Volunteer military veterans, first responders, and dedicated civilians are arriving in Peterborough to help low-income seniors and people with disabilities by cleaning up downed trees and green waste on their property as a result of the May 21 derecho wind storm.

Team Rubicon Canada, a volunteer-based charitable organization that sends skilled disaster response teams into areas requiring assistance, is deploying teams to Peterborough, Uxbridge, and the Ottawa area for the next few weeks.

In Peterborough, the organization is making the services of its volunteers — known as “greyshirts” — available to residents who own and occupy their property and currently receive the City of Peterborough Property Tax Assistance Program, which is available to low-income seniors and low-income people with disabilities.

“Even with the extraordinary support our community has provided one another, there are still residents who are struggling to deal with downed trees and property damage,” said mayor Diane Therrien in a media release. “This dedicated group of trained volunteers will thankfully be able to assist our residents who might not be able to afford to hire help.”

Eligible residents who would like assistance from Team Rubicon Canada can complete a request form online at arcg.is/iSqOX or dial 211 — a 24/7 helpline that assists residents access community, social and government services — to request service by phone.

“The city is grateful for the support that Team Rubicon will offer residents, and grateful to 211 Ontario for their support,” Therrien said.

VIDEO: Team Rubicon Canada

Teams with Team Rubicon Canada will only clean up trees and tree limbs that are already on the ground. Where possible, they will chainsaw fallen trees, branches, and brush into sizes that comply with the city’s green waste collection program, and will move the debris to the curb for pick up. They will not transport green waste from properties.

For material that exceeds the size or weight for green waste collection, the city may conduct a special collection of this material at a later date when resources are available.

Each Team Rubicon Canada team will make arrangements with the property owner to undertake any work on site before work begins. Team Rubicon Canada operates independently from the City of Peterborough.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to be working with the City of Peterborough during this challenging time for the community,” said Dave McAllister, director of programs and operations for Team Rubicon Canada.

“Our teams are on the ground and ready to put their disaster response skills to work to support the residents of Peterborough and help accelerate their recovery in the wake of this disaster.”

Team Rubicon was formed in the United States in 2010 after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Team Rubicon Canada was formed in 2016 after the Fort McMurray, Alberta wildfires. For more information and to volunteer, visit team-rubicon.ca.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for significant rainfall in Haliburton County starting Monday (June 6).

Showers and isolated thunderstorms will move across the region beginning Monday afternoon and continuing through Monday night into Tuesday.

Total rainfall amounts of 25 to 50 mm are expected, with locally higher amounts possible in areas that receive thunderstorms.

As there is some uncertainty with the track and timing of a low pressure system and associated cold front that will move across the area, exact timing and total rainfall amounts are subject to change.

Elsewhere in the greater Kawarthas region, including Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Hastings County, there is a 40 per cent change of showers on Monday afternoon, increasing to 60 per cent in the evening, with showers expected on Tuesday.

The Ganaraska Forest is remaining closed until further notice due to extensive damage from the May 21, 2022 derecho storm.

At 11,000 acres (4,452 hectares), the Ganaraska Forest is southern Ontario’s largest forest, and straddles Northumberland and Peterborough counties, Kawartha Lakes, and Durham Region.

“Early assessments suggest this was the largest natural disaster to impact the Ganaraska Forest since it was established in 1947,” reads a media release from the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA). “Downed trees and safety hazards have been found on nearly every trail that staff have been able to access. In addition, an estimated 400-plus acres of the Ganaraska Forest have experienced severe blowdown damage.”

According to GRCA, the core of forest remains largely inaccessible and staff continue to assess the extent of damage from ground level. Aerial surveys were completed to identify significant blowdown areas that are currently inaccessible from the ground.

GRCA forestry staff will be organizing a salvage harvest in these blowdown areas soon. Summer staff have been hired to support GRCA staff in assessment and recovery efforts. The focus is to clear GRCA forest roads while continually surveying the Ganaraska Forest for blowdowns and hazardous conditions.

While GRCA appeciates offers of help from the public, the organization says the forest is too hazardous in its current state to use volunteers. Use of volunteers will be considered once recovery and cleanup progresses.

GRCA says it cannot predict when the Ganaraska Forest will be able to reopen, but expects it will be weeks. All current Ganaraska Forest memberships will be extended by the length of time that the forest remains closed.

The GRCA continues to enforce the closure of the Ganaraska Forest, and no access is being granted.

One of the 10 deaths in Ontario as a result of the May 21 storm happend in Ganaraska Forest when a 30-year-old man riding a dirt bike died from the injuries he sustained after being struck by a falling tree.

Ontario voters have delivered Doug Ford’s PCs a convincing majority government for the second time in a row, with PC candidates winning all four ridings in the greater Kawarthas region.

An hour after the polls closed on Thursday (June 2), it was clear the Progressive Conservatives were well on their way to a decisive victory, with candidates elected or leading in more than 80 ridings. By the time all polls had reported, the PCs had won 83 seats, an increase of seven over their 2018 majority.

The New Democrats won 31 ridings, a loss of nine seats from their showing in 2018 but enough for them to remain the official opposition — the first time in Ontario history the NDP has been the official opposition twice in a row. However, the lack of any gains was enough to prompt leader Andrea Horwath to announce she is stepping down.

The Liberals suffered a disastrous night, winning only eight seats — one more compared to the 2018 election that was the worst result in the party’s history. For the second straight election, the Liberals did not win enough seats to earn official party status. As well, Liberal leader Steven Del Duca was defeated in his home riding of Vaughan-Woodbridge by Conservative Michael Tibollo, and later announced he is stepping down as leader.

The Green Party of Ontario has maintained its single seat in the legislature, with leader Mike Schreiner massively winning his seat in Guelph. The province’s only independent MPP was also elected on Thursday night: Bobbi Ann Brady in Haldimand-Norfolk, the former executive assistant of retired incumbent Toby Barrett of the Conservatives, who threw his support behind her instead of the PC candidate.

Of the 10.7 million registered voters in Ontario, around 4.6 million voted on Thursday — a turnout of just over 43 per cent, which is 14 per cent less than the 2018 election.

In the greater Kawarthas region, PC incumbent Laurie Scott easily held on to Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock, earning 53 per cent of the vote and 17,979 more votes than the NDP’s Barbara Doyle. In Northumberland-Peterborough South, PC incumbent David Piccini also easily held on to his seat, garnering 51 per cent of the vote with a margin of 13,348 votes over Liberal Jeff Kawzenuk. In Hastings-Lennox and Addington, PC Ric Bresee captured 48 per cent of the vote, beating the NDP’s Eric Depoe by 10,871 votes.

The race was tighter in Peterborough-Kawartha, where PC incumbent Dave Smith took 39 per cent of the vote, with 4,167 more votes than Liberal Greg Dempsey. Almost 52 per cent of the vote was split between Dempsey (31 per cent) and the NDP’s Jen Deck (21 per cent).

With the exception of Northumberland-Peterborough South, candidates for the Ontario Party finished in fourth place ahead of the Greens. In Hastings-Lennox and Addington, Ontario Party leader Derek Sloan earned over seven per cent of the vote.

Voter turnout was 51.27 per cent in Peterborough-Kawartha (compared to 62.74 per cent in 2018), 47.63 per cent in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock (compared to 59.66 per cent in 2018), 51.38 per cent in Northumberland-Peterborough South (compared to 64.64 per cent in 2018), and 46.98 per cent in Hastings-Lennox and Addington (compared to 59.10 per cent in 2018).

Here are the final unofficial election results for the greater Kawarthas region as reported by Elections Ontario just after midnight on June 3.

Peterborough-Kawartha

93/93 polls reporting
Registered voters: 102,172
Voter turnout: 51.27%

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock

98/98 polls reporting
Registered voters: 102,111
Voter turnout: 47.63%

Northumberland-Peterborough South

104/104 polls reporting
Registered voters: 100,111
Voter turnout: 51.38%

Hastings-Lennox and Addington

89/89 polls reporting
Registered voters: 81,150
Voter turnout: 46.98%

This story has been updated with the final election results.

Ontario voters head to the polls today (June 2) to elect a new provincial government.

Polls open at 9 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. If you don’t know your polling location, enter your postal code at the Elections Ontario website.

To vote, bring your voter information card that you received in the mail and a piece of identification showing your name (photo ID is not required). Your ID can be shown on a mobile device.

If you didn’t receive your voter information card, you can still vote by bringing one piece of ID showing both your name and your current residential address.

Below are the candidates in each riding in the greater Kawarthas region.

They are listed in priority according to the number of seats their party held in the Ontario legislature after the last election or, for parties that did not win seats, by the longevity of their party. On the ballot, candidates are listed alphabetically by their surname.

Peterborough-Kawartha

• Dave Smith – Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (incumbent)
• Jen Deck – New Democratic Party of Ontario
• Greg Dempsey – Liberal Party of Ontario
• Robert Gibson – Green Party of Ontario
• Dylan Smith – None of the Above Party
• Tom Marazzo – Ontario Party
• Rebecca Quinnell – New Blue Party

Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock

• Laurie Scott – Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (incumbent)
• Barbara Doyle – New Democratic Party of Ontario
• Don McBey – Liberal Party of Ontario
• Tom Regina – Green Party of Ontario
• Gene Balfour – Ontario Libertarian Party
• Kelly Kerstin – Ontario Party
• Ben Prentice – New Blue Party

Northumberland-Peterborough South

• David Piccini – Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (incumbent)
• Kim McArthur-Jackson – New Democratic Party of Ontario
• Jeff Kawzenuk – Liberal Party of Ontario
• Lisa Francis – Green Party of Ontario
• Vanessa Head – Ontario Party
• Joshua Chalhoub – New Blue Party

Hastings-Lennox and Addington

• Ric Bresee – Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario *
• Eric Depoe – New Democratic Party of Ontario
• Ted Darby – Liberal Party of Ontario
• Christina Wilson – Green Party of Ontario
• Derek Sloan – Ontario Party (leader)
• Joyce Reid – New Blue Party

* Conservative incumbent Daryl Kramp announced his retirement from politics in February 2022.

In the last provincial election in 2018, the Progressive Conservatives were elected to a majority government with 76 seats, with the NDP becoming the official opposition with 40 seats and the Liberals losing their official party status with seven seats.

The Green Party of Ontario also made history by electing its first-ever MPP, with party leader Mike Schreiner winning in Guelph.

In the greater Kawarthas region, the Progressive Conservatives swept all four ridings, with both incumbent Liberals in Peterborough-Kawartha and Northumberland-Peterborough South losing their seats to neophyte PC candidates.

In the last few years, I feel like the transition from May to June has taken on important significance.

We are marking the two-year anniversaries of the murder of George Floyd and the police-involved death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet. One year ago, the remains of 215 children were confirmed at the Kamloops Indian Residential School and, since then, many similar confirmations have been made across Canada. One year ago, there was a racist, pre-meditated attack motivated by Islamophobia in London, Ontario.

This year, we are recovering from that devastating storm and a provincial election that included hateful acts targeted at political leaders in downtown Peterborough.

This seems like an important time of year for healing, for truth, and for coming together as a community.

I’d like to share two reflections I am carrying for myself to recognize the need for both healing and also ongoing awareness for truth and history as we move forward.

Truth and reconciliation

June is National Indigenous History Month and Tuesday, June 21st — also the summer solstice this year — is commemorated as National Indigenous Peoples Day. The goal of these federal initiatives is to take time to recognize the history, heritage, resilience, diverse cultures, and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Canada.

Last year around this time, Sara Crouthers and I shared a “Summer Listening List” in the GreenUP column. That list included several important (and joyful as well as challenging) resources for listening and learning in support of truth and reconciliation.

In particular, Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg: This is Our Territory is an oral history of the Michi Saagiig Nisnaabeg recounted by by Gidigaa Migizi (Doug Williams) of Curve Lake First Nation. I also appreciate re-listening to my audiobook of 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality by Robert Joseph.

As I mourn the recent death of author and activist Lee Maracle, I’m also revisiting the REDTalk that featured her and others sharing reflections on how the pandemic offers opportunities to reconnect with the ecology of Indigenous values and step towards living in balance with all living beings. You can find it below, and other REDTalks by visiting redskyperformance.com/redtalks/.

VIDEO: REDTalks – Wisdom Keeper Series with Senator Murray Sinclair and Lee Maracle

Last, but certainly not least, my kids and I are constantly re-discovering the activities in the TRACKS Activity Books created by the Trent Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Science Program.

And, to inform discussions with my kids, I am also revisiting the list of books and other resources provided by Nichol Stamp in How to discuss injustice toward Indigenous Peoples with your children, age 0-8. This is a short, easy-to-read blog post that offers age-appropriate family learning at its best when we need it most.

Racism and environmentalism

As we approach International Trails Day on June 4 and World Environment Day on June 5, it is important to reflect on how environmentalism has and continues to be connected with racism.

The early roots of the environmental movement in the 1800s are intimately connected to white male authority figures who created the pseudo-scientific foundation for white supremacy. In his book The Wizard and The Prophet, Charles C. Mann points out that many of the early white male leaders of the environmental movement “found little difference between protecting forests and cleaning up the human gene pool.”

Environmental racism describes the systems that reserve environmental privileges and exploitation for predominantly white communities, while pushing environmental contamination and damaging consequences into predominantly BIPOC communities.

Environmental racism continues today. Recent examples include: the ongoing lack of clean drinking water in First Nations communities across the country, including Curve Lake First Nation here in Peterborough; how the Peguis First Nation in Manitoba was displaced from prime farmland and in their current location they experience devastating flooding each year; and how pipelines and mining projects continue to be built on unceded Indigenous land and without consultation and consent.

Climate action isn’t only about the urgent need to reduce emissions. Just as COVID-19 hit hardest amongst racialized groups and the most vulnerable parts of our communities, so too climate change and environmental racism will continue to adversely impact racialized groups unless we build a more equitable society based in environmental justice.

That is why it is important we all learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These goals are meant to be applied to our local situations such that we create communities that are not only sustainable and healthy but also equitable.

From 2019 to 2021, a local community forum coordinated by the Kawartha World Issues Centre and GreenUP identified five of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as priorities for our region: eradicating poverty, quality education, clean water and sanitation, and climate action.

The fifth sustainable development goal, prioritizing Indigenous leadership, was chosen by our community to frame and lead the other four priority action areas.

Maybe there’s something symbolic about this time of year becoming associated with a renewed need for truth, history, and healing. Maybe the long days and bright sunshine are shining a light on the work we need to be doing together. This month, and every month, please actively seek out voices that advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity in environmentalism.

Here are some resources to consider:

• Diverse Nature Collective at www.diversenaturecollective.com.
• The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has an education page with resources for youth and adults at nctr.ca/education/.
• The Legacy of Hope Foundation website offers videos of residential school survivor sharing their stories, and many other resources, at legacyofhope.ca/wherearethechildren/stories/.
• The free online course, Indigenous Canada, offered through the University of Alberta at www.ualberta.ca/admissions-programs/online-courses/indigenous-canada/.
• A special program in honour of Earth Week 2022 from the Noor Cultural Centre in Toronto, called “All Our Relations” and “Communities Like You”: An Anishinaabe-Muslim Conversation on Conceptualizing Human and Other-Than-Human Relationships, at oorculturalcentre.ca/all-our-relations-and-communities-like-you-an-anishinaabe-muslim-conversation/.
• If you want to learn more about environmental justice, visit www.intersectionalenvironmentalist.com.

Peterborough police have arrested a suspect who returned to the scene of a break and enter at Lansdowne Place Mall where $19,000 worth of necklaces, watches, and cash was stolen from a jewellery store on Monday morning (May 30).

At around 6 a.m. on Monday, officers were called to the mall after an alarm went off. After arriving, police learned a man has broken into the mall and then into the jewellery store. The man stole 83 silver necklaces (several with intricate detailing), 19 men’s and women’s Citizen brand watches, and $200 in cash, with a total value of around $19,000.

At 11 p.m. on Monday, officers received a call about another break and enter in progress at Lansdowne Place Mall. After arriving at the mall, officers located a man hiding behind a door who matched the earlier description given to police.

When taking the suspect into custody, police found several items from the earlier break and enter on his person, along with around eight grams of fentanyl. Further investigation revealed reasonable grounds for charges in connection with a break and enter on Sunday, May 29 at a business in the Lansdowne Street West and Ford Street area.

As a result, a 25-year-old Peterborough man was arrested and charged with three counts of break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, three counts of failure to comply with a probation order, and one count of possession of a Schedule 1 substance (fentanyl). The accused man appeared in court on Tuesday.

Some of the jewellery from the break and enter on Monday morning has not been recovered. Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough Police Crime Line at 705-876-1122 x555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at stopcrimehere.ca