Driven and interested in politics page 12 notllocal.com MARCH 17, 2021 Volume 3 • Issue 11 Bob Gale candidate for provincial Tories Penny Coles councillor, who won the rid- The Local ing in a byelection in 2014. Gates replaced Kim Craitor, Bob Gale doesn’t back the Liberal MPP for the rid- down from a fight when he ing from 2003 to 2013, who believes he’s in the right. had resigned that fall. He has decided he wants Gale knows he will have to fight for his corner of Ni- a run for his money against agara at the provincial level, Gates, but says he has never as a Conservative MPP. shied away from competi- Currently serving his sec- tion. “I was in business for a ond term as regional council- long time, sat on many high lor for Niagara Falls, Gale has profile boards, and now have been handed the nomination a term and a half of experi- from the Niagara Falls rid- ence with regional council. ing, which includes Niaga- I have thick skin, and I un- ra-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie, derstand that this will be a to represent the Tories in the challenging election. The next provincial election. fact is that Niagara needs a The nomination meeting strong Conservative voice in to officially select a repre- a strong Conservative gov- sentative is being held this ernment to make sure that Thursday, but as the only our unique needs are taken candidate, Gale will be ac- care of. I am ready to take Bring on the green! claimed. that task head on.” In the next provincial With his wife Vera, the The Irish Harp is celebrating today, indoors and out, with the patio open as well as the dining room. St. Patrick’s Day election, which must be held Niagara businessman who meals, including the traditional corned beef and cabbage, can be eat-in or takeout. Owner Jovie Joki is also offering a on or before June 2, he will be has owned Gale’s Gas Bars St. Patrick’s Day giveaway of prizes. Staff members are waiting to celebrate with you — no reservations, first-come first- facing off against incumbent served. (David Gilchrist) NDP MPP Wayne Gates, a former Niagara Falls city Continued on page 11 Vaccination brings ‘new hope’ to 500 people Niagara Regional Native Centre a clinic. Native centre staff especially in the 55-plus age to their colonization histo- made appointments for group, where there is a high ry, including children being about 500 people, based on rate of underlying medical removed from their fami- hosts clinic for Indigenous people the amount of vaccine they conditions, such as high lies for residential schools expected to receive. Not blood pressure, diabetes, or adoption, as the deep- Penny Coles Health staff. people to receive their vac- wanting to waste a single and other health problems. ly-rooted cause of several The Local The clinic followed two cinations. dose, and accounting for Indigenous people are over- factors, including job and days of vaccinations at the With urban Indigenous those who might not show represented when it comes food insecurity, that lead to Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Fort Erie Native Friendship people considered a vul- up, the goal was to get as to medical problems, and the increased risk of disease first vaccination clinic took Centre last week, which was nerable population and a many people vaccinated as underrepresented in terms among their population. place Monday, at the Niag- so overwhelmed with re- priority for vaccinations, in possible, says Dockstader. of jobs and income, he says. While vaccination clin- ara Regional Native Centre. quests for what was intend- Ontario and across Canada, Members of the Indig- Dockstader refers to ics are not something the Just under 500 Indige- ed to be a day-long clinic, Karl Dockstader, Niagara enous community are not society seeing medical dis- native centre has experience nous people, aged 55 and it was extended to a second Regional Native Centre ex- on a level playing field when parities as something Indig- older, received their first day with extended hours, ecutive director, was happy it comes to combatting the enous people have brought doses from the Public allowing more than 1,100 to offer the facility to host impact of the pandemic, on themselves, but points Continued on page 3 2 March 17, 2021 THE NOTLLocal notllocal.com Residents asked to act like we’re in lockdown Penny Coles vated to stay home and He said the provincial 94, were all at the clinic The Local flatten the curve, he said. vaccination portal, which thanks to Dr. Karen Berti, That’s the best way to con- opened Monday morning who had called to say she With health experts trol COVID cases without to those in the 80-plus age, could get them a spot. predicting a third wave again closing down busi- was working successfully. Hunter said he isn’t of COVID-19 is inevita- nesses, and might only At least it hadn’t crashed, overly concerned about ble — some saying it is be necessary for a couple as some municipal book- COVID, but his wife was already here — and as the more months, he added. ing systems had, although “extremely happy” to have provincial booking system The concern across On- residents were reporting the opportunity to be vac- for vaccinations is open tario is the impact of rising long waits online and on cinated. and Niagara clinics are set variant cases on the hospi- the phone, and there were “This was a real weight to open, Dr. Mustafa Hir- tal system. An increased news reports of glitches off her shoulders,” he said. ji is suggesting we act like need for hospital beds and that were quickly fixed. Their bubble has been we’re in a lockdown. reduced capacity in inten- Those born in 1941 or small, but this may allow The number of variant sive care units would be earlier can register either them to safely, when per- cases is increasing rapid- cause of a third wave and online at Ontario.ca/book- mitted, travel to see their ly, and there is little time force the province into a vaccine, or by phone at grandson’s new home in “to turn this trajectory third lockdown. 1-888-999-6488. Barrie, which they are anx- around,” said Niagara’s At his weekly Mon- Residents of Ontario ious to do. acting medical officer of day press briefing, Hirji may register for any clin- They were given an health. said there have been 118 ic in Niagara, Hirji said, appointment for a second “I really do think we all variant cases in Niagara, or across the province, as dose in three weeks’ time, need to continue to have nearly 40 per cent of the long as they fall into the he said. the mindset that we had region’s 265 active COVID correct age group and have He wasn’t sure why back a year ago when we cases, a sharp increase a health card. they were offered a vac- had the first lockdown,” from March 1, when he re- Lord Mayor Betty Dise- cination at the Niagara when we were all moti- ported 17 cases of variants. ro said she took her moth- Health clinic at this time, Dr. Mustafa Hirji er to the Seymour Han- but were happy to take it, na vaccination clinic last and found it to be very ipality was based on the in Ontario, due to a lack of week, after being offered organized, and overall “a size of the population to be vaccine. an appointment by her pleasant experience.” vaccinated, and the space There are about 28,000 NOTL HOME doctor, and discovered it Public health clin- available, he said. people in Niagara aged 80 was like “old home week.” ics across Niagara begin As more staff becomes and over, 20,000 of those WANTED She had to wait outside in Thursday, with 11 vac- trained, more clinics could not in long-term care, one her car, and saw several cination sites across the be scheduled, he added. of the largest per capita Retiring couple seeks to purchase other residents from Ni- region. Hirji explained Although he didn’t have senior populations in the 2 – 4 bedroom home in Old Town. agara-on-the-Lake as they that the larger urban areas a date to release, he said province. More than half, were leaving after being have several consecutive as more vaccine becomes about 15,000, have already vaccinated. days of clinics, which are available, pharmacies and received their vaccination Please call Marina 289-663-0858 Dave Hunter, his wife more efficient than mov- primary health care clin- or are booked for one, Hir- or email: [email protected] Dena Broeders and their ing around, while those ics will also be able to offer ji said. neighbour Joan Wilkes, in smaller municipalities vaccinations. “We’re making great may have one or two. Hirji explained that by progress. We’re a third of Niagara-on-the-Lake numbers, Niagara is doing the way already done” as has clinics at the com- well in its vaccination pro- far as people either vacci- munity centre March 31, gram, which was late get- nated or waiting for an ap- April 1 and April 9. The ting off the ground com- pointment that had been schedule in each munic- pared to other health units made by noon Monday. Vaccination clinic schedule Local Staff The first communityuled for two days, March clinic to vaccinate people 31 and April 1, and then aged 80 and older will be again on April 9, from 9:30 Niagara Public Health’s held in Niagara Falls on a.m.