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Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Globe and Mail
It broke my heart when Dad asked me, ‘Was I important?'
First Person is a daily personal piece submitted by readers. Have a story to tell? See our guidelines at My father was often described as a big man. Some of his students would call him the Jolly Green Giant or, more often, Uncle Norm. He was tall, with broad shoulders and large hands. Despite his size, he played varsity sports and eventually coached high school basketball teams both as a physical education teacher as well as a principal. People would also say he had a large heart. If someone needed a hand, he was there, without fanfare or the expectation of recognition or a thank you. My father was also incredibly well organized. As a high school administrator, he knew that the devil was in the details. He taught his three children: 'preparation is key, plan for the worst but keep the faith.' He used that last phrase often, not because of his religious beliefs, but as a reminder to always have hope, to support something or someone although it may at times feel difficult. 'It's not what you have, it's not who you are – it's what you do for others,' he'd say. Once retired, he focused his time researching his family lineage – from Ireland to Scotland to Canada. Both he and my mother grew up in the same small town in southwestern Ontario and the interconnections were numerous. He invested time and money documenting five generations of history. He was proud to have completed this sprawling family tree and was happy to disseminate copies to our extended family. My father was confident, but later in life he needed reminding of his good works. In his 80s and once his mobility and cognitive skills declined, our family made the difficult but necessary decision to place him into a local long-term care facility. We co-ordinated visits amongst friends and family and we all watched him decline, often to the point where he no longer knew us. But we would talk to him like he did. That was us trying to keep the faith. During a recent visit I told him I was going away on a long trip but I would be back soon – very soon. (Code for: don't die when I'm away please.) He asked if I had the papers. 'The papers?' I asked. 'Yes, the papers,' he said. 'You mean my will, my burial plans, my itinerary?' Defiantly and remarkably, he said, 'NO, the papers!' After some time, I thought, he means the family tree. He wants to talk about his family. I started talking about his mother, whom I'm named after; his father, the hard-working labourer; his three older brothers who served in the Second World War; and his two older sisters, one of whom he'd looked after as she aged. He was surprised to learn they had all died. I reminded him that he was still happily married to his childhood schoolmate, our mother, for over 60 years. His answer was 'Really?' (I'm not sure our mother quite appreciated that answer.) I described how he had worked as a math teacher, coached basketball and became a respected principal. 'I was?' he asked. Near the end of our visit, he looked at me curiously and asked, 'Was I important?' I didn't know how to answer at first, then realized he was wondering if he did something hopeful, impactful and lasting. I could tell him about the time he helped a terrified young woman whose car had spun out of control on the highway by waiting with her until her parents arrived. Or about how he read in the newspaper about an elderly man who required a drug that was only available in Europe, and how he found a way to get that drug to that man. How he won a Canadian magazine's 'carpenter of the year' through all the woodworking he did for friends and family, and to help the needy. How he volunteered to assist students who had fallen through the cracks to ensure they received their high-school diplomas. How he and my mother were leaders in advancing a hearing-impaired children's charity. How he would do anything for his wife, children and grand-children. 'Yes Dad,' I replied with a smile, 'You were important.' And that comforted him. Anne Purdie Morash lives in Toronto.
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Bus company launches direct route between London and Niagara Falls
FlixBus, a long-distance bus travelling company, is launching a new route between London and Niagara Falls, starting June 9. The route will be in operation from Thursday to Monday until Sept. 28, allowing for day trips and weekend getaways. The line is direct, with no transfer required. Karina Frayter, head of communications for Flix North America, said the new line combats the hassle and high cost of driving for people in Southwestern Ontario. 'As more Canadians opt to stay local this summer, we're focused on creating better regional connections to iconic destinations like Niagara Falls,' said Frayter. The bus will service the following locations:
CBC
2 days ago
- Health
- CBC
Beware of giant hogweed, officials say as battle to kill dangerous weed drags on
One of Ontario's most dangerous invasive weeds is spreading across southwestern Ontario, prompting a warning from a local conservation authority and extending an on-the-ground battle to destroy it. The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) said it's spent more than 120 hours so far this year fighting the spread of giant hogweed — a large invasive plant that has a sap known to cause reactions ranging from mild to severe. "It ranges from a mild rash on your skin to heavy purple blotches and really severe blistering. In the most severe cases we've heard about ... it can cause temporary blindness," said Brandon Williamson, the land management coordinator for the UTRCA. Officials have been patrolling the upper Thames watershed, looking for the telltale signs of the dangerous weed and seeking to destroy it. The plant has been in the area for roughly 15 years, but its coverage is expanding. What to watch out for (and avoid) According to Williamson, giant hogweed is hard to miss. In its first phase of growth, it has a large, thick stalk with coarse hairs and purple blotching, "like somebody dipped a paintbrush in a can of purple paint and splattered it on the stem," Williamson said. The plant grows large sugar maple-like leaves. In its second growth phase, a flower blooms that appear similar to a Queen Anne's lace, Williamson said. A mature plant can grow more than five metres tall. "That massive plant puts out [as many as] 50,000 seeds annually, depending on the size." Anyone who touches the plant is advised to immediately wash their hands and monitor the body part that touched the plant. Williamson said since the poisonous sap reacts to sunlight, it's best to stay out of the sun. "Wear long pants and long sleeves if you're going to be going to areas where the plant appears, especially if you're going to be wading through long vegetation and grasses." Williamson said the weed is most commonly found along waterways, making anglers, kayakers and canoeists especially prone to running into it, and that hikers also need to watch out for the plant. That's something the Thames Valley Trail Association (TVTA) knows all too well. Volunteers with the association that maintains over 100 kilometres of trail in the London area have been having their own battle with giant hogweed for years. "It's been progressing, I would say, in the last five years for sure," said Tilman Joosten, a TVTA board member. "It was in the watershed, north of our trail, and it's slowly working its way down." Joosten said the trails that run near Highway 7 in St. Mary's are a particular problem spot. For their part, Joosten said the TVTA has been in close contact with conservation officials and has spent hours spraying herbicide on giant hogweed plants along the sides of their trails to keep the weed at bay. The TVTA also works to educate members and new hikers about the dangers of the plant and is planning to post signs at trailheads of known problem spots. Property owners responsible, too It's also possible for giant hogweed to appear on private property in the City of London, and property owners are required to dispose of it. "Whenever we hear about a giant hogweed, we do take that as a priority concern," said Orest Katolyk, London's top bylaw official. If a property owner fails to remove the plant, city officials will do it themselves and charge the property owner for the service. To remove any prohibited plant from your property, Emily Williamson, London's environmental planning manager, suggests knowing what plant you're dealing with. "In terms of giant hogweed, ensure that you're wearing gloves and a long sleeve shirt," she said. "It's important that all of the plant material is bagged and that, ideally, any of this removal is done before the plant goes into flower to ensure no seeds are spread into the surrounding area."
Globe and Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Globe and Mail
Ontario baby's measles-related death highlights vaccination critical, health experts say
Health care providers say the death of a premature baby infected with measles in Ontario is a stark reminder of the importance of getting immunized to protect against the highly contagious virus. The first death associated with the current measles outbreak in Canada was confirmed on Thursday by the provincial health ministry. A baby born prematurely in Southwestern Ontario, considered the epicentre of the country's measles outbreak, contracted measles before birth from their unvaccinated mother. Measles contributed to the premature birth and death but officials noted that the infant faced other 'serious medical complications.' Public health officials and health care providers say the death underscores the risks of not receiving the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The increased risks to pregnant individuals and their babies are severe and can include miscarriage, premature labour, low birth weight and possible death. Public Health Ontario data show there have been 39 pregnant women with measles in the province since last the outbreak began last fall. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious disease doctor who is also a professor at the University of Alberta, said it is devastating to consider the death of a baby related to an entirely preventable disease. 'But, in honesty, as soon as you start to see more and more measles circulating, and including the fact we're probably undercounting some cases, it's not truly surprising,' she said. 'I expect that we will see more bad outcomes if we don't get these outbreaks under control.' The Ontario infant is the first recorded death in Canada linked to the current outbreak, which began last October and has led to more than 3,000 cases across the country. Ontario and Alberta have been hit the hardest and are still seeing cases surge, particularly among unvaccinated children. With measles making a comeback, doctors race to fight a disease many have only seen in textbooks In Southwestern Ontario, hospitals prepare for prospect of 'worst-case scenario' while measles cases surge Measles-related deaths are rare in Canada but public health officials have warned that the risk is growing as the disease makes its comeback globally and domestically, in part because of lower childhood vaccination rates. In May, 2024, Ontario recorded its first measles-related death in 35 years in an unvaccinated child under the age of five from Hamilton. Dr. Saxinger said one of the reasons measles has returned is because people have an 'inaccurate view' of the risks of vaccination due to misinformation. Additionally, since Canada declared measles eliminated in 1998 and case counts were low for so long, people have forgotten how severe the disease can be. She said pregnant individuals are often targeted with substandard advice, making it difficult for patients to understand how to protect themselves and their babies. While it is recommended people receive the MMR vaccine before pregnancy because it is a live vaccine, Dr. Saxinger noted that people who are pregnant can still access preventative care. There are also cases where the MMR vaccine has been given during pregnancy with no adverse outcomes, she said. Data show childhood vaccination coverage is sliding in Canada. A recent study published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health found a decline in measles vaccination coverage in children in 2023 compared with 2019. Coverage for one dose of MMR vaccine in two-year-olds dropped to 82.5 per cent from 89.5 per cent. Medical professionals say the reasons behind the decline include growing misinformation online, limited access to primary care providers, vaccine skepticism and children who were not immunized during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Lynn Murphy-Kaulbeck, president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, said 'no child should die of measles in 2025,' pointing to the Ontario death and two unvaccinated children who died in Texas earlier this year. Dr. Murphy-Kaulbeck, a maternal fetal medicine specialist, said patients need to be able to have conversations with health care providers about vaccinations offered during and prior to pregnancy. She stressed the MMR vaccine is safe and effective and all individuals should have their vaccinations up to date. 'We're not necessarily vaccinating for our own protection, but we're vaccinating for the vulnerable around us and those who can't get vaccination,' she said.
CTV News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
‘It's smoky out': Londoners cope with poor air quality
A haze is present in the air across much of southwestern Ontario as forest fire smoke from the west continues to affect air quality. 'It's been poor for the past few days, particularly earlier this morning,' said David Pavletic, Manager of Health Hazards at the Middlesex-London Health Unit. At 7 a.m. Friday, Environment Canada reported the air quality index had almost reached 10, the maximum score. That's when Pavletic states things get serious. 060625 - smoky air David Pavletic, Manager of Health Hazards, Middlesex-London Health Unit. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London) 'The recommendation at that point would be to the general population to reduce activities outdoors and strenuous activities, for sure.' But air quality fluctuates with wind patterns. The unpredictability led some Londoners to be proactive, including senior Pauline Salisbury, who opted to wear a mask on a visit to Cherryhill Village Mall. 'I have a cough, and it's smoky out,' she explained. Another not taking many chances was parent Kiki Charles. She took her son, Elijah, to a city playground while the index was low. 'I wanted to kind of beat the bad weather.' As the pair had fun, she was mindful of advisories warning that children, seniors and those with compromised health face the greatest risk from the smoky air. 'I pay attention to whether or not he's exhausted or dehydrated,' Charles said. Even while indoors, there are safety precautions health officials recommend. They include closing all windows and doors and considering the purchase of a good quality air filter for heating and cooling systems. Not everyone heeds the advice, including Sandy Kirby. 'I read it. I'm careful, but I don't get all frantic about it.' Still, health officials advise that the poor air is expected to linger through the weekend. 060625 - smoky air Pauline Salisbury, opted to wear a mask on Friday. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London) That's why Pauline plans to keep her mask on. 'Well, like, I know some friends of mine who have a chronic cough. So, if they see me wearing a mask, then hopefully they will too, and protect themselves.'
