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Vol.24 No.7
February 19, 2020
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Column Six Road rage lite in our fair town
Old Timers lace up the skates
Enough with tailgating twits in their BMWs and minivans BY JANE BEDARD
Special to the VOICE
I
John Fudge displays a limber leg. Story, page 10
DON RICKERS
’m sitting in the passenger seat while my son is learning to drive. He is doing well. He is focusing, checking his blind spots, and watching his speed. He signals, turns, and continues onto an open, two-lane, country road. I am relaxed. He is in control. It’s a pastoral setting, although the day is still a wintery grey. After a few moments, another car turns onto the road behind us and speeds up. I can feel my son grow a little nervous, as his grip on the wheel tightens and his looks in the rearview mirror increase in frequency. The car behind us gets closer. “It’s okay,” I say. “You’re doing the speed limit. Hold your ground and don’t let him pressure you into going faster.” The car behind us is now See COLUMN SIX Page 12
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The Voice, February 19, 2020
Voice set to receive six awards NRPS impaired
PUBLISHER’S CORNER
by Dave Burket
driving charges
BY VOICE STAFF
The raceways of Pelham: Jane Bedard’s Column Six observations this week, about the varieties of bad drivers on our local roads, will be familiar to many. You’ll certainly get no argument from me that BMW drivers are the worst of the worst. Okay, fine. Not every single BMW driver becomes (or already is) a narcissistic menace behind the wheel. I’m sure one day I’ll meet the exception. No matter the make, however, the darker the window tint the worse the driving—that’s guaranteed. All that said, I’m not light on the pedal myself, and have surely caused consternation among the slowpokes ahead of us. Oh, what a complicated world!... Here comes Starbucks? The Town of Pelham officially closed last week on a long-delayed sale of property in East Fonthill, namely 3.79 acres fronting Highway 20, north of the community centre. Fonthill Gardens, the developer who brought us the Food Basics plaza, paid $2.8 million dollars. That works out to about $739,000 per acre. It's quite a bargain, considering that the previous council agreed to pay the very same developer $928,000 per acre six years ago. Is Pelham the only Niagara municipality where land prices are dropping, year after year, or is Fonthill Gardens just one exceptionally skilled negotiator? Starbucks and a relocated McDonald’s are being talked up as likely occupants for the planned drive-throughs in the new development. Clearly this town can’t get enough coffee...To Concerned Ratepayer: That was a fine letter to the editor, but we’ll need your contact information to run it...Seriously, take it easy: Don Rickers looks into whether shoveling snow really is a health risk (p. 3), and the short answer is definitely yes. For those of a certain age, consider hiring the kid down the street to clear your drive, assuming kids down the street still do that sort of thing. Alternatively, there are snowblowers at Pic’s and bags of salt at Beamer’s Hardware...Ouch, that’s the spot: If you heedlessly dig yourself out anyway and strain a muscle, there’s a new physiotherapist in town. Check out Ryan Walker’s story (p. 8)...Canned Heat: This is right about the time that winter seems like it will never end, though honestly this year hasn’t been so bad. Even so, for a delicious taste of summer’s bounty, DeVries Fruit Farm (ad, p. 10) has last season’s canned goodness in stock. The pears are a favourite in our house...A tale of escape: Appearing at the Pelham Library’s Fonthill branch this coming Saturday, local author Amy Hoang will read from her book, Anchorless, starting at 10:30 AM (story, p. 11)...Finish off with roast beef: Conclude your Saturday with the Community Dinner at North Pelham Hall (ad, p. 12). Half-and-half draw for dessert...Snap it up: Finally, don’t miss the Ruffin’s coupon (p. 14) for a free bag of dog treats. Why a bull wearing boxing gloves (literally a raging bull?) is promoting them is unclear, but they do look tasty! ♦
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The Voice received a valentine of sorts last Friday with news from the Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA) that the newspaper will receive six awards in the association’s Better Newspaper Competition. The annual competition identifies and celebrates the best in Ontario community journalism. This is the third year running that the Voice has been recognized with top BNC honours—including for investigating news. This year's awards are in the following categories: Arts & Entertainment, Best Investigative News Story, Best Rural Story, Best Feature/News Series, Best Headline
OPP warns of SIM swap scam BY VOICE STAFF The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), in partnership with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), are advising the public of a recently reported scam. In a statement, the OPP says that fraudsters are using SIM swapping and phone number porting to gain access to email, social media and financial accounts. From there, they gain access to personal information, calendar, contacts and money. Fraudsters may empty bank accounts, apply for credit in your name, or impersonate you to defraud your contact list. In the meantime, you lose access to your mobile service, are typically locked out of all your accounts, and are left scrambling.
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Writing, and Best Sport Section. “We’re particularly pleased by the Investigative News Story award,” said publisher Dave Burket. “As government and business increasingly try to circumvent journalists, and communicate what are often halftruths directly to the public through social media and PR spin, the news media's role as fact-checker grows ever more important.” Whether the paper takes home First, Second, or Third place in its nominated categories won’t be known until the OCNA-BNC awards dinner and presentation in April, at the association's 70th annual spring convention.
According to the statement, the scam works as follows. A fraudster will impersonate you to gain access to your mobile account and may claim that their phone has been lost or stolen. Your phone number will be linked to a new SIM and device that the fraudster controls. The fraudster then downloads a series of the most popular and most attractive apps. They will select the “Forgot Password” button on all apps. If an account is associated to your phone number or email address, the fraudster will receive a verification code. They will then use this code to confirm ownership of the account, create their own password and take over your accounts. The OPP’s tips: -Keep your personal information personal. It is as
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The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.
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simple as not publishing your date of birth on social media. -Do not answer phishing emails or text messages looking for you to confirm your password or update your account information. -Use an offline password manager. -Contact your phone provider and ask about additional security measures that may be available. -If you lose mobile service on your device, contact your service provider immediately. Go with your gut. If a message seems fishy it probably is. The OPP asks that if you think you have been a victim of fraud to contact the police. For those who wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or p3tips. com.
In an effort to bring further attention and deterrence to driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, the Niagara Regional Police Service reports the names of those people who are charged with an alleged criminal impaired driving offence in the Region. None of the following charges have been proved in court. In addition to being charged, these individuals are also bound by a Ministry of Transportation 90-Day Administrative Driver’s License Suspension and are prohibited from operating a motor vehicle on a roadway. The public is encouraged to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service Traffic Safety Hotline or Crime Stoppers to report those who are driving in contravention of the suspension. The following individuals have been charged criminally with impaired driving by alcohol or drugs, driving with a blood alcohol concentration above 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood, or refusing to provide a breath / blood sample. Christopher W. MCKAY, 49, Stoney Creek Corey ROLAND, 26, St. Catharines Maribel MELANSON, 48, Welland Christopher H. STOEHR, 60, Grimsby Leonardo PASQUALIN, 31, Toronto Daniel J. D. T. PFEIFFER, 20, Thorold Brandie L. GURR, 35, St. Catharines Desmond R. J. VANBEEK, 24, Thorold
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Oops: No fire trucks for you
Column Six
The Comfort Maple myth
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Column Six
Growing up British
BY JULIE MANNELL
Special to the VOICE
W
BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3. NATE SMELLE PHOTO
Public meeting tonight on school issues BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick. Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-
Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation. DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be
“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime. Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. “We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page
HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin. My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries. Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town. This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation. On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque. “This tree looks dead,” I said to my father. “It sure is getting there, Julie.” The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14
Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation
Vol.20 No.32
BY VOICE STAFF
A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through. One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through. “If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire
BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER
Special to the VOICE
A
Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said. While waiting for the contractor to return to fix
the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-
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bourhood in the short-term. Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with
the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5
Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest BY NATE SMELLE
The VOICE
Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21. Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-
sidered. The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event. Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-
ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security. Another way the committee plans
to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016. "We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said. “It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going. We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5
FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box. Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano. For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely. Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint
Wednesday October 12, 2016
FREE
Apple Day comes to Fonthill
See COLUMN SIX Page 14
BY VOICE STAFF
The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals
ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”
“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie. Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls
Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept. 19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-
walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school. Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later. After delivering to Council a petition containing
Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the
podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case. Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel. As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.
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and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support. Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.
Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley BY NATE SMELLE
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Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers SUPPLIED PHOTO in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign. A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.
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Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn
Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932
While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples. As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations. The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada. “The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-
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BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick. Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues. Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students. “The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated. The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the
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“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained. “I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.” Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2
HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn. Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn. It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly. The hues of Autumn are outstanding. A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour. Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River. If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills. If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3
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Page 3
Winter travails Word to the wise: if you're up in years, leave the shoveling to others BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
Pelham’s temperate climate continues to draw retirees in droves to our community, but we still get a generous slice of good old Canadian winter. Most local homeowners are well-prepared, with shovels and snow blowers at the ready. Even so, caution is well-advised. A University of Montreal study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, correlated admissions to Quebec hospitals and deaths due to heart attacks the day after a snowfall, over a 20-year period, concluding in 2014. The analysis included some 200,000 hospital admissions and 68,000 deaths due to heart attacks. “We studied the data and found a rather robust signal for increased cardiac events associated with heavy snowfall,” reported study co-author, Dr. Brian Potter. “The deeper the snow, the more were admitted for heart attacks the day after a snowfall.” For snowfalls of more than eight inches, there was a 16% increase in hospital admissions and a 34% increase in heart attack deaths compared to days with no snow. The findings of the study were not limited to people who already knew they had
heart disease. The link between snowfall and heart attack was observed even among people with no cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking or high blood pressure. Similarly, researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio reported in the January 2011 issue of the American Journal of Emergency Medicine that an average of 11,500 snow-shoveling-related injuries and medical emergencies occurred annually in the United States between 1990 and 2006. While cardiac-related injuries accounted for only seven percent of the total number of cases, they reflected more than half of the hospitalizations and 100 percent of over 1600 fatalities associated with shoveling snow. Those 55 years of age and older had over four times the risk. The connection between snow shoveling and heart attack seems pretty conclusive. The activity can quickly raise a person’s heart rate and blood pressure. It requires the use of arm muscles, which for most people is more strenuous than other gross-motor exercise like walking or cycling. It happens in a cold environment, which causes blood vessels to constrict and thickens the blood, mak-
Left, Lloyd Beamer, owner of Beamer's Hardware, in Fonthill. The store sells some 200 bags of salt per season. Right, Dave Groen, of Pic’s Motor Clinic, just over the line in Thorold, surrounded by a posse of snowblowers. DON RICKERS ing it more likely to clot. Perhaps most importantly, most snow shovelers are ordinarily sedentary, and a sudden, strenuous workout may prove overwhelming to their cardiovascular system. Many middle-aged men (especially those with pre-existing cardiovascular impairment) have opted for snowblowers to make the task of snow removal easier. But these machines introduce potential hazards to the unwary. According to a 2005 Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) study, snowblowers were the fourth leading cause of finger amputations in the US, at more than 1,000 per year. The CPSC estimated that some 5,700 patients each year are evaluated in hospital emergency rooms or emergency clinics for snowblower-related accidents or injuries. Since 1992, they documented 19 deaths as a result of snowblower accidents.
Case in point: Joe Sakic was a gifted NHL hockey player, who captained the Colorado Avalanche to two Stanley Cup championships. In 2008, he made a careless mistake while clearing the driveway with his snowblower. Sakic reached into the auger (rotational blades) of his machine to clear a jam. The machine was not running, but the torque from the auger cycled the blades once the obstruction cleared, and the result was three broken fingers and tendon damage. Sakic did not finish the season, and retired from hockey the following year. Orthopedic hand surgeons see serious injuries and amputations due to snowblowers. They assert that the main misperception is that the blades will
not move if the machine is turned off. Dave Groen, of Pic’s Motor Clinic on Highway 20, agrees. His best advice: “If your snowblower clogs, turn off the machine and wait for the impeller blades to stop rotating, then use the tool that all new snow blowers include to clear the obstruction. Never place your hands into the auger or discharge chute, not even if it isn’t running.” Other safety tips? Wear boots with good traction to prevent slipping. Don’t wear loose clothing, which could become entangled in the auger. Stay focused on the job, and don't drink alcohol or use drugs before operating the machine. Pace yourself, just as you would shoveling snow. And remember the dangers of toxic exhaust
emissions when operating a snowblower in confined spaces. Carbon monoxide is odourless, but can prove fatal. Lloyd Beamer, who has run Beamer’s Hardware on Pelham Street since 1986, didn’t stock any snowblowers this year, given the modest demand for the machines over the past couple of mild winters. They go through plenty of shovels and about 200 bags of salt, though. Employee Jim Vanderhoek praised the Town’s sidewalk clearing efforts, “but they don’t generally go out a day or two later to check if the melted snow has re-frozen…so salting the walks is a good safety measure.” And while on the topic See TRAVAILS Page 16
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The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0
COMMENTARY / OP-ED Marcelle Paulin I'm taking a pledge towards climate action—here's why
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hoosing to make farming my career was not a difficult decision. I had my sights set on growing crops, raising animals, and running a viable farm business. Shortly into my career I realized not only how difficult farming can be but also what an extremely precarious occupation farming is. A big rainstorm can mean flooded streets for an afternoon in the city or a heatwave can be uncomfortable for urbanites — but extreme weather can really negatively impact the farm. There have been many moments of awe and gratitude in my farming career, but I have also experienced devastating disappointment and stress when our livelihood is threatened due to extreme weather events caused by climate change. Seeds washed away, pest outbreaks due to wet weather, and thousands of dollars of crops lost due to rain or heat are moments that particularly stand out from our 13 years farming. We are at the mercy of Mother Nature at all times, and to be a farmer is to know that the weather is
out of our control. I also know that extreme weather events and climate change can be mitigated. Agriculture can significantly impact climate change in either negative
Agriculture is currently responsible for 72 megatonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
or positive ways. Agriculture is currently responsible for 72 megatonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and I know methane and carbon are contributors to those emissions. Knowing this, I know that my industry is responsible for its fair share in contributing to climate change, and I look for ways to go from being a GHG emitter to an absorber. I attended a Kitchen Table
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Meeting by the National Farmers Union-Ontario. I learned that the actions that farmers take to adapt to extreme weather will also help fight climate change. Increasing soil carbon and perennial coverage will help soils to buffer water in extreme rainfall events and reduce flooding downstream. Strengthening hedgerows will reduce peak windspeeds during storms and reduce crop water loss to wind during droughts. All of those actions will also sequester carbon in soil and biomass. I pledged to reduce tillage of the soil, cover our compost areas, and aim to maintain living roots in growing areas post-harvest on my own farm this season. By taking these actions I know that I’m doing my part and hope to inspire others to do so as well. Part of my pledge was to be able to continue this advocacy, and I hope that you’ll consider joining this project. ♦ Marcelle Paulin is a livestock and vegetable farmer in Thunder Bay, Ontario. She is also a member of the National Farmers Union-Ontario's Board of Directors.
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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca EDITOR & PUBLISHER Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Brian Green, Jenica Hrysko, Maeve Keating, Megan Metler, Bill Potrecz, Bernie Puchalski, Don Rickers, John Swart, Helen Tran, Mike Tucker, Rob Weatherby. Proof Sleuth: Julian Fitch NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca
Move proposed Fenwick hotel to site of old fire hall I realize that some people just don't like change but I thought that converting the old bank in Fenwick to a hotel made some sense, since it is already zoned for commercial use. However, the parking issue is a powerful argument against it. Downtown Fenwick is a much busier spot than some people realize. I have been at a number of functions where I was lucky to grab the last parking space. We would be expected to lose the bank's four spots and then have a dozen or more extra vehicles to accommodate. That is unacceptable. I would like to propose that the
developer consider taking a pass on that location and moving their project to a the site of our old fire hall. It is a two-minute walk from the bank location. It is a larger parcel and would have room for hotel and parking. It is not residential or agricultural, so it could easily be rezoned to allow a small hotel. Dave Smith Fenwick
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Page 5
OPINION Decries "politically-correct" thinking Last week, Niagara Region Councillor Diana Huson was reported as recently stating that she is not a "climate change expert," and that such science is not her "area of expertise.” That, in my opinion, is fair comment from someone who is being up-front honest. But that is not how your publisher sees it. His rejoinder of, "Oh, jeez. Textbook climate change denier evasion," is, also in my opinion, definitely not fair comment. Huson is not denying climate change. Only a fool would deny the evidence of their own senses. What she may be questioning, as I do, is the primarily human origin of climate change. Those who believe in human-induced climate change assert constantly that there is no room for argument, that the science is settled. It is true that they have the benefit of numbers on their side. But one only has to review the many scientific papers pro and con to realize that the science of climate change is anything but settled. I deplore the tendency today to “put down” people who we don't think have politically-correct thinking. The above is just one example. Robert Norminton Fonthill Editor’s note: It is one of humankind’s greatest tragedies—possibly the one that will see the end of our species—that the fossil fuels industry has so effectively
spent billions of dollars, over four decades, muddying the waters over global warming causation. Scientifically, there is near-unanimity that the planet's current climate crisis is of our own making. As usual in our capitalist system, one only need follow the money. See who continues to fund climate change disinformation. Theirs is an attempt to protect the enormous wealth generated by fossil fuels extraction. Like the tobacco industry before it, the fossil fuels lobby lies brazenly to protect its assets. “Of course I trust the conclusions of 95%-plus of qualified, expert climatologists, that global warming is caused through human industry,” is the only answer that responsible political leaders need provide. This is not the time for mild-mannered, self-evident banalities aimed at placating blinkered constituents—or the continued publication of incomplete or deliberately distorted data that interferes with the public’s ability to comprehend that which is beyond reasonable dispute. Had the writer quoted the rest of last week's comment from Councillor Huson, he would be under no illusion that she shared his perspective. "I do believe climate change is predominately man-made," said Huson, "and is one of the most important issues of our time." This is a time for leadership out of crisis—by local municipal leaders on up to international institutions. Yelling “Fire!” in a burning theatre is the right thing to do, regardless if the fire was started by accident or by arson.
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COMMENTARY / OP-ED
Kelly Harris
The first step to building pipelines? Get treaties done.
F
ormer British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell believed strongly that to create economic prosperity in Canada’s most westerly province the government first needed to resolve long-standing disputes with First Nations. As a communications officer assigned to the Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations in 2004, I saw the potential firsthand. My position was issues management and press secretary, and as such I dealt with the good news — agreements and negotiations — and the bad news—blockades and protests. The thing about British Columbia First Nations negotiations is they are vastly different than the rest of Cana-
da. Treaties, for the most part, moved from east to west and stopped at the Rocky Mountains. There are some treaties —namely the Douglas Treaties on Vancouver Island — that deal with B.C. Crown Land, but very few. Most of B.C. First Nations land and people are still governed under principles derived from the Indian Act, 1876. At one point in my time with the minister responsible’s office, factoring in overlapping claims be different bands, I was told somewhere around 110 to 115 percent of B.C. Crown Land was under treaty claim. Some areas, like that of the ground the contested Coastal GasLink project plans to run through, is somewhat remote — 1,100 km north of Vancouver. (94% of the
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entirety of British Columbia is B.C. Crown Land. Only about 5% is privately owned.) Other areas, like that of the University Golf Club in Vancouver, and the Legislature grounds in Victoria, are a little closer to the seat of power. In the absence of treaties and defined ownership of land, there are claims, the law, consultation, negotiation and often accommodation. The trouble is not all First Nations members are always on the same side — even if they are the same band. There are two basic leadership groups. There is the elected chief and council —established by the Indian Act —and then there is or are hereditary chiefs.
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Page 6
Letters
The Voice, February 19, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
continued
Pelham issues far from solved Pelham, the once small rural group of villages, with their long- established farmers and business folks that made this community one of the most respected and highly desirable communities in Canada, is itself part the reason for our troubles today. In Pelham and its villages, everyone knew each other, worked together, raised funds together for civic improvements, and provided comfort to one another when any sad event occurred. Town Hall was ripe with nepotism. At one point, a vast number of employees were related in some fashion, not so uncommon in rural areas of Canada. That created a climate where Town staff were highly connected to the outside by blood or close fellowship. Would rules be bent or overlooked? Recently, a group of citizens in Pelham came asking me to participate in a discussion regarding the state of affairs in town since the new council was elected. Without going into the long, drawn-out details, which a surprising number of residents are raising concerns over, I’ll try to do the Cole’s Notes version. These are questions and comments from citizens: New Town Council Has the new council improved ? Yes, in some areas, but not at all in transparency or honoring their campaign promises. • This council and staff have made it clear and taken steps to not correspond or engage with residents over concerns and complaints. • Personal opinions on council by some outweigh judgment and good decorum. Councillor Ron Kore, as an example, responds to resident complaints with emails stating they are simply “Troublemakers,” therefore not deserving of an answer. Councillors have a duty to be educated and informed, and engage with all residents in a pro-
fessional manner. Another example of why Town Hall needs glass walls to protect them after they ignore and frustrate residents. Do we as residents have to continue to call in integrity officers or the Ombudsman? • Generally speaking, resident comments, concerns and complaints go totally unanswered. • Promises on the campaign trail have for the most part been ignored and forgotten. • Major financial questions and concerns on East Fonthill, the Old Arena, and the new community centre continue to go unanswered. The residents’ oversight committee made up of Chartered Accountants in the community to see the financial statements and status of the community centre has been ignored. Residents want to see the simple numbers: • Total operating cost • Total revenue • Total debt, interest and cost of borrowing • A truthful profit and loss statement • Is the facility being operated at capacity? What’s the ratio of paid rentals vs. Town gratis programs? • Why, since the community centre caused so much strife in the community, and considering that our residents are carrying the huge financial burden, do we not see PELHAM’s name anywhere on our building? That is wrong by all measures. Frustration at the Library Shuffling over leadership again. Struggle for power seems to be the appetite of the Town staff. • The Director of Recreation, Culture, and Wellness is responsible for all things recreational and cultural, as well as operations of the new community centre. The community centre, everyone agrees, needs full-time hands- on management while it grows and all the bugs and financial burdens are dealt with, yet we are now told that its director now has time to take on the
PIPELINES
continued from previous page The elected chiefs take care of economic issues and day-to-day issues of the band. The hereditary chiefs are —as the name implies — those whose title has been passed down generation to generation. Their role is more care for the land base and culture. The Wet’suwet’en First Nation is made up of five clans — Gilseyhu (Big Frog), Laksilyu (Small Frog), Gitdumden (Wolf/Deer), Laksamshu (Fireweed), and Tsayo (Beaver Clan). Each of these has hereditary chiefs. Then there are houses—I do not know all of them in this particular first nation, but one of them is House of the Top of the Flat Rock, for example. So the elected chief and council have negotiated for the pipeline to be constructed across land presently under claim. What does that mean? Simply put, this is Crown Land that a particular First Nation —or two or three —claim was, for
Kudos to Town library as well? • From all public accounts, this director does not have the experience or qualifications to hold the lead management role in any of these areas. In similar communities, especially these with as large a recreational centre as Pelham has, they have either highly experienced and certified professionals or they outsource to large, well- known facilities management firms that have the expertise and connections to rent and promote the facility. • Kudos to the Mayor who is trying hard but obviously being pressured by certain councillors. Development and intensification Why? The Planning Director says that “Pelham is required” to intensify. BS! It’s time the Town and its planners began to look and listen to what residents want. Try a public meeting and see what residents think of your planning and intensification of our town. Residents past, current and future want “rural,” natural settings, space, privacy and safety. Jamming in huge houses with minimum space between them is not what any resident wants. Hello? • The Davis Heights development is a prime example. A development that bent all the rules. A development that details were hidden about, and Town staff not listening to residents. This is a prime example of why the public often says, “The builder paid someone in Town Hall.” Take a look at the public video record of Town councillors’ reaction to the developers when they presented the overbuilt project. You would think the councillors were investors. • This type of intensification devalues the adjacent established homes. • This particular development was sold to the Town and residents as numerous housing proposals until finally they got a townhouse development approved con-
example, “traditional hunting territory.” As such, this is land they hope to have included in final treaties negotiated with the province and Canada. Because the land has no clear ownership it is governed by the same rules as any other piece of land. However, the government has a duty —actually the “Duty of the Crown” — to negotiate, and, when necessary, accommodate First Nations that have a valid claim to the land to use the land base. “Valid claim” means the likelihood that they can establish the land is traditional territory. This was upheld November 18, 2004 in the Taku River Tinglet First Nations vs. British Columbia Supreme Court of Canada ruling. The ruling basically said the Crown, in order to uphold its honour, must consult and when necessary accommodate First Nations on use of land under claim. This does not equate to a veto—and unlimited consultation effectively acts as a veto.
sisting of single family, bungalow- style row houses. Those “bungalows” have picture windows two stories high, thanks to the six feet of imported fill. Residents, stop by and see the modest bungalows and drive through Peachtree Park. • The thousands of truck loads the builder imported to raise the site grade by six feet. • The removal of the public walking trail. How did that happen, when two major conditions should have prevented it: First, the land was donated to the Town with the clear intent it was to remain always for the purpose of “Public Enjoyment,” and second, the walking trail was long established as the only connection between upper Fonthill and lower Shorthills. Pelham, which promotes itself as being a “walkable community,” wipes out established trails to satisfy a builder on land that was owned by the Town. That’s wrong. The Town has done nothing to reinstate the path or find an alternate route. Again, Town Hall says it was impossible to create an easement. Don’t we all know the answer to that. • The Town staff, despite numerous complaints, has allowed the builder to: cut and remove mature trees that were protected by NPCA; cut and remove small trees on private lands without approval; remove the large steel storm drain that carried storm water from several street catch basins on Peachtree Park. The drain for 60 years has run between two homes on Peachtree out across the Davis property and into the Lathrop ravine. The builders, without consultation or permission, ripped out the drain. The Town ignored all complaints from local residents. The builder has also raised the grades by six feet, in such a dramatic manner as to cast surface water toward the private fences of established residents, which is causing the posts to rot and lose their structural integrity.
In this case, the pipeline approval process went through all of this, yet the hereditary chiefs still disagree — stringently. There are several reasons, environment being key amongst them. However, another is the unresolved issue of missing women along the “Highway of Tears,” from Prince George in North Central B.C., and Prince Rupert on the Northwest coast. Why is that an issue, you may ask. According to the hereditary chiefs related to the findings of the Inquiry on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, “the inquiry found direct links between extractive industries, ‘man camps,’ and increased violence against Indigenous women.” As someone who has marched on the Highway of Tears in solidarity with the missing and murdered women and their families, that issue struck home with me. What is just as impactful is the fact that British Columbia and Canada have been derelict in their duties to establish and negotiate rights and
The truth comes out As reported in recent editions of the Voice, Cari Pupo, the highly respected professional accountant and former Town Treasurer, finally spoke out with a portion of the truth of what goes on behind closed doors at Town Hall. Her report begins to confirm reports over the past six years. It is obvious, and anyone in business understands, the boss, the CEO, the Head Manager, delegates to staff. As a theoretical example, if the boss says find a way to steal a million dollars, the staff can either say no, that’s illegal, or continue along and craft a way to satisfy the boss’s order. Why did the Town, under the previous council, use a developer to buy land, which the Town could have purchased itself for $225,000 per acre. Why did the Town turn around and buy three acres of that same land, then owned by the developer, for $928,000 per acre? The same staff that administered that arrangement is largely still in Town Hall, continuing the culture to protect their highly paid Sunshine List positions. Also, for those not aware of the past renumeration of staff, senior managers received upwards of 25% raises and the hiring of assistants to lessen their workloads. Were these big raises hush money? There are residents who are prepared to help and protect Ms Pupo to reveal all the truth. The Ombudsman and Municipal Affairs Minister would love to hear the full story. To the many people who have been wronged by the Town, please continue to use your voice in this Voice, and exercise your right of free speech without further bullying and threats from Town Hall. To Denise Evans and the others, keep writing. From a respectful resident who cares about Pelham and its residents. Curt Harley Fonthill
title with British Columbia First Nations. The result is the protests we have been seeing across the country. I generally disagree with the need for protest, I emphatically disagree with the methods, the messages and the terror these particular protests have caused. Yes, terror. Imagine being janitorial staff in the B.C. legislature— let’s be fair, likely new Canadians — and being accosted by protestors running wild in the people’s house shouting seditious chants of “Take Canada down.” If you don’t think terror wouldn’t course through your veins you are kidding yourself. Terrorism, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary: “the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.” While I do not agree with the methods, I do believe the governments of British Columbia and Canada have not done enough to settle issues of rights and title. Reconciliation is incredibly important, but
We had three days of measurable snowfall and all I have to say is thank you to the Town of Pelham for the fast and efficient service. The plows and sanders were out countless times during these small snow events. Our Town has shown initiative and has demonstrated care. On one of those days it was safe to go to my church, because the plows and sanders were dispatched immediately. After two inches of snow, the Town is required to remove and sand snow under a priority-based system. Major roads such as Pelham and Haist Streets are examples of thoroughfares cleared first when it comes to snow removal. Wintertime is a stressful time of year, because we all have places to go and we have to give ourselves enough extra time to travel. Last November’s snow storm was the first of the season and therefore the Town wasn’t as organized to deal with the onset of winter weather. It would be interesting to see if we continue to get small amounts of snow that add up over a course of a few days, or we get another big snow storm. Mother Nature usually won’t spare the area during March, even with warming temperatures. April is no guarantee of snow-free weather, but usually there are only a couple of centimetres of snow that fall during this first full month of spring. I think we don’t have to worry about any measurable snow in May. Hopefully, there is only nighttime frost during this pleasant spring month. In conclusion, the Town of Pelham was speedy and efficient during these first days of February. The Town is better prepared for winter, and they deserve a thank you for their hard work and dedication. Brendan Young Fonthill
}
reconciliation without agreements on the core issues — control of the land base — tends to be useless. I guarantee if you’ve read to this point, you know more about the issues in British Columbia than most, if not all of the protestors blocking the Via Rail lines. Also, the responsibility for conducting and concluding negotiations with B.C.-based First Nations needs to be a priority if B.C. and the western provinces are ever going to realize their economic potential. Failure to do so is a direct dereliction of duty, and we can expect more consternation, protests and the black mark they are leaving on Canada if our governments continue to fail to act. ♦ Kelly Harris served in the British Columbia Premier’s office assigned as a Communications Officer to the Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations from 2003 to 2006, and the Northern B.C. Communications Office in Prince George from 2006 to 2008.
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Equivalent weekly payments are for informational purposes only. Annual kilometer limit of 20,000 km, $0.16 per excess kilometer. $2,600 down payment required. Payment may vary depending on down payment trade. Total obligation is $18,486. Taxes, license, insurance, registration and applicable fees, levies, duties and, except in Quebec, dealer fees (all of which may vary by dealer and region) are extra. Option to purchase at lease end is $13,857. ^ To qualify for the Costco Member Pricing, you must be a Canadian resident holding a valid driver’s license, have been a Costco member since January 2, 2020, or earlier and must: (1) Register with Costco to receive your non-transferable Authorization Number; (2) Present the Authorization Number to a participating dealer; (3) Retail purchase, finance or lease an eligible new or demonstrator in-stock 2020 Chevrolet: Equinox (excl. LS), Traverse, Blazer (excl. 2.5L), Tahoe, Suburban; delivered from January 3, 2020, to March 31, 2020. In addition, to receive a $500 Costco Shop Card by email, submit a redemption form to Costco within thirty (30) days of vehicle delivery and complete a Costco member satisfaction survey. Please allow three weeks for Costco Shop Card delivery, pending completion of all eligibility requirements; including redemption form submission, purchase verification and survey completion. Costco Shop Cards will be emailed to the email address provided to Costco at the time of registration. The purchase or lease of a vehicle does not qualify for the calculation of the Costco Executive Membership 2% Reward. Offer may not be redeemed for cash. Conditions and limitations apply to this limited time offer. For full program details and for any applicable exclusions see a participating dealer or costcoauto.ca/GM. For Costco Shop Card terms and conditions, visit Costco.ca and search “Shop Card”. Tax, title, registration and license fees, personal property registration fees, and additional products and services are not included in the Costco Member Pricing. Offer is valid at participating authorized GM Canada dealers. Offer not available in the U.S. or Mexico. Offer is subject to change without notice. Void where prohibited. Costco and its affiliates do not sell automobiles nor negotiate individual transactions. ®: Registered trademark of Price Costco International, Inc. used under license. Ω $750 AutoShow bonus (manufacturer-to-consumer, tax inclusive) available to retail customers residing in Ontario towards the purchase or lease of a new in-stock: 2020 Chevrolet Equinox (excludes 1LS), delivered to a participating Ontario dealer from Feb 1. to March 2, 2020. $750 AutoShow bonus credit is applied after tax is applied to the purchase price of the vehicle (resulting in a $664 reduction from the purchase price and a $86 reduction in taxes which have otherwise been payable on the full purchase price). One AutoShow bonus per person per vehicle. Offer may not be combined with certain other incentives nor redeemed for cash. Limitations apply. Void where prohibited. See dealer for details. GM Canada may amend or terminate this offer at any time without notice. + 1 Offer available to qualified retail customers in Canada for vehicles purchased and delivered between February 1, 2020 to March 2, 2020. Lease based on suggested retail price of $17,598, towards the lease of an eligible 2020 Spark LT Automatic. Bi-weekly payment is $89 for 48 months at 1% lease rate (1% APR) on approved credit to qualified retail customers by GM Financial. The $45 weekly payment is calculated by dividing the bi-weekly payments. Payments cannot be made on a weekly basis. Equivalent weekly payments are for informational purposes only. Annual kilometer limit of 20,000 km, $0.16 per excess kilometer. $1,795 down payment required. Payment may vary depending on down payment trade. Total obligation is $11,020. Taxes, license, insurance, registration and applicable fees, levies, duties and, except in Quebec, dealer fees (all of which may vary by dealer and region) are extra. Option to purchase at lease end is $6,511. ~ 15” Kumho Wintercraft Ice WI31 (185/55R15) tires only. Installation, mounting and equipment extra. Four 15” Tire Application Kumho Wintercraft Ice WI31 (185/55R15) winter tires included with the purchase or lease of a new 2019 or 2020 MY Spark delivered between February 1, 2020 to March 2, 2020 at a participating GM dealer in Canada. £ Offer available to qualified retail customers in Canada on select vehicles purchased and delivered from February 1, 2020 to March 2, 2020. 0% purchase financing (0% APR) offered on approved credit by TD Auto Finance Services, Scotiabank ® or RBC Royal Bank for 60 months on eligible 2019 Blazer RS models. Participating lenders are subject to change. Rates from other lenders will vary. Down payment, trade and/or security deposit may be required. Monthly payment and cost of borrowing will vary depending on amount borrowed and down payment/trade. Example: $47,195 financed at 0% nominal rate (0% APR) equals $804 monthly for 60 months. Cost of borrowing is $0, for a total obligation of $47,195. Freight ($1,895) and air conditioning charge ($100, if applicable) included. The offer includes $1,000 Finance Cash (Tax Exclusive). License, insurance, registration, PPSA, applicable taxes and, except in Quebec, dealer fees not included (all of which may vary by dealer and region). ®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. TD Auto Finance is a registered trademark of The Toronto-Dominion Bank. *To qualify for the $500 Costco Shop Card, you must be a Canadian resident holding a valid driver’s license, have been a Costco member since January 2, 2020, or earlier and must: (1) Register with Costco to receive your non-transferable Authorization Number; (2) Present the Authorization Number to a participating dealer; (3) Retail purchase or finance an eligible new or demonstrator in-stock 2019 Chevrolet: Blazer (excl. 2.5L); delivered from January 3, 2020, to March 2, 2020. In addition, to receive a $500 Costco Shop Card by email, submit a redemption form to Costco within thirty (30) days of vehicle delivery and complete a Costco member satisfaction survey. Please allow three weeks for Costco Shop Card delivery, pending completion of all eligibility requirements; including redemption form submission, purchase verification and survey completion. Costco Shop Cards will be emailed to the email address provided to Costco at the time of registration. The purchase or lease of a vehicle does not qualify for the calculation of the Costco Executive Membership 2% Reward. Offer may not be redeemed for cash. Conditions and limitations apply to this limited time offer. For full program details and for any applicable exclusions see a participating dealer or costcoauto.ca/GM. For Costco Shop Card terms and conditions, visit Costco.ca and search “Shop Card”. Offer is valid at participating authorized GM Canada dealers. Offer not available in the U.S. or Mexico. Offer is subject to change without notice. Void where prohibited. Costco and its affiliates do not sell automobiles nor negotiate individual transactions. ®: Registered trademark of Price Costco International, Inc. used under license. × Whichever comes first. Limit of four complimentary Lube-Oil-Filter services in total. Fluid top-offs, inspections, tire rotations, wheel alignments and balancing, etc., are not covered. See the Warranty Booklet or your dealer for details. ∞ Whichever comes first. Δ Visit onstar.ca for vehicle availability, coverage maps, details and system limitations. Services and connectivity vary by model and conditions as well as geographical and technical restrictions. 4G LTE service available in select markets. Requires active connected vehicle services and a data plan to access the vehicle’s built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. Accessory Power must be active to use the Wi-Fi hotspot. Data plans provided by AT&T or its local service provider. Credit card is required for purchase.
Page 8
The Voice, February 19, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
New Business FOCUS
New orthopedic practice opens in Fonthill Ryan Walker says bring on those aches and pains BY VOICE STAFF A new Fonthill branch of the well established Niagara Orthopedic Institute health facility has opened its doors in downtown Fonthill, right beside the Beer Store in the Giant Tiger plaza. Joining sister Institutes in Niagara Falls and St. Catharines, the Fonthill outlet promises to continue the multi-faceted wellness treatments of the others, but adding new treatment and wellness options. Physiotherapist and owner Ryan Walker is heading up the centre and emphasizes one-on-one therapy with a physiotherapist (not an assistant), as well as the variety of expertise and equipment that will be featured in the surprisingly large facility—once home, in fact, to a Jumbo Video store. At the centre of the complex is a gym containing state-of-the-art fitness equipment and a turf track for strength, power, and agility workouts. Individual treatment rooms will house foot specialists, massage therapists, nutrition coaches, and physiotherapists, as well as spe-
cialized machines such as a sports therapy laser and Shock Wave therapy. “We offer unique treatments and machines that can’t be found anywhere else,” Walker says, “but in the end we are patient-centred.” The core philosophy behind the centre is individually tailored treatments. “Pain is very complex,” says Walker, “and too often we treat the symptoms of the pain without curing the actual cause.” For example, he asserts that pain is often caused by inflammation, and inflammation can be treated, often with clear success. But at the root of the problem is what is causing the inflammation, and to treat this takes tim—and, most importantly, the patient’s participation. “The root cause of most problems must be treated actively,” he says, “and half of what we do is behavioural change. The patient will have to work with us. All too often we blame age for physical problems when pain is frequently caused by years of not
Physiotherapist Ryan Walker. VOICE moving, not years chronologically.” With the emphasis on performance enhancement, the facility will also cater to athletic injuries and sports therapy. One spe-
Accepting New Patients
cialty, for example, will be golf-specific therapy, and Walker hopes to add certification from the Titleist Performance Institute to his list of certifications and qualifications. However, he is careful to point out that, “performance enhancement is a personal thing, and could be the ability to take the dog for a 35-minute walk or to play with the grandkids for an hour.” He hopes the Institute’s blend of high-end machinery and specialized expertise will appeal to the region’s athletes, but just as importantly, he says,
Walker hopes to help improve the lives of anyone who is experiencing pain or reduced mobility. A graduate of McGill University in Physiotherapy, Walker met his wife, Lori, in Montreal, and relocated to her home area of Niagara. He has worked at the Niagara Orthopedic Institute Niagara Falls for the past eight years, but, by branching out to Fonthill, where he has lived for the last four years with his wife and their three children, he wants to become part of the fabric of the community. “The investment I’m
making here shows that I intend to be around for quite awhile,” he says. “I love Fonthill, my kids go to school here, and this is where we want to be.” The Orthopedic Institute Fonthill opened yesterday, with patient assessment, massage, strength and conditioning coaching, physiotherapy, acupuncture, and machine-based treatments available. Other specialties such as foot treatments will be added later. More information may be found at www.noifonthill. com
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The Voice, February 19, 2020
Page 9
WE’VE DONE IT AGAIN! LOOK AT ALL THE TOURS FOR 2020! Like always our Free Southern Ontario Shuttle pick up Locations are Available for All Tours. All Transportation – Coach, Flights, Cruise, Rail is INCLUDED! And in true Hanover Holidays fashion we have a long list of inclusions, priced in CDN $$! A CannTrust employee handles cannabis last June at the company's Fenwick site.
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CannTrust wants its grow license back Beleaguered cannabis producer also names new CEO in bid for reinstatement BY JOHN CHICK
Special to the VOICE
CannTrust announced last Friday it had submitted documents to Health Canada with the goal of having the licence for their Fenwick grow-op facility reinstated. A statement from the company said that all necessary “remediation activity” at the site was complete. The news came as the beleaguered cannabis producer appointed a new CEO. Greg Guyatt will replace interim honcho Robert Marcovitch, who led the organiza-
tion through the corporate tailspin that began when a former employee blew the whistle on illegal growing last summer, costing the company’s top two executives their jobs at the time, and those of hundreds of other employees later. With cannabis production halted on Health Canada orders at CannTrust’s Fenwick and Vaughan facilities in September, it’s believed the company has brought in little revenue during that time. The firm announced in October that it was forced to destroy $77 million dol-
lars worth of cannabis inventory, given that much of it was grown illegally. Still, CannTrust said Friday that it’s sitting on cash reserves of $167 million dollars. It also announced the company had been granted a New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) listing extension until April 15 — after which it must file financial reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The fact that CannTrust stock has lost about 90 percent of its value in less than a year prompted a de-listing warning from the NYSE in December. Shares on the NYSE must sustain a price of one dollar US or above; CannTrust closed Friday’s Wall Street session at 84 cents. On the Toronto Stock Exchange, it closed last week at $1.08 Canadian.
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Page 10
The Voice, February 19, 2020
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
On ice, age melts away Pick-up hockey "the best hour of the week" BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
There is a 10 AM Friday morning mantra at the community centre: the older we get, the faster we were. Slowed by osteoarthritis and a host of aches and pains, a dozen or so seniors gather to celebrate the great game of hockey. “It’s the best six bucks I spend each week,” said Mark McGlynn, who has been a regular since a 60-plus slot was built into the schedule at the centre. “Nice to see the Town is keeping it affordable for pensioners.” Most of the players are in their mid-60s. The senior statesman in the dressing room is 74-year-old Ralph Middleton, who moved to Fonthill six years ago from Kitchener. On the ice, his smooth skating and deft puck control reflect his decades of experience. He has no fear of over-exertion leading to a coronary episode. “If you’re gonna go, what better place than at centre ice?” he said with a laugh. The skate is based on gentlemanly play, and respect for the group’s varying levels of skill and physical ailments. No body contact is allowed, and macho pugilism never rears its head. “Every guy has his issues,”
said McGlynn. “Shoulders, knees, ankles, hips. We’re not out to set any records.” Joe Van Bolderen grew up in Pelham, and began playing hockey at the old Centennial Rink (known more familiarly as “The Pit”), near the corner of Highway 20 and Pelham Street. He later coached hockey at the former Pelham Arena, on Haist Street. The community centre is a big improvement, he said. “They’re a great bunch of guys, and we all enjoy the exercise.” All appreciate the Town’s willingness to keep ice in the Accipiter Rink throughout the summer. The numbers actually swell a bit during the summer months, drawing men from other rinks that remove their ice in April to accommodate the lacrosse season. Conspicuous on the ice is a solitary goaltender. He changes ends every 15 minutes. “We really need a second goalie,” said Middleton. “Young, old, male, female… we’re not fussy.”
Right, on bench, Ralph Middleton has the distinction of being the oldest player, at 74. DON RICKERS PHOTOS
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The Voice, February 19, 2020
Page 11
Anchorless, a quest for freedom Local professor pens tribute to her Vietnamese father BY DON RICKERS
Special to the VOICE
Amy Hoang used to hate the ocean. It brought back painful memories of her father and sister, who drowned in the Pacific Ocean, escaping the Communist regime in Vietnam, which had confiscated all that her family owned, and had threatened them with prison and torture. It has taken Hoang 30 years to reconcile with her past, and to be able to speak— and write—about her family’s perilous journey to freedom. Her book, Anchorless, is a tribute to her father, Hoang Trong Phu, who died at age 60 in 1985. He was the patriarch of the family of 12— their “anchor.” The book’s title has a secondary meaning, referring to the fact that the small boat on which her father, mother, and nineyear-old sister were travelling had lost its anchor after setting off, a bad omen to those refugees aboard. Hoang calls Anchorless “creative non-fiction,” written from the perspective of her father as he describes his family’s life in Vietnam, the onset of war, and the family’s planned escape. He details his own death, his bargain with God, and ultimate
reunion with his family when his ashes are taken to California to be interred with those of his wife, in 2015. Amy is the name Hoang chose when she arrived in Canada, in 1984, having spent time in a refugee camp in Indonesia after her flight from Vietnam with her siblings by boat in 1983. It is the name she uses today, teaching mathematics at Niagara College, where she has worked for 24 years. (“Jolie” Hoang is the name she uses as an author. It is the nickname her father gave her.) The Hoang family became wealthy in the 1960s, when Amy’s father, a contractor, built numerous roads, houses, schools, hospitals, and military barracks for the US military in what was then South Vietnam. The Americans paid in cash, and the Hoangs soon had amassed a small fortune. As the war escalated in the mid-1960s, Amy’s father knew that he must plan to get his family out, and began taking suitcases of Vietnamese currency to Saigon to be exchanged for gold bullion ingots, a more stable and portable currency. He used the gold bars to bribe corrupt government officials and smug-
glers to arrange for his family to flee to safety. Hoang pays tribute in her book to not only her father, but another man who dramatically impacted her life. Hamilton Mountain MPP John Smith, who passed away in 2018, was the driving force behind a charity called The Mountain Fund to Help the Boat People. Over a 14-year period, the program sponsored hundreds of Vietnamese refugees, including Hoang and her siblings, and relocated them to Hamilton. By any measure, Hoang and her siblings have done well. They earned university degrees and commenced successful careers. Her brothers became engineers and prosperous businessmen in California and Florida. Amy graduated from McMaster, Brock, and Mohawk. She moved to Fonthill, where her three daughters all attended E. L. Crossley and proceeded to Ontario universities. “For many years, my daughters had asked me how my father died, and the pain was still so great that I could not find the words. I told them that when they were older, I would tell them. So I wrote this book,
Amy Hoang. Right, Hoang's father, Hoang Trong Phu in Vietnam, 1966. to give them their answers, and to give myself inner peace.” Hoang has inherited her spirituality from her parents, who were Buddhists. “I think you live your life so as to leave blessings for your children. In the book, my father makes a kind of bargain with God. He didn't want to go to straight to heaven when he died. He wanted to be a ghost, so as
to stay with his children and watch over them. So that's what I think, that his spirit lingers around us.” Negativity related to immigrants and refugees worries Hoang, who views them as people who often risk their lives seeking a better life in a country that promotes freedom. She says that immigrants are willing to work hard and contribute to society if given the op-
HELEN TRAN/SUPPLIED
portunity. Hoang will hold a book signing at the Pelham Library in Fonthill this Saturday, February 22, from 10:30 AM until 12:30 PM, and at the Fairview Mall’s Chapter’s bookstore, on May 23, from 1 to 4 PM. Copies of the book are available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book via her website, www.joliehoang. com
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continued from Page 1 dangerously near our back bumper. My son is visibly agitated. “Why does he have to get so close?” There are currently enough cars in the oncoming lane to make passing us temporarily out of the question, yet the car stays close. My sister was on this road last month in a similar situation. She was driving along with other end-of-day traffic, at a safe distance from the car in front her. The car behind her was exceedingly close— so close that when the car in front of her suddenly put on the brakes, and she did the same, the car tailing her went flying into the ditch. This is on my mind as I keep an eye on our pursuer and continue to prompt my son to stay calm and drive on. Perhaps the only thing worse than tailing us is not passing us when the opportunity presents itself. Which it eventually does. This is the most infuriating kind of driver—the one who drives close behind, intending to pass, but then loses interest and just hangs out close enough that I can read the date of the next service check on the windshield. I’m no prude on the road. Yes, I speed when it’s necessary or appropriate giv-
en the traffic conditions around me, but I’m usually pretty law abiding. Although...I was busted last summer for doing 144 km/ hr on the 401 on the way to Ottawa. In my defense, I was driving a rental car and had no feel for its speed, and my son and I were listening to some pretty invigorating tunes. I was feeling like Tom Cruise in Top Gun, driving on the Highway to the Danger Zone. The officer seemed to understand my “need for speed,” and let me off with a small ticket and no points. It might be worth mentioning that the car behind my son and me was a BMW, and, at the risk of offending those of you who drive this make of vehicle, I had to give my son some education about some (not all) drivers of this particular Bavarian brand. “You know how you study the ‘Learn to Drive’ book and have to pass a written test before you can get behind the wheel?” I began. “Well, BMW drivers have to do the same, however, once they get behind the wheel of their BMW, there is a new book they get to use, more of a leaflet, really, with guidelines: Speed: You got it. Use it. Signaling: Not required for you anymore, mate. Congratulations. Right of way: Yours. Always. Because you’re just
that awesome. Please don’t be offended—I have no vendetta against BMW drivers. It’s actually drivers of BMWs, Audis and Mercedes Benzes that are in this elite group. And don’t shoot the messenger. There was an article in the Toronto Star recently about a Finnish study, which concluded that drivers of these high-end vehicles tended to have “less empathy, they are more disagreeable, and they are more willing to fight.” The article goes on to say, “it wasn’t that owning a highend car created a corrupting effect of money on a person’s morality, but that already disagreeable men are particularly drawn to high-status products.” It is worth mentioning that the article stresses that these traits apply to men only. It also says that this could be a cultural perspective because, as a democratic socialist society, fancy cars tend to stand out in Finland. So take solace in the fact that these findings apply to Scandinavian drivers…as well as the guy behind my son and me on Victoria Avenue. I should add that the only thing worse than the Beamer driver with this attitude is the Kia driver with the same attitude. You should know your place in the hi-
www.thevoiceofpelham.ca
Police attend the aftermath of a multi-vehicle accident on Pelham Street in Fonthill last Thursday evening. VOICE PHOTO erarchy of entitlement on the road. You do not measure up, even if you do have a spoiler on your Optima’s trunk lid. Stay in your lane. You know who else needs to re-evaluate their driving skills? Moms in minivans. I can comment on them objectively because I was one, and for many years. We are oblivious to the havoc we create, all in the name of getting little Logan to his peewee practice on schedule so that he doesn’t forfeit ice time in the next game. IT’S IMPORTANT, OK? Or at least it’s important until older Logan is learning to drive—then everyone else is
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what I expect here though, in lovely, kind, patient, borr ow-a-b e e r-f r om-you rneighbour’s-back porch, Pelham. Now that my son has passed his road test, he comments on the mistakes I make. Sometimes he’ll even tell me something I forgot, or never knew. After we’ve been driving for so many years, it seems as if we turn on our autopilot, use our instincts, and forget some of the more subtle rules of the road, but it’s good to have some fresh eyes and reminders from my son (to a point.) So when you’re out there on the daily grind, going to or from work, or the to the gym, or to soccer practice, or grocery shopping, or whatever, please be patient with others. There are new drivers out there and there are older drivers out there, who need your patience and understanding, not your anger and frustration. And now that I’m in the passenger’s seat, I will be able to take a photo of your license plate and track you down for being an ******* on the road. (I’m kidding. I would never do that.) But do be careful please. Imagine it’s your offspring or your parent in the car in front of you and take a deep breath. If you think little Logan is going to make it to the NHL (and aren’t they all?), then leave a little earlier for practice and take the stress away from all of us out there trying to get through the day alive. ♦
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a maniac on the road, which is my new reality. Last week, I hopped into my car to pick up my kids from school. Suddenly there appeared a minivan behind me, which quickly moved to within a couple of feet of the back of my car. I sped up significantly then readjusted my speed just to gain a comfortable distance between us. She sped up and continued to push me. I stopped at a stop sign. She rolled through the stop sign and kept up. This must be an emergency, I thought, so I took my foot off the accelerator, signaled right, and moved over onto the shoulder slightly, allowing her to pass, which she quickly did. I watched her van shrink as it picked up speed and moved farther away. I kept her in my sights, despite the growing gap between us, and was surprised when she pulled into the parking lot of the same school that was my destination. I pulled in a moment later, parked across from her, and watched her begin texting while she waited for her kids. This is mommy mode, and she likely had no clue how uncomfortable she made me. What surprises me is that this is happening in Pelham. When I go back to Toronto to visit, I expect this kind of chaos and road rage. I know I’ll be cut off and honked at and tailed, so it doesn’t bother me. It’s the name of the game on urban roads and it’s one of the reasons we left that place. It’s not
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The Voice, February 19, 2020
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Page 12
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Page 13
Harm reduction motion passes in Niagara BY JENICA HRYSKO
Special to the VOICE
At their meeting last Tuesday, the Niagara Falls City Council voted unanimously to make the city “naloxone-ready,” by having naloxone available at city facilities. Naloxone is a medication used to treat the symptoms of opioid overdose, and is known also by the brand name Narcan. Take-home kits containing a nasal spray or an injectable version of naloxone have been made freely available throughout Niagara at participating pharmacies, community-based organizations, and shelters, in an effort to allow members of the public, as well as first responders, administer the drug to
an overdosed user before paramedics arrive. Not everyone has been on board with the initiative. The Niagara Falls Fire Department recommended the city not install naloxone kits on fire trucks. A staff report cited concerns that after being woken up with naloxone, patients may become violent or flee before further receiving necessary medical help. “The Medical Director still maintains first responders stick with airway breathing and circulation,” said Niagara Falls Fire Chief Jim Boutilier. “Regardless of what the overdose is, that’s what works best.” Niagara Falls City Councillor Lori Lococo put forward the motion that naloxone kits be installed in all public buildings and fire trucks. Lococo explained that all public libraries in the city have already taken the initiative to train staff in administering naloxone and to have the kits readily available. The St. Catharines Fire Department and Toronto Fire Department both carry naloxone. The depart-
Above, Fred Bowering holds a naloxone kit in a frequent overdose location. Lower left, contents of nasal spray naloxone kit. JENICA HRYSKO ments used to have to pay to stock naloxone in their trucks, but now the $180 per-dose cost is funded by the Ontario Naloxone Program. “I think that is going against the medical community and the experts in regards to carrying it on the trucks,” Chief Boutilier said, when asked if the firefighters would use the kits if they were installed. The motion was amended so that naloxone would be installed only in city facilities that are regularly open to the public, and was passed unanimously. Incidents of opioid related overdoses have been on the rise nationally, as well as here in Niagara. In January, a reported 29 suspected opioid overdoses were responded to
NEW PASTOR FOR FRIENDS Pelham Friends Church, in Fonthill, has brought on a new pastor. Jon Warner comes to Pelham from St. Catharines, where he lives with his wife, a teacher at Eden High School, and their two children. Warner has a Bachelor of Religious Studies and Master of Theological Studies degrees, both from Heritage College and Seminary, an evangelical institution in Cambridge, Ontario. Warner says that prior to coming to Pelham Friends, he experimented with running a “house church community” for those interested in faith, “but struggled with old forms of church.” Before that, he was a pastor at an inner-city church in Guelph. Pictured, Warner with his wife, Lindsay. SUPPLIED
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by Niagara Emergency Medical Services. In 2019, the total was 498. Fred Bowering is an outreach support worker in St. Catharines. He spends his free time cleaning up used needles downtown and doing welfare checks on known opioid users. Bowering believes that the hesitation to install naloxone in fire trucks will be short-lived. “There was resistance in St. Catharines at the beginning too,” he said. “At first the library was resistant to me bringing attention to the needles around. They got to like me very quickly because I've assisted five or six people who have overdosed there.” A take-home naloxone kit comes with either a nasal spray, which is
used by inserting and pushing the plunger to administer the dose, or an injectable version. The injection is more involved, requiring filling a syringe, removing the air and injecting it into shoulder muscle. Prior to administering either form, the instructions provided direct the responder to call 911. Operators walk the user through the process, and into guided assisted breathing. The kits contain a CPR mask, gloves, and alcohol swabs. Overdose victims and bystanders are protected from arrest under the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act. “It can be a really scary thing to use,” Bowering said. “But I can’t explain the feeling you get when you help someone out.”
What Are Your Burning
Investment Questions? How much do I need for retirement? How much is “normal?” How do I take money out of my registered accounts without getting nailed on taxes? Can I use my house to help fund my retirement? At my age, should I be investing in a TFSA or RRSP? Our Pelham Community Investment Specialist, Trevor Lagerwerf, PFP, will answer these questions and more on February 26th at 5:30pm, and we’d love for you to join us.
Please RSVP so Kelly knows how much wine to buy.
kelly.sauriol@penfinancial.com OR 289-434-4745 PenFinancial Fonthill Branch 130 Hwy 20, Fonthill (Near Food Basics)
Page 14
The Voice, February 19, 2020
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Cloning the Comfort Maple Niagara Parks Horticulture School uses grafting technique to preserve the DNA of the world’s oldest Sugar Maple BY BRIAN GREEN
Special to the VOICE
Pelham’s Comfort Maple, already an estimated 540 years old, will become immortal if an experimental partnership between the NPCA and the Niagara Parks Commission School of Horticulture succeeds. The oldest Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum) in North America (and likely the world) is being “cloned” in a process called “air layering” by a team from the Niagara Parks School of Horticulture, led by instructor Tanya Blankenburg. The project to preserve the tree’s DNA was supposed to be a legacy project to celebrate the NPCA’s 60th year in 2019, but at the time the Authority was in a state of disarray and trying to keep a low profile, so the project proceeded without much fanfare. After a thorough health assessment to ensure the maple was strong enough to withstand the invasive procedure, Blankenburg and her students selected 15 branches for the air layering process. The branches chosen were high in the canopy, both to prevent interference from curious residents and because the healthiest branches were found there. A bucket lift was used to reach high into the canopy, both to perform the grafting procedure in the spring and to harvest the cuttings in the fall. Healthy branches from the canopy were selected to have a small cut made and a small tongue of wood peeled back. The wound was then treated with rooting hormones, wrapped in peat moss and bound with plastic. When goes well, the branch produces roots that will form a new tree when cut and planted, and the saplings will contain 100 per cent of the DNA from the original tree. According to Renée Bisson, of the NPCA, other methods of saving the tree’s unique characteris-
tics were considered and discarded. Branches of the tree could be cut and grafted onto rootstock from another sugar maple sapling, but in that case, while the new tree would be almost a perfect copy, the root sapling’s DNA would still be present. Over the years, the NPCA has also collected seeds from the big tree and used them to grow offspring, but in this case half the DNA of the new tree
It's probably going to well outlive me and probably my children and their children
comes from another maple. It is thought that the Comfort Maple may have environmental advantages such as sandy loam soil or a favourable climate, but nothing really explains its incredible longevity except its unique DNA. According to MonumentalTrees.com, the Comfort Maple’s closest competitor for age is the “Father Maple” in Michigan, which is a relatively youthful 349-380 years old. The 15 branches were harvested in October. They are dormant over the winter and upon their revival this spring will be nurtured in the Niagara Parks arboretum for two to three years until they are strong enough to be transplanted. Under the agreement, the NPCA and the Parks Commission will split all surviving trees, with the Parks Commission intending to plant the
descendants of the Comfort Maple along the Niagara Parkway. The NPCA will plant their trees at undisclosed locations on their properties, fearing theft of the unique saplings. Bisson notes that people routinely steal the seeds from the tree and have even taken the copper conductor that grounded the tree to protect it from lightning strikes. It has been damaged by lightning many times. The Comfort Maple has a prominent place in the history and culture of the Pelham area. It appears prominently on the Town’s Coat of Arms. It was growing long before the first of the United Empire Loyalist families came to the area (in fact, it was growing before Columbus arrived in the Caribbean), with the Secord family being the first to claim the land on which it grew. They sold to the Comfort family, who eventually partnered with the NPCA in the 1960s to ensure the preservation of the tree, and when the Coyne family bought the land in the 1990s, the agreement came with the deed. The NPCA will continue to lease the land and maintain the tree as long as it lives. While it is still “quite healthy,” according to Bisson, one large portion is weakening and there are signs that it isn’t as robust as it once was. The health assessment that was undertaken before the air layering took place was positive enough to give the go ahead for the procedure, but “there is always worry about pathogens that could be introduced by the process,” said Bisson. Blakenburg, who grew up in Pelham and often ate her lunch under the Comfort Maple while en route to her co-op placement from E. L. Crossley, has a special attachment to the ancient tree. It’s a relationship she is glad to pass along to her students.
The cuttings that had taken root while still attached to the tree are harvested by Tanya Blankenburg, of the Niagara Parks Horticulture School, and her students. NPCA
“The bigger picture of what happens down the road I feel is a valuable part of this project. For students getting to be part of the preservation of this historic tree is something won’t fully sink in until many years later.” Commenting on the future of the tree, Blakenburg says that “the reality is that is looks really healthy. It’s probably going to well outlive me and probably my children and their children.” The Comfort Maple will also live on thanks to another enterprise undertaken by the NPCA. A few years back, when Conservation Authority Superintendent Mich Germain was trimming some of the dead wood, he was approached by a local wood turner who wanted to make a pen from the famous tree. Now Germain provides all the wood he trims to
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Fenwick wood turner Marv Ens, whose idea for a single pen has turned into a cottage industry. In 2015, the first year of production, Ens turned out more than 400 of the pens, which the Conservation Authority sold to raise funds. Since then, Ens has continued to produce the keepsake Comfort Maple ballpoint pens and has recently added a special edition fountain pen. The pens made of wood from Pelham’s famous tree have been given as gifts and become treasured mementos all over the world. It’s a way that both the history of the area and its natural assets are being preserved. In the words of Tanya Blankenburg, “I think it is important that as our community keeps growing that residents actively take part in the conservation of this beautiful landscape.”
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PELHAM LIBRARY CARD MAKING WORKSHOP Make six cards with fall themes, learning a variety of techniques. Materials areThis provided. At timecalls of registration, please enquire tools full-time position for a well-rounded reporter with theabout ability to coverneeded. Tues., Sept. 16 10 – 12:30. $10. Please register ahead. Visit www.pelhama wide range of community issues, from Town Council to interviews and longer library.on.ca profile or callpieces. 905-892-6443 for more details. Previous writing experience preferred.
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FABULOUS FENWICK LIONS FISH FRY Tasty treats with funds heading straight back into the community. Haddock, french fries and much more. Runs Sept. 9 from 4-7 p.m.
If your message to Pelham PELHAM MINOR HOCKEY EQUIPMENT SALE Buy, sell or trade equipment at the Pelham Arena. Aimed to provide isn’t inused our pages, cheaper options for players in this upcoming season. Runs Sept. 6 from 9-12 in the morning.
Then it isn’t being seen.
PELHAM MUDFEST Men and women will be back in the mud as the second run on the year is held at Bissil’s Hideaway.
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NIAGARA REGIONAL EXHIBITION The paper that Pelham reads.
Rodeo, games and live entertainment headline this years exciting event. It runs from Sept. 11-14 at the Welland Fairgrounds.
(905) 892-8690 BIGadvertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca MOVE CANCER RIDE
The Big Move Cancer Ride is a non-competitive ride taking place on Sept. 7. Proceeds for the Big Move stay in Niagara and support the Walker Family Cancer Centre. WALKING CLUB Interested in walking in Pelham? Join them Tuesdays at the Pelham Arena from 9-10 am and Thursdays at Fonthill Bandshell for 9-10:30 am. There is no fee for this program. For more information, please contact jcook@ pelham.ca or call 905 892-2607, ext 329.
YEAR HAMPERCELEBRATING DAYdecades FOR OUR PELHAM CARES Two of20TH service Purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the Market or bring a non-perishable food item to fill the hampers at the Pelham Farmers Market on Sept. 4.
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Places of Worship and Events THE VOICE Bethany Christian Reformed Church OF PELHAM 1040 Balfour St., Fenwick Creative Director Tarja Barton Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd.,email Fonthill graphics@thevoiceofpelham.ca
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continued from Page 19 meet them as best she can for her husband.
Agape love
I’m convinced that the highest form of unselfish love is “agape” (a Greek word for unconditional love). This is the kind of love that God feels and demonstrates towards us. It’s not a love that we deserve or can earn but God lavishes it upon us anyway. The apostle Paul was inspired to write these words to believers in ancient Rome: “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit... God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:5-8) What Jesus did for us on the cross was the greatest example of unconditional, undeserved, unselfish, anyway, agape love. Simply put, the greatest illustration of Valentine’s Day is Good Friday! So, my friend, I’m glad you gave cards, flowers and chocolates last Friday, but I hope it doesn’t stop there. You’ve still got the rest of the year to show true love! ♦ Rob Weatherby, a retired pastor, has been married to his valentine for 35 years.
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The Voice of Pelham ad size Glad Tidings Church of God Service 1Directory ad Fonthill Pancake Lane, w:2.5” x h: 1.75”
Color Holy InfoTrinity Anglican Church 1557 Pelham Street, Fonthill black only Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church Due Date 1344 Haist St., Fonthill Friday, March 18 at noon PelhamRundate(s) Community Church (United Church of Canada) 461 Canboro Mar. 23, Apr. 6, 20,Rd., MayFenwick 4, 18,
Pelham Evangelical Friends Church 940 Haist St., Fonthill Ridgeville Bible Chapel 418 Canboro Rd., Ridgeville St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church 50 Pelham Town Sq., Fonthill St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church 834 Canboro Rd., Fenwick
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continued from Page 3 of winter safety, don’t forget about rubber for the family vehicle. Thinking of squeezing the winter out of your half-worn all-season radials? Think again. Snow tires might be a seasonal hassle, but they are a sound safety investment. Even if you have traction control and all-wheel drive, if you live in most of Canada, it should be a no-brainer: drive on snow tires in the winter. And make sure you buy four of them. Installing winter tires only on the drive-end of the car will result in unpredictable handling. The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada conducted a consumer winter tire survey in 2018, and reported that almost 70% of Ontario drivers switch to snow tires for the winter months.
Cost
Winter tires have deeper $42 per insertion plus HST. grooves to channel snow and Due publication keep more ofTerms: the tire inon contact with the road in bad weather. They’re made of softer rubber compounds formulated to grip well in cold conditions. Look for the “mountain snowflake” symbol on the sidewall. The end result is that winter tires, like all-wheel drive, help you get moving in deep snow and freezing weather. But unlike all-wheel drive, they help your car steer and stop after you’ve gotten rolling. compounds wear quickly in If you'd rather not have warmer temperatures). your expensive alloy wheels Keep in mind that having subjected to winter’s salt and two sets of tires isn't doubling slush, consider picking up a the expense, it's halving the separate set of inexpensive wear. You'll have twice the steel wheels for use when number of tires but buy new the snow flies. Swap to win- ones half as often. ter tires in November, and be Snow tires or not, the stansure to switch back to all-sea- dard winter driving advice son or summer tires in April still applies: clear the snow (winter tires' softer rubber from your vehicle before
Keep in mind that having two sets of tires isn't doubling the expense, it's halving the wear
starting out, slow down, double your following distances, anticipate traffic changes ahead, and give yourself extra time to get where you're going. Finally, let’s not forget about our furry friends, who enjoy sniffing and exploring in a winter wonderland, but, like us, are susceptible to inclement weather. Pets need a warm, dry place to sleep in the winter months. Most dogs grow a thick winter coat to keep them warm, but small breeds, puppies, and older dogs may require a jacket or protective booties to keep them comfortable outside. Be wary when walking with your pets around frozen waterways—they could fall through thin ice. And when operating your snow blower, know where your pets are —preferably inside.
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“Care, and not fine stables, makes a good horse.” Danish proverb
The Voice, February 19, 2020
Sporting Green The Niagara
Page 17
Tyrants or no, John Swart is going international
18
The Voice and TheVoiceofPelham.ca | February 19, 2020
Racing to the top
Fonthill barrel racer wins overall Ontario crown BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI
BPSPORTSNIAGARA.COM
Jenna Mergl was going to have a hard time matching the success she had barrel racing in 2018. That year, the Grade 10 student at E. L. Crossley Secondary School won the Ontario Barrel Racing Association youth championship, and the reserve youth championship of the National Barrel Horse Association. She also won her class and became a congress champion at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio. Competing with her horse Winnie in the rodeo event, which combines a horse’s athletic ability and the rider’s ability to safely and successfully maneuver a horse in a pattern around three barrels placed in a triangle, Mergl managed to build on her achievements in 2018. The 15-year-old defended her the OBRA youth championship but took it to another level by capturing the overall open (all ages) OBRA title by accumulating the most points over a dozen shows. “It was close and towards the end at the last show, it could have gone either way, but I had it in the bag before the last run,” she said. “No one could have touched me even if I didn’t have a good run.” Finding out she was the open champion was an amazing moment for the teen. “I didn’t really know until they actually posted it and confirmed it,” she said. “It blew my mind that I was against 200 people and they all have good horses. It just shows that I am one of those good people out there.” She had a possible explanation for her success. “I don’t really know but it was hard work and dedication, going out to the barn every day and spending time with my horse,” she said. The importance of the horse/rider relationship cannot be understated. “The closer you are with your horse, I feel that they will try harder for you because you have a relationship with them and they want to do well for you,” Mergl said. “You are pushing them and they are pushing you and that gets you somewhere.” She also achieved her goal in her return trip to the All-American Quarter Horse
Barrel racer Jenna Mergl with her horse Winnie. Congress show. “I did get top five again like I wanted, and I wanted to achieve a faster time,” she said. “I did achieve close to the same time, but my runs were way better than 2018, so I was happy with that.” She also qualified to attend the Best of the Best show in Springfield, Ohio. “You have to be really good to qualify and I did.” She ended up placing second in the Second Division. “It wasn’t too bad, but it was a lot harder competition there.” Mergl and Winnie are currently in their off-season.
“We let them have November, December, January and February off and then we start back in March and go until October,” she said. “I do miss it but it is a good break to clear our minds and everything.” She has set her goals high again for 2020. “I am going to try and go get that [open championship] again and maybe go to harder shows for harder competition.” She also recently acquired a threeyear-old male horse named Spartan and has started to train him. She is hoping to compete with him in 2021 in “futurity” competitions, events for horses that are four or five years old.
BERNIE PUCHALSKI
“In the future, I might want to be a trainer so this is may be a way to get my career started.” She is planning to compete with Winnie in 2020 and both horses the following year. “It might be difficult because different horses need different things, but I am going to try and teach this horse the same things I have taught Winnie,” she said. Mergl started riding horses by herself when she was six. Her father, Brent Mergl, also a rider, began taking her to local saddle club horse shows, and she tried a number of disciplines before deciding to focus on barrel racing.
Return to the blueline: Nick Gidney finding his groove BY BILL POTRECZ
BPSPORTSNIAGARA.COM
Nick Gidney, 19-year-old defenceman for the Thorold Blackhawks, has been in and out of the lineup this season, missing 10 games due to suspension and injury. Gidney was assessed a fivegame suspension earlier this year and then last month suf-
fered a serious gash in his thigh that required 14 stitches to close. He returned to the lineup last week and admitted there was some rust. “It’s frustrating because the first two years I played every game and then this year I’ve missed five games at different points of the season,” said Gidney, a graduate of Denis Morris High School. “It’s tough to miss
that many games. As soon as I started to get going, I missed a bunch more.” Gidney tried to keep his edge in practice, but there is nothing like game action. “It’s different practicing than in games,” he said. “In practice, it’s easy to go out there but in games I feel like I can build more momentum in a long stretch of games.”
Blackhawks coach Scott Barnes is thrilled to have Gidney back in the lineup with playoff time just around the corner. “He’s our No. 1 D man who logs a lot of minutes so it was pretty important getting him back,” Barnes said. “Last year he took a huge step and was probably as valuable a guy as there was in league as an 18-year-old. This year he is that guy but he got a
five-game suspension early in the season and it’s been tough for him to get into that rhythm.” Barnes appreciates what Gidney brings to the table. “He’s a presence every shift,” he said. “He’s someone who can go out there and play against top lines, play the power play, penalty kill. He can play a shutdown See GIDNEY back page
Page 18
The Voice, February 19, 2020
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FROM THE HANDLEBARS
by John Swart
Canary in the coal mine
M
any believe that Modi, Erdogan, Trump, Orban, al-Sadr and other divisive and polarizing politicians and religious leaders have made the world a more dangerous place. As a bicycle traveller, I feel like the canary in the coal mine, sent to test this hypothesis. Much of the news media want us to believe the world is a frightening place, one in which we dare not expose ourselves to those of other cultures, race, religious belief or political stance. Everybody has an angle, everyone’s interested only in their own personal gain, no one can be trusted, and the world is not a generous place. That’s not
my experience on a bicycle — it is just the opposite. I’ve never feared the people I may meet when travelling by bike. Egypt, Chile, Ethiopia, Texas—I’ve always believed that regardless of government, race or religion, those I meet on the road will be decent and giving and kind. Exposed as I am on my bicycle, I pose no threat to anyone. I am more a cause for curiosity than concern, and that philosophy has been rewarded with wonderful insights into the cultures of others. Caution and prudence are always required to travel safely, as is research. Whether in Savannah or Santiago, everyone knows
there are places in cities you don’t wander at night. Common sense says areas of civil war and disease need to be avoided. Today, as I survey maps of the world, and dream of where my bike might take me next, fear attempts to creep into my consciousness. What strikes me is the sense that tension is everywhere now. That something will happen simply because manufactured pools of pentup anger, mistrust and division facilitate targeting citizens of a foreign nation, religion, race, or economic standard. That harm may come our way simply because we are strangers. Should I fear the fear and anger of others, callously stoked to achieve nothing but political or religious goals? I hope not to. During my lifetime the Cold War subsided, and many areas of
the world have stabilized. We have enjoyed a period in which diverse countries have successfully struggled toward freedom and equality along with economic prosperity. Others are still striving. The result, viewed from the handlebars, has been an increasingly welcoming international community. This two-wheeled canary in the coal mine wonders if this is changing, and where one goes for reference? A decade ago the Balkans, Hungary and Turkey represented an adventure cyclist’s dream destination. They were a mix of recent European Union members, ex-Soviet bloc countries, and exotic nations with resilient cultures attempting to put years of strife and conflict behind them. They are a gateway to understanding the ancient and recent past of Eastern Europe and the Steppes.
Caution and prudence are always required to travel safely
While cycling in Slovakia and Hungary, I was enveloped in the excitement of their youthful citizens accessing democratic ideals and freedoms, and enjoying economic benefits they had never known. In 2010 there was no time for hate, there was so much new life to experience. Touring Hungary and Slovakia on a bicycle brought their exuberance to life as no book or documentary could.
Will this be the reality of Eastern Europe in 2020, surrounded by Orban’s Hungry, Erdogan’s Turkey, and Putin’s Crimea? Dare one risk Ukraine? Is this canary-sense a false alarm? Are we in a temporary aberration, a one-off period during which the simple values of a peaceful life and safety for your children have been drowned out by fear-mongering politicians? Or are we truly teetering on the edge of regress? The answer to such a question is beyond the understanding of this simple cyclist sitting at his computer. It’s time to go for another bike ride, get away from the news and vitriol, and take the question straight to the people I meet along the way. There may be a risk, but I suspect the result will be uplifting. Strangers have never let me down in the past. ♦
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HOROSCOPE
CROSSWORD ANSWERS
FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS FEBRUARY 16 Elizabeth Olsen, Actress (31) FEBRUARY 17 Ed Sheeran, Singer (29) FEBRUARY 18 Matt Dillon, Actor (56) FEBRUARY 19 Seal, Singer (57) FEBRUARY 20 Cindy Crawford, Model (54) FEBRUARY 21 Ellen Page, Actress (33) FEBRUARY 22 Drew Barrymore, Actress (45)
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SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. Idea 2. Merl 3. Bras 4. Rag 5. Ute 6. Eos 7. Abate 8. Ripe 9. MCI 10. Masonic 11. Overall 12. Skoda 14. Overawe 17. TKO 18. Marts 20. PSI 23. Engines 24. Etude 25. DE 26. Sad 29. SE 30. Orr 31. Overate 32. Devises 35. SSB 36. Maars 38. Slabs 40. Aced 41. Meal 42. Arne 43. Mags 44. Sri 45. Mas 46. Art 47. Cry
155 HWY 20 WEST
mands on your time this week, Scorpio. As a generous person, you want to go along with it all, but be careful not to overextend. SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, you are usually outgoing, but this week you may be feeling more shy and reserved. It could be because you are missing someone. CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Don’t take what you hear this week at face value, Capricorn. The information that has been coming your way may not be entirely accurate. Make up your own mind. AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Group activities or time spent with a spouse may not go as well as usual this week, Aquarius. Your mind is elsewhere. Until you are focused, things may seem stressed. PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 A minor disagreement could have you questioning a relationship, Pisces. Don’t fret, as you’ll soon find that the turmoil is short-lived.
SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. Imbrue 7. Arm 10. Moderato 12. SBIC 13. Averages 14. Okapi 15. Seals 16. Vote 17. Tor 18. Mede 19. Knap 21. Ara 22. Oilseeds 27. RA 28. Clint Eastwood 33. Gu 34. Deserves 36. Mid 37. Revs 38. Sane 39. Rib 40. Alae 41. Mamas 44. Scars 45. Macerate 48. Rebs 49. Arranges 50. IDs 51. Styles
ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, you may want to pick up a relationship right where you left off, but the other person may not be as amenable. Bide your time and give this person some space. TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 A few extra goals never hurt anyone, Taurus. St down and see how your new resolutions can be turned into ways to achieve all of those tasks you hope to get done. GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, while you may want to expand your social circle right now, you’re just not sure how to get started. Networking opportunities may be the way to go. CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 There is no point getting into a disagreement over a situation you have no control over right now, Cancer. Instead, wait for the right opportunity to express your position. LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, take a step back from responsibilities at work to devote more energy to your relationships at home. Embrace activities that your family can enjoy together. VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Some melancholy may have you seeking out quiet corners, Virgo. Distancing yourself from the crowds is only a temporary fix. Instead, look for activities you find soothing. LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Someone close to you may be feeling under the weather and could use some extra support, Libra. Take a few days off to be the rock that this person can use right now. SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Friends may make excessive de-
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The Voice, February 19, 2020
Voice
FAITH LIFT
by Pastor Rob Weatherby
CROSSWORD SPONSORED THIS WEEK BY
More than flowers and chocolates
V
alentine’s Day is big business. On average, Canadians spend about $19 million for flowers, $34 million on chocolates, $34 million for health and beauty products, $46 million for cards and a whopping $56 million on jewelry on Valentine’s Day. About 40 million cards exchanged hands last Friday, making it second only to Christmas as a card-sending occasion. I’m sure most of you reading this made your contribution to the above figures and that’s good. It’s good to express our friendship and love to those nearest and dearest to us. But it shouldn’t stop there. We need to live out Valentine’s Day right through the year. Hopefully, here are some helpful hints how.
and wicked.” (Luke 6:3235) Jesus taught “anyway love.”
Unselfish love
Willard Harley, a Christian psychologist, shares more ways that a husband and wife can love unselfishly in his book, His Needs Her Needs. He explains what the five most important emotional needs of a husband and wife are. See if these ring true for you. A woman’s most important needs according to Harley are: affection, conversation, honesty and openness, financial support and family commitment. An unselfish hus-
Page 19
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band will take the time to learn these things and then endeavor to meet them for his wife. A man’s most important needs are: sexual fulfillment (let’s be honest guys!), recreational companionship, physical attractiveness, domestic support, and admiration. I don’t have time to delve into each one but take a few moments to think about this list. And if you want more detail, buy the book. An unselfish wife will try to understand these needs and See FAITH LIFT Page 16
Anyway love
In an article in the “Focus on the Family” magazine with this title, Gary Thomas explains that some people practice “because love” and some people practice “anyway love.” “Because love” loves the other person because they are good, kind, considerate, romantic etc. It’s the “I love you because you love me” mentality. Sound familiar? “Anyway love” is far different. Even if the other person does not respond in the way desired or expected, it loves anyway. Even if you feel you are taken for granted and not appreciated, you love anyway. Jesus taught, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them... But love your enemies, do good to them... Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
Weekly Word Search
Find the words hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, and backwards. AIR MASS ALTITUDE ARCTIC BAROMETER BLACK ICE BLIZZARD
CLIMATE COLD CONDENSATION CRYSTALIZATION DEGREE FOG
FREEZING FRONT FROSTBITE FROZEN GALE HYPOTHERMIA
MERCURY SNOW TEMPERATURE VISIBILITY WINDCHILL WINTER
ANSWERS ON PAGE 18
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The Voice, February 19, 2020
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NEW LION (AND CANINE) At a recent Fenwick Lions dinner meeting, the club welcomed new member John Lilie, inducted by A2 District Governor Steve Burrows. Lilie became aware of the club when his partner, Nicole, was paired with Fleur, a Lions Foundation of Canada Canine Vision Dog, which the Fenwick Lions sponsored. From left, Lion President Ron Acaster, new Lion John Lilie, Steve Burrows and Sponsor Lion Ken Suthons. SUPPLIED
GIDNEY
continued from Page 17 role and he’s also a bigger body and he’s strong. He also brings an offensive element as well.” Gidney, who is taking business courses at Brock, had just one goal and 10 points in his rookie season and bumped those totals to 12 goals and 29 points last
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season. He has six goals and 22 points in 33 games so far this season. “From Year 1 to Year 2, [there was a] huge jump in his game,” Barnes said. “He was always a defensive-minded guy and he added a lot to his game last year. I think he’s progressed but we all think he would have had a better season statistically but it’s the
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way it’s worked out. He’s [still] valuable to us in other ways.” Gidney feels he is a more well-rounded player than when was as a rookie. “Compared to the first year, I played every game but being on PP and PK in the second and third year has helped me be more confident and just shooting pucks on net,” he said. “The first year I didn’t get that opportunity that much because I was in more of a defensive role but the second year really helped with that a lot.” Gidney’s absence has given Barnes the opportunity to audition others for key minutes. “It’s forced other guys to play more and assume those minutes,” Barnes said. “So in a way that’s kind of helped out D corps round into a shape a little bit and
Nick Gidney.
BILL POTRECZ
helped the development of other guys because we didn’t have him to play 30 minutes a game.” Gidney’s return is crucial with fellow defencemen Ethan Mercer and Devon Thibodeau still on the sidelines with knee injuries.
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