Peterborough mayor Diane Therrien has spoken out strongly against the “ugly, unacceptable attack” that greeted federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh during a stop in Peterborough last week in support of local NDP provincial candidate Jen Deck, saying “Peterborough is better than this.”

Last Tuesday (May 10), as Singh was leaving Deck’s George Street campaign office, he was aggressively threatened and insulted by a small group of protestors who called him, among other things, a “f**cking traitor” and a “lying piece of sh*t.”

Some of the group showed Singh their middle finger and yelled “go f*ck yourself.”

Speaking in front of City Hall Tuesday morning (May 17), with councillors Henry Clarke, Keith Riel, Kemi Akapo, Stephen Wright, and Kim Zippel standing behind her in a show of council unity, Therrien minced no words.

“This was not a protest or act of civil disobedience,” she said.

“Mr. Singh was targeted and physically harassed as he left the campaign office and walked to his vehicle. People yelled at him, insulted him, and swore at him.”

Noting “This incident is one of many that our and other communities have been subjected to in recent months,” Therrien said “The purpose of this behaviour is to intimidate.”

“It is to incite others to join in the rage, anger, and violence. It is intended to disrupt our freedom to safely and securely participate in the democratic process. It is to distract us from working together to address the issues that truly matter and are increasingly urgent for all of us — climate change, mental health, drug addiction, child poverty, housing affordability, the list goes on. These are deliberate, and very damaging, distractions.”

6) More up close video as Jagmeet Singh left the building where you can REALLY hear the disgusting things the crowd is saying. Might not be safe for work, so watch the volume before you listen to it at. #ptbo pic.twitter.com/QjytzTayTa

— Johnny Fondue (@Eatsfood2) May 11, 2022

Saying “We are better than this … the City of Peterborough is better than this,” Mayor Therrien added “We must all be better than this” before calling on political leaders across Canada “to stand with the good people of Peterborough and condemn these tactics.”

“To refuse to be intimidated and coerced into appeasing or collaborating in any way with those who are terrorizing our democratic processes. To say that this terror must stop now for the good of our country and for the protection of our democratic freedoms. To say nothing is a choice. To not clearly, forcefully and repeatedly condemn these tactics is to be complicit.”

Therrien concluded by revealing that city council will bring forward a motion at its next meeting (on May 24) “to invite Mr. Singh back to our city, to show solidarity, to stand united with him, and to let him know that we are better than this.”

Following the mayor’s statement, longtime city councillor and Peterborough mayoral candidate Henry Clarke told kawarthaNOW that he and his council colleagues are “appalled by what went on.”

“Racism has no place in this city. Abuse of elected officials has no place. The values that those demonstrators displayed are not Peterborough values,” Clarke said.

“It’s almost as if it (protesting) has become a fad thing to do. But it’s not just in Peterborough. It’s going on all over the country. I don’t like the focus on Peterborough, as if somehow we are typical of this thing. We’re not. There were 40 or 50 people that did something terrible, but there were 84,000 people that didn’t.”

Speaking to the increasing vitriol displayed by protesters, and the resulting divisiveness, Clarke pointed to a few reasons for it.

“I think, in part, it’s COVID and the isolation, and also the anonymity of social media where you can say just about anything. I call it anti-social media.”

As for the protest making national headlines, Clarke expressed frustration.

“I’m getting real tired of us getting kicked around like that. It’s not our city. It’s a small group.”

In Ottawa the day following the protest, Singh addressed the reception he received, terming it one of his “worst experiences” in politics.

“There were some folks who were saying some really bad, some really horrible, things,” recounted Singh.

“Some folks were saying ‘Hope you die’ and things along that nature. (There was) a lot of aggression and violence in terms of the behaviour and demeanour.”

“There is a level of polarization that is going on in politics which is troubling,” said Singh.

“It shouldn’t be that someone has to be physically trained in martial arts and be able to deal with conflict to be a politician.”

He added that while it’s “absolutely necessary for people to express dissatisfaction,” his experience was “something really troubling.”

The protest was organized by Roy Asseltine and Nicole Comber — owners of Peterburgers, a burger restaurant that was shut down last December for four months for violating public health restrictions — shortly after they found out Singh would be arriving at Deck’s campaign office.

Asseltine and Comber posted a video on social media asking protesters to come to Deck’s campaign office. A “call to action” was also posted on the “Hold Fast” Facebook group.
Comber live streamed part of the protest on Facebook, and other videos taken by protesters’ were circulated on social media.

Despite previous incidents involving Asseltine and Comber, including a raucous grand reopening celebration of Peterburgers in April that led to charges under the city’s noise by-law, there was no police presence during the protest.

The day after the protest, Peterborough police posted on Twitter they were unaware Singh was in Peterborough and had received no calls for service.

On May 12, acting Peterborough police chief Tim Farquharson confirmed, in a YouTube statement, that police are “actively investigating” a complaint lodged in relation to the actions of the protestors.

“Anyone seeing the video should find it disheartening, morally unacceptable, and lacking in respect each resident and visitor deserves,” said Farquharson, adding “”Your (protestors’) actions and belief systems are reprehensible, unconscionable, and, in some cases, criminal.”

Speaking to criticism of his department’s non-presence at the campaign stop, Farquharson pointed to a lack of resources as the culprit.

“Due to our staffing shortages, we’re not always able to engage in pro-active policing patrols,” he said, adding “We also understand that public safety is of paramount importance, and encourage residents to contact us with their concerns or any evidence that could aid in our investigations.”

On Tuesday afternoon (May 17), Farquharson issued a statement that investigators had reviewed all available evidence and concluded there are no grounds to proceed with criminal charges at this time.

“While the behaviour, actions, and comments are disrespectful and should not be encouraged or condoned, they fail to rise to the threshold of being criminal in nature,” Farquharson said.

The RCMP is also looking into the incident, with force deputy commissioner Michael Duheme terming the reception Singh received “unacceptable.”

On May 12, he told the House of Commons public safety committee “We’re following up on it to determine what can be done.”

Despite the threatening reception he received, Singh subsequently posted on Twitter his thanks to “everyone that has reached out” to him in the aftermath.

“I want to say especially say to the people of Peterborough — I have visited many times and I know your community is filled with good people who want the best for each other,” he wrote, adding “Peterborough, I love you.”

This story has been updated with information from a Peterborough police statement issued on May 17 about their investigation into the incident.

Heather Marriott says she will never forget where she was and, more notably, what she heard on July 22, 2020.

“The doctor said ‘Your mother has Alzheimer’s’,” recalls the Roseneath resident, adding “Those are four words that just ripped my heart out. It was devastating to say the least.”

“I work in a health care-related field, so I have some knowledge of Alzheimer’s and dementia. I tried to prepare as much I could, and tried to prepare my dad, my sister and brother, and especially my kids. The worst-case scenario was that it was Alzheimer’s, but it was all theory until you hear the words.”

What followed was something that thousands of families have done when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s — the family rallied big time around its matriarch, Sheila Surerus.

VIDEO: Register for the 2022 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s

No better example of that can be found than its participation in the 2021 Walk For Alzheimer’s that saw Team Surerus raise about $14,000 for the work of the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton — the highest amount raised by any team that participated.

A year later, Team Surerus is back at it, fundraising for the 2022 walk at Trent University on Saturday, May 28th. Team members’ purple T-shirts, emblazoned with Forget-Me-Not flowers and the words Team Surerus, are ready to go.

After registering, teams will walk 10,740 steps around the Justin Chiu Stadium track — one step for each person currently living with dementia in the region.

According to event organizer Ryan Arnold, the local society’s donor relations coordinator, last year’s walk raised just under $100,000. In keeping with the 10,740 steps goal, it’s hoped $107,400 will be raised this time around with IG Wealth Management again on board as the title sponsor.

“I’m counting down the days,” says Arnold, noting 130 participants were registered as of May 5, most as members of 21 teams and the remainder as individuals. Last year at this time, 80 had signed up.

While the centre of the event universe will be at Trent University on May 28, Arnold notes participants can opt to get in their 10,740 steps over the course of several days — “Whatever fits their schedule and their physical abilities.”

All money raised, adds Arnold, goes directly to support the local society’s work, mostly to the provision of programs and services. The need, he adds, is clear.

“Our region has one of the highest percentages of dementia in Ontario,” he points out. “Anyone you talk to knows someone who has it, or has been affected by it. Everyone has some kind of story, some kind of connection, to Alzheimer’s.”

Marriott certainly knows that to be true when it comes to her mother.

“We kind of suspected something wasn’t right, probably at least two years before her actual diagnosis,” she says, describing the progression of the disease that is the most common type of dementia.

“She was always very generous and very involved in the community,” Marriott recalls. “She put everyone else’s needs before her own. She was very active. But her personality started to change. She was short with people. She was impatient. She was forgetting things.”

“She had gone through a lot of stress for a few years, so we kept explaining it away. It got to a point where it was like ‘Okay, this is not normal stress.’ Our gut instinct was there’s something wrong. Has she had a stroke? Is there a brain clot? There’s something going on that’s not normal for her.”

That was confirmed when Surerus was diagnosed at age 68 following a doctor’s referral to the Kawartha Centre, a Peterborough healthy aging-focused facility where her memory was assessed.

“You picture someone with Alzheimer’s and it’s someone that’s frail and elderly,” says Marriott. “If you meet my mom, she presents so well you would never know that she has Alzheimer’s.”

“The people that are living with her and seeing her day-to-day have seen the changes in her but, to this day, if you met my mom, she would carry on a perfectly normal conversation. You wouldn’t have any idea that there’s a problem with her memory.”

Describing the current level of her mom’s Alzheimer’s as “fairly mild to moderate,” Marriott acknowledges there’s a rough road ahead — particularly for her father.

“It’s been hard on him. This isn’t something you sign up for when you get married. It’s a learning experience for us all, but he’s really been a champ.”

“We try not to look too far ahead. We know that functioning-wise, it’s not going to get any better. We need to make the most of every day. Our family is very close. She has a huge support group. And she’s involved with the Kawartha Centre and involved in a research study, so she’s on an experimental drug. There’s a little bit of hope that taking part in that study may delay the inevitable.”

In the meantime, Marriott has made it her business to learn as much as she can about dementia as she can. The local society, she says, has been “amazing” in terms of education and support provided.

“I thought I knew a lot about dementia and Alzheimer’s but I had no idea. They do an online Minds In Motion webinar. It’s partly brain exercises and things that the person with Alzheimer’s and their caregiver can do together. Mom takes part and quite enjoys it.”

On May 28, Surerus’ family and friends will actually do two walks, first getting together in Roseneath at the fairground track “for those who can’t get up to Peterborough” before heading to Trent University for the main event.

As she reflects on the 2021 experience, that saw Team Surerus walk in Roseneath only as the regular event was held virtually only due to the pandemic, Marriott is buoyed by the memory of her mom’s happiness over simply being out and about with her family and friends.

“She was like a kid in a candy store. It was so great to see a permanent smile on her face all day. Getting pictures with everybody. Being herself.”

As for the 2022 walk, close to $27,000 — 24 per cent of the walk goal — had already been raised by the first week of May. Arnold says his focus now is on providing support to participants, adding teams and individuals can register right to up to walk day.

To register for the 2022 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s, visit www.walklocal.ca, where donations to participating teams and individuals can also be made. Meanwhile, donations can be made directly to Team Surerus at www.alzgiving.ca/goto/Team-Surerus.

Whatever the outcome of the 2022 walk in terms of dollars raised, Arnold says the value of the heightened awareness piece can’t be underestimated.

“Not everyone knows we exist or what we do, so it’s really important to keep getting our name out there and let people know that we’re here,” he explains.

VIDEO: Who are you walking for?

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of an estimated 60 to 70 per cent of dementia diagnoses, with over 500,000 Canadians currently living with dementia.

The most common early symptom is short-term memory loss or remembering recent conversations, details, and events. As the disease progresses, symptoms can include problems with language, disorientation, mood swings, loss of motivation, self-neglect, and behavioural issues.

For more information about the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton and the services it provides, visit alzheimer.ca/pklnh.

This branded editorial was created in partnership with the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

Peterborough police are asking for the public’s help in locating two missing youth.

10-year-old Odessa Broderick and 12-year-old Tayla Zwanepol were last seen around 8:45 p.m. on Sunday (May 15).

Police and family are concerned for their well being.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a tip online at stopcrimehere.ca.