The UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Wednesday was marked with a protest outside Scotiabank in uptown Waterloo.
November 29 is the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people, marks the passage of the United Nations Resolution 181 on November 29, 1947, which partitioned Palestine into Arab and Jewish states.
The group was protesting the bank’s involvement with Elbit Systems, which is the primary provider of drones and land-based equipment to the the Israeli military, and called on them to divest from the company.
The protest itself was peaceful and lasted for about 90 minutes during which Scotiabank locked its door and called police. Police questioned protestors but left soon after. Scotiabank refused comment, but in an email to Reuters earlier this week, the bank accused protestors of spreading misinformation and hate speech. Scotiabank stated their exposure to Elbit is via mutual funds managed by their asset management arm.That mutual fund is Scotiabank’s 1832 Asset Management mutual fund which is the third-biggest shareholder in Elbit.
In 2021, Elbit reported revenue of 5.28 billion USD.
This protest against Scotiabank follows several others in recent week, including on November 14, at the Giller Prize ceremony, which celebrates Canadian literature and which is sponsored by the bank, and on November 17 on Bay Street in Toronto.
What’s up, y’all? It’s ya boy mophead here, kicking off December 2023 by kicking it back to the last few months of 2013. That’s right, it is time for us to finish this year’s Ode to 2013, so here’s the mix if you can’t wait until midnight, or want to hear part two:
Tracklist:
Future – How It Was
Fabolous & Jadakiss – The Hope
DJ Khaled, Drake, Rick Ross, & Lil Wayne – No New Friends
Lil B – 4 My
Bones & Na$ty Matt – CrankDatDeadBoy
Mac Miller – Bird Call (Live)
MellowHigh – Extinguisher
Boldy James, King Chip, Freeway, & The Alchemist – Surprise Party
Delusional Thomas & Mac Miller – Grandpa Used to Carry a Flask
Big Sant, Nickelus F, Michael Millions, & Francois – Champion
Yo Gotti & J. Cole – Cold Blood
Pusha T & Rick Ross – Hold On
Shad & Lights – Remember to Remember
Danny Brown & Purity Ring – 25 Bucks
Black Milk – Sunday’s Best/Monday’s Worst
Action Bronson – Midget Cough
D-Sisive & Tone Mason – Afraid for Ava
CJ Fy, A La $ole, & Phife Dawg – Seek Well
Lloyd Banks – Tour Stories
The Game & Stat Quo – Compton
Dom Kennedy – Black Bentleys
Overdoz – Lois Lane
7 Days of Funk – Faden Away
Nipsey Hussle – 4 In the Mornin
Nickelus F – The Exchange
Childish Gambino – III. Life: the Biggest Troll [Andrew Auernheimer]
Part 2
Da Mafia 6ix & Yelawolf – Go Hard
TECH N9NE & Krizz Kaliko – Public School
Vinnie Paz, Jarren Benton, & Lawrence Arnell – The Devil’s Ransom
Papoose – Rap God
Termanology, DJ Kay Slay, Sheek Louch, & Lil Fame – Straight Off the Block
The LOX – Love Me Or Leave Me Alone
The Alchemist, Rick Ross, & Meek Mill – Perfectionist
Eminem – Rhyme or Reason
Snoop Dogg – Let the K Spray
Sean Price & Guilty Simpson – Murdah Type Thinkin [Small Professor Remix]
Smif-N-Wessun & Junior Reid – Solid Ground
Twista – Swagga Like a Dopeboy
Joseph Chilliams, MFN Melo, Mausy, $way $wala, Kevin B, & Frsh Waters (Pivot Gang) – Chu Chu
Meek Mill – Hip Hop
Bun B, Big K.R.I.T, Pimp C, & Boosie Bad*zz – Cake
Tyga, Migos, & Rich the Kid – Jordan
Starlito & Don Trip – Bunk Beds
Snow tha Product – F*** Your Phone
Blu, Nottz, & Nitty Scott, MC – Boyz II Men
Oddisee – Yeezus Was a Mortal Man
Talib Kweli & The Underachievers – New Leaders
Deltron 3030 & Zack De La Rocha – Melding of the Minds
D-Sisive, Ghettosocks, Muneshine, Timbucktu (Wolves), Adam Bomb, & Maestro – Kings
Serengeti & Doseone – Sprung
Armand Hammer – Frog and Toad are Friends
J.I.D & Earthgang – October/3 Storms
David Dallas – Runnin
Flying Lotus & Shabazz Palaces – hide me
Bones – Blink187
Marco Polo, Posdnuos, Masta Ace, A.G., & Dion Jenkins – Glory (Finish Hard)
Oddisee – Lonely Planet
Tinashe – Midnight Sun
Devin the Dude – One for the Road
And for tonight’s #throwbackthursday, I’m going to post my ode to MF DOOM, as I’ve been listening to his beats a bunch lately. RIP DOOM.
Tracklist:
Fazers
Strange Ways
Impostas
H*e Cakes
Ballskin
Back End
Vaudeville Villain
Guv’nor
The Final Hour
Fall Back Ti**y Fat
One Beer
KMD – Plumskinzz (Loose H*e, God, and Cupid)
The Drop
Rap Ambush
CZARFACE & MF DOOM – Captain Brunch
Go With the Flow
Perfect Hair
Perfect Hair II
Fancy Clown
A Dead Mouse
Bookfiend (Clams Casino Version)
CZARFACE & MF DOOM – Phantoms (feat. Open Mike Eagle)
Hey!
Modern Day Mugging
Ode to Road Rage
Rapp Snitch Knishes (feat. Mr. Fantastik)
Vats of Urine
Dead Bent
All Outta Ale
That’s That
Bishop Nehru & MF DOOM – Caskets
Winter Blues
LICE (Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman) – Ask Anyone
Accordion
Operation DOOMSDAY
After broadcast on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/user-163878073/sets/quinte-jazz Michael LingtonSouth Bay SINGLE Dave Baker Message In A Bottle SINGLE 2023 Ashleigh Smith I Can’t Help It SINGLE 2023 Boney James Memphis DETOUR 2022 boneyjames.com 🍁Allison Au Them MIGRATIONS 2023 🍁 Peripheral VisionCone Of Silence WE’VE GOT NOTHING 2023 peripheralvisionmusic.com 🍁 Anthony Fung Utopia FOURTH 2023 www.anthonyfungmusic.com The Dave Brubeck Quartet Basin Street Blues LIVE FROM THE NORTHWEST 1959 2023 🍁 Denny Christiansen Big Band Looking For The Back Door 40 YEARS OF JUSTIN TIME RECORDS 2023 Antoine Drye 37 RETREAT TO BEAUTY 2023 Ray Gallon Nardis GRAND COMPANY 2023
Winter is here, and with it brings a sense of calm and peace (for some) that can overshadow even the busiest of times. At least that’s how I feel, and I’ve got a lineup this week to hopefully make you feel a bit of the same! So sit back next to a fire or a heater, close your eyes, and let the music take you away to wherever you wish you were.
In the middle of downtown Kitchener, in between City Hall and Victoria Park, is one of the last pieces of available prime real estate in downtown Kitchener. The former Charles St. bus terminal at Gaukel St and Charles St, which sits on 2.94 acres, has sat empty and for the most part unused, since 2019.
The building, which still stands, was designed by local modernist architect John Lingwood in 1989. The property, which is currently being considered for a number of projects, is owned by the Region of Waterloo (who own 88%) and the City of Kitchener (who own 12%), but regardless of who owns it, the community, including the member of provincial parliament, will be part of whatever comes next.
With the Kitchener Centre by-election this week, CKMS took the opportunity to ask the four front-runner candidates, what do they personally think would be an appropriate use of that space and how would that benefit the people of the region?
In answer to our question, Kelly Steiss focused on the importance of collaboration and how her experience will lend itself well to the development of the project.
Aislinn Clancy also focused on the importance of collaboration and in addition the need to include and manifest Kitchener and regional-specific values.
Debbie Chapman talked about the property’s split ownership and the suggestions that she has heard, including turning it into an indigenous centre with a drop in centre and affordable housing, or extending Victoria Park into the site, moving the entertainment centre, the Kitchener Aud, to the site, or building a conference centre for the space.
This is one in a series of shows about the Kitchener Centre by-election and in which we ask candidates some of the less-asked questions that are important to our community.
The Kitchener centre by-election is this week, November 30, and while the outcome is still far from clear, there is little faith that the elected representative will have any impact in the house.
Three attempts over 10 days were made to contact the Progressive Conservative candidate Rob Elliot, but we did not hear back from the PCs in time for broadcast.
The last provincial election was held in 2022 and of the 124 seats in Queen’s Park, the PC have 80 seats, NDP have 28, Liberals have 9 and the Greens have 1. So unless Rob Elliott is elected, the MPP will be in the minority. So given that the Kitchener Centre by-election this week, CKMS took the opportunity to ask the four front-runner candidates, how will you participate in the process when you are not a decision-maker but rather as a member of a minority party. In what areas do you see yourself contributing? What committees do you want to focus on?
NDP is the only other party in the house, and they are the official opposition. Debbie Chapman attributes the Ford government’s reversal on the Greenbelt to Marit Stiles. Chapman believes the NDP can win the next election.
Kelly Steiss of the Liberals noted that because the Liberals don’t have official party status, it requires MPPs to be very well connected with and to listen to constituents for when the party does have the opportunity to speak, she will be ready.
Aislinn Clancy of the Greens used the example of how Mike Morrice has been effective in Federal parliament, working collaboratively and across party lines. She focuses on putting the needs of people ahead of partisan politics.
This is one in a series of shows about the Kitchener Centre by-election in which we ask candidates some of the lesser-asked questions that are important to our community.
Residents of Kitchener Centre provincial election will choose their new MPP this week, in a by-election influenced as much by party politics as much as local politics.
The former MPP, Laura Mae Lindo, resigned the seat she held for the NDP in July.
The NDP candidate is Debbie Chapman who has served on Kitchener City Council for almost five years as councillor for Ward 9, and she teaches political science at Wilfrid Laurier University.
The Liberal Party candidate is Kelly Steiss, who has worked in municipal government for over two decades. She has volunteered in different capacities to help social inclusion, including as a member of the Mayor’s Task Force for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Steiss has also been the president for the Waterloo Rotary Club.
Aislinn Clancy is running for the Green Party of Ontario. Clancy is currently the Ward 10 councillor for the City of Kitchener and is also the deputy leader of the Ontario Greens. Previously, Clancy worked as a social worker for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board.
Progressive Conservative candidate Rob Elliott has experience in the transportation and government sectors and a former PC party vice-president and regional organizer. Mr. Elliott does not live in Kitchener. He lives in Keswick, north of Toronto.
We spoke to University of Waterloo Political Science Professor Emeritus Robert J. Williams. During his 35 year career at Waterloo, Professor Williams taught courses on provincial, Ontario and municipal government and politics.From 1994 until 2003 he was Academic Director of the Ontario Legislature Internship Programme at Queen’s Park. He has conducted or advised on ward boundary and electoral system reviews in more than twenty-five Ontario municipalities, and testified as an expert witness before the Ontario Municipal Board in several cases involving electoral arrangements. Professor Williams has also served as President of Municipal Cultural Planning Inc., a not-for-profit organization created in late 2009 to advance the practice of municipal cultural planning in communities across Ontario.
Professor Williams provided some history of the Kitchener Centre riding and context for the by-election. He noted that the riding had voted liberal for fifteen years before the previous MPP Laura Mae Lindo and the NDP took the seat in 2018.
Professor Williams noted the fact that Rob Elliott does not live in the constituency is telling and questions why the PCs could not find anyone in the riding to run.
While the PC party casts a long shadow on this byelection, the larger political parties may also influence voters. Professor Williams talks about these wider influences and their possible impact in the Kitchener by-election.The Liberals are currently without a leader and will be holding a leadership convention on December 2. The Green party has one MPP, but the positive reputation of the Green MP Mike Morrice, may also influence voters. And while the NDP have managed to survive a controversy, Professor Williams wondered if it would cause any repercussions at the voting booth.
Professor Williams mentioned the Sarah Jama controversy, which happened when Sarah Jama a NDP MPP from Hamilton expressed sympathy for the current situation in Palestine. Marit Stiles, the leader of the NDP, kicked Jama out of the NDP caucus saying Jama had broken the trust of her colleagues. Then the Kitchener Centre NDP riding issued a statement alleging Stiles was “out of touch with the one million Muslims in Ontario.” The journalist Sabrina Nanji of the Queens Park Observer interviewed Chapman about the situation and she replied she had no knowledge of the letter. She was not aware of the letter and was not involved in its publication, in fact she said the letter blindsided her. Chapman noted three members who were involved in writing the letter resigned, and she stands by Stiles.
Professor Williams was not entirely optimisitic that the new MPP will have a lot of influence, “You are not determining who will be the premier but you are choosing someone who will … contribute as a member of a party to deliberations.”
The former MPP, Laura Mae Lindo, resigned the seat she held for the NDP in July. The Kitchener Centre riding has a population of about 105,260 and is about 42 km2. The person who does win the riding could have approximately 3 years in the job before the next election. The surrounding constituencies – Kitchener South Hespeler and Kitchener Conestoga are both held by PC MPPs, while the Waterloo riding is currently held by the NDP.
This is one in a series of shows about the Kitchener Centre by-election in which we ask candidates some of the lesser-asked questions that are important to our community.
The reason the Kitchener Centre by-election was called is because the previous MPP, Laura Mae Lindo, stepped down and one of the challenges she cited was the difficulty of obtaining childcare.
With the Kitchener Centre by-election this week, CKMS took the opportunity to ask the four front-runner candidates what they think about the state of childcare in the region, the pay rise and, how if elected MPP, they will be able to influence staff hiring and retention?
The four main candidates are Rob Elliott of the Progressive Conservatives, Debbie Chapman of the NDP, Kelly Steiss of the Ontario Liberal party, and Aislinn Clancy of the Ontario Greens. Three attempts over 10 days were made to contact the Progressive Conservative candidate Rob Elliot, but we did not hear back from the PCs in time for broadcast.
In response to our question, Aislinn Clancy focused on space and labour. She said that parts of the riding are a childcare desert, and Clancy believes more can be done to incentivise underused buildings such as community centres and churches, to develop childcare centres. Clancy also focused on bringing more respect to the profession of early childhood education and in doing so, continue to increase their pay.
Debbie Chapman said that she would like to see free childcare. She also noted that ten dollar a day care is great, but the waiting lists are very long and that puts parents in difficult situations.
Kelly Steiss noted that even though there is 10$ /day childcare, there aren’t enough workers to keep the system going. She was disappointed it took the Ontario government so long to sign on to the federal agreement. Steiss said early childhood educators do important work and paying them well is an investment in our future. She also noted that $23.86 is a good place to start in relations with these workers.
This is one in a series of shows about the Kitchener Centre by-election in which we ask candidates some of the lesser-asked questions that are important to our community.
Whether you believe the Ford government is helping or hurting the healthcare system in Ontario, there is no question that the system is struggling with demand and labour shortages, among others. Earlier this year, the Region of Waterloo announced plans for a new hospital to meet the demands of a growing population.
However, as the Ontario College of Family Physicians recently noted that in September 2022, there were almost 79 000 people in the Region who did not have a family doctor. The College predicted that in a little over three years’ time, this number could double to 150,000, or about one-third of the local population.
With the Kitchener Centre by-election happening this week on November 30, CKMS took the opportunity to ask the four front-runner candidates that with these serious shortages and rapidly increasing population, what will they do to ensure the Region can attract these health professionals to the area to meet our current and future needs?
Three attempts over 10 days were made to contact the Progressive Conservative candidate Rob Elliot, but we did not hear back from the PCs in time for broadcast.
First up is Debbie Chapman of the NDP, invoking the name of Tommy Douglas to establish the NDP’s credentials in public healthcare. Chapman is against privatization and notes that it extracts resources from public system. She notes there is a clear shortage of doctors, and much of that responsibility lies with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, who, she believes, need to admit more doctors into the profession. Ms. Chapman said we need to do more to encourage bridging programs for foreign doctors, and that we need to be concerned about nurses and their health so they don’t encounter working conditions like what transpired during the pandemic. Chapman says that private nursing agencies will destroy the public health care system.
Aislinn Clancy of the Green Party says that the government flushed money away by taking the nurses to court. She talked about how agency nurses are very expensive and undermining the public system. She said to deal with staff shortages, we need more spaces for doctors to be trained, encourage more people to take the training, find better opportunities for bridging programs, and provide support for doctors by encouraging them to work in multidisciplinary teams that would relieve their workload.
The Liberals have placed healthcare at the centre of their platform. The liberal candidate for Kitchener Centre, Kelly Steiss, said municipalities need to build infrastructure and support arts and culture to create a thriving city. Liberals support public funding and believe the government is putting the health care system risk.
Chapman and Clancy noted they want to find ways to enable foreign trained medical professionals to work in the riding in their chosen profession. While Chapman and Clancy focused entirely on the system, increasing medical school admissions and restricting private nursing agencies, among other ideas, Steiss also talked about improving the riding through increasing things like infrastructure and arts and culture to increase the desire to live here. The three parties we talked to all disagree with privatization.
This is one in a series of shows about the Kitchener Centre by-election in which we ask candidates some of the lesser-asked questions that are important to our community.
In early November the NDP leader Marit Stiles introduced a motion called on the government to provide a timeline and funding commitment for the Kitchener GO Line expansion, which was then promptly voted down by the Conservatives (66 to 30).
With the Kitchener Centre by-election this week, CKMS took the opportunity to ask the four front-runner candidates if, after all the effort that has been applied, the government still won’t budge, what can they add to this effort?
CKMS News made three attempts over 10 days to contact the Progressive Conservative candidate Rob Elliot, but did not hear back from the PCs in time for broadcast of this story. The other three candidates responded and spoke to CKMS News about GO train service in Kitchener Waterloo.
First up is Debbie Chapman of the NDP who says two-way, all-day GO service is a top priority for her and her party, and despite the Conservatives voted down the motion, the fight continues.
The Liberals have also called for all-day and all weekend train service to Toronto. Kelly Steiss, the Liberal candidate explains how people have been pushing for more GO trains and acknowledges the frustration riders feel.
Aislinn Clancy of the Ontario Greens noted how the PCs have said they are supportive of the idea of increased GO service, but then vote against it. Clancy has called on focusing on financial elements of the decision to appeal to the Conservatives. All levels of government to speed up the process to secure increased GO service.
CKMS asked the candidates who agreed to speak about their familiarity with local transit is and if they actually use it, asking them “When was the last time you went to Toronto on the GO train?” and “When was the last time you took the GRT (Grand River Transit buses) and Ion Rapid Transit Service (light rail)?”
Debbie Chapman of the NDP had not taken the GO transit to Toronto recently, but does take local public transport
Aislinn Clancy of the Greens has had recent experience on GO transit and the GRT and highlighted the problems that she has experienced and heard.
While Kelly Steiss of the Liberals has not had recent experience with GO Transit, her campaign staff have. She also has recent positive experience with the Ion.
This is one in a series of shows about the Kitchener Centre by-election and in which we ask candidates some of the less-asked questions that are important to our community.
What’s up, y’all? Mophead here. You know the routine by now. First, new music I’ve added to LibreTime since last week.
The Jump Off
Concrete
Other
CanCon
Kitty and the Rooster
One Gig Hard Drive
Alt Rock
CanCon
Axminister
The Crucible of Sin
Metal
CanCon
Floes
Passionals
Pop
CanCon
Appleby Ram
Don’t Be an Asshole/It’s Rock and Roll – Single
Rock
CanCon
Andre Akinyele
Telegram Mews
Funk/R&B
CanCon
Justin Wright
Music for Staying Warm
Classical
CanCon
The Fizzgigs
Weeeeeeeeeeee… are the Fizzgigs
Pop Punk
CanCon
Hydramental
Synergize, Vol. 1
Metal
CanCon
Trampoline
Happy Crimes
Indie Rock/Progressive Rock/Punk
CanCon
Busty and the Bass
Live From London
R&B
CanCon
Various Artists
CKXU’s Cosmic Frequencies
Alternative
CanCon
Safia Nolan
Dans le Noir
Pop
CanCon
Tragedy Ann
Matches
Other
CanCon
Tim Baker
Forever Overhead
Indie Rock
CanCon
David Kaufman
Second Promise
Other
CanCon
The Sturgeons
Black and White
Country/Folk
CanCon
The Hearts
Sunshine
Other
CanCon
Wellbad
Heartbeast
Rock
CanCon
Moby
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt
Electronica
CanCon
Hush Hush Noise
Hush Hush Noise
Experimental Pop
CanCon
Troll Dolly
Heaven’s Mini Mart
Folk
CanCon
ursidae
almost closer
Folk
CanCon (presumed)
Whitebeard
Plaid is the New Black
Rock
CanCon (partially)
Andrew Vivona
Enough Nuance
Pop/Folk/Electronic
CanCon
Jon Brooks
No One Travels Alone
Country/Folk
CanCon
Luke Maynard
Desolation Sound
Country/Folk
CanCon
Crybaby
Still
Indie Rock
CanCon
Touching God
Touching God
Punk
CanCon
Mark Perry
Recollections
Rock
CanCon
JV’s Boogaloo Squad
Going to Market
Jazz
CanCon
I.R. Idiot
Spore
Punk
CanCon
Dave Chose
Dave Chose
Rock
CanCon
Defend the Rhino
Glisten
Alternative
CanCon (presumed)
Rachelle Van Zanten
It’s Christmas in These Parts
Christmas Slide Guitar
CanCon
Cares
Regular Unconcious
Experimental Electronic
CanCon
Stephanie Boulay
Ce Que Je Te Donne Ne Disparait Pas
Traditional
CanCon
Lutra Lutra
Psychopath and the Philosopher
Alternative
CanCon
Brian Holden
Drivin
Blues
CanCon
Ariel Posen
How Long
Rock
CanCon
Grimskunk
Unreason in the Age of Madness
Rock
CanCon
The Brighton Project
When it Rains/New Orleans is Sinking – Single
Rock
CanCon (partially)
The Castor Troys
Legends Never Die
Rock
CanCon
Marker Starling
Trust an Amateur
Indie Rock
CanCon
Braden Gates
Pictures of Us
Country
CanCon
Exdreams
Physical Contact
Pop
No
The Heartaches Stringband
Mrs. Johnson & Mr. Brown
Waltz
CanCon
Rawmny Wildcat
True Colors EP
Rap
CanCon
Ominous Eclipse
Sinister
Metal
CanCon
Efrim Manuel Menuck & Kevin Doria
are SING SINCK, SING (EP)
Indie Rock
CanCon
Strange Breed
Closer EP
Punk
CanCon
Icicle
Silence
Electronic
CanCon
And here is this week’s Horizon Broadening Hour, if you can’t wait until 10:
Tracklist:
Anyma – All My Relations
Ashter Dawn – Shadow Slip
Highly Distorted – Here’s to the Ride
Cares – Collapse Emulator
Moby – Falling Rain and Light
Pallas Athene – The Wall
The Sweet Lowdown – Low Clouds in the Morning
Natalie MacMaster – Fill ‘Er Up For a Set
Zach Kleisinger – Song for TS Eliott
Friends from Church – The Line Is Set
Hinterlandband – Plutononmy
The Montreal Rock Band – Unknown Track
Danko Jones – Lipstick City
Don Brownrigg – Tom’s Diner
Julis Sumner Miller – Hockey, Girls, and Disappointment
Hey Major – Flying Freak Flags
A-sirr – Time Machine
Fly Pan Am – Bleeding Decay
Salt Horse – Sequence 35
The Neutral States – More Stoner Rock!
Common Holly – Joshua Snakes
Clinton Edgebank – Unknown Song
Daniel Monte – Play Your Cards Right
Look Vibrant – God Graced Man Machine
Richard Thompson – The Dog in You
Britt AM – Chicken Suit
Jom Comyn – The Swamp
Moondle – Porb
City of Kitchener Councillor Bil Ioannidis said that we have gone way too far with cycling infrastructure. The Councillor made the comments at the Finance and Corporate Services committee meeting on Monday, November 20. The committee was reviewing the city of Kitchener’s 2024 draft operating budget that is to go to the mayor for approval in early December. The budget includes approximately $5.5 million to advance the strategic priorities, which were determined in the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. Some of these areas, and the funding given to them in this budget include:
$700,000 for downtown cycling grid and infrastructure;
$424,000 in traffic calming;
$300,000 trail improvements for the Active Transport plan;
$1.2 million for the Housing for all Strategy;
$117,000 for the Creative Hub;
$173,000 to expand community centre hours; and
$240,000 to launch additional special events, including one new major festival in 2024.
Councillors raised a series of questions about different strategic priority funding options, but it was the competing interests of cycling, trails, and traffic calming that occupied most of the meeting. In addition to Councillor Ioannidis’s remarks, other councillors balked at both the $700,000 given to the downtown cycling grid and infrastructure and the $300,000 for additional cycling and trail connections, while traffic calming, a much more important issue in many of the councillors’ opinions, was afforded only $424,000.
City staff tried in various ways to address the concern about too much attention paid to cycling which came from at least 3 of the councillors attending. Councillor Paul Singh asked where the $700k for the cycling infrastructure came from, and why it had been applied to the cycling infrastructure. First Jonathon Lautenbach, city of Kitchener CFO explained the city’s position and then Justin Readman,· General Manager, Development Services at city of Kitchener, elaborated the funds are the final phase of a long-term capital investment that the city agreed to undertake years ago.
Councillor Christine Michaud also noted that she’s not hearing complaints about cycling but rather about the speed that people drive their cars and the need for traffic calming. City staff said that traffic calming has been funded in the past and what is in the budget reflects what Council has previously agreed to, based on what each area needs. But Michaud reinforced her concerns, and desire for more funding, to contend with traffic calming and reducing drivers’ speed.
Councillors Dave Schnider and Jason Deneault expressed strong interest in improving signage in parks for trails and cyclists. Councillor Schnider noted you can get on a trail and go all the way around the city but there are no signs informing people they can do so. City staff assured Council a comprehensive wayfinding strategy is going to be revealed soon.
Councillors Ioannidis and Margaret Johnston asked about lighting on trails and parks, but were informed that lighting beyond the major trails (namely the Iron Horse Trail and the Spurline Trail) is too expensive.
The Kitchener City operating budget also included funding for new and continuing services and infrastructure. Kitchener City Chief Financial Officer, Jonathan Lautenbach summarised the tax increases for services and infrastructure, which include a 3.9% per year rise in property tax (that’s a $47 rise over last year) and 6.3% increase in utilities (a $77 increase).
Next week is the final week for any changes to the budget. Public are reminded next Monday, November 27, is public consultation night and the Council will also examine the Capital budget on that same evening. For more information on the 2024 operating budget, the city of Kitchener has a detailed description on their website here.
Today I play music from Waterloo Region musicians (“KW Content”), and then talk all over it to request donations for our Fall 2023 Fundraiser. My sincere apologies to all the musicians.
No podcast today. Instead, go out and buy the music I played or go to a concert, and listen to the music as it was meant to be heard.
What up, y’all? It’s ya boy mophead here with this week’s Clean Up Hour. Tonight is this month’s All Things Considered — if you can’t wait until midnight, or want to hear the unaired part two, check it:
Tracklist:
Part 1
Time & Hope
Walls of Jericho
My Convo
’99 Alive
GotDamnMurdah!
Think Positive
BATHORY MOTIVES (feat. Shawn Kemp)
Mids
Bill Collector
Paragraph of my Life
Solar Plexus
Watermelon & Chicken
Yellow Gold (feat. Michael Millions)
Strange Fruit
I Got Up
Up Up & Away
Balconies
Good Treatment
A Suggestion From Sloppy Seconds
Buttermilk Pancakes
Cigarettes
Sunday
Cold Coffee
Dusk
Power Up
The Ferry Song
Number 15 (feat. Drake)
The Burning Bush
Bummin Bogies
One Last Tidbit
Part 2
Season Premiere
More Crack Please
Outta Control
Walkin Funny
Logistics (feat. Daniel Jones)
Burglars + 1 (feat. E-Skummy, Lil Lee, JR the Great, 5Mics, & Radio B)
Get Down
Let It Go
Nuts on a Biscuit (feat. Daniel Jones)
I was supposed to include Hand on the Plow here but I forgot. My bad y’all, the song’s great, go check it. Been a long day.
Grind (feat. Drake)
Mass Book Burning
Chubby Chaser
The Beast
The Slums
Face in the Wind (feat. Radio B)
Scatterbrain
So What You Sayin
Red Carpet & Velvet Rope
Doobey in the Ashtray 2009
Prideful
All I Need
AM 2 PM (feat. Drake)
Fishin (feat. Michael Millions)
Roads
Radiohead Freestyle (feat. Ricky Ruckus)
Daddy N***a
Jewelz
D.S.L.S
After School with Snaggle Tooth
My Disposition
Mean It
Wandering Star
Sharkfin Soup
Tower in my Palm
Momma Loves Me (freestyle)
At My Best
Credit (Reese Witherspoon)
For #throwbackthursday, let’s go back to November 22, 2019
Tracklist:
Childish Gambino – Move That Dope/Nectel Chrip/Let Your Hair Blow (feat. Young Scooter)
G Perico – All Nighter
Slaughterhouse – RNS
Trouble – Back after Back
EarlWolf – Orange Juice
JPEGMAFIA – DOTS FREESTYLE REMIX (feat. Buzzy Lee & Abdu Ali)
Casey Veggies – I Be Over Shxt
DJ Quik, Suga Free & Dom Kennedy – Life Jacket
Guapdad 4000, Chance the Rapper & Charlie Wilson – Gucci Pajamas
Hamza & Ramriddlz – Eldorado
JID & TI – Ladies, Ladies, Ladies
Kanye West, Raekwon, Swizz Beatz & Charlie Wilson – Lord, Lord, Lord
Jesse James Solomon – they don’t love you
Earl Sweatshirt – Solace
See y’all on Sunday for the Horizon Broadening Hour! And shoutout everyone who donated to CKMS’s fundraising drive.
After broadcast on SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/user-163878073/sets/quinte-jazz Patrick LambTailgate SINGLE 2023 Inner City Blues BandFussin and Fightin CITY LIMITS 2023 Ten Karat Gold U and Me and Love 🍁Snaggle Track 5 THE LONG SLOG 2016 🍁Anthony FungHero FOURTH 2023 Elsa Nillson Rock Tree Reprise BAND OF PULSES 2023 🍁Allison Au With The Migrations Ensemble Aves Raras MIGRATIONS 2023 🍁Allison Au With The Migrations Ensemble I Dream A World MIGRATIONS 2023 George Saunders LETTERS TO GEORGE 2023 Andrew Krasinlkov Bloody Belly Comb Jelly BLOODY BELL COMB BELLY 2023 🍁Dave Young & Oscar Peterson OP D 40 YEARS OF JUSTIN TIME RECORDS 2023
A chill and laid-back evening with laid-back tunes spanning decades and genres. Whether you want neo-psychedelia, classic hip-hop, or indie deep dives we’ve got it here for you! Grab something cozy and check it out.
The River – King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
On the Run – Fat Night
Doo Wop (That Thing) – Ms Lauryn Hill
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Medley) – Paul McCartney
Touring artist, singer/songwriter: Great Canadian! First Nations corraborator and advocate. Shot a documentary from horseback to support the Xeni Gw’etin First Nations people in British Columbia [posted on YouTube: Cayuse: In The Valley Of The Wild Horses – Drew Rouse 2005].
Touring artist, singer/songwriter: Great Canadian! First Nations corraborator and advocate. Shot a documentary from horseback to support the Xeni Gw’etin First Nations people in British Columbia [posted on YouTube: Cayuse: In The Valley Of The Wild Horses – Drew Rouse 2005].
Touring artist, singer/songwriter: Great Canadian! First Nations corraborator and advocate. Shot a documentary from horseback to support the Xeni Gw’etin First Nations people in British Columbia [posted on YouTube: Cayuse: In The Valley Of The Wild Horses – Drew Rouse 2005].
Touring artist, singer/songwriter: Great Canadian! First Nations corraborator and advocate. Shot a documentary from horseback to support the Xeni Gw’etin First Nations people in British Columbia [posted on YouTube: Cayuse: In The Valley Of The Wild Horses – Drew Rouse 2005].
Waterloo – Over 8,000 renters have registered their units with ACORN’s Rental Registry since the grassroots social and economic justice organisation launched their map based online database at the end of the summer. ACORN Ontario told CKMS News in a statement that “the rental registry will track rising rents across the province.” which they say will “lead to better, publicly-available housing data that can help protect and create more affordable housing”.
Today’s shows features interviews with Acer Bonapart, the chair of ACORN Waterloo Region, which since its launch earlier this year, has focused primarily on tenant rights and housing issues. Additionally, CKMS speaks with Geordie Dent of the Federation of Metro Tenants’ Associations (FMTA), a non-profit organization founded in 1974 which advocates for better rights for tenants. The show also includes comments that the ACORN Ontario chapter provided to CKMS News.
ACORN Ontario told CKMS News that the registry was created by the Montreal based non-profit Vivre en Ville, saying “The registry was first introduced in Quebec and has over 30,000+ rents voluntarily registered. The rental registry is easy, quick and secure as it was designed to be compliant with SOC2 cybersecurity standards.“, standards that meet requirements for governmental use.
According to rentals.ca, which has for years tracked such data, average rents across the country are still rising at over 100$/month, with a one bedroom apartment in Waterloo averaging 1,944$ a month in October. Two bedroom apartments are now averaging 2,543$ a month, nearly a 15% increase from last year at the same time.
While many provinces have some form of rent control, in Ontario since Doug Ford dismantled the existing system in 2018, that control comes in the form of a 2.5% maximum allowable increase to the rent after a 12 month period. However, the Landlord and Tenant Board, an arm of Ontario’s legal system, often allows this maximum to be exceeded after being convinced by a landlord’s request. As Geordie Dent explains, the board approves the above guideline increase “in the neighbourhood of 90-95% of the time”. Additionally, the maximum increase also does not apply between tenants, meaning the landlord can increase the rent any amount they want on new tenants once the old ones move out.
The Landlord and Tenant Board does not specifically track how often they approve AGIs and their 2022-2023 report has a lot of incomplete data. A brief review of cases by CKMS News centering on Above Guideline Increaseson the Canadian Legal Information Institute, where all such cases are listed, reveals the 10 most recent cases were all decided in favour of the landlord, with the majority declaring: “The Landlord justified a rent increase above the guideline because of capital expenditures.”
While above guideline increases continue to have harmful effects on renters, ACORN Ontario told CKMS News the registry will provide “Greater transparency for renters so they can make informed decisions about where they choose to live”. The statement concluded “Better housing data can help inform stronger affordable housing policies like those supported by Ontario ACORN’s ‘Real Rent Control’ Campaign. Over time, the registry will clearly show that rents increase astronomically in between tenancies on units that aren’t subject to rent control, and as a result of above guideline rent increases. These loopholes in our current rent control laws create incentives for landlords to renovict or demovict their tenants or neglect repairs until tenants get fed up and leave”.
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