The Canadian customs officer feeds my passport into the scanner then looks up and asks: “What are you bringing back with you?” I supress the urge to say what I always want to say after…
Malcolm the Magnificent
Some people leave behind an incredibly big void when they go. Malcolm MacLean was one of those people. Malcolm passed away last week at 65 years of age a vibrant life cut short after a…
Letters to the EditorLetters to the EditorTo the…
To the editor I recently learned that the Minden council had posted the Minden Hills municipal cultural plan on their website. The report was prepared by Novita Interpares Limited Toronto Ontario in 2012. Many people…
Meeting Rusty
So here I am in California getting to know Rusty. He was withdrawn and wary at our first meeting. That’s understandable considering he spent his earliest days in the mean neighbourhoods of Los Angeles. Now…
Ship shape
There was an interesting planning discussion during an Algonquin Highlands council meeting last week and similarly interesting planning discussions are bound to take place amongst the county’s other municipal councils in the not-so-distant future. While…
Dockheads, dumps and discrepancies
To the Editor Re: New dock and boathouse regulations For nearly a year I have been working with others to fight a situation in which provincial regulations fail to mesh with municipal authority. As mentioned…
Setting the stage
The Ontario’s Highlands Tourism Organization (OHTO) the regional tourism organization encapsulating the Haliburton Highlands revealed its new brand platform to local stakeholders late last month. It’s a vast improvement over the branding the organization tried…
The Shoal Lake Caper
It is remarkable how small events often mark major change. There was such an event last week. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spent last Thursday at the Shoal Lake First Nation in Manitoba which has been…
Lines on the road
By Jim Poling April 28 2016 The last few stubborn patches are gone finally but in a way it is sad to see the snow go. Snow covers more than just autumn’s decay. It hides…
Dockheads
A new requirement for provincial approval for docks and boathouses of a certain size needs comprehensive dialogue between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and the province’s municipalities before any reasonable approval framework is put…
Arresting costs
By Chad Ingram Published April 21 2016 Haliburton County council has voted to appeal to the Ontario Ombudsman on the OPP billing model and while that’s something the municipality should not rule out investigating the…
The death of Billy Skead
By Jim Poling Published April 21 2016 Billy Skead was buried during the winter but the question continues to prick the conscience of his troubled aboriginal community: Why did he die? Medical reports say Billy…
Annoying white noise
Published April 14 2016 I t has come to this: If you sat in front of your television set for 10 straight hours (God forbid!) you would be bombarded with roughly three hours of commercials.…
Agricultural awakening
By Chad Ingram T here’s a joke about Haliburton County and farming the punch line being that the poor settlers who came to the area in the 19th century with visions of bountiful crop yields…
Better Bitters
A guided tour through the art science and history of our favourite 7000-year-old beverage with beer columnist Brent Milcz. In part one of our journey from grain to glass we discussed malt and what it…
Flood of emotionBy Chad Ingram
S pringtime is flood season in Haliburton County particularly in Minden where the hearty pioneers who settled the place God bless ‘em built the community on a flood plain. It’s common this time of year…
ColumnsColumns
Open mouth insert . . . By Jim Poling I think it is time that Justin the Good sat down for a serious heart to heart with his No. 1 policeman RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson.…
The wearing down of America
People continue to shake their heads and ask how Donald Trump the vulgarian who inherited all his money got to be a U.S. presidential contender. The answer will not be found by studying the man.…
Wieners
When are government officials acting in the public interest and when are they just trying to justify their own positions? It’s difficult to tell sometimes. Case in point: a Minden Hills small business owner getting…
Good wood from a bad situation
Evidence continues to stack up proving that trees are among our best friends who help us to enjoy healthier and happier lives. Trees give us better air to breathe because their leaves draw in carbon…
Within without
Within without By Chad Ingram Job creation along with business attraction and retention are major and ongoing challenges in Haliburton County. They are mentioned frequently during most every municipal election (provincial and federal ones too…