Issue 47 2023 November 30 NG Times by The North Grenville & North Dundas Times

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The Voice of North Grenville

Vol. 11 No. 47

November 30, 2023

Christmas kick-off in Oxford Mills

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by Neil Whyte Join us for our beloved annual event, a festive celebration that will ﬁll your heart with holiday cheer! On Friday, December 1, kick oﬀ the season with the magical Tree Lighting ceremony. Gather with friends and family as we illuminate the gazebo and tree, turning on the twinkling lights that will adorn our beautiful community park. This has become a real tradition at this season, growing each year as family, friends and neighbours come by to mark a special event in the life of the community. In the heart of Oxford Mills, between Maplewood and the

old Town Hall, the park and the gazebo, it is the perfect place for celebrations all year round. But, as with everything, it is especially so at Christmas. There’s something magical and even cosy about Maplewood Park on a December night, with the tree lights sparkling in the dark, and your friends and neighbours bundled up, lyric sheets in hand, joining in the familiar, well-loved hymns and songs of Christmas. And when the singing is done, indulge in the cosy warmth of hot chocolate, while Santa himself makes a special appearance! Capture the moment with photos and create memories that will

last a lifetime. Maplewood has been a centre of community activity for almost 150 years, ﬁrst as a school, then as the local library, and more recently as the community centre, and makes the prefect venue for our Christmas gathering. The festivities continue on Saturday, December 2, with a delightful community tradition – a free pancake breakfast for all! Join your neighbours and friends for a morning of delicious pancakes, Oxford Mills syrup, and all the breakfast ﬁxings to fuel your holiday spirit. Yes, we have such a good time, we have to carry it over two days instead of one!

And of course, the highlight of the morning will be the chance to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Share your holiday wishes, snap a photo, and revel in the joy of the season with the beloved couple. Over the years, families have grown up with Christmas in Oxford Mills: it’s just one of those happy, fun experiences that seem to ease us into the Christmas Season and helps to make the yuletide bright. Mark your calendars for this festive weekend of community, joy, and holiday magic. Don't miss out on the chance to create cherished memories at this wonderful event!

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Salvation Army seeking volunteers

and clothing assistance, income tax preparation, snowsuits for kids, backpacks and school supplies for students, a hair cutting clinic, an emergency shelter and many other individual needs. The Salvation Army aims to raise awareness about the disparity that exists within our community, and the fact that every person is deserving of compassion and respect. “I challenge able-bodied retired or semi-retired people in and around North Grenville to join the group of Kettle Campaign volunteers!” said Salvation Army Volunteer, Marc Cote. “Future generations will thank you!” Marc notes that the generous donations received at events throughout the community, including the recent Mistletoe Fair, show just how positive the community is when it comes to helping people in need. However, the Salvation Army cannot do its important work without the volunteer labour that keeps the Kettle Campaign ticking. Marc is in his 80s, and has been volunteering for decades. He sees no reason why volunteers can’t start young and give years of service to their community.

Army Kettle Campaign. Volunteering is a great way to catch the spirit of Christmas, and an effective way to help those in need. With its iconic red kettle, The Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettle Campaign counts on the passion of volunteers like you to help people in need all through the year, and especially at Christmas. The shifts are 2 hour time slots between 10 am and 8 pm every day except Sunday. This is a perfect opportunity for seniors, individuals and families, and is also a great opportunity for students to obtain their required volunteer hours. It's important to note that each Kettle location (B&H, Food Basics, IndeVolunteer Marc Cote hard at work for the Kettle Campaign pendent, Walmart, Canadian at the Mistletoe Fair on November 19. Tire, Giant Tiger, LCBO, by Gay Pratt and Brandon Cruiser for toy collection, a Winchester Foodland and bouncy castle, Fat Les's chip Osgoode Foodland) is orgaMayer It’s that time of year stand, a band, and of course nized and managed by the again, and the bells are ring- an appearance by Santa and local Salvation Army at 2 Oxford St West, and the ing out across the town Mrs. Claus. If you have a desire to funds that are raised stay in of Kemptville. The Salvation Army Christmas Kettle give back to your commu- the local catchment area. The Kettle Campaign is Campaign has begun with nity because you believe in a huge kick off event at the helping the vulnerable popu- vitally important due to the Canadian Tire “Spirit of lation in our area and treat- ongoing impact of inflation, Giving” event on November ing everyone with dignity and supports individuals and 18, where there were gift and respect, please come and families with a variety of esbaskets to be won, a Stuff the volunteer for The Salvation sential needs, including food

From “benches” to “award winning benches”

by Brandon Mayer

November 30, 2023

Earlier this year, in May, the North Grenville Chamber of Commerce purchased two very

open books, allowing the user to sit comfortably upon the open pages and read about the community. Fittingly, the benches were placed outside the North Grenville Public Library. When they were installed, the benches were very well received. Now, they have even more prestige. The benches were recently dubbed “best in show” for the Unique Signs award in a national magazine called Sign Media Canada. The benches are pictured prominently in a page of the magazine, alongside a description of how they were constructed. “These benches were built with a custom struc-

unique benches to help further beautify Kemptville’s downtown. The benches are shaped like 2

He also extends a reminder that kindness is free. Not everyone has the means to give when they pass by a Bell Ringer volunteering for the Kettle Campaign, but a smile or a nod and a “thank you” can go a long way. Come one and all, and be a Bell Ringer for the Kemptville Salvation Army

to help us “Give Hope Today”. For more information, contact Gay Pratt, The Salvation Army Kemptville, Kettle Coordinator at 613 258 3583, or drop in at 2 Oxford Street West.

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tural aluminum frame, computer numerical control (CNC) programmed to bend 3.1 mm aluminum sheets to form the shape of an open book,” the blurb reads. “The team used 3M vinyl on the panels and Matthews anti-graffiti clear coat. When ﬁnalizing this project, they highlighted key works and landmarks in the wording, so the book actually tells the story of the community where it belongs. Structurally, the result is very strong, and it presents itself as a unique and functional product.” The benches were built by Moncton, NB based company Hansen Signs, which is one of the top sign makers in the

country. Next time you take a stroll through downtown Kemptville, be sure to take a break on one of these beautiful and creative benches. They aren’t just benches anymore, after all, they’re “award winning benches!”

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A selﬂess act of generosity and kindness

Cassie and Owen with their carts full of toys, which were donated to Toy Mountain via the Kemptville 73s Toy Drive.

by Brandon Mayer A local resident got very lucky at the 73s Alumni game on November 18, and thanks to her charitable spirit, she isn’t the only one who’s in luck. Cassidy (Cassie) Redmond won about $500 from a 50/50 draw at the Alumni game against the Senators Alumni team, and rather than splurge on herself, she

paid it forward in the best way possible – by purchasing toys for kids in need. After the game, Cassie set off with her brother Owen to ﬁll two grocery carts with toys for the 73s Toy Drive. The toys will ultimately be donated to Toy Mountain, which provides free gifts for parents who would otherwise not be able to put anything under the tree for their kids. “The person who taught

about money. “What I did was money, but you don’t always need money to help those less fortunate or to spread Christmas cheer,” said Cassie. “You can just be kind, open the door for others, and just overall be there for others.” She added in a word of thanks for the 73s as well: “I just would like to thank the Kemptville 73’s for everything they do for this

me to be so generous was definitely my grandfather,” Cassie told the Times. “He always told me that what you do always has a way of coming back to you.” Cassie says that she is already in the Christmas spirit, and that what helped solidify her generous decision was a simple worry that some kids may not get to experience Christmas the way she has always known it. “I love waking up to all my gifts with my family so I feel as though every kid should get that opportunity,” Cassie added. “I have never done anything like this before, it was definitely my mom who influenced me to do this act of kindness.” Of course, Cassie didn’t act alone. Owen deserves credit too, and Cassie added in words of appreciation for him. “My brother and I are close, he is someone I look up to all the time,” she said. “He helps me with everything I do, I am so grateful he helped me get the toys.” Cassie’s advice to others who may want to help those in need is that it doesn’t always have to be

community.” The social media user who ﬁrst brought the story to light shared his own words of appreciation, saying “I am so impressed with this young lady’s kindness and generosity that I just had to share this story.” We’re impressed, too! Way to go, and Merry Christmas!

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Editorial

Water to the soup by Brandon Mayer There are currently two major fundraising campaigns underway that almost all residents of North Dundas and North Grenville have surely heard about by now. In North Grenville, there is a huge effort underway to raise funds to add a much-needed CT Scanner to the Kemptville District Hospital. In North Dundas, a campaign that has gone on for many months to raise funds for the new Dundas Manor is reaching more milestones each passing week, with construction now set to begin. It’s unbelievable to see how well-supported these campaigns have been. It’s astounding in the best way. It’s heartwarming and speaks to the strength of our communities. It shows such a commitment to helping each other, which is a small town value we must never fail to be proud of. Don’t just take my word for it. Let me point out some of the generosity that has been shown in the past few months, starting with Dundas Manor. In July, campaigning got underway for the Grand

Parade fundraiser that saw hundreds of people – including members of Council – raising money for the Dundas Manor in September. Many local businesses also stepped up to show support. The result was over $100,000 in funds raised. Just last week, on November 18, Matilda Hall in Dixon’s Corners played host to the Sapphires and Snowﬂakes event, with ticket sales supporting the new Dundas Manor. It took only two months for the fundraising meter to hit $700,000 after the public fundraising campaign for the new Dundas Manor was launched. This amount is just a small part of the approximately $12 million that has been raised by the community in total. I’m sure I’m not the only one who sees what an absolutely massive sum of money that is for a small community to raise. The Winchester Lions Club was able to provide a $10,000 donation, and pledged $10,000 more. The Morrisburg and District Lions Club managed to come up with a $20,000 donation as well, and the Mountain and District Lions Club

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor, There comes a time when the process of challenging and appealing a decision becomes so onerous and ﬁnancially draining that one has to stop. It takes thousands of dollars in legal fees etc. and it quickly becomes clear just how futile and exhausting it is to ﬁght a developer’s plan. Such was the appeal to the Land Tribunal pertaining to the planned 168 apartments in three four-storey buildings to be built on the old KPS site. This appeal was filed on the behalf of all those 22 plus households surrounding this property. We applaud the attempt, and our views on the matter have not changed at all. We still want prudent, sensible development. Unfortunately, we view the plans for this property as aggressive and too ambitious for the amount of available ground. The

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plans are also not sensitive to the existing bungalows and homes in the area and do not address the housing shortage for the most modest income citizens. People stand and gaze at the old KPS site and they have no idea that there is a 10 meter wide ribbon of land running the length of the south side of this property that cannot be built upon. It is a hydro easement used for servicing the poles. This severely restricts the amount of land available for buildings and necessary parking spaces. The building closest to the park does not have the proper required amount of “frontage set back” and is closer to the Riverside Park boundary than it should be. The same building has one corner with a “side set back” of only 4 meters from my neighbour’s back gate. The minimum allowed is 8 meters! The same infrac-

has now pledged a $40,000 donation. These examples (and I’m sure there are some I’ve missed) only pertain to the new Dundas Manor. They don’t include the hundreds of thousands of dollars raised for other Winchester District Memorial Hospital Foundation causes, such as the general equipment fund, the cancer care fund, and the birthing unit. I’m glad to say that an exhaustive list would likely occupy two editorials and leave no room for my commentary. Next, let’s take a quick snapshot of the KDH’s CT Scanner campaign. Again, I can’t hope to capture every fundraising initiative that has been undertaken over the course of several months, but I can happily provide examples. The Camaro raﬄe is one – the exciting fundraiser brought in about $200,000 for the CT Scanner. Another example is a recent $10,750 donation to the campaign from the Holmes Memorial Golf Tournament, and a $3,180 donation from the eQuinelle Men’s Golf League. An eQuinelle fashion show raised a further $20,000.

Royal Lepage ran a fundraising event for the CT Scanner, and JAM Productions and Blackwind partnered to make a fundraising CD in support of the campaign. In a recent conversation with Chris Morgan about the Kemptville Male Choir’s upcoming Christmas concert, he mentioned that a collection plate will be passed around during the concert to raise funds for the CT Scanner. It’s very inspiring to see how residents of our communities can wholeheartedly get behind causes that are important. Something that we must keep in mind: These are community dollars. Fundraising money is money that comes from the pockets of those who live here. The non-profit organizations and community volunteers give their time and their organizational expertise, and the community provides the funds. Someone who is better than me at math ought to run some calculations and see how much has been raised by each household or resident on average in these fundraising campaigns. What has happened and continues to happen with

tions have happened with the buildings that parallel Prescott St and Blossom Ave. Although the appeal was withdrawn, it is at least satisfying that the resulting opinion from a generated report came to the same conclusion as those living near this site. The author, Mr. Allan Ramsay MCIP, RPP, a city planner with over 22 years experience working for the City of Burlington and 5 years with the Town of Oakville and now owning his own consulting firm, reviewed all the material and said that this was an obvious “overdevelopment of the site” and that “the Applicant has not demonstrated that adequate municipal services are available or can reasonably be expected to be available in the near future.” To the best of my knowledge, there is still a “holding provision” notation that the Municipality has put on this

project and as a result, construction cannot start. The aquifer can only support so much and the aging sewers are also likely inadequate. So while concerned people are trying to get this project “right”, please do not view delays and careful planning as a “hindrance” just because we disagree. We will be living with the consequences of this project for a long time. All we ask is for a housing project that is in harmony with the rest of the residential community. It is important to remember that the ultimate goal is to have housing that supports people, not housing to support Kemptville’s downtown. There is a diﬀerence. E. McGreavy

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the unwavering support for these worthy causes would be heartwarming even in the best of economic times. However, these times are anything but. Inflation is high, groceries and gas are expensive, housing is so pricey that it is scarcely attainable for many people, and it’s a struggle for many just to get by. And yet here we are, raising massive amounts of money for worthy causes, just because that’s who we are. In trying to think of why people are willing to part with their money, even in these challenging times, my mind jumped to its usual assortment of phrases and analogies that could help to summarize what is going on. The first one that I came up with was that small town people are always eager to give the “shirt off their back”, but it doesn’t quite fit. Giving the shirt off one’s back suggests giving the last of what a person has, and that is not what’s happening here. In university, I had a very quirky psychology professor who – in discussing his upbringing to prove a point about nature vs nurture –

told us that he was raised in a stereotypical small town atmosphere. Hospitality was king in their household, and generosity was not viewed as an option, but a necessity. They didn’t have much money, but nevertheless, they would never let others go without if they had the option to share. I’ll never forget the phrase my professor used – “we can always add water to the soup”. In other words, we may not have money to buy extra ingredients, but if everyone takes just a little less, more people can share in the meal. With these recent fundraising campaigns, it shows that even though people are increasingly tapped out for money lately, there is always something left to give. Clearly, we have much to be proud of. In tough times, North Grenville and North Dundas residents have supported causes that mattered, and demonstrated what tight knit, caring communities look like. Bravo to us. We deserve to hold our heads a little higher while we reap the future benefits of our community spirit and collective generosity.

What a Christmas Gift!

The people of North Grenville have shown, once again, that they have big hearts. This year’s Salvation Army Fill-aBag campaign produced a most wonderful sight, as cars and trucks collected full bags of groceries and other necessities from doorsteps all around the Municipality. Some doorsteps even had more than one full to overflowing bag waiting for collection. And the result, as can be seen in the photograph, was a floor filled with bags ready to be sorted and separated into gift bags for distribution across North Grenville in time for Christmas. Magnificent!

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Police charge four with human traﬃcking oﬀences

••

UPDATE

submitted by OPP 23 charges laid in 10-month investigation Police have arrested four individuals and laid 23 criminal offences during a joint human trafficking investigation. In October 2022, police were made aware of a female youth being human trafficked across Ontario and Quebec. Under the Provincial Human Trafficking Intelligence-led Joint Forces Strategy (IJFS), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, Ottawa Police Service, Kingston Police Service and the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service began an investigation. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) also assisted with this investigation. Evidence revealed that the victim indicated that they had been sexually exploited since 2019. The victim is now in a place of safety. As a result of the investigation, four individuals were arrested and charged with the following Criminal Code offences: A male, 26 years old from Ottawa, has been charged with: - Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, as per Section 117.01(1), - Sexual Assault, as per Section 271, - Assault, as per Section 266, - Procuring, as per Section 286.3 (1), two counts, - Traffic in Persons, as per Section 279.01, - Material Benefit Resulting from Trafficking in Persons, as per Section 279.02(1), - Material Benefit from Sexual Services, as per Section 286.2(1), - Advertising Sexual Services, as per Section 286.4 C.C, - Possession of a Prohibited device or ammunition, as per Section 92(2), and - Possession of a Schedule I substance for the Purpose of Trafficking, Section 5(2) CDSA. He remains in custody following a bail hearing. A male, 22 years old from Vanier, has been charged with: - Traffic in Persons, as per Section 279.01, - Material Benefit Resulting from Trafficking in Persons, as per Section 279.02(1), - Material Benefit from Sexual Services, as per Section 286.2(1), - Procuring, as per Section 286.3 (1), and - Advertising Sexual Services, as per Section 286.4. He remains in custody following a bail hearing. A female, 26 years old from Ottawa, has been charged with: - Traffic in Persons, as per Section 279.01, - Procuring, as per Section 286.3(1), and - Advertising Sexual Services, as per Section 286.4. She has been released from custody. She is scheduled to appear on December 12, 2023, at the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa. A female, 23 years old from Ottawa, has been charged with: - Traffic in Persons, as per Section 279.01, - Material Benefit Resulting from Trafficking in Persons, as per Section 279.02(1), - Material Benefit from Sexual Services, as per Section 286.2(1), and - Procuring, as per Section 286.3 (1). She has been released from custody. She is scheduled to appear on December 12, 2023, at the Ontario Court of Justice in Ottawa. Police suspect there may be other victims and are urging anyone with any additional information to contact the OPP non-emergency number at 1-888-310-1122 or their local police. If you or someone you know may be a victim of these crimes, call 9-1-1 immediately. The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-833-900-1010. Human trafficking resources are available at canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca.

Municipality congratulates Shelley Mitchell on award nomination submitted by Jill Sturdy The Municipality of North Grenville is thrilled to extend heartfelt congratulations to Shelley Mitchell on her nomination for the 2023 Bill Thake Memorial Award for Economic Development Leadership, also called the Warden's Award. This award recognizes and celebrates a volunteer who has shown outstanding commitment and leadership resulting in the growth and vitality of the Leeds Grenville economy. “On behalf of Council, we want to congratulate Shelley Mitchell on her well-deserved nomination for the prestigious Bill Thake Memorial Award,” highlighted Mayor Nancy Peckford. “We are so proud to have business and community leaders like Shelley who help strengthen North Grenville.” As a remarkable individual, Shelley's life is dedicated to family, entrepreneurship, and community service, making her an exemplary candidate for this esteemed recognition. Her commitment to the economic and social well-being of North Grenville has left an indelible mark on the community. Shelley Mitchell, the owner of To Be Continued, a thriving consignment shop, has not only contributed to the local economy for over 13 years but has also played a pivotal role in community leadership. As the newly appointed Chair of the Old Town Kemptville Business Improvement Area and the Chair of the BIA's Marketing and Promotion Committee, Shelley has organized major community events, fostering a sense of belonging and pride in the vibrant downtown community. Her involvement with various organizations, including Girl Guides and the Leeds Grenville COVID-19 Business Support Working Group, showcases her dedication to community well-being. Alongside Shelley's acknowledgment, the Municipality of North Grenville extends its congratulations to Joe Hudson, the esteemed founder of Burnbrae Farms, for being honoured with the 2023 Bill Thake Award. The Municipality also extends congratulations to other well-deserving nominees for the 2023 award, including Susan Alford of the Township of Rideau Lakes, Judi Baril of the Township of Augusta, and Terry Wills of the Township of Rideau Lakes. The Warden’s Award was presented at the 15th Annual Leeds Grenville Economic Development Summit on Friday, November 17th. The Summit is hosted by the Leeds Grenville Economic Development Oﬃce in partnership with Leeds Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes MP Michael Barrett, MPP Steve Clark, 1000 Islands, Valley Heartland and Grenville Community Futures development corporations, and the Eastern Workforce Innovation Board. November 30, 2023

MUNICIPAL OFFICE HOURS

The Municipal oﬃce is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visit our events calendar to ﬁnd out what’s happening in the community: www.northgrenville.ca/events Sign-up to receive Mayor Peckford’s e-newsletter at: northgrenville.ca/connect.

UPCOMING MEETINGS COUNCIL MEETINGS

Please see the Council agenda for further details on how to participate in Council meetings. All Council meetings will be live streamed on YouTube at: youtube.com/user/ NorthGrenville/featured and on the Municipality’s website at: www.northgrenville.ca/meetings. To make a deputation in relation to an item on the agenda, please provide your comments no later than two hours prior to the start of the meeting to clerk@northgrenville.on.ca. Council agendas are available at: www.northgrenville.ca/ meetings. • •

Friday, December 1 at 1:00 p.m. (Closed Session) – Brigadoon Tuesday, December 5 at 6:30 p.m. (Open Session) – Municipal Center, Suite A

COMMITTEE MEETINGS Committees may be meeting in-person or virtually. Please see the Committee agenda for details on how to attend. Agendas can be found on the Municipal website at www.northgrenville.ca/ meetings. • • •

Community and Economic Development Advisory Committee – Monday, December 4 at 3:30 p.m. Agriculture and Rural Aﬀairs Advisory Committee – Wednesday, December 6 at 4:15 p.m. Housing Advisory Committee – Thursday, December 7 at 5:30 p.m.

VOLUNTEER AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Advisory Committees Join the conversation regarding the community! The Municipality continues to accept applications for members to various advisory committees. Visit northgrenville.ca/ committees for more information on how to apply. For questions, please contact the Clerk by email at clerk@ northgrenville.on.ca or by telephone at 613-2589569 ext 171.

The Municipality of North Grenville 285 County Rd. 44, PO Box 130 , Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Tel: 613-258-9569 Fax: 613-258-9620 general@northgrenville.on.ca www.NorthGrenville.ca Building: 613-258-9569 x130 Fax: 613-258-1441

Fire Services Info: 613-258-9569 x201 Fax: 613-258-1031 By-Law Services: email: bylawinquiries@northgrenville.on.ca 613-258-9569 x211 Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002

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The North Grenville Times In loving memory of the best husband & father, Ellwood Pittman who passed away November 12, 2012

Sometimes I just sit quietly, reﬂecting for a while;imagining your voice, your face, your warm and loving smile. For it’s so lovely to recall the happy times we had had, when you played such a special role as both husband and dad. And at this very special time I only wish you knew, that I’d give all the world today for one more hour with you. But I still have my memories, and since we’ve been apart,it comfor ts me so much to know that you’re right here in my heart. Forever loved, sadly missed and always in our hearts. Your wife Hilda, Your daughters, Lisa, Angela and families.

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Penny for your thoughts

Stop your whining make it happen. Buskerfest run by BIA, Canada Day put on by KDCA, the Christmas Parade put on in part by the Rotary Club, and there is a long list of these groups who selﬂessly volunteer because they truly believe in our community. And now we’ve come to a time where volunteers are harder and harder to ﬁnd. All the groups that I mentioned before and more are struggling to keep these events going. At this point, I am not sure what is happening to the Kemptville District Community Association with very few volunteers stepping up. No wonder, I would think many are afraid to step into their shoes at this point. This year there was one Christian float in the Christmas parade, compared to years ago when almost every church participated. Churches have been under attack and seem to be afraid to be too visible. Have they done this to themselves?

by Mz. Penny I woke up in a foul mood this morning, where a cloud just hung over my head. Listening to world wide news and what’s going on in the US is pretty discouraging and, frankly, depressing. It seems we don’t learn from history and just keep making the same huge mistakes. Just look at Ukraine and Israel right now. Yesterday, I saw a video where a reporter was interviewing Trump supporters, and it just left me gobsmacked. I am not sure what world they live in, but even if it is something their own leader spouts, they call it fake news, and claim that he never said that. So this brings me back to my not so sleepy North Grenville where I chose to live 30 years ago. And I feel blessed to live here and know so many amazing people. There is always so much going on, and usually due to the volunteers who

With their anti-gay (2SLGBTQIA+) policies? Many of them have finally seen the light and have changed their views, but these are individual churches, where even from within there still remain diﬀerences of opinion on these matters. But I ask you: what does Christmas mean, and why have a parade at all? The meaning of Christmas to many of us still means that Jesus Christ was born and our forefathers/mothers chose that day to celebrate his birth. Perhaps we need to change the meaning and wording for Christmas. Let us Christians continue to celebrate it and call it Christmas, rather than Xmas in fear of upsetting someone. Get your own holiday and name it something else. And all you Xmas people choose another day to celebrate. Celebrate what? Probably the meaning of Family and Friends. One more comment be-

fore I close my rant, for those of you who complain about any event that is put on by volunteers and supported by the many LOCAL BUSINESSES: instead of posting what we think is wrong about it on social media, why not step up to the plate and ask questions in order to understand why the festival is run the way it is? Let’s have less talk and get out there, volunteer and work together for the common good of this community. We are suﬀering due to the lack of volunteers right now, so instead of griping or criticizing, let’s help to ﬁnd a solution. And when we can’t get our way, instead of walking away, let’s sit down with whomever is concerned and discuss how we feel like civilized persons, rather than refusing to talk face to face and just posting easy but hurtful comments on social media. It might make us feel good at the time, but it hurts us too in the long run.

Mayor’s remarks on National Housing Day The Food Corner by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville Our family has an old-fashioned file box filled with recipes. While going through trying to organize it better, I found this recipe for Eggnog Coffee Cakes. Since it’s eggnog season, it might help make the season brighter. You may remember that I gave a recipe for Festive Eggnog Loaf last December.

Eggnog Coﬀee Cakes

Ingredients • ½ cup butter at room temperature • 1 1/3 cup white granulated sugar • 3 cups of flour • 3 teaspoons of baking powder • 2 eggs • 2 cups of eggnog • 1 cup of candied fruit • 1 ½ cup of icing sugar • ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg • Candied cherries for trim • 12 small plums, halved, or 3 large ones, sliced • Topping: lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon Preparation • Preheat your oven to 325F • Cream the butter and the sugar together • Beat in the eggs, then mix in the flour and baking powder and add the eggnog • Fold in the candied fruit • Pour into greased muffin tins and bake for 30 minutes • Remove and let cool; then turn out the cakes • Combine the icing sugar and spice and add enough eggnog to get to a drizzle • Place one or two cakes on a plate and spoon on your drizzle • Garnish with cherries Ok, so the reason they are called coffee cakes is that these go well with a strong, bold brew. Mind you, English Breakfast Tea would work also. You just need to choose your source of caffeine. This is another recipe that can be turned over to your junior cooks. November 30, 2023

of Leeds and Grenville (UCLG) and the Municipality of North Grenville in 2021, it has led to the conversion of Kemptville’s old Courthouse in the downtown to ten rentgeared-to-income housing units for those on the Counties’ social housing list, including fully accessible units. Three of the units will be available for emergency or transitional housing and one for vulnerable youth confronting homelessness. North Grenville’s Council opted to lease the building to the Counties for $1 to make this project a reality – and the Province contributed nearly $1.5 million. This is just one of several affordable housing initiatives that North Grenville is pursuing. In 2020, Council chose to sever a small parcel of land at the edge of Kemptville Campus to enable one of Habitat for Humanity's largest projects in eastern rural Ontario. Fifteen affordable town homes are being built right now and will provide a critical path to home ownership for 15 families in our region. In another development, New Commons, a not-for-profit housing developer, has recently been

by Mayor Nancy Peckford National Housing Day is an important day to highlight the current challenges many people are facing when it comes to housing in this country. While North Grenville’s Council began tackling this issue in 2018, it has taken time to see progress in this area, particularly given major changes in the private housing and rental market since the pandemic. One of our first acts as Mayor and Council in January 2019, was striking an Affordable Housing Task Force and developing a Housing Strategy that implemented many of the Task Force's recommendations. In 2022, Council established a Municipal Advisory Committee on Affordable Housing which continues to examine the challenges and opportunities for more affordable and attainable housing in North Grenville. In the middle of the pandemic, our community was able to seize upon a rare opportunity to bring more rent-geared-to income housing to North Grenville. Born out of a key partnership between the Province of Ontario, the United Counties 6

approved to construct 109 multi-residential units in two brand new buildings on a vacant parcel of land on Reuben Crescent near the old Armoury. Further, Council has been working towards the establishment of a small pilot project with a local grassroots community group to build five tiny homes for seniors in the heart of the community. While all of these efforts give us hope, we know that much more needs to be done. It's clear that updating North Grenville's planning policies and collaborating with community partners has been a key part of our focus in order to create the momentum we need. This said, Council recognizes that challenges persist, and the need for affordable, attainable and supportive housing is greater than ever. The rising cost of living, a somewhat limited housing supply, and our own evolving demographics in North Grenville require sustained attention, innovative approaches and persistence if we are to overcome where we are right now. Finally, the term "affordable housing" is often difficult to define as it var-

ies based on factors like age, income, and family status. There is no doubt that our community is in urgent need of a range of aﬀordable and attainable housing options. Many of the new homes that are being built won’t meet the needs of some of our most vulnerable residents. Seniors, youth, and the unemployed face hard choices, such as moving far away or having to stay longer in their parents' home as adult children. On National Housing Day I, alongside my Council colleagues and the Municipality of North Grenville, reaffirm our commitment to prioritizing housing options that are appropriate and within reach. We will continue to address these housing challenges by exploring innovative partnerships, securing funding opportunities from the provincial and federal government and advocating for the necessary resources to make North Grenville an even better place to call home.

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Local karate school kicks butt at championship

Our school is bringing Christmas to CHEO

submitted by Morgane Remy The French school, Académie Catholique Notre-Dame, also known as ACND, is proud to present its Christmas initiative for the year of 2023. The preconcentration 7th and 8th grade students chose to bring some Christmas joy to other children this year. Throughout this class, students are learning different jobs as well as leadership. Since the students cannot meet the children at CHEO themselves, they have decided to harvest gifts. They are putting together personalized bags and cards for them and are hoping to get some extra help from our small community. They are looking for new toys, gifts cards, and admit kits to add to the bags. The students have a goal of 200 gifts this year. If you would like to help us and participate, please drop off your donation directly at our school for Mme Morgane. Students also created a wish list on Amazon for those who wish to help but who are not mobile. We are accepting presents until December 13th. Left to right: Keira Longtin, Velyien Thomson, Jayce Vergette. by Brandon Mayer A local karate team was thrilled to qualify for the World Karate Commission World Championships in Orlando, Florida late last month, under the teaching of Sensei Earl Horvath. The Kemptville site of Douvris Martial Arts – a school specializing in karate, fitness, and leadership – had three students qualify to represent Canada in the championships which were held from October 21 - 27. “Competitors are split by age and weight, Sensei Earl explained. “There is also an all weights division for each age group.” He stated that Keira Longtin won bronze in girls sparring in the 11-12 age group, Velyien Thomson won Bronze in girls open weight sparring and gold in girls team fighting in the 15-17 age group, and Jayce Vergette won gold in boys 70 kg sparring and bronze in boys team fighting in the 15-17 age group. “Since the World Championships, Jayce has turned 18 and fought in his first tournament in the men’s division and won,” added Sensei Earl. It was Keira’s first time at the World Championships, and Sensei Earl is sure she will only get better from here. Both Jayce and Velyien, meanwhile, have qualified for the event many times, and are seeing the benefits of years of training. “At the same tournament, Velyien continued her winning ways placing first in her weight class and first in all weights,” said the Sensei. “COVID set back tournaments and competitors a few years, but the events we attend have come back strong in 2023 with record numbers of participants.” The Douvris Kemptville tournament team is working hard to make it to next year’s World Championships. “I expect more of our students to qualify, first by placing in the top eight at the provincial championships in April, and then by placing in the top four at the WKC Canadian championships in May,” said Sensei Earl. “Everybody wants to go to the 2024 WKC World Championships in Albufeira Portugal next fall.”

THOMAS M. BYRNE Barrister and Solicitor

General Practice Corporate / Commercial Family Law Estates Real Estate Wills & Powers of Attorney tom@tmblaw.ca 613.258.1277 222 Prescott St., Kemptville

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Leeds and Grenville Online Branch Presentation

Ontario Genealogical Society

submitted by Kathy De Souza Are you dealing with the proverbial shoebox of photos? Would you like to bring some organization to your photo collections? Join us on Monday, December 4th at 7:00 pm via Zoom when Rob Donald, President of the Lanark County Camera Club, will share his knowledge of scanning and managing photos and importing images into a genealogy program. Rob has found a way to bring his passion for photography to his latest pastime, family history. The presentation will last about 40-45 minutes. So join us on Monday, December 4th at 7:00 pm on Zoom and learn some tricks for managing the shoebox! To register for this presentation, visit our Branch website leedsandgrenville@ogs.on.ca for more details.

This holiday season, Shop, Eat, and Enjoy Local!

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Show your love for our community by supporting our local businesses. From charming boutiques to mouthwatering eateries, North Grenville has it all!

St. John's United Church 400 Prescott St., Kemptville Tuesday 10am to Noon

Visit LoveNG.ca for a list of our incredible local businesses.

All are welcome to join us for a cup of coﬀee/tea & conversations with friendly faces Donations appreciated but not required

November 30, 2023

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The Voice of North Grenville

Gifts that keep giving:

Supporting your local community fund submitted by NG Community Fund As the holiday season approaches, the quest for the perfect gift under the tree begins. Amidst the flurry of shopping lists and wrapped surprises, there's a special present that transcends materialism and brings lasting joy: supporting our local community through the North Grenville Community Fund. But what exactly is a local Community Fund and why is it so important? The North Grenville Community Fund serves as a beacon of hope and support for the smaller charities and initiatives that form the backbone of our town. It's a collective effort, a safety net, and a catalyst for positive change, ensuring that every corner of our community receives the assistance it deserves. Through this fund, we empower organizations addressing a myriad of needs, from supporting families facing financial hardships to bolstering educational programs, fostering arts and culture, and aiding in environmental conservation efforts. Each donation—whether in the form of time, insurance policies, or monetary support—is a seed of transformation, contributing to the wellbeing and resilience of our town. Some may wonder, "Can non-monetary contributions also make a difference?" Absolutely! Your time investment through volunteering or your decision to assign an insurance policy as a charitable gift both hold tremendous value. Beyond monetary donations, these alternative contributions are invaluable resources that can directly impact and support the North Grenville Community Fund's initiatives. This holiday season, let's consider the gift that keeps on giving—the gift of supporting your local community. Your gift won't sit still under the tree; it will transform lives, uplift spirits, and build a stronger, more resilient community for us all. Join us in making a difference this holiday season. Whether it's the spare change from your pocket, a few hours of volunteering, or the assignment of an insurance policy, every form of contribution counts. Let's come together to create a brighter future for North Grenville, one gift at a time. To make a donation, volunteer, or learn more about how you can contribute through alternative means, visit www.ngcf.ca/donate. Along with the North Grenville Community Fund, on our website you will find that you can donate to a variety of local funds and foundations like the Beth Donovan Hospice, the Kemptville Youth Centre, the Children's Mental Health Fund or one of the 100 Men/Women Who Care funds. This year, let the true spirit of the holidays shine by gifting hope, support, and change through our local Community Fund. Together, let's make this holiday season truly magical for everyone in North Grenville.

CAPP IN FOCUS

Pretzel Logic by Victor Lachance Today I want to share with you how the Province intends to fight the Judicial Review of the Province’s decision to build a prison in Kemptville, which found that their decision did not abide by their own Provincial Policy Statements and the Planning Act. At first, they tried to have the JR application dismissed. They argued that we were too late to file an application, because it was two years after they announced the decision to use the former Kemptville Agricultural College farmland and destroy farm building, to build the prison. The important thing to remember here is that they based their whole Motion to Dismiss on the fact that the government’s decision to build the prison here was made on or before August 27, 2020. Having failed in that first attempt, they have developed a new strategy. Wait for it. They now say that there was no decision made in August of 2020. That’s right, they wanted the case dismissed because the decision was made in August 2020, but now they claim that there can’t be a JR because there was no decision made in August 2020. If this doesn’t give you an idea of what we’re up against, there’s more. During the Motion to Dismiss, they only submitted material from Infrastructure Ontario (IO). The decision to build in Kemptville came from the Ministry of the Solicitor General (SolGen). But SolGen had nothing to say. Rather than stand up and defend their decision, SolGen basically hid behind IO, which wasn’t even named in the JR application. But the only sworn affidavit submitted to the court came from a person at IO who could not answer on behalf of SolGen. If this still doesn’t give you an idea of what we’re up against, well, there’s more. Having failed in the Motion to Dismiss case, they had to give the court a record of how the Solicitor General made the decision to build in Kemptville. That’s called a Record of Proceedings, and it should contain all the relevant information that led up to August 27, 2020. They submitted almost 700 pages, but only 17 of those pages were dated before August 2020, and the rest after. And guess where those 17 pages came from. IO, not SolGen. Every single action on the part of our Municipality, every public information or consultation session held by SolGen, every promise made, and all the work they’ve done and money spent over the past three years, and filing a Motion to Dismiss, were all based on the fact that they had decided to build here and nowhere else. But now they claim there was no such decision. Apparently we are to believe that the Premier of Ontario, the highest political office of the Province, the then Solicitor General, the highest office in provincial correctional services, the then Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs (our disgraced MPP) and three mayors assembled for a media conference in Brockville to announce a non-decision. The rationale for a Kemptville prison was a non-rationale, the supposed benefits were non-benefits and the stated timeline was a non-timeline. Remember when we were told this was a done deal? Well apparently they were just kidding. We’ll pick up from here in the next column.

November 30, 2023

Grenville County launches festive R.I.D.E. season submitted by Grenville County OPP The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) works all year to keep Ontario roads safe from impaired drivers and is making it a particular focus during the Festive R.I.D.E (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) campaign which started this week and runs until January 1, 2024. Locally, the Grenville County Detachment of the OPP will be taking part in this campaign aimed at taking alcohol and drug impaired drivers oﬀ our roads. Police will be highly visible throughout this campaign, and motorists should expect to see R.I.D.E. programs in their communities. Citizens are reminded to do their part during the campaign by never driving after consuming alcohol or drugs, and never letting anyone else drive if you know or suspect that they have consumed alcohol or drugs. Grenville County Staﬀ Sergeant Jones states: ” Let's make this holiday season merry and safe for everyone! Remember to celebrate responsibly and plan for a safe ride home.” Your help is requested in assisting with keeping our roads safe. If you suspect a driver is impaired, call 911. Your call could save a life!

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Support local this holiday season submitted by News Media Canada A community is more than a group living in a particular area. A community is where strangers become friends, local businesses build each other up, and important topics are debated and tackled. Communities help us through tough times and allow us to celebrate as a collective when things go well. By investing in our communities, everyone reaps the beneﬁts. The holidays are a perfect time to honour the power of community by supporting local. Here are three ways you can support local this holiday season and beyond:

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November 30, 2023

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The Voice of North Grenville

The North Grenville Times

Op-ed

Bill C-234 is a no-brainer

by Brandon Mayer I make no attempt to hide the fact that I am anti carbon tax. However, I believe even more strongly that regardless of a person’s beliefs for or against the carbon tax, everyone should agree that farmers ought to be exempt. That’s the essence of Bill C-234, currently before the senate. The carbon tax is sup-

posed to be a “neutral” tax, with a set amount of money returned to each person or family quarterly as a refund of tax paid. Those who purchase an average amount of fuel have net zero losses or gains. Those who purchase lots of fuel end up losing money, and those who purchase less fuel than an average person end up with a ﬁnancial bonus. The carbon tax concept makes sense in theory, but has a lot of holes. One is that

the poorest of families can’t afford to shell out extra fuel money now and wait three months for reimbursement. Another is that “net zero” is a farce when money changes hands, with taxpayers on the hook for administrative costs to keep the program running. Yet another is that just like many other systems in our society (such as using fines as a criminal penalty), those with money are essentially unaffected. Despite these points, I

acknowledge that to some small extent, the carbon tax probably works. I myself try to eliminate unnecessary journeys due to the price of gasoline, though for as long as I can aﬀord it, I refuse to let the price of natural gas dictate that I must freeze in the winter. All said, I don’t support the carbon tax, but I can see why some people do. What I can’t support is our local farmers bearing the costs of carbon tax when fuel is an expense that they can’t avoid. Are you one of the 8 billion people on Earth who requires food to survive? If so, then surely you see it as unconscionable to hit farmers with an unavoidable tax that puts an extra cost burden on running the equipment that harvests your food? If the purpose of the carbon tax is to encourage people to use less fossil fuels, it has no business being charged to those who have no choice. I assure you that farmers do not have the spare time required to go joyriding in their combine. When that machine is running, it’s running to put food

on the table for thousands of Canadian families. In a Canada that is already unbearably expensive, adding costs to food production is a completely illogical move. Don’t suggest that farmers should switch to electric equipment. This is not a solution. A farmer who is struggling with the cost of a fuel tax is not likely ﬁnancially prepared to buy an entirely new machine. This is especially true when that new machine requires special charging infrastructure, has less power than existing equipment, and must be out of commission for at least 5 hours every time it needs charging, which in a farm work day, could be several times a day. Electric equipment may one day be practical, but only innovation can get us there, certainly not a carbon tax. I wonder why Bill C-234 wasn’t passed quickly. How can we justify continuing to charge farmers this burdensome tax? If not for reasons of compassion toward those who produce our food, then we should at least consider supporting Bill C-234 for

Lights at Bennett and 22 up and running

by Brandon Mayer Drivers will be safer now that traffic lights are operational What could possibly add more safety to a precarious intersection than a shiny new set of traffic lights? Well… a roundabout for starters… since they are proven to be sater than intersections controlled by traffic lights. Where a roundabout is not feasible, however – including at the intersection of County Road 22 and Bennett Road – a traffic light is still logically much safer than a one direction stop sign meeting two lanes of busy traffic that does not stop. As is the case with many logical things, the traffic lights at Bennett Road and County Road 22 were opposed by many on social media, including comments November 30, 2023

on the Times’ own story. The argument? That the traﬃc lights will cause accidents, rather than prevent them. The traffic lights were finally put into operation late last week after a delay in waiting for the hydro work to be completed. The new system was paid for by a company on Bennett Road, in exchange for being able to increase the ﬂow of dump trucks in and out of its property. The safety concern with the Bennett Road intersection lies in visibility. When looking left (south) down County Road 22 from a stopped position at Bennett Road, visibility is extremely short due to the CP rail bridge blocking the line of sight further down the road. Some social media users would have us believe that not allowing vehicles to turn left from Bennett Road until

a traffic light commands County Road 22 traffic to stop somehow makes the intersection more dangerous. Social media users are wrong. The danger is far worse when a driver waiting at the stop sign makes a decision to turn only to have a car unexpectedly approach from the south, forcing the driver to slam on the brakes. Instead, an advanced warning system tells the County Road 22 driver that there is a red traffic light ahead. Might some drivers miss the light? Anything is possible, but there is no statistical logic in arguing that more accidents will be caused by expecting County Road 22 drivers to stop to occasionally allow Bennett Road drivers to proceed. That’s like saying that an unprotected railway crossing is made more dangerous by the addition of lights and gates, since some drivers might disobey the warning signals. Without hesitation, I applaud the decision to install a traffic light at the intersection in question. All drivers who travel in the area are now safer – whether or not they’re willing to accept it.

selfish reasons. Lowered costs for farmers could, after all, help tame the out of control (and rising) cost of food. The answer to why Bill C-234 was still sitting in the Senate as I wrote these words, awaiting potential revisions and causing much debate, likely lies in the adversarial and downright childish way political issues are often handled in this country. Bill C-234 was a private member’s bill, meaning that regardless of merit, its purpose and value were destined to be questioned from the moment pen hit paper. I fully support the Ontario Federation of Agriculture and other groups who are urging Bill C-234 to be passed to give farmers some much needed relief. There are times when politicians really must cast aside the politics and work on the side of logic. Either give us a good reason why farmers should be paying the excess tax, or pass Bill C-234 as a declaration that we will no longer bite the hand that feeds us.

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The Weather with Connor

featuring Connor Mockett Hello, everyone! Welcome back to another week of The Weather with Connor. This time we’re actually going to talk about the weather! Haven’t done too much of that lately. As of right now, it’s November 30th. There've been a couple of storm systems in the last month that have not lived up to what they were supposed to be. The ﬁrst one was November 8th, a quick little system that was supposed to give us multiple centimeters of snow for the ﬁrst time in the winter season. That did not happen, and it turned into a mostly ice pellets and rain event with the temperature not cooperating. Then, the next one was more recent, on Novem-

ber 21st. This one was a diﬃcult forecast for any forecaster, with so many precipitation types at play and the temperature hovering around 0 degrees. My personal thought was that there’d be snow ﬁrst, maybe a bit of ice pellets, and then rain afterwards the next morning as the temperature rose further. I was wrong (mostly) about the snow, that’s for sure. I thought nearly 10cm would fall, but it turned into an ice event entirely with some wet snow mixed in, and then the regular rain. Not what I thought would happen! Now, with the first weekend of December on the way, there’s an opportunity coming up for some more mix of rain and snow. Some models are showing some wet snow traversing through the region, with rain around as well. It’s unknown as of right now if there will be much snow accumulation, or how much rain will fall throughout the region. Surely, I will let everyone know on Facebook when the time comes for the

forecast for the event. In the longer term for December, there are regular opportunities for some ﬂurries. These would be just the usual December flurries, and wouldn’t pose much of a problem towards anything. There are, on every model run usually, opportunities for winter storms further away. Those are extremely uncertain, though, so I won’t even go into any detail on them. For me personally, the business that I’ve started is going well so far. Lots of forecasting has been done, and it keeps me very busy on a lot of days. I’ve also been selling my 2024 calendars, which feature photos from my storm chasing season last summer. That’s been going insanely well. As I type this I’ve sold over 160 of them already! If you’re interested, you can email me at forecastingbyconnor@gmail.com or message me on Facebook, and order as many calendars as you’d like. Also, I just wanted to thank all of you, the readers, for the great reception

The Voice of North Grenville

I got from the last column about my Fiance and I. Lots of people in the past week have walked up to me in public and congratulated me, which is really cool. It’s a super exciting time for both of us! Thank you all for reading, and I’ll talk to you all in a couple of weeks!

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Celebrating 10 years in business

Every person has the right to safety and life free from violence. Victim Services of Leeds & Grenville provides support to victims and survivors of sexual assault including a 24-hour crisis Every person has the right to safety support line. Contact them at: 1-800-939-7682 immediate 9-1-1. andIf ain life freedanger fromcall violence. November 30, 2023

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The North Grenville Times

Think before you drink alcohol

The festive season is a time for social gatherings and alcohol often aids the merrymaking. Yet recent headlines advise to avoid alcohol at any time of year. The claim is that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. But the truth about alcohol is more nuanced, and recommendations for abstinence can be misleading. The recent research concluded that even moderate alcohol consumption – about one drink a day – is dangerous for your health. But the study took a narrow look. Many studies of alcohol use neglect to consider the healthy beneﬁts of socializing; when people are socially connected, they make healthier choices, have better physical and mental health, and cope better with everyday pressures, meaning less anxiety and depression. Was it going too far to advocate for a pub in every hospital? Imagine being conﬁned within four white walls and worried about

your health. A caring hospital pub and the doctor’s blessing could ease the mind and blood pressure too. There’s some judgement needed. Like most things, the pros and cons of alcohol are not defined in two neat categories of good and evil. There are many factors to consider, not least of which is the state of one’s mental health. The highly respected Mayo Clinic acknowledges the health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. The list includes lower risk of diabetes and of developing and dying of heart disease. The risk of ischemic stroke, caused when the arteries to the brain become blocked restricting blood flow, is also lessened. Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health presents an excellent synopsis of the science on moderate drinking in a section of its website called The Nutrition Source. “Moderate drinking seems to be good for the heart and circulatory system, and probably pro-

tects against type 2 diabetes and gallstones,” it says. “The active ingredient in alcoholic beverages, a simple molecule called ethanol, affects the body in many different ways. It directly influences the stomach, brain, heart, gallbladder, and liver. It affects levels of lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and insulin in the blood, as well as inflammation and coagulation. It also alters mood, concentration, and coordination.” Let there be no doubt, when alcohol consumption moves past moderation, there is little good to come of it. The Nutrition Source makes this clear with a few poignant statistics. Alcohol plays a role in one in three cases of violent crime. Alcohol abuse costs about $249 billion a year. And the staggering human cost of accidents involving alcohol, especially car crashes, is impossible to measure. This societal problem should have been fixed long ago by breathalysers attached to every ignition switch. The Nutrition Source weighs the research on alcohol and cardiovascular disease, noting it makes common sense that there would be benefits. “Mod-

erate amounts of alcohol raise levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good” cholesterol), and higher HDL levels are associated with greater protection against heart disease.” This and other effects “tend to prevent the formation of small blood clots that can block arteries in the heart, neck, and brain, the ultimate cause of many heart attacks and the most common kind of stroke.” It’s all summed up in Harvard’s bottom line. “Given the complexity of alcohol’s eﬀects on the body and the complexity of the people who drink it, blanket recommendations about alcohol are out of the question.” Many things in life involve nuances. So be informed, prudent, and openminded. Companionship and the pleasure of a drink before or with dinner may be just the ticket to a long and happy life. Sign-up at www.docgiﬀ. com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us on Instagram @ docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones.

Be prepared for winter emergencies submitted by Susan Healey Leeds, Grenville& Lanark District Health Unit. Last year, our region experienced a few signiﬁcant winter weather events which may have caused interruptions in our daily lives. Public Health’s role is to provide information to help communities prepare for the winter season and for possible emergencies or injuries that may occur due to cold weather, ice and snow. The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit strongly recommend that you prepare yourself and your family (including pets) for future weather-related storms. Winter weather events can cause power outages, delays in delivery of supplies (including food and medication) and dangerous travel conditions. It is important to have an emergency kit that can sustain your family for a minimum of 72 hours to help you through times when services may not be readily available. When creating your kit, consider suﬃcient amounts of non-perishable food that can be prepared without cooking, a supply

November 30, 2023

of bottled water, medication, first aid kit, clothing and blankets. Flashlights and extra batteries, and a portable radio will help keep you in touch with your community. Be aware of where important papers are stored and ensure that you can access them quickly if needed. Consider the needs of those who rely on you, including children, those with special needs and elderly parents. Have a plan for where you can meet should you get separated and have a common contact person designated outside of your area so you can let each other know how you are doing. Use the buddy system to check in on family, neighbours and friends. It’s always best to stay home during inclement weather, but if you must travel, ensure that your vehicle is equipped with winter tires, relay travel plans to a friend or family member and don’t forget to check in after arriving at your destination. Be sure to keep a winter driving survival kit in your vehicle and always check the weather and road conditions before you travel. When cleaning up from a

winter storm, it’s important to be mindful of the hazards such as extreme cold temperatures, icy conditions and heavy snow. Icy conditions can increase your chances of falling and experiencing an injury. Take extra precautions when walking on icy surfaces, walk like a penguin (slow with a narrow stride and feet angled out). Shovelling heavy snow is certainly a work-out so it’s important to know how to do it without running the risk of injury. Being active regularly (150 min a week) and doing strength training twice a week can help prevent injury as your body will be in better shape when you start. Warm up ﬁrst, take it slow and take breaks, shovel smaller amounts of snow if the snow is heavy, and use proper technique (bend with your knees and avoid twisting your body). Extreme cold temperatures can cause hypothermia and unprotected skin can freeze in as little as 10-30 minutes. During very cold weather, everyone is at risk; however the elderly, infants and children, people taking certain prescription medica-

tions, and people with preexisting health conditions are in greater danger. Winter is great IF you are dressed for it. Canadian winters may be a shock, especially for newcomers to Canada. These tips from the Red Cross are helpful for anyone to use before venturing outside in cold weather: • Cover your head and upper body to keep heat in. • Wear a hat and layers of clothing made of wool or synthetic woven fabrics. • Cover up exposed areas like your ears, nose, cheeks and ﬁngers. • Change into dry clothes as quickly as possible if you get wet in the cold. • Avoid tight clothing or footwear that can impair circulation. • Bring extra clothing along in case you need it. • Shelter yourself from the wind if you feel cold – a tree, hill, embankment or other shield will work. Check out the Emergency Preparedness section and Exposure to Hot/Cold Temperatures - Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit on the Health Unit web-

The Voice of North Grenville

Health Unit’s vaccination plan by Brandon Mayer With lots of health units throughout Ontario offering COVID-19 vaccination clinics, it is notable that the Leeds, Grenville, and Lanark District Health Unit is approaching the situation somewhat differently. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the area served by the local LGLD Health Unit had the highest vaccine uptake of any area in the Province, suggesting that Leeds, Grenville, and Lanark locals are in favour of vaccinating. Why then, are vaccines not as easily available here as in some other locales? The local Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Linna Li, provided the following statement: “Broad vaccine administration (e.g., childhood vaccines, flu vaccines, etc.) is not typically part of the Health Unit’s mandate. However, we were the primary administrators for COVID-19 vaccine due to emergency response. Now that we are out of the emergency phase of the pandemic and we understand from the Province that pharmacies (and to some degree, primary care providers) are intended to be the main vaccine providers for this booster dose, we are directing people to those options. “We’ve confirmed that there is good vaccine access through pharmacies across our region. It would be important to know if people are not able to access the vaccine through a pharmacy, or if there are other barriers that we need to consider as part of our role in ensuring COVID-19 vaccine access. Pharmacies are encouraged to contact us if they have COVID-19 vaccine supply issues and we can support them. We welcome feedback and questions about the Health Unit’s role in COVID-19 vaccination—we can be reached by phone at 1-800-660-5853 x2121 or by email at contact@healthunit.org.” It is true that the COVID-19 vaccine is now regarded in a similar fashion to the influenza vaccine. With a weakened COVID-19 virus now in endemic stage, getting the vaccine or a booster is very much a personal preference, except for those who have little choice but to get it due to conditions that affect immunity (such as medical diagnoses or age). Some residents have reported that needed vaccines can be hard to come by at pharmacies or primary care providers. Residents who don’t have a family doctor (which is common) only have pharmacies as an option, which has caused some frustration when pharmacies are running low on vaccine stock. The LGLD Health Unit does hold vaccination clinics, but these are for missed routine childhood vaccines and other critical inoculations, not for COVID vaccines or travel vaccines. As stated by Dr. Li, communication is key if residents feel that broader services are needed. Anyone wishing to get in touch with the Health Unit to share concerns can visit https://healthunit.org/ for more information on existing vaccine clinics, and for contact information. site for more information including fact sheets and links to emergency preparedness sites to help you be prepared and stay safe. You can connect with the Health Unit on

Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) @LGLHealthUnit for important public health updates. You can also call 1-800-660-5853 with any questions.

Township of North Dundas Career Opportunities We’re Hiring! CASUAL/CALL-IN SEASONAL PLOW TRUCK DRIVERS For full position descriptions and details, visit Career Opportunities on our website. Application deadline is until all positions are ﬁlled Township of North Dundas 636 St. Lawrence St., PO Box 489, Winchester, ON K0C 2K0 www.ngtimes.ca

The Voice of North Grenville

The North Grenville Times

CROSSWORD

CLASSIFIEDS

classiﬁeds@ngtimes.ca 613-215-0735 FOR SALE For sale Ostomy supplies Hollister/Sensor Mio ect. Wrong size for us. Contact 613 25 8 0445 3/4 hp shallow well jet pump. $100. Call Ed at 613-282-1836 Tasco 675x power telescope. $100. Call Ed at 613-282-1836 Firewood $120 per face cord delivered. Call or text Jon 613-227-3650 Hay round bales stored inside $50 each. Call or text Jon 613-227-3650 C O LEM A N C O O LER large plastic used once bought this summer $20.00 contact 613 720-6730 New Flex Pipe 14'8", 1 1/4" ID. Call Bob 613258-1167 4x9 steel trailer, new tires, hubs. Call 613 489-2036

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COMMUNITY EVENTS RECURRING EVENTS

Monthly Suppers prepared by Knights of Columbus at Holy Cross Church Hall at 503 Clothier St W. Suppers will be held on the last Thursday of the month commencing September 28. Cost $10 per adult, $5 for children under 12 and $25 for families. PROBUS: Fellowship, Fun and inFormed presenters are part of the PROBUS gathering on the third Wednesday of each month at St Paul's Presbyterian Church Hall at ACROSS 41. Word of possibility 9:30AM. For more information contact at n.g.probus97@ 1. Got a good look at 42. Foul moods gmail.com 45. Sudden collapse 5. Back talk Kemptville Legion: Fridays 3-9. Free Pool and Darts. 48. Carve 9. Rotate Everyone Welcome 51. Blabber 13. Hindu princess BINGO, Kemptville Legion, 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the 52. Angers 14. Sugary month, doors open at noon 54. Former Italian currency NG Duplicate Bridge Club, Masonic Lodge 311 Van Buren 16. Conceal 55. Plenty Kemptville, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at 17. Lather 59. Capture 12:15. All Levels of bridge players are welcome. Info call 18. Instruct 613-795-7155 62. Fern clusters 19. Misfortunes EUCHRE on Tuesday, December 12 at Pierce's Corners, 20. Geologic period 63. Utopian also known as the Marlborough Community Centre, 3048 22. Rivulet 65. Egyptian river Pierce Road. Registration starts at 1:00 p.m. and play 66. Hurt 24. A cleansing agent starts at 1:30 p.m. $5 per player. For information, contact 67. Thick 26. Type of body ﬂuid debiar@ymail.com 68. Thug 27. Accumulated BID EUCHRE on Tuesday, December 5, and 19 at Pierce's 69. Male deer 30. Principles Corners, also known as the Marlborough Community 70. Marsh plant Centre, 3048 Pierce Road. Registration starts at 1:00 p.m. 33. Small European song71. Terminates and play starts at 1:30 p.m. $5 per player. For information, bird DOWN contact debiar@ymail.com 35. Vogue KLUB 67 EUCHRE Join us for fun, social euchre games 37. Bite 1. Celtic language taking place every 2nd and 4th Wednesday monthly at 38. Mendacious 2. Wail 1pm, September to May. Location: Kemptville Legion, 100 Reuben Cres, Kemptville. Everyone welcome, $5. To play, cash prizes. Solutions to last week’s Sudoku Friendship Lunch every Friday at St. Johns United Church hall at 400 Prescott St. starting Oct. 6 th . The meal begins at 11:30 and is free of charge. A good will oﬀering is appreciated. Everyone is welcome. People of Action - Rotary Club of Kemptville meet on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 7AM at the Long Reach Restaurant. Meet for breakfast and informal discussion.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The Spencerville Community Choir presents Easy On This Winter Night. A celebration of seasonal music Sunday, December 3, 2:00 pm and Monday, December 4, 7:30 pm. Tickets available at the door. Spencerville United Church, Centre St.Spencerville Record Fair/Sale at the Burritts Rapids Community Hall on Sunday December 3 2023 from 11 am to 3 pm. Admission is free. There will be records (of course), cassettes, CDs, music DVDS and more for sale. WIZARD CARD TOURNAMENT on Sunday, December 10 at Pierce's Corners, also known as the Marlborough Community Centre, 3048 Pierce Road. Registration starts at 12:30 and play starts at 1:00 p.m. $5 per player. For information contact debiar@ymail.com.

I am looking to adopt an older small dog, aged 9 to 12. I am older, with much dog experience, and recently had to put down my mini dachshund, at 14 1/2. If you, or someone you know of, needs to rehome a small/tiny dog, I would love to hear from you. If you are serious, please call Karen at 613849-5488.

November 30, 2023

Hard

3. Requiring the use of an endoscope 4. Strife 5. Supersonic transport 6. Amazes 7. Chairs 8. Clandestine 9. Glint 10. Tablet 11. Inactive 12. Bird home 15. Thither 21. Cart 23. Parental sister 25. Reverberation 27. Barley beards 28. Metal money 29. Arid 31. Enticement 32. Symbol of slowness 34. Fox baby 36. Physics unit 39. Short sleep 40. Young female 43. Moving into a new direction 44. Slipped 46. Nonclerical 47. Unusual 49. Flannel shirt pattern 50. Aﬀectionate 53. View 55. Snakes 56. Watercraft 57. Murres 58. Lack of diﬃculty 60. Dolt 61. Female chickens 64. Light Emitting Diode

Medium

Solution to last week’s Crossword

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The North Grenville Times

Meet your K of C Poster Contest winners!

The Voice of North Grenville

Baldwin's Birds

by Brandon Mayer The Knights of Columbus’ annual Substance Abuse Poster Contest aims to use the most powerful tool available – truthful information – to help combat the problem of substance abuse. Last week, Richard Savoy provided an update on this year’s poster contest winners, and also shared the Knights of Columbus’ ambitions of eliminating substance abuse through the positive spread of public awareness, which has already produced “signiﬁcant results”. Early last week, Richard visited the two schools whose students were this year’s contest winners, so that North Grenville residents could see their local substance abuse prevention heroes. Over 150 works of art and posters were submitted, making the response to the contest truly heartwarming. Meet your winners, pictured here: - Ivy Hutchins in the 8 - 10 age group for substance abuse (South Branch Elementary) - Meredith McCracken in the 11 - 13 age group for substance abuse (South Branch Elementary) - Harper Hutton in the 8 – 10 age group for alcohol abuse (South Branch Elementary) - Layla Smith in the 11 – 13 age group for alcohol abuse (Holy Cross Catholic School) Congratulations all!

Role of women evolving in farming sector

by Sara Wood, Director, OFA Traditionally, agriculture has been a male-dominated industry, but women have always played very pivotal roles in farm businesses – just mostly behind the scenes or in a supportive capacity. That is deﬁnitely changing, however. As a female farmer myself, it’s something that I can confirm first-hand, but it’s also backed up by data from the most recent Canadian Census of Agriculture. In 2021, Canada had just under 80,000 female farm operators, making up 30.4% of the farm population compared to 28.7% during the previous census in 2016. In fact, this was the ﬁrst time the number of female farmers in Canada has increased since 1991. Statistics Canada attributes this increase to a rise in what they call “one-operator farmers” or women who farm on their own. The data also shows that more women are now running large farm businesses than ever before, November 30, 2023

and that Ontario is home to just over one quarter of our country’s female farmers. Our family farm is located near the Perth County community of Mitchell, west of Stratford, where we raise broiler chickens and grow crops. For me, being an active female farmer has always been a given. That’s because our family farm is somewhat unique in our industry in that it has always had a woman as the main farm decision-maker – ﬁrst my grandmother, then my mother and now me. My husband and I have now taken over the day-today farm operations, so my mom has become more of an advisor, but she still pitches in if my off-farm activities, like serving as a board director with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), take me away from the business. Historically, involvement with farm organizations has also been mostly by men, but here too, things are changing. This week, for example, OFA members are gathering for our annual conference, where we’ll be saying good-bye to our outgoing provincial president, Peggy Brekveld, who is the third woman to lead Ontario’s largest general farm organization. I’m currently one of

seven women on the OFA women passionate about agBoard, and two of the four riculture to provide training, candidates who have let networking and developtheir names stand for a direc- ment opportunities unique tor-at-large position on our to their roles in the agriboard this year are female. food sector, and it annually As more women, partic- brings together hundreds of ularly from younger genera- like-minded people in both tions, become farm business eastern and western Canada. partners and decision-makThe newest resource ers, I believe it’s important for female farmers is the that we are around those AgriMentor program for boardroom tables and that Canadian women in agriculour voices are heard. ture, funded by the federal Women still face barriers government. It offers six in our industry, however. months of individual coachFor example, we often still ing in English or French have to ﬁght to have agri- for women in the agri-food cultural service providers, sector and matches mentees from animal nutritionists and with experienced female agricultural lenders to farm mentors working in agriculequipment service managers ture nationwide. The OFA and agronomists, view us is proud to be supporting its as equal farm partners and francophone counterpart, the informed decision-makers. Union des cultivateurs franIt can also be intimidating co-ontariens, in the launch to step forward to take on a and delivery of the program. leadership position, particuI encourage women larly in organizations where across our sector to take women haven’t previously advantage of these resources played very visible roles. – and others – and to not And just like women across be afraid to take a chance, Ontario and Canada, we face whether it’s speaking up challenges like childcare and at a meeting, dealing with more when it comes to jug- service providers or deciding gling work and community to take on a leadership role. involvement. It won’t always be easy, but These are the types of when it comes to farming, I issues that helped lead to the believe that we can do everycreation of the Advancing thing a man does – we just Women in Agriculture Con- may do it a bit diﬀerently. ference that is happening this week in Niagara Falls. The event was created for 14

Not quite two of a kind!

Our little bit of variable weather has brought one or two of our regular birds back to our feeders and so it was the other day when we got a visit, not from just one type of Nuthatch, but also at the same time, another type. Yes both a Red-breasted and White-breasted one made their appearance simultaneously on our hanging feeders and fed there without any signs of agitation or worry about each other. A lesson for us all maybe!! Another brief but welcome return was made by a couple of House Finches, still sporting a reasonable amount of their beautiful red colouring for us to see. They mingled with the Goldfinches to peck at the nyjer seed and after a brief respite, they took their departure. Meanwhile, our expanded flock of pigeons, now numbering almost 60, were busily feeding on the ground. They always remain somewhat skittish and it doesn't take much for them to suddenly take flight to seek the refuge of the high slung hydro wires, where they will then sit in a row, waiting for one of the flock to be brave enough to drop back down again to feed! Whichever way the event occurs, the flapping of their powerful wings makes quite a spectacular noise, although not quite as noisy as a flock of Canada Geese taking off from the creek down the road. They, the geese, are really busy at the moment although they don't seem to be in too much of a rush to leave us yet, as they keep heading over our house flying towards the Rideau River, not south, but in the other direction! I expect some of you are thinking or have already got plans of your own to beat the birds or meet them somewhere "down south" in a warmer clime than what the majority of us are going to have to face soon. Until you either "put the peddle to the metal" or simulate our avian friends and "take a flight", I hope that you find time to still enjoy those of the bird species who will remain here whilst you are gone, before you actually go. Stay safe and well. Cheers, John Baldwin www.ngtimes.ca

The Voice of North Grenville

The North Grenville Times

73’s get snake bitten with three game loss #13

Ethan Carr Nickname: Carsy Birthplace : Ottawa, ON April 21, 2006 Position: Left Defence Previous Hockey Club: Kemptville 73’3 U18 Hockey Hero:Henrick Sedin Most Inspiring Person: My Parents Favourite Movie: Napoleon Dynamite Favourite Musician: Zach Bryan Favourite Food: Seafood Pasta Favourite Hockey Moment: Hat trick at Nationals Favourite Sport other than Hockey: Football Life as a Jr. A Player: Very busy and tiring One word that describes me: Hardworking

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Five hole closed down...Tyler Melvin dances from the slot to Matthew O'Doherty on the doorstep to slip the rubber through the ﬁve hole as Patrick Charette of the Rockland Nationals keeps a watchful eye on the penetration during Wednesday evening meeting. Nicholas Bennett PPG fired the rebound high over down and out Patrick Charette for Kemptville in the second at 5:20. Power play for Rockland with Bergeron to Leonard and Samuel Dumont PPG picked up a juicy rebound to lift blocker high short side past Jacob Biron to even it up at 7:52. Game winner for the Nationals in the third with extra man from Davis unto the tape of Kai Stothers PPG to launch blocker high at 7:07. Kemptville pulled their stopper at 18:56 to try

by G.J. the sportsguy The Rockland Nationals held court in Kemptville to declare the verdict of the previous two sessions of a game a piece. Unfortunately the 73’s were victims as they fell short with a 3 to 1 decision. Initial frame was a seesaw 200 footer scrimmage with each team’s stopper showing their shutdown skills to settle with zero on the board. Haughian quarterbacked the PP from the line to Melvin who attacked the pillows and

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for a tie without results. Insurance goal for Jaden Davis ENG with helpers from Turnbull and Kelloway to make it 3 to 1 for Rockland at 19:31. Jacob Biron returned at 19:31, but the 73’s ran out of time to hand the Nationals a 3 to 1 victory. The whole game was a calamity of errors based on which squad could capitalize on each other's weaknesses. Even though Kemptville outgunned Rockland 35 to 30 and 1⁄2 PP to 2⁄3 PP they suffered another loss. Over to the Bears Den in Smiths Falls for a Friday evening excursion to be handed another loss of 5 - 2. Kemptville struck first to start the first frame with the magic of O’Doherty with Melvin finding Grady Logue in the lane to snap it by Dawson Labre at 16:32. Smiths Falls answered with Travis Oullette PPG assisted by O’Brien and Stevenson on power play to beat Jacob Biron at 19:32. Wheels fell off for the 73’s in the second with the Bears counting two when extra man attack with Travis Oulette PPG second from O’Brien and Stevenson at 4:48. SHG for game winner by Shaymus Stevenson with helpers from James and Hamady at 9:21. With Kemptville down a pair to begin the final twenty they launched a comeback when Biron

transitioned to Moroz on the wall to Avry Shaw to put them within one at 4:32. Shaymus Stevenson from Martin-Gaudreault and Lumsden for the Bears insurance at 6:13. Smiths Falls on power play when Matthew Dimaline PPG with Faucher and Booth at 17:30 closed out the last twenty with a 5 to 2 win. Very undisciplined contest with Smiths Falls pounding Kemptville 37 to 15 with 3⁄4 PP and 0/3 PP. After the mauling received by the Bears in Smiths Falls on Friday, on the road to face the Navan Grads for a Sunday matinee meeting seeking redemption after the 4 to 2 defeat in October. Navan managed to grasp onto the lead from a former 73’s sniper for a 1 to zip win. Kemptville faced a major challenge with a four minute hurdle on a PK in the initial frame that Devon Savignac PPG assisted by Crete with Tola one timed by Jacob Biron with game winner at 4:37 for the Grads to begin class. Second sequence opened and closed to remain scoreless as the goaltenders put on a clinic. Last twenty was end to end excitement without either club finding the back of the net and Navan wanted to protect a one goal lead. The 73’s swapped their stopper at 19:07 for an extra attacker to push for a tie without results. Kemptville outshot Navan 32 to 26 with 0/5 PP to 1⁄4 PP. Navan will be in Kemptville barn on Wednesday evening for a 7pm rematch and then host Pembroke Lumber Kings on Friday evening for a 7:30 start. Hey young 73’s fans show your support for your favourite player with a Happy Hockey sign with a big smile and his number to help your team climb out of their slump. Hockey with EDGE... see you around the boards.

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Kutebah Alyousef kutebah1984@gmail.com 613-276-4583 www.ngtimes.ca

The Voice of North Grenville

The North Grenville Times

Op-ed

The Merry Little Minuet In 1959, The Kingston Trio released an album called, 'The Hungry I'. It had a clever, short song called, 'The Merry Little Minuet'...a protest song: 'They're rioting in Africa, They're starving in Spain, There's hurricanes in Florida, And Texas needs rain.' 'The whole world is festering, With unhappy souls, The French hate the Germans, The Germans hate the Poles.' You'll see where this is going, soon. After the recent explosion on the Rainbow Bridge, according to CBC News, Poilievre was asked during a press conference if it was responsible of him to label the incident as terrorism before oﬃcials had indicated whether that was the case. There are two issues that are of concern here: one being the fact that he got his facts wrong and didn't own up to that, and secondly, the manner in which he dealt with the reporter who asked the question...she, who was

only doing her job. In just under two and a half minutes, he managed to state that the Canadian Press had set a Guinness Book of Records record for incorrect facts (fact-checked to be false), and accused the reporter of making, 'yet another falsehood in your question'. And he ﬁnished up by telling her that he wasn't going to answer her question because it would just lead to her having to apologize for making yet another wrong remark. He is the one who should have had the grace to apologize. But that, seemingly, is not in his nature. What we are seeing is the real personality of the leader of the Opposition: he is a nasty piece of work. When challenged, he pushes back and is insulting. He does not like to be questioned or corrected. Like the last Conservative Prime Minister, if Pierre gets to sit in that chair, he will not speak to the press, nor will he consult with the Opposition parties. He will be an authoritarian leader. He will bi-pass every step in the Parliamentary process that limits his authority...

the same as the guy in the U.S. who wants back into the Oval Oﬃce. Some people are not ﬁt for the job. Some people would dismantle our democracy to serve their own ends. The damages would go well beyond the interests of any particular party...the damages would be institutional and national in their negative impact. His party has been trying to polish his image, but when he is questioned and backed into a corner, their work is undone... there is no shine or lustre left. The expression about swine and make-up comes to mind: 'It doesn't matter how much lipstick you put on the pig, it is still a pig.' 'Italians hate Yugoslavs South Africans hate the Dutch And I don't like Anybody very much. But we can be tranquil And thankful and proud For man's been endowed With a mushroom shaped cloud' At a time when American politicians have turned unintelligent, rude and blatant lies into an art form, we are seeing more and more of the same

creep into our culture. I understand completely the desire to replace the current Prime Minister. His best before date was a long time ago. We should have a two-term limit on all provincial and federal leaders. And, we should not be going for the most boorish candidates to appease our discontent. They may be loud and they may be against everything, but wouldn't it be nice if they had some decorum as well as some well thought-out solutions? 'And we know for certain That some lovely day Someone will set the spark off And we will all be blown away.' Peter Johnson, Upper Oxford Mills

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The 5th Canadian Freshwater Mollusc Research Meeting

Species from Fragile Inheritance presentations at the Freshwater Mollusc Meeting.

by Fred Schueler and Aleta Karstad

Streams, ponds, and lakes support a diverse range of species of snails and bivalves (clams & mussels), with fascinating life histories and diversely beautiful shells which are important elements of aquatic ecosystems. Every two years, the Centre for the Study of Inland Waters in Burlington hosts a Canada-wide meeting on freshwater Molluscs - https:// www.cfmrm2023.com/. In the post-meeting message sent by the organizing committee: “...a huge shout out to all our presenters and sponsors ...this meeting was by far our largest. It is amazing to see how much the Canadian mollusc community has grown since the

November 30, 2023

ﬁrst meeting nearly a decade ago. The breadth and scope of research being undertaken by all of you is truly amazing and inspiring!” North Grenville's Fragile Inheritance Natural History presented three papers at the meeting, though a threat of illness meant we couldn't attend in person: Exploring the Upper St. Lawrence River and its tributaries for Unionid mussels including the Eastern Pondmussel, with Kate Schwartz, Matthew Windle, Emma Ehrenfeld, Elizabeth Hall, Elizabeth Grohmann, and Alisha Ng of the St Lawrence River Institute. Before Zebra Mussels invaded the Great Lakes, the Eastern Pondmussel (Sagittunio nasutus) was

one of the most abundant and widespread native mussel species in the Lower Great Lakes, but it was nearly wiped out by fouling by Zebra Mussels. When we found this species in Lyn Creek, west of Brockville in 2005, this was the second known surviving population in Canada. We and others have found a few more remnant populations, but the species lives in slow-moving mucky-bottom sites, and can be hard to ﬁnd. This summer, we worked with the River Institute to search the Upper St Lawrence and its direct tributaries for this and other native mussel species, using a combined approach of environmental DNA (eDNA) and timed searches. From June to October, 20 sites in tributar-

ies and 40 in the St Lawrence River were sampled for eDNA, and we await the outcome of the analyses of these samples. Declines in abundance of Cipangopaludina chinensis (Chinese Mystery Snail), with Naomi Langlois-Anderson of South Nation Conservation. Chinese Mystery Snails are remarkable because of their huge size (to 60 mm high), and uniform dark colouration. Introduced to the Paciﬁc Coast for food by oriental immigrants in the 19th Century, and to many places throughout eastern North America as aquarium snails through the 20th century, these are now widespread in Ontario, often as amazingly abundant populations. We reviewed our records, and found

that we had observed 7 apparent declines, 4 sites where the population appeared stably common or abundant, 7 sites where they were abundant and 3 where they were sparse at one visit, and 2 sites where they appeared at places we’d previously repeatedly visited. We've found them as nearby as Winchester and the Rideau at Carleton University, but haven't seen any in Grenville County. The declines may be due to control efforts, predation by Mammals, onset of Zebra Mussel populations, or drought. We can’t certainly assign any of the declines to a particular cause, but we will be looking out for evidence through the 2024 field season. Drawdowns of Doom: Biodiversity impacts of water level management in impoundments. Triggered by observations of frog and snail mortality at the Kemptville Creek dam in Oxford Mills, we're on a campaign to get recognition of the mortality of aquatic species that lowering water levels behind dams brings about. Drawdowns are nominally done to protect infrastructure and provide reserve capacity to hold back water during spring flooding, but it’s important that

their impacts on the life in the impoundments be noticed and studied, so that these can be taken into account when planning water level management. The meeting had lots of presentations on distribution, sampling methods, toxic threats, and recovery methods, though because the many species of native mussels are the ones with Species-at-Risk funding, there was a heavy emphasis on these species in southwestern Ontario. Oﬀsetting the neglect we saw of some subjects in the meeting will inform our ﬁeld work for the coming year: hybridization between eastern and western stocks of common mussels in eastern Ontario and western Quebec, the apparent decline in Zebra mussel populations, and annual movements of mussels in stream and lake bottoms. We're updating our manual of identification of Molluscs and other large aquatic invertebrates, and can send a copy to anyone who is interested.

Fragile Inheritance Natural History bckcdb@istar.ca.