The Voice, February 23 2022

Some awards are coming our way

DEBBIE PINE SALES REPRESENTATIVE 905.892.0222 NRC Realty, Brokerage

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EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

Independently Owned & Operated

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Vol.26 No.7 

of Pelham and Central Niagara FEBRUARY 23 2022

Published every Wednesday

page 12

Darcy Richardson, CPA, CA | Broker

DARCYRICHARDSON.CA darcy@darcyrichardson.ca 905.321.6292

MCC MAGIC Family Day activities at community centre bring fun for all

PLINKETY-CLANG The Town of Pelham hosted a range of Family Day activities at the Meridian Community Centre on Monday. Above, young Simon produces coins he didn't know he had with the assistance of magician and money-maker Scoop McCoy. More photos on page 17.

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The Voice

by Dave Burket

Voice

Third-highest total across province

NRPS impaired driving charges ~

What's That

SIREN

BY VOICE STAFF The Voice is a finalist for a record-setting nine awards in the annual Better Newspaper Competition, run by the Ontario Community Newspaper Association. The yearly competition seeks to recognize and honour excellence in local journalism.

This is a new high for the paper, reflecting the continued building of strength upon strength that has characterized what might be called the Voice's modern era, starting in 2016-2017. It is also the third-highest awards total this year for any single newspaper across the entire province of Ontario.

In 2018 the paper was up for one award—taking Best Investigative News Story for reporting on the Town of Pelham's land-for-credits scheme in East Fonthill. In 2019 the paper won four awards. In 2020, six awards. In 2021, another six.

This year's nine finalist categories include feature writing, heritage reporting, best news story, best rural story, best police story, on-the-spot news photo, news photo, best front page, and best in overall excellence. In Olympics terms, the newspaper won't know until the awards ceremony in April whether it will take home gold, silver, or bronze for the majority of categories, and honourable mention for others.

Voice publisher Dave Burket noted that this success was built on the work of many contributors.

“Getting this paper out each week is truly a team effort and would be impossible otherwise,” said Burket.

“Contributing News Editor Don Rickers has the most nominations this year, followed by other of our exceptionally talented contributing writers and photographers. I thank them on behalf of our shareholders. I also thank our advertisers and voluntary subscribers for their invaluable support.”

The Voice was founded in 1997 when 50 community members pooled funds to fi ll the gap left with the demise of the Pelham Herald, collateral damage from corporate media company consolidations.

The Voice continues to be 100 percent locally owned by these shareholders or their heirs, and is the only independent, non-corporate newspaper serving central Niagara.

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Voice is finalist for nine journalism awards

PUBLISHER’S CORNER Apples to oranges, or all rotten fruit? An American friend asked over the weekend which event I found more disturbing, the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, or the so-called “Freedom Convoy” blockade and occupation of Ottawa. Jan. 6 was a single, excruciating day, I told him. The blockade festered for three, progressively unbelievable weeks. Both events were equally gut-wrenching, and both portend extremes of civil strife that have been coming to the boil for at least a generation. No matter our politics, at some point we need to agree on what’s factually accurate. We are either a nation of laws applicable to everyone or we are not. The gathering in Ottawa was an illegal siege of several blocks of public space. While it is mind-boggling that it took authorities 22 days to act, it should come as no surprise that refusing to leave their occupation would see the occupiers arrested. Yet many did claim to be surprised, even shocked. Once again we see the effects of propaganda on those whose minds are closed-off to any but their own fears and the partisan media that stokes them. We and they don’t share a common reality, and that's a looming disaster for democracy. (As for equality under the law, an obvious case can be made that this group was shown favourable treatment from the start. It is impossible to imagine a Black Lives Matter or Indigenous occupation in the same space being permitted to last more than a day.)

I’ve seen remarks that the police were heavy-handed in their tactics. Please. You want heavy-handed? One of my first reporting jobs was for a radio network where a colleague, years before, had attended the infamous protests around the 1968 Democratic convention, in Chicago. The infamy arose not from the actions of the protesters, peacefully walking around with signs, but of the Chicago police. This woman literally had her face stomped in by riot police with no actual riot to police. She lost several teeth. She needed reconstructive surgeries for her jaw. That’s heavy-handed policing. Repeatedly asking people illegally occupying public property to leave, over the course of at least 48 hours, and giving them the exit to do so, was about as lightweight as it gets. Incidentally, I’m also struck by reaction in some local quarters suggesting that a little air-horn blasting and diesel exhaust in return for “freedom” was a small price for Ottawa residents to pay—this from folks who collectively lost their minds over a handful of animal rights protesters who showed up briefly with a bullhorn at Pelham’s Christmas Market.

On the theme of reality, Covid doesn't care what we think about it. The Ontario Premier's recent stamping of his foot like a 12-year-old Valley Girl to declare that he is so "done" with Covid was a banal embarrassment. This political rush and pressure to relax sensible safety precautions is once again pandering to those who value livelihoods over lives. Let the medical officers of health do their jobs. Let them decide when Covid is "done" with us. Politicians who previously said they were listening to the science should maybe pipe down and let the scientists speak.

Meanwhile, stay well. Get some sun. See you next week. ◆

A February 23 2022

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Pelham Fire Department Weekly Calls

The Pelham Fire Department responded to eight calls for assistance from Friday, February 11 to Friday, February 18.

Sunday, February 13 Remote alarm, Beachwood Cr., Station 1 Remote alarm, Meridian Way, Station 1 Detector activation, Willowdale Ct., Station 1 Tuesday, February 15 Detector activation, Canboro Rd., Station 1 Wednesday, February 16 Remote Alarm, Hwy 20 W, Station 1 Structure fire, Webber Rd., Stations 1, 2 and 3 Medical assistance, Station 1 Friday, February 18 Medical assistance, Station 1

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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.

Maya

Vacation Time Machine March 4 2015

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.

NOW IN OUR 26TH YEAR

Voice (905) 892-8690 Find the Voice at these locations: Indulgence Bakery Domenic's on 20 Pelham Street Grille Peter Piper’s Pubhouse DeVries Fruit Farm Beamer’s Hardware Pelham Libraries Bob’s Boys Antiques PharmaChoice Pharmacy Fonthill Fitness Fenwick Pie Company McDonald’s Duffin Appleworks Fonthill Legion Semenuk’s Gas Bar Shoppers Drug Mart Tim Horton’s Giant Tiger Fonthill LCBO Zee Lube Express Care Food Basics Minor Bros Stores Avondale Stores A-1 Market Boggio's IDA Sobeys South Pelham Grill on Canboro Shell on Hwy 20 Circle-K

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The Voice

A February 23 2022

ANALYSIS

Page 3

Notice of Sale of Land by Public Tender

What’s driving the anger?

A quick look at some of the conspiracy theories fueling US and Canadian extremism

BY VOICE STAFF Data obtained from the crowdfunding website GiveSendGo, by the transparency group Distributed Denial of Secrets, has revealed the names, email addresses, postal codes, and contribution amounts of those North Americans who donated to support the so-called “Freedom Convoy” occupation of Ottawa. Nearly 40 percent of roughly $540,000 USD raised to Feb. 10 came from Americans. Of the 60 percent raised in Canada, the Voice has determined that just over $10,000 dollars was contributed by 103 Niagara residents living in the L0S postal code, which includes Pelham, St. Davids, Virgil, Wainfleet, Ridgeway, and Crystal Beach. This works out to an average contribution of $100. Optional comments left by some contributors referred to something called the “Reset.”

White supremacists demonstrating at the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. The Viking shield is a common neo-Nazi symbol.

JASON ANDERS

One of the conspiratorial undertones of the anti-mandate protests that have flared across Canada during the Covid-19 pandemic is rooted in what the World Economic Forum (WEF) christened the “Great Reset” early in the

public health response to the coronavirus.

This dramatic term describes a proposal that aims to build better resiliency for the global economy, not only in the wake of the pandemic and its devastating economic impacts, but in the

The Great Reset

FORM 6: SALE OF LAND BY PUBLIC TENDER Municipal Act, 2001 Ontario Regulation 181/03, Municipal Tax Sale Rules SALE OF LAND BY PUBLIC TENDER THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF PELHAM Take Notice that tenders are invited for the purchase of the lands described below and will be received until 3:00 p.m. local time on March 23, 2022, at the Pelham Municipal Building, 20 Pelham Town Square, Fonthill Ontario. The tenders will then be opened in public on the same day as soon as possible after 3:00 p.m. at the Pelham Municipal Building, 20 Pelham Town Square, Fonthill.

Description of Lands: 1.Roll No. 27 32 020 009 01300 0000; 220 Luffman Dr., Ridgeville; PIN 64039-0037 (LT); PT LT 4 CON 4 PELHAM AS IN PE15290; PELHAM; File No. 19-06 According to the last returned assessment roll, the assessed value of the land is $53,000.00 Minimum tender amount: $16,287.75

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2. Roll No. 27 32 010 018 13450 0000; Webber Rd. SS; PIN 64399-0099 (LT); PT LT 15 CON 14 PEL, AS IN RO120897 & RO163899 EXCEPT RO515689; PELHAM; File No. 19-07 According to the last returned assessment roll, the assessed value of the land is $132,000.00 Minimum tender amount: $21,356.63 Tenders must be submitted in the prescribed form and must be accompanied by a deposit of at least 20 per cent of the tender amount, which deposit shall be made by way of a certified cheque/bank draft/ money order payable to the municipality. Except as follows, the municipality makes no representation regarding the title to or any other matters relating to the lands to be sold. Responsibility for ascertaining these matters rests with the potential purchasers. The assessed value, according to the last returned assessment roll, may or may not be representative of the current market value of the property.

Transfers of properties in this jurisdiction that contain at least one and not more than six single family residences and are transferred to non-residents of Canada or foreign entities, are subject to the Province’s Non-Resident Speculation Tax (NRST).

This sale is governed by the Municipal Act, 2001 and the Municipal Tax Sales Rules made under that Act. The successful purchaser will be required to pay the amount tendered plus accumulated taxes and any taxes that may be applicable, such as a land transfer tax and HST. The municipality has no obligation to provide vacant possession to the successful purchaser.

A copy of the prescribed form of tender is available on the website of the Government of Ontario Central Forms Repository under the listing for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. For further information regarding this sale and a copy of the prescribed form of tender, visit: www.OntarioTaxSales.ca or if no internet access is available, contact: Zain Elias, Taxation Clerk The Corporation of the Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-980-6678 zelias@pelham.ca

www.pelham.ca

Page 4

The Voice

A February 23 2022

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

OPINION

The opinions expressed in submitted commentary and letters to the editor are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the Voice of Pelham.

The Voice of Pelham is a 1211858 Ontario Limited publication David Burket, Publisher 2-1428 Pelham St., P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S1E0

Editorial

It's deja-vu all over again: Kore tries to pull an Augustyn

I

f you’re a newcomer to our blessed town, you may be surprised to learn that a few years back there was an official attempt to ban this newspaper from Town Hall, an act that drew national attention and condemnation. In 2018, thenMayor David Augustyn was unhappy that our reporting exposed the Town’s land-for-credits scheme in East Fonthill for all to see—coverage that later won the Voice top honours in our newspaper association’s province-wide annual investigative reporting competition.

This week Councillor Ron Kore, aided and abetted by Councillor Marianne Stewart, is following in the Augustyn council's Nixonian footsteps.

As of this writing, Kore is set to bring a motion to Pelham Town Council on Tuesday—seconded by Stewart—that he hopes will ban the Town from doing business with this newspaper. We’re dubbing it the Trojan Horse Motion.

On the outside it looks innocent enough—even noble. At a recent council meeting Kore spoke of the need to protect elected officials from the unconscionable behaviour seen elsewhere in Niagara, as some officeholders have endured acts vandalism as a result of their support for Covid protocols. Violence and intimidation clearly have no place in Canadian politics. Such conduct should rightly be condemned.

The guts of Kore’s motion are another story. The actual reason that he’s pushing it comes at the end: “...the Town of Pelham will not support or conduct business with individuals, organizations, companies, news media, or tabloid outlets that discriminate, spread misinformation, spread hate through the community, bully individuals, promote acts of violence, harassment and intimidation against elected officials and government employees.”

With this paragraph, Councillors Kore and Stewart convincingly demonstrate that they are unfit for public office.

There is no substantive difference between banning the newspaper from Town Hall and calling for an end to doing business with it due to occasional criticism of extremely bad policies or reprehensible conduct.

The Voice publishes commentary about abysmal actions regardless of whose they are. If Mayor Junkin were to support a ban on doing business with the Voice because he was miffed by the paper’s perspective, then he too would be called out as fundamentally undemocratic.

Serving in public office requires a thick skin and an understanding that not everyone is going to be happy with every decision you make. As Councillor Kore is again proving, his skin is thin to the point of translucence.

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The Voice

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1428 Pelham Street, P.O. Box 1489, Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 Office open: Monday - Thursday 8 AM - 2 PM

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca PUBLISHER Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTING NEWS EDITOR Don Rickers

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger

CONTRIBUTORS Jane Bedard, Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Michael Coren, Larry Coté, Brian Green, Miriam Han, Megan Metler, 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

(It is also remarkably hypocritical, given his documented past conduct with Town staff, that Kore should now be concerned about bullying.)

There is a Charter right to free speech that is guaranteed to all, including to this newspaper.

The Kore motion attempts to do indirectly what would clearly be illegal if done directly—it’s an effort to silence fair-minded journalism that actually follows and discusses the decisions of this council.

As a member of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association, the National NewsMedia Council, and the Canadian Association of Journalists, the paper and our staff are obligated to conduct ourselves ethically in the pursuit of accurate reporting. (As you’ll see on page 2 this week, our peers seem to be confident that we manage to do so.)

Then there is the matter of Kore’s own ethics. Following our reporting on his conduct at the start of Covid (also award-winning), Kore effectively made it impossible to distribute the Voice at his Fonthill Sobeys grocery store. This is Kore’s right as a private citizen and business operator. It inconveniences only his own customers.

As an elected official, however, Kore took an oath to act in the best interest of the municipality. Yet clearly the councillor would like to use his leverage on council to fuel his own war against the press. He is putting his personal interests

7

ahead of those of the community— virtually the very definition of unethical, and likely grounds for a Code of Conduct complaint.

As for Councillor Stewart, who is less frequently mentioned in these pages because she says and does fewer unwise things than Councillor Kore, one can only wonder whether she fully appreciates the implications of this attempted coercion. Two weeks ago Stewart seemed perfectly happy appearing in a photo and story about new pickleball courts coming to her ward. That was good publicity. Now she apparently sees the need to threaten this same publication so that it will only be nice to her in this, an election year. ritical editorial comment is a far cry from “promoting” hate or violence. The Voice holds all elected officials to a high standard. We also consistently ask every councillor to contribute their own perspective, in their own words without editing, on important issues of the day.

Just one problem. Like a petulant four-year-old faced with broccoli, Kore refuses to open his mouth.

The councillor has not responded to or even acknowledged a Voice communication of any kind since June 19, 2020. That’s 614 days ago.

Councillors Kore and Stewart are now attempting to chart a course where the Town will no longer inform the public through

C

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament

Electoral District: Niagara West

Dean Allison, MP 4994 King Street Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 Dean.Allison@parl.gc.ca 877-563-7900 Member of Provincial Parliament

Electoral District: Niagara West

Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755 Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2987 Councillor Diana Huson diana.huson@niagararegion.ca 905-324-3094 Town of Pelham 20 Pelham Town Square P.O. Box 400 Fonthill, ON L0S 1E0 905-892-2607

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Councillor Wayne Olson wolson@pelham.ca 905-933 6033 Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805

a periodical that has the temerity to criticize members of council.

Heaven forbid. At what point did they confuse their personal interests with the community’s interest?

And who, exactly, is to be the judge as to what constitutes hate and the promotion of violence? Kore’s motion is silent on this critical point, but one assumes that it must be either unelected Town staff or the councillors themselves. How’s that for a conflict of interest.

To be clear, the noble elements of Kore’s Trojan Horse—the theoretical rationale behind it—are worth supporting. People won’t run for office if they worry about zealots vandalizing their property. But Kore's poisonous paragraph serving only his blatant self-interest must go.

Arthur Sulzberger, publisher of the New York Times for nearly 30 years, famously said, “Freedom of the press, or, to be more precise, the benefit of freedom of the press, belongs to everyone— to the citizen as well as the publisher. The crux is not the publisher’s 'freedom to print.' It is, rather, the citizen’s 'right to know.'”

All residents of Pelham benefit from a free press, even if some occasionally disagree with its editorial positions. If Councillors Kore and Stewart can't see that, then they should simply resign their seats. The town will be just fine without them. ◆

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Have an Opinion?

BARRISTER, SOLICITOR & NOTARY LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome. Letter submissions should contain the writer’s full name, address and telephone number. Names only will be published. Names may be withheld if compelling reasons are provided. The newspaper reserves the right to change, condense or reject any contribution for brevity, clarity or legal considerations. All material in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction is prohibited without express, written permission of the publisher. ADVERTISING: The Voice of Pelham regrets any errors or omissions that appear in advertisements in this newspaper, however, we will not be held responsible for more than one absent or incorrect insertion or for any damages beyond the cost of space containing the error. The Voice is an independent, locally owned and operated publication.

The Voice is a member of the National NewsMedia Council, a voluntary self-regulatory organization that deals with journalistic practices and ethics. If you have an unresolved complaint about news stories, opinion columns or photos, please visit their web site at mediacouncil.ca or call 1-844-877-1163. If you have a complaint about delivery or membership problems, please contact our office at (905) 892-8690. For a summary of Voice ethical guidelines, see www. thevoiceofpelham.ca/ethics

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The Voice

Page 5

A February 23 2022

OPINION Support for “Freedom Convoy” I have never been so disappointed as I am right now, in Ottawa's mayor, the people of Ottawa, who are complaining about noise, a few radicals, not so much for the others who have been pushed to the limit and can't express themselves in a proper manner.

I thank the police for not turning out like bullies which only would flame the fire as our own Prime Minister has already managed to do right from the start.

People will never be satisfied with protesters unless it is for their cause or realize the bigger the crowd the more chance of radicals slipping in.

As far as the Terry Fox issue, it isn't the first flag we've seen upside down and it won't be the last. The media repeats the negative issues over and over again in the most negative way as possible.

I have a different spin on these negative issues. Yes, some have been ill-mannered, there is no doubt. However, our flag turned upside down could just happen be a warning to all of us that if we don't start listening to the people and protecting their livelihood,

our country could very easily be falling.

My Canadian flag got caught into my tree and frayed. My son wanted to put up a new one. I said no, every time I look at that flag it reminds me of how frayed this country has become.

As for the sign in Terry's arm, he was being included in the fight, as he included us in his fight.

As far as noise, it seems we can't be heard any other way. The same people complaining about the noise probably did their share, in their day, for maybe all the wrong reasons. Came home late, disturbed the members of their families and could care less.

This convoy has no intentions of anything else but a peaceful protest. I have been at federal and provincial protests in my day.

They were all peaceful but I always worried some radical, against us or representing their own agenda, would cause trouble.

As for the mandate, the forcing of jabs for children and others, their choice have been See SUPPORT next page

How about shifting some cash to some better causes With despair, but not a lot of surprise, I read that many of my neighbours out here in west Niagara donated money to the anarchists in Ottawa trying to hold the rest of us hostage to their delusions.

Might I suggest that they now donate an equivalent amount to a homeless shelter or a food bank in the region.

David Fowler Wainfleet

PELHAM AND COVID-19 Mayor Marvin Junkin

Relaxation of protocols on the near horizon

A

s all numbers Covid continue their downward trend all governments are feeding the optimism that is building with predictions of even more protocols being relaxed in the not-too-distant future. Of course the big one for a lot of people is the elimination of vaccine passports on March 1 in Ontario. These passports have divided this country the likes of which I personally have never seen, and as a fully vaccinated person I am happy to see them go, and this country can start to come together again. With their elimination it means that municipalities will no longer need staff to check vaccination status of all who enter their facilities.

Ontario’s top doc, Dr. Kieran Moore has hinted strongly that indoor mask restrictions could be lifted by mid-March. The doctor has also stated that vacci-

nation policies in colleges and universities, as well as within the provincial healthcare system, are no

These passports have divided the country the likes of which I personally have never seen

longer necessary and that their removal should align with when the mandate lifts at the provincial level.

At our Regional Council meeting on February 17, councillors quite forcefully questioned Dr. Hirji over the ongoing need for Section 22

of Niagara’s Public Health Act, which he instituted over a year ago. I believe the majority of councillors would like to see this dropped as would the vast majority of Niagara’s residents.

The doctor was also made aware of the large number of emails that we as councillors have been receiving from parents who are not happy that their children in junior and senior kindergartens must wear masks while in school, a protocol that isn’t required in other parts of the province. Dr. Hirji told council that he was merely advising the school boards to take these precautions. Councillors— who have no power to instruct the doctor—made it clear that when the province opens up on March 1 Niagara’s residents are expecting this region to follow suit. We can only hope that See HORIZON next page

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Page 6

The Voice

A February 23 2022

Letters continued

COMMON DECENCY Rev. Michael Coren

Cheers for that unlikely duo—Ford and Trudeau The so-called “Freedom Convoy” and its sympathizers have advocated the removal of all Covid mandates. Interestingly, in Florida there have been few mandates. Partly as a consequence of this, there have been, per capita, about four Covid deaths for every one Covid death in Ontario, not including deaths of non-residents. There would have been even more deaths had it not been for many sensible Floridians self-imposing vaccination, masking, and other Covid protection measures. This suggests to me that the federal and Ontario governments have worked reasonably well together at imposing restrictions and other measures to keep us Ontarians safe.

Notwithstanding this successful cooperation, there has been a lot of unsupportive reaction to the federal government’s invocation of the 1988 Emergency Measures Act. This in spite of the fact that we know that the Act cannot be used where the emergency to be addressed is principally in one province, unless the provincial government of the affected province indicates that the emergency is beyond its capacity to deal with.

In this case the Ontario government, even after having declared a state of emergency, had been unable to successfully address the convoy blockades in Ottawa and Windsor, with pop-up blockades feared in other border communities.

Kudos to the Ford government, after exhausting its own capacities, for asking for help from the federal government.

Kudos to the Trudeau government for finding a way to employ existing legislation that could deliver some of the help required. This is a great example of how cooperative federalism is supposed to work.

As I write this it’s Friday night, and police action to end the blockade is well underway. It is now more clear than ever that the Ottawa blockade was not merely a few truckers protesting peacefully.

The convoy had demanded an end to all government measures intended to help control Covid, including vaccination and masks. To effect all of this they proposed to overthrow and replace the federal and Ontario governments—essentially a coup d’état.

The protesters were from across Canada, suggesting that federal action was

needed to address financing, vehicle and driver registration and licencing, and vehicle insurance issues in all provinces.

Their prolonged blockade was funded in part by anarchists from both Canada and the US, using national and international financial mechanisms illegally, and this had to be stopped permanently.

Their tactics involved embedding children in their ranks, somewhat in the style of cowardly ISIS terrorists, to shield themselves from policing action.

They had intimidated and threatened and terrified many of the folks in Ottawa, and large numbers of the businesses there had to shut down for some three weeks. In the protests in border communities they had thrown many folks, such as those who work in auto plants, out of work.

Additionally, at the time the Act was invoked I’m sure that governments had access to intelligence suggesting the strong possibility that some of the truckers could be armed, which was later confirmed. We were not dealing with just an inappropriately named “Freedom Convoy.” We were dealing with a well-financed group of extortionists posing as freedom-fighters while using their trucks as weapons to curtail the rights and freedoms of countless other Ontarians—and the collateral damage was serious. Our leaders needed to take action and in my view it was appropriate for the federal government to make use of a select few, particularly appropriate, features of the Emergency Measures Act to help it cooperate with the governments of Ontario and other provinces to get the job done.

I disagree with civil rights advocates who suggest that, because other protests have morphed into civil unrest that there was really no need to use the powerful and potentially freedom-limiting tools of the Emergency Measures Act. They don’t want invoking this Act to become normalized and we all agree with this goal. However, perhaps what we need are other tools to help our authorities ensure that peaceful demonstrations do not, as a norm, morph into unlawful protests, which happens far too often and is unacceptable.

Tom Crawford Fonthill

HORIZON

SUPPORT

he follows our advice. ver the last year, the Town of Pelham has lost a number of employees to greener pastures.

As a small municipality we cannot match the higher wages offered by nearby larger centres. Therefore when our employees leave us for these higher wages all we can do is wish them well and seek their replacements. During the last few months we have filled most of these vacancies.

I would like to introduce by name and job description some of the newest additions to Team Pelham.

Sherene Henry, financial analyst; Haneen Al Jbawi, engineering technologist; Gimuel Ledesma, engineering technologist; and Sarah Smith, customer service representative. On behalf of council and the residents of the town I extend a warm welcome to our newest team members.

A much brighter sun hinting of warm weather to come is a pleasing change from cloudy winter skies.

Let’s get out and take part in some outdoor activities.

Enjoy! ◆

taken away with threats of their jobs, their sports to keep them healthy, and on it goes.

The truckers have brought to the forefront many issues. If you have a just and honest paying job, sick leave, health benefits, vacation, etc., which everyone should have, you forget about the fact that everyone doesn't.

It seems to be okay for the princesses and princes to complain about the protest when their nearly perfect life is a little disturbed but we don't all have their luxury. Truckers play in traffic, day in and day out, risking their lives and others. They don’t see their families for days.

They have to sleep on the side of the road that is unlit and dangerous. They don't have any decent places to go to the washroom and have to use pop bottles to relieve themselves. Truck stop restaurants were built for the truckers and are not accessible when needed.

I know I could go on forever but as one speaker on the TV said, the only thing the vaccine does in some

continued from previous page

O

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

continued from previous page

cases is keep you out of the ICU. So, lighten up Ottawa, you have a lot of visitors in your city, our city. You knew they were coming, you should have been prepared for them. You should have had port-a-potties, dumpsters for garbage, like you provide for Canada Day. They are our family, not the enemy as some try to portray them.

You should know all these people have helped build this country and to keep food on the table. Give them a break. Let your life be a little uneasy.

None of us wants to end up destroying this country.

Those flags remind us of horrifying times that could come back to haunt us.

There is nothing worse than trying to plead with a government in good and peaceful faith when we are talked down to, and accused of being women-haters, taking up space, and ignored. That is what has brought this convoy in the first place.

And by the way I have my two shots but hesitant to get the booster because of allergies that nearly took me down this year.

Patricia Costey-Henry Pembroke

Once again, the far right spins Christianity to suit

I

n the middle of the Ottawa convoy nonsense, Franklin Graham, son of Billy and one of the world leaders of conservative evangelicalism, tweeted to his 2.3 million followers his support for the illegal occupation of the nation’s capital.

In all honesty, it came as no surprise.

The Ottawa protest and the various replicas across Canada are composed of a various lot. Extreme libertarians, anti-vaccination zealots, neo-Nazis, and conservative Canadians who just seem confused and angry.

A startling number of them also appear to be fundamentalist Christians, as the number of Christian symbols, flags, and shouts to their critics and opponents that, “God will condemn you,” testify.

There’s also a gallery’s worth of kitsch pictures doing the rounds of social media, featuring trucks adorned with Canadian flags dividing the Red Sea as they drive bravely forward, some of them in front of a crowned lion, being either C.S. Lewis’s Aslan from Narnia, or the lion of God. It’s terrible art and worse theology.

There’s nothing new about arch-conservatives spinning Christianity to suit their own purposes. It’s always been an issue, especially in North America since the 1960s.

But it was generally applied to the broad sweep of social conservatism, exploited to justify opposition to LGBTQ2+ equality and women’s choice. Now this perversion of Gospel truth has gone much further.

As soon as federal and provincial governments reacted to Covid with lockdowns and vaccinations, fundamentalist Christians saw the evil hand of the state as work.

For “state” read liberalism, control, and even communism. Decades of propaganda have convinced these churches and believers that there is a great and global conflict happening, and gov-

ernments are on the wrong side. The fantasy runs thus: families and family values are under threat, anti-biblical values are being forced on those families, and the state and its agents are part of the anti-Christ.

I know, it sounds mad. Because it is.

At the risk of sounding uncharitable, these are not people who embrace theological nuance or depth

But in the alternative universe of religious fundamentalism, madness is normal.

It is the world turned upside down. In this dark mirror of belief, the lockdowns were an inevitable development in the spiritual war that is being waged. Vaccines are mentioned in the Book of Revelation—except they aren’t— as a mark of the devil.

Or they’re a weapon to prevent procreation and reduce the population, or they are made from aborted fetal stem cells, or … insert your conspiracy in this space.

They also can’t believe that Canadians continue to elect Liberal governments, and as with their US counterparts they assume that the electoral process is flawed or fraudulent. It’s partly a result of insularity — many of these belief communities seldom interact with anybody outside of their own comfort zone — and this social and emotional distance from mainstream society makes them vulnerable to all sorts of paranoia.

Then there is what is known as eschatology, the aspect of theology concerned with the ultimate destiny of all of us. In other words, the

so-called End Times.

Armageddon has been an obsession with subgroups of fundamentalists for centuries, often based on a fear of, or disillusionment with, contemporary society.

In fact, it’s based on a tragic misreading of the Hebrew Scriptures. Megiddo, the origin of the word Armageddon, is a town in Israel that for centuries was at the crossroads of the trade routes of a series of superpowers. It saw a lot of bloodshed and was thus used as a warning metaphor by some of the writers of the Bible. By the way, I worked on an archeological dig there a few years ago, and the locals make a mean falafel pita wrap!

It’s no joke however. The proximity of the world’s end, distrust and hatred of the state, conviction that God is on your side, anger at the seemingly unstoppable progressive nature of society, and a visceral dislike of Justin Trudeau—who seems to embody all that they reject and despise—make for a potent stew.

At the risk of sounding uncharitable, these are not people who embrace theological nuance or depth. Scripture, while still being the inspired word of God, isn’t divine dictation. It requires analysis and context. These ideas are seen by them as heretical and tainted. A loud trucker is given far more respect than a learned teacher.

We see the protest unwrapping, and Ottawa will return to normal. But everybody involved has had a taste of victory, including those who are motivated by their faith. Much as we might like to think otherwise, we haven’t heard the last of the Christian right by a very long way. ◆

Rev. Michael Coren is an award-winning Torontobased columnist and author of 18 books, appears regularly on TV and radio, and is also an Anglican priest.

Anger is the fuel of rising nationalism There is an unfamiliar feeling nudging my sense of wellbeing. It is emboldened by hearing regular media reports about dissatisfied and angry people. This feeling of negativity is bolstered by the insistence of our politicians berating each other.

Anti-Semitic signs, anti-Muslim signs, Confederate flags, right-to-life and others are indications of the various issues consuming people. Xenophobia, racism, and disinformation contribute to the rising nationalism.

Covid has served as an excuse for some politicians and taxpayers to divide our country economically, politically, and socially. Covid will not be the last crisis Canadians face. Climate change offers a collective purpose. Time we elected leaders who have skills and vision to unify Canadians to participate in the globally connected and changing world.

L. Morgan Fonthill

WWII vets would be turning in their graves I want to make sure any reader of this note is aware of the following: I have no political affiliation and prefer to be an independent. Zero religious affiliation exclusive of belief in the Golden Rule, Christ's teachings of tolerance, love, and deep concern for the poor, downtrodden, sharing and concern for the plight of those experiencing prejudice, illness, etc.

For full transparency, I have voted for Harper, Mulroney, and Trudeau in the past but definitely not for Trudeau in the recent past due to scandals and his confrontational comments re “fringe minorities,” etc. I give

Trudeau and provincial premiers a favorable comment on the basic handling of Covid.

One only has to look at Canada's results versus the rest of the world. Should also state that to take my vote to the Conservatives today is most uncomfortable. When will they provide a platform that most Canadians can believe in, as opposed to those in the party who believe in support of extremist and mean platforms?

Historically Canadians have proven time and time again they do not feel comfortSee MODERATION next page

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

MODERATION

continued from previous page able with extreme partisan thought processes that are not representative of the Canadian majority.

Most important I believe in the democratic process and any change of government should happen due to our responsibility to vote.

Change should not be due to persons calling themselves demonstrators/protesters when in truth they are occupiers and blockaders who are costing Canadians millions of dollars.

I have an uncle in a WWII cemetery in France, a father, and four other uncles who also participated overseas in WW II, so I’m very familiar with freedom. It can be stated with confidence that not one of these gentlemen would be in agreement with the approach of the “Freedom Convoy.”

A question that begs an answer is: Who will demonstrate for the majority of Canadians, especially the first responders who have lived with same mandates for the good of the bigger cause. Do they not have same rights or are they simply too busy doing what is right?

Only in Canada would an occupation/blockade that caused extreme economic damage and uncalled-for duress to many citizens be tolerated for up to three weeks. We need to commend all police forces for their incredible job in their efforts to restore order to all citizens who deserve and want order.

The Voice I am truly confused by persons implying they are using “God's guidance.”

Where in the Bible did God suggest going to Ottawa and participating with known white supremacists, who they have not publicly denounced. I have difficulty believing that is the guidance of Christianity. To those who state they will

We need to commend all police forces for their incredible job in their efforts to restore order

not be vaccinated due to some interpretation of the Bible, may the question be asked: Do you really believe God wants a world without penicillin, without insulin, without smallpox vaccine, without measles vaccine?

Would God say do not take that polio shot, it is better we have a lot of crippled young people? I want to believe that a person like God is so wise he has provided us all with intelligent, caring doctors and scientists who have worked diligently to make the world a better place.

It is a sad commentary when millions of dollars can be raised by a group of persons—some well inten-

A February 23 2022

T:5"

tioned, others white supremacists, etc.— to fund completely disruptive and unlawful actions. If the socalled protesters are courageous Christian Canadian citizens, then please step forward and condemn all persons who do not represent Canadian values, every racist, every person who presented children at the front of the demonstration, every person who chose to blockade and occupy international bridges, streets of Ottawa, to say nothing of the persons arrested in Alberta with deadly weapons.

Perhaps the same group will step forward and say although Canada can still improve, we remain a nation many people would love to live in. Because we are so privileged, we will donate a portion of money raised to more just causes—education, a children's hospital, an indigenous cause, funds to combat addiction issues, cancer research, a scholarship for children of persons in the transportation industry.

I seriously doubt (would love to be proven wrong) anyone from the “Freedom Convoy” will step forward and ask the TV networks and papers for time to make an announcement similar to above.

Let us all hope that future demonstrations are reasonable, no more false “memorandums of action,” and aim to work towards reasonable compromise.

Jim Urquhart Burlington (PDHS grad)

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Page 8

The Voice

A February 23 2022

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

This bright idea could save taxpayers $163,000 a year Pelham set to upgrade streetlights to LED standard

The entire project is scheduled for completion over the next two to three years

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor You don’t have to be the brightest bulb to recognize that this all makes good sense.

Pelham Council has commenced the process of converting the Town’s streetlights to LED (light-emitting diode) units, which offer significant benefits.

Jason Marr, Pelham’s Director of Public Works, told the Voice that Real Term Energy, which has its head office in Annapolis, Maryland, was recommended to be the sole source for the project through a procurement process conducted on behalf of Ontario municipalities.

“RealTerm Energy has done many similar projects across Ontario, including for the City of Niagara Falls and the Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake. They are by far the most experienced firm in doing these LED lighting conversions,” said Marr.

Founded in 2013, RealTerm Energy is considered to be a North American leader in LED and “smart” lighting, with successfully completed upgrades to some 200 Ontario municipalities.

LED lighting checks a lot of boxes for cost-conscious municipalities. It is less expensive to operate and maintain than conventional florescent lighting, and is also the preferred choice from ecological

Example of an LED lamp fixture. protection and public safety perspectives.

Pelham Councillor Bob Hildebrandt, who serves on the Utility Sustainability Committee (“That's the official name, but we just call ourselves the ‘energy savings guys,’”) said that Town Council approved a streetlight conversion binding letter of engagement with RealTerm Energy on February 7.

The estimated cost to replace the entire streetlight network in Pelham is $621,810.

“The first step this year is a budget allocation of $250,000,”

STOCK

said Hildebrandt. “The entire project is scheduled for completion over the next two to three years, contingent on future capital budget allocations.”

An Investment Grade Audit (IGA) is an initial component of the process, involving a comparison of the prior energy consumption with the post-conversion LED system, using highly-accurate data from a custom photometric design.

“The IGA takes a couple months, and will form the basis of a more detailed estimate to complete the

LED conversion program,” said Hildebrandt. “Once this task is complete the Town will be able to more accurately estimate the full cost of the LED streetlight conversion project.”

Information shared with the Voice by Hildebrandt indicates that Pelham has a total of 1322 streetlights, of which 1260 are a standard “cobra head” style, and 62 are decorative. The current street lighting network uses an average of 708,326 kWh of electricity annually, which equates to approximately $164,000 in oper-

tap.

ation costs, plus annual maintenance costs of $60,000. The Town currently expends approximately $223,000 per year on the network with the average annual cost per fi xture being $169. The proposed 2022 budget for the operation and maintenance of streetlights is $260,000, which includes maintenance of Regional traffic signals.

Following the LED conversion, annual electricity usage is estimated to drop to 184,132 kWh. Operating costs of $45,107 and maintenance costs of $11,975 are anticipated, with a total operational cost of approximately $60,000 ($43 per fi xture.) This represents an annual operation and maintenance cost reduction of approximately $160,000, or 74 percent.

The payback for the cost of the project, based on estimated savings, is a mere five years.

From an environmental perspective, the conversion program represents an annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction of approximately 16 metric tonnes. Based on an estimated lifespan of 100,000 hours for the LED units, this represents almost 372 fewer metric tonnes of GHG over the entire streetlight network.

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 9

A February 23 2022

Fenwick resident loses $1400 in phone, online scam Niagara Regional Police say seniors are especially vulnerable

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor “If it sounds too good to be true...” You know the rest of the maxim.

It’s tied in with another proverb, “caveat emptor,” or “let the buyer beware.”

A Fenwick man we’ll call Frank (he has requested that his name not be disclosed) knows these two phrases all too well. He shared with the Voice how his gullibility cost him $1400 in a recent telephone and online scam.

In early January, Frank saw a web advertisement purportedly for the reality show Dragons Den Canada, in which host Michelle Romanow was praising online stock and cryptocurrency trading companies Quantum AI and XBTrade as means to make huge sums of money. He was impressed by the testimonial, and registered an inquiry at the web address provided in the ad. Shortly thereafter, he received a call from a man who identified himself as Quantum AI investment manager we’ll call Larry Martin.

“I had to send him my drivers license and banking information, and he explained the process for trading in Bitcoin. I gave him $400 to set up the account, and $1,000 to invest in Bitcoin. Initially, I appeared to make some gains in a couple investments, then Martin encouraged me to get a loan for more investment funds though a company called Cana-

da Loans. I didn’t qualify for any loans as I needed a co-signer, and Martin was not happy. He pressured me to go to my bank, BMO, for a loan, but they also required a co-signer, and I didn’t want to ask my wife. I started to get a bad feeling about the whole thing, and decided to withdraw my money from Quantum AI.” Frank said that his refund should have occurred within seven days, but it never happened, with the Quantum AI platform indicating the status was “pending.” Meanwhile, Martin had been calling Frank every day, hounding him to find $2000 to buy more Bitcoin. When Frank balked, the phone calls stopped.

“I tried phoning the numbers he called from, but they were not in service. He was probably using burner phones, with numbers that can't be traced. I did not call the local police, but I did forward information to the government’s anti-fraud site and the RCMP. Nobody has gotten back to me.”

Frank had never invested online before, but due to the supposed endorsement from Michelle Romanow of Dragon’s Den, he convinced himself it was legitimate.

What does Frank’s wife think about all this?

“She's not happy, obviously.

But I guess I’m lucky in a sense, because Larry Martin kept pressuring me to get her to co-sign on

a loan, and if that had happened, we might have lost over $30,000.”

Scamwatcher.org asserts on its website that Quantum AI is an automatic trading robot using a rigged algorithm to trick people into making deposits. Investors make money on the first few trades, which builds their confidence level. The scammer then harasses the investor to deposit more money, which ultimately disappears.

These con artists tend to cover their tracks very well, and may be operating out of a foreign country that makes their apprehension even more difficult

Another site, Scamcryptorobots.com, asserts that Quantum AI (not to be confused with Open AI, Google AI Quantum, or Quantum Artificial Intelligence) advertises online as a smart investing system which “makes you £1,320 in five hours, and cures poverty.” The scam extends to using deceptive video of billionaire Elon Musk, of Tesla and SpaceX fame, lauding the platform and saying that he used the Quantum AI software to trades stocks with a 91 percent success rate. Musk also proclaims in the video that he wants to get man-

kind to Mars and help cure world poverty.

In reality, while you might be seeing Musk in the video, the words have been overdubbed by a con artist to plant fake messaging. The crooks responsible for orchestrating these scams specialize in social media advertising on venues such as Facebook and Twitter. Fake Quantum AI reviews are common online, and are part of a blog network which uses recycled content and seemingly legitimate financial review websites to endorse the bogus software.

Constable Phil Gavin, Media Relations Officer for the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS), told the Voice that the force has been regularly informing the public about scams, most recently a so-called “grandparent scam” targeting vulnerable seniors.

“They call and pretend to be a loved one who’s in peril, playing on the victim’s empathy. I spoke with one of the victims yesterday, who believed the person on the phone was her grandson, who was crying convincingly to make it sound legitimate.”

The NRPS has received dozens of calls from scammed citizens so far in 2022, and the losses total well in excess $100,000. Gavin said that people should never make rash or emotional decisions based on a phone call. He warned never to wire money under uncertain conditions or duress, since it nearly impossible to trace money that has been wired.

Never confirm any personal information over the phone, he said, unless you can verify who is calling. Monitor your bank and

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CONNECTED Register for upcoming webinars Medication Safety : Feb 24, 2022 at 12:00 pm Join the Health Depot for a free presentation on Medication Safety. This presentation will take place online over Zoom. To register for this event, email bmaclean@pelham.ca.

www.pelham.ca/55 For more information contact: Brittany MacLean 905-732-7882 bmaclean@pelham.ca

credit card activity and report any discrepancies immediately to your financial institution or credit card issuer, and use complex passwords on your computers and electronic devices.

“We recommend that the person hang up and attempt to verify the story by calling relatives. A big part of protection is educating yourself. We have a program called ‘NRPMePlus3,’ which basically means that you should share the information in the phone call with three vulnerable persons in your life. It’s a proactive measure.”

Corporations and financial institutions also have a role to play in prevention, said Gavin.

“If an older person walks into your retail store and wants to buy $5,000 worth of Apple cards, or appears at the bank and wants to pull $11,000 in cash, we would hope that some flags would go off.

Intervention training by employees is necessary.”

Once the money is gone, said Gavin, there's not a lot of recourse for the victim, except through the criminal justice system, which provides potential conviction and restitution.

“But that's not a simple process. These con artists tend to cover their tracks very well, and may be operating out of a foreign country that makes their apprehension even more difficult.”

Anyone who has been victimized by a scam, or has received suspicious calls, should contact NRPS at 905-688-4111, ext.

1009076, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Reports can be made to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

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Page 10

The Voice

A February 23 2022

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Welcome to Pelham—new Town hir

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor Pelham’s population is growing, and with it comes a requirement for additional staffers to provide services.

Communications Specialist Leah Letford told the Voice that there are 12 new staff for 2022, bringing the total payroll for the Town of Pelham to 103 (not including volunteer firefighters or elected officials.)

Letford said that all new staff underwent panel interviews as part of the hiring process, which included a Human Resources representative, along with the respective director or manager for each area.

“It is really exciting to see Pelham attract these very talented individuals, who are dedicated to providing services for local residents,” said Letford.

Here are profiles of seven of the new hires.

Haneen Al Jbawi is an engineering tech-

nologist, who develops and reviews tender packages for capital and operating projects for the Town, and coordinates and manages public works projects. She is a graduate of Ryerson University with a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, and is currently enrolled in the engineering internship program with the Professional Engineers of Ontario. Haneen previously worked as a project coordinator managing custom-built houses in Oakville.

“The Town of Pelham’s passion for excellence inspired me to become a contributing member of this organization,” she said. “I want to help Pelham residents by improving our roads, water mains, and storm sewer services to ensure everyone receives access to municipal services.”

Gimuel Ledesma is also an engineering technologist, whose role as a project coordinator is to provide technical expertise in the production of project schedules, quality

Lindsay Richardson

Rhys Evans

assets recording and reporting system, while ensuring accuracy of all asset information in compliance with government standards and the Municipal Act. She prepares quarterly capital budget variance reports and financial working papers, and participates in the year-end audit.

“This position allows me to utilize my skills and experience,” she said. “I’m still in the learning phase, but so far the most gratifying part of my job is knowing that I

am making a contribution to the capital development of the community.”

Zain Elias has been hired on as a taxation clerk. He holds a Bachelor of Science in economics and management from the University of London in the United Kingdom, along with CPA and CGA designations, and is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in the UK. He has completed his articleship training with multinational accounting organization

KPMG, and previously was an accountant at a business start-up in Toronto. Zain continues to take professional courses with the Municipal Tax Administration Program.

He is responsible for preparing and calculating yearly tax rates and budgets, as well as processing tax adjustments, write-offs, and supplementals resulting from severances, improvements to property, class changes, and assessment review board decisions.

Zain is also responsible for providing infor-

Haneen A

mation regarding taxes, assessments, and budgets to various government agencies and boards throughout the year.

“The Town to me represents a close-knit community that looks after each other and is one big family,” he said. “It is the care and compassion towards each other that I greatly value. Being part of such a community was an opportunity that I grabbed with both hands.”

Lindsay Richardson is a policy planner who grew up in Pelham, attending A.K. Wigg

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 11

A February 23 2022

ires bring wealth of talent, diversity assurance, job site supervision, and to act as a liaison between the municipality and outside consultants and sub-trades. A graduate of Mohawk College’s building and construction sciences program, he is currently pursuing part-time studies at McMaster University with a focus on civil engineering infrastructure. Prior to arriving in Pelham, Gimuel worked for a contracting company based in Hamilton that specialized in heavy civil construction and environmental resto-

ration projects.

“Civil engineering is broad field which can be broken into five sub-disciplines: environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation, and water resources,” he said.

“What attracted me to this position is that I have the opportunity to learn and work in all these sub-disciplines.”

Rhys Evans is currently assigned to support Covid-19 screening at the Meridian Community Centre. He has lived in the local

community for 29 years, and is involved as a volunteer with the Joint Accessibility Committee and Pelham Active Transportation Committee. Rhys has diplomas in recreation and leisure services, recreational therapy, and social service work from Niagara College. Previously, he worked at the Niagara Centre for Independent Living as an advocacy consultant.

“I look forward to every shift at the MCC, because I feel I can make a meaningful dif-

Gimuel Ledesma

Al Jbawi

and E.L. Crossley. She earned an undergraduate degree in geography at Brock, and holds memberships in the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. She has 16 years of planning experience working within other local municipalities, most recently the Town of Fort Erie. Lindsay’s job entails providing longrange planning for the Town, as well as updating and maintaining zoning bylaws and the Town’s Official Plan.

ference in someone’s day,” he said. “I work hard to give back to my community, and enjoy being part of the Town of Pelham team.”

Sherene Henry is a financial analyst who holds Certified Professional Accountant (CPA) and Certified General Accountant (CGA) designations, along with a business degree. She previously worked in accounting roles in a variety of industries. Her current job involves overseeing, coordinating, and implementing the Town’s tangible capital

Sherene Henry

Zain Elias

“I was born and raised in Fonthill, and still call it home,” she said. “I want to use my experience and knowledge to be a part of the team moving Pelham forward in terms of growth and development.”

Amanda Deschenes is Pelham’s new special events and festivals programmer. A graduate of Niagara College’s journalism and public relations program, she worked for several years in print media, then shifted to communications roles within local not-

Amanda Deschenes

for-profit organizations, where she obtained experience in fundraising, event planning, and community programming.

Her new role involves a great deal of behind-the-scenes work with community groups and volunteers, with a primary focus on major local events like Summerfest, Christmas in Pelham, and Canada Day celebrations.

“I take great pride in being a public servant who lives in the area, giving back to my

neighbours,” said Amanda.

“It’s rewarding to be a contributor to the culture and engagement in the Town. People who turn out to events aren’t just coming out for the food or to watch a band. They are making memories, and I am honoured to play a small part in it. Through event programming, I expect to develop new relationships with residents, businesses, and the community groups that make Pelham so special.” ◆

Page 12

The Voice

A February 23 2022

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Kinsmen gear-up for first big event of 2022 Home Show returns to MCC April 9 and 10

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor Kevin Twomey, public relations and media chair for the Fonthill Kinsmen, is thankful that pandemic restrictions have been lifted, and that the Kinsmen’s 25th Home Show will be an in-person, public event at the Meridian Community Centre (MCC) on April 9 and 10.

“People really want to return to normal after two years of Covid-19,” he told the Voice. “There’s a very clear need to get out and get life going again. Of course, we’ll work with whatever safety parameters the government dictates.”

There is no admission cost for the show, but goodwill donations are gladly accepted. Proceeds will support two local charities, Pelham Cares and Wellspring Niagara. The major sponsors of this year’s event are the Darcy Richardson Real Estate Group and Salumatics Incorporated.

Annual Kinsmen events, such as the Citizen of the Year Award, and the Seniors Christmas Party, have been on hold since 2020, and Twomey said that the organization is working hard to make the show a success.

Habitat for Humanity's Andrea Moreau and Patti Smith may have slightly overdone the coffee at the 2017 Home Show.

“Our first show at the MCC was just phenomenal, with about 2500 attending,” said Twomey. “We are still looking for vendors. We have about 80 spots, and 50 percent have been sold thus far.”

A single eight-by-ten foot vendor booth is $310. A double is $520.

Twomey said that feed-

back from the business community on past home shows has been very positive.

“We run it as a service to municipal residents,” he said. “People are being encouraged to spend locally, and there are a lot of people moving into this area. It's a great opportunity for vendors, hoping to expand their business, and our rates are

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much cheaper than other home shows.”

Statistics Canada released population figures from the 2021 census, which indicated that Niagara grew by 6.7 percent since 2016, surpassing both the national and provincial average growth rate. The Region now has a population of 477,941. Thorold’s population swelled by

VOICE FILE

a remarkable 26.7 percent, while Pelham grew by 6.3 percent to 18,192.

Doug Freeland, a longtime Kinsmen, proposed the concept of the home show back in 1996, and has been the ex-officio chairman of the event ever since.

“The home show does a lot of good things in Pelham,” he said. “It brings the

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community together, and gives businesses an opportunity to show their wares and services. Some of our returning vendors aren't so much looking to sell something, as they are to thank their previous customers, and let them know they're still in the market.”

The home show runs Saturday, April 9 from 10 AM until 5 PM, and Sunday, April 10 from 11 AM until 4 PM. The Kinsmen Club of Fonthill and District was founded in 1951, and sponsors a number of charitable causes in the area, including student scholarships, Pelham youth sports, women's shelters, and local hospitals. The club’s inaugural donation, back in 1952, was a sewing machine to A. K. Wigg School, along with sponsorship of the Victoria Day Parade. The organization made a significant donation to the campaign for the Meridian Community Centre, and supports Pelham Cares on an ongoing basis. Kinsmen members donate their time to such annual events as the Fonthill Canada Day festivities and the Pelham Food Drive.

Businesses interested in vendor space should contact Doug Freeland at 905-3217676, or via email at mobilesigns@yahoo.ca.

For more information on the Fonthill Kinsmen and their activities, go to www. fonthillkinsmen.ca

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 13

A February 23 2022

Real estate still cruising in the stratosphere Home prices expected to continue climb in 2022

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor Think housing prices in Pelham might abate just a smidgin in 2022? Think again.

The number of homes on the market may be down from last year, but the prices are up. Way up.

A house recently offered for sale in Fonthill, listed below $900,000, sold for $1.2 million.

Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data indicates that 16 homes were sold in Pelham in January 2021 at an average price of $844,000.

In January of 2022, 13 sold at an average price of $1.074 million, a jump of 27 percent.

Across Niagara, house sales were down ten percent this January compared to January last year, but the average selling price skyrocketed by 33 percent to $749,000.

Niagara Association of Realtors (NAR) president Doug Rempel, of Bosley Real Estate in Niagara on the Lake, represents NAR’s 1400 members. He laughs when he reads pronouncements from media pundits who

suggest that a housing bubble is about to burst.

“Nothing could be farther from reality,” said Rempel.

“2021 surpassed our expectations, and there are solid indications that we should be optimistic and confident about sales in 2022.”

Interest rates on mortgages, one of the best influencers of real estate sales, are projected to stay historically low, even if they rise slightly in the second and third quarters of 2022.

The supply of homes on the market may continue to wane, but Niagara remains an attractive retirement option for buyers from the GTA and other parts of the province where housing is more expensive. And with low supply and high demand, Rempel thinks that prices will continue their upward trend, reaching possibly a ten percent increase from 2021. The pandemic caused some homeowners to delay stepping into the market, but as winter fades, many realtors expect to see growth in supply, he said.

“I think that we’re going to see much more multi-generational living in the future,” said Rempel. “It's nothing new, because historically that was the pioneer experience, and practised by many new arrivals to the country. Baby Boomers, who traditionally have downsized as they age, are choosing to renovate the homes, making room for either family members or caregivers. Millennials are starting families and preferring home ownership over rentals, and are competing for a much reduced pool of properties.”

Housing affordability has been at crisis levels for the past couple years, prompting Ontario Premier Doug Ford to appoint a task force to deal with the issue. A boost in the supply of homes is part of the solution, and the government has proclaimed that it is committed to building 1.5 million new homes over the next ten years.

Another potential panacea is to relax certain mu-

nicipal zoning rules in urban neighbourhoods, which currently ban anything but single-family homes.

Though this approach helps municipalities reach provincial density targets, it prompts pushback from many residents who feel that the move would negatively affect the character of their residential area.

Last fall, Prime Minister and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, in full election mode, said that his party would ban blind-bidding on home sales, a practise that some believe drives up prices. The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) immediately fired back at the proposal, arguing that a ban would infringe on the rights of sellers, and that housing prices are driven fundamentally by supply and demand.

Pelham has the second highest overall housing prices in the region, topped only by Niagara-on-the-Lake. It comes as no surprise to Rempel, who sees Pelham as a very desirable community.

“I remember many years ago, friends who worked in customer services in the aviation industry said that a whole group of Air Canada pilots and support staff had discovered Fonthill, and had established something of a new-resident beachhead,” said Rempel. “My wife and I came to visit, and really enjoyed the ambiance.”

Brettney Brunton.

SUPPLIED

Fonthill resident rings up $75,000 lottery prize Three-dollar "Sleigh Bell Bucks" gamble pays off big On February 15, The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission (OLG) announced that a Pelham woman has received a belated Christmas and Valentine’s Day present.

Brettney Brunton of Fonthill, 35, is $75,000 richer after winning the top prize with the OLG contest Instant Sleigh Bell Bucks.

In an OLG media release, Brunton said that she is a regular lottery participant, playing Poker Lotto, Lotto 6/49, and Daily Grand each week.

The winning ticket was a Christmas gift from her father.

Brunton said that she will splurge on a new bicycle for herself, and a lavish steak dinner for her parents.

“I'll put the rest aside, and plan to travel when it's safe.

It's wild to think a $3 Instant ticket can result in $75,000,” she said.

Instant Sleigh Bell Bucks tickets sold for three dollars, and the top prize was $75,000. Odds of winning any prize were about one in four. Almost 800,000 prizes were available out of approximately three million tickets sold. Brunton’s winning ticket was purchased at the Real Canadian Superstore on Queensway East in Simcoe.

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Page 14

The Voice

A February 23 2022

OBITUARY

OBITUARY

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

OBITUARY FORNERI, Catherine Louise

DAJKA, Cathryn Bernice

November 27, 1959 - January 27 2022 Her inspiration and mentorship led to several of her employees following in her footsteps and going on to run their own shops. The personal friendships that she made there throughout the years are some of the strongest.

Although a fashionista, Cathryn didn’t shy away from roughing it while portaging and camping when not spending time at her and Jim’s family cottage on Kawagama Lake in Haliburton. She was a star at hula hooping, tether ball and tennis (sort of). She and Jim also enjoyed exotic destinations as well as long road trips.

Cathryn’s nurturing nature was evident, not only with her friends but when caring for her parents in their later years. Not having children of her own gave her the opportunity to build loving bonds with the children of friends and neighbours. She was Auntie Cathryn to many. She loved children and they loved her back.

Beautiful, beautiful Cathryn. You are a light that still shines. You are one special person and have had an impact on so many people’s lives, they’ve told us so.

You’re leaving a void in our lives that is unfillable. Wherever it is you’re going, you’re going to shake it up.

A private gathering with family has been held. However, Cathryn is someone that needs to be celebrated in a big way and we will do that when we can, so stay tuned. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Moorelands Camp Starry Summer Night campaign to help send a disadvantaged kid to camp in Cathryn’s memory or to the cancer charity of your choice.

We are heartbroken to announce the loss of our amazing Cathryn, passing away in the arms of her loving husband of 25 years, Jim Pauk, and surrounded by her family. Born in Fonthill, Cathryn was predeceased by her parents, Stephen and Alice Dajka and is survived by her brothers Bryan (Marina), Stephen (Kristen) and Glen. A magical aunt to Karley, Sydney, Jacob, Anandi, Lyndsay, Jasmine (Alex) and Jade. Great-aunt to Ava and Theo.

Cathryn faced a devastating diagnosis head on with stoicism and positivity, living her last two years to the fullest. They were, in her words, the two happiest years of her life. She constantly stated how blessed she was to be surrounded by such loving and supportive family and friends, even in her last few days.

After spending years in Toronto as a fashion stylist, Cathryn moved to Jamaica for a year and a half and, after returning, went on to found Frock and Imelda, two fashion boutiques on Roncesvalles Ave. in Toronto’s west end where she and Jim shared a home. She also co-founded a boutique called Ubu on the same street in the 1980s. A trailblazer in every sense, she led by example, stepping out of the house every morning in audacious outfits that were always garnering attention and wearing them so well. She was a fashion icon, much younger than her years.

She had a knack for bringing people together. Many friendships began and continue due to the environment she created. Cathryn’s kindness and generosity made an impact on all the people in her community and beyond.

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FREEMAN, Sybil Isabel (nee McKenzie) March 14, 1938 February 10, 2022 Passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 10, 2022.

Loving wife of 65 years to Glenn. Cherished mother of David (Teri) and Robert (Lynne). Beloved grandmother of Alyssa (Mark), Susie (Eric), Tori, Sarah, Julia, and Robert. Adoring greatgrandmother of Kit. Daughter of the late Clarence and Helen McKenzie. Dearest sister of Bertha Campbell (Jack), Rennie (Alison), the late Margaret Turner (the late Doug), the late Freddie (Jeannie), Brian (Cheryl), the late Donald, and the late John (the late Beverly). Sybil was a passionate baker and her many treats were enjoyed greatly by family and friends.

When she wasn’t cooking up something delicious, Sybil could be found sewing or knitting. Sybil valued family above all and she provided so many special moments that will be cherished forever.

Sybil’s life will be celebrated at the PELHAM FUNERAL HOME, 1292 Pelham Street, Fonthill on Saturday, February 26th at 3:00 pm with visitation taking place 2 hours prior to the service (1-3pm). The family will gather for a private interment at Fonthill Cemetery on a later date. Online condolences may be shared at www.pelhamfuneralhome.ca

ANGER

continued from Page 3 troleum-rich countries like Canada, anyway—carbon pricing.

In a since-deleted November petition on his official website, then-federal Conservative finance critic and now-presumptive federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre urged constituents to “STOP THE GREAT RESET” (published in all caps), saying, “Canadians must fight back against global elites preying on the fears and desperation of people to impose their power grab.”

The WEF and other globalist bodies such as the United Nations and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have long been the targets of

At her home, on Monday, February 14, 2022. Wife of Rob. Mother of David (Kristina), Kevin (Louise), Ian (Leslie), Ryan (Hannah). Grandmother of six grandchildren. Survived by brothers Richard, Douglas and Edward Penner.

Predeceased by her parents Cornelius & Maria Penner.

Cremation has taken place.

Memorial Service on Tuesday, February 22 at 10:30am at the Vineland Chapel of Tallman Funeral Homes, 3277 King St. Vineland. Wearing a mask is required to attend. Online condolences at tallmanfuneralhomes.ca. activists on both sides of the political spectrum. On the right, accusations that these groups are building towards a global socialist order have existed for decades.

An early example of this was the late U.S. Congressman Larry McDonald, who while actually a Democrat representing a district in Georgia, at one point headed the ultra-conservative John Birch Society. McDonald railed against a so-called “new world order” that implied global elites such as those associated with the IMF were in cahoots with Soviet communists to implement a single world government.

Ironically, McDonald was killed along with 268 others in the Sept. 1, 1983, Soviet military shoot-down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007, a passenger aircraft en route from New York to South Korea. The Soviet Union collapsed in large part due to economic stagnation eight years later.

Following the demise of the USSR, some right-wing conspiracy theorists and extremists in North America switched their focus to the UN, also regarding the threat of a “new world order.” In the early 1990s, various militia groups popped up in the United States against a backdrop of these fears and perceived domestic government overreach. Following deadly law enforcement sieges involving armed citizens in Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and Waco, Texas, this culminated with the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19, 1995. Radicalized against the U.S. government and having spent time with militia members in Michigan, Timothy McVeigh parked a rental truck containing a homemade 4,800-pound ammonium nitrate fertilizer bomb outside the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in in the Oklahoma capital, lit a two-minute fuse and walked away.

One hundred and six-

ty-eight people, including 19 children in the facility’s day care centre, were killed.

When McVeigh was arrested, found with him were torn-out pages from “The Turner Diaries,” an obscure 1978 novel by neo-Nazi William Luther Pierce (under the pen name Andrew Macdonald) about the violent overthrow of the U.S. government by white supremacists, and a subsequent ethnic cleansing.

It’s vital to remember the above events happened before the internet and social media revolutionized the volume and speed in which the public consumes information, misinformation, and disinformation, often without possessing the critical ability to distinguish between them—between what’s factual, what’s propaganda, and what’s deliberately calculated to inflame tribal emotions. Take as a very recent example the false claims on social media over the weekend that a protester was “trampled to death” by mounted police in Ottawa. Police cited deliberately falsified online images as one source of the disinformation, an apparent attempt to anger convoy supporters and increase their hostility toward police and authority.

Similarly, an apparently large number Ottawa occupiers were falsely persuaded by online commentary that they were immune from arrest and that police would ultimately retreat. By Sunday afternoon, there had been a reported 191 arrests with 57 vehicles towed, and the capital’s streets were once again quiet for the first time in 23 days.

The “Great Replacement”

One of the prime organizers of Canada’s so-called “Freedom Convoy,” Patrick King, is well-documented on YouTube, Facebook, and other channels parroting another far-right concept, the “Great Replacement” theory, which implies that global elites are colluding against the white populations of North America and Europe with the intent of gradually replacing them with non-white citizens.

“That’s what the goal is, to depopulate the Anglo-Saxon race, because they are the ones with the strongest bloodlines,” King is seen saying into the camera on a widely-available video.

In remarks to Voice Contributing News Editor Don Rickers, an older reader angry with a recent opinion article written by an Ottawa resident reporting firsthand about his experience early in that city’s occupation, asserted that, “I find in Canada, if you are a white perSee ANGER next page

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The Voice

Page 15

A February 23 2022

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Holy Trinity Anglican Church holytrinityfonthill.org

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Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill

Fonthill Baptist Church www.fonthillbaptistchurch.ca

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1369 Rice Rd., Fonthill

Ridgeville Bible Chapel ridgevillebiblechapel.com

Fenwick Church of Christ www.fenwickchurchofchrist.ca

Fonthill United Church www.fonthillunited.com

Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church pccweb.ca/kirkonthehill

St. Alexander Roman Catholic Church www.stalexander.on.ca

Fenwick United Church www.fenwickunited.com

Glad Tidings Church of God www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com

Pelham Community Church (United Church) www.pelham.cc

St. Ann Roman Catholic Church www.stannfenwick.com

FAITH LIFT

continued from Page 19 spiritual vitality, power and passion.

They become routine or ritual and prayer is not prioritized.  A clear biblical purpose is lost. There may be a lot of busyness and activity, but without a clear and unifying purpose.

Making a difference in their community or the world is no longer a conviction.

The church culture attitude has shifted from Gospel-centred and others-centred to self-centred.  There is an over-emphasis on the facilities which often can lead to conflicts and arguments. This is a form of idolatry which puts the “treasures on earth” above the “treasures in heaven.”

Signs of a vibrant church

Pretty discouraging, eh? But here’s the good news. The signs of a healthy church are basically the opposites of the long list above — openness to change, living in the present, well connected to the community, an outward-looking budget, a

strong desire to evangelize and disciple, an unselfish, sacrificial attitude, long and fruitful pastoral tenures, passionate prayer, a clear biblical purpose, and priorities which are more spiritual than material.

Rainer admits it is very difficult for a dying church to become a vibrant church again (but not impossible). “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) God can use a willing leader followed by a willing people to turn things around. Usually, the change needs to be quite radical and the time period to do it quite short.

Unfortunately, individual local churches do die. But every believer can be encouraged that the universal Church (capital “C”) will never die. Jesus gave us this rock-solid promise — “Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the forces of Hades will not overpower it.”

(Matthew 16:18) ◆ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor who wants to see biblical churches survive and thrive.

ANGER

continued from previous page son...and you just live a normal life, then you're the minority right now, we are now a minority.”

In fact, according to the 2016 federal census, some 78 percent of Canadians self-identify as white. The whitest place in the nation, at 99.1 percent, is Saguenay, Quebec. Even the most diverse place in Canada, Toronto, is 57 percent white. In 2016, 95 percent of Pelham residents self-identified as white.

Regardless of how earnest or controversial a protest movement is—on either side of the political spectrum —all are at risk of coming under the influence of bad actors, especially if the movement is decentralized. Consider for a moment the “Unite the Right” rally in

Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. Whatever one’s feelings are about the presence of statues honouring the losing Confederacy side of the U.S. Civil War, this was the impetus for the rally—the municipal decision to remove such statues.

Quickly it devolved into individuals carrying tiki-torches and chanting “Jews will not replace us,” and later culminated in the death of a woman when a man drove a car into a crowd of people.

Three-and-a-half years later, hundreds of Americans, evidently operating in an alternate reality centred on the baseless claim that the U.S. presidential election was “stolen” from Donald Trump, stormed Capitol Hill in an incident that led to the deaths of five individuals, including four protesters and one police officer.

Since then, a vast majority of ideological conservatives in the U.S.—a group once reliable for supporting “law and order” policies —have adopted the stance that the Capitol riot did not constitute a threat to democracy.

Closer to home, Niagara West MP Dean Allison spent much of last week posting in support of the Ottawa convoy on social media.

“What we are seeing today,” Allison Tweeted on Friday, as police finally moved to end an illegal occupation after three weeks, “is [sic] authoritarian, military-style measures carried out against peaceful protesters on the orders of Justin Trudeau. What’s worse, it’s all being cheered on by the Ottawa and Toronto journalist class. Absolutely sickening.”

Allison did not acknowledge a Voice request for comment.

Page 16

The Voice

A February 23 2022

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The Voice

Page 17

A February 23 2022

FAMILY DAY FUN Among the activities at the MCC on Monday could be found, from left, Regional Councillor Diana Huson supporting the Pelham Art Festival, volunteer Barbara at the MCC table, Bea Clarke with the Active Transportation Committee, and Karen McLean of Pathstone Mental Health DON RICKERS

BALANCED LIFE

continued from Page 18 time in our lives may limit our creativity. Harvard University medical studies suggest listening to the music of our kids and grandkids is good for mental health because it challenges our brain to be creative. We may initially dislike the music because its sound and structure are unfamiliar, but forcing our brain to understand, and perhaps eventually enjoy new musical structures, will fire up our cerebral pathways and networks. [Editor’s note: We’ve recently discovered the GTA band “Metric.” Their 2012 album “Synthetica” will definitely wiggle your brainwaves.]

The positive benefits music provides for fighting depression are uncontested, but genre matters. For decades studies have favoured jazz and classical music to calm anxiety and fight depression, but a 2017 German university study surprisingly found that drum music had similar measurable effects.

However, the wrong music at the wrong time, too much volume or duration, even inappropriate lyrics can overload us and cause stress with negative consequences.

Beware of binging on those hurtin’ oldies, sad

tunes which cause us to recycle negative experiences and dwell on painful memories. They can increase symptoms of depression, especially in those who are introverted or tend to internalize their feelings.

The wrong music can be mentally and physically agitating and stressful, triggering aggression and anger rather than calm and comfort.

Daniel Levitin, professor of psychology at McGill University, says, “The rhythm and other characteristics of the songs we select can modulate our heart rates and the activity of our brain’s neural networks.

Tracks with a slow tempo, gradual chord progressions and drawn-out notes tend to be calming, while chaotic and up-tempo music tends to have the opposite effect.”

Athletes and recreational sports participants knew this intuitively long before we had the science to verify it. Understanding the extreme emotions music can generate has helped increase our ability to sustain intense exercise and training regimens, and maximize performance.

Back in the day, multiple playlists on home-burned CDs or Sony Walkmans were de rigueur, but had to be deployed with caution. Listening to Celine Dion while driving to a bike race could

cost one a podium spot.

Music needed to be mentally motivating, convince you of your invincibility, prepare you to embrace the hurt in your muscles, visualize the glory of success. Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger pounding out of the radio made your kinship with Rocky Balboa real. Celine could inadvertently put you to sleep.

On the starting line, when you’re so nerved up and wired that your brain is freaking out your muscles, the smoothness of Wynton Marsalis could calm you down, relax you, get your heart rate under control, and let you focus.

Once the race had begun, that third playlist was essential, a blend of upbeat, high-tempo favourites to distract you from the un-

pleasant repetitiveness of competing in sports like running or cycling.

A 2020 research review by the American Psychological Association cited numerous studies that confirmed what our legs, hearts and brains had long known: athletes who listen to fast, high-intensity music during warm-ups perform better; music can reduce our awareness of exertion, allowing us to perform longer at a high level; and music synced in pace to workouts or competition can reduce oxygen consumption, which improves muscular endurance.

Consider these tips to change your relationship with music. Pay attention to how you respond to different types of music in var-

ious situations, and make your selections accordingly.

Get rid of distractions to help your music perform its healing or supercharging.

Background music won’t help if you’re totally engrossed in work, social media or CBCNN. Make music your new meditation.

Set aside a specific time each day to listen to music, and try simultaneous deep breathing

to find calm if it’s been a really bad day.

Listen to tracks more than once, our brains like pattern and repetition. Work to understand lyrics for a deeper experience, and use quality equipment to become intimate with the sounds.

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The Voice

A February 23 2022

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

THE BALANCED LIFE

by John Swart

The benefits of listening to music

D

on’t pitch your vitamin pills, Celexa, or dietary supplements just yet, but research has shown that what’s on your playlist may be as important to your health as the contents of those plastic bottles on the kitchen shelf.

Music can enhance our mood and rescue us from anxiety. No secret there.

Music can also improve mental alertness and memory. Music memory is one of our cognitive functions most resistant to dementia.

Music is capable of easing physical pain, improving blood flow and heart rates, and can alter our breathing rate. Listening to music

prior to surgery can improve outcomes, and reduce anxiety in those with critical illnesses. A Shanghai University study found that background music can reduce task fatigue and help maintain muscle endurance.

Music is the total gym for our brain, listening to it provides a rigorous mental workout. Researchers from John Hopkins University explain, “Music is structural, mathematical and architectural. It’s based on relationships between one note and the next. You may not be aware of it, but your brain has to do a lot of computing to make sense of it.”

Whether you’re cranking

up Lizzo or floating away to Beethoven, your earbuds or stereo speakers emit nothing more than vibrations into the air to be captured by our inner ear. Our cochlea then sets 25,000 auditory nerve endings into motion, sending electrical impulses to our brain’s auditory cortex, which reorganizes these neural cues into patterns we recognize as music.

Organizing vibrations into distinguishable tunes is only part of the brain’s job.

Good brain health depends on the strength of our neurological pathways and networks. Listening to music engages almost every region of our brain, stimulating this neural network with an intense workout. Synchronizing our emotions to the melody and tempo, activating memory channels,

and prompting our motor systems to respond to the beat all contribute to the activity music forces upon our brains as neurons charge through our cerebral pathways to make sense of music. Social interaction, a key contributor to good mental health, is the only other function we perform which engages so many regions of the brain.

Once deciphered, music triggers our brains to react by releasing various neurochemicals linked to mood: dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward; oxytocin, which assists our ability to relate to others; cortisol, a stress hormone; and serotonin and other hormones related to our immune system.

Music that is familiar has many health benefits. The

repetitive nature of a favourite rhythm or melody assists the brain in forming the patterns vital to good memory and focus. Studies involving those recovering from strokes or in early stages of dementia confirm these positive effects. Listening to music won’t reverse brain damage, but it will slow cognitive atrophy, reduce confusion and may improve verbal memory.

A 2014 study by Sara Bottiroli, of the Brain Connectivity Centre, National Neurological Institute, Pavia, Italy, found that when a diverse group of people were tasked with recalling short lists of words, “Those who were listening to classical music outperformed those who worked in silence or with white noise.”

Mozart helped the study group match numbers to

geometric shapes faster and more accurately in a similar test. In fact, when participants were merely promised that listening to music would be part of the test, they were more motivated to learn.

Are there potential negatives to listening to tunes?

Turns out any old playlist won’t necessarily do the trick. Reactions to various music selections can vary significantly by individual and circumstances. If your playlist reflects a single era like the ‘60s or ‘90s, or genre silos such as jazz or classical, you may not be maximizing your personal benefits of listening to music.

Not a fan of K-Pop or hiphop? Always listening to familiar music from a certain See BALANCED LIFE Page 17

V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 A sense of adventure compels you to travel to a new destination, Aries. You may have something in mind or you can throw a dart at the map and enjoy the trip.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Don’t be surprised if relationships seem a little more intense than normal, Taurus. Everyone is a little keyed up and the extra energy is on display in daily interactions.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 People could play important roles in your life right now, Gemini. Partnerships are especially fortuitous. After all, two minds are better than one for problem-solving.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, there’s much productivity this week as you find yourself thrust into yet another project. Once you sail through it, things will calm down.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, this week you are invited to enjoy yourself. Feel free to live life as much as you can for as long as you can. Plan a retreat with a special someone.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Try to be as efficient as possible to save time and money in the days ahead, Virgo. See where you can streamline things and find ways to conserve your resources.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, this may be a busy week for you, so take a few moments each morning to center yourself and focus your energy before you dive in to your list of tasks.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Money has been on your mind for some time, Scorpio.

Figure out ways that you can increase your income — if only temporarily. Once you catch up on bills, you can relax.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, you will likely be deep in your feelings this week, exploring many different emotions. It can be tiring, so find some activities to give your brain a break.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Life may seem surreal this week as your subconscious seems to be guiding many of your decisions, Capricorn. Go with the flow for the time being.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 It is a good idea to connect with your friends while you can, Aquarius. You may not have an opportunity for some time, so reach out and make a plan to get together.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Pisces, certain personal goals may need your attention at this time. Rearrange your priorities for the next few days.

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The Voice

Page 19

A February 23 2022

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

FAITH LIFT

by Pastor Rob Weatherby

Autopsy of a deceased church

H

ow’s that for an encouraging title. Maybe I should rename this column “Faith Drop.”

This is the title of one of Thom Rainer’s 30 books.

Ah, but the subtitle is more hopeful—“12 Ways to Keep Yours Alive.” Let’s take a closer look…

Signs of a dying church

Rainer is a former pastor, consultant and respected Christian leader. To write this book, he performed autopsies (analyses) on 14 churches that died. The purpose of the painful exercise was to identify the reasons so other churches could learn vital lessons and stay healthy. Each chapter ends with a “Prayerful Commitment” to God to listen, learn and change. Here is a quick summary of Rainer’s ten signs.  Most church members don’t sense any urgency to change anything because the decline is a “slow erosion” over many years.  Most members are living in the past (“the glory years”) when things were better and they just wish they could return (without changing, of course).  The church loses its connection with the community around it. Often communities change as people move in and out. Not all changes are good but a local church needs to stay connected to its community’s needs. Often people in the community feel disconnected or not welcome in a dying church because it has become self-centred and self-gratifying.  The budget focuses on the members’ needs and not the community. When you “follow the money,” you see the church’s priorities. Outreach (to benefit others in the community) is cut but church personnel (to minis-

ter to the needs of members) is maintained. Essentially, it’s a selfish attitude.  The “Great Commission” of Jesus to evangelize and disciple is slowly neglected or ignored. It becomes the “Great Omission” and really is disobedience.

Church members are unwilling to invest the time, effort and funds to do these things like they did before.

As a result, there is less dependence on Christ and more on the bank account.  The preference of the members becomes the focus. There is an unwillingness to change the music, the service time, the order

of service, etc., in order to reach out to others. Again, the attitude is essentially selfish, not self-sacrificial.  Pastors don’t stay very long. When a new pastor arrives and tries to make a few changes, he is met with resistance. Eventually, he gets frustrated or discouraged and leaves (or worse, is fired). Studies show that years six to ten are often the most fruitful for a pastor.

Sadly, short pastoral tenures miss this.  There is a decline in meaningful prayer. Regular prayer meetings continue but they lack enthusiasm, See FAITH LIFT Page 15

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The Voice

Drive-Thru Pancake Supper

Shrove Tuesday, March 1, 4:30-6:30 PM

At Pelham Community Church 461 Canboro Road, Fenwick

$5/serving (donations also accepted) Pancakes, Syrup, Sausages, Strawberries Drive-ups welcome, but please book ahead if you can by sending an email to booking@pelham.cc

Support your local service clubs

A February 23 2022

IN THE NEWS Deforestation of private lot attracts attention

A Pelham resident contacted the Voice last week, curious and concerned about tree removal occurring behind the Timber Creek neighbourhood, involving Carolinian forest and natural bush.

“My understanding is that this is protected forest and wetlands, so why it would be logged?” he asked.

Pelham’s Director of Public Works Jason Marr had the explanation.

“This work, between Montgomery and Merritt Road, is being done under a woodland management program,” he said. “It's the Region’s responsibility, and their wetland conservation bylaw officer has attended the site and is monitoring the tree removal. It’s not a Town of Pelham project. The lot is private property, in a woodland that's over one hectare, and is under the jurisdiction of the Region. It's all legitimate.”

Fonthill Plaza (905) 892-5443

Lowes, Lusted case updates

Mark Evans, lawyer for accused Richard Lowes, briefly appeared in Welland virtual court last Friday before Justice of the Peace Tom Froese.

For the twelfth time matters were deferred to a later date.

Lowes, 65, was charged with three counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference with a person under 16 in March of 2021. He owns and operates the Country Corner Market, in Fonthill, and has supported numerous charitable causes in Pelham and Niagara with food donations in the past. Lowes was recognized as the Fonthill and District Kinsmen Club’s Citizen of the Year in 2008.

A publication ban prohibits the disclosure of any information about the alleged victims that may lead to their identification.

Lowes will be returning on March 25 to the Welland Courthouse, courtroom two at 9 AM. Also last Friday, Jason Lusted, represented by Toronto attorney Cara Barbisan, appeared via Zoom in St. Catharines court. Lusted and co-accused Matthew MacInnes are alleged to have killed Pelham resident Earl Clapp in October 2020.

Lusted told the court that he had not received disclosure documents, which Barbisan said she would address.

Both Lusted and MacInnes will appear in St. Catharines court again on February 24 for confirmation hearings.

Authorities allege Lusted and MacInnes had been attempting to steal a trailer from Clapp’s property and caused his death.

The preliminary hearing is scheduled to begin on March 21, with the trial to continue throughout April.

Certain case and trial details are subject to a publication ban.

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK

4 Chewy Sweet Potato Bars

Many people crave a sweet treat from time to time, even if they don’t want to confront the side effects of a little indulgence. However, when healthier ingredients are in the mix, a dessert can fit in with healthy eating plans.

This recipe for “Sweet Potato Chewy Bars” features vitamin-rich sweet potatoes and pecans, which boast heart-healthy fats. You can experiment with the recipe and reduce the sugar content if you want to make this recipe even healthier. Enjoy, courtesy of the Mississippi Sweet Potato Council.

Chewy Sweet Potato Bars Makes 12 4 3⁄4 1 1 1 2 1 1

eggs cup cooking oil cup shredded coconut teaspoon vanilla 16-ounce box dark brown sugar (or 1-1/2 cups of honey) cups Bisquick* cup chopped pecans cup finely shredded sweet potatoes

Combine all ingredients and pour into an oblong pan (9”x13”). Bake 45 minutes at 350 F. Cool and cut into 12 squares. * Don't have Bisquick? Substitute pancake mix or Jiffy Baking Mix. Don't have either of those? Make your own Bisquick replacement: 2 3 1

cups flour tsp baking powder tsp salt

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