Lindsay Advocate — News. Community. Wellness.

Federal election Q & A with Elizabeth Fraser of the Green Party of Canada

Published on September 22, 2019 in Federal by Roderick Benns

Roderick Benns recently interviewed the PPC, Conservative, Liberal, Green, and NDP candidates for Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Brock riding to help voters make an informed decision leading up to the election in October. In our fourth installment is Elizabeth Fraser from the Green Party of Canada.

Benns: Can you highlight a policy of your party that will lead to increased employment and increased average income in our riding?

Fraser: One of the Green’s economic policies which could be applied in the riding of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock as a way of increasing employment is the Green Venture Capital Fund. This fund is part of the Green Party’s focus on small businesses and would provide support for small local green businesses.

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Council eyes tear-down of east-side historical properties to allow for apartment building

Published on September 19, 2019 in Community/Just in Time/Municipal/Opinion by Jamie Morris and Sara Walker-Howe

It’s a property with a now well-documented past but an uncertain future. There are competing interests and City Council and its Planning Advisory Committee have some decisions to make.

You can see the property for yourself if you turn off King Street onto St. David, towards Logie Road. Number 3 St. David, one of the property’s two houses, will be on your right. It’s a large red-brick, gable-front Victorian with a wrap-around porch, set back from the road on a well-treed lot (there’s a towering walnut, some maples and others).

Take the first right onto the extension of Riverview and past a line of mature pine trees you’ll find 4 Riverview, the second, smaller house — a typical Ontario Gothic cottage.

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Federal election Q & A with Judi Forbes of the Liberal Party of Canada

Published on September 18, 2019 in Federal by Roderick Benns

Roderick Benns recently interviewed the PPC, Conservative, Liberal, Green, and NDP candidates for Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Brock riding to help voters make an informed decision leading up to the election in October. In our third installment we connect with Judi Forbes of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Benns: Can you highlight a policy of your party that will lead to increased employment and increased average income in our riding?

Forbes: As your future MP, I am committed to the Liberal policies and commitments to strengthen and grow our middle class and improve the lives of all Canadians. Since 2015, the Liberal government has reduced unemployment, created one million new jobs and made post secondary education more affordable for over 480,00 students. We are directly investing in our Canadian youth to provide education, apprenticeships and skills development to prepare them for future employment.

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The Lindsay Canadian Club: An invitation to the community

Published on September 17, 2019 in Around Town/Community by Ian McKechnie

Imagine a community-based organization that invites people from all walks of life – millennials, seniors, students, retirees, people working full-time – to gather in an inclusive setting and hear dynamic voices from across Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, and Canada speak about some of the most important topics and issues affecting our community, province, country, and planet. Imagine spending an evening over drinks and eats with like-minded individuals who have gathered to hear guest speakers, chat with these change-makers, and engage with panelists.

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How the Canada Child Benefit ‘basic income’ helped out these 5 local women

Published on September 15, 2019 in Business/Community/Poverty Reduction by Roderick Benns

How the Canada Child Benefit ‘basic income’ helped out these 5 women

Julia Taylor knows all about the power of a basic income, although she wasn’t a part of the Ontario Basic Income Pilot that occurred in Lindsay, Hamilton, and Thunder Bay area. Taylor’s ‘basic income’ was her Canada Child Benefit, something nearly four million Canadians receive.

“Receiving that benefit topped up our income so I didn’t have to go back to work (right away) — it was my guaranteed basic income,” Taylor says.

Like basic income policy, the Canada Child Benefit comes with no strings attached for families.

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Local federal candidates square off with different visions for riding, country

Published on September 14, 2019 in Federal by Roderick Benns

The race to elect a brand new parliament is on for Oct. 21 and the candidates running in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock offer up competing visions for federal representation.

New Democratic Party Candidate Barbara Doyle believes her history gives her an edge over her opponents, at least when it comes to understanding what life is like for both the middle class and those who need additional supports in our communities.

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Going, going, gone: Death of a species as Kawartha Lakes set to lose 24,000 trees

Published on September 13, 2019 in Around Town/Community/Environment/Municipal by Jamie Morris

Peace Park sits on a small, irregular plot of land just north of Central Senior Public School. It’s bordered by Albert Street., Peel Street W., a parking lot used by LCVI students, and a home. You might not have been aware it’s a park: there are no benches or play equipment. Until very recently what it consisted of was a stand of trees. There were thirteen of them, all planted in 1992, which is the year the park was dedicated.

The number 13 was significant, as a plaque explains: “The trees are symbolic of Canada’s Provinces and Territories and represent a link with one another, with nature, and as a symbol of hope for the future.”

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It’s ‘Housing First,’ addiction issues after, says Fourcast

Published on September 12, 2019 in Community/Health/Municipal/Poverty Reduction by Roderick Benns

Twenty-four chronically homeless people in our area now have a home, thanks to the City of Kawartha Lakes and and Kawartha Lakes Housing Corporation. But since many of them are struggling with addictions, hundreds of readers recently questioned on social media whether they were deserving of accommodation.

The story, ‘New housing complex should be for rehab, not ‘condoning drugs’: Woman’s petition,’ was read by thousands with the majority of readers on social media holding the opinion that these 24 people should be ‘clean’ first before being given the keys to a brand new one bedroom apartment.

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Council reviews High Water Bill Adjustment Policy

Published on September 12, 2019 in Municipal by Lindsay Advocate

At the Committee of the Whole meeting September 10, Council recommended changes to the High Water Bill Adjustment Policy be forwarded to the Regular Council Meeting of September 24 for adoption.

At the July 16 Committee of the Whole meeting, Council heard a presentation from Jennifer Stover, Director of Corporate Services on the purpose of and related areas of concern within the High Bill Adjustment Policy. Those concerns have been incorporated into the new policy recommendations.

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Housing Services proposing aggressive targets for new affordable housing

Published on September 11, 2019 in Municipal/Poverty Reduction by Lindsay Advocate

At the September 10 Committee of the Whole meeting, Council heard a presentation outlining the targets for the next decade being proposed by Housing Services.

Hope Lee, Manager of Housing, presented the targets, noting that the municipality in its role as Service Manager for the City and the County is in the process of refreshing the Housing and Homelessness Plan 2020-2029 and will bring the refreshed plan to Council in November. A committee has created a draft plan, completed multiple forms of public consultations and have published a comprehensive needs assessment. Keep Reading