Class 1: 1st place Wingham Advance Times May edition
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SPEAKING OUT - Wescast Industries employees who were laid off in July 2023 held a rally at their former workplace on April 25 to demand that the now
China-based company Bohong Industries pay workers their severance and termination pay, which totals approximately $10 million. Right:
worked at Wescast Industries for 45 years, and her children also worked there. She is pictured here with National Staff Representative
her sign “Shame on Wescast” while she speaks to her fellow employees.
Abandoned Wescast employees hold protest over $10 million in payments owed to workers
‘We will not give up this fight until workers are paid every cent they are owed for their years of blood, sweat and tears.’ - Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi
CORY BILYEA
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter cbilyea@midwesternnewspapers.com
WINGHAM – It’s been nine months since Wescast Industries shuttered its doors, laying off 180 workers from its Wingham-based foundry with a promise that the closure would be temporary so that “assessments, planning and requests for new investments can be made,” according to an internal memo sent to employees in May of 2023.
Since the closure, many of the workers have relied on Employment Insurance (EI) to survive, and that benefit is now running out, leaving frustrated workers without an income and in a dire financial situation.
On April 1, Wescast’s “temporary” layoff became permanent because it lasted at least 35 weeks in a 52-week period, according to Ontario labour laws. Thus, employees are entitled to request severance and termination pay. When employees attempted to
access these funds, the holder of the group’s policy, Manulife Insurance, told them benefits could only be paid out once their employment was legally terminated. Unifor National Staff Representative Tyson Siddall said several laid-off employees were called back to work in March. Some had already taken other jobs but quit to return to Wescast so they would not lose their seniority and pension benefits, only to have that recall cancelled, leaving them once again without employ-
ment.
On April 25, the union representing Wescast, Unifor Local 4207, held a rally outside of the Water Street factory’s machine shop, the only part of the company in Wingham still operating, to demand the overseas company Bohong Industries Group, who purchased the business in 2013, pay these hard-working and loyal employees what they are owed.
“Unifor stands firmly with the workers of Wescast in their fight for accountability from this
overseas company,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Our union will not stand idly by as a multinational corporation attempts to run from its contractual and legal obligations and stiff the hard-working people of Wingham.”
Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi spoke at the rally, expressing her frustration with Bohong’s lack of response. Continued on page 6
Voting day set for DGR referendum in South Bruce
CORY BILYEA
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
cbilyea@midwesternnewspapers.com
SOUTH BRUCE – South Bruce Council approved a bylaw authorizing the “submission of a question” to the municipality’s electors through a referendum, subsequently setting dates for advanced voting and voting day.
The long awaited referendum will determine whether or not the people of South Bruce are willing to be the host (if chosen) to the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (NWMO) Deep Geological Repository (DGR) in the region.
A report prepared by Director of Legislative Services Clerk Vivian Kennedy included the following notice, released on
April 24:
“The Municipality of South Bruce Council has passed a Bylaw authorizing the submission of the following question to the electors (“Referendum Bylaw”) in a by-election in 2024:
“Are you in favour of the Municipality of South Bruce declaring South Bruce to be a willing host for the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR)?”
If 50 per cent of eligible voters participate and at least 50 per cent of those votes are a yes, then South Bruce will continue to be eligible to be chosen by the NWMO for the project.
Alternatively, if 50 per cent of those votes (by 50 per cent of eligible voters) are no, South Bruce will no longer be eli-
gible to be chosen by the NWMO.
But, if less than 50 per cent of eligible voters “cast a vote on the question,” the results would not be binding and Municipal Council will decide.
Council approved the bylaw, and the referendum date is set for Oct. 28, 2024.
“In addition to setting the date of the voting day, staff have also considered advance voting,” the report said. “The Municipal Elections Act (MEA) states that at least one day of advance voting is required. In keeping with the regular election, staff recommend that the advance voting begin Monday, October 21, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. and until voting day. Voting on voting day closes at 8:00 p.m. A bylaw has been prepared authorizing the advance voting and confirming the use of
internet and telephone voting.”
sSpecial meeting on May 1
A report from CAO Leanne Martin requested that South Bruce Council hold a special meeting on May 1 to consider the Draft Hosting Agreement with the NWMO.
“The Municipality of South Bruce and NWMO are in the final stages of completing a Hosting Agreement relating to the Deep Geological Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel Project. Staff anticipate receiving a final draft of the agreement in the near future,” the report said. “With this in mind staff request that Council hold a special meeting to consider the final draft Hosting Agreement on May 1, 2024 at 6 p.m.”
Cory Bilyea photos
Laura Collison
Tyson Siddall, holding
Wingham BIA clarifies position on Town Hall Theatre
CORY BILYEA
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
cbilyea@midwesternnewspapers.com
WINGHAM—The operation parameters of the Wingham Town Hall Theatre were openly discussed at the April 2 regular North Huron council meeting, but a decision on how to proceed was deferred to a later date after BIA Chair Dave Tiffin requested more time for a constructive conversation between township staff and the BIA.
The BIA is hopeful that this conversation will lead to a positive resolution.
According to a report to council from Director of Public Works Gregg Furtney, several operational challenges have emerged in the past few months. These include noise complaints from township staff, primarily about the sound checks and equipment setup for the performances, a lack of green room space, and privacy concerns due to access to municipal assets and records, which were mainly related to the use of the former Council Chambers as a Green Room. These challenges highlight the need for a constructive conversation to find practical solutions.
Additionally, Furtney cited concerns that bands setting up for a live show may not be using the correct entranceways. However, Tiffin said the BIA was unaware of the noise complaints or the doors being accessed incorrectly until now.
“Previously signed rental agreements allow event organizers to enter the building after 8:30 a.m. and conduct sound checks after 2 p.m. Performance Staff tend to use multiple building entrances to coordinate getting their equipment into the building and up into the theatre. This often causes a lot noise and makes it challenging for staff
to conduct municipal business,” Furtney’s report said. “Staff are seeking council’s direction regarding the scheduling of the Wingham Town Hall Theatre operations and recommend the Wingham Town Hall Theatre Rental Contract be updated accordingly. Staff are also seeking direction regarding use of the former Council Chambers as a Green Room.”
Tiffin said a meeting Furtney requested with BIA treasurer Doug Kuyvenhoven and North Huron Recreation Department’s Rachelle Gerrie, who was handling bookings then, was held in Oct. 2023 to begin discussions on the operation parameters.
“So they had a meeting because Gregg was concerned about the use of staff. He didn’t really want staff involved in opening up for acts and things like that. And that’s fine. He’s concerned about some overtime issues. And he was just wondering what could be done about it,” said Tiffin. “So, as a result, there was a suggestion put forth to the BIA that maybe the BIA should do oversight of the theater, exclusive of bookings.”
In December 2023, the BIA passed a motion to advise Furtney that they were in full support of taking on oversight of the Town Hall Theatre, with the exclusion of bookings.
After delivering the motion to Furtney in January, Furtney, Kuyvenhoven, Tiffin, and Community Engagement Coordinator Denise Lockie scheduled a meeting to discuss how things would be handled. Tiffin said, “And everything looked pretty good.”
“The BIA was going to set up a subcommittee to handle the operation of the theater. And we were going to have somebody designated as like a house manager. And that person will be responsible for letting
the groups in, helping them get organized, basically what a staff person had had to do previously, and what they wanted to get away from,” said Tiffin.
The BIA was waiting for a required Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from the township. This document is crucial as it outlines the terms and conditions of the BIA’s oversight of the theatre, including its responsibilities and limitations. Tiffin said, “And that hadn’t been coming. And so we were getting kind of concerned about it.”
Tiffin added that when the BIA inquired about what was happening, they were taken aback by the complaints, “about noise and lack of accessibility to the kitchenette, and using various entrances and things like that, which totally blew us away,” said Tiffin. Up until the late fall, everything seemed to be okay; we’d never heard any complaints. So it came as a bit of a surprise to us.
Tiffin is still waiting to hear about the MOU, saying until that is established, they can’t move forward with their plans.
On the morning of the April 2 council meeting, Tiffin learned that there was an agenda item regarding this matter, which provided North Huron council with four options to choose from. However, the BIA had yet to be asked to provide input, so he went before the council to ask for a deferral until discussions could be held between all parties.
An email from a concerned Wingham
resident indicating that North Huron council was to blame for the current situation prompted Tiffin to ask residents to have patience as they work through the details, adding that council can only make decisions based on the information they are provided. They can only make an informed decision if they have all the information. A meeting was scheduled for April 19 between the township and the BIA to discuss this matter further, but it was cancelled, Tiffin said because he was unavailable that day. He questions why the meeting was cancelled because Doug Kuyvenhoven or Counc. Mitch Wright could easily have sat in.
Tiffin said one of the BIA’s primary concerns is that one of the suggested changes, which would limit shows to weekends only, would reduce the likelihood of wellknown acts booking the theatre. Many of them like to book smaller shows during the week so they can perform at the bigger venues on weekends. This limitation could potentially affect the quality and variety of shows that can be brought to Wingham, a concern that the BIA is keen to address in the ongoing discussions.
Moving forward, Tiffin is optimistic that the cancelled meeting will be rescheduled soon. The BIA remains steadfast in its commitment to the theatre’s success, and Tiffin is eager for the township and the BIA to sit down and work out a mutually beneficial compromise. This will ensure that the work the BIA has been doing to make Wingham an attraction for wellknown musical acts can continue.
Tiffin said, “Let’s not look for reasons why things can’t be done, let’s look for ways to make things happen.”
Howick Council declared intimate partner violence as an epidemic
HOWICK – Town council is declaring intimate partner violence (IPV) an epidemic as of its April 25 council meeting.
Council amended the original letter from the Town of Goderich to make it their own, rather than just endorsing theirs.
“We’re declaring intimate partner violence an epidemic and then forwarding it on to the same ministries and associations,” said clerk and administrator Caitlin Gillis.
This motion will be distributed to:
- Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb and MPP Lisa Thompson;
- Ministry of the Attorney General and Solicitor General;
- Ministry of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity;
- Huron County Council and lower tier municipalities;
- Huron County detachment of Ontario Provincial Policy;
- Association of Municipalities of Ontario; and
- The Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
“The numbers are actually quite staggering,” said Coun. Rosemary Rognvalson.
She noted at a subcommittee meeting she previously attended, “the police were telling us some of the statistics and there were almost 800 cases in Huron County alone last year.”
“January and February of this year, 174 cases; and those are for the ones that get reported and get known,” she added.
“It’s a really big problem, especially in rural areas. So I really want to support this. I think it’s very important and it’s been talked about in a lot of other places as well.”
Moved by Councillor Rognvalson and seconded by Deputy Reeve Megan Gibson, the motion was carried.
May 3rd (9am to 7pm)
May 4th (9am to 4pm)
Well testing no place to cut
Among the axioms we live by in the world of journalism is that stories, editorials and columns we expect to cause a stir, often don’t, while reports we deem innocuous can end up setting off a firestorm.
Patrick Raftis
From this angle
The former is the case with a piece I wrote in March for the North Wellington Community News and the Independent Plus about a proposal to end free water testing for private wells in Ontario.
At meetings in March, councils within the watershed received a resolution from the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Source Protection Region committee asking the province not to proceed with a recommendation to phase out free testing.
In a letter to provincial Minister of Agriculture Lisa Thompson, committee chair Matthew Pearson raised the spectre of the Walkerton water crisis, which left seven people dead and caused more than 2,000 to fall ill when E. coli entered the community’s water system.
In the Walkerton Inquiry Report Part 2, Justice O’Connor concluded the privatization of laboratory testing of (municipal) drinking water samples connected directly to the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Walkerton Ontario in May 2000,” the letter states. “Twenty-four years later, there is a proposal to privatize water testing once again.”
The committee’s concern centres on a recommendation in the provincial Auditor General’s 2023 Value-for-Money Audit of Public Health Ontario (PHO), which was released in December. The auditor recommended PHO, in conjunction with the Ministry of Health (MOH), update and implement a laboratory modernization plan within 12 months to streamline the laboratory’s operations.
“This stemmed from a 2017 proposal by PHO, collaboratively with the MOH at the request of the deputy minister, to close six of the 11 public health laboratory sites (Hamilton, Kingston, Orillia, Peterborough, Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins) and gradually discontinue
private drinking water testing,” stated Pearson in the source protection committee’s letter.
Justification cited by the PHO and the MOH for the moves includes mitigating rising costs of maintaining facilities and establishing “a more efficient operating model that reduces the rerouting of samples to other PHO laboratory sites.”
About 50 per cent of the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley region population is serviced by private wells, Pearson notes in his letter.
That a body charged with ensuring drinking water safety drawing parallels with the tragic Walkerton situation didn’t generate a flood of letters to the editor and massive public outrage is, to us, surprising.
The proposed move has gone mostly under the radar. A Google search on the topic generates virtually no hits from major media sources and only a few articles in scattered community papers, plus a fairly comprehensive piece from the website of Cottage Life magazine.
Among the stories that can be found, are a couple misleadingly headlined, “Ontario Health Minister vows not to end free private well water tests,” and “Province clarifies stance - Says Private Well Water Testing Will Continue.”
Both articles are based on Jones’ April 22 response to a question in the legislature, where she stated: “To be clear there are no changes to where the people of Ontario can get their well water tested for free in the province of Ontario.
“The ministry has not made any decisions about changes to the provincial well water testing program, including which laboratories conduct testing of water samples,” Jones continued.
To take this as a “vow” not to end free private well testing would be akin to accepting at face value today, Premier Doug Ford’s oftrecanted pledge that Continued on page 5
Crime is not an urban or rural problem, it
It could be a very long, frustrating summer, if current police reports are any indication.
There is a growing problem with rural properties being hit by thieves taking everything from vehicles of various types, to firearms, to fuel.
The recent hike in gas prices, combined with the traditional snowbird migration north, promises to complicate the situation.
Most of us are well aware that the days when no one locked doors to buildings or vehicles are gone. We have not yet reached the point of protecting our local storefronts with metal grating, as is becoming necessary in more urban areas, or living in gated communities with armed guards, but security cameras are springing up all over the place.
Anyone skinny-dipping may well become an accidental social media star – if the neighbour’s security cameras fail to record the sight, there is always the drone belonging to the teens on the next farm.
During COVID lockdowns, this area got “discovered” by folks from the GTA who were looking to escape from the city to an area only a couple of hours away, with beautiful scenery, affordable houses and a great lifestyle. Now our housing is no longer affordable, local residents have to line up and pay to enjoy favourite scenic spots in our own communities, and our lifestyle is becoming more urbanized. And so it goes. Now we lock our doors, make sure the security cameras are working, and keep the ATV locked in the shed at night.
is everyone’s problem
Before we start posting “Citiots, go home!” signs on the telephone poles, we might want to take a closer look at the situation around here. While there is no doubt some of the thefts from rural properties are committed by imports from the GTA, there is also no doubt a lot of crimes are committed by people who know exactly where to look, and what to look for. In other words, people very familiar with the community. Locals. There is a good chance that a pickup stolen around here will not end up in a sub-Saharan car lot, but abandoned on a back road a few kilometres away, or parked behind someone’s barn, with assorted ATVs, cars and RVs, all with punched-out ignitions. Rural communities have always had their fine, law-abiding citizens. They have also had n’er-do-wells known to help themselves to items belonging to the neighbours. Some people gravitated to rural areas because of the availability of good farmland; others chose this area because they liked the peace and quiet. And there have always been some who preferred a bit of distance between themselves and anyone who could smell what was brewing in the tool shed, or see what was growing among the corn stalks. Or question
the bruises on a woman’s face. The city has always had crime; so have we. The only real difference is everyone in a small town in days gone by knew who the criminals were. When tools went missing from the shed, a discrete word with a certain grandma might result in some of the tools mysteriously returning, with a six-pack of beer by way of apology. No hard feelings. The nature of the crimes being committed has changed, in both urban and rural areas. The illegal drug trade fuels a lot of it; people steal to feed their addictions. They always have.
Urban addicts have cocaine and heroin; their rural cousins have their meth and “hillbilly heroin” (oxycodone), all of it devastatingly addictive. Most street drugs out there, be it in downtown Toronto or the smallest of small towns in midwestern Ontario, probably contain fentanyl, a synthetic opiate up to 50 times more powerful than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Crimes, including those related to the illegal drug trade, are not an urban or rural problem, nor are they a police problem; they are our problem. If we see something that concerns us, we need to report it. This includes everything from gas siphoned from a vehicle to unexplained bruises on a child.
*** Pauline Kerr is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Midwestern Newspapers. She can be reached at pkerr@midwesternnewspapers.com.
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As the Wingham Advance Times works to provide an interesting and accurate reflection of Wingham and the surrounding area through our news pages, we urge local citizens to ensure that their community organization is represented through submissions of news tips, articles and photographs. The contributions are appreciated
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Pauline Kerr Off The Record
Canada moves closer to point of no return with our national debt
There’s an old bit of wisdom courtesy of Ernest Hemingway that you go broke two ways: first gradually, then suddenly. With last week’s federal budget, Canada is inching closer to the sudden phase of fiscal disaster.
The Canadian government projects another five years of deficit spending and over a hundred billion dollars added to our already crushing debt. Worst of all, there is no end in sight to government borrowing, and no plan in place to repay that money. It reminds you of the old German proverb: “He who is quick to borrow is slow to pay.”
Last week’s budget also projects that public debt charges – the interest we’re paying on the debt – will climb from just over $54 billion currently to nearly $65 billion five years from now, a 20 percent increase.
Ten cents of every dollar of revenue the government brings in is now going straight to interest payments, according to TD Bank, and those interest payments are eating up a bigger and bigger portion of the budget. What’s worse, for the first time ever, interest payments on the debt exceed the amount of money the government spends annually on healthcare.
A Fraser Institute report on government debt published earlier this year had this grim warning: “Rising government debt has severe consequences for Canadians as more and more resources are directed toward interest payments and away from programs that help families or improve Canada’s economic competitiveness.”
Although the mushrooming federal debt is cause for concern, when you start adding in other levels of debt, it becomes even more dire.
Combined federal and provincial net debt is projected to come in around $2.18 trillion in 2023/24. Meanwhile, total debt in Canada – household, corporate and government debt at all levels – is now around 341 percent of total GDP. In other words, our total debt is more than three times what we produce each year.
The consequences of the buildup of debt extend to all corners of the economy: our runaway debt stunts investment, hobbles economic productivity and lowers
Frank Stronach Principles of Economics
living standards.
Earlier this year, University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe said, “we should be thinking about the longer-term future of federal finances and start making difficult choices, because the longer we wait, the harder it will be.”
Far from making some difficult decisions, the federal government just made our financial future a lot harder – and probably a lot more painful when the sudden day of reckoning finally arrives and jolts us from our sleep.
Many things in life are not fair.
One of the unfairest of all is that the older generation leaves all of the debts it has incurred to the youngest generation, asking them to pay the bill for many of the goods and services they have never even enjoyed or made us of.
It’s ironic that a budget which aims to make life easier and more affordable for young Canadians has instead placed upon them a heavy burden that they will never be able to throw off in their lifetimes.
But a national Economic Charter of Rights and Responsibilities, which I’ve been strongly advocating for the past year, would get Canada back on the straight and narrow. The charter would require government to balance the budget and reduce our national debt by 5 percent per year over 20 years with the result that we would be debt-free within two decades. We’d wipe the slate clean for the young Canadians and give them a shot at a better quality of life.
To learn more about how the Charter could help turn our economy around, contact info@economiccharter.ca. ***
Frank Stronach is the founder of Magna International Inc., one of Canada’s largest global companies, and the Stronach Foundation for Economic Rights (www. economiccharter.ca).
Raftis: Well water testing
Continued from page 4 his government “won’t touch the Greenbelt.”
One suspects Jones’ feeble assertions won’t be the end of this story.
To be clear, gratis or levied, private well owners should be getting testing done. However, the local source committee feels forcing well owners to pay a fee to commercial labs, would “disincentivize testing,” due both to the cost and the inconvenience involved. “When water is not monitored regularly, there is no way to know the true quality of the water, which puts people at increased risk of becoming ill,” the committee letter states, adding, “With private systems being stand-alone systems, any associated illnesses are isolated sporadic events and do not come to public attention like those seen during the Walkerton outbreak.”
Most would agree that seeking cost-saving efficiencies is within every government’s mandate. But nearly 25 years after the devastating events in Walkerton, it’s difficult to see this as a good place to look.
***
Patrick Raftis is the editor at Midwestern Newspapers. He can be reached at editor@midwesternnewspapers.com.
The mind runs the body and the body feeds the mind
You had better believe it. It is seldom that the body and the mind do not work together, but not with me. It is not just ‘old age’ that causes my body and my mind to cease operating together. But that is what has happened to me. A disease called dermatomyositis (DM) has taken over my total body. This DM seems to be in charge of my body. Things have been going quite well for me. My dementia is advancing very slowly. I am losing, or forgetting, single words when needed to complete a sentence. This is a classic dementia – I am Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The addition of the autoimmune disease has been a shock. Evidence to me that the body and mind do work together but not to my benefit. My particular autoimmune is called dermatomyositis (DM). It is rare but not terminal like the dementia. My DM has been triggered by a cancer known as melanoma. Removing the melanomas has helped but hasn’t eliminated the problem.
I am very happy that the Ontario government is making changes to improve our patient health care system. Changes are needed as my needs of health services grows. I need to have a functioning health care system and the London ON hospitals are filling that need. Three years ago, I had great difficulty in swallowing which led to the DM, a fairly rare autoimmune disease. Anything swallowed would go into my lungs instead of my stomach –a great problem.
The immune system is made up of organs and cells meant to protect the body from bacteria, parasites, viruses and cancer cells. My autoimmune disease is the result of the immune system accidentally attacking the whole body instead dealing with a specific problem. It’s unclear why the immune system does this, but lately I am attacked all over my body from top of my head to the bottom of my feet. My immune system senses an intruder and it attacks and continues to attack. The re-
sult is rashes, itches and sores all over my body plus a significant loss of muscle. There are over 80 known autoimmune diseases. Mine is quite rare and is called dermatomyositis (DM) and can appear suddenly or develop gradually over time. The most common signs and symptoms include:
Skin Change
A violet-colored or dusky red rash developed, most commonly on my face and eyelids and on my knuckles, elbows, knees, chest and back. The rash, which can be itchy and painful, is often the first sign of dermatomyositis.
Muscle Weakness
Progressive muscle weakness involves the muscles closest to the trunk, such as those in my hips, thighs, shoulders, upper arms and neck. The weakness affects both the left and right sides of my body, and tends to gradually worsen with time. The cause of dermatomyositis is unknown, but the disease has much in common with other autoimmune disorders, etc. Other issues like genetic and environmental factors could be causes as well viral infections, sun exposure, certain medications and smoking as well as the melanomas which affected me. I feel that the autoimmune problem is growing and will soon be a health issue that gets a lot of attention. I doubt that a solution will be in time for me. I spent 28 days in the hospital in late 2021 with the doctors trying to find out the cause of my autoimmune disease. Finally, the doctors found two large melanomas in my chest area. Surgically, they removed 2 melanomas and sent me home with a stomach feed – that is a line from a sac of liquid food Nestles (one of the worlds largest food companies) hanging on an IV Pole which fed into
my stomach. I was on this for a few months since the swallowing muscles in my throat was slow to recover and allow proper operation – ie swallowing. I didn’t miss not eating nor drinking since the feeds into my stomach were effective in giving the nutrition and whatever I needed to function.. I found it interesting that “eating” had no interest for me. I was fed all the nutrition, etc. that I needed, or wanted, through the feed line regularly. There’s no cure for dermatomyositis, but treatment can improve my skin and my muscle strength and my functionality can improve. The result: many visits to hospitals in London and Stratford. This process is a very effective way to lose weight. By the time I was eating again my weight had dropped to 140 lbs. I am now at 150 lbs – a good weight for me. The prednisone that I am on has not beaten the DM but I am working on it. My short-term objective is to get back on the golf course in the next few weeks. The driving range opens next week Wish me luck. I turned 85 today and I feel that my parents genes will enable me to keep going. I still do follow my Seven Pillars to Good Health. These are Lifestyle, Diet, Exercise, Awareness, Connectivity, Intuition and Purpose
***
Bob Murray is retired from the graphic communication (printing) industry, has been living in Seaforth and was diagnosed with Dementia in 2013 He works hard to stop the progress of the disease to AD. He shares his experiences in his column entitled “My Voyage with Dementia” Follow him on his blog entitled: “My Voyage with Dementia” ( myvoyage553264702.wordpress.com).
DGR referendum vote could completely change community
To the editor:
Area farmers, farmland, and small communities being “targeted” by elected officials in municipal/regional councils, provincial and federal government and by big organizations? Is it because this only disrupts the lives and livelihoods of a very few people, so that won’t be a big issue? Really? The lives and livelihoods of a few people, often generational families, who have spent years putting food on the plates of the many who enjoy the busy city life. Those few, who in their small communities organize many activities so that many can enjoy “country life” and do not have to live in a “concrete jungle”. It seems those “concrete jungles” are running out of room, so just go after the less populated areas and destroy their lifestyle.
The Green Belt, Wilmot Town-
ship, Greenock Energy Storage Project, and a deep geological repository (DGR) in South Bruce - all of them, and others, taking away agricultural land. Are we not already losing 300 acres a day in farmland? Where is our food going to come from –a test tube in a lab?
In South Bruce, and surrounding area, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is trying to “buy” your support by giving lots of money to the municipality, schools, volunteer organizations, etc. Sure, it is great to receive all this money, but remember, it is to make NWMO look good as they try to establish a community relationship so the people of South Bruce will agree to bury highly radioactive nuclear waste that will be radioactive for millions of years. Your children and grandchildren will live with it.
Have South Bruce residents, (and others,) been following the NWMO faithfully, learning all the facts, the studies, etc. about this DGR? After all, it has been 12 years of learning. A “yes” or “no” vote to decide if you are willing or not willing is to occur in South Bruce. A referendum, not by the security of a paper ballot, but by the not-so-secure telephone or computerizd vote. And if 50% or more do not vote, the municipal council decides for you.
This is a Canadian project, so you are voting for all Canadians. Don’t think this project won’t affect you. There will be an affect on the entire municipality of South Bruce and surrounding area. Your vote could completely change the community. S.A. McDonald Culross/Teeswater
Bob Murray My Voyage With Dementia
Wescast employees claim they are owed millions
Continued from front page
“I have to be honest with you, we should not be here today. We should not have to be here to demand that Wescast meets its obligation and pay workers what they’re legally and contractually obligated to,” said Hashi.
Hashi stated Wescast was a “source of livelihood, pride and identity for generations of families.
“But that reputation has been tarnished by Wescast’s current owner. Wescast’s China-based owner, Bohong Industries, is withholding approximately $10 million from workers. They refuse to give workers what they’re entitled to.”
Sending a strong message to Bohong, Hashi said, “That’s not how we do business here in Ontario. And that’s not how you do business anywhere. That’s $10 million in
severance and termination pay that’s not in the pockets of where it belongs.”
Added Hashi, “With skyrocketing costs of rent, food and gas in this country, it’s baffling that Wescast continues this corporate greed. This is not merely about dollars and cents; it’s a betrayal of trust and a direct violation of workers’ rights.
“It is incredibly shameful that despite years of dedicated service, Wescast workers are being taken advantage of by this company,” said Hashi. “Our union will not back down. We will not give up this fight until workers are paid every cent they are owed for their years of blood, sweat and tears.”
A media release from Unifor said, “The Wescast plant is
a historic facility that previously operated from 1902 until 2023 when Bohong Industries Group announced it would cease operations. Workers at the facility previously built cast components for the auto industry, some having over 40 years of service.”
On April 17, 2024, Unifor sent a letter to the Ontario Director of Employment Standards seeking intervention. A copy of the letter was sent to Ontario Minister of Labour David Piccini.
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers across various industries. The Wingham Advance Times reached out to Wescast Industries/Bohong for comment but did not hear back before publication.
Howick council passes application to amend zoning by-law
WROXETER – Howick Township held its council meeting on April 25 with a public meeting held under section 34 of the Planning Act to discuss the Howick Township zoning bylaw.
The subject land identified in the planning report is 1090 Centre Street in Wroxeter, the former Wroxeter United Church.
“It’s a very straightforward application in the sense that the parcel was zoned CF (community facility) which is typical of a church use,” said Huron County planner Jenn Burns.
“Now that the church is no longer being used by the congregation and has been sold to a private property owner, they are wishing to rezone the property to VR1 (village residential low density zone).”
This zoning amendment will permit residential use on the subject property and allow for a single detached dwelling within the church.
The property is 8,712 square feet in area, and the Howick Official Plan identifies Wroxeter as a settlement area, which in Howick means a smaller urban area with a primarily residential focus on its land. The residential use in this amendment will occur on the existing developed lot with the current building.
This is because goals for settlement ar-
eas in the Official Plan include preserving aesthetic qualities and heritage of urban places, and to provide a broad mix of housing types.
Burns noted to council that the applicant confirmed a septic system design that will work on the property, even though the property is “quite constrained.”
“They have put the work in and have a septic solution that has been reviewed and approved by the chief building official, and they will have space for parking in the rear of the church right against the back door,” said Burns.
She added the existing setbacks for the rezoning are considered to be “legal, non-complying” as the church has been there “well before” the zoning bylaw was in place.
“There are no outstanding concerns or issues from a staff or neighbour perspective, and no comments have been received,” she said.
Coun. Doug Hargrave raised a question for clarification of the “single detached dwelling” to which Burns replied it would be for one family. This conclusion was based on the septic considerations available.
The recommendations of the Huron County planners was to approve the amendment, which was moved by Deputy Reeve Gibson and seconded by Coum. Rognvaldson and carried in a vote of council.
Cory Bilyea photos
Hundreds of former Wescast employees listen to speakers from Unifor Local, waving their fists in the air and chanting ‘so so so solidarity,’ bringing attention to the way Bohong Industries is treating them.
Images from Howick Council Agenda Apr. 25
Trout Unlimited Canada proposes ‘Cooling Streams Program’ at former Witter’s Pond site
CORY BILYEA
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter cbilyea@midwesternnewspapers.com
MILDMAY—On April 23, a Trout Unlimited Canada delegation proposed to South Bruce Council to plant native trees and shrubs at the former Witter’s Pond site on Otter Creek (Adam Street).
David Fields, partnership development manager from Trout Unlimited Canada, spoke to council about the Cooling Streams Program and the proposal to rehabilitate the area in Mildmay by repairing and enhancing the riparian area on Otter Creek, emphasizing the importance of healthy riparian areas for water quality, erosion prevention, and biodiversity.
“Cooling Streams by Trout Unlimited Canada is a national riparian rehabilitation and tree planting program designed to help communities mitigate and adapt to climate
change and increase native biodiversity. It is delivered in partnership with local chapters, landowners, private and community organizations, students, and individuals,” a summary brief provided to council by Trout Unlimited Canada said.
“The area formerly known as Witters Pond,” Fields said, “what we seek to do there is to plant native trees and shrubs for the reasons of not only enhancing local biodiversity, but also to help the health of the creek, Otter Creek, which is a significant cold water stream within your watershed.”
Fields added that a healthy riparian area keeps the soil intact and helps prevent future erosion and sediment from entering the stream, which will create healthier freshwater conditions for species like trout.
Fields added, “But also it helps with creating more of a buffer for water, which is
An Earth Day Litter Cleanup was organized by Pete Mulvey, a resident of Wingham who noticed the litter along the street and community trail and decided to do something about it. The Wingham BIA assisted with organizing and advertising the cleanup. The Township of North Huron also supported and promoted the event. About 40 volunteers gathered together on April 22 (Earth Day) at 8:30 am at the old Wingham train station where they were given plastic garbage bags and gloves and signed up for their routes. The volunteers went out in teams all across the town picking up any litter they spotted along their routes. Virtually every street in Wingham and the community trail was covered. Some teams completed their routes early and then went to “hot spots” where a lot of litter had accumulated over the winter. The teams returned to the train station by 10:30 am where they enjoyed coffee and conversations. A number of high school students also participated in the Earth Day Litter Cleanup on the last class of the day. The high school students were assigned the streets around and leading up the high school. “It is amazing what was accomplished by the volunteers in just a few hours. The town looked great with all of the litter picked up on Earth Day,” state organizers, who aer planning to make the Wingham Earth Day Litter Cleanup will be an annual event.
capture/release of spring flows and heavy rains. So that helps to mitigate water quality. So it captures that heavy spring runoff and releases it more slowly over the spring, which also supports the freshwater ecosystem.”
The summary brief said that after removing the Co-Op Dam, Otter Creek, a coldwater stream supporting native and nonnative trout, now flows freely, allowing for fish passage. Planting of trees and shrubs on a small section of the stream bank was conducted after the box culvert installation that replaced the dam.
“Trout Unlimited Canada proposes to increase and enhance riparian cover by planting native trees and shrubs in the newly reclaimed floodplain to help support the health of Otter Creek through bank stabilization, water flow capture/release, sediment capture, and shading while also providing wildlife habitat and creating a natural community amenity. This proposed tree planting will also contribute to the health of the Lower Main Saugeen River sub-watershed by increasing riparian and forest cover, which are currently graded as fair – less than recommended.”
Tree and shrub species being considered for this project include native species observed on site. They will consist of additional species appropriate for the region: Basswood, Red Maple, Sugar Maple, Balsam Poplar, Trembling Aspen, White Cedar, White Pine, Common Hackberry, Northern Red Oak (upland), Paper Birch, White Spruce, Bur Oak, White Elm, Eastern Hemlock, Eastern Cottonwood, Hawthorns, Large tooth Aspen, Pin Cherry, Serviceberry, Shagbark Hickory (upland), Silver Maple, Bitternut Hickory (upland), Black Willow, Red-osier Dogwood, Gray Dogwood, Ninebark, Nannyberry, Highbush Cranberry, Chokeberry, Buttonbush. “Planting areas have been identified based upon soil drainage conditions, and
species adapted for these conditions will be planted in these areas. Up to 9000 trees and shrubs can be planted in the planting areas identified, using a spacing of 2m, and more can be planted if permission is granted to plant to within 2m of the rail trail. Tree health and survivorship will be supported by tree wraps, weed mats, and mulched with wood chips – the latter supplied by the municipality.”
Fields said the project could start as early as May “with a four-person crew supplemented by one or two community workdays, including a possible corporate workday by employees of Hammond Power Systems in Walkerton.”
Additionally, the project may be completed in phases, depending on tree and shrub stock availability, to allow for appropriate diversity and numbers.
Fields said, “We are interested in collaborating with the municipality to organize a community event and volunteer opportunities for this project. Maintenance and monitoring of the trees will occur over a period of two years, including summer watering if required.”
The only request to council is for wood chips from the municipality’s public works department, which Fields indicated would likely be unused otherwise.
Funding for this project is provided by NRCAN’s 2 Billion Trees Program and TD Friends of the Environment Fund. Later in the meeting, Manager of Operations Stu Moffat was granted permission to work with Trout Unlimited Canada for the revegetation project on Otter Creek in Mildmay.
A report will be brought back to council at a later date.
For more information, please contact David Fields, Program and Partnerships Development Manager, at dfields@tucanada. org or 519-817-8596, or visit their website at tucanada.org/cooling-streams-2/.
Contributed photos
Memories of Wingham
Bruce Robertson Life’s Reflections
This is part one of the 11th installment of the series initiated by the Wingham and Area Historical Society including write ups of memories by or about Wingham seniors.
Iwasborn on Sept. 10th, 1937, in Wingham Hospital. My parents were Harvey and Margaret Robertson and I had an older brother Bill born in 1933. There were many lifestyle changes during the growing up years. The installation of electricity and indoor plumbing happened around 1944. The outhouse under the pear tree was retired, the Eaton’s catalogue was now no longer needed, and the pot under the bed lost its significant role. Electricity brought many changes. Light bulbs really brightened up the house and barn. The old coal oil lamps and lanterns now sat on the shelf awaiting their use if an electrical power failure occurred. There was no longer the fear of a barn fire started by an overturned or dropped coal oil lantern.
Life on the farm was enjoyable, especially in the spring to fall period when you could drive horses or ride them bareback on a Sunday afternoon with your neighbourhood friends. Becoming seven years old was very exciting with the purchase of a first tractor which made horses less important on the farm. It was exciting to run all the way home from school so you could drive the horses or the new Massey Harris 81 tractor. Perhaps driving the car to the road to get the empty milk cans and deliver them to the barn would be allowed. But there were some childhood duties or experiences that weren’t so exciting. Running home from school didn’t happen if the job of picking stones or weeding the garden was expected. There were many duties like gathering the eggs, getting the cows from the field to the barn for milking, turning the hand crank on the separator to separate the cream from the milk, and the list goes on. Growing up on the farm was interesting. Work habits were established and thinking of a better place to have grown up is hard to imagine.
The period of time referred to as being interesting and exciting for me was a difficult time for my parents. Prior to getting married, my mother had taught school for five years at S.S. #10 on the 1st line of Morris. Dad lived nearby, they became acquainted, and eventually married in 1928. Dad purchased the farm where Jacquie (Robertson) and Kevin Bishop now live and built a house. The depression hit in 1929 and lasted for approximately 10 years. Money was scarce. A nearby township road was being built and, to earn some much-needed money, Dad took a team of horses and a large scoop to move gravel. He was paid $1.50 a day! Hand me down clothes were common and ice cream treats were scarce. It was a great relief when the last mortgage payment was made on the farm and the weight was off their shoulders. This helped develop an appreciation of what my parents went through, providing a safe, happy environment.
Public School Years
My elementary education journey started with a twomile walk carrying a lunch pail to the same S.S.#10 Morris school where my mother had taught for 5 years. It was a typical one room rural school with 8 grades with approximately 28 students and just one teacher, Mrs. Helen (Walker) Gray. Often grade 7 and 8 students helped the younger students with their assignments while the teacher taught other grades. This also enabled the teacher to provide a kindergarten type program during the spring months to help children get ready to start grade 1 in September.
S.S. #8 Morris (Browntown) became the school for the remaining elementary education for grades 2 to 8. This school move was made to equalize the enrolment numbers. My teachers were Mrs. Helen (McCutcheon) Wheeler, in Gr. 2, Mrs. Isabel (Bowman) Elston for grades 3 and 4, and Mr. John Spivey for grades 5 to 8. Many memories come to mind from these school years. A yearly event was the Belgrave School Fair which involved entering many classes such as schoolwork, flowers, vegetables, public speaking, music festival, or showing a calf, all being entered with great enthusiasm as there were points and prizes to be won! One year, it was an honour to win a prize for the most school fair points. Softball was a popular recess activity. It was important to learn how to catch the ball bare-handed as only the catcher and first base player were the lucky ones permitted to play using a glove. Piano lessons took place during elementary school years, but playing an old Hawaiian guitar was much more fun.
“The Storm of 1947” brought back many memories of snow-blocked roads. There were many railway trains in the area that were unable to get through the deep snow on the tracks. With yeast being available in our house, bread was baked by my mother, and it was fun delivering it by snowshoes to neighbouring farms. Bulldozers were required to open many roads and high banks made touching telephone lines possible.
Regular church and Sunday school attendance at Bluevale Presbyterian Church was encouraged as was the memorization of the Bible verses on the Sunday School teacher’s “to do” list. The Young People’s group provided interesting topics, discussions, and social activities.
Wingham High School Years
The journey through secondary school started in the old three-story, yellow brick Wingham High School with two attached H huts which had been used at the air force training base near Port Albert (this property is now occupied by the CKNX station). Several high school teachers come to mind. Mr. Bob Ritter taught English, helped coach football, and was actively involved in the school cadet program. Mr. Bob Campbell was the P.E. teacher and football coach. History lessons were made much more interesting and enjoyable by Mr. Jack Woolfrey when he organized his students into debating teams. It was exciting to use the various machines in the woodworking shop and complete interesting projects under the guidance of Mr. Ross Vogan. Mr. Frank Madill taught algebra, geometry, and trigonometry and was also our curling team’s coach. There wasn’t a gymnasium, so basketball games and practices were held in the old Armouries behind the Heritage Theatre. The Josephine Street ballpark, where Libro Credit Union is now located, was where football games were played. School curling was in a rink where the Maitland Family Dental building presently stands. Although the academics were important, curling and football rated pretty high on my list, as did baseball when playing with the Wingham Juveniles in 1954 and 1955 and winning the Ontario Championship in 1954.The championship game was scheduled for Saturday night in Wingham. Wingham’s main street was always a beehive of activity every Saturday night, but on this important game night, businesses closed at 9:00 P.M. so people could attend the game. Jim Bain hit a two-run homer to tie the game in the 7th. After a scoreless 8th and 9th inning and with two out in the bottom of the 10th, I was lucky to get the hit to bring in the winning run…quite a thrill! A ride down the main street on the fire truck, followed by
introductions and speeches by the mayor and reeve in the town hall, took place.
The high school enrolment continued to increase and, in April 1954, a contract to build a new school was signed. Three days before the Christmas holidays in 1954, the high school H huts were destroyed by fire. While with a group of classmates in Wingham that night, we heard a rumour that the H Huts were on fire. We journeyed up to the school to see the fire and encountered Mr. Scottie Jackson, our agriculture teacher, who said, “Fan her boys, fan her boys!” He must have been anxious to start teaching in the new school. It was now very important to quickly finalize the construction of the new school. The students moved into the school on Feb.1st, 1955. Classes returned to normal, and the new gymnasium was enthusiastically enjoyed.
While completing the high school years, there seemed to be an increasing need for spending money, so I helped several nearby farmers (Charlie Mathers, Mel Mathers, Jim Elliott, and Harold Elliott) with haying, threshing, cleaning pig pens, plowing fields etc. A 10-hour workday at $0.50 an hour generated a whole $5.00.
While working for Mel Mathers, I sensed that he usually found it difficult to slow down or be patient. This trait became apparent one day when we were baling hay and storing it in the barn. We rushed through supper, jumped on the tractor and wagon, and along with Mel’s son Arnold, journeyed to the back field of the farm. On arrival, the tractor ran out of gas. Mel jumped down, circled the tractor, and said, “What the h… are we going to do now?!” Being the hired hand, I quickly offered to run to the gas tank near the house and get a can of fuel to fill the tractor. We bailed the hay before sundown and got it unloaded in the barn. The next morning, we removed the hay from the barn because it hadn’t been sufficiently dried and was getting hot. Even 60 or 70 years ago, ‘Haste sometimes brought waste.’
Teaching
Around this time, deciding a future career path seemed important. After giving the matter a considerable amount of thought, and when it became apparent that brother Bill was interested in taking over the farm, going to Teachers’ College and becoming a teacher was priority number one. Music was another significant interest.
While attending our family Christmas at my uncle Don Robertson’s in 1953, I displayed an interest in a good qualify acoustic Spanish guitar that he had. He showed me some guitar chords and let me take it home. Ernie King, who was my idol on the CKNX Saturday night Barn Dance, gave me guitar lessons in 1954 and 1955. In November 1955, when in Grade 13, I started playing 4 or 5 nights a week with Don Robertson and The Ranch Boys. Each week we played for 2 or 3 dances along with The Saturday Night Barn Dance, and the Circle 8 TV Show. Ernie King had accepted a full-time position with the new bustling Channel 8 CKNX TV station, and I filled his position with the band. It soon became apparent that there was insufficient time for schoolwork and sleep and a second year in grade 13 would be required to graduate. I recall falling asleep during a chemistry class taught by Mr. Stan Hall, our high school principal, and after waking up, and going to the next class was informed that Mr. Hall took the opportunity to tell the students what happens when you do not get enough sleep. He also mentioned a low test result that I had received which made his point abundantly clear.
Various school related optional activities were planned each day for the last period. A friend of mine, Doug Murray, and I found the temptation for a round of golf at this time irresistible. This worked for a time or two, but Mr. Hall called the Wingham Golf Course and had our activity terminated. I returned and joined Mrs. Marie Douglas’s Glee Club, which was enjoyable, but not quite as much as golf!
It was an honour to be chosen to represent the school in 1956 on the Leaders’ Club sponsored by the London Free Press and the University of Western Ontario in recognition of athletics and leadership qualities. It was an interesting, inspiring opportunity.
Part Two of Bruce Robertson - Life’s Reflections will be published in an upcoming edition of the Wingham Advance Times.
Submitted photo Ranch Boys-Don, Cora, & Bruce Robertson, George Jorden, and Ross Mann
Submitted Photo
Harvey & Margaret Robertson with sons, Bill and Bruce, early 1950s.
Submitted Photo
Bill & Bruce Robertson with their grandmother, Janet (Menzies) Robertson and cousin, Marilyn Parker c. 1942.
Madill brings home the Dinning Cup
KELSEY BENT
kbent@midwesternnewspapers.com
WINGHAM – Eight teams vied to claim the top spot at the 16th annual Matthew Dinning Memorial Junior Boys Rugby Tournament, on April 24 in Wingham. In the end, it was F.E. Madill Secondary School who emerged from the ruck victorious returning the Dinning Cup home from a two-year stay in the Kincardine District Secondary School trophy case.
Madill’s path to the championships – led by team captains Brody Gibson and Carter Miller – saw them shut out Walkerton Sacred Heart High School 15-0; St. Michael Catholic Secondary School 34-0; and Waterloo Oxford District Secondary School 17-0.
In the final match against Stratford District Secondary School, Jacob Schaefer scored the try and Ewen Johnston kicked the difference-making convert, making the final score 7-5.
The tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for Madill was awarded to Joel Ireland for his agility on the pitch.
This annual pre-season tournament hon-
ours the memory of avid Madill rugby player, Matthew Dinning, who was killed in action while serving as a military police officer in Afghanistan in 2006. The tournament was started by a former Madill teacher Andy Jones in 2007, and has been carried on by LeeAnn McDonald-Ellis in recent years.
Bryn Hutchinson pushes through Waterloo Oxford District Secondary School players.
Kelsey Bent photos
Madill MVP Joel Ireland showed his agility on the pitch, while avoiding a tackle from a Waterloo Oxford District Secondary School player.
Brody Gibson passes the ball off to Seth Moffat before being tackled.
Seth Moffat avoids a tackle while running with the ball.
Madill MVP Joel Ireland is pictured carrying the ball with Bodie Shepherd trailing.
Members and leaders of the South Bruce Dairy 4-H Club kicked off their 2024 season with their first meeting at the Teeswater Agri-Curl on April 3. There were nine members in attendance. The theme for this year is to learn about nutrition and digestion so after elections were done the members made up simulations of the dairy cow’s digestive system.
Huron Bruce 86s with their championship banner. Back row (staff): Sarah McLean, Stu Rintoul, Jamie Chester, Dennis McLean, Karrin Davenport, Jeremy Schnurr. Middle row: Kolbie Chester, Adalyn McLean, Ireland Johnston, Katie Hutter, Myla Vaughn and Caryss Dewar. Front row: Bryn Devos, Malynne Henry, Makayla Schnurr, Amber Ricica. Maddie Davenport, Caleigh Rintoul, Saige Andrew and Jenna McLean. Ice: Lyvia Simpson.
Janes Walk: Wingham’s
Alice Munro Tour, May 4
MELISSA DUNPHY
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter mdunphy@midwestern newspapers.com
WINGHAM – This Saturday, May 4 Jane’s Walk is coming to Huron County.
“Jane’s Walk Huron invites the community to explore Huron County’s rich heritage through 24 guided walks taking place in 11 communities. The walks take place Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5, as part of the global Jane’s Walk Festival. Inspired by Jane Jacobs (1915-2006), an American-Canadian writer, urbanist, and activist who championed a community-based approach to city-building,”
explains a post on Huron County’s website.
These are free events that encourage people to “discover unseen aspects of their communities” and to “connect with their neighbours”.
And one of those 11 communities is the small town of Wingham, whose chosen tour topic is Alice Munro, the Wingham born short story writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. The tour will explore several places that Munro writes about in her books to give a brief history of both her and her connection to wingham. The walk leader is Janna Dodds, who will lead attendees through the town both on foot and by car.
The walk will start at 10 a.m., at the Wingham Motel at 86512 London Rd.
Then the tour will continue into the town and visit spots Munro mentions in her tales, all while reading excerpts from her books. “We are going to go through the Town of Wingham. And we are picking out excerpts from Alice’s books to read, so when we go to the town hall and when we go to her fox farm… all of those are actual places she’s written about,” explained walk leader, Janna Dodds.
“I think it should be really fun..I’m hoping that we’ll have a few people!” For more information, visit https://www.huroncounty. ca/janes-walk-huron
Huron Bruce U11 86ers win OWHA provincials
HURON BRUCE – The U11 86ers hockey team won the 2024 OWHA (Ontario Women’s Hockey Association) provincial championships.
They started the season with two losses to the Grey Highland Shooting Stars and went on a winning streak after the first two games.
Entering their first tournament, Pink on the Rink hosted by South Huron, the girls came home tournament champions with an O/T win.
The 86ers went onto win the International Silverstick Championships, hosted by Sau-
geen Shores with a “familiar feel” to the Pink on the Rink tournament winning again with a series of very tight games.
Their third tournament was hosted in Belmont, Aylmer and Dorchester.
“We won our third straight tournament here in familiar fashion, this time with an O/T shoot out winner to seal the deal,” McLean explained.
“We went through the remainder of the regular season without a league loss and started provincial play downs at the same time.”
The 86ers qualified for provincials with a
play down record of 4-1-1.
The team then headed to its final two tournaments back-to-back – the WOAA (Western Ontario Athletic Association) championship and Provincials.
The WOAA tournament was against league rivals – tthe Grey Highland Shooting Stars and the girls won with 6-0 and 3-0 victories.
At Provincials, the team started with two straight wins and headed to the final game against North Middlesex. With a 2-0 victory, the quarter final against South Point came up with the 86ers winning 1-0.
The Semi-final game was against “the
best” of the Eastern Ontario region, Kanata where the 86ers won 4-1.
In the final game against North Middlesex, the team went into intermission and tied 1-1.
The game was forced into O/T but the team was able to score, bringing home the Provincial championship.
The girls ended the season with a record of 50 games played, 41-6-3, GF - 165, GA - 30 and 29 shut outs.
“I couldn’t have been prouder of this group and a season that no-one will soon forget,” McLean said.
Contributed photos
Contributed Photo
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