Lindsay Advocate — News. Community. Wellness.

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

Class action law suit on basic income set for June, 2020 say Toronto lawyers

Published on September 10, 2019 in Community/Poverty Reduction/Provincial by Roderick Benns

Basic income class action law suit set for June, 2020 say Toronto lawyers

The class action lawsuit launched by four people from Lindsay who were once on the Ontario Basic Income Pilot is moving ahead with a late June, 2020 court date.

The Toronto law firm of Cavalluzzo LLP was in Lindsay yesterday to hold two public sessions in order to update people who were on basic income and to let them know the current status of the class action lawsuit.

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Voice of Rusty and Jerome, Lindsay’s Rod Coneybeare, dead at 89

Published on September 9, 2019 in Community by Lindsay Advocate

One of Lindsay’s most famous voices — Rod Coneybeare, 89 — has died. Coneybeare was the voice of Rusty and Jerome on the 27-year run of The Friendly Giant, one of the most popular kids’ shows in Canada at one time.

Coneybeare’s obituary appeared in the Toronto Star, noting he died in Lindsay.

The family notes that he, “leaves behind beloved and everlasting memories of a man with a biting intellect, a dark and incisive humour, an appreciation of art, popular music and classic movies.”

The Friendly Giant starred Bob Homme as the giant who interacts by storytelling with Rusty, a naive chicken who lived in a sack hanging on the castle wall, and Jermome, a baritone giraffe who visited by leaning in the castle’s window.

Homme died in 2000. Coneybeare, according to the obituary, is survived by his wife Moira, four children and seven grandchildren.

Federal election Q & A with Barbara Doyle of the New Democratic Party (NDP)

Published on September 9, 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 second installment we connect with Barbara Doyle of the NDP.

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

Doyle: The NDP will start by immediately increasing the minimum wage to $15 that will help over 900,000 workers across the country while supporting small businesses with the access to service they need to grow, innovate and stay competitive in Canada and around the world. That’s why we have stood up for lower small business taxes, opposed unfair merchant fees, and fought to make it easier to pass on small businesses to the next generation by ending the unfair tax treatment of family transfers of small businesses.

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Housing and mental health supported by CKL-Trent University partnership

Published on September 9, 2019 in Municipal by Lindsay Advocate

Over the past three years, Trent University and the municipality of Kawartha Lakes have partnered to create an Intensive Case Management Evaluation Report for Kawartha Lakes. Intensive Case Management (ICM) is an approach to supporting clients with complex needs in terms of housing and mental health. The Evaluation Report found that the ICM program results in better quality of life for clients, more sustainable service delivery and increased satisfaction in housing.

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Teachable moment: Back to school under the shadow of cuts to education

Published on September 6, 2019 in Education by Trevor Hutchinson

September always brings back the excitement and promise of a new school year. For some kids and parents it can be a bit of a nervous time. And this year, we all have a reason to be more than a little nervous. Along with new teachers and classmates, students and their parents will be experiencing another thing this year: the first effects of the cuts to education announced by the Ontario PC government in March earlier this year.

As Sinead Fagan, communications officer at the Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) explains, “The cuts will be felt system-wide. The 2019-2020 budget has been reduced in many areas.” Instructional budgets (including staffing) are down $10.7 million dollars this year alone.

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