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Volume 14 No. 2
Pictures by Bruce Tiffin Thanks!
Greetings!
It is winter in PaB…there has been a bit of everything from rain to wind to snow going into last weekend…but then it turned quite cold …and now is ‘warming’ back up to freezing rain.
Please read the letter from our President Erica Allen below and consider filling out the linked survey to help ascertain the true value of the GBay community’s economic value to Ontario’s overall economy.
There are several videos in this eBlast: hope you can be better informed about our Indigenous neighbours and their history and/or plan ahead should you be on GBay ice and mistakenly fall through!
We hope you are staying healthy and safe during these crazy times as we look ahead toward summer…it is only a few months away!
In this eBlast:
- President’s Letter “We Need to Know the Facts” with Survey: Cottagers’ Economic Impact
- Reminder – Membership Dues Deadline for Yearbook – March 15th
- Marine Patrol 2022 – Applicants Wanted
- Off-Season Cottage Patrol has Begun
- Pictures of Pointe au Baril in February – Courtesy of Tom Lundy
OF INTEREST
- The Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen lands, Strong Hearts – a video about Indigenous History
- A Video: Surviving a Fall Through the Ice – Jesse Hutchinson
- GBLT King Bursary – Deadline February 15
- GBA & GBF Needs Our Support – Letter Writing Campaign for Bill 279
- GBF Webinar on Washing Machine Filters
- GBB Climate Action Survey
- BAY NOTES with Councillors Sheard and Manners
- Lake Michigan-Huron Water Levels – February 7, 2022
- In Memoriam – Douglas Chute, Craig Hart, Jeanne Manners, D’Arcy Sheard
From PaBIA’s President:
We Need to Know The Facts!
What financial impact do seasonal residents have on the Ontario economy??
In the course of advocating for access for our US and International members in 2020 and 2021, it became apparent we would have benefitted significantly from an extra tool in our toolbox; namely demonstrating how important our US and International members are to the Ontario economy.
Calculating total cottager economic impact will be critical to all future advocacy efforts.
Accordingly, GBA is asking for YOUR help to establish an estimate of the economic contribution to the Ontario economy of all GBA cottagers, including PaBIA, by asking you to complete this brief survey.
This survey is not asking for exact numbers. It simply needs members’ best estimates of your fixed, variable, and capital costs incurred on an annual basis for your cottage property. The 7 questions should only take 10-15 minutes to complete.
Every effort will be made to ensure privacy. Personal responses will be anonymous and will never be shared. Responses will be kept strictly confidential according to industry standards and privacy regulations. This survey is being conducted with the support of the Marketing Research and Analysis Program of Algonquin College, a group with significant survey experience.
Thank you for taking the time to provide this important information.
Erica Allen
PaBIA President
Membership Dues Reminder Deadline Coming Up!
Quickie reminder! Pay before March 15th in one of three different ways to one of 4 categories of membership:
- Pay Online
- Use Paypal with payment to Nancy Rogers
- Mail cheque to Nancy Rogers,
WANTED: Marine Patrol Applicants for 2022
Do you, or someone in your family have an interest and ability to serve your community? Protect the environment? Participate in scientific testing? Promote boating safety and the interests of a dynamic community association?
The Pointe au Baril Islanders’ Association (PaBIA) is seeking students currently enrolled in grade 12 or university/college with a strong interest in the local environment, protecting community quality of life and promoting better boating safety. (Please pass this eBlast on if someone in your family might have an interest)!
A detailed job description can be found here or on PaBIA’s website.
US citizens are welcome to apply!
The DEADLINE for receipt of all resumes is February 18th, 2022. Telephone interviews will be conducted the week of March 7th – March 11th, 2022, and successful candidates will be notified by March 21st, 2022.
Pointe au Baril in the Winter – it sure looks different! pictures by Tom Lundy
Saturday February 5, 2022 -15o C (5oF)
Sunday February 6, 2022 -6o C (21oF)
Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen lands, Strong Hearts” …
“…is a (60 minute) film about a devastating decision, made over 500 years ago, which continues to profoundly impact Indigenous and Settler people worldwide. Pope Alexander VI ruled that the lands being discovered by European explorers at the time was “empty” land, and its millions of Indigenous inhabitants were “non-human”...The Anglican Church
As you may know, PaBIA is working to enhance its relationship with Shawanaga First Nation and to better understand indigenous issues more generally. A critical element in all of this is to be better informed.
The link for the video is the first in an ongoing series of videos, articles, books, and links on indigenous issues, including those that relate to our neighbour, Shawanaga First Nation.
Much of what we will be sharing can trigger sensitivities. Please understand that we are no more expert on these issues than most of you. But our hope is to increase our collective literacy on indigenous issues because Pointe au Baril is traditional indigenous territory.
As Stephen Covey, the author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, wrote: “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
I hope you enjoy this content. We would be very happy to hear your reactions – good or bad – to what we are sharing.
Off-Season Cottage Patrols Have Begun
Bruce Tiffin began his cottage patrols last week and any reports of problems or issues will be immediately reported to Nancy Rogers. Nancy, in turn, will promptly report to cottage owners any concerns. Thus far, the only reported damage reported has been weather damage to two cottages and the owners have been notified.
PaBIA will also let you know when the patrol visits are complete. Remember, no news is good news!!!
How to Survive Falling Through the Frozen Tundra
For those who love the winter months and are able to get to PaB (or other frozen places), this 20-minute video is both practical and informative for anyone who wishes to brave the frozen elements! Again, Jesse Hutchinson has kindly offered this video that he created to prepare others to survive should the unspeakable happen – the ice breaks away and they fall in.
In Jesse’s own words, “This was filmed on northern Shawanaga Bay. There is a lot to ice safety, but I tried to hit the major points (in his video) that allow me to do what others might deem unsafe. With a certain process in place, you can still do things on the ice, but safeguard yourself from being in any real danger even when the ice might not be safe everywhere.”
COUNCILLORS EARL MANNERS AND SCOTT SHEARD
BAY NOTES
Ward 3
At least quarterly, our Ward 3 Councillors put out a newsletter designed to keep our membership informed of what is going on at the Township level. What they do affects all of us one way or the other. PaBIA highly suggests you read it (if you didn’t get it directly from the Archipelago). There is wonderful information worth obtaining. Please contact Earl or Scott if you would like to receive the details as outlined below:
January BAY NOTES
Strategic Plan UpdateFor the first time, since the creation of the Township in 1980, and the subsequent approval of our Official Plan, Council adopted a comprehensive Strategic Plan that will guide the corporation moving forward. It incorporates the Township’s strategy to address the threat of amalgamation from the 1996 Township of The Archipelago’s Strategy for the Future.
AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) Indigenous-Municipal Relations
Bylaw Enforcement | 2021 Activity Report: Noise, Parking, Fire & Fireworks
Planning & Building Statistics – the total number of Permits issued in 2021 exceeds substantively every other year of the last decade.
Township Vaccination Policy
Looking Back | 2021
Looking back on 2021, and 2020 for that matter, life has required a constant accommodation of change. We have put together the Top 10 themes from our Newsletters and present them in a light-hearted and retrospective way for your consideration!
Georgian Bay Land Trust King Family Bursary
We are now accepting applications for the 2022 King Family Bursary. This $3,500 bursary, funded by Wally and Marilyn King, supports projects that promote knowledge and appreciation of Georgian Bay and the North Channel’s environment, history, communities, or culture. It is open to all disciplines, including but not limited to: science, art, literature, humanities, and more. If you have an idea for a project, we would love to hear from you!
Visit gblt.org/bursaries for more information and to apply.
Applications are due by February 15th.
Support Bill 279 &
Learn How to Help Support a Mass-Scale
Solution to Microfibre/Plastic Pollution from Laundering
GBA is supporting Georgian Bay Forever (GBF) and the two MPPs who have proposed Bill 279 which will require new clothes washing machines to have filters installed. This legislation is the result of GBF’s successful research projects in Parry Sound and Collingwood, which clearly demonstrated that installing these filters reduces microplastic pollution, helps protect the water, environment, and ultimately anyone in the area consuming the water.
Bill 279 received unanimous approval at First Reading and GBA is asking for your support on a letter-writing campaign to MPPs to ask them to get this Bill passed before Queens Park rises in June for the election. Time is therefore of the essence, so please consider adding your letter to this campaign!
Georgian Bay Forever
invites you to a
1-hr webinar on Thurs. Feb 24th at 7 pm EST
on mass-scaling washing machine filters to drastically reduce microfibre/plastic emissions into our water from laundering clothes.
You can change that by learning in this webinar about a recent study that demonstrates how washing machine filters are effective at a community level, and the need for that to be scaled to households all over Ontario to help our water quality. The webinar will FOCUS on what you can do to support Ontario Bill 279 which would require filters to be
built into future washing machines. Those what you can do include direction and access to an easy-to-use letter template to MPPs (by individuals), petitions (by public-facing businesses or organizations), and resolutions and letters (by municipalities). The webinar will also show you what you can do to reduce your own household microfibre/plastic emissions.
built into future washing machines. Those what you can do include direction and access to an easy-to-use letter template to MPPs (by individuals), petitions (by public-facing businesses or organizations), and resolutions and letters (by municipalities). The webinar will also show you what you can do to reduce your own household microfibre/plastic emissions.
Register online here
Community
Climate Action Survey
We want to hear your voice on local climate action! Local governments in our region are developing Climate Action Plans to take action on climate change. Now’s your chance to have your voice heard! Please take 15 minutes to give us your feedback and share your ideas for how you want to move forward into a climate-friendly future.
Bonus! Survey participants will be eligible to win one of several great prizes. We’ll be announcing prize winners every week. The earlier you participate, the better your chances of winning! To date, we have received over 370 survey responses and you can help us reach our goal of 500!
Lakes Michigan/Huron Water Levels February 7, 2022
To better read the charts, please click on the chart for the Daily or Six Month Forecast Water level chart and the corresponding websites
In Memoriam
Douglas Chute, A98 – 1 ‘Ouendake’, husband of Coco Johnson, father of Jesse Chute, Deborah Chute and Andrew Chute, February 2022.
Craig Hart, A264 – 1 “Isle of View II”, husband of Neidra Pfohl Hart, father of Lorne and Jovanna (Danny Holland), April 2021
Jeanne Manners, past PaBIA member, M90 (G1574) ‘Ragged Edge’, wife of the late Earl Manners, mother of Earl Manners (Valarie Pethick) and Cynthia Manners, January 2022.
D’Arcy Sheard, past PaBIA member, 393A-1 ‘Kishkadena’, A394-1 ‘Sugarloaf’, husband of Laurie, father of Scott Sheard (Karen Fraser) and Jeff Sheard (Beth), October 2021
Please support
PaBIA’s Yearbook’s
Advertisers Alpha Listing 2021
Advertisers by Category 2021
This site’s advertising feature was created to provide assistance for special local information &events for existing Yearbook advertisers only.
Emergency
• PaB Nursing Station
• Canadian Coast Guard
Search and Rescue
800-267-7270
• PaBIA Emergency info
PaBIA
• Board Minutes February 1, 2022
• Environment and Nature
• Education