Parents, students, and teachers are filled with anxiety as the start of school is only five weeks away. That would be pretty normal for this time of year. But this fall will be very different in the face of the pandemic as the provincial government and school boards grapple with the health and safety of children and staff.

The provincial government wants to assure us everyone will be safe. Meanwhile, parents are concerned. Unions are concerned. Advocates, like SickKids hospital, are also concerned. And there is evidence of how wrong things can go. We watch as other jurisdictions in the United States and elsewhere face outbreaks as schools reopen.

On today’s show, Diane Lloyd, chair of the Kawartha, Pine Ridge District School Board talks about the province’s plans and the preparation currently underway for September. She addresses many questions and concerns from parents, teachers, and others.

Here is my conversation with Diane Lloyd, chair of the Kawartha, Pine Ridge District School Board, as we discuss reopening plans for the local public school board.

And in Part 2

Cobourg harbour is a gem in the crown jewel of the waterfront. It generates revenues through the marina. It provides recreational opportunities for dragon boater, canoeists, paddle boaters, anglers, and sailors. Demonstrating some foresight, the council approved an aquatic safety audit of the harbour by the Life Saving Society of Canada as a precautionary measure in late 2018 and early 2019. The report became a hotly contested document as users groups pushed back against the final recommendations.

After some hard work by the town’s staff and the parks and recreation advisory committee, a final set of recommendations was presented to the council recently.

Councillor Emily Chorley spoke to me about the contentious report and the work done to reach a consensus with user groups and the next steps in making the waterfront safer for all. Here is that conversation.