22 FOCUS - JANUARY 2019 I feel it is my duty to make all the great citizens of this beautiful area aware of a major change that’s been happening without real transparency. Thousands of acres of our prime agriculture land and critical eco systems are being taken over by ONE corporate mega farmer. This seems to be made possible due to allowing the severance of a house from their property leaving a homeless farm. Within one year or less this corporation has more than half of their money returned with the sale, making it an incredible one year investment if you have the money to bankroll it. (Most could not, which makes it unfair.) Personally I find It sickening, to think within five more years, thousands of acres could be gone and not available to any of our children or citizens for the future production of fruits and vegetables needed to feed our population or being able to enjoy this great lifestyle of full or part-time farming, unless they rent it from this big farm corporation. The chemical damage and conservation infractions to this land will leave over time some say, unusable acreage for edible human food production and a lake and river system with challenges for wildlife and fist stock. If you feel this way and think as a minimum measure, to slow this process down, a Single Severance Rule per year should be the law of our land, please send the new Scugog council and Durham Region, through their representatives, your feelings and demand the province change their policy “Amendment #172 Drop section 17 (23) PA. My gut says this is only fair to one class of farmer or resident. I did personally appeal this amendment and got valid standing, but had to abandon it because of the changes by the liberal government to this policy making it unaffordable to be heard, with only the lawyers and planners being the ones recognized. ”The rich one is getting richer by this amendment, securing cheap pristine pastures that were once diverse family farms into corn and soybean factories and undermining our unique and vibrant farmers’ way of life”. If you read Durham’s Vision to Action or Growth Plan (012-3256) 2015 P-37, our file L00 and all levels of government’s new climate change reports, you soon realize these severances go directly against what’s right and what they are trying to create for a safe sustainable future in Scugog. We must act now to stop this and try to reverse this damage if possible. I am one person in this incredible area and for the sake of history, I want it recorded on which side I sat. You can be recognized by speaking up and talking about it as well. Submit your feedback to: scugog.ca/survey David Malcolm, Scugog resident Mailbox Letters to the editor continued from page 2 The true spirit of Christmas shines Dear Editor On behalf of the Durham Children’s Aid Foundation, I would like to mention and thank a few generous members of our community who reached out this holiday season to help local families in need. On November 29, Jack and Sherri Doak of Old Flame Brewing Co. in conjunction with Christine and Terry Vos from Vos’ Independent Grocer, coordinated a fantastic beer and cheese night that filled both bellies and hearts. Attendants were given the opportunity to purchase a gift for three families in need and, boy, did they deliver! Not only were all the families’ wish lists achieved but several attendees gave twice, including a young recently-married couple who donated several hundred dollars worth of gift cards at a moments notice. It was amazing. We need look no further than our own front doors to see evidence of the true spirit of Christmas at work. Thanks to all for making these families’ holidays a little brighter. Laura Francis, Former DCAF Trustee CLOSED – Harp & Wylie’s Canadian Grill House at 150 Water St., Port Perry, have closed their doors. CLOSED – Bona Via Pizzeria at 1874 Scugog St., Port Perry closed the doors, but wait there is more! NOW OPEN at this location is Papa’s Pizza Land. MOVED – Brian’s Towing relocated a few feet up the road from 100 North Port Rd. to 133 North Port Rd., Port Perry. NEW – Microblading by Casey Versage is now open at 180 Casimir St., Port Perry (within Botanical Beauty Bar). CLOSED – Although the weather is not conducive to golf, we felt we should let everyone know that King’s Bay Golf Club in Seagrave is now closed permanently. CLOSED – Coach House Studios at 605 Regional Rd. 21 in Utica have retired and closed the store. NOTE – Scugog Moving & Storage is no longer located at 133 North Port Rd., in Port Perry, but are still in the moving business. You can reach out to them through their website or by phone.