House of Commons Online Voting Records – The Back Story

I would like to thank The Enlightened Savage for drawing my attention to this article from Canwest News Service.

Unfortunately there is some missing and misleading information in the article which states:

OTTAWA - The House of Commons is developing a system to put every MP’s voting record on the web, shining light for the first time on information that has long been buried deep within House of Commons records.

While voting records of elected officials in other countries are often easily accessible, the House of Commons currently provides no comprehensive records of how MPs vote on bills and motions in Parliament.

The information can only be found by searching through thousands of pages of Hansard, the official record of the House of Commons debates, and extracting the listings for results of each individual vote, a process that would be extremely time-consuming.

What is true about the article is that there is not yet a user friendly online way to directly access House of Commons voting records. However, for at least ten years, an automated voting records system has been in place and MPs voting records have been provided on request. The system, which certainly has it's faults, has been developed and improved over the years but cannot be accessed directly by users. The main clients of the service have been Members of Parliament's offices and the media, so it is surprising that the Canwest article ignored this fact.

And even before this, the results of every vote were readily available in the Journals of the House of Commons, though not in a database format.

But what is most important is the question of the usefulness of such a system and the type of information it should provide.

We first of all have to acknowledge the very strong party system in Canadian federal politics and the House of Commons. Well over 90 per cent of the time MPs are going to vote with their parties. So if you want to get useful information from a voting records system you need to be able to track how the parties voted and identify the anomalies when MPs did not vote with their parties.

If I was designing the system, as well as having the ability to generate individual Members of Parliament's voting records, I would also design it to be able to automatically generate the following information. There are probably other standard things to track that could be added to this list.

- percentage of votes won by the government

- percentage of times each party voted with the government

- MPs that voted against their own party, and the votes where they did

- comparisons by party of MPs voting against their party by percentage

-ability to track votes by subject

-ability to track the rare occasions when a vote is declared a “free vote”

There is a whole other factor that comes into play as well – the fact that huge numbers of votes on amendments, particularly at report stage, can skew the statistical results. It would be useful to be able to exclude these votes from the results on certain occasions and just analyze the results for the main votes on each stage of bills and motions..

The system should also provide the ability for users to write their own queries.

We can only hope that this online voting records system will be comprehensive enough to be useful and provide more information than could simply be determined by knowing which party each Member of Parliament belongs to.

The most important factor in such a system, though, will be the users knowledge and understanding of the Parliamentary system and ability to actually understand what the results of a query on of the system actually means.

A Lesson for PETA in Biology and Ethics

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and others of their ilk, claim to be concerned about the ethical treatment of animals.

Let us talk about science. Animals can be classed as carnivores, herbivores or omnivores. It is natural for carnivores to eat meat, herbivores plants, and omnivores both.

People are animals. To be more specific, people are primates, mammals and omnivores.

Let us talk about ethics. It is highly unethical to try to make an animal go against it's own nature. For example, to try to force feed a herbivore meat or a carnivore plants. It is equally as unethical to try to coerce people into going against their own nature and eat only plant matter, and extremely unethical to suggest that it is immoral for people to act in a perfectly natural way, as the omnivores that they are.

And while I may enjoy PETA's rather sexist topless protests I find it rather odd to see the “I'd rather go naked than wear fur” protesters dressed in high “leather looking” boots. I can only assume that they are synthetic and that PETA, who try to claim to be environmentalists, believe it is better to wear boots made from petrochemicals from the tar sands, than wear boots made from natural renewable animal products.

We need to send PETA, and their followers, back to school for some basic lessons in biology and ethics. I have selected a few sources that might help them understand.

Omnivores - Kid's Corner - Sheppard Software

Carnivore, Herbivore, or Omnivore?

What is an omnivore?

Migraine Hell and Other Thoughts

The Fifth Columnist has just gone through migraine hell, spending two weeks with an almost continuous migraine. Thus blogging was sporadic over the last couple of weeks. After a visit to emergency, and a CT scan determined my brain was normal and a visit to the doctor put me on new medication, I am actually feeling quite optimistic that my migraines may now become much fewer.

Unfortunately a lot was happening and I was thinking about blogging about things but was not able to – like how pissed off Stevie must have been when Michaëlle shared the front page photo of the Ottawa Citizen with Barack, rather than him, especially as he tried so hard to hide her from the press, but she and they would have none of it.

The other thing I contemplated was other “controversial” ads that OC Transpo could ban from their buses, like:

The Earth is Not Flat, Stop Worrying You Won't Fall Off The Edge

Gravity Keeps You Down – Don't Worry If You Run Out of Crazy Glue

The Climate is Changing and it's Our Fault – Don't Worry, Do Something About It

The interesting thing that all these slogans have in common with “there’s probably no god”, is that they have nothing to do with religion and everything to do with science. It is a sad day for Canada when scientific facts become too “controversial” for the side of a bus.

If there was a god …

these ads would not be allowed on OC Transpo buses...


and these ads would.


NOTE: the Gods of Rock ads have been withdrawn, no thanks to OC Transpo or any mythical creature, but due to Virgin Radio listening to the people. Now will OC Transpo listen to reason and allow atheists the same freedom of expression they allow religionists on OC Transpo buses.

Random Observations

OC Transpo Screws Up Scheduling On First Days Back

On the first Saturday and Sunday of post-strike service OC Transpo managers, the people who want to take more control over OC Transpo scheduling, screwed it up so that drivers ended up being paid overtime, even though the system is at reduced capacity and drivers are sharing limited working hours.

As the Ottawa Citizen reported “Under questioning from River Councillor Maria McRae, OC Transpo director, Alain Mercier, said when the company made up schedules for drivers returning to work, an error was made and extra drivers had to be called in to cover all the routes.”

Pete Seeger Receives Apology – Better Late Than Never

As the CBC reported:

Nearly a half century ago, amid suspicion and fears of McCarthyism, folk singer Pete Seeger faced an ultimatum from the San Diego school district: Sign an oath against communism or cancel a concert he planned at a high school auditorium.

Seeger, who at the time of the board's demand was under scrutiny for his leftist politics, refused to sign the oath. A judge allowed the concert to proceed anyway.

Decades later, the school board wants to make amends. In a resolution approved Tuesday night, the school district declared that the board "deeply regrets its predecessors' actions" and offered an apology to a man who has become "one of our dearest national treasures."

The 89-year-old songwriter appears willing to accept the board's apology, saying the board's resolution is a "measure of justice that our right to freedom of expression has been vindicated."

E-Cigs – I Got Spammed

As one who thinks that smoking is not cool, but a disgusting habit, I really do not know what to make of this. A SPAM message about this was posted as a response to my post about the Economic Crisis Opportunity. I have deleted it but I do not know what to make of it. Is this a legitimate form of harm reduction or a tool to quit smoking, or just a SCAM. The proponent seem to be marketing it to anyone and everyone, from those that think smoking is cool to those that want to quit, and are clearly only interested in the profit they can make from selling this product.

Canadian Poll Results and Electoral Projections – ThreeHundredEight.com

I was recently asked to promote this website so I went to take a look at it. It reports on Canadian electoral polling and uses a weighting system to predict election results.

I have not analysed their methodology but I doubt if my one Poli Sci statistics course would qualify me to do so anyway. This is a really interesting idea and the site is worthwhile, just to be able to find all the different polling results in one place.

The Right Wing on Child Soldiers and War Resisters

The right wing believes that a fifteen year old child soldier (according to the United Nations definition) accused of killing an American soldier (based on questionable evidence) in a war zone should be treated as a terrorist.

The right wing also believes that American soldiers taking refuge in Canada after refusing to fight in an illegal war, where they might be required to kill innocent civilians, should be returned to the United States to face punishment.

Go figure.

The Economic Crisis Opportunity – The Short Term Response

With the global environmental crisis comes a global economic opportunity. Just as the response to climate change involves solutions that we should be undertaking anyway, so does the global economic crisis. In the long term we have to change our way of living to save the global environment and the global economy.

In the long term we have to move from an unlimited growth economy to a limits to growth economy. In the short term we have to preserve the livelihoods of working people while preparing for long term changes. That means we need short term economic stimulus and job creation.

Short term governmental budget deficits are going to be a necessary part of this response. We must bear in mind that budget deficits shift payments to future generations so they should be utilized in a manner that benefits future generations.

First of all they must not be used to transfer money from future generations to the present generation via tax cuts. The use of tax cuts at this time to stimulate the economy is a flawed approach anyway as people are more likely to save during times of economic uncertainty, rather than spend, because it is the prudent thing to do. The only people who will spend the tax cut funds are those that do not need them. Using deficit funding for tax cuts is simply stealing from our children and grandchildren.

The most important thing we can spend stimulus money on is dealing with the infrastructure deficit. If your roof was leaking and you had to borrow money to fix it – would you do that or leave it to deteriorate till the repairs could not be avoided and the costs had multiplied many times over what borrowing to fix it would cost you. That is what we have done with our infrastructure, except future generations will be saddled with those inflated costs. In our short-sighted concern about avoiding budget deficits we have let our country's infrastructure go into a deficit. Using deficit financing to eliminate the infrastructure deficit will save, not cost, future generations money.

As well, damaged transportation infrastructure increases transportation costs, as poor infrastructure leads to more necessary repairs on private vehicles, as well as public transit vehicles, and greater fuel consumption with it's environmental costs. Decaying water and sewer systems have health and environmental implications. Inadequate educational infrastructure affects the quality of our children's education and our society's readiness for the future.

The other component of economic stimulus that should provided by deficit spending is preparing for the new future. We should not be spending any government funds, and in particular funds that future generations will be paying for, on the old failed economy.

No funds should go to fossil fuels or nuclear energy. Funding of the energy sector should be targeted at renewable and environmentally friendly energy sources,

Industrial funding should be targeted at low energy and environmentally friendly infrastructure and sustainable industries. Funding for the automobile sector should be target to next generation environmentally friendly vehicles and public transit infrastructure.

We must prepare our economy, and the public, for the transition to a limits to growth economy and for the need to share the planets limited resources more equitably between those who now live in abject poverty and those who live in wasteful abundance driven by greed. This will be an economy with the emphasis on self-sufficiency and environmental sustainability, an economy based on a sense of community, locally and globally.

For Gmail Users - MailStore

Special Sunday Fifth Column

I do not usually post software reviews here, and this is not a full review, but something I stumbled upon.

I love Gmail, especially it's LABELS, which allows one to put messages in multiple virtual folders. My one big concern was not having my mail stored on my own computer. I now have a very easy and simple and intuitive way to do that using free software called MailStore.

This is one of the most intuitive programs that I have ever used. I had it up and running and tested the retrieval function on two Gmail accounts in under ten minutes.

MailStore can be downloaded here.

I will still store and retrieve my mail from Gmail online but I will have peace of mind knowing I have it duplicated offline on my own computer.

Building A New Society From The Collapse of Capitalism

This is the first of a series on the economic crisis opportunity.

Karl Marx said “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”. In other words we are all expected to contribute to society what we can and only expected to take what we need. Under socialism laziness and greed are both vices.

Unfortunately under modern capitalism greed is considered more of a virtue than a vice and has become the driving force of the economic system. It is greed that has brought capitalism to where it is today.

So is socialism the answer. Rather than try to insert a lengthy treatise into the middle of this post let us just all agree that we are not ready to move to that stage at this point in time.

But we do need to change our way of thinking and the way we live in this world for the good of the planet and it’s peoples.

Capitalism has simply gotten out of control, especially American capitalism where most corporations today operate on the principle that “corporate officers have a fiduciary duty to maximize shareholder value”, that is profits, without regards for employees or customers, or communities, or the broader public good.

We have seen it in our communities with the decline of local businesses and the growth of mega corporations. As owners become more disconnected from their businesses concerns for workers and customer value disappear to be replaced by the pursuit of, not just a fair profit, but maximized profit.

And we are all complicit as we sell out our friends and neighbours who worked in the locally owned businesses and local factories, for cheap goods produced abroad by near-slave labour.

Alongside greed, but driven by it, are false assumptions. The first false assumption is that wealth creation is all that matters, and wealth redistribution is an evil of socialism. The assumption being that as long as we keep creating wealth the rich will keep getting richer but enough “crumbs” will trickle down to working people and the poor to keep them happy. This is based on the same theory that sees recessions as the worst thing that could possibly happen. But it is a theory based on continuous and unlimited growth, a dangerous false assumption, The planet simply does not have the resources to support unlimited economic growth without self-destructing.

So where do we go from here. For the moment those responsible are still living their lavish lifestyles, pausing only to fly to Washington in their corporate jets to ask the common people to bail them out with their tax money. But the fact is that the American economy, and even the Canadian economy is so dominated by these mega corporations that their failure would have serious implications for working people.

In the short term governments need to keep the economy from collapsing, for the broader good, But they should not do it on the corporations terms but in a way that serves the common people. In the long term this is an opportunity to change the way the economy works – to an economy that serves the common good, not just corporate interests.

We have seen that countries with mixed economies, in particularly Canada, with a greater degree of government regulation and involvement in the economy have done better than the American pure capitalist approach. We need to learn from that, and build on it. But we need to go much further in building an economy for the people and the planet rather than an economy just for the corporations.

We can build an economy that can provide everyone with a decent quality of life if we responsibly and sustainably utilize and distribute the planet's resources.

Future posts will look in more detail at what we need to do in the short and long term.

Some Things Are More Important Than Humour

Parliamentary Democracy Explained

Labour-Management Relations at OC Transpo – Moving Forward After The Strike

This was a strike that had to be, but never should have been. After over 50 days of the workers going without pay and the city going without transit service, and the hardships resulting from that, we ended up with a settlement that we could have had without a strike.

But the fact is that it took a strike for OC Transpo and Mayor Larry to realize they could not impose their position (the main issue being the rollback of previously negotiated contract provisions) unilaterally.

At this point we have very ill will between workers and management and the potential for a “poisoned work environment”. How do we move forward from here.

The irony of it all is that the very contentious scheduling provisions that we're at the heart of the strike were negotiated as a solution to the ill will between management and workers and a “poisoned work environment”.

The solution put forward at that time, by the consulting group KPMG, was to get both sides to work together for the common good using interest-based bargaining, rather than the traditional confrontational demands-based bargaining. Out of that came a management proposal to change the scheduling system to give the workers more control over their lives. And things did improve.

Then Larry O'Brien was elected Mayor of Ottawa, and he obviously did not bother to learn the history of OC Transpo or he chose to ignore it.

We can no longer ignore history. We not only need to rebuild OC Transpo ridership, we also need to rebuild trust between workers and management. We need to go back to the non-confrontational approach.

Their may be a need for improvements to the scheduling system. If so, they should be designed the same way the existing system was designed, by workers and management taking the time to co-operatively design a better system together.

There will be a lot of challenges to rebuild OC Transpo and rebuild ridership. The chances of success will be a lot better if workers and management do it together co-operatively. We are at the stage of moving into a whole new phase of public transit in Ottawa. We can only succeed if we work together and take advantage of, not only the expertise of hired consultants, but the expertise of our own front line workers who are in contact with transit users everyday.

Both sides could start by providing transit users with an assurance of continued stable transit service by agreeing to use interest-based bargaining for the next collective agreement and agreeing to send any outstanding issues to binding arbitration with no preconditions.

They could start working immediately by establishing a worker-management brainstorming group to develop ways of improving transit service in Ottawa. Not only might this come up with some novel ways to improve service, it will get both sides working together for the common good.

André Cornellier – Working Class Hero

Special Sunday Fifth Column


He may be the most hated man in Ottawa . During the OC Transpo strike he certainly did not endear himself with the public and he never said what he was supposed to say. Indeed I called him “the world's worst communicator”. But he spoke straight from the heart and the gut. In the midst of the chaos and hardship of the OC Transpo strike he made it clear that there was only one thing he cared about – his members' rights and their struggle against and OC Transpo's attempts to roll back previously negotiated contract provisions and Mayor Larry O'Brien's goal of breaking their union. He fought for them to the end not caring what anyone thought of him, only thinking about winning the battle for the workers he was leading.

An old school labour leader, he may not be the right man to lead the workers during the next stage of labour management relations at OC Transpo, that will be for them to decide, but he is still a true Working Class Hero.

The Phony Safety Issue in the OC Transpo Strike

It is not because safety is not important that I say that this is a phony issue. It is a phony issue because there was no concern raised by the city before the strike began, or even at the start of the strike, or at least no concern that was made public, and Mayor Larry has shown no inclination to keep such concerns private.

The concern was only raised after OC Transpo, and Mayor Larry's, financial arguments about their scheduling position were discredited when the public learned that the current scheduling system was proposed by OC Transpo and that the workers took a pay reduction to pay for the additional costs of the system.

It was simply an attempt to justify the unjustifiable.

However there is a problem with OC Transpo not being under any safety regulations regarding bus drivers' working hours. This is because of the federal government's blatant disregard of their responsibility for inter-provincial (and international) municipal public transit and the lack of appropriate safety regulations. Requests were made, and granted, to have municipal transit services exempted from the federal regulations because the federal regulations were designed for long distance trucking and bus systems and were not suited to municipal systems. The fact that the federal government has jurisdiction over inter-provincial municipal transit systems and does not provide appropriate safety regulations is inexcusable.

The ideal solution would be to recognize that OC Transpo is essentially an Ontario transit service and have a federal-providential agreement giving the province regulatory powers so that OC Transpo would be under the same safety regulations as other Ontario public transit systems.

In the interim I would suggest an agreement (outside of the collective bargaining process) between OC Transpo and the Amalgamated Transit Union to have OC Transpo operate as if it was covered by the provincial regulations.

In the meantime the scheduling system could be referred to mediation, the financial issues could go to arbitration, and the buses could go back into service.

How Progressive is Progressive Bloggers

The Fifth Column is a Member of a blog aggregator or blogging community known as Progressive Bloggers.

Progressive Bloggers describes itself this way:

Progressive Bloggers is a group of Canadian bloggers who firmly believe that this great country needs to move forward, not backwards. Be they Liberal or liberal, New Democrats or democrats, Green voters or voters who want a green country, or even Red Tories searching for a home, these bloggers believe that Canadian politics should move in a progressive direction.

On these blogs you will read about the importance of the environment, the need to preserve Canada’s social programs and its multicultural mosaic. You’ll see posts on why national unity is important and on why there are worse problems than letting two people who love each other marry.

If you have a progressive blog, be sure to join this group. If you enjoy reading progressive blogs, then you’ve come to the right place.

When I first started my blog, The Fifth Column, I set out to find ways to increase my readership and I discovered a number of blog aggregators that post your blogs, or the first few paragraphs, together with other blogs, and Progressive Bloggers was one of them.

At that time I really did not think too much about just how progressive many of the bloggers on Progressive Bloggers are.

My political background is on the left of the New Democratic Party, having been on the executive of the Sudbury New Democratic Party Riding Association when I was in university and having been a member of the Waffle and the Left Caucus. I represented the riding association at Ontario New Democratic Party, Waffle and Left Caucus meetings of various kinds.

For myself and my political contemporaries progressive started with the left wing of the New Democratic Party and moved leftward. Liberals and Tories were Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee and definitely none of them could be called progressive. Neither could the NDP establishment be considered to be progressive.

Then of course came Mike Harris and Stephen Harper and the Canadian political compass seemed to shift to the right making those on the centre right seem to be moderate and even progressive. But I think it is a mistake for those really on the left to buy into this.

I have certainly noticed in recent weeks some very non-progressive posts on Progressive Bloggers, in particular, some very anti-worker posts, but not limited to that.

And I am sure today, after Iggy's announcement of his “difficult decision” that Progressive Bloggers will be filled with posts justifying why the discredited Harper government should be allowed to remain in power.

For myself I will remain a member of Progressive Bloggers because there are still quite a few progressive voices here and it allows me to reach a broader audience but I will no longer be blind to the fact that many of the bloggers here are far from progressive.

OC Transpo Strike – Who Is To Blame

It is really easy to blame the drivers, mechanics and their union for the strike. However the facts do not support that.

The strike was called when the employer, the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo, presented a final offer and stated that they were not willing to negotiate any further (and they have not moved from their bottom line position since then). That left the workers with the choice of accepting an unsatisfactory offer or going on strike. Further negotiations were no longer an option (although the union indicated its willingness to accept the federal mediators proposal as a way of ending the strike within days of it's start).

We could still blame the workers and their union if the strike had been the result of unreasonable demands by them. But it was not.

The strike was precipitated by an attempt by the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo to rollback previously bargained for benefits relating to the scheduling system. This was a system that was proposed by the employer and negotiated in a non-confrontational interests-based bargaining process over an extended period of time. It was also a proposal that, despite the rhetoric (lies?) of Larry O'Brien and his cohorts, did not cost the City and OC Transpo anything because the workers took a reduced pay increase to pay for the extra costs.

The strike can be settled immediately if City of Ottawa and OC Transpo would accept the workers and their union's reasonable proposal to send the financial package to arbitration and the scheduling issue to a mediation process. The system was developed in a non-confrontational process over an extended period of time. If the city believes it has problems that need to be fixed that is the process to use, a process that may be able to find improvements that benefit both the workers and the employer.

The facts make it clear that it was the City and OC Transpo that that caused the strike and it is the City and OC Transpo that are responsible for it continuing.

Why Mountain Biking Should Be Allowed on the Greenbelt Trails

Submission to the National Capital Commission Greenbelt Master Plan Review

By Richard W. Woodley, environmentalist, hiker, mountain biker, snowshoer, cross country skier, kayaker

The following statement, contained in an email from an NCC representative, dated May 12, 2006, makes it clear that the current NCC policy banning mountain biking on the Greenbelt trails is unenforceable.

We know that there is a lot of interest in off-road riding on Greenbelt hiking trails. On the other hand, section (16) of the NCC Traffic & Property Regulations states..."No person shall ride a bicycle on property of the Commission other than a driveway or on a bicycle path set aside by the Commission for the purpose...". While we have not actively tried to enforce this particular regulation, we do not condone the practice. There are long-term impacts on the trails and surrounding area, particularly rutting, trail erosion, trail widening as users veer off the designated route to avoid ruts and muddy surface, and destruction of adjacent vegetation. In the winter, we want to discourage bike riders who may travel across groomed ski tracks.

What is apparent, when one examines the facts, is that there are no legitimate reasons for banning mountain biking on the Greenbelt trails. In fact, there are numerous reasons why it should be allowed, and indeed encouraged.

There is a certain irony, some might say hypocrisy, for the NCC, an organization that is known for what I call the “NCCification” of trails, the flattening and widening of natural single track trails, and an organization that regularly uses heavy equipment and tractor-like lawn mowers on the trails, to claim that mountain biking damages the trails.

Even more than my desire to see the NCC adopt a policy of allowing mountain biking on the Greenbelt trails is my desire for them to adopt a policy of leaving all trails in their natural state and to do as little damage as possible to the environment when creating trails.

It is the creation of trails that has potential to do environmental damage, not the responsible use of them. Trails should be designed and built in a sustainable manner, a practice that interestingly enough has been developed and promoted by mountain bikers, and in particular the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA).

Trails can be of great environmental benefit. First, by keeping trail users away from environmentally sensitive areas. Note that hikers are much more likely to go off the trail and do environmental damage to sensitive areas than mountain bikers are. Secondly, trails bring people into contact with the environment, learning to love and respect it and often becoming advocates for the environment.

People can be a great threat to the environment, the biggest impact being from development, bulldozing and paving it over, blasting and replacing forests and meadows with parking lots, buildings, and roads, a practice that the NCC has been known to be a party to.

On the other hand people hiking responsibly through the forest have no greater impact than deer or bears running through the forest, particularly when they are on a controlled trail system. The same applies to mountain biking where the scientific evidence indicates that hikers and mountain bikers and hikers have equivalent impacts on trails. See for example the reviews done by the International Mountain Bicycling Association and the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

The other argument against allowing mountain bikers on the Greenbelt trails is user conflicts.

In various places, including the Greenbelt, hikers and bikers regularly share the trails with each other with few problems. I can personally attest to never having had a conflict with hikers on the Greenbelt trails while riding them regularly (several times a week). I can also attest to hiking and mountain biking in the South March Highlands and always having other trail users treat me with respect, whether as a hiker or a biker.

The majority of outdoors persons considers themselves to be, and indeed are, environmentalists. The best way to raise environmental awareness is by getting people out into the environment, enjoying it and learning of it’s importance and the need to protect it. That is where the environmentalists that we need to fight the real threats to the environment - development and habitat destruction, are born.

Getting people out into the environment, onto the lakes and rivers and into the forests builds healthy lifestyles, and healthy lifestyles improve our health and reduces our health care costs. This is important at a time when obesity, and childhood obesity in particular, is at epidemic levels. We need natural spaces and trails to teach our children the benefits and enjoyment that can be had in the great outdoors. The National Capital Region is fortunate that we have a population that celebrates healthy lifestyles and rises up to challenge those that want to take our natural spaces and trails away from us. Allowing mountain biking on the trails is one more way to encourage people to get out and enjoy nature.

Young people need the type of challenges the outdoors can provide as an alternative to spending their time in a sedentary lifestyle centred on electronic devices, or other even worse, but seemingly exciting, activities like gangs and drugs. Youth can be attracted to these things by the very risks we want to protect them from. Outdoors activities such as rock climbing and mountain biking can provide exciting healthy risks that build character and a healthy body.

Mountain biking is the perfect activity to get young people active and out in the environment. It combines man and machine (or boy and machine) with a sense of adventure, all in a natural setting. The Greenbelt trails are the ideal location as many are closes to neighbourhoods and they have a wide variety of levels of riding difficulty and challenge.

The other very important reason for legitimizing the already existent practice of mountain biking on the Greenbelt trails is that it would provide an opportunity to undertake a public education program on environmentally friendly and sustainable trail use, including respect for other trail users - share the trail. The education campaign should stress that trail users should stay on the designated trails. As well it should encourage trail users to avoid wet muddy trails but advise them to use the centre of the trail, not go alongside and widen it, if they do need to go through wet muddy sections. It would be very difficult for the NCC to undertake an education campaign on the responsible way to do something that they officially prohibit.

A good place to start with trail education are the IMBA Rules of the Trail.

For more information on mountain biking see the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) website and the Ottawa Mountain Bike Association (OMBA) website.

There are, indeed, no legitimate reasons for prohibiting mountain biking on the Greenbelt trails.

Out With The Old and In With The New

If ever there was a time to celebrate that it is today !

City of Ottawa Does Not Believe It's Own Rhetoric – OC Transpo Strike

Special Saturday Fifth Column

The Amalgamated Transit Union has made a proposal that could end the OC Transpo strike almost immediately by sending the financial offers to binding arbitration and submitting the scheduling issue to a mediation process.

Mayor Larry O'Brien, the City of Ottawa and OC Transpo claim that they have made a fair and reasonable offer to the Amalgamated Transit Union and claim that their new scheduling proposals are better for the drivers and are just not well understood by the drivers and their union.

If that is true why are they afraid to send their financial offer to binding arbitration without preconditions and submit their scheduling proposal to a mediation process where it can be explained to and understood by the union and it's members.

There is a word for it when you tell other people something you do not believe to be true.

Should Public Transit Be Declared An Essential Service

As an environmentalist, I am inclined to say yes to that question because of the extensive environmental benefits provided by public transit systems, the main one, of course, being the fact that it reduces automobile use considerably and in some cases can make car ownership unnecessary.

But the first question we have to answer is what does that mean.

If public transit is essential, like police and health care services, then it must be provided. There must be legislation requiring municipalities above a certain size to provide a public transit service.

If public transit is essential, then it must be publicly provided. It cannot be left to the whims of the private sector that will only provide service where it is profitable.

It must be a meaningful service so the legislation must provide standards of service that must be provided.

It must also be affordable to all citizens, especially lower income citizens. In order to do this fares must only be used to cover a portion of the costs, no more than fifty percent.

Since municipalities have the least effective and least equitable taxing powers of all levels of government, funding must be provided by all three levels of government, municipal, provincial and federal.

And for it to be effective in getting people to make permanent lifestyle changes it must be reliable and provided without interruption.

This would require removing the right to strike from workers and the right to lock-out workers during labour disputes from management and replacing it with a fair system of compulsory arbitration when negotiations and mediation fail. It should also be noted that despite whatever legislation may be in place strong unions always maintain the ability to strike if the alternative measures are not applied fairly.

Legislation declaring public transit an essential service must include all of these factors if we are truly treating it as an essential service. It has to be a lot more than just taking rights away from workers.

While we are discussing declaring services essential for their environmental benefits, I would suggest that a comprehensive system of commuter bike routes also be declared an essential service that must be provided by all municipalities.

NCC Greenbelt Review and Mountain Biking: Part Three

This is the third part of a series of blog postings on the National Capital Commission's Greenbelt Master Plan Review as it relates to mountain biking. The last posting will be my personal submission on Mountain Biking in the National Capital Greenbelt.

This link will take you directly to the Review of the 1996 Greenbelt Master Plan.

Managing Recreation and Mountain Biking

In this post we will look at the NCC document entitled Managing Recreation as well as other information on their web site relating to NCC policies on trails, cycling and mountain biking.

The document Managing Recreation states:

Over 100 kilometres of trails have been developed for recreational use in the Greenbelt (skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and birdwatching), and the Greenbelt Pathway is under development with links to the recreational pathway system (in the Capital region), the Rideau Trail (Ottawa to Kingston) and the Trans Canada Trail (across Canada). A number of recreational facilities such as campgrounds, riding schools, municipal sports fields, golf courses and two leash-free areas for dog walking can also be found in the Greenbelt.

The Greenbelt Pathway

The Greenbelt Pathway is planned to be a continuous 56-kilometre recreational pathway that will provide a unique experience from Shirley’s Bay in the west to Green’s Creek in the east.

Its objectives are:

- to connect key visitor attractions and link with other pathways in Canada’s Capital Region
- to provide a unique rural experience along the Capital’s integrated Recreational Pathway Network

My understanding is that cycling is only officially allowed on the “recreational pathways” and not the “trails”. We will examine the document Biking Country to try and find a clear statement of that policy.

The document The Capital Pathway states:

Canada’s Capital Region is home to one of North America’s largest networks of cycling pathways — the Capital Pathway network. More than 170 kilometres of recreational pathways link superb natural areas, parks, gardens, museums and attractions. The paths are great for cycling and many other activities such as walking, jogging and in-line skating. Come and fill up on fresh air!

The Map of the Capital Pathway makes it clear that this only includes paved and hard packed surface pathways and not the natural trails in the Greenbelt.

The chart of recommended activities on the NCC Greenbelt Map indicates that “biking” is only recommended on the “pathways” and on none of the “trails”.

Nothing in the review documents that I have seen indicates that these specific policies are under review, but everything I have seen in the documentation so far has been very general.

The only reference on the NCC website to mountain biking seems to be the section on Mountain Biking in Gatineau Park.

So the clearest statement of current policy we seem to have is the email that we received from an NCC representative dated May 12, 2006:

We know that there is a lot of interest in off-road riding on Greenbelt hiking trails. On the other hand, section (16) of the NCC Traffic & Property Regulations states..."No person shall ride a bicycle on property of the Commission other than a driveway or on a bicycle path set aside by the Commission for the purpose...". While we have not actively tried to enforce this particular regulation, we do not condone the practice. There are long-term impacts on the trails and surrounding area, particularly rutting, trail erosion, trail widening as users veer off the designated route to avoid ruts and muddy surface, and destruction of adjacent vegetation. In the winter, we want to discourage bike riders who may travel across groomed ski tracks.

I will be watching for further information on the Greenbelt Master Plan Review to be posted on the NCC web site and for notices of public meetings and will report them on my blog. I will now begin drafting my personal submission on Mountain Biking on the Greenbelt Trails.

NCC Greenbelt Review and Mountain Biking: Part Two

This is the second part of a series of blog postings on the National Capital Commission's Greenbelt Master Plan Review as it relates to mountain biking. The last posting will be my personal submission on Mountain Biking in the National Capital Greenbelt.

This link will take you directly to the Review of the 1996 Greenbelt Master Plan.

The Backgrounders and the Process

In this post we will look at the Backgrounders provided by the NCC on their web site.

These references to trails and cycling are found in the backgrounder entitled The Greenbelt.

It is a key recreational and tourist area. Over 100 km of trails within the Greenbelt pass through its conservation areas of Green’s Creek, Mer Bleue, Shirley’s Bay and Stony Swamp as well as through the Pine Grove and Pinhey Forests. Greenbelt trails for walking and cycling in the summer, walking, snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing in the winter, link to parts of the Trans Canada and Rideau Trails and the Capital Pathway Network.
…

Many people decided to leave the farms that were on poorer soil instead of leasing them back from the NCC. This prompted the NCC and the Government of Ontario to re-forest much of that farmland. The Pine Grove and Pinhey forests of today largely resulted from that initiative. By the 1970s, steps were taken to protect natural areas such as Mer Bleue and Stony Swamp. Walking and ski trails were created and the Greenbelt became recognized as an accessible oasis for outdoor recreation in the capital.

Note no details as to what trails “cycling” is allowed on are provided in this document.

These references are found in the backgrounder entitled The Master Plan. Again few details are provided.

As an example of its impact, the Master Plan directs how and where pathways should be built to provide a connected and varied experience for walking and cycling. The current Greenbelt trail system extends over 100 kilometres.

The backgrounder entitled The Update Process/The Review provides details on the review process time line.

What is the process for updating the Master Plan?

The process will consist of a number of steps that begin in 2008 and end in 2011.

Step 1: Research (Fall 2008 to Spring 2009)
This step will include a review of background information, site visits and discussions with a number of groups with a stake in the Greenbelt. These groups include all levels of government, residents, farmers, the business community and the general public. A Public Advisory Committee that will be established during this step will also be consulted. The public can also provide input through the NCC’s website.

The result of this step will be a common understanding of the current status of the Greenbelt.

Step 2: The Vision (Spring 2009 to Fall 2009)
During this step all involved parties, including the public, will participate to help improve the vision statement for the Greenbelt. The existing vision as set out in the 1996 Master Plan will serve as a starting point. There will be a national workshop and three public workshops in the eastern, central and western parts of the Greenbelt. The Public Advisory Committee and the interactive website will continue to play a part.

The result of this step will be a clear view of how the Greenbelt should look at least 50 years into the future.

Step 3: Concept Plans (Fall 2009 to Summer 2010)
This step involves developing what is called a “concept plan.” A concept plan is the first step in applying the vision to physical reality. It sets out principles and objectives. It describes the functions of different areas of the Greenbelt and sets the types of use that may occur on the lands throughout the Greenbelt. The concept plan will also set priorities and give direction for the Greenbelt’s long-term use and development. During this step two or three concept plans will be developed as options. Comment on these options will be obtained through discussions and meetings with stakeholders and the public. There will be three public workshops in the eastern, central and western parts of the Greenbelt. The Public Advisory Committee and the interactive website will continue to play a part.

The result of this step will be an evaluation of two to three options for making the vision for the Greenbelt a reality with a recommended land use concept plan.

Step 4: Sector Plans (Spring 2010 to Spring 2011)
The background data, vision and concept plan of the three previous steps will then direct revision of the 11 sector plans. A sector plan applies the Master plan to specific parts of the Greenbelt, such as Mer Bleue, Pinhey Forest or Conroy Pit. During this step the sector plans will be updated to ensure they reflect the revised direction of the new Master Plan. These options will be discussed with stakeholders and at public meetings. There will be three public workshops in the eastern, central and western parts of the Greenbelt. The Public Advisory Committee and the interactive website will continue to play a part.

The result of this step will be a renewed set of recommendations for how the Master Plan will be applied in specific areas of the Greenbelt.

Step 5: The Master Plan (Fall 2011)
During this step the final Greenbelt Master Plan will be prepared and approved. Individuals and groups interested in the Master Plan will be able to obtain copies of the final version, once approved.

The result of this step will be an updated National Capital Greenbelt Master Plan that will preserve and guide the Greenbelt in the future.

Although the evaluation process continues throughout the plan review, a Strategic Environmental
Assessment report will be completed at this stage. This assessment compares the proposed plan sections developed at each phase of the study against the guidance provided through the Plan for Canada’s Capital and against sound and established environmental principles.

In the next post we will look at the NCC document entitled Managing Recreation as well as other information on their web site relating to NCC policies on trails, cycling and mountain biking.

NCC Greenbelt Review and Mountain Biking: Part One

I am starting a series of blog postings on the National Capital Commission's Greenbelt Master Plan Review as it relates to mountain biking. This will be the first posting in that series. The last posting will be my personal submission on Mountain Biking in the National Capital Greenbelt.

This link will take you directly to the Review of the 1996 Greenbelt Master Plan.

Just as an aside, an interesting thing I discovered in starting this review is that the airport is part of the greenbelt. And I thought including a golf course as part of the Kanata Lakes environmental lands was pushing the envelope. Do they paint the runways green.

The NCC's current policy on mountain biking on the Greenbelt Trails was expressed this way in an email sent to us, dated May 12, 2006:

We know that there is a lot of interest in off-road riding on Greenbelt hiking trails. On the other hand, section (16) of the NCC Traffic & Property Regulations states..."No person shall ride a bicycle on property of the Commission other than a driveway or on a bicycle path set aside by the Commission for the purpose...". While we have not actively tried to enforce this particular regulation, we do not condone the practice. There are long-term impacts on the trails and surrounding area, particularly rutting, trail erosion, trail widening as users veer off the designated route to avoid ruts and muddy surface, and destruction of adjacent vegetation. In the winter, we want to discourage bike riders who may travel across groomed ski tracks.

Hopefully this review process will allow the NCC to become more enlightened about the environmental impacts of mountain biking and the benefits of allowing mountain biking on the Greenbelt Trails.

Greenbelt Master Plan Summary (1996 Master Plan)

The first thing I looked at in my review of the NCC documents on the current Greenbelt Master Plan Review was the Greenbelt Master Plan Summary (1996 Master Plan).

In reviewing the 1996 Master Plan Summary I found references to trails, including this reference:

What is the Greenbelt?

As the Capital’s principal rural landscape, the Greenbelt offers a welcome breathing space between the Capital’s inner and outer urban areas on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River. The Greenbelt is a crescent shaped mosaic of farms, forests and wetlands complemented by ski and hiking trails and dotted with federal and private institutions. Its rural character, along with the wilderness setting of Gatineau Park and the Capital’s many riverside parks and urban green spaces, creates a uniquely Canadian setting for the Capital that symbolizes the vast and diverse landscapes of this great nation. It is the only greenbelt in the world that is publicly owned in its entirety, and it helps make Canada’s Capital one of the most beautiful and enjoyable capitals in the world.

A search for references to cycling or biking found no references except one reference to providing bicycle parking:

Infrastructure Corridor

This designation identifies lands that are used to move people, services and goods through the Greenbelt without fragmenting valuable cultivated or natural areas. Appropriate uses include roads, transitways and sewers,water mains and natural gas pipelines. Infrastructure such as hydro lines will be as unintrusive as possible, and public access to the Greenbelt will be improved via such facilities as bicycle parking or farm produce stands at transitway stations. Most infrastructure corridors or will be owned by levels of government other than federal.

Obviously, the Master Plan requires updating to take into account the extensive interest in cycling and mountain biking in the National Capital Region.

Announcements

The next thing I examined were the announcements relating to the review.

The revision will be done in two phases. Phase I will run from now through to the summer of 2010 and will focus on developing a comprehensive assessment, a vision statement and a land-use concept. Phase II will span from the spring of 2010 through to the fall of 2011 and will help to specify work needed in each area, including the development of policy statements, designations of land use, recommendations on the National Interest Land Mass (NILM), and requirements for guidelines and design. Once these are established, the final draft of the Master Plan can proceed.

The review process places particular emphasis on consulting the public in the very early stages. Other partners and stakeholders to be consulted include the Public Advisory Committee, affected municipal, provincial and federal bodies and various interest groups. This extensive consultation will complement and inform activities of the NCC’s existing groups of experts including NCC staff, its Advisory Committee on Planning, Design and Real Estate (ACPDR) and the NCC Board.

The NCC site also included this statement:

Participate

The NCC is encouraging the public and other levels of government to participate in planning the future of the Greenbelt. There will be extensive public consultations and workshops during the process of the updating of the Greenbelt Master Plan (see “The Update”).

During Step 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the process there will be numerous opportunities for members of the public to participate and contribute to the review. Those opportunities will be advertized and posted well in advance on this website. As the study proceeds, members of the public can share their views on this website.

So far the only opportunity provided on the web site, that I could find, for the public to participate is a survey form here:.

An email address for more comprehensive submissions does not seem to be provided, though perhaps one could send a submission to info@ncc-ccn.ca and request that your submission be forwarded to the appropriate person.

The Backgrounders

Coming in the next blog posting.

Solidarity Forever: It Is Time For OC Transpo to Negotiate in Good Faith

In the late 1990s working conditions and morale at OC Transpo were such that it was described as a poisoned workplace, which culminated in the tragedy of the Ottawa Massacre.

Both union and management knew that something had to be done and that the usual confrontational approach to labour-management relations was not working. They sent their negotiators to Harvard University for training and embarked on what is called interest-based bargaining.

That process resulted in the current scheduling system, a proposal that originated with the management negotiators. The union agreed to take a 2 % lower pay increase to pay OC Transpo's added costs due to the system.

As a result of this new approach to labour management relations, working conditions, employee morale, and customer service improved and there was a steady increase in ridership levels over the years.

Then Larry O'Brien was elected Mayor of Ottawa.

It is no surprise that Larry O'Brien does not have a clue when it comes to labour-management relations. What is a surprise is that OC Transpo's top management seems to be eager to join in Larry's union busting strategy. What is not a surprise is that his attempt, bordering on bargaining in bad faith, to go over the heads of the workers elected bargaining committee and appeal directly to the workers has been overwhelmingly rejected by the union membership.

And now, apparently, the city is considering embarking on an all out labour war by using scabs to drive OC Transpo buses.

Do they really think CUPE is going to sit idly by while the city goes after one union at a time. I would not expect to see one snowplough on the road, or any other unionized City of Ottawa worker on the job, the moment after the first scab sets foot in an OC Transpo bus. Larry and his cohorts underestimated the workers solidarity once. Let us hope they do not do it again and cause even more havoc for the residents of Ottawa.

The weather is nice down south. It is time to send Larry O'Brien and senior OC Transpo managers on a vacation and bring in some professional negotiators who are willing to bargain in good faith to go back to the table with the union.

The workers have been on strike for over a month. They are anxious to negotiate a fair agreement. All that is required to settle this dispute is for OC Transpo to bargain in good faith. A little of the co-operative spirit of the 1999 negotiations might help too.

Three Simple Reasons Why Israel Is Not A Terrorist State

1. They are the "good guys".

2. "God" is on their side.

and most importantly

3. They are on the "winning" side.

Bracebridge-Gravenhurst-Muskoka Mountain Biking Trails

The following is a document I put together in preparation for a possible mountain biking vacation this summer. I have not been to any of these places. The information below is based on Rider Mel's Guide and Internet research.

If anybody wants a printer friendly PDF version with clickable links or a GPX file of the waypoints on the maps please email me at richardw.woodley@gmaii.com

Click on maps to view enlarged versions
Muskoka – Bracebridge Area Mountain Biking Sites
Core Area Trails


Buck Wallow

Fee: $7 day
Location: near Gravenhurst
Overview: 20 km trails, intermediate to advanced, very well maintained
Directions: Take Hwy 400 from Barrie north to Hwy 11, Hwy 11 north to Gravenhurst Parkway (exit 175) and follow briefly to Reay Rd, turn right and look for signed parking area on left, other side of road from KOA campground.
More info, map: Rider Mel's Guide
Crankarm: Buckwallow Trail Map
Mountain Biking at Buckwallow Cycling Centre - Canada Trails

Porcupine Ridge

Fee: $2 day
Location: Santa's Village, Bracebridge
Overview, 20 km trails, intermediate to advanced, “northern shield riding”
Directions: Take Hwy 400 from Barrie north to Hwy 11, Hwy 11 north to Hwy 118, Hwy 118 west to Bracebridge., go through the first set of traffic lights and turn left at Santa's Village Road, continue about 5 km. Porcupine Ridge is on the right hand side of the road, other side of road from Santa's Village.
More info, map: Rider Mel's Guide
Ecclestone Cycle: Porcupine Ridge Trail Map
Mountain Biking in Porcupine Ridge Trails - Canada Trails

Bracebridge Resource Management Centre

Fee: none indicated
Location north of Bracebridge (8 km)
Overview: 15 km trails, multi-use, easy to intermediate. double track loops
double track loops with interconnecting single track over rolling terrain in a forested area.
Directions: Take Highway 11 N. from Bracebridge past the turn off for Highway 117. The entrance is on the east side of Highway 11, 2.4 km north of High Falls/Hwy 117 bridge. The entrance is clearly marked by a large sign.
More info:
Doitinmuskoka.com - Bracebridge Resource Management Centre
Tourism Bracebridge - Muskoka Trails

Devils Gap

Fee: none indicated
Location: west of Gravenhurst
Overview; 6 km, 40 km, singletrack and fire roads, all skill levels. Great photo opportunities such as beaver dams, expanses of Canadian Shield, vast marshland and open meadows.
Directions: Trailhead is found 6.9 km west of Gravenhurst on Hwy 169. Turn left onto Snider's Bay Road… travel 1.3 km to Muriel Crescent to the Trailhead on the right. (look for the pole in the ground which starts the trail OR continue just a few seconds further and find parking on the right, open rock area great for parking, 2nd entrance to the trail there)
More info:
MTBR: Devils Gap Trail Reviews
Gravenhurst Hiking Trails

Torrance Barrens

Fee: Free
Location: Between Gravenhurst and Torrance
Overview: 15 km, easy, lunar landscape, dark sky reserve
Directions: Take Muskoka Road 169 north from Gravenhurst, Turn south on Southwood Road (Muskoka Road 13) and travel 7 kilometres to the Torrance Barrens sign. Park on the flat rock. The trail is marked with stone cairns, white marks on rocks and metal signs.
More info, map: Rider Mel's Guide
Ecclestone Cycle: Torrance Barrens
Trail Peak: Torrance Barrens

Peripheral Area South Trails


Hardwood Hills

Fee: $12.50 day
Location: near Edgar
Overview: 50 km trails, easy to intermediate, quick drying trails
Directions: Take 400 extension North from Barrie, north of Barrie, take first exit (exit #111) onto Forbes Rd (County Road 11), turn left at stop sign, follow Forbes Rd. NE for 10 km, Hardwood Ski and Bike will be on the left hand side of the road.
More info, map: Rider Mel's Guide
Hardwood Hills Ski and Bike
Mountain Biking at Hardwood Hills - Canada Trails

Eight Wander, Seventh Heaven

Fee: free
Location: near Edgar, east of Hardwood Hills
Overview: single track, mixed reviews
Directions: Oro/ Medonte, Near Horseshoe Valley (sugarbush).Trails located in between Horseshoe Valley Road (south of) and Old Barrie Road (north of), in between 2nd and 8th lines of Oro/Medonte.Minutes past Hardwood Hills on Old Barrie Road.
More info, location map:
MTBR: 8th Wander, 7th Heaven Trail Reviews

Pineridge Loop

Fee: free
Location: near Coulson
Overview: 13 km, intermediate
Directions: Take 400 north from Barrie to exit 117 East, turn right on Horseshoe Valley Rd. and look for the Pineridge signs just past Horseshoe Heights
More info: Rider Mel's Guide

Peripheral Area East Trails


Haliburton Forest

Fee: $15 per day
Location: by Kennisis Lake, near Algonquin Park
Overview: 100kms trails, , 300km of MTB and wilderness trails, easy to advanced note, includes wolf centre, some negative comments on Dirt world) see last link)
Directions: At West Guilford cross the bridge, and take County Road 7 for approximately 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the Base Camp. For
More info: Rider Mel's Guide
Haliburton Forest & Wildlife Reserve
Mountain Biking at Haliburton Forest - Canada Trails
Dirtworld: Haliburton Forest Mountain Bike Trail

Sir Sams

Fee: none indicated, (Half Day: $8.95
Full Day: $12.95 at Ski Hill site)
Location: close to Sir Sams Ski Hill near Eagle Lake
Overview: intermediate to advanced, fast ride with some moderate technical challenges. (From Sir Sams Ski Hill website: We have been busy mapping out and cutting Mountain Bike Trails to be open for Summer 2009. (Not certain if Ski Hill is taking over all trails)
Directions: From the town of Eagle Lake,go through Sir Sams Ski Hill parking lot to Deer Lake Dr. Several trails lead off the road marked with orange.
More info:
JaggedPath: Sir Sams
SirSams.com - Sir Sam's Ski Area
SirSams.com - SirSams.com - Mountain Bike Trails and Rentals

Silent Lake Provincial Park

Fee: park admission fee
Location: 24 km south of Bancroft
Overview: 6, 12 and 19km trails, intermediate to advanced,
well marked, and operate from the 2nd Friday in May until Thanksgiving Monday, trails have extremely muddy portions during the spring to mid June season.
Directions: The park is 25 km southwest of Bancroft on Highway 28
More info, map: Rider Mel's Guide
JaggedPath: Silent Lake Provincial Park
Silent Lake Provincial Park
Mountain Biking at Silent Lake Provincial Park - Canada Trails

Peripheral Area West Trails


Three Stage

Fee: none indicated
Location County Road 19 south west of Collingwood.
Overview: 40 (80?) km, intermediate to advanced
Directions: ???

(Rider Mel's Guide)
From Main St. in Collingwood go west to the Hwy 26 intersection and turn LEFT. Go to Sixth Street and turn RIGHT. Go to Osler Bluff Rd. (Hwy 19) and turn LEFT. Stay on 19 turning RIGHT onto 9TH sideroad. It will head up the escarpment. Turn LEFT at the 2ND line and follow the rough road to the dead end. Pick up the 1-track to the right of the parking area (on the cross roads) and follow the map.

(alternativewheels.com)
From the west take Grey Rd. #2 south to Grey Rd #19, then east to the Collingwood 4/5 line. Go south to the 6/7 sideroad, then east to the intersection of the 2/3 line. The road basically ends here and you can park off to the side and access the upper entrance. Riders coming from the east may prefer to use the lower parking lot on Grey Rd. #31 near the intersection of the Collingwood townline.

(out-there.com)
From the 400 follow the 25 passed Collingwood to the 19. Take the 19 south and watch for the Bruce Trail on the right side of the road. You'll find an unnamed road across from this on the other side of the street which will lead you to the small parking area and the entrance to the trails.

More info: Rider Mel's Guide
Mountain Biking Central Ontario North
Crankarm: 3 Stage
Mountain Biking @ Three Stage May 2004 (photos)
Jolley's Alternative Wheels - Three Stage

Loree Forest

Fee: free
Location: near Victoria Corners
Overview: 8 km, beginner, short flat singletrack, great view of Collingwood and Georgian Bay
Directions: From Victoria Corners on County Road 2 take Sideroad 21 for approx 4 km, parking area is on right, trail entrance on left.
More info: Rider Mel's Guide
http://www.alternativewheels.com/rides/mtb.php#24
http://www.out-there.com/ton02mtb.htm
Jolley's Alternative Wheels - Loree Forest
Mountain Biking Central Ontario North

Kolapore Uplands

Fee: none indicated
Location: Kolapore, below Lake Huron
Overview: 50 Km, intermediate to advance, forested, The map is available at the Ravenna General Store 6km north of the parking lot
Directions: The main entrance is approximately 6 km south of Ravenna on Grey Road 2, 15 km north of County Road 2 and County Road 4.

More info: Rider Mel's Guide
Mountain Biking at Kolapore Uplands Trails - Canada Trails
Mountain Biking Central Ontario North
Kolapore Uplands Wilderness Ski Trails


For Future Reference: Further East Trails, Bruce Peninsula etc.
Jolley's Alternative Wheels - Mountain Bike Trails
Mountain Bike The Bruce

Follow My Blog in 2009

Happy New Year Everyone. It is 2009 and you can follow my blog by clicking "Follow This Blog" on the right.

Larry O'Brien's Lies and the Tragic History Behind OC Transpo's Scheduling System

This post is dedicated to the memory of Clare Davidson, Brian Guay, David Lemay, Harry Schoenmakers, and Pierre Lebrun, victims of the poisoned work environment at OC Transpo.


Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien would have us believe that it was the union that precipitated the OC Transpo strike and that the scheduling system is costing the city and OC Transpo money.

The truth is the strike was precipitated when management presented a final offer and made it clear that it's scheduling proposal was not negotiable, leaving the union with only two options, accept the offer (the substance of which had already been rejected by 98% of the membership) or strike. Further negotiations were not an option, and as we have seen, are still not an option as far as Larry O'Brien is concerned. Although the union has proposed changes to the current scheduling system to try and address OC Transpo's concerns.

But the biggest lie is that the scheduling system is costing the city money, while the truth is OC Transpo workers absorbed the costs of the scheduling system.

In an effort to improve the working conditions, the Union’s membership voted overwhelmingly to pay for these additional costs itself. Drivers did this by accepting a sub-standard wage increase in 1999. This substandard pay rate continues today. As recently reported in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper, Ottawa’s transit workers are paid many thousands of dollars lower than transit workers in other Ontario municipalities of similar size. Simply put, Ottawa’s drivers are paid lower rates for the benefit of having the current scheduling system.

But the real story behind the strike is the unspoken tragic history of how the current scheduling system came about, a history that I am sure is on the minds of OC Transpo workers everyday they are on the picket line.

In the mid-1990s morale at OC Transpo began to fall, it hit bottom in 1998 and 1999. In response to this both the Union and Management knew that it had to carefully examine ways to turn the workplace around. Management at OC Transpo recommended to Regional Council, and Council approved a study by KPMG that cost in excess of one million dollars.

KPMG recognized the problem, noting in its February 1999 report:

"…[reduced public funding, deteriorating bus fleet, and increasing cost of providing public transit services] contributed to the strife between OC Transpo and its workers, demoralized workforce, resulting in poorer customer service…"

KPMG also noted that both the union and management shared a concern and hoped to work together to improve working conditions. KPMG went on to observe:

"There has been a strong commitment from both the unions and management to recognize the shortcomings of the system and to implement change and improvements as quickly as possible. The level of co-operation, and the commitment to consultation between the unions and management has improved dramatically.”

The KPMG study recommended that management allow the drivers, including their union, to have a greater role to play in the operation of the workplace. KPMG rejected the prevailing attitude in the workplace concluding that “the philosophy that “I put up with it so you have to” has been recognized as inappropriate in today’s environment.”

To further demonstrate their willingness to overcome problems, representatives from both management and the union attended negotiation training sessions at Harvard University. The result was a commitment by both sides to embrace “interest based negotiations” – a process where the parties openly share their concerns, expectations and information in negotiations. The Harvard program was partially funded by the federal Mediation Services department.

Improved morale could not come quick enough though – on April 6, 1999 an employee had entered the Belfast Road bus depot and opened fire – killing four long-service workers. This terrible event, and the memories of four workers, reinforced the need to make improvements in this workplace.

One such improvement was the scheduling system that is presently in dispute. The proposal originated with the employer negotiators – a way that drivers could have more input into the nature of their work. Prior to this, drivers reported in and were assigned routes and times. There was frustration and a feeling that drivers did not have even this small amount of control over their working lives.

The employer’s 1999 proposal on scheduling was also a method to relieve junior members from working less desirable times. For example one driver, Craig Watson recently commented, “under the old system I worked weekends for ten years, under the current system I had a better balance between weekends and weekdays.”

To create this flexibility the union and management agreed that more senior drivers could bid on weekend work in addition to their normally assigned hours. This would give the more junior members time off. The freely negotiated schedule did result in more overtime for those senior members – approximately 0.6% in 1999. The company said that while it supported the scheduling flexibility, it did not want to shoulder the additional cost, even though it was a small one.

The scheduling system now under assault by the City was the product of interest based negotiations in 1999 – for their efforts the Employer’s negotiators won an prestigious award for innovation and leadership. That isn’t being duplicated today.

As a result of those co-operative efforts made by workers and managers, employer and union, working conditions, morale, and service levels began to improve.

Then Larry O'Brien was elected Mayor of Ottawa.


Sources:
Ottawa Transit Strike - The History of the Current Scheduling System
The Canadian Encyclopedia: Ottawa Massacre

Have A Holly Jolly Season of Cultural Diversity

Well the godless communist Fifth Column is about to take a break for the Christian Capitalist holiday season.

That is, of course, if you listen to some Christian proselytizers who would have you believe that Christians are the only ones celebrating at this time of year and the most terrible thing anyone could do, and an affront to god as well, is to wish non-Christians best wishes during their celebrations.

Ever since Europeans first set foot in this country Canada has been a multicultural and multi-religious country, and even before that, as our aboriginal peoples also have a variety of cultural traditions. We are a country with freedom of religion but no official religion.

Not only is this the Christmas season, but it is also the time of the winter solstice and the beginning of winter, a season that is very much a defining aspect of being Canadian. There is nothing more Canadian than winter and getting out and enjoying and celebrating it. It is something shared by all Canadians, no matter their cultural or religious backgrounds.

And of course, for those Canadians that are religious, it is a shared season of religious festivals for numerous faiths, including many of the “world's great religions”.

We have a real opportunity here, as Canadians, to turn this holiday season into a celebration of our diversity. That is not to take anything away from Christianity or other religions, who can, and still should, celebrate their religious festivals.

Indeed, the Christian community could use this opportunity to untether the secular aspects of Christmas from the religious celebrations of Christianity, freeing it from the commercialism that has overpowered it.

This is an opportunity for all Canadians to come together and celebrate beliefs shared by all the great religions, as well as humanism, the spirit of love, peace and caring for each other. We could combine the secular aspects of the winter season with these shared beliefs and turn it into one big Canadian festival of diversity.

Mountain Biking and Cycling: The Season in Review

Another season ended a few weeks ago when the roads were covered in white stuff, not snow but a heavy layer of salt that the city felt necessary to dump on the roads during a few light snowfalls. But as I do much of my riding from home, even the ride to the mountain bike (MTB) trails requires riding on the roadways so I decided it was time to end the season. A couple of weeks later everything was covered in snow. The bikes have been in and out of “Joe's Garage” for Eric's annual tune-ups and are waiting downstairs for the new season. Christine's Brodie Sterling is set up on a trainer, and my Devinci Remix “as good as new” with brand new Kenda Nevegals is waiting for next season.

My season started on April 6 on the Brodie hybrid riding the back country roads near Kanata and the mountain bike season started on May 6 on the Old Quarry trails and ended November 20 on those same trails. I rode a total of 2715 km (174 hours) this season, 1977 km (113 hours) on the hybrid and 739 km (61 hours) on the mountain bike.

We took a three week vacation in Austria but even managed to get 179 km of riding in there on Trans-Canada Trail type trails and paved paths, on borrowed mountain bikes. More on cycling in Austria in a future blog post.

We also decided not to take our bikes on our one week northern vacation this year, concentrating on kayaking up north instead, including a bit on the French River.

The highpoint of the season for me, as far as hybrid riding goes, is the Tour Nortel. I rode just over 80 km in 4.5 hours at an average speed of 19 km/hour and raised $525 for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. My longest hybrid ride this year was 101 km from Kanata up into the Gatineau's and back in 5.5 hours at an average speed of 19 km/hr. I did not manage to beat last years personal distance record of 110 km.

This Seasons Long Hybrid Ride click image to enlarge
My mountain biking season this year was concentrated on the Greenbelt trails and Kanata Lakes with some exploring in the Marlborough Forest. We live right beside Old Quarry and those trails interconnect to all of the western Greenbelt trails so we spend a lot of time on these trails whose difficulty ranges from easy flat gravel to the highly technical Lime Kiln Trail and everything in-between.

I got a new toy this year, a new, much more accurate GPS to use on my mapping projects. I added maps of Greenbelt Trails 11 & 12 and the Marlborough Forest to my map archive this season. Mapping the trails is an added bonus to riding them since I have always loved and collected maps, and it adds some extra fun to the experience and is a way to give back to the community.

I first checked out the Marlborough Forest in the previous season attempting to follow the Rideau Trail through it. But as soon as the trail left the forest roads it became very muddy and unsustainable so I switched to the forest roads and mapped all of the forest roads that connected to my starting point this season. There may be a few other orphan roads out there. However there are lots of cart trails , snowmobile trails and other trails interconnecting with the forest roads that I have yet to explore and map. Perhaps next season.

Marlborough Forest Forest Roads click image to enlarge
The other part of my regular riding schedule is in the South March Highlands, also known as the Kanata Lakes Trails. This year I managed to get out a number of my times on my own, in addition to the regular Thursday night Ottawa Mountain Bike Association (OMBA) rides where I was asked and reluctantly agreed to lead the OMBA Group D ride. My reluctance was based on the large shoes I had to fill from previous Group D riders such as Peter and Mario (and Catweaver before I joined the rides). However I think I set my own tone for the rides making them an easy going beginner level ride. Indeed I think there is room for a group between D and C that would be a little more challenging than Group D as I lead it. It also looks like A and B might possibly be combined as they usually ended up being combined this last season. Leading Group D got me out a few more times in the season trying to scout out different routes for the group to take. Next season if I am still leading the group I think we will do more of the old Kanata Lakes trails between the rail line and GFR and I expect to spend even more time in SMH next season.

A Typical Group D Ride click image to enlarge
As well as riding in SMH I also had the opportunity to participate in OMBA trail days doping trail maintenance. This season we managed to get Rock Hopper made into a much more sustainable trail. Trail days are a lot of hard work but also a lot of fun and a great way to give back to the trails that we all enjoy.

The City of Ottawa is currently preparing the management plan for the South March Highlands so helping keep the trails sustainable, as well as riding responsibly and avoiding the trails during muddy conditions, improves the chances of having mountain biking recognized as not only a legitimate but a desirable use of the trail system.

And besides all the riding I have gotten involved in a number of other MTB related projects this season. I just agreed to monitor the NCC's greenbelt review for OMBA and keep my eyes and ears open for any impacts on mountain biking.

I have also been helping PeterV learn about GPSing and mapping software for his Nakkertok project. I have also been providing Catweaver with some informal assistance on her Trips for Kids project. And I am now an EcoSteward for the Dominique's Creative Wheel Centre, an environmental retreat and MTB training school, for women and children, where I help out with mapping projects.

It has been a great season and I look forward to next season. I have already started to plan a short MTB holiday in the Muskoka region that I will be writing more about in the future.

Happy Riding to all of you that are continuing to ride through the winter.

Everything I've Ever Thought Was Wrong

I've always thought of myself this way:

uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

But now I find out I'm this way:

uses feeling
"big picture" oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

So undoubtedly I am going to have to give up blogging and become a starving artist.

Police Behaving Badly in Ottawa

Read all about it at knitnut.net