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Peterborough Blogs
Fleming College Creates New Post-Secondary Pathway With Brock University
/Students interested in achieving a degree in Adult Education can now do so through a new articulation agreement between Fleming College and Brock University.
File Photo.
The agreement creates a streamlined route from Fleming’s General Arts and Science-University Transfer program to Brock’s Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Adult Education program. Eligible students will receive five credits toward a 15-credit BEd degree, making it possible for full-time students to complete the program in two years instead of three. The program is also offered part time.
The pathway is available to alumni of Fleming’s transfer program who graduated as far back as 2004.
“Supporting students is our priority, whether they are furthering their education immediately after graduation or pursuing a new adventure years after leaving us to enhance their careers,” said Fleming College President Maureen Adamson. “We are proud to be working with Brock University to offer our students more opportunities to achieve a degree.”
Brock’s Adult Education courses are offered online. Those with a certificate or degree in Adult Education can work in corporate training, college and post-secondary institutions, and health-care and management programs. Others may be developing their knowledge and skills in workplace settings such as teaching, coaching, mentoring, training, and adult skill development.
“Brock University is always looking for ways to enhance program options for students, whether they’re in the beginning stages of their academic journey or returning to further develop their skills in support of their career,” said Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Lynn Wells. “Through our partnership with Fleming College, we’re pleased to offer this new pathway to expand opportunities for Brock learners.”
CMHA HKPR Awarded Highest Possible Accreditation By "Focusing On What Matters Most'
/The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) branch has been awarded Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada, its highest possible designation.
Photo by Luke Best.
This is the second consecutive time CMHA HKPR has been awarded with this distinction.
Every four years, a team of Accreditation Canada surveyors are invited to CMHA HKPR to evaluate hundreds of criteria, based on best practices in the areas of health care quality and safety.
Based on a site visit in late May and early June 2022, Accreditation Canada has advised that CMHA HKPR met or exceeded 99.8% (504 of 505) total criteria. This is the organizations best-ever result.
“This achievement is a huge acknowledgement that can be attributed to all of the hard work and dedication of our staff and volunteers at CMHA HKPR” said Mark Graham, CEO. “Providing high-quality mental health care over the past two plus years, within the constraints of a global pandemic has challenged us. And yet throughout those years, and evidenced at our on-site survey, our employees have continuously demonstrated all the qualities that make them such an exceptional team of committed and hardworking people, who are here to provide excellent client-centred mental health care and support. Theirs is a remarkable achievement.”
The on-site Accreditation survey team specifically commended CMHA HKPR in being “focused on what matters the most”.
Surveyors noted that:
their response to the COVID-19 pandemic was and is client-centred
they are responsive to the increased complexity of client issues and the multiple challenging determinants of health that affects clients’ wellbeing
that staff are “passionate and dedicated to their work”, with a “dedication to helping others and teamwork that could not be more evident”
that they have a “collaborative, positive and cooperative” work environment
that their leadership team is “strong, committed, and talented’
their collective relationships with our community and health care providers are strong and positive
a culture of quality improvement and how best to serve clients is embedded into their day-to-day operations
their Board is diverse, talented, committed, passionate, and is well-aligned with the Mission, Vision, and Values of the organization
“Accreditation with Exemplary Standing is an amazing achievement. It is a clear demonstration of the work being done at CMHA HKPR every day, even in these challenging times,” said Valdis Martyn, Chair of the CMHA HKPR Board of Directors. “I would like to acknowledge and thank the staff and volunteers for the tremendous amount of work you do to ensure clients and their families receive the best possible quality of care every day.”
School Board Chairperson Braden Leal Not Seeking Re-Election
/Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board Chairperson Braden Leal has announced he will not be seeking re-election in the upcoming municipal election.
Photo courtesy of PVNC.
“With the municipal election fast approaching, I have been reflecting upon the next phase of my journey. I have decided that I will not be running for a trustee position in October. Instead, I will be looking at new opportunities,” said Leal.
Leal has served as PVNC chairperson since Dec. 1 last year. He was elected as a first-time trustee for the City of Peterborough in the 2018 municipal election. He served as vice-chairperson from October to December 2021 before being elected as chairperson.
“It has been an honour to serve in this leadership role, to have the opportunity to represent the school board in which I was educated,” Leal said. “I am grateful for the learning, the leadership experiences, and the relationships that we have built over my tenure.”
“Braden took on the top leadership position in the most challenging of times,” Joan Carragher, PVNC director of education. “As a proud PVNC graduate, he has been a steadfast champion for our schools and Catholic Education in our region.”
Election Day in Ontario municipalities is Oct. 24 The deadline to file a nomination to be a school trustee candidate is Aug. 19 at 2 p.m.
Braden is the son of former MPP and mayoral candidate Jeff Leal.
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Voice of Business: What It Means To Be the Voice of Business
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As the voice of business in Peterborough and the Kawarthas for 138 years, advocacy is a core component of the role of the Chamber in our community.
We work with the local business community to identify barriers and opportunities. That grassroots input turns into various forms of advocacy initiatives.
National
Currently, we’re in the midst of a national-level advocacy program. As members of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC), we have an opportunity to submit local issues of national significance as policy resolutions.
We have two resolutions proposed:
• Tax Rebates for Home Care – We’re looking to save taxpayers money while providing a higher level of care for people with long-term health needs. Currently, access to key equipment like hospital beds and patient lifts are a barrier people being eligible for home care support work. Additionally, a bit of help with paying for those services will go a long way in enabling people to receive care at home instead of an institution.
• Increasing Public Notice and Consultations for Federal Projects – The rules around providing public notice regarding road closures are vague when it comes to federal agencies. Peterborough experienced this with very little notice regarding the Parkhill Road bridge closure. We’re advocating that the federal government increase requirements for federal agencies to provide public notice to affected residents and businesses when closing a road for planned work.
These resolutions will be debated by CCC members in the fall. In the meantime, they’re being vetted by members of various committees (of which our Chamber is a part of) to make sure it’s a significant enough business issue to need attention at the federal level. These committees help improve local advocacy efforts with other perspectives and expertise.
Provincial
The provincial policy process is very similar to the national one. We are active members of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and submit resolutions on provincially significant issues. Earlier this year we had a resolution approved regarding tiny homes and secondary suites. We’re looking to have the Province work with municipalities to streamline the approval process for this type of niche housing, keeping cost, risk, and complexity to a minimum.
Municipal
When it comes to local government, the policy process is entirely based around grassroots advocacy. We take input from local businesses directly to the government involved and work on solutions, whether it’s reducing the commercial and industrial tax ratio or making sure the perspective of local businesses is heard in the official plan, transportation master plan, and other municipal planning initiatives.
Regardless of the government body we’re advocating to, the majority of our work doesn’t result in policy resolutions or even formal letters to our leaders. Most of the advocacy work we do starts with an email, phone call, or a casual conversation at a networking event. Someone is facing a very specific barrier like a zoning issue or haven’t had a response from a government agency on a crucial application.
Sometimes they just need to chat with someone to make sense of government regulations. Other times we partner with industry associations to amplify their voice.
It's not that we have all the answers or can solve every issue brought to our attention. Sometimes it can be sorted out quickly with some pressure, compromise, or better communication. Other times it’s a long-term process. We’ve been advocating for the return of passenger rail to Peterborough for more than a decade and we don’t plan on stopping until that first load of passengers arrives. We’ve hit some obstacles along the way, but right now passenger rail is closer to becoming a reality than any time since service ceased, with support from all major political parties and a government that now has parts of the project into the procurement phase.
Whether you’re facing a pressing issue, have new opportunities you need help exploring or are looking for long-term results, we’ll continue to be your voice of business.
Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
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Peterborough Folk Festival Presents 'We Can Do This' Premiere At Market Hall
/The Peterborough Folk Festival will present “We Can Do This”, a one hour concert film documenting the four day concert series presented at the Rolling Grape Winery in Bailieboro in August 2021, on August 18 at Market Hall.
When the COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on many music festivals, Heritage Canada invited live event producers to reinvent artistic presentations.
Some producers chose not to participate, some aired their festivals on online platforms, but The Peterborough Folk Festival rose to the challenge.
Talented artists, filmmakers and more created a film documenting performances in unique locations with a mobile recording studio.
As the project evolved, the mobile studio concept remained and was implemented by engineer James McKenty and his ‘In Record Time’ mobile studio. James captured the performances in 32 channels of inputs for maximum quality.
By late June, the film evolved further to include a live audience. After exhausting all possibilities of hosting a live event within the City of Peterborough due to COVID 19 restrictions, and looking like the project was in jeopardy, it was decided to host a four day series of concerts at the Rolling Grape Vineyard in Balieboro.
“We Can Do This” is a film that highlights the musical performances of artists emerging from the previous 18 months of pandemic lockdown.
Accompanying the 55 minute film is the limited addi2on VINYL soundtrack album featuring 11 songs recorded live. There are only 400 copies available to the public, with no plans to create a digital download. The album will be available for sale at this year’s fes2val as well as at Blue Streak Records in Peterborough.
‘We Can Do This’ premieres at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre on August 18. There will be two shows at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Admission is a pay what you can donation to The Peterborough Folk Festival. Donations over $20 will receive a tax receipt. Tickets are available at the door.
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Local 100 Year Old Veteran Named Knight Of The Legion Of Honour For France To Recognize His Role In The Liberation Of France During WWII
/Pte. (Ret’d) Sir Frederick Herbert Allison of Lakefield is now officially a Knight of The Legion of Honour for France, in recognition of his participation in the liberation of France after D-Day.
Allison, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday, was a Motor Mechanic with the Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers during World War Two.
Allison spent his time overseas repairing vehicles and on more than one occasion found himself in situations he only describes as miracles.
“The sound of a bullet whizzing by your ear just makes you think - if I were a few inches this way or that I wouldn’t be here.”
WWII officially ended on Sept. 2, 1945, but because Allison was a mechanic he stayed in Amsterdam repairing vehicles and was discharged on Jan. 1, 1946.
Now, 76 years later, he is being honored by France for his participation in liberating their country from Nazi occupation.
Allison’s grandson, James, says he learned about this award after Remembrance Day last year and began communicating with the French Consulate in hopes to have his grandfathers efforts officially recognized.
After many phone calls and lots of patience, Allison received his medal and a Presidential Decree from President Macron of France on July 11.
On Tuesday, Allison’s family members and Dave Smith, MPP, gathered at Peterborough’s cenotaph to recognize his service on behalf of the Province.
@ptbo_canada Replying to @ptbo_canada Over 75 years after he came home from Europe, Sir Frederick H. Allison is Knighted to The Legion of Honour, a very well deserved honour. He says the thought of being a ‘Sir’ is ‘beyond my old brain’ 🇨🇦#Veteran #ww2 #PTBOCanada #LegionOfHonour #canadianveterans #CanadianVet #CanadianLegion #CanadianMilitary #Knighted #Mechanic #Canada ♬ Memories (Piano Instrumental) - Benny Martin
Allison says he doesn’t feel like a ‘Sir’ though he is honoured to be recognized.
The Legion of Honour was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 as a general military and civil order of merit.
This honour can be awarded to anyone, from anywhere that upholds the idea of liberty and equality. It requires 20 years of civil achievement in peacetime or extraordinary military bravery and service in times of war.
It has been awarded to artists, activists, soldiers and countless other individuals. The Legion of Honour is divided into five degrees: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand Croix (Grand Cross).
Perhaps the most notable Canadians to have received this honour are Brian Mulroney, Leonard Brierley, one of the first Canadian soldiers to land on Juno Beach during the D-Day Invasion, Beverly McLachlin and now, Sir Frederick H. Allison.
PTBOCanada spoke with Pte. (Ret’d) Sir Frederick H. Allison on his 100th birthday in April.
Bird Friendly Peterborough Launches Contest To Name City's Official Bird
/The City of Peterborough is inviting residents to help select Peterborough’s first official “City Bird” by completing an online survey to select a species of bird that best represents the community.
A Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Photo by Dave Ellis.
The contest is being officiated by Bird Friendly Peterborough (BFP), with a goal of raising awareness about Peterborough earning Bird Friendly City status. The contest is open to all residents to select their favourite local bird species from a list that has been curated by BFP of 16 local birds.
The contest will run until September 5 to nominate the top five local birds.
The selection of Peterborough’s first official “City Bird” will be announced at the inaugural City of Peterborough Environmental and Climate Action Expo at Ecology Park on September 23
“Selecting an official city bird for Peterborough is a great way to get residents excited about the launch of BFP,” stated Councillor Kim Zippel, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change portfolio. “A city bird would also help increase the awareness of how important birds are to our ecosystems.”
On June 27, City Council approved the application from BFP, electing Peterborough as being bird-friendly through the Bird Friendly City Program. Nature Canada oversees the Bird Friendly City program, which requires communities to meet multiple criteria before achieving bird-friendly city status.
The BFP team, composed of representatives from local nature-focused organizations, identified Peterborough as meeting the entry-level requirements of the Bird Friendly City program through existing City policies and community programs.
The Bird Friendly Peterborough: Official City Bird Contest is available on Connect Peterborough’s Climate Change & Sustainability web page.
Visit connectptbo.ca/climate to submit your bird selection. Hard copies are available at City Hall, 500 George St. N.
Peterborough Ex Hosting Events Around The Region This Week In Lieu Of Traditional Exhibition
/The Peterborough Ex is holding the annual homecraft, steer show and rabbit and cavy show this weekend at locations throughout the region.
2021 Ernest Boyles & Sons Ltd Junior Market Lamb Grand Champion Natalie Dunford. Photo courtesy of The Peterborough Ex.
The Steer Show and Sale will be happening at the Vollering farm (295 Douro Fourth Line, Douro Dummer) on Thursday and will feature six animals that will be judged at 6:00 p.m. followed by a BBQ. The award-winning steers will be auctioned off online following the show until August 12.
The Rabbit and Cavy Show will be happening at Kawartha Downs on Friday as part of their Agricultural Fair with judging starting at 3:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday the Annual Homecraft Show will be happening at the Peterborough Morrow Building. See award winning displays and shop with local vendors.
“The Peterborough Ex is continuing to renew and regrow to provide agriculture and food education events for Peterborough area residents,” said Viren D’Souza, President of the Peterborough Ag Society. “These are fun events to get up close and learn about agriculture.”
The Peterborough Agricultural Society is continuing to provide opportunities for people to connect with farming and food through educational events that allow for on-farm experiences and engagement with producers.
The 2022 Peterborough Ex will not feature a midway or rodeo.
More information is available at PeterboroughEx.ca
Peterborough Police Warn Public of False Pretense Scams Surfacing
/Peterborough Police Service received reports of a man attempting to scam the community by requesting money from fake stories.
File Photo.
