Septemeber 16, 2015 issue 37

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the north grenville

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TIMES

Vol. 3, No. 37

The Voice of North Grenville

September 16, 2015

All-Candidates meeting this week

Celebrate Heritage Day Something for the whole family See page 8 September 26, 2015

The North Grenville Times is Locally Owned and Operated

The only all-candidates meeting to take place in North Grenville during this federal election campaign takes place in the Urbandale Arts Centre in the Municipal Centre, on Thursday night, September 17. All four candidates have confirmed they will be taking part in the event, which is being sponsored by the NG Times.

Doors open at 6:15 pm, and there will be a meet-andgreet in the lobby before the meeting begins. The event will start at 7 pm and we hope to have everything wrapped

up before 10 pm. The intent of the meeting is to hear from the candidates on local, as well as national, issues in as informal and interactive a format as possible.

Emotions can run high during an election campaign, and this one has been no exception. However, we are hoping and expecting that the all-candidate meeting can be marked by good humour, serious discussion and a good level of debate by all.

Questions for the candidates may be submitted to the NG Times in advance by

e-mailing editor@ngtimes.ca.

Written questions can also be submitted before and during the meeting, and there will be an opportunity for live questions as well.

The NG Times has also conducted 30-minute interviews with each of the candidates over the past few weeks, and these are available to watch on our web page: www. ngtimes.ca. These conversations are desiogned to allow voters to watch the candidates speak informally and without notes, in a relaxed setting.

The conversations are be-

ing rebroadcast by COGECO at the following times, for those who receive the community channel on their TV: Gord Brown, Conservative Party, September 17 at 8 pm and September 27 at 7:30 pm.

Mary Jean McFall, Liberal Party, September 17 at 8:30 pm and September 26 at 8 pm.

Lorraine Rekmans, Green Party, September 17 at 9 pm and September 25 at 9:30 pm.

Margaret Andrade, NDP, September 17 at 9:30 pm and September 23 at 7 pm.

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Urgent need for blood donors Canadian Blood Services encourages all Canadians to roll up their sleeves and donate blood in September in honour of Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Throughout the month, families affected by childhood cancer will visit blood donor clinics to thank donors and share their stories online to inspire others to make an appointment. On average, it can take up to five blood donors to help one child undergoing cancer treatment and up to eight donors a week to help a child with leukemia.

On September 22, the North Grenville Municipal Centre will be hosting a blood donor clinic from 12:30 – 3:30 & 5:00 -8:00 pm and there are still a large number of open appointments. The poster for this clinic is attached and

you are encouraged to share it within your social media and other networks. People can book their appointment online at www.blood.ca , using the GiveBlood App or by calling 1-888-2-DONATE. At some point, more than half of Canadians will be impacted by the need for blood and it can take many donors to save a single life. If you have had a loved one who has suffered from one of the following conditions – chances are you have benefited from our blood system: heart surgery requires contributions from up to five donors; victims of a car crash depend on up to fifty donors.

And, to repeat what was said earlier, cancer treatments need five donors and treatment of leukemia requires up

to eight donors every week.

Potential donors often wonder whether or not they are eligible to give blood. If you are interested in saving a life through blood donation but are unsure if you qualify, here are some basic requirements: donors need to be over 17 years of age, in general good health. For those taking medication of various kinds, they should know that many types of medications do not cause problems, but some do.

Those who are interested in donating, but unsure if their medical condition or prescription precludes them from giving blood, are advised to call 1-888-2-DONATE and ask to speak to a nurse. Have your prescription handy and they can tell you whether or not you can donate.

Viruses such as a cold or a flu would prevent you from giving blood. Allergies would not. Diabetes could be a problem and people who suffer from low-iron/anaemia cannot give blood. People who have had a tattoo or a piercing in the last six months may not donate blood. After the six months have passed, you can give blood again.

Travel often results in a temporary deferral – if you have travelled outside of Canada and the continental US in the past year, please visit our website to determine your eligibility.

At this time, our national blood inventory is below optimal levels and we have seen a slow but steady decline over the last few months. Your donation can make a difference.

Beth Donovan Hospice Spousal Bereavement Group

KEMPTVILLE PHYSIOTHERAPY CENTRE

Are you grieving the loss of your husband, wife, or life partner? The Beth Donovan Hospice is offering a support group created to address the unique needs of the spousally bereaved. Regardless of when the loss occurred, recently or years ago, all are welcome. This group will provide members with an opportunity to discuss their grief in a safe and caring environment facilitated by a professional grief counsellor. Grief education and coping tools will be provided.

Date: Wednesday, October, 7, 2015 from 3 pm to 5 pm Duration: 8 weeks occurring every Wednesday Location: Beth Donovan Hospice, 25 Hilltop Crescent, Kemptville, Ont. The group will be limited to eight participants and, although there is no charge, pre-registration is required.

Those interested in attending are asked to contact Erika DeSchiffart at (613) 258-9611 X 6 or by email at counselling@bethdonovanhospice.ca. For more information, visit www.bethdonovanhospice.ca.

2868 COUNTY ROAD 43, KEMPTVILLE, ON 613.258.7661 / KEMPTVILLEPHYSIO.COM

Opportunities for Kemptville youth at Camp Hyanto

In 2014 parishioners of St. James Anglican Church in Kemptville were made aware that there were children in our community who were financially unable to attend Camp Hyanto, the Anglican Church Camp in Lyndhurst, Ontario. The people responded and the children were sponsored to last year's camp. We were excited by hearing about the experiences of the campers, and the congregation, buoyed by such an encouraging start, really stepped September 16, 2015

up and gave generously to support children in our community again this year.

Heading into the 68th year after its dedication, Camp Hyanto remains committed to the development of the whole child: physical, emotional, social, mental, and spiritual. It encourages this development through community living, familystyle meals, daily Chapel and prayer, a wide variety of games, activities, arts & crafts, and opportunities for educational and leadership

development of all ages.

The Camp urges us to "just speak with one of our campers." Well, we did!

We had an opportunity at Sunday's new 10:30 service to speak with this years campers: RyLynne and Raven Kane, who were attending church with their Mom, Christina. RyLynn and Raven both emphasized how they learned that everybody was important and we should always treat other people nicely (their words!). They enjoyed making new friends. Typically at camp they enjoyed the crafts, food, camp fires and songs. They especially enjoyed their time with our priest who helped them understand how to treat friends and family.

S t J ames A n glican Church Sunday School and community outreach programs form cornerstones of St. James' mission. Experiences such as Camp Hyanto auger well for St. James' contribution to the growth and vitality of Kemptville.

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

CORRECTION

RONA raffle winner for the Hospice

Last week’s issue contained inaccurate information regarding the ownership of RONA. We apologise for any confusion.

Kim Davidson, owner Oxford-on-the Rideau, Dawn Rodger, Executive Director of Beth Donovan Hospice, Winner of a $500 Rona gift card, Dale Armstrong Sr., and Dale Armstrong Jr. 2 www.ngtimes.ca

The North Grenville Times

Veterans Way Memorial Park Dedication Ceremony

The Voice of North Grenville The North Grenville Times is challenging other businesses around the municipality to enter a team in the Car Rally. Our own “Thelma & Louise� will take on all comers: just find yourselves a name and a car, and see how well you can do against us! (page 8 for more details) Erick Le Pors

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The Municipality of North Grenville and the Veterans Way Memorial Committee is pleased to extend an invitation to the public to the formal dedication of Veterans Way Memorial Park on Sunday, September 27, 2015 at 2 pm.

The dedication ceremony will be a proud salute to those who have bravely and selflessly served the nation and their communities in times of conflict and peace. The Memorial Committee asks that everyone do their part by wearing red to the ceremony as a visual tribute in recognition and support of the Veterans' legacy of freedom and democracy.

For those who are not familiar with the area, the

September 16, 2015

Memorial Park is located at County Road #44 and Veterans Way at the entrance to the Ferguson Forest Centre, just north of the North Grenville Municipal Centre.

The Veterans Way Memorial Committee members are very proud and pleased to announce that the dedication ceremony will commence with a concert by the prestigious Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces. The Central Band will play from the centre field area of the Memorial Park which will offer multiple viewing areas for the audience.

The dedication ceremony will include the attendance of local Veterans and the partici-

pation of the Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada, Zone G-3 Royal Canadian Legion Branches, NATO Veterans Organization of Canada, past and serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces and Emergency and Protective Services representatives.

The list of honoured guest speakers includes MP Gord Brown, MPP Steve Clark, Mayor David Gordon and John Wilson, President of the Ferguson Forest Centre Corporation Board of Directors.

Please be advised that there will be limited seating available on site for Veterans and their guests during the ceremony. It is suggested that attendees consider bringing a

lawn chair or portable seating device if they wish to do so.

In keeping with Municipal regulations that apply to this special event, the public is requested to refrain from bringing animals to the Memorial Park.

In the event of inclement weather, arrangements have been made to hold the Dedication Ceremony indoors at the Urbandale Arts Centre, which limits seating to the maximum capacity permitted in the Theatre.

Please note that a portion of Veterans Way will be temporarily closed to vehicular traffic in the interest of public safety to accommodate the ceremony.

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The North Grenville Times

Fitness Patrol Submitted by Don Palmer Here we are at the end of September. Unfortunately, it is time to turn the page on Summer for yet another year.

I know at this time of the year I always say to myself: “It’s not so bad, autumn is a nice time of the year”, but, in reality, to some extent, I am practicing avoidance behavior, because after the “splendor of autumn” comes the awful “W” word.

So, with only a score of summer days left, everyone should evaluate themselves on how physically active they have been since June. Let’s all be honest with ourselves and give an objective mark on our Summer Fitness Report Card. Why is this important? It is important because a lot of folks gain weight over the winter. They do so because, generally, the colder months tend to make us more sedentary. There are those of you who embrace winter with plenty of outdoor activities like hockey or skiing, but, sadly, for the most part, “sofa sports” tend to take over our calendars in the winter.

I often hear people say: “No worries, I always gain a few pounds in the winter, but I will lose most of them during the summer”. My response to that sort of comment is: you cannot simply equate fitness with losing, or gaining, a few pounds. Fitness and being healthy goes far beyond simply what your bathroom scale is telling you. It is important to be active, fit and healthy all year round and not just during the summer.

Fitness is not a four-month endeavour and then you get to take a break until the following May or June!

So, my friends, as the leaves start to turn to yellow, gold and red and days become steadily cooler, take a look back over the past few months and give yourselves an “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, or, perish the thought, an “F” on your Summer Fitness Report Card. Now is the time to give yourself a fair evaluation on how well you managed your personal level of fitness over the summer.

If you gave yourself a “C”,”D” or “F”, it is time to set some serious fitness goals going forward, and commit to keeping to them. If you gave yourself an “A” or “B”, then it should be full steam ahead. Don’t lose that summer momentum just because TSN offers you a plethora of NHL games to watch every night of the week. Get off the sofa, put on your snow suit and go for a walk, buy a new set of skates or skis and turn your cheeks red, register for indoor cycling classes and learn how much fun sweating can be when the wind is howling and it is -20c outside, or simply come over to my house and shovel my driveway for me every time it snows!

In all seriousness; whatever you choose to do, please, please, be active!

Don Palmer is a spinning instructor & certified personal trainer. He operates the Merrickville Personal Fitness Studio and can be reached at 613-258-2246, donlpalmer@ hotmail.com, or www.merrickville-fitness.com

The Voice of North Grenville

New Horizon Club recognizes value of volunteers

Mayor Gordon presenting volunteer appreciation certificates to the following members: - Klaus Weirspecker, - Karin Weirspecker, - Adrienne Eagle.

by Shirley Price The New Horizon Club members began their new membership year with a delicious pot luck lunch. The opening meeting was held on September 9 at noon at the Burritt’s Rapids Community Hall.

Following lunch, North Grenville Mayor, David Gordon, presented Karin Weirspecker, Klaus Weirspecker and Adrienne Eagle with certificates to honour and recognize their valuable services as volunteers with the club. Klaus and Karin have been volunteering for over five years and Adrienne for more than fifteen years. Volunteers are the heart and soul of organizations like the New Horizon Club. Thank you Karin, Klaus and Adrienne.

The presentation of volunteer recognition certificates was followed by the Annual General Meeting chaired by Shirley Price, Past President.

Nominees elected to office for 2015 are: President Janet

Glaves, Secretary Helen Brazier, Treasurer Karin Weirspecker, Public Relations Officer Shirley Price, Program Officers Jean Travers and Kim Holland, and Memberat-Large Kim Holland. As Past President, Klaus Weirspecker will also serve on the

Executive Committee. Copies of the fall program were circulated. Upcoming activities include a theatre tour, Oktoberfest luncheon, movie afternoons, guest speakers, and a variety of special events and speakers.

The next meeting will

be held on Wednesday, September 23 at the Burritt’s Rapids Community Hall, The theme of the meeting will be “collectables and stories”.

Members are invited to bring samples of their collectables and share their stories with others. Those who plan to bring samples are asked to call Jean at 613-283-6439 or Kim at 613-258-9315.

The New Horizon Club welcomes new members and all seniors in the community are welcome to attend. The membership fee is $12.00 per year. Come and meet new friends.

The North Grenville Times is Locally Owned and Operated

Election signs defaced It is a sad fact of life that political signs will be defaced, stolen or hidden in every election campaign. But that doesn’t change the fact that interfering with signs in those ways is a criminal offence. It is not just a stupid way to try and influence voters, it is a crime. It is stupid, however, because it creates a backlash in favour of the candidates whose signs are vandalised, and makes the offending party look particularly juvenile and offensive. So, before you think it might be a good idea, and a way to support your favoured candidate, think about it. Here’s another thought: candidates will get a refund of 50% of what they’ve spent on campaign expenses, including signs. When you destroy one, you’ll be paying for it in your taxes. Respect democracy. Respect your neighbours. Respect yourself.

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September 16, 2015

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Editorial

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

The Northwest Quagmire

by David Shanahan There is, I believe, a technical term for the situation that exists in what is officially called the Northwest Quadrant in Kemptville. That Quadrant is the land lying north of County Road 43 and west of County Road 44, and the technical term in question is “a complete mess”. It seems that the consequences of every bad and misguided decision taken in connection with that land over the past twenty years are now becoming obvious, and the Quadrant is in danger of becoming the Quagmire: a swamp, threatening to swallow up projects, plans and, perhaps, even some careers.

The NW Quadrant was originally part of the Township of Oxford-on-Rideau, outside the boundaries of Kemptville until amalgamation in 1998 made it potentially a goldmine for builders and developers. It was, and is, a natural area of expansion for residential and commercial development in what is called the Urban Serviced Area; that part of North Grenville to be provided with municipal

services.

The Quadrant, all 546 acres of it, is now divided into 70 different properties, owned mostly by those interested in building residential, commercial and institutional developments. The Official Plan of 2009 designated the Quadrant and laid out a policy for the area: “As part of the long term development plan for this area, the Municipality will encourage the various property owners within the area to participate in the creation of a coordinated “concept plan.”

Such a concept plan would identify the natural heritage features, environmental hazards and constraints, road networks, pedestrian linkages, water, sanitary and stormwater servicing, and parkland needs for the area.

It would be anticipated that the individual development proposals would complement the agreed upon concept plan for the area.” Official Plan, 2009, Section 2.5.4.1(k) In 2011, an environmental assessment of the area proposed an overall concept plan that would “identify the natural heritage features including

fish habitat, environmental hazards and constraints, pedestrian linkages, and parkland needs”. This concept plan, used as a selling point for some zoning and planning applications, included the retention of wetlands within the residential section of the Quadrant. These would provide “panoramic views over the wetlands”, an attractive proposition for potential purchasers.

The existence of these wetlands was acknowledged as an important element in the Quadrant, but, as soon as planning permission was given, the work of draining the wetlands started and new ditches were dug to remove what might have made construction more expensive.

Sections of the tract were then completely stripped of trees, dams, etc., and levelled off for use as building sites. This was in spite of Official Plans and “Concept Plans”, and appears to have been done with no objection or interference from the municipality.

Roads were pushed through and huge fires set to burn the cut brush and trees that had been removed from

the properties. Two schools were planned for the section facing onto County Road 44, just south of the closed landfill site. The municipality has known for years that leachate from the site has been contaminating surrounding land, even passing under CR 44 and into the forest lands on the east side.

The results of all this are now being faced: there is an ongoing dispute between the municipality and the Upper Canada District School Board about the process of approving the site plan for the new Public School, originally scheduled to open in September of next year. The land which was identified as a site for a new French High School is also causing problems, as talks between the land owner and the municipality stumble over how much land the municipality wants to take title to as part of the deal. Areas that started with no road access have now been opened up by changes in road allowances and we face an entire series of roundabouts off CR 43 all along the southern border of the Quadrant.

Everything may work out

ange X, as was the NDP sign.

In brief, Section 325 of the Canada Election Act say no person shall prevent or impair the transmission to the public of an election advertising message without the consent of a person with authority to authorize its transmission.

There are safety exception, but otherwise vandalism of an election sign is a crime.

Personally, I like Gord.

He's a nice guy and should do what good guys do, finish last.

Michael Whittaker

can keep submitting for funding and the province can keep rejecting it. We have to face the harsh reality that small eastern Ontario communities are not of much interest to the provincial government this being a conservative riding like many others in the region and, from what I have noticed, the province has spent minimal on infrastructure projects in these provincial ridings. You are correct with respect to the current provincial government wasting billions of dollars in recent years, however I am a little bit confused with respect to your comment that Ontario is facing severe cuts to equalisation payments from the federal government. I looked up transfer payments from the Department of Finance Canada and they have almost doubled since 2005 with an increase of another 735 mil-

lion for 2015-2016 and have heard no mention of severe cuts in the future. I encourage the residents of North Grenville to reach out and voice your concerns to Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Ducca about the Highway 43 project that this great community so deserves and maybe it’s time that we as a community start a petition to hopefully some day soon make this project a reality.

David Yoki – Oxford Mills

in the end, and the Quadrant may become as positive a development for North Grenville as eQuinelle has proved to be so far. But there is still a great deal to learn about what is happening in that odd parcel of land, what the environmental and economic fallout may be, what collateral damage may have been done to the community. If the thousands of homes planned for the NW Quadrant finally get built, will they arrive before, or after, the widening of CR 43? What impact will such a large-scale development have on the future of this community and what effects may it have on our roads and infrastructure?

There is too much uncertainty and murkiness involved in the NW Quadrant.

Maybe it’s time for another assessment, another public information session, if only to reassure us that it is the best interests of the community that are being served here.

Letters to the editor Dear Editor: Signs of the time I cannot speak to the attrition rate of Gord Brown's election posters, but more than 10% of those I have installed on behalf of Mary Jean McFall have been damaged, destroyed or disappeared.

Across North Grenville and Merrickville-Wolford, I have placed signs large and small, principally at the intersections of paved roads.

Two were clearly backed over by partisans who take their riding mowers to manicure the ditches of County Roads.

Some have been pulled and tossed aside. One was moved to behind a large blue sign.

The third time I found it moved, I place the sign on the opposite corner. And so it goes.

The morning of Friday, Sept. 11, I found a Mary Jean McFall sign at the corner of CR 18 and CR 20 with a defacing, sprayed-painted or-

Dear Editor I am writing in response to your September 9 article “Highway 43 revisited.”

You’re correct in stating that the project is far from dead; however, the people of North Grenville must understand that there is no way that this project is guaranteed to be funded in the future either. We

ISSN 2291-0301

The North Grenville Times is published weekly by North Grenville Times Inc. Marketing Gord J. Logan gord@ngtimes.ca 613-258-6402 September 16, 2015

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

www.ngtimes.ca 613-258-5083

Editor David Shanahan david@ngtimes.ca 613-258-5083

Copy Editor Pat Jessop editor@ngtimes.ca 613-258-4671

Production Manager Marguerite Boyer production@ngtimes.ca 613-258-5083

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Dear Editor: I just heard on the news this morning about the pollution in Alberta because of the ”Tar Sands”. The particulates get into the lungs and then into the bloodstream causing ‘who knows what?’They also said it will only get worse unless changes are made.

Also of concern in Alberta and the “Oil Sands” is the toxic waste water and oil spills and how that affects many native people, as opposed to those in cities where water is treated.

Mailing Address P.O. Box 35, Oxford Mills, ON, K0G 1S0 Graphics Accounting Micheal Pacitto cfo@ngtimes.ca mike@ngtimes.ca 613-258-4671 613-710-7104

One of my big issues with this government is the muzzling of the scientists, which as a result we can’t be quite sure what to believe.

P.S. Question for our MP Gord Brown: “How can it possibly be a good thing to muzzle our scientists???”

Sincerely, Kath Piche

Staff Reporter Beth Nicol beth@ngtimes.ca 613-258-0033 Staff Reporter Hilary Thomson hilarythomson4@gmail.com

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Municipality Matters

The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Working together

by Frank Onasanya Things are happening, things we talked about during the election campaign.

We talked about the Trails, that’s happening. We talked

about roads being taken care of: it’s happening already. So we on Council hope that this will trigger the majority of the people in the community to see we’re doing things. We have a lot of programs going: free skates for the community,

prove things in Council, they think, “Why have they come to that decision?”. We need to hear what you have to say, but without that, we can’t look at things in the way you want.

For you to be happy with what we do, you have to come to the meetings. I know people work, have family matters and other engagements. It is difficult, I understand, but for us to be effective, we need the co-operation of all the people in the community for us to be able to bring their ideas forth, and to be able to say this is what the community wants us to do. Then we may be able to meet the needs of the majority.

The Municipality is run with the co-operation of the community and the Council and staff, because we on Council do this for us too.

As Councillors, we are still part of the community, and we think about how things will work for the majority of the people. Many people get involved when it concerns them personally; and, when that issue is settled, they say, “Okay, that’s done”, and they wash their hands because they think it doesn’t concern them anymore. But everything that happens in our community concerns us individually. If it doesn’t affect you personally, it will affect someone you know. or that you are connected with.

We have to come together as a community, and understand that we need everyone to bind to what we are doing. I confidently believe that there is more transparency than there has ever been. We give every

etc. We hope that these things will get people to want more things to happen, and will get them to come out and talk about what else they want to see.

The Committee of the Whole [COW] is where you have the Council, the people, other interested persons coming together with an Agenda, and where you can discuss openly. You can bring your opinion forth and we will listen and get into a dialogue with you. We will come to conclusions and we will hopefully agree with some of the things you are looking for, and, at the end of the day, we get to a point where everybody is fairly happy.

Once that is achieved, and it comes to the regular Council meeting, we can put a stamp on it. But people who don’t make the time, or have the time, to come to the COW meetings and then see us ap-

Steve Clark proud to take on new responsibilities as Deputy Leader

Leeds-Grenville MPP Steve Clark is looking forward to taking on new responsibilities in Queen’s Park since the Legislative Assembly’s fall session opened last Monday morning.

He has been appointed Deputy Leader by Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown and will also serve as Critic for Tourism, Culture and Sport in Brown’s shadow cabinet.

“I’m proud of the confidence Patrick has placed in me to work alongside him and our Caucus as we continue to hold the government to account and put forward our ideas to get Ontario back on track,” said Steve.

“As Deputy Leader, I will have a great opportunity to continue to play a key role in September 16, 2015

raising the issues that matter to Ontarians and the residents I serve here in Leeds-Grenville in the Legislature. I will also be working hard to support Patrick in his tireless efforts to connect with people across the province and learn about their priorities.”

Steve said soaring hydro rates, the Hydro One fire sale, loss of manufacturing jobs, threats to health care services, a recent credit downgrade and concerns over the Ontario Retirement Pension Plan are among the issues he will have on the front burner.

“Those are the concerns I’ve heard from people all summer and it’s time for the Premier and her government to understand we need to take a new

direction,” he explained , adding, “Our Leader has been clear: we’ll work with the government on ideas if they are in the best interests of Ontario families and will return our province to prosperity.”

Regarding his new Critic role, Steve said it’s a natural fit given the area he represents.

“Leeds-Grenville is a prime destination for visitors to Ontario and the jobs and investment tourism supports makes it a critical sector of our local economy. I’m eager to work with local operators and those across the province to encourage the government to do more to promote tourism in Ontario.”

opportunity to be involved, and that is why the citizens elected us to be there, to work on their behalf. We just need them to come and give us more of their ideas. Let us dialogue together.

We have the Budget coming up soon. It’s been out there that, come November, when that time comes around, we want to see you out there.

It is all our dollars that we are spending and we need to know what people want us to spend taxes on. We, the Council, meet and go over the possibilities, and then we have meetings in public where we say, “Here is what we have come up with. Do you have any ideas about this? Let’s talk about which one you think we should do first, and why”. But if people don’t come to the meetings, we have to go by what we think people might want. We debate it, we agree to disagree, or whatever is needed.

But when we put it out in public, we want to know what the community wants us to do, and what we should do first and second, etc. We can discuss those things then.

By-laws have to be discussed at COW before they come to Council, everything is previously discussed. So come to the COW and give your opinions and ideas. We try to make sure that not all the meetings are in one spot, that we go to the hamlets once or twice a year. Again, I don’t think people should wait until we come to the hamlets before they put in their ideas, because every time we get a message or a call, we address

it right away. If we don’t have the answers at the time, we look for the information and we’ll let you know that we will follow up with you.

So the people of the hamlets should not wait until we turn up there, before asking their questions.

We want to do things for the community, not just for those who make presentations to Council. Some of the ideas in presentations may be great in the short term, but we have to ask: “What is best for the community as a whole in the long term? Should we be spending money on this, or is there something better we can do with it?” Too many people come along with a great idea, and ask the municipality for the money to do it. But Council can support good ideas in other ways, when there is no money. We can write letters of support, we can bring people together to work on something worthwhile. But there are times when we have to say, “No” when people ask for money. But when we, as leaders in the community, get behind something, it can give people extra credibility when they apply for funding.

We can put people in touch with experts who have put these applications together a hundred times. They can help to advise about how to put together applications and so on.

We must work together. I invite everyone to come out to a COW or regular Council meeting and contribute your ideas, your opinions. As I said, let us dialogue together.

OPP Weekly Report Between September 7 and September 13, the Kemptville Office of North Grenville Ontario Provincial Police investigated 86 general occurrences: 22 in Kemptville, 39 elsewhere in the Municipality of North Grenville, 6 in the Village of Merrickville-Wolford and 9 on Highway 416.

On August 14, police were dispatched to a residence on Beach Road, North Grenville. While at the home, police obtained information that the home owner was unauthorized to possess a firearm. Police also located an ATV that was stolen in 2002. A man aged 42, resident of North Grenville, is charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of stolen property over $5,000. A female, aged 43, was charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000.

Sometime between the afternoon of September 8 and the morning of September 9, a new home under construction on Colonel By Way in Wolford was entered. The culprit(s) stole compressors, brad nailers and hoses, a Dewalt drill and Dewalt miter saw and stand. The investigation is ongoing.

During the early morning hours of September 9, police were dispatched to a single motor vehicle collision on Highway 416 south, North Grenville. The driver of a Suzuki Grand Vitara fell asleep while driving and landed in the west ditch. The driver was not injured. A 20 year old male from Kingston, Ontario was charged with careless driving.

Anyone with information on the above occurrences is asked to call Grenville County O.P.P. Communication Centre at 1-888-310-1122, the Kemptville Detachment at 613-258-3441 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-(TIPS) 8477 or submit your tip on-line at www.tipsubmit.com.

Crime Stoppers does not want your name, you don't go to court, and you could earn cash reward.

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The Voice of North Grenville

UPDATE UPCOMING MEETINGS COUNCIL Monday, September 28 at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Centre.

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE Monday, September 21 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 MEETINGS Police Services Board – Tuesday, September 22 at 1:30 pm at the Municipal Centre.

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY

A United Counties of Leeds & Grenville Household Hazardous Waste Day will be held on Saturday, September 26th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at 720 County Road 44. For more information, please visit www.leedsgrenville.com.

2015 FINAL TAX DUE DATE

A reminder that the final tax due date for all property classes is Wednesday, September 30, 2015.

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

Ontario moving forward with sale of LCBO lands The Government of Ontario has begun the final stage of finding a developer for the LCBO head office lands, including over 11 acres of waterfront real estate in downtown Toronto. The transaction is expected to be completed

by March 31, 2016. Government sources state that they are “committed to dedicating the net proceeds generated

from the sale to the Trillium Trust, which helps fund transit, transportation and other key infrastructure projects across the province”.

Brad Duguid, the Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure, has said that: “The sale of the LCBO lands is an important part of our plan to unlock the value of our assets

in order to build safe, smart infrastructure across Ontario.

By investing over $130 billion in public infrastructure — the largest investment in the province’s history — we are working to connect communities, grow the economy, and pave the way for a more prosperous Ontario.”

Given that North Gren-

Police Administration: 613-258-3441 Animal Control: 613-862-9002

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ville recently had an infrastructure funding application rejected by the province, it would be hoped that such an addition to the money available for such projects in this part of the province would ensure that the widening of County Road 43 will not be delayed much longer.

Heritage murals installation taking place as part of Heritage Day The Municipality of North Grenville is pleased to announce that the installation of murals along the retaining wall near the North Grenville Public Library will commence during the week of September 14-18. Municipal Councilor Jim Bertram believes that this project serves to highlight North Grenville’s “vital past, dynamic present and promising future”.

The idea for the murals project was initially presented to the Heritage Advisory Committee by local resident Don Munz in 2014. The idea was to beautify a prominent space in the downtown core through the reproduction and enlargement of historic postcards. Postcards and research were provided by

the North Grenville Historical Society and voting occurred in September 2014 with over 500 people casting ballots for their favourite image.

“Members of the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee attended several events to gather votes for the murals and were delighted at the enthusiasm expressed for the project by residents and visitors alike,” commented Rowena Cooper, Chair of the Heritage Advisory Committee.

Following the voting period, three postcards were selected for enlargement and

reproduction: “Kemptville from the Tower”, “Waterfall” and “Joseph Street”.

The Municipality issued a Request for Proposal in June 2015 and the project was awarded to Jarvis Design & Display. The Municipality is very pleased to be working with an experienced, local company to facilitate this project.

The formal celebration of the installation will take place on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 2 pm at the North Grenville Public Library to coincide with Heritage Day in the Municipality..

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Celebrate Heritage Day September 26 Scavenger Hunt for the young

Treasure Hunt on wheels

For younger folk, eager to join the fun, the Library will be holding a Scavenger Hunt throughout the day, starting at the Library on Water Street in Kemptville, and covering the downtown core. Entrants can begin the hunt at any time during the day, and all the information they need will be supplied at the Library. Young people will also have the opportunity to be part of a heritage photograph of their own. The Library will be using a special green screen to “place” people into a selection of historical pictures, supplied by the NGHS. This will be a fun way to become part of North Grenville History!

Heritage display celebrating the log schoolhouse

The NGHS are holding a treasure hunt on wheels, for all those who enjoy following clues, and tracking down hints and information. Each car entered in the Heritage Car Rally will be given detailed directions that will take them around the roads and byways of North Grenville, trying to decipher clues and looking for hidden answers. You don’t need to be a car enthusiast, or even a fan of history, to enjoy the rally and gather the answers that can win you a wonderful trophy. At the end of the day, whoever comes up with the most correct answers has a chance of winning the trophy specifically designed for the occasion by Ron Gould, and made from the heritage beams of the old Bright Spot Restaurant.

Teams of two or three will find it easiest to follow the clues, and the registration fee of $25 per person includes a dinner that evening at the Curling Club on Reuben Street. Pre-registration is strongly advised for the Car Rally, as numbers are limited.

You can register by filling in the form on the NGHS web site at www.northgrenvillehistoricalsociety.ca or by phoning 613276-6095.

The North Grenville Times is challenging other businesses around the municipality to enter a team in the Car Rally. Our own “Thelma & Louise” will take on all comers: just find yourselves a name and a car, and see how well you can do against us!

Illustration by Marguerite Boyer Drop by the CIBC branch on Prescott Street, site of the very first school in the municipality, to see the heritage display celebrating the log schoolhouse that provided the first formal education to our children between the 1820’s and late 1840’s. It is hoped that other historic buildings in the BIA area will also have links with their past on display in storefronts for the day.

Historical Walking Tours

Historic murals unveiling

The Fraser Block

The BIA are marking the heritage of downtown Kemptville by holding Historical Walking Tours during the day. These will cover the BIA area of Prescott and Clothier Streets, and will be conducted by local historian, Dr. David Shanahan. Walks will take place at 11am, and at 1 and 3 pm, and each will take about 45 minutes. Once again, pre-registration is advised for these guided tours, which will begin and end at the Library, where the NGHS will also be having a display showing the history of the area. Registration for the Walking Tours can be done by contacting Martia at biaprogramcoordinator@gmail.com.

The new historic murals at Prescott Street Bridge will be officially unveiled at 2 pm on Heritage Day. These murals, using heritage photographs chosen by residents, are imprinted on aluminum and hang on the retaining walls on the upstream side of the bridge. They give a wonderful and permanent character to the oldest part of Kemptville and, next to Burritt’s Rapids, the oldest settled part of North Grenville. Those attending the unveiling can visit the historical display at the Library and then step outside for the unveiling itself.

Fraser Block, now home to the Rotary park

September 16, 2015

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Celebrate Heritage Day September 26

301 Rideau Street, Kemptville

Regular Store Hours: Mon.- Fri. 8 to 8, Sat. - 8 to 6, Sun. 9 to 6

613.258.3014

Prices effective: Friday, Sept 18 to Thursday, September 24 “We reserve the right to limit quantities to reasonable family requirements�

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Nominees sought for Ben TeKamp Memorial Award at EEC For scores of entrepreneurs in the Leeds and Grenville area, Ben TeKamp was the guiding force who helped turn their ideas into successful businesses.

Now it’s the turn of a successful local entrepreneur to be recognized for their contributions with the Ben TeKamp Memorial Award, which will be awarded this October for the first time. The successful recipients will be awarded up to $5000 to put towards the development of their business.

“It’s a meaningful way for all of us to recognize and honour great ideas and hard work within the local business community, which is something my father would have been very supportive of”, notes Mark TeKamp, son of Ben who is on the award committee. “My father believed strongly in the role which entrepreneurs and innovators play in our local economy.”

As well as being a threeterm Brockville Mayor, Ben TeKamp was a noted business owner and for many years helped co-ordinate the SelfEmployment Benefit Program which gave many local entre-

preneurs the opportunity they needed to start a successful business. He was also a tireless community volunteer and was a board member of the EEC for many years.

Applications for the award need to be received by October 1, 2015. An award presentation and event honouring the winners will be held during the week of October 19.

In order to be a successful applicant for the Ben TeKamp Memorial Award, applicants or nominees must be located in the Leeds-Grenville area and be at the early stage of business development or reinvention. Preference will be given to new businesses which have displayed a strong sense of innovation and creativity, and must be able to indicate how they can make a contribution to the community of Leeds and Grenville (full award criteria is available at www.eecentre.com).

Applicants can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else. In the case of being nominated by a third party, a nominee will be notified before their name is made public. Award winners

will be required to inform the TeKamp family how they used the bursary for their business.

Granting this award would not be possible without the generous support of several businesses and organizations. These include O’Farrell Financial Services, Four-O-One Electric/My High Speed Networks Inc., Employment and Education Centre, Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation, TD Canada Trust, City of Brockville/Leeds and Grenville Small Business Enterprise Centre, Irvine Funeral Home and Chapel, The Recorder and Times and Canarm.

In order to get an online application, go to www.eecentre.com. A PDF of the application is available under the news portion of the front page of the website. Applications can also be picked up at the Employment and Education Centre’s offices at 105 Strowger Blvd during business hours (8:30 am-4:30 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 8:30 am – 7 pm Wednesdays.)

Ales on the Rails at the Craft Beer Festival of Eastern Ontario The Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario and Smiths Falls & District Crime Stoppers have partnered for the first annual Craft Beer Festival of Eastern Ontario. Join us on September 19 between 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. to sip some ale alongside the rails from some of the best craft brewers in Ontario, complemented by some of the best food and music in the area.

Hosted at the Railway Museum in Smiths Falls, the event offers a unique and intimate setting for craft beer enthusiasts and foodies alike.

Admission packages including limited edition glasses and coasters as well as complimentary beer tickets can be purchased in advance online by visiting our website or regular admission can be purchased at the event. Individual sampling tickets will be sold on site.

There will be free parkSeptember 16, 2015

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ing for the Festival at Cornelia Court, located at 91 Cornelia St. W., with a shuttle bus running all day to the museum.

For more information, visit our website at www. rmeo.org or call the museum (613) 283-5696.

Please note that this is a 19+ event.

www.leedsgrenville.com

PUBLIC NOTICE Household Hazardous Waste Day Residents of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and the Towns of Prescott and Gananoque can drop off Household Hazardous Waste free of charge.

Saturday, September 26, 2015 South Grenville Patrol Garage 2320 County Rd 2 (east of Spencerville) 8:30 am – 11:30 am

North Grenville Patrol Garage 720 County Rd 44 (south of Kemptville) 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Materials accepted include petroleum products, oil filters, antifreeze, paints and solvents, batteries, propane tanks, fertilizers, pesticides, light bulbs, fluorescent light bulbs/tubes and pharmaceuticals, all of which are “household” in nature.

Private/commercial business waste will not be accepted.

Materials not accepted include commercial and/or industrial waste, electronics, appliances, flares, explosives, PCB’s and radioactive materials. Waste from other municipalities including the City of Brockville will not be accepted.

Please come early to avoid line-ups and long waiting times.

Questions? Call 613-342-3840 ext. 2413.

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Election 2015 In my opinion.....

During the current election campaign, residents of North Grenville are invited to have their say about parties, policies, platforms, or whatever is on their mind relating to the coming vote.

The NG Times does not necessarily endorse or support any views expressed in this column.

The Autocratic rule of the Prime Minister’s Office in Canada

by Brian Lonergan Discussed last week were the growing abuses of Political Party discipline in Parliament. Going hand and hand with this is the growing power and iron handedness of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and its staffers.

When John Diefenbaker was Prime Minister, there were only a handful of staff members in the PMO, there primarily for research work.

Under Pierre Trudeau, that office took on an increased role and the PMO has grown more powerful ever since. Today, there is a staff of nearly 100, in spite of Harper claiming to have reduced their numbers through budget cuts. It has become a government within a government under the thumb of the Prime Minister. If this abuse of power continues to grow, the Prime Minister and his PMO staff will ultimately run Parliament on their whim, bypassing that chamber and becoming the ruling entity of the country. Canada will have transformed from a parliamentary democracy to a dictatorship from the top.

Currently, almost all discourse in the Canadian Parliament is scripted by PMO and party staffers. Questions

posed of the government rarely meet straight answers, often being a highly scripted piece of political theatre. MPs vote on legislation which their party leaders dictate nearly 100% of the time and few private members’ initiatives get past first reading. Do Canadians want Question Period to continue being a “Behave and Obey” session, as it has become? Are party members elected just to serve the party structure and its leader?

The Mike Duffy trial has left many Canadians with the impression that things are going on behind closed doors that shouldn’t be. There seems to be a lack of transparency and trust, as well as incompetence among PMO staff who hadn’t read their e-mails or communicated with associates. The Senate expenses scandal and the whitewashing of a Senate expense report brought allegations of a cover-up and breach of the public trust. The PMO was found to have had a hand in altering the audit, as well as refusing to disclose information on the costing of programs to Parliament, which Parliament was entitled to receive. 170 times the Harper government refused

to share reasons and impacts for budget cuts, challenging Parliament’s right to control the public purse, even though the Harper government lost the resulting Federal Court case and was ordered by the Court to comply.

In another matter, regarding the costing of F-53 Fighter Jets, the Auditor General’s report revealed deceptive practices by the Government to mislead the public and parliament on the projected cost of the fighter jets. Last year, Harper instituted a procedure whereby the bureaucracy has its communications reviewed and appraised by the Privy Council Office, reducing the contributory role of the public service which is now seen as being muzzled. Harper has also clamped down on the Freedom of Speech of the Diplomatic Corps. This agenda of controlling information and hiding the truth from parliamentarians has become sinister.

There are several ways to correct this intrusion from the top. The influence and staff of the PMO should be reduced and redesigned to include Parliamentary committee representation, rather than be a power station for the

Prime Minister. This would allow committee parliamentarians to consult experts and civil authorities during the legislative process, presenting balanced and researched legislation to be considered by parliament after party caucus approval. Unfortunately, many committees have lost their ability to express themselves as they too, have become victims of power from the PMO. At the present time, parliamentarians on committees often act on the orders of the PMO, and sometimes produce reports drafted by that office.

This frustrates their function.

Rather, let Parliamentary committees play a truly effective and advisory role, leading to more competent and inclusive legislation. In addition, the role of committee should not become less important under a majority government as it has become under the Harper government.

We know that under Jean Chrétien’s Liberal majority government, half of the bills came back from committee with amendments. Now, under the Harper government, this percentage is close to 0. Today, everything seems to descend from the PMO,

bypassing the parliamentary committees.

Other abuses stemming from the top have surfaced of late regarding parliamentary debate. There should be a limit to the use of closure and time allocation to remove a government’s ability to unilaterally shut down debate in the House of Commons. The use of omnibus budget bills should be limited as well.

The tabling of omnibus bills makes it virtually impossible for opposition MPs to properly carry out their role of oversight. Harper has used closure and tabling measures repeatedly during his administration.

Another issue arose when Harper refused to fill empty Senate seats, leaving Provinces with fewer representatives in the Senate than they are constitutionally entitled to. Many federal lawyers maintain it’s the Governor General’s constitutional responsibility to appoint senators, and that it’s only by convention that appointments are made upon advice from the Prime Minister.

The time has come to make parliament more inclusive and effective, and that can be done best by reducing the

power of political party whips to punish backbenchers, and, most importantly, curtail the power of the Prime Minister and his office. He was elected to serve the people, not act as their feudal overlord. Canada is a parliamentary democracy and not an oligarchy, that is, government by the few, where power is exercised by a small and privileged group for selfish purposes. The media should actively question political party objectives and make sure that party programs and policies are presented and well outlined during this campaign. This is no time for a repeat of Kim Campbell’s paraphrased quote that “an election is no time to discuss serious issues.”

All political leaders running for the new parliament on October 19 should go on record as to where they stand on party discipline and whether they agree to end the present PMO oligarchy from the top. Canada must retain a free parliament where political control is exercised by sitting members, and not by an elite group of political party insiders.

shuffled into another ministry)? Ha! It is impossible.

They are almost as ignorant as you and I regarding their respective portfolios. The Ministers depend on the Deputy Ministers for input, the Deputy Ministers are also political appointees and they, in turn, depend on the Assistant Deputy Ministers (ADM). This is where the real seat of power is. The ADM’s run the government of Canada. Yes, the MP’s pass legislation, but the ADM’s interpret it and feed everything down the line and filter everything coming back up the line to the ministers. Through policy, persuasion and nasty old passive resistance they wield incredible power.

An example of this has affected a North Grenville company recently. The company which shall remain unnamed because it may soon be before the courts (Hey, politicians use this lame ex-

cuse too!). This company is heavily involved in research and is developing a unique artificial intelligence system.

In the Conservative party policy book it blabs on about how important scientific research and development is and how they will support it. However, they are also focussed on cutting costs across all departments.

So, when this un-named company applied for its legally-due research credit, the departments involved nickel and dimed the company almost out of existence.

This is legally due money, and yet the Civil Service uses its power to not only deny the due monies, but also waste twelve months of this company’s valuable time, without compensation.

When a complaint was made the Minister involved finally wrote back months later “I can assure you blah, blah, blah…” The fact is, a Minister cannot assure anyone

anything because they don’t know what really goes on, only the ADM does for sure.

Even though we are electing a new government in October, the next Prime Minister should clean house and shuffle all the ADM’s off to retirement to really make a change in government.

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

Ignorance is Bliss

by Rob Lunan As a long-time supporter of the Conservative party, I have to say ignorance was bliss. At one time I naïvely expected the Conservatives would provide us with the prosperity, growth, moraluprightness and jobs, jobs, jobs. Fast forward to 2015 and my bliss has turned cold.

I have met our Conservative MP, Gord Brown, and, personally, I like him. Unfortunately, he is powerless.

Not only is he powerless because he is a back-bencher, but he is also powerless because virtually every decision passes through the Prime Minister’s Office.

This control is not unlike a dictatorship. So voting for Gord is not really voting for Gord – it is voting for Harper’s puppet in North Grenville. Sad to say, but true. When I vote for a candidate, I want someone to represent me in the government of Canada. I don’t want September 16, 2015

to be voting for the PM’s plaything. And I want that person to have real power in government. If there is a pressing issue in this riding, then I want to be able to approach our MP and have him or her present a bill in the house to be voted on freely.

If we cannot do that, then what is the use of having a Member of Parliament? We (Canadians) may as well all be connected via the Internet and vote on our own referendums and govern the country that way. Do I hear someone saying “But who will run the Public Service?” Good question, and here comes the most important comment.

The Federal Public Service is not run by the MP’s we elect – some of whom become ministers and some back-benchers. The Ministers inherit a large, unionized and complex system and are expected to know what is going on within a few months (before they are

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Talented contestants at the Spencerville Fair

Photos by David Shanahan This year’s Spencerville Fair was bigger and better than ever, with rides, demolition derbies and lots of food.

The main stage had big names performing, with April Wine really impressing on Friday night.

But it was not only the famous names that were on stage last weekend. For the tenth year, the Talent Contest for local amateur musicians, singers and dancers attracted a large number of entries and the performance standard was really high. With twenty contestants ranging in age from 8 to over-19, the judges had a difficult job to do. The NG Times was heavily involved too: master of Ceremonies was our own Gord Logan, who showed his experience and personality to good effect, making contestants feel

comfortable, and dealing with the unexpected delays and technical glitches that are part of any stage event. He has been been involved with Talent Show from its inception, along with talent co-ordinator Debbie Lawrence.

NG Times Editor, David Shanahan, was one of the three judges charged with assigning marks in a number of categories, joined by veteran judges Chris Must and Henderson Howells, Nashville recording artist, song writer and producer. As David reported: “The standard of performances was genuinely surprising, as a first-time judge. Some of those people could get up on any stage, amateur or professional, and be perfectly at home”.

Everything from stepdancing to light opera was on

display, highland dancing to classical violin. Winners were named in instrumental, vocal and dance categories, for both 12 and under, and 13 - 18 age groups. But the overall winner, across all categories and age groups, was Millie Close, whose singing and stage presence won over the judges with her natural and warm performance.

Over the past ten years, this competition has given an opportunity to so many young people to get on stage and share their talent with an appreciative audience. Given the amazingly high level of performance in view last weekend, this is a wonderful showcase for young, local talent which the Spencerville Fair provides as an important part of its annual events.

Overall Winner of the Talent Competition, Millie Cross, left, with Spencerville Fair Ambassador for 2015, Kiana Carmichael

Cahl Pominville honoured for his career Cahl Pominville, Director of Corporate Services/Clerk for the Municipality of North Grenville, has been recognised by his professional colleagues with a special certificate to mark twenty years of service to the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario [AMCTO].

The acknowledgment is for the part Cahl has played “in helping to improve the municipal profession and in making AMCTO the leading organisation in fostering and sustaining municipal excellence. In 2013, he was honoured by becoming President of AMCTO, and during his term in office he led a delegation of municipal officials from North America to Japan, to discuss common aspects of municipal work.

He has always pointed to the positive work of AMCTO and how it has helped him in his position in North Grenville. “That’s what is so important about AMCTO, there’s always opportunities for networking. The big thing is that all the members September 16, 2015

are willing to share and help each other. We’re all in the same thing together. I can pick up the phone or e-mail other municipalities around Canada and get information, advice when it’s needed, and that helps us to make municipal government in North Grenville more effective.”

Mayor David Gordon has expressed his appreciation of

Cahl and the work he does: “I have come to learn that he is among the most knowledgeable and connected professionals in the Province. Cahl has time and again indicated that the relationships he has built through the AMCTO have strengthened him in his role and provided a knowledge-base that we could draw on as an organization”.

Cahl Pominville is a native of North Grenville, part of a family with deep roots in this community. He has served in municipal government and administration for the benefit of his friends and neighbours, and certainly deserves recognition for his contribution to his profession and his community.

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Building a Sustainable North Grenville

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Laughter is still the best medicine

The Voice of North Grenville

North Grenville women taking a stand against ovarian cancer

Sandro Sloan, Patty Paterson and Joyce Blackburn is very difficult to detect. The symptoms such as bloating, difficulty eating, abdominal discomfort and change in urinary habits can easily be chalked up to a number of other issues, particularly menopause as the majority of ovarian cancer cases occur in women over the age of 50.

“We want to underline that it is a very, very sneaky disease,” says Joyce, who didn’t even know she had ovarian cancer until she had an operation to remove a cyst on her ovaries. “It masquerades as so many different conditions.”

The three women met in the Kemptville cancer support group which meets at St. John’s United Church at 2pm on the third Monday of each month (except July and

by Hilary Thomson It has been said that your sense of humour is one of the most powerful tools you have to make certain that your daily mood and emotional state support good health.

The aforementioned quickly became evident last Thursday when Bev Illauq addressed the Youngsters of Yore at the North Grenville Public Library.

A real dynamo, and a compassionate communicator as well, she thoroughly captivated her audience with all there is to know about laughter---along with exercises on laughter.

This shared laughter enabled those in attendance to become more involved with each other. First, there were smiles, followed by chuckles, and lastly, laughter, and a lot of it. Only one recalcitrant individual was identified.

The value of laughter was recognized many years ago by Reader’s Digest. Who doesn’t like a comedy? And a good joke or cartoon?

This presentation provided umpteen ways to help the Youngsters see the lighter side of life. An afternoon well spent!!

By Pat Babin

September 16, 2015

September is national Ovarian Cancer Awareness month and three women in North Grenville are taking the opportunity to raise money for research and spread the word about the importance of ovarian cancer awareness.

Patty Paterson, Joyce Blackburn and Sandra Sloan are all survivors of ovarian cancer and have made it their mission to educate women and men of all ages and backgrounds about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer; the most fatal of all women’s cancers and one that is affecting 17,000 women in Canada alone.

What makes ovarian cancer so deadly is the fact that it

14

August). They were drawn to each other because of their shared experience having and recovering from ovarian cancer and eventually by their shared wish to spread awareness and give support to those who are just beginning the hard road towards recovery.

Since 2010 Joyce, Patty and Sandra have traveled around the Ottawa area giving their presentation called “Ovarian Cancer: Knowledge is Power” to anyone who wants to listen. They have given their presentation to church groups, at quilting bees, golf courses and in people’s living rooms. On October 3 and 4 they will be speaking to nurses and nursing students in an effort to educate the health care profession about this often misdiagnosed disease.

“We’re trying to make the health care profession and younger people more aware,” Sandra says.

Patty, who is one of very few survivors of an advanced form of ovarian cancer, says they also hope to be a ray of light for someone who has recently been diagnosed with the disease. “It’s not easy but there is hope.”

Sitting in Patty’s living room, it is clear that they all have a passion for educating people about ovarian cancer, which many call a silent killer. Regardless of what they have been through, there is a lightness in the room and a general feeling of determination and hope that they wish to impart to the people they talk to. All three women have had their reproductive organs removed as part of their treatment, something that, with their health, they can make light of.

“We are the hollow ladies,” says Joyce, followed by fits of laughter all around.

The women have also been involved in raising money for ovarian cancer research. An auction held in August in North Grenville brought in $5,200 for the cause and throughout the month of September B&H Grocer will be asking for a $2 donation from all their customers. B&H and Beking Poultry have also committed to donating 50 cents each for every $2 donated. All money raised will be given to Ovarian Cancer Canada to go towards ovarian cancer research and awareness.

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Community Events Sept 17 Sept 14 Sept 17 Sept 18 Sept 19

Sept 20

Sept 25 Sept 26

Sept 26 Sept 26 Sept 28 Oct 2

Oct. 3

Nov 7

The Voice of North Grenville

CROSSWORD

Younsters of Yore, 1:30 pm, Library Program Room. Guest speaker: Marina Weavers, Card making.

Kemptville Folk Club at The Branch Restaurant, 7 p.m. For more information, contact Peter Johnson at 258-2795.

All candidates meeting, NG Municipal Centre. Meet and greet 6:15 pm, event starts at 7 pm. See article in paper for more details.

St. James Anglican Church BBQ Supper at Leslie Hall: Steak, corn on the cob, salads & dessert. Social hour from 5 pm. Steaks on BBQ from 6 pm. Tickets $25. For tickets call 613.258.7049.

MS 50th anniversary of Leeds Grenville Chapter dinner. Brockville Memorial Centre. Reception 5 pm, Dinner 6 pm. Entertainment. Tickets $50 per person, table of 8 $400. For info contact Margaret Mohr, 613-258-2626, or lionelmohr10@gmail.com Friends of the Ferguson Forest Centre Yoga in the Forest: a meditative walk in nature, led by Gayatri of the Bodhi Tree Yoga Centre. Lower your stress level with a silent walk through the trees.

Meet at Anniversary Park at 10.30 am. More information: call Monica at 258 6544.

Kemptville Legion Euchre Tournament. Registration from 6 – 7 pm.

Cost $10 per person. Games starts at 7 pm.

Neon Night for Childhood Cancer 2015, 7 pm - 9 pm, Riverside Park, Kemptville. Gather your neons, grab your runners and join us for a 2km or 5 km fun run/walk to raise much needed funds for childhood cancer.

For info, contact Anita Carley 613-267-1058 acarley@ontario.cancer.ca Heritage Rally. Visit North Grenville Historical sites, Dinner, Music and prizes. $25 per person. To register, call 613 276 6095 or go to northgrenvillehistoricalsociety.ca Kemptville Legion Roast Pork Dinner/Dance. Dinner 6:00 pm, dance to follow. Music by This Old Heart and the Country Comrades. Tickets: Lorena 613-258-9065 Advance: $15/ person, at the door: $20/ person.

Kemptville Folk Club at The Branch Restaurant, 7 pm. For more information, contact Peter Johnson at 258-2795.

Alzheimer Society Dementia Education Series: Socialization and Relationships, speaker Mary Campbell, 1:30-3 pm at 215 Sanders St, Suite 101, Kemptville Home Support. Free, registration required. Call 613 345 7392 ext. 103 or toll free 1 866 576 8556.

United Way Spegettifest, 5-7 pm at the North Grenville District High School. Tickets $15/person, $40/family of four available at Kemptville District Home Support, Kemptville Youth Centre and NG Accessible Transportation Kemptville Legion Craft Sale 9:30 am– 2:00 pm. Tables $15.00. Call Lorena for reservations 613-258-9065. Vendors welcome

ACROSS 1. Narrow fissures 6. Among 10. Calamitous 14. Papal court 15. Greek letter 16. Midmonth date 17. Ignorant 19. Views 20. Having a mast 21. Historic period 22. Cover with asphalt 23. Ringworm cassia 25. Metalwares 26. Shopping center 30. Speaks 32. Opposed 35. Stretchable 39. A natural resin 40. Mountain range

41. Armory 43. Retirement benefit 44. Jettison 46. Male offspring 47. Religious fathers 50. Cereal and soup _____ 53. Buttocks 54. Eastern Standard Time 55. A musical interval of eight tones 60. A Maori club 61. Loud 63. Lascivious look 64. Roman emperor 65. Planet 66. Being 67. At one time (archaic) 68. Infections of the eye DOWN 1. Pond gunk

2. Roman moon goddess 3. Colored part of an eye 4. Hue 5. Vaults 6. What we breathe 7. Instant 8. Go over again 9. Early 20th-century art movement 10. Deprive 11. Something to shoot for 12. One of the Canterbury pilgrims 13. S S S S 18. Lyric poem 24. Cashew or almond 25. Coach 26. Mother 27. Food thickener 28. Young girl 29. Written material 31. If not 33. 9 9 9 9 34. Fraud 36. Threesome 37. Press 38. Tins 42. Crayfish 43. Church bench 45. They cast ballots 47. Big name in computers 48. Hillsides 49. Douses 51. A parcel of land 52. Barges 54. Feudal worker 56. Gait faster than a walk 57. Breezy 58. Sheltered spot 59. Terminates 62. Excluding

SUDOKU Easy

Medium

Hard

Solution to last week’s Crossword

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

September 16, 2015

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

15

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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.

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 613 234 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!

You Name It, I Can Sew It. Call Rhonda at 258-5248 NEED A NEW ROOF? GOT A LEAKY ROOF? Over 15 yrs owner/operator, subcontracting.

Free estimates Work Guaranteed call 613 294 2416 MR & MRS CLEAN residential/ commercial cleaning. MrandSeptember 16, 2015

mrsclean613@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

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 2 bdr upper level of duplex in downtown Kemptville, 4 appliances/parking/water incl Call 613 296 5906

EXPERIENCED SERVER WANTED, drop off resumes in person to Sandy Row Restaurant & Golf Club 10668 Sandy Row, South Mountain FIREARMS LICENSES: CFSC & CRFSC & Exams 2shoy@xplornet.com or 613-258-6162. Steve

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

CLASSIFIEDS: First 10 words free if submitted by email.

Extra word 50 cents, photo $10, border $2, shading $5.

Submit to classifieds@ngtimes.ca.

FOR SALE Fresh Garlic, 4101 Cty Rd 43, 3 kms East of Hwy 416 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

Email must include name, address and phone #.

Must be related to North Grenville and be paid in advance by paypal!

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

New Language School right here in our Community!

North Grenville is a community of people that enjoy rural life. They shop, dine, play and hire services locally, whenever possible. This year, residents can also learn new languages locally. There is no longer a need to drive into the city, to expand their language knowledge. French, Spanish and American Sign Language are now available, right here in North Grenville!

Language Learning North Grenville (LLNG) began in the spring of 2015, with the BonjourNG course, a conversational French class, taught by Georges St-Laurent. Georges is an exceptional French teacher that received rave reviews from every BonjourNG student. By popular demand Georges is back, now offering two levels of French in September. Junior conversational French is being offered every Monday beginning September 21, from 6:30 - 8:30pm. Intermediate conversational French kicks off Thursdays beginning September 10, at the same time. Both the BonjourNG junior and intermediate sessions, are 8 weeks in length for a cost of $195 each.

HolaNG is a conversational Spanish course for beginners that will be offered for the first time in North Grenville, every Wednesday beginning September 9 from 6:30 – 8:30pm, for 8 weeks. This course will teach Spanish basics – greetings, directions, prices, weather, sounds, verbs, adjectives, sentence structure, numbers etc. Ruben Hernandez is an experienced Spanish teacher from Peru that has been in Canada for 20 years, and his perfect English shows it. His experience will help students use their learned skills on their next trip to a Spanish speaking country. The HolaNG Spanish 8 week course is also $195.

SigningNG is an American Sign Language course that is also being offered for the first time in North Grenville. It is a level one, 30 hour course, beginning September 15 for 10 weeks, from 6:30pm to 9:30pm every Tuesday. Jane Daly is a Canadian Hearing Society trained sign language teacher that will be traveling from Cornwall each week, to bring this amazing course to our community. Jane has many years of experience training students and is also hearing impaired.

Every American Sign Language course is taught in silence, using a power point and hand signing only. Sign Language is a valuable skill that Mothers of babies and young children, can use to communicate. It is also a valuable asset for every Special Education teacher. The cost for the level one Sign Language course is $265, plus the cost of a level one/two course book and CD. All courses are offered at the Somerville Conference Centre, located at 33 Somerville Road in Kemptville. To register, contact Anne Kotlarchuk, ALK Event Management , 613-853-8308 , anne@alkeventmanagement.ca www.alkeventmanagement.ca Don’t wait another year to learn or improve on a new language. Especially now, when residents of North Grenville can obtain these skills right here in the community.

Quality Grass Horse Hay 4x5 rounds Jon 613.227.3650

2 bdrm, 218 Prescott, quiet bldg, no smoking, incl. parking, heat, hydro and water. Sept. 1, $1250. Call 258 0849

Washer & Drywer matched set, fridge white, clean $110.00 pair 613.869.8759

Old Town Kemptville, 113 Prescott st. Commercial retail space, 1,878 sq. ft. avail. imm.

613.295.0552

Firewood-Hardwood cut, split and delivered, $100/cord, Min. 3 chords. Call Peter at 258-5504 or 613-913-0810

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

Firewood-Mixed hardwood $100 per cord delivered. Call John at 613-227-3650

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

HELP WANTED

One Bdrm Apartment, No Pets, NON SMOKING, $700 + utilities 613 220 5014

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

The Voice of North Grenville

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

613-258-5656.

Experienced garden helper. kemptville area. five to ten hours weekly as required. references 613.258.5093

16

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The Voice of North Grenville

Sweet taste of success

Kim Manderson, Brynleigh with mom Donna Webster, enjoying a full day of Market Plates

by Deron Johnston If you were one of the 250 people who bought tickets and enjoyed the bounty of the event known as Marketplates this past Sunday, you were treated to a wide variety of delicious sweet and savoury treats. The Kemptville Farmers’ Market’s annual Marketplates event was held in the B&H parking lot. The event combines the hard work of local market producers, paired up with the talents of

photo courtesy of Jim Beveridge local chefs, to produce some Indian Cuisine, to sweet truly outstanding local food treats, like cupcakes made samples. This year’s event with honey from Nanny had a total of fifteen different Cakes, there was something tasting stations for visitors to for everyone. First time Marchoose from. With ten tickets ketplates participant, Upto spend, the wise visitor care- per Canada Creamery, was fully browsed the event, and probably the most popular observed closely what was vendor, with regular line-ups being offered, before making of people waiting to taste their any decisions. The decisions new frozen yogurt. It was would have been difficult quite the exclusive offer to for even the most educated visitors, because it isn’t even foodie. available for sale to the public With savoury dishes like yet. However, if the positive curried potatoes from Negi feedback is any indication,

it will probably sell as well as their Biemond Organic Yogurt, which is already very popular across Eastern Ontario. Upper Canada Creamery is one of the rare cases where the creamery uses their own milk to make their yogurt.

Perth Brewery also made for a popular stop for visitors with their sampling of locally produced draft beer. While some of the regular vendors were at the market as well, Marketplates vendors were clearly the stars of the show.

One can’t help but wonder, if there were more successful events like this one

U15 Boys Soccer Team finishes strong season

with local food as the focus, the sky could be the limit for local food. The Kemptville Farmers’ Market will be having their annual planning meeting coming up this fall, with several new possible initiatives being considered.

The Farmers’ Market wants to take advantage of the momentum generated from a successful season and continue to bring in the best local producers with a mix of both high quality and unique products.

As far as the success of this year’s event, according to Kemptville Farmers’

Market treasurer John Barclay: “With the success of Marketplates, in part due to our participating sponsors and vendors, the Farmers’ Market has never been in better financial shape.” This has been quite a year for the Farmers’ Market already, but with another four weeks left in the season, there’s still lots of time to witness the type of quality local available food to anyone who wanders down to 200 Sanders Street from 12 to 4 on Sunday afternoons.

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

DO YOU HAVE WATER PROBLEMS?...

WE CAN FIX THAT! • WATER SOFTENER from $20/month • IRON/SULFUR REMOVER from $25/month Back row: Coach Sherry Jordan, Jed Brownrigg, Gavin Smith, Seth Pitre, Wayne Wilson, Noah Robichaud, Jaden Hayward (Brockville), Ryan Deville, Matt Potter, Coach Mike Sutherland, Team Manager Josee Robichaud (absent) Front row: Jacob Dickinson, Jarrod Duncan, Brady Quenneville, Jakob Hennage (Brockville), Wiatt Marlatt, Nathan Savoy, Giuseppe Minnella, Aidan Sutherland Front: Keeper Jaekob Van Herpen

by Mike Sutherland It was uncertain how the Kemptville U15 Boys soccer team would fare in Tier One of the Eastern Regional Soccer League (ERSL), having earned the promotion from Tier Two the season before.

September 16, 2015

A decent showing at the pre-season St. Anthony’s mini-tournament against two tier one teams and one U16 team seemed to suggest that the boys could compete at this level.

That opinion was further confirmed by a 5th place showing at the Ottawa Ice

Breaker tournament and a strong start to the regular season.

The Boys eaned a silver medal at the Salt City tournament in Syracuse with the only loss coming to a higher level L3 Cumberland squad.

The boys played strong-

17

ly throughout the season, finishing in 4th place with a regular season record of 9 – 1 – 4 and goal differential of 39 – 25.

The boys finished off their season with a 2 – 1 shoot out loss to Seaway Valley in a well fought ERSL Shield finals.

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The Voice of North Grenville

UCDSB approves new initiatives in education

by Mark Calder Trustees approved the 2015 Special Education Plan on Wednesday night, a blueprint for how the Upper Canada District School Board will run its special education program this year. The 51page plan provides the public with a range of details on everything from how placements are handled to staffing levels, said Valerie Allen, superintendent of program.

She told trustees the program will see a slight decrease in staffing to address changes in government funding, but with minimal impact on service to students and their families.

This year, the equivalent of 580 staff (full-time equivalent) will deliver programming including 338 schoolbased educational assistants, 10 special education teachers for the Section 23 program, 92 elementary learning resource coaches, 57 secondary learning resource coaches, 10 speech language assistants, and 8 itinerant student support workers.

“The staffing reflected in the report shows minimal impact in the area of school

and classroom special education teachers and a consistent level of educational assistant support within our schools,” Superintendent Allen said.

“Schools are still supported by a number of specialized professionals and para-professionals such as psychologists and speech language pathologists.”

The report outlines several other aspects of the special education program including: • A board philosophy toward special education that values all students and focusses on early intervention to help struggling students succeed.

•

•

Information about the types of student issues or “exceptionalities” addressed through the program including learning disabilities, language impairment, and physical disabilities, as well as giftedness.

The role of the Identification, Placement and Review Committee which is responsible for determining if a student is exceptional, the ap-

propriate special education placement, and how parents can appeal a decision should they disagree with it.

• A focus on professional development for special education staff including in-house training under the guidance of learning resource coaches and special education staff, professional conferences, and training related to assistive technology.

• Details on ways students can access assistive technology and transportation services.

After launching a successful pilot at select sites in February, the Board also voted at Wednesday’s meeting to fully implement the Supervised Alternative Learning (SAL) program at schools throughout the board.

Initially delivered last year through the TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education, the program will now be offered to students in all elementary, intermediate and secondary schools, said Trustee Donald Cram, after

the board approved a policy implementing an expanded program. SAL is designed to provide students aged 14 to 17 struggling with attendance and academics with an alternative educational experience. The program allows students to stay involved with extracurricular activities at their school, while working on an individualized plan to help them progress toward a high school diploma or other educational or life goals.

It encourages students to continue earning academic credits while exploring alternatives to traditional learning until they are able to reintegrate and re-engage with regular school programming.

“It’s for kids facing personal issues who for whatever reason cannot fit in with the normal school programming,” said Trustee Cram, a member of the board’s SAL committee. “Up until now there hasn’t really been any programming for them. It’s a way of keeping them in their home school by having a specialized program set up for them so they don’t necessarily have to attend their home school in the normal way.”

Food Conference registration now open Registration is open for the Eastern Ontario Local Food 2015 Conference. The event is being hosted by the Cities of Belleville and Quinte West, in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Rural Affairs. Producers and others that support local food can register for the November 4 Local Food Tour and Reception, followed by the full conference agenda on November 5.

The momentum building in the Eastern Ontario local food system is not an accident. It is the result of years of hard work, creative ideas, and local food champions working together to make strong connections.

This year’s conference is the place to further cultivate that creative thinking, and to collaborate with others to learn, share, and network.

September 16, 2015

Some new sessions will see not only our speakers, but our delegates sharing their knowledge and building solutions. Book time with mentors. Be swept away in a series of quick, ideagenerating presentations that will be sure to spark creativity and energize.

And, be a part of round-table discussions and conversations that will move the bar, motivate, and create lasting connections. In short, this year’s conference will be a place of ACTION! November 4 is a local food tour and reception, followed by a full agenda on November 5, starting with our keynote speaker, Cory Van Groningen from VG Meats. Cory promises to inspire us all with his story of how creativity and collaboration have led to the continuous growth and

evolution of VG Meats from its start in 1970 as a 3-room facility to an integrated, thriving value chain enterprise.

The Conference will benefit a variety of those involved in the Local Food sector: businesses, producers, processors, restaurants, retailers, food service providers, wholesalers and distributors. Institutions interested in offering local food, and organizations supporting local food with projects and programming will also find it a useful forum. It is hoped that Municipal staff and politicians, interested in the value of local food for tourism, health and prosperity, will also find time to attend. In fact, anyone interested in learning more about Eastern Ontario’s local food economy is welcome to join in the event.

The Local Food Tour and Reception consists of an afternoon tour that will take you to local food sites throughout the Quinte Region to see how they do it, sample their foods, and meet the producers, processors and business people who are putting local food on the map. The tour will be followed by a delicious local food reception, brought to you by the Cities of Belleville and Quinte West.

At this conference, you will also find: • Mentors and experts available to you for one-on-one sessions • Interactive sessions where you can find out what the market needs and make business connections • Inspiring messages that show the scope of work in Eastern Ontario • Stories about how youth are finding success in farming for the local market • Cutting edge trends in urban agriculture And so much more!

Information and registration details can be found at: www.eastontlocalfood.ca

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Students can qualify for the program due to a range of issues from mental health problems to family challenges such as becoming a parent at a young age. The program permits students to participate on a full or part-time basis and continue their education through: • Enrolment in a credit course.

• Enrolment in a noncredit life skills course or other non-credit course.

• Preparation for employment or development of general employment skills.

•

Training for a specific job or type of employment.

• Full or part-time employment.

• Counselling.

• Volunteering.

• Any other activity with the potential to help students follow their pathway and achieve their goals.

More than 50 students were involved with the pilot run during the second semester of last year through the TR Leger School of Adult, Alternative and Continuing Education.

Join us at our upcoming Retirement Banquet to celebrate the contributions of our recent retirees: Shelley Bottan • Anne Salmon • Karen Schipper The Banquet will be held in the KDH Courtyard on Friday, October 2 from 4 to 8 pm.

For tickets ($10.00 each) call Liz at 613.258.6133 ext 206.

2675 Concession Road • Kemptville • 613.258.6133 • www.kdh.on.ca

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The North Grenville Times

The Voice of North Grenville

Wildcat Women round off the season

Team Hurleys and Team Conquer The Unhealthy You shake hands after a battle for first place in tournament play

by Lyn O'Callaghan The Kemptville Wildcat Women's Recreational Softball League wrapped up their inaugural season with a fastpaced year-end tournament at Riverside Park. Over fifty women participated in the league this year, with players coming from Merrickville, North Grenville and even Osgoode. With an age range of 18 to 55+, the talent and skill of the Women's division was very diverse. Some women had never played before and some had played competitive ball throughout their youth and teen years. This diversity made for a great year for the ladies. Opening ceremonies were held on Saturday. With the Women's League having adopted the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program as their charity of choice, Frank Hoffman, the owner of the Canadian Tire Kemptville store, was on hand to throw out the first pitch.

The excitement was palpable, with the sun shining beautifully for the tournament. After regular League play, Conquer the Unhealthy You finished first with an undefeated record. With all teams ready to bring their

best game, the tournament play provided excellent competition and lots of fun for all. On Friday night all four teams played and the stage was set for a great playoff day on Saturday. Riverside Park was alive with softball! The renovations to diamond three were put to good use. The ladies were very grateful for the cover of shade on such a hot day! The Blue Jays Field of Dreams grant was the talk of all teams in the league, as they were the first to play on the newly improved field. Many thanks to the Municipality of North Grenville's Parks and Recreation Department for all of their hard work in making sure the diamond was ready for tournament play. For the B finals, Sugar Belle Bake Shop was victorious, edging a win over Spa Sans Souci. In the A finals, the Hurley's team saw the win against Conquer the Unhealthy You, for the Red team to become tournament champs with a score of only 6-3. A very close hard fought battle indeed.

The Women's League held their Year End Banquet at the New Rideau Restaurant. First Place Medals were awarded to the Conquer the Unhealthy You for finishing

first in League play with an undefeated season. The Hurley's team was awarded First Place Medals for winning the year end tournament.

The Women's League Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Elaine Triemstra for her work with the Wildcats Girls Softball program. Elaine volunteered as a mentor and instructor in pitching. Thank you, Elaine for your commitment to KWBSC. The Women also held a fundraiser for Jumpstart at their banquet.

Silent Auction items were donated by local businesses and the Women raised over $300.00 in donations to support Jumpstart Kemptville.

Special thanks is given to all of the sponsors of the Women's Recreational League. The teams would also like to thank Anne Leach as convenor for the Women's division. Anne's dedication to the league is greatly appreciated. Her many hours of volunteering helped to make the first year a huge success. Congratulations to all of the women who played in KWBSC this year. Stay tuned for details on Registration in 2016! Have a good off season!

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The North Grenville Photography Club

Historical Society get a treasure

by David Shanahan The North Grenville Historical Society [NGHS] are always adding to their archives, building up the history and heritage of our community and making it available for researchers and members of the public. The Society is deeply grateful for the trust being shown to them by the families and individuals who pass on their treasures for the benefit of the people of North Grenville. Now and then, the story behind these donations can be as fascinating as the contents themselves, and that was the case recently when the NGHS was contacted about a collection of old documents that had found their way home after many decades.

Jack Letkeman was living in Winnipeg, Manitoba when, in 2002, his great-great Aunt Mae died. Jack had been interested in family history since about 1990, and was interested in acquiring any of Mae’s papers and family bibles. He reports: “ I received three bags of papers and several bibles but not the one I wanted”. What he found was a large collection of papers belonging to Mae’s first husband, Thomas Beckett, not someone of Jack’s line, and so not of personal interest to him. Rather than just dump the documents, Jack decided to try and find a Beckett who would be willing to take possession of them, and so began a long search through North America.

“I tried a little to contact some Becketts in southern Ontario but received no response. My quest to find a home for these papers became more important, for I was moving out of Canada soon. I searched many family history

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sites but could not find any connection to the information I had and did not want to give it to just anyone. I was in contact with a RJ Beckett in the USA and he was willing to take the papers if I could not find a person that was connected.”

Somehow, Jack found out about Don Beckett, living in Ottawa, and sent him an email in 2014 asking if he was in any way related to Thomas Beckett. His e-mail said, in part: “I just want the papers to go to a good home where someone will appreciate the information and age of the papers (1840 to 1950). If you are not related, do you know someone that is and is working on this portion of the family?”. As it happened, Don was an avid genealogist, who had been working on tracing the Beckett family since around 1950. Jack had been instructed to burn the two garbage bags full of documents when he first received them back in 2002. Instead, he had preserved them in his search for the right home for them, knowing their value as historical records. After fourteen years, he had found the right man for the job.

Don’s own story is quite amazing in this context. Born in Alsask, Saskatchewan, his father was Noel Clifford Beckett, born in Oxford Mills, who had migrated out west around 1910, along with so many people from this area.

Don grew up around the family business of Creameries and Dairies, which eventually brought his parents back to Ontario. Don ended up attending Kemptville College where he reconnected with his father’s relatives and began his continuing researches into Beckett history.

It is quite amazing that Noel Clifford Beckett’s son

The Voice of North Grenville

should arrive back in the area from Saskatchewan in order to receive the papers of Thomas Beckett from a man in Winnipeg, which alone saved them from destruction.

When Don started looking for a permanent home for the papers, he approached the NGHS and began long and (on our side) interesting and fruitful talks about the disposition and use of the collection.

The collection itself consists of literally hundreds of pages of material, from land title records, to personal letters and even tax returns, dating from the 1840’s right up to the 1950’s, and they provide a wonderful record of the Beckett’s from the time they left Ireland through their years in North Grenville and on to the west. They will be used to research and write a great deal more of our common story in years to come. Don had taken great care in preserving the papers, and he and his family retain ownership of them. The NGHS is housing them on their behalf, and has permission to use them for research and publication. This is one of the many ways in which donors of material can maintain a level of control and title to their family treasures, if necessary.

The story of the Beckett family papers illustrates how vital it is that families think more than twice before discarding or destroying old documents, letters, photographs or any other records.

The NGHS Archives exist to provide a home for such, and staff are always eager to discuss how they can help preserve such irreplaceable treasures that will benefit the whole community, and add so much to our understanding and appreciation of our shared past.

Photograph titled "First Day” by John Wilberforce - Children have lots of firsts and this is a big one. First day of school! Shot with a Nikon D750 and 50mm lens.

Hudson Supertest Station

Many months ago, a local resident approached the North Grenville Historical Society looking for a photograph of the old Supertest Station that once stood near the corner of Prescott and Clothier Street, beside the present Rotary Park. At the time, there was no photograph in our collection, but that has now changed. So, for the benefit of that resident, here’s what we’ve found. We hope it is what you were looking for. If any reader of the NG Times has a better photograph of the Station, please contact the NGHS at 613-258-4401, or by e-mail at nghsociety@ gmail.com.

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