As published in The Erin Advocate
While visiting the Wellington County Museum near Fergus recently, I opened the door of the County Archives office, not really knowing what to expect.
Turns out they have friendly staff who can help you find information about people and places back into the mid-1800s. Having nothing in particular to research, I asked to see their oldest copy of The Erin Advocate.
Out came the microfiche and there it was, tattered but intact, dated December 17, 1880, in its first year as a weekly paper. Published by Sylvester Dilts, it had subscriptions at $1 a year if paid in advance, and ad rates at 8 cents per line for the first insertion.
I enjoy the ads in old papers, like the one from the Erin Furniture Depot, in which D.S. Travis promises, “Furniture of a superior make to any hitherto sold in Erin”. Or an in-house promotion by The Advocate for job printing of posters and cards: “Neatest and Latest Style of the Art…Executed on the Shortest Notice”.
What really caught my eye, at the top of page one, was the headline: WOMEN: Schopenhauer’s Peculiar Opinion of the Sex. Here is a brief excerpt, for educational purposes, from a piece of writing that even in its day would have been considered outrageous and inflammatory.
“The mere aspect of woman proves that she is destined neither for the great labors of intelligence nor for great material undertakings. She pays her debt to life not by action but by suffering; she ought therefore, to obey man, and to be his patient companion, restoring serenity to his mind.”
“Women perjure themselves so readily in Courts of Justice that it has often been a question whether they ought to be allowed to take an oath. …What may be called the European Woman is a sort that ought not to exist. Those who help in the house and look after the house ought to be the only women in the world.”
Two questions stand out. Who was Schopenhauer, and what was his misogynist tirade doing on the front page of The Advocate?
Arthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher who lived from 1788 to 1860. He is known for his analysis of human motivation, arguing that basic human instincts supersede reason, and that human desires can never be truly fulfilled. He extolled the value of negating the will.
As a prominent Pessimist, he held that we live in the worst of all possible worlds, since if things were any worse, we would be extinct. He said that evil was the only real force in the world, and that anything good was just a brief respite from a boring, painful existence.
His ultra-intolerant views on women probably stem from tempestuous relationships with his mother and other women – though he also had praise for some.
He was a strong advocate of animal rights, remarking that animals are incapable of deception. He praised artistic achievement as more essential than science and reason. His work was considered influential on composer Richard Wagner, psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.
In 1851, at the age of 63, he became famous throughout Europe and North America with publication of a series of essays that include: On the vanity of existence, On suicide and On women – a translation of which found its way into Erin’s newspaper, 29 years later.
Publishers in that era often mixed classified ads with local, national and international news, fiction and trivia on their front page. Anything to attract readers.
I doubt there were many students of European philosophy in that little village.
My guess is that Mr. Dilts figured he could get away with printing part of a philosophy essay from a published book, titillating some male egos and enraging some female ones.
That was in the old days. Enlightened media outlets in the new millennium would never give attention to extremist views just to stir up trouble.
September 24, 2008
September 17, 2008
We’re all on the health team
As published in The Erin Advocate
A lot of things need to happen for the new Family Health Team to reach its full potential, and strong community support will be a key factor in its success.
The team approach to local health care is new to some people, but it has worked well in other areas. The East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT) is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health to provide service to Erin, Hillsburgh and Rockwood – the entire region from the Guelph city limits to Winston Churchill Boulevard, and from Ballinafad to Orton.
It came into being on May 1 this year, and is led by Executive Director Michelle Karker and Clinical Lead Dr. Duncan Bull. Patients of local doctors continue to be served at the existing medical offices in Erin and Rockwood, but major changes have started and many more are planned – including a new $3 million medical clinic in Erin and a smaller one in Rockwood.
The doctors are on staff. They do not bill OHIP for patient visits, and they are part of a collaborative team that will initially include a nurse practitioner, a dietician, a mental health counsellor, a program lead (for health promotion activities), registered nurses and a registered practical nurse.
“It is a personal choice for doctors,” said Karker. “They can earn a good living and not have to worry about running a business. Many doctors want a better quality of life.”
The team now includes doctors Duncan Bull, Carla Lennox and Shane Neilson in Erin and Jane Hosdil in Rockwood, but they are not accepting new patients. There is funding for three more doctors in Erin and two more in Rockwood, but with the shortage of doctors and nurse practitioners, recruiting is a major challenge. About 6,000 people in the area have no family doctor.
In the team model, patients have one primary doctor, but can be treated by other local doctors when needed. Treatment by other professionals will be conveniently available in the same building.
There will be no need to travel to Rockwood, since some staff will split their time between the two locations, though patients will still be referred out of town as necessary for testing or to see specialists. Patients will retain the right to have a family doctor outside the EWFHT.
For now, the team has leased office and treatment space in the basement of Dr. Jon Walcott’s optometry office at 18 Thompson Cres., near Kennedy Flags. Patients should be receiving some of the new services there by the end of October.
The team approach is a huge leap forward, not just because of the addition of provincially-funded staff positions, but also because of the more modern philosophy on which the team is based. They will treat illness, of course, but they will have the time and the mandate to work on prevention.
They will work for the whole community, not just their registered patients. For example, there will be health promotion activities in areas like diabetes care and heart health. Services may also be extended to outlying communities in the team’s region.
“It is for the community at large. This hasn’t existed before,” said Karker. “We are also a registered charity, so we can fundraise for things we need.”
What can individuals do to help? First of all, talk it up. If you know people in the health care field, promote Erin as a great place to live and work. The team has a volunteer board of directors – call the team office at 519-833-7576 to find out more. Mayor Rod Finnie is helping to initiate fundraising efforts – contact him at 519-855-4407 ext. 232 or rod.finnie@town.erin.ca to find out more.
When the fundraising starts, consider making a contribution. You will likely be helping to buy extra medical equipment that is not covered by the clinic budget.
The province will cover the cost of leasing the two clinic buildings, with the lease to be renewed every five years, but they will not build them. The team itself wants to focus on health care, not construction, and Mayor Finnie says the private sector has not been prepared to take on the Erin building.
That leaves the Town and the County as potential landlords. Either government could borrow to finance construction, and recover the money through the lease. The mayor and County Councillor Lou Maieron have urged County Council to do the borrowing, but the matter is unresolved.
It shouldn’t stay that way too long. A modern medical office is an important part of attracting medical staff. Discussion has started about potential direct financial contributions from the County and even the Town, and about whether the clinic would be on Town-owned land, said the mayor.
“It is about improving the health of the whole community,” he said.
Now that the province has come through with funding, the project should proceed as soon as possible.
A lot of things need to happen for the new Family Health Team to reach its full potential, and strong community support will be a key factor in its success.
The team approach to local health care is new to some people, but it has worked well in other areas. The East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT) is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health to provide service to Erin, Hillsburgh and Rockwood – the entire region from the Guelph city limits to Winston Churchill Boulevard, and from Ballinafad to Orton.
It came into being on May 1 this year, and is led by Executive Director Michelle Karker and Clinical Lead Dr. Duncan Bull. Patients of local doctors continue to be served at the existing medical offices in Erin and Rockwood, but major changes have started and many more are planned – including a new $3 million medical clinic in Erin and a smaller one in Rockwood.
The doctors are on staff. They do not bill OHIP for patient visits, and they are part of a collaborative team that will initially include a nurse practitioner, a dietician, a mental health counsellor, a program lead (for health promotion activities), registered nurses and a registered practical nurse.
“It is a personal choice for doctors,” said Karker. “They can earn a good living and not have to worry about running a business. Many doctors want a better quality of life.”
The team now includes doctors Duncan Bull, Carla Lennox and Shane Neilson in Erin and Jane Hosdil in Rockwood, but they are not accepting new patients. There is funding for three more doctors in Erin and two more in Rockwood, but with the shortage of doctors and nurse practitioners, recruiting is a major challenge. About 6,000 people in the area have no family doctor.
In the team model, patients have one primary doctor, but can be treated by other local doctors when needed. Treatment by other professionals will be conveniently available in the same building.
There will be no need to travel to Rockwood, since some staff will split their time between the two locations, though patients will still be referred out of town as necessary for testing or to see specialists. Patients will retain the right to have a family doctor outside the EWFHT.
For now, the team has leased office and treatment space in the basement of Dr. Jon Walcott’s optometry office at 18 Thompson Cres., near Kennedy Flags. Patients should be receiving some of the new services there by the end of October.
The team approach is a huge leap forward, not just because of the addition of provincially-funded staff positions, but also because of the more modern philosophy on which the team is based. They will treat illness, of course, but they will have the time and the mandate to work on prevention.
They will work for the whole community, not just their registered patients. For example, there will be health promotion activities in areas like diabetes care and heart health. Services may also be extended to outlying communities in the team’s region.
“It is for the community at large. This hasn’t existed before,” said Karker. “We are also a registered charity, so we can fundraise for things we need.”
What can individuals do to help? First of all, talk it up. If you know people in the health care field, promote Erin as a great place to live and work. The team has a volunteer board of directors – call the team office at 519-833-7576 to find out more. Mayor Rod Finnie is helping to initiate fundraising efforts – contact him at 519-855-4407 ext. 232 or rod.finnie@town.erin.ca to find out more.
When the fundraising starts, consider making a contribution. You will likely be helping to buy extra medical equipment that is not covered by the clinic budget.
The province will cover the cost of leasing the two clinic buildings, with the lease to be renewed every five years, but they will not build them. The team itself wants to focus on health care, not construction, and Mayor Finnie says the private sector has not been prepared to take on the Erin building.
That leaves the Town and the County as potential landlords. Either government could borrow to finance construction, and recover the money through the lease. The mayor and County Councillor Lou Maieron have urged County Council to do the borrowing, but the matter is unresolved.
It shouldn’t stay that way too long. A modern medical office is an important part of attracting medical staff. Discussion has started about potential direct financial contributions from the County and even the Town, and about whether the clinic would be on Town-owned land, said the mayor.
“It is about improving the health of the whole community,” he said.
Now that the province has come through with funding, the project should proceed as soon as possible.
September 10, 2008
Remnants of simpler times
As published in The Erin Advocate
As I was browsing through antique stores the other day, I got to thinking about the future. In the year 2108, what will they treasure as antiques from the things made in 2008?
Will they have gadget museums, and marvel that many of our inventions became obsolete within months? It is more comforting to contemplate the past.
I wandered into Beaver Mills Design on Main Street. There I saw beautiful 19th century papier mâché trays and hair brushes with silver handles. Often it is the infusion of art into practical items that makes them so attractive.
The quality of wood in some antique furniture is also a marvel, not to mention the skill of the makers. Polished mahogany, fruitwood and walnut are a pleasure to behold.
The most unusual thing I saw at Beaver Mills was a military campaign stool from the 1800s. It is like a lawn chair without the seat, a wicker panel that props up at various angles, allowing an officer to sit on the ground in relative comfort.
Further along the street, I was intrigued by a day bed at the Renaissance store. The intricate woodwork and upholstery were very interesting, but I liked it because it suggested a more leisurely era in which napping was more common – at least among the well-to-do.
One would need a large house for some of the pieces, like a set of 12 dining room chairs with carved wooden arms, or a huge mirrored wardrobe.
Antique shops like these do not have the space for large quantities. It is quite the opposite experience stepping into Rainbarrel Antiques, in the Old Community Hall, just inside Stanley Park.
It is a bit like a giant garage sale, but the selection is more interesting, with antiques ranging from Early Canadiana (1870s) up to the 1940s. There are so many objects of everyday life from bygone times that it is hard to take it all in. In this type of browsing environment, the pleasure is in the little things that spark memories.
For example, as a child I collected pennants, triangle-shaped souvenir flags of places I visited. My collection is long gone, but I enjoyed looking at Rainbarrel’s collection, complete with corny illustrations like a grizzly bear for Field, BC or a hunter shooting a deer for Shediac, NB.
I bought a pair of books called A Pictorial History of the World’s Great Nations, from the Earliest Dates to the Present Time, published in 1882.
There are treadle sewing machines, cedar chests, pioneer-style tools, furniture, framed art, fancy hats, yellow glass dishes from the 1930s and a stunning bridal dress and lace veil from the 1940s. There is a small forest of lamp stands, and re-usable materials like windows and table legs.
Rainbarrel owner Shirley Campbell is retiring and the store will close in October, so don’t wait too long if you plan to visit.
Where else will you find the Mork and Mindy board game? How about the K-tel vinyl recording of the Greatest Hits of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons?
You can now buy a USB turntable (not at Rainbarrel) – just plug it into your computer, play the old record and it creates MP3 files of the music. I have been thinking of getting one so I can put favourite songs from my LP collection onto my iPod, before it too goes the way of the dodo.
As I was browsing through antique stores the other day, I got to thinking about the future. In the year 2108, what will they treasure as antiques from the things made in 2008?
Will they have gadget museums, and marvel that many of our inventions became obsolete within months? It is more comforting to contemplate the past.
I wandered into Beaver Mills Design on Main Street. There I saw beautiful 19th century papier mâché trays and hair brushes with silver handles. Often it is the infusion of art into practical items that makes them so attractive.
The quality of wood in some antique furniture is also a marvel, not to mention the skill of the makers. Polished mahogany, fruitwood and walnut are a pleasure to behold.
The most unusual thing I saw at Beaver Mills was a military campaign stool from the 1800s. It is like a lawn chair without the seat, a wicker panel that props up at various angles, allowing an officer to sit on the ground in relative comfort.
Further along the street, I was intrigued by a day bed at the Renaissance store. The intricate woodwork and upholstery were very interesting, but I liked it because it suggested a more leisurely era in which napping was more common – at least among the well-to-do.
One would need a large house for some of the pieces, like a set of 12 dining room chairs with carved wooden arms, or a huge mirrored wardrobe.
Antique shops like these do not have the space for large quantities. It is quite the opposite experience stepping into Rainbarrel Antiques, in the Old Community Hall, just inside Stanley Park.
It is a bit like a giant garage sale, but the selection is more interesting, with antiques ranging from Early Canadiana (1870s) up to the 1940s. There are so many objects of everyday life from bygone times that it is hard to take it all in. In this type of browsing environment, the pleasure is in the little things that spark memories.
For example, as a child I collected pennants, triangle-shaped souvenir flags of places I visited. My collection is long gone, but I enjoyed looking at Rainbarrel’s collection, complete with corny illustrations like a grizzly bear for Field, BC or a hunter shooting a deer for Shediac, NB.
I bought a pair of books called A Pictorial History of the World’s Great Nations, from the Earliest Dates to the Present Time, published in 1882.
There are treadle sewing machines, cedar chests, pioneer-style tools, furniture, framed art, fancy hats, yellow glass dishes from the 1930s and a stunning bridal dress and lace veil from the 1940s. There is a small forest of lamp stands, and re-usable materials like windows and table legs.
Rainbarrel owner Shirley Campbell is retiring and the store will close in October, so don’t wait too long if you plan to visit.
Where else will you find the Mork and Mindy board game? How about the K-tel vinyl recording of the Greatest Hits of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons?
You can now buy a USB turntable (not at Rainbarrel) – just plug it into your computer, play the old record and it creates MP3 files of the music. I have been thinking of getting one so I can put favourite songs from my LP collection onto my iPod, before it too goes the way of the dodo.
September 03, 2008
Gift horse needs a close look
As published in The Erin Advocate
The premier was in fine form last week, speaking like a father figure to his needy and troublesome children, the municipalities of Ontario.
“We want build even more infrastructure. But our government can’t do it alone. We need a partner. That’s where you come in,” he said to officials gathered in Ottawa for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario annual conference. “True partners always treat each other fairly.”
Does Dalton McGuinty really have to lay it on so thick?
It was a case of wrapping bad news with good as he announced $1.1 billion in extra one-time funding for towns and cities to make whatever improvements they want to their roads, bridges, public transit, water pipes, community centres or social housing.
Chronic under funding, however, has left a provincial backlog of $50 billion in municipal infrastructure projects.
Still, a drop in the big bucket is better than nothing, and some say we should not look a gift horse in the mouth. (Gift horses are not the same as Trojan horses, though it is best to wary of both.)
Inspecting a horse’s teeth is a way to check its age and state of health. If you get a horse as a gift, and immediately look in its mouth, the giver may be offended. Looking a gift horse in the mouth is to appear ungrateful. Spending by the province, however, is not a gift. It is our own money finally coming back to us.
Wellington County will get an extra $3.3 million and the Town of Erin an extra $622,448. To put that in perspective, Town budget figures show capital improvements in the roads department at $766,500 in 2007, and $1.9 million in 2008.
I am sure something worthwhile will be done with the money. But one question will be: do we spend it on things we would likely have done anyhow, and lower property taxes, or spend it on extra projects and forego the tax benefit? Personally, I would go for the extra projects.
Often it is not a matter of building new infrastructure, but of fixing the old stuff before it crumbles away. The work is too expensive for towns to handle on their own, but they do not know from year to year how much help they will get from Queen’s Park.
This new flow of cash comes from a $1.7 billion budget surplus the province had last year. Surpluses are based on the government’s own estimates, and tend to make them look good, even though the money is spent a year later. The first $600 million is going (by law) to reduce the debt, and the rest to what McGuinty calls “a priority of our choosing”.
He didn’t call it a gift, but it was delivered with pomp and a superior tone. He made it clear that he could have decided to spend the $1.1 billion on health care or education instead. In the same speech, he also warned that since Ontario’s economy is not doing well, there would be no extra money next year. But the real bad news, especially at the county level, was his warning that plans to reverse the downloading of social service costs would proceed slowly.
“We won’t be able to move as quickly as we first thought we could when it comes to taking on new financial obligations,” he said.
Progress has been made as the province takes back some of the costs that Mike Harris dumped on municipal governments. But if they could take back much more, municipalities could make more progress on infrastructure.
Conservative MPP Ted Arnott has been rightly critical of the government for not providing stable funding for small towns from gas tax revenues.
Mind you, the Conservatives were not known for stable funding. And let us not forget one of the reasons Harris downloaded so many costs: the tag team of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin had severely cut funding to the provinces to control the federal deficit in the mid-1990s. And why did we have a huge federal deficit? Could it have been all that borrowing and spending by Trudeau and Mulroney on things like infrastructure?
I don’t expect the province to spend wildly during an economic downturn. But I am offended when they treat the spending of my money on my community as a gift for which I should be grateful.
It is within their means to make infrastructure funding more stable and predictable, so that municipalities can do a better job of planning projects that are badly needed.
The premier was in fine form last week, speaking like a father figure to his needy and troublesome children, the municipalities of Ontario.
“We want build even more infrastructure. But our government can’t do it alone. We need a partner. That’s where you come in,” he said to officials gathered in Ottawa for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario annual conference. “True partners always treat each other fairly.”
Does Dalton McGuinty really have to lay it on so thick?
It was a case of wrapping bad news with good as he announced $1.1 billion in extra one-time funding for towns and cities to make whatever improvements they want to their roads, bridges, public transit, water pipes, community centres or social housing.
Chronic under funding, however, has left a provincial backlog of $50 billion in municipal infrastructure projects.
Still, a drop in the big bucket is better than nothing, and some say we should not look a gift horse in the mouth. (Gift horses are not the same as Trojan horses, though it is best to wary of both.)
Inspecting a horse’s teeth is a way to check its age and state of health. If you get a horse as a gift, and immediately look in its mouth, the giver may be offended. Looking a gift horse in the mouth is to appear ungrateful. Spending by the province, however, is not a gift. It is our own money finally coming back to us.
Wellington County will get an extra $3.3 million and the Town of Erin an extra $622,448. To put that in perspective, Town budget figures show capital improvements in the roads department at $766,500 in 2007, and $1.9 million in 2008.
I am sure something worthwhile will be done with the money. But one question will be: do we spend it on things we would likely have done anyhow, and lower property taxes, or spend it on extra projects and forego the tax benefit? Personally, I would go for the extra projects.
Often it is not a matter of building new infrastructure, but of fixing the old stuff before it crumbles away. The work is too expensive for towns to handle on their own, but they do not know from year to year how much help they will get from Queen’s Park.
This new flow of cash comes from a $1.7 billion budget surplus the province had last year. Surpluses are based on the government’s own estimates, and tend to make them look good, even though the money is spent a year later. The first $600 million is going (by law) to reduce the debt, and the rest to what McGuinty calls “a priority of our choosing”.
He didn’t call it a gift, but it was delivered with pomp and a superior tone. He made it clear that he could have decided to spend the $1.1 billion on health care or education instead. In the same speech, he also warned that since Ontario’s economy is not doing well, there would be no extra money next year. But the real bad news, especially at the county level, was his warning that plans to reverse the downloading of social service costs would proceed slowly.
“We won’t be able to move as quickly as we first thought we could when it comes to taking on new financial obligations,” he said.
Progress has been made as the province takes back some of the costs that Mike Harris dumped on municipal governments. But if they could take back much more, municipalities could make more progress on infrastructure.
Conservative MPP Ted Arnott has been rightly critical of the government for not providing stable funding for small towns from gas tax revenues.
Mind you, the Conservatives were not known for stable funding. And let us not forget one of the reasons Harris downloaded so many costs: the tag team of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin had severely cut funding to the provinces to control the federal deficit in the mid-1990s. And why did we have a huge federal deficit? Could it have been all that borrowing and spending by Trudeau and Mulroney on things like infrastructure?
I don’t expect the province to spend wildly during an economic downturn. But I am offended when they treat the spending of my money on my community as a gift for which I should be grateful.
It is within their means to make infrastructure funding more stable and predictable, so that municipalities can do a better job of planning projects that are badly needed.
August 27, 2008
Make a connection with Erin artists
As published in The Erin Advocate
Getting art into my home could be such a simple process. See it. Like it. Decide if I can afford it. Buy it. Enjoy it.
Browsing through galleries, studios and craft displays is one of my favourite activities. When it comes to parting with my cash, however, doubts get in the way.
What if I do not like the piece two months from now? What if I am paying too much? Will I know what to say when friends ask why I bought it? What if I get addicted to buying art and spend all my money on it?
When I was young, I did not have the money to buy art. Now that I can afford some modest purchases, perhaps I still see art as a luxury. Maybe I am frugal to a fault.
Monica O’Halloran-Schut, an Erin sculptor, says my condition is actually quite common. And fortunately, there is a cure.
She is one of the founders of the Hills of Erin Studio Tour, now in its 20th year. It has grown from six artists at five locations, to 37 artists at 17 locations. Drop in at some or all of the studios and galleries on the weekend of September 27-28, 10 am to 5 pm. For details, check the website, hillsoferinstudiotour.com, call (519) 855-6320, or email: norbert.baumgartner@sympatico.ca
“The Studio Tour is a good way to meet the artists,” said Monica. “Stop and take a look at the art. It is handmade, one-of-a kind. Art can become part of your everyday objects.”
For those who rarely buy art, she points out that many pieces are not expensive. And once you do buy something from an artist you have met, you have a relationship that would not exist if you bought something that was mass-produced.
“You will see things you have never seen before, and you will meet your neighbours.”
It was a desire to make artistic connections with people that took Monica from the insurance industry to the floral design business back in the 1970s. Eventually, she and her husband Dave moved from Toronto to Erin Township. In 1988 she saw an advertisement in the Erin Advocate from Rosalind Baumgartner, looking for fellow artists to organize a tour for the public. The original group, from the Hillsburgh area, included Rosalind, Monica and Dave, Jim Reid, Stan Hall and Carol Tyler.
The work of the current artists includes weaving, oil painting, furniture, pastels, concrete, drawing, watercolours, acrylics, wreaths, collages, jewellery, reclaimed objects, turned wood, photography, hats, sculpture, pottery, book binding, baskets, glass, forged metal and figurines.
“These artists continue to push themselves,” said Monica, noting that Erin’s rural setting creates a good atmosphere for creative endeavours.
Some of the Erin artists are also involved in the Headwaters Arts Festival, which has events and workshops over a wide area that includes Erin, Caledon, Orangeville, Hockley, Mono and Shelburne. It includes an Art Show and Sale September 27-28 and October 4-5 at the SGI Centre in Alton. Check the website, www.HeadwatersArtsFestival.com.
Monica last month received the Artisan of the Year award from the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association, for her work with the Erin tour, the Headwaters festival and the Headwaters Arts organization.
Her studio is called Croi go Lamh, meaning Heart to Hand in Irish Gaelic. She has gone from weaving fibres to explorations of mineral textures and metal techniques, with inspiration drawn from natural objects.
She carves her larger pieces from lightweight building insulation, and then applies architectural surface materials. Other work includes wearable silver sculpture, made by coating small natural objects with art clay silver, a putty made with silver reclaimed from used X-ray film. A firing kiln burns away the original object, leaving a unique, shiny creation. Find out more at www.croigolamh.ca.
Many of the artists in the Erin Tour are also participating in a Preview Showing at the Burdette Gallery near Orton, which continues until this Sunday, August 31. Get directions at www.burdettegallery.com.
Getting art into my home could be such a simple process. See it. Like it. Decide if I can afford it. Buy it. Enjoy it.
Browsing through galleries, studios and craft displays is one of my favourite activities. When it comes to parting with my cash, however, doubts get in the way.
What if I do not like the piece two months from now? What if I am paying too much? Will I know what to say when friends ask why I bought it? What if I get addicted to buying art and spend all my money on it?
When I was young, I did not have the money to buy art. Now that I can afford some modest purchases, perhaps I still see art as a luxury. Maybe I am frugal to a fault.
Monica O’Halloran-Schut, an Erin sculptor, says my condition is actually quite common. And fortunately, there is a cure.
She is one of the founders of the Hills of Erin Studio Tour, now in its 20th year. It has grown from six artists at five locations, to 37 artists at 17 locations. Drop in at some or all of the studios and galleries on the weekend of September 27-28, 10 am to 5 pm. For details, check the website, hillsoferinstudiotour.com, call (519) 855-6320, or email: norbert.baumgartner@sympatico.ca
“The Studio Tour is a good way to meet the artists,” said Monica. “Stop and take a look at the art. It is handmade, one-of-a kind. Art can become part of your everyday objects.”
For those who rarely buy art, she points out that many pieces are not expensive. And once you do buy something from an artist you have met, you have a relationship that would not exist if you bought something that was mass-produced.
“You will see things you have never seen before, and you will meet your neighbours.”
It was a desire to make artistic connections with people that took Monica from the insurance industry to the floral design business back in the 1970s. Eventually, she and her husband Dave moved from Toronto to Erin Township. In 1988 she saw an advertisement in the Erin Advocate from Rosalind Baumgartner, looking for fellow artists to organize a tour for the public. The original group, from the Hillsburgh area, included Rosalind, Monica and Dave, Jim Reid, Stan Hall and Carol Tyler.
The work of the current artists includes weaving, oil painting, furniture, pastels, concrete, drawing, watercolours, acrylics, wreaths, collages, jewellery, reclaimed objects, turned wood, photography, hats, sculpture, pottery, book binding, baskets, glass, forged metal and figurines.
“These artists continue to push themselves,” said Monica, noting that Erin’s rural setting creates a good atmosphere for creative endeavours.
Some of the Erin artists are also involved in the Headwaters Arts Festival, which has events and workshops over a wide area that includes Erin, Caledon, Orangeville, Hockley, Mono and Shelburne. It includes an Art Show and Sale September 27-28 and October 4-5 at the SGI Centre in Alton. Check the website, www.HeadwatersArtsFestival.com.
Monica last month received the Artisan of the Year award from the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association, for her work with the Erin tour, the Headwaters festival and the Headwaters Arts organization.
Her studio is called Croi go Lamh, meaning Heart to Hand in Irish Gaelic. She has gone from weaving fibres to explorations of mineral textures and metal techniques, with inspiration drawn from natural objects.
She carves her larger pieces from lightweight building insulation, and then applies architectural surface materials. Other work includes wearable silver sculpture, made by coating small natural objects with art clay silver, a putty made with silver reclaimed from used X-ray film. A firing kiln burns away the original object, leaving a unique, shiny creation. Find out more at www.croigolamh.ca.
Many of the artists in the Erin Tour are also participating in a Preview Showing at the Burdette Gallery near Orton, which continues until this Sunday, August 31. Get directions at www.burdettegallery.com.
August 20, 2008
Googling the Town
As published in The Erin Advocate
Have you ever Googled the place where you live?
Like searching out your own name on the Internet, checking the hits on Erin can lead to some interesting, but time-consuming tangents.
The Google search engine produces 54.9 million references to Erin, but if you narrow it down to “Town of Erin”, the total is a mere 10,100.
You could inadvertently learn all about Erin Mills, or Erin Brockovich, or the many companies that use Erin in their corporate name.
Are you curious about Erin, New York, located east of Elmira in Chemung County near the Pennsylvania border? How about Erin, Nigeria, south of Abeokuta?
Wikipedia, the popular on-line encyclopedia, lets us know that the word Erin is derived from Éirinn, a form of the Irish word for Ireland, and that it originated with the Gaelic name Eireann.
Wikipedia also has a very brief article (a “geography stub”) on our Erin. In addition to some basic facts, it says, “The town’s new industrial park is attracting a number of new industries, due to its cheaper tax rate, accessibility to transportation, and its location within the ‘Technology Triangle’, a series of high-tech driven cities including nearby Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.”
Fascinating stuff. The Town, or anyone for that matter, is welcome to edit or add to the Wikipedia article. Fortunately, it has a link to www.erin.ca, an excellent source for local information.
The Town of Erin website is a treasure trunk of interesting stuff. Of course there are the municipal things, like agendas, minutes and permits. But you will also find an excellent photo gallery, lots of local history articles, details on coming events, and directories of businesses and community groups. It is an attractive marketing tool that will be seen by people thinking of buying a home or setting up a business here.
It also links to many other sites of local interest, such as: Credit Valley Conservation, Wellington County and Health Unit, erincinema, Hills of Headwaters and the Agricultural Society.
I got caught up in this web of Erin links while researching another burning issue – what to name this newspaper column. When naming something these days, it is wise to go on-line to see who else is using the name. Many thanks to the readers who gave the matter some thought, after I requested help two weeks ago.
John Sutherland phoned to suggest Erin Gleanings, since I tend to gather up things that have not made it into the regular news.
Jane Vandervliet suggested Teetering on my Soapbox. “Reflects need for firmer stance,” she said. “After all an ‘opinion’ column requires the writer to actually have one.” Ouch.
“Don’t be afraid of ticking people off. Persuasive writing is all about challenging others to think with the goal of change for the better for all.”
No offence taken, Jane. It is true that I tend to cautious, trying to see various sides of an issue. Also, my intent is a mix of news, trivia and opinion. Maybe I will take a few more risks when the time is right.
Hill Cox emailed a series of ideas, including: Shades of Green, The Spirit of Erin, Phil’s Focus, Erin’s Advocate, Village Views and Erin Perspective.
I liked Shades of Green, since it is a bit Irish (like me), and a bit environmental (all the rage these days). Google has almost 1.5 million references to “Shades of Green”. I would be sharing the name with a hosta nursery in Aylmer, Ontario; a forest website; an environment series on CBC; a housing estate on Vancouver Island, various landscaping firms and an Armed Forces Recreation Centre at Walt Disney World in Florida. Ultimately, it was too ambiguous.
Heidi Duncan (who named her business Heidi Hoe) dropped off a list that includes: Soapbox Stories, A Wee Tale to Tell, Much Ado About Nothing, Erin’s Hullaballo, Shamrock Stories and – meant with good intentions I’m told – The Phillage Idiot. I am feeling inspired. Less need for self-deprecation when readers are willing to help.
Anyhow, it is thumbs down on all the above. My favourite is Erin Insight, suggested by Hill Cox. The term doesn’t turn up in Google, except for a couple of references to insightful people named Erin. Not as racy as some, but it is likely to stand up better over time.
Of course, the column name does not refer just to “insights” of mine, but to those of people I interview or who send me their views. I have avoided putting my own email address in the column, but I will soon set up a new one for dialogue on column topics.
Have you ever Googled the place where you live?
Like searching out your own name on the Internet, checking the hits on Erin can lead to some interesting, but time-consuming tangents.
The Google search engine produces 54.9 million references to Erin, but if you narrow it down to “Town of Erin”, the total is a mere 10,100.
You could inadvertently learn all about Erin Mills, or Erin Brockovich, or the many companies that use Erin in their corporate name.
Are you curious about Erin, New York, located east of Elmira in Chemung County near the Pennsylvania border? How about Erin, Nigeria, south of Abeokuta?
Wikipedia, the popular on-line encyclopedia, lets us know that the word Erin is derived from Éirinn, a form of the Irish word for Ireland, and that it originated with the Gaelic name Eireann.
Wikipedia also has a very brief article (a “geography stub”) on our Erin. In addition to some basic facts, it says, “The town’s new industrial park is attracting a number of new industries, due to its cheaper tax rate, accessibility to transportation, and its location within the ‘Technology Triangle’, a series of high-tech driven cities including nearby Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.”
Fascinating stuff. The Town, or anyone for that matter, is welcome to edit or add to the Wikipedia article. Fortunately, it has a link to www.erin.ca, an excellent source for local information.
The Town of Erin website is a treasure trunk of interesting stuff. Of course there are the municipal things, like agendas, minutes and permits. But you will also find an excellent photo gallery, lots of local history articles, details on coming events, and directories of businesses and community groups. It is an attractive marketing tool that will be seen by people thinking of buying a home or setting up a business here.
It also links to many other sites of local interest, such as: Credit Valley Conservation, Wellington County and Health Unit, erincinema, Hills of Headwaters and the Agricultural Society.
I got caught up in this web of Erin links while researching another burning issue – what to name this newspaper column. When naming something these days, it is wise to go on-line to see who else is using the name. Many thanks to the readers who gave the matter some thought, after I requested help two weeks ago.
John Sutherland phoned to suggest Erin Gleanings, since I tend to gather up things that have not made it into the regular news.
Jane Vandervliet suggested Teetering on my Soapbox. “Reflects need for firmer stance,” she said. “After all an ‘opinion’ column requires the writer to actually have one.” Ouch.
“Don’t be afraid of ticking people off. Persuasive writing is all about challenging others to think with the goal of change for the better for all.”
No offence taken, Jane. It is true that I tend to cautious, trying to see various sides of an issue. Also, my intent is a mix of news, trivia and opinion. Maybe I will take a few more risks when the time is right.
Hill Cox emailed a series of ideas, including: Shades of Green, The Spirit of Erin, Phil’s Focus, Erin’s Advocate, Village Views and Erin Perspective.
I liked Shades of Green, since it is a bit Irish (like me), and a bit environmental (all the rage these days). Google has almost 1.5 million references to “Shades of Green”. I would be sharing the name with a hosta nursery in Aylmer, Ontario; a forest website; an environment series on CBC; a housing estate on Vancouver Island, various landscaping firms and an Armed Forces Recreation Centre at Walt Disney World in Florida. Ultimately, it was too ambiguous.
Heidi Duncan (who named her business Heidi Hoe) dropped off a list that includes: Soapbox Stories, A Wee Tale to Tell, Much Ado About Nothing, Erin’s Hullaballo, Shamrock Stories and – meant with good intentions I’m told – The Phillage Idiot. I am feeling inspired. Less need for self-deprecation when readers are willing to help.
Anyhow, it is thumbs down on all the above. My favourite is Erin Insight, suggested by Hill Cox. The term doesn’t turn up in Google, except for a couple of references to insightful people named Erin. Not as racy as some, but it is likely to stand up better over time.
Of course, the column name does not refer just to “insights” of mine, but to those of people I interview or who send me their views. I have avoided putting my own email address in the column, but I will soon set up a new one for dialogue on column topics.
August 13, 2008
Hazardous waste service inadequate
As published in The Erin Advocate
As a dedicated saver of the planet, I have been obliged in recent years to set up my own Hazardous Waste Depot. It is also known as my garage.
So it is with some eagerness that I await the annual Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Event Day, hosted by Wellington County staff.
I missed the event last year, so I will be bringing two years’ worth of toxic material to the Centre 2000 parking lot, on Boland Drive in Erin, this Saturday, August 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no charge.
The cars and trucks will be lined up, loaded with old motor oil, compact fluorescent light bulbs, latex and oil-based paint, automotive and household batteries, medical sharps, glue, gasoline, pesticide, drugs, mercury thermometers, cleaners, antifreeze, propane tanks and aerosol cans, to name only a few. (Check the Solid Waste Services page at www.wellington.ca for a full list.)
Of course, I could always drive my HHW to the City of Guelph HHW Depot, formerly the Wet-Dry facility, at 110 Dunlop Drive, Tuesday through Saturday. (Call 519-767-0598 or visit www.guelph.ca for details.)
But I don’t have a large quantity of HHW, and it is just not worth a special drive to Guelph. I also do not illegally burn it, dump it in the ditch or throw it in with the regular garbage.
If I lived in another part of Wellington County, I could bring a certain amount of HHW to my local transfer station or landfill site (Aberfoyle, Belwood, Elora, Harriston or Riverstown) throughout the year. I am also welcome to drive to these other stations and use them at no charge.
These locations are set up as “Selected HHW Depots”, and will accept ONLY: Automotive Motor Oil and Filters, Antifreeze, Batteries, Aerosol Cans, Propane Cylinders and Medical Sharps.
The Hillsburgh and Rothsay Transfer Stations are the only ones that do not take any hazardous waste. County Councillor Lou Maieron is surprised at the inconsistency.
“It is unfair that the eastern portion of the county is not serviced,” said Maieron. “They should give us the same standard of service. People are definitely paying enough in taxes.”
The councillor has long advocated a comprehensive waste plan that would include rural collection, composting and local drop-off of household hazardous waste. There is a rural collection pilot project for regular garbage and recyclables being conducted in Guelph/Eramosa and Minto, and County Council will decide this October whether to expand it to other areas.
Meanwhile, there has been protracted wrangling about whether the Hillsburgh Transfer Station will stay at or near its current location. I have not been able to find out if that debate has affected the question of making the Hillsburgh station a Selected HHW Depot.
The facilities to handle limited types of hazardous waste would be inexpensive, and easily moved if a new location was established elsewhere, according to Councillor Maieron.
Hillsburgh is the second-busiest station in the County, which means that a year-round depot could divert a significant volume of hazardous waste from residential garages, or from improper disposal.
“If you make it convenient, people will use it,” said Maieron.
If a community is to treat environmental protection seriously, once a year for hazardous waste is not enough.
Here are a few more pertinent facts for handling your HHW.
• Alkaline batteries up to size D can also be disposed of in special tubes located at all County libraries.
• The County does not accept industrial, commercial or agricultural hazardous waste. If you live on a farm, only the household portion of your hazardous waste can be dropped off.
• Do not bring empty containers to the HHW event, even if they previously held paint, oil or pesticide. Treat them as regular garbage or as recyclable plastic. Let any wet empty paint cans or brushes dry out, leave the lids off and put them with regular garbage.
• If you have medical sharps (needles, syringes, lancets), put them in a rigid puncture-proof plastic container (like a bleach bottle) labeled “SHARPS”. Soak them in bleach for 24 hours, pour off the bleach, seal the container and tell the attendant that you have it.
Call Solid Waste Services at 519-837-2601 for more information.
As a dedicated saver of the planet, I have been obliged in recent years to set up my own Hazardous Waste Depot. It is also known as my garage.
So it is with some eagerness that I await the annual Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Event Day, hosted by Wellington County staff.
I missed the event last year, so I will be bringing two years’ worth of toxic material to the Centre 2000 parking lot, on Boland Drive in Erin, this Saturday, August 16, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no charge.
The cars and trucks will be lined up, loaded with old motor oil, compact fluorescent light bulbs, latex and oil-based paint, automotive and household batteries, medical sharps, glue, gasoline, pesticide, drugs, mercury thermometers, cleaners, antifreeze, propane tanks and aerosol cans, to name only a few. (Check the Solid Waste Services page at www.wellington.ca for a full list.)
Of course, I could always drive my HHW to the City of Guelph HHW Depot, formerly the Wet-Dry facility, at 110 Dunlop Drive, Tuesday through Saturday. (Call 519-767-0598 or visit www.guelph.ca for details.)
But I don’t have a large quantity of HHW, and it is just not worth a special drive to Guelph. I also do not illegally burn it, dump it in the ditch or throw it in with the regular garbage.
If I lived in another part of Wellington County, I could bring a certain amount of HHW to my local transfer station or landfill site (Aberfoyle, Belwood, Elora, Harriston or Riverstown) throughout the year. I am also welcome to drive to these other stations and use them at no charge.
These locations are set up as “Selected HHW Depots”, and will accept ONLY: Automotive Motor Oil and Filters, Antifreeze, Batteries, Aerosol Cans, Propane Cylinders and Medical Sharps.
The Hillsburgh and Rothsay Transfer Stations are the only ones that do not take any hazardous waste. County Councillor Lou Maieron is surprised at the inconsistency.
“It is unfair that the eastern portion of the county is not serviced,” said Maieron. “They should give us the same standard of service. People are definitely paying enough in taxes.”
The councillor has long advocated a comprehensive waste plan that would include rural collection, composting and local drop-off of household hazardous waste. There is a rural collection pilot project for regular garbage and recyclables being conducted in Guelph/Eramosa and Minto, and County Council will decide this October whether to expand it to other areas.
Meanwhile, there has been protracted wrangling about whether the Hillsburgh Transfer Station will stay at or near its current location. I have not been able to find out if that debate has affected the question of making the Hillsburgh station a Selected HHW Depot.
The facilities to handle limited types of hazardous waste would be inexpensive, and easily moved if a new location was established elsewhere, according to Councillor Maieron.
Hillsburgh is the second-busiest station in the County, which means that a year-round depot could divert a significant volume of hazardous waste from residential garages, or from improper disposal.
“If you make it convenient, people will use it,” said Maieron.
If a community is to treat environmental protection seriously, once a year for hazardous waste is not enough.
Here are a few more pertinent facts for handling your HHW.
• Alkaline batteries up to size D can also be disposed of in special tubes located at all County libraries.
• The County does not accept industrial, commercial or agricultural hazardous waste. If you live on a farm, only the household portion of your hazardous waste can be dropped off.
• Do not bring empty containers to the HHW event, even if they previously held paint, oil or pesticide. Treat them as regular garbage or as recyclable plastic. Let any wet empty paint cans or brushes dry out, leave the lids off and put them with regular garbage.
• If you have medical sharps (needles, syringes, lancets), put them in a rigid puncture-proof plastic container (like a bleach bottle) labeled “SHARPS”. Soak them in bleach for 24 hours, pour off the bleach, seal the container and tell the attendant that you have it.
Call Solid Waste Services at 519-837-2601 for more information.
August 06, 2008
Column could use a snappier name
As published in The Erin Advocate
When I told a friend I would be writing an opinion column, she said, “That sounds great. You won’t even need to know what the heck you’re talking about.”
Fortunately, being right all the time is not in the job description, at least when it come to opinions. I may be right all the time, as I sometimes convince myself, but it is not a requirement.
When I was a news reporter, it was simple. You found out the important details of an issue and got other people to give their opinions on it. They were the ones who would feel the heat if others disagreed.
Now here I am with the freedom the pick my own topic, and sound off as I please. I have not been elected, but I have my own little soapbox to stand on. I have not been ordained, but I can preach weekly. It is a frightening prospect, both for myself and for readers.
I have been cautious so far, and I know of no complaints to the editor. Perhaps I need to try harder.
Often it is not about being right, but about covering the interests of people who care about a topic. Recently I wrote about tourism, mentioning local shops, restaurants, natural attractions and accommodations. My friend Neville Worsnop, of Century Church Theatre in Hillsburgh, pointed out that I did not mention theatre. It was a valid point, because live theatre does draw people to small towns, and they spend money on other things while visiting.
Theatre never crossed my mind while writing that piece, though I have spent years volunteering to support it in Erin. When I fail to notice the obvious, I blame the advance of years, but I never get any sympathy.
Concentrate, Phil. The column is almost half done. Time to broach the main topic.
When I wrote the first column, I suggested to Joan Murray that we not have an official name, since I could not think of a good one. To my surprise, she gave it a name anyhow: “Life in the Town of Erin”.
This is intended to serve until we come up with some other inspiration. Or we could make it permanent, which would be all right. It stresses the local angle and imposes no other restrictions.
But maybe the column could use a snappier name. Something a little edgy, but not so edgy as to alienate any major sectors of the population. A clever combination of words to entice busy readers to tarry a while.
And who better to help with naming than the valiant readers who have made it this far? If you have suggestions for a column name, mail them to the address on page 6, or email them to: editorial@erinadvocate.com. There is no prize, other than having your name in the paper (plus bragging rights) if yours is chosen. I may mention other submissions as well, and I promise not to make fun of any of them.
To help the process along, here are some of the name ideas that have already been considered.
The Way I See It: I was thinking of this one, but while I was thinking, my tennis buddy Bruce Hood went and took it for his column. Sheesh. As they say at Sunday Morning Tennis, if you snooze, you lose.
Horsefeathers: A bit too agricultural.
Off on a Tangent: Still a possibility, since it describes my normal method of processing ideas, but it is unclear if that should be encouraged.
The Devil’s Advocate: Somewhat appealing, since it plays on the newspaper name. It suggests a writer who takes a contrary view just for the sake of argument. That is not how I want to be, especially not all the time, and the negative slant would be hard to maintain.
Sunshine Sketches of a Little Green Town: Upbeat, but presumptuous, to say the least. The Irish twist is insufficiently subtle, and the extra-terrestrial allusion (little green men) could cause some to take offence. Nothing but trouble. Rejected.
Some people say I have a slight tendency to over-analyze. Others call it severe. I am still trying to figure out which group is right. What if the first group is just being polite, or worse – sarcastic? Maybe they are both partially right. In any case, I doubt that both are completely wrong.
My computer has an alarm that sounds when a column hits 700 words, and it has been going for a while, so I must wrap it up.
Maybe I should stick with Life in the Town of Erin. Let me know.
When I told a friend I would be writing an opinion column, she said, “That sounds great. You won’t even need to know what the heck you’re talking about.”
Fortunately, being right all the time is not in the job description, at least when it come to opinions. I may be right all the time, as I sometimes convince myself, but it is not a requirement.
When I was a news reporter, it was simple. You found out the important details of an issue and got other people to give their opinions on it. They were the ones who would feel the heat if others disagreed.
Now here I am with the freedom the pick my own topic, and sound off as I please. I have not been elected, but I have my own little soapbox to stand on. I have not been ordained, but I can preach weekly. It is a frightening prospect, both for myself and for readers.
I have been cautious so far, and I know of no complaints to the editor. Perhaps I need to try harder.
Often it is not about being right, but about covering the interests of people who care about a topic. Recently I wrote about tourism, mentioning local shops, restaurants, natural attractions and accommodations. My friend Neville Worsnop, of Century Church Theatre in Hillsburgh, pointed out that I did not mention theatre. It was a valid point, because live theatre does draw people to small towns, and they spend money on other things while visiting.
Theatre never crossed my mind while writing that piece, though I have spent years volunteering to support it in Erin. When I fail to notice the obvious, I blame the advance of years, but I never get any sympathy.
Concentrate, Phil. The column is almost half done. Time to broach the main topic.
When I wrote the first column, I suggested to Joan Murray that we not have an official name, since I could not think of a good one. To my surprise, she gave it a name anyhow: “Life in the Town of Erin”.
This is intended to serve until we come up with some other inspiration. Or we could make it permanent, which would be all right. It stresses the local angle and imposes no other restrictions.
But maybe the column could use a snappier name. Something a little edgy, but not so edgy as to alienate any major sectors of the population. A clever combination of words to entice busy readers to tarry a while.
And who better to help with naming than the valiant readers who have made it this far? If you have suggestions for a column name, mail them to the address on page 6, or email them to: editorial@erinadvocate.com. There is no prize, other than having your name in the paper (plus bragging rights) if yours is chosen. I may mention other submissions as well, and I promise not to make fun of any of them.
To help the process along, here are some of the name ideas that have already been considered.
The Way I See It: I was thinking of this one, but while I was thinking, my tennis buddy Bruce Hood went and took it for his column. Sheesh. As they say at Sunday Morning Tennis, if you snooze, you lose.
Horsefeathers: A bit too agricultural.
Off on a Tangent: Still a possibility, since it describes my normal method of processing ideas, but it is unclear if that should be encouraged.
The Devil’s Advocate: Somewhat appealing, since it plays on the newspaper name. It suggests a writer who takes a contrary view just for the sake of argument. That is not how I want to be, especially not all the time, and the negative slant would be hard to maintain.
Sunshine Sketches of a Little Green Town: Upbeat, but presumptuous, to say the least. The Irish twist is insufficiently subtle, and the extra-terrestrial allusion (little green men) could cause some to take offence. Nothing but trouble. Rejected.
Some people say I have a slight tendency to over-analyze. Others call it severe. I am still trying to figure out which group is right. What if the first group is just being polite, or worse – sarcastic? Maybe they are both partially right. In any case, I doubt that both are completely wrong.
My computer has an alarm that sounds when a column hits 700 words, and it has been going for a while, so I must wrap it up.
Maybe I should stick with Life in the Town of Erin. Let me know.
July 30, 2008
Low literacy a stubborn problem
As published in The Erin Advocate
The news was discouraging to folks who write for a living.
A report last month from the Canadian Council on Learning says that 48 per cent of Canadian adults have low literacy skills. That does not mean they are illiterate (cannot read or write), but that their abilities fall below internationally-accepted standards for coping in a modern society.
The study, Reading the Future, contradicts the idea that literacy is improving in Canada. As the population grows, the proportion of people in the low literacy categories is expected remain the same, with the total rising from 12 million to 15 million by 2031.
This is in spite of the serious efforts of parents and teachers to instill a love of reading and writing in young people. While these efforts are worthwhile, they are only partially successful.
The low literacy group spans all age groups, English and French speakers, immigrants and those born in Canada, and includes some with high school diplomas and post-secondary education. Most are employed, have a strong dislike of computers and believe their skills are “adequate” for their work. Most are relatively close to meeting the international standard.
At the lowest level, a person may, for example, be unable to determine from a package label the correct amount of medicine to give a child. Those at the next level are literate enough to get by from day to day, but their poor literacy makes it hard to conquer challenges such as learning new job skills.
“Millions of our fellow citizens may learn to read, but they cannot read to learn,” said Dr. Paul Cappon, President of the Canadian Council on Learning. Adult literacy levels have been shown to have a profound influence on the growth or decline of a country’s economy, according to the report.
"The Canadian economy will suffer as the number of Canadians with low literacy skills increases, so we need to prepare workers for shifts in their industry and new technologies," said Margaret Eaton, president of the private-sector ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation.
“The issue of literacy in Canada cannot be solved by any one group,” said Dr. Cappon. “Achieving success will require concerted effort from all levels of government, educators, employers, workers, community groups, families and individuals.”
Reading tends to be a quiet, inexpensive activity. Flashy entertainment on television / internet and a whirlwind of activities outside the home don’t foster a reading environment.
“In our busy world, it is hard for people to sit down and read a book,” said Beverley Picken, Supervisor of the Erin branch of the Wellington County Library. “It is important for children to see their parents reading.”
The library runs programs like the Summer Reading Club for children, using posters, stickers, activity books and prizes to make reading more fun. In the Summer Reading Challenge, teens can get a ballot for every book they read, in hopes of winning an iPod. Adults can read from a list of 10 nominated books and vote to choose the winner in the Evergreen Reading Award Programme. Check www.wclib for more library information.
Word literacy is not an end in itself. It is about having the skill and confidence to be a communicator, which can include physical touch, speech, spirituality, music, theatre, visual arts, academic learning and athletics. The school system is dedicated to helping kids reach their potential as well-rounded citizens, but the process starts at birth.
“Early infant reading develops an attitude towards books and print that is vitally important for reading later on,” says Paul Kropp, in his book How to Make your Child a Reader for Life (available at the Erin library).
“We encourage parents to read to their children right from birth,” said Marlene MacNevin, Children’s Services Manager at EWAG (East Wellington Advisory Group) in Erin.
“Each time they help their child connect books to their own experiences – their toys, friends and activities – they are introducing them to literacy by allowing their children to use their imagination.”
EWAG runs provincially-funded “Ontario Early Years” programs in Erin and Rockwood for children up to six years old. Activities include crafts, songs, finger plays, games and stories. Call 519-833-9696 for details.
At the other end of the spectrum are the program offered by agencies like the Wellington County Learning Centre (see www.thewclc.ca) for adults who want to improve their skills. But that is a topic for another day.
As a society, we are right to set high goals for literacy. People should not, however, pass negative judgment on those with lower (or higher) skills than their own. No one should be afraid to expand his or her horizons.
The important thing is to provide opportunities for everyone to improve, at every age. It is a basic democratic right.
The news was discouraging to folks who write for a living.
A report last month from the Canadian Council on Learning says that 48 per cent of Canadian adults have low literacy skills. That does not mean they are illiterate (cannot read or write), but that their abilities fall below internationally-accepted standards for coping in a modern society.
The study, Reading the Future, contradicts the idea that literacy is improving in Canada. As the population grows, the proportion of people in the low literacy categories is expected remain the same, with the total rising from 12 million to 15 million by 2031.
This is in spite of the serious efforts of parents and teachers to instill a love of reading and writing in young people. While these efforts are worthwhile, they are only partially successful.
The low literacy group spans all age groups, English and French speakers, immigrants and those born in Canada, and includes some with high school diplomas and post-secondary education. Most are employed, have a strong dislike of computers and believe their skills are “adequate” for their work. Most are relatively close to meeting the international standard.
At the lowest level, a person may, for example, be unable to determine from a package label the correct amount of medicine to give a child. Those at the next level are literate enough to get by from day to day, but their poor literacy makes it hard to conquer challenges such as learning new job skills.
“Millions of our fellow citizens may learn to read, but they cannot read to learn,” said Dr. Paul Cappon, President of the Canadian Council on Learning. Adult literacy levels have been shown to have a profound influence on the growth or decline of a country’s economy, according to the report.
"The Canadian economy will suffer as the number of Canadians with low literacy skills increases, so we need to prepare workers for shifts in their industry and new technologies," said Margaret Eaton, president of the private-sector ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation.
“The issue of literacy in Canada cannot be solved by any one group,” said Dr. Cappon. “Achieving success will require concerted effort from all levels of government, educators, employers, workers, community groups, families and individuals.”
Reading tends to be a quiet, inexpensive activity. Flashy entertainment on television / internet and a whirlwind of activities outside the home don’t foster a reading environment.
“In our busy world, it is hard for people to sit down and read a book,” said Beverley Picken, Supervisor of the Erin branch of the Wellington County Library. “It is important for children to see their parents reading.”
The library runs programs like the Summer Reading Club for children, using posters, stickers, activity books and prizes to make reading more fun. In the Summer Reading Challenge, teens can get a ballot for every book they read, in hopes of winning an iPod. Adults can read from a list of 10 nominated books and vote to choose the winner in the Evergreen Reading Award Programme. Check www.wclib for more library information.
Word literacy is not an end in itself. It is about having the skill and confidence to be a communicator, which can include physical touch, speech, spirituality, music, theatre, visual arts, academic learning and athletics. The school system is dedicated to helping kids reach their potential as well-rounded citizens, but the process starts at birth.
“Early infant reading develops an attitude towards books and print that is vitally important for reading later on,” says Paul Kropp, in his book How to Make your Child a Reader for Life (available at the Erin library).
“We encourage parents to read to their children right from birth,” said Marlene MacNevin, Children’s Services Manager at EWAG (East Wellington Advisory Group) in Erin.
“Each time they help their child connect books to their own experiences – their toys, friends and activities – they are introducing them to literacy by allowing their children to use their imagination.”
EWAG runs provincially-funded “Ontario Early Years” programs in Erin and Rockwood for children up to six years old. Activities include crafts, songs, finger plays, games and stories. Call 519-833-9696 for details.
At the other end of the spectrum are the program offered by agencies like the Wellington County Learning Centre (see www.thewclc.ca) for adults who want to improve their skills. But that is a topic for another day.
As a society, we are right to set high goals for literacy. People should not, however, pass negative judgment on those with lower (or higher) skills than their own. No one should be afraid to expand his or her horizons.
The important thing is to provide opportunities for everyone to improve, at every age. It is a basic democratic right.
July 23, 2008
A View from the Top
As published in The Erin Advocate
Lilly and I enjoy hiking to a place where you can see Erin village in all its splendour.
Have you been up the Water Tower Hill lately? Have you ever?
You don’t have to be a mountaineer to make the climb. Anyone in good physical condition can get to the summit with minimal huffing and puffing.
It’s well worth the effort, providing a break from the everyday ground-level views of the town. The panorama is spectacular, especially if you take the time to observe the details of what lies before you.
There’s a steep path near the end of William Street, but the easiest route is the gravel road to the water tower, accessed via March Street, just across from the Coffee Time parking lot on Main Street. If you look in the long grass at the base, you’ll see a long-forgotten, fallen-down sign that reads “Erin Girl Guides of Canada”.
This start of the Height of Land Trail is not very scenic. On a recent walk I noticed an old couch, a folding chair, a raincoat, a farm gate, pieces of kid’s wagon and a Halloween mask that had been discarded there. But take heart – the trail further up is quite clean.
The landmark water tower is quite imposing when you get up to its base. From this spot, there’s still not much of a view, due to the tall trees, but as you take the trail north, the vista opens up.
It’s the green that really hits you – looking down on hundreds of thousands of trees, in so many textures and shades of green. It is positively Irish.
Looking towards Guelph, you see farm fields, silos and woodlands, with the shadows of clouds scudding across the scenery. There are the back yards of new homes with their trampolines and play centres.
East across the village, many streets are not visible due to the foliage, but there are the churches raising their steeples towards heaven. Other landmarks stand out, such as the red and green Leitch Fuels barn, and the 158-year-old Erin Grist Mill building nearby.
Farther north are the fair grounds and the open water areas created by the damming of the West Credit River. Out beyond the village, the two gravel pit areas are small enough that they do not ruin the rolling landscape view.
Continuing north, there is a path down to Charles Street, then some steep climbs. When you come to the highest point of the ridge, you look down on surprisingly flat fields to the west, then some even higher hills to the north-west. If you look back south, you’ll see that you are at eye level with the top of the water tower.
From this point you can descend through a long, sloping meadow, and come back into the village on Church Street. If you walk further, past the village landfill site that was closed a few years ago, you’ll see golden fields in the distance, contrasted with trees on their borders, as you look towards Hillsburgh.
Lilly doesn’t care much for the view, as far as I know. She prefers chasing dragonflies and sniffing in the bushes, as hound dogs are wont to do.
The sounds of wind and chirping birds in the trees is constant, with occasional hawks and red-winged blackbirds swooping by.
The wide array of wildflowers would alone make the trek worthwhile. There are patches of clover, punctuated with Tiger Lillies and Queen Ann’s Lace. It looks like there will be a healthy crop of wild raspberries this year.
The most striking floral expanses are created by a profusion of bright, yellow Bird’s-Foot Trefoil, and a scattering of Bird Vetch, a flower with small purple petals that hang on one side of the stem.
So get out and enjoy your trail – it provides a fresh perspective on the town.
It could even become a tourist attraction.
Lilly and I enjoy hiking to a place where you can see Erin village in all its splendour.
Have you been up the Water Tower Hill lately? Have you ever?
You don’t have to be a mountaineer to make the climb. Anyone in good physical condition can get to the summit with minimal huffing and puffing.
It’s well worth the effort, providing a break from the everyday ground-level views of the town. The panorama is spectacular, especially if you take the time to observe the details of what lies before you.
There’s a steep path near the end of William Street, but the easiest route is the gravel road to the water tower, accessed via March Street, just across from the Coffee Time parking lot on Main Street. If you look in the long grass at the base, you’ll see a long-forgotten, fallen-down sign that reads “Erin Girl Guides of Canada”.
This start of the Height of Land Trail is not very scenic. On a recent walk I noticed an old couch, a folding chair, a raincoat, a farm gate, pieces of kid’s wagon and a Halloween mask that had been discarded there. But take heart – the trail further up is quite clean.
The landmark water tower is quite imposing when you get up to its base. From this spot, there’s still not much of a view, due to the tall trees, but as you take the trail north, the vista opens up.
It’s the green that really hits you – looking down on hundreds of thousands of trees, in so many textures and shades of green. It is positively Irish.
Looking towards Guelph, you see farm fields, silos and woodlands, with the shadows of clouds scudding across the scenery. There are the back yards of new homes with their trampolines and play centres.
East across the village, many streets are not visible due to the foliage, but there are the churches raising their steeples towards heaven. Other landmarks stand out, such as the red and green Leitch Fuels barn, and the 158-year-old Erin Grist Mill building nearby.
Farther north are the fair grounds and the open water areas created by the damming of the West Credit River. Out beyond the village, the two gravel pit areas are small enough that they do not ruin the rolling landscape view.
Continuing north, there is a path down to Charles Street, then some steep climbs. When you come to the highest point of the ridge, you look down on surprisingly flat fields to the west, then some even higher hills to the north-west. If you look back south, you’ll see that you are at eye level with the top of the water tower.
From this point you can descend through a long, sloping meadow, and come back into the village on Church Street. If you walk further, past the village landfill site that was closed a few years ago, you’ll see golden fields in the distance, contrasted with trees on their borders, as you look towards Hillsburgh.
Lilly doesn’t care much for the view, as far as I know. She prefers chasing dragonflies and sniffing in the bushes, as hound dogs are wont to do.
The sounds of wind and chirping birds in the trees is constant, with occasional hawks and red-winged blackbirds swooping by.
The wide array of wildflowers would alone make the trek worthwhile. There are patches of clover, punctuated with Tiger Lillies and Queen Ann’s Lace. It looks like there will be a healthy crop of wild raspberries this year.
The most striking floral expanses are created by a profusion of bright, yellow Bird’s-Foot Trefoil, and a scattering of Bird Vetch, a flower with small purple petals that hang on one side of the stem.
So get out and enjoy your trail – it provides a fresh perspective on the town.
It could even become a tourist attraction.
July 16, 2008
Tourism turmoil an opportunity for Erin
As published in The Erin Advocate
The high cost of travel could bring more visitors to Erin, as people look for economical ways to take a break from city living.
We've always attracted tourists seeking a rural community atmosphere, but more can be expected as high gas prices make people think twice about driving to more distant Ontario locations such as Muskoka.
Lisa Brusse, Executive Director of the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association, has done an informal survey of tourist-related businesses in the district, which includes Erin, Orangeville, Caledon, Dufferin, Shelburne and Mono.
“We’re hearing that things are quite strong, with more day-trippers than weekend visitors,” she said. “There has been no decrease due to gas prices.”
With airlines and Via Rail adding fuel surcharges, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada predicts consumers will travel more strategically, with vacations taken closer to home.
Some destinations, such as the Forks of the Credit, already have a fairly high profile. The tourism association gets visitors to explore further by providing maps, profiling local shops, restaurants, natural attractions and accommodations, and developing customized tours through its website: www.thehillsofheadwaters.com. Promotional material is distributed through outlets like The Toronto Star.
"Erin village and Hillsburgh are very good pulls," said Cynthia Percival, Tourism & Membership Services Coordinator for Headwaters. ''There are many well-established businesses, but they can't afford major marketing on their own."
Once day-trippers get to Erin, some end up talking to Lindsay McCaslin. She is staffing the Visitor Information Kiosk on Main Street (across from the ValuMart parking lot), which is operated by Headwaters, in partnership with the Town of Erin and the Erin Economic Development Committee.
''There are lots of Toronto people," she said. "They want to know about places to eat or nice shops, and there are many requests for trail maps."
She said there are also a good number of Erin people dropping in to find out about local events.
High gas prices also give us another good reason to shop, dine and have fun locally. We can save money and boost the Erin economy at the same time. When we get out of our cars to stroll downtown, we stand a better chance of seeing familiar faces and learning more about the community.
Some visitors plan to hike or cycle here, and not spend much money, but making them feel welcome is important for boosting our image.
“Many people want to go and experience things that are free,” said Percival.
A prime example is the Bruce Trail, which can be accessed nearby in Belfountain and Halton Hills. It enables hikers to enjoy the Niagara Escarpment, which is designated by the United Nations as a World Biosphere Reserve.
The pattern for tourist traffic to the Headwaters area is mainly north-south, rather than east-west, with Hwy. 10 being the primary route north, said Percival.
Unfortunately, on that highway, there are no signs pointing the way to Erin. There are directional signs for Inglewood and Belfountain, and promotional signs for various Caledon businesses and Forks of the Credit Provincial Park.
Soon there will be more traffic on that route, since Hwy. 410 is being extended to bypass Brampton and join Hwy. 10.
As northbound drivers approach Caledon village, they'll see a sign pointing them north to Owen Sound, or west on Charleston Sideroad (124) towards Guelph. It would be better if they could also learn that north leads to Orangeville and west leads to Erin.
I don't know how much difference it would make, but it would certainly make the town's location known to more people. It's hard to be a destination when they don't know where you are.
Now might be an opportune time to have such a sign erected, since road construction is taking place in Caledon village and the existing sign is in poor condition.
The Town of Erin can send a request for such a sign to the Area Traffic Manager at the Ministry of Transportation in Downsview. They'll determine if it qualifies under their sign policy.
But sign or no sign, and regardless of the price of gas, Erin seems to be getting lots of visitors.
As they cruise the countryside looking for ways to spend their disposable income, let’s be extra friendly to them.
The high cost of travel could bring more visitors to Erin, as people look for economical ways to take a break from city living.
We've always attracted tourists seeking a rural community atmosphere, but more can be expected as high gas prices make people think twice about driving to more distant Ontario locations such as Muskoka.
Lisa Brusse, Executive Director of the Hills of Headwaters Tourism Association, has done an informal survey of tourist-related businesses in the district, which includes Erin, Orangeville, Caledon, Dufferin, Shelburne and Mono.
“We’re hearing that things are quite strong, with more day-trippers than weekend visitors,” she said. “There has been no decrease due to gas prices.”
With airlines and Via Rail adding fuel surcharges, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada predicts consumers will travel more strategically, with vacations taken closer to home.
Some destinations, such as the Forks of the Credit, already have a fairly high profile. The tourism association gets visitors to explore further by providing maps, profiling local shops, restaurants, natural attractions and accommodations, and developing customized tours through its website: www.thehillsofheadwaters.com. Promotional material is distributed through outlets like The Toronto Star.
"Erin village and Hillsburgh are very good pulls," said Cynthia Percival, Tourism & Membership Services Coordinator for Headwaters. ''There are many well-established businesses, but they can't afford major marketing on their own."
Once day-trippers get to Erin, some end up talking to Lindsay McCaslin. She is staffing the Visitor Information Kiosk on Main Street (across from the ValuMart parking lot), which is operated by Headwaters, in partnership with the Town of Erin and the Erin Economic Development Committee.
''There are lots of Toronto people," she said. "They want to know about places to eat or nice shops, and there are many requests for trail maps."
She said there are also a good number of Erin people dropping in to find out about local events.
High gas prices also give us another good reason to shop, dine and have fun locally. We can save money and boost the Erin economy at the same time. When we get out of our cars to stroll downtown, we stand a better chance of seeing familiar faces and learning more about the community.
Some visitors plan to hike or cycle here, and not spend much money, but making them feel welcome is important for boosting our image.
“Many people want to go and experience things that are free,” said Percival.
A prime example is the Bruce Trail, which can be accessed nearby in Belfountain and Halton Hills. It enables hikers to enjoy the Niagara Escarpment, which is designated by the United Nations as a World Biosphere Reserve.
The pattern for tourist traffic to the Headwaters area is mainly north-south, rather than east-west, with Hwy. 10 being the primary route north, said Percival.
Unfortunately, on that highway, there are no signs pointing the way to Erin. There are directional signs for Inglewood and Belfountain, and promotional signs for various Caledon businesses and Forks of the Credit Provincial Park.
Soon there will be more traffic on that route, since Hwy. 410 is being extended to bypass Brampton and join Hwy. 10.
As northbound drivers approach Caledon village, they'll see a sign pointing them north to Owen Sound, or west on Charleston Sideroad (124) towards Guelph. It would be better if they could also learn that north leads to Orangeville and west leads to Erin.
I don't know how much difference it would make, but it would certainly make the town's location known to more people. It's hard to be a destination when they don't know where you are.
Now might be an opportune time to have such a sign erected, since road construction is taking place in Caledon village and the existing sign is in poor condition.
The Town of Erin can send a request for such a sign to the Area Traffic Manager at the Ministry of Transportation in Downsview. They'll determine if it qualifies under their sign policy.
But sign or no sign, and regardless of the price of gas, Erin seems to be getting lots of visitors.
As they cruise the countryside looking for ways to spend their disposable income, let’s be extra friendly to them.
July 09, 2008
Navigation red tape delays bridge repairs
As published in The Erin Advocate
When I heard that the mighty West Credit River is “navigable”, I was tempted to get out the canoe and give it a try.
One look at the river as it passes by downtown Erin convinced me not to bother. I’d have to drag it over the shallow, rocky areas, and maybe chainsaw my way through the fallen tree branches. Navigation of this section of the river is best left to smaller members of the animal kingdom.
Unfortunately, this navigable status may lead to a delay in rehabilitating the Mill Street bridge and adding a pedestrian bridge beside it. The Town of Erin was planning to do the work this summer.
The pre-fabricated pedestrian bridge, which would solve a serious safety issue, is ready to install.
But because the river is classified as navigable, federal approval is required to do the rehabilitation work on the main bridge, including replacement of the rusty, broken railings. Getting the approval could take more than two months, said Roads Superintendent Larry Van Wyck.
That is a problem, because regulations prohibit bridge work outside the summer months.
“I’m not overly optimistic about it happening this year,” said Mayor Rod Finnie. “Patience is a virtue. It will happen, but it may take longer than expected.”
“I’m disappointed in the delay,” said Viviana Keir, who along with other parents lobbied for years to get improvements on Mill Street. A sidewalk is now in place, which benefits children walking to or from the nearby St. John Brebeuf School. But when pedestrians come to the bridge, they must step onto the road. Water drainage on the road surface of the bridge is also a problem.
“I’d love to know what navigable means, since you can barely get your feet wet,” she said.
Under the Navigable Waters Protection Act, it means “any body of water capable of being navigated by any type of floating vessel for the purpose of transportation, recreation or commerce”, according to the Transport Canada web site.
Nicole Khalvati is an engineer with McCormick Rankin Corporation of Mississauga, which has submitted an application to Transport Canada on behalf of the Town of Erin to get approval for this project. She said they were surprised when they learned the river is considered navigable.
“We provided information on the depth, and asked for reconsideration, but we were told no.”
According to a legal notice published in last week’s Advocate, residents can now submit comments “regarding the effect of this work on marine navigation”. Send your letters to: Superintendent, Navigable Waters Protection Program, Transport Canada, 100 Front Street South, Sarnia, Ontario N7T 2M4.
The river flows south on the west side of downtown, cuts east under Main Street, and then north under Mill Street. It should be noted that the main bridge is safe for vehicle traffic. Also, special approval is not needed for erecting the pedestrian bridge, only for repairing the main one, said Van Wyck. For efficiency, the Town’s intention is to do both at the same time.
If the approval cannot be obtained this summer, the Town should investigate the possibility of installing the pedestrian bridge now, and doing the other work next year. This will increase the cost, but it would be useful to know by how much. Town council could then decide whether the added cost is reasonable.
These improvements have been needed for a long time. To be this close, only to have them delayed another year, will leave many residents shaking their heads in disbelief.
When I heard that the mighty West Credit River is “navigable”, I was tempted to get out the canoe and give it a try.
One look at the river as it passes by downtown Erin convinced me not to bother. I’d have to drag it over the shallow, rocky areas, and maybe chainsaw my way through the fallen tree branches. Navigation of this section of the river is best left to smaller members of the animal kingdom.
Unfortunately, this navigable status may lead to a delay in rehabilitating the Mill Street bridge and adding a pedestrian bridge beside it. The Town of Erin was planning to do the work this summer.
The pre-fabricated pedestrian bridge, which would solve a serious safety issue, is ready to install.
But because the river is classified as navigable, federal approval is required to do the rehabilitation work on the main bridge, including replacement of the rusty, broken railings. Getting the approval could take more than two months, said Roads Superintendent Larry Van Wyck.
That is a problem, because regulations prohibit bridge work outside the summer months.
“I’m not overly optimistic about it happening this year,” said Mayor Rod Finnie. “Patience is a virtue. It will happen, but it may take longer than expected.”
“I’m disappointed in the delay,” said Viviana Keir, who along with other parents lobbied for years to get improvements on Mill Street. A sidewalk is now in place, which benefits children walking to or from the nearby St. John Brebeuf School. But when pedestrians come to the bridge, they must step onto the road. Water drainage on the road surface of the bridge is also a problem.
“I’d love to know what navigable means, since you can barely get your feet wet,” she said.
Under the Navigable Waters Protection Act, it means “any body of water capable of being navigated by any type of floating vessel for the purpose of transportation, recreation or commerce”, according to the Transport Canada web site.
Nicole Khalvati is an engineer with McCormick Rankin Corporation of Mississauga, which has submitted an application to Transport Canada on behalf of the Town of Erin to get approval for this project. She said they were surprised when they learned the river is considered navigable.
“We provided information on the depth, and asked for reconsideration, but we were told no.”
According to a legal notice published in last week’s Advocate, residents can now submit comments “regarding the effect of this work on marine navigation”. Send your letters to: Superintendent, Navigable Waters Protection Program, Transport Canada, 100 Front Street South, Sarnia, Ontario N7T 2M4.
The river flows south on the west side of downtown, cuts east under Main Street, and then north under Mill Street. It should be noted that the main bridge is safe for vehicle traffic. Also, special approval is not needed for erecting the pedestrian bridge, only for repairing the main one, said Van Wyck. For efficiency, the Town’s intention is to do both at the same time.
If the approval cannot be obtained this summer, the Town should investigate the possibility of installing the pedestrian bridge now, and doing the other work next year. This will increase the cost, but it would be useful to know by how much. Town council could then decide whether the added cost is reasonable.
These improvements have been needed for a long time. To be this close, only to have them delayed another year, will leave many residents shaking their heads in disbelief.
July 02, 2008
Moonlighting for gas money
As published in The Erin Advocate
With the price of gas these days, it’s costing me $320 a month at the gas pumps just to get to work and back, a 100-kilometre round trip five days a week to the middle of Mississauga.
So I started thinking of ways to make my money go further, or make a bit more of it. I’ve got a decent job, but we haven’t had a raise in years.
A small job on the side would ease the pain of filling my gas tank. It would have to be something flexible, not too hard, close to home and preferably interesting. But where would I find a job like that?
Then I picked up the Erin Advocate and saw that Harry Smith had written his farewell column. I’ve been out of the newspaper business for 17 years, but I’ve always thought I might return somehow, so I called Joan Murray to see if she was looking for a new columnist.
She liked the idea, but said she wouldn’t be able to pay me much. I said that was perfect. Now all I have to do is figure out what to say.
What’s on my mind is energy prices, and in particular the carbon tax plan just announced by the federal Liberals. They call it the “Green Shift”.
If elected, they would increase taxes on energy producers, who would pass the cost on to the public, who would theoretically then use less energy. We’d be doing our bit to save the planet from greenhouse gases, and be rewarded with lower income taxes and other rebates. It’s a watered-down version of Green Party policy.
People in Erin, especially those who commute to work, have good reason to be wary of this plan, which is partly designed to get people to use public transit.
How many Erin residents would move to a city or change jobs, just to avoid using their cars? Some may buy more fuel-efficient cars, but many would simply absorb the cost.
We’ll still need to heat our homes with more expensive fuel, and buy products that have been transported with more expensive fuel. A 1-2 per cent reduction in our income taxes may not feel like adequate compensation.
For the government books, the plan will be “revenue neutral”, supposedly guaranteed by law. That doesn’t means neutral for everyone – some will gain and some will be worse off. The GST was supposed to be “revenue neutral” too, but it wasn’t.
The plan includes a Green Rural Credit of $150 for “rural” Canadians. Per year. It’s not clear whether this includes people in small towns, but in any case it’s a small amount compared to the massive surge of price pressure that a carbon tax would produce throughout the economy.
It would be much more than a tax – really a massive reform of the tax system, loaded with credits, hoping to offset the impact on businesses and lower-income Canadians.
It would be an attempt to change people’s behaviour – how they travel, where they live, what they consume and how they think about the world, by deliberately inflicting economic pain.
Global climate change is a serious problem, and maybe drastic measures are needed. But who is going to vote in favour of extra pain?
Do you have confidence in Stéphane Dion to actually make it work? Do you think the Conservatives’ less drastic plan will actually do any good? It’s not a pretty picture.
Here’s my advice to Dion (though it may be too late). Get yourself elected with other more pleasant promises. Once in power, nail us with the “Green Shift”.
If that doesn’t work out, you’ll have to leave. And maybe, if a future government is forced to bring in a carbon tax, history will remember that you tried it first.
With the price of gas these days, it’s costing me $320 a month at the gas pumps just to get to work and back, a 100-kilometre round trip five days a week to the middle of Mississauga.
So I started thinking of ways to make my money go further, or make a bit more of it. I’ve got a decent job, but we haven’t had a raise in years.
A small job on the side would ease the pain of filling my gas tank. It would have to be something flexible, not too hard, close to home and preferably interesting. But where would I find a job like that?
Then I picked up the Erin Advocate and saw that Harry Smith had written his farewell column. I’ve been out of the newspaper business for 17 years, but I’ve always thought I might return somehow, so I called Joan Murray to see if she was looking for a new columnist.
She liked the idea, but said she wouldn’t be able to pay me much. I said that was perfect. Now all I have to do is figure out what to say.
What’s on my mind is energy prices, and in particular the carbon tax plan just announced by the federal Liberals. They call it the “Green Shift”.
If elected, they would increase taxes on energy producers, who would pass the cost on to the public, who would theoretically then use less energy. We’d be doing our bit to save the planet from greenhouse gases, and be rewarded with lower income taxes and other rebates. It’s a watered-down version of Green Party policy.
People in Erin, especially those who commute to work, have good reason to be wary of this plan, which is partly designed to get people to use public transit.
How many Erin residents would move to a city or change jobs, just to avoid using their cars? Some may buy more fuel-efficient cars, but many would simply absorb the cost.
We’ll still need to heat our homes with more expensive fuel, and buy products that have been transported with more expensive fuel. A 1-2 per cent reduction in our income taxes may not feel like adequate compensation.
For the government books, the plan will be “revenue neutral”, supposedly guaranteed by law. That doesn’t means neutral for everyone – some will gain and some will be worse off. The GST was supposed to be “revenue neutral” too, but it wasn’t.
The plan includes a Green Rural Credit of $150 for “rural” Canadians. Per year. It’s not clear whether this includes people in small towns, but in any case it’s a small amount compared to the massive surge of price pressure that a carbon tax would produce throughout the economy.
It would be much more than a tax – really a massive reform of the tax system, loaded with credits, hoping to offset the impact on businesses and lower-income Canadians.
It would be an attempt to change people’s behaviour – how they travel, where they live, what they consume and how they think about the world, by deliberately inflicting economic pain.
Global climate change is a serious problem, and maybe drastic measures are needed. But who is going to vote in favour of extra pain?
Do you have confidence in Stéphane Dion to actually make it work? Do you think the Conservatives’ less drastic plan will actually do any good? It’s not a pretty picture.
Here’s my advice to Dion (though it may be too late). Get yourself elected with other more pleasant promises. Once in power, nail us with the “Green Shift”.
If that doesn’t work out, you’ll have to leave. And maybe, if a future government is forced to bring in a carbon tax, history will remember that you tried it first.
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