The swing bridge connecting Maria Street to Ashburnham Drive in Pterborough's East City will be closed between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. from August 29 to 31, 2022. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW)
Parks Canada is temporarily closing the Maria Street Swing Bridge in Peterborough’s East City to vehicles and pedestrians during the day for three days beginning Monday (August 29).
The swing bridge is located at Lock 20 between Armour Road and Ashburnham Drive and is a common route to East City and downtown Peterborough.
The bridge will be closed between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. from August 29 to 31. It will remain open at other hours and boat traffic along the canal will not be affected by the closure.
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Parks Canada says the closure is necessary to complete repair work to ensure the continued safe and reliable operation of the bridge.
When the bridge is closed, detour signage will direct motorists to alternate crossings at Parkhill Road East (via the Warsaw Road Swing Bridge) and Lansdowne Street. Drivers are being asked to follow the detours to limit traffic on quieter residential streets.
Trucks greater than five tons are advised to avoid both the Hunter Street crossing on Ashburnham Drive under the Peterborough Lift Lock, and the Macfarlane Street Bridge crossing further north on Ashburnham Drive, due to clearance and load limitations.
Ana de Armas stars as Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe in the fictionalized biopic Blonde, based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates. The film premieres on Netflix on Friday, September 23, 2022. (Photo courtesy of Netflix)
Every month, kawarthaNOW is the only local media source to bring you a list of what’s coming to Netflix Canada. Here are a few highlights of what’s coming to Netflix in September.
The Netflix film Blonde is a fictional portrait of the complicated life of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe. Based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates and written and directed by Andrew Dominik, the film stars Ana de Armas (No Time to Die) as Monroe. Blonde, which is filmed in both black-and-white and colour and has an R rating due to depictions of sexual violence, premieres on Netflix on Friday, September 23rd.
If good feels are more your style, you may want to check out the Netflix film I Used to Be Famous, starring Ed Skrein as a former boy band star who gets an unexpected second shot at success when he forms a bond with a young autistic drummer (Leo Long) with an incredible gift for rhythm. The British film debuts on Netflix on Friday, September 16th.
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The Netflix drama A Jazzman’s Blues reveals 40 years of secrets and lies against a soundtrack of juke-joint blues in the deep South. Written and directed by Tyler Perry, the film stars Joshua Boone and Solea Pfeiffer as star-crossed lovers alongside an ensemble cast and an original song performed by Ruth B. Following is premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, the film arrives on Netflix on Friday, September 23rd.
Also coming to Netflix on September 23 is the thriller Lou, starring Jurnee Smollett as the mother of a kidnapped young girl who teams up with the quiet, mysterious woman next door (Allison Janney) to pursue the kidnapper, taking them on a journey that tests their limits and exposes shocking secrets from their pasts.
New Netflix series include the suspense thriller Devil in Ohio, adapted from Daria Polatin’s best-selling book that was inspired by a true story. When hospital psychiatrist Dr. Suzanne Mathis (Emily Deschanel) shelters a mysterious cult escapee (Madeleine Arthur), her world is turned upside down as the strange girl’s arrival threatens to tear her own family apart. The eight-episode limited series debuts on Saturday, September 2nd.
VIDEO: “Blonde” trailer
VIDEO: “I Used to be Famous” trailer
If you enjoyed the Icelandic television mystery crime drama series Trapped, the sequel Entrapped sees Andri Ólafsson (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) and Hinrika Kristjánsdóttir (lmur Kristjánsdóttir) dig into the murder of a cult member linked to a biker gang’s land dispute and a woman’s 2013 disappearance.
There’s also the humorous Netflix docuseries Eat the Rich: The Gamestop Saga, which tells the story of a group of millennial misfits who banded together online to rescue their beloved GameStop from the clutches of Wall Street bigwigs, in a viral David vs. Goliath story for the 21st century. It premieres on Wednesday, September 18th.
Fans of the Netflix series Cobra Kai fans will welcome the arrival of season five on Friday, September 9th, and the Netflix series Floor is Lave returns for a third season on Friday, September 30th.
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Other new Netflix films include Love in the Villa (Sep. 1), End of the Road (Sep. 9), The Catholic School (Sep. 14), Do Revenge (Sep. 16), Athena (Sep. 23), and Rainbow (Sep. 30). Other new Netflix series include Buy My House and Dated and Related (both on Sep. 2), Chef’s Table: Pizza (Sep. 7), Designing Miami (Sep. 21), Thai Cave Rescue (Sep. 22), and Human Playground (Sep. 30).
Other returning Netflix series include season two of Fate: The Winx Saga and Love Is Blind: After the Altar (both on Sep. 16) and season five of Dynasty (Sep. 24). Other returning series include season five of S.W.A.T. and season five of YounG Sheldon (both on Sep. 1) and season nine of The Blacklist (Sep. 21).
Theatrically released films coming to Netflix include Escape from Alcatraza, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Primal Fear, The Girl Next Door, The Jackal, and Waterworld (all on Sep. 1), The Broken Hearts Gallery, Coraline, The Dressmaker, and Marley (all on Sep. 4), Plaza Cathedral (Sep. 9), Possessor (Sep. 11), Coach Carter and Kick-Ass 2 (both on Sep. 15), For Love (Sep. 21), The Witches (Sep. 25), and Beirut and What We Leave Behind (both on Sep. 30)
VIDEO: New to Netflix Canada in September 2022
Here’s the complete list of everything coming to Netflix Canada in September, along with what’s leaving.
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Coming soon (no release date specified)
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (Netflix anime) – In a dystopia riddled with corruption and cybernetic implants, a talented but reckless street kid strives to become a mercenary outlaw — an edgerunner.
Plan A Plan B (Netflix film) – When an earnest matchmaker moves into an office next to a cynical divorce attorney, their bitter conflict is complicated by a growing attraction.
Trauma: Seasons 1-5
Who Likes My Follower?(Netflix series) – Three successful influencers each help one of their followers narrow down a field of dating prospects, hoping to trade digital likes for real-life love.
Thursday, September 1
Fenced In (Netflix film) – After a nervous breakdown, Walter trades the city for the countryside. But his hopes for a calm life are shattered once he meets his loud new neighbors.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean Episodes 13-24 (Netflix anime) – The legacy of the Joestar family continues with Jolyne as she and her companions take on new Stand users behind the bars of Green Dolphin Street Prison.
Liss Pereira: Adulting (Netflix comedy) – Comedian Liss Pereira gets real about relationships, adulthood and being somewhere in between — not perfect, but not so bad — in a world of extremes.
Love in the Villa (Netflix film) – Julie’s dream trip to Verona, Italy, turns star-crossed when she discovers her rented villa is already occupied by an annoyingly attractive stranger.
Off the Hook (Netflix series) – Realizing they both have a toxic relationship to the Internet, roommates Léa and Manon decide to do the unthinkable: abandon all devices for 30 days.
Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles: Season 2 (Netflix family) – With the Yokai no longer their enemies, Usagi and the gang enjoy a short-lived peace but soon must prepare for an invasion by evil aliens.
Barbie Mermaid Power
Escape from Alcatraz
Hachi: A Dog’s Tale
LOL House of Surprises: Season 1
Nacho Libre
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Primal Fear
S.W.A.T.: Season 5
The Girl Next Door
The Interpreter
The Jackal
Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection
Waterworld
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Young Sheldon: Season 5
Friday, September 2
Buy My House (Netflix series) – Homeowners from across the US pitch properties for sale to four experienced real estate investors, hoping to make a life-changing deal on the spot.
Dated and Related (Netflix series) – Hopeful singles and their siblings head to a lavish villa, where they’ll all be trying to find love — and win $100,000 — in this dating competition.
Devil in Ohio (Netflix series) – Determined to protect a young patient who escaped a mysterious cult, a psychiatrist takes the girl in, putting her own family — and life — in danger.
Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives: Season 2 (Netflix series) – In a season of fresh starts, the wives redefine relationships, careers and personal goals — all with their signature mix of cheeky quips and camaraderie.
The Festival of Troubadours (Netflix film) – An unexpected reunion between a travelling musician and his son opens old wounds as the two set out on a long journey to a troubadour festival.
Ivy + Bean (Netflix family) – When Bean learns that her neighbour Ivy has a knack for magic, they team up to cast a spell on Bean’s older sister that will make her dance… forever!
Ivy + Bean: The Ghost That Had to Go (Netflix family) – Cold, white mist. Clanking pipes. And an eerie voice that’s coming from the drain. Is the school bathroom… haunted? Ivy and Bean are on the case!
Ivy + Bean: Doomed to Dance (Netflix family) – Ivy and Bean sign up for ballet, only to learn they’ll be dancing in a recital in front of hundreds of people. Time to get out of it — tout suite!
Pokémon Master Journeys: The Series: Season 1
You’re Nothing Special (Netflix series) – Life in Amaia’s new hometown starts to get a lot more interesting when a rumour spreads at school that she’s inherited her grandmother’s magical talents.
Saturday, September 3
Little Women (Netflix series) – Three sisters, who only have each other and never enough money, get entangled in a conspiracy involving the rich and powerful.
Sunday, September 4
The Broken Hearts Gallery
Coraline
The Dressmaker
Marley
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
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Monday, September 5
Cocomelon: Season 6 (Netflix family) – Jump into a bright and colourful “CoComelon” world, where cute characters and kid-friendly tunes help little ones learn and grow!
Once Upon a Small Town (Netflix series) – Against his wishes a veterinarian from the big city relocates to the countryside, where he meets a policewoman, a town insider with a friendly secret.
Tuesday, September 6
Bee and PuppyCat (Netflix family) – On a charming magical island, the impulsive Bee and her furry pal get up to all sorts of adventures while working for an intergalactic temp agency.
Get Smart With Money (Netflix documentary) – Financial advisers share their simple tips on spending less and saving more with people looking to take control of their funds and achieve their goals.
Rodrigo Marques: King of Uncouth (Netflix comedy) – Brazilian comic Rodrigo Marques discusses a particularly crazy trip to a famous archipelago, his life traumas and more in this stand-up special.
Sheng Wang: Sweet and Juicy (Netflix comedy) – Sheng Wang makes his Netflix comedy special debut in Sheng Wang: Sweet and Juicy, marking Ali Wong’s directorial debut and filmed at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles. Sheng finds magic in the mundane as he discusses the upside to owning a juicer you don’t use, the secret to his posture, his heist dream team and much more.
Untold: The Race of the Century (Netflix documentary) – The Australia II yacht crew looks back on the motivation, dedication and innovation that led to their historic victory at the 1983 America’s Cup.
Wednesday, September 7
Chef’s Table: Pizza (Netflix documentary) – The long-running culinary hit returns with a season that’s all about the pizza pie. From Portland to Phoenix, Italy to Japan, go inside the kitchens of chefs whose creativity elevates this ordinary dish to an art form via their unique flavors, inspiring backgrounds, and passion for creating the perfect slice.
Indian Predator: The Diary of a Serial Killer (Netflix documentary) – When a suspect is found in a journalist’s murder, the case is considered closed until a secret diary suggests 13 more victims — and possible cannibalism.
Thursday, September 8
Entrapped (Netflix series) – In this “Trapped” sequel, Andri and Hinrika dig into the murder of a cult member linked to a biker gang’s land dispute and a woman’s 2013 disappearance.
Diorama (Netflix film) – As miscommunication and temptations abound, a couple’s once-passionate marriage slowly unravels, narrated through humorous dioramas.
Friday, September 9
Cobra Kai: Season 5 (Netflix series) – As Terry leads Cobra Kai into a new regime, Daniel, Johnny and an old ally join forces in a battle that goes way beyond the mat.
End of the Road (Netflix film) – Recently widowed mom Brenda fights to protect her family during a harrowing road trip when a murder and a missing bag of cash plunge them into danger.
Merlí. Sapere Aude: Season 2 (Netflix series) – After receiving life-altering news, Pol struggles to find a new normal. Meanwhile, his classmates navigate their own personal and academic obstacles.
No Limit (Netflix film) – An extraordinarily talented diver finds deep, destructive love with her record-holding free-diving instructor in this visually arresting romantic drama.
Narco-Saints (Netflix series) – An ordinary entrepreneur joins a secret government mission to capture a Korean drug lord operating in South America. Based on true events.
Plaza Cathedral
Sunday, September 11
Possessor
Monday, September 12
Ada Twist, Scientist: Season 3 (Netflix family) – Pint-sized scientist Ada Twist and her two best friends are asking big questions — and working together to discover the truth about everything!
Tuesday, September 13
Jo Koy: Live from the Los Angeles Forum (Netflix comedy) – Returning to Netflix for his fourth original special, Jo Koy takes the stage at the iconic Los Angeles Forum. True to form, Jo gushes about his relationship with his teenage son along with sharing the struggles of living with sleep apnea and more.
Wednesday, September 14
Broad Peak (Netflix film) – After climbing Broad Peak mountain, Maciej Berbeka learns his journey was incomplete. Twenty-five years later, he sets out to finish what he started.
The Catholic School (Netflix film) – In 1975, three students at a prestigious all-male Catholic high school in Rome commit a horrifying crime that shocks their classmates and community.
El Rey, Vicente Fernández (Netflix series) – This drama series traces ranchera music icon Vicente Fernandez’ rise from a working class upbringing to superstardom — and the heartbreak in between.
Heartbreak High (Netflix series) – An incendiary mural exposes everyone’s secret hook-ups at Hartley High. Its author, Amerie, has to grapple with the messy fallouts as a total outcast.
The Lørenskog Disappearance (Netflix series) – When a billionaire’s wife vanishes, Norwegian police must deal with the frenzied press and deceitful informants to find the truth. Based on real events.
Sins of Our Mother (Netflix documentary) – Lori Vallow was known to friends and family as a devoted mother of three, a loving wife, and a woman of God. But over the past three years, something went very wrong: Now Lori is in jail, waiting to stand trial for conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of her fourth husband, her fifth husband’s wife, and her two youngest children. For the first time, Lori’s surviving son Colby steps forward to provide exclusive insight into his family’s backstory as well as their present-tense narrative as Lori faces justice. At the heart of this three-part series is a single burning question: how did a seemingly normal woman become the most notorious mother in America?
Thursday, September 15
Coach Carter
Dogs in Space: Season 2 (Netflix family) – Fetch — a new planet for us all! With Earth in danger, desperate scientists send genetically enhanced dogs into space to find a new world to call home.
Kick-Ass 2
Terim (Netflix documentary) – Legendary manager Fatih Terim recounts his football journey, from his playing days to coaching and leading several teams to championship glory.
Friday, September 16
The Brave Ones (Netflix series) – Reincarnated as a human being to avenge her sister’s death, a goddess must learn to harness her superpowers to defeat her enemies and save her family.
Do Revenge (Netflix film) – After a clandestine run-in, Drea (Alpha, fallen it girl) and Eleanor (beta, new alt girl) team up to go after each other’s tormentors. Do Revenge is a subverted Hitchcock-ian dark comedy featuring the scariest protagonists of all: teenage girls.
Drifting Home (Netflix anime) – One fateful summer, a group of elementary school kids set adrift on an abandoned apartment building must look within themselves to find a way back home.
Fate: The Winx Saga: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Bloom tries to understand and control her powers while she and the other students at Alfea pull together to defend Solaria from a catastrophic threat.
Gymnastics Academy: A Second Chance (Netflix family) – In the wake of an injury, American teen Kyra Berry gets a second chance to chase her dreams — and a gymnastics scholarship — in faraway Australia.
I Used to Be Famous (Netflix film) – Two decades after his peak, a former boy band star gets an unexpected second shot at success when he forms a bond with a gifted young drummer.
Jogi (Netflix film) – Amid tension in 1980s India, three friends of different faiths unite in a noble yet dangerous effort to save hundreds in their town.
Love Is Blind: After the Altar: Season 2 (Netflix series) – After the experiment, reality comes into focus. What happened to the couples and singles from Love is Blind season two after the weddings? Love is truly blind, but is the future blurry? Follow the stories of Jarrette, Iyanna, Deepti, Shayne, Natalie and more when Love is Blind: After the Altar (S2) premieres September 16th.
Mirror, Mirror (Netflix film) – Five employees grapple with their respective desires by arguing with themselves in the mirror, ahead of their cosmetic company’s 50th anniversary party.
Santo (Netflix series) – Two cops (Bruno Gagliasso, Raúl Arévalo) must learn to work together to catch the world’s most-wanted drug dealer, whose face has never been revealed.
Skandal! Bringing Down Wirecard (Netflix documentary) – Upstart payment firm Wirecard wowed the financial industry with its runaway success — until a tenacious team of journalists exposed massive fraud.
Monday, September 19
Go Dog Go: Season 3 (Netflix family) – The gang’s on-the-go adventures take an un-fur-gettable turn when Tag, Scooch and friends welcome a new family to Pawston and show them all around town!
Tuesday, September 20
Patton Oswalt: We All Scream (Netflix comedy) – Filmed at Paramount Theatre in Denver Colorado, Patton makes his directorial debut with his fourth Netflix comedy special, We All Scream. Discussing what happens to our bodies as we get older, who he could have been had he just followed the list he created during the lockdown, the Baby Boomer’s last temper tantrum and much more.
Wednesday, September 21
The Blacklist: Season 9
Designing Miami (Netflix series) – Miami’s two hottest designers aren’t just competitors, they’re also husband and wife. Eilyn and Ray Jimenez are making South Florida chicer one house at a time – she with a minimalist aesthetic and he with a more maximalist approach. Juggling the needs of their deep pocketed clients, their staffs of young designers, their close-knit families (some of whom are also contractors) and their relationship with each other isn’t easy, but this talented, stylish duo manages to pull it off while always maintaining a healthy sense of humor.
For Love
Fortune Seller: A TV Scam (Netflix documentary) – Savvy saleswomen or devious scammers? Wanna Marchi and Stefania Nobile became the undisputed queens of Italian TV shopping — until they went too far.
Iron Chef Mexico (Netflix series) – Rising talents participate in this cooking competition against three of Mexico’s finest chefs to win the mythical katana and become the Legendary Chef.
The Perfumier (Netflix film) – To regain her sense of smell and get back her lover, a detective joins forces with a perfume maker who uses deadly methods to create the perfect scent.
The Real Bling Ring: Hollywood Heist (Netflix documentary) – First there was the reality series, then a Hollywood movie. But the truth has never been told…until now. 10 years after the notorious events, the culprits have done their jail time and are ready to tell the real story of the outrageous heists that gripped the nation. This series will reveal how celebrity obsession and the rise of social media played an integral part in their motivations and serve as a cautionary tale to today’s teenagers.
Thursday, September 22
The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone (Netflix documentary) – Sharing her journey from child to teen activist, Georgie Stone looks back at her life and historic fight for transgender rights in this documentary.
Karma’s World: Season 4 (Netflix family) – New songs and adventures await in Hansberry Heights as Karma rhymes her way through bigger challenges and shows up for her family, friends and community.
Snabba Cash: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Tormented by memories of Salim, Leya can’t seem to escape her past as the ruthless chase for easy money continues.
Thai Cave Rescue (Netflix series) – A Thai youth soccer team and their assistant coach are trapped within Tham Luang Cave, prompting a global rescue effort. Inspired by true events.
Friday, September 23
A Jazzman’s Blues (Netflix film) – Tyler Perry’s sweeping tale of forbidden love reveals 40 years of secrets and lies soundtracked by juke-joint blues in the Deep South.
ATHENA (Netflix film) – Hours after the tragic death of their youngest brother in unexplained circumstances, three siblings see their lives thrown into chaos.
The Girls at the Back (Netflix series) – Five women in their 30s, friends since high school, gather for their annual getaway. But this year, one of them has just been diagnosed with cancer.
Jamtara – Sabka Number Ayega: Season 2 (Netflix series) – The phishing scams of Jamtara are getting trickier by the day, as new players and shady politicians join the fray.
Lou (Netflix film) – A storm rages. A young girl is kidnapped. Her mother teams up with the mysterious woman next door to pursue the kidnapper – a journey that tests their limits and exposes shocking secrets from their pasts.
Pokémon: The Arceus Chronicles (Netflix family) – While investigating the legend of the mythical Pokémon Arceus, Ash, Goh and Dawn uncover a plot by Team Galactic that threatens the world.
Saturday, September 24
Dynasty: Season 5 (Netflix series) – Next-level power plays, nasty sibling rivalries and nonstop sabotage mean there’s no rest for the Colbys and Carringtons this season.
Fullmetal Alchemist The Final Alchemy (Netflix film) – The Elric brothers’ long and winding journey comes to a close in this epic finale, where they must face off against an unworldly, nationwide threat.
Sunday, September 25
The Witches
Monday, September 26
A Trip to Infinity (Netflix documentary) – This documentary profiles pioneers of math and physics around the world who are trying to explain infinity — and find it.
My Little Pony: Make Your Mark: Chapter 2 (Netflix family) – When these sure-footed friends stick together, their magic is even better! Welcome to Equestria, where every pony belongs.
Tuesday, September 27
Nick Kroll: Little Big Boy (Netflix comedy) – After performing stand-up for 20 years, Nick Kroll makes his Netflix stand-up special debut with Little Big Boy. Filmed at the Warner Theatre in Washington DC, in a set that is hilarious with an emotional undercurrent, Nick shows a bit of his vulnerable side as he talks getting his heart broken for the first time at the ripe age of 33, the power of mothers, his journey to fatherhood, and the trick to farting without making any noise … and much more. The special is executive produced by Kroll, John Irwin, Casey Spira and Christie Smith. It is directed by Bill Benz.
Wednesday, September 28
Blonde (Netflix film) – Based on the bestselling novel by Joyce Carol Oates, this boldly reimagined fictional portrait of Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe stars Ana de Armas.
Eat the Rich: The GameStop Saga (Netflix documentary) – This humorous documentary series follows a group of millennial misfits who banded together online to rescue their beloved GameStop from the clutches of Wall Street bigwigs, in a viral David vs. Goliath story for the 21st century.
Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons: Season 6 (Netflix series) – Wrongfully convicted former inmate Raphael Rowe continues his investigation of formidable prisons in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cyprus, Greece and Moldova.
Too Hot to Handle: Brazil: Season 2 (Netflix series) – The sizzling hot reality series returns.
Thursday, September 29
The Empress (Netflix series) – In 1800s Austria, passionate and rebellious Sisi and Emperor Franz Joseph face love under duress, intrigues and power struggles at the Viennese court.
Power Rangers Dino Fury: Season 2
Friday, September 30
Anikulapo (Netflix film) – After an affair with the king’s wife leads to his demise, a zealous traveller encounters a mystical bird with the power to give him another chance.
Beirut
Entergalactic (Netflix special) – From the minds of Kid Cudi and Kenya Barris comes a story of two young artists navigating the twists and turns of finding love in New York City.
Floor is Lava: Season 3 (Netflix series) – Fifteen daring new teams fight to race to the top of a towering volcano to win $10,000. Who’s going to triumph and who’s going to be toast?
Human Playground (Netflix series) – Idris Elba’s Human Playground sees the Hollywood actor serve as Executive Producer, as well as providing voiceover, on this epic new documentary series brought to you by the same team behind international best seller Before They Pass Away, which has sold hundreds of thousand copies worldwide.
Phantom Pups (Netflix family) – After Freddie and his family move into a house that everyone in town believes is haunted, he uncovers the cause of the mysterious happenings.
Rainbow (Netflix film) – A modern tale of a teenager’s coming-of-age journey loosely inspired by the classic novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.”
A young child died Tuesday night (August 23) on a Emily Township farm in the City of Kawartha Lakes, in what police are calling a tragic accident.
Kawartha Lakes Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) responded to a call about a child who was stuck under a skid steer loader.
Police and emergency services arrived at the farm at around 7:30 p.m. and located the child underneath the machinery.
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The child was pronounced dead at the scene.
While police are reviewing forensic information about the incident with the Office of the Chief Coroner, at this point in time they are describing it as “a tragic farming accident.”
Police are sharing information from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs about farm safety, available at omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/safe.htm, to help prevent future tragedies.
Lindsay Barr and Melissa Payne are the headliners for 'Labour Jam Weekend', a free two-day music festival featuring 11 local musicial acts performing in the courtyard of Peterborough Square in downtown Peterborough on September 2 and 3, 2022. (Photos: Samantha Moss / Bryan Reid)
Downtown Peterborough is celebrating local musical talent by launching a new “groovy” two-day music festival just in time for the Labour Day long weekend.
‘Labour Jam Weekend’ will feature an eclectic mix of genres from 11 well-known local musical acts, including headliners Lindsay Barr and Melissa Payne.
Musicians will be performing in the courtyard of Peterborough Square, at the corner of Water and Charlotte streets, during the afternoons and evenings of Friday, September 2nd and Saturday, September 3rd.
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“We are thrilled to be presenting Labour Jam Weekend in our newly renovated courtyard at the Peterborough Square,” says Peterborough Square property manager Cheryl McQueen in a media release. “We have always envisioned the courtyard as a bustling community space and outdoor concert venue. Labour Jam Weekend will be the first big music event at the courtyard, and we couldn’t be more excited to host.”
With many downtown Peterborough festivals cancelled during the first two years of the pandemic, the Labour Jam Weekend gives local musicians the opportunity to once again perform in front of a large audience in the downtown.
“The last two years have deepened my gratitude for every live performance that comes my way, especially opportunities such as this one that involve performing for my community,” says Peterborough musician Evangeline Gentle, who will be performing at 5:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon.
VIDEO: “So It Goes” – Evangeline Gentle
Below is the full Labour Jam Weekend line-up and schedule. Along with their dancing shoes, festival-goers are asked to bring their own chair and blanket. The festival will go on rain or shine, except in the event of thunderstorms.
Friday, September 2 (2 to 9 p.m.)
Washboard Hank & Pineapple Frank (bluegrass) – 2:00-3:00 p.m.
The Fabulous Tonemasters with Bridget Foley (blues) – 3:00-4:00 p.m.
The Hippy Chicks (rock) – 4:15-5:15 p.m.
Evangeline Gentle (folk/pop) – 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Blue Hazel (folk/country) – 6:45-7:45 p.m.
Lindsay Barr (pop/rock) – 8:00-9:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 3 (3 to 9 p.m.)
The Griddle Pickers (bluegrass) – 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Carling Stephen (jazz) – 4:15-5:15 p.m.
Hillary Dumoulin (folk) – 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Dylan Ireland (folk/pop/rock) – 6:45-7:45 p.m.
Melissa Payne (folk) – 8:00-9:00 p.m.
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Funding for local musical acts at Labour Jam Weekend comes from the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPFT) a non-profit organization funded by major record labels that supports thousands of live, admission-free musical programs annually in the United States and Canada.
Working with union locals, MPFT has special funding this year for Labour Day that will employ hundreds of musicians across North America over the long weekend.
Creating opportunities for musical performance has been a labour of love for Union of Professional Musicians AFM Local 518, which has promoting and protecting professional musician across eastern Ontario since 1920.
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“Music festivals play a vital role in the career of many up-and-coming musicians,” says Local 518 secretary-treasurer Sue Moore. “Festivals act as a real launch pad for musicians to build audience momentum and to take that leap into the professional music arena. We couldn’t be happier to be partners in presenting Labour Jam Weekend where local bands are the primary focus.”
Along with the Union of Professional Musicians AFM Local 518, Labour Jam Weekend is presented in partnership with The Boro, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area, Peterborough Square, Oldies 96.7, The Wolf 101.5, kawarthaNOW, and Shorelines Casino.
Follow @TheBoroPtbo on Instagram for festival news and content.
Some of the $38,000 worth of stolen laptops and tablets, government-issued identification cards, cheques, and banking and tax documents Cobourg police recovered from the vehicle of a 30-year-old Cobourg man, who faces 42 charges with more charges pending. (Police-supplied photo)
A Cobourg man is facing 42 charges, with more pending, after police searched his vehicle and found stolen property valued at more than $38,000.
The investigation began on August 11 after a person tracked their stolen laptop to a Cobourg home and notified police. Responding officers determined the stolen laptop was in a vehicle in the home’s parking lot.
The following day, Cobourg police obtained judicial authorization to search the vehicle and seized dozens of stolen property items, including 13 laptops and tablets, numerous government-issued identification cards, cheques, and banking and tax documents not belonging to the owner of the vehicle. Police say the value associated with the recovered property exceeds $38,000.
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An investigation involving the Cobourg Police Service, the Durham Regional Police Service, and York Regional Police revealed the property had been stolen in a string of “smash-and-grab” thefts from vehicles at several golf courses, along with thefts from mailboxes in Durham and York regions.
Last Thursday (August 18), police arrested 30-year-old Roderick Newman of Cobourg and charged him with 19 counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, three counts of possession of forged documents, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, 17 counts of possession of articles stolen from mail, and one count of possession of a schedule 1 substance.
The accused man was remanded into custody and appeared in court on Tuesday (August 23). Additional charges are pending from the York and Durham region police investigations. Police are in the process of returning the stolen property to its rightful owners.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Cobourg police at 905-372-6821 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at stopcrimehere.ca. Tips received through Crime Stoppers may be eligible for a cash reward.
VIDEO: Deputy police chief Jeff Haskins provides an update on stolen property investigation
Runner Joel Kimmett (left), Eileen Kimmett, Clay Williams, and Julie Chatten (representing Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith) at the Peterborough Lift Lock on August 23, 2022, the fourth day of the annual Canal Pursuit for Mental Health, a 700-kilmetre relay run from Port Severn to Ottawa. Williams began the run in 2015, which has since raised almost $100,000 for Mood Disorders Society of Canada, to raise awareness and end the stigma around mental health issues. The Canadian flag has been signed by hundreds of people Williams has met during the eight years of the run, including the first two years when he ran the entire route himself. (Photo courtesy of Eileen Kimmett)
Peterborough runner Joel Kimmett was at the Peterborough Lift Lock Tuesday morning (August 23) to embark on a 20-kilometre run on the fourth day of the annual Canal Pursuit for Mental Health, a 700-kilmetre relay run to raise awareness and end the stigma around mental health issues.
Now in its eighth year, the relay run roughly follows the Trent Severn Canal from Port Severn to Trenton, and then the Rideau Canal from Kingston to Ottawa. The run began in Port Severn last Saturday and will finish on Parliament Hill on Ottawa this Saturday.
The Canal Pursuit for Mental Health is the brainchild of Clay Williams, who is also one of the co-founders and race director of the Monarch Ultra Relay Run to raise awareness about the plight of the threatened monarch butterfly. The Elmira resident organized the Canal Pursuit for Mental Health in honour of his wife, his daughter, and his sister — who all suffer from mood disorders — and in memory of his two older brothers who took their own lives.
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For the first two years, he ran the entire route himself — an average of 90 kilometres per day — and now leads the team of relay runners, while continuing to run segments. Since 2015, the run has raised almost $100,000 for the Belleville-based not-for-profit organization Mood Disorders Society of Canada.
“The conversation that we want to promote with this project is two-fold,” Williams says in a media release. “First, if you’re struggling with a mood disorder, talk to someone you trust. The second part of the message is that physical activity can help make many symptoms of mood disorders more manageable, fitting in with the national Defeat Depression campaign.”
Defeat Depression is a national mental health fundraising and awareness campaign. Volunteers and organizations across Canada organize walks, runs, and other physical or social activities to support awareness of mental health, reduce stigma, and encourage people to come forward for the help they need. For more information, visit www.defeatdepression.ca.
“We all have an important role to play in removing the stigma around mental illness, so that people can feel comfortable reaching out to seek treatment,” Williams says.
For more information about the Canal Pursuit for Mental Health Relay Run and to make a donation, visit CanalPursuit.DefeatDepression.ca.
Rick Fines and Nicholas Campbell are two of the Peterborough-area musicians featured on "Cover2Cover," a four-episode series on Bell Fibe TV1 directed by Michael Hurcomb where a well-known local musician covers a song by an up-and-coming local musician and vice versa. In episode four, Fines performs a cover of Campbell's song "Livin'" and Campbell performs a cover of Fines' song "Try a Little Harder." Hosted by Kate Suhr, the series was filmed at at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Michael Hurcomb)
If idle hands truly are the devil’s workshop, Michael Hurcomb has nothing to worry about. The Peterborough-based filmmaker and photographer, who seems to always have a new project on the go, is in perpetual motion. If you get close enough, you can faintly hear the gears turning in his head.
Cover2Cover — a series on Bell Fibe TV1 that Hurcomb co-produced, directed, and edited — is his latest project. Shining the spotlight on the songwriting and music talents of Peterborough musicians, the four-episode series was shot at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough in December 2021 and February 2022.
The show concept is simple but brilliant: established musicians and up-and-coming artists perform a song written by the other, with host Kate Suhr (herself a singer/songwriter who also performs in an episode) facilitating an in-depth and revealing discussion that sees each performer talk about their song and share their thoughts on the rendition they just heard for the first time.
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So it is that episode one sees Alyssa Bart perform Beau Dixon’s song “Your Love Will Carry Me,” before Dixon takes a stab at Bart’s song “Money Can’t Buy it All”.
Each subsequent episode features the same format, the pairings being Lauryn Macfarlane with Close Kicks (The Strumbellas’ Darryl James) and Louwop (hip-hop artist Luis Segura), Suhr with Mary-Kate Edwards, and Rick Fines with Nicholas Campbell.
Hurcomb says each episode captures a genuine emotional reaction on the part of each performer upon hearing different takes on their work.
“Each artist didn’t know what the other person was going to cover — that wasn’t given out ahead of time,” Hurcomb explains. “Until they sat down and performed the other’s song for the first time, we didn’t know how it was going to go. It was really magical that way.”
VIDEO: “Cover2Cover” Trailer
Suhr, whose song “Selkie Bride” is covered by Edwards in episode three before she performs her version of Edwards’ “Never Mine,” couldn’t agree more.
“To me, the greatest gift is to have someone take your words and interpret them,” she says, adding the appeal lies in “hearing somebody else take your words and interpret them the way they heard them — how the song connects to their life.”
“I’m not precious with anything I’ve written or anything that I own,” Suhr adds. “It was more ‘I hope Mary Kate thinks that I did a good job of interpreting her piece’. I wasn’t nervous about what she was going to do. That played zero part in it. We’re cheering one another on.”
Hurcomb notes Cover2Cover grew out of an earlier collaboration, with fellow Peterborough natives Chad Maker and Kirk Comrie of Key Art + Design, on the Bell Fibe TV1 series Questionable Taste. That series’ six episodes see actor Ray Galletti welcome celebrity guests to the kitchen where they attempt to recreate a favourite recipe using locally sourced ingredients.
With Bell TV executives impressed by Hurcomb’s Peterborough-inspired music documentary The Radius Project, the wheels were set in motion for Cover2Cover to go from pitch to reality.
“They (Bell TV) had seen The Radius Project and said ‘We’ll give you money. What would you want to do with it?’,” recalls Hurcomb. “I had a few different ideas that I wasn’t quite married to. I said ‘Hey, I’d rather do this show with two musicians covering each other’s songs … one’s a mentor and one’s an up-and-comer’ and they were like ‘OK, go for it.'”
In the first episode of Michael Hurcomb’s “Cover2Cover,” Alyssa Bart perform a cover of Beau Dixon’s song “Your Love Will Carry Me” and Dixon performs a cover of Bart’s song “Money Can’t Buy it All.” (Photos: Michael Hurcomb)
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“The reworking of something as an artistic project has always been interesting to me,” Hurcomb says. “To have people sit there and have someone perform their song and discuss it — the emotional reaction of having a song of yours performed back to you — I thought was really interesting.”
Hurcomb notes he was careful not to duplicate what The Radius Project had centred on, wanting “to do something that was a little more finer detailed.”
“The biggest thing for me from the get-go was the mentoring aspect and parity in the lineup. We had to have equal representation with males and females. I wanted musicians that are older and musicians that are younger … a slightly different lineup than we might normally see with a Peterborough project to give a different voice to people.”
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In approaching Suhr to be the series’ host, Hurcomb found comfort in having worked with her before and their ability “to speak as friends and musicians.”
“I knew that she would understand what we were going for. I wanted someone who is easy to be around and people could be relaxed with and also could perform their own song too, so Kate was a triple threat.”
For her part, Suhr says Cover2Cover is “really about connection, intimacy and presence.”
“We never felt like there were clocks ticking or that we had to perform to a big audience. It really felt like this intimate setting in which we could connect as human beings, talk about what we’ve gone through, talk about how a song works and the process (of songwriting). That can be lost in that day-to-day bustle of just getting the job done. This felt like an unveiling — an un-cuffing. It was ‘Let’s be together and be intimate and talk about our process’.”
In the second episode of Michael Hurcomb’s “Cover2Cover,” Lauryn Macfarlane performs a cover of the Close Kicks song “Small Town, Big Dreams” and Close Kicks and Louwop perform a cover of Macfarlane’s song “Friendly.” (Photos: Michael Hurcomb)
Admitting “It was fun to put people together who you thought might be interesting,” Hurcomb says the pairing of Macfarlane with Close Kicks and Louwop is a prime example of what he envisioned.
“She (Macfarlane) was covering a song that was rapped all the way through. To be able to take that and make it into an acoustic song … I didn’t think at the time how hard that would be, but she really pulled off something incredible.”
Hurcomb adds the Fines/Campbell episode is also a revelation.
“They have a similar background in musical tastes. There’s a large age difference but they like the same things, they play the same things, and they enjoy music the same way … there isn’t this gap between them. Music is an international language, which is beautiful.”
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Suhr, who was provided the opportunity in episode three to have her song covered by Edwards and returned the favour, says she felt “almost weightless, like time had stopped” after hearing her song covered.
“What is special about this show is two artists come together who may not know one another and they take the time to learn the other person’s art — their words, their baby — and practice it and take it apart and interpret it in their own language in their own way. To sit and witness one another doing that and then have a conversation about it, that was where the magic happened in my mind.”
Suhr adds the timing of the series’ airing after the COVID years is worth noting.
“Artists really needed a little lift. Bringing this forward to our community and supporting our local musicians and giving them a place to come that felt really safe and controlled and cared for. It was a nurturing place for everybody to sort of take a breath and get our little toes back in.”
“There was a softness and a gentle little nudge of ‘OK, we’re going to do this and we can do this.’ Michael proved there is a place for us again and we would move forward.”
In the third episode of Michael Hurcomb’s “Cover2Cover,” series host Kate Suhr (left) welcomes musician Mary-Kate Edwards (right), who performs Suhr’s song “Selkie Bride.” Suhr performs a cover of Edwards’ song “Never Mine.” (Photo: Michael Hurcomb)
Meanwhile, Hurcomb points to Peterborough’s musical DNA as being key in the series’ success.
“People say there’s something in the water,” Hurcomb says, a theme he also explored in his The Radius Project documentary. “I think there definitely is. For generations, we’ve had a huge diversity in the types of music people play and the people that play it. There’s so much here being offered and so many different people offering it. We hold up our own. Any chance that I have to use my camera to shine a light on that, I’m more than happy to.”
With six new episodes of Questionable Taste scheduled to air this fall, Hurcomb has had talks with Bell about possibly shooting more episodes of Cover2Cover. In the meantime, September will see him again shooting photos for the Toronto International Film Festival.
The existing federal electoral districts in the greater Kawarthas region with the boundary changes proposed by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW from Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario)
On Friday (August 19), the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario released a proposed electoral map for public consultation, which would see significant changes made to the federal ridings in the greater Kawarthas region to reflect population changes in the 2021 census.
Canada’s constitution requires that federal electoral districts be reviewed after each 10-year census to reflect changes and movements in Canada’s population.
“The proposal reflects Ontario’s increase in population from 12,851,821 in 2011 to 14,223,942, as captured in the 2021 Census, and takes into consideration communities of interest or identity, and historic and geographic factors,” read the Federal Redistribution website at redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca, where you can also find maps and detailed descriptions of the proposed changes to ridings across Canada.
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The population of Central East Ontario — which includes the existing ridings of Peterborough-Kawartha, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, Northumberland-Peterborough South, and Hastings-Lennox and Addington, as well as Bay of Quinte — grew by nine per cent, from 535,322 in 2011 to 583,287 in 2021, with an average population of 116,657 in 2021.
The commission shifted boundaries to balance the population of the electoral districts across Central East Ontario. The shift most significantly affects the existing riding of Hastings-Lennox and Addington, but also affects the existing ridings of Peterborough-Kawartha, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, and Northumberland-Peterborough South.
Under the proposed electoral map, Peterborough-Kawartha would be renamed Peterborough, Northumberland-Peterborough South would be renamed Northumberland, and Hastings-Lennox and Addington would be renamed Hastings-Lennox and Addington-Tyendingaga. Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock would be renamed Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes.
The proposed Peterborough riding, comprising a population of 121,270 according to the 2021 census, would include the City of Peterborough, the portion of the Municipality of Trent Lakes comprising the islands of Curve Lake First Nation, the Townships of Douro-Dummer, Otonabee-South Monaghan, and Selwyn, part of Alnwick/Haldimand and part of Cavan Monaghan townships, and Alderville First Nation, Curve Lake First Nation, and Hiawatha First Nation.
The townships of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen and North Kawartha in Peterborough County would be moved into Hastings-Lennox and Addington-Tyendingaga, and the Municpality of Trent Lakes in Peterborough County (except for the islands of Curve Lake First Nation) would be moved into Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock.
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Proposed federal electoral districts in eastern Ontario. (Graphic: Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario)
The proposed Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock riding, comprising a population of 120,241 according to the 2021 census, would include the City of Kawartha Lakes, the Municipality of Dysart et al, the western portion of the Municipality of Highlands East, the Municipality of Trent Lakes (except for the islands of the Curve Lake First Nation), the townships of Algonquin Highlands, Brock, and Minden Hills, and a portion of Cavan Monaghan Township.
The proposed Northumberland riding, comprising a population of 114,414 according to the 2021 census, would include the Town of Cobourg, the municipalities of Brighton, Port Hope, and Trent Hills, a portion of the Municipality of Clarington, the townships of Asphodel-Norwood, Cramahe, and Hamilton, and a portion of Alnwick/Haldimand and Cavan Monaghan townships. Otonabee-South Monaghan Township would move to the proposed Peterborough riding.
The proposed Hastings-Lennox and Addington-Tyendinaga riding, comprising a population of 111,331 according to the 2021 census, would include a portion of the City of Belleville, the towns of Bancroft, Deseronto, and Greater Napanee, the municipalities of Centre Hastings, Hastings Highlands, Marmora and Lake, and Tweed, a portion of the Municipality of Highlands East, the townships of Addington Highlands, Carlow/Mayo, Faraday, Havelock-Belmont-Methuen, Limerick, Loyalist, Madoc, North Kawartha, Stirling-Rawdon, Stone Mills, Tudor and Cashel, Tyendinaga, and Wollaston, and Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory.
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The process for confirming the proposed electoral map is scheduled to continue until September 2023, when the final electoral districts will be determined.
“The new boundaries can only be put in place at a general election called at least seven months after the new electoral districts have been set,” reads the Federal Redistribution website. “This time allows for Elections Canada, political parties, candidates and sitting MPs to prepare for the next general election … We expect that the new federal electoral boundaries will take effect during a general election held after April 1, 2024, at the earliest.”
The commission is holding in-person and virtual public hearings this fall to gather comments and feedback on the proposed boundaries and electoral district names.
The first virtual hearing will take place on Monday, September 26th. If you want to make a representation at a hearing, you have to complete a public hearing participation form by September 26. A full list of virtual and in-person public hearings, along with the public hearing participation form, is available at redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca, where you can also find instructions on how to make a submission in writing as an alternative to attending an in-person or virtual hearing.
Outside of her Peterborough home, Gail Parry displays a photo of her late daughter Jody each August, the month she passed away from health issues related to her substance use. Parry is a member of Moms Stop The Harm, a network of Canadian families that advocates for change as that pertains to failed substance use strategies and policies, and is the key organizer of local events associated with International Overdose Awareness Day held annually on August 31. (Photo courtesy of Gail Parry)
If Gail Parry ever questioned just how brutally hurtful people can be, the answer has been painfully provided time and time again.
As the mother of a daughter who died of health issues related to substance use, the Peterborough resident has suffered the brunt of people’s judgment of her daughter. In more than one case, that judgment has been expressed cruelly, deeply hurting a woman who simply misses her child very much.
“I don’t have the patience to argue with people anymore, or try and tell them it (substance use) is a disease,” says Parry, a member of Moms Stop The Harm, a network of Canadian families that, among other things, advocates for change as that pertains to failed substance use strategies and policies.
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A prime example of what she has had to endure occurred at Peterborough Square, where she annually erects a white Christmas tree festooned with bulbs featuring the faces of local people who have died as a result of their substance use.
“A man stopped and said ‘They all should be taken out into a field and then shot in the head like a sick horse’,” says Parry, struggling to hold back her anger and her anguish.
“I said ‘These are our kids on this tree.’ Then he said it again. There are a lot of people that have judgment. It’s terrible. Ignorance equals stupidity.”
But such disturbing encounters have done nothing to deter Parry from her mission of advocating for change, not only as that pertains to people’s attitudes but also in terms of ensuring more mothers don’t have to lose what she has.
With the memory of her daughter Jody Smith front and centre, Parry has been the key organizer of local events associated with International Overdose Awareness Day held annually on August 31.
International Overdose Awareness Day takes place on August 31, 2022. In Peterborough, an event takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. at Millennium Park adjacent to the Silver Bean Café and will feature booths staffed by a number of agencies on the front lines of harm mitigation efforts, substance use education, and lifesaving training on naloxone administration. The colour purple is a symbol of International Overdose Awareness Day. (Graphic courtesy of Gail Parry)
One of those events takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, August 31st at Millennium Park adjacent to the Silver Bean Café, and will feature booths staffed by a number of agencies on the front lines of harm mitigation efforts, substance use education, and lifesaving training on naloxone administration.
The previous Tuesday (August 23), Parry will be present when flags marking International Overdose Awareness Day are raised first at Peterborough City Hall, where Mayor Diane Therrien will read the proclamation for International Overdose Awareness Day, and then at the Peterborough police station — the latter, believes Parry, being a first by any police service in Canada.
After that, posters promoting the August 31st event will go up at various locations, including at Peterborough Regional Health Centre in the emergency and intensive care departments.
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Parry, whose contribution to the day includes making purple crepe-paper flowers — in memory of her daughter Jody — and attaching them, along with other grieving moms, to white crosses in the park, will this year also display a banner she made that portrays the faces of people lost to substance use.
“They need this to honour their children,” says Parry of those who grieve, adding that Moms Stop The Harm “unfortunately has new members every day” — a clear indication that deaths related to substance use are not remotely close to being prevented.
The group formed in 2015 when three moms — two in Edmonton and one from Pender Island, BC — came together out of a joint desire to speak out about the drug poisoning crisis.
VIDEO: “Stop the Harm: A Movement of Mothers Fighting to Save Lives and End Prohibition”
That initial discussion led to the formation of objectives aimed at ensuring substance users are not criminalized and that their rights are respected. In addition, the group supports a harm reduction approach that is both compassionate and non-discriminatory for people who use substances.
Moms Stop The Harm has two Facebook groups, one public and one private. Parry was initially active with the public group but, after Jody passed, she joined the private group.
Remembering her daughter Jody as “compassionate, kind, so non-judgmental, and a good mom,” Parry admits to not having moved on since Jody’s death — nor does she ever expect to.
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“Jody’s life just spiralled apart when she was 32,” recalls Parry. “She had surgery. I thought ‘Oh good, she can come off the pain pills’, but it didn’t work that way. She had two girls. I had to take them.”
“She became addicted to pain medication, but I always believed she was dabbling in cocaine too. What really set things off was she received a large amount of money in back income tax and it all went on drugs.”
As one would expect, watching her daughter become more embroiled in substance use “was pure hell. You don’t know where they are. You don’t if they are alive.”
“There were times that she would come home and get her sobriety and work the program and do really good. The last time she came home was in 2013. She was on a waiting list for long-term treatment. She waited seven months and relapsed. She ended up meeting her boyfriend, who had a prescription for fentanyl. That went on for five years until she went into the hospital and passed away.”
Gail Parry (right) and her daughter Jody Smith sharing a happy moment. Jody, whose life “spiralled apart” at the age of 32, died in August 2018 of complications resulting from her substance use. A member of Moms Stop The Harm, Parry has since become a strong advocate for change that will save lives while pushing back against the harsh judgment and stigma often associated with substance users. (Photo courtesy of Gail Parry)
Parry notes Jody’s health problems, which involved her heart, started much earlier in 2011 when she used cocaine cut with levamisole, a cattle de-wormer.
Close to four years after Jody’s death, people’s judgment of both her daughter and her substance use leaves Parry equal parts bitter and sad.
“I’ve had people say ‘Well, she made a choice,'” Parry says.
“Are you kidding me? I wouldn’t think of saying that to a mom who lost a child, whether it be because of substance use or drunk driving. At the hospital, when Jody was in a coma, I was told ‘You know she’s going to get right back out there and use again.’ Excuse me but you don’t know that.”
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People need to stop and think, says Parry, noting any one of us could lose a family member or a close friend due to substance use — something she believes many substance users, Jody included, are predisposed to do.
Still Parry remains hopeful, her optimism buoyed by the establishment of the Consumption and Treatment Services site at King and Aylmer streets in the city’s downtown core.
“It’s great,” she says, adding “My daughter didn’t want to go to the hospital. A lot of substance users don’t because of stigma and judgment. They can go (to the CTS instead) and get some sort of help.”
However, the lack of safe supply access, notes Parry, remains an issue.
“Drugs now are so toxic,” she says.
Purple crepe-paper flowers attached to crosses, representing family members and friends who have been lost to substance use, in Millennium Park in Peterborough during International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, 2021, The colour purple is a symbol of International Overdose Awareness Day, and Gail Parry came up with the idea to using purple crepe-paper flowers in memory of her daughter Jody Smith. (Photo via Moms Stop The Harm / Facebook)
While Parry agrees the Peterborough safer supply project launched this past May — overseen by Peterborough 360 Degree Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic — is a start, it only has the capability at this point to supply 50 users with an alternative to the poisoned drug supply. Another challenge comes with how some users are taking substances.
“There’s a lot of inhalation now with fentanyl, so there’s a lot of overdoses — not too many inject,” she points out. “If you go to safe supply, there’s big waiting list. You have to either inject it or snort it or swallow it. People aren’t going to inject because they stopped injecting, so they smoke it. We’d like it set up (the CTS) for inhalation too but that has to come from Health Canada. More work needs to be done there.”
Moms Stop The Harm, says Parry, will continue to advocate for change in these areas and others, declaring, with a united voice, that “All of these deaths (from substance use) are preventable.”
“Our governments could do something about this. We saw how quick our governments got into action with COVID, so we know it can be done.”
For more information about Moms Stop The Harm, including its core objectives and a photo gallery of members’ loved one who have passed, visit www.momsstoptheharm.com. To access the group’s public Facebook page, visit facebook.com/MomsStopTheHarm.
Two people are dead following two separate collisions on Saturday evening (August 20) in Peterborough County where vehicles went into ditches.
One collision happened at around 7 p.m. north of Buckhorn on County Road 507 just north of County Road 36, when a vehicle travelling southbound left the roadway and entered the ditch. The lone occupant was pronounced dead at scene.
County Road 507 was closed for several hours while police documented the scene.
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At around 7:15 p.m., a vehicle with two occupants went into a ditch on 10th Line north of Norwood. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene and the passenger was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
10th Line was currently closed between Webster Road and Dummer-Asphodel Road for several hours while police documented the scene.
Police are continuing to investigate the causes of both collisions.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collisions or has dashcam footage and has not yet spoken with police is asked to contact the Peterborough County detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police at 705-742-0401 or 1-888-310-1122.
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