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Peterborough Petes keep Memorial Cup dream alive by defeating top-seed Quebec Remparts

The Peterborough Petes handed the top-seed Quebec Remparts their first loss in the Memorial Cup with a 4-2 win on May 30, 2023 at at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, B.C. (Photo: Jessica Van Staalduinen)

The Peterborough Petes’ Memorial Cup dream is still alive after the team defeated the top-seed Quebec Remparts 4-2 on Tuesday night (May 30) in the Petes’ third and final round robin game at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, B.C.

After losing their opening game on Saturday against the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-3 followed by a 10-2 blowout loss to host Kamloops Blazers on Sunday, the Petes handed the Remparts their first loss in the series. However, the Remparts have already clinched a berth in the Memorial Cup final having won two previous games.

Tuesday night’s game was scoreless until the second period, when Tucker Robertson opened the scoring for the Petes followed by a second goal by J.R. Avon. After James Malatesta scored for the Remparts, Avery Hayes added another goal for the Petes, with a goal by Quebec’s Nathan Gaucher leaving the score 3-2 at the end of the second period. Connor Lockhart of the Petes scored the only goal of the third period, giving Peterborough the 4-2 win.

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The Petes will play a tie-breaker on Thursday against the loser of Wednesday’s game between the Blazers and Thunderbirds. The winners of Wednesday’s and Thursday’s games will play in the semifinal game on Friday, and the winner of that game will face the Quebec Remparts on Sunday.

Puck drop for Thursday’s game is scheduled for 9 p.m. EDT, and fans can catch the game on TSN, Freq 90.5, Oldies 96.7, and Classic Rock 107.9.

The national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, the Memorial Cup is played by the champions of the Western Hockey League (WHL), Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and Ontario Hockey League (OHL), along with a fourth team that wins the rights to host the tournament. Prior to this year, the Peterborough Petes have played in nine Memorial Cups, winning once in 1979.

The decisions you make on the cusp of retirement can have the biggest impact to your retirement success

While each client approaching retirement who comes through the door of Kawarthas-based McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management is unique, they all have one thing in common: they want financial security during their golden years. Executive financial consultant Adam McInroy walks through a conversation he recently had with a married couple to advise them on how they can best have sustained income during retirement that's going to keep up with the cost of living while minimizing the amount of tax they pay. (Stock photo)

Each client who envisions what retirement will be like and comes through the door of Kawarthas-based McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management is unique, arriving with varying assets and equally different expectations of what they hope retirement will look like.

But what they all have in common, according to financial consultant Adam McInroy CFP, CLU, is the need to have sustained income during retirement that’s going to keep up with the cost of living and to minimize the amount of tax they pay. They want financial security.

“Let me walk through a conversation we recently had with a married couple to illustrate to you what that looks like,” Adam says. “He is retired with a defined benefit pension plan. She is working, several years away from retirement, with $900,000 in registered assets between her group RRSP and her defined contribution pension plan.”

The couple’s shared ambition is simple: to enjoy a low-key but comfortable retirement lifestyle — a golden years’ existence that will allow them to enjoy the fruits of their retirement assets but still leave something for their children.

“It might be simple, but one of the first questions I asked them was ‘Where are you going to live?'” Adam recalls. “We all need a roof over our head.”

The couple told Adam they had already sold their primary residence and were residing on a lake in an old family cottage they had inherited.

At that point, Adam knew how the couple decides to handle the house sale proceeds would be a critical piece of their retirement plan puzzle, not just for today but also in the long term.

“If they went online and searched for the answer to that question, they probably read a dozen different options,” Adam says. “A common answer may be ‘Put the house sale proceeds in the group RRSP and lower your income tax bracket.’ That sounds great initially, but one of the bigger planning components we want to look at over the next 15 to 25 years is what taxable sources of income they’re going to have.”

“We know the husband has a defined benefit pension plan so hopefully, even though the wife is not retired yet, that’s pension income that could be at least shared for pension income splitting and tax credit purposes, helping minimize overall tax for the household each year.”

“The second thing we know is there’s $900,000 of taxable assets in the future for them to draw on, between the group RRSP and defined contribution pension plan, plus there’s going to be OAS and CPP income. Saving taxes today is great, but we need to ask the question: if the impact in retirement is that you’ll end up paying more taxes, is that actually beneficial?”

While two-thirds of Canadians have a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), only half are aware that a TFSA can hold both cash and other investments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and GICs.  Executive financial consultant Adam McInroy of McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management refers to the TFSA as a tax-free investment account, meaning you can select how you want the money invested inside of this account.  (Stock photo)
While two-thirds of Canadians have a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), only half are aware that a TFSA can hold both cash and other investments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and GICs. Executive financial consultant Adam McInroy of McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management refers to the TFSA as a tax-free investment account, meaning you can select how you want the money invested inside of this account. (Stock photo)

That’s when Adam broaches the subject of a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA), a piece of the financial planning puzzle the couple hadn’t considered.

They are not alone. According to a 2022 study commissioned by BMO, while two-thirds of Canadians have a TFSA, only half are aware that a TFSA can hold both cash and other investments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and GICs.

“A TFSA can provide a significant benefit for this family, allowing up to $88,000 to be deposited and invested for future retirement income needs,” Adam points out.

“For this couple, I would look at the TFSA as a vehicle to help them achieve the retirement they want. The word ‘savings’ is misleading. Most people think of it as just a savings account that generates simple interest. I refer to the TFSA as a tax-free investment account, meaning you can select how you want the money invested inside of this account.”

“For this couple, why would we want to take that generally tax-free lump sum from the house sale and put it into something that we’re going to pay taxes on down the road? With a TFSA, we can generate an investment return that’s going to work for them throughout retirement, which keeps pace or exceeds inflation, allowing them to maintain a lifestyle of comfort and dignity by creating a source of income that does not create a tax liability.”

Compare this option — a tax free pot of money — to an RRSP strategy that would generate a tax benefit today but result in a taxable income stream later on in retirement.

“That strategy just doesn’t make sense while they are both alive, With a married couple, one is generally going to pre-decease the other. For the surviving spouse, a TFSA provides the ability and the flexibility to draw income when it’s needed from non-taxable sources, which is beneficial when there are no long two tax returns to split income across. A TFSA provides an income source that can be drawn from but may help avoid moving the surviving spouse up into a higher tax bracket.”

Another consideration, notes Adam, is to account for the future cost of living.

“We’ve been telling people for years that two per cent inflation is beautiful but, over 20 or 25 years, inflation significantly impacts your purchasing power,” he says. “It’s not just about putting money in a TFSA and building a non-registered portfolio. How we build out an investment strategy to achieve the goal of keeping up with or surpassing inflation is critical.”

According to executive financial consultant Adam McInroy of McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management, spreading out taxable income over multiple years is generally a better strategy for reducing overall tax liability during retirementthan having a lot of taxable income in one year and none in future years. (Photo: McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management)
According to executive financial consultant Adam McInroy of McInroy and Associates Private Wealth Management, spreading out taxable income over multiple years is generally a better strategy for reducing overall tax liability during retirementthan having a lot of taxable income in one year and none in future years. (Photo: McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management)

The defined contribution pension plan component deserves special attention, Adam says.

“Unlike a defined benefit pension plan, which can pay you a steady income for as long as you live and upon your passing goes to your spouse generally at 60 per cent, a defined contribution plan means you, as the owner, take on the investment risk and income strategy planning.”

“The nice thing is, when you retire, the defined contribution comes out and you get to manage it in the form of a LIRA (Locked-In Retirement Account). There’s pension legislation surrounding how you can take the money out and, after the age of 55, you can start taking a monthly or annual income out of that account. It’s important, though, that you understand some of the options you have when you first unlock a LIRA.”

“A LIRA account generally goes from a LIRA account to a LIF (Life Income Fund) account. A LIF account has a prescribed minimum income and maximum income that must be withdrawn. As you can imagine, that can be limiting in terms of income planning. Compare that to an RRIF (Registered Retirement Income Fund) account that has a minimum amount that is prescribed and has to come out every single year, but no maximum amount ”

“One of the strategies we generally want to employ is unlocking 50 per cent of the LIF account within the first 60 days that it’s open. Hypothetically, if we have $200,000 sitting in a LIF account when it’s set up, we can move $100,000 to an RSP/RRIF account. It’s all done without income tax issues, but what that gives the household is increased flexibility of income streams.”

“This couple may want to have a baseline income for a few years and then do a few big trips. There may be years when they may want to pull out extra income. This gives them the ability to create income flexibility through their retirement.”

“As Canadians, we have the fortunate benefit of having OAS and CPP systems in place. I call that a foundational income stream. Having a few other pots of money that can create income without 100 per cent taxation can be very beneficial. TFSAs and non-registered accounts/open accounts are other vehicles that allow for a diversified income stream heading into retirement.”

According to Adam, spreading out taxable income over multiple years — rather than having a lot of taxable income in one year and none in future years — is generally a better strategy for reducing overall tax liability.

“The immediate logic is ‘I want to drop my tax bracket now, so I’m going to take some of the proceeds from the sale of my principal residence and put it into my RRSP.’ The big question to ask is are you just reducing taxes today and are you going to end up paying more taxes down the road?”

McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management is located at 21 King Street West in Bobcaygeon. For more information, visit www.mcinroypwm.com. (Photo: McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management)
McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management is located at 21 King Street West in Bobcaygeon. For more information, visit www.mcinroypwm.com. (Photo: McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management)

Adam strongly encourages both individuals and couples who are approaching retirement to seek out the counsel of a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional — “someone who does this day in and day out and knows what questions to ask” — as opposed to “trying to Google for answers. Google is great at giving you answers but, if you don’t know what questions to ask, you’re going to get answers that may not make sense for you.”

“Do you really want to spend your time and energy trying to figure out your different sources of income and how you can best build your income streams for the next 30 years? Or do you want to work with someone who has been doing that for 20 or 30 years, has a proven track record, and knows how the tax changes impact seniors’ retirement income streams and planning opportunities?”

“Our niche is servicing clients on the cusp of retirement and doing so in a manner that nets them a benefit in the reduction of taxes, coupled with an investment strategy designed to provide income for as long as they need that’s going to keep up with the cost of living.”

McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management is located at 21 King Street West in Bobcaygeon. You can email Adam at adam.mcinroy@igpwm.ca or call 705-748-1950. For more information about McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management, visit www.mcinroypwm.com.

 

Investors Group Financial Services Inc.

This is a general source of information only. It is not intended to provide personalized tax, legal, or investment advice, and is not intended as a solicitation to purchase securities. Adam McInroy is solely responsible for its content. For more information on this topic or any other financial matter, please contact an IG Wealth Management Consultant.

 

This is one of a series of branded editorials created in partnership with McInroy & Associates Private Wealth Management. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

LOCATED – Kawartha Lakes police ask for public’s help locating 87-year-old Lindsay man

The City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service in Lindsay. (Photo: City of Kawartha Lakes)

Kawartha Lakes police are asking for the public’s help in locating an 87-year-old man in Lindsay.

Emerson Fiander, who has dementia, left a Lindsay long-term care facility on Tuesday morning (May 30).

While Fiander routinely takes extended walks, he usually returns on his own. Nursing staff at his residence, as well as his family, are concerned for Fiander’s safety.

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Fiander is described as a white man, 5’4″ (165cm) and 174 lbs (79kg), with gray hair, blue eyes, and glasses. When last seen, he was wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts. and hiking shoes.

Police are conducting a search in an area at the north end of Lindsay and are being assisted by Ontario Provincial Police.

Anyone with information about Fiander’s whereabouts is asked to call the Kawartha Lakes Police Service at 705-324-5252.

Minden business owners speak up about imminent emergency department closure

A number of business owners from Minden joined NDP MPP Chris Glover (Spadina-Fort York) at the Queen's Park Media Studio in Toronto on May 30, 2023, for a media conference where they expressed their concerns about the closure of Minden's emergency department on June 1 and the economic impact the closure could have on their businesses. (Photo: Patrick Porzuczek / Save Minden Ontario Emergency Room Facebook group)

Business owners from Minden spoke to the media on Tuesday (May 30) at Queen’s Park in Toronto alongside NDP MPP Chris Glover (Spadina-Fort York) and NDP health critic France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) to once again call on the Ford government to step in and stop the closure of Minden’s emergency department set for Thursday (June 1).

During question period on Monday, NDP Leader Marit Stiles introduced petitions containing over 24,000 signatures opposing the closure of the emergency department. Stiles asked health minister Sylvia Jones, “How many communities will see emergency rooms close this summer because of this government’s failure to act?”

“While the NDP are satisfied with the status quo, I can tell you this government is not,” Jones responded before discussing investments the government has made in incentives to get health care workers to work in remote and rural communities.

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“We are investing, we are ensuring the people who want to practise in the province of Ontario have that right through many different programs,” Jones added.

Opening question period on Tuesday, Stiles again pushed for accountability from Jones noting the presence of dozens of local business owners in the gallery and that the closure was transpiring right when the seasonal population of the area soars, meaning that “thousands of Ontarians will have to travel farther and farther away just to access emergency service.”

In response, Jones stated she could “only imagine how challenging this decision was for the Haliburton Highlands Health Services leadership and board,” adding “I am confident that this decision was not taken lightly” before repeating her previous comments about government investments.

VIDEO: NDP Marit Stiles during Question Period – May 30, 2023

But these answers, coupled with Jones’ reluctance to take action and listen to the people of Minden — a point she has repeatedly characterized as a local decision for the Haliburton Highlands Health Service (HHHS) board the government would not interfere in — is not playing well for the local business owners, some of whom identify as Progressive Conservative voters and supporters of Doug Ford.

Mathew Renda of Boshkung Brewing Company, who moved to Minden from Oshawa with his wife in 2020 and is currently a caregiver to his mother-in-law who is living with a heart condition, told reporters that he feels Jones is “oblivious to the whole situation.”

“Her answers to the Opposition’s questions were, at best, uninformed,” Renda continued. “I was very surprised. Clearly they have no indication of the impact this is going to have on the area.”

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The impacts include an increase of at least 20 minutes travel time for permanent and seasonal residents of Minden to get to the nearest emergency department in Haliburton once the Minden emergency department closes. This fact is exacerbated for surrounding communities such as Dorset that rely on the services of Minden’s emergency department.

Fears from Minden business owners regarding the potential economic impact of the closure reflect the fact that Minden and surrounding areas are heavily dependent upon summer tourism.

“(In) the winter it turns into a sleepy town and then the summer it becomes lively,” Renda said. “With multiple summer camps and multiple outdoor activities like fishing, surrounded by hundreds of lakes, what are those people do when they have an issue on the lake?”

NDP leader Marit Stiles tabled petitions with more than 24,000 signatures objecting to the June 1st closure of Minden's emergency department. (Photo: Marit Stiles / Twitter)
NDP leader Marit Stiles tabled petitions with more than 24,000 signatures objecting to the June 1st closure of Minden’s emergency department. (Photo: Marit Stiles / Twitter)

Dennis Pennie, who operates Minden Auto Centre with his wife, noted he stands to lose approximately 40 per cent of his business in the next five years due to reduced tourism to the area and fewer people choosing to move to or retire in the area. He also expressed concern about the optics for families who would traditionally send their children to camps in communities surrounding Minden.

“Would you send your child to a place that has no hospital and has had the hype we’ve had in the last six weeks?” he asked. “A lot of parents aren’t going to send their kids to our camps and our camps are going to suffer from that.”

Pennie said he was deeply disappointed in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes MPP Laurie Scott, noting he thought she would be there for her constituents.

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“I’ve heard from many other people who have been down here and she has not lifted her head once, never invited us in, and today not even a glance back at us,” Pennie said, referring to the Minden delegation in the public gallery at the Legislature.

Ian Myers, who owns the chimney company Myers Chimney, stated plainly he has withdrawn his support from the PC party, Jones, and Scott over their decision to not intervene.

According to the NDP, accountability agreements signed with every hospital in the province mean Ontario’s health minister approves the closure of hospitals and emergency departments becuase of financial trouble or understaffing. In previous statements, Gélinas expressed skepticism about the Haliburton Highlands Health Services board’s reasoning for permanently closing the Minden emergency department given it hasn’t closed a single time due to understaffing in the past year.

“None of this makes any sense, to say that closing Minden is a decision made by the board and has nothing to do with the minister of health,” Gélinas told the media on Tuesday. “It’s because we have a minister of health that does not understand her responsibility or refuses to take her responsibility. It is on her shoulders. Nobody else.”

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Mark Dracup, who owns Rockcliffe Restaurant, Bar & Hotel in Minden, called Jones’ repeated lack of action an instance of “passing the buck.”

“She’s taking no accountability,” he said.

As for the Haliburton Highlands Health Services board, he called the lack of consultation about the closure and the extremely condensed timeline of six weeks since the closure announcement “at best, maybe incompetent, at worst, maybe corrupt.”

According to Dracup, neither he nor anybody else in the community knows how the decision was made and the lack of consultation by the board negates its legitimacy.

NDP MPP Chris Glover said that over the past two and a half decades, Ontarians have been losing democratic control over their hospital boards. He went on to suggest that many hospital boards across the province lack accountability to the communities they serve, casting further doubt on the health minister’s assertion that this was a “local” decision.

“Minden is a warning shot for communities across the province, because we’re already starting to see temporary closures in emergency rooms in many other communities across this province,” Glover added. “The communities have no say because they don’t have control of their hospital boards. So all rural communities in Ontario should be paying attention to what’s happening in Minden, because they could be next.”

While the closure of the Minden emergency department on June 1st appears all but certain, the community members present at the media conference made it clear this was not the end and they would be heeding Glover’s advice.

“We’re not going to stop fighting,” Pennie noted. “You’re going to hear a lot more from us about this.”

 

This story has been updated to correct Mathew Renda’s name. kawarthaNOW apologizes for the error.

Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival presents five days of Indigenous theatre, dance, and music in June

Indigenous artist Kelli Marshall will premiere her new written word and dance performance "Reclaiming in Motion" at the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival running from June 21 to 25, 2023 on the East Bank of Trent University in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of NIFF)

The third annual Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF) returns to Trent University in June with five days of theatre, dance, and music performed by independent Indigenous artists.

The first and only Indigenous fringe festival in the world, NIFF was founded by a collective including Joeann Argue, Lee Bolton, Drew Hayden Taylor, and Muriel Miguel. A member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals, NIFF is an unjuried and uncensored festival where participants send in applications and are chosen by lottery. Performers receive 100 per cent of the box office proceeds.

The festival takes place from June 21 to 25 indoors and outdoors on the East Bank of Trent University, with all indoor performances at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space. The festival also features two free events (advance registration required). Tickets for individual events are $12 plus fees in advance or $12 cash only at the door depending on availability. To purchase tickets or to register for the free events, visit www.indigenousfringefest.ca.

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NIFF kicks off on Wednesday, June 21st — Indigenous Peoples’ Day — with a free outdoor gathering from 4 to 6 p.m. on the East Bank of Trent University. Everyone is welcome to attend the gathering, which will include traditional food and entertainment and feature the NIFF artists.

Here’s the line-up of festival performers and performance dates.

 

“The Cave That Hummed A Song” by Trina Moyan

A powerful and intense one-woman play written and performed by Trina Moyan and directed by Jill Carter, “The Cave That Hummed A Song” was inspired by the philosophical musings of Moyan’s mentor Lee Maracle on life, on being a woman, on blood memory, and on women taking their rightful place in society. Weaving present and past and reflecting on legends and current events, the play reflects the traditional form of oral story keeping and story telling from the heart and in the moment in that, each time the story teller shares it, the story changes and is transformed by the listeners.

This 30-minute play is suitable for adults and older children. Performances take place at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space on June 21 at 7 p.m., June 22 at 9:30 p.m., June 23 at 6 p.m., June 24 at 3:30 p.m., and June 25 at 1:30 p.m.

 

“The Bridge” by Pesch Nepoose

Written and performed by Pesch Nepoose with director/dramaturge Ed Roy and presented by Toronto’s Centre for Indigenous Theatre, “The Bridge” tells the story of Kara, a young Indigenous woman raised by adoptive settler parents who has been drugged and is being held captive. She knows her abductors, and knows if she doesn’t escape she’ll probably end up dead. The play follows Kara’s treacherous journey of self-discovery, as she struggles to find identity and community while being faced with racial and cultural rejection. In this one-woman show, Kara and the various characters she encounters take the audience through the events that led up to her captivity, and eventually looks to the audience to help her resolve its ending.

This play is suitable for adults and youth 14 years of age and older. Performances take place at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space on June 21 at 8:30 p.m., June 22 at 6 p.m., June 23 at 11:30 a.m., June 24 at 7 p.m., and June 25 at 3 p.m.

The third annual Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival running from June 21 to 25, 2023 on the East Bank of Trent University in Peterborough, with  all indoor performances at Nozhem First Peoples' Performance Space. (Poster courtesy of NIFF)
The third annual Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival running from June 21 to 25, 2023 on the East Bank of Trent University in Peterborough, with all indoor performances at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space. (Poster courtesy of NIFF)

“Reclaiming in Motion” by Kelli Marshall

Local artist Kelli Marshall premieres her new written word and dance performance. Marshall has been dancing throughout her life and brings together her love of movement and passion for cultural reclamation in this piece.

This 30-minute performance is suitable for all ages. Performances take place at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space on June 22 at 4 p.m., June 23 at 9:30 p.m., June 24 at 5 p.m., and June 25 at 12 p.m. and 7 p.m.

 

CANCELLED – “Abatimbo” by Maison Mere Artists

Maison Mere Artists is a youth initiative based in Burundi, a country in east-central Africa whose borders were not determined by colonial rulers. Maison Mere Artists showcases the unknown talents of Burundian youth to the world through live performance, introduces the Burundian culture to the globe through dances, songs, poems, and more, and shares the message of love, harmony, and caring.

Suitable for all ages, outdoor performances take place on June 22 at 5 p.m., June 23 at 5 p.m., June 24 at 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., and June 25 at 12:30 p.m.

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“Songs and Stories of a Modern Mohawk Continued” by “Tiger” Will Mason

A NIFF favourite, “Tiger” Will Mason returns to perform mostly original songs as well as songs by friends, and to share stories of the songs and his life as related to the songs. Mason has performed on stages for over half of his life, including as an actor and a professional musician. In 1986, an Anishinabe elder gave him the spirit name “Kahntahwi-wim’tchi’get”, which means “Maker of Beautiful Music”. He combines native contemporary sounds, with bluegrass, Americana/Canadiana, country rock, blues rock, folk, and more.

Suitable for all ages, the 60-minute performance takes place outdoors on June 22 at 7 p.m., June 23 at 9 p.m., June 24 at 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and June 25 at 4 p.m.

 

“An Indigenous Play” by Julia Ross

Written and directed by Julia Ross from Pinaymootang First Nation, “An Indigenous Play” explores the baggage that comes with being an Indigenous artist. Dakota is having her first art show, but is it what everyone expects of her? After navigating troubles at work, troubles at home, and one crazy uncle, the Indigenous art show must go on. The play will be performed by Juicebox Theatre, a Winnipeg-based group of theatre students from the University of Manitoba who previously performed “An Indigenous Play” once before at the university’s Black Hole Theatre.

Performances of this 60-minute play take place at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space on June 22 at 8 p.m., June 23 at 4 p.m., June 24 at 1:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., and June 25 at 5 p.m.

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“Wapikoni: A New Beginning” Program of Indigenous Short Films

On Friday, June 23rd from 7 to 9 p.m. at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space, 13 short films by Indigenous filmmakers will be screened followed by an artist discussion.

The short film program is being presented by Wapikoni Mobile, a non-profit organization based in Montreal that hosts educational workshops and film screenings to raise awareness and educate the wider public about First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people cultures, issues, and rights.

Taking place at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space, this all-ages event is free but advance registration is required.

 

“Funny, You Don’t Look Like a Doctor” with Dr. Drew Hayden Taylor

On Sunday, June 25th at 2 p.m., NIFF artistic director Joeann Argue will have a discussion with Drew Hayden Taylor from Curve Lake First Nation, a playwright, author, journalist, and newly minted honorary Doctor of Letters. Taylor will discuss his life in the arts so far and his hopes for the future of Indigenous performance, and will read from a selection of his favourite pieces from his long and distinguished career.

Taking place at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space, this all-ages event is free but advance registration is required.

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“Leathers and Feathers” by The Johnnys

NIFF wraps up at 9 p.m. on Sunday, June 25th with a one-night-only performance at Nozhem First Peoples’ Performance Space by Ontario rock band The Johnnys. Founded by spouses Veronica Johnny and Dave Johnny, the band is known for delivering rowdy, high-energy, humour-filled shows and have shared stages with Geordie Johnson, Bif Naked, Stevie Salas, Bruce Cockburn, Keith Secola, and Crystal Shawanda. Veronica’s Cree heritage is reflected in the band’s lyric content, with Indigenous influences on topics such as the environment, social justice, and political change.

The Johnnys’ first three independently released albums were all nominated for national music awards and their fourth album Leathers and Feathers garnered international award nominations. Their songs “Time to Shine”, “Have a Good Time All the Time”, and Salas/Gutierrez remixes “Leathers and Feathers” and “Butterfly” all reached top 10 on the Indigenous music countdown.

 

For more information about the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival, visit www.indigenousfringefest.ca.

New donor-funded MRI arrives at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay

A crane lifts the community's new five-tonne MRI machine in preparation for installation at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay on May 29, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation)

The new MRI machine funded by community donors has arrived at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay.

The five-tonne machine was delivered by truck on Monday (May 29) and hoisted to the ground with a crane. A precision moving team then directed the MRI through the Kent Street entrance and down the main hall, where it was inserted through an open wall into the renovated MRI room.

Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is a noninvasive medical imaging test that produces detailed images of almost every internal structure in the human body, including the organs, bones, muscles, and blood vessels. MRI scanners create images of the body using a large magnet and radio waves.

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The new MRI replaces the 12-year-old MRI that was also completely funded by the community through the Imagine the Future campaign. From 2011 to 2023, around 70,000 patient exams were scanned using that MRI. More than 500 patient exams are scanned at Ross Memorial Hospital every month.

“With the support of our donors, Ross Memorial is building our health care infrastructure to keep pace and meet the needs of a rapidly growing population,” says Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation CEO Erin Coons in a media release. “This transformation involves significant investments in technologically advanced medical equipment, including the MRI, that is not covered by government funding. Donors’ support for the We Are The Ross appeal plays an important part of these essential investments.”

The new MRI machine features cutting-edge technology that provides the sharpest image resolution faster than ever before. It can adjust to each patient, which means they are in position sooner, and new tiltable imaging coils are more comfortable for patients with mobility challenges without compromising the resolution quality. High-tech sensors monitor the patient’s breathing and adjust for patients who have difficulty holding their breath for certain tests, such as liver and abdomen imaging.

A precision moving team directed the new MRI through the Kent Street entrance at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay and down the main hall. (Photo courtesy of Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation)
A precision moving team directed the new MRI through the Kent Street entrance at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay and down the main hall. (Photo courtesy of Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation)
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By delivering the most high-resolution images possible as quickly as possible, the new MRI reduces the amount of time patients must remain still, which is especially important for those with pain, claustrophobia, or limited mobility.

Sharper imaging and image reconstruction technology also help physicians confidently diagnose disease and injury in the brain, spine, joints, breasts, and organs. This includes herniated or bulging disks, arthritic changes, tumours and other lesions. It also enables precision biopsy procedures including breast and future prostate exams.

“MRI provides critically important information necessary for the best, safest patient care,” says Ross Memorial Hospital’s chief of staff Dr. Bharat Chawla. “The more detailed the image, the better and faster our team can diagnose and treat our patients’ concerns. The new MRI also connects to the hospital’s clinical information system, which means every image is automatically attached to the patient’s digital medical record and available to all care providers, including specialists in other regions.

A precision moving team inserted the new MRI machine through an open wall into the renovated MRI room at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay. (Photo courtesy of Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation)
A precision moving team inserted the new MRI machine through an open wall into the renovated MRI room at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay. (Photo courtesy of Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation)

Artspace Peterborough’s 50/50 fundraiser returns as an in-person event on Saturday

At Artspace Peterborough's 50/50 fundraiser on June 3, 2023, a $100 draw ticket allows you to select a piece of original artwork by one of over 40 contributing local and regional artists, with proceeds split equally between the artist and Artspace. A $25 ticket is also available for those who want to watch the fun and participate in a "fire sale" of artwork remaining after the draw. (Photo courtesy of Artspace)

It’s an Artspace renaissance. That’s how Peterborough’s artist-run centre is describing the return of its annual 50/50 fundraiser to its traditional in-person format on Saturday (June 3) after a three-year absence due to the pandemic.

The event provides a unique opportunity to take home original artwork by local and regional artists at affordable prices while also supporting Artspace, one of Canada’s oldest artist-run centres. More than 40 artists have contributed artworks, each valued at $100, to Artspace for the fundraiser.

“Renaissance is an apt theme for us all as we emerge anew from the past years of pandemic disruption,” says Artspace member and artist Anne Pasek, in a media release.

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The available artworks have been installed at Artspace at 3-378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough where the public can preview them from noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and from noon to 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

A $100 ticket gets you entry to the 50/50 party at Artspace on Saturday night at 7 p.m. where you will receive a paper ticket with your draw number. When your number is drawn, you select your desired piece of art from the gallery wall which will be wrapped up then and there for you to take home.

For each piece of artwork selected by a ticket holder, the artist receives $50 and Artspace receives $50. Artworks that are not selected by ticket holders during the draw will then made available in a post-draw “fire sale”, for $80 in the first round or $60 in the second round, with proceeds split equally between the artist and Artspace.

Artwork contributed by over 40 local and regional artists has been installed at Artspace Peterborough at 3-378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough, where it can be viewed by the public in advance of the 50/50 draw on on June 3, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Artspace)
Artwork contributed by over 40 local and regional artists has been installed at Artspace Peterborough at 3-378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough, where it can be viewed by the public in advance of the 50/50 draw on on June 3, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Artspace)

In addition to the draw, the event includes sponsored door and raffle prizes, food and drink, and renaissance-themed costumes and fun. Peterborough-based musician Karol Orzechowski (aka garbageface) will DJ the evening.

While a $100 ticket guarantees you will go home with a selected piece of art, you can also purchase a party-only ticket for $25 that will give you the opportunity to watch the fun and participate in the post-draw fire sale. Both types of tickets include one complimentary drink.

“It’s so good to have an occasion to share the art we made while apart, and to celebrate the opportunity to come together as a community once more,” says Pasek, who is also contributing artist.

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Along with Pasek, local and regional artists participating in the Artspace 50/50 fundraiser include Ainsley Boyd, Sandra Brown, Samantha Chiusolo, Beth Davis, Charlotte Di Carlo, Jane Dukes, Kathryn Durst, Holly Edwards, Em Farquhar-Barrie, Melissa Fice, Gwyneth Fisher, Angela Hennessey, Janet Howse, Collin Jacob, Ann Jaeger, M-A Johnston, Beata Kruszynski, Terry Lamont, Dianne Latchford, Timothy Lauren, Cassandra Lee, Eryn Lidster, Jo Mann, Karin McLean, Jeff Macklin, Joh Marris, Rob Niezen, Tu Nguyen, Cameron Noble, Cathy Ogrodnik, Mickey Renders, Mark Reutter, Jackie Scott, Lisa Soch, Sheldon Storey, Shannon Taylor, Ashley Tuck, David Van Drunen, Josie Van Ryn, Dr. Anne Watson, and more.

For more information and to purchase draw or party tickets, visit artspaceptbo.ca.

Two married couples’ friendship unravels in hilarious fashion in Norm Foster’s ‘The Long Weekend’

The cast of Peterborough Theatre Guild's production of Norm Foster's comedy of manners "The Long Weekend" in rehearsal. The play runs for 10 performances from July 5 to 15, 2023. (Photo: Peterborough Theatre Guild)

For the final production of its 2022-23 season, the Peterborough Theatre Guild is staging the popular comedy The Long Weekend by renowned Canadian playwright Norm Foster for 10 performances in July.

Premiering in 1994 at Festival Antigonish in Nova Scotia, The Long Weekend is a full-length two-act comedy of manners about two married couples who consider themselves best friends, until a long weekend visit reveals how they truly feel about each other.

Running from July 5 to 15, the Peterborough Theatre Guild production is directed by Jason Shulha with assistant director David Geene, produced by Margaret Pieper, and stage managed by Hayley Griffin-Montgomery. It stars David Adams and Siobhán MacQuarrie and Chelsey Mark and Jennifer Hilborn as the two married couples.

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Max Trueman (David Adams) is a successful lawyer and his wife Wynn (Siobhán MacQuarrie) is a relationship therapist writing a self-help book. After buying a beautiful new summer home in the country, the Truemans invite their best friends Roger and Abby Nash — Roger (Chelsey Mark) is a former math teacher turned aspiring writer and Abby (Jennifer Hilborn) is a shop owner and fashion designer — for what is meant to be a relaxing holiday weekend.

In the first act, we quickly learn pretentious Max looks down on Roger’s laid-back lifestyle while Roger feels threatened by Max’s financial success, and Wynn and Abby each secretly dread the other’s criticism of their lifestyle and tastes. The fast-paced repartee between the couples, rife with innuendo and double entendre, takes on an entirely new level when a secret is revealed.

The equally unpredictable and hilarious second act revisits the two couples at another long weekend at the Trueman’s summer home years later.

The Peterborough Theatre Guild's production of Norm Foster's comedy of manners "The Long Weekend", running for 10 performances from July 5 to 15, 2023, is directed by Jason Shulha (back left) with assistant director David Geene (back right) and stars (front left to right) Chelsey Mark as Roger Nash, Jennifer Hilborn as Abby Nash, David Adams as Max Trueman, and Siobhán MacQuarrie as Wynn Trueman. (Photo: Chelsey Mark)
The Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of Norm Foster’s comedy of manners “The Long Weekend”, running for 10 performances from July 5 to 15, 2023, is directed by Jason Shulha (back left) with assistant director David Geene (back right) and stars (front left to right) Chelsey Mark as Roger Nash, Jennifer Hilborn as Abby Nash, David Adams as Max Trueman, and Siobhán MacQuarrie as Wynn Trueman. (Photo: Chelsey Mark)
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“Norm Foster scores a bull’s-eye with this tickling romp about mismatched spouses,” reads a review in the Los Angeles Times, with the Los Angeles Examiner calling it “delightfully entertaining” and the Hamilton Spectator proclaiming the play has “just enough sex, just enough smart talk, just enough preposterous plot twists to keep you titillated.”

Performances of The Long Weekend take place at the Guild Hall at 364 Rogers Street in Peterborough’s East City at 7:30 p.m. from July 5 to 8, July 12 to 14, and July 15, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 9 and 15.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors, and $15 for students and are available online at peterboroughtheatreguild.com or by calling 705-745-4211. Note: The Peterborough Theatre Guild is running a special two-for-one ticket promotion from June 29 until July 4. Buy one ticket online or by calling the box office, use the promo code “Summer”, and get a second ticket for free.

Performances of "The Long Weekend" take place at the Guild Hall at 364 Rogers Street in Peterborough's East City at 7:30 p.m. from July 5 to 8, July 12 to 14, and July 15, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 9 and 15, 2023. (Graphic: Peterborough Theatre Guild)
Performances of “The Long Weekend” take place at the Guild Hall at 364 Rogers Street in Peterborough’s East City at 7:30 p.m. from July 5 to 8, July 12 to 14, and July 15, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on July 9 and 15, 2023. (Graphic: Peterborough Theatre Guild)

 

kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s 2022-23 season.

This story has been updated with a new photo and a special two-for-one ticket promotion.

Doube’s Trestle Bridge near Omemee to appear in movie follow-up to ‘Monk’ TV series

Some of the production crew and cast of "Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie", including Tony Shalhoub (second from left), Jason Gray-Stanford (third from left), and Traylor Howard (second from right) on Doube's Trestle Bridge between Peterborough and Omemee on the chilly morning of May 17, 2023. (Photo: Jason Gray-Stanford / Instagram)

Doube’s Trestle Bridge, a popular spot along the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail between Peterborough and Omemee, will be making an appearance in a movie follow-up to the critically acclaimed mystery comedy-drama television series Monk.

Production crews for Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie were filming at the bridge — also known as Orange Corners Trestle Bridge — from May 15 to 18. The production is also filming in Toronto, with shooting expected to be completed by May 30.

Created by Andy Breckman, Monk ran from 2002 to 2009 and starred Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, The X-Files, Wings) as Adrian Monk, a former San Francisco homicide detective turned private police consultant who has obsessive-compulsive disorder and multiple phobias. The series won eight Emmy awards and one Golden Globe award.

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In the movie follow-up, Shalhoub will reprise his titular role along with original cast members Ted Levine as Captain Leland Stottlemeyer, Jason Gray-Stanford as Lieutenant Randy Disher, Traylor Howard as Monk’s assistant Natalie Teeger, Héctor Elizondo as Monk’s psychiatrist Dr. Neven Bell, and Melora Hardin as Monk’s late wife Trudy Monk. In a script written by Breckman, Monk returns to solve one last case involving his stepdaughter Molly, a journalist who is preparing for her wedding.

Vancouver-born actor Gray-Stanford posted several photos and videos on Instagram of the cast and crew at Doube’s Trestle Bridge and along the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail.

“Beautiful northern Ontario,” Gray-Stanford says in one video he posted on the morning of May 17, when temperatures had dropped close to zero. “Very, very cold today, but very beautiful.”

Doube's Trestle Bridge is located between Peterborough and Omemee along the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail, a popular route for cyclists, hikers, and runners such as Peterborough's Carlotta James, co-founder and project director of the Monarch Ultra Relay Run. (Photo: Rodney Fuentes)
Doube’s Trestle Bridge is located between Peterborough and Omemee along the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail, a popular route for cyclists, hikers, and runners such as Peterborough’s Carlotta James, co-founder and project director of the Monarch Ultra Relay Run. (Photo: Rodney Fuentes)
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Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie is the first production in the City of Kawartha Lakes through the new film office and permitting system, part of the municipality’s economic development team. The film office provides services such as liaising with producers, assisting with the implementation of work required to film in the municipality, and facilitating film permit applications.

Doube’s Trestle Bridge was constructed in 1883 for the Midland Railway’s route between Peterborough and Lindsay. Originally made of wood and 1,500 feet long, the central part of the trestle was later converted to a steel bridge with nine spans totalling 572 feet long.

In 1921, Canadian National Railways took over the route, which was initially used by both passenger and freight trains. Eventually, only freight trains used the route until trains ceased using the route in 1978. The rails were then lifted and the route became the property of the provincial government’s Ontario Realty Corporation. It was eventually leased to Kawartha Rail Trail as a recreational trail that became the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail, and is a popular route for cyclists, hikers, and runners with Doube’s Trestle Bridge being the main attraction with its scenic views.

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie will be streamed in the U.S. on NBCUniversal’s Peacock service, although no release date has been set. It is unknown whether it will be released in Canada.

One person dead in Saturday afternoon crash on Highway 7 near Norwood

One person is dead following a two-vehicle collision on Highway 7 east of Peterborough near Norwood early Saturday afternoon (May 27).

Peterborough County OPP and emergency crews responded to a collision between an eastbound tractor-trailer and a westbound sport utility vehicle (SUV) that happened just after 1 p.m. on Highway 7 between County Road 38 and Asphodel 3rd Line.

The driver of the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released any other information about the victim. There were no other injuries.

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Highway 7 has been closed between County Road 38 and Asphodel 3rd Line while police document the scene.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

Anyone who may have witnessed or has video or dash camera footage of the collision and who has not spoken with police is asked to contact the Peterborough County OPP Detachment at 1-888-310-1122.

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