Robert Washburn

Professor of e-journalism Publisher of Consider This

Recent Posts

A frontline worker adds perspective related to Cobourg encampment

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The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

Last week, there were interviews with county officials. You have heard from a person who was living in the encampment. But what is it like from the perspective of an individual trying to support those living rough? Missy Mclean is a social worker for the Northumberland Legal Centre specializing in tenant issues. She is also a community organizer working on harm reduction for people struggling with addiction. Continue Reading →

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

County officials say they are working to resolve complex issue of encampment at 600 William Street

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Encampment

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

A group of unsheltered people recently moved from Cobourg’s West Beach to a county-owned building at 600 William Street. While this may resolve some tensions between those living in tents and the public, it has created a challenge for Northumberland County officials. In this interview, you will hear how the county’s administration and social services staff respond to this new encampment at the ambulance centre and economic development offices at the old Kraft building. County CAO Jennifer Moore and Social Services Director Lisa Horne will explain in detail what is being done and what is unfolding at the site. Originally aired: September 1, 2023 Continue Reading →

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

Port Hope resident holds out hope to save old hospital as developer seeks tribunal hearing

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Old Port Hope Hospital 1930

The show:

The full interview with bonus material, including Dan Schneider, a provincial expert on cultural heritage policy.*

It is a cliché to say lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for. Yet, for Tony Jenkins, it could be his motto. Jenkins hopes to convince the Ontario Land Tribunal and anyone else not to grant a demolition permit to Southbridge. The developer wants to remove several heritage buildings from its Ward Street property. In June, it received a Minister’s Zoning Order, or an MZO, allowing it to build a seven-storey, 192-bed long-term care home on the site. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Community, Heritage, Politics, Port Hope

Cobourg Police annual report delivers stats as many are up and some others dropped

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The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

Earlier this week, Cobourg Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf presented his annual report for the past year to town council. Many statistics were up. The number of calls, crime rate, reported crimes, mental health calls, drug poisonings, overdoses, break, and enters all increased. The number of complaints against police was down, as were the times when officers used force. But things have changed in other ways. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, #Cobourg, Community, Police

Fifth generation farm forges new path while it monitors future of agriculture in Northumberland

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Mike and Ingrid Aird

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

In the main hall in the Cobourg Best Western, Mike and Ingrid Aird are sitting at a table, taking notes. They listen intently to an expert panel talk about protecting farmland in Northumberland County. They care deeply. The future of agriculture is vital to the family’s farm located on Community Centre Road just east of Baltimore. They own what is called a farm-to-table operation. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Agriculture, Community, Northumberland County, Politics

International expert Cormac Russell talks to county leaders about building stronger communities

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The show and full interview:

A group of community leaders gathered one Saturday morning in Cobourg to hear a speaker from Ireland talk about creating a sustainable community. Cormac Russell is a highly regarded expert in helping organizations and citizens build stronger communities. Russell has given multiple TED Talks and is recognized worldwide within the ranks of bureaucracies, politics, and citizen groups. Representatives from Northumberland County, Northumberland Hills Hospital, churches, social agencies, and chambers of commerce, plus community groups, listened intently to his message. In this interview, Russell and his Canadian colleague Jon Massimi will share what they said at the event. Continue Reading →

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

Local taxpayers footing majority the bill for affordable housing programs, says manager

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Rebecca Carman,

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

County council accepted a report telling them local taxpayers are contributing up to 75 percent of the costs associated with housing programs. Ontario is the only province that has downloaded those costs. Some of the numbers are alarming. Rebecca Carman, housing services manager for Northumberland County, will explain what is going on and why. She will also outline the steps she and her fellow manager across Ontario to lobby the government to change things. Originally aired: July 28, 2023. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Housing, Northumberland County, Politics

County plans to create affordable housing specifically for workers if they promise to stay

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workforce housing

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

While affordable housing remains a priority for all levels of government, recently, two important steps were taken locally. County council is creating a municipal body to build workforce housing. In this interview, you will hear the details explaining plans to build workforce housing and why affordable housing efforts are not cutting it. Originally aired: July 28, 2023

  Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Economy, Housing, Northumberland County, Politics

Cobourg mayor shares experiences, insights during India at U20 conference

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COBOURG MAYOR LUCAS CLEVELAND INDIA TRIP

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland and CAO Tracy Vaughan recently returned from a trip to India. The mayor participated in a panel at the U20 conference. It is a gathering of mayors from around the world. They set priorities about issues at the municipal level and pass them on to the G20 global leaders for action. It is pretty prestigious since only three mayors are chosen from across Canada. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, #Cobourg, Community, Northumberland County, Politics, U20 conference

Chambers of Commerce call on all three levels of government to address housing crisis

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The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce recently released a report calling on all three levels of government to tackle the Affordable Housing Crisis. Some people might wonder why a business organization is producing housing reports. Port Hope Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Brenda Whitehead will dive into that mystery in this interview. It has a lot to do with workers being unable to live in the communities where they work. This was not an issue in the past because people were expected to commute to jobs. Continue Reading →

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Filed under: Consider This Northumberland, Economy, Housing, Northumberland County, Politics, Port Hope, Port Hope Chamber of Commerce