Author Archives: dougdraper

A Not So Brief Message from Doug Draper, reporter/publisher, Niagara At Large

Posted June 21^st, 2017 on the newly named ‘National Indigenous Peoples Day’ in Canada

What a wild and crazy spring it has been, with all of the flooding rains, damaging winds and other calamities plaguing our region and so many others on this rapidly spinning-out-of-control planet.

This spring’s flooding waters threaten shoreline properties in Port Dalhousie in Niagara, Ontario. Communities around Lake Ontario and other areas of the Great Lakes have continued to suffer damage from unusually high waters this spring. Photo by Doug Draper

I hardly have any right to whine, given the  heartaches, hardships and loss of homes and treasured personal possessions so many others have endured this spring in other communities and regions due to sudden, severe shifts in climate conditions that some, in wilful ignorance, continue to view as a “hoax” or as something that just happens naturally every few thousand years, but here at Niagara At Large’s home base, we have had our share of high winds, flooding waters, not to mention technical difficulties that have wreaked havoc with our computers and our ability to get news and commentary out to you.

To tell you the truth, it has almost been a blessing that our systems for posting news and commentary have been down because it has given this journalist a chance to decompress from all of the relentless vomiting out of coarsened conduct that too often passes as governance on the Niagara, Ontario side of a binational border region that makes up NAL’s prime readership area.

But for better or worse, depending on your perspective or whatever side of the dung pile you are on, Niagara At Large is working through the technical glitches for a lift off scheduled for this coming Wednesday, June 28^th – just in time for the next meeting of Niagara’s regional council and Canada’s 150^th birthday. Continue reading →

Posted June 8th, 2017 on Niagara At Large

NIAGARA AT LARGE encourages you to join the conversation by sharing your views on this post in the space below the Bernie quote.

A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who also share their first and last names.

For more news and commentary from Niagara At Large – an independent, alternative voice for our greater binational Niagara region – become a regular visitor and subscriber to NAL at www.niagaraatlarge.com .

 “A politician thinks of the next election. A leader thinks of the next generation.” – Bernie Sanders

News from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario

Posted June 8th, 2017 on Niagara At Large

St. Catharines, Ontario – When he was eight years old, Jonah Mondloch walked into the library at Brock University with his grandfather Charles Burke to help him find some research books.

Jonah Mondloch, left, graduated from Brock University Wednesday alongside his grandfather Charles Burke. Cathy Mondloch, centre, a professor at Brock, hooded her two relatives during the Convocation ceremony. Photo courtesy of Brock University

This week — a decade and a half later — Jonah again walked through the University with his grandfather, but this time they had both just become Brock graduates.

On Wednesday afternoon, Jonah, 22, and Charles, 78, graduated together in the Spring Convocation ceremony for the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. Jonah completed his degree in Kinesiology in five years. His grandfather had been taking classes part time, one credit at a time for 15 years, but doubled up his course load this year so he could finish his degree in time to graduate with Jonah. Continue reading →

News from the City of St. Catharines/Niagara

Posted June 7th, 2017 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – St. Catharines Mayor Walter Sendzik and St. Catharines Riding MP Chris Bittle brought the importance of the Port Dalhousie piers to Ottawa this past June 2nd.

A look at a stretch of the pier below a line of trees from the east side of Port Dalhousie Harbour, now under water and fenced off due to record high water levels in Lake Ontario. Photo taken this June by Doug Draper

The Mayor and MP met with Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, to discuss the importance of repairing the federally-owned Port Dalhousie piers. Continue reading →