The Voice, July 13 2022

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Emails reveal Haun cautioned over closed meeting Councillor's evasiveness leaves Town of Pelham staff, rest of council, in no-win position

BY DAVE BURKET The Voice After an 11-month investigation, in his report released in June Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé concluded that Pelham Town Council violated the Municipal Act by improperly discussing matters in private that should have been open to the public.

This is the only such finding against a Pelham council in the Ombudsman Office’s nearly 50-year existence, leaving council as a whole with a metaphorical black eye. And it all could have been avoided had Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun accepted a pointed suggestion that she not rush council into the private session she insisted upon in April 2021.

The timeline

Emails recently obtained by the Voice through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request reveal the communications sequence between Haun and then-Town Clerk Nancy Bozzato mere days before council’s regularly scheduled meeting on April 19, 2021.

Seven days prior to the meeting, on April 12, Haun emails Bozzato, writing: “Please let me know if you have a few minutes to chat today about this motion to not upload airport to region.”

Bozzato responds ap-

proximately 20 minutes later, writing, “I am in the office today….I have an appointment with a resident at 11, but other than that my schedule is open.”

The Voice understands that this was the first of a handful of conversations between Town staff and Haun pertaining both to the content of her motion concerning the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport, which is located on Pelham’s southern boundary, as well as to the questionable legality of council debating the motion in closed session.

On the surface, Haun’s motion was identical to motions that were to be presented to the municipal councils of Welland, Wainfleet, and Port Colborne, in addition to Pelham. All four municipalities have joint responsibility for running the airfield, a former World War II training facility that is now home to small aircraft flown by private pilots. The motion called on each of the four municipalities to rescind their earlier request that Niagara Region take control of the airport— that it be “uploaded” to the Region—removing oversight and responsibility for it from the four local councils.

However, discussion

Pelham Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun. about such a proposal did not qualify for the very limited exemptions provided in the Municipal Act that permit a council to hide debate from public view—to go “in camera,” into closed session. (Generally speaking, only negotiations pertaining to a specific contract, or personnel matters regarding identifiable individuals may be shielded from the public.)

By 4 PM that day, after at least one telephone conversation with Haun, Bozzato puts into writing her reservations about council going into closed session.

VOICE FILE

In an email to Haun, Bozzato writes, “I have been unable to connect with the City Clerk for Welland so that any closed session meetings are aligned in terms of the specific exemptions permitted in the Municipal Act, Section 239(2). While I can appreciate that some of the discussion surrounding the potential uploading of the airport administration is, as you describe ‘sensitive,’ as a municipal corporation the most important component is whether or not a closed session meeting falls within one of the permitted

exemptions of The Act.” Bozzato writes that ideally she should also be having the same conversation with Wainfleet and Port Colborne, “but you and I did not discuss that so I did not reach out to them.”

Bozzato explains that because there are four municipalities involved, it would be best practice to align the resolutions between all

four. Yet Haun’s short notice to the Clerk effectively precluded this.

“I do not now know that this will be possible given that our agenda must be published tomorrow,” Bozzato writes.

Bozzato also suggests that rather than Haun acting on her own, the better See WARNED Page 10

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The Voice

A July 13 2022

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Deep in the Omicron tsunami

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

by Dave Burket

Mall rat musings: For the first time since before the pandemic, my better half and I set out on a run to the Pen Centre mall last week. Even before Covid we weren’t very eager mall-goers. Once a month or so we’ll hit Bulk Barn at the Seaway Mall, but beyond the makings for meals we’ve reached an age (awhile back, really) that our need for new stuff is greatly diminished. Aside from groceries, the other, far more occasional exception is clothing. As the weather warmed up this year I realized that I was scraping the bottom of the wardrobe for short-sleeved, reasonably dressy shirts that weren’t frayed or faded. A clothes horse I am not. Aside from a brief moment in my early 20s, I have been content to dress as casually as possible without regard to fashion.

(My spouse tells me that the summer shirt I tend to favour most we bought in Singapore 19 year ago.) So in search of freshening we headed to Pen Centre, where years ago I’d had some luck with the Old Navy bargain bin. On arrival our first impression was that we’d stepped back into the 1990s— not Old Navy, but the mall generally. Look, a bookstore!

Look, a food court! Wait, an Orange Julius! Sadly, Old Navy provided zero appealing choices, and at eye-popping prices considering the fabric quality on offer. We wandered into a store that catered to under-40s and found what appeared to be a line of Saturday Night Fever-themed satin shirts. Finally we ended up at an old reliable department store, Hudson’s Bay. It had been a good five or six years since we set foot in The Bay, but time had stood still. Like returning to your elementary school everything was still basically the same.

Unlike supermarkets, department stores apparently resist the wholesale shifting of sections and merchandise from one area to another as a way to increase sales, so the men’s department was where it always was, and there was even a sale going on. After a half hour of pondering the merits of one plaid over another, we headed home with two new shirts and a light sweater for the autumn, mission essentially accomplished. We even remembered to maneuver into the correct left-turn lane to put us onto the 406. An American friend has since chided me for my “Ross Dress for Less” taste, a reference that possibly doesn’t translate into Canadian (and based on the Ross store locator map, possibly not much longer in the US). We really did feel as if we'd returned from a trip back in time once we got home. Online shopping has become our default for so many routine purchases (judging by how many other neighbours the drivers hit at the same time, we’re not alone). I’m conflicted about this. Yet I think what I remember most about malls back in the day was being young in malls back in the day. Not so much about the shopping as it was about a future that was still very far ahead...A stint for a stent: Best wishes for a quick recovery there, Mr. Fox...Just in case it comes up: Leonardo da Vinci invented scissors. See you next week. 4

Voice

Hirji continues to promote vaccination as the best defense against serious illness

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor Think the pandemic is over? Nothing but blue skies and rainbows ahead?

Not so fast.

“We are unfortunately seeing infections increase, along with hospitalizations, both across the province and here in Niagara,” said Dr. Mustafa Hirj, the Region’s Acting Medical Officer of Health.

“The new Omicron subvariant, BA.5, seems to be prevalent, the same virus that is driving new waves in western Europe right now.”

The federal governDr. Mustafa Hirji. ment’s Covid-19 ImSUPPLIED munity Task Force has estimated that some 55 percent of Canadians have been infected with the virus since the pandemic began, and that 17.5 million contracted Covid (primarily the Omicron strain) in the fivemonth period from December 15, 2021 to May 15, 2022.

In terms of vigilance and measures to combat the latest surge, Hirji has three recommendations for local residents.

“Number one, absolutely, is making sure you have three doses of vaccine. In Niagara, only 62 percent of adults that have had three doses. Number two would be wearing masks in indoor spaces, a behaviour that has really dropped off over the last several weeks. And then the final part to emphasize is all about protecting those around you.

When you're sick, stay home, isolate from others, and don't spread the infection.”

Summer means more group gatherings and outdoor events (hello, Summerfest) and

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Hirji acknowledges that it will be more difficult to socially distance. But young partiers should be aware.

“Unfortunately, it is young people who have been disproportionately affected by the latest surge of infections, in large part because they have not been vaccinated at the same rate as the older population.”

As of early July, about half the population of Niagara has had three doses of vaccine, while some 90 percent of those age 80+ have had three jabs. Anyone over age 60 is currently eligible for a fourth (second booster) dose as well.

As to how the currently available vaccines will stave off the latest mutation of Omicron, Hirji is candid.

“We really don't know,” he said. “It looks like the vaccines are perhaps going to be a little less effective, at least in terms of preventing infection. The vaccines are always playing catch-up to the current strain. When we develop a vaccine, we go through a period of clinical trials to provide data, which needs to be reviewed to get approved and licensed. A virus just mutates and doesn't need to go through any of that testing. But overall, the vaccines are doing very well at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths.”

Hirji referenced long-term care homes in Ontario, which had a high rate of infections and deaths early in the pandemic. Today, that trend has been reversed, given that the vaccination rate of vulnerable seniors in these facilities is very high, with most having had four or even five doses of vaccine (a fifth jab is available for those with compromised immune systems).

“For people with weakened immune systems, vaccination really is making a differ-

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The Voice

A July 13 2022

Summerfest entertainers ready to rock and roll Festival kicks off this Thursday evening

funk classics, with tight harmonies and a hard-driving bass line that is bound to get people up and dancing. Earlier main stage performers include Too Much of Jon at 12 noon, Kindred at 2 PM, Howling Horns at 4 PM, Figure Four at 6 PM, and Talk Machine at 8 PM. Busker stages will be busy on Saturday beginning at 12 noon and finishing at 7:45 PM, featuring musicians and entertainers Shaun Ferguson, Dealer’s Choice, Heather Glabb, Riley Michaels, Scoop McCoy, Ryan Thomas Smelle, Jeremy Lostracco, and Jacob Ohanian.

The Canada Summer Games Torch Relay in Pelham will depart from the main stage at 11 AM on Saturday, and finish at approximately 11:45 AM at the same spot.

Sunday’s 2 PM headliner is Juliet Dunn, a Niagara-based jazz vocalist who has been performing across Canada and abroad for almost a decade, with a cohort of talented musicians. Jazz classics from Cole Porter, Nat King Cole, Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong will fill the air. Steve Burnside will precede Dunn at 12 noon, with the Max Hillier Band playing at 10 AM. Saturday’s Kids Zone entertainment in the Peace Park Bandshell starts at 10 AM and includes the Fonthill Music Academy Youth Band, magician Peter Mennie, No More Newm, Strong Water Singers Drumming and Dancing, Justine Gogoua, Halaloo, Mad Science Fun Station and Hands-on Mini Shows, Shaun Ferguson, and Carousel Players Giant Puppet Show. On Sunday morning and afternoon, Halaloo, Shaun Ferguson, and Scoop McCoy will perform.

And don’t forget the car show and pancake breakfast on Sunday morning.

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor Let the party begin!

Thousands of Pelham residents and visitors are eagerly anticipating the 2022 Summerfest, a four-day celebration of the season featuring an array of music and entertainment, plus outdoor patios, food vendors, restaurants, and boutiques.

Pelham Communications Specialist Leah Letford updated the list of Summerfest performers for the Voice, noting that the main stage has moved to a new position in front of Town Hall, facing Pelham Street. In addition, the smaller busker stages along Pelham Street have been expanded.

The Thursday night headliner at the Peace Park Bandshell is “Simply The Best – A Tribute to Tina Turner.” Karen Durrant stars as the iconic singer, known as the “Queen of Rock and Roll.” The musical act features two backup singer/dancers, and all the flamboyant hair, makeup, and dress that Tina Turner presented on stage in her live concerts. It’s a 7 PM start.

The Country Junkies are the main stage headliners on Friday night at 9 PM, one of Niagara’s top country bands that includes spirited energy and comical antics. Earlier performers on the main stage include Copper and Iron at 5 PM, and the Marty Allen Band at 7 PM. Saturday’s 10 PM main act is The Chimps, a cover band extraordinaire featuring a five-piece group playing pop, rock, and

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The Voice

A July 13 2022

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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 Time to end the turbulence at the NCDRA

W

ith respect to vision and governance, the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport (NCDRA), a.k.a.

Pelham’s aerodrome along River Road, is a bit of a mess. The users of the airport are clearly unhappy (as previously reported in these pages, and as evidenced by a strongly worded letter to the editor this week). The commission which provides this messy governance continuously meets in closed session, with almost no dialogue or open debate for the taxpaying public to scrutinize. Just check the minutes (if you can find them). For a bunch of councillors across south Niagara who campaigned on being transparent four years ago, this is either hypocrisy, a disgrace, or both.

Are we being harsh? Consider the following: The NCDRA Commission—whose members are municipal councillors from Welland, Wainfleet, Port Colborne, and Pelham— has obtained a $600,000 loan from the City of Welland for the express purpose of building and renting new hangars. Whether that’s a good idea or not can be de-

bated. What cannot be debated is that this has not been widely made known to the public.

Is the airport proceeding with construction in light of recent inflation? Has inflation changed the number

"This is the first and only time that Pelham Town Council has improperly gone into closed session"

of hangers that can be built?

We have no idea, because we cannot get the Town’s airport representative—Lisa Haun—to answer questions, and the Commission’s minutes are opaque at best.

Bear in mind, as noted above, Pelham is one of four municipalities that are financially responsible for the airport, including being responsible for its debts.

That’s all of us on the hook for that $600,000.

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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

When representatives of the NCDRA Commission did manage to provide information to Pelham Town Council, they did so, at Councillor Haun’s insistence, in what turned out to be in violation of the law. The meeting was improperly held in closed session in April 2021.

The Ombudsman of Ontario recently ruled that it was a violation of the Municipal Act to have done so. In almost four years of governance, this is the first and only time that this Pelham council has improperly gone into closed session, and not coincidentally they were led into it by Haun and the secretive NCDRA Commission.

Why the Commission keeps relying upon municipal staff at the City of Welland, rather than Pelham’s staff, also deserves to be asked. Certainly the comments from the Welland councillors on the Commission, which may be heard in the meeting’s audio recording on the Town’s website, give cause for concern. Their assurances that Welland could provide water and sewer service to the airport should be alarming.

First, there is the outlandish See TURBULENCE next page

Letters There’s nothing wrong with sharing the wealth I found it difficult to understand why Andrew Watts [“Who pays for the largess,” Letters, July 6, p.5] would get bent out of shape with the idea that men and women should be paid a “living wage.”

He believes that those working for a living wage are “relying on taxpayer-funded handouts.” To me, a “handout” is something that hasn’t been earned. Telling a worker who has completed his 40-hour work week, “Here’s your handout,” would likely elicit a response that is unprintable in this newspaper.

As to his question, “Who is to pay for this largess?” I recall Robert Kennedy’s response to the same question half a century ago. He had given a speech to medical students at the University of Indiana, in which he proclaimed that “medical care should be available to all.” One of the privileged students asked, “Who is going to pay for this?” to which Kennedy immediately replied, “You are!”

David Fowler Wainfleet

7

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

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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

Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 905-658-2986 Members of Pelham Town Council Ward 1 Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840 Councillor Wayne Olson wolson@pelham.ca 905-933 6033

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Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805 Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475 Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-5877 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647

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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 July 13 2022

OPINION Frustrated by delays in Lowes sex assault case This Rick Lowes case is driving me insane. How dare he and his lawyers abuse the court system with 18 delays, heading for how many more?

He's obviously been charged with three counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual interference with someone under 16. If it had been a frivolous complaint he wouldn't have been charged. Just because he has money he's allowed to abuse the system, not unlike a lot of people in the news these days.

But for the lawyers to come up with excuse after excuse and the judge to allow those excuses is reprehensible. Would an ordinary

citizen with no money and a court-appointed lawyer be allowed to have 18 delays?

My thinking is that this poor under-16year-old who complained is going through hell every time another delay happens. Is there nothing that the general public can do? Do we all have to be lawyers so that we can use our schedules as an excuse?

When we were kids and did something wrong, our parents fi xed us right away one way or the other. Either way we got our judgment. It's time this case moves forward.

J. Vlym Fonthill

Airport Commission actions are unacceptable I wasn't going to write any more comments on the airport, until what I heard and saw going on in the last month.

To start with, our Pilot Advisory Committee so gloriously touted by our Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport Commission was nothing but a means to placate the stakeholders and pilots using the field. When formed under the very capable hands of Adrian Verburg— a stakeholder/hangar owner/ pilot—we all felt finally we will been listened to. Were we wrong.

The Airport Commission asked the new

TURBULENCE

continued from previous page proposal that some airport land could be developed for housing, in clear opposition to various environmental and planning rules, as identified by Pelham’s CAO in this same meeting. Second, there is the ongoing, inexorable desire by Welland to expand its borders—to the point that annexation may no longer be the stuff of mere conspiracy theories and April Fools humour.

This newspaper would like to see better—far, far

committee to submit a response on a number of subjects early last year. The Advisory Committee spent a great deal of time and their own funds to issue a letter to the Airport Commission on several topics. The letter was filed and never responded to until this year.

We, as a group of stakeholders, asked what was being done about the information submitted. Their response was that they are up for election this year, and therefore unable to even begin to look at our committee’s sug-

better— representation for the Town on the NCDRA Commission.

Expecting Haun to turn her duties over to another Pelham councillor immediately is a fantasy too far. The voters will need to force this exit in October.

Yet whether or not Haun remains in the picture, more discussions in the public eye would be helpful. Answers to questions would helpful.

Making the business case public for a $600,000 loan on the sketchiest of premises would be helpful.

Why not involve Pelham’s finance staff? The Town has an award-winning finan-

See UNACCEPTABLE Page 11

cial team. It has now won awards twice in two years for financial transparency, which seems to be exactly what the NCDRA Commission needs. It’s inexplicable—given that the airport sits entirely on Pelham land—that our staff have no role.

Our community—and each of the other three municipalities involved— deserves better. Let’s not take on debt, more-or-less in secret, let’s be clear about the airport’s future, and let’s not give Welland any further fuel for its territorial ambitions. 4

COTÉ'S COMMENTS Larry Coté

Will guns ever be under control?

W

ill the recent mass shootings here and abroad bring about any changes to the minds and actions of our political leadership? Some might say that’s a silly question as they believe their politicians are deathly afraid of bringing up the topic in their deliberations. It would appear that in the US, the National Rifle Association (NRA) has the government over a barrel as probably one of the most effective lobbies ever established.

To go against the wishes of the NRA is likely a death knell for any politician or lobby group.

But that scenario is in the US of A and should not preclude Canada from getting a better grip on gun control here.

The number of senseless mass shootings and crimes committed using guns is on the increase in both countries and yet politicians continue to ignore this tragedy for fear of losing their positions in the next election. They should be ashamed that the schools in their electoral districts need have a police presence on their premises and are locked down tight-

er than Fort Knox. Those shameful conditions will continue to worsen due to their lack of action on the gun control file.

Handguns, as most people know, are primarily designed to kill or maim people. Survey after survey clearly demonstrate that people want stronger gun controls but this evidence continues to be ignored by legislators. There are plenty of anomalies associated with gun control that need be addressed. It is remarkably inane that in some jurisdictions an 18-year-old can’t buy liquor but can purchase a gun.

A vendor at a recent gun show in the US was asked what was involved in getting a license to carry a gun. He said, “Basically they are taught not to shoot themselves in the foot.”

At another show, vendors were openly selling guns out of the trunk of their vehicles in the parking lot of the gun show facility.

It is a scary scenario when a pro hockey player’s vehicle is hijacked in a Toronto parking lot.

Even scarier is that two of the three highjackers were armed with handguns and the third accomplice with a knife. Even petty crim-

inals in our midst are armed with illegal handguns. Who would think that we in Canada would ever be facing such growing threats in our grand country?

My gun-related proclivities are somewhat inherited. My father and two brothers were in the armed forces during WWII. However, they were never issued weapons other than tools to repair the electronics of war machinery. There were no guns in our household but for one exception that I recall.

An older brother bought a hunting rifle as his friends invited him to their hunting camp. At the hunt, he raised his sights on a deer and looked directly into the eye of this beautiful animal. He was absolutely transfixed by the sight of this natural beauty and was unable to pull the trigger. He sold the gun shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, if you have the opportunity to meet with any elected officials, bring up the topic of improving gun controls in our country. Canada badly needs to avoid the perilous and disastrous situation faced by other jurisdictions. 4

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The Voice

A July 13 2022

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

self-respect and control before the person is no more, even though the body still partly functions. Consider what it would be like if you knew that you had months or perhaps even a year left to live, and that very soon the pain, in spite of medication, would be so overwhelming that you would need to be made almost comatose so as not to feel anything. Or that a neurological disease had taken hold, and you knew before long your muscles would waste away, and that while the mind was still active, the body would eventually drown in in its own fluids.

The idea that medical staff are anxious to end people's lives, or indifferent to their suffering and the pain of their families, is as insulting as it is ludicrous. The system will be heavily regulated, and led by doctors who, contrary to what the extremists say, have dedicated their lives to making people well and keeping them alive.

There is a great deal of ignorance about all this, and far too many achingly banal comments about

over, that he had little time left, and that it would be ghastly. He wanted to go. He turned his head to me and mouthed a few words that will always remain private. I was powerless, of course, and when I spoke to the doctor — a wonderful, caring woman — she simply held my arm and said nothing. The law didn't permit her to intervene, and as a result my dear father's suffering lasted longer than it should have.

His death was not a good one, and he deserved so much better.

So many deserve better. Pray God — and I use the name of the deity purposely — we will all come to our senses and work with and not against those who want to make our lives, and deaths, a little easier. Yes, be aware and vigilant; but also be compassionate rather than ideological. It matters far too much. 4

COMMON DECENCY Rev. Michael Coren

Compassion, not ideology, for assisted dying

A

recent survey revealed that the majority of people believe in a controlled, supervised, and extremely limited form of assisted dying for those who are suffering, and whose death is close and will be otherwise painful and likely isolated.

But Christian conservatives see this is as an attack upon their faith, and, rather like their opposition to abortion rights and equal marriage, are fighting to the last to oppose progressive legislation.

The language is important here.

It's not "suicide" or "compassionate homicide." It's a highly skilled and caring medical system helping a terminally ill person in full control of their wits to end their life just a little before it otherwise would terminate, surrounded by their loved ones, and before the agony and terror become too much to tolerate.

What is imperative to understand is that the alternative to assisted dying is not living. The alternative to assisted dying is unassisted dying. That means dying in pain,

anguish and often totally alone, because that death — a thief in the night — can come at any time. This isn't about encouraging death or, as has been suggested, a death cult or murder panels, but rather listening to someone who merely asks for control over their own body and their own fate. Nor is it necessarily about quality of life, which is a term far too often exploited for political ends.

Disability, for example, does not indicate lack of quality. Daily struggle does not mean a lack of quality.

And age certainly does not mean that quality is lacking. We need to invest far more money in caring for the elderly and into palliative care, and change cultural norms so that we respect rather than reject physical antiquity.

These, however, aren't the central issues in all this.

The daily reality of people dying is not movie romance or pious flippancy, but a devout wish to say goodbye to friends and family, and to leave with a certain degree of

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My dad served in Bomber Command in World War II. He had been a champion amateur boxer, raised two children, worked hard all of his life, and loved his wife, my mum.

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The Voice

Page 7

A July 13 2022

Letters continued

Bottles of mystery fluid appear across Niagara

Oosterhoff’s new job doesn’t please

Police caution residents over home security

Oh, brother. How bad can it get in Ontario? Well, since you've asked, I can tell you how bad it can get.

First, the good news. Sam Oosterhoff is no longer with the Ministry of Education.

Yay! Great news! He didn't know anything about public school education anyway...

But! And you know there's always a But! Sammy the ejit has been transferred to...wait for it...wait for it.. the Ministry of Red Tape Reduction.

It's a new ministry in Doug Ford's new and improved government.

Are you kidding me? And, what the hell is the Ministry of Red Tape Reduction? Huh? Is this for real-real? All you boys at Queen's Park ain't joshing us, are ya?

Apparently, it is for real. It is not a Kids in the Hall new comedy sketch—they are back, thank the Lord, they are back, but I digress. Our exalted Grand Poobah of the Ontario clowns who sit at the seat of our provincial government has created a new harebrained ministry that will rid our provincial government of all the red tape. (Look out— Hell will freeze over next.)

This idea came up when the clowns were, yee-haw, riding around and around the big circle at Queen's Park in their clown car honking the clown car horn.

Sadly this is not a joke or a new comedy routine to be performed at the opening of the new legislature on Au-

gust 8. The Ministry of Red Tape Reduction is an original idea right from inside Ontario's friendly Bozo the Clown, Premier Doug Ford’s head.

Newly appointed to this ministry, in a government press release Sam said he is aiming at “reducing unnecessary and onerous regulations which hold back productivity and economic opportunities.”

He said, “It will be crucial to listen to, the voices of stakeholders, job creators and workers alike.”

Oosterhoff said he was excited to start work in the Ministry of Red Tape Reduction alongside MPP Parm Gill.

“I am looking forward to working closely with the Minister of Red Tape Reduction to make it easier, faster and cheaper to work, live and play in Ontario. Although I have yet to get completely briefed up on all aspects of this new role, I am thankful that the Premier is giving me this opportunity to help rebuild our economy.”

Miss Pam’s opinion—and remember, friends, I’m just a lonely old housewife—they got the name of the ministry wrong, oh, so, so wrong.

The new ministry should be called, The Ministry of the Blind, Leading the Blind.

God help us, because the Devil is surely taking us to a galaxy far, far away.

Pamela Robb Fonthill

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor Some bottles — a smooth California Cabernet, or a crisp Niagara Riesling, for example – are appreciated by discerning palates in our local community. But plastic water bottles filled with a strange yellow fluid, discovered on your front porch, are an unwelcome harbinger of potential trouble.

Since mid-May, the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) has been investigating some 50 incidents in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Grimsby, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Thorold, Pelham, and Welland of plastic bottles, containing an unknown yellow fluid, being tossed onto residents’ properties.

Typically the incidents occur overnight. Many of the bottles are recovered in backyards. Police forensic examination has determined that the yellow fluid is “not volatile,” but authorities have suggested that residents minimize their contact with the bottles.

The worry is that nefarious individuals with intentions of robbery are using the bottles as a vetting technique to determine whether a homeowner is present at the house, or away on summer holidays.

Tracy and John Morey, of Rosewood Crescent in Pelham, discovered one of the bottles on their property a couple of weeks ago.

“There were at least a dozen homeowners on our street that discovered the bottles,” said Tracy. “This is bizarre. We thought it just happened to us, but then discovered on our neigh-

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DON RICKERS

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The Voice

A July 13 2022

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Beware the water chestnut NPCA partners with organizations seeking to rescue Niagara waterways from invasive plant species

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor “Terminate, with extreme prejudice.”

This iconic line from the epic 1979 psychological war film, Apocalypse Now, could well be the marching order of an allied group of environmental organizations, as they gather community support to battle a waterborne menace which is clogging Ontario waterways.

The European Water Chestnut, or EWC (genus name “Trapa natans”) is an invasive aquatic plant that was first detected in the Welland River in 2020. Ontario’s Invasive Species Centre (ISC), located in Sault Ste. Marie, has created a Rapid Response Program to remove EWC from the river, and has joined forces with the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) and the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) to control and eradicate the plant.

EWC is a prohibited species in the province under the Ontario Invasive Species Act of 2015. The plant has significant harmful impacts, including reduced biodiversity through the shading out of native aquatic species. Clusters of EWC emerge in late June, and create dense floating mats which impede recreational activities such as swimming, fishing, paddling, and boating. They decompose every year, depleting oxygen levels in waterways, and negatively af-

fecting fish species.

In addition, EWC drop sharp seeds with barbed spines that can accumulate on shore and cause injury when stepped on. Waterfront property values suffer in the presence of the plant.

The goal of the Rapid Response Program is to contain the EWC population within four years, and thereafter implement a monitoring and maintenance program.

EWC reproduce from the previous year’s seed, and so removing the plant before it produces seed will lead to its decline. Ducks Unlimited Canada and Ontario Parks have been fighting EWC in Eastern Ontario for several years, and have recorded a 95 percent reduction in the plant through manual removal (hand-pulling) from canoes and small motorboats. The NPCA plans a similar strategy, and will dispose of the EWC biomass on its properties adjacent the Welland River, Chippawa Creek, and the E.C. Brown Conservation Area.

The ISC and NPCA featured a paddling tour at the E.C. Brown Conservation Area on River Road in Fenwick last week, adjacent to the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport, in an effort to teach outdoor activists and riverfront landowners how to identify and report EWC infestations on the Welland River. The program will continue throughout the summer and fall.

The ISC’s program coordinator,

European water chestnuts can choke aquatic diversity if left to run wild.

Karen Alexander, said that the EWC is native to Asia, Europe and Africa, and will continue to grow in abundance until checked.

“The EWC is a real threat to the region’s economy, recreation, and ecology,” she said, “and is now spreading in the Great Lakes. They thrive in full sun, and take root in both shallow and deep water. Biologists detected EWC in the Welland River a few years ago, and we are moving forward with a public education and awareness program to let people, and local municipalities, know that this plant is in the river, and seek their assistance in its removal.”

Alexander recognizes that the

Rapid Response Program is a longterm control and monitoring commitment, and that partnerships with stakeholders are critical to its success. She said that an aquatic herbicide has been approved to treat EWCs, but “we're not planning to use herbicide just yet for this population. If we did go down that road, it would be done very carefully with licensed pesticide applicators and permission to do so from the authorities.”

Paddlers and motorboaters should be vigilant when passing through clusters of EMC, said Alexander, since they can loosen up and break free some of the plants, sending them to a new lo-

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cation which will contribute to the spread, exacerbating the problem.

“The speed of the Niagara River would certainly be a deterrent to EMC growth, but there could be some quieter spots along the edges that it settles into,” she said. “The real threat is if it gets into the Niagara River and continues into Lake Ontario, and reaches some of the wetlands in that lake. It could be a really concerning corridor and spread vector.”

Details of the Rapid Response Program are available online at https://www.invasivespeciescent re.ca/ta ke-act ion/european-water-chestnut-rapid-response-program

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First meeting for new Transit Board

BY VOICE STAFF On June 28, the Niagara Transit Commission held its inaugural board meeting, a first step toward the launch of one transit system for all of Niagara. The new Commission will assume control of all transit operations in Niagara on Jan. 1, 2023.

Board members selected the first Chair, Walter Sendzik, Regional Councillor and Mayor of St. Catharines, and Grimsby Regional Councillor Wayne Fertich as ViceChair. With the board now in place, they will guide the formation of the Commission, working alongside the Steering Committee of Niagara Region and local transit staff.

The following milestones will take place starting this summer and continuing through the end of 2022: The hiring of a General Manager; development of the new organizational design; develop-

ing a strategic work plan for such things as a harmonized fare structure and fare technology; creating an initial branding strategy and name for the new Commission; and the transfer of transit assets, staff, and infrastructure to the new Commission.

Niagara Region and local transit staff are continuing to operate existing local and Regional transit systems and are collaborating on the plan for the transition of services through 2022, according to a Niagara Region statement.

Transit users can expect that existing routes and services will operate at current service levels when the Commission assumes operational responsibility on Jan. 1, 2023.

The Niagara Transit Commission will be responsible for Niagara's specialized, conventional and on-demand transit services, and is governed by a transitional board of 15 elected representatives

from across Niagara, including Pelham Ward 1 Councillor Wayne Olson.

“We are all only one illness or accident away from a disability or separation from our loved ones,” Olson told the Voice. “I will always be looking for ways to enhance the service for the disabled and those without their own transportation.”

Olson asserted that the new transit system has the advantage of broad community support, including that of social equity groups, disabled groups, schools, post secondary, environmental groups and others.

“The consistently high experience ratings from our existing riders indicates to me that people are very satisfied. It also indicates to me that our drivers are doing a terrific job in delivering this important service. It will be easier to build upon this sound foundation.”

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 9

A July 13 2022

Bernie Law to make standup debut

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor Don’t like Bernie Law’s jokes?

Blame his grandmother.

“I've been telling jokes since I was a little boy,” said Law, of Kinsman Court in Fonthill. “My grandma was from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and she lived on Church Street here in Fonthill. She’d tell me and the other kids funny stories from the old country, after which she'd laugh and cackle. I memorized her stories and jokes, and started telling them to people, who all chuckled.

I’ve been telling jokes ever since.”

Law will be fulfilling a lifelong dream when he joins a team of stand-up comedians at the Meridian Community Centre on Saturday, July 30, for “Comedy Night in Pelham,” presented by the Garden City Comedy Festival.

Festival Director David Green told the Voice that this will be the triumphant return of comedy to the MCC after two years of shutdown due to the pandemic.

“Previously, we enjoyed five sold out shows at this venue,” said Green. “We are very lucky to have Jeff Leeson, one of the funniest guys on the planet, as our headliner for the evening. For over 22 years, Leeson has been astonishing audiences with his off-the-cuff, improvisational style. He has been described as a human fireworks display, and

Comedy Night host David Green, left, with stand-up comic neophyte Bernie Law. has been featured on Sirius/XM radio, Spotify, and two comedy specials on Amazon Prime.”

Alongside Leeson will be Law, local performer Keh Dee, and Nathan Teixeira, from Kitchener, who recently opened for former Saturday Night Live cast member Tim Meadows.

“This is bound to be a wonderful community event that brings people from the town together through laughter. I can’t wait to see Bernie wow the crowd!” said Green, who will serve as host for the evening.

Tickets are $25 individually, or $200 for a table of eight. They are available online at www.gardencitycomedyfestival.com, or by calling

289-668-3425. Doors open at 7 PM in the Accursi Room, with showtime at 8 PM. A fully-licenced bar and snack food will be available.

“I like to laugh and have fun,” said Law. “Laughter is a tonic. I played old-timers hockey in Welland for 25 years, and in the dressing room, I would always tell a couple of jokes, either before the game or after, which the guys always enjoyed. Some guys can tell a joke, some guys can't. I worked at Gillespie Pontiac for 40 years as the financial controller, and would tell jokes at the dealership, at our Christmas parties, and at business meetings. If there was a microphone, I was up there, flipping off a couple of stories.”

DON RICKERS

Law has literally hundreds of jokes in his repertoire, which he has committed to memory.

“I used to write the jokes down on little pieces of paper, and put them in my wallet. But it got so thick, I couldn't carry it anymore.

Now I have them on a stack of business cards, but mostly in my head,” he said.

Green saw Law in action one day with his string of jokes, and signed him up for the comedy festival.

“Bernie has a physical delivery to his humour, reminiscent of Red Skelton,” said Green.

Law jokes about his family, and his Irish heritage.

And yes, he still tells Newfie jokes.

“The Irish settled in Newfoundland, so I think they are fair game,” he said with a laugh. “I don't touch any political stuff. I’ve got lots of conservative friends I don’t want to insult.”

And there won’t be any Rodney Dangerfield style jokes about his wife.

“She’s the queen,” said Bernie in a reverent tone.

Law was reminded that Pelham is largely an agricultural community, and that locals could be bringing over-ripened fruit to the event to hurl at comedians who might cross the line.

“There won’t be any X-rated stuff, at least not from me,” assured Law.

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The Voice

A July 13 2022

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OBITUARY

PAY, Douglas Ross Passed away peacefully with his wife by his side on Sunday, July 3, 2022 at the age of 92.

Adored husband of 48 years to Janice. Dearest father of Gail (Ken) Davidson and Daniel (Lynne) Pay. Beloved grandfather to Diana Pace and Dana and Curtis Pay. Greatgrandfather to Leo Pace.

The Pay family will receive visitors at PLEASANTVIEW FUNERAL HOME 2000 Merrittville Highway Thorold on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 from 10:30 a.m. until the Funeral Service at 11:30 a.m. in the chapel. Private interment to take place at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Niagara or the Rose Craig Foundation. Please share your condolences, photos and memories at www. pleasantviewcemetery.ca

A pilot fuels his plane last Sunday at the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport, located on River Road in Pelham.

WARNED

continued from Page 1 route would be that the Airport Commission—the body on which Haun serves as Pelham’s representative, along with councillors from the other three municipalities—make an official request to present to council.

“Ideally, this request should come to Pelham Council in the form of a resolution adopted by the Airport Commission so that it is seen as a unified approach, particularly in light of the fact that the previous motion by Pelham Council was properly adopted and the Region has already taken some action to act on that resolution.”

Bozzato concludes with a suggestion that’s about as pointed as Town staff might be with a council member, namely not to rush into a questionably improper meeting.

“Respectfully, Councillor Haun, might you consider taking a bit more time with this important matter and aligning any presentation to Pelham Council with the other three partner municipalities as part of a duly enacted resolution of the commission?”

The Voice understands

that after additional telephone communication the next morning, during which Haun remained adamant that her motion be discussed in closed session and unwilling to say precisely why, Bozzato had no option but to add Haun’s request to the coming meeting’s agenda. A little after 11 AM on April 13, she emails Haun to ask who will second her motion. At noon Haun replies, “Councillor [Marianne] Stewart will second my motion.”

Staff limitations

In short, municipal staff, whether in Pelham or elsewhere, are obligated to do what their bosses—their town or city councillors— tell them to do. Whether these requests are sufficiently in the public interest, or necessarily follow legal procedure, is of secondary concern.

The Voice reached out to Pelham CAO David Cribbs and current Town Clerk Holly Willford (Bozzato, in fact, retired from the Town later the same month, in April 2021) to understand why council was permitted to continue discussing Haun’s motion during their meeting, when it must have become starkly apparent early on that doing so was

in violation of the Municipal Act. The short answer is that council can do what council wants to do—staff is on hand to advise, not control.

“Council always has control over the agendas,” responded Willford, “which is why members of council are formally provided with an opportunity to amend the agenda at the start of every meeting.”

Council has the capacity to remove an item, said Willford, add an item (with some legal limitations related to public notice) or amend the agenda order.

“With respect to this specific instance, because there was no written report [provided beforehand], staff were not in a position to assess whether or not the item would properly be in closed session,” said Willford.

Given that both staff and council were informed by Haun that the item complied with the “plans and instructions for negotiations” exemption in the Municipal Act, Willford said there was no reason not to proceed into closed session.

“Unfortunately, as per the Ombudsman, the dialogue never reached a point where it qualified for any of the various closed meeting

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exemptions.”

Only a council member could have expressed concern that the discussion was not falling under one of these exemptions, said CAO David Cribbs, or to have requested advice regarding such a concern. This did not occur as Haun, and two other members of the Airport Commission, continued speaking.

“Council and staff try to function as a team,” said Cribbs, “so in most regards we either fail or succeed together. This is entirely appropriate given the shared goal of providing valued services to the community.”

Cribbs said that in a closed session if a councillor believes the discussion should not be held in the absence of the public, he or she may make a motion to terminate the closed session.

“This motion can brought at any time during the in-camera proceedings.

As a general principle, staff do not interrupt council meetings and are present to answer questions of council, when asked. In this instance, those present had reason to believe that the discussion was going to comply with the statutory requirements, un-

BOB LOBLAW

fortunately that threshold was never actually reached during the discussion.”

What was actually discussed

In fact, the thrust of Haun’s presentation—the “sensitive” content alluded to in her telephone contact with Clerk Nancy Bozzato—revolved around what by any reasonable assessment appears to be a halfbaked scheme to develop certain airport lands into private housing, once again involving the Town of Pelham in real estate development, echoing the Town’s foray into such adventures in East Fonthill during the last years of Mayor David Augustyn’s time in office.

The impracticalities of the notion are too many to cover here, but most come back to the basic principle that while the airport property may lie within the municipality of Pelham, the land is not owned by Pelham nor does the Airport Commission currently have the legal authority to engage in such development— irrespective of whether such residences may be occupied by private pilots in the form of an “air park.”

Furthermore, there are established land use rules, including defined urban

° boundaries, which do not extend to the airport lands.

Such development could be interpreted as a means by developers to make an endrun around these types of rules.

After the Ombudsman’s ruling was made public last month, Town Council voted to release the audio recording of the closed meeting— with Haun and Marianne Stewart the only councillors voting against doing so— as well as the minutes of the meeting.

In the recording, Councillor Wayne Olson can be heard pushing back against the notion that such a development project was permissible under the Welland-Port Colborne Airport Act of 1976, which created the airport. The Act specifies that if the lands are used for other purposes than an airport, then they are to be turned over to the Crown in return for the sum of $1 dollar. Any remediation or return of the lands to their original condition—i.e., a 416-acre empty field, sans runways, hangars, and fuel tanks— would be at the expense of the four municipalities.

Councillor John Wink expresses some frustration at See WARNED back page

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UNACCEPTABLE continued from Page 5

gestions.

We then read in the newspaper that the Commission had secretly submitted a request to the City of Welland for a $600,000 loan over ten years to build a group of hangars. The Commission reported 18 requests for hangar space. The funds were granted to the Commission for a reasonable rate over ten years. Strangely, the Commission had no plans drawn up or even quotes on hand to begin the project.

They hadn't even figured out exactly where to place the hangars.

They did however spend some funds repairing a stone driveway around the backs of hangar row. It still needs proper grading since the T-intersection floods over in any rain. You cannot taxi on the surface for obvious reasons—it is just a stone road. So any funds for a proper taxiway would have to come from the $600,000 received to build the hangars.

The Commission estimated that a reasonable rate to charge for the hangar space would be in the range of $700 to $800 per month. When this was released to the potential renters they disappeared very quickly. The hangar rent at Billy Bishop on Toronto Island is any-

BALANCED LIFE

continued from Page 14 River. Our club frequently paddles various sections of the Welland River and many other smaller creeks and waterways throughout Niagara and beyond. We agreed to assist by becoming “eyes on the water.” By learning about the appearance and habitat of EWC, club members could relay information on new sightings, and hopefully in the future confirm the continued absence of any new growth where the ISC staff had previously removed infestations.

As Casson, Policy and Program Development Manager for ISC, began his information presentation, he explained the good fortune of having the plant discovered and reported to the EDDMaps reporting system in 2020 by two recreational paddlers.

Casson speculated that the plant may have been in the river for a number of years, but that by ISC standards, these were still early days in its onslaught. He believes there is a realistic possibility to eradicate it.

“If ever there was a plant that we could eradicate and have a positive outcome on, I really do think this is it.”

Casson and his crew had samples of the plant in buckets for examination before the group hit the water. He pointed out its unique fan-

where from $800 to $1,200 per month. Yep, a hefty amount for a single-engine aircraft, but frankly most of them are used by corporations. There are very few single-engine private pilots flying out of Billy Bishop. Naturally being able to fly out of downtown Toronto has numerous advantages to pay such a price. What is the advantage to private pilots flying out of Niagara Central Airport—especially at $700 plus per month? Most rents of hangar space run in the $300 to $400 in the larger metro areas such as Milton, Burlington, et al.

The pilots who wanted to rent hangar space at Niagara Central have since vanished to other airports around the area. Many are driving up to 100 KM to get to their aircraft, and it is still worth their while to do so from a cost standpoint.

Oh, did I mention the years-long effort to build public hangars has now changed into looking at building an industrial site on an unknown location on the field?

Like the hangars, it may be to the southwest side of the property or to the south side of the property behind hangar row. It will require a new road being built to accommodate the sites and the committee has $600,000 to burn before they run for reelection. There is one problem, however. They are total-

shaped, glossy green leaf with razor-like serrated edges, which makes it easy to distinguish from native yellow and white lilly pads which also float on the river. He showed the small buoyancy sack that allows EWC to float, and circulated a seed with its hard shell and extremely spiky barbs which are capable of piercing light-soled sandals and water shoes if stepped upon.

These barbs are of little concern in the murky mud of the Welland River, but in the St Lawrence River near Kingston, where EWC is proliferating on public beaches, it is a genuine safety and economic concern because it is driving people away from the waterfront.

We launched our various boats and paddled west for a half kilometre to a large patch of EWC located along the south shore of the river. Casson explained how to identify the plant, and repeated the options available for reporting sightings to the ISC. Prior to launching, Casson had explained that government regulations are in place to manage prevention and response planning for EWC. European water chestnut is a regulated plant under the 2015 Invasive Species Act in Ontario, meaning that its use (in decorative water gardens for example), removal, transportation, and disposal

ly out to lunch as to how to provide services to the new site, since the septic system seems to be in their way. It has had so many checks on its function that it could apply for medical aid. Apparently it is fine, since it took care of over 350 soldiers and civilians daily on the property during World War II. After numerous tests by numerous airport Commissions over the years, it seems that they are afraid to accept that it is serviceable to use.

So here we go again. The amount of funds wasted on studies at this airport is sinful.

Not one suggestion has been properly taken to completion.

Several hangar owners who were retiring from flying and wanting to sell their hangar leases had a major shock when they had buyers all ready to purchase. One of the Commission members stated to a group that the Commission would take control of the owners’ hangars at the end of their leases. The airport essentially would take the hangar, without compensation, from the leaseholder (who probably spent at least $250,000 or more building the hangar).

The choice to the leaseholder was either remove the building and restore the property to level field, or give control and ownership of the hangar to the Commission and rent it back at a rate the Commis-

are all controlled by specific regulations.

EWC is an annual plant that reproduces by self-seeding. Late in its reproductive cycle, sometime after seed production begins in July, removing and transporting the plant without proper caution and equipment may actually increase its spread if seeds become detached. Likewise, disposal of the plant too close to a water body, or in a water run-off area, may cause seeds to be flushed back into an environment where it can re-establish.

Only authorized persons, including territorially based Aboriginal communities, not-for-profit corporations, municipalities, conservation employees, and waterfront property owners (with restrictions) can remove the plants.

For this reason, part of the on-water portion of the event was dedicated to showing those interested how to properly remove the plant. Reaching deep into the water and grasping the plant’s stalk by wrapping your hand and arm

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Page 11

A July 13 2022 sion sets. This was found in several leases still held today. We all pay rent on the land for the space to the Commission and land taxes to the Town of Pelham. It had to do with a very old system in place after the end of the war, but nonetheless, a stupid comment by a Commission member caused all of us stakeholders and several potential new hangar owners to run to our lawyers for advice. Not one hangar has been sold to a new owner since the comment. Nor does there appear to be any being built in the near future.

If I was a potential industrial owner, building a business on the airport property, I would run from any deal they offered me. When questioned by the stakeholders at a meeting, the Commission member responsible for the comment at first denied, then back-tracked, saying he was misunderstood. The Airport Commission refused to deal with the issue directly. Their excuse was that they are now lame ducks and do not want to make decisions that may have an affect on future Commissions. In other words, pass the buck.

Strange they can look ahead to spend the $600,000 from Welland on a light industrial park without even a drawn plan. (I'm not against the industrial park. Many US airports have light industrial as a means to increase profitability.)

around it, pulling gently with side-to-side motion to free the roots from the muck, inserting your paddle or a rake near the plant roots to loosen them, and other tips were shared to make sure that the complete plant and root body would be successfully harvested during removal.

EWC plants removed during the demonstration were then placed in watertight tubs for transportation to remote dumping sites made available by the NPCA in their E. C. Brown and Chippawa Creek parks.

The ISC team will continue this necessary but physically difficult task throughout the summer. A component of their work uses Geographic Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) Mapping technology to record infestations they find, and locate plants reported by concerned citizens for removal or monitoring.

It was encouraging to note that during informal introductions Mayor Bylsma mentioned that he and Welland Mayor Frank Campion have

applied for a joint delegation meeting with their provincial counterparts on the topic of EWC at the upcoming Association of Municipalities in Ontario (AMO) Conference in August to help further the fight against this invasive species.

I encourage you to attend the Saturday, July 16 Paddle with a Purpose Tour, happening from 10 AM to 1 PM at E. C. Brown Conservation Area. Consider taking your kids and grandkids. The event will be an interesting and worthwhile opportunity for them to understand how they can have a positive impact on their environment, and one that offers measurable results they can follow up on over the next few years.

There is enough hands-on information in the landbased portion of the event

to make a visit worthwhile even without a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard, although getting on the water makes it even more fun. In either case, they will be able to identify EWC infestations, either from the water or shore, and report them.

The folks at ISC suggest that you contact them before personally removing any plants you might find just to ensure that you understand proper removal, transportation and disposal protocols.

Here are links to more information about the European Water Chestnut, the Invasive Species Centre, and the Invasive Species Act. Invasive Species Centre website: https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/ Invasive Species Regulations information: https:// bit.ly/3IHGdR7 4

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There is no real plan yet drawn up or approval of utilities required for such a project. It is obviously going to be a giant mess.

Our Canadian Owners and Pilots group hosted a flight of 43 aircraft and better than 100 folks into our airport. They stayed at the Best Western Motel in Welland overnight then flew on to another destination.

They spent money in the area. It was shameful that our Commission chose to raise the price of our fuel just a few days before the event to take advantage of the visiting pilots.

There was no reason to increase the cost. They did not require any fuel delivery until after the event. The price was a direct gouge in our visitors pockets. Many of the pilots flew on to their next destination and purchased fuel at a lower rate at the next airport. What could have been a complete success was tarnished by the cheap trick used by the Airport Commission to make money. It blew up in their faces.

I could say more, but frankly it is embarrassing to to think that we taxpayers across this area elect such arrogant and frankly foolish people to our councils. While the Airport Commission does appear to support the airport, they are amateurs at running a business much less running an airport.

Jim Morrison Welland

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Page 12

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Canada Games torch run heads for Pelham

BY DON RICKERS Contributing News Editor Last Wednesday’s ceremony at Pelham Town Hall drew a collection of local community-minded supporters, athletes, and athlete-wannabees, as a flag raising for the impending Canada Summer Games in Niagara took place.

Mayor Marvin Junkin, who in a jocular fashion professed that only an age limit prohibited him from competing in the games as an athlete, was on hand to introduce his fellow torch runners.

The Town of Pelham will host the torch relay on Saturday, July 16, which coincides with Summerfest.

A list of the torch bearers participating, as well as the Pelham route they will travel, is available online at https://niagara2022games.ca/ catch-the-spirit/our-torch-journey/#Pelham.

“It’s an exciting time for the Niagara region,” Junkin told the assembly. “It is hard to believe that the highly anticipated Games, after two years of pandemic rescheduling, are going to begin in just 30 days. The Canada Summer Games represent the highest level of national competition for thousands of up-and coming-amateur Canadian athletes.”

The flags of each Canadian province and territory are being featured as part of the 13 for 13 Festival celebrations. Each of Niagara's 13 municipalities are collaborating with one of Canada's 13 provinces and territories to showcase their unique cultural heritage, entertainment, art, and culinary experiences. Pelham has been paired with Alberta, whose flag was hoisted on a flag pole beside the Games flag during the ceremony.

Pelham torch runners Robert Lucchetta, Natalie Anderson, Michael Jacques, Jim Chalcraft, Frank Adamson, Rhys Evans, and Mayor Marvin Junkin, along with Pelham Councillors Wayne Olson and Bob Hildebrandt.

DON RICKERS Junkin suggesting that the western athletes might be bringing Pelham a truckload of Alberta oil as a show of respect, and recognized the torchbearers who will represent Pelham on the torch run in the municipality.

One of the torch runners is Rhys Evans, who works for the Town at the MCC. “I got a phone call from the Mayor several months ago, telling me that he had nominated me to be a torch runner,” said Rhys. “When I got the offer, It was a no-brainer for me because, you know, how many people get the opportunity to do this? It is such a prestigious event that doesn't come to Niagara very often. So if you have the opportunity to participate in any capacity, it's an honour. It’s a real privilege to

represent my town.”

Another torch runner is veteran Rotarian Frank Adamson, who has been a driving force behind the reconstruction of the iconic Pelham Arches.

“The road race cycling event slated for August 18 will start and finish under the arches,” he pledged, noting that a $10,000 grant for the project specifies that they must be in place for the Games.

“Unfortunately, we’re going to miss Summerfest, but this arches project has a lot of moving parts,” he said. “Construction of the arches will commence the day after Summerfest concludes.”

Fonthill Rotarians currently have Canada Summer Games torch run T-shirts for sale, for those wanting to support the event, with all pro-

ceeds directed to the fund for the Pelham Arches.

The Games home base is the new Canada Games Park, south of Brock University’s main campus on Merrittville Highway. Event venues are scheduled across the region, including sailing and tennis in Niagara-on-the-Lake, golf in Niagara Falls, canoe, kayak, and triathlon competitions at the Welland International Flatwater Centre, and rowing at the Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course, in St. Catharines.

The opening ceremonies, which will include a parade of participating teams, are set for August 6 at 8 PM at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, and are expected to attract a crowd of 5,000. The closing ceremonies will be two weeks later at Victoria Park in Niagara Falls.

Page 14

The Voice

A July 13 2022

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

THE BALANCED LIFE

by John Swart

Paddling with a purpose: Destroy the invaders!

T

en minutes into Colin Casson’s short presentation, thoughts of latent environmental intrigue and a pending battle to defend the very existence of the Welland River flashed through my mind.

This was more exciting than War of the Worlds, Mars Attacks, or any James Bond thriller.

Casson was throwing around phrases like “eyes on the water,” “total eradication is a possibility,” “Hit Squad Program,” “invasive species in Niagara.”

He emphasized his concern by twice repeating, “The seeds on this bugger are terrible!” securing a PG13 rating for his briefing and

bringing the horror of The Day of the Triffids to life.

What could be more thrilling than joining the not-socovert action coordinated by the Invasive Species Centre (ISC) to rid the Welland River, and perhaps its complete watershed, of the European water chestnut (EWC), a recently discovered and potentially devastating aquatic invader?

Hyperbole aside, in a world where environmental action consistently takes a back seat to political gamesmanship and business lobbying, a world in which most of us feel powerless to be heard or find a way to have an impact, the opportunity for handson education about the EWC

and how we might, as individuals, assist in stopping its spread or eradicating it in Niagara is truly unique. It was obvious that for the kids in attendance, and the young people on the ISC team, this event was important.

The event was the first of two “Paddle with a Purpose Tours” organized by the ISC, with support from the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. This event, and a similar one scheduled for Saturday July 16, was held at E.C. Brown Conservation Area located on the Welland River, just west of Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport.

The Paddle with a Purpose Tour was conceived as a way to engage affected municipalities, community groups, shoreline property owners,

Linda Anderson, a director of the Peninsula Paddlers Kayak Club, shows off the identifiable characteristics of a European water chestnut plant and root system she has just removed from the Welland River.

JOHN SWART and concerned individuals in the battle against EWC. The Niagara Falls Nature Club, Mayor Dave Bylsma of West Lincoln, Community Outreach Co-ordinator Kerry Royer from the Niagara Pen-

insula Conservation Authority, a Wellandport landowner, the Peninsula Paddlers, and others were in attendance.

Late in 2021, Karen Alexander, Invasive Species Policy Coordinator for ISC,

reached out to the Peninsula Paddlers Kayaking Club with early details of ISC’s Rapid Response Program to remove EWC from the Welland See BALANCED LIFE Page 11

V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 Try not to question the mysteries of the universe right now, Aries. Unconventional vibes are coming your way, which may lead you on some bizarre, yet enjoyable journeys.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Don’t believe everything you read on social media, Taurus.

Some strange information is coming in and you have to weed through misinformation to make some smart choices.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 There may be surprises around the workplace this week, Gemini. A supervisor could act out of sorts and the momentum may be a bit erratic. Ride out this unsettling wave.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 You have a sensitive and compassionate demeanor, Cancer.

Unfortunately, this can make you vulnerable. Keep a few tough friends in your corner.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, advocate and negotiate for yourself as much as you can in the days to come. You can’t expect anyone to promote yourself better than you can.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Give yourself a break, Virgo.

You have been putt ing your nose to the grindstone for so long, you deserve an opportunity to enjoy the lighter side of life for a bit.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 Your responsibilities are at an all-time high right now, Libra. That means you are in much demand. Pick and choose your projects because your schedule is packed.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, celebrate yourself this week. You deserve some recognition and celebration just for being you, and what better person to initiate it than yourself?

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 You may have a sudden urge to get organized at home or at the office, Sagittarius. Spend ample time sorting and cleaning out the clutter. You’ll be more productive for your efforts.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Light banter is the name of the game for conversation this week, Capricorn. Avoid any topics that can be deemed controversial or lead to confrontation.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Appreciate the world around you, Aquarius. It’s easy to get fixated on what is going wrong.

Instead, be grateful for all of the things that are going right.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Good vibes are heading your way, Pisces. Cosmic energy continues through your sign, articulating visions of future ambitions.

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 15

A July 13 2022

ANSWERS ON PAGE 14

FAITH LIFT

by Pastor Rob Weatherby

Denzel Washington's DNA

D

enzel Washington is a Black American actor, director, producer and well-known to movie lovers around the world. His acting career has spanned four decades. The New York Times described him as “the greatest actor of the 21st century” (although that accolade may be a bit premature). So, who is this extraordinary man and what makes him tick?

His formation

Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. was born in 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York.

His father was a Pentecostal pastor who worked several jobs. Some of his teenage buddies joined street gangs and ended up in penitentiary. He credits his mother for helping him through those early years.

“My mother never gave up on me. I messed up in school so much they were sending me home, but my mother sent me right back.”

Eventually, she sent her son to a military training school where he learned discipline and greater self-control.

Washington earned a B.A. (majoring in Drama and Journalism) at Fordham University and then studied at the American Conservatory Theatre. He married Pauletta Pearson in 1983. Three of their four grown children have followed their father’s lead and pursued acting careers.

(2000), a poet in “The Great Debaters” (2007), and a pilot in “Flight” (2012).

Washington has received numerous awards over the years including a Tony Award, two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and two Silver Bears. In 2016 he was given the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been nominated for an Academy Award in five different decades (a feat only four other actors have achieved). He has also received three honorary doctorate degrees and last week was honored with the Presidential Medal of Free-

dom.

His faith

Washington and his wife are committed Christians.

He reads his Bible daily and has even considered becoming a pastor as a second career. As a couple, they have given generously to Christian causes, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and charities for children, education, health, and veterans.

Washington is a popular speaker who openly speaks about his faith and values.

Here are a few examples: “Man gives you the award but God gives you the reSee FAITH LIFT Page 12

His films

Washington began his career in theatre before moving on to film. Since 1979, he has acted in nine plays, ten television productions and 51 movies. Although too numerous to list, some prominent ones are, “Cry Freedom,” “Glory,” “Malcolm X,” and “The Pelican Brief.” More recent movies include roles as a coach in “Remember the Titans”

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Page 16

WARNED

continued from Page 10 the hastiness of Haun’s motion.

“Obviously there was nothing written here,” says Wink. “You don’t want anything written, so it kind of came out of the blue on me and some of the other councillors, I’m sure.”

Wink says he wants sufficient time to review the facts.

“I understand that it was last council—that this council didn’t have any input [on a previous vote to upload the airport to Niagara Region]. All that I’m saying is that I want to see the staff report from that 2018 decision to upload it, so that I get a better understanding on both sides of the issue, not just one side.”

Similarly, Councillor Olson laments a lack of clarity from the Airport Commission related to its financial statements.

“I got an income statement, but I didn’t get a balance sheet...and I’ve asked for that, boy, I guess I asked for that in December [2020] or January [2021] for what the budget would look like….I believe some of your own users are looking for a business plan, so I would be looking for at the very least a preliminary-type business plan, starting with justification and understanding of what the costs are [to retain the airfield]. Notwithstanding the fact that I don’t think you can do this, I’d like to know where we’re going.”

Councillor Marianne Stewart then erroneously suggests that Pelham gets more revenue from the airport than the Town pays to maintain it.

“It’s a pretty simplistic kind of comment,” says Stewart. “The airport is in the Town of Pelham. We contribute $28,000 dollars a year to its care and maintenance, and we receive approximately $55,000 dollars a year from the airport in property taxes. So actually it costs us nothing. It nets us about $27,000 dollars. So I don’t understand what the big discussion is. Why would we be willing to give it away and not get the tax money, and then end up having to pay a lot of money to the Region if they take it.

Maybe it’s a pretty simplistic idea, but that’s what it looks like to me.”

In fact, Stewart’s figures were not correct. At the Mayor’s request, Town Treasurer Teresa Quinlin-Murphy provides the accurate numbers. Quinlin says that according to the Airport Commission’s own documents, the

The Voice airport pays just $21,150 in property taxes.

“But don’t forget that only 40 percent of that would come to the Town,” says Quinlin-Murphy. “There’s a portion that goes to the Region, and a portion goes to the school boards.”

Olson later asks if Director of Planning Barb Wiens is present in the virtual meeting, to which CAO Cribbs responds that he was asked to exclude staff other than the Treasurer and complied with this request.

"Obviously there was nothing written here.

You don't want anything written, so it kind of came out of the blue on me and some of the other councillors, I'm sure" Olson then asks Cribbs to clarify whether such a housing development on airport lands would require the same planning and approval process as for other developments in the municipality.

Cribbs pauses, says that he’s not intending to advocate for any particular outcome, then goes on to outline several hurdles, not the least of which is that the airport lands are zoned not residential but rather industrial, institutional, agricultural, and environmentally significant.

“I’m not a planner by training but I am a lawyer...I don’t think at law any of these lands can be developed into residential lots. I think there are Provincial policy rules against that, I think there are Regional policy rules against that, and I think the Town’s zoning bylaw prohibits that.”

Cribbs adds that under the Planning Act he doesn’t think that an airport authority can subdivide “any portion of itself.”

“At any rate…maybe there’s room for something creative. But as our current zoning bylaw stands, and planning law stands, I don’t think any lots can be created here.”

A moment later the meeting ends.

Aftermath

Acting upon a citizen complaint fi led soon after the meeting occurred,

A July 13 2022

the Ombudsman of Ontario’s office began its investigation effectively into whether Haun’s assertion that the topic and discussion met any of the closed meeting exemptions. The Voice reported in our June 29, 2022 edition on the Ombudsman’s finding that no exemption was met, and that council in fact violated the Municipal Act by going into closed session.

Neither Councillors Lisa Haun nor Marianne Stewart responded to multiple requests for comment for this story.

Former Town Clerk Nancy Bozzato did not respond to a request for comment.

Additionally, the Voice noted that in her communications with Nancy Bozzato, Lisa Haun used a private email address, not her assigned Town email account. Haun did not respond to a Voice request to explain why she used a personal email address, or whether she believed that doing so would somehow exempt her email from being discoverable through an FOI request (it doesn’t).

Asked whether personal email usage by councillors is accepted practice, Town Clerk Holly Willford said that all Town Councillors are provided with a Town email account, but that there is no policy stating members of council must use their corporate email accounts to contact Town staff.

“Accordingly, there are times members of council do communicate with staff via personal accounts,” said Willford. “Please note that this policy is currently the subject of an administrative/legal review.”

One of the Ombudsman’s four recommendations in his report pertained to staff practices, specifically that more descriptive reasons be used on future meeting agendas to identify to the public the nature of closed session discussions.

In the fall of 2021, said Willford, the Clerk’s Department conducted a review of its own practices and at that time voluntarily adopted a new operational approach which resulted in more information being provided to the public regarding closed sessions.

“Accordingly, the Town both accepts and agrees with the Ombudsman’s recommendation,” said the Clerk, “although Pelham had already been compliant with the approach for more than six months at the time that the Town received [his] official report.”

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Voice

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

4

Zesty Watermelon Chicken Salad Tortilla Cups

Few things are as delicious and refreshing as watermelon on a warm day. Watermelon grows quite readily in summer and is often ready to pick after three months of growing time. Harvesters look for a pale buttery yellow spot on the bottom of watermelon (the ground spot), indicating ripeness. However, shoppers can do their part and pick perfect watermelon at the store. The fruit should be firm, symmetrical and free from bruises, cuts or dents.

The melon also should be heavy, as it is comprised of 92 percent water.

Most people immediately think of watermelon as a sweet snack or as a palate cleanser after an evening meal, but watermelon is equally at home in savory dishes as it is in sweet offerings. You may enjoy this recipe for “Zesty Watermelon Chicken Salad Tortilla Cups” courtesy of The National Watermelon Promotion Board and recipe author Shannon Kohn. This is a great warm weather meal that looks impressive and is both cool and filling for summer entertaining.

Zesty Watermelon Chicken Salad Tortilla Cups Makes 12 servings 4 1⁄4 2 1 2 1 1-1⁄2 1⁄4 1⁄4

8-inch flour tortillas cup softened cream cheese tablespoons mayonnaise tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce tablespoons chopped green chiles cup cooked, chopped chicken cups chopped watermelon cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) cup sliced green onions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. 2. Using a 4-inch cookie cutter or cup, cut rounds out of each tortilla. Press one tortilla round down into each cup of a 12-cup muffin pan.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until tortilla cups are light brown and crispy. Remove from oven; allow to cool.

4. In the bottom of a large bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise and pepper sauce until smooth.

5. Stir in chicken and green chiles. Fold in watermelon.

6. Divide and fill each tortilla cup with an extra amount of the watermelon-chicken mixture.

7. Divide and garnish with an equal amount of pumpkin seeds and green onion, respectively.

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