Consider This Northumberland

In the next two years, potentially 25,000 people living in Northumberland County could be without a doctor or some other form of primary care.

That is a warning my guest delivered during this interview. Andrea Groff, Executive lead for the Ontario Health Team - Northumberland (OHT-N), says one-quarter of Ontarians will not have access to primary care by 2026. She is basing this on predictions from the Ontario College of Family Physicians.

Groff was recently hired as the new lead for the health team. This body coordinates healthcare services across the county, from hospitals to clinics and everything in between. You will learn about her challenges as she takes on this role.

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. You decide if it is getting better.

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. You decide if her story is inspirational.

That was journalist and author Sally Armstrong. She will speak at Maranatha Church in Belleville on Saturday, April 27, from 2 to 4 p.m. You can get more information about tickets here.

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. If completed, it will serve about 300,000 people and cover an area that will include Peterborough, Peterborough County, Curve Lake, and Hiawatha First Nations, plus the City of Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Northumberland Counties. You will hear him justify the savings and efficiencies by ensuring Northumberland will not get lost in the shuffle.

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.

The entire show is dedicated to hearing a response from Transition House. Executive Director Ike Nwibe and the board's chair, Meaghan MacDonald, have lots to say.

While the conversation focuses on the Emergency Shelter bylaw, its impact extends far beyond the controversy over 310 Division Street. As you listen, you will hear the bylaw's impact on the current operation on Chapel Street, not just 310 Division Street. You will also hear their perspective on other aspects of the bylaw and how it affects the board, the volunteers, and the staff.

The former senior's residence at 310 Division Street creates many responses. The public reaction goes from strong supporters to vehement opponents. The issues are complex. While Transition House is a low-barrier emergency shelter, it aims to help people move from homelessness to stable housing. But it is not that simple.

The interview explores this complexity. This includes dealing with addictions, mental health, employment, and affordable housing, among many other factors.

The encampment in the east end of Cobourg presents an even more significant challenge. You will hear the response to whether or not the new shelter and its services are a solution to the encampment and its associated issues. Then, you decide based on this extensive interview.

In 2018, the Canadian Fire Fighters Museum in Port Hope closed its doors. It was a fixture in the town for 34 years. Its collection was one of the most extensive in the country, with a long list of items that captured glimpses of the history of firefighting. Besides several trucks, the museum features a range of items and documents that continue to grow.

Sadly, the collection has been in storage for the past five years. But that is about to change. Last month, the Cobourg town council signed a 20-year lease agreement with the museum to use the old Memorial Arena on Furnace Street as its new home. This will give new life to the building, which was shuttered in 2011.

In this interview, you will hear the details as the museum board members explain plans as it moves into the new building. The excitement is almost palatable.

A new Community Services and Police Act came into effect on April 1. The irony of the date did not get past Cobourg Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf. It was not an April Fool’s joke.

The new legislation significantly overhauls how police are regulated. The last time this occurred was in 1990. The new legislation brings policing rules and regulations into modern times. It will mean greater accountability, more transparency, and a higher standard. The Chief will explain how the new rules and regulations apply to a smaller police force like Cobourg. He will also discuss the impact on his officers, staff, and the police service board. Plus, he will talk about any effect on taxes.

At a council meeting on February 28, Cobourg politicians approved a bylaw to regulate emergency shelters regarding operations, safety, and security. The most notable impacts will be on Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre and Transition House.

The bylaw is meant to address concerns from the public, town staff, and politicians over the new shelter planned for 310 Division Street, a former senior residence. The county purchased it and recently received $2.5 million from the Ontario government for renovations.

During a special county council meeting on March 6, Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland passionately defended his municipality's decision. Following the meeting, county and town staff met to discuss a potential agreement between Cobourg and the county, which an outline was presented to the town council on March 27.

In this interview, he will explain what the town is trying to achieve and respond to criticisms from all sides. You will hear why he thinks it is a good idea to hold volunteer board members legally responsible for clients' actions offsite. He also feels Cobourg must be more vocal in asserting its status on the county council.

Cleveland believes this bylaw is a template for other municipalities across Ontario.

He will make his case. You decide if he is right.

Earlier this month, tensions between Cobourg and Northumberland County were on display. Cobourg passed new bylaws impacting emergency shelters within the town. This would include Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre and Transition House.

The bylaw is aimed at quelling concerns raised by many about the relocation of Transition House to 310 Division Street.

Since the county is responsible for Transition House, county staff and politicians called a special council meeting on March 6. During the meeting, staff responded to Cobourg's bylaw. Ike Nwibe, executive director of Transition House, also presented.

During the debate, there were accusations of spreading misinformation about the bylaw, timelines were disputed, and communications between town and county staff were challenged.

The meeting was tense, to say the least.

In this interview, Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander will discuss relations between the county and Cobourg politicians and staff and explain why the emergency shelter bylaw is so controversial. The bylaw is scheduled to go into effect on March 28.

On March 12, former Northumberland-Peterborough South Liberal MP Kim Rudd died. She was 66.

She represented the riding for four years, from 2015 to 2019. In addition to being a politician, she was an entrepreneur and an active volunteer in the community. She was a Rotarian, served on countless committees, and was involved in everything from sports to national and provincial associations.

On today’s show, we remember Kim Rudd.

To start, Cobourg Deputy Mayor Nicole Beatty and former federal Liberal candidate Alison Lester will share their recollections of Rudd as someone who influenced them. They will offer memories and stories that are personal, professional, and political.

Then, there is an interview from the archive. It is the last formal interview done with Kim Rudd after she announced her battle with cancer.