The Voice, July 31 2019

Coping with disability cuts page 3 Restored runway a soft touch page 9 Kids and summer page 14 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

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CannTrust fires CEO, Board Chair quits

Column Six

Sleepless in Niagara Navigating early motherhood with a colicky baby

BY HEATHER BOYD

Special to the VOICE

I

pany placed on YouTube in February, in which the CEO was seen standing in front of an unlicensed growing room at the Balfour Street site. Lalonde, and four other former employees who were not identified, told the Financial Post that the room was “Range 8,” the area that sparked the Health Canada compliance violations in June.

Furthermore, internal emails

N THE EARLY MONTHS of parenting I counted my infant’s sleep in minutes.

Not hours.

Minutes.

I wrote down these numbers on scraps of paper in the dark while soothing and breastfeeding my son. I scanned this list of digits, also in the dark, hoping to see some trend, however miniscule, towards longer sleep periods. Hoping to see some indication that he was sleeping longer and, by extension, that I could sleep longer too. If he slept even two minutes longer, maybe something had improved. However, instead of seeing an improvement, I saw a deflating list of double digits that represented wakings that also were numbered in the double digits every night.

These early days of parenting had moments of pure bliss, and smittenness. My baby was healthy, and I loved holding him and soaking him in. The

See FIRED Page 10

See COLUMN SIX back page

CannTrust's now ex-CEO, Peter Aceto, shown in a CannTrust video posted to the company's YouTube channel on February 27. The video was allegedly recorded next to one of the operation's illegal grow rooms at its Fenwick production site, in January. The video was removed from YouTube last week. YOU TUBE SCREENCAP

Leaked emails allegedly show both men aware of unlicensed pot months ago

BY JOHN CHICK

Special to the VOICE

CannTrust’s upper management structure has gone up in smoke.

The beleaguered cannabis producer fired CEO Peter Aceto last Thursday, and on the same day forced

co-founder and chair Eric Paul to resign.

The moves were made by a “special committee” of the company’s board of directors, formed in the

aftermath of the Health Canada compliance meltdown triggered by whistleblower Nick Lalonde, a former employee at CannTrust’s Fenwick facility.

“Implementing the necessary changes is essential to the interests of our medical patients, customers, shareholders and employees,” committee chair Robert Marcovitch said in a media release.

One of the final straws for Aceto appeared to be a video the com-

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Page 2

The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

IN THE NEWS

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

by Dave Burket

Corrections at the top: In the old-habits-die-hard department, we incorrectly identified Councillor John Wink as chair of Pelham’s Summerfest Committee in our story, two weeks back, examining claims of the event’s financial impact. In fact, resident polymath Bill Gibson is now the committee’s chair. Wink offered the correction when we asked him for comment regarding a post on the Town’s Facebook page.

A number of readers noted that the photo appearing in the post—which asked residents to take a survey about their 2019 Summerfest experience—was taken during 2018’s event, and showed a substantially larger crowd than attended this year.

Wink said that he was not involved in the post, or in choosing the photo. Town Communications and Public Relations Specialist Marc MacDonald replied to a comment request shortly before press time, saying that using the older image was “an error in judgment.” Given the number of photos to sift through from this year, choosing a “desired generic photo of a crowd was easier to find from last year’s crop. Unfortunately, there are specific references to last year’s event that prevent it from being the generic photo it was intended to be”...Adding to the archives: An appreciative nod of thanks to (the appropriately named!) Mr. and Mrs. Robert Inkes, for dropping off an older copy of the paper for our collection...

There’s no stop sign at a roundabout: This week’s letter from Mike Athay (“Rice Road design not so hot either,” page 5) is right on the money. Whether here in Fonthill, or down in Welland off the 406, or elsewhere in Niagara, a majority of drivers seem congenitally unable to cope with roundabouts, a.k.a., traffic circles. Only last week I nearly rear-ended the car ahead of me as the driver suddenly hit the brakes just before entering the roundabout behind the community centre.

A pickup truck had appeared in the middle distance, spooking the guy sufficiently enough for us to wait several seconds for the truck to approach, enter, and pass. Argh...Don’t let the pessimists win: Former Keith’s Restaurant owner Vilma Moretti sends in a quote that she hopes will help us all cope with the “everyday kind” of strife: “murders, climate change, gypsy moths, Lyme disease, Trump, etc.” It’s from Stephen Hawking, in his book, Brief Answers to Big Questions.

He writes, "We are all time travellers, journeying together into the future. But, let us work together to make that future a place we want to visit. Be brave, be curious, be determined, overcome the odds. It can be done." I’ll toast to that. A future that included a rebooted Keith's would be particularly welcome…The future is also 4K: If you’ve been thinking of upgrading the ol’ television, Thomas TV (ad, page 9) is throwing a clearance sale. I’m tempted, actually. Our 10-year-old regular HDTV is going strong, but those 4K images really are something…Tick tock: Just a little over a month to Labour Day. Time to catch up on the BBQ-ing! ♦

Mexican timeshare scam

Since February, The Niagara Regional Police Central Fraud Unit has received multiple complaints from residents regarding a Mexican Timeshare Scam. Police would like to inform residents owning timeshares in Mexico to be vigilant when contacted about the possibility of selling their timeshare. A common scam is for the owner of a timeshare to receive a call from an individual claiming to work for an international real estate company. Oftentimes, the scammers will maintain a “company” website, in order to make the fraudsters appear legitimate. The scammer will claim that a buyer is in place for the property, and even send legal documents to be signed. The scammer will eventually ask for wire transfers to cover costs such as legal fees, Mexican taxes, and various other closing costs, resulting in the complainant sending many thousands of dollars. If the wire transfers continue, the suspects will eventually claim that the buyer backed out of the deal, and that they now have a new buyer in place, and attempt to restart the wire transfer process from the beginning. When a complainant eventually realizes that this was a scam,

Voice

the complainant may receive a phone call from an individual claiming to be a Mexican prosecutor. The "prosecutor" will claim that several individuals have been arrested, and reimbursement can be made. Money wire transfers will then be requested to cover various legal costs in order to collect the reimbursement. The Mexican Timeshare Scam is a common scam across North America. Police would like to remind owners of properties outside Canada that due diligence should be undertaken when selling a property, including consulting a bank and a lawyer.

AMBER complaints

The Ontario AMBER Alert program continues to be an instrumental tool in assisting both the public and police with locating an abducted child who may be in danger.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to re-

mind the public that calling 911 or any emergency service communication centre is not an appropriate venue to complain about AMBER Alerts.

The decision to utilize the Ontario AMBER Alert is based on established criteria, and is not taken lightly. In 2019, there have been five AMBER Alerts activated. As a direct result of these Alerts, four assisted in the safe return of the child/children, and one with the apprehension of a suspect. In a statement, the OPP says that it recognizes the inconvenience the Alert may have caused, but will not apologize for using all of the tools available to help locate a child.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) mandated the broadcasting industry to distribute emergency alert messages, which includes AMBER Alerts. As of April 2018, compatible wireless networks (wireless public alerting) were included in this mandate. The only option to not receive these alerts to a mobile device is to have a device turned off.

However, if a device is turned off it will be unable to receive any emergency alert that may contain information of imminent danger in its area.

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Column Six The Comfort Maple myth

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NIAGARA’S BEST-READ WEEKLY SINCE 1997

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

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Oops: No fire trucks for you Haist Street traffic-calming measure a little too effective

BY VOICE STAFF

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.

Adrianna E. FERLATTE, 26, Niagara Falls Martin P. SKUCE, 41, Niagara Falls NY Kyle P. MURRAY, 35, Kitchener Bruce KRZECZKOWSKI, 58, St. Catharines Cindy E. CLARK, 61, Tonawanda NY Kyle S. ROBERTS, 28, Oshawa Dennis J. BOULARD, 40, Niagara Falls Jerry G. NEUMANN, 68, Hamilton Andrew G. RUDOLPH, 30, St. Catharines The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.

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Column Six Growing up British Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation

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Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn

BY JOHN SWART

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The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

Page 3

Pelham resident concerned about disability cuts Rhys Evans calls for "base level of humanity"

BY JOHN CHICK

Special to the VOICE

Rhys Evans knows Ontario disability funding and legislation inside and out. As Pelham’s representative on Niagara’s Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee, not much gets by him when it comes to the overall treatment of Ontarians with physical disabilities.

That’s why he was deeply concerned when he read a recent report that foresees Doug Ford’s conservative government making deep cuts to the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP)—a major lifeline for Evans.

“There needs to be a base level of humanity,” said Evans, who has cerebral palsy.

“The thing that bothers me a lot is we have a conservative government and voters who follow Mr. Ford’s platform, but they have no knowledge of what [the government is] doing.”

Evans, 27, said he collects $881 a month from ODSP, a figure that hasn’t changed since he first became eligible for the benefit nine years ago.

Evans has an extremely fortunate living situation at his parents’ comfortable Fonthill home.

Most of that $881 however, goes to paying for an accessible van his parents use to get him around.

He said the maximum amount he could collect if he lived on his own is $1,100 a month—well below

the official poverty line.

While Ford has not publicly stated he will slash funding to ODSP, itemized expenditure estimates for 2019-20 available on the Ontario government’s website indicates up to $1 billion in cuts from programs like ODSP and Ontario Works.

In response, Evans’ mother, Denise, reached out to Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff but got no reply.

Following two contact attempts by the Voice, Oosterhoff’s office provided a statement.

“Ontarians deserve a system where those with disabilities are treated with dignity and where hard work is met by empowerment and trust from their government,” the statement read. “When compared to the government’s actual spend from the previous year, the budget shows an increased investment in the Ontario Disability Support Program this year. Many people in this province have severe disabilities that make it very difficult to support themselves … and they will be met with compassion and dignity in our new system.”

Pushed on how the “new system” will affect direct benefit amounts or whether a work program is included, Oosterhoff’s staff did not reply to the Voice.

They did, however, reach out to Evans.

Rhys Evans, at home in Fonthill.

“We have not had any definite time [sic] on what changes will be being made or when they would be implemented, only that they will be gradual over the next two years,” Oosterhoff’s Community Outreach and Office Manager Pamela Haire said in an email.

That only serves to make Evans more concerned.

“I believe these are code words for extra screening-out, which prevents the most vulnerable people in society from receiving the support they desperately need,” he said. “Less lip service and more action. We are not second-class citizens.”

Part of the challenge, Evans says, is that the government doesn’t have a working definition

JOHN CHICK PHOTO

of what “disabled” actually means.

While he uses a wheelchair, Evans has functional mental and communication abilities. Not all are in the same boat.

“I’m lucky enough that I can articulate my feelings,” he said.

“A lot of people with autism, for instance, can’t articulate because they’re non-verbal. And when you take away their supports, you take away their voice.”

Evans has worked part-time jobs—including at the Niagara Centre for Independent Living— but knows the employment situation is even tougher for other disabled people out on their own. He says cuts to ODSP will only further harm their ability to find meaningful work.

“I don’t want to sit around and do nothing,” he said. “I want to contribute to society. And they’re taking away our ability to even try.”

Denise Evans added that private-sector charitable support for those with conditions such as cerebral palsy tends to dry up quickly when the afflicted person is no longer a child.

“They’re not cute anymore,” she said.

It is for reasons like this that she and her husband—now both in their 60s—fear for their son’s future.

“Nigel and I have sleepless nights over it, like what will happen?”

The Evans’ point out their concerns aren’t partisan, even if some right-wing governments have demonstrated a perceived lack of compassion for some of the weaker members of society.

“When we travel in the U.S. it’s amazing how accessible everything is,” Denise said.

That’s a byproduct of the Americans with Disabilities Act, passed by the Republican administration of George H.W. Bush in 1990. Some 30 years later, Ontario is still working towards its own accessibility standards, with the goal of making public establishments fully accessible by 2025— hence Rhys Evans’ work with the Joint Accessibility Advisory Committee.

For the moment though, he just wants the opportunity to make a living.

“The question I have for Oosterhoff, and I have for Doug Ford is, what would happen if your family member was in a situation like this?”

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Page 4

The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

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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

COMMENTARY / OP-ED Larry Coté The only question that matters: Can we save our children?

I

FREELY ADMIT THAT I am not a scientist by any stretch of imagination.

However, like many others, I casually observe societal, political, medical and other such trends around the world.

One of those trends is climate change. Whoever coined the phrase “global warming” may have unintentionally rendered a disservice to humankind. By its overuse and overly casual references, the term has become less indicative of the real danger this devastating process is imposing on planet earth. Unfortunately, the very sound of the phrase global warming evokes notions of comfort such as the warmth of a campfire or a warm woolly blanket on a chilly night.

However, the true definition is more on the order of catastrophic ruination, and far from being warm and fuzzy. Perhaps the condition would be more descriptively intrusive if we re-labelled the term to, let’s say, deadly heat, or, our goose is cooked.

Then we commoners might pay appropriate attention to this threat to every living thing on this planet. And who is causing this catastrophic outcome? We are!

And to paraphrase Pogo, we should see the enemy, and it is us.

The symptoms and devastation associated with our goose is cooked are becoming more frequent and ob-

The true definition is more on the order of catastrophic ruination

vious, but, unfortunately, not yet sufficiently injurious to enough of us to be taken more seriously. The recent rise in the levels of the Great Lakes might fleetingly catch the attention of a few people.

However, the flooding does not inconvenience the lives of enough to capture the urgency that this symptom deserves. The time frame between now and when these disastrous conditions become more widespread is beyond the interest and

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905-682-2140 Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) www.niagaratips.com Text 274637(CRIMES), keyword Niagara, then your tip

The Voice

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 & EDITOR Dave Burket publisher@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADMINISTRATION Lori Gretsinger office@thevoiceofpelham.ca CONTRIBUTORS Mike Balsom, Jane Bedard, Carolyn Botari, Colin Brezicki, Rosemary Chambers, John Chick, Larry Coté, Kathryn Hrycusko, Gloria J. Katch, John Piccolo, Bernie Puchalski John Swart, Mike Tucker, Rob Weatherby NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca

term of office for many politicians. Consequently, it is not politically pragmatic for them to amplify this pending disaster among their constituents.

One of the more devastating results of global warming is the rising of ocean levels. Experts have established that the oceans continue to rise a fraction of an inch per year. Consequently, as water levels rise the land mass decreases. Cities along the sea coast and other waterways will become uninhabitable and disappear beneath the waves. The primary causes of this raising of the levels are the warming of the atmosphere and the melting of land-based ice.

In an article published last Thursday in the journal Science, researchers reported the results of a two-year study of glacier melting, and suggest that actual melt rate may be 10 to 100 times faster than earlier models have predicted.

Another catastrophic threat that is becoming more newsworthy is the increasing number of days when the heat and humidity are lethal. Each year an

Letters NPCA's Comfort Maple care leaves much to be desired NPCA Communications Specialist Erika Navarro should retract her statement "It is a well taken care of by NPCA and remains one of our most prized …" [Minor damage as lightning hits Comfort Maple, July 24, p. 3].

A visit to that tree will sadden anyone. The rot, loose wiring, and dead branches prove Navarro is exaggerating at best. But then that is what she gets paid to do perhaps?

I suggest the Voice send a photographer and then show the public why the Comfort Maple has limited lifetime now. She will not recover. It is too late in my view.

I am a resident since the 1980s. Love that tree. Visit several times annually. Did my best to get action on helping the tree survive last year, with email to the top man in charge.

Nothing came of it, other than the spread of wood chips on the root base. This tree has been neglected for years. It is an observable fact. Not my opinion.

John S. Thin Fonthill

See GOOSE next page

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

Mayor of Pelham Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 289-929-2681 Members of Pelham Town Council

Member of Provincial Parliament

Ward 1 Councillor Mike Ciolfi mciolfi@pelham.ca 905-892-0077

Sam Oosterhoff, MPP 4961 King St. East, Unit M1 Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0 sam.oosterhoffco@pc.ola.org 905-563-1755

Councillor Marianne Stewart mstewart@pelham.ca 289-821-0840

Electoral District: Niagara West

Members of Niagara Regional Council Councillor Marvin Junkin mjunkin@pelham.ca 289-929-2681 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

Ward 2 Councillor Ron Kore rkore@pelham.ca 905-933-3805

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Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475 Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-2607 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647

Jill C. Anthony Law Office

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 of Pelham, July 31 2019

Page 5

OPINION Summersides "design disaster"

Appreciates first responders

NDP still alive and kicking

Thank you to the Fonthill Fire Department, Niagara EMS, and the Niagara Regional Police during my recent health issue.

George Elcich Pelham

In general, Canadians are stuck in the following voting pattern: 1. Elect a Conservative government.

2. Get angry at the Conservative government they elected.

3. Elect a Liberal government.

4. Get angry at the Liberal government they elected.

5. Return to #1.

The editorial cartoon in the July 24 edition of the Voice depicts the NDP as absent from the political arena, but voters should be reminded that they are fully present and represent an alternative to the above pattern.

David Fowler Wainfleet

Rice Road design not so hot either In last week’s Voice, I read the letter written by Mr. Mullin revealing his observations and opinions regarding Summersides Boulevard [“Single-file only, please—the Boulevard that really is mostly boulevard,” July 24, p. 6]. I would like to commend him for speaking out as well as for his accurate report.

I have been building roads for over 40 years and I can tell you Summersides is a design disaster.

This road does not meet specifications and does not work. This design does not have any regard for being a people-friendly street, and in fact, it is very dangerous for pedestrians. People should not be using this road by bicycle, baby-buggy, seniors’ vehicles, or walking. It lacks the correct signage, but I guess that there are no signs available for a street of such design.

The question that we are left with now is, “What to do about it?” As a contractor, if we make a mistake in the construction of a project we are issued a letter deeming it a deficiency and we have to remedy it at our

cost. Why doesn’t the Town claim a major deficiency to the so-called community planning and engineering firm who is responsible, and make them pay for the remedying of this design disaster?

Why should our Town, after paying for this road along with engineering costs, ask its taxpayers to pay again in order to correct this illegal design?

Another major legal matter is that the funds that were used to pay for this road were non-transparently taken from the Town by means of no fair bidding and tendering procedures.

I believe that it is against the law to use public money this way.

While on the topic of legalities, there is a law in some countries that states that developers and engineers shall be sure to preserve the culture of a town when developing. To date, because of the engineer’s disregard for all of this, Fonthill has lost all of its culture.

When is enough, enough?

William Duffin Fonthill

GOOSE

continued from previous page increasing number of people, especially seniors, are dying from becoming over-heated during these spells. Some communities now have cooling centres where vulnerable people can visit to temporarily avoid exposure to these lethal conditions.

There is not enough space in this column to explore other symptoms, such as the increasing number of wildfires and torrential rains associated with our goose is cooked.

So maybe it’s time for us non-scientists to become more aware of, and take action against the threat of our children’s gooses being cooked. If we don’t, we are condemning them to live in an inhospitable environment and with unthinkable results.

What can you do? This disastrous condition calls upon each person to take actions that may have previously been foreign to their natures. Among such actions to save our earth is to demand all politicians at all levels enact legislation designed to reduce pollution, and especially reduce those activities that result in the emission of greenhouse gases. Also, each household has the obligation to increase and improve upon their recycling efforts.

Recently, young people across this wonderful landscape we call Canada have become increasingly visible and demonstrative in their efforts to save our planet. While it might be a culturally awkward turnabout for some, it is time for the elders to join the ranks of these young activists, and follow their lead. ♦

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Having recently used the intersection of Rice Road and Port Robinson Road, I was amazed and disappointed to see that new traffic control lights have been installed, although they are not yet operational. Immediately, I was outraged to think that once again, the implications of such shortsighted planning had not been considered.

First of all, who in their right mind would grant permission for the bungalows on the southwest corner of this intersection to be built so close to the road?

In the five years I have resided in Fonthill, recently I have observed much higher traffic volume in the area, particularly since the recent nearby home construction.

With the planned continued construction, volume at this particular intersection is only going to increase to the point where it will no longer be able to handle the volume.

What allowances have been made for road widening? Maybe another lane can be added in the front yards and they can turn the bungalows into drive-thru coffee shops!

Secondly, why was a roundabout, or “traffic circle” not considered and implemented for this junction? Indeed, the provision of the two small roundabouts in the new divided boulevard between Station Street and Rice Road behind the community centre was a welcome addition, and I thought a harbinger of good things.

It is also ironic that to-

What is it with the Canadian reluctance to learn how to properly use a roundabout? of a roundabout. Instead, we shall now be faced with even more congestion, and the associated pollution, as vehicles need to stop and then wait for a light to change to allow progression!

With the present concern about climate change, elimination of traffic lights should be of utmost importance. Not only are they costly to install, there is an ongoing cost to their operation.

What is it with the Canadian reluctance to learn how to properly use a roundabout? In the UK and Europe, where there are infinitely more people and vehicles, roundabouts are commonplace. Surely, CaSee ROUND AND ROUND next page

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Comes with a side order of suspicious How arrogant of Town Treasurer Teresa Quinlin to lecture and allude to the public not knowing Webster’s definition of fraud and corruption [Audit committee still finding its feet, July 24, p. 13.]. What we all learned the hard way over the past four years, the former council and the Town staff in charge of Town finances did not know the definition of transparency. As part of the former regime, Ms. Quinlin, the financial department for the Town, and the former council, let Pelham citizens down, failing in their pledge of due diligence to handling competently taxpayer monies. So, maybe, just maybe, we are just a little bit skittish, Ms. Quinlin, with a thought in the back of our minds, you all will do it to us again—stand this town on its head, and continue to mount the debt.

No wonder the residents of Pelham are gun-shy when you folks open your mouths about Town finances. You leave us thinking defensively, instead of positively, because we are still trying to get our balance after the reeling results of the former council, advised by Town financial staff, who made decisions behind closed doors that were incompetent. Excuse us Ms. Quinlin if you think our definition of corrupt and fraudulent is wrong just because no one ended up in jail. But, what I do know, without referring to a dictionary, is what non-confidence is, non-confidence with a big side order of suspicious, when it comes to the people who have been hired to look after Town finances. My hope is that the Town staff and the new town council have benefited from lessons learned.

Pamela Robb Fonthill

Shares firearm bylaw concern Mark Bay's commentary [The first birthday for a bylaw that no one knows about, July 24, p. 4]. on bylaw 4019 (2018) regarding firearm discharge was right on the money.

Having grown up in this area (Pelham Township) and hunted throughout a

lot of the areas that now have a "firearm" prohibition, I was quite surprised when I looked up this bylaw this spring.

The reason I looked it up was due to the fact that coyotes were being attractSee BYLAW next page

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day on a bicycle ride, I did encounter another new roundabout further east along Port Robinson Road, near to the new housing development. Originating from the UK, I am very familiar with the convenience

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The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

Letters

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

continued

Considering guerrilla warfare tactics on Bandshell seating

Gypsy moths among the gravestones

Hodgson and NPCA

I heartily agree with Carol Hinton’s letter regarding Bandshell seating. ["Selfish Bandshell seating has to go," July 17, p. 5.] I have to tell you, some years back we discovered many towels on the prime spots around the pool at a resort in Mexico.

The next day, around 8 AM, I went down to the pool and collected all of the towels and threw them into the water.

Now, I've been collecting folding chairs from VV boutique and Good Willy's for two years. When I get 30 of them—and it's getting close—I am going over to the Bandshell and set them all up in the good spots on Wednesday afternoon then not show up Thursday night.

Wonder what will happen?

We don't go to the concerts because of those people who think they can set their chairs early then appear a few minutes before and claim the spot. We live quite close, and though we

Has anyone noticed the infestation of the gypsy moth at our local cemeteries? Recently, I went to water the flowers at a family plot at Hillside Cemetery on Canboro Road.

Caterpillars have now morphed into gypsy moths and were clinging onto almost every tree in the cemetery. There are also clusters of nests on the undersides of the tree leaves. It was actually quite disturbing to see. Sadly, the tree which was planted by my loved one a few years ago is infested and will eventually die. Was an aerial spray performed in the local cemeteries?

Céline Armstrong Fonthill

After attending the recent NPCA board meeting and hearing the motion put forward and barely pass on a 6-to-5 vote for an apology to former board member Bill Hodgson, I had to shake my head. It is not only apparent but sad that the current members who voted against this motion had no idea or cared what Mr. Hodgson was put through in 2017 by a rogue and out of control NPCA board.

The Auditor General’s scathing report on the NPCA in 2018 explains that former chair Sandy Annunziata's censuring of Mr. Hodgson, which falsely accused him of corrupting the process of hiring an external auditor, was not only uncalled for but a total waste of taxpayers’ money into an investigation which he refused to disclose to the public.

Bill Hodgson’s apology is way overdue and shame on

can't see the performances we certainly hear them.

Some are enjoyable...some not so.

You’re wondering what happened in Mexico, eh?

Well, after soaking towels three days in a row, management asked me to stop.

A few of the old farts were

BYLAW

continued from previous page ed by domestic dogs and posed a threat to those dogs. The solution could have been a low powered rifle, discharged in a safe direction with a good backstop. This bylaw, however, would not allow that due to several clauses such as proximity of buildings (even though owned by landowner), ri-

ROUND AND ROUND

continued from previous page nadian motorists are not so dumb that they cannot see the advantages, and be properly trained in their use!

stressing out and close to having heart attacks and were threatening to punch me out. But the good spots under the palapas were still available at 11 AM...no more towels!

Ken Edwards Fonthill

fled barrel, and the general definition of a firearm.

I should point out, though, that BB guns and most pellet guns do not fall under the definition of a "firearm" under the Firearms Act or Criminal Code, due to their low power and velocity. There is more energy in a golf ball or baseball just after they are struck, but their use is encouraged around other people as long as caution is used.

Having said that, I do have to wonder about the mentality of many drivers who come speeding up to the rear bumper of my truck, slowing because I have noticed that the traffic light up ahead has changed to red and I’m going to have

Moths on a Hillside Cemetery tree.

I definitely agree that there are areas where it is not safe due to proximity of people. With regards to the limits on churches and daycare facilities, I suspect that noise may be the issue. If that be the case, then perhaps all fireworks should be banned close to any structure as well.

Archery equipment should be used with caution, but again with a proper backstop and common sense. Their use is a skill-based

to stop anyway. What is the point of maintaining my speed, wasting gas, just to have to brake really hard to dissipate that energy in bringing my vehicle to a stop?

In fact, recently I was westbound on Highway 20

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activity that is an Olympic event.

Whether or not the previous council had a farm background I do not know, as that should have influenced their reasoning. I do really suspect that it may have been the knee-jerk reaction to violent acts committed by criminals who have no respect for laws or human life. We have seen that reaction recently in the federal government, as well as with the mayor of Toronto, because they

and was duly notified by the sign at the corner of Hwy 58 that the Allanburg Bridge was up for another eight minutes.

Accordingly, I took my foot off the gas and allowed the wind and rolling resistance to gradually dissipate the energy of my truck, to the point where the idling speed of the engine was adequately sufficient to keep the vehicle moving, albeit quite slowly. I was dumbfounded by the number of idiot drivers who came speeding up behind me, then crossed the double yellow lanes—some

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are afraid to actually wage war on the real criminals. Instead they talk the talk and hope to get votes by persecuting the wrong people.

I will end my tirade here, before I get too far off on another track, but the people have to be made aware of bylaws if we expect them to respect the law.

Bill McLeod Welland

honking their horns as they did so —just to pass me and then brake hard to avoid hitting the queue of vehicles just ahead. Only then to wait several more minutes before the bridge was again accessible. And these people are allowed to vote!

Clearly, with the multitude of vehicles on the roads and the inherent congestion there is need for drastic measures. In my opinion, the so-called driving test should be far more stringent, with a necessity to be retested every five years. Before emigrating

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to Canada, I was successful in passing the voluntary test of the Institute of Advanced Motorists. This was not merely a few multiple-choice questions and a 15-minute drive with an examiner. It was a city and rural drive of 90 minutes, with a very qualified ex-police driver, during which time one was asked to give a verbal commentary. At any time, the examiner might ask, “What was the road sign you just passed?”

Needless to say, such a test here would probably disqualify 40% of existing drivers.

I understand that in order to pilot an aircraft, or captain a ship, one has to undergo many hours of training and is then subjected to on-going testing. And yet any buffoon can take a few lessons, pass a simple test and then assume command of a deadly weapon. What is wrong with this picture?

So, going back to the shortsighted planning at the aforementioned intersection, how long is it going to be before a speeding vehicle, trying to beat the new traffic lights, ends up in the living room of a too-closefor-comfort bungalow?

With all the space we have in Canada, it is difficult to imagine why commonsense cannot prevail.

But, of course, that would not please those who are interested only in lining their pockets.

Mike Athay Fonthill

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Letters

The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

Page 7

continued

War on climate change a necessity We have to go to war against climate change—now!

I recommend to all and sundry that the August issue of Maclean’s magazine be read by everyone age 14 and up. You can get it in pieces online, but it is well worth the money to buy the hardcopy on sale at newsstands for about $7.

There are many articles therein but the must reads are: Crisis, The Apocalypse Is Here, Be Afraid by John Geddes; Climate Change Averted, It Can Be Beaten,

by Alanna Mitchell; and Now or Never, an interview with Elizabeth May on why its past time for big changes.

The International Panel on Climate Change report of October 8, 2018 spelled out the parameters: Global warming must not exceed 1.5 degrees increase by the end of this century to avoid catastrophic results. Canada’s initial target is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030.

The 1.5 C target will not be achieved unless enough nations get on board. However, Maclean’s cites some hopeful ideas and solutions that are important for Canada.

Among them is the interview with Elizabeth May. The leader of the Green Party of Canada explains that globally the 1.5 C target won’t be met with the current plans that are in place, nor will Canada achieve its 2030 objective, which indeed may be too low.

Her party has come out with a Mission Possible approach, but it will require “a transformational effort, the kind of transformation of our economy that we haven’t seen since the Second World War. It’s major but it does lead us to a positive place where people have jobs and Canadians are happy, but it requires getting off fossil fuels as quickly as possible.”

Among her suggestions: The lion’s share of greenhouse gases is spewed from 200 facilities across Canada, which could be regulated now. There should be an electric grid corridor running on renewable energy across Canada.

Only Canadian oil should be used during the transition to getting off oil by having the Hibernia oil fields of the east coast serving Quebec and the Maritimes, with the oil sands providing oil for the western provinces. (I didn’t

The lion's share of greenhouse gases is spewed from 200 facilities across Canada

FROM BATTLESHIP TO SNACK Pelham's Municipal Building, more commonly referred to as Town Hall, got a facelift last week as a passel of painters gave the structure a new two-tone finish. The previous monotone colour scheme was somewhere between dark brown and battleship gray. The new style reminds a local pharmacist of an Oreo cookie, "or maybe an ice cream sandwich." Either way, it looks delicious.

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See WAR next page

The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time.

Thomas Jefferson

Page 8

The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

2019 Bandshell Series

ANOTHER ROUND

by JOHN PICCOLO

List it!

B

OOKSTORES W ERE on the ropes for awhile but it looks like they pulled an Ali. A little rope-a-dope and let their competitors wear themselves out and then come back strong.

Amazon and e-readers may still knock them out in the end, but for now those of us who like the browsing and chaotic solitude (and of course the smell) of a bookstore we seem to have a reprieve.

During one of these junkets my wife, by chance, picked up a book she thought might interest me. Just a little red and white paperback with the funny title of, “The Checklist Manifesto.” What a great little book.

Its premise is that we’re always trying to find magnificent cures to the problems that ail us, when very often we only have to use the knowledge and technology we already have more consistently and efficiently.

It opens with the story of the B-17 “Flying Fortress” bomber. When it was designed in the 1930s by Boeing, it was expected to be the US Army Air Corps bomb deliverer for decades to come.

Moments after it took off on its showcase flight to sell the military on its capabilities over planes from rival man-

ufacturers, it crashed, killing two of its five flight crew, including its much decorated pilot. How could such a technologically advanced aircraft fail so dramatically?

It’s called the problem of extreme complexity. The plane was so complex to fly that even the most highly trained pilot of the time could not remember all the steps necessary to keep the plane aloft.

On their own, none of the steps necessary to fly the plane were that difficult. But taken as a whole—in this case, the takeoff procedure— it was too easy for even the best pilots to forget a step, and this was enough to cause a tragic failure. This is when the checklist as we know it came into being.

The author of “The Checklist Manifesto” is Atul Gawande, a surgeon, who works out of Boston. His interest in the subject stemmed from whether or not such a simple concept could help save lives and money in the operating theatre.

The results were astounding. The number of issues caught by the simple process of doctors and nurses going over a checklist of things they were all certain none of them would ever neglect to do was way beyond his greatest expectations.

TOP 5 BOSLEY REALTOR 2018

You may have access to more skills but are likely to be a master of fewer of them

Soullar

BY JIM CASSON

Special to the VOICE

When learning golf, many students comment about how much there is to remember.

Posture, grip, alignment, ball position, length and speed of swing.

On their own, very simple things, but when a player is put on the golf course and faced with wind, and sand, and trees, water hazards, and people pushing you from behind, it is very easy to let one item slip.

Once you reach a certain level of ability, whether it be as a surgeon or a golfer, applying the knowledge you already have is much more effective than trying to learn a whole lot more. Not that learning more is a bad thing, but at a certain point you are spreading your talents too thinly. You may have access to more skills but are likely to be a master of fewer of them.

When playing golf it is not

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likely you make a dramatic departure from the proper grip or alignment. It usually creeps in over time so as to be un-noticeable. If you find yourself saying, “I got it,” and, “I lost it,” with regards to your golf game on a regular basis, it is likely the little things listed earlier are the issues.

I suggest you make a checklist. Just a little notebook (or one of the many “todo list” smartphone apps) to keep in your bag to write down key thoughts or issues that have helped or plagued

you in the past. Take it with you when you practice, or if you go for a lesson, to help speed up the diagnosis of your problem.

The list will evolve over time with some things being added and others eliminated.

PGA Tour players have caddies whose primary job it is to be a living checklist.

They help calculate all shots and make sure the player has checked all levers and gauges before liftoff.

We don’t have caddies, so it’s best we write down our checklist so that we don’t

leave out a critical issue that leads to malfunction.

It is easy to belittle the idea. We don’t like to admit we can forget seemingly simple details.

If a highly trained surgeon or pilot can benefit from a checklist, surely it can help with what most of us feel are the “complexities” of the game of golf. ♦

we have 12 years to avoid climate catastrophe. May states “the first step of Mission Possible is to create a war cabinet. Bring your political opponents into the same room.”

I know we won’t all vote Green this fall, however whoever wins would do well to consider many of the Mission Possible ideas in the Green platform.

From my vantage point the Liberal government is doing a good job of tackling climate change, but must do more, despite the reluc-

tance of many citizens to become engaged, despite the climate change deniers, and despite the noisy and often irrational stand of the official opposition in Ottawa.

At this time all provinces and territories, except Alberta, have an acceptable carbon reduction plan, whether homemade or the federal backstop, in place.

By January 2020, Alberta, which is working hard on this, must also have an acceptable policy, or agree to the backstop plan as did Ontario, New Brunswick,

Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

I am buoyed that Canada is now moving forward on carbon reduction. It ushers in a new way of thinking and a great opportunity to grow an economy based on the move to renewable energy, while we do our part to avoid climate catastrophe.

Keith Rae Fonthill

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continued from previous page see mention of where Ontario fits.)

May sees Alberta as having great capacity and potential for providing solar and wind power, and that the bitumen from the oil sands could feed the petrochemical industry over time instead of burning it.

A 60% reduction in gas-powered cars by 2030 is doable she believes. The IPCC warned in 2018 that

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the current board members who voted against it. I'm quite sure they would think different if the shoe was on the other foot.

For those who are interested in more information on this vote it should be available on the NPCA website under their July 17 minutes of the meeting.

Robert Milenkoff Welland

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

Page 9

Restored runway returns airport to its historical roots

BY GLORIA J. KATCH

Special to the VOICE

“Everybody’s happy. It’s a winwin situation,” Adrian Verburg, Captain of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) told the Voice, after the organization restored a piece of local history to a new and improved level. COPA recently completed a 2,500 ft. strip of runway, known as 11/29, at the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport, which was officially opened during a plaque dedication ceremony and barbecue last Wednesday.

The airport’s navigation capabilities are “now back to it’s original triangle configuration,” noted Verburg, who educated many dignitaries, COPA volunteers and “friends of the airport,” who were in attendance for a slide presentation, which referred back to the airport’s construction in 1942.

The grass turf surface now has a durable base layered with old broken asphalt and gravel, so water will not pool on it, providing ample drainage, explained Verburg.

The runway adds an additional safety feature to the airport and is now easier to maintain and cheaper than asphalt, which would have cost $250,000 to replace, he said.

The grass surface also attracts many aviation schools to the site, as grass is “a part of the syllabus of emergency training,” as all pilots have to learn how to land on grass, a procedure known as a “short-field landing.”

If an airplane’s engine cuts out in flight, chances are the pilot

will be landing in a field—and, often times, not a spacious field, explained Verburg. Since runway 11/29 became operational on June 2, there have already been several training sessions held there from various aviation schools.

The airstrip was also in running order for the 2019 Air Race Classic, held June 21-22, which hosted some 100 contestants.

(Runways are named for the compass directions they face.

Since almost all runways may be used in both directions, they are labelled with two compass headings. In this case, 110 degrees— slightly south of due east—and 290 degrees—slightly north of due west. For efficiency, only the first two numerals are used to identify runways on navigation charts—hence, “11/29”—and only the takeoff or landing direction is specified in radio communications—for example, “Cleared to land runway two-niner.”)

The airport was originally built in a large, triangular design as a part of the British Training Plan used for World War II military aviation exercises. However, the largest cost in airport maintenance is in the care of asphalt runways, and 11/29 eventually deteriorated to the point that it could not be safely used about 30 years ago.

However, in 2007, following the development of a roadway by the airport commission behind several hangars, Verburg said COPA thought it would be beneficial to partner with the commission and restore the landing strip.

In just over a year, COPA fund-

From left, Jim Larouche, Welland City Council’s representative on the Niagara Central Airport Commission; Leo Van Vliet, Chair of the Airport Commission; Lisa Haun, Pelham’s representative and Vice-Chair on the airport commission; Bob Cullen, NCDR Manager; and Adrian Verburg, Captain of COPA. GLORIA J KATCH PHOTO raised and invested about $12,000 for the runway, and many of its volunteers who are pilots did a great deal of the work to restore it, he said. COPA has an agreement with the local airport commission to maintain 11/29, as well. Verburg believes the runway will cost about $1,500 a year to maintain.

Equipment has been provided to keep the runway operational for 10 months out of the year, he said.

“The amazing thing is that it was all done with donations, many of them from COPA members themselves, and not a penny of taxpayers’ money,” he said.

COPA’s next project is to refurbish an old pump-house into a storage area for the equipment on site needed to maintain the

runway. The airport commission will fund the cost of the materials, which Verburg estimates at approximately $7,500, and COPA volunteers will be doing the refurbishing and labour. He also thanked “good neighbours,” like Joyce and John Sonneveld, who lease land surrounding the airport for their business, River Bend Farms, and assist by lending equipment and supporting projects like these.

“It takes a unique group that has gone to the extent it has to support and promote this airport, and you don’t get that everywhere,” said Verburg.

While many of the 47 registered members of the local chapter are, “not kids anymore, we have lots of

expertise in using equipment and saws.”

While Verburg and many members are retired, they do support education and encourage the next generation in aviation through many COPA for Kids programs, including an upcoming seminar, on August 17, which allows youths from eight to 17 free rides at the airport. Visit www.centralairport. ca for more information.

COPA has some 200 chapters in Canada, with about 40 in Ontario alone. Branch 149 meets monthly, and has barbecues about four times a year, Verburg noted. The association organizes fundraisers and accepts donations for the various aviation-related projects it undertakes.

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Page 10

The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

FIRED

continued from Page 1 from last November obtained by the Globe and Mail indicated Aceto was fully aware of the illegal growing.

“We dodged some bullets,” CannTrust director of quality and compliance Graham Lee wrote in an email to Aceto after an earlier Health Canada inspection. “[Health Canada] did not ask about [Range 8], which are unlicensed rooms currently full of plants.”

Another email obtained

by BNN Bloomberg cited Aceto telling subordinates to “continue [planting] as planned” in the unlicensed areas, evidently appearing to flaunt federal regulations.

Nick Lalonde told the Voice earlier this month that he was previously ordered to hang temporary walls in Range 8 so CannTrust could mask plants in photographs sent to Health Canada as part of a compliance check. He separately alleged that CannTrust also cut corners in disposal of waste cannabis.

Reached for comment over the weekend, Lalonde said that he was pleased that the company’s CEO and board chair had been given the boot.

“I believe there are still

many great employees there for the new company that buys that facility,” said Lalonde. “But they should also get rid of whoever directed the Health Canada submissions process.”

Lalonde named a number of managers he asserted would have “known what was going on.”

“I also find it very interesting how, if a small cigarette shop or beer store would’ve got caught breaking major regulations like these, they would have been fined immediately, licence taken, or thrown in jail... never mind been given the opportunity to hire a special committee [to report on themselves].”

CannTrust’s virtual collapse has fast become the biggest scandal in the Canadian cannabis industry since the government fully legalized the product less than a year ago. The regulatory change spawned numerous licensed grow operations across the country, and it appears early demand outstripping supply may have created a wild west approach among some in the industry.

CannTrust had been in the medical marijuana business prior to legalization, and Aceto took the reins of the company last October —when the unlicensed Fenwick rooms

were reportedly activated.

Beyond that, Health Canada earlier cited CannTrust 15 times for “major or critical observations” between 2015-18.

Aceto, former CEO of Tangerine Bank before taking over at CannTrust, told the Voice in January that the Fenwick facility was “globally revered,” and at the time promised to address community concerns such as light and odor emissions.

“There’s no doubt there are things we can do to be a better member of [the Pelham] community, and be more involved in the community, and we certainly have plans to do so,” he said.

Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin was among those watching from the sidelines as the carnage unfolded.

“I find it hard to believe that management would ignore the rules that they did, with so much at stake,” said Junkin. “I realize that you have to keep the shareholders happy, but staying within the rules should have been the number one concern.”

Tim Nohara, Chair of Pelham's newly formed Cannabis Control Committee, says that the developing situation is disturbing.

"The justified national press coverage casts a negative shadow on our Town and by extension its residents," says Nohara, "and tarnishes the good reputation and integrity of local business leaders and workers."

Nohara adds that the situation also highlights the

importance of the work of the committee.

"We are developing as quickly as possible new bylaws and regulations to help Council mitigate the adverse impacts we are experiencing from this new industry, which showed up unannounced to residents and imposed itself on our beautiful community."

Pelham Town Councillor and committee member Mike Ciolfi was equally blunt.

“Everyone involved with the decision making of growing cannabis in five additional rooms without a licence should be held accountable,” said Ciolfi. “Health Canada should cancel their licence. This is a new industry and everyone should play by the rules.”

Ciolfi also noted that CannTrust’s financial contribution to Pelham is negligible, contrary to an inaccurate assertion made recently in a Welland Tribune story, in which Cann Trust was cited as an “important source of tax revenue to the Town.”

In fact, the sprawling operation in Fenwick is classified as agricultural, and pays property tax at rates far lower than those of the average business.

“CannTrust is not a major source of revenue for the Town at this time,” confirmed Town Treasurer Teresa Quinlin.

“As for jobs,” said Ciolfi, “approximately 5% of the workers are from Pelham...and for donations to the community, there has been zero dollars donated to groups or organizations

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Label affixed to a plastic tote of cannabis, at CannTrust's Fenwick production facility in June.

VOICE PHOTO

in Pelham.”

Where the scandal leaves the future of the Fenwick facility remains anyone’s guess. While some analysts have predicted CannTrust could lose its licence, the company’s special committee appears determined to salvage the operation.

Marcovitch — who previously headed U.S. ski and snowboard maker K2 Sports —has been appointed interim CEO after last week’s executive purge.

Calls grew among some industry analysts last week for a “white knight”—another cannabis company—to come in and acquire CannTrust’s assets in Pel-

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CannTrust stock rebounded slightly on news of Aceto’s dismissal after weeks of precipitous decline, spiking 16 percent in Friday morning trading before closing the week at $3.01 a share—though still down some 80% in value since its high point of $14.87 per share, last October. At least a dozen class action lawsuits are underway, according to financial media reports, seeking shareholder restitution.

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The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

FAITH LIFT

by PASTOR ROB WEATHERBY

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ID YOU KNOW THAT THE BIBLE tells how two very different people came to a living faith in two backto-back chapters in John’s Gospel?

I didn’t think so. Continue reading and you will…

Nicky

In John Chapter 3, we meet a man called Nicodemus (I call him “Nicky” for short).

He was a Jew and a Pharisee, making him a member of the religious and political elite of his society. Intrigued by this new miracle-working teacher named Jesus, Nicky seeks him out at night for a private, oneto-one chat.

If anyone had reason to believe he was accepted by God and going to heaven, it was Nicky. After all, he was a strict, law-abiding member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. What a shock, therefore, when Jesus tells him that no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is “born again” (verses 3 and 7). The word Jesus used can also mean “born anew” or “born from above.”

Nicky struggles to understand (verse 4).

Jesus explains he is talking about spiritual birth and not physical. Just as a physical baby emerges from its mother’s womb into a whole new world, so a person experiences a spiritual life-change when they turn from their sins and turn to the Savior in faith.

We are not told in Chapter 3 how Nicky responds to Jesus’ challenge. But we are pleasantly surprised to see evidence of this life change later in John’s Gospel (read chapter 7:50-52 and chapter 19:38-42).

The main lesson we can learn from Nicky is that no one is so good that they can earn their own salvation, and that everyone needs the Savior to see the kingdom of God.

Naughty

In John Chapter 4 (the very next chapter) we meet an unnamed woman (I call her “Naughty”). She is the polar opposite of Nicky. First off, she’s a woman, which made her second-class in that sexist society. Next, she is a Samaritan, and was despised by the Jews as “half-breeds” who had intermarried with foreigners and compromised their faith. And, finally, she had lived a naughty life having had several husbands and was not married to her present partner (not too shocking today, perhaps, but it made her a social outcast then).

Jesus meets her at a well and breaks all the cultural taboos by initiating conversa-

Nicodemus helps remove Christ's body from the cross. Detail from Michelangelo's The Deposition, 1555.

MM PHOTO tion and asking for a drink of water (verse 7). He goes on to describe to her a form of “living water” that will quench her inner thirst for fulfillment and meaning in life.

Like Nicky, she struggles to understand the spiritual meaning until Jesus reveals his true identity. She believes and runs back to town to tell everyone about her life-changing discovery.

The main lesson we can learn from “Naughty” is that no one is so bad that they are denied entry into God’s kingdom, if they are willing to turn from their sins and turn to the Savior in genuine faith.

So, who do you identify with? I identify with Nicky, since I was raised in a Christian family that attended church regularly and taught me to lead a moral life. As a teenager, I finally realized that my morality and religiosity could not save me and that I needed Jesus as my personal Savior as much as anyone else. Remember, my friend, that when it comes to life’s most important decision, no one is too good or too bad. Jesus waits with open arms for each of us to come humbly and honestly to him in repentance and faith. And when we do, we too will experience the joy of entering God’s kingdom, just like Nicky and Naughty. ♦ Pastor Rob Weatherby served congregations in Nova Scotia and Ontario over the last 40 years.

SUMMER continued from Page 14 A study by Stats Canada found that nearly seventy percent of Canadians participate in one or more outdoor activities.

“I spend a lot of time playing soccer, which is all outside and about 5 hours a week,” said Julia Treemer, 12. “And we go into our pool often. I am also going to a camp, which is really fun.”

“I look forward to summer break because I get more time to spend with my family. It's also warm enough to open my pool which I enjoy using,” said Laura Schaefer.

Shaefer expressed how, like the majority of kids, she’s always excited for school to end so she can have two months off from study.

Summer is different for everyone. Some go on big trips, spend time outdoors or continue loved traditions with family. Adrien Rittner enjoyed camping when he was younger and continues to cherish the experience with his family.

“When I was younger I looked forward to summer break because there was no school, you had lots of freedom, camping, canoeing, baseball and fishing. I would spend all my time outdoors and was only inside to eat and sleep.” said Rittner, “Summer break was always way too short for me and my friends.”

Past and present, summer has always been a time for fun activities, new experiences, connecting with friends and family and a time to make memories that will last forever. ♦

Julia Tremeer practicing soccer. SUPPLIED PHOTO

ANSWERS ON PAGE 10

Page 12

The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

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Places of Worship and Events Bethany Christian Reformed Church 1040 Balfour St., Fenwick

First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., Fenwick

Glad Tidings Church of God 1 Pancake Lane, Fonthill

Pelham Evangelical Friends Church 940 Haist St., Fonthill

Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill

Fonthill Baptist Church 1414 Pelham St., Fonthill

Holy Trinity Anglican Church 1557 Pelham Street, Fonthill

Ridgeville Bible Chapel 418 Canboro Rd., Ridgeville

Fenwick Church of Christ 765 Welland Rd., Fenwick

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

Kirk on the Hill Presbyterian Church 1344 Haist St., Fonthill

St. Alexander’s Roman Catholic Church 50 Pelham Town Sq., Fonthill

Fenwick United Church 1050 Church St., Fenwick

Fonthill United Church 42 Church Hill, Fonthill

Pelham Community Church (United Church of Canada) 461 Canboro Rd., Fenwick

St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church 834 Canboro Rd., Fenwick

Page 14

The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

A Little Book About Us

O

UR CHILDHOOD DEFINES OUR personalit y. It shapes who we become.

When Vilma Moretti had grandchildren, she realized that her childhood and theirs were worlds apart. They had absolutely no idea what life was like for Vilma when she was their age. Theirs was a world of computers, iPods, cellphones, texting, Instagram, and YouTube. Vilma thought that when they were grown they might be interested to know what it was like for other generations to grow up. She started collecting recollections—her own, and those of some of the many people she met every day while running Keith’s Restaurant, her family’s business at the intersection of Pelham Street and Highway 20, in Fonthill. The result was, “A Little Book About Us,” published in 2009, from which this series is excerpted. Keith’s is gone, but the stories remain.

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A look at summertime, then and now

BY MEGAN METLER

Special to the VOICE

Editor's note: In a break this week from our usual feature, we diverge from Vilma Moretti's book to present a current account of what summer means for local youth. Author Megan Metler was born in 2005, and will enter Notre Dame College School this autumn.

“Kids today spend half as much time outside as their parents did,” said a recent survey by the National Trust in the U.K. “If I have plans to go to my friend's house, I'm usually outside more then inside,” said Laura Shaefer, 15.

“But on a regular day where I'm home for the majority of the time, I would say I'm inside more than outside.”

Is it true that during summer break students spend more time indoors?

Many people are outside enjoying the beautiful weather that this hot season brings.

Logan Stankus and his tractor at his family farm.

The sun is out and the flowers are in full bloom, but not everyone spends their time outdoors.

In a meta-study—or re-

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view of other studies—published in the government of Canada’s Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention (HPCDP) Journal, researchers examined physical activity or lack of it for ages 3 and up.

One conclusion? “The majority of children do not meet current physical activity guidelines and spend most of their days engaged in sedentary behaviour.”

The article also concluded that for over 40 percent of youth, walking on local streets accounted for the greatest proportion of their daily activity spent outdoors.

This has not always been the case. Residents of Lookout Ridge retirement community recall their summer vacations when they were around the age of 13.

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“I helped my father on the farm. I mostly worked outside all day long,” said Fred Humpfries.

Elizabeth Heddema recalled how her family, which included her parents and their ten children, would listen to the radio for music and plays.

“We also went to the cinema. It had a balcony and fancy chairs. We all got dressed up and I would always wear a dress,” added Heddema. “During the summer we walked and biked a lot, we also went to the library to get books."

For Logan Stankus, a 14-year-old student, summer is a busy season of hard work.

“Summer is a busy time on my farm so I work for most of the summer—what I do is cut, rake and bale hay and work fields,” said Stankus. “And when I have a few days to spare I go up to our cottage and ride my dirt bike, drive my boat and hang out with friends and family.”

Pelham is equipped with many summer activities readily available to students. The Pelham Pool, parks and camps are some examples.

Hiking and backpacking were ranked the most popular summer activities among students in 2018 by Stats Canada.

See SUMMER Page 11

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The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

Page 15

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The Voice of Pelham, July 31 2019

COLUMN SIX

continued from Page 1 moments of bliss were competing, however, against his needs to breastfeed constantly and to be held till nearly midnight every night. Nights consisted of momentary relief when my baby finally fell into a deep sleep in my arms, followed by near tears on my part at having to choose between competing priorities: go to bed immediately for 30 minutes of sleep, or get ready for bed, leaving me with only 20 minutes of sleep.

I dreaded this decision. It seemed cruel that I had to choose.

My firstborn was, without a doubt, a baby who spit-up a lot.

However, the conventional wisdom at the time, reinforced by my professional training, was that spit-ups were laundry problems, not medical problems. And so I soldiered on, assuming this was what “they” were talking about when they said you’ll be tired. I occasionally filled out infant reflux checklists, which had the same questions that I asked parents themselves to fill out when they came to me for their appointments. I ruled out reflux repeatedly based on a “lack of empirical evidence,” despite my nagging feeling that something wasn’t right.

I trusted the checklists more than my own instincts. I hadn’t had to rely on instincts to assess a baby before. But I hadn’t had to do this as a mom before either.

These early days were relentlessly exhausting —and the fatigue did nothing for my lofty, if naive, goals to learn to play guitar or do something else in addition to mothering during my maternity leave.

I focused on attachment-based strategies of nurturing and meeting the need —strategies that are foundational for any baby, but perhaps even more critical (albeit less fruitful early on) for babies in pain. But I still wanted to figure out if this was a problem: was this the normal sleep challenges of a typical baby? Or was this something more?

The challenge of solving sleep issues in infancy is complex. On one hand, there is a general sense that babies who do not sleep well

need to be trained to do so. On the other hand, when mothers express concern that there is something wrong, they are often dismissed by health care professionals as worrying over normal baby behaviour—first-time mothers are particularly vulnerable to being dismissed. Add the reality that babies do wake up often, and we have a situation where parents feel they are creating sleep problems and that they are worrying over nothing. All of these approaches miss the point entirely: babies are biologically driven to wake up often. And some babies who wake up often are waking up because they are not feeling right.

In our case, I was grateful to have training in infant mental health and I knew that, at the very least, it was reasonable to focus on all of the responsive and nurturing parenting strategies I could. Unfortunately, none of the strategies for helping my baby sleep worked, because they were not designed to explore underlying health issues like reflux.

Infant sleep (or the lack thereof) is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges of early parenthood.

A Google search of “How do I get my baby...” comes back with four of the top five hits related to sleep.

The only one that isn’t about sleep is “How do I get my baby into modeling.” Those babies must finally have drifted off to sleep and their cherubic faces are begging to be in a magazine.

I have come to believe that infant sleep does not need to be as tough as it is. That even with medical issues underlying sleep, there are cultural factors and sleep myths that make sleep deprivation with a baby more challenging than it needs to be. We tend to believe babies should be sleeping through the night (and falling asleep on their own) much sooner than research suggests. When they don’t sleep through the night we believe that we are making mistakes and that we need to “do something” to fix this. We believe babies are supposed to develop sleep skills at an even pace and never slide backwards on this march towards independent sleep. We believe we need to control our child’s sleep —that somehow we are in charge of “making” them fall asleep. We believe meeting their need for

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First-time mothers are particularly vulnerable to being dismissed

support at bedtime (whether at 6 weeks or 6 years) develops bad habits. We believe in the “slippery slope” theory of child development: that if we make a choice to meet the need, our children will never leave our bed, never sleep independently, and have a sleep disorder as an adult.

So what can replace these myths? If I could go back and wrap my arms around my new-mama self, I would share with her that: 1. Babies have two fundamental sleep needs. These needs are to be close to mama and to wake up often. These aren’t negotiable needs. Trying to eliminate or speed through these needs is like trying to time travel. Theoretically it sounds nice (and I do love science fiction), but there are consequences to skipping out on nature’s plans. Sharing a room with baby for at least the first six months (and ideally 12 months) are the current guidelines.

2. Mama instincts count for a lot. Although it can feel overwhelming, and we feel the confusion of messages that conflict with our instincts, our instincts can often guide us.

3. Support makes all the difference. When we can’t hear our instincts over the background noise of cultural messages or maternal anxiety and depression, a single supportive person can make all the difference. We need someone who will listen, who empathizes, and who can see the whole picture and help us navigate.

4. Time in nature makes sleep better —indeed, makes everything feel better. What has become so clear through my parenting journey is everyone in our family sleeps more soundly when we are

Sure, I'm adorable now...but see how you like me around 3 AM.

camping: we pay attention to the rhythms of nature, and we fall in sync with that. With no electricity, no screen, and very little artificial light, we can reset our sleep rhythms and eliminate some of the factors that make sleep complicated.

5. You are not screwing this up.

Meeting your baby’s needs is not destroying your child’s chance at healthy sleep.

6. This is a 1000-day project.

It’s easy to get caught up in trying to solve sleep problems tonight. To think that how our baby sleeps today is indicative of how they will sleep in three years. It doesn’t work that way. This is a multi-year project of mistakes and learning, infant development and mama personal growth. Taking the long, slow path allows us to truly lean in to the need at this moment, without fear or reservation.

7. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it, even if this doesn’t meet the expectations of extended family, friends, or the latest book on sleep training.

8. If it’s not working, change it.

If what is happening is frustrating and leaves you feeling resentful, then it’s time to look at changing

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it. Make the changes needed to respect everyone’s needs, including your own.

9. Little pieces of self-care adds up. Self-care does not need to be a day at the spa, or a girls’ weekend away. Find as many ways during the day to catch a moment of selfcare to fill your cup. Taking a slow deep breath before heading out the door, enjoy the moment (even if it is a minute) to prepare a hot tea before babe wakes up. By living in the present and enjoying what is immediately in front of you, it may be easier to relish it in a way that allows you to sustain the feeling of peace and balance.

10. Be the Mama Bear: If your gut is telling you there is something interfering with your baby’s sleep, listen. Even if it whispers uncertainly in the middle of the night. Don’t let your brain get in your way on this one.

Now, nine years later, I have a bright, and empathetic kiddo who...drum roll, please...sleeps well. He prefers to stay up “late,” wishes he had his own room, and, if nighttime family reading lasts too long, he will say, “I’m tired. I want to fall to sleep now.” Magic words to a mama who was worried my kiddo would never sleep. ♦

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