I’m just going to come right out and say it – Canada’s justice system is broken.

I spent part of last Wednesday afternoon in a Lindsay courtroom as Robert Anthony Ferguson, a 63-year-old Highlands East resident, was sentenced to life in prison for the 2019 murder of Dylan Dahlke.

Although, it isn’t really a life sentence… Ferguson will be eligible for parole in just 12 years.

Whether I’m outdated in my thinking or not, I’m a firm believer that life in prison should mean exactly that. Looking at the facts of this case, Ferguson brutally murdered Dahlke, who was 29, in cold blood. He stabbed him in the back with a kitchen knife and left him to bleed out, before retreating to his bedroom.

There has been no explanation for the violent outburst. Justice Clyde Smith, who presided over last week’s sentencing, referenced an apparent disagreement between the pair over alcohol and cigarettes on the night of the murder. Ferguson has never discussed his motivation, saying only in a statement to the court that Dahlke and his partner, who was Ferguson’s tenant, were verbally abusive towards him.

That someone could lose their life over something so trivial is mind boggling – Smith said as much while delivering his reasoning for the sentence.

I’m not so much criticizing the judge for this decision – it’s a systemic problem. He quoted at least three prior cases in his explanation. There was already precedent for such a paltry term of parole ineligibility. Add that to the fact the Crown was only seeking 15 years of ineligibility, and Smith’s hands were largely tied.

While it was recognized that Ferguson has had challenges in his past, and has a learning disability, a psychological assessment determined he was free of any serious mental diagnoses that could have explained the outburst. Smith said this suggested there may be good reason to worry about the risk of Ferguson reoffending in the future.

That doesn’t sound like someone we want to, one day, be reintegrated back into society.

There was much publicity recently about a New York, U.S. man who had been jailed in 1999 for attempted murder and robbery. Sheldon Johnson was released in May 2023 after serving his sentence. He later appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, where he spoke of wanting to help people rebuild their life following a period of incarceration. He said jail should be more about rehabilitating convicted felons, rather than punishment.

Earlier this month, Johnson was arrested and charged with second-degree murder after a mutilated corpse was discovered in a freezer of a home in the Bronx. Johnson has professed his innocence, and the charges haven’t been proven in court. He remains in police custody.

Not all criminals reoffend, and there is a chance that people turn their lives around while inside. But I don’t think people with a history of committing horrific, grotesque crimes – and murder is at the very top of that scale – should be given the opportunity to get out and, potentially, do it again.

While Ferguson has, apparently, shown remorse for his actions, Dahlke’s family, including sister Adeilah, say they have not received an apology. Or even an explanation. There’s no opportunity for rehabilitation for them, only grief and misery.

Dahlke was just 29 at the time of his death – with his whole life ahead of him. It feels wrong that he won’t have the opportunity to live it, while the man responsible for his untimely demise counts down the days until he’s free.

It’s interesting – and exciting – when you see a pattern emerging.

Last week, a fellow by the name of Kevin Taylor made an appearance at a Highlands East council meeting.

He talked about the prospect of something called ‘little blue cabins’ potentially coming to Bancroft and surrounding communities in future.
The fact his presentation was during the same week a report said Bancroft had the fastest growing housing prices in Canada was not lost on me. And coming to Highlands East meant he also thought the concept could work in Wilberforce and maybe Cardiff and Harcourt.

Taylor discussed how mental illness, addiction or substance use, and unemployment all lead to homelessness.

Trent University student Ellen Buck-McFayden looked into chronically homeless people in Bancroft, finding about 20 folks, most high school dropouts, who had experienced past trauma, and lacked supports. Most were long-time residents, former classmates and neighbours, who had not had a lot of opportunities in life.

It was also found that while a small number, these people were a mighty drain on health care and OPP, and fell through that crack between the province and township.

Just like in Haliburton, they’ve hosted homelessness summits. In 2023, the province’s minister of mental health and addictions attended, along with the MPP and mayor. Perhaps more politically-motivated than their Highlands counterparts, “another” more than $6M was pledged to Hastings County to address homelessness.

That’s where the idea of 20 sleeping cabins came about. Measuring eight by 16-feet, they have two windows and a door, microwave, mini-fridge, heater, smoke and carbon dioxide detectors, a bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe. They are attached to a larger community building with kitchen, laundry, showers, washrooms, office and meeting rooms. They have access to professionals, whether medical, social, or jobs and training.

This isn’t new. The folks in Bancroft had studied models in Kingston, Kitchener, Hamilton, Calgary and throughout the U.S.

A model with 20 units could cost $1.5 M for site development and servicing, community building and cabins, and landscaping. It could cost another $400,000 a year to operate. For once, a price-tag for affordable housing like this did not floor me.

Also last week, there was a story in the Toronto Star by Joelle Kovach titled ‘Modular cabins to end homelessness: How this Ontario city’s project is succeeding.’

Peterborough council took some flack but had the guts to install 50 small modular cabins in the Rehill parking lot. It’s early days, but so far so good. They did it in an amazing six-month period, ending homelessness for 50 residents. That’s huge. It’s costly, too, naturally, at $2.4M to build and $1.9M in annual costs. But politicians reckon it’s saving costs in other areas.

On March 23, meanwhile, Sean Campbell, executive director of Union Cooperative in Kitchener-Waterloo, will serve as the U-Links celebration of research keynote speaker. He’ll discuss ways to bring innovative housing projects to small communities. It’s an important topic, with U-Links recently partnering with local residents Fay Martin, Fay Wilkinson, and Dave Wilfong, and grad students from Trent, to look into housing alternatives for Haliburton County. Results of that project will be available in the fall.

We urge County, and all other politicians to check out the Highlands East delegation, read about Peterborough’s success story, attend Places for People’s Sleeping in Cars event at Head Lake Park March 22, and attend the celebration of research. It’s time for a made-in-Haliburton solution to housing and homelessness, and the need for worker accommodation.

Growing up outside of Sudbury, I spent a fair bit of time at the Sudbury Arena watching the Ontario Hockey League Sudbury Wolves.
One of the highlights then – and still today – is when the Wolves score and a taxidermy wolf descends from the rafters. It is, naturally, accompanied by a wolf howl. The tradition dates back well over 50 years.

Back then, there was also a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II at one end of the old hockey barn. In the glory days before netting, the then-monarch took a lot of pucks to the face. She was pretty disfigured by the time they took her down.

Attending the Haliburton County Huskies playoff game March 12, I was delighted to see the Haliburton Highlands Sports Hall of Fame has been duplicated on the wall behind the stands at the arena. It pays tribute to 17 athletes – including hockey builders A.J. LaRue and Lenny Salvatori and players Bernie Nicholls, Cody Hodgson, ‘Joe” Iles, Glen Dart, and Marla MacNaull. The hall’s first home is upstairs at the A.J. LaRue Arena.

In between periods, I noted the township of Minden Hills has done a good job of decorating the arena and community centre. There are fine display cases in the lobby, featuring championship trophies, photos and memorabilia, all paying tribute to our Highlands sporting glory.

Inside the rink itself, there are banners marking the various team championships over the years. The Huskies logo is painted at centre ice. There is the requisite Canadian flag underneath the score clock. There were plenty of ‘Go Huskies Go’ posters in the stands.

The atmosphere is always good as a Huskies game here attracts about 500, and even more, in the playoffs. Had it been a better game – the blue and white lost 4-2 – the stands would have been a tad bit more raucous.

Susan was in the lobby flogging Huskies merch. Jess Jackson was running around the arena – as usual – making sure everything was in order. Owner Paul Wilson always presses the flesh. The bar staff and fine folks from Mulligan’s were busy upstairs. The kids, as usual, were running around and having a blast.

There was really only one thing missing – or maybe two or three.

I wondered about the prospect of getting a stuffed Husky – maybe not a taxidermy one – but a replica, stringing it up on a wire, and running it across the roof every time the Huskies score – along with a blood-curdling dog howl.

Over the years, in Sudbury, there’s also been a large inflatable wolf head that the players have skated through.

I also pondered the prospect of a portrait of King Charles II at one end of the arena. With the netting, we would be assured the monarch’s face would remain intact throughout the course of his reign.

Meanwhile, we are down two games to one in this first-round series with a pivotal match in Cobourg March 14. So, Go Huskies Go!