Issue 37 October 2, 2025

The Times, Canada Post, and the Future

by David Shanahan

Talk about “The Times they are a’changing”! In the last two weeks, issues around Canada Post, the CUPW, and the Canadian Government have put the North Grenville Times into a serious quandary. The initial union decision not to deliver “Neighbourhood Mail”, meaning unaddressed items such as flyers and, significantly, newspapers. The Times is delivered

to every home in NG under that category, and so there’s been no delivery for the past two weeks. The move came too late for us to find alternate ways of getting the paper out, and so there was no issue for September 18. For this issue, we’ve reduced the number of copies printed and placed them in stores, restaurants and other public locations, hoping readers find them.

But now that the Canadian Government has

announced the likely end of all door-to-door deliveries, this present challenge looks like becoming permanent, and so we have to find new ways of delivering the Times to readers across the region. What the long-term impact of this will be is impossible to know at present, and serious thought needs to be given to whether a print version of the Times remains a viable option. It is our intention to keep it in print, but that will depend on

how the next weeks turn out. One likely option is for us to invest in boxes, such as other papers have used in the past, placing them in various places around North Grenville.

For now, however, we have a wonderful group of people bringing the Times to you via a limited door-to-door service, as well as dropping copies off at the B&H Grocery store, the box at Burritt’s Rapids, Canadian Tire, the Independent grocery store, Brewed Awakening on CR 43, Foodland in Merrickville, Kemptville Bowling Lanes, local restaurants and gas stations, seniors’ residences and nursing homes, the Municipal Centre, and other locations as they become available.

We at the Times really appreciate all the help the community has given us in this difficult time, and will do our best to continue to provide residents with local news and information in this our 20th year publishing newsletters and newspapers in North Grenville. Yes, indeed, the Times they are a’changing.

Who knows where the Times goes?

Susan Rennie sent in this photo from their recent trip to Nova Scotia. “Our mini vacation this past September to Halifax, Nova Scotia, we paid a visited the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21!”

Susan is standing in front of Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

Winners of the "Who Knows where the Times goes"

Book Reviews

by Steve Gabell

Picks & Shovels, Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow is one the most important writers on tech trends around today. He coined the term "enshittification" to describe how companies lure consumers in, reach dominance in a market, and then their platforms degrade over time in the chase for profit, and has written about surveillance capitalism.

Along with his non-fiction writing, Doctorow has written a number of novels. One series casts Martin Hench as the main character, a forensic accountant who invented the role. Doctorow's latest book in this series, Picks & Shovels takes us back to the mid-80s and the early days of the computing boom, when 3.5" floppy disks were state of the art and home computers had 16kb of RAM (or 32kb if you were lucky!).

Fresh from flunking out of MIT, Hench takes on an accounting course while also hanging out with a group of computer enthusiasts, giving him knowledge of both fields. After decamping to San Francisco with his roommate, he picks up a few accounting odd-jobs before being hired by Fidelity Computing to investigate a rival company established by disgruntled ex-employees. While Fidelity Computing is run by three men of the cloth their top priority is to fleece their customers and to keep them in their closed ecosystem of equipment and consumables and Hench quickly realises Fidelity is not a reputable business.

We take it largely for granted that todays home computers are built on the principle of inter-operability, that a Lenovo laptop can use a Microsoft operating system, Google software, a Logitech mouse, and a Canon printer, but we only have this freedom thanks to people who fought for it in the early days of the boom. This open vs closed battle is at the heart of Picks & Shovels as the upstart Computing Freedom tries to drive Fidelity Computing out of business with superior products.

It would have been easy for Doctorow to just deal with technological issues in this novel, but he also looks at some of the social issues that arose in San Francisco at the time: homosexuals being free to be themselves and choosing their own family after often being cut off from their blood family; the violent assaults they all too often encountered; and the early days of the AIDS pandemic. Doctorow touches on these issues in a sensitive manner through the eyes of Hench, a straight guy who's best friend is gay as they both adjust to their new environment.

In *Picks & Shovels* Doctorow evokes the spirit of the early PC days, and gives a portrait of Silicon Valley and San Francisco before the tech bros arrive. Despite the greed and the betrayals in the book there is a core of hope and honour. This is a great read for anyone vaguely interested in the history of home computing.

$40,000 in prizes up for grabs

Leeds Grenville's Greatest Entrepreneur business pitch competition is open for applications, with an exciting prize package that puts $40,000 on the table for local entrepreneurs.

Two grand prize winners will each take home $10,000 cash plus $10,000 in business support prizes: for a total of $20,000 per winner.

The deadline to apply is fast approaching: Friday, October 17, 2025 at 12 noon.

This competition is about more than the top prize. Every participant will benefit from business development coaching with expert advisors, and all finalists will receive:

• Media and community exposure to raise their profile

• A small cash prize to fuel their next step

"This is a chance for entrepreneurs at all stages, whether you're running a business or just launching an idea, to gain the skills, support, and visibility needed to grow," said Trish McNamara, Executive Director of 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation.

"Leeds & Grenville is full of innovative thinkers and resilient businesses. This competition is designed to uncover and showcase that local talent, giving our entrepreneurs a stage to shine and be celebrated," said Katie Nolan, Executive Director of Community Futures Grenville.

Key Dates:

• Application deadline: October 17, 2025 at 12 noon

• Finalists announced: November 2025

• Pitch Finale: January 28, 2026

Learn more at www.lggreatestentrepreneur.ca/entrepreneurs.

This premier business pitch competition is presented by 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation and Community Futures Grenville, two of 36 organizations across southern Ontario delivering the national Community Futures Program. Designed to foster economic development in rural communities, the Community Futures Program is funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

Ontarians blame Ford’s underfunding for school cuts: poll

(COMMUNITYWIRE) Just weeks after students returned to class, and a month since Education Minister Paul Calandra began his scapegoat-the-schoolboards media blitz, a new poll has found that a decisive majority of Ontarians lay the blame for cuts to public education and the lack of support services in schools at the door of Doug Ford’s Conservatives.

The public opinion survey by Abacus Data confirms that most Ontarians hold the Ford Conservative government – not local trustees – responsible for the underfunding that denies vital classroom services to students across the province.

“Ontarians know that the biggest problem for education is provincial underfunding; the cuts that hurt students, schools and education workers aren’t the fault of local and accountable school boards trustees. In fact, Ontarians value the people who are democratically elected to represent communities’ and parents’ interests,” said Fred Hahn, a social

worker and the president of CUPE Ontario.

For many years, provincial funding for education has failed to keep up with inflation and higher enrollments. However, the inadequacy of education funding has gotten even worse since the Ford government took power in 2018, resulting in lasting damage to students and workers.

Joe Tigani, an educational assistant and the president of CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU), said: “The Ford Conservatives have underfunded public education in Ontario by billions of dollars since 2018, and students and the education workers who support them are at a breaking point.

“It’s time for Premier Doug Ford to listen to workers. After all, he has claimed to be ‘for workers’ and we’re telling him: fix the problem by filling the funding gap you’ve made so much worse. Parents know the problem, and they aren’t buying your attempts to blame democratically elected local trustees for shortfalls.”

“We were shocked by the numbers of people so angered by Conservative plans to scapegoat school boards that they’d rather get rid of the Minister of Education than their democratically elected trustees,” said Fred Hahn, noting that two-thirds of those polled want Education Minister Paul Calandra fired “for his attempts to undermine Ontario democracy through this anti-parent power grab to eliminate local school trustees.”

“I don’t think the Conservatives realize the nerve they have hit here,” said Joe Tigani. “Now is the time to change course, to fund our schools and quell the righteous concerns and anger of parents and education workers.”

Share your ideas for positive change in North Grenville and you could win the title of Mayor for a Day and the opportunity to shadow Mayor Nancy Peckford to gain valuable insights into the workings of local government.

Open to students in grades 7 through 12 who live in North Grenville. Visit:

Deadline: Monday, October 6th, 2025 at 4:00 pm

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Never going back again

by David Shanahan

As you will have seen on our front page today, things are changing quickly for the North Grenville Times, and for all of us who use Canada Post in our many ways. It’s hard to imagine life without daily mail deliveries to our door or mail box, difficult to understand how radically the way we normally communicate with each other has been revolutionised in the past few decades. Email and social media posts have largely replaced the traditional hand-written letter and postcard for almost everyone. In fact, looking at the younger generations, you can see that they have never been taught handwriting at all. Keyboards have taken over from pens and pencils, and those of us old enough to remember practicing writing between blue and red lines in school copybooks are a dying breed.

Canada is only the latest country to decide to end door-to-door mail deliveries. Many European

countries have already phased it out, Denmark being the latest to make the move just last month.

After mail volumes decreased by an astonishing 90% since 2020, the country’s postal service will cease letter delivery at the end of this year, after two centuries of service.

Canada is only following a trend that has been irresistible globally. The efforts of postal unions to stem this overwhelming tide are desperate, but, ultimately, doomed. No corporation can afford to lost $1.5 billion every year.

When was the last time you wrote a letter, put it in an envelope and bought a stamp to place in a mailbox? There are still some who depend on the old ways, one or two of whom write letters to the Editor here on a regular basis. Parcels will continue to be handled by a much-reduced Canada Post, assuming the government succeeds in their plans for the Crown Corporation, but the end will come for a long tradition reaching back to the early Nineteenth Century (see the article on Post offices

Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

It is with a great deal of disappointment to learn that the Municipality of North Grenville does not appear to be living up to its stated commitment (in various fora) to support Seniors in our Community. While funds have been allocated to a wide range of recreational activities, some of which have been funded through by ParticipACTION (where seniors contributed their efforts to help win the award), there seems to be a reluctance by our Municipal Council to return in kind by making municipal facilities available at an affordable rate for seniors’ fitness classes. I am referring specifically to the CHPC sponsored Seniors’ Exercise Class. From what I understand, there was no offer for municipal facilities to be provided at a discounted rate to work within CPHP’s budget. Seniors are taxpayers too and should have access to programs that are tailored for

elsewhere in this issue).

Postal services are just one area where major change is taking place in society generally. In politics, international relations, the economy, and everyday use of technology, major and fundamental changes are striking with amazing rapidity. Canada’s relations with the rest of the world, most particularly with the United States, have been transformed even over the last nine months. New alliances are being formed to deal with the drastic shift in the way nations find themselves in relation to the Excited States of Trump.

This means major alterations in economic and military ties between individual countries and whole blocks, such as the EU, NATO, and the “Coalition of the Willing”, those countries committed to the ongoing support of Ukraine against Russian aggression in spite of the unreliable stance of the Trump administration. The genocidal campaign of the Netanyahu regime against Palestinians in Gaza has completely changed Israel’s standing in the world.

Any moral high ground it might have enjoyed before has been swept away with the destruction and massacres they have inflicted on women and children, hospitals, schools and refugee camps.

This, in turn, has changed the nature of hard-won alliances built up over decades, leaving Arab states ready to end peace agreements reached with Israel.

And the wider world community are slowly, far too slowly, banding together in rejection of Netanyahu’s homicidal attempts to destroy the future of Palestine. More countries are recognising the State of Palestine, more governments are condemning genocide in explicit terms. Pro-Palestinian protests are being held around the world, in places where Palestine had been virtually ignored for years. The threat of a world war has grown more threatening because of Gaza, Israel, Russia and Ukraine, and the rest of the world is waking up to the fact that the post-WWII international rule of law and military and economic

alliances is over, forever. No matter when Trump, or Putin, or Netanyahu are gone (and the sooner, the better), it has to be realised that there’s no going back. The world has changed in these past months in ways that are irrevocable. Yes, much will continue to appear the same, we will still have our governments, elections, wars and trade issues. Day-to-day life will continue; but, just as mailing a letter will never be the same again if the federal government push through with its plans for Canada Post, so international travel will be different as people everywhere plan their trips with an eye on international relations. Canadians have spoken loudly by curtailing links with the U.S., and other forms of sanctions, both official and unofficial, albeit effective, like those imposed by Canadians, will, and have, shaken up the established norms across so many aspects of society. We’re never going back again.

2291-0301

them, even if they are not sponsored by the Municipality. Other municipalities in the region are providing facilities at no or minimum charge for these classes.

The classes are oversubscribed and wait lists have to be established, which is a strong indication of the demand. While the instructors are required to be certified, they conduct classes on a volunteer basis, so no additional cost to the Municipality. We don’t only need the promise of a sports dome in the future but rather, we need an adequate place to exercise now and going forward for the foreseeable future.

Council should be supporting its seniors not only by word but by action.

Thank you

Mary Cruse and Colleen Sampson

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention program expanded

The Ontario government has expanded the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention program to include all individuals aged 75 years and older, helping to protect those most vulnerable during the upcoming respiratory illness season. Older adults, particularly those with existing health conditions, are more susceptible to severe disease and have an increased risk of RSV-related hospitalization and death.

The South East Health Unit (SEHU) recommends that those who are eligible for RSV protection get vaccinated this respiratory season.

“The RSV vaccine is safe and effective in helping prevent serious disease from RSV infection in high-risk populations, like for those over the age of 75,” said Dr. Ethan Toumishey, Deputy Medical Officer of

Health for SEHU. “It’s important for those who meet the eligibility criteria to take this opportunity to protect themselves from serious complications of the virus.”

Eligible individuals include those who are: 75 years of age and older 60 to 74 years of age, who meet high-risk criteria, including:

Residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, or Elder Care

Lodges

Patients in hospital receiving alternate level of care (ALC)

Patients receiving dialysis

Solid organ or stem cell transplant recipients

Individuals experiencing homelessness

Individuals who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis

Where can I get my vaccine?

Speak to your healthcare provider about get-

ting your RSV vaccine. Currently, pharmacies do not administer RSV immunizations as part of Ontario’s publicly funded immunization program.

If you do not have a health-care provider, SEHU is offering RSV vaccine clinics across the region for eligible individuals. Appointments can be booked at: call 1-800-660-5853 extension 2313.

Do I need another dose if I received the RSV vaccine last season?

If you received an RSV vaccine previously, you do not need another dose this season. Studies show multi-year protection from the vaccination, and the timing for future doses is still under review.

For more information about the RSV vaccine, and the infant RSV vaccination program

please visit our RSV page: www.kflaph.ca/en/ health-topics/respiratory-syncytial-virus-rsvvaccine.aspx.

Here comes the night

by David Shanahan

“Here comes that feeling that I’d forgotten. How strange these streets feel when you’re alone on them. Each pair of eyes just filled with suggestion. So I lower my head, make a beeline for home. Seething inside.”

[Cowboy Junkies, “Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning”]

I know it’s not really possible for a man to understand the feel and depth of those lines. The sense of vulnerability mixed with anger and frustration that can overcome someone when they find themselves in that situation. Walking down a street at night, alone, deeply aware of the presence of others, wondering if they will notice you, approach you, hurt you.

And it’s not just the physical assaults that concern you: there’s the psychological assault also.

“Each pair of eyes just filled with suggestion”, maybe just a look, a stare, or perhaps a few words thrown in too. Take Back the Night is a genuine aim, a real need for all of us. The statement needs to be made, loudly and clearly, both in the walk itself, and in the defiant

declaration: “Whose streets are these? Our Streets!”

It was wonderful that the Take Back the Night march in North Grenville has taken place. It is wonderful that so many stood up and walked in solidarity to reclaim the right to walk without fear or intimidation. It is also important that this foundation is built on, and that the whole subject of abuse, violence and intimidation against women is now talked about openly and with consistency. Yes, the Me Too movement has brought the issue to a higher profile, and people generally are more aware of the problem than they may have been before. But that doesn’t mean that everything is ok now. Far from it. This situation doesn’t start with men on the streets hassling women. It starts with young people seeing various forms of abuse in their home as they grow up. And not just abuse of their mothers or sisters, either. The Anti-Violence Coalition of Leeds & Grenville deals with elder abuse, teen violence and bullying, sexual assaults, and other forms of violence against people. Women are not the only victims of physical abuse, though they are, by

far, the most common ones. This is not, therefore, something for which women alone need to campaign: it is for all of us, for the health of our entire community.

I know there are some who think men should stay away from such events, that their presence is unnecessary and unnerving. But I would want those women, especially, who feel that way to understand that we feel a need to be there, to make our own statement of rejection against violence and intimidation of our wives, sisters, daughters and mothers. I have known, as have so many other men, the feelings of unease, almost of guilt, when I walk down a street, or get on an elevator, and find a women the only other person present. I know the sensation when they tighten up, aware of my presence as a potential threat to their well-being. I want to be able to say something, to reassure them that I am no threat, but I can’t. It might be taken as an intrusion, it might be seen as the start of an unwelcome approach.

So it is important that men can also stand up and say they support women, they believe them, they admire their courage, and they

want to play a part in changing things for the better, for all of us. Because the answer to women’s fears and anger is not to divide men from women, it is to make everyone comfortable with each other, to make those who cause this fear and anger aware that they are the minority, the unwelcome minority. We want them to know their behaviour and attitudes are not “macho”, not “manly”, not something to boast and be proud of.

All oppression, whether misogyny, racism, bigotry, gender discrimination, or ageism – whatever the nature of the disease, affects us all and needs to be confronted in the most peaceful yet effective ways we know. Whether it is daytime or the early hours of a dark night, whether it is at home, or at work, or in public, whether it is the young, the old, women should be allowed the freedom to be safe, free from fear, free from intimidation, or sexist comments and gestures. They should be free to walk with head raised, eyes clear, confident and unafraid. Long may it be so. Take back the streets, take back the right to be free, Take Back the Night.

Congratulations Winners

to the of the Community Futures Grenville 35th Anniversary Business Lifetime Achievement Award

Selected by the Board of Directors from among the hundreds of businesses that have accessed funding programs through CF Grenville since 1990, these businesses exemplify longevity, impact, and business excellence. Thank you for your vision, leadership, and commitment to our community’s success.

B&H Your Community Grocer

A second-generation, fully independent, family-owned grocery store, this business has been a community cornerstone since 1963. Celebrated as an outstanding employer and avid community supporter, they champion local farms, and delight customers with unique offerings and from-scratch deli and bakery creations.

Beach Equipment and Hardware

Founded in 1959, this adaptable family business is now thriving under its second generation, continuing a legacy of dedicated service to the community. From a long and successful franchise era to their current independent success, they provide customers with trusted access to hardware and equipment.

More than Just Babysitting Child Care Centre Inc.

Starting as a small rural childcare centre in 1987, this organization has blossomed into a thriving network with hundreds of spaces. For generations, families have trusted their caring team to provide nurturing, high-quality care, with many returning later to enrol children of their own.

Measurements International Limited

Founded in 1987, Measurements International has grown from a small rural innovator into a global leader in ultra-precise electrical metrology and transformer loss measurement systems. Trusted by leading laboratories worldwide, including NASA and NRC, their world-class expertise advances science, industry, and innovation from our community.

Together, these businesses remind us that strong communities are built by those who lead with adaptability, innovation, and heart.

73’s on a stuttering start for the season

by

G.J the sportsguy Friday evening was not for the faint of heart as the Cornwall Colts stampeded the 73’s in a 3 to 2 nail biter to open the season. Both teams provided end to end bump n’grind excitement with each riding the pine for twelve minutes to keep the initial twenty scoreless. Kemptville struck first when Eric Sweetapple dished it across to Sydney Loreto in the slot to punch the rubber through Colton

Rheaume five hole at 1:44 to start the second. Cornwall countered when William Cotton with helpers from Walker and Brown put it under Rylan Donovan at 12:41.

The 73’s came on strong when Nicholas Voicey partnered with Cade Campbell to rifle it top shelf for the tie breaker at 1:11. Unfortunately he was awarded with sin bin time to give the Colts the extra man. They capitalized on the opportunity

with Cotton skirting his defender to Beliveau unto Brandon Rockwell tape to snap it home to even it at two at 2:20. William Cotton picked up his second goal after Beliveau caught him to launch it skyward with only one second left in the final frame at 19:59 for the Colts game winner for 3 to 2 victory.

Kemptville outshot Cornwall 39 to 30 with 0/7 PP that they couldn’t take advantage of, to the Colts 1/8 PP.

Hoping to regroup as they faced the Rockland Nationals on Saturday evening, that produced another 6 to 1 devastating failure for Kemptville. Kemptville drew first blood with five on four from Eric Sweetapple cycling with John CollinsWilliams to find PPG Alexis Beaulieu in the triangle to beat Lincoln Molind at 14:35 in the first frame.

The flood gates opened up in the second stanza as Rockland had their way with four unanswered markers past Keegan Carswell, At 3:34 from Laframboise and Vohra to Alex Kelloway for the tie. Seydi with Brunet assisted Gabriel Le Houillier at 6:47 for tie breaker, Turnbull with Vohra with extra man to give PPG Alex Kelloway his second marker at 13:28. Baril combined with Le Houillier to Mavrick Brunet at 19:18 to make it a three point romp.

The 73’s handed the Nationals two more opportunities in the last frame when Noah Laframboise PPG from Penney and

Allie at 12:56. Again at 15:37 from Kelloway with Laurent to Dylan Allie PPG to stench the blood bath with a 6 to 1 beat down. Rockland smothered Kemptville 33 to 20 with 3/6 PP to 1/5 PP.

Kemptville on the bus over to the Den of the

Smiths Falls Bears for Friday evening and then haul on up the valley on Saturday night to meet the Wolves of Renfrew. Hockey with EDGE… see you around the wall.

A community without a local newspaper is a community with a VOID

SUPPORT THE NORTH GRENVILLE TIMES YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE

1. ONLINE: Visit ngtimes.ca to pay with PayPal

2. CHEQUE: Send a cheque to The North Grenville Times Box 1854 Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0 Include your name and address

3. BY PHONE : Pay with a credit card by phone cash, If email, we will call you back to process your order. 613-215-0735 or subscription@ngtimes.ca

Kemptville Youth Centre wishes to thank all Sponsors, Golfers and Volunteers for making its 13th Annual Golf Tournament at Rideau Glen a great success.

THE ROTARY CLUB OF KEMPTVILLE

TAYLOR BURKE REALTY TEAM

TMSI SPORTS MANAGEMENT

KEMPTVILLE STRESS RELIEF CENTRE

COBA STUDIOS & PRINT MERRICKVILLE WALKER & ASSOCIATES

MCDOUGALL BROWN INSURANCE CSE CONSULTING JANSEN LAW

CO-OPERATORS – JOANNE CARMICHAEL NORTH GRENVILLE TIMES

NORTH GRENVILLE BUSINESS BUILDERS

THE LAW OFFICE OF CONNIE LAMBLE

JUSTIN RICE INSURANCE

R B HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

YAZDANI DENTISTRY

FAT LES’S CHIP STAND

THOMAS M BYRNE BARRISTER & SOLICITOR

DOWNTOWN KEMPTVILLE BIA BEE ALARMED

UNITED WAY LEED & GRENVILLE

History Page

Putting a stamp on our history

by David Shanahan

These days we call it “snail mail”, but not very long ago the hand-written letter, sent through the mail, was the main mode of communication for individuals, families and commerce.

In fact, mailing a letter in the nineteenth century was a much more straightforward thing than it has been more recently. Someone in Kemptville, for example, could send a note to a friend in Ottawa in the morning and get a reply the same afternoon.

Mail delivery had been a Government undertaking from before the American Revolution, and for a long time the cost was determined by the weight of the missive. People not only wrote on both sides of the page, they wrote across each page, as well as up and down, crisscrossing the text and making it difficult to read, especially if the handwriting was poor. When the local government in Canada took over the mail in 1851, the postage stamp was introduced, making sending letters a great deal cheaper and easier. The government established local post offices as part of their network, official offices of the government, where letters could be sent and collected.

North Grenville was very well served by the Post Office. It was not a matter of someone from Bishops Mills having to go to Kemptville to mail or collect letters. Places such as Millar’s Corners and Acton’s Corners had their own Post Office, albeit briefly. Acton’s Corners Post Office was opened in October, 1899 and closed in October, 1914. John Morrison acted as Post Master there for that entire time. Millar’s Corners had a Post Office from 1880 to 1913, with the Millar and Tompkins fami-

lies acting as Post Masters for all but seven years. The Post Office at Oxford Station, an important location on the railway line, was first opened in 1866. James Sanderson and his daughter, Edna May, operated that Office for more than fifty years.

Pelton’s Corners, or South Gower as it was known then, had their own Post Office before anywhere else in North Grenville. Opened before 1838, with J. Hick as Post Master, it carried on business until it closed in 1913. Pelton’s Corners, like Heckston, was on the main coach road from Ottawa to Prescott, and that was the main reason for the Post Office being established in both locations, so close to each other. Heckston started out as Heck’s Corners, and opened in 1845. In 1857 the community was renamed “Heckston”, and the Post Office continued in operation until 1914. In those years, people saw their currency change from pounds, shillings and pence to dollars and cents, and, between 1871 and 1915, letters could be sent to anywhere in Canada for the price of a 1¢ stamp. Between 1877 and 1928, a letter could be sent anywhere in the British Empire for just 2¢.

For decades, the Post office was a social centre, where the community could gather and catch up on local news as they collected their mail. In 1915, free rural delivery of letters was introduced in Ontario, and the need for many of the small Post Offices diminished. As a result, many of the facilities in North Grenville were closed around that time.

Stephen Burritt was the first to run a Post Office in Burritt’s Rapids, from as early as 1839. But service was intermittent until af-

ter 1853. It was located in Kidd’s General Store where the Kidd family served as Post Masters for nearly a century. The Bishop’s Mills Post Office was located in Chauncey Bishop’s house from 1853 until 1878. In the short time I lived in the house, I can remember the letter box still existing in the wall of the summer kitchen. Sadly, it was demolished soon after. For many years, the Post Office was in the store opened by Moses Waldron at the crossroads: another institution that has only recently closed. The Nottell family acted as Post Masters for forty-one years; Mildred Adams, nee Nottell, being the last in that position when the office was closed in 1970, after serving for a quarter century.

Oxford Mills still has its Post Office, a facility it has enjoyed since Rickey Waugh was appointed to the job in 1852. For many years, it was located in the general store that Waugh opened and where the Brigadoon Restaurant is now located. The oldest Post Office in North Grenville, though, is Kemptville’s. William Bottum, or Squire Bottum as he liked to be called, set up the first Post Office around 1831 and served until his death in 1867. He was replaced by his Deputy, Robert Leslie, who moved the Post Office to his own building which stood beside the present Hyde’s restaurant until 1915. During that time, future Ontario Premier, G. Howard Ferguson, acted as Post Master for six years before being elected to the Town Council and starting his long and distinguished political career. In 1915, the Office moved to a specially designed building on the corner of Prescott and Reuben. As the picture shows, this was

quite a lovely building and brought character to downtown Kemptville for more than fifty years. In 1970, Kemptville Town Council allowed it to be demolished, one of a number of buildings vandalised around that time. The Post Office moved into the new and rather ugly building where it remains today. The two buildings, old and new, are shown in the picture. The rural Post Office may be largely gone and forgotten now, in the age of e-mail, but for decades they were community centres, places where people met and gossiped and shared stories. A traditional aspect of Ontario life removed to the history pages.

The Post Office installation from Bishop’s Mills was presented to the North Grenville Archives by the Adams family, and will be preserved and put on display for future generations to see and will be a memorial to those people over the decades who ran the local Post Offices, providing a social and business core at the heart of their communities.

Getting A-head of the Birds

All is still quiet in my garden, other than the delicate sound of falling leaves, as the prevailing dryness and the encroaching winter start to make their impactful presence known to us. Not that we really need reminding, as September draws to a

close and the lack of some of our summer visitors has become very evident. The swarming wasps are also a reminder, as they too stock up with whatever they can find from the remaining flowers and the sugar solution still remaining in the Hummingbird feeders that you and

I have provided for our smallest visitors during their short stay with us.

Whilst this annual event unfolds in its different ways, our regular birds are still here to keep our attention focused on them and their possible upcoming needs, which are the same all the year long, but are varying as the various sources of their food change with each of the seasons throughout the year. The only noticeable change in them might be in their behavior towards each other and also the changes that can be noticed in their individual plumage colourings.

Whilst the sun remains with us, the brilliant colours of some of our remaining birds is enhanced by the natural foliage changes also taking place, making them very photogenic. The Bluejays and Cardinals are particularly notable in this respect, even when it comes to frosty, or snowy days, when they really do stand out to us! Others, at this

New Marginal Lands Initiative Offers Up to 90% Funding

for Farmers

The Eastern Ontario Farm Stewardship Collaborative—which brings together Conservation Authorities, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Forests Canada, Watersheds Canada, Just Food, and other partners— is proud to launch the Resilient Agricultural Landscape Program (RALP) – Marginal Lands Initiative. This new funding opportunity will support farmers and rural landowners in implementing on-the-ground projects that improve soil and water health, restore habitat, and build climate resilience.

The initiative is being delivered by South Nation Conservation (SNC) on behalf of the Collaborative. It builds on decades of Conservation Authority leadership in delivering on-farm stewardship projects across Eastern Ontario, helping landowners cost-share environmental improvements that protect water quality and strengthen agricultural operations.

Beginning in 2025, landowners can access funding of up to 90% of eligible project costs for onfarm and rural initiatives. Free site visits are avail-

able to help inform project design and support applications, with Conservation Authorities able to help coordinate work activities.

“This program is a great opportunity for local landowners to enhance the health of their land while contributing to climate change mitigation,” said Michelle Cavanagh, Team Lead, Special Projects at South Nation Conservation. “It supports practical projects that help farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve soil and water health, and protect the natural features that make our region unique. Our team is here to work with landowners every step of the way to turn their ideas into action.”

The Marginal Lands Initiative supports a variety of on-the-ground stewardship projects, including: Planting trees and shrubs to improve soil and water health

Establishing grasslands and pollinator-friendly habitats

Installing vegetated buffers and fencing to protect waterways

Restoring wetlands and creating water retention

present time, are still being emphasized, when in some of our "evergreens", such as the male Goldfinches, whose yellow and black markings get well emphasized by perching in them. I sometime wonder whether that is a good move on their part, sitting there so prominently visible to us! I, on the other hand, am looking at them at their own level, whereas any of their predators might be searching from above, or below, them and miss them due to the foliage hiding their presence! I must admit that looking up at any of these bright coloured birds from the ground to take pictures, I find them lost to me and my camera very easily, even though I have seen them go into a particular part of the tree, so something is working in their favour from the predator aspect!

Stay safe and well, Cheers, John

Baldwin

I was listening to a Radio-Canada spot this past week on the shortage of blueberries up in the Saguenay, which is berry country at its best. Apparently, it isn't that the crop failed as much as the high demand for a uniquely flavoured product. Coincidentally, we tucked into blueberries and cream for dessert last night. Since wild blueberries (the tasty kind) are still available from other parts of Canada, why not try baking up a Blueberry Crumble?

Blueberry Crumble

Ingredients for the Blueberry Filling:

· 6 cups of fresh (preferably wild) blueberries

· ⅓ of a cup of flour

· ¼ of a cup each of white granulated sugar and of golden brown sugar

· 2 teaspoons of vanilla

· 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

· 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Ingredients for the Crumble Topping:

· 1 cup of flour

· ½ cup of the golden brown sugar

· 1 teaspoon of baking powder

· 2 teaspoons of grated lemon zests

· ½ cup of butter, cut into cubes

Preparation:

· Preheat your oven to 350 F

· In a large bowl, combine the blueberries with the rest of the ingredients

· Pour into a 9 inch pie dish

ponds`

With support from all levels of government and technical guidance from local stewardship experts, the program reduces financial barriers for farmers while targeting marginal lands where projects will deliver the greatest environmental benefits.

Applicants don’t need to have all project details finalized to apply; landowners can simply share property details, the area they hope to enhance or restore, and their goals or ideas.

Conservation Authority staff will then work directly with farmers to help design and deliver projects that meet program requirements.

This funding represents an important regional investment in Eastern Ontario’s farmland, helping to strengthen rural economies while protecting the shared water resources that sustain our communities.

Funding is available now; landowners are encouraged to confirm their eligibility and apply soon at www.eofsc.ca before starting any project work.

· In a medium bowl, combine all of the crumble ingredients except the butter

· Cut the butter into the crumble mix, then sprinkle on top of the blueberries

· Place the pie dish on a cookie sheet to avoid messy spillages in your oven

· Bake for about a half hour to get a golden brown top and a warm, thick blueberry sauce

If you are serving your Blueberry Crumble hot, let it cool a bit before topping with whipped cream, ice cream or my favourite ice yoghurt, all vanilla flavoured. Mind you, you can also heat up another cup of the fresh berries with a half cup of sugar and a squirt of lemon juice to prepare a hot sauce to pour over your masterpiece. Tea or coffee to accompany your crumble work great; they tone down the sweetness.

All the best for fall from pcormier@ranaprocess.com.

Budget conscious grocery shopping

by Dana Douglas, MScFN, RD, Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit

Saving Money at the Grocery Store

Successful grocery shopping begins before the grocery store. Start by making a meal plan and using this meal plan to create a grocery list. To develop your meal plan, take stock of the food you currently have in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry. Check flyers to see what's on sale and consider incorporating some in-season fruit and vegetables as they're less expensive and fresher. Pick meal ideas or recipes you know and like, or new ones you'd like to try. You may start with a full meal idea, or an ingredient and build the meal around it. Once the meal plan is finished, use it to develop your grocery list. Keep in mind the ingredients you already have and what you will need to purchase, and what quantity.

To save money at the grocery store, stick to your grocery list and try not to stray from it. Avoid shopping on an empty stomach, as everything looks more delicious when we're hungry and we're tempted to buy foods we don't necessarily need. Learn the regular prices of foods you buy often, as this will help you decide which stores have the best price and if you're getting a good price on sale items. Compare the unit price of similar items to see which is cheaper. The unit price indicates how much something costs per "unit" (per 100 grams or 100 millilitres). It is usually on the price tag, in small print under the main price.

For more information, visit the Health Unit's website at healthunit.org, connect with us on Facebook or X @LGLHealthUnit, or call 1-800-660-5853.

Rural theft is on the rise: here’s how to protect yourself

by Andrea McCoyNaperstkow, Director, OFA

It’s a sinking feeling you don’t forget. And it’s one that more and more Ontarians, including in rural communities, are experiencing: finding yourself the victim of theft. My experience happened while at a conference of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) – my first one as a new director on the organization’s board – in Toronto when my vehicle was stolen out of a hotel parking lot.

Farms and rural communities are increasingly becoming targets too.

I’ve lived in the country my whole life, and I’ve always felt a sense of safety that comes with knowing your neighbours. But that reality is changing: thefts that once seemed like “city problems” are showing up more and more in our rural communities, and farmers are often prime targets.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada reports that in Ontario alone, auto theft claims costs increased by 524% between 2018 and 2023 and reached more than $1 billion annually for the first time in 2023. Actions by the Ontario government to crack down on auto thefts are providing some relief, but the problem remains a significant one.

The OFA recently hosted a webinar with on the topic featuring a constable from Perth County OPP. He noted that in rural areas, rising drug addictions are a key driver behind vehicle thefts – and trucks and SUVs, particularly newer models, are attractive targets. The way cars are stolen is becoming more sophisticated too. Many stolen vehicles are shipped overseas or stripped for parts, and thieves increasingly using technol-

ogy to make thefts quick and quiet.

The good news is that many thefts are preventable, according to police, but to protect yourself, it’s important to know the main ways vehicles are stolen. Four of the most common methods include:

Relay attacks: Thieves use a device to pick up the signal from your key fob inside your house and transmit it to your car, unlocking and starting it.

Break and enter:

A smashed window is cheap to replace if it lets someone steal a truck worth $80,000.

OBD-II attacks: Thieves plug into your vehicle’s diagnostic port to program a new key and disable security systems.

Tow truck thefts: More common in cities but growing. They simply lift and haul your vehicle away.

It’s also still very common, especially on farms, to leave vehicles running or unlocked, and while that might feel safe, it’s an easy opportunity for a thief to simply get in your vehicle and drive away. Some people will simply believe that’s what insurance is for, but as someone who has been through this, I know from experience that the real costs go well beyond the deductible.

There’s the financial hit of higher insurance premiums and lost time dealing with paperwork, insurance adjusters, towing companies and repair businesses. There’s the emotional and psychological toll: the violation of knowing someone was bold enough to take what’s yours, and the stress of trying settle a claim. And there’s the broader societal impact: stolen vehicles are often used to commit other crimes, putting everyone at risk.

Not every theft is pre-

ventable, but there are many things that can be done to make ourselves less of a target:

• Always lock your doors and never leave keys in the ignition.

• Park inside a locked garage if possible, or in well-lit, visible areas.

• Keep keys and fobs stored well away from doors and windows, preferably in a Faraday pouch, an inexpensive way to block electronic signals.

• Consider immobilizers, steering wheel locks, and audible alarms.

• Install cameras or motion lights around your yard.

If a theft does happen, call police right away and provide as much detail as possible. Notify your insurance company and keep track of all communications about the file. Ask them to review the claim steps with you so you know what to expect. And if your vehicle is recovered and needs repair, don’t make any payments until you’re satisfied with the completed work.

OFA also works with and supports Crime Stoppers to raise awareness of crime prevention. The organization is known for their anonymous tip lines where people who’ve witnessed a crime can make a report, as well as for the cash rewards they pay if a tip leads to a crime being solved, Farmers are facing more threats than ever, from trespassing to digital scams, and staying safe means adapting how we do things. It’s worth taking a few extra minutes to lock up and being aware of your surroundings. OFA’s webinar on theft prevention is available here: https://youtu. be/uGwRSaqMIGc. To learn more about how to protect your assets, visit: https://ofa.on.ca/resources/securing-your-assets.

ACROSS

1. Brag 6. Luxurious 10. Circle fragments 14. Not over 15. Environs 16. Nose

17. A type of writing tablet 18. Hindu princess 19. Anagram of "Care" 20. Despotic 22. Wise

23. Administered 24. Storehouse 25. At the peak of 29. Proposition 31. Sorrows

33. Set free 37. Sausage

38. With precision

39. Polished

41. European country

42. Itinerant worker

44. Mats of grass

45. Floral leaf

48. Frequently

50. Stop

51. Flattening

56. Decorative case

57. Double-reed woodwind

58. Mass communication industry

59. Allows 60. Winglike

61. Coral reef 62. Not to 63. Adjusts 64. Valleys

Solutions to last week’s Sudoku

DOWN

1. Head and shoulders

2. Sole 3. Jewish month 4. Bristle 5. Vogue

6. Outcasts

7. Soothsayer 8. Legislator

9. Salute

10. Humiliations

11. Review

12. Freight

13. Shooting game 21. Meshwork

24. Salami shops

25. Rear end

26. Blue-green

27. Look at flirtatiously

28. Practicality

30. Proved false

32. Electronic letter

34. Pertaining to flight

35. Slipped

36. Nestling hawk

40. Difficulty

41. Deciduous horns

43. Financially solvent

45. Mantelpiece

46. Diner

47. Formerly it was a planet

49. Wanderer

51. Snakes

52. 6th Greek letter

53. False god

Egyptian river

Ladies

Common Sense Health

Fights over drugs have enduring meaning

by Diana Gifford-Jones

Every so often, history taps you on the shoulder. That happened to me recently when I discovered a book on the science, culture, and regulation of drugs by Professor Lucas Richert, a historian of pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The book devotes its entire first chapter to none other than my father, Dr. Ken Walker, better known to readers by his penname, W. GiffordJones, MD.

Richert's book, Strange Trips, presents the history of recreational, palliative and pharmaceutical drugs and the tension in debates between evidence and opinion, compassion and politics.

Readers may not know that in the late 1970s and early 1980s, my father became Canada's most vocal advocate for the legalization of medical heroin. He had lost close friends to cancer and seen his own patients suffering in pain. At the time, heroin

was widely used in Britain for pain control, yet Canadian patients were denied access. Why? Not because of science, he argued, but because of "political, not medical, decisions."

Richert captures this clash well. As one expert observed, "heroin is particularly good at inducing opinions which conflict with all the evidence and ‘evidence' that is then moulded to fit the opinions." My father's campaign forced Canadians to ask: should terminally ill patients be denied effective relief because heroin carried a stigma?

He didn't stop with advocating for change in his column. He collected more than 30,000 signatures on a petition, received another 20,000 letters of support, and presented them in Ottawa to Health Minister Monique Bégin. He flew to the UK on a fact-finding mission, speaking with doctors, nurses, and patients. Scotland Yard of-

ficials, he noted, brushed off the claims of critics that medical heroin stored in hospital pharmacies would increase crime. They had far bigger problems to worry about.

When political action stalled, he doubled down, placing full-page awareness ads in newspapers. In one, he accused opponents with the blunt headline: "Will the real hypocrites please stand up." That kind of language didn't make him friends in the medical establishment or in policy circles, but it drew public attention to the cause.

Support began to build. Editorials in The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail endorsed his position, pointing out that British cancer patients had long had access to heroin without social upheaval. The Canadian Medical Association ultimately supported legalization, after uncovering how Canada had been pressured decades earlier by the United States

into banning the drug. Dr. William Ghent, a leading CMA figure, didn't mince words: "We followed the US like sheep, and now, like sheep, we've got their manure to deal with."

By the mid-1980s, the government relented. New trials were approved, and eventually heroin was legalized for cases of severe chronic pain and terminal illness. The fight didn't end debates in palliative care, and experts then and now would argue the focus should be broader than drugs alone. But it was a turning point. Canada acknowledged that compassion had a place in drug policy.

The debate continues today in a new form. Researchers now point to psychedelics such as psilocybin as tools to ease end-of-life distress, yet patients face the same barriers of politics, stigma, and delay. Humans often fail to learn from history, and as Richert's book shows, the fight over heroin was just one of many stories.

For me, it is a point of pride to see my father's efforts remembered, not only as a medical crusade but as part of the larger story of how societies negotiate the meaning of medicine. Readers who want more detail can find a synopsis of Richert's chapter, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, available through our website.

This column offers health and wellness, not medical advice. Visit www.docgiff.com to learn more. For comments, diana@docgiff.com. Follow on Instagram @diana_gifford_jones

In loving memory of James Petersen

Feb 17th 1967 - Sept 28 2019

Time changes nothing. I still love you, I still miss you but take comfort in knowing you are at Peace.

"I could have missed the pain but I'd have had to miss the dance."

Always and Forever your loving wife

Donna Petersen

In Memory of Rosemary Faye Dolan

March 13, 1955 to October 8, 2019

I Still Whisper Your Name

When God teases me with dreams of your soft kisses as darkness begins to vanish in the early morning light

When I turn your handwritten pages reserved for only my eyes to see

When I hear your favourite songs while driving in the rain, even the wiper blades can’t sweep my tears away

When reminiscing about the summer of 1971 when God sent an angel just for me

When your name, Rose, echoes in every corner of my mind

When I wonder do you ever whisper my name Thank You Rose for Loving Me

Always in my Heart, Jim Oct. 2, 2025

Musseling in on the Rideau at Andrewsville

by Fred Schueler, Fragile

Inheritance Natural History

At Andrewsville the Rideau Canal goes through the Upper Nicholson Lock, while the river overflows a weir into a broad riffle of broken rocks and limestone bedrock, and then under the historic Andrewsville bridge. Ever since Zebra Mussels were found in Ontario in 1986, and then in

the Rideau in 1990, we've been surveying the native Unionid mussels between the weir and the bridge, and also the shells of other molluscs found drifted in a ridge in an eddy below an islet of hybrid Cattails.

Our first formal survey visit to Andrewsville was on 16 August 1995, when the first few Zebra Mussels had been detected in the lock. The drifted shell

sample was dominated by the filter-feeding European Faucet Snail (Bithynia tentaculata), with some of the introduced Banded Mystery Snails, one native Brown Mystery Snail, and a few Common Stagnicola, Larger Eastern Ramshorns, Three-keeled Valve Snails, Modest Gyraulus, Ordinary Spire Snails, and Tadpole Snails. Five species of native mussels were present

as living individuals and fresh and old shells: Elliptio complanata (Eastern Elliptio), Lampsilis cardium (Pocket-Book), Pyganodon grandis (Common Floater), Lampsilis radiata (Eastern Lamp-Mussel), and Lasmigona costata (Fluted Shell).

The same species were seen in 1997 and 1998, with the addition of Fingernail Clams in the drift, and a few huge old Ligumia recta (Black Sand-Shell) mussels, which we speculated may have been youngsters in the 1830s when Colonel By was putting in the canal. In June of 1999 there was one Zebra Mussel, on one living native mussel, and 3 in September. These "few Zebras per visit" conditions continued in 2000, 2001, and 2002; but in 2003 for the first time, the Zebras were "common", with a few threaded on to most of the native mussel shells – 13 years after they were first seen in the Rideau system. Things were much the same in 2004, but in 2005, the year of the maximum count of juveniles on the lock, while there weren't a lot of dead native mussels the Zebras seemed to be most abundant on dead shells "perhaps 4-5/shell average, but not as many as an average of 1 on living Unionids."

In 2006, all of the native mussels found, except for one Elliptio, were dead, and the Zebras were abundant all over the riverbed. The Zebras kill the native mussels by attaching to their shells, and blocking and suffocating their watery breathing. In 2007, the bottom was "dark with a pavement of very living Zebra Mussels… littered with dead Unionid shells, so densely piled at the foot of the flat that the sample represents those I was able to pick up without moving my feet, about a 60 cm radius. There were, among these but not collected, 4

large living Elliptio, and one small Lamp-Mussel, all with attached Dreissena." The drift sample was about 65% small Zebra shells, 25% Faucet Snails, and 5% Banded Mystery Snails, with a scattering of Ramshorn Snails and Common Stagnicola.

On 9 July, 2007, we saw a few invasive Rusty Crayfish crawling out from under rocks as dusk fell; the banks were brushy with invasive Cathartic Buckthorn and Tartarian Honeysuckle, and there were the dense islands of non-native Flowering Rush and Hybrid Cattail in the main channel, provoking the idea that Parks Canada should redenominate the place "Aliensville" and open a theme park.

Things continued like this in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2015. In 2016, the drift had a few Fingernail Clams and a few Faucet Snails –all the rest was Zebra Mussels. An attempt to collect drift in 2020 was thwarted by high flow in the river, perhaps due in part to pandemic-reduced boat traffic through the locks. On 16 July of this year I finally made a return visit to the site of this dramatic faunal turnover. The traditional

drift sampling site had a 3 m ridge of Zebra Mussel shells – no other species –at the edge of the current below the islet. The native Unionid mussel shells, old, worn, and fragmentary, were still fairly conspicuous on the rocky bottom. One living Elliptio, was found with a crust of baby Zebras on it.

Elliptio – dark, compressed and fairly elongate, with a purple inner shell –is the native mussel most able to coexist with Zebra Mussels, perhaps because its ability to bury itself in the substrate to endure harsh conditions allows it to suffocate attached Zebras. There are places on the St Lawrence, South Nation, and Mississippi rivers where Elliptio and other species are managing to survive in fair numbers among reduced Zebra Mussel populations, but Andrewsville doesn't seem to be among them.