Dear Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour,
Hilbert posted this picture on Facebook, May 21. Please take note.
This doe, photographed in Belle Park, will give birth to a fawn in the next couple of weeks, hopefully on the Island. I urge you to call or email Kingston Bylaw Enforcement to ask them to fine all dog owners with dogs off leash in the park and on the island. Under the city’s bylaw, “Dogs must be kept on a leash when not on their owner’s property, unless in a designated off-leash area.” Invasive, non-native domestic dogs are a threat to her safety. She and her young belong, they don’t! Thanks!
bylawenforcement@cityofkingston.ca
Phone: 613-546-4291, ext. 3135
LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS OF INTEREST
1. Cruise ships in the Inner Harbour? It’s happening!
2. Wonderful sound recordings of Tannery Lands
3. BioBlitz at Belle Park happening all this week
4. Getting to know the Belle Park Totem Pole
5. Kingston Votes to Map Urban Forests
6. Kingston Man Concerned over Water Pollution due to 3rd Crossing Construction
7. Encampment Protocol Paused at the Integrated Care Hub
8. KCCU Awarded $10,000 Grant for Loving Spoonful
9. Trees Removed at City Hall to be Replaced this Fall
10. Red Dresses along University Avenue
11. Family Walk Raising Money for Guide Dogs, May 29
FROM FURTHER AFIELD
12. Arrest Made in Grandparent Scam but Scam Still Active
13.Nuclear Threats to Great Lakes Fisheries
14. 500 Seafarers Remain Trapped on Vessels stuck in Ukrainian Ports
15. Canada Prepared to Send Ships to Ukraine to Help Export Ukraine’s Wheat
16. The Big Picture: Sunscreen and Water
17. Migrating Turtles May Not Know Where They Are Going
FUN STUFF
18. Eric Gagnon’s Tannery Model and Historic S&R Info
LOCAL NEWS AND EVENTS OF INTEREST
1. Cruise ships in the Inner Harbour? It’s happening!
Thanks so much Randy Cadue..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6nviJ8Lzro
2. Wonderful sound recordings of Tannery lands
Thanks so much Matt Rogalsky.
https://mattrogalsky.bandcamp.com/album/kingstons-tannery-lands-a-sonic-record-of-its-biodiversity
3. Bioblitx in Belle Park happening all this week.
What is a bioblitz? A bioblitz is on-the-ground citizen science. The goal is to document all the living beings in a given area over a short period of time. It is fun, flexible, and easy. No prior experience or naturalist knowledge is required, and all ages are welcome!
How can I participate?
When: Between May 23-29 we invite you to use the iNaturalist app to document plants, fungi, birds, animals, and insects who call Belle Park home.
Launch event on May 23 at 3 p.m. At the launch, and at various times during the week, there will be people on site to help you with the app or orient you to the park. If you have used iNaturalist before, or once you get the hang of it, you can blitz on your own any time!
What do I need?
– curiosity
– a phone with the iNaturalist app downloaded (or a friend with same!)
– snacks, water, closed shoes with solid soles, & clothing for the weather
– hand lens, binoculars or field guides (optional)
– Don’t forget to check for ticks as you head home… and if you find one, photograph it and upload it to iNaturalist!
Why are we doing it? Belle Park may be built on a former dump, but it is full of life! We want to generate benchmark data of the rich natural diversity of Belle Park. When we repeat the bioblitz in future years we will be able to see what has changed as nature itself transforms the ecosystem of the park over time.
Where: All events start at the totem pole (731 Montreal St.)
More Info?: https://belleparkproject.com/events
Also, for more info on inaturalist, see Hilbert Buist from 11 am – 1 pm prior to the Totem Pole event (Item #4 in this news update).
4. Getting to know the Belle Park Totem Pole
What: Event by Belle Park Project and Laura Murray
Join Laurel Claus-Johnson, a member of the Kingston Indigenous community, and Laura Murray, who teaches about Kingston’s Indigenous histories at Queen’s, to learn about the Indigenous men who carved this pole in 1973 and share thoughts about what it means today and what its future may be.
Where: 731 Montreal St, Kingston, ON K7K, Canada
When: Wed, June 25, 4:00 – 5:30 pm
Duration: 1 hr 30 min
Who:
All welcome: · Anyone on or off Facebook
Notes: Bring a folding chair!
Hilbert Buist is available for iNaturalist help preceding this event from 9 to 11 AM.
More Info: https://www.facebook.com/events/306291148373858
5. Kingston Votes to Map Urban Forests
Received from the Kingstonist, May 5, 2022 – Michelle-Dorey-Forestell
A motion directing City staff to map out the existing woodlands within the urban boundary of Kingston was the topic of an interesting discussion at the City Council meeting held Tuesday, May 3, 2022.
Moved by Councillor Lisa Osanic and seconded by Councillor Simon Chapelle, the motion noted that the City of Kingston has had numerous woodlands cut down south of Highway 401 over the last year for development, with more woodlands to come up for development in the next short while, and residents have expressed growing concern to their councillors about the clearcuts and the resulting loss of biodiversity and wildlife habitat.
Forests provide a radiating cooling effect on the environment surrounding them, a point raised by a number of delegates with regard to urban woodlands conservation at the Kingston City Council meeting on Tuesday, May 3, 2022.
Therefore, the motion directed that City of Kingston staff:
1. Map out the existing woodlands within the urban boundary, identifying which woodlands are owned by the City and which are held in private ownership; and
2. Provide strategies for Council’s consideration to protect Kingston’s remaining woodlands within the urban boundary.
“I wrote this motion,” Osanic explained, “because we’ve had an unprecedented number of woodlands that have come up for development and have been cut down over the last year, compared to other years. Just off the top of my head, [for approximately] 20 woodlands, we’ve either approved at Planning Committee to be cut down because the Environmental Impact Statement has allowed it, or they are coming up for development. And when you see the clear cut lands… it’s just devastating. There’s got to be a way that we can try to save the last woodlands we have south of the 401 in the urban boundary.”
Osanic asked that mapping be undertaken to see which woodlands were City-owned, and which were owned privately, asserting that, “there’s got to be some strategies out there that we can try to use as a municipality to save some trees.” She gave the example of creating more population density rather than the urban sprawl that causes clear-cutting of forests: “When the woodlands are cut down, even if… maybe 20 per cent [of the trees are] replanted, you’re not getting a woodland back, so you’re not getting the biodiversity back. You’re not getting the wildlife habitat back with just a few trees planted on front lawns and along the sidewalks. It is just not the same thing.”
Further, she added, “We do have a climate emergency right across the world… So this is wide open to staff: what strategies are there that other cities are doing that might help [Kingston]? So, next time, when woodlands come to the Planning Committee for development, we have some strategies to try to save as much of that woodland as possible.”
After some discussion, Councillor Peter Stroud moved to amend part one of the motion by removing the last half of the sentence, so it would only read “map out the existing woodlands within the urban boundary.”
Councillor Ryan Boehme summarized the thoughts expressed by some of his colleagues saying, “I think this is a great amendment, and it makes this manageable, as Councillor Stroud pointed out, more in-house. Ultimately, I think the entire thing was good. It was just trying to do too much… We do need a good baseline… I look forward to getting that information back… And then we can come back to the private side. But I think that needs to be managed in a different way.”
Councillor Robert Kiley disagreed, and stated he wanted the motion to pass as it was tabled, without the amendment.
“At least 90 per cent of what we deal with [at Planning Committee] is an issue of private ownership… I’m interested in passing the motion as it was, without the amendment, to understand the trade-offs of what protection might mean,” he expressed, noting he felt the amendment “neuters the effectiveness of the motion.”
“And, as the Councillor (Osanic) set it up, it’s not anti-development in any way. But taking out the private piece essentially removes the planning discussion from it, which is why I was interested in seeing it pass. So, I won’t vote for the amendment,” Kiley concluded.
The point was at risk of being derailed when the cost of hiring a contractor to do the mapping was discussed, with a price point of over $100,000 being bandied about. Osanic was quick to clarify that what is needed isn’t any new cartography, but rather a simple Google Map plotting out public woodlands to see which the City could control on its own, and which were owned by private citizens and companies.
Osanic theorized that, once Council and staff become aware of the ownership of each woodland, it would be easier to strategize the next steps to protect as many woodlands as possible: first, through forest management of City properties, and second, by incentivising private owners to keep as many old trees and woodlands intact as possible.
Kathleen O’Hara of No Clearcuts Kingston (NCK) made an impassioned delegation to Council prior to the discussion, extolling the value of trees for combating climate change. “In March 2019, the City of Kingston declared a climate emergency… Last month the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo issued a dire warning. They pointed out that extreme heat would probably be the biggest climate killer in Canada. They identified 15 urban areas most vulnerable to that heat; Kingston is one of them,” O’Hara reported.
Councillor Lisa Osanic made an impassioned plea to her colleagues: “Other cities are able to save these woodlands; why can’t we? That’s all I’m asking with this motion. Thank you.”
“The report recommended trees as a way of mitigating the heat’s impact,” she continued. “I repeat: “Is there anyone here who hasn’t enjoyed the cooling effect of trees? But what is Kingston doing? Cutting down trees or allowing developers to cut them down.”
O’Hara pointed to a multitude of projects in the City that have or are planning to clear cut woodlands, and among those she gave examples where residents had been told at least some of the trees were going to be safe, only to have them cut down.
“I want to conclude by begging City Council to support this motion,” she said, closing out her argument. “We were the first community in Ontario to declare a climate emergency. Let’s be as wise and proactive as we were three years ago and save our remaining trees. They will probably save lives in the not-too-distant future.”
Joyce Hostyn, an ecological planner and rewilding advocate who is one of the co founders of Kingston’s Little Forests Project, voiced her thoughts as a delegate. “One of the things with the woodlands and why they are so important is that they radiate [cooling effects] out to up to 16 meters [from the woodland] or more, depending on the density of the woodland,” she said.
“The biodiversity of the woodland itself has a significant impact on the cooling effect, as well. So, the diversity of woodland — not just trees in rows — has an important impact,” Hostyn added, noting that a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) discusses intensification versus tree canopy.
“I think we have to stop saying either/or,” she opined. “Little trees are also really important: some of those woodland trees, while they may be five to 10 years old, [are] on the way to being elder trees, and also the trees in woodlands [tend to] mass and live a lot longer than trees along the street.”
The motion was discussed in depth by Council for nearly an hour before it passed, as amended.
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6. Kingston Man Concerned over Water Pollution from 3rd Crossing Construction
As many of you may have noticed, there are huge amounts of tiny bits of styrofoam all along the Inner Harbour shoreline and although the Third Crossing team says they are working on it, it remains.
https://globalnews.ca/video/8821527/kingston-ont-man-concerned-over-water-pollution-from-third-crossing-construction/
7. Encampment Protocol Paused at the Integrated Care Hub
Received from The Kingstonist, May 16, 2022 – Michelle Dorey-Forestell
Content warning: This article contains quotes with strong language and profanity.
Kingston City Council convened for a special meeting Thursday night, May 12, 2022, to discuss the encampment of homeless citizens around the Integrated Care Hub (ICH) and in Belle Park. A motion recommending a continued pause on the City’s Encampment Protocol, allowing those encamped on City property to remain pending research by City staff, passed by a vote of 12 to one.
The over four-hour meeting saw delegations from citizens of all walks of life and included much conversation and debate with the common goal of helping the campers while respecting their unique challenges and intrinsic dignity, and improving the safety of the situation for all those in the vicinity.
Questioned by Councillor Jeff McLaren, the City’s Chief Administrative Officer, Lanie Hurdle, clarified that there are technically two different properties with encampments in the discussion: Belle Park, which is City-owned, and the ICH property at 661 Montreal Street, which is only leased to the City by BPE Development. Therefore, continuing the pause on the Encampment Protocol would only apply to those currently camping in Belle Park.
McLaren further stated, “My understanding is that the property owner of the Integrated Care Hub is under some legal jeopardy here and needs to have the campers on the property removed.” This led him to question what would happen if campers remained at 661 Montreal Street, jeopardizing the terms of the City’s lease.
Hurdle answered, “Based on my conversations with the property owner, if the City was not compliant [in moving the campers], the property owner will be looking at cancelling the lease, which means that we would need to find another location, probably fairly quickly, if we wanted to minimize disruption of services for the Integrated Care Hub. I do not know what that ideal location would be.”
“I do want to point out to City Council, though, that we’re not sure that there are currently actual tents on the 661 Montreal Street property,” Hurdle continued. “There are some in the area, but we have to look at the property line: there may not be any that are currently on the actual 661 Montreal Street property. But we have already had discussions with partners [at HIV/AIDS Regional Services and Kingston Health Services Street Outreach program], and they understand the situation and would be willing to work with us to relocate any [campers] if there were any on private property.”
The importance for some individuals of living very close to the ICH was eloquently explained by Justine McIsaac, co-ordinator of Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) at the ICH, who advocated for allowing the campers to remain close to the site to prevent drug poisoning deaths. McIsaac spoke passionately about the work the ICH does, and the lives it has saved since its opening.
“We have witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of the drug poisoning and housing crisis that has destroyed the lives of our unhoused neighbours, [and which] has only deepened during the pandemic over the last two years,” she said.
Councillors listen to Mayor Bryan Paterson during a special meeting of Kingston City Council on Thursday, May 12, 2022..
Furthermore, McIsaac said, “The possibility of being relocated further away from the ICH presents a further risk of harm or death for people … when someone is not breathing, every second is detrimental. We see the consequences of noxious brain injuries every day, due to the lack of oxygen to the brain during an overdose. The [close encampment] allows us early intervention to [provide] emergency support.”
McIsaac explained that the relationships formed between staff, volunteers, and the unhoused in the vicinity of the ICH have been essential in saving many people from criminalization, drug poisonings, and death. “What I see just beyond the fence line is a village of people who are accepting of each other, despite their struggles,” she said. “I see people who have committed to caring for each other and have continued to uphold these commitments. We as a community, however, have fallen short in the commitments we have made to improve housing inequality.”
She talked about the challenges that unhoused people face, something people can’t understand unless they’ve experienced it firsthand: “The winters are long, spaces are crowded and stressful for people. For some people, maintaining independence while remaining a part of the community in frigid conditions is the only option they have to maintain their sanity. A tent next to the ICH [with access to basic human essentials such as food, bathroom facilities, showers, and community] seems far more appealing to some people than any of the options we have managed to provide them.”
Her final statement — “I hope that the value of people’s lives has not become lost on us all. I ask this council on this night to show the most vulnerable population and the community that they matter” — was echoed by most of the delegates.
From another perspective, Tammy Lunn, whose property backs onto the Belle Park encampment, expressed her “disappointment with the city council for once again putting forth motions and preparing to cast votes that will directly affect my life, my health, my safety, my peaceful enjoyment of my home and my community without consulting the community that’s involved.”
Though she sympathized greatly with the people living in the encampment, she made clear that there are safety concerns for everyone living in the area due to some individuals living in or frequenting the encampments, whom she referred to as “the criminal element,” who are making the situation untenable. She stated, “I have never been so torn over any issue in a very, very long time. I know some of these people [in the encampment]. I grew up with many of them. Some of them are children of people I grew up with, and some of them are even family members of mine who are there. I see the good in the ICH, but I also see the negative of the ICH and what infuriates me is that people don’t see our side of it … There has to be some balance here. I don’t know what the answer is.”
Lunn described multiple instances of theft from her property, violent incidents, and vandalism, saying, “I feel victimized. Before I figured out who it was who broke into my shed, [I would look into] that field, and I’d see 50 people that were potential criminals to me, and I don’t like feeling that way. I don’t like feeling insecure. I don’t like feeling threatened. I don’t like feeling like my home is unsafe.”
She also alleged a lack of support by Kingston police: “Police don’t do a thing other than issue an incident report … Am I supposed to go over there and tell them to give me my stuff back and potentially take an axe in the head? … It infuriates me that our police department will do nothing to enforce these laws.”
“You people don’t see it,” Lund asserted. “I invite every member of the City Council to come down here unannounced, pitch a tent in that field over there and spend a weekend. Experience what we’re experiencing as neighbours, people who live within 100 yards of that place. Experience what business owners are experiencing when you’ve got people setting fires on your property … Experience what it’s like when you’ve got to come in and pick up shit and piss and vomit off your loading dock … Don’t sit in your chambers there or your houses in the west end and tell us what it’s like living here … You don’t know at all.”
Multiple councillors indicated support for including neighbours of the ICH being actively canvassed as research continues, and amended the evening’s motions to include them in consultation going forward.
Councillor Lisa Osanic raised the continuing problem with the current ICH site and Belle Park, both of which are considered contaminated lands, being the site of railway lines and a former landfill site, and not meant for residential use. City staff, as part of the work looking at the continued encampments on City property, would therefore need to continue to assess these risks.
Before the final vote proceeded, CAO Hurdle raised a point of clarification “to make sure that it is clear for Council and the public … although we will not be enforcing the encampment protocol, if there are health and safety issues, fire safety issues where we’re directed by the fire department to take some action, that we would do that. I just want to make sure that’s clear, in case something was to happen three weeks from now and people are wondering why the City is taking those actions.”
Effectively, the final vote was to pause the encampment protocol in favour of temporarily creating an “allowed encampment” or encampments on City property.
The motion, moved by Councillor Jim Neill and seconded by Councillor Robert Kiley, passed. Thus, the current plans for eviction were postponed until there is a clear alternative to find a more permanent and safe housing option for the campers, to be shared with Council by end of the third quarter of 2022, if not before.
A second motion, moved by Councillor Peter Stroud and seconded by Deputy Mayor Gary Oosterhof, also passed. This motion directed City staff to consult with KFL&A Public Health, the ICH, residents in the vicinity of any potential pilot location(s), and as many vulnerable unhoused citizens currently sleeping in Belle Park and their advocates as possible. This consultation would hopefully identify a safe location or locations that could allow for a six-month pilot of a temporary encampment for those seeking this type of temporary shelter. Also, staff would investigate what temporary low-cost facilities are needed at an allowed encampment to better aid the health and safety of those settled there. A set of very simple regulations that are reasonable and allow for the safe and tidy use of the land would be posted at the perimeter of this identified area and would need to be followed in exchange for the use of the land.
Staff are to report back before the end of the pilot, with findings and recommendations on next steps to help vulnerable and homeless individuals in Kingston.
8. KCCU Awarded $10,000 Grant for Loving Spoonful
Received May 16, 2022 from The Kingstonist – Jessica Foley
Kingston Community Credit Union (KCCU) will support the Indigenous Food Sovereignty (IFS) Garden and the local Indigenous community thanks to a grant from Wyth Financial.The $10,000 grant, from Wyth’s 2022 Empowering Your Community Program, allows KCCU to partner with Kingston’s Loving Spoonful and the urban Indigenous community in Kingston area, including the Kingston Indigenous Language Nest (KILN) and the Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle Eastern Region (IDHC) to support the Indigenous Food Sovereignty (IFS) Garden.
Since 2011, Wyth has partnered with credit unions to support initiatives that build better communities. According to a release from KCCU, Wyth Financial’s Empowering Your Community Program granted a total of $100,000 to causes that empower youth, promote Indigenous knowledge and well-being, strengthen local food systems, fight climate change, reduce barriers to access and participation and make the world a better place. This year 16 awards were presented: 4 valued at $10,000 and 12 valued at $5,000.
KCCU said that the grant funds will go directly to support the Indigenous Food Sovereignty (IFS) Garden situated in Katarokwi (greater Kingston area). Funds will help provide trees, vegetable seedlings, traditional medicines such as white sage and cedar, an irrigation system and a solar water pump. The award also supports Indigenous youth who will maintain the garden, support land-based language learning programs offered by KILN at the IFS Garden, and distribute garden produce throughout the Indigenous community, according to the release.
The second component of this project is the creation and distribution of 100 Home Garden Kits to members of the Indigenous community who are unable to participate in the IFS Garden due to accessibility challenges. This is an adaptation of Loving Spoonful’s existing “Small Space Garden Kits”. According to the release, Kingston Community Credit Union has directly contributed to this project by offering financial support to help with the cost of materials for the kits: planters, soil, seeds, and seedlings purchased from Kenhte:ke Seed Sanctuary, and printing of instruction booklets and volunteer support for distribution.
To find out more about KCCU visit them at www.kccu.ca.
9. Trees Removed at City Hall to be Replaced this Fall
Received from The Kingstonist, May 9, 2022 – Tori Stafford
Those travelling along Ontario Street in downtown Kingston late last week may have noticed something different about the familiar streetscape.
Kingston City Hall from Ontario Street after the removal of the Globe Norway Maples from the large planters along the sidewalk.
On Thursday, May 5, 2022, pedestrians and motorists were struck by what they saw at City Hall – or rather, what they didn’t see. The medium-sized trees that once lined the sidewalk in front of the building on the west side of Ontario Street had been removed, prompting questions: Were the trees simply cut down? Could they not have been re-planted elsewhere? Why were they removed in the first place?
Coincidentally, the removal of the trees came the same week that Kingston City Council spent a large percentage of their regular meeting discussing the need for trees within the urban boundaries of the city in the face of climate change. And while many observers suggested the current restoration projects occurring at City Hall as a possible reason behind the removal of the trees, that too is coincidental, the City of Kingston explained.
“In recent years, the health and form of the eight Globe Norway Maples… located in front of City Hall in the planters [have] been declining, and [the trees have now] reached a point where their replacement is required,” said Neal Unsworth, Manager of Parks and Shorelines with the City of Kingston’s Engineering Department. “Three of them are dead or dying, and the removal of the remaining ones [is] required because they’re exhibiting symptoms of girdling, which is where the roots kind of spiral around and strangle [the tree].”
Unsworth said that the declining health of the trees is “due to the habitat of the tree.” While all Globe Norway Maples exhibit some form of girdling, the age of the trees and the amount of space available for root growth in the square, concrete planters that surround City Hall have led to the demise of the maples, he explained.
“It’s the age and the space… in the planter that’s causing them to essentially decline and lose their form,” said Unsworth.
The planters themselves are “probably from the early 80s,” Unsworth speculated. And while not all of the trees within them are necessarily 40 years old, some of them are, he said. Some of the Globe Norway Maples had already been removed and replaced – the smaller trees and particularly those on the corners of the City Hall block – “probably” for the same reason, “because they died,” Unsworth said.
Unsworth pointed out that of the trees that had stood around City Hall up until Thursday, May 5, 2022, only some were actually cut down; others were simply pulled out, “like big plugs.” However, “all the roots had to be cut in order to get them out of the planters,” he said.
While some of the trees had to be cut down, City of Kingston workers attempted to pull some of the trees from the approximately 40-year-old concrete planters. However, due to the nature of girdlig that exists in Globe Norway Maples, the root beds still had to be cut apart to remove the trees, according to the City of Kingston.
The trees remaining in the concrete planters around City Hall will be removed in the coming weeks, Unsworth said, noting that he suspects the City will, “do a horticulture display during the summer” in the planters, “so that they look attractive.”
But filling the planters with ornamental plants is just the interim plan, Unsworth said. The trees will be replaced; however, that won’t happen until the fall when planting trees is more efficient and conducive to the growing process.
“In the meantime, [the City] will fill the planters back up with special soil structure that will support trees in the sizes and shapes of [the] planters,” he said, and then the horticulture displays, “will be replaced with new trees in the fall.”
What species of tree will be planted has yet to be determined, but “I don’t think it will be Globe Maples again,” Unsworth said. Despite Globe Norway Maples being hearty, durable trees, the girdling habit of the species doesn’t make them a viable option for planting in the existing planters.
“But the trees will definitely be replaced,” he concluded.
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10. Red Dresses along University Avenue
Received from The Kingstonist, May 6, 2022 – Emily Elliott
Red dresses along University Avenue serve as important reminder of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people.
The warm yet breezy air took on an important role as it caused the red dresses hung along University Avenue in Kingston to playfully dance in the wind, drawing more attention, and evoking the spirit of the many Indigenous women, children, and two-spirit people no longer with us.
A red dress of Jamie Black’s REDress project, created to offer a visual representation of the number of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people (MMIWG2S), catches the warmth of the spring sun as it gently sways in the wind on National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People, Thursday, May 5, 2022. Photo by Emily Elliott.
The red dresses were hung from lamp posts along University Avenue on Thursday, May 5, 2022, to represent the national commemoration of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit (gender diverse) people (MMIWG2S), also known as Red Dress Day, which takes place every May 5. Queen’s University has marked this day with an installation of Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress project.
The REDress project is a visualization of the staggering number of Indigenous women, children and two-spirit people who have been murdered or remain to be found. Black says that through the installation he hopes to, “draw attention to the gendered and racialized nature of violent crimes against Aboriginal women and to evoke a presence through the marking of absence.”
Kanonhsyonne Janice Hill leads the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and Reconciliation at Queen’s University. She is grateful for the University’s participation in this annual event and thinks that people should be using this commemoration to educate themselves, she explains.
“It’s important to understand that these women, they were our sisters, our daughters, our mothers. They were somebody’s wife, they were aunties, they were cousins, they were friends… I want people to understand that these women are not just statistics, they are those important women in our families and in our communities,” says Hill.
A row of red dresses fade into the distance alongside Nixon Field on Queen’s University campus to act as a reminder of the hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people of Canada. Photo by Emily Elliott.
From 2005 to 2010, the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC)’s Sisters In Spirit (SIS) Initiative confirmed 582 cases of missing and/or murdered Indigenous women and girls over a span of 20 years and worked to raise awareness of this human rights issue. Additionally, according to a 2021 RCMP report, 1,017 women and girls identified as Indigenous were murdered between 1980 and 2012 — a homicide rate roughly 4.5 times higher than that of all other women in Canada.
As mass graves continue to be found at residential schools across the country, Hill says that the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and gender diverse people are a “continuation of those acts of genocide.”
Hill also points to the efforts that the University has made to make the campus a safer and more inclusive space for Indigenous Peoples. As well as specific services for faculty, staff, and students, such as the Office of Indigenous Initiatives and the Four Directions Indigenous Student Centre, last year, the school approved an Indigenous Studies program that looks at current issues that are faced by Indigenous Peoples.
The dresses were removed from University Avenue Thursday evening in a proactive effort to protect the project, but will be hung again on May 12, which marks the Moose Hide Campaign Day. The day invites all Canadians to take a stand against violence towards Indigenous women and children. Men and boys, as well as all Canadians, are encouraged to fast from sunrise to sunset to deepen their experience, as well as to resolve to create safe families, communities, and a safe country for all women and children.
11. Family Walk Raising Money for Guide Dogs, May 29
Received from Dinah Cotter, May 5, 2022
What: Family walk for those with or without dogs to raise money for Dog Guides.
By participating in the walk you are ensuring Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides can continue to provide Dog Guides at no cost. The Foundation does not receive any government funding. Lions Foundation relies on donations and fundraising events like the walk. All proceeds of the walk go towards the 7 Dog Guide programs – Canine Vision, Hearing, Service, Seizure Response, Autism Assistance, Diabetic Alert, and Facility Support.
Who: Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides
Where: Doug R Fluhrer Park, ,377 Wellington St, Kingston Ont
When: Sunday May, 29 2022
Registration: 10:30 am
NOTES: Sponsor Forms available at all Pet Valu stores
Or by emailing dogguideskingston@gmail.com
More Info: Dinah Cotter at 613-331-3320 or dcotter1963@gmail.com
FROM FURTHER AFIELD
12. Arrest Made in Grandparent Scam but Scam Still Active
Received from The Kingstonis, May 16, 2022 – Jessica FoleyKingston Police, with assistance from the Toronto Police Service, arrested a 27-year-old individual from Toronto on Monday, May 9, 2022, in relation to an on-going telephone scam. The individual was charged with one count of attempted fraud over $5,000.
Kingston Police are warning the public about an on-going telephone scam commonly known as a “grandparent” or “emergency” scam. Police said they have received an increase in reports regarding this scam. This type of scam generally targets senior citizens by contacting them via telephone and informing them a member of their family, often a child or grandchild has been arrested, often following a supposed car accident.
Earlier this month, the Ontario Provincial Police also issued a public warning after two people were defrauded almost $10,000 each in the Lennox and Addington area.
According to a release from Kingston Police, usually the initial caller pretends to be the target’s grandchild and uses generic terms such as “Papa” or “Grandma”. In recent occurrences, they claim to have a cold or COVID as a way of explaining the change in the sound of their voice. They will sometimes ask that their parents not be called as they are embarrassed about the situation, police said.
Reportedly, the caller will then pass the call on to another person purporting to be the grandchild’s lawyer. This “lawyer” will then claim that cash needs to be sent to get the grandchild released on bail. They will claim that an exorbitant sum is required for bail – such as $8,000 to $9,000. Police said that this is far more than what a surety is normally held liable for by the courts, which is usually in the range of $500 to $1,000.
In recent occurrences, the “lawyer” claims that they will send a “bailiff” to pick up the money once the target has withdrawn the cash from their bank. According to the release, a legitimate courier company is then contacted by the suspect and hired to pick up a parcel from the victim, who has been instructed to place the cash in a shoebox. Police said the courier then unknowingly facilitates the scam by transporting the money to a different location, where it is retrieved by someone involved in the scam.
Police remind the public that cash is never requested for bail. Never send money by courier, and never send money to someone you do not know and trust.
Protect yourself by reviewing the following guidelines provided by Kingston Police:
– Verify the caller’s identity by asking questions that someone else is unlikely to be able to answer, for example the name of the family’s first pet.
– Tell the caller you will call them right back, then call your grandchild’s usual phone number to verify the story.
– If your grandchild can’t be reached, contact a family member or friend to check out the story.
– Remember, scammers will plead with you to keep the emergency a secret so you won’t confirm the story.
– If you speak to someone who claims to be a police officer, call the relevant law enforcement agency to verify the person’s identity and any information they’ve given you.
– Don’t trust caller ID or answer calls from unknown numbers. If you recognize the caller ID but the call seems suspicious, hang up the phone.
– Don’t give out your personal information unless you are certain the person and reason is legitimate.
– Don’t send cash, wire money, or provide numbers from gift cards. Scammers might pressure you to use those methods since they are difficult to trace.
– Be cautious about what you are sharing on social media. Consider only connecting with people you know and check your privacy settings for all your social media and online accounts.
– Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in unsolicited emails. Be cautious even with an email that looks familiar; it could be fake. Instead, delete the email if it looks unfamiliar and block the sender.
13. Nuclear Threats to Great Lakes Fisheries
Received from Blue Fish Canada May 16
Nuclear Threats to Great Lake Fisheries
The International Joint Commission recently released a significant report that clearly outlines a path forward for greater public and indigenous engagement on matters concerning nuclear power generation and decommissioning end-of-life generating stations on the shores of the Great Lakes. The report was prepared by the IJC’s Water Quality Board and covers the 38 nuclear reactors and 18 existing nuclear power stations located along the shores of the Great Lakes, including the three Ontario owned stations responsible for generating half of Ontario’s electricity. Many of these stations were built in the 1970s and are now nearing end-of-life. The report covers the decommissioning of the actual stations, the transport of spent nuclear fuel to long term storage facilities, and the creation of such storage sites. While not a technical report, it makes clear that both Canada and the U.S. have much work to do to meet these challenges, and that much of this work entails building public trust through meaningful consultations and engagement. These decisions and actions have massive potential consequences for freshwater quality that accounts for 20% of the world’s supply, and the most valuable freshwater fisheries in the world. The stakes are huge, and yet steps on how to decommission nuclear power stations and dispose of spent nuclear waste have yet to be fully developed and implemented. For more about the IJC’s recent report “Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Facilities in the Great Lakes Basin”, link below to hear Gayle Wood Canada’s Co-Chair of the Great Lakes Water Quality Board on The Blue Fish Radio Show:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/5725616/e358-great-lakes-nuclear-power-station-d
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is another organization seeking greater understanding of Ontario residents’ views on Canada’s plan for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel. The NWMO is tasked with implementing Canada’s plan for the safe long-term storage of used nuclear fuel in a manner that protects people and the environment for generations to come. The Ontario communities of Ignace and South Bruce are the two areas currently involved in the NWMO’s site selection process for a deep geological repository for Canada’s used nuclear fuel. All households in Ignace and South Bruce were sent a short survey in January 2021 to assess their awareness of the project, and to understand what topics people are interested in learning more about through community studies. No doubt, public perceptions are fraught with miss-information and legitimate concerns when it comes to the long-term storage of the spent nuclear fuel that continues to pile up at Ontario’s three power stations.
The issue of disposing nuclear waste is also one that concerns those 2-million people and 13 First Nations communities that live along side the Ottawa River. In 1944 the Chalk River Laboratories opened on the banks of the Ottawa River about 200 km upstream of our nation’s capital. According to Ottawa Riverkeeper there have been major accidents at both the National Research Experimental Reactor and the National Research Universal Reactor at Chalk River resulting in several persistent waste issues. The facility’s Waste Management Areas have caused contamination of the groundwater which continues to be released into freshwater streams and lakes. In 2016 the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories submitted a project proposal to build a permanent Near Surface disposal facility at the Chalk River site that would operate for 50 years and dispose of waste from both the Chalk River Laboratories site and other similar facilities. The site, to be located several hundred metres from the banks of the river, will have a capacity of roughly 1,000,000 cubic metres of waste. Once the entire mound is filled, a permanent cover will be installed to reduce exposure of the waste to rain and snow. The fact that groups like Ottawa Riverkeeper remain highly concerned about these plans, and that there is little public awareness of the waste disposal plans being proposed, is not only evidence of pour planning and communications, but undermines public confidence in the way these facilities are being managed.
Even as plans for the disposal and decommissioning of current nuclear power stations gets underway, plans to meet our current and growing electricity demands now include exploring the feasibility of “Small Modular Reactors” and even smaller “Micro Modular Reactors”. Small and Micro modular reactors have a smaller footprint than traditional reactors, but in no way can be compared to portable generators used on construction sites or to provide off-grid power for RVs, cabins and fish camps. These modular reactors are designed to be assembled easily, produce at most 300MW, and come complete with sufficient nuclear fuel to last approximately 20 years after which they would be decommissioned. SMRs are being positioned as a clean technology to address climate change and are being promoted as an essential component of Canada’s emissions reduction plans. Having spent considerable time in Canada’s Arctic, where diesel powered generators are used to meet the electrical demands of communities, I understand why such technology would have its appeal given the lack of sun during winter months and the unpredictability of wind.
At the other end of the spectrum there’s the mining of the actual fuel used to power nuclear stations big and small. Canada was once a world leader in the mining of such fuel and would continue to be such if demand for uranium hadn’t dropped off. One need only visit northern Saskatchewan for evidence of once booming uranium mining operations such as the Gunnar mine site located on the north shore of Athabasca Lake. This mine and others made up the sole industry that prompted development of communities such as Uranium City, once home to over 5,000 people prior to the closure of the Gunnar Mine site. Literally over night, residents of the community, now jobless, packed up their vehicles and drove the 100 kilometers south across the frozen lake to start over. The shuttering of the mines and departure of the miners and their families left behind over 80 abandoned uranium mine sites featuring slag heaps and waste ponds that continue to release dangerous levels of radioactive contamination to this day. Link below to hear a resident of Uranium City discuss his life and his family’s exodus on The Blue Fish Radio Show:
https://www.spreaker.com/user/5725616/reflections-on-growing-up-on-the-north-s_1
What the IJC report made obvious is that Canada requires stronger nuclear related policies that provide clear and strong guidelines on how nuclear waste and uranium mines should be managed to bring Canada more in line with international norms. Should Canada choose to restore its position as an international leader in nuclear power, it will also need to adopt more comprehensive regulations to properly evaluate and monitor all manner of proposed developments. Decommissioned power stations and temporary waste collection sites must also be re-assessed to ensure they are safe from climate change driven weather events. The last thing we need are more signs being posted such as those found on Lake Athabasca warning the public to keep clear due to dangerous radiation. Signage like this requires a half-life of 250,000 years.
14. 500 seafarers remain trapped on vessels stuck in Ukrainian ports, 1,500 evacuated since March, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), April 29, 2022. Just under 500 seafarers remain sheltered awaiting evacuation onboard 109 ships at Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, down from 2,000 six weeks ago. Three quarters of the seafarers trapped in Ukrainian ports have now been evacuated from their stranded vessels, according to new data gathered by the International Chamber of Shipping, collated in association with the IMO. Today, the IMO adopted a resolution on actions to facilitate the urgent evacuation of seafarers, while U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres yesterday called for an escape route from the Mariupol ‘apocalypse’
15. Canada prepared to send ships to European ports to help export Ukraine’s wheat: Joly, Barrie Today, May 16, 2022. Canada is poised to send cargo ships to ports in Romania and neighbouring countries to help Ukraine get its wheat to Africa and the Middle East, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Monday. Her remarks came as International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan warned that Russia is deliberately barring Ukrainian wheat exports so it can falsely blame western countries for creating hunger in developing nations.
16. The Big Picture: Sunscreen and Water
| Received from CBC What on Earth, May 12, 2022 To enjoy sunny weather, we’ve been taught to apply a layer of protection to our skin. Thought to have been invented in the late 1920s or 1930s, sunscreen has been an essential outdoor accessory for the better part of a century as a way to avoid UV radiation, with manufacturers increasing the sun protection factor (SPF) along the way. While sunscreen has been crucial for humans managing potentially carcinogenic rays, it’s proving less kind to creatures of the sea. It has been estimated that 20,000 tonnes of sunscreen wash off into the Mediterranean Ocean every year, while another 14,000 tonnes end up in coral reefs. This has a toxic effect. Sunscreen contains a variety of ultraviolet filters, including oxybenzone and octinoxate, which contribute to coral bleaching and endanger the development of certain species, like sea urchins. They also contain varieties of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, dubbed “forever chemicals,” which, owing to their seeming indestructibility, end up in other waterways. While the research on the long-term ecological effects of sunscreen is still in an early phase, global warming is likely to only increase its use. It’s hard to convince people to stop using a product that was expressly invented to keep them safe, but some regions with rich marine ecosystems have made an effort to staunch the flow of sunscreen into bodies of water. For example, in Mexico, people are asked to forsake sunscreen when swimming in natural pools. |
17. Migrating Turtles May Not Know Where They Are Going
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/11/migrating-turtles-dont-really-know-where-theyre-going-study-shows
FUN STUFF
18. Eric Gagnon’s Tannery Model and Historic S&R Info
Tannery Model
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2124117234424095&set=pcb.2124119227757229
S&R Info
https://hanleyspur.blogspot.com/2022/03/steal-run-s-story.html
So that’s it for May.
Cheers,
Mary Farrar, President,
Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour