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The big crime picture Statistics released by the Hawkesbury Ontario Provincial Police detachment show drops in most types of crime over the last five years.
Love-hate relationship
Humans can be divided into three groups at this time of the year. There are those who claim to absolutely adore the wind chill and the snow, and, of course, they are compelled to tell the whole world that they really delight in our longest and, potentially, most depressing season. At the other end of the spectrum, we find the winter haters, who spiral deeper into doldrums as winter lingers, despising the build-up of salt on their clothing, decrying the cost of heating, denouncing their ancestors who opted to settle in a frozen land, while millions of others chose to move on further south, to Florida and California. In the middle, between the annoyingly happy and the constantly gloomy, there are the realists who are not about to celebrate minus-40 temperatures but are determined not to succumb to the mid-hibernal blues, either. So they try to make the best of it, which is the Canadian way, eh? Common sense goes a long way in dealing with most challenges in life. Fail to prepare; prepare to fail. Yet, amazingly, at this writing, the debate over the merits of using winter tires is still raging. We must come to grips with this slippery issue. Since 2008, in Québec, the provincial government has made use of winter tires manda- tory between December 15 and March 15. One of the reasons for the edict was an acci- dent in 2004 when a 21-year-old man was killed after his vehicle, equipped with summer tires, went out of control after hitting a patch of black ice on a bridge in Laval. The rule did not require a major seasonal adjustment for most Québec drivers. About 90 per cent of motorists in the province already drove with snow treads under them. Motorists who did not use snow tires were involved in 38 per cent of wintertime ac- cidents in Québec. On the other side of the border, however, only 40 per cent of Ontarians use winter tires and Ontarians can still visit Québec without having to install snow treads. It makes sense for Ontario to follow Québec and oblige everyone to use winter tires. That will not happen because in the Centre of the Universe, a.k.a. Toronto, winter tires are not necessary most of the time. A mandatory snow-tread law for Eastern Ontario would be justifiable. At the best of times, travel, particularly on rural roads, is treacherous. At the same time it is calm and peaceful in towns and villages, in the country, wicked winds are whipping up white-outs. Add to these horrible conditions the tendency for deer, wild turkey and other forest creatures to wander into the roadways, oblivious to the dangers posed by fast-moving vehicles. Of course, you can avoid all road hazards if you choose to hibernate between Christmas and Groundhog Day. There is nothing wrong with staying inside, curled up with a good book and a cozy fire. But cabin fever can become a debilitating condition, and, eventually you will have to get outside. A lack of sunlight can adversely impact the health of a large percentage of people. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects as many as 12 million people in North America who become dangerously depressed during the winter. For those who venture out on a regular basis, a popular destination is the local winter carnival, a therapeutic blend of conventional and innovative activities that encourage people to embrace winter, and test their digestive systems. Mothers are right -- if you are properly dressed, and have the proper attitude, you can withstand almost everything Old Man Winter may toss at you.
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Bertrand Castonguay , President, bertrand@eap.on.ca Roger Duplantie , D.G. / G.M., roger@eap.on.ca François Bélair , Sales & Development, fbelair@eap.on.ca François Legault , Directeur de l’information/News Editor, francois.legault@eap.on.ca Yvan Joly , Sales director (Hawkesbury), yvan@eap.on.ca François Leblanc , Directeur (Lachute), francois.leblanc@eap.on.ca Gilles Normand , Production & Distribution Mgr., gilles.normand@eap.on.ca Julien Boisvenue , Layout & Prepress Mgr., julien.boisvenue@eap.on.ca
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The old Latin proverb of mens sana in corpora sano is the guiding principle behind the Upper Canada school district’s strategy for making sure students have healthy minds and healthy bodies. Upper Canada District School Board superintendent Valerie Allen provid- ed her colleagues with an update at a recent meeting of the Living Well Charter project. The UCDSB program focuses on student mental health needs, issues, and services. The district has hired Russ Larocque to take the lead on helping draft a mental health strategy for the district. The strategy will identify strengths and weaknesses in the Upper Canada district related to student mental health needs. The overall goal of the LivingWell Charter program is to select and support mental health promotion and prevention programs that meet the needs of the district. Ottawa-based psychiatrist Dr. Darcy Santor is working with the board in this area and his online magazine, MyHealth, is available to students.
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