Kingston News January 12, 2017

Engage for Change

The city of Kingston has announced a program aimed at developing a better relationship with indigenous people.

Mayor Bryan Patterson says the city will work with the First Peoples Community to create a First Peoples Recognition Statement.

The Engage for Change program has received a grant of $83,600 from the federal government as part of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebration.

http://www.CityofKingston.ca/EngageforChange

Vandalism – Gerretsen

The office of Kingston and the Islands MP Mark Gerretsen has been vandalized in another case that seems to be linked to Sir John A. Macdonald and government treatment of indigenous people.

Red paint was splashed on the windows and door of the Princess Street office sometime Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning and the words…150 years of genocide…were also written in gold spray paint.  Yesterday was Sir John A. Macdonald Day – the 202 anniversary of his birth.

Vandalism has also marred previous celebrations on Sir John A. Day.

Trudeau Tour

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau launches a cross-country tour today with a stop in Kingston.  Trudeau is holding a two hour town hall style meeting this afternoon at Kingston City Hall starting at 1:00 p.m.  After the session in Kingston he’ll stop in Napanee and Belleville before finishing his day at CFB Trenton.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister denies accusations the tour is a way for the Liberal party to collect details about potential supporters and donors.

People who want to speak at the sessions have to register online with their names, email addresses, postal codes and phone numbers.

Phoenix – Pay Problems

The nightmares continue for federal government employees in Kingston and across the county due to the Phoenix Pay system.

Deputy Minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada…Marie Lemay…says her department continues to struggle with a backlog of problems face by 8,000 employees who are still having issues with their paycheques.

Kingston and the Islands MP Mark Gerretsen has been an active supporter of workers who haven’t been properly paid.

Hip and Knee

The South East Local Health Integration Network has approved $1.5 million in funding to help reduce wait times for hip and knee surgery.  The bureaucrats that control health care funding say the one time funding will provide 113 additional hip and knee surgeries, 600 more MRI’s and almost 2,000 additional CT scans.

Correctional Officers – Lifesaving

Six members of the Correctional Service will be receiving awards today for being lifesavers.

The six correctional workers were playing a recreational hockey game last March 29th at the W.J. Henderson Arena when an opposing player collapsed.  66 year old John Leblanc suffered a heart attack.  He was revived by an off duty Correctional Service Nurse and five teammates who were trained in CPR.  They used the automated external defibrillator at the arena to help save Leblanc.  The six workers will receive awards from the Red Cross in a ceremony at the arena at 11 this morning.

Housing Prices

The latest survey on housing prices from Royal LePage says home prices jumped significantly in Kingston during the last three months of 2016.  The survey says…house prices increased by a total of 4.5% last year in Kingston and the average price of a home finished out the year at $320,582.