Mayor Diane Therrien Condemns Actions of Incident Involving NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh

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Mayor Diane Therrien is condemning the incident involving NDP leader Jagmeet Singh during his visit to Peterborough last Tuesday.

Mayor Diane Therrien (right) at City Hall issuing her statement involving Singh. The mayor was not present during Singh’s visit to Peterborough.

He visited Peterborough - Kawartha NDP Candidate Jen Deck at her George Street campaign office in support of her running.

During his visit, Singh was confronted by protestors during his arrival and departure from the rally.

“Peterborough” has been a trending topic on Twitter since the incident that has garnered national attention. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

The following is an official statement issued by Therrien at City Hall on Tuesday morning:

On Tuesday May 10, our City was the site of an ugly, unacceptable attack on the leader of the Federal NDP. Mr. Singh came here to support the provincial party’s local candidate, as is his right to do so, and he should have been able to do so free from harassment and intimidation.

This was not a protest or acts of civil disobedience. Mr. Singh was targeted and physically harassed as he left the campaign office and walked to his vehicle. People yelled at him, insulted him, and swore at him.

This incident is one of many that our and other communities have been subjected to in recent months.

The purpose of this behaviour is to intimidate. It is to incite others to join in the rage, anger, and violence. It is intended to disrupt our freedom to safely and securely participate in the democratic process.

It is to distract us from working together to address the issues that truly matter and are increasingly urgent for all of us -- climate change, mental health, drug addiction, child poverty, housing affordability, the list goes on. These are deliberate, and very damaging, distractions.

The result of this behaviour is a corrosive poisoning of our communities, the amplification of racism and misogyny, and the deterioration of the peace, order and good government that Canadians continue to fight and die for.

We are Better Than This.

The City of Peterborough is Better Than This.

We all must be Better Than This. And each one of us in positions of influence must clearly, forcefully, and repeatedly condemn these tactics.

As Peterborough’s municipal leaders, we stand here together to show that we unconditionally condemn these tactics. We will not be intimidated to speak up and stand up against this, and demand better from everyone who engages in public and political debate.

I, Mayor of Peterborough, am calling on every political leader in Canada to stand with the good people of Peterborough and condemn these tactics. To refuse to be intimidated and coerced into appeasing or collaborating in any way with those who are terrorizing our democratic processes. To say, that this terror must stop now for the good of our country and for the protection of our democratic freedoms.

To say nothing is a choice. To not clearly, forcefully and repeatedly condemn these tactics is to be complicit. And the good, decent people of Canada who place a high value on peace and respectful discourse, must demand this from themselves and from all political leaders.

Finally, we, the Council for the City of Peterborough, will bring forward a motion at our next Council meeting to invite Mr. Singh back to our city, to show solidarity, to stand united with him, and to let him know that we are Better Than This. Thank you.

Therrien was not taking questions from the media following her statement.

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Peterborough Police Service Investigating Incident Involving NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh

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Peterborough Police Service is actively investigating the incident involving NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and protestors during his visit to Peterborough on Tuesday.

“Peterborough” has been a trending topic on Twitter since the incident that has garnered national attention. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

Protestors were outside the NDP campaign office building on George Street when Singh arrived and left the premises. Obscene words and gestures were made at the federal party leader by the protestors.

"We are aware that due to our staffing shortages, we are not always able to engage in proactive policing patrols," said Tim Farquharson, acting chief. "We also understand that public safety is of paramount importance and encourage residents to contact us with their concerns or any evidence that could aid in our investigations."

Police were unaware that Singh was in Peterborough as they were not contacted by the NDP leader prior to his visit according to a Tweet.

Singh was in town to show support for newly-appointed candidate Jen Deck for the Peterborough-Kawartha Riding. Deck was introduced to the party by Andrea Howarth, NDP Provincial leader on April 26.

The 2022 Ontario General Election begins on June 2.

The following are candidates for this year’s election:

  • MPP Dave Smith, incumbent Progressive Conservative Party

  • Greg Dempsey, Liberal Party

  • Jen Deck, New Democratic Party

  • Robert Gibson, Green Party

  • Tom Marazzo, Ontario Party

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NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh Visits Peterborough To Show Support For Local Candidate

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Jagmeet Singh paid a visit to Peterborough - Kawartha NDP Candidate Jen Deck at the campaign office, on Tuesday.

After Deck spoke with the crowd, Singh entered through the front door, through a crowd of protestors.

Singh addressed the crowd, commented on their signs and encouraged them to vote orange for the upcoming election.

“This is exciting,” said Singh. “If we form a New Democratic government, the things that we can do.”

Singh noted providing dental coverage, mental health coverage, and eliminating for-profit long term care homes.

After his speech Singh spoke with and took photos with those in attendance.

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Peterborough City Councillor Henry Clarke Files Nomination For Mayor

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Peterborough City Councillor Henry Clarke filed for election to the office of Mayor of the City of Peterborough, on Thursday.

Clarke filing for nomination at City Hall. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

Clarke was elected as Monaghan Ward councillor in 1998, then re-elected five times.

He sat as deputy mayor from 2004 until 2018, and was also chair of the city’s finance committee from 2007 - 2018.

Clarke is the second resident to announce a campaign for Mayor. Northcrest Ward Stephen Wright also announced he would be seeking the office.

Current Mayor, Diane Therrien, announced in November that she would not be seeking re-election.

The Municipal Election will take place on Oct. 24.

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City Releases Guide For Candidates Running In Upcoming Municipal Election

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A Municipal Candidate Guide for candidates in the upcoming municipal election on October 24, is now available on the City website at peterborough.ca/election.

Photo by Luke Best.

The Municipal Candidate Guide includes:

  • nomination procedures

  • election sign guidelines

  • campaign expense limits

  • ward boundary maps

  • mandatory submission forms

  • other information for candidates

In addition to the City’s Municipal Candidate Guide, the Province provides a 2022 Candidates’ Guide for municipal council and school board elections. The Province’s guide includes general information on nominations, campaigning, third-party advertising, and campaign finance.

The Nomination Period for candidates to file to run in the upcoming municipal election is open from May 2 to August 19. Candidates must obtain 25 endorsement signatures on the Provincially prescribed form from eligible electors in the City of Peterborough, which are filed with their nomination form. Electors may endorse more than one candidate. The requirement for signatures does not apply for candidates running to be school board trustees.

In the City of Peterborough, positions for election are Mayor and two ward Councillors for each of the five wards (Otonabee, Monaghan, Town, Ashburnham, and Northcrest) for City Council as well as trustee positions for the local school boards:

  • Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board

  • Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board

  • Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir

  • Conseil Scolaire Viamonde

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Teacher Jen Deck Introduced as NDP Candidate For Peterborough-Kawartha In Provincial Election

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Teacher Jen Deck joins the NDP for the Ontario Provincial Election as she was introduced by party leader Andrea Horwath at the Peterborough Lift Lock Tuesday afternoon.

Jen Deck (left) with her dog Niko (middle) and NDP leader Andrea Horwarth (right) at the Peterborough Lift Lock. Horwath toured the Peterborough Tour Guild following the announcement. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Deck will be chosen as the NDP’s candidate for Peterborough-Kawartha at a nomination meeting this Thursday.

"We need change now," she said after being introduced. "The system has failed us. Covid has taught us that we need to in our public services, in our healthcare, in our public education so that we can survive the bumps in the road."

Deck has been a teacher for 19 years in Peterborough. She has taught the Young Mom’s Program at Peterborough Alternative & Continuing Education; Medically Fragile Learning and Life, Science and Family Studies at Crestwood Secondary School and served as president of the Elementary Occasional Teachers.

"Education was poorly funded going into the Covid pandemic," said Deck. "Our classes are overcrowded, we do not have enough support staff to help deal with dysregulation.

With her experience in the classroom, Deck has made education a priority if elected.

“We have students who struggle to regulate their behaviour more so now after Covid, after two years of chaos but this was in place before that,” she said. “This was a problem. We need more teachers, we need more education staff, we need to fund public education and we can't be playing with this idea of moving to vouchers or some kind of privatized education system because it will fail everyone."

Deck addressed healthcare and caring for small and medium businesses as other major areas of focus.

She will run against the following candidates for the June 2 election:

  • MPP Dave Smith, incumbent Progressive Conservative Party

  • Greg Dempsey, Liberal Party

  • Robert Gibson, Green Party

  • Tom Marazzo, Ontario Party

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Ontario Government Offering Individuals Up To $28,000 Towards Tuition For In-Demand Work

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The Ontario Government is launching a new training program, Better Jobs Ontario, on Friday which will pay up to $28,000 in tuition and other costs for short-duration training programs that allow job seekers to match their skills with the needs of hiring employers in the community, they announced at Fleming College on Monday.

Photo by Angela O’Grady.

Better Jobs Ontario will be open to anyone looking to train for in-demand work, including those on social assistance, who are self-employed, gig workers, youth, and newcomers to the province.

“To build a stronger Ontario, we need all hands on deck. Our government is on a mission to help everyday people earn bigger paycheques and we’re leaving nobody behind,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “Whether you are a young person struggling to break into the job market, a gig worker hustling to make ends meet, or unemployed and on social assistance, our government is here to give you a hand up to building a better life and stronger province for us all.”

Starting on Friday, this program will pay up to $28,000 in tuition and other costs for short-duration training programs that allow job seekers to match their skills with the needs of hiring employers in the community. Expanding on the current Second Career program, more applicants will now be eligible for up to $500 per week in financial support for basic living expenses.

“This funding opens doors for underemployed workers, new students and anyone looking to pursue a new career that requires a specific skillset,” said Fleming College President Maureen Adamson. “It expands job training and education to those who need it the most.”

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Green Party Candidate Hosted A 'Policy Walk & Roll” For Earth Day

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Robert Gibson, Green Party Candidate for Peterborough-Kawartha, held a walk through downtown Peterborough to speak about current issues on Friday afternoon.

He addressed issues such as climate change, public health, the opioid crisis, natural heritage protection, housing, basic income, public transit and workplace safety reform.

“Doug Ford’s sprawl agenda and failure to protect wetlands has serious local consequences in Peterborough – Kawartha, including severe, expensive flooding,” Gibson said in a press release. “Ontario Greens are the only party with a real plan to protect the nature that protects us.”

Gibson was announced as the Ontario Greens candidate in Peterborough-Kawartha on Thursday. He has a bachelor's degree in environmental science from Trent University, a freelance journalist and frequent contributor to the Arthur; Trent University's student newspaper.

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Ontario Government Invests $2.7 Million In New Jobs Program For Peterborough

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The Ontario Government is investing $2,714,847 for Pathways to Prosperity to provide workers with training for in-demand and well-paying jobs announced at the Venture North Building on Tuesday.

Rhonda Keenan, PKED President & CEO (pictured) speaking alongside MPP Dave Smith who was there on behalf of Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The project is administered by Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED).

PKED is focusing on workforce development over a 12-month period. The project’s goal is to have those employed or unemployed into sustainable well-paying jobs according to PKED. The program has three pillars:

  • Pre-Employment Support: readiness, participant supports, referral to training, long-term retention support, including any mental health support.

  • Job Seeker Training: 15 cohorts of job seekers will receive comprehensive training designed for four sectors: line cook, manufacturing, agriculture, and construction

  • Business Recruitment: recruit 50 local businesses or more to participate and offer job placements for the job seekers at the end of their training.

“We laser-focused on job creation in our region; creating opportunities for workers and families to enter the middle class through well-paying local jobs,” MPP Dave Smith said. “This jobs program will see hundreds of people receive the training and skills development needed to upgrade their careers and earn more money for their families.”

“Creating a collaborative partnership that not only supports the job seeker, but the businesses in this community that are facing a critical skills shortage, was the focus of this program,” said Rhonda Keenan, PKED President & CEO. “Businesses will have greater support to successfully hire people with the skill sets that are most in demand in the City of Peterborough, Peterborough County, and the City of Kawartha Lakes region.”

This initiative is supported by the government’s Skills Development Fund. They have provided over $200 million in funding for innovative projects that address challenges to hiring, training, or retraining workers during the pandemic according to the Ontario Government.

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Ballots Are Filling Up For Peterborough Kawartha Provincial Election

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Ahead of the June Provincial election, most major parties in Peterborough-Kawartha have announced their candidates.

Queens Park. Stock Photo.

The Peterborough-Kawartha riding association of the Ontario NDP has announced Jen Deck as nomination candidate for the upcoming election.

Deck is a teacher and the Occasional Teacher President of the Kawartha Pine Ridge Teachers’ Local of the Elementary Teachers Federation Ontario (ETFO).

A nomination meeting will be held on Thursday to confirm Deck as candidate.

Robert Gibson has been announced Green party candidate.

Gibson is a regular contributor to The Arthur, Trent Universities newspaper, and also hosts a show on Trent Radio called “Environmental Soup”. His show focuses on both environmental and social issues.

Gibson studied environmental science and environmental studies at Trent University from 2018 to 2020.

Greg Dempsey was announced the Liberal Party candidate in November 2021.

Dempsey is a Peterborough native, has served in the Canadian Foreign Service, represented Canada at the UN in New York, at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Tom Marazzo, a spokesperson during the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa and former Canadian military member is the candidate for the Ontario Party.

Dylan Smith, a pension administrative assistant, is running in Peterborough-Kawartha for the None of the Above Party. The None of the Above party was formed as a response to party members displeasure with all political parties.

Progressive Conservative Incumbent Dave Smith will also be on the ballot.

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