Back to HomeFeature Article - April 30, 2009 Sunfish regulations going publicby Jeff Green

The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources tried to establish catch limits for sunfish in the Ontario fisheries management zone 18 last year.

However, lodge owners in the zone, which covers most of eastern Ontario, including Frontenac, L&A and Lanark Counties', raised such an outcry, with the support of local MPP Randy Hillier, that the ministry eventually backed down.

No catch limits were imposed, and a fisheries management committee was established to look at a broad range of fisheries issues, but their first order of business was to sort out the sunfish issue.

The committee, which is made up of a variety of interested parties, including two people who are involved in fishing tourism, has been meeting for months. They submitted preliminary recommendations to the ministry and now the Ministry has posted two possibilities for sunfish regulations to take effect in 2010 that can be accessed through the Ministry of Natural Resources website.

Public meetings are being held this month and there is an online survey for public comment on the proposed regulations.

One of the possibilities that the ministry is proposing would establish a limit of 50 fish per day and 50 fish possession limit for people holding a sport fishing license, and 25 fish per day and a 25 fish possession limit for those holding a conservation license.

The other possibility that has been posted is a more liberal limit of 50 fish per day with a 200 fish possession limit for people holding a sport fishing license, and 25 per day and a 100 possession limit for anglers holding a conservation license. As well, there would be a prohibition against keeping any sunfish over 20 centimetres (8 inches) long.

For the purposes of these regulations yellow perch are considered distinct from sunfish. The proposal for yellow perch is 50 daily/50 possession for sports licenses and 25/25 for conservation licenses.

The stated objective of the two regulations, according to the Environmental Bill of rights web posting by the MNR is “to increase the proportion of larger sunfish (18cm (7 inches) or greater) in existing bass and sunfish dominated communities to provide associated socio-economic benefits (Aboriginal, Commercial, Tourism, and Recreational).”

Critics of the proposed regulations, particularly the option which carries lower daily sunfish limits, say that the lack of any regulations against keeping larger fish, combined with low daily and possession limits will only serve to encourage anglers to keep larger and larger sunfish in order to have more to eat. This, they say, runs counter to the Ministries' stated objective.

An alternative proposal has been put forward by the Council of the Township of Tay Valley. A resolution was approved by council and circulated to other jurisdictions. It called for a two year moratorium on new sunfish regulations, and during which time a voluntary prohibition on keeping sunfish that are 20 cm. or longer along with the completion of an economic impact study of new catch regulations for sunfish. The Tay Valley resolution was well received by neighbouring municipalities, and was endorsed by North, Central, and South Frontenac and Addington Highlands among others.

The Ministry of Natural Resources is seeking public comment on the proposed sunfish regulations. Open house style meetings are scheduled in Ottawa on May 4 (Nepean Sportsplex) and Kingston (Legion Hall on Montreal Street) between 4 and 9 pm, and on May 11 at the Northbrook Lion's Hall and May 12 at the Legion Hall on Beckwith Street in Perth between 4 and 9 pm.

An online survey is posted at http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/270140.pdf.

The public comment period ends on May 26.

Back to HomeFeature Article - April 16, 2009 Sports and Trappers Exhibition this SundayBy Jeff Green

One of the surest signs of spring on Highway 41 is the annual Outdoor Sports & Trappers Show put on by the Frontenac Addington Trappers Council, the Conservationists of Frontenac Addington and the Land o' Lakes Gun Club.

This free event, which runs from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday, April 19 at the Northbrook Lions Hall features a range of family-friendly activities centred on the great outdoors.

New to the exhibition this year will be a demonstration by the Ministry of Natural Resources Canine Unit between 1 and 2 pm.

Milt Houle, the long-time organizer of the event, said that the MNR canine unit has a different function than the OPP unit. “They are probably used to sniff out illegal game or investigate other outdoor crimes or in rescue situations, but people will have to come out to see everything the dogs do. It should be pretty interesting,” said Milt Houle

Other popular features of the exhibition will be back this year, including the fish pond for the children, sponsored once again this year by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

There will also be skinning demonstrations by the trappers, and Don Harron, a certified antler scorer, will be on hand again this year. The army cadets will be set up at the show this year, and there will be log cutting demonstrations and chain saw carving, along with a variety of vendors from near and far.

Refreshments in the form of coffee, donuts, hamburgers and hot dogs will be available on site.

“It really is a neat event for the size of it,” says Milt Houle of a project he has shepherded for years, “and it takes place when it is too early for gardening or most other outdoors activities. People always have a good time when they come out, and that's what makes it worthwhile for us to put it on. And afterwards, people can head over to the Lighthouse Restaurant for fish and chips or to the new Addison's Restaurant down the road .” 

Back to HomeFeature Article - April 2, 2009 Inie Platenius: death of a community animatorBy Jeff Green

Inie Platenius in 2002, after being named Portland District volunteer of the year

Back in the 70’s, Inie and Peter Platenius bought an old farm on the Craig Road, near Verona. Peter taught at Queens and Inie taught high school and they set about making their farmhouse a more comfortable place to raise a family.

Living on Craig Road suited their interests well, because it gave them all the space they needed, gave them a rural community, and ready access to Kingston. Inie came to rural Frontenac County from the US, via Kingston, and she has chronicled in print several of her experiences as an outsider moving to the “hardscrabble land” (to use her phrase) at the meeting point between the Shield and the Limestone substrate.

The Plateniuses were part of a wave of “back to the landers”, and it took a bit of time for them to become part of the landscape, but over time they did that, each in their own way.

By the time Inie died on Monday of this week, after a 23-year battle with cancer, it had been well over 30 years since they made that move. They raised two sons, and helped raise the community as well. Inie was cherished by a community of people that extended the entire breadth of Frontenac County and beyond.

She was integrally involved with the Blue Skies Music Festival, and Blue Skies in the Community, the Triangle newspaper, the Verona Lions Club, the Verona Festival and the Verona Community Association. She also wrote, directed, and acted in plays in Kingston, and with the North Frontenac Little Theatre.

The shape, the very character of all of the institutions listed above was materially affected by Inie's intellect and hard work. More than that she gave them a part of their soul. That's why in addition to Peter and her close friends and family, it is hard to think of these organizations and groups without thinking about her.

It's the same for us at the News. When David Brison bought the paper in 2000, he gave Inie a quick call to ask her if she would take over the Verona column. Two and a half hours later (neither David nor Inie were short-winded) they had reached an agreement. Inie would write what she wanted to write and David would print it. That arrangement has remained in place until a couple of weeks ago.

Working on “the column” as she called it, was something that fit in with everything else Inie did, from buying as much food as possible in Verona and at the farmers’ market to shopping at the hardware store, the IGA or Local Family Farms and Jitterbugs.

We have never been under any illusions about Inie and her column. Although she certainly was supportive of the News, she was using us to help people from Vereona communicate with each other.

The thing about Inie that sticks out for me is the level of interest she took in everything. She took a complete interest in what was going on. She did not drift in conversation, and was not afraid of emotional truth, whether that meant sharing a laugh or sharing a cry.

I remember someone describing a Blue Skies Festival meeting. It got pretty heated, they said, “Inie cried.” There was a short pause, and they said, “but then again, Inie cries”.

We use the word “community” pretty loosely in the community newspaper business, but Inie took it very seriously. For her community was defined both geographically and culturally.

In the Trudeau era, government grants were given out to community animators, whose job it was to make thing happen in city neighbourhoods and rural communities. The very idea seems quaint from today’s perspective, as if any one individual could possible bring a community to life. But, if there was anyone I've met who truly animated communities, particularly the village of Verona, that was Inie.

Late last spring, as she was undergoing chemo-therapy, losing hair, and growing weaker, Inie decided to take on directing “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with the North Frontenac Little Theatre. She knew she might not have the strength to complete the job herself, so she drafted John MacDougall as her co-director. (She later claimed it was all MacDougall's idea). The very audacity of the project - Shakespeare in Sharbot Lake - and the nerve to take it on when she knew she might be dying, was pure Inie; ambitious, slightly outrageous, and theatrical.

The show will be a tribute to her, one of many that will take place in the coming weeks and months.

A memorial dinner, celebration and jam session for Inie will take place at the Verona Lions Hall on Saturday, April 4, starting at 4:00 pm.

Just like Inie’s life, the evening will be full, full of laughs and tears.

Back to HomeFeature Article - April 9, 2009 Local Health Integration Network meeting in FlintonBy Jeff Green

When the Province of Ontario established nine Local Health Integration Networks (LHINS) in 2005, the LHINS were designed to bring regional planning to many of the services that are funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

The Southeast LHIN funds hospitals, long-term care facilities, community care access centers, services for seniors, community health centres, and more in six eastern Ontario counties and the City of Kingston, to the tune of over $900 million each year.

Three years ago, the LHIN completed its first three-year plan, and this week the public sessions for the second three-year plan commenced with a meeting at the Flinton Recreation Centre on April 7.

The region that was covered by the Flinton meeting was Addington Highlands and North and Central Frontenac.

Georgina Thompson, who has been the chair of the Southeast LHIN since its inception, and will continue in the job until 2011, was at the event, and she said she has “been privileged to be involved in the development of the LHIN. Our goal at the start, which is still there, is to get the organizations that deliver care for people to see the bigger picture, and to work together to deliver better service for the people who should always be at the center of the health care system - the patients”.

Although she acknowledged that rural service agencies in Addington Highlands and North and Central Frontenac have always worked well together, she said it is “also important to develop cooperative relationships with urban-based hospitals and other service providers that people in the area access, either in Kingston, Napanee, or Belleville. Urban-rural cooperation is part of integration”.

She said that as the second three-year plan is being developed, there are several issues that are common to all of the LHINs throughout the province. These include: wait times in emergency departments; the number of patients who are taking up hospital beds but who would be better located either in long-term care facilities or at home with the right amount of homecare; and providing chronic care management for the growing number of diabetic patients in the province.

Among the issues of specific concern to the Southeast LHIN is the need to transport patients to services. The LHIN has been able to secure funding for several transportation vans that have been located throughout the region to help the existing transportation service providers, including one in Northbrook, one in Sharbot Lake, and one in Sydenham, but Thompson said “transportation continues to be a challenge for us”.

She also said that the LHIN might be able to provide support to Pine Meadow Nursing Home in its quest for an upgrade to an “A” class facility, which would mean two and one-person rooms at Pine Meadow in place of some of the four-person dormitory-style rooms that Pine Meadow currently has.

The home would like to increase the number of patients it can house and improve the quality of care, as well as build a 32-person supportive care facility on the same grounds for patients who don’t require a nursing home-style facility.

“Our LHIN Board had a tour of Pine Meadow about a month ago, and it is an excellent facility. We agree it needs an upgrade,” Thompson said.

The LHIN oversees long-term care but does not provide funding for capital improvements. “That comes from the ministry” she said “but they do consult with us, so we may be in a position to lend our support”.

A draft version of the three-year work plan will be presented to the public in the next three months, and the plan will be presented to the LHIN Board by the end of the summer, for implementation by the end of the year. 

Back to HomeOutdoors in the Land O'lakes - March 26, 2009 Letter from a land ownerBy Steve Blight Today’s column is based on an e-mail exchange I had with reader Paige Cousineau, who was reacting to the column on the conservation of Ontario’s Birds, published February 19. The editors at the Frontenac News read the exchange and suggested that it could make an interesting column. I made a few minor changes to make it suitable for a column, and I hope you enjoy it.

Hello, Lorraine and Steve - I live in North Frontenac, near Ompah, and I was intrigued with what this article said about the Bobolink – which I presume does/has frequented this area since the article appeared in our local paper. Does it? If so, I would like to see and participate in an effort to re-establish it here, as well as other grassland and aerial foraging species.

Google tells me that 25 acres would be a plot of land about 165 feet by 264 feet - which I can visualize and operate with much better than "acre". As it happens, we have a stretch on our property we call "the fairway", which probably exceeds those dimensions, so I am wondering what species would make up "suitable grasslands" to attract and sustain these birds. We mow it in September to prevent forest growth. Would this be harmful to these birds? Hope you can help.

Hi, Paige – Thanks for pursuing this – the world needs more people who are keen to get involved in wildlife conservation. Maybe I can provide some answers for you.

Yes, Bobolinks are (or were) quite common a few decades ago. They are still not rare, but they are declining fairly quickly throughout their North American range. The most common reason cited is early mowing of hayfields on their nesting grounds. In the Land O' Lakes area, another reason is the widespread abandonment of hay fields and rough agricultural lands and the re-growth of forests in their place. While this has been great for many of our forest birds, it has been tough on our grassland birds.

Bobolinks will very happily nest in hayfields, so normal hay mixtures would be fine -- timothy, brome grass, etc. Mowing in September is perfect – the problem is that when hayfields are mown in June, their nests get clobbered. Other than making sure that they have the right type and amount of habitat, I am not sure how else to attract them – like other habitat specialists, this is likely their first and main consideration.

You were on the right track to figure out how big 25 acres is – but 25 acres is actually a fairly large plot of land. One acre is about 43,000 square feet, so 25 acres is about 1.1 million square feet. This translates into a square field that is about 1,050 feet by 1,050 feet, or a rectangular field about 500 feet by 2200 feet. If you have this much space, you have what they need. If your hay field isn't this big, but it's beside a neighbour’s field, the birds don't care if there is a fence running down the middle!

While you are at it, you might want to put up some nesting boxes for Tree Swallows (aerial foragers) or Eastern Bluebirds – they use the same type of boxes. Some people put up boxes in pairs about 10 - 20 feet apart – Tree Swallows and bluebirds fight with each other over single nest boxes, and will fight off any of their own species who try to nest nearby in a second box, but will tolerate a different species in a nearby box. As a result, pairs of boxes will often have a pair of swallows in one box and a pair of bluebirds in the other.

There is an excellent website for instructions on how to build, mount and maintain nesting boxes – a button on the side of this site provides plans. The address is provided below. You might be able to buy good nesting boxes, but make sure they are close as possible to the boxes describes on the website -- otherwise you might just end up with house sparrows, and in my humble opinion, there are quite enough of them around!

http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/nestboxspecs.htm

Please feel free to report any observations to Lorraine Julien at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Steve Blight at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Back to HomeFeature Article - March 26, 2009 Thoughts on InclusionBy Community Living Staff

“All we are asking for is a level playing field so that those with disabilities have the support in place to enjoy all the rights and freedoms already enshrined in law and afforded Canadians without disabilities” - Laurie Beachell, Council of Canadians with Disabilities

With the closing of the last of Ontario’s Institutions occurring on the 31st of this month, we at Community Living- North Frontenac thought this would be an appropriate time to discuss the idea of inclusion and what it means to us in the community living movement.

Inclusion means different things for different people. In our field it usually means the act of a person, community, workplace or organization treating people with disabilities in a respectful, fair manner, offering the same opportunities and choices able-bodied people receive, and having everyone, regardless of their ability, feel welcome, respected and included in all aspects of their activities.

It is not enough to just acknowledge people with a disability and allow them to watch from the sidelines; to be truly inclusive there must be room for everyone to participate and be heard. All of us have the need to feel included, to participate, and to feel we have been listened to. This is especially true for persons with disabilities, as many have been isolated, shunned and feel they have not been heard for most of their lives. For those who have left institutions since the closings have been announced, this issue is particularly relevant, as they will now be moving back to their home communities after being absent for many years, or moving to places where they may not know anyone or are unfamiliar with the area.

Think about the last time you moved to a new town or started a new job. How did you feel? Were there people there who helped you feel welcome, showed you the ropes, took you around and introduced you to co-workers or new friends? Did someone say, “Come with me, a few of us are going out after work; you should come along”?

Sadly, for most people with disabilities these naturally occurring friendships and opportunities for inclusion do not always come easily. Some people may not have the social skills or the courage to step up and ask to be included or say, “Can I go with you?” or “How would you like to do something together after work?”.

On the other side of the coin many people without disabilities may be scared, nervous, embarrassed or unsure of how to ask someone with a disability to come and join them, sit with them, go to a dance, or out to watch a sporting event. The secret is, there is no secret. People with disabilities are just that, people who happen to have a disability. They have the same needs, wants and desires as the rest of us, except they may have trouble communicating those needs effectively.

So, how do you help people feel welcome and included in your community?

Well, how do people help you feel welcome and included in your community? It is the small things most of us take for granted that make us feel included: the kind word of encouragement, the invitation to a party, the offer to come over for dinner, a visit and a cup of tea, being asked to play on a sports team, or hanging out with a couple of close friends.

Many people with disabilities have not had the opportunities to enjoy the experiences of inclusiveness and friendship that most of us take for granted. Sometimes we may need to take that first step and reach out. It can take a lot of courage to stand up and help someone new or different to feel truly welcome and included. We invite you to be courageous.

“Inclusion is a basic human right. What’s more, time and time again it has proven to be the best way to ensure quality of life for children with intellectual disabilities.” - Dixie Mitchell, New Brunswick Association for Community Living

With the official closing of Institutions in Ontario set for March 31, we invite all of you to come mark this momentous occasion. Join us at 5:30 p.m. at the Anglican church hall across from Community Living -North Frontenac, in Sharbot Lake. There will be light refreshments and a reflective observance, followed by a documentary film that explores people’s experiences while institutionalized, and the challenges and triumphs they faced living their life with a disability.

At Community Living-North Frontenac we are always looking for volunteers to assist us in a variety of capacities. If you have some time on your hands and would like to join us as we embark on this new era in Community Living, please call us at (613) 279-3731 or (613) 279-2120. 

Back to HomeLetters - March 19, 2009Letters: March 19

Letter to Bell Canada, Jim Beam

Re: Proposed Bylaw to Regulate Open Air Burning, Peter May

Letter to Bell Canada

I am the Deputy Mayor of a small rural municipality located roughly 11/2 hours East of Peterborough, 11/2 hours West of Ottawa and 1 hour North of Kingston within the 613 area code.

We have an aging population in this area, are unable to get ANY provider to install cell phone towers and are subject to frequent power outages. Some of the power outages last many hours and sometimes even days!

My concern is related to what happens after a power outage of several hours; the telephone system run by battery back-up power goes dead. When the phone service is gone, we have no way of contacting emergency services such as fire and ambulance. With an aging population there is no way for some of these house-bound seniors to make contact with anyone should they need assistance. This is extremely acute during winter months when travel in rural areas is difficult at the best of times.

We fortunately have a number of volunteer firefighters who take it upon themselves to check in on with seniors during these times but they don't/aren't able to check on all residents. Any one of us is subject to a fall or attack of some kind and without access to telephone serious injury or death may result.

I am pleading with Bell Canada on behalf of all rural residents, not only in our Township but throughout rural Ontario to do something to ensure that there is continuous, uninterrupted telephone service during extended power outages. It truly could be a matter of life and death. Driving 30 minutes to the nearest phone or area where cell service is available is not a viable option.

Jim Beam, Deputy MayorTownship of North Frontenac

Re: Proposed Bylaw to Regulate Open Air Burning

It's ironic that the burning bylaw comes up when one half the voters and taxpayers are not even in the township. In fact I would say most taxpayers are not even aware of this proposal. As a taxpayer that lives in the community year round this is the first I have heard about this proposed bylaw.

I understand the need to prevent the burning of garbage and synthetic or painted products due to the toxic fumes and chemicals they produce. The fact is this type of burning is taking place daily and not only in these burn barrels but in wood stoves and outdoor furnaces where people are disposing of their garbage.

Is this township going to supply a free service to determine whether or not my wood is dry enough to burn or will someone come and pull a log out of my fire pit and say it is too wet to burn. Come on..

There is smoke everywhere in the township coming from fire places, outdoor furnaces, provincial parks, house fires etc. Are we now going to fill our precious resources like the dump with blown down branches that may be to wet to burn? After all the dumps are filling up and then we will need to find places for new ones. After a wind storm, which seem to be very common these days, the citizens need to be able to clean up. Being in a rural community a lot of our yards are very large.

The fact is just one forest fire will create more smoke than all the burning we could do in the Frontenacs combined. Just one house fire will create more toxic chemicals and fumes than all the burning in the community combined, never mind toxic water run off from trying to put it out.

If the bylaw is going to address burning then address it all and not just part. Remember, a lot of people heat with wood, which creates smoke. Some people use outdoor furnaces that create smoke and both of these can cause just as much if not more nuisance smoke than an occasional fire by a residence.

Are the volunteer fire departments now going to spy on the neighbors or is their part in this going to be limited to complaints only?

Where do the people living near the provincial parks complain about the smoke and toxic fumes that come out of there at all hours of the day? Is this bylaw for all or just some?

Let’s not rush this bylaw as in the end all taxpayers and voters will have to live with it. If you want a bylaw, create one that will prohibit the burning of synthetic, painted and plastics as these are a health hazard to all. But it must be strictly enforced.

Burning has gone on in this community for centuries and one more season to get it right will not hurt.

Peter May, Sharbot Lake

Back to HomeFeature Article - March 19, 2009 Community Living: Closing InstitutionsOn March 31st, the last institutions in Ontario which housed people with mental disabilities will be closing, marking the end of a political and social struggle that has taken almost a century to complete. But the struggle for recognition and acceptance continues with efforts towards integration and inclusion. The two articles printed below were submitted by Community Living North Frontenac to mark the formal closing of the Rideau Regional Centre in Smiths Falls and the other two remaining institutions in the Ontario.

Mural depicting the first 30 years of Community Living in North Frontenac

Community Living in Ontario

In May of 1839, legislation was created by the Ontario Government to build Ontario Lunatic Asylums.

In 1876, the first institution opened on the outskirts of Orillia. Back then, no differentiation was made between mental health and intellectual disabilities. People with intellectual disabilities were called feeble, morons, imbeciles and viewed as patients, not citizens. People who were different were thought of as menaces who contributed to the ills of society.

Therefore, the thinking was to separate them and control their effect on society. Doctors believed that people with an intellectual disability needed to be removed from the stresses and demands of everyday life. Families were strongly encouraged to place their loved ones in institutions where they would be cared for and protected at no cost to the family.

It was in the 1920's when the first talk's of returning intellectually disabled people to the community and providing them with educational opportunities took place. At that time people started noticing that there were more similarities than differences between the disabled and the non-disabled.

Eventually the terms mild mentally retarded, mentally defective or subnormal were used as labels to identify this section of the population. It was suggested that a gradual return back to the community occur by 1960. Ontario operated 16 institutions with more than 6000 people with an intellectual disability living in them at that time.

Community Living Ontario is an organization that was founded in 1953 by parents and family members who rejected the idea of institutionalizing their sons and daughters. These people fostered the idea of keeping the disabled person at home with their families.

By the mid 1960's Community Living called for an end to the institutionalization of people with an intellectual disability. The movement focused on the right of people of all abilities to live in their local communities and have the same opportunities as everyone else.

As the Community Living movement grew attitudes towards people with disabilities continued to evolve. Changes from a medical/institutional model of care to a community-based model of support was adopted and put into effect on April 1, 1974 with the introduction of the Developmental Services Act.

With that legislation the Ministry of Community and Social Services took over responsibilities for the care to approximately 8,000 people who were living in Ontario's institutions.

Between 1975 and 1986 community-based services for the intellectually disabled grew rapidly. Society's view of the disabled continued to evolve and softer labels such as developmentally handicapped or developmentally challenged were adopted.

Government investment on services in the community increased significantly, which enabled five of its residential institutions to close and supports in the community to grow to over 25,000 people.

In 1987, the Ontario government committed to closing the province's remaining facilities within 25 years.

This commitment has been supported by successive governments since then and by 2004 another six facilities closed and helped more than 6,000 people make successful transitions to community life.

In this province, Community Living Ontario and its affiliates have been a consistent and persistent voice working with the Government of Ontario to promote the closure of institutions.

On March 31, 2009 the last three remaining institutions will be closed and all people in Ontario with intellectual disabilities will enjoy life as full citizens in the community.

Community Living Associations and other agencies at the local level do much of the hard work of helping people with intellectual disabilities to live and participate in their communities’ life.

Community Living – North Frontenac

In the early 1970s families gathered in what is now Central Frontenac to discuss their common desire to have community based services for the children they chose not to put in institutions for the developmentally disabled.

Some of the founding members of Community Living - North Frontenac were Merv Rutherford, Donna Ladouceur, Wayne Robinson, and Helen Tryon. On August 30, 1976 the organization was incorporated under the name North Frontenac Association for the Developmentally Handicapped.

A few years later the organization bought the old grocery store in Mountain Grove and established ARC Industries as a sheltered day program/workshop and purchased a van to transport individuals to the Workshop daily.

Originally funded under the Rehabilitation Services Act operations at ARC Industries focused on establishing and running a woodshop, sewing & life skills areas where disabled individuals received a small pay for their work.

Under supervision the disabled produced a variety of marketable merchandise such as pillows, picnic tables, knitting baskets, foot stools, oven mitts, etc. As part of the rehabilitation effort each person attending ARC Industries had an Individual Program Plan established for them outlining focused goals related to their skill acquisition and development.

To enhance this process for several years the local adult literacy program was housed in ARC for workers to attend for periods of time throughout the day.

In 1981 North Frontenac Association for the Developmentally Handicapped opened the Sharbot Lake Residence, a group home for disabled adults. Residents came from institutions in Picton, Smiths Falls, Marmora as well as local families.

Those living at the Group Home attended ARC during the day and in the evenings and weekends they received 24 hour staff supervision and guidance. Residents learned life skills/did household chores such as cooking, laundry, and budgeting; had a gym night at the local High School; explored hobbies and participated in community activities such as Summerfest, dances, etc.

By 1986 basic association services were well established and funding was secured to establish a core administration for the Association to manage future service expansion.

The 1st Executive Director was hired Paul Melcher. He, with the program supervisors, became the organization's Management Team that oversaw the programs and front line employees. Vocationally, although the focus continued on the production of products and attending local and regional craft sales negotiations occurred with the Ministry to change the program funding to the developmental Services Act allowing more latitude in services provided. It was around the time that ARC Industries received an Innovative Award for it's newly formed Cottage Industries.

Towards the late 1980's there was an increasing realization that ARC programs were not meeting the changing needs of the individuals These needs were based on an aging population, competitive employment, basic life skills, medical needs.

Following some staff training immediate implementation of a new more individualized planning process, began in 1989. With less focus on a person's skill deficits and a greater focus on every aspect of a person's life a true recognition of each person's desire began to immerge.

Listening to the desires of each person receiving services provided feedback to the organization. Two individuals living at the group home identified that they wanted to move into their own apartments. They had become involved in local clubs, made friends and wanted to remain living here.

This challenged both the agency and the community to change the way individuals with disabilities were viewed. Within a year a third person's individualized planning was completed and the gentleman also moved to the apartment building. At that time there was a greater realization across the organization that the agency focus had to change.

The 1990's marked significant change for North Frontenac Association for the Developmentally Handicapped including a dramatic change of name. The organizations name was changed to Community Living - North Frontenac to reflect the greater involvement of services provision in the community. In 1991 a one year Trillium Grant was obtained to hire a Family Support Worker for a one-year pilot project to support families in their homes and children in schools.

MCSS funding changed from Homes for Retarded Persons Act to the Developmental Services Act.

In 1993 the organization had a change in Executive Directors and Don Nielsen was welcomed to the agency. In 1994 the organization rented the old gas station (comer of hwy 7 & 38) and brought all organization employees (former residential and day services) together under one roof. Soon after the ARC building closed and after the brief lapse in children services in 1994 a part time Family Support Worker was hired and Children's Services was established as a permanent part of Community Living's services.

Changes have continued to occur as services evolved with each passing year. As the result in Ministry cutbacks, there was a reduction in management positions and the creation of a position to focus solely on the facilitation of life planning with individuals being supported. The creation of this role enabled planning to begin earlier in life with a youths’ transition from school based activities into post school-community based life.

The formation of a Young Adult group helped guide this new service initiative. Services for aging parents also began with the focus on planning for their son or daughter's life when they are no longer able to support them. Plans are encouraged for what will happen when the aging parents are ill, no longer able to support them and even after their death.

In the year 2000 Community living - North Frontenac purchased and moved into a building in the Sharbot Lake village and Children's Services continued to expanded with the partially integrated summer camp at Circle Square Ranch.

Efforts to become more consumers responsive continued with staff training regarding an even more person focused planning called Personal Outcome Measures. In this model staff become agents of inquiry asking individuals supported questions on an ongoing basis regarding their needs and wants, hopes and dreams for future, degree of satisfaction, identify barriers, etc. This led to the Association to a new focus on a community integration and inclusion.

This has continued to the present day with more and more people taking on valued roles in their communities. People have jobs, volunteer their time in areas of interest, are involved in their local churches and many other mainstream community activities.

The Association will continue to evolve over the years and continue to provide much needed supported to individuals and their families in the Central and North Frontenac communities. 

Back to HomeFeature Article - March 12, 2009 Hillier: a Party Leader?By Jeff Green

There must have been people back in North Bay in 1989 who said “Our Mike Harris can’t become leader of the Tories. He’s too rough, too loud, too rural”.

They were wrong.

So, even though the dust has not yet settled after John Tory lost a by-election and his hold on the provincial party leadership one week ago, Randy Hillier’s name has been repeatedly mentioned, along with purported front runners Tim Hudack and Christine Elliott, as a likely contender for his job.

Even as he was giving his goodbye speech, John Tory warned the party against a turn to the right, such as choosing a leader like Randy Hillier. "It's important that the party remain in the mainstream of Ontario politics and ... there will be lots of people who will be advocating that point of view and perhaps some who won't," said Tory.

Randy Hillier has never aspired to be a mainstream politician, but in an interview with the News from his office at Queen’s Park earlier this week, he used the kind of language that politicians use when they are planning to run for something but don’t want to make the announcement just yet.

“It’s too early yet,” he said when asked if he had decided to run for the job. “I’ve been discussing it, yes, people are encouraging me to run, but this is all coming about pretty quickly. I did not expect John to lose last Thursday. I’ll see when the rules of the leadership race get put together. There is a big cost to running, not just in effort, but there is financial cost as well.”

But he couldn’t help but point out, “There are a bunch of websites out there encouraging me to run, including one called Draftrandy.com. Have you seen that one?”

At Draftrancy.com there is a large picture of Randy, wearing his Tory blue suspenders. The site links to the membership page of the Ontario PC website. Each party member will have a vote in the leadership contest, which is slated for late June.

For Hillier even to be considered as a leadership candidate is remarkable, considering he first came to public attention as president of the Lanark Landowners a few years ago. The Landowners organized tractor conveys, closing Highways 401 and 417 on a few occasions. They also dumped manure at a government office on one occasion and once emailed a photo of a dead deer with the name “Leona” written underneath it to Liberal cabinet Minister Leona Dombrowsky.

Randy Hillier has been tempered by his role as MPP, but not that much. He recently advocated splitting the provincial government in two, and establishing a provincial senate with a senator from each county to give rural Ontario a chance to check the power of the urban interests that he argues dominate Queen’s Park.

There is “a widening of the gulf between the two communities, [rural and urban] with every new law and regulation passed by an urban-dominated Queen's Park ill-suited to the needs and wishes of rural Ontario,” he said under the heading “Two houses are better than one” that is posted on his website.

He is also a vocal critic of the Green Energy Act that has been introduced by the McGuinty Liberals.

“One thing I enjoy about these leadership contests is that is allows ideas to be bashed about,” he told the News.

Look for Randy Hillier to do some bashing about later this spring as the leadership contest heats up. 

Back to HomeFeature Article - March 12, 2009 New blood Gives life to uranium  resistanceBy Julie Druker

A large crowd of new and old faces discuss uranium exploration at Maberly meeting

After a hiatus of many months, local community groups and concerned citizens joined forces at the Maberly Hall on March 8 to discuss the ongoing issue of uranium exploration at the Robertsville mine site. The meeting was called by Sulyn Cedar, who felt a need to get together and discuss the issues and to find out where everyone now stands. Though related websites have managed to keep the issues up to date, a formal meeting has not happened for quite a while.

Present at Sunday’s meeting were some who have been involved since the issue began, including Bob Lovelace, Mireille Lapointe, Donna Dillman, members of the Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium (CCAMU) and many other concerned citizens.

Dillman commented before the meeting, “From my perspective we’re hoping to get more people involved. A lot of people have put literally thousands of hours into this and it would be really great to get more people involved”.

New to the meeting and of note was a large contingent of students from the Ottawa area. Bob Lovelace had spoken the week before to a group of Ottawa students, which no doubt resulted in this high turnout. Also of note were recent settlers to the area looking to explore the uranium issue.

A few of the new faces included Ramsey Hart of Mining Watch Canada, Nancy Ducette ,who works for the Centre for Sustainable Watersheds on Big Rideau Lake, and Rev. Gary Jones, one of two newly appointed ministers of the Centary Pastoral Charge, which includes the United Church in Maberly.

Throughout the close to 70 introductions, many of the long-term key players confirmed a growing public awareness around the Robertsville uranium issue.

Bob Lovelace, recently back from a world conference in Toronto commented, “Two things struck me when I was there: First people know about this area and the issues and we’re on the front line of a really important struggle. And second, they believe we have accomplished a tremendous amount already. And that reminds me that this is true”.

Mireille Lapointe, co-chief of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, confirmed the feelings of a growing awareness. She stated, “We are known all over the world right now for all of this work that each and every one of us have done. There is a ground swell that is building. It takes a long, long time for things to seep into the public consciousness, but it’s getting there”. She added, “Even though Frontenac Ventures has drilled some holes, it’s not over; we’re still here and they still have to meet us”.

Linda Harvey, a retired family physician who lives in the area, has been researching the effects of radiation on human tissue. “This is not a backyard issue. The pathways that this contamination takes is through the biosphere, through every organism on the planet, every organic molecule in our bodies”.

Following the introductions, facilitator Randy Weekes joked that he was ready to end the meeting and call it a victory due to the impressive turn out. Instead, he and co-facilitator Christine Perringer got down to business and outlined the plan of the meeting, which included raising questions, defining needs and generating ideas. A brief summary of what’s happened so far was given by Donna Dillman (For a history go to Uranium Mining in North Frontenac at www.frontenacnews.ca).

Other issues raised included: power relationships between government and the aboriginal community, political support around the issue, the current mining act and the agreement that the Shabot group made with the government and Frontenac Ventures.

Suggestions and new ideas were brainstormed and after time ran out it was agreed that another meeting should be held soon.

Sulyn Cedar was thrilled with the turnout. “Retired professionals and students can be the backbone of a social movement. There are diverse skills and interests and a lot of intelligence. You saw a real commitment with the people here today to keep the uranium mine away”.

When asked about his plans from here on in, Bob Lovelace answered, “The Ardoch Algonquin First Nation will continue to resist the (uranium) exploration and to petition mining and we will stick to our strategy of community education and research and direct action and continue to work with other groups and do what we can to stop it”.

CCAMU’s website is www.ccamu.ca or www. uranium defence.ca