Reporter with Victoria insert Jan 17, 2024

ER closure added to ambulance response times for serious vehicle collision on Christmas Eve

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

WHITESIDE: Despite the two-vehicle collision, that sent seven people to hospital with serious and life-threatening injuries on Christmas Eve happening within a few kilometres away from the local hospital, most ambulance response times took over an hour.

At approximately 5:49 p.m. on Dec. 24, 2023, Richmond County District RCMP, EHS, and Fire Services responded to the collision on Highway 104 near Whiteside and Evanston. Upon arrival, first responders located a Volkswagen Golf and a Toyota van with extensive damage.

EHS confirmed that the first paramedic crew arrived on scene 12 minutes after the 911 call was received by the EHS Medical Communications Centre.

Paul Shears, Chief of the West Bay Road Volunteer Fire Department, said the first responding ambulance was local, which was lucky he explained, because the Strait Richmond Hospital’s Emergency Room was closed that evening, meaning there would be less ambulances present in the county.

“That being said, that was the only local ambulance to attend the scene,” Shears said. “With any major incident you’re going to wait for ambulances because they’re coming from far away. If the Strait Richmond Hospital is closed and there’s something going on within our area, the ambulances are gone. They’re up in Antigonish, maybe they’re dropping a patient off.”

Depending on road conditions, an ambulance could take 45 minutes to an hour to get to the area where the hospital is located. If the Strait Richmond Hospital was open that evening, the fire chief noted, “an ambulance may have been able to take one of the people involved in the accident there.”

Shears did traffic control on scene that evening and said the first responding ambulance left the scene and headed toward Antigonish, prior to the other ambulances arriving on the scene. The next two ambulances, which arrived on the scene, came from across the Canso Causeway.

“A supervisor’s unit would have been the next one to go by us,” he said. “And then two more EHS units, probably 15 minutes apart, came down the Lower River Road.”

RCMP said the initial investigation into the accident indicate the car travelling eastbound and the van travelling westbound collided.

In a prior statement given by RCMP, they said a 42-year-old woman, the driver of the van, required extraction from the vehicle by Fire Services with apparent life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital.

“A 36-year-old man and four children ages nine, seven, five, and three all suffered injury from serious to life-threatening were also transported to hospital by EHS. All occupants of the van are from Halifax,” said a release. “The driver of the car, 28-year-old man from New Brunswick, required extraction from the vehicle by Fire Services with apparent life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital.”

Quilts of Valour awarded to Isle Madame veterans

Inverness, Richmond County climate comfort centres to be improved

by Drake Lowthers The Reporter drakelowthers@porthawkesburyreporter.com

STRAIT AREA: In a span of three days, the MP for Cape Breton-Canso announced $675,000 in federal funding to help improve 26 rural climate comfort centres throughout the Strait Area.

Mike Kelloway explained the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund (HFF) is helping communities build resilience for future climate-related

weather events, highlighting comfort centres play an essential role during extreme weather events, offering residents a place to shelter, charge devices, use the internet, and check in with family and friends.

By providing a space where people can feel safe, supported, and connected during times of upheaval and uncertainty, he suggested climate comfort centres help communities recover more quickly once the crisis has passed.

Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic

Development and Minister responsible for Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) explained Atlantic Canadians know that to weather the storm, they must pull together.

“Existing climate comfort centres play an essential role in our safety and security during times of crisis. It is vital that these facilities have the capacity, resources, and tools to support and shelter our citizens when they need it most,” Hutchings said. “And we also know that after the crisis, these centres

help communities and businesses return to economic health and activity.”

On Jan. 9, Kelloway announced $75,000 in non-repayable funding through the HFRF to the Town of Port Hawkesbury, which will help the town purchase and install a new portable generator, new baseboard heaters and a new water tank at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre.

Continued on page 4

Photo by Adam McNamara.

On Jan. 5, recognition in the form of Quilts of Valour were presented to four members of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 150 in Arichat. The quilts were presented to veterans Shirley Bona, Eric Henri, Joseph Clorey, and Jarrod David.

INVERNESS: Gopalakrishnan Pillai originally came to Inverness for only a year or two, he ended up staying for 51.

Known to a few of his medical colleagues, family and friends as Gopi, the man most of Inverness County residents know as Dr. Pillai, hung up the stethoscope last year after more half a century of caring for patients in Inverness.

“I thought I’d do a year or two, and then that year or two ended up 51 years,” he says of his decision in the early 1970s to come work for Drs. Jim and Bernie MacLean.

Soon after arriving in Inverness, which at the time had two hospitals – St. Mary’s and the Memorial – he started his own practice. In the 51 years since, he’s learned time and again that he made the right choice to stay.

While Dr. Pillai’s family practice closed its doors two summers ago, his last day as Head of Surgery at the Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital was Dec. 21, 2022.

“The best part here is it’s just like home,” he said. “The people are so good, so nice.”

Born June 2, 1938, in Kerala State an area of southern India known for 100 per cent literacy, Pillai’s father was a surgeon, and he knew from an early age, he wanted to follow in his footsteps.

“I had exposure, just seeing patients coming into the hospital,” he recalled of his childhood. “If it was on a weekend or something like that, they’d let me watch. So, I had the opportunity to see things, and then I was never scared or worried about anything.”

Pillai received his medical training at Mysore University, which is also located in the south of India, in a city close to where he grew up.

“When you come out of there you don’t have any specialization,” he explained. “It’s just like a family physician.”

That resulted in Pillai applying for a passport so that he could receive specialized training in a foreign nation, and that’s when an issue all too familiar to Nova Scotians today placed a roadblock in his way. The Indian government had imposed a moratorium on granting passports to newlytraining doctors.

“They noticed that people are leaving,” he said. “They’re going away and they’re not coming back. They’re losing their doctors. Only if you’d completed 10 years of practice in India, then you can get the passport.”

However, Pillai had a relative who was the Minister of External Affairs, and he encouraged him to take the matter to court. So, along with two of his medical colleagues, they challenged the moratorium and won their right to leave India in 1964.

Having made arrangements before leaving his home country, he headed for the Charlottesville Memorial Hospital in Johnson City, located in upper New York State. “I was anxious to get out [of India],” Pillai said, noting that

his time in Johnson City was short-lived, as he soon learned that the Exchange Visitor Visa he received, did not allow him to stay for more than five years.

Which was not enough time for him to complete his specialized training.

After a mere six months in the United States, Pillai moved on to Moncton, N.B., where he spent two years receiving his surgical training, before arriving in Halifax for four years of urology specialized training.

It was while he was in Halifax that he paid a couple of visits to a friend who was practicing in Inverness at the time, and eventually, he decided that Inverness offered an opportunity that appealed to him – a rural practice.

“I did the real rural practice. When you do a rural practice, you have to look after patients as much as possible, and you have to have exposure to different methods of medicine –like surgical training.,” Pillai said. “That is the importance of doing the rural practice. There are no specialists here, so we have to look after them.”

Providing a total package of care to his patients, meant the doctor had to receive additional training, training such as – delivering babies.

In addition to the countless number of surgeries he performed in his half century practicing medicine, he also delivered about 1,500 babies, including at least 130 by Caesarian section. He indicates he knows of at least three families for which he delivered three generations of women.

Another imperative component of a rural practice, he instantly recognized was making sure you had what you need to do the job, as he spent his early years as a surgeon in Inverness stocking the cupboard with the tools, he needed to do various procedures.

Pillai was also instrumental in a community effort in 2016 to bring a CT scanner to the Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital. CT scan images provide more-detailed information than plain x-rays, by using computer processing to create cross-sectional images of the bones, blood vessels and soft tissues.

“The CT scanner is very important for us, because we are in a rural area and we have to be able to make a much better assessment by ways of a CT, and then we can make a proper referral to see the specialist (in Antigonish or Sydney),” he said. “If they know ahead of time that the patient coming in has a certain problem, that’s what they want to know.”

In the event there had ever been any question in those early years in Inverness, it would certainly have been eradicated in 1986, when Pillai suffered a heart attack, and the individuals of the Inverness community stepped up to assist him and his young family.

“Day and night people were in and out and they looked after everything for us,” he recalled. “It gave me the impression that I was in the right place.”

As for what the now 84-year-old is to do, after devoting the last 51 years of his life to his patients, he’s trying to find his own path forward.

“I get up in the morning, same as I used to when I was working. I get up at 6:30 or 7:00 every morning,” Pillai said. “I have my tea and then of course there’s nothing to do.”

Highlighting he’s always had an interest in music, but beyond mastering the mridangam, a two-headed drum that originated in southern India, at an early age, he’s a bit out of his element when it comes to music.

He laughs at the suggestion he may be found on stage for community concerts, but the former head of surgery did purchase two guitars.

“I bought a big one and I bought a little one, a threequarter guitar,” he said, noting that his fingers “are pretty tiny.”

Below the Salt Distillery concocts genuine product, filled with local stories

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

EAST HAVRE BOUCHER: After a year since selling their first bottle, Below the Salt has opened their bottling facility and tasting room and owner Gregg Colp says their development has only just begun.

The new facility located off the highway in East Havre Boucher, is certified for six people. Aside from it being a tasting room, Colp said it’s a location where their products can be purchased at retail and noted, when they’re closed their new facility is also a place for them to do bottling.

“It’s fantastic. We also built a little patio area that we’re going to have it all finished in the spring,” he said. “It’s going to have seating for about 35 people and with an accessible washroom.”

Since the 1980’s, Colp has had a passion for brewing and beverage making – he always did a little bit of distilling as a hobby and explained it is something he always enjoyed.

“I wasn’t really planning on doing it as a business and that came about just during COVID,” he said. “I decided it’s time to start thinking about a job for retirement.”

Starting off by buying a small still, he started doing some tests with different products. Eventually Colp and his business partner, Victroia Piersig, decided to create their own product and their own business.

“We’re very good at splitting the workload down the

Photo contributed.

Gregg Colp, one half of Below the Salt and a distiller of spirits all made from scratch in Nova Scotia.

middle,” he said. “If you look [at] our bottles and at our website, she does all that and more, she’s a true artist.”

Right now, the business has five products, and they are planning on releasing another in February, along with a

Deadline for potential appeal of Judge’s consolidation decision approaching

by Drake Lowthers The Reporter drakelowthers@porthawkesburyreporter.com

ANTIGONISH COUNTY: The warden for the Municipality of the County of Antigonish says the deadline for a potential appeal on the judge’s decision to deny a request to quash a motion made by Antigonish County councilors to merge with the Town of Antigonish.

“Feb. 1 is the actual date, and obviously we’re just waiting to see if anything comes from that side,” Warden Owen McCarron told reporters following their Jan. 9 council meeting. “As far as costs go, at this point, we don’t really have much more information, but we’re just waiting.”

Despite a small uncertainty, he suggested it’s business as usual in Beech Hill.

On Dec. 6, 2023, Justice Timothy Gabriel issued his decision, and once final filings were made with the court, the clock started on a 25 business-day appeal period.

“Through the complete process of consolidation, we have followed all the steps that have been laid out, and this is no

different,” McCarron said. “We’ll just see where things go.”

Additionally, the warden explained during the meeting, the municipality approved a number of options regarding electoral boundaries and council size to bring forward to the public.

“So the public can have their opportunity to view that, and any input they would like to have, and once we get that information, then we’ll send something off to the UARB,” McCarron said. “We’ve given what we think are two pretty good options, we hope the public feels the same way.”

Council made the decision to maintain 10 councillors, with two different electoral boundaries options.

“Tonight, we certainly heard that Option B seemed to be a more preferred option for council,” McCarron said. “It’s balancing the numbers and getting the number of electors, reasonably and equitably distributed across the 10 districts.”

The municipality hopes to have the public meetings occur by the end of January.

collaboration with Candid Brewery in Antigonish, later this year.

Colp, who said they want their products to have a story, explained a picture of the fire school in Port Hawkesbury is the label on their distilled braggote. Two people from the Lower River Inhabitants area are pictured on their bottle of vodka, which is named Highland Tears. Even the business name – Below the Salt – has a story behind it.

It comes from a time when salt, which was highly valued in cold climates, was placed at the centre of the table. Nobility sat above the salt and commoners, those who served the court, were seated below, hence the name Below the Salt.

All their products are 100 per cent distilled in Nova Scotia and Colp said the product they offer is some of the highest quality rum in the province.

He also noted it’s the only rum in the province distilled using a rum making still.

“People are funny. There’s a lot of people that do blending and call themselves distillers. So, we’re members of the Nova Scotia Craft Distillers Association and they have a new certification,” Colp said, explaining he hopes people are more honest with the product they are offering. “A lot of people use smoke in mirrors and we do everything from scratch. And it’s really important for us to use local products too.”

For more information, call 1-800-670-4357 or visit novascotia.ca/seniorscaregrant

How is property value determined?

Are you curious about how much your home is worth? A home’s value is deter mined by various factors. Here are a few.

1. Location.

The location of the property is one of the most significant factors in determining its value. For instance, properties in desirable neighbourhoods with low crime rates tend to have higher values.

2. Property size and features.

The size of the home, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and special features, like a swimming pool, all contribute to its value. Larger properties with desir able features usually command higher prices.

3. Condition and age.

The condition of the property and its age can impact its value. Wellmaintained properties gen erally have higher values than those in disrepair. Renovations and upgrades can also add value.

4. Real estate market.

The overall state of the real estate market plays a crucial role in determining property value. In a seller’s market (high demand, low in ventory), prices tend to rise. By contrast, prices in a buyer’s market (low demand, high inventory) may stagnate or decline.

5. Infrastructure and development.

Homes in areas with new developments, such as roads, schools, parks and retail stores are appealing to buyers and of ten sell for more. Keep in mind that property valuation isn’t an exact science, and different profes sionals may have varying opinions on a property’s worth. Speak with a local real estate agent for the most precise information.

Town of Port Hawkesbury considers ways to enforce winter parking ban

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

PORT HAWKESBURY: At the latest Port Hawkesbury council meeting on Jan. 19, Councillor Jason Aucoin raised issues around winter parking rules in the town and said he wants to see RCMP take illegal parking in the town more seriously.

“Ever since I was elected, winter parking has been one of my pet peeves. We have a bylaw in place, and for three years now I’ve been asking to have vehicles towed during snowstorms that are parked illegally,” Aucoin said. “For the past couple years, we’ve been having a hard time finding a tow company that was willing to do so.”

The councillor explained that one of the problems being two fire hydrants, blocked each storm by vehicles.

Aucoin said he has reached out and found a tow company who is willing to do it as long as there is documentation provided by the town, or RCMP. This was requested about a month ago and he recently reached out and found nothing was done on the matter yet.

“The issues that we face here is that every snowstorm I get messages or phone calls from the same resident,” he said. “I go out in the morning and drive around town, and I can count no less than 12 cars parked illegally.”

The councillor explained because the plows have to go around the cars, it then leads to ice on the road and public works has to go out later in the day to clean it up.

“In a big snow event we’re looking at the safety of our

operators,” Aucoin said. “With parked vehicles and snowbanks going around, potentially hitting these vehicles which would become a financial burden on the Town of Port Hawkesbury.”

The councillor said there’s been no repercussions and explained RCMP have went door to door and still nothing has been improved on.

Aucoin asked staff to reach out to RCMP and see if this can be resolved before the next meeting of council.

“It’s enough of the warnings and the public are saying there’s no repercussions and why do you have a bylaw,” he said. “Well, it’s time to have those repercussions.”

CAO Terry Doyle explained the town has a winter parking policy and not a winter parking bylaw.

The authority for enforcing the motor vehicle act is done by the RCMP, or a bylaw officer said Doyle.

The CAO said after reaching out to RCMP, their wish “is to do this by people voluntarily moving their vehicles. When they have approached the homes of people who’ve done that, then those people have moved.”

Doyle said they can make a motion, but “we have to abide by the law so the motion can’t override the laws of the Province of Nova Scotia.”

He noted they would get direct legal advice on what to do moving forward.

At the next police advisory meeting, Deputy Mayor Mark MacIver and Councillor Hughie MacDougall were tasked to let RCMP know how big of a priority this item is to council.

A motion was also passed for staff to reach out to RCMP and see if this can be resolved before the next meeting of council.

Inverness, Richmond County climate comfort centres to be improved

Continued from page 1

“Hurricane Fiona and other climate change-induced disasters highlight the need for well-prepared climate comfort centres,” he said. “Through investments like this funding for Port Hawkesbury, the Government of Canada is taking real action to help communities recover and rebuild.”

According to correspondence, these upgrades will allow the facility to function without power so it can be used as a climate comfort centre in times of need.

Additionally, central communication equipment will also be purchased and installed, ensuring the centre can contact others in times of emergency.

Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton said the Town of Port Hawkesbury is incredibly grateful to be able to offer their residents a safe place to stay warm and supported during, and following, extreme weather events.

“The Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre is a diverse and wellused community gathering place,” Chisholm-Beaton said. “It is wonderful that this program has enabled the provision of this service to expand our Port Hawkesbury emergency preparedness plan which will better meet residents’ needs during challenging weather events.”

The following day, Kelloway announced $300,000 in funding through the HFRF to improve 10 climate comfort centres across Richmond County.

Upgrades will include installing heat pumps, improving bathroom and kitchen facilities, and upgrading accessibility to the comfort centres. According to information, this project will better prepare each centre for use during a power outage, ensuring all community members can access the essential services they need to stay warm and safe.

“I have been on the ground listening to the needs of community members and leaders to understand what they need to recover and rebuild for the future,” Kelloway said. “With strategic investments like the funding announced today for Richmond County, we are helping residents better manage the impacts of future climateinduced events.”

The Richmond County climate comfort centres receiving funding are: Royal Canadian Legion Branch #150 (Arichat); Little Anse Samson’s Cove Social Action Centre (Little Anse); Janvrin’s Island Community Hall (Janvrin’s Island); Louisdale Volunteer Fire Department and St. Louis Parish Hall (Louisdale); St. George’s

Channel Hall (St. George’s Channel); Riverdale Community Centre (Lower River Inhabitants); Lakeside Community Centre (Sampsonville); St. Peter’s Lions Hall (St. Peter’s); and Grand River Volunteer Fire Department/Community Hall (Grand River).

Warden of the Municipality of the County of Richmond Amanda Mombourquette suggested the federal government’s investment in communities in Richmond County will have an immediate impact on their ability to keep people safe during increasingly volatile weather events and other types of emergencies.

“Rural emergency response plans and facilities need to create safe places for people that are accessible and reasonably close to where they live - seven different community-owned comfort centres in our county will benefit from this investment,” Mombourquette said. “It will enable our municipality and communities to be more effective in our response to a crisis, especially when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable citizens.”

Rounding out Kelloway’s back-to-back-to-back announcements, was another $300,000 on Jan. 11, to upgrade 15 climate comfort centres across Inverness County.

“Future storms will expose more vulnerabilities in our communities, and that is important to consider when investing in adaptation strategies,” he said. “The assistance announced today for Inverness County is one important step in the Government of Canada’s support for communities in rebuilding and preparing for future emergencies.”

The support will allow the county, in partnership with each community, to install generators in each facility. It will also equip each centre with a comfort kit of readiness supplies to help ensure all community members are safe and comfortable during power outages or extreme weather events.

The comfort kits will include items such as first aid and emergency medical supplies, sanitation supplies, non-perishable food items and blankets, and will help ease the burden on rural emergency services.

Comfort centres in Inverness County to receive funding are: Blue Mills Volunteer Fire Department (Blue Mills); Lake Ainslie Volunteer Fire Department (Lake Ainslie); Cranton Crossroads Community Centre and Volunteer Fire Department (Margaree); West Bay Volunteer Fire Department (West Bay); Glendale Community Centre (Glendale); Meat Cove Community Centre (Meat Cove); Port Hood Food Bank (Port Hood); Whycocomagh Volunteer Fire Department and Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre (Whycocomagh); Valley Mills Fire Department (Valley Mills); Inverness County Centre for the Arts (Inverness); Mi-Careme Interpretive Centre (Grand Etang); West Mabou Community Centre (Mabou); Judique Community Centre (Judique); and Cregnish Hall (Cregnish).

Bonny MacIsaac, Warden of the Municipality of the County of Inverness explained in times of crisis, the partnership between their municipality, community spaces, and dedicated volunteers becomes an invaluable lifeline.

“This funding is a pivotal investment toward enhancing emergency preparedness, to support communities in times of need,” MacIsaac said. “By prioritizing preparedness today, we’re safeguarding and bolstering community resilience. Strengthening these foundations ensures the ability to uphold the resilience of our rural communities in the face of climatic uncertainty.”

MODG surprised, upset by province’s wilderness protections

by Alec Bruce Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Guysborough Journal

GUYSBOROUGH: Dissatisfied by the province’s unexpected protection of thousands of hectares of Crown land in the Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG) last month, council is requesting a hearing with the area’s MLA on the potential economic fallout.

“I’d like to make a motion that we invite our [GuysboroughTracadie representative] Mr. [Greg] Morrow in and let him know our dissatisfaction with this,” Deputy Warden Janet Peitzsche told the committee of the whole meeting on Jan. 3.

In a move applauded by many conservationists, but catching most residents off guard, the provincial government passed an order in council on Dec. 19 – issuing a public statement the following day – to shield nearly 6,725 hectares (16,617 acres) of Guysborough County from all forms of industrial resource extraction.

More than half of that lays within MODG; the remainder is in the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s.

New and/or expanded designations in MODG include: Guysborough Headlands Wilderness Area, incorporating a swath of coastal headlands and communities from Country Harbour to Tor Bay; Big Plains Wilderness Area, southwest of Middle Country Harbour; Nine Mile Woods Wilderness Area, southwest of Fisher Mills; and 134 hectares to Ogden Round

Lake Wilderness Area, just west of Guysborough. New nature reserves include Mulgrave Hills Nature Reserve south of Mulgrave; and Sugar Harbour Islands Nature Reserve, off the coast between Tor Bay and Lower Whitehead.

The protections were part of the Department of Environment and Climate Change’s larger program to set aside 14,000 hectares of forest, water, wetlands, coastline, and coastal habitats across the province – bringing the total area of Nova Scotia under protection to 13.45 per cent towards its land and water protection target of 20 per cent by 2030.

Under the province’s Environment Act, low-impact recreation and tourism are permitted in designated wilderness areas, but commercial resource industries – forestry and mining, for example – are forbidden. Nature reserves are even more restrictive, generally allowing only scientific research and educational activities.

“They [the province] kind of kept it quiet,” a delighted Scott Beaver of the St. Mary’s River Association told The Journal last month. “I had no idea it was coming ... This really promotes the kind of sustainable [development] that we are trying to do here.”

MODG Economic Development Director Gordon Macdonald – though equally surprised – was less laudatory at the committee of the whole meeting last week.

“It is certainly disconcerting that this was done in the manner that it was, without any consultation with the municipality,” he told councillors. “Some of [these areas] are sizeable and [could] have potential impacts on developments within our

municipality.”

In particular, he noted that the Guysborough Headlands Wilderness Area contains lands that MODG has already zoned for heavy industrial use and has had discussions with developers about investing in.

“There’s the area they are calling Nine Mile Woods that’s really more eastward towards Erinville that includes, or has, a pipeline [corridor] through it,” Macdonald said. “[And] there’s another area that looks to us like the area that’s already been awarded to EverWind [Fuels] as part of the properties proposed for wind development.... I’m not sure what recourse we have; probably none.”

Council voted unanimously to send an email, asking for a sit down with Morrow.

“We’ve been trying to make our municipality open for business and make it a place where you can live and make a good living and get projects here,” Peitzsche said at the committee of the whole meeting. “And then somebody goes and protects our land?”

In an interview with The Journal, Morrow advised he’s hearing a lot of this for the first time.

“To my understanding, there was extensive consultation [with MODG] done through the years. A lot of that may have occurred before my, in our time in government,” Morrow said. “But I’m always happy to work with the municipality on any issue. And, if there’s issue with these protected areas, we’ll certainly work with the Department of Environment and Climate Change to see what solutions are possible.”

Senator Aucoin visits Inverness council meeting

by Kathy McCluskey

INVERNESS: “It’s our first meeting back. Let’s kick it off and make it good.”

Warden Bonnie MacIsaac welcomed Inverness County councillors back to the first regular council meeting of the year, which took place on Jan. 11.

Not in order of business but in order of excitement and good news to kick off the new year, Senator Rejean Aucoin of Chéticamp was present to meet council.

Sworn in on Nov. 21, 2023, to represent Nova Scotia in the Senate of Canada, the Senator was introduced to each member of council and staff present at the meeting. He addressed council briefly and remained to speak with the councillors and encouraged time for picture taking.

It was a historic moment for Council – Senator Aucoin is the first senator appointed from Chéticamp.

CAO Keith MacDonald presented an update on the Memorandum of Understanding between the county and Destination Cape Breton (DCB) the official destination marketing and management organization for Cape Breton Island-Unam’ki.

As of Jan. 1, the levy affixed to tourist accommodations in Inverness County required to register with the Nova Scotia Tourism Accommodation Registration Act increased to three per cent of the cost of the accommodation before HST.

The motion to accept the MOU report as presented was carried unanimously.

MacDonald also presented a draft report from the Eastern County Regional Libraries (ECRL).

The most recent addition to the ECRL was in Chéticamp about a year ago and though there are still a few finishing touches such as signage, feedback indicates there has been good walk-in numbers to date.

According to the report, staff from all the libraries in the county have expressed that there is a deep public appreciation for library services and that staff there are also pleased and appreciate the collaborations between ECRL and the municipality.

Two of the main concerns are the hours of operation and the communication of the hours to the public. As an example, the Mabou library in Dalbrae Academy is only currently open during school hours. A recommendation in the report was that a collection of books could move into various communities for a day or so for more public accessibility.

The draft report included the idea that the libraries would “serve the greater good” and be “community hubs” where residents could meet for multi-purposes.

The idea of a central library where programming could “zoom” out to all libraries, help promote programs, offer services to all

libraries, is also part of the draft report.

MacDonald said he was meeting with ECRL next week and may have feedback to present at the next council meeting.

A motion was carried unanimously to name changes to two roads, Carroll Lane in Margaree Forks, and Bell View Lane in Malagawatch.

Last but not least, in any sense, judging from the discussions around council table, was the reporting of correspondence from Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC).

CAO MacDonald took the helm on this matter as well.

Letters of assessment have begun to be sent to property owners and all the councillors had feedback and questions.

District 4 Councillor John MacLennan was first to say he has already had calls about the increased property tax amounts and questions as to why the rates are up.

He said he thought the pressures of property sales during COVID on valuations would have levelled off but it isn’t the case.

“There have been significant increases in property valuations,” MacLennan said. “There are big increases at the same time everything else is expensive and going up – groceries and gas – can we ask the PVSC to come in to speak to council? What has triggered the continued increases?”

Deputy Warden Catherine Gillis suggested the increases have been significant, and predicted they would be receiving a lot of calls.

“It’s discouraging to a lot of people,” District 5 Councillor Lynn Chisolm said. “They are kind of surprised it’s gone up again.”

District 1 Councillor Claude Poirier stated everything is going up and people should open their mail when it comes, because the end of February to appeal “is not much time.”

While District 2 Councillor Blair Phillips asked if there could be more time after receiving the mail to the deadline of appeals, to which Warden MacIsaac replied that it was out of Council’s hands.

Phillips also asked about reducing rates.

MacDonald responded by saying that there are recent increases in the cost of the service of the RCMP and education; noting all costs are escalating and reduced rates would make it difficult to meet the costs.

“We are trying hard,” MacIsaac said. “Very hard but it is out of our hands.”

She said there has only been one increase in the county tax rate in 20 years and in terms of tax rates, the rates are about one-fifth of the rates across the province.

The idea to invite the PVSC to attend a future council meeting was agreed upon by all councillors so that council could get further information – it was also agreed upon that should occur as soon as possible.

An “in camera” discussion involving a property and a security item concluded the meeting.

In January, t he Strait Regional Centre for Education invites students, staff, families, volunteers, and community partners to celebrate SRCE Literacy Month and Family Literacy Day on Satur day, January 27, 202 4, and throughout the year, by setting aside time to read with children and youth and inspire them to become lifelong readers.

Family Literacy Day is a national awareness initiative created by ABC Life Literacy Canada in 1999 and held annually on January 27 to raise awareness of the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy - related activities as a family. This year’s th eme is “Let’s Have a Family Party”. As shared on the ABC Life Literacy Canada website, c elebrate 25 years of Family Literacy Day and learning together as a family by having a party. Make food, sing songs, and play games. The possibilities for learning are endless – and it’s fun when you do it together.

Literacy skills are essential for lifelong success. Encouraging reading and writing together as a family helps students develop good listening, speaking, vocabulary and language skills, imagination and creativity, and contributes to their future success and well- being. There are many ways to develop and strengthen literacy skills while enjoying outdoor activities, reading a book together, playing a word game, writing, making a list, using a recipe, surfing the web, or just simply having a conversation.

Let’s make reading, writing and learning together part of our everyday activities in and out of the classroom.

STRAIT REGIONAL CENTRE FOR EDUCATION

MONTH AND FAMILY LITERACY DAY

JANUARY 27, 2024

Photo by Kathy McCluskey.

It was a proud moment for the Municipality of the County of Inverness council with Senator Rejean Aucoin in attendance, third from left, during the Jan. 11 council meeting.

Why should ratepayers cover Nova Scotia Power’s Fiona-related bill?

Column by Nicole Fawcett

Nova Scotia Power has filed an application to the provincial regulator saying the utility wishes to recover costs incurred due to massive damage from post-tropical storm Fiona, arguing it needs to receive almost $25 million from ratepayers over five years.

The documents say the $24.6-million bill is threatening Nova Scotia Power’s profits and they are seeking to collect Fionarelated operating expenses, such as meals, travel, and overtime, highlighting they would also seek interest costs of about $1.7 million over the five years for the operating costs.

I’ll apologise now to my readers as I’m about to rant.

Nova Scotia Power states that Hurricane Fiona was among the most intense and damaging storms in Canadian History. It was something that could not be predicted.

Yes, it was a massive and destructive storm, doing incredible damage to so many properties across the province, with Antigonish and Sydney getting hit the hardest. There are many businesses and homeowners still recovering today.

The storm also did a lot of damage to the outdated and not properly maintained power infrastructure.

Months before Fiona hit, in June 2022, Nova Scotia Power had been fined $250,000 by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB) for consistently failing to meet reliability and customer service standards.

The penalty was levied after the regulator found the company missed six-of-13 performance targets in 2019. It was the third consecutive year Nova Scotia Power failed to meet all its standards; missing more targets each year.

The targets that were missed were:

• Province-wide reliability standard for outage frequency and outage duration.

• A 30-second standard to answer regular business calls.

• Percentage of customer bills estimated.

• Repairing chronic problem circuits.

At the time, Nova Scotia Power blamed weather events such as Hurricane Dorion for dragging down its ratings. The UARB struck back and said that increasing intensity, severity, or frequency of adverse weather events is not a new phenomenon. With the high rates we pay in Nova Scotia – there is an expectation of high levels of service – something we are not receiving.

As for predictability, I’m not sure what grade in school you learn about weather and its, one-year, 10-year and 100-year

RAY’S OPINION

storms. These are something that you cannot predict the day, month, or even which years these massive storms will hit.

However, you can predict that at some point they will hit, and it is the responsibility of Nova Scotia Power to be prepared for it as much as possible.

Part of Nova Scotia Power’s argument is that there are precedents for passing along storm costs, noting regulators in New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Grand Bahamas have allowed expenses for severe storms to be deferred and spread over several years.

Excuse me, these examples are not even from our country. It is simply not relevant and should not be used as an argument.

If we want to look beyond the Nova Scotia boarders, we can easily find examples of lower rates, better upkeep of infrastructure, better customer service (have you attempted to call their service department and experienced being on hold for ridiculous amounts of time as I have?).

For the many properties and businesses who lost so much during Hurricane Fiona and any other weather-related events my heart goes out to them.

However, this is the burden of business. When we invest or take a loss for improvements, to expand, or burden the rising costs, this comes out of the business’s pockets. For this government regulated businesses who provides an essential service, the profits keep rolling in and the costs are passed on to the ratepayers who have no alternative.

The year Fiona hit; Nova Scotia Power made millions of dollars. In fact, Emera Chief Executive Scott Balfour earned $8.2 million in salary, bonuses, and other benefits in 2021.

That’s about one-third of the cost of the damage caused by Hurricane Fiona.

Each time there is a massive weather event, we promote our gratitude for the men and women on the front lines who are out there doing the dangerous work to get our lights and sometimes even heat back on.

And they deserve it. It’s dangerous work in awful conditions. It is not the overpaid executives we are thanking, who allowed the conditions to deteriorate while reaping profits, putting these men and women in danger to restore the power. Had the maintenance been done over the years, as it should have, the costs of Hurricane Fiona may have been considerably less.

We do now see signs of basic, necessary maintenance being done to the infrastructure; however, years of neglect have put us all in the dark way too often.

Develop strategies that enable you to laugh

In times such as these, in which we are living, we must find strategies that enable us up to lighten up, to smile or, better yet, to laugh.

We need to put aside, as much as possible, the happenings within our lives, or elsewhere throughout the world, which cause us anxiety. One of our focuses should be on creating more positives in our lives. With that in mind, I have decided that today’s opinion will be in a lighter vein as we move into 2024.

With most of us being bombarded with negative subjects via the electronic media and current living realities I wanted get my mind on positive approaches to assist with the multiple stressors by which we are being confronted.

Last month I re-read Norman Cousins’ Anatomy of an Illness in which he emphasised the effects of our positive emotions to assist with positive chemical changes within our bodies and minds. One simple approach that Cousins advocated was laughter because it creates moods that enable other positive emotions to be put to work.

It is a medical fact that our bodies respond to laughter by building stronger immune systems thus causing heathier individuals. Much research has gone into how our bodies and brains are affected when we are in a negative state of mind versus being in a positive frame.

I have always enjoyed a laugh because it made me feel good.

Over the years I have adjusted my efforts at being humourous through my jokes or deeds for concern about that which I believe to be funny might not be taken the same way by another. Political correctness in these turbulent times has many of us fearful of unintentionally being offensive or insensitive towards others thus, I believe, there are fewer attempts at humour.

What I am observing is that laughter is not as spontaneous as in earlier times. I am not a medically certified individual nor am I suggesting a miracle cure for whatever ails us. My

argument today is people need to find more humour within their lives and strive to assist their bodies and minds to do what comes naturally: laugh to feel better.

One of my strategies is to use myself as the object of humour thereby eliminating any negative effects of my intended funniness since I am the character in my story. With that in mind I shall relate my recent – now humourous – plumbing experience that did not produce my intended results.

I was changing a water filter beneath my kitchen sink – as I had done numerous times. I had seated myself on the floor by the cupboard door to engage in my familiar task. The unfortunate thing that happened was that unknown to me at the time, I had misaligned the filter cartilage’s O-ring, so it was no longer a secure fit when I reassembled the device. Believing that my task was successfully done, I reached into the cupboard and turned on the main water supply. Unfortunately, water sprayed onto my face and almost all my clothing was soaked. Because they were my only garments not in the line of fire – nothing was dry except my socks.

Please put an image in your mind of me, seated on the floor with water spraying over me and shooting across the kitchen floor. Picture me looking into spray attempting to find the shut-off value and only my socks not getting wet. It is my wish that the sharing of my less-than-successful plumbing experience has caused you to smile, maybe to even have a laugh, and hopefully, to feel somewhat better.

I also want to use this opportunity to extend my sincere best wishes for you to have less anxiety and good health throughout all of 2024.

Ray Bates, Resident of Guysborough ‘Sedabooktook: harbour running far back’, Has been contributing his opinions to newspapers since 1998.

PUBLISHER Nicole Fawcett nicolefawcett@porthawkesburyreporter.com

EDITOR Drake Lowthers drakelowthers@porthawkesburyreporter.com

REPORTER Adam McNamara

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Charlie Teljeur

Tom Peters

Ray Bates

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Tom Peters

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Less than one month to World Cancer Day 2024 – Close the care gap

World Cancer Day 2024 is less than one month away!

Led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and organised every February 4, World Cancer Day is a global initiative to improve awareness and knowledge of cancer risks and actions to better prevent, detect, and treat the disease.

It has become one of the most celebrated health awareness days around the world.

This year marks the third and final year of the ‘Close the care gap’ campaign centred on the issue of equity. It engages individuals, organisations, and governments to reduce the numerous disparities that exist in health and the barriers many people encounter in accessing essential cancer services, even when they are available.

This year is about engaging world leaders and asking them to prioritise cancer, adopt strategies to address inequity, and invest resources to ensure that no-one dies from a preventable and

treatable cancer.

Last year’s World Cancer Day campaign saw over 850 activities and events take place in more than 100 countries, 125 iconic landmarks were illuminated across the globe, and more than 60 governments worldwide marked World Cancer Day.

The hashtag #WorldCancerDay trended on X (Twitter) globally throughout the day. There were over 20,000 press mentions and more than 430,000 social media posts were shared, including from top government officials and celebrities.

More than 95,000 campaign materials were downloaded from the website, including 11,500 Instagram filters used, and over 560 people registered for the World Cancer Day 5k Challenge.

Eric Grant, Communications and Media Manager, Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Solutions for ambulance concerns in Chéticamp area

People in the Acadian region (Chéticamp area) and many other regions around the province, are concerned about ambulances leaving their communities to care for people in an emergency elsewhere.

There are many reasons why this is happening. For one, we need more paramedics. Also, people in hospital beds waiting for nursing home beds (which we are starting to build in large numbers) are causing ambulances to have to wait for an open bed before they can transfer their patient.

I am particularly concerned about the strain this places on volunteer first responders, who don’t have the security of knowing there is an ambulance nearby to help them when they are helping us at the scene of an accident or some emergency health event.

What are the solutions to fix this?

Our government has been investing significantly in healthcare, and the people who work in healthcare. We are also using new ideas to help the system work better for everyone.

One solution is using community transit systems like l’Acabie to transfer patients (who are in stable condition) to their medical appointments in places like Sydney. This

provides funds to help the community transit system, and it is making use of a local resource to take some of the strain off the ambulance system.

Another solution we are working towards is creating the position of an emergency medical responder. They can drive an ambulance and be an extra set of hands to help a paramedic. Right now, our ambulances have two paramedics. So, this would free up the other paramedic to work with another emergency medical responder in another ambulance unit. This means more resources to meet the emergency calls received.

The first solution is now in place with l’Acabie. The second solution will be in place as soon as we can attract the people needed for those positions. We are working on other ideas that would keep resources in communities so that volunteer first responders will have help to stabilize someone in need. This can provide people a measure of confidence to know that if something happens in their community, resources will be there for them when they need it.

Allan MacMaster, Deputy Premier & MLA for Inverness

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Patients, providers suffer as ERs are overwhelmed yet again: CMA

Many emergency rooms (ERs) across the country are overflowing and patients across Canada are waiting far too long to receive necessary care. The scene is not new but unless we make major systemic changes, it will continue to repeat itself. Despite the tireless efforts of physicians, nurses and other health providers, testimonies from around the country illustrate that patients in some jurisdictions are waiting as long as 20 hours or longer to receive care.

Staff shortages and hospital overcrowding combined with poor access to high-quality team-based primary care are leaving hospital emergency departments woefully underresourced for the avalanche of patients with influenza, COVID-19, or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at this time of year.

No one wants to spend 20 hours waiting for the care they or their loved ones need. Solutions to ease the pain points for patients and providers are crucial. For instance, ERs shouldn’t be substitutes for walk-in clinics or primary care. We are facing a primary care crisis in this country, and we urgently need to find solutions.

CHARLIE’S COMICS

by Charlie Teljeur

The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) believes it is well past time to transform and rebuild the health care system, including investing upstream in team-based primary care.

The CMA is calling on provinces and territories to prioritize signing and implementing health care action plans to significantly increase access, improve working conditions, and modernize Canada’s health systems. One-in-five people in Canada do not have access to a primary care provider and cannot access timely care for episodic or urgent conditions, or comprehensive care for chronic conditions. As parliamentarians prepare for the winter session, we urge continued attention on health care with a particular focus on access to high-quality team-based primary care.

Without concerted collaboration and focus, we will continue to endure endless cycles of deterioration of our health systems and the people working within it.

Dr. Kathleen Ross Canadian Medical Association President

Canso ratepayers bring taxation concerns to MODG council

by Alec Bruce Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Guysborough Journal

GUYSBOROUGH: The Eastern Guysborough County Ratepayers Association (EGCRA) and staff for the Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG) locked horns at an open council meeting last week over the definition of fair taxation.

At issue was whether residents of Canso pay too much – or, conversely, whether residents of Guysborough pay too little – in municipal taxes for the public services they receive. The consolidated (base plus area) rate for Canso is $2.49 per $100 of assessed residential/resource property; Guysborough’s rate is approximately $1.

That, argued EGCRA representative Rob Carter during his PowerPoint presentation at the Jan. 3 Committee of the Whole meeting, is unfair.

“How is it that Guysborough residents enjoy substantially more local services than Canso does? Every taxpayer in the municipality chips in for Guysborough’s local service,” Carter asked. “On a typical middle-class home ... in Guysborough, it’s a $1,000 tax bill. In Canso, it’s $3,000 and $2,000 of that is for local services. So, they are sort of paying for local services for all of Canso and part of Guysborough. Those of us who live in all of the other remote areas ... pay at the pump ... to access [Guysborough-based] local services ... and nobody reimburses us for our mileage.”

What’s more, he said, the tax-rate discrepancy is a

disincentive to development in the area.

“Fishermen are doing well [in Canso] ...Vulcan Black Point [quarry] is on the way. Those are the kind of jobs you can get a mortgage with,” Carter said. “They’re paying living wages. It’s stable employment...The tax rate cuts off the oxygen to any chance of [new] homebuilding [here].”

Addressing council, he concluded the ratepayers want to work together, but they want a level playing field.

“They are asking for you folks to find appropriate tax rate adjustments to the annual rate setting process ...We’re not looking for answers today,” he said. “[But] if that doesn’t work, then we’re going to try to generate a little energy around. Recognizing that councillors are up for re-election later this year, we want that dialogue to happen.”

Responding on behalf of MODG, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Shawn Andrews noted that municipal staff had dug into the numbers and looked at each of the communities, Canso, and Guysborough,

“One to one ... It was a little bit of an eye-opener,” he said. “Fair taxation for MODG and all rural municipalities is about what you pay [for] the services you receive.”

In May 2015, Andrews said, the total tax bill on the average residential assessment of $38,498 in Canso was $904.

“And this was an all-encompassing tax bill – street lights, fire protection. Within the Canso rate was the charge for sewer, which is a separate charge for Guysborough, as well as Little Dover. In Guysborough, at that time, the average assessment was $110,143 and the total tax bill was $1,145 ... The difference between [the two tax bills] was $241,” he said. “[In 2023] the average assessment in Canso is $47,960 and

the average tax bill is $1,196. In Guysborough, the average assessment is $164,146 and the average tax bill is $1,848 ... So, now the difference between [the two tax bills] is $652.”

Andrews explained the basic premise is that the municipality has control over one item, and the province –through the Property Evaluation Services Corporation – has control over the other.

“Guysborough residents are paying $652 more [in] their taxes than Canso homeowners for approximately the same number of services,” he said. “And [if] we just take a standard three per cent inflation rate ... as the years go on, that gap gets wider and wider.”

In an interview with The Journal following the committee of the whole meeting last week, Harold Roberts, president of the Canso Area Development Association, said that while his organization has no authority or mandate to guide the issue, it continues to help EGCRA become both an advocate and a conduit between the municipality and the taxpayers.

“The idea is to bring clarity and get clarity,” he said. “There is a role for open dialogue around the whole process and the timeframes in which municipal tax rates are set.”

Last March, the municipality kept base taxes unchanged across the board: $0.77 per $100 of assessment for residential property and $2.74 per $100 of assessment for commercial property in MODG; and $1.51 per $100 of assessment for residential/resource property and $1.3470 per $100 of assessment for commercial property in Canso.

Council also increased the low-income tax exemption from $30,000 to $35,000, raising the rebate to $200 from $100.

Historic moment for Chéticamp, Councillor Claude Poirier

by Kathy McCluskey

PORT HOOD: Newly appointed Senator Rejean Aucoin took the time to attend the Municipality of the County of Inverness council meeting in Port Hood on Jan. 11, after he was invited by Councillor Claude Poirier.

Initially addressing the council in French, Senator Aucoin then said in English that he was very glad to be there.

“I have heard the names,” he said. “And now I can put the names to faces of people I haven’t met on council before.”

Aucoin said he was the first Acadian to be appointed to the Senate in 10 years and was the first ever from Chéticamp.

“It is my honour, I don’t know yet what my role will be, but I will do whatever I can to help,” he told the council. “I know important things are going on in the county.”

Senator Aucoin was a lawyer for more than 30 years and has been recognized as a leader in the Acadian community. He was officially sworn in on Nov. 21, 2023, to represent Nova Scotia in the Senate of Canada.

Councillor Poirier said he has known the Senator, all his life.

“We went to school together,” he said. “I asked our CAO, Keith MacDonald, if it would be okay to invite the Senator to a council meeting, [and] he said ‘Yes.’”

When asked what the appointment meant for him and for Chéticamp, Poirier highlighted it was a historic time for Chéticamp and that Senator Aucoin was known to be a strong advocate for the Acadian people.

“He will stand up for us,” he said. “He is a hard worker.”

Photo by Kathy McCluskey.

Senator Rejean Aucoin, left, and Inverness County District 1 Councillor Claude Poirier.

Joint session of Guysborough County councils planned for spring

by Alec Bruce Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Guysborough Journal

GUYSBOROUGH: The first joint session of Guysborough County’s three municipalities in several years is tentatively planned for spring, following a vote by the Municipality of the District of Guysborough’s (MODG) committee of the whole meeting.

“We’ve done it in the past, though I don’t remember how [long] ago, and I thought it was a great tool for building relationships with our neighbouring municipalities,”

Warden Vernon Pitts said at the meeting.

MODG Chief Administrative Officer Barry Carroll raised the possibility of gathering MODG, the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s (MODSM) and the Town of Mulgrave councils in a joint session sometime in April, during his regular committee of the whole report.

“It seemed like a good idea,” Carroll said, noting that a couple of St. Mary’s councillors had suggested the initiative at the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities meeting in November. “We could maybe host the first one... I don’t think we’d do presentations per se, but we could definitely ask each council to give us some agenda items and make sure that we’re all on an even playing field.”

In an interview with The Journal on Jan. 5, Carroll elaborated, it’s an opportunity for each council to put three or four items on an agenda.

“Whether that’s seeking input from each other on ideas for future developments or [something else]. We’ve all been supportive of each other on past initiatives in the county,” he said. “It’s probably good to bring everybody together to make sure that everybody can put a face to a name ... maybe a couple times a year [but] certainly on an annual basis.”

At the committee of the whole, Pitts highlighted he thinks they should go ahead and extend an invitation. Councillors voted unanimously to proceed.

Officer installation at local legion

One-cent increase in property assessments would equivalate $150,000 in revenue in Antigonish County by Drake Lowthers The Reporter drakelowthers@porthawkesburyreporter.com

ANTIGONISH COUNTY: Residents within the Municipality of the County of Antigonish are being reminded by their warden to keep an eye out for their 2024 property assessment notices in the mail.

Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC) have sent out the assessments, and residents wishing to appeal must have their appeals into PVSC, no later than Feb. 8.

Warden Owen McCarron told reporters following their regular monthly council meeting on Jan. 9, every year they remind people to look it over.

“Have a look at your assessment and compare it to last year’s and make sure there is no change that wasn’t prompted by you,” McCarron said. “So, we ask the public, just to be aware – if they have questions or concerns to reach out to PVSC; and if you’re appealing your property assessment, make sure that you get it in to PVSC before Feb. 8.”

After the deadline, the municipality doesn’t have any ability to make any changes to the assessments, which is why they encourage people to be mindful of the appeal period.

During the meeting, CAO Glen Horne indicated to the council, around 91 per cent of the houses across Antigonish County have capped assessments.

He also highlighted, a one-cent increase on all assessments would equivalate to $150,000 in revenue.

Warden McCarron explained people who have lived in their homes

for over five years see their assessments capped, with the assessments only changing based on the consumer price index.

“I think this year’s consumer price index was 3.2 per cent, so you’ll see the assessed value might rise more, but the capped value will be held at the 3.2 per cent,” he said. “It does provide some cushioning for long-term residents in their homes, people that sell homes, the cap comes off, and it will re-apply over time.”

When asked about the 91 per cent, McCarron said it speaks to the stability of people staying in their homes in Antigonish County.

“I would tend to think that’s a fairly high percentage, it speaks to the fact people take up home ownership and stay rooted in a community, but I don’t know how it would compare to other municipalities.”

• Curb Cutting

• Wall Sawing/Floor Cutting

• Demolition/Removal Service

• Core Drilling

Concrete

“WE’RE

Port Hawkesbury Literacy Council currently offers:

• High school equivalency (GED) preparation

• Essential skills classes for people looking to improve their communication, reading, writing, and math, as well as overcoming other barriers to employment

• Beginner and intermediate computer literacy classes (for people needing help with laptops/desktops, Chromebooks, iPads, smart phones)

Special guests included councillor Shawn Samson, Zone A Commander John Langley with District Deputy Commander Sylvester MacInnis acting as Sergent-at-Arms.

Photos by Adam McNamara.

Pictured are Royal Canadian Legion Branch 150’s newly installed officers for 2024 (back row) President, Edward Rideout; Past-President, Donald Goyetche; First Vice-president, Gerry Samson; Second Vice-president, Vincent Boudreau Jr; Secretary, Gloria Samson; Treasurer, Joan Clannon; Service Officer, Clive Samson; (font row) Sergeant-at-Arms, Benjamin Mury; Chaplain, Gerry Samson; Members-at-Large, Antoine Mury, Marlene Henry, and Lena Hennessey.

SID ROWE DIVISION

Hannah Ellis (rugby) was named a 2022-23 U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian and is now a six-time recipient, having taken advantage of the extra year of eligibility with the season lost due to the pandemic. Academic All-Canadians, are studentathletes who have achieved an 80 per cent average or above while consuming a year of eligibility competing for a varsity team.

StFX Athletics honors

83 U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians

ANTIGONISH: The StFX Department of Athletics honored its 2022-23 U SPORTS Academic All-Canadians on Jan. 11, at their annual celebratory breakfast. This year there were 83 Academic All-Canadians, those studentathletes who have achieved an 80 per cent average or above while consuming a year of eligibility competing for a varsity team.

“Celebrating a long-standing tradition of excellence in the classroom is a major highlight for all of us at StFX Athletics,” StFX Director of Athletics & Recreation Leo MacPherson commented. “Being named an Academic AllCanadian is a remarkable achievement given the dedication and commitment to their respective sports and requirement to manage multiple priorities as student-athletes.”

There was a total of 34 male and 49 female student-athletes: with the X-Women Soccer team having the highest percentage of any StFX team with 63 per cent of their team members earning the distinction. The X-Men Cross Country team had 50 per cent of their team named as Academic All-Canadians.

There were 33 first-time Academic AllCanadians, 23 student-athletes who received the honor for the second time in their career, and 18 who were three-time Academic All-

Canadians. Seven student-athletes earned the distinction of being a U SPORTS Academic AllCanadians for four years, including Jacob Benoit (cross country/track), Will Chapman (football), Kathleen Dolan (rugby), Christina Gentile (soccer), Sarah Lapensee (soccer), Amanda Smith (soccer) and Jay Turnsek (football).

Antigonish’s Josie Chisholm (hockey) was an impressive five-time Academic All-Canadian, and Hannah Ellis (rugby) was a six-time recipient, having taken advantage of the extra year of eligibility with the season lost due to the pandemic.

The Athletic Director’s awards for academic achievement, presented to the top StFX male and female academic student-athletes were Lauren Steinberg from the X-Women rugby team and Oliver Storseth from the X-Men soccer team.

The 2022-23 Academic All-Canadians were honored at a celebratory breakfast at the McKenna Centre where they received a certificate from U SPORTS along with a gift from the Department of Athletics for all the first-time award winners. All student-athletes were encouraged to invite a faculty member to accompany them to the breakfast.

The breakfast kicked off StFX Athletics Annual Faculty Appreciation Week.

Final Whistle Wisdom

by Charlie Teljeur www.charlieteljeur.com

I’m always intrigued when discussing how people deal with ethical dilemmas because rarely are they ever as cut and dried as we would like to believe they are. There is so much nuance to the world and if there’s one thing, we could all be a little bit better at is to try and understand the other side a little bit more.

The old “walk a mile in another man’s shoes” proverb.

In the final week of the NFL season, a situation occurred which begs the question “What would you have done?”

The New Orleans Saints were battling the Atlanta Falcons in what would turn out to be a meaningless game, given that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were simultaneously securing the division title they all wanted.

Regardless, the game turned into a bit of a blowout for the Saints, who ended up winning 48-17.

The dilemma in question happened at the very end of the game, when the Saints scored an unnecessary touchdown - while in victory formation, no less - even though the game was effectively over at that point.

Falcons’ Head Coach Arthur Smith was none too pleased at what he considered “a very unsportsmanlike act,” and let Saints’ Head Coach Dennis Allen have it during the post game handshakes.

He’s right. It was a disrespectful move although you might be surprised at how many people supported

Allen’s actions, using the standard argument about all being fair in love and war (and football).

Thing is, Coach Allen didn’t call that play.

Backup Quarterback Jameis Winston, who was finishing off the game for the starter, did. Turns out Winston was trying to do a favour for teammate Jamaal Williams, who had spent most of the season on Injured Reserve and was finally getting back into game action.

Williams, who had scored 17 touchdowns the year before as a member of the Detroit Lions, would have ended his first season in New Orleans without a touchdown had he not scored here.

Had Winston simply gone rogue or was he simply being a good teammate?

That’s one of the many things up for debate.

And there’s been lots of it, with both current and former players weighing in.

A large number supported Winston’s decision and called him a “great” teammate for doing what he did. At its core it could be looked at as a selfless act.

Others weighed in and one in particular aligned strongly to what I feel most about the situation.

Former player and Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe said this: “You’re in victory formation. The defense has already conceded. If you want to run the ball, line up (like usual).”

Sharp went so far as to say he thinks Winston should be cut or traded and called the play “loser’s mentality” for not only taking

advantage of an opponent but also for what it says for your lack of sportsmanship.

First off, he overruled his coach. While he may have won over some of his teammates for what he did, he undoubtedly lost the trust of his coach. Unless Winston apologizes in a very meaningful way (publicly, since the transgression was public) the head coach will never have his entire roster’s respect and you can’t run a football team with a dysfunctional chain of command.

Beyond that, Winston’s move doesn’t really consider the big picture. Helping a teammate, in the most basic sense, would never seem like a bad move but at what cost did you “earn” their respect?

For Williams that touchdown will always be tainted because it was done in an artificial situation. The Falcons assumed the game was basically over; the “white flag” formation symbolized that. And a number simply for number’s sake is just plain selfish.

No matter who condones it.

By going rogue, Winston not only disrespected the Falcons but also his head coach, putting the touchdown ahead of so many other things bigger than the game itself. Winning and losing both have vital lessons to teach and whatever points he thinks he earned with his move, he lost a lot more in terms of trust and respect. It all comes down to the difference between having a record and having a legacy and your actions will determine which one you eventually earn.

Adam Tkacz

Basketball Capers to tip off versus rival Huskies

SPORTS CBU women win, men lose at UPEI

by Corey LeBlanc

SYDNEY: The Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers will hit the road for Atlantic University Sport (AUS) basketball action this weekend versus the Saint Mary’s Huskies in Halifax.

The CBU women will take the court on back-to-back evenings – both at 6 p.m. –followed by the men’s contests (8 p.m.) at The Tower.

The Caper women – who are in fifth place in the conference, with a 5-7 mark – scored their first regular season victory of 2024 on Saturday (Jan. 13) in Charlottetown.

in 12 points and eight rebounds in the

loss to

Panthers

Cape Breton proud

Photo contributed by Canadian History Ehx.

On Jan. 3, 1883, Duncan Gillis was born in Cape Breton, and later competed for Canada in the hammer throw at the 1912 Summer Olympics - he won silver. Gillis was the first person to serve as Canada’s flag bearer during the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, and he died in 1963.

In a 72-64 triumph over the UPEI Panthers, All-Canadian forward Kiyara Letlow led the Capers with a doubledouble – 26 points and 20 rebounds –while adding four assists in 38 minutes on the floor.

Junior guard Chermensa van la Parra – in 39 minutes – contributed 14 points, five assists, three rebounds and one steal.

Marion Bridge native Hailey MacLeod added 12 points, three steals, two assists and two rebounds.

The Capers, who led 57-43 after three quarters, held off a late charge from the hometown Panthers to seal the win.

Letlow, who has fashioned a doubledouble in every game this season, is averaging a conference-best 21 points and 15.4 rebounds per game.

On the men’s side, the fifth-place Capers – one-of-five AUS teams with a 6-6 record – could not recover from surrendering 60 points in the first half and trailed by 21 points (60-39) heading to the locker room.

A 29-point fourth quarter by the Capers was not enough to rally from the sizeable halftime deficit.

First-year guard Shakael Pryce led CBU with 22 points, one of four Caper starters that scored in double figures.

Aaron Cunningham meshed 13 points, while adding seven rebounds and five steals.

Sydney native Mitchell Mersereau chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds, while veteran forward Tyson Cato added 10 points.

Off the bench, Ceejay Hanson and Jahnian Simmonds contributed nine and eight points, respectively in the Capers 102-88 loss to the Panthers.

Pryce is third in the AUS scoring race at 19.8 points per game.

MacLeod added 12 points, three steals, two assists and two rebounds in a 72-64 victory over the UPEI Panthers on Jan. 13

The Capers will return to their home court at Sullivan Fieldhouse when they host the rival StFX X-Women and X-Men on Friday, Jan. 26.

The women’s match-up is set for 6 p.m., followed by the men’s contest at 8 p.m.

The Capers are fighting for a spot in the 2024 AUS Basketball Championships – presented by Bell and G-Series – which are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 23 to Sunday, Feb. 25 at the Scotiabank Centre in downtown Halifax.

The CBU women are shooting for an opportunity to capture the program’s first AUS banner since 2017, while the men won their last conference crown in 2013.

Bulldogs snarl Eagles in romp

by Drake Lowthers The Reporter drakelowthers@porthawkesburyreporter.com

ANTIGONISH: If it wasn’t for the first period in Antigonish on Jan. 12, the final score between the Antigonish Bulldogs and Eskasoni Eagles would have been a lot closer than 10-2.

But unfortunately, for the Eagles, they had to play the opening stanza, and this is where the wheels started to fall off the tractor, as the Bulldogs took a commanding 8-0 lead into the first intermission.

Zachary Lorette scored four times for the Bulldogs, netting the first two goals of the game, and scoring twice more in the third period.

Tully Grant finished with a four-point night, scoring one goal and three assists;

while Nick Marshall, Ethan Towlan, Logan McGrath all found the back of the net for the Bulldogs.

Before the conclusion of the first period, Will Fitzsimmons netted his 12th goal of the season, while Sam Grant registered his 10th goal.

Joshua Novak and Noah MacKinnon found the back of the net for the Eagles, who remain one position back of the Pictou County Scotians in the race to the wire for the fourth and final playoff position in the Sid Rowe Division.

Antigonish improved to 22-1-1 on the year, while the Eagles find themselves with an 8-15 record.

Photos contributed by CBU Athletics. Marion Bridge native Hailey

Sydney native Mitchell Mersereau chipped

Capers 102-88

the UPEI

The Big Ride to cycle along Route 19, Celtic Shores Coastal Trail

by Kathy McCluskey

ROUTE 19: The Ceilidh Coastal Trail, the 22-km section from Port Hastings to Chisolm’s Brook (Long Point) will be busy with cyclists the first weekend of summer.

Though it seems along way off in the middle of winter, registration is now open for participants of The BIG RIDE event coming June 21-23.

Over three days, participants will bike, hike, and take in world-class scenery and enjoy down-home hospitality that only Cape Breton can offer.

Cyclists will bike the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail, stay overnight in Inverness at the Inverness Beach Village cottages, hike the Cape Mabou Trail, and bike back to their start point. Riders can choose to either cycle 50-kms from the Port Hood Trailhead to Inverness or do the full trail, 90-kms from the Troy Station Trailhead to Inverness.

Though the event is a project of GIVETOLIVE based out of Halifax, funds raised from registration fees and sponsors go directly to advance cancer research through the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, at Dalhousie University, for cancer research in all Atlantic Canada.

Each year The BIG RIDE fundraising

challenge goes to a different location, and this year they’ve chosen the Celtic Shores Coastal Trail.

Tracy Ashley, Events and Operations Manager with The BIG RIDE has been working with local trail volunteers, like Laureen Murphy

and Amy Beaton, the two Public Relations Events Committee members of Celtic Shores Coastal Trail.

“It’s just mind boggling. There’s so much to discuss,” Murphy said. “We have to make sure the trail is in good shape, that the signage is good. It’s a recreational facility at no cost to the user and we want to showcase the trail, but with more trail users comes more trail maintenance and it causes us to look inward. Do we have enough parking? Do we have enough washrooms?”

Though the trail does not receive any direct financial support from events such as The BIG RIDE that is expected to draw between 80 to 100 participants, data collected on the numbers of users of the trail does get reflected at the time of requisitioning for funding.

Even given that, Murphy said she feels quite strongly that since the County of Inverness is directly benefiting from events such as this, a paid co-ordinator with the municipality would be helpful and a great asset to the volunteers as more and more users come to the western coast of Cape Breton.

An information session on The BIG RIDE will be held January 24th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm in Halifax and can be accessed by zoom as well for local cyclists. More information can be found at www. givetolive.ca

Photos courtesy of Nova Scotia Vehicle Spotters. Seen at Bayside Travel Centre in Paqtnkek, these classic cars were loaded near Petawawa, Ont. heading to a private collector near Gander, Newfoundland.

Empowering accessibility

by Drake Lowthers The Reporter drakelowthers@porthawkesburyreporter.com

FREDERICTON, N.B.: A Port Hawkesbury couple is making moves posthumously at their alma mater in New Brunswick, empowering accessibility for students with mobility challenges.

The James and Rilla McLean Memorial Bursary, valued at a minimum of $8,000, will be awarded for the first time in September 2024 to at least one undergraduate student per year who demonstrates financial need.

Director of Financial Aid at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), Shelly Clayton told The Reporter on Jan. 8, preference will be given to students with mobility challenges, such as spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis.

Rilla was born with a rare genetic disorder, one of the side effects of which was sensory neuropathy.

Rilla was born with a rare genetic disorder, one of the side effects of which was sensory neuropathy. Her mobility increasingly lessened throughout her life until eventually she required the full-time use of a wheelchair. However, the wheelchair did not slow her down.

In 2006, when Jim McLean and his wife, Rilla were considering including UNB in their gift planning, they reached out to the Office of Development and Donor Relations to discuss a potential bequest.

Over the next few years, they worked together with development staff to create an award that was both meaningful to them and supportive of the diverse community of students at UNB.

“I think the whole ray of the financial landscape has changed significantly; from my understanding, the way it was, it was more of a loan-based program, rather than a grantbased program,” Clayton said. “Historically, students with disabilities would have had greater challenges in years past, because now there’s accommodations and accommodations are only leveling the playing field.”

She highlighted depending on one’s disability, they may have to pay for an attendant, a specialized taxi, or different specialized services that a student without a disability wouldn’t have to pay for.

“This bursary allows those who are not in that grade-point average to gain access to support,” Clayton said. “They might be A students, but that’s not the criteria, the criteria is based on financial need, and if they are an A-plus students, that’s just a bonus.”

Two of Jim and Rilla’s volunteer commitments in the local Port Hawkesbury area were the Strait Accessibility Awareness Committee, working to improve accessibility in the town and its buildings, and the InvernessRichmond Society for Persons with Disabilities.

The McLean’s also gave their time to the Terry Fox Run, the Nova Scotia Trails Association, their church, and the local historical society and museum.

In 2000, Rilla was honoured with Canadian Airlines’ National Award for her demonstration of the spirit of volunteerism. She and Jim worked tirelessly to increase accessibility in their hometown, and Rilla was passionate about creating opportunities for individuals with mobility challenges.

“She was so determined to do anything for anyone with a disability,” Rilla’s sister, Joan (Tapley) Cass said in a release. Jim passed away in 2010, and Rilla in 2022; as one memory on Rilla’s obituary noted, “From her wheelchair, Rilla could move mountains,” and the McLeans’ legacy will continue to move mountains for those with physical disabilities at UNB, for years to come.

Top tips to get ready for tax time

If there’s one thing you can count on every year, it’s that April 30 – or the first business day after it – is the deadline for filing our taxes. Are you ready? If not, here are four tips to help you plan for the big day.

If you’re a salaried full-time employee, organizing your taxes should be fairly easy. Get your T4 from your employer and collect any earnings slips for your investments. But if you’re self-employed or run a business, there is a lot of paperwork to go through, with receipts for expenses from stationery and client meals to equipment and work-related travel. The sooner you get those organized, the easier it will be to complete your tax return.

Note that if you are self-employed, the deadline for filing your taxes is June 17, 2024, but if you owe any money on your return that will be due on April 30, or you’ll face penalties and interest for late payment.

This year, the deadline to make contributions to your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) and get the deduction on your 2023 taxes is Feb. 29, 2024. Any amount you invest in RRSPs will be deducted from your annual income for the year, and potentially earn you a refund. If you do get one, consider investing it in your tax-free savings account (TFSA), the registered educational savings plans (RESP) you have for the kids or

get an early start on next year’s RRSPs. You’re required to keep any receipts or other documents related to your taxes for six years after filing. Once you’ve completed your 2023 return, pull out any 2017 or older documents and get rid of them. You should also purge any documents you filed away but don’t really need, such as receipts for things you can’t claim as deductions. Use a shredder to destroy anything that has personal information on it, including your social insurance number or your signature to protect yourself from fraud.

If you own a business and are not already using cloud-based accounting

software, this is the year you should look into one. With a cloudbased accounting program such as FreshBooks, you can automate things like invoicing and sending out latepayment reminders to help with your cash flow. Everything is also automatically backed up and you can give remote access files to team members who need them. And you can set up your accountant within the platform, which gives them real-time access to your financial data so they can offer you the best help. Small business owners can also apply for the Canada Digital Adoption Program to help fund cloud-based.

– News Canada

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Photos contributed.

The James and Rilla McLean Memorial Bursary, valued at a minimum of $8,000, will be awarded for the first time in September 2024 to at least one undergraduate student per year who demonstrates financial need.

Centre Stage

London-born comedian bringing laughs to Pictou County Legion

Column by Stephen Cooke

Living on the East Coast of Canada, it’s hard to shake a life-long obsession with the British Isles, stemming from a childhood steeped in U.K. pop culture thanks to a CBC-TV schedule that included such fare as Monty Python’s Flying Circus, The Goodies, Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings and yes, even that warhorse Coronation Street, which is one of the last vestiges of telly from Old Blighty that still graces the national public airwaves.

But it always felt like a one-way obsession, there was little indication that anyone on the other side of the pond gave Canada any consideration at all, which is why it was such a refreshing change of pace 10 years ago when Londonraised comedian James Mullinger was drawn to the Maritimes by his New Brunswickborn wife Pam, a professional

Photos

by Kelly Lawson.

On Friday, Jan. 19, Mullinger brings his 10 Years in Canada show to Pictou County.

working in the magazine industry. They settled in the Saint John area (full disclosure: they now live in a house formerly owned by this writer’s cousins, the Seeley family), and Mullinger set about continuing his comedy career from the perspective of an outsider looking in. On stage and on camera, he offers up wry observations of our foibles and funny ways while undergoing the process of becoming a Canadian himself and finding himself welcomed with open arms via the insights offered in his standup act, comedy specials and recent biography Brit Happens: Or Living the Canadian Dream.

On Friday, Jan. 19, Mullinger brings his 10 Years in Canada show to Pictou County, a part of the province he has a great fondness for based on past appearances at the deCoste Centre. But while that venue continues its ongoing renovations, he’s keen to make his debut at the Pictou Royal Canadian Legion, which is one of the stages that has stepped up to fill the gap while the town’s leading arts venue gets refurbished.

“I love Legions, it can only be a good sign,” says the comic from his Rothesay home, where he was preparing for a special two-night stand at Digby Pines Resort. “And I’ve always loved Pictou County, I always do research before I visit a community, and years ago I learned Pictou County has the most politicians per capita than any place in the world. That’s something you can have fun with; if you love politics, that is the place to live.”

Mullinger has dug deep into East Coast lore as part of the development of his act, which he took to a wider audience eight years ago with his Bell Aliant series Blimey! An Englishman in

Music Nova Scotia announces 0%PEN BAR: Non-Alcoholic beer tasting and industry per mixer

HALIFAX: Join Music Nova Scotia during Dry January for networking and peer-to-peer conversations on sobriety in the music industry.

Hosted by Labatt at the Alexander Keith’s Brewery on Lower Water Street in Halifax on Jan. 25 from 6 – 8 p.m., 0%PEN BAR is intended to provide a space for exploration, discussion, and support while navigating sober-curiosity in an industry that is closely tied to alcohol consumption.

Non-Alcoholic drink selections are provided by Labatt and will be presented by Anna Wall from the Alexander Keith’s team, who will open the event by speaking about non-alcoholic brands, tasting notes, and the growing importance of nonalcoholic in the industry.

Participants can sip and chat with ECMA Peer Supporters who will be leading round-tables as part of their Pledge to Pause Campaign throughout the evening.

Atlantic Canada, which chronicled his adaptation to life here and pursuit of a cross-country comedy career. More recently he returned to telecom’s Bell Fibe TV1 platform for the sitcom Brit Out of Water, shot in northern New Brunswick with his collaborator Adam Lordon, who co-wrote and directed the six episodes.

Lordon wasn’t just a valued partner in creating Brit Out of Water — about a fictional comic who is forced to leave the U.K. after Brexit — he’s also the Mayor of Miramichi, which helped immensely when it came to shooting the first Englishspeaking sitcom set entirely in New Brunswick.

“It was a lot of fun, and my kids played my kids on the show, and that was a weird thing. Being away with them, working with them every day was great,” Mullinger said. “They didn’t need much direction, their job was to wind me up and roast me, which is what they do every day anyway, so it was a busman’s holiday for them.”

Currently, the comedian is touring the country with material he developed — and continues to shape — celebrating his decade of living in Canada, which he shared with fans when he posted last April’s Imperial Theatre show in Saint John on YouTube.

You can also see his act develop a more deeply personal vein when he discusses how he was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and reflects on how that affected his childhood by reading teachers’ comments on his old report cards.

Since telling his life story in his book Brit Happens, Mullinger suggested he’s become more comfortable with bringing his more vulnerable side to the stage. But at the same time, he still wants to show that side in a humourous way to which audiences can relate.

“The routine has expanded quite a lot since then, and when I open up more about things like being bullied, I’m always wary of the audience feeling sorry for me, or feeling sad rather than laughing,” he said. “I want them to know we’re all laughing together. For years, I was being laughed at, and now we can laugh together about it, so let’s enjoy it and don’t feel sad, because that will make me feel sad if you sit there in silence and I feel like I’ve really upset you all.”

Tickets for James Mullinger’s 10 Years in Canada show at the Pictou Legion on Friday, Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. are available online at decostecentre.ca, and by calling 1-800-353-5338.

Artist Deanne Fitzpatrick’s work on display at J. Franklin Wright Art Gallery

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

PORT HAWKESBUY: On Jan. 18, Nova Scotia’s well-known rug hooker, Deanne Fitzpatrick’s exhibit opens at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre’s, J. Franklin Wright Art Gallery and artist Fitzpatrick likens her work to “paintings with wool”.

A recent Order of Canada recipient, Fitzpatrick has been working in the medium of rug hooking for 34 years and said the first time she tried it, she knew it was what she wanted to do.

“It’s really, really meditative and a soothing stitch and with one stitch you can do so much,” she said.

This is the first time Fitzpatrick’s work is on display in Cape Breton and the exhibit, which is called Finding your Way Through the Deep, will feature 12 hooked rugs of various sizes mounted on the walls of the gallery.

Fitzpatrick said the exhibit showcases how rug hooking is a very meditative craft.

“I think what rug hooking does is sometimes it sooths us, sometimes it brings up questions for us, sometimes it helps us meet ourselves,” she said. “And I think that’s what the story is about.”

Fitzpatrick began making rugs for practical reasons and after two years that all changed

when she made an image of her childhood home in Newfoundland – this creation made her realize she could tell a story through her work.

“I just saw how you could be so expressive with it and how you could tell a story with it,” she said. “And then the rug sort of evolved into art.”

When a rug is beginning to take shape, Fitzpatrick said she has an idea at first of what she will be creating, but admits sometimes the mistakes can be the real adventure.

“Right now, I’m doing a bunch of cliffs and I do have an idea, but the real beauty is what happens when you let your idea go and let it transform itself, that’s the magic,” she explained.

Not completely knowing what the final product will be is all part of the adventure, she said.

“The mistakes can be a real adventure and I think a habit of constantly correcting your mistakes and erasing what you did is not the best habit when making art,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think you have to show up and you have to do it and you have to be there. And you can’t try to control every stitch and you have to keep going forward.”

Finding your Way Through the Deep is open until March 12, and Fitzpatrick will be present at the gallery on March 7.

StFX student Brady Webb qualifies to compete in world piping competition

by Drake Lowthers The Reporter drakelowthers@porthawkesburyreporter.com

ANTIGONISH: Brady Webb’s upcoming year is going to be a big one.

The award-winning bagpiper from Westville, was the Grade 1 (the highest level of competence in amateur piping) Overall winner at The Competition League for Amateur Solo Pipers (The CLASP) ‘Live Online’ competition on Nov. 11, 2023.

The StFX education student has qualified for the new World Amateur Solo Piping Champion of Champions event, which CLASP will host on April 27. This new contest aims to showcase the world’s best 10 amateur solo pipers competing for the title.

Webb suggested to say he was excited about this win was an understatement, as he placed first in the piobaireachd, first in the march, second in the strathspey and reel, and second in the jig during the Live Online.

“First of all, I went into this competition knowing that all the other pipers I would be going up against are at the top of their game,” he said. “They are truly all great pipers so it could have easily been anyone’s win. This time it was mine and for that, I am extremely pleased.”

The university student learned he was the winner in early December, through a live Facebook announcement, where CLASP, which is affiliated with the National Piper Centre in Glasgow, Scotland, revealed the winners of the competition as well as announced the overall Grade 1 winner who earned an invitation to the Champion of Champions, established to honour CLASP’s 20th year as a league.

Webb suggested it means a great deal to him to quality for the world event.

“I feel very honoured to have earned an invitation to this new and inaugural event. The CLASP is highly respected amongst many, especially those involved in piping and drumming, so to be recognized by them means a lot,” he said. “I know that the other nine pipers I will be competing against are the best of the best.”

Webb explains he entered the Live Online event after discussing things with his piping instructor. As usual, he entered both the light music category, which involves performing in three different sets of tunes, and the piobaireachd category.

A piobaireachd is classical music for the great highland bagpipes, and it tends to range

in technical skills and is often quite longer in duration than light music.

Grade 1 pipers must ensure two to three tunes are learned by memory for each of the classes they enter. They must submit this list and then, at the time of the competition, it is up to the judge, adjudicating the classes, to decide what will be performed.

“Piping judges are extremely skilled and professional pipers who have been recognized and accredited by piping associations,” Webb said, highlighting over the course of a month before the competition, he spent most of his free time practicing. “At first, it was a bit of a challenge to find a place on campus to do this, but thanks to Father Donald MacGillivray at the University Chapel, I managed to find a place.”

Points are awarded for each placing and the piper with the most points becomes the overall winner.

As solo competitive pipers, the StFX student explained everyone dedicates a great deal of time and effort to this art.

“They all deserve this recognition too,” Webb said. “And I wish them all the best of luck.”

He suggested as long as he can remember, he has loved the sound of the bagpipes and has always wanted to be a piper.

“I think the pipe bands in local parades sparked my interest. I started asking for lessons when I was four years old but was too young. By age six, I started learning the chanter and at age nine, started on full pipes. By the time I was 10, I started competing in local highland games,” Webb said. “In addition to being a solo piper, I have also been a member of two provincial pipe

bands throughout the years. Overall, piping has provided me with many great learning opportunities. It has led me to travel around North American and the U.K., plus meet many great people of all ages along the way. We all share a common interest; one that brings us altogether.”

This summer, he, along with his pipe band, Dartmouth & District, will be going to Scotland to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships. While there, he also plans to compete in some solo piping events.

“I am really looking forward to it.”

Through his years piping, Webb indicates he has had the privilege to be involved in many great events both locally and abroad, noting every year, he competes in numerous Highland Games, including the one in Antigonish.

“I have been fortunate to receive many awards ranging from Piper of the Day to placing first in the Atlantic Canada Piobaireachd Challenge, which usually takes place in the spring of each year. I have been recognized by the Atlantic Canada Pipe Band Association and have been awarded a variety of awards from the association,” Webb said. “Looking back, my third-place finish in the CLASP’s online 2022 World Solo Amateur Piping Championships, my first-place finish in the Kamloops’s Highland Games and my first-place finish in the Grade 1 Piobaireachd category at this past year’s Glengarry Highland Games in Ontario, which is part of the North American Championships, would rank as my most memorable accomplishments.”

In addition, he was very excited when his pipe band, Dartmouth & District, placed first in the

North American Pipe Band Championships in 2019 and again in 2023.

Besides competing, Webb has enjoyed piping in many local community events including fundraisers.

“That’s what is so great about piping. It’s not just about competing. It’s truly about enjoying a particular type of music and being able to share it with others in lots of different ways. I feel truly blessed to have had all these opportunities and look forward to what may lie ahead.”

Photo contributed.

Pictured is Deanne Fitzpatrick with one of her pieces. Fitzpatrick has been told that her stitched rug work also looks like a painting.

Photo contributed.

Bady Webb has qualified for the new World Amateur Solo Piping Champion of Champions event, showcasing the world’s best 10 amateur solo pipers competing for the title.

SRCE welcomes greater voice for school advisory councils

by Alec Bruce Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Guysborough Journal

GUYSBOROUGH: The provincial government’s recent decision to give community-led school advisory councils (SACs) in Nova Scotia more say over local decisions has received a gold star from the Strait Regional Centre for Education (SRCE).

“Any time we are able to hear first-hand and connect with members of our school communities and receive advice that reflects and supports the best interests of students, we see as a positive step,” SRCE Coordinator of Communications Deanna Gillis said in an email to The Journal.

The province announced major changes to the advisory bodies on December 1, providing them with grants of up to $10,000 to develop projects that support student well-being and achievement; support for an annual conference; greater representation for parents and guardians; and more input on funding decisions.

According to the announcement, the moves are designed to increase “transparency in the public school system and strengthen the voices of local families [and] students ... Families will be better able to connect with and get answers from schools, regional centres for education (RCEs) and Conseil scolaire acadien provincial (CSAP).”

That’s good news, according to the SRCE,

which operates 20 schools in Antigonish, Guysborough, Inverness, and Richmond Counties – including Chedabucto Education Centre/Guysborough Academy, Fanning Education Centre/Canso Academy, and St. Mary’s Education Centre/Academy.

“The SRCE values the important work and integral role SACs fulfil in supporting student success at the regional and school community level,” Gillis said.

Since 2018, when provincial Englishlanguage school boards were replaced with regional centres for education, SACs have offered advice on specific policies and practices at Nova Scotia’s 370 primary and secondary institutions.

But its members – parents, students, community members, teachers, and support staff – have often complained that they’ve had little influence on administrators and elected officials, which as a result in 2021, the provincial government launched its Strengthening Local Voices in Education initiative.

“The SRCE shared the invitation to participate directly with families, staff, school advisory councils and partners so they were aware of how to provide input and participate in the public engagement consultation process,” Gillis said. “We are looking forward to hosting the new public engagement sessions with parents, guardians and regional leaders as well as working with the new regional student advisory committee.”

The changes are expected to be implemented in 2024.

Healthcare improvement challenge voting results

HALIFAX: More technology, better communication and new ways of working are among the top ideas selected by Nova Scotians in Healthcare Improvement Challenge voting.

The contest, launched in October, received more than 2,200 submissions from healthcare providers and people in jobs linked to healthcare in Nova Scotia. Their ideas were narrowed down to a shortlist of 20 that were voted on by the public to determine the Top 10.

Nova Scotians voted for up to three ideas from 20 options; there were a of total 20,392 votes from 8,722 people with public voting opening on December 20 and closing on January 8.

“The people who know our healthcare system best told us what common-sense, lowcost and easy-to-implement improvements we could make, and Nova Scotians chose those they felt would have the biggest impact,” Premier Tim Houston said. “The votes are in and now it’s time for us to get to work to make them happen.”

The Top 10 ideas are now priorities, and the government will work with health-system partners to implement them, where feasible.

Ideas that did not make the Top 10 or the shortlist may also be considered.

Healthcare Improvement Challenge Top 10:

- A no-show or missed appointment is an appointment someone else could use to receive care. Set up a text notification system that reminds patients of their appointment date, time, and location.

- Provide patients the option to receive appointment letters by email instead of posted mail. This would save money, reduce noshows and missed appointments, and reduce waste.

- Allow for audiologists to send direct referrals to ear, nose, and throat (ENT) physicians instead of making patients go to

their primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) to get this referral.

- Support continuing care assistants to work to their full scope of practice (for example let them take vitals). This change would reduce the pressure on nurses who can spend that time providing better patient care.

- Install screens or monitors in all emergency departments that show publicly available wait times, public health information, and other related information about what a patient should expect in the emergency department.

- Enable hospital caller ID so patients can see when the hospital calls. Many people don’t answer unknown numbers, and if the patient doesn’t list their name in their voicemail, a message can’t be left. This creates delays in patient services.

- Stop using emergency departments for pre-operative bloodwork for patients scheduled to have a Monday morning procedure. It creates added pressure in emergency departments. Instead, offer them priority bloodwork appointments before the weekend.

- Allow patients to pre-register online by sending them a link to fill out a form in advance of their surgery or specialist appointment. This will make intake for nurses working in clinics or pre-operative settings faster.

- Develop a registration app. Patients enter their information and it generates a QR code. Clerks can scan this on arrival for their appointment. It would save time, remove data coding errors, and could be linked with the new e-referral initiative.

- If you can book a diagnostic imaging appointment (MRI, ultrasound, etc.) online, you should be able to cancel online. Give patients the option to cancel these appointments online.

HALIFAX: Nova Scotians will get the care they need, faster, with new funding from the federal government.

The three-year, $355-million agreement will help increase access to primary, mental health and addictions care, support healthcare workers, and allow the system to add more cutting-edge technology that offers better, faster care.

“We’re well on our way in implementing Action for Health, our road map for transforming healthcare in Nova Scotia, and changes across the system are making meaningful impacts on the front lines and beyond,” Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson said. “We’re actively building the healthcare system all Nova Scotians need and deserve, and we are pleased the federal government shares our vision and will provide some additional funding to support us in our work.”

The agreement focuses on four shared health priorities that will help improve healthcare for Nova Scotians, including: expanding access to family health services, including in rural and remote areas; supporting healthcare workers and reducing backlogs; improving access to publicly funded mental health and addictions services; and modernizing health systems with data and digital tools.

“Universal public healthcare is a priority and a point of pride for Canadians. Canadians are counting on us to work together to address the ongoing challenges we are experiencing within our healthcare systems,” Federal Minister of Health Mark Holland said. “This agreement and action plan, which reflects Nova Scotia’s priorities, is one more step in the right direction and will help to expand access to care across the province. Together with all provinces and territories, we will improve Canada’s healthcare system for everyone.”

Launched in April 2022, Action for Health is the province’s strategic plan to improve

healthcare. Nova Scotians have access to regularly updated data that measures progress on improving the province’s healthcare system for patients and providers.

“Two years ago, we made a commitment to Nova Scotians: to make mental health and addictions care available to everyone as part of our publicly funded healthcare system – a Canadian first,” Minister of Addictions and Mental Health Brian Comer said. “With this funding from the federal government, we’ll be able to continue the momentum we’ve built during that time to connect even more people to the mental health and addictions care they need, faster.”

Some key initiatives include:

- The Patient Access to Care Act, which makes it quicker and easier for healthcare providers to come to Nova Scotia from other parts of Canada; licensing is now much faster for doctors, nurses and pharmacists who have trained elsewhere

- Adding and expanding primary care clinics, collaborative care teams, mobile clinics, and pharmacy clinics

- Expanding VirtualCareNS to give all Nova Scotians access to primary care online

- Supporting more healthcare education with investments in new nursing programs and more seats; a new medical school in Cape Breton; expanded paramedic training; and more residency spaces

- Opening the province’s first mental health acute day hospital and new recovery support centres for people seeking help with substance abuse or gambling

- Building new, modern long-term care facilities across the province, providing thousands of new and replacement single rooms to help meet the care needs of Nova Scotia’s aging population

- Amending the Health Services and Insurance Act to establish insured service programs to deliver mental health and addictions care as part of a publicly funded healthcare system.

YOUR ONLINE SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS

Isaacs Harbour building saved from demolition

Nova Scotia to advance cancer care research, treatment

NOVA SCOTIA: Cancer patients in Nova Scotia will be some of the first to access new technology and innovative programs developed in the fight against the disease over the next decade.

Nova Scotia Health and Varian, a U.S.-based Siemens Healthineers company that provides cancer care technologies, have entered a 10-year multi-disciplinary oncology partnership that includes utilizing artificial intelligence in digital imaging and will modernize the way cancer care is delivered in the province and around the world.

“Fixing healthcare in our province means keeping pace with the latest advancements in technology, equipment and training,” Premier Tim Houston said. “This partnership will foster a future where cancer care is a journey filled with hope, support and unparalleled advancements.”

The partnership will provide Nova Scotia with new, state-of-the-art equipment and software to expand the ongoing oncology transformation project across the province.

The benefits will include expansion of the provincial cancer screening and cancer survivorship programs; earlier detection of cancers with improved diagnostics; treatments that are less invasive and more personalized; and improved outcomes for patients.

Nova Scotia Health will invest up to $224 million over the next 10 years in the project. That includes $175 million to purchase hardware, software, and digital solutions and services, and $49 million for renovations to accommodate new equipment and create new positions to support the project.

“Every Nova Scotian will be touched by cancer sometime in their lifetime - either they will receive a diagnosis, or a family member or friend will. When that happens, they need to know we have the tools to fight back,” President and CEO, Nova Scotia Health Karen Oldfield said. “Our partnership with Varian means that Nova Scotia is not merely witnessing change; we are steering it, ensuring that every individual facing the challenges of cancer experiences the very best in care, compassion and innovation.”

Varian has also committed up to $50 million over the same period to open a new office in Halifax that will create at least 60 jobs. The Halifax office will work with Nova Scotia Health to develop a digital imaging concept around artificial intelligence.

“We are so impressed with the magnitude and breadth of Nova Scotia Health’s ambition to not only stay on the cusp of advances in cancer care but also contribute to creating those advances so that patients around the world can receive better, more effective, more co-ordinated care,” Head of Varian Arthur Kaindl said. “This agreement brings to life our shared commitment to providing solutions across the cancer care continuum by addressing the needs of clinicians, program leaders and the patients we all ultimately serve.”

by Alec Bruce Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Guysborough Journal

ISAACS HARBOUR: A 100-year-old building recently scheduled for demolition in Isaacs Harbour has a new lease on life thanks to Water and View Estates Development of Antigonish, which bought the property from the Municipality of the District of Guysborough (MODG) for $21,000.

“Council decided to rescind its earlier motion [at the Jan. 3 committee of the whole] to demolish the building,” Chief Administrative Officer Barry Carroll told The Journal in an interview. “Obviously, it was going to cost between $20,000 and $30,000 to dispose of, so this was a better financial decision.”

According to Water and View Estates’ bid, Carroll said, the company – which has a 20year track record of buying and developing properties in the districts of St. Mary’s and Guysborough – intends to turn the formerly doomed former medical centre into residential housing or a “mix of office and residential space.”

In an interview, Water and View Estates’ CEO Steffen Mangold said the final shape of the development will depend on the proceedings of the Signal Gold mining project and also the wind projects.

“That is, whether we are going to have mixed use for business, which means office space, or just residential units if none of the projects proceed,” he said. “I’ve talked to representatives at Signal Gold just to hear what their take is ... I don’t want to say anything about [exactly] what I talked to them about, but we are starting the planning process now and [plan] to go in there in March or April with one of the options.”

After nearly a year of looking for ways to keep the building open, MODG council voted in early December to tear it down.

Originally built as a school – and now with repair needs – the municipality-owned structure failed to attract even a single proposal to a sealed auction in November. Prior to that, the MODG attempted to solicit interest from community groups that might be interested in taking over the building from its former tenants – the defunct medical centre’s board of directors – for as little as $1.

“When the story in The Journal came out [about tearing down the building], we had five people or groups come forward, unsolicited, to see if they could still have the opportunity of buying [the building],” Caroll said. “We [staff] said we’d bring it all to council in due course, and that happened last week.”

After reviewing the bids, he said, the vote was unanimous.

“You always like to repurpose a building if you can.”

Hunger Fund making inroads in Guysborough County

by Alec Bruce Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Guysborough Journal

MULGRAVE: The Dave Gunning Zero Hunger Fund is well on its way to meeting its $100,000 goal needed to begin opening free food pantries in schools across the province, council for the Town of Mulgrave heard at its regular meeting on Jan. 2.

Penny Day – executive director of the Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia, which administers the campaign –told The Journal that her representatives are on tour across the province and have been soliciting interest and financial contributions from municipalities since the launch last fall.

“We’re hoping to ask for $5,000 from each town council,” she said. “With 52 councils in Nova Scotia, that would make a big difference.”

According to Day, too many students in Nova Scotia are going to school hungry. The problem is especially acute in rural areas, which often don’t have access to the same level of services offered in cities.

“In many rural areas, you have to own a vehicle just to go to the grocery store, and we know that it is expensive to own a vehicle,” she said. “In rural areas, often times the school is a community hub.

It plays the part of a gathering place for parents and students. Having that availability – where students and parents can access these grocery items for free – is becoming more and more important.”

Pictou singer-songwriter Dave Gunning came on board when the fund’s first spokesperson – ailing friend and fellow musician Bruce Guthro – asked him to take over last summer.

Guthro, who died from cancer in September, explained the program to him and he definitely thought it was a good thing, Gunning told The Journal.

“What it does is open free stores in schools – which are basically cupboards in discreet locations – and [offers] food for students, who may be struggling, to take home to their families,” he said. “I’ve been promoting it at my shows and have done some free shows.”

So far, the fund has raised more than $38,000, mostly from the public.

“We want to have $100,000 in our coffers before we get started on opening it up for our schools,” Day said. “Free stores have been available in schools for years, [but] there’s not a lot of relief in sight that we’re going to see in 2024.”

She added that, while Mulgrave has made no commitments, they are very interested.

“Obviously, they know what the issues are.”

New emergency medical responders will improve care

HALIFAX: Nova Scotia will train up to 200 emergency medical responders – a new role that will help improve emergency care in the province – over the next two years.

These healthcare professionals will keep more ambulances available, reducing wait times, and allow paramedics more time to focus on emergency calls.

“The demands on our system and paramedics continue to grow and with emergency medical responders we are taking another step toward transforming emergency health services for Nova Scotians,” Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson said. “We have a world-class system in our province and the addition of these new team members will allow us to enhance the care Nova Scotians have come to expect.”

Emergency medical responders working on ambulances can assess, stabilize, and transport patients to hospital. Each will be

partnered with a paramedic to expand the number of teams available to respond to an emergency call.

They may also work in teams of two to transfer low-risk patients who have been assessed and do not require medical care during transport, or in emergency department offload areas, freeing up paramedics to focus on and respond to emergency calls faster.

Emergency medical responders will receive three months of training, be licensed, and regulated by the College of Paramedics of Nova Scotia and must pass a national exam administered by the Canadian Organization of Paramedic Regulators.

To increase the number of paramedics working in Nova Scotia, a bridging program will be developed for emergency medical responders who want to become paramedics.

Your Community Calendar

We will post the event, date, and time at no charge. Non pro t organizations only. Space is limited and there are no guarantees for free listings.

WEDNESDAY JAN. 17

-CORAH Café at NSCC Strait Campus cafeteria, 226 Reeves St, Port Hawkesbury. Enjoy coffee/tea, socializing, conversation, board games, cards and/or exercises. (55+ years) 9:00am-10:00am.

-Community Drop-in at District 10 Volunteer Fire Department. Sponsored by Bras d’Or Lakers Seniors Club. 9:00am11:30am.

-Riverdale Seniors Club at the Riverdale Community Centre in Lower River. 12:00pm.

-45 Card Game at the New Horizon Club in Arichat at 2:00pm.

-Pickle Ball at the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre, 9650 Hwy 105. 6:00pm8:00pm

-45 Card Play at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 37 in Mulgrave at 7:30pm.

-BINGO sponsored by Tracadie Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary at the Monastery Fire Hall at 7:30pm.

-Card Play at the Acadiaville Community Centre, West Arichat. 7:30pm.

-45 Card Play at the Mulgrave Legion at 7:30pm

-Arts & Crafts night at the Havre Boucher Community Centre multi-purpose room. 7:00pm-9:00pm.

THURSDAY JAN. 18

-CORAH Meditation Classes with Monica McCarthy at NSCC Strait Campus, 226 Reeves St. 11:00am-12:00pm.

-Curling at the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre, 9650 Hwy 105. 11:00am

-Soup for the Soul offered by the Strait Area Women’s Place at the Bearhead Room, Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre. 12:00pm-2:00pm.

-Sewing/Handicraft Group at District 10 Fire Hall, Red Islands. 1:00pm

-Pickle Ball at the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre, 9650 Hwy 105. 1:00pm3:00pm.

-BINGO at the New Horizon Club in Arichat at 2:00pm.

-Beginner Gaelic Classes at Big Pond Fire Hall, 7193 Hwy 4, Big Pond. 6:30-9:00pm.

-BINGO at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 81 in Guysborough at 7:30pm.

-45 Card Play at the D’Escousse Improvement Centre at 7:30pm.

-BINGO at the Port Hastings Volunteer Fire Department at 8:00pm.

-Blind 45 Card Play at the Mulgrave Legion Branch 37 at 7:30pm. FRIDAY JAN. 19

-CORAH Café at NSCC Strait Campus cafeteria, 226 Reeves St, Port Hawkesbury. Enjoy coffee/tea, socializing, conversation, board games, cards and/or exercises. (55+ years) 9:00am-10:00am.

-Fibre Club at Public Library, 3435 Hwy 206, Petit de Grat. 2:00pm

- Fish Fry at Royal Canadian Legion Br. 150, Arichat. Eat in or take out. 4:00pm6:30pm.

-Tabletop Games at the cafeteria space in the lobby of SAERC, Port Hawkesbury from 7:00pm-9:15pm. For more information contact Port Hawkesbury Tabletop Society at charlesbeaton@hotmail.com.

-Trivia Pub Night at Lake Ainslie Fire Hall, 4550 Route 395, Scotsville. (19+) 8:00pm.

-BINGO at the Port Hawkesbury Volunteer Fire Department at 8:00pm.

-Happy Hour at Creignish Recreation Centre, 2123 Hwy 19. Live music, light food. 6:00pm-9:00pm.

-Chase the Ace at the L’Ardoise Community Centre. 6:30pm-8:30pm.

-Indoor Washer Toss at the Acadiaville Hall in West Arichat. 7:30pm.

902-625-3300

SATURDAY JAN. 20

-Chase the Ace at the Tara Lynne Centre in River Bourgeois from 11:30am - 12:30pm.

-Crib Tournament at Marble Mountain Hall, 5643 Marble Mountain Rd. Storm date (January 27th). 12:30pm-4:00pm.

-45’s Card Play at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43 in Port Hawkesbury from 1:00pm - 3:00pm. Bring a partner.

-Cribbage at the New Horizon Club in Arichat at 7:00pm.

-Along the Shores of Hogoma Music Circle at the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre, 9650 Hwy 105, Whycocomagh. (19+)

8:00pm

-Dance at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 47 Grand Anse. Music by Blue Moose. 9:00pm-1:00am.

SUNDAY JAN. 21

-Breakfast at Royal Canadian Legion, Port Hawkesbury. 8:30am-11:30am.

-Brunch sponsored by the Judique Knights of Columbus at the Judique Community Center. 10:30am-12:30pm

-Mini Cribbage at the Mulgrave Royal Canadian Legion Branch 37. 1:00pm.

-Cribbage at the Seniors Room, St. Andrew’s Community Centre, St. Andrew’s. 1:00pm.

-Ceilidh at Celtic Music Interpretive Centre, Judiue. 2:00pm-5:00pm.

-Tea & Tunes with Evelyn MacRae and Les Boys at the Bonnie Brae, 14 Toulouse St., St. Peter’s. 2:00pm-4:00pm.

-Milling Frolic Series with Jimmy and Murdock Dora at Skye Glen and Centreville Community Hall, 1904 Hwy 252. 2:00pm

-Bingo at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 150, 1219 Veteran’s Memorial Drive, Arichat. 2:00pm.

-Bingo at the Heatherton and Area Community Centre in Heatherton. 2:15pm.

-TV Bingo - Play at the Canso Lions Club or at home on Cable 6 at 6:00pm.

-Bingo at St. Joseph’s Parish, Port Felix at 7:30pm.

MONDAY JAN. 22

-Meals with Friends Lunch at 403 Church Point Rd, River Bourgeois. Locally prepared lunches, inspired by and featuring River Roots produce and products. 11:30am-1:30pm.

-Pickleball at the D’Escousse Civic Improvement Hall. 6:30pm-8:30pm.

-Progressive 45 Card Game at the St. Andrew’s Community Centre. 7:30pm.

TUESDAY JAN. 23

-River Roots Café at 402 Church Point Rd, River Bourgeois. Coffee, tea, baked goods, cards, games and conversation. 10:00am-12:00pm.

-Blood Donor Clinic at St. Ninian’s Cathedral Parish, 121 St. Ninian St, Antigonish. Appointments only. Contact 1-888-2-DONATE. Noon – 3:00pm & 5:00pm-8:00pm.

-Beginner Gaelic Classes at Red Islands Fire Hall, 14799 Hwy 4, Red Islands. 1:003:30pm.

-Chair Yoga at the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre, 9650 Hwy 105. 2:00pm

-Judique Community Centre Library is open from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

-Soup Making Basics at 403 Church Point Rd, River Bourgeois. Register by email: riverroots2020@gmail.com or by phone 902-785-7918. 6:00pm-8:00pm.

-Floor Yoga at the Whycocomagh Waterfront Centre, 9650 Hwy 105. 6:30pm

-Card Play at the Havre Boucher Community Centre at 7:30pm.

UPCOMING/ONGOING EVENTS

Music Circle – 1st Saturday of each month at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 150, Arichat. Bring your own

instrument. 2:00-4:00pm.

Community Fish Fry at Royal Canadian Legion Br. 150, Arichat. Fridays; January 19, February 16, March 15. Eat in or take out. 4:00pm-6:30pm.

Veteran’s Social Gathering at Royal Canadian Legion Br. 150, Arichat. Saturday’s; January 27, February 24, March 30. 2:00pm.

Hank’s Jamboree – 4th Sunday of each month at the Havre Boucher Community Centre. (No jamboree in December) 1:00pm

Breakfast – 1st Sunday of each month at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 150, 1219 Veteran’s Memorial Drive, Arichat. 8:00am-11:00am.

Breakfast – 2nd Sunday of each month at the D’Escousse Civic Improvement Hall from 8am-11am.

Breakfast – 3rd Sunday of each month at the St. George’s Channel Community Hall. 9:00am-12:00pm Kitchen Parties – 3rd Sunday of each month at St. Patrick’s Hall in Guysborough Intervale. 2:00pm

ECRL is pleased to announce the launch of our menstrual product program across all branch locations with funding from the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage. Menstrual products are now available in all ECRL washrooms, and the program is expanding to include incontinence products and diapers.

Learn more about this initiative here: https://ecrl.ca/news/ecrl-menstrual-product-program-launch/

Find information about your local library here: https://ecrl.ca/locations

The

who

Photos by Adam McNamara. The grads worked for

three days to raise money for their graduation activities.

Whether you’re just starting out in the job market or you’re approaching the end of your career, it’s never too late or too early to plan for your retirement. Make this the year you get those plans in order. Here are four things to consider.

Full stop or semi-retirement?

For some of us, one of the joys of retirement is that it means you’ll never have to work again. Others plan to continue working part-time or seasonally to keep themselves active or to bring in some extra income. If your goal is to stop working completely, you’ll need to make sure you have enough investments to fund the lifestyle you seek for as long as you’re alive. An investment planner can help you determine how much money you’ll need for the retirement of your dreams. Downsize or age in place?

For many of us, our homes are our biggest investment. As such, some homeowners have it in the back of their minds to downsize when they retire and use the proceeds from the

sale to help fund their retirement. But older Canadians are increasingly opting to “age in place” in the home where they lived or raised their family. If that’s what you plan on doing, there may be options to draw on the equity of the home without selling. A financial advisor can walk you through your choices. Diversify your investments

Fewer and fewer jobs come with pensions that can fully – or mostly – fund a retirement. As a result, people increasingly need to invest for their retirement on their own. The most common option is to invest in a Registered Retirement Savings Plan, or RRSP. But note that any funds withdrawn from an RRSP are considered taxable income for that year. With a Tax-Free Savings Account, or TFSA, any earnings on your investments are non-taxable, so you don’t have to pay any taxes when you withdraw them. Other options include investing in the stock market or real estate, both of which come with risk and potentially significant returns. Do your research to decide what

options are best for you.

Reap the rewards of your working years

If you can think back to your first-ever paycheque, it was probably a bit of a shock to see how much money was deducted for various taxes. The good news is that once you retire, you benefit from many of the programs that that money helped fund. This includes Old Age Security, a monthly payment you’ll start to receive once you turn 65.

Another is the Canada Pension Plan. CPP Investments, the professional investment management organization that manages the Fund, recently reported a 10-year annualized return of 9.6 per cent, growing the Fund to a total of $576 billion. CPP Investments was the best-performing pension fund in the world from 2013 to 2022, according to Global SWF, and an independent review concluded the plan is sustainable for at least 75 years at current funding rates.

Addressing colorectal cancer screening disparities in Nova Scotia

StFX’s Arlinda Ruco awarded Canadian Cancer Society Emerging Scholar Research Grant

ANTIGONISH: Colon cancer is one of the most common cancers in Canada and the Atlantic provinces have some of the highest numbers of new cases and deaths. Screening can reduce mortality by preventing and/or catching the disease early.

But in Nova Scotia, the screening participation rate remains low, around 41 per cent.

StFX Interdisciplinary Health Professor Arlinda Ruco has been awarded a Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) Emerging Scholar Research Grant – valued at $594,197 – and is leading a team working to identify whether certain groups may be less likely to participate in colorectal cancer screening and to co-design potential interventions to improve uptake.

The Nova Scotia Colon Cancer Prevention Program (NSCCPP) was implemented in 2009 and people aged 50-74 are sent a screening kit in the mail every two years. The professor will collaborate with and use data from the NSCCPP to identify colorectal cancer screening disparities in Nova Scotia and explore barriers and enablers to screening.

Ruco – who is also an Adjunct Scientist, Women’s College Hospital; Associate Member, Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute; and Affiliate Scientist at Nova Scotia Health and VHA Home HealthCare – will engage a patient/community advisory group throughout as part of the research team.

“This work is also aligned with the Health Equity Framework

has been awarded a Canadian Cancer Society

Emerging Scholar Research Grant – valued at $594,197.

for Nova Scotia,” she said. “And focuses on improving outcomes for people who may experience poorer health in the province.”

The CCS Emerging Scholar program supports promising earlycareer investigators from across Canada who are committed to cancer research. Thanks to its donors, CCS is investing $8.7 million to support 16 early-career researchers pursuing scientific advances of the highest relevance to help transform the future of cancer.

“Almost every single person will be affected by cancer in their lifetime in one way or another. Cancer screening allows us to prevent the disease altogether or diagnose it in the early stages when treatment may be more effective,” Ruco said. “This funding is instrumental for my career as a cancer screening scientist. It will allow me to build the foundation for an innovative program of research focused on cancer screening and prevention in Nova Scotia and in maximizing outcomes for individuals that may experience worse outcomes.”

The professor indicated to share results, a one-day workshop will be held with public, patients, providers, and researchers from Atlantic Canada. This will be an opportunity to share lessons learned and plan for next steps including securing funding to conduct more fulsome testing of the developed interventions.

The workshop will also raise the profile of colon cancer screening research in Atlantic Canada.

New year, new you: Smart tips to kickstart your year

by Kate Moore Senior Editor, News Canada

Every year when the calendar flips over, many of us find ourselves re-evaluating various aspects of our lives and vowing to make positive changes. While that might feel easier said than done, we’ve got you covered with tips on how to stay true to your resolutions and live your best life this year.

If your New Year’s resolution is to… …take your mental health seriously

Routine, a good sleep, regular exercise and a healthy diet are natural stress-busters, but sometimes we aren’t able to sort things out on our own and need more support. If feelings of stress or worry are long-lasting and are having a negative impact on your daily life, know there is help. You can access free mental health support at anytime from anywhere through Health Canada’s mental health webpage.

…embrace exercise this winter

Staying active is important for our health, but it can be tough to begin and to keep it up – especially when it’s cold

or snowy outside. Speak with a health-care professional for the right advice if you have a health condition like arthritis and consider low-impact and joint-friendly exercises that improve endurance, strength, balance and flexibility. Indoor options can include swimming, using a stationary bike or doing yoga. Find more tips through Arthritis Society Canada’s accessible videos.

…find your dream job

It’s no easy feat to find the job that is right for you. So, dig in deep and consider your ideal work-life balance, what you find meaning in and what benefits you want and need. For instance, if you cherish having evenings free, a nine-to-five job might be right for you. But, if you prefer a rotating schedule that involves helping others and building meaningful relationships, you might consider a career like nursing. Indigenous Services Canada is hiring nurses right now.

…finally quit smoking

When it comes to smoking, it’s common to need a few tries to quit. And that’s okay. It’s continuing to try that will get you there in the end. If your resolution is to quit smoking, know that it’s possible and that there are plenty

of free quit-support services available to you. There is more information and advice from real people and their success stories online.

…stick with a beauty routine

Go back to basics and make your skin routine right for the season. Limiting hot showers, drinking enough water, and using a moisturizer according to your skin type –thicker for drier skin and lighter for oily skin – will help keep your skin healthy and glowing all winter long. You can find up-to-date information on many health-related topics from established Canadian health experts at online resource Care to Know.

… upgrade your skills

One of the best ways to learn something new is to go through mentors, support groups and trusted sources. If, for example, you want to learn how to use new digital tools at the office or become more tech-savvy around the home, non-profit organizations like ABC Life Literacy Canada offer free resources and workshops that cover a wide range of digital topics.?

Photo contributed.

StFX Interdisciplinary Health Professor Arlinda Ruco

(CCS)

ARICHAT BIBLE CHURCH

– Baptist Sundays – Adult Bible Study and Sunday School – 10:00 a.m. Worship Service – 11:00 a.m.

ROMAN CATHOLIC

St. Joseph’s – Port Hawkesbury Services held Saturdays at 4pm Sundays at 10am St. Lawrence Parish – Mulgrave Sat. - 6 p.m.

Stella Maris Pastoral Unit, Isle Madame. St. Joseph Parish, Petit de Grat - Saturdays at 4:00pm [alternating language French one week; English the next] Our Lady of Assumption, ArichatSundays at 10:00am [alternating language English one week; bilingual {E/F} the next]

UNITED BAPTIST Port Hawkesbury – A.U.B.C. Service– 10:30 a.m. www.phubc.com Phone: 902-625-0830

GOSPEL FELLOWSHIP

(Non-Denominational)

10:30 a.m. Pastor Wanda Grant Evergreen Seniors Club Embree St., Port Hawkesbury Phone: 902-625-0357

EASTERN GUYSBOROUGH

UNITED CHURCH

Rev. Heather Manuel Phone: 902-533-3711

UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

St. Peter’s Grand River, Loch Lomond Pastoral Charge St. Peter’s

UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA West Bay, Black River, Princeville ALL SERVICES 10 a.m. 902-345-2619

Carol Joy Shatford DLM

UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

St. Mark’s United Church, 504 Bernard St., Port Hawkesbury Sunday 9:30 a.m. Church Office 902-625-2229 E-mail: stmarksuc@gmail.com

UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA

St. David’s United Church 7 Old Victoria Road Port Hastings, NS Sunday Service 11 a.m. 902-625-2178 With Sandi Irving

ANGLICAN COMMUNITY in STRAIT-CHEDABUCTO St. James – Melford Saturday –7 p.m. St. Andrews, Mulgrave Sunday – 9:15 a.m. Holy Trinity, Port Hawkesbury Sunday – 11:00 a.m. Rectory: 902-747-2255

RIVER & LAKESIDE

PASTORAL CHARGE Forbes United Church, River Denys.

SOVEREIGN GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (PCA) Blues Mills Fire Hall TCH 105 –11:00 a.m. 902-756-2203 Rev. Wayne MacLeod

MULGRAVE PASTORAL CHARGE (United Church) St. Matthew’s, Afton: 9:00 a.m. Trinity, Mulgrave: 10:45 a.m. Hadleyville: 12:30 p.m.

Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home Ltd. CANSO 902-366-2308

GUYSBOROUGH HEAD OFFICE 724 Granville Street, Port Hawkesbury, NS B9A 2N8 902-625-1911

WHYCOCOMAGH 902-756-2446

ST. PETER’S 902-535-3067

Information on Pre-Arranged Funerals Available John Langley Funeral Director Clem Munroe Funeral Director Craig MacLean Funeral Director

Steven MacIntosh Funeral Director Martin Flood Funeral Director Joni Lee Thompson Funeral Director

In Loving Memory of my dear husband Harold Paon. Who passed away January 23, 2022. It is sad to walk the road alone, Instead of side by side. But to all there comes a moment, When the ways of life divide. You gave me years of happiness, Then came sorrow and tears. But you left me beautiful memories, I will treasure through the years.

Love always, your wife Phyllis.

Eastern

Strait

724 Granville Street,

Tourism in Richmond County

by Ann Marie Yorke

Richmond has been very lucky so far weather wise, compared to other parts of Nova Scotia. Let’s hope this continues throughout the rest of the winter.   As we look towards the winter months, and for sure the snow that is sure to cover our landscape, we should not be disheartened but positive and look to the advantages that winter has to offer us. This week we received the news that one of our native Richmond County residents has joined Cross Country Nova Scotia as a Ski Ambassador for Cape Breton. Michelle is not new to the Richmond County Sports scene, having been involved in our successful surf program as an instructor for over 20 years and putting Point Michaud Beach on the tourism map as a surfing destination for young people wanting to learn the sport.

Now she has become an ambassador for cross country skiing for Cape Breton. Richards is not a novice at cross Country skiing as she has been enjoying the sport since childhood and continued to find tune her skills over the years and will be a valuable addition to Cross Country Skiing here in Cape Breton where she hopes to share her love and knowledge of skiing with students of all ages and with some groups that may have barriers in accessing cross country skiing, such as para-athletes and new Canadians. We would like to congratulate Richards on becoming the Cape Breton Ambassador in this initiative sponsored by the funds from the Nova Scotia Government. Stay tuned for dates and locations where these events will be happening around Cape Breton.

On the local scene here are some events happening around our beautiful county.

On Saturday, January 20: 6pm: - Jason

MacDonald will be entertaining at the Bras d’Or Lakes Inn in St. Peter’s.  9pm - 1am: - Come to the Royal Canadian Legion in Grand Anse St. Peter’s Br. 47, for the music of the band Blue Moose.  Admission is $15 at the door.

On Tuesday January 23: 6pm –8pm: - River Roots Workshop in River Bourgeois. Norma Jean will help you gear up with some winter staples. Learn the basics on making a delicious soup stock from scratch and also how to make some scrumptious granola! Guaranteed to warm you up on a January evening. All workshops are capped at 10 people and each workshop costs $20.00. Please register on the events section of our website www.richmondriverroots.ca  or by emailing riverroots2020@gmail.com or phoning 902 785-7918.

Until next, I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy all Richmond has to offer.

Public Health providing COVID-19 and influenza immunization and COVID-19 testing in Nova Scotia

EASTERN ZONE: Public Health supports access to COVID-19 and influenza immunization, as well as COVID-19 testing across the province. To help ensure all Nova Scotians have access to these important services, Public Health will be holding testing and immunization clinics. All upcoming clinics can be found online at www. nshealth.ca/PHMU.

COVID-19 testing clinics provide on-site PCR testing and give out rapid test kits. Unless otherwise noted, dropins and booked appointments are welcome. If you’d like to book appointment, visit www.nshealth.ca/ coronavirustesting or call 1-833-797-7772.

Immunization clinics offer

COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. Appointments may be booked, drop-in only, or a combination of both. Please see specific clinic details in the listings below. To book an appointment, visit novascotia. ca/vaccination or call 1-833797-7772.

Upcoming COVID-19 and Influenza Clinics

Chedabucto Lifestyle Complex

60 Green St., Guysborough Thursday, January 18 from 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Services Available:

• COVID-19 Moderna & Pfizer and Influenza vaccines (ages six months-plus)

• PCR testing and COVID-19 rapid test kits to take home.

• Health information available on-site.

Note: Drop in only. Booked appointments not available. This clinic supports people of African descent; however, all are welcome. Learn more: www.nshealth.ca/BlackPublic-Health.

Royal Canadian Legion

99 Midgeley Dr., Sydney Friday, January 19 from 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Offering:

• COVID-19 Moderna & influenza vaccines (ages six months-plus)

• PCR testing and rapid test pick-up

Note: Book an appointment: Vaccines | Testing. Limited drop-in appointments may be available.

– Acting Manager of Engineering and Public Works Town of Port Hawkesbury

Acting Manager of Engineering and Public Works

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the successful applicant will provide leadership and strategic advice in the areas of engineering, capital asset management, project management, water treatment and distribution, wastewater treatment and collection, solid waste management, and street maintenance. The successful candidate will also be responsible for presentations of department-related information to the Town Council.

This is a one-year term position with the possibility of further extension.

Overview: The successful candidate will be a leader capable of managing public works and engineering staff and initiatives, planning and directing capital works projects, communicating effectively with a strong work ethic, and directing a workforce. The candidate will be the primary liaison with the Town’s engineering consultants, contractors, funding partners, regulators, and other agencies involved with engineering and municipal service delivery.

Qualifications: Persons with a professional engineering designation or certified engineering technology program completion with substantive and progressive work experience in the practice of civil engineering will be considered. Those applying must have at least five years at a supervisory or Department Head Level; should possess broad based engineering and technical skills relating to the municipal field; experience with computer software programs including Microsoft Office, GIS systems and AutoCAD; organizational skills in managing outside consultants and contractors; ability to manage a unionized workforce, knowledge of provincial regulations and Municipal by-laws, and experience with financial and budget administration, along with proficiency in purchasing and advertising processes.

Application Process: All interested applicants must forward a cover letter, resume, and two professional references by 4:00 p.m., Thursday, January 25, 2024. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please forward applications electronically only to:

Chief Administrative Officer, Terry Doyle, P.Eng. RE: Acting Manager of Engineering and Public Works Email: tdoyle@townofph.ca

STRAIT REGIONAL CENTRE FOR EDUCATION EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR TEACHING POSITIONS

There is no team like the SRCE team!

Municipality of the County of Richmond has the following equipment for sale by tender:

The Municipality of the County of Richmond has the following equipment for sale by tender:

A. 2013 CAT 430F Backhoe (Parts or Repair)

A. 2013 CAT 430F Backhoe (Parts or Repair)

B. Backhoe Plow Blade

B. Backhoe Plow Blade

C. (Purchased New 2007) John Deere 2320 Compact Utility Tractor and accessories

C. (Purchased New 2007) John Deere 2320 Compact Utility Tractor and accessories

D. 2014 Ford F450 plow truck c/w plow and spreader

D. 2014 Ford F450 plow truck c/w plow and spreader

A, B, C and D may be inspected at the Richmond Waste Management Facility, located at Civic #634, highway 206, West Arichat, Nova Scotia during regular business hours of 8:30am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday. Site is closed all statutory holidays.

Item A, B, C and D may be inspected at the Richmond Waste Management Facility, located at Civic #634, highway 206, West Arichat, Nova Scotia during regular business hours of 8:30am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday. Site is closed all statutory holidays.

Tender forms are available at the Municipal Administration Building in Arichat (Civic #2357, Hwy #206, Arichat, NS), during the hours of 8:30am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday or may be obtained from the Municipal website at www. Richmondcounty.ca For further information you may contact Richmond County Public Works at 902-226-2400.

deadline for tender submissions is 2:00pm on Thursday, February 1, 2024

Municipality reserves the right to accept or reject any and all tenders at its sole discretion

Tender forms are available at the Municipal Administration Building in Arichat (Civic #2357, Hwy #206, Arichat, NS), during the hours of 8:30am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday or may be obtained from the Municipal website at www. Richmondcounty.ca. For further information you may contact Richmond County Public Works at 902-226-2400.

The deadline for tender submissions is 2:00pm on Thursday, February 1, 2024.

E A RE H IRING !

The Strait Regional Centre for Education invites you to join our team and support the success of our children and youth

The Strait Regional Centre for Education is currently accepting Expressions of Interest for potential early hire term teaching contracts for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Qualified teachers, or those who will be qualified by September 1, 2024, are invited to apply online for the following Expression of Interest postings:

• Mathematics;

• Science;

• French;

• Equity and

• Grades Primary to 12 Multi-Subject (Posted by County)

The Strait Regional Centre of Education is committed to an inclusive education system that supports the well-being, achievement and success of every student and is highquality, culturally and linguistically responsive.

Those selected as Early Hires will be offered a minimum of one year, fixed, 100% term contract, with associated salary and benefits.

The Municipality reserves the right to accept or reject any and all tenders at its sole discretion.

Municipality of the County of Richmond P.O. Box 120 2357, Highway 206 Arichat, Nova Scotia B0E 1A0

Attention: Tristan Martel, P.Eng tmartel@richmondcounty.ca

Municipality of the County of Richmond P.O. Box 120 2357, Highway 206 Arichat, Nova Scotia B0E 1A0

Attention: Tristan Martel, P.Eng tmartel@richmondcounty.ca

Qualified candidates may apply online at www.srce.ca

For more information, please contact the SRCE Human Resources Department at 902625-7081.

www.srce.ca

srce@srce.ca

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Photos contributed.

Jonathan Conrad, second from right, celebrates his Mass Start Madness Downhill Bike Race 2024 championship on Jan. 13.

There was chatter around the Breton Brewing Co. table.

Dustin Chute, the winner of 2021 and 2022 event, wearing the belt he made himself with a friend.

Island Folk Cider House provided refreshing beverages during the Cape Smokey’s Microbrewery Festival.

first, second, and third place finisher of the Mass Strat Madness Downhill Bike Race on Jan. 13.

Little Narrows – Holiday cheer came early for L’Arche Cape Breton when folks from the relatively new gypsum mine, CGC Inc., located Little Narrows, N.S. dropped by L’Arche Cape Breton in December, 2023 and presented a cheque for $5,000.

The team from CGC also had a tour of the busy day program where core members make art, weaving, do woodworking and more.

Development Coordinator at L’Arche Cape Breton, Thom Oommen, said their day programs don’t receive government funding, so they rely on funding from private business to support the operation of these programs.

“Christmas came early when they gave that to us,” Oommen said.

“We’re so grateful. They came to the Angel’s Loft, which is one of our day programs, and we gave them a tour. And they presented their cheque and got to meet some of the core members who live and work here and it was great, it was just a really nice visit.”

Plant Manager of the CGC plant in Little Narrows, Erik Hinze, was part of the team who visited L’Arche Cape Breton and presented the cheque. With so many local employees, Hinze said they all got together and decided amongst the group where the money should go and they decided to support L’Arche.

“CGC has a long history of

giving back to the communities where we live, work and play. We are delighted to help carry on this tradition and deepen our roots in the Little Narrows community and the surrounding communities for the years to come,” Hinze said.

Nova Scotia has been supplying gypsum to the North American market for over 250 years. In 2023, CGC Inc. announced the reopening of the Little Narrows quarry which included a $104 million

investment.

The team recently welcomed its first group of new hires for orientation and currently have 27 people working at the facility in Little Narrows. Presently they’re focusing on safety and training people in that aspect, Hinze said.

The plant is looking to fill 100 plus long-term, mining positions such as; heavy equipment operators, lab technicians, engineers, foreman and more once the quarry is fully

operational in the next three years. Hinze is originally from Missouri, U.S., now calls Cape Breton his home and said the operations in Little Narrows is “Going to be very Cape Breton driven. We have folks from a handful of the different communities here, Whycogomagh and Baddeck. A few from Sydney and we want to support the Cape Breton economy and represent the area we live and play.”

Alderwood’s Activity and Sensory Room proving to be a helpful method in dementia care

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

Baddeck - Direction of Recreation of Alderwood Rest Home, Gabriele Braun, said the home’s Activity and Sensory Room has been getting lots of use since opening in early fall of 2023 and they’re now fundraising for new equipment for the space.

Braun said in 2023 they were looking at a projector which displays onto a table, but it was a costly investment. “We were lucky that a resident’s family approached us and said they wanted to make a donation toward dementia care,” Braun said.

“We said we were dreaming about this projector for a while because I truly believe this is an interactive future of dementia care and this family made it possible.”

Braun said they found a room that was underutilized and decided to make an activity sensory room. The projector functions like a big tablet and has over 150 interactive games which cater to people with early to late stage dementia.

“So, we have all different games and we reutilized an old massage table we had,” Braun said.

The other part of the work was changing the lights which were too bright and creating a space for people to gather. Braun said they also have what is called a Nordic Chair that swings and is

Baddeck

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

Photo contributed

Pictured is the sensory table at Alderwood which has over 150 interactive games catered to people with early to late onset dementia.

not only for dementia care, but to also relax and relieve tension.

“We even have residents that don’t have dementia that will ask us to go in the chair for a while, and we have a little music going. One of the main parts of the concept is interacting with visitors and relatives so the room is always open, so the visitors can spend quality time with the residents they are visiting,” Braun said.

Braun said they have plans to still grow the room and the fundraising is supported by volunteers on the rest home’s working council. They’ve recently purchased new wheelchairs to transport people to the room and currently they are looking to get a new sound system for the sensory room and other equipment as well.

Braun said they really want to encourage people to learn that long term care isn’t a boring place to be and having rooms such as the sensory and activity room shows visitors and volunteers the potential of how a rest home can be.

“We depend on the help of volunteers and depend on school children who want to learn about this work, and who might eventually want a summer job, or even pursue a career as a CCA or a nurse,” Braun said.

“So, we really want to encourage the children to see that long term care is a great place.”

Area Business and Tourism Association’ first Winter Escape Raffle now on

Baddeck - The Baddeck Area Business and Tourism Association is getting ready for their first winter fundraiser which has two goals; to help upkeep the village’s visitor centre and to help promote winter tourism in the Baddeck area.

Baddeck Area Business and Tourism Association’s board chair, Matthew MacAulay, said they put the fundraiser together to help support the area and show that the area is opened year-round, which he said isn’t always the perceived case for Baddeck. MacAulay said the group “wanted to make a splash with a sizable giveaway.”

The prize includes a two-day getaway package for up to 14 guests at the Inverary Resort, a $100 gift card for TNT Adventures, a $200 gift card for Patchouli Accessories

Would your non-profit organization like to host a Celtic Colours concert in 2024?

Celtic Colours Festival Society is currently seeking Expressions of Interest from community based, non-profit organizations interested in hosting a concert during the 2024 Celtic Colours International Festival.

Consideration will be given based on geographical representation and preference will be given to organizations that meet the following criteria:

Has extensive experience in preserving and enriching the traditional culture within their community; Has a strong core of committed and enthusiastic volunteers;

Has access to a suitable community venue to accommodate public events.

All decisions in this matter are the responsibility of the Board of Directors of the Celtic Colours Festival Society. Celtic Colours International Festival is a Cape Breton Island-wide event that will take place October 11-19. The Festival showcases some of the finest Celtic performers from around the world in a celebration of our living Celtic culture. The nine-day event includes concerts, as well as a variety of Community Cultural Experiences.

Please forward all Expressions of Interest on your organization’s letterhead by Friday, January 26, 2024. Letter must include contact name(s), phone number, and email address.

Celtic Colours Festival Society, 170 George Street, Suite 321, Sydney NS B1P1J2 Tel: 902 562 6700 • Fax: 902 539 9388

Boutique, a Parks Canada Discovery Pass plus merch, and a $100 gift card to the Flying Kite Artisan Shop.

“We’re a not for profit organization and we’re always looking for ways to continue providing a service so fundraising is important to us. And we also believe pretty strongly that it’s a great asset to our community and supporting it in a way that can also give you a great weekend away for you and just about everyone that’s close to you is all a great cause,” MacAulay said.

The fundraiser is active now and they will be doing draw at the end of February. MacAulay said it was a board idea and they’re always looking for different opportunities to support the Village of Baddeck and thought this was a “cool one to get

out there.”

It will help with some ongoing projects said MacAulay, one being improvements to the visitor centre.

“Raising money for that cause is certainly part of it, but the other part of it is just the marketing of the destination and the opportunity to bring people that haven’t necessarily experienced us in the winter. And we thought giving this away would be pretty exciting,” he said.

If it goes well, MacAulay said he’s sure this type of event will continue and mentioned with approximately 100 members, “they’re always very generous to put forth things for a prize so you never know what might be coming down the pipe.”

contributed

This year’s winner of the annual Baddeck Lion’s Club Christmas was announced on January 3,

of Baddeck took home the basket which was valued at almost $2,000.

Photo

2024. Pat Woodford

PUBLISHER Nicole Fawcett nicolefawcett@porthawkesburyreporter.com

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Keep between the ditches

Column by Nicole Fawcett

I may be getting old. I hate winter driving more each year.

Driving yesterday, I was completely frustrated and nervous as the roads were snow and ice packed, with rain pouring down. They were a mess. Driving on the highway at thirty and forty kilometers.

It is winter, and bad roads should be expected.

I also think the road proper maintenance should be expected as well.

This was not a surprise storm in anyway. The forecast was almost bang on. A few inches of snow, then transitioning over to rain. This would certainly bring a mess on the roads, especially after hours of snow, and the roads not being plowed.

Can someone explain to me why the roads were not plowed before the rain began, after hours of snowfall? It would have made much more manageable road conditions. Was it the hope that the rain would wash it away? I may not be the brightest bulb on the tree, but it was obvious the rain on top of the snow would be extremely messy and dangerous for many hours.

For this season, this is the second time I was driving in conditions that were nerve racking. The other time was at night and the snow was blinding. I met the snowplow. Other provinces have lights on the ends of the blades so you can see where they are. This would be extremely helpful. That’s no feather dusters they are driving.

I can’t help but think back to when I was young. We had some really massive snow storms. Yet, I do not remember my Dad ever having a ‘storm’ day. He always made it to work. They were not driving the four-wheel drives and SUV’s we drive now. They didn’t have the winter tires like we do today. The cars they did drive were more like tanks. What may have caused a dent in those cars, will probably right off the plastic vehicles we drive today.

I also remember the plows being on a schedule. We lived on a back road, and like the school bus, you could set your watch for the time the plow went by. It was regular maintenance. The roads were plowed, sanded and salted. My mother still lives down that road and I find myself calling DOT more and more often as I am unable to reach her because of the condition of the road.

The back road has changed a lot over the years. It has been widened and is so much higher. Strangely, it narrows around the dangerous turns.

These ‘improvements’ make it so much more dangerous in the winter. I am told that it is built so high so that snow will blow over and there will be less drifting. That’s the logic anyway.

I’m not too sure how anyone can see this as being safer.

What I am sure of, is when the road is not maintained and you are driving in bad conditions, those deep ditches, without guard rails, have the potential to cause more serious accidents. It is also much

The value of sports

by Chuck Thompson From the Highlands or Meanderings

I must confess to be being a bit of a sports junkie. It has been a lifelong passion that I just recently started to question. It is kind of like a late life divorce, you just chug along and then it all comes crashing down. You come to a new set of realizations , maybe your beliefs or values change, the shoe no longer fits, something happens and your little world goes upside down. What was the norm, playing and watching sports forever, has now been called in question. When I was young and not so young I was an eager participant in just about anything that could be called a sport, From tiddlywinks to tennis, I was at it. My first endeavour was little league baseball. I can still see my dad giving me a new glove for grading day (he was probably so relieved he would have bought me a complete outfit) and walking across town to try out for the Legion Yankees. I was so excited. They stuck me at first base as I was not too fleet of foot but was a classic good glove, no stick kind of kid. I had decent reflexes but couldn’t hit an elephant with a flyswatter. However I did distinguish myself in little league in the most undistinguished manner. As we readied ourselves for the first league game, uniforms were given out, the field readied, the amiable coach took me aside and whispered in my ear” sorry Kid, you’re cut.””Cut, what do you mean cut” was my disbelieving reply. I had heard him clearly but the shock would not let me comprehend. This is the Legion Yankees,

more difficult to determine where you are on the road when visibility is bad.

While the point of driving is to keep it between the ditches, with poorly maintained roads, there is the possibility of sliding. I would much prefer to slid into a snow bank then go over a cliff. I’d much rather be stuck in the snow then flipped over in a ditch.

Every season there are issues with the roads. The bottom line is our infrastructure is in disrepair. The money saved by not properly maintaining is costing all of us way too much.

For the winter season, the excuse of not maintaining the roads properly is there are not enough snowplow drivers. That may be very true. Why not fix the problem instead relying on an excuse?

There are plenty of operators in the area, however what was once a coveted job is not so desirable anymore. Cutting back what was full time employment, reducing benefits, etc. created jobs that people can’t afford to have. They are simply not earning what could be made in the private sector, yet the expectations are often more.

This has to change. If you want good employees you have to compete to get them. It is difficult, dangerous work. Pay them what they deserve and there will be many who will be interested, especially those who would like to stay home to work instead of going away.

million to pitch for them as well.

not the New York Yankees. I thought. But no matter. As the other kids gathered excitedly around each other, head down, I quietly shuffled off the field and walked the long trek back across town. My feet felt like lead and my heart was broken. Little League for heavens sake. It was a Charlie Brown moment. I figured dad would be mad, maybe take the glove back, criticize me. But no, he was sympathetic and told me to hang in there, my turn would come. So I spent the rest of the summer oiling the new glove and bouncing golf balls off the basement concrete, waiting for my chance. Dad was right and I got a call from the same coach who asked me if I could come back. Turns out my replacement couldn’t catch a cold and parents were complaining about getting hit in the head by balls he couldn’t snag. I was only twelve but vengence is indeed sweet.

Well eventually reality set in and I became a watcher rather than a participant. Age and family responsibilities made me take stock and take a seat. When we moved to Baddeck, I played some softball but the sun had begun to set on my mediocre career.The point is I played and loved sports until recent events made me wonder about my priorities.

Just recently the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team announced they had signed Shohei Ohtani to a big league contract for $ 700 million to play for them! 700 million! The next day they announced they had signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto for $300

The media reported the Toronto Blue Jays were all in, pursuing Ohtani and were willing to match the $700 mil the Dodgers offered. $700 million US, that translate to a billion dollars Canadian to pay a man to play baseball . I thought of this the other day as a good Samaritan in Halifax spent his own money to erect a dozen ice shacks in various parks for the homeless.. How many ice shacks would a billion dollars buy? Do we, as a society care? I worry. I suppose, at Christmas, we give a bit to a charity of our choice, a toonie in the kettle, a cheque to a charity. and that dulls our guilt. The pursuit of the almighty dollar has dulled our humanity.

Growing up in North Sydney , i never saw a homeless person,. The town of my youth was a blue collar town: most worked on the wharf or the fish plants or at the steel plant but no one seemed to do without. There was not a lot of money around but the plates were full, clothes were adequate, everyone had a glove or hand me down skates or whatever. Everyone had a roof over their heads. If you were poor and had a poor apartment you were charged accordingly. Now if you are poor and live poor,landlords and banks charge you as if you were a person of some means. Can’t make the payments? Grab a tent.

People are on the streets because they can’t afford the spiralling rent or mortgage payments. We love to talk about the American society and its wealth nested in the 1% of the population. It is a false comfort, people are struggling here just as much. How did it get to this state? Better minds than mine are working on the question, if not the answer. We are a country of incredible wealth, I am just not sure we can afford to splash around a billion dollars on ball players while fellow citizens shiver in the cold.

During this winter of crisis our government has responded with an increase of 20 cents to the minimum wage. That should do it.

Local resident concerned about state of Victoria County’s cemeteries; Council waiting on response from province

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

Baddeck - Jeffrey Parks has a natural interest in history, one day during a hike up to the Centre Glen cemetery a few years back he noticed it needed repair and says despite making people aware, nothing has been done and the problem is getting worse.

“Back then I figured no one knew about the issue, so I posted on the site on Facebook called Old Baddeck, to see if anybody knew and if anyone would fix it. It’s five years later, it’s still there and everyone knows about it and no one is fixing it,” Parks said.

In the last couple years, he personally knows someone who found a skull in the river and Parks himself has found coffin handles and coffin pieces. He’s also pulled crumbling headstones from the water, saving them from being washed away and said he gives the artifacts he finds to a friend who is opening up a heritage museum in Baddeck.

The cemetery has graves from the mid 1800’s and Parks said “It’s called Centre Glen Cemetery just because we don’t know if there’s an exact name for it.”

“There’s an Upper Baddeck Settlement Cemetery, which is further up the road about 10 kilometres and in about the same condition, but not near any water.”

The cemeteries fall in Councillor Perla MacLeod’s district in the Municipality of Victoria County and over the few years MacLeod has been raising the resident’s concerns about the condition of the cemeteries at council meetings. The municipality made a motion at a past council meeting to write to the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage, the department who is responsible for cemeteries in the province, but MacLeod said they haven’t heard back yet.

“So, we didn’t hear anything back and we know we have erosion all over Victoria County and there’s nothing coming soon to help us. It’s getting bad,” the councillor said.

MacLeod said she thinks other provincial departments, such as the department of environment or fisheries, may need to get involved since it now involves graves falling into flowing water.

“We sent a letter to the province to the heritage department asking if there’s some funding, or some help for some community

organization that are helping fix the problem. But it’s not just the cemeteries involved because it’s the fisheries and environment.”

The issue is important to residents all over the county MacLeod said. “It’s history, it’s a very old cemetery. For respect to the dead you don’t want to see graves ending up in the river, it’s not okay.”

Parks said there’s multiple cemeteries in need of repair, but noted “Centre Glen and Upper Baddeck Settlement Cemetery are the worst two.” The road to the Upper Baddeck Settlement Cemetery is washed out, he explained and would also like to see that area get fixed.

Parks, who said always loved history and especially loves old photographs, said “I always buy them and l like to get to know the people behind the photo.”

“I know they were extremely religious back in the day. And I’m sure they would be rolling in their graves if they knew they were floating down the river.”

Victoria County receives $75,000 for clean energy project; study will look into charging stations for electric vehicles

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

Little Bras d’Or – On January 4, 2024, it was announced Victoria County has been awarded a grant of $75,000 toward their clean energy project which will help the county complete a feasibility study, focusing on providing year-round businesses with no-cost charging stations.

The grant is part of the province-wide initiative that has set aside $1.8 million in 2023 and 2024, for 31 different projects across the province. All projects have the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing clean energy solutions in Nova Scotia.

Victoria County was awarded a grant of $75,000 towards their clean energy project, which is a Municipal EV charging corporation feasibility study.

Victoria - The Lakes MLA Keith Bain, said, “Nova Scotia’s dedication to clean energy solutions is both commendable and essential for our shared future.”

“Victoria is proud to be part of this vital journey towards a greener tomorrow.”

Parker Horton, Economic Development Officer, for the Municipality of Victoria County said the initiative can boost local businesses by attracting more visitors.

“Our feasibility study will focus on establishing a municipally owned and operated electric vehicle charging corporation. Our aim is to provide year-round businesses with no-cost charging stations, enticing higher net worth electric vehicle owners to our region.”

Horton noted Victoria County’s goal is to create a sustainable structure through charging fees.

“This initiative not only eliminates range anxiety for EV owners, but also enhances Cape Breton’s appeal as a year-round tourism destination, stimulating our tourism industry. Upon completion of the feasibility study, we’ll be in a position to determine its viability and the best path forward,” Horton said.

The Low Carbon Communities program supports diverse projects across Nova Scotia, from feasibility studies for smart micro-grids to initiatives for net-zero affordable housing.

The funding Victoria County received aligns with the provincial plan aiming to create a sustainable future by reducing emissions, transitioning to clean energy, and supporting community resilience against climate change.

Photos by Jeffrey Parks

Pictured are photos Jeffrey Parks, owner of a local antique shop in Middle River, took while visiting the Centre Glen Cemetery over the years. Parks said the graves are slowly falling into the Baddeck River and comparing his photos from over the years shows graves that once stood, now lying in the river.

Eskasoni RCMP make arrest in relation to suspicious fire

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

Eskasoni - RCMP have arrested a woman in relation to suspicious fire in Eskasoni, N.S.

On January 4, 2024, at approximately 12:40 a.m., Eskasoni RCMP and fire services responded to a report of a side-by-side utility vehicle fire located on Frankie’s Lane. According to a statement released by RCMP on January 9, 2024, upon arrival to the scene of the fire, “the vehicle, which was parked nearby a home, was engulfed in flames and the fire had spread to the outside of the house. Fire services was able to extinguish the fire, but the vehicle and house sustained

extensive damage. No one was physically injured in the incident.”

Responding RCMP officers learned that a person had been seen walking away from the incident and at about 1:30 a.m., officers arrested a woman a short distance away from where the incident took place. The woman who police believed to have been involved in the fire was transported to Eskasoni Detachment for questioning.

RCMP say the 21-year-old woman of Eskasoni was subsequently released on conditions and will appear in Eskasoni Provincial Court on April 2, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. to face a charge of Arson. The investigation into the matter is ongoing.

Councillor has concerns over state of Keltic Lodge’s main lodge aft er temporary closure of main lodge and power disconnection

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

Ingonish Beach - Deputy warden of Victoria County, Larry Dauphinee, has been watching the state of the main building at Keltic Lodge become worse over the years, now after a recent power disconnection, due to possible electrical fire, he says he would like to see what the plans are for the historic property.

Located in Ingonish Beach, N.S., Keltic Lodge falls in Dauphinee’s district, the building was built in 1904 and opened to tourists since 1932. It’s now owned by Parks Canada and operated by GolfNorth.

“We’ve seen that they’ve closed down the main lodge and the rumor in the community is that it’s going to be closed for a year, or two while they renovate their residence. So, they’ve moved staff for the winter up to the main lodge,” Dauphinee said.

“I’m quite concerned because there’s been very little maintenance done there in the last year.”

The deputy warden said currently he doesn’t see any upkeep happening with the building and explained that if it doesn’t get work done soon, “it’s going to deteriorate to a point where it might be too late to do anything with it.”

“So, I’m kind of concerned with the building. It’s an old building, it does need a lot of work, I think everybody realizes that.”

On December 29, 2023, Ingonish Beach Volunteer Fire Department responded to the

report of an electrical fire at the Keltic Lodge. According to a report from the fire department, members of the fire service were hit with strong smell of smoke coming from the basement upon entering the lodge. The area was searched, no fire was found and the cause seemed to be a malfunctioning electrical motor.

Nova Scotia Power disconnected the power to the main lodge, while they get an electrical company to do an assessment said Dauphinee and noted the power is still disconnected.

“It’s been a week and a half, I go down every day to check and the fuses are still hanging down off the pole. So, nothing has been connected again, my concern now is I don’t know if they have anyway to provide heat to the building and what kind of shape it’s going to be in,” Dauphinee said.

“It seems everyone is walking away from that main lodge and I’d like to know who is responsible for it and what the plans are.”

The issue was raised by Dauphinee at a past council meeting of Victoria County in December, 2023. The municipality passed a motion to write a letter to Parks Canada, the CEO of GolfNorth, the minister of environment for the federal government and the local M.P. The deputy warden said they haven’t heard a response back from any party yet.

“Those are critical rooms, we’re at full capacity here especially in the summer. So, the loss of any rooms in the community would have a great impact on the community,” Dauphinee said.

Snowmobiling is a thrilling and enjoyable family activity embraced by millions of people in the United States and Canada. This winter recreational sport is fun and safe, but only if riders act with care and respect. International Snowmobile Safety Week takes place from January 13 to 21. The message for this year is that individual riders have the most signi cant responsibility to ensure snowmobiling safety. The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association (ISMA) recommends that riders follow the following safety tips to avoid mishaps on the trails:

• Refrain from consuming alcohol or drugs before or during snowmobiling

• Always wear a helmet and proper clothing

• Never ride alone

• Operate at safe speeds that are within reason

• Avoid venturing onto unfamiliar frozen bodies of water

• Acquire a thorough understanding of the snowmobile you’re riding

• Familiarize yourself with the terrain you plan to travel on

• Always carry emergency supplies and learn outdoor survival skills

• Maintain your snowmobile in optimal condition

• Exercise heightened caution when riding at night

• Stick to designated trails and areas where snowmobiling is permitted

• Inform someone of your itinerary and anticipated return time • Consult the weather forecast before embarking on your journey Snowmobiling contributes an annual $26 billion to the United States economy and $9.3

Join us to experience the thrill of snowmobiling in a controlled, safe environment. Our trail tours are all-inclusive and designed for everyone to

Photo Attribution; Keezix1000; Wikimedia Commons

The Keltic Lodge is a big source of employment for people around the area and deputy warden Larry Dauphinee said the closure is also affecting the economic impact in the county.

Àros na Mara awarded Community Group Golden Award for their dedication to Bras d’Or Lakes; plans this year to open up marine science learning centre

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

Iona – On January 8, 2023, local nonprofit, Àros na Mara announced they are the recipients of CEPI’s Community Group Golden Award for 2023, an award given to the group for their work within the community, their dedication to the Bras d’Or Lake and marking a year when the group is about to launch their marine science learning centre.

Àros na Mara began in 2005, when after a number of years of planning, Central Cape Breton Community Ventures and Cape Breton University began to a partnership. The collaboration work toward the creation of the Àros na Mara Marine Science Centre, which will be situated on the Barra Strait in Iona, N.S.

Among other developments since its creation, the organization has performed the upkeep of the Iona Port Wharf, attained funding and completion of an 1,800 square foot building among. They have also hosted the Bluenose II tours annually, have been a venue for Celtic Colours Festival and in summer of 2023 they opened a café at the location.

Vince MacLean, project lead with Àros na Mara, said the area has lots of potential for ecotourism and has unique habitats for marine research. They currently have about a $6 million-dollar foundation of resources and facilities at the port, and MacLean said they still have more to build upon such as; ocean literacy, marine science and the impacts of climate change.

“Certainly, sailors have recognized the area for over a century and Indigenous people were here first and they’re very aware of it and we work closely with them and CEPI,” MacLean said.

This is the second time the non-profit received an award from CEPI, they were also recognized for their work in 2016. MacLean

noted the award came at an exciting time as they are planning on expanding on the work already done.

“So, it’s quite an honour for us, certainly we look at it that way. We’re promoting the lake and the Iona Port,” he said.

“It was great to receive the award and be acknowledged again, we were quite pleased with it.”

Stan Johnson, coordinator at CEPI, presented the award to Àros na Mara, he said the Community Group Golden Award for 2023 is going to a group of local people who are preserving the water front and natural resources.

“It’s a non-profit organization working with only a small amount of money, and they are continually trying to improve and raise money for more generations to be able to use it and enjoy,” Johnson said.

“Only a handful of areas around the world celebrate World Ocean’s Day and this group comes together to celebrate and inform people about why it’s so important. This award is not just for one person because it truly takes a village to help protect our natural resources.”

Bruce MacNeil, Coordinator with Central Cape Breton Community Ventures, said their recently finished a facility on the port will be a Marine Science Learning and Discovery Centre.

“We hope to have in that building various displays, including the use of technology for any visitors, to learn about the wonders of the Bras d’Or Lakes,” MacNeil said.

It’s really an extension of the development that has taken place at the port over the last 20 years, MacNeil said noting they have the start of what “will be a big thing.”

“What we’re embarking now on is phase two, which is a three to five-year journey to fully complete. We’re going to start embarking on it in a small way,” MacNeil said.

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Your Community Calendar

We will post the event, date, and time at no charge. Non pro t organizations only. Space is limited and there are no guarantees for free listings.

WEDNESDAY JAN 17

-Letter Writing Social at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 1:00pm.

THURSDAY JAN. 18

-Lego Drop-In at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 3:00pm4:30pm.

-Talks and Docs at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 6:30pm.

FRIDAY JAN. 19

-Morning Meditation at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 9:00am-10:00am.

-Creative Meet-Up at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck.

Call 902-625-3300

1:00-3:00pm.

-Chase the Ace at the Baddeck Legion, 37 Ross St., Baddeck. 6:00pm-9:00pm

SATURDAY JAN. 20

-Kids Hawaiian Black Light Dance party at the Cabot Volunteer Fire Dept., 29428 Cabot Trail. 6:00pm-8:00pm.

SUNDAY JAN. 21

-Open Jam at the Baddeck Legion, 37 Ross St, Baddeck. 2:00pm-5:00pm.

TUESDAY JAN. 23

-Lively Larks – Bring your little ones for playtime, stories and more, to the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 10:30am.

-Tuesday Night Films at the Baddeck

Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 6:30pm THURSDAY JAN. 25

-Lego Drop-In at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 3:00pm4:30pm.

-Talks and Docs at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 6:30pm.

Friday Jan. 26

-Morning Meditation at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 9:00am-10:00am.

-Creative Meet-Up at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 1:00-3:00pm.

-Chase the Ace at the Baddeck Legion,

37 Ross St., Baddeck. 6:00pm-9:00pm SUNDAY JAN. 28

-Open Jam at the Baddeck Legion, 37 Ross St, Baddeck. 2:00pm-5:00pm. -Halibut Supper at the Masonic Hall,35 Queen St., Baddeck. Take out only. Contact Shane 902-295-2566 or Jess 902295-0026 for tickets. 4:00pm-6:00pm.

TUESDAY JAN. 30

-Lively Larks – Bring your little ones for playtime, stories and more, to the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 10:30am.

-Tuesday Night Films at the Baddeck Library, 520 Chebucto St., Baddeck. 6:30pm

Photo contributed

The marine science facility which just finished completion will be designed for locals, tourists and marine scientists to visit. Tanks and aquariums will be in a shared space for research, viewable by the public.

Iona rings in 2024 with community polar dip in the Bras d’Or Lake

Dr. Ken Murray recognized for long-time service to patients and community

by Adam McNamara adammcn33@gmail.com

Neil’s Harbour – Among the awards and recognition received at a New Year’s Eve gala on December 31, 2023, hosted by the Cape Breton Medical Staff Association, newly retired family physician, Dr. Ken Murray, from Neil’s Harbour was recognized for his dedication to the field of medicine over the years.

After practicing medicine and serving patients in Neil’s Harbour and the surrounding communities, for over 50 years, Murray retired last year. Since retiring, he said a few nice things have come his way in the form of recognition.

At the most recent award ceremony on New Year’s Eve, he was awarded by the Cape Breton Medical Staff Association, “In appreciation and recognition of your loyal service to your patients and community, years of hard work, and dedication to the practice of medicine,” stated his award.

About a year ago Murray was awarded by Doctors Nova Scotia, then not long after his initial recognition he was one of the inaugural recipients of the medical award of merit, at the University of Cape Breton College.

“I was one of five who was given long service awards there. Then in the fall the Nova Scotia College of Family Physicians gave me an award for long service and then this recent recognition came along too,” Murray said.

“So, it’s all pretty nice things and nice especially when they’re calling to acknowledge you for a long time for something you enjoy doing.”

Murray began working at the hospital Neil’s Harbour in 1972 and then began his own family practice. The retired doctor said he didn’t plan on staying in the community there long-term, “but I was here and worked in the summer as a student and thought I would like to come back for a bit. And as it turns out once I

Photo contributed Among recognition given since retiring in the last year, Dr. Ken Murray has been awarded a medical award for merit as well as the recent long service award he received at the Cape Breton Medical Staff Association New Years Eve gala.

was here for a few years I decided it would be a nice place to be and raise a family.”

It’s a bit of an adjustment to go from working to not working Murray said, noting “I’m now enjoying other things. We’re doing a bit of travelling. It’s nice not to be tied to a schedule, I’m enjoying that part of it.”

North Highlands Nordic hosts first Tea and Ski of 2024

Photo contributed Community members from around Iona, N.S. rang in the new year with a plunge in the Bras d’Or Lake.

The event organized by Diane Russell was also a good chance for residents to support the Barra Food Bank.

The Iona Volunteer Fire Department assisted in collecting the donations for the food bank.

Photo contributed

There were more than a dozen participants on skis and snowshoes at the event on January 9, 2024.

All attendees were local residents except for two folks traveling separately from Washington D.C. and Australia.