June brought a tragic reminder of just how much needs to be done to combat racism, acts of hate, and Islamophobia. As thousands of people, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, gathered June 8th in solidarity, a message from the London Muslim Mosque on its website highlighted next steps: “We will be calling for an immediate National Action Summit on Islamophobia, where federal, provincial, and municipal/territorial leaders come together to take immediate action on dismantling both violent forms of Islamophobia and systemic Islamophobia. These actions are necessary to ensure that no one else suffers the way #OurLondonFamily has suffered.”
What a Thrift Store Find!
This painting by David Bowie turned up a thrift store in North Bay, and nearly went to a landfill. After being salvaged, it fetched $108,000 at auction! CBC has a great article on this story here.
COVID-19 Update
Ontario moved into Step One of Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopen on Friday, June 11th. That includes measures that will allow restaurant patio dining for groups of up to four people, outdoor gatherings to a maximum of 10 people, and limited access to non-essential retail stores. The roadmap is a 3-step approach to reopening, based on vaccination rates and public health indicators. For more information visit: Roadmap to Reopening
Highway Safety
There are some alarming numbers from Ontario Provincial Police about highway safety. According to the OPP, from January to the end of May 2021, 94 people were killed in 88 fatal crashes on the province’s roads compared to 87 deaths in 78 fatal crashes in the same time period for 2020. Thirty-six percent of deaths on OPP patrolled roads occured in May. OPP say speeding and driver inattention were the leading causes of fatal collisions. See more at OPP Road Safety
Boating Reminders
If you’re heading out on area waterways for the summer season, here are some safety reminders from the Canadian Safe Boating Council.
- Wear your lifejacket. More than 80% of Canadians who drown were not wearing a lifejacket, or not wearing it properly.
- Boat sober.
- Be prepared. Make sure your boat is properly equipped with the required safety gear and that the weather is suitable for your voyage.
You can download Transport Canada’s Safe Boating Guide by clicking: Safe Boating Guide
We hope that you stay safe and healthy, and look for more updates in July!