There Are Many Dogs Salivating Over Prospect Of Off-Leash Park
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Peterborough Blogs
Okay Political Parties: Engage Me, Interest Me, Tell Me What You Got Baby!
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I am still trying to stay positive about the provincial election here. The Federal Tories’ new archaic, colossally expensive "tough on crime" legislation is scaring me. All the more need for a simpatico MPP, I guess.
Last week, I looked at the local candidates. Today’s challenge: find something interesting about each party’s platform. Here we go, in no particular order:
The Tories’ proposed tax reforms are interesting: Reduce income taxes by 5 percent on the first $75,000. Populist. Popular. (And one helluva loss in government revenue). And double the caregiver tax credit. Those are good ideas. Hard to swallow that they could do this and meet their commitment of a balanced budget by 2017-2018, but…
The Green Party advocates reducing commuting costs by “supporting transit and affordable commuter benefits including incentives for ride-sharing, more high-occupancy vehicle lanes, and tax credits for public transit users.” By virtue of the appalling waste of human time and energy—not to mention toxic pollution—that comes from single occupancy cars in gridlock day in and day out, this is interesting.
Now here’s a good one: As part of the NDP Platform, cap government CEO salaries for $80 million in savings. That’s interesting. I don't believe in some people earning ten or 20 times what others do. That’s wrong. Glad someone’s saying this, publicly.
By-and-large, the Liberal platform highlights the POSITIVE. While this is more a communications approach as a platform plank, you take what you can get.
• Best Schools in the English-speaking world (MCKINSEY & CO, 2010)
• From the longest surgical wait times in Canada to shortest (CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH INFORMATION, 2011)
• So far this year Ontario has created more full-time jobs than the rest of Canada combined (STATISTICS CANADA, 2011)
"A Socialist Party of Ontario government will work to start to end poverty by implementing a guaranteed annual income of no less than $18,849, with annual adjustments for inflation, for each individual adult plus a child allowance." What? No bureaucracy to police every dime? Might just pay for itself. This is interesting.
Along with other libertarian policies, the Freedom Party affirms freedom, justice, and peace during international political meetings. Making political hay out of the scary embarrassment of police behaviour during the G8/G20 summit (and elsewhere)—well, that’s interesting. We welcome newcomer Alex Long to the Peterborough Riding.
PtboCanada Politics Columnist Miriam Lyall (aka Miriam Stucky) is a former Green Party Candidate. She is a step-mom extraordinaire and communications maven. Check it out: MiriamStucky.ca.
[Related: Here's A Primer On The Five Local Candidates Vying To Be Your MPP (With Pictures!)]
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Here Is A Look At Crime Stats This Year In The City Compared To This Time Last Year
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Sergeant DiClemente
We've been getting a lot of questions about whether crime is increasing significantly in Peterborough—break and enters and such. It seems it is, or optics are such that it is. So we asked Peterborough Police Sergeant Walter DiClemente about it, and here's some interesting stats he provided to us:
• Our second quarter crime stats show that our actual offences are down 8.1 % from the same time last year, and the clearance rate (that is, the percentage of the crimes that are solved) is up at 54.6% compared to 47.9% from the same time last year.
• Break and enters are down 26.5% and robberies are down 23.5% from the same time last year.
• We do have an increase in total weapon offences, up from 7 at the same time last year to 20, a 185.7% increase.
• Drug offences are up from 73 at the same time last year to 94, a 28.8% increase.
Some telling quotes from DiClemente on crime in the area:
-- "Recently we have been experiencing an increase in break and enters to compounds that store or use copper wire. This trend is not unique to this area, it is province wide."
-- "Since our college and university students have moved back to the area, we have had an increase in residential break and enters. Thieves are targeting laptop computers and electronic gaming units. This trend can be attributed to several students residing in the core area of the city and thieves taking advantage of unlocked and insecure doors and windows."
-- "The drug offensives are mainly officer initiated and can be attributed to the work conducted by our dedicated drug unit, who are targeting known drug dealers. We our also finding that these same drug dealers are arming themselves with weapons that are located during arrests."
[Related: Does Peterborough Need A Town Hall Meeting To Address Safety In The Community?]
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Movies For Boobies At Mustang Drive-In Raises Money For Breast Cancer Research
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Movies for Boobies returns again this year to the Mustang Drive-In this Saturday, September 24th, with screenings of Sex and the City and Pretty in Pink.
Proceeds raised go to Breast Cancer Research. There will be a prize for Best Decorated Pink Car, and everyone is encouraged to wear pink. Tickets are $12 per person, and gates open at 5:45 p.m.
For more information, call 705-742-3823.
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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Peterborough Green-Up Presents Doc "Powerful Energy For Everyone"
/This Thursday (September 22nd), Peterborough Green-Up will be presenting a documentary by David Chernushenko titled Powerful Energy For Everyone. Admission is by donation, and the doc starts at 7 p.m. at the Peterborough Public Library.
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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OPP Warning Public Of White Money Fraud Scam That's Hit The Area
/From a Peterborough County media release this afternoon...
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to make the public aware of a fraudulent scam which has surfaced in the Orillia area over the past couple of weeks.
This scam, which is widespread and well documented on the internet, involves taking legitimate Canadian currency and placing it between this white or negative money in order to transfer the currency colouring onto the paper to make it positive.
There are different variations of how this fraud is perpetuated, but the underlying pretence which seems to resurface continually is a way to make some quick money after the fraudster gains the confidence of unsuspecting victim.
The fraudster gains the confidence by turning out the lights and then by shinning an ultraviolet light source on the white money, it reveals that the paper is embossed and appears to be a legitimate Canadian bank note without colour.
By asking the intended victim for a $50 bill, which is often willingly supplied, it is placed in a bag with an unknown liquid solution and black powder and then pressure is applied to the bag (by having the person stand on it or placing a heavy object on it for a period of time). Afterwards, the two pieces of ‘blackened paper’ are removed from the bag; the fraudster then puts on a pair of rubber gloves to ‘wash’ the bills and shows the money to the unsuspecting victim noting that the 3 bills have different serial numbers.
This elaborate scheme was used recently in the City of Orillia and the unsuspecting victims were almost defrauded of a very large amount of money.
The Orillia OPP Crime Unit commenced an investigation and on Wednesday September 14, 2011, 37-year old HALLIE ANDREWS NDORLEY of Oshawa, Ontario was arrested and charged with Attempt Fraud over $5000 and Attempt Theft over $5000.
NDORLETY was held in custody and appeared for a Bail Hearing at the Ontario Court of Justice located in Barrie on Thursday September 15, 2011.
The OPP are asking the public to be aware of this latest fraudulent scam that appears to have made its way into our area. In this case, the intended victims did not lose any money, but other victims have not been so fortunate.
Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, then it likely is.
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Calling All Artists: Ecofest Is Looking For Applicants For Their Trashfusion Design Awards
/Ecofest Peterborough wants applicants for their Trashfusion event taking place October 22nd. Submissions are due in by October 1st, and first prize wins $500. Apply here. More deets in the poster below.
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OPP Request Public's Assistance Due To Increase In Break And Enters In Peterborough And County
/From Peterborough County OPP release today....
Police are requesting the public’s assistance and vigilance due to the increase in residential and commercial Break and Enters in the County and City of Peterborough.
Make note of any suspicious persons or vehicles in subdivisions and commercial areas during off or quiet hours.
Check that all home exterior lighting is functioning, all locks are in good working order and home windows are closed and secured during daily absences.
Ensure that vehicles are locked with any valuables secured or hidden and the keys are not left in the vehicle.
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Local Cadets Hosting Open House Tomorrow At Peterborough Armoury
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On Tuesday, September 20th, our local 2672 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps will be hosting an Open House from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Peterborough Armoury (220 Murray St.) to inform the community as to what the Army Cadet program is all about.
The program is open to youth between the ages of 12 and 18.
[Related: PtboPics: 2672 Cadet Corps Annual Parade & Inspection At Peterborough Armoury]
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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The Truth About Why Closing PCVS Would Be A Huge Blow To Our Community
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THE PHILLIPS REPORTOnce again the public, and private, discussions about the closing of a Peterborough high school have sunk into anecdote and vitriol. Virtually all of the discussion surrounds loyalties—neighbourhood, school, alumni—or mythical nostalgia. As the final decision by the publically elected Board at the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPRDSB) approaches, it is time to refocus the discussion on financial and economic realities.
Before addressing these issues, it is important consider the role of the Board and the role of its senior management. The Board is elected to see that the KPRDSB has the strategies, policies, facilities, finances, and administration are in place so that the organization—overseen by the senior managers it employs—can provide the best education possible given the resources. Importantly, the Board is responsible to its funders—property taxpayers (residential and business) in Peterborough and the taxpayers of Ontario. The Board’s senior administration must take these resources and deliver the required educational services. There is a clear distinction between the role of the publically elected Board and the role of the administrative staff it employs.
The Board now finds itself in a position where the facts show that there is declining enrolment in Peterborough high schools and more schools than are necessary to deliver its educational services. With very similar education services being delivered at the existing schools for several decades, it is difficult to argue that one fewer high school would put the Board in a position where it would be unable to fulfill its mandate.
In financial terms, declining high school enrolment and an abundance of property and facilities puts the Board in a position where it has the opportunity to consolidate its operations, sell some valuable property, and use the funds to deliver educational services, and, perhaps, provide taxpayers with some relief from ever-increasing educational property taxes.
After the contentious review process was completed, I was pleased to see that the Board added its offices to be part of the mix. With little commercial land available in the industrial parks in the City, the Board could sell its property (a value in the millions of dollars) in the industrial park and consolidate its operations in an existing high school. This is a creative response to a complex decision. However, after this creative financial option was offered by the Board, the pubic debate became increasingly entrenched in anything but the financial, economic, and administrative realities.
In economic terms, the issue centers on the future of PCVS. Beyond the issues of its property value (which is the lowest—according to Board’s own property evaluations—of all the properties being considered, and the least likely to lower education property taxes), the significance of the school in terms of its value to the community and its role in economic development were practically ignored. Many of the initiatives to renew and expand the infrastructures of the downtowns of Ontario communities are to increase, not decrease, the downtown’s population density. More importantly, a high school in the downtown represents a source of current and future creative talent.
Just over 100 kilometres from downtown Peterborough, at the University of Toronto, is an internationally recognized leader in economic development—Richard Florida. His research describes the significance of the "creative class" and its ability to interact at a social level in city cores as a key contributor to local economic growth. Even with him being an advisor on economic growth to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, it seems as though his message is more readily heard further away, rather than closer to home.
There is little doubt that a downtown high school contributes in many ways to the economic development of a city. I have yet to come across any evidence, from Richard Florida’s point of view, or any other approach to economic development that would suggest that removing a downtown school would contribute to a community’s economic development in a positive way.
Basically, as much as there are compelling, anecdotal and nostalgic arguments to close PCVS, there is little substance—financial, economic, or administrative—to the arguments. This must be recognized as the Board’s takes its decision.
Earlier this year, I was given the opportunity to present this case in a ten minute presentation to the KPRDSB’s Accommodation Review Committee (ARC). After that presentation, I was given some feedback from a member of the committee that my presentation would have had more credibility if I had not been, "clearly," a PCVS alumnus and supporter.
On that point, I need to set the record straight. I did graduate from PCVS. However, I disliked high school immensely. In hindsight, my five years of high school were insignificant given my subsequent academic pursuits. The fact that those five years were spent at PCVS has nothing to with the case I am making. My position comes from my community and professional perspective, not a nostalgic view. I trust that the Board’s decision will be made in the same spirit.
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[Contributed by PtboCanada's Tom Phillips Ph. D. Phillips is Economist & Sustainability Director - Greater Ptbo Innovation Cluster.]
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