A new emergency department physician at Haliburton Highlands Health Services (HHHS), will reduce its dependence on Health Force Ontario locum physicians, CEO and president, Veronica Nelson said.

A locum is a physician who, on a temporary basis, fulfills the duties of a doctor who is absent, or who fills a role required by a hospital or practice that is short-staffed.

Nelson added Dr. Ali Bohra, who started May 2, also offers “a breadth of clinical skills from which our patients will benefit.”

County physician recruitment coordinator, Wendy Welch, explained Dr. Bohra is an emergency room specialist, not a family doctor that also does emergency. “And he’s been practising for many years.”

The County of Haliburton, in a joint press release with HHHS, said Dr. Bohra responded to a physician recruitment advertisement last fall and visited the Highlands in February with his spouse.

“Thanks to his visit, interactions with the team, and the warm welcome Dr. Bohra and his family experienced, he is excited to join HHHS,” the County and HHHS said.

Warden Liz Danielsen added, “the addition of Dr. Bohra will result in improved access to local health care for our residents and visitors to the County.”

Danielsen further said his commitment as an ED physician will have “a profound impact” on the Highlands. “His passion for healthcare, calm demeanor, and excitement to contribute positively to the community will no doubt leave a lasting impression.”

The Highlander requested an interview with Dr. Bohra, but was told HHHS and the County wanted to give him time to settle into his role before speaking with media. He was quoted in a press release as saying, “I think it’s high time for me to serve the community with respect and dignity, the same way I would wish for myself.”

Danielsen said the successful recruitment is the result of a team effort over many months between the chief of staff at HHHS, Dr. Keith Hay, and Welch.

Welch said recruiting physicians is complex at the best of times and having them come from overseas involves an added dimension, looking into immigration and visas, and the resulting red tape.

“It can be very frustrating. It takes a lot of patience. But it is so rewarding when it works out. When he started, he was just so happy to be here, so appreciative, and just so thankful.”

Welch said Dr. Bohra is staying in a County-leased property for likely two months, providing time to find something more permanent. The County also incentivizes doctors as posted on its website.

She said there will be a learning curve for him, coming from a different country, and to a rural hospital, from an urban health care facility.

She added she has a few other leads, including some from the U.K., Canada, and some U.S.-trained. “So, I’ll just keep working wherever I get the leads from.”

Danielsen said, “as we know, physician recruitment is very challenging in this current competitive market, thus ensuring we take a collaborative and innovative approach helps to bring incredible talent like Dr. Bohra to the Highlands.”

Nelson said as part of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) requirement to onboard Internationally-trained physicians who are exam eligible, there is a component where a supervisor is assigned until the physician has had the opportunity to pass the exams within a three-year period.

“HHHS is fortunate to have supervisors available to support Dr. Bohra on his journey to receive his independent practice certificate,” she said.

On the HaliDoc Facebook page, Debbie Wales welcomed Dr. Bohra.

“I had the pleasure of meeting you tonight at the ER and was very impressed with your compassion and thorough explanation in layman’s terms, in treating my sister’s broken leg. Thank you for joining the Haliburton team and welcome to Haliburton. I hope you will love it.”

Starting this fall, Haliburton Highlands Secondary School students will be able to take part in a fast-track program go get into the trades.

However, for it to work, employers will have to commit to taking on apprentices, said Jason Morissette, the high school’s co-op teacher.

The provincial government has announced that high school students who want a career in the trades will be able to spend up to 80 per cent of their time on training, and 20 per cent on academics, such as mandatory math and English classes.

Labour Minister David Piccini, during a May 1 press conference said, “we’re helping to tackle the labour shortage by allowing motivated entrepreneurial students to get on a fast-track to a career in the skilled trades.”

It means students in Grades 11 and 12 can start in the Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training (FAST) program. Between eight and 11 credits can be earned from trades training though co-op placements, while still needing math and English in Grade 11, and English in Grade 12.

Education minister Stephen Lecce said, “this is a significant increase in flexibility,” giving students many choices.

TLDSB manager of communications services, Carolynne Bull, said the school board currently has a “thriving” Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and will be implementing the OYAP-FAST stream in the 2025-2026 school year.

“OYAP-FAST will allow students in Grades 11 and 12 to participate in full-time apprenticeship learning through 8 to 11 co-op credits in the skilled trades while pursuing their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), including continuing to attend classes to earn compulsory and optional credits. During course selection in the 20242025 school year, students will have the option to choose this stream,” she said.

Morissette likes the direction the province is going in.

“It allows a lot more student choice, and family choice, about their education. If I’m 16 years old, going into Grade 10 or 11, and I want to further my education in the skilled trades, then I’m not spending idle time in courses that aren’t for me anymore.”

He added while students may miss some “broad spectrum” courses, “this program will be for select students who are driven and can find and sign a registered training agreement (RTA).

“This is going to take community social change as well. We need our adults to mentor and sign an RTA for this program to work. The student will need to have an apprenticeship or else they cannot do this program.”

He said the students are not paid, employers do not have to hire students after co-op, and the school board takes care of the paperwork, and insurance for the students.

He sits on the Haliburton County Home Builders Association education committee.

“They really want partnerships. They really do see an aging demographic and they see that a lot of students aren’t getting exposed enough to skilled trades or they’re not understanding you can really make a good living, with incredible entrepreneurial opportunities.

“The only people who can mentor our young people about that is the people in our community that understand that.”

Morissette added this program is postsecondary education, and he would like to see the stigma around skilled trades finally eradicated. “It takes a village to raise our kids.”

The Haliburton Highlands Volunteer Fair was a success, according to organizer Brigette Gebauer.

“Everybody was quite pleased,” she said. “We had a lot more than last year who were interested in volunteering, which is great.”

With more than 30 organizations represented at the fair, there was a lot to choose from, and many choices to make. Sheila Kitchen is retired and wanted to find something to fill some days. “It is a bit overwhelming, so many organizations looking for volunteers in such a small community,” she said.

The target group that Gebauer was hoping to engage was exactly who came out. “Recent retirees and newcomers to the area was the cohort we were looking to target, and that was the majority that came out.”

There were other demographics represented in the attendees, such as Alyssa Gordon. “I am a stay-at-home mom with three boys, and I told my husband that I needed to find something to get me out of the house every once in a while, which is why I came to this event,” she said. She, too, was surprised at the number of organizations and the variety of choice.

Vanessa Koot, from Big Brothers Big Sisters, said the organization is always looking for volunteers/mentors. “We have a community-based program and a school-based program that run about an hour a week.” She said it is all about building dependable relationships with young people. “We work with grades 4 – 8 and it does make a difference in their academics, their social skills and helps to lower stress they may be feeling either from home or school or other factors.”

A new group, just formed last year, were looking for volunteers interested in all things apple. Luba Cargill and Vicki Sisson from the Apple Tree Identification Project (ATIP) explained that it was all about identifying, preserving, and promoting apple trees and the significance of them in Haliburton County.

“We started last year by identifying 10 locations of beautiful old orchards and apple trees and it has grown to 177 now,” said Cargill. “We have apple blossom tours throughout the County, and we are presenting our first symposium later this month.” They also have a variety of other activities they are involved with such as working with arborists and master gardeners to not only take care of the existing tress but to plant new ones so locally grown produce is available.

Haliburton Highlands Land Trust representative, Christel Furniss, said they were looking for volunteer land monitors to walk the trails and report condition, etc., in order to maintain the upkeep. “We have had good interest so far,” said Furniss. “People can volunteer for a variety of different things, like fundraising, education committees.”

Many of the people who attended the fair were looking to get more involved in their community and agreed that volunteering is a good way to do just that. “It is a great way to help,” said Gayle Clements, who already volunteers with SIRCH Community Services in Haliburton. “So many things depend on volunteers to keep running.”

Algonquin Highlands mayor Liz Danielsen has reiterated her council’s commitment to finding a long-term solution for residents requiring boat access to the Boshkung chain of lakes, though warned there will be no quick fix.

Those with property on Twelve Mile, Boshkung, and Little Boshkung lakes have been left scrambling after it was announced last month Wedgewood RPM – the only marina with full-service boat launching capabilities in the area – is closing.

RPM Marinas general manager, Cheryl Downs, said the Wedgewood property has been sold and will not be operating as a marina under the new ownership. While people will be able to use the facility to get their boats on the water, it won’t be open in the fall for boat removal and storage.

The three impacted lake associations have appealed to Algonquin Highlands and Minden Hills townships to intervene.

Chris Card, Algonquin Highlands’ parks, recreation, and trails manager, told council May 2 there aren’t many options for local staff to pursue. Algonquin Highlands operates a nearby boat launch on Hwy. 118, into Little Boshkung Lake. Card said the water is very shallow at the site, making it unsuitable for most large boats.

He said dredging the site – excavating sand and other surface materials underwater – would likely be too expensive, in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and take several years to complete. Card couldn’t say for sure, even after all the effort, whether it would work.

“In my opinion, just doing a quick assessment of the soil conditions there, it seems unlikely,” Card said. “It’s a large sandbar. The shallow area is a couple of football fields in size… you’d need to dredge 200 metres into the lake, and even then, I think the sand would fill right back in.”

He recommended council hire a consultant to provide a more professional opinion, which they agreed to do at a cost of up to $5,000.

Danielsen said she has had several discussions with Minden Hills counterpart Bob Carter. She believes the townships can work together to address the issue. One suggestion is for them to work with another resort property on Twelve Mile Lake – Twin Lakes Resort, which was recently taken over by new owners – to install a new launch.

Card indicated this was likely the most costeffective way of dealing with the issue, while Danielsen added it was the only solution she could envisage being ready by the fall.

“Steps are being taken to find out what the legal implications are, and what the access possibilities would be. Right now, [Minden] is agreeable in assessing that as a possibility,” Card said.

Minden Hills owns a stretch of shoreline along Twelve Mile, though it can only be accessed by private property. Minden council would need to authorize any deal.

No way to intervene

Algonquin Highlands coun. Sabrina Richards asked if staff had been in touch with the new owners of the Wedgewood RPM property to see if they’d be willing to keep the launch in until fall. Danielsen said the township still doesn’t know who the new owner is.

“This has come out of nowhere that we have been put into this position,” Richards said, asking if the township had any authority to reverse the sale, or negotiate a new deal. She suggested the launch area be removed from any agreement, and that Algonquin Highlands and Minden Hills submit a joint bid to buy it.

CAO Angie Bird advised against, saying there would likely be legal ramifications. Even if successful, she said that option would be “a long way down the road.”

Card suggested if the township was considering purchasing private property to house a new launch, there may be other areas on the lake chain to consider.

Danielsen said council needed to be mindful of its other projects and priorities, particularly surrounding docks and landings.

“We have other lakes that have no access points. I know we’re going to hear ‘well if you’re going to develop a new private boat launch there, what about us?’ and it’s a really good question,” Danielsen said. “We just don’t know what’s going to be feasible.

“There’s a real anxiety from people for us to do something… there’s so many steps involved in trying to do any kind of upgrade at the Hwy. 118 site. It just won’t happen this year. Things don’t work that quickly in a municipality with the levels of approval we need to get,” she added. “I don’t see a solution being in place by this fall.”

First recognized in Ontario in 2013, First Responders Day, celebrated all over the province, is a chance to meet those ‘on the job’ in the community, and learn more about the critical work they do every day.

Sue Tiffin, community safety and wellbeing plan coordinator for the County of Haliburton, worked with the EMS, OPP, and fire to organize the day on April 1.

She said, “it is a chance to remember that they are out there, and an opportunity for people to see what it is like in the back of an ambulance so not to be scared if ever they need the service.”

An all-ages event, children got to climb all over fire engines while adults such as Scott Boesveld – who was with his wife and four children – checked out an ambulance. “It is really cool, I liked to see them not in an emergency.”

The first responders were having just as much fun. Jarrod Lawrance, who just completed his training as a volunteer firefighter said, “it is great to see the kids having fun and getting to meet some people from the community at an event like this.”

Tiffin believes it is important for the community to get together and learn what can be done to be pro-active and how to put in place preventative measures before a crisis happens. “It is a chance for the first responders to share their knowledge and experience with the community, and for people to get out and thank them for the work they do.”

Chris Duchene has been a hockey mom for 28 years and counting.

Speaking from Dallas, Texas – the day after watching her son, Matt, and his team, clinch their first-round series over the Las Vegas Golden Knights – Duchene said, “oh my gosh, it was unbelievable. DAWN LAURIE HEATHER

“With about 10 minutes to go, we were up by one, and I thought ‘I don’t know if I can make it’. I just want it to be over’,” she said of the tension in the third period of the game seven decider.

She recalled how Marg Nicholls, the mother of Bernie Nicholls, would attend the Coby Islanders’ tournament at the end of the year to watch her boys play “and when it was a close game, she would go and hide in the bathroom. She couldn’t watch it.”

On May 5, Duchene joked she was like Marg – whom she considers to be one of the best hockey moms in Haliburton County. “I was close to pulling a Marg and going into the bathroom.”

Dallas won the game 2-1 and the series four games to three.

She and husband, Vince Duchene, were staying in Dallas for the Stars two home games against the Colorado Avalanche May 7 and 9. She said after knocking off last year’s champs, she felt the Stars were now hoping to go on to compete for Lord Stanley’s Cup.

Chris usually tries to stay under the radar. She was in Dallas for the Star’s mom’s trip the week of Feb. 12 and did appear on ESPN with Matt.

While she is pleased Matt and his team have made it into the second round of the playoffs, she said “as a mom, you are proud, but your touchstone all the time is just ‘is he happy’? That’s always been the number one concern.”

She noted her son had been playing hockey since the age of five and is now 33.

“I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve missed him play.” That has included late nights when he played in Colorado and its later time zone.

“You just kind of feel like you’re trying to be supportive even though he is a grown man with a family. He has a wife. He doesn’t so much need mom any more. But you feel like you need to be there, should he ever need to reach out, or should he want you all of a sudden.”

Chris said Matt has great support from his wife, Ashley, and other people in his life, too. He is also the father of three children himself.

“We’re there for him when he needs us. He does lean on us. I think he was super happy we were here for (gave seven),” Chris said.

Matt says he gets a lot of strength from his mom. “I think I’ve gotten my drive to succeed and passion for what I do directly from my mom.”

He added, “she’s always there when I need her to be, and need to talk. She’s a great role model for me in her day-today life and how she handles herself. I love her a lot and I’ve always had a good relationship with her.”