"Although this level of government has the greatest impact on citizens’ daily lives, it is weak, ineffectual, rudderless and dominated by special interests," writes Garth Turner.
Over the last five centuries, says Frank Lloyd Wright, what humanity has called architecture has been "phony": "It was not innate, it wasn’t organic and it didn’t have the character of nature.”
More than 40 years after the debut of this British farce on the Shaw Festival stage, "One for the Pot" returns with excellent performances that contain the elements needed to make this for-the-masses comedy a laugh riot, writes Penny-Lynn Cookson.
"As a pretentious British boss of mine said many years ago ... 'I have found that around the world, one can get on with two languages: English, and loud English,'" writes Ross Robinson.
"I provided you with an opportunity to do the right thing, which you have obviously declined to do. Please be advised that I intend to pursue this in the appropriate forum(s)," writes Derek Collins.
"Our historic Old Town already has enough ice cream shops and American chain stores. A tasteful and well-designed cannabis shop would help preserve the unique character of our town, while generating municipal tax revenue and jobs and enhancing our ability to 'shop local,'" writes Matthew French.
Proper pruning not only keeps your rose bushes looking neat and well-maintained but also ensures they remain healthy, vibrant and capable of producing abundant blooms.
"While we normally applaud efforts to engage with residents, his execution left a lot to be desired. To say his method of engaging residents is strange, is a vast understatement," writes editor-in-chief Richard Harley.
"Young computer sharpies don’t need printed schedules or travel company booklets. It’s all online now, instantly available. But I wouldn’t have met the dozens of helpful, smiling Turkish and Vietnamese people who gave me a true sense of their countries," writes Ross Robinson.
"More and more Mr. Poilievre casts himself as a victim of elites and the media, though he actually represents the elite. Indeed, echoes of America’s oddly-coloured president claiming perpetual victimhood," writes J. Richard Wright.
"I believe that creating a public parkette would be a move to beautify the streetscape, provide an asset to the neighbourhood and would be a meaningful gesture recognizing the concerns of the residents impacted by the Parliament Oak Hotel development," writes John Foreman.
"We shouldn’t impose Canadian tariffs on American goods coming into Canada. Implementing a tariff in retaliation to another country is like punching yourself in the face and expecting the other person to feel it," writes Alexander Evans.
"At a juncture in history wherein climate change initiatives are generally considered by both governments and voters to be a high priority, most of the members of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s elected council apparently don’t give a damn — only if it stands in the way of development," writes Brian Marshall.
“On both sides of the border this is going to mean people losing their jobs,” says Kathy Weiss, head of the local Chamber of Commerce. “So, discretionary spending is going to drop, while Canadians are also boycotting American goods. It’s a dangerous combination.”
"All my life I have hated guns, and have found the American 'gun culture' to be absolutely horrific and insane," writes Kaspar Pold. "However, given what is happening today and what might transpire in the near future (Trump has only the next four years to do his 'thing') I am about to buy some guns."
"When I spoke to residents on the doorstep this campaign, top of mind for people was health care. We must invest more in our public health care system and protect it from the threat of American-style for-profit privatization," writes MPP-elect Wayne Gates.
"Should anyone not know the name immediately, Chris, a lifetime resident and businessman of NOTL, is probably responsible for more summer days photos of Old Town's Queen Street by our annual influx of tourists than anyone else," writes Sarah Sampson.
"If you are one of those romantics who cannot resist the beauty of a rose or their fragrance brings back a slew of memories of days gone by, then David Austin English roses are a must-add to your garden this year," writes Joanne Young.
"Reading between the lines of The Lake Report, I could feel big doses of anger, crankiness, know-it-allness, frustration and shortness," writes Ross Robinson, using his recent trip to Vietnam to reflect on what it means to be happy and kind in a world full of strife and sadness.
"Sometimes the easiest way to determine the importance of a property to the character of its area is to consider what would happen to that character if the property were to be demolished or significantly modified," writes Brian Marshall.
"Looking back at the roadmap to modern humans, the evidence suggests that we are but a way station to other species in the future and as susceptible to extinction as any other hominin before us," writes Dr. Williams Brown. "In short, if there is a God, that God lets life play out with little interference."
"Gretzky has clearly become too controversial to serve as a positive celebrity endorser of a Canadian winery’s products, at a time when we’re organizing “buy Canadian” campaigns to support our economy against the escalating trade war declared by Trump," writes Steve McGuinness.
"It’s not a happy time to be an elected person in this bucolic burg. It seems that historic protest outside town hall last summer was more a harbinger than a one-off eruption," writes Garth Turner.
"Sure, the premier and his local sycophants may point to grandiose promises of investments in Niagara’s infrastructure — most of which have not, to date, materialized — but, how does that translate to the health of your family’s pocket book?" writes Brian Marshall.
"Let our regional government evolve, Mr. Gates, and stay out the debate, unless you want to introduce a private members bill — if re-elected," writes Derek Insley.
Dear editor:
I have been following closely the issues around cutting down trees on one's own property in the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The town's "prohibitions" are...
There’s a provincial election Feb. 27.
Despite that, you might not have heard much about this riding's candidates running this year — because most of...
