bands, it seemed like a natural fit back then.
“I recorded all the backtracks and then went on stage myself with another guy and I did eight costume changes.
“We travelled with our own screens and did projections.”
But Bell, who has been a federal parliamentary candidate for the Green
Party, admits that early narrative show was a flop.
“I did a bunch of circuit stuff in the city, and nobody got it. I was in the wrong market,” he explained.
Eventually, he settled into journalism after setting up the Wire entertainment magazine.
There, he interviewed a host of famous names, including Guns and Roses guitarist Slash, and in the process had two daughters with his wife
of 40 years, Michelle, who Bell revealed is “not a huge music fan,” which is a “good thing” in his opinion.
The grandfather to five, who no longer runs the magazine, discovered there was an eagerness to see Bowie tributes after the 26-album artist’s death at age 69 in 2016.
He said singing in the style of one of the 20th century’s greatest recording artists comes naturally.
“I have a big range, and that came from singing the guy too, because he was one of the very first guys I ever heard singing falsetto.
“So, all of a sudden, I’m developing a falsetto and I’ve got a big falsetto, too, and then I’m also able to go all the way down, in something like Fame, where it’s three octaves from the top to the bottom.
“I can do it live. Bowie did it in the studio. He cut it in, really.”
Bell then joked: “People say it’s more Bowie than Bowie.”
His respect for the innovative songwriter and performer is genuinely long and deep, however.
Part of that love is his amazement over how Bowie could constantly reinvent himself, aptly noting that Changes is his favourite song.
When he first discovered Bowie as a teen, the Young Americans album embraced soul and R&B and was a big departure from the glam rock of earlier albums.
That iteration was a natural fit with Bell since he and his sister-like aunt liked to listen to Motown music and the likes of Stevie Wonder.
“It was just so cool that it was a white R&B guy and then I just started looking for David Bowie records,” he said.
“And then, of course, I discovered Ziggy and The Man Who Sold The World and Hunky Dory, and all the early stuff, like Diamond Dogs, and it just knocked me out.”
He said the album that spoke to him the most when he was a young man with “freaky hair and freaky clothes” was 1980’s Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) and especially the track Teenage Wildlife, which “spoke to him” and told him to “go your own way” in life.
He hopes to reflect his own fan’s journey and connect with others through his performances. The Bowie Lives is at 7:30 p.m. at the Fergus Grand Theatre on November 30.
Land on your feet moving this Fall
Whether you’re taking on a new challenge, getting back to your routine, or enjoying a walk through autumn leaves, our new partnership has you covered—expert knowledge and custom orthotics in more locations, plus premium footwear at Kintec Waterloo. Jump into fall in
Julian Gavaghan Observer Staff
Michael Bell at the Fergus Grand Theatre, where he will stage The Bowie Lives.Julian Gavaghan
Leaders in the directional drilling world, Contour Directional Drilling has been in business for over 30-years and are looking for two new members to add to our family-driven team. Our reputation is based in integrity and customer-commitment and you should have those same qualities. Roles are based in Elmira, Ontario.
Junior Driller / Support Member (Full-time): Drilling experience is not required, but a construction background with solid communication skills, a willingness to learn and a good attitude are all musts. General work hours between 7:00 – 5:00, Monday to Friday, no weekend work.
Office Support Staff (Part-time): This position is a mix of receptionist/administrative duties combined with project management support responsibilities. Training will be provided but the successful candidate will have a strong attention to detail, works well independently and can multi-task well. Work hours are 8:00 –4:00 Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Send all resumes to sheila@contourdirectionaldrilling.com and don’t forget to tell us a little something about yourself!
Work Wanted
ODD JOBS - WHAT DO YOU NEED DOING?
Help moving, Yard cleanup, Painting, Pressure Washing, Garage organizing, Lawn edging Gary 519-577-1750.
Work Wanted
LOOKING FOR FULL TIME OR PART TIME work. Have drivers licence and car. Call Rob at 519-664-2161.
Child Care
For Sale
WOOD STOVE –MARGIN STOVE
Flame view heater, 8 years old. Good condition. $1000. Norman 226-929-0795.
Ag. Services
KILN DRIED CORN DELIVERED BY Einwechter. Minimum 15 ton lots. Call George Haffner Trucking 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.
!!! WANTED !!!
Men's Clothing Store
Requires
WELLESLEY TOWNSHIP OF
ARE YOU THE ONE?
“We are looking for individuals to join our team!”
Conestogo Agri Systems, a family owned and operated business, just might have the position you are looking for!
We specialize in Selling and Servicing Dairy and Farmstead Equipment with a progressive and detail-oriented team, based on dedication to Customer Service, and quality workmanship. Current Opportunities Available:
• Farmstead Parts/Service Department — Answering customer calls, sourcing farmstead machiery parts, generating service work orders.
• Farmstead Installation/Service Technician — Installing, servicing and repairing manure handling and feeding equipment.
• Robotic Milking Service Technician —Installing, servicing and repairing manure handling and feeding equipment.
• Dairy Equipment Preventative Maintenance — Test, trouble shoot, perform preventative maintenance and regular service on GEA dairly farm equipment.
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE IS AN ASSET, BUT WILLING TO TRAIN
If you would be interested in joining our Dynamic Team, and would like to know if there is an opportunity waiting here for you ... Please e-mail your resume and indicate what your area of interest, expertise, experience and related skills would be to: info@conestogoagri.ca
Based on your experience, we offer competitive wages, benefits and an RRSP Program.
We thank all applications for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Conestogo Agri Systmes Inc. is fully committed to abiding by all equal opportunity employment standards.
Part-Time Retail Sales Associate Needed 2-3 Days a week. Duties include Sales and all essential Duties required to maintain a Men's Retail Store. Should be self-motivated with good communication skills. Apply in person with resume to: W. C. Brown and Sons 18 - 24 Arthur Street S Elmira, 519-669-1152
CARE GIVER WANTED FOR ADULT WITH Autism and Anxiety in Elmira, police check required, if interested, contact Elizabeth at asdmom11299@gmail. com
For Sale
LAWN FERTILIZER AND LAWN SEEDCall George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.
¾ EXTRA STRENGTH USED FORMING plywood forsale
46.5"wide x 93" or 105" or 129" long 226-792-5702.
Ag. Services
BAGGED PINE SHAVINGS AGRICULTURAL
Spray Lime, 22.5kg. bag; feed grade lime, 25kg. Delivered. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.
Through our customized tender process, 3725 Lobsinger Line, St. Clements (adjoining town), For the Bill and Marie Hergott Estates. Initial offers deadline WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23RD AT 6:00 P.M
77 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, of which 68 acres are workable, 7 acres bush (includes hard maple, maturing beech and cedar).
Mainly sandy loam soil, randomly tiled. In the bush is a 16 X 20ft. insulated “cottage” with nearby wood storage shed. Bank barn approximately 46 X 62ft. with attached straw shed & stable 36 X 65ft. and second lean 30 X 46ft. Adjoining slab silo, large concrete yard and a horse paddock.
OPERATOR
HOUSE – 2 storey field stone with attached addition and entry/wood shed. Steel roof, stucco (over the field stone portion), 5 bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, washroom, dining room, sitting room with wood stove, and main floor laundry. Basement has finished rec-room. Heat - wood stove, base board heaters and an oil furnace. Shed - 40 X 80ft. Drilled well.
NOTE – A productive farm in an intriguing location, that butts up against St. Clements. See www.gerberauctions.net for photos.
Auctions at 519-699-4451 (2827 Hutchison Rd. Crosshill
SEED WHEAT AND FERTILIZERcompetitive pricing. Rye seed, winter barley. Hard red wheat Pro 81, Redford. Soft red wheats Marker, Constellation, Blaze, B654, Swoop, Hilliard and more. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.
Trades & Services
BE COOL WITH WINDOW FILM. Reduce Heat,Glare, UV Damage. Protect floors & furniture. Professionally installed, Free Estimates. Gary 519-577-1750.
CUSTOM APPLE PRESSING. JUICE sales by appointment. Wesley martin, 3175 Northfield Dr. Elmira. 519-669-3541.
Garage Sales
CHURCH RUMMAGE GARAGE SALEFriday Sept. 13, 3pm - 8pm, Saturday Sept. 14, 8am - noon. Hope Fellowship Churchenter at side door of St. James Lutheran 60 Arthur Street South, Elmira.
Children had a great time at the Heidelberg Family Fun Fair on Sept. 7, including (top right) Evan Brooks, 2, and Westlyn Waugh, 3. Bottom right, organizer Julie Tribon and her daughter Emily, 4, show some of the money the fair raised. Julian Gavaghan
50th
Wedding Anniversary
Please join us for an open house at Countryside Christian School Gymnasium September 15, 2024, 2-5 pm 3745 Herrgott Rd., Hawkesville, ON in honor of Laverne and Erla Bauman Anniversary
Celebration of Life
BROWNSON, Carol Jean
Obituary
Beltman,
Andrew
With heavy hearts we announce the sudden passing of Andrew on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at the age of 27 years. Cherished boyfriend of Tatum. Beloved son of John and Loree. Loving brother of Brandon (Vannessa). Will be missed by best friend Jamie, numerous extended family and friends. Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held from 1-5 p.m. on Friday, September 13, 2024 in the hall at West Montrose Family Camp, 6344 Line 86, West Montrose. As expressions of sympathy, donations to CMHA Waterloo Wellington would be appreciated by the family and may be made through the Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira.
❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com
Obituary
Bauman, Clare
DAVID “DAVE” BAUMAN 1944 – 2024
DAVID “DAVE” BAUMAN, of Lethbridge, beloved husband of Jean Bauman, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family at the Chinook Regional Hospital, on Wednesday, September 4th, 2024 at the age of 79 years, after a short battle with aggressive cancer. Besides his loving wife of 51 years, Jean, he will be lovingly remembered by his children, Shannon (Martin) and Lisa; and his sisters, Mabel, Ruth and Dorothy, sister in law Beatrice Bauman, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Alvin & Adeline, and his brothers Ron and Ernie. Dave will be remembered for his kindness and his love of his family. He enjoyed his work as a trucker, and never truly gave up the road. He was an avid golfer and a friend to many. Our family would like to thank the dedicated and kind nursing staff on CRH floor 3A, Dr. Hayes, and Dr. Stover who made the last days we spent together comfortable and meaningful. Dave’s wish was not to have a formal service. Our family will honor his memory privately. To send a condolence, please visit www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com
Passed away peacefully on Friday, September 6, 2024, one day after celebrating his 66th wedding anniversary with his beloved wife Eileen (Shantz) Bauman, at Parkwood Mennonite Home, Waterloo at the age of 87 years. Cherished father of Kevin Bauman (Mandy Jewitt), and Brian Bauman (Andrea Snyder). Grandfather of Nichelle (Greg), Lindsey (Weston), Evelyne, Olivia, Ava, and Beckett, and great-grandfather of Reuben and Naomi. Brother of Les (Linda) Bauman, and Vera (Laverne) Bauman, brother-in-law of Esther Shantz, Ken (Myrna) Shantz, Fern Shantz, Yvonne (Clare) Pomeroy, and Debbie Shantz. Fondly remembered by many nieces, nephews, and their families. Predeceased by his parents Ivan and Lovina Bauman, Eileen’s parents Lorne and Almeda (Good) Shantz, step mother-in-law Mary (Horst, Gingrich) Shantz, brother Omer (Rita) Bauman, sister Alice (Oz) Burkhart, two brothers in infancy, Stewart and Ricky, brothers-in-law, Roly Shantz and Fred Shantz, sister-in-law Dianne Shantz, step-brothers and sisters-inlaw David, Ron (Lois), Ray, Kathleen Gingrich, and niece Janet. Clare took a special interest in music, being a part of the Glad Tidings Quartet for over 50 years. The group travelled all over Ontario, encouraging many people through song. He was a committed member of Elmira Mennonite Church for many years, and will be greatly missed by his church family. Clare and his brother Omer enjoyed farming together for many years at Westgate Acres, where they formed many lasting friendships. Visitation was held on Tuesday, September 10, 2024 from 5-8 p.m., at the Dreisinger Funeral Home, 62 Arthur St. S., Elmira. Graveside service took place on Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at 10 a.m. at Elmira Mennonite Cemetery, with a memorial service taking place at 11 a.m., at Elmira Mennonite Church, 58 Church St. E., Elmira followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, donations to House of Friendship, Elmira Mennonite Church, or Elmira District Community Living would be appreciated and may be made through the funeral home. Thank you to the staff at Parkwood Mennonite Home for their care of Clare. ❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com
Carol Jean Brownson (nee Musselman) passed away peacefully the evening of Friday, September 6, 2024 at Bluewater Health in Sarnia, Ontario. She was 84. Beloved wife of Paul Brownson, loving mother of Beth Graf (Chip) and Joy Abram and cherished Nana of Michael Abram, Andrea Graf, Isabella Abram and Timothy Graf. Predeceased by her parents, George and Beulah Musselman, her infant twin brother, Ronald Dean, and her older sister (Marilyn) Rita Bauman. She will be sadly missed by nieces, nephews, family, and friends. Carol was born into a family with a deep legacy of faith. When Carol made the decision to become a faithful follower of Jesus Christ personally, she passionately demonstrated her faith and served Him throughout her entire life by teaching Sunday School, creating music ministries, overseas missions and as a devoted pastor’s wife. She was dedicated to lifelong study of the Scripture and had a profound and tangible impact on many lives, pouring her heart and soul into countless bible study groups, home churches, children’s programs and Alpha. Carol’s impact will be missed by so many. How grateful we are to have known and loved her. What a beautiful imprint she leaves in our hearts, and what a faithful legacy to future generations. A service to celebrate Carol‘s life will be held on Friday, September 13, 2024 at 2 PM at the Elmira Mennonite Church, 58 Church St. W., Elmira, Ontario N3B 1N2. Visitation will be from 12:30 - 1:30 PM prior to her service. Sympathy may be expressed through donations to the Mennonite Central Committee. Arrangements entrusted to Smith Funeral Home, 1576 London Line, Sarnia. Memories and condolences may be sent online at www.smithfuneralhome.ca
www.smithfuneralhome.ca
Living Here
The Food Bank of Waterloo Region this week announced that its summer-long Full Bellies. Happy Hearts. campaign has surpassed its goal, raising just over 1.5 million meals. Now in its sixth year, the campaign ran from June 1 to August 31 and saw the community donate food and funds, helping The Food Bank provide 1,571,898 meals to children and their families accessing food assistance programs.
Bloomingdale native puts a twist on the drag show
As Sasha Tease, Mattie James comes into their own, providing a local connection to the community
and worked on their acting, going to Toronto Film School for a few terms.
A DRAG QUEEN ORIGINALLY FROM Bloomingdale is among the 10 nominees in the running for the Metroland’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Local Entertainment.
Mattie James, 30, embarked on their drag journey about five years ago since they “love entertaining people.”
“I love making people smile and helping them feel comfortable in their space.”
They added: “When I put it on and perform for people and I can see the little sparkle in their eye that makes me very happy.”
James grew up performing, trying to be seen and heard on stage.
“That started in church for me, being in church plays, in the choir and on stage group and then eventually led later in high school to doing some community theatre and joining a dance studio.”
However, James felt they got into dance a little bit too late in terms of training, so after high school, “it felt a little bit like I had missed the window if I wanted to pursue this professionally like I didn’t have quite enough training.”
James added: “I had some natural talent but not enough coaching.”
For a time, James had put their dancing to the side
Then, the school became too expensive, and they dropped out.
But while James was in Toronto, they joined a heels dance group called Army of Sass.
“It was my first time dancing in heels and I felt so empowered, so I leaned into that and started training with them,” James recalled.
While dancing and teaching with the group, James was asked to participate in the theme show Army of Sass did at the end of each term. “They had a circus theme show; we needed a bearded lady,” said James.
“They knew I wanted to do drag, and I was just procrastinating, so they asked me, ‘Do you want to be the bearded lady in the show?’” they recalled.
Then, James stepped back into the stage light and developed their stage name, Sasha Tease.
“I was looking for a name that reflected my performance style a little bit more,” noted James. “I like to be very sultry and very sensual when I perform and so that kind of felt like that.”
They added: “I wanted to include tease in it because an element of my performance is very teasing.” They started playing with the name ‘Sasha’ and came to their current stage name.
James liked this as their name since they noted they perform drag a little differently.
“I have played on my non-binary sense of self, and my drag doesn’t go into that full-feminine fantasy that a lot of people think of when they think of a drag queen,” they told the Observer.
“To me, it feels like a bit of a tease of giving you almost that feminine fantasy but still at the twist,” James added.
The number of people
they see at their performances can depend on the capacity of the venue, but they can see anywhere from 30 to 80 people.
However, performing does come with some challenges including the process of getting ready, makeup, and the anxiety of the show itself.
“The day of, it is hard for me to focus on anything else that day,” James said.
“The anxiety and the pressure that comes with getting ready for the show is the hardest part for me.”
They had to learn all the skills from scratch – but they received mentorship from other performers, YouTube videos and their sisters.
Additionally, they have been ramping up their community work for the past two years as they have noticed there was a lack of community for everyone, but specifically for queer folks.
New chess club set to start in Elmira on Sept. 22
CHESS IS ONE OF THE oldest games in the world. Its origins can be traced back 1,500 years to the 6th Century in India. Millions of Canadians play chess at least once a year, and thousands play more often to this day.
In Elmira, Scott Kuehl is making it easier for the local players to play together, and the game will be open to everyone. He has extensive experience organizing chess tournaments, such as ‘The Horse and Buggy Open’ in October 2021, and is now venturing into unrated chess clubs.
“I’m just trying to open up a chess club that’s not just for students,” said Kuehl. “There is nothing like that in this area.” The Elmira Chess Club’s initial meeting will be held on September 22 at The Hub at the Woolwich Memorial Centre.
The meetings will be held Sundays, 12-30-4:30 p.m.
“I need about that much time if I’m going to try to run a rated chess game because I need the time to be able to give to both sides in order to call it rated chess.”
However, the club is going to be for unrated chess games.
“A chess club in our community would be a fantastic addition – like many games, chess helps
→ CHESS CLUB 27
As your children go back to school, extra curricular programs start up again and busy schedules kick in. Having your vehicle in reliable condition and ready to get you where you need to go is critical. Ways We Help Manage Your Busy Schedule:
• Look over your vehicle every visit to make sure it is in good condition & no surprises will happen
• Courtesy Vehicles Available • Night Shift Service
• 24/7 Emergency Line & Roadside Assistance Visit us online at www.leroysautocare.net
“I noticed that there weren’t very many spaces for people to meet each 20 Oriole Parkway E.,
Maintaining your car and your schedule
The Queens Bush Road reconstruction in Wellesley village is behind schedule and will not be completed until Oct. 11 Chris Cook, the township’s director of public works, told council Tuesday that the top coat of asphalt would not be applied between Catherine Street and Greenwood Hill until then, but noted that the work was still on budget and the road would be passable by the ABC Fest.
Andrea Eymann Observer Staff
Mattie James, known as Sasha Tease as their drag queen persona, has been performing for five years. Andrea Eymann
Andrea Eymann Observer Staff
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
▢
Senior’s Community Dining at Breslau Community Centre. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us at noon for lunch and fellowship. Cost: $14. Call to register by September 6 by calling 519-664-1900.
▢ Woodside Evergreen for Seniors at Woodside Church, Elmira, 10:30 a.m. Feature: “Overflowing With Hope” by Tonya Verburg, CEO of Ray of Hope. Devotional by Justin Hasenpflug. Mini piano concert by Anthony Domzella. Register at woodsidechurch. ca/evergreen or 519-669-1296 by Sunday, September 8. A $10 donation includes a hot lunch at noon.
▢ Movie Night at The Junction. Join us to watch “The Chosen” TV series (S1,E1) “I Have Called You by Name,” from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Junction, 47 Arthur St. S., Elmira. Time for conversation about the show and general chat regarding the episode and possibilities for the next episode (September 19.) Free popcorn and pop. For more information call Marilyn 519-589-5356.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
▢ Gale Presbyterian Tuesday Lunch. Please join us for our monthly lunch. Drive-thru pick-up is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or eat-in arriving at 12:15 p.m. $12/person. Menu: cabbage casserole (ground beef), vegetables, salad, homemade bread and dessert. RVSP for either option by noon on Friday, Sept. 13, to richard.mcfadden@galepresbyterian. com or call 519-669-2852 opt. 3.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
▢ Woolwich Gardeners September Speaker - Julia Dimakos (aka The Gardening Girl) “After the Harvest” Location: St. James Lutheran Church, 60 Arthur St. S., Elmira (Wyatt St. entrance) 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Woolwich Gardeners members free; free-will donation for non-members. Open to the public! Bring your own mug for refreshments and treats.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
▢ Elmira Needle Sisters. Please join us for fun and fellowship at Elmira Mennonite Church. Any level of needle crafters is welcome. Fourth Monday of every month. First meeting Monday, Sept 23. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting starting at 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
▢ Senior’s Community Dining at Linwood Community Centre. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us at noon for lunch, fellowship and entertainment. Cost: $14. Please call to register by Sept 20 by calling 519-664-1900.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
▢ Elmira Lions Club All You Can Eat Wing Night for $18. 5 – 9 p.m., Live Music. Elmira Lions Hall, 40 South Street W. Proceeds benefit community projects. Tickets & information: Elmira Lions Club members or at Elmira Meat Market. No takeout.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19
▢ Elmira Lions Club Bottle Drive at Lions Hall, 40 South Street Elmira, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We will accept all liquor bottles, glass and plastic, wine bags and beer cans. Please do not crush cans.
Fresh corn and basil add summery notes to this pasta dinner
Summer might be winding down, but this pasta dish highlights some of the season’s best bounty. Blending fresh basil into reduced cream with Parmesan made a rich, savoury, herbaceous sauce for tortellini, offset-
ting the sweetness of the fresh corn and mellowing the spice of a Fresno chile.
Tortellini with Corn and Basil Cream Sauce
▢ 2 (9-ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini
▢ 3/4 teaspoon table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking pasta
▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
▢ 3 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs
▢ 1 shallot, chopped
1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in a large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.
2. Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add corn, shallot, Fresno chile, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to pot with pasta.
3. Bring cream to simmer in now-empty skillet over medi-
▢ 1 red Fresno chile, sliced into thin rings
▢ 1/2 teaspoon pepper
▢ 1 cup heavy cream
▢ 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving
▢ 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup), plus extra for serving
um-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until reduced to 3/4 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil. Transfer to a blender and blend with Parmesan and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth, about 1 minute.
4. Add sauce to pot with pasta and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve, topping portions with extra Parmesan and basil.
ↆ For 25 years, confident cooks in the know have relied on America's Test Kitchen for rigourously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe testers. See more online at www. amercastestkitchen.com
What you should know about binge-eating disorders
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My niece is living in my home while she is attending college. I've invited her to eat meals with our family, but she typically declines, desiring to eat alone in her room. I'm concerned because she often seems to eat a lot of food at one time, like two sandwiches with two bags of chips or a quart of ice cream. Could this be a sign of an eating disorder? If so, what can I do to help her?
ANSWER: Most people eat too much occasionally. They may fill up an extra plate with seconds at a special event, enjoy another piece of pie at a holiday gathering or eat popcorn until stuffed at the movies. There's no reason to be concerned if this happens occasionally. But, for some people, overeating can become excessive. It is possible that your niece is suffering from a binge-eating disorder if her excessive eating habits feel out of control and happen on a regular basis.
People with a binge-eating disorder may feel
other or make friends or to build new connections,” said James. They wanted to do something that would help with that – “I knew a good way to get people out to an event was to dangle a drag queen in front of them.”
James used their drag abilities to get people in the same room to meet each other. “We are social creatures. We need community. And some of the people are struggling right now and I don’t want people to struggle alone.”
They mostly organize around queer events – putting on a number that mostly have drag shows and elements to it, producing around two to four shows a month. “With an emphasis on having people be able to come out and meet each other and entertained and be in the community,” James said.
They run the programs through Spectrum, Waterloo Region’s Rainbow Community Space, a community centre for the LGBTQIA+.
James leads various programs, from support groups to activity groups. They noted that “I facilitate a group with them called Dragify.”
They have led this
embarrassed about overeating but have a strong, compulsive urge to continue eating. Like your niece, they often eat alone or in secret because they feel ashamed or guilty about their eating.
Binge-eating disorder is more common in women than in men. People of any age can have binge-eating disorder, but it is most common in younger and middle-aged people. The average age when it first occurs is about 25 years old. A person's size doesn't increase their risk, as the disorder can affect people who are underweight, overweight or at an average weight.
Many people who have a binge-eating disorder have a long history of dieting. They have tried and failed many diets and may have poor body image as a result. While dieting, they restrict calories or specific foods for a while, but then are triggered to binge eat. It's also
more common in people who have depression, have a high level of stress in their lives or use food to cover intense emotions. There are many signs of a binge-eating disorder. Mainly, it's distinguished by a regular occurrence of eating more food than most other people would in a similar situation. Other signs to watch for in your niece include:
Eating unusually large amounts of food in a specific amount of time, such as over a two-hour period.
Feeling that eating behaviour is out of control.
Eating even when full or not hungry.
Eating rapidly during binge episodes.
Eating until uncomfortably full.
Frequently eating alone or in secret.
Feeling depressed, disgusted, ashamed, guilty or upset about eating.
Frequently dieting, possibly without weight loss. Often, people with
program with Manny Manila, a drag king, for around eight months. The goal is to teach people the basics of drag, and people who already do drag can come by to hang out and practice new makeup skills.
When it comes to learning drag, James notes that newcomers need to know what they want their drag to be about and what they are trying to say.
For themselves, “My drag is all about empowering people in their body and their gender and in how they want to express themselves.”
James added, “I like to show off my body and my body hair and the differences about me that make me beautiful – I like to put that on display to hopefully encourage other people to
binge-eating disorders have become experts at hiding their eating behaviours. They may deny there is an issue or lie about the amount of food they eat.
Binge-eating can lead to obesity, joint problems, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. It can be difficult to function in social settings, and the person may isolate or withdraw from others. This can increase anxiety, depression and substance use disorders.
Overcoming any eating disorder is a challenge
me – I don’t think, I think there’s a lot of people in Waterloo Region and Woolwich who still haven’t met someone who’s non-binary or transgender.”
Growing up in a small town shaped James’ early experience in that vein.
“As a young queer kid growing up in a religious environment, most of the adults around me knew I was different and knew that I would probably grow up to be a queer person,” they said.
see my drag and do the same in their everyday lives.”
When it comes to advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community, they want to help normalize looking different or being different. “We have to see people who are different, and we have to celebrate them, but we can normalize it,” James said.
They also manage a drag donation closet, which gets donations from drag performers or community members for items they do not need anymore. “I make sure that the newer drag performers or folks who want to do drag someday have access to those items for free – just trying to remove as many barriers as possible,” they said.
“I’m working on celebrating myself and people like
“So they were actively trying for me not to be seen and not heard.”
But James knew they had the talent and things to say.
“There was a deep need as a little child to be like, ‘Why won’t people look at me? Why don’t you want to hear me?” they said.
“Now, as an adult, I get to remedy some of that and I get to be seen and I get to be heard and I get to help other people be seen and heard as well.”
They now tend to perform at least once a week – sometimes four times a week – at locations in Waterloo, Kitchener or Guelph.
Sasha Tease has several upcoming events this month, mainly in Kitchener, with one in Toronto, Guelph and Waterloo.
because people can't avoid food or social situations that include food during recovery. Your niece's body needs food to survive and thrive. Yet, recovery is possible, and many people overcome binge eating completely.
Treatment needs to address the emotions tied to binge eating, including shame and poor self-image. Relapse is likely until these are tackled, and professional help
usually is necessary. A combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and medications, such as antidepressants, can help your niece cope with triggers, negative body image and depression. These treatments can regain a sense of control over behaviors and improve stress management skills. At the same time, a dietitian can work with her to reframe her relationships with food, ensure she is getting the right balance of nutrients, help develop meal plans and offer support for navigating social events that involve food.
Binge-eating disorders are serious, but full recovery is possible with professional treatment. I encourage you to talk with your niece and her parents about your concerns and offer to help her get the care she needs.
People with binge-eating disorder have a compulsive urge to continue eating.
Mattie James, 30, brings a bearded twist to their performances. Andrea Eymann
TIM LOUIS
ENSCONCE
Someone or something ensconced is firmly placed or hidden.
Deviate DOWN 1. Pens 2. Remove 3. Escapade 4. Trendy
5. Lift up
8. Not cooked
BACKPACK BINDER CRAYONS DIVIDERS ERASERS
ACROSS
1. Grows, as interest
8. Brightened 15. Skyline
FOLDERS GLUE LOCK LUNCH BOX MARKERS
16. Disgustingly smelly
17. Greenish mineral
18. Home of Dubrovnik
19. The Bachelor prize
20. Sparkling decoration
22. Three-time Hart Trophy winner
23. Dine lightly
24. Meat seasonings
25. Fiber source
26. Scottish Gaelic
28. Roman numeral for eight
29. Who's who 30. Use money
32. Woolen fabrics
33. Pre-flight safety procedure
36. Female greeter
37. Moved slowly
38. Cultured and refined
39. Survey choice
40. No longer relevant
41. Per person
45. Black-feathered bird
46. Drinks with leaves
47. Alcohol-free
48. Cob of corn
NOTEBOOK PAPER PENCILS PENS PLANNER
49. Wheel that swivels
51. Throat-clearing sound
52. They're loud in bed
54. Certain African inhabitant
RULER SCISSORS SHARPENER SUPPLIES
56. World's leading exporter of bananas
57. "Heads" side of the coin
58. Sonnet parts
59. Toddler tinkle talk (2wrds) DOWN
counterclockwise.
1. Mounted on animal
2. Hue or shade
3. British potato chips
4. Rip violently
5. Compact firearm
6. Geological epochs
7. Showing scorn
8. Nightmarish demons
9. Large-eyed lemur
10. Animal King
11. Fifty states
12. Engine-driven
13. Gulf States
14. Lovable quality
21. Casual term for a pound
25. Cheerful
27. Shun
28. Market items
29. Where the sun rises 31. Dock for ships
32. Spell
33. Church districts
34. Access location
35. Pus-like "fluid of the gods"
36. Old-time term for jail
38. Outer garment
40. Address for men 42. Comply a directive
43. Fold
44. Sung in worship 46. Fortunetelling cards
49. Formally surrender 50. Country bumpkin 51. Starting over 53. Sewer pest 55. Short for "I have"
with socializations and relationship building and has many cognitive benefits,” said Melissa Petty, the event and marketing coordinator at Woolwich Community Services.
“A chess club will help bring people together while building confidence, creativity, and problem-solving.”
There are clubs in Waterloo and Kitchener, but none in Elmira outside of EDSS.
Kuehl said ‘yes,’ to getting the pieces moving for the club so people are not forced to drive to Guelph or Waterloo to take on other players.
“There was another person that came over, and he wanted to play in a club because he plays chess, so right from the very first meetings, I knew there was a public interest.”
From there, Kuehl started making preparations.
With his experience running tournaments, he put together a fundraiser on a weekend last month at the Floradale Mennonite Church. The money raised went towards purchasing chess boards and pieces for the club. He currently has five calibrated boards, which can accommodate at least 10 people. “Plus, I can bring my own stuff,” he noted.
In total, he should be able to accommodate 14 chess enthusiasts.
Kuehl cannot be sure how many people to expect initially, but he told The Observer his
fundraiser tournament attracted 12 players to join.
To start, there will be no fee to join.
“If I get a steady core number of people that show up, I’d have to discuss with people if they want to start paying a membership fee,” Kuehl said.
This would allow him to purchase, say, clocks, which the club does not yet have.
Besides the necessary equipment for the boards and pieces, he also ordered a club demo board.
“It’s the type that you hang on the wall that has
pouches in it to put the pieces in,” Kuehl said.
To make it easy for new players to play the oldest game, he will run a theme tournament where everybody starts from the same opening position.
He explained: “Which isn’t going to be the starting position; it’s going to be further in that you’ve already played the moves of a certain opening to a point, and then you all play from there, that is up on the demo board.
“The trick is that theme tournament’s going to run most of the year; try
to teach people both how to record a game and how to play different openings because sooner or later, somebody’s going to play it against you if you go to a major tournament,” Kuehl said.
The themed tournament will not be on the initial meeting day, but he will have a sign-up sheet for the match on the initial night.
These tournaments will teach people how to record a game for those who want to start rated chess.
“I’m not interested in doing rated chess because
father travelled to cribbage or euchre tournaments. They would also play chess against each other.
“I kind of saw that; I asked to get my own chessboard timepiece, and then some of my friends at school they would play,” he recalled, noting they took it seriously. “We would meet and bash each other’s brains out.”
In his 50 years, he has played chess more than 10,000 times and is heavily invested in the game of kings.
When he was younger, he made is way up to a ranking of 2120. “That means I was getting towards being a masterrated player at the time; I was just called an expert.”
people don’t know, people might get scared off and that’s not want I want to do,” he noted.
He wants to attract people to the club to play chess, learning while they enjoy it.
“There are those that are going to want blood with any sport; you can run into people like that,” he noted.
He created his chess tournaments for those competitive folks, but his club will not have that focus.
Kuehl started playing chess in grade school when his grandfather and
He suspects it’s been 10 years or more since he received that rating. “I was young, I didn’t have a family, I didn’t have job responsibilities. All I had was chess, so I could do a lot towards it and study, so I could get my rating up that high, and that is not who I am now,” Kuehl said.
“People are more than welcome to just show up” at the club, he said.
After the first day, Kuehl will host the non-rated theme tournaments for almost all the other scheduled meetings.
For chess aficionados who want rated games, he will be running the Horse and Buggy Open on December 20 and 28 at the Floradale Mennonite Church.
If you want more information about the new club, you can contact Kuehl at 519-210-0874.
Scott Kuehl is set to create Elmira Chess Club on Sept. 22 at The Hub at the Woolwich Memorial Centre to make it easier for local players to get together. Andrea Eymann
JACKS: The games start to count as season opens
Just 59 seconds later, however, the score was evened when Holroyd scored his first goal for Wellesley, with an assist from another new signing, Hudson Parker.
Five minutes later, at 13:12, a solo effort by Blake Hellyer put the Bulldogs 2-1 up, with the home side registering only seven shots to the visitors’ 12 during the first period.
Wellesley was lucky it wasn’t worse after gifting four power plays to Kincardine, whose own players went unpenalized during the opening 20 minutes.
However, the visitors were unable to capitalize on their advantage and, in fact, over the course of the game, both sides were unable to score with an
extra man, with the Jacks going 0-4 and the Bulldogs 0-5.
In the second period, Wellesley staged a comeback, with veteran defenceman Brennan Kennedy, assisted by Silveria, equalizing on the one-minute mark.
Forward Stuart Sinclair, who scored 12 goals last season, put the Jacks 3-2 up at 7:32, with Austin Stemmler and Mac Roy assisting.
The home side dominated throughout much of the second frame after registering 14 shots to nine from Kincardine, who received the only penalty of the period.
However, the visitors went on to crush Wellesley fans’ hope of a win to buoy their spirits ahead of
Saturday’s regular season home opener against the Tavistock Royals.
In the third period, the Bulldogs’ Dustin Heipel levelled the scores to 3-3 at 6:17 and, despite the Jacks being awarded three power plays to the visitors’ one and dominating 11-6 in shots, the home side was unable to make a reply before the 60 minutes were up.
In goal, the Jacks’ Brandon Abbott saved 24 of the visitors’ 27 shots, while Kincardine’s Rowen Cherrett stopped 29 of the Wellesley’s 32 efforts. All eyes will now look ahead to 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, where Wellesley will certainly be hoping to make more chances and be more clinical in front of goal.
Wellesley’s Logan Crans goes through on goal as a grounded Hanover player tries to stop him during game action Sept. 7. Julian Gavaghan
