There are 15 new banners hanging from lamp posts on George Street in downtown Peterborough for the bicentennial of the Peter Robinson emigration of Irish settlers to the Peterborough region.

The non-profit organization Nine Ships 1825 Inc., in partnership with the Peterborough Historical Society and with funding from the Peterborough Foundation, has installed the banners to promote bicentennial events that will be taking place from August 1 to 10, during which the Civic Holiday — long recognized as Peter Robinson Day in Peterborough — falls.

“We’re expecting people from all over the world,” said Maureen Crowley, Nine Ships 1825 board member and secretary, in an interview with kawarthaNOW. “We’ve had interest already from the United States and from Ireland.”

Events planned so far during August include a walking tour on Friday, August 1 hosted by Elwood Jones of Trent Valley Archives, a “Grand Irish Gathering” on Saturday, August 2 at The Canadian Canoe Museum, and a week-long Bicentennial Heritage Fair at the Knights of Columbus Hall at 317 Hunter Street West. In addition, 4th Line Theatre will present the world premiere of Megan Murphy’s play Wild Irish Geese about the Peter Robinson emigration from July 29 to August 30 at the Winslow Farm in Millbrook.

Nine Ships 1825 was formed to coordinate and promote all the local Irish-related heritage, historical, and community groups that are planning events during the bicentennial year. The organization’s name refers to the nine ships that carried the Irish settlers across the Atlantic in 1825 under an emigration plan led by Upper Canada politician Peter Robinson.

As well as promoting the bicentennial events taking place from August 1 to 10, the lamp post banners on George Street in downtown Peterborough also highlight each of the nine ships that carried 2,024 Irish men, women, and children to Canada: the Fortitude, Brunswick, Regulus, Resolution, Star, Elizabeth, Albion, Amity, and John Barry.

“The Peterborough Foundation is proud to fund these banners which highlight such a significant part of the history of our community,” says Peterborough Foundation chair Nancy Martin in a media release.

To learn more about the Peter Robinson emigration bicentennial, members of the public can attend a meeting of the Millbrook and Cavan Historical Society meeting at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 11 at the Millbrook Legion (9 King St. E., Millbrook), where members of Nine Ships 1825 will give a presentation.

Cultural resource manager and historian Dennis Carter-Edwards will speak to the significance of the emigration, outline the journey, and highlight the resources available to learn more. Crowley, a past president of the Peterborough Canadian Irish Club, and former Selwyn Township mayor Mary Smith will speak about previous commemorations of the emigration, describe how Nine Ships 1825 was formed, and share the events planned during 2025.

More information about Nine Ships 1825, the Peter Robinson emigration, and events planned during the bicentennial is available at nineships1825.com.

With files from Paul Rellinger.

Meet Miguel Hernandez, a Venezuelan artist who has called Canada home for nearly 10 years, who says art was “the bright light” that saw him through the challenges of immigration and settlement.

Meet Fatma Al Ahmed, a high school student from Syria, and learn about the challenges and barriers that exist for young Muslim hijabi girls like herself.

The New Canadians Centre (NCC) in Peterborough invites residents to get to know their neighbours — including Al Ahmed and Hernandez — by participating in three upcoming public sessions over the next three months starting Wednesday (March 26).

The NCC is hosting the first of its “Stories from Your Neighbourhood: Meet Your Neighbours” sessions from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Peterborough Public Library, located at 345 Aylmer St. N. in downtown Peterborough.

Ultimately, the NCC is challenging the Peterborough community to have open and respectful conversations about the experiences of newcomers in the region. In February 2024, the NCC launched its “Our Neighbourhood” video series that spotlights the stories of six of Peterborough’s diverse community members.

Building on the success of the videos, the NCC has now developed what it describes as an engaging educational activity — the “Our Neighbourhood” discussion guide — to accompany the videos and serve as a starting point for people to have conversations with their fellow residents.

VIDEO: “Our Neighbourhood” – New Canadians Centre

“My hope is that these conversations will spark deeper understanding and reflection on what it truly means to be a welcoming and inclusive community,” Mauricio Interiano, NCC’s community engagement officer, told kawarthaNOW.

“By using the Our Neighbourhood discussion guide, we’re giving people the tools to engage in meaningful dialogue about the experiences of newcomers. The best outcome would be for people to walk away feeling more connected, more aware, and more empowered to take action — whether that’s being more mindful of the challenges newcomers face, advocating for inclusive policies, or simply extending kindness in their everyday interactions.”

The Our Neighbourhood discussion guide was inspired by the six inspirational stories told through the video series. The guide is filled with questions, prompts, and activities designed to help community members reflect on the important themes of the video series. It is appropriate for audiences ranging from elementary to post-secondary classes as well as adults, workplaces, and communities in general.

“Through this activity, participants can explore the stories of their neighbours, dive deeper into what makes our neighbourhood so unique, and reflect on the themes highlighted in the videos,” the NCC notes on its website. “Together, we’ll learn, share, and celebrate the vibrant tapestry of cultures, experiences, and connections that make our community home.”

The hope is those who take part in the sessions will learn more from meeting the newcomers and also gain new tools from the guide to help them become better neighbours.

When asked to share an insight into being a good neighbour, Interiano said he had “one key tip.”

“I’d say that being a good neighbour starts with listening. Taking the time to genuinely hear and understand someone’s story, without assumptions or judgment, creates the foundation for real connection and inclusion. Small gestures of kindness and respect go a long way in making people feel seen, valued, and welcomed.”

Interiano will be facilitating the March 26th session, along with the NCC’s community development manager Bhisham Ramoutar, which will discuss the stories of Miguel Hernandez and Fatma Al Ahmed and cover the topics of microaggressions (subtle and often unintentional slights that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward members of marginalized groups) and language barriers.

Additional sessions take place on April 23 and May 21 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Peterborough Public Library.

The April 23rd session, facilitated by members of the NCC’s Newcomer Leadership Group, will discuss the stories of Samantha Banton (a Jamaican poet and entrepreneur) and Bhisham K. Ramoutar (a newcomer from Trinidad and Tobago) and will discuss the topics of the importance of representation and international students.

The May 21st session, facilitated by the NCC Young Leaders Group, will discuss the stories of Tashvi Menghi (a teenager from India who is an artist and youth activist) and Tim Nguyen (a high school student from Vietnam who is a musician and a young leader) and will cover the topics of the experiences of newcomer youth and school bullying.

While all three sessions are free, advance registration is required at nccpeterborough.ca/series/stories-from-your-neighbourhood-meet-your-neighbours/.

For more information about “Our Neighbourhood” and to watch the six videos in the series and download the discussion guide, visit nccpeterborough.ca/get-involved/newcomervoices/ourneighbourhood/.

The day before Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to call a snap election, the Peterborough Federal Liberal Association announced that Emma Harrison has been acclaimed as the federal Liberal candidate for the Peterborough riding.

A resident of Selwyn Township, Harrison is a third-generation farmer and a small business owner who runs the family farm with her husband Connor, a Peterborough paramedic, together with their children.

“I am thrilled to be the Liberal Candidate for Peterborough,” Harrison says in a media release. “I intend to be an MP who builds bridges instead of creating division, who understands that community has to come first instead of partisanship, and who will represent everyone, not just those who voted for me.”

“We are grateful to have such a thoughtful, caring, and practical candidate in Emma, and we are confident she will be an excellent representative for Peterborough,” Peterborough Federal Liberal Association chair Lauren Hunter says. “As our country faces unprecedented threats, now is the time to unite behind a candidate who can help build a stronger Canada.”

While Harrison is a newcomer to running for political office, she’s not a newcomer to politics. In February, kawarthaNOW profiled Harrison’s popularity on the Threads social media platform for her political commentary, growing her followers from 200 to now almost 30,000.

“People came for the cows, but they’re staying for the political commentary,” Harrison told kawarthaNOW.

“I’m actually a really political person, but only really when I’m face-to-face with other people,” she said. “I don’t usually share a lot on the internet.”

Harrison is the third-generation owner of the 137-acre farm but, before she took it over with her family in 2021, she spent five years living in Lewiston, New York while attending Niagara University on a lacrosse scholarship. She was there when Barack Obama was elected U.S. President.

“It’s hard to appreciate and understand U.S. politics and how the country works unless you’ve been there for a long period of time,” she explained. “So when things started going poorly after Trump was elected, and in Canada there was a bit more rhetoric and talk of hating on marginalized groups, I felt like I couldn’t not say something.”

The other declared candidates for the major parties in the Peterborough riding include incumbent Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri and the NDP’s Heather Ray. The Green Party has yet to declare a candidate.

Carney is expected to ask the Governor General on Sunday (March 23) to dissolve Parliament. According to CBC News, sources have confirmed that election day will be on Monday, April 28 — giving Canadians five weeks to decide who will lead the country as it faces a trade war instigated by U.S. President Donald Trump and his threats to Canada’s sovereignty.

The most recent polls have the Liberals either neck-in-neck or leading the Conservatives, which is a remarkable comeback for the governing party that was facing decimation only a few weeks ago — until Justin Trudeau resigned, Trump began threatening Canada, and Carney was elected Liberal leader.

The original version of this story has been updated with details from kawarthaNOW’s February profile of Harrison.

The Peterborough Family Health Team (PFHT) hopes the day will come when all residents of Peterborough will have a family doctor or primary care provider.

PFHT communications officer Renee MacKenzie shared her thoughts with kawarthaNOW following the recent opening of a new PFHT Health Clinic location for “unattached” patients — those who don’t have a “permanent” family doctor or primary care provider.

“Our biggest hope is that there will be a day when we don’t need the PFHT Health Clinic for unattached patients,” MacKenzie said. “Until then, we hope to continue providing opportunities for newly retired physicians to continue practising in our community, while also attracting new family doctors and retaining recent graduates.”

Earlier this year, the PFHT Health Clinic acquired a new space at 555 George St. N. with additional exam rooms, allowing it to expand appointments for Peterborough city and county residents who do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner in Ontario.

The new space is the main location for “unattached services,” while the clinic’s King Street location continues to operate and support more niche services such as well baby clinics.

On Tuesday morning (March 18) at the new George Street location, the PFHT hosted a media event and open house, which MacKenzie said “had a great turnout,” including Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal. PFHT CEO Duff Sprague spoke about the clinic as did Dr. Tehmina Chattha, who also provided tours of the exam rooms.

With the opening of the new clinic space, MacKenzie said the PHFT continues to work to address health care gaps in the community.

“We want the community to know that we will continue to do what we can to advocate for growth in our family health team so we can support all residents in Peterborough city and county,” she noted.

“Furthermore, this clinic offers patient appointments and is not a substitute for having a family doctor. The clinic is an interim solution that provides people with same-day or next-day in-person care by a doctor or nurse practitioner.”

The PFHT Health Clinic is a response to the growing need for health care access among residents of Peterborough city and county who are currently unattached and would otherwise have limited options.

“Despite a base budget that has not increased in many years, we’ve strategically managed to run the clinic within the existing funding and the access clinic physicians have to bill OHIP for their services,” said Sprague in a media release.

“We took a coordinated approach to provide essential care to unattached patients. Our PFHT Health Clinic offers a much less expensive and more appropriate alternative to the only other in-person choice in the area: hospital emergency departments.”

The PFHT said it’s “grateful” for the partners who made the expansion possible. The Peterborough Ontario Health Team has committed to covering the clinic’s rent until September 1. The PFHT’s director of operations and patient services supervisor, as well as the city’s physician recruiter, donated their time to prepare the space through painting, deep cleaning, transporting equipment, and other set-up efforts.

“We also extend our thanks to Whelan’s Floor for donating and installing replacement flooring in part of the clinic, and to Rishor Real Estate Inc. for a 50 per cent rent reduction for the first 12 months.”

The PFHT Health Clinic has achieved significant cost savings for the health care system, according to the release.

“From April 1, 2024, to early March, we estimate $370,804 in savings due to hospital emergency room diversions, and these savings are based on the patient being assessed at the emergency department and do not include any testing procedures or specialist care.”

Additionally, cancer screenings conducted at the clinic not only save costs for the system but also open a door to care for the unattached patient, the PFHT noted.

For more information about both of the PFHT’s health clinics and to book an appointment, visit www.peterboroughfht.com/find-a-provider/pfht-health-clinic. Online booking is available for returning patients.