Another first for Wolfville. According to Michael Howell, owner of The Tempest restaurant, it is the first town in Canada to hold a weekend food and film festival, although there is a “notable” one in Baloney Bolgna, Italy [How appropriate!]. The new festival, called the Slow Motion Film Fest [Howell is Chairman] started yesterday and runs til Sunday with 11 film screenings.

Thirty film passes are sold already, so Howell says his budgetary goal has been reached. All-film passes are $65. Single admissions are $8 adults and $5 kids.

One of the films was produced by Slow Food Nova Scotia and cost $25,000 to make.

Slow Food has distributed copies to all library districts in the province and the provincial government is buying 500 to distribute to schools.

Our tax dollars at work.

It’s not just films though. There is the harvest dinner tonight; it is hinted Jason Priestly will attend since he is in the area filming Meet Phil Fitz. [In New Minas; Guess Wolfville didn't look morally bankrupt enough?] All 80 places are sold except that “We might be able to squeeze 90 people in,” Howell says.

There is a panel discussion on sustainable seafood.

Another special guest will be Sinclair Philip, owner of the Sooke Harbour House in Sooke, B.C. His was one of the first restaurants to devote itself to local foods back in 1979, he is the Canadian representative to Slow Food in Italy and is the Slow Food Vancouver Island Convivium leader.

Philip will take part in the panel discussion on sustainable seafood Sunday at 10 a.m. Others participating are Jenn Scott from the Ecology Action Centre [is there anything Ecology Action has not inserted itself into?], biologist Dr. Jeff Hutchings and Philip Docker of Shandaph Oysters in Merigomish. The panel of experts in food security, production and preparation will round table “the economics and ethics of eating seafood in the modern era.”

Not only drinking coffee is a philosophy these days, eating is too.

And that’s not all.

As part of Slow Motion, Slow Food Nova Scotia and the Wolfville Farmers Market present a special Slow Motion Amazing Market Food Race.

November 7 at the Wolfville Farmers’ Market, the “slow” race is on. Pick up your ticket at the info booth and meander through the market following the clues and collecting the necessary ingredients needed from vendors to make a delicious recipe.

Tickets are $8, and that covers the cost of the ingredients you’ll be taking home to serve up the mystery recipe (with enough ingredients to prepare two full portions).

When you have found all six ingredients, head upstairs to the market café to the Slow Food Nova Scotia table. Then, you’ll be asked to deduce what recipe you’ll be making…

Right or wrong, a taste of the finished dish, prepared under the direction of Chef Instructor Peter Dewar, and a recipe will be yours.

Hand in your ticket to be entered into a draw to win two tickets to either A Slow Motion film or to Gastronomical Night Kitchen concert.

Since this is a “slow race” we would expect that the last one to hand in their ticket would win.

Howell must be very pleased with the publicity the lengthy article in the Register gave to all the events. He must also be very pleased with the work being done, at taxpayers expense, on his sidewalk cafe,  er,  Central Ave. Would we do that for the Anvil?

The co-founder of Just Us Coffee in Wolfville, Debra Moore,  has commented on the military’s preference for Tim Horton coffee. It “may not be to everyone’s taste, but it isn’t surprising, ” she says. She was interviewed because:

Public Works and Government Services Canada issued a regional individual standing order on Monday for the provision of Tim Hortons coffee “on an as and when requested basis” to various Maritime Forces Atlantic customers in Halifax Regional Municipality.

“There shall be no acceptable substitute for this requirement,” stipulated the order, which closes on Nov. 17.

In her comments Debra went further.

Tims coffee is, at best, passable, she said.

“It’s fairly fresh and brewed decently but it’s not high-quality coffee.”

Fighting words? It’s not fair and it isn’t organic either? So she says. This apparently also affects the quality/taste? And the price.

Fair-trade practices give local growers better prices, while the organic designation means the coffee beans are grown using environmentally sensitive methods.

Instead, Tims has developed a partnership that, according to the company’s website, works with farmers and coffee organizations in Brazil, Colombia and Guatemala to improve farming practices.

Reminds us of another organization formed in 1927. And it seems Debra may not be exactly right about the not fair and not organic part either.

So it seems coffee drinking is a philosophy.

Ms. Moore said educating consumers about issues like fair trade and organic coffees, an integral part of the co-op’s philosophy and operations, is challenging in a world of rampant marketing-driven consumerism.

“We’re looking at the bigger picture,” she said.

Sort of like religion? Meanwhile a UK court has ruled that :

a belief in man-made climate change and the alleged resulting moral imperative is capable of being a philosophical belief and is therefore protected by the 2003 religion or belief regulations.”

It must be something in the water? Or in the coffee?

Update – Nov. 4 : And why is the vaccine rationed in the first place?

H/T Stephen Taylor

—————————————-

Hedy Fry thinks that politicians are indispensable and should get priority in getting vaccinated for the swine flu.

It seems she isn’t the only one. The municipal big wigs in New Glasgow AND their families,  jumped in the life boats ahead of the other women and children patiently lined up at the clinic.

Poor example

My daughter and I attended the H1N1 clinic last Wednesday in Westville. As we waited in line, I watched the New Glasgow mayor and CAO, with their spouses, as well as others, step around everyone who had been waiting for hours. I am an emergency worker in this county and attend a number of emergency scenes every week. I was not given any special treatment, nor did I expect any. I think if you spoke to any emergency worker in Nova Scotia, they would certainly feel the same.

Why are The Chronicle Herald and other news outlets not covering this part of the story — special treatment to officials?

I could understand, maybe, certain federal employees getting priority, as we do need those people to keep things running; but in a small town, I think we would get by. To those who expected special treatment because of your so-called titles, you did not demonstrate your concern for the well-being of the public, the people you work for. You set a very poor example.

Chris Mason, New Glasgow

CH Nov. 3, ‘09 Voice of the People

We are awaiting word on whether our mayor and CAO set the same civic example.

Later: We see the mayor of Kentville only got the seasonal flu shot. Don’t know if he jumped the queue.

Looks like Wolfville is Flu central:

Annapolis Valley Health … opened a separate walk-in assessment clinic at the Eastern Kings Memorial Health Centre in Wolfville October 31. The centre is open from 12:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and is meant for people with mild to moderate flu-like symptoms who feel they need to see a healthcare worker. Emergency departments at Valley Regional and the Western Kings Memorial Health Centre will redirect anyone with flu-like symptoms to Wolfville.

other clinic info:

All clinics are open between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.

• Annapolis Royal fire hall, Nov. 9 and 18

• Bridgetown Legion, Nov. 17

• Middleton NSCC, Nov. 19

• Kingston fire hall, November 12 and 25

• Berwick fire hall, November 5 and 24

• Kentville fire hall, November 16

• New Minas Baptist Church, November 10 and 26

• Canning (Glooscap elementary), November 17

• Wolfville (Acadia auxiliary gym), November 4 and 23

[Source]

We didn’t know. Did you?

Did you know that almost all votes in the Nova Scotia Legislature are NOT recorded, that is they are recorded anonymously? You have no idea how your representative is voting or even if your representative is present in the house. This is a disgrace. The Parliament in Ottawa records all votes, so too should Nova Scotia’s Legislature. The Atlantica Party is committed to bringing in legislation that requires all votes on bills to be recorded and disseminated to the public both in print and electronically in a timely fashion along with information that makes house activity transparent giving the voters of Nova Scotia the power to assess and hold accountable those who vote in their names.

If you think this is something that can and should be changed perhaps you might like to join the campaign that is being launched to have bill votes recorded.  Weigh in at http://knowhowtheyvote.wordpress.com/ or at the Atlantica Party website or via the right to know coalition

You could also e-mail your mla. For Kings South that is Ramona Jennex

Which leads us to the question: Are municipal votes recorded by name?

As a Hallowe’en treat here are some 2020 headlines and article excerpts inspired by an e-mail from one of our avid readers who provided most of the text.

• Steel ban goes into effect in NS
  

Since steel can be used to make dangerous items such as swords, nails, scissors and toe-nail clippers it is “not wanted in the province” the Premier is quoted as saying. …

• EFRWLGB Action Centre praises  new factory!

“The Ecology Fists Raised Women’s and LGB Action Centre, recently boosted by a new Fair Trade Co-Op hemp-fibre sandal-making factory staffed by Cape Breton economic refugees, is encouraged by estimates that over 50,000 people will die of starvation or leave the province, which in turn will encourage  popular and beneficial trees such alders and poplars to grow on abandoned yards and will increase the population of the endangered bollock-knickered moss and nimbyiusretiredus liverwort, therefore increasing biodiversity ….

• Nova Scotia Flower Power prays for wind

“Nova Scotia Flower Power, formerly Nova Scotia Power, expects that Halifax will be able to operate the navy’s shipyards within the next two weeks, or even earlier if the wind picks up but hopes it does not pick too much and drive the windmills into safemode, and/or if the sun shines again for at least two hours. A ceremony in cooperation with aboriginal shamans to pray for windy sunny weather is planned for next week.

• NS Liberal Assembly reaction
  

The Nova Scotia Liberal Assembly reacted positively to the recent NS Flower Power’s Press release. It pledged to remind Ottawa that just because we are green and have a low carbon footprint does not mean we can’t build ships here, and demanded that Ottawa reconsider its policy of building ships in  polluting places such as Victoria or St  John’s (where, according to Ottawa, delivery times can be met)”.

• Sandals for school children campaign goes into high gear

- Schoolchildren will be encouraged to wear the new Fair Trade (TM) enviro-sandals manufactured in the province by refugees, which not only help reduce our carbon footprint and therefore make us feel better but also can be smoked for medicinal purposes and therefore make us all feel better…”.

• NS bucks trend, encourages retirees
  

- “Nova Scotia continues to buck the trend amongst most Canadian provinces, and expects to remain the province with the highest proportion of retirees; River Moon Phoenix Flower, Director of the South Mountain Forest Watch group and and former CEO of ThermalCoal Inc. (Boston) and PlasticCrapImportsFromAsia (San Diego), says that these figures are welcome and that anything we can do to maintain Nova Scotia as a nature preserve and an example for generations to come (if we have any) should be a priority”.

Frank magazine’s latest issue is on the news-stands [issue 571 - good until Nov. 10]and we can’t wait even our usual week before alerting townsfolk to the article on a Wolfville development which takes up a full two pages. The  cover headline reads “Valley Developers: We’ve lost everything.”

The Valley developers referred to, of course, are Jim Thorpe and the two Sousas , formerly of Wolfville, now resident in Edmonton, who are now claiming bankruptcy with debts totalling 7 million plus each,  “almost all Railtown related.” [It's Jim's second time through the bankruptcy wringer; Frank tells us he "survived a 1989 bankruptcy in Edmonton, receiving an absolute discharge a year later." ] So, it’s a sad end to their Nova Scotia dream; that’s the tone of that “Off the Rails” segment.

The other segments concentrate on what’s going on in Railtown now.  The Sousas and Thorpe sent a farewell note to the Railside Development residents advising them that they were no longer involved and questions or concerns should be directed to the receiver Robert Hunt, of Green Hunt Wedlake trustees. This letter is contrasted with the welcoming words addressed to  prospective buyers on Railtown’s glossy website 4 years ago: “Peace of mind is based on trust and trust is earned. We hope to earn your trust and want you to know that we understand  your dreams and wishes. We will be with you through every step of the building process.”  “No disappointments and no surprises” they said.

We’ve been following the Railtown saga in and out of Frank from the beginning. You remember that Frank expressed doubt about the viability of the project early on [as did we and a number of savvy Valley folk] and the developers responded with that open letter to Frank, a quarter -page ad in the CH [wonder if the CH got paid for that] The publicity didn’t seem to help sell more units but there were some buyers and Frank lists them, there are about 13,  (as well as the commercial tenants).  It appears at least some of their deposits might be safe:

“The failure to officially register the Railtown condo corporation…meant the trio couldn’t legally sell the units and couldn’t get their mitts on the buyer’s capital.” …

” Former Railtown realtor MacKay Real Estate earned a 6% commission on condo sales, and is holding deposits in trust worth over $97,000.”

The new realtors [Royal Lepage] has advised the new owner to take the Railside condos off the market until the condo corp. can be registered, and meanwhile the residents [who had been withholding rent] have to pay it;  the receiver Robert Hunt has been collecting.

“Though he encountered hold-outs Rob collected $9,964.83 for September’s rent and vows he may track down those who vacated their leases early and show them he means business.”

But in return he managed to get NS Power to turn the lights back on in the common areas and made arrangements to take out ” the ever growing  mountains of trash in the Railtown garbage room.” Good deal we’d say.

This isn’t the end of Railtown. It will be like Crowell tower, a constant reminder of poor development policies.

About that blood

He’s a Post turtle! [read the comments too!]

Non partisan Wolfvillian?

How long before it gets to Horton High?

Later: Great moments in communication.

Do’ know if it’s Donolo or no’.

Three suggested sacrifices for the sake of the planet. We post these in honour of the 350 Day of action:

Eat your Pet:

The eco-pawprint of a pet dog is twice that of a 4.6-litre Land Cruiser driven 10,000 kilometres a year, researchers have found.

Victoria University professors Brenda and Robert Vale, architects who specialise in sustainable living, say pet owners should swap cats and dogs for creatures they can eat, such as chickens or rabbits, in their provocative new book Time to Eat the Dog: The real guide to sustainable living.

The couple have assessed the carbon emissions created by popular pets, taking into account the ingredients of pet food and the land needed to create them.

“If you have a German shepherd or similar-sized dog, for example, its impact every year is exactly the same as driving a large car around,” Brenda Vale said.

Or better yet Don’t eat:

New labels listing the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of foods, from whole wheat pasta to fast food burgers, are appearing on some grocery items and restaurant menus around the country [Sweden].People who live to eat might dismiss this as silly. But changing one’s diet can be as effective in reducing emissions of climate-changing gases as changing the car one drives or doing away with the clothes dryer, scientific experts say.

Take an island on tour:

Artist Alex Hartley will bring an arctic island to the South West of England. He discovered the island in the High Arctic archipelago of Svalbard as part of the 2004 Cape Farewell expedition. The island was revealed from within the melting ice of a retreating glacier …

A portion of the island will be transported to South West England through international waters and whilst en route it will apply for micronation status. The new ‘micronation’, nowhereisland, will navigate the entire 702 miles of coast around the South West region, visiting its ports and harbours, accompanied by a travelling embassy support vehicle.

This artwork seeks to poetically explore issues of climate change, land ownership, national identity and the exploitation of the earth’s remaining natural resources.

You can’t make this stuff up!

Later: Related

Later again: Another suggestion - Don’t have children

It wasn’t that long ago that our mayor assured the townspeople that Wolfville school was safe. Not that he has any control over what happens to the school except by way of adopting town policies which either encourage a healthy school population or don’t.

The Annapolis Valley Regional School Board (AVRSB) has  the authority to make decisions affecting Wolfville School and “After gathering feedback from school communities” has come up with 3 options. The options are probably a big surprise to those who petitioned the AVRSB on the future of the respective schools in the consultative phase of the Review Process; the propositions outlined don’t match the tone of that phase which was all data gathering, patient listening, reassurance, sweetness and light, followed by hollow promises.

Since the initial consultative phase, Nova Scotia announced new schools construction and capital renovations to a number of schools in the region.

In January of 2009, the AVRSB approved new grade configurations superintendent of schools Margo Tait says will impact on the school review process. Preferred grade configurations were amended to include primary to grade five for elementary schools, grades six to eight for middle schools and grades nine to 12 for high schools. emph ours. [/source]

One might wonder why these new grade configurations weren’t thought of before the Review process so this factor could be included before school construction and renovation promises were made to the public. But that’s water under the bridge isn’t it?

Wolfville and area parents are now faced with 3 options, two of which are not very hopeful for continuation of the present grade range at the local school.

The first option would be to create a separate middle school serving all students in grades six to eight presently attending Hantsport, L.E. Shaw, Wolfville and Gaspereau Elementary. This would involve converting L.E. Shaw to a standalone middle school and redistributing the primary to grade five population of that school to the other three schools. This would require some renovations to L.E. Shaw.

This would mean loss of the middle grade in Wolfville School but  an influx of primary school students here coming from further afield.

The second option would be to convert Gaspereau, Hantsport and L.E. Shaw to Primary to five chools, with all grade six, seven and eight students consolidated at Wolfville in a primary to eight configuration. This would allow for a consolidated middle school program at Wolfville, but would have to be delayed until anticipated renovations there are completed in 2016.

This is the only option in which Wolfville school retains the primary to eight configuration and would probably be the ones local parents would like but is it likely? The delay is a significant one; the facilities at Wolfville school are very outdated and could not carry the burden without renovation.

Under the third option, students in grades six, seven and eight would be housed at Hantsport in a primary to eight configuration, with Gaspereau, L.E. Shawand Wolfville all becoming primary to grade five schools. Wolfville would be the most affected in this scenario, becoming smaller than in the first option but, as in that option, would have the opportunity to create more exterior space for the school’s students.

This we would think is the most likely scenario as it is the least costly although the cost of busing students should be taken into account. It doesn’t look good for our school does it?

Already parents are concerned that loss of the middle school here will make Wolfville less attractive and the transport of children is also a safety concern. A move is afoot to influence the decision of the board with an appeal to residents to speak up by contacting the board

[This section with name and e-mail  of  another contact has been removed on request]

Together with the Town? We would say that this threat is the logical conclusion of town policy for the past decade or so.

High cost housing, high taxation rates, deed transfer taxes, and high cost recreation facilities don’t really encourage young families. Being a Fair Trade Town, a no-uranium mining town and having no smoking by-laws don’t help. We are in competition with Hantsport and Avonport which may be more attractive in other ways.

It is no consolation to us to say we told you so. What’s past is past but it is discouraging to see no understanding of underlying causes and the same mistakes being repeated year after year.

On Oct. 14 Ramona Jennex introduced changes to the Condominium Act. She can’t take much credit for them; they were in the works for a while, pushed along by the pressure of concerned, might we say angry, condominium owners, tired of shoddy construction and no protection or recourse.

We are happy to see these changes; some of these might have helped some condo owners in Wolfville had they been in force earlier. We fear they come too late for most.

Among other things, these changes will enhance consumer protection by:

• ensuring prospective buyers are given more information about the condo corporation at the time of the purchase
• extending the cooling-off period after the purchase agreement is signed to allow the buyer more time to review the contract and other paper work
• prohibiting developers from forcing buyers to move into their units before the building is completed and closing has taken place
• requiring all buildings that are converted to condominiums, regardless of size, to have a report prepared on the condition of the building to determine the amount of funds needed to be kept in reserve for future repairs

The amendments also help clarify and simplify provisions of the  act for condo developers and corporations in areas such as voting requirements, management contracts, arbitration and guidelines for the development and implementation of condo rules.[/source]

BUT we think these amendments don’t go far enough. There is nothing in this report which mentions amendments dealing with:

insufficient purchase deposit protection, poor construction workmanship, water penetration, construction deficiencies, and the perceived lack of recourse for homebuyers.

All of which were issues mentioned by concerned condo owners AND the review undertaken by an  independent consultant, Novus Consulting Group, which included “extensive consultation with industry, a review of other jurisdictions, and public consultations.” What happened to the recommendations about:

a registry of builders and developers; a mandatory home warranty program for at least all newly constructed condominiums; mandatory inspections by independent inspectors of condominium buildings more than three storeys for water penetration and building envelope failure; and homebuyer education

So, there is much work to do yet to improve the Condo Act and the The Homeowner Protection Act. But since Ramona Jennex, our MLA,  has consumer protection as one of her TOP priorities we are sure she will be on top of it, right?