Community

How do we tell the history of a people and a place when we have tried to erase that people from that place? The people I am referring to are the Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg, the original people of what is most recently called Kawartha Lakes. How do we recount their history when most people don’t even know their name?

Do we begin with the treaties, the official documents of 1818 and 1923 that the Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg were forced to sign, ceding control of their land and later their hunting, fishing and gathering rights to the colonizers?

Do we discuss how a people who did not consider the land something that could be “owned” or “sold” thought these were agreements to share the land peacefully, not agreements that relinquished their rights completely?

Lining Lindsay’s Victoria Avenue boulevard are 110 trees, all planted in 1997 when Lindsay was named a Green Streets Canada Community by the Tree Canada foundation. Of the six species chosen, some flower and fruit, some have fall colour, all are hardy, trouble-free and of modest size. Ideal choices for a town street.

Ideal for my small backyard, too, I’m thinking, as replacement for a cankered dogwood. Sourcing the trees takes me to Santosh Patel, the owner of Rockwood Forest Nurseries, which is located roughly midway between Lindsay and Fenelon Falls and open April through November.

Globus Theatre has an exciting opportunity for youth this summer in Bobcaygeon — free theatre camp for up to three… Continue reading “Globus Theatre: Free youth summer performance camps”

Police officer Jon Perrin knows that mental health is as important as physical health and when you’re feeling unwell, it’s… Continue reading “Local police officer supports community mental health   “

Members of Soroptimist International of Kawartha Lakes know the struggles that different businesses and individuals are facing today. Help is… Continue reading “Women’s Organization launches win-win-win program “

More than 30 years ago, when I was a young and green and still-a-very-much-learning-my-craft journalist in Ottawa, I was given some words of wisdom that, ever since, I’ve always strived to adhere to.

“As a reporter, you can never be unbiased,” my good friend and a veteran of both print and broadcast media had warned me. His point was that we’re all human beings, not robots, and therefore have opinions – and that journalists have plenty of them. “But,” he stressed, “as a reporter you can, and must, always be fair.”

It’s important, here, to make the distinction between a reporter and a columnist – the latter uses their space to espouse and expound on an opinion, which, if they’re doing their job properly, is still based on research and reason.

There are many things we can learn from other countries, but one lesson involving nearby New York state is particularly… Continue reading “National census reflects who we are and how we are changing”