OPINION: Frustrated with PEI political theater

It looks as though PEI’s Liberal Government has no interest in following results of the plebiscite to select a new electoral system.

But, should we really be surprised?

The word Plebiscite comes from the latin word Plebs, or the common people, and the latin word Scitum meaning decree, forming the word Plebiscitum, or a decree from the common people. Over the course of time Plebiscitum was translated into french and then eventually into the word we use today, plebiscite.

Essentially, a plebiscite is a cry from the lower classes of society to the ruling elite. But unlike Roman times, our Plebiscite is one that can fall on deaf ears as the Government is not legally obligated to follow it.

Currently, the Liberals are not following the results of the plebiscite as they feel not enough Islanders voted. If the Liberals were planning on actually making changes to the very electoral system that has kept them in power on PEI they would have called a referendum from the beginning.

A referendum is legally binding and all Island residents would have been required to go to physical polls as they would for a normal election. But, instead, they chose to have a plebiscite and then immediately tune out the voices of Islanders, both young and old who voted for change.

This is an important issue that will have implications on the generations to come, but instead we are seeing an opportunity to move forward be thrown away in an effort to keep a flawed political system that doesn’t represent the people.

More proof that the Liberals have been phony with their pledges to change the electoral system came on Nov 10, 2016.

The Green party MLA’s brought forth a motion to accept the plebiscite results. That all sounds fine and dandy, except two Liberal MLAs, Jordan Brown and Tina Mundy, spent a combined 91 minutes debating the issue. The two Liberal MLAs spent so much time that there wasn’t enough time to hold a vote on the matter.

In comparison, the other six speakers on Tuesday spent a combined 20 minutes debating the issue.

This is a textbook example of a filibuster, which is defined as a political tactic of using prolonged speeches or other methods to obstruct legislative proceedings. This is a tactic often used by a minority opposition who has no other way to stop a majority party’s legislation.

In this case, we are seeing it being done by a Government operating with 10 more seats in the legislature than the combined total of the opposition.This is unacceptable. This plebiscite has been a Liberal rouse. They knew that Islanders would not come out in force to vote in the Plebiscite, giving them an out.

The Liberals are acting dishonestly and all of this is merely political theater in an effort to paint the same old Liberals as people wanting progressive change. In reality, they are clinging on to the first past the post system with their grubby little claws, knowing it is the key to their legislative control.

Islanders, I urge you to reach out to your MLA and let them know you won’t stand for this type of behavior in our assembly. These people are selected to represent us, and they are paid well to do so, not to waste our time with filibusters and a phony plebiscite.

‘Sky’s the limit’: Halifax-area amputee excels thanks to helping hand

By: Dylan DesRoche 

for Metro Published on Wed Mar 02 2016

Emily Gerhardt was born missing her left hand, but that hasn’t stopped her from living life to the fullest.

The 17-year-old Upper Tantallon resident is both a dedicated Grade 12 student at Sir John A. Macdonald High School and an athlete. She recently placed first in two categories for her age group at Nova Scotia’s figure skating provincial championships.

Gerhardt’s love of skating came from her parents; they helped her step onto the ice at a young age and she hasn’t stopped since.

“I’ve always just loved it,” Gerhardt said Tuesday at the rink that serves as her home away from home, the St. Margaret’s Centre.

Gerhardt was given a prosthetic arm through The War Amps Child Amputee program, also called CHAMP, which is celebrating 70 years of returning lost keys to their owners.

This year’s donation-based key tags will be mailed out to Nova Scotians this week.

CHAMP aims to provide every child amputee in Canada with limbs for sports and other recreational activities. These limbs cost thousands of dollars, and are not covered by any provincial program.  

That means without the War Amps, a lot of kids would never get the chance to just be a kid, said James Jordan, a spokesperson for War Amps.

“No children in our program will ever have to cover the cost of expensive artificial limbs just so they can keep up with their friends and live a normal, active life,” Jordan said by phone Tuesday.

Gerhardt was given her first recreational limb through the program five years ago, and it has allowed her to take her figure skating to the next level.

“At first it was mainly for keeping my arm protected while I was skating, but as I got better it became more about balance,” she said.

 “It’s what caused me to be able to get better.”

On top of providing recreational limbs for child amputees, The War Amps also has CHAMP seminars. The seminars are yearly gatherings for amputees and their families, where they can go and meet other amputees, and learn that despite the fact they are missing limbs, anything is possible.

“I’ve been going every year; they have always supported me and made me feel welcome,” said Gerhardt.

Gerhardt is now a junior councillor at the seminars. As a junior councillor, she uses her experiences as an amputee to help younger amputees become more comfortable with their bodies.

“It’s a way for people to just get to know each other and learn from different experiences,” she said.

The seminars have a huge impact on young amputees, helping them gain confidence and give them the courage to chase their dreams, Jordan explained.

“They have allowed me to pursue whatever I want to do and not to feel that I have any limitations,” Gerhardt said.

“Sky’s the limit,” she said.  

 

‘Students united’: Nova Scotia students protest outside education minister’s office

By: Dylan DesRoche

Photo by Jeff Harper/Metro News

 for Metro Published on Thu Mar 03 2016

Students from across Nova Scotia are not happy, and on Thursday they decided to let Kelly Regan, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education, know just that.

A small crowd of university and college students from across the province braved chilly temperatures to protest outside Regan’s constituency office in Bedford early Thursday.

“We have two demands,” Hannah Kaya, who serves as the outgoing external vice-president of the University of King’s College student union, said during the protest.

“We’re asking that Minister Kelly Regan commit to passing legislation that would mandate sexual assault policy on our campuses, and we’re asking she commit to objecting the reset.”

The students are upset with universities and colleges across the province who are planning to raise tuition following the one-year removal of the province’s cap on fees.

Removing the cap allows universities to adjust their tuitions this year and they will be locked in next year, meaning the increases are here to stay.

“It’s essentially been a tuition free-for all; we’re seeing tuition go up by as much as 37 per cent,” said Haya.

“The government’s making education impossible for students to afford.”        

At Dalhousie University, one of the school’s planning on raising tuition, students have already been feeling some financial pressure.

Dalhousie Student Union representatives told Metro on Wednesday that they have had a surge of students using their food bank, with nearly 200 students relying on it to eat.   

Brian Leadbetter, director of communications and public relations with Dalhousie University, said he was not aware of the specifics about the number of students using the food bank.

“We certainly do appreciate the concerns and challenges that our students do face; we will attempt to increase and improve students supports as best we can,” Leadbetter told Metro on Thursday.

The students are also frustrated with the Liberal Government’s blocking of Bill 114, the Safer Universities and Colleges Act. The act requires all post-secondary schools to have sexual assault policies, and to make the public aware of all sexual assaults that occur on campus.

“This is a bill students have been rallying support for; we’ve dropped off thousands of postcards and minister refuses to pass it,” said Haya.

Students are worried that the universities are not backing the bill because announcing the assaults make their schools look bad.

“We’re seeing students whose campuses are being made unsafe for the public image of our universities,” she said.

Nova Scotia Education Minister says new agreement addresses student concerns

The province’s Labour and Advanced Education Minister acknowledged Thursday her party didn’t support the Bill 114, but she said it’s a matter of privacy not of principal.

“Nova Scotia has a number of small universities, and stakeholders have told us that tracking and publicly reporting sexual assaults in smaller jurisdictions could identify the victims,” Kelly Regan said in an email statement to Metro.

Despite the Liberal Government’s blocking of the Safer Universities and Colleges Act, Regan said a new memorandum of understanding is in the works to address students’ concerns.

“We are finalizing a new MOU with our ten universities, which will require institutions to have stand-alone sexual assault and sexual violence policies, which must be renewed every three years through an inclusive process.”

Regan is also confident students will still be able to afford post-secondary education, despite tuition increases, with the help of the province.

“Our province has one of the best student assistance programs in the country. Provincial loans are interest-free; there are up-front bursaries and grants students don’t have to repay,” Regan said.

Even with money coming from the province, students, as they demonstrated Thursday, indicated they want more to be done, as they chanted, “students united, we’ll never be defeated.”

 

‘Way too big to be mice:’ Dalhousie students complain of rats in meal hall.

By: Dylan DesRoche 

For Metro Published on Wed Feb 24 2016

When Connor Johnson went to eat at Howe Hall last week, he says he was shocked by what he saw.

The 21-year-old computer science student had just sat down in meal hall to enjoy a cup of tea, when he noticed rats scurrying out of a nearby vent.

“I was staring directly at the vent that they were coming out of,” he said.

“I thought of them as mice but then I realized they’re way too big to be mice.”

Johnson lives in Risley Hall and normally eats there, but that meal hall was closed during reading week, leading him instead to Howe Hall.

The rat sighting left Johnson wishing he could go back to eating at Risley.

“I didn’t really want to eat at Howe Hall anymore,” he said.

“It’s also a little annoying because I knew that I was going to have to spend the entire reading week eating there.”

He had another encounter with the rodents later in the week. Johnson said he and other students saw another rodent near the kitchen.

 “Near the pizza area, and then I seen another two that evening,” he said.

Johnson told a meal hall staff member about the problem, and he was told there is nothing they can do.

In response he filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture, Food Protection and Enforcement Division.

“I think they need to replace that vent and if it’s still a problem after that, they need to call an exterminator,” he said.

“I’m not really one for killing things but it’s kind of a safety issue.”

Johnson is not the only student on campus upset by the presence of rats in Howe Hall.

“There’s a big-time rat problem,” said Ryan Trudeau, who lives in Howe Hall.

“You always see these big rats in the cafeteria, just running around.”

Trudeau describes the furry creatures as about a foot long and said you often hear them running in the ceiling.

“In the study lounges you always hear them running around.”

This isn’t the first time students in Dalhousie’s largest residence building have complained about furry invaders. Last year a number of students spoke to Metro Halifax about the rodent problem in Howe Hall, and complained that mice were living in the building.

Dalhousie responds to rat sightings

Despite students claiming they have seen rat sized rodents in Howe Hall cafeteria, Dalhousie University has said they have received no complaints from students.

“We have not been notified by any student of sighting of rats in Howe Hall or in the dining hall,” said Janet Bryson, a spokeswoman at Dalhousie University.

Though they have received no complaints, Bryson said the school does set traps around residences. 

“We live in a port city and we regularly take precautions against rodents on our campus,” she said.

The university has traps placed around the residences, near garbage bins and in kitchen areas on campus.

If an issue was discovered, pest control would come in and treat the area, said Bryson.

Students are also asked to report any rodent sightings to the university through an online form, Bryson said, or report the incident to staff on site.

Pilot project at Dalhousie University trying to tackle depression through fitness

By: Dylan DesRoche 

For Metro Halifax Published on Wed Mar 09 2016

Life for students is arguably more stressful than ever. As job opportunities dwindle and tuitions rise, some can find it a lot to cope with.

To help these students, Kathie Wheadon of Dalhousie University has started the Active Health Project to find out if exercise can play a role in coping with stress, depression and anxiety.

“There’s a lot of research out there today showing the old concept of healthy body, happy mind,” said Wheadon, director of athletics and recreational services at Dalhousie.

The pilot project is a collaborative effort between the university’s health and counselling services, and health and human performance students, to help others who live with anxiety and depression.

Students are paired up with one of four Diplex personal trainers, who are also Dalhousie students. The trainers design a personalized workout routine for the student, aimed at helping them not only get in shape, but to balance their moods as well.

“Science says that if you take care of your body it helps your brain function,” said Wheadon.

Students in the program learn how to exercise properly and become healthier, with the hope it will ease the symptoms of depression and anxiety they struggle with everyday.

“For a lot of people the gym is an hour of the day where they don’t have to think about school or work and can really focus on themselves,” said Emily Coolen, a fourth-year Kinesiology student at Dalhousie.

Coolen is one of the four trainers from Dalplex who work with students in the program. The 21-year-old has been working as a trainer for the last three years and everyday she witnesses the effects of a healthy lifestyle.

“It’s a really nice self-care method to prioritize your health and it really does improve your focus and mood quite a bit,” said Coolen.

Currently, only eight students are involved with the program due to funding and a limited number of trainers, but based on the results it might just grow.

“Funding is becoming tougher, one of the goals of the program is to see if the personal training if it can satisfy an academic component for some of the kinesiology’s students,” said Wheadon.  

This would encourage the university to focus more funds on the program, as it serves two purposes, helping students learn and helping students cope, said Wheadon.

“It definitely strengthens the case,” she said.

 

‘Pushing against hunger’: Halifax teen to longboard around Nova Scotia coast for charity

By: Dylan DesRoche

 for Metro Published on Thu Mar 10 2016

Longboarding 1,000 kilometres through rural France may not sound fun to everyone, but it’s exactly how Gregor MacDonald spent a chunk of last summer.

Now, he’s going on a even bigger journey, for a better cause.

The 19‐year‐old Halifax native is planning on spending the month of May longboarding around Nova Scotia’s coast to raise money for Feed Nova Scotia, in what he calls a “push against hunger.”

Despite only longboarding for the last two years, MacDonald spent last summer backpacking through Europe, and spontaneously decided to longboard through France to Spain instead of taking a train.

“I decided two and half weeks before I left that I would just skate to Spain,” he said Thursday.

This time around, MacDonald is looking to make a difference. He has started a GoFundMe page, which has already raised close to $500, with all of the donations going directly to Feed Nova Scotia.

During his trip through France, MacDonald had no planned route, no cellphone, and at some points, no food.

“I ran out of food and that really, really was not fun or okay, and that happens to people all the time in Nova Scotia.”

“I basically did the France trip for no reason, so I thought if I’m going to do this I should put the actual effort and actually do something.”

He’s going to be much more prepared this time, with a planned route and a backpack full of supplies to camp out on the side of the road.

“I’ve got a crappy tent and a crappy sleeping bag,” he said. “It’ll get me through, but if someone wants to help out and give me some supplies, I’m all for it.”

MacDonald is planning on funding the entire month‐long journey himself, with money he has saved up through working two jobs. He plans on going over 100 kilometre a day, but admits that’s on flat ground.

“I like excitement, so I haven’t looked at a topographical map or anything like that, but I know I’ve pushed 140 (kilometres) in a day.”

MacDonald is planning on documenting his journey around the province on Instagram,@Gregor.Macdonald. If anyone wishes to support the cause they can do so on Macdonald’s GoFundMe page.

Feed Nova Scotia happy with community support

From food drives and fundraisers to province-wide journeys on a longboard, Nova Scotians are always looking out for each other.

Karen Theriault works with Feed Nova Scotia, an organization that works with 147 food banks across the province, providing food to those in need. They are lucky, she said Thursday, to be a part of such a caring community.

“I think that we’re extremely fortunate for when people take the initiative to do drives or fundraisers on our behalf,” said Theriault who serves as Feed Nova Scotia’s director of development and communications.

“Whatever that idea happens to be, it just demonstrates the passion and commitment people have,” she said. “I think it’s fantastic that it makes a difference.”

Theriault’s comments come after hearing of Gregor MacDonald’s plans to longboard 2,000 kilometres around Nova Scotia’s coast in support of the charity.

“People who are living in our community are struggling right now, so when foods and funds are raised through events like this, they not only help with physical nourishment but everything else that comes with that,” she said.

Expert calls for redesign of Nova Scotia mental health services following MMA fighting firefighter’s death

By: Dylan DesRoche

For Metro Halifax Published on Wed Mar 16 2016

Following the death of Cody Glode, many Nova Scotians are expressing frustration with how long it takes to access mental health services in the province.

One expert in the field thinks he may have the answer.

“There’s a lot of people getting frustrated, and in some cases, ending their lives tragically because of it, which is why I think it’s time to fundamentally change the system,” said Todd Leader, former director of mental health and addictions with the South Shore Health Authority.

With some communities in Nova Scotia facing wait times as high as eight months, according to Leader, it’s time to try something else.

“The concept is simply to re-design the system so that it truly is client centred,” said Leader, who now lectures at Saint Mary’s University.

Leader worked with the old South Shore Health Authority for five years, where he led a full re-design of how services were offered to patients. This led to a significant decrease in wait times. He did this using new scheduling tools, efficiency, and putting the client first, even if it added more work for clinicians.

Using software, Leader and his team designed one calendar that was connected to every clinician’s schedule in the South Shore. This allowed them to give clients an appointment the first time they call.

“Every decision we made was made around the simple question if the client was your family member how would you want this system to work,” he said.

It wasn’t just about scheduling either; the team focused on efficiency, ensuring that if a client arrived on time, they got to see the clinician on time. Even if the clinician had to step out of a meeting or stop filling out paperwork said Leader, the client came first.

“Nothing is as important as seeing the client on time, the more we did that kind of thing and took that approach, the more we ended up freeing up time for more appointments,” he said.

Leader’s work dropped the waiting time for youths from an average of five months, to having an appointment booked for them the same day. He thinks the province could see the same success by taking a client first approach instead of the tradition administrative one.

Follow the author on twitter @DesRocheDyl

MMA fighting firefighter ‘defeated’ by depression

 By: Dylan DesRoche 

For Metro Halifax

Published on Tue Mar 15 2016

Photos by : MARTIN BLAIS/AGGRO PHOTOGRAPHY

 

Cody Glode was seen as a true warrior, both inside the ring as a mixed martial arts athlete, and outside of it, battling blazes with Truro fire services.
But there was one battle that was too much for the young Millbrook man.

He lost his battle with depression on March 1 when he took his own life.

“We could see him slipping away, we could see the illness starting to literally take over him,” said Cody’s mom, Lisa Glode on Tuesday.

She said her son had been battling depression since he was 12 years old. But he seemed to handle it well.

“Some people have outward signs that something’s not right, but Cody was always assuring us he was alright,” said Lisa.

All of that changed in February, and as Cody’s symptoms worsened, he reached out to his parents for help.

Cody and his mother first tried to get help through a mental health crisis line. A day later, the service called back and told Lisa it takes a “little while” to see a psychiatrist, and suggested Cody go see his family doctor.

Cody took the advice, and made an appointment to see his doctor.

Matthew Glode, Cody’s dad, said his son was optimistic the morning of his doctor’s appointment, but when his son returned home Matthew was immediately concerned.

“When he came in the house that day he was a defeated man,” said Matthew.

“I’ve seen Cody lose in competition before, but I’ve never, ever, seen him defeated…It killed me to see him like that.”

 

At his doctor’s appointment, Cody was told he needed to wait another two months.

“If I went to the hospital with pains in my chest, they would do everything in their power to help me right then and there, they wouldn’t send me home and say see you in two months,” said Matthew.

“Something has to be done, to change the way mental illness is viewed, and how these people are treated,” his mother added.

The 20-year-old was the youngest firefighter in the history of Truro’s fire service and also the first aboriginal firefighter. More than 800 people from the communities of Millbrook and Truro attended his funeral.

Lisa and Matthew have been overwhelmed by the number of people approaching them and sharing stories of how Cody impacted their lives.

“Hearing all these stories from people about how he helped them, talked to them and listened, or how he spent extra time with their little kids at the gym. He just always had time for others,” said Lisa.

The Glodes are hoping people will learn from their son’s story and realize mental illness can affect anyone, and that seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but of strength.

His parents said even though Cody was a fighter, he did have a soft side. He would always hug and kiss them every time he saw them, regardless of who was around.

“For some kids, the last thing they want to do is tell their parents that they love them, but he told us all the time,” his mother said.

“He always wanted a hug.”