Blue Anti-Bullying Teams

Dr. Michael Pilon is a good friend of mine and I am passing on a couple of messages he sent out recently concerning bullying in schools.  I hope readers will find this interesting and take action.

Thanks, 

Colin Hine

I had the honour of being selected to serve in Cyprus on the UN Peace Keeping Force early in my military career. UN Peace teams did not always succeed but in most cases they did help.

In the past few months a number of young teens have ended their lives as a result of cruel bullying. There is a lot of talk about sensitization against bullying, information etc. All fine and well but I feel a more grass roots approach is needed.

As a teen I was asked at school to help "Introduce and help" a new student. He used to commute from quite a distance with one of my great teachers. Looking back I realize he probably came to our school to avoid bullying where he lived. He was a quiet, non-athletic person who, in retrospect, I could see as a target. One time he was grabbed in a head lock by someone from another class. I don't recall this incident; but, my friend reminded me of it and how he was grateful to me for defending him. And that was 50 years ago.

Another teen incident involved a young man whom we would now call challenged. He was "adopted" by our church where he helped at mass and in general cleaning up. He was well loved by the congregation. I worked as a surveyor's assistant in Dorval. He came up to me one day and said, pointing to 4 or 5 boys. "Those people are making me nervous". I pulled a reverse psychology..instead of cornering them I went up and said . "Someone is picking on my friend Alex, I want you to find out who it is so I can talk to them." I was the Dorval football captain and well known among the teens. Later Alex told me the bullying had stopped.

My suggestion, which I will be forwarding to many venues, is to have schools appoint a group of students as a "Blue Anti-Bullying Team" The Blue referring the UN role in peacekeeping. I would suggest athletes, school council members, kids who seem to be "Popular" and so on. I would suggest giving them, instructions on why and how to deal with bullying, in a non-confrontational way. All "Blue Team" members could be given a light blue plastic bracelet to show their status. A hope might be to have this Team become something people would aim for and to be invited to join .  The Blue Teams could also be a conduit between the students and teachers who could intervene and offer help before it is too late.

I contacted Tim Horton's to explain this and perhaps have them sponsor Blue Wrist bands for "team members" . Lots of interest in media contacts so it may fly. I suspect school boards will prefer a study and meetings...sigh

Pass this on if interested as I feel it could work well. We have allbeen bullied and we have all at least teased someone..what has been done toprevent so far, this has not worked. Let's move on. Any ideas and links appreciated

Michael Pilon CD BSc DDS DDPH
http://www.drmichaelpilon.com/

I wrote most of you about my sorrow surrounding the suicide death of a local boy who was hounded to the point where he could no longer take it. I am working of a proposal to have volunteer and appointed students given the role of school yard voices when bullying is noticed.

As a former UN Peacekeeper I like what one school has in place. In Beamsville kids called "Peacekeepers" act as intermediaries in school yard problems. I have approached Tim Horton's to sponsor the Blue wrist bands .

The idea would be to have a calming presence; but not a passive one, to try to avoid bullying by pointing out how it is wrong. As an "elite" group their presence could go along way I feel.  So as of now I am working on 'PEACEKEEPERS"

The suicides and bullying can stop with proper intervention.  Pass on my e-mail to anyone who might make this happen :)

Michael Pilon CD BSc DDS DDPH

Over-the-air TV, digital conversion

Letter to the editor (not published)

The CRTC has mandated that Over-The-Air (OTA) TV broadcast transmission in Canada must switch from analogue (NTSC) to digital (ATSC) by September 1, 2011. This deadline is only two months away but only a few local stations have so far taken the step to broadcast digital programming over the air; notably CBC/Radio Canada and OMNI.


Candian broadcasters have been making "public service" announcements about the change, presumably they are required to do so by law. However, with few exceptions, these announcements provide little additional information about their future plans. TV Ontario (TVO) has indicated it will make the switch over in mid August 2011. Notably CTV and "A" Cannel (owned by Bell Media) and Global (owned by Shaw) have not indicated exactly how or when they will switch over. Neither have they disclosed what their channel allocations will be for digital broadcasts.

Local CTV, channel 13, has run a public service announcement {advertisment?) from Bell that refers viewers to the bell.ca web site. This site provides a list of products available from Bell shops and encourages people to subscribe to their satellite TV services. Little or no information on their plans for the digital transition is provided.

The CRTC does not appear to be issuing public service announcements on the mandated transition and one has to wonder how serious the broadcasting authority is on sticking to the mandated transition date. The switch over to digital TV will provide viewers who depend on OTA transmissions with much improved local TV reception at no cost, there than perhaps to buy a new antenna. Currently OTA analogue reception is notoriously bad in many areas of the city and the digital transition will result in high quality reception, including High Definition (HD) for most OTA viewers. Of course this is not necessarily in the business interests of cable and satellite service providers in the area. It is time for the CRTC and TV broacasters to be clear with the public about their plans.

The power and influence of developers

In a recent post I noted that recommendations to develop the AVTC were made by contractors who will eventually benefit in a significant way from its construction. Sadly, this is by no means unusual in the city of Ottawa; note the ongoing controversy surrounding the Westboro convent site and current plans to build a new access road across Byron Park.

In today’s Ottawa Citizen, letter writer Heather Mitchell notes that Councillor Catherine Hobbs originally supported the developer’s proposal to build this road but is now backing away from the recommendation because of the public outcry. However the city is not asking the developer to make changes and Hobbs, along with a majority of Planning Committee, continues to support the developer’s overall plans for this site despite continuing strong concerns expressed by the community.

The closing sentence of Mitchell’s letter says it best: “Why are the developers the force in our neighbourhood, rather than the people who live here and the council who is supposed to lead and protect us?” Amen to that!

Democracy at City Hall?

It is not too often that Citizen writer Randall Denley and I see eye-to-eye on the municipal scene but today we are in agreement – Council’s decision hurts local democracy, Ottawa citizen, April 17, 2011. By voting to eliminate detailed written records of council debates the new city council is making it more and more difficult for Ottawa citizens to investigate and understand their decisions.

Audio recordings just do not hack it and put many members of the public in a disadvantageous position. Not everyone has the benefit of broadband internet and as Denley comments “…it means the public will have to listen to hours of audio if they want to track an issue” and what about the plight of individuals with a hearing handicap?

It was also very surprising and disturbing to see that some new council member whom one might expect to respect the democratic process (in particular Councillor Chernushenko) voted in support of this motion; less surprising perhaps that pro-developer members including Councillor Hume and Mayor Watson supported it.

The pretense that economic savings are at the root of this change is false. Perhaps the next step will be to hold all council deliberation in camera!

Democracy is in the air right now at all levels of government in Canada as well as internationally. As some counties in the middle-east struggle to embrace the democratic process, Canada seems to be proceeding rapidly in the opposite direction.

Anything to restrict availability to information

Re: City wants more audiocasts, fewer printed minutes of meetings, John Willing, Ottawa Sun, April 5, 2011

Not surprising that Councillor Peter Hume should be the person to propose the reduction (elimination) of printed minutes at city hall, thus making investigation of council deliberations more difficult. Steps to limit public access to this information will make it increasingly difficult for members of the public to interpret and respond to council decisions.


Any savings that might result from this action appear minimal, so justifying such a decision on finances is just not on. A decision to eliminate detailed minutes would remove yet another plank from the democratic process at city hall. It is already difficult to get council to listen to the community, now they are considering limiting how much they need to tell us.

Letter to the Editor Ottawa Citizen (not published)

City plans to develop the AVTC confirmed

OC Transpo’s proposed changes to bus routes and schedules (OC Transpo plans to save $22M by 2011, Joanne Chianello, Ottawa Citizen, March 24, 2011) confirm the arrogance of city council’s recent vote to continue with development of the hospital link section of the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor (AVTC). OC Transpo plans indicate that the General Hospital campus will now only be serviced by one bus, the 106, and this bus will operate a reduced schedule.


It hardly seems credible that the provision of a lightly scheduled shuttle bus service between the General and Hurdman (10 minutes at peak and 15 off-peak) justifies construction of a $62M, 1.2 Km road unless there is an ulterior motive. Notwithstanding comments from Mayor Watson that he does not support the AVTC development and similar comments from Alta Vista/Riverview Park Ward Councillor Hume it is clear that the city intends that this road will eventually be constructed in its entirety.

Recommendations to develop the AVTC were made by contractors who will eventually benefit in a significant way from its construction. It is clearly time to eliminate the possibility of corporate influence from city management and council decisions. New rules need to be applied at both municipal and provincial government levels to eliminate corporate financial support and influence in the electoral process.

Interestingly if council were to cancel plans to construct the hospital link and to remove the AVTC from the master plan, there would be more than adequate funds available to finance OC Transpo with no need for radical changes to bus services nor for increased taxes.

Letter to the editor from RPCA President

Dear Editor,


Eleven Community Associations of Ottawa (representing 100,000+ residents), and the 850 citizens from across our lovely city, who are working to stop the development of the Alta Vista link road, applaud your recent editorial critiquing the City’s plans to implement an outdated solution via the Alta Vista Link Road.

 

We would now like to offer a few clarifying facts:

• the City planned spending on the link road is actually $65 million ($55 “new money” plus the funds previously allocated to this project) and the spending plan for 2011 is $12.1 million;
• in 2006 City Council voted against implementing the entire Alta Vista Corridor except the currently proposed 1.2 km link (between Riverside and the hospitals) which is now being considered by Council;
• Mayor Watson along with our Councillors Peter Hume and Chernoshenko have all publicly stated that they are against building the full Alta Vista Corridor;
• the construction of the proposed “link” road will flow traffic from the 417 to the hospital only and will not resolve any traffic issues on Alta Vista Drive, simply shift them a few blocks; the development of this link road will preclude future light rail in the corridor - a rather short sighted and environmentally unfriendly decision (note: Council only fleetingly considered light rail for this corridor); the NDMC lands will not be available for redevelopment until sometime in the next decade; and finally
• the link road will destroy neighbourhood greenspace.

 Given these facts and facing rising gas prices, we believe that City Council should be seeking a public transportation solution in line with the Ottawa 20/20 planning principles, which encourages a modal shift away from cars. It’s time to listen to the citizens of Ottawa.

 

Karin Keyes Endemann
President, Riverview Park Community Association

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Letter to the Ottawa Citizen

A Riverview Park resident sent this letter to the editor.  It appears in today's paper.  The on-line edition also incorporates a video http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/todays-paper/pave+backyard+yours/4388778/story.html.  There is also an interesting post on the Spacing Ottawa blog site by another Riverview Park resident http://spacingottawa.ca/2011/03/04/back-to-the-60s-council-votes-on-retro-road-for-southeast-commuters/. 

Don't pave my backyard, or yours

The question of what will happen in the Alta Vista Corridor has been a hotly debated topic at the city level over the last 10 years. Because of strong opposition from city residents, Ottawa city council promised several years ago that the old-style 1950's plan to build a commuter highway through the middle of residential Alta Vista would be permanently shelved. Apparently this is not so, because once again we are discussing road-building in the AVC.


A $55M price tag for a 1.2 km stretch of roadway is absurd if the only goal is to make a better connection between Riverside and the Ottawa Hospital General Campus. There are two existing connections (at Industrial and at Smyth) which are only three city blocks apart on Alta Vista. The connection between Riverside and Smyth could be upgraded, with traffic directed north at the intersection of Smyth and Alta Vista - then a much less expensive connecting road from Alta Vista to the hospital ring road could be constructed through the NDMC lands. This solution would re-route traffic past office buildings, rather than residential properties, and would still make an efficient bus and car connection to the hospitals.

Unfortunately, the proposed $55M link seems to be a back-door way to begin construction on an Alta Vista Parkway - something the city promised that it would not do. The charges of NIMBY-ism are misplaced. The group opposing the construction of a commuter highway through residential neighbourhoods definitely doesn't want a highway in their backyards - but they don't want one in your backyard either (or the side, or the front). People who live in city center neighbourhoods have chosen to pay a premium to live in smaller houses closer to their work and other amenities, so they don't have to drive their cars everywhere. People who live farther from the city center need to get to work, but they don't need to drive there one by one in their cars. The city says it values a clean urban environment, and that it wants to grow in a green way, with transit, cyclists and pedestrians first - let them show that by the decisions that they take with the AVC.

Let's not pave over anyone's backyard.

John and Sheila Bell

Letter to Councillor Peter Hume

Re: Group opposes Alta Vista corridor plans, Eddie Rwema, Your Ottawa, Feb 3, 2011


Councillor Hume,

I am writing in response to your statements concerning the planned AVTC development as reported in Your Ottawa. Unfortunately your statements are not supported by the facts. Further, you fail to acknowledge the strong opposition to the development of the AVTC by residents and community associations across the municipality over many years.

Firstly, your statement that “The opposition to the hospital link is mostly concentrated within the executive of one community association...” is inaccurate. A large percentage of Riverview Park residents is in opposition to this development and they have made their views and concerns know to the Alta Vista Community Association (AVCA). Further, past members (individuals and community associations) of Citizens for Health Communities (CHC) who campaigned against development of this road for many years remain opposed to the development. I have no doubt that you will be hearing more from them during the budget review process.

You go on to say that other community associations in Ward 18 are supporting the project because they believe in the greater good of the city and that “they know that the people of Ottawa will need a proper road and transit route to the Ottawa Hospital as it grows.” You also say that “the easy position would be to oppose that hospital link and offer my full support to that position. However, the easy decision is not always the right decision....There are times when elected officials must think beyond the boundaries of their constituency and take what must be the unpopular decision. I've learned that you can't please everyone all the time but you can't go wrong when you do the right thing.”

It is my recollection that you sat on the fence for many years as the environmental assessment phase progressed, at the same time giving residents and CHC members the impression that you opposed the development. However, when it came time to vote on the issue it is no surprise you respected the wishes of the developer community who have provided substantial financial support to you past election campaigns. You did the right thing for the developers, not the Ward 18 residents. This line of thinking is also reflected in many of your past actions, city wide, as chair of the city's planning and environment committee as well as in your present role as chair of planning committee.

I request that you respect the concerns of Riverview Park residents and others by asking city council to delay any budgetary allocations for this project pending a full and open review of the detailed plans for this road with members of the community. There are many practical and less costly alternatives that need to be considered before proceeding with this development.

Yours sincerely,

Colin Hine