Day of Mourning commemorates 20th anniversary of Westray Mine disaster legislation

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Northumberland Labour Council President Dan Tobin

The full interview

In 1996, 26 workers in the Westray mine in Plymouth, Nova Scotia, lost their lives. In 2004, after a lengthy battle, unions successfully lobbied the federal government to make corporations criminally liable for workplace deaths and injuries. This victory will be commemorated at the Day of Mourning event at Lucas Point Park in Cobourg this Sunday. While people still die on the job and more people are injured, it is not all bad news. In this interview with Dan Tobin, president of the Northumberland Labour Council, he will discuss the staggering numbers but also some of the good news surrounding occupational safety in the workplace. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Northumberland, Northumberland Labour Council, Politics, Social Justice

The future of unmarked burials discovered in Alderville, plus a path toward an Indigenous police force

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Workers with ground penetrating radar on Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan.

Across Canada, First Nations are using ground-penetrating radar to uncover the burials of children near residential schools. In 2021, Alderville conducted its radar probes on a site near the Alderville United Church (formerly Wesleyan Methodist) on Second Line Road. This is where an Industrial School existed in 1849 as a training centre for several First Nations in the region. Alderville Chief Taynar Simpson will update the situation related to the burials, along with several recent developments. He will review the history of the Industrial School and its relationship to the burials. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Conversations Towards Reconciliation, Alderville, Chief Taynar Simpson, Indigenous police force, unmarked burials

Internationally renowned Canadian journalist shares stories of women and children facing war and oppression.

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Sally Armstrong

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

The Canadian Federation of University Women in Belleville is hosting a community event with Sally Armstrong on Saturday, April 27. She is an internationally renowned Canadian journalist, author, documentary filmmaker, and human rights activist. She is often called the war correspondent for the world’s women. Armstrong has reported for CBC, CTV, Globe and Mail, and the New York Times from Bosnia, Somalia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Iraq, South Sudan, Jordan, and Israel. In this interview, she is outspoken, insightful, and sometimes shocking. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community, Northumberland County, Politics, Social Justice

Merger of two health units moves ahead as application for funding submitted to province, says CEO

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Peterborough Public Health

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

Peterborough Public Health and the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit voted to merge voluntarily recently. The Ontario government’s funding offer spurred them on, so the official request went in at the beginning of April. The pandemic response brought the role of public health units into sharp focus. So has the opioid crisis in both communities. Dr. Thomas Piggott, Medical Officer of Health and Peterborough Public Health’s CEO, will discuss the merger in this interview. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit, Health, Northumberland County, Peterborough Public Health

Transition House officials respond to impact of Cobourg’s emergency shelter bylaw

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Transition House

The full interview:

Plans for 310 Division Street continue to move forward. Senior staff at Northumberland County and Cobourg are hammering away at a deal to operate an emergency shelter. Meanwhile, the town’s bylaws are now in place to regulate operations at local shelters, including Transition House and Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre. County Warden Brian Ostrander and Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland appeared on last week’s show to discuss the situation. Meanwhile, the provincial government provided $2.5 million to renovate the former senior’s residence, with the caveat that the work must begin within the next four months. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, #Cobourg, Community, Homelessness, Housing, Northumberland County, Politics, Social Justice