Crux of the Matter

While no one wants to see young people die on Canada’s roads, and improvements could certainly be made to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act, the McGuinty government’s proposed “Young Drivers Law,” as written, is not workable in rural areas. I suspect, in fact, that the law was written by people who live in Toronto and/or surrounding GTA.

As this CTV article explains, one of the main problems in this proposed package is a section that stipulates there cannot be more than two young people aged 16-19 in a car driven by one of them. That is just not workable in smaller cities and rural areas — an unnecessary burden that is clearly going to fall to parents.

Many high school students, for example, are involved in after-school sports, band or drama programs and car pools are the only way they can get home. Then, there is the issue of Christmas shopping, going to a movie or church outing — which will also fall to parents since the law means three young people cannot go anywhere together.

The bottom line is that this proposed legislation will do nothing about the real problems, underage drinking and speed. That can happen to two youth just as easily as four or five. Moreover, there is an even greater danger in rural areas — and that is the young people who will have to walk in the dark along rural roads because there were already two teens in their drive home. And, remember, at this time of year in our climate, it is already dark at 5pm. 

In any event, one hopes that the McGuinty government has the courage to look outside of the City of Toronto and GTA and realize that car pooling is a necessary mode of transportation in all those communities where there are no street cars or buses — particularly between rural communities – and then make amendements to this legislation.

C/P at Jack’s Newswatch.

What is “Student Voice” you might ask? Well, according to a Ontario government page, it is part of a new program under an umbrella initiative called ”Speak Up.” Student Voice, then, is a government sponsored outreach program, meant to encourage students in Grades 7 to 12 “to speak up and get more engaged in their learning.”

There are four parts to the program: (1) the Minister’s Student Advisory Council (which will consist of 60 students); (2) grants for student-led projects (up to $1500 per student); (3) student council funding (at $800 a council); and (4) regional forums (costs unknown).

My opinion is that any program that encourages leadership and discovery in students is worthwhile. But, I am concerned that it is simply another politically correct move.

So, the key question that needs answering is: Will this program improve what schools are for — getting a quality education and preparation for employment and further education and training? If not, and it is just about feel good experiences, it should not be implemented at a time when Ontario is about to become a have-not province.

Readers can check out this link and tell me what they think. Is this program worthwhile?

Is it any wonder high schools in Toronto and other large urban centres are not safe, when everyone is passing the buck? First we hear from the Ontario Principal’s Council that part of the problem is that the teachers’ collective agreements have reduced the amount of teacher supervision — making it difficult for principals to be on top of everything?

Then, we hear it is the fault of the classroom teacher — without any regard for student behaviour and issues like gang violence that are far beyond what a teacher can deal with. (Read this article on “whose to blame when schools fail” because it definitely rings true.)

Now, we are finally hearing from those in the trenches — the classroom teachers. And, what they are starting to tell us, is that when they do go to their school administration (principal, vice-principal and guidance) they are basically blamed for the student’s negative or violent behaviour — and not given the supports they need until a situation boils over.

There is an anonymous letter in today’s Toronto Sun from a Toronto teacher about this issue. As a former teacher and teacher educator, it indicates to what extent times have changed. Blame everyone and everything but the student causing the problems.  

Anyway, here is the letter “to the editor” in today’s Sun — posted verbatim.

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There is an excellent article in the September, 2008 Canadian edition of Readers Digest. You can read it all here. Titled “How Do You Spell Success,” it says, loud and clear, what I have been saying for most of my adult life as a dyslexia specialist and special educator — that children and adults with learning disabilities or attention deficits disorders CAN succeed with accommodations and supports.

Read this series of articles that I published here before. They explain how anyone can compensate for their learning problems. It’s not easy and requires a lot of hard work and commitment. But, with new ways of approaching reading and writing, learning disabilities can effectively be overcome. 

Yesterday I published a post about the Toronto District School Board and how their denial and concentration on politically correct “solutions” was not making schools any safer. I also talked about the role of parental responsibility.

But, there is another issue that needs to see the light of day — a factor that will certainly not be unique to Toronto or the GTA — and that is teacher supervision, or the lack thereof due to stipulations in their collective agreements.

Today, the Toronto Sun points out two main issues about making schools safer. The first is the denial and tunnel vision I talked about yesterday.  For example, the editorial states:

“Two months ago, when the Toronto school board decided to put full-time uniformed police officers into 19 Toronto high schools, we warned it omitting C.W. Jeffreys Collegiate was a mistake. That given the fact Grade 9 student Jordan Manners was shot to death inside the school last year, it was absurd to leave it out of the program.”

A second issue appears to be the teachers and their collective agreements. As the Sun states:

“The problem is their collective agreement is so rigid about when and how often teachers can be assigned to supervisory duties…that many principals say violent incidents happen all the time that the presence of a teacher might have prevented.”

Read also an article I wrote on the frustrations of principals in getting teachers to be involved in supervision.

Well, to put it bluntly, reducing supervision time is hardly a benefit to teachers if their students are being beaten, shot, stabbed and/or killed.  Put another way, do teachers’ unions officials care about the children and youth their members are teaching? Do they care about school safety? Because if they do, they need to do what is right and change collective agreements to allow teachers to supervise at all times.

How very sad. What on earth has happened to this once very special vocation? Frankly, as a retired educator and former classroom teacher, I am appalled that teacher union benefits have taken precedence over school and student safety.

How can that be?

Another violent episode at C.W. Jeffreys Collegiate in north Toronto yesterday. A young student was stabbed.  Thankfully, as reported on last night’s Global news, he is going to be okay – but was not cooperating with police — meaning he is scared that whoever did this to him will try again.

Yet, the only thing we ever see or hear from school and Toronto District School Board (TDSB) officials is don’t worry, we have everything under control. Well, they clearly don’t and denial that there is a gang problem is only endangering more students and teachers.

Why doesn’t the TDSB and the parents involved, admit there is a gang problem? Because such an admission would mean that some in our society would have to take responsibility for the behaviour of their children — a politically incorrect topic if there ever was one. Yet, it doesn’t need to be. If it is a social problem, we need to deal with it. If it is a cultural problem, then those communities need to deal with it.


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I keep hearing and reading that the Canadian housing market is in a slump and major slow down. For example, read this CTV report. 

Yet, that has not been my experience at all. Actually, in my neck of the woods, the market is doing just fine. But, as long as the media keep pushing the notion that housing sales are down, it is likely to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

What I suspect is that the market is slowing in cities that were too hot before, like Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver. I mean their prices and sale numbers were ridiculous, so it is natural that there be a rebound cycle. But, in the Niagara Region where I live, that simply is not happening.

We put our townhouse on the market in late September, just as the world financial crisis hit. We were sure nothing would happen, yet we had an offer within a week. Two weeks after that our neighbour was transferred to the Toronto area and his house sold within ten days. A relative, who lives in a more rural area sold his house in only one day to investors. An older couple we know had a condo apartment to sell and spent some time staging it. The apartment above them had been on the market for over a month so they didn’t know what would happen. Yet, theirs sold in a week as well.

So, who says the Canadian housing market is slumping? The media, the so-called financial experts? One thing is for sure, their declarations of gloom and doom are certainly not going to help our financial recovery. Luckily, apart from a few locations where the housing market was too hot for years, they don’t seem to be having an affect on ordinary buyers and sellers.

What is the housing market like where you live?

After-thought: Of course price may have something do with things “slumping” in some locations in Canada. I am told that, even in Niagara where I am located, if your property is going to be listed over $275,000 - $300,000, don’t waste your time. And, of all the examples I gave, including our own listing, no price was that high. So, the prices in the areas that are flattening out may just be going back to what normal looks like everywhere else. Just a thought.

David Percy died in the service of his country, Canada, on October 26, 1917 at Passchendaele. Survived by his wife Jeane, daughter Jean and son David Alexander (my father), his last letter home said:

“August 27, 1917

Dear wife & children,

Just a little note to say good bye. We had to go over on Monday but they held us here for a couple of days more. So that we go at half past one in the morning. The weather here is something awful, rain and wind for the last week and little or nothing to eat. I am not the least bit greaved at going now. The sooner we get there the sooner we will know what is in store for us. I hope that the children and yourself are in the best of health. Take good care of them for my sake Jeanie. This scrap cannot last forever and they cannot kill every body so I may come home again to you all. I will post this on the way to the train. I would like to tell you something of this country, but not being out much I cannot talk of it. But one thing is sure, the more I see of and hear of the English women around here, the better I like my wife. Give my best love to the children. Take some yourself and my best regards to all at home. Write to this address till you hear from me again Sweetheart.

Bye bye to all that I love best from your affectionate, Dave”

David Percy and my grandmother had emigrated from Scotland in 1912. My father was born in September 1916 and his father was deployed shortly after meaning my father never knew his father. So, growing up during the roaring twenties and the depression, David Percy’s death and sacrifice in WWI had a profound affect on my father.

My father would subsequently serve in the second world war as a Dept. of Defence photographer/correspondent and a paratrooper — from September 1939 until 1945. He was also the first Canadian paratrooper to land in France on D.Day, a fact that got him on an old TV program called “Front Page Challenge.” He was wounded and returned to Canada alive but, according to my mother, never the same — meaning his service had a profound effect on me, my brother and two sisters. 

However, this post is not just about my family members.  It is about remembering and honouring the sacrifices of all those who have served or continue to serve anywhere in the world — particularly all the men and women who have served or continue to serve as peacekeepers or in Afghanistan.

Burial Information:

• Remembered at the Menin Gate (YPRES) Memorial in Belgium.
• Government of Canada Parliamentary Book of Remembrance.
• First World War, page 315.
• Also remembered on the Memorial Plaque located at Toronto’s Old City Hall on Queen Street for Third Battalion (9th McCoy) soldiers.

Update, November 11th — 1:30pm EST:

When I was watching the Remembrance celebrations on TV this morning, both CBC and CTV had a number of old photographs. I couldn’t help wondering which ones my father took. The war photographers were never identified. Each photograph just says “Dept. of Defence.” I had never quite thought of that before. Very moving. He would be 92 if he were still alive. What is tragic is that, even though he was only 29 when he came home and had a long life to age 81, the emotional and physical scars and memories haunted him and affected him until the very end. That is what we should honour in those who did manage to come home — they (and their families) sacrificed a lot as well.

The answers to my informal poll on the topic of proposed legislative changes to sentencing, parole and the Youth Justice Act are here and here. While certainly not statistically significant, they do provide a snapshot of what the respondents think on the topics, as well as some of their concerns.   

While a lot of readers talked about the four statements, only sixteen people actually answered. While that is a low number considering larger public polls, it is enough to see the types of patterns and variables the Conservatives will be faced with when the time comes to table new legislation.

Statement One: True or False

It is a good idea to have tougher sentencing and parole rules for property and violent crime. 

Fifteen out of the sixteen said that statement was ”true.” One person said it was party true — true for violent crime but false for property crime.

Statement Two: True or False 

It would be a good idea to revise the Youth Justice Act so that serious crimes are automatically transferred to adult court.

All sixteen respondents voted “true.”

Statement Three: True or False 

When a youth has been charged with a crime, their name should always be made public.

Most respondents were ambivalent about this statement and gave partial answers. For example, nine respondents said “true,” with one of that number adding a ”but” (depending on the circumstances). Six others didn’t vote true or false — just noting “not always,” “it depends” or in one case, ”only if released from custody, on bail or on parole.” And, one person voted an outright false.

Statement Four: True or False 

When someone has a been convicted of a crime, part of the sentence should involve making restitution in some way to their victim.

Out of sixteen, thirteen said “true” — but with two respondents including “buts” (depending on the circumstances). Two said false outright (although one of those false statements also included “depends on the circumstances.” One other simply said “not sure.”

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As Canadian conservatives and Harper government supporters, many BT’s complain of the anti-conservative everything. Some of us, rightly, complained this week about the tackiness of the back stabbing being thrown Sarah Palin’s way. Yet, scrolling down the aggregator, I am reading every type of anti-Obama post imaginable.

What on earth is going on? No politician is God (and that includes Stephen Harper). It is not the democrats or the media who have put the “One” on Obama. It is all those who are angry that he was elected. But, elected he was. And, unlike Bush in 2000, he won fair and square.

But, why the extent of the anti-Obama writing at this point in time – complaining that he hasn’t yet done anything. Good grief. He was just elected four days ago. He is only the president-elect. He won’t actually be president until January 20th, 2009.

IMO, we can’t complain about anti-Harper rhetoric and media bias while doing the same or worse ourselves. Perhaps we should use John McCain’s own example. In his concession speech last Tuesday evening, he said something to the effect that Obama was now the president-elect and he had his unconditional support. A real class act.

No doubt our Canadian Liberals could learn from McCain too. I heard former Liberal MP Don Boudria the other night on MDL, spewing hate about Harper-Bush. Same old, same old.

But, if we want the anti-Harper garbage to stop or at least slow down and be replaced with respect, we have to do the same to the opposition, whether here at home or directed towards the U.S.

Besides, the CPC is actually closer to moderate/centrist democrats than republicans.

People complain about what Obama said yesterday about the “lame duck presidency.” Well, it is a lame duck administration. Bush is only there during the transition. As far as the “mutt” comment, I thought it was funny and showed he didn’t take himself too seriously.

Anyway, I like to think we conservative are above the fray. Yet, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. We seem to have gotten caught up in the ”disagree no matter what” approach to debating and in so doing, are showing the same disregard for an opposing opinion as the anti-conservative media and trolls.

Let’s all (and I include myself in this) tone done the rhetoric. If we want a new atmosphere on Parliament Hill and the blogosphere, let’s be part of the solution rather than the problem. Surely, we can agree to disagree with respect.