Kingston News July 25, 2018

RMC – Suicides

The father of a Royal Military College student who took his own life in 2016 says there’s an obvious disconnect about the stigma of seeking help for mental health problems.  Chief of Defence Staff – General Jonathan Vance says it did not contribute to the cadet’s death.

Richard Kelertas says it suggests there is a disconnect between senior commanders and RMC cadets.

His son Harrison and two other cadets took their lives in separate incidents at RMC in 2016.  A board of inquiry found the trio were fearful of what could happen to their careers if they looked for help.

Safe Injection & Overdose Sites – Review

Kingston’s overdose prevention site at the Street Health Centre may be in jeopardy.

Ontario’s new Progressive Conservative government says it is reviewing evidence to determine whether to pull the plug on safe injection and overdose prevention sites.  Premier Doug Ford said during the election campaign that he was opposed to the programs, his party says it is now committed to look at the evidence to determine if the sites have merit.  The Kingston site provides supervision for drug user from 4-10 p.m. every day of the week.

Sandbanks Drowning – Preventable

A man who recommended lifeguards be reinstated at high volume beaches in Ontario says a drowning at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Saturday could have been prevented.

Ontario’s deputy chief coroner agreed with the recommendations of John Watts in 2010 and recommended lifeguards be present…but nothing has happened since the lifeguards were removed from Sandbanks and other parks about 20 years ago.

A 7 year old boy from Jamaica drowned at the beach on Saturday.

Sexual Assault

A 26 year old Kingston man has been charged with sexual assault.

Kingston Police say a woman the man knew was taken to his home following a night in a downtown bar on June 27th.  Police say the woman was sexually assaulted sometime during the morning hours of the following day.

A 26 year old man was arrested at his residence on Monday.

Glass Door Smashed

A 47 year old Kingston man has been charged with mischief after the glass in a door was smashed.  Police say they were called after the man found the door at the facility on Brock Street was locked and began yelling and kicking it.  The glass was then smashed with the post of a bicycle seat.  The man was arrested at the scene.

Mayor – Candidate Lee

The man challenging Mayor Bryan Paterson in this falls municipal election has no previous political experience. It’s the first time Eric Lee has run for election.

Lee may be familiar to some people in Kingston from the days of the S&R department store.  He was the elevator operator before the store closed.

Nominations for the October 22nd municipal and school board elections close Friday afternoon.

Smol – Royal Society

A Queen’s University professor has been recognized once again for his exceptional contributions to scientific work.  Biology professor John Smol has been named a Fellow of the Royal Society.  Smol is a world leader in the study of climate change and has completed more than three decades of field work and data collection in the Arctic.  He has won numerous awards for his work and has won 13 teaching and mentoring awards.

Only two other Queen’s professors have been named to the Fellowship, Kerry Rowe and Nobel Laureate Art McDonald.