Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A letter of support calling for the province to address homelessness, a pair of proclamations and the establishment of two upcoming community give away days were among the highlights from Greater Napanee council’s March 14 meeting.
Councillor Dave Pinnell Jr. made a successful motion to prompt the town to add its support to a letter that was drafted by the Town of Cobourg regarding the homeless and unsheltered.
“(The letter is) calling for immediate action from the province of Ontario to develop, resource and implement a comprehensive plan to prevent, reduce and ultimately end homelessness in Ontario,” said Pinnell Jr.
He added that he’d like the letter to be CC’d to Premier Doug Ford as well as Ministers Steve Clark, Merrilee Fullerton and Sylvia Jones.
“Homelessness is growing in Ontario,” said Pinnell Jr. “We have quite a bit of it here. Everyone will say ‘it’s not my problem, it’s not my problem’. We need the Ontario government to step up, find a solution for this, whether it be monetary or more affordable homes or whatever. We really need some action on this. This is something that the town of Cobourg has initiated a letter to the same people I want our letter CC’d to, so to me, we need to support this.”
-Council voted to once again recognize June as Pride Month within the Town of Greater Napanee.
The members of council agreed to make the proclamation at the request of Greater Napanee Pride. Chris Beauchesne appeared before council on behalf of Napanee Pride to speak to what the proclamation means to their group.
“Although Greater Napanee is proud of its accomplishments and strides that we have made in this community, we are very well aware of the political climate and the attack on our community,” said Beauchesne. “We feel that this proclamation is more important than ever. Pride was born of a need for a safe protective space for marginalized members of the 2SLGBQTQIA+ (two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual) community. In recent weeks several states have been drafting bills that directly jeopardize the safety and well being of our community. The state of Tennessee has taken it one step further in signing and passing a bill that directly affects the civil rights of the trans community by banning gender affirming care in the state of Tennessee.”
Beauchesne noted gender affirming is different than gender reassignment.
“Gender affirming care encompasses a range of social, psychological, behavioural and medical interventions designed to support and affirm an individual’s gender identity when it conflicts with the gender they were assigned at birth,” said Beauchesne “We at Napanee Pride want our voices heard in the face of adversity.”
As for why they requested the month of June, Beauchesne explained the backstory of the significance of that month.
“In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, police raided a popular gay bar in New York City’s West Village, the Stonewall Inn,” he said. “This was common place for the time and police brutality was not uncommon in the gay community. But on this particular evening, patrons fought back, starting the Stonewall Riots, that went on for days. The Stonewall Inn was declared a historic landmark by NYC in 2015 and later named a national monument by President Barack Obama in 2016.”
-Council also voted to make another proclamation, this one on behalf of the Victorian Order of Nurses.
“Whereas, the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) team of staff and volunteers help people remain in their homes and communities; and
whereas, in celebration of VON’s hardworking team to support those who need assistance and care,” read Greater Napanee Mayor Terry Richardson, “Now, therefore be it resolved that the Town of Greater Napanee hereby proclaims May 21 to 27, 2023, to be VON Week in the Town of Greater Napanee and directs that the Napanee falls be lit in blue during these celebrations.”
-Council voted to host a pair of community giveaway days, April 22 and Sept. 9.
During those days residents will be allowed to place items that they no longer want, but are still usable or in good condition, at the curb of their property. Other residents are then free to pick up the item at no cost. The town hosted its first event of this nature in October of last year and it was deemed a success. Going forward the town plans to hold two give away days every year, the first being the closest Saturday to Earth Day, the second to correspond with their annual hazardous waste collection day in September.