Opinion

I don’t think anyone would disagree we are frustrated to see that the beginning of 2022 looks more like the beginning of 2021 than we hoped. With that said, working together, we’ve won some big victories this year on behalf of Niagara-on-the-Lake. While this is a critical moment in the fight against COVID-19, our hope is that this wave will ebb quicker than the ones before it … [Read more...] about Big victories for healthcare in 2021, but more to be done

If only moving on from the COVID pandemic were as easy as flipping the calendar to a new year.  But just days after we celebrated the arrival of 2022, we were all reminded that COVID and the Omicron variant still exists as a major risk to our health and well-being, and it’s unlikely to go away anytime soon.  As a result, we need to continue to be vigilant and … [Read more...] about Cautious optimism as we move into the year ahead

Last year at this time I reflected on why and how governments needed to align themselves on addressing public policy issues, such as housing affordability, long-term care, homelessness, sustainability in protecting our environment, mental health care, and sustainable government. To date, some advancements have been made but many issues remain a work in progress. Gains are … [Read more...] about Progress made in 2021; more to come in 2022

On our mild and misty Christmas day, I took my mother’s dog, Bella, for a walk. I just wanted to clear my head and think about the events over this past year. The streets were quiet, with just a couple of cars passing from time to time.   What a  year we have been through in 2021! Being in year two of the pandemic, we have learned a little about what works and what … [Read more...] about A look back at 2021 and what to expect in 2022

The passing of Angelo DelVecchio last week prompted me to reflect on my love/hate relationship with haircuts for so much of my 59 years.  My earliest memories go back to my mother taking me to Alex Vitez’ barber shop in St. Catharines’ Western Hill neighbourhood, where I grew up. Invariably, I left the place with a brush cut. You might call it a buzz cut, or even a … [Read more...] about Reflections of haircuts, over several decades