ND Times Issue 5 2021 February 10

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The Voice of North Dundas

Vol 2, No 5

February 10, 2021

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There is a great deal of talk about supporting local businesses during the pandemic. The reasons for this are somewhat obvious, particularly during a pandemic.

Many small local businesses have been forced to close for extended periods of time, and when they have been allowed to re-open, they have faced serious restrictions on how they have been able to do business. Businesses have tried to shift in response to the pandemic restrictions. After all, by their very definition of small business owners and entrepreneurs, they are forward thinking, and creative.

But supporting local businesses is good practice in non-pandemic times too.

Supporting local is directly linked to creating sustainable communities. So how does supporting local encourage

and foster sustainability?

When you purchase locally, the money goes back into the local economy. It makes our communities more resilient.

Local businesses are more able to respond to community demands. They retain a flexibility that bigger box stores, for example, do not.

Local food shopping encourages eating things produced closer to home. Often this means healthier choices, and reduces the environmental impact of your food. Food miles are reduced. Local food shopping encourages smaller farms and market gardens.

These farms and gardens support eating in season, often bringing the community closer to understanding how and where their food is produced. Smaller farms grow a diversity of products for local consumption. Smaller producers are often dedicated to land stewardship, and often

grow more food per acre. By shopping locally, our smaller farmers have a chance of staying in business. They often support a diversity of crops that bigger growers do not.

It is imperative to maintain the genetic diversity of our food, both plants and animals.

Shopping locally encourages smaller producers to diversity, supporting interconnected systems of food production.

Local businesses give back to the communities.

They shop from other businesses, support charities, service clubs, and local fundraising efforts, from hospitals to schools. They live in the community and are more engaged in every aspect of life.

When local businesses source products locally, the supply chain is less vulnerable to disruption, less transportation costs are incurred, and less resources are wasted in shipping and transportation.

Shopping locally can contribute to the unique feel or identity of a community.

One-of-a-kind businesses are an important part of the distinct character of a community. This identity fosters more sense of community, contributes to tourism, and helps to draw skilled workers and other entrepreneurs. Diversity leads to more choice in product and service.

Local shopping is greener.

Developing, re-developing, or maintaining the city or town centre, keeping it a viable place to shop and do business, encourages less urban sprawl.

Local businesses provide local jobs. They employ people from the community.

Shopping locally during and after the pandemic makes a stronger community.

ANY MAKE, ANY MODEL, ANY PART

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

567 St. Lawrence St, Winchester

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The North Dundas Times

Our generous community does it again!

The tree lighting ceremony was held virtually in December. Special thanks to harpist Rhiannon Beckstead for her beautiful music.

Heritage Week, 2021

by David Shanahan

Each February, the Trust invites Ontarians to participate in Heritage Week in Ontario – to celebrate heritage in all its forms (cultural and natural, architectural, archaeological and collections), its diverse traditions and cultural expressions. Heritage Week provides a wonderful opportunity for individuals and communities to reflect on their contributions to Ontario, how heritage is conserved, promoted and commemorated, and how they might shape the future.

In 2021, Heritage Week will occur from February 15 21.

Since 1974, the third Monday every February has been identified as Heritage Day in Canada.

In 1985, the Ontario government designated the third week in February as Ontario Heritage Week, with the federal Heritage Day kicking off the week.

Many heritage organizations and municipalities have used Heritage Day and Ontario Heritage Week as vehicles to stimulate awareness of heritage resources and heritage related issues within their communities, and to honour the organizations and volunteers who have worked to protect Ontario’s irreplaceable heritage resources.

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Truck Fire South Mountain

by Jane Adams For 23 years, our local communities have embraced an annual tradition at the Winchester District Memorial Hospital [WDMH] Foundation. The Judy Lannin Christmas Wish Tree provides a special way to honour or remember family and friends with a gift to the Foundation. And despite a very unusual year, our donors have done it again - donating close to $58,000! Since this tradition began, more than $1.1 million has been raised through this special celebration.

“Our local communities and generous donors continue to amaze us,” says Managing Director Kristen Casselman. “We are so grateful for everyone’s support.”

Manager of Direct Mail & Events, Cindy Ault Peters, agrees. “We held our first virtual tree lighting ceremony this year and many people joined us on Facebook. It was great to connect – even if it was virtually.”

Funds raised are directed to the Foundation’s Family Care Fund – supporting families just like yours. These gifts will help to ensure that the WDMH team has the right tools needed to care for patients and families, close to home.

Special thanks to the many sponsors of The Judy Lannin Christmas Wish Tree.

by Joselyn Morley A truck delivering fridges and washers caught fire in South Mountain on Thursday morning, February 4. No one was injured. The house was not damaged.

Shannon Lever

Quiet at the park...

Marketing Consultant

Phone 613.791.8317 Email: shannonlever@ndtimes.ca

If you need an event covered contact joselyn@ ndtimes.ca photo by Nick Brooks February 10, 2021

2

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The North Dundas Times

Vaccine in Indigenous relax some of the current re- tory compliance and warranty strictions next week. Locally, information, and implement a Communities & Urban Centres

Queen's Park Update

by MPP Jim McDonell Over the past week, the last of our eligible Long Term Care (LTC) residents received their first dose of the COVID 19 vaccine. The current shortage required a delay in the rollout to LTC staff, essential caregivers, frontline medical practitioners, and our most vulnerable groups, until more supplies are received from the Federal Government later this month. Pfizer is in the midst of its Belgium plant retooling project that will significantly increase production over the year, but unfortunately, will cut Canadian shipments by 80 percent during February. The federal minister in charge of procurement continues to be confident the expected four million doses will be distributed to Canadians by the end of March. As vaccine stock increases, vaccination will expand to more population groups, under the direction of the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU).

Meanwhile, the number of active cases for Cornwall, Stormont Dundas Glengarry and Akwesasne continues to decline this week, reaching 240 by Wednesday. I want to thank everyone for this impressive reduction over the past month, which has been achieved through your collective efforts of following Ontario's stay at home order and best practices to limit the spread. The provincial medical expert panel is expected to

we must remain cautious as our hospitals continue to operate at capacity by staying at home as much as possible, physically distancing, and wearing a mask.

This progress allowed us to welcome back our local students to in class learning this past week. During the fall session, the $1.3 billion of additional education funding helped achieve a 99.66 percent, non infectious success rate. We know that cold winter weather and the new, more infectious variants will make the upcoming weeks more challenging. Our government increased education spending to $1.6 billion to address these concerns, with an additional $381 million for the Safe Return to Class Fund. Local school boards will receive $45,466,424 to enhance ventilation, boost online learning, improve mental health outcomes, and hire more staff. Getting students back to in person learning is a priority and highly encouraged by childcare experts.

School boards have told us that they cannot find qualified teachers to reduce class sizes, despite our agreement earlier this year with teachers' unions to allow the temporary hiring of retired teachers. This past week, we announced a deal with the College of Teachers to allow second year education students to be hired, if no other qualified resources are available.

As we continue our efforts to counter the pandemic's effects, the government has addressed new homeowners' ongoing concerns. A new Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) will now be responsible for licensing new home builders and vendors, ensuring they provide regula-

complaints process to oversee their conduct. The home construction industry is a significant employer in Ontario, and confidence in their final product is critical in their continued success.

Media articles still indicate a lack of awareness of the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit to cover the cost of 10 paid sick days through this pandemic. Ontario and all the other provinces joined the Federal government to offer this $1.1 billion program.

Minister McNaughton has met with his federal counterpart to request them to raise awareness, simplify the application, and speed up payment.

We are encouraging people who are not covered through their workplace to access these funds when experiencing symptoms of this virus.

Each year, we hold pre budget sessions to gather local input from businesses, municipalities, and the general public. Next Wednesday morning, February 10, we have scheduled a virtual session for the general public.

If you are interested, please register with my executive assistant by emailing her at Marilyn.mcmahon@pc.ola. org by Monday, February 8. Please include your contact information and presentation topic. Once you are registered, you will receive a calendar Zoom meeting invitation.

As always, remember to stay home, stay safe and save lives. Your health and that of your loved ones may depend on it.

Regards, Jim McDonell MPP for Stormont Dundas South Glengarry

by Joselyn Morley Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services, updated Canadians on the situation regarding Covid-19 and vaccination in indigenous communities on February 4. At that time in First Nations communities on reserve, as well as northern and Inuit regions, there were 1885 active cases of Covid-19. The numbers are stabilising, as in other areas of the country.

There have been stronger public health restrictions, and this has led to reduced community transmission rates. The rate of reported cases of Covid-19 in First Nations communities living on reserve is 40 percent higher than the rate in the general Canadian population.

Marc Miller stressed that this is science, not opinion.

So far, 320 Indigenous communities have begun vaccine roll out. So far 64,300 doses have been administered. There are at least 75 more vaccine clinics to come.

This has taken remarkable effort, and some ingenuity, Marc Miller noted, given the remote access of some of the communities. Indigenous leadership has definitely contributed to vaccine efforts, and the participation and support of Indigenous leaders and chiefs is essential to the success of the vaccination programs, and to help avoid vaccine hesitancy. The Ornge Team, under Operation Remote Immunity, with the cooperation of the Canadian Armed Forces, has undertaken to reach 31 of the most remote fly-in communities.

There are twelve principles adopted by Ornge and Nishnawbe Aski Nation that will inform Operation Remote Immunity. Cultural sensitivity training is the first.

Others include ensuring that there are adequate locations secured for administering vaccinations to alleviate stress on the existing health care services and nursing stations, making sure that all those doing the vaccinations have received both doses of their own vaccinations, and work-

Splash of colour on a Winter's Day

WE NEED HEROES ACT NOW

photo by Nick Brooks February 10, 2021

ing closely with a designated community leader to ensure that all ground logistics are worked through.

Marc Miller addressed the lack of trust between Indigenous populations, and Canadian health care systems, noting that this lack of trust is justified given the legacy of colonialism and history of uninformed, non-consensual experimentation inflicted on Indigenous populations.

Indigenous leaders and elders in First Nations have been involved in the efforts to address vaccine hesitancy.

Indigenous leaders, for example, have posted on social media that they have been vaccinated. The vaccination program is on track to have vaccinated 75 percent of adults with their first dose in regions with high-risk populations by the end of March. Marc said that the Indigenous health care system currently needs all provinces to participate in the vaccination of vulnerable first nations people off reserve, such as in urban areas.

Alongside the mistrust that many Indigenous communities have towards health and social systems, Marc noted that there is pushback from some groups who don't understand the need to vaccinate Indigenous people who are off reserve. Antiindigenous racism makes indigenous people wary of the health care system already, but this is compounded when they are faced with judgement from non-indigenous populations. Marc stresses that it must remain a priority to vaccinate the off-reserve populations, regardless of pushback.

Indigenous people off reserve are much more susceptible to the Covid-19 virus.

Joyce Echaquan died on September 28 at a hospital in Joliette, Quebec. She was a 37-year-old Atikamekw woman and mother of seven.

She live-streamed seven minutes of abuse she endured at the hands of hospital staff prior to her death. Her death and treatment were shocking.

Joyce's Principle, a docu-

3

ment created by the Council of the Atikamedw Nation and the Atikamekw Council of Manawan, and delivered to the federal and provincial governments on November 16, 2020, seeks to guarantee that Indigenous people have access to health care and social services without discrimination and racism.

Joyce's Principle has faced opposition in Quebec from the Quebec government, including Francois Legault and members of his cabinet, who will not acknowledge that systematic racism exists in the province. It is hoped that Joyce's Principle will provide an impetus to governments to implement mandatory training in anti-indigenous racism and diversity within the health care field, the integration of Indigenous practices into educational programs, and programs to help Indigenous students enter and remain in the health care field and social services.

Marc Miller says that all levels of government and Indigenous leaders and chiefs are coming together to help implement Joyce's Principle into the Indigenous health system, trying to address the anti-indigenous racism within the system. The Federal government has committed two million dollars to help implement Joyce's Principle, and the fall economic statement dedicated 15.6 million dollars over two fiscal years to improving Indigenous health care systems.

SHANNON LEVER Marketing Consultant

Phone

613 791 8317 Email:

shannonlever@ ndtimes.ca

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Editorial

The North Dundas Times

Another brick in the wall

by David Shanahan There is one aspect to the entire Shop Locally campaign these days that has been somewhat neglected.

It is really assuring to note that, over the past few weeks, people are shopping at local stores more and more, rather than just going online, or to big box stores. It may be more inconvenient to go out for curbside pickups, but it is helping our friends and neighbours, and that is never a bad thing.

But there’s something else that’s come to my attention and which gives me some concern. It is the increasing presence of do-ityourself check-out machines in some stores. You know the ones I mean: instead of lining up to have your purchases rung up by a real live person at a cash register, you can use a machine and total up your own buys, pay the machine, and bag your own stuff.

Yes, interesting, if a little daunting at first. But once you get to know how to scan those black and white bar things, and can manage to scan, bag, and pay without getting completely confused by the politely spoken demands of the machine (“place the purchase on the...”, “please insert...”

What? Money? Credit card?

A box of cereal?).

There is a tendency to feel a little rushed by the whole thing, as if you should be as smooth and efficient as a professional, and not the slowwitted amateur that you feel yourself to be. There comes a moment, depending on the number of your purchases to be processed, that you have to resist the urge to scream at the machine: “Stop talking to me!

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.” Ah yes, technology is our friend. We must obey the voice in the machine. Big Brother is watching you, and he’s mightily unimpressed by your scanning talents.

An urgent letter to all Members of Parliament We have a very serious situation in this country, and we are delighted to hear that Minister of Heritage Steven Guilbeault said last Monday that the government is preparing legislation to force tech giants to fairly compensate content creators.

Google and Facebook, two of the richest companies in history, control the onramp to the internet highway in Canada. They decide what we as a sovereign nation see and don’t see in the news. To make matters worse, they take the news produced by Canadians and don’t pay for it.

Meanwhile, all Canadian news media companies, big and small, are suffering for two reasons: First, they don’t get paid for their content by Facebook and Google; and second, Facebook and Google take over 80 per cent of all Canadian digital advertising industry revenue. These massive American companies get virtually all of the revenue and don’t pay for content. Movie content doesn’t work that way in Canada. Music content doesn’t work that way. TV show content doesn’t work that way. So why is news content treated differently?

We only have to look south of the border to see what happens when real news companies disappear, and social media platforms distribute divisive, fake news.

February 10, 2021

We need to support healthy, independent, diverse news companies as the backbone of our democracy.

This is urgent. It’s a fact that news companies across Canada are going out of business. COVID 19 is accelerating the decline. Journalism jobs are disappearing. That means real news keeps disappearing and hate and fake news will be all that’s left to distribute. Let’s not let this happen in Canada.

But there is good news.

Australia has figured out the solution. They created a law that forces the trillion dollar monopolies to pay fairly for news content. This costs the taxpayer absolutely nothing.

We encourage all Members of Parliament to move quickly. Canada needs your leadership.

John Hinds President/CEO News Media Canada

be tempting for smaller stores and businesses to consider making a one-time purchase of technology to replace an on-going expense of actual people, who want breaks, holidays, weekends, or health benefits.

There’s another part of this that leaves me uneasy.

There has already been a problem with scanning machines in stores, even when operated by humans beings.

Does the price marked on the shelf, or on the product, equal the price programmed into the scanner? How can we be sure we’re being charged the correct amount? If you’re standing there, watching someone scan your goods, you can also watch the cash machine and make sure the price being charged is the one you saw on the shelf. But, if you’re busy trying to keep a machine happy by getting your goods through the scanner at a speed and smoothness of technique that is to its satisfaction, it is

But none of that is really what I wanted to say. What is really concerning me is the way in which these machines are putting real people out of work. Supposing we all start resorting to automatic check-outs? What happens to the already underpaid people who are being by-passed in the process? Will they be retrained for other jobs in the store, or are they just redundant, in every sense of the word?

I am not against technological innovation. But I am against planned obsolescence, particularly if it is hardworking people on minimum wage who are being made obsolete.

At the moment, it seems to be only the chain stores that have these machines: Shoppers Drug Mart, Macdonald’s, and that other one I refuse to name, but begins with a W. These big operators don’t need small operators, it seems, especially operators of check-out cashes. But it must

Study underlines the impact of Covid on businesses report is based on data compiled by Statistics Canada, and found that in non-metro Ontario, the number of active businesses in October, 2020 was 7% lower than in January.

This represents a recovery from 15% fewer businesses in May, 2020. There were a large number of business closures in April and May, 2020 and although many businesses were opening (or re-opening) in June and July, the number of active businesses in October, 2020 has remained at 7% below ‘normal.’

It should be noted that these figures do not take into account the impact of the latest lockdown and the loss of trade and revenues experienced by businesses over the Christmas and New Year season.

On a provincial level, the sectors with the largest decline in active businesses from January to October, 2020 were: -15% : arts, entertainment and recreation.

-12% : accommodation and food services.

- 9% : administrative &

by David Shanahan The Rural Ontario Institute has issued a report examining the impact of the pandemic on non-metro Ontario up to October of last year. Non-metro means businesses based in smaller and rural municipalities and towns in the province, or “the population outside the commuting zones of a Census Metropolitan Area”. The

Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, I wanted to say how much we love the “Baldwin’s Birds” feature. My husband and I have enjoyed the flashing and aerial acrobatics of the little winter birds that are always on the side roads, but they always move so fast, we have struggled to identify them. Now we know! Snow Buntings.

Delightful!

Thanks for a great feature!

Janice Atkey Videto

The North Dundas Times is published weekly by North Grenville Times Inc.

Production

much harder to slow down and make sure the prices match.

As the Retail Council of Canada admits: “Incorrect prices can result in poor customer relations and legal sanctions”. The problem has led to the introduction of “The Scanner Price Accuracy Voluntary Code (“the Code”)”, which gives customers significant rights if there is a discrepancy in the marked price and that charged by a scanner. It’s worth (dare I say?) checking it out on their website (https://www.retailcouncil.org/scanner price accuracy code).

Did you know that, if the correct price of the product is $10 or less, the retailer will give the product to the customer free of charge; or if the correct price of the product is higher than $10, the retailer will give the customer a discount of $10 off the correct price? Worth knowing, that is.

But, I ask again, how easy

Pat Jessop Email: production@ndtimes.ca 613 258 4671

support, waste management & remediation services.

- 9% : other (personal) services. These sectors had a slow but steady increase in the number of businesses during 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The businesses in these categories are the most obvious victims of lockdowns.

Entertainment, recreation, food services, and accommodation (hotels, etc,) have been significantly affected by having to close, or restrict operations.

- 9% : transportation and warehousing. This sector had a somewhat faster increase in the number of businesses during 2017, 2018 and 2019. The increase, however, was halted and reversed when people stopped travelling to work, on holidays, or in moving homes.

- 9% : real estate and rental and leasing. This sector had a small decrease in the number of businesses in the second half of 2019. This sector is experiencing a strange effect, in that homes are increasing in price, demand remains high, but some obstacles are preventing many

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Editor editor@ndtimes.ca 613-215-0735

deals from being finalised.

People cannot move to their new home, and so cannot finalise the sale of their old one.

The effects along the chain of buying and selling affects everyone involved. Builders are facing increases in the cost of materials as movement is restricted, but have committed themselves to agreements based on lower costs.

Overall, the ROI report is only an interim update on the effects of the pandemic on non-metro business. Once the impact of the post-December lockdown is factored in, the picture is bound to be even bleaker. Statistics Canada reported last Friday that Ontario lost almost 153,000 part time jobs last month, notably in non essential retail ordered closed by the Ford government.

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

ISSN 2291-0301 www.ngtimes.ca

Mailing Address P.O. Box 1854 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0

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

Staff Reporter joselyn@ndtimes.ca

OFFICE 613-215-0735 Marketing Shannon Lever shannonlever@ndtimes.ca

is it to question a machine that is scanning things incorrectly, or to even notice a mistake, when you’re the one trying to use the machines without crying? No, these machines may have their place (I could think of a few recycling sites), but not if they are making life easier for corporations at the expense (literally) of their customers, or, much worse, the expense of their employees’ jobs. So shop locally, know your local merchants, and support local jobs and businesses. And avoid the temptation to look knowledgeable and trendy by using the infernal machines. After all, they won’t smile and ask you how your children are getting on, or if you enjoyed your trip abroad (remember them?).

All in all, it’s just another brick in the wall that’s being built between us.

www.ndtimes.ca

The North Dundas Times

2021 South Nation Conservation Board of Directors

Ontario funding broadband for public libraries The Ontario government is investing more than $4.8 million to upgrade broadband at public libraries in unserved and underserved communities. By investing in improved broadband at public libraries, the province is providing greater community access to education and vital services, while creating more economic opportunity for residents.

The province is providing the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) with $71 million to improve access to cellular service and mobile broadband in Eastern Ontario and is investing more than $63 million in the Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) project to expand high speed broadband in Southwestern Ontario.

"Ontario's public libraries are an important part of our communities and provide a wide range of information, programs and services. Now more than ever, communities need faster and more reliable access to these resources," said Laurie Scott, Minister of Infrastructure. "Our investment will make it easier to use local libraries for learning, accessing services and connecting with others."

This provincial invest-

L-R: Vice Chair Pierre Leroux (Mayor of Russell), Chair George Darouze (Councillor, City of Ottawa, Osgoode Ward), and Past Chair Bill Smirle (SDG Representative) Member municipalities within South Nation Conservation’s (SNC) watershed jurisdiction appoint representatives to the Board of Directors, which oversees SNC’s budget, programs, and environmental services.

The Conservation Authority’s four volunteer Standing Committees also help review programs and develop recommendations for the Board.

SNC’s environmental stewardship success depends upon local, community partnerships to build strong, sensible programs with broadbased support.

Area residents interested in Committee vacancies can contact SNC at 1-877-9842948, or info@nation.on.ca.

More information on SNC’s

Board and Committees can be found here: www.nation. on.ca/about/board-directorsand-committees.

In response to COVID-19, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks directed Conservation Authorities to amend their administrative by-laws to allow for virtual meetings.

For now, public Board and Committee meetings will continue to be held remotely and livestreamed on SNC’s YouTube channel at www. youtube.com/SouthNationCA. 2020-21 SNC Board of Directors: Board Executive: Chair: George Darouze, Councillor – Ward 20 Osgoode, City of Ottawa

Shannon Lever

Marketing Consultant

Phone 613.791.8317 Email: shannonlever@ndtimes.ca February 10, 2021

Vice Chair: Pierre Leroux, Mayor, Russell Township Past-Chair: Bill Smirle, Public Representative, United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry United Counties of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Representatives: Steve Densham, Councillor, Township of North Stormont Archie Mellan, Councillor, Municipality of South Dundas United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Representatives: John Hunter, Councillor, Township of Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal Dana Farcasiu, Public Representative, Municipality of North Grenville

ment will help many communities bridge the digital divide to ensure residents have access to online information and resources.

The Ontario Library Service will oversee and deliver the project. As a first step in the broadband upgrade process, site surveys and assessments will be conducted to identify eligible library branches, with priority given to those with inadequate broadband located within five kilometres of a secondary school.

“This new investment to upgrade broadband services in our rural communities, will ensure our residents also have better access to online information and services,” said Jim McDonell, MPP for Stormont Dundas South Glengarry.

This investment is part of Up to Speed: Ontario's Broadband and Cellular Action Plan. On November 4, 2020, the Ontario government announced an investment of $680 million on top of its existing commitment to improve connectivity in the province, leading to a historic investment of nearly $1 billion over six years.

"Robust broadband access through the public library is increasingly critical

to the well being of local communities," said Andrea Cecchetto, President of the Ontario Library Association.

"The Ontario government's strategic investment will ensure that tens of thousands of people in small, rural and northern communities, as well as First Nations, will have the high speed broadband necessary for fair access to the e resources and learning opportunities they need to succeed."

Through the Public Library Operating Grant, the government provides $21 million in annual operating funding to nearly 400 public and First Nations public libraries. As many as 12% of households in Ontario – or about 1.4 million people – are underserved or unserved, according to the Canadian Radio television and Telecommunications Commission.

As of April 2021, Ontario’s two library service organizations will amalgamate into a single library service board, the Ontario Library Service organization, which will streamline administrative functions and increase efficiency and consistency in the delivery of services across the province.

North Dundas High School news

North Dundas is getting ready for Valentine’s Day

Send in your letters, stories,

by Jamie Wilson week, we hapevents to pilyLastresumed school in person after being editor@ for a month. We madevirtual it to school for one whole day ndtimes.ca before we were greeted with our first snowday of

5

the year on Wednesday.

Doing work from home again for a day, after just going back to school the day before, put into perspective how thankful I was to be learning in person again. Many other students agree, and we all hope that we can continue this way as long as it’s safe.

We ended our first week back with a fun spirit day on Friday. The day was Funky Sock Friday, and many students showed their school spirit by fancying up their feet. We hope to fill the remainder of this school year with

many more exciting spirit days.

Speaking of which, we have another spirit day coming up this Friday, February 12, to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Wear your Valentine’s colours of pink, red, white, and purple. We would like to wish a happy upcoming Valentine’s Day to all the people who we love and appreciate. Including, but not limited to, our teachers and staff here at North Dundas, frontline workers everywhere, and our families and loved ones.

www.ndtimes.ca

The North Dundas Times

Isaac Johnson - stone mason in Dundas County and former Kentucky slave

by Susan Peters, Dundas County Archives Those who know me well know that I have spent many an hour deep in research of the history of slavery in Kentucky. My particular focus has been in slavery in the 1840s in this region. In fact, I moved to this area from Kentucky. So, it certainly spiked my attention when I learned all those years ago that a fugitive slave from Kentucky had made their path to Dundas County. It was about 25 years ago that I had learned that a descendant of Isaac Johnson was hosting a talk on his history. I was keen to learn more. After meeting many of his descendants that day in Waddington, New York, I learned to have the deepest respect for this man.

It appears that I am not at all alone in this view. The

Adirondack Architectural Heritage group (AARCH) has organized tours from New York State to visit the buildings connected with Isaac Johnson. They had planned to visit this past summer, but the tour had been cancelled due to the border closures and the COVID 19 shutdowns.

I was approached because I manage the Dundas County Archives, to see if I knew anything about his story. Long before the Dundas County Archives was even imagined, I had collected materials by and about Isaac Johnson, and I happily shared this with the group. There is a special feeling when a history-oriented person connects with like-minded individuals in a search for details. When these details pertain to an individual in the past, it is akin to finding

the elusive treasure.

Who was Isaac Johnson, and how did a former slave from Kentucky end up in this area? How do we know about his story? In 1901, Isaac Johnson wrote his memoirs: “Slavery Days in Old Kentucky: a true story of a father who sold his wife and four children. By one of the children”.

According to the descendants, he wrote these memoirs as a means of raising funds to provide for his children after he had been injured on a stone mason job. By this time, he was living in Ogdensburg and working between Ogdensburg and Massena, New York. He had also hoped that by sharing his story, he might be able to find his long-lost siblings from Kentucky. While this memoir did raise the desired funds for his children’s education, he was never successful in locating any of his siblings.

He also wanted to illustrate the history of slavery, and how it impacted on those who experienced it. This book also served as a window into the world of Isaac Johnson.

We learned about his origins as a child of a white father and enslaved mother. His mother was born in Madagascar and taken into slavery there. She became a servant to a slave trader until his death. At that

point, she was inherited as property of his eldest son.

Richard Yeager was a tobacco farmer in Nelson County, Kentucky.

According to Isaac, they lived together on the farm as husband and wife and had four children together. Isaac was born to this family in 1844. All was normal until he reached 7 years old. His father must have had financial difficulties. The fact that the neighbouring farmers shunned him may have been an issue. Whatever the cause may have been, the fact is that Richard Yeager sold his wife and children into slavery for a total of $3,300, a sizable sum in those days. Isaac was the property of William Madinglay for the purchase price of $700.

My former research on this topic indicates that this was a significant price for a child in those days. Isaac laboured on Madinglay’s farm for the next 12 years. As was the case with many slaves during the Civil War, he escaped

Gardening: Heirloom Seeds or Hybrid Seeds

by Joselyn Morley If you are buying seeds, you may hear people talking about Heirloom Seeds or Hybrid Seeds. You may read it on a seed package or a catalogue.

What does that mean? And does it matter if your tomatoes are hybrid or heirloom?

The answer depends on what you ultimately want to do with your plants.

Heirloom seeds, sometimes called heritage seeds, grow heirloom or heritage plants. There are also heritage breeds of animals. People also talk about eating heirloom or heritage food. There's no hard and fast rule, but generally when talking about seeds and plants, the designation refers to a variety that has been grown for fifty years or more. Some people argue that one hundred years should be the accepted period of time, but there's a lot of varieties that would not be considered heirloom if there was a hard February 10, 2021

and fast rule of one hundred years. Monoculture increased after the Second World War, so generally heirloom seeds and plants date from pre-war years. Sometimes the definition of a heritage plant includes some cultural or ethnic consideration, but that is not universal. An example would be Romano beans that can be traced directly back to Italy of the late-nineteenth and earlytwentieth centuries. Specific plants that had been grown for generations were brought with families emigrating to North America.

It is more than just the passage of time, though, that makes a specific plant or seed an heirloom or heritage variety. It means that the plant is very stable and its descendent will grow true to the parent. Some hybrid seeds have been available from seed companies and agriculture companies for over fifty years, but they are not heirloom. Heirloom

to the Union Army when they swept through Kentucky. He was enlisted in the 102nd US Coloured Regiment on February 3, 1864, and served out the Civil War. When the war ended, he searched Kentucky for his lost family members. After he gave up on the search, he found his way up the Great Lakes and the St Lawrence River, working on cargo ships.

By 1867, he reached Morrisburg. It is not known why he chose to settle in the area, or how he became a stone mason. Likely, he went where the opportunities presented themselves. He worked for Baker Limestone quarry in Winchester for about 8 years, learning the craft while working on the construction proj-

ect for the United Church in that town. He is associated with several other construction projects, including the St James Anglican Church in Morrisburg. He also built stone houses in Winchester and Russell. He took contracts on the New York side of the St Lawrence also, in Waddington and Ogdensburg.

His construction days ended in 1893 due to an accident.

It was at that point that he decided to pen his memoirs.

They were republished in 1994, with additional research

by Cornell Reinhart about his legacy in Ontario and New York State, thus bringing his incredible contributions to local architectural heritage to a new generation.

Taylor’d Safety Services Inc.

plants are cultivated plants that have been selected over the years for specific desired characteristics. Heirloom plants will look the same over successive generations.

They will have the same growing patterns, colour, flavour, and yield. When you save the seeds from your heirloom tomato this year, the tomato you harvest next fall will be the same. Heirloom plants, such as peppers, can cross-pollinate, meaning that they can pick up some characteristics of plants nearby.

They can be marred by viral disease. Plants require space, and each plant has its own requirement for space from a similar plant, a distance that can vary from a few feet to a couple of miles. Nevertheless, providing the plant is given the space it needs, and it is free from disease, the plant will grow true to its parentage. Heirloom seeds can be traced back throughout generations. Some heirloom

plants can be dated to a very specific place and time. Others are more vague. But they are a product of many years of saving the best.

Hybrid plants are created by crossing two varieties of a plant. The female flower of one variety is pollinated by the male of a different variety.

The seeds from the female flower will have the characteristics from both varieties.

The seeds from the resulting plant could be like one or the other of the parents.

Why do we care about heirloom seeds? Because varieties of plants are becoming extinct every day. Plants are becoming extinct at a very fast rate, and a lot of it has to do with humans growing predominantly one variety of a specific crop. We are losing genetic diversity in the plants we grow at an alarming rate.

Agriculture is increasingly industrialised, and monoculture is increasingly the norm. If we lose the seeds that grow plants 6

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consistently over successive generations, we become dependent on the companies selling the hybrid seeds. We cannot plant the seeds from a hybrid plant and expect to grow the same plant. If we are dependent on companies or stores to supply seeds, we are vulnerable should they decide to consolidate their seed production. Saving heirloom seeds allows us some food security. Hybrid seeds often produce very well in a specific area. Over the generations, people have kept the best of their produce to provide the seed. These plants are adapted over generations to your climate, soil, and other growing conditions.

One oft-cited example of the importance of maintaining genetic diversity is found by

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looking at bananas. Currently what we know as a banana is a variety known as the Cavendish Banana. If you go to a small roadside stand in a tropical country, you may find other types, and that comes as a surprise to many, but overwhelmingly the bananas that we grow worldwide are of the same variety. We have lost much of genetic diversity. The Cavendish banana, though, is gravely endangered by a new strain of Panama disease.

Once a variety is extinct, it is gone forever. Relying on a very few varieties is leaving our food supply open to catastrophic shortages when diseases arise. Reducing the pool of plants from which to draw limits our ability to feed ourselves. www.ndtimes.ca

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SD&G OPP Mobile Crisis Response Team expansion

Mental health Nurse Jody Maribel and PC Ranger The Stormont Dundas and Glengarry (SD&G) Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the Cornwall Community Hospital, and the United Counties of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry continue to provide an innovative partnership with mental health expertise and responsive care.

Mental health related calls have been increasing in SD&G for many years and the severity of the mental health concerns that police encounter are increasingly more complex. The Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT) provides early intervention for

those who need it. People, not knowing who else to turn to in a mental health crisis, have typically called the police.

Previously, police had few options in this type of call.

Since September 28, 2020 members of the OPP have been patrolling with Mental Health Nurse, Don Depratto, from the Cornwall Community Hospital. The Registered Nurse is being funded by the United Counties of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry.

The SD&G MCRT has assisted over 100 people where mental health is a factor since the program was launched.

The program has resulted

ARC Access to Resources in the Community

in a reduction in calls for service, better outcome for residents, lower apprehension rate, timely less intrusive intervention, improved access to mental health care. Individuals, family and caregivers regularly provide positive feedback.

Building on that success, on January 30, 2021 the program added weekend coverage until Fall 2021 to provide seven days a week coverage, as supported by funding from the Ministry of Health.

Acting Inspector Simon Hardy of the SD&G OPP says " The MCRT is an excellent example of successfully utilizing cross sector, multi agency partnerships to build healthier and safer communities. We are extremely pleased with the impact this program has already had and will continue to have for the citizens of SD&G. This is yet another illustration of the positive impacts that building and enhancing meaningful relationships with our partners while promoting alternate service delivery models has upon our communities".

by Joselyn Morley The program Access to Resources in the Community, or ARC, is available to anyone in North Dundas or Merrickville-Wolford. It is a patient-centred navigation model integrated in primary care practices with the intention to help individuals access resources that can address their health and social needs. The model utilizes a Patient Navigator who supports patients by finding local resources in their community.

In other words, someone in need, suffering in any way from the pandemic, including emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, or psychologically, can call the ARC program. The person calling will speak to a navigator.

The navigator is a bilingual layperson. They do not have clinical or medical training, but they are trained specifically in patient-centred communication, and specialises in navigation service delivery.

This means they have a better knowledge of all the specific resources and the context in

February 10, 2021

lege, which featured over 300 students in 17 competition areas, cannot take place,” he explained. “To fill the void, CDSBEO OYAP introduced the Backyard Challenge for 2020 2021. The year long competition challenges participating schools to choose one of two shed designs to build, and submit quarterly video reports on progress.”

Schools have full autonomy to decide the finishes, with the goal of selling the finished product for profit, which would in turn be donated toward the school technology programs for equipment, maintenance, or repairs. In some cases, schools have decided to donate the profits.

“The students at Notre Dame Catholic High School have teamed up with their MEP (special education) program, and will be modifying the shed to create a functional greenhouse that the school will be able to use for years to come.”

Currently, both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development (which funds OYAP), are working with school boards to

lenges brought about by the pandemic.

Some of the services available include financial support, including programs specifically focussed on students, seniors, or those suffering income loss directly from the pandemic. Services to support mental health include online, virtual, selfdirected and free services.

There is help for anxiety and depression. Other supports include social support, personal safety, food security, parenting, amongst others.

The goal of the navigator is to connect the person in need of help with the help they need.

The model of patientcentered non-clinical navigation link the individual to primary care or community resources. They can facilitate goal setting, arrange transportation, connect a person with language and literacy assistance, and moreover, advocate for the client's needs, breaking down previously experienced barriers. Check out arcnavigationproject.com or call 613-562-6262

Baldwin’s Birds

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program update The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario [CDSBEO], through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and Experiential Learning, has made significant changes to the delivery mode of some of its programs in response to COVID 19 restrictions. The change to virtual learning has created many new exciting 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 program participation has risen, and more students are choosing this pathway and will receive the benefits associated with apprenticeships and education placements.

Dan Lortie, OYAP Coordinator, presented information to the CDSBEO Board on the upcoming program virtual events, and how learning opportunities have changed for students.

“For obvious reasons this year, the annual SKLZ competition at St Lawrence Col-

which they are required.

This navigator is a member of a primary care team and can promote the integration of primary and community care by improving the continuity of information and fostering recommendations to community resources by enabling those in need to access these resources. They are a bridge between what is out there, and what the client needs.

They are acquainted with many of the services available because they are generalists. They support a general population, a population not of one specific culture or demographic. They know about a wide array of resources because they are not trained in one specific modality. The navigator is able to help the client overcome barriers that might have prevented them from accessing services previously. The navigator helps link the person in need with local or virtual services, or government support programs that promote health and well-being, and help them deal with the chal-

target grade 7 and 8 students to encourage pathways to the skilled trades. One initiative this year to engage students in grades 7 and 8, is the OYAP Race Car Challenge.

“Over 1200 kits were sent out to schools across the board, which included teacher resources with information on OYAP, the Specialist High Skills Major program, and Experiential Learning opportunities.”

CDSBEO OYAP has also launched a social media presence, to help highlight and feature students who have successfully followed the OYAP path to a successful career outcome, in addition to events and opportunities for students.

Mr. Lortie noted a few other events which will be held this year, including the Women in Trades virtual event on February 17, a Virtual Career Fair for Prescott Russell schools in March, and two additional skilled trades information sessions in April featuring available learning opportunities, career pathways, and why working in the skilled trades is a viable career option.

I hope all is well with you all and you are staying safe. As mentioned in my last communication, I have been trying to get some pictures of a Snowy Owl. Another trip out did the trick and I was lucky enough to get some. Of course it was a bitterly cold 26 C, with the wind chill provided by a punishing North wind, despite the bright sunny day! Initially, when spotted and alighting from my car, I had to shelter on the leeward side of it and brace myself against it, to get pictures of the owl perching on the top of a hydro pole. After getting a few shots, the bird suddenly disappeared from view and re appeared on a lower perch on top of another pole. To get more pictures now entailed a walk down the road in the freezing wind! My face, although hooded, soon told me that this wasn't the ideal spot to be, so after a few, very quick, snaps, it was back to the car and some warmth and then home!! Another trip out failed to capture any owl sightings, but some more pictures of Snow Buntings were taken.

Quite exciting times, despite the cold and the pandemic.

All the best of health to you all, Stay safe and well, John Baldwin.

[Editor’s note: After John’s photo arrived, it was announced that a snowy owl has been spotted in New York's Central Park for the first time in 130 years. News of the sighting saw US bird watchers flock to the park hoping to catch a glimpse of the owl. John is ahead of them all!]

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OFA reminds farmers of the toll mental health can have on livestock

Can athletes escape Covid virus?

Professional sporting events have never been entirely about the game. Team owners, player sponsorships, media contracts, ticket sales, and merchandising licenses are the playgrounds of big business. But the tiniest of offensive players, the novel coronavirus, has upended the sporting world. It has become a matter of great debate whether your grandmother or your favourite sports star should have priority for a vaccine.

Take NHL hockey as an example. A delayed season has started. Only a handful of arenas are allowing limited spectators to attend the games. The league is working hard to keep players safe from COVID-19, but games have been delayed and postponed due to positive tests among players, coaches and staff. As one wise sage remarked, “It’s hard to escape the wind.”

Health officials urge all of us to take precautions against spread of infection. But how can hockey players “social distance” while driving the opponent into the boards?

Teams will take every possible precaution. But this is easier said than done when traveling from game to game.

The NHL reports players are being tested daily. But testing is only one step to prevent the spread of the virus.

As this article goes to press, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs

are preparing to take the field in Tampa, FL. Exhausted health officials are losing more sleep, worried that huge sporting events like these will cause another winter surge, once again stretching the healthcare system to the breaking point.

One can hardly blame starved restaurant owners from doing what they can to sell a few meals. But even outdoor seating was a problem for Los Angles in hosting the NBA finals in October. The L.A. Times reports, “More than 9,000 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in L.A. County since Nov. 1, more than half of the county’s cumulative COVID-19 death toll of 16,127.”

So it has been proven that professional athletes will play on amid this pandemic. With the amount of money at stake, it should not surprise if there are nefarious ploys to secure vaccine supplies. Stay tuned for a Hollywood thriller!

But what of Olympic athletes? Woe be Tokyo and the still questionable Olympic Games. According to a recent poll, nearly 80% of Japanese think the games should be canceled or postponed again.

For many athletes, there is only one chance to compete.

So most are understandably keen to partake.

The International Olympic Committee is in a pickle, since its revenue is largely dependent on broadcast con-

tracts. The IOC insists the Games are a go. Suggestions that athletes be permitted to jump national vaccine queues have been met with condemnation.

The question remains, should you and your children be playing contact team sports or even games with social distancing? The answer is a resounding yes, but with a caveat. Just like porcupines making love, engage in these activities very carefully.

Why is there not more commonsense advice from public health experts about the fortification of our natural immune systems as a protective measure against the virus? Athletes may be the healthiest among us, but even they need robust immune systems. How? Get ample sleep – without it, you will be weakened. Eat a good diet and drink plenty of water, not sugary drinks.

Take a daily dose of immuneboosting vitamins C and D – in the high doses required for a good fight with a viral opponent, not the small amounts for general health. Make sure you are getting enough magnesium and zinc. Then wear a mask. Keep a distance. And enjoy the exercise!

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by Mark Reusser, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture The quote, “You can't pour from an empty cup,” may resonate with farmers who are currently dealing with mental health struggles.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) understands how the pressure of keeping up with everyday responsibilities, along with the stressors of navigating a pandemic, can become taxing and overwhelming. Mental health is like a scale – balancing back and forth from mild to severe. Somewhere along the spectrum the weight becomes too much to handle and the ability for a person to properly take care of themselves is lost. Once someone is unable to care for their own personal wellbeing, they have little to give to others.

As farmers, we not only have families to take care of, but many of us have livestock to care for too. Oftentimes, when mental illness begins to take a toll on us, it creates a ripple effect that impacts many of our roles and responsibilities. Once the disease becomes crippling, a farmer may lose their motivation to get up in the morning, complete everyday tasks and neglect their livestock as a result.

However, we cannot place blame on these individuals. Mental health is an illness, and just like a physical ailment, it impacts Chateau Glengarry our day to day life and abiliThe Palace ties. During COVID 19, the Sandfield Place reduced human interaction Iakhihsohtha Lodge and increase in stress and Vaccine delivery is ex- pressure to maintain the farm pected to accelerate over business has resulted in an the coming months. As influx of mental health crises vaccine stock increases, within the farming commuvaccination will expand to nity. Through conversations more population groups. It with people in the agriculture is anticipated that by this community over the past fall (or sooner), anyone who wants a vaccine will have access to one. The EOHU will notify the public as the vaccine becomes available to different population groups.

Current COVID 19 Vaccine situation in the EOHU Region The EOHU has received a limited supply of COVID 19 vaccines, which are being distributed in accordance with Ontario’s mandated vaccine roll out plan (see General Information on COVID 19 Vaccines).

As part of Phase 1 of the provincial roll out plan, the EOHU, in coordination with local EMS, is currently providing COVID 19 vaccination to the following groups: Long Term Care Homes and High Risk Retirement Homes: started January 13, 2021.

Status: Underway.

Retirement Homes: Status: Planning

February 10, 2021

List of long term care facilities and retirement homes in Stormont, Glengarry, and Dundas that have received the COVID 19 vaccine to date.

Long Term Care Facilities (residents, staff and essential caregivers): Lancaster Glen Stor Dun Lodge Woodland Villa Maxville Manor Heartwood Sandfield Place St. Joseph's Continuing Care Centre Dundas Manor The Palace Parisien Manor Retirements Homes (residents, staff and essential caregivers):

year, it’s evident that mental health has also been associated with animal welfare cases. The inability to care for the health and welfare of livestock can be the unfortunate result of someone suffering with mental health issues.

We care deeply about the health and wellbeing of our animals. Each day, we dedicate countless hours to ensure they’re well fed, healthy and living in clean environments.

As a livestock producer, it has always been in my best interest to raise healthy, nurtured and well cared for livestock.

The reality is our animals are our livelihoods. Not only do we care for these animals, but they are the key to maintaining a profitable farm business. As livestock farmers, we care about the health, safety, welfare and comfort of our animals and follow established national codes of practice for their care and handling. Although research on this topic is still ongoing, studies show animal welfare can be directly linked to human welfare. To put it simply, many of us lose the ability to care for another living being after we’ve lost the ability to care for ourselves.

Signs of mental health struggles that could result in animal welfare issues include a farmer's inability to maintain the cleanliness of their barn, less frequent trips to care for their livestock, or sudden changes in the condition of their barn. If you notice any of these signs among your friends or neighbours, please reach out and check in on them.

As the conversation about mental health continues to evolve, we recognize many farmers have become more perceptive at recognizing the signs of struggle and more open to taking preventative measures. However, even those who appear to be functioning normally need to be checked on, supported and made to feel like they matter.

Mental health can be crippling and the best way to get through it is together.

The Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act (PAWS)

WE NEED HEROES ACT NOW 8

Advisory Committee, which was established by the Ontario government and includes OFA Vice President Drew Spoelstra, recognizes the link between mental health and caring for animals. OFA will continue to ensure mental health and the connection to on farm livestock management is a priority for the committee. Enforcement through PAWS on animal welfare issues can assist a farmer dealing with a mental health crisis. Enforcement officers are well equipped and properly trained to handle issues of mental health and animal welfare. They have the skills to assess the situation and determine the best course of action for the animals or livestock.

As individuals, we have a responsibility to report suspected animal welfare issues.

However, please remember to remain compassionate in times of crisis. Our farmers who are proud of the care they provide their animals. In a mental health crisis, it's the unintentional acts and inabilities to care for others that can affect livestock. As a community, it’s important to proceed with care and compassion to help our neighbours when they’re in need of our support.

If you or someone you know is in distress and needs help, there are people and resources available. Please reach out for 24/7 support by calling the Ontario Mental Health Line at ConnexOntario. Reach them at 1 866 531 2600, or use their online chat function. For additional resources, visit the ConnexOntario website, or ofa.on.ca/ mental health.

Send in your letters, stories, events to editor@ ndtimes.ca Support Local, now more than ever! www.ndtimes.ca

The North Dundas Times

Ontario continues accelerated vaccinations of most vulnerable Ongoing vaccine delays and reduced shipments have forced the Ontario government to update its goal of completing the administration of first doses of COVID 19 vaccines to residents in each long term care, high risk retirement and First Nations elder care home to February 10. Amidst these delays, vaccination teams will be distributing vaccines in First Nations fly in communities in the north as part of Operation Remote Immunity, beginning this week.

Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, and General Rick Hillier (retired), Chair of the COVID 19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force.

"While it's disappointing that vaccine supplies are being delayed, General Hillier and his team are doing a fantastic job of getting vaccines into the arms of our seniors and those who care for them, and now to remote First Nations communities" said Premier Ford. "It's clear we need to start production of COVID vaccines here in Canada, and I will continue pushing for that to begin as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we are continuing to build our capacity so when we receive enough supply for mass vaccinations, we will be ready."

Last week, Ontario developed a plan to accelerate vaccination of the most vulnerable populations across Ontario with the goal of visiting each long term care, high risk retirement, and First Nations

elder care home in the province to administer first doses

by February 5, 2021, pending this week's delivery dates.

Since that time, the federal government has confirmed Ontario's allocation of the Moderna vaccine will be significantly reduced by 18,200 doses, to 63,400 doses. With the reduced shipment anticipated to be received late this week, doses will be delivered to public health units across Ontario to ensure residents of these homes are offered their first dose by February 10, 2021.

The decrease in supply of the Moderna vaccine is in addition to further reductions in Pfizer BioNTech vaccine shipments from the federal government, which resulted in no deliveries for the week of January 25, 2021, and a reduced shipment of just over 26,000 doses for the first week of February.

The province's initial approach was to offer vaccination to all residents, staff and essential caregivers working at long term care and high risk retirement homes to provide the opportunity for best overall protection. In response to the reduction in vaccine supply, the province prioritized the vaccination of residents of long term care, high risk retirement and First Nations elder care homes.

The province is expecting approximately 310,000 doses to be delivered in the remaining weeks of February. Once sufficient doses are available, vaccinations will resume to provide first doses for staff and essential caregivers in settings with the most vulnerable populations.

Covid-19 update

The province also continues to protect access to second doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for those who have already received their first dose.

As of February 1 at 8:00 p.m., over 344,000 vaccine doses have been administered across the province, including over 91,000 doses administered to long term care staff and retirement home staff, over 138,000 doses administered to health care workers and over 90,000 doses administered to long term care and retirement home residents.

To protect access to second doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine for those who have already received their first dose, Ontario will maintain the maximum interval of 21 27 days for long term care, retirement and First Nations elder care home resident groups. For all other groups, second dose appointments will be 35 days after the administration of the first dose, and no later than 42 days.

These intervals are aligned with guidance provided by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).

The intervals will be adjusted down to 21 27 days as quickly as possible, once vaccine supply permits.

Ontario is ready to administer the COVID 19 vaccine and expand the number of vaccination sites as soon as doses are received. The province has capacity to vaccinate nearly 40,000 people per day and is building to triple or quadruple that capacity pending federal government supply.

Image: Covid19 cases in the EOHU region, as of February 5, 2021

by David Shanahan At the time of going to press, the latest figures available were from February 5. These showed that for the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry, there were three ongoing outbreaks in Long Term Care and Group Homes. In all there have been 571 cases confirmed, with 19 deaths since the pandemic first hit. Around 480 cases have been resolved.

Females made up just over half of all cases (51%).

The age group most affected by covid-19 is the 40-64 age group, which accounts for 34% of all cases. Those over 65 made up 24% of cases. The younger age groups were not immune, however. Those infected between the ages of 20 and 39 made up a quarter of cases, while those under 20 formed 17%.

New for Schools during ongoing pandemic

by Joselyn Morley New measures have been put in place to protect Ontario's school children after their return to school.

Durham and Halton, and anyone outside the greater Toronto area, returned to inperson learning on February 8.

Toronto and Peel Region will return to in-person learning on February16. Schools in the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, as well as those in the Ottawa area, returned on February 1.

Community transmission of the Covid-19 virus is declining, confirmed Education Minister Stephen Lecce and Dr David Williams, the chief medical officer of health.

Dr. Williams and Minister February 10, 2021

Lecce explained that if there appears to be transmission within a group of students or a school after the return to in-person learning, students could be sent home until testing could occur. Administration and local health units could close a school if there is an outbreak, in order to allow for testing and tracing. These restrictions or closures would be handled on a case-by-case situation. The province maintains that all public health units will have access to testing, and that Ontario has the capacity to process 25,000 laboratory tests and another 25,000 on-site rapid tests each week, but they are still working to get to this rate.

Stephen Lecce confirmed

that the province is accessing $340 million in funding from the federal government to help keep students, staff, and teachers at the schools safe.

This money is intended to go directly to school boards to assist in buying personal protective equipment (PPE), increase and improve filtration and ventilation in schools, and to hire more cleaning staff.

Working through local health units, the province intends to provide asymptomatic testing for staff, students, and teachers. Masks are now mandatory for grades 1 to 3. Masking outdoors is required for all grades from 1 to 12 when the two-meter distancing is not possible.

The province will provide 3.5 million cloth masks to schools to make sure students are able to be masked at all times. Screening tools have been updated for all students, staff, and teachers.

The province wants to see schools actively discourage before or after school gatherings. Finally, the province is allowing individual boards to hire student teachers in their final year to help cover some of the absenteeism caused by the pandemic. The boards and schools will still have to draw upon any reserve of fully qualified teachers to act as substitute teachers before calling on student teachers, but the province is hoping that allowing the boards and

9

North Dundas remains one of the municipalities in SDG with the lowest statistics. There have been a cumulative total of 61 cases here, with 7 active cases on February 5.

Outside of Cornwall, the worst affected areas were Clarence-Rockland (287 total cases), Hawkesbury (245), and Russell (229), as can be seen in the accompanying map.

In the Eastern Ontraio Health Unit region as a whole, there have been 2,581 cumulative cases, with 60 of these being fatal. 2,302 cases have been resolved. As of last Friday,

there were 23 individuals hospitalised with covid.

One of the significant statistics released last Friday showed that the number of confirmed cases in January had jumped to 850 when compared to December’s figure of 701. There seems to be a common phenomenon worldwide that numbers grew significantly after the Christmas and New Year season, when people tended to relax their guard and gather in larger family or social groups.

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schools to hire student teachers will provide more flexibility to respond to any shortage of teachers when they have to take time off due to health or isolation requirements.

The Ontario NDP education critic Marit Stiles is critical of the plan to return students to in-person learn-

ing, saying that the province has not spent the full amount allocated by the federal government to implement safety measures, that the work of increasing ventilation should have been done much earlier, and that school teachers and staff should be vaccinated with front-line workers.

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CLASSIFIEDS

ACROSS 1. Double-reed woodwind 5. Circle fragments 9. Stitched 14. A soft sheepskin leather 15. Sandwich shop 16. Japanese verse 17. Percolator 19. Made a mistake 20. Something of value 21. Out-of-date 23. 30th 25. Shield from danger 28. Greatest possible 29. Mesh 32. Idolize 33. Ripen 34. Audible exhale 35. Not under 36. Extreme happiness

38. Unit of land 39. Stars 40. Petroleum 41. Chatterbox 43. Aye 44. Grayish brown 45. A type of keyboard instrument 46. Rebels 48. Units of force 50. Backsides 54. Sound 55. Gatekeeper's residence 57. Not back 58. Anagram of "Dome" 59. By mouth 60. Breviloquent 61. Arid 62. A crumbling earthy deposit

DOWN 1. Killer whale 2. Razzes 3. Clods 4. Enchains 5. Citrus drink 6. An essay 7. Influence 8. Posings 9. A protective covering 10. Our planet 11. Cable 12. Barely managed 13. Clunker 18. Aromatic solvent 22. Despised 24. Locked in by ice 25. Lacking wit or imagination 26. Variety show 27. Roasters 29. Cuts 30. Heron 31. Not here 33. Suffer 34. Showroom 37. Ancestries 42. First Hebrew letter 44. Indicate 45. Beaver 46. Wreckage 47. Clearing 48. Unadulterated 49. Smell 51. Emanation 52. Russian emperor 53. Peddle 54. Astern 56. An uncle

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

The Voice of North Grenville

Wardens' caucus wants to see improvements to LTC delivery The Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) has released a comprehensive two part review of Eastern Ontario Long Term Care Facilities – a critical part of its advocacy and research in 2020 and 2021.

In order to be proactive and better positioned to inform Provincial discussions, the EOWC engaged a consultant to develop an independent report that provides a current state analysis for the municipally operated long term care sector in Eastern Ontario.

The EOWC then leveraged this information to develop five key recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of long term care service delivery including: Increase direct care funding to achieve the Provincial benchmark of the four hours of care model; Transition to a per bed funding model to increase clarity, efficiency, and transparency of the funding process; Increase Provincial capital funding predictability and provide on going support for

capital maintenance; Promote and support resource sharing between long term care homes; and Improvement in long term care processes to increase efficiency and effectiveness.

In total, EOWC members currently own and operate 15 long term care facilities, representing 2,386 licenced beds.

The COVID 19 pandemic placed a spotlight on a number of pre existing challenges that have been pervasive in Ontario’s long term care sector for many years. The EOWC is committed to working closely with the Province and other key stakeholders in order to create a world class long term care system.

The Caucus had the opportunity to discuss the findings, impacts and recommendations of the comprehensive review with the Honourable Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long Term Care, as part of the 2021 Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) Conference from January 25 to 26. The EOWC has also provided a formal submission to Ontario’s COVID 19 Long Term Care Commission.

“Long term care is a

key priority for the Caucus and EOWC Members are vital partners in the delivery of long term care,” stated EOWC Chair Debbie Robinson. “When I think of long term care and how the COVID 19 pandemic has impacted our residents and families, we must ensure that systemic issues that have been identified across the sector are addressed. The EOWC has demonstrated that we are a willing partner and are able to provide on the ground leadership to implement changes.”

About the EOWC: Since its inception, the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus (EOWC) has worked to support and advocate on behalf of the 750,000 property taxpayers across rural Eastern Ontario. The EOWC covers an area of 45,000 square kilometres from Cobourg to the Quebec border, and includes 13 upper tier and single tier municipalities as well as 90 local municipalities. All members work together as a team, striving to ensure that conditions are in place to make Eastern Ontario the greatest place in the world to reside and do business.

The Food Corner

by Paul Cormier, Salamanders of Kemptville

Easy

Hard

February February10, 9, 2021 2021

Medium

Despite that last bit of snow, and maybe I’m anticipating a bit too much, but I smell Spring in the air. So, the heck with Punxsutawney Phil, the famous Pennsylvanian groundhog who is predicting six more weeks of winter (besides, old Phil hasn’t visited the Ottawa Valley that I know of). Anyway, I’m doubly motivated to keep providing you with great recipes to ease you along through the rest of the Winter. This very simple dish is sure to delight you fish lovers.

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

Solution to last week’s Crossword

10 13

Salmon and Lime Cakes Ingredients: 3 potatoes, peeled 1 small can of salmon 1 onion, finely chopped 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons finely chopped lime 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil or butter 1 teaspoon horseradish Pepper Preparation: Boil and mash the potato

Drain the salmon and mash it into the potatoes Stir in the eggs, onion, lime and horseradish Season as desired, e.g., with pepper (no salt required) Form into 3 inch patties; the mixture will be soft Coat the patties with panko breadcrumbs Fry at medium heat in vegetable oil or butter, carefully turning them over once and till golden brown Serve up while hot with a yoghurt and parsley or aioli sauce.

Thanks again for your mails and keep ‘em comin’ at pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

SEND IN YOUR CLASSIFIED to classified@ndtimes.ca

BUY AND SELL LOCALLY FIRST TEN WORDS FREE

SERVICES email classifieds@ndtimes.ca HANDYMAN RETIRED CARPENTER Renovations, kitchens, SERVICES bathrooms, additions, Painting, Demolition, decks, home repair.

Drywall, Call George at Carpentry, etc 613 462 7637 Bill at 613-774-2922

www.ndtimes.ca www.ngtimes.ca

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The North Dundas Times

How another ND Business has faced the pandemic

by Joselyn Morley Tara Whelan and Vanessa McRostie have been producing Hive Vibe Beeswax Wraps for two years now. They are a reusable, ecofriendly alternative to plastic wrap or bags. Naturally antibacterial and anti fungal, they keep food fresher for longer.

They help retain the flavour of food, and help it last longer.

They can be used anywhere you formerly used plastic wrap or bags: wrapping up leftovers, packing lunches, or storing baked goods. They are produced in small batches with natural ingredients.

Vanessa and Tara, friends for years, loved to craft together. They are both ecoconscious in their daily lives, and regularly share ideas.

They would come across an idea, then get together to bake it or make it. One year they discovered beeswax food wraps, loved them, and made them for family and friends for Christmas. The recipients loved them, and the business began there, but they were still surprised when they sold out of their first batch in a day!

They started with a Facebook page, but since have expanded to have their own website, serving customers from all over Canada. They sell online at www.hivevibewraps.com, as well as at makers' markets and farmers' markets. Their products are stocked in local stores and cafes, and they also supply stockists directly. They have participated in some Pop-Up Shops in the area. As I have heard so often, the businesses in the area work together to support one another.

Tara and Venessa have their own bees! They do truly source locally! Vanessa knows more about beekeepFebruary 10, 2021

ing, but teaches Tara as they go along. Tara says it's an awesome experience, and one of the coolest things they've ever done. The by-product is pretty sweet too! They source their fabric locally, and shopping for fabric is one of their favourite parts of the business. Reigning in their enthusiasm, and not buying all the bright, fun fabrics, is a challenge.

The pandemic cancelled most of the markets and shows in 2020. Tara and Vanessa went from selling at a market every other weekend, to participating in the very few that managed to go on throughout the year. They felt the effects of the pandemic, but the fact that they were already online, and had a strong online and social media presence, helped. They were able to reach out to customers to sell and promote. Some markets shifted to a virtual presence, such as mylocalmarkets.ca. They found some new stockists who wanted their beeswax wraps. When people realised they could only shop online, Tara and Vanessa were already there!

Customer support, from individuals, stockists, and other businesses got them through the year. Sharing information and support online, commenting and sharing social media posts, and customer referrals are the core of the small business right now.

Businesses rallied around each other, sharing ideas and supporting one another.

Business owners shared their creativity. Collaboration with other businesses have been a mainstay too. They have supplied subscriptions boxes.

One business they work with curates a box of all local products, which helps support and promote local. Another

Myth understandings: an irregular column

Source documents: 2 the Letters

offers a Zero-Waste Starter Box, filled with zero-waste products to help start a person out on their eco-friendly, zero-waste journey. Both contribute to sustainability.

Sustainability and working towards an eco-friendly, zero-waste lifestyle did not go out of style during the pandemic. Being at home more provided people with the opportunity to figure out where they could make more eco-friendly choices in their everyday lives. Introducing Hive Vibe Wraps into their daily lives helped to reduce single-use plastics, and there was a lot of bread being made that needed wrapping up!

Sourcing locally meant that their supply chain was not as vulnerable to shortages as it could have been. Homemade maskmakers were buying out the big chain stores of cotton fabric, but already having a local supply chain meant less disruption. Using local and Canadian suppliers has been a priority from the beginning. They go through more beeswax than they can produce from their own hives, but they source from local apiaries. The beekeepers love Hive Vibe Wraps, and send a lot of customers to Tara and Vanessa.

Sustainability is the basis of Hive Vibe. They believe that small, achievable ecochanges make a big difference in our move towards sustainable living. Vanessa and Tara have worked hard to make their lifestyles more sustainable. They suggest making small, everyday eco-choices, like carpooling, community gardens, reusable grocery and produce bags, and obviously packing on-the-go lunches and snacks in their locally made beeswax wraps. They remind us that it takes 100s of bees working together to make a strong hive community; sustainable living doesn't have to be complicated or extreme.

by David Shanahan The New Testament contains 27 different books written by nine different authors.

Every author of the New Testament was Jewish except for Luke. The Gospels record the teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the Acts of the Apostles, the sequel, as it were, to Luke’s Gospel, records the activities of the early Christians, particularly Peter and Paul. But most of the books of the New Testament, and the earliest to be written, were the Letters, twenty-one letters written to individuals, Christian house churches, and a general Letter to the Hebrews, which is a wonderful analysis of how Old and New Testaments agree and explain each other.

Paul wrote sixteen of these letters, though they are not published in chronological order in the Bible, but according to length.

There is general agreement on the order in which they were written and, to a large extent, on the dates of each one. These would be: Galatians 48; James, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians 50; First and Second Corinthians 54-56; Romans 57; Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians 60; First Timothy 63-55; Titus 65; Second Timothy 66; Hebrews 67; Peter’s two letters c. 64.; Jude 68; Epistles of John c. 70.

All of these letters, therefore, were written within 3040 years after the crucifixion of Jesus, with Galatians dating from only fifteen years after that event. The historicity of the documents is guaranteed by the sheer number of references to, and quotes from them over the first 100150 years A.D. There was no time for any unhistorical myth to develop, as many eye witnesses to Jesus were still alive and active throughout the period in which the letters were written.

Nor were they the only letters to be written by early Christians; there is a substantial number of others, but it is these twenty-one documents that Christians recognised as having a special authority, to have been inspired by the Holy Spirit, and were, as Paul put it: “All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” [2 Timothy 3.16-17] Peter even referred to Paul’s writing as “Scripture”, and he recognised that Paul’s teaching was often a source of controversy: “His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” [2 Peter 3.16] Peter’s recommendation of Paul is especially impressive, as the two men did not always get on. In fact, on one occasion, Paul publicly rebuked Peter for compromising the freedom of Christians from the old laws and regulations governing food and drink. But that is the fascinating thing about the New Testament: it doesn’t gloss over the less favourable aspects of the first Christians, no matter how their reputation has been enhanced since. That is one piece of supporting evidence for their dependability: a more fictionalised story, a mythological account, would be careful to make everything respectable, with clearly identified good guys and bad guys. If sometimes the individuals, like Peter, Paul, John, and others seem more than fallible in their behaviour or comprehension, that only makes them more fully-rounded human beings.

Real people who experienced real events.

Paul, in particular, has come in for criticism. Some have pointed to things he wrote about women, for ex-

WE NEED HEROES ACT NOW 11

ample, often taken out of context, as proof that he was misogynist in attitude. He certainly had something of a temper at times, when it came to those he called “super apostles”, individuals who used the Gospel as a means to enrich themselves or gain status and authority over others. He strongly rejected those “who think that godliness is a means to financial gain”. No Prosperity Gospel for him!

When you think about his crusade against Christianity before he met Jesus outside Damascus, it is clear that he was a man of strong natural passions and commitments.

What is remarkable is the way he changed after that encounter. There is a wonderful cross-referencing between the account of his travels through Asia and Greece which Luke records in the Acts, and the content of Paul’s letters to the churches he founded during those journeys.

Much should be said about the letters that were written by James and Jude, the brothers of Jesus, or by John, ‘the Beloved Disciple”.

The Hebrews letter is powerful and intelligent and makes you think. But Paul, especially his letter to the Romans, remains the towering figure of the Letters. So much there, so much truth and beauty, wit and wisdom; useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

SHANNON LEVER

Marketing Consultant

Phone 613 791 8317 Email: shannonlever@ ndtimes.ca

Support Local, now more than ever! www.ndtimes.ca

The North Dundas Times

Mealshare and A&W partner to help end youth hunger Mealshare, a national social enterprise on a mission to help end youth hunger, is thrilled to announce its new ongoing national partnership with A&W Canada. For every Mealshare Item purchased at an A&W location, one simple healthy meal will be provided to a youth in need.

Scope of partnership: The partnership has a goal of sharing 1,250,000 meals per year. All of A&W’s locations are participating – that’s 1,000 locations stretching across the entire country.

Meals are provided through Mealshare’s network of 450 local charity partners across Canada. 80% of Mealshare’s financial support stays in local communities where the Mealshare Item was purchased, and 20% goes internationally to Save the Children.

How the program works for A&W customers: On ‘Mealshare Mondays’, customers can order a Cheddar Bacon Uncle Burger Combo and one meal will be provided to a youth in need

through Mealshare. Any day of the week, customers can “Make it a Mealshare” by adding $1.00 to their order.

When customers do this, one meal will be provided to a youth in need through Mealshare. Customers can participate in-restaurant, through drive-thru, or by using the mobile app.

“A&W is an amazing organization and a leader in the industry through its many environmental and social initiatives,” says Jeremy Bryant, Co-Founder of Mealshare.

“The support of A&W restaurants will make a huge impact for Mealshare and all the youth we support across the entire country”.

“Our national partnership with Mealshare will help us make a bigger difference with our operators and their teams across the country.

Local franchisees from coast to coast are excited to be a part of this program because they’ve seen first-hand the needs in their communities and how these programs can provide immediate benefit

OPP report stolen snowmobiles

organization has expanded to 1200+ restaurants across Canada and partnering with A&W Canada is the next milestone for the organization.

This social enterprise has provided over 3.8 million meals since inception, with our simple “Buy One, Give One” model. Canadians can purchase a Mealshare menu item at a participating restaurant and one meal will be donated to youth struggling with hunger through our network of local city charity partners and our international partner, Save the Children Canada.

For more information, visit our website at Mealshare.ca.

and support,” says Susan Senecal, Chief Executive Officer at A&W Canada. “No child should ever go hungry, especially in a country like Canada, so we’re thrilled that we can be a part of this initiative.”

Mealshare believes nutritious food is essential for all children, especially when 1 in 5 children are food insecure in this country. We are committed to creating a world where it’s easier to share with those in need, and every child and youth is fed as a result. We won’t stop until we’ve seen the end of youth hunger.

Mealshare was founded in 2013 with four partner restaurants in Alberta. Now, the

On February 4, 2020 shortly before 9:00 a.m., Stormont Dundas & Glengarry Ontario Provincial Police responded to a report of two snowmobiles being taken from a business (Murray Motor Sports) on Main Street in Alexandria. Investigation indicated that sometime overnight culprits attended the business and removed two 2020 Polaris Switchback Assault snowmobiles. The grey and orange snowmobile had an Ontario plate (8AS686) attached and the second red snowmobile had an Ontario plate (6AN989) attached.

An investigation continues.

Anyone having information on the above incidents or any other crime is asked to call SD&G OPP at 1 888 310 1122 or Seaway Valley Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 TIPS(8477) or you can submit a TIP online at www.seawayvalleycrimestoppers.ca.

Dundas Manor

Virtual CAREER FAIR February 23, 2021

Now Hiring!

Are you looking for a fulfilling career in the healthcare field?

Our home is currently looking for reliable and dedicated individuals to apply for available opportunities and join our team to help look after our seniors.

We look forward to hearing from you!

We are looking for: •Personal Support Workers •Summer Students (RN/RPN) •Registered Nurses (RN/RPN) •Temporary Social Service Worker February 10, 2021

•Hairdresser •Cooks •Dietary Aides •Housekeeper 12

Refer to our home’s website for more information on job qualifications www.dundasmanor.ca VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS WILL BE scheduled BETWEEN 10:00 – 4:00 To schedule an interview, please forward resume to ursula.lamoureux@ dundasmanor.ca or fax to 613-774-4015 www.ndtimes.ca