Current & Past Articles » General News

Riyasat Indian Restaurant & Bar opens in Bolton

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

Restaurant is the eighth Riyasat to open in the GTA

Caledon Citizen Staff

There’s a new Indian restaurant in Bolton.

On March 23, members of Caledon Council attended Riyasat Indian Restaurant & Bar in Bolton for a grand opening ceremony.

Regional Councillor Mario Russo, Acting Mayor for the day, shared a welcome message to restaurant owners M.K. Sharma and Meet Aulakh.

“On behalf of Mayor Groves and all our Council colleagues, congratulations. It’s our pleasure to be here today to celebrate the grand opening of Riyasat,” said Russo. “As Caledon grows, the Town remains committed to supporting the growth of our local economy. I would like to extend a sincere thanks to the Riyasat team for choosing to invest in Caledon.”

Russo said a new restaurant in Caledon creates jobs and drives the local economy.

“We are fortunate to have your business and look forward to supporting your growth in the community,” said Russo. 

Aulakh explained Riyasat was founded in 2018 with a location in Oakville, and after seeing success it has since expanded to include locations in Etobicoke, Brampton, Mississauga, and now Caledon.

“This city has been welcoming… we have seen an overwhelming response,” he said, adding that Caledon is a beautiful town. 

Aulakh said the decor at Riyasat is designed to provide a royal ambiance.

“The most important thing is our focus on cuisine, quality of food,” he said. “We give authentic Indian food, it’s like a gateway to India.”

Aulakh said he was thankful Riyasat received a warm welcome in Bolton and said he’s looking forward to being a part of the Bolton business community and growing alongside Caledon’s economy.

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Current & Past Articles » General News

Peel submits plans, funding requests to Provincial and Federal governments for asylum claimant response

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

Peel to open Regional Reception Centre for asylum claimants pending funding

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Region of Peel has developed what it calls a sustainable plan to help asylum claimants — but it needs the support of the Provincial and Federal governments to implement it.

On March 21 the Region announced it was submitting its “Asylum Claimant Response — Moving Towards a Sustainable Model” proposal to the Provincial and Federal governments to let them know what funding would be required to adopt and implement it.

There’s an unprecedented number of asylum seekers coming to Canada right now, and it can be seen in Peel Region where emergency shelters are operating well above capacity (over 350 per cent). The Region said the rise in asylum claimants first started in June 2023 and has continued to grow since, with no end in sight.

The Region of Peel, which is in charge of housing services, secured additional shelter facilities and overflow hotels. However, this is expensive and unsustainable from a funding standpoint. Due to this, Peel is looking to differentiate its asylum claimant response system from its emergency shelter and homelessness response system.

The Region has been working on a new model which will contain two distinct components. The Region wants to implement a “Regional Reception Centre” with coordinated transfers to other municipalities, and dedicated Peel shelter facilities for asylum claimants.

According to the Region, the Regional Reception Centre will serve the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and provide the following services: needs assessments, service navigation, orientation sessions, legal aid, IRCC information, Ontario Works information, language and settlement services, and health services where applicable.

The Region said this approach, which it calls person-centred, will give asylum claimants the tools and resources they need to successfully integrate into Canadian society.

Peel said it needs an annual commitment of $62,000 per asylum claimant from the Provincial and Federal governments in order to operationalize its Regional Reception Centre. It said funding will move with asylum claimants if they settle outside of Peel.

Peel said regardless of whether it gets the funding, it will create asylum claimant-focused shelters. However, it said if it doesn’t get funding, the approach will cause further strain on homelessness prevention efforts and hinder asylum claimants in their efforts to integrate into the community.

The Region also wants the Federal Government to commit to one-time capital and annual operating costs for the Regional Reception Centre, which it currently estimates at $10 million and $9.3 million respectively. 

Peel’s commissioner of human services Sean Baird said the continued arrival of asylum seekers in Peel Region represents a growing social crisis. He said Peel’s already-strained homelessness support system is nearing collapse.

“We cannot continue to simply lease additional hotels to provide temporary housing for thousands of asylum seekers,” said Baird. “A new model is necessary to ensure all levels of government can work together and proper supports can be provided to those who are here and working to establish themselves in Canada, as well as the tens of thousands expected to continue to arrive into the GTHA.”

Region of Peel Council Chair Nando Iannicca said Peel staff have gone above and beyond to support asylum claimants on their journeys to settling in Canada.

“This is incredibly complex work that touches so many lives,” he said. “As we move from a crisis-level response to a more sustainable solution, an all-governments approach is required. I look forward to sharing Peel’s proposed response and actioning its solutions together.”

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Current & Past Articles » Letters

Halt all hiring: an immediate fix for reining in unchecked government bureaucracy

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

by FRANK STRONACH

Most Canadians would not be surprised to learn there are way too many civil servants in Ottawa. 

But they would probably be shocked to learn just how top-heavy the Canadian bureaucracy really is. That’s one of the eye-opening bits of information revealed at a House of Commons committee meeting last week featuring Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux.   

According to Giroux, federal bureaucrats can report to as many as seven different levels of management within various government departments. When questioned whether seven layers of management was excessive or necessary, Giroux responded that “there is room to reduce.” 

Even the federal government, which is not known for fiscal discipline, said it could lop $3 billion per year in government administration over the next five years. But that only represents a paltry one percent reduction in total annual spending. Surely there’s a lot more fat, duplication and waste that can be cut out of the budget without laying off any civil servants.  

For the past several years, I’ve consistently advocated for government spending cuts of 5 per cent per year over a period of ten years, which would end up reducing government overhead by half within a decade. I’ve also suggested the creation of a task force comprised of retired business leaders who could assist in determining areas where the government could cut spending.

The Fraser Institute published a report last month showing how the federal government could balance the budget within a year simply by reducing government spending by 4.3 per cent – an amount very close to what I’ve proposed. 

The proposed spending cut formula I put forward is one of seven common-sense principles I’ve advocated for the past year as part of a new Economic Charter of Rights to revive our economy and restore Canadian prosperity.  

But it’s not just the cost of excessive bureaucracy that Canadians object to. It’s also the red tape and regulations that come with it, which end up making everything slower and more complicated than necessary. 

The federal civil service now chews up over $67 billion per year in salaries, benefits and pensions – a record high amount. The escalating growth in payroll was termed “worrisome” by the Parliamentary Budget Officer.

Not only are there more civil servants than ever, but there’s also more bureaucrats than ever taking home six-figure salaries. According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, over 110,000 federal public servants made in excess of $100,000 in 2023. In short, not only is our bureaucracy growing by the day – it’s also becoming more expensive. 

Despite the swelling size of our civil service, it’s important to note that bureaucrats should never be made the scapegoat for the financial mismanagement created by governments. It’s not their fault spending has gotten out of control.  

Regardless, the problem posed by our ever-expanding bureaucracy needs to be dealt with immediately. It’s been put on the back burner for far too long.

In addition to reducing government spending on overhead by five per cent per year for ten years, we should implement an immediate and permanent hiring freeze when it comes to the civil service until the public sector payroll shrinks to a more sustainable level. 

If the government official who’s been put in charge of keeping an eye on our budget says there’s room to reduce the size of our bureaucracy, then we should start reducing. 

Not only will we save billions of dollars, but Canadians might also finally get a break from overzealous bureaucrats meddling in every aspect of our lives.

To learn more about how we can increase Canadian living standards, email me at info@economiccharter.ca.   

Author Bio

Frank Stronach is the founder of Magna International Inc., one of Canada’s largest global companies, and the Stronach Foundation for Economic Rights  (www.economiccharter.ca). 

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Current & Past Articles » Letters

Credit where credit is due

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

by SHERALYN ROMAN

We are rapidly approaching everyone’s favourite time of year, tax time, but despite the title, that’s not what this column is about. Known for occasionally calling out the Town (and/or Doug Ford) on a variety of issues, I hope I am equally known for trying to be generous of spirit and give credit where credit is due, even if the amount of credit is very, very, small. After all, most progress is incremental whether we’re talking about a baby learning to walk, recovery from a health concern, or when learning long division. Is that still a thing? Did I just give away my age with that last question? I digress. Slow or not, here’s a reminder of some of the things for which we should be thankful, followed of course by perhaps just one or two callouts! 

While the Town (at least in theory) remains busy addressing a response to the application of a multinational consortium intent on decimating yet more Caledon acreage, it’s only fair we make note of something pit-related that’s slightly more positive. The Credit Valley Conservation Authority is hosting a “Pits to Parks” information session on April 18 to update residents and seek input on the ecological restoration of two former aggregate sites. Their goal is to undertake a series of studies reviewing the “technical, environmental and social feasibility of importing clean excess soil to facilitate the enhanced ecological restoration of Pinchin Pit and Flaherty West Pit.”

Yes, it strikes me as a little ironic that while we are talking about allowing not just excavation, but the blasting to kingdom come at yet another quarry in our collective backyards, we are also talking about filling in the damage caused by previous pits. However, to give credit where credit is due, the potential incremental progress of a “pits to parks” policy is one that will benefit Caledon residents if not now, then for generations to come.

In other news, the carnage on Highway 10 continues to dominate the Caledon news cycle.

There’s simply no other way to refer to this highway as anything other than a multitude of accidents waiting to happen, and happening they are. However, in addition to changes that were implemented some time ago to address significant traffic concerns at Highway 10 and Olde Base Line, finally something is also being done to help alleviate the chaotic mayhem happening now at Highway 10 and Old School Road. A recent announcement has confirmed that a “protective permissive left turn” signal has been installed. In other words, an advanced green light. This will potentially enhance the safety of the thousands of people travelling through that intersection daily. Combined with the VERY LONG OVERDUE building of a second exit out of Southfields (when Abbotside Way finally connects to Heart Lake Road) residents at the south end of Caledon will hopefully begin to feel at least a little more secure in their daily commutes. Nonetheless, the critics were fast and furious, taking to social media demanding a complete overhaul of the highway from Shelburne to south of Valleywood Blvd. I am in complete agreement, but progress is progress however slow it might be, so I’m giving credit where credit is due.

As “giving credit” goes, let’s hope that those Councillors who have lobbied hard for further changes to enhance safety on Highway 10 (Ward One Councillor Lynn Kiernan, thank you) continue to do so. In his own recent social media post, it seems Councillor Sheen agrees that “Highway 10 continues to be a very busy highway with ever increasing volumes of traffic.”

Perhaps he and other Councillors will add their voice to the advocacy work because with both commuters and heavy truck traffic rising exponentially, if approved a new quarry will only exacerbate the problem. Credit where it is due but let’s keep up the push for change.

In other news, I fear yet more traffic trouble is headed our way. It appears that roads previously designated as “haulage routes” are henceforth to be known as a Strategic Goods Movement Network (SGMN).  That’s a mouthful. A cynic (ok, me) might think this is not a “rose by any other name would smell as sweet” scenario, but rather, an attempt at labelling something as a “strategic goods” movement network provides a workaround allowing pits and quarries to use whatever roads suit them best (such as the completely unsafe use of Main Street through downtown Alton running within just a few metres of an elementary school, a retirement home and places of business) because what they are “moving” are considered “strategic goods.”

Still on the topic of traffic, my final comments are “credit is due,” served with a side of snark.

Adding their voices to the many calling for an overhead crosswalk or a set of traffic lights at the intersection of Stowmarket and Kennedy Road in Southfields, a group of area seniors met a while ago with Mayor Groves to share their concerns. So, this is first, a thank you to the Mayor for making time in her busy schedule to meet personally with those residents. There are genuine concerns about this portion of our Caledon roadways and with both seniors walking, and children heading to school, forming a significant portion of the pedestrian traffic in an area where stop sign running occurs regularly at high speeds, something must be done sooner than later.

Since the meeting, however, as the saying goes, it’s been “crickets.” Things take time, we all understand that, but let’s not wait until someone is injured or worse. There have already been too many close calls. Whether it was already scheduled work, or a social media posting by Councillor Sheen last year, the offer to paint “more visible” crosswalk lines was made but that will do nothing to disrupt the flow of traffic, particularly so in winter when those lines will be anything BUT visible.

It’s time to do the right thing and listen to our elders who really do know better. Make this intersection safe please, Mayor Groves. I’m going to go ahead and give credit where credit is due and hope that you’ll recognize (when no one else seems to be listening) the importance of a “safety first” attitude at this particular location. Older adults and young children’s lives depend on it.

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Current & Past Articles » Letters

Free speech?

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

by BRIAN LOCKHART

I used to have a friend from college who routinely offended people around her.

It’s like she had absolutely no filter at all. If she didn’t like something, she said so. Where a normal person would keep a thought to themselves, she would blurt out her opinion regardless of who might be offended or hurt.

She pretty much alienated every other female she knew because of her way of letting someone know she didn’t like their hairstyle, clothing, or telling them they had gained too much weight.

I once called her out on her behaviour.

Her response was, “I speak my mind.”

When I bought my new house, she wanted to come over to see it.

I was pretty happy with my purchase. I had saved for years for a down payment and finally had a place of my own.

She walked through the house, criticized everything she didn’t like, and left.

Over the next several years, she mentioned several times that I had not invited her back. She had apparently no clue, why I have never asked her back to my home.

It was a decision on my part, to not listen to her ridiculous and offensive opinions any more. I simply ignored her.

She has the right to say whatever she wants – and I have the right to not listen to it.

We supposedly have free speech in this country. You can form any opinion you want. If others don’t like it, they don’t have to listen.

However, when people are sanctioned or disciplined for having an opinion, that’s a problem.

Libraries have been going through a lot of controversy over the past few years. Books have been banned or removed from shelves because of perceived “offensive” content. This includes many books that were previously considered classics.

But who gets to decide what is offensive? Just because one person finds a book’s content to be offensive, someone else may not.

We don’t need anyone telling us what to read.

If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Pretty simple.

In Niagara-on-the-Lake, the chief librarian was fired from her job for an opinion piece she wrote in a local newspaper column.

She exercised her right of free speech in a column titled, “Freedom to read is more than fighting book bans.”

The library board said the Chief Librarian had written in support of a “right wing” American group.

In the column, the librarian wrote, “viewpoints that don’t conform to progressive agendas are rarely represented in library collections and anyone who challenges this is labelled a bigot.”

The library board certainly proved her point themselves when they fired her for having an opinion.

Basically it came down to a “philosophical disagreement,” said the library board chair.

This is a public library, not a religious or political institution.

Since when are librarians forced to follow an institutional thought program?

What next? Are they going to fire an employee because they found out someone voted for a political party they don’t like?

The board asked the librarian to “take a few days” to reflect on the article and decide what to do next to resolve the article’s impact on the community. Did the Niagara-on-the-Lake library board get this right out of Kim John Un’s official manifesto?

They actually want someone to correct their opinion to fall in line with their own way of thinking.

Would this library board have made the same decision if she wrote in support of a far left organization? Probably not.

When the far left and the far right get too far, they eventually meet and are doing the same thing.

Does the library board send out spies to hang around the water cooler to listen to conversations and see if an employee makes a comment they don’t like, then take action against them having the “wrong” opinion?

I’m not even sure you can call the library board thought process, “political correctness.” It’s more like social incorrectness.

Here’s the thing – not everyone in life is going to agree with you.

Not everyone will follow your way of thinking – you aren’t right all the time, whether or not you think you are.

If this library board fires a person for not having the “right opinion”, what else have they done?

When you have people in a public institution disciplining someone for having the wrong opinion – maybe the someone should write a book about that to go into the library.

On second thought, it’s already been done.

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Current & Past Articles » Letters

Losing a friend, a piece of ourselves

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

by Mark Pavilons

Our home is a bit quieter than usual.

It’s a strange silence, where you know something isn’t right.

Our 14-year-old Lab Marley is no longer with us. For dogs, that’s a heck of a life, roughly equivalent to 98 human years!

We don’t really “own” our best friends but merely “rent” them. We all hope for a long “lease.”

Saying goodbye to a four-legged family member is never easy, and I’m sure most pet owners will attest to that. They may not be our whole lives, but they do make our lives whole.

We love our animals with all of our hearts and believe they’ll always be with us, even though their lifespans are relatively short.

“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day,” John Grogan said.

Even when our beloved pets get old, we don’t want to say goodbye. We’re never ready for the inevitable.

These things, however, aren’t really in our hands.

Perhaps Marley knew, long before we did, the end was near. There were a few occasions when she looked at me with an unusual stare, as if to say “I’ve had enough.” I felt it.

We humans have such power over our pets and yet, we are often helpless.

At the end, in our home filled with loved ones, we said farewell as she quietly slipped away. The tears flowed, joined by sorrow, and plenty of what-ifs.

Vets always tell us it’s the humane thing to do. When a dog no longer has the ability to walk, run and play, or even stand at their bowls to eat, their quality of life is gone. They are merely existing, moving through the fog, from one day to the next.

They can’t vocalize and tell us about their aches and pains. At 14, Marley likely had many.

Her back legs were strained and she lost the ability to stand recently. She became incontinent and had a horrible cough. The vet mentioned Marley was enduring a great deal of pain.

The decision was, really, the only one.

But our furry friends don’t fear death as we do, they have no concept of it. I’m sure as she drifted away from Earth, she felt at ease. For all we know, as she crossed over, she may have thought she’d see us all the very next day.

I read that it was important that her last sights and sounds were of her family members – ur faces and voices. I hope she carried these images with her and know that we loved her dearly.

Maybe her final thoughts turned to grassy fields, chasing balls and swimming in a lake. Perhaps, finally, she was once again bright-eyed and bushy tailed in the white light that welcomed her.

I have a keen interest in the afterlife and watch all shows, movies and documentaries on the subject. Many contend that while we are separated from our bodies, our souls are everlasting. And since dogs are allowed in Heaven, I’m sure the same holds true for them.

One of my favourite original Twilight Zone episodes is of a man who drowns trying to save his dog in a river. As the duo walk down the country path searching for the Pearly Gates, the first gatekeeper welcomes them, but says dogs aren’t allowed. The man found this odd, so he continued on his way, only to find the true entrance to Heaven, where he and his dog were welcomed. The first gate was, of course, Hell. A timeless tale, indeed.

For Kim and I, Marley was our second dog together. Kim searched for a breeder and we picked her out of a litter of energetic, cute-as-a-button critters. Great lines, it appears. We got her sister Lola from the same breeder. We’ve since added two more sisters, a pair of year-old Belgian Malinois (mixed with Boxer) herding dogs.

Yes, we have a full house.

At first, we see them as cuddly, living stuffed toys. We get them to fill a need, perhaps even a selfish one.

But what happens is quite remarkable. A bond develops between human and dog that can’t really be explained. It’s a deep, heart-felt connection that defies the human condition.

Our dogs just accept us. Who would put up with us, ignore our irrational behaviour and still kiss our faces at the end of the night? Our dogs. Who would nudge their noses at us, refuse to let go of their chew toys, still wagging their tails? Our dogs. Who would stick by our side, through thick and thin, until death do us part? Our dogs.

Pet owners all say they can’t imagine their lives without one of these companions by our side, under our feet, or stealing our sandwich off the counter. One of new puppies ate an entire breakfast serving of bacon that I left too close to the edge!

As our pets age, we try not to notice their frailties, and inabilities. They demand patience, at every stage, but especially as they age.

Everyone in the family had to exercise plenty of patience as Marley struggled. We had to use lift straps to carry her from her bowl to the door to her bed.

My wife doted over her for weeks, straining her own arms, shoulders and back in the process.

She broke her ankle just last week slipping on ice at the back door with dog in tow. My ever-compassionate spouse would do anything, for anyone, to her own detriment. She should be right as rain in four to six weeks!

We all had very heavy hearts –  dark, dreary, soul-draining feeling – in the days leading up to the final farewell.

Goodbye Marley – ur playmate, confidant, soccer player, garbage disposal, sentry, welcome mat, friend, comforter and foot licker.

We will all miss her dearly.

“It came to me that every time I lose a dog, they take a piece of my heart with them, and every new dog that comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all of the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and as loving as they are.” – nonymous

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Current & Past Articles » Letters

Tackling illegal dumping

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

OUR READERS WRITE

As an ex-Peel cop who never saw justice served (a.k.a. The Punishment fitting The Crime), I have an idea regarding all the illegal dumping we are seeing on all the beautiful landscapes of Caledon.

Anyone caught dumping any type of garbage in Caledon would be charged and released with these two conditions:

One, for one full year every time there is illegal dumping in Caledon they will be called to come and assist the Caledon Works Department to do the cleanup.

Two, for every time they fail to show when called to help, they will be charged a $1,000. fine as well as remaining on the call out list to assist for the entire year they were sentenced to.

Will this help?

Any deterrent more than the current slap on the wrist has to help if we want Caledon to continue to be the Country Jewel it is/was.

Brian Perras
Caledon

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Current & Past Articles » Letters

An evaporating sense of humanity?

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

by BROCK WEIR

My first real job in a newsroom began with something of a whirlwind.

Reasonably fresh out of university, the job came about in a somewhat unexpected way and unfolded in a similar manner. Little was asked of me beyond my ability to make deadlines and, from there, it was directly into the eye of what was painted to be a storm.

From the outset, I had no shortage of well-wishers and community members at large making contact to give me “the real story” on the community and its so-called power-players, elected and otherwise.

Some of it was good, some of it… less so and unlikely, but as my first week wore on, I felt as though my eyes were growing wider and wider. Finding my feet, I was able to sift through the bulk of this detritus and forge ahead. But it soon became apparent that getting the “scoop” cut both ways.

Before too long, a leading politician of the day, who I first met on the second day of the gig, came up to me in a flurry of concern to ask if I was okay.

As far as I could tell I was fine and asked them why they had asked.

Apparently, due to a minor limp I’ve had since elementary school due to arthritis that decided to settle in a bit earlier than most, a story was circulating that I had been in some sort of terrible accident. I think we were both relieved that was not the case – I certainly know I was! – but nonetheless the rumour persisted for a good long while, bubbling up to the surface without any rhyme or reason.

Thankfully, as far as rumours go, it was a reasonably inconsequential one; something that I was able to brush off pretty quickly, with no lasting harm to myself or my family.

The same, I fear, cannot be said by the Princess of Wales as she continues in the early days of her cancer journey.

On Friday, the Princess announced to the world that the serious abdominal surgery she underwent in mid-January sadly, and after the fact, resulted in a cancer diagnosis. In her moving statement, she thanked people for the well-wishes she had received since her surgery was first announced and during her subsequent recovery out of the public eye.

“At the time, it was thought my condition was non-cancerous,” she said. “The surgery was successful. However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment. This, of course, came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.

“As you can imagine, this has taken time. It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment. But, most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay….

“We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery. At this time, I am also thinking of all those whose lives have been affected by cancer. For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone.”

One can only hope they get as much time, space, and privacy as private individuals do during this difficult time – as it was certainly absent in the lead-up to Friday’s announcement.

Since stepping back from the public eye shortly after the New Year for a then-undisclosed reason, Catherine and her family were subject to some of the most vile treatment on social media I’ve ever seen aimed at an apolitical public figure who, along with her family, have stived to be figures of unity more than anything else.

They were faced with countless alarming worst-case-scenario online rumours of her health, a particularly distressing turn of events for someone who has children growing up in the most tech-savvy generation we’ve yet seen; disheartening and outlandish claims about their personal lives; and even claims of things sinister and/or criminal afoot.

Each step they made was the subject of intense and off-the-charts scrutiny – suddenly, everyone and their uncle appointed themselves among the ranks of the great Photoshop savants and foremost AI experts of our time – all the while a very real family was going through an experience traumatic in itself, but trebled due to what I think can only be described as a lack of basic of consideration for one another – and, when it comes down to it, a lack of humanity and compassion not just for her, but everyone going through a private battle.

Despite going public with her diagnosis – an announcement some have argued she was coerced into by keyboard warriors in an effort to quell their increasingly unhinged ramblings – those culprits are still working overtime to try to prove their theories; or, quite unbelievably, trying to turn the blame back on the Prince and Princess of Wales for being less than forthcoming and leaving them a vacuum to fill.

Intense scrutiny bordering, in my view, on the ludicrous is nothing new when it comes to the Royal Family.

Catherine’s late mother-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales, certainly experienced it with tragic consequences. Her father-in-law’s wife, Queen Camilla, experienced it as well. Her sister-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex, continues to experience abuse of her own, burnished with inarguable racial undertones; and now this.

Yet, this was something else again.

Some argue that, in the United Kingdom, the privileges enjoyed by members of the Royal Family are funded by the taxpayer – the intricacies of that claim can be the subject of a column all its own – and therefore (at best) the public has the right to know and/or (at worst) these individuals are public property.

While they are, in my opinion, public servants, they are not public property. They, just like any other individual, regardless of who pays for or maintains their lifestyle, have the right to wage private health battles as they see fit, particularly where minors are concerned.

Those who say otherwise need to get some fresh air.

Holding our public figures accountable for the work they do is integral to any democracy. Relentless bullying of a public figure to lay bare what was always clear from the outset to be a significant health concern does not fit the bill. 

I can only hope that following Friday’s announcement that these “concerned” parties, if only for a moment, put themselves in the Princess’s shoes and consider their own life choices. 

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911 » Current & Past Articles

POLICE INVESTIGATE LINKS BETWEEN RECENT SHOOTINGS AND HOMICIDES

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

POLICE INVESTIGATE LINKS BETWEEN RECENT SHOOTINGS AND HOMICIDES

On Thursday, Peel Regional Police (PRP) and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) shared information on the joint investigation of recent residential shootings and homicides which are believed to be related. 

“On November 7, 2023, PRP responded to a shooting incident in the area of Cottrelle Boulevard and Thorndale Road in the City of Brampton,” say Police. “Two suspects discharged firearms outside of a residence and are believed to have left in a black Dodge RAM 1500 pick-up truck. On November 11, 2023, a similar incident occurred at a residence in the area of Lorenville Drive and Elbern Markell Drive in the City of Brampton. Two suspects dressed in black hoodies fired shots at a residence. They are believed to have left in a burgundy Dodge RAM 1500 pick-up truck.

“Another shooting incident on November 14, 2023, occurred in which a suspect discharged a firearm from a vehicle directed at the same residence in the area of Lorenville Drive and Ebern Markell Drive in the City of Brampton. The suspect fled in a late model silver Mazda 3 hatchback.”

No reports of any injuries were made following these three residential shooting incidents. 

“On November 15, 2023, PRP responded to a homicide in the area of Royal Windsor Drive and Winston Churchill Boulevard in the City of Mississauga. The victim is Jagraj Singh, a 29-year-old man from Brampton. It is believed that the suspects arrived and departed in a blue Dodge Challenger.

“Caledon OPP Detachment members are investigating a shooting incident that they believe involved multiple individuals on Mayfield Road in the Town of Caledon on November 20, 2023. This shooting resulted in the death of two individuals and serious injuries for a third victim. In relation to the November 20 incident, the possible suspect was seen entering an alleged stolen truck, a black Dodge RAM 2500 pick-up truck, which travelled westbound on Mayfield Road. The same truck was involved in a vehicle fire on Olde Baseline Road and Creditview Road in the Town of Caledon.”

This alleged stolen truck was taken on November 14, 2023, in the area of Mississauga Valley Boulevard and Arista Way in the City of Mississauga, police say.

Investigators are asking for assistance in identifying a person of interest in relation to the theft of that vehicle.

“Although the police believe that all the shootings were targeted, the victims in the homicides were not the intended targets.”

To view photos of the suspects, a person of interest and the vehicles, please visit the Peel Regional Police peelpolice.ca.

Investigators are urging anyone with information about any these incidents to call the dedicated tip line at 1-833-941-5570. Anonymous tips can be shared by contacting Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at ontariocrimestoppers.ca.

The Peel Regional Police Homicide Bureau and Caledon OPP Detachment Major Crime Unit continue the investigation, with assistance from the OPP and Peel Regional Police Forensic Identification Services and in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Coroner, Ontario Forensic Pathology Service and the Centre of Forensic Sciences.

THEFT INVESTIGATION

Members of the Caledon Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are investigating a theft from a local business and are requesting assistance to identify two individuals.

“On March 16, 2024, at approximately 2:00 p.m., officers responded to a report of a theft on Queensgate Boulevard, near Highway 50, in the Town of Caledon,” say Police. “The investigation revealed two individuals attended the store, took a variety of items, and left without making a payment. At this time, investigators are actively looking for information that may lead to the identification of the individuals displayed in the footage photo.

If you recognize these parties, or have information regarding this incident, please contact the Caledon OPP at (905) 584-2241 or 1-888-310-1122. You can also provide information anonymously by contacting Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.peelcrimestoppers.ca. When you contact Crime Stoppers, you stay anonymous, and you never have to testify.

FATAL COLLISION INVESTIGATION CONTINUES, VICTIMS IDENTIFIED

Officers from the Caledon Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) continue to investigate a fatal collision on Highway 10.

“On March 19, 2024, at approximately 8:30 p.m., emergency services responded to a two-vehicle collision on Highway 10, near Escarpment Sideroad, in the Town of Caledon,” say Police. “The incident involved two passenger vehicles. An 85-year-old male and an 86-year-old female from Amaranth were pronounced deceased on scene, while a third individual sustained serious injuries, but is in stable condition.”

Investigators from the Caledon Detachment are seeking information from anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage of the collision. Please contact the Caledon OPP at (905) 584-2241 or 1-888-310-1122 if you have information.

FOUR TIMES LEGAL LIMIT: POLICE

Officers from the Caledon Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have charged a Brampton resident with operation while impaired after they registered over four times the legal limit.

“On March 25, 2024, just before 1:00 p.m., officers conducted a traffic stop while patrolling the area of Mayfield Road and Coleraine Drive, in the Town of Caledon,” say Police. “Officers formed grounds that the driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle was impaired by alcohol and was subsequently arrested.”

As a result, Angad Singh, 39, of Brampton, was charged with:

Operation while impaired – alcohol;

Operation while impaired – blood alcohol concentration (80 plus);

Driving motor vehicle with open container of liquor.

The driver is scheduled to appear at the Ontario Court of Justice in Orangeville on April 11, 2024, to answer to the charges.

The charges have not been proven.

Additionally, the driver’s vehicle was impounded for a period of seven days, and their driver’s licence suspended for a period of 90 days.

“Caledon OPP would like to take this opportunity to remind motorists that no amount of alcohol or drugs in your system is safe when driving. If you plan on drinking or consuming drugs, plan to not drive. Instead, arrange for a designated driver, take a taxi or public transit, or come up with another plan that takes impaired driving out of the picture. If you suspect that someone is driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, it is important to call 9-1-1 to report it.”

For more information about the penalties of driving impaired, visit: www.ontario.ca/page/impaired-driving.

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Current & Past Articles » General News

New parking and stopping prohibitions coming to Belfountain and Brimstone

March 28, 2024   ·   0 Comments

Popular scenic areas see many visitors in the summer and fall

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

There will soon be new parking rules in effect in two of Caledon’s villages. 

New parking and stopping prohibitions are going to be implemented in Belfountain and Brimstone. These scenic areas see many visitors, especially in the summer and fall months.

Within these two villages, parking and stopping on the shoulders of roads will now be prohibited except at “select locations where permissive shoulder parking can safely be accommodated,” according to Region of Peel staff. 

Region of Peel Council approved the new prohibitions on consent at a March 21 meeting. 

A report from Peel traffic engineering specialist Nathan Sinka notes that Regional staff received numerous inquiries from residents and councillors to designate safe shoulder parking areas for visitors on regional roads in Belfountain and Brimstone.

“Staff conducted a comprehensive review of the road right of way and identified areas

that require designation as prohibited parking and stopping, as well as permissive

parking zones within the villages to address pedestrian safety for residents and visitors,” reads the report.

According to the report, residents said since the onset of the pandemic there’s been a marked increase in the number of visitors to the area. Residents said there’s been increased traffic volumes, vehicle noise, shoulder parking, and pedestrian activity.

Residents said that visitors parking along the shoulders of roads often blocked residential driveways.

“This parking behaviour has created safety risks to area residents potentially being unable to leave their home in case of an emergency,” reads the report. “Visitors also often park vehicles in areas where the shoulder is too narrow, forcing pedestrians to walk within the travelled portion of the roadway posing additional safety concerns.”

Maps showcasing the new parking and stopping rules can be seen above.

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