April 6, 2023

Visitors flock back to sap festival

Town welcomes more than 70,000 people as the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival returns to in-person activities after pandemic break

Bill Atwood

Observer Staff

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF

PEOPLE made their way to town last Saturday for the first in-person iteration of the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival since 2019.

The final fundraising tally is

still being calculated, but new EMSF chair Matt Jessop said the return was a great success, estimating the turnout at 70,000 to 75,000.

“[It was an] extremely good response, and overall still exactly what the committee set out to do –bring it back and have a strong start back is what

we were aiming for,” Jessop said.

Vice-chair Quentin Meyer echoed that sentiment.

“We came out strong after four years. [The break] wasn’t ideal, but being able to come back full-swing was obviously great. To see the great morale and the energy that the commu-

nity brought to the festival this past weekend was fantastic,” he said.

The day’s weather turned out better than forecasts just days ahead of the festival, at least in the early going. Heavier rain came later in the afternoon.

“I think people rushed out to enjoy the festivities as early

as they could, but don’t think it was quite a record-breaking year. For it to be a record-breaking year, the weather would have had to maintain itself as very warm and sunny right through the afternoon,” Jessop noted.

Along with the return of a → EMSF 10

EMSF mascot Flapjack posed for many a photo Saturday as visitors took in the festival.

Flair Airlines scales back growth forecast

Bill Atwood

Observer Staff

FLAIR AIRLINES HAS SCALED BACK its growth forecast for flights from the Region of Waterloo International Airport.

An expected jump of 30 per cent over 2022’s numbers by the end of the summer is now 15 per cent. At a press conference last week, Flair also announced it is suspending its route between YFK and Edmonton.

Following some turbulence that included the seizure by creditors last month of four of the company’s 22 jetliners, Flair says its operations are returning to normal.

“Some of the growth we actually had originally planned for Kitchener-Waterloo in 2023 will not all be coming through. ... We will be making some adjustments to our spring summer schedule as a result of the events a few weeks ago. Kitchener-Waterloo is a really critical key market for Flair,” said chief commercial officer Garth Lund at an online announcement March 31.

While the airline will launch routes to Abbotsford, BC, this summer and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in the winter, it will have fewer aircraft stationed at the regional airport than originally planned. Flair’s goal was three jets based at YKF by the end of June and 30 aircraft nationwide by

the end of 2023. However, according to CEO Stephen Jones, plans for a third YKF-based aircraft have been delayed due to Airborne Capital’s seizure, while the total number of planes it will have to end the year will only be 21.

Jones said it is unlikely the airline will get the seized aircraft back.

“We would love to have them back, but the lessors have made their own sort of decisions. You saw the nature of the activity that went on. It’s a very difficult conversation, but we would love to have the aircraft back,” Jones said.

“They are now in the possession of the lessor, so it’s the lessor’s decision.”

Jones said the airline is still committed to Waterloo Region despite slowing growth plans.

“We are the only airline in Kitchener-Waterloo of any consequence, and we believe in it. It’s an investment for us and that we’re having to work together with the region to develop the markets and I’m not going to say it’s an easy journey, but we are committed to it. So we’ve had to cut our cloth to fit the circumstances, and they’re unfortunate circumstances. We’ve had to make adjustments across the entire network, not just to Kitchener-Waterloo, but I think our presence speaks for itself,” he said.

→ FLAIR 10

Farmers unhappy with Ottawa’s handling of Russian fertilizer tariffs

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

FARMERS REMAIN UNHAPPY WITH THE Canadian government over a decision not to directly return the money paid by farmers for a fertilizer tariff imposed last year in retaliation against Russia for the Ukrainian invasion.

In March last year, the federal government placed a 35 per cent tariff on all imports from Russia and Belarus (which supports Russia), including fertilizer.

“Last year when Russia invaded Ukraine, they lost their most-favoured-na-

tion status from Canada and a lot of farmers had already prepaid in the fall of 2021 for fertilizer that just was going to be shipped in the spring,” said Brendan Byrne, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario.

“So by the time that fertilizer came in from Russia in the spring, and tariffs had been applied to it, and that had to be paid before it would be allowed into Canadian waters. So a lot of farmers ended up paying a tariff bill that would not affect Russia, it would only affect them.”

He said that the tariff paid by Canadian farmers to receive the fertilizer

they already paid for had little or no impact on Russian producers.

“We had hoped that when the tariff came in, that it would kind of get worked out between the government and the actual fertilizer [distributing] companies. But because it didn’t, then the fertilizer companies passed it along to the farmer.”

Byrne said the amount of tariff paid by individual farmers ranged from the hundreds to the tens of thousands of dollars.

revenues to restore energy infrastructure in Ukraine.

Josh Boersen is the vice-chair of the Ontario Grain Farmers’ association and a grain and chicken farmer near Gadshill. He says he had to pay around $10,000 extra because of the tariff, noting one of his suppliers honoured the original price quoted, while another did not.

“It comes right out of the bottom line. I don’t know that we cut anything specifically – there was a loss in profits that we could realize to reinvest in the business, so it came right out of the bottom line,” he said.

In December, the federal government announced that Canada was sending $115 million in tariff → FARMERS 15

an Elmira native whose business ventures and volunteer activities shaped the very structure of the town, died this week at St. Mary’s Hospital in Kitchener at the age of 79. Perhaps more than any other in the past half century, Martin was instrumental in shaping development in Elmira.

Josh Boersen is the vice-chair of the Ontario Grain Farmers who farms near Gadshill. Leah Gerber

Federal minister Bill Blair talks groceries in Wellesley

Bill Atwood

Observer Staff

THE GOVERNMENT HAVING LAST WEEK issued the 2023 federal budget, Liberal representatives have spread out across the country to promote its new measures.

That’s how Bill Blair, the president of the Privy Council and Minister of Emergency Preparedness, could be found in Wellesley on Monday. He

was visiting Pym’s Village Market to tout the budget and hear from the independent grocer.

Pym’s manager Katie Devries said while she liked what she heard from the minister and Kitchener-Conestoga MP Tim Louis, she also expressed concerns about the actions of the big players in the grocery industry, particularly those that supply products to the store.

“You can walk into a

Walmart and pay $4.99 for a box of cereal. Our wholesale price from Sobeys is $7. How can we justify Sobeys charging us so much more than what they can retail it for?” she said following the visit.

“If we’re paying $7 for a box of cereal, you’re not going to pay $9 when you can walk into Walmart and get it for five – that’s sort of an unfair competition thing. How do you compete with that? How

do you change that? I don’t have the answer to that, but I wish I did.”

Devries said she appreciates the work the government is doing to investigate the record profits that large grocery chains are making. That includes last month’s questioning of the CEOs of Loblaws, Empire Foods and Metro by the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Decluttering your home can pay dividends for Chord Spinners

Bill Atwood

Observer Staff

A LOCAL WOMEN’S CHORUS IS hoping spring-cleaning season will encourage people to declutter their homes. More specifically, that it will encourage people to send unwanted items their way.

Over the month of April, the St. Jacobs-based Chord Spinners are holding a “decluttering fundraiser” with the goal of collecting some 465 items per household. Those things will then be taken to Value Village at month’s end. As a non-profit, the Chord Spinners would get paid for the items under Value Village’s FUNDrive program.

This is the second time the chorus has gone this route, the first such fundraiser having occurred in 2018.

“Music costs money and rental spaces cost money, so we try to do a lot of fundraising so that we can help keep our costs for our members as low as possible,” said Mikayla Schmidt, a member of the group of women who sing a cappella four-part harmony.

“We really like to find different types of fundraisers so we’re not just constantly asking for money... and we came across this one. It helps other people get rid of stuff in their house and then they don’t have to pay us out directly – it’s through

Value Village,” she added. The choir, which celebrated its 40th-anniversary last year, has 12 members and sings a four-part harmony of contemporary music and songs that date back to the 1950s.

In the decluttering challenge, the choir is calling on residents to declutter the number of items corresponding to the date on the calendar. So, if someone started today (April 6), they would declutter six items. Tomorrow it will be seven items and so on.

While the task may seem daunting initially, momentum builds over time, said Schmidt, who previously did the decluttering challenge herself. She added that it is easier

to start with one item and work your way up instead of looking at it as needed to get rid of 400 items all at once.

“You’re not starting right away. I need to declutter 300 items, which I think is really helpful getting you into that mindset of ‘I only have to declutter one thing today. Now, I have to declutter two today.’ And I think it would surprise you how quickly you find yourself going over that [number].”

Once the items are collected, participants can contact the Chord Spinners via email (csmembership@hotmail.com) to make collection arrangements.

The chorus has a fundraising goal of $250.

Digital fraud attempts on the rise in Canada

Digital fraud attempts in Canada jumped 189 per cent from pre-pandemic levels, finds a new TransUnion report.

Some 57 per cent of Canadians surveyed report being targeted by scams; retail, logistics, financial services, and travel and leisure sectors see highest increase in fraudster targeting.

The 2023 State of Omnichannel Fraud Report found that digital fraud continues to rise globally. TransUnion’s analysis revealed that three per cent of all consumer transactions originating from Canada in 2022 were suspected to be fraudulent, compared to two per cent in 2019. At the

MARCH 30

7 : 30 PM | Emergency services responded to a two-vehicle collision at Nafziger and Carmel Koch roads in Wilmot Township. One of the drivers, a 70-year-old woman, was pronounced deceased due to her injuries. The other driver, a 19-year-old male, was taken to an out-of-region hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The road was closed for approximately four hours during the investigation, which is ongoing. Police ask anyone with information to call the Traffic Services Unit at 519-570-9777, ext. 8856. To provide anonymous information, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 or submit online at www.waterloocrimestoppers.com.

MARCH 31

5 : 19 AM | Emergency services responded to a single-vehicle collision on Puddicombe Road in Wilmot Township. The driver was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The investiga-

same time, the number of transactions conducted digitally has markedly risen in the last few years by 103 per cent in Canada. That means that the total volume of suspected digital fraud attempts has increased dramatically, TransUnion says in a release.

Globally, such attempts increased by 80 per cent from 2019 to 2022, compared to 189 per cent for digital transactions originating in Canada during that same time.

According to proprietary insights from TransUnion’s global intelligence network and a specially commissioned consumer survey, the pivot to increasingly digital transactions

tion remains ongoing, anyone with information is asked to contact police at 519-570-9777.

4 : 40 PM | Waterloo Regional Police made an arrest after responding to a shooting incident at an address in the area of Township Road 50 and Letson Drive in Woolwich Township. Upon arrival, officers located an 86-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound. Through the initial investigation, police learned that a youth discharged a firearm toward a residence where the victim was struck. The victim was transported to hospital with serious injuries. As a result of the investigation, a male youth was charged with ‘criminal negligence causing bodily harm,’ ‘careless use of a firearm’ and ‘unauthorized possession of a firearm.’ The accused was held in police custody for a bail hearing.

APRIL 1

7:30 AM | Emergency services responded to the area of Wilmot Easthope Road and Christner Road in Wilmot Township

since the beginning of the pandemic means the overall risk to individuals and organizations is even greater than it was pre-pandemic.

“Digital fraud trends point to industries that saw significant growth in consumer digital engagement,” said Patrick Boudreau, head of identity management and fraud solutions at TransUnion Canada.

“At the same time, the pandemic crystallized the reality that fraudsters focus their efforts to prey on organizations and institutions that have direct access to money, products or services with easily transferable monetary value. In Canada, we have seen

for reports of a barn fire. The Wilmot Township Fire Department limited the spread of the fire, which was contained to the barn. There were no animals housed in the barn and there were no physical injuries sustained in this incident. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time and is not considered suspicious.

7:00 PM | Wellington County OPP responded to an address in Mapleton Township and initiated an intimate partner violence investigation. As a result of the investigation, a 62-year old Woolwich Township resident was charged with ‘sexual assault,’ ‘sexual assault cause bodily harm’ and two counts of ‘criminal harassment.’ The accused is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Guelph at a later date.

APRIL 3

4:13 AM | Police received a report of a single-vehicle collision in Woolwich Township after a driver travelling south on Arthur Street North near Sideroad 5 struck a deer

dramatic increases in digital fraud attempts within the retail, logistics, financial services, and travel and leisure sectors. Staying ahead of these constantly evolving and ever more sophisticated fraudsters is a challenge that no company or organization is exempt from.”

For transactions originating from Canada, the analysis showed that the retail sector saw the most significant rise in suspected digital fraud, with an increase of 179 per cent from 2019 to 2022. That was followed by the logistics sector (123 per cent), financial services (28 per cent), and travel and leisure (20 per cent).

that was crossing the roadway. Damage to the vehicle was severe, but the driver was uninjured. No charges were pressed.

2 : 15 PM | Police are investigating a break and enter at a residence in Wilmot Township. An unknown male gained entry inside a residence on Huron Road, where he stole property. The suspect was travelling in a red Chevrolet Silverado with an obstructed plate. The investigation is ongoing by WRPS’ Break, Enter and Vehicle Theft Team. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777.

APRIL 4

4:00 AM | A 50-yearold Kitchener man was pronounced dead at the scene of a single-vehicle collision on Bridge Street East in Woolwich Township. The road was closed for several hours between Hollinger Crescent and Ebycrest Road in both directions for the investigation. Anyone with information or dash-camera footage is asked to call the Traffic Services Unit at 519-570-9777, ext. 8856.

Emergency services responded to a two-vehicle collision on 8th Line in Mapleton Township on March 31. Bill Atwood

Opinion

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Core revitalization requires public and private input

With the budget that was this week approved by Woolwich council, the Elmira BIA is hoping to continue its focus on improving the aesthetics of the downtown core.

The BIA plan to improve the appearance of the core, particularly through façade upgrades, is a good one, but will rely on property owners being willing to spend money to make their buildings more attractive. Likewise, better streetscaping and other aesthetic measures will require money, both private and public.

Everything’s on hold, however, as the regional government keeps putting off the reconstruction of Arthur Street through the downtown – the target is now 2027. There’s no point in doing anything major – improvements to sidewalks, lighting and the planting of larger trees – until such time as the road is rebuilt.

That said, there needs to be some effort at beautification. The core has been without trees for years already, largely the result of the emerald ash borer infestation.

Greening efforts are welcome in the meantime, but bigger investments will be critical if efforts to boost the core are to be successful.

While the retail component in downtown Elmira has suffered over the years, the core’s prospects have improved with additional apartment-style housing in the area. The subdivisions on the west side also increase the number of people within easy reach of the downtown.

What’s missing is the kind of retail/commercial development that makes the core more vibrant, something unique that makes the place a draw. The changing nature of shopping, both the online and big-box kind, means the downtowns of every community face new challenges, ones that can’t be met head-to-head.

Creating a mixed-use core – residential, work spaces and unique retail, for instance – is an established goal, but one that isn’t always easy to achieve.

The overall goal is admirable. Compact, mixed-use communities modelled on the best of European examples would be ideal outcomes, countering the North American suburban expanse that’s been the norm for several decades. There’s a big if, however, as that remains something of a long shot. And it will involve investment that hasn’t been forthcoming as of yet.

There has been much talk about the need in Elmira for alternatives to single-family suburban homes, particularly for housing catering to an older population looking to get out of those big homes but remain in the community. A medium-density project that offered ground-floor retail, for example, fits the bill on many fronts.

Also key is walkability, ideally with the likes of medical services, restaurants and groceries within easy access.

The mix has its advantages. It’s easy to imagine a range of retail and services that would cater to those living in the building, making the location even more convenient and user-friendly. It would also hark back to an era when commercial buildings that lined the main street pretty much always included living space above – just take a look at the stores along Arthur Street, for instance.

The downtown cores of most cities are struggling, often left to decay as suburban sprawl and the big malls drew people away. Even where the retail and office uses have remained fairly strong, the downtowns suffer from the exodus that occurs nightly at 5 p.m. The key, urban planners now say, is to have people living downtown, providing a sense of community and vibrancy.

Of course, there are other steps to take in helping to preserve the downtown. A core review done a few years back looked at the requirements. Attractive, pedestrian-friendly streetscapes, including trees, green spaces, flowers, benches and trails and amenities such as restaurants are what residents want from their downtowns.

To be sure, Elmira’s downtown is in much better shape than most in the area, but there is a need to be proactive.

“We believe that research is the key to accelerate change and unearth solutions that will save lives. These low-survival rates are due to many factors, including a lack of identifiable risk factors and effective treatment options. This new investment has real potential to change the future of cancer forever.”

Canadian Cancer Society CEO Andrea Seale on the value of research funded by the organization’s “Daffodil Campaign.”

Between 2005 and 2019, large cities in southwestern Ontario went from being amongst the most prosperous cities in Canada to being amongst the least prosperous. While median income rose 11.1% in that time, Waterloo Region, for instance, actually fell by 1.3%.

Economic Performance in Southwestern Ontario’s CMAs: A National Perspective, 2023 Update

Pakistan is home to endless turmoil

Last year, US President Joe Biden called Pakistan “one of the most dangerous countries in the world,” presumably because of its potentially lethal cocktail of nuclear weapons and unstable politics. But somehow it staggers on endlessly, never resolving its permanent political crisis but never quite exploding either.

For the past five years the crisis has revolved around Imran Khan, a former cricket star and socialite playboy – at least 17 ex-girlfriends and five known or alleged children –who relaunched himself 25 years ago as a populist Islamic politician. He became prime minister with army backing in 2018 and was removed (again with army support) in 2022.

He is currently besieged by police and paramilitary forces in his house in Lahore but is protected by a cordon of his own supporters. “The government is petrified of elections,” he said. “They’re scared that we’re going to win. Therefore, they’re trying everything to get me out of the way, including assassination.”

There was an attempt on Khan’s life last year. The gunman only managed to shoot him in the leg, but he has every reason to fear being murdered: two Pakistani prime ministers have been shot to

death, and one was hanged by the army after a military coup. Yet his own rhetoric constantly invokes violence.

Just before he lost a military-backed non-confidence vote in parliament a year ago, he told his opponents: “I wish to warn you: If I am ousted from the government, I will be more dangerous for you.” He has kept his word, and he is mobilizing his supporters with constant claims that the military have sold out to anti- Muslim and anti-Pakistan forces.

He insists that he was “ousted because of a conspiracy to install America’s puppets,” and says that the government that replaced his, led by Shehbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (N), was “an attempt to impose the Indian-Israeli-American agenda on Pakistan and enslave Pakistan.”

What that alleged joint agenda might be is hard to imagine, since the disastrous end of the US occupation of Afghanistan has demoted Pakistan to the bottom of the list of US priorities and Israel is busy elsewhere. However, the accusation resonates in Pakistan’s domestic politics, and the army

is angry at being painted as a traitor to the country and to Islam.

It is not yet clear whether this will end with yet another military take-over in Pakistan. (It would be the fourth since independence in 1947.) That would be no great tragedy in itself: the country has spent half its history under military rule, and it was no more and no less dysfunctional in those periods than it has been the rest of the time.

However, the soldiers might find that foreign support for their rule is less available than it used to be. In particular a financial bail-out of the sort that was common in the past, and is urgently needed again, may not be forthcoming this time, because the old formula that Russia backs India and the US backs Pakistan no longer applies.

The Indians happily buy Russian oil and gas at a 40 per cent discount, and New Delhi hedges its bets by staying neutral on the war in Ukraine. However, India now hobnobs with Australia, Japan and the United States in the ‘Quad,’ a proto-military alliance aimed at containing Chinese power. In this new strategic context, who rules Pakistan is virtually irrelevant.

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ANALYSIS OF CURRENT WORLD EVENTS

GWYNNE DYER Global Outlook on World Affairs

Extreme weather means more flooding; more preparedness issues

THE ROLLERCOASTER WEATHER WE’RE EXPERIENCING

provided more than a little bit of rain, including thunderstorms, that combined with March’s snow cover to provide ideal conditions for flooding. The GRCA issued a few flood warnings/watches over the weekend alone.

If you live in, say, West Montrose, flooding is top of mind every spring. For the most part, this area doesn’t have the flooding concerns that have become huge in coastal areas. In that vein, it’s no surprise British Columbia tops the list when it comes to Canadians most worried about severe weather and flooding.

A new national survey found 73 per cent of BC respondents had such worries, higher than the average of 58 per cent Canada-wide. Ontario was bang on that 58 per cent figure.

Flooding is a genuine risk. It accounted for 40 per cent of weather-related catastrophes in Canada since 1970, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Flooding is Canada’s greatest climate-related risk. More than 1.5 million households are highly exposed to flooding, according to the final report of the Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation, which was issued last summer.

STEVE KANNON Editor's Point of View

enced across Atlantic Canada during Hurricane Fiona, riverfront flooding, as experienced during the eastern Canada floods in 2017 and 2019, and urban overland flooding.

“This would include offering reinsurance through a federal Crown corporation and a separate insurance subsidy program,” the budget document said.

The timing is not random, as flooding is one of the problems likely to get worse as we experience more extreme weather due to climate change.

“Recent trends are exacerbating both the flood hazard, as well as increasing Canada’s exposure and vulnerability to flooding. Climate change is projected to increase the

frequency, severity and variability of all types of flooding (pluvial, fluvial and coastal) in the coming decades. At the same time, Canada’s exposure to flooding is growing as a result of increasing housing, infrastructure development, and asset concentration in floodprone areas,” notes the report from the Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation.

The region is usually spared such hardships – you have to go back almost five decades to the Cambridge flood of 1974 to find something on a large scale. We’re also fairly immune from the hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes we see elsewhere on the globe. And while tornados are a possibility, past occurrences haven’t come with the same frequency or wrought the kind of destruction we see in, say, the US Midwest.

We’re not immune, however, from the impacts of a shifting climate, including more extreme weather.

If climate models are on target, we can expect more extreme weather days ahead, even putting aside the human contribution to global warming/climate change.

Predicted changes would significantly decrease the duration of the annual snow season and lengthen the growing season. They could increase the frequency and severity of extreme heat events in summer.

If the models hold, we can expect more than just rising temperatures. Greater impacts could include changes in precipitation patterns, in soil moisture, and possibly in the frequency and intensity of severe weather events.

Changes in weather

patterns may affect the frequency and intensity of pollution episodes.

Increased heat stress, and possible increases in the number or severity of episodes of poor air quality and extreme weather events could all have a negative effect on human health. A warmer climate may facilitate migration of disease-carrying organisms from other regions.

Ontario falls prey to a number of natural hazards: drought, heat waves, floods, rain, snow and ice storms, tornadoes, and even hurricanes, although they’re rare. Small changes in average climate conditions are expected to generate significant changes in extreme events.

Experts anticipate fewer extremely cold days and more extremely hot days and more severe thunderstorms, which can cause injury and property

damage.

Staying out of the climate change debate, the insurance industry is nonetheless spending a considerable amount of time crunching the numbers – assessing risk is their business, after all – and they see plenty of reasons to worry. Lately, the industry has been more proactive, essentially urging mitigation efforts through pitches to government and the public alike – you may have seen the television commercials. Insurance companies, which top no one’s most-popular list, aren’t doing so for the public’s benefit per se. The industry doesn’t care about you, it cares about its profits. In the ideal world, it collects ever-increasing premiums and pays out nothing, with government forcing consumers to keep paying nonetheless.

But its goals somewhat align with the public’s in that most people want to avoid making claims as much as insurers want to avoid paying them.

We seem destined for more flooding this year, with more to come as the years go by.

Most of the predictions based on climate modelling show more changes coming, none for the better. AGW skeptic or otherwise, there’s no denying the climate is in flux, and that we’ll have to deal with the consequences.

Severe weather is on the rise across Canada. Events that used to happen every 40 years can now be expected to happen every six. Homes are damaged more frequently by heavy rainfall, hail damage, storm surges, tornadoes and hurricanes. Once-ina-century flooding events such as the one in southern Alberta in 2013, which costs billions, will likely

That’s what prompted the federal government’s inclusion in last week’s budget some $31.7 million over three years for a flood insurance program. The goal is protecting households at high risk of flooding that don’t have access to adequate or affordable insurance. The new program will consider damage from storm surge, as experi- →KANNON 8

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The Easter bunny gets a day of handouts, but budgets means there's plenty of government largess this season.

Warmer temperatures, longer days and the blooming of cherry blossoms happen in the springtime in Canada.

Springtime is also synonymous with Maple Syrup season where maple trees are tapped to produce a sweet export.

In Quebec, springtime is ushered in with free maple syrup for residents paid by the provincial government promoting the province as the world’s number one source for this sweet commodity.

ↆ LAST WEEK:

True – It is unclear who started National Pencil Day but has been observed since 1970.

True – National Pencil Day commemorates the day Hyman Lipman received his patent for the modern pencil and celebrated around the world to appreciate the humble, yet essential writing tool.

Lie – Pencil sharpening competitions are not hosted in any Canadian city. The most famous is “The World Pencil Sharpening Championship” in the UK using a hand-crank sharpener where winner is determined by the length and sharpness of the pencil point.

DYER: The country less strategically relevant, the people will suffer yet more

Absent any US pressure to bail Pakistan out, the International Monetary Fund is only interested in whether its loans will be repaid. From that perspective the current coalition, a military regime or a restored Imran Khan government are all equally unreliable borrowers, so the loan doesn’t come through and Pakistan sinks deeper

KANNON: We’re content to react, not be proactive

→ FROM 7

reoccur much sooner than 2113. The same with disasters elsewhere. There’s no denying the devastation, and the huge economic impact.

Despite the warnings, perhaps the largest barrier to any major change is human nature: we’re quite content with our lives today, and see no need to change that for some potential long-term benefit, one that’s unlikely to materialize in our lifetimes.

Interestingly enough, should the forecasted problems arise, it won’t matter at that point if the climate changes are naturally occurring or manmade: we’ll still have to cope with such things as rising sea levels, increased storm activity, desertification and other threats to farmland, to name a few. Expect the unpredictability to continue.

into poverty, debt and despair.

Of the three parts into which the Britain’s former Indian empire was eventually divided, Pakistan is now indisputably the poorest. Gross Domestic Product per capita is only $1,500 in Pakistan, compared to $2,250 for India and almost $2,500 for Bangladesh. The gap will grow even wider, because Pakistan’s popu-

lation is growing twice as fast as the other two.

To some extent Pakistan’s poor performance is due to its perpetual arms race with far bigger India because of the territorial dispute over Kashmir, but it cannot be denied that a large part of the fault lies with the country’s corrupt and chaotic politics.

Two extremely wealthy political dynasties, the

Bhuttos and the Sharifs, have dominated civilian governments for decades.

Imran Khan is an interloper, but about as helpful in terms of reforming Pakistan’s politics as Donald Trump has been to America’s. And the army is always the tail that wags the dog. But none of it matters much anymore, except to the long-suffering Pakistanis themselves.

FEDERAL MINISTER: Few answers for Canadians, small businesses looking for relief from inflation, rising taxes

Devries wanted better answers, however.

“I don’t feel like I really got an answer as to why. If you look at the billions of dollars that Loblaws is making in profits, how do you justify that? It’s the Canadian taxpayer that’s paying. It’s the grocery buyer that’s paying,” she said.

The minister also answered questions about the April 1 carbon tax increase, which went up $15 to $65 per tonne and whether that is causing undue stress to average Canadians.

“People are stressed…. These are difficult times, people are worried about the price of groceries, they’re worried about putting gas in their car, they’re worried about the rent. And that’s one of the reasons we’re working so hard to try to address affordability issues,” he said.

Blair said the govern-

ment needs to do a better job of helping Canadians understand the carbon tax rebate that they receive four times a year. Based on income in Ontario the rebate can be up to $488 for an individual, $244 for a spouse or common-law partner, $122 per child under 19 or $244 for the first child in a single-parent family.

While Blair highlighted the planned grocery rebate that was included in the budget, it is only a one-time payment of up to $467 for eligible couples with children or $225 for

seniors and $234 for single Canadians.

“We are dealing with a once in a generation increase in inflation, particularly in food inflation,” he said.

Blair called inflation a “temporary setback” that he is hopeful will be resolved with the Bank of Canada’s multiple increase to the interest rate over the last year.

“Putting something permanent in place for a temporary problem isn’t, in my opinion, the right thing to do. People are struggling right now,” he said.

Land ll and Recycling Centre Tours

Saturday, April 22, 2023 | Tour times: 9 - 11:30 a.m.

Waste Management Operations Centre: 1516 Glasgow Street, Kitchener

Celebrate

Pym’s Village Market manager Katie Devries and owner Krunal Patel. Bill Atwood

News that hits home. Local people in action.

Sports tips are always welcome.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com

Team Scores: observerxtra.com/scores

Putting on the stripes Titans next face London

Coming off a 114-102 win over the Sudbury Five on April 2, the KW Titans are in London Saturday to take on the Lightning. The Titans, 3-9, will return the favour April 12, hosting the Lightning at The Aud. www.kwtitans.com

Kings among GOJHL award winners

League presents pair of trophies to Adam Grein; half of Rookie All-Star team picked from Elmira’s ranks

Steve Kannon

Observer Staff

AS DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS

with the Elmira Sugar Kings, Scott McMillan knew the team was both young and promising. When he moved behind the bench later in the season, he could see firsthand just how the young players were coming along. That wasn’t a fact known only to him, however, as the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League named three Kings to the six-man Rookie All-Star team.

Forwards Luke Della Croce and Madden MacDougall were joined by goaltender Hayden Sabourin. Rounding out the squad were Tate Vader of the Listowel Cyclones, with Blair Scott (Ayr Centennials) and Tyson Downs (KW Siskins) on the blue line.

Della Croce posted 19 goals and 17 assists, his 36 points putting him fifth in scoring among the Kings during the 2022-23 season.

MacDougall was third with 13-26-39 totals. Sabourin, meanwhile, had a record of 17-6-1 in 26 starts for the Kings, posting a 1.71 goals against average and a save percentage of 0.928. He had two shutouts.

“It definitely highlights how good these young guys are. It’s so deserving,” said McMillan.

The GOJHL’s Midwestern Conference awards announced last week also put Sugar Kings captain Adam Grein in the spotlight.

He received both the Joe Veroni Memorial Award as the defensive forward of the year and the Leroy Jamieson Memorial Trophy for outstanding contribution to one team.

“Grein completed an excellent two-way season by winning two Midwestern Conference awards. The 21-year-old forward scored 21 goals and added 21 assists, putting him second in team scoring. He was selected in the second round by the Oshawa

Generals in the 2019 OHL Under 18 Draft,” the league noted of his accomplishments.

Along with his numbers, Grein served as a “fantastic” captain who brought leadership on and off the ice, said McMillan of a player now graduating from junior hockey.

“It’s so nice for him to get something like this. There’s so much he does.”

Though not a Sugar King, Elmira’s Reid Oliver of the Stratford Warriors was the recipient of the Cory Stoyko Memorial Tropy as defenceman of the year. He was also named to the 1st all-star team.

“The power-play specialist scored 10 of his 14 goals with the man advantage this season. He added 37 assists for a 51-point season to help the Warriors to a secondplace finish in the conference.”

Woolwich U15A team wins OMHA championship

Steve Kannon

Observer Staff

WOOLWICH’S U15A

HOCKEY TEAM

CAPTURED the Ontario Minor Hockey Association (OMHA) championship in Whitby last weekend. Now, the Wildcats are gearing up for a provincial title. The team is one of five heading to London in two weeks’ time. There, they’ll vie for bragging rights as number-one in Ontario.

Getting ready for training season

Not-So-Great Outdoorsman

There are plenty of rewarding activities for the outdoorswoman or man to partake of in spring, but none is more rewarding and joyful than training with your dog. This is an activity that benefits the dog and the human because it clarifies once and for all who is the alpha of the pack. And that understanding is critical if you plan on working together as a team during the autumn hunting seasons.

I have been out for the last several mornings with my English springer spaniel Rosie, working predominantly on the basics: retrieving, recall and heeling off leash. And I am very happy to say that we are making real progress with all three.

Right now, the team is fundraising to help cover the cost of attending the tournament.

There was funding in place to cover the cost of staying in Whitby, says team manager Jason Waechter, but the budget is now gone even as the season continues.

Budgets aside, the U15 squad is peaking at the right time. The regular season didn’t get off to a meteoric start, said Waechter, but the new, young coaching staff

eventually got the team into the top three.

“We got some new non-parent coaches this year – young guys that just finished up hockey themselves. There were some moves made, player-wise, at the start of the year, and it took some time to get it together,” he said, noting many of the players had been together since novice.

“They really took it to heart – really took it seriously,” he said of the young coaching staff. “We

videoed every game, and they spent a lot of time dissecting those videos and talking to players about certain things.”

Their hard work paid off.

“Everyone saw ... these things don’t come without effort, even on the coaching staff’s part.”

By last weekend’s tournament in Whitby, things had come together.

“We were a bit of an underdog, I would say, in that tournament, but we basically rolled right

through it,” said Waechter, who’s son is part of the squad.

The team is hoping for a repeat performance the weekend of April 21 in what is expected to be an elimination format for the four visiting teams and the host squad in London.

The team is currently arranging some fundraising ideas. Anyone who would like to help support the Wildcats can contact Waechter via email at jasonw.d.w@gmail.com.

Spring is Here

Oh sure, there are moments when I get distracted by birds when she sends me out for the training dummy, but mostly, I’m getting the hang of it pretty well – especially when you consider that she’s not bribing me with treats anymore.

(I was putting on too much weight.)

Heeling off-lead is still a bit of a challenge for me, however – mostly because it is not easy to keep up with a young, athletic → GALEA 10

Elmira native Morgan MacPhee will be refereeing his first NHL game on Saturday (April 8) in Phoenix, Arizona. He began his officiating career with the Elmira and District Hockey Referees Association (EDHRA), where he served as director and president. He’ll be joined in officiating his first NHL game by another Elmira native, Garrett Rank.

STEVE GALEA

Adam Grein took home two trophies at last week’s GOJHL awards. Submitted

EMSF:

Planning is already underway for next year’s festival, the 60th

fully in-person event came a few changes, with the biggest one being the relocation of the pancake venue to the Lions Hall from its previous location at the main mall, which Jessop said was a question mark for the committee going into the day.

“It worked extremely well. The lineup did get a little bit long at one point, however at the peak the line was still only about an hour’s wait to go from lining up to getting served. We were able

to move a huge volume of people through the pancake venue,” he said.

The committee met Wednesday night to discuss how the day went and any improvements that should be made going forward.

“Like anything, there’s always points where you may want to rethink something a little bit, or make some slight adjustments. I think that the pancake venue as much as it was a success there were committee members that had figured that with even

some slight adjustment, it could even be better next year. So I think that we’ll continue to work on that and, hopefully, we can exceed expectations next year,” Jessop explained.

In that vein, 2024 will mark the 60th anniversary of the festival, and the committee is already starting to prepare for it, Meyer said.

Jessop hinted at the possibility of forming a special committee to get alumni committee members involved, noting this year’s success was

due to the support the committee received from volunteers and sponsors.

“It’s been fantastic to see and now that the ball is rolling again, we’ll just keep that up and let’s have a great long stretch of festivals to come,” he said.

“It was great to see all the excitement and the commitment that our community members have towards the festival. It was great to see the turnout. We look forward to hosting again in 2024 for our 60th,” Meyer added.

FLAIR: Report bolsters claims of economic development impact

→ FROM 3

Flair also presented a report by the travel consulting firm InterVISTAS, which made several claims about the airline’s economic impact on Waterloo Region.

The report found the airline’s operations at YKF resulted in 188 full-time employees across the country at the end of 2022, including airport staff and third-party contractors. A further 226 tourism jobs were created in Waterloo Region. The report also

claimed a total of $36.3 million in GDP contribution and $83.7 million in economic output.

ↆ MINOR SPORTS SCOREBOARD

WOOLWICH WILDCATS

■ U15BB

Apr/01/2023 vs Lasalle

Sabres

HOME: 4 VISITOR: 1

GOALS: Carter Weir (2), Charlie Basler, William

Krubally

ASSISTS: William Krubally, Levi Adams, Declan Martin, Mac Zettel

■ U15BB

Mar/31/2023 vs Oshawa

Generals

HOME: 0 VISITOR: 5

■ U15BB

Mar/31/2023 vs Milton

Winterhawks White

HOME: 1 VISITOR: 3

English springer spaniel. On the plus side, I can honestly say that my recall is 100 per cent. When Rosie barks for me, I join her as quick as I can.

Most of these successes can be credited to Rosie being a very patient and skillful trainer. She has been consistent in her praise and in rewarding my successes. I particularly like when she barks, “Good boy” or scratches me behind my ears. The belly rubs are not too bad either.

GREEN LEAF SPONSORS

AMI Attachments Inc.

Avis Car Rental

Bank of Montreal (BMO)

Bleacher Rentals

Bridgeland Terminals Ltd.

Contour Directional Drilling

Dr. L.S. Mohan Dentistry

Eldale Veterinary Clinic

Elliott Coach Lines

Foodland (Elmira)

Frey Building Contractors

Grand River Agricultural Society

Hoovers Maple Syrup

KDR Transport & Rentals

Kindred Credit Union

Lanxess

Long & McQuade (Waterloo)

Martin Mills Inc.

Martin Small Engines & Auto Clinic

Michael Harris MPP Kitchener-Conestoga

PC Riding Association

MRC Wireless

Pita Pit (Elmira)

Programmed Insurance Brokers Inc. (PIB)

Royal Bank (RBC)

St. Jacobs and Aberfoyle Model Railway Steed and Evans Limited

Stolz Sales & Services

Straightline Custom Flooring

TD Canada Trust

Tip Top Tents

Waterloo Central Railway WestLin Building &

www.ElmiraMapleSyrupFestival.com

Of course, we have been training year-round. But spring is the ideal time to train because Rosie and I also get to work on water retrieves – which is the thing I need to improve on most before duck season. I still can’t get used to feathers in my mouth, but we are working on it.

Some people start their training a little later in the year, when the water is warmer, but I think that is a mistake.

I cannot overstress the importance of regular dog training for the outdoorsman. Even short lapses in training, such as our two-week break in March, can lead to both members

GOALS: William Krubally

ASSISTS: Declan Martin, Josh Wraight ■ U15BB

Mar/23/2023 vs Oakville

Rangers

HOME: 2 VISITOR: 1

GOALS: Carter Weir, Alex Vietch

ASSISTS: Mac Zettel

WOOLWICH WILD ■ U15B

Mar/19/2023 vs Grand River

Mustangs

HOME: 4 VISITOR: 1

GOALS: Jaiden Radler, Katelyn Snider, Addison Searth, Lexi Weber

of the human-dog team being confused about their roles.

For example, when we resumed our spring training exercises, I thought Rosie was the one who was supposed to retrieve, recall, and heel off leash. Two training sessions later, however, it all came back to me.

The trick with all training is to keep training sessions short because of the short attention span of the simple creature being trained. Typically, about 10-minute training sessions is the most Rosie can get out of me before my mind wanders.

Consistency is also important. If her bark commands or paw signals are not issued in the same way, I tend to get confused. It’s also important to keep the training sessions positive and fun, otherwise I tend to sleep in.

This training is not the be-all and end-all of how my pup and I are making the most of spring. But it is bringing us closer together and making us a cohesive team which should mean great things in the hunting season to come. But only if Rosie can break me from treeing squirrels.

GALEA: The importance of regular dog training can’t be overstressed

Flair Airlines has scaled back growth plans at the airport in Breslau. Bill Atwood

The U15BB team played the Oakville Rangers for the Tri-County title March 23. One minute into overtime on a breakaway, the winning goal secured the boys the gold medal. Back row: head coach Mike Wraight, Mac Zettel, Alex Lloyd, Cohen Clemmer, Patrick Goetz, Thomas McCarthy, Harrison (Tuna) Hartwick, Jackson Kellough, Alex Veitch, Declan Martin, Grant Rintoul, asst. coach Mark Rintoul, Levi Adams, William Krubally, Adam Bloch, Luke Forbes, asst. coach Dan Weir. Front row: Charlie Basler, Mills DeVrieze, Sam Kruschat, Josh Wraight, Carter Weir, Mason Maurice, Trainer Vic Maurice. Submitted

Notice of Study Commencement and Public Consultation Center #1

Wellesley Water and Wastewater Master Plan Class Environmental Assessment

The Study:

The Village of Wellesley (Wellesley) lies in Wellesley Township, one of seven local municipalities in the Region of Waterloo (Region). The Region is responsible for the water and wastewater systems in Wellesley, as well as planning for new growth while meeting regulatory requirements. The Region is undertaking the Wellesley Water and Wastewater Master Plan (WWWMP) to plan for future needs to 2051 (see Figure for study area). The WWWMP will incorporate recent population forecasts, existing asset conditions, and identify new opportunities to maintain or upgrade the water and wastewater systems while considering climate change impacts. By including the water and wastewater components under a single master plan, integrated water management solutions may also be developed.

The Study Process:

The study will be carried out as a Master Plan in accordance with the Municipal Engineers Association’s (MEA) Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) Process (MEA 2000, as amended 2007, 2011, 2015), which is an approved process under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. The study will follow MCEA Approach #2 for completing a Master Plan, which involves the preparation of the WWWMP at the end of Phases 1 and 2 of the MCEA process, while including sufficient supportive studies and investigations required to proceed to Phases 3 through 5. Approach #2 includes public and external agency consultation and an evaluation of alternative solutions.

Opportunities for Participation:

Consultation with interested parties, including the public, First Nations communities, municipal council, and technical or regulatory agencies, is an important part of the MCEA study process to identify areas of interest. Three virtual public meetings (public information centres) are planned throughout the study process to connect with the project team, learn about the study, and facilitate feedback. Join us for the first, virtual Public Consultation Center #1 is on Wednesday, April 19, at 7:00 p.m.

Upon completion of the study, a WWWMP report will be prepared and available for public review.

Project Information

If you would like more information regarding this project, visit regionofwaterloo.ca/wellesleywater. To receive email updates as the project progresses, and register for virtual Public Consultation Center #1, subscribe to engagewr.ca/wellesleywater. You can also contact us with any questions.

The U13A Woolwich Wild Girls hockey team are the 2023 Ontario Southern Champions. After defeating Cambridge and Owen Sound to claim their league title, the Wild eliminated St. Thomas and Burlington to advance to the Southern final on April 8 in Toronto. The Wild defeated the Barrie Sharks 3-1 to claim the championship. It was topped off with a traditional fire truck ride through town for players and coaches. Front row: Camryn Dewar, Rachel Heckendorn, McKenzie Rank, Audrey English, Lyla Naughton, Seryna Hessels, Ellie Clemmer. Back row: Stella Grundy, Megan Nixon, Sage Balog, Elle English, Taylor Rayfield, Addison Gunn, Elle Schwindt, Brynn Berfelz, Brinley Fitzgerald. Coaches Karen and Rod Martin, Kyle Grundy, and trainer Marylou Schwindt. Submitted

Kaoru

Yajima

Project Manager

Transportation and Environmental Services, Water Services Region of Waterloo 150 Frederick Street, 7th Floor Kitchener, ON N2G 4J3 KYajima@regionofwaterloo.ca

Tom Mahood Project Manager Jacobs

72 Victoria Street South, Suite 300 Kitchener, ON N2G 4Y9 tom.mahood@jacobs.com

All personal information included in a submission, such as name, address, telephone number, and property location, is collected, maintained, and disclosed by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks for the purpose of transparency and consultation. The information is collected under the authority of the Environmental Assessment Act or is collected and maintained for the purpose of creating a record that is available to the general public as described in Section 37 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Personal information you submit will become part of a public record that is available to the general public unless you request that your personal information remain confidential. Questions regarding the collection of this information should be directed to Kaoru Yajima at the Region of Waterloo.

This Notice was first issued on April 6, 2023

Figure: Master Plan Study Area

The Woolwich Wild U15A team were undefeated all weekend at the Hamilton Hawks Hawkey Tournament and finished their hockey season with a gold medal victory on April 2. Submitted

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Shining a light on local enterprise, stoking the economic engines.

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The price of gravel Flush with cash

The lone bid for a gravel resurfacing tender having come in way over budget, Wellesley council this week opted for a hybrid model, sourcing the gravel from one site and having another company apply it to the roads. Director of public works Chris Cook noted the bid price of $21.87 per tonne was almost triple the rate of $7.83 just 10 years ago. The hybrid price is $16.99.

In approving the St. Jacobs BIA’s 2023 budget, Woolwich council this also OK’d continuing to provide $10,000 a year to assist the group with the provision of public restrooms in the village. The funding, to come from the municipal accommodation tax, is temporary pending the construction of a permanant restroom facility.

Improving aesthetics a prime goal of Elmira BIA budget

Business organization and township are also doing a whole lot of waiting as region pushes

Steve Kannon Observer Staff

THE ELMIRA BIA IS EMPHASISING downtown beautification as it waits for the region to finally reconstruct Arthur Street, allowing for a more substantial facelift of the core.

The business organization’s 2023 budget calls for expenditures of $103,150, of which $74,500 is for earmarked for beautification, the likes of flower baskets ($13,000), seasonal decor ($20,000) and its storefront-improvement program ($14,000).

The Region of Waterloo has put off longstanding plans for the reconstruction of Arthur Street until at least 2027.

That’s too long to put off any work, so for now the BIA goal is to make what upgrades it can, says Jon Clay, the Business Improvement Area’s co-chair.

Along with adding more greenery and sprucing up

the benches downtown, there’s a focus on the community improvement plan (CIP), which provides financial assistance for businesses looking to upgrade the appearance or accessibility of their buildings.

Businesses can apply for funding for projects such as restorative work to their storefronts, façade improvements and redesigns, cleaning, masonry, brick or woodwork, and replacement or repair work on doors, windows, awnings and the like. Beyond the façades are programs for signage replacements, repairs and redesigns, landscape grants and building improvements.

New this year is funding to help make buildings more accessible – ramps, lifts and automatic doors, for instance. With $4,000 supplied by Woolwich Township, the BIA is making up to $6,000 available for such projects. Grants will cover 50 per cent of the cost up to

$2,000.

“I don’t want the CIP to sit in a drawer. It’s meant to be a tool to incentivize businesses downtown to invest in their own front space. The façades and accessibility, those are the

off Arthur Street reconstruction

out of that about a bigger [overhaul]. That would be outstanding, and the BIA doesn’t even need to be in the forefront or have a hand in it – I would just love to see that happen.”

New BIA co-chair John Tsintaris says he welcomes any moves that help entice people to visit downtown Elmira.

“I think any sort of spending for the downtown core to bring more retail, more people into the core is a bonus, and is something of value. Also, trying to keep the businesses that we currently have downtown, that’s a priority.”

few years ago, researchers set out to find out how Americans, caught up in a frenzy of real or pending animal welfare litigation, felt about a dairy housing system called tie stalls.

In this system, dairy cows are tethered with a rope or chain in stalls. One reason is to make it easier for labour-strapped farmers to keep an eye on their animals’ health status.

Tie stalls are popular

two big streams for us,” said Clay. When the downtown stretch of Arthur Street is rebuilt, the more significant changes can be made, the likes of sidewalks, larger trees and

new lighting.

“The CIP talked about much larger spending towards bigger-ticket items for the downtown in general. With the urban core study, there was some direction that we got

Dairy sector makes big change to housing code

with farmers. When the research was conducted, in 2018, about 40 per cent of US dairy cows were in tie stalls.

But many animal rights advocates detest tie stalls. They say this kind of housing restricts the dairy cow’s movement and that it should be banned.

Like many agricultural matters, the public doesn’t know what to think. Tie stalls had never entered their psyche—about half

of the 430 people surveyed for the research didn’t know what a tie stall was.

And why would they?

However, when told by the researchers tie stalls restrict an animals’ movement and that they are tethered for 10-12 hours a day, opinions formed quickly.“We conclude

that current knowledge of the use of tie stalls is low, but if this situation were to change there may be considerable public concern about the use of this housing method,” the researchers wrote in a paper published in conjunction with the National Library of Medicine.

On the Canadian side of the border, producers are taking control of their own destiny as far as tie stalls

are concerned.

Last week, the industry said a new code of practice for dairy animals would be enacted that would see continuous tie stall housing phased out. The change takes effect at this time next year.

The dairy sector is putting a positive spin on the change. Besides the advantage to public perception and animal welfare, one executive said industry research suggests

Tsintaris points to the planned move of the LCBO store from its current location on Church Street to the south end of town as the kind of change that needs to be countered. Likewise, the relocation of the Elmira Farmer’s Market to the same area also takes away foot traffic from the core.

“Anything that keeps

animals that have less time in tie stalls can be more productive.

So, it’s not all public relations. But that has a lot to do with it.

The change also draws further attention to how farmers have addressed farm labor challenges. Foundationally, farmers will do whatever they can to keep their livestock healthy. Good manage-

→ ROBERTS 13

John Tsintaris is the newly minted co-chair of the Elmira BIA.

Leah Gerber

ROBERTS: Producers moving in step with the changing times

→ FROM 12

ment is the key to productivity and profitability, two factors that keep them in business. And it’s much better to make changes on your own accord, rather than have them forced on you by arm’s-length regulations.

Producers could sense

this particular change coming for awhile. The code has been under review for a year, but the research showing public uncertainty has been around longer.

The same goes for labour matters, not just for dairy, but for the entire agri-food sector. We balk at rising

food prices at the grocery store, and look to farmers for answers. However, very few people want to work in agriculture. Rising wages and improved working conditions are held out as carrots to prospective workers. But someone has to pay.

This housing change is a

huge opportunity for dairy producers to connect with the public and help people understand how animal health and public health are connected. Dairy products promote good health in humans. The sector depends on healthy animals. It’s an easy story to understand.

BIA: Making the core more enticing to both retailers and customers

→ FROM 12

people in the downtown spending, shopping, walking is always a driving factor” for core development, he said.

“As a business owner downtown and as a property owner downtown,

I would like to see people stay in the core. Anything, whether that’s bicycle lanes, whether that’s better parking or more walking friendly... that could encourage people to stay downtown... would be wonderful.”

Pushing for Ottawa to return to money directly

“It’s a difficult thing to cut very much in crop production. Grain needs what it needs to produce and where we are competitively with land and things, we can’t really shave too much or we’re just going to put ourselves at a greater disadvantage.”

Byrne said the tariff also impacted prices of fertilizer from other countries.

“It also drove up the price of product that wasn’t coming in from Russia because if you were sourcing, say, in Morocco or somewhere else, they knew that Canadians couldn’t take products from that Russian region without paying a tariff, so they could artificially raise their price. It would be cheaper than the Russian product with the tariff because of the 35 per cent, but they might have raised the price by 30 per cent, just because they knew they could because Canadian retailers couldn’t source elsewhere in a quick enough time frame.”

While last year’s market prices were high, Boersen said many farmers were hoping to rely on the high price to provide a cushion if prices fall. Farm groups had hoped the federal budget would include a mechanism to return the money spent by farmers directly back to them.

In the 2023 federal budget, under the heading, “Supporting Farmers for over three years to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s On-Farm Climate Action Fund” there are provisions to “support adoption of nitrogen management practices by Eastern Canadian farmers, that will help optimize the use and reduce the need for fertilizer.”

Tim Louis, Member of

Parliament for KitchenerConestoga, said the tariffs were put in place to hold Russia accountable for its actions. “However, the government recognizes that Canadian farmers were negatively impacted and that is why a mechanism for farmers to recoup costs was included in the 2023 federal budget.”

He said the decision to implement the tariff immediately was made to “show Canada’s strong condemnation of Russia’s actions and to demonstrate solidarity.”

“The tariff took effect when Canada removed Russia from mostfavoured-nation treatment. There has been no exception to that decision. Delaying the enforcement of the tariff would have weakened the impact of Canada’s response. As a reaction to the tariff, many purchasers were able to source their year’s supply of fertilizer from another country.”

He added that returning the tariff directly to farmers would be difficult. “The cost of the tariff was absorbed and distributed in different ways by resellers, making direct reimbursement complex to orchestrate.”

Instead, he said the funds will go toward programs to benefit Canadian farmers.

Additionally, Louis is a member of the Agriculture Committee. “We are studying the feasibility of a domestic supply of nitrogen fertilizers in Eastern Canada,” he said.

Louis said the tariff may be re-evaluated as the situation evolves, “but any decision to drop the tariff will depend on the broader geopolitical context and the actions taken by Russia.”

The On-Farm Climate Action Fund will help farmers adopt practices that store carbon and reduce greenhouse gases, the MP said.

In Ontario the fund will be administered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. Farmers will need to apply to the fund.

“Fertilizer is the largest on-farm expense for crop producers. The fund will help farmers with the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices including financial assistance for implementing climate-smart technologies, promoting soil health, and enhancing resource efficiency,” he said.

He also mentioned other aspects of the budget provide funding for interest-free cash advances for farms, support foot-andmouth disease preparedness and establishes a Dairy Innovation and Investment fund.

Byrne said farmers are disappointed by the plan.

“[The tariff money is] going into a climate fund that they could simply fund themselves if they wanted to,” he said.

“There was no need to put farmers’ money into that program. Some of the farmers that will be out the thousands of dollars will now have to try to do something else in order to qualify for some of that money back. So it’s not something we wanted nor something that we would ever endorse.

“The only fair and equitable option in this, is that if a farmer paid the tariff, they get that money back. We weren’t interested in them coming up with a program they wanted to put it in or spreading it out all over agriculture.”

Josh Boersen is one of many farmers unhappy with the fertilizer tariff issue. Leah Gerber FARMERS:

Arts

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They’re driven to tee up some laughs

Theatre Wellesley explores women’s relationships in staging Norm Foster’s

The Ladies Foursome

THEATRE WELLESLEY IS AT IT again, this time with their spring show, The Ladies Foursome by renowned playwright Norm Foster.

It’s a story about four women who have been golfing together for years. Then, one of the friends passes away, and the remaining friends begin golfing with a mutual acquaintance of their longtime, now passed, friend. Over the course of the play, they learn they didn’t know as much about her as they thought they did.

“What I liked about this play is that it’s about women, and it’s about friendship,” said Mary Beth Jantzi, the director.

Jantzi said she was drawn to a play about women’s friendships because, “most of the women that I know take a great deal of comfort and joy from their friendships with other women. They can sustain you in some pretty dark times, so I think that has an appeal to a lot of people in our audience.”

The story features four main characters:

Connie, Tate, Margo and newcomer Dory.

This is Jantzi’s first time directing with Theatre Wellesley, though she was a long-time drama and English teacher at South Huron District High School. There, she directed high school kids in many productions.

She says that since she would work with the kids largely for four years at a time, she got to know each of them well and would often choose theatre projects based on who she knew would be auditioning.

“Working with adults for this group in particular, they just don’t know me as well. Part of our process has been them just getting to know who I am and what my expectations are and whether or not they like to work with me.”

“There is a playfulness, still, about teenagers, that most of us, I think, if I may say so, that a lot of us lose when we head into adulthood. I think that playfulness is wonderful, and I felt very privileged for all my years of teaching to be able to be around that kind of youthful, creative, spontaneous energy.

→ THEATRE WELLESLEY 28

ECT auditions

The Elora Community Theatre will hold auditions April 23 (1-3 p.m.) and April 24 (7:309:30 p.m.) for its production of Twelfth Night during this summer’s 10th season of Shakespeare in the Park. Auditions for a variety of parts – ages 15-90 – take place at the ECT ATTIC workshop in Fergus. Contact Deb Stanson debstanson@gmail.com.

Paws for Laughs

The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo & Stratford Perth (HSKWSP) is hosting a multi-night Paws For Laughs comedy show fundraiser in Kitchener and Stratford on April 13 and 14. Six comedians will headline this year’s events. The Kitchener show will be held at Apollo Cinemas in Kitchener at 7 p.m. www.kwsphumane.ca.

Teenage fiddler opens for local legend

Bill Atwood Observer Staff

IT’LL BE SOMETHING

OF A meeting of young and experienced musicians in a charity concert at Gale Presbyterian later this month. The Larry Mercery Trio will be joined by special guest up-and-coming fiddler Leo Stock.

Mercey was a seven-time Juno Award winner during his time with his previous group, the Mercey Brothers. He founded the trio with George Lonsbury and Al Alderson in 2004. This

will be their third time performing at the church in the last 10 years.

“It’d be mostly classic country music with a little bit of gospel,” Mercey said of what concert-goers can expect.

“We don’t use drums at all. We just feel that it is like us coming into the listeners living room, so that we’re not too loud –just like we’re just singing to them.”

At just 18 years of age, Stock has already won several awards, including being an Ontario Open Fiddle finalist, a Cana-

dian Open Step Dance champion and a two-time Ontario Open Step Dance champion. While Stock has some natural talent, he has obviously worked hard to get to where he is. It is rare for someone that young to be among the top fiddlers, Mercey noted.

“To see young people at a concert like this, I’m an old guy, I’ve been at it for years and they enjoy seeing young people work at doing something they love. This is our first time working with Leo. To be as good as he is, he’s had to practice, he’s had to have

The story of one young hippie's quest in the 1970s for belonging and liberation that leads not only to peace, love, and rock and roll, but that sets into motion a new counterculture crusade --a Jesus Movement-- changing the course of history.

worked at his trade.”

Stock originally started as a step dancer at just five years old. He was introduced to fiddle music through his dancing.

“When you do that because it’s the definitively Canadian style – you dance to Canadian fiddle music. I would go around to the contests and whatnot and dance to the music, and I was like, ‘man, this fiddle music thing is really cool.’ So I wanted to play the fiddle. Stock started taking fiddle lessons at age nine, → CONCERT 28

Fiddler Leo Stock will join the Larry Mercey Trio (inset) in a concert April 14 at Gale Presbyterian Church in Elmira. Submitted

Leah Gerber

Observer Staff

Larry Mercey Trio headlines Gale Church fundraising concert

Classifieds

Seven days. One paper.

A bestseller every week.

Phone: 519-669-5790 ext 104

Email: ads@woolwichobserver.com

Job Listings: jobs.observerxtra.com

individuals to help in our growing lumber yard, picking orders, loading and unloading trucks, and general yard duties. Must be team-oriented, ambitious, responsible and available mornings. We provide a safe, professional environment and o er competitive wages and bene ts.

Help Wanted

If you are interested in joining a vibrant and growing company, please send your resume to laverne@woodlandhorizon.com or call 519.638.5961 ext 104

Advertising Placing a classified ad

Please call or email for display advertising quotes for Help Wanted, Auctions, Real Estate, Public Notices, Service Pro Directory and Obituaries.

Family Album Notices: Order and pay for family announcement notices online at: observerxtra.com/order-family-album

Reception / Admin Assistant

Equipment Ontario Inc.

(formerly Stoltz Sales & Service) requires a full time RECEPTION/ADMIN ASSISTANT for our Elmira location. We provide a family first work environment that offers a comprehensive company benefit plan.

Do you excel in customer service, strong attention to detail and ability to work independently in a fast paced environment?

If you answered yes to these questions, we would like to talk to you about a career with us. Apply to accounting@equipmentontario.com or in person at 6805 Line 86, Elmira, ON N3B 2Z6 with resume.

Help Wanted

Help Wanted MINI -VAN DRIVER NEEDED-PART-TIME suitable for retired person. Driving Elmira and areas country drives. Text 519-574-1489.

NOW HIRING AT SCHNURR'S GROCERY Store in Linwood, two to four days per week. Note, we are closed on Sundays. Call 519-897-2600.

WANTED: EXPERIENCED FURNITURE Builder. Must have experience in wood panel construction, fabricating components, laminating and furniture assembly. Competitive wages with health/ dental benefits. Guelph area. Further details available. Phil Skradski, Woodlawn Furniture Market. 519-829-4004 resumes@woodlawn furniture.ca

All classified advertising is prepaid. Ads will be accepted in person, email, or phone during regular office hours. Deadline is Wednesdays by 10am. Order and pay online at: observerxtra.com/classifieds

Residential: $9 per 20 words (20¢ per extra word)

Commercial: $15 per 20 words (30¢ per extra word)

Hay & Straw

WHEAT STRAW FOR SALE. 4 X 5 ROUND bales, feed grade, stored inside. Call or text Kevin at 519-616-4985.

Farm Services

BAGGED PINE SHAVINGS AGRICULTURAL Spray Lime, 22.5kg. bag; feed grade lime, 25kg. Delivered. Call George Haffner Trucking, 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

KILN DRIED CORN DELIVERED BY Einwechter. Minimum 15 ton lots. Call George Haffner Trucking 519-574-4141 or 519-669-2045.

Wanted

Wanted

WE BUY COLLECTIBLES, COINS, CHINA, antiques, partial and full estates, old pocket watches, tin toys, and anything interesting. Call Joe 519-889-0178.

Rentals

1 AND 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS IN clean quiet building. Ideal for mature tenant. Laundry & parking. Close to downtown. 519-669-3423.

2 BEDROOM APARTMENT AVAILABLE near downtown Elmira. Call 226-600-0135.

Trades & Services

LAWN SEEDING AND OVER SEEDING. 519-503-5641.

Coming Events

Positions available in all areas of Aggregate Production: Crusher

Operator

Full Time Positions Available Qualifications and Skills

•Ability to operate crushing equipment for a gravel pit and mobile equipment

•Keep machine and area clean and orderly

•Able to work with minimal supervision

•Conduct general maintenance on equipment

Resumes to: Rob Lockhart (519)240-0465 info@lockhartexcavators.com

Work Wanted NEED A RIDE? YARD CLEAN-UP?WINDOWS Washed? Sidewalks, Decks Pressure Washed? Call or Text Gary 519-577-1750. Only

Fax: 519-821-7720 or in person at 77 Arrow Road, Guelph (2nd Floor) Only those meeting hiring requirements will be contacted for an interview. Lockhart is a fair and inclusive work environment. We will make every effort to accommodate the needs of qualified applicants in all parts of the hiring process.

STILL BUYING ALL ANTIQUES, COINS, jewellery, wrist and pocket watches, Omega, Rolex, Tudor etc. Fair, honest prices. Over 40 years in business. gallamore@golden.net or call Terry at Elmira 519-242-6900.

Kurtz Auctions Inc.

LIVE AUCTION SALE

DATE: Sat. Apr.,15 @ 10:00 am

LOCATION: 5461, Hwy 86, 1km north of Guelph Auto Mall

PREVIEW: Friday, Apr.14, 1-4pm and sale day 9 am

CONSISTING OF ANTIQUES, SHOP TOOLS, TRAILER

FURNITURE & ANTIQUES: Oak Dresser // Side Board

c/w Back Shelved Mirror // Old Dressers with Swing

Mirror // 3 Drawer Drop Front Secretariat // Unique 3

Door Carved Side Board // Cherry Entertainment Unit

// Variety of Old Chairs and Side Tables // Spinning

Wheel // Railway Cart Coffee Table // 4’ Solid Oak Church Pew // Oil Lamps & Tiffany Lites // Old Twin Beds with Rails // Lightning Rods // Vinyl Records // Singer Sewing Machine // Collectable Cars & Tractors

// New Tee Pee Aluminium White Boards (4’Hx2’W)

// Lots of unique collectable items.

TRAILER, TOOLS & Misc.: 5’X7’ U�lity Trailer c/w 3’

BEST FRIENDS OF BIG SISTER LADIES CARD party May 17 from 12 noon until 4 p.m. Polish Legion, 601 Wellington St. N., Kitchener. Cost $25 includes draws, prizes and light lunch. Information contact Diane 648-2432 or dstrickler@continuum. org

Garage Sales

GARAGE SALE SATURDAY APRIL 8 from 730-1230 3859 Arthur St N Elmira Tools, kitchen wares, furniture, books and more. Happening rain or shine!!

GARAGE SALE. FRI. APR. 14, 1-4 P.M., SAT. Apr. 15, 8- 12 p.m. 11 Bluebird Place, Elmira. Estate and downsizing of household, outdoor items, exercise bike, BBQ, bookshelf, folding tables.

Take

the stress out of family meal planning. This

Ramp Tailgate // 50 and 96 pc Socket Sets // Large Variety of New Pliers, Screw Driver & Pry Bar Sets // 351pc Tool Set // JobmateSawkit // Tool Boxes // Steel Storage Racking c/w Wooden Shelving (76”L x 44”w, 3 shelves) // New Car Ramps // HD 40’

Aluminum Extension Ladder // 6’ Aluminum Step Ladder // Quan�ty of New 3’ Louver Ceiling Fixtures // Variety of New Florescent Lights Tubes Bulb and Fixtures // AC Recharge Pump & Charging Meter // Gear Boxes // 2 New adjustable Office Chairs.

*Note: Majority of tools s�ll in packages. This will be a full Sale with good variety.

See www.kurtzauc�onsinc.ca and h�ps://www.facebook.com/ brian.kurtz.3950

Auctioneer: Kurtz Auctions Inc.

519-836-0342

$650,000 $650,000

home that is sure to impress! MLS 40373050

ADDRESS: 3 Arthur St. S., ELMIRA |

KITCHENER - Welcome to 44 Carrol St. in the beautiful city of Kitchener. Located close to all your amenities including; schools, parks, shopping, expressway and highway. This all brick bungalow has so much to offer! 3 bedrooms, a dining room and galley kitchen, 2 bathrooms, finished basement with a bar and rec room, garage, large driveway, walk-out from your dining room to your patio leading you to your fully fenced large private backyard with a storage shed and a waterfall

Obituary

Martin, Ira M.

Passed away peacefully at Listowel Memorial Hospital on Monday, April 3, 2023 at the age of 79 years. Husband of the late Selinda (Bearinger) Martin (2017). Father of Paul Martin of Cambridge, Verna and Edwin Bowman of Listowel, Cleason and Martha Martin of Linwood, Lena and Amsey Brubacher of Croton, Mary and Aaron Burkhart of St. Clements, Elvina and Oscar Bearinger of Wallenstein, Minerva and Gordon Martin of Elmira, Nancy Martin and Lester Martin both at home. Ira is survived by 43 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, brothers-inlaw Orvie and Elvina Wideman, and Wesley Sittler. Predeceased by parents Wesley and Sarah Martin, a brother in infancy, sisters Edna Wideman, Nancy Sittler and brother Seranus and Viola Martin. Friends may call at his home, 3838 Lichty Road, Linwood, on Thursday, April 6, 2023 from 1-4 and 6-8 p.m. and on Friday, April 7, 2023 from 2-5 p.m. A private family service will be held on Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 9 a.m. at his home, then to Linwood Mennonite Meeting House for burial and further service.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Death Notice

RUSSWURM, SHIRLEY - Passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at Barnswallow Place Care Community, Elmira, at the age of 86 years.

SCHNARR, RUTH - Ruth Eleanor (Forwell) Schnarr, age 96, died on Friday, March 31, 2023, at Hospice Waterloo Region.

TOTTER, ROBERT ALLAN - Robert Allan Trotter passed away on Monday, March 27, 2023, in his 97th year.

OF

TOWNSHIP

WELLESLEY

SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING

The Council of the Township of Wellesley approved moving forward with a Town Hall Style Meeting with the focus on resident engagement regarding 2023 budget and tax increase. The meeting will be held in person on

Wednesday April 26, 2023 at the Linwood Community Centre, 5279 Ament Line, Linwood ON 7:00pm until approx. 9:00pm.

Residents are encouraged to submit questions and/or comments through the online form at www.wellesley.ca . Completing the online form prior to the meeting ensures the submissions can be addressed

Deadline for online submissions is Monday, April 17th, 2023, at 4:30pm.

Questions and/or comments are to be within the topic of the 2023 budget and tax increase as stated in the approved resolution of Council.

The meeting will be livestreamed on the Township YouTube Channel

Community Information Page

Steed, Brian

Passed away peacefully at Hospice Waterloo surrounded by his family on Friday, March 31, 2023 at the age of 82. Beloved husband of Norah (Stewart) Steed of Elmira for over 60 years. Cherished father of Evan and Shelley Steed of Port Credit, Maureen and Richard Pond of Cornelius, NC, Valerie Steed and Paul Spooner of Ottawa. Proud grandfather of Eliana and Nolan; Ryan and Collin; Emmett and Colton. Dear brother of Joanne and Ron Campbell. Predeceased by his parents A.C. “Tim” and Leda (Cox) Steed. After graduating from bible college, Brian served as a missionary pilot in northern Ontario. Brian’s life radically changed in 1968 with the loss of his right arm. Following his accident, Brian pastored with Norah in Wawa, Timmins and Elmira for over 35 years. Brian’s heart for God and love for people are remembered by all who met him. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, April 21, 2023 at Elmira Pentecostal Assembly, 290 Arthur St. S., Elmira. A Celebration of Life will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 22, 2023 at Elmira Pentecostal Assembly. As expressions of sympathy, donations to Silver Birches Pentecostal Camp or Hospice Waterloo Region would be appreciated and may be made through the Dreisinger Funeral Home, Elmira.

❖ www.dreisingerfuneralhome.com

Notice to Residents

TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Township of Woolwich intends to discuss a by-law to amend fees or charges for infrastructure services on April 18, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers situated at 24 Church Street West in Elmira. The meeting will be livestreamed to the Township of Woolwich YouTube Channel. Registration is required by 3pm on April 18 for in-person attendance. Please visit www.woolwich.ca/council for more information.

NPG Planning Solutions Inc. (NPG) has been retained to undertake a comprehensive review and work with The Township of Woolwich to create its new Official Plan. The Townships new Official Plan will shape the community and its growth to the year 2051.

The Township in collaboration with NPG will host a number of engagement opportunities to gather input from the community. The engagement will kickoff with a Community Visioning phase over the month of April with a number of stakeholder meetings, focus group sessions and an online survey planned. The goal of the Community Visioning phase will be to increase awareness about the Official Plan review and to generate feedback and ideas from the community to establish a vision, goals and objectives that will guide the new Official Plan.

The upcoming focus groups session will be an in-person, two-hour session starting with a presentation followed by a question-and-answer session. Some of the questions you can expect to hear are – Is there anything the new Official Plan can do better than it does now? Or Does the current vision, goals and objectives of the current Official Plan resonate with you? Why or Why not?

Focus group sessions are being held:

Date:

Thursday April 20th, 2023

Location:

The Township of Woolwich - 24 Church St W, Elmira

Times:

1. 10:00am – 12:00pm, and

2. 7:00pm to 9:00pm

All residents are welcome! NO REGISTRATION IS NECESSARY!

Everyone was all smiles Saturday as the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival returned. Leah Gerber

The weather was better than the forecast, with the rain holding off for much of the day Saturday as more than 70,000 people made their way to the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, held as an in-person event for the first time since 2019 due to pandemic restrictions. Bill Atwood/Leah Gerber

Living Here

It's about all of us.

Leading the way reporting about the people and places of home.

Email: newsroom@woolwichobserver.com

Report it: observerxtra.com/tips

Volunteer appreciation WRLC scholarships

The Woolwich Community Centre will be the scene April 19 of a “Volunteer Appreciation Evening.” The event, set for 7-8:30 p.m., will feature live music performed by Tea for Two, light refreshments and a thank-you from Woolwich’s mayor and council.

The Waterloo Regional Labour Council is seeking applications for its scholarship program. It offers up to two$1,000 awards and one additional $1,000 scholarship, which are available to young union members or children of union members enrolled in any year of academic study on or after September 2023. www.waterloolabour.ca

The accolades keep coming for poster-contest winner

Shana Mitchell is now glad she pushed on with her entry, which caught the eye of many in Legion competition

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

GRADE 12 STUDENT

SHANA MITCHELL was showered last week with accolades – and more than a few prizes – by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 469 in Elmira.

The art Mitchell did for the Legion’s annual youth Remembrance Day poster contest placed first in the Elmira branch, first in the zone, first in the district and second in the province in her age category. That called for an additional presentation last week.

The Legion presented her with medals, certificates and monetary prizes to commemorate her achievement. A copy of her poster now hangs up at Elmira’s Legion hall.

“I was actually, honestly shocked that it went so far. I figured it would do OK. I was really surprised that it got to provincials,” said Shana.

Shana said she wasn’t even planning to create the poster, but her mom

encouraged her to enter the contest.

“I’ve done it all through elementary school. It’s just, I hadn’t done it since grade eight. And this year, honestly, my mom wanted me to try it again. I did procrastinate a lot. And then finally, I got around to doing it. I’m definitely glad I did.”

“She’s always been a very talented artist, so it’s nice to see her get recognized for her hard work,” said Shana’s mom, Heather.

Heather also spoke about the importance of the Remembrance Day contest.

“Getting it in front of the younger kids. It’s that whole education part of it. That they can look back to what our grandfathers, great-grandfather’s did, and it’s just another way to honour them and make sure that we don’t forget,” she said.

“To hear the response from some of the members of the Legion, how they were moved to tears even,

just the portrayal of what some of the soldiers went through and carrying their fallen comrade. It really, really touched them and just to hear them honour her at the awards night,

it just made it so much bigger.”

“I loved hearing what they had to say,” said Shana. “Just talking about how much it moved them, and just how proud they

were.”

Richard Clausi of the Elmira Legion said he was personally impressed with the quality of submissions received in this year’s contest.

“There was respect, Remembrance and reflection in all submissions. Our local teachers use the contest as a focus for the Remembrance activities,”

→POSTER 27

Dealing with concerns about fibroids and pregnancy

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m 24, single and looking forward to having a family one day. I was recently diagnosed with fibroids. What treatment options would allow me to have a baby in the future?

ANSWER: Fibroids are noncancerous masses made of muscle that grow within the uterus. While fibroids are common — they are present in over 75% of women — most people don’t have

▢ Mayo Clinic

Professional Clinical Health Advice

symptoms or pregnancy problems due to fibroids, and everyone does not need treatment.

Fibroids are classified in three main categories based on location:

Subserosal fibroids: The fibroids grow on the surface of the uterus. They are the least likely to affect your ability to get preg-

nant since they are outside the womb, or endometrial cavity.

Intramural fibroids: These fibroids grow within the wall of the uterus. They can make it more difficult to get pregnant but only if they get large and start to push into or distort the endometrial cavity.

Submucosal fibroids: These fibroids grow within the endometrial cavity, which is where a developing baby would grow.

Studies show that these fibroids can make it more difficult to get pregnant and might be a risk factor for having a miscarriage. For some people, fibroids can cause heavy or prolonged periods or bulk symptoms if they are large. Bulk symptoms include pelvic pressure or heaviness, urinary frequency, difficulty passing bowel movements, or feeling full constantly. Occasionally, fibroids can make it harder to become

pregnant or stay pregnant, and sometimes fibroids can cause problems during pregnancy or delivery of the baby.

A greater number of fibroids, larger fibroids, and submucosal fibroids have been shown to have the biggest effect on women trying to get pregnant. Having large or numerous fibroids can cause issues during pregnancy like pain, excessive bleeding, preterm delivery, or needing a

cesarean section. Seeing a fibroid specialist can help you understand if your fibroids will be a problem in a future pregnancy and what treatment options are available.

Options for treating fibroids include:

Medications can be used to treat heavy periods due to fibroids, and a couple of medications can temporarily shrink fibroids. Most of these medications will prevent pregnancy while

Shana Mitchell’s entry into the Legion’s Remembrance Day contest continues to earn her kudos. Leah Gerber

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16

We are thankful for the hope this season brings and wish everyone a Happy Easter!

THURSDAY, APRIL 6

▢ Elmira Legion Friday Food on THURSDAY! Happy Easter. Doors open at 4 p.m., tickets on sale at 4:30 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: pulled pork on a bun with fries, coleslaw & dessert, $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

FRIDAY, APRIL 7

▢ Maryhill Good Friday Fish & Chips Fundraiser from 12 noon to 7 p.m. at the Maryhill Heritage Community Centre. Haddock with fresh cut fries, homemade coleslaw, tartar, lemon & dessert to finish off. Complimentary coffee & tea. Hot dogs also available. Other refreshments available. Cash only please. Dine in-house or to order ahead for take out please call 519-648-2939. Or to call with questions.

▢ Kiwanis Good Friday Fish Fry. English Style fish and chips, 1/2 pound of haddock, coleslaw, assorted pies, coffee, pop. Eat in or take out at Lion’s Hall, Elmira. $25 includes tax and tips. Kids meal (12 & under) $12, Hot dog, fries, ice cream, pop. All proceeds go to local children’s charity work. Rural Root refreshments available for purchase. Get your tickets from Elmira Stove Works (519) 669-1281, Reads Decorating Centre, (519)669-3658 or from any Kiwanis Member. Please come out and support the men and women who support good works in Woolwich. New Members welcome!

SATURDAY, APRIL 8

▢ Alma Optimist Famous County Dance. Join us from 8 p.m. until midnight at the Alma Community Centre. Dance to the great music of Dianne and the Cavaliers. $15 per person. Tickets at the door.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

▢ Senior's Community Dining. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us at Wellesley Community Centre at noon for lunch, fellowship and entertainment. Cost: $12. Must pre-register by noon April 6 by calling 519-664-1900.

THURSDAY, APRIL 13

▢ Woodside Evergreen for Seniors, 10:30 a.m., at Woodside Church, Elmira. "Happy Heart Equals Good Medicine" by Pastor Troy Tobey of Bright's Grove. A program of humour, music, inspiration and spiritual encouragement. Suggested donation $10 includes a hot lunch. Registration required by April 9 at www. woodsidechurch.ca/evergreen or call 519-669-1296.

▢ Senior's Community Dining. Community Care Concepts invites you to join us at Breslau Community Centre at noon for lunch, fellowship and entertainment. Cost: $12. Must pre-register by noon April 6 by calling 519-664-1900.

FRIDAY, APRIL 14

▢ The Larry Mercey Trio with special guest Leo Stock in concert at 7 p.m. at Gale Presbyterian Church, Elmira. Tickets $25. Purchase tickets in advance from the church office 519-669-2852 or office@galepresbyterianchurch.com. Proceeds to Barnswallow Place.

▢ Friday Food at the Elmira Legion. Branch opens at 4 p.m., tickets on sale at 4:30 p.m., serving at 5:45 p.m. Menu: hot roast beef sandwich, mashed, veg and dessert, $10/plate. Join us in the lounge. All welcome.

Seeing a fibroid specialist can help you understand if your fibroids will be a problem in a future pregnancy and what treatment options are available. Submitted

MAYO CLINIC: Treatment options

→

you take them, so they are not meant for people trying to conceive. Medications are good if you have bothersome symptoms and you don’t want to get pregnant right away.

Myomectomy is a surgery where the fibroids are removed from the uterus. A myomectomy can be performed through the vagina or abdomen, either laparoscopically (through small incisions the width of your fingertip) or a "bikini" or C-section type of incision. Having the surgery performed vaginally or laparoscopically is safer and less invasive than having it done through a large incision, but the route of surgery depends on the size, location and number of fibroids. Outcomes also are better when surgery is performed by a fibroid specialist. A myomectomy has been shown to be safe and effective for women who want to get pregnant in the future, though some people will need to have a C-section if they get pregnant after the surgery.

Uterine fibroid embolization, also known as uterine artery embolization, is a minor procedure that blocks the blood supply to the fibroids. This makes the fibroids smaller and decreases menstrual bleeding. While the uterus is not removed, studies show more pregnancy complications for women who get pregnant after this procedure.

Radiofrequency fibroid ablation is a surgery where a device is inserted into the fibroid to destroy the tissue with heat. It can be performed through the vagina or laparoscopically. Like embolization, this procedure may affect future pregnancy. While

it’s not yet known if it is safe for people to get pregnant after having a fibroid ablation, this is being researched.

MRI-guided focused ultrasound uses energy through the abdominal wall to thermally destroy the fibroid while preserving the uterus. Because only a few centers in the country offer this treatment, it is not well-studied. Therefore, it’s not known how safe it is to get pregnant after this procedure.

Endometrial ablation is a minor procedure to decrease heavy period bleeding using a device inserted through the vagina that burns and destroys the lining of the uterus. Pregnancy is not recommended after this procedure.

All the treatments noted above do not remove the uterus, so it’s possible for new fibroids to occur in the future. For some patients with significant fibroids, a hysterectomy is the best option. In this surgery, both the uterus and fibroids are removed to prevent fibroids from coming back and eliminating menstrual bleeding forever. While a hysterectomy does not cause menopause, getting pregnant is impossible after a hysterectomy because the uterus is removed.

While it’s possible for some fibroids to affect your ability to get pregnant or cause problems in pregnancy, fibroid specialists can guide you through your treatment options and help you achieve a healthy pregnancy and long-term quality of life.

Marinade livens up this one-pan chicken dinner

Who knew one sheet pan could provide so much depth in flavor in one dish? Before you get everything together on the pan, start with the marinade in a blender. The marinade features refreshing mint, herby oregano, and pungent garlic; it also gets a subtle earthiness from cumin and smoked paprika, plus a little kick

▢ America's Test Kitchen

Rigorously tested recipes that work.

from half a habanero chile and brightness from lime zest and juice. For the sides, roasted sweet potatoes fit the dish’s Peruvian profile nicely, and roasted cauliflower adds a deep,

nutty complexity. Giving all the vegetables a head start in the oven means they can brown on the uncrowded sheet and then roast to perfection with the chicken. Tossing the vegetables and accumulated chicken juices with peppery arugula while the chicken rests adds a fresh flavor to complete the dish.

One-Pan Peruvian Chicken with Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

▢ 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

▢ 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

▢ 6 garlic cloves, peeled

▢ 3 1/2 teaspoons pepper, divided

▢ 1 tablespoon ground cumin

▢ 1 tablespoon sugar

1. Process 3 tablespoons oil with mint, garlic, 1 tablespoon each pepper, cumin, sugar, and lime zest and juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt,2 teaspoons paprika and oregano, and the habanero in blender until smooth, 10 to 20 seconds. Transfer marinade to a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat

▢ 2 teaspoons grated lime zest plus 1/4 cup juice (2 limes)

▢ 2 teaspoons table salt, divided

▢ 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano

▢ 1/2 habanero chile, stemmed and seeded

▢ 4 (10-ounce) chicken leg quarters, trimmed

oven to 425 degrees. Toss cauliflower, potatoes, onion, remaining 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt together on a rimmed baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake until the top edges of the cauliflower and potatoes are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove sheet from oven. Using a spatula, push vegetables to 1 side of the sheet (they will no longer be in a single layer). Place chicken, skin side

▢ 1 small head cauliflower (1 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch florets

▢ 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

▢ 1 small red onion, halved and sliced through root end into 1/2-inch-thick wedges

▢ 3 cups (3 ounces) baby arugula

up, on the now-empty side of the sheet. Roast until chicken registers 175 degrees and vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through roasting.

4. Transfer chicken to a carving board; let rest for 10 minutes. Add arugula to the sheet with vegetables and gently toss to combine. Transfer vegetable mixture to platter. Separate leg quarters into thighs and drumsticks, then transfer to a platter with vegetable mixture. Serve.

⚠ You can substitute 1 tablespoon of minced serrano chile for the habanero, if desired. Wear gloves when handling the chile.

ↆ For 25 years, confident cooks in the know have relied on America's Test Kitchen for rigourously tested recipes developed by professional test cooks and vetted by 60,000 at-home recipe testers. See more online at www. amercastestkitchen.com

Easter egg hunt returns to St. Jacobs

Popular hunt makes return for 18th year this Saturday courtesy of the St. Jacobs Optimists welcome to come too if they wish, as long as they’re under 18.”

Leah Gerber Observer Staff

THE THRILL OF THE HUNT is on again in St. Jacobs this year – the Easter egg hunt, that is.

Optimist Club of St. Jacobs members are ready for their annual Easter egg event at 10 a.m. sharp in Riverside Meadows Park on Saturday (April 8).

“We ask people not to be late because it wraps up pretty quickly,” said Rob Perry, president of the club.

The Optimists will have the candy hidden in the park grounds. The space will be divided into areas for each age group of children. Perry says all kids are welcome.

“Really [age] zero up until they feel uncomfortable hunting for eggs. Generally, we see kids maybe 13 or 14, not really anybody older than that, generally. But they’re

This year Perry says some special plastic eggs with a certificate for a prize will be mixed in with the chocolate eggs. When one of these is found, the finder can bring it to the organizers who will help them claim their prize.

“We’ll also have helium balloons and the Easter Bunny will be on site,” said Perry. He said the village’s firefighters may also be present.

The club has been running this Easter egg hunt for 18 years.

“All of the fundraising that we do within the community goes to host events like this. So it’s purely funded by us, hosted by us and put on for the enjoyment of the community with no cost.

“I believe that we can make a better community

by improving the lives of kids. And one of the Optimist mottos is ‘bringing out the best in kids.’ So we try to encourage events that build communities that will give kids an opportunity to provide or show leadership.”

Some of the club’s initiatives include sponsorship for leadership camps, anti-bullying programs and Cycling into the Future, which helps kids learn the rules of the road and the proper safety equipment to wear on their bikes.

“When I joined, I had kids that were just preschoolers,” he said.

“And I really believed that if we wanted our kids to have things, we had to work hard to create those things. We couldn’t just let someone else do it. We believe that we are ‘somebody’ and if ‘somebody’s’ going to fix it, then why can’t it be us?”

Rob Perry is the president of the St. Jacobs Optimist Club, which hosts an Easter egg hunt on Saturday in Riverside Meadows Park. Leah Gerber

If your company would like to sponsor this page, please contact The Observer at 519-669-5790 ext.104 Or email donna@woolwichobserver.com

Mini-Word

ACROSS

7.

Sudoku EASY

Crossword

ACROSS

1. English orthodontist's org.

4. Casual attire

9. Salsa singer Cruz

14. ___ Arann (Irish carrier)

15. Seat of Marion County, Fla.

16. Blackberry drupelets

17. Banter

19. Domain

20. Dewy, old style

21. Estonian river

23. Look at

24. Pineapple

26. BLT alternative

28. Fail spectacularly

32. Baxter role in "Walk on the Wild Side"

35. Any Platters platter

58. "Star Wars" role for Billy Dee

59. "Camelot" composer 61. Roused to action 65. Command 66. "___ Lady," Willa Cather novel. 67. Aberdeen uncle 68. Allowable weights

69. Dentist's direction 70. ___ jacket

DOWN

1. Iraqi port

2. Botherer

3. Black macaw

4. Currency.

5. Outer: Prefix

6. Air group: Abbr.

7. "___ say!"

8. Folk singer Miriam known as "Mama Africa"

9. Decreasing, in musical scores

10. ___ de Queiroz, Portuguese novelist

11. Football official

12. May event, for short

13. Comfort, in Caen

18. Pop

22. "Gee whiz!"

25. Ketch of the Levant.

26. "Star Trek" weapons

27. Supermkts do it with coupons

29. Simple fastener

30. Gp. against file-sharing

31. Pooch in TV's "Topper"

32. Pack (down)

33. Alas!: Lat.

34. Go back

38. "Lord, is ___?"

39. "___ you don't!"

42. Magazine no.

43. Anglers with nets

Sudoku HARD

36. Association for Higher Education

37. Big name in calculators

40. Moo goo ___ pan

41. Indigenous Canadian group

44. Light

47. Symbol of the exchequer.

50. Egyptian god

51. Cheerios, vis-avis Corn Flakes

55. Flight coordinators: Abbr.

57. Dumfries denial

45. "Liberte, ___, fraternite"

46. Natural rate of interest

48. Mme., in Madrid

49. Haberdashery item

52. Against a thing, legally

53. Tomato blight

54. Isuzu model

55. "Thanks ___!"

56. Unit of pressure

60. All ___

62. Biblical judge

63. "My boy"

64. Writer Eliot and drummer Monk

POSTER: Response to work has her thinking about attending art school

he said.

“Our Remembrance Week activities are meant to honour our veterans and those who have made the supreme sacrifice. This contest is national in scope. It involves both posters and literary submissions.”

Shana said the momentum from the contest and the encouragement from the Legion members boosted her confidence

in her artistic abilities. She is now considering attending art school. For the immediate future, the Grade 12 student says she plans on taking a gap year after she graduates high school.

“I’m going to sound super cheesy, but follow your heart and your dreams,” said Shana. “Just don’t give up. Because, honestly, I wasn’t going to do this – I pushed and I finished it.”

Shana Mitchell’s poster made its way through the Legion’s national contest, earning wins along the way. Leah Gerber

THEATRE

WELLESLEY: Play’s got plenty to offer

“One of the things that theatre can do for adults is it can help us recapture some of that energy. It’s the kind of energy that allows us to create and take risks and build trust with one another.”

“I was surprised by how much I am charmed by the role of Tate,” said Jackie Sharkey of the character she plays.

“On its face, she’s kind of a stock character. She’s a stay-at-home mom, three kids who are teenagers, married to a surgeon, a vascular surgeon. She’s described as pretty, you could play her very naïve and kind of like an airhead. And maybe on the first reading that’s what I got from the character too, but she’s actually really funny. There’s a lot more depth to that character than I expected on its face, there’s a lot of thinking – the character’s doing a lot of thinking about how the next chapter for life is going, which I think is a very relatable place in life for a lot of women who see their kids enter a part of their lives where

CONCERT:

and since 2017 has been a member of the Scott Woods band, which on April 28 will start a months-long tour across Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Stock released his first album “What’s Next?” in 2019, however he is still trying to find his ideal sound for the next album, he explained.

“I’ve been kind of thinking about it because it has been a while since that first album was released, but at this time I’m not

they’re more independent and are now reevaluating what that next chapter means for them. I think

I’m surprised by the level of depth that’s in this character that I didn’t see at first,” said Sharkey.

“I also am loving every moment of watching my colleagues, the other actors in this play, and the way our director Mary Beth is drawing these phenomenal performances out of them.”

She said working with Jantzi and learning from her experience is rewarding and one of the main draws for why she decided to audition.

The play is an all-female production, the only male being the assistant director.

“There are parts of relationships of being a woman and the female friendship that you can use shorthand with, and the other members of the cast just get, because we’ve had a similar experience,” said Sharkey.

Jantzi warns that the play covers some frank ground.

“Well, the women talk about a lot of things, as

women do. And some of the women are a bit more blunt and descriptive than others. These women talk about sex. They talk about marriage. They talk about their children. They talk about their dreams, their careers. So some people might find that not to their taste,” she said.

“So we certainly want to give people a heads-up.”

That said, there are plenty of reasons to take in the play.

“It’s a celebration of what sustained us during the pandemic and that is friendship,” said Jantzi. “Come out to the theatre. I think theatre is a celebration of life. It’s a celebration of everything that makes life worthwhile: our relationships, our hopes, our dreams. And after the two years we’ve had of being shut in it’s absolutely wonderful to get out there and celebrate life.”

The Theatre Wellesley production of The Ladies Foursome runs April 20-30. Tickets are $18, available at Pym’s Market in Wellesley and online through the Theatre Wellesley website.

really sure what I would like to do,” the Stratford native added.

The upcoming show at Gale will be “fantastic,” Stock said.

“Larry Mercey’s got a really great crew behind him. Obviously, he’s a fantastic singer, and a great songwriter. And so when you listen to him sing, it very good. And he’s backed up by some really great players. When you put them all together, and they’ve been playing together for so many years, you end up with a really tight show, a really great

show that just flows along really nicely. It’s really an honour to be playing with them.”

The concert at Gale is set for April 14 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by contacting 519-669-2852 or office@ galepresbyterian.com. Proceeds will be going towards the purchase of equipment at Barnswallow Place Care Community and other locations.

Copies of Mercey’s autobiography “Have Mercey: My First 60 Years Making Music” will also be available for purchase.

Young fiddler looking forward to playing with Larry Mercey, who’s certainly known in these parts