December 2012 • Free • BrantAdvocate.comLocal Content • Locally Owned • Locally Produced

December 2012 • Free • BrantAdvocate.comLocal Content • Locally Owned • Locally Produced

“Together we've started down a path tochange the narrative of what it means to befrom this community. When you changethe narrative you change the story.Together we can create a story withoutcynicism. A story without apathy.A story we can all be proud of.”

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December 2012www.brantadvocate.com • Facebook: The Brant Advocate • Twitter: @BrantAdvocate Page 2

Growing up, I hated even the idea of small towns.Images of nosy neighbours, rampant local gossip, andsmall minded thinking haunted me. Volunteerism andcollective activities, general niceties among strangers,I decided, were squarely for those who had too muchtime on their hands. So, when my mother and I movedinto a new complex and our next door neighbourspolitely introduced themselves, we spent most of thatsame evening feeling thoroughly violated by what wecoined their aggressive kindness. At the time, Ithought those kinds of actions represented everythingI loathed. To me, the stereotypical communityprovided nothing but constant criticism, collectiveshaming, and worse yet, a propensity to suffocate itsmembers; I thought every close knit town functioneda lot more like Pleasentville than they cared to admit.Simply put, I was wrong.

Community is an incredibly powerful force. It has theability to hurt, certainly, but more often than not, itchooses to heal. In a hectic world, it provides somesemblance of order, fosters mutual understanding, andsparks amazing initiatives. I’ve seen this happen, andyet it’s an admission that’s taken me a long time to

articulate. I know I’m not the only one. In many waysromanticizing rugged individualism feels like agenerational phenomenon, a condition currentlyattributed to young people in droves. With examplesin our story books, TV shows, and historicalanecdotes, I’ve seen the old adage no man is an islandmocked mercilessly. Some believe this is the wayyoung people are wired, and the way they'll stay untilthey get older, and start valuing some of the securitythat comes with being part of a group. However, Ibelieve just the opposite is true.

Young people are hungry for community, hungry forcollectivism, and hungry for empathy. Sure, they mayhate the stereotypes they've been fed, there's no denyingthat, but every bit of personal experience I've had, hasproven to me that no matter how young, or bold, orstriking you are, you need support structures in yourlife.

Even those seemingly unnecessary niceties makesense. Not too long ago I received a phone call frommy best friend, who lives in Toronto. She was almostin tears, simply because no one there held doors open

for each other, or said thank you, and after a year inthe city, this was wearing on her. It may seem small,but it became obvious immediately, it wasn't a smallthing to her. And this was all coming from a cityloving jet setter, who'd dreamt of New York and L.A.her whole life. In that moment, an uncomfortablereality hit me in the face. Whether we like it or not,we need each other, for our own health, our ownhappiness, and even our own sanity.

Finding my place here in Brantford is a perfect exampleof this blissful surrender in my own life. Or, mybaptism by fire, as I often dramatically refer to it. Inthird year, my roommate Katie and I decided to makea documentary for our class. When it came time topick a subject, we chose a local knitting group run byshop owner Jacqueline Buscombe based out of NettyVintage on Brant Ave. Almost immediately, we werefaced with a huge dilemma. While mandated todocument these women at arm's length, we foundourselves caring more and more for each of them, andthey in turn became invested in us. Suddenly we hada group of diverse and interesting people we sawevery other Tuesday night. For me, it was an exceptional

feeling, so of course I couldn't stop there. I found,surprisingly, connections are easy and fun to make ifyou're willing to take the first step. Finding a localcafe where the owner learns your name, joining ateam that lets you share a pitcher together afterwards,or working on a collective project that makes youshare and laugh, are just flat out good. When Irealized it was possible to custom make my communityexperience, the opportunities became endless.

Sadly, the mass stigma associated with collectivism,means young people today are still blindly searchingfor something they're ashamed to crave. The TV showCommunity, one that I unabashedly, personally adore,represents this tug of war perfectly. By all accounts,it's become a cult classic, particularly with youth. Onethat doesn't focus on love affairs, salacious shocks, orany of the normal fare. As its name would suggest, it'sall about the immense benefits of fostering a caringcommunity. In it, the lead character lets his sarcastic,hardened guard down, finally realizing that the peoplehe'd deemed worthless to his goals have become hisfriends. No, more than friends. Together, they'dbecome a community.

Craving Community by Leisha SenkoTwitter: @leishasenko

Poverty: It’s something we don’t think about veryoften unless we’re going through it. In that case, youthink about it all the time. If you’re struggling withpoverty, it tends to seep through your everydaythoughts. It’s hard not to think about it when youhave to make decisions about feeding yourself andyour family, or paying for shelter. It’s hard not tothink about it when your teeth are hurting and youcan’t go to the dentist, or you can’t afford medications,or you have to make the choice between which winterhat you’re going to wear to bed, because heating is soexpensive.

However, there is another time we think about it -Christmas. During the holidays we think about it quitea lot, more than the rest of the year. There is some-thing inherent about the holiday season that makes usreflect on those who struggle. For some it’s religion,for others it’s the sentimentality of the season. We’vebeen hard wired to think about Tiny Tim and the restof the Cratchits at sometime during the holidays.Christmas is a time of giving, and I think as aby-product of that tradition, the holidays alsohighlight those who have little to give or receive.

That sentimentality isn’t a negative. I think becauseof it people are very generous during the Christmasseason. I know this from personal experience. WhenI was a kid I learned this firsthand. During somerough years, a Christmas Basket came to our door. Asan adult, I’ve been able to deliver some of thesebaskets myself, and have seen the familiar look I oncehad when receiving our own basket - part shame, parthope, part struggle, and part thankfulness.

The last few years as a volunteer for the SalvationArmy’s Red Kettle Campaign in Brantford and Paris,I’ve been able to see firsthand how generous peoplecan be. It’s a rewarding experience.

For those who are unfamiliar, the Red Kettle

Campaign has been going on for over 120 years. Itstarted in San Francisco when a Salvation ArmyCaptain named Joseph McFee wanted to fund a

dinner for 1000 of the poverty-stricken folks in hiscommunity. He didn’t know how he was going tofund a project like this. Then he remembered as a boyin England there was a huge, iron kettle called a‘Simpson’s Pot’ where people would toss coins in tohelp the poor. The next day, he put a pot near a Ferrylanding in San Francisco and made a homemade signthat said “Keep the Pot Boiling.” Soon enough, he hadthe money he needed to make sure people wereproperly fed that Christmas. The idea grew and soonBoston, New York and other cities, started their owncampaigns using the kettles. Millions of people havebeen fed in the years since.

Now the kettles help communities, like ours inBrantford and Brant County, create Christmashampers, stock food banks and help a variety ofpeople, from parents who struggle to feed theirfamilies on part-time and minimum wage work, to

seniors who have seen the cost of living rise whiletheir ability to pay has not.

When you volunteer for a Red Kettle you’ll often hearfrom folks who have been helped directly. Its veryrewarding, and if you bring a friend its also very fun.

Last year I took a shift with my friend Brian two daysbefore Christmas at the Lynden Park Mall. As you canimagine people at the mall two days before Christmasare not casually shopping. For those at the mall thatday, it is less a shopping excursion and more of apanic parade.

BUT, people were still generous; really generous inthinking about others. We were amazed by how manypeople made sure to swing by and drop off what theycould to help someone they’ve never met, despite theChristmas countdown that was likely going throughtheir heads.

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a RedKettle volunteer is watching parents teach their kidsabout generosity. In a very commercial world, thereis something incredibly uplifting about watchingstreams of kids, whose eyes light up as they amble upto the kettle and give something away. In that momentyou see that they get it, and you see how important itis to their parents that they do. It’s heartwarming andhopeful.

There are other fun moments too. Getting a letter frommy Dad telling me that he’s proud I volunteer for theKettle program because it’s his favorite charity.Seeing people you know walk by and having themconsider joining you the next year. Little kids askingquestions about what you are doing and then comingback an hour later with something to give after talkingto their families, or raiding their piggy banks.

My favourite memory might be the time a ladyoffered me and my friends, Neil and Matt, a 5 dollar

donation if we’d sing her a specific Christmas Carol.Then seeing her face when we started to sing, andhaving her offer another 15 dollar donation if we’dstop. I think she just really wanted to give us 20 dollars,at least I hope that was it.

When you walk by a Red Kettle this year think aboutvolunteering for a shift, or donating what you can.Last year across the country, donations were down 10-12%. Its a tough economy, and that’s why it’s all themore important to help out if you’re able.

Buddy, can you spare a dime? A few hours? A dollar?

Red Kettles: Make a difference this Christmas by Marc LaferriereTwitter: @marclaferriere

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December 2012 www.brantadvocate.com • Facebook: The Brant Advocate • Twitter: @BrantAdvocate Page 3

Brant News - Putting Community FirstA lot of people thought we were crazy.

Just over three years ago, a group of local investorsand people with experience in the media industryembarked on a mission to create new communitynewspaper covering the City of Brantford, Countyof Brant and Six Nations.

At a time when many were proclaiming the deathof print news publications due to the increasingprevalence of the internet as a source of information,it was a risky proposition.

People like the late Ron St. Amand, Len Offlessand others deserve a lot of credit and thanks fortaking the risk.

But the fact is everyone involved in the beginningsof Brant News knew that a new communitynewspaper was needed in here in Brant toprovide a new voice to reflect thechanging nature of our diverse, vibrantcommunity.

More than 160 print editions of Brant Newslater - and hundreds more stories publishedonline at www.brantnews.com - we can tellyou with confidence the risk has paid off. Ourguiding principle though the founding andgrowth of Brant News can be found in ourmotto, which is published on the front page ofour newspaper each week: "community first."Just what does community first mean? To us, itmeans everything.

Community first means being a truly localpublication. Our newspaper is created and printedright here in Brant. Members of our editorial,advertising and support staff care about this com-munity because, like you, we call it home.

Community first means making every decision, beit an editorial decision or otherwise, with thecommunity's best interest in mind.

Community first means creating a publication forall Brant residents, a publication that provides allof the news and information members of ourcommunity need to know.

Community first means taking positions on issuesthat truly put the community first, not specialinterests or politicians. Above all, community firstmeans always making decisions with you, ourreaders, in mind. Which brings me to the reasonfor this article.

Putting community first was a guiding principle inour decision here at Brant News to form and growa partnership with the publication you are holdingin your hands right now - The Brant Advocate. We

are excited to bedistributing The BrantAdvocate to selectlocations in Brantfordand Brant eachmonth. We believe itis a partnership that

will serve both publications and the communitywell.

Since the first edition of The Advocate in September2011, we at Brant News have been impressed withThe Advocate's monthly product. As the team atThe Advocate readily admits, the publication is"not a newspaper." Rather, The Advocate offersBrant residents an avenue to tell their personalstories, share positions on issues and highlightwhy they believe Brant is a great place to live,work and play. We believe the content publishedin The Advocate each month is a great complimentto the news and information you read in BrantNews each week.

While there have been some changes at BrantNews during our first three years, our dedicatedstaff has always rolled with the punches and astronger local product has been the result.

A big thank you also to Rick St. Amand, TomHumble, Dave Elliott and Jose Marques for theirrole in helping found and establish Brant News.

One of the biggest changes for our publicationoccurred in April 2011, when Brant News becamepart of the Metroland Media family. Metroland isa company that truly understands the value andimportance of being connected to the communitiesits publications serve. From Day 1, our guidingprinciples have remained the same. They continueto remain the same as part of the Metroland family.Our experience in creating and growing BrantNews during the past three years proves there willalways be a place for 100 per cent local communitynews publications. Will there be changes in thefuture? We have no doubt of that.

But no matter what those changes, you can counton Brant News being there for you.

To learn more about the BrantNews, and theircontributors, feel free to check out www.brant-news.com, or find them on twitter @brantnews.

by John Paul ZronikTwitter: @zronik

A New Vision for BrantA New Vision for BrantPhil Gillies

Your Ontario PC Nominee for Brant, phil@pgillies.caYour Ontario PC Nominee for Brant, phil@pgillies.ca

Present new ideas for job growth & investmentPresent new ideas for job growth & investmentExpand college & training opportunities for Brant studentsExpand college & training opportunities for Brant students

Cut health care bureaucracy & improve frontline servicesCut health care bureaucracy & improve frontline servicesImprove transportation links for BrantfordImprove transportation links for Brantford

It's about doing what's right.

It's been 16 months since we published our firstedition of the Brant Advocate; a locally-ownedand community-driven newsprint publication thathighlights the people of Brantford in a way thathas never been done before. Our specialty? Thewho and the why. Who are you? Why do you dowhat you do? Why are you passionate about yourcommunity? The Brant Advocate is the voice ofthe untold stories of this great community.

There is no question that as a community we havetaken some pretty tough shots to the body, and ina lot of ways, our backs still aren’t straight. Wedon’t stand as tall as we should. But together wehave started down a path to re-write the narrativeof what it means to be from this community.Together we've started down a path to change thenarrative of what it means to be from this community.When you change the narrative you change thestory. Together we can create a story withoutcynicism. A story without apathy. A story we canall be proud of.

There were those who said the Advocate wouldnever make it off the ground. There were thosewho said it would never last. There were those

who said it would never be more than what it was.It's been my pleasure to watch the people of thiscommunity prove them wrong. Since Septemberof last year, a small group of us have collectivelyput 10,000 papers in our vehicles, and distributedthem to over 300 businesses and organizationseach and every month.

“There is no question thatas a community we havetaken some pretty tough

shots to the body, and in alot of ways, our backs still

aren’t straight.”

What we have come to understand over the past18 months since we began this journey, is that allof our successes have been based on onefundamental element; partnerships. In the beginning,five key partnerships allowed the Advocate to getoff the ground. It started with the two of us, alongwith Marc Laferriere, as we partnered to get the

Advocate started. Then we reached out to friendsand colleagues, asking them to partner with us onthis new adventure by providing us with theirstories. It continued as we approached our first fewadvertisers, asking them to partner with us to growthe Advocate, to create a new communityd i a logue. We partnered with a friend andcolleague in Roger Duck, who created our websiteand our video. To this day, that video still providesthe foundation for everything we do month tomonth with the Advocate. And then finally, weformed partnerships with the over 300 businessesand community organizations that have becomeour foundation for providing our readers with theAdvocate each and every month. Partnerships arewhat allowed the Advocate to get off the ground.

The partnerships that have grown since then havehad a profound impact on our team. We have beenoverwhelmed by the continued support we havereceived from Six Nations. Each and every month,nearly 1,000 copies are distributed there and veryfew are ever returned. We are provided withthought-provoking and insightful content almostevery issue, providing a perspective rarelyreceived by traditional media in this community.We wanted to use this publication to create a newdialogue, and our partners in the Six Nations com-

munity have helped us do just that. Last month, weannounced our newest formal partnership, a workingarrangement with our friends at The Sputnik - thestudent publication based out of Laurier Brantford.We are excited to have the student community aspart of this greater community dialogue, as theirvoice is vital to creating a strong, vibrant andpositive conversation about how to workpositively towards a better Brantford.

This month, we are excited to announce a newpartnership, one that will help move the Advocatecloser to our ultimate goal of reaching each andevery member of this community. We are thrilledto announce that the Advocate will be delivered toyour door within the Brant News, each month.With the publication going to a minimum of 7,000homes, we delight in this opportunity to spread theword. This will allow new readers to be exposedto the Advocate, while still providing the publica-tion to our faithful readers.

On behalf of the Advocate, we would like to thankeveryone who has chosen to partner with us andbecome a part of our dialogue. Part of a new,expanding dialogue, a voice for the stories ofBrant. Thank you for supporting our publication.

We Believe in Partnerships by Lucas DuguidFacebook: Lucas Duguid

by Andrew MacklinTwitter: @AMacklin

December 2012www.brantadvocate.com • Facebook: The Brant Advocate • Twitter: @BrantAdvocate Page 4

Who will protect our water?

This is the question that should be on the minds of everycitizen of Brant County.

The Concerned Citizens of Brant is a grassroots group whichformed when it was announced that a gravel pit wascommencing operations on 614 acres of farmland, locatedabove Paris’s water supply.

The CCOB has since raised significant concerns regardingthe planned opening of the pit. We say the potential impacton the community and the environment of Paris and BrantCounty has not been assessed using current standards.

The situation? In 1974, Dufferin Aggregates was issued alicense by the Ministry of Natural Resources to commenceoperations at the Paris site. The license was supplementedwith a schedule, containing ten conditions deemed relevantaccording to the MNR’s understanding of the area. This in-cluded the available transportation systems, roadstructures, environmental considerations and affectedpopulations that existed at that time. Over the following 38years, Dufferin opted not to commence mining operationson this site and many of the circumstances that lead to theconditions placed on the license have become obsolete orineffective. Thus the situation now stands that a pit, licensedin another era, has not been assessed regarding source-waterprotection, the environment, roadway infrastructure, andpublic safety within the guidelines of today’s standards.

As residents of Brant County, the town of Paris andsurrounding areas, we are strongly opposed to thecommencement of this mining operation and haverequested support from both the Ministry of NaturalResources and the Ministry of the Environment. We are still

waiting for responses to our questions.

The following are our primary topics of concern.

Impact to Water Resources

The community of Paris and Brant rely on primary wellslocated adjacent to the aggregate site (The Telfer and Gilbertwell heads). The pit property is situated primarily in a well-head protection area and the water table in this area is quiteshallow, with most properties having dug or shallow-drilled wells. Dufferin has been approved to mine throughoutapproximately 600 acres of this wellhead protection areaand to a depth of approximately 20 feet below the water tableon sections of the property. A 12 acre gravel wash pond willbe excavated on the site in which digging below the watertable will be required at commencement. Mining willalso strip away the natural filtering effect of the soil, whichwe feel puts the community of 12,000 at greater risk ofgroundwater contaminants seeping into the aquifers. In manyregions in Ontario, open pit sand and gravel mining has beenprohibited in wellhead protection areas as a proactive meansof preserving source water resources. As a result of theunchecked continuance of the 1974 pit license, we feel ourwater resource is at risk of adverse effects concerning bothquality and quantity.

Impact On Local Wildlife, Plant Life and Habitat

The pit site is situated directly between, and in closeproximity to, the Gilbert Creek Watershed and the GrandRiver. Both are recognized as natural heritage systems thatmust be preserved. The property has many surface streams,springs and underground systems that feed into the Grand

River from this location, and affect water temperature andnutrients that help support a healthy aquatic environment formany species in this Heritage River. Disruption of this flow,or polluted runoff, could have a lasting negative effect on thehealth and vitality of the river downstream of the site. GrandRiver Conservation Authority studies have indicated that70% of the drinking water for the town of Paris originatesfrom the Gilbert Creek Watershed. The Watt’s Pond, andother ponds on and around the Dufferin property, are hometo snapping turtles and, for the past three years, have attractedattention from Toronto Zoologists who believe the area maybe home to the Blanding’s Turtle - listed as an endangeredspecies in Ontario.

Impact due to Traffic, Noise and Safety Concerns

The primary access to the Dufferin site is Watt’s Pond Road,which is currently a narrow rural roadway with minimalstructural foundation. This rural road is host to manyjoggers and cyclists, and is also part of the daily bus routefor both primary and secondary school students. There issignificant concern amongst residents that the proposed levelof gravel truck traffic on this road could pose a serious dangerto Brant's residents and school children.

Impact on Air Quality

Truck diesel fumes and dust generated by the pit operationswill affect local residences and the community of Paris. Theoriginal site plan and license was approved based onremoving aggregates by rail. This option is no longeravailable since the rail line no longer exists. The continuousshipment of aggregate via gravel trucks (exceeding 30 trucksper hour) along the road systems has not been

adequately assessed for the dust and pollutants that will bedispensed into the air. Additionally, the impact of the crushingplant and other equipment on the air quality has not beensatisfactorily addressed. In 1974, the outcome of the OntarioMunicipal Board hearing that established the basis for grantingDufferin Aggregates their license to operate, categorized theimpact of this large scale mining operation with the following:

"The proposed operation would be a most innocuous operation...There would be no effect on the environmental character ofthe surrounding area…there would be compatibility with anyexisting dwellings in the area."

The CCOB is grateful the county of Brant’s Mayor Ron Eddyand the council for their support. Council issued a letter torequest that the Minister of Natural Resources revoke thelicense of Dufferin Aggregates. This is a positive step forward.

There has not been any recent contact with MPP Dave Levacof Brant, although he has sent representation from his office.NDP representatives Brian Van Tilbourg and Marc Laferierrehave both been very supportive, and have listened to theserious concerns that could affect the residents of Brant.CCOB met with MPP Jonah Schein, environmental critic forthe NDP, who is very much on the side of the CCOB. TheGreen party has also shown concern. Council of Canadiansand Gravel Watch, have both been allies to the CCOB.

You the citizens of Brant need to find your voice and supportthe efforts of the CCOB. It is the people who make realchange. Help stop the Paris Plains from becoming the ParisPits. Contact the MNR and MOE as well as your MPP, letthem hear from you.

by Sandra Parsons

The Identity ProjectLike many of you, I recently received an email asking me tocomplete a survey from the Brantford Identity Project, whichhas been mandated to develop an updated corporate brandfor the City of Brantford. There are several committees workingon the project, one of which is focused on interviewingbusiness interests to determine what makes Brantford anattractive community to live in, and how we can attracteconomic growth. My concern, however, is that the surveyportion of the endeavor will be the one opportunity thegeneral public has to present their views.

The purpose of the survey is to answer one simple question,“Brantford, who are you?”

The Brantford Identity Project is co-chaired by CharleneNicholson and Jack Jackowetz, two people whom I respectenormously. Many other members of the group are myfriends as well. All are a hardworking group of well-inten-tioned volunteers who believe that the project will provide amore focused presentation of who we are as a city. Ratherthan have multiple brands such as The Telephone City, ARiver Runs Through It, Tournament Capital, or some twentyother themes, the hope of the project is to identify a brandthat, “accurately captures our community’s image, values,assets and potential.” A noble objective!

At the risk of being branded a heretic, I don’t believe thesurvey lends itself to answering this question. Yes, I shop, eatand work here. Most of us do. Who do I think of when I thinkof Brantford: Wayne Gretzky, Alexander Graham Bell,Joseph Brant, Pauline Johnson, Thomas B. Costain. Wheredo I take people when they visit us in Brantford: Myrtleville,

Paris, Glenhyrst, the Country Club, Sanderson Centre, theLaurier Campus. Were these your choices? What do I thinkwhen asked to answer the question, “Brantford is what?”

“If we’re really interested indefining what Brantford is, Isuggest we agree that there isnot likely to be any consensus,

except perhaps that itscitizens are exceptionally

community minded.”

I suspect that people answer this question based on theirincome, age, social status, and educational backgrounds. Ifyou are unemployed and have little prospect of finding a joblocally, your answer will be a lot different than someone whois in a high paying job. If your interests are in the historicalheritage of Brantford, your view will be different than a new-comer who uses Brantford as a bedroom community. Whilethe survey asks about our longevity in the community, ourpostal codes, and our age, it fails to ask about other determinantsthat have an impact on how we answer this importantquestion. For example, income distribution and ethnicity mayimpact how one views our city. As a result, I think theconsensus they are seeking is not to be found. So, what wemay end up with is a watered down version of what we are,but we will be asked to take solace in the fact that all of the

city’s printed and published materials, its letterhead andbusiness cards, its logo on the water tower and on its website,and all of the corporate vehicles and park benches, will havea consistent branding.

Will this help sell our community to potential investors? Willit make it easier to find a park bench when you want to sitdown? Will it improve the service and efficiency of our localgovernment?

Perhaps I’m missing the point. Maybe the objective is notnecessarily to get a definitive consensus, but rather, throughthe process of consultation, to get people thinking about whatwe are. Maybe it is not simply a press conference announcinga new corporate brand, but rather the beginning of a processto openly discuss the social and economic issues that impactthe city, and how we can collectively make Brantford a betterplace to live.

If we’re really interested in defining what Brantford is, Isuggest we agree that there is not likely to be any consensus,except perhaps that its citizens are exceptionally communityminded. All one has to do is read The Brant Advocate, followthe chatter on Facebook, or sit in one of our many coffeeshops to recognize that there is a diversity of opinion on whowe are, and what Brantford is. It is not something that is easilyanswered in a survey, however well-intentioned thatendeavor is. If the exercise is about consistency of brand,then let’s not couch it in an effort to define who we are.Instead, let’s define how we want others to see us: a thrivingeconomic community, a tourist destination, the bloomingcapital, a city with a heart, the telephone city.

If, at the end of the day, what is sought is an approval of abrand for Brantford, then offer the community a variety ofchoices and ask them to vote on it. While the BrantfordIdentity Project will no doubt provide the municipality withuseful information, the ultimate way in which we are definedwill be left in the hands of marketing professionals who willdevelop corporate logos, taglines and a uniformed visualpresentation. This approach is much more clearly definedand is more likely to yield absolute results. It is also morelikely to take away the protracted debate that will inevitablyoccur at Council over the interpretation of a survey.

While I am developing my wish list, maybe The BrantfordIdentity Project could provide an estimate of what all of thisis ultimately going to cost the taxpayers? We know that thelast exercise in rebranding the Wayne Gretzky Centre costseveral hundred thousand dollars.

It’s not that I am not in favour of consultation, boosterism,consistency, and self-examination. All of these have value inthe appropriate time and place. But, I am also of the view thatthey should be meaningfully implemented. Unfortunately,having completed the survey, I don’t see it accomplishing thegoal it was set up to do, at least from the perspective of thegeneral public. At the end of the day, though we may have aconsistent brand for the city, we will not really know who weare and what Brantford is.

by Michael St. AmantTwitter: @MichaelStAmant

Learning to Love BrantfordIt may sound trivial, but when I was first touring LaurierBrantford, the one thing that really sold me on livinghere was Victoria Park. I came in the springtime when itwas full of blooming flowers, rustic cobblestones, andfresh leaves. In my head I could picture myself sittingon those adorable park benches to do my homeworkonce I moved here. I arrived in September only todiscover that my idyllic park benches were in realityoccupied by some homeless people and just like that, thespell was broken. I started hearing a lot of bad thingsabout Brantford and I said on several occasions, “I wishI’d knew that before I moved here.” However, after afew weeks of exploring the downtown core (timidly, Iadmit), I started to discover that all those myths aren’tnecessarily true.

One of the most common misconceptions aboutBrantford is that there’s nothing to do here. A lot of otheruniversities, as a virtue of their size and location, aremuch more busy and action-packed than Laurier Brant-ford, but Laurier Brantford isn’t like other universities –that’s why we all chose to come here!

“People who are from Brantford think this too,” saysMaddi Bury, a Laurier Brantford student and resident,“We have a huge movie theatre and we have a mall thatreally isn’t that bad, but nobody takes advantage of it.”According to Ellora Jones, another student and residentof Brantford, the issue is that people aren’t looking.“There’s a ton to do, and the problem is that people justdon’t look hard enough,” says Jones. Once you startlooking, you’ll discover that there’s much more toBrantford than meets the eye.

The Wayne Gretzky Centre offers a wide variety ofsports, including badminton, flag football, and hockey,and many local organizations offer volunteer opportunitiesif sports aren’t for you. The Sanderson Centre always

has awesome music and theatre events with great dealson student tickets. For example, Colin James recentlyplayed a concert at the Sanderson Centre, and a productionof The Colour Purple with the original Broadway castoffered tickets for only five dollars. A lot of the students of Laurier Brantford may look downon the “locals,” but for no real reason. According toJones, most of the residents of Brantford are happy tohave the university here because it feeds into the town’seconomy, which was not exactly flourishing before. Thepresence of the school means that the downtown core issafer than it used to be, and people are starting to openbusinesses here. “There’s so many young peopledowntown and it’s all central to the university,” saysBury.

Laurier Brantford provides an economic stability toBrantford that is greatly appreciated by the majority ofthe residents.“There are people that are just kid-haters to begin withand hate all kids that are loud and partying. I haven’treally heard about students causing any problems, so Idon’t see why they wouldn’t like them,” says Jones,dispelling the notion entertained by many students that,“the locals hate us.”

As most of us know, the Brantford we see now is not theBrantford that existed 10, or even five years ago. “Be-fore, there wasn’t really very much to do downtown, andI can’t remember ever going there except for the library,”Jones says.

Downtown Brantford started to change when HarmonySquare was introduced and more shows and eventsstarted happening, giving people a reason to go there.Thus, attracting more students to get involved in thetown’s unique culture.

There has been more and more urban development onthe outskirts of Brantford, allowing for more economicgrowth but destroying some of Brantford’s uniquefeatures. “One of my favourite things about Brantford isthe trails along the river and right now they’re trying todevelop a lot of that land to build condos,” says Jones.

Brantford has changed so drastically over the last decadeand we can expect this trend to continue as the studentpopulation of Laurier Brantford is expected to double inthe next four years. “My favourite thing about Brantfordis how connected everyone is,” says Bury. “People wholive in Brantford tend to stay here for their whole lives.The people I went to preschool and elementary schoolwith are the people I went to high school with, and I stilltalk to them.”

This surprised and interested me, as I’ve heard so muchabout how sketchy Brantford is.

“It’s different once you’re out of downtown,” says Bury.Maybe this is the mistake most students make – becauseall the university buildings and residences are centrallylocated downtown, most of us don’t really have a reasonto venture further out into Brantford.

Most newcomers to Brantford don’t ever discover a lotof its unique character – people come here to go toschool, and then they leave without getting all they canget out of the experience. So maybe Victoria Park isn’tfor me, but there might be something so awesome outthere in Brantford that I’m missing out on simplybecause I don’t know about it. It’s just a matter of lookinga little harder than right outside my door.

by Kaya Firth

Remember the PoppyThe small crimson flower pinned to our left lapels signalRemembrance Day is approaching. The seeminglyunanimous meaning behind the symbol is theremembrance of fallen soldiers, but the significance ofthe poppy differs greatly from person to person.

Veteran Dick Wagenaar’s pale blue eyes widened whenasked what the poppy means to him.

“I believe in it. I support it—I’ve supported it all my life.People have no idea what it means,” he said, placing hishand on his heart.

To Wagenaar, the poppy represents his and his fellowveterans’ sacrifices. He spent two years of service inHolland.

Wagenaar said that in choosing to go overseas, hesacrificed his entire life.

After his contract was up, he could not bear to re-enlist.Despite the fact he didn’t return, Wagenaar neverstopped fighting. “I’ve been [in Canada] since 1952 andI’m going all the time. I keep going. I’ve got to keepgoing, because right now I’m fighting cancer,” he said.

According to Wagenaar, today’s generation doesn’tunderstand what war is truly like. The only way one canappreciate the symbolism behind poppies is to experiencewar themselves.

Brant Naval Veteran Association member Ron Stele saidthat poppies are to remember the lives that weresacrificed. Even though Stele’s brother served in Koreafor three years, “he didn’t sacrifice anything—he is still

alive. He simply did his job.”

Everyone’s definition of sacrifice depends on theirexperiences and what they have sacrificed themselves.Stele has never seen a war like his brother or Wagenaarhave.

Wagenaar has been a member of the Royal CanadianLegion for 50 years. He says that everyone in the Legionunderstands and supports the poppy but many peopleoutside of the Legion don’t truly support the symbol,even if they wear poppies.

“A lot of people don’t have any respect for the poppy,”he said. He believes the reason many people in societywear poppies is because they would feel guilty if theydid not.

On June 30, 1948, an act in Parliament granted thepoppy a trademark of the Legion which is the largestCanadian Veterans’ organization. As a result, the Legionwas given the responsibility of ensuring that the poppywould never be used inappropriately such as for personalor commercial gain.

The Poppy Manual, released in 2011, outlines veryspecific ‘Poppy Protocol’ on how to wear the poppiesrespectfully. For instance, no pins other than thoseprovided can be used to attach it to your clothing, evenif it bears a Canadian flag, as this is defacing the symbolof remembrance. Also, the center must be black—notgreen.

It is interesting to note that Wagenaar, who is a memberof the Legion, wears two poppies on his baseball cap,

simply because they often fall off of his shirt.

Due to the Legion’s standards, it is clear that changingthe poppies’ colour of blood red to white would be anissue.

On Armistice Day in 1933, that is just what a group ofwidows did. The white poppy, often called the peacepoppy, represents all of the lives that have been lost inwar, including civilians. These poppies encouragepeople to do more than just remember, but to also worktowards peace so more lives are not lost in violent conflicts.

Some wear red, some wear white, and some choose towear no poppy at all.

John Cocarla, a Laurier student who majors in Philosophyand Global Studies, delves into his own meaning behindthe poppy. He believes wearing a poppy has politicalresonance as it is supporting a government thatadvocates war.

The white poppy certainly represents peoples’ desire tofind a peaceful solution to war. However, Cocarlabelieves that wearing a poppy is in no way striving forpeace: “If people truly wanted to remember the dead,they would actively seek an end to war.”

For this reason, Cocarla elects not to wear a poppy.

“The way I choose to remember the fallen is through myright to vote, and the very personal way I mourn thelost,” he said.

The white poppy has caused controversy, not only

legally but emotionally. Some veterans are offended thatsome people are not honouring how they shed blood fortheir country.Wagenaar’s opinion is that the poppy’s meaning shouldnot be changed and that the colour should remain red.

Cocarla believes that those who are offended have binaryvisions of the support of the military. Either someonesupports the military patriotically, and they wear a redpoppy, or they don’t support it at all.

Ron Stele believes that poppies honour not only thefallen soldiers, but their families as well. Their endlesssupport and suffering without their loved ones deservesremembrance too.

As a response to John McCrae’s famous poem ‘InFlanders Field’, poet Floyd Zurbrigg wrote a poemcalled ‘In Canadian Fields’ which touches on theimportance of remembering soldiers’ families. The laststanza reads, “To the one’s at home, we owe a debt/Theysuffered too, let’s not forget/While in Flanders Fields thepoppies grew/The folks at home were heroes too.”

Whether the poppy stands for the sacrifice of a highquality of life, the lives of lost soldiers, their sufferingfamilies, late civilians, a peaceful future—or all of theabove—the poppy’s purpose flourishes.

Wagenaar points to the two blood red flowers on his hat.

“I believe in the poppy, always have and always will.”

by Karly Rath

A Voice for the Students of Laurier Brantford

Brantford Farmer’s Market

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My Father & II'm relaxing with my dad, visiting, and my hands arebusy with a knitting project. For the ninth time heasks me what I'm knitting. Nine times I've answered.Nine times, with the same answer. I pull a blood red,vibrant yarn ball from my bag and his face brightens.His mouth opens. “Now, THAT's a nice colour,” hesays. “Red is my FAVOURITE colour,” he declares.

I love red too, so we wax on a bit, visualizing thedifferent tones of red, and recalling favourite thingsthat are red, like cinnamon hearts, candy apples, anda particular kind of sunset that can stop a person intheir tracks. The truth is, however, my dad has alwaysbeen a blue kind of guy. He had closets and laundrybaskets full of blue clothes when I was a kid, a bluesedans parked in the driveway, and several more overthe years. But of course, everything is different now,and on this particular day, my dad's favourite colouris red.

My dad in this case, is the one in ten Ontarians overthe age of 65 living with dementia. Having a lovedone with dementia has inspired me to learn. I'velearned that dementia is, technically, not a disease.Dementia is a group of symptoms, characterized byforgetfulness, and changes in personality, mood andbehaviour. Dementia is actually the result of otherdiseases or conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease.In fact, Alzheimer's disease reportedly accounts for

more than 50% of all cases of dementia. I've learnedfirst-hand that dementia is both a physiologicalcondition, and a relational condition: Relational sinceit can deeply affect the family, friends and loved oneswho inevitably struggle as they come to accept that,not only has everything changed, but that there is nopossible way to know where this experience isheaded.

I've learned that, although prevalent and on the rise,dementia is not unique to our time, nor to our culture.True to the medium, information available on theinternet transcends time and space.

Nineteenth century American essayist, lecturer, poet,and radical thinker Ralph Waldo Emerson, lived withdementia.

The World Health Organization reported in 2008 thatdementia is now a global phenomenon, even moreprevalent in North Africa and the Middle East thanin North America.

Homer, Aristotle, Chaucer, and even Plato wroteabout ageing and mental decline. In France, the Latinword dementia translates as démence, and in Greek,morosis, which can also mean foolish. In HongKong, the China Dementia Research AssociationLtd. is scrambling to address the upsurge of dementia

in the Chinese population. In an August 2012 brief,the Alzheimer's Society of Ontario reported thatbetween 2012 and 2030, the total population of olderadults with dementia is expected to increase byapproximately 30% provincially.

My dad and I are kicking back, enjoying thepeacefulness of a quiet room. “You know, I woke upthis morning and I didn't know WHERE the hell Iwas,” he says. “Yeah,” I say. “I've had that happen.How long did it take before you remembered whereyou were,” I ask. “Oh, quite a while...” his voicefades. “In fact, I'm still not quite sure where the hellI am.”

I've learned that, as individuals, although we willnever know with certainty what life will bring, wecan arm ourselves against certain forms of dementia.Dancing is supposed to help, as are mind/bodypractices that challenge and strengthen the neuralcircuitry, such as tai chi and certain styles of yoga.Physical exercise apparently protects our brains.

I've learned that what we eat affects our mental function,and that diet may be critical to maintaining brainhealth. I've learned that it might be worth the effortto struggle with those cryptic instructional manualsthat come with the latest technology, or to turn offthe GPS, pull out the road map and challenge my

skills in an entirely different way. I've learned that,although a person can forget that he just ate hisdinner, he can still play pool, and rock the nursinghome in a Wii bowling tournament. I've learned howto invoke and accept support from the community.I've learned that loving someone with dementiarequires a radical new form of conversation, onerooted in the present moment, yet infused withmemories from the past that evoke confidence,smiles and laughter.

I've learned the value of old family photos, sillychildhood poems and old songs. I've learned not tomake assumptions from one day to the next, and thata nice way to visit might simply involve sitting withsomeone who spontaneously falls asleep in theirchair for an hour at a time.

So, when it's time to leave, my dad and I embrace.He hugs me hard, and there's a reluctance to separate.It's like this every time. “When are you comingback,” he asks. I see the sadness seep into his eyes,and I feel it spill into my heart. “Soon,” I say, “realsoon.” “You won't forget, right,” he asks. I'm struckby the gravity of his words. And, because I'm prettysure it's true, at least for today, I say “I promise, dad,I won't forget.”

Diary of a PSW: Robert’s Grief Today seems like it will never end. It’s sweltering inhere, and the urine smell isn't making me feel well atall, at this retirement home job. Today, of all days,I've been suffering from insomnia, worrying aboutthe lack of pay. Will I have enough to buy thegroceries I need? It’s Thanksgiving soon, after all.With five jobs, two should meet the basic needs, butthey barely do. That’s how the fourth, and the fifthjob happened about.

I’m with the patient. Robert has remembered hisparents are passed on. He has delayed grief reactionsout of the blue. We believe his POW tells him this,to orientate him to time and place. However, it leavesus in a tough spot. There’s no mental health nurse toaddress his utter grief. We walk down the hall onlyto find Robert inconsolable. We complete his careand spend extra time with him, reassuring him weare still here. His family is where he lives now, and

his parents had passed on some 15 years prior. Robertis 60 years old at this time, but acts like he's 8. Hewants his mother and father. We suspect this frustrationis caused by mental health issues, as well as dementiafrom his disease’s progression.

Then, onto Sadie’s room. She’s 65 and hasSchizophrenia. I'm thinking to myself, I wish I hadmy Mental Health Practitioner Certification done,but I had to stop in school as I couldn't afford the 335dollars every semester. The HS care we provide inthis retirement home is personal care; a bath,assistance with dressing. The care plan doesn’tinclude companionship to validate emotional needs,or mental health concerns.

Sadie is frantic. Stating she’s heard voices speakingin Spanish that were coming to kill her. She's alsocertain a man visited her, as three buttons were

undone on her pajama top. I explain, sometimes ifwe're too warm we do things subconsciously whilewe sleep. She is inconsolable. We're consideringcalling 911 if her state of mind becomes moredelusional, for her safety and our own. She states,she will protect herself in her room.

Leesha is a new resident that moved in yesterday, soI don't know how she is with people. She is 30 yearsold, and 8 months pregnant. She’s living in thisretirement home so she isn't homeless. She is also adrug addict, and has schizophrenia. She is obsessedwith dead children.

I notice a strong smell of urine from her room, likeshe hasn't had a bath or changed clothes for a month.She refuses personal care assistance from us. Wegently encourage her to use the shower. With therules set in place if she refuses, we can do nothing

but report it to the registered nurse. She has also beensmoking in her room. I can see a lot of styrofoamcups with butts in them. There is a lady right nextdoor with compressed oxygen, so this too has to bereported. If she’s caught again, she will be evictedor put in the mental health unit until the baby is born.Then she will be homeless again.

Tonight we're short staffed so I bring John his tea andcookies at snack time. He informs us that since hishernia surgery, he’s learned he now has throat cancer.He says it so matter of factly, and is more concernedwith how we've been, and what's new with us. Theresolve of some people never ceases to amaze me.

The day that I thought would never end is over. Ihead home physically and emotionally spent, again.I think to myself, is this what they call burnout?

by Brenda Bondy-CaldicottFacebook: Brenda Bondy-Caldicott

by Donna MackenzieFacebook: Whole Earth Educations

When Generosity Slapped Me in the Face

Generosity isn’t something that comes naturally to me.When I receive things I want or need, I tend to clutch themvery closely to myself. Maybe being the oldest kid hassomething to do with it. I would have to hoard anything Ididn’t want destroyed or consumed by my younger siblings.For a while as a preteen, I had a series of handmade con-tainers delicately placed along the wall edge of my bunkbed, hiding sacred candy, journals, toys, and notes fromfriends. Those things were mine.

Even though I’ve had a heart for the underprivileged sinceI was quite young, my generosity hardly extended to them.For example, where I grew up in Toronto, panhandlers wereeverywhere. One way or another, I’d developed a deep-rooted belief that it was dumb to give them money, becauseany cash they were given would go directly to the LCBO.Why contribute to alcoholism?

In Grade 12, I was part of a team of students that travelledto Nicaragua for a service trip over March break. Our pri-mary project was some basic construction at a Christianschool in a small mountain town called Esteli. Over the firstfew days, I was exposed to a type of poverty unlike any I

had ever seen before. In the slums, entire families lived inone-room shacks made of plastic, sheet metal, wood, andoften even cardboard. It boggled my mind that, inside someof these shacks, were fancy stereo systems and cell phonesfor everyone over age 12.

To be honest, it made no sense to me and even angered me.My concept of poverty was thoroughly messed up. I stilldon’t know how to synthesize all of the images in my mind.In all my confusion, I found myself distancing myself fromthe poverty I was seeing. People had so little invested inthings that, to me, seemed absolutely frivolous. Did peoplestill qualify as poor if they were “foolish” with their money?When young children would occasionally wander onto theschool property to spy on the sweaty gringos, I preferred towatch than to interact. However, there was one boy whochanged my world, whether I wanted him to or not.

He was probably only five years old. Scrawny limbs pokedout from beneath his filthy, tattered t-shirt. Tiny rotted teethand dried lips spoke the question, which I knew by hisoutstretched hand was a request for money. Saying no wasembarrassingly easy after my experiences with panhandlers

in Toronto. Combined with my incredulity toward thedefinition of poverty in that community, I didn’t even givemy decision to keep my pesos to myself a second thought.

“Naïve country kids,” I thought to myself when my friendsdug into their pockets for the little guy when he moved onto them. “What’s he going to spend it on? A top up for hissister’s phone?”

I pretended not to watch as he ran to the snack stand nearthe school as fast as his bare feet would carry him. With themeager coins he had gathered from my friends, he pur-chased a small bag of cheesy chips.

Then he walked straight to me with a big smile on his faceand offered me a handful of food from the tiny little bag.This kid, who couldn’t even afford shoes, was handing me,a disgustingly privileged, overly stingy, completely criticalCanadian girl, nearly half of the food he had just received.

If I ever felt like a total douche, it was in that moment.Completely ashamed and a little afraid of his germy hands,I thanked him profusely but sent him to go enjoy his snack.

Then it got worse.

The little stinker then went to my friends and offered themsome as well. He went to every person from our team,offering to share some of his snack.

I know it was just a snack, but to a person who so closelyguarded her possessions that even the Os from Bits andBites were worth hiding away, the episode was pivotal tomy current understanding of generosity.

Sometimes it’s something little that confounds your ideas.The mother or grandmother who likely taught that little boyto share changed my life. She will never know how muchshe has affected me.

It’s not like I learned how to be generous in a day. In fact, Istill struggle with it greatly, even though it seems at leastevery month if not more I am dumbfounded by the kindnessof others. When I see people who give up more than I thinkthey should, for what they believe to be something good, Ican’t help but aim to be better.

by Becca VandekempTwitter: @BeccaVDK

Octopus Red is a creative communitcations agency specializingin graphic arts & web development. We’ve had the opportunity to

work with some amazing organizations here in Brantford.What can we do for you? 519.209.4189 / www.octopusred.com

December 2012 www.brantadvocate.com • Facebook: The Brant Advocate • Twitter: @BrantAdvocate Page 7

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ShowcasingLocal Talent

by Lucas DuguidFacebook: Lucas Duguid

The Woodland Cultural Centre is a veryspecial place. It’s a place brimmingwith rich history, a place that offers usa wide array of opportunities to learnand participate. And, it’s a place thathappens to be housing some amazingexhibits over the next few weeks.

On the morning of Friday November23, I attended, along with photographerPaul Smith of Photohouse. There wewere met with Elizabeth Doxtater’sincredible showcase, entitled Teiotiok-waonháston/Deyodyogwaǫháhs:dǫh(Encircles Everything). A threed imensional, handmade setupcomposed of individually handcraftedcorn husk dolls. It’s a remarkabledisplay that depicts the formation of theHaudenosuanee confederacy: anincredibly important landmark.

Included in the War of 1812 exhibit is amural by First Nations artist BillPowless. It’s a massive piece depictinga battle scene from the War, with a rowof musket bearing soldiers facing offagainst the Haudenosuanee on the battlefield.

Both exhibits continue until December24th. For more information, visitwww.woodland-centre.on.ca.

Photos courtesy of Paul Smith, Photohouse Studio / www.photohouse.ca

December 2012www.brantadvocate.com • Facebook: The Brant Advocate • Twitter: @BrantAdvocate Page 8

With the holidays approaching quickly I would like to takethis opportunity to wish everyone in Brantford and surround-ing areas a safe and happy holiday season.

Sarah Picard from our office approached me and my hus-band/partner Bruce Kelly with an idea to start our ownChristmas Toy Drive for families less fortunate in the regionthis season. ‘We should involve the entire Morell Kelly Teamand ask them to do their part drumming up support for agreat local holiday cause’ stated Sarah. ‘Ask support fromour suppliers, colleagues in the legal profession and friendsof our firm.’ What a great idea Sarah.

We have officially kicked off year one the Morell Kelly Createa Christmas Toy Drive with proceeds from Brantford andsurrounding area going to, The Brantford Baskets/Hamperslocal charity.

The charity helps approximately 2600 families each yearthroughout Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations. Theyhave been doing this for 58 years. Every year in August theybegin looking for a location in where they can set up to prop-erly assemble Christmas Hampers in time for them to begingoing out in November. They are a very organized operationof 100 volunteers who would surely make even Santa’selves jealous. They accept new and used toys as well asfood donations.

The program opens the first week in November and regis-tered recipients who qualify are able to begin picking up theirholiday hampers. They even offer to delivery to those whoare unable to pick up on their own. Any donations can bedropped at our Morell Kelly Brantford law office located at515 Park Road North.

While all proceeds for the Morell Kelly Create a Christmastoy drive will be going to this great charity effort we are alsokicking them off with a $1,000 donation from our Brantfordfirm. Inset is Sarah Picard from our office delivering acheque.

The Rock Band Helix has also come on board in support ofthis great cause. They are hosting a Christmas Tour insouthern Ontario this year called ‘The Helix Heavy MentalChristmas Show’ which kicks off in Fort Erie on November30th. Anyone who brings a gift to any one of the Helix HeavyMental Christmas Shows will be entered into a draw to wina big screen TV. Watch for the Helix Heavy Mental Christ-mas Show coming to Brantford on Friday December 7th atthe Army and Navy Club on Colbourn Street. Be sure tocheck http://www.thehelixheavymentalchristmasshow.comother dates and venues.

With people’s busy schedules and the hustle bustle of theholiday season please take your time and enjoy it. Slowdown your speed when driving and walk at a careful pacewhen navigating busy malls trying to get your last minuteshopping done. Accidents of all types whether motor vehicleaccidents or slip and fall accidents take a sharp rise overthe holiday season, many avoidable as a result of someonein too much of a hurry. Please try to slow it down this yearand be careful out there! From all of us at Morell Kelly Per-sonal Injury Law in Brantford please enjoy a safe and happyholiday season.

Lisa Morell KellyMorell Kelly Personal Injury Law515 Park Road NorthBrantford, Ontario N3R 7K8 (519) 720-0110

Building Bridges in the Name of Social Justice

It seems not so long ago that we finished the leftovers fromThanksgiving. The store windows are red, green and gold,and the aisles are bulging with the latest chatty dolls, actionfigures and telephones, entertainment centres and satelliteremotes. The Christmas season is upon us and the horn ofplenty is spilled out in our shop windows and on ourtelevision screens. But amidst the plenty, there is need. Iwas reminded of this the other night, as we exited the localtheatre. In the neon glow of the gigantic cinema parking lot,a 30 year old man stood hesitatingly with his dog. He wasasking if moviegoers could spare a couple of dollars for acoffee. Like so many of the others scurrying to their cars, Ioffered a perfunctory “sorry,” and continued on my way.

Of course, not everyone’s need is material. The wholecountry – apart from a few heartless cowards who kept upthe drumbeat of harassment, even as their victim was laidto rest – was shocked and moved by the story of AmandaTodd, the 15 year old who was hounded to an early deathby anonymous cyber bullies. The outraged response ofaverage people and the spontaneous expressions of supportamong students and educators in particular, demonstratedthat we have not completely lost the ability to feel oneanother’s pain. This was a needed sign of solidarity at amoment when, at least in the political realm, one might beforgiven for doubting our potential for working together forthe common good.

The political discourse these days, on both sides of theborder, is awash in vitriol. Our neighbours to the south havejust elected their President and, along the way, every phrase,each facial gesture, was dissected and analysed in agonizingdetail. In a trend as regular as the arrival of Fall colours, theattack ads flourished as well. Republicans and Democratsdid all in their power to misrepresent, belittle and demonizetheir opponents. Certainly, we are not immune to this styleof politics either. It is easier to photoshop demon eyes ontoa poster of Ontario Conservative leader Tim Hudak, or

smear erstwhile federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff asan itinerant intellectual than engage with their ideas,however unpalatable we might find them. We live in amoment in which omnibus bills, absentee Ministers,robo-calls and prorogued legislatures are all too common.No one is willing to take responsibility, to engage in rationalconversation about the way forward or to take action to addressneed.

“Jesus Christ cared deeply aboutcommunity and about justice. Hemaintained that the Kingdom of

God was at hand and that theFather desires to give us more and

better life here and now.”

But that is not the entire picture. There are people, in all ofour communities, who give selflessly in order to helpothers. This past August we were all inspired by 14 yearold Annaleise Carr of Simcoe, who swam Lake Ontario toraise money for Camp Trillium and its young cancerstricken campers. And there are countless others who, inless dramatic ways, build community and assist those inneed. They are the ones who stock the shelves of the localfood bank, who help integrate new arrivals to our townsand cities and who comfort an abused wife or a pregnantteen. The ways to help are only limited by our imaginationsand desire to make a difference.

If these themes stir something in you, then you will beinterested in an upcoming event at Laurier Brantford: theVeritas Forum. Veritas was launched in 1992 at HarvardUniversity. It has spread around the world and now eachyear dozens of events are held throughout Asia and Europe

as well as across North America. When asked to choose atheme that would be appropriate for Brantford, our studentCo-Directors did not hesitate: given the campus’ orientation,as well as the mobilization of community forces to addressvarious local needs in recent years, social justice madeperfect sense.

Our first speaker, Dr. Syd Hielema from Redeemer University,will speak about our culture’s scepticism of the church’sability to work for justice and the church’s struggle to faithfullyembody Jesus’s teaching about justice. Our second speaker,Dr. Mary Poplin of the Education Faculty of ClaremontGraduate University, will share the principles and insightsthat she gained when she worked for two months withMother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta,and then returned to her position in the secular university.

On the final evening, we will convene a roundtablediscussion, featuring Laurier Brantford faculty member Dr.Robert Feagan, Charlie Kopczyk of Why Not CityMissions, Marc Laferriere of the Grand River CommunityHealth Centre and The Advocate, and Dr. Anne-MarieZajdlik, founder of the HIV/AIDS charity, Bracelets ofHope. The focus will be how to forge partnerships betweenpeople committed to social justice across faith lines.

Jesus Christ cared deeply about community and about justice.He maintained that the Kingdom of God was at hand andthat the Father desires to give us more and better life hereand now. If you are curious about these themes or about thestruggle of the Church to embody them, if you care aboutneed, responsibility or solidarity, we hope you will join us.

Dr. Peter Farrugia is Associate Professor of History andContemporary Studies at the Brantford Campus of WilfridLaurier University. He can be reached at pfarrugia@wlu.ca.

by Peter FarrugiaEmail: pfarrugia@wlu.ca

Finding Culture & Belonging in VietnamVietnam is best known for the Vietnam War, Pho,

rice fields, and conical farmer’s hats. It is a

beautiful country that has me absolutely charmed

by its warm smiling people, and rich luxurious

landscape. I have spent a total of one year living

in a rural city in Central Vietnam. For my first

trip, my sister Amber and I came together to

volunteer at an orphanage. For our second trip, we

came to volunteer again, and we ended up opening

an English Center for children. Along the way, my

sister married a wonderful Vietnamese man. I am

currently in Vietnam for the third time, helping

welcome my absolutely perfect nephew into the

world.

Vietnam and Canada have an endless amount of

differences. The main one I’ve noticed is that

while Canada is multicultural, Vietnam is almost

entirely racially homogenous. So, how does that

affect my sister and I while living in a rural city?

There are always less than 10 foreigners living in

the city long term (Some Asians, a few Cubans, an

American, a Dutch lady, an Australian lady and

my sister). Every single time my sister and I leave

the house, we are greeted by smiling faces, warm

touches, and so many questions about how Amber

and the baby are doing. Naturally, as I am sure

happens in every country in the world, people

always want to give advice on what is best for the

baby – at the market, the noodle shop, or just

while we walk down the street, people offer their

opinion. Amber was the first Westerner ever to

give birth in our rural city, and along with the

birth of my handsome nephew came an insane

amount of Vietnamese traditions, all of which are

so ingrained in the culture. I am certain that every

single adult in Vietnam, regardless of religion or

ethnicity, knows that it is tradition for women and

their new babies to stay in their house for at least

one month after the birth. During this time the

new mother should also wear cotton balls in her

ears, not touch or ingest cold water, and they

generally have a little fire pit with herbs burning

in the bedroom. These traditions seem a little odd,

but they have clear purposes: the cotton balls in

their ears are so no cold can get in to the women

and bring them illness in their old age, same with

the need to avoid cold water. The fire pit helps

with post birth recovery and health. Vietnamese

people have strict traditions that they follow for

just about every single major, and most minor, life

events.

Festivals are also a big part of Vietnamese culture,

and my favourite festival is the mid-autumn festival

which is dedicated to children. It takes place over

three days in the Fall, and boys form groups,

going house to house to perform a dragon dance

in exchange for money. Dragon dances are

absurdly cool to see and the boys practice for

months before the festival, which absolutely

shows. The groups always put on an amazing

p e r formance , which i s why the s t ree ts a re

absolutely packed with families checking everything

out. It’s probably more popular than a Canadian

Christmas parade and for my foreign eyes it is at

least as exciting!

I love that Vietnam’s traditions are so much a part

of their culture. I think this is possible because

they are a homogenous country. It feels really

comforting when every person who offers their

opinion is saying a similar thing to the person

before – straighten the baby’s legs when he eats

so the milk goes all the way through his body,

keep him warm, and so on. It is so much fun to be

in a country that is unified in its beliefs and hear

the same advice being told from every economic

group, ethnicity, religion and age. This is in

contrast to Canada where traditions are passed on

within a family and each new family will create

their own new traditions. This is really special and

I love the cultural and traditional mosaic that is

represented in Canada. Since Canada is multicultural,

there is not one unifying message connecting us

all but rather a collection of cultures, traditions

and messages represented in one society. Both

Canadian and Vietnamese cultures are beautiful

and unique, and I love the opportunity to continue

exploring and learning about each.

by Alisha HaughTwitter: @AlishaHaugh

Why Coffee Shops are Important

Remember when opening a box of Tim Hortons’ donuts wouldmake your entire place reek of cigarette smoke? Tasty.

A few years ago, Brantford’s selection of coffee shops was asuninspired as it was smoky. Thankfully, those hazy days areover. Our coffee shop scene has transformed. The Blue Dogand The Station Coffee House are lively examples of the stepup. Aside from better-tasting (and smelling) pastries, theseplaces offer a real experience of local art and culture. The cityis made better by them and they are made better by the city.Why are coffee shops important? Historically, they’re wheregreat ideas are born. Thinkers, artists, and regular Joe’s haverelied on them as places of creative inspiration for centuries.It’s no coincidence that the rise of the coffee house directly co-

incided with the Age of the Enlightenment.

Before the first coffee houses in England, the most popular op-tion for people to get out and socialize was to visit a pub. As aresult, the English population was generally trashed - and sub-sequently, pretty unproductive - until about 1650. It was aroundthis time that the new public spaces cropped up. Shortly after-ward an enlightened Europe was born. It wasn’t just the switchfrom beer to coffee that stimulated minds, though. It was thekind of collaboration that was made possible.

In the same way that hearing a co-workers’ rapid-fire typingwill motivate you to work harder at the office, watching a localbands’ set in a coffee shop will inspire you to let loose your tal-

ents to the public. We feed off the energy in our environments,and are greatly affected by our fellow city dwellers creativity.Hence, a local coffee shop can often provide a more inspiringexample than an art gallery - we are much more likely to think“Hey, I want to do something like that too!” in the closer-to-home setting. Brantford is setting an artistic example to beproud of. From photography exhibits to stich n' bitch nights,our coffee shops give us the opportunity to be creators. Withevery piece and performance, we create our unique identity, asindividuals and a city. Everyday, around the corner, on the wayto work - this is where culture happens. The next time you graba latte, stop and look around. You might get inspired.

by Kait FowlieTwitter: @kaitfowlie

December 2012 www.brantadvocate.com • Facebook: The Brant Advocate • Twitter: @BrantAdvocate Page 9

When Somebody Punches Your Turtle It was a nice sunny September day. A jazz band wasplaying in Harmony Square. People were laughing.They were singing. They were clapping along andtapping their feet.I was strolling through the crowdwith Taylor the Turtle and a couple of friends. ThePaparazzi was every where.

“Taylor, look here.”

“Taylor, come stand by me.”

“Taylor, can I Tweet this pic?”

“taylor can I have a hug?”

Taylor was posing with friendly folks. Giving outhugs. Sharing the message of Peace, love andcompassion. It was a friendly day. A peaceful day.Until, POW! Which was followed by a gruff, drunk,miserable voice muttering, “I just had to punch thatturtle in the head.” So when someone punches yourturtle in the head, what do you do? To be very honest,I have to shamefully share that my instinct was notone that reflected the values and virtues of the PeaceFestival which was going on down the street at thetime. My blue string of words would have made anysailor proud, but would have made Gandhi or MartinLuther King shake their head.

My boss, Joanna Brant, was the first responder in thiscrisis. Her response embodied all the love, hope andgenerosity that is needed to create real communitychange.

She simply said, “we are kind to our turtle friends.”

Sharing this story with many friends, most have had

a response that is very similar to mine. They are inawe of Joanna’s poise and grace under fire, especiallywhen I reveal the human identity of Taylor. Taylor isa 12-year-old girl.

I have worked in various communities, and I have atheoretical and experiential understanding of howcomplex people’s lives can be, and how they can findthemselves in situations they never could believewould happen - such as punching a turtle in the head.It is hard when you are on the receiving end ofinappropriate behaviour to contextualize it in thehistory of that person’s life, becoming a delicatebalance of protecting your own rights and self, whilehaving compassion for another person.

"My blue string of wordswould have made anysailor proud, but wouldhave made Gandhi or

Martin Luther King shaketheir head."

It’s like not knowing that Taylor was a 12-year-oldgirl that day. We often operate based on what we areseeing at any one moment. That man only saw aturtle with a giant head, which seemed to be an openinvitation for his fist. He did not know there was ayoung girl inside. Would it have changed hisbehaviour if he had known? If he had humanized the

turtle, would he have instead said hi? This man is alot like the identity of the turtle. I do not know thisman and what lead him to be passing through theJazz Festival, stumbling drunk at one o’clock in theafternoon, punching turtles in the head. Joanna didthink in a kind way. She did consider all the possiblemoments in this man’s life that lead him to punch aturtle, just adding to the long list of reasons whyJoanna is a role model to me.

I am not suggesting that we excuse and ignorepeople’s hurtful behaviours. I believe people need tobe responsible for their actions, but perhapssometimes they need a bit more assistance becausethey do not have the skills, experiences, andresources to be able to act kindly. So I am leaningquite heavily on these ideas of living, both in thoughtand action, from a place of kindness and compassionas one way to begin creating community change.Joanna’s simple statement of kindness may have hada greater impact on that man then if we had beratedhim with unkind sentiments. Obviously, we willnever know.

For some reason this moment has really resonatedwith me, leading me to consider the ways compassionis a practise and a mindset. It requires us to have astrong voice that is not invasive or volatile, but isassertive and supportive. The question of ‘Whensomeone punches your turtle in the head, what doyou do,’ is a philosophical quandary with manyoutcomes and considerations, and it is one I wantedto share with the greater community as we come intothe holiday season.

by Carrie Sinkowski

How do you celebrate?December has crept up on us again. Hopefully it won’t bethe last - you know, because the world is supposedly goingto end. I’m sure it’s just a farce, like how all the computerswere going to shut down at the turn of the millennium, yetit’s still morbidly fun to bring up.

Whether it’s the final December, or another one where weclaim survival, it should be made a memorable one, forwhatever you may be celebrating. The best way to do that,is to call it what it is, rather than have it be lump summed inthe phrase Happy Holidays.

I understand the concept of being politically correct, butwhen it comes to festivities and merriment, I don’t see howbeing politically correct applies. If you are going to enjoyyour birthday, or New Year’s Eve, or Thanksgiving, youdon’t call it something different. Sure, you might want tocall them Give Me Attention Day, or Party ‘Til The SunRises Day, or perhaps Avoid The In-Laws Day, but thenhow would others know what event you are actually

referencing? The idea of not naming the holiday youcelebrate by its rightful name is in itself offensive.

So, why don’t we say what we are rejoicing this December?Perhaps you’ll enjoy the eight days of Hanukkah this yearwith a brilliant menorah, or respect the weeklong celebrationof Kwanzaa. Perhaps you’ll observe Ta Chiu for spiritualrenewal, or partake in the colourful five days of PanchaGanapati. Depending on the lunar calendar, you could alsobe honouring an Islamic practice within December. And forthose who are completely anti-commercialists, perhapsFestivus is the option for you.

Personally, I’ve been raised on Christmas, and will beenjoying my two Christmases again this year with myfamily. Granted, some of you may be commemoratingChristmas for religious purposes, but I have grown fond ofthe Santa side of the event. The catchy jingles, the warmfuzzy movies, the comfort foods, the family reunions, andthe gift-giving experience of it all, are what I cherish. And

let’s not forget, the whole mysterious concept of a fat manfitting through non-existent chimneys around the world inone fell swoop.

"The principles behind thisfestivity during each day’s

reverence are values everyoneshould be aware of, andpractice all year round.

I challenge you to learn aboutthem, along with the other

special days December shares."

Although I will be wishing people a Merry Christmas thisyear, I would not take offense to any other wish of kindness.

For example, I’d be delighted to receive a Happy Kwanzaasalute. The principles behind this festivity during each day’sreverence are values everyone should be aware of, andpractice all year round. I challenge you to learn about them,along with the other special days December shares.

So let’s abolish the generic Happy Holidays mantra, createdby commercialism and politics. It’s a month chock-full offestivities that happen worldwide, each in celebration ofloved ones and wishes of good health in the new year.Respect the various religious and non-religious eventsaround you, because everyone should have the freedom tocherish their own traditions undisturbed and unthreatened.After all, it is a time for peace on Earth and goodwilltowards humanity.

In my final words for this year’s Advocate, I wish you all aJoyous Pancha Ganapati, Merry Chrismukkah and HappyOshogatsu! Here’s to a prosperous and an existential 2013!Kanpai!

by Markus McDanielwww.schnippits.wordpress.com

With Great Collar, Comes Great Responsibility

Two years ago I became an Anglican Priest. I often comparemy ordination experience to Peter Parker getting bit by theradioactive spider. It was unexpected, and the next morningI realized that I had special abilities. Unfortunately theseabilities do not include scaling walls, shooting webs, or havinga ‘Spidey Sense.’ Rather, when the collar went on itappeared that my main superpower was the ability to getpeople to apologize after they used foul language.

Not only do I have the ability to draw out apologies, I’malso magnetic. Yes, I have the power to attract people whoneed money for a bus ticket to Toronto. With these twopowers at my disposal I asked myself “what should mysuperhero name be?” I was stumped. This said I pluggedRev Massimi into an online superhero name generator; the

name given: The Magnificent Liberator. I kid you not. Forthose reading I would like to inform you that this article ismy debut: No need to fear people of Brantford TheMagnificent Liberator is here, “Cleaning up language andgetting people to Toronto.” Actually I’m not a superheroand my abs will attest to that fact. I’m a priest, husband, andfather. I swear sometimes, get angry and yes, when myfinger goes up it’s not because I think you’re number one.I make mistakes and I feel that it is important I say this; I’mnot perfect, even though some people expect me to be.

A couple of years ago I took a Laurier student, who was anAtheist, out for a bite to eat. I wanted a burger, he wantedto grill me. We chatted for a couple of hours. Somethinghe said during that time stuck with me, he said “at the heart

of every pastor is a used car salesman." I had to agree withhim. As church leaders and congregations we say toourselves, “If we act really nice maybe people will want tohang out with us.” So we try to say and do the right thingshoping that you’ll take Jesus off the lot. I believe this is oneof the reasons why people expect us religious folk to beperfect. We present ourselves as do-gooders who havenever done anything wrong. In the past year I realized that,as a priest, people don’t want me to be perfect or good, theywant me to be myself. God wants me to be myself. Insharing our true-selves with others we create a safe spacewhere people are free to be themselves. In other words, bybeing myself I give permission for you to be yourself. Welive in a world with so many demands on us. We arefrequently expected to act or present ourselves in many

different ways. For this reason I believe more of these safespaces need to be created; for fear that we lose ourselves.

I love superheroes and I love superhero movies. A commontheme that I’ve noticed in the movies I’ve watched is thatevery superhero has the need to confide and reveal their trueidentity to someone they trust. When I wear my collar Iwear it not to be identified as “the moral police” or a “sales-man” but as someone you can trust. Someone you can liftyour mask in front of and reveal your true identity. My collaralso reminds me that God does the same. He saw myimperfections. He looked beyond my mask and in spite ofmy shortcomings, has called me to create spaces wherepeople can enter and know they are loved. With great collarcomes great responsibility.

by Rev. Jon MassimiTwitter: @RevMass

December 2012www.brantadvocate.com • Facebook: The Brant Advocate • Twitter: @BrantAdvocate Page 10

Holiday TraditionsTo each one of us family is something different.Sometimes we have family that consists of twomarried parents, who have children that are allgenetically connected, and all live in the same house.Sometimes family is different than that!

Family is something different to each person.Sometimes family consists of those people connectedby blood. Sometimes a family is made up of peoplewho all live together in the same house, and arebrought together by love, support, honesty and respect.

Sometimes adults don't carry a strong connection toa family in their past, but strive to build a very strongsense of family for their children, and future generations.When you talk to these people about family there aremany references to the future, and not so many topast events, memories, or traditions.

Sometimes a family is just two adults who choose toco-parent a child, maybe the result of a relationshipthat didn't work out. Sometimes a family is twoadults that come together, each with their ownchildren, and live in the same place. Sometimes afamily doesn't include future generations, butincludes adult children and lots of past generations.

Sometimes people have different levels of what theyconsider family. It could be that they have one fam-ily that is their birth family, or biological family,and yet another that is their adopted family. Thatadopted family could be defined by law, or by theirown heart.

Whatever the definition of your family, it is built onhistory, traditions, emotions, connections, memoriesand people. If you are truly blessed, then all of these

things will fill your heart. Sometimes that is not howit works out. When that is not how it works out,people strive to find other ways to fill their hearts.

Many people find comfort and grounding intraditions, especially seasonal traditions. For manythis is the time of year that their hearts are easilyfilled with good will, their smiles are quicker andmore pleasant, and their kindness comes from theheart. For others it is a time of quiet reflection, wherethey need to be alone and away from the hub-bub.They don’t have the desire to participate in the season.

Sometimes people who have previously participatedwith great zeal in the celebrations of this season arejust too overwhelmed, and choose to change theirparticipation, or level of involvement. Sometimespeople that have previously been very withdrawn andnon-participatory have a change in their heart also,and decide to embrace the generosity of the season.Each one of these avenues, or levels of celebration,are what makes our community what it is. Each oneof us is a contributor to the traditions of this city, andour smaller communities. Each one of us is at adifferent place in our journey, and there is room forthat in the community.

Traditions can be changed, and modified, and theycan be implemented on different levels, and todiffering degrees. Just because you have traditionallyserved a certain food for a certain celebration doesnot mean it has to be repeated that way. It canchange, and still hold profound meaning. The beautyof traditions is that they are based on history, andrepetition, and significance. Sometimes significancechanges, or the need to implement new traditionsmeans that older ones are adjusted. The other beauty

of tradition is that it can be the catalyst for a fullheart.

This time of year is steeped in traditions.We haveHalloween, then Remembrance Day, then Chanukah,then Christmas, as well as many other seasonalcelebrations. It is a time for each of us to reflect onthe meaning and importance of family. For some, itcould be a time when we more clearly define forourselves what family means. It is a time for us totake stock of our own traditions. It may be a time toinvestigate why we do some things the way we do.It may be a time to start new traditions, or adjustsome that we want to maintain.

Whatever point you are at in your journey, my wishfor you is that you can approach this season ofcelebration with a full heart. It may be as simple asbeing able to spend a little bit of extra time with thepeople that you consider your family. It may be assimple as being able to pay respect in a special wayto someone who you have cared about. It mayinvolve paying it forward to honour someone else. Itmay be that you are able to travel to be with yourfamily. It may be that you can surprise someone withsomething special that will fill their heart. It may bethat you can take the time to reflect on your ownfamily, and your own traditions, and be able totreasure the things that fill your own heart.

Wherever you are on your journey, I hope that ittakes you to a comfortable place, surrounded byfamily, and full of traditions that fill your heart.

The Family BookThe winter was fierce that year. The trees were heavy andburdened, some with branches on the ground. Our littlecabin sat amongst these trees. We were snug and warminside. The fire burned brightly, casting its warmth into theroom. The one that served as kitchen, dining area and livingroom.

It was just three days until Christmas. Mother was knittingup a storm, while sis and I worked on our homework bythe fire. Mother had been a teacher, but now she taught usthe three r’s. There was no school out here in the woods. Itwas a whole day's ride into the little town of Bethlehem, tothe one room schoolhouse.

Dad came into the cabin, a gust of frigid air announcing hisarrival. He kept us fed and warm by trading for what weneeded to live. In summer he grew wheat, corn and raisedchickens and pigs. In winter he hunted and trapped.

He’d just come in from a trip to town. He’d been gone twodays this time.

“Supper’s hot in the oven dear,” mother said.

“That’s great, I am froze to the bone,” he replied.

She put down her knitting, getting up out of the old rockerthat sat by the fire. Soon his dinner and hot coffee were onthe old table he had built with his own hands when theywere first married.

Sis and I looked to see if he had anything with him fromtown. He did, in fact, have a potato sack. Setting it on thetable, he took out flour, sugar, tea, salt and coffee. Therewas nothing else in the bag. We were both disappointed butsmiled at dad so he wouldn’t know. After we did our choresit was bedtime. We kissed mother’s cool cheek. As Iclimbed up into dad’s lap to kiss him, he reached into hisshirt pocket. He handed each of us a small red and whitecandy wrapped in red paper. We both smiled again this timewith true joy and climbed up to our loft with the treat.

We heard Dad go out to get wood to bank the fire for thenight. Before he came back in with his arm load of wood,we were asleep.

Morning dawned bright and cold. Sis and I were bundledup in boots, warm stockings, and wooly dresses under ourcoats, handmade by mother. The coats were lined with thefleece from our two sheep.

Dad made his own path from the house to the barn in theknee deep snow so that it was easy for short little legs to gothrough. I looked around at the wonderland of sparklingwhite. It was so cold, but it was also very beautiful.

In the barn, the horses, our cow, the chickens and sheepseemed to be just fine in spite of the cold. Dad cleaned outstalls and fed the animals while sis and I gathered eggs.When we went back outside it was dull and dark. The sunwas gone, hidden by heavy black clouds. A wind had pickedup, and then it started to snow.

It snowed all day. dad made trips back and forth to the barnas the day progressed, bringing in milk from the cow, andfirewood. By evening the path into the barn was gone. dadbrought in extra wood for the night. Mother did her best tokeep us busy. We cleaned up the cabin, did our chores,helped mother make bread and cookies. The day went byslowly. We were all finally ready for bed.

Christmas Eve dawned and it was still snowing. The snowwas now waist deep in some places. Dad tied a strong pieceof rope to the post of the porch and slowly, slowly made hisway to the barn. It took him most of the morning to makea path, digging with the homemade shovel. It was noon be-fore he pulled himself along the rope and back into thecabin.

Mother handed him a steaming mug of coffee to warm him.His clothes were stiff, wet and cold. Once he changed,Mother hung them on the willow branch chairs by the fireto dry. And now it was Christmas Eve. We had no Christ-mas tree. Dad took us out to get one each year at this time,but it would be impossible this year. Sis and I looked outthe window. The snow kept coming down. We were verysad.

Mom got out the popcorn. She made a big bowl full. Theberries came next, carefully dried beforehand. We spent theevening stringing them as we had done for our Christmas

trees of past years. Dad hung our gay garlands on the man-tel, the window, and over the door. We sang some old carols.Then mother read the story of the birth of Jesus to us beforewe went to bed. Sis and I whispered in our snug little bed.Santa Claus could not find our cabin in all of this snow. Ifhe did there would be no tree for him to put anything under.Sighing to each other, we cuddled up and went to sleep. Sisand I woke up to mother's voice calling our names.

“Breakfast girls. Hurry, come eat while the porridge is stillhot.”

“Carefully, she untiedthe package bearing hername. With a squeal ofglee she held up the rag

doll, painstakinglymade by mother whileshe and I slept. In herstocking she found anapple, an orange and a

candy cane.”

We almost fell over each other as we scrambled down theladder. It was Christmas Day. Brilliant sunlight camethrough the window.

Dad sat at the table eating his porridge. Behind him was abeautiful little Christmas tree. The strings of popcorn andberries we had made yesterday, now decorated the littlepine. Paper snowflakes and bows made of scraps made itfestive indeed. Underneath it, were two packages wrappedin brown paper and tied with string. Two stockings hung

from the mantel. They bulged invitingly. Santa had come.

We had our porridge in record time. Next came the chores.We had not been outside in a whole day. The fresh air wasvery good.

Back in the house we waited impatiently for dad to comein. After what seemed like hours, he entered the door, tookoff his coat and sat down.

Now we could open our presents.

Sis was the youngest, she got to go first. Carefully, she un-tied the package bearing her name. With a squeal of gleeshe held up the rag doll, painstakingly made by motherwhile she and I slept. In her stocking she found an apple,an orange and a candy cane.

Now it was my turn. Slowly I opened the package, not dar-ing to hope my wish had come true. Folding the paper back,I saw to my delight that it had. There in the light from thewindow, I could see the title of the book I had wanted forso very long. The Writings of Charles Dickens lay in mylap, feeling wonderfully heavy. I could spend many happyhours reading all those stories mother had told us as we layin our bed at night.

My stocking had the same things in it that sis had, so therewould be no hurt feelings and that was fine with me.

Mother gave dad a warm hat and scarf, the results of herknitting. He gave mother combs for her hair which he hadcarefully carved from the antler of a deer.We had a wonderful day. That night I read to everyone fromthat book.

Now at Christmas time, I read from that same book to mygrandchildren, telling them their favourite stories of fairiesand princes and kings. I knew that the family book wouldbe passed on, the stories read, the names written inside itfor many generations to come.

by Lynne Joseph

by Sylvia Collins

December 2012 www.brantadvocate.com • Facebook: The Brant Advocate • Twitter: @BrantAdvocate Page 11

Santa and the Human Meat Pies of DeathThere were a few years where I was a rabid Anti-San-tite. I was a Christian darn it! That jolly old man wasone of the great deceivers of our time. A filthy mixof greedy consumerism and Oprah like nicey niceyfeel-good pablum, that was conceived by the Devilhimself to make us forget to do Living Nativities intown squares, and light advent candles.

My wife and I once ACTUALLY declined to receivea Santa-related gift as to not allow “the enemy” toinfiltrate our jingle-bell haven. Deep sigh, I know,but don't judge until you've tried earnestly to centeryour life around genuine service and devotion to adeity. Youthful fervor sometimes has social shrapnel.Have a little grace. It does a body good to analyzeour culture instead of just lapping up what we'rebeing handed.

It’s not just me. A friend of mine was once pastoringa church that was doing a Christmas play thatincluded a painted Santa Claus character as a smallpart of the set. One Sunday morning service duringa quiet portion, a voice began shouting from theback, “There is a messenger of Satan in our midst.He lurks behind you. It’s SANTA!” There’s no goingback from that. It’s a ‘good night everybody’moment.

But, can Jesus and Santa, two Christmas superplayers, get along?

Even the carol “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” isa funny mix of Jesus and Santa.

This stanza has always fascinated me:

Santa knows that we're God's children,That makes everything right.Fill your hearts with Christmas cheer,'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.

It's like Santa's doing his thing while respectingGod's turf.

You DO know the story about Santa and the humanmeat pies of death right? And the other one aboutSanta and 3 hookers right? Oh Santa was hard core.

Legend has it that the 4th Century Saint Nicholasonce came across a poor man who had three daughterswhom he couldn’t afford marriage dowry for. Thesewere bleak times, and likely meant that these girlswould become prostitutes. So one night Santa,eschewing public laud in place of modestly, savingface for the father, went to their home and left threepurses (one for each daughter) filled with gold. Theoverwhelmed father caught Santa in the act, only tohave the jolly old saint reply, “don't thank me... butGod alone."

In another legend, Santa becomes a stinkin’ faithhealer! During a time of terrible famine, a desperatebut malicious butcher lured three little children intohis house. Few good stories start this way. Thebutcher butchered the kids in order to turn them intomeat pies, placing their remains in a barrel to cure.Thankfully, super Santa was nearby caring for the

poor of the stricken region. He not only saw throughthe butcher's horrific crime, but also prayed andresurrected the three boys. Now THAT'S a Santastory.

The real question as a parent is how to treat the Santamyth with our kids. It is a very legitimate argumentto say, How can I convince my kids of a mysticalman at the North Pole they never see but who caresand brings gifts, then tell them that he doesn't exist,and hen tell them that the other mystical man in thesky they never see but who loves them and givesthem gifts DOES? Santa has been tough for me andfor every parent. Push DOES come to shove at some point.

A voice began shoutingfrom the back, “There is amessenger of Satan in our

midst. He lurks behindyou. It’s SANTA!”

I was the last kid in my class to finally figure out thatSanta wasn’t real. While I took a youthful barrage ofmockery and logic, I stood up to the doubters claimingthat I had seen the real Santa, and he lived inMuskoka at Santa’s Village. I didn’t want my kids tobe “that kid” either. So we started off by not sayingmuch at all about Santa. We have never played up the

veracity of Santa. There are no "From Santa" giftsunder the tree. But our kids have grown up enjoyingthe myth. It’s a lovely myth.

A couple of Christmas’s ago my oldest son Jaredasked point blank for the first time if Santa was real.I told him no. Was he crushed? Absolutely not. Hewas pumped that he figured it out himself! Wetogether identified what was the real Biblical Christ-mas story that he already knew and what was culturalmyth. THEN I told him about the human meat piesof death, the power of prayer, and importance ofdefending the defenseless. He thought it wasawesome, like an action movie is awesome. I toldhim and how Saint Nicholas took care of the threedaughters and cared tangibly for the poor. He madethe connection between our Great-Grandma knittingstockings today. We watched Elf that night and Jaredwinked at me as we kept the secret safe for his littlesisters.

My kids have learned about the Biblical origins ofChristmas and that it’s a way to incarnate lovethrough gift giving today. Let’s tell the story of Jesusin our culture. It’s ever-present, relevant and is thereal meaning of Christmas. Santa knows that we'reGod's children. Be generous and help each other inJesus name. And, if you happen to see a bucket ofpeople’s guts about to be turned into meat pies, thinkto yourself, ‘What would Santa do?’

by Dave CarrolTwitter: @davecarrol

Mary did you know?In the fall of 1985, Mark Lowry was asked by hisPastor to write a play for his church for the comingChristmas season. Mark had sat through manyservices and Christmas plays in his years in thechurch and he wanted this one to be special. As hebegan thinking about the Christmas story andspecifically what he wondered Mary would bethinking and feeling, he began to write down a seriesof questions.

Mary, did you know that your baby boy will one daywalk on water?Did you know that your baby boy will save our sonsand daughters?Did you know that your baby boy has come to makeyou new?Did you know that this child that you've deliveredwill soon deliver you?Mary, did you know that your baby boy would givesight to a blind man?Did you know that your baby boy will calm a stormwith His hand?Did you know that your baby boy has walked whereangels trod?And when you kiss your little boy you've kissed theface of God?

“Mary, did you know thatyour baby boy would givesight to a blind man? Didyou know that your baby

boy will calm a storm withHis hand?”

In the end, Lowry's play chronicled the Biblicalnarrative of the Christmas story, using passages fromthe Bible from Matthew 1 & 2 and Luke 2 - separatedby Christmas carols and the questions he had penned.The play was a hit with the church.

Seven years later, while travelling with the Gaither

Vocal Band, Lowry combined his efforts with singer-songwriter Buddy Greene who came up with themusic to what has become the Christmas favouriteof millions - Mary Did You Know. Mary Did YouKnow has become a favourite of many people inBrantford as well. It is the final song in The LivingNativity - the Christmas play Freedom House hostsin Harmony Square every year. This will be the thirdyear that Freedom House has performed the LivingNativity. Both of the last two years have beenamazing with great reviews and wonderful stories ofhow people are making the Living Nativity a familytradition.

One of my favourite stories of the last couple of yearsof doing this show for the city is from Lori-DawnCavin - Community Recreation Development Co-ordinator for Brantford Parks & Recreation. The firstyear we did The Living Nativity, Lori-Dawn's twingirls were 7 years old. They came to every performanceof the show with their eyes glued to the stage thewhole time. A week later, when the Cavins had theirfamily Christmas, the girls excused themselves andwent into the family room in the basement. About 90minutes later, they called the family downstairswhere they had everything set up and they performedthe entire Living Nativity production from start tofinish. It was the highlight of the family Christmas.

I love this - not just because they loved the show andremembered it well enough to perform it for theirfamily - but more than that, because we were able toget the story out of the church, into the public squareand then into a home in a meaningful way.

The last verse of Mary Did You Know goes like this:

Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord ofall creation? Did you know that your baby boy willone day rules the nations? Did you know that yourbaby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb? This sleepingchild you're holding is the Great I Am

The truth is, there is no way Mary could have everknown what she was about to experience with thebirth of her son, Jesus. There was no way she couldhave ever dreamt what it would mean to be responsible

to raise God's son. There was no way she couldanticipate the gravity of her son's life and death. But,from the very outset of her journey, her response tothe unknown task ahead of her was a clear andunwavering "Let it be unto me as you have said,Lord.”

What a great example of how we could respond thisChristmas season.

Please consider this your personal invitation to agreat evening and the start of a wonderful familytradition. The show is free, the hot chocolate is freeand you will be joining hundreds each night -celebrating Christmas in a beautiful outdoor setting.

The Living Nativity runs Dec 7, 8 & 9. There will be2 shows nightly - 7pm and 8pm in Harmony Square,Brantford.

by Brian BeattieFacebook: Brian Beattie

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