Did you just buy one of those Roku televisions but are having trouble figuring it out?  

If so, Tech Tutoring Fridays at the John Howard Society in Minden might be the ticket for you.  

Skills development co-ordinator Robert Gaudette is facilitating the new program.  He told The Highlander in a recent interview that momentum is slowly building.  

“We’ve had a few individuals through. And when people come in, they seem to come with their laundry list and so far, we’ve been able to work through each list and the person more often than not leaves with all of their issues solved,” Gaudette said.  

He hopes more people will start coming, necessitating added staff.

He would also like to see peer support so if someone knows more about a certain aspect of technology than someone else, they can pair up.  

To date, he said people have come with questions about Gmail’s new interface and contacts and other Internet-related queries about sending and saving photos.

He’s also been asked about legitimate emails with offers versus scams. Another common request is about downloading files. He added it’s also about learning what 
you can fix yourself and when you need to contact an expert.

In addition to helping people navigate their devices, it’s about empowering them to not be afraid to use them, Gaudette said.  

So far, an older demographic has been coming, a trend he expects to continue. He understands since his own parents come to him with tech questions.

He said his mom is good on the computer, has a smart phone and tablet but struggled with Roku.  

“A lot of people are changing and watching their entertainment that way but if you’ve never been trained on how to do it, it’s not always intuitive,” Gaudette said.  

His background is in technology, having worked at a tech start-up for 15 years after university.

About 10 years ago, he got into community work.  

The program is free but people are asked to register so Gaudette can prepare.  

Another program that Gaudette wanted to highlight was their regular adult literacy services.  Funded by Employment Ontario, John Howard facilities the program for anyone 19 and older that needs help with math, English or digital literacy.

The free program is comprehensive, Gaudette said.  People register, are asked how they want to improve, assessed for a starting point and then a curriculum is designed for them.  

Gaudette said it can be in-person tutoring on online.  

“So, it’s not like being in traditional school where you might be one of 30 people. Perhaps you have anxiety. Perhaps there are other reasons why you aren’t interested in taking education in that kind of a formal setting and if you can only come Wednesday at two o’clock then you can come Wednesday at two. It’s at your own pace.” 

 For more information or to register, contact: Robert Gaudette, 705-3280472 x 921, Cell: 705-340-2986, email: bgaudette@jhscklh.on.ca

Amidst honking horns, cheering allies and occasional jeering, Jürgen Shantz remained steadfast in his protest against climate change inaction.

The crowd alongside him has dwindled over the course of his protest on four-consecutive Fridays, from more than 40 strong to approximately 10 by his final demonstration April 12. His fellow Haliburton Highlands Secondary School students had not joined him consistently. Although elementary students and adult activists have come, the protests have also attracted negative attention from skeptics.

Despite the challenges of losing out on class time and balancing a schedule with school sports, Shantz said he did not want to stop coming.

“I didn’t want to disappoint people,” Shantz said. “I really want to grow up in a world where I don’t have to worry about this kind of stuff anymore.”

Shantz was inspired to start demonstrating by Swedish student Greta Thunberg, who has become internationally-acclaimed for not attending high school to protest climate change inaction.

He made his mind up to follow in her footsteps and began protesting outside the Dysart et al municipal building March 22.

“I’m not that much of an outward person, so starting this was pretty difficult for me,” he said. “It was also difficult getting the word out there. But I had to do it.”

The support came quickly, with adults and activist groups spreading the word.

“It means a lot to me,” Shantz said. “I was just really scared of nobody being here, but at least 40 people showed up (to the first protest).”

Bonnie Roe joined in the protests each week and said the youth attending would learn a lot from the experience.

“They’ve received tons of support and I think it’s going to help them realize we can have a voice,” Roe said.

Not everyone has supported the effort. The protest has attracted negative attention on social media. One driver passing by on the final day of protest called it crazy and said not to “use the kids.”

“I thought that specific case was hilarious,” Shantz said. “I was the one who started this, so they’re not using me.”

“There will always be a few naysayers,” Roe said. “We should admire the depth and insight they have about such a serious issue as climate change, not undermine them as not understanding or following adults.”

Shantz said government action on climate change at all levels is critical.

“They’re the people who have the power to do things,” he said. “We really need governments to get on board with this.”

Although Shantz’s weekly protests are ending, he plans to co-ordinate local demonstrations in solidarity with international ones. The next one is planned for May 24.

He said he hopes that he can attract more of his peers to attend.

“I accomplished about half of what I was hoping. I was hoping a lot more students would show up which didn’t happen,” Shantz said. “But a lot more people seemed to be paying attention to the subject.”

Job seekers can expect to find a wide array of openings ahead of the busy summer season in Haliburton at Fleming Crew Employment Centre’s job fair April 25.

The fair seeks to connect people with a range of employers, including municipalities, hospitality and trades sectors. A total of 20 employers have registered.

Information and reception assistant Sarah Adams said the fair comes in response to high demand from employers. She noted the Fleming Crew job board is overflowing, with more than 150 postings.

“It seems like we have a lot of job postings so we’re trying to get more people out to connect with employers,” Adams said.

“There’s a labour shortage,” employment and training consultant Kim Quigley said. “Any employers locally, you’ll hear them say they have issues finding staff. It’s a real challenge.”

Quigley said the difficulties have been year-round, citing a lack of housing and transportation as issues in the local job market.

Fleming is looking to address some of the gaps in the local job market. Fleming College’s Academic Upgrading program is running a computer course from May to June to help people get the skills employers are demanding.

“There’s still a bit of a gap, especially here in Haliburton. The internet is not readily accessible so people, they’re just not selfteaching themselves,” program co-ordinator Marion Willemsen said.

Prospective employees attending the job fair should come prepared, Adams said.

“They should definitely bring multiple copies of their resume,” she said. “Make a good first impression, that’s important. They should do some research ahead of time.”

Willemsen said job seekers looking to break into the market can come to Fleming Crew for help with resumes, interviews and more.

“We have this awesome service hub here with lots of resources,” she said. “We can even help people get here if they are challenged in reaching out to us here. The resources to make themselves more employable are here.”

The job fair takes place at the Pinestone Resort from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Transportation can be arranged by contacting Fleming Crew at 705-457-2020 or flemingcrew@flemingcollege.ca.

The CAO of Alberta-based NuVista Energy was in Haliburton Monday, talking about the energy crisis in Alberta and how it relates to business in Ontario.

Jonathon Wright was joined by Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock Member of Parliament Jamie Schmale and Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce manager Jennifer Locke at the Bonnie View Inn in front of a handful of guests for a discussion and lunch.

Wright said he’d come to “just have a good fireside chat about energy, about Canada and about oil and gas.”
In addition to being the CAO of NuVista, Wright sits on the board of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP).

Most of NuVista’s operations are based near Grand Prairie.

Wright said there are “a lot of misconceptions about what is happening these days” around greenhouse gas emissions and climate change as it pertains to Canada’s natural gas and oil industry. He said it is driving anti-industry rhetoric despite Canada being “the cleanest, most ethical producer [with] the highest standards in the world.”

He said it’s projected the world will need 27 per cent more energy by 2040. While he lauds the phasing out of coal, only two per cent of the world’s energy is now being supplied by renewables, such as wind and solar. That number is projected to be only six per cent by 2040 “after trillions are spent,” according to Wright.

Consequently, he said consumers still need other forms of energy, such as natural gas, oil, nuclear and hydroelectricity.

He noted Canada is the fifth largest producer of natural gas, and the sixth of oil, but is lacking investment and support. It’s gone from $81B invested in 2014 to $41B last year.

Wright emphasized that Canada needs to connect to the rest of the world via pipelines but the challenges are coming from within our country.

He attributes that to large federal government deficits; the national carbon tax; failure to expand pipeline capacity; two federal bills that are anti-pipeline and anti-marine tanker (Bill-C-69 and Bill C-48) and red tape.
He emphasized it’s not just an Alberta problem since Ontario benefits from 63,000 oil and gas sector jobs and the oil sands spend $1.9B in Ontario on supplies and services. And, yet, “entire provinces seem to think it’s okay to hold up nationally-important infrastructure projects that are critical for another province’s structure.”
He went on to say marine tanker oil shipments have doubled since 1970, yet the number of spills over seven tonnes has dropped dramatically.

He showed a slide with pipelines running all across the USA and into Canada and commented, “explain to me why we are worried about the next pipeline … the next pipeline will be the safest pipeline ever built.” He conceded there are spills from time to time, and while “terrible,” they are minor, quickly cleaned up and the faulty pipes taken out of service.

He said while there have been strides to reduce consumption, there remains a demand for gas and oil so, “we need all Canadians’ help to get pipelines built … all we want to do is go to work … we’re all part of the solution … we’re all part of the problem … we’re all using the stuff.”

The Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) and its teachers are bracing for job losses due to provincial government cutbacks.

The province has indicated it will be raising the funded average high school class size from 22 to 28, as well as an increase at the Grade 4 to 8 level from 23.84 to 24.5. It has also said boards cannot count on the continuation of local priorities funding, which provided more special education staffing to support children in need, “at-risk” students and adult education.

TLDSB director of education Larry Hope said the board has not finalized what the cuts will amount to but estimates $7.4 million in reduced funding. Board wide, Hope estimated a reduction of approximately 23.5 high school teaching positions and 15 elementary teaching positions.

“We are very, very concerned about being able to provide the excellent support that we have all become quite accustomed to and frankly have become very proud of,” Hope said. “We always want to ensure we can have the greatest support possible for all our learners.”

Minister of Education Lisa Thompson said April 11 school boards have been left in a bad position due to poorly negotiated collective agreements with staff.

“I appreciate the fact that there are some school boards experiencing financial pressures of teacher salaries and benefits due to proposed changes in class size,” Thompson said. “We’re going to be working with school boards as we go forward. We’re going to be investing in education and we’re going to help school boards get it right.”

Ontario’s 2019 budget plans for a $1 billion increase in education spending over the next three years, less than the rate of inflation.

Minister of Finance Victor Fedeli said balancing the budget was crucial to protecting core services.

“Do we really think our public education system will flourish when the government continues to pile on more and more debt? The answer to both questions is a resounding no,” Fedeli said.

Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation local district 15 president Colin Matthew said the cuts will harm specialized programming in schools.

“These cuts will drive up class sizes in the core credits – bigger math and English classes, some of which are already at 33 students, meaning far less individual time for students,” Matthew said in a press release. “And will be the death knell for specialized programming like arts, technology and senior elective classes.”

Hope said the board will have a clearer idea of its staffing picture in May, as teachers declare retirements.

“We’re watching very closely to see what the (provincial) budget brings us,” Hope said. “And what we’re going to be able to do, and what we’re going to have to do, to protect the excellence in programming.”

The OPP and OSPCA are not laying charges in a case involving a group of dogs in poor condition on a Haliburton-Bancroft border property.

The case involved a group of more than 20 dogs, whose alleged images went viral in a Facebook post Feb. 22. The dogs were taken in by the Siberian Husky Assistance and Rescue Program (SHARP) in Peterborough as officials investigated the situation.

Bancroft OPP Const. Philippe Regamey said the investigating officer had finished and no charges would be laid. He noted the owner had already been getting assistance from SHARP before police involvement.

“The owner was already in contact with them and getting support as he was unable to care for them, Regamey said. “Once we were involved, we expedited that process and the dogs were removed and cared for.”

The dogs attracted attention in a Facebook post from Jennifer Martin, who attended the scene with OPP. She described the dogs as being too weak to stand, with no food or water to be found.

Martin said she suspects the investigation may have been impacted by the transition of animal welfare investigations between OPP and Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA). The OSPCA announced March 4 it would no longer investigate and enforce animal cruelty law once its contract expired April 1.

“I sympathize with the OPP and OSPCA,” Martin said. “It was just really bad timing to get this situation properly investigated by cruelty experts.”

Both OPP and OSPCA told The Highlander the other organization was the lead on the investigation.

“We as the OPP were waiting to hear back from the OSPCA, who were taking the lead,” Regamey said.

“Our role was one of support, as police have the same jurisdiction as Ontario SPCA officers,” OSPCA
associate director of communications Melissa Kosowan said.

In an email March 28, SHARP board member Sally Kirkby said the dogs were still under its care.

However, Martin said she and other animal welfare advocates have become concerned by the lack of status updates on the dogs.

“We just want to make sure these dogs have been cared for and rehabilitated,” Martin said.

SHARP did not respond to a follow-up request for comment for more details about the status of the dogs and what happened around Feb. 22.

“We will not be doing any follow-up stories with any media/publication regarding these or any other dogs through our rescue,” Kirkby said. “We would just like to get on with our rescue work.”

Haliburton’s Volunteer Dental Outreach (VDO) is expressing concern about the requirements for a new low-income senior dental program introduced in the 2019 provincial budget.

The program was revealed with the budget April 11. It would offer dental services for low-income seniors at community health centres across the province. It is expected to begin this summer.

“At least two-thirds of low-income seniors do not have access to dental care,” Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott said in a press release. “There are over 3,000 low-income seniors (in the riding) … who could potentially benefit from this program.”

However, VDO director Lisa Kerr noted the Ontario Dental Association has expressed opposition to the program due to the requirement for seniors to travel to government-run centres to get treatment from dental teams they may not know.

“If that’s the case, I would expect that Haliburton seniors would be expected to travel to the public health dental offices in Lindsay and Port Hope,” Kerr said. “Which would be impossible for most who cannot afford the gas or travel expenses to these clinics.”

Kerr said the board would wait for full details of the plan to make any adjustments to VDO.

“Our board will discuss if and how our financial screening process will be modified to best serve the needs of the community,” she said.

Scott praises budget

Scott praises a number of measures in this year’s provincial budget impacting the riding. The budget lays out a plan to achieve fiscal balance in five years.

The budget offers measures aimed at helping the skilled-trade sector, including a new flexible framework to allow for training and certification between different trades.

“Budget measures aimed at job creation and a modernized framework for skilled trade apprenticeships will benefit workers and small businesses across Haliburton – Kawartha Lakes – Brock,” she said.

The province also announced it intends to create a Housing Supply Action Plan to address barriers that prevent people from getting housing and reduce “red tape” around housing development.

Scott also spoke about the new Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses (CARE) tax credit, offered to families to help with childcare expenses.

“The CARE credit will provide much needed relief for local families who are struggling with the cost of child-care,” she said.

Mixed review from county warden

County warden Liz Danielsen offered both commendation and criticism over different aspects of the budget impacting municipalities.

“The province’s commitment to reducing the deficit is commendable as long as that isn’t at the expense of our environment,” she said.

Danielsen said she supported the province investing $315 million over the next five years toward projects to expand cellular and broadband coverage.

“This has been a priority for County Council and will contribute considerably to improving the ability to do business in the County and beyond,” Danielsen said.

She also praised measures to increase long-term care beds, increase the stock of low-income housing and reduce the cost of policing on municipalities.

However, Danielsen said she was concerned by news of the government’s plans to reduce the number of paramedic operators, merging 59 municipal paramedic operators into 10 regional ones.

“(That) could create a serious reduction of services in rural Ontario and an unknown financial loss to the county,” Danielsen said.

Minister of Health spokesperson Hayley Chazan said no paramedics will lose jobs as a result of changes to the system.

“As we move our modernization agenda forward, we are working directly alongside frontline paramedics and our municipal partners to ensure emergency health services can better meet the needs of Ontario’s communities,” she said.

The province is also not increasing the provincial gas tax share to municipalities which the Association of Municipalities of Ontario said was unexpected.

“The plan to reduce the province’s gas tax program will likely create greater challenges for municipalities that run, or are considering the establishment of public transit services,” Danielsen said.

Hydro One held an open house in Minden Tuesday night to talk about its planned expansion of the Minden Transformer Station starting mid-June.

Manager of projects Gianni DiFilippo told The Highlander it’s a $33-million investment. He added it would both improve reliability to existing customers and support future growth.

In a community notice sent out to affected residents, Hydro One’s community relations officer said that much of their transmission system was built in the 1950s and is in need of investment.

Melissa Raby said that in Minden, once complete, the Hydro One expansion will provide much-needed electrical capacity for the Minden and Haliburton areas.

The station is located on Haliburton County Rd 21 in Minden Hills.

“Investments in the system today will help protect the public, ensure reliability and offset far more costly work in the future,” Raby said.

Included in the work is: Installation of the new T1 transformer in its permanent location on the northwest side of the station; tree removal on Hydro One’s property and extension of the station’s fence by approximately 0.28 hectare; installation of the new T2 transformer and associated equipment; installation of two new buildings which will house critical electrical communication equipment and removal of the old T2 transformer and associated equipment.

The utility also announced that the trees they have to remove will be going to Heat Bank Haliburton County. Spokeswoman Tina Jackson said it would represent about one-quarter of what they need for a year.

Work will be done primarily with equipment such as bucket trucks, all-terrain vehicles and heavy machinery.

“We understand construction can be disruptive and we appreciate your patience while we complete this important work,” Raby said. DiFilippo added residents would get a lot of notice before any planned disruptions.

The transformer was the site of a major fire on July 26, 2018 that knocked out power to 20,000 homes. The blaze caused significant damage to the station’s T1 transformer, which is a critical piece of infrastructure. Throughout the remaining months of 2018, staff worked to safely remove the damaged equipment and install a temporary replacement transformer.

Work is expected to be completed by March 2021.