CasualObserver
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VIDEO: Minimum wage is going up, but it’s still nowhere near a living wage
55As wages go up, so does the cost of everything that is connected to Ontario wages.
16- CasualObserver
Champlain debate goes national, 'As it should,' says councillor
OrilliaMatters 26How out of touch can Durford be? The statue may not have been literally demolished, but it has been in effect. She is surprised that this story has gone national? Really? There are Canadians who want to hear the First Nations' point of view, but to harmonize it with established history so they can learn from it.
23- CasualObserver
Orillia museum's 'future at risk' in wake of city demands: official
OrilliaMatters 12I think the city could make far better use of the property and our tax dollars at a time when Canadians are feeling increased financial pressure.
27- CasualObserver
Citizen calls for change in Orillia amid 'growing decline in safety'
OrilliaMatters 25Smith said something I agree with, that you seemed to have overlooked that deals with managing the homeless population:"I would like to see council immediately explore a bylaw prohibiting camping anywhere within the City of Orillia without an approved permit or authorization ... this would provide bylaw officers with clearer authority to address encampments before they become larger public safety concerns," said Smith.
8- CasualObserver
'It makes no sense': CAA closing Orillia retail office
OrilliaMatters 12Sign of the times... Get used to it because Canada is in decline.
15- CasualObserver
THE PAIKIN PODCAST: Is American chaos an opportunity for Canada?
23You are correct that it is "far too big" an adjustment. Canadians are cheering the news that the PM has signed agreements for more talks, as if that will help our economy today. Relations with Canadian manufacturing are not improving, and Canadians like to blame our largest trading partner.As Canadians cheer over the increase in exports to other countries, we are not mourning the loss. Too many Canadians cheer when pennies come in and ignore the dollars we are losing.According to the Government of Canada Report, "Canadian international merchandise trade, April 2026 ", we have the following facts."Exports to the United States rose 4.8% in April, increasing for a third consecutive month.""After reaching a record high in March, exports to countries other than the United States fell 4.8% in April."
2- CasualObserver
BREAKING: City declares another significant weather event
OrilliaMatters 8London, Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa are just a few of the municipalities in Ontario that have ordinances requiring homeowners to clear the sidewalk in front of their property. In London, Ontario, homeowners have until 10 am each day to clear ice and snow from their sidewalks or face fines. That might be an alternative solution for the council to consider, allowing them to better focus on roadways. I believe Orillia had this ordinance at one time.
13- CasualObserver
COLUMN: Putting OMAH, iconic building at risk is 'shameful' ploy
OrilliaMatters 9I am thankful we have a mayor who is showing concern for how taxpayer dollars are being spent. I would rather see the taxpayers vote on this, and those who vote in favour get their portion of the bill to fund the institution.The elephant in the room is whether the Sir Sam Steele building is the best place for a museum. I suspect it is, as they don't seem to need a lot of parking.
11- CasualObserver
Poll: Home ownership becoming only for the rich, 4 of 5 readers fear
17Our house has doubled in price as well. I am wondering when MPAC will adjust the value of homes to justify tax increases. I wonder how many people will have to dump their homes because they can't afford the taxes.
- CasualObserver
'It's ridiculous': Rising fuel prices a pain at the pumps for locals
OrilliaMatters 9Onlooker - While it is true that the current rise is in prices is due to helping lift the heel of a terrorist regime off the people in Iran, our continued high prices in Canada are in fact the boondoggles of successive Liberal governments.
6- CasualObserver
COLUMN: Putting OMAH, iconic building at risk is 'shameful' ploy
OrilliaMatters 9Just because municipalities had the finances to fund such things in the past does not mean the taxpayers can carry the burden any longer. The money could be better spent elsewhere, and we don't need our taxes to keep rising.
5- CasualObserver
'It's ridiculous': Rising fuel prices a pain at the pumps for locals
OrilliaMatters 9Insanity is blaming Trump for everything, when we have a Prime Minister promising to release our oil reserves to the world when Canada does not have oil reserves. Canadian's blame Trump, despite successive Liberal Governments having chosen to kill and drive away investment in Canadian oil and gas.
3- CasualObserver
'Gravy plane': Ontario buys used $29M jet for Doug Ford
OrilliaMatters 5According to the Toronto Sun, PM Carney billed $524K for in-flight catering on CANFORCE ONE during his first year in office. They also reported that on one trip between Ottawa and Washington DC, they spent over 11 times more on food than fuel.“Carney billed more money for airplane food in one year than an average Canadian family will spend on groceries in about 30 years,” Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, told the Toronto Sun.
7- CasualObserver
'Disheartening': Retailers in Orillia facing bold, frequent thefts
OrilliaMatters 10The Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Government are not exempt from blame.R. v. Pham, 2013 SCC 15 (Supreme Court of Canada) established that judges should consider the collateral immigration consequences of a sentence when determining a fit sentence for a non-citizen offender. This decision effectively creates a two-tier justice system.Bill C-75 (2019) is a key contributor to the "revolving door" in our justice system by "strengthening" the principle of restraint bail rules.
2- CasualObserver
Orillia driver says 'Mario Kart' like construction damaged vehicle
OrilliaMatters 9The road is being repaved, and base pavement is down, but not the second and final layer. I have driven over that section of road construction more than once, and the bump in the transition to the construction zone is unmistakable. The manhole is not yet level with the road, and I would not be surprised if this is what the driver drove into.While I think the driver had enough clues to take care, I would agree with the driver that if it were only illuminated by headlights, it would be a serious problem. But the intersection has street lights. Regardless, I think there ought to be a law that contractors spray fluorescent orange on all raised infrastructure so that drivers have one less reason to blame others.
2- CasualObserver
'Significant changes': Lauer sounds alarm about future of church properties, pre-zoning issues
OrilliaMatters 4Canadians used to think what Stalin did in the Soviet Union was wrong. Canadians also used to object to what happened in Nazi Germany.“If approved, fourplexes, triplexes, townhouses, long-term care homes, and retirement homes will be permitted without recourse on any church property located in a stable neighbourhood – Jamieson, Skyline, Fittons, Douglas at Nottawasaga, Regent at James, Westmount, Coldwater Road are just some of the affected areas,” Lauer said.
7- CasualObserver
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Seasonal parking permit program recommended for west Orillia
OrilliaMatters 10Don't blame the builders because they are building homes for families. In the fall when I am out walking and I talk to International Students living in West Ridge, I am often asked if I have a room to rent because they house they are living in have ten or more students living in them. I would love to see MPAC do a door to door, as well as code enforcement.
- CasualObserver
COLUMN: Putting OMAH, iconic building at risk is 'shameful' ploy
OrilliaMatters 8How about a plebicite and ask the tax payers?
2- CasualObserver
New Orillia doctor opens walk-in clinic days after arriving in Canada
OrilliaMatters 4While I welcome any new doctor to the area because of the great need, this article does not mention that Dr Khaliq has verified his UK credentials with the Medical Council of Canada, which I think would be a crucial fact to report. However, I would expect that doctors in Orillia would raise the alarm if he is not yet licensed to practice in Canada.
6- CasualObserver
'Vindictive' ban by 'woke' local library follows book club remark
OrilliaMatters 7Interestingly, Psychology Today wrote in 2013 that "It is estimated that about 10 per cent of students [in the United States] will experience educator sexual misconduct by the time they graduate high school." The New York Post in 2022 wote, "Nearly 270 public educators were arrested on child sex-related crimes in the US in the first nine months of this year, ranging from grooming to raping underage students."There seems to be a need for these conversations, even at a library-hosted book club. Because library boards in Ontario are independent of the municipality and make their own policies, only funded and influenced by the municipality. If the library is only accountable to itself, as it seems, that is a problem the Province needs to correct fast.
2- CasualObserver
