October 2, 2015 issue 40

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TIMES

Vol. 3, No. 40

The Voice of North Grenville

October 7, 2015

Limerick Forest celebrates 75 years

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Unveiling the commemorative plaque were: L-R Roger Haley, Front of Yonge Township; Doug Malanka, Augusta Township; Gord Brown, MP; David Gordon, Warden, UCLG; David Nash, Merrickville-Wolford Township; Steve Clark, MPP; Jim Pickard, Elizabeth-Kitley Township; Patrick Sayeau, Edwardsburgh Cardinal Township; and Ron Holman, Township of Rideau Lakes

by David Shanahan One of the greatest facilities available to the people in North Grenville marked its 75th anniversary last weekend. Limerick Forest was first established back in 1940, when the United Counties of Leeds & Grenville [UCLG] began a co-operative venture with the Department of Lands & Forests through which the province agreed to reforest and manage County lands for forestry purposes.

These Agreement Forest Program initiatives were put in place to reverse the serious problems which had been caused in Ontario

due to clear-cutting of the forests. The loss of timber cover had reduced many areas, including parts of what became North Grenville, to barren, sandy deserts.

Families that had lived on the land for generations were forced out when the ground no longer supported agriculture, and the United Counties either bought out those few remaining families, or took over the land for tax arrears. Today, Limerick Forest is managed exclusively by the UCLG, and consist of almost 6,000 hectares of forest and wetlands, where more than nine million trees were planted since 1940.

Last Saturday, the Forest celebrated 75 years of life, and hundreds of people from North Grenville and beyond dropped by the Interpretive Centre to join in the fun.

There were demonstrations by the Canadian Raptor Conservancy, the Bug Lady, and Little Ray’s Reptiles, as well as horse-drawn wagon rides around the forest trails, and walking tours of the Homestead Trail by Dr. Fred Schueler and Dr. David Shanahan, who, between them, covered the natural and settlement history of the land. In between activities, there was an art exhibit in the Centre, and a display of historical material tracing

the history of schools in North Grenville. That was particularly appropriate, as the Centre stands on the site of an old school house.

There are many in this community that still remember the old Chalet that stood where the Interpretive Centre is today. Many generations of Scouts, Guides, children on school trips, and their parents passed through the doors. Others can even remember going to school there. All were very impressed by the new Centre, a beautiful venue and available for functions through the UCLG. con’t on page 2

Fall Home Improvement See page 13-17

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Fall gathering for Parents and School Councils

Limerick Forest celebrates 75 years con’t from front page

by Mark Calder Parents can learn more about running effective school councils during a free seminar October 17 at North Grenville District High School. The Fall Gathering for Parents and School Councils will take place Saturday, October 17 from 9 am - 2 pm, said David Coombs, superintendent of school operations with the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB).

It is sponsored by the UCDSB Parent Involvement Committee.

“The day provides a chance for parents to network and discuss what it means to run an effective school council to enhance the school experience for their children. It also offers an opportunity to learn more about what you can do at home to help your child

Demonstrations by the Canadian Raptor Conservancy were part of the fun at the Limerick Forest 75th Anniversary celebrations As part of the official ceremonies, a commemorative plaque was unveiled to mark the anniversary, with Gord Brown MP, Steve Clark MPP, Warden of UCLG Dave Gordon, as well as members of the

Counties Council and the Limerick Forest Advisory Committee doing the honours. And, on top of all that, there was a free hot dog and corn lunch served to all those at the party. Pony rides, free pine saplings,

fresh air, commemorative walking sticks, animals and bugs and lots and lots of trees: a great day out, and, for some at least, an opportunity to discover one of North Grenville’s most attractive community assets.

Council leaves the public unhappy

by David Shanahan The Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday night dealt with a number of subjects about which members of the public turned up to have their say. A Public Meeting was held about the rezoning of the new Lafarge pit on Bennett Road. Following concerns that were expressed by local residents at previous public meetings beginning last year, Lafarge had changed the location of their main entrance to the pit by buying the old Moore, or Schouten Pit and using its main entrance for their operations. The new arrangement and the buyout of Schouten has raised new concerns among resi-

dents, particularly as the old pit area is not covered by the restrictions that had been imposed on Lafarge for their new project.

One local resident, who has farmed a neighbouring property for many years, appeared at Council and claimed that the pit was creating serious dust and noise pollution that was destroying the viability of his farm.

To his clear annoyance, his concerns were largely dismissed by Council in the person of Mayor David Gordon, who denied that he had received any complaints about dust and noise created by pit work.

The resident suggested that both the Mayor and a senior staff member were in conflict of interest

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because they had advised him to sell his farm to Lafarge, something the Mayor did not recall ever doing.

The issue of finding a replacement for the retiring Councillor raised even more annoyance among the public, with some remarks made by Councillor Tobin, in particular, eliciting strong cries of anger from the residents present. It was unsettling to see the expressions of some staff members in response to these outcries: they were clearly unhappy with the noise. With only one exception, all those who addressed Council on the subject asked that the vacant position be

offered to the candidate who had come fifth in last year’s election. The one exception was a person who intends to apply for the vacancy, though he had not taken part in the election last October. He fully supported Council’s proposal to advertise the vacant seat, interview applicants and appoint the person who best fitted the criteria that they and municipal staff would lay down.

All in all, it was not a positive experience for those members of the public who had attended a Council meeting in the hope of being heard.

in the all-important area of literacy.”

Guest speaker at the event is Canadian Métis author and literacy advocate David Bouchard. The recipient of the Order of Canada has produced more than 60 books for readers of all ages, including three guides on reading for parents and educators.

“He will talk to parents about the need to understand that children are all growing and learning at their own pace,” said Suzanne Rivard, chair of the board’s Parent Involvement Committee. “He will also discuss the need for parents to model the importance of reading to encourage their children to develop literacy skills.”

A variety of other topics will be covered including: fundraising, Parents Reaching Out (PRO) grants to encour-

age parent engagement, mental well-being, and how to operate an effective school council.

Free lunch and daycare service will be offered to participants, and the Upper Canada District School Board is also sponsoring a one-hour children’s show by Little Ray’s Reptile Zoo. The show will run from 11 am until noon, and will feature a variety of animals including lizards, snakes, crocodilians, and spiders.

Organizers ask that participants pre-register for the event by contacting Executive Assistant Berva Rice at 613-2589393 ext. 1 or by email at berva.rice@ucdsb.on.ca.

Registrants will be asked to provide the number of adults and children that will attend so that organizers can plan for food and daycare supervision.

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Thousands live on water in flatboats close to shore. Source of drinking water is "right there". Notice the laundry hanging from the roof. Bathroom is also "right there". Children do not attend school. Fish is a major staple. Life expectancy is generally short.

Pat Babin's scoping mission to Cambodia will be highlighted in an illustrated presentation on October 22, 2015, at the NG Library, Norenberg Building, in Kemptville, as part of the Youngsters of Yore's repertoire. His three-week assignment, on behalf of the Canadian Bureau of International Education and CIDA, enabled him to observe the remarkable progress made in Phnom Penh, the capital. The city had been completely evacuated and heavily damaged by the Khymer Rouge during the Pol Pot Revolution. You will be visiting Zombie Land along with some of the schools including the university. Not to be forgotten is the underground war that is still being fought to this day. At least 40,000 have lost limbs due to land mines; the country has the largest rate of amputees in the world. The social services network is minimal, at best.

Pat Babin and the two other Canadian consultants extended their stay and spent three days in Siem-Reap, the gateway to the 100 temples of Angkor, including the majestic Angkor Wat, now a World Heritage Site.

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Gord Brown on his record

Margaret Andrade on the need for change

The All-candidates meeting can be seen at www.ngtimes.ca

I started in politics to help make a difference in my community and in my region. I wanted to help build a community where ideas can grow into thriving businesses, where inspiration can take root, where our children and families can live safely and comfortably. I’m pleased to say the theme of my campaign is “Leadership that Delivers”. I’m proud of my record representing the people of this riding in Ottawa, and I’m proud of my record of getting things done for this riding.

For the past eleven years I have been meeting with constituents, listening to constituents, taking their concerns to Ottawa and delivering on their priorities. Our government has been listening to our constituents and delivering on our priorities. We needed stable, long term economic development money, and I delivered.

Our communities needed stable, long term infrastructure money, and we delivered. When the Rideau Canal was threatened by Parks Canada’s policies, I delivered. You wanted the gun registry eliminated, and we delivered. You needed a new library here in North Grenville, and I

delivered. Our border infrastructure needed to be renewed, and I delivered.

Our historic and cultural resources needed financial assistance, and I delivered again. Parents of critically ill children needed help, and more research was needed to be done on autism and dementia, and I delivered. Money was needed to retrain older workers and for education and training opportunities for youth, and we delivered. You demanded more money for health care, and we delivered again. You asked us for safe communities and secure standing on the world stage, and we delivered. Our stable majority government of the past four years allowed us to conduct the most productive parliament in many decades. More government bills were passed and, despite what you hear and see in the media, backbenchers wielded more influence, more private members bills were passed, then ever before. More substantial committee work was accomplished then ever before. And all of this happened at less cost; and the result is a balanced budget, the lowest federal taxes in over fifty years, and one of the best econo-

mies in the world. We have 1.3 million net new jobs, our infrastructure is being renewed, our businesses are growing, innovation is booming, opportunity is all around us. We fought to bring Canada back from the tax and spend era of the previous government and we do not want to return to those days. We don’t want a new long gun registry and, make no mistake, the opposition parties voted to keep it. And there is only one way to guarantee it doesn’t return, and that is with a Conservative Government. We don’t want our military to be ignored and stripped of its resources, like in the decade of darkness before we came to office. And we’ve all heard Liberal leader’s jokes about our military.

We’ve also heard these tax scam theories about our hard working small businesses, and it’s no wonder they are concerned with auditors. And we don’t want cuts to health care funding like the previous government made. And we sure don’t want higher taxes and deficits like the opposition are promising.

We don’t want the loss of income splitting and a reduction in the amount of child care money we receive. I’m asking you to make sure you encourage others, and that you to go to the polls and vote for Gord Brown so that, in another four years, we can say once again our leadership has delivered.

Sue’s Catering

Sue Baxter

The Voice of North Grenville

The All-candidates meeting and full interview can be seen at www.ngtimes.ca

When my husband and I lived in Edmonton, Alberta, we moved to a small town and I began to go the town council meetings. And I discovered that the councillors had not changed in twenty years, and that there were very questionable things happening within that council. And, because we had purchased a home in that town, I decided to find out if everyone there felt as worried as I did. I called a public meeting and I was shocked, because over a hundred people showed up to it. They didn’t know who I was. I sent a flyer out to everyone’s mailbox, and what we were able to accomplish was to replace every single councillor, except for one, on that council. We were able to stop corrupt practices. We were able to stop the fact that the people in the town had no clue what was really going on with their council.

Now, I tell you this because I believe in a grass roots element here. I was really shocked to discover that some of the local leaders, who have been here for quite awhile, were laughing in my face when I said that I think we have a pretty good chance of winning this riding. They think that we are a joke, and I am shocked and appalled.

But I’ve been through this before, I’ve seen it. What

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people need to understand is that what you believe in really does matter. I want my Canada back. I am tired of the disparity in this country. It is not acceptable.

I don’t think we need to go into debt and I don’t think we need to make a surplus on the back of those more vulnerable. There is a balanced and even way for us to come out of this. It bothers me to see that we have so little respect for the people who worked to create this country. Our seniors are to be respected and honoured. It bothers me that our military is not supported the way it should be, and yet we are considered a “hawkish” nation.

In the ten years I lived in Alberta, the one thing I learned was everybody voted Conservative because their father voted Conservative, their grandfather voted Conservative, and nobody really thinks about it. It’s just an accepted thing: there’s not even any discussion. And I think, to some extent, in certain parts of the rest of Canada, that kind of a Conservative stronghold has been in place. But, for the first time in my life, in all my years in politics, I’m seeing that Conservatives are not feeling that way at

all, and a lot of Liberals are not feeling that way at all.

And they are consciously making the choice to find out more about the NDP and make a different decision. It’s not a matter of me going out and having to persuade them, it’s them coming to us, and saying: “that’s enough of this.

We want to be part of the NDP”. And they’re not just looking for signs, they’re joining as members, they are becoming much more involved than I ever could have imagined. So it’s been an exciting time.

Two major things are coming out in this campaign: one is the loss of jobs. The unemployment rates are extremely high, the number of people that have had to turn to the food banks is appalling. And it’s taking people who were completely self sufficient and now have nothing. And they have to become embroiled in that social security system that they have had no experience with. It has created a lot of anger, because there doesn’t seem to be any kind of a plan in this riding to recreate job growth. Manufacturing is not going to come back, and, even if it does, it’s going to be a very different type of thing than it has been before. So we have to be a lot more creative and we have to work together and come up with solutions ourselves. We have to work within the riding itself.

It is so important that we step up and reclaim Canada. I believe in the NDP, and I really hope that other people understand how important it is to make this change in our government this time.

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Historical Society acknowledges support municipality, made yet another generous donation during the Historic Walking Tours of downtown Kemptville which the NGHS put on in conjunction with the Kemptville BIA. The CIBC branch on Prescott Street was the venue for the Society’s display showing the history of the schools of North Grenville. The panels were placed in the windows of the bank, facing the street, and garnered a lot of attention.

A new consignment of the School Days Past book has been received by the Society, and once all the pre-orders have been distributed, copies will be available for sale. Books can be ordered through the NGHS at nghsociety@ gmail.com, or by phone at 613-258-4401.

Sarah and Ryan Chisholm receive their winner’s trophy from NGHS President, Bill Adams, after the Heritage Car Rally

by David Shanahan The North Grenville Historical Society [NGHS] enjoyed a successful and enjoyable Heritage Car Rally on September 26.

The Society put on their

very first Heritage Car Rally as part of the Heritage Day celebrations, and, thanks to the sponsorship of Urbandale Construction Inc., entrance fees and private donations, managed to make it a profitable first outing. Urbandale has

participated in a number of NGHS projects since arriving in North Grenville, and their involvement in the community has been of real benefit to the Society.

One local family, famous for their generosity to many causes in the

A firmer financial footing for Kemptville Youth Centre

by John Barclay You might have noticed last week’s issue’s frontpage banner titled “Rob’s YouthCentre Challenge” and the figure of $4,335 proudly displayed. This is the amount of predictable funding that the Kemptville Youth Centre can count on for the next three years.

When I joined the Youth Centre over a year ago on contract, one of my goals was to put the Centre on a firmer financial footing and this campaign was a small step in that direction. Staff andvolunteers at KYC need

to focus on the important work of delivering services and programming to youth in our community, not on organizing and running fundraising events.

Rob Thompson had already promised a $1,000 multi-year donation when I approached him about issuing a challenge to the community to match his pledge. Rob said, “Why not make it $2,000?” That’s the kind of guy Rob is. So, after a few hurdles, his challenge was launched in May with a front page banner in the North Grenville Times (also donated by Rob Thompson

First Aid & CPR Training The Red Cross Society is offering First Aid and CPR Training sessions at the North Grenville Municipal Centre this month. The courses are open to anyone 14 years or older, and take place on weekend.

A Standard First Aid & CPR Level C course is being offered on Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, from 9 am - 5 pm on both days. The cost is $125 for a resident of North Grenville, and $135 for non-residents.

On Saturday October 17, between 90 am - 5 pm, a course in Emergency First Aid & CPR Level C is taking place. The cost for this course is $95 for residents and $105 for non-residents.

Finally, a CPR Level C Course will be held on Saturday October 17, from 9 am - 2 pm. Cost is $65 for residents and $75 for non-residents.

Anyone interested in taking these courses should either register in person at the Municipal Centre, or call 613-258-9569 ext. 123.

Public submissions invited early in the new 2016 budget process

Realty) with a deadline of August 31.

Kudos to the community for not only meeting Rob’s challenge to match his three year pledge but exceeding it. The Youth Centre can now count on $4,335 of funding each year for the next three years. In 2016 and 2017, Rob's Youth Centre Challenge will go out again, seeking more multi-year pledges from the community. Look for it in the new year on KYC's Facebook page and at www.kemptvilleyc.com

The Municipality of North Grenville is preparing for the 2016 budget and the process has been changed this year so that residents and special interest groups are able to submit proposals for consideration early in the process.

In preparation for the budget discussions to follow, Council invites proposals by residents and special interest groups who wish to see a specific project advanced by the Municipality in the upcoming budget year. Proposals should be provided in writing to Treasurer Sheila Kehoe by

Friday, October 23 In addition to the regular Council and Committee of the Whole meetings, there will be additional public budget meetings scheduled. During these meetings, Council will discuss the proposals from residents and special interest groups and the operations and capital projects for all departments. As well, there will be budget presentations from the North Grenville Library Board and North Grenville Accessible Transportation.

This process is intended to provide a transparent and

open opportunity for the community to work with Council to integrate the principles of the Strategic Plan and set important and affordable priorities for the 2016 budget year.

Information on the budget development, including public budget meeting dates and copies of draft budgets, will be posted on the Municipal website and advertised in the local media throughout the process.

Building a Sustainable North Grenville

October 7, 2015

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Editorial

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Power to the People - not on!

Well, our beloved Council have done it again.

Now that there’s a vacancy to fill among their elite group, three of the four remaining at the table have closed ranks and decided that the wishes of the people of North Grenville are not as important as their own. Instead of looking to see who the people voted for last year, they are going to find “someone we can work with”, in the words of Barb Tobin.

Even though the Council chamber was full of people asking them to respect the democratic decision of the voters, the three amigos have voted to interview a select group of people they consider “qualified” to join them on Council.

Although it was pointed out by a number of people that their only qualification for office was that they got the most votes, Tobin, Onansanya and David Gordon are going to think up a list of criteria, helped, apparently, by municipal

staff, that applicants for that prestigious position will need to meet before being anointed..sorry, appointed by them. If it were not so tragic, it would be farcical.

But it is tragic. The fact is, and this is a fact, that the decision had been taken before they met on Monday night to ignore the results of the last election and decide for themselves who would replace the departing Councillor.

Councillor Jim Bertram made his usual honourable stand: he pointed out that Deron Johnston, who came fifth in the election, had received around 2,000 of the 5,000 votes cast, not very far behind the victorious candidates. This represents a mandate from the people of North Grenville, a mandate that will not be enjoyed by whoever they decide to anoint..appoint.

Instead, the ersatz Councillor will owe his or her position to the others, and someone like Barb Tobin will make sure that is not forgotten.

Frank Onansanya claimed that the Municipal Act directed them to follow this anti-democratic choice, but that is simply untrue. The Act gives Council the freedom to decide how to select a replacement for a departing Councillor.

These three have chosen to be the judges in finding a suitable person to sit beside them. I asked each of them directly why they chose that option, instead of going with the fifth placed candidate, but I got no real answer.

David Gordon claimed that he consulted other municipalities to see how they handled that kind of situation. But North Grenville went through this in 2004, after Peter Nicol died. The Council of the day went ahead and appointed someone no-one had heard of, and then treated him with a dreadful lack of respect for three years, after which he was heavily defeated in the next election. People do not like having someone on Council who was not

Dear Editor: It has been very difficult for me to keep silent as a past mayor for the town of Kemptville. However, the breaking point hit me when I read “Council Business” in the North Grenville Times of September 30 regarding the leachate from the closed landfill site on County Rd.44.

During the many years that the town of Kemptville was restricted from any further development due to the lack of sewage capacity, our engineers, Gore & Storie, were looking for a solution as to whether to use a ponding method, or some other solution, rather than build the expensive plant that we have today. The possible ponding died very suddenly when South Gower Township heard that Gore & Storie were looking there. (I wasn’t even aware of it at that time). The abuse came hard and heavy.

The plant that exists today was the final option. However, the original site did not then locate it where it is today,

where the out-falls goes to the river through the Lands and Forest nursery, which created a lot of problems and was of no actual benefit to anyone.

Gore & Storie strongly recommended that we put it by the existing, now closed, landfill site on CR 44: that way, the out-fall would have followed CR 44 to the river.

The distance would have been cheaper, and the plant easier to install. If that had taken place, we could have captured any leakage of contaminate and treat it at the plant.

I was very excited and happy to report this to the Oxford-on-Rideau council, pointing out that the service would be there for use at a future date. In reply, we received a letter written by their clerk, Martha Sladick, saying that they were not interested.

Imagine the lack of vision.

The millions of dollars that could have been saved by the developers of the North West Quadrant, as well as all of the tax payers of North Grenville.

Will council contain and treat this leachate as seriously as they made the Bank of Nova Scotia treat the contaminate on Asa and Prescott, as well as any other similar problems? We, the tax payers, will have the burden to bear the cost of this very expensive and on-going problem for many years to come. Was this leachate properly monitored, or was there a blind eye on behalf of council, hoping that this serious problem would never surface?

The site of the landfill was originally the local community dump: everything and anything went into it, old tires, batteries and no doubt tons of discarded lead water pipes when lead was converted to copper plumbing.

The location of the landfill is in a very sensitive area, very low and swampy. The old dump was never covered and no downward pressure was put on it. When the area was selected as our future landfill, obviously no study

by David Shanahan

Marketing Gord J. Logan gord@ngtimes.ca 613-258-6402 October 7 2015

Marketing Peter Peers peter@ngtimes.ca 613 989-2850

chosen by them, a creature of the others at the table, with no standing other than by their choice. It is neither healthy nor democratic.

There were so many really good arguments raised by the public at the meeting on Monday, and they made not a blind bit of difference to the eventual vote. They might as well have stayed at home for all the consideration their views received from the Three Amigos. And the sheer arrogance of Tobin in her dismissal of the concerns being expressed was only too typical of her entire career: she always knows best, always shows an impatience and condescension towards the opinion of others. Her entire approach is: “I represent the people. I know best.

What I think is always the right thing to do and anyone who disagrees is beneath contempt”. That, at least, is the attitude she conveys.

So, in the end, we will have a replacement Councillor (just one, by the way) who will be chosen by the others and by staff. It will

be someone they think will go along with the way they see things, will not contradict them, or raise unpleasant issues. Their choice will not be another Jim Bertram, who has the temerity to think for himself (or just to think), and believes he is there to represent the wishes of the people of North Grenville, even when they do not coincide with his own. Yes, a dangerous individual indeed. How did he ever get elected? That’s right: people voted for him. This Council is making sure that doesn’t happen with the new toy Councillor.

There are times I don’t know whether to laugh or cry over Councils. I don’t expect them to agree with me on everything: in fact, I would be worried if they did. But I do expect my representatives to really listen, listen enough to hear, hear clearly enough that it makes them think; think long enough to consider the arguments carefully. Then, if they decide something I don’t like, I can respect their decision and live with it. That’s

the really sad thing about what happened on Monday: whatever decision they make, there is no way any of us can respect it.

The bubble has swallowed more good men.

was done as to its future impact on the environment.

Restrictions were placed on it in order to follow ministry guidelines. It was regularly compacted and covered and it grew and grew, and got heavier and heavier. When it was closed, tons of cover material made it heavier yet. This extreme pressure is naturally forcing the leachate to travel not only horizontally, but it could be forcing it downward.

What happens if it reaches our aquafer? This could be a disaster that is already unstoppable. Have we got a Mount Etna in our midst?

I doubt if the leachate

could be treated safely by putting it into our disposable plant. Would it have to be hauled to another facility?

Should all future building be halted until we can guarantee

an adequate water supply?

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Municipality Matters

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Government blocks attempt to put Hydro sale under microscope

Submitted by Steve Clark’s office Premier Wynne and her government have proven once again to be absolutely unwilling to be accountable and transparent with Ontarians about the Hydro One fire sale, says Leeds-Grenville

MPP Steve Clark.

Steve made the comments after the government used its majority on Wednesday, September 30 to defeat an Ontario PC motion to shine a light on the sell-off.

“Our motion simply asked the government to produce all documents, including the financial analysis, used to justify putting this invaluable public asset on the block,” he said. “It’s an insult to all Ontarians that they stood in the way of providing this basic information and are continuing full speed ahead.”

Steve said that stopping the Official Opposition’s attempt to put the sale under

the microscope is part of an unfortunate pattern of behaviour by the Wynne government. They previously shut out the Ombudsman, Auditor General, Financial Accountability Officer and six other independent, non-partisan Legislative Officers from having oversight on the sale.

“We all know the reason they’re afraid to be accountable and want this deal done in the dark – that’s because the government knows it’s going to drive electricity rates even higher,” he said. “This government has a track record of failure in managing the economy and our assets and by blocking our reasonable

attempt to scrutinize the deal, Ontarians now won’t know if they got fair value until it’s too late,” Steve added.

“It’s no wonder more than 78 per cent of the people in this province – and a growing number of municipalities, including the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville – vehemently oppose selling Hydro One.” Leeds-Grenville residents who wish to add their voice to the growing chorus against the Hydro One fire sale can download a petition on Steve Clark’s website here: http:// www.steveclarkmpp.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/10/Petition_Hydro_One_Sale.pdf

Municipal Update The Municipality issued the following update on Council Business.

Kemptville Live Guitar Donation: Bob Besharah and Karen Bedard, organizers of the Kemptville Live Music Festival, made a presentation updating Council on the Festival which had taken place in July. They also donated a guitar, signed by all the musicians who performed during the Festival, to the Municipality. The guitar will be put on display at the North Grenville Municipal Centre.

Kemptville College Update: CAO Brian Carré advised that the Kemptville College Education Working Group has concluded their first tier stakeholder consultations with 18 groups, of which eight were followed up on by the Working Group.

He noted that the focus continues to be on a partner-

ship for a multi-institutional campus, run by a not-forprofit corporation, with an emphasis on agricultural training and education as laid out in both the Vanclief and McSweeny reports. He advised that, in order for a notfor-profit corporation to be created, a business case study would need to be developed and funding for the development of the study would be required.

The end of October has been set as the deadline for a report from the Working Group to the Province. It is expected that negotiations for the Municipality to acquire the property may begin in November.

Mutual Aid Through OnWARN: Council approved a by-law to enter into an agreement with the Ontario Water/ Wastewater Agency Response Network (OnWARN). This

allows the Municipality to participate in a Provincewide network to support and promote emergency preparedness, disaster response and mutual aid for water and wastewater utilities for natural and human-caused events.

Future of Municipally Owned Buildings: Council approved a recommendation to retain ownership of the Armoury Building, Oxford Mills Town Hall and Maplewood Hall and to consider selling the Court House within 5 years. The recommendation also referenced the need to budget for future capital work, to seek sources of funding for those capital works and to work with all the affected community groups and the public through consultations to ensure the effective management of the buildings.

New Sign By-law: Council approved a new by-law to

regulate signs and advertising devices in the Municipality.

The comprehensive new bylaw takes effect immediately and replaces the previous sign by-law which had been in place since 2003. Municipal staff will be beginning an education campaign to inform those affected of the new requirements. For more information and to see a copy of the by-law, please visit www. northgrenville.ca/news.cfm.

Upcoming Meetings: Council on Tuesday, October 13; Committee of the Whole on Monday, October 5. All meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at the Municipal Centre located at 285 County Rd 44, Kemptville.

For more information contact Clerk Cahl Pominville at cpominville@northgrenville. on.ca or at 613-258-9569 ext. 110.

UPDATE UPCOMING MEETINGS COUNCIL Tuesday, October 13 at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Centre. For agenda information, please contact the Clerk’s Office or visit the Municipal website.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Monday, October 19 at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Centre.

COMMITTEE MEETINGS Active Transportation Advisory Committee – Thursday, October 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the Municipal Centre.

2015 COMMUNITY POLICING SURVEY The North Grenville Police Services Board is mandated by the Ontario Police Services Act to determine the local objectives and priorities of the police service. The Board will be conducting a Community Policing Survey in an effort to fully understand and identify future policing priorities and to ensure the best value for the police service dollars. The survey has been mailed to every home and business in the Municipality and citizens are encouraged to fill out the survey online at www.northgrenville.on.ca/PoliceServices. cfm or drop off the mailed copy to one of the addresses listed on the survey.

THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY SCHEDULE CHANGES Due to Thanksgiving on Monday, October 12, all solid waste and recycling pick-up for the week of October 12 to 16 will be delayed one day. As well, the Municipal Centre, Public Library and Oxford Mills Waste Transfer Station will be closed on the holiday Monday.

CURBSIDE GIVEAWAY WEEKEND October 17 & 18 is North Grenville’s Curbside Giveaway Weekend. Find a new home for those unwanted re-useable items and browse the curbs for some great finds of your own. Residents are responsible for putting away items left at the curb at the end of this event.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Seasonal Winter Maintenance - The Department of Public Works is currently accepting resumes for seasonal winter maintenance positions. Candidates must have a valid DZ licence and the ability to be on call 24 hrs a day combined with a flexibility in hours of work. For more information please contact the Public Works Clerk at 613-258-9569 ext.

133 or email cfequet@northgrenville.on.ca. The closing date is October 16 at 4:00pm.

The Municipality of North Grenville 285 County Road 44 PO Box 130 Kemptville, ON, K0G 1J0 Tel: 613-258-9569 Fax: 613-258-9620 general@northgrenville.on.ca Building: 613-258-4424 Fax: 613-258-1441 Fire Services Info: 613-258-2438 Fax: 613-258-1031 By-Law Services: 613-258-2438 ext. 6 Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002

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Community Policing Survey 2015 The North Grenville Police Services Board (NGPSB) is mandated by the Police Services Act of Ontario to determine, in partnership with the OPP Detachment Commander, the local objectives and priorities of your police service.

To meet this obligation in 2011, the NGPSB launched a municipal-wide community policing survey. The twopage survey was designed to provide all residents an opportunity to have an input into establishing local objectives and priorities for police service in the community.

The survey was anonymous and only asked residents to state whether they live in an October 7, 2015

urban area, rural area or rural subdivision. This survey was very successful and enabled the NGPSB to meet its regulatory obligation to develop a Business Plan that was both relevant and established local policies with respect to police services. The NGPSB business plan also provides the Board with an instrument to manage the policing services contract between the Municipality and the OPP. Our current Business Plan, which contains the results of the 2011 survey, can be found on the NGPSB website at www.northgrenville.ca/ policeservices.cfm.

Since 2011, the Municipality of North Grenville

has grown and policing costs for 2015 are now approximately $2.8 million. The NGPSB once again feels it is important to provide the residents of North Grenville with a voice in establishing what police service programs they feel will be beneficial to community. As in 2011, the results of this new survey will assist the NGPSB in renewing our business plan to ensure it meets today’s needs and that you receive the best value for your police service dollars.

The 2015 survey will follow the same format has the previous survey that was so successful. It will once again be a two-page

survey designed to provide all residents an anonymous opportunity to provide their opinions and comments to the NGPSB. To ensure that all residents will have an opportunity to be heard, the NGPSB will be mailing a copy of the survey to every residence and business in North Grenville.

Residents can drop off copies of the completed surveys at the Municipal Centre, North Grenville Public Library, Burritts Rapids Library branch and the Kemptville Youth Centre. The survey is also available at www. northgrenville.ca/policeservices.cfm so that residents may complete and submit the

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survey online.

Please take a few minutes and complete the survey as it is extremely important. Only through your valued opinion, and those of your neighbors and family members, can we fully understand and identify future policing priorities and ensure the best value for your police service dollars.

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

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Open letter to Council: Re: Replacement for Tim Sutton According to the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, on the section dealing with: Responsibilities of Municipal Councils: "When does a vacant position on council have to be filled and what is the process?"

Answer: The process for filling vacancies for local councils is contained in the Municipal Act, 2001, the City of Toronto Act, 2006 and Municipal Elections Act, 1996.

If an office becomes vacant, council must declare the office vacant at the next council meeting (or at one of the next two meetings, if the vacancy occurs as a result of the death of a council member).

Councils have the choice to fill the vacancy by appointment or by holding a by-election. This decision must be made within 60 days after council declares the office vacant.

The Municipal Act, 2001 and the City of Toronto Act, 2006 require that a municipality fill all vacancies, however, when the vacancy occurs within 90 days of voting day in a regular election the vacancy does not have to be filled.

The Municipal Elections Act, 1996 states that no byelection can take place if a vacancy is declared after March 31 in the year of an election. "Councils have the choice to fill the vacancy by appointment or by holding a by-election."

A by-election is not an intelligent option. An election was held 'recently'. The voters stated their preference. Their voice should not be ignored.

If the person who finished

October 7 2015

next, or 5th in the ballot has indicated that he is no longer interested in the position, then holding interviews and asking applicants to apply for the opportunity to be appointed to the position would be reasonable.

But, this is not the case, is it? Mr. Johnston has made it clear that he wants to be appointed....and he should.

So, if you insist on humiliating him by making him once again go through the process of seeking a position on council (he did the same thing with the voters last year), then I think it should be done in a public forum.

The public perception is that too much of what you do is done behind closed doors.

When you do have Committee of the Whole meetings, there is little or no discussion with the public. They can ask questions...usually after matters have been decided. The public should know who is seeking the position and when the process will take place.

The public should also be told who will be making the decisions and how the whole process will be conducted.

It is time for this council to take a different approach.

You have done a very good job of alienating people who, in turn find it very easy to stay away from council meetings.

This is certainly not what any council in this province should be good at. Let's do things differently for a change...and listen to the voters, who have already stated their preference.

Peter Johnson, Oxford Mills, ON

The Voice of North Grenville

NG Photography Club

Photographer Dave Percy captured this image of a Pileated Woodpecker which was tapping away on the trees near his house.

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School Board workers escalate job action

Winter Foot Health!

Though many of us don’t want to think about winter coming, it is good to be prepared with good footwear and foot care habits to keep our feet healthy through the winter. The stores are now full of winter gear, so it’s a good time to shop for the best selection. In particular, kids boots tend to sell out quickly, so now is the time to ensure you find well-fitting, warm boots for your children.

Here are some other foot health tips for the winter season: Winter is skating, skiing and snowboarding season, activities enjoyed by many Canadians. Never ski or snowboard in footwear other than ski boots specifically designed for that purpose.

Make sure your boots fit properly; you should be able to wiggle your toes, but the boots should immobilize (grip snugly) the heel, instep, and ball of your foot. You can use orthotics (support devices that go inside shoes) to help control the foot's movement inside ski boots or ice skates.

Supportive insoles are particularly helpful for novice skaters who tend to roll in at the ankle. Your foot specialist can advise you of the best insole or orthotic for you.

October 7, 2015

Committed runners don't need to let the cold stop them.

A variety of warm, lightweight, moisture-wicking active wear available at most running or sporting goods stores helps ensure runners stay warm and dry in bitter temperatures. However, some runners may compensate for icy conditions by altering how their foot strikes the ground, which can lead to injury.

Instead of changing your foot-strike pattern, shorten your stride to help maintain stability. And remember, it's more important than ever to warm up and stretch before you begin your run. Cold weather can make you less flexible in winter than you are in summer, so it's important to warm muscles up before running.

Boots are must-have footwear in winter climates, especially when dealing with winter precipitation. Between the waterproof material of the boots themselves and the warm socks you wear to keep toes toasty, you may find your feet sweat a lot if you are active out-doors. Damp, sweaty feet can chill more easily and are more prone to bacterial infections, chillblaines and frost bite. If your feet do tend to sweat inside

The Voice of North Grenville

boots, try to keep feet clean and dry, change socks daily and consider using moisture wicking socks next to the skin and an outer insulating sock.

If you sweat excessively, your foot specialist can give you some tips and suggest a medication to use on a daily or weekly basis.

Be size smart. It may be tempting to buy pricey specialty footwear (like winter boots or ski boots) for kids in a slightly larger size, thinking they'll be able to get two seasons of wear out of them.

But unlike coats that kids can grow into, footwear needs to fit properly right away. Properly fitted skates and boots can help prevent blisters, chafing, and ankle or foot injuries. Likewise, if socks are too small, they can force toes to bunch together, and that friction can cause painful blisters or corns.

Be careful about choosing footwear with good grip on the sole. A slippery sole or high heel can cause a disastrous fall on ice or new snow.

Finally—and although this one seems like it should go without saying, it bears spelling out—don't try to tip-toe through winter snow, ice, and cold temperatures in summer-appropriate foot-

Canadian Union of Public Empoyees (CUPE), representing education workers (custodians, school office staff, educational assistants, and other non-teaching roles), have escalated their “work to rule” job action in our Board.

This labour disruption affects all school boards across Ontario who have CUPE members and it originates from the central bargaining process involving the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA). A full list of services being

withdrawn has been posted on the CUPE website: http://cupe.on.ca/sectors/ school-boards/ Please note that all of our schools remain open and academic programming continues to be delivered to our students; we continue to monitor this situation closely.

CUPE members are obligated to carry out their regular, scheduled duties; however, the Board recognizes and respects their right to withdraw from providing voluntary services. Our first priority remains to ensure our schools continue to be safe

and caring learning environments for our students and staff.

These challenging times require our principals and vice-principals to undertake additional tasks as a result of this job action. We thank you for your ongoing patience during this difficult period.

Central negotiations are continuing and our Board remains confident that OCSTA and the provincial government will reach a new central agreement with our union partners at CUPE in the very near future.

wear. Exposing feet to extreme temperatures means risking frostbite and injury.

Choose winter footwear that will keep your feet warm, dry, and well-supported.

If you have any foot health issues, call Body and Sole for an appointment 613 258 5508. Our Foot Specialists can advise and treat all your foot care problems. We are conveniently located at 212 van Buren St, Kemptville.

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Make healthy choices when donating to food drives

The North Grenville Times

Youth Job Connection to help young people connect with meaningful employment

Submitted by: Marie Traynor RD, Registered Dietitian/Public Health Nutritionist Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit This is the time of year when many groups, schools and workplaces are contributing to community food drives. We know that people with the biggest financial constraints are often the ones at highest risk for poor nutritional and overall health. If you plan to donate canned or packaged food, please consider using the % Daily Value (%DV) found in the Nutrition Facts Table to compare products.

In general, products with 5% DV or less for sodium and total fat are a healthy choice. Products with 15% DV or more for fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron are also healthy choices. Make the healthy choice the easy choice.

Vegetables and fruit include canned and fresh or frozen if storage facilities are available: · For canned vegetables, tomato products and soup, choose those with no added salt or the lowest sodium content. · For canned fruit, choose those packed in water or fruit juice rather than syrup; choose vegetable juices with lower sodium. · Choose 100% juice instead of fruit beverages, drinks or cocktails. · Choose unsweetened apple sauce. · Choose plain dried fruit such as raisins, apricots, etc. instead of fruit leathers and “fruit” candies.

Grain products include pasta, crackers, granola bars, hot and cold cereals, rice: · Look for the words “whole grain” as the first item on the ingredients list, for example, whole grain wheat. · If storage facilities are available choose fresh bread products higher in fibre and lower in sodium. · Choose hot and cold cereal made with whole grain, higher in fibre and lower in sugar. · Look for crackers higher in fibre and lower in fat and sodium. · Look for granola bars lower in fat, lower in sugar, higher in fibre. · Choose brown rice and whole wheat pasta.

Milk and alternatives include milk, fortified soya beverage, yogurt and cheese: · Dry milk powder can be added to foods to increase the calcium, vitamin D and protein, for example, it can be added to casseroles, liquid milk, cream soups and more. · Choose lower fat (skim, 1% and 2% MF) evaporated milk. MF stands for milk fat. · Some agencies can accept fresh milk, fortified soya beverage, yogurt, and cheese if cold storage facilities are available – choose 2% MF or less for milk and yogurts; for cheese choose

Young people are the future. But sometimes they need a little help along the way to realize their greatness and potential. With that in mind, the Youth Job Connection program is here to help young Ontarians to overcome the barriers to employment they face.

This program is being offered locally by the Employment and Education Centre (EEC) in Brockville to young people throughout Leeds and Grenville.

In order to be eligible for the Youth Job Connection program, a young person must be between 15 and 29 who experiences barriers to employment.

“It’s exciting that EEC is able to help young people achieve their full potential by offering Youth Job Connection,” commented Susan Watts, Executive Director of the Employment and Education Centre. “We see first-hand every day that young people can provide a real and measurable impact to our society if they are given a chance to

20% MF or less. · Choose puddings made with skim milk as the first ingredient.

Meat and alternatives include meat, fish, eggs, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes: · Choose the lower sodium canned meat and fish products; choose fish canned in water. · Choose canned baked beans, dried or canned beans and lentils. Look for the lowest sodium content. · Choose dry roasted, no-salt added nuts and seeds. · Look at the ingredient list for peanut butter.

Choose those with only peanuts listed. · In addition to peanut butter, consider choosing other nut butters such as almond. · Choose fresh fish, meat, eggs and tofu if cold storage facilities are available.

For Advertising rates please contact Peter at peter@ngtimes.ca or call 613 989 2850

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succeed.”

The first part of Youth Job Connection is the yearround component, which officially launched today.

It will provide employment supports for eligible young people between 15 and 29 who are not working or in school and have several employment obstacles. A summer component of this program will launch next spring.

Young people who participate in this program will take part in paid in-class employment readiness at EEC before they go on job placement. This program offers placement supports for the participants and a hiring incentive for employers who take part.

Program participants will also be constantly mentored by EEC staff members who will support their transition to paid employment or higher education.

“This program is really a win-win for local young people and area employers,” offered Susan. “Young people will

get necessary employment skills and support while employers can get the workers they need and a hiring incentive to assist with the cost of bringing them on.

Anyone who is interested in taking part in this program is invited to contact the EEC at 613-498-2111 ext. 232 and to speak to Barb Bertrand, Youth Job Connection Co-ordinator.

The Employment and Education Centre has been helping local job seekers since 1985. In 2015, the agency is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Services and programs which the centre offers include employment counselling, job development, job board and resource centre, the NEWSTEP older worker program, Roots to Wings mentorship initiative, 1000 Islands Credit Counselling, Computers for Job Success, Youth Volunteer Crew, Youth in Transition program, Second Career program, and the CanadaOntario Job Grant.

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Prices effective: Friday, October 9 to Thursday, October 15, 2015 “We reserve the right to limit quantities to reasonable family requirements�

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Fundamentals:

What Is the Bible?

by David Shanahan The Bible has been a tremendous influence on Western culture, literature and religion. It regularly sells more than twentyfive million copies every year. For generations, it was the text that people, young and old, learned to read from in school and Sunday School. Over the past century and a half, it has become a source of deep controversy and the object of a sustained attack by those eager to “debunk” traditional religion and has been portrayed as a book of “fairy tales”, a mythology out of line with modern scientific thought.

People who have never opened the Bible are confident in their assertions that it is unreliable, full of contradictions, exposed by science and not worth taking seriously. The claims that Jesus never existed, that the New Testament was written long after the events it claimed to record, are trotted out without any regard for research or personal investigation.

One might say that these attacks are acts of faith.

It may be interesting, therefore, to take a closer look at the Bible in general, and the New Testament in particular, to get some clear idea of what exactly it is and says.

The Bible is, in fact, a collection of books, and not one single work.

Divided into the Old and New Testaments, there are a minimum of sixtysix books. There is some choice about how many books should be included in the Old Testament, and how they are arranged.

From a Christian point of view, the Old Testament contains the history of God’s dealings with the human race from the beginning of all things, to the period just before the Roman occupation of Israel. It contains history, poetry, prophecy, songs and proverbs, detailing the history of the people of Israel.

The New Testament is at the centre of Christian teaching. It consists of twenty-seven books in all. There are twenty-one letters, written between about 50 and 65 A. D.,

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which are the earliest books in the New Testament.

These were written to teach, encourage and correct the early Christian groups who had gathered throughout the Middleeast, Asia and Europe.

Over a short period of time, the various sayings of Jesus, and the stories about his life, death and resurrection, were gathered in both oral and written forms, and were eventually written down in four books which we know as the Gospels: Mark about 65 A. D., Matthew and Luke about 70 A. D.,and John about 90 A. D. Luke’s Gospel was originally part of a longer work. He deliberately approached the work as an historian, and the second part of his research became The Acts of the Apostles, which carried on the story from the Resurrection of Jesus and ends about 65 A. D. The final book of the New Testament is the Book of Revelation, a strange and even surreal work that follows in a traditional Jewish literary form called Apocalyptic literature. It describes the end of times and the return of Jesus in power and glory to bring judgment and to introduce a new order of life. It is the most difficult book of the New Testament for many reasons.

What is clear, however, is that the New Testament is not a collection of stories written long after the event. The letters and the gospels were all written within the lifetime of the people who saw and heard Jesus during his ministry.

And these written records are based on even earlier collections of sayings of Jesus, or oral records of his life and actions. This brings us back to the very days of Jesus. In places, the writers refer readers to living witnesses who can confirm the truth and accuracy of what they are writing. More significant, from a critic’s perspective, there were plenty of opponents of the Christians who would have been very glad to pounce on any lies, exaggerations or “fairy tales”. There is no basis whatever for the claims of some that these books date from hundreds of years after the events,

or that they are complete fabrications, without any historical validity.

There is a great sense of confidence in the writings which comes through every book. This is remarkable given what it is they are writing about, and what they are asking people to believe. The entire New Testament records facts and claims upon which Christianity is, and has always been based. They are entirely centred on the life and person of a young man from Palestine, Jesus of Nazareth, who had a brief, three-year career as an itinerant teacher before being executed by the Roman occupation forces at the urging of his own leaders. The claim they record, and the claim made by Jesus himself, was that he was God, come as a man to reveal himself and bring to an end the alienation of the human race from God. The facts recorded are that he died in brutal and excruciating manner, but later rose from the dead.

This Resurrection was not some zombie-like return, but a change in nature, a conquest of death itself.

This event proved that he was who he claimed to be, and it is the single event which underpins Christianity.

That sums up the New Testament: what it is and what it says. The question now is: how reliable is it? How sure can we be that the books are still as they were written, and not altered in the cause of religion? Did Jesus even exist as an historical person, and what happened to him?

These are questions for future articles.

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Fall home improvement How to create instant curb appeal this fall

Fall into the habit of fall home maintenance

(NC) We all know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, however when it comes to real estate, first impressions go a long way.

(NC) Too many homeowners make home maintenance an annual event. They often use spring cleaning as the only excuse to get things done around the house. In reality, proper home maintenance should be done year-round – even for a brand new home. The Fall in particular offers some essential maintenance tasks that you should consider to keep your new home healthy and ensure that your warranty rights are protected. All new homes in Ontario come with a warranty that lasts up to seven years from the date of possession and is guaranteed by Tarion Warranty Corporation. It covers almost everything inside and outside, from defects in workmanship to Ontario Building Code violations and major structural defects.

If issues arise in your home that can be attributed to the lack of proper maintenance, they won't be covered under the warranty. So to help ensure your home and your home warranty remain protected, plan on regular maintenance. With the warm weather giving away slowly to winter, here's a short checklist of key things to watch.

“Homebuyers tend to use the exterior of a home and its yard as a gauge on what the inside looks like,” says Patricia Verge, president of the Ontario Real Estate Association. “Buyers will often do a 'drive-by' before deciding whether or not to request a showing. First impressions are critical to capture the attention of homebuyers and send the message that the home has been well cared for, inside and out.”

To ensure your home stands out and gets noticed for the right reasons this fall, Verge recommends taking care of these simple steps before listing: • Cut: Make sure trees and bushes are neatly trimmed.

• Clear: Remove leaves and sticks from gutters. Make sure the lawn is mowed, leaves are raked and weeds are removed.

• Take a walk around the outside of your home and check all windows and doors for cracks around the framing. Re-caulk if you notice any cracks or separations. (Tip: for windows on second stories or above take digital photos and zoom in. It could save multiple trips up a ladder.)

• Check the weather stripping on exterior doors. Make sure they are not damaged or worn and will keep that warm air inside your home come December.

• Have your roof inspected professionally to ensure shingles, flashing and chimney caps are in place and sealed properly.

• Clear leaves from eavestroughs and downspouts and repair any cracks or seam separations with caulking. Check all downspouts for damage. (Note: If you're having a professional roofing company check the roof they can check the eaves and downspouts at the same time.)

• Shut off your home's exterior water supply and drain exterior water lines.

Leave the taps open a bit to ensure any trapped or remaining water will not freeze and damage the water supply line. (This should also be done with any irrigation systems or water features like ponds or fountains.)

• Test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

• Clean and test all exhaust fans (this includes dryer vents, stove vents and furnace vents).

• Check your sump-pump float and discharge line and test overall operation.

• If recommended by the manufacturer, install a protective winter cover on your air conditioning unit.

• Clean or replace your furnace filter.

• If your home has one, clean and turn off the humidifier and the Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV).

• Have your furnace serviced in preparation for winter.

• Inspect your fireplace and chimney dampers and service or clean if necessary. (This applies to gas and wood burning fireplaces.)

• Winterize your landscape by storing outdoor furniture and covering plants.

A year-round home maintenance checklist can be found online at tarion.com.

• Clean: Wash windows, pressure-wash dirty siding and decks, and kill mould and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof and driveway.

• Paint: If you can't afford to do the whole house, a fresh coat of paint will transform your front door and provide a more welcoming entrance.

• Primp: Add a boost of colour to your garden with fall bloomers like mums and pansies.

• Upgrade: Change outdated locks and handles on your front door, replace rusty fixtures and add lighting to the front porch and yard.

“Preparing the exterior is one of the most important things sellers can do to ready a home for sale,” says Verge. “With a little creativity and care, you can rest assured that your home looks its best without breaking the bank.”

Talk to your Realtor about what potential buyers in your area are looking for.

More information is available at www.wedothehomework.ca. www.newscanada.com

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Grip and rip - Chainsaw safety tips for fall yard work (NC) Whether you're removing fallen branches, stocking up on firewood, or just pruning trees in the backyard, there is lots of yard work to be completed in the fall and using a chainsaw is an effective way to get the job done. Very little is as satisfying as gripping your chainsaw with its razor-sharp teeth, powerful engine and ripping through a project. But chainsaws are powerful machines that need to be respected or operators may sustain unexpected injuries.

“A chainsaw is a very effective tool to have on hand, however it can become very dangerous if used improperly,” says Michelle Sordi, director of marketing at Husqvarna Canada, the world's largest producer of outdoor power products. “No matter how big or small the job, safety should always come first.”

Sordi offers the following safety tips to keep in mind when operating a chainsaw: • Refresh your memory: If your saw is new or you have not used it in a few years, make sure you give yourself a quick refresher course by reading over the manual. If you cannot find the manual, take your tool to a local chainsaw dealer like Husqvarna who can help familiarize you with your machine.

• Wear protective gear: No job is too small for protective gear. Make sure you are wearing a helmet, ear phones, gloves, goggles, chaps and protective shoes.

• Keep the chain sharp: A dull chain is unsafe, hard on both the bar and chain and overworks you and your saw. Make sure your chain is sharp before starting the job.

• Adjusting chain tension: It's also important to check the chain tension, a loose one damages the drivers bar on the chain and prevents it from fitting back into the bar groove. Recheck it after every hour or so of use and adjust it if necessary, especially with new chains as they can stretch.

• The buddy system: Never cut alone. If an accident occurs, you'll need someone there to administer first aid and summon medical assistance.

• Tune up: The dealer can also give your chainsaw a tune up before you start using it. Always get your saw checked if it has been sitting idle for months.

• No surprises: Instruct everyone not to approach unless you are certain they can see you or the chainsaw is not in use.

The noise of the chainsaw and the concentration required may make the operator oblivious to someone coming up to them. Be sure to tell everyone to wait until you are finished cutting to approach.

Additional information, tips and where to find the dealer nearest to you are available at www.husqvarna.

Clear Nail polish can repair small holes or tears in screens.

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History The North Grenville Times

Frozen pipes can cause more than a mess

The Voice of North Grenville

Make a splash with fresh paint colours this fall

(NC) Plumbing issues are part of being a homeowner. Over time you are bound to experience a problem with your drains, toilets, or showers. However, one potential plumbing issue that most Canadians don't think about is the possibility of the pipes freezing during the winter.

Once the temperature outside goes below zero, be aware that the pipes could freeze. This could happen for a number of different reasons, however, it commonly occurs when the heat is turned down when a homeowner is away for winter trips, or when someone neglects to shut off the water leading to external faucets.

(NC) Embarking on a cost-saving, do-it-yourself painting project for the first time may seem intimidating, but the steps are quite simple. With the following tips, you'll easily go from novice to knowledgeable on how to handle interior paint updates.

First, make sure you have the right supplies handy before you begin.

This is a crucial step for both pro and DIY levels. In addition to the standard painting tools such as primer, paint and brushes, be sure to include a good quality tape, like the popular, Painter's Mate Green. This tape protects areas from paint bleed, giving you professional results without the premium price.

After your supplies are set, it's time to move on to preparation. Walls aren't ready for painting until they're clean; taking the extra time to thoroughly cleanse them is worth the extra effort. With a sponge, scrub with water and mild dish detergent to remove all dust, fingerprints and grease spots. After the surface is squeaky clean, wait until the walls are completely dry before applying any paint or primer.

Priming your wall is necessary to attain a smooth finish and to allow the paint to adhere to it. Priming also helps maximize the sheen of your paint job, giving a flawless effect. Although it may be tempting to skip this step and go straight to painting, the lacklustre results will show that you cut corners.

Opt for a primer based on your project and apply it to your walls with a paint roller. Use a paint brush in any tight areas. Once walls are dry to the touch, which may take about three hours, let the painting commence.

When the paint is thoroughly stirred and ready to apply, gather your clean brush and roller and begin coating the walls. First, use the brush in the nooks and crannies that your roller can't reach – around trim and in the corners of walls. Use the roller to paint the wall using the “W” technique; start near a wall corner, and roll on the paint in large “W” patterns across the surface. Next, fill in the gaps without lifting the roller unless it needs more paint. Continue this process in sections until there are no visible brush or roller strokes remaining.

With the right tips and tools, your paint job will be all that you envisioned and more. Additional information is available online at paintersmategreen.com.

“Don't turn down your heat too much and make sure that you have either a remote system that monitors the temperature inside, or that you have a reliable person to inspect your home regularly when you are away,” says Wayne Ross, an insurance expert with Aviva Canada. “The pipes could freeze if the temperature inside your home drops or the furnace stops working when you are away.”

Ross adds, “If you open a tap and no water comes out, don't take any chances and call a plumber right away.”

When water freezes it expands and this is a serious issue if it happens in your pipes. If a pipe bursts when you are at home, turn off your water at the main valve right away. Wait for a plumber to inspect to determine the damage, if any. If you do have water damage as a result of a burst pipe, call your insurance company. They will be able to assist you with your claim.

Tips for preventing pipes from freezing, include: • Get them inspected to ensure they are properly insulated.

• Get all seals checked. Seal leaks can lead to cold air getting in and freezing the water.

• Turn off outside taps and disconnect outdoor hoses as part of your fall chores.

• Install frost-free faucets (hose bibbs) for supplying water to the front and back yards. If installed correctly they can prevent pipes from freezing and also prevent water damage.

• Install water shut-off alarms to close the supply if a leak is detected.

• Drain all pipes if you are going to be away for an extended period of time (more than four consecutive days).

If you are concerned about your pipes freezing, take the safe route and have a plumber take a look.

This inspection can save you a lot of money and hassle. More detailed information is available from your insurance broker or at AvivaCanada.com.

Spray ammonia on garbage cans to repel raccoons and other varmints.

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Fall tips for energy efficiency

(NC) As the season transitions, cooler temperatures and shorter days bring a sense of change. With this shift in weather, it is the perfect time to turn over a new leaf at home and develop energy efficient habits around the house.

Dave Walton, director of home ideas at Enercare Home Services, offers these simple tips to help save money on your combined energy (natural gas and electricity) bills year-round: • Open the windows and blinds – Open south and west facing curtains, drapes or blinds during the day to let in the sun and naturally heat the home.

• Replace furnace filters regularly – Clean or replace filters at least every three months to keep the furnace running efficiently.

• Unplug vampire electronics – Electronics like chargers, laptops and video game consoles all draw power and mindlessly suck away at your energy bill even when they're not turned on.

In fact, standby power can account for five to 10 per cent of your electricity bill.

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-saving LED or CFL bulbs – Compact florescent light bulbs use up to 75 per cent less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs and can last up to 10 times longer.

• Use electricity at off-peak times – Do laundry and run the dishwasher on weekdays from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. or on weekends and holidays when electricity market prices are lower to save up to 8.1 cents per kilowatt hour.

More simple energy efficiency tips are available at www. enercare.ca.

Place garlic in plant soil to repel insects indoors.

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

How to green up your home improvements (NC) Canadians are avid home improvers. Did you know that, according to some reports, spending on renovations in this country has been the fastest growing part of residential investment – above new home builds and resales?

But along with this trend, more and more homeowners aren't just looking for visual upgrades, they want to go green too. If you are also wondering about quick and easy improvements to upgrade your home while reducing your environmental footprint – here are three: 1. Make eco-friendly upgrades – For instance, while older shower heads can use up to 26 litres of water per minute, the newer water-saving models provide the same pressure while cutting the H2O used to as low as 5.5 litres per minute. The same goes for newer dual flush toilets that can save as much as 65,000 litres of water per year. Replace older fluorescent and incandescent bulbs with LED alternatives. This will reduce your environmental footprint while also reducing your utility bills.

2. Choose sustainable materials – An easy way to update a house while being environmentally-conscious is to use sustainable materials. Try giving your home a facelift with a fresh coat of eco-friendly paint. While green paint options used to be a costly alternative, now many large brands offer a comparatively priced environmentally friendly option. Make sure to look for low- or zero-VOC (volatile organic compound) products.

3. Dispose of your construction waste properly – From the used batteries in your power tools to the old dry wall you've just replaced, each item needs to be disposed of properly. To recycle hazardous household waste, check your local municipal website for detailed information. For old, single-use and rechargeable batteries, visit www.Call2Recycle. ca to find one of 7,000-plus collection sites across Canada.

Those were just three of the easiest steps to ensure that all renovations help both our pocket book and the environment. But don't stop there. Keep looking for countless additional ways to improve your home while also reducing your environmental footprint.

Rub a candle on a sticky sliding door or window.

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The North Grenville Times

Community Events

The Voice of North Grenville

CROSSWORD

Youngsters of Yore, 1:30 pm, Library Program Room. Guest Speaker:

Oct 8 Oct 23 Oct 24 Oct 24 Nov 7

James Jordan –War Amp Safety Events Coordinator.

Kemptville legion steak BBQ. BBQ at 6:30 cost $10 per person. For tickets contact Lorena at 613-258-9065.

19th Annual Beef Dinner & Auction at Merrickville Community Centre. Social & Viewing Hour 5-6 pm, Dinner 6 pm, Live Auction 7:30 pm. For Tickets ($20) Call Rick Bowell at 613 269 3452.

Annual BEEF SUPPER - St. Andrew's United Church, Bishop's Mills 4:30 pm- 6:30 pm. Adults $13 Children 6 - 12 $6 Under 6 Free Kemptville Legion Craft Sale 9:30 am– 2:00 pm. Tables $15.00. Call Lorena for reservations 613-258-9065. Vendors welcome

Weekly and recurring events Tues

Wed

Thurs

Fri Sat

M,W,F

BNI Networking Group Breakfast, Grenville Mutual Insurance Building, 380 Colonnade Drive, 7- 8:30 am. Call 613-918-0430 for more information.

Bridge- St. John’s United Church, 12:15 pm. Cost $4. "All levels of bridge players welcome. Come discover Duplicate Bridge. "Info, contact Sandra at 613-258-2691.

The Branch Artisans Guild, North Grenville Community Church, 2659 Concession Street every 3rd Tuesday, 7 pm. New members welcomed!

NG Photography Club - first Wed. of every month from 7-9 pm at the Auditorium of the Municipal Centre from Sept. to June. Check our website for more information on outings and upcoming events. ngphotoclub.ca Klub 67 Euchre every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month beginning September 9th; 1:15 p.m. St. John's United Church downstairs.

Everyone welcome, $5.00.

Bingo- First and third Wednesday of the month, Kemptville Legion.

Games start at 1 pm. All welcome. Refreshments available.

Klub 67 Euchre every second and fourth Wed. of the month, 1:15 pm, St. John's United Church downstairs. Everyone welcome, $5.00.

Bridge - St. John’s United Church, 6:45 pm. Cost $5, partner preferred but not necessary. For more info, contact Sandra at 613-258-2691.

North Grenville Toastmasters - Meeting 1st & 3rd Thurs. of the month, 7 pm at O’Farrell’s Financial Services, Cty Rd 44. Info, call 258-7665.

2nd and 4th Friday Every Month, 6-10 pm Twice The Fun Games (206 Prescott Street) is your host for Game Night. Bring your favourite game or borrow one from our library. All ages welcome!

The Kerith Debt Freedom Centre. Confidential coaches will help you get out of debt and stay out of debt. Free, open on the 2nd and 4th Sat. of the month from 9:30-11:30 at the NG Community Church.

Appointments can be made at kdfc.ca or by calling 613-258-4815 x103.

Kemptville Legion breakfast 8 - 10 am third Saturday of every month.

Adults $5.00. Children under 12 $3. All welcome.

Kemptville and Area Walking Group, Municipal Centre - Early birds: 8 am, others 8:30 am. Contact: Eva 258-4487.

ACROSS 1. Poison plant 6. Portuguese folksong 10. Horse feed 14. Shrimp-like crustacean 15. Food thickener 16. Ho-hum 17. Snow house 18. Nil 19. If not 20. A group of representatives 22. An amount of medicine 23. Extent 24. Enlarged thyroid 26. Spanish lady 30. Donkey 31. French for "Summer" 32. Quaint outburst 33. Liturgy 35. Deduce

39. Average weather conditions 41. Milk sugar 43. Fermented milk liquor 44. Defeat decisively 46. Roman moon goddess 47. 18-wheeler 49. Euro forerunner 50. Anagram of "Lyme" 51. Dependable 54. Fog 56. Lean 57. Newspaper audience 63. Decorative case 64. Diva's solo 65. Absurd 66. Countertenor 67. Hue 68. Mountain lakes 69. Avid

70. Being 71. Excrete

DOWN 1. Slip 2. Desire 3. Foundry 4. Balm ingredient 5. Blockages 6. Dreamt 7. Opposed 8. Carpenter's groove 9. A citrus fruit 10. In a dutifully compliant manner 11. Mete 12. Thigh armor 13. Absolute 21. Not together 25. Ear-related 26. A pack of playing cards 27. Leer at 28. Childlike 29. Esteem 34. Clarify 36. Offensively malodorous 37. Feudal worker 38. 500 sheets 40. Dry 42. Revile 45. Stays behind 48. Whirl 51. Cut of meat 52. Name of a book 53. Wash out with a solvent 55. Hackneyed 58. Anagram of "Sire" 59. Catch 60. Rabbit 61. Hotels 62. Annoyance

SUDOKU

Community Living North Grenville is collecting new and used purses for upcoming purse sale on November 19 at the 5th Annual Ladies Night.

All donations can be dropped off at office on Hwy #43 or you can arrange pick up by calling Tracey Bennett at 613-258-7177. All purses/wallets accepted.

Easy

Medium

Hard

Solution to last week’s Crossword

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

October 7 2015

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The North Grenville Times

CLASSIFIEDS

First 10 words are FREE for North Grenville Residents. Extra Words: 50 cents a word. Email classifieds@ngtimes.ca SERVICES NO TIME TO COOK? We’ll take care of it! Homemade frozen meals; lunch & family sizes, muffins, soups, dessets and more! For more information go to www.lamyriade.ca.

WELLNESS THROUGH NUTRITION Coaching Carol Pillar, R.H.N. Wholesumapproach.com 613.258.7133 Stucco & Parging Services, also specializing in repointing & chinking. Free estimates. cedarrockcontracting@gmail.com 613.818.5187 SNOW REMOVAL: stairs, walkways, small driveways, roofs. Call Al 613.258.3847 or 613.295.0300 REGAL GIFTS, call or email for Christmas Catalogue 613.258.5558 gilliantrojan@ gmail.com Call Cinderella to look after your Alzhiemer or Parkinson loved one 613.859.4644 Music Instruction, guitar, banjo, ukulele, group singing and more. Your place or mine.

613.720.3531 Certified Packer can help you prepare for your move. Cinderella 613.859.4644 PIANO LESSONS for everyone. All styles, all ages. 613 324.0382 www.kemptvillemusic.com SEWING: Weddings to alterations at Stonehouse sewing.

Call Sharon 613 224 3182 Rural Home Care servicesAffordable, personal, professional & experienced care for your loved one. 613.868.0356 FREE DRUM LESSON!!!

Professional drummer offering FREE trial lessons...no obligation! 613 298 5913 www.drumhead.ca HANDY MAN specializing in renovations & house staging.

We do it all CALL 613.294.2416 MESS “S.O.S.!” sarahlystiuk@gmail.com Free monthly articles straight to your inbox!

Free estimates Work Guaranteed call 613 294 2416 MR & MRS CLEAN residential/ commercial cleaning. Mrandmrsclean613@gmail.com, 613867-2184 HOUSECLEANING- Every working Mother and Father needs a House Wife. Sandi 613-2197277 Fencing and Deck Specialist, Renovations 20 yrs experience Brian 613 215 0805 Property clean-up, trees/brush/yard waste, scrap metal, dump runs, anything removed. Call Wayne Scott at 613 286 9072 Complete Home Property Clean up: house cleaning, dump runs, etc. Call Al’s Clean up services 613.258.3847 613.295.0300 Rock My House music lessons in fiddle, piano, drums and more. 613 258 5656 Handyman/Contractor with years of experience. No job too big or small. Unlimited references, call for free estimate 613.791.8597 YOGA for everyone. Wed and Thurs., at YIG. Call 258-9902 AVON. Are you looking for Avon products, call Joan- 613-2587644 FOR RENT Commercial space for rent 513-b Prescott St. All Inclusive $750/month, Available Oct. 1 613.794.3551 Old Town Kempville 10 Prescott Street Commercial retail space 690 sq. ft. available Imm. 613.295.0552 2 bdrm, 218 Prescott, quiet bldg, no smoking, incl. parking, heat, hydro and water. Sept. 1, $1250. Call 258 0849 Old Town Kemptville, 113 Prescott st. Commercial retail space, 1,878 sq. ft. avail. imm.

613.295.0552

You Name It, I Can Sew It. Call Rhonda at 258-5248

Old Town Kemptville 28 Clothier St. Commercial retail space 650 sq. ft. avail Oct 1st 613.295.0552

NEED A NEW ROOF? GOT A LEAKY ROOF? Over 15 yrs owner/operator, subcontracting.

Renovated Ground Floor Office 1,900 sqft, 200 Sanders St. Kempt. 613.795.2389

October 7, 2015

One Bdrm Apartment, No Pets, NON SMOKING, $700 + utilities 613 220 5014 Kemptville, 512 Clothier, 2 bedroom apartment in a seniors building, $863 + utilities, no smoking, no pets. 613 294 6819 Old Town Kemptville 10 Prescott St. Commercial retail space 800 sq. ft. 613 295 0552

HELP WANTED Laborer needed, for construction company Driver’s licence not required, Residents of Kemptville Only Call 613-894-5210”Y

GARAGE SALE

Garage sale, Sat Oct. 10, 8 am antiques, collectables and 2 bdr upper level of duplex in much more, 502 W Clothier downtown Kemptville, 4 appliances/parking/water incl Call 613 296 5906

WANTED Senior needs old car batteries for making weights. Call 613 258 6254

FOR SALE HONEY - raw wildflower .55kg sizes, cut comb Honeyfield Farm 613.269.4233 Fresh Garlic, 4101 Cty Rd 43, 3 kms East of Hwy 416

Send in your letters to the editor to editor@ ngtimes.ca FIREARMS LICENSES: CFSC & CRFSC & Exams 2shoy@xplornet.com or 613-258-6162. Steve

2011 John Deer Tractor JD 2720 Tractor, JD 46 Backhoe with 16 & 9 buckets, JD 200CX front end loader. Used only 123 hours for personal landscaping, no winters. Asking $27,500.00 or OBO. 613.215.0674

The Voice of North Grenville

BRIDE AND GROOM SHOW Businesses are invited to participate in the Bride and Groom Show, being held January 22-23, 2016 at the North Grenville Municipal Centre.

Engaged couples, their families, and bridal party are invited to attend this amazing event, offering food / wine / beer tasting, and to discover what businesses offer to assist them with wedding planning.

Admission is FREE and guests over 21 will have the opportunity to enter a draw for a “WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGE” BY MIKE & NESS PHOTOGRAPHY OR A “CRUISE FOR TWO!” The Bride and Groom Show is being hosted by past organizer of the Kemptville Campus Bride & Groom Show, Anne Kotlarchuk. Anne offers over 10 years’ of trade show experience, most recently the Shop Local Showcase held this past April, hosting over 800 people and 60 vendors!

The Bride and Groom show will host the following business products and services: • Photography Packages, Videography Services

•

Wedding Planning, Flower Arrangements, Wedding Decor • Wine, Beer and Appetizer Sampling • Wedding Caterers, Cake & Cupcake Decorators, Wedding Favours • Hair, Makeup and Esthetic Services • Travel Assistance Booths are $300 ($350 after December 1), and Marketplace tables are $150 ($200 after December 1). If interested, further information can be found at www.alkeventmanagement.ca Mark January 22-23, 2016 on your calendar and plan to attend this amazing show. Don't forget that it's FREE ADMISSION and you will have a chance to win a WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGE OR A CRUISE FOR TWO (must be 21 years of age or older).

Follow the show activities on Facebook - www.facebook.com/ alkeventmanagement Show host Anne Kotlarchuk can be reached by email at - anne@alkeventmanagement.ca

Mahogany & Glass deep cabinet in 2 sections 6’ tall 6’ wide approx 613.859.4644 Nearly new small couch, neutral colour $375 or best offer 613.258.5547 19’ Glastron runabout, OMC 200 1/0, trailer, accessories, $4,500 613.258.3260 Paugan Falls craftsman built 15’ canoe. As new. $1200 ono. Call Bill Wallace 613.258.6544

TAKING PART IN OUR COMMUNITY

Quality Grass Horse Hay 4x5 rounds Jon 613.227.3650 Washer & Drywer matched set, fridge white, clean $110.00 pair 613.869.8759 Firewood-Hardwood cut, split and delivered, $100/cord, Min. 3 chords. Call Peter at 258-5504 or 613-913-0810 Firewood-Mixed hardwood $100 per cord delivered. Call John at 613-227-3650

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LIVING/VOLUNTEERING/SHOPPING/REPORTING/SPONSORING

ROCK MY HOUSE Music Lessons in Fiddle, Piano, Drums and more.

613-258-5656.

KEMPTVILLE COMPUTERS REPAIRS, UPGRADES, VIRUS REMOVAL, NETWORKING & MORE! WE FIX IT, OR YOU DON’T PAY! (613) 218 5322 WWW.KEMPTVILLECOMPUTERS.COM

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Return to Ryan’s Well

Susan Hreljac, Ryan’s mother, seen celebrating with young villagers in Uganda during the filming of “Return to Ryan’s Well”.

by David Shanahan The Ryan’s Well Foundation held the North Grenville Premiere of a new documentary called “Return to Ryan’s Well” in the Urbandale Arts Centre last week, and it was a profound and moving experience. One would imagine that Ryan Hreljac’s story might have lost its power to affect people around here after fifteen years, but the evening proved that such is quite certainly not the case.

A full theatre viewed the film, a sequel to the original “Ryan’s Story”from 2001, and then had the opportunity of asking questions of Ryan, film director Lalita Khrishna, and Deleo Ocen Moses, the Executive Director of Divine Waters Uganda, a partner with Ryan’s Well for the past fifteen years. Lalita Krishna is a Toronto based filmmaker whose work has been broadcast nationally on all major networks, and featured at film festivals around

the world. She specializes in documentaries about children and teens making a difference in the world.

In talking to the NG Times, Lalita gave Ryan a lot of the credit for the way in which her career has developed. “It was Ryan who got me started at looking at the way children can make a difference, and that became a theme of my work after that. He really got me started on this path, so I owe him a lot in terms of the direction that my career took”. Lalita's films have won many awards and are used extensively in schools. She has been awarded the DreamCatcher Award for using her craft to better humanity. She is the Co-chair of DOC Toronto and sits on the Board of Hot Docs, North America's premier documentary festival, and was the recipient of the Reel World 2010 Trailblazer award.

The audience were clearly moved by the film: a donation jar passed around gathered an

Chamber of Commerce After Hours for October The Chamber After Hours networking event is open to members and non-members alike. Please come and introduce yourself or a friend in business. We meet the last Tuesday of every month and hope that you will join us.

This month, the featured location will be the New Rideau Restaurant just north of town over the bridge on County Rd 44 on the left. We will meet October 27 at 6 pm and run to about 8 pm. They offer a full menu for dinner if you come early, and, if you come just to network, they will have finger foods.

The fee is $10 at the door and you pay for your own drinks.

They have set aside the enclosed patio for us to see their new décor, and, if it’s too cold, we will move inside.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there, so please come on out and bring your business cards and a smile!

October 7 2015

amazing $3,500 for the Foundation: an indication of how powerful was the message of the documentary. The basic facts brought out by the q&a afterwards were stunning.

Ryan spoke of the difference a well of clean water made to the daily life a young boy.

Before the well was opened, he would have to rise at midnight, walk five kilometres to the nearest water supply to collect water for his family.

He would have to do this three times that morning before he could leave for school. The film showed the kind of water source often used by villages before a well was available to them: it was stagnant, full of bacteria, and often far from the community.

But the provision of a well giving clean water to a community meant a complete revolution in the lives of the people. Children could go to school, instead of having to spend the day collecting water. The water itself made economic activity possible in new ways. Bricks could

be made, and so schools and homes could be built. Deleo spoke to the NG Times about the impact this has on communities in Uganda that had been devastated by civil war over the past decade.

“During the civil war, people lost everything. They lost animals, they lost buildings, they lost everything. But now to see them recovering from that, they can think about building up assets.

Most of the parents now have children who are going to school. They can pay now, because there is no free education in Uganda. So you can see that they are doing something about the future. It is related to asset building. You can see in the film the joy that a new well brings to a community. You can see that this is not faked, this joy is real, coming from somebody’s heart. They raise money every month, so that if the well breaks down, they can repair it, they don’t have to go back for help. There is money and a structure in place. That is

Film director Lalita Khrishna, Ryan Hreljac and Deleo Ocen Moses, the Executive Director of Divine Waters Uganda, at the Q&A following the screening of the documentary where you feel ownership, that they have dignity. Most of the water points have become the community meeting places. People come and stay to talk with each other.”

But it was Ryan himself who made the biggest impact at the screening. Both in the documentary, which shows him growing from the 6 yearold who began the journey, right through to the young man returning to the site of that first well fifteen years later, as well as the comments he made in the q&a, he came across as a genuine person, eloquent, caring, rather bashful too. His constant theme

was that he is just an ordinary person, and anyone can and should do what he did, in whatever field of endeavour attracts them. I think the audience would question how ordinary Ryan Hreljac is.

Lalita Khrisna has made a wonderful documentary about amazing people doing wonderful things. About 300 young school children saw the film at a matinee that day; one can only hope that thousands more, young and old, will get to view “Return to Ryan’s Well” and be as inspired as we all were last week.

You are cordially invited to the 5th Annual

BR+E Alliance Business Reception

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 6:00 – 8:30pm North Grenville Municipal Centre (This is a complimentary event) Light refreshments and appetizers will be served We look forward to seeing you there To register, go to www.northgrenvillebusiness.com 20

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

GM crops unregulated in Canada The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network [CBAN] has issued their third report on genetically modified foods. CBAN is a campaign coalition of 17 organizations that researches, monitors and raises awareness about issues relating to genetic engineering in food and farming. CBAN members include farmer associations, environmental and social justice organizations, and regional coalitions of grassroots groups.

The new report tackles consumer concerns about genetically modified organisms (GMOs). After twenty years on the market, CBAN is investigating the impacts and risks of GMOs. Genetically modified foods were allowed onto grocery store shelves in Canada without labels, without meaningful public debate, without government testing, and without long-term animal feeding studies. CBAN’s investigation into the current situation in Canada reached a number of important conclusions. It notes that there is no scientific basis to conclude that genetically modified (GM)

October 7, 2015

foods are safe. Research continues to raise serious questions about the potential health hazards and more study is needed. The risks from eating GM foods have not been fully investigated.

CBAN concludes that there are no GM foods on the market with consumer benefits. Although launched with many promises of benefits to consumers, two decades later GM foods on the market are not cheaper, tastier, fresher, more nutritious, or more environmentallyfriendly. In fact, the use of GM crops has increased rather than decreased the use of synthetic herbicides.

There is not enough science.

The peer-reviewed literature on GM food safety questions mostly consists of shortterm studies. Even after twenty years, the scientific literature on GM food safety is inconsistent and far from robust, leaving more questions than answers.

The report states that even with the lack of proper scientific research, little of it is independent science.

Independent studies on GM food safety questions are rare, and long-term studies

are even rarer. The studies that do exist indicate that some genetic modification could result in toxic effects, allergic responses, or altered nutrition, and clearly point to a need for further research.

Globally, there is very little independent science, partly because governments are content to rely on corporate science to assess the safety of new GM foods. Barriers to conducting independent studies include funding and access to GM seeds for testing.

The high stakes involved in commercializing new GM products have added to an environment that is hostile to critique, from the public and even from within the scientific community.

The commercial pressures behind getting GM products to market are undeniably influencing how science is being done, and how much. Health Canada has approved GM foods in Canada without long-term safety tests. There is no tracing and monitoring. There is no tracing system for GM foods on the market. This means that we do not know

21

if the foods we have been eating for the past twenty years have had any health impacts.

There is no mandatory labelling of GM foods in Canada (or the US). A 2015 Ipsos Reid poll commissioned by CBAN confirms that 88% of Canadians want mandatory labelling. How can I identify GM foods in Canadian grocery stores?

Without mandatory labelling, the only way to identify GM foods on grocery store shelves is to check for ingredients that come from the GM foods on the market: corn, canola, soy, white sugar beet (and some papaya, squash, cotton and US milk ingredients that could be made with use of Bovine Growth Hormone).

There are also two main non-GM food labels on the North American market.

Both labels are backed by strong certification programs. Some products carry both labels but they are two very different programs.

The national organic standard in Canada (and the US) prohibits the use of GM seeds and other GM products including GM feed

for livestock. Organic farming is a defined model of ecological farming that also prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides, for example. The Non-GMO Project verifies products as non-GM. The standard requires testing of all ingredients that could be at risk of GM contamination with a maximum contamination level at 0.9%, aiming to reach zero. While these foods are not produced with GMOs, unless they are also certified organic, they can be produced with synthetic pesticides. Without mandatory labelling, stores need to give you a guarantee.

CBAN plan further investigations into GM foods

in Canada. These will look at questions such as: Are GM Crops Better for Farmers?

Are GM Crops and Foods Well Regulated? Do we need GM crops to feed the world?

Visit us at www.cban.ca or www.gmoinquiry.ca.

Copyright Š 2015 Canadian Biotechnology Action Network, All rights reserved.

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

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The North Grenville Times

Learn how and when to use a fire extinguisher

The Voice of North Grenville

Fall weather means increased concerns about the silent killer

(NC) Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home? And as importantly, do you know how to use one?

What good is a fire extinguisher if you don't actually know how to use it? Unfortunately, most people don't know how to use them and are unclear about what they should actually be used for.

An extinguisher simply does not have the power to put out a large fire. Rather, an extinguisher is meant for putting out and controlling smaller fires before they develop into a larger and more dangerous one. “Always place fire extinguishers in areas where they are easily accessible,” says Wayne Ross, an insurance expert with Aviva Canada.

“Put them in locations where a risk of a fire is the greatest.”

How to use a fire extinguisher

(NC) You may know that carbon monoxide (CO) is called the silent killer because humans cannot see, smell or taste it. But do you know what concentration this deadly gas must reach before a CO alarm sounds? Do you know if CO gas is heavier or lighter than air?

Kidde Canada, a leading CO alarm manufacturer, separates fact and fiction to answer these and other safety questions: Myths: • Carbon monoxide is heavier than air so CO alarms must be installed low to the ground in wall plug outlets.

• Everyone is equally at risk when it comes to the symptoms of CO poisoning.

• CO alarms should be installed in furnace rooms or near other sources of the gas.

• CO alarms last forever and never need to be replaced. Especially the ones that are hardwired into the electrical system of my home.

• Facts: • CO is almost the same density as air. They mix freely. This means a CO alarm can be installed on a ceiling or a wall.

• Seniors, youngsters and smokers are all more susceptible to CO gas.

• CO alarms must be located near bedrooms so you can hear them when sleeping.

• Replace CO alarms every 7-10 years whether hardwired, battery powered or plug-in. And insist on battery backup to ensure protection during a power outage.

Additional carbon monoxide and other safety tips can be found at www. safeathome.ca and endthesilence.ca.

If a situation ever arises where a fire extinguisher is required, homeowners can use the simple acronym PASS to guide them in how to use it properly, as follows: • Pull: The first step is to pull the pin. This will allow you to squeeze the handle.

• Aim: Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.

• Squeeze: Squeeze the handle to spray. You have about 30 seconds, so make it count.

• Sweep: While spraying, move (or sweep) back and forth, aiming at the base of the fire.

Fire extinguisher maintenance How often a fire extinguisher needs to be changed depends on the type of extinguisher you have. In a general sense, a fire extinguisher lasts between five to 15 years.

However, you should check your gauges on a yearly basis. If you are not sure if it needs to be replaced, have a professional take a look at it.

Understanding how and when to use a fire extinguisher can be the difference between putting out a small fire and having to call the fire department.

More detailed information is available from your insurance broker or at AvivaCanada. com.

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History

The North Grenville Times

One of My Friends

by David Shanahan I met a new friend recently: a man by the name of John Mills, a tailor by trade. Born in Scotland, in Focharbers, County of Moray, north of Aberdeen. The thing is, John died more than a hundred years ago.

But that’s history for you; you meet the most interesting people. I got to know John through some letters he wrote to his family back in Scotland between 1843 and 1862. John Mills was, in many ways, typical of the people who lived, worked and died in North Grenville over the decades.

A man who came from abroad, married and raised a family, contributed to the growth of his community, and died, acknowledged and respected by his peers.

In fact, John Mills did more than most: he married twice and raised two families.

John was born in 1815 and emigrated to British North America sometime in the 1830's. At first, he lived in Toronto, where he was married to Jane and had seven children with her. In 1842, he moved to Burritt’s Rapids where he built himself a house and started a career as a tailor.

His oldest son, Alexander, named after John’s father, died soon after their arrival, at the young age of 5. But worse was to follow. John’s wife, Jane, died right after giving birth to another son, in August, 1853, aged only 32. The baby was sent to live with a woman in the village who had lost a baby of her own. For ten shillings a month she took care of the young boy. John, a good Scottish Presbyterian, was pleased to have got a good deal: the usual price for this service was five shillings a week. Nine years later, his son was still living in the woman’s home.

Imagine his situation after Jane’s death: a single father trying to run a business and take care of a large and growing family. In a letter home to his sister, he told her: “I am left with six children which is a very heavy charge upon me. The oldest girl is 12 going on 13, and the youngest is 2½ years old. My wife was 32 years and 6 months. I have got an old woman keeping house for me just now but she is not able to do a good deal, but she is very careful

about the house, but it has left me in a lonesome condition, but we must bear it patiently....The people here have showed themselves very friendly during my trouble.”

The old woman, who was so little help, did not last long in the household, and two years later John’s oldest daughter was doing the housekeeping for him.

The other children were getting older and better able to care for each other.

John’s business was doing well too: “I am still getting plenty of work, I have got a machine for sowing which is a great help to me and I think that I will make better wages...I have got a comfortable place to live, and out of debt.” Life was improving, but still not without difficulty. He explained to his sister in 1855 that “ the times are very hard here, and all over the country there has been a great scarcity of provisions.

The flour that was sold for £1 was sold for £3 and £3 15sh and everything else in proportion but thanks be to God there has been an excellent crop and the potatoes is coming on well and I don’t hear of any rot”.

He reported that the village was quite delighted to hear of the fall of Sebastopol as the Crimean War dragged on. Burritt’s Rapids kept in touch with the wider world.

By 1861, the war occupying the minds of the villagers was the Civil War to the south. Life had improved for John: he had remarried. Ursula was of

The Voice of North Grenville

Full Steam Ahead German stock, though born in Ontario, and she and John were starting his second family together. He had possibly moved to a new home, a half-acre lot on the corner of Oxford and South streets, where he would remain for the rest of his long life. His oldest son, John, was starting out in the tailoring profession too. John was now 45 years old and starting to take stock of his life. He was a morose kind of man, with a Calvinistic belief that Life was hard and full of sorrow.

He was not very happy as he reviewed his achievements to date: “I am still working away and making living but I have not done great things. There is some that does uncommon well in this country A good many get by Defrauding some one way and some another but what I have that is my Living I get it by hard work.”

He expresses feelings that must have been so common among those who lived in this area in those days: a homesickness, a longing for the days of youth in a land far away. “I have not forgotten Scotland my mind is still at home amongst you tho’ there be many a mile betwixt us, my native country is still Dear to me and the places where I used to frequent and my old acquaintances”. He also shows us something of the tensions existing in the society of his time, attitudes and divisions that do not always come alive in text books: “The People

here is very kind but they are mixt, not many Scotch, a great many Irish Roman Catholic. I have nothing more particular except be our neighbour Yankees is still Fighting the North and the South and there been a Great Dell of Blood Shed.

There is still peace in our borders and long may it continue”.

By the end of the 1880's, John was a widower again. His family had grown up and moved away, except for his daughter, Elsie, who remained with him for the rest of his days.

When he died, in February, 1897, at the age of 82, Elsie was left alone in the house.

She was there until 1905, when she was 45 years old. John had lived in Burritt’s Rapids for more than fifty years. He had watched the village grow, and then begin to decline again.

He had seen the great and the small events of the nineteenth century from his tailor shop. Canada had changed unbelievably in those decades: steam ships, trains, wars, Confederation. He represents so many of those who built this place up, putting down roots in a strange land, far away from the land of their birth. When he died, the Advance summed up his life simply: “Deceased was a real old Scotchman, a zealous member of the Presbyterian church, and highly respected by those who knew him best”. I’m glad I got to know him.

by Deron Johnston This has been a challenging month for the Oxford Mills Community Association. Two years of working with municipal staff on the association’s ‘Expression Of Interest’ to purchase Maplewood Hall in Oxford Mills led to North Grenville Municipal Council requesting a report on the status of all heritage buildings in North Grenville. After what seemed like an eternity to the OMCA, the very controversial report was put on the agenda of the September 21 Committee of the Whole meeting.

The report itself included recommendations on the future of the heritage buildings. Instead of having the option to review the recommendations of each building separately and seeking input from community groups like the OMCA and other concerned residents, the report lumped all of the recommendations together into an ‘Omnibus’ style motion and was tabled to be voted on immediately by council.

Despite Councilor Bertram’s attempt to have them separated with an amendment, Council defeated the amendment and voted to accept all of the recommendations together. Councilor Bertram asked for a recorded vote, so that it was noted how each member of council voted on the report recommendations. The end result was that Council accepted the recommendation that Maplewood Hall not be sold to the OMCA as they had requested.

With this disappointment at the forefront of the conversation, the OMCA opened their October 1st executive meeting to the public to allow input from community members and other interested residents.

The generosity of Cheryl Mackie of Brigadoon allowed the OMCA to use the upstairs meeting room.

The well attended meeting had some lively discussion and resulted in a very firm mandate that the OMCA Purchase Committee continue to pursue their goal of trying to purchase Maplewood Hall.

Overall, there was a very positive energy coming out of the meeting. Members of the executive felt renewed in their mandate and were determined to re-focus on providing first class events.

They were also encouraged to continue to raise money towards building a new gazebo for Maplewood Park that could help add something special to events at the park.

The meeting also resulted in a clear message that the community appreciates the work the OMCA does on their behalf and that they want the OMCA to continue to deliver the fun family events that Oxford Mills is known for. With that in mind, the OMCA is going to take up the municipality on their offer to rent Maplewood Hall to the OMCA at a reduced rate for now and continue to deliver events to the residents of Oxford Mills and the Greater Oxford Mills Area.

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October 7, 2015

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

KDH honors its recent retirees and long service award recipients

Cathy Burke, VP Nursing/Clinical Services (right) presents a certificate of appreciation to recent retiree Anne Salmon. submitted by Jenny Reid The Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) courtyard was the setting for the hospital’s 2015 Retirement and Long Service Awards Banquet last Friday evening.

Six recent retirees from the hospital and 13 longserving staff were honored at the annual event.

In her words of welcome, the hospital’s Human Resources Manager, Michelle Graham, explained

October 7 2015

the significance of the occasion: “Our Retirement and Long Service Awards Banquet is a very special event in the life of the hospital every year, as it gives us an opportunity to individually recognize our employees, who serve at KDH with such dedication and commitment.”

“The employees we are honoring tonight,” she added, “are a source of inspira-

tion to me, and to all of us here at KDH. Although they have served KDH in a variety of different departments, they have quite a lot in common: each one of them embodies the KDH values of compassion, cooperation and respect, and they all share a deep commitment to our patients and a high level of personal caring.”

The honorees represented a number of different departments at KDH, including Nursing, Diagnostic Imaging, Patient Registration, Physiotherapy, Dietary, and Administration.

This year’s retirees were Shelley Bottan, Nancy Goetz, Nancy Koekkoek, Sally MacInnis, and Anne Salmon. The long service award recipients were Linda Bennett (25 years), Shannon Collins (10), Sylvie Ferguson (10), Heather Kamenz (30), Nancy Koekoek (25), Laurie LaPorte-Piticco (10), Sonia Maville-Patterson (10), Michelle Morgan (10), Cherryl Norris (20), Lauri Presley (30), Margaret Raymond (20), Julie Summers (30), and Catherine Van Vliet (20).

The longest-serving

honorees received standing ovations from the 60 or so assembled family, friends and colleagues.

There was a special addition to the annual banquet this year: at the conclusion

of the awards, Lis Angus, the Chair of the KDH Board of Directors, made a presentation of appreciation to outgoing Interim CEO Michel Bilodeau. She thanked him for sharing his expertise,

enthusiasm and compassion with KDH. Bilodeau responded that he had very much enjoyed his first small hospital experience and is happily returning to semiretirement.

Kemptville BIA at a crossroads

by David Shanahan The Kemptville Business Improvement Area [BIA] has received the final version of a consultant’s report into the future direction of the organisation, and it has led to some deep soul-searching among members. The report, by the consulting firm of McSweeney & Associates, examined the current position of the BIA and suggested possible future directions that it could take in order to maximise its effect on business in Kemptville.

The conclusions reached

by McSweeney were both exciting and unsettling for the BIA. The report found that, given existing resources, the BIA could not fulfill its mandate to promote and market the member businesses as long as it was confined to the current downtown footprint.

At present, the BIA covers Prescott Street and part of Clothier Street, Old Town Kemptville. Over the past few years, the BIA has considered expanding that footprint to include what is called the Triangle, the area around Rideau and Sanders Streets, between Clothier and County Road 43. However, the McSweeney Report concluded that even this expansion would be insufficient to maintain the BIA as a viable organisation, and recommended a much more radical course.

“In order to successfully support the achievement of the Downtown Vision, and achieve greater resident and visitor attraction to both Downtown and to Kemptville, McSweney

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and Associates recommends to the Municipality of North Grenville the consideration of a new BIA to be established for the urban area of Kemptville that inlcudes the current BIA area supplemented with the following areas at minimum: Further south on Prescott Street, including the hospital and the former Kemptville College campus area; Rideau and Sanders Streets to Highway 43 and possibly beyond to the Rideau River; The Highway 43 corridor from Somerville Road to Highway 416.”

This would include both the Kemptville and Colonnade Malls, a massive change from the current focus on Old Town Kemptville. However, this vision of a greatly expanded BIA area has met with some resistance, both within the current BIA membership, and from businesses in the proposed expanded area.

The former worry that the concerns of Old Town, now the main focus and rationale for the BIA, would be lost in the wider context of a Kemptville-wide BIA. The latter would reject paying the extra charge, which they would see as an added tax, that would be required of them as BIA members.

Some have expressed an unwillingness to pay the extra “tax”in order, as they see it, to subsidise Old Town businesses.

In a presentation to the North Grenville Municipal Council, BIA Chair, Paul Cormier, noted that the McSweeney Report had what he called a

“firewall”running through it, dividing the description of the BIA as it is, and the BIA as it might conceivably become. The main problem, as he saw it, was that the funding available to the BIA makes it impossible for it to continue in its current form. The BIA’s program coordinator is carrying on a full-time position for about $17,000 a year. The BIA projected funding for next year is only $18,000. Obviously, things cannot go on as they have been going for much longer.

Paul’s position is that any decision on the future enlargement of the BIA footprint, or even the establishment of an entirely new BIA, as recommended by McSweeney & Associates, is a decision for the Municipality. In the meantime, the BIA Board will continue to press for its immediate concerns: getting more businesses, more parking, and better signage for the Old Town.

He spoke of the urgent need to co-ordinate with the NG Chamber of Commerce, to see how the two organisations might work together, or meld, or evolve into a totally new body. But, as he told Council, it may well be that the BIA will cease to exist altogether, and that the Chamber of Commerce, or some other body, will take over its mandate. The BIA, he said, has “no need to exist if another body can do the job”.

The McSweeney & Associates Report marks a very significant milestone in the history of the Kemptville BIA. Where it goes from here is far from clear. www.ngtimes.ca