 Pepper Parr
February 5th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
It was George Armstrong, Captain of the Toronto Maple Leaf hockey team (they called it a club in those days) who scored the winning goal and accepted the Stanley Cup on behalf of his team mates
 George Armstrong, Captain of the 1967 Toronto Maple Leaf hockey team The sixth game in the playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens was a thriller after which Frank Selke, who went on to become a General Manager of both the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens, said it will be a long time before people see a game like that again. Little did Selke know just how long that would be. Toronto hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since that marvellous win in 1967
In accepting the Stanley Cup Armstrong said when asked if he ever had doubts about winning, “You have to have confidence and we believed we could win, even if we had to go back to Montreal for the final game”.
Announcements made before or after a hockey game are big productions today. They were a lot different in 1967.
Today NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said when announcing that Toronto would be the l0cation of the 2024 All Star hockey game. “Toronto is the centre of the hockey universe” There’s so many things that we can do in Toronto to celebrate the Annual All Star
The Leafs held the inaugural NHL All-Star game in 1933, a fundraiser for injured star Ace Bailey that pitted the Stanley Cup champion Leafs against an assembly of the best players in the rest of the league.
Similar fundraisers were held in ensuing years until the All-Star Game itself was institutionalized in the 1947-48 season. Maple Leaf Gardens held the event seven times and the Scotiabank Arena – back when it was called Air Canada Centre – held it once in 2000, when the format pitted all-stars from North America against players from Europe.
“We haven’t had an all-star event (in Toronto) since 2000,” said Daly. “Obviously, the league’s grown a lot since, and they’ve expressed an interest over the last number of years. It’s their turn.”
The Leafs are on a blazing winning streak this year and will play in the finals – but that 5-2 loss to Boston last week reminds people that while Montreal is always a challenge – Boston often turns out to be an even bigger challenge.
 By Staff
February 4th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The state of the health system and access to good hospital care is a concern for many.
The Ontario Health Coalition: Halton is holding a Town Hall meeting Wednesday, February 22nd at 7 pm.
The meeting will address ways to Stop the Privatization of Hospitals in Ontario.
Do take part. Register to attend the online event.
 By Pepper Parr
February 4th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
A group of about 40 people who belonged to the Liberal party , sent a letter to Mike Schreiner, Green Party member of the Legislature inviting him to run for the leadership of the Liberal party that is now down to eight members sitting in the Legislature.
 Mike Schreiner on the campaign trail Schreiner at first said he had not seen the letter and later said that he needed some time before accepting the invitation. He wanted to talk to his party members. Oh to be a fly on the wall where those conversations took place.
The provincial Greens and Liberals are now in a state of excited frenzy: the Greens are saying if you want Mike as your leader join us.
The Liberals are saying that there are more things that both parties agree on than they disagree on and that the province would be a better place if they had a leader like Mike who would attract the voters the Liberals badly need.
There are some that claim sending a letter to Schreiner dissed the four people who have already declared themselves as leadership candidates that will run for the Liberal leadership.
The Liberals, both federally and provincially have always poached the best that the socialists had and are now quite prepared to do the same thing to the Greens.
Jagmeet Singh, federal New Democrat leader, is keeping the Liberals in office and at the same time getting new programs for Canadians that the Liberals talk about but never quite deliver on.
Back in 1970 Pauline Jewett, a federal Liberal until Pierre Trudeau brought in the War Measures Act became a New Democrat that the Liberals always hoped they could coax back into the party. They didn’t know the real Pauline Jewett; a woman of strong views and stronger convictions. Not the first feminist the country has seen but a woman who made a real and lasting difference.
Doug Fisher, an MP for eight years who went on to become a celebrated journalist and columnist for the Toronto Telegram and then the Toronto Sun, knew more about Canadian politics than many other members of the House of Commons. He was always near or part of conversations about merging the New Democrats with the Liberals federally.
 “I chose to lead the Green Party of Ontario because we do politics differently. We are committed to honesty, integrity and making decisions that put people first.” Didn’t happen back then and probably won’t happen with the Greens either. Because politics is and always will be about power and what you can do with it – the provincial Liberals might convince themselves that Mike is their man. What the Liberal party approach to government would do to the heart and soul of Mike Schreiner is an interesting question.
The Greens love him – they should, he is the only person who managed to win an election as a Green candidate. Some members of the Green party have said they would hate to lose Mike but if he runs as a Liberal and loses – they will take him back as a Green. That is certainly showing the love.
The provincial Liberals meet in Hamilton early in March for their AGM – that’s when they will set out the date and rules for choosing the next leader. If Mike runs it may well be a coronation – recall what happened to John Turner when he returned to politics.
Schreiner once said: “I chose to lead the Green Party of Ontario because we do politics differently. We are committed to honesty, integrity and making decisions that put people first.”
Had do you decide to run for the Liberal leadership and walk back a statement like that?
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
 By Staff
February 3rd, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington MP Karina Gould gave the House of Commons a piece of her mind earlier in the week when she said:
 Burlington MP Karina Gould in the House of Commons “Mr. Speaker, what the members opposite are doing is absolutely shameful.
“They are making a mockery of people suffering, instead of supporting them when we are putting important measures on the table.
“After eight years, there is one thing that Canadians have learned. When they are in trouble and when they need help, they cannot count on the Conservatives. The Conservatives are not there for them.
“If they cared about low-income renters, they would have supported us with our support for renters.
“If they cared about low-income Canadians, they would have supported us when we lowered taxes on the middle class, and they would have supported us when we increased the Canada child benefit.
However, they did none of that.”
 By Pepper Parr
February 3rd, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The plans to build thousands of homes to meet the rising population planned for the province puts pressure on the infrastructure that will have to be built to manage the waste water. Flushing the toilet is just the start – that waste has to get to a wastewater treatment plant that may not have been built yet.
 There is another electronic newspaper that is doing some very good news reporting. Narhwal, a publication that started in British Columbia recently created an Ontario office where they have done some exceptionally good work on the property transactions that have plagued the Ford government.
On one particularly good series they partnered with the Toronto Star
In a recent article writer Fatima Syed reported that: “In York Region, the population is set to double by 2051. That means moving tens of millions of litres of more water from the Lake Huron watershed every day,” Fatima told me.
“Where would that wastewater go, exactly? The answer to that question has been a pressure point for 14 years. After over a decade of debating whether to build a new treatment facility, the province finally decided last fall to move more water down south to an existing treatment plant on Lake Ontario instead. To do so, it’s eyeing the protected Oak Ridges Moraine, through which it wants to expand a network of pipelines.
“Moving water from one Great Lake watershed is known as an intra-basin transfer, and it’s a big deal. For Lake Huron — and Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe, which flow from it — it means a loss of water, at a time when levels are already often low. For Lake Ontario, it means absorbing more wastewater: treated wastewater, yes, but the water body is also coping with an unprecedented number of sewage spills, and facing other environmental pressures.
“One leak in a pipe, and there’s poop in your drinking water!” Fatima said jokingly. “Well, not exactly, but the chemicals that treat sewage could put a strain on the drinking water for the region — and we don’t want that to happen.”
“And it’s not just a question of sewage or its possible impacts on Ontario’s environment.
“It’s also about an international agreement signed in 2005 by Ontario, Quebec and eight U.S. states which explicitly bans the movement of water from one Great Lake basin to another.
“At the heart of the agreement is the health of the Great Lakes — one of the most unique water ecosystems on the globe, they hold 85 per cent of North America’s surface freshwater. Great Lakes experts told Fatima they worry Ontario’s decision will lead other signatories to wonder why they should honour the agreement when the whole region is facing intense development pressures.
“The consequences could be so dire, with two watersheds in the Great Lakes and a protected area, we have to start thinking about it now,” wrote Fatima Syed.
“If the Ford government wants to put shovels in the ground as quickly as it’s indicating … we have to start planning properly for our poop.”
The Narwhal has shown that with the right kind of funding the public will get to learn a lot more about what the various level of governments are doing.
Narwhal has managed to get funding from a number of Foundations including the Metcalf Foundation, the McConnell Foundation and the Echo Foundation.
The editorial staff is decidedly female which draws support from those who want to see more women in lead roles in the news business.
As for the waste water: Some of it might be headed for Lake Ontario; source of our drinking water. Thanks Doug
 By Staff
February 3rd, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Millcroft Against Development (MAD) and the Millcroft Greenspace Alliance learned yesterday that the city had formally decided to oppose the Millcroft Green development application that would significantly change what a close to 40 year community would look like and, many believe, have a significant negative impact on storm water management. The application is now on the Ontario Land Tribunal schedule. Dates for hearings have not been announced.
Both organizations have party status at the OLT hearing along with the Regional government and Conservation Halton.
Council made the decision on December 13th – advised the two organizations yesterday.
The unanimous decision opposed Millcroft Greens’ application, except for Parcel E, which is the proposed low-rise on Dundas Street.
Launched together with the Millcroft Golf Club course in 1986, the Millcroft project in Burlington was a Monarch Development flagship community for more than a decade.
 It was designed as a community that would be built around a golf course. Residents loved it. The 650-acre community already includes more than 2,400 single-family houses and townhouses, which wind their way around the rolling greens of the golf course. And as the community moves toward the 20-year milestone, Monarch launched the final phase of executive, single-family homes in the community, called Classic Greens.
They comprised of 166 houses on large lots. Some will back on to the 18-hole, semi-private golf course, and others will have basement walkouts. Homes will range from 2,051 to 3,778 square feet, and lots will be 50 and 60 feet wide.
This is the community the residents want to maintain – a developer saw an opportunity to add close to 100 houses.
 Map showing where the developer wants to locate the expansions. Block E is a low rise unit that will face onto Dundas and is not seen as something that will impact the sense of community the residents enjoy The City will formalize its opposition in the appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal.
MAD is also a party to the appeal, with Weir Foulds representing the community as legal counsel.
 A rendering of how new homes would be jammed into the area shown as Block B elsewhere in this story. Marianne Meed Ward, Angelo Bentivegna, and Shawna Stolte are expected to bring a resolution to Regional Council requesting the province to declare a provincial interest in preserving Millcroft’s green space.
This has been a long grinding process for the Millcroft community and it is far from over. The good news and the upside is that there won’t be any changes to the golf course layout until there is a decision from the Ontario Land Tribunal.
 By Pepper Parr
February 3rd, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The speed with which information moves in the electronic world is at times astonishing.
 The folks at the Drury Lane Theatre offered us two comp tickets to the Music Hall 2023 production that starts March 3rd and runs for 12 performances.
We decided to turn the free tickets into a contest and ran a story offering the tickets if people could tell us what the name of the retailer is that will be opening up in the Burlington Centre (formerly the Mall) later this year. Our hope was that people would use the search feature of the Gazette to dig out the information
We posted the story at 10:09 am.
At 10:19; ten seconds later a winning entry came in.
 The Zellers sign comes off the store in 2012. Zellers returns to Burlington Centre later this year as a unit inside The Bay location. We were stunned and realized that what we should have done is taken the winning entries, put the names in a hat and asked the people at Drury Lane to draw a name and that person would be given the two free tickets.
Ten seconds to get a response from Gazette readers: That is going to be part of the story we tell advertisers when we open up the newspaper to advertising later in February.
February 3rd, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
On January 27, 2020, The Burlington Gazette wrote and published an article related to a matter before the Burlington City Council. The article’s headline read “Private sector planner pushed the acceptable boundaries a little too far – Mayor offended”.
In the body of the article, The Burlington Gazette named Glenn Wellings as the Planner referred to in the headline and reported that he had sent a letter directly to a consultant hired by the City of Burlington, rather than to City of Burlington staff. While the body of the article stated that in doing so Mr. Wellings “appeared“ to have crossed the line of acceptable limits of the profession, the headline contained no such qualifying language.
The article also contained a reference to another individual – Sean Baird – who faced criminal charges relating to attempting to influence an election. The Burlington Gazette was in no way suggesting a parallel between the two individuals or that Mr. Wellings’ actions were of a criminal nature.
The Burlington Gazette acknowledges that Mr. Wellings is a member in good standing at the Ontario Professional Planning Institute, which maintains strict ethical standards. The Burlington Gazette is not aware of any complaint having been made in respect of this conduct to the Ontario Professional Planning Institute, or of any finding of misconduct.
The Burlington Gazette acknowledges that the article may have been misconstrued as indicating otherwise.
 By Staff
February 2nd, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The comments made by readers of the Gazette were appreciated. I made the decision to cease publishing very early – at around 3 in the morning, when I had to come to the conclusion that I just did not have the financial resources that were needed to continue. A number of people congratulated me on “my retirement.” This was not a retirement.
The runway had come to an end – continuing with the financial resources available was no longer possible. Readership grew almost every month.
Since the announcement, a number of people have asked: How can we help ? So there will be conversations in the days ahead. I am required to keep the newspaper “in print” for a number of days; so whatever I was doing in the past I will be doing for a little longer.
Last Thursday, iGaming Ontario (iGO) released its Q3 revenue report. OntarioBets.com shared the following information
 The province is now into regulating online Gambling in Ontario – it has proven very lucrative business for the gambling site operators. In the period between Oct. 1 – Dec. 31, 2022, online casinos and sportsbooks collected $11.53 billion in wagers, a 91% increase over Q2 (July 1 – Sept. 30, 2022) and does not include promotional wagers or bonuses.
Total gaming revenue in Q3 was $457 million, a 71% quarterly increase.
The online Ontario market went live on April 4, 2022 after decades of grey market operations. Since then, 36 operators and 68 sites have launched as part of regulated gaming and sports betting.
There was a 45% quarterly increase in active player accounts, bringing the total to 910,000, with an average monthly spend of $167 on each account.
It looks like even with a decades-long history of a billion-dollar grey market, fully legal regulated gaming in Ontario is only going to get stronger as the market matures.
For the full story, please visit: Ontario iGaming and Sports Betting Numbers Up Sharply To End 2022 (ontariobets.com)
 By Pepper Parr
February 2nd, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The comments made by readers of the Gazette were appreciated. I made the decision to cease publishing very early – at around 3 in the morning, when I had to come to the conclusion that I just did not have the financial resources that were needed to continue. A number of people congratulated me on “my retirement.” This was not a retirement.
The runway had come to an end – continuing with the financial resources available was no longer possible. Readership grew almost every month.
Since the announcement, a number of people have asked: How can we help ? So there will be conversations in the days ahead. I am required to keep the newspaper “in print” for a number of days; so whatever I was doing in the past I will be doing for a little longer.
 No shadow – Spring will be early? Wiarton Wille didn’t see his shadow earlier this week, that must have been signal enough for MPP Natalie Pierre to come out as well and hold a Meet & Greet at the Joseph Brant Museum on Saturday.
 Natalie Pierre reading a Motion into the record last December The Constituency office is located on Harvester Road at 3027 in suite 306.
There is no mention of the Meet & Greet event on Pierre’s Facebook page.
On December 19th, the Legislative Member for Burlington read a Motion into the record asking for mandatory Mental Health education for high school students. She was given a standing ovation by the members of the Legislative assembly.
Pierre has not been seen all that much in the community other than a few events – one in particular at the Art Gallery.
The Gazette has not been able to do an interview with Pierre. We did have an opportunity to spend five minutes with her before she was elected.
Related news story:
When Natalie Pierre was running for office she was polite and empathetic but didn’t say all that much
By Pepper Parr
February 2nd, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Baby Boomers – They are the generation that changed everything as they went from babies to teenagers to parent to grandparents and now as people that need care in their waning years.
The Baby Boomers have always been noisy, they forced change and they now want better service from the governments that taxed them.
A community based Long Term Care Coalition has said it has to be: Seniors’ care first. Bickering later.
 We were told in 1996 how big the problem was going to be – 30 years later governments are not yet ready. In 1996 Boom Bust and Echo became a national phenomenon that demonstrated the power of demographics to help us understand the past and forecast the future. The book was on the Canadian best-seller lists for over 3 years and sold more than 300,000 copies. Boom, Bust & Echo revealed Canada’s demographic profile at the beginning of the 21st century, as a new population shift had profound implications for our economic and social life.
People want a comprehensive seniors’ care plan, using the law to combine principles and enforceable standards into health care funding.
This call is going to be the subject of a ZOOM call on Friday, February 3, 2023, 9:30am ET
Zoom link: https://torontomu.zoom.us/j/97351675823
 Seniors’ having dinner at a Waterloo area long term care home. Mike Perry, co-founder, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes Long-Term Care Coalition will be joined by Dr. Amit Arya, a Palliative Care Physician working in long-term care. Laura Bulmer, RN, Chair, Canadian Association of Continuing Care Educators: CACCE and founder – HSPAOntario: www.hspaontario.org
WAith them will be Dr. Joseph Wong, Founder of Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care; Yee Hong annually serves more than 15,000 individuals across the Greater Toronto Area. It is the largest non-profit nursing home in the country, providing a full continuum of community care and supportive housing services.
This group is calling for a true national plan for seniors’ care, with transparent, measurable and mandatory conditions that are enforceable, securing improved services in long-term, home and palliative care. With a new wealth of front-line staffing in decent working conditions, the Health Care Transfer can be the core foundation of healthcare across the nation.
 By Pepper Parr
February 2nd, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Two free tickets to what is always a smash hit at the Drury Lane Theatre.
 The cast to Music Hall 2023. Music Hall 2023 runs from March 3rd to the 26th and we have a pair of free tickets.
There is a skill testing question:
What is the name of the retailer that is returning to a Burlington mall later this year
The answer is part of a Gazette news story in January. Use the search feature on the web site to find it – if you don’t already know
 Send you answer to
newsdesk@bgzt.ca with the words Free tickets in the subject line.
We need an email address and a telephone number that we pass along to the ticket people at the Drury Lane Theatre who will work out which date you want to attend and which seat/table you want.
The first person we hear from wins the tickets. We will determine who was first with the correct answer from the time line on the email.
The name of the winner will be sent to the communications people at Drury Lane Theatre – they will be in touch with you to choose the date you want to attend.
Go quickly – tickets are probably going to sell out.
Related news stories:
Music Hall 2023 very close to half way to SOLD OUT
Music Hall – 2023 production
By Staff
February 2, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
 Drip, drip, drip – water can wear away stone. Information on just who bought land and when did they know the government was going to change policy on Greenbelt land use. Drip drip.
When there is a leak in an eaves trough or a bucket – water seeps out drop by drop – drip by drip.
Let that dripping go on long enough and you can wear away a stone.
Marit Stiles, Incoming Leader of the Ontario NDP, revealed new information about the Ford government’s plan to carve up the Greenbelt, indicating that a land development company seems to have had advance knowledge of the plan before it was made public.
“The more information we uncover about Ford’s scheme to tear up the Greenbelt, the more concerned I become”, said Stiles. “Protected land became extremely lucrative overnight, and Ford donors seem to have benefited enormously from land they had just purchased. Maybe they were just incredibly lucky. But something doesn’t seem right to me.”
 Marita Stiles – will become the leader of the New Democrats at Queen’s Park later this month. Three days before the announcement to tear up the Greenbelt was made public, Rice Group, a land development company, told the Mayor of King Township that a parcel of land could be provided for a nominal fee for a local project. At the time, that land was a protected part of the Greenbelt. Just three days later, the Ford government announced their intent to make the land available.
“This finding indicates to us that somebody knew something”, said Stiles. “I am confident that the Integrity Commissioner will review this information and provide Ontarians with the answers they deserve about the Greenbelt”.
The Office of the Integrity Commissioner of Ontario opened an investigation on January 18, 2023, after finding “reasonable and probable grounds” to investigate Ford’s actions to carve up the Greenbelt. Stiles submitted additional evidence last week.
 The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has amended the Greenbelt Area boundary regulation to add 13 new Urban River Valley areas and lands in the Paris Galt Moraine in Wellington County and remove 15 areas of land. Add lands in the Paris Galt Moraine in Wellington County to the Greenbelt Area Remove or re-designate 15 areas of land totalling approximately 7,400 acres from the edge of the Greenbelt Area that are serviced or adjacent to services and will be used to build housing in the near term. The investigative reporters want to learn more about who bought the lands that are being taken out of the Greenbelt and how much did they know before they bought ? Timeline
- November 24, 2022 – Stiles wrote to the Auditor General requesting an investigation into the Ford government’s decision to open up 7,400 acres of Greenbelt land for development.
- December 8, 2022 – Formal Integrity Commissioner complaint filed.
- January 12, 2023 – Stiles and the other opposition leaders sent a letter to Auditor General requesting both a value-for-money audit and an environmental impact assessment of the government’s decision to remove lands from the Greenbelt.
- January 18, 2023 – Integrity Commissioner and Auditor General confirm they will be conducting investigations.
- January 27, 2023 – Additional information is submitted to the Integrity Commissioner.
Drip, drip, drip.
Related news stories:
Investigations
 By Staff
February 1st, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Mark your calendar as the City Spring 2023 recreation programs for preschool, youth and teens and Summer Camps are opening for online registration Feb. 11.
Both the spring session and summer camps will provide a variety of fun, interesting and active options. Programs are available for viewing now. Adult Spring 2023 programs for ages 19+ and 55+ will be viewable March 1, and open for online registration March 11.
Registration Dates and Program Highlights
Date Time Program
 There is no age limit for summer camp. Saturday, Feb. 11 9 a.m. • Spring programs for preschool, youth and teens including swimming lessons, aquatic leadership, PA Day programs and more.
 Burlington Teen Tour Band at Performing Arts Centre • Summer camps including S.N.A.P., youth, music, theatre, individuals with disabilities.
• Youth interested in joining the Junior Redcoats or Burlington Teen Tour Band can email bttb@burlington.ca for more information.
• Log in and register at liveandplay.burlington.ca.
Saturday, March 11 9 a.m. • Spring Adult programs for ages 19+ and 55+ including:
Non-resident registration opens Feb. 17 for Youth programs, and March 17 for Adult programs.
Assisted Registration
Residents who need extra support or do not have online access to register for programs, can call 905-335-7738 for staff-assisted telephone registrations starting Feb. 11 and March 11 at 9 a.m. The Recreation customer service team is also available through email at liveandplay@burlington.ca. Phone and email support is available Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and weekends 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
 In person registration is available starting Monday, Feb. 13 at the Tansley Woods Community Centre In-person registration is available starting Monday, Feb. 13 at the Tansley Woods Community Centre and starting Monday, March 13 at Burlington Seniors’ Centre.
For more information on how to set up an account or register online, visit
Recreation Fee Assistance
Recreation is for all, regardless of financial situation. Recreation Fee Assistance is funding made available to resident individuals or families who need help to pay for City of Burlington recreation programs. For more information or to apply, visit burlington.ca/feeassistance.
Links and Resources – Click on the link
burlington.ca/feeassistance
burlington.ca/registration
By Staff
February 1st, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
 Carrie Mines Tickets to take in the 2023 Drury Lane Theatre edition of Music Hall are now on sale
Ticket sales started last week and at this point they have sold 46% of the 1656 seats available. That 46% indicates the production is selling faster than normal given they are a month away from opening!
If this is something you were thinking of taking in – move quickly – they just might reach sold out before opening night.
Drury Lane takes you on a worldwide excursion of Music Halls; venturing to Vaudeville in New York City, Cabaret in Paris, Kabarett in Berlin and Music Hall in London while enjoying the flavour of this art form past and present.
The production embraces British and American versions of this popular live entertainment. However, the attraction to this comedic musical variety form also has strong roots in Glasgow, Warsaw and several other European cultures.
This compilation is strongly oriented to the stylings and methods utilized from 1890 to 1950.
 The Pearlys – Jennifer Welosky, Michael Belton, May Farquhar Related news story:
Music Hall 2023.
March 3-26th -12 performances over a 27 day time frame.
Drury Lane Theatrical Productions
C: 289-260-7169
Online ticket purchases
By Pepper Parr
February 1st, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
On the 30th of January, at 3:00 am I made the decision to cease publishing.
I had to come to the conclusion that I just did not have the financial resources that were needed to continue.
The comments made by readers of the Gazette were appreciated. A number of people congratulated me on “my retirement.” This was not a retirement.
The runway had come to an end – continuing with the financial resources available was no longer possible even though readership was setting new records every month
Since the announcement, a number of people have asked: How can we help ? So there will be conversations in the days ahead. I am required to keep the newspaper “in print” for a number of days; so whatever I was doing in the past I will be doing for a little longer.
February is celebrated as Black History Month.
Special events take place, a Declaration is read by the Mayor at City Council meetings and events are organized by the Black community.
A number of years ago a group held a dinner and dance; I was expecting to see people doing the “limbo” and other West Indian dances. No such luck. For the most part it was slow waltzing. Food was good.
There are flags flown during Pride Days, Terry Fox Days and on days that Aboriginal events take place – so far no flag to celebrate the Black Community.
 Well over 1000 people descended on City Hall to declare very loudly that Black Lives Matter A number of years ago more than 1000 people, young people for the most part, marched on city and sat on Brant Street and in Civic Square.
 Black Lives Matter statement done in chalk on the sidewalk outside city hall. Sometime later large chalk graphics were drawn on the sidewalk in front of city hall with the words Black Lives Matter – and indeed they do.
When we look south and read of the carnage that is being done to the Black people we shudder and hope that this type of thing never happens in our country and our city.
It is when the public goes out of its way to recognize and celebrate people of colour and ensure that they have the same benefits and opportunity as the result of us.
This is the month to do as much as you can to make a difference and ensure that Black Lives do Matter
By Staff
February 1st, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The comments made by readers of the Gazette were appreciated. I made the decision to cease publishing very early – at around 3 in the morning, when I had to come to the conclusion that I just did not have the financial resources that were needed to continue. A number of people congratulated me on “my retirement.” This was not a retirement.
The runway had come to an end – continuing with the financial resources available was no longer possible. Readership grew almost every month.
Since the announcement, a number of people have asked: How can we help ? So there will be conversations in the days ahead. I am required to keep the newspaper “in print” for a number of days; so whatever I was doing in the past I will be doing for a little longer.
The Super Bowl is a massive North American event that for many is the sports highlight of the year. It is an American game. Of course Canada does have a footballl league. Hockey is the sport for Canadians.
 One of the pages from the “tour” of the State Farm Stadium at which the Super Bowl will be played. Everything about the Super Bowl is over the top.
Some of the advertising creative breaks new ground.
The Half Time Show sometimes rivals the Oscars.
The stadiums are engineering marvels.
Super Bowl LVII will take place in Phoenix Arizona in the State Farm Stadium/
Here is a link to the the Stadium through which you can tour the structure.
On each page there are “portals you can click on to go deeper into the structure.
The field they play on sits on a huge tray outside the stadium and is rolled in for the game.
Amazing.
By Ashley Marsh
January 31st, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Super Bowl LVII is approaching quickly. The NFL’s championship game will be played on Sunday, February 12, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona at State Farm Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals. It will be the first time since 2020 that a home team won’t be contending for the Super Bowl title at their own stadium.
 For many Canadians in the Burlington area, the event will be a big one for a few reasons. While the annual Super Bowl regularly draws in over 100 million spectators, this year might see more viewers tune in thanks to the availability of sports betting. Ontario recently launched its online markets, which means that fans who normally stick to the CFL might explore the US’s league.
This season’s Super Bowl odds have revolved around a few favourites in the last two months. These include the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Bills have experienced another crushing postseason defeat, the Chiefs look ready to compete for another Lombardi Trophy.
They’re favourites with odds of +235 to take home the title, but not all fans are following Super Bowl moneylines. Instead, they’re focused on other bets that don’t concern the game’s outcome. These have proved especially popular with CFL fans who don’t feel strong loyalty toward a particular NFL team and who instead just want to enjoy the big game.
Below are some key examples of novel non-sporting bets that are proving popular in the run up to the event.
 Rihanna will take the stage. Halftime Performance by Rihanna
 Philadelphia Eagles The biggest market for non-sporting events for the Super Bowl is the halftime show—and that’s because the NFL goes to lengths to weave arts into its offerings. The halftime show is one of the most coveted performances in the world, and one that leads musical stars to pay their own money to produce and perform. This year, Rihanna will take the stage—and it’s a big deal, as the recent mother hasn’t performed live since 2019. She also swore to boycott the Super Bowl in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick in the past.
The Queen of Pop is back however—and she’s commanding attention from sportsbooks. If you’re a fan of Rihanna, then consider predicting which song she’ll perform first and last. You can also wager on other outcomes, like what sort of outfit Rihanna will wear, whether she’ll descend from the sky, and whether she’ll bring on a guest performer.
National Anthem by Chris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton is a country music star who will be performing the National Anthem—another highly coveted Super Bowl act. He’ll be joined by Babyface, who will sing ‘America the Beautiful’ and Sheryll Lee Ralph, who will sing ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’.
 Kansas City Chiefs If you’ve got a gut instinct about how one of these vocal performances will go down, then you can wager on it. Most of the bets will focus around Stapleton, as the National Anthem is the main focus before the game kicks off. You can wager on things like what Stapleton will wear and how long the song will run for.
Commercials from Leading Brands
Vocal and musical performances aside, the Super Bowl is also one of the most important games for major brands and their advertising efforts. Each year, some of the US’s most popular brands pour their resources into creating the most memorable and catchy ads. Some seek to pull at viewers’ heartstrings, while others are looking for laughs.
If you’re a fan of cinematic ads, then dive into markets on halftime commercials. They cover a variety of outcomes, like which brands will be shown first, whether companies will include the same characters or songs in their commercials, and even how many dogs will appear in commercials this year.
A Speech from the Winners
One of the zaniest types of prop bets offered on the Super Bowl covers the speeches made by winners after the game. These speeches often come from the game’s official MVP and unofficial MVPs alike—and you can wager on what these players will say and in what order. For example, one prop bet covers the question of who the MVP will thank first—his team and teammates, his city and fans, his family, or his coach?
January 31st, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The comments made by readers of the Gazette on the decision I made to cease publishing were appreciated. I made the decision to cease publishing very early – at around 3 in the morning, when I had to come to the conclusion that I just did not have the financial resources that were needed to continue. A number of people congratulated me on “my retirement.” This was not a retirement.
The runway had come to an end – continuing with the financial resources available was no longer possible. Readership grew almost every month.
Since the announcement, a number of people have asked: How can we help ? So there will be conversations in the days ahead. I am required to keep the newspaper “in print” for a number of days; so whatever I was doing in the past I will be doing for a little longer.
Everything has a beginning and everything has an end.
The end for the Burlington Gazette is today.
Pepper Parr
By Pepper Parr
January 30th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
Headline revised: The arena is under construction
The shovels are in the ground yet – the construction is underway.
No matter – despite the fact that taxpayers are looking at a 7.08% tax increase (just 5.80% of that is the result of the city spending) there is a Request for Expressions of Interest from anyone who wants to put art work on the new Skyway Arena – there is a budget of $120,000 CAD. Deadline: Friday March 10, 2023
 A new arena was necessary; that part of the city is undeserved with ice rink capacity. But $120,000 at this point in time ? In the announcement put out today the City of Burlington invites professional artists to submit Expressions of Interest to create an exterior public art installation for the plaza area of the new Skyway Community Centre (129 Kenwood Ave, Burlington, Ontario). This competition is open to all Canadian and International professional artists* and/or artist-led teams.
*A professional artist is an individual who has specialized skills and/or training in hi/her artistic discipline (not necessarily in academic institutions), has a history of public presentation and is critically recognized as an artist.
 The building will have the best and the latest in technology. And of course it needs public art. An artwork proposal is not requested at this time. This is a two-phase process: in Phase One, applicants will be reviewed on the basis of artistic merit of past work, professional qualifications and experience. In Phase Two, short-listed artists will be required to submit a preliminary artwork concept proposal that will be displayed for public comment and jury review.
Artists selected for the short-list will be provided with a full Request for Proposals outlining detailed artwork specifications prior to developing their proposals. Short-listed artists will be paid an artist fee of $1500 to develop their proposals.
Click HERE to learn more…
Related news story:
There was at least one councillor who thought fiscal prudence had been ignored.
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