ND Times Issue 21 2024 October 17

The backstory of Council’s quorum conundrum

It was the talk of the community. At the start of the regularly scheduled Council meeting on October 10, while Mayor Tony Fraser was calling the meeting to order, three Council members stood up and walked out. Councillor John Lennox was the first to go, followed by Deputy Mayor Theresa Bergeron, and then Councillor Gary Annable. The three members looked solemn as they vacated their seats, leaving only Councillor Matthew Uhrig and the Mayor remaining.

Quorum was lost. There were no longer enough Council members present to legally conduct municipal business. A confused silence fell over the room, and for those watching from home, the YouTube feed promised Council would return shortly, and then a short while later, explained that Council had lost quorum and a 30 minute waiting period would be required. The members who left never returned, and there was, in essence, no meeting that afternoon.

The only live audience member that night was lifelong resident Peter Guy, who didn’t like what he saw in the room after the cameras were turned off. Following an exchange between Mayor Fraser and the Clerk regarding next steps (since neither immediately knew how to proceed in such an unusual situation), Peter reports that two senior Township staff members were laughing and joking. “I was not overly impressed with that,” Peter told the Times. Other sources confirm that these people were CAO Angela Rutley, and Recreation and Culture Director, Meaghan Meerburg.

Peter later walked up and confronted the officials in the room and told them that he was not impressed with the laughing and joking, as it was an embarrassment to the Township. Peter says that nobody answered him, and he left. He wishes the YouTube stream would have been left on for transparency.

In an email exchange, Councillor Uhrig added a different perspective, stating: “I wholeheartedly disagree they were laughing because this is

humorous. It is far from that - they laughed because, much like laughing at a funeral, this is the way the awkwardness and unusualness of the moment came out of them. The majority were dumfounded.”

The question of why the walkout occurred has been a burning one ever since. Some locals criticized the members for walking out, suggesting it amounted to abandoning their post when the Township needs them the most, considering the hardships with finances and infrastructure that are currently hitting hard locally. Others knew there had to be more to the story, and that three wellmeaning elected officials would never do such a thing without a purpose. The Times interviewed three Council members and received submissions from two others. Their collective stories provide the backstory –or at least scratches the surface – of what is going on.

Deputy Mayor Theresa Bergeron

To understand what happened, it’s necessary to first consider the events of the September 26 Council meeting. At

that meeting, Deputy Mayor Theresa Bergeron introduced a motion to suggest that Council instruct HR staff to develop a comprehensive “360 degree feedback component” for performance reviews for the current and any future CAOs. The 360 degree feedback refers to feedback not only from Council, but also anonymous feedback from staff under the CAO as well. Following the Deputy Mayor’s introduction of this concept, Mayor Fraser became agitated with her when she attempted to invite Counties CAO Maureen Adams to speak about 360 degree feedback. The Mayor scolded Deputy Mayor Bergeron for this, saying “I am still the chair of the committee, and the Mayor of the Township”. The Mayor later scolded his fellow Council members several times for “neglecting” to inform him that the idea of 360 degree feedback for the CAO would be proposed. “I look to staff saying it’s been neglected to keep me in the loop,” said the Mayor at the meeting, after providing a similar reprimand to his fellow Councillors.

The Deputy Mayor provided the Times with critical background information on this interaction. She states that on October 4, she and her fellow Council members received an email from Mayor Fraser stating that he had single-handedly completed a performance review for CAO Angela Rutley, without first consulting with Council to check if the other members approved of this method of review. The Deputy Mayor took issue with this because she believes staff should have a voice in the CAO performance review, which provides Council with a sense of the workplace dynamics. She

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says that Township staff have been resigning their positions at alarming rates, with suggestions from many sources that the work environment is toxic.

Deputy Mayor Bergeron expressed issue with what she described as the Mayor’s assertion that he and CAO Rutley must provide final approval on all Council agendas. She asserts that there is nothing in the Municipal Act that grants the Mayor such individual power, and that it’s important for members of a municipal Council to be able to act independently and bring motions forward. Instead, she feels that what has been going on in North Dundas is a remnant of the “old buddies club”.

Councillor John Lennox

More information about the work climate at the Township came from the first member to stand up and walk out on October 10 – Councillor John Lennox. “There is a lot more information that I simply cannot provide at this time due to confidentiality constraints – information which under the current system, the taxpayer may never know the full extent of the key issues leading up to the walk out,” said the Councillor. He argues that the work climate of the Township is an issue that affects all, since it costs money to lose good staff and train their replacements. “The cost of hiring, training and covering the vacant position(s) can balance out to 9 months of salary before the new hire is fully integrated to be able to operate and understand the unique challenges and issues that come with their position,” he added. “Several employees in key positions are considering resigning. This is very problematic.”

While unable to discuss details, Councillor Lennox reports that CAO Angela Rutley took offence to the wording of the Deputy Mayor’s motion in the September 26 meeting, saying that it made her feel attacked. The Councillor added: “Unfortunately I cannot reveal any further details at this time other than that the following closed session was a s***show and largely lacked creditability in my personal opinion.”

Councillor Lennox stated his belief that the Mayor has been trying to exercise too much individual power. “When it comes to certain topics, [the Mayor] won’t budge,” he said.

It is worth noting that several sources have stated that there is something of a “duo” formed between the Mayor and CAO Rutley, and that the Mayor appears to protect the CAO from negative feedback

or appraisals. Multiple sources have stated that the Township is largely run by the decisions of the Mayor and the CAO, rather than by Council as a whole. “I feel that the Mayor has his blinders on, seeing friendship over long term vitality of the Township on key issues,” added Councillor Lennox.

Councillor Gary Annable Lifelong resident and the most experienced Councillor on the team – Gary Annable –had been struggling for quite some time with what to do about the Township’s toxic work environment. “Some things had to come to a head, and in my eyes, this was the best way to do it,” said Councillor Annable, referring to the walkout. He stresses that taking such a public stand is “not his way”, but that in this case, he felt it was the only way. The Councillor declined to provide specifics, but stated that he felt things in local government have not been “flowing” the way they should be, and that all other options that had been tried to rectify the situation went nowhere.

Councillor Annable confirmed what his colleagues have been saying – countless people who work for the Township have serious work climate concerns. He stated that 5-6 employees in management positions with the Township are seeking work elsewhere due to the work environment.

“This is not my way, this is not my character,” the Councillor added. He has taken pride in serving his community for decades, and is willing to take a stand for the benefit of North Dundas.

Councillor Matthew Uhrig

The only Councillor who stayed at the table during the walkout submitted the following statement to the Times: “The three members who chose to leave the meeting Thursday before business could be conducted are within their rights to do so. I respect that democratic choice, but I don't agree with it. I believe in the performance review process that we, including the three members who walked out, agreed on at a meeting earlier. We have major projects to take care of in this municipality and it is important, from a professional accountability perspective, that council knows the right people are in place to be of support and guidance for the work to be done. It's obvious there is a struggle ongoing within the walls of the municipal building, and it is in the best interest of the taxpayer that it be corrected sooner than later, in whatever fashion possible. We need not have staff

fearful of council members, nor the public distrusting or increasing the discourse in a perpetually negative manner. For all of this, council, every member, should be at the table debating, disagreeing, or approving, and actioning the business of North Dundas.”

Mayor Tony Fraser

Mayor Fraser submitted the following statement: “I've been trying to distill in my mind what took place at the meeting and my observation is that we couldn't hold a meeting as we lost quorum when three members of Council rose and left the meeting room without comment. I'm sure you can understand the level of wonderment and confusion when that took place. The meeting never started, Council wasn't able to conduct or further the business of the Corporation. Staff and the remaining Councillors waited the requisite thirty minutes for quorum to be achieved, and when the time lapsed without the return of the Councillor members that had left, the meeting was cancelled. While we waited the thirty minutes for the hoped for return of the absent members there was a discussion about what message should be posted on our YouTube channel and next steps concerning conducting the business of the Corporation, as no one in the room had experienced such an occurrence and we were all bewildered and extremely confused and as to why this had happened. The level of tension in Council Chambers was palpable and the nervousness of those that remained, in hopes of conducting the business of the Corporation, dealt with the extremely high level of tension and confusion in their own fashion. Those of us that were unprepared [for] the action taken were visibly upset and shaken. There was nothing humorous about three Councillors deciding that the business of the Corporation should not be conducted. Please be assured that this situation is unusual and is taken so very seriously by all that remained. I won't surmise, guess, and of course presume to speak on behalf of the Councillors that walked out of the meeting. My comments on their reasoning would be unfair to them and unfair to the public, as I have not been made aware by them as to their reasoning or intention.”

After learning more about his colleagues concerns, the Mayor wished to add: “I appreciate the opportunity to share my thoughts about the meeting that didn't take place. There are several comments from other members of Council that I struggle with, [I’m] saying that I stand on my record as a member of Council, serving

Winchester native competes on “Jeopardy!”

A North Dundas native gave her two opponents a run for their money (pun intended) when she competed on the popular long-running American gameshow, Jeopardy! last week. Amanda Prusila was born in Ottawa – which she now calls home once again – but she was raised in Winchester and attended North Dundas District High School. Her Jeopardy! episode aired on October 7, which happens to be Amanda’s birthday. The coincidence was a great birthday gift! The episode was filmed several months ago.

The game proved to be a roller coaster. Amanda was able to quickly raise her in-game fortune to $2,400 within the first few minutes,

the public since being elected in 2010. I look forward to future meetings of Council being conducted in a professional, respectful manner, as they have been until recently.

Next steps

A meeting has been scheduled for October 22 – an opportunity to perhaps debrief and discuss next steps. The common theme amongst many sources is that a drastic change is needed in the way local government business is being conducted. In particular, there are serious concerns about staff being treated unfairly by those in upper management positions, as well as concerns that the Township is being running by one or two individuals, instead of as a democracy. Updates to this developing story will be provided as they become available.

but when she made a slight error in naming famed conjoined twin brothers Chang and Eng Bunker, her balance fell. She regained traction and climbed to a $3,000 balance by the middle of the episode.

Two more errors in a cooking terms category put Amanda at -$600, but it didn’t take long to bring herself back to a positive balance of over $1,400. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, as her opponent Mark quickly took centre stage, amassing over $23,000 of in-game winnings.

Following some more ups and downs, Amanda finished with $600 while Mark was the champion of the night with $20,000 – his second episode as champion with total winnings of over $50,000. But even without a win, a chance to appear on a famous TV show was a great experience for Amanda, who is a huge fan of “Jeopardy!”

“Overall, I’m happy with my performance,” said Amanda. “My main goals were to make it to Final Jeopardy! and to not make a truly embarrassing, memeworthy mistake. Anything more than that would be the cherry on top. The daily double and just getting to riff with Ken were definitely my highlights of the episode itself.

“Going in, I knew how well I’d do would really depend on the categories, as well as my competitors: their buzzer speed as well as their knowledge base, and if we’d be dueling over the same clues. The most frustrating part for me was my wrong answers that were so close, but since it’s been over four months now since filming, I’ve made peace with them. I’m human, and recalling obscure trivia from the recesses of my mind is an imperfect process.”

The most surprising aspect of the whole experience for Amanda was how friendly everyone was on set, including her two opponents, Daniel and Mark. “I especially gelled with

my two competitors… so it was a treat to be paired up against them,” she said. Amanda describes herself as a “proud Ottawan”, but she was raised in Winchester and still has family in the area. “I really appreciate the perspective of growing up in a small agricultural community, and I had a great experience with some stellar teachers and mentors at North Dundas District High School,” she added. Her love of Jeopardy! took of “in the last 8 or so years” as she and her boyfriend began recording episodes to watch later. Amanda explained her attraction to the show: “Compared to other game shows, the sheer volume of content is what really drew me in, with no time wasted explaining the rules and drumming up suspense. The writers take a lot of care to pepper the clues with obscure facts, but without making the clues too difficult to answer.”

For some, a barrier to appearing on a game show would be camera shyness, but Amanda offers key advice in this area: “I have learned, through a lot of trial and error, to just not care as much. I often remind myself that I’m my harshest critic, and that everyone is too focused on themselves to put that much thought into others. Jeopardy! contestants come from all walks of life. I encourage any fans to give it a shot and apply online. You’ll never know if you don’t try!”

Amanda is yet to receive her $600 winnings, but the process understandably takes time. In the meantime, in the absence of fortune, she’ll have to settle for (local) fame!

by Brandon Mayer

You are in check

by Brandon Mayer

Small town people are proud people. We are proud enough, in fact, to be quite angry when someone threatens our community, including our schools and our children within them. In the past month, threats that have been levelled against schools in Kemptville and Iroquois have hit close to home, but the worst part is – there really isn’t anything we can do about it.

When a person commits the cowardly act of calling in an anonymous threat to a school, it’s true that even the police often have an incredibly difficult time locating the culprit(s). A mob of infuriated parents is unlikely to fair any better. And ultimately, we are left asking “why?”

There are many possible reasons why a person would want to threaten a school, not that there is any situation in which it’s ever acceptable. The possibilities range from likely to extremely unlikely. It could be a criminal organization –perhaps one not even based in this country – wanting to test the vulnerabilities of the Canadian school system in preparation for future ransom demands or other financial schemes. It could be more personal, such as a disgruntled former student who wants to “punish” the school with inconveniences. Probably least likely, but still possible, is that some students found a way to get their school closed for free vacation days. These reasons are speculative and they are only a few out of potentially dozens of possibilities, but it just goes to show how complicated the “why” can be when it comes to senseless crimes.

No matter what the “why” is, it really shouldn’t matter. So long as these threats keep being made, parents will continue to be afraid, and students will continue to sit at home learning nothing on days when they

are supposed to be getting an education. A precedent has been set. Any awful person who finds a way to ensure their own anonymity has the power to shut down an entire public school (or lock it down) for at least a day. If the goal of these threats was to explore the vulnerabilities of our schools, then not only did the perpetrators succeed, but they also brought these same vulnerabilities to our attention.

Sweeping changes need to be made to the security of schools, particularly high schools. It’s true that almost all intermediate and secondary schools operate with the main set of doors unlocked for the entire school day. Yes, office staff are supposed to be on the lookout for who is coming and going, but anyone who has ever picked up their child from such a school knows what a busy place the office can be. Sneaking past the office is anything but difficult. Furthermore, particularly here in small town Ontario, “security” at schools is simply within the purview of educators who, by and large, are not trained in formal security procedures. No one wants to see students enter school through metal detectors under the watchful eye of security guards like in some USA schools, but having a dedicated safety officer on site might become necessary sooner rather than later.

One consideration that should forever boggle our minds is this: Why are we primarily relying on the goodwill and gentlemanly behaviour of criminals as our first best defence against school violence? It seems that we are currently operating on a “schools are safe unless someone tells us that they are going to commit a violent act” assumption. Have we completely forgotten about the category of people who aren’t so polite about their ill intentions? Have we not considered that the people most likely to actually commit school

North Dundas

violence are also the least likely to provide the “courtesy” of an advanced warning that ensures an empty school when they arrive?

What we are at risk for here is a truly dangerous situation. What if we are becoming trained to think that since schools are deemed unsafe on days when direct threats have been levelled, then likewise, schools are confirmed safe on days when no such threats are made? I am reminded of the end of the movie “Signs”, in which Graham and Merrill use the baby monitor to check if it’s safe to come out of the basement. Hearing no chatter, they assume it’s safe, perhaps forgetting that the absence of evidence (radio chatter) to confirm alien presence is not the same as evidence confirming that the coast is clear. We need to be careful about letting school security get lax on days when no anonymous phone calls come through. Absence of threat evidence is not the same as a confirmation that we can let our guard down.

A bad person who wants to truly determine to commit “a violent act involving weapons” (as has been the common threat) against a local school would simply walk in the unlocked front door and commence with violence. Life isn’t a chess match. Our opponents are not obligated to declare “you are in check” to give us a chance before making their final move. It’s therefore time that we start treating schools as the secure environments that they should be every day of the academic year, not just when someone has phoned in a threat. If we had intermediate and secondary schools with chronically locked doors at minimum, and perhaps also a dedicated security officer, we would be able to open schools even on days when pranksters and opportunists decide to stir the pot. Until then, we can only hope that disruptions to our children’s school year are few and far between.

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I appreciate your paper’s presence in the community. It is full of goodwill news and events and remains open to many points of view. You offer us a forum or a soapbox for public engagement. Thank you.

That said, I do wish to share with your readers my views on one aspect of our current Canadian political story. I create images in my head that help give dramatic effect to the words on a page. In this case, I envision a guard dog, pacing back and forth behind a fence and jumping up against a gate in front of a house, that leads to the driveway. The dog is mean, it snarls and bares its teeth. If and when the gate fails, the dog will run amuck and do damage. And it wants out – or in.

I have been hearing the barking for some time now and wonder why people don’t do something about it – it’s disturbing the peace! If only I can get past this property before the gate fails. It will be the last time I walk this way.

Marc Nadeau

Dear Editor, Thanks so much for the article on people who take pictures at car accident scenes, etc. It used to be people stopped to help each other out, now all you see is phones aimed and clicking. Also, well done raising kids who are so aware of their impact on others that they turn the car radio down

when passing a memorial service or other like event. They will grow up to make wonderful neighbours and community members. We need so much more of that attitude in the world. Thanks for sharing! Janice Atkey Winchester

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Criminalizing residential school ‘denialism’ would silence indigenous voices, too

by Mark Milke courtesy of the Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy

The effort by MP Leah Gazan to criminalize residential school views she labels “denialist” is a mistake. Gazan’s Bill C-413, if passed, would criminalize any statement that might be interpreted as “condoning, denying, downplaying or justifying the Indian residential school system in Canada through statements communicated other than in private conversation.”

Let’s start with examples of whose speech Gazan’s bill would criminalize, if repeated in the future: indigenous Canadians who have publicly “condoned,” or at least partly justified, residential schools.

In 1998, Rita Galloway, a teacher who grew up on the Pelican Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan and then-president of the First Nations Accountability Coalition, was interviewed about residential schools. She noted that she had “many friends and relatives who attended residential schools,” and argued, “Of course there were good and bad elements, but overall, their experiences were positive.”

In 2008, the late Richard Wagamese, an Ojibwe author and journalist, wrote in the Calgary Herald about the many abuses that took place at residential schools. He then straightforwardly argued that positive stories needed to be told, too, including his mother’s.

After praising her neat, clean home and cultured lawn on a reserve outside Kenora, Ontario, Wagamese noted how his 75-year-old mother “credits the residential school experience with teaching her domestic skills.” Critically, “My mother has never spoken to me of abuse or any catastrophic experience at the school.” Wagamese argued the then-forthcoming Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) “needs to hear those kinds of stories, too,” and that telling “the good along

with the bad” will “create a more balanced future for all of us.”

That’s not because such schools were perfect — or even optimal. As has been extensively documented, physical and sexual abuses occurred in some schools, and that is something that no one should downplay.

But it’s too easy to forget the limited choices that existed for 19th- and early 20th-century Canadians. As we do today, most people back then believed in the value of universal education. Many Canadians, indigenous and non-indigenous, lived in poverty, had rudimentary transportation links, limited job opportunities and thus limited possibilities for day schools in remote areas, such as reserves.

Imagine the outcry today if earlier generations of parishioners, parents (including Indigenous parents) and politicians mostly ignored remote reserves and failed to provide indigenous communities with educational opportunities. The same voices today who accept no nuance on residential schools would likely excoriate that choice to deny education to Indigenous children.

The choices in the 19th and 20th centuries were not between perfection and its opposite; they represent a trade-off between suboptimal choices. Understanding this requires nuance, which is in short supply these days.

As an example, consider the perspective of Manitoba school trustee Paul Coffey, a Metis man who made a presentation to the Mountain View School Division board meeting in Dauphin, Manitoba, about racism in April and was pilloried for it. His remarks included comments about residential schools. Coffey tried to argue that residen-

tial schools had good and bad aspects, but he was roundly criticized for his views.

In a July interview, Coffey again offered nuance about the schools, noting what much of the media missed in their initial firestorm coverage: “I said they were nice. I then also said they weren’t. I said treaties were nice and then they weren’t. I said even TRC is a good idea, until it isn’t.”

Criminalizing these stories and opinions would mean that these three indigenous voices, and many others, could face fines or jail time. This is precisely why speech, unless urging violence, should never be criminalized.

Another reason not to criminalize speech is because it makes it even more difficult to correct bad ideas and lingering injustices. An open society requires open discourse. It’s the only way errors can only be corrected. That disappears if one becomes subject to fines and imprisonment for thinking out loud, including when one is ultimately proved to be in error.

Gazan’s bill is the latest attempt by Canadian politicians to suppress views and conclusions with which they disagree. That suppression is illiberal and unhelpful. Mandating a single point of view damages the accumulation of knowledge that’s necessary for progress, prevents a useful dissection of why abuses occurred in residential schools and will prevent the open discrediting of wrongheaded positions.

No one person will be right every time. Open, public debate is critical to exposing errors and advancing human progress.

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I found David Shanahan’s article, “Reconciliation: more than one day a year” disturbing, and troubling. So much in fact, I thought I’d best find out on what authority the author wrote the article. I was surprised.

Mr. Shanahan believes, and worse, in sharing that ‘many children’ actually enjoyed their school days, and that there were ‘positive aspects’ to children being forced to attend the schools. This, despite the children ’no longer understanding their language, or able to communicate with their family’. Mr. Shanahan fails to substantiate these ’truths’, nor does he offer how many children hated their school days.

In the article, David Shanahan ponders whether the goal of the 1830’s “Civilisation Policy” is ‘cultural genocide’, or rather a nuanced approach to the “Indian problem”. What? He also throws in the ‘media card’ as a problem; suggesting that they only they write about the ‘darkest picture’ of the past. Perhaps Mr Shanahan agrees with Lynn Beak. I don’t. (https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/beyak-removed-from-senate-committee-over-residential-school-comments/article34610016/)

Mr. Shanahan’s article is irresponsible, and your readers are not well served reading it. The truth is this: the Residential School Program was wrong, has been found to be wrong, and Truth and Reconciliation Day commemorates the acknowledgement. That’s the starting point for Canadians; our forefathers messed up; our brethren have suffered; and we should respect their desire for reconciliation. Look up the word reconciliation… it means coming together again.

About the only thing that makes sense in Mr Shanahan’s article is that there can be no reconciliation without truth. I’d say he ought to know better than to write something on a well established wrong that suggests there’s anything right about the matter. Especially since, as he points out, so many people are ill informed.

Respectfully,

Liz Waterfall

Response from David Shanahan:

I don’t often feel obliged to talk about my own qualifications or career; but Liz Waterfall’s letter means I have to provide "authority" for what I wrote in my article "Reconciliation: more than one day a year". The issue, as I discussed in the article, is one that has caused incredible confusion and misinformation which prevents real reconciliation. As Liz agrees, there can be no reconciliation without truth, and if the truth is misrepresented, or even suppressed, then there is no hope for reconciliation.

Liz wants me to substantiate what I wrote about some children actually enjoying their days in residential school. First of all, let me remind readers that this was something said, not by me, but by survivors and their families, and described by them as one of the "hard truths" that had to be accepted. There is an idea that every child at a residential school was abused, either physically or sexually, and that every teacher was intent on destroying the lives of the children in their care. Can anyone actually believe that? If so, they know nothing about the issue.

What is my "authority" for what I write? I have a Doctorate in Canadian History, and I’ve spent the past 35 years working for Indigenous communities and organisations across Canada. I have written extensively on Indigenous history in scholarly publications such as Ontario History, as well as in Indigenous publications and newspapers. I come from a colonised people, the Irish, who have more in common with Canada’s Indigenous peoples than most other nations, and relate to their history in ways not many other peoples can.

All of this is to say that implying, or stating explicitly, that I am in some way racist, spreading disinformation, or downplaying the reality of Indigenous experience at the hands of British and Canadian governments, is something I find annoying, to say the least.

Portraying Indigenous peoples as simply victims and helpless, weak and unable to resist oppression is just another form of colonisation. There has been resistance, there has been a growing level of success by Indigenous lawyers, professionals, leaders across the First Nations, in fighting the effects of colonisation. And many of these leaders say with pride that the education they received at the hands of the Settlers enabled them to counter the racism and oppression foisted on them over centuries.

Misinformation can take two forms: covering over the real grievances and suffering of the past and present, or else portraying it as a black and white, all good or all evil, clash of cultures. Like it or not, not all bureaucrats were racists, not all teachers, priests and nuns were predators and pedophiles, not all schools were equally or always hell on earth for every child. There were racists and predators and pedophiles, there were times and places where schools were hell, and both of those things are true truth. Have some respect for the past, and all truths. Have respect for what people suffered and what they achieved out of their suffering.

If Canadians try to hide the truth in order to look humble and repentant, then there will be a backlash at some point when the real facts are shown. Balance and truth, those are the priorities, not a new form of colonisation that only creates new division and new grievances to be overcome. Ignoring the facts when they don’t suit your viewpoint is just as bad coming from the well-meaning and ill-informed as when it’s indulged in by the racists and haters.

To pass laws making the search for truth illegal, or questioning misinformation a crime, is not the best direction for Canadian society to go. This is not a Holocaust denial kind of issue. This is a matter of experts, people who have been involved in the subject for decades, being labelled as racists or "irresponsible" by people with a superficial knowledge of their history.

Nothing in Irish history has ever made me as angry as the way Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island were treated by British and Canadian governments. I have spent 35 years working for justice and reconciliation in this country, so forgive me if I find it hard to be accused of writing irresponsibly or without authority. There are hard truths for everyone involved in this story to face and acknowledge. That is the only path to real reconciliation for those who truly believe in it. My apologies for self-indulgence in writing this.

Buy me a rake

by Brandon Mayer

Mental Illness Awareness Week was October 6 – 12. Without meaning to sound sarcastic or combative, I would like to point out the obvious: we’re all quite well aware of mental illness by now. We need to be more aware of how to help.

Mental illness is on the rise, and a lot of it may very well be for practical reasons. The economy sucks right now. Even households with two people each earning a great salary are still struggling to enjoy a basic normal life. Stuff is expensive. Scams are everywhere as people with no moral compass find new ways to try and get by on the backs of others. It’s a tough time.

To further add to the issues of modern society, I believe that technology is melting our brains. Our attention spans are shot, and we are becoming far less self-reliant.

It’s possible to add on countless other reasons why mental illnesses are on the rise, but what are we actually doing to help? Yes, there are hotlines you can call. Yes friends and family say “don’t hesitate to reach out”. Yes counselling is available for those who can afford it. But there is not enough emphasis on one critical point: mental illness treatment needs to be easily accessible. Why? Because a strong part of many such illnesses is a resistance to treatment or a lack of awareness that treatment is even necessary!

Contrast mental illness with physical illness for a moment. Sure, there are times when physical ailments are not obvious or when treatment is not appealing, but more often than not, it’s clear when a person should see a doctor. When my son recently cut his leg open very badly, it was obvious that he needed stitches. Our completely broken and embarrassing healthcare system couldn’t stand in the way of stitches. We waited from 10pm until almost 5am to have him seen by a doctor for the 10 minutes it took to get 10 stitches in. Guess who

pulled an all-nighter and then worked a 12 hour day on zero sleep the next day… this guy! But the nature of the illness and the required treatment were obvious, and so it made sense to brave Ontario’s complete disgrace of a healthcare system to access medical help.

Mental illnesses are different. Take depression for example. About 5% of the adult population is clinically depressed. That’s huge! That’s 1 in every 20 people you meet. And depression is debilitating. It causes not only low mood, but also anhedonia (the loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities) and a general lack of motivation. A person with depression cannot therefore be simply told “here is the number for the depression hotline”. We need to think outside the box when it comes to new solutions for depression treatment. We need ways not only to create lasting change for depressed people, but also ways to get them into treatment to begin with!

Anxiety is another catch 22 illness. Anxiety about treatment can be a barrier to seeking treatment for anxiety. It’s circular, and not something that can be solved with a simple list of resources or an offer of “I’m here if you need me”. Then there are problems like anger, drug use, trauma, and any number of other things that people “get inside their own head” about, not realizing they need treatment or lacking the motivation or confidence to seek treatment. Part of this comes from simple uncertainty. Everyone gets angry or anxious or sad sometimes. Moods change, and everyone has good days and bad days. How is a person supposed to know where the line is between mental illness and a bad day?

I hate buzz phrases. “Time for Action, Time for Change”. That is the Mental Illness Awareness Week motto this year. Tell me what the change is! Tell me how we can make a difference! Tell me how we can address these underlying issues that have been obvious to anyone trying to access mental health help for the last several decades! Many of us have experienced what it’s like to have friends or family say “I’m here to talk if you need me”, only to have them react poorly in times of mental health need. Maybe instead of encouraging empty words of “I’m here to talk”, we should be encouraging people to openly identify their own feelings or actions that seem outside of the normal scope of bad days or bad moods. “I feel mentally ill” should be just as normalized as “I feel sick to my stomach” or “I have a headache”. That would be a first step toward positive change.

On the flip side, not every bad mood or bad action is mental illness. If I have a day where I am cranky and want to start yelling at squirrels to get off my lawn, don’t tell me I need a psychiatrist. Be a friend and go buy me a rake that I can wave around at them. Sometimes a person needs a friend more than a hotline. The point is that mental health education is probably our best tool right now, because changes to the system are always made at government speed.

To anyone experiencing mental illness: never be afraid to speak up, and remember that you may need to speak up more than once to make yourself clear and heard. Mental illness is a temporary problem, and your life, happiness and well-being are worth a permanent solution.

St. Paul's Presbyterian Winchester LASAGNA DINNER

Thursday, Oct. 24 / 5pm - 7pm

Adults $20 / Child (5-12) $10

Preschoolers Free DINE IN or TAKE OUT

PREORDER TAKE OUT BY OCT. 21 call 613-774-3693

517 Main St. W., Winchester

Beware of fake texts

A fake text message is a text that appears to be from a legitimate source, but is sent by a scammer, spammer, or another malicious party. The purpose of fake texts is typically to obtain your personal information, deceive you, or otherwise cause harm. Learning how to identify a fake text message can help you avoid falling victim to text message scams.

Fake texts can be sophisticated and creative, which can make it difficult to spot them. Scammers may use everything, from phone number spoofing to fake news headlines, to get you to trust a fake message, give out your personal information, click a link, or open an attachment. One of the most common types of fake text messages involves scammers impersonating an organization like a bank or Canada Post.

Identifying a fake text message on an iPhone or Android is crucial to protecting yourself from scams, identity theft, or accidentally installing harmful software like adware. To determine if a text message is legitimate or not, pay attention to suspicious sender information, message content, and links or attachments included in the message. The first thing to look at when receiving a text message is the sender's phone number. Here are specific things to watch out for when identifying fake messages:

Number irregularities: Scammers may use numbers with extra or repeated digits (for example, 1234567890 or 9999999999). But, a fake blocked text message won’t let you see the number, since it comes from a blocked number. In this case, use the next two sections.

Alphanumeric senders: If you receive a spoofed message from an alphanumeric sender (e.g., "AMAZON"), be cautious. While businesses might use alphanumeric sender IDs legitimately, scammers also use them to make their messages appear valid by using a trusted name.

Foreign country codes: Be wary of text messages from foreign country codes, especially if you are not expecting communication from that location.

Suspicious message content: The next step is to closely examine the content of the message. Here are some key signs that you may be dealing with a fake text:

Urgent tone: Fake messages frequently try to create a sense of urgency, pressuring you to act immediately (e.g., "Your account has been compromised! Click here to secure it now!").

Bad spelling, grammar, or formatting: Scammers sometimes use poor language in a fake text conversation, either out of carelessness or to evade your carrier’s spam filter. They may also use mismatched fonts and inconsistent text sizing.

Request for personal information: Real companies and institutions will never ask for sensitive personal information via text message. If you receive a message requesting such information, be very cautious.

Suspicious links or attachments: Watch out for text messages that contain links or attachments, especially if they come from unknown senders. Fake subscription texts or fake automated text messages often use embedded links to trick recipients into divulging sensitive information or downloading malware. If you receive a suspicious link, check the URL carefully for any discrepancies or misspellings. You can also preview the link (without tapping) to check the actual destination. But, the safest practice is to never open links or download attachments from unverified sources.

Some common fake spam text examples include:

Smishing texts. A combination of "SMS" and "phishing,” smishing uses fake texts to target victims with phishing scams. Smishing texts often impersonate a trusted entity, like a bank, in an attempt to trick you into visiting a pharming website and revealing sensitive information such as passwords or banking details. Common formats include fake confirmation texts and fake subscription texts.

Spear phishing is a type of phishing that involves a highly personalized cyberattack aimed at manipulating specific targets into divulging sensitive information or installing malicious software.

Romance scam texts. Some of the most deceitful of all fake text messages are romance scams. From catfishing to sugar daddy scams, these can lead to victims feeling hurt and humiliated. They can also be successful financial scams, causing victims to lose significant amounts of money. Catfishing involves a scammer creating a fake online persona to manipulate their target once they gain their trust. Once they’ve built rapport, they may fabricate a crisis, texting the victim to send money to help them — for instance, they could ask to borrow $500 to cover emergency vet bills for their cat. Scareware texts. Scareware text messages use fear to manipulate you into taking action before you have time to think further. For example, you may receive a text claiming that your device has been infected with a virus and prompting you to download a fake antivirus app to "fix" the problem, which installs malware onto your phone. Under the scareware banner, scammers may also ask you to tap a dangerous link or visit an infected website. These actions could also lead you to inadvertently install malware like spyware or ransomware onto your device.

If you believe you’ve received a fake text message, follow these steps to protect yourself:

Do not reply. Responding to a fake text message, even just writing “STOP,” may confirm to the sender that your phone number is active, potentially leading to more messages.

Block the sender. Most smartphones allow you to block specific numbers or senders, preventing them from contacting you again.

Report the message. If you receive a fake text message that appears to be part of a bigger scam or is particularly harmful, report it to your mobile carrier or the appropriate authorities. For example, https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/.

Use security software. Ensure that your smartphone has updated security software installed to shield against malware and other potential threats.

Small Business Week

October 20 to 26, 2024

Consistent

Small Business Week has been celebrated in Canada since 1979, when it was first launched by the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to recognize the contributions of small businesses to the economy and local communities. Held every October, this week highlights the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation that fuel our economy. Being a small, locally-run business, we know firsthand the importance of supporting the backbone of our community small businesses. Small businesses make up 98% of all businesses in Canada and employ over 10 million Canadians. When you support small businesses, you're not just buying a product or service—you're supporting local jobs, services, and charities. For every dollar spent at a small business, 66 cents stays in the community, compared to just 11 cents when shopping at large multinational companies. This has a direct impact on local families, schools, and organizations, helping our community thrive. This week and beyond, make a lasting impact by shopping local. Every time you choose a local business, you're supporting jobs, families, and the community we all love.

Advertising

Consistent local advertising has been proven to be a great strategy for growth and visibility.

Advertising locally Increases brand recognition Targets local demographics Builds trust and credibility

Help Shape our

5-Year Tourism Plan!

The United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry's Tourism division, with support from Cornwall Tourism are working towards a five-year tourism strategic plan.

The Working Committee invites you to one of three interactive community conversations to discuss tourism development opportunities to enhance community well-being and the visitor economy.

These facilitated gatherings will be interactive and offer you an opportunity to contribute ideas and suggestions to help inform the new five-year tourism strategy. Sessions will highlight stories from local business owners and community champions who see the opportunities associated with strategic tourism development.

To register, scan the QR Code or visit www.whereontariobegan.ca/tourism-strategic-plan.

The sessions will be held at:

Saunders Hydro Dam Visitor Centre, October 28, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Sir John Johnson House, October 28, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM McIntosh Country Inn, October 29, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM

For more information: tourism@sdgcounties.ca

Support local this fall to help Ontario farms grow

by Angela Cammaert, Director, OFA

Every year, in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, our province marks Ontario Agriculture Week. It’s a time to recognize and celebrate the important ongoing contribution Ontario farmers make to our society and our economy in producing food, feed, fuel and flowers.

The agri-food sector contributed $50.7 billion to the provincial economy, provided jobs to 11 per cent of Ontario’s work force and generated exports worth $26.2 billion this past year. Those are impressive numbers, but agriculture is much more than numbers.

It’s also about people – and as a fifth-generation family farmer raising beef cattle and growing crops near the southwestern Ontario community of West Lorne, about halfway between London and Chatham, I’m proud to be part of this vibrant and essential industry.

Our family loves to buy from other farmers; whether it’s a protein, vegetable or tender fruit, we like to have a relationship with the people behind our food and know where that food comes from.

We’ve done direct to consumer sales of beef from our farm, and one of my favourite parts of that business is getting to meet and interact with our customers and answering their questions about

what we do on the farm.

In an age where so many people are disconnected from where their food comes from, I strongly believe these relationships matter –and many of my fellow farmers do too.

I’m also a director on the board of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and in response to growing interest from our membership in local food sales, agritourism and direct-to-consumer marketing, our organization has just completed our third survey about selling to Ontarians.

It’s been our most popular survey yet, garnering responses from 640 respondents. Although more than 60 per cent grow grains and oilseeds, our survey participants came from many different sectors, which suggests that there are many unique possibilities to tap into new opportunities with products ranging from maple syrup, wool and Christmas trees to meat, eggs, fruit and vegetables.

Most farmers interested in local food or agritourism ventures are established businesses, and many have completed special certifications, like organic, CanadaGAP food safety, or commodity-specific quality assurance programs.

Pen and paper is still the most common way for farmers to manage their direct to consumer

sales (55%), followed by spreadsheets, and Point of Sale systems like Square. One fifth are using Facebook or Instagram shops and 16% are using an e-commerce platform. And although 60% of respondents said their farm doesn’t have an online presence, you can find those that do on social media (32%) or by visiting their farm business websites (26%).

Annual direct-to-consumer sales continue to be lower than $100,000 per year for the majority of farms (72%), indicating this is very much an opportunity to diversify farm business incomes, although there is a segment of respondents who reported grossing over $200,000 per year through these channels.

Farmers’ markets are the most common way for farmers to sell their products directly to consumers off the farm (27%), followed by wholesale, retail and directly to restaurants. Farm tours, on-farm activities and teaching or educational workshops are the most common agritourism offerings.

To help more farmers explore the potential of direct-to-consumer sales, the OFA and many partner organizations have launched the Cultivating Local: Seizing opportunities to grow Ontario’s local agri-products sector project and hosting a series of nine free online

Canadian Wollastonite partners with UNDO Carbon

workshops.

Topics include everything from current market trends and how to get started in value-added agriculture to exploring agritourism, selling in rural and remote Ontario, and considering local products beyond food.

The two-hour online workshops will be held Thursday mornings from November 2024 to February 2025; for those who aren’t able to participate, all workshop recordings will also be posted on OFA’s website. More information, including how to register, is available at ofa.on.ca/cultivating-local

So, what can you do to mark Ontario Agriculture Week? When you’re out shopping, look for local – not just this week but all year long.

Shop at on-farm stores, farmers’ markets and stores in your community that sell products from Ontario farms, from food and beverage to flowers and more. Ask us about our farms and what we do to grow your food.

Your support makes a difference to us, and we appreciate it.

by Brandon Mayer

Wollastonite is a form of crushed silicate rock that has two main benefits. One is that when spread on farmer’s fields, it breaks down and releases calcium, magnesium, silicon, and other nutrients into the soil. The other is that it has the ability to capture carbon from the atmosphere.

The company Canadian Wollastonite, located in Seeley’s Bay, mines a large deposit of wollastonite as a for-profit business venture. However, the potential positive environmental impacts of wollastonite have also drawn the attention of environmental organizations such as UNDO Carbon, which aims to remove 1 million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2025.

“Wollastonite has been getting a fair bit of attention over the past several months,” said Mike Kennedy on behalf of Canadian Wollastonite. “Our hope is to work with UNDO Carbon to progressively scale up operations as we believe it has the potential to make an important contribution to helping combat the climate crisis.”

A recent deal between Microsoft Corporation and UNDO Carbon will see 65,000 tonnes of wollastonite spread on farmland in the United Kingdom and Canada. As part of the deal, 25,000 tonnes will be sourced from Seeley’s Bay and will be spread on Ontario farmland.

The cost of the wollastonite is covered for the farmers who sign up to have it spread on their fields. How? UNDO Carbon offers a sort of credit system whereby businesses can offset their carbon footprint by purchasing “credits”, essentially funding the spreading of wollastonite to capture carbon. This is done on a voluntary basis. In the case of the 25,000 tonnes that will be spread in Ontario, the wollastonite will be purchased by UNDO Carbon with funds from Microsoft’s voluntary purchasing of the carbon removal credits. For 2024, UNDO Carbon is paying not only for the wollastonite itself, but also the spreading costs. The only cost to farmers is the trucking of the crushed rock from Seeley’s Bay, with the invaluable benefit of improved soil quality.

Call

Elevator: 613-774-4246

Home: 613-774-3305 • Cell: 613-229-2142 12650 Ormond Road, Winchester, Ontario

by Jen Pretty, Dundas County Hospice

It’s called a wind phone. Visitors pick up the receiver and can have a conversation with a lost loved one. The phone itself isn’t connected to anything, but the connection it provides can be absolutely priceless. Originally created in Japan by Itaru Sasaki while grieving his cousin who died of cancer, the wind phone idea took off after Itaru Sasaki opened his wind phone up to the public following the 2011 earthquake that resulted in 30-foot waves, which obliterated the coast of Japan, destroying entire towns and taking thousands of lives.

At Dundas County Hospice, we know hospice is not about dying, it’s about improving the quality of life. That doesn’t end with death. We support many residents of North and South Dundas through our grief and bereavement programs. The addition of the wind phone is just another step towards our purpose of helping our community.

Not only is this wind phone for our community, but our community made it a reality. It was a generous donation by Dwayne Holmes that funded the entire project in memory of his late wife, Phyllis, and it was the design work of Bob Forward along with his assistant Bob Sisson who spent countless hours building the structure. Without them, the wind phone construction would not have been possible.

As Itaru Sasaki did, we offer the use of our wind phone to anyone who has felt loss or grief, and we hope solace is found among the flowers and peace of the hospice gardens as words of love are carried on the wind.

The WDMH Foundation is expressing its appreciation to WDMH Foundation Managing Director Kristen Casselman for her outstanding leadership over the past ten years. Kristen recently shared she is stepping down from the role effective November 29.

Over the past decade, Kristen has effectively led the Foundation team and fostered a strong sense of giving in our community. “The Foundation Board is deeply grateful for Kristen’s exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to our community. Her dedication has been a true gift, and she will be greatly missed,” notes Trisha Elliott, WMDH Foundation Board Chair.

WDMH CEO Cholly Boland agrees: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Kristen for the last ten years. Under her leadership, the Foundation has grown more than it ever has in its history. During her tenure, she earned the respect of her staff, colleagues, the community and the donors who so faithfully support health care close to home.”

Kristen shares this success with the donors and the Foundation team: “Together, an incredible group of people did something amazing in the last ten years,” she says. “They have purchased hundreds of pieces of medical equipment among many other things at Winchester District Memorial Hospital. They have also raised millions of dollars for the new Dundas Manor. That group of people is made up of donors, volunteers, and the Foundation team. It’s been incredible to be a part of that. I’ve worked with and met so many wonderful people – and I learned a lot!”

“It’s the memories of celebrating staff and donors that I am most proud of and will cherish the most,” sums up Kristen. “I am very grateful to have had this opportunity. There is a great team at the Foundation. This decision was not an easy one, but it’s the right one for me.”

Plans are underway to identify a new Managing Director to lead the Foundation in its next phase of growth. Over the next several weeks, Kristen will continue to lead the Foundation and support key projects such as Expanding the Circle of Compassionate Care campaign in support of the new Dundas Manor. “As we move forward, the Board is actively implementing a thoughtful transition plan,” said Trisha. “We are committed to ensuring that our donors continue to receive the highest level of care and support, and that the Foundation remains in steady, capable hands.”

Best wishes, Kristen!

Hope Springs United Church

12261 County Road 5,Winchester Springs Minister: Rev. Christine Lowson

Sunday, October 20, 2024

These donations were dropped off to the Lions Thrift Store on a weekend and got wet, meaning the organization will have to dispose of

Donating to charity is a wonderful thing. There is far too much waste in the world, and it’s true that “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure”. A person discarding their 40 inch TV to buy a 70 inch TV can make someone’s day by donating their 40 inch TV to someone who currently has a 20 inch TV. And so on!

Donating is better than wasting or discarding, but it’s important to remember that places that process donations are run by regular people, and are not impervious to the elements. Electronics, furniture, clothes and toys left outside after hours at thrift stores help no one. In fact, they cause harm by wasting precious non-profit resources in landfill fees and extra volunteer hours.

It’s important to respect posted donation hours, as well as what can and cannot be donated to certain organizations.

The Lions Thrift Store in Winchester is reminding the public that it does not accept large items, and that donations must be dropped off during designated hours. A list of what is not accepted for donation is posted on the door.

Winchester Open Mic Cafe, Sundays 2pm to 5pm at the Old Town Hall, 478 Main Street, Winchester. Free, accessible, everyone welcome.

Spencerville Agricultural Society planning general meetings. If you are interested in joining our committee, please email info@spencervillefair.ca to receive all of the meeting details. Oct 21, Nov 11. The Drummond Building, 22 Ryan Street, Spencerville Ontario

Joint Anniversary Service 11:00 a.m. at Winchester United Church. Pot Luck Fundraiser for Canadian Food Grains

No Service at Hope Springs Sunday, October 27, 2024

Worship Service at Hope Springs at 9:30 a.m.

Marketing Workshop. October 23, 8:30 am - 2:00 pm

You're invited to join us for Small Business Week! The Cornwall SDG is hosting a special workshop focused on practical marketing strategies to help your business thrive. Cost: $30 (includes breakfast, lunch, refreshments, book and speakers). Cornwall Golf & Country Club

Joint Anniversary Service 11:00 a.m. at Winchester United Church Pot Luck Fundraiser for Canadian Food Grains No Service at Hope Springs Sunday, October 27, 2024 Worship Service at Hope Springs at 9:30 a.m.

Everyone Welcome

Should God be in the newspaper?

by David Shanahan

Regular readers will know that I write an occasional article in the Times dealing with matters of religion. These are usually dealing with misunderstandings about what Christianity is about, or answering criticisms about its historical validity, and so on. I probably get more positive responses to these articles than to anything else I write; but there are also some objections to having that kind of topic discussed in the newspaper. The reasons given for objecting are not very specific. They generally come down to either, “I don’t want to be preached at in the newspaper”, or “if you’re going to push one religion, you should print points of view of all of them”, or even simply, “the paper is no place to talk about religion”.

These complaints are always made by people who are not “religious”, or think what you believe is something you should keep to yourself. For some, Christian articles will never be acceptable, so there’s nothing can be done about that. As for other objections, they’re worth looking at.

First of all, is God, or questions about life, meaning, death, or what’s beyond (if anything) worth talking about? Is a hockey game, a concert, astronomy, climate change, or politics more important? If someone can write to promote one political point of view in a newspaper, why can’t someone write about religion the same way? If someone writes in favour of their favourite team somehow “preaching”, or should they be expected to give equally favourite coverage to their team’s opponents?

Some will say that religion is different, that it is divisive, that has caused all the wars and hatred we’ve seen throughout history, so we should avoid talking about it in public forums. Have you never seen people argue passionately over politics, or sport, or social issues (climate change, gender identity, abortion, etc.)? The worst wars and conflicts in human history were caused, not by religion, but by ideology The Twentieth Century was the bloodiest in history: caused by ideology, imperialism. Even the examples used against religion, like the

Crusades or the Inquisition, were not really religious in nature. They were political, colonial, at their base they were about social structures, the political power of Popes, Kings and elites.

And where religious, particularly Christian, motives were given for war, persecution, or violence, then those engaged were not following Christian teaching, they were disobeying the very teaching they were claiming to represent. When God says “Don’t kill, love your neighbour as yourself”, etc., how can anyone justify using Christianity as a reason for violence and oppression. Don’t blame God for the actions of those who are going against his commands. What, then, is the reason for the Christian articles in the paper? The fact is that we live in what is being called a post-Christian world. There was a time, not too long ago, when most people knew something, at least, of what Christianity and the Bible was all about. They learned it in church, Sunday School, or, yes, in the local newspaper. Read papers from as recently as the 1970's and you’ll see articles from priests and ministers discussing all things religious. It’s only recently that this became less acceptable.

Here’s my thinking: if there is a God (and there is), then the implications are enormous. Is it not worth having them talked about? Should we not clear up any misunderstandings or misinformation about what we think God, meaning, the Bible, or who we are as human beings? Or should we be content to drift through life without asking questions like this, without considering that, perhaps, we’re more than accidental by products of blind mechanical forces, destined to exist for a few decades and then disappear into nothingness?

If that’s all we are, and all that we mean, why do we believe in justice, equality, civil and human rights? Is it just our preference, opinions without rational or ultimate foundations, which can change radically and fundamentally from one generation to the next? This has never been the actual, practical way we have lived throughout history. We have always known in our hearts that human beings were more than that. We have always asked questions, looked for answers, wanted

to know and understand who and why we are in this life, unwilling to accept that we were without meaning and purpose.

That being the case, what else is more relevant to a community and its newspaper that to talk about those things with at least the same space and time we devote to the temporary chaos caused by roadworks, or the most recent nonsense perpetrated by politicians? Not all of us are interested in hockey or football, not all of us want to know the latest details on Taylor Swift’s increasing bank account. They don’t affect us in our lives ot interests. But God, pro or con, and the issue of life and death and everything before and after, they do affect every one of us. Is it not worth our time to think about them. If not, don’t read the articles, so you won;t be annoyed by them.

And if someone wants to write and refute what I have to say, or to represent a different religious point of view, they are sincerely and always welcome, and we’ll discuss together with respect and sincerity. That’s what a newspaper is for, after all.

Area schools threatened again

by Brandon Mayer

Seaway District High School was one of two schools specifically named in recent threats of violence Catholic High School into lockdown for several hours while the school was searched. The situation on October 3 was different, with threats leveled before students were in the building, necessitating full closures of the multiple schools included in the area of the threats as a precaution.

Parents of students at all public and Catholic schools in Kemptville, as well as two schools in Iroquois, were rattled by threats of violence in the early morning hours of October 3. An OPP report confirms that the two schools specifically named were Seaway District High School in Iroquois and St. Michael Catholic High School in Kemptville. School officials and the OPP became aware of the threats some time prior to 2am, and made the decision to close all schools in both towns out of an abundance of caution. This meant several school closures in Kemptville, while the only other school in Iroquois is Iroquois Public School. For Kemptville area schools, this was the second incident related to unrealized threats of violence leveled by anonymous individuals in the span of a few weeks.

On September 13, a similar threat put St. Michael

St. Michael in particular appears unable to catch a break from the cowardly and serious threats, because once again on October 4, it was targeted. An October 4 email to parents reads: “At midnight, the board received a call from the OPP indicating that they spoke directly to an anonymous person who indicated that at the beginning of the school day on Friday, October 4, there would be an act of violence involving weapons that would take place at St. Michael CHS.” The email goes on to assure that support will be available to students who need it, given the emotional impact

of such threats.

By the evening of Sunday, October 6, authorities were still not comfortable about the safety of St. Michael CHS. An email sent to parents read, in part: “As of this evening, a full evaluation of threats to St. Michael CHS has not been completed in order to accurately assess the risk to public safety.” The email goes on to explain that the school would once again be closed on Monday, October 7. Reactions from parents were mixed, with some suggesting that the best option would be to open the school with enhanced security.

As of the time of writing, there has been no information about who might be threatening area schools repeatedly, or why. There are more questions than answers. Who stands to benefit from the temporary closure of a handful of schools? Are more threats to come? Are the threats of violence real? It’s difficult to think of how these actions could benefit anyone. We can only hope that the culprits are caught and punished in a manner consistent with the seriousness of making threats against our schools and by extension, our children.

Calling all volunteers: Let’s keep Moovies alive

by Brandon Mayer

A popular staple in North Dundas are the “Moovies” put on frequently at the Old Town Hall. These exciting events make use of the Township’s very own movie theatre to give youth a taste of being able to walk to a local entertainment venue. The Moovies are still going strong and as popular as ever, but volunteers are needed to ensure continued success.

Aaron Dellah, who is currently in charge of the Moovies, reports that average attendance at the events is 50% capacity, or about

50 out of 97 seats. “Unless you are involved with an organized activity – sports or classes of some kind –there are very few places where the residents of North Dundas can go just to hang out, especially young children and teens,” said Aaron. “Moovies nights provide a safe, friendly environment for kids of all ages to go. I have seen many a "first date" come through the doors, and many more tweens being dropped off by mum and dad to meet up with their friends.”

The Moovies are run as a non-profit operation, with

ticket prices only meant to cover costs, not to turn a profit. The idea is to keep this important form of local entertainment affordable for families from all socioeconomic backgrounds.

But how much work is it to put on the Moovies?

“A typical movie day is run by 4 volunteers working a 7 hour day,” Aaron explained. “This work is mainly done by high school volunteers. Outside of the actual movie day, there is an additional 30 hours of work done in planning, advertising, recruiting volunteers, stocking the canteen, accounting, and fulfilling licensing requirements.” Aaron believes that a committee of 4-5 adults could take over the various "executive" roles in running the movies, with the usual 3-4 high school volunteers still needed to run the operations.

The admission fee for the Moovies goes toward licensing fees, advertising, rent, and the movies themselves. The event is covered under the Township’s existing insurance. Other expenses which are funded

by profits from the canteen are those such as equipment upgrades, and pizza for the volunteers that make the event happen.

In addition to the Moovies events, there are also free movies put on for local schools and non-profit groups. When profits do get made from any of the Moovies events, they are put toward improvements to the Old Town Hall.

Aaron has no doubt that a small committee can take over the Moovies when he is ready to “hang his hat” after May of 2025. “All my children have finished high school and moved on. Time for me to do the same,” said Aaron. Those interested in being committee members or volunteers can get in touch with Aaron by email at info@moovies.ca, by phone at 613-441-2021 (landline), or on Facebook Messenger – “North Dundas Theatre”.

OASIS PAINTING

Pet of the week

CHURCH Directory

Solomon’ Porch

Nationside Pentecostal

Box 292 Chesterville

Phone: 613-448-2272

Pastor Scott Sayers

Sunday Service: 10:30 am. at The Nelson LaPrade Centre nationsidepentecostalchurch. ca

Southgate Winchester

539 Main Street, Winchester Phone: 613-258-6123

Sunday Service: 10:00 am. Kids program for toddlers - Gr 6 The Pulse Youth (Gr 6 -12) biweekly on Fridays at 7pm. Play Group (babies to preschool) Wednesdays at 10am. Ladies Group bi-monthly. Contact the church office for more info. https://southgatechurch.com/

The Gathering House

2 Water St. Chesterville Phone: 613-448-1758

Sunday Service: 10:00 am. Nursery and Sunday school available for children.

Adult Bible studies throughout the week. STEM program & Youth group Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. Playgroup drop in 10:30 am on Fridays. HUB youth drop in 7 -10 pm Fridays. Cafe Mon. & Fri. 9 am - 4 pm and Wed. 12 -4 pm www.thegatheringhouse.ca

Winchester Pastoral Charge

Winchester United/Hope Springs United Church

Sunday Services

9:30 a.m. at Hope Springs

United Church

11:00 a.m. at Winchester United Church www.winchesterunited.ca

Winchester Baptist Church

486 Main St. Winchester Phone: 343-649-2204

Sunday Services: 11:00 am. (hymn sing 10:45) “Snack and chat” (lunch) after service, last Sunday each month. Join us for prayer every Tuesday evening anytime between 6:30pm and 8:00pm. https://m.facebook.com/ groups/WinchesterBaptistOnt/

Inkerman Wesleyan

11486 Queen St. Inkerman Phone: 613-989-5312

Email: antony.kiar@gmail. com

Lay Pastor: Tony Kiar

Sunday Service: 10:30 AM

Hope Springs

United Church

12261 County Road 5, Box 9 Winchester Springs, ON K0C 2H0

Minister: Rev. Christine Lowson

Office: 613-774-2512

Sunday, October 20, 2024 Joint Anniversary Service

ACROSS

1. Threesome

5. Shroud

10. Smear

14. Peel

15. Liquid bodily waste

16. Being

17. Underestimated

19. Passed with flying colors

20. South southeast

21. Consumer of food

22. Clothe

23. Feel

25. Area below the abdomen

27. East southeast

28. Bishoprics

31. Seaweed

34. Clowns

35. Anger

36. A young horse

37. A group of concubines

38. Departed

39. Decay

40. Haven

41. They form skeletons

42. Characteristic of opera

44. Women's ___

45. Inn

46. Human-powered taxi

50. Stock

52. Fatuous

54. How old you are

55. Boor

56. Pertaining to sound

58. Abbey area

59. Reason

60. Flunk

61. Existed

62. Twisty turns

63. Male offspring

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

DOWN

1. Reliance

2. Washer cycle

3. Alphabetical listing of topics

4. Flowery verse

5. Arrow poison

6. Give a speech

7. French for "Quick"

8. Stimulates

9. Scarlet

10. Term of endearment

11. A movement upward

12. Applications

13. Sleeping platforms

18. Employ again

22. Documents

24. Blue-green

26. Chamber

28. Column style

29. Coastal raptor

30. Notices

31. A bushy hairdo

32. Coil

33. Castle entrance

34. Churches

37. Detest

38. Mongolian desert

40. Pledge

41. Basin for washing anal area

43. Damaged by decay

44. Focusing glass (plural)

46. Hesitate

47. Chocolate source

48. Another time

49. Chimes

50. Spill the beans

51. Lariat

53. French for "We"

56. Air hero

57. Possibilities

Rafters Ennis 3 years old

Ellie Smart - Cane Corso 7 years old

Wild West Drone Fest:

Farmers break the law to spray fields with drones

by Nelson Zandbergen courtesy of Farmers Forum

Canadian farmers are quietly rebelling against federal rules that prohibit spraying agriculture’s most important crop chemicals with drones, according to industry insiders.

Under the radar, some fed-up Ontario farmers are opting to spray with drones anyway.

For the better part of a decade, American farmers have been using drones to spray popular herbicides and pesticides. They’re allowed as long as those chemicals are already approved for use with conventional aviation cropdusting. Canadian regulators have resisted this blanket approach, insisting instead on a separate drone certification for each product. It’s a go-slow, bureaucratic process that appears to be years away from allowing drones to apply the pesticides common in farming. That includes the crucial fungicides sprayed on Ontario corn – often by helicopter.

Markus Weber, an Edmonton based vendor of the biggest agricultural drones from manufacturer DJI, said that Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency is holding up approvals while proving unable to enforce its rules.

“This is a year full of drama,” Weber said. “The farmers are way out ahead of the regulators. The cat’s out of the bag.”

Weber, who emphasized that he doesn’t condone breaking the law, estimated that “hundreds” of people in Western Canada are having crops dronesprayed with products not currently approved for use with drones. The Ontario

The $40,000 unit zipped along over the tassels, trailing a tantalizing mist of nothing but plain water. “Of course, it’s a tease,” Weber acknowledged, in light of the current restrictions.

In reality, an agricultural drone, because of its very low flight path, should be regulated “as a backpack sprayer,” he said.

number would be in the “tens,” he suggested, with most being farmers using their own drones.

One operator – a Southwestern Ontario farmer who agreed to speak with Farmers Forum on condition of anonymity – has been spraying crops with a large drone that he’s owned for the last two years. Most of his work has involved spraying fungicide on his own corn fields and on those of paying customers. He charges $16 per acre and covers about 35 acres per hour. This year, in his second season of operation, he sprayed 6,000 acres and served 15 customers.

“It’s my mid-life crisis. It’s better than a Corvette, or a bad habit,” he quipped. He hopes to build a customer base that sticks with him beyond the black market, assuming Canada finally legalizes the practice.

Markus Weber’s company, LandView, demonstrated the largest available drones at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock. Roughly as large as a tractor tire, a DJI T-50 drone flew low over a cornfield.

Meanwhile, civil aviation authorities at Transport Canada aren’t interested in enforcing Health Canada’s spraying rules, he added, and are actually making it easier for farmers to get into the drone game this year with reduced licensing requirements set to take effect this fall or next spring.

Drones are currently allowed to broadcast only fertilizer and seed in Canada. The only pesticides permitted to date have no use in agriculture: mosquito larvicides and a tree defoliant used by hydro crews.

Just how restrictive are the rules right now?

Adrian Rivard, operator of a law-abiding, abovethe-board drone company, found out that he’s even prohibited from spraying a completely natural substance. The Chatham-Kent resident noticed that one pesticide – used to kill mites – is 97% canola oil. So he inquired with Health Canada if he could potentially spray 100% canola oil from his drone instead. The answer was still no. “I can’t spray canola oil onto my canola fields,” Rivard remarked.

Dundas County Players to hold a costume sale

Excellent progress is being made in the construction of the new Dundas Manor, as shown in this ariel photo posted by the Manor on Facebook on September 30.

by Gabriele Thomas

The Dundas County Players (DCP) are cleaning house and invite people to check out what's on offer at the Old Town Hall in Winchester from 10 am to 4 pm on October 26.

“Over the years, our wardrobe has grown in size, filling our costume room to capacity, “ explains Lynn Jolicoeur, DCP' president. “It's time to de-clutter and reorganize the space and make it easier to know what we have and find what we need.”

People are invited to check out a variety of women's and men's clothing, shoes, belts, hats, and wigs. There will also be a number of special, fanciful items from previous Christmas pantomimes, such as costumes for court jesters, witches, princesses, knights, sultans and castle guards. It is, however, important to note, that there are no costumes or clothing for small children.

“This is our first costume sale,” added Jolicoeur, “It will be on a small scale and cash only. If it works out, we plan to do it again next year.”

The Dundas County Players Theatre Society is a community volunteer organisation that promotes theatre arts in Dundas County. For the past 28 years, Dundas County Players has been providing quality entertainment including plays, children’s summer workshops, and cabarets.

Parents angered by school bus route cancellations

by Brandon Mayer

Complaints from parents in the area are rolling in regarding frequent school bus route cancellations. The Times has heard from many parents who are pointing out that while it’s understandable for a route to be cancelled once in a while, what has been going on since the start of the school year is far bigger than that, with some families experiencing a half dozen route cancellations per month.

Holly Amber Brown has 4 kids who attend 3 separate schools. Both she and her partner are employed in downtown Ottawa, meaning their commutes are already extremely long. They work different hours to offset the costs of any before and after school care, which means that often only one parent is at home. This puts a heavy burden on that parent’s shoulders when a bus route gets cancelled.

Like many working parents, Holly can’t simply leave work when she wants. She manages a team in the healthcare field and frequently runs training sessions and meetings – things that she can’t just get up and walk away from. The result is that her kids have sometimes had to miss school entirely. Holly points out that since we live in a rural area, the options for being transported to school are limited to the bus or a drive from a parent. When a school bus route is cancelled, there is no regularly scheduled public transportation ready to take kids to school. In fact, many places in the local area don’t even have bike paths or sidewalks for children to use. Holly also urges the consideration of children with disabilities, who may be more affected by the change in routine when their bus route is cancelled.

Holly doesn’t have an easy solution to the problem, but she argues that Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO), which manages bus transportation in the area, should be more transparent about the problem and the steps they are taking to resolve it. She also suggests that it may be necessary for secondary schools to begin offering before and after school clubs, at least until the busing problem is resolved. One of the times when Holly’s daughter’s bus was cancelled and she couldn’t make it on time, her daughter had to wait in the hall to be picked up.

Many people, including bus drivers, have weighed in on the reason why bus routes are being cancelled so often. The general consensus is that the job’s compensation and benefits are insufficient to attract casual drivers who will drive when other drivers take a day off.

“The bus cancellations are because our regular drivers are sick, and there are no spares to do the runs,” said Francine Allen-Lalonde. “It’s not because we don’t want to work. If more money was granted to the companies and their drivers, then there could be more training which would mean more drivers, more spares and less cancellations.”

School bus drivers typically make around $20-21 per hour, which is far below comparable jobs in the city with much better hours. The starting wage for an OC Transpo driver in Ottawa is over $29 per hour, with significant raises in the first two years. School bus drivers have fewer working hours split into two shifts at off hours of the working day. They also haul the most precious cargo we have – our children. It’s not surprising that with the compensation offered, driver positions aren’t filling.

A drone with a 50 kg payload sprays water in a demonstration of its potential abilities (Nelson Zandbergen photo)

Baldwin’s Birds

The bird movements of late seem to be a little more delayed than usual, due to our still occurring warmer temperatures, which must be affecting their migration senses this year. Abundance of natural food is a factor in their delayed departures, so that we are getting to enjoy them a little longer than usual, but having said that, I am having quite a job today of deciding what I am going to talk about.

The Canada Geese are still

here and are flying back and forth from the Rideau River to the river (creek?) that runs past the end of our road, between Kemptville and Oxford Mills. They make this trip twice daily, as indicated by their honking, both in the morning and then later in the afternoon. It is always quite exciting to see them, especially as they usually negotiate their route at relatively low levels, giving you a chance of getting good in-flight views of them. Su-

per! Especially more so on their evening trips, as they head into the lovely sunsets that we have been seeing, on their way back to the Rideau for the night.

Our other stalwarts are still here, but not showing themselves so predominately at present. We did get some good views of one of our regular “ground feeders”, the Slate Grey Juncos this morning, as they fed and then perched on the pine trees, whose vivid greens

Cellular energy is part of the formula for health

Some people just have more energy than others. You can pick them out of a crowd. They are running up the stairs, two at a time. Their toes are constantly tapping. They are ready for more fun and games when everyone else is exhausted. But is this outward show of energy a marker of good health?

The fact is everyone needs to have enough fuel in the tank to operate essential life systems. Our bodies need sufficient energy for breathing in and out and keeping organs operating. Beyond these necessary functions, energy might better be considered a lifestyle matter. Yoko Ono once quipped, “if you don’t have it, don’t bother with rock and roll.”

But are you wishing you had more of it? Don’t be misled by the quick fix. A caffeinated drink will pick up your pace. A chocolate bar will offer a sugar rush. But to appreciate the body’s own energy system and how you sustain energy, you need to understand what is happe-

ning at the cellular level.

Coenzyme Q10, or CoQ10 for short, is a compound produced by our bodies that plays a role in cellular energy production. If you think of each cell in the body as a factory that needs energy to operate, then CoQ10 are the battery chargers. There are other important components, but CoQ10 helps keep the machinery running smoothly.

It is found in virtually every cell in the body, with higher concentrations in organs with high energy demands, such as the heart, liver, and kidneys. Unfortunately, as we age, our bodies' ability to produce CoQ10 diminishes.

That’s not ideal, since one of the benefits of CoQ10 is its role in maintaining cardiovascular health. The heart is an energy-hungry organ. Like fully charged batteries, CoQ10 keeps the supply of energy flowing to cardiac cells. CoQ10 also acts as an antioxidant, protecting heart cells from oxidative damage and reducing inflammation within the cardiovascular system. CoQ10 can help

lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol profiles, and enhance overall heart function.

This is why you will see CoQ10 as an ingredient in the formulas of heart-healthy supplements in natural health food stores.

Studies have revealed that CoQ10 supplementation can be particularly beneficial for individuals with heart conditions, such as congestive heart failure and angina. It aids in improving the heart's pumping capacity, alleviating symptoms, and enhancing quality of life.

The brain is another energy-intensive organ and CoQ10's potential to enhance cellular energy production has made it a subject of interest among brain health researchers. Several studies suggest that CoQ10 supplementation may help protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

As an antioxidant, CoQ10 helps neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, preventing cellular damage and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can wreak havoc on our cells, leading to premature aging and a higher risk of conditions like

showed them up very nicely too. Dressed in their slate grey upper plumage, which sharply contrasts with their very white lower bodies, beautifully defined where the colors come together in very distinct lines. Their beaks are always quite striking as well, being a bit on the yellowish side, not like their eyes which are a very deep black.

Stay safe and well,

Cheers,

John Baldwin

Flu season is here

from EOHU

cancer and heart disease. By bolstering the body's antioxidant defenses, CoQ10 helps safeguard cells from oxidative stress.

For diabetics, CoQ10 can help manage blood sugar levels. Research suggests that CoQ10 supplementation can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce oxidative stress, both of which are factors in diabetes management. By enhancing the body's ability to use insulin effectively, CoQ10 helps control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of diabetes complications.

Most young and healthy people produce enough CoQ10 naturally. But since levels deplete with age, supplementing daily in the range of 100-200 mg is the typical recommendation. It’s safe at higher levels, but those on blood thinners, chemotherapy drugs, and antidepressants should consult with their doctor about possible interactions.

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As the fall and cooler weather arrive, they bring with them the start of flu season. The flu shot is the best protection against the flu, and with the increased severity of flu and other respiratory illnesses in recent years, getting your flu vaccine is more important now than ever. The flu vaccine is available and recommended for everyone aged 6 months and older.

“Respiratory illnesses make their rounds every year, but the flu poses a bigger risk to young children,” says Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health at the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU). “I highly recommend that everyone in your household get their flu shot this fall, especially if they are under the age of 5 or over 65. The flu vaccine can help you and your loved ones stay healthy and reduce the pressure on our already strained healthcare system.

Flu shots available throughout the region

The flu shot is available at various locations across the five Eastern Counties and Cornwall through healthcare providers, community health centres, and participating pharmacies. For children ages 6 months to under 5 years and their household members, the flu shot is also available by appointment at the EOHU. Visit EOHU.ca to learn how you can book an appointment.

Certain groups of people are at higher risk of complications from the flu and are strongly encouraged to get immunized. These include:

- Children 6 months to less than 5 years of age

- People aged 65 and older

- People with chronic medical conditions

- Pregnant individuals

If you live with or provide care to someone who falls under one of the groups listed above, or care for babies under 6 months of age who are too young to get the flu shot, it is also highly recommended that you get immunized. This simple step will help protect you and those around you.

For more information about the flu shot, visit EOHU. ca or call the EOHU at 613-933-1375 or 1-800-267-7120. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Ground feeders in action