Category Archives: Uncategorized

To rebuild the kind of news media we lost in this region thanks to corporate chains cutting and gutting newsrooms, we are going to need your support!

A Message from Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper

Posted June 19^h, 2018 on Niagara At Large

For the next five or six days, this independent site for news and commentary will be relatively inactive while we are on the road, travelling from the tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic, through the heart of that state and New York State to Buffalo, then back to our home base in Niagara, Ontario.

First thing next week – starting June 25^th – we are going to hit the ground running because we have a great deal of work to do in our region with only four months left before the October 22^nd municipal elections – elections that, without doubt, will make the difference between more of the same divisive, self-serving ugliness at the regional level of government and hope for a healthier better future for you and I, for the youngest among us, and for the communities we live in. Continue reading →

A News Release from the Ontario and Niagara Oral Health Alliance

Posted June 13th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

The Ontario Oral Health Alliance was pleased to see promises to expand access to dental care in all four major party platforms during the Ontario election, a historic first for provincial elections in Canada.
“We offer congratulations to the Ontario PC Party on their election win and look forward to working with them as they implement their promise of dental care for low income seniors through Community Health Centres and Public Health Units,” said Lori Kleinsmith, Chair of the Niagara Dental Health Coalition. Continue reading →

“Our oceans and coasts are under considerable threat – from increases in plastic pollution, more frequent and severe weather events, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Resilient coastal communities and healthy oceans are vital to growing economies that work for everyone and that is why we are committed to working with others to protect the world’s oceans.” – Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

The cover of the latest issue of National Geographic magazine.

A News Release from the Office of Canada’s Prime Minister

Posted June 4^th, 2018 on Niagara At Large          

(A Brief Foreword Note from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – The following  news release was circulated by the Prime Minister’s Office this June 1^st, are the same time news began sinking in about Trump’s sudden announcement to slap stiff tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico and other allied countries in Europe, so there was no reference in the PMO’s release about that. Continue reading →

McGuire is appointed Executive Director of 85-year-old Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police

A News Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted May 11th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Former Niagara regional police chief Jeff McGuire

Niagara, Ontario – He apparently wasn’t good enough for Niagara – at least not enough to keep Niagara’s Police Services Board and its chair, Niagara Falls regional councillor Bob Gale, from buying him out of what was left of his contract with more than $900,000 of our tax money – but the time-honoured Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) sure seems happy to have him as its new executive director.

“The OACP is pleased and excited to welcome Jeff McGuire as its new Executive Director as we continue to advance the strategic direction of our Association to meet the changing demands of policing a modernized society,” said Chief Bryan Larkin, OACP President, in a news release the association posted on its website this May 7th. “Jeff brings significant leadership, vision, and policing experience to the position.”

It will be a year ago this coming summer that the Police Services Board, which also includes Niagara’s regional chair Al Caslin and Port Colborne regional councillor David Barrick among its members, parted ways with McGuire, issuing him a package worth more than $900,000 to leave the top cop’s job three years before his contract was up. Continue reading →

 Come this October’s Municipal Elections, We’ve Got A Lot of House Cleaning To Do!

A Commentary by Niagara At Large reporter and publisher Doug Draper

Posted April 25th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

One Hundred and Eighty Days!

That is how many days we now have left to go in Niagara, Ontario before we, the people, get to exercise our hiring and firing rights this October 22nd’s municipal elections.

It is home many days we have left to go before we, the people, get our chance to clean house!

One hundred and eighty days may seem like a long time, but it really isn’t that much time at all when you consider all of the work we have to do in finding good candidates, get our fellow citizens more informed and engaged so that can vote on to our regional and local councils the best people possible to build A Better Niagara. Continue reading →

A News Release from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance, a non-partisan citizens group

Posted April 17^th, 2018 on Niagara At Large

Doug Ford thinks firing the CEO of Hydro One will lead to lower electricity bills.

While we agree that $6 million/yr is way over the top, firing him would only lead to a 3/100ths of 1% decrease in our rates.

This kind of populist thinking has led successive Ontario governments to ignore real solutions to rising electricity costs. Continue reading →