Decoration Day Newmarket True Vet @ 69

I am a bit ashamed to say I never, before Sunday past, really understood the significance of Decoration Day nor why it was separate from the more well known Remembrance Day which I've attended and covered much of in the past, and in fact even produced a one-off old variety style radio show live to the troops one year which featured many local talents including Sean Stephens (now CEO of Tree Frog Interactive), Hurricane Mike Thompson, and as I recall an excellent capela youth group sent from the now passed Merlene Samuel - Cephas' Spotlight Theatre school grads who sang more than O Canada live to the troops via our radio show!

More recently I was involved in produce/directing a series of taped video interviews featuring prominent voices from Newmarket's history who have lived here for so many years, often with family who helped sjape the area including the daughter of the areas first police chief. But it was 93 year old Reg Harrison who stood out most to me, his face striking me as one that held so many experiences only someone going through the war from that era could know. Reg proudly came out to share with us in that interview with aid of a walker and enjoyed it too I think. So it was a great to see him once again as he took a spot to attend the 69th edition of the Newmarket's hosting of Decoration Day hosted by the Newmarket Vets Association.

I had attended Decoration Day last year but still was unclear about it's true meaning until this year when asked if I would assist in laying a wreath in recognition of fallen and homeless soldiers, in solidarity with the local Inn From The Cold Shelter. Although I have no official connection to the Inn, I appreciated the inclusion, I guess having been recognized as a person who has worked towards making changes locally in areas that afflict the homeless and was honoured regardless to be asked to be part of such a tribute day.

Ironically I have been actively working with the owner of a property just north of Green Lane in Sharon, Ontario to develop it into a unique, supportive home with built-in community and mental health supports and to that end have approached the Ontario office that assists adjusting and homeless veterans find suitable / affordable housing and supports to see if there would be a need - and indeed there is. Now using the working name of, the House of Hope, the property owner plans to be a hands-on operator and is excited at the prospect of it becoming a supportive home as its interior fixes come closer to being completed. Let's hope. Click here to follow its progress on Face Book.

Canadian Decoration Day

Originally started on June 2 1890, Decoration Day was started as sort of a protest in order to have fallen and wounded soldiers and their families recognized by the federal government of the times. In fact they were the very first Canadian led brigades to fight a foe, battling in Fort Erie repelling the Fenian raids which were made up of a mixture of anti-British Irish and American soldiers which included the Battle of Ridgeway in 1866.

The hardships endured by those maimed and killed and then their families suddenly devoid of the breadwinner as well can only be imagined and was started by other soldiers themselves, dropping flowers at the Canadian Volunteers Monument at Queens Park, and has been kept up in recognition since - for the past 69 in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada where in 2017 the special guest speaker was the Ontario Housing Minister as well as homelessness fixer designate no less, Chris Ballard, who spoke in reminder of its meaning and asked us to imagine being their families. It was suitable an Ontario representative spoke as Ontario did give some recognition / support to those soldiers whereas the feds did not.

MPP Chris Ballard

Interesting to see the young up and comers taking part but there's a world of difference today and one can only imagine the horrors guys like Reggie Harrison saw fighting to keep us safe and enabling the very lives we too often take for granted today. I caught Reggie once again as he and his son exited the Vets Hall, the Mayor holding the door for me as he exited and I prepared to enter. Reggie's son was carrying a street sign called Harrison Trail and with Mayor Van Bynen having just left it didn't take a rocket scientist. For once I agree with a street naming by a politician wholeheartedly.

" Geez Reg I missed it! I said, " I didn't know they were doing this or I'd have come right way. I didn't get a pic!"

" We can get one outside", his proud son replied.

And we did! You can catch Reg Harrison's full History Hound interview here as produced by TPE.

We now add forevermore Randy Leaman's name to the crosses on Decoration Day

Vet Decoration Day organizer / host Wes Playter is congratulated  by Mayor Van Bynen on a good job

Spot the diff!?

Until next time!

TP out!

Environment Minister in Aurora Ontario

Ontario Environment Minister Glen Murray takes questions in Aurora

When I first saw the Facebook posting that someone had some extra free tickets to a special theatre viewing of the documentary by Leonardo Dicaprio, Before The Flood, my first instinct was as a filmmaker, wondering how Dicaprio would be at making a documentary - being an award winning documentary Producer / Director myself. No Academy Awards winner perhaps, such as Leo has won, but nevertheless I was more curious about the crossover genre and how he'd be than the subject matter, truth be known. And he was okay as host, but it was the material covered that was the biggest shocker for me.

Not that I didn't know about "global warming" and "climate change", of course I did, but I never really gave it enough of a look and thought before in order to realize how critical the issue was. And a lot of that has to do with the past corporate push-back against the science I believe, which is now indisputable.

The film takes us on a journey across the earth into different regions - remote tar sands in Canada, sea side locations and the furthest reaches of the north pole where we are shown how much ice layer has melted now in just so many years, and learn that because the grey and dark ground underneath cannot reflect light back as it once did the area continues to warm.

It awakened me to the urgency of the need for the world to act, and that there are measurable ways to which the problem can be addressed, but it has to be now or so or else there is simply no way to stop it. It is that serious. I believe corporate crafted science bashing played some role in that for a spell, perhaps leaving enough of a seed of doubt to keep me from being concerned but those days are gone now.

We learn from the outset, that Dicaprio had been made a world ambassador to the U.N., and he gets an opportunity to address them, so his final scenes speech is shown after he's visited all these areas and zones across the world, while meeting with locals and scientists, to give us a full picture of what is happening globally due to greenhouse gases. We also learned about how the "false springs'. due to wild weather patterns. are affecting everything from flowers to crops, and how the U.S. only uses 5% of its farming land for food, while most is beef. And which cows emit Co2 through burping. Choosing anything other than beef to eat was one way to help reduce emissions we are told. Wow. who moo? Er,..I mean, who knew? Or that palm oil, because they clear millions of acres of trees and vegetation to grow it, is destroying our environment. Don't use palm oil.

Dicaprio points out that the Paris Accord is / was only a voluntary agreement in which the participating countries agreed to lower their carbon emissions levels. Still, there is room for optimism the movie points out, as even China has agreed to reductions for the first time, facing increasing pressure from citizens in regards to it. In China it is the one protest issue they unite around because it is severely affecting the health of many now as some areas are almost unlivable because of it.

While the glaciers and caps melt, and floods and extreme weather fluctuations increase, it is the small, poorer island nations that will first begin seeking other places to live, They showed sea-side communities that already are no longer livable.because of climate change and others wiped out by record droughts. But what happens when there is no where else to move? It is that critical.

There was one bright spot in the documentary which was one of the last guests he interviews and who himself is dying of cancer but optimistic man can reverse course before its too late.

" We're well on our way towards 4 degrees increase and most scientists agree that if we get beyond 4 degrees shift we may not be EVER able to reverse it. adding " But I believe we can do it and am going to spend the rest of my life working towards that end" Climate Change Scientist. - see film clip.

At the end, attendees got a chance to ask special guest speaker and Ontario Minister of the Environment, Glen Murray who dropped in at the behest of local M.P.P. and Ontario Minister of Housing, Chris Ballard, of which you can listen to some of Minister Murray's insights from the evening by clicking here.

I do buy that global warming is a very critical issue that needs acting upon now, however I don't necessarily buy all the terms we are fed like " sustainable development" that come straight from the United Nations' 2021 and 2030 plans, which even an attending person from the Oak Ridges Moraine fight group mentioned the fact we are not going to reach 2021 goals, but she was not referring to the 2021 U.N. plan but another Ontario pledged goal date - not knowing they are connected. That is what I find scary, is residents and politicians alike quoting sustainable this and that BUT NOT EVEN KNOWING ITS ORIGINS. Don't you think they should?know its origins?

In fact, I find most politicians don't either seem aware or are told not to connect the dots, but all of our smart growth plans, sustainable housing and transportation, intensification, development even refugee resettlement camps and how we'll share our food with and who gets subsidies are all in the 2030 UN plan - and we are on its timetable, And that is where they lose me, because although I certainly agree we need to act, we need to act in Canada's best interests as well, not just the UN's, and that should not mean restrictions to where we choose to live or what we want to drive (cars) or how - unless made affordable for EVERYONE driving now.

I believe the only way this plan to push people into specific intensified areas with little or possibly no access to some designated green areas is what is coming down the pipes using climate change as its vehicle to govern it into place. This is my concern. And as an example one of the plans the Ontario government has out now offers $14,000 back if you buy a $28,000 green car. Most people I know are struggling just to keep their existing cars on the road let alone afford a new green mobile and so what of them in these plans? Transit they quietly mutter. Well, no.

The slow push towards also restricting where we can go freely in the name of whats "best' for everyone, as well as the accompanying video surveillance everywhere we go, for everyone's "safety" are other Big Brother-like concerns I have in regards to their plans.

It's like the fake news does - mix some real facts with some not so true facts to get you to arrive at a conclusion or support a system. Fact is, the end result sought by the originators of the plan is a world governed from the U.N., and rolled out based on their timetables which do not match ours. As well once international laws begin to supersede our own through some of the multi-national companies we now allow - say a dispute about buying our water - and other international courts like Human Rights Tribunals, then these international courts could over rule our own domestic laws as being unlawful -  in our own country!

All I know is the U.N. for all its good, actually prefers dictatorship types of government or communism, like China has, because of the long term stability in executing a world plan - such as the new direction in policy we may begin to see now in the U.S. with Donald Trump now at the helm that could put a dent in their plan - which in turn affects ours - all because we're on others' planned timetables and NOT OUR OWN. Do we wait for the next U.S. election or direction now? No, we need our own realistic sustainable plan.

Tom Pearson with homeless YR Farmer Sam Orrico

Yes we need start changing our ways and yesterday otherwise we risk losing the entire earth! But all I'm saying is we need to take the information from sources like this excellently rolled out flick and heed its advise to get going on our own local timetables that fits each community's's needs schedule, otherwise our own locals suffer whilst we waste millions upon millions of dollars building and running empty buses before we need them whilst we have Canadian men living in the streets in winter - whilst we say we cant afford to house them. There ain't no immediate global warming plan for them in these UN made directives. The attending Minister of Housing Ballard should perhaps take notes on that and hatch a plan on their behalf.

Tom Pearson

Graffiti - A Life Long Issue

Sits empty, invites trouble

Graffiti has been around since the world wars. It was used then as a way to send messages to the enemy or authority and often in places where corruption ruled the day. It has evolved over the years and morphed into messages from angry youth or youth with a message or even gang tagging but at the end of the day they are all a form of message.

All towns and cities experience their share of graffiti which can cheapen the look of a business or make an area appear run down. The best form of fighting it, is to quickly cover it up again as a poster will likely like to admire their work in their daily routines, getting some kind of thrill out of knowing its theirs.

Near Yonge and Finch in Toronto

Some graffiti can be quite good, even art, however some is just ugly or 'tagging" and serves no real purpose other than to piss off authorities. Newmarket gets mostly the latter and lately its been creeping back onto Main St despite a weak effort by the town to dissuade it hanging around by fining the BUSINESS owners for graffiti left on their structures.

I recall a few years back helping organize a wall mural contest to combat repeated graffiti occurring on Meyers Costumes walls. The idea being that a study showed graffitists are less likely to tag something like a wall mural and therefore acts as a deterrent. The winning design was turned town by the town's bylaw people as being too much like a sign. Egads. It had costumes on it and a parade.

Business looks for help combating graffiti

At any rate the mural never went up and the business continued to pay to have it covered, finally finishing with an all white wall that looks unappealing facing Main St and like a blank canvas to a tagger.

As I walked Main St in Newmarket on a cold-ish January afternoon, I began to notice more and more tagging, and wondered aloud to one business owner who came outside after noticing me observing the "art", if something more couldn't be done. She agreed it needs addressing, seeming frustrated by it, and was receptive to an idea I raised about painting a mural on that side of the building, as its walkway leads to Riverwalk Commons and the Community Centre which is well used and seen by Main St business goers.

Tunnel in Toronto

Perhaps a mural depicting music, skating, farmers adorning the wall and stairway leading down?....I promised I'd get back to her in this regard (The Town of Newmarket / Main once had funds available for part costs of such wall murals) and to that end will first check into the availability of these funds before meeting again with the business owner.





This of course is but one wall, another main walkway leading to the community centre also should be painted similarly, and other " opportunities for graffiti "artists" need be offered up for ongoing canvasses and to bring them disgruntled and screaming into the fold!

Maybe also get the local Main St Councilor into it too, Joe Sponga, so he can earn his dough. Perhaps strike a graffiti team or person can be brought on board who's job it is to cover up tags as quickly as they appear - which to my observations is not currently happening, putting Main in jeopardy of becoming run down looking. 

You don't want that do you?

There are a number of ways to combat it...

Icon trestle just off Main could be used as a canvas for youth graffiti art

Vacant, left decrepit looking, invites graffiti - don't allow this

Mural this and install cameras in problem spots along Main

2 years now

Black paint it immediately!

Been here over 2 years now...

Town of Newmarket pays for graffiti removal when self inflicted?

What's Happening Newmarket October

The Town of Newmarket has been hit pretty hard when it comes to road construction. Those able to survive are often doing so barely. One such business located in Newmarket's Tannery Mall has had a barrage of obstacles added to their compound mix, such as The coffee shop, Empress Cafe, tucked in the foyer of the Tannery Mall where they have recently been given the added burden of paid parking and the loss of the college which used to supply plenty of fresh, ground from beans, coffees. Still she soldiers on, fresh sandwiches, baked goods, teas, and accompaniments, and only hopes for the construction to end soon. See video.

Across the street at Main and Davis things aren't much better, with a concentration of the construction having been in that area for quite some time, final touches on a shelter now going up, a nearby longtime breakfast place now void of a tenant and up for rent. A few doors up at Cassandrah's Costumes, I would have expected a busy bustling store at Halloween season but my time there saw minimal foot traffic on a balmy day for October.

Empress Cafe @ Tannery Mall

Cassandrah's used to be Myer's Costumes, with the longtime manager, and now owner taking over for a retiring Jenny Myer, ending her reign as "Newmarket's longest running single family owned business", as the former opera star /owner used to tell me. Of course Cassandrah had been running it in the past years, with the elderly owner coming down on occasion to chat. As a kid, it was Myers Variety, and us kids would come for miles to get the goods, while in wartimes they would front people food until they were able to pay!

Design and Win!

Halloween Contest
...And so in that spirit Cassandrah's is holding a DESIGN OUR WINDOW CONTEST for Halloween and the winning entry gets it featured as their Halloween display as well as $100 voucher! See Video or send your designs to myer@bellnet.ca! 
Deadline for entries Oct 24 2015 

Meantime, looks to be another new restaurant opening up a little further south on Main serving soups and sandwiches, I imagine, to compliment the diverse restaurants selection now growing there with the newest kids on the block now serving up as well, and all seem to be doing ok thus far.

Construction

Restaurant For Rent, Main St Newmarket at Davis Dr

But don't forget those nooks and crannies of your business community folks, those affected by construction, the new businesses, the long time businesses, and any good local business striving to survive in order to offer you an alternative, selection, and variety - as opposed to the corporate, cookie cutter version a big city might offer. We may construct, build and grow, but shiny new buildings are nothing without users.

                                                                                 Entertainment Guide Video

Opening soon!

...Besides Halloween, some upcoming Newmarket entertainment includes Oct 17 with Yuk Yuks coming the the Newmarket Community Centre at Doug Duncan drive, while the same night Red Green is at the Newmarket Theatre. No brainer for me. Never liked Red Green whatsoever. Hahaha... Kiss tribute band Sat Oct 17 @ Big Daddy's!

Escape! Now Open on Main!

Farmer's Last Stand in Markham

Farmer Sam Orrico has attended the planning meetings since the 80's.

I find it ironic that community's are pushing community gardens when they are actively pushing farmers out the door. Literally. For one Farmer, Sam Orrico, that time is now. Sam is very experienced at being displaced. He was one of those affected in the headlines that screamed out, " Province Gets Farmers off the land", back in 1979 when the still unused airport lands were being cleared for building that never happened.

At his cost Orrico moved tractor to comply with Town "Bylaw"

As a Farmer working the land, they make more than a commitment to labour but to fields and yields and property maintenance and noxious weed control, as well as ensuring quality soil is being maintained and toxic materials are not being dumped on properties. Although property owners were compensated for the acquired airport lands, most farmers weren't so lucky - the ones effectively renting and farming the land. Sam estimates he lost $100,000 dollars worth of business, crops, and equipment as a result. He saw no compensation from the Ontario government.

Such farming properties are also given a certain tax rebate to owners which encourages the land owners to have farming. Owners buy these properties knowing they are not zoned for residential or any other type with no promises that will ever change. Of course that doesn't stop them from doing so if left unchecked and that is why we have official plans and zoning and

See video!

Mr Orrico has come to be somewhat of an expert on local planning over the years since his first removal.

After that, there was a property at highway 7 and Markham Rd. which had sported a large house in which Sam lived and performed basic maintenance for while farming the land and several others. This time he got an agreement but when a dispute arose over rising costs for the more major fixes, such as plumbing, the owner balked. "We'll just bull doze it then."

But this was a heritage home and Mr. Orrico made sure to inform about that to those who mattered, stopping such an action in its tracks. Two weeks later it burnt down, effectively removing him, and paving the way for the property to be developed. Arson was never ruled out although the electrical was an issue Mr Orrico had wanted fixed at the time... He's sure it was no accident.

Meantime he was working another property as well located at Markham Rd and 14th Side Road where he's still at today, although for how long we're yet to see as he fights for his rights against a corporation. It too sported a house on the property at one time, and here too began a dispute about who was to pay for what when it came to major costs on the house. Again there is a fire, " Escaped by Miracle" and Sam is again homeless. But this time he was staying put, his agreement to be on the land in fist, and moved into a trailer on the property.

Property next door being prepped without a plan yet in place which is against protocol

Although Sam had agreed to do certain upkeep on the house, he'd also made to sure include higher end costs in his agreement which was being disputed in court at that time. He'd additionally added a clause that ensured he could remain on the property until such time it was to be otherwise developed and had it written in to carry over to any new owners in order to cover his being able to invest in one spot for a long time. It's a protection for the Farmer so they are not investing time and $ in a spot only to be made move without proper notice. Like now.

And that is where we sit today. The past year he's spent fighting them at every turn as the developers reps, as well as the town of Markham, seemingly are trying to cast him aside again without using the proper procedures. And he hasn't been treated nicely either in the process with the first move to try and get him off the property he's been on since 1980 a 7 days notice for a bylaw infraction!

35 years on a property and they just say get out in 7 days?

Wrong, he has his agreement, and besides, the " Making Markham Beautiful" bylaw refers to residential properties and this property is zoned for industrial right now. It is also INCOMPLETE as written referring to sections that are not missing. Next up a visit to Markham committee to get to the bottom of this sudden need for him to "clean up" the property that has no specific list of things. He moved a tractor already at a cost. But that Bylaw is not legal if it's missing section 4.21 despite being publicly posted. I mentioned to the developers reps that the bylaw was not binding and to fight it but they weren't interested, just wanted Sam off. Why? You have no plan approved.

2 properties over, same owner had no plan but developed for town on a promise to consider zoning changes elsewhere.

Sam doesn't feel respected throughout the process and especially now. Sam has had nothing but intimidation from the other side, who are not even the developers really, but a company representing them. He says he's been told " You stink Sam" etc by a nice chap who shows up whenever he feels, supposedly to negotiate Sam's exit peaceably, and despite Sam's agreement stating they need inform him in advance to come by. " We do what we want". He's had stuff and equipment go missing, and recently was accosted by some people on the property he suspects are connected to the group wanting him gone. His rabbit was killed Sam says, and returned to its locked cage, eyes missing. He's reported this all to police, yet he's been treated like the criminal it seems.

As far as Sam's concerned he's willing to go - after they have approval to develop - which is spelled out in his agreement they now have a copy of, from the last court session, after bringing Sam to court for "non payment of rent" - or they work it out. And yet at first they claimed he wasn't a tenant. No respect.They want him to come to terms being treated like that? Good luck, with a man of principle and a contract in his pocket.

Why change the official plan to become residential when industrial is across the road from Sam's farming location?

The past days after the last landlord tenant board appearance he's seen an increase of tire marks on his site as the rep seems suddenly emboldened. He seems to think because the judge ruled the agreement wasn't a rental unit lease agreement that they can "evict' him for trespassing which they've now applied for based on that, but the landlord and tenant law does not apply to this type of agreement, and this old man is not done fighting that fight yet.

As he says, "Why do they want me off now when they don't even have a plan? or zoning for developing? Why? Why should I move again before I have to, and they have been interfering so much I can't hardly even farm."

Why indeed? In his heyday he shipped 20 tons a week of produce. He grew up in Argentina on a farm living off the land. It's what he knows. He's an expert on how to find and acquire water, growing, and now planning, he's even run for Mayor of Markham twice, and they found a way to silence him then too on planning issues, through a total whitewash charge which he hotly disputes and still does on appeal of a bogus threatening charge, purportedly said to a third party with no other witnesses, who was also running to be elected! After he was released a publication ban was placed on anything about him for a year. Does no one else find this suspicious?

Sam has great ideas about a world food terminal where the airport lands now are despite his displacement from there so long ago, as well as ideas for developing the electricity corridors for farming... and what better person for community farming to teach the real Mcoy? They should be using his knowledge not trying to muzzle him and toss him away as if he's an ignorant old man. He's smart and knowledgeable and he's earned a little respect.

The developers reps maintain they are acting now because the town ordered the property cleaned up, despite me pointing out the by-law is incomplete and therefore invalid... and Mr Orrico it would seem is part of that sweep. 

At the end of the day, unfortunately, for them, it is he who has the contract and right to be there, and it is they who are asking he break his agreement to accommodate them - not the other way around - and for that he needs compensation for again uprooting his life to appease them and for the degrading treatment he's received in the process, especially in the last few days, taken in cuffs like a common street thug and paraded at the hospital with police in tow.

I suggest they start treating him with a little more respect if they expect to get anywhere. 

Bully, bully..

TP Out

Fri Sept 11 2015 - I just received a call from the police. They are removing Sam from the property and have asked if I would put him up for the night. They seem to acknowledge and accept on the surface the developers position and not Sam's. He was removed in handcuffs escorted by about 7 or 8 officers and taken to the hospital for an " assessment" Sam says.  Stay tuned.

Monday Sept 21 2015 -

Sam is scared and looking for supporters to come out Sept 28 from 7am on to help him protest the loss of his home as they plan to flatten trees and remove anything still there. He is homeless now as he continues to fight for access to the property and his home. His farming property is located at Markham Rd & 14th SR.