Niagara At Large

By Doug Draper

Posted August 14^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

For a while there, Patrick Brown actually had me wondering if he just might be more open than his Tory predecessors were to charting a political course that takes the protection our environment into consideration.

But not anymore. Now he has lost me.

Ontario PC Party leader Patrick Brown expressed renewed interest in constructing a mid-peninsula highway through Niagara.

After 15 months of trying to convince the rest of us that the word truly “progressive” belongs back in the “Progressive Conservative Party” name after Mike Harris and Tim Hudak took a cudgel to it, he has dialed right back to the Harris/Hudak era with his declaration to a business group that he is open to resurrecting the idea of constructing a multi-lane highway through the middle of the Niagara Peninsula between the Hamilton-Halton area and the Fort Erie-Buffalo border crossing.

It was just last March – barely nine months after he was chosen leader of Ontario’s PC Party after Hudak resigned the post following the party’s failure to win the 2014 provincial election – that Brown delivered a keynote address to a general meeting of party delegates that gave reason to believe he wanted to strike a significantly different tone than Harris and Hudak, and former federal Tory leader Stephen Harper when it comes to environmental issues.
Continue reading →

We Still Have Time To Tell Government We Want What’s Left Of Our Wetlands Saved!

By John Bacher

Niagara, Ontario – A new “White Paper” from the Ontario government – titled “Wetland Conservation Strategy for Ontario” -marks another sorry stage in a provincial consultation process whose key goal appears to be to weaken one of the strongest cornerstones for effective land use planning across the province.

This is the establishment of what are termed Provincially Significant Wetlands”, (PSWs). Once these areas are identified, largely through a point scoring weighted towards maintaining the habitats of rare species, they are protected from what the policy terms, “site alteration.”

The basic wetlands policy of no site alteration – meaning no shopping centers, residences, parking lots on wetlands – has been in effect since 1992. It is far stronger than the protection of other natural habitats. These habitats include dry forests, non-PSW wetlands, thickets, alvars, prairies and savannas. Usually, these habitats essentially on a big scale are termed legally Provincially Significant Forests. In Niagara, like most upper tier or single tier, municipalities in Ontario, they are termed Environmental Conservation Areas (ECAs). Continue reading →

“A college-level course that provides an introduction to the Niagara River watershed through weekly classes.”

News from Buffalo Niagara Riverkeepers, a non-profit citizens group

Posted August 14^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Experiential learning opportunity will educate college students and adults about local environmental issues in Erie and Niagara counties

Buffalo, New York – Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper announces that registration is now open for River Academy, a college-level course that provides an introduction to the Niagara River watershed through weekly classes in stream science, environmental stewardship, and habitat restoration.

River Academy is an exciting opportunity for professionals and citizens to learn through hands-on field experience, lab exercises, field trips, and guest lecturers, and provides an opportunity for students to obtain college credits.

River Academy explores current environmental issues impacting the Niagara River watershed. Local experts and guest lecturers include representatives from governmental agencies, community organizations and the private sector. Continue reading →

A Brief Message on the Value of this Project from Doug Draper

Reposted August 12^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

“Thundering Waters is one of the last few remaining forested swamps in Canada,” notes a new website for what Niagara, Ontario filmmakers Stacey Koudys and Jon Lepp call ‘the Paradise Project’ – a link to which Niagara At Large will share with all of our many visitors here.

“These wetland communities have a higher density of life form than any other habitat in the country and are among the rarest,” the website, which supports a video Stacey and Jon released online earlier this August, continues.

Niagara At Large gives its full editorial support to Stacey and Jon’s project and to their ongoing work on what will be a full-length documentary film on a growing movement of citizens in Niagara to save a signficant piece of what is left of this region’s natural heritage from the buzz saws and bulldozers.

Their efforts, along with those of rising numbers of others, is a welcome, invaluable response to a lack of information and to misinformation from too many of our elected municipal councillors and from tax-funded agents like the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority – a body that has become such a bad joke of the time-honoured voice for our natural places that it once was, that its time to press the Ontario government to scrap it and have the conservation areas placed in its trust turned over to provincial parks officers. Continue reading →

Posted August 12^th, 2016 on Niagara At large

A Foreword by Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper –

After yet another week of Trumpzania that has seen the Donald – more unhinged than ever as he called Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton “founders of ISIS” and suggested that the “2nd Amendment people” (code for gun-toting NRA supporters) may be able to do something about Hillary if she becomes president and starts appointing Supreme Court judges – this letter from American documentary filmmaker Michael Moore could not land on Trump’s daughter’s desk soon enough.

Niagara At Large is continuing to post the odd piece on this train wreck of a U.S. election because – a) NAL has a readership on the American side of the border, b) many of my American friends and loved ones are terrified at the possibility of this dangerous nut job becoming the next president and leader of the free world, and c) any person with an ounce of sense in Canada and the rest of the world, regardless of their political leanings, should be terrified of that possibility too.

It is a fear this NAL publisher happens to share, and  we are far from  alone in feeling this way.

Continue reading →

“TechBoomers is a prime example of how a business can launch and make a name for itself in Niagara, and we hope that their story inspires others to take part in Ignite Niagara.” – Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce CEO Mishka Balsom 

News from the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce in Niagara, Ontario

Posted August 12^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario  – After launching in January 2015, local tech start-up TechBoomers.com is proud to announce that it is expanding after winning Ignite Niagara, a business pitch competition put on by the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce and Innovate Niagara and sponsored by Meridian Credit Union.

Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce CEO Mishka Balsom

As a tech website that aims to help older adults learn about how to use technology, this milestone marks an important moment in the company’s journey thus far.

Ignite Niagara is an annual event that allows local up-and-coming entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas in front of a panel of judges, competing for a business services prize package that assists them in getting their business off the ground.

This recent success has paved the way for TechBoomers’ first major expansion, with plans to hire three new full time staff members. TechBoomers proudly calls Niagara its home, and has fully embraced the support of the local community on its path to success. Continue reading →

A Brief Message on the Value of this Project from Doug Draper

Posted August 12^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

“Thundering Waters is one of the last few remaining forested swamps in Canada,” notes a new website for what Niagara, Ontario filmmakers Stacey Koudys and Jon Lepp call ‘the Paradise Project’ – a link to which Niagara At Large will share with all of our many visitors here.

“These wetland communities have a higher density of life form than any other habitat in the country and are among the rarest,” the website, which supports a video Stacey and Jon released online earlier this August, continues.

Niagara At Large gives its full editorial support to Stacey and Jon’s project and to their ongoing work on what will be a full-length documentary film on a growing movement of citizens in Niagara to save a signficant piece of what is left of this region’s natural heritage from the buzz saws and bulldozers.

Their efforts, along with those of rising numbers of others, is a welcome, invaluable response to a lack of information and to misinformation from too many of our elected municipal councillors and from tax-funded agents like the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority – a body that has become such a bad joke of the time-honoured voice for our natural places that it once was, that its time to press the Ontario government to scrap it and have the conservation areas placed in its trust turned over to provincial parks officers. Continue reading →

A Note from Niagara Action For Animals in Niagara, Ontario

Post August 11^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Dear friends of Animals – many of you knew Brian Calvert, who passed away suddenly on Monday, August 8th.

The following info regarding Brian’s memorial services….. The first one is on Saturday August 13 – 11:00 a.m. at the Unitarian Congregation of Niagara, 223 Church St., St. Catharines, Ontario (officiated by a good friend of Brian Calvert, working with the family to create a meaningful celebration of Brian’s life).

On the SAME day, at 4 p.m. a second service at UNICAMP for those who can’t make it to St Catharines in the morning.

He was a good supporter of many animal and environmental causes and he will be missed.

Niagara Action for Animals is a non-profit, all volunteer charity devoted to ending all forms of animal cruelty through education, direct action and legitimate protest.

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

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

Province Supporting 11 New Bridge Training Projects

News from the Government of Ontario

Posted August 11^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Queen’s Park, Toronto – The province is investing $3.35 million over two years through the Ontario Bridge Training Program to help internationally trained professionals find jobs that match their skills and experience.

The investment will support 11 new bridge training projects that will:

• Improve access to career assistance services for internationally trained immigrants, for example career mentoring, employment events, language skills-training and a micro-loan program.
• Help employers recruit, hire and retain internationally trained immigrants, with networking events, an online recruiting service and employer workshops.
• Identify newcomers’ transferrable skills and alternate career pathways through, for example, mentoring events and the promotion of entrepreneurship.

Every year, Ontario’s Bridge Training Program helps over 6,000 internationally trained professionals get the help they need to find jobs that match their skills and experience. Increasing immigrant employment rates is key to growing the province’s globally connected economy. Continue reading →

Say No To Building Over Thundering Waters Forest

By John Bacher

Posted August 10th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

As far as environmental protection goes, June 30th, 1992 must be recognized as a ‘Day of Infamy’ in Niagara, Ontario.

It was a day that saw the first cut in the Thundering Waters Forest-savannah complex in Niagara Falls – a place in the region that 12 years earlier had been recognized as an environmentally sensitive area in a joint study by Brock University and Niagara’s regional government.

A news photo of some of what was left of a sprawling forest off Oldfield Road in southwest Niagara Falls, Ontario in 1992. This clear cut by developers played a role in driving the Ontario government to pass tougher tree cutting legislation in the province. File photo

The assault on this area clear cut into oblivion a 35 acre block of wetland old growth forest north of Oldfield Road in Niagara Falls. The block hosted, among many other natural features, towering Pin Oaks and rich vernal pools providing habitat for amphibians. Continue reading →

Statement from Ontario PC Energy Critic John Yakabuski on Ontario’s electricity rates

Posted August 10^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Queen’s Park, Toronto – The following is a statement from Ontario PC Energy Critic John Yakabuski on Ontario’s electricity rates:

“(This August 10^th) we learned that Ontario Hydro One customers officially pay the highest residential electricity rates in North America, after our province’s fast-increasing rates surpassed Hawaii’s.

Blame for this sad news rests solely with the (province’s) Liberal Government. It would not have been possible without their 13 years of scandal, mismanagement, and waste within the energy sector. Continue reading →

An Invite To You from Ontario’s Ministers of Municipal Affairs & Natural Resources and Forestry

Posted August 10^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

A Brief Foreword Note from NAL publisher Doug Draper – For everyone out there in Niagara, Ontario and elsewhere in the province who cares about protecting and preserving what is left of our wetlands, forests and other natural places, please read the following from the Ontario government and take advantage of the opportunity to lend your voice by way of sending that same government your input.

The Invite from the Ministers –

Queen’s Park, Toronto – On May 10, 2016, Ontario released proposed changes to the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan and the Niagara Escarpment Plan.

Due to high interest in the review and in response to requests made by several municipalities and stakeholder organizations, we are extending the deadline for comments on the four proposed revised plans to be submitted.

The deadline to provide input on the four proposed revised plans has been extended to October 31, 2016. Continue reading →

News from the Ontario Clean Air Alliance

Posted August 10^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Toronto, Ontario – According to a new report prepared for Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), energy efficiency investments can reduce Ontario’s electricity demand by 31% by 2035.

On the other hand, the report notes that if the IESO’s conservation budget remains at its status quo level, Ontario’s electricity demand will fall by only 12%.

Any way you cut it, improving energy efficiency by paying a fair price for conservation measures, creating opportunities for a wide variety of organizations to lead efficiency efforts and helping consumers maximize their savings makes economic and environmental sense. Continue reading →

You Can Listen To The Radio Interview Here

A Brief News Note from Doug Draper

Posted August 9^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

On a Niagara radio morning program this August 9^th, local documentary filmmaker Jon Lepp called a plan to bulldoze over a large tract of forest, savannah and wetlands in Niagara Falls for urban development “short-term thinking,” and he urged listeners to join growing numbers of area citizens in killing the plan.

Lepp, who is producing a documentary on the battle to save Thundering Waters Forest with fellow filmmaker Stacey Koudys, discussed the need to save this natural area on 610 AM CKTB’s Tim Denis program. Continue reading →

A Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted August 9^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

I am posting a statement released this August 9^th by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau celebrating “National Peacekeeping Day” in Canada, but I can’t do it without speaking to actions by Trudeau’s Liberal government that risk making a mockery out of Canada’s historic role – pre-Stephen Harper era – as a peacekeeping nation in the world.

Those actions include Canada’s relatively new Trudeau government’s plans to follow through on a deal reached between the former Harper Conservative regime and brutal Saudi ditators to sell military vehicles manufactured in the London, Ontario area to Saudi Arabia – armed vehicles of the like the Saudis have already used in violent clashes with citizen protesters in that Middle East country.

According to a front page story in the August 1^st, 2016 edition of The Globe and Mail, the Trudeau government has also watered down the wording in its own policy papers for screening countries Canada sells military equipment to for human rights crimes and other offensive behavior. Continue reading →

“I have been asked to be the next CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association, Canada’s largest provincial industry association.” – Tim Hudak

A Statement From MPP Tim Hudak

August 9^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Queen’s Park, Toronto – “When a really good opportunity comes along, you grab it. That’s how I got into the world of public service. And, now, it’s why I’m taking my leave.

Niagara, Ontario area MPP leaving elected office in September

In 1995, I had the opportunity to run for the PC Party in Niagara South. I ran because I believed the province desperately needed change and I wanted to make a difference.

Every step along the way, I have been guided by a clear sense of purpose: smaller, more focused government, a strong economy and greater opportunity for all.

It was an honour to serve in the Cabinet of Premier Mike Harris, the most courageous and effective Premier Canada has seen in a lifetime. We made the long overdue decisions to balance the budget; we paid down debt and we lowered taxes. As a result, Ontario led North America in private sector job creation. Continue reading →

A Brief Heads Up from Doug Draper at Niagara At Large

Posted August 8th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – n case you missed getting this news on Facebook earlier this August 8th, Jon Epp, one of two of Niagara”s up and coming  documentary filmmakers along with Stacey Koudys, will be on the Tim Denis Radio Show on

Documentary filmmaker on CKTB Radio this Tuesday morning – August 9tth – to discuss citizens battle to save Thundering Waters Forest

CKTB 610 AM this Tuesday, August 9th at 7:50 in the morning to discuss the duo’s ongoing work on a documentary – dubbed the ‘Paradise Project – on a growing citizen movement in this region to save the Thundering Waters Forest in Niagara Falls from urban development.

If you miss the CKTB interview with Jon, Niagara At Large will do its best to get a podcast link for it on our online news site here as soon as possible this Tuesday.

I have a feeling, however, that the ratings will be high for this radio segement, given the growing numbers of citizens joining the fight to save these hundreds of acres of forest, savannah and wetland in Niagara Falls from development by a China government-sponsored agent with the support of a number of our municipal politicians.

Those who should listen the most to what Jon and others in the community have to say on this issue include our municipal and provincial political representatives in Niagara, along with the politically appointed board members and executive administrators of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. Continue reading →

Watch and Share This Video By Jon Lepp & Stacy Koudys and Join the Fight to Save what is left of Niagara’s Natural Heritage

A Foreword by Doug Draper, NAL publisher

Posted August 6th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – After too many years of watching too many of our municipal politicians in Niagara give the high five to too many plans by developers to pave over ever more of what is left of this region’s precious natural heritage, it is heartening to see growing thousands of citizens across the region finally standing up and shouting ‘NO!’ to this destruction.

Stacey Koudys and Jon Lepp working on their Paradise documentary project. Photo by Doug Draper

The last draw for many of us came around the turn of last year with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority – a body that no longer has any business using the word “conservation” in its name – trotting out a “biodiversity offsetting” scheme that is code for destroying provincially significant wetlands to pave the way for more urban sprawl.

The last draw has also come with a proposal by a Chinese government-sponsored firm that goes by the name GR (Canada) Investment Co., Ltd. to build what it rather perversely calls a “Paradise” development on lands that include hundreds of acres of forest, savannah and wetlands near the southwest corner of Niagara Falls.

Political neanderthals and bullies like Niagara regional government chair Al Caslin and St. Catharines regional councilor and Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority chair Bruce Timms and their cabal have tried their best to discourage, frustrate and otherwise run down the clock on the citizen push for natural heritage preservation. Continue reading →

Come Hear What Karl Dockstader Has To Say!

A News Brief

Posted August 5^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – Karl Dockstader, a Niagara Falls resident and member of the local indigenous community, will speak in St. Catharines this coming Tuesday, August 9^th about the ongoing battle to keep hundreds of acres of forest  and wetlands in the Falls from being sacrificed for sprawling urban development.

Karl Dockstader addresses a recent rally to save Thundering Waters Forest

Dockstader will be speaking about the importance of saving what has come to be known by growing number of concerned Niagara residents as the Thundering Waters Forest at the Mahthay Café in downtown St. Catharines  at 7p.m. on August 9^th.

“Little known to many people is that (City of) Niagara Falls planning procedures allows for the virtual destruction of ‎ one of the few remaining great forested areas in the city,’ says Dockstader. “The only way to stop it is to speak out as concerned residents of Niagara‎.”

The future of the Thundering Waters Forest within the Niagara River watershed in the southwest end of Niagara Falls is hanging in the balance with plans by a Chinese government-based firm called GR Investments to build a billion-dollar residential and commercial development there.

One of the best upcoming chances for stopping this destruction, says Dockstader added, “is to appeal to the sensibility of Niagara Falls city councillors at the statutory public meeting being held at Niagara Falls City Council on August 23rd at 6:30 pm.

To stay up to date on the issue and to get more details people can follow our efforts on: www.facebook.com/groups/SaveThunderingWatersForest

“This Thundering Waters Forest, and all the living things that walk, fly, crawl‎ and grow in and around it, needs us to speak for it now,” says Dockstader. “ If we don’t then we will have to explain to those who have yet to be born why we let a Chinese owned development company and it’s supporters pave over their birthright.”

A giant white oak tree in Thundering Waters Forest

Listen to a recent interview with Karl Dockstader on Brock University’s radio station by clicking on the following link – http://www.cfbu.ca/aud/TW_KD.mp3

Karl Dockstader is a Niagara Falls resident and an member of the local Indigenous community deeply concerned with environmental issues.

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

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

 He Was A Voice For The 99% Long Before The Term 99% Was Around

Posted August 4^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

A  Foreword by NAL publisher Doug Draper –

News of Mel Hurtig death this August 4^th at age 84 first entered my inbox fittingly from the office of Maude Barlow, chairpserson of the Council of Canadians, the nation-wide citizens advocacy organization Hurtig founded more than three decades ago.

Mel Hurtig, bookseller, publisher, activist and founder of the Council of Canadians

Mel Hurtig was also one of the first Canadians of any note out of the gate to oppose global trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Act (NAFA) because he knew then what growing numbers of others have come to know the hard way – that these were not fair trade deals that respected good paying jobs here.

They were deals that allowed corporations to shut down manufacturing and other operations here, throwing tens-of-thousands of people out of work – and move to countries where they could pay slave wages, rape the land of resources and pollute the planet without fear of penalty. Continue reading →

“F*** Political Correctness”, “F*** Those Dirty Beaners” (Latinos), “F*** Islam”, “F*** That Nigger” (Obama), “F*** Hillary”, “Hang The Bitch”

A Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted August 4rth, 2016 on Niagara At Large

“F*** political correctness?” At a ‘Trump for President’ campaign rally? That hardly needs to be said.

Donald Trump has been raging against political correctness going back to a year ago this past June when he rode down the escalator in Trump Tower and announced his plans to run for the U.S. presidency and build that wall.

So put on that “Hillary Sucks, But Not Like Monica’ t-shirt you can buy from the vendors outside the arenas where the Donald holds his rallies, and feel free to go inside and feel free to go inside and call President Obama a “nigger” and Hillary Clinton a “bitch” and “whore” all you want while the rest of the crowd chants “lock her up” and “hang her.”

A sample of t-shirts for sale outside Donald Trump campaign rallies

New York Times reporters, with the approval of their editors and publishers at the paper, have just released a video of conduct they have witness repeated over and over again at Trump rallies across the United States, and I believe it was a very brave move to release what everyone who think’s Trump’s ugly, hateful brand of politics is the way to go should be made to watch it at home with their children, if they have any. Continue reading →

“The National Energy Board has been heavily criticized for not requiring comprehensive environmental assessments of pipeline projects … and for failing to consult with First Nations whose traditional lands are traversed.”

News from the Hamilton, Ontario-based Citizens At City Hall (CATCH)

Posted August 4rth, 2016 on Niagara At Large  

The catastrophic oil spill in Saskatchewan this July has raised new concerns about inadequate environmental reviews of pipelines as the National Energy Board (NEB) grapples with Enbridge’s proposal to construct 35 kilometres of its Line 10 across rural Hamilton. Farm families near Copetown are challenging the company’s re-routing of the export pipe across their properties to avoid a golf course.

 “The project focuses on replacing 35 km of existing 12-inch-diameter steel pipe, installed in 1962, with a new 20-inch line,” explains Enbridge’s website. “By replacing this segment of Line 10 rather than applying several preventative maintenance digs, we will minimize overall disturbance to landowners along the right-of-way and the environment, address ongoing maintenance requirements and make a safe pipeline even safer.”

The new pipe would run from Westover to Nebo Road, and is part of a 143 kilometre line that extends into New York State. NEB formal hearings on the project are expected to occur this fall. Continue reading →

News from Niagara Centre, Ontario  MP Vance Badawey

Posted August 4rth, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Ontario – Whether it is helping to rebuild our roads and bridges, supporting our public transit systems, improving access to clean drinking water, managing wastewater or solid waste, the federal Gas Tax Fund is making a difference in our communities right here in Niagara Centre.

Niagara Centre, Ontario MP Vance Badawey

The four municipalities in Niagara Centre – Welland, Port Colborne, Thorold and St. Catharines – will receive the following support this year in Gas Tax funding for their eligible priorities as follows:

• Port Colborne $560,148
• Welland $1,539,344
• Thorold $545,160
• St. Catharines $3,994,978
• Total for all of Niagara Region municipal governments for 2016-17 = $23,700,000

“The Gas Tax represents real partnership in action,” noted Niagara Centre MP Vance Badawey. “In this way, the federal and municipal governments can work together to bring about positive change at a local, grassroots level. Infrastructure is the backbone of our economy and our communities.” Continue reading →

A  Commentary by NAL publisher Doug Draper

Posted August 3^rd on Niagara At Large

“He could win,” said one of the nice people I crossed paths with during a tour of historic neighbourhoods in Buffalo, New York last weekend.

“Please don’t say that,” I responded. ”I don’t want to say it,” she replied, “but things have gone so crazy, he could win.”

What is horrifying is how close Donald Trump is to Hillary Clinton in many of the national polls on the presidential race. She got the expected bounce in the polls coming out of her party’s convention in Philadelphia this late July but as of this August 3^rd, he was still polling within 10 points of her and many Americans are pretty damn wobbly on her too.

So if a tape of one of those $225,000 speeches Hillary gave to the hedge fund operators and junk bond peddlers on Wall Street – people like her son-in-law – should happen to surface, who knows what hell awaits the 99 per cent. President Trump? Continue reading →

Posted August 3^rd, 2016 on Niagara At Large

(A Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – I have some questions and concerns over how Canada’s still relatively new Trudeau/Liberal government is addressing some issues, but for anyone out there – and there are at least a few – who argue that “nothing” has changed since the defeat last year of the Harper/Ambrose/Nicholson/Dykstra Tory regime, never forgive and never forget that heartless cabal’s repeated response of “no” to each and every call for a national inquiry into what has happened to more than 1,000 women and girls in Canada’s aboriginal community.

Perhaps these women and girls were not white enough for the party of and for what Harper dubbed “old stock Canadians.”)

One of numerous rallies failed to convince Canada’s former Harper government to launch an inquiry into what happened to more than 1,000 missing indigenous women and girls

This Wednesday, August 3rd, the following statement was issued by David Zimmer, Ontario’s Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Tracy MacCharles, Ontario Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues, and Ontario Attorney General Yasir Naqvion the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls:

 “On behalf of the Ontario government, we welcome the federal government’s announcement today on the next stage in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. Ontario has long supported calls by Indigenous organizations for a national public inquiry into this issue, and has also advocated directly for an inquiry through interaction with our federal, provincial and territorial counterparts. Continue reading →

 New Agreement to Enhance Regional Cooperation and Competitiveness

“By combining our collective strengths … we will boost regional competiveness and create new opportunities for investment, jobs and growth on both sides of the border.” –– Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario

News from the Governments of Ontario and Michigan

Posted August 3^rd, 2016 on Niagara At Large

(A Brief NAL note – It remains to be seen whether this will be a boost to what remains of our auto manufacturing industry in Niagara Ontario ravaged for decades by unfair global trade agreements.)

The Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan are working together to drive growth and increase the competitiveness of the Great Lakes auto industry.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder sign binational agreement to boost auto industry

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder were in Traverse City, Michigan, today to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will promote auto industry innovation and regional competitiveness.

Ontario and Michigan are two of the leading automotive jurisdictions in North America, together accounting for more than 26 percent of vehicle production in the region. Continue reading →

‘Canada has lost one of its great intellectuals and humanitarians’

By Fiona McMurran

Posted August 3^rd, 2016 on Niagara At Large

On July 22, 2016, Canada lost one of its great public intellectuals. Ursula Franklin was not only a renowned scientist; she was also a feminist, peace activist, and philosopher—and an extraordinary Canadian.

Ursula Franklin

Franklin came to wide public attention in Canada with her 1989 CBC Massey Lectures, entitled “The Real World of Technology”, in which she told her listeners that technology shouldn’t be regarded as “the icing” on the cake of culture; it is part of the cake itself.

Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Ursula Franklin, I was lucky enough to hear her speak on a few occasions. I found her way of looking at the world deeply compelling—she always inspired me to make connections I’d never seen before. The biggest inspiration was the way she lived her life, integrating heart and mind and understanding through action in the world. Continue reading →

“I believe people have not only a right to access healthcare, but a right to access it in a quick and timely fashion.”                               –  Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates

A Message from the Constituency Office of Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates

Posted August 3^rd, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara Falls, Ontario – Wayne Gates, MPP for Niagara Falls, has asked for a meeting with Dr. Suzanne Johnston, the President of Niagara Health System, regarding lengthy MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) wait times in Niagara.

Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates

“Over the summer, I’ve had resident after resident come into my office complaining about how long they have to wait to get an MRI” said Gates “in some cases, we have people who are waiting until November or December”.

Gates continued by saying that the wait times are causing stress among Niagara residents who have to wait so long to find out concrete details about their health.

According to the Ministry the target time for an MRI is 28 days in Ontario. The current wait time in Niagara is 105 days compared to 32 days for St. Joseph’s in Hamilton, where patients access an MRI three times faster.

“I believe people have not only a right to access healthcare, but a right to access it in a quick and timely fashion. I am hoping the NHS will work with me and the province to reduce this time and make sure people have access to the services they need”

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

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

Posted August 2, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Ottawa, Ontario – This August 2nd,  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announced a new process for appointing Supreme Court of Canada Justices that is open, transparent, and sets a higher standard for accountability.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Under the new process, an independent and non-partisan Advisory Board has been given the task of identifying suitable candidates who are jurists of the highest caliber, functionally bilingual, and representative of the diversity of our great country.

For the first time, any qualified Canadian lawyer or judge may apply for appointment to the Supreme Court of Canada through the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs. Continue reading →

A Call-Out from Rose McCormick and the Southern, Ontario community-based zine Writings To Our Mothers

Posted August 2nd, 2016 in Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario –

–     Thundering Waters Forest in Niagara Falls, Ontario  is currently being considered as a site for a housing and shopping complex known as “Paradise”, meaning the overwhelming majority of these 500 acres are at risk to be lost to urban sprawl and development.

–     Thundering Waters is forested and wetland home to hundreds of species of plant and animal life, including the endangered blue spotted salamander, monarch butterflies, and old-growth oak trees. The wetlands within this forest act as carbon sinks, absorbing c02 and helping to offset climate change.

An unprotected wetland area of Thundering Waters Forest

On Tuesday, August 23^rd at 6:30pm at Niagara Falls City Hall (4310 Queen Street): Niagara Falls City Council will be reviewing and voting upon the Thundering Waters Secondary Plan, join the community there and make your voice heard about protecting Niagara Wetlands!

Writings To Our Mother  is a  Southern Ontario based community created zine focusing upon local and global eco issues! Featuring news articles, visual art, and poetry by members of the St. Catharines community. For more information, click on the following links –

https://www.joomag.com/en/newsstand/writings-to-our-mother/M0895240001457110967

Writings to Our Mother | Joomag Newsstand

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

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

“Even today, in 2016, I read the words that one Canadian is wondering why there are so few “Jews” in Poland. Really?”

By Leslie Daniels, submitted for a share with our NAL community of readers

Posted August 2^nd, 2016 on Niagara At Large

My father was a person who I consider a WWII hero. After landing on D-day with a pulverized knee cap, broken shoulder, ankle and having been blown off target when parachuting to behind enemy lines he was captured by landing almost on top of a German  machine gun nest.

Canada’s Prime Mnister Justin Trudeau during a recent visit to the notorious Auschwitz death damp in Poland

He spent months in POW camps, sabotaging brick making works, escaping and being recaptured twice. At 22 years old he was finally placed in a concentration work camp and although they were treated better than those in the concentration part of the camp, it was no picnic.

After escaping a third time he went back to the last camp with the liberation forces and recovered a ring my grandfather had given him that the camp commandant had confiscated. Continue reading →

“It will be a tragedy like no other if our children and their children only know elephants from books and videos.”

A Call-Out from Avaaz, an online global citizens advocacy group

Posted August 2nd, 2016 on Niagara At Large

“It will be a tragedy like no other if our children and their children only know elephants from books and videos.”

Dear Friends –

Every 15 minutes an elephant is brutally slaughtered for its tusks, and at this rate they will be gone forever in just a few years.

Momentum is growing for a complete global ban on ivory — but the European Commission has just come out against it!

The elephant crisis is heartbreaking. In some areas these magnificent, sensitive creatures are so terrified of people they only come out at night, and mourning baby elephants refuse to leave the butchered corpses of their mothers.

Now 29 African governments have said if Europe gets its way, it will spell extinction for our elephants, and they need our help. Continue reading →

A Sad Sign of Our Times

A Brief One from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper

Posted August 1st, 2016 on Niagara At Large

It’s been too long since someone out there flashed us a ‘sign of the times’ worth posting, but here’s one we thought we’d share with you as we make our way through the dog days of summer.

This one comes courtesy of a long-time reader I can fairly well guess is no fan of U.S. presidential candidate and billionaire bigot and blowhard Donald Trump.

It is a sign that found its way to the internet from somewhere in the United States where I can tell you from my visit to Buffalo, New York this past Saturday and Sunday for that city’s annual Garden Walk tour, almost every single Buffalo resident I talked to is living in mortal fear of this fascist creep possibly becoming the next president of their country.

A majority of the people I talked to still wish Bernie Sanders had won the Democratic Party nomination for the presidency (Buffalo polled strongly for Bernie during the spring primaries) but said they will hold their noses this coming November and vote for Hillary Clinton, if they have to, to keep Trump out.

I only passed one house during the whole two days of the tour with a Trump sign in the yard where two dogs leashed to a pole near the the sign growled and barked at those of us passing by. Those dogs have the same temperament as the Donald, I thought, as their owner, sitting on the porch with five-o’clock shadow and his ball hat spun backwards yelled at them to “pipe down.”

You couldn’t make that scene up and for a split second I thought of snapping off a picture of those dogs snarling next to that Trump sign but the guy on the porch looked like he could grab my camera and put it in a place where I would have to have it removed via a procedure I’m not sure I’m covered for on the American side of the border.

So we’ll have to settle for the sign below, shared by one of our NAL readers instead.

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. If you have a sign you think says something about our crazy times that we might post here, send it as a JPEG to drapers@vaxxine.com .

In the meantime, we encourage you to share your views on this post in the space below, remembering that we only post comments from people who also share their first and last name.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

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

Posted August 1^st, 2016 on Niagara At Large

A Call-Out from Catherine Ens of and for Niagara Action For Animals … with a Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper

For most of the 37 years I have been reporting on environment and other issues in this greater Niagara region, the many dedicated volunteers working for and with Niagara Action for Animals have always been there – rescuing and adopting dogs and cats and other creatures big and small, picketing in front of Marineland and other amusement parks and circuses that display captive animals for profit and entertainment, speaking out against animal abuse of all forms, and advocating for the humane treatment of all living creatures.

Niagara Action for Animals – known by many simply as NAFA – has always been and continues to be one of the best friends other creatures we are blessed to share a few moments of time on this earth have ever had.

So I am pleased to post this information from Catherine Ens and NAFA on a few ways this August that you can support their valuable work. – Doug Draper, journalist.

From Catherine Ens and NAFA –

Scentsy Fundraiser for NAFA!

Friend of NAfA and Scentsy consultant Emily Chaperon is hosting a fundraiser to benefit animals in our community!

For this whole month of August, 25 per cent of Emily’s Scentsy sales – 100% of her commission – will be donated to Niagara Action for Animals. Please see attached poster for details and share widely! Continue reading →

A Statement from Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown

Posted August 1^st, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Queen’s Park, Toronto – Ontario PC Leader Patrick Brown made the following statement marking the anniversary of Emancipation Day:

“Today, we commemorate the anniversary of the enactment of the British Imperial Act, known as Emancipation Day. Inspired in large part by the heroic actions of William Wilberforce, the British Parliament voted in 1834 to abolish slavery in most of the British Empire.

This day recognizes the lives of those who were enslaved and oppressed. It also provides us an opportunity to remember an historic event, which displays our commitment to freedom and human rights.

Critically, the passage of the British Imperial Act made Ontario a beacon of freedom and hope, and launched the “Underground Railroad,” from which escaping slaves found their way to Ontario, and freedom.

I would like to commend my colleague MPP Ted Arnott for co-sponsoring the Private Members’ Bill which recognizes the first of August as Emancipation Day in Ontario

I am pleased to join the Black Canadian community and all Ontarians in marking this important day in our history.”

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

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

A News Analysis from the Hamilton, Ontario-based ‘Citizens At City Hall” – CATCH

Posted July 28th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Hamilton’s hot weather is mirrored by escalating global average temperatures that are already closing in on the maximum increase agreed to in Paris last December by 190 countries.

The city’s outdoor burning ban issued last week follows four heat warnings already this summer and the long term forecast offers little relief with no night-time temperatures below 19°C forecast until well into August.

Climate change warnings going back a decade or more predict sharp increases in plus 30°C days. The Hamilton and Niagara area have also gone through agriculturally-damaging drought conditions for much of late spring and early summer, only partly relieved by (the recent July 25th) Monday morning’s storm. Continue reading →

Time For Canada To Open More Inspection Booths At Niagara Border Bridges

A Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted July 27^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed “delight” in announcing this July 27^th that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – less formally known to the world as Prince William and Kate – are planning a Royal Tour of Canada his coming fall, and that seems fine.

Hopefully, the Royals are not planning to enter the country by way of the Peace Bridge or one of the other Canada-U.S. border crossings because they may have a very long wait on their hands.

Peace Bridge crossing between Niagara, Ontario and Buffalo, New York. photo by Doug Draper

Of course, our Royal guests won’t be entering Canada from the Peace Bridge. Saying that they might was just my way of leading in to the real issue I want to discuss here – the annoyingly long waits at these crossings into Canada.

These long lineups – due in large part to cuts to federal budgets and a lack of border inspectors on the Canadian side going back to the Harper government’s reign of error – may very well be discouraging visitors from coming to our region and spending money here, according to a recent story in The Buffalo News.

And to that I ask; ‘How penny wise and pound stupid can our Canadian federal leaders possibly be?’ Continue reading →

 Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada on the announcement of a Royal Tour of Canada by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Posted July 27^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, issued the following statement this July 27^th regarding the upcoming Royal Tour of Canada by Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, which will take place in the fall of 2016:

“We are delighted by the Governor General’s announcement that Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will visit Canada this fall. During their stay, the Duke and Duchess will travel to British Columbia and Yukon on a visit that will showcase some of Canada’s finest natural beauty.

“This Royal Tour, the second undertaken by Their Royal Highnesses to Canada, also presents a unique opportunity for Canadians of all backgrounds to meet with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and learn more about our heritage, traditions, and institutions.

“Our government looks forward to providing Canadians with further details closer to the beginning of the Royal Tour.”

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

Bringing Products From Canada and 85 Other Countries to Consumers’ Fingertips

News from the Ontario Government

Posted July 26^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Queen’s Park, Toronto – Ontario is offering a new and convenient way to buy alcohol products by introducing online sales through LCBO.com.

Starting this July 26th, LCBO consumers can buy online up to 5,000 different products from across Canada and 85 other countries. Customers can choose to have their order sent to an LCBO store of their choosing for pick up, free of charge, or choose to have it delivered directly to their home, anywhere in Ontario. Continue reading →

Our work will continue in the form of a new group called Our Revolution

A Message from Vermont Senator & Progressive Movement Leader Bernie Sanders

Posted July 26^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

(A Brief Postscript from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – Niagara At Large keeps posting news and commentary about Berne Sanders because we know that many Canadians – particularly younger Canadians – have become as engaged as millions of their American neighbour’s in Bernie’s progressive agenda for improving the lives of everyday people.

In fact, campaign workers at the Bernie Sanders Buffalo, Office told me earlier this year that a number of Canadians offered to volunteer in knocking on doors in Western New York for Bernie during this past winter and spring’s election primaries.

Why?

Continue reading →

“The need for a skilled labour force to offset the loss of a natural ecological process is significant.” – Al Unwin, Associate Dean, Niagara College’s School of Environmental & Horticultural Studies

News from Niagara College

Posted July 26^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – With a significant and growing demand for highly-trained beekeepers across Canada and around the world, Niagara College has introduced a one-year hands-on Commercial Beekeeping Graduate Certificate program – the first of its kind in Eastern Canada.

Environmental Technician student Christine Combe checks out beehives at Niagara College’s new apiary, with the help of Dennis Edell, director of the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association. Photo courtesy of Niagara College

The three-semester program will see its first intake of approximately 30 students begin studies at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus in January 2017. With the winter start, the program will run parallel to the normal annual lifecycle of the honey bee, from the winter slumber to honey extraction, to returning the bees to their hives for overwintering.

“Our commercial Beekeeping program is a shining example of one of Niagara College’s key strengths – our ability to work closely with industry to develop high-quality academic programs that respond to specific needs in our community and beyond,” said Niagara College president Dan Patterson.  Continue reading →

Time Spent in Natural Settings Has Positive Impact on Mental and Physical Health

“Spending time in one of Ontario’s beautiful provincial parks is a wonderful way to connect with nature and stay healthy. But there are also many natural settings in your own neighbourhood. I encourage all Ontarians to get out to any natural setting and to take up the 30×30 Nature challenge.”  — Kathryn McGarry, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry

A Message from Ontario’s Liberal Government

Posted July 25th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

(A Brief Foreword Note from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – This is a good message from Ontario Natural Resources Minister Kathryn McGarry and her government.

But finding natural settings residents in Niagara, Ontario can connect with may become even more challenging if McGarry and her government do not soon do something about a Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority with executive administrators and members of a  board – many of which are elected councilors appointed by their fellow Niagara regional councillors – who have compromised the NPCA’s historic mission further away from nature conservation and closer to allowing ever more brick and mortar development on what is left of the region’s green spaces.

A giant white oak tree in the Thundering Waters forest area targeted for residential and commercial development in Niagara Falls, Ontario

How much longer is the Ontario government going to deflect Niagara residents’ concerns about the current activities of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority by telling them the NPCA falls under regional and local government jurisdiction, only to have regional politicians tell residents that they have no jurisidiction over the NPCA either? When is some level of government going to take responsibility for this so-called Conservation Authority and stop saying ‘No’ to residents who ask for an independent, value for dollar audit of the more than $8 million annually of our tax money this body is awarded to spend?

These questions and concerns come from citizens at a time when the NPCA has expressed interest in applying something called “biodiversity offsetting” – code for bulldozing over – provincially significant wetland in Niagara Falls – an old-growth wetland the NPCA’s current board chair claims can be duplicated somewhere else in five years.

All of this to make way for a China-funded ‘Paradise-Thundering Waters’ development project in Niagara Falls, Ontario on hundreds of acres of land hosting forest and wetlands – a project Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne highlighted as a win for the province during a business trip she took to China in November of last year.

So it is good for the provincial government  to talk about what a positive experience it is for Ontario residents to connect with natural settings in and around their communities. But what is the provincial government going to do to ensure what is left of these natural settings are not bulldozed away with the support of a “Conservation Authority” that gives every appearance of being in bed with developers?)

Queen’s Park, Ontario – The Ontario government and Ontario Parks are challenging people across the province to spend more time in nature and develop new healthy habits. Continue reading →

News from Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn

Posted July 25^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – Ever wonder what controls the heights and sizes of buildings in a community? What rules allow certain type of uses – like a gas station or an apartment building or townhouse – in one area, but not in another? Or, where do the rules come from for the amount of parking a store or an apartment or a church must have?

Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn

In Ontario, it’s a community’s Zoning Bylaw that contains detailed information on what kind of land use and what kinds of physical structures are allowed on each property in the Town. The Zoning Bylaw puts into effect the Town’s “Official Plan” or Secondary Plans (like the East Fonthill Secondary Plan or the North-West Fonthill Secondary Plan).

The details include the height and “massing” of buildings, the distance buildings must be set back from the street or other yards, and any landscaping requirements.

Since Zoning By-laws are legally enforceable (under the Ontario Planning Act), proposed developments that do not fit the By-law’s requirements are not allowed to proceed – unless they receive a variance. Thus, this important Bylaw helps achieve Council’s objectives for a successful, vibrant, and livable community. Continue reading →

By John Bacher of Greening Niagara

Posted July 25^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – In his recent statement on the environment, Laudato Si, Pope Francis warned that, “The Earth, our home is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”

Citizen volunteers gather for Greening Niagara organized trash cleanup at Thundering Waters Forest in Niagara Falls, Ontaritio

 In this statement, Francis was in agreement with some of the warnings of the draft Environmental Impact Study for the Thundering Waters development proposal in Niagara Falls, Ontario. It describes how vernal pools which provide important breeding habitat for frogs and the regionally rare Blue Spotted Salamander have been trashed by “numerous canisters, fuel drums or other forms of debris.” It also laments how the site is marred by “piles of garbage.”   

This past Saturday July 23^rd, about 30 volunteers, including two families with children, joined organizer of Greening Niagara in removing trash from a vernal pool which provides breeding habitat for amphibians. In coming out on this very hot and humid day to help remove this garbage, these volunteers responded not only to Papal directives, but to the teachings of this continent’s Native elders, who decry our planet being turned into a trash pile against the authority of sacred treaties. Continue reading →

“These (Animal Cruelty Investigation) workers and the animals of our province deserve better,” – Kendra Coulter, associate professor, Brock University’s Centre for Labour Studies

News from Brock University in Niagara, Ontario

Posted July 25^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Niagara, Ontario – Enforcement officers with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) are underequipped compared to their police service counterparts and face many instances of disrespect on the job, says new research by Brock University and the University of Windsor.

Brock U. prof and labour experit Kendra Coulter and friend, Photo courtesy of Brock University

“OSPCA officers have the same legal authority as police to enforce animal cruelty legislation, yet key elements of their working conditions are quite shocking,” says Kendra Coulter, associate professor in Brock University’s Centre for Labour Studies, and lead author of the report.

The report, “Difference Makers: Understanding and Improving the OSPCA’s Animal Cruelty Investigation Work,” which can be found at humanejobs.org is a first-of-its-kind study of animal cruelty investigators and their work in Ontario. Continue reading →

‘Blue-green algae (has been) detected in very small quantities upstream from the Decew water treatment plant.’

News from Niagara, Ontario’s Regional Government

July 22^nd, 2016 on Niagara at Large

Niagara, Ontario – Niagara Region is taking steps to address the presence of blue-green algae detected in very small quantities upstream from the water treatment plant intake at Decew Water Treatment Plant.  Although the algae itself is harmless, it has the potential to produce toxins that are harmful at high concentrations.

While no toxins have been detected at this time, testing for toxins in these algae will continue daily. Tests conducted have shown that there is no toxin in the water at the treatment plant, nor upstream from it. Therefore, there is no risk to the public’s health.

Blue-green algae clusters in Lake Erie, an upstream source of drinking water for Niagara residents. This NASA photo was taken a few years ago. Concern has been growing about phosphorus and other pollutants from human activities causing a growing toxic algae problem in the Great Lakes

The Region’s Public Works and Public Health departments are working with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to monitor and prevent any potential future risk to the public.  Continue reading →

“Watch out now, take care, beware of greedy leaders. They’ll take you where you should not go. … Beware of darkness.” – from the George Harrison song, Beware of Darkness, 1970.

A Brief Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted July 22^nd, 2016 on Niagara At Large

On the final night of the Republic National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio this July 21^st, Ivanka Trump introduced her father, billionaire blowhard and wannabe U.S. president Donald Trump, to the podium as “a generous and compassionate man” – all while the late George Harrison’s original Beatle recording of ‘Here Comes The Sun” swelled up in the background.

No so generous though – if you could find an ounce of generosity in the man for anyone but himself at all – that the Donald would give any thought to asking those who own the rights to a musical composition for permission to use it in his campaign, much less pay a penny in royalties to use it.

Not long after the last chords of ‘Her Comes The Sun’ rang out at this Trump-fest of a convention, representatives of George Harrison’s estate circulated the following message on Twitter – “The unauthorized use of ‘Here Comes the Sun’ at the RNC is offensive & against the wishes of the George Harrison estate. If it had been ‘Beware of Darkness’ (a song from Harrison’s classic solo album ‘All Things Must Pass’), then we MAY have approved it! #TrumpYourself,” Continue reading →

Get Ready For The Next Billion Dollar Bite In The Pocketbook

 A Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted July 21^st, 2016 on Niagara At Large

I recently had a chance to see Jaws again on a big screen where the full impact of that mouth full of razor sharp teeth lunging to the surface from the shadowy depths of the sea belongs.

The theatrical return of this 1970s horror flick was a reminder of how often, during my earlier years as an environment reporter, I used lines from its story about a shark devouring bathers off the shores of Cape Cod as a metaphor for warnings of danger we humans too often choose to ignore.

One line from the movie came immediately to mind a few weeks back when I read a story in The Globe and Mail about how much this spring’s wildfires in Fort McMurray, Alberta will cost insurance companies, and the line goes like this – “You are going to ignore this problem until it swims right up and bites you in the ass.” Continue reading →

Girls are twice as likely as boys to experience psychological distress. Screen time, social media use, and problem gaming on the rise.  

News from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Ontario

TORONTO, Ontario, July 21, 2016 – More than one in three – an estimated 328,000 — Ontario students in grades seven to 12 report moderate-to-serious psychological distress, according to new survey results from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Girls are twice as likely as boys to experience psychological distress.

“This is a significant number of young people, especially girls, who are experiencing high levels of psychological distress,” says Dr. Robert Mann, senior scientist at CAMH and co-lead investigator of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). A total of 10,426 students from across Ontario participated in the 2015 OSDUHS, the longest-running school survey of adolescents in Canada, and one of the longest-running surveys in the world.

“We were also surprised to see this number increase to 34 per cent in 2015 from 24 per cent in 2013. That is a 10 per cent jump in reported psychological distress in just two years,” said Dr. Mann. Continue reading →

Posted July 2oth, 2016 on Niagara At Large 

A Community Information Session hosted by No Burn Niagara AND PORT ROBINSON PROUD

July 25, 2016 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Darlene Ryan Port Robinson Community Centre,  40 Cross Street, Port Robinson

Key Questions and Answers:

Q1:      What is No Burn Niagara?

A:         A citizen’s coalition formed to fight against a proposed waste incinerator in Niagara and to fight for zero waste.

Speaker: Liz Benneian, Founder Ontario Zero Waste Coalition

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noburnniagara/

Q2:      Where is the proposed location for the plant? Continue reading →

By Leslie Daniels, Guest Writer, Niagara At Large

Posted July 19^th, 2018 on NAL

I wanted to write something lighthearted and funny about the Republican National Convention – but the RNC beat me to it.

Well them and the guy who just said it was amazing, that being as anti-LGBT as the GOP is, that they could “appropriate” Freddy Mercury and Queens’ song “We Are The Champions” – again.

However, as we all saw –  again, against the wishes of the band itself, there they were with BOZo, ummm “The” Donald Trump, rising from the smoke and ashes of the Republican Party to center stage  rocking to Queen’s anthem. Continue reading →

“I’m not a cheat, I’m not a thief, and I don’t break the rules.” – from Senator Mike Duffy’s testimony in an Ottawa court, December 2015

A  Commentary by Doug Draper

Posted July 18^th, 2016 on Niagara At Large

Mike Duffy – the federal Conservative Party-appointed Senator thrown under the bus a few years back for allegedly going at the benefits package for the Red Chamber’s honourable members like an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord – is right in his recent refusal to pay back $17,000 government administrators claim he owes for expenses he billed the Senate.

Mike Duffy – now back in the Senate and found innocent of any wrongdoing – has a right to compensation and an apology from Canadians

On what legal grounds should he?

As one of Duffy’s lawyers, Donald Bayne, was quoted saying in a July 16^th story in The Globe and Mail, the Senate has no legal right to pursue him in the wake of a federal court Justice’s decision earlier this year to exonerate him.

“The ruling is a final legal and factual determination that cannot be collaterally attacked,” the lawyer stated. Continue reading →