KFL&A COVID Advantage Dissipates
Early on in COVID, the KFL&A region was the best place to be in Canada. The reason for that was that KFL&A was the only region that did not see any major outbreaks in long term care facilities, and we were able and willing to isolate when the first COVID… READ MORE
What The Election Tells Us About Our Townships
There were distinct dynamics in each of the townships that we covered during the municipal election campaign this fall. They were apparent in candidate interviews and particularly apparent at the all-candidates meetings. And the election results bore that out. In general, as with most elections, incumbents did rather well this… READ MORE
Municipal election reckoning – mistakes were made
At the beginning of the municipal election season, I was worried that it would be a tall order to fulfill the role that we have taken on, at the Frontenac News, to provide a forum for voters to get acquainted, in a basic way, with all of the candidates in… READ MORE
Seniors lose out as Frontenac County Council plays politics
Two quite minor items at the Frontenac County Council meeting a couple of weeks ago revealed something about the council being out of touch with each other, and with the real workings of Frontenac County. While township council meetings are not exactly riveting events, they do, for the most part,… READ MORE
Not in Frontenac County, you say?
Because Frontenac County’s offices are being renovated, an alternative location needed to be found for the ceremonial inaugural meeting of the new council on November 30. County staff proposed, and council accepted without comment, that the meeting be held at the Frontenac County courthouse in Kingston, at 7:30pm instead of… READ MORE
The Queen & The Monarchy; What Have We Lost?
Grief over the loss of a person is a complicated affair. On the surface, we commemorate the passing of an individual from this world. That loss is, in and of itself, important – whether it be the loss of a family member, a friend, or a prominent member of a… READ MORE
Mathew Street - Controversy, or branding opportunity
Mathew street has existed in obscurity for decades. Dwarfed in size and stature by the two other streets in downtown Sharbot Lake, the bustling Elizabeth street, home to two churches, a pharmacy, a post office, grocery store, and the local township office, and the crosstown Garrett street with the township… READ MORE
Why a one-way street in Sharbot Lake?
Two months ago, Central Frontenac Council approved the concept plan and awarded the contract for the same project at the same meeting for the final small part of the Sharbot Lake Road reconstruction project. The plan was about the repaving of a short downhill street called Mathew that runs between… READ MORE
Strong Mayor Would Be Dangerous In Rural Municipalities
The Strong Mayor legislation that has been tabled by Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Steve Clark is quite alarming when looked at through a rural lens. Among other things, it permits the Mayor of a municipality to hire and fire the Chief Administrative Officer of their municipality and to… READ MORE
Southern Frontenac Community Services
Those of us here in Frontenac's Townships have many blessings to count. I have lived in Southern Frontenac full-time for the past 22 years and before that as a seasonal resident since 1967. The peace, quiet, beauty, and diversity of the forests, lakes, and fields in which we live is,… READ MORE
We Like Our Rural Lots. The Province Does Not.
It is no secret that the Province of Ontario wants people to live in cities and towns instead of on rural lots scattered across the vast province. Part of the advantage of this is that they can drink treated water, which can be managed, as long as water treatment plants… READ MORE
Canada Day Is Back, But Time Has Not Stood Still
I've probably been to 25 Canada Day breakfasts at my local fire hall. For most of those years, the icons of the day, red and white and the maple leaf, seemed as sweet and benign as the maple syrup we pour into our coffee cups. In our part of rural… READ MORE
The Best-Laid Offical Plan Of South Frontenac
When you get down to it, South Frontenac politicians don't have that many options when it comes to changing the draft Official Plan document that has been presented to them by a team of consultations and their own development/planning department. The key elements of the plan were discussed at a… READ MORE
The Provincial Election That Ground To a Halt
Everything about the provincial election seems to have been done according to a plan that may have been drawn up in Progressive Conservative Party Headquarters. Any potential controversy over the decision to end COVID mandates in the midst of the widespread 6th wave of the virus, did not materialise. The… READ MORE
The Lackluster Provincial Election Hides The Rift In Our Communities
I asked the organiser for one of the election candidates this week, if they thought that the provincial election hadn't really started yet, and they said “You think?” There has only been one candidate meeting, but it was a taped event for COGECO TV, filmed in Smiths Falls last week,… READ MORE
A crowd on the left, and on the right
As of Monday, there were 7 registered candidates for Member of Provincial Paliament in Lanark Frontenac Kingston. Four of them represent the four parties with members in the legislature: Amanada Pulker-Mok represents the Liberals, Drew Cumpson, the NDP, John Jordan the Conservatives, and Marlene Spruyt the Green Party. The presumptive… READ MORE