The Voice, June 19 2019

$10K writing prize page 3 Kinsmen student awards page 13 Air Race Classic lands in Pelham page 19 EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

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Bandshell concerts return

Column Six

Arson avoided Early Raptors firing nearly sees lawn torched

BY JOHN CHICK

Special to the VOICE

I BACK IN ACTION The Fonthill Bandshell Summer Concert Series premieres this week in its regular Peace Park venue. So too begins the time-honoured tradition of staking-out seating, with patrons often arriving in the wee hours of the morning to make their claims on a patch of lawn, as seen in this eerie image from last July. Has Fonthill suddenly been evacuated? No, it's just a summer Thursday behind Town Hall.

DON RICKERS PHOTO

Season starter: Surfin' Safari Get ready to have some, “Fun, Fun, Fun,” when, “Surfin’ Safari: The Ultimate Beach Party Show,” comes to the Fonthill Bandshell.

Presented by Bill Culp Productions, “Surfin’ Safari” features the music of Jimmy Buffett, Frankie Avalon, The Ventures, Jan & Dean, and of course, the legend-

ary Beach Boys. Song highlights include “Surfer Girl,” “Margaritaville,” “Venus,” “Wipeout,” “Little Old Lady from Pasadena,” “Good Vibrations,” “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere,” “Walk Don’t Run,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “Kokomo,” and of course, “Surfin’ USA,” amongst the many audience favourites.

The show starts this Thursday at 7 PM and goes until 9.

There is no cover charge but donations are appreciated to allow the the committee to continue to bring you concerts each week. This week’s sponsor is Lookout Ridge Retirement Community. For more information visit www. fonthillbandshell.com

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N T HE M ID 1990s I mowed grass for an affluent man in Fonthill who was friends with my father. This gentleman told me he had a neighbour who was related to the then-co-owner of the Toronto Raptors. Around about 1997, this owner became ensnared in a power struggle over control of the team with the Raptors’ founding general manager, Isiah Thomas.

Thomas was an NBA superstar for the Detroit Pistons in the 1980s, leading them to two NBA championships. In the early days of the Raptors in the ‘90s, Thomas was the fledgling franchise’s face, an apparent beacon of credibility for a team that had named itself after the “Jurassic Park” movie craze, and featured a large purple cartoon dinosaur as its logo. So, when said owner won the power struggle and forced Thomas out, a slackjawed local youth (me) debated See COLUMN SIX Page 12

Page 2

The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

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NRPS impaired driving charges

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

by Dave Burket

The $10,000 man, and the $50 million dollar tour

T

HERE IS MUCH TO MENTION this week, between some award-winning Piccolos and a Voice tour of the CannTrust cannabis operation in Fenwick, but before that...Time to suck it up, Buttercup: In our story last week about Willowbrook Nurseries’ generosity in providing new trees for downtown Fenwick, we mentioned that the firm had also contributed to the gas lamps installed as part of the village’s revitalization. My kingdom for a comma!

This was based on what turned out to be a misreading of a 2015 news release from the Town, in which both Willowbrook and Young Sod Farms seemed to be credited. An appropriately placed comma would have illuminated the matter more clearly.

For the record, those handsome gas lamps are 100% the doing of Young Sod Farms...Dropping barriers: In late May the Town quietly removed one of the three glass panels it had installed in January at its main reception counter in Town Hall. The centre panel was taken out on May 22 after staff determined that there wasn’t enough ledge space for visitors who needed to write. “We needed to experiment with the glass and how we can serve our residents best,” said Interim CAO Teresa Quinlin. “It is a work in progress. We have now found the right balance between glass and open space.” Two visitor chairs have also been added in front of the counter, which Quinlin said seniors particularly appreciate...Articles and photos: Special thanks to readers Brian Garrard and David Ripley for dropping off items of interest—news clips from Garrard, and 1963 Welland Airport photos from Ripley. On that topic, the airport, now named the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling

Airport, plays host this week to the finish of the Air Race Classic, the descendant of the Women’s Air Derby, started in 1929. This is the first time that the competition has finished at the Pelham field (story, page 19)...

Another first: This Thursday sees the start of the Fonthill Bandshell Summer Concert Series. I’ve kept that front page photo squirreled away for nearly a year, waiting for the right moment to run it. It certainly provides proof—if anyone needed it at this point—of the series’ popularity.

Don’t forget to drop a dollar or five into the fundraising bucket as it goes around…Plump and sweet: “Considering how wet it’s been, the berries are fantastic,” says Dan DeVries, of his family farm’s strawberry crop.

The samples I managed to scarf down during Saturday’s Strawberry Social were indeed mighty fine. Pick your own was to start this Monday, but DeVries suggests calling ahead to ensure that conditions are right...Sober thoughts from a sensible writer: Our regular Column Six contributor Colin Brezicki offers up something different this week, a commentary (page 4) on the recently rekindled abortion discussion (or non-discussion, as some would have it). It’s a thoughtful piece and well worth your time...

Upcoming: Accipter Radar holds an open house at the community centre this Friday, 1-3 PM. Ruffin's Pets is holding their long-delayed, official grand opening on Saturday (ad on page 10). Lookout Retirement Community holds its annual Strawberry Social this Thursday (ad on page 14).

And while you're at Ruffin's, stop next door at PharmaChoice Pharmacy's sidewalk sale, also on Saturday (ad on page 8). What does a pharmacy sell at a sidewalk sale? I'm curious, too.

The Voice's Kathryn Hrycusko and Dave Burket prepare to tour CannTrust's cannabis operation in Fenwick last week. The suits were to protect the plants, not the people. MEGHAN BEATTIE PHOTO

The $10,000 man

gy to get excited about anything. But I was certainly as pleased as I could have been. You enter these things and never really expect to win anything.”

I asked Sam whether the award changed his outlook on journalism vs. academia as a career.

“No, not really. I enjoyed working as a full-time journalist but was ready to depart when I did. I'd like to return to some sort of journalistic work—ideally freelance magazine writing—at some point, but for now I'm happy to be in graduate school. I don't see academia and journalism as being as distinct as many others do.”

When asked whether he had plans for the loot, he said he’d probably buy his mother an extra-special birthday present this year.

In his essay, Sam alludes to the difficulty that a small paper like the Voice now has in hiring reporters.

Indeed, we’re still on the hunt for a permanent, full-time staff writer.

The stumbling block is what we can

You’ve likely already glanced to the right and seen the headline on page 3. Yes, our man Sam, now off at grad school in Indiana—becoming steadily more American by the month, I fear—managed to snag himself $10,000 and a bronze medal by winning this year’s Dalton Camp Award, in an essay competition organized by the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, an organization I’d never heard of either, so you’re not alone. I asked Sam how he’d become aware of the group, and the competition.

“My father first alerted me to it in the fall of 2016,” he said. “I submitted an essay that year, but didn't win. I more or less forgot about it in 2017, and then my mom reminded me last fall and suggested that I write something about my year at the Voice.”

Sam barely made the December deadline, he said, and thinks he was at school when he received an email informing him of his win.

“I had a terrible fever that week and frankly didn't have enough ener-

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The Niagara Regional Police Service is committed to reducing impaired driving offences through education and the apprehension of offenders through enforcement programs like RIDE. Impaired driving is still the leading cause of criminal deaths in Canada and destroys thousands of lives every year.

The

NICHOLS

The Scott Family in Aruba with their copy of The Voice!

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.

Katrina L. NIMETH, 25, St. Catharines Lindsay R. MOLNAR, 24, Welland Alexandra D. DEVITO, 24, Grimsby Leo KUZNICKI, 56, Buffalo NY Clayton D. DONER, 33, Niagara Falls Matthew A. SHARPE, 23, Port Colborne George D. LAFANTAISIE, 55, Welland Thomas C. THIN, 43, St. Catharines Jake C. WOODS, 24, Dunnville

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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, June 19 2019

Page 3

Former Voice staffer wins $10,000 writing prize Sam Piccolo awarded for essay recounting his time reporting at the paper

BY VOICE STAFF The 2019 Dalton Camp Award has been given to Sam Piccolo, former full-time staffer at the Voice.

Consisting of a $10,000 cash prize and a bronze cast medal, the award was made for Piccolo's essay, "A Sleepless Year in a Sleepy Town," which recalls his experiences while writing for the newspaper in 2017 and 2018.

The Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, an organization that advocates for journalism and democracy, created the award in 2002 to honor the memory of Dalton Camp, a journalist, political strategist, and commentator.

The Dalton Camp Award is offered annually to the Canadian whose essay best describes how the media influences Canadian democracy.

See this week's Publisher's Corner, page 2, for comments from Piccolo on his win.

The essay appears at right, with minor edits for clarity and to match Voice style.

A Sleepless Year in a Sleepy Town I have three stories beginning with the weather, and a single observation, despite the forecast

I

One.

t’s winter, a couple of years ago, and there is a great snowstorm. My university is closed. I am nearing the end of my final year, and I have a handful of essays to be writing and projects to be researching. But it is an unexpected day off, and I do not want to work. Sitting by the fire at home, I flip through the community newspaper lying on a nearby table.

I don’t usually read this paper. I think that real news only appears in big dailies, that local rags are populated by whackedout letters to the editor, grousing over minor slights, and announcements about linen sales at the Legion. Serious people don’t read these things. What is there to learn in a sleepy place?

This day, though, I see an article by a since-departed native of the town, critiquing its sensibilities. I am irritated by the arguments. I think they’re wrong. I think about this all day, as I’m shovelling snow, not doing schoolwork. At night I

CONVERSATION CIRCLE for SAY IT! On Stage TOPIC: PHOTOGRAPHS & MEMORIES TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 10:30AM - 12:00PM FREE ADMISSION, LIGHT SNACKS & REFRESHMENTS MERIDIAN COMMUNITY CENTRE - ACTIVE LIVING LOUNGE Ages 55+ www.pelham.ca/sayitonstage Register at the Meridian Community Centre Contact Jodi Hendriks Culture & Community Enhancement Programmer 905-892-2607 ext 341 The Town of Pelham gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Niagara Community Foundation, which is a public foundation serving the people of Niagara. The Foundation builds permanently endowed charitable funds for the changing need and opportunities of the community and provides grants to eligible charitable organizations in culture, health, education, environment, recreation and social service sectors.

can’t sleep. I open my laptop and hammer out a response. I send it to the publisher.

It appears the next week: my first piece in print.

I used to think that the paper did little more than photograph the cutest children around. In my mind, it existed to cover egg hunts and recount the local hockey team’s latest exploits. It does those things, but it also does so much more. I learn that nearly everything I thought about community papers is wrong.

I am pleasantly surprised that the paper in my town has something of a frosty relationship with Town Hall, which isn’t enthused when its visions and revisions for a new community centre are subjected to real, critical coverage.

Having met with the publisher, I learn that people relish this uncompromising local coverage. Nearly six in 10 adults read community newspapers, while just 41 percent read dailies, according to the publisher’s sources, while somewhere

around 32 percent of adults read nothing but community newspapers. In Ontario, at least, weekday readers of local community newspapers exceed those tuning in to all radio stations, and most people who read these papers read nearly every issue— thoroughly.

I learn that about half of Canada’s local papers are owned locally, which now makes much more sense. These papers make a real difference to life in town—it stands to reason that local citizens would invest to keep them afloat. The one in my town is still owned by residents, still held by the same 50 investors (or their heirs) who each pitched in $1,000 to launch the paper decades ago. Local ownership also provides independence. Larger regional papers seem to be swapping owners regularly, from Torstar to Postmedia to Osprey—each new parent company yoking the subsidiaries to its own trajectory.

See SLEEPY Page 10

Canada Day in Pelham Monday, July 1, 2019 Harold Black park 3 p.m.

Join us for children’s activities, parade, live music, contests, free birthday cake, and of course, FIREWORKS (10:15 p.m.). All activities will take place at Harold Black Park this year.

For a full schedule of Canada Day events visit: www.pelham.ca/canada-day or call 905-892-2607 x352

Page 4

The Voice of Pelham, June 19 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 Colin Brzezcki An unfinished conversation

I

’VE NEVER MET Sam Oosterhoff but I know about him. A remarkably young MP representing Niagara West, he’s become notorious for his steel-trap views against abortion.

I don’t share his convictions, being rather of the opinion that women should lead the conversation about their reproductive rights. As Margaret Atwood recently stated, pro-lifers at their most rigid would enslave women and fill the orphanages. They would also take women back to the days of back alleys, coat hangers and Lysol.

But I still listen to what moderate pro-lifers have to say, if only to come away more enlightened about my own pro-choice leanings.

As John Stuart Mill remarked, “He who knows only his side of the case knows little of that.”

When Oosterhoff pledged at a pro-life rally to make abortion “unthinkable” he made it clear that he has no interest in hearing the other side.

“Unthinkable” pretty well means abortion should be out of sight and out of mind, erased from memo-

ry. “Unthinkable” is worse than “unspeakable,” which is bad enough. Don’t mention the A-word. Don’t even think about it.

That shuts down any discussion in a hurry.

"Unthinkable" is worse than "unspeakable," which is bad enough

On the other side, Jennifer Botari, whose opposition to Oosterhoff has, unsurprisingly, gone viral on social media, said she wasn’t especially upset that he didn’t address an angry crowd of protestors in Grimsby last month.

“I don’t have much interest in what he has to say,” she remarked.

I’m reminded of the prison camp warden in Cool Hand Luke, the Captain, ex-

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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, Rob Weatherby NEWS INQUIRIES & TIPS editor@thevoiceofpelham.ca LETTERS TO THE EDITOR letters@thevoiceofpelham.ca ADVERTISING INQUIRIES advertising@thevoiceofpelham.ca

plaining why Luke must be punished: “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” This was his way of explaining why Luke must be made example of for not following the prison’s code of conduct.

Recently the feminist writer and academic, Camille Paglia, already shamed for three decades worth of unorthodox views on men, sex, abortion and assault, was embroiled in a failure to communicate at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts. Paglia was invited to talk on sexual multiplicity in western art. But some students decided such an invitation was “unthinkable”—Paglia’s ideas aren’t just controversial, they’re dangerous, and her books shouldn’t even be sold on campus. Students demanded she be de-platformed, fired, and replaced by “a queer person of colour.”

That Paglia self-identifies as transgender was evidently insufficient qualification to speak to the topic.

The University Arts president, David Yager, acknowledging Paglia’s intelligence, academic qualifications, acclaimed publications, and See CENSORSHIP Page 6

Letters Important to hear all sides Some individuals have opinions about religion and whether or not those who agree or perhaps disagree should be allowed to have a representative in government.

I will try to be less long-winded here than some. There are several misunderstandings that need to be addressed.

Our word "religion" comes from the Latin word religare, which loosely means bound or tied to. We all have a set of beliefs we hold to as we mature from children into adulthood.

For most, these are not written down but we generally make decisions based on those unwritten ideas that we have "bound" our-

selves to. That set of beliefs could be called our religion. It is our belief system.

Others have organized their beliefs and have written them down, some thousands of years ago, and a few others for much less time than that.

Most democratic countries have also a set of beliefs such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech or expression of beliefs, freedom to pick or reject a government by elections, freedom of association, etc.

On the other hand, many parts of the See ALL SIDES 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

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

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

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Members of Pelham Town Council

Member of Provincial Parliament

Electoral District: Niagara West

Gilberts Flowers

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

754 Welland Rd, Fenwick www.gilbertsflowers.ca 905-892-2433

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

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Councillor John Wink jwink@pelham.ca 905-892-4475

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Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun lhaun@pelham.ca 905-892-2607

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Councillor Bob Hildebrandt bhildebrandt@pelham.ca 905-892-5647

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The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

Page 5

OPINION Spray cost decision "discriminatory"

Allison using Trump tactics

I thoroughly appreciated the informative letter about the gypsy moth situation from Mr. Ashdown in the May 29 issue of the Voice. Thanks to him for taking the time to research this matter and contributing such thoughtful insight to the debate.

May I begin by saying in my opinion Councillor Kore is absolutely correct and Mayor Junkin is dead wrong. This is a community issue and it is fundamentally wrong to require a small number of households to pay ten times what would be payable if the costs were shared by the whole community.

The Mayor seems to base his decision to dump these costs on the selected residents not on the basis of what is fair or responsible, but on the number of complaints. Such a condescending attitude! Can the Mayor explain why I am compelled to contribute to the cost of the community centre, which I never use, or any other facilities in the town that are used by some but not by others? The answer is simple: this is a community and we are all expected to bear our share of the costs of making the community better. This decision by council is deeply divisive and is not in the best interest of the community as a whole.

This infestation is not the fault of the landowners included in the spray program. They should not be punished and treated as if they are responsible for the need to spray.

If the Mayor and other councillors agree that this decision should be based on the number of complaints from affected landowners, perhaps these landowners should show up en masse at the next council meeting following receipt of their bills to let the Mayor and rest of council know how they feel about this discriminatory action by the Town.

Mr. Mayor, shame on you and the rest of council who saw fit to make this unfair, discriminatory decision.

George V. Demery Fonthill

I have just read the very negative and misleading Spring 2019 newsletter from MP Dean Allison. I believe Mr. Allison, like every Canadian, has a right to express his opinions. However, as a member of Parliament, he provides no balance in his writings. Since he represents our community should he not represent all the citizens—not just his Conservative base?

On page one of his newsletter he refers to the new carbon tax as another bite out of my pocket, however he cleverly forgets to mention that the taxes imposed on industry are rebated back to each household. In my mind, the idea of a carbon tax is imposed on industry to force them to reduce emissions that are harmful to the planet.

Perhaps there are better ways to control pollution, however Mr. Allison should tell us how that can be accomplished.

Outside of the United States most of the advanced countries seem to agree with a carbon tax. It should be obvious to most people that we will eventually buy fuel-efficient vehicles as a result of high fuel taxes—whether it’s a carbon tax or any other fuel tax. Since

ALL SIDES

continued from previous page world have rule by dictators or in many cases tyrants. It is in those countries that all the freedoms we hold dear are stifled.

Now if we start saying that an individual or a group cannot or should not talk about their beliefs in public, what are we advocating? Even if a majority does not agree with us, are we supposed to quit talking about our beliefs?

If that idea was true, then have we not started walking down the road of tyrants and evil dictators?

It seems that a letter writer or two have, hopefully unintentionally, suggested that very idea.

I hope not. It is in the expression of many points of view that positive change takes place.

Charles Pedley Fonthill

Mr. Allison brings into play the Province of Ontario in his newsletter, it is my understanding that the net cost per household for 2019 of the federal carbon tax—which Ford calls the “worst tax ever”—will be approximately $44.

I am perplexed by Mr. Allison’s remarks about how the Liberals have negotiated massive exemptions for Canada’s largest emitters. Please inform the readers of this newspaper who they are, so we can individually or collectively write each of them protest letters—or, still better, stop using their products.

Mr. Allison and his Conservative colleagues paint a picture of our Prime Minister as being rich and out of touch with ordinary Canadians, yet Mr. Trudeau has spent more time talking unscripted to more ordinary Canadians in one month than Mr. Harper did in one year. The Trump tactics that are being employed by Mr. Allison and his colleagues are regrettable if not shameful. By the way, I do not agree with everything our Prime Minister does, however I find he is more transparent then the other parties with the exception of the Green Party.

Pt. Colborne quarry issue could affect water quality for all Word is spreading around the region about Port Colborne Quarries’ (PCQ) request for a site alteration permit for Pit 1 at Highways 3 and 140.

PCQ has asked for permission to fill the pit with “excess soil, excess spoil, excess excavated construction materials and clean inert fill,” rather than allow-

ing it to fill with water and become a natural passive lake, as many had assumed would happen since the current site plan agreement for the property stipulates that Pit 1 be rehabilitated in a manner that is “compatible" with the rehabilitation of Pits 2 and 3.

The Aggregate Resources Act of 1990 requires that

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any operator agrees to rehabilitate to a natural state, any quarry that is no longer being mined. Passive lake is the method of choice when the pit goes well into the aquifer, as does Pit 1 by 8 meters. (Options for dry quarries include parks, golf courses, and agriculture.)

Pit 1 however was exhausted long before any legisla-

tion was passed governing what was to be done with exhausted open pit mines, and therefore this law does not directly apply.

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In terms of the SNC Lavalin affair, which Mr. Allison calls a scandal, it all started under the auspices of the Harper government. We will hear the truth regarding this matter through the courts. I would have preferred to have SNC admit guilt and pay a fine rather than costing Canadian taxpayers court costs. I agree with Mr. Allison about the loss of two significant players—Wilson-Raybould and Philpott. It will be interesting to see what they do as independents.

In terms of raising taxes—a “Liberal Go-To” in Mr. Allison’s words— Mr. Allison goes further and says the Prime Minister just does not understand the importance of fiscal responsibility. Painting the Prime Minister as fiscally feckless is a key Conservative argument, but on taxation, it doesn’t stand up. My reference is https://www. cbc.ca/news/polit ics/trudeau-ta xes-harper-budget-1.5164976. I am not an economist, however I believe this report from CBC, even though it is an institution the Conservatives would like to abolish.

Art Woodruff Fonthill

905-892-5002 1428 Pelham St. 905-892-1414

1428 Pelham Street, Fonthill www.drkensawatzky.com

Page 6

The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

Letters

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

continued

Newton and Darwin would have seen eye-to-eye In the June 12 edition of the Voice, Pastor Rob Weatherby posed the question, “Can you be a serious student of science and a committed Christian at the same time?” He states, without firsthand quotes, that Isaac Newton and seven other prominent scientists believed in “a created and ordered universe.” Unfortunately, all eight are long since deceased and cannot speak for themselves.

Significantly, Pastor Weatherby did not include Charles Darwin in this group of prominent scientists.

Darwin was a Christian when he embarked, as a naturalist, on a global five-year exploratory voyage aboard HMS Beagle (1831- 1836). During these years he gained an intimate knowledge of the geology, fauna and flora of many lands.

These observations led Darwin to doubt the Biblical account of the creation of the world as described in Genesis. He recognized that the geological record indicated that the earth was millions of years old, that the

QUARRY

continued from previous page tario Ministry of the Environment technically calls “excess soil.” Normally, and rightly, they would have to apply to change the site plan that covers the property, automatically triggering impact studies and public information meetings, but has PCQ found a back door?

The Ontario Municipal Act of 2001 allows a municipali-

fossils of extinct species were found in the rocks, and that closely related species, evolving from a common

Scientists' beliefs derive from data collected by observation and experimentation

ancestor, occupied different niches.

(Darwin’s finches. Galapagos Conservation Trust).

The data compiled by Darwin led him to formulate his great scientific

ty to prohibit or regulate the placing or dumping of fill, prohibit or regulate the alteration of the grade of the land, and importantly, apply conditions to said permits without studies and public input (so that small changes such as putting in a vegetable garden could be done with some, but not too much red tape.)

It is well within the City of Port Colborne’s power to require PCQ to honour its agreement to restore Pit 1

CENSORSHIP

continued from Page 4 decades of outstanding teaching, resisted the students’ demands. He reminded them they came to university to learn, not to dictate how the place should be run. Paglia’s right to share her well-considered ideas superseded the students’ fanciful right to shut her down. If they found her views out of lockstep with their own, all the more reason for them to listen to her, then maybe challenge her ideas with the intellectual rigour and courageous inquiry they had supposedly come to university to develop.

But the students didn’t have much interest in what Yager had to say either.

Rigour and inquiry are always what’s needed to examine and deflate views we find repugnant or wrong—not just different from our own.

If we simply censor such views, as journalist John Robson argued recently in his address to the Justice Committee on hate speech, we drive them underground, “into dank basements and ugly chat rooms where they breed and multiply unchecked.” Censorship cuts the rattle off the snake without removing the

Applauds Cannabis Committee contributions, “The Origin of Species

by Means of Natural Selection,” published in 1859, and, “Descent of Man and Selection in Relationship to Sex,” published in 1871. He postulated that the human race derived from a hairy animal, which also gave rise to the chimpanzee, orangutan, and gorilla.

Darwin’s insight has been vindicated

by DNA data. Chimpanzees, our closest living relative, have a DNA genome that differs from ours by a mere 1.2 % (The Smithsonian Institution’s Human Origins Program).

Scientists’ beliefs derive from data collected by observation and experimentation. Isaac Newton (1642-1727), a brilliant scientist, was not alive during Darwin’s days. He would have been convinced by overwhelming evidence that the human race resulted from an evolutionary process driven by natural selection. The alternative view is found in Genesis: “Male and female created he them.”

Alan Bown Fonthill

to a natural state, but the request from PCQ effectively frees them from this obligation without technically having to change the original site plan (which would automatically trigger close scrutiny by multiple agencies).

Here's why this might be a recipe for disaster. PCQ's plan proposes that only one in every 50 trucks be sampled, and that sample (about a cup full) be tested for a handful of contaminants

fangs, he said.

It can also raise the profile of the censored idea or individual. Take the student mob’s attempt to silence Jordan Peterson at the University of Toronto. It totally backfired, helping transform him from a largely obscure psychology professor into a celebrity and best-selling author on the world lecture circuit.

Robson alludes to John Stuart Mill’s belief that if we blithely accept any orthodoxy it quickly becomes stale dogma, and not a living truth. Examining and challenging ideas we don’t agree with can make us aware that the topic isn’t as simple or straightforward as the slogans suggest. Shutting down inquiry only empowers the slogan if it’s repeated often enough.

It sounds right, therefore it is.

Abortion and women’s reproductive rights are multi-faceted, nuanced and complex. Far from being black and white issues, they involve a lot of grey matter.

Religion is a constraint for many.

Oosteroff is pro-life because the position aligns with his religious beliefs. We regard religious freedom itself as an inalienable right, but it offers only the right to practise, not to proselytize. A creed doesn’t entitle anyone to impose their con-

from a list of hundreds, potentially thousands, provided by the Ministry of the Environment. (Incidentally, this list is outdated and does not include many newer potential contaminants) The decision as to which trucks would be selected, and which chemicals would be targeted, would be made at the receiving site by someone hired by PCQ. This leaves wide open the potential for inadvertent con-

straints on others. Or to break the law.

Same with culture. There are those that, for reasons best understood by themselves, consider

Is there anything in place to prevent abortion on demand from leeching into a kind of eugenics?

a female fetus to be less desirable than a male one. Is there anything in place to prevent abortion on demand from leeching into a kind of eugenics?

Finally, there’s the nagging issue of when life actually begins. Is it at the moment of conception? In the third month? Sixth? At what point in a pregnancy does abortion move next door to infanticide? The I-word.

Well seeing that where I live we didn't have one day with fresh air this week. We are caught between both factories. Every day that stench from Foss Road or Balfour filled our home. It is at the point where you can't even open your windows. This council needs to shut them down until they fix their air polluting control problem.

Janet Snelgrove Via Facebook

Cannabis production far from green It is important to examine results of cannabis production. Cannabis production is not environmentally friendly. It produces high amounts of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide affects oxygen and increases the Greenhouse Effect. Added to this known fact are others such as high water consumption. Whether surface or deep well, the results may mean a shortage for the community. Usage of high-intensity lamps, dehumidifiers, air conditioners consume significant amounts of electricity. Simply put, pot production is far from green. Except for those few with dark green money in their pockets.

Louise Morgan Fonthill

tamination of the extremely vulnerable aquifer, which spans the entire southern Niagara Peninsula, and well into New York and Pennsylvania. Thousands of Niagara residents and farmers alone get their drinking and irrigation water from this aquifer.

Could we be sued by people as far away as New York or Pennsylvania if something goes wrong?

The Niagara Regional government so far has left

I don’t know, but it’s a question that invites attention.

For these reasons, abortion is an eminently “thinkable” subject, as opposed to a group-think, slamdunk-case-closed decision either way.

Maybe we should refer the matter to the HAL 9000.

Now that artificial intelligence development includes algorithms in moral training, why not feed the available data to a computer and see if it can undo the knot? We’re told they already drive better than we do, and at M.I.T. self-driving vehicles are being trained for emergencies in which the machines decide who lives and who dies, as in, should a vehicle be made to swerve into a jaywalking teenager to spare its three elderly passengers? Add an oncoming SUV driven by a father with his two little girls. With its recognitive abilities, the vehicle can process all the parameters in a nanosecond. And like Solomon, it can decide without emotional bias, something we humans seem incapable of doing.

While I regard the recent abortion legislation in Alabama and Georgia as “unspeakable,” I remain unsure about abortion on demand at any time during pregnancy.

the matter in the hands of the city, however, as this is potentially a matter of public health for people in multiple municipalities, and with the spectre of municipal amalgamations on the horizon, perhaps the Region needs to get involved before this reaches the point of no return. Granting permission is easy, revoking it would be almost impossible.

Jim Vanderhoek Concerned Niagara resident

Many might counter that as a man my comfort is irrelevant here, but I would disagree. As members of a society making decisions about life and death, doesn’t everyone have a place in the conversation?

Are questions of life and death at the beginning of life all that different from questions of life and death at the end of it? If the disappearance of vital signs like pulse and brain activity means someone has died, might not the first appearance of these same vital signs mean someone is alive?

If we can make simple and irreversible decisions about when life begins, what stops us from making simple and irreversible decisions about when life ends? Up to what point is abortion not a kind of assisted death?

Much intelligent research and discussion about assisted suicide have already led to some enlightened and carefully nuanced legislation on that subject. Can we not hope for the same regarding abortion, with women’s reproductive rights always a measured priority?

Apparently not, now that all parties have declared the debate will not be reopened.

Maybe it’s just as well, as few seem to be listening anyway. ♦

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The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

IN THE NEWS

ANOTHER ROUND

by JOHN PICCOLO

Old arena back on market

Spice it up a little

M

ANY OF YOU play golf for years and never alter your routine.

Maybe you started playing from the white tee blocks years ago and moved back to the blue at some point, and occasionally someone actually moves up a set of tees as they age, but for the most part you play with the same number of clubs from the same place over and over.

Why not spice things up a little? Do things differently once and awhile. Here are a few ways to find a whole new way to play the same old courses you normally haunt.

One of the coolest things you can do is play what is known as red, white, and blue.

Starting on hole #1 you play the red tees, and then the whites on #2 and blues on #3. You simply rotate through the tees all the way to the 18th hole. You will be amazed how different the course you may have played many times before is by just changing where you start from on certain holes. You can change it even more by starting from different tees.

Go blue, white, red, or white, blue, red. Some of the holes won’t change much at all, but some will be unrecognizable and challenge you to really think about how to

play them.

If you play a course with more than three sets of tees, incorporate all of them into this rotation.

Play with three clubs.

Choose three clubs and play a round on a course you normally play with your whole set. It is an interesting experiment just to figure out which clubs you should choose.

Driver? Probably more trouble than help, even off the tee and not very much use in any other situation. How about a five wood or hybrid for tee shots and long shots from the fairway.

Take an eight or nine iron for shorter approach shots and chipping, and then I think the putter would be a stroke saver. If you are a decent striker of the golf ball I think you will amazed at how well you can play with this short set. Forces you to keep things simple and use your imagination.

Don’t aim for any flags, only for the middle of every green on every full approach shot. This is a simple one, but again, if you are disciplined about it, you might be shocked at what a difference this can make to your score.

I think your score will be better because you won’t be trying so many shots to difficult pin positions. These difficult shots usually make you unsure and tense, which

causes you to screw them up.

Another simple one—do nothing more than take one extra club for every full shot you face, except when you would normally use the driver you use a three wood.

So you hit three wood off of every tee you would normally hit driver, and on every other full shot figure out which club you would normally hit, and take one more. Not two more clubs, because this will cause you to fear over-shooting your target and likely lead to you decelerating your downswing. One more club takes you out of that need to maximize mode.

“I’ve got to get all of this seven iron to get it over that trap.” Take a six iron. It will mellow you out a bit, probably sub-consciously cut the length of your swing, and let you swing in better rhythm.

Better rhythm, better contact, better results.

If you play a course on a regular basis, go over a score card and set your own personal par. Cross out the regular par and write in what your average score is for each hole. Remember par is what an expert golfer should be expected to score on any given hole.

If you are not an expert golfer than you are up against unrealis-

tic expectations before you even start. You feel like you have failed by not achieving par when it was never meant to be your goal to begin with. With your own personal par you now have realistic expectations which takes some of the tension out of the old body. There is another variation of this which I really like, especially for players who don’t get out very often. Instead of recording the number of strokes you take on each hole, calculate the number of shots you hit successfully. You may take six shots on a par four, which on the surface doesn’t sound so hot, but what if you hit five of those shots well? I mean you hit good shots, but were just slightly long or short, or left or right, which caused you some grief in strokes, but you felt good about the effort.

On the card you would write 5/6. If you have a high percentage of wellhit shots it tells you the swing is okay and you need to put some time in on the details of direction and distance control if you get the time. I’ve played twice this year and I can honestly say I don’t know what my scores were. I do know one round was awful as far as hitting the shots I attempted to hit, and the next one was quite good in that regard. This tells me I’m on the right track and if I played a little more I’ve got things under control. That’s good enough for me at this point.

John Piccolo is the golf instructor and runs Piccolo’s Custom Golf Shop at Eagle Valley Golf Club in Niagara Falls. Email him at picgolf@ vaxxine.com

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1120 Haist Street, commonly referred to in Pelham as the old arena, is going back on the market, minus the requirement to adhere to the previously preferred development plan.

Pelham Town Council, inheriting the property’s for sale sign when they took office in late 2018, reviewed the land’s sale and potential impacts on both green space and the Town’s financials, ultimately deciding on June 3 to re-list the property for sale.

Understanding the need to sell the property— now listed at $3.2 million dollars— to ensure commitments to capital projects approved from prior budgets are met, council “is focused on ensuring financial sustainability,” according to a Town of Pelham news release.

“We have an obligation to do what is best for the Town now and into the future,” said Mayor Marvin Junkin. “These decisions aren’t always easy, but as a council we work together with one another, with staff, and with the community to come up with a plan to move ahead and ensure the Town’s financial sustainability.”

Having gone through previous public consultation to determine a preferred development plan for the site, this iteration of the sale does not require adherence to the previously approved plan. Any plans submitted, however, are required to go through the public consultation process.

There are no changes to the footprint of the land for sale. The approved zoning preserves the existing open space uses and allows for future public parking areas, single detached and townhouse dwellings.

New cop shop

On June 4, Niagara Region, Regional Municipality of Niagara Police Services Board (PSB) and the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) held a formal groundbreaking ceremony to recognize the ongoing construction of the new NRPS 1 District facility in St. Catharines.

The new 31,000 sq. ft. facility is being constructed on a 2.96 acre site at 198 Welland Ave. in St. Catharines. The building will house patrol units, detective and administration offices, public areas including front desk functions, a community room and a collision reporting centre. There will be visitor parking available.

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Page 9

Advertisement

NIAGARA COLLEGE TRAINS STUDENTS TO THRIVE IN CANADA’S NEWEST GROWTH INDUSTRY This week, students across Ontario will graduate from university and college programs. At Niagara College, this week also marks a milestone for the college, as the first class from its Commerical Cannabis Production program graduates.

The 24 students from the program’s first class will be among the first Canadians to receive a post-secondary degree in cannabis cultivation, preparing them to enter the rapidly growing industry.

The graduates from Niagara College are not alone in their interest in joining the cannabis industry. In a recent national survey conducted by Maru/Blue on behalf of CannTrust, just under half (46%) of young adults aged 18-34 said they would consider working in the cannabis industry now or in the future. In the same survey, 1 in 5 Canadians who would not consider working in the industry said they would feel discouraged because they feel their job experience is not relevant. Niagara College’s program is helping to address this by providing students with the specific skills required for careers in the budding industry.

“The program at Niagara College prepared me to step into a career in this new industry,” says Denzil Rose. “It provided me and my classmates with hands-on experience and a well-rounded education on the industry, regulations and best practices in cultivation.”

“I’m excited to be part of this industry, and to have the ability to lead growth and innovation right here in the Niagara region.”

Denzil Rose is one of the students who will be graduating from the Niagara College program this week. Denzil has already been hired by one of Canada’s largest Licensed Producers as a cultivator. He was offered a full-time role at CannTrust’s Pelham Perpetual Harvest Greenhouse facility after completing a co-op placement.

Congratulations to the Niagara College class of 2019!

CannTrust wishes the first graduating class from Niagara College’s Commercial Cannabis Production program continued success and professional growth!

Page 10

The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

SLEEPY

continued from Page 3 Community papers have the freedom to make their own decisions. Our paper has complete editorial independence, and I soon learn how important this is.

F

Two.

ive months later. It is pouring rain. I have graduated. I have published several more essays in the community paper, and I have backpacked around Mexico. I have made and re-made plans for my year off before graduate school, and none of these arrangements has me remaining in my small town. I am 700 kilometres into a cycling tour of Ontario, just coming into Pembroke, a small settlement on the Ottawa River. I am wet and cold. I park my bike by the library, and hurry inside for the free WiFi, hewing close to the walls in hopes of staying beneath the eaves and out of the deluge. There is a note from the publisher in my inbox. The paper’s principal reporter just quit.

Would I come home and take the job? I think: of course —even if it is unclear why. I do not say yes right away. What of those plans to cycle around the United States? What of those plans to move to a farm community with the developmentally delayed in Pennsylvania? What of them? I know I will say yes. Give me a week to get home, I tell him the next day.

I begin in a hurry. I am

writing more and faster than ever before. I am emailing and calling people I have never met, with a temerity I thought I’d never have. I work on a story about a get-together for longstanding residents that has been opened up to their sons and grandsons, but not to their daughters and granddaughters. It is aptly called the Boys Reunion.

One woman who had hoped to spend time swapping memories with old pals of her recently deceased father is outraged at being excluded. The event’s organizer loses his cool with me over the phone. “If you’re going to go print something that paints a black picture of the [Boys] Reunion, I’m going to make hell for you guys. And you can take that as a threat or whatever you want,” he says to me, claiming that the group has good cause for barring women from buying tick-

ets. “It’s not a sexist thing, there are whole bunch of other reasons for it.” When I get off the phone, my innards have shifted up a foot into my throat.

“It’s all right not to be liked,” the publisher tells me. “You want to be respected.” I appreciate the importance of this lesson soon enough. A few weeks later, a Town councillor alleges that the Town has attempted a closed-door cover-up of its finances, then resigns. Hours before the resignation, the publisher and I meet with the Mayor to ask very specific questions about the Town’s balance sheet. He is visibly uncomfortable. I am invisibly uncomfortable— on account of his discomfort. The publisher asks the questions.

I bear witness. The Mayor gives circular non-answer answers. Once the next issue is printed, bedlam breaks out. Council at-

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tempts to quell the outrage by holding special meetings, where residents howl for the chance to ask questions.

They don’t get one. Another public meeting is promised, then cancelled.

After a few months, the Town grows more hostile to the paper. It’s a free weekly, and we have long left 50 copies of the paper inside the municipal office for visiting residents to read and enjoy. We hear from residents that these are mysteriously disappearing. As an experiment, we leave an ever greater number of papers. They all disappear within hours: trashed — some 500 in total. The Town cuts all contact with us and removes the media table from the council chamber.

Town employees provide conflicting explanations for this removal. The Mayor goes on the radio and calls us “more of an entertainment and advertising” publication than a newspaper, even though our coverage of the Town’s questionable real estate deals won a provincial prize for investigative reporting.

The Mayor casts doubt on our intentions by casting doubt on our ownership. He says that it’s his “understanding” that the paper is now privately owned, implying that a single individual is using the paper to advance a nefarious agenda.

His suggestion seems designed to make people think that our coverage is not inspired by a desire to inform the community, but to sow trouble for some other reason. He makes this suggestion even though I assured him months earlier that the 50 original community investors still own the paper.

Eventually there is attention from elsewhere: Canadian and U.S. journalism advocacy organizations lambaste the Town, and Jesse Brown mentions us on Canadaland. The Town reverses course on that allegation, but continues to ignore us, citing increasingly ludicrous justifications. In one instance, it claims that our two decades of membership in three media associations is insufficient proof of our legitimacy. They say we must join yet another association before it will speak to us again. And so on. I am increasingly surprised by how dramatic the year has become.

Then there is the apartment building story. A group of tenants at a seniors’ apartment building that is partially funded by the public comes to us with allegations of illegal fees, staff entering apartments

illegally and bullying by employees, one of whom is also a Town councillor. We follow the story and produce a 12,000-word investigative piece— the longest in the paper’s history. We go through several drafts. We seek input from our lawyer, and receive a generous amount. The building’s executive board refuses to answer questions. At the invitation of tenants, we attend an executive board meeting shortly after publication. It is the only board meeting held openly. Upon seeing us and other non-tenants, including tenants’ children who came to speak on behalf of their elderly parents, the board chair demands that we leave, and will not call the meeting to order until we do. We refuse. We say that it is a matter of public interest. The chair unilaterally cancels the meeting, refusing to cite the by-law that gives him this authority, refusing to produce any by-laws at all, even as tenants shout that they specifically asked for the bylaws to be present. Another board member shouts, “Out, out!” He threatens to call the police. One tenant, evidently displeased, calls us bastards.

My time at the paper nears its end. I am accepted to graduate school in the United States. I write my last piece as a paid reporter: a love letter of sorts, to the town and the job. I confess that I, like so many young people, persistently long to leave the small place where I was born and raised. I admit that we imagine the small town as a holding pen where we mill about, pawing at the gates, waiting to be let out. Only then could we begin our real lives. Finally, time would speed up and things would actually happen to us. I add that a large part of me felt that working at the paper would be what parents call “a learning experience,” or “character building,” like eating spinach or flossing.

But I was wrong, and I say so. Because I now know what it’s like to really know where you’re from— to walk into any shop or turn down any street and be called by name, and be asked how things are.

A

Three.

utumn has arrived in South Bend, Indiana. It is municipal election day back in Ontario, and in my town there is a landslide. I am in class when the polls close, breaking a personal rule to compulsively refresh the results on my phone, which I hide behind a book. The

results come in. Not a single incumbent is returned to office. I’m told this is the first time in the town’s history that the entire council is defeated.

When the paper interviewed candidates to replace me, there were a number of applicants, many of them qualified but none of them particularly young. Why? Countless small-town students with liberal arts degrees tread off to law or graduate school every year, and journalism graduates grapple for the same vanishing entry positions at the big shops. But there is a hunger for high-quality community journalism.

If the work is good, people will wait by the newsstands for the delivery each week, as they did, and still do, for our paper. If it’s true that all politics is local, then so too is journalism. Every story is local to somewhere. For many people, the mundane matters most: garbage, streets, by-laws. But even more important is trust. Local government offers a real opportunity for people to have faith in their democracy, since they can more easily feel as though their representative are beholden only to them and not to a party leader, a universal desire in politics. Citizens can look legislators in the eye after each meeting, or in the Tim Hortons, or at the Legion. It is the same thing with the media.

At graduate school, we talk ceaselessly about the steep decline in liberal democracy around the world, the seemingly irreversible distrust in the media, the hopelessness people feel about the future.

I am not sure exactly what to think about these broader issues on the national level—whether the solution is a more active press or a less inflammatory one. An active one seems to have worked in my town, though I don’t know if such a thing could be calibrated.

I do know that for a year in a small town in Ontario, I was a part of the media.

I cared about local democracy. I worked tirelessly to strengthen it. I was pleased with the results. The forecast for democracy may still be bleak, but, having stood in the rain for a year, I can say that getting wet was worth it. ♦ Samuel Piccolo is a PhD student in political theory at the University of Notre Dame, in South Bend, Indiana. He is from Ridgeville, and in 2017 and 2018 he was principal reporter at the Voice, where he wrote news, features and personal essays.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

Page 11

Social success

BY DAVE BURKET

The VOICE

Overcast skies didn’t much dampen the enthusiasm last Saturday in Fenwick, as DeVries Fruit Farm held its annual Strawberry Social, its ninth such event. Rain earlier in the morning gave way to a dry spell, which visitors took advantage of by the hundreds.

Ward 1 Councillor Mike Ciolfi was on hand, volunteering as parking coordinator, greeting motorists as they pulled in from Canboro Road.

“It’s been steady,” he said, waving in another vehicle as the noon hour arrived.

Parking was a tricky issue this year, with less space available due to persistently soggy ground on the property.

The farthest-away visitor the Voice spoke with was from Burlington, with others coming from Welland, St. Catharines, and Wainfleet—with plenty of Pelham locals on hand, of course.

Various DeVries family members kept the action going, with patriarch Leo DeVries circulating between store and ice cream service table, which was staffed with volunteers from both the farm and from Pelham Cares. This year’s charitable beneficiary was Hospice Niagara.

Pelham Mayor Marvin Junkin had a bowl of ice cream and chatted with former Citizen of the Year and Fenwick’s “unofficial mayor,” Gary Chambers, as a stream of other residents offered greetings.

Kids and parents clambered aboard a tractor-drawn wagon for tours of the orchards in the company of the Strawberry Queen, Jenny DeVries, while her husband, Raymond, piloted the tractor.

Owner Dan DeVries reported by the end of the four-hour event, 400 to 500 visitors had come through, 100 quarts of strawberries were sliced and served along with “lots” of ice cream, $1750 was raised for Hospice Niagara, and “numerous tubs” of food items were collected for Pelham Cares.

Clockwise from top: Raymond and Strawberry Queen Jenny DeVries; Councillor Mike Ciolfi directs traffic; Gary Chambers and Mayor Junkin speak with Leo DeVries; pumpkin Isla Bassett-Kollee and scarecrow dad Joe Kollee; volunteers Colleen McCarthy, Sue Kicul, and Carole Chapman serve up the ice cream; and Lukas Gorman sits atop a tractor, ready to head out to the back 40.

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The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

COLUMN SIX

continued from Page 1 spelling out the word “Zeke” (Thomas’ nickname as a player) in gasoline on said relative’s lawn and setting it alight in the early morning hours.

Thankfully, common sense prevailed and no such criminal act of vandalism occurred. It also proved wise for other reasons. Following his departure from the Raptors, Thomas’ body of work included torpedoing the Indiana Pacers; buying and bankrupting the minor-league Continental Basketball Association; and, as New York Knicks general manager, pairing the aging Steve Francis and Stephon Marbury together in the same backcourt, which for non-basketball aficionados would be akin to serving beef gravy on a bed of bananas (Thomas later left the Knicks under the cloud of a sexual harassment lawsuit).

Still, Thomas’ early stewardship of the Raptors remained an early highlight for a franchise short on bright spots. To quantify

this, the case can be made that until about three years ago, one of the top-five moments in team history was the scene in the film “Jackie Brown,” in which Samuel L. Jackson lifts up a Raptors duffel bag and says he’s got the money “right here in my Raptors bag.”

Prior to 2014, the team’s high-water mark was a Game 7 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2001 playoffs, on a day when star Vince Carter missed the final shot hours after getting off a private jet from his college graduation — much to the chagrin of just about everybody but Carter. The promise of that ’01 team was followed up the next year by a first-round loss to Detroit, in which the Raptors’ ballhandler didn’t know what the score was in the final seconds, and took a three-point shot when only a two was needed (he missed). Afterward, a Toronto sportswriter spotted Raptors forward Keon Clark smoking a cigarette in the shower.

The team would reach the playoffs just twice over the next 12 years.

It’s f o r r e a sons like this that last week’s NBA championship is s t i l l stunning, even if Toronto was a more focused, deeper team than the Golden State Warriors going into these finals. Yes, the horrific injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson devastated the Dubs. But, with the exception of one quarter, the Raptors controlled the tempo throughout the series, while harassing two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry into subpar 34 percent threepoint shooting in six games.

That’s no small feat against a team that has revolutionized the league over the last five years with its pace-andspace approach.

The past may be prologue, and that saying is on steroids with the Raptors. As

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a reporter or general hanger-on, I witnessed more bad basketball in the former Air Canada Centre than I care to remember. I once watched Carmelo Anthony defeat the Raptors on a buzzer-beating fallaway and then devour a styrofoam container full of chicken fingers in his locker afterward.

One morning I was granted access to the off-limits players’ lounge, where I sat with then-coach Jay Triano and talked about him growing up in Niagara Falls and playing basketball at A.N. Myer. These were dark times in Raptorland, postChris Bosh, when Triano was viewed, in some quarters, as nothing but a token Canadian coach.

Times changed radically in 2013, and many will still point out it took a brash American to do it. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment hired Tim Leiweke as their CEO, and the former Los Angeles-sports-concern honcho went right to work. While

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it wasn’t just the Raptors he overhauled — his groundwork with the Leafs led to the hiring of Brendan Shanahan and Kyle Dubas, and he deftly turned MLS squad Toronto FC into a contender —the Dinos experienced the biggest impact. His hiring of team president and wily dealmaker Masai Ujiri in June 2013 remains the flashpoint for their success.

And while the performer Drake’s involvement with the Raptors can be at times described as frivolous, there’s no denying its marketing impact. It took Leiweke to bring him aboard, after reports said the Toronto rapper had previously lobbied previous management for some sort of involvement with his hometown team and been rebuffed.

The winning began the following season, but ended in disappointment in the playoffs. Following a tough, one-point Game 7 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, in which Kyle Lowry was stuffed by Paul Pierce at the buzzer, I was walking out of the media area looking at my phone when I very nearly collided

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with Drake and his crew of “Chubbs” and others coming around the corner.

Having been in sweaty media scrums around the likes of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant —or making sarcastic remarks to Rob Lowe in bars— I’m not a particularly star-struck person. Yet what the Drake encounter made me realize was that the Raptors were at least trying to be that glamorous NBA team, the kind envisioned from the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” lore.

But as is often the case in the NBA, there’s a big difference between style and substance. That’s why after too many years of getting just close enough to be James’ whipping boy in the playoffs, Ujiri pulled the trigger on last summer’s blockbuster trade for Kawhi Leonard. After firing head coach Dwane Casey, Ujiri didn’t hesitate to ship out fan favourite DeRozan for a far superior player.

Of course, the consternation was instant. In a city supposedly shunned by top NBA players, why trade a highly-productive one who loved the city so much he once proclaimed “I am Toronto,” for a laconic-looking superstar coming off a severe quad injury, rumoured to be focused on ultimately returning to his hometown of L.A.?

The answer is as simplistically brutal as life itself. If you can’t execute at an expected level, there’s a good chance you’ll be replaced by someone who can — whether they’re a nice person or not. The trade-off in perception was Ujiri’s gamble, and it just paid off with a mostly unexpected NBA championship.

So, even if Leonard walks to the Los Angeles Clippers when he becomes a free agent at 6 PM a week from Sunday (my personal guess is he stays with the Raptors on a one-year contract), it was all well worth the risk.

Whatever happens, the longtime narrative of the Toronto Raptors has changed forever.

They are losers no more, no longer reliant on throwaway lines from Quentin Tarantino movies for their achievement lists. The NBA title is also another nail in the coffin for the erroneous belief among some that pro basketball would never survive in Canada. While hockey may always remain king, it will remain so the way football is king in the United States—with plenty of room for other sports. This Thursday, up to nine more Canadians could join the NBA ranks through its annual draft. One of them, RJ Barrett, is projected as a future superstar.

It’s a new day in Canadian basketball, and a hell of a long way from being aggrieved about Isiah Thomas. ♦

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The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

Page 13

"Our hope is in the youth" Students awarded for outstanding contributions to community

BY KATHRYN HRYCUSKO

Special to the VOICE

The Kinsmen Club of Fonthill and District recognized the outstanding contribution of two Pelham youth to their communities on Monday, May 27, with the presentation of the Paul Bray Memorial Award.

The award, which recognizes the extensive volunteering of a local secondary student, is given out in the memory of the late Kinsmen Paul Bray. Current Kinsmen member Kevin Twomey explained that Bray was a Welland citizen and member of the Fonthill chapter who passionately gave back to the community that he loved.

“He was the type of guy that always put others before himself. Even in times when he was gravely ill he still found time to help others that he felt were more in need, even though he was in much need himself,” said Twomey. “He just always felt that there was something you could do to make this world a better place.”

The Kinsmen chose to give out an award in his memory to “acknowledge the many hours of dedicated service that is encouraged in our school system” and to remind the community of the

good deeds that youth do.

“There is a lot of negativity [in the world] that we hear about on a regular basis,” said Twomey. “The purpose of this award is to remind the community that there's a lot of good things that our youth are doing.”

Every two years the Kinsmen ask the six high schools of Pelham and Welland (Centennial, E. L. Crossley, Jean Vanier, Notre Dame, Eastdale, and Confederation) to nominate one student who exemplifies the values of community involvement put forth by Bray and who has demonstrated a similar passion for volunteerism.

This year, for the first time in the award’s 14-year history, the Kinsmen chose to recognize two nominees, rather than the usual single recipient.

“This year we had two [since] we didn't think it would be a service to Paul if we didn't acknowledge them both because of their involvement,” said Twomey.

The recipients, Tessa Piccolo, of E. L. Crossley, and Nicholas Yioldassis, of Centennial, have both devoted dozens, if not hundreds, of hours to volunteering over

Left photo: From left, Kinsmen President Brendan Young, award recipient Tessa Piccolo, Kinsmen Kevin Twomey, and Principal Janice Sargeant. Right photo: From left, Kinsmen President Brendan Young, award recipient Nicholas Yioldassis, Kinsmen Kevin Twomey, and Guidance Counsellor Valeriee Brennand.

KATHRYN HRYCUSKO PHOTOS

the last several years— above and beyond the 40 hours required for graduation.

Using Crossley’s extracurricular opportunities such as Interact Club, Student Council, and Eco Club, Piccolo has participated in events such as We Scare Hunger (a food drive at Halloween), and others that give back to the community. The Pelham Public Library has been the scene of much of Piccolo’s volunteerism since she started helping out there in Grade 6.

She has also been a volunteer for a wide range of initiatives within Pelham, including Pelham Cares, Summerfest, the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, and at events like Easter egg hunts, Canada Day and public skating.

“Pretty much if there is an event that I am available for I

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will volunteer at it,” said Piccolo. “I genuinely enjoy the feeling of being able to make even a little bit of a difference in my school community or in my town community. It’s just a really great feeling.”

Yioldassis’ volunteering resume is just as broad. For several years he has donated his time to a vacation Bible school with Notre Dame, events within the Greek community, the Canadian Cancer Society, and Pelham Cares. He has also volunteered as a basketball referee, at dragon boat races, and at last summer’s Special Olympics at Brock University.

“My mom always told me that it’s important to volunteer because you want to get involved in your community,” said Yioldassis. “I just really love living in the

Pretty much if there is an event that I'm available for I will volunteer at it

Fonthill-Welland area, and the community does a lot for the school and for me, so I just want to give back to the community.”

Along with an individual plaque, and an award plaque which will be shared between the two schools over the next two years, Piccolo and Yioldassis each received a $500 cheque to donate to a charity of their choice.

Yioldassis chose to give to

Wellspring, an organization that provides care centres and support for cancer patients and their families.

“My parents both had cancer and beat it, and then my aunt just died of cancer, but she went to Wellspring and they helped her a lot,” said Yioldassis. “I just think they do a really good job with everything.”

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The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

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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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Born October 12, 1919, Nanticoke, Ontario I was born the fifth child— the fourth daughter. The first born, a son, had died at birth. Naturally a son would have been welcomed but nevertheless I was accepted with love and care and somehow was jokingly known as “Papa’s little boy” as I tagged along everywhere with him. My father was a farmer and worked very hard maintaining a 100-acre farm and raising his family. My mother worked very hard also, not only at household duties but would often help with the barn chores and in the fields when the crops were ready for harvesting.

Eventually I was to acquire another sister and three brothers. Times were hard and money scarce, but we did not lack for love and attention. The games we played were usually madeup games, such as “I spy,” “pin the tail on the donkey,” checkers, crocinole, snap, and old maid. These were enjoyed in the evening while my mother did her mending and darning and my father read the newspaper. I remember two of my toys especially—a teddy bear and a dolly, which were enjoyed until they became worn and tattered.

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Other entertainment was in the form of visits from relatives and neighbours with children.

Many of these friendships lasted through the years. We also had loving grandparents and always enjoyed their visits and attention.

Our house was a large two-storied structure with an attic for storage and a cellar to store our winter vegetables and fruit. My mother canned hundreds of jars of such. Our meat was usually cured and smoked or put in a salt brine. We always had plenty of chickens, turkeys, geese, eggs, milk, cream and butter for our own use as well as for sale. Mom made our bread, usually 12 to 14 loaves every other day. She was a wonderful cook and taught all of us her culinary know-how.

We rarely missed going to Sunday school and church in spite of any kind of weather, even if we had to walk the two miles each way, (which we very often did).

Every fall we received large bundles of rural mail from Eaton’s— orders that our mother had made for our winter clothing…long underwear, heavy socks, boots and jackets (warm and durable as opposed to fancy). We were fortunately reasonably healthy, suffering the usual children’s ailments. Our magic cures were usually cod liver oil, castor oil and mustard plasters, plus tender loving care.

Our farm soil was clay which was hard to manage, so we didn’t get to grow a nice flower garden, but we enjoyed the violets, lilies, hepaticas, and adder tongues that grew wild near the creek on our farm.

When I reached the age of five in October of 1925, I was officially ready to start school and was enrolled the following spring after

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the Easter Holidays when the new school term began.

Our school, about a mile and a half down the road, did not have a kindergarten, so I started in Grade 1.

I had a woman teacher for a couple of years and then a man teacher afterwards.

It was a one-room affair with all eight grades being taught by one teacher. The school day always began by a reading from the Bible and standing to sing the national anthem (God Save the King). I enjoyed English and math over history and science and I loved reading.

Our parents had to buy our supplies: pens, pencils, paper, school texts, etc. The school had a large cupboard filled with academic books, which we were able to use. Order was strictly enforced. Some of the pupils that lived close by were able to go home at noon for lunch, while the rest of us brought a lunch in a paper bag or a pail. The teacher assigned our work from each textbook after explaining the basics. What we did not finish in the day we took home to complete as our homework.

In the winter the snow was very deep and my father said I could ride Maude, the workhorse, to school. When I got there, I was to get off and let her have her head and she would return home of her own accord.

In the summer, our main sports were baseball, tag, and ante over; and in the winter, snow fort building, snowball fights, and Fox and Goose. Everyone took up with a special friend or group.

We had evening events in the town hall that most neighbours attended—crocinole parties, card parties, Christmas concerts, wedding showers and potluck suppers.

After school when we

arrived home there were always chores to do, filling the wood box, carrying in water, setting the table, washing dishes, sweeping floors, and of course, a pile of school homework.

On Saturdays we baked and cleaned, and on Sundays, after church, we usually had our fun time. We invited a lot of our friends in to join us. Skating and baseball were the most popular, although I remember many water fights —even running through the house, in one door and out the other with a bucket of water. Mom was a good sport about it but occasionally warned us not to spill the water in the house!

As there were no older boys to help my father, we girls were called on to help with the field and barn chores, jobs fitting according to our age. Often I was kept out of school for a few days during planting and harvest times to work in the fields. We would drive the team of horses (names I remember were Queeny, Dick, and Maude) as they worked up the soil and raked and gathered hay or grain. My father hired as much help as he could and they always had their meals with us.

There were instances when the farm animals gave birth that the little one was very weak or not readily adopted by the mother. These were brought to the house for our extra care. We could very easily get attached to a little lamb or pig.

For many years we had coal oil lamps for lighting and wood stoves for heat, but no heat in the upstairs bedrooms, no bathroom facilities except a tin tub for our Saturday night bath, and the outside shed for a toilet. In the 1940s, my parents had electricity installed in their home. ♦

BRAY AWARD

continued from previous page Piccolo, who wanted to give to a foundation that helped women, particularly those who are trying to leave abusive and unhealthy relationships, chose Gillian’s Place, a shelter for abused women and children that is working to end such abuse in Niagara.

Both students are in Grade 12 and plan to continue giving back to their local communities, and on a larger scale, in the years to come.

Piccolo is headed to McGill University, in Montreal, in the fall to pursue a degree in International Development with the hope of following it with some time volunteering abroad before returning to graduate school to become an international human rights lawyer.

Yioldassis will be returning to Centennial for a victory lap, to take advanced functions and to think about what his future might hold for him. At the moment he is looking to attend either Guelph University or Brock University to study business, though is unsure of where exactly this might take him. Regardless of where he ends up, Yioldassis intends to continue to volunteer and to give back to those around him.

Twomey said that he and the other Kinsmen “applaud this year's recipients for their passion for volunteerism, and their schools for the culture of compassion and caring, inspiring our youth, and serving our communities greatest needs.”

Twomey said that they hope that Piccolo’s and Yioldassis’ dedication to improving their communities will inspire others to do the same and to do all that they can to make the world a better place.

“We think a lot of times that we're living in a world where there is no hope, but our hope is in our youth,” said Twomey.

“It's reassuring to all generations, all ages of the population, that there is a lot of good happening in the world.”

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On Monday July 8, 2019 the Council of the Town of Pelham will hold a public meeting, pursuant to Section 12 of the Development Charges Act, 1997, as amended, to present and obtain public input on the Municipality's 2019 Development Charges (D.C.) Update Study related to its development charges bylaw and underlying background study.

The proposed amendment to the development charge by-law is to update the indoor recreation standard, the recovery amount related to the debenture of the Meridian Community Centre and to update the definition of farm building to exclude marijuana production facilities and update the definition for marijuana production facilities.

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FAITH LIFT

by PASTOR ROB WEATHERBY

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Nietzsche is dead

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R IEDR ICH NIETZSCHE WA S A N intriguing, controversial and tragic man. This 19th century German philosopher (1844-1900) is remembered primarily for three things —a name that is very hard to spell, a handlebar moustache, and the phrase, “God is dead.”

Nietzsche’s father was a Lutheran pastor, who died, sadly, when Friedrich was only 5.

He considered becoming a minister himself but then lost his faith at university at the age of 20. Four years later, he became the youngest-ever professor at the University of Basel, in neighbouring Switzerland.

When Nietzsche wrote that God is dead, he wasn’t implying that he thought God had ever lived (except in the mind of believers).

He was an atheist. His rejection of God led him to reject moral absolutes, which is a logical consequence. It follows that if God is dead, then moral absolutes are dead too.

And without moral absolutes a person feels free to live as they please— an appealing thought for many then and today. It’s just too bad someone didn’t ask Nietzsche if he was absolutely sure of his position!

His philosophy became known as “nihilism,” derived from the Latin word “nihil,” meaning “nothing.” Ironically, his name sounds a lot like the Russian word for “no” (nyet). It basically taught that life has no purpose and for many (who took it seriously) it led to despair. Nietzsche himself was troubled by the implications of his philosophy and desperately tried to find an alternative to Biblical faith.

Throughout his life, Nietzsche suffered poor health. He never married, although he proposed to the same woman three times.

At age 44 he suffered a mental breakdown, from which he never recovered. Cared for by his mother and then his sister, he died at the relatively young age of 55.

During his academic career he wrote 18 published books, which only became pop-

ular decades after his death. His writings have influenced many philosophers and politicians over the years and that influence continues today.

One example (ironically) is the release of two Christian movies with the name “God’s Not Dead,” and the strong hint of a third on the way. We took our youth group to see both of them a few years ago.

In the first, a Christian university student has the courage to stand up to his atheistic philosophy professor by stating that God is not dead. In the process, he influences his whole class, including a Muslim and a Chinese student. I won’t divulge any more of the interwoven plot for those of you who haven’t seen it yet.

In the sequel, “God’s Not Dead 2,” the focus shifts to a Christian high school teacher who gets herself into a messy court case by quoting the words of Jesus in response to a student’s question. She too has the courage to stand up to overwhelming public and financial pressure to shut up and stand down.

Again, you’ll have to see it to learn the rest.

My suspicion is that the third one will change the focus once more to a pastor who resists the pressure of authorities who want to restrict his freedom of belief and expression. If I’m right, this one will be the most relevant to me and I look forward to it.

So, what’s the bottom line in all this?

Simply this —that Nietzsche has been dead for over 100 years, and God is still very much alive. Sadly, the life of this controversial German thinker ended tragically.

However, a vibrant faith in the living God continues to transform the lives of countless people in our world today. Too bad Nietzsche just couldn’t see it. ♦ Rob Weatherby is a retired Baptist pastor and never heard of Nietzsche when he attended high school at Thorold-Fonthill and E. L. Crossley.

RAISING FOR THE RIDE Fonthill resident Pierre Garneau was once again charting the course for the annual Ride for Dad, an awareness and fundraising effort on behalf of the detection and treatment of prostate cancer, spending a weekend fundraising outside Sobeys Fonthill. This is Garneau’s eighth year with the organization. “We love life,” said the retired Air Canada captain. This year’s ride took place last Saturday, with 221 riders raising $63,438 in pledges. Garneau's donors alone contributed over 12% of this total, raising $8368. Below, motorcycle police lead the first leg from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Niagara Falls and Chippewa. Rider groups completed the remaining 170 km marked route at their own pace.

VOICE AND TIM SHAFLEY PHOTOS

ANSWERS ON PAGE 18

Page 18

The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

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SheCycle takes on the world's challenges Special to the VOICE

When she entered Waterloo University to get a degree in Math and Business, Pelham-raised Abigail Loewen swore off entrepreneurship, thinking that she was not “even a little bit innovative.”

However, an international competition held at Western University, June 2-7, saw her and two teammates, Anna Kuepfer and Leah Wouda, take first prize with their pitch for a social entrepreneur project that aims at improving the health, education, and livelihood of Ugandan women.

The competition, known as the World’s Challenge Challenge, has been held annually since Western University came up with the idea for it during their International Week in 2013, although 2017 was the first year with a global final.

University students from around the world are asked to present a solution to a challenge that the world faces. Contestants are asked to keep in mind the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which include aims such as “zero hunger,” “sustainable cities and communities,” and “gender equality.”

Students first submit their proposals for approval to their respective universities, each of which then holds a competition to determine which team will represent their school at the global level. The winning teams from each university then compete for

the $30,000 prize and gold medal.

Loewen, who was part of the team, “SheCycle,” with Wouda and Kuepfer, who hail from Harrisburg and Stratford, Ontario respectively, represented Waterloo University. The three women make up a diverse, interdisciplinary team, as Loewen studies Math and Business, Wouda is in International Development, and Kuepfer is taking Health Studies.

The trio’s project proposed ways to help achieve four of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, “good health and well-being,” “quality education,” “gender equality,” and “clean water and sanitation.”

Inspired by Kuepfer’s time volunteering in Uganda and stories from their grandmothers, the women decided to pitch an idea for an antimicrobial reusable sanitary pad with an accompanying social entrepreneurial model. From Kuepfer’s time volunteering as part of a vaccination team in Uganda, and from supplementary research, she was aware that the health and wellness of Ugandan women is greatly impacted by a lack of available feminine hygiene products and a cultural stigma around menstruation.

Although, as Kuepfer said at the beginning of their pitch, “It’s an uncomfortable topic for a lot of people,” the trio encouraged their audience to listen anyway as they explained the challenges that Ugan-

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proper resources to manage their menstruation and as a result of such infections, leading to a lower education rate and fewer employment opportunities than enjoyed by their male counterparts.

SheCycle’s idea is to provide a reusable sanitary pad and accompanying business structure that could tackle these issues on multiple levels. The women propose to make a reusable pad out of cotton that is grown in Uganda, and line it with an antimicrobial coating of silica and complex salts, said Wouda. This would result in a pad that could be purchased at a low cost, used for a year, and dried indoors without becoming harmful to the user.

Accompanying the proposed product is an integrated plan to positively impact various stages of Ugandan women’s and girls’ lives. Loewen, Kuepfer, and Wouda hope to make the pads available for distribution throughout Ugandan schools, where girls can be-

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dan women face in relation to menstrual hygiene.

Oftentimes Ugandan women do not have access to menstrual pads, as they are expensive, and resort instead to using unhygienic materials such as mattress foam and newspaper. While reusable pads are a cheaper option for many, Kuepfer also explained that the cultural stigma around menstruation also means that the reusable pads cannot be dried outside, where UV rays can kill potentially harmful bacteria. This means that the reusable pads (as well as the newspaper and foam) foster bacteria such as E. coli, explained Wouda, increasing the risk of illnesses such as urinary tract infections, tetanus infections, and kidney infections. Across Africa (where it is a widespread problem) one in ten girls miss school because of menstruation, explained Kuepfer.

Young girls and women often miss school and work because they do not have the

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Anna Kuepfer, Abigail Loewen, and Leah Wouda are awarded first prize for their pitch at the World’s Challenge Challenge.

SUPPLIED PHOTO gin to learn about menstrual hygiene at a young age.

The hope is that “knowing what materials to use and then having access to reusable pads that won't contribute to infection” will help young girls to miss less school, leading to the second stage of life which SheCycle targets. The trio explains that missing less school can lead to better opportunities for employment and can further women’s ability to support themselves and their families.

The third stage that SheCycle is targeting is closely linked to the others as well.

“We’re seeking to hire local [Ugandan] women entrepreneurs to manufacture the pads in their own community,” said Kuepfer.

“Then also to be the educators in the schools, because it is more sustainable if the educators are actually from the community and understand the cultural pressures that are experienced.”

Overall, the team hopes that the introduction of menstrual hygiene education at a young age and access to reusable materials will not only help women suffer fewer infections and decrease absenteeism, but also contribute to breaking down the cultural stigma around menstruation.

The team first came up with the idea in November, as part of a larger Waterloo University team that competed at a pitch challenge hosted by MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Association). MEDA focuses on “creating business solutions to poverty” by providing sustainable livelihoods to men and women. Though the Waterloo team’s pitch for antimicrobial sanitation pads was not chosen as the winner at

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the November competition, Loewen and her teammates did not give up on the idea, which they saw as having great potential.

Downsizing to a team of three to meet the qualifications for the World’s Challenge Challenge, the trio worked with the support and constructive criticism of their MEDA teammates to further improve their idea.

Despite being able to meet in person only for a couple hours prior to the Waterloo University round (Loewen was living in Toronto for an internship), SheCycle won the initial round of competition, securing their place in the global final.

Held at Western University, the final drew 20 teams from nine countries—Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Canada.

“It's a great opportunity to do this as a student,” said Wouda of the competition. “It's an awesome opportunity just to learn and grow from.”

“You're surrounded by a bunch of very brilliant minds with really interesting ideas. It's a different energy to a space [where you] can come up with some really innovative and an exciting solution,” said Loewen. “You can have a different perspective and a different idea that hasn't been explored yet.”

The idea that they originally came up with in November met with success at the global final of the World’s Challenge Challenge, where the judges awarded SheCycle with first prize and the accompanying prize of $30,000 for their pitch.

“I think we were surprised to win because so many other pitches were so amazing,” said Kuepfer.

Loewen, Wouda, and Kuepfer plan to use the $30,000 to make their idea a reality.

The money will go to getting their feet on the ground in Uganda and making a prototype of the product.

Currently, the women are searching for and negotiating with potential partners in an effort to bring the project to life.

Despite any initial surprise at their involvement in a social entrepreneurship, the women are excited to see where SheCycle takes them and hope to help people as much as possible as they pursue their endeavour of providing a solution to one of the world’s challenges.

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019

Page 19

Air Race Classic descends on Pelham

BY GLORIA J. KATCH

Special to the VOICE

The propellers are spinning and the engines are revving at the starting line for the 43rd Annual Air Race Classic. For the first time this 3,800 kilometer event is finishing at the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport in Pelham on June 21, at 5 PM. Forty-nine teams and 109 women pilots will depart from the U.S. to test their flying knowledge and skills.

Locals will have an opportunity to cheer on our Canadian team, the Canuck Flyers, made up of Susan Begg and Asti Livingston.

Starting June 18, participants will leave Jackson, Tennessee, veering south to Georgia, and westward to Arizona, before heading north through Minnesota and crossing into Canada through Sault Ste. Marie and Brantford, before roaring past the timing and finish line at the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport in Niagara. The pilot team with the fastest time wins.

Air Race Classic (ARC) board of directors and volunteers are, “Thrilled to be celebrating 90 years of women's air racing,” said U.S. Air Race Classic President, Lara Gaerte.

“The women who fly the ARC are as bold and tenacious as the pioneering pilots, who competed in the original 1929 Women's Air Derby. We look forward to welcoming back veteran racers, and meeting new competitors at the 43rd Air Race Classic.”

Prior to the race, each plane, depending on its engine-size, performance power and speed, is given a handicap, so pilots are racing and challenging their own best time. This also creates a level playing field, so slower planes can equally compete against faster aircraft. Teams strategize to fly against the

First Day Cover for the Ninety-Nines' anniversary stamp.

SUPPLIED GRAPHIC

Special anniversary stamp created

BY MARILYN DICKSON

2019 Air Race Classic Terminus Committee, front: Jillian Gilbert, Rita Richter, and Cathy Boyko. At rear: Peter Van Caulart, Dean Baker, Bob Cullen, and Jim Morrison. GLORIA KATCH PHOTO atmospheric and geographic elements, holding out for better weather or seeking more favourable winds, to beat their handicap by the greatest margin. Official standings aren't determined until after the last team has crossed the finish line, and the judging is completed.

“The last arrival at the terminus may, in fact, be the winner,” said Gaerte.

Throughout June 21, the public is invited to watch the racers arrive at the airport.

For plane enthusiasts, there will be several Cessna Skyhawks, a Piper Warrior, Cirrus SR20s G2, a Piper Cherokee, a Beechcraft Debonair 35-B33, and a Luscombe Silvair Delux 8E in the race.

On June 22, the public is invited to participate in various activities and giveaways.

Afternoon ceremonies include a plaque dedication to Dorothy Rungeling, the airport's namesake, and a presentation of the Compass Rose from the Ninety-Nines, an international women’s flying organization.

The 2019 Air Race Classic is offering giveaways for tandem jumps, introductory

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flying lessons through the St. Catharines Flying Club. There is a Fly (vendors) Market, career and educational booths on aviation, a meet-andgreet with the racers, photo-ops with the air cadets’ glider, vintage planes, and vintage cars by the Niagara British Car Club.

On Sunday evening, there will be a dinner and awards banquet. Prizes for the ARC 2019 include: medallions, trophies, and cash awards of $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 for the three best times. The next day, the pilots depart en mass back to Tennessee.

The Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport is funded by the municipalities of Welland, Pelham, Port Colborne and Wainfleet, and various municipal councillors and residents make-up the airport commission. The construction of the Dorothy Rungeling airport dates back to World War II, and was one of many airports in Canada established by the federal ministry responsible for defense to train pilots for war, as a part of the British Commonwealth Airport Training Plan.

Special to the VOICE

The Canadian Ninety-Nines have created a stamp to celebrate the 90th anniversary of two special events for women pilots.

The Women’s Air Derby, the first female cross-country air race, was held in 1929.

Solo pilots raced from Santa Monica, California to Cleveland, Ohio—2,600 nautical miles (over 4815 km). Each pilot set out to prove that her machine was the best and fastest aircraft of the 14 different types entered. They also proved that flying was safe for women.

For the next 90 years the race transitioned through the All Women’s Transcontinental Air Race (AWTAR), the Powder Puff Derby, and evolved into the Air Race Classic, in which women have continued to develop and prove their aviation skills. Now a two-pilot team races against a speed handicap calculated for each aircraft model.

The comradeship which developed during that first race led to the formation of the Ninety- Nines on November 2, 1929, named for the number of its charter members.

During the past 90 years this organization has grown to some 6000 members in several different countries. Some have even travelled into space.

The stamp features the three Canadian women pilots who have flown in the most air races—Dorothy Rungeling, Adele Fogle and Daphne Schiff.

The late Dorothy Rungeling, of Fonthill, embraced air racing with a passion, flying in several transcontinental women’s air races in the 1950s and 60s, as well as the Women’s International Air Race to Cuba, and the Canadian Governor General’s Cup. Her team often placed in the top ten. She was also instrumental in having the Wom-

Dorothy Rungeling, left, with Susan Koch, in Grand Bahama, 1958.

SUPPLIED PHOTO en’s Transcontinental Air Race either begin or end in Welland three times during the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Teams often dressed alike. Dorothy’s favourite outfit was the year she and her co-pilot wore matching dresses and aprons with the caption, “To hell with housework.”

Adele Fogle and Daphne Schiff have flown in four Air Race Classics. They also flew with Margo McCutcheon from New York to Paris, and with Margaret Ringenberg in a race around the world, beginning and ending in Montreal. And then they raced around South America.

The stamp will be launched this Friday, at the Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport, as air racers complete the 2019 Air Race Classic, which after many years again finishes at Welland. All stamps may be ordered online at canadian99s.com/stamps.

These stamps are not available at Canada Post outlets.

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Page 20

CORNER

continued from Page 2 afford to pay—$35,000, give or take—which, added to the irregular evening and weekend hours on occasion, leaves waiting tables or driving a truck more attractive options for many. For the moment, we are holding our own with talented freelancers, but I can foresee a time when this will no longer be practical—at least not if the goal is to publish a truly interesting paper each week. Oh, and don’t miss news of the other over-performing Piccolo in this week’s edition—Sam’s sister Tessa, co-winner of a Kinsmen award (page 13). Congratulations!

Getting spun, on the gentle cycle

A nephew of Sigmund Freud, Edward Bernays, coined the term “public relations” in the early 1920s, and is generally credited with founding the industry. According to a biographer, “Bernays liked to think of himself as a kind of psychoanalyst to troubled corporations.”

CannTrust, the cannabis pro-

The Voice of Pelham, June 19 2019 ducer whose Fenwick operation has troubled areas of the town with its odours, invited the Voice to take a tour last week. More specifically, its PR firm (“Canada’s Most Award-Winning PR Agency”) handled the invite, and chaperoned the visit. Our freelancer Kathryn Hrycusko and I were taken on a nearly two-hour walkabout inside the Balfour Street plant, led by a polite and well-informed “Cultivation Control Specialist." With us were a representative from the PR firm, as well as CannTrust’s Manager of Public Relations and Communications.

There’s no denying the technical impressiveness of such a largescale operation. As Pelham employers go, it sits at the top, with 355 employees and another 250 to be added by the end of 2020. By contrast, Willowbrook Nurseries, once the largest employer in town, has 210 employees at peak season; Fonthill Sobeys has 130 yearround; and the Town of Pelham has 67 full-timers, plus part-timers as needed.

However, after being pressed for an answer for several weeks, Cann -Trust finally acknowledged over

the weekend that only 26 of its 355 workers reside in Pelham. Yes, Niagara needs employment, but any assertion that CannTrust brings jobs to Pelham is more accurately phrased, “CannTrust brings workers to Pelham.”

As for the chronic odour issue that has plagued neighbours and parts of the wider town since the facility’s opening, we seemed to be told on the tour that new odour-control technology for the existing greenhouses would be coming soon. Yet in answer to a follow-up question on the issue, it seems not. “CannTrust recently implemented new odour mitigation solvents which have proved to be very successful,” replied the PR firm, adding that a new 390,000 square foot greenhouse to be built next door “will be even more efficient in scrubbing the air as it will utilize fewer air exchanges. This means that the air will be vented less often.”

Public Relations isn’t so much the art of lying as it is the art of selective truth-telling in the service of manipulating perception.

Imply often enough, for example, with equivocal phrasing, that an odour isn’t a problem, and maybe

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca we’ll stop smelling it.

Since our visit was not on a “harvest day,” the odour outside the plant last week was noticeable but not overwhelming. Inside was a different story. Twelve hours later I was still smelling ripe cannabis buds. CannTrust calls its Fenwick operation a “Perpetual Harvest Greenhouse Facility,” and is already close to its goal of harvesting every day of the year.

The tour ended in a large vault that contained dozens of stacked totes of cannabis, ready to ship to Vaughan for packaging. Total value? $50 million-plus. (Not $5 million. $50 million.)

Asked later to confirm production numbers, the PR firm asserted that by the end of next year, the facility is set to produce 100,000 kg of cannabis annually, with an average value of $10 per gram.

That works out to about $20 million dollars worth of product per week. Let that sink in. $20 million per week. That’s $1 billion dollars worth of cannabis per year. $1 billion every year, all coming from the corner of Highway 20 and Balfour Street.

Can the company therefore af-

ford to install effective odour elimination? Let’s do some math.

We were told that entry-level workers start at $16 hourly. Let’s flash forward to next year, at 600 staff, not all of whom are fulltime, but let’s be conservative and say they are. Let’s also double the average salary to $32 per hour.

That’s $40 million dollars in annual payroll—again, almost certainly a significant overestimate.

Even at $40 million in annual payroll, this puts $960 million dollars in revenue, each year, into CannTrust’s coffers, from a single location in Fenwick. Mind-boggling, eh.

Yes, there are other costs of production that eat into this revenue.

One of them should be the total elimination of offensive odours leaving the premises.

And if CannTrust can’t manage this because it’s the ethical thing to do, then the Town, Region, province, or federal government, must step in with legislation to make it the legal thing to do.

Try as it might, not even Canada’s most award-winning PR agency can persuade us to love CannTrust while the odour of dead skunk still hangs in the air. ♦

Hunter is our Lazyboy!