D-Day

Today marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.

It was one of the most important events of the 20th century.

The landings marked the beginning of the end for Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime.

Canadians received the message from the Prime Minister of the Day…William Lyon MacKenzie King

Canadian troops distinguished themselves on D-Day, landing on Juno Beach and advancing farther inland than the British and American troops on their flanks.

359 Canadian were killed and 715 were wounded or captured by the end of the day.

 

Public Sector Wages

The Ontario government is facing some serious blowback from unions after tabling legislation to cap public sector wage increases at an average of one per cent a year for three years.

The Ford government calls it a “fair and time-limited approach” to reduce the province’s deficit.

The legislation will impact more than a million public sector employees…including teachers…staff at post-secondary institutions and hospitals.

Ontario Public Service Employees Union president Smokey Thomas raised the possibility of a charter challenge, saying the legislation violated unions’ ability to bargain collectively.

The president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation says he has to consider if his group will even stay at the bargaining table.

 

Belt Tightening

The city of Kingston will do an audit to review its budget as the province buckles down on funding for municipalities.

The city is applying for money from a special Ontario government fund to look at where savings can be made in budgets due to cutbacks from the Ford government.

The provincial funding will be used for a line by line review of Kingston’s budget with the aim of saving money.

 

Driver Charged

The driver of a vehicle that hit a house in the Strathcona Park neighbourhood has been charged with impaired and dangerous driving.

A pickup truck hit the house on Glengarry Road on Tuesday afternoon…leaving a large hole in the brickwork at the foundation of the house.

A 39 year old man was arrested at the scene by Kingston Police and taken to Kingston General Hospital with minor injuries.

 

CFB Kingston – Explosion

CFB Kingston was advising the public about the destruction of an unexploded munition this morning.  A message from the base says the destruction of the munition may cause a loud noise between 7am and noon today.

 

Canoe Couple

A Kingston couple will resume its canoe trip across Canada today in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Glenn Green and Carol VandenEngel are on the third and final stage of their journey and are scheduled to arrive home in Kingston this summer.

They’re raising money for Lovin’ Spoonful.  It provides access to fresh food to over 40 organizations and provides skill-building programs that teach youth, adults and families how to choose, grow, and cook nutritious food.

 

https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/loving-spoonful/campaign/canoe-for-change/

 

Conservation

The Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority has partnered with several community and environmental organizations to present the fourth-annual Great Lakes Water Festival today at Lake Ontario Park.

The annual event is designed to motivate Grade 4 students to become water stewards in their homes, classrooms and community.

Hundreds of students from across Kingston will take part in activites from 9am to 2pm at Lake Ontario Park.