Issue 18 2021 May 12 NG Times

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The Voice of North Grenville

Vol. 9 No. 18

May 12 , 2021

The passing of a quiet giant Kemptville Eye Exam Clinic

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by David Shanahan The death of Gerry Tallman marks yet another sad passing of a special generation of men and women who made North Grenville what it is today. Gerald Keith Tallman was, without any doubt, the most successful business person to come out of this community, but he was so much more than that. Born in Burritt’s Rapids, Gerry became a central figure in the community for many decades.

When he died on May 2, at the age of 79, his passing was noted by people all over the country, as well as in his native place. The many people who worked with him on so many worthy causes remembered him as

a quiet and gentle man who never forgot his roots, never believed he had to rise above North Grenville in order to be important. As another leading business figure in the community, Robert Noseworthy of Westerra Homes & Developments, noted: “Gerry never forgot his roots, proven as he and his family chose to stay close to home and, live, work and play in North Grenville.

Gerry was a kind gentleman who only spoke good words about everyone, and he was also a major philanthropist who gave generously of all of his resources to one and all.”

In fact, it was Gerry who encouraged Robert to come to North Grenville and set up his business here. He was

always, both officially and unofficially, a great ambassador for this municipality. In a statement by the Municipality, it was pointed out that he was the inaugural recipient of the Harry Pratt Ambassador Award in 2016, recognized as a driven and creative leader, promoting the community of North Grenville.

“The support he gave to our community has had an incredible impact on all of our lives in North Grenville, and his legacy will carry on,” said Mayor Peckford.

The list of Gerald Tallman’s contributions to North Grenville is long and has had an impact on so many of us.

He was part of the campaign to build the North Grenville Public Library building on Prescott Street, and the Tallman Room at NGPL serves as his memorial there. He was a strong supporter of the Beth Donovan Hospice; he was one of the sponsors of the annual OPP barbeques; and his contribution to the Kemptville Legion was deeply appreciated by everyone there.

One major contribution Gerry made to all of us was his fundraising efforts on behalf of the Kemptville District Hospital. Robert Noseworthy, who held the position of Chair of the KDH Foundation Board of Directors, remembered Gerry from his role as the Honorary Chair of the major fundraising drive that raised over $5 million for the Kemptville District Hospital Emergency Department. “As

a result of that campaign, the community was proud to name the newly renovated emergency department at KDH, the ‘Tallman Family Emergency Department’.”

Typical of Gerry’s philanthropy was the fact that he made the first donation to the fundraising efforts, contributing $500,000 to the cause.

Gerald also won numerous awards in his community, including North Grenville Citizen of the Year in 2006, and North Grenville Business of the year in 2013. He was awarded the Bill Thake Memorial Award in 2017, which recognizes and celebrates a volunteer who has shown outstanding commitment and leadership resulting in the growth and vitality of the Leeds Grenville economy.

Always an essential part of Gerry Tallman’s life, career, and community involvement was his wife of 55 years, Louise. Together, they were an unassuming couple who nevertheless played a continuing and powerful role in their community over all their decades together. Her contribution in all of this is also deeply appreciated, and her loss is greater than anyone’s.

Gerald Tallman’s business career is well documented elsewhere, and his incredible success with Tallman Truck Centres is a story without parallel in this municipality’s history. In business, as in his personal life, Gerry

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The North Grenville Times cont'd from front page was recognized with many awards and tributes. But here we acknowledge his place in our community.

Local MPP, Steve Clark said it well and simply: “We’ve lost an incredible leader with the passing of Gerald Tallman. His generosity and kindness will be missed in North Grenville and our entire riding”. Robert Noseworthy also paid tribute to Gerry’s legacy: “We are all going to deeply miss Gerald, especially his kind and endearing manner. North Grenville, as well as Eastern Ontario has lost one of its shining lights and true caring

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individuals who brought only happiness and joy to everyone he met. Sincere sympathies to, his spouse Louise, his sons and his extended family of relatives and friends”.

In their statement on behalf of Council, Mayor Peckford and Deputy Mayor Jim Macmanaman stated: “On behalf of all residents and business leaders in North Grenville, Council would like to express our deepest sympathies to his family and the thousands of members of our community who were impacted by his impressive and unwavering support to North Grenville”.

The Irish have a blessing for times like these: Ar dheis

Dé go raibh a anam, may his soul be at the right hand of God, to which we at the Times say “Amen”. Thank you Gerry Tallman for everything you did and everything you were to us.

A Private Graveside service will take place with immediate family only, due to COVID-19 restrictions. A Public Celebration of Gerald’s Life will take place at a later date. Donations can be made in Gerald’s memory to the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation or Christ Anglican Church, in Burritts Rapids.

Sustainability The importance of wetlands

Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine plan is helping to stop the spread and save lives.

Thousands of people across the province are getting vaccinated every day.

by Joselyn Morley Wetlands are diverse, but generally a wetland is land that has been saturated with water long enough that aquatic plants can grow. They are transitional areas between rivers or lakes, and more arid land of higher elevation. Some wetlands are permanently covered in water, and some flood only in spring or at times of extreme weather.

We have four basic types of wetlands in Ontario. A bog is an area of peat, which is longdecaying plants. They are very acidic, and covered in mosses, with occasional stunted black spruce trees. There are more wetlands in northern Ontario than there are here, although most people are familiar with Mer Bleu Bog east of Ottawa. A fen is also a wetland that accumulates peat. These are areas where groundwater discharges to the surface.

They are less acidic and soil has more nutrients. There are grasses, reeds, tamaracks and cedar. Marshes are periodically or permanently flooded, with a variety of marsh vegetation such as cattails, reeds, rushes, and grasses. There is also water plants such as water lilies. They are often found around bigger areas of water like lakes or rivers. Swamps are wetlands in the woods, where flooding is usually for a portion of the year. They

As vaccinations continue, we need to stay the course to protect those we love. Wear a mask.

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May 12, 2021

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2

support a variety of coniferous and deciduous trees, including willow, cedar, and dogwood.

They are extremely diverse.

Our wetlands are being depleted at an alarming rate.

They are some of the most bio-diverse areas of our landscape, yet we do not value "swamp" land. Some areas of Canada have lost over 90% of our wetlands. Wetlands reduce flooding and drought by regulating moisture. They are sponges that capture and slowly release water throughout the watershed or floodplain. They prevent water runoff and erosion. They reduce the damage done by storm surges. They clean and filter our water to replenish underground aquifers. They sequester carbon, reducing greenhouse gasses, and help protect us from climate change.

Wetlands have been drained by successive generations of Canadians. Draining wetlands has been allowed in order to expand farmland, or increase land for development, but at what cost? Wetlands are an extremely diverse and complex ecosystem. Once gone, they do not come back. Some wetlands are given special designation as "provincially significant wetland," but the majority of wetlands do not have such a designation, and as such are subjected to draining or filling without consideration of the consequence.

Wetlands host a huge variety of different species: plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, microbes, and mammals. They are many of the most bio-productive places on our planet. As climate change leads to more and more volatile and extreme weather events, we need the moderating and mitigating effects of wetlands all the more, at a time when they are increasingly under attack from development and agriculture.

Mitigating climate change requires a multifaceted approach. It is not enough to try to reduce emissions. There has to be other actions. Naturebased solutions provide one such approach. Nature-based solutions involve protecting, enhancing, restoring, and sustainably managing ecosystems that can play a role in reducing the effects of climate change.

Nature-based solutions can help alleviate some of the disastrous effects of many extreme climate emergencies.

In Ontario, there are programs for the landowner to encourage protection of wetlands. There is the Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program (CLTIP), which can provide a 100 percent property tax exemption on eligible conservation lands. The Managed Forest Tax Incentive (MFTI) can help to support a landowner in maintaining and managing woodlands, which can include wetlands.

The Land Stewardship and Habitat Restoration Program (LSHRP) can provide up to $20 000 in matching funds to support a project that benefits or maintains a variety of habitat.

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Remembering Andy Parent the Gatekeeper of Big Sky Ranch welcoming and supporting the animals over the years was profound, just as he also marveled that supporters would come from all over Ontario and Canada to visit and help. Although the Sanctuary has taken in animals from all over, most of the ones that have been adopted have stayed locally in Eastern Ontario. "People have good hearts and Andy saw the good in everyone," Pauline says.

Although Andy will always be known and loved as the founder of Big Sky Ranch, Pauline says that over the past few years he started referring to himself as the gatekeeper instead.

"When asked what made Big Sky Ranch what it is, Andy felt that, first of all, the animals are the soul of Big Sky Ranch, the volunteers are the heart of Big Sky Ranch, and everybody who supports it in all the other ways are the lifeblood of Big Sky Ranch, and that it is almost a living thing."

Having struggled with his health for several years, Andy was focused on ensuring that the Sanctuary would continue long after he was gone. "For quite some time his focus was on making sure that, without a shadow of a doubt, Big Sky Ranch, its mission, its purpose, its heart. He put people in place over time to ensure his legacy would continue."

After many years of illness and a short battle with lung cancer, Andy passed away on April 29, at the age of 62. Despite the pandemic, Andy's last year was a happy one, with a lot of time spent with the animals at Big Sky Ranch, his family, and a small group of volunteers and friends at his side. "That was maybe one of the unintended blessings of COVID," Pauline says. "On the one hand, he missed having people here so much- especially the children- but on the other hand it gave him time to simply be with the animals, which is exactly how his

Julia Zipfel, summer camp attendee, counsellor and long time Big Sky Ranch volunteer, presenting Andy with a painting of one of the Sanctuary's llamas, Diesel.

Photo provided by Big Sky Ranch Animal Sanctuary

by Hilary Thomson North Grenville lost a great man last week who dedicated his life to giving unwanted and abused animals a place to call home.

Andy Parent first established Big Sky Ranch in 2002 as a hobby farm.

Originally from Ottawa, he wanted to give his two young sons the opportunity to connect with the land and be around animals. At first, Andy and his family continued to live in Ottawa, visiting the farm at 810 Pelton Road in the evenings and weekends; however, they soon moved out to the farm permanently, looking for a quieter life.

On their very first night, they were all outside marveling at the expansiveness of the starry sky. The possibilities of their new home seemed endless. It was then Andy said the farm should be called Big Sky Ranch.

The very first animal that came to Andy was from a friend who had a dog named Bear. Bear was half dog and half wolf, and although he was a very loving, at 125 lbs he was too much for his friend to handle. Andy gladly took him in, and Bear became May 12, 2021

his first furry companion at the Ranch, setting in motion a chain of events that would lead him to house and provide homes to thousands of animals over the next almost two decades.

To date, Big Sky Ranch has helped over 3500 domestic animals of all kinds and sizes achieve a happy outcome through their rehabilitation and adoption programs. They currently house about 125 abused and unwanted animals including horses, cows, goats, donkeys, llamas, sheep, cats, dogs, rabbits, pot bellied pigs, emus, peacocks and a variety of domestic fowl.

Through his dedication and hard work, and with the support he inspired in so many people, Andy has grown the Ranch into not only a haven for animals, but for people too. Over the years, he has welcomed hundreds of volunteers and visitors to the Ranch of all different backgrounds and abilities "The Sanctuary was established to help animals in need; but Andy soon realized that the animals rescued people right back," says Pauline Lafleur, Office Manager and long-time volunteer at the Ranch. "It was very

important for him, for instance, never to charge admission because he wanted the Sanctuary to be barrier free and accessible to everybody. He wanted no restrictions on people who came to volunteer. The only thing that you needed to walk through the door was love for the animals and the desire to help them."

Andy was a valued member of the North Grenville community and worked as the municipality's animal control officer for many years. He loved that aspect of his job and found great joy in reuniting families with their pets, and relocating those who were truly lost.

"We are very appreciative of Mr. Parent's service to the Municipality through our unique and caring partnership in animal control, not to mention the invaluable sanctuary he established that continues to serve our community and much of Eastern Ontario," Mayor Nancy Peckford said in a statement.

Andy always felt that this journey had been guided by something bigger than himself, and felt that coming to this area was an amazing gift. His gratitude to the local community for 3

journey began."

Due to the pandemic restrictions, there was no public funeral. Big Sky Ranch will re-open once again to visitors when able to safely do so, so that people can spend time with the animals. Donations to the animals of Big Sky Ranch are gratefully appreciated. To donate visit www.bigskyranch.ca.

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Live Concerts at the Library Kemptville Live Music Festival, in partnership with Kemptville Campus, has been offering a free online concert series over the past few months. The Live At The Library sessions were recorded in a temporary sound studio assembled in the former Kemptville College library on the second floor of the historic Purvis Hall.

The performances were recorded over a five day period in late February and have been released weekly every Thursday and the occasional Sunday since March 4. Professional sound, lighting and film technicians greeted the artists to engage in the performing experience and environment that they had all been missing for well over a year.

The project has presented twelve performances to date, with two more scheduled for

Thursday May 13 and Sunday May 16. All of the past performances are available for viewing on Kemptville Live's new YouTube channel.

The series to date has been well received by the fans. Typically, 150-200 people have been tuning in for the premiere of each show on the Thursday or Sunday releases, and they are seeing the views escalate anywhere from 3002000+ within 30 days as the links are shared with family and friends.

The project was initiated in recognition of the need for a distraction from the gloom of the looming health restrictions right now. Kemptville Live believes that music heals and is extremely essential, even more so in times like these. Staying inside, alone for many, for months that are already gloomy is very difficult for many people.

Kemptville Live organizers

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recognized that their role, in providing a quality cultural product representing the community and volunteers who have built the brand, did not need to come to a halt because folks could not gather.

With a little pivot and a lot of learning, the Kemptville Live name is still out there on a 2021 product that represents the community and local artists well.

With the 2021 Kemptville Live Music Festival in July once again being unable to proceed due to COVID-19, the organization hopes to be able to provide another online concert series over the winter months to provide a bit more culture and comfort until the live festival can return in July 2022.

We require “3” references from within the trucking field as well as “3” years commercial insurance experience.

Successful candidates will have End-Dump Trailer experience and a clean drivers & commercial licence abstract, as well as their own transportation to our yard.

Contact Christina at 613-720-1391.

Local COVID-19 Vaccine Status

Has Winter Gone Yet? April departed from us with a rather wet and windy, stinging blow, Ensuring that the first day of May arrived in a cold flourish and a covering of snow!

What a surprise, for us, and many of the birds, who have already come back, to their summer retreat.

How do they cope with the sudden cold, and the harder finding of something to eat?

Hopefully, there are still left showing some of the fresh growing new shoots, On the trees and the plants, which are already established and are not planting new roots.

As well, there are those of us, who, being bird lovers, keep seed in our feeders, And that, probably, includes many of you North Grenville Times readers.

So all is not lost for all of our fine feathered friends, Who struggle on to survive, the strange weather and its wintry trends.

What they cannot find on their own, to make them contented, If we have done our jobs right, then their food supply will be sufficiently supplemented.

Then they can happily carry on with their lives like the rest, And get back to doing what they came here for,- to mate and to nest.

So what is the question that we all the correct answer want to get?

Although, the sun is shining now, has the Winter gone yet!?

John Baldwin

Old Age Security increase targets older seniors' higher risks

May 12, 2021

sion by 10 per cent for seniors aged 75+. That's worth $766 over the first year to pensioners receiving the full benefit and helps 3.3 million seniors.

This measure is targeted for older seniors who are more financially challenged and who are worried about outliving their savings.

As they age, seniors face more health issues. Their healthcare expenses rise due to illness or disability: on average, out-of-pocket health

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by Deb Schulte, Canada's Minister of Seniors Budget 2021 has helped to strengthen the financial security of Canadians later in life.

It announced two important measures. In August 2021, the government will issue a one-time $500 payment directly to seniors aged 75+ as of June 2022.

Then in July 2022, there will be a permanent increase to the Old Age Security pen-

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expenses of those aged 80+ are over $700 a year higher than those aged 65-74. At the same time, most older seniors can no longer supplement their income with paid work.

Few seniors work beyond age 75, and those that do have median earnings of only $720 a year.

The passing of spouses adds to the pressure. Among seniors, almost twice as many over age 75 are widows. And with women, on average liv4

by David Shanahan Ontario continued its roll-out of vaccines against COVID-19 over the past weeks, and the numbers getting the jab is increasing daily. Individuals are receiving their jab when they are initially admitted to long-term care residences, and those who are confined to their homes for health reasons are being visited by mobile teams if they are in an eligible category to be vaccinated.

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Health Unit (LGLHU) has also opened new appointments dates in Kemptville with the announcement of new supplies of vaccines becoming available. These can be booked by using the Province’s online booking tool at www.ontario.ca/bookvaccine, or the Provincial Booking Phone-line at 1-888999-6488, open Monday to Sunday from 8 am to 8 pm.

You can also call the local Leeds, Grenville, Lanark Booking Centre toll-free at 1-844-369-1234. It is open daily from 8:30 am to 4 pm.

The provincial and the local booking systems have different days and times available to them – so you can try both if you are unsuccessful with one.

It has been the experience of many people that the provincial online booking system is the most efficient way to get an appointment for those eligible under cur-

rent guidelines. The actual vaccination process at the Municipal Centre in Kemptville is well-organized and the people on duty there are friendly, professional and the entire experience is as stressfree as they can make it.

Eligibility criteria are changing quite quickly as supplies of vaccines increase on a weekly basis, so it is best to check these guidelines on-line in order to find the latest information. It is worth noting that people in priority groups can be contacted if an opening appears in a daily schedule at vaccination centres. This Contingency List program allows those with booked appointments to be moved up the list as openings allow. Once you book an appointment, and you are registered in a priority group (for example, someone with a chronic illness, such as Diabetes, or someone who is pregnant), you may get a call to attend a vaccination centre at short notice.

The vaccination roll-out in the LGLHU area, as of May 2, which is the latest date for which we have data, shows that from April 26 to May 2, 6,622 individuals received their first dose of vaccine and 93 individuals received their second dose. A total of 45,741 individuals have received at least one dose of the Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca Vaccine (either through one of our fixed sites, the KHSC Clinic, the Ottawa Hospital Clinic, one of our mobile

ing longer than men, it's no wonder many senior women slip into poverty after the hardship of losing their life partners.

To help secure older seniors' finances, the government of Canada is making the first permanent increase to Old Age Security since 1973, other than adjustments due to inflation.

For the youngest seniors, the age of eligibility for OAS is moved back to age 65. It

was increased to age 67, under the government of Prime Minister Harper. Canada Pension Plan revisions have been made for future retirees, increasing the Guaranteed Income Supplement for single seniors.

The latest data shows that 11% fewer seniors live in poverty than in 2015.

clinics/teams or through local primary care offices) since our roll out started. This number does not include those that received AstraZeneca in a participating Pharmacy.

In Ontario as a whole, as of May 6, 141,038 doses were administered daily on average, for a total of 5,740,761 total doses administered. This means that 384,589 people in Ontario have been fully vaccinated. The current wait time between first and second jabs is around four months, or 16 weeks. This does not affect the efficacy of the vaccine.

It may well be that increased supplies of the various vaccines will allow that period to be shortened, but that is not at all clear at the moment.

The LGLHU urges people to remain patient. It will take time for COVID-19 vaccines to be distributed to everyone in the community. Each group will be specifically identified and notified in advance to plan for vaccination – information will be posted on the LGLHU website, social media, local media, and through healthcare and community partners – you won’t be missed!

In the meantime, continue to follow the familiar precautions – wear a mask, keep the 2m/6ft distance from others, follow the stay at home order.

Stay home if sick and contact the Assessment Centres for testing if you have any symptoms.

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COVID-19

Information for North Grenville Residents A Provincewide Stay-at-Home Order is in Effect

For information on the provincial Stay-at-Home Order visit: covid-19.ontario.ca/zones-and-restrictions.

Working together to keep our community safe

North Grenville COVID-19 Assessment Centre

Please continue to protect yourself and others to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Located in Bell Hall (15 Campus Drive) at the Kemptville Campus. The Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Please continue to be patient and kind with business owners and each other.

People who have symptoms of COVID-19 and/or have been exposed to confirmed case of COVID-19 should be tested.

Municipal Updates:

Book an appointment online at www.ngcac.ca or by phone at 613-258-3192.

The North Grenville Municipal building is CLOSED to the public. The Municipality remains operational to provide essential services and assistance to residents and businesses. Contact us at: general@northgrenville.on.ca or 613-258-9569.

COVID-19 Vaccine Provincial Vaccine Booking System For details on eligibility and how to book your COVID-19 vaccine visit www.ontario.ca/bookvaccine or call 1-833-943-3900.

Well Water Testing Well water sample drop-off has been changed to 50 Empress Drive, Kemptville.

Individuals who are 40+ can get the AstraZeneca vaccine at a local participating pharmaces.

Visit: ontario.ca/pharmacycovidvaccine for details and call the pharmacy directly to book.

Questions? Contact the Health Unit at 1-800-660-5853 or visit www.healthunit.org/well-water-sampling

New Dates for Bulky/Large Item Pickup: Leaf and Yard Waste Collection remains the same: May 31 - June 4 and June 7 - 11, 2021

Call the Health Unit at 1-844-369-1234 with questions on: ► Booking, changing or confirming a vaccine appointment ► Cancelling an appointment if you received a vaccine somewhere else

Residents can purchase Bulky Item and Leaf & Yard bag tags online at: www.NGrecycles.ca.

For information about COVID-19 visit the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit at: healthunit.org.

June 14 - 18 and June 21-25

#LoveNG Ad Program for Businesses The Municipality has partnered with local media to offer cost-effective advertising promotion for local businesses. Visit www.investnorthgrenville.ca for more information.

Thank you for helping to stop the spread of COVID-19: 2m (6’)

STAY HOME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

MAINTAIN 2M DISTANCE

DO NOT GATHER

WEAR A MASK

WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN

The Municipality’s priority is protecting the health and safety of our residents.

Visit: www.northgrenville.ca/coronavirus.

May 12, 2021

5

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Jeanette Johnston to head Small Business Centre

The Leeds Grenville Small Business Centre is pleased to announce that Jeanette Johnston is the new Manager of the Centre as of May 3, 2021.

Jeanette brings six years experience at the Centre as the Business Development Coordinator and a depth of knowledge of the services of the Centre, its partners and clients. In addition to her role at the Centre, Jeanette has previously owned businesses and supports her husband in his business as well. Jeanette has a strong interest in build-

ing the economic ecosystem with small businesses and other organizations and services in the region to provide cohesive and robust results attracting new residents and businesses to the area.

She serves on several committees tied to the Centre and volunteers on different committees in the community in the areas of the arts and immigration.

For 20 years, the Leeds Grenville Small Business Centre has been supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses in South Leeds and

Grenville County including the City of Brockville, the Town of Gananoque, the Township of Leeds and Thousand Islands, Front of Yonge Township, Athens Township, Augusta Township, Town of Prescott, Township of Edwardsburgh-Cardinal and the Municipality of North Grenville.

The centre is primarily funded by the Province of Ontario and also through municipal contributions, and some private sponsorships as well. Their mandate is to support entrepreneurs in starting and growing their businesses through consultations, tools, resources, workshops, events, and programs. To learn more about the Leeds Grenville Small Business Centre, please visit us at www.lgsmallbusiness.com or call us at 613342-0040.

Wendy Onstein, Manager of the Centre for almost 16 years, retired on April 30h.

Jeanette will carry on her great work supporting those exploring entrepreneurship or growing their business.

The Centre thanks Wendy for her years of dedication and service to her community.

St. Lawrence – Rideau Immigration Partnership Diversity Day 2021 The St. Lawrence – Rideau Immigration Partnership will be hosting Leeds & Grenville Diversity Day on Tuesday, May 25. Diversity Day is a free event open to all individuals and organizations including service providers, immigrants, community members, students, employers, and faith-based groups. The event will be held from 9:15 am to 11:30 am via Zoom.

This year’s event will feature Chéla Breckon from With Chéla Inc. Chéla will facilitate conversations with local immigrants, service providers and community members that will provide participants with practical

services

inter-cultural communication skills. Jackie Schoemaker Holmes from Empowerment for Resilience will present her findings from the 2020 Leeds and Grenville Immigrant Consultations.

Melissa Francis, Program Manager, St. Lawrence – Rideau Immigration Partnership states, “The Immigration Partnership is looking forward to welcoming people from across Leeds and Grenville and beyond, to Diversity Day 2021. We have a number of amazing speakers involved this year and conversations will be applicable to all event participants. This is our first Diversity Day be-

Joe Gauthier Master Electrician

613.802.4608

joe@oldschool-electric.ca

"No Job Too Small" May 12, 2021

ing hosted via Zoom and we are hoping to welcome people who may not otherwise attend due to time, budget or transportation challenges.” Diversity Day is being funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Please register by May 23: Register: www.eventbrite.ca/o/ st-lawrence-rideau-immigration-partnership-cityof-brockville-17157226727 The St. Lawrence-Rideau Immigration Partnership is a coalition of organizations committed to building local capacity to attract, settle, and integrate immigrants. The Immigration Partnership also encourages organizations, individuals, and communities to recognize and celebrate cultural diversity. Led by two staff members, and representatives from 25+ community agencies, the Immigration Partnership works throughout the 10 municipalities and 3 partner communities that make up the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.

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Our Provincial Government's Gamble

by Victor Lachance Full disclosure: I'm a member of the Coalition Against the Proposed Prison (CAPP) which is holding a Community Action Webinar on May 13 starting at 8 pm, so that local residents can work together to push back against the suddenly announced and ill-conceived plan for a 235-bed prison in Kemptville. Please join us by registering at coalitionagainstproposedprison@ gmail.com Our provincial government has a gambling problem. Why do we know this?

Because the Premier, the Solicitor General and our MPP and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing are gambling that if they don't answer emails, letters, questions and the media, the Kemptville prison issue will simply go away. They are gambling that the residents of Kemptville won't notice when the provincial government tramples on the Campus Master Plan, when they shred our Tourism Strategy, when they damage the downtown renovation plan and when they disregard the Green and Growing vision of Kemptville. The government is also gambling that people won't notice when they don't protect the Barr Arena and the farm buildings after the International Plowing Match, and when these historical buildings are razed after the event.

More importantly they are gambling that the residents of North Grenville will still vote for Minister Clark no matter what he and the provincial government do to Kemptville.

And that's a problem because it shows a wanton disrespect for the residents of North Grenville and Kemptville. It shows a remarkable amount of disrespect for our

Municipal Council.

And yet there's more.

The provincial government is gambling that we'll just shrug at the fact that there was no consultation with Municipal Council and the residents of North Grenville. They're gambling that they can get away with taking the land away from the Algonquin people without anyone caring about it. Worse than that, they're gambling that people won't notice the horrible irony of ignoring the land claims and rights of Indigenous people in order to build a prison that will disproportionately incarcerate Indigenous people. And they're also gambling that people won't care about the way prisoners are treated, even when the majority of them are simply awaiting their day in court.

The Premier and our Member at Queen's Park are gambling that we'll believe them when they say that the government won't use a Ministerial Zoning Order to override anything Municipal Council or conservation authorities have to say, even though the Ford government has issued a whopping number of MZOs since 2018, and that Ford himself is quoted as saying that he will never stop using MZOs. I suppose our MPP is also gambling that we won't notice that he's just approved another six new MZOs. The provincial government is also gambling heavily that our Mayor and Council will be swayed by the little sweeteners that the Solicitor General is offering to appease the voters, so that Council can do their dirty work of promoting the prison and making it more acceptable to the residents of Kemptville.

But they're not done yet.

They're gambling that the people of North Grenville will

not notice that the bail and remand system is broken and that if the government would just begin to fix it we wouldn't need another jail, especially one that will change the future of Kemptville in a bad way.

The Premier and our MPP are also gambling that taxpayers won't care that the $250M cost over the next several years will do little for a postpandemic recovery when compared to investments in such things as health care, affordable housing, education, food security and the environment. They're gambling that we'll think that the prison is a good idea even though the Solicitor General's office has already backed away from their exaggerated, unsupported and misleading claims of economic benefits.

They're also gambling that taxpayers will believe them when they say that we won't have to bear any costs during the construction, and then future costs once the proposed prison is built and placing a burden on our hospital and municipal services.

Perhaps more importantly they're gambling that people will think there's nothing they can do about this proposed prison even though the Ford government has already backed down from over a dozen bad ideas. And this is certainly another one.

And to top it all off, they're gambling that they'll get away with all of this under the cover of a pandemic.

So I would say that this is some very problematic gambling. And I would add the obvious fact that they're gambling with your vote.

The Premier, the Solicitor General and our MPP Steve Clark have already rolled the dice with me and lost. I wonder how you'll feel when they roll the dice with you?

Jail Opposition Group and Coalition Against the Proposed Prison to host virtual meeting

The Jail Opposition Group and the Coalition Against the Proposed Prison will host a community action meeting to discuss ideas and actions to protest the proposed prison. This meeting will be held virtually and will be an information session to share efforts being made to protest the 235 bed Prison in Kemptville.

The information session will also include time to plan protest events including a sign campaign.

The event will be held May 13 – 8 pm to 9 pm on Zoom.

To register by email go to: coalitionagainstproposedprison@gmail.com For more information about the push to stop the new Kemptvilleprison visit: https://www.coalitionagainstproposedprison.ca https://www.facebook.com/groups/644593989591680/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Df-PXst59mckyLdNcduXw https://twitter.com/CappKemptville 6 www.ngtimes.ca

Editorial

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Are we really sheep?

by Lorraine Rekmans Remember when we used to travel? So many times, at the airport, I was removed from the lineup up at the security gate for a "random" search. It happened so often that I began to question the randomness of it.

The airport authority would run their hands over my person, or direct me to the x-ray machine so they could examine my internal organs. It was a personal violation that I reluctantly subjected myself to because I saw the sign at the airport which said something to the effect, "you have a right to refuse this search and we have a right to deny you entry."

The staff would open my luggage and rummage through it, and then make me take off my shoes.

How many times did we all corral together at the

luggage belt in various stages of undress, hopping on one foot while we put our shoes back on, trying to put ourselves back together, find our coat, our watch and other personal effects that rolled along on that conveyor belt in plain view of all strangers?

There are so many examples of how we, as citizens, relinquish our personal freedoms and allow our privacy to be violated, in exchange for some benefit. Think of that latest iPhone or Android app that you just downloaded and the 8000- page Terms of Agreement that you just scrolled through to click on the "Agree" button, so you could start using your app. Think about Google Maps, tracking your daily journey. We are pervaded by violations of our privacy, on a daily basis, and we have conceded to this, in exchange for what we believe to be some benefit.

If our foot is a little too heavy on the gas pedal, we get stopped by the police, who interfere with our right of mobility. But we have conceded to this, collectively, for the benefit and safety of ourselves and others.

The rules by which we live have been developed collectively, over thousands of years. Some of our social contracts stem from documents such as the Rights of Man (which excluded women in 1789).

Articles in the Rights of Man included such statements as, "Liberty consists of doing anything which does not harm others: thus, the exercise of the natural rights of each man has only those borders which assure other members of the society the fruition of these same rights. These borders can be determined only by the law." It also includes the statement that, "The law has the right to forbid only actions harmful to society."

At present across this country, we are having discussions and conflict about collective versus personal rights, freedoms and liberties. On one hand, we have groups arguing that the state has no right to infringe on their personal freedoms. They invoke, among others, the principle of private property being an inviolable and sacred right and that "no one can be deprived of private usage." This in-

cludes their right to make a living. On the other hand, we have groups conceding to state-wide lockdowns and business closures, and have relinquished our right of freedom of mobility, agreeing not to travel, not to hug each other, and not to visit our elderly.

When human beings began asserting their rights as collectives and as individuals, they created a contract to live together, and did agree that the law is the expression of the general will. We agreed to select representatives that would design laws to express the general will of the people.

We have agreed to suspend those laws, for a period of time for the collective benefit of society.

We agree that the collective has become more important than the individual at this time, because we are faced with a viral threat in COVID-19. As we face this catastrophe, we have determined to do it together, as a collective.

We have put our individual needs on the back burner, in the interest of our neighbours, and our community.

It is a conscious choice we have made to live in the

spirit of our social contract with each other. We have weighed our personal needs, and rights, against the needs and rights of others to make an informed choice about what rights we are willing to give up.

We do this with the knowledge that our rights are sacred and inalienable, and that these rights were hard earned. We are all expressing the general will, in the spirit of a contract that was largely developed during a revolution to overthrow authoritarian or totalitarian rulers. That is why I find it ironic when people call us sheep.

ment's consultation of the town's residents. They worry about the message that no reaction would be sent to the province concerning future projects. So, please join in the opposition movement and strike a blow for citizen control of their municipal environment. Join your neighbours in making a difference.

And remember this issue at election time.

Jim Bertram (Jim Bertram is a former Municipal Councillor, and a founding member of Jail Opposition Group (JOG))

local news; my daily Ottawa Citizen, not so much. For the last year or two, the Citizen keeps getting skinnier, and usually limited to only 2 sections now, except for the Saturday edition, which grows to three. And the content is overwhelming full page advertising, sometimes covering two adjacent pages, and often the front and back cover as well. Then there is also the regular promotion of these miracle medications promising to cure every malady known to man, implying the newspaper's endorsement!

My message, thank you for continuing to publish a newspaper that is still worth reading.

Harvey Powell

Dear Editor, In reference to “Government fails to negotiate agreement with optometrists” article by Hilary Thomson: This government never ceases to amaze me. It would seem that they continuously try to destroy our health care system. Everything for those who have substantial income, but for those not so fortunate, too bad. If one has a good job with all the benefits, they don’t have to worry. Otherwise, you pay insurance.

So far, we have been lucky with OHIP, and help with annual eye appointments, but if the “Right” have their way, the people with less will do without, full stop! I have never failed to pay my taxes on every level of government, unlike some people at the very top end of the heap.

Send in your letters to the editor to editor@ngtimes.ca

WE NEED HEROES

ACT NOW

Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, Thanks to all readers of the Times, like Kath Piché, who have followed the issue of the prison and commented on it following a series of articles I wrote on this subject early last autumn. This letter is to inform you that the campaign is not over. Not by a long shot!

It must be obvious to the observant that, to say the least, our town's future relative to this dictatorial and inconsiderate decision on the part of the government of Ontario has not been well defended by elected representatives at the municipal and provincial levels of government . That is why those residents who care should themselves be ready to work together to represent Kemptville and North Grenville's interests. Without you,

there will be no one to protect the interests of Kemptville residents.

Two main groups opposed to the non-consultative way in which this prison is being inflicted on Kemptville , JOG and CAPP, are continuing their campaign of opposition.

To that end, a community ZOOM meeting is being held on May 13. I hope you will participate. To register, please send a request to the following addess: coalitionagainstproposedprison@gmail.com In my many months of involvement in this project, it has become apparent that a large majority of Kemptville residents oppose this project.

They oppose the way a large project such as the jail has been unilaterally imposed on Kemptville without a mo-

The North Grenville Times is published weekly by North Grenville Times Inc. Marketing Gord J. Logan gord@ngtimes.ca 613-258-6402 May 12, 2021

Dear Editor, Since moving to Kemptville, I really look forward to my free weekly delivery of the North Grenville Times in order to keep up with the

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OFFICE 613-215-0735 Accounting Pat Jessop cfo@ngtimes.ca 613-258-4671

Editor Lorraine Rekmans editor@ngtimes.ca 613-215-0735

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Think of someone who was in the highest position in the US, who stated that he hadn’t paid for years because he was too smart. A very compassionate person. I jest.

Kath Piché

Help Support Your Local Businesses SHOP LOCALLY

Mailing Address P.O. Box 1854 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Staff Reporter Hilary Thomson hilary@ngtimes.ca

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Message from the Mayor

This past Friday, I had the chance to address the community through my first Mayor's Virtual Address organized by the Chamber. It was an excellent opportunity to reflect on the past couple of years and look forward to the future. I want to thank co-hosts Will Pearl and Cathy Sheppard for asking some excellent questions. You can watch in on the North Grenville's website: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=BYqD4tPum2s In the meantime, I thought it might be helpful to summarize some of the highlights here. Since the election of this new Council, keeping taxes low has been a priority.

In the past three years, we have reduced the scheduled tax rate increase (which had been set at a minimum 2 percent prior to the election) each and every year.

In 2019, we lowered the tax rate increase to 1.5 percent. In 2020, we lowered it again to 1.15 percent, and this year (2021), we set it at zero. A zero tax rate increase is not likely doable in the long run, but given the chaos and upheaval of the pandemic, Council believed it was crucial as we find our way through this very stressful time.

In 2020, Council has also adjusted the base rate for those on town water, as it had gone up notably over the past few years. This new fee structure is consumption-based, which also serves as an incentive to conserve water.

Sustainable Growth These changes have been made so that residents are not bearing a financial burden for North Grenville's growth. I have received many emails recently about new or expanding commercial and May 12, 2021

residential developments.

Some are upset that land has been cleared, and trees removed. Others are urgently looking for housing and desperately want to know when rental units or when affordable housing may become available.

The pandemic has accelerated interest in small but growing towns like ours who offer an excellent quality of life, and both rural and urban elements. Given this increased interest in a town that was already growing at twice the provincial average, one of Council's key challenges is how to manage growth in ways that are sustainable, and that do not undermine our shared quality of life.

One of the things that became even clearer during this pandemic is how kind people in North Grenville are - not just to those who have been here for years, but also those who arrived just months ago.

In a society some say is increasingly disconnected, our community is certainly a bit of a haven.

In managing growth differently than past years, in 2020 Council hired a seasoned municipal leader as our Chief Administrative Officer, Gary Dyke. Mr. Dyke brings three decades of experience in both small and large municipalities, and is very well equipped to stickhandle the complexities of growth.

Mr. Dyke has made some key changes in our planning department, including the appointment of new Director of Planning, Amy Martin.

The tone, expectations and culture of that department are shifting in positive ways. We hear fewer complaints from builders and residents alike.

It's not perfect, but we are

getting there.

This said, Council realizes that we need to do everything in our power to make sure that future housing and commercial developments are well integrated into the community, offer a range of housing options (including townhomes, and rentals), are walkable, have appropriate green space and are attractive to look at.

Deputy Mayor Jim McManaman and Councillor Barclay have led an effort with staff to establish new design guidelines for subdivisions. This is so things like lighting, sidewalks, and the 'look and feel' of these neighbourhoods are in keeping with North Grenville's values.

Councillors O'Sullivan and Strackerjan have also signalled their interest in a tree canopy bylaw that would compel developers and new home builders to replace trees that are cut down to make way for new homes or businesses. While North Grenville is blessed to have amazing access to forests (Limerick Forest to the South, Ferguson Forest to the north, and our very own Agro-Forestry Centre with over 300 acres of protected forest in the middle of Kemptville Campus), we totally get the need to do more, and better, on this front as we grow.

These things do take time (far more than we thought when we were first elected as a brand new Council!) but we are on our way.

Road Safety Another significant effort on the part of this new Council is setting a new road safety standard given increased traffic and road use patterns.

Many have reached out asking for speed reductions, or stop signs, and the existing road safety standard often didn't make it easy to say yes to these requests.

The Municipality will pilot this June a 'new standard' that sets the bar higher and should give us more flexibility to do more, not just here in Kemptville but in rural hamlets. We are also taking a serious look at speed radar and related traffic calming measures for rural and urban areas of our community where we know there is chronic and persistent speed issues.

Rural Broadband Another sticking point has been the internet. The Municipality has recently launched a rural broadband strategy given how the pan-

UPDATE For updates related to COVID-19 and the North Grenville Municipal Centre visit: www.northgrenville.ca/coronavirus In light of the province-wide stay-at-home order, please be advised that the Municipal Centre is currently closed to the public. The Municipality remains operational to provide essential services and assistance to residents and businesses by virtual appointment only.

UPCOMING MEETINGS COUNCIL MEETINGS

Council meetings will be conducted virtually via Zoom. Council meetings will be live streamed on YouTube commencing at 6:30 pm. To view the live stream visit: https://www.youtube.com/user/ NorthGrenville/featured For any members of the public wanting to attend the meeting virtually, pre-registration is required by e-mailing clerk@northgrenville.on.ca. To make a deputation in relation to an item on the agenda, please pre-register with the Clerk’s Office at the same e-mail address. Please provide your comments no later than two hours prior to the start of the meeting. If you require accommodation, please advise the Clerk’s Office when pre-registering so that they may best assist you.

Council agendas (including for closed sessions) may be found here: https://www.northgrenville.ca/govern/governance/agendas-and-minutes •

Council Meeting – May 18, 2021

ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETINGS Committee meetings will be conducted virtually via Zoom. For any members of the public wanting to attend the meeting virtually, pre-registration is required by e-mailing Jessica Workman at jworkman@northgrenville.on.ca •

Active Transportation Advisory Committee – Thursday, May 27, 2021 at 5:00 pm

•

Environmental Action Advisory Committee – Monday, May 31, 2021 at 6:00 pm

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Visit www.northgrenville.ca/careers for more details • Deputy Director/Manager of Planning Services – Friday, May 28, 2021 no later than 4 pm

BULKY/LARGE ITEM COLLECTION UPDATE NEW DATES for Bulky Item Collection: June 14 – 18 and June 21-25 Leaf and Yard Waste Collection remains the same: May 31 – June 4 and June 7 – 11 Residents can purchase Bulky Item and Leaf and Yard Bag Tags online at: www.NGrecycles.ca

VACCINATION CLINIC

The vaccination clinic is located at the North Grenville Municipal Centre in Kemptville: 285 County Road 44. The entrance is on the Southside of the building. If you are eligible, you can book your COVID-19 vaccine online at www.ontario.ca/bookvaccine or call the Provincial Vaccine Information Line at 1-888-999-6488.

The Municipality of North Grenville

285 County Rd. 44, PO Box 130, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Tel: 613-258-9569 Fax: 613-258-9620 general@northgrenville.on.ca Building: 613-258-9569 x130 Fax: 613-258-1441 Fire Services Info: 613-258-9569 x201 Fax: 613-258-1031 By-Law Services: email: bylawinquiries@northgrenville.on.ca 613-258-9569 x211 Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002

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demic has forced many of us to stay at home for work, school, connecting with family and friends, and entertainment. I have spent much time conferring with my provincial and federal counterparts about the urgent need to invest in broadband, and am optimistic that some larger provincial initiatives will bear fruit. But, in the meantime, Council has decided to develop its own connectivity plan this year to identify some steps we can potentially take on behalf of under-served neighbours and rural areas, in particular.

County Road 43 Finally, we were excited this past month to review plans for County Road 43.

With the federal/provincial

funding commitment last July from Ministers Steve Clark and Maryam Monsef, a 3.1 kilometre stretch of CR 43 will be expanded to 4 lanes.

More than that, however, there will be segregated multi-use pathways for walkers and cyclists, much improved lighting and trees.

The proposed roundabouts will be better designed for pedestrian-crossings, and vehicles. The bridge will now also be fully rebuilt, however, construction on the bridge portion will not begin before 2022. Traffic flows will, for the most part, not be disrupted as a parallel bridge will be built while keeping the current one open.

It is safe to say that our plate as a Council has been

very full (often over-flowing!) and there are many more initiatives to come.

The pandemic has certainly consumed some of our time and energy, but many of our priorities for this amazing community are moving ahead.

Send in your letters to the editor to editor@ngtimes.ca

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Recruitment an issue for the Fire Service

by David Shanahan In a very detailed annual report to Council, Fire Chief John Okum, Director of Emergency & Protective Services for North Grenville, discussed a potentially serious issue with regard to recruiting for the mostlyvolunteer fire service in the municipality. The Service has four full-time employees and 42 part-time volunteer fire fighters, and the growing level of service and types of service provided by the department is putting strain on the men and women who take time out of their daily lives to serve.

There are two Fire Stations, one in Oxford Mills

with 15 personnel, and the main Station in Kemptville, where the Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, Fire Prevention Officer, and an Administrative Assistant are based, along with 25 volunteers. Two people resigned from the Service over the past year.

As a result, the Fire Service lost a combined 10 years of experience. This reflects a continuing trend, as the Report noted that in 2020, the accumulative years of service compared to those of 2012 demonstrate the collective loss of 140 years’ experience. A group of 13 completed their training in 2020 and they make up 31% of the personnel in the Fire

Service.

The difficulty in securing recruits is largely attributed to the changes in the general society of North Grenville and Ontario. Men and women may have much less time to volunteer now than in previous times, due to work and family commitments, as well as the extra demands the Service makes because of increased activity in call-outs, in training, public education, fire prevention, and taking part in public events.

And the North Grenville Fire Service is busy every day. In 2020, there were 309 emergency call-outs, as well as attendance at events such as drive-by celebrations of

birthdays and anniversaries.

The nature of call-outs may be surprising to many. Attendance at fires accounted for only 6% of call-outs, while 20% were medical assist calls. The Report noted an interesting change in the number of calls involving fires. In 2016, that number was 84, compared with just 16 in 2020. “Fire” incidents are actual fire conditions that occurred which either required the fire department to extinguish, was extinguished by another party, or selfextinguished. There are also “Pre-fire” call-outs, which are occurrences such as a pot left on a stove-top that smoldered and resulted in

smoke, but no fire condition.

These calls have increased in number, with 17 incidents in 2016 and 42 in 2020.

COVID-19 had an impact on all aspects of the Fire Service in 2020. Personnel had to be trained in new protocols, general training and public educational programs were interrupted.

Equipment, particularly Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, was used more, but available less, owing to demand from the wider society because of the pandemic.

And, even more so than with the general population, there was an increase in stress levels to deal with.

Following Chief Okum’s

United Counties of Leeds and Grenville County Road 43 Widening from 200 metres west of County Road 44 to 220 metres east of Colonnade Drive in Kemptville Notice of Public Information Centre of Detail Design The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville has retained AECOM Canada Ltd. to complete the detailed design for the four-lane widening of County Road 43 from 200 metres west of County Road 44 to 220 metres east of Colonnade Drive, in Kemptville, Ontario.

Revisions and Addenda to Environmental Study Report In 2010, the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville completed a Schedule ‘C’ Municipal Class Environmental Assessment to facilitate improvements to County Road 43 and documented the process in the Four Lane Upgrade of County Road 43, Kemptville Environmental Study Report (ESR).

report to Council, he was asked by Councillor John Barclay if there was any calculation of just when North Grenville might need to move from its volunteer-based fire service to a full-time employee one. At that point, Mayor Peckford interrupted to state that the United Counties were looking into the matter on a counties level and she expected there would be some news on that shortly. It came as a surprise to the rest of Council that this discussion has been taking place.

Chief Okum’s Annual Report for 2020 came immediately after First Responders Day on May 1, when Ontario recognizes workers on the front line, including police officers, firefighters, military personnel, paramedics, dispatchers, nurses, doctors and emergency personnel. His Report is included in the Agenda package for the Council meeting on May 5, and can be accessed on the Municipality’s web site.

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Due to the time lapse between the filing of the ESR in 2010 and the initiation of detailed design in 2020, an Addendum is required.

AECOM has conducted a review of the planning and design and the existing environmental setting to ensure that the project and the mitigation measures are still valid given the current planning context.

Virtual Public Information Centre A Public Information Centre (PIC) is being held to provide the public with a study update and present the detail design, proposed construction schedule and details of the Addendum. Due to the current state of COVID-19 and the social distancing measures in place the PIC will be undertaken in a Virtual Consultation format. If you wish to participate, please use the link provided below to register.

Date: Time:

May 19, 2021 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Register:

https://tinyurl.com/CR43publicmeeting2021

The displays are available for review on the Counties website at the following link:

www.leedsgrenville.com/CountyRoad43Widening Comments To be added to the project mailing list or to submit a question or comment please contact either of the following members of the Project Team: Michael Flainek, M.Eng., P.Eng. Arup Mukherjee Project Manager Project Manager for the AECOM Canada Ltd. United Counties of Leeds and Grenville 302-1150 Morrison Drive ARKim Solutions Inc. Ottawa, Ontario K2H 8S9 C: 613-802-9735 Tel: (613) 797-6862 Email: arup@arkim.ca Email: michael.flainek@aecom.com Comments, input, and information regarding this project may be included in project documentation. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the Public Record.

This Notice issued May 5, 2021 - Accessibility is important. If you are a person with a disability and need information in another format, please contact Arup Mukherjee or Michael Flainek at the above addresses

May 12, 2021

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Canadian Singer- Songwriter Michael Bublé ZOOM-BOMBS North Grenville's Business Meeting

During a meeting between Mayor Peckford, Deputy Mayor McManaman and several business leaders, famous Canadian singer songwriter Michael Bublé zoom-bombed the call.

"In the first 2 minutes of the call, Mr. Bublé joined the meeting by complete surprise and asked to be added to the agenda," said Deputy Mayor Jim McManaman.

"In jest, he suggested replacing town water with Bubly Sparkling water, and then inquired about the expansion of County Road 43.

There is no doubt Mr. Bublé has a good sense of humour."

Mayor Nancy Peckford was approached this past March by a Toronto based casting firm which finds 'real people' for leading national adverting campaigns.

"I was aware of the plan

and thought it would be a fun way to get North Grenville on the radar as we launch an ambitious tourism strategy.

We have so many amazing business leaders in this community. It was a treat to have Mr. Bublé briefly on the call with all of us."

"Of course, I told Mr. Bublé that we are very proud of our high-quality municipal water and we have absolutely no plans to replace it with sparkling water. Our water in North Grenville is some of the best in Eastern Ontario."

Joining the Zoom call with Mayor Peckford and Jim McManaman was Karen Quigley of Saltastic and new Chair of the Chamber of Commerce, Rebecca Cronk, Owner of Get Cronk'd Fitness Studio, Scott Godwin and Luc Oulette of Bubba & Bug Coffee Shop, Anne Walsh,

writer and art therapist, William Pearl of Stevens Creek Shutter Company, Natalie Castellas of Catered Affairs, Deron Johnston, Executive Director of the BIA. "It was a totally unforeseen development," said William Pearl. "We were meeting about how businesses were doing in this third lock down, but it was definitely a fun way to spend a little time with this beloved Canadian icon.

He's bound to help put North Grenville on the map."

"It took me a minute to figure out if it was real or fabricated," added Natalie Castellas of Catered Affairs.

"I was in the middle of some curbside order pick-ups, but once I realized he was actually speaking with community and business leaders in North Grenville, I was pretty excited."

"It is our understanding that a short segment of Mr. Bublé's Zoom call with North Grenville will likely be incorporated as part of a larger social media campaign this summer," added Mayor Peckford. "We don't have all the details so stay tuned."

None of the participants on the Zoom call from North Grenville will be financially compensated for appearing in the upcoming campaign.

WE CARE, WE LISTEN, WE ARE LOCAL. Karen McCallion Hearing Instrument Specialist

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New Municipal Strategic Plan is coming

by David Shanahan The NG Municipal Council heard a report by Hillary Geneau, Strategic Initiatives Coordinator for the municipality, at the Council meeting of May 5, regarding the proposed new Strategic Plan for North Grenville. The report noted that “a strategic plan communicates Council’s priorities to the community”.

Such plans are generally updated every five years, however since the last plan was implemented in 2013, a new Council was elected, with a new set of priorities.

The pandemic has delayed the start of preparing an updated Strategic Plan, but planning for this has now commenced.

The proposed schedule for preparing the plan will involve community engagement sessions between June and September this year, including open houses, May 12, 2021

workshop sessions, and input from Advisory committees, schools and youth groups, and community groups. There will also be a period for municipal staff engagement, and a workshop for Council.

Feedback on the process will be invited between October and December, with a presentation of the final Strategic Plan set for January of next year.

Ms. Geneau’s report to Council laid out the process that will follow the final Plan being approved, to align future budgets and funding decisions with the priorities set out in the Plan. There will be annual reports to keep residents informed of the progress being made in implementing the Strategic Plan. Ms. Geneau noted that “by aligning the annual budget and business planning with the strategic plan’ goals, the process to achieve

the strategic plan’s vision becomes more streamlined and the likelihood of success increased”.

This process has started with the formation of a Strategic Planning Committee, made up of 14 municipal staff members, and this group will be supported throughout the process by senior management. It was emphasized that “external consultation with community partners will be vital in the creation of this report”.

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North Grenville Arts Guild forges ahead with co-operative canvas project

With the second finished co-operative work, NGAG continues with its co-operative venture. Ten artists joined together to create ten totally unique works of art.

Keeping in mind the final goal of auctioning the paintings in support of The North Grenville Public Library, and their various programs

that benefit the community at large, the Guild wishes to thank The North Grenville Times for generously showcasing the project.

The following artists contributed to this canvas: Caroline Marshall, Ann Gruchy, Mary Moore, Tammy Keith, Barb Buchanan, Rose David and Leahbeth Harding.

Caroline Marshall was the first artist to add the first layer of this canvas. She said: “It was an easy choice. Water in all its forms is very appealing to many, so I began with sky, water and a dock in a way that could be easily built on by the subsequent artists.”

Next, Ann Gruchy received the painting which contained a dock and water that was already painted. “ I reconfigured the dock and added my two grandchildren fishing. Enhanced the sky a bit. I was hoping that the girls would be left in and they have been…..although colours a bit subdued, I think it turned out very nicely in the end.”

Then the painting was transferred to Mary Moore who added in another layer of colour in the dock, water and sky, moved the treeline

on the left to make it appear closer and more intimate.

She added the fir tree and the rocks as well.

Tammy Keith then received this painting next.

“When I received this piece, I was more than a little intimidated. Those who know me, know I am much more comfortable with abstract (colour & textures). In the end, I decided to sketch and paint the squirrel on paper, then glued it onto the painting.”

Barb Buchanan said she interpreted the original artists concepts and expounded on it, “adding the kayaker as a personal tribute.”

When Rose David received the painting next, she said she felt that something was missing. “ On receiving this canvas, the one thing that I associate with water and

The new online Language Express Communication Checkup (CCU) makes it easy for parents in Lanark, Leeds and Grenville to check that their child's development is on track, and to make a referral to Language Express if there are concerns.

The CCU covers children from 6 months to 4 years of age and includes questions about speech, language, and global development, including red flags for Autism

Spectrum disorder.

Earlier referrals lead to better outcomes. Studies show that intervention provided in the toddler and preschool years has more impact on a child's future well-being and success in school than the same amount of intervention provided when the child is older. Language Express encourages all parents to complete the CCU every 6 months starting at 6 months of age.

Go to our website at www. language-express.ca and click on the "Communication Checkup" button.

Here's how it works: Complete the CCU on your own or with help from a healthcare provider or early

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• Get instant results based on how you answer the questions.

• Get recommended next steps to support your child's development.

• Print or save results to share with your family physician or nurse practitioner.

• Complete a referral to Language Express online.

Our phone line is still open for questions and for parents who prefer to make a referral by phone: 1-888-5038885.

For more information, visit our website or contact the Language Express office at 1-888-503-8885.

in the trees and grasses. This scene evokes the quintessential summer afternoon that many have experienced.”

The Guild will continue to present the canvas' and hope that interested persons will visit their facebook page to learn more about the process, and the auction.

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fishing was missing. I added the seagulls.”

The final artist to contribute to the work was, Leahbeth Harding. “ I was last to contribute to this canvas, so I tidied up the sky and darkened the colour of the water to reflect a Canadian lake and help the colours of the figures pop. I also added more detail

Annuals, Hanging Baskets, Perennials, Veggies and Olde Fashion Tomatoes

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The Food Corner

CROSSWORD

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville I am a fan of strong tasting cheese (and they often have a strong smell to boot). At one time, our family got to enjoy blue cheese while visiting the South of France. So, this week's recipe uses blue cheese to create a kind of appetizer biscuit. So here we go with Blue Cheese and Waltnut wafers.

Blue Cheese and Walnut Wafers Ingredients ¼ pound of Blue Cheese at room temperature 9 tablespoons of butter also at room temperature 1 ½ cup of all-purpose flour ½ cup walnuts, finely chopped Preparation 1. Combine the cheese, butter and flour and form into a ball.

2. Stir in a third of a cup of walnut pieces 3. Divide in half and make a roll an inch in diameter.

4. Chill until firm.

5. Cut into ¼ inch slices and top with additional walnut pieces.

6. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet until golden, about 12-15 minutes at 350F. As mentioned in previous recipes, if you have a "bubble" of folks over, just double or triple the recipe. By the way, you might try these with a dab of hummus or tzatziki. Yummy!

Please note that there was an omission in our Nova Scotia Brown Bread Recipe. Please add 4 to 5 cups of all-purpose flour to the ingredients list (my bad and thanks to readers for setting me straight…). If you prefer, just mail me and I will send you the complete recipe. My mail, ACROSS 1. Crack as always, is pcormier@ranaprocess.com. See you next week…

Mental Health and looking after one another

At Lanark, Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health (LLGAMH), we care for our local communities and provide support to those with mental health and substance use challenges.

LLGAMH offers health services and programming that promote recovery, independence, and well-being for individuals and families. National Mental Health Week provides an opportunity to raise awareness and do even more.

“These are trying times, and we know that good mental health includes feeling and expressing all of our emotions – the difficult ones and the positive ones,” explains Patricia Kyle, LLGAMH CEO. “We need to talk about how we are feeling and put our emotions into words.

Our team is here to help.”

At LLGAMH, we are also looking inward and supporting our staff. “This past year has been so challenging for so many,” adds Patricia. “I am so proud of our team for providing essential services and support to our clients throughout the pandemic. This week, we also want to take some time to celebrate and support them.”

Throughout the week, events are planned to explore ways to protect our mental health and bring joy, wellness, and balance. “We need to find ways to combat stress and fatigue - and encourage connection with one another. We will be sharing our learnings with our clients,” adds Patricia.

Special thanks to the YMCA of Eastern Ontario for its support.

This week—and every week after—don’t go uncomfortably numb. #GetReal about how you feel. And name it, don’t numb it.

Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee approved

by David Shanahan A new Municipal Advisory Committee has been approved by Council. Called The Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee, it is designed to fill a gap that has been identified in the municipality’s system of consulting with residents on matters of interest and importance to young people. A report to Council by Tammy Hurlbert, Recreation Coordinator for North Grenville, explained the rationale for establishing the new committee.

“As the landscape of North Grenville continues to change and is one of Eastern Ontario’ fastest growing communities, incorporating youth voices and perspectives is key to ensuring that we are adapting and incorporating the needs of all residents.”

Given the lack of opportunities which young people have to express their conMay 12, 2021

cerns or to be involved with decision-making in areas of importance to them, the fear was expressed that this would lead to an apathy on the part of that sector of the population regarding municipal government, and a belief that their opinions and attitudes were not considered relevant.

To that end, The Mayor’ Youth Advisory Committee provides youth with a structured opportunity to have a positive impact on the community through support for issues, causes and organizations they are passionate about.

Applicants for places on the committee will be asked to submit an on-line application and, according to the proposed Terms of Reference for the committee, applications for representatives from each high school will be administered and reviewed at each school. Applications

The Voice of North Grenville

6. Fail to win 10. Bog 14. Burdened 15. Hotels 16. 1 1 1 1 17. Ancient Greek marketplace 18. 2 2 2 2 19. Central points 20. Bleed 22. Urine component 23. Lascivious look 24. To wit 26. Coral barrier 30. Terminate 31. French for "Summer" 32. Egg-shaped 33. Sleeveless garment 35. Beginning 39. As well

41. Ecstasy 43. Vestibule 44. Fraud 46. Dogfish 47. Faucet 49. Card with one symbol 50. Misplaced 51. Dependable 54. Canvas dwelling 56. Droop 57. Excessively dramatic 63. Decorative case 64. Parsley or sage 65. Idolize 66. Countertenor 67. By mouth 68. Killed 69. Adolescent 70. Not a single one 71. Sextuplet

DOWN 1. Ho-hum 2. Anger 3. Anagram of "Dome" 4. Relating to aircraft 5. Archaic form of Gnarl 6. Suppleness 7. Forward 8. Kiss 9. Ancient ascetic 10. Significant 11. Accustom 12. Renegade 13. An analytic literary composition 21. Female ruff 25. At the peak of 26. Gown 27. Not odd 28. Where the sun rises 29. Dalliance 34. Trackable 36. Japanese wrestling 37. Twin sister of Ares 38. Nipple 40. Twosome 42. Cattail 45. Scottish Highland robber 48. Boa 51. Perspiration 52. Name of a book 53. Wash out with a solvent 55. Garbage 58. Protagonist 59. Doing nothing 60. Cajole 61. Operatic solo 62. Extend credit

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

Easy

will be submitted to the Municipality of North Grenville and reviewed by the selection committee that will consist of the Mayor, a Council member, a representative from the Department of Parks, Recreation & Culture, a representative from the North Grenville Public Library and a representative from the local health unit.

The age range envisaged for members of the committee will be between 14 and 23 Hard years of age.

In summing up the philosophy behind the new committee, the municipality concluded that, “establishment of a Mayor’s Youth Advisory Committee will provide a voice for the youth of North Grenville, while advising the Mayor and Council on the important recreational, social issues, and concerns related to the Municipality’ younger population”.

13

Medium

Solution to last week’s Crossword

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www.leedsgrenville.com P U B L I C

N O T I C E

AGGREGATE AGGREGATERESOURCES RESOURCESMASTER MASTER PLAN PLAN VIRTUAL VIRTUALOPEN OPEN HOUSE HOUSE JoinJoin us for virtual open house! usafor a virtual open house!

TheThe United Counties of Leeds Grenville invites you invites to join us at ato United Counties of and Leeds and Grenville you virtual open house on Monday, May 31, 2021, starting at 6:00 p.m. join us at a virtual open house on Monday, May 31, 2021, with a presentation by our consulting team, Meridian Planning.

starting at 6:00 p.m. with a presentation by our consulting

Theteam, purpose of the open house is to provide an update on work done Meridian Planning. so far, get your input and talk about the next steps in the preparation of purpose of the openResources house is Master to provide the The Counties-wide Aggregate Plan.an update on

work done so far, get your input and talk about the next steps in

When the Counties Official Plan was approved, it identified that an the preparation of the Counties-wide Aggregate Resources Aggregate Resources Master Plan needed to be completed. Aggregate Masterincluding Plan. sand, gravel and bedrock, are important and need resources, to be protected for long-term use Plan as they are approved, a non-renewable When the Counties Official was it identified resource.

TheAggregate products ofResources the Aggregate Resources Plan to willbe be that an Master PlanMaster needed a study document and an Amendment to the Counties Official Plan.

completed. Aggregate resources, including sand, gravel and

PRE-REGISTRATION for theand event is required and closes 12:00 p.m. bedrock, are important need to be protected foratlong-term on the of the open house so that we can sendThe youproducts the meeting link useday as they are a non-renewable resource. of the andAggregate further instructions howMaster to participate.

Yoube will abledocument to join the Resources Plan will a be study meeting online or by telephone. The virtual open house will be hosted and an Amendment to the Counties Official Plan. on Microsoft TEAMS. To register, please contact Elaine Mallory, Planner 1, atPRE-REGISTRATION 613-342-3840 or 1-800-770-2170, ext. 2422 or by email for the event is required andatcloses elaine.mallory@uclg.on.ca. at 12:00 p.m. on the day of the open house so that we can

the meeting link andstaff further instructions TO send LEARNyou MORE: Contact Planning or visit our websitehow at:

to participate. You will be able to join the meeting online or by https://www.leedsgrenville.com/en/government/aggregate-resourcestelephone. The virtual open house will be hosted on Microsoft master-plan.aspx TEAMS. To register, please contact Elaine Mallory, Planner We look forward to you hearing from you!

1, at 613-342-3840 or 1-800-770-2170, ext. 2422 or by email at elaine.mallory@uclg.on.ca.

Thank-You

Tilston, Lillian Eloi (Northey)

Thank-you to our family, friends and business associates both in Canada and the US, neighbours and our entire community for all your kindness during this difficult time, for your visits, calls, text messages, flowers, cards, food and donations to Kemptville District Hospital Foundations and Christ Anglican Church Burritt’s Rapids.

Thank-you to Hulse Playfair and McGarry Funeral Home, the Pallbearers, Rev Andrew Wilson for the beautiful graveside service.

Special thank-you to George Tackaberry and Family for “the truck display” and to Mark and Cathy Seymour for leading us with their Kriska Truck Love and affection to all The Tallman Family

Passed away peacefully with her family by her side at Bayfield Manor in Kemptville, Ontario on April 28, 2021. Eloi, in her 98th year, beloved wife of the late William Victor Tilston for 40 years.

Loving mother of Mark (deceased,Jackie), Steve (Joanne), Dave (Janice) and Carol (Carl). Affectionately known as Grandma Jo to Mike, Megan (Chris), Lyndsay, Shannon (Matt), Matthew, Tyler, Ryan and Erin (Josh). Special great-grandmother to Mia, Jacob, Ada, Lily and Frankie. Eloi was the only child of James and Lillian Northey and was born in Toronto. She studied classical piano and voice (opera) in her younger years and later became a talented oil- and water-colour painter. Her parents instilled in her a love of the outdoors which she and her husband passed on to their children.

They moved from Thornhill to Kemptville in 1980 to start their own business, Til-Tek Ltd., where she worked as the bookkeeper for the first few years and later moved on to other roles within the company. She was an avid animal lover, gardener, and had a fabulous sense of humour which made everyone around her laugh. Her family meant everything to her and her love for them was unwavering. She had the biggest, kindest heart and an inner strength that was truly exceptional. A special thanks to the staff at Bayfield Manor who were so caring, especially during her last days, and helped not only her but her family on her last journey. If desired, donations to the Alzheimer’s Society, Heart and Stroke or any animal welfare society would be very much appreciated.

From the Family of Gerald Keith Tallman

Ron's

Small Engine Repair 613.258.9720

TO LEARN MORE: Contact Planning staff or visit our website at: www.leedsgrenville.com/aggregateplan We look forward to you hearing from you!

ronssmallengines@outlook.com 1 Jayland Drive, Kemptville (across from old Bingo Hall)

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St. Lawrence Parks Commission Available Employment Opportunity Loucks Farm Historical Interpreter

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MasterCraft wire feed welder, $125. Call 613-258-6577 Firewood for sale - mixed hardwood, 3 cord minimum for delivery, $110 per cord, call Jon 613-227-3650 Cedar posts and rails for sale - various sizes, call Jon for pricing 613-227-3650 Compost/fill available-reasonable price- call Reg at 613 258 7606 MEN'S 26" BICYCLE PARTS. EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE FRAME INCLUDING THE TWO WHEELS WITH NEW TIRES/ T U B E S. C A L L D O U G 613 258-4573

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Cedar posts,Spruce logs & pickets.. call 613.258.3561 Wanted! Goalie for SumCHROME MAG RIM & SUMMER TIRE, I have a set of 4 Chrome mag rims (5 bolt off a 2006 Malibu) and 4 Uniroyal Tiger Paws summer tires, 225/50R18 95T, low profile, mint condition, only used 2 summers. Asking $450 for all. pls call 613-215-0884

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May 12, 2021

October 14, 1923 – April 28, 2021

Condolences/Tributes/Donations Hulse, Playfair & McGarry www.hpmcgarry.ca 613-258-2435

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The Vanishing People 30 wide and 23 feet high. The population of Roebuck is estimated at between 1,500 and 2,000 people, who grew corn, squash, beans, sunflowers and tobacco.

When Jacques Cartier sailed up the Saint Lawrence River, he came across a series of large settlements along the north bank of the river. Two major settlements were at Hochelaga and Stadacona, the sites of present day Montreal and Quebec City. Cartier first visited the two settlements in October, 1535, and described the longhouses in which the people lived at Hochelaga, as well as recording phonetically many of their words and The historical plaque at the Roebuck site, south of Limerick Forest. phrases. There seems to have been some differences in tainty about how closely the a period of about 500 years, the language spoken at the

by David Shanahan various communities were ending at around 1600 A.D.. two settlements, and much part of a single people. But It was probably occupied remains unsure about the In Canadian history, there linguistic similarities and arti- on a seasonal basis, in the relationship between them is a fascinating period be- facts found on their sites indi- Spring and Autumn, and that and other sites further upriver.

Cartier learned the word tween the immediate pre- cate that there was a common it served primarily as a fishused by the inhabitants for ing station.

Another site, the contact period and the ar- link between them, from the rival of the first Europeans. area around Quebec City as Driver's Site, lies east of John- their type of village: “kanata”.

Archaeology can tell us much far west as Grenville County stown. Reports also show From there, Cartier drew the about the people who were in Ontario. These were, as that the main village sites, assumption that the entire here before, and indigenous far as we know, the first in- “such as are represented by country was called that, and oral tradition fills in a great habitants of Dundas County, the Beckstead site, were typi- so Canada became the name deal of information about although their settlements are cally located in less exposed for the new lands on the St. their ancestors. But there is to be found all along the north situations at some distance Lawrence. Cartier made three inland, most commonly on voyages to the St. Lawrence a people who have left us a shore of the St. Lawrence. mystery, people who were At least three of those the South National River or between 1534 and 1541, and it was not until Samuel de known by the first explor- sites are in Dundas County, its tributaries”.

In Grenville County, an- Champlain arrived there in ers, and who later vanished, and one in Grenville. The literally.

Steward site is located west of other settlement has been 1603 that we have any further These people are known Morrisburg, in Williamsburg identified at Roebuck, where information about the St. to archaeologists and an- Township. Archaeological a site has been excavated Lawrence Iroquoian settlethropologists as the Saint work at the site indicates that showing the presence of ments. And the news was draLawrence Iroquoians, though it was occupied by St. Law- around 40 longhouses, each matic. All of the settlements, there is a great deal of uncer- rence Iroquoian peoples for about 100-120 feet long by from Stadacona west to the

CDSBEO Chair Todd Lalonde elected OCSTA Regional Director (Region 10)

Trustees from the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario attended the 91st Annual Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA) Annual General Meeting, which was held virtually on Saturday, May 1. Attended by delegates from across the province, the event provides a forum for the election of regional representatives to the provincial board, and to acknowledge and honour the service and commitment of May 12, 2021

Ontario's Catholic school trustees.

At the meeting, Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario Chair Todd Lalonde was elected to a fourth term as the OCSTA Regional Director for Region 10, which includes the CDSBEO, the Algonquin and Lakeshore CDSB, and the Renfrew County CDSB. Chair Lalonde will serve in this position for a two-year term.

"I have served in the role of Region 10 Director on the OCSTA Board of Directors for three consecutive terms, and I look forward to serving for a fourth term. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to represent trustees and students across Eastern Ontario, and I am extremely grateful for the

support that has been provided to me. Being part of the OCSTA team has been an enriching opportunity, and I graciously look forward to continuing to serve in this role."

Chair Lalonde is currently serving his fifteenth year as Catholic School Board Trustee with the CDSBEO. “I am pleased to acknowledge with gratitude all the candidates who stepped forward to serve the mission of Catholic education at the provincial level as an OCSTA Regional Director. The newly acclaimed and elected trustees take on a responsibility to serve the best interests of students and the priorities of Ontario's publicly funded Catholic schools. We welcome their commitment and support for the important work we

do as part of Ontario's successful education system," said OCSTA President Patrick Daly.

Established 91 years ago to unify and advocate on behalf of Catholic families and all supporters of Catholic education, OCSTA continues to fulfill its mandate to promote and protect Catholic education.

Help Support Your Local Businesses SHOP LOCALLY 15

Roebuck site, were deserted, abandoned by their inhabitants. To this day, there is no agreement among historians, archaeologists or anthropologists as to what exactly happened to them and where they might have gone.

They may have been exterminated, or assimilated, or pushed out by the Huron, or Iroquois. The lands on what is now the Ontario side of the Ottawa River were taken over by the Algonquin, who had already been the dominant presence in the Ottawa Valley and almost as far south as the St. Lawrence.

The Onotchataroon, or Weskarini Algonquin occupied the lands on the South Nation watershed, where some of the settlements had been in the time of Cartier’s visit. In 1603, the area was a no man’s land between the Algonquin and the Mohawks south of the St. Lawrence. Champlain thought perhaps a war had started around 1570, and it

was continuing during his first visit to the region.

There have been many other theories about what might have happened to the St. Lawrence Iroquoian.

Some think they moved south of the river and became the Tuscarora, part of the Six Nations Confederacy. Others believe they split into various refugee groups, some going east to be absorbed into the Abenaki. It may be that some were taken in by the Onotchataroon Algonquin who came to occupy their traditional territory. Or were they wiped out entirely by Mohawk war parties during the wars between the Algonquin and Haudenosaunee.

Whatever happened to these people, they were gone from the territory that, according to archaeological evidence, they had inhabited for a period of about 500 years, ending suddenly and dramatically around 1600.

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Canadian tech company launches a wellness app for social media A new social media wellness app launched by the Canadian tech company Gravvity, has made waves in a crowd-funding campaign, achieving over 80% of their overall goal in just one day.

The social app, now available for pre-order for iOS and Android devices, raised $600,000 of its $750,000 goal last week, and has currently achieved 84% of its overall goal.

The crowd-funding campaign gives investors the opportunity to contribute to the company's mission and be a part of a social media movement to achieve a healthier social media experience. The structure of the app is unique in the sense that for every ad that a user sees in their feed, Gravvity shares 50% of the ad profits with the user. With Gravvity, users are finally able

to benefit from the value of their data and attention, and be rewarded for seeing ads they're interested in.

The new social media wellness app was designed by a diverse team during the pandemic who are looking to disrupt the social media landscape. Gravvity wants to help modern-day social media users enjoy their experience online again, while keeping their mental health as a priority. By eliminating social validation features such as likes, unlimited scroll, ads, and follower counts from users profiles, users experience social media for its intended purpose, to engage with content and make genuine connections. The app's waitlist that launched earlier this year currently has over 20,000 people from over 25 countries.

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Long term care residents may begin interacting again Ontario is responding to high levels of COVID-19 vaccination in many long-term care homes by making changes that will help homes safely resume communal dining and social activities. These changes are expected to improve the residents' quality of life while keeping homes safe. "Our government puts the safety and wellbeing of long-term care residents at the heart of everything we do," said Dr. Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care.

Based on advice from public health experts and in direct response to residents and their families, an updated Directive #3 for Long-Term Care Homes from the Chief Medical Officer of Health was released, along with a guidance document for long-term care homes. The updated Directive sets out that long-term care homes can now safely resume activities such as communal dining and indoor events and gatherings, with precautions.

Additionally, residents and their caregivers who

while the Stay-at-Home order is in place. Essential absences are not permitted when a resident is symptomatic, has been identified as a COVID-19 case or a contact, or as directed by local public health.

Homes must provide residents with a medical mask for outings and remind them to maintain appropriate physical distancing and hand hygiene while away from the home.

The province continues to actively monitor COVID-19 activity, particularly in this vulnerable sector, and ensure that the health and safety of residents and staff in this sector remains a top priority.

QUICK FACTS The guidance document identifies extra precautions should be taken to support activities in homes that do not meet a threshold of 85 per cent of residents and 70 per cent of staff fully immunized.

are fully immunized may choose to have close physical contact beyond what is required for care and supervision, such as hugging. Once the current provincewide Stayat-Home order is lifted, further direction allowing social and temporary outings for fully immunized residents will be issued.

Under the new rules, all residents, regardless of their immunization status, can leave their homes on an essential absence, which includes outdoor exercise, buying groceries, or visiting the pharmacy,

All Ontarians, including all staff, visitors, and residents in long-term care homes, must continue to practice public health measures including masking, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and staying at home when they are sick. While COVID-19 immunizations have been demonstrated to be very effective, it is important for Ontarians to not let their guard down during this crucial period in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of May 4, 2021, across Ontario, 95 per cent of long-term care residents are fully immunized and more than 85 per cent of staff have received at least their first dose.

A statement from the Family Councils of Ontario and Ontario Association of Residents' Councils indicated they were pleased with the province's response to their recommendations.

"Family Councils of Ontario and the Ontario Association of Residents' Councils have shared with government the concerns, ideas, and recommendations of residents and care-

givers throughout the pandemic. The updates to this directive are a result of the government hearing their concerns and acting upon them. We are grateful to long-term care team/staff members, residents and caregivers who have received a vaccine. The door out of this pandemic and the easing of restrictions swings on maximizing vaccine uptake to optimize safety for all. The updates to Directive #3 are welcomed next steps recognizing outings, absences, connection to community and loved ones, and other social activities are critical to the wellbeing of residents and families."

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Throughout these challenging times, we are continuing to provide essential services:

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Rachel S. Jansen, B.Comm., J.D.

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Protecting a valuable resource: Looking after water in North Grenville

by Hilary Thomson

At the end of April, the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) reported abnormally dry conditions across the watershed due to an early spring and limited rain.

They indicated that water levels and flows across the Rideau Valley watershed are currently well bellow normal for this time of year. This includes flows on the Rideau, Jock and Tay Rivers and the South Branch River, which are all between 30-40% of typical seasonal averages.

According to RVCA Manager of Engineering Services, Brian Stratton, low water conditions in the Rideau watershed will affect aquatic habitat to some degree depending on the severity and duration of the drought event. A 2020 RVCA report also indicated that low water levels could affect local golf courses who rely on irrigation from smaller waterbodies that may dry out, boating on the Rideau Canal system as well as other uncontrolled lakes, agricultural operations, private wells that rely on shallow groundwater sources, and municipal water systems that draw water from surface water supplies.

Brian says that because the town of Kemptville relies on an aquifer that is very deep and plentiful, it is unlikely that a dry spring and summer will affect our water supply.

While private wells could be impacted, Brian notes that this doesn't happen very often within the RVCA area. "For the most part our private wells continue to work," he says.

In drought situations, the RVCA enacts the Rideau

Valley Water Response Team (RVWRT) which is comprised of their municipal partners, the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of the Solicitor General, and Parks Canada. If needed, representatives from private sector water takers such as farmers, golf course operators, and the aggregates/ industrial/construction industry are also included.

The primary goal of the RVWRT is to provide a forum for the sharing of information amongst water managers and water takers, and promote cooperative decision making when it comes to actions to be taken to conserve water in the early stages of and throughout drought events. The press release in April stated that RVCA staff were preparing to enact the RVWRT due to low water levels, although Brian noted they were waiting to see how much rain falls before they schedule their first meeting.

While the RVWRT is one way to protect water sources in the community, Brian says they mainly provide suggestions to the public about how to conserve water in drought situations. Large water takers, who take more that 50,000 litres of water from ground and surface water sources a day, are required to apply for a permit with the Ministry of the Environment Conservation and Parks. Permit holders are legally required to record how much water they take each day as well as its purpose, location and water source (ground or surface).

Spokesperson for the Minis-

try, Gary Wheeler, confirmed that there are currently 13 active permits to take water for 12 different corporations in North Grenville. This includes Coco Properties Corporation, Cornwall Gravel Company Limited, Equinelle Developments Inc., G. Tackaberry & Sons Construction Company Limited, Glenview Homes (Kemptville) Ltd., Lafarge Canada Inc., Oxford Village Inc., Peterson's Turf Farms Ltd., R.W. Tomlinson Limited, The Corporation of the Municipality of North Grenville, White Bear Mining Corporation, and Willis Kerr Contracting Limited. Brian says the RVCA has taken a look at all of these companies and that the suspension of any of these permits would not make much of a difference on North Grenville's water supply. "We kind of know that there's no water takers that are killing it for everybody," he says.

The municipality itself is currently looking at an international initiative which will help protect its water now and into the future. The Blue Communities Project encourages municipalities and Indigenous communities to pass a resolution recognizing water and sanitation as human rights; banning or phasing out the sale of bottled water in municipal facilities and at municipal events; and promoting publicly financed, owned and operated water and wastewater services.

The project is being championed by the municipality's Environmental Action Advisory Committee, who passed a resolution at their last meeting at the end of March to bring the initiative and its resolutions to council and

staff. Chair of the committee, Amy Ivany, says becoming a Blue Community would put some weight behind some of the environmental priorities that are already in the council work plan. "It kind of elevates North Grenville to really doing what they say they're going to do within the council work plan, and kind of living what they're talking and saying these are important to our community," she says.

According to Amy, part of what they have recommended to council also has to do with making the commitment to promote the protection of local water sources and private wells. "This is very much a feel-good type of resolution that just helps ensure we heighten these priorities within our community and that we're being held to a good standard on that," she says.

"It doesn't override anything that is actually legal in nature, but if anything, it could be an enhancement to some of those things to ensure that we acknowledge how important they are."

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Climate Change Accountability Act passes to committee

by Lorraine Rekmans On a rare occasion in the House of Commons, the Conservative Party of (CPC) and the Green Party of Canada (GPC) both voted “no”, on a Liberal climate change bill. Bill C-12, the Climate Accountability Act, passed with a vote of 210 in favour and 122 opposed. It will be sent to committee for further review.

The GPC called the bill a profoundly flawed piece of legislation, and said it did not contain credible targets that would enable Canada to meet its international obligations on cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. If this Bill is passed, it would require Canada to begin May 12, 2021

in 2030 to set rolling 5-year targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions, ending in 2050.

“Bill C-12 is a profoundly flawed piece of legislation,” said GPC Leader Annamie Paul. “Despite the urgent need for climate action, and the recent leadership of international partners like the U.S., the United Kingdom and the EU, the federal government has failed to deliver the targets needed to get us to net-zero by 2050.

Insufficient targets and timelines are one reason Greens cannot support Bill C-12, but there are other deficiencies, including the premature appointment of a Net-Zero Ad-

visory Body before Bill C-12 has even arrived in committee.

The Greens are calling for an advisory group that is arm’slength from the government, and one that reports directly to Parliament.

The Conservatives voted against the bill and also took issue with the 14 member advisory body. The CPC criticized the advisory panel and stated that there could be potential influence from climate activists who could hurt the fossil fuel industry.

The New Democrats, as well as the Liberals, voted in support of the bill. Three GPC MPs were amongst the 122 opposed.

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When it comes to brain health, it’s not just about puzzles

(NC) Many of us have heard that doing puzzles or brain teasers like crosswords and sudoku are the key to keeping your brain healthy. There are also countless apps and books that offer tips and fun activities to help stimulate your brain for long-term gain.

Nevertheless, there’s more to it when it comes to keeping your brain healthy. In fact, studies show that most of the habits you do to keep your body healthy are good for your brain too and can help reduce your risk of developing dementia.

Here are a few examples of healthy habits that can help reduce your risk: Get enough sleep — that’s about seven to nine hours for healthy adults Challenge your brain — learn how to play a new musical instrument Be physically active — 30 minutes a day is all it takes Connect with other people — organize a virtual coffee date Reduce or manage stress — try an online meditation class Eat a well-balanced diet — set a goal of one new healthy recipe each week Avoid smoking and reduce alcohol consumption Protect your head to avoid brain injuries — wear a helmet when cycling, skiing or skating There are many simple ways you can help keep your brain healthy — practice a variety of them to keep your whole self in shape.

Find more information about dementia at canada.ca/dementia.

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The North Grenville Times

Abbott named Liberal candidate for Leeds Grenville Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes (LGTIRL)

photo provided by Roberta Abbott

by Hilary Thomson The Liberal Party of Canada has officially announced their candidate for LGTIRL. Roberta Abbott has been a member of the Liberal Party for many years, having worked on several election campaigns in the past. After living in Ottawa for several years while doing her master's in international affairs and working for the Department of National Defense, she moved to Kingston in 2008 to follow her partner's career in the military. While looking for a permanent place to live in the Kingston area, they fell in love with Gananoque and bought an old house in the town in 2009. Roberta soon became invested in the revitalization of downtown Gananoque, which led her to serve on town council from 2010-2014. "Municipal government has such a range of issues that you deal with, so that was really interesting and enjoyable," she says.

A lifelong learner, Roberta decided to change career paths in 2015 and went back to school to become a psychotherapist. Although she loves her job, she recently felt the pull to get back into politics, especially when she learned that the Liberal Party's previous candidate for the riding, Josh Bennett, was moving on to other things. "For me it just felt like the right time," she says.

Roberta feels very strongly that it is important that the country have continuity as it recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. She believes the current government has done a really good job in supporting Canadians through the pandemic, both financially and in terms of leadership. "I think that continuity for our economic recovery is going to be really important", she added.

Roberta is excited about what has come out in the recent federal budget and believes many of the items will benefit the communities

in Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.

This includes supporting the expansion of broadband in rural and remote areas, investing in rural public transit and placing a focus on climate change. "There's a lot of things that I'm really excited about with what's happening right now with our liberal government and wanted to be part of it," she says.

Although the planned election is still a few years away, Roberta says that with a minority government you never know what might happen. The 44th Canadian federal election is expected to take place on or before October 16, 2023.

Justin Trudeau has made it clear that he doesn't want an election in the middle of a pandemic; but multiple news sources have reported it may still happen this year.

While her official campaign won't begin until an election is called, Roberta is already working hard at figuring out all the ins and outs of being an MP and learning as much as she can about her possible constituents.

Roberta will be reaching out to mayors and municipalities and other community leaders and business owners, and people who are leaders in community activist groups and social services and health care. "As I do that sort of thing, I'll be able to gather more and more information about what is important to them, and what their needs are."

She is really looking forward to getting out into the

Ontario COVID-19 Study seeks input from Teachers and Education Workers The study asks what are the effects of the pandemic on teachers' and education workers' health?

As Ontario experiences a third wave of COVID-19, teachers and education workers are, once again, at the front lines of this pandemic.

The Government of Canada, through the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, is supporting a study to explore how Ontario's teachers and education workers are being impacted by COVID -19. This study is being led by researchers from Sinai Health System and the University of Toronto.

It will help inform decisionmaking around prevention strategies in elementary and secondary schools across Canada and the world. The

May 12, 2021

study will also help evaluate the effectiveness of vaccines in this group of essential workers who will continue to be exposed to unvaccinated children. Finally, the study will evaluate the effects of the pandemic on education workers' stress levels.

The Ontario study aims to enroll 7,000 education workers and will follow participants for 12 months.

Participants will complete questionnaires about the risks they have faced and the protective measures they have taken. They will also be asked to give finger prick blood samples to establish whether they have had COVID-19 and how well they respond to vaccines. They will be told their test results. Participation is

anonymous and no personal information will be shared outside the study.

"Finger prick blood tests are easy to do and an important part of our study," explains Dr. Brenda Coleman, PhD, researcher at Sinai Health System and assistant professor at the University of Toronto. "They allow us to determine how many participants have already been exposed to the virus, how many become exposed during the study, and how well and for how long antibodies last after vaccination."

"The pandemic has also imposed enormous stress on school personnel. Examples include feeling anxiety about the potential risk of SARSCoV-2 infection, being re-

riding and having those open and honest conversations that she believes are so important.

Her goal is to approach every conversation with curiosity and really get to know the opinions and perspectives of all local residents, regardless of their background or political inclination. "I feel right now that politics needs people with compassion, and who can collaborate with others and who are supportive of progressive thinking and just continuing to move us forward," she says.

The only other party who has announced their candidate for this riding is the Conservative Party of Canada.

Current MP Michael Barrett's office has confirmed that he will be running again in the next election. "I am incredibly proud to fight for our community in Parliament and to advocate for all the families, seniors, workers, small businesses, and local industries who make our region a great place to call home," MP Barrett said in a statement to the NG Times. "I'm very thankful for the opportunity to serve as an elected representative of LGTIRL Lakes and I will be running in the next election to continue our work together to rebuild, create opportunities, and secure the future of our community."

Both the Green Party of Canada and the NDP have yet to choose their candidate for this riding. While the People's Party of Canada have confirmed they have a candidate for LGTIRL, they weren't ready to release their name as of last week.

sponsible for ensuring compliance with infection control measures, and experiencing the disruption that the pandemic has had on their work and their workplace," explains Dr. Robert Maunder, Head of Psychiatric Research at Sinai Health and professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.

"To provide a full picture of the impact of COVID-19 on our education workers, we need participants from across the province, including those working in small rural schools as well as large urban ones," says Dr. Allison McGeer, senior scientist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, infectious disease physician at Sinai Health System, and professor 18

The Voice of North Grenville

Diary of a Pandemic Parent……Day 5004

By Hayley Bedford Parenting has to be the most wonderful, difficult, hilarious and challenging job on the planet. Ensuring our small humans thrive and survive is paramount to everything.

BUT, being in the same house as said small humans for a hyper extended period of time has, occasionally, made me question a couple of life decisions we made as husband and wife a few years ago.

For example; 6.30 am: "Mom can I have some of the cake we made?"

Me -"Erm? Sure! We'll call it Breakfast Cake," and so, Cake for breakfast is now a thing.

Is anyone else finding themselves at the point of almost anything is acceptable, as long as it keeps the kids happy and stops them from hitting each other in the face? Another one of these LCQO's (life choice questioning occasion) followed shortly after with this joyous exchange …

7.30 am: 4 year old - "Mom I'm hungry, can I have some chewing gum?"

Me- "No darling, you shouldn't really be having chewing gum, let alone at 7.30 am" 7.45 am: 4 year old - 'Mom, now can I have some chewing gum?

Me -"No." 7.48 am: 4 year old - "NOWWW, can I have some chewing gum?"

Me - "No." 7.50 am: 6 year old - "Mom, my sister said you won't let her have any chewing gum?"

Me - "That's right, it's too early!"

7.53 am: 4 year old - "Mommy, I waaant some chewing gum!

Me - (silent stare of death towards child) 7.58 am: 4 year old - "Pleassssse can I have some chewing gum?"

Me - "Oh for Pete's sake, fine! Have a piece! Yes, take one for your brother too! Now just watch TV for half an hour while Mommy does the washing up, there's a good girl."

8.02 am: 4 year old - "Mommmmmm, can I play on your phone?"

Me - (Eye roll at the sink) And so starts another day with a pre 8.30 am shout at kids /giving in to kids/ parenting fail. But, Hey ho! The day will improve. The kids are happy and healthy (minus the cake and chewing gum) and there is always wine (for me, not the kids) …. WE SHALL OVERCOME! I hope this makes you chuckle and as they say in my native England, "Keep Calm & Carry On."

at the University of Toronto.

"We have over 2000 people taking part in the study now and hope to have the other 5000 by the end of May so we can provide preliminary results before schools open again in September", she adds.

Everyone working in Ontario's public and private elementary and secondary schools, including both teach-

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STORE HOURS

Sunday May 23rd Classic mid afternoon Victoria High Tea

The sandwiches: Lemony crab and cucumber club, open face smoked salmon and avocado, Coronation chicken sandwich, eggs and chives, Apple Boursin finger sandwiches.

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The canapés: Mini chicken pot pie, chèvre and walnut tartlet, Waldorf skewers, sausages rolls, goat cheese crostini.

The petits fours: Lemon drizzles slices, chocolate éclairs, mini fruit flans, chocolate cranberry cheesecake bar.

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Monday to Friday 8:00am to 7:00pm Saturday 8:00am to 6:00pm Sunday 9:00am to 6:00pm

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Tuesday May 18

1- Creamy chicken orzo, with celery, carrots onion and garlic in white wine.

2- Roasted vegetable orzo in white wine sauce with bocconcini

Wednesday May 19

1- Veal medallions with fresh tomato, shallots and asparagus. Sautéed potatoes.

2- Potato gnocchi & tofu with fresh tomato, shallots and asparagus.

Thursday May 20

1- Braised rabbit leg in cider, glazed pearl onions, buttery spätzles.

2- Buttery spätzles with mushrooms and pearl onions, cucumber dill salad.

Friday May 21

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1- Cod & chorizo stew, Arugula with charred lemon vinaigrette.

2- Creamy tomato and tofu casserole, Arugula with charred lemon vinaigrette.

Tuesday to Friday meals are $23.50 plus HST. $5.00 per delivery Stress free entertaining since 1992

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May 12, 2021

- Freeze soft cheese like mozzarella for 15 minutes, to make it easier to cut or to grate.

- Add fines herbs (chives, tarragon, basil chervil, cilantro) at the end of the recipes to keep their full aroma.

- Line baking tray with parchment paper, it makes it easier to clean the tray.

Parchment paper can be used up to 5 times.

- Get green fruits to ripe faster by putting them in a closed paper bag overnight.

- Citrus, tomatoes, cheeses…. and chocolate taste better at room temperature.

Actually you should not store tomatoes in the fridge, they will loose their flavour.

The Voice of North Grenville

Menu # 61 Tuesday May 14th Friday May 21st Order & Pay online www.cateredaffairs.ca 613-324-3136 $37.50 Complete Meal for 2 + HST $70.00 Complete Meal for 4 + HST All Meals include; Chef's choice of Appropriate Side Dishes & a Light Dessert

Chicken Fajitas

Soft Flour Tortillas, Pico de Gallo (chunky salsa), Sour Cream, Cheddar, Rice & Beans, Cabbage, House Fried, Coleslaw, Fajita Vegetables, & Greens

Swedish Meatballs

Beef meatballs in sourcream sauce, Chive & Butter Potatoes, Buttered egg noodles, veggies

Jerk Chicken

Jerk Spiced Marinated Chicken (white & dark meat) - Stewed Red beans - Rice Pilaf - Pineapple Slaw - Vegetables

Green Thai Pork or Tempeh (Vegan) Coconut Curry - G/F

Sweet & Sour Chicken balls, Vegetable & Beef Stirfry in Light Garlic & Soy Sauce - Fried Rice, Meat Egg Rolls (1per person) - Plum Sauce Wonton Soup

Blackened Steak Bowl Or Blackened Tempeh Vegan

(serve hot or cold - Self assembly) G/F Tender Blackened Fillet Tips - Mixed Grain Pilaf - Charred Corn - Fresh Medley of Vegetables - Pico de Gallo Vegetables - House Fried Corn Tortilla Chips - Salad

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The Voice of North Grenville

Is your lack of energy due to anemia?

William I of Germany remarked on his death bed, "I have no time to be tired."

But often people suffer from being tired and having low energy years before they leave this planet. For some with fatigue, a prescription for 8-hours daily use of a pillow is the best treatment. But over three million Americans and one million Canadians have undiagnosed anemia, a condition due to low levels of red blood cells that carry oxygenated blood to the body's tissues. Is it possible that anemia may lead to mis-diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease?

What should you do if you are feeling fatigued and weak for no obvious reason? A methodical approach is warranted. First, if the problem is anemia, then it is usually easy to correct, particularly if due to diet.

Therefore, there is no need to panic. But you should see your doctor to rule out more

serious problems.

For instance, anemia can be due to a cancer of the bowel when the malignant growth is bleeding. Other causes might be intestinal diseases, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, celiac disease, or peptic ulcer. Inherited conditions such as sickle cell or bone marrow disease can lead to anemia.

But the major cause of fatigue and anemia is iron deficiency, more commonly seen in women. This is not surprising since women lose blood menstruating. Pregnant women are at increased risk and should be taking a multivitamin with folic acid. Older women may be losing blood from a non-malignant fibroid in the uterus.

There's good reason for a discussion about vitamin B12. A lack of this vitamin, or poor absorption, may cause pernicious anemia having serious consequences if not diagnosed and corrected.

Dr. Alice H. Lichtenstein, a professor at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, says, "As we age many of us produce less stomach acid which is required for the absorption of vitamin B12."

Moreover, many elderly patients are taking acid suppressing medication decreasing the absorption of vitamin B12.

What is tragic is when a severe lack of B12 causes symptoms of dementia such as confusion, irritability, numbness, and tingling in the hands and feet. This is a rare situation, but in some instances, these patients have been wrongly diagnosed as having Alzheimer's disease.

So, how can you prevent iron deficiency anemia? First, get rid of one misconception.

Many people believe that red meat is the best source of iron.

In fact, there are many other choices, including seafood, poultry, beans, lentils, tofu, dark green leafy vegetables, cashews, and fortified cereals. Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so include foods rich in C such as strawberries, raspberries, and tomatoes.

Enjoy a glass of orange juice.

Vegetarians should know that vitamin B12 is primarily found in animal products, so they may be at particular risk of developing this deficiency.

Be careful to include non-animal foods such as nutritional yeast and fortified cereals and plant-based milk substitutes in the diet. To ensure enough B12, consult a doctor to learn whether B12 supplements might be advisable.

Some people are tired all the time and have plenty of iron in the blood. These individuals may be suffering from another variety of fatigue - the kind due to a boss, a family problem that would take a team of psychiatrists to settle, financial difficulties, or stress-related problems in these trying times. Or the key to resolving fatigue could be as simple as getting a better pillow for more restful sleep.

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Community group fights development in North Gower

The Rideau Action Group (RAG) has been successful in getting a hearing date for their two appeals before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

RAG originally submitted these appeals to LPAT in January last year, after the Ottawa City Council amended a bylaw and the Official Plan to allow for a massive distribution centre to be built within the boundaries of the village of North Gower.

The land at 1966 Roger Stevens Drive is currently farmed, and home to a number of rare or threatened species.

It had long been zoned for a small business park, and local residents understood from the North Gower Secondary Plan that any use of the land was going to be compatible with and for the benefit of the local agricultural community.

Residents of the communities of North Gower and nearMay 12, 2021

by Kars are frustrated that the re-zoning will take away the only available land in the area that was slated for diverse local agriculture-related business growth, along with opportunities for residential and recreational use. The multimillion dollar company that wishes to develop the land into a vast single use, distribution/fulfillment centre has no relationship to the village, and an e-commerce distribution centre has no connection with the agricultural heritage of the community. North Gower residents know that a village with a population of 2100 will not be providing most of the workforce. North Gower is an un-serviced community without public transit that lies over 30 minutes drive from downtown Ottawa.

The group says the proposed development contravenes a number of the City

draising events, this community has really pulled together and raised over $20,000 so far. I have no doubt that we will raise the additional money needed between now and the August LPAT hearing. People feel very strongly about protecting what is special about North Gower, and we have supporters in communities such as Kanata and Barrhaven too, who have had their own run-ins with city planning issues.”

of Ottawa’s own planning policies, including those that protect the character of villages, prevent industrial-use buildings in residential areas, and those that are in place to build in climate change resilience. If the building goes ahead as planned, the village will be irrevocably changed without benefit to the majority of local residents.

Seven days have been set aside for the August hearing, and RAG is now focused on raising money to pay the lawyer, municipal planner and ecologist required for the appeal hearing.

“Planning appeals are usually funded by individuals, but this really has been a huge community effort”, says Leigh-Andrea Brunet, Chair of RAG. “Despite COVID-19 stopping us from getting together for BBQs and the usual fun-

Send in your letters to the editor to editor@ngtimes.ca

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How to address cryptocurrency in your estate planning

by Daren Givoque, Financial Advisor O'Farrell Financial Services As a Financial Advisor I help clients with estate planning, which includes identifying their assets and determining how the assets will be transferred to their heirs when they pass away.

Recently, I was helping one of my clients, Brian, gather the items he needed to build a solid plan for his estate. While reviewing his assets, Brian mentioned that he had money tied up in cryptocurrency. He wondered how to ensure these assets would be transferred to his wife and kids.

Cryptocurrency has been on the market for the past decade, starting with Bitcoin in 2009. According to capital.com, there are over 3000 types of digital currencies in existence, grouped into three categories: altcoins, tokens, and Bitcoin. Simply stated, cryptocurrency is an internet-based financial transaction between two parties, using digital cash.

Once a cryptocurrency account is created, a private digital key is generated. Only the owner has access to the key and the funds in the account. Storing the key safely is essential for maintaining the account's security and ensuring the owner continues to have access to the funds.

I told Brian that we could address cryptocurrency in his estate plan in two ways: 1. Treat cryptocurrency like any other digital asset (online trading accounts) and draft authorization in the will/POA for the executor or attorney to deal with the account; or 2. Create a separate memorandum identifying the type of cryptocurrency held, and where it is stored. I recommend this route because, if the private key information is in the will itself, it becomes part of the public record through the probate process, potentially exposing sensitive information that could put the asset at risk.

Since anyone with the private key can access a cryptocurrency account, it is important to store it securely. I recommended that Brian use a third-party service to manage his private key, entrust it to a family member or advisor, or keep it on a thumb drive in a safety deposit box to ensure the cryptocurrency can be accessed by executors, attorneys and/or heirs.

A more unconventional option is something called a "dead man's switch"- an automated program that emails the user at specific times. If it doesn't hear back, it will check death records and, if you have died, will transfer the value of your cryptocurrency into a specified account. This can be anyone, but is often the account of the executor, who will oversee the distribution of the estate to any heirs.

Cryptocurrency is a unique asset and I understand the nuances and complexities of planning how to pass it on to the next generation safely and effectively. I was able to work with Brian to create a plan that he was comfortable with and that would ensure the value of his cryptocurrency will be transferred to his loved ones.

If you have questions, please reach out to us! See our ad in this week's North Grenville Times and follow us on Facebook @OFarrellFinancialServicesInc. www.ngtimes.ca