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(Note: Some names are withheld at the request of the writer.)
Navan: Time for Van Hauves to go
An outrageous first few days of Tory rule
Rockland woman dumps on men with trucks
Local Tim Hortons Restaurants serious about environment
Councillor Kyle Cyr: Why should United Counties control our destiny?
Votre orthographe et gramaire
Baseline Road should be called BADline Road!!
Keep up the good work
Well it has happened to us. I don't like it much.
We went to bed last night Aug 26 with ten really nice solar lights going down our driveway and woke up this morning with only 7 and it looks as if another neighbour lost some as well.
These where not the cheap ones these where from Costco so they cost a bit of money. But it seems that these people or persons really had to have my lights. They didn't take them all, why? I don't know. We had to go to work and earn the money to buy these lights. All we want is the lights back. Put them back in the spot they came from and that will be that.
And if you happen to see that you have new lights or find lights just by chance kicking around and wonder where they came from or think you have found something great you didn't. They are our lights and we would like them back please.
It is very sad to think that our neighbours are stealing or friends of neighbours are stealing what happened to being a community and looking out for each other. We sure could use a stronger police presence in the area. As I am sure that we are not the only ones.
(No unfortunately you are NOT the only ones... there have been a number of thefts and vandalism over the past summer... Bored kids? Drug users needing money? Who knows?
We agree that a stronger police presence is one solution, but what about a Neighbourhood Watch? We believe that this might come about with a solid community association, which we have advocated for several years. Until a leader comes along we'll have to settle for the status quo!
- Patrick Meikle, Editor)
(Lisa posted this note on our "Message Centre" a few days later...)
Well we happened to find our lights and the neighbours lights. The thieves used them for basketball practice at Cathy Cain park. And do you know what the sad thing is the thieves actually live in this neighbourhood. Where are the parents and why are kids allowed at Cathy Cain park at 11:30pm at night. We know who they are but can't prove it, but we know and they know and so does a few neighbours who have had problems with them before.
We really need a police presence here. Especially with the park just have a look at the graffetti and the glass and the garbage they make. These kids need to grow up and be held responsible or the parents need to be charged, not fined but charged with the offense maybe that will wake them up. Just maybe the parents will start taking responsibility for their kids and not just let them do whatever. Until they move out of your home they are your responsibility.
So parents need to be held accountable for the actions of these kids. Then this should be the way it is. I am sure that parents would not want to have a criminal record on the count of there kids. Boy would it hurt your job or your changes of a better job.
Then keep your kids at home, know what they are doing always. And don't go away for a weekend when you know all to well that you have a troubled kid at home. And don't use the excuse that I wasn't at home. Well you should have been. Or these kids should have been with you. AGAIN THEY ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY UNTIL THEY MOVE OUT. You all need to remember that.
Back to topPublished: Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Canada's immigration authorities have bent more than enough rules for the benefit of the Van Hauve family. It's time to send them home to Belgium.
Michel Van Hauve, his wife Suzy Myers and their son Blaise were first ordered out of Canada by Jan. 12, after the last of Mr. Van Hauve's work permits expired.
They had applied for permanent-resident status but were turned down. Since then, they've failed to turn up in Montreal for their deportation flight, slipped in and out of hiding, been found to have been fibbing about Mr. Van Hauve's arrest record in Belgium (they've said he was convicted of shoplifting 26 years ago; it turns out he has five arrests on his record), and enlisted the support of the confrontational Ontario Landowners Association. They stalled, waiting for an immigration reassessment of Mr. Van Hauve's record, which ruled against them.
Throughout it all, they have protested that all they want is justice under the law, though they have carried on knowing there's been a warrant out for their arrest as fugitives from Canadian Border Services. They've been counting on intervention from the immigration minister, hoping Liberal Joe Volpe or his Conservative successor Monte Solberg would overturn the department's work. Why? There is no evidence the system has failed.
The Van Hauves aren't refugee claimants trying to stay out of Sierra Leone -- it's Belgium, where three of Blaise's siblings live. Enough foolishness. The Van Hauves belong on a plane.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2006
Back to topWelcome to Stephen Harper's bold new world of accountability, complete with an unelected minister of public works, a newly appointed Liberal-Conservative cabinet minister from B.C .and the Mike Harris trio of John Baird, Jim Flaherty and Tony Clement.
Not only did our newly minted prime minister promise an elected Senate, he promised an end to the cronyism which he and his candidates said had infiltrated the Liberal government.
We got an unelected cabinet minister. Responsible for billions of dollars. Unaccountable to the House of Commons. In Canada. No. Really. In Conservative Canada.
As for those of us who feared a return to the roots of the failed Common Sense Revolution, no worries. We now have a federal finance minister who wanted to jail the homeless and railed against the Rand formula of union dues checkoff; a Treasury Board president who privatized our youth jails and reigned during the Anderson Consulting debacle to the tune of hundreds of millions of wasted dollars and a health minister who, in the assessment of many, bungled the SARS epidemic. No sign of the Harrisites here.
Canadians should be outraged by the first days of our sparkling, new government.
For those who voted for change and I certainly respect that perspective, today's events must be bittersweet. To the good men and women who honestly represented what they believed to be their party's platform during this campaign, you have my sincere condolences.
Strange, when all you have to do is stand by your principles to be labeled a maverick. In Canada. No. Really.
Bob Eaton, Prescott
(Mr. Eaton was the Liberal candidate in Leeds-Grenville in the recent federal election.)
Back to topI was heading back to Rockland from the Home Depot on Innes Road and a lady's van had slid. Half her van was on the road and the other half on the median. I decided to stop like you would think any other good person would and help her. You know the traffic on Innes and Portobello is very heavy. So out of my van I go and start to rock her van trying to get her out of there without her having to call a tow truck. I pushed and pushed until maybe five minutes later I finally got her out of trouble.
In all that time nobody stopped to ask if we needed help or to help us. A lot of dump trucks with men at the steering wheel drove by us and nobody stopped. I am a woman and I think I did a pretty good job of helping another woman. I just think this is terrible that no men had stopped to help us. Come on guys - open your eyes to help others!
L.B. - Rockland
Tue, 31 Jan 2006
Back to topIn his columns, Patrick Meikle frequently accuses that our restaurants' patrons are solely responsible for the neglecting the environment in our city. Maybe Mr. Meikle is correct in assessing his observation for determining those culprits. However, we would
like to point out our pro active approach for discouraging customers who neglect the environment by constantly throwing the Tim Hortons' cups on our parking lots and in our city's streets: We are convinced that Mr. Meikle is fully aware that Tim Hortons is the only 'fast food' company in Canada that serves china cups, stainless steel cutlery as a alternative to paper cups for our in-store customers. Furthermore, our restaurants offer a substantial discount to all our customers who purchase a travel mug instead of the paper cups.
In our two restaurants in Clarence-Rockland, we invested in 15 garbage containers on our properties to encourage customers to respect the environment and discard their litter in the appropriate garbage areas. On a daily basis we dedicate a full time employee ( in all our three locations) to maintain the cleanliness of our properties. But most importantly, we would encourage our by-law officers to utilize our tax payers' dollars to enforce the law and ticket those who constantly and knowingly disrespect our initiatives in keeping the community clean and free of debris. Finally we ask all our faithful and loyal customers, please stop littering.
Yves Paris
Tim Hortons, Rockland
Back to topWow… Was I ever flabbergasted when I visited the United Counties web site on Wednesday, January 25th, 2006 and was invited to participate “to our public transit survey”.
Being someone who always welcomes opportunities to express myself and share my opinion, I decided to participate in the survey. Half way through the questionnaire, I quickly noticed that the survey was geared towards gathering the opinion of the population of Prescott-Russell concerning train services from surrounding communities into Ottawa.
Having lived in the City of Clarence-Rockland for over 30 years, I have never seen a train zip through any sections of our municipality. I then concluded that, although offered to anyone visiting the United Counties website, the survey was targeted at the population to the south of the United Counties, where a rail system is presently available.
That observation prompted me to question the United Counties' role regarding pubic transit. When did our upper tier government receive a mandate to meddle in municipal public transit? When the City of Clarence-Rockland was in the midst of offering public transit service that is now known as CRT, did the United Counties offer any of their resources for the purpose of conducting studies and surveys?
I have been a Councillor for the City of Clarence-Rockland for just over two years and the greatest observation I have made is concerning the role played by the United Counties within our municipality. It is amazing the amount of spending occurring at the United County level. Studies for this, surveys for that. Blackberries, laptops and other gadgets. Conventions, seminars, networking. Corporate and overhead costs associated to managing the United Counties are unbelievable.
Did you know that the City of Clarence-Rockland contributes just over 26 per cent of the total budget for the United Counties? Did you know that that represents nearly 36 per cent of your tax bill? Can you tell me what services you receive for that amount? You would be surprised at the answer.
The truth is that although collected by the City of Clarence-Rockland, tax dollars are sent to the United Counties and redistributed THROUGHOUT the United Counties. Therefore, what we send to the United Counties doesn’t necessarily reflect what we receive back in services. Correct me if I am wrong, but weren’t upper tier governments created to help municipalities offer essential services, not to redistribute one’s wealth to all, ensuring equal services throughout a designated area.
I am city councillor, but I am also a tax payer. As a tax payer, I am sick and tired of seeing 36 per cent of my taxes going to the United Counties and having little or no control on the way it is spent. As a councillor, I know that the $978 I send to the United Counties, yearly, is desperately needed by the City of Clarence-Rockland for such things as road maintenance, library books and recreation facilities such as soccer fields.
As the City of Clarence-Rockland continues to prosper into a vibrant community, we definitely need to examine our role within the United Counties. Why should politicians and public servants from other municipalities control our destiny? We are capable of managing our own business.
Kyle Cyr
Citizen – City of Clarence-Rockland
Councillor – City of Clarence-Rockland
(Check out Councillor Kyle's Ward Five Web page.)
Back to topObject: Article dans Vision du 18 février, 2005
Votre orthographe et grammaire sont excellentes. BRAVO!!!
We love your articles. Keep up to good work.
R. Trottier - Location unknown
Back to topMy husband and I communte through this road everyday in order to get on the 17 and lately we have been forced to take an alternative route. The potholes are simply too deep and too many to avoid. We counted over 15 potholes that are more than 1 ft wide and almost 1 foot deep. Trying to avoid one of these huge potholes in the winter is also a hazards as it is very icy!!
Although the last part of Vinette Road is a dirt road and you cannot go 80kmh, it is pothole free.
The last time I looked we were paying taxes, this is simply unacceptable. Even when we get a
snowfall this road seems to be a forgotten child. It is always the last one to be cleaned.
Sometimes I wonder if this road has been taken off the map!!
Can we put this road back on the map and clean it up???
Lucie Meloche - Clarence Creek
Back to topKeep up the good work
P.B. - Clarence-Rockland
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