The Voice, September 15 2021

Second Dwelling Units a go in Pelham

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Doughnuts for dollars

page 17

ELECTION 2021

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Vol.25 No.37 

of Pelham and Central Niagara SEPTEMBER 15 2021

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The Voice

A September 15 2021

by Dave Burket

CASTING YOUR VOTE

Fair-weather fans: Neither my wife nor I obsess over any sport, although her knowledge of soccer far exceeds mine, given that she grew up in a culture that celebrated it. Only at championships do we get lured in by one sport or another, and there’s little better in our books than US Open tennis, with Wimbledon close behind.

What a thrilling run for Canadians this year—more specifically, young Canadians, and more specifically yet, the offspring of immigrants to Canada. On Saturday we joined what I’m sure was a large cohort of the nation in rooting for 18-year-old Montrealer Leylah Fernandez, whose hard-fought journey to the final was exceeded only by that of her opponent, Emma Raducanu, also 18, born in Toronto but whisked away to the U.K. at age two.

It was an epic match, deservedly won by the ultimately more capable Raducanu. Our disappointment at seeing Fernandez lose was significantly countered on Sunday, though, as we reveled in the straight-sets thumping that Daniil Medvedev gave Novak Djokovic, in a tremendous display of skill and tenacity.

Arrogance and wise-assery are an unpleasant combination, and sooner or later enough becomes too much. Djokovic's anti-vax and anti-lockdown B.S. (and his wife's 5G conspiracy nonsense) were the bitter cherries on top. So the universe handing him this of all defeats was karmic bliss...Local competition of a different kind: There’s still time to get in on Peter Piper’s 7th Charity Golf Tournament, benefiting Pelham Cares (ad, p.8). Tee-times start at 11 AM this coming Saturday, and $100 gets you goodies and a two meals...Snap Puzzler too puzzling: There were no winners in last week’s snap Puzzler, in which we asked you to identify the country shown in a stock photo accompanying John Swart’s column. That’s because I thought a discernible sign in the background would be legible in print. It wasn’t. Here’s the sign, enlarged. It’s in Ukrainian— and the image was from Ukraine.

According to my questionable smartphone translator app, it reads, “WARNING! The object is under supervision,” which is probably pretty close. (A couple of folks guessed Russia, given what appeared to be a classic Lada parked in the background. Points for the effort!)...Need some exercise?

We're looking for carriers! See the classified ad, p.16...Be there with bells on: The Pelham Historical Society has a new display at the Fonthill Library—a collection of cow, latten and crotal bells that are on loan from the collection of Domenic Faragalli, of Fonthill. No, "crotal" is not missing an "s." Crotal bells were used on wagons to warn other drivers that another wagon was ahead...Election time: Fun fact: Erin O'Toole is one year younger than Justin Trudeau. He wears the 1950s well. This week's paper presents pretty much all you need to know about the Niagara West candidates with a chance— vote early and vote often! ◆

on vacation!

NRPS impaired driving charges ~

POETRY

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

Voice

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What's That

SIREN Pelham Fire Department Weekly Calls

The Pelham Fire Department responded to 14 calls for assistance from Friday, September 3 to Friday, September 10.

Friday, September 3 Motor vehicle collision Electrical fire, Sixteen Rd., Station 1, 2 and 3 Saturday, September 4 Medical assistance, Station 3 Motor vehicle collision, Effingham St., Station 3 Medical assistance, Station 1

No matter which person or party you choose Some other party or person may lose Your choice may be someone You already know Or the party your folks chose So long ago.

Or the party you heard about Saw on the news Someone you thought Shared most of your views.

Your choice isn't simple Its outcome immense But a choice you must make Don't sit on the fence.

Don't hunker at home Ignoring the cause To vote is to choose It's an unwritten clause.

Be aware of your choice Be diligent, care Listen to options Then vote what is fair.

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.

Thomas R. NEVILLE, 46, Welland Gordon M. HAYES, 66, Thorold David C. VILLENEUVE, 51, St. Catharines Tina L. HARRIS, 40, Brantford Taranveer SINGH, 23, Niagara Falls Edmund M. DAKIN, 32, Dunnville Christian E. DURAN GONZALEZ, 36, Montreal Joe A. HENDERSON, 24, Buffalo NY Peter J. WALLINGTON, 26, Castleton Lori J. A. KING, 50, Welland Anna S. MOCHOL, 44, St. Catharines

BUT VOTE! S. M. Lazareth tigersmom10@gmail.com

Sunday, September 5.

Medical assistance, Station 1 Tuesday, September 7 Medical assistance, Station 1 Remote alarm, Haist St., Station 1

Reliable news comes from reliable news media, not Google and Facebook.

Wednesday, September 8 Medical assistance, Station 1 Burning complaint, Twenty Rd., Station 3 Medical assistance, Station 1

Google and Facebook are using their power to scoop up 80% of online revenue generated by hardworking journalists and publishers across Canada.

Other governments are standing up to the web giants and protecting local news in their countries. Parliament needs to act on their commitment to protect the future of your local news. Learn more at levellingthedigitalplayingfield.ca

Thursday, September 9 Vehicle fire, Hwy. 20, Station 2 Friday, September 10 Smoke in the building, Hwy. 20 East, Station 1 and 2 Medical assistance, Station 1

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CELEBRATING OUR 20TH YEAR

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

DSBN wants portion of Town park

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The Comfort Maple myth

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Column Six

Growing up British

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Wednesday October 12, 2016

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Apple Day comes to Fonthill

BY JULIE MANNELL

Special to the VOICE

W

BALLOONING INTEREST Grade 6 student Jinja Shepherd explains her experiment on static electricity at the Glynn A. Green NATE SMELLE PHOTO Public School's annual science fair last Friday. See story, page 3.

Public meeting tonight on school issues

BY VOICE STAFF As questions continue to mount regarding an email that Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn quietly sent to a District School Board of Niagara trustee last summer, Augustyn has agreed to address the issue at a public meeting scheduled for this evening, Wednesday, Feb. 8, in Fenwick.

Nancy Beamer, speaking for “Names Matter,” a Pelham citizens group lobbying the DSBN to reverse its decision to rename a local public school, confirms that the meeting will be held at Fire Station #2, known locally as the Fenwick Fire Hall, starting at 7:00 PM. While the Mayor has agreed to ap-

Under pressure, Mayor to address email revelation, other E. W. Farr matters pear, says Beamer, DSBN officials associated with the school-naming process have either declined to attend or have not yet responded to the group’s invitation.

DSBN Chair, Dale Robinson, to whom Augustyn’s email was addressed last June, has declined to appear, says Beamer, asserting that she would be

“on holidays.” The Voice was unable to independently confirm Robinsion’s intentions. She did not respond to repeated requests for comment on E.W. Farr-related matters before presstime.

Beamer, whose group maintains an email list of some 580 residents, says that all members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting.

“We would especially welcome parents and children who are unhappy with the name change,” she says, referring to the contentious decision by the DSBN to consolidate two Pelham See MEETING back page

HEN I WAS young, my father and I would go for long drives along the rural routes of Pelham. We’d blast George Thurgood and roll down the windows because we loved the smell of the breeze, the sensation of crisp Niagara wind beating our cheeks and tangling our hair against our summer-kissed skin.

My father was not a sentimental man. He worked in factories and had a Gordon Lightfoot mustache and never shed tears over injuries.

Yet something about the Pelham landscape, the hilly backdrop to his childhood and the childhoods of our ancestors, drew him in. He’d stop by a farm or a gathering of woods and, surrendering his manly veneer, tell me a story about the town.

This place is precious. This is the earth that granted us life. Here is the place where we happened upon love or here is a site of devastation.

On one particular drive sometime in the late ‘90s we stopped at a tree with a plaque.

“This tree looks dead,” I said to my father.

“It sure is getting there, Julie.”

The Comfort Maple is supposedly Canada’s oldest See COLUMN SIX Page 14

Part 2 of 2: Coronation to embarkation

BY VOICE STAFF

A construction error was discovered following the opening of a traffic calming chicane on Haist Street north of Hwy 20 last Monday that prevented large vehicles from passing through.

One resident living in the neighbourhood said he contacted the Town after seeing a small schoolbus get stuck as it tried to get through the new traffic calming measure. Later that day while driving behind a cement truck, he said that he became concerned for the public’s safety when the truck had to turn around because it couldn’t get through.

“If a small school bus and a cement truck can’t make it through what about a fire

BY HEATHER McLAREN ROHRER

Special to the VOICE

A

Repair measures underway last week to correct a construction error in the chicane. truck or an ambulance?” he said.

While waiting for the contractor to return to fix

the mistake, the Town has taken measures to temporarily allow passage for vehicles through the neigh-

VOICE PHOTO

bourhood in the short-term.

Manager of Public Works Ryan Cook said that after discovering the issue with

the chicane the morning it first opened, the Town See CHICANE Page 5

Petition-inspired changes coming to 2017 Summerfest

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Representatives from the Pelham Summerfest committee Candy Ashbee and Bill Gibson presented council with a final report on the 2016 Summerfest at the Council meeting on Monday, Nov. 21.

Prompted by a story in the Voice in August about a merchant petition to move Summerfest from Pelham Street, in September Town staff met with various stakeholders to hear their complaints, promising at the time that changes in the way Summerfest was mounted would be con-

sidered.

The main concerns identified during the community engagement process were security, parking, ensuring customer can access all businesses in town, and liability for damages. How to get all Pelham Street businesses to participate and finding ways to make it beneficial for them to set up a booth were also determined to be of high priority for the committee as they plan for next year’s event.

Gibson told Council that the committee is addressing these concerns in a variety of ways. To improve parking, they intend to create bet-

ter signage for out-of-town visitors to designated parking areas and shuttle services. To make participation in Summerfest more enticing to local businesses, they plan to implement a tiered-charge for booths. Under the new system, Pelham Street business owners will be charged the least, other local businesses will pay a slightly higher fee, and vendors from outside Pelham will pay the most. In response to more specific issues for individual businesses, they will also slightly alter the footprint of the event and make adjustments to security.

Another way the committee plans

to improve the 2017 Summerfest is by sponsoring and working with the organizers of the Thursday Night Bandshell Concert series to select the artist performing on the first night of Summefest. They also intend to make more use of the smartphone app they launched in 2016.

"We are really going to push it this year," Ashbee said.

“It really helps to get people to see what events there are so they can plan out where they are going.

We will be able to actually help the merchants and local businesses adSee CHANGES Page 5

FTER LUNCH ON Saturday, Mum and Dad had my afternoon cut out for me. Mum had more brass than anyone I knew, and it had to be cleaned. In addition there was the set of silver fish-knives and forks which were never used, but which had to be cleaned and put back in their velvetlined box.

Next was a walk to the newsagents to pay for the daily delivery of the Daily Mirror. As I said, Dad was a printer, but when he was 37 he had been rejected for a job, as being too old, by the printers of the Beano.

For that reason, my favourite comic was not allowed in the house, but while I was paying the papers, the newsagent let me have a 'shoofty' at the Beano. I'd explained my predicament and he understood completely.

Sundays were different again. Dad would play golf on summer mornings and billiards in winter. Then he'd stop for a 'refresher' at the local and would pick up the prawns, cockles, winkles or whelks we'd be having for tea later. Meanwhile, Mum was roasting the 'joint' and potatoes. I got to make the Yorkshire pud, and mint See COLUMN SIX Page 14

BY VOICE STAFF

While shopping in Fonthill between Friday and Sunday, keep an eye out for Beavers, Cubs and Scouts in front of local stores with bushels of apples.

As part of the annual Apple Day campaign, Scouting youth of all ages will be trading apples for donations.

The yearly fundraising drive is an important way for young Scouts to connect with the communities they are serving, says Leah Marie of Scouts Canada.

“The Apple Day campaign holds a great tradition of being able to have youth interacting within the communities they live in,” she says. “All of the Apple Day donations stay directly within the group that re-

The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and well-rounded individuals

ceives them, enabling youth to have experiences that build character, challenge them, and allow them to try new things. The goal is to have these youth develop into confident and wellrounded individuals, better prepared for success. Apple Day helps to achieve that.”

“Any money raised during Apple Day goes towards improving the Scouting program by providing more outdoor adventures for youth, camping equipment, canoes and paddles, training and many other endeavours that the youth want to experience,” says Marie.

Scouts Canada has some 100,000 members across Canada, and carries out programs for boys, girls

walk/trail is slated to be built between the south side of the road from Timmsdale Crescent to the high school.

Because of the large volume of motor vehicle traffic travelling at high speeds through this area, and because of the necessity for students to tread this path on a daily basis, many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later.

After delivering to Council a petition containing

Many residents would like to see the sidewalk go in sooner than later the names of 450 students calling for a safer walk to school, Simpson handed the

podium over to Loewen and Williams to plead their case.

Loewen told Council that because there are a lot of students who have work placements and coop placements during the school year, this is the only route for many of them to travel.

As one of the students facing this predicament, Williams said she has had no other option but to walk along the dangerous highway.

www.pennylanesold.com

H EATHER AND P ENNY L ANE S ALES R EPRESENTATIVES

BY JOHN SWART

VOICE Correspondent

and youth ages 5-25. This year the 3rd Fonthill Group, which includes Beavers to Ventures (youth ages 5- 25) will be hitting the streets to drum-up support.

Over the weekend, Scouts will be set up in Fonthill outside Sobeys, Tim Hortons, Target Gas station, Fonthill Shopping Plaza and the Pioneer Gas station at the corner of Hwys 20 and 24.

Town Council approves sidewalk to serve E. L. Crossley

BY NATE SMELLE

The VOICE

Joining their principal, Karen Simpson, at the Sept.

19 Council meeting as part of a delegation from EL Crossley Secondary School, students Abby Loewen and Neenah Williams presented Council with a list of reasons that they should immediately approve the construction of the new sidewalk proposed along Hwy. 20. The asphalt side-

Cell 905.933.3049

T

Second year Beaver with the 3rd Fonthill Group, Russell Letford offers a fresh apple to shoppers SUPPLIED PHOTO in Pelham during the 2015 Apple Day campaign.

A longtime Canadian tradition, Apple Day began in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick, when Scouts handed out 21,000 apples as a way to say thank you to the community. In return for their generosity, many people offered them donations. From then on Scouts have reached out through Apple Day to raise funds for their programs.

Office 905.892.1702

Column Six It doesn’t get better than Autumn

Longtime Scouting tradition dates to 1932

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Request made of community still peeved at name change

See DSBN Page 9

Food 111Health Hwy. 20 E., Unit Store 5, Fonthill

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BY VOICE STAFF The District School Board of Niagara is requesting that the Town of Pelham cede a portion of Cherry Ridge Park for use as a soccer field to serve the students of the new Wellington Heights Public School, formerly the E. W. Farr Memorial Public School, in Fenwick.

Currently under renovation and expansion, the new school will combine students and staff from the previous school and Pelham Centre, where classes are being held while construction continues.

Two letters, containing virtually identical text but signed by different authorities, were sent last week to nearby residents of the park, as well as to parents of Pelham Centre students.

“The DSBN is currently building onto Wellington Heights Public School on Alsop Drive,” states the letter. “The size of the school's addition means the existing small soccer field will be eliminated.

The Town and the Board have been discussing the possibility of working together to create a field for both the school and the

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

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In Jacques-Cartier Park, Gatineau (Hull), saying bonjour to Rocket Richard, are Todd, Nicki, Vilma, and Trent Crick. Un si beau groupe!

Shawn W. STACHIW, 43, Niagara Falls Henriette H. MARSH, 63, St. Catharines Adam LESZCZYNSKI, 72, Niagara Falls Moises ALVAREZ ZAVALA, 48, Fort Erie Christian R. WHISSELL, 23, Niagara Falls Leslie TRAHAN, 46, Grimsby Isaac FOSTE, 20, Buffalo NY Nasser O. ALLABB, 52, Niagara Falls James W. FEDONI, 66, Pelham Stephanie M. DAGG, 47, West Lincoln Aleksandra C. S. GROTTICK, 20, Welland Joseph G. SANDELLI, 63, Pelham Basil BABY, 34, Niagara Falls Robert J. CROWDER, 35, Niagara Falls Tyler J. A. PAONE, 23, Thorold Kelly A. YOUNG, 36, Pickering Jacob H. BIJAKOWSKI, 43, Lincoln Erion J. PANNELL, 30, Buffalo NY Johan A. HURTADO LOJA, 24, Gloucester Randall T. CONNELL, 63, St. Catharines Donald R. MILLER, 61, St. Catharines Graham M. O’GRADY, 25, St. Catharines Chelsea A. M. BARLOW, 31, Welland Steven K. BREDIN, 42, St. Catharines Paul L. SACCO-LEBEL, 36, St. Catharines Amanda L. HARTWICK, 31, Thorold Ashley E. ALEXANDER, 35, No Fixed Abode

“I start work at 2:30 PM and school lets out at 2:15 PM so I can’t take any other route,” Williams explained.

“I have had friends, family, teachers and other community members reach out to me in the past about how this is unsafe and how there should be another alternative for us.”

Looking ahead to winter, when she will need to walk this path three or four times See SIDEWALK Page 2

HERE IS NO BETTER time to cycle than Fall. It matters not whether you’re new to the sport, a seasoned recreational cyclist, racer, touring rider or mountain biker; we all have reason to look forward to autumn.

Summer’s heat has faded, and the streams of sweat that ran from soggy helmets into our eyes are now just slight perspiration. Fitness is peaking from lots of saddle time, making those tough climbs of Spring a breeze in Autumn.

It’s hard to beat the feeling of beginning a crisp, cool Fall ride with a slight shiver, knowing your efforts will soon warm you perfectly.

The hues of Autumn are outstanding.

A Pelham route as simple as following our southern boundary is one that would make most Toronto cyclists jealous, especially when our forests and fields are ablaze with colour.

Begin from Harold Black Park, and zig-zag south along Effingham Rd toward the Welland River.

If you’re new to cycling, it’s important to know south is the direction away from any hills.

If you avoid the morning and evening weekday rush hours caused by those travelling through Pelham between Wainfleet See AUTUMN Page 3

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

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The Voice

A September 15 2021

TOWN COUNCIL NEWS

SDUs to be legal in Pelham

BY JOHN CHICK Voice Correspondent Second Dwelling Units (SDUs) will be legal in Pelham after Town Council unanimously passed a bylaw at its Sept. 7 meeting. No discussion surrounded the vote, but such units will be restricted to 800 square feet in the urban residential zone and 1,000 square feet in the rural agricultural zone.

Secondary structures cannot exceed the size of the property’s primary dwelling.

Most of the public feedback to the Town over the course of developing the bylaw had been supportive of the idea as demand continues to increase for more housing options, including rental units and “granny suites.”

Airport hangar motion by Haun

Ward 3 Councillor Lisa Haun moved a late motion to add an agenda item for the next meeting on Sept. 20, which will ask Pelham to chip in on the construction of new airplane hangars at Niagara Central Dorothy Rungeling Airport. Haun, who sits on the airport board, successfully led the charge this year to keep Pelham involved in the little-used aerodrome’s operations, along with three other municipalities, rather

than endorse uploading it to the Region.

“We have a historic opportunity,” Haun said of the hangar proposal, which would be used for rentals.

Regional Councillor Diana Huson also attended the meeting, and when asked, conceded that she doesn’t see the Region being in a hurry to uptake the airport anyway.

“I don’t expect this issue will come before this [Regional] Council in this term,” Huson said. “I don’t see it as a priority.”

Haun also announced the launch of a new $1,500 flight training bursary from the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association at the airport.

Mandatory vaccinations likely for Town staff

CAO David Cribbs said that while work remains ongoing, mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations appear probable for Town staff.

“We are highly likely to end up with a mandatory vaccination policy for Town staff,” CAO said. He added that the situation remained fluid as of Sept. 7, with the Town waiting both on cues from the Region and the Provincial government, which has announced Sept. 22 as the date to launch See COUNCIL Page 13

Page 3

Fall Programs in Pelham Pre-registration required

Ballroom Dancing Mon OR Wed

Yogalates Thurs

Falardeau fits in fine

Strong season with Fieldhouse Pirates 14U toEarlyON go chargesCentres closing driving 83 days Fenwick and South Pelham NRPS Raidy Manso (center), Santa Cayo, Cuba!

At impaired

Sue Lough with daughter Tamara, of Fenwick, with new Cuban friend

BY BILL POTRECZ bpsportsniagara.com Zoe Falardeau continues to show she can hang with the boys.

The 14-year-old Welland native had a strong season for the Fieldhouse Pirates that culminated with a standout pitching performance as the Pirates captured the Canadian Premier Baseball League 14U championship.

Falardeau pitched five scoreless innings in round-robin action play as the Pirates advanced to the playoffs with an undefeated 3-0 record.

“It was only my second start of season,” Falardeau said. “I didn’t know we had to win so I thought it was just a normal round-robin game. Until after the game I didn’t know it was that big of a game.”

Falardeau, who turned 14 recently, pitched and played second base for the Pirates where she was the youngest player on the team.

“I was pretty pleased,” she said when asked about how her season went.

Falardeau grew up playing minor baseball in Welland with the Mustangs before switching to Fieldhouse, based in Burlington, this season. Her older brother, Kaden, is a member of the 16U team.

She said there were no problems fitting in with the boys at the club level where players pay a premium to get more exposure and be coached by full-time instructors.

“The boys were all so nice to me so I fit in and it was all good,” she said. “I

wasn’t used to [higher competition] because I was used to playing in Welland, but it’s a good change. I liked it a lot. We had lots of indoor practices before the season to get used to it and indoor workouts as a team.”

Pirates 14U head coach Perry Scott, who doubles as Fieldhouse’s Director of Player Development and College Placement Coordinator, admitted there was some trepidation at first about adding the first female to suit-up for the program.

“Originally there were some concerns with putting a girl at 14U where the bodies are changing and all that stuff around teenage boys,” Scott said. “And the other thing was our league has never had a girl.”

Scott said Falardeau fit in quickly.

“I give Zoe full credit.

From day one she put those concerns to rest, skill-wise and compete-wise, all that stuff, she was right there with the boys,” he said. “My bigger concern would be how she would be viewed because our league has always been an all-male league. There were concerns all around but she quickly turned that around. This game is fun for her and she doesn’t let playing with boys be a barrier. It’s her attitude and her work ethic, and the biggest thing that stood out to me through all this was her calmness. Nothing fazes her and that’s on and off the diamond.”

Zoe’s father, Jay Falardeau, was quick to praise Fieldhouse.

“The program was very welcoming,” he said. “The coaches were great with her.

Her teammates were more than respectful of her. As the season wore on — not that they weren’t open to her at the start — but they could see she belonged. She

could compete with them and added value to the team.

We didn’t have any hesitation. Kaden was in the program for a year so we knew what it was about a little bit and she’s so used to playing ball with the boys. The biggest challenge was going to the first year on a full field from peewee.”

Zoe Falardeau, who tops out in the mid 60s on the mound and also features a change-up and recently began working on a breaking pitch, has her sights higher for next season.

“For the next couple of years I want to the make Team Ontario [16U girls] and then the Canadian women’s team,” she said. “[Boys vs. girls] doesn’t really matter.

I want to play at the highest level.”

She recently threw a bullpen for Baseball Canada Business and Sport Development Director/Women’s National Team General Manager Andre Lachance, who Scott said came away impressed.

“I’ve started discussions with Lachance to see what can we do for this year and he said he will keep her on the radar for the national team and looking at Team Ontario U16 team at the Canadian championships,” Scott said.

Scott feels the sky is the limit for Falardeau.

“I haven’t seen many girls play but I would put Zoe up there with the top ones. Not just skill, but her demeanour and her attitude. She’s a team-first person and she’s always smiling,” he said.

“She deserves to be on that team and to compete for a starting job.”

Zoe, who began Grade 9 last week at Ecole Franco-Niagara in Welland, also plays hockey, for which she will suit up for a girls AA program in Oakville this season.

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Page 4

The Voice

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

OPINION

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

COMMENTARY / OP-ED

A September 15 2021

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

Reid Rusonik

Make anti-vaxx terrorism a criminal offense

I

magine Canada has been invaded by a foreign army that, over the last 18 months, has rounded-up and killed over 27,000 of us, wounded tens of thousands more, forced us to take shelter from its attacks— thus crippling our economy—and now threatens to kill thousands more because not enough of us are resisting its renewed and possibly most deadly assault upon us yet.

How would our governments respond? How would we expect them to respond?

We would expect there to be a draft, of course.

A military draft and military service violates a host of our rights enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but every violation would either stand up to constitutional challenge in the courts or we would expect the federal government to rely upon the Notwithstanding Clause—the “override power” in the Charter—to uphold its draft and military service legislation.

In times of invasion, the needs of the community as a whole come before the desires and imagined entitlements of the individual, or there will not be a com-

munity for those individual rights to thrive in after the war is over.

Even a brief study of human history reveals plague invasions are a certain part of human existence. We

This was the equivalent of storming our own military installations while we are in a war for survival

were due for a deadly one.

We are apparently likely due for another, even deadlier one soon. It is frightening and depressing, yes, but it is part of the reality of being human.

It is, however, also part of the reality of being human that we do not have to helplessly succumb to illness. We can fight. We have survived terrible diseases by taking learned, appropriate precautions. We have conquered many with vaccinations and actual cures. We

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will almost certainly conquer more.

The Charter does not stand in the way of us organizing the community to accomplish this and prevent individuals from sabotaging the effort any more than it would protect individuals who refuse to be drafted into military service to fight an invading army.

The Charter is not cheapened or endangered by protecting the very lives of the members of the community either from immediate peril from an invader, or from the slow death and deprivation caused by a strangled economy.

Since Covid vaccines became widely available, the people refusing to take them while complaining about the effect to the economy of lockdowns have been the very cause of those lockdowns and other restrictions on normal economic activity.

Arguments against such measures that have no basis in reality, let alone scientific fact, have no right to be heard that needs protection to the point they endanger the community whilst the community faces invasion.

See CRIMINAL next page

Letters Trudeau “demonizing” those with opposing views It’s unfortunate that Justin Trudeau is politicizing vaccines and is pitting people against each other, demonizing anyone who does not share his views. Mr. Bingham is following his leader and spreading false and misleading statements.

Let me state for the record: Vaccines are the most important tool in the fight against Covid-19. I encourage everyone who is able to, to get vaccinated. Contrary to what is being said, I have never endorsed any alternative treatment, including therapeutics, as a cure of the Covid-19 virus.

7

For individuals who choose not to be vaccinated, Conservatives believe that is their choice and support reasonable measures, such as rapid testing, to help protect everyone. There are also others who have medical exemptions, like myself, who cannot be vaccinated.

Justin Trudeau and Mr. Bingham need to stop misleading Canadians.

For my complete response see my Facebook page.

Dean Allison, MP Conservative candidate, Niagara West

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS Member of Federal Parliament

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

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

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The Voice

Page 5

A September 15 2021

OPINION Vote tactically—boot Allison Among the interesting things I learned watching the recent Cogeco debate among the Niagara West candidates was that incumbent Dean Allison, who has held this seat since 2004, has only ever sponsored a single bill, and that was back in 2007. One bill, in 17 years.

Now Mr. Allison is in hot water because he promoted studying whether a horse de-worming drug might help treat Covid.

Of course, when the dung hit the fan on that one, Allison deleted his Facebook post that showed a box of the drug, saying that it caused “confusion” for us simple people. No one was confused except Mr. Allison.

As a politician—not a doctor or medical researcher—Mr. Allison has no business

telling government how to deal with this pandemic. His job is to put learned experts in charge. In fact, it’s plenty clear that if the Conservatives had been in charge this whole time, we would be in far worse shape. Look at Alberta.

There are now enough non-Conservative voters in Niagara to show Mr. Allison the door. He’ll live fat and happy on his generous federal pension. The only realistic option is the Liberal, Ian Bingham, to unseat the unproductive, uninformed, and past-his-prime Dean Allison. Vote Liberal, because we can’t afford to see a return of either Allison or the federal Conservatives.

L. Johnson Wainfleet

Anti-vaxx protests have gone beyond the pale My daughter and I considered going to the Best Western this morning to hear Prime Minister Trudeau speak. Because my daughter is on oxygen and limited to how many steps she can take safely we elected not to go.

I am glad we were not there to hear the disturbing language and see the noxious signs displayed by people who once upon a time may have been proud, praiseworthy good Canadian citizens. Today they are in my estimation “toilet trollers.”

Their way of dealing with any situation which does not fit into their limited mental

CRIMINAL

continued from previous page The demonstrators recently at the doors of hospitals that impeded ambulances, terrorized patients, and psychologically devastated the truest heroes in the fight against the pandemic invader have, at long last, finally gone too far.

This was the equivalent of storming our own military installations while we are in a war for survival.

Such acts are criminal acts against the community and should be defined and legislated as such—and not merely as quasi-criminal, ticketable provincial offenses.

Gathering in large groups unvaccinated and unmasked in a time of pandemic is a criminal act against the community and should be defined as such. Let people charged with such offenses try to argue in a court of law that their individual rights

capacity is dealt with by the means of “potty mouth.”

Where are our wonderful, educated, diverse citizens, who are willing to be still, listen and then speak appropriately and in non-offensive language? As a former teacher who always sought to bring out the very best in all of my many students, I am appalled by the distasteful drivel seen and heard at these political events. Am I alone in my remarks? Are most Canadians apathetic?

Where has all the decency gone?

Marie Rogers Fonthill

are greater than those of the community.

I am a defense lawyer.

Some will question why a defense lawyer would argue for such limits on individual rights, imagining being a defense lawyer as akin to being a law-hating anarchist. I suspect very few defense lawyers hate laws.

What we hate are unfair laws, laws without rational and scientific justification, and the unequal and prejudicial enforcement of laws that make a mockery of individual rights and, in so doing, endanger the whole community.

I believe there would be nothing contrary in the criminalization of unmasked, unvaccinated groups terrorizing and interfering with the operation of hospitals, or gathering as such anywhere, even if simply for being part of such groups.

We who fight for unpopu-

lar causes everyday in court do not understand the political cowardice that allows for a small minority of the population to thwart community efforts to fight and survive this pandemic and to revive the economy. ◆

PELHAM AND COVID-19 Mayor Marvin Junkin

Alberta experiment failure; Sulphur Springs success

A

fter 60 days of having only minimal Covid protocols in place with very few negative results, Alberta has had to reinstate its public masking rule because of its soaring Covid hospital cases, caused mainly by the Delta variant. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, stated last week, “Clearly the move to endemic was too early.” Alberta has 75 percent of its population with one dose of vaccine, and 69 percent are fully vaccinated. As of September 9, 80 percent of Pelham residents have received their first shot of vaccine, with 76 percent of residents being fully vaccinated. Our town vaccination numbers are significantly higher than the Region’s, which are 73 percent and 67 percent respectively. Pelham case numbers had spiked the first week of September, due to one private event held in the town. As of September 9, Pelham had 15 active cas-

Reid Rusonik is managing partner of Rusonik, O'Connor, Robbins, Ross, & Angelini, LLP, and had practiced criminal defense law in Ontario for 35 years.

es with all the individuals isolating at home and none requiring hospitalized.

As of September 7, Town Hall reopened to the public, and I must say, it seems mighty strange to just pull the door open, without having to unlock it first. The receptionist informed me that there was a steady flow of residents coming into Town Hall, but she points out that an appointment is necessary if a specific staff member is sought— for instance, someone from the building department.

In reference to Town Hall, we have experienced the departure of several promising junior to intermediate staff in such areas as finance, engineering, sustainability planning, and communications. It was the experience they gained while working for Pelham and their strong performance during the pandemic that made them attractive candidates for higher paying jobs in other, often bigger, municipalities. In the coming weeks, Town Council

will be assessing the Town’s compensation model both for staff and elected officials, to ensure that we remain at least competitive. It has been five years since compensation has been reviewed, and as the departures show, it is time for a review. It can be argued that the succession management policy is working well, but if we are simply training people up to make more money elsewhere, then obviously this approach does not bode well for the future of the Town. he contractor working on Sulphur Springs Drive has informed me that his company has been given an extension to work on the project until October 15. Luckily the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada has the final say in this matter, and it’s a good thing, because the Niagara Escarpment Commission is already whining about it. This should allow time for the total repair of the washed-out section of road. ◆

T

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Page 6

The Voice

A September 15 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

Letters continued Campaign signs stolen—but Allison signs remain

Move forward, not backward

Last evening, Friday, September 10, just before 5 PM, I had two Liberal election signs supporting Ian Bingham placed at the end of my driveway. When I returned home just before dark they were still there. By 7 this morning only the metal stands that had supported them were left and the posters themselves were gone. Someone had removed them under the cover of darkness.

If someone has a problem with my support of a particular candidate, perhaps he or she could find the courage to knock on my door and ask me why I am supporting a candidate they obviously reject. I am open to talk, but I disdain the cowardly approach these individuals have taken.

My reaction to the removal of the signs was swift and unequivocal. I was angry that someone had had the audacity to try to deprive me of my right to free speech or to muzzle me. I don’t know exactly who was behind this, so in my comments below, I am making no direct accusations. However, the appearances we are left with are telling.

After my initial reaction, I tried to process what had happened. It immediately crossed my mind that teenagers were once again out having fun—not an unreasonable thought in this part of Pelham, since over the years our rural mailbox has frequently been the target of pranks ranging from mutilation to theft.

The last time it was set ablaze at about 2 in the morning.

But was I jumping to conclusions? Pranks just don’t seem to fit into our present pandemic climate. Was there perhaps another alternative? I had to know what had happened, so I took a quick tour in my car, driving about a kilometre east, west and south, from our home. If teenagers were involved, I reasoned, they would probably take all of the signs. There would be virtually none left.

I drove about a kilometre in all directions from our home.

But this was not the case. Two doors west of our home there were about ten Dean Alli-

This pandemic has been challenging for all. Families are working and parenting without support. Others have lost their livelihoods. Many worry about their health. Far too many mourn their loved ones.

I have knocked on many doors and had many conversations. While we may disagree on a few issues, almost everybody agrees on the path forward:  Continuing pandemic support for families and businesses  Focusing on economic growth and re-housing manufacturing in Niagara  Enabling our farmers through a

son signs lined along the side of the road. At the same time, I noted that a large number of Liberal signs—that had stood in a sort of electoral rivalry—had been removed from the home across the street. Notably, only the Liberal signs were gone. As I made my short tour, I encountered several signs, both large and small, all but one (for Maxime Bernier’s PPC) supporting Dean Allison.

Significantly there was not a Liberal, an NDP, or any other party sign anywhere to be seen. You can draw your own conclusions.

I am quite aware that this is a safe Conservative seat, so safe in fact that I am actually convinced you could put a blue Conservative tie on a goat and have it elected in this riding.

In view of this fact, are these bully tactics really necessary? I think not. But no one—I repeat, no one—has the right to limit free speech nor to intimidate voters who are exercising their democratic rights.

We vote for the party which reflects our values. Are these the values of the Conservative party? Are these the tactics it would employ to win? I don’t know who removed these signs, neither am I accusing Mr. Allison nor the Conservative party. But appearances are everything and it is fairly obvious to me that it was not a Liberal supporter.

Even if Mr. Allison was unaware that someone is deliberately targeting his opponent’s signs, he could prove that he rejects the support of these weak-minded bullies by vigorously denouncing their tactics. I have contacted his office to inform him, but was told: “Why should he?” He has nothing either to condemn or to apologize for.

I do not know who was behind this selective vandalism. But the removal of election signs is a punishable offence, if the perpetrators are found. I have yet to review my security camera footage, but if it shows any activity, I shall pursue it. Furthermore I shall report these events to Elections Canada.

Don MacRae Ridgeville

pan-Canadian food strategy and better succession laws  Actually delivering on climate change by stepping into the green economy and shifting away from the carbon economy.  Providing support for working families like affordable housing, pharmacare and childcare.

Let’s rebuild, stronger and better than ever before. On September 20, let’s choose the path forward with the NDP, not step backwards with others.

Nahmeer Rahman NDP Candidate for MP Niagara West

Killing petroleum today won't solve tomorrow's issues In reply to reader Liam Winters’ comments [“Act on climate now,” Letters, Aug. 25, p.5], regarding climate change, I consider myself to be a quasi-environmentalist, as I am only a guest on this planet for a short time. What I do will either benefit or destroy my grandkids' existence here. But I have to say that I am getting sick of people forcing their beliefs that doing away with the petroleum industry will solve all the environmental problems.

Electric vehicles in the city are fine but try and travel outside the urban areas and see how long you love your EV. The lack of charging stations, line-ups to charge the EV, or broken charging units. Let's try and get answers from government officials on how they plan on recovering the $25 billion dollars a year collected from gas taxes for road and infrastructure repairs (oh, wait, higher taxes and electricity bills). How many of these EV supporters currently use drive-throughs, travel above the posted speed limits, or idle their vehicles unnecessarily?

Try planting a half-dozen trees, install a

Dean Allison

clothesline, do away with two of your TVs, turn your air conditioner up five or six degrees or turn it off all together. Best of all,

Let's punish the big three— China, India, and the USA— by not buying their products

since Canada produces approx two percent of the world’s CO2 gases, let’s punish the big three—China, India, and the USA—by not buying their products, or at least researching in what region they are made, how they supply the energy to produce them (hydroelectric, coal, solar, or nuclear), before you buy the product. Stop demanding that we do away with our petroSee OIL Page 12

Conservative

Setting The Record Straight -

My response to the recent inaccurate statements and reporting: It is unfortunate that Justin Trudeau, and his candidates, are trying to politicize vaccines and the pandemic for their own personal gain.

By making attempts to demonize others, pitting people and groups against each other, and playing their usual divisive poliatics, the Liberals are doing a great disservice to Canadians and our country as a whole. It is also unfortunate that there has been confusion in the media which seems to echo the Liberal party narrative, which ultimately magnifies and perpetuates inaccuracies.

Let me be clear: Vaccines are the most important tool in the fight against COVID-19.

I encourage everyone who is able to, to get vaccinated. We must not forget that COVID-19 is a serious disease that can cause severe illness, and death. In this critical time, we must respect and defer to recommendations of health experts on how best to treat COVID-19.

I have never endorsed any alternative treatment, including therapeutics, as a cure of the COVID-19 virus.

At the request of many constituents, including medical professionals, who are asking the federal government to explore all possible options to defeat the virus, — as is being done in many other countries — I assisted in facilitating those efforts.

My opponents don’t seem to realize that they are demeaning people who have the best of intentions, real concerns and people who want to start a conversation about any and all avenues to save lives. That’s the goal: saving lives.

And it should be the goal for all of us in this difficult time. Not stoking division. And not perpetuating confusion. Just saving lives.

In addition, allow me to state the Conservative position on mandatory vaccination (a position that has not changed): Canadians have the right to make their own health choices. For individuals who choose not to be vaccinated, we continue to believe in reasonable measures, such as rapid testing, to help protect everyone, especially the most vulnerable. There are also others who have medical exemptions, like myself, who cannot be vaccinated.

When it comes to “vaccine passports”, Conservatives support a streamlined system that helps Canadians verify their vaccine status when travelling abroad. Countries around the world are requiring proof of vaccination to enter their country. We will coordinate a system so that Canadians who wish to travel all have one internationally recognized document. It's up to individual foreign governments to establish vaccination rules for travellers. When it comes to travelling domestically, Conservatives do not support a vaccine passport.

For those concerned about the vaccine passport plans being put forward by the Ontario Provincial Government, I encourage you to contact Premier Ford and your local MPP to discuss these provincial plans.

Justin Trudeau called this needless election when Canadians are still facing the pandemic. He and his liberal candidates are pitting Canadian against Canadian through misleading statements and bending the facts.

They continue to vilify everyone who does not agree with them, when in reality they are the ones being divisive.

Conservatives are focused on what really matters… strengthening and securing our country for all Canadians.

1.877.938.3326 www.deanallison.com

Authorized by the Official Agent of Dean Allison

Campaign Office

5026 King Street, Beamsville, ON

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 7

A September 15 2021

Knives out at Cogeco Niagara West candidates debate Allison on the defensive, Bingham says riding needs strategic voting

BY MIKE BALSOM Special to the Voice Animosity ran high between Niagara West Conservative incumbent Member of Parliament Dean Allison and Liberal challenger Ian Bingham at last Tuesday’s Cogeco YourTV television debate.

Fittingly, a draw for seating held prior to airtime resulted in Allison and Bingham being separated at opposite ends of the table, with NDP candidate Nameer Rahman and Joanna Kocsis of the Green Party providing the buffer zone.

Allison got the proceedings started with his opening statement. For 90 seconds he berated Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government for racking up “record public debt” over the past six years. He accused Trudeau of corruption and conflict of interest over the SNC Lavalin affair, and expressed his contempt for the Prime Minister for calling an election at the dawn of the Afghanistan crisis and the continuation of raging wildfires in western Canada.

“These are qualities of a selfish, out-of-touch government that will say anything and do anything for power,” Allison said. “I truly believe Canadians see through their Liberal arrogance, lies and entitlement.”

Rahman, running in his third straight federal election in the riding, began by recognizing the sacrifices made by all Canadians over the last 18 months. His opening remarks focused on the NDP’s

pandemic recovery plans as well as the importance of action on climate change.

First-time candidate Kocsis, a Beamsville native and community activist, made the Niagara West community the focus of her introductory remarks.

“Sustainability and social justice are important to me,” she said. “I chose to stay and fight for my community. I know that the rapid growth in Niagara is concerning to some. I would love to see how many people are sharing in the love for the community that I grew up in.”

Bingham, also in his third attempt to win the riding, pushed back against the overriding impression many have that Niagara West is inevitably a Conservative riding. He pointed out in his opening that in 2019, the 26,869 votes combined for the Liberal, Green and NDP parties outpaced Allison’s 23,973. He made clear that part of his strategy is to sway votes from the other left-leaning parties to defeat Allison in the riding.

The other two Niagara West candidates — Harold Jonker of the Christian Heritage Party, and Shaunalee Derkson of the People’s Party of Canada — were not invited to the TV debate. The decision was based on criteria set by the Federal Leaders Debate Commission, which sets standards based on party standing in the House of

From left, Conservative incumbent Dean Allison, Nameer Rahman (NDP), Joanna Kocsis (Green), Ian Bingham (Liberal).

SUPPLIED Commons and vote counts from the most recent federal election.

Neither party met those standards, and each candidate was offered a

I know that the rapid growth in Niagara is concerning to some.

I would love to see how many people are sharing in the love for the community that I grew up in

two-minute pre-taped segment at the end of the program. Jonker did not submit a video.

Bingham was forced onto the defensive during the first question, which dealt with the criticism his party has been receiving for calling an election only two years into Trudeau’s current mandate. The other three candidates all expressed distaste for the

Prime Minister’s decision.

“As far as we are concerned,” Rahman said of his own party, “Trudeau called this election as a naked power grab to ensure that they get a majority, but not necessarily for the best interest of all Canadians. Although he says his government is dysfunctional, that is not true. We worked collaboratively with them and will continue to do so with whichever government comes forward.”

Kocsis said the poor timing of the September 20 voting date forced her to juggle preparing her children for their return to school with the demands of running a campaign. She believes this election goes against Trudeau’s 2019 promises of delivering a feminist government.

“He has failed to deliver,” she said. “Calling an election in the middle of a pandemic when we know that the work of childcare and caring for relatives in the fourth wave of a pandemic falls disproportionately on women.

This is not a good time for us to be redirecting our efforts and our energies.”

The incumbent candidate ex-

panded on Rahman’s comments, affirming that both the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois members seemed to be willing to cooperate with the Liberal government during the past two years.

“There wasn’t anything that the Liberals wanted to pass that they couldn’t pass,” Allison said. “They saw they were up in the polls and thought that this would be an opportunistic opportunity.”

“There’s business to be done,” Bingham responded. “The Liberals have made good progress the last couple of years but it has to accelerate. We need a government who has the ability to pass aggressive climate change legislation. The governments have not been working collaboratively. In fact, in 2016 the NDP voted against a wealth tax which they claimed to uphold.”

It was Allison’s turn to go on the defensive next. The subject of his vaccination status and his previous social media posts in implied support of alternative Covid-19 therapies was brought up.

“I think it’s appalling that there are people who use their platSee COGECO Page 12

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Page 8

The Voice

A September 15 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

ELECTION 2021—THE CANDIDATES

Allison to Niagara West: Get vaccinated

BY BILL POTRECZ Special to the Voice Dean Allison insists he is pro-vaccine even though he has not received a shot and despite a post on his Facebook site—since removed— inquiring about the use of an alternative Covid-19 remedy.

“What I suggested is we should look at further intervention drugs,” said Allison, the Niagara West Conservative incumbent. The photo, of a box of Ivermectin, a drug widely used to treat parasite infections in livestock, “probably created the controversy, so I took it down and re-posted something.

Right now, if you are sick with Covid you either beat it or you end up on a ventilator and you don’t beat it. So we have to look at that stuff and not preclude the fact we still need to encourage as many people as possible to get vaccinated. Regardless of where you are at, vaccinated or unvaccinated, people can still get sick. If you get the vaccine, you’re going to get less sick but there are no early intervention treatments. There are a number of things being worked on and what I would encourage any government is to look at everything, using the science all of the time, and figure out what works and what doesn’t work and continue to pursue stuff.”

Allison, who said he had a medical exemption when asked if he has been vaccinated, said he feels safe nevertheless.

“I rapid test every day during the campaign, I am always cautious to wear my mask, and I always make sure I am mindful of the situation to distance,” he said.

“I want to make sure I am taking as many precautions as possible.

“I don’t spend a lot of time at major sporting events or things like that so I realize I have to do what I need to do to keep myself safe and others safe as well.”

Allison said Covid comes up constantly when speaking with his constituents.

“It’s been incredibly difficult year,” the 56-year-old London native said. “It’s been 18 months of lockdowns, more lockdowns, some restrictions, more restrictions, and it’s been tough on a number of groups of people. Without question, those that are isolated — single individuals, single parents, seniors — and the lack of interaction. We have mental health issues and opioid addictions and we’re seeing that. People are on edge, they are uncertain and don’t know what’s going on and where is it going to go and what does the new normal look like? People are past Covid, meaning we want to get back to doing something.

People are frustrated with all the restrictions they have had in their lives. That’s the backdrop of the election.”

Allison said he feels voters don’t

Niagara West Conservative MP Dean Allison, first elected in 2004, is running to keep his seat. BILL POTRECZ understand why a federal election was called in the midst of a pandemic.

“At the end of the day, people say [Prime Minister Justin Trudeau] had the support of the NDP in a block so there’s nothing they couldn’t pass, so why are we having an election? What’s the point of it? And I don’t think he’s been able to justify it. It’s been unique from that perspective.”

Allison, who was first elected in 2004, won the 2019 Niagara West riding with 24,447 votes followed

by Liberal Ian Bingham (17,429), the NDP’s Nameer Rahman (6,540) and the Green’s Terry Teather (3,620).

“I would never take it for grant-

ed,” he said. “Incumbency is good because I’m not a new guy having to introduce myself. I have a track record in terms people knowing me as a person and how approachable I am and how our office has helped out. I don’t have to reintroduce myself but there are always people moving into the riding as we can see with the prices of housing jumping.”

He feels there is no simple solution to the skyrocketing prices of housing in Niagara.

“It’s complicated. We would like to get a million new homes built so we need to foster that kind of thing,” he said. “We’d like to reduce foreign ownership unless people are going to move in. That’s

not such a big deal in our riding but it is in bigger cities and people are getting pushed out here so it is a cause-and-effect thing. We have a lot of foreign ownership of homes where, quite frankly, they don’t move into the home. Maybe we can encourage them to build multiunits.”

As well, Allison said a Conservative government would give those selling rental homes a tax break.

“Right now if you sell you get taxed the full shot on captain gains. We’re suggesting if you were take it and sell it and invest it in additional projects, we would let you roll that into the next project,” he said.

He also mentioned taking 15 percent of about 37,000 federal properties and transitioning them into rental or residential properties.

“I don’t think any one thing will do it, it’s a combination of things,” he said.

Allison feels the economy needs to be a priority.

“We spent a lot of money the last couple of years our kids and our kids’ kids are going to have to pay back,” he said. “Much of that was warranted but now we need to focus on how we can re-start the economy. How do we get people back to work? I was talking to a business person and they were telling me they cannot get any staff and I’m hearing that all the time. We need to transition into programs that are going to get people back to work and get the economy going again. There are a lot of business that have continued to struggle. We have a large hospitality and tourism area in Niagara and I would say disproportionally they have been affected more than anybody.”

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The Voice

A September 15 2021

STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR NIAGARA WEST

Re-Elect

Canada is dealing with the worst health and economic crisis in a generation. Now is the time to get to work, to rebuild our economy and secure the future of all Canadians.

SECURE CANADA’S ECONOMY SECURE JOBS SECURE THE ENVIRONMENT SECURE ACCOUNTABILITY SECURE MENTAL HEALTH SECURE OUR COUNTRY Read the full Conservative Recovery Plan at

www.conservative.ca

Campaign Office 5026 King Street, Beamsville, ON Authorized by the Official Agent of Dean Allison

1.877.938.3326 www.deanallison.com

Page 9

Page 10

The Voice

A September 15 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

ELECTION 2021—THE CANDIDATES

Pandemic, environment dominate voter concerns

BY BILL POTRECZ Special to the Voice It has come as no surprise to Nameer Rahman that the Covid-19 pandemic has been front and centre of his interactions with voters.

“The number one topic is the pandemic, but you hear a mix of issues,” the 43-year-old federal NDP candidate for Niagara West said. “You hear people complaining about people who don’t follow the rules and then you hear people complain about the rules.”

Rahman has become somewhat of a sounding board at times as he goes from door to door.

“This is definitely a much more animated campaign. What I’ve told people when I go up to their door, if you’ve got to sound-off because you’re stressed or tired or angry, sound-off happily,” he said. “I’ll listen because if I’m coming to you asking for your vote, I have to be able to listen in return. And once you’ve sounded-off, let’s have a conversation about the things we disagree with and the things we agree on.”

Rahman understands the general frustration of the public with the pandemic.

“I think for the past year-andhalf people have been talked to and talked at, but not necessarily heard,” he said. “I think it’s my responsibility if I’m going to ask for somebody’s vote that I give them the time to speak their piece. I need to be able to listen to the perspec-

tives of people who severely disagree with me and I disagree with them, but maybe we can figure out what's that common ground moving forward.”

Pandemic aside, the Grimsby resident said the environment is also a common theme.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” he said. “After the pandemic, the environment has turned out to be a very big issue for us.”

Rahman feels Canada is heading into a climate crisis.

“The question isn’t are we going to have a climate crisis. The answer is yes. The question is are we going to go into that climate crisis wall at 100 kilometres per hour or 30 kilometres per hour at this stage. Every year we’re seeing chunks of the county go up in flames.”

Rahman feels Niagara residents don’t have to look far to see the harmful effects of climate change.

“The way I localize that issue is I think about our ice wine industry that needs a continuous number of days for the grapes in zero temperatures before they have harvest the grapes. If you have climate instability and you don’t have those number of days, that’s your entire industry in jeopardy,” he said.

Rahman said his party is committed to making major changes in the economy to aid in the climate crisis.

“We want to go ahead and meet

The NDP's Nameer Rahman is making his third run to represent the riding.

BILL POTRECZ our climate change obligations as established in the Paris Accord,” he said. “We’re going to have to divest, or step out of, a carbon-intensive economy and move to a clean economy.”

Rahman, who works with the policy team with the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, which is a government agency, is in his third campaign.

“Every single campaign has been different,” he said. “We had a lot of momentum in [2015] until the last ten days when we saw support slip.”

He said the 2019 election was very personal.

“It was right after Trump’s victory, and we saw a lot of anti-racist sentiment rise to the surface,” Rah-

NIAGARA’S

man said. “I was very concerned in what was predominantly a Conservative riding whether we would see that or not. I needed to step up and be the voice of a diverse community and I was pleasantly surprised that every door, with the exception of one, was unfailingly polite. One door called me a terrorist but this election is different. I think people’s opinions are a lot more agitated because of what’s happened over the last year-and-a-half and rightly so. The economy has struggled, small business has taken a hit, people are worried about their health. We go into lockdown, out of lockdown, into lockdown, out of lockdown. That snapback is vicious.”

In the 2019 federal election, Conservative Dean Allison won the Niagara West riding with 24,447 votes followed by Liberal Ian Bingham (17,429), Rahman (6,540) and the Green’s Terry Teather (3,620).

Rahman has been encouraged as the NDP has seen their vote share rise in the last two elections.

“When you take a look at the numbers, you see a large contingent of left-of-centre voters,” he said.

“What we’ve done in the last two elections is grow our vote share.

That trend is going to continue upwards, especially as people take a look at Trudeau’s government over the last six years. He’s talked this great progressive game, he’s not delivered on much of it, but if they want an actual progressive vote, we are here. On top of that is what I tell Conservatives, that I’m here to listen, I’m here to engage and when you take a look at the both from the values and policy perspectives, in terms of the things we need in Niagara, we’re not that far apart.”

Rahman is looking at the election beyond just what happens Sept. 20.

“I would love to win this outright, but I know if it’s not me, I can set it up for someone else,” he said. “You put in the time, the effort, the engagement, the presence, and finally somebody will say, ‘It’s finally time for the NDP.’ I understand a longer strategy is in place.”

Rahman — who lives with his wife and two small sons — admits election time isn’t the easiest personally.

“My wife, she is supportive all the time, but campaigns are tough on families,” he said. “You have the campaign, plus the pandemic, plus work, plus family and it’s hard.

Those dynamics become very challenging.”

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The Voice

A September 15 2021

Page 11

ELECTION 2021—THE CANDIDATES

United left needed to defeat incumbent Allison

BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI Special to the Voice In the 2019 federal election, Conservative Dean Allison won the Niagara West riding with 24,447 votes, followed by Liberal Ian Bingham (17,429), the NDP’s Nahmeer Rahman (6,540) and the Green’s Terry Teather (3,620).

Bingham, a Grimsby-based defence lawyer, is back in 2021 to take another crack at knocking off the incumbent, who has ruled the roost since 2004.

“I wasn’t that far off, and my angle in this election is if we can unite the left-leaning people, we would easily overwhelm the Conservative vote. I am hoping that many of your readers consider that if they are NDP or Green voters, to consider throwing in with me so we have a change in the riding.”

That approach is different from 2019.

“The last election I thought it was about beating the Conservative vote but what I have learned that it is better to unite those with common values,” the 31-year-old Lindsay native said.

Bingham believes that lack of unification has hurt the Niagara riding at both the federal and provincial level.

“Principally what people want to see here is not being represented by Sam Oosterhoff and Dean Allison, who hold anti-feminist views and who are not advocating

for the majority of people here,” he said. “And so when we go to the House of Commons, the voice of this riding is denying climate change, is minimizing women’s rights and talking about cuts to families. There’s a lot of families coming in here. Not only do we need to get out of the trench, we need to be uplifted on to the mountain through [Liberal platforms].”

He believes most people in Niagara think alike.

“Another thing I learned during the last election is that we all share common values — Conservative, Liberal, NDP, it doesn’t matter — but we are worried about families, our future, the economy and the climate. It is important to focus on values rather than what divides us.”

Bingham urges Niagara West residents to vote for him because he believes he will serve the best interests of the riding, using his progressive values as a liberal candidate and his individual background of defending and fighting for people’s rights for the last decade.

“It is something I enjoy doing, it is something I am good at doing, and currently the representation in this riding, in my opinion, is not fighting for the best interests of the riding,” he said. “The last bill Mr. Allison tried to put for-

In his second run for the Niagara West seat, Liberal Ian Bingham says that incumbent MP will only be defeated if the left unites around a single candidate.

BERNIE PUCHALSKI ward was in 2008, and he hasn’t done anything since. That’s not fair for the people here, that’s not good government and I will try to benefit you and your family.”

Bingham is proud of the Liberal’s platform in this election and the accomplishments of the party as well.

“Liberals aren’t good at lauding their own accomplishments but I look back from 2015 until now and there has been a price put on pollution, the Canada Child Benefit has raised close to 500,000 children out of poverty, and there’s been seniors benefits,” he said.

“Looking to the future, the fight against climate change still goes on — we saw how hot it was last

week and even non-believers are starting to wake up — and Liberals have a plan to be at [net zero emissions by 2050] and we are on track for it. Ten dollars a day daycare is a huge deal and when Quebec got it it was a massive boost to their economy.”

Bingham also believes the Liberal proposal to hire 50,000 personal support workers is desperately needed because he feels the senior population in Niagara is going to be facing a crisis in ten years.

He has a number of Niagara-specific issues he wants to deal with.

“I want to bring to this riding better transit because there’s lots

of congestion and seniors often don’t have the luxury of driving. Where are the buses, where are the trains and where are the green ways of getting around? I would try to bring that here.”

In Beamsville and Pelham, there are concerns with the light and odour emissions coming from cannabis greenhouses.

“I know it was the Liberals who brought that in and I understand that. I feel I would be responsible to go to Health Canada, a federal agency, and say there needs to be regulations on smell, light emission and proximity to residential buildings and put it through the House of Commons,” Bingham said. “We can’t be the only riding that thinks that.”

Like their Canadians counterparts, there is a lot of concern from Niagara residents about the environment and not having Niagara turn into a metropolis.

“People in Grimsby don’t want the shoreline built up, people in Pelham don’t want the urban sprawl so controlling that can be done through better planning and it links back to transit. Urban buildup happens where there is access to roads.”

There is a common theme present among the voters Bingham has met.

“The mood is generally positive and I think people know that I am on their side and they recognize me from the last campaign,” he said. “The thing I get asked a lot is why is there an election now. The simple answer is there is business to be done, we have to develop policy for kids, our future and our country and the minority See BINGHAM back page

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Page 12

The Voice

COGECO

continued from Page 7 forms, their privilege and their power to spread misinformation,” Kocsis began. “Preying on the fears of people during a pandemic is one of the most underhanded and disgusting things people can do.”

Bingham challenged Allison on his promotion of Ivermectin, a drug primarily used as a livestock de-wormer, as a Covid-19 therapy.

“Start with the vaccine, get your vaccine, that’s how we save lives.

Not by promoting horse medication that is used to prevent ringworm.”

He went on to directly ask Allison to publicly reveal his vaccination status. The MP did not provide an answer.

“Everyone should get a vaccination who is able to do that,” Allison said. “It makes a lot of sense and also helps people not get as sick as they could. I think we also need to look at other options as well. We’ll let the scientists determine what they should be. There are a number of products under development right now. We need to continue to encourage the government to look at all options.”

Bingham was forced to defend the Liberal government’s record on fiscal policy.

“We’re still rated Triple-A by Moody’s for credit rating and we have the ninth strongest economy in the world. Do not let false information mislead you.”

“As a result of the kind of spending that has happened for the last number of years, inflation is at a ten-year high,” countered Allison. “The problem with inflation is that it affects the most vulnerable people who are on fixed incomes. This Prime Minister has spent more money than all of the

previous Prime Ministers put together.”

On the subject of restructuring mental health supports, Kocsis listed a number of major drivers of mental health problems. “Addressing the mental health needs of Canadians goes well beyond setting up hotlines and encouraging self-care.”

Bingham touted the Liberal investment of $600 million into treatment centres as a source of pride. His party is promising 7,500 new doctors, some focusing on mental health, to be trained and distributed across the country, with 50 percent sent to rural areas.

“Liberals have actually cut health care,” Allison claimed, “and we have actually committed to move it back to those levels we had before. We’re talking about $60 billion in health care. We would like to see a commitment to 1,000 beds for people who are looking for opioid addiction treatment.”

Rahman, whose wife is a psychotherapist, said the government is not focusing on the mental health component.

“What we’re committing to do is funding mental health services for all Canadians who are currently uninsured. We need more money in there, we need more focus, and we’re willing to do it.”

Bingham refuted claims that the Liberals had cut their healthcare budget and questioned the cost of the NDP’s promises on that portfolio.

The environment and specifically a carbon tax was at the centre of another discussion. On this topic, Rahman threw out probably the most entertaining bon mot of the evening.

“Spending $5 billion on a pipeline does not make sense given the climate crisis that is about to hit us,” he said. “When you buy an

A September 15 2021

oil pipeline and say we need that money to fund climate change initiatives, that’s like saying we need people to smoke to fund healthcare. ” Kocsis pointed out that Canada has never achieved a climate target.

“Greenhouse gases have risen every year since 2016,” she stressed, promising that the Green Party would bring about a 60 percent reduction from 2005 levels by increasing carbon tax by $25 per tonne each year from 2023 to 2030.

Bingham noted the Liberal government’s spending of $100 billion toward climate action. He

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referred to the carbon levy as “carbon pricing,” and quoted Simon Fraser University professor Mark Jaccard’s study, published on the Institute for Research on Public Policy website, that gave the Liberal Party’s climate action plan the highest sincerity rating amongst the parties.

Allison strayed off topic for his comment on the issue, talking instead about the continued dumping of waste into Canada’s lakes and rivers under the current government.

The need to get people back to work and to reduce the country’s jobless rate was something

OIL

continued from Page 6 leum industry because you can not change your habits.

I have no issue paying a reasonable “carbon tax” such as it is now but I do not want to pay two or three times more for my natural gas or propane that I need to

all candidates agreed on. Bingham promised to look at ways to bring clean, green jobs to Niagara West, and to promote and invest in trades.

Allison said the Conservatives are promising a 50 percent wage subsidy for six months for businesses to hire new workers once current Liberal pandemic support programs run out. His party also plans to spend $250 million on apprenticeships.

Rahman said the country’s economy needs to go through a massive transition. The NDP’s plan, he pointed out, includes retraining workers for a new high tech green economy and to bring green manufacturing to Canada.

Other topics discussed included government response to the discovery of hundreds of bodies of children on the site of residential schools, electoral reform, the crisis in Afghanistan and the high cost of home ownership.

In her two-minute, pre-recorded segment at the end of the debate, People’s Party of Canada candidate Shaunalee Derkson spoke out against Ontario’s vaccine passport.

“This single action will further divide and alienate our people,” she said. “I can see job loss, small business closures, more unemployment, isolation and depression. Many of us are not going to be able to participate in everyday society.”

Durksen outlined the PPC’s founding principles of freedom, fairness, respect and responsibility.

“This is a very, very crucial time to be able to stand up for truth and fairness,” she said.

The debate will be rebroadcast Sept. 13 at 7 PM, Sept. 15 at 9 PM, and Sept. 18 at 9 PM. It is also available to watch any time at yourtv.tv/niagara

heat my home in the winter, after all, we do live in a cold climate and have to heat our homes.

Instead of taxing those that have to heat homes, let's demand our politician find alternative ways to collect “carbon taxes,” say charging ten cents on every drive-through purchase,

collect 25 cents on every case of single-use plastic bottles, charge two cents on every throwaway cup used to sell coffee or drinks, tax imports from countries that still use coal to produce electricity, and reward those that do buy EVs, plant trees, install clotheslines and insulate their homes.

Yes I drive a pickup, but not a day goes by that I am not using it for delivering dirt, stone, lumber, or household products. Try doing that in a Tesla. Stop increasing my gas bills with carbon taxes that do not go into helping the environment (as they go into general coffers) and realize that these tax increases are going to directly hurt the consumer as companies pass them on to you.

Lets see how excited these anti-petroleum users are when their electricity bills are four or five times what they are now.

We can all do our part in protecting the planet without gouging the consumer.

Sit down and think before you try and force me into unwarranted expenses.

There are so many ways we can protect this earth without hitting Canadians in the wallet.

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The Voice

Page 13

A September 15 2021

New Business FOCUS

New private elementary school in Fenwick

BY DON RICKERS Voice Correspondent Families with young children in the Fenwick area have a new educational option.

Adamo Montessori School, operated by Nicole Adamo and her father Lou, opened for business last Monday in Fenwick’s United Church, on Church Street.

Nicole, who lives in Fonthill, told the Voice that she has seven years’ teaching experience with different school programs around Niagara.

“When I started working in Montessori, I just fell in love with the curriculum, and observing what the children can accomplish. The atmosphere is designed to appeal to a broad range of student interests and skill levels.”

Montessori is a child-centred method of education developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and teacher who opened her first school in 1907. Using scientific methods of observation, Montessori forged a theory that children learn best when given autonomy and independence. The typical Montessori classroom involves use of specialized learning

COUNCIL

continued from Page 3 public vaccine passports.

“We have been watching that closely, we have started working on a policy … but we make no bones that we’re waiting to see where Niagara Public Health and where Niagara Region would land,” Cribbs said.

Huson said that the Region is currently working on their policy, which would include limited exemptions on health or human rights grounds. A report is expected to be ready at the Sept. 20 meeting. Just under 67 percent of eligible Niagara residents were fully vaccinated as of Sept. 7, approximately two percent less than the province as a whole on the same date.

Foss Road sewer work balloons in cost

A staff report indicated that the Foss Road sanitary sewer upgrade project has more than tripled in cost from the $800,000 earmarked in 2019 to $2.9 million now. Public Works Director Jason Marr attributed the massive jump due to the soft soil in the area. Ward 2’s Ron Kore asked if dipping into the development charge reserve fund could help offset that, but Treasurer Teresa Quinlin said no.

“That fund needs $1.6 million every year to pay MCC debt,” she said.

The option was then discussed to require developers of future subdivisions front the money to the Town in a loan capacity.

In better public works news, Marr reported that the contractor on the long-delayed Sulphur Springs Road rehabilitation project finally received permits Sept. 3 from the Niag-

materials which develop the child’s cognitive capabilities through experience (seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting, and movement) rather than by direct instruction.

Montessori education recognizes that children learn in different ways, and accordingly they are free to pursue their interests and learn at their own pace.

The school’s capacity is 40 students in the first year.

“We'll reassess going forward, but right now, we probably have about a third of that number registered. With full enrollment, we’ll have six teachers.”

Montessori schools have low teacher/student ratios, with classes typically composed of five to eight students.

Nicole studied criminology at Brock, then human resources management and early childhood education at Niagara College. She completed her formal studies at the Montessori Teachers College in Toronto. Nicole’s father, Lou, comes from a finance and manufacturing background, and will add his talents on the school management side.

Covid placed a delay on Adamo’s operational plans.

ara Peninsula Conservation Authority and the Niagara Escarpment Commission, and that work had commenced. Ward 3 Councillor Bob Hildebrandt meanwhile claimed that he had seen no work being done during a recent bicycle ride.

(Later in the week, the contractor applied to, and received a deadline extension from, the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans for in-water work, taking the finish date to Oct. 15.)

Delegation of powers bylaw nitpicked

Hildebrandt made an amendment to go through each item on an update regarding which matters can be delegated to staff in a proposed bylaw. Most of the discussed items included minor contracts such as the authorization of Town facilities for federal election officials, but Cribbs said that it remains council’s will to determine a price tag that would be considered too high to delegate.

“If $50,000 is too high an item on a lease, vary it to 20, 15, ten, whatever hits your comfort level,” the CAO said, stressing that all information is still public domain. Hildebrandt proposed making the limit $10,000. One area that councillors didn’t want to delegate to staff on was related to planning and development, with Kore saying those matters should solely remain up to elected officials. Only Mayor Marvin Junkin voted no on that item.

Integrity Commissioner fees modified

Councillors debated proposed changes to rules around complaints to the Town’s Integrity Commis-

Lou Adamo and his daughter Nicole.

DON RICKERS

“We were looking for a property just before the pandemic started.

We had our business plan ready, and things finally came together this past March. We had a late start with advertising, but got the word out on social media, did some print ads, and have been doing some canvassing going door-to-door handing out flyers.”

The school has to be approved by both Public Health and the Ministry of Education as a condition of licensing, and follows the DSBN’s calendar year.

“All students and teachers will be masked during the school day,” said Adamo. “There are separate

sioner, with a staff report recommending all initial complaints come with a $100 fee. However, CAO Cribbs admitted that he wasn’t keen on the idea — specifically noting the relatively low $15,000-a-year salary for councillors.

“You should not have to pay hundreds of dollars for legal advice to help you do this job that you do almost for free to start with for the community,” he said.

Council did agree that multiple complaints do merit a charge, with Junkin saying that a citizen “should have some skin in the game” at that point.

In the end, it was agreed that a fi rst complaint would come free of charge, with a $100 fee for a second complaint, and $300 for a third and any that follow.

Unflood motion successful

Ward 1’s Wayne Olson tabled a motion for Pelham to explore joining Unflood

dents are encouraged to explore and experiment so that their curiosity is challenged. The daily schedule includes music and art activities, and “Peace Time” where children can reflect on their day and engage in a quiet activity of their choice. Two hours of outdoor play, and walks in the community, are also included.

Children entering the Casa program are three years to six years of age, and must be fully toilet trained.

For more information, parents are invited to contact the school at info@adamomontessiroacademy.com. The academy’s website is www.adamomontessoriacademy. com

Ontario, an organization that tries to mitigate the coming effects of climate change using natural infrastructure.

Haun and

Ward 1 Councillor Marianne Stewart were the only votes against.

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No staff holiday Sept. 30

The federal government’s June announcement making Sept. 30 a national-level holiday to honour National Truth and Reconciliation Day appears to have thrown both the province and municipalities into a last-minute decision about whether to make it a statutory holiday. After some discussion, Pelham Council opted not to close Town Hall on that day, effectively following what the Government of Ontario announced the next day by choosing not to make it a statutory holiday.

Mayor Junkin and Ward 2 Councillor John Wink voted for closing Town Hall, but Wink asked if the recommended educational seminars for staff on Indigenous recognition could be scheduled for Sept. 30.

Cribbs couldn’t guarantee it, due to “the 11th hour nature of this.”

entrances for the younger and older students, and the kids are grouped in cohorts, so they're not mixing.”

The Toddler Program, for youngsters ages 18 months to three years, provides opportunities to engage and cooperate with other children, as well as enjoy independent play activities. Each child’s personality is respected, and a personalized curriculum is created, based on their interests and skill level. Children may enter the Toddler program when they can walk, sit, and feed themselves proficiently.

Teachers in the three-year Casa Program present lessons individually as well as in small groups. Stu-

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Page 14

The Voice

A September 15 2021

PEOPLE AND POLITICS

by David Siegel

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

OBITUARY

OBITUARY

TOTH, Lloyd George

Gray, Jean Elizabeth (nee Ronan) 1927 - 2021

Election 2021: The importance of leadership

M

y last two columns were about specific issues that have played out in this election campaign. This column addresses a broader concern that goes beyond any individual issue: leadership.

Issues are important in an election campaign and the parties’ stands on issues should play a significant role on how you vote.

However, we are electing a prime minister for a four or five-year term. (Okay. This is looking like another minority government so maybe not that long, but it could be.) We do not know what future issues lurk over that period of time. How many people were concerned about a life-changing pandemic when they voted in the 2019 election? That was just two years ago.

Since we do not know what the major issues will be over the next four years, we need to consider the judgment and leadership abilities of the candidates to handle unforeseen issues.

We also need to consider the quality of the leadership team surrounding the leaders, which includes local candidates.

Issues come and go, but the judgment and leadership abilities associated with a leader and a party will endure.

Think about the qualities that you would like to see in a leader. Integrity is usually close to the top of the list for most people. Will the leader stand behind what he or she is saying on the campaign trail? The best indicator of what people will do in the future is what they’ve done in the past. Does the person have a record of integrity in the past?

Communication skill is

another trait that we look for in a leader. Do you understand clearly what the leader stands for and why he or she has taken that position? If you have to scratch your head and work hard to figure out what a speaker really means when he or she is talking, then the person is not a good, clear communicator.

Issues come and go, but the judgment and leadership abilities associated with a leader and party will endure The ability to get things done, to accomplish goals is an important leadership quality. Many people have good ideas; only good leaders can work with other people to put those good ideas into practice. Again, the best indicator of whether someone will deliver in the future is how they have performed in the past.

Consistency is also an important characteristic in a good leader. You should not have to wonder what position the person will be taking tomorrow. Their positions should be consistent from one day to the next, and individual policies should be consistent with each other. Otherwise, they will be very difficult to implement.

Leaders should be given a bit of slack on this characteristic. After all, the world changes and people need to adapt to that changing world. Changing your view on something is not a fatal flaw provided it’s done

sparingly and with good reason. We need to remember Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous quotation: A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. A certain level of consistency is important, but some movement is to be expected.

The ability to motivate people is important. Leaders need followers and it is important that they can use their influence to motivate their followers. Prime ministers have access to the criminal law to force people to do things, but that is a pretty blunt and undesirable instrument. The ability to get people on side by using influence is a much more useful instrument.

This leads to another important way to evaluate a leader. What sort of followers has the leader surrounded her or himself with? A good way to evaluate anyone is by the people that the person chooses to associate with.

A practical aspect to this concern about followers is that leaders do not have absolute authority. Leaders cannot accomplish much if they do not have good people around them providing support and advice.

We are getting close to the voting date. It is important to get out and vote, but it is equally important to cast an informed vote. Gather all the information you can about the parties and their platforms, the leaders and their leadership styles, and your local candidates. Then cast your vote for the person that you think is most capable of carrying Canada into the future. ◆ David Siegel is Brock University emeritus professor of Political Science.

Passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at Lookout Ridge Retirement Home in his 94th year. Predeceased by his beloved wife Barbara of 70 years. Dear father of Kate (Catharine) and her husband Michael Boyd. Also survived by his son David. Lloyd will be missed by his grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews and extended family and friends. Lloyd was employed at Bell Canada from 1944 until 1985 and had enjoyed a long retirement.

Lloyd and Barb shared their house on Canboro Road for over 70 years. In 2018 they moved to Lookout Ridge Retirement Home. The family wish to extend their heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Lookout Ridge Retirement Home for their care, kindness and compassion. Also, a special thank you to the South Niagara Palliative Care Team, the LHIN and St. Elizabeth’s Health Care. Private family arrangements have been entrusted to PLEASANTVIEW HOME (905-892-1699). By family request, you are invited to share your condolences, memories, and photos at www.pleasantviewcemetery. ca

ADAMO MONTESSORI ACADEMY, located in Fenwick, provides unique learning opportunities for all students aged 18mth – 6yrs.

Passed away peacefully at Lookout Ridge on Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at the age of 94. Jean was the beloved wife and best friend of Jack William Gray for 66 years until his death in 2019.

Jean graduated from Victoriaville University and the University of Toronto with a degree in French and Latin languages. Following their marriage, Jean and Jack began their teaching careers in Smithville before moving to Fonthill to work and live. When holiday time arrived, they took great joy in travelling extensively. Following their retirement, Jean and Jack opened and operated three successful antique stores in Fonthill, Jordan and Niagaraon-the-Lake called The Treasure Trove. Throughout her active life, Jean enjoyed classical music, playing bridge, antiques, discussing politics, ancient history and email friends. Her sewing circle, the Happy Hookers, shared wonderful lunches. Lifelong friendships formed through the bridge club and her years as a member of Fonthill United Church. In her later years, Jean developed a strong interest in baseball and could name all the Blue Jay players. If someone needed a schedule, she quickly printed out a copy. Over her lifetime many charities benefited from her generous support. Heartfelt thanks to all the staff at Lookout Ridge for their care and kindness for Jean especially during these last two Covid years.

Also we extend our gratitude to Lindsay and the third floor staff for their great support and thoughtfulness. Special mention to Anita Bartels who shared her friendship with Jean and was so compassionate. Arrangements have been entrusted to PELHAM FUNERAL HOME, Fonthill.

Cremation has taken place and for those that wish to attend, a graveside service will be held at Fonthill Cemetery on Wednesday, September 15th beginning at 11:00 am. As an expression of sympathy, donations may be made to Fonthill United Church or a charity of one’s choice.

Online condolences or memories can be shared at www.pelhamfuneralhome.ca

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The Voice

Page 15

A September 15 2021

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Bethany Christian Reformed Church www.bethanycrc.ca

First Presbyterian Church 602 Metler Rd., North Pelham

Holy Trinity Anglican Church holytrinityfonthill.org

Pelham Evangelical Friends Church www.pelhamfriends.ca

Concordia Lutheran Church 105 Welland Rd., Fonthill

Fonthill Baptist Church www.fonthillbaptistchurch.ca

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

Ridgeville Bible Chapel ridgevillebiblechapel.com

Fenwick Church of Christ www.fenwickchurchofchrist.ca

Fonthill United Church www.fonthillunited.com

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

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

Fenwick United Church www.fenwickunited.com

Glad Tidings Church of God www.gladtidingschurchofgod.com

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

St. Ann Roman Catholic Church www.stannfenwick.com

FAITH LIFT

continued from Page 19 In 2014 he was accused of more vandalism in California, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs in Florida, and dangerous driving and assault near his hometown in Canada. The White House was petitioned to deport him. In 2017 China called him a “badly behaved entertainer” and banned him from touring there.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:16, “By their fruit (good or bad deeds) you will recognize them (true or false believers). James records that “faith, by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17).

The apostle Paul’s list of the “acts of the flesh” include debauchery, discord, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions and drunkenness (see Galatians 5:19-21). So, in spite of Christian influences in his early life and Christian symbols tattooed on his body (chest and leg), Bieber certainly was not acting like a true believer.

Coming back

Then, in 2014, Bieber surprised the media when he claimed to have a “born again” experience and was baptized in New York City by a close pastor friend at the Hillsong Church. On his “Purpose”

tour he invited his pastor on stage, talked about communicating with God in prayer and declared himself pro-life. In a music video called “Pledge,” Bieber sings about God’s forgiveness and has stated, “He’s the reason I’m here.”

Bieber has become known more recently for his philanthropy. He supports 28 charities including World Vision, the Red Cross, Save the Children and Make-a-Wish Foundation.

He also donates generously to 30 causes such as justice issues, poverty, food banks, mental health, adoption, orphans, and AIDS. Bieber married American model Hailey Baldwin (daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin) in 2018.

His modest YouTube following in 2006 has now grown to 59 million Twitter fans. He has sold over 140 million records worldwide and is listed as one of the highest-paid celebrities under 30 by Forbes magazine.

So, is Justin Bieber a true believer? Only God truly knows his heart but the “fruit” of his life now suggests “Yes.” But, he’s still young and there will be a lot of temptations ahead. We can pray that he will stay true to his faith and his Lord, and continue bearing “good fruit.” ◆ Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.

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continued from Page 18 Halloween—what can be better than buying bags of Halloween candy at half price in November, then freezing it to eat all winter?

The Big Move Cancer Ride. Fall brings us this excellent made-in-Niagara charity bike ride that supports our own Walker Family Cancer Centre. All those of us that were too busy in the summer to do a charity ride and now feel pangs of shoulda, woulda, coulda guilt have a late-season chance to contribute to this great event.

Shorter fall days make us realize how lucky some of us are to be retired. Evening sunshine is gone, but retirees needn’t jam all our outdoor activities into weekends. A quiet, sunny, October Tuesday works just fine for most activities.

In fall, we can take inspiration from spectacular maple, oak and hickory trees as they ignite our forests with colour before dropping their leaves. Those beautiful, worn-out leaves remind us that life is short and we need to live it to the fullest.

They revelled in the sunshine, bathed in the rain, and gave life to so much around

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The neighbourhood leaf-raking and PELHAM MINOR HOCKEY EQUIPMENT SALE compost-bag-fi lling Nursery Lane Fall SALE PAINTERSat WANTED Olympics. Who will fi ll thesell most Buy, or bags tradewith used equipment the Pelham Arena.FOR Aimed to provide leaves, dead flowers, and whatever else one Frigidaire electric dryer.

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www.thevoiceofpelham.ca

The Voice

Page 17

A September 15 2021

This year's Take Back the Night tackles online abuse

BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI Special to the Voice Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Niagara Sexual Assault Centre’s Take Back the Night event will be held online for a second straight year.

“We started doing it in 1981 and this is unfortunately the second time we have had to do it virtually but I think it is going to be a good program,” said Donna Christie, the centre’s Public Education Coordinator. “But it’s just not the same when it isn’t done live.”

Pre-pandemic, the event, which advocates for an end to violence against women, featured speakers, inspirational music and a candlelight walk. Last year’s virtual event was an online celebration of what Take Back the Night has meant to the community over the years.

“It has been around for so many years and it means different things to different people,” Christie said.

The theme of this year’s event, scheduled for this Thursday, at 7 PM on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, will involve speakers and activities for par-

ents and youth on digital abuse.

“It’s because we have been online so long with Covid and also to bring some focus on the fact that abuse happens online and it always has but maybe a little bit more now,” Christie said. “As long as there is technology, there are ways to use it against people, particularly women and children. It has become a really easy and convenient way to abuse in different ways. We wanted to focus on that for the community.”

Canadian statistics show that six in ten girls have been harassed or abused online. Facebook is the most commonly used social media platform for sex traffickers, but other sites such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Tiktok are also commonly used to find potential victims.

“With [human] trafficking a big focus for everyone this year it is the easiest way to lure and connect with victims and potential,” she said.

Christie has no doubt the disturbing online abuse statistics are valid.

“I would imagine it would have to be at least that in Niagara,” she said. “What I do personally

here is education in elementary schools so I spent a lot of time with [Grade] 7s and 8s. Just listening to them and talking about it with them, it is at least that if not higher. I don’t want to throw numbers out there but whether it’s cyber-bullying or some form of sexual harassment online, it is really common and much more common than people realize.”

The centre is active in fighting the problem by educating the

community.

“That the biggest way we can help and they can certainly call and get support from us whether that’s helping them to figure out whether they want to use the legal system or just get support for what has happened to them, especially for the younger kids,” Christie said.

This year's Take Back the Night will include information about what children and teens can en-

counter playing video games and how to stay safe, general tips for women about staying safe in relationships if they have left an abusive relationship, how to stay safe online, human trafficking, what parents should look out for, and how to be helpful with their kids online.

“There will be something for everybody and it is a well-rounded program this year,” Christie said. “We are looking forward to it and we think we are going to bring a lot of information to the community, which is what we like to do with Take Back the Night.”

She is looking forward to the day when the event can return to normal.

“We miss doing it and it is a really special night. We walk around the streets downtown and it is for men and women, not just women.

It is a symbolic way to state we have the right to be safe regardless of where we are,” Christie said. “It kind of made sense this year that we had to do it online but it also reminds people to be safe when they are online as well.”

For more information about the event, visit niagarasexualassaultcentre.com

Doughnuts raise delicious dough for Pelham Cares

BY BERNIE PUCHALSKI Special to the Voice For the past several months, the Meridian Community Centre has been busy with people getting their Covid-19 vaccinations.

On Thursday, people were getting a fix of another kind, picking up dozens of Krispy Kreme doughnuts as part of a Kinsmen Club of Fonthill and District fundraiser for Pelham Cares. People shelled out $10 in dough for a dozen doughnuts with $5 of each purchase going to Pelham Cares. The curbside pick was administered by Kinsmen wearing Krispy Kreme hats.

Resident Barb Rybiak was one of the first to pick up her sweet treats Thursday, riding her bike downhill from Lookout Street to the community centre.

“We are supporting a great cause, Pelham Cares,” she said. “I saw the sign and I might have been one of the first people to sign up. I don’t know why I am getting them but I will enjoy them and I am going to share them. I like doughnuts.”

One of the Kinsmen on hand helping out Thursday was event chairman Len Doyle.

“We stole the idea from other Kinsmen clubs, who have used this as a fundraiser for their local communities,” Doyle said. “We’re Kinsmen so we share ideas and this particular one I got over a Zoom conference.”

The Kinsmen contacted Krispy Kreme and found out that they would allow the club do it as a fundraiser.

“We then approached Pelham Cares and, of course, they were onboard,” Doyle

said.

The Krispy Kreme campaign was a sweet success.

“In fact, we sold so many that Krispy Kreme had to spread it out over two days. We sold 650 dozen,” Doyle said. “We know it is a unique item for the Niagara region because the closest store is Mississauga. It is kind of a novelty. Nothing against Tim’s, who have been a good partner with us in the past, but we just wanted to try something different.”

In case your mental arithmetic could use some help, 650 dozen is 7,800 doughnuts.

The fundraiser included a business component.

“We talked to business people and encouraged them to give their employees a thank you,” Doyle said. “It has been a tough year and a half. And as a way to give a thank you to their employees for $10, they could buy a dozen doughnuts and ask their employees to take them home and share them with their families.”

That portion of the fundraiser sold 350 dozen doughnuts which were delivered directly to the businesses last Wednesday.

In total, the event raised $3,250 for Pelham Cares.

“We always try to help them but we have not been able to in the last couple of years because normally the gate admission at the home show would go to them,” Doyle said. “Since we haven’t been able to do a home show or other projects we wanted to get back into the

Fonthill Kinsmen member Len Doyle helps distribute Krispy Kreme doughnuts last Thursday as part of a club fundraiser for Pelham Cares. BERNIE PUCHALSKI community and help out a good cause such as Pelham Cares.”

Doyle admits to be a fan of Krispy Kreme.

“I like the occasional one but the problem is you can’t eat just one,” he said with a laugh. “Yesterday I had two but knowing full well that

today I will probably have another two.”

The next fundraiser for the Kinsmen is its annual toll collection for Cystic Fibrosis

in the Shoppers Drug Mart plaza, an event that normally raises between $1,500 and $2,000. No date has been set yet for that fundraiser.

Page 18

The Voice

A September 15 2021

www.thevoiceofpelham.ca



THE BALANCED LIFE

by John Swart

Losing the cargo shorts and other autumnal delights

T

here are so many things to love about fall. Guys walking their dogs in cardboard-stiff cargo shorts will be gone. No more relentless sidewalk fashion parade of skinny, hairy legs protruding from gaping short bottoms with enough room for a small dog to scamper up and hide in. Stuff those huge, bulging all-purpose pockets with a phone, wallet, roll of poop bags, energy bars (different pocket hopefully), dog treats and wife’s car keys and these guys legs look like wilting corn stalks sticking out of an empty upside-down bushel basket.

Cool weather will ban

their faded Montreal Expos muscle shirts to the closet.

Sagging striped ankle socks will still be de rigueur, but blessedly running shoes or faux hiking boots will replace Dr. Scholl’s sandals.

As the frequent walker of my kids’ three grand-dogs, I think the Town should require us guys to get a permit each spring to dress like this.

In an appalling display of cowardice unusual for this Balanced Life advocate, I ain’t going anywhere near what I might miss or look forward to as women change from summer to fall fashions. I may not be the brightest candle on the cake, but over

the decades I’ve learned to recognize a no-win situation when I see it.

Fall means there’s so much less sweaty sports clothing to deal with, and significantly less laundry to wash. This hot humid summer was the worst. I could soak a T-shirt in perspiration just by wriggling into it each morning.

In our household division of labour, doing laundry falls to me because it’s a low-skilled domestic chore which I have a low chance of messing up. After 40-something years of marriage I’m hoping this will be the year I complete my apprenticeship and will be allowed to decide by colour, fabric and genre which garment goes into which pile on the floor, then load them into the washer without supervision.

As the summer forest fire and drought season ebbs,

hopefully crazy weather patterns become more interesting than threatening.

We’ve always known to expect a warm week or two in late October, but if this winter is like last, we can anticipate beautiful warm cycling and paddling weather in November. So far in 2021 I’ve cycled more kilometres in January than any other month, so there’s no reason not to expect the unique experience of paddling in a November snowfall.

Sleeping deeply beneath a down comforter with the bedroom windows wide open is so invigorating, even if I’ll have to wear a lightweight toque this fall to cover my recently discovered bald spot. Plus, when the evenings cool naturally, my wife will lower the overhead fan speed and the sheets are less likely to be blown off the bed while

we’re asleep.

When our kids visit with their Golden Retriever in fall, it sheds less hair and drools in droplets rather than small puddles as the weather cools. By October my socks don’t look like a pair of matted little Bichon Frises after they leave.

Cool, dense air. Your heart works up to 30 percent harder when running or cycling in the heat because it transports blood to your extremities to cool your body through sweat. There’s no better time than October to up the intensity of a workout routine, or go for a new 10K personal best.

How nice it is in fall to shed layers as we feel our bodies warm up while playing golf, hiking or running rather than perspiring and wilting in the summer heat after a few minutes of outdoor exercise.

As starlings and grackles form their murmurations and head south in the fall, local cardinals, blue jays, juncos and woodpeckers will return to our birdfeeder more regularly. A few years ago these avian tyrants discovered our feeder, emptying it in a flash each morning while leaving nothing for our year-round regulars. Each spring our over-wintering birds must feel much like jostled Niagara-on-the-Lake residents when the tourist season begins.

Fall is when our Canadian Football League teams and fans get serious, and Canada unites for a few weeks by banishing provincial enmities to football stadiums rather than social media and the House of Commons.

See BALANCED LIFE Page 16

V oice HOROSCOPE ARIES – Mar 21/Apr 20 If you’re single, get prepared to mingle, Aries. If you’re attached, then your relationship will only grow stronger in the days to come. Romance is in the air, so embrace it.

TAURUS – Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, even if you’re feeling a little stuck in your relationships, do not push others away.

There may be a solution you’re simply not seeing. Delve deeper.

GEMINI – May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, it may be time to break away from the typical routine — at least for a little while. This can offer you a new perspective that puts you on an interesting path.

CANCER – Jun 22/Jul 22 Someone close to you may be thinking of a reinvention and wants your opinion, Cancer.

Support this person and all the changes he or she desires.

LEO – Jul 23/Aug 23 Good habits will pay off in the days to come, Leo. So if you’re ready to make some changes, think about those that will improve your overall health and well-being.

VIRGO – Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, if you’re feeling pressured to have fun, then you probably will not enjoy yourself no matter how hard you try.

Try not to force things and take them as they come.

LIBRA – Sept 23/Oct 23 A place you always enjoyed visiting may no longer hold the same appeal for you, Libra.

That’s okay because everyone grows and evolves. Enjoy finding a new source of inspiration.

SCORPIO – Oct 24/Nov 22 You must make yourself available if you expect others to want to share ideas or information with you, Scorpio. So far you may have been a bit distant.

Change this.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov 23/Dec 21 Figure out where your comfort levels lie, Sagittarius. Only then will you know just how far beyond those levels you’re willing to push yourself to try new things.

CAPRICORN – Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, even though you have strong instincts about something, your emotions also may be running hot. Therefore, you might not be able to trust your instincts just yet.

AQUARIUS – Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, your energy levels could be waning, but that’s because you have been pushing yourself very hard lately. It’s time to rest to be recharged for later.

PISCES – Feb 19/Mar 20 Don’t let others be your sole focus this week, Pisces. Figure out how to put yourself first without ignoring those around you.

FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS SEPTEMBER 12 Kelsea Ballerini, Singer (28) SEPTEMBER 13 Chris Hansen, Journalist (62) SEPTEMBER 14 Andrew Lincoln, Actor (48) SEPTEMBER 15 Prince Harry, Entrepreneur (37) SEPTEMBER 17 Bob Loblaw, Miscreant (62)

SOLUTIONS DOWN 1. SEAM 2. ALBA 3. MAAR 4. ANSI 5. PASTO 6. CHANCEL 7. TACTILE 8. ACQUIT 9. TOUPEE 10. OLIOS 11. PENN 13. DESALINIZE 17. DATED 24. RYE 25. TAKE IT EASY 26. PHM 27. AYE 28. IDs 29. SRO 35. PSI 36. SIC 37. ONE 38. MGD 40. AERATES 41. NEAREST 42. ANI 43. ROVNO 44. FERULE 45. UNABLE 47. GALAH 48. TANEY 49. PFFT 52. RCAF 53. RICE 54. ONCE 55. WEAL

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SOLUTIONS ACROSS 1. SAMA 5. PCT 8. ATOP 12. ELAND 14. AHA 15. COLE 16. ABASED 18. SAC 19. QUIN 20. MARISA 21. TNT 22. UPON 23. ATROCITIES 26. PAISLEY 30. ELATE 31. HYDRIDE 32. LEK 33. MESON 34. EPSOM 39. IAN 42. ARISING 44. FUZEE 46. NOTICED 47. GENERATIVE 49. PARA 50. ARA 51. NARROW 56. FLUB 57. TEN 58. OSCINE 59. FALL 60. ESE 61. YACCA 62. THEE 63. STY 64. FEEL

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The Voice

Page 19

A September 15 2021

FAITH LIFT

by Pastor Rob Weatherby

Is Bieber a believer?

J

ustin Bieber is a 27-year-old Canadian singer/songwriter and international superstar. He also has Christian roots. But is Bieber a true believer? Let’s dig deeper…

est video songs was called “Pray.” Young Bieber appeared confident but humble when interviewed by CTV News anchor Sandie Rinaldo in 2009. His humility and faith would soon be tested.

Justin Drew Bieber was born in 1994 in London, Ontario, to Jeremy Bieber and Pattie Mallette. His parents were unmarried and his father left them when he was a toddler. His mother raised Justin as a single parent, working low-paying jobs and living in low-income housing in Stratford. She was helped by her mother and step-father who became very close to their grandson.

Bieber attended immersion programs in Catholic schools, making him bilingual like his French-Canadian mother. He was a very energetic youth who excelled in sports. His love for music became evident as he learned to play piano, drums, guitar and trumpet.

He liked to sing and play on the steps of Stratford’s Avon Theatre. His busking became profitable as one year he earned enough to take his mother to Florida on vacation.

Pattie began posting YouTube videos of her son’s music for her family members to see when he was only 12. One of those videos was viewed by accident

by Scooter Braun (a young American marketing executive) as he was searching for another singer. He recognized Bieber’s raw talent and decided to contact him.

Bieber and his mother regularly attended an evangelical church in Stratford. As a child Justin went to Sunday school and took part in the music program. One of his earli-

In 2008 Bieber signed his fi rst recording contract and he and his mother moved to Atlanta. Songs like “One Time,” “Favorite Girl,” and “Love Me” were hits and he began appearing on TV shows. His fi rst album, “My World,” made him the youngest solo male act to top the charts since Stevie Wonder, in 1963. His

The early years

Fast fame

fresh voice, good looks and distinctive haircut made Bieber the heartthrob of millions of teenage girls around the world.

More hit songs, albums, fi lms, world tours, product endorsements and awards (including a Grammy) followed. Suddenly thrust into fame and fortune, many temptations awaited him. And many times he stumbled badly.

In 2012 Bieber was accused of reckless driving in the States. In 2013 he was charged with vandalism in Brazil and assault in Argentina while on tour.

See FAITH LIFT Page 15

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Page 20

The Voice

BINGHAM

continued from Page 11 government was being stymied by other parties.”

Bingham also hears a lot of the comments about people wanting him to win but that Niagara West is a “Conservative riding.”

“I tell them the same thing that I told you, which is there’s 30,000 people who are left and only 24,000 who are right, plus a big influx of new people coming in.”

After knocking on some 20,000 doors in the last two elections, he feels the biggest issues facing Canada right now are the environment, healthcare for seniors— which has been thrust in the spotlight by the Covid-19 pandemic—and the economy, with worries about the debt and being budget-conscious.

“I see a country kind of like a family—money comes in and money goes out. What is money going out for in Canada? In my line of work, I see a lot of

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If I attack another party it is going to be for their policies and not the person

people in the justice system, health system and welfare system and that’s where our money goes.

Any legislation that prevents people from landing in those systems instead of being productive workers, that is what will make the economy strong.”

He suggests the Liberal policies that support daycare, mental health and aid for indigenous people and veterans give them a hand up will strengthen the economy.

He has taken an amiable approach to campaigning.

“It is the way I present myself in court. I try to stick to the facts...if I attack another party it is going to be for their policies and not the person. I know, or know of, all the candidates who are running, and I quite like them as people.”

Bingham’s daily schedule during the election involves

working his job during the day and then campaigning afterwards.

“I still have my day job and my trials that I can’t get out of and after that, from 4:30 onwards, I am knocking on doors or I am doing debates or we have some events. I do that until it gets dark.”

His decision to run for political office came when he returned from the Middle East after serving with the Operation ARTEMIS Canadian Task Force 15, dealing with counter-terrorism in the region.

“It was an interesting experience out there because Canadians are well-respected on the world stage and we have a great reputation in peacekeeping,” he said. “There’s a lot of countries a lot less lucky than we are and I came back and recognized that the things we can change here we should because we lead the world by example.”

He decided to move to Niagara about nine years ago when his sister Kathleen, a family lawyer, moved to Grimsby. Bingham followed shortly afterwards along with his parents, Lee and Maria Bingham. He lives in Grimsby with his wife, Abigail, who acts as his campaign manager.

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Voice

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

4

Navy Bean & Collard Greens Soup

Food is a critical component of healthy living, helping people to reduce their risk for illnesses and even helping them to overcome colds and other ailments. The properties of soup, for example, can chase away chills and offer other benefits. Soup is hydrating, and the ingredients included in the recipe may be able to do everything from tame coughs to reduce mucus to boost the immune system.

This recipe for “Navy Bean and Collard Greens Soup” courtesy of John La Puma, M.D., ChefMD, includes collard greens. When one chops or chews collard greens, he or she gets the powerful, helpful chemicals isothiocyanates and indole-3-carbinol. They can help the liver produce enzymes that detoxify cancer-causing toxins in the body. In addition, the soup includes tofu, which will adopt the flavor of other ingredients and add a form of lean protein along with the beans.

Navy Bean and Collard Greens Soup Serves 4 3 4

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Combine broth, collard greens, carrots, and chili garlic puree in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until greens are nearly tender. Stir in tofu and beans; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Ladle into shallow bowls; top with cheese.

Tips: Great northern or cannellini beans may replace the navy beans and Swiss chard may replace the collard greens if desired.

Also, look for chili garlic puree or chili paste with garlic in the ethnic section of the supermarket. Because the beans are unsalted, there is no need to rinse them before adding to the soup.

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