Silent Splendour - We are here, now what?

A small cottage garden in St. Catharines, Ontario has been transformed from stark emptiness to a lush oasis of beauty and serenity. Its journey of evolution revealed in a six part series following a caravan of change towards a destination opposed to convention.

A plan, what we needed was a plan, something to guide us, something to work from. It is said that one must understand the lay of the land. Identify any possible obstacles and at the same time recognise all potential benefits.

Our chosen little house stood like an elf between two larger homes of brick and cement block. Its front yard more like one of those commemorative postage stamps, not so small to stick to the tongue but still a postage stamp.

We had 33 feet in width and only thirteen and a half feet from the city sidewalk to our front steps. Two tall and mature maple trees flanked left and right, and although they would provide shade in the summer, their root systems could not be ignored. It was also a major road for the area with relatively heavy traffic and in the winter with salt spreading and City ploughing, any plan we decided on would have to take these facts into consideration.

The passageways to either side of the house required attention. On the one side the neighbour's chain link fence was only two feet from our walls and dead space, weed control was the only action needed there. To the left, the passageway provided space to stretch the imagination. There was no fence to provide a distinct separation between the cement block giant and our elf, yet it was the connecting artery to the backyard.

A barren backyard found that the might of a shovel would overcome all challenges, and a plan began to take shape. 

It was the backyard that provided most of the excitement with its size. True its width could not be considered obese yet its length at some 100 feet the proverbial blank canvas waiting for splashes of daring and imagination. Chain link fences separated the yards here, leaving a feeling of something more like the flat lands of Saskatchewan, albeit in the mini size, than private spaces.

As far as plans go, we didn't have one other than being adamant that 'as is' was not going to be the policy. One decision made early was that the back fence, which was set some twenty feet into the property had to be moved. The rest was up in the air. Olivera and I thought maybe we should consider taking inspiration from one of the varied styles used by those who had travelled this road before us. After all copying something tried and true would mean leaning on an experienced formula, a set of guidelines.

Our front yard, small and compact, equal to the first guarded steps towards change. 

Two small garden beds were cut out left and right of the front porch, leaving much to the lawn in tact

Regardless of what style is chosen it needs to meld with both the gardener and the space available. It would be somewhat eccentric to think that geometric hedges and trimmed topiary could exist in a space measuring only thirty feet by thirteen and a half feet. Many garden designers suggest that real curb appeal takes into account the surrounding community. Now, blending may work for a distiller of whiskey but neither Olivera nor I were too keen on that idea.

So what style could we choose? One which first came to mind was the English Cottage garden. The cottage garden is a distinct style of garden that uses an informal design, traditional materials, dense plantings, and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. Earliest cottage gardens were more practical than their modern descendants with an emphasis on vegetables and herbs, along with some fruit trees, perhaps a bee hive, and even livestock. Modern day cottage gardens include countless regional and personal variations of the more traditional English cottage garden, and embrace plant materials, such as ornamental grasses or native plants, that were never seen in the rural gardens of cottages.

Informality of design which was the main feature of an English cottage garden appealed to us most of all as we fought to formalise a plan. St. Catharines, Ontario has large sections of its land still used for agriculture, in particular for the wine industry of Niagara. Still the traditional notion of beehives, fruit trees and particularly livestock were features both Olivera and I discounted from any future plan.

Size is not a major concern for a cottage garden, even if we could not ignore its limitations. Gertrude Jekyll applied what are cottage garden principles to her structured design of densely planted borders at Manor House, Upton Grey Hamshire. The term 'cottage garden' may even be applied to the large and sophisticated garden at Hidcote Manor. Vita Sackville-West described this as “a cottage garden on the most glorified scale.” (Vita Sackville West, “Hidcote Manor”, Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society [1949:476-81]) At Hidcote Manor colour harmonies are carefully contrived and controlled, as in the famous 'Red Borders', though still applying the basic principles of a cottage garden.

Vita Sackville-West took these similar ideals to design her rendition of a cottage garden in one the many 'garden rooms' at Sissinghurst Castle. Her idea of a cottage garden was a place where “the plants grow in a jumble, flowering shrubs mingled with roses, herbaceous plants with bulbous subjects, climbers scrambling over hedges, seedlings coming up wherever they have chosen to sow themselves,” (Wikipedia, Cottage Garden). Even the language used to describe such ideals of the cottage garden style was delicious.

Regardless of what plan or style chosen we could not forget that we had two children under the age of ten. Room was needed for them to stretch out their legs and maybe even to throw a ball. Since our home and yard was something less grand than a manor house or castle, overly dense planting would ensure constant casualties. We started with small steps forward, piercing the ground with our shovel.

Buckets of soil mixed with clay and stone were moved to the back fence, soon enough we would have to deal with this mountain. 

At the front of the house we decided to establish beds for planting close to the porch and at the length of the passageway from the sidewalk to the house. It was the backyard that provided more exercise for the newly purchased shovel. Several beds were dug alongside the chain link fence on either side of the yard. As each bed was dug more and more clay based soil needed to be moved. Bucket after bucket of clay mixed with stone and even shards of coal were being deposited at the back fence. Eventually Mohammed would have to come to his mountain but for the time being it was the excitement of changing our barren yard into a garden that was of importance.

As with all gardeners, enough is never enough and the twin size bed had to grow into a double.

Muscle and sweat became a staple diet in this garden with more and more stone added as accent. 

In my 20's I had lived for a short time in Italy and a love for natural stone developed within me. Planning out our garden was the ideal opportunity to use those memories and experiences. Natural stone had been used by man as a building material since the early days of civilization. Its beauty and strength can be adapted to many applications, and in varying ways. I decided to incorporate natural local stone in pathways and separations for the newly established garden beds.

By the time the first phase was nearing completion we had cut out six garden beds in the backyard. To one side two long curved beds provided ample room for stronger plant selections to anchor each of the beds. On the opposite side the first ground breaking venture was a curved area close to the house with two lattice screens erected to support climbing roses. Smaller sections along the length of the fence line were cut out for more roses though leaving much of the grass intact.

Opposite to the two long curved beds an area was chosen to place a garden bench with its floor of eventual stone. Towards the back, four rectangle individual beds within a compound were selected for dahlias and lilies. Overall we were pleased with the layout. Enough space was left for our children to stretch their legs, and at the same time the bland open space was beginning to fill in.

Two long curved beds were laid out to one side of the backyard along the chain link fence. 

A cookie cutter was borrowed from the kitchen to prepare beds for lilies and dahlias. 

Late autumn and winter was a time to refine the plan and overall look of what we had started. The motivation that carried both of us to bring in nature's beauty into our lives was only at the infant stage. At first it was simple, we hated the emptiness of what felt like an open field. There was no feeling of intimacy or privacy where we could simply relax. Our front yard though small, was devoid of character, of individuality.

These early emotions and the desire for change set us on a journey, one that has lasted for over a decade now. Our steps were short ones, maybe somewhat predictable for a beginner. Christopher Lloyd had dared all gardeners to “do something outlandish, to splash out, and be freer than ever.” We had decided to take up Christopher Lloyd's dare in 2003. Maybe it was after a stiff shot of courage to be different, or just seeing the physical beauty that was beginning to develop within our first guarded steps.

Finally our efforts began to produce rewards, and it was joyful. It was such beauty that became our motivation for taking more daring steps.

Our climbing roses began to fill in the lattice screens standing behind them and explode with life and colour. Plants that had been young and timid were finding strength and vigour demanding companionship. Along with our gardens awakening came our own. The journey had began in earnest for both Olivera and I.

Part 3

Send comments to: demtruth@gmail.com

Celebrating Canadians

What makes a nation a great nation? Military strength is not a criteria for greatness, all too often brute strength transforms into brutality. Economic power, on the one hand can provide stability and on the other a weapon no less intimidating than brute strength. People are a nation's greatness, it is its people who guide a nation on its journey through history.

Canada has stood as a beacon drawing millions of people from every corner of the globe with a promise of a better life. Some have come to Canada to escape horrific turmoil in their land of birth. Others come simply looking for something better than what they had. Canada has always opened its arms in welcome and it is the diversity in its people that provides the richness to this nation.

Together we have built a nation where basic human freedoms are guaranteed to all. Our right to freely worship or believe in our chosen ideology protected from persecution. Freedom of speech has been the cornerstone of Canada's foundation, whether that of the individual or our media. Government in Canada, on all levels, is elected by the people to be governed without threat or manipulation.

As a nation there is a great deal to be proud of and yet we face stresses on our unity that in

time can rip apart even our national foundation. It is easy to point only one finger at the separatist movement in French speaking Canada, and blame them alone. Yet that would be simply the easy way out.

True our freedom rests in our democracy. Though democracy, real democracy comes with a price. Brave Canadian young men and women have put on our military uniforms and paid the ultimate price in an attempt to bring democracy and freedom in foreign lands. Here at home we seem to sit back and expect that our rights and freedoms are guaranteed.

We do have the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we have laws and legislation that are designed to protect our equality. Expecting that those laws jump into automatic mode when needed is a dangerous fallacy.

Recent events in Laval, Quebec shocked many when corruption was identified to have spread its tentacles deep into municipal government. Trust and equality simply became commodities sold to the highest bidder. To think of this as an oddity would be equivalent to burying one's head in denial. Today St. Catharines, Ontario faces serious questions surrounding the actions of elected and non-elected public officials not unlike that of Laval. Human nature guarantees that temptation to abuse power on any level will always be a possibility. Still it's the willingness to raise our combined voices and stand up against such actions that strengthens our society.

Canadians are not known to be confrontational, it has been their quiet strength that has built a nation to be proud of. Many who hear the words of John F. Kennedy when he said, “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country,” would shrug their shoulders in puzzlement. After all what can an individual do for a country? Yet it is the collection of all Canadians working to build a home for themselves and their families that made Canada the nation it is.

Celebrating Canada Day is celebrating Canadians from all corners of this land. Together we can build a future for the next generation as sound and strong as our past. Our nation was carved out of the wilderness, cities and towns built, land developed and its people coming together, resolving differences to form a country. It's these echoes from the past we need today as a guide to our future.

Send comments to: demtruth@gmail.com

Law & Lawyers are they one and the same?

Ontarians had faced months in limbo without a true government waiting for the Provincial Liberals to sort out their game after the sudden departure of Dalton McGuinty. Kathleen Wynne climbed to the top of the heap, was chosen leader and installed as the Premier of Ontario. A new face, a new attitude, at least that was the promise. In reality nothing has changed and it is the same non-caring Liberal government that Dalton McGuinty dumped.

Prior to being selected as Liberal leader and Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne held the post of Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing. The Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing holds the reigns on legislation and laws that keep our various local communities operating within boundaries of ethics and equality. At least that is the theory, yet St. Catharines Ontario has provided an example of the complete opposite.

In St. Catharines provincial laws as well as municipal by-laws have been breached intentionally by a developer. Details had been previously published on Mayorgate in A neighbourhood pays as a developer profits. Many of us, regardless from what city or for that matter even country, would not be surprised that a developer would be concerned more for his profit margin rather than laws and regulations. Though in this situation it is not the developer alone who has breached law, he had done so with the complete knowledge, even participation of the city government, its mayor and council.

Premier Wynne had all the details sent to her on April 5^th 2013 with a request that the provincial government take action. Linda Jeffrey, the new Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing was also contacted on April 5^th 2013 with full details. On April 16^th 2013 Premier Wynne responded, she said “As this issue falls within her area of responsibility, I have asked that she or a member of her staff provide you with a response.” The “she” that Premier Wynne refers to is Linda Jeffrey.

Minister Linda Jeffrey finally responded on June 5^th 2013 and her response condescending in its content. It appears this Liberal government has little care for the responsibilities it is entrusted with by the people of Ontario. Minister Linda Jeffrey says that municipalities are “responsible and accountable order of government,” but does not state who they are accountable to. Minister Jeffrey also states that it is “generally” the responsibility of the municipalities to decide on planning applications. This case cannot be classified under the title as general in any fashion. Information was provided of serious breaches by the municipal government, now is the time to demand the accountability, though such action would be a foreign concept to Premier Wynne or to her Minister Linda Jeffrey.

Whilst Minister Linda Jeffrey and Premier Wynne play musical chairs with responsibility, the situation in St. Catharines had taken a new and disturbing twist. On April 29^th 2013, the City of St. Catharines held a regular council meeting, and a Public Meeting regarding the applications made by Sam Demita owner of Sun Collision. The whole proceeding was recorded and televised, there is also an audio recording of the full meeting providing absolute proof of what had happened.

As with any Public Meeting before Council, opponents of the proposal before Council are permitted to make presentations. There were four presentations made in opposition to the proposal. Prior to the Public Meeting, each and every member of the City of St. Catharines Council was notified in writing regarding the intentional breach of the provincial Planning Act, Zoning By-Law and EPA (Environmental Protection Area) By-Laws by Sam Demita. Two councillors, Jennie Stevens and Jeff Burch, have had direct personal involvement with issues regarding this situation since 2009. St. Catharines Mayor Brian McMullan made himself personally involved with the issues, even with details of the Ministry of Environment investigation, from 2010.

Once opposing presentations were completed head of Planning and Development, James Riddell made his statements explaining how the city was in favour of the proposals to be voted on. Mr. Riddell ignored the fact that Sam Demita had intentionally breached the Provincial Planning Act for some four years, with the full knowledge of the city, Mayor Brian McMullan and both Councillors, Jennie Stevens and Jeff Burch. Mr. Riddell ignored the fact that Zoning By-Laws had been intentionally breached by Sam Demita for over four years with full knowledge of City staff and those elected to manage the affairs of the city. James Riddell did comment on the fact that the City of St. Catharines does not have a Site Alteration By-Law, and that is true. Yet Mr. Riddell ignored the fact that this land has an EPA designation, it is Environmentally Protected Area, and any alteration of such land would require proper application for permit.

In the hands of James Riddell head of Planning and Development, Sam Demita was a model citizen regardless of the multitude of laws he mangled for years. Still the attitudes of Mr. Riddell were less shocking or surprising considering the role of the City has played in this situation since 2009. Following Mr. Riddell it was Sam Demita's representative Solicitor John Willey to present the case to members of Council so as to get a vote in favour of his client.

Regardless of where we are sitting, be it in North America or any point East or West, one thing is common to us all. Lawyers or solicitors only act in the best interest of their clients, and that is not always in the best interest of anything else. That said solicitors have an unspoken rule, never be caught in an intentional lie. After all there are certain ethical issues when proven to have intentionally lied. These wizards of the spoken word are capable of weaving the truth into a new reality, one that is only in the best interest of their client. Solicitor John Willey, representing Sam Demita was no such weaver.

Solicitor John Willey made two clear and separate statements. As Sam Demita's solicitor John Willey was fully aware of all the details of Ministry of Environment investigations and documents on record. Mr. Willey in fact had quoted from an MOE report at the Open House, conducted February 23^rd 2013. He would also be fully conversant with the Planning Act, Zoning By-Laws and the Environmental Protection Area regulations. In the best interest of his client, John Willey ignored the clear and absolute fact that Sam Demita broke all of these laws with full intent and purpose.

That was not enough for solicitor John Willey. As Sam Demita's representative he made a presentation to City Council to persuade a vote in favour of his client.

 
Solicitor John Willey LIED! He introduces himself to Council as “I am John Willey. I am council for the applicant,” the applicant being Sam Demita owner/operator of Sun Collision. Sam Demita's council goes on to say “the first speaker correctly reported to you that the Environmental Rights Commissioner was alerted, that's true he did, but what he didn't tell you was they investigated and found no fault by Sun Collision and no breaches, no environmental concerns whatsoever by Sun Collision, in fact they gave a pretty glowing report.”

The Environmental Rights Commissioner that John Willey refers to is the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario who received an application for investigation under the Environmental Bill of Rights. He examines the information and if the evidence provided supports a need for an investigation he then requests the Ministry of Environment to conduct the investigation. The ECO does not conduct environmental investigations but he does present all final reports to the Provincial Legislature in his annual report.

In this case the ECO requested an investigation and the MOE conducted one. Here solicitor John Willey lied when he said, “they investigated and found no fault by Sun Collision and no breaches, no environmental concerns whatsoever by Sun Collision.” Sam Demita owner of Sun Collision was found in breach of Ontario Regulation #347 of the Environmental Protection Act, which prohibits the burial of hazardous waste material. Demita had buried asphalt, tires and concrete with re-bar in his fill. Photographs of mounds of asphalt on the property were provided to both the ECO and MOE, and this asphalt was buried by Sam Demita.

Ministry of the Environment official report dated March 3^rd 2010 with file #ENV1180AC-2009-100-a relating to EBRO File Number #09EBR004.1, stated that Sun Collision was instructed to remove the hazardous waste found during the investigation. A second MOE report dated February 16^th 2011 with file #ENV1180AC-2011-2 confirms that “on May 4 2010, a Provincial Officers Order was served on Sun Collision, and the property owner, that compelled the company to undertake the further assessment required as a result of the EBR investigation. The property owner requested a review of the Order and a Director's Order was issued on May 17 2010.”

Both of these reports by the MOE were provided to the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario and presented in his annual report to the Legislature of Ontario. Solicitor John Willey may wish to lie about the facts, yet he cannot remove them from record. Sun Collision was found at fault! Sun Collision was found in breach of the EPA and Ontario's Regulation #347! It was because of environmental concerns that Sun Collision was issued an order to remove the hazardous waste material. Solicitor John Willey lied to the City of St. Catharines Council in his presentation.

Still this was not enough for John Willey. He made a second statement that was a lie. John Willey went on to say, “Um, the first speaker also said that the, there was a complaint to the excuse me, Ministry of Environment. That is true. Um, the owner of Sun Collision is gone through a lot of investigation and expense because of these allegations. The MOE is pretty quick to respond, and pretty thorough in what it requires in response to a complaint. They did indeed do an investigation. Contrary to what you were told they did not say that the vehicles had to be moved, couldn't be parked there. In fact the MOE has issued no orders, whatsoever. No cautions, there's nothing on record for an infraction.” Another lie by solicitor John Willey acting as council for Sam Demita in his presentation to City Council.

Jayne Harten, Issues Manager and Strategic Advisor, Office of the Assistant Deputy Minister Operations Division of the Ministry of the Environment responded by email on behalf of Ass. Dep. Minister Kevin French, July 16^th 2012. In this email Jayne Harten stated, “Ministry staff spoke to the property owner of Sun Collision, Mr. Sam Demita, during their site visit on January 5 2011 and followed up with a written letter dated January 13, 2011, requesting that damaged vehicles be parked away from the fence line as a preventative measure. This request was outlined in the EBR decision summary which was sent to you in February 2011. A copy was also provided to Sun Collision.”

In the official MOE report dated February 16^th 2011 ref #ENV1180AC-2011-2, EBRO file #10EBR004.1, it states, “As a preventative measure, the property owner has already been advised to move the damaged vehicles away from the property line so as to lessen the potential for fluids to move off site...” This report was signed by Ass. Dep. Minister Kevin French and a copy provided to Peter Lapp, Director of Operations at the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. As Ms. Harten confirmed in writing, a copy of this report was also provided to Sam Demita.

As John Wiley stood before the City Council and lied, Mayor Brian McMullan sat directly behind him. In addition to Mayor McMullan the Director of Planning and Development Services James Riddell was not only present, but had also made a presentation. Both Mr. Riddell and Mayor Brian McMullan knew that Sam Demita had intentionally breached the Planning Act for over three years. In addition both knew that solicitor John Willey had lied when he said, “they did not say that the vehicles have to be moved.” Evidence of this comes from a letter dated June 13^th 2012 from Lisa Feldman, Director of Investigations and Enforcement Branch of the Ministry of Environment. Lisa Feldman states, “about damaged vehicles parked by the fence on the Sun Collision property... the Ministry will convey your concerns to the City of St. Catharines with respect to the site planning process.”

Mayor Brian McMullan had full knowledge of the situation at Sun Collision, and personal involvement from early 2010. Both councillors Jennie Stevens and Jeff Burch have had direct personal involvement with the issues at Sun Collision. Director of Planning and Development James Riddell had full knowledge of the facts surrounding the issues and breaches of law by Sam Demita owner of Sun Collision. All of these elected and un-elected officials of the City of St. Catharines knew that solicitor John Willey lied, yet they permitted that lie to be carried to a vote. WHY?

Solicitor John Willey also made this statement; “There was a suggestion that there used to be a pipe by one of the speakers that allowed drainage through, that pipe is in fact still it's still there. It's still doing the same job that it did before, unfortunately allowing water down the hill into the ravine, it still exits, through the pipe and to the park.”

In this case solicitor John Willey would be correct in saying “there used to be a pipe,” yet he is not correct in fact he is once again deceiving to claim, “it's still there. It's doing the same job that it did before.”

By early 2009 illegal dumping had been continuing into the ravine for over a year. In April of 2009, Mathew Williamson Compliance & Enforcement Officer from the Niagara Escarpment Commission visited the site. A letter dated April 20^th 2009 from Mathew Williamson expressed concerns that “the fill material being deposited without approvals from the respective agency(s).” But it was a letter from Mr. Williamson dated April 3^rd 2009 that should concern solicitor John Willey. In this letter from Mathew Williamson of the NEC, it states, “An inspection of the area was completed on April 1 2009, which confirmed subject dumping of filling activities, including that materials include aggregate and that the drainage culvert extending under the railway track is at the potential of being obstructed by filling activities.”

Those first photographs taken at the site of the illegal dumping depict what Mathew Williamson from the NEC witnessed. The drainage culvert at the far eastern perimeter of the dumping becoming obstructed with fill material. Photographs taken in March 2009 approximately a month later show that the drainage culvert had almost completely disappeared. Mathew Williamson had sent a copy of his letter to the “City of St. Catharines Building Division.” City staff were fully aware of all that was happening at the site for over four years and that has been proven beyond doubt over and over again.

Maybe solicitor John Willey can explain what pipe was he referring to? It is clear that the drainage culvert at the eastern end of the illegally dumped fill has disappeared under the fill and it is not able to do “the same job that it did before.”

Word wizards are trained to bend, manipulate, distort and most often ignore the truth, all in the best interest of their clients. Solicitor John Willey proved he is less of a word wizard and simply lied. Maybe John Willey would like to challenge all the evidence provided, and that would be eagerly accepted by Mayorgate.

Yet it is not only solicitor John Willey who has a great deal to answer. The City of St. Catharines, its elected and un-elected officials have even a greater deal to answer for. Current Planner of Record on the amendments Jessica Button before joining the City was a planner at the Niagara Conservation Authority. She is fully aware that the fill was illegal, and there is more evidence to come from the conservation authority on that issue, and Jessica Button has remained silent. John Riddell, her boss, completely ignored all the laws that Sam Demita broke and John Willey lied about it in his presentation. Councillor Greg Washuta excused himself from voting quoting conflict of interest. Greg Washuta is employed by the Ministry of Environment and would find it hard to convince anyone he does not know the facts and that solicitor John Willey lied. Yet Greg Washuta has remained silent. It is time for clear and public questions with a demand for answers.

The City of St. Catharines remains unwilling to provide simple answers to clarify another situation on the Sun Collision site. At present a rather substantial renovation is being undertaken to an old building. Jessica Button City Planner of record had stated that it was a new roof, at least that was what she claimed to have on her records. Examining the photos of the work being done it is clear that far more than a new roof is being replaced. A simple question of whether a permit exists was asked of Jessica Button on June 17^th, Button and another individual searched the computer files but could not find a record of a permit. In the end Jessica Button requested a copy of the photos and said that “there have been serious issues with this property.”

Indeed there have been serious issues with this property and Jessica Button would be very aware of those issues. Prior to joining the Planning & Development Services at the City of St. Catharines, Jessica Button was Planner at the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority and fully aware of the laws relating to Environmental Protected Areas. She would be aware of the intentional breaches of these EPA regulations by Sam Demita. In an email response dated June 20^th Jessica Button proved that the City was not willing to be open on this issue, and Button refused to say when the permit was issued. Why? On the 17^th of June a search of the computer files for Sun Collision proved no record of a permit, yet on the 20^th of June Jessica Button states a permit exists but refuses to clarify when it was applied for or when it was issued. This information would not be considered a breach of confidentiality and in the end be required if the OMB calls for a public hearing.

Only questions without apparent answers hang in the air relating to how was it possible for Sam Demita to do as he pleases regardless of the laws put in place. Senior City officials had been fully aware of breaches of law here in addition to elected representatives of Council. Both the local 'newspapers' had their burly representatives present at the April 29^th Council Meeting. The Standard reporter Jeff Bolichowski sat with his laptop open and even tweeted reports, yet none of the information regarding breaches of the Planning Act or Zoning By-Laws reached his article the following day. Niagara this Week had its reporter sit with his laptop open as well though this freely delivered newspaper avoided publishing any report regarding the Council meeting at all. The people of the City of St. Catharines have never been permitted to know the truth or facts relating to the situation at Sun Collision.

Canadians have been shaken with the events of Laval, Quebec yet the act of “making something sound, unsound” is not a rarity in human nature. It is time to unravel the facts behind these issues and not sweep them under a proverbial rug. There are answers demanded and consequences for actions taken. In the end our laws can only provide and safeguard equality if they are equally enforced to all. 

Send comments to: demtruth@gmail.com

Dads... heroes or just guys?

As retail stores prepare their advertising to entice us not to forget fathers on Father's Day with that special gift of a new tool set, tie or undies, we should recognise that a father's image today has changed dramatically.

Fathers are no longer the comic relief as they stare at their child's soiled bottom not knowing how to put on a diaper. Even Hollywood has changed its attitude to a point where it no longer takes sequels to show that men are capable of showing emotion openly and still not lose their manliness as with Three Men and a Baby. Today we have fathers depicted as home warriors wearing backpacks, pushing strollers and exchanging baby stories as openly as the gals.

Today a father's role has changed dramatically as the gals are there with them shoulder to shoulder whether in military uniform or walking the floating girders in the sky. It is no longer shocking to have single fathers raising their children or coming to a parent-teacher meeting. The role of a father is no longer seen as the sole bread winner, who leaves only in the morning only to come home in time for dinner and pat his kids on their heads.

Dads today are more involved emotionally and less inhibited by stereotypes. An example comes from a blog hailing from British Columbia titled Daddy Blogger. Here dads young and not so young share their stories, speak their feelings and even use their real names.

There was a time when it was thought that Father Knows Best, and that real men don't cry. Thank God for reality and man's maturity. So guys celebrate today with pride, you have earned it. It doesn't matter if your gift is something you have always wanted or simply a loving hug. This is a day to remember that fathers are an important part of a family wherever they are.

Happy Father's Day Fellas. 

Send comments to: demtruth@gmail.com

Monkey Determination and Pedal Power

Mayorgate first rolled out on the path of journalistic endeavour in 2010, publishing articles that traditional media shied away from. Each article has always stood on fact and clear verifiable evidence. Today we celebrate our third anniversary and the irreverent monkeys of Mayorgate are keeping the balance of thought provoking articles and the need to simply stop and have fun.

Our articles of the past year have dealt with the environment, politics and society. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us as to how we safeguard the future for our children and grandchildren through our actions of today. Issues brought to the readers of Mayorgate are not localized in relevance, they are equally relevant to readers from any of the 16 countries that are regularly visiting us, and that list of countries is growing constantly.

Rio's Environmental Carnivale was a piece that looked at the attempts made worldwide to find a path to a sustainable future of our planet. As so many representatives gathered together from across the globe, sadly little was achieved. We still rely on fossil fuels, and we still do not find the courage to end our addiction to oil. Canada's oil sands will continue to be developed and shipped out regardless of the damage that their development creates. No one in reality, whether it is President Obama of the US or the Europeans will take the first decisive step. Canada regardless of which political party sits on the throne will continue to satisfy world demand, and the cycle towards destruction also continues.

As we elect representatives in government, at any level whether municipal through federal, there is still an expectation of honesty and integrity. Liar, Liar Pants on Fire, and Grabbing 'Integrity in Politics' by the Horns, painted an alarming scenario.

In Ontario a long serving minister of Provincial Parliament Jim Bradley, as Minister of the Environment, decided to alter official documents of record. Mayorgate examined the original reports presented at the legislature and to the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, and the written confirmation of Minister Jim Bradley's request to two individual directors of the ministry. Although the evidence was conclusive Minister Jim Bradley survived without consequence.

Canada presents an image of a nation that is fair and equal to all. Our democratic government is elected by the people, our laws equally applicable to all, and as citizens we have the right to challenge unjust or biased actions. At least that is what we are led to believe. True we live in a democracy, but the thought that we are all equal is only a fantasy.

Guardians are set up in many various forms, some with catchy slogans, each with a mandate to police and protect the truth. Well, maybe in theory at least. The Ombudsman of Ontario likes to call himself, “Ontario's Watchdog,” but the current Ombudsman Andre Marin is nothing more than a peacock. A Toothless Watchdog looked at the realities of what the Office of the Ombudsman really is and the result was less than pleasant. As Mayorgate delved deeper into the roles of these various 'guardians' of the fabric of our society an alarming trend became apparent.

Each of these 'guardians' appeared to be formed to protect its elite membership. The College of Physicians and Surgeons were there for the medical profession, the Law Society of Upper Canada protecting lawyers, the Press Council of Ontario taking care of business for those responsible to present the truth. Mayorgate's Societal Watchdogs tip-toed through this booby-trapped minefield only to reach a simple conclusion. It was a farce, a smokescreen.

This past year also brought about the question How far can freedom of the press go?, and Is news media obligated to present the truth? Nothing showed greater examples of dollar chasing headlines that the horrific farce that First Nations' Chief Theresa Spence played out on the world stage. Chief Theresa Spence found centre stage in Chief Theresa Spence Feasts on Misconceptions and in part two of this national insult Chief Theresa Spence – Canada's Martyr or Something Else?

Both of these articles received great attention and the material presented was alarming. The whole farce of the Chief Spence hunger strike took another less than appetizing turn with the involvement of the Federal Liberal Interim Leader at the time, Bob Rae. Has Opposition politics sunk to a new low in Canada not only looked at the self-serving actions of Bob Rae, but other opposition politicians and ex-political stars. Finally Chief Spence's spokesman Danny Metatawabin raised his voice, and the crowning jewel of this sad part of Canada's history was published. Chief Theresa Spence & Danny Metatawabin Contact Mayorgate raised more questions, only to find the sounds of silence in reply.

Mayorgate never forgot that as human beings we need to celebrate life, even in the harshest of times. Birthdays, New Year and Christmas are never taken lightly or forgotten amongst all the serious and important issues. Mouse vs. Man – a children's novel was a look at a charming children's story that also had the courage to look at the real meaning of life, and still remain entertaining and fun.

The year finished with Dr. Valerie Jaeger & Political Compadres Continue On. Our infamous

Dr. Valerie Jaeger decided to continue with her deceit, now joined by two political associates. It has become apparent that taking an oath to look after and administer the well-being of man does not transpose itself into public life as a public servant. This may be a sad conclusion yet difficult to argue as one examines the evidence.

Our final article was a departure from the usual on Mayorgate. Silent Splendour – A Garden's Journey is the first of a planned six part series looking back at the evolution of a garden. Many photographs had been posted on Facebook from this garden for over a year with a great deal of comment in response. This series of articles will take the journey from the early days of the proverbial 'blank canvas' to what has become, a quiet oasis. Many of us, in fact across this planet, have found a certain serenity in our gardens, or even through visits to public ones. The goal here is not only to proudly trace the growing steps of a small suburban garden, but that of the gardeners themselves. It is also an open invitation for comment to all who have put their hands into any soil, anywhere in the world, to start something to grow. And “anywhere in the world” is an appropriate statement, as our readership now encompasses over 16 countries outside of Canada and the US, and our numbers have grown 100,000 plus since January 1^st 2013.

Thank you to all who find value in the issues raised, the words spoken, and sentiments expressed. Mayorgate will continue in the same vein as we have from our first day. Those cheeky and irreverent monkeys will oil those wheels and travel up and down all kinds of roads, even some that may be tumultuous. We are preparing the final research on the issue of GMO's and Monsanto, their efforts and in the end the motivation behind them. So much of mainstream media appears to shy from touching this issue, it's time to see why.

There will be much more to come, and as always the celebrations never passed by without notice. Thank you all again and we need to believe as people united hand in hand across the globe, that the more people question the status quo, the greater our freedom.


Send comments to: demtruth@gmail.com 

Silent Splendour – A Garden's Journey

Gardening is both art and simple pleasure, and as gardeners we can choose to be inspired by others, or remain free spirited, willing to experiment and make mistakes. Regardless of the path we choose for ourselves, no garden can become a garden without a plan of some sort. Now the real fun, as Martha Stewart might say, really begins, making choices.

As children we are introduced to a method of dealing with questions with multiple choice answers. Unlike the examiner in school, our gardens are far more forgiving. If a plant was chosen and planted in a location where the sun's smiling face is too strong for the poor thing to handle, then simply bring out the shovel or pitchfork and move it. The wrong choice does not represent itself as a failing grade, it simply requires another choice to be made.

In 1997 my wife Olivera, our two children and I came to this modest home in St. Catharines, Ontario. Its yard not large though barren of any colour, simply grass stretching from front to back. Two large maple trees flanked left and right in the front of the house, and nothing more. Olivera had spent most of her life growing up as an apartment dweller and had not got her hands into 'dirt' before. Her father had spent many years as a custodian of an apartment complex, looking after the grounds, though young Olivera had not joined in at that time. Now she was eager to try anything, and without gardening gloves.

This was the original blank canvas we had landed upon. The only question was what to do next?

My background was somewhat different, as a child of eight or nine my parents had installed me as their apprentice gardening hand. Colour always filled our front yard with a variety of plantings, and the back was a veritable supermarket vegetable section with tomatoes, dill cucumbers, zucchini and so much more. Nothing was considered out of place and style did not exist, only the splendour of life. So I was introduced to soil under my fingernails and brown patches on my jean's knees early, and have remained so inclined ever since.

Here and now we were forced with the cliched 'blank canvas'. We knew that it could not remain so, the rest was going to be a journey of making choices, changing them, and then refining our space to suit our dreams and ground them in reality. Our 'blank canvas' measured only 33 feet in width and a little over 100 feet in depth, reality could not be ignored.

Average suburbia gardens represented a small amount of lawn cut away next to the house. Here rudimentary shrubs, such as evergreen balls, may be planted with a little occasional colour splashed in between. Plastic hanging baskets with geraniums left swinging through mid-Spring and Summer. The remaining space is left green and exposed to either a weekly or bi-weekly ballet to the accompaniment of a two-stroke mower engine.

Backyards are generally kept as green carpets exposed to the same musical fate as the front. Some install pools, either in-ground or dropped atop, though in the Niagara area of Ontario pools do not represent the same oasis quality as their counter parts in California or Florida. Our climate in Niagara becomes a serious spoiler for optimum usefulness of these receptacles of chlorinated water.

So a pool was definitely out of the question for us. Our backyard was after all only 33 feet wide and 100 feet deep not allowing for great expression, at least those were our thoughts at the beginning. The decision process was somewhat difficult, knowing more of what we didn't want rather than what we did want to replace it. Seeing inspiration from those who had travelled the path of such decision making is not simply copying someone's success. It is more like a pinch of bone meal in the soil to encourage and stimulate germination of growth and the illumination of colour.

One of England's greats, Gertrude Jekyll, born in London in 1843, is an example of both formality and picturesque playfulness of a traditional English garden. Gertrude Jekyll had authored 15 books about gardening, her most famous being Colour in the Flower Garden, and had collaborated with Sir Edwin Lutyens, another famous English garden designer. Many gardens, regardless of their chosen style, display a Lutyens Bench as an accessory of privilege, even if it is a copy.

Gertrude Jekyll, not only a prolific author of gardening books, had worked on famous gardens such as Greywalls, Hestercombe and Upton Grey. Hestercombe Gardens stand as an example of regal formality. Hedges trimmed perfectly, lawns manicured, and not a hair out of place. At Upton Grey, Gertrude Jekyll allowed herself to play with colour and a brash informality. It is a planned and organized 'mess', yet when in bloom bringing forth a smile on all who visit.

Europe's gardens of the Baroque or Renaissance period with their geometric designs, coupled with topiaries standing as sentries, still find themselves copied in part today. Though without giving consideration to the actual surroundings of a garden one could take on a task of the ridiculous. Our front yard is in polite terminology modest, in reality small. Topiaries, whether in animal shapes or geometric in design, would appear mildly insane. Two mature maple trees flanked left and right, their roots made the surface uneven, more conducive to grazing a sheep for the purpose of lawn care rather than a man made device.

Olivera took to books, gardening magazines, and gardening programs on HGTV. My inclination was more on the side of a wonderful English gardener and his famous call to all gardeners. Christopher Lloyd dared all gardeners to “do something outlandish, to splash out, and be freer than ever.”

Christopher Lloyd was born in 1921 and passed away in 2006. He was the twentieth century's most influential gardener, author of numerous books, and 'steward' at Great Dixter. The rose garden at Great Dixter was designed by Edwin Lutyens in 1912, it had ten geometric beds, each planted with the Hybrid Teas. This rose garden had yew hedges on three sides and an ancient cow house on the last, providing shelter from winter's harsh conditions. Christopher Lloyd decided to replace the Lutyen designed rose garden with something more daring, even shocking.

English gardeners are not to be expected to fall into neat categories for labelling, and Christopher Lloyd proved that more than once. In 1994 the old roses were ripped out and Christopher Lloyd recorded, “The rending noise of huge old roots reminded me of a hyena devouring a plank of wood” (from the Preface by Frank Ronan of Exotic Planting for Adventurous Gardeners). Lloyd had decided to be daring even shocking to a degree.

Frank Ronan said of Christopher Lloyd, “...I know that shock was not his intention. He might have enjoyed the overreaction of others, but that was never what he set out to achieve. Who would go to the enormous trouble of making an exotic garden only to see dismay on the faces of people you thought little of anyway? No, he made that garden out of an absolute love of the plants and the desire to grow them. If there had been no one else to look at it, or be shocked, he would have done it all the same.”

If inspiration was to be sort out then this would be mine. It is the sheer beauty and serenity of a garden that provides the motivation. As far as shock value went, we did indeed achieve that later, though in the beginning we started slowly. Our garden's major constraint was its size, or lack of size, at least it appeared so in the early stages. Till finally we picked up our pruners and released ourselves from the set perceptions of a suburban front yard, or that of a 'small' space.

Looking at our space, both my wife and I knew that it could not remain as it was. Yet this did not mean we could simply take a shovel and begin to dig, not without some plan or idea to follow, to guide us. Neither of us had any formal training in horticulture or garden design. It was to become the beginning of a journey learning through experience, and most of all the willingness to try almost anything. In time it has led us to the garden we have today, and a question that has never found an answer with finality. What's next?

The blank canvas has changed dramatically, and we did truly 'splash out'.

This is the first instalment of a six part series which will follow the journey of a garden as it evolved and changed to become an oasis of silent splendour. Both my wife and I changed gradually with our garden, becoming more daring, slowly cutting loose the bounds of convention. Come and enjoy the ride, and bring with you your comments and experiences, after all as gardeners we love to share, and not only our seeds. 

Part 2

Send comments to: demtruth@gmail.com