Every business owner deserves a fair chance to sell their products to their consumers. But as the co-founder of Bobcaygeon Brewing Co., I can tell you that today, Ontario craft brewers don’t have that opportunity.

The current alcohol retail system in Ontario isn’t a level playing field for craft breweries. It limits who can sell alcohol, where stores can be located, and restricts where people can buy by 12- and 24-packs.

A recent government report noted that, “nowhere else in the world does a government give the biggest beer companies special privileges at the expense of the rest of the industry.”

The government’s move to end this deal is the right thing to do for Ontario consumers, craft beer lovers, and taxpayers.

I look forward to the day where our customers have the opportunity to pick up our beer at dozens of other retail stores across the Kawarthas — where and when it’s convenient for them.

I also look forward to the day when our brewery is not prohibited from opening additional retail locations, or setting up pop-up locations such as farmers’ markets and community events, like Ontario wineries already do.

Such an opportunity will only come if the government ends the deal that stifles our growth and builds a new retail system that supports craft beer.

By putting a few simple measures in place, we can ensure the new retail system supports Ontario’s craft industry. This can be done by setting aside a minimum amount of shelf space for craft beer in every channel, and preventing listing and stocking fees so consumer demand decides what goes on store shelves, not whoever has the deepest pockets.

The government should make these small but important measures the building blocks of the new system. Doing so will help them improve consumer choice and convenience, create new jobs across the province, and allow craft breweries to compete on a level playing field.

Find out more about increasing choice and convenience by visiting www.craftbeerfreedom.ca.

Richard Wood is the president and co-founder of the Bobcaygeon Brewing Company.

On Sunday, May 26th, roughly 80 people gathered over the course of the day at the Ballyduff Trails for two separate guided indigenous medicine walks, eager to learn about the cultural, medicinal, and ecological importance of different native plant species found in the area.

Throughout the day, participants had the chance to look at and learn hands on about different plants found along the trails of the 260-acre McKim-Garsonnin property that is protected by Kawartha Land Trust through a Conservation Easement Agreement.

“Our landscape is waiting for us to come home,” said walk leader Joe Pitawanakwat, founder and director of Creators Garden, an indigenous outdoor-education based business that teaches about the history, philosophy, and legitimacy of plant-based medicine.

“If we can tap into the world around us, we can be healthy and live in harmony.”

Originally from Manitoulin Island, but now based out of Peterborough, Pitawanakwat — along with his friend Beedahbin Peltier of Indigenize.ca, a business that offers indigenization consultation, policy advising, and education work that co-hosted the walk along with Kawartha Land Trust — led two informative walks over the course of the day.

Both men have helped design indigenous perspective curricula for universities and colleges (Peltier is also a professor of indigenous studies at Fleming College) and continue to actively educate the general public about plant-based medicine and sustainable harvesting of plants.

The first group set off on the three-kilometre red trail, where they learned about different kinds of plants and their medicinal uses. Property owner Jean Garsonnin joined the morning walk. She and her husband Ralph McKim have owned the extensive property since 1986 and have done an exceptional job at restoring the land and its ecosystems, turning it into a nature lover’s delight.

Located on the Oak Ridges Moraine near Pontypool, the Ballyduff Trails take hikers through different kinds of environments that include rolling hills, cedar forests, tall grass prairie, mixed forests, and wetland areas.

Holding up a leaf from a bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) plant, Pitawanakwat explained to the group the significance of the highly toxic plant for traditional medicine.

“When you look at the leaf, which body part does this remind you of?” he asked.

After a few unsuccessful guesses from the group, he went on to explain how bloodroot, known as Mskwiiwjiibik, has been used by midwives as a traditional medicine to help treat fibroids and acts as an aid for pregnancy.

“The leaf is the same shape as a uterus, and the blood-red colour of the roots symbolizes … well,” he said with a chuckle, “I think the rest of you can guess what that relates to!”

The call of an eastern wood-peewee and the faint whooshing sound of the wind turbines along the hills acted as a musical backdrop to Pitawanakwat’s talk.

“Treat plants as if they are your friends, because they are,” he said. “Listen to them. Read them. Look at them in depth. Just sit with them and pay attention to them. Every plant is telling a story.”

Moving on, participants were taught that wild violets (Viola spp.) are used for anti-inflammatory purposes, whereas Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) has been traditionally used for women’s medicine to induce labour and aid in menstruation. The fruit of Mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) on the other hand can be boiled into a tea and used as a solution to aid in gardening to deter pests, whereas trillium roots can be used for fishing.

Gently removing a sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) from the ground, Pitawanakwat passed the plant around the group, asking them to look at the plant and think about it.

“Hepatica,” he said. “What does that remind you of? What word does that remind you of? Hep—.” He paused for the people in the group to speak up and guess.

“Hepatitis?” one participant piped up.

“Exactly! This plant, known as binezit waabigonii, is used in traditional medicine for the liver. Now who can say it with me? Binezit waabigonii.” Participants attempted to repeat the plant’s indigenous name before moving on.

For the afternoon walk, Pitawanakwat lead the second group, which was mostly made up of Fleming and Trent students, to the yellow and orange trails in the “Back 40” area of the property.

Stopping next to a beech tree, the group was taught about the mighty Fagus americana, and how indigenous cultures make a tea with the roots of the tree to create a black ink that is traditionally used for tattooing.

A scarlet tanager greeted the group with its joyful chorus high up in the beech leaves, which definitely excited some group members as they stopped to photograph the red songbird.

Continuing on the walk, group members got to sample different wild plants along the way such as young basswood leaves, wild leeks, and trout lily leaves. One plant in particular, broadleaf toothwort (Cardamine dipylla) — also known as ndapin — seemed to be a hit with the group.

Similar in appearance and taste to the non-native and invasive garlic mustard, the plant is used in traditional medicine as an aid for cancer treatment as well as lung problems. Pitawanakwat dug up one of the plants from the ground, and passed the roots around, encouraging everyone to have a taste.

“It tastes kind of like horseradish,” one participant said, making a funny face due to the spiciness of the root.

During the remainder of the walk, Pitawanakwat explained to the group about the medicinal uses of miterwort (Mitella diphylla), which is used for earaches, field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta) that are given to women after childbirth, and wild mint (Mentha canadensis) that is used for treating everything from fevers to toothaches.

“Focus on the values, and the mental, emotional and physical capacities nature has in connection to us,” Peltier said. “We are all connected, just like the roots of the plants and trees surrounding us here. This is what grounds us. When we open up to nature it’s like when we open up to each other: we are all being exposed to something below the surface.”

At the end of each walk, everyone gathered back at the trail head where they had a chance to try four different teas, along with a small sample of a medicine that took 48 days to make and was created from 85 different plants.

“We don’t often share this medicine because it is sacred to us, but we want to share it with you all today,” Peltier explained.

“Our identities are relationship dependent, with not only ourselves, but with the land and everything that surrounds us naturally. Continue to have a relationship with plants, share the knowledge that you have learned, and continue to learn — and make sure that plants continue to thrive for future generations.”

The Indigenous Medicine Walk is just one of the many opportunities offered by Kawartha Land Trust to connect people with nature. To see the lineup of events this year, visit kawarthalandtrust.org.

About Kawartha Land Trust

The mission of Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) is “caring for lands entrusted to us and helping others protect the land they love.”

KLT currently protects 17 properties totalling 4,101 acres, and assists in the management of five additional properties.

The KLT office is located in The Mount Community Centre (1545 Monaghan Rd., Peterborough). To learn more or to make a donation, please visit kawarthalandtrust.org, call 705-743-5599, or email info@kawarthalandtrust.org.

Peterborough police are reminding residents that airports, including the Peterborough Airport, are “no drone zones”.

Twice this week at the Peterborough Airport, pilots spotted a drone in close proximity to aircraft while they were flying around the airport.

“This is a concern for the safety of the aircraft and the safety of the pilots,” says airport manager Lisa Davidson. “If a drone is struck in flight, resulting in a mid-air collision, it could cause the pilot to lose control of the aircraft, or seriously damage the plane causing an emergency situation.”

Drones are not allowed to be operated within 5.6 kilometres of an airport.

Davidson says that the drone was spotted twice flying appropriately 1,000 feet above the ground, dangerously close to aircraft flying in the circuit.

“In one instance the drone was noted to be black and orange in colour with flashing lights, which shows how close the drone was to the pilot in that case,” she pointa out.

“In both instances, Peterborough police were called and responded to the airport to assist with trying to find the location of the drone operator.”

Police encourage anyone with information regarding people who are flying drones near the airport to contact them or Crime Stoppers.

According to Transport Canada, drones are aircraft (which makes the person operating the drone a pilot) and drone pilots must follow the rules of the Canadian Aviation Regulations.

New drone rules come into effect in Canada on June 1, 2019.

Failure to follow the rules could result in strict penalties including fines and jail time.

Fines for individuals include up to $1,000 for flying without a drone pilot certificate, flying unregistered or unmarked drones, or flying where you are not allowed. If a drone operator puts aircraft and people at risk, they can be fined up to $3,000.

In addition, police can charge drone operators under the criminal code for mischief (obstructing lawful use or operation of property or endangering life), break and enter, and offences against air or maritime safety.

Louis Prins of Douro won $100,000 in the Lotto Max draw on May 17, 2019.

He matched six of the seven Encore numbers in exact order to win the $100,000 prize.

The 59-year-old carpenter says he went “numb” when he realized he was a big winner.

“I was at the store picking up bread and milk when I checked my ticket,” he says. “I play Lottario, Lotto 6/49, and Lotto Max. This is my first big win.”

Prins says he plans to use his winnings to complete some home renovations and to buy a truck and a four-wheeler.

“It feels really awesome to get this kind of money,” he says.

Prins purchased his winning ticket at Steve’s Quik Chek Variety on Armour Road in Peterborough.