ND Times Issue 34 2021 December 22

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The Voice of North Dundas

Vol 2, No 34

December 22, 2021

The spirit of giving

Free Christmas Turkey Dinner

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A free Christmas turkey dinner will be provided at Winchester United Church on Christmas Day, December 25, from 12pm to 2pm. The free Christmas dinner is an annual tradition that has been going on for about 10 years, though last year was missed due to health concerns brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s dinner will offer a takeout option and also a limited availability for dine-in for those who can show proof of full vaccination from COVID-19, provided that pandemic restrictions don’t tighten beforehand.

Heather Rose is a mem-

ber of Winchester United Church and is responsible for coordinating this year’s dinner. When asked the tough question of why the Church provides the free meal every year, Heather joked, “The quick answer is why not!”

She continued, “It’s obviously an important time of year and it’s a great opportunity to do some outreach to the community. Anybody and everybody has come in the past such as those who were alone and came with other friends, or individuals who came by themselves and sat at tables where they had the opportunity to share a meal and some great conversation on Christmas Day. So really, our hope is that we can

share a lot of joy with people and have the opportunity for anyone and everyone to come and enjoy a nutritious meal and, hopefully, also warm their heart with just the sharing of friendship and good conversation.”

The meal is not necessarily planned as an event for the less fortunate, but is rather a community-minded event. Heather shared the story of going out to buy the turkeys for the meal, when a fellow shopper commented that she must be having quite the party, given all the turkeys she was buying. When Heather revealed what the turkeys were for, the woman told her that she had seen the poster for the free meal and

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had been thinking of attending. These types of outreach opportunities are what make it worthwhile to put on the free meal every year.

While Heather is the event’s coordinator, she also extended credit to Christine Lowson, who is the Minister at the Church. Christine is very involved on the day of the meal, but is also instrumental in many of the Church’s other outreach activities as well.

All are welcome to attend the meal. Those who plan on attending are asked to reserve their meal by calling 613-774-2512.

"Proudly serving our Community"

Dan Pettigrew Owner & friendly neighbour T: 613.774.1958 Dan.Pettigrew@sobeys.com foodland.ca 12015 Main Street Winchester, ON

Merry Christmas

from our homes to yours! ~ The Oldford Team 530 Main Street, Winchester 613-774-2323 www.oldford.ca

The North Dundas Times

Happy Holidays!

Dan Pettigrew, Owner & friendly neighbour

T: 613.774.1958

Gnomes for Rick

Dan.Pettigrew@sobeys.com

foodland.ca

Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre for WDMH

Example of Gnomes for Rick Jennifer Cauvier’s Dad believed in giving back to the community. He sponsored and donated to many organizations, sports teams, and the South Mountain fair. Rick Cauvier owned Rick’s Gas Bar in South Mountain and passed away in June of 2020. Now Jennifer is keeping his memory alive with Gnomes for Rick.

“Before my father passed away, he had wanted to do a fundraiser for Winchester District Memorial Hospital,” Jennifer explains. “I came up with Gnomes for Rick to ensure he is not forgotten.”

Everyone can check out the gnomes on Jennifer’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ GnomesforRick. There are many different sizes and shapes to choose from, and more are being added each week. Proceeds will be directed to the Foundation’s General Equipment Fund.

“The gnomes are wonderful, and will be sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face,” notes Justine Plummer, Manager of Direct Mail & Events at the Foundation. “Thank you to Jennifer for this creative and meaningful fundraiser. It is such a wonderful way to honour her Dad and his legacy.”

THE MOUNTAIN TOWNSHIP AND DISTRICT LIONS CLUB Wishing everyone a Festive Holiday Season.

We thank the community for their very generous support over the past year.

The cast and crew: Seated Front row (l-r): Nik Skidders as Lady RoseLynn/Mrs Lates; Stephane Bruneau as Lord Richard; Laurie McRae-Bingley - proprietor and writer, also as: Lady Viola / Lady Marla.

Standing in back row (l-r): Alex Merizzi as Inspector Klumzo (of the local constabulary); Brett Desrosiers-Director and as: Lady Ethel/Mrs. GetMore; Marvin Massia as: Mr Berry Handsome/Mr Will Barrell (butler); and Mathieu Tondreau: Sound and Lights Tech

Box 309, South Mountain ON

Do you love watching Downton Abbey? Do you love playing Clue? Then we’ve got a great evening planned for you!

Join us for the 1920s Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre on February 12, 2022 Laurie McRae-Bingley spends her days as a kindergarten teacher and her nights as an actor, writer, and director. And she sees a lot of parallels. “Both take a lot of energy!”, she laughs.

Now, Laurie and her Murder on the Funny Side Productions theatre troupe are bringing their talents – and lots of fun - to the WDMH Foundation’s 1920s Murder Mystery Night. It will be held on February 12, 2022, at Matilda Community Hall in Dixon’s Corners.

Laurie’s original play is entitled “Clues Lead to Murder at the Down Town

May the true Spirit of Christmas shine in your heart.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

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December 22, 2021

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Abbey” (© 2016) and it is sure to entertain all of the guests, even those pulled into the show. “I want everyone to have a good time and be comfortable,” says Laurie. “We have a few surprises planned for those who choose to get involved. For everyone else, the clues will guide you!”

The theatre troupe includes six local actors playing 10 characters. They are supported by a lighting crew and a runner who keep everything on track.

“We are all excited to finally bring this show back to life again for the first time in two years,” sums up Laurie. “It's a fundraiser near and dear to our hearts because many of us and our family members have been cared for at the Winchester Hospital.” In fact, Laurie’s granddaughter was born at WDMH, with a second one due in May! The event has an up-

scale 1920s theme. Starting with a cocktail hour, the main meal will be a delicious plated dinner which includes stuffed chicken and ham roast, by Traiteur La Bonne Bouffe Catering.

There will be an online auction the week leading up to the event. During the event, there will be a live auction – with local auctioneer Brandon Scheepers, raffles and games, and a free photo booth. Fabulous music will be provided by Ice – No Slice. Proceeds will support the WDMH Foundation’s Family Care Fund – supporting families just like yours.

Tickets are $100 each.

Purchase online at www. eventbrite.ca/e/1920smurder-mys tery-tickets-199281876457, or contact Justine Plummer at 613-774-2422 ext. 6172 or jplummer@wdmh.on.ca.

www.ndtimes.ca

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Nationview Public School

Seasons Greetings

HOLIDAY HOURS: Fri Dec 24 9am-3pm - Sat Dec 25 Closed - Sun Dec 26 Closed Mon Dec 27 to Thurs Dec 30 9am-7pm - Fri Dec 31 9am - 3pm Sat Jan 1 Closed - Sun Jan 2 Closed 12015 Main St, Winchester

December 22, 2021

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(613) 774-2094

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Editorial

The North Dundas Times

And so this is Christmas...

by David Shanahan

Everyone has a favourite Christmas carol or two.

Some are older religious ones like “Away in a Manger” or “Joy to the World”. Others are secular and more recent like “Silver Bells” or “White Christmas”. For me, every year, when I think of songs for the season, John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (War is Over)” is what comes to my mind. I think it’s the question he asks that really speaks to me: “And so this is Christmas, and what have you done?”

I don’t take this as a threat or a guilt thing; it just makes me think about the year that has passed and wonder what I have done with it. The years are passing more and more quickly now, and there are not as many left to me as there were, so the question becomes ever more relevant.

Each of us have to answer it for ourselves, but there is something about this issue of the Times that is so encouraging for me and, I hope, for you too.

Look at the drawing the children of our schools made for us. There is still joy and hope and a welcome innocence even in these jaded days. Look at all the reports

of people helping people, all of the support being given to the food banks, the service clubs, those working to make sure that as many people (and their pets) as possible have a happy Christmas.

In the world in which we live, good news is sometimes hard to find. Cynicism and pessimism often seem the predominant attitudes, and there are too many times when such negativity seems justified. These last couple of years have brought an entirely new phenomenon to all of us: the pandemic, with all its new words, restrictions, fears, and demands. The world was just opening up again when the latest version of the virus arrived, promising even more disruption and closures. But the vaccine campaign is having a definite impact, and it’s important to note what reliable sources tell us. “Almost all the people dying are now dying preventable deaths,” said Dr Chris Beyrer, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “And that’s because they’re not immunized.” This is true all over the world, no matter what the naysayers claim. Facts are facts. Rumours are dangerous and irresponsible.

Whether you are a Chris-

tian or not, Christmas is one time of the year when the negativity can be put aside for a few days or weeks. If you can ignore the commercialism and greed, not always easy to do, there is so much positivity around. People smile more, take pleasure in finding the right gifts for loved ones, and look forward to relax away from the day-to-day stresses of life. And that can’t be a bad thing, can it?

People like to talk and write about “the true spirit of Christmas”, but I find that not many seem to know what that is. For Christians, it is easier to define, I suppose.

It means that God showed his love for us by being born into human nature and sharing our humanity in order to tell us about himself. More than that, he provided a way for each of us to know him and to discover why we are here, and what the meaning of life really is. That is quite a gift.

It always amuses me to think that the birthday of Jesus is celebrated every year by other people receiving gifts.

But that is God for you: wise men still seek him. Regardless of where you put your faith, Jesus is still the reason for the season.

This is our last issue of the Times before the end of

the year. No paper until January 12. To continue the John Lennon quote: “Another year over, and a new one just begun”. What will 2022 bring?

Who could possibly guess given what we’ve already been through? There will be a provincial election in June and a municipal one in October. Maybe by then we’ll be allowed meet the candidates face to face again, and judge them on more than campaign brochures.

“And what have we done?” A good question. We have been through tumultuous times: fake news, Delta, Omicron, fires, floods, climate change awareness, businesses opening and closing, buildings built and demolished, and all the normal life of a small community going about its daily life. We have fought over issues, grieved over losses, rejoiced over successes, and celebrated festivals and accomplishments.

It has ever been thus, and will, no doubt, continue to be so in the year ahead.

I hope and pray that we can continue to do so as a community, caring and compassionate usually, but angry and divided on other things. Because that is what life is, the little, day-by-day triumphs and failures. We

sometimes take ourselves too seriously, and take others not seriously enough. Or vice versa, even! But, as year after year, Christmas after Christmas goes by, maybe we can get some perspective on all of that. How many people knew anything about the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918-19 before COVID hit us? To the people of that time, coming straight out of a catastrophic world war that killed millions of people, it must have seemed as if the world was ending, changing forever. They didn’t know what was yet to come.

One day, we will have forgotten much of what we now find so important. One day, we too, may be forgotten.

So let’s not get too worked up over things and let’s try and relax, at least for a few days over Christmas. You may not believe it, but God loves you, and time passes.

So, on behalf of all of us at the Times, may I wish you all the best and leave you for 2021 with John and Yoko’s words: “And so this is Christmas, I hope you have fun. The near and the dear ones, the old and the young.

A very Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear”.

to help others, particularly in the hard-hit area of South Mountain. One kind woman, Heather Zwicker, posted on the local South Mountain Facebook page offering her warm kitchen to anyone needing a place to prepare a meal for their family. Her home is located outside of the area affected by the outage, so she still had heat and hydro, and offered the use of her kettles, oven/stove, and barbecue.

“I started to think of the downed trees during Ice Storm of 1998, and how this storm could affect our area,” Heather told the Times. “I thought, with me being a simple straight road's drive away, why not offer up my kitchen? I like making

people feel better, because their smiles make me feel good.”

Another South Mountain resident, Matthew Penner, lost power, but still had heat from a wood-burning stove, and offered his home for anyone needing to get out of the cold.

“It just seemed clear that it was the right thing to do,” Matthew said, when asked why he chose to help. “We may not have had power, but we had heat, and wanted to make sure no one went without it.”

The majority of the local power outages were restored by the end of the day on Sunday.

Hayley Bedford Marketing Consultant

Phone: 343-777-2702

Email: hayley@ndtimes.ca

Send in your letters, stories, events to editor@ ndtimes.ca

Windstorm leaves its mark on Eastern Ontario Kemptville, and only minor Local Journalism Initiative Reporter outages reported in Chesterville. Other areas were A windstorm rocked not so lucky, particularly much of the local area on South Mountain, where the evening of December power was lost to all homes 11 and the overnight hours early Saturday evening into of December 12, doing sig- Sunday on all streets except nificant damage to trees, those in the newer subdiviproperty, and hydro equip- sion on the village’s south ment, and, reportedly, leav- side. The outage was caused ing about 450,000 Ontario by a downed power line homes without power. Over and blown transformer on 200,000 homes were still Lough Road on the Village’s without power as of Sunday northern edge. morning, and over 80,000 Winchester storm chaser were still waiting to get their and photographer, Connor lights back on as of Sunday Mockett, who is known night. by many locally for his Many area communities Facebook page which prowere lucky to have electric- vides weather insights, told ity throughout the event, the Times that Environwith few to no reported ment Canada’s report on outages in Winchester and the storm did not include

by Brandon Mayer

statistics for the North Dundas area. “I know there were a few small power outages around North Dundas, but I don’t have any wind speed statistics for any areas other than Winchester,” Connor said. He reported that the highest measured wind gust locally was one in Winchester clocked at 66km/h.

“I’m sure there were much higher gusts than that in the area, but no reports of exact numbers.” Many parts of Ontario, including some within the service jurisdiction of Hydro One, experienced winds gusts over 100km/h.

One positive thing to come out of the storm was the willingness of many members of the community

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Parade of Lights thanks the people and names the winners

by Sandy Burns, Brianne Scott, Matthew Roy, North Dundas Parade of Lights Committee The North Dundas Parade of Lights Committee would like to thank everyone who helped make this year’s ‘Display of Lights’ a success.

This year, we once again held a stationary, drive-by parade, this time located at the South Mountain Fairgrounds. Over the two nights the event took place, Community Food Share and the North Dundas Christmas Fund collected donations at the front gate. Over the weekend, they collected over $5,300 and approximately 400 pounds of food. The monetary donations will be divided between the two organizations.

The planning committee would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Mountain Township Agricultural Committee for not only allowing us to use its grounds, but for also playing an active role in helping us plan, prepare and execute this event. We couldn’t have done this without them.

A huge thank you also goes out to Kim Hogeveen, who emceed our event on a live radio station, Ed Duncan for assisting us with getting the main stage for one of our bands and our emcee, and to the Winchester Campus of Southgate Church for giving out free hot chocolate to spectators at the exit.

Thank you also to all the vendors and volunteers who participated in this year’s Vendor Fair.

We would also like to thank our sponsors, float participants, and parade volunteers. It takes each and every one of you to make this a success.

Although we didn’t have as many entries this year because of the pandemic, the ones we did get were very creative. We had 18 floats this year, and choosing our Float Contest winners is a task the planning committee takes very seriously. Entries are judged on a number of criteria, including creativity, originality, effort, and detail.

Here are the winners of this year’s Float Contest: Best Overall: E.C. Carruthers Best Business: Topline Trailers Best Non-Profit: Royal Canadian Legion Branch 108 Best Agricultural: International Plowing Match Best Animal Float: The Capital Cowgirls Drill Team Most Lights: Kim Heuff Real Estate People’s Choice: The Capital Cowgirls Drill Team Most Original: Rideau-St. Lawrence/Navan Veterinary Services Winners receive a gift basket with items from local businesses. Congratulations to all our winners.

Even a stationary parade isn’t truly a Christmas parade without Santa, and we’re very grateful that he was able to travel here once again to make our event even more joyous.

When he lost his ‘sleigh’ atop a fire truck on both nights due to fire calls, he decided to approach vehicles instead to talk with kids of all ages, making for a truly magical experience for all our spectators. Thank you, Santa!

Last, but not least, thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy the ‘Display of Lights’ and the Vendor Fair. You’re the reason we do this. We look forward to seeing all of you back again next year when we return to a traditional parade in Winchester.

Merry Christmas!

WIND STORM KEEPS OPP OFFICERS BUSY Over the weekend, officers from all across East Region were very busy with calls for service due to a major wind storm. That storm caused major disruption on our roadways and in neighbourhoods. On Saturday, East Region OPP officers dealt with 773 Calls for service. That's a 47% increase from the normal call volume on a Saturday in December.

The busiest period was from 5:00 p.m. on Saturday until 2:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, during which time officers responded to 506 calls, which is roughly double the normal call volume for this same time period on a Saturday in December.

Top calls for this period: 142 Traffic Hazards, 53 Dangerous Conditions, 47 Wires Down and 28 Collisions.

Also, on Saturday, 53 motor vehicle collisions occurred between 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. due to the ice rain conditions.

The East Region OPP would like to thank all community partners for their dedication and hard work. The excellent service provided by local volunteer fire fighters, EMS, Hydro, and township employees did not go unnoticed.

December 22, 2021

Roundabouts are safer than intersections and focused on aspects of using a roundabout, such as using a turn signal, keeping a safe flow of traffic, and judging what a “safe gap” means when it comes to entering the roundabout.

Given the importance of knowing roundabout rules for drivers to be able to use the road safely, a brief explanation follows for some of these rules which appear on the Ontario website at http:// www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/ ontario-511/roundabouts. shtml.

“Use the correct lane for your intended destination.”

The eastern-most roundabout on Kemptville’s stretch of County Road 43, for example, has two lanes, which seems to be a source of confusion amongst social media users.

This is perhaps because a driver’s intention will always be to exit a roundabout at some point after entering it, making the right lane always seem like the best choice.

The actual recommendation is to use the right lane when intending to use the first exit, the right or left lane if intending to use the second exit (which is akin to “going straight”), and the left lane if intending to use the third exit.

“Stop if there are already vehicles inside the roundabout.” This is the whole essence of how a roundabout works. Cars already in the circle have the right of way, cars entering the circle must

by Brandon Mayer

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The World Economic Forum did a study on the 256 roundabouts in Indiana. This study was conducted from 2016 to the present, and has shown that roundabouts have reduced traffic deaths by 90% and reduced injuries by traffic accidents by 76%. Additionally, each roundabout saves $5,000 per year compared to intersections with lights.

Based on this, roundabouts should be used instead of intersections, provided that drivers take the time to learn how to use them.

A social media storm erupted on Facebook recently, after a local resident posted a complaint about others not knowing how to use a roundabout. Other internet users voiced their own strong opinions, culminating in a full-scale debate, with dozens of comments, attempting to unravel the mystery of roundabout rules. The Times could no longer locate the original post of November 25, suggesting that it was deleted.

On November 24, a follow-up post was put on Facebook by a different resident, this one including a picture of the provincial guidelines for using a roundabout. Just like the original post, a debate soon started, with 66 comments posted as of November 25. Arguments ranged in character from civil to nasty,

Queen’s Park update The Government is implementing new measures to safeguard Ontarians as the new Omicron variant sweeps across the country.

Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health predicts that this variant will become the dominant strain within weeks.

Early data suggests that for every 100 cases of this virus, it will infect 332 other people. It has a transmission rate between four and eight times that of the Delta variant, which means Omicron cases will double every two to three days. Because of the expected extreme high spread rate, experts are predicting a significant increase in active cases and hospitalizations.

Provincially, active cases have more than doubled over the past week.

Vaccination remains our best defence against all COVID-19 variants. Hence, as of Monday, December 20, anyone 18 and over, with at least three months (84 days) since receiving their second dose, are recommended to schedule their booster vac-

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cination. Dialysis patients can get their third dose 56 days after their second. Check out the Eastern Ontario Health Unit’s website at www.EOHU.ca or by calling 1-800-267-7120 for the latest vaccination information, including booster availability and walk-in clinic locations for children and their parents. Book your appointment at www.Ontario. ca/bookvaccine or through your local pharmacy and primary health practitioner. Unfortunately, a high volume of bookings, exceeding 168,000 per day, caused the system to experience technical difficulties earlier this week. We apologize for the delays, but the demand was exceeding staffing and location logistics.

More timeslots are being added daily and the portal is now running smoothly.

With conditions changing rapidly, we can’t afford to let our guard down and risk straining our hospitals’ ability to provide residents with the timely care they need. Please follow our best public health practices by avoiding large

yield the right of way and only enter when the way is clear. However, one important thing to remember is that cars entering the circle are required to yield, which does not necessarily mean stop. If there are no cars coming, traffic can continue to flow into the roundabout at a steady speed of about 30 kilometres per hour. A roundabout does not work like a four-way stop.

“Enter when there is a safe gap in traffic.” This requires judgement on the part of the driver, but, generally, it means only entering when this will not cause another driver to have to react. For example, it is safe to enter a roundabout if there is enough of a gap that another driver will not have to brake to avoid you.

“Don’t stop inside the roundabout, except to avoid a collision.” This is important, because drivers in the roundabout are expecting a steady flow of traffic, since cars already inside the roundabout have a continuous right of

way. There is no need to stop once inside the roundabout (except to avoid a collision), because drivers attempting to enter must yield to you.

“Use your right turn signal” (to exit). Failing to signal an exit from a roundabout is not likely to cause an accident, since it will simply make traffic wait for you instead of proceeding. However, it can often cause a congestion problem, since it causes other drivers to wait unnecessarily when they could have entered the roundabout if they knew you were exiting.

Knowing the roundabout rules, and all driving rules, is important because traffic offences carry an absolute liability for those who break them. In other words, penalties apply even for those who were ignorant of the rules, and those who never intended to break them. Knowing the rules of the road will help prevent driving from becoming more costly than it already is!

Services • • •

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crowds, wearing a mask, social distancing, staying home if sick, and getting fully vaccinated. The Government is also taking new measures to ensure that anyone who enters an indoor setting that requires proof of vaccination has received their two doses. Beginning January 4, 2022, it will be mandatory to show an enhanced vaccine certificate with a QR code on a mobile device or a paper copy. You can download your proof of vaccination at https:// covid19.ontariohealth.ca/, at a Service Ontario centre or public library, or by calling 1-833-943-3900.

Our government continues to take steps to support our small businesses. This week, we announced that bars, restaurants, and other businesses with a licence to operate a liquor consumption premise would see a 20 percent cut in wholesale prices for the alcohol they purchase from the LCBO. This permanent wholesale discount will put about $60 million a year back into these

• • •

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businesses so that they can invest in themselves and their workers. This action builds on other recent changes to improve alcohol choice and convenience for consumers.

This new modernized legal framework simplifies rules for the alcohol sector, creates more opportunities for businesses, and strengthens social responsibility standards. The Government has also frozen the basic beer tax rates that were set to be indexed to inflation on March 1, 2022, to support beer and craft beer brewers to recover and grow while saving consumers money.

As always, stay safe and get vaccinated if you have not done so. As this will be my final update for the year until resuming on January 8, I want to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Regards,Jim McDonell MPP for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry

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December 22, 2021

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The North Dundas Times

South Mountain Oddfellows North Dundas homeowners now have access to optional low-cost service plans Charitable Donations

Photo supplied by Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC).

Homeowners in the Township of North Dundas now have access to optional service plans to assist with the cost and management of common plumbing repairs thanks to a decision by local leaders to implement a new voluntary program for residents. The service plans provide protection for the water and sewer service lines that connect a resident’s home to the region’s system.

A recent ‘State of the Canadian Home’ survey found that 65 per cent of Canadian homeowners are unaware that they are financially responsible for needed repairs or replacement to the water and sewer lines on their property.

These repairs are not covered under standard homeowner’s insurance or by the Township of North Dundas.

“The Township of North Dundas supports the launch of Service Line Warranties of Canada, which is a reputable company that has already partnered with most municipalities in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties,” says Mayor Tony Fraser. “Many homeowners don’t know that damage to the service lines on their property is their responsibility and we see this optional service as an opportunity to raise awareness. We want to make sure that our residents are provided with information and options, in order to be prepared when an emergency happens, espeDecember 22, 2021

cially heading into winter.”

The no-deductible, lowcost service plans available through Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC), ensure that homeowners do not have to pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars outof-pocket for a repair. This is especially important since the ‘State of the Canadian Home’ survey found that nearly one in five (19 per cent) Canadian homeowners have nothing set aside for an emergency.

The plans give North Dundas homeowners reliable access to local, licensed and vetted contractors who can quickly and professionally complete needed repairs on service lines. Homeowners will soon receive information in the mail about the program and available service plans.

There is no obligation to sign up for a plan – participation in the program is completely voluntary. The mailings are administered by SLWC and include the Township’s logo to indicate that the mailing is legitimate and a partnership is in place between North Dundas and SLWC. The program is provided at no cost to North Dundas and no public funds are used to promote or administer it.

“An SLWC service plan is a smart way for homeowners to prepare for a home emergency. These plans take the worry, inconvenience and financial burden out of the repair,” said Mike Van Horne, General Manager, Service

Line Warranties of Canada, a HomeServe Company.

“North Dundas homeowners with a plan have easy access to a network of excellent, local contractors, and they get peace of mind that they won’t be financially responsible for a covered home repair emergency.”

Homeowners in 65 Ontario municipalities now have access to SLWC service repair plans. Since the SLWC program began in 2014, homeowners have saved more than $6 million in repair expenses.

North Dundas homeowners with questions or who wish to receive more information about SLWC or the plans available to residents can call 1-866-922-9004 or visit www.slwofc.ca.

SLWC is part of HomeServe, a leading provider of home repair solutions serving over 4.8 million customers across North America since 2003. Launched in 2014, SLWC is the trusted source of utility line protection programs in Ontario as recognized by the Local Authority Services, part of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO).

Together with HomeServe, SLWC is dedicated to supplying best-in-class repair plans and delivering superior customer service to consumers through over 1,000 leading city, municipal and utility partners across North America.

Noble Grand Ron Derraugh presents Melissa Hill with a cheque for the Beth Donovan Hospice. Other recent donations were made to Camp Trillium, Dundas Hospice, Dundas Snow Suit Fund, and the South Mountain Union Cemetery.

Students get hands-on training at WDMH

Student Marguerite Tran (right) with clinical instructor Jenn Mills.

When Marguerite Tran arrived at Winchester District Memorial Hospital almost a year ago, she didn’t know what to expect. As a student in the Medical Radiation Technology program at Algonquin College, she had learned all of the theory in class. Now, she was going to put that learning into practice.

“For the first few weeks, I got to shadow each staff member to get to know the Diagnostic Imaging department,” she recalls. “I felt like 7

I was learning something new every day, and the whole team was welcoming and always willing to help. It’s been that way the whole time I’ve been here.”

Marguerite took a oneyear pre-health program at Algonquin before learning about the medical radiation program. “Obviously, I knew x-rays existed, but I didn’t realize it was an option as a career. I really like anatomy, and it’s cool to see inside the body and take pictures to help

figure out what is going on.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, student placements were cancelled.

Six months later, they were welcomed back and have been a great support to the WDMH team. In fact, close to 140 students trained at WDMH in the past year.

“Teaching the next generation of caregivers is a priority for us,” explains CEO, Cholly Boland. “Many of these students turn their educational opportunity into a career at WDMH, and we are happy to welcome them.”

Marguerite says she would love to work at WMDH when she graduates: “I like the diversity, from general xrays, to mammography, to CT scans, to bone mineral density tests. There is always something interesting going on. And I like the atmosphere here. Everyone is very friendly.”

If you would like to provide comments or suggestions about hospital services, please contact Cholly Boland, President and CEO, WDMH at 613 774-1049 or by email at cboland@wdmh.on.ca.

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Thank you for shopping local.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Year!

Service • Repair • Tires

613-774-2520

www.northdundaschamber.com 613 223 9765

567 St. Lawrence St, Winchester

Nationview Public School

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays

613-989-3839

County Rd 1, Mountain Ontario

Holiday Office Hours

The Township of North Dundas Municipal Office will be closed on Friday, December 24th at 12:00pm and will re-open Tuesday, January 4th at 8:30am.

For Road Emergencies, please call 613-218-6211.

For Water and Sewer Emergencies in the Villages of Winchester and Chesterville, please call 1-800-342-6442.

Landfill Holiday Closures

The Boyne Road Landfill will be closed on Monday, December 27th, Tuesday, December 28th and Monday, January 3rd.

Recycling and waste pick up remain unchanged throughout the holidays.

Any questions, please call Doug Froats, Director of Waste Management, 613-774-5157.

Proudly providing legal services to Eastern Ontario since 1985

Please remember, emergencies can happen at any time. You and your family should be ready to take care of yourselves for a minimum of 72 hours.

Remember to test your generator.

In a year filled with Challenges, we are grateful for your support.

Wishing you happiness and health in 2022

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Have a safe and happy holiday.

From Council & Staff

522 St. Lawrence St. Winchester, ON 613.774.2670 www.aultlaw.ca

December 22, 2021

8

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Nationview Public School Loralee Carruthers

Realtor, Independently owned and operated

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Off. 613.918.0321 C. 613.407.8869

Merry Christmas 51 King St W, to all!

Brockville, On And a safe and Happy loralee.carruthers New Year! @century21.ca

It's true, keeping the holiday spirit alive requires some maintenance.

The Law Office of

Connie Lamble

During the holidays, take the time to charge your batteries, top up on good times & realign your resolutions!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas 222 Prescott Street, Kemptville www.lamble.ca connie@lamble.ca

December 22, 2021

Wishing you a happy Holiday Season & a truly happy New Year 2021.

From Winchester Automotive

We are closed at Noon Dec 23. REOPENING Jan 3.

613.258.0038

www.winchesterauto.ca 613-774-3189 11906 County Rd 43, Winchester, service@winchesterauto.ca service@winchesterauto.ca 9

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Karberry Farm

Shetland Wool & More Your local fine wool purveyor

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Thanks to our community!

Your support helps us continue to provide compassionate care to all Wishing you

613.265.7553

peace, love & joy

www.karberryfarm.ca contact@karberryfarm.ca

this holiday season

Thousands of small businesses supported through COVID South Nation Conservation to deliver Grassland Stewardship South Nation Conservation (SNC) is delivering a new program on behalf of Grasslands Ontario, in partnership with ALUS Ontario East: an innovative community-developed and farmer-delivered program that produces, enhances, and maintains ecosystem services on agricultural lands operating within the Raisin Region and South Nation Conservation Authorities’ watersheds in Eastern Ontario.

The Grassland Stewardship Initiative is a habitat restoration program implemented by Grasslands Ontario, a division of Forests Ontario, aimed at supporting the conservation and recovery of Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark populations through the management and protection of high-quality grassland habitat.

Grasslands provide critical habitat for bird species with declining populations such as Upland Sandpipers, Kestrels, and Kingbirds, and Species at Risk such as Short-eared Owl, Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark.

“This initiative will rely on voluntary landowner participation and will promote greater public awareness about grasslands”, explained SNC’s Stewardship Lead, Michelle Cavanagh. “Funding is available to create, maintain and enhance grassland habitat through management practices and activities within suitable areas in Ontario,” Applications are being accepted until January 19, 2022.

Grasslands Ontario will provide between 35-100 percent of eligible project costs based on proximity to core breeding ranges for Bobolink and/or Eastern Meadowlark, recent sightings, and the ability to dedicate 4ha or more of land that is not owned by provincial or federal government agencies to grasslands and/ or bird friendly hay cropping.

“It’s important to protect these unique ecosystems and the many benefits they provide,” said Michelle. “We are pleased to be offering this program with our partners and look forward to working with landowners to help with the recovery of grassland bird populations.”

Michelle reminds landowners that if they don’t meet program eligibility requirements, that funding is still available from ALUS Ontario East to help farmers with projects such as wetland restoration and enhancement, riparian buffers, shelterbelts, afforestation, and native prairie grass restoration.

To learn more, visit www.nation.on.ca/grants.

For more information: Michelle Cavanagh, 1-877-984-2948, mcavanagh@nation.on.ca.

Hayley Bedford

Marketing Consultant

Phone: 343-777-2702 Email: hayley@ndtimes.ca www.ndtimes.ca

The Voice of Our Community

December 22, 2021

In the wake of the economic devastation of COVID-19, Small Business Enterprise Centres (SBECs) across Ontario provided additional support, resources and training to help entrepreneurs pivot, recover and grow their small businesses.

Through funding from the Ontario Government under the Ontario Together Fund initiative, Small Business Centres (SBC) Ontario has served more than 4,139 businesses recovering from the effects of COVID-19.

Over 6,323 jobs were impacted and sustained during this project.

Small Business Centres (SBC) Ontario officially launched in February 2021 due to project funding from the Ontario Together Fund.

In November 2021, Small Business Centres (SBC) Ontario incorporated as a nonprofit membership organization for the 54 Small Business Enterprise Centres across Ontario that have been in operation for over 30 years. By coming together as a formalized network, SBC Ontario can showcase services, events, locations and e-learning in one website to increase awareness and access to supports available for small businesses as they recover from the economic impact of COVID-19.

By providing business advisory services, subject-matter expert webinars, and free e-learning sessions, our province-wide network of localized business advisory centres launched a comprehensive outreach campaign to support small business owners during COVID and beyond.

Our network developed a series of 30 English and French free on-demand learning modules for Ontario entrepreneurs at all stages of their business journey.

These evergreen sessions offer essential skills training for businesses in the idea, startup or growth stage.

More than 309,037

people reached through our centralized website. The SBC Ontario Website was designed as a robust resource for providing valuable information about the support and services available for Ontario small business owners.

Entrepreneurs can access free online business skills training, attend webinars on current business topics, join online meetups for peer-to-peer support, read business success stories from across Ontario, as well as access regional SBEC Network programs and services available in their local area.

Growth, innovation, vitality, and job creation are all fueled by the contributions of small businesses — making them an integral part of communities throughout Ontario and our economy. The Small Business Centres Ontario came together as a network in support of the vital role to increase awareness and access to the services of Small Business Enterprise Centres throughout the Province.

10

Taylor’d Safety Services Inc. Safety services tailored to your business needs James Taylor, General Manager

613•797•3032

james.taylordsafety@gmail.com www.taylordsafety.ca

47 Christie Lane Winchester

Intermediate Students Explore Career in Skilled Trades On Friday, Dec. 3, approximately 900 Grade 7 and Grade 8 students from schools in the eastern region of the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) took part in a skilled trades exploration activity.

The afternoon event, hosted by the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), began with a presentation by Sociologist and Skilled Trades Speaker, Jon Callegher, called “The Skilled Trades and YOU.” The presentation focused on the high rates of job satisfaction that tradespeople express, including being engaged and invigorated by their work, and confidence in skills security.

The session also featured an interactive segment that helped students see how their interests can align with a possible career in the trades.

Following the presentation, Grade 7 students were then challenged to work in small groups to create a wind turbine that would generate the highest voltage while learning about the powerline technician trade. Students began with the planning stages of this project after the event and will continue to work on it over the coming weeks at school.

Grade 8 classes had a choice of a hands-on kit related to a skilled trade, including crane operator, automotive service technician, and carpenter. The kits included a rubber band racecar, foam board picnic table, hydraulic crane, and wooden cabin.

While these students are far from needing to make lasting decisions about their careers, introducing students to skilled trades options, especially young women, is important because it brings to light the vast options available within the skilled trades and the benefits that these careers can have.

“These workshops get students thinking about how to maximize their high school time when planning for their future pathways. Skilled trades offer well-paying, fulfilling jobs with the potential for advancement,” says organizer Ashley Grant, Student Success Learning Partner with the UCDSB. “We want our students to be aware of these opportunities when considering post-secondary options and we can do that through experiential learning activities.”

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I would like to thank everyone for the support over the last year and wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

613.316.3221

Lise@lisebuma.com

www.lisebuma.com

Winchester Public School, age range 5-10

Merry Christmas, & Happy New Year! ...and many thanks to all our valued customers.

We Appreciate your incredible support.

613-448-3502

service@ DandDperformance.ca

!"#$%&#'" (")*+,- ./ 0."1*2 3 4'$$)/

Crysler 613-987-5243 December 22, 2021

11

Oxford Station 613-258-3445

Addison 613-924-2632

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CROSSWORD

The Food Corner

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville Some families have replaced the familiar turkey during the festive season with roast beef, for example a prime rib. While this is expensive fare, it is also delicious if you happen to be a meat lover. For Yorkshire puddings, our family uses a simple popover recipe. The advantage of popovers is their versatility; if you happen to be a vegetarian, it can form the basis for darn near anything you can think of, including a fruit-filled dessert. The popover is quite simple to prepare and looks quite spectacular at the dinner table, no matter how you use it.

Popovers

Ingredients: 1 cup of milk and 2 eggs at room temperature A pinch of salt 1 cup of all-purpose flour Preparation: 1. Place one of your oven racks in the middle of your oven and pre-heat to 400F; 2. Whisk together the milk, eggs and salt; 3. Sprinkle with flour and thicken the mixture; don’t over-mix and leave a few small lumps; 4. Grease or spray 8 muffin cups and distribute your batter evenly among them; 5. Bake for ½ hour; quickly puncture the top of each popover with a sharp knife; 6. Put them back in the oven for another 10 or 15 minutes or until they are golden brown; 7. Remove your popovers from the oven and carefully run a knife around them to remove them from the muffin cups; they are ready to serve.

These popovers are great at containing the gravy from the roast beef, or any other thick liquid you want to use them for. For a large group, just double the recipe.

All the very best for the holiday season from the Salamanders Team. Talk to me anytime at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

ACROSS 1. Dye with wax 6. G G G G 10. Toot 14. Pee 15. Rant 16. Weightlifters pump this 17. Daughter of a sibling 18. Twin sister of Ares 19. Transfer possession 20. A lively whirling Italian dance 22. Make well 23. Found on most beaches 24. Hammer 26. Facts 30. Nigerian tribesman 31. Historic period 32. Two-toed sloth 33. Precious stones 35. Malicious 39. Military

CDSBEO report

41. A type of cheese 43. A bodily fluid 44. Tall woody plant 46. Shade trees 47. Japanese apricot 49. Terminate 50. Lease 51. Stunned 54. Epic 56. Conspiracy 57. Rookie 63. Indian dress 64. 53 in Roman numerals 65. Related to tides 66. Cocoyam 67. Moving within 68. Eclogue 69. Observed 70. C C C C 71. Mobile phones

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and SLC Mobile Training Labs Initiative The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario, through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and Experiential Learning, has made significant changes to the delivery mode of some of its programs as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. The change to Solutions to last week’s Sudoku online or virtual has created many exciting new opportunities for these programs.

The goal of the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program has been to promote skilled trades as a viable and attractive alternative to traditional post-secondary programs. OYAP participation numbers in our schools have risen. More students are choosing this pathway and will receive the benefits associated with early registration such as apprentices and education placements. One of the Program’s main objectives for 2020-2021 was to create and foster a social media presence.

At a recent Board meeting, Superintendent of School Effectiveness, Natalie Cameron, introduced Liz McCormick, Experiential Learning Consultant, and Dan Lortie, OYAP Coordinator.

“This team joins us tonight to highlight the work that they do, and how these programs and the emerging educational and professional partnerships are helping students to reach their full learning potential,” began Superintendent Cameron.

Easy In September and October of this year, five CDSBEO secondary schools took part in an exciting pilot project created by partners at St. Lawrence College. SLC created two mobile labs (tech trailers) that were booked for a week at a time at CDSBEO secondary schools. Over 170 students had the opportunity to earn micro-credentials related to welding and carpentry.

“Last spring, we were approached by St. Lawrence College. They hosted a meeting with representatives from the Eastern Ontario Training Board, employment centres and school boards to let us know about the mobile labs initiative. We were very pleased when they reached out to us asking if we could be their partner for their pilot on this project,” explained Liz McCormick.

The tech trailer activities included a combination of virtual reality simulations and hands-on activities and were led by two facilitators from St. Lawrence College, as well as an SLC Welding instructor and an SLC Carpentry instructor. Students used a welding simulator to try their hand at stick and MIG welding, and they were also given the opportunity to complete a live weld.

In the construction component, participants completed a chair building project and were able to take the finished projects home. During the tech trailer visits, students were also given the opportunity to take part in a timed tire-change challenge, as well as to experience exploring the skilled trades in virtual reality.

Hard “Students love it, they loved the hands-on experience, and were very proud of the work that they had completed. The VR simulations offered a lot of problem solving and troubleshooting opportunities.”

“A new initiative for this year, the Municipality of North Grenville was successful in receiving delivery status for the commercial vehicle technician program, being housed out of the former Kemptville College,” noted Dan Lortie. “We have four students in that program now, with a total of 20 including partner boards, and proposals from the Municipality have been submitted to the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, and they are hoping to offer level two and level three in the farm equipment, heaving equipment and the trucking coach programs, which bodes well for the future.”

“We are happy to announce that the SKLZ competition is also back on for this year. We have chosen May 17th as the date, to take place at St. Lawrence College. We’ve limited the number of events, just to keep the crowds down, and we’ve rented a 40 by 100-foot tent where some events will be happening outside,” he continued.

December 22, 2021

12

DOWN 1. A lightly-hit baseball 2. Diva's solo 3. Layer 4. Ancient Peruvian 5. Loudly laments 6. A belt of parks 7. Position of an earl 8. Anagram of "Live" 9. Benni 10. Not a lowlander 11. Bay window 12. Exploded stars 13. Genuflected 21. Subarctic coniferous forests 25. Backside 26. Lacking intellectual acuity 27. Rectal 28. Tropical tuber 29. Mechanization 34. Settings 36. Doing nothing 37. Destroy 38. At one time (archaic) 40. Midmonth date 42. Row of shrubs 45. Break 48. Slanted font 51. Church recesses 52. Clearing 53. Mob 55. Caper 58. A coniferous tree 59. It ebbs and flows 60. Bucolic 61. Phone 62. L L L L

Medium

Solution to last week’s Crossword

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18+ Now Eligible for COVID-19 Booster Appointments Free Rapid Testing will be provided at pop-up locations and at selected LCBOs. To protect Ontario’s progress in the fight against COVID-19 and safeguard the Province’s hospitals and intensive care units (ICUs) in the face of the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant, the Ontario Government is rapidly accelerating its booster dose rollout by expanding eligibility to all individuals aged 18 and over, as well as shortening the interval to three months following an individual’s second dose. To provide an additional layer of protection against COVID-19 and variants during the holiday season, Ontario is also launching a holiday testing blitz starting today to offer rapid antigen screening to individuals free of charge at pop-up sites across the province, as well as selected LCBO stores across Ontario.

“As we combat the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant, nothing matters more than getting these booster doses into people’s arms” said Premier Doug Ford. “I am issuing a call to arms. We need every member of Team Ontario to stand tall and do their part as we work to protect our hard-fought progress and keep Ontarians safe.”

Starting Monday, December 20, 2021, individuals aged 18 and over are eligible to schedule their booster dose appointment through the Ontario booking portal or by calling Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre Ontario, participating pharmacies and primary care settings. Appointments will be booked three months (84 days) after a second dose, as the Province urgently expands booster eligibility to millions more individuals. Additionally, pharmacies and other channels

may provide boosters for 18 and over at the three-month interval starting Friday, December 17, 2021 for walk-ins.

In addition, individuals aged 50 and over, as well as all those currently eligible who have already booked their appointment at an interval of 168 days, can call Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre Ontario to re-book for an earlier date at the three-month interval and can change their appointment through Ontario’s booking portal.

“As we continue to learn more about the Omicron variant, we need all hands on deck to help limit transmission and protect our hospital capacity,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “A third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine offers additional protection against the Omicron variant, and I urge everyone to get their booster dose as soon as you can. If you haven’t received your first or second dose of the vaccine, now is the time.”

To further strengthen its response to Omicron, effective December 18, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. Ontario has introduced a 50% capacity limit to the following indoor areas of venues with a usual capacity of 1,000 or more: facilities used for sports and recreational fitness activities, entertainment facilities such as concert venues, theatres, and cinemas, racing venues, meeting and event spaces, studio audiences in commercial film and television production, museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions, casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments, and fair, rural exhibitions and festivals. This measure is being taken to reduce opportunities for close

In Memoriam

Springhill Cemetery

Gary Price

Springhill Cemetery has submitted by-laws to the Registrar of the Funeral, Burial, and Cremation Services Act, 2002. Any interested parties may contact Barbara Clark at Tel: (613) 821-3683 for information, or to make copies. By-laws or amendments may be reviewed or copied at 7832 Bank Street, Metcalfe, ON.

In Loving Memory of To our most wonderful memories of a faithful, caring, generous and loving husband of 60 years, a great Dad and Grampa who left us on Christmas Day 2019. We will always miss you!

Betty, Kelly, Hal, Vicki and Ayden and Tanya.

contact in high-risk indoor settings with large crowds and when face coverings/masks are not always worn.

As part of the Government’s enhanced testing strategy, up to two million rapid tests will be provided free of charge at pop-up testing sites in high-traffic settings such as malls, retail settings, holiday markets, public libraries and transit hubs. Pop-up teams will be deployed at nearly 50 locations across the Province, including some co-located with GO-VAXX mobile vaccine buses. Most sites will distribute free take-home rapid antigen test kits, subject to supply, and some will offer asymptomatic rapid antigen screening on-site.

The government will also make take-home rapid tests available at select LCBO stores starting with the busiest stores, and with more stores being added in the coming days.

Residents can visit Ontario.ca/holidaytesting to find out if pop-up rapid antigen screening sites will be available in their area. Locations and operating hours will be updated weekly, and no appointment will be required.

The latest available data suggests that the Omicron variant is more transmissible than the Delta variant and will become the dominant variant by the end of the month. Early evidence suggests that a third dose or booster can further increase protection against severe illness and hospitalization. While cases were always expected to rise, the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant could put additional strain on Ontario’s hospital capacity, making it critical that all Ontarians receive their booster dose as soon as possible.

These by-laws are subject to the approval of the Registrar, Funeral, Burial, and Cremation Services Act, 2002. Telephone: Bereavement Authority of Ontario 647-483-2645 or 1-844-493-6356

Winchester Public School, age range 5-10

Appointments only at all EOHU vaccination clinics To help clinics operate smoothly, and reduce wait times at clinics, the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) is no longer accepting walk-in clients at its COVID-19 clinics. This new process will help decrease wait times by ensuring everyone has a scheduled time to arrive to receive their vaccine. It will also support COVID-19 prevention efforts such as physical distancing are maintained by reducing crowds and line-ups “We are working to increase the capacity at our clinics and are continually adding appointments.” says Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health at the EOHU. “By appointment clinics will help us vaccinate as many people as possible in an organized manner, while cutting down on the time people are waiting in lines.”

Appointments are added to the Provincial Booking System as more vaccines become available, and eligible clients who are looking to receive their first, second, or third doses of a COVID-19 vaccine are encouraged to check the system often. Appointments can be booked through the Provincial Booking System at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/ or by calling 1-833-943-3900. Participating pharmacies and healthcare practitioners are also offering COVID-19 vaccination.

December 22, 2021

13

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The North Dundas Times

Masters of Camouflage!

WINCHESTER LEGION BRANCH 108

How many Mourning Doves in this picture?

The Winchester Legion would like to extend a Happy and Safe Holidays to everyone this year.

We look forward to another great year helping our local Veterans and families.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

New Years Levy

January 1st, 2022 at 1pm.

Come on down to the Winchester Legion for our famous

MooseMilk tradition.

Great time and a perfect way to start off the year!

613,774.3694 482 Main St E, Winchester Having got a mixed bag of weather this past week, I was left wondering how I was going to get anything to say about our faithful remaining garden birds. But, waking up to an early morning sunny day, the problem was solved.

There, out in the back garden, our little flock of Mourning Doves was not about to disappoint me. One of these beautifully shy and colourful birds gave themselves away by moving ever-so slightly among the rocks and Autumn leaves on our now frozen back garden water feature.

I had to use the magnification lens of my camera to check that I had seen something there at all. I was not wrong, in that I was seeing not just one bird, but a number of them. Yes, there they were, hunkered down, either on a rock or very near to one, out of my natural eye-sight!

I am tempted to tell you all how many there were, but I thought that, just like them, I would tease you by not telling you, and letting you count them or guess for yourselves! I think that you might be surprised at what

you finally discover about how well birds can camouflage themselves, right in front of your eyes. These Mourning Doves proved to be the "Masters of Camouflage", but I hope that from now on, you will look a lot more carefully at what you might think is your empty garden! Enjoy, and, above all else, stay safe and well.

Cheers, John Baldwin PS I shall try to remember to tell you the answer when my next article is published.

Deck the halls with gifts sourced locally

by Tracey Arts, Director, OFA It’s been another challenging year as we continued to navigate the pandemic while simultaneously juggling our daily roles of entrepreneur, farmer, partner, parent, sibling, and friend. In true farmer fashion, our agricultural community has continued to showcase kindness, generosity, and empathy as our industry battled extreme weather, disrupted revenue streams, and volatile markets.

Yet, we’ve persevered and we’re now ready to turn the page for a fresh new start in 2022.

As we enter the festive holiday season, it’s the opportune time to reflect on our individual contributions as farmers, the values we share together as an industry and with our consumers, and the collective accomplishments of our sector. Ontario’s agri-food sector has a lot to be proud of. The food value chain has remained strong and reliable as producers, processors, and distributors have remained committed to serving Ontarians the highest quality of food, fibre and fuel products in the Province.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) encourages all Ontarians to continue supporting local farming and food communities by sourcing local products throughout the holidays. Supporting local can make a world of a difference to your neighbour’s small business and goes full circle by keeping the money in your community. Sourcing local from small businesses gives them the gift of extra support to purchase gifts for their loved ones and have a memorable holiday gathering.

Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Automotive Sales & Service Quality Used Vehicles Tire Sales

We would like to thank everyone for your ongoing support.

With sincere best wishes for a Merry Christmas & a Joyous New Year!

Todd, Lynn & Mitch

12034 Cty Rd 3 (Main St.), Winchester

613.774.2000

December 22, 2021

14

Celebrate the achievements of Ontario’s agri-food sector by filling your holiday plates with fresh, local and affordable produce and meats.

If possible, purchase directly from your local grower and producer, or look for the Foodland Ontario logo when shopping at the grocery store.

Source baked goods from the local bakery, spirits or beverages from distillers, breweries and wineries, and fresh tasting meats from the local butcher. All of these contributors to the food supply chain will be grateful for the community support.

If decorating for the holidays, make the conscious decision to purchase your evergreen arrangements, poinsettias and flowers from a local greenhouse or florist.

Source your hostess gifts from local businesses such as the town cheese, honey or preserve shop. Visit your local tree farmer when looking for a live Christmas tree to decorate with ornaments and lights.

When checking items off your Christmas gift list, look to locally-owned stores for unique and personal gifts for your loved ones. Local woodworkers and artisans are eager to make custom handmade pieces. Or give the gift of local food with a gift certificate to your favourite restaurant or farm gate store.

The Ontario Made website can be a great resource for gift giving as well and allows you to browse over 750,000 products proudly made in our province. The diverse list of items includes clothing, food, beverages, home, garden, technology and more.

I believe in supporting local all the time. Supporting

local throughout the holidays and beyond raises the profile of local food, keeps money in the local economy and garners support for every link of Ontario’s agri-food supply chain.

Oftentimes, it’s easy to forget the connection between the food on the table and the many hands that worked to raise, tend, and harvest it.

OFA is committed to further fostering the support local movement through two consumer outreach initiatives – Home Grown, and Source Local. Both initiatives highlight the fact that agriculture is prevalent in everyone’s life, whether you reside in an urban area or rural community. The key message is that we need to protect our natural resources to ensure that we can produce food for future generations and that we want to better connect with Ontarians over shared values related to local food.

As we approach the start of a new calendar year, I challenge everyone reading this to make sourcing local a part of their New Year's resolution.

And while you’re enjoying all the great products local has to offer, we encourage you to post a message or video on social media telling us why and how you source local for a chance to win one of four Ontario local food prize packs. Use the hashtag #SourceLocal and #MyReason and tag @FarmFoodCareON and @OntarioFarms in your post.

On behalf of OFA, we would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season full of quality time with loved ones, and life-long memories over a shared all-Ontario holiday feast. www.ndtimes.ca

The North Dundas Times

Billowy stands of an Invisible Invasive

Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) on the berm of Elsas Pond, 0.4 km SSE Bishops Mills, with one central stem of the Meadowsweet Spirea the grass has displaced since 2009 (16 December 2021).

by Fred Schueler, Fragile Inheritance Natural History In June, 2009, the vegetation around a small pond we had dug in 1983, formerly dominated by Meadowsweet Spirea, began to be replaced

by Phalaris arundinacea, Reed Canary Grass (RCG), and the photograph shows how this invasive plant has taken over the site.

Those who don't recognize grasses as species won't notice that one kind of grass is invading, and the invasive RCG embodies a lot of the complexity of many invasive situations. There are cultivated varieties with differ-

Seeing the billowing yellow stands of RCG in Hydro and pipeline right-of-ways, and along roadsides and railways, along the northern Transcanada in 2014, we concluded that it was becoming a mascot of the resource transportation industry, and in eastern Ontario it crowds the shores of many streams, including the North Branch of the South Nation River at Inkerman, where the whole exposed bed of the stream and banks has been a solid mass of RCG, at least since 2009.

Grasses are hard to identify, and besides the native form of RCG which is smaller, often with small purple tinged seed heads and with practically all stems flowering, tending to form sparse stands, it's also difficult to tell invasive RCG from native Bluejoint Reed Grass (Calamagrostis canadensis), whose leaves are bluish-green in colour, have darker purplish joints, and are rough textured with small hairs.

The Ontario Invasive Plant Council's Best Management Plan for RCG is a desperate document: The dense stands produced by invasive Reed Canary Grass are highly aggressive... begin growing early in the spring, and

ent palatability to livestock, and even with decorative striped leaves. Some of the varieties are high in alkaloid chemicals which make the plants poisonous or unpalatable for grazing. The invasive forms spread into dense stands which crowd out native species, and can even impede drainage through ditches, but there is a native form, with which the invasives hybridize, that grows sparsely in the shallows of northern lakes.

There's also a Mediterranean Harding Grass (Phalaris aquatica), which has been introduced as a forage species, and can hybridize with RCG.

Civil Discourse and Social Media: Can they coexist?

Part 3: Algorithms – simply put

by Nadia Diakun-Thibault "An algorithm is a set of step-by-step instructions so explicit that even something as literal-minded as a computer can follow them." AIQ, Nick Poulson and James Scott.

Imagine a task, any task. Pick up the book. Read the book.

Simple on the surface, but if you had to describe each and every instance of motion, effort, and pre-learned actions, genetically encoded instructions such as the motor control of the hands and fingers grasping the book, and the muscles to lift the book - it would take a while. Reading the book is also complex. Our eyes see disparate letters in a string bounded by a space on either side indicating 'this is a word' and the cognitive brain deciphers the string into meaning. The reader understands it immediately. Words are linked in a chain and the sentence and its components are logically related. When they seem not to be, we are likely reading James Joyce and call it "stream of consciousness."

The fluidity becomes art.

Humans learn to actuate complex tasks through observation, mimicry, practice, repetition, rote, exploration, and experimentation. One can cram much into the hippocampi (there are two in the brain) over a lifetime.

The difference between an apprentice and a master is the execution of a complex task with seeming simplicity. "Bake a loaf of bread" would be an extremely complex command if every term, every item, every process, every action, every word, every definition of every word, every ingredient, etc. had to be described.

Master bakers can bake any loaf of bread from memory. As highly skilled as the baker is, each baguette will be made 'bespoke.' Commercial bakeries are a choreographed production of humans and machines working in concert - one understands the literal and figurative meanings, the other is programmed and calibrated to execute the commands in sequence virtually without error. At the heart of it, is the series of computerized commands that take all the constituent parts of a recipe for a loaf of bread and churn out thousands of replicates, consistency without artistic license.

Computers are literal and algorithms can complete tedious tasks - sorting, caching, scheduling, and other mathematical computations in a fraction of the time it would take a human. No wonder that Brian Christian (journalist) and Tom Griffiths (professor of cognitive science) note in their book "Algorithms to Live By: The computer science of human decisions" that 'Sort is Prophylaxis for Search.' Pithy and true.

Algorithms are but one part of a complex that makes up what is glibly referred to as "artificial intelligence." Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a constellation of methods, methodologies, computation, and logical reasoning, and quite a bit of math and programming. AI is as 'intelligent' as the human who wrote the program. It will execute the instruction without question.

Using TensorFlow AI Software from Google, and coding deep-learning, a cucumber can be identified from a photograph. Machine Learning and Deep Learning algorithms can analyze imagery like CAT Scans with great accuracy and identify lesions. They can forecast weather and project the path of a hurricane. Humans can be identified through facial recognition, gait analysis, or voice recognition. These tasks can be performed with amazing results because of the continual refining of algorithms, modeling software, and the reams of digital data that has been generated, collected, stored, shared, and often made publicly available. As a result, research techniques improve, new discoveries are inevitable, and this benefits humanity.

Did you hear the story about the robot (droid) that took a shower and is now stuck indefinitely because of a three-word instruction on the shampoo bottle: "Lather. Rinse. Repeat"?

Computers are literal.

Literal obedience to instructions assures precision. Literal obedience to instructions poorly programmed by a human can result in errors (at best) and bias (at worst). The precision of the instructions can weigh heavily on an individual's preferences (a specific car brand) by feeding the viewer with ads or by amplifying political predilections and biases. The civil conversation is fractured and replaced with verbal fulmination and vitriol.

Social media tech giants use analytics to feed the bias that is tied to profits. They manipulate public opinion, and spread disinformation and misinformation faster than the wind spreads dandelion seeds.

The result: social distrust and threats to democracy.

When someone else interprets reality, the result is an unrecognizable ‘reality of lies.'

December 22, 2021

grow quickly and in dense stands... quickly out-compete native species for space and nutrients... the dense stands in rivers may impede salmon spawning, and it grows too thickly for mammals and waterfowl to use for cover/ nesting... also a threat to the native Reed Canary Grass, because it can hybridize with the native species. Least Bittern, Black Tern, King Rail, Henslow’s Sparrow, Short Eared Owl, Yellow Rail, Blanding’s Turtle, Snapping Turtle, and Chorus Frogs are at-risk animals listed as threatened by the spread of RCG. The desperation continues through the suggested control methods: Pulling (“must be done at least 2-3 times a year for up to 5 years”), Mowing (“repeated mowing will prevent seed head production”), Digging (“care must be taken to ensure that the entire root mass & rhizomes are removed”), Grazing (“high in alkaloids which make plants poisonous or unpalatable”), Tarping (“cover with a dark material to block sunlight... may need to be left in place for more than one growing season”), Shading (“plant conifers or other native trees & shrubs which will pro-

vide full shade”), Burning (“should not be conducted too early in the growing season, as it may stimulate growth”), Create uneven ground surface (“furrows and humps to diversify the substrate”), Sawdust (“mulch around desirable wetland plants can remove excess nitrogen from the soil, favouring native plants that can survive on lower soil nitrogen levels”), Chemical Control (“the Ontario Pesticides Act and Ontario Regulation 63/09 provide natural resources, forestry & agricultural exceptions which may enable chemical control of invasive plants on your property”).

So this is another case of an invasive form of a plant which also has native populations, and one where there's little hope of control. A difference in how leaf sheathes are shed has allowed the recent introduction of a moth that may cripple the invasive Phragmites while sparing the natives, but like the Cattails where most of our stands are aliens or hybrids, we're probably going to have to live with these dense RCG stands along our roadsides and streambanks.

INFORMATION

for water customers in North Dundas

You may have received a letter containing important information from SLWC and the Township of North Dundas about the water service line on your property.

As an eligible homeowner, you are responsible for the maintenance of the utility lines on your property that connect your home to the municipal systems. When a water or sewer/septic line fails unexpectedly, the repair or replacement can cost you between hundreds and thousands of dollars.

Repair coverage, managed by Service Line Warranties of Canada (SLWC), was developed to protect you from the financial burden of expensive water service line emergency repairs. With this optional protection, you will have no bills to pay for covered repairs up to your coverage benefit. Just call our 24-hour emergency repair hotline and you will receive priority status. A local, licensed and insured SLWC network contractor will be dispatched promptly.

And, all repairs are backed by our one-year guarantee.

To learn more, call 1-844-616-8444 or visit www.slwofc.ca

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The North Dundas Times

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Carma Williams sworn-in as Warden of United Counties

It ’s your choice , choose local

Dealing with sexual harassment by customers

by Anne-Marie Langan, Staff Lawyer, The Legal Clinic A store manager recently reached out to me to ask for my advice about what to do about a customer who was sexually harassing several employees at her store by making inappropriate sexual comments towards them when they were serving him at the cash. Sadly, recent statistics suggest that this is a frequent occurrence, particularly in the service industry, and is particularly problematic for employees who depend on tips or commissions to make an adequate income.

1. Develop Trusting Relationship with Front Line Staff: As an employer, you have a legal obligation to ensure that the staff you are supervising can work safely. This obligation includes ensuring that staff are not harassed. They need to know that you will have their back and will take swift and effective action against anyone behaving inappropriately in the workplace, including clients. They also need to know the proper procedure for reporting harassment.

2. Identify the Customer Engaging in Harassment: One of the greatest challenges for a manager in a business that deals with many customers can be to identify the harassing customer. Most workplaces have CCTV footage of their public spaces and drive-thrus, so if your staff remembers approximately when the customer was there, you can watch the footage to determine the exact time of the transaction with the customer. You then may be able to track the transactions in your database to determine who the customer is. If this doesn’t work, you should issue a memo to all staff with a picture of the customer, asking them to keep an eye out for the customer, and to advise you immediately if they enter the premises.

3. Gather Evidence of the Harassment: Ask the offended employee for a written statement of what happened and exactly what was said. If other employees overheard the conversation, or witnessed the sexual harassment, you can ask them to provide a written witness statement. The more contemporaneous it is, the better! You should also save any CCTV footage, audio or video recordings of the incident.

4. Issue a Warning or a No Trespass Notice to Customer in Writing: If you can identify the customer, issue that person a written warning, or a No Trespass Notice, depending on the nature and severity of the offending behaviour. The notice should include a description of the offending behaviour, and explain that it made your staff feel unsafe. If it is a No Trespass Notice, provide a copy of it to the local police, who will respond if the customer fails to comply.

5. Tell Staff about What to Do if the Harasser Returns: I was pleased to learn from students I gave a workshop to that their employers (fast food restaurants) have a board for staff on which they post the pictures of customers who have harassed their staff, and they are to advise the manager immediately if these people come to the restaurant.

6. Provide Support to the Employee Who Experienced Harassment: The news is full of stories about employers who ignore, and even ostracize employees who complain about harassment. Don't be one of those! This can lead to additional liability for your business and can cause irreversible damage to the employee's mental health and your workplace culture. Instead, congratulate any employee who discloses inappropriate behaviour, and check in with them regularly to ensure they are satisfied with how you handled the disclosure. Make sure they are feeling safe and have adequate support from management.

You can also use it as a "teaching moment" for managers and staff by debriefing what happened with them.

7. Post a Notice in all Public Spaces Indicating that Abuse of Staff is Not Tolerated: I was waiting in the drive-thru at our local A&W and saw that they had posted a sign explaining that they are short-staffed due to the pandemic and that this can cause a delay in processing orders. The notice asked customers to be understanding, patient, and respectful with staff. I loved this approach, and found it very effective at reducing my anxiety about waiting longer for my order.

8. Provide Regular Training to Managers and Staff: Every employer who provides a direct service to the public should provide their front-line and management staff with safety training at the onboarding stage, and every year. The training should include information about the code of conduct in your workplace, and prevent and address sexual and other forms of harassment.

9. Reach out for Help / Legal Advice: If you would like to know more about how to respond to disclosures of sexual harassment, or would like some free training on how to prevent and address sexual harassment for managers, staff and/or your board members, please contact The Legal Clinic at 613-264-7153, or langana@lao.on.ca. Serving Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Northern Frontenac and Northern Lennox and Addington.

December 22, 2021

From left Coun. Stephanie Jaworski, Warden Carma Williams, Coun. Tony Fraser.

Warden Carma Williams identified three priorities for the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry during an inauguration ceremony Friday, where she became just the second female to be elected to the position.

During her first speech as the 2022 Warden, she said her priorities will foster inclusion, responsibility, and augmenting opportunities for future generations.

“We are embarking on a Rural Education Strategy as well as a Rural Education Symposium early in the New Year, where we intend to pressure the Province to garner support for rural communities across Ontario where access to quality learning is lacking,” said Warden Williams. “Our environment legacy is equally as important. The Regional Waste Management Study

must be completed, ensuring it serves the needs of SDG municipalities and paves the road for innovative, efficient, and environmentally responsible solutions. And, finally, I wish to cultivate and augment relationships the Counties enjoy with our neighbours and partners. Partnerships are essential to our success. We are stronger if we work together, and I will foster increased collaboration across the region.”

Ms. Williams was led to the seat at the head of Council

by Counties Councillors Tony Fraser and Stephanie Jaworski, who had initially nominated her for the role earlier this fall. The event took place in the Council Chambers at the Counties Administration Building.

Friday’s inauguration was attended by Counties Council members, past Wardens,

Counties staff, and dignitaries, including Senator Bernadette Clement, MP Francis Drouin, MP Eric Duncan, MPP Amanda Simard, MPP Jim McDonell, Cornwall Mayor Glen Grant, Mohawk Council of Akwesasne Grand Chief Abram Benedict, and Prescott-Russell Warden Daniel Lafleur.

Estella Rose, the first female Warden of SDG, was also in attendance.

“After having to cancel the ceremony last year due to the pandemic, it’s very good to be back in person observing this occasion, an occasion that has taken place each December for 171 years,” said Counties CAO, Tim Simpson.

“This yearly ceremony continues our long tradition of putting in place a Warden to guide and lead our municipality for the upcoming year.”

Merry Christmas

From Robert Walker, Brad Mehlman, Clare Deans ,Crystal Lang & Dinah Boal C H A R T E R E D P R O F E S S I O N A L ACCO U N TA N T

P: 613.258.3282 F: 613.258.4391 2-4 Industrial Rd., Kemptville 16

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