Nurse Simone Jackson wearing personal protective equipment in March 2020 as she prepares to open a swab to test a patient for COVID-19 in Peterborough Public Health's clinic. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough Public Health)
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 225 new cases today, with Premier Doug Ford reportedly considering moving to step two of the province’s reopening plan two days earlier than originally scheduled — June 30 instead of July 2.
Most of the new cases are in Toronto (57), Waterloo (53), Peel (25), North Bay Parry Sound (23), and Ottawa (14). The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 19 to 304.
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Hospitalizations have fallen by 39 to 295, with patients in ICUs decreasing by 9 to 305 and the number of patients on ventilators decreasing by 12 to 190. Ontario is reporting 11 new deaths, with none in long-term care homes.
More than 13 million vaccine doses have been administered, a record increase of 227,318 from yesterday, with over 77% of Ontario’s total population now having received at least one dose. Over 3.3 million people have been fully vaccinated, with a record increase of 198,372 people receiving their second dose yesterday, representing almost 23% of the total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from May 23 – June 22, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from May 23 – June 22, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, and the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from May 23 – June 22, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered and the green line is the cumulative number of people fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there is 1 new case to report in Kawartha Lakes. There are no new cases in Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton, or Hastings Prince Edward.
An additional 5 cases have been resolved across the region, including 3 in Peterborough, 1 in Kawartha Lakes, and 1 in Northumberland. The outbreak at Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay has been declared resolved.
Active cases have decreased by 3 in Peterborough and by 1 in Northumberland, and remain the same in Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Hastings Prince Edward
There are currently 36 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 4 since yesterday, including 17 in Peterborough, 8 in Northumberland, 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 2 in Hastings Prince Edward (1 in Quinte West and 1 in Belleville), and 1 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,577 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,539 resolved with 21 deaths), 1,083 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,031 resolved with 57 deaths), 943 in Northumberland County (918 resolved with 17 deaths), 122 in Haliburton County (120 resolved with 1 death), and 1,127 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,114 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on June 5.
Camp Kawartha board chair Myke Healy, Camp Kawartha healthcare coordinator Cathy Romano, Rotary Club of Peterborough president Wayne Harding, and Camp Kawartha executive director Jacob Rodenburg celebrating the Rotary Club's $100,000 donation to the camp's new zero-carbon health centre. In its founding year of 1921, the Rotary Club of Peterborough established the summer camp that would become Camp Kawartha in 1985. (Photo courtesy of Camp Kawartha)
A century after establishing what would become Camp Kawartha, the Rotary Club of Peterborough has donated $100,000 towards the construction of the camp’s new zero-carbon health centre.
Replacing the decades-old health centre at the outdoor education centre, located on the shores of Clear Lake off Birchview Road in Douro-Dummer, the new health centre has been designed by Straworks, a leader in high performance natural building construction.
Straw-bale constructed with net zero utility costs, zero toxins, zero fossil fuel use, zero waste output, and a zero-carbon footprint, the 1,200-square-foot structure will showcase the use of natural building materials — the majority of them local — and incorporate elements such as a living roof, energy efficient radiant heat, and super-insulated walls that sequester carbon.
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“This donation meshes wonderfully with Rotary’s environmental mandate because it advances the cause of environmental stewardship and sustainability,” says Jim Coyle of Peterborough Rotary in a media release. “It also continues our 100-year history with Camp Kawartha — it helps us mark our 100th anniversary as well as the camp’s.”
Among the first Rotary Clubs in Canada, the Rotary Club of Peterborough was formed in 1921. One of its first projects in 1921 was to purchase land for the creation of a summer camp to provide underprivileged boys with an opportunity to experience the outdoors, to build skills, and develop character.
It operated as both a Rotary camp and a YMCA camp until 1985, when a group of Rotarians negotiated the purchase of the camp from the YMCA to form the non-for-profit organization Camp Kawartha Inc.
VIDEO: Camp Kawartha Health Centre Centennial Fundraising Project
To be named the Rotary Health Centre in recognition of the donation, the centre will be used to look after the health needs of campers, students, and visitors.
“Over its 100-year history, the camp has evolved into a year-round operation reaching more than 17,000 children, youth, and adults per year,” says Camp Kawartha’s executive director Jacob Rodenburg.
“To continue our legacy of learning and leading, Camp Kawartha has embarked on a campaign to upgrade parts of our facilities at our main site on Clear Lake,” he adds. “To realize our vision of becoming a nationally recognized environmental education leadership centre, we are investing in new green buildings that will be a showcase of the very best in regenerative and healthy architecture, a place that demonstrates sustainable living in action.”
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The Rotary Health Centre will provide educational opportunities for students, campers, and visitors to learn about carbon-neutral design, carbon sequestration, alternative energy generation, natural building materials, product life cycles, and green-waste management systems.
“We are very grateful for the support of the Rotary Club of Peterborough,” says Camp Kawartha board chair Myke Healy.”This is a unique opportunity to connect once again with the club and at such a meaningful time in both our histories.”
“The vision of those in 1921 is honoured by the vision of those in 2021.”
"Never Have I Ever" is a coming-of-age comedy-drama series produced by Mindy Kaling and inspired by her old childhood. Season two premieres on Netflix on July 15, 2021. (Photo: Netflix)
Every month, kawarthaNOW is the only local media source to bring you a list of what’s coming to Netflix Canada.
Most of what’s coming to Netflix in July is international content but, if subtitles aren’t your thing, here are some highlights of what’s available.
Fear Street is a Netflix horror film trilogy based on R.L. Stine’s best-selling horror series. The trilogy begins in 1994, when a group of teenagers discovers that the terrifying events that have haunted their town of Shadyside, Ohio for generations may all be connected, and that they may be the next targets.
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VIDEO: “Fear Street” trailer
The sinister mystery is revealed with the following two films, set in 1978 and 1666. Fear Street premieres on three consecutive Fridays, with Part 1: 1994 on July 2nd followed by Part 2: 1978 on July 9th and Part 3: 1666 on July 16th.
For lighter fare, season two of the coming-of-age comedy-drama Never Have I Ever premieres on Netflix on Thursday, July 15th.
Created by Mindy Kaling (The Office, The Mindy Project) and Lang Fisher, the series starring Maitreyi Ramakrishnan was inspired by Kaling’s own childhood.
VIDEO: “Never Have I Ever” season two trailer
If you like documentaries, check out Heist, a new Netflix documentary series chronicling three of the biggest heists in modern American history, as explained by the ordinary people who pulled them off.
A 21-year-old woman steals millions in Vegas casino cash. An aspiring father swipes a fortune from the Miami airport and uses TV shows to learn how to get away with it. A Kentucky dad is accused of one of the biggest bourbon burglaries in history. Using dynamic reenactments, original interviews, and a fast-paced style, each story is told over two episodes.
Heist premieres on Netflix on Wednesday, July 14th.
VIDEO: “Heist” trailer
Other Netflix films coming in July include Gunpowder Milkshake (Jul. 14), The Last Letter From Your Love (Jul. 23), and Resort to Love (Jul. 29). Other Netflix documentaries include Audible (Jul. 1), Cat People (Jul. 7), and Myth & Mogul: John DeLorean (Jul. 30).
New series include My Unorthodox Life (Jul. 14), a reality series following Julia Haart, Elite World Group CEO and a former member of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, and Tattoo Redo (Jul. 28), where skilled tattoo artists right wrongs by transforming their clients’ disastrous tattoos into walking works of art.
Returning Netflix series include season two of Dogs (Jul. 7), season four of Atypical and season three of Virgin River (Jul. 9), season three of Explained and season five of Van Helsing (Jul. 16), and season two of Outerbanks (Jul. 30). Other returning series include season 10 of The Walking Dead (Jul. 26).
VIDEO: New to Netflix Canada in July 2021
Theatrically released movies coming in July include Beetlejuice, Disturbia, Eyes Wide Shut, Jane Eyre, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Moneyball, Outbreak, Spy Kids franchise, Tom and Jerry: The Movie, Up in the Air, and War of the Worlds (all on Jul. 1), Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Little Fockers, Meet the Fockers, and Meet the Parents (all on Jul. 7), It Chapter Two (Jul. 11), Trust (Jul. 13), Top Gun (Jul. 15), Cosmic Sin (Jul. 17), Still Working 9 to 5 (Jul. 22), Wrath of Man (Jul. 23), The Goldfinch (Jul. 26), The Angry Birds Movie 2 (Jul. 27), Anna (Jul. 30)
Here’s the complete list of everything coming to Netflix Canada in July, along with what’s leaving.
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Coming in July (no release date specified)
Feels Like Ishq (Netflix series) – Short films follow young adults as they navigate the gamut of emotions that come with finding romantic connection in unexpected places.
How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast): Season 3 (Netflix series) – When Lenny’s health takes a turn for the worse, the guys put their differences aside to raise money for his treatment. But new threats loom.
Thursday, July 1
Audible (Netflix documentary) – Amaree Mckenstry-Hall and his teammates at Maryland School for the Deaf pursue success in football while coping with personal struggles and tragedy.
Dynasty Warriors (Netflix film) – Warlords, warriors and statesmen wage a battle for supremacy in this fantasy tale based on the hit video games and the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”
Generation 56k (Netflix series) – Having formed a bond during the 56K modem era, Matilda and Daniel meet again by chance two decades later. Can their friendship turn into something else?
Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway (Netflix anime) – After Char’s rebellion, Hathaway Noa leads an insurgency against Earth Federation, but meeting an enemy officer and a mysterious woman alters his fate.
Young Royals (Netflix series) – Prince Wilhelm adjusts to life at his prestigious new boarding school, Hillerska, but following his heart proves more challenging than anticipated.
A.P. Bio: Seasons 1-2
Beetlejuice
The Debt
Disturbia
Eyes Wide Shut
Five Feet Apart
I’ll See You in My Dreams
The Impossible
Jane Eyre
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Larry Crowne
LEGO: CITY Adventures: Season 1
Max & Ruby: Season 4
Moneyball
Morning Glory
Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn: Season 2
Outbreak
Pokémon Journeys: The Series: Parts 1-4
Sailor Moon Crystal: Seasons 1-3
SpongeBob SquarePants: Season 7
Spy Kids
Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams
Spy Kids 3: Game Over
Spy Kids: All the Time in the World
Tom and Jerry: The Movie
Up in the Air
War of the Worlds
Wild Rose
Friday, July 2
The 8th Night (Netflix film) – With prayer beads in one hand and an axe in the other, a monk hunts down a millennia-old spirit that’s possessing humans and unleashing hell on Earth.
Fear Street Part 1: 1994 (Netflix film) – After a series of brutal slayings, a teen and her friends take on an evil force that’s plagued their notorious town for centuries. Welcome to Shadyside.
Haseen Dillruba (Netflix film) – Under investigation as a suspect in her husband’s murder, a wife reveals details of their thorny marriage that seem to only further blur the truth.
Mortel: Season 2 (Netflix series) – When Obé returns — in a startling new form — and begins to raise an army of followers at the school, Sofiane, Victor and Luisa race to stop a disaster.
Now You See Me
Sunday, July 4
We The People (Netflix family) – Learn the basics of rights and citizenship with upbeat songs by popular artists like Janelle Monáe, H.E.R., Adam Lambert, Brandi Carlile and more.
Monday, July 5
You Are My Spring (Netflix series) – A hotel concierge and a psychiatrist with traumatic childhoods form a heartfelt bond when they become entangled in a perplexing local murder case.
Tuesday, July 6
I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson: Season 2 (Netflix comedy special) – The critically acclaimed and hilariously absurdist sketch comedy series, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson returns for a second season. Creators and writers Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin bring their distinct comedy style and observational humour to the forefront, continuing to poke fun at life’s most bizarre and mundane situations. Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone (The Lonely Island) and Ali Bell for Party Over Here serve as executive producers alongside Alex Bach and Dan Powell for Irony Point. Alice Mathias serves as executive producer and directed most sketches alongside Zach Kanin.
Wednesday, July 7
Cat People (Netflix documentary) – Cat people come in all shapes and sizes, but they share a love for their enchanting, unique feline friends. This docuseries reveals their tales.
Dogs: Season 2 (Netflix documentary) – Their love for dogs — and their dogs’ love for them — becomes a lifeline for an astronaut, a Brazilian priest, a college mascot’s caregiver and more.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Little Fockers
Meet the Fockers
Meet the Parents
The Mire: ’97 (Netflix series) – The flood of the century unearths another body in Gronty forest and with it comes corruption, scams from the ’90s and long-hidden secrets from WWII.
Peter Pan
Major Grom: Plague Doctor (Netflix film) – When a masked vigilante’s killing spree throws a city into chaos, a renegade detective and his rookie partner are the only ones who can stop it.
The War Next-door (Netflix series) – After winning a house in a raffle, the humble but loving López family moves to a posh neighbourhood, where the snobby Espinozas give them a cold welcome.
Thursday, July 8
Elize Matsunaga: Once Upon a Crime (Netflix documentary) – The crime shocked Brazil: Elize Matsunaga shot and dismembered her rich husband. Featuring her first interview, this docuseries dives deep into the case.
Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness (Netflix anime) – Years after the horrors of Raccoon City, Leon and Claire find themselves consumed by a dark conspiracy when a viral attack ravages the White House.
Friday, July 9
Atypical: Season 4 (Netflix series) – With Casey and Sam both on the cusp of leaving the nest, each member of the Gardner family faces big decisions about where life will go next.
Biohackers: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Missing time and disturbing visions haunt Mia as she races to piece together the sudden changes in her life — and why she can’t remember any of them.
The Cook of Castamar (Netflix series) – In 1720 Madrid, a talented cook catches the eye of a widowed duke just as he returns to aristocratic society. Based on the novel by Fernando J. Múñez.
Fear Street Part 2: 1978 (Netflix film) – In the cursed town of Shadyside, a killer’s murder spree terrorizes Camp Nightwing and turns a summer of fun into a gruesome fight for survival.
How I Became a Superhero (Netflix film) – In a world where humans and superheroes coexist, a lone wolf cop teams up with a bright detective to dismantle a dark plot to extract superpowers.
Last Summer (Netflix film) – During summer vacation in a beachside town, 16-year-old Deniz seeks the affection of his childhood crush and navigates a love triangle.
Lee Su-geun: The Sense Coach (Netflix comedy special) – Lee Su-geun’s rise to Korean comedy stardom went hand in hand with his mastery over picking up social cues. Now, he’s ready to share his know-hows.
Virgin River: Season 3 (Netflix series) – Mel and her loved ones in Virgin River support each other while facing all sorts of troubles: death, a fire, custody arguments, breakups and more.
Sunday, July 11
It Chapter Two
Tuesday, July 13
Ridley Jones (Netflix family) – Curious kid Ridley and her friends protect the Museum of Natural History’s treasures and keep its magical secret safe: Everything comes alive at night!
Trust
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Wednesday, July 14
A Classic Horror Story (Netflix film) – In this gruesome suspense film, strangers travelling in southern Italy become stranded in the woods, where they must fight desperately to get out alive.
Gunpowder Milkshake (Netflix film) – Three generations of women fight back against those who could take everything from them in the mother of all action movies.
Heist (Netflix documentary) – From Dirty Robber—the producers behind 2021’s Oscar-winning Best Short Film Two Distant Strangers—and Emmy nominated director Derek Doneen, comes a new Netflix documentary series chronicling three of the biggest heists in modern American history, as explained by the people who pulled them off. A 21-year-old woman steals millions in Vegas casino cash. An aspiring father swipes a fortune from the Miami airport… and uses TV shows to learn how to get away with it. A Kentucky dad is accused of one of the biggest bourbon burglaries in history. Using dynamic reenactments, original interviews, and a fast-paced style that fits perfectly into the cinematic canon alongside films like Ocean’s Eleven and Catch Me If You Can, directors Derek Doneen (The Price of Free), Martin Desmond Roe (Two Distant Strangers), and Nick Frew (We Are the Champions) each take the helm of a single heist, told over two episodes.
My Unorthodox Life (Netflix series) – Follow Julia Haart, Elite World Group CEO and a former member of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, and her adult kids in this reality series.
Private Network: Who Killed Manuel Buendía? (Netflix documentary) – A deep dive into the work of renowned Mexican journalist Manuel Buendía looks to unravel his murder and the ties between politics and drug trafficking.
Thursday, July 15
A Perfect Fit (Netflix film) – When fashion blogger Saski walks into a Bali store looking for the perfect shoes for a big event, she inadvertently alters her destiny.
BEASTARS: Season 2 (Netflix anime) – Accepting his predatory instincts, Legoshi vows to become stronger for Hal’s sake. Meanwhile, the herbivore killer is still on the loose.
Emicida: AmarElo – Live in São Paulo (Netflix documentary) – Brazilian rapper Emicida brings his progressive rhymes and eclectic beats to São Paulo’s Theatro Municipal as he performs hits from the album “AmarElo.”
The Final Girls
My Amanda (Netflix film) – Two unusually close friends share every aspect of their lives together but as their own worlds change and evolve, their bond remains the only constant.
Never Have I Ever: Season 2 (Netflix series) – A new love life, a new classmate and new reasons to bicker with mom give Devi plenty more ways to make courageous moves… and questionable decisions.
Peppa Pig: Season 6
Top Gun
Friday, July 16
Deep (Netflix film) – Four insomniac med school students are lured into a neuroscience experiment that spirals out of control – and must find a way out before it’s too late.
Explained: Season 3 (Netflix documentary) – From monarchies to apologies, pooches to plastic surgery, this docuseries explores a wide range of fascinating topics to illuminate your world. New episodes weekly.
Fear Street Part 3: 1666 (Netflix film) – Dark secrets. Unspeakable evil. The merciless world of 1666 holds the truth behind a powerful curse — and the key to one town’s future.
Johnny Test (Netflix family) – How much trouble could one imaginative boy, his faithful dog and two science-loving sisters possibly get into? Hmm, that sounds like a challenge!
Van Helsing: Season 5 (Netflix series) – In the final season, the Van Helsings discover the roots of the Dark One, Vanessa languishes in the Dark Realm, and Dracula rules from the White House.
Saturday, July 17
Cosmic Sin
Tuesday, July 20
milkwater
Wednesday, July 21
The Movies That Made Us: Season 2 (Netflix documentary) – Get the real story behind the blockbusters that defined a generation. Actors, directors and industry insiders lead the way on entertaining deep dives.
Sexy Beasts (Netflix series) – Hoping to say goodbye to superficial dating, real-life singles sport elaborate makeup and prosthetics to put true blind-date chemistry to the test.
Too Hot to Handle: Brazil (Netflix series) – Ten sizzling hot Brazilians meet at a dreamy beach resort. But for a shot at R$500,000, they’ll have to give up sex in this fun reality show.
Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans (Netflix family) – Heroes from “Trollhunters”, “3Below”, and “Wizards” join forces to fight a shadowy enemy threatening to take over their worlds — and reset Earth itself.
Thursday, July 22
Still Working 9 to 5
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (Netflix anime) – After meeting one bright, sunny day, a shy boy who expresses himself through haiku and a bubbly but self-conscious girl share a brief, magical summer.
Friday, July 23
A Second Chance: Rivals! (Netflix family) – In this sequel, after a grown-up Maddy gets injured and can’t qualify for the Olympics, she starts coaching a team of elite junior gymnasts as they go up against rival team
Bankrolled (Netflix film) – Two directionless millennial bros get high and pitch a bold new social justice app that raises millions. Then they have to come up with the app.
Blood Red Sky (Netflix film) – Flying with her young son, a mysteriously ill woman is forced to unleash a dark secret when terrorists attempt to hijack their transatlantic flight.
Kingdom: Ashin of the North (Netflix film) – Tragedy, betrayal and a mysterious discovery fuel a woman’s vengeance for the loss of her tribe and family in this special episode of “Kingdom.”
The Last Letter From Your Lover (Netflix film) – After finding a trove of love letters from the 1960s, a journalist sets out to solve the mystery of a secret affair. Based on the novel by Jojo Moyes.
Masters of the Universe: Revelation (Netflix series) – The war for Eternia begins again in what may be the final battle between He-Man and Skeletor. A new animated series from writer-director Kevin Smith.
Sky Rojo: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Adrenaline and action are back in the driver’s seat in the second season of the series from the creators of “Money Heist”.
Wrath of Man
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Monday, July 26
The Goldfinch
The Walking Dead: Season 10
Tuesday, July 27
The Angry Birds Movie 2
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Mighty Express: Season 4 (Netflix family) – The adventure continues for a team of trains and their kid friends who overcome trouble on the tracks with quick thinking and teamwork!
Wednesday, July 28
Bartkowiak (Netflix film) – After his brother dies in a car crash, a young MMA fighter takes over the family nightclub and soon learns that his sibling’s death wasn’t an accident.
The Snitch Cartel: Origins (Netflix series) – In Cali during the ’70s and ’80s, two brothers juggle family, romance and the joint pursuit of a burning ambition: to rule Colombia’s drug industry.
Tattoo Redo (Netflix series) – Can skilled tattoo artists right wrongs by transforming their clients’ disastrous tattoos into walking works of art?
Thursday, July 29
Resort to Love (Netflix film) – A romantic comedy about aspiring pop star Erica (Christina Milian) who ends up as the entertainment at her ex-fiancé’s wedding after reluctantly taking a gig at a luxurious Mauritius island resort while in the wake of a music career meltdown. She tries to keep their past relationship a secret from his bride-to-be Beverly, but Erica rediscovers her feelings for her ex, Jason (Jay Pharoah), despite his brother Caleb’s (Sinqua Walls) attempts to keep them from falling back in love. In this warm and funny romantic story that explores the bonds of love and family, the question soon becomes will Erica sing at Beverly’s wedding – or her own?
Transformers: War for Cybertron: Kingdom (Netflix anime) – The final entry in the Cybertron trilogy, featuring a pivotal turn for the Beast Wars characters.
Friday, July 30
Anna
Centaurworld (Netflix family) – On a quest to reunite with her trusty rider, a fearless war horse journeys through a whimsical world filled with magic, adventure and singing centaurs.
Glow Up: Season 3 (Netflix series) – In this competition show, aspiring makeup artists navigate colourful challenges to win a career-making opportunity in the beauty industry.
The Last Mercenary (Netflix film) – Twenty-five years after he made a deal with the French Secret Service to protect his son, an agent is forced out of hiding.
Myth & Mogul: John DeLorean (Netflix documentary) – Combining exclusive access and interviews with never before seen footage shot by Oscar winning director D.A Pennebaker (“Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back”) this 3-part documentary series explores the rise and fall of automotive icon John Delorean, the poster boy of late ‘70s corporate greed. Epitomizing these hubristic times with his grandiose vision of the car of the future, the series will show how John DeLorean came to captivate the world.
Outer Banks: Season 2 (Netflix series) – Season 2 tests the crew like never before as the hit series returns for another round of summer adventures.
Cait, a water-obsessed border collie in the Kawarthas, developed hyponatremia (commonly known as water intoxication or water poisoning) after ingesting too much water. Although rare, hyponatremia can lead to serious complications including death if not recognized and treated quickly. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
Does your dog love to play in the water?
If so, with summer here and many people now bringing up pandemic puppies, you should be aware of a hidden danger for dogs that spend a lot of time in the water.
Dogs who fetch things from the water, jump off the cottage dock, dive under the water, chase waves, or chase a gushing stream from a garden hose, can unintentionally swallow a lot of water. And that can lead to hyponatremia, commonly known as water intoxication or water poisoning.
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We’re speaking from experience. kawarthaNOW publisher Jeannine Taylor and I have a nine-month-old border collie named Cait who recently ingested too much water — requiring an emergency trip to the vet.
Over the past few years, you may have heard of stories of people dying from drinking too much water. The most well-known one is the 28-year-old California woman who died within hours of taking part in a water-drinking contest run by a radio station.
More recently, a UK man tried to cure his COVID-like symptoms by drinking five litres of water a day and eventually collapsed in his bathroom. Fortunately, his wife was at home and called the paramedics who rushed him to hospital, where he recovered after a couple of days in intensive care.
There are also several stories of dogs who have died or become seriously ill after ingesting too much water. Earlier in June, American TV personality Jenna Compono posted on her Instagram about her dog Bocce’s life-threatening experience with water intoxication.
While water intoxication in both people and dogs is relatively rare, it can happen and all dog owners should be aware of the danger.
When a dog (or a human) ingests too much water, the electrolytes in their body can become diluted. Electrolytes are minerals — including sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and phosphate — that carry an electric charge in the blood. They help regulate nerve and muscle function and maintain the pH and fluid balance in the body.
Sodium is especially important and, if diluted by ingesting too much water too quickly, can lead to hyponatremia — which literally means “too little salt in the blood”. When this happens, cells in the body begin to swell with water, which can be fatal when it affects the brain.
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For water-loving dogs, hyponatremia is more likely to happen with breeds that have a lot of energy and focus — including herding breeds like border collies. Smaller dogs and dogs with little body fat also seem to be at higher risk, as are dogs that swim with their heads low in the water where they might accidentally swallow water.
For our border collie Cait, her obsession with chasing and biting waves is what led to her water intoxication and an emergency trip to the vet.
We were thrilled when Cait took to the water when she was first introduced to the lake at the cottage a few weeks ago. Our previous border collie Tess loved to swim, and it’s great low-impact exercise for a high-energy dog. But border collies can be obsessive-compulsive, and Cait soon became entranced by the waves — snapping at even the smallest disturbance in the water.
VIDEO: Border collie Cait chasing and biting waves
Originally, we thought this behaviour was odd but cute (we’ve always called her “Quirky Cait”, hence the video above). Our only concern was that she might inhale water, especially when chasing larger waves arriving on shore as a result of boat wakes.
As it turns out, inhaling water wasn’t the real danger.
Late on a Sunday afternoon, after Cait had spent hours chasing waves and playing in the water, Jeannine noticed Cait suddenly stopped playing and became lethargic. She began to cough and vomited a couple of times. At first, we thought she swallowed too much water and maybe took some water into her lungs and up her nose.
But Cait continued to act strangely, including sitting up with her eyes shut and glazed over. When she started to shuffle off down the driveway, ignoring our commands, we both knew something was wrong.
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Jeannine insisted we call the vet right away. It was Sunday, so the only vet open was the Kawartha Veterinary Emergency Clinic (KVEC) — the 24/7 vet clinic in Peterborough. Jeannine called KVEC, explained the situation, and they recommended we bring Cait in immediately for an examination.
So we packed up the car and drove the 90 minutes from the cottage to Peterborough. I sat with Cait in the backseat, where I noticed she was constantly drooling and her gums were oddly pale. She sat up most of the way (partially because I was afraid to let her sleep) and almost fell over a couple of times as if she had lost her balance.
When we arrived at KVEC, Cait seemed to be feeling better and we were confident it was just a close call. The KVEC staff took her in (COVID precautions were in place so we remained outside) and we waited in the car for the vet to call us. She did, and at first we were relieved when the vet told us Cait’s lungs were clear.
Border collie Cait loves to swim and is obsessed with waves. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
But then the vet said she wanted to test Cait’s blood to determine her electrolyte balance and warned us that, depending on the results of the test, Cait might need to stay overnight to receive intravenous fluids.
Naturally, the phones came out and we began researching and found the symptoms of water intoxication in dogs, which include nausea, vomiting, lethargy, loss of balance, glazed eyes, pale or light-coloured gums, and excessive salivation. Cait pretty much had every one.
We also read that hyponatremia can result in more serious symptoms such as seizures, coma, and death — and of course we also found all the stories of dogs that have died from water intoxication.
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So our collective stress level rose when the vet called back to confirm Cait had hyponatremia. She then read off the normal range of electrolytes and what Cait’s were — her levels of sodium, chloride, and potassium were all below normal. Fortunately, Cait’s levels were moderately below normal — still serious enough to warrant an IV drip and an overnight stay to gradually restore her electrolyte balance, but the vet assured us the prognosis was positive.
Border collie Cait back home and fully recovered after an overnight stay at the vet, where she received intravenous fluids to restore her electrolyte balance after developing hyponatremia from ingesting too much water. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
After several calls overnight to the vet to check on Cait’s condition, we found out she was indeed responding to treatment. The vet said we could pick her up in the morning. One large vet bill (“Costly Cait” has been added to “Quirky Cait”) and a lot of relief later, and Cait seems to have recovered.
Our intention with this story is not to stoke fears in the hearts of dog owners that their pooch shouldn’t be allowed to play in the water. Water play is great exercise for dogs and a lot of fun for both dogs and their owners, and water intoxication is not very common.
However, all dog owners should be aware of the potential risks, particularly if their dogs love playing in the water, as symptoms can happen quickly and may be fatal.
The best way to void the risk of dogs ingesting too much water is to limit the amount of time they stay in the water. Take frequent breaks and shift the play to land. If you have a dog like Cait, who is obsessed with waves, you will need to restrict access to the water. If playing fetch with your dog in the water, choose flatter objects so your dog doesn’t have to open its mouth so widely.
If your dog does show symptoms of water intoxication, get them to a vet as soon as possible as time is of the essence.
Thanks to Jeannine’s attention to Cait and her quick action in contacting the vet, and thanks to the work of the dedicated vets and staff at KVEC, Cait is still with us to enjoy some (closely monitored) time in the water.
The popular section of the Rotary Greenway Trail from Hunter to Douro streets in Peterborough's East City will be fully lit with %60,000 in LED lighting by the end of July thanks to an intiative spearheaded by Ashburnham Ale House owner Scott Wood, with support from sponsors Village BIA, Stoneguide Realty Limited, Shimano Canada, Wild Rock Outfitters, and the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.com)
‘It was a dark and lonely night’ may the quintessential opening sentence for a novel but, for those who hike or bike an East City portion of the Rotary Greenway Trail after the sun goes down, it’s a daunting proposition.
On Tuesday (June 22), a project that will see the trail from Hunter Street East to Douro Street fully lit with LED lighting for safer night use by the end of July was celebrated with contributors to the $60,000 project on hand, including Ashburnham Ale House owner Scott Wood who spearheaded the fundraising drive. It was an appropriate celebration for June, which is Bike Month in Ontario.
“One of the ways to make the best use of our trails is to make them usable 24/7 by lighting them,” said Sue Sauve, transportation demand planning manager with the City of Peterborough.
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“The number of people riding bicycles has increased five-fold over the last 15 years,” she added. “With that growth has come increased use of and reliance on the multi-use trails.”
Back in 2019, Wood took the idea of trail lighting to residents whose property backs onto that part of the trail and heard no negative comments. In May 2020, city council formally endorsed the project.
“I will often walk the trail in the evening, especially in the winter months, and without lighting — even in the summer — if there’s no moon, it’s so dark with the canopy of trees,” said Wood, a resident of nearby Mark Street. “I’ve often walked right off the trail. When it’s not light out, it can be quite scary and a hazard for people slipping and falling in the winter. With lights, you can see if there’s ice and not slip.”
Ashburnham Ale House owner Scott Wood and City of Peterborough transportation demand management planner Sue Sauve stand by the boulder that will soon be home to an embossed metal plaque that will recognize the contributors to the $60,000 cost of lighting the Rotary Greenway Trail from Hunter Street East to Douro Street in Peterborough’s East City. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
Contributing to the total cost along with Ashburnham Ale House are the Village BIA, Stoneguide Realty Limited, Shimano Canada, Wild Rock Outfitters, and the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha.
Barry Electric Contractors, owned by Chris Woods, will soon start the installation work at a greatly reduced rate, according to Wood.
An embossed metal plaque recognizing each project sponsor will be mounted on a large boulder about halfway along the trail section.
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“My job as fundraiser was really quite easy with the giving folks that are here today,” said Wood.
Tom Bennett, a Rotary member and co-owner of Stoneguide Realty Limited, said his company’s donation resulted from his having lunch one day at Ashburnham Ale House “and it came to be.”
“It’s better for all of us when our community has safe places for people to travel,” he added.
This mock-up of the embossed metal plaque that will recognize sponsors’ contributions to the lighting of Rotary Greenway Trail from Hunter Street East to Douro Street was on display at an update on the project held June 22, 2021. (Photo: Paul Rellinger / kawarthaNOW)
According to Sauve, of the 32 kilometres of multi-use trails in the city, 4.7 kilometres are lit already. In 2016, an anonymous donation made through the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough enabled the lighting of the trail link from Water Street to the main trail just east of Water and Hilliard streets.
While noting that there isn’t currently a city budget to light more trail sections, Sauve says that is “on our radar” and will be done as resources become available.
“When we look at the automated counters we have, we see that pedestrian counts on a typical day are about 72 per cent in the winter of what they are in the summer, so we know there’s a growing year-round use of the trails,” Sauve said. “The investment is really having results.”
Here’s an update on COVID-19 cases in Ontario as well as in the greater Kawarthas region.
Ontario is reporting 296 new cases today, but this total includes around 80 cases from Toronto last year as a result of a data review and cleaning initiative, so the actual number of cases reported yesterday is around 216.
Most of the cases are in Waterloo (61), Toronto (123, with actual cases reported yesterday around 43), York (37), Peel (20), Hamilton (11), and Ottawa (11). The seven-day average of daily cases has decreased by 11 to 323.
Hospitalizations have increased by 73 to 334, but this increase may be attributed to underreporting by more than 10% of hospitals yesterday. Patients in ICUs have decreased by 9 to 314, and the number of patients on ventilators remains unchanged at 202.
Ontario is reporting 60 new deaths today, but 54 of these deaths are from previous months so the actual increase in deaths from yesterday is 6. There has been 1 new death in a long-term care home, although this may have been a previous death as well.
Almost 13 million vaccine doses have been administered, an increase of 199,535 since yesterday, with over 87% of Ontario’s total population now having received at least one dose. Over 3.1 million people have been fully vaccinated, with 172,672 people receiving their second dose yesterday, representing over 21% of the total population.
COVID-19 cases in Ontario from May 22 – June 21, 2021. The red line is the number of new cases reported daily, and the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of new cases. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions in Ontario from May 22 – June 21, 2021. The red line is the daily number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, the dotted green line is a five-day rolling average of hospitalizations, and the purple line is the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in ICUs. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario from May 22 – June 21, 2021. The red line is the cumulative number of daily doses administered and the green line is the cumulative number of people fully vaccinated with two doses of vaccine. (Graphic: kawarthaNOW.com)
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In the greater Kawarthas region, there are 3 new cases to report in Peterborough.
For the first time since March 23, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit is reporting no new cases in Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland, and Haliburton. There are also no new cases in Hastings Prince Edward.
There are 2 new hospitalizations in Peterborough.
An additional 14 cases have been resolved across the region, including 10 in Peterborough, 2 in Kawartha Lakes, 1 in Hastings Prince Edward, and 1 in Northumberland.
Active cases have decreased across all regional health units — by 4 in Peterborough, by 2 in Kawartha Lakes, by 1 in Northumberland, and by 1 in Hastings Prince Edward — except for Haliburton, where active cases are unchanged.
There are currently 40 active cases in the greater Kawarthas region, a decrease of 8 since yesterday, including 20 in Peterborough, 9 in Northumberland, 8 in Kawartha Lakes, 2 in Hastings Prince Edward (1 in Quinte West and 1 in Belleville), and 1 in Haliburton.
Since the pandemic began in the greater Kawarthas region, there have been 1,577 confirmed positive cases in the Peterborough area (1,536 resolved with 21 deaths), 1,082 in the City of Kawartha Lakes (1,030 resolved with 57 deaths), 943 in Northumberland County (917 resolved with 17 deaths), 122 in Haliburton County (120 resolved with 1 death), and 1,127 in Hastings and Prince Edward counties (1,114 resolved with 11 deaths). The most recent death was reported in Kawartha Lakes on June 5.
Police are looking for 80-year-old Robert Young who went missing from his Millbrook home on June 22, 2021. (Police-supplied photo)
Peterborough police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating 80-year-old Robert Young.
Missing man located
Peterborough police advise Robert Young was located safe and sound on June 22.
Police are concerned for Young’s well-being as he has moderate Alzheimer’s.
Young was last seen driving away from his home in Millbrook around 2 a.m. on Tuesday morning (June 22).
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He was last seen wearing a white ball cap, a beige and white bomber jacket, jeans or cords, and was driving a silver/grey Ford Escape with snow tire rims and license plate ANDH 759.
Young is described as 5’8″ and 155 pounds with blue eyes and short white hair. He is missing part of his index finger and middle finger on his right hand.
Anyone with information is asked to call Peterborough police at 705-876-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.stopcrimehere.ca.
Missing 80-year-old Robert Young, who has moderate Alzheimer’s, left his Millbrook home around 2 a.m. on June 22, 2021. (Police-supplied photo)
Jennifer Alicia, D.B. McLeod, and Stephanie Pangowish are three of the artists performing at the Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival in Peterborough from June 23 to 27, 2021. (Collage: kawarthaNOW)
The Nogojiwanong Indigenous Fringe Festival (NIFF) will offer live, COVID-safe outdoor-performances from Wednesday, June 23rd to Sunday, June 27th on the treaty and traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg and Chippewa Nations, collectively known as the Williams Treaties First Nations, at Trent University in Peterborough.
NIFF is now a drive-in event
Originally scheduled to be performed to small audiences at several outdoor locations on Trent University’s East Bank campus, the festival will now be taking place as a drive-in event in parking lot X to comply with the performing arts restrictions of step one of the Ontario government’s reopening plan. For details, visit indigenousfringefest.ca/news.html.
In this two-part series, we introduce you to the artists performing at NIFF. Part one profiled Sarah Gartshore and Lois Apaquash of Zaagi’idiwin Collective, Tiger Will Mason, and Olga Barrios and Norma Araiza of Vanguardia Dance Projects. This story profiles Jennifer Alicia, D.B. McLeod, and Stephanie Pangowish.
Jennifer Alicia. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Alicia)
Two-time National Poetry Slam champion Jennifer Alicia has been writing ever since they were young.
“It’s just something that I’ve always done,” Alicia says. “As a child, writing really helped me navigate and process some traumatizing situations in a healthy way.”
But it wasn’t until Alicia attended X University (formerly Ryerson University) that they were introduced to the powers and possibilities of spoken word poetry.
“I began doing my poetry at rallies and activist spaces and I realized that connecting with an audience was something I really enjoyed,” Alicia recalls. “It’s really powerful to share a story and to have folks connect with it.”
Since then, Alicia has become a prolific spoken word and page poet.
A member of both the Toronto Poetry Slam team and Seeds & Stardust collective, they have has performed poetry in cities throughout Turtle Island, debuted their first chapbook Mixed Emotions (published by Moon Jelly House), and was artist-in-residence for the Indigenous Storyteller and Spoken Word program at the prestigious Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
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It was during their residency in Banff that Alicia conceived of their first script, Restor(y)ing Identity, which will be performed live for the first time ever at NIFF.
“I was thinking about home and talking to my family a lot,” Alicia explains. “The more we spoke, I kind of felt this feeling of being unblocked — I don’t know how to explain it, it was as if things started being released in my brain. Suddenly, I remembered hearing this story about my pop.”
Originally hailing from Elmastukwek, Ktaqmkuk (Bay Of Islands, Newfoundland), Alicia comes from a long line of fishers, hunters, and trappers. Based on a true familial tale about Alicia’s grandfather, Restor(y)ing Identity tells the story of a fisherman who encounters a sabawealnu (Mi’kmaw word for merperson) while checking his fishing nets.
“I became obsessed with this story about my pop seeing a mermaid while checking his fishing nets,” Alicia says. “And so Restor(y)ing Identity is based on this familial tale. It talks about the moment my Pop had this interaction with this being. It also touches on the importance of sharing our stories, and what could happen if we don’t share our stories. It’s told from my pop’s perspective and also from my perspective, his granddaughter.”
“I’m really proud to be able to bring this story to the world’s first Indigenous fringe festival — it’s really exciting,” Alicia adds.
D.B. McLeod – Denis with an “E”
D.B. McLeod. (Photo: D.B. McLeod / Twitter)
D.B. McLeod was cornered by her friend and fellow NIFF performer, Stephanie Pangowish, at a social gathering. There, Pangowish convinced McLeod to take a comedy writing workshop hosted by Baroness Von Sketch Show writer and comedian Dawn Whitwell.
“She cornered me and was like, ‘You! You’re funny, you’re doing this with me!’,” McLeod recalls. “And I was a little bit scared of Steph at the time, so I agreed.”
After the workshop, the pair spent eight consecutive Saturdays writing jokes and developing material together. Soon after that, they began performing stand-up.
“It was literally supposed to be a hobby,” says McLeod. “It was just going to be a thing that I did for fun, but it’s sort of evolved into this other thing now.”
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The “other thing” is Manifest Destiny’s Child — the Indigenous women’s stand-up comedy collective, which McLeod and Pangowish helped found, with quite possibly the best name ever.
“There’s so many layers to it,” says McLeod of the collective’s name. “It is really funny because of Destiny’s Child and because it’s just funny to put those three words together.”
More significantly, manifest destiny is a direct reference to the widely held cultural belief of 19th-century American settlers that they were destined to expand across North America — resulting in the occupation and annexation of Indigenous peoples’ lands, wars and conflict, and “Indian removal” — the U.S. government policy of forced displacement of Indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands.
“If I think about it in a more political sort of way, we are the children of manifest destiny,” McLeod says. “Our ancestors survived so that we could be here telling jokes about ridiculousness and laughing at white people.”
“It’s about reclamation and again, you know, as the children of manifest destiny, thinking about all of those Indigenous women that have been taken from us or missing or murdered — we’re still here and they’re … you know. With the collective, audiences get eight very different examples of the reality of Indigenous women in this country.”
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McLeod’s comedy show Denis with an “E” — inspired by the alarming number of people who pronounce her name as “Dennis” (evidently, the illiteracy crisis is far worse than anyone could ever have imagined) — makes fun of patriarchy, sexism, fatphobia, colonization, and colonialism.
“I’m part of the last generation of the sixties scoop and that horrifying intergenerational trauma made me really funny,” McLeod says. “My humour is really dark. I have lived this very weird, interesting life, and I have a lot of funny stories that kind of come from that.”
Regrettably, kawarthaNOW was unable to contact stand-up comedian and Manifest Destiny’s Child co-founder Stephanie Pangowish for an interview — the CBC got to her first!
Given the hilarity of her NIFF artist’s bio (below), it’s safe to say that her stand-up comedy NIFF show will side-splitting.
“Stephanie Pangowish is a sassy and assy Anishnaabekwe from Wiikwemkoong on Manitoulin Island and is the co-founder of Canada’s 1st collective of Indigenous women stand-up comedians, Manifest Destiny’s Child.”
“She originally started performing to make her angry mom laugh and avoid the wooden spoon but now uses it to educate Canadians on Indigenous Culture.
“Stephanie has danced at pow wows for the past 10 winters, has watched every movie starring Adam Beach and pretends to have read all books about Indigenous people.”
To learn more about the world’s first and only Indigenous fringe festival and the amazing participating performers, visit NIFF’s website at indigenousfringefest.ca.
Phyllis, a volunteer driver for Community Care Peterborough in Havelock, has driven throughout this pandemic to help clients get to important medical appointments. The not-for-profit organization that provides services to seniors and adults with physical challenges is looking for volunteer drivers who, like Phyllis, are caring and reliable. (Photo: Community Care Peterborough / Facebook)
Community Care Peterborough, which provides services to seniors and adults with physical challenges, is looking for reliable and caring volunteer drivers to help clients get to appointments or activities.
“As the province reopens, we know the demand for driving to in-person appointments will also increase,” says Alicia Vandine, donor relations and communications lead with Community Care Peterborough. in a media release. “Our clients have been managing with virtual appointments but they too are anxiously awaiting for other in-person care services to open up as well.”
Among other trips, volunteers can drive clients to a medical appointment, a local grocery store, or even a hair salon (when they can open again). Volunteer drivers can choose to drive clients short distances in the Peterborough area or long distances to medical appointments in Toronto, Oshawa, and Kingston.
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“The volunteer driver commitment involves picking up a client and dropping them off at their appointment or activity and then later, picking up the same client and returning them to their home,” says Darci Maude, volunteer development coordinator with Community Care Peterborough. “Volunteer drivers receive some reimbursement which is paid to them by the client to help offset the cost of gas and wear and tear on their vehicle.”
Community Care Peterborough is looking for volunteer drivers who live across the city and county of Peterborough. The not-for-profit organization’s local offices — in Apsley, Buckhorn, Chemung, Havelock, Lakefiled, Millbrook, Norwood, and Peterborough — organize each drive, and volunteers can choose which locations for which they want to drive.
Drives are scheduled around each volunteer’s availability. Clients being driven by volunteers must be able to get in and out of a conventional vehicle safely and independently.
“When you volunteer to be a driver, you will be helping people in your local community,” Maude says. “We can only do as many drives for clients as we have drivers. Volunteers are crucial for this program to meet the needs of clients.”
For more information about Community Care Peterborough, volunteering, and to contact a local office, visit www.commcareptbo.org.
Imad Mahfouz (second from right) came to Canada in 2015 with his family (son Abdullah, wife Nerveen, and daughter Zeina) to escape the war in Syria and settled in Peterborough. The family of four obtained their Canadian citizenship in 2020. Imad, who loves cooking, was a restaurateur in Syria and plans to open a restaurant in his new home community of Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of the Mahfouz family)
This #CookWithNCC story is one of a series commissioned by the New Canadians Centre in Peterborough, in which newcomers share their experiences in Canada along with a recipe from their home culture.
For Imad Mahfouz, a Canadian newcomer who has settled with his family in Peterborough, cooking is his passion, talent, and expertise.
The Syrian native owned a restaurant in Damascus before relocating to Canada in 2015 with his wife Nerveen, son Abdullah, and daughter Zeina, to escape the war and find a safer place to live as a family.
Imad developed his love for cooking in his teenage years while helping his mother in the kitchen. After high school, he decided to make his passion for cooking his career by studying at the Hotel and Tourism Training Centre in Damascus.
Imad Mahfouz during a pre-pandemic event in downtown Peterborough. The pandemic has temporarily put on hold Imad’s plans to open a Syrian restaurant in Peterborough. While living in Syria in 1995, he opened his own restaurant called Liwan Alsham. (Photo courtesy of the Mahfouz family)
In 1995, Imad achieved his dream of opening his own restaurant, which he named Liwan Alsham. The restaurant served Middle Eastern dishes such as shawarma, kebabs, flatbreads, and salads like tabouli and fattoush.
He plans to reclaim that dream by opening a Syrian restaurant in Peterborough, although the pandemic has delayed those plans.
In the meantime, he is excited to share Middle Eastern cuisine with his community in Peterborough, including his recipe for the Syrian stuffed-vegetable appetizer yalanji.
“It’s a vegetable recipe everyone loves back home in Syria,” says Imad. “We serve it on every occasion because it is so tasty and easy to eat at any time of the day.”
Although he has had trouble finding all of the ingredients for yalanji in Peterborough, Imad has found them in Middle Eastern grocery stores in the GTA. The recipe takes a long time to make but, according to Imad, if made the correct Syrian way, yalanji is well worth the effort.
“I have shared it with Canadian friends, and they liked it so much,” Imad says.
“They said it’s hard to make because it takes a long time, but they are happy to eat it if I keep making it for them,” Imad laughs. “I think that sharing food is part of settling and getting to know each other’s culture.”
Reproducing and sharing home foods is a great way for Canadian newcomers to construct a collective social identity of being immigrants in a new land. Imad says building relationships with fellow new Canadians facing similar circumstances was a comfort as he and his family worked to settle in their new country.
“It was hard in the beginning as we faced difficulties understanding and speaking the language,” Imad recalls. “After we got to know new Canadian friends who helped us settle down, and we learned more about each other’s cultures, we felt a sense of home and belonging here — especially after getting our Canadian citizenship last year.”
Imad Mahfouz with his family during a pre-pandemic trip to Niagara Falls. After arriving in Peterborough from Syria, the family received help getting settled from the New Canadians Centre Peterborough and now, after six years, feels a sense of home and belonging in Canada. (Photo courtesy of the Mahfouz family)
When Imad, his wife, and two children first arrived in Canada in 2015, they initially stayed in Lindsay before moving the following year to Peterborough, where they received help from the New Canadians Centre.
According to Imad, the organization helped him find a home to rent for his family, improve his English, and register his children in sports, activities, and school.
“They helped us a lot to settle down in Peterborough,” Imad notes. “I now belong to Canada — the country that welcomed me and secured a safe home for my family.”
Nevertheless, the journey to settle into a new home country has not been without its struggles. Imad recalls adjusting to the language barrier and Canadian winters as two major hurdles during his first years in Canada.
After six years in Canada, and now used to the cold winters and more proficient in English, Imad says the friendly people and fantastic community around him make it easy to call Canada home.
However, this past year has been challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Imad tragically losing his father to the virus.
Imad Mahfouz with his daughter Zeina and wife Nerveen (and son Abdullah behind the camera) enjoying Canada’s outdoors. Along with learning English, Canadian winters were a challenge for the Syrian family. The family also suffered a loss during the pandemic, when Imad’s father died in Syria after contracting the virus. (Photo courtesy of the Mahfouz family)
“It has affected everyone,” Imad says. “I wish I could see my family in person. My dad had COVID and passed away, and I couldn’t see him and say goodbye after eight years without seeing him. We are glad we have social media, so at least we can communicate with our family and friends back home.”
While cooking has always been a passion for Imad, it has a special emotional and ethnic meaning for him since relocating to Canada, especially when cooking Syrian dishes. There is personal attachment and positive memories in these recipes. Cooking them here in Canada acts as a form of identity negotiation, since food can connect him back to his memories in Syria while remaining in Canada.
“My beautiful days were in my youth when I used to cook in Syria with my friends in college and then cooking at my restaurant,” Imad recalls. “So now, each time I make a dish and our Canadians friends try it and like it, I feel the same feelings I did in Syria.”
Imad Mahfouz with his daughter Zeina after she graduated from Grade 8. (Photo courtesy of the Mahfouz family)
One dish that seems to represent Imad’s identity as a new Syrian-Canadian is his poutine recipe.
“I discovered poutine here,” Imad notes. “I like it and I make it at home for my family. I make it by mixing Canadian and Syrian food. I put shawarma on top of the poutine with the gravy. My family likes it, and they ask me all the time to make it again.”
A unique Syrian-Canadian dish like Imad’s take on poutine might even make its way onto the menu of the restaurant he plans to open in Peterborough once the pandemic is over.
“I hope everything will get back to normal, and I can share my food from my restaurant with the fantastic community here,” Imad says.
Imad also has plans to open a non-for-profit kitchen to feed people in need, which he also expects to open in the near future.
Until then, Imad shares a bit of Syrian food with the community by sharing his Yalanji recipe — a dish he notes that everyone, including vegetarians, can enjoy.
“I am happy to share a piece of my culture by sharing this recipe with people here in Canada,” says Imad. “It makes me so happy when people like my food.”
The Mahfouz family today: Abdullah, Imad, Nerveen, and Zeina. (Photo courtesy of the Mahfouz family)
Aromas, flavours, ingredients, who we cook for and how we share our recipes — they all tell stories that shape us as a community. On this journey through pantries and kitchens, we hope that you will fill both your plate and your heart.
Share your experience trying out these recipes, or your own story and recipe, on social media using the hashtag #CookWithNCC.
To join the New Canadians Centre on their 40-year journey of welcoming immigrants and refugees, visit nccpeterborough.ca.
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