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KAWARTHA LAKES STAYCATION: PART 3 | BENNS’ BELIEF: THE STORIES WE’LL TELL

THE LINDSAY ADVOCATE KAWARTHA LAKES’ FINEST MAGAZINE

SEPT 2020

In Their Own Words

BEING BLACK in KAWARTHA LAKES UNCOVERING RACISM IN OUR LOCAL HISTORY

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September 2020 • Vol 3 • Issue 29

PUBLISHED BY

Fireside Publishing House, a proudly Canadian company. The Lindsay Advocate is published monthly and distributed to a wide variety of businesses and locations within Kawartha Lakes, North Durham and southern Haliburton County. We are a proud member of the Lindsay and District and Fenelon Falls Chambers of Commerce. TEAM ADVOCATE

CONTENTS KAWARTHA LAKES’ FINEST MAGAZINE

FEATURES

EDITORIAL

Publisher: Roderick Benns Contributing Editor: Trevor Hutchinson Associate Editor: Nancy Payne Research, Strategy & Development: Joli Scheidler-Benns Contributing Writers: Kirk Winter, Nancy Payne,

Jess Topfer, Jamie Morris, Ian McKechnie, Trevor Hutchinson Web Developer: Kimberley Griffith LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SEND TO

kawarthalakespublisher@gmail.com ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Advertising/Editorial inquiries: Roderick Benns

705-341-1496

CREATIVE

Graphic Design: Barton Creative Co. Photography: Sienna Frost, Erin Burrell, Nancy Payne,

Evan Aube

Visit www.lindsayadvocate.ca for many more stories FOLLOW US ON

The Lindsay Advocate @lindsayadvocate Roderick Benns @roderickbenns

c /The Lindsay Advocate

PRINTING

Printed by Maracle Inc. OUR PRIVACY POLICY The Lindsay Advocate is independently owned and operated. The opinions expressed herein are the views of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of this magazine. Photos, text, and art work contained in The Lindsay Advocate are copyrighted and may not be published, broadcast, or rewritten without the express permission of the Publisher. Liability for incorrectly displayed advertising is limited to publishing corrections or advertising credit for subsequent issues. The Publisher reserves the right to reject, revise, cancel, omit, discontinue or even decline to print advertising without reason or liability, and without notice. The Publisher has made every effort to ensure information contained herein was accurate at press time. The Publisher does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any party for damage, loss, or disruption caused by errors or omissions.

13 10 Editorial: Reduction in city services isn’t necessary 11 Op-Ed: Return to a post-secondary education in COVID-19 13 IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Black residents of Kawartha Lakes speak out about life in our rural city.

24 KAWARTHA LAKES ROAD TRIP: PART 3 The Fenelon Falls area has amazing nooks and crannies to explore.

0 HAVE A LITTLE 3 FAITH: PART 2

Area churches photographed by Evan Aube

32 A MINIMALIST LIFE

Lindsay family trades their home and possessions, for new life experiences.

IN EVERY ISSUE

4 Letters to the Editor 6 UpFront 9 Benns’ Belief 32 Heirloom Recipe 37 Crossword 39 Friends & Neighbours 40 Just in Time 42 Trevor’s Take

Our Vision

We care about the social wellness of our community and our country. Our vision includes strong public enterprises mixed with healthy small businesses to serve our communities’ needs. We put human values ahead of economic values and many of our stories reflect the society we work to build each day. ~ Roderick and Joli

Advertising Sales: Contact us at 705-341-1496 • kawarthalakespublisher@gmail.com

A TE

LIN

DSAY

AD O C V

‘Just in Time’ sparks sweet memories

Ian McKechnie’s “Just in Time” pieces are a gift to the City of Kawartha Lakes. His well-researched work connects us to our town’s past and to many of the souls who kept this community vibrant and well-served. Ian’s “Our daily bread” article (June Advocate) spurred me to write this reflection. In the early 1970s, my family moved to Lindsay from Sault Ste. Marie. My Dad, Jan, had secured a job at Jackson’s bakery located on Kent Street (presently it’s Charmin’s). He worked at the Olympia Restaurant for a time before opening his own shop called Jan’s Donuts at 18 Kent St. W. Trained in Europe, Dad created delectable sweets from scratch such as mille feuilles, honey buns, pies and breads, tarts and cream puffs. There were coffee, milkshakes, ice cream and pinball machines for the teenagers to enjoy. The hours were long for my parents but, for my sister and me, the bakery was full of fun. I loved watching the rum balls being made and the dainty roses drying on the rack just waiting to be placed on a delicious cake. As “downtown kids,” we got to know the regular customers and came to call Lindsay home. Patty Apac, Lindsay

Save the Grand, a Lindsay landmark

To the new owners of the Grand, the citizens of Lindsay ask that you please work with owner Charlie McDonald and save our iconic restaurant. There are few things left that remind us of our humble beginnings. The Grand, the building, and the Grand, the bar, are two different things to most of us. The bar-restaurant has been here for 160 years and Charlie and his staff have made it a home away from home for over 10 years. To close a successful business and put more than 30 people out of work is unconscionable. To do so with 30 days’ notice is mean-spirited, even if the law is on your side. When COVID-19 hit and we were trying to rally around our local businesses, people lined up around the block to get food from the Grand. I talked to staff and they joked they were busier now than before. The town fought to keep the restaurant afloat then and we need

you to help us keep it alive now. This is not just a local pizza joint to people of Lindsay. This is where most of us had our first legal drink with our parents. It’s where we went after the Santa Claus parade for hot chocolate. It’s where we ate amazing cheddar soup and drank the Virgin Grand Caesar with high school friends to feel grown-up. If you have lived in this town long enough there are hundreds of memories that include the Grand. No one wants this to happen and we need you to reconsider. You have a choice — sit down with Charlie and figure this out. The citizens of Lindsay need this place and as a new business owner you are going to need us. Kimberly McMillan

Deal with a Canadian winter or head for U.S.?

My wife and I are citizens of Canada and the U.S. and able to spend our summers at our cottage on the lake here in the Kawarthas and our winters in the southern U.S. We feel we have been blessed to have two totally separate lifestyles. Our hearts will always be Canadian, but we have many friends in America. The only caveat is we cannot talk about U.S. politics with them. It is just like being a Protestant or Catholic; we both believe in God, but we cannot agree on how. Being citizens of the U.S., there is no time limit on our stay there, and we also have Medicare while in the U.S., unlike most Canadians. So, as we approach the end of summer and the closure of our cottage for the winter, we must consider our health risks by travelling back to our place in America. Do we stay here in Canada with minimum risk or go to the U.S. with significant risk? It’s unfortunate that had America handled their response to the pandemic like other countries such as Canada this situation could have been avoided. This is America’s loss. George Baillie, Pleasant Point

‘Basic Income Plus’ could be even more ambitious

I love the policy proposals in your recent editorial regarding Basic Income Plus, although I think it could be even more ambitious. We must demand it be implemented at the federal level and funded with federal dollars. Canadians should not be burdened with the costs of much-needed reforms that are long overdue — and we don’t have to be. Unlike provinces, territories, municipalities, businesses and households, Canada is monetarily sovereign

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and the federal government is the sole issuer of Canadian dollars, a fiat currency. Despite popular belief, the federal government is not dependent on tax dollars to stay afloat and it cannot go bankrupt, as Stephanie Kelton has written in The Deficit Myth: Modern Monetary Theory and the Birth of the People’s Economy. Unfortunately, leftists often fall prey to discussing economics in a right-wing frame. Politicians and media organizations cynically fear-monger about the federal debt and deficit to keep necessary reforms at bay — and leftists acquiesce. Your own proposal for pharmacare falls into this trap. Why should Canadians be expected to suffer co-pays on prescription drugs when we should demand free, universal pharmacare? Presumably you wanted to help offset the costs of the program while appearing fiscally responsible. Talk of creating more money inevitably leads to fears of inflation, which can be an issue. However, the U.S., Europe, Japan and others have actually been grappling with under-inflation/deflation for more than a decade. And right here in Canada, despite record levels of federal spending during the pandemic, the country’s inflation rate went into the negative for the first time since 2009. Instead of worrying about debt, it’s time that Canadians were able to think big and accomplish things we thought were impossible. In this time of crisis, while we rethink society, the economy, politics and ourselves, we must slay the deficit bogeyman if anything is ever going to change. William Paterson, Lindsay

An open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Black Lives Matter

I am writing on behalf of myself, my husband and family about the recent anti-Black racism protests and the subsequent increase in awareness on this important and emotional matter. During this time of COVID-19 pandemic, we as Canadians are “suddenly aware” of white privilege, suddenly “woke” that Black Lives Matter. I am white and many of my family members are Black or mixed race (Black and white), through adoption and marriage.

We with white privilege must step back and let Black Lives Matter. I am so lucky to know so many people with darker skin than mine. Of course, Black Lives Matter. And it is about time that many others understand this too and stand up for it. Humans as a people are attracted to people who look like themselves. I am so lucky that I have Black family with whom I am comfortable, who to me look like my family. Because of this, it may have been easier for me, a white person, to make Black friends. To me, Black folks are just folks. That said, knowing and loving these folks does not mean I know how their lives shake out for my Black friends and family, how they feel every day of their lives, how it is to live in Black skin. For them, every day a visible physical difference is shown to the world. Being Black in North America is not an easy thing — has never been an easy thing. Being Black while driving, while in a school or a store, jogging in a neighbourhood, being Black while just being alive, is a more perilous, potentially deadly phenomenon of which we with white privilege have been, and are, completely and sadly unaware. It is not about you. It is not about me. It is about so many people whose free great-great-grandparents were stolen from their families, their villages, their tribes and country and sold for the enrichment of primarily white people. It is about people whose lives are more difficult and dangerous, largely less comfortable or richly supported by parents and grandparents who could give so much. We are so lucky here in Canada, Ontario and Kawartha Lakes. The time to make change is now. We must strike while the iron is hot, and that time is now! I appreciate all you do for our country and look forward to positive changes. I hope you continue the fine work. Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon. Yours respectfully, Lawrie Keillor-Faulkner, retired Fleming College GIS Professor Hamlyn Keillor-Faulkner, retired Fleming College Forestry Professor, Omemee

We want your letters! Send us your thoughts to be featured on this page.

The Lindsay Advocate welcomes your Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity or length. Simply email thelindsayadvocate@gmail.com. Please keep your letters to 200 words or less.

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UPFRONT

Lions Clubs of Canada is celebrating 100 years in 2020, as this Memorial Park tribute in Lindsay shows. Photo: Sienna Frost

Local artist’s ‘Recycle 100’ on display at local gallery Anders Widjedal, a local artist, set out to draw for 100 consecutive days and complete a 12x12 still life each day. In the end, he drew for 123 days and completed 113 drawings. Oil pastel was his chosen medium. Widjedal says he enjoys the “painterly quality” that oil pastels provide. See his work at the Kawartha Art Gallery online from Sept. 8 to 18. For more information contact curator Susan Taylor at art@kawarthagallery.com Anders Widjedal

New co-ordinator at the Food Source

AMELIA BOYD, CO-ORDINATOR LINDSAY COMMUNITY FOOD MARKET

Amelia Boyd is the latest new face at Kawartha Lakes Food Source, taking on the role of co-ordinator of the Lindsay Community Food Market. The Community Food Market is a non-traditional food bank owned and operated by the Food Source. It emphasizes the importance of choice and dignity in selecting food. “I grew up on a strawberry farm right here in the city of Kawartha Lakes so to say that I love this community is an understatement,” she says. “Having built my career in Toronto at various food security and food justice non-profits, I am so thrilled to be back home working with an organization that I love.” Amelia can be reached at 705-328-5758 or lcfm@kawarthalakesfoodsource.com.

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Business UPFRONT

}} Tigert Law approaches one year anniversary Local lawyer finds Lindsay offers great quality of life

In 2014, Joan Tigert left her litigation law practice in downtown Toronto for a new opportunity in Lindsay. Looking for a better quality of life for herself and her two children, Lindsay had both the big city feel and the smalltown charm she was seeking. For her first five years in the community, Tigert dedicated her career exclusively to child welfare, working as the sole lawyer in the Lindsay branch office of Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Aid. On Nov. 1 last year, she launched Tigert Law with a focus on civil litigation, criminal law, family law, and wills and estates. In over 20 years as a lawyer, Tigert has experience at all levels of Ontario courts and has conducted trials, motions, and examinations for discovery (what the Americans would call depositions) all over Ontario. Locally, Tigert was impressed early on with the professionalism and integrity of the local bench and bar and knew this was the ideal place to launch her own law firm. She says COVID-19 has provided challenges in how court matters are addressed but that has only inspired the lawyers and the courts to become more creative. Tigert continues to meet with clients and pursue their interests. Tigert Law is located at 2–57 William Street North in Lindsay.

Diversity and inclusion training through Lindsay Chamber

It’s long been known that companies with diverse management and staff who welcome diverse customers have higher profits than those that don’t. Diverse workplaces are smarter, more creative, and better able to solve problems, according to many studies. The Lindsay + District Chamber of Commerce has unveiled a new online training centre that provides both Chamber members and non-members with immediate access to high-quality, affordable training, designed to support safe, respectful workplaces. LGBT+ Diversity and Inclusion Training for Workplaces Every employee has the right to feel safe and respected in the workplace. This four-module course educates participants about LGBT+ communities and the challenges these individuals face in the workplace. Participants learn practical ways to create an inclusive, supportive environment where each employee feels appreciated and participates fully and productively in the workplace. Respect and Inclusion in the Workplace Diversity encompasses all of the ways that we are different from each other, including ethnicity, culture, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation and sexual identity. This course educates participants about acceptable and unacceptable workplace attitudes and behaviours, identifies appropriate ways to respond, and provides practical strategies to support an inclusive workplace environment where everyone feels safe and respected. This course is endorsed by Safety Services Canada. Chamber members receive a 25 per cent discount on all training. The Chamber also offers significant discounts to schools, non-profit organizations and large employers. Large organizations can customize courses and reduce training costs through licensing agreements. To learn about the Chamber’s training, discounts or customized options, contact 705-324-2393.

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BENNS’ BELIEF

RODERICK BENNS, Publisher

The stories we’ll tell

My best friend in my elementary school years was, to my knowledge, from the only Indian family in Lindsay — Deep Chatha. His parents owned Queensway Market and Queensway Motors, businesses that many readers will doubtless remember at Queen and St. David streets. Deep was cool enough to have an Atari system and often after school we’d hang out at his house where we’d obliterate misshapen, pixelated asteroids. At Deep’s I’d marvel at the photo of Guru Nanak on their living room end table. It was so different than the framed Last Supper motif above our china cabinet at home, or the dried-macaroni cross that I had made for Mom and Dad years earlier at a church camp. Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism, as I would first learn from Deep. Nanak taught there was only one God and that everyone was equal. Sikhs believe in truthful living and social justice. The time I spent with Deep in those years sparked a lifelong interest in world religions, including Sikhism and Hinduism. While rudimentary video games were great in those days, just as often we’d be outside, kicking around a soccer ball in the spring and summer. Afterwards, on sweltering summer afternoons we’d sometimes go to his parents’ store where Deep would get permission to get us a couple of black cherry Pop Shoppe bottles from the store cooler. Come winter we’d be snapping wrist shots at one another with our tired hockey sticks and worn-out tennis balls, street lights blurred by muted snowflakes. One day after school another student (we’ll call him Dwayne) called me to ask if I wanted to do something, but I already had plans with Deep. “Why are you hanging around that f***ing ch**k so much?” Dwayne asked. At the time I didn’t know what that word meant but understood its intent to harm. (And I would later realize how sadly ironic it is when a racist fails to get his racism straight.) I never bothered with Dwayne after that moment. I had already realized how attractive it is to hold space in one’s mind and heart to encounter other ways of living and seeing the world. That no matter what my truth was, another’s reality couldn’t take away from my own beliefs. In fact, it could only add to them if I allowed it. As Lindsay and other parts of Kawartha Lakes grow and gradually become more multicultural, I think of all the amazing opportunities such diversity will bring. Our cultural life, our economy, and our identity will shift and grow. We will still have our history to cherish but new friends will add to the stories we will one day tell, just as Deep’s enriched mine so long ago.

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EDITORIAL

Reduction in city services unnecessary At the end of July, Mayor Andy Letham warned that people were “going to notice” the service cuts that were coming. Ditching and brushing,grass-cutting and street sweeping, servicecentres and arenas — all of this and maybe more affected by the pandemic. This is utter nonsense for citizens to have to accept. Let’s back up though. Municipal governments have extremely limited fiscal autonomy. There is only so much money coming in from municipal transfers, property taxes and grants, and this prevents cities from solving challenges as they arise — especially the challenge of a global pandemic. Given this fiscal constraint, it’s not a surprise that the mayor and council are looking for answers to their budget woes. Letham’s reluctance to raise taxes is reasonable — and something the Advocate supports. The middle class, especially, has been taxed enough. We have been taught all our lives that government should budget like a household. That’s true for municipal governments, and it’s even true for provincial governments. But it is not true for the federal government. Unlike a household, the federal government issues the very currency it spends. It only needs to keep control over inflation. It does not need to worry about running a perfectly manageable deficit. Canada has complete monetary sovereignty. That is, we can use our currency-issuing power to tackle whatever social policy challenges we need to turn our attention toward to create a better and more equitable nation. This includes giving more money to our provinces and cities, which deal more with managing the day-to-day services we depend on. We have the ability to create better cities, with robust, meaningful services like vibrant libraries and top-notch waste management. There is no need to slash services if the federal government simply acts with more ingenuity — and honesty. The mayor and council should be demanding more from their federal partners.

LETTER SPOTLIGHT City’s decision on Kent Street trees ‘ludicrous’ I am stunned and disappointed that the city would not use the silva cells (New project in downtown Lindsay supports healthy tree canopy — August edition) on both sides of Kent Street. These cells have a proven efficacy; we do not need to measure their effectiveness as the director of engineering, Juan Rojas, suggests. This process has been proven throughout the world, including over 100 trees thriving at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The idea that you would use a successful, proven system on one side of a street and a proven failure of a system on the other is ludicrous. This is about money, not science, and Rojas knows it. I have seen tree canopies all over the world but never where one side has beautiful healthy trees and the other side dead or dying ones. David Hodgson, Burnt River

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OPINION

Return to a postsecondary education during COVID-19 JESS TOPFER

In August of 2014, I sat in my bedroom scrolling through the Trent University website, nervously selecting courses for the first year of my undergraduate studies. Fast forward six years, and I find myself nervously scrolling through the website again, selecting courses for the final year of my undergrad. This time though, my nerves are caused by a new uncertainty — COVID-19. As the first person in my family to attend postsecondary school, I didn’t really know what to expect from the university experience when entering my first year. Roughly, I imagined it consisting of copious amounts of reading, endless hours spent in lecture halls listening to professors drone on in monotone voices about theory, and lots of instant noodles. While those assumptions were pretty spot-on, I wildly underestimated the amount of personal and professional growth I would undergo. For the most part, that growth came not as a result of books and lectures, but from relationship-building and conversations with classmates, professors and members of the university community. It feels impossible to imagine my undergrad without seminars, lectures, clubs, events, placements and group study sessions. When the pandemic unfolded earlier this year, and my courses transitioned to online for March and April, I felt completely overwhelmed — and I certainly was not alone. Losing those interpersonal supports and learning opportunities made it even more challenging to adapt my learning style to online platforms and my grades slipped a whole letter grade between March 17 and the end of my semester. If this is any indication of the year to come, I worry about maintaining my overall academic standing while also maintaining my mental health. It’s not all doom and gloom though. At the end of this academic year, I will have achieved my Honours Bachelors Degree in International Development Studies and

Business Administration, and I already have a full-time job in the field. Being back home also means that I get to lean on (and support) my sister, who herself is struggling to deal with a similar heartbreak as she enters her first year at the University of Guelph from her computer in our living room.

When the pandemic unfolded earlier this year, and my courses transitioned to online for March and April, I felt completely overwhelmed — and I certainly was not alone. It can be all too easy to feel as though online learning takes away those key opportunities that make the post-secondary experience so rewarding. But these are the cards we have been dealt this year. The relationshipbuilding and conversations that make post-secondary education so memorable and successful can and will continue to happen. Whether on campus or online our classmates, faculty and community members are still there — we just have to push ourselves a little harder to ensure we keep the sense of community that in-person learning has to offer. My advice to post-secondary students for this upcoming year? Embrace online learning and stay engaged! Set yourself a weekly goal of how many students, faculty or community members you will connect with, and always advocate clearly about what support you need from your department’s faculty to be successful in your studies while also staying happy and healthy.

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BEING BLACK in KAWARTHA LAKES KIRK WINTER For seven years Black people and their allies have been protesting for change under the Black Lives Matter banner. Since the murder of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis, U.S., this has intensified as a call to action to end systemic racism wherever it is found, as well as for equality for all. Protests have occurred in centres large and small right across Canada, including Kawartha Lakes. It has taken considerable courage for Black individuals to come forward, particularly in a community like Kawartha Lakes where they are such a tiny and exposed minority, with few places to hide from those who hold racist views. Particularly the young have taken that risk, and they are peacefully and persistently calling for change. Kawartha Lakes Mayor Andy Letham stated in June that “We could all be doing a better job on issues relating to race.” The Black experience is not my story to tell, or the Advocate’s. So we have offered up the pages of our magazine so our readers can hear some of the voices of the Black community in Kawartha Lakes firsthand.

I have spoken to many Black residents of the city soliciting their participation for this issue and have been shaken to my core that in 2020 in Ontario, Black people still fear for their personal safety from those who hate. It has been heartbreaking to hear so many Black Kawartha Lakes residents politely and firmly decline to participate, suggesting that the community is not prepared to enter into a meaningful discussion about race. As a retired teacher, I reconnected with former students of mine and other people I knew years ago. They made it clear that the primary reason for their relocation to urban centres across North America was a search for a community – a community where others looked like them and shared common cultural and life experiences that could only be understood by others who are Black. Other Black people in our area spoke of needing a younger generation to pick up the sword in the fight for equality because they “had done their time,” taking the slings and arrows from peers, workmates and random strangers.

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CONT’D ON PAGE 14

MORGAN REEVIE Age: 15

Photo: Erin Burrell.

OLIVIA REEVIE Age: 15

Photo: Erin Burrell.

MORGAN’S STORY

Growing up I didn’t see the difference between me and other kids in town. I honestly didn’t start noticing until middle school. As I have gotten older, I learned that my parents and my friends’ parents tried to shelter me from what my parents were going through. When I was young someone came onto our property and wrote racist slurs on my Dad’s car. I remember my parents trying to hide it and telling us it was nothing. Now that I am older, I found out what was written, and it was hard to believe that someone in our town would do this. In middle school is when I started hearing comments people would make. Since I’m good at track they would say “Oh, it’s in your blood”, or “You can’t lose; you’re Black.”

Growing up for me was learning why people would expect more or less from me. Why people will treat me differently and most of all why I have to educate my peers on these topics when the school doesn’t. There was another Black family in town who had kids around my age. People I didn’t even know would ask me if their son was my brother, solely based on the fact that he was Black and was good at track. Questions, comments and jokes like these all showed me the lack of knowledge that our community has on these topics. Growing up in Kawartha Lakes for me was educating myself on Black history and present problems in society that the Black community still faces. This also creates roadblocks in my life that many others wouldn’t even think about. I can’t get my hair done in Kawartha Lakes. If I want to get any traditional hairstyles I need to go down to Toronto. When I think about colleges or universities, I might want to attend I have to take the per cent of POCs (people of colour) into consideration. I have lost friends because of racism and ignorance. Many of my peers ask why should they care if it doesn’t affect them? That is the most heartbreaking thing for any person of colour to hear because it affects me. If you as my friend don’t care about societal problems that affect me then are you really my friend? Having to question friendships because of racism or silence has been and still is very conflicting for me. No teenager should have to be thinking about these problems at such a young age, yet it crosses my mind every day. Then when these problems do get brought up at school it seems they get shoved under a rug. To be able to get past these issues we need to educate. Too many adults don’t know how to deal with these issues, and too many teenagers don’t understand how their

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actions are affecting others. This is just a small portion of what my family and I have gone through, but I know to start taking steps toward a better environment for Kawartha Lakes we just need citizens to be open to change and education.

OLIVIA’S STORY

I would say at a younger age I found my life normal even though it wasn’t. I never noticed the stares, or people asking rude questions to my parents and stuff. The first encounter with racism that I can remember is when I was in Grade 1 or 2. I had gone outside to play, and I saw the n-word written on my Dad’s truck. At that age I didn’t even know what the n-word was, so I got my dad and didn’t think anything of it. I have lived through problems like that my whole life and I thought it was normal because we don’t really learn about racism in school. That one event is just the tip of the iceberg of things that have happened to my family and me. As I got older, I began to realize that it was a problem in our town. I would get stares and rude questions at least once a week such as “Where are you really from?” or “You look so exotic. What’s your background?” Many people may not find these questions rude, but I do. I am really from Canada and I do not look exotic; I look like a human. I can’t relate to many other people so talking about these problems is hard. Now that I am in high school, I hear a lot of ignorant things. I can’t stop and talk to every person about it and tell them why they shouldn’t say the things they do. It’s hard going to school every day and not knowing if you’ll be upset or not by the end of it. Most people think racism in Lindsay is a weird look or a comment under someone’s breath but it’s so much more than that. It is jokes people make that are extremely rude, it is people yelling at me from across the street, it’s people crossing the street when they see me, it’s people following me in stores, and some people even get physical. To minimize this happening to me I tend to always go places with other people or show up to public places late so I’m not there waiting alone. I make sure I always have my phone on me and tell a family member where I am going so if I feel the need to be picked up they can come get me. I run track, and my accomplishments within the sport sometimes get watered down. I get told “Oh, you are only fast because you are Black.” Which makes no sense.

Another roadblock in school is when we do projects on our background. I can join the conversation with my classmates’ history but when it comes to mine no one knows anything. In history class there isn’t much Black history taught. We learn about slavery and that’s it. Almost everything I know about Black history I have taught myself. Knowing nothing about my mother’s ancestors’ culture is a very weird feeling that is hard to explain.

DEREK BRIDGE JR. (KRIS) Age: 38

Hello. My name is Derek Bridge Jr. but most people just call me Kris. I lived in the Kawartha Lakes for 15 years after having moved from Oshawa at the age of seven. My experience growing up in Janetville and Lindsay were very typical in my own opinion. I spent my summers playing road hockey, manhunt, backyard camping and getting in other forms of mischief with the neighbourhood kids. CONT’D ON PAGE 16

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BEING BLACK IN KAWARTHA LAKES CONT’D FROM PAGE 15

On behalf of our board and staff we want to thank all first responders and our partners during this challenging time. Our agency has remained accessible to assist those most vulnerable in our community through counselling and ensuring basic needs are met such as housing and food security.

JHS staff, as always, have been nothing short of exceptional.

John Howard Society Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton

705-328-0472

I played soccer for Manvers, Port Perry and Lindsay throughout my time in Kawartha Lakes. I went to I.E. Weldon S. S. and enjoyed five years of great mentorship and learning. While at Weldon I played football, basketball and rugby. My first job was at the Kawartha Lakes Boys and Girls which I enjoyed tremendously. I worked there for five years. My father worked at GM in Scarborough when they still had the plant there, commuting four hours every day to ensure we had a roof over our heads and food in our bellies. My mother was a stay-at-home foster parent who was kept very busy by four boys who were always on the move. Now that you know a little bit about me and my childhood, I would like to tell you about growing up in Kawartha Lakes. I have grown up a lot since my days in Kawartha Lakes and have grown to see how the world had changed and things that I took for granted because of my hometown have disappeared from the present day. The world outside of the old Victoria County is ever-changing, fastpaced and always forcing us to move forward no matter what, but Lindsay seems to have moved forward never forgetting who it is. I remember always seeing people at the Lindsay Square Mall doing their shopping but never too busy to say hello. Life may have been slower, but it moved at a pace that we all can appreciate. Local businesses have always been at the heart of Lindsay. Neighbours speaking over fences was as normal as riding your bike to the corner store for slushies. You had to know your friend’s home phone number to arrange hangout times. My friends were always warm and welcoming. I never felt out of place or like I was less of a person while living in Kawartha Lakes. There were a few older people who looked at me funny but never were forward enough to tell me why. I’m thankful for that because I know others who may have had a different experience from mine. Fast forward now to the present day, and a short walk in downtown Lindsay will show that not a lot has changed. Lindsay is still the home that I remember from my youth. People are still friendly, offering a simple “hello” as you walk by. Neighbours are still chatting over fences and complimenting each other on lawns and gardens.There is a real sense of community in Lindsay and Kawartha Lakes that I think you will have difficulty finding elsewhere.

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If I had to rate my time living in Kawartha Lakes, I would give it four out of five. I’m deducting a point because no matter how hard I try this internet connection just won’t get any faster. Growing up as a minority in Lindsay really didn’t make much of a difference and I’m very happy about that.

ANONYMOUS I have thought long and hard about what I would like to say about growing up, living and trying to work in Kawartha Lakes as a man of colour. First, I would like to state that there have been many kind and supportive individuals in my life who have generally been very colour-blind: teachers, coaches, peers and parents of friends. I have always appreciated their kindness and this recollection is not about them. I have lived most of my life in Lindsay since moving here from Oshawa when I was in elementary school. I was the only Black child in my elementary school and kids can be very mean. I am not sure what is worse: the constant chatter behind your back accompanied by finger-pointing, or when someone has the self-confidence to actually say what they are thinking. I experienced both of these kinds of kids. I heard the n-word all the time, especially from the hockey boys. MC Hammer was huge on the radio when I was in elementary school. Kids wanted to know “where my Hammer pants were,” and asked me time and time again “to bust a move” because of course all Black people can dance.

I loved sports in school but being Black was challenging. Other students held grudges when I made teams and they did not. I was told to my face in high school that “I had an unfair advantage because I was Black.” I am not sure where they got that idea from, but the reasoning was extremely hurtful. Dating in high school was something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Between angry white boys who felt I was competition for the attention of the girls they were interested in, and girls who were unsure of what to do with me, the teen years were hard. One girl who I really liked told me to my face “We could see each other at school but her parents would ground her for life if they knew I was dating a Black guy.” These were the early 90s people, not the 1950s! I have spent the last 25-plus years working in the construction trade. My grandfather was a labourer, as was my dad. I have always preferred to work with my hands. The building trades in Ontario are very mixed: Italians, Portuguese, Dutch and a number of guys from the Caribbean. The white guys I worked with always wanted to know “where I was from.” I told them Lindsay. They wouldn’t take that for an answer and wanted to know “before Lindsay.” My family has lived in Ontario since before Confederation, and before that we lived in the United States. A Black man like myself apparently is not supposed to identify as Canadian and that is so wrong. I am told by supervisors that I am pretty good at what I do at work. I have spent almost three decades in the trades and have tried to improve my skills, and get additional qualifications. I have found it frustrating and infuriating when much younger white guys get sent away for upgrading and skills training and I don’t. There are always lots of excuses and promises made when I ask awkward questions but I have come to believe it is all about race.

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BEING BLACK IN KAWARTHA LAKES CONT’D FROM PAGE 17

Not until recently, when I finished my high school education, could I begin to diminish those worries by heavily educating myself on the importance of understanding and further teaching others from all generations about the significance and impact BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of colour) and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities have on historical and current events. I had struggles as a result of racism throughout my education in Lindsay, whether as an employee at local businesses, or simply by being a person of colour in a predominantly white area. Yet my utmost issue was a mental struggle to overcome my fears and a false reality stemmed from the idea that I will not be acknowledged because of my race in addition to just who I am as a person. It may not have been as apparent to me when I was younger; but, for a person to deem someone else’s worth based upon their complexion is degrading beyond words.

I had struggles as a result of racism throughout my education in Lindsay, whether as an employee at local businesses, or simply by being a person of colour in a predominantly white area.

PEYTON CALDOZA Age: 18

“I don’t want to be her friend because she’s brown.” Those were the exact words that a 12-year-old white boy said to my Grade 6 teacher, not more than a month after I had moved to Canada from a very culturally different environment, Bermuda. He was asked to apologize to me and the teacher continued to say, “He was joking.” And of course what do you do when a joke is made? You laugh! And I have continued to laugh about that incident whenever it is brought up due to the fact of how uncomfortable that phrase made me feel to be in my own skin at such a young age. My inability to confront the situation led to my teenage years being rigged with constant worry of people’s perception, of who I am and what I am capable of — something that was altered just based on my race. It is a lonely feeling that I know to be a burden on many others.

However, aside from the underlying worries mentioned previously, I’ve been given the luxury of getting to know members of my community and bond with schoolmates who accept my family and myself as we come, without judgment. In its entirety, my family’s and my time in Lindsay has had a plethora of ups and downs. For the individuals that made and continue to make it an ongoing struggle for myself and other BIPOCs to feel safe in a community we are supposed to know as our home, I genuinely hope they come to realize that their mindset needs to be wiped of its toxicity so that future generations are able to live with respect for each others’ unique qualities. Your skin is not a crime. The BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities will not continue to be silenced. Now is the time to take charge and fight endlessly towards the abolishment of systemic racism. Change is a frightening ordeal but don’t be scared because you don’t know what the outcome will be; that’s the part you need to be excited about.

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The Law of Dead Bodies }} New book from local lawyer It should come as no surprise that when Jason Ward publishes a book it would be on the law of dead bodies. He is, after all, the lawyer whose firm brought Haunt Your House to Lindsay, which makes him partly responsible for the front yard graveyards and hordes of zombies and ghouls that spring up on front porches and at windows on Halloween. His book, Resolving Grave Disputes – The Law of Dead Bodies in Ontario is “a comprehensive, one-stop guide on everything related to disposing of human remains, burial rights and the law surrounding dead bodies,” says Ward. It was written for family members who experience a death and have questions, but also as a resource for the province’s “bereavement authority,” a recently formed organization that oversees the entire bereavement sector (funeral establishments, funeral directors, preplanners, cemetery and crematorium operators, and more.)

Deaths can bring uncertainty and family conflicts. This slim volume can help, answering questions like: Who decides how and when a person’s remains will be disposed of? What if there is no will? How do I pay for funeral services? Where can I bury a body or dispose of cremated remains in Ontario? What happens if no one steps forward to claim a dead body? The book includes a disclaimer, noting it’s for information and guidance only and shouldn’t be relied on as legal advice. Which is to say those in difficulty can expect to be seeking out a lawyer.

JASON WARD

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New retirement residence and Jennings Creek homes Kawartha Lakes Council has approved a new 222-unit retirement residence, including 24-hour nursing care units, assisted living units and independent living units with full kitchens. The building will be built at the northwest intersection of St. Joseph Road and Thornhill Road, between Kent Street West to the south and Colborne Street West to the north. The property is currently vacant and consists of approximately 1.37 hectares. It was previously zoned for community facility uses. Council also approved an agreement for 146 new homes located near downtown Lindsay by Jennings Creek.

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Backyard Tourist

}} Art, Oddities, Water, Patios A staycation spent around Fenelon Falls and Sturgeon Point offers a fresh perspective on the familiar and the pleasure of discovering new nooks and crannies.

NANCY PAYNE Associate Editor

Kawartha Lakes road trip That Place on Camer

Fenelon Station Gallery Salvation Army Thrift Store The Fenelon sign Garnet Graham Park

Fenelon Falls Brewing Company The falls Little Pie Shack

Kawa

thrgea onLaPoikents Village ofrStu r ad trip Sturgeon Pooin t Union Churc h Elliott Falls Cherry Tree Lodge the stone barn Sturgeon Point Public Beach victoria road Horseless Carriage Museum Quaker OAks

Fenelon Falls Photo: Roderick Benns

falls People come from all overvictoria to enjoy what we have all around us. Indeed, so many times in my recent travels around Kawartha Lakes Kirkfield Lif t Lock else, I’d absolutely I’ve thought “If I were on vacation somewhere love this.” With its cooler days brilliant sunshine — I’m conCardand e n A lvar made for especially blue vinced that fewer cars on the road have skies over the past little while — September is the ideal time to look ry always, I couldn’t get s cemeteAs ry’granted. Mafor with new eyes at what we St. take to every spot worth visiting St —on have fun adding your own!

e Fences

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kawartha Lakes

ottawa

7 35

115

401

peterborough

115 toronto

401

1. That Place on Cameron The breezy two-level patio makes for safe dining with an unbeatable view over Cameron Lake. The perch is delicious and plentiful. Reservations are a good idea.

2. Fenelon Station Gallery How many times have you passed this spot on your way to other destinations? Do yourself a favour and stop — soon. The restored train station (owned by the city) is worth a visit in itself, but the work on display is both highcalibre and reasonably priced. Run by an artists’ co-op, the gallery offers unique items woven from branches and bark, paintings, pottery, textiles, stained glass, jewellery, gorgeous wooden bowls and vases and much more. Enjoy a chat with the friendly artist on duty, and don’t be surprised if you walk out with a distinctive gift for yourself or someone else. Several of the artists will also be participating in the annual Victoria County Studio Tour on the last weekend of September and the first weekend of October. 103 Lindsay St. (KL #121)

3 2 4

3. Salvation Army

Thrift Store

A short walk behind the gallery takes you to one of the best thrift stores in our area: this big, bright spot jammed with bargains. 91 Murray Street

4. The Fenelon sign The wonderful folks behind Films by the Falls (a great place to see filmfestival-quality movies over the winter) refurbished this sign from the village’s movie theatre and gave it a new life near the locks. CONT’D ON PAGE 26

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Photo: Fenelon Falls Chamber of Commerce

BACKYARD TOURIST CONT’D FROM PAGE 25

5. Garnet Graham Park A beautiful beach, lots of shade, plenty of picnic spots, lovely gardens and a splash pad — make the short walk from downtown and you’ll see right away why locals and visitors alike love this park. 98 Francis St. W.

6. Fenelon Falls

Brewing Company

Relax on the patio of this restored stone livery stable as you watch boats go through Lock 34. Can’t decide which house-made beer to sample? Order a flight of five and take your favourite home! 4 May Street

7. The Falls I think it’s been decades since I took the time to walk down and look back up at the falls. They’re absolutely beautiful, and there’s space on both sides of the water for picnics.

8. Little Pie Shack This funky little spot is just off the main drag. I can vouch for the cherry tarts bursting with flavour as well as the butter tarts, but you can pick up whole pies, too. 6 Francis St. E.

9. Village of

Sturgeon Point

The drive here from any direction winds through pretty rolling farmland and woods. (From Fenelon, take KL #121 north, then go right at the stop on KL #8 and right again on KL# 25. After about eight km, turn right on Irene Ave.; the church is straight ahead and the numbered streets will be on your left.) Sturgeon Point has long been a vacation destination for Toronto’s elite and a home for local residents who know a special place when they see it. Rather than bulldozing everything to build air-conditioned behemoths, they’ve preserved Sturgeon Point’s timeless feel with wooden dwellings nestled among gracious old trees and gardens.

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10. Sturgeon Point

Union Church

This octagonal wooden church is the community’s focal point; in normal times, it offers non-denominational Christian services on summer Sundays. There’s been a church here for more than 125 years; this particular building dates to 1915, and there’s nothing quite like it anywhere else. 119 Irene Ave.

From our farms to your table.

11. Cherry Tree Lodge QUICK BITES Homemade crust elevates the pizza at Slices ‘n’ Scoops beside the locks in Fenelon Falls, and a huge selection of Kawartha Dairy ice cream awaits for dessert. Too bad this tasty spot is only open from May to Labour Day. If you’re in the mood for a chip truck feast served with a friendly smile, head to Delightful Temptations at the Ultramar just north of the village on KL #121.

There’s only one word to describe this spot: magical. Although it’s a private cottage, visitors are welcomed on Saturday afternoons to explore the legacy of legendary local artist W.A. Goodwin. Owner Meri Newton says Goodwin, who was also a devoted outdoorsman, a socialist committed to rights for all and a vegetarian, “was so far ahead of his time.” (Read up on Goodwin before you go with the Olde Gaol Museum’s excellent online exhibition at virtualmuseum.ca.) If you’re in the village any other day, though, you can still admire

EXPLOREKAWARTHALAKES.COM

CONT’D ON PAGE 28

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BACKYARD TOURIST CONT’D FROM PAGE 27

the 1887 building’s whimsical architecture and original stained glass windows. If you do get chatting to the owners, be sure to ask for the story behind the curving stone-lined path. I’m so grateful Newton is preserving Cherry Tree Lodge, a true gem that’s worth seeking out. 19 Third St.

12. Sturgeon Point

Public Beach

At the bottom of Third St. is a picnic table with a beautiful view. A few steps takes you down to a cement dock with bright patio chairs and a small swimming area. This lovely little spot is open to all — just clean up after yourself, keep the noise reasonable and be respectful.

13. Horseless Carriage Museum

I’d rank this eclectic place near as one of our area’s most under-appreciated attractions. Car enthusiasts comefrom all over to admire a private collection that stretches back to steam power. I’m not especially interested in cars, but the ownertour guide is a wealth of information and fascinating stories. There are other antiques with tales to tell, including a captivating array of old music boxes and phonographs. You need to call ahead to book an appointment; the owners have been very busy this summer, so be prepared to wait a while for your visit. 1427 KL #8

Unless otherwise credited, all photos by Nancy Payne.

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR Maryboro Lodge, the Fenelon Museum, opted to close for 2020. When it reopens, be sure to take in its excellent displays of local history in a beautiful setting within walking distance of both the beach and downtown.

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Saturdays 7am-1pm Victoria Avenue A BIG THANK YOU TO KAWARTHA LAKES COMMUNITY FUTURES CORP. FOR THEIR VERY GENEROUS DONATION OF $1500.00 TO AID IN COVID-19 EXPENSE.

Approximately 20 Food Vendors Please enter the market through the parking lot between the Library and EMS Station. • Market traffic is one way only • Follow directions and arrows • Please practice social distancing • 1 person per household • Please exit the market once purchases are made to make room for others • No pets please • No re-usable bags at this time

Our sincere thanks to our employees and to all who serve our community under these difficult circumstances. We appreciate your efforts, dedication and care!

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Have a

Little Faith PART 2

Photos by Evan Aube

Clockwise from top left to right: St. Andrews Methodist Church, Lorneville, St. Andrewâ€™s Presbyterian, Fenelon Falls Fenelon Falls United, Knox Presbyterian Church, Woodville, Cameron Street Baptist Church in Lindsay Fenelon Falls United Church (centre)

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}} Stories from Kawartha Lakes

Since its launch in February, The Advocate Podcast, an entirely local newsmagazine show, was always intended to be polished, professionally produced, and journalistically sound. “And we believe that’s what made this show stand out,” says Roderick Benns, publisher of The Advocate. “We wanted this to sound like the current affairs and lifestyle programs you’d hear on the CBC, NPR or BBC, complete with theme music, (created by Gerald Van Halteren), and even sound effects to tell stories — but stories specifically geared to people in Kawartha Lakes.” Joli Scheidler-Benns, co-owner of The Advocate, adds, “We’ve shown that you can create a great program, with great journalism — and even levity and humour — that doesn’t have to emanate from ‘the big city.’” For producer and host Denis Grignon, a Dunsford resident who started his broadcast career at the CBC in Ottawa, The Advocate Podcast allows him to celebrate so much of what he’s come to love about Kawartha Lakes.

(705) 878-0483 | www.cathyallan.ca 98 Kent St. W. | Downtown Lindsay

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Discovery Exploration Entertainment KawarthaLakesLibrary.ca Sharon Walker is the creative director at Maryboro Lodge: The Fenelon Museum. She is documenting local, heirloom recipes for a cookbook. If you have a recipe that you would like to see featured, contact her at sharon@maryboro.ca.

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byBarbara Barbara Olson by Olson CROSSWORD by Barbara Olson YouCan CanSay SayThat ThatAgain! Again! You © ClassiCanadian Crosswords by Barbara Olson ©©ClassiCanadian ClassiCanadianCrosswords Crosswords You Can Say That Again! © ClassiCanadian Crosswords ACROSS YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN! 10 11 12 13 Across 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 10 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 12 13 13 Across Across Take___view (frown on) Across 11 1 Take___view Take___viewofof of(frown (frownon) on) 5 Like a three-alarm fire 1 Take___view of (frown 55 Like fire Likeaathree-alarm three-alarm fire on) 11 Anthropology deg. 5 Like a three-alarm 11 Anthropology deg. 11 Anthropology deg.fire 14 Cloverleaf product 11 Anthropology deg. 14 14 Cloverleaf Cloverleafproduct product 15 Pound with one's fists 14 Cloverleaf product 15 one's 15 Pound Poundwith with one'sfists fists 16 Muesli morsel 15 Pound with one's fists 16 16 Muesli Mueslimorsel morsel 17 Utter exhaustion 16 Muesli morsel inin 17 17 Utter Utterexhaustion exhaustion in Switzerland's capital Switzerland's capital Switzerland's capital 17 Utter exhaustion in 19 Jagmeet Singh's pol. grp. Switzerland's capital 19 pol. 19 Jagmeet JagmeetSingh's Singh's pol.grp. grp. 20 Hilo hello 19 Jagmeet Singh's pol. grp. 20 20 Hilo Hilohello hello 21 Sprinkled arsenic on the eggs, 20 Hilo hello arsenic 21 21 Sprinkled Sprinkled arsenicon onthe theeggs, eggs, say say 21 say Sprinkled arsenic on the eggs, 23 Sorry feeling say 23 23 Sorry Sorryfeeling feeling 25 Stirs up the pot 23 Sorry feeling 25 25 Stirs Stirsup upthe thepot pot 27 Lunch counter request India's 25 Stirs upcounter the potrequest 27 27 Lunch Lunch counter requestinin inIndia's India's second largest city largest city second largestrequest city 27 second Lunch counter in India's 31 Years and years and years second largest city 31 years and 31 Years Yearsand and years andyears years 32 Umbrella part 31 Years and years and years 32 Umbrella part 32 Umbrella part 33 Belonging "cet homme" 32 Umbrella part 33 toto 33 Belonging Belonging to"cet "cethomme" homme" 34 Superior vision? 33 Belonging to "cet homme" 34 34 Superior Superiorvision? vision? 37 Boutique section for little ladies 34 Superior 37 section 37 Boutique Boutiquevision? sectionfor forlittle littleladies ladies 40 Four-song discs, briefly 37 Boutique section little ladies 40 discs, briefly 40 Four-song Four-song discs,for briefly 41 Off base? 40 41 Off 41 Four-song Offbase? base? discs, briefly 43 One with smart comeback 41 Off base? 43 with 43 One One withaa asmart smartcomeback comeback 44 ___ loss for words 43 One with a smart comeback 44 ___ loss for words 44 ___ loss for words 46 Bosom buddies an Olympic 44 ___ lossbuddies for words 46 inin 46 Bosom Bosom buddies inan anOlympic Olympic city of South Korea Korea cityofofSouth South Korea 46 city Bosom buddies in an Olympic 51 ___ blue streak (babble city South Korea 51 blue streak (babble 51 ___ ___of blue streak (babbleatat at length) length) 51 length) ___ blue streak (babble at 52 Narrow strip land length) 52 52 Narrow Narrowstrip stripofof ofland land 54 Pudding ingredient, said 52 Narrow strip of land 54 Pudding ingredient, 54 Pudding ingredient,itititisis issaid said 58 "___ tell" ("My lips are sealed") 54 Pudding it issealed") said 58 ("My 58 "___ "___tell" tell"ingredient, ("Mylips lipsare are sealed") 59 Product testing org. 58 "___ tell"testing ("My lips are sealed") 59 org. 59 Product Product testing org. 60 "No problem", in a French film 59 Product testinginin org. 60 aaFrench 60 "No "Noproblem", problem", Frenchfilm film festival city festival city festival city in a French film 60 "No problem", 62 Be down with something festival city 62 with 62 Be Bedown down withsomething something 63 Look up to 62 Be down with 63 up 63 Look Look upto to something 64 Legit 63 64 Legit 64 Look Legitup to 65 "The pond": Abbr. 64 Legit 65 65 "The "Thepond": pond":Abbr. Abbr. 66 Flying threat Africa 65 "The pond": Abbr. 66 66 Flying Flyingthreat threatinin inAfrica Africa 67 "The ___" (B.C. e-magazine 66 Flying threat in Africa 67 (B.C. e-magazine 67 "The "The___" ___" (B.C. e-magazine named for a salmon) named for aasalmon) named for(B.C. salmon) 67 "The ___" e-magazine named for a salmon) DOWN Down Down Down 1 Before Beforethe thecourt, court,toto toaa alawyer lawyer Down 11 Before the court, lawyer 2 Faced off at dawn, perhaps 12 Faced Before the to perhaps aperhaps lawyer 2 Facedoff offatcourt, atdawn, dawn, 3 Where Where to do as the locals do, 23 Faced off at dawn, perhaps 3 to do as the locals Where to do as the localsdo, do, per a saying per a saying per a saying 3 Where to do as the locals do, per a saying

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BOOKS

READER SPOTLIGHT Courtesy of Kawartha Lakes Public Library

ELLEN EDNEY

Mariposa Woolen Mill and Farm Market

Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy: What Should You Know? Pregnancy is a beautiful time. The human body can do incredible things. However, despite your excitement, pregnancy may also come with various aches and pains. As your baby grows, your body adjusts. Further, the uterus may come under stress due to subluxations or dysfunctions of the pelvis and spine. And as you move through your pregnancy, ligaments in the pelvis begin to relax as your body prepares for birth. Yet, this relaxation may cause further pelvis misalignments and problems. In turn, this may make labour difficult.

There has been a welcome surge of interest in where our food comes from. In Dirt to Soil, Gabe Brown, a global leader in restorative agriculture, explains his journey, and looks at both where and how our food is produced and what can be done differently with less damage to our natural resources.

Luckily, chiropractic care can help correct sacral subluxations and SI joint dysfunctions, making for a smoother and easier birth. In particular, the Webster Technique is a highly successful and renowned chiropractic method that helps realign the pelvis and help the baby move as it should.

The Webster Technique The Webster Technique is very safe and highly effective. With regular adjustments throughout your pregnancy, the Webster Technique can ensure a safer and easier birth and pregnancy. This technique works to realign the sacrum, the bone structure at the base of the spine and back of the pelvis. This helps to relieve the tension and stress placed on the uterus. No forces are applied to the baby - the technique simply makes more room for the baby to move. It also allows for a better fetal position, which makes the birthing process easier for both mom and baby.

Choose Chiropractic Care Throughout Your Pregnancy

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FRIENDS & NEIGHBOURS

Nigerian family makes Lindsay their new home From Lagos to Lindsay. From a city in Nigeria five times the size of Toronto to a town of some 21,000 souls. Quite a leap to jump an ocean and a continent, but Tobi and Francis Ogunnowo did so — and found welcoming arms. Tobi and Francis, their then-seven-year-old daughter, Oreofe, and six-month-old son,Victor, arrived in Lindsay in May 2018. A week after coming to town, they started tackling the logistics of settling in. While Francis arranged to open accounts for them at the TD bank,Tobi took a seat by the window and fed the baby spoonfuls of yogurt. Looking out she saw Income Tax Plus, and though casually dressed and yogurtsmeared, she headed over to enquire about volunteering. After being warmly welcomed, she explained she was a newly-arrived immigrant from Nigeria, had an MBA and was a chartered professional accountant, and asked about volunteering. The woman she spoke to explained the business didn’t have any openings but began scratching out a list of places to try. Someone else chimed in, suggesting Ralston Evans, CPA. A few minutes spent chatting, and Evans invited Tobi to submit a resumé. By the time Francis had to return to his banking job in Lagos two weeks later to complete a major project he had started there, Tobi had accepted a paid position in Ralston’s accountancy firm. Tobi’s sister, a social worker, had come to Lindsay and had had good things to say. Tobi now had her own story. “If the people in a community are welcoming, you see the beauty” of that community. Much of her work at Ralston Evans was for Pinnguaq, the innovative Lindsay not-for-profit tech organization that at the time was housed in the same building. A year ago, she became Pinnguaq’s junior finance officer and is now acting manager of finance. (“We stole Tobi — with permission,” says Ryan Oliver of Pinnguaq.) This February, Francis rejoined Tobi and their children. They say it is good to be together again and though job prospects for Francis — who has an MSc in

JAMIE MORRIS Writer-at-large

finance and is a certified information systems auditor — have been hampered by COVID-19, he looks forward to an opportunity and to contributing to the community. All this Tobi and Francis, Victor in his lap, share over cold drinks (at a distance, of course) on my back deck. But I also want to hear about their homeland.They came here for the greater opportunities Canada provided, but have an abiding attachment to Nigeria and pride in their Nigerian roots.

Francis and Tobi Ogunnowo. Photo: Jamie Morris.

They speak of the Nigerian people with affection and pride. “We have three major tribes,” says Francis, “but then branches of each of those, each with their own language or dialect.” “We are a hard-working, intelligent people and have a strong education system,” adds Tobi. And Nigerian culture? Tobi describes lively gatherings full of music and colour and shows me a photo of herself in a wedding party: she and two other women in bright-red beaded robes, abundant jewelry and head ties known as geles. The Ogunnowos have been welcomed to Canada. Francis says once COVID-19 relaxes its grip, we should visit Nigeria and experience a Nigerian welcome. “You will be wowed,” he tells me, with “sunshine, beaches and fish straight from the ocean, tourist attractions such as Obudu Cattle Ranch and Olumo Rock.” I can only imagine.

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JUST IN TIME

The Silent Treatment

}} Uncovering Racism in Local History SMASH! A chunk of ice sails through the glass of the Chuong Sun Laundry in downtown Lindsay as belligerent, racial slurs echo from one side of the street to the other. CRASH! A young man armed with a brick obliterates another window as the crowd about him thunders with approval. More vituperative, racist rumblings erupt into a roar of hate as whatever projectiles rioters can gather from the street are lobbed into the aforesaid laundry, above which laundryman Lee Ten Yun hides. By the wee small hours of February 1, 1919, the vandals’ victims included not only the Chuong Sun Laundry, but also a restaurant and another business operated by members of Lindsay’s Chinese community. According to the local rumour mill, Lee Ten Yun had been mistreating his wife, Lin Tee, whom local physician Dr. Olive Ray believed was suffering from mental illness. Lin was arrested on the charge of insanity, brought about by a criminal justice system that wished to keep an individual from harming themselves or someone else through no fault of their own. But those wreaking havoc in downtown Lindsay that winter night 101 years ago believed that it was her husband who ought to have been placed in custody. Widespread popular opinion in Canada at the time held fast to ideas that Chinese men were dangerous, psychopathic sexual predators. (As historian Joan Sangster points out, these suspicions against Chinese men often “ ... centred on their supposed roles as pimps and drug pushers”). It was against this backdrop that Lindsay’s infamous race riot played out. A more detailed analysis of the story can be found in Lisa R. Mar’s essay “The Tale of Lin Tee: Madness, Family Violence, and Lindsay’s Anti-Chinese Riot of 1919” in the anthology Sisters Or Strangers: Immigrant, Ethnic and Racialized Women in Canadian History, but the story is all but absent from the “authorized versions” of local history. Dr. Watson Kirkconnell’s 1967 County of Victoria Centennial History makes

IAN McKECHNIE Writer-at-large

no mention of it, nor does the building once home to the Chuong Sun Laundry appear in Bless These Walls, a pictorial account of Lindsay’s built heritage first published in 1982 and revised in 2000. More’s the pity. When discussing the difficult topic of cultural and racial discrimination in Kawartha Lakes and its predecessor Victoria County, the authorized versions of local history — books published under the auspices of municipal governments and related bodies — leave a great deal to be desired. In fact, they have often perpetuated stereotypes in their retelling of history. Consider, for instance, Dr. Kirkconnell’s Centennial History, with its problematically titled eighth chapter: “Annals Of The Red Man.” Kirkconnell devotes 17 pages to Indigenous history halfway through the book, and his choice of language

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tends to portray First Peoples as little more than historical curiosities. Commenting on archaeological findings, Kirkconnell observes with colonial overtones that “a few of these traces belong to a people whose diminished descendants still linger on in fenced-off corners of our land.” He goes on to describe the scene in a Huron longhouse as “a welter of noisy lawlessness,” among other adjectives, depicting the Huron in culturally demeaning terms. Such attitudes predated Kirkconnell by more than a few generations. Howard Pammett’s Lilies and Shamrocks: A History of Emily Township County of Victoria, 1818-1973 relates the story of one settler who called Indigenous peoples “strange wild forest savages [with] long black hair hanging loose and matted.” A few years before Pammett’s history was published, Islay Lambert was completing her book, Call Them Blessed: A History of Cannington, 1817-1971, in which she tells readers that “Indians were strange creatures, therefore to be feared almost as much as the wild animals that lurked in the surrounding forest.” It is hard to tell the extent to which these authorized histories informed public perceptions of Indigenous heritage, but there they remain — unedited or updated in the half century since they were first published. Another story which rarely makes it into the pages of local history is that of the minstrel shows in Lindsay’s Academy Theatre. As was the case in many small When discussing the difficult topic of cultural towns, local residents flocked to theatre to watch their fellow and racial discrimination the citizens don blackface and entertain in Kawartha Lakes and patrons through song and dance. its predecessor Victoria Popular throughout the first half of the 20th century, minstrel shows County, the authorized in Lindsay were often preceded versions of local history by parades of costumed actors up leave a great deal to Kent Street. As recently as 1970, the Academy Theatre was playing be desired. In fact, they host to this type of entertainment, have often perpetuated which local reporter Ford Moynes stereotypes in their dubiously claimed to have its retelling of history. origins in African-American culture. (The reality, of course, was more complicated than that: Black troupes did emerge in the 1850s, but minstrel shows traced their origin to the preabolition era, and played on the grossest of stereotypes.) The parks and public squares in Kawartha Lakes may be devoid of the statues which in other communities are sparking conversations about race and colonialism, but we are not free from historical reckoning. Local histories have been strangely silent on questions of racism, and while it is tempting to say that their authors were simply products of their time, more can be done to raise awareness of the history they ignored or played down. Acknowledging the omissions in those authorized histories is one step; expanding and updating them is another, inviting Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour to contribute their own stories and traditions to the rich historical record of our community.

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TREVOR’S TAKE TREVOR HUTCHINSON Contributing Editor

The Back-toSchool Gamble

My partner and I are the type of parents who take a family selfie, now ubiquitous on social media, on the first day of class, with the parents looking the happiest of all because the kids are finally out of our hair. But as for every parent I know, this year is different. Our kids really need a return to routine. Both my partner and I work, and we didn’t excel at homeschooling. Unlike rich people, we can’t afford to hire a private teacher. So, school it is. But despite knowing this needs to happen, I am worried. And I am scared. I’m also a little bit skeptical of the plans for a safe return to school. And I’m not alone. Many epidemiologists and public health policy experts question the safety of the Ontario plan. Responding to criticism, the Ford government increased their safe school plan from $309 million dollars to $377 million. (To get an idea of its importance, compare that figure to the $500 million the government sent to Ontario Lottery and Gaming to help with its COVID-related shortfall.) The government will also allow schools to spend reserve money to reduce class sizes, but this is not new money and is at the discretion of local boards. Ford has said that it isn’t the government’s plan but rather a plan developed by the Hospital for Sick Children. As it turns out, this isn’t exactly true. The government grabbed some elements of the Sick Kids plan but ignored other key recommendations. Sick Kids itself felt the need to respond in a joint statement stressing the importance of “hand hygiene, cleaning, physical distancing, class sizes, cohorting, masking for older students when distancing is not possible, and improved ventilation in classrooms.” And here’s the rub. The Ford plan doesn’t do anything to reduce class sizes. In a mid-August letter to parents,Wes Hahn — the new director of our public school board — told local parents, “Students in classrooms will not be able to physically distance by two metres, but they can make efforts to distance themselves as much as possible (e.g. not touching another student.)” And that $50 million announced for improving ventilation? That is a scant 0.3% of the current backlog of needed school repairs in Ontario. I don’t know about you, but this makes me nervous. Data from other countries on school openings and the re-emergence of the virus, and the growing body of evidence that says kids can be effective vectors for the spread of COVID, is only more cause for concern. For my family, with three kids in two different schools, our “bubble” will grow by at least 100 people. I have three lung diseases and one of our daughters is immuno-impaired. As for all of us, the stakes for our household are high. I love a good bet but it feels like the Ontario plan is gambling on my family’s health.

Looking forward to welcoming staff, customers + extended family back New hours! 7 days a week 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

We are ready! Yours in Good Health,

- The Smitty’s Gang

SOLUTION

to this month’s crossword, You Can Say That 37 page

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By Barbara Olson © ClassiCanadian Crosswords

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Community Care Is Open to Serve You! Community Care City of Kawartha Lakes is open and at your service! We have implemented COVID safety protocols for all our programs and services and are on standby to assist you!

Please join the Community Care Foundation for our first-ever virtual Hike for Hospice on, before, or even after Sunday, September 13.

Please call us at 705-324-7323 if we can help with: Specialized and Volunteer transportation Meals on Wheels Hospice Services including Grief Support Essential Errands (groceries, pharmacy, etc.) Support for Seniors and their Caregivers (GAIN clinic; in-home visits; virtual Adult Day Program) Health Care Visitsâ€”Physician, Nurse Practitioner, Foot Care, Social Work, Nutrition Wellness Programs (Nordic Pole Walking; Wellness Groupsâ€”virtual meetings) We look forward to partnering with you to support your health and independent living!

ADULT LIFESTYLE CONDOMINIUMS

The virtual Hike for Hospice is an amazing opportunity to come together with loved ones, anytime, anywhere, to raise much needed funds for Hospice Services. Our Hospice Services support people through more than 40% of all annual deaths in the community, and throughout COVID-19 have continued to provide vital support programs. Please register or donate online at www.hikeforhospice.ca or text CARE to 45678 to donate $10 or $25 to Community Care Foundation.

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