u/Hour-Blackberry1877

Keywords: Wintergreen, methyl salicylate, food additives, ototoxicity, aspirin

Wintergreen is an evergreen plant usually growing under coniferous trees. It can be identified by the mint like flavor when chewing the leaves. However, wintergreen oil when ingested is ototoxic sharing the same compound as Aspirin which is methyl salicylate. Salicylate damages the hair cells in the cochlear producing tinnitus and hearing loss. Wintergreen is used in medicated creams, minty mouthwashes, and occasionally candies.

The levels of methyl salicylate in Wintergreen leaves are apparently very high. Consequently, it is unadvisable to chew or consume this plant without the risk of toxicity damaging the hearing apparatus.

Anyone with a predisposition or constitutional weakness to hearing loss or tinnitus should take precautions and read labels to avoid this possible food additive in products advertised as minty.

Keywords: double speak, construction companies, forestry companies, landscaping, improvements

Converting a natural environment into a built environment is argued by construction and forestry companies to improve existing natural areas.

These images were taken from a local Round Lake, Killaloe Facebook page. The company's marketing slogan:

"Take Nothing and Turn it into Something", was superimposed on all their promotional videos.

This is troubling. First clearing forest and bulldozing the landscape is hardly what many of us would consider improvements. Secondly, the advertisement denigrates existing natural conditions claiming they are:

"NOTHING OF VALUE".

Yet these same wetlands, forests and other habitats are the homes of thousands of species of plants, insects, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

IN THE YEAR 2026 WHEN THE EARTH IS THREATENED BY HUMANITY REMODELING it TO ITS OWN AGENDA, ARE THESE PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS NOT COUNTER PRODUCTIVE TO THE PLANETS FUTURE SURVIVAL?

Is it time adult society put away Tonka Toys and closed the chapter to Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble's view of the Earth as one large sandbox?

Indian cucumberroot (Medeola virginiana)

Indian cucumber root is named after its edible roots which taste and smell like cucumber. The roots, however, are thin and usually don't justify the effort and disturbance in excavating them.

Although this photograph doesn't show the cucumberroot flowering it has small greenish yellow flowers with six tepals.

It is recognized by the two whorls of leaves. It grows in the bottom lands of rich woods making it a good field marker or indicator of rich soils.

I found this small colony on my property adjacent to three very large spruce and cedar. I suspect the rich soils in this specific site have allowed the adjacent trees to outgrown others in the forest.

The Iroquois used the roots and leaves as a diuretic and the plant symbolizes abundance and fertility in many cultures.

Keywords: hunting regulations, moose, purchasing animal parts, legality, Renfrew County

This notice was posted last year in a killaloe laundromat in KHR Township, Ontario.

It is one of the most bizarre Public notices I have ever seen on a notice billboard in any public building.

It suggests an elderly hunter looking for a moosehead which he wants to mount at his hunt camp. He is willing to pay $2,000 for the moosehead providing it has a decent rack.

We can read many things into this simple wanted ad. But it raises more questions than answers. Does he intend to show off the moosehead to his comrades claiming he shot the animal? Is this a sad story of a hunter who grew too old and never had an opportunity to shoot his coveted moose? Or is this just a wannabe hunter reminiscing on the moose that got away?

The legality of purchasing animal parts also is unclear. Is a mounted moose head considered an animal part? Could this unsuspecting retired hunter be fined by the MNR in addition to paying $2,000 for this second-hand trophy?

Conversely, is this ad part of a covert MNR sting operation intended to intrap an unsuspecting poaching gang?

How would you interpret this laundromat notice board ad of an individual searching for a moosehead?

Keywords: Endangered Species Act, species at risk Act, CITES

Federal and provincial legislation to protect species at risk are constantly changing. I have not kept abreast of the changes for the past decade. However, there still seems hope for our declining feathered friends.

Two years ago my hydro was disconnected by the Electrical Safety Authority until I removed a substantial swath of trees under 300 m of my line. This I refused to do by principle, until after the nesting season. This decision saved numerous birds using my property as ancestral nesting sites. The power was cut off for a total of five months. The trees were eventually trimmed and the hydro reconnected. The next spring the birds returned and commenced breeding and nesting again. This would not have been the case had I cleared the lines during the nesting season.

Does it gratify you to see this American Robin left unmolested on the tire of this pickup truck for sale?

Do we need to beef -up legislation to protect species in Canada?

Be kind to All creatures : this is true Religion

Photo: USA online news media item.

What is the solution...

Keywords: crown land, junk, canoeing, best backcountry practices, Madawaska Valley

It's not unusual while camping on Crown Land to encounter abandoned junk. These articles are usually left by previous campers who arrive with outboards and who use the same site habitually.

Occasionally junk like a blue thread- bear tarp, is left to mark their territory to give them first dibs if, and when they return the subsequent weekend. Sites often include; foldable yard chairs, tarps, tent poles, bungees, rope, large water bottles, metal grills, and the ubiquitous shelving from abandoned refrigerators. More serious junk involves full size propane BBQs, and an assortment of poorly designed homemade experimental toilets. Derelict picnic tables are the only contributions I find of use which are usually securely chained to a tree by the owner.

The public have a tendency to treat public land differently than their own and have no hesitation with leaving garbage behind.

It could be they rationalize that the chanterelles could be of use to subsequent campers but the yard furnishings are usually broken and have little intrinsic or utilitarian value.

Needless to say, novices and rookie campers who are not familiar with Backcountry etiquette transport inappropriate domestic items abandoning them at campsites after the realization they did not contribute to their backcountry experience.

How can we educate campers that Crown Land belongs to everyone and at the same time nobody? The old adage of pack it in - packet it out seems lost to the current generation.

Photos by the author: Bark Lake September 2025

Throughout scripture flowers have been used as symbols for conveying meaning and purpose in helping us comprehend the living condition.

They bloom in beauty. But the very nature of their fragility, transcendence, and impermanence have been used by literary scholars, prophets, and the spiritual to symbolize, renewal and loss.

Flowers symbolize many fundamental truths to direct us to live more fulfilling lives. Each species of flower symbolizes a different principle, or virtue in literature and in most religions and spiritual beliefs.

For example, in this photograph of my property the predominant floristic community is dominated by trout lily and trilliums. The trout lily grows close to the ground and hence symbolizes humility and its important role in relating to others. Taoism teaches us that, in order to tie our shoelaces we must first bend down. This means to solve a problem we must first approach it with humility. A clear and humble mind reflects potential solutions better than an agitated one ; just as still waters reflect an image better than turbulent waters.

Many of my friends, now deceased, discovered that humility was forced upon them in old age. Had these courageous men accepted humility as an underlying character trait throughout their lives they could have avoided the humiliation that comes with the inevitable decline in old age.

Similarly, the trillium because of its three petals and leaves symbolizes the Holy Trinity in Christianity and in other belief systems the balance between mind, body and soul leading to spiritual integrity and harmony. White Trillium represents purity and peace while the purple of Stinking Benjamin symbolizes passion and the life force.

What lessons do you believe flowers can teach us on how to live?

*SPECIAL NEWS UPDATE K H R COUNCIL MEETING LIVE*

May 19 2026

This evening KHR Council unanimously agreed on direct action against property owners whose properties are non-conforming to the property standards by- law intended to prevent the accumulation of garbage, refuse, appliances, and derelict vehicles.

This follows an emotional plea by councillor Carl Kuehl that during the past 20 years property standards have plummeted throughout the municipality and have created unsafe conditions which include broken windows, discarded syringes, and abandoned refrigerators. He argued the existing by- law is not being enforced.

Mayor Mayville emphasized that these conditions are preventing the economic advancement of the township. In short, outside investors including prospective new homeowners are deterred when confronted with unkept, filthy, and derelict infrastructure on private property within the municipality. Tourism and visitation is also adversely effected by the town's appearance. This amounts to lost tourism and tax revenue for the township.

Counselor Kuehl also commented that this dereliction is spreading outside the town limits and includes parts of Round Lake Center.

Although Ted Browne supported measures to enforce the existing by- law he argued the building inspector Tyler Mask found it problematic for the township to physically remove property in people's yards which owners claim are of value to them but objectively are trash. There was discussion on tweaking the existing bylaw to enable better enforcement.

Counselors discussed options of sending the offending party a letter of non-conformity giving an ultimatum to clean up the property. Failing this grace period the township would remove the garbage and add the expenses to the property owners tax bill.

The item is scheduled to be revisited during the next KHR council meeting with Tyler Mask on June 9th, 2026. Revising or completely replacing the existing by -law has not been ruled out.

This is one rare unanimous decision involving council and the Mayor to resolve an endemic problem which is to address the lack of personal pride and respect to upkeep private property.

The sentiments of council tonight reflect the arguments emphasized on this subreddit criticizing garbage, appliances and derelict vehicles abandoned on private property within Renfrew County.

Photo by the author: Greens Road, Old Killaloe

In the 1960s brush cuts also known as crew cuts, were the fashion. I never dreamed 60 years later they'd be applying the same principle to trees lining roads.

These massive machines are colloquially called "brushers". Those of us living in rural Ontario more appropriately refer to them as "slashers".

Both the Township of K H R and County of Renfrew use this technique which hacks, slashes and smashes trees up to two feet in diameter. It's a cheap and dirty way of creating limited employment to create a setback for drivers to spot and avoid deer.

This is one more reason why I have a prejudice against deer as they are used as the main justification for creating this appalling spectacle along our tourism corridors such as Simpson Pit Road where these photographs were taken three weeks ago.

As the years pass the original mature trees are all but forgotten along rural roads and spectators fail to recognize anything untowards or offensive from the brutal practice.

I don't expect to provoke sympathetic comments to this post as readers will immediately side with the tree slashers arguing it is for safety reasons.

Interestingly, a quick visit to Quebec next door will reveal that the width of Roads and clearances are a fraction of those in Ontario. The definitive statistic would be to determine any discrepancies in traffic accidents between the two provinces.

Blue violets have started blooming within the last 12 hours. They seem to enjoy an affinity with rhubarb.

​

This WARNING has been recently posted on many of my articles. Who is being harassed? I believe it could be me! Freedom of Expression is a right under the Constitution. If you do not appreciate these posts please do not read them. Readers are not forced to endorse the premise of my posts. On the contrary, providing your divergent views respectfully contributes to the forum.

Keywords: allegations of harassment, interference, detractors, ridicule

The subreddit Ottawa Valley Forests continues to be harassed by readers who are opposed to its contents.

There have been several attempts to remove this subreddit by readers consistently filing allegations of third party harassment. ( See screenshot ).

Presumably the 'third party" refers to subjects in the articles which the author is critical and under investigation. These have included:

Resource industries engaged in questionable practices, 2) resort developers building in ESAs, 3) MNRF Ministers , 4) local MPPs 5) Ontario, Premier Doug Ford, 6) manufacturers and marketers of all terrain vehicles, and PWC, 7) the bear hunting lobby, 8) local politicians 9) the nuclear industry, 10) research and design of Robotics and drones, 10) property owners who accumulate garbage etc.

I encourage individuals genuinely opposed to this subreddit to file an official complaint with the social media Corporation Reddit to have it permanently removed through a judicious process, rather than petty and ineffective attempts to harass the author.

Keywords: North Lakewood Estates, Madawaska Valley, Bark Lake, blasting caps, safety hazard, Skead Road

The public is advised to avoid handling any residual spent blasting caps used during the construction of private laneways leading from Skead Road down to Bark Lake.

Several spent caps were observed where explosives were used to detonate rock outcrops in the construction of certain building lots for the North Lakewood Estates housing project.

According to safety protocol these explosives should be disposed of safely (please see photos).

All Realtors should warn prospective clients to avoid handling these explosive residues.

Keywords: recreational boat traffic, overfishing, wildlife, crowding, PWC,

Most outdoor enthusiasts would applaud the construction of a boat launch. Whether you are in favor of them or not there are major implications following their construction.

Few governing bodies including the Municipality of Madawaska Valley include feasibility studies when they approve a boat launch which assess the potential secondary impacts of installing accessible parking and public water access.

There currently exists at least three other public access points elsewhere on this Lake.

Public boat launches facilitate an increased number of motorized watercraft into lakes and rivers. Over the past few months a large parking area, dock and boat launch has been built off Steads Road into Bark Lake.

The original launching area situated at the extreme termination of the same road has been blocked off with a new gate. This had limited parking and the steep grade made boat launching problematic. This is related to the North Lakewood Estates project.

The implications of increased boat traffic on Bark Lake will reduce the solitude which many crave while canoeing and kayaking and fishing. It also increases the risk of introducing invasive species such as zebra muscles into the lake.

It also provides access to more fishermen which will mean a decrease in fish stocks in this Lake. Sea-Doos have become a major annoyance and irritant to other members of the boating public, invariably their presence will increase.

The new parking lot appears large enough to accommodate 50 to 100 vehicles and trailers.

I recall a similar situation when a large parking lot was built on Lake Temagami at the Mine landing. It accommodates 500 vehicles. The Temagami Lakes Association spearheaded the initiative and once it was completed the lake was never the same again. Hundreds of boaters mostly from jurisdictions further south would arrive each day in cars, trucks and buses during the summer unloading and picking up members of youth camps along the wharf. Algonquin Park's Lake Opeongo experienced a similar expansion to include three or more tiered parking lots at the main boat launch. It facilitated canoe launching but also caused crowding on the lake.

Easier access and parking was followed by a recognizable increase in boat traffic, noise and crowding in both scenarios.

Could we witness the same phenomenon of excessive boat traffic, and human activity on Bark Lake following the construction of this new boat launch by the Township of Madawaska Valley ? Do you predict this new facility will be an asset or liability?

Keywords: Bark Lake, Madawaska Valley, True North Lakewoods Estates, MKC, estate development, opposition

RELOCATING URBAN RECREATIONAL WARFARE ONTO A WILDERNESS LAKE.

My brother spent a career writing jingles for marketing companies. He stated a simple industry truth: " In advertising claim the opposite of what is true . If a Caribbean resort suffers from polluted beaches; boast instead it is surrounded by crystal clean waters".

The advertising for the exclusive estate lots on Bark Lake personify this principle. The developers are taking a pristine remote Lake and promoting inappropriate and incompatible uses such as personal watercraft, all terrain vehicles, speed boats and other intrusive recreation. Bark Lake is quickly becoming the domain of Party Central for the wealthy sons and families of corporate executive officers.

We are translocating "recreational urban warfare" into Bark Lake .

How can one claim driving a Sea-Doo "restores, reconnects and rediscovers nature", as advertisers insist, is a mystery to me.

These activities are incompatible with a wilderness setting . How the owners of this subdivision who spent their career promoting kayaking, canoeing and wilderness appreciation can, in clear conscience, allow this atrocity to transpire remains an unfathomable mystery.

If there wasn't a three-year waiting list to enter a psychiatric institution, I would admit myself without hesitation.

For paddlers and fisherman this is your last summer to paddle your canoe and kayak, or troll in tranquility. Once these estate homes are completed any authentic remembrance of Bark Lake will rest within the exclusive domain of my generation and my predecessor's memories

Cherry blossoms (Sakura) are revered in Japanese culture. They are a prominent national symbol. They symbolize renewal, new beginnings and optimism.

Conversely their short two week existence embodies the philosophical concept of "mono no aware" or impermanence. Sakura symbolizes Bushido or the code of the Samurai . The warrior briefly blooms in self-mastery before fading away into non-existence.

Photo taken live from Mountain Road in killaloe.

Keywords: Bark Lake, Madawaska, North Lakewoods Estates,

IS THIS VISION, ROOTED IN NATURE?

Prestige, glamor, youth and beauty. What could be more incongruous than the massive hundred acre clear-cut I am currently overlooking at the end of Skead Road. But the developers' marketers think otherwise. ( See: photo #4 of placard)

I write this gazing over Bark Lake in Madawaska Township, at 3:45 p.m. on Sunday. Hypocrisy is an understatement. But the slick marketers have managed to seduce society's wealthy and privileged who will buy these +/- million dollar lots. Each with private laneways which were carved through the Canadian shield using explosives.

Gone with the wind forever the wilderness qualities of Bark Lake.

The spectacle is visceral and nauseous; excavated boulders, stumps, and bulldozed outcrops overlook the magnificent Lake. All that remains of the original forest are stacks of logs.

Both sides of Skead Road have been subdivided and access laneways bulldozed through impossible slopes and bedrock. Hydro and Wells are in the process of being installed.

Referring this to a second Muskoka is a gross understatement. This elite estate project is undeniably the largest and most pretentious I have encountered in decades.

Clearly, gone with the wind is the public land that many of us formally enjoyed. It has unceremoniously fallen into the lap of the privileged.

It is all the more disturbing during a period in history where an increasing percentage of society huddle, in makeshift shelters surrounded by inner urban squalor. North Lakewood Estates is the epitome of capitalism.

How this project gained approval remains to be seen . Nothing short of a judicial inquiry would be required to unravel the political and bureaucratic irregularities. Public apathy is our greatest enemy. I drove the same road last year before the private laneways and Civic numbers had been installed along Skead Road. The transformation into building lots occurred almost overnight.

I will provide more details as they become available on this environmental travesty against the regions last large and, until recently, undeveloped Lake.

I suspect big money is involved by the number of attempts to remove the previous post condemning the development. Let me assure supporters of this estate development that any publicity is good publicity. Although that is certainly not the objective of my condemnation.

Photos: live on site from Skead Road Madawaska.

Disclaimer: this post has been drafted in the field and may contain minor errors.

Keywords: Lyme's disease, black legged ticks, deer ticks, ixodes scapularis, treatment protocol,

I am no stranger to ticks. I loath them more than any other species that have walked the face of the earth. I usually pick one up each year, but never before in Renfrew County.

Yesterday, for the first time on my property in Renfrew County I picked up a tick. The ticks are dispersed by whitetail deer and to a lesser extent birds, but the bacteria that creates Lyme's disease (borelia burgdorfeti) is primarily transferred by deer mice. The ticks can also transmit co-infections either along with or independent of Lyme's disease.

This tick crawled up my shirt sleeve through the slit near the buttoned cuff. It attached itself to my upper inner arm.

He took advantage of my stationary posture while I was repairing barbed wire fencing. I have friends who have contracted Lyme's disease, mostly naturalists, who remained immobile studying insects and plants.

The black legged tick is not known for its speed. Although it will hang out on the end of branches and grass to latch onto passing hosts. Few cyclists for example, driving quickly through heavily infested tick habitats seem to get infected.

Luckily, I identified it within 9 hours of probable attachment. Had I not noticed it after 24 to 36 hours there would have been a good probability that any diseases would have been transmitted into my bloodstream. This would have required a single prophylaxis antibiotic dose of doxycycline if caught within the first 72 hours.

Apparently pharmacies are able to prescribe this drug without a patient resorting to the emergency department. However, individuals with allergic reactions to doxycycline must resort to a full therapeutic course of amoxicillin. This latter antibiotic cannot be used as a prophylaxis .Pharmacists are not authorized to prescribe a full course of amoxicillin. Thus the patient is limited to a medical Walk-In clinic or the emergency department to obtain a prescription. To avoid this complication my physician has given me a written prescription which I keep in the event I am bitten by a tick.

The disadvantage of amoxicillin is it will not kill co-infections unlike doxycycline and is only effective against Lyme's disease. It is normally indicated for pregnant women as doxycycline can affect the fetus.

There is no shortage of information on Lyme's disease on the internet but if a patient wants to avoid unnecessary antibiotics there is a lab in Uxbridge, Ontario which does same day testing and if you provide the tick they can analyze it to determine if it is carrying Lyme's disease and other pathogens.

If the tick comes out negative for these bacteria you can confidently avoid taking unnecessary antibiotic treatment. This will prevent an assault on your intestinal biota and other possible side effects.

Prior to the establishment of this private lab I had submitted my ticks to my doctor who would send them to the central pathology Lab in Winnipeg. The turnaround to determine if the tick was infected was around a month. By this time the patient would have contracted the disease.

Luckily when this delay happened to me I had on my own volition taken a full course of amoxicillin prior to receiving the results, and hence avoided infection.

I strongly recommend this private lab, the cost is between 80 and $100 for same day results. You can send your dead ticks by mail assuming you do not live in Uxbridge.

For more information contact: GENETICKS

Info@geneticks.ca

(289 )716-3654

Disclaimer: this post attempts to describe the process and procedure following an anecdotal tick bite. It does not claim to provide medical advice to readers. Please refer to the flow chart in the third photograph, or consult a credible medical internet website.

Stinking Benjamin ; Trillium erectum, Large White Trillium ; Trillium grandiflorum

Trilliums are blooming now, during the Victoria Day weekend. These photos were taken on my property an hour ago in Renfrew County. They grow under hardwood trees such as sugar maple in rich soil.

Trilliums have three leaves, three petals, and three sepals. Hence, Trillium is the Latin word for three. Most trilliums are self-pollinating but a limited amount of cross-pollination occurs with the help of flies who are attracted to the fetid odor in species like Stinking Benjamin.

Appearances can be deceiving. It is a myth that all flowers, like people smell good.

Photos by the author. May 2026

Keywords: Bark Lake, Madawaska Valley, North Lakewoods Estates, Madawaska Kanoe Center, Owl Rafting

It's not often that you find entrepreneurs who make their fortune introducing visitors to the wilderness, turn around and destroy the same paradise.

That is the history of North Lakewoods luxury estate development along Skead Road of HWY 60 on the east shores of Bark Lake in Madawaska Township.

The project was spearheaded by the owners of Owl Rafting, one of the largest white water rafting companies operating in Canada. The same owners established the Madawaska Kanoe Center where thousands of young people have been introduced to competitive whitewater kayaking and canoeing along the Madawaska River off Siberia Road

These were major achievements for the white water and paddling industry since the late 1970s and these entrepreneurs should be highly commended.

This is why the revelation is all the more shocking that their financial fortune was invested in a 1,500 acre luxury estate development which is gobbling up 5 km of waterfront along pristine Bark Lake, in the Madawaska Valley.

The project has a long history and initially the first developer for Lakewood Resort cleared land for a luxury hotel, Villa, and private airstrip.( See: last two photos)

Bark Lake until recently was surrounded by Crown Land. The legal transfer of this land to the private sector still remains a mystery. Bark Lake is comparable in size to Algonquin Park's Lake Opeongo. It would have made a significant contribution to the region's recreational economy by being designated a Provincial Park. It also would have relieved some of the pressure and crowding typical of Algonquin Park. That Park designation didn't happen.

Madawaska Valley inspectors have followed up past complaints of heavy shoreline clearing and other ecological destruction. The paved road pushed through the wilderness servicing the lots was also controversial.

I am profoundly disappointed that the people who have promoted wilderness recreation could in clear conscience turn around and exploit it for profit. This is a profound betrayal of the wilderness ethic.

How can we reverse the loss of 5 km of waterfront? How can we be assured the shoreline is not sacrificed by heavy equipment for the wealthy?

Is it right that disillusioned individuals like myself who sacrifice a lifetime attempting to protect wilderness, witness it fall into the hands of the financially elite and privileged instead of being enjoyed by the common people?

Photos; by the author Bark Lake 2025

Keywords: Ontario Municipal elections, killaloe, Hagerty, Richards Township, candidates, competency

Descent is a necessity for a health democracy. In this subreddit I encourage debate and a diversity of thought. There is no one right answer to the questions I pose... not even mine.

At Killaloe Council debate and diversity of thought is sorely lacking. Council wasted the last term in fighting the Mayor Mayville over strong mayor powers.

Nothing has been achieved; and much has been lost.

There is a lack of individual thought among counselors. Problem solving is absent.

The proposal for a nuisance / noise by- law was abandoned because the old guard on Council figured it couldn't be enforced. No other counselor had the courage to stand up and support this initiative against the majority of counsel. The majority of other townships have noise by- laws in Renfrew County.

Council refused to support a motion to negotiate the deferral of Acorn Lake from logging. Council members had not even heard of the place. It was outside of their radar; even though a constituent made it blatantly clear it was one of the township's best hidden gems for outdoor recreation. This natural asset was clear-cut this winter while Council quibbled over technicalities on the mayor's conduct.

Council refused to even write a letter of recommendation for installing a berm around an aggregate pit on Trestle Road opposite the golf course because one of the counselor's sons worked for the company. Anything that challenges the Ottawa Valleys omnipotent resource industry is immediately shut down. No one challenged the counselor and exposed his conflict of interest.

We have a rapidly expanding research and training facility for drones at the Killaloe airstrip. But no one on Council has taken the initiative to approach the promoter and ask for an explanation of their objectives and scope for the township's residents. Nor has any political representative proposed that the private company conduct a public open house to reassure and annul misunderstandings or suspicion surrounding the top secret facility.

We have the largest industrial complex in our region's history under review at the Ben Hokum and Sons sawmill: The co-generation biomass burning plant.

To his credit Mayor Mayville on his own initiative proposed to counsel to have the owner appear and explain the project to council. But none of the counselors considered it worthy of discussion despite the potential adverse effects on air quality, forests, and road infrastructure.

Council members have been voting unanimously for the majority of items brought up on the agendas. There is no debate.

This is not democracy. If you read the above news article from 1994 in the Quebec town of Aylmer civic participation was rampant. Counselors frequently disagreed with one another.

Granted Killaloe is a smaller community but we need new blood on Council.

There exist a minority of competent individuals who I encourage to run at the upcoming election in October 2026.

We need individuals who have a larger worldview than the descendants of a small town. We need candidates elected based on competence not nepotism.

We need more women on Council to represent 50% of the population that frequently goes unrepresented.

I encourage able-bodied, forward thinking and courageous individuals to consider running for office. Without political participation we risk losing any semblance of our community from both inside and outside commercial interests.