Peterborough Blogs
Andrea Horwath Makes A Stop In Peterborough To Discuss Mental Health Supports In School
/Andrea Horwath, Ontario’s New Democratic party leader, was in Peterborough on Tuesday to announce mental health supports in schools, if the NDP party were to be elected.
If elected, Horwath says she will invest $125 million more in mental health and well-being professionals and programming every year, as well as another $467 million over the next three years to hire more educational assistants from diverse backgrounds.
According to a press release, Horwath’s Universal Mental Health Care plan for Ontario’s kids and schools includes:
Universal Mental Health Care, which means mental health support like counselling will be available with a health card, not a credit card, Horwath says.
Investing $130 million over the next three years to build intensive treatment and specialized consultation services, increase access to psychotherapy and counselling, family therapy, and scale 24-hour crisis support services to ensure children and youth experiencing a crisis have an alternative to going to the emergency department.
Investing $90 million annually to increase the number of regulated health workers and paraprofessionals in elementary and secondary schools such as counsellors, therapists, social workers, and child and youth workers to reduce wait times and improve access to mental health services.
Doubling the Mental Health and Wellbeing Grant for schools through a $250 million investment to increase the ratio of staff in schools.
Dedicating $467 million over the next three years to support schools to hire more educational assistants from diverse backgrounds that represent the diversity of Ontario’s student population.
Implementing the Make Kids Count Action Plan to reduce the waitlist for children’s mental health to 30 days as laid out by the Children’s Health Coalition.
Creating a new position at all school boards to assess and improve the delivery of mental health care in Ontario’s schools.
Horwath also had stops in Scarborough and Kingston on Tuesday to discuss schools, and to host a meet and greet.
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Trent-Severn Waterway Will Open In Time For Long Weekend
/The Trent-Severn Waterway will open on Friday, just in time for the Victoria Day long weekend.
File Photo.
For the last two years, the opening of the Trent-Severn Waterway has been delayed due to COVID-19.
Lockstations will be open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from Friday to Monday.
After Monday, until June 19, lockstations will be open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Monday - Thursday. From Friday - Sunday they will be open 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
From June 20 to September 5 they will be open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday to Sunday.
Porch Pirates For Good Collect Over 25,000 Pounds Of Food For Kawartha Food Share
/The annual Porch Pirates For Good campaign collected 25,780 lbs of food from Peterborough residents, for Kawartha Food Share, on Saturday.
All photos courtesy of Kawartha Food Share.
According to a post on social media, over 200 volunteers drove around the city, collecting donations from porches.
Donations can be made to Kawartha Food Share year round, by dropping them off at the warehouse (665 Neal Drive, Unit 1 ) or at any local grocery store.
Voice of Business: Cybercriminals Targeting Small and Medium Businesses
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Cybersecurity is one of those topics that affect the majority of businesses in some form but it’s something businesses are hesitant to talk about.
According to Mastercard, attacks on small businesses increased by 424 per cent in 2020 and the issue is only growing as many invest further in digital systems.
A report from Fundera indicates:
43% of cyber attacks target small businesses
Only 14% of small businesses rate their ability to mitigate cyber risks and attacks as highly effective
3 out of 4 small businesses say they don’t have the personnel to address IT security
54% of small businesses think they’re too small for a cyber attack
Human error and system failure account for 52% of data security breaches
Industry experts say a small business’s cyber security budget should be at least 3% of a company’s total spending
The business community is often reluctant to talk about it because as victims, there are feelings of shame and embarrassment as well as fears that their business might lose customers.
The truth is that business owners are required to be experts in everything from government legislation to marketing to construction projects and juggle all of those roles in any given day — yet they’re up against people who are dedicated to finding security breaches and exploiting them.
Typically, they’re after your data, whether to hold it for ransom or steal it. Businesses and organizations that deal with large amounts of customer data, specifically in the government, retail and tech sectors, deal with the vast majority of attacks.
Even at a personal level, Statistics Canada found that 42 per cent of Canadians experienced some type of cyber security incident in the first few months of the pandemic.
Cyber security is a fundamental business issue right now. We’ve come to appreciate just how vulnerable our supply chain network is. An outbreak in a factory, a war on another continent, or a protest at a border crossing are all capable of grinding business down to a crawl. When you look at the statistics of just how prevalent cyber security incidents are and see how many businesses and organizations are involved in moving the goods and providing the services we rely on, there’s little doubt that someone in that network is either dealing with a cyber security incident or struggling with the fallout from one.
We’re encouraged to see our governments investing in helping our businesses thrive online through programs like Digital Main Street and the Canada Digital Adoption Program. Those investments are needed to move our economy ahead. But as our businesses move into new, uncharted waters, they need confidence that they’re going to be reasonably safe.
Cyber Security has been a common theme for chamber advocacy, including the Canadian and Ontario chambers of commerce who have been working hard to put this on the agenda for budget allocations and election platforms.
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce Cyber. Right. Now. campaign is asking the government of Canada to improve three key areas:
Growing Canada’s economy by accelerating the competitiveness of Canada’s cybersecurity industry.
Securing Canadian critical infrastructure, supply chains, and businesses of all sizes from cyber threats by investing in cybersecurity at levels comparable to Canada’s G7 peers.
Boosting Canada’s cybersecurity skill-set and career opportunities by making cybersecurity education, talent development, and retention a national priority and by investing in programs that diversify and expand the cyber workforce pipeline.
With businesses depending more and more on technology, it’s also going to require a shift in mindset. No matter how small your business, cyber security needs to be made a business priority. Business owners need to learn about their strengths and weaknesses and educate their staff. Like any significant asset, getting insurance is a good idea. Where your expertise has limits, it might be time to hire professionals.
According to the Cyber Readiness Institute, there are four core issues small businesses can start with:
Strong passwords – 63 per cent of data breaches result from weak or stolen passwords
Software updates – Your software is regularly updating to protect you, so make use of it and stay up-to-date
Phishing Awareness – 91 per cent of all cyber attacks start with a phishing email and they keep getting more clever
Proper USB use – 27 per cent of malware infections originate from infected USBs, so be cautious of shared or free USBs and make sure they’re encrypted
If you’re not sure how secure your business is or are looking to invest in your digital assets, we can help connect you with some local businesses that would be more than happy to help.
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
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Lang Pioneer Village Set To Open For Its 55th Season
/Lang Pioneer Village Museum will be opening for its 55th season on Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of Lang Pioneer Village.
Following two years of altered programming due to COVID, Lang Pioneer Village Museum will be resuming regular programming as the 2022 season launches.
The Village will once again be filled with costumed interpreters who will demonstrate the trades and pastimes of local settlers and First Nations in the 1800s, and farm animals will return to pastures and pens.
The Museum’s 2022 season will also see the return of many popular special events including the Father’s Day Smoke & Steam Show, the Transportation Day Car & Motorcycle Show, Village by Lanternlight, Applefest, Historic All Hallows’ Eve and Christmas by Candlelight.
The launch of a new event, “Tying the Knot” – Early Wedding Traditions, which has been delayed due to COVID, will take place this August. This event will focus on 19th-century wedding traditions and how they have shaped practices of today.
Also launching this season is the Museum’s new permanent exhibit, Aabnaabin: Looking Back to Where We Come From. This exhibit serves as an orientation for visitors upon arrival to contextualize the settlement story and the major impacts that settlement had on the local Indigenous population.
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming our visitors back,” said Museum Operations Manager, Elizabeth King. “It is exciting to return to living history programming – with live demonstrations, hands-on activities and people moving about in our buildings and roadways.”
Visitors may still purchase admission in advance via the Museum’s online shop at https://lang-pioneer-villagemuseum.myshopify.com/, though it is not required. Purchasing admission in advance for special events is strongly recommended to allow for faster processing upon arrival.
The Village is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays from May 24 to June 17, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday from Father’s Day to Labour Day weekend.
Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors (60+), $5 for youths (ages 5-14), free for children under 5. Family admission is also available for $30 and includes 2 adults and up to 4 youths ages 5-14. Special event pricing varies. For more information, please visit www.langpioneervillage.ca.
Peterborough Police Warn Public Of Credit Card Fraud Scam
/Peterborough Police are warning the community after receiving a number of calls to 9-1-1 that were scam calls.
Photo by Luke Best.
According to reports, male phones the victim identifying themselves as PC Robert Lawrence badge 555140 from 51 Division Major Fraud department with Toronto Police and that the person’s credit card has been cloned and police have someone under arrest. The scammer then instructs the person to call 911 to verify their identity and get a record check.
It's been confirmed that there is no officer with Toronto Police Service by that name or badge number and it is a scam.
The Heart Of The Song Will Grace The Stage At Peterborough Theatre Guild This June
/The Heart of The Song, directed and produced by Kate Suhr will take the stage at Peterborough Theatre Guild June 16 - 17.
Photo courtesy of Doors Open peterborough.
With over 2 years of empty stages and seats, the Theatre Guild is excited to welcome song back into their building, they said in a press release.
The show will feature local performers Linda Kash, Shay Burd, Indigo Chesser, Stephen Cullen, Lisa Devan, Dan Duran, Beth McMaster, Marsala Lukianchuk, Wayne Robinson, Jane Werger, Gillian Wilson and Kate Suhr.
Musicians will be Curtis Cronkwright, Justin Hiscox, Sam Quinn and Saskia Tomkins.
Ellen Lueck, Seanon Yip Choy will act as Stage Managers, with Alan Stanley on Sound Design and Andy Duncan on Light Design.
Mayor Diane Therrien Condemns Actions of Incident Involving NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh
/Mayor Diane Therrien is condemning the incident involving NDP leader Jagmeet Singh during his visit to Peterborough last Tuesday.
Mayor Diane Therrien (right) at City Hall issuing her statement involving Singh. The mayor was not present during Singh’s visit to Peterborough.
He visited Peterborough - Kawartha NDP Candidate Jen Deck at her George Street campaign office in support of her running.
During his visit, Singh was confronted by protestors during his arrival and departure from the rally.
“Peterborough” has been a trending topic on Twitter since the incident that has garnered national attention. Photo by Angela O’Grady.
The following is an official statement issued by Therrien at City Hall on Tuesday morning:
On Tuesday May 10, our City was the site of an ugly, unacceptable attack on the leader of the Federal NDP. Mr. Singh came here to support the provincial party’s local candidate, as is his right to do so, and he should have been able to do so free from harassment and intimidation.
This was not a protest or acts of civil disobedience. Mr. Singh was targeted and physically harassed as he left the campaign office and walked to his vehicle. People yelled at him, insulted him, and swore at him.
This incident is one of many that our and other communities have been subjected to in recent months.
The purpose of this behaviour is to intimidate. It is to incite others to join in the rage, anger, and violence. It is intended to disrupt our freedom to safely and securely participate in the democratic process.
It is to distract us from working together to address the issues that truly matter and are increasingly urgent for all of us -- climate change, mental health, drug addiction, child poverty, housing affordability, the list goes on. These are deliberate, and very damaging, distractions.
The result of this behaviour is a corrosive poisoning of our communities, the amplification of racism and misogyny, and the deterioration of the peace, order and good government that Canadians continue to fight and die for.
We are Better Than This.
The City of Peterborough is Better Than This.
We all must be Better Than This. And each one of us in positions of influence must clearly, forcefully, and repeatedly condemn these tactics.
As Peterborough’s municipal leaders, we stand here together to show that we unconditionally condemn these tactics. We will not be intimidated to speak up and stand up against this, and demand better from everyone who engages in public and political debate.
I, Mayor of Peterborough, am calling on every political leader in Canada to stand with the good people of Peterborough and condemn these tactics. To refuse to be intimidated and coerced into appeasing or collaborating in any way with those who are terrorizing our democratic processes. To say, that this terror must stop now for the good of our country and for the protection of our democratic freedoms.
To say nothing is a choice. To not clearly, forcefully and repeatedly condemn these tactics is to be complicit. And the good, decent people of Canada who place a high value on peace and respectful discourse, must demand this from themselves and from all political leaders.
Finally, we, the Council for the City of Peterborough, will bring forward a motion at our next Council meeting to invite Mr. Singh back to our city, to show solidarity, to stand united with him, and to let him know that we are Better Than This. Thank you.
Therrien was not taking questions from the media following her statement.
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Random Acts Of Green Annual Rain Barrel Sale Is Happening This Week
/Random Acts of Green a social enterprise headquartered in Peterborough dedicated to encouraging people to participate in sustainable activities like conserving water, will be holding its annual rain barrel sale this week.
Stock Photo.
