Join the conversation  </a>Article contentAnn Copland will never forget the evening she was brought to the cool
dry morgue at Kingston General Hospital to identify her deceased husband of 47 years
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your community
Create an account or sign in to keep reading
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience
Patrick had been out cycling one of his regular routes on Taylor Kidd Boulevard near the west end of Kingston
Copland had gone for a walk at the Lemoine Point Conservation Area on her own
but Copland expected Patrick home around mid-afternoon
She called the police and asked if there had been a collision involving a cyclist
The operator seemed to be trying to keep her on the phone but wouldn’t confirm any information
When officers walked through her front door 15 minutes later
the lives of her three daughters would be forever altered
Sitting at her dining room table earlier this winter Copland’s voice breaks
All the officers told her that evening was that Patrick had been involved in a collision with a vehicle
Copland received more devastating news from the Kingston Police: the Amherstview driver investigators had charged in connection to Patrick’s death would not be facing any consequences from provincial court
The Kingston Police had exceeded the provincial limitation period which
required investigators to swear provincial charge of careless driving causing bodily harm or death in court within six months
One year and three months after Patrick was killed
Kingston Police wrote in a statement to Postmedia they are exploring the possibility of laying criminal charges instead
This was something they’d previously told the president of the Kingston Velo Club and Copland’s lawyer David Shellnutt last year as the family prepared a civil lawsuit against the driver involved
The fact police still exploring this avenue was news to Copland at the end of February
She claims the communication between her family and local police since Patrick’s death has been unprofessional and thoughtless
looking at the police sergeant in awe when he explained the driver wouldn’t be facing any consequences
They explained their father was a retired child psychologist
do-anything-for-his-daughters dad who was also a near-professional cyclist
but he was paid in experiences only few could imagine
His idea of a vacation usually took the form of a solo adventure cycling across North America and countries all around the world
Patrick surfed for the first time in Australia at 76 years old
He wore a bright reflective vest when he rode and was a stickler for cycling safety
his daughters and fellow club members remembered
They said he was so confident following the rules of the road that he felt comfortable riding in even the busiest areas of downtown Toronto
It was common for Patrick to cycle hundreds of kilometres a week around the Kingston region
He’d leave his and Copland’s Sunnyside neighbourhood home
enjoy the lunch he’d packed and then ride back
Copland smiled at the familiar memory while sitting in her home earlier this year
Patrick rode eastbound on Taylor Kidd Boulevard
either alone or with a group from the Kingston Velo Club
the paved area on the outside of Taylor Kidd Boulevard’s white fog line starts to shrink
parts of the paved shoulder have eroded so much that even parts of the fog line are gone
The information surrounding the case of Patrick’s death presented in this article were gathered from his family
a Kingston Police General Occurrence Report
a complaint submitted to the Ontario’s Law Enforcement Complaints Agency
the Coroner’s Report into Patrick’s death and a statement of claim filed against the driver involved
None of the alleged facts have been tested in court at this time
The driver of the Subaru remained at the scene as several Kingston Police officers responded to the collision and spoke to witnesses
Their statements are compiled in the general occurrence report
a woman who had been driving a Chevrolet Impala behind the Subaru told an officer that before the collision she saw a cyclist wearing a bright
fluorescent vest riding along the paved shoulder ahead of both vehicles
She recalled wondering how the cyclist was going to navigate the deteriorating shoulder and transition onto the roadway
cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers on the roads except on control-access highways such as the 400-series
When a motor vehicle wants to overtake a cyclist on a municipal or county road
This one-metre distance refers to the extreme right of the vehicle and the extreme left of the bicycle
Just as the shoulder narrowed and the driver of the Impala was thinking that she’d eventually have to go around the cyclist
she saw him fly into the air and land on the roadway
Travelling at the 80km/h posted speed limit
she slammed her foot on the brakes of her Impala
She searched for Patrick’s pulse as others — the volunteer firefighter who had been parked on the side of the road nearby and a driver who had been headed in the opposite direction — joined her in giving emergency first aid and calling 911
Emergency crews arrived five minutes later to continue emergency treatment
Paramedics rushed Patrick to Kingston General Hospital at 3:48 p.m
He was pronounced deceased at about 4:20 p.m
Patrick’s Coroner’s Report shared a clean toxicology analysis and concluded he’d died of multiple blunt force injuries
The Kingston Police’s general occurrence report indicates Patrick was identified at about 5:35 p.m.
when an officer retrieved his wallet from his back pocket
a neon green reflective jacket and a pair of battery packs for his sock heaters
less than an hour after she called the police searching for Patrick
Copland was on her way to the hospital to further verify her husband’s identity
While the Kingston Police never publicly released who was driving the Subaru
the Motor Vehicle Collision Report places Christopher Sheridan behind the wheel
Sheridan told Postmedia Network that he has been advised not to comment for this story
He has not filed a statement of defence in response to the lawsuit from Patrick’s family
The two parties are currently in settlement discussions
According to the general occurrence report
and he told officers at the scene that he’d been driving about 85 km/hr in the 80 km/hr zone at the time of the collision
The officer who interviewed Sheridan remarked in his notes there were no skid marks on the road as he would expect from a collision such as this
He also noted the Sheridan’s vehicle was “quite far” from both where Lynch was stuck and where he landed on the roadway
“He advised that he was eastbound on Taylor Kidd Blvd,” the officer’s notes read
“He stated that a vehicle travelling west bound started to veer into his lane forcing him to veer right
“He stated he saw the cyclist but had to veer and couldn’t avoid hitting him.”
Later in the report Sheridan is paraphrased stating he first saw Lynch about 100 yards in advance of the oncoming vehicle veering slightly towards the centre line
The report states Sheridan told police that the oncoming vehicle’s driver’s side tires may have entered his lane
wrote in the report that neither Sheridan nor his child were injured
and that the driver stated he had not been distracted by his child or his cellphone
Sheridan’s small vehicle sustained major damage to the front
He provided police with his vehicle permit and a recently expired insurance card
Sheridan told the officer the policy was up to date and the policy number was the same
The Motor Vehicle Collision Report indicates that at the time of the collision
he wasn’t suspended from driving and no breathalyzer test was administered by police
The general occurrence report states Sheridan was sober at the time and had previous driving convictions on record
It did not state what offences the convictions were
Investigators found the vehicle had no mechanical defects
The investigative team met two months later on April 23
They presented their findings of the investigation prior to the collision reconstructionist report being finalized
Koopman summarized the results of the meeting in his concluding report:
“They advise that Patrick Lynch was operating his bicycle eastbound on Taylor Kidd Blvd on the south fog line
close to the end of the paved portion of the roadway and near the dirt shoulder
A tire mark from his bicycle provided the area of impact when the Subaru directly struck him from behind
allowing them to give distances from the shoulder of the road
as a result of striking the rear tire of the bicycle
indicates the right tire and side of the vehicle would have been past the fog line and very closely approaching the dirt shoulder of the roadway.”
The investigators agreed that with the witness statements and the statement from the driver involved
they had formed grounds to charge Sheridan under the Highway Traffic Act with Careless Driving Causing Bodily Harm or Death
The occurrence report states that just after noon on April 23
Koopman informed Provincial Prosecutor Rikki Voskamp of the charge against the driver
and she told him that she’d review the case once it has been sworn in court
Three hours later Koopman called the driver twice
When Sheridan called Koopman back 30 minutes later the sergeant explained he needed to speak to him in person
Sheridan explained he worked in Port Hope and that he would be able to meet two days later
The sergeant gave Sheridan the Part III Summons to appear in provincial court on July 8
Koopman then returned to Kingston Police Headquarters and called Copland to inform her of the charge against Sheridan
She agreed to a media release being distributed
Koopman swore Sheridan’s court Summons before a Commissioner of Oaths
It was nearly a full month before the six-month limitation period set out under Ontario’s Provincial Offences Act would expire
A limitation period is the time between when the offence is alleged to have occurred
Kingston Police’s Court Services Staff weren’t scheduled to swear the charge in provincial court until July
a month-and-a-half past the legal limitation period
They made calls to Patrick’s remaining siblings
According to a complaint submitted to Ontario’s Law Enforcement Complaints Agency by Copland’s lawyer David Shellnutt
the evening of Patrick’s passing was the last time the Kingston Police actively reached out to Copland about the progress of the investigation
For four months Copland said she had no idea how her husband had died
It was only when she received the Coroner’s Report in March that she learned Patrick had been struck from behind
Copland says she was the one who reached out to Koopman and asked to meet with him and to receive her husband’s belongings back
She said Koopman provided her with a brief progress report but couldn’t return any of Patrick’s belongings because the appropriate staff were off for the holiday
Postmedia approached the Kingston Police for an interview about this case on Feb
Koopman sent an email declining the interview and providing a statement instead
After requesting an interview again and being turned down
Postmedia sent a list of questions for Koopman to respond to
Koopman said investigators followed their policies in regard to communicating with a deceased’s family in this case
Koopman explained there are only formal communication policies for cases that meet the Ontario Major Case Management model
complexity and as part of the management model
Koopman explained a fatal motor vehicle collision such as the one that killed Patrick did not meet the threshold for the major case management model
Koopman said they followed their policy by notifying Patrick’s next of kin
any further communication is informal in terms of timing and consistency
there was communication with Patrick’s family in person
He wrote that the family was informed of progress in the investigation
they delivered Patrick’s belonging to Copland’s home
they informed her of the charges they’d laid against the accused and they asked permission to identify her husband in releases to the public
Copland felt she was met with reluctance during the meeting on Good Friday
She reminded Koopman at the time that the six-month limitation period was looming
Copland said he told her that he would be revisiting the case with the intention of laying charges after the total solar eclipse on April 8
Koopman said it would be OK for her to email him after the eclipse to remind him of the case
The month after Sheridan was charged Copland asked to view the police investigators’ reports
the Kingston Police’s Records department informed her that they could not release the files unless they received direct guidance from the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General
the ministry had “asserted that they have a greater interest in any police incident involving a motor vehicle accident resulting in a death.”
Copland reached out to the Attorney General who then referred her back to the Kingston Police
She said again the local records department were reluctant to release the files
Copland spoke with a representative from Pro Bono Ontario
who emailed the Kingston Police on her behalf
Ann received a copy of the Kingston Police’s General Occurrence Report that same evening
and the Kingston Velo Club started asking for more information about Sheridan’s date in court
Copland said they called nearly every courthouse looking for the date
Copland does not recall ever receiving the date from police and it was not included in the media release announcing the charge
In the days leading up to when Sheridan was scheduled to appear in court
She recalled him informing her that the charge of careless driving causing bodily harm or death laid against Sheridan had been dropped because the official charge information had not been sworn within the office of the court within six months of the collision as per provincial legislation
“Immediately upon learning of the loss of the Highway Traffic Act charge due to the administrative error and ensuring there were no other recoverable legal options available
the investigator personally attended the family member’s residence to advise them of the regrettable outcome,” Koopman recalled of the meeting in the statement
Copland couldn’t believe what the sergeant was telling her
Greg Stobbart was training for a triathlon
to let her know he was pondering whether to go for a swim or to take his new bike out for its first ride
“He loved that bike,” McMahon told Postmedia this past January
McMahon recalled her husband wanted to get outside either way
They said they loved each other before they hung up
Less than an hour later Stobbart was cycling up a steep hill on Tremaine Road
The driver of the truck decided to pass the vehicle in front of Stobbart
but when he pulled his truck out into the opposite lane
another vehicle came over the crest of the hill
The driver of the truck swung it back into his lane but his mirror clipped Stobbart
He eventually died of his injuries and McMahon
The driver of the truck was convicted of careless driving
He was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and had his licence suspended for a sixth time
At the time there was no careless driving causing bodily harm or death in Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act
There were no increased penalties for taking the life of another when driving recklessly
Stobbart’s widow had become the Liberal MPP for Burlington
In addition to officially creating the charge
McMahon’s bill called for stricter punishments over the general careless driving offence
and even harsher penalties if a cyclist or pedestrian was the victim
It also gave investigating officers two years to have the charges sworn before a Justice of the Peace
McMahon said she had worked with police to create the bill and was proud of it
She was confident it would receive royal assent
According to the Ministry of Transportation
McMahon’s bill was killed when former Premier Kathleen Wynne prorogued the legislature on Sept
portions of Bill 213 were included in others over the next eight years
They requested the province increase the timeframe to two years
Bill 223 received royal assent and came into force on Dec
just over a year too late for Patrick’s case
Postmedia asked the Kingston Police how many charges of Careless Driving Causing Bodily Harm or Death they’d issued between January 2019 and December 2024
The force reported issuing 14 of the charges: none in 2019 or 2020
The charge against Sheridan involved in Patrick’s death is reflected in the 2023 number
How many of the charges resulted in convictions was not immediately available
Koopman said it is not common for Kingston Police investigators to miss a provincial limitation period
but “we are unable to track statistics in this regard.”
investigators were aware of the limitation period and issued a summons on the accused before the six-month limitation period
but due to an administrative error it was not brought forward to Provincial Offences Court to be formally sworn to,” Koopman said
“As a result of this process both the Traffic Safety Unit
and Court Services were all advised of this circumstance as a point of training to ensure this does not reoccur.”
Koopman described missing the limitation period deadline as “an extremely unfortunate and frustrating administrative process that appears to have no remedy.”
Koopman explained in the email that his office believed they’d met the limitation period when he charged the driver in person and swore the charge before Commissioner of Oaths at the end of April 2024
He explained that the driver was scheduled to appear in July to allow more time for investigators to complete a summary brief of the incident and their collision reconstruction report
“We have worked extremely hard on this case and were looking forward to testifying
to see a successful outcome,” Koopman wrote at the time
“While not important in comparison to Ann’s emotions and the community’s expectations of justice and accountability
I am personally disappointed and devastated by this apparent outcome and am making any and all attempts to see if there are still any options available to us.”
Koopman told Russell they learned at the end of June that the charge wouldn’t be proceeding
“In our opinion we reached the threshold of reasonable and probable grounds the offence had been committed,” Koopman wrote Russell
“The accused was officially served notice of the offence
and the vast majority of evidence had been completed.”
he wrote that while they were seeking advice from the Crown Attorney’s Office to find an alternative solution
According to the report submitted to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency by Shellnutt in late December 2024
Koopman told him he wasn’t confident the Crown would be convinced
Shellnutt learned that the complaint they’d submitted to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency had been screened out because the case was still ongoing
Shellnutt reached out to Kingston Police for an update on the case on March 3
Koopman told Postmedia in response to our questions that it would “be premature to publicly discuss potential charges prior to police participating in a final case conference with the Crown Attorney’s Office.”
When asked why criminal charges were considered after investigators missed the provincial limitation period
Koopman said both federal and provincial charges are considered at the beginning of any investigation
additional insight and input is being requested by investigators from the Crown Attorney’s Office in such areas as the researching of case law and the reasonable prospect of conviction
dependent on the offences being considered,” Koopman explained
the Kingston Crown Attorney’s office reported the case was an Ottawa matter
The Ottawa office said they don’t provide any information to the media
Postmedia has reached out to the Ministry of the Attorney General for more information
Koopman said in his statement to Postmedia that the Kingston Police Safety Unit embraced the December 2024 amendment to the Highway Traffic Act
giving them two years to investigate Careless Driving Causing Bodily Harm or Death
“We can confirm these investigations are indeed becoming increasingly complex and technical in nature
both in terms of our evidence and data-collecting capabilities and equipment
as well as the ongoing automation and computerization of motor vehicles with infotainment consoles
integration with personal devices like smartphones
Whether the case is to be tried in the criminal court or not
Shellnutt urged waiting nearly a year and a half for a matter such as this to be resolved isn’t fair to a family who lost their father and husband
Shellnutt said the state of the investigation raises questions for him
He urged Kingston’s cycling community to work with elected officials to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again
“We pay so much for policing that we expect the utmost to service to our communities and this case certainly lays bare how that can be wanting… to put it mildly,” Shellnutt said
would his family still be engaged in the same run around with police and prosectors?”
Koopman said investigators did not treat the case any differently because the victim was a cyclist
Keavy Lynch proposed officers expressing the limitation period was too short for the complexity of the case is just an excuse for incompetence
several more pedestrians and cyclists have been killed in Kingston since my dad,” Keavy wrote to Postmedia
“I have no confidence that the Kingston Police takes these deaths seriously
and I think no family should have to deal with the uncertainty that the police’s lack of care added to an already horrible situation
“Ultimately the police had a basic duty to know the law (a five-year-old law!) and to treat my mum with respect
and I think they massively failed at both,” Keavy Lynch wrote
“How many other cases were mishandled between 2018 and 2023
“My hope is that if these failures are made public
then the police will make an effort to change the way they handle these cases.”
Copland is proud of her daughter’s strong words
Koopman apologized for the case not proceeding in court
but Copland said she’d like an apology for how her family was treated
“I don’t see how this could be professional behaviour,” Copland said
recalling the months she says she went without answers
The months of giving the driver the benefit of the doubt and second guessing her husband’s actions that day
Copland felt their family was never made the priority during the investigation by police
She pointed to the General Occurrence Report where it states Sheridan’s vehicle had been released to him before Patrick’s family received any of his belongings
the officer referred to Sheridan by a nickname
seemed to suggest Koopman was sympathizing with the driver
In the complaint to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency
it explained that Koopman’s behaviour made Copland wonder whether the officer and the accused knew each other prior to the collision
Koopman denied sympathizing with Sheridan and confirmed neither he
had any previous connections with the former accused prior to the investigation
Copland said that on the day Koopman told her the charge had been dismissed
he described Sheridan as “a good man,” and told her that had the charge gone through the courts and he was found guilty
there wouldn’t have been “much of a sentence anyway.”
Copland took this as an attempt to excuse his neglect of duty and failure to properly charge Mr
Sheridan,” Shellnutt wrote in the complaint to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency
Koopman was trying to convince her that the prosecution of the man that killed her husband was not something she should be concerned with.”
Koopman declined to comment on past conversations with any of the parties involved
“There is a regret of the loss of this charge and the opportunity to hold the driver legally accountable for their actions under the authority we had via the Highway Traffic Act,” Koopman wrote
“I take my role as the Traffic Safety Unit supervisor extremely seriously
where in our position as collision reconstructionists we experience and observe the aftermath of vehicle-related fatalities
and how they have life-altering effects on the involved parties
In an effort to find closure and accountability
filed a statement of claim against Sheridan on behalf of Copland and her daughters
“Isn’t that now the only route?” Copland replied when asked why they’ve filed suit
“I don’t see how there’s any other way and we’d get some sort of compensation.”
Copland explained she hasn’t abandoned her mission for accountability because they don’t want what happened in Patrick’s case to happen to another family
She’s also frustrated with the Kingston Police and wants them to review their policies related to communicating with victims’ families
“The whole situation is just really unfortunate,” Shellnutt said
“We’ve got a family that has lost a loved one
at least as far as accountability of the driver
It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster for them and I think we should
avoid this when we’re dealing with people who have lost loved ones
“I just really wish a better job had been done here.”
Postmedia gave Sheridan multiple opportunities to have his voice included in this story
In the claim Patrick’s family is seeking a combined $6.5 million in damages for loss of care and companionship
but also to cover costs incurred since Patrick’s death — costs including ongoing therapy to deal with the loss of their loved one and the stress of having limited answers from police
The statement of claim was served to Sheridan on Dec
but litigation was delayed when Sheridan did not forward the claim to his insurance company
Shellnutt’s office did this for Sheridan and discussions have begun with his representative
“We are engaging in discussions to potentially resolve the matter
Copland and her daughters a fair amount of time and the discomfort that comes with litigation around the loss of a loved one,” Shellnutt said
in most of the cases that we deal with fatalities
I find that the insurance companies for defendant motorists are usually pretty willing to resolve.”
In the wake of her husband’s passing Copland is on the edge of accepting that she’ll never truly know what happened to Patrick and that no one may be held accountable for taking him from her
peering around the home she shared with Patrick for 39 years
He’d fixed up everything in the old war-time home
Everywhere she looks she sees him and the work he’s done
<a data-evt-val='{"control_fields": {"mparticle": {"keys": {"click_source_type": "click_source_type", "anchor_text": "anchor_text", "layout_section": "layout_section"}, "mp_event_type": "Navigation", "extra_keys": ["click_vertical_position_percentage", "click_vertical_position_pixels"]}}, "click_source_type": "in-page link", "anchor_text": "scrosier@postmedia.com", "layout_section": "in-page-link"}'data-evt=click data-evt-typ=click href=mailto:scrosier@postmedia.com>scrosier@postmedia.com</a>
transmission or republication strictly prohibited
This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about <a href=/cookie-policy/>cookies here</a>. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our <a title="Terms of Use (Leaving The Kingston Whig Standard)"href=https://www.postmedia.com/terms-and-conditions/>Terms of Use</a> and <a href=/privacy-statement/en/>Privacy Policy</a>
Kingston, Ont.&#8217;s Wyatt Lee <a href="https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/runs-races/is-this-kingston-ont-sprinter-the-next-andre-de-grasse/#:~:text=Wyatt%20Lee%2C%20a%20rising%20sprint,impressive%20time%20of%206.71%20seconds.&amp;text=Wyatt%20Lee%20storms%20to%20the,the%20Canadian%20Indoor%20Championship%20title!">continues his whirlwind rise through Canadian track and field</a>
At Friday&#8217;s Track Night Invitational at Icahn Stadium in New York City
the 17-year-old sprint phenom broke his second national record in as many months
His blistering performance smashed the Canadian U18 record of 10.46 held by Olympic champion Aaron Brown since 2009–just a year after Lee was born
It also stands as the fourth-fastest U18 time in the world this year
<a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJMrME_Jok1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by WYATT (@wyatt_l5)</a>
Lee entered the meet with a personal best of 10.70, set during the first official race recorded on his <a href="https://worldathletics.org/athletes/canada/wyatt-lee-15161088">World Athletics</a> profile
He ran a wind-aided 10.43 in heats (+2.4 m/s wind) before snagging the record in the final
edging out 19-year-old Shaun McCoullum of Philadelphia by four-hundredths of a second
A member of the Flying Angels Track and Field Academy and student at Kingston&#8217;s Frontenac Secondary School
Lee only started sprinting competitively in 2024 after transitioning from football
His progression has been nothing short of extraordinary; last May
he made his high school debut with a 11.51 seconds–and within three months
he had lowered that personal best to 10.61 seconds
Lee went on to medal in 100m and 200m at OFSAA
<a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DIw0HCRvp8B/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Athletics Canada (@athleticscanada)</a>
Lee is still fresh off a record-breaking run from March&#8217;s Canadian Indoor Track and Field Championships
where he shattered the U18 national best in the 60m
Racing at the Toronto Track and Field Centre
Lee posted an impressive 6.71 seconds to surpass Brandon Bobb&#8216;s 2012 mark of 6.73
See full results from NYC&#8217;s Track Night Invitational <a href="https://ny.milesplit.com/meets/674712-track-night-nyc-2025/results/1164366/formatted/">here</a>
Get the digital edition of Running for your chosen platform:
<a class="popmake-close pum-close pum-do-default" href="https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/gear/buyers-guide/top-10-shoes-our-testers-love-right-now/"></a>
A week after the Kingston Frontenacs cleared out their stalls at Slush Puppie Place
coach Troy Mann and his staff put the team’s picks from this year’s Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection for through their paces on the ice at Slush Puppie Place on Saturday morning
giving a bunch of teens their first taste of major junior hockey
 Article contentWhile most eyes were focused on the Frontenacs’ top two picks
skilled forward selected ninth overall from the Don Mills Flyers
the 17th overall selection from the Huron-Perth Lakers
Given that the practice sweaters didn’t have names or numbers and all but one of the 15 picks made it to the workout
it was hard to keep to keep straight who was who
While fans pay only fleeting notice to players chosen in the last round of the OHL draft
Kingston fans would have taken notice when they saw the Frontenacs selected Raycroft with the 286th pick from the Cape Cod Whalers AAA team and the Dexter Southfield prep school in Brookline
— likewise fans of the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Mason is the son of former NHL goaltender Andrew Raycroft
a Belleville native who played with the Wellington Dukes before moving on to the Sudbury Wolves and the Frontenacs in his OHL days
The elder Raycroft won a Calder Trophy with the Bruins in 2004 before they traded him to the Leafs when GM John Ferguson Jr
led a struggling franchise ever deeper into the wilderness
The 15-year-old Raycroft was still a toddler when his father played his last NHL game in 2011 and has only vague memories of his father’s last professional season in Sweden’s second division
“I’ve seen lots of videos and highlights of him.”
Andrew Raycroft is a broadcaster with NESN
the network that carries Bruins games in New England
which gives his son lots of access and exposure to the game
OHL news and expert analysis from Postmedia reporters across the province
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc
The next issue of Ryan "Pucks" Pyette on the OHL will soon be in your inbox
Interested in more newsletters? <a class=newsletter-link href=/newsletters>Browse here.</a>
Like Kulemin, whose father Nikolai also played for the Leafs as well as the New York Islanders, Mason Raycroft grew up around NHL players and dressing rooms, albeit with his father in the media. Because of that he came into his first major-junior practice having already worked with pros and not just his father.
“I’ve skated with (Bruins’ No. 1) Jeremy Swayman, which was really cool” he said. “I was around Linus Ullmark (now with the Ottawa Senators) and this year I talked with (Bruins back-up) Joonas Korpisalo.” he said.
The younger Raycroft said he doesn’t look at any current pro as an influence or role model, but tries to pick up points from watching any NHLer up close while they put in the work.
“I like to go to quite a few games and talk to coaches,” he said. “I get to see the professionalism and the physical skills, how fast they move, how smart they are. I’m watching and taking mental notes and trying to figure out to implant that in my game.”
Ultimately, though, it’s the goalie who drives him home from the Bruins’ games that’s his biggest influence.
“It’s perfect for me working with my dad because he can coach me on the ice like a real coach and then off the ice, he can talk to me more personal,” Mason said. “He sees both sides of it, which is really helpful and with his experiences he can tell me where he did things right and wrong. I can pick that up and learn from it.”
Raycroft and his parents weren’t looking at the OHL as an option in his hockey future until last November when the NCAA dropped its longstanding prohibition on CHL players. As of the 2025-26 season, CHL alumni will be eligible to play U.S. college hockey and receive scholarships.
“That changed everything,” Raycroft said. “Without that I wouldn’t be here right now. My parents want me to go to (a U.S. college) and get an education, so I wouldn’t have been playing or got drafted here if that didn’t open up like it did. Now that it’s available, (the OHL) went from not being possible to the best option.”
And in the OHL, Kingston might not have been the only option but the clearly the best fit. “My grandparents are in Belleville, and we come up here every summer and go to their cottage on the lake,” he says. “My dad liked his time in Kingston. The Frontenacs were the only team we talked to.”
The Raycrofts don’t expect they’ll be sending off Mason for the season when he heads to training camp in August. He’s enrolled at the Cushing Academy for the coming school year and will play for the prep’s varsity team, which is coached by Boston royalty once removed, Ryan Bourque, hall of famer Raymond Bourque’s son.
“My father says it’ll be a year or two at least until I can play here,” Raycroft said.
For it to happen, though, Raycroft understands that his landing in the Frontenacs’ lineup will largely ride on one thing largely beyond his control — simply put, he has to get larger.
The Frontenacs have listed Raycroft at five-foot-nine and 130 pounds, while eliteprospects.com, a respected youth-hockey website, lists him at 5-6 and 110 pounds. The latter might be out of date, the former generous, but Raycroft doesn’t turn 16 until July.
Frontenacs GM Kory Cooper has known Andrew Raycroft going back to their teens sees similarities between the father and son.
“Mason is highly skilled but the lacks physical at this point, though when you see him on the ice he doesn’t look that small,” Cooper said after watching the mini-camp. “Andrew was like that — Andrew’s six-foot-two, maybe a little more than that, but he wasn’t big when I was playing in Belleville, before we played junior together in Sudbury. Andrew came into a growth spurt and it looks like Mason could, too.”
Andrew Raycroft experienced more than the pressures of hockey’s most unforgiving position, one where a single hiccup can burn a team’s fortunes in a game or even a season — he stood in the nets of two Original Six teams, including a tenure with the Leafs when the team’s fortunes nosedived, and players were taking singeing heat.
On top of the usual pressures that go with the position, the younger Raycroft will have to deal with an extra level because his father is a former NHLer and a media personality. With his braces and rail-like build and absence of peach fuzz, he might be able to get away with being a ringer in a peewee tournament, but he sounded like an old soul when it came to the matter of his name and expectations.
“My father says there’s pressure playing goal and other pressures that you’re going to face,” he said. “He’s been through things and he says I will, too, different thing. It’s definitely present (being an ex-NHLer’s son). But he tells me you can’t focus on it, you kind of move on and do your own thing.”
This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about <a href=/cookie-policy/>cookies here</a>. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our <a title="Terms of Use (Leaving The Kingston Whig Standard)"href=https://www.postmedia.com/terms-and-conditions/>Terms of Use</a> and <a href=/privacy-statement/en/>Privacy Policy</a>.
KINGSTON — City council is to look at options for a new intersection on the main road through the east end of the city.
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your community.
Create an account or sign in to keep reading.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
The city had planned for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Hwy. 15 and Summer Valley Terrace, which is to be the entrance to a subdivision being built in a former quarry.
The subdivision’s developer committed $375,000 to the roundabout and the city budgeted $3.8 million for the roundabout project, but a projected cost increase of more than $1.4 million cast some doubt on the project.
A roundabout would require significant realignment of Hwy. 15, both vertical and horizontal, relocation of infrastructure, changes to the Greenwood Park stormwater management pond and recreational trail. A roundabout would also require a municipal environmental impact assessment.
“These factors are contributing to the request for budget increase and also bring risk to the outcome of the project,” stated a report last month to council from Paige Agnew, commissioner of growth and development services. “As studies (stormwater management report and geotechnical study) are incomplete there are unknowns that could lead to delays in the project or additional costs beyond the current budget request even with standard buffers.”
The cost increase would be funded by development charges reserve fund and the municipal capital reserve fund and bring the total budget for a roundabout to more than $5.2 million.
In response to the projected cost increase, the developer offered to build the roundabout at a cost of $3.4 million. The city would still need to increase the budget for the project by $350,000 to cover the additional costs.
An alternative to the roundabout is an all ages and abilities signalized intersection, similar to recent intersection rebuilds across the city. This option would cost about $1 million.
“The construction of a signalized intersection provides cost savings in this location compared to a roundabout as it can be constructed in the existing alignment of Hwy. 15 with expansion of the existing footprint occurring only to provide dedicated turning lanes,” the report stated.
“The cost savings from constructing a signalized intersection, estimated at $2.8 million, would be earmarked to be used in later budgets to support intersection upgrades in the east end including future roundabouts.”
City council is to consider its options for the intersection at its Tuesday night meeting.
If you were looking to get inside the hive mind of the vendors at the Memorial Centre’s farmers’ market Sunday
a fitting spokesman was the guy in the bee vest in the booth with all varieties of honey and related products
“Getting outside reminds us what we have here and what was really under a threat last winter,” said McCann
a beekeeper who sits on the farmer’s market board
The farmers’ market moved out of Agricultural Society’s barns
and into the open air for the first time this year on Sunday and while the skies were overcast
It wasn’t simply that getting out of the market’s cramped winter home gave the regulars more room to circulate nor that pedestrian traffic ticked up
the vendors and marketgoers alike were blindsided by a piece of news coming out of city council: A proposal for a privately-owned soccer facility on the property of the Memorial Centre was moving with seeming lightning speed toward a vote
Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links
The next issue of The Kingston Whig-Standard's Noon News Roundup will soon be in your inbox
With the proposal out there, the question became for a time: Whither the market, if not Memorial Centre, then where would it go?
“I don’t think the farmer’s market is portable or that we could have it anywhere else,” he said. “There’s a relationship between this location and the downtown community that hinges on walkability and including those who come bicycles. A more suburban location would undermine not just the business of it but also the ambience. And I don’t know anywhere that would have an indoor space right next door that allows the market to go year-round.”
A hue and cry went up, petitions were signed and councillors quickly got a read of the room. The proposal was promptly dropped.
“It’s a renaissance to be back out in the spring,” McCann said. “It would have been terrible if we were here with that shadow looming over us. If that proposal was still on the table it would have really put a put a cloud over everything.”
As the snuffed-out proposal fades in the rearview, McCann believes it’s important to remember what seemed to be a real the threat to the continued existence of the farmers’ market and other uses of the Memorial Centre grounds, including the dog park and the cricket pitch.
“I heard about it like everyone else did, the week before council was going to vote on it,” McCann said. “It wasn’t a good democratic practice, just not the right way to do things in a municipality.”
The proposal for the soccer facility came late and left early, barely after arrival.
“More than anything, the prospect of a legal battle with the Agricultural Society scared away the developers or at least made them a lot less interested,” McCann said. “A proposal [for the Memorial Centre grounds] comes up every 20 years or so and the city council and everybody else has to re-learn that the Agricultural Society has the legal rights and standing here.”
But according to an organic farmer in a neighboring booth to the McCann’s Generation Apiary, the prospect of a soccer facility going up on the Memorial Centre grounds might be a useful, even necessary shock.
“Anytime you have some sort of challenge or threat, it can galvanize people from different backgrounds, not just people who have booths here but others who use Memorial Park,” said Evan Quigley, proprietor of The Kitchen Garden. “And it was great to see how much support we vendors have in the community.”
Quigley, who has sold produce at the farmers’ market for eight years, sits with McCann on the board and he sees an underlying uncertainty that puts the market at risk and it has since it was launched in 2012 by local farmers and the Williamsville Community Association.
“It’s a year-to-year situation,” Quigley said. “It’s not a lease but a license, but on a year-to-year basis, you can’t really look at the long term. What we really need for the market to thrive and serve the community is some certainty.”
That would come in the form of a longer-term arrangement with the market board, the city and the Agricultural Society. Said McCann: “Agreeing to longer terms would give us a lot more ability to plan and develop and, and hopefully to collaborate in the redevelopment of the Memorial Centre itself.”
Both the beekeeper and the organic farmer agreed that portraying the farmers’ market organizers in a battle against the city council would miss the mark.
“The city staff have been very supportive of the market,” McCann says.
“It wasn’t that the city was oppositional,” Quigley said. “It was more that there’s a lack of awareness about what we need to make this the best possible market for all of us, the vendors and the community. And it’s incumbent on us — our responsibility — to communicate that.”
Get the stories you need to know, Monday through Friday.
says Kingston's integrity commissionerComments in media interview suggested votes against McLaren's co-op housing proposal were meant to derail his mayoral hopes
KINGSTON — For the second time in five months
a city councillor has breached the city’s code of conduct
McLaren suggested in the article that council’s decision was based
including thwarting his future ambitions to be mayor
“Such a comment casts aspersions on the intent of council in passing the motion as it did,” wrote the city’s integrity commissioner Meghan A
“The statements made by the councillor as reported in the article were a speculative accusation about the intention of members of council.”
The code of conduct instructs members of council not to make “disparaging comments about another member or unfounded and speculative accusations about the motive of another member.”
In his defence, McLaren said he thought the comments were off the record or that he had retracted the words or asked immediately after he said them that they be off the record.
McLaren also said he followed the comment by saying “No” and shaking his head, body language that he assumed the interviewer would interpret a way of discarding the comment.
Cowan recommended that McLaren be reprimanded but not receive a monetary penalty.
“We are prepared to accept the Councillor’s submission that his comments were an initial musing that he quickly discounted and attempted to distance himself from but was not successful,” Cowan added. “Nevertheless, we find that he never formally retracted the comments or specifically advised the author of the article that he did not want his comments reported.”
Francois Desjardins watched the parade and wreath-laying service marking the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic at the Naval Memorial Park on Ontario Street on Sunday with a belief that these were at once an honoring of traditions and the delivery of message to all those in attendance, including those in uniform.
Members of the HMCS Cataraqui were commemorating Canada’s role in the Battle of the Atlantic, which stands as the longest battle in the Second World War. “The nation went from a handful of ships to having the third largest navy among the allies,” said Desjardins, the commanding officer of the HMCS Cataraqui. “It’s important the sacrifice the sacrifices made by those who served during that time and relate to why we’re here today.”
The pageantry, ceremonies and speeches remembered the past and honoured the more than 4,600 Canadian servicemen who lost their lives in the Battle of the Atlantic, including more than 2,100 sailors in the Royal Canadian Navy.
Commanding officer Desjardins said the memorial service has an effect on those in the service and in the reserve, those who marched and filled other roles in the ceremonies.
“The memorial grounds them,” Desjardins said. “It helps them understand their place and purpose. The things we do or the traditions that we have harken back to those days. It gives them a meaning and purpose — as much as we’d describe it to them, hearing the stories today and hearing about the history of the unit from this area makes it relatable.
“Understanding the Battle of the Atlantic helps them understand what we’re defending to this day, the freedoms that the Canadian population holds dear.”
Editor’s Note: This article contains some details and language that readers may find disturbing
The daughter of Patrick David “Paddy” Millar shared these words in remembrance of her father
who was brutally killed at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 631 (Collins Bay Legion) in October 2022 by Anthony Whitlock
for no reason other than that he defeated Whitlock at pool
originally charged with first-degree murder
pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 16 years
But not before hearing from two of the people his actions victimized
Following the horrific details presented to the court in the agreed statement of facts
was the first of two people who presented victim impact statements on Tuesday
The other was the ex-common law partner of Whitlock
addressed the court and the man who murdered her father
and some friends were also present in the courtroom
She noted that April 29 was “the day before my dad’s 72nd birthday… Tomorrow
She first became aware of the death of her father on Saturday
it was a friend who called her to offer condolences after learning about the murder on social media
“She quickly realized I didn’t know about my father… She mustered up the courage to tell me about the homicide at the legion,” Sara recounted.
“I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand what she was trying to tell me, and I didn’t believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. ’Your dad’s dead.’ How did she know that before me?”
In the panic that ensued, Sara said, she hung up the phone and tried to call her dad multiple times, but each time it went to voicemail.
“Finally one of his friends picked up, and all I hear is a heavy, ‘Hi, hon. I’m so sorry,”’ she shared with the court.
Sara was the one who then had to call her brothers, still without having any details as to what had happened. What followed were days of heartbreak and confusion, filled with rumours about the murder of her father.
But unfortunately, the truth was even worse than she imagined: Millar had been beaten and stomped to death over a game of pool.
“It sounds so stupid and petty,” Sara stated flatly. Then she turned to Whitlock, with fire in her eyes, and said, “That’s because it is… Did you think your ego was gonna win against him?”
Addressing the court, Sara described her father as “a family man.” The retired correctional officer was a union representative who “took a lot of pride and passion in fighting for workers’ rights.”
Married for 43 years, Patrick and his wife, Janet, had “three kids, five grandkids, and six great-grandkids,“ Sara said, emphasizing that his murder ”in such a violent, senseless manner“ was ”something that will burden our family for generations to come.”
At the time of his killing, Sara said, the family was still healing from the loss of their mother the year before. In that time, she said, “I got to see my father in a more vulnerable light. I got to know him on a different level than I did before.”
She recounted growing up with beautiful memories of a life spent outdoors, camping as a family. Her father was the go-to camp chef and a great cook.
“My father loved Christmas, too,” she went on. There were always “wall-to-wall” Christmas presents, she said, and, “Watching the grandkids at Christmas brought my father immense joy; Christmas was about them.” He even volunteered his time with local school children who visited his richly decorated yard.
Sara described her father as a generous person with both his money and his time, always lending a hand to those he loved. “Before this tragedy, my father was strength, kindness, and someone you could always go to for a harsh truth and advice — even if you didn’t want to hear it.”
“Since both my parents died, I have struggled to find meaning in my daily life,” Sara shared, describing her sleeplessness, anxiety, and never-ending grief, as well as the haunting emptiness of the family home.
“The world feels heavier, and I find myself questioning everything I once took for granted,”
After reading the coroner’s report, she said, she was horrified.
“The size difference between the two, my dad being 4’10“ and 115 pounds… He was the size of a 14-year-old boy,” Sarah said in court.
By comparison, Whitlock is about a foot taller and weighs over 200 pounds.
“The brutality and the rage was evident in this report. It’s disgusting,” Sara said, turning again to address Whitlock. “Do you feel better about yourself? Do you think that fight was fair? Do you think that’s something to brag about — killing someone so tiny and fragile? It’s pathetic and sad.”
As her remarks drew to a close, Sara promised her father’s killer she would be at every parole hearing “to speak for my family. So you’d better get used to my face.”
“I’d like to end this with your favourite saying,” she said to Whitlock, referring to part of his confession: “You fucked with the bull; you got the horns. Enjoy your time in PC protective custody, Tony, surrounded by the screws that you love so much. I’m a firm believer in karma, and I heard she’s a real bitch.”
Next, Whitlock’s ex-common law partner shared her statement. The woman described her grieving process and sense of guilt over the death of the Millar family’s patriarch.
“That should be the focus… The Millars have lost their father, their grandfather, and their friend,” she said.
She described the loss of any personal privacy due to his notoriety, the horror of his sending the crime scene photo to her, and how she went through his packed suitcase only to find Millar’s wallet. Addressing Whitlock, she said, “I came to the realization that if my older brother hadn’t called the police… I would have come home to you. You would have insisted that I help you, and when I refused… you would have killed me, too.”
“When you sent me a photo of what you had done, I was in disbelief that it was real,” she said. The image was “more gruesome than any trauma I had participated in in my career” as a health care professional. “Knowing that you caused another human being that harm has caused me to have panic attacks and has prevented me from being able to work in health care.”
“Even when you had a no-contact order in place, you continued to find ways to intimidate and harass me,” she said.
Whitlock has since been charged with breaching the no-contact order.
She also described the damage Whitlock’s actions have caused not only to her and the Millars, but to Whitlock’s own family, including his mother, who has since died.
Whitlock shook his head at various times throughout her statement, which she concluded by wishing the Millar family peace.
Crown attorney Holly Chiavetti, in her final remarks, said, “One of the more disturbing aspects of this case is the senselessness of the murder itself. Mr. Whitlock lost to Mr. Millar in a pool tournament. There’s no conceivable reason why a pool match should have resulted in ending someone’s life, particularly in the brutal and violent way it occurred in this case.”
In his final remarks, defence attorney Paolo Giancaterino reminded the court of Whitlock’s long-standing addiction to both drugs and alcohol, coupled with mental health issues, bipolar disorder, and psychotic disorder.
“And as a result of an incident where he was significantly injured, he suffers from cognitive impairment,” Giancaterino said, noting he was sharing this, “not to condone, not to make an excuse, but to provide some background and factors about the offender.”
While the court adjourned for lunch, the Millar family embraced each other and the woman who had given her statement.
After more than two hours of deliberation, Justice Tranmer read his sentencing decision into the record.
“Firstly, I want to thank the people who have attended this difficult and heartbreaking day in our court,” he began, noting that, in particular, “I want to thank Sara Millar and Whitlock’s ex-partner for sharing eloquently the tragic and horrendous impact Patrick Millar’s murder has had on his family, his friends, including the school children who so love his Christmas spirit.”
“Sara Millar’s statement to the court was a loving, poignant, heartfelt, and articulate tribute to her father,“ the judge said. ”By all accounts, Patrick Millar was a fine person, perhaps small in stature but so clearly large in love, care, kindness, and compassion.”
By contrast, Tranmer called the crime “brutal and savage,” a senseless beating by “hand and boot… by a person of significantly greater stature… who showed no mercy. Indeed, he left Millar to die alone in a bathroom, took his wallet, and had a couple of beers… procured some cocaine for himself, and prepared to flee.”
“As Ms. Millar described, no one should have to receive a call like she received,” he said plainly.
“No criminal prosecution or court sentence can return Patrick Millar to his rightful place and day-to-day life,” Tranmer went on, before sentencing Whitlock to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 16 years.
“The basis for the murder, a pool game, defies reason. The crime was brutal… and gruesome. There were no defensive wounds. The Crown described it as ’fortuitous violence’; that means with no reason, and I agree with that. The photo attests to the violence. The size disparity between the two is an aggravating factor. The after-offence conduct that I’ve mentioned is an aggravating factor. The life-altering impact on the family and the community is an aggravating factor.
“The lives of many others — grandchildren, great-grandchildren, children, fellow campers, pool friends, and Christmas revellers — will never be the same… Hopefully, a plea of guilty does indicate an acceptance of responsibility and some start towards remorse,” the judge mused.
“Perhaps no one needs to be reminded, but I’ll say it anyhow: a human life is precious. It’s a gift. It’s a light in the world. Mr Millar’s light was extinguished for no fault on his part.”
The judge then brought his statements to a close.
“To the extent that the criminal justice system can address the horror of his death, justice is done by such a sentence,” Tranmer concluded.
“It’s not lost on the court that those who live on and cherish the memory of Patrick Millar have also been sentenced to a life sentence — likely even more acutely painful. That void will live on for all time. Hopefully your wonderful, happy memories will bring comfort, perhaps peace, in time.”
Michelle Dorey Forestell is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter with the Kingstonist. The LJI is funded through the federal government.
<a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/05/28/sean-kingston-arrest-theft-fraud-charges/73883916007/ target=_blank rel="noreferrer noopener">Sean Kingston</a> and his mother, <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/05/23/sean-kingston-home-raid-mom-arrest/73820765007/ target=_blank rel="noreferrer noopener">Janice Turner</a>
have been convicted of federal wire fraud charges
On Friday, a jury found the "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrTz5xjmso4" target=_blank rel="noreferrer noopener">Beautiful Girls</a>" singer and his mom guilty of all charges against them following a five-day trial
according to court documents reviewed by USA TODAY
They faced one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud
and the judge recommended her incarceration at the Miami Federal Detention Center until her sentencing
Kingston − whose real name is Kisean Paul Anderson − will have his bond terms modified to include home detention with electronic monitoring
with $200,000 cash to be turned over to the U.S
and Turner are scheduled to be sentenced on July 11
Each count has a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison
In respective statements to USA TODAY on Saturday
lawyers for the mother-son duo responded to their convictions
Kingston was allowed to remain out on bond while awaiting sentencing
We will file an appeal at that time," a lawyer for Kingston said Saturday
 We will proceed in the normal course to sentencing in 3 months
we will file an appeal," Turner's lawyer told USA TODAY on Saturday
Their state charges: <a href=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2024/05/28/sean-kingston-arrest-theft-fraud-charges/73883916007/ rel=noreferrer target=_blank>Sean Kingston and his mom committed $1 million in fraud and theft, sheriffs say</a>
According to the mother and son's July indictment
the duo conspired to commit wire fraud between April 2023 and March 2024
they showed intent to "defraud and to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses
The indictment claimed Kingston and Turner sought to "unjustly enrich themselves by falsely representing that they had executed bank wire or other monetary payment transfers as payment for vehicles
and other goods." They were accused of keeping the items despite never paying for them
Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida also alleged Kingston leveraged "his celebrity status" and "often persuaded his victim vendors to stray from their regular business practices and convinced them to either supply or deliver their goods and services prior to receipt of full payment."
Some of their ill-gotten gains included three watches
which involved fake wire transfers for $285,000 and $480,000; a $160,000 car; and $40,000 worth of audio/video equipment
The two still face state-level charges in Florida
They are accused of carrying out a defrauding scheme
committing grand theft and fraudulently using individuals' personal information to obtain services
Kingston and his mother participated in "a systemic
ongoing course of conduct with intent to defraud one or more persons
or with intent to obtain property from one or more persons by false or fraudulent pretenses
or promises or willful representations of a future act."
This story has been updated with new information
Kingston was placed under house arrest while his mother was taken into custody before their sentencing
Creativity kicked off the first weekend in May at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning
which featured 40 of the region’s finest artists
watercolour and fabric — stretched on canvas or available in print — adorned the lower level of the Tett Centre over the weekend
gems and jewelry aplenty were main attraction
one of the notable creators featured at the showcase on Saturday
said she has been an artist most of her life
Evans said she came by her talents honestly
a chartered accountant but an artist at heart
encouraging her to paint at a very young age
She still has his paint box on display in her studio today
The graphic designer-turned-art teacher has mastered many disciplines and is a stranger to very few mediums
“I will create something in watercolour, then the same image in an oil painting or acrylic,” Evans said. “I’ll sketch something then go and do it again another way. For me, I like to repeat image, not medium.”
During a recent trip to Portugal with her sister-in-law, Evans said she took a hiking tour along the Camino trail, near the border to Spain, where stops were made every 25 km. There, she captured the beautiful surroundings in sketches and quick watercolours, snapped a few photos for reference, then later rendered select images in oils or acrylics.
Many artists would stop there, quite pleased (or tortured) with their results, but Evans’ desire to explore new mediums had her hunkered down at a sewing machine where she stitched together the final rendering, in what she calls “thread painting.”
“I use the thread as my paint. So, wherever I want to put colour, I use thread,” Evans said.
She has been working in this medium for about a year and a half and claims it was born out of injury.
“We had just purchased a new home, and I was in the basement when I hit my head on a pipe, fell back and hit it again on a box, then down on the concrete, bang, again. Three hits turned into a nasty concussion,” Evans explained.
As part of her therapy, Evans took to thread painting more seriously. With lots of recovery time on her hands, 40 hours a week for about 10 weeks, she honed her talents to reinvent herself as an artist, delving deeply into a new medium.
Evans is currently planning another trip to Portugal where she will lead an art tour of her own.
Meanwhile upstairs at the Tett on Saturday, the Kingston Lapidary and Mineral Club’s Metal Rocks Show and sale took place, featuring rocks, gems and jewelry aplenty.
Jagoda Niesluchowska, a 76-year-old Polish artisan who emigrated to Canada from Ostroleka — a city north of Warsaw — for a better life, eventually found that in Kingston.
Her husband came first to Canada to gain employment in 1992 and she and their two daughters soon followed.
Niesluchowska said on Saturday that she always loved jewelry, but could never leave it alone.
“Whenever I bought jewelry, it was never enough. I would always have to add something or change something,” Niesluchowska said. “I had a friend who had this big, very nice, bracelet. She told me there was this place where I could also go and make my own jewelry like she did.”
That’s when Niesluchowska came to the Lapidary and Mineral Club and learned how to make it herself. Her first piece was a silver bracelet she gave her daughter for graduation.
It started as a hobby for Niesluchowska in 2005, crafting gifts for friends and family. Once retired, this shiny pastime grew into much more.
“I couldn’t stop. I just enjoyed it so much,” Niesluchowska said. “The designing, forging and polishing the metal into a finished piece of jewelry was so satisfying.”
“When I first joined the Lapidary Club, I saw a woman vigorously pounding metal with a hammer. I asked her, ‘Are you angry?’ She said, ‘Not anymore.’ We are friends to this day,” Niesluchowska said.
The jewelry maker said it also brings her joy to teach others. As a member of the Lapidary and Mineral Club, she shares her gifts through jewelry making classes.
Niesluchowska said, as she wrung her hands, “I hope I can continue. I have arthritis and I must use my hands a lot for this. That would be bad if I had to stop,” said Niesluchowska.
You can find Niesluchowska on Instagram at silveretcetera.
we are taught some important skills that we are supposed to carry forward and use throughout life
 We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, or<a title="Video Centre"href=/video-centre/>tap here to see other videos from our team</a>.Play VideoArticle contentWe learn to hold doors open for people
sometimes our manners fall to the way side
How and when do we turn into robots and leave behind common courtesy
I feel that we don’t set out to be rude or sometimes hurtful in our days
I really try hard to check in with myself before I leave my house
It’s a friendly reminder (to myself) to see if I’m ready to greet the world on any given day
If you’ve been following my monthly columns
I’ve written about how much focus and energy it takes me (and others living with progressive multiple sclerosis) to successfully get through any activity
If I’m in a fowl mood because perhaps I’ve had a difficult start to my day
and i should probably stay home until I’ve turned this around
my first stop will be for my little paper cup full of coffee with the plastic lid
pass along the troubles of my day thus far to the person in the drive thru window
(often) the hiccups of one’s day present long before I get this far
Perhaps with the person who ran the light at the intersection because they wanted to get to the next red light first
Or maybe the car barreling into the same coffee shop parking lot; who wasn’t watching closely and just cut off a couple of cars trying to turn in their appropriate direction
And,most likely without using their turn signal
I’m hopeful the excursion will go as I’ve planned
My doctor recommended that I get a handicap parking permit
after talking with my family about the idea
I agreed I’d get one but leave it tucked away in my glove box
The day I went to Service Ontario to pick this little piece of paper up was a day that completely crushed me
I recall as I was signing my name on the permit I couldn’t stop sobbing
one more reminder that my life was changing so quickly
I did apologize to the lovely gal behind the kiosk
That’s my name attached to the picture of a wheelchair.”
I didn’t use this permit for a very long time
I was still ahead of this new life and most certainly
I’ve learned to put my pride aside and save my ‘spoons’ where I can
What I can’t appreciate is people making the choice to use these designated spots because perhaps they’re in a rush
they didn’t want to walk all the extra steps because nothing was available closer to the entrance
there are clearly marked fines posted on these signs but I’ve come to realize many people feel they are above the law because “I’m just running into the store for a couple of little things” merits taking a spot that actually keeps other people safe to be able to check off their grocery items (or whatever shop it may be)
I’ve also previously highlighted the struggles that are attached with trying to enjoy an evening out
I remember two different evenings very vividly
I feel these episodes can make for solid teachable moments here
To be able to want to take the time and effort to dress in something other than comfies
everyone gave their drink selections before placing food orders
Very quickly I was told I wasn’t going to be served
When I questioned this I was told I stumbled all the way from the front door
I get to explain to strangers I live with multiple sclerosis
this never would have been an issue or red flag
Another encounter was a night out to a local concert
music is the best form of medicine I have (as formally written)
The narrow sidewalks of Kingston were jam packed with other excited fans
I was one of many trying to navigate to the entrance
I absolutely would have been linked arm in arm with probably a sturdy strong grip on both sides of me
I remember hearing the man behind me walking
she can’t even stand up.” I chose not to call out or entertain this arrogant individual
and I wasn’t going to allow him to ruin my night
I let the hurtful sting of his words linger for a brief moment and moved forward
that we don’t know what other people are dealing with
I think we all should do a manner check-up
Have I completely misplaced them and need to start from scratch
Adding to someone’s already difficult day isn’t something anyone should ever sign up for
as a society we need to stop making assumptions about people because it’s one thing to speak about facts
assuming we understand what’s happening with other people only creates lies
Minding ones own business is actually quite an art
None of these are an out-of-pocket expense
Let’s actually work on “being the change you wish to see in the world” (Mahatma Gandhi)
The Kingston Police is now using Alertable to send emergency alerts and day-to-day community notices for facilities
Excellent App!” and “Love this app keeps me posted on everything” areexamples of reviews received from thousands of people already using Alertable
We encourage residents and visitors to use Alertable to stay aware and plan ahead
Keep yourself and othersinformed and up to date with Alertable
visit https://www.kingstonpolice.ca/alertable
PEASI is a mass notification software company based in Calgary
PEASI is thedeveloper of the highly rated Alertable software used by communities and businesses inCanada for emergencies and day-to-day public notices
PEASI is actively involved in developingindustry standards and guidelines for public alerts and notifications in Canada andinternationally
These are incorporated into the Alertable software
Kingston Police705 Division StreetKingston
Telephone: <a rel="noopener" href="tel:6135494660" target="_blank" title="Primary Phone number">613-549-4660</a>TTY (hearing impaired): <a rel="noopener" href="tel:6135498792" target="_blank" title="TTY (hearing impaired)">613-549-8792</a>Administration Fax: 613-549-3111Operations Fax: 613-549-7111
Telephone: <a href="tel:6135494660" title="click to call Kingston Police general phone number">613-549-4660</a>TTY (hearing impaired): <a href="tel:6135498792" title="click to call Kingston Police general phone number">613-549-8792</a>Administration Fax: 613-549-3111Operations Fax: 613-549-7111
<a href="/about-kp/contacts/" title="All Contacts">All Contacts</a>
<a href="/sitemap/" title="View Sitemap">Sitemap</a>   <a href="/about-kp/accessibility/" title="View our Accessibility page">Accessibility</a>   <a href="mailto:cmack@kingstonpolice.ca" title="Email website feedback">Website Feedback</a>   <a href="/about-kp/privacy-policy/" title="View our Privacy Policy">Privacy Policy</a>
This website uses cookies to enhance usability and provide you with a more personal experience. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies as explained in our <a href="/about-kp/privacy-policy/" title="Privacy Policy">Privacy Policy</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/collision-reporting-centre/" title="Collision Reporting Centre">Collision Reporting Centre</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/file-a-report-online/" title="File a Report Online">Non-Emergency Reporting</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/traffic-complaints/" title="Traffic Complaints">Traffic Complaint</a>
<a href="https://www.joinkp.ca/" title="Join KP">Careers at JoinKP.ca</a>
<a href="/news-and-community/volunteering/" title="Volunteering">Volunteer</a>
<a href="/news-and-community/youth-in-policing-initiative/" title="Youth In Policing Initiative">Youth In Policing Initiative</a>
<a href="/news-and-community/cold-case-files/" title="Cold Case Files">Cold Case Files</a>
<a href="/our-team/community-engagement/" title="Community Engagement">Community Engagement</a>
<a href="/crime-prevention-and-safety/crime-map/" title="Crime Map">Crime Map</a>
<a href="/crime-prevention-and-safety/frauds-and-scams/" title="Frauds and Scams">Frauds and Scams</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/freedom-of-information-request/" title="Freedom of Information Request">Freedom of Information</a>
<a href="/crime-prevention-and-safety/hate-crimes/" title="Hate Crimes">Hate Crimes</a>
<a href="/about-kp/sections-and-units/" title="Our Team">Kingston Police Units</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/mental-health-response/" title="Mental Health Response">Mental Health Response</a>
<a href="/about-kp/police-service-board/" title="Police Services Board">Police Services Board</a>
<a href="/about-kp/police-service-board/strategic-plan/" title="Strategic Plan">Strategic Plan</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/victim-services/" title="Victim Services">Victim Services</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/alarm-system-registry/" title="Alarm System Registry">Alarm System Registry</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/background-check/" title="Background Check">Background Check</a>
<a href="/crime-prevention-and-safety/bicycle-registry/" title="Bicycle Registry">Bicycle Registry</a>
<a href="/news-and-community/engagement-and-events/" title="Community Engagement">Community Engagement Request</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/fingerprinting/" title="Fingerprinting">Fingerprint Booking</a>
<a href="/crime-prevention-and-safety/business-safety/group-me/" title="Group ME">Group Me</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/parade-permit/" title="Parade Permit">Parade Permit</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/pardon-application/" title="Pardon Application">Pardon Application</a>
<a href="https://form.kingstonpolice.ca/Request-a-Paid-Duty-Officer">Request a Paid Duty Officer</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/victim-impact-statement/" title="Victim Impact Statement">Victim Impact Statement</a>
<a href="/reporting-and-services/vulnerable-person-registry/" title="Vulnerable Person Registry">Vulnerable Person Registry</a>
<a class="c-overline b-overline" href="/ottawa/">Ottawa</a>NewsOPP clock driver at nearly 100 km/h over speed limit north of Kingston, Ont.By <a class="c-link" href="/team/ted-raymond/">Ted Raymond</a>Published: May 01, 2025 at 10:17AM EDT
Twitter feed</a> ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved
KINGSTON — Liberal incumbent Mark Gerretsen won a landslide victory in Kingston and the Islands to be part of a Mark Carney government Monday night
 We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, or<a title="Video Centre"href=/video-centre/>tap here to see other videos from our team</a>.Play VideoArticle contentGerretsen won his fourth election in less than a decade
with more than 95 per cent of polls reporting
Gerretsen had won 63.5 per cent of the vote
Paterson trailed with 30 per cent of the votes
New Democratic candidate Daria Juudi-Hope won almost five per cent of the vote with and Green candidate Fintan Hartnett had 1.4 per cent of the ballots
Of the 106,997 eligible voters in the riding
68.9 per cent — 73,717 — cast ballots on Monday night’s election
It was Gerretsen’s biggest margin of victory in a federal election
“I am extremely humble and grateful that the people of Kingston and the Islands are putting their faith in me,” said Gerretsen
who was joined by close to 100 supporters at a campaign celebration
“I do know that there are a lot of progressive voters that may have otherwise would not have voted for me or didn’t in the past and I am extremely grateful for that.”
Gerretsen from the outset framed this election as a question of national leadership in the face of a trade war and threats of annexation by the United States.
“I think what we say tonight is a strong mandate from the Canadian people,” he said.
“In this particular time that we are in right now with the economic uncertainty and the threats from Donald Trump,” Gerretsen said. “It is Mark Carney who is best suited to lead us.”
Gerretsen’s win was part of a remarkable turnabout in political fortunes for the Liberal Party, which only four months ago was facing polls that indicated it would suffer a massive defeat.
Gerretsen said the local issues of affordability and housing will remain priorities for him, as will getting a permanent replacement bridge built on the LaSalle Causeway.
He also said the federal government needs to have greater oversight on how the Ontario provincial government spends federal funding for health care.
“The federal government helps the province a lot with health care and the reality is that there are a lot of people that still don’t have doctors in our riding and a lot of people experiencing long wait times in hospital an emergency rooms,” he said.
On a personal note, Gerretsen said he would be interested in continuing his involvement in the party’s House of Commons leadership team.
“I really enjoyed the last number of years being Parliamentary secretary to the house leader and being deputy house leader for the last couple of years,” he said. “Anything I can do that continues to put me in the House of Commons in the position of debating and engaging with other members is what I want to be doing.”
fiery wreck in InveraryFrontenac OPP lay almost a dozen charges after a home invasion and collision north of Kingston Tuesday night
INVERARY — A violent home invasion in Inverary north of Kingston ended with a fiery car crash and a community lockdown as police hunted for the suspect Tuesday night
to a report of a robbery at a residence in the village
threatened and robbed the homeowner before stealing their vehicle and fleeing the scene
Police said the vehicle was then involved in a single-vehicle collision on Greenfield Road
Laurie McShane and her husband had just settled down to watch the Toronto-Ottawa National Hockey League playoff game when they heard a loud bang and felt their Greenfield Road house shudder
“We heard something hit our house and we’re like
‘What the hell?’ So we look at the window and there was a fire on our lawn,” she said
“We come out and there was a young guy who had somehow
‘Yeah.’ But he was really kind of dazed,” she said
“Then we asked if there’s anybody else in the vehicle
So my husband ran to get the fire extinguisher
I ran to get my phone to call 911 and then when we came out he was gone.”
McShane said the vehicle appeared to be a blue Ford F-150 pickup truck, parts of which were still strewn across the lawn Wednesday morning.
The South Frontenac fire department responded to extinguish the fire.
“It was a massive fire, but we were just in panic mode thinking there’s some teenagers or something in there,” McShane said.
There was no one else in the vehicle and police issued a shelter in place order for the area while the OPP emergency response team and canine unit tracked down the suspect.
He was located on Greenfield Road and arrested about an hour after the crash. He suffered serious but non life-threatening injuries in the collision.
The crash left a large burnt patch on the McShanes’ front lawn and damaged a pair of vehicles parked in the driveway. Their house was hit by a spare tire ejected from the vehicle and a part of its siding was damaged by heat from the fire.
“It could have been way, way worse,” McShane said. “Often we sit out and have drinks in the driveway, so it could have been way, way worse. So the silver lining is nobody was hurt.”
Ethan Thompson, 24, from Mallorytown was charged with 11 charges including robbery with theft, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, dangerous driving, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, mischief, impaired driving, failing to remain at the scene of a collision, breach of probation and driving without a licence.
He was was released from custody and is to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Kingston on June 10.
The Ontario Hockey League named the Kingston Frontenacs’ Kory Cooper as the winner of the Jim Gregory OHL General Manager of the Year Award for the 2024-25 season on Friday.
 Article contentThe Frontenacs finished with a 40-20-5-3 record, good for 88 points, an 18-point improvement from the 2023-24 campaign. With additions of veteran players at the trade deadline, the team shattered the franchise record with a streak of 16 consecutive wins at home in the second half of the season. Kingston swept the Sudbury Wolves in the first round of the playoffs, but lost to the Barrie Colts in a tense Eastern Conference semi-final that went the full seven games.
Several managerial moves were key to the team’s uptick, among them the hiring of Troy Mann as coach. The previous coach, Luca Caputi, had experience in the NHL, but none behind the bench at any level. Mann came in having previously been the coach of the Ottawa Senators’ American Hockey League affiliate in Belleville.
A goaltender in his playing days, Cooper played for the Belleville Bulls and the Sudbury Wolves, before embarking on an eight-year career in the minors. Upon his retirement in 2005, Cooper joined Kingston as a goaltending coach. He later served as a goaltending coach with Brampton in the East Coast Hockey League and a development coach with the Ottawa Senators for five seasons. The Frontenacs appointed as GM in July of 2021.
Previous winners of the Jack Gregory Award include Steve Staios, currently the GM of the Ottawa Senators, and Mark Hunter, whose London Knights team have won two Memorial Cups and five OHL championships. Cooper, a 48-year-old native of Winsloe, Prince Edward Island, was nominated for the Jim Gregory Award by the league’s GMs and selected by a committee made up of media, a representative of the NHL Central Scouting Service and OHL officials.
You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter
Kingston and the Islands 2025 federal election live results. <a href="../../../politics/election-results" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: underline;">Browse live results for all 343 ridings</a>
279 of 280 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. <a href='https://www.thestar.com/politics/election-results/' target='_blank'>Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election</a>
279 of 280 polls are reporting as of 4:20 p.m. <a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/election-results/" target="_blank">Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election</a>
is projected to be re-elected in Kingston and the Islands
Gerretsen has 48,544 of 76,776 votes (63.23%)
is in second place with 23,602 votes (30.74%) and Daria Juüdi-Hope
Gerretsen has represented the riding since 2015
27,845 voters cast ballots at advance polls
<a href="https://www.thestar.com/politics/election-results/">Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election.</a>
The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour
They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote
The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour
They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote
The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour
They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote
The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour
They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote
The Greens have one race called in their favour
They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote
There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons
the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election
This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Account processing issue - the email address may already exist
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account
Hundreds of friends will gather at the Garrison Golf and Curling Club on May 9 for a round of golf and to remember and pay tribute to Ryan Ralph
“couldn’t be forgotten by anyone who ever met him.”
 We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, or<a title="Video Centre"href=/video-centre/>tap here to see other videos from our team</a>.Play VideoArticle contentRyan Ralph
a graduate of Regiopolis-Notre Dame Catholic High School
was just 24 when he died while travelling in Thailand in March last year
Tickets for the golf tournament have been sold out for a while
“About 500 people came out to his celebration of life at the Italo-Canadian Club last year,” Kathy says
people he knew from managing the band Skeleton Park Radio
Nobody ever had to spend a lot of time with him to be touched with him.”
A longtime reporter with the Whig-Standard
McAlpine coached Ryan in his first year of rep hockey at the age of 12 and remembers Ryan as “a great kid who was so polite and tried so hard.”
Kathy and Ryan’s father Tim and stepmother Cindy are working with Regi to set up a student bursary to honour Ryan
Others have found their own ways to honour him
his soccer team and the opposing side took a knee and observed a moment of silence
If you see RR14 scrawled somewhere in the city that’s the handiwork of someone who has attached Ryan’s initials and the number on his hockey sweater
a Kingston native who’s playing with the Seattle Kraken
And a year later, Ryan’s friends regularly swing by Kathy’s home near Seeley’s Bay to check in on her and his sister Lauren, kind and thoughtful gestures that are precisely the acts that were his style.
Both Kathy and Tim worked in the military and after Ryan’s birth in Kingston in 2000, they moved around a bit before coming back to the city when he was in Grade 5. His parents separated at about that time, but both stayed deeply involved in his life, as would his stepmother Cindy later.
Though he got something of a late start in the minor-hockey, Ryan worked his way up from AA to AAA and eventually became an under-18 pick of the Kingston Frontenacs. More than anything he accomplished in in sports, though, his kindness and empathy touched people.
A testimonial from a book of remembrances of Ryan is representative of stories that will circulate at the golf tournament. Wrote Alicia Lappan, a friend from his high-school days: “He was someone I could talk to about anything and know that he’d listen and support me. I have him to thank for filling Grade 12 and my university years with laughter. I looked up to him in every way and I will continue for the rest of my life to live the way that he would have.”
As Kathy tells it, Ryan was somewhat disillusioned when he started travelling in southeast Asia in 2023.
“He had graduated from university with a business degree, starting at the University of Ottawa and finishing at Laurentian doing online during the pandemic,” she says. “He landed an entry-level administrative job at RMC making $60,000, but he felt frustrated and unfulfilled, in a way. He felt like living in an apartment on Frontenac Street he could barely make ends meet—like he was treading water.”
After a break-up with a long-time girlfriend, he was looking for a life reset. At first, he thought about going to Australia and trying to find a job in mining there. Then he set his sights on southeast Asia. He saved up $12,000, bought a ticket to Vietnam and landed in Hanoi in October 2023.
Kathy remembers her relief and optimism, picking up the joy in his voice when he called home to let her know that he was okay on his arrival.
“Ryan told me, ‘Mom, I paid more than I should have, but it was worth it, just the first day was worth it.’ And he said, ‘Whatever happens, happens.” I told him to just enjoy it, enjoy everything.”
Ryan did. He bounced around the country, staying in hostels and living on the cheap. As he did in his hometown, he made friends on the road. He found work for a stretch in a hostel on the coast, serving as a social co-ordinator and event organizer, which well suited his personality.
Weeks became months, but still he texted every day and called home—with the difference in time zones, notifications in the dead of night were bound to be coming from Ryan.
“We told him to be careful,” Kathy says. “If you get into any sort of trouble and end up in a a jail we might not be able to get you out. We gave him a dose of reality—that he was in a third-world country. He said he would watch out for himself.”
Some of the exact details of Ryan’s death aren’t clear but this much is known: Ryan was travelling with a woman from the U.K. on a train to Bangkok, Thailand, and when she fell asleep, he decided to go between cars for a cigarette. “He hadn’t smoked when he was in Kingston,” Kathy says. “It was a habit that he picked up when he was travelling.”
After Ryan didn’t come back to his seat and a search of other cars didn’t track him down, the train was stopped. Authorities presumed that he had fallen from the train at some point along the way.
With Ryan reported missing, Tim flew to Bangkok the next day with the hope that he’d be found alive, that this was an awful scare, but only that. It turned out to be only the occasion for any parent’s unimaginable tragedy.
When Ryan’s body was recovered, it was determined he had fallen off the train in a section of the route that was under repair and construction. Kathy and Tim looked at pursuing an investigation and possible civil or legal actions in Thailand, but after talking to several lawyers there, the one who seemed most trustworthy warned them off the idea, advising them it would be a dead end, an expensive one at that.
Kathy says Ryan’s death is still hard to talk about. She asked Tim if he wanted to speak to the Whig-Standard, but he told her he wasn’t up to it and she understood.
“We’re all going through all the stages of grief in our own way and our own time,” she says. “For now, we have the golf tournament and the bursary to remember him and keep the memory of Ryan alive.”
The tournament would be an event Ryan Ralph have loved to attend and the bursary a cause that he’d have got behind.
“He’s missed every day and he’ll be missed that day at the Garrison,” his mother says. “But he’ll be there in spirit.”
Kingston and the Islands Conservative candidate Bryan Paterson failed to unseat incumbent Liberal Mark Gerretsen in the 2025 federal election on Monday night
 We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, or<a title="Video Centre"href=/video-centre/>tap here to see other videos from our team</a>.Play VideoArticle contentSurrounded by his family and a room full of supporters
Paterson thanked those who came out and believed in him during the campaign
but not before calling to congratulate Gerretsen
it’s not the result we were hoping for,” Paterson said afterward
noting that he will return to his role at City Hall
“I said from the beginning of this campaign
that I would trust the community to decide how I could best serve them
Whether as MP or as mayor and you know what at the end of the day
I had a lot of people at the door tell me that they weren’t going to vote for me because they wanted me to stay as mayor
Being mayor of the city is the best job that I’ve ever had and so I’m ready
I’m excited to go back to city hall tomorrow (Tuesday)
It’s been an incredible experience just to be a part of such an important election for our community and for our country.”
By midnight, 50% of the polls had been reported and Paterson held on to 32.4% of the votes, while Liberal candidate Mark Gerretsen had more than 61%.
In the end, Paterson finished with 30% of the votes totaling 22,420. Meanwhile Gerretsen won by a landslide with 63.5% of the votes which worked out to 46,804.
Monday’s loss marked Paterson’s first defeat since entering politics.
“I don’t feel that different because I’m so proud of the work that we did,” he said. “The loss is in such sense a win for me because I get to go back to City Hall, back to the council chambers, back to leading a great city and a great community that I am very passionate about.”
Paterson said he wanted to bring his issues to the federal level, something he will continue to strive for on the municipal level.
“I threw my hat in the ring for MP and the community chose to go in a different direction so I’m going to continue to do everything I can do as mayor, but obviously, yes it’s going to require partnership and advocacy with upper levels of government,” he said.
John Selkirk, the president of the Kingston and the Islands Conservative Association, said a win by Paterson would have been good for the riding.
“If we’d been able to elect Bryan, Bryan knows the concerns here,” he said. “He knows the riding really well and he is so popular. I was with him at the door quite a bit and everybody loved Bryan. Sadly, and I heard many times, ‘Oh we really liked Bryan but we don’t like your party leader. This is just the way it went. If we had been able to form a government, it would have been really nice to have him there because I think he would be cabinet material.”
Kingston city Coun. Gary Oosterhof, who was one of the people who encouraged Paterson to run federally, admitted the numbers were not what they’d hoped for.
“By losing, the city wins. We get to keep our mayor,” Oosterhof expressed. “Bryan is a phenomenal leader in our city and recognized for that right around Ontario, so we are proud to have him back, but we know there is more work to be done.”
What will it take to turn Kingston and The Islands blue, Oosterhof was asked.
“I don’t know what kind of decline is required to say there’s a problem here, but there is a problem, but we have to hope for the best right now and work together with our government in Ottawa,” he said. “There is still a great conservative team there and hopefully they can make a big impact on decisions being made and directions on policies.”
This was Paterson’s first federal campaign. He’s held the role of Kingston’s mayor for close to 10 years and was a city councillor for four years prior to that.
This week, Paterson will return to that role.
Since being elected mayor, Paterson has led efforts to get funding from all three levels of government for the Waaban Crossing, pushed city council to cap the annual property tax increase at about 2.5 per cent and was part of the team that guided the city through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paterson announced his Conservative candidacy in January. In a prior interview with the Whig, he cited change as motivation for him to get involved in federal politics.
“What I’ve done as mayor for 10 years and in many different aspects was trying to grow opportunities for people to succeed and thrive and I see that that’s the Conservative plan now,” he said. “It’s about change. It’s pushing now for change, unlocking our resources and economic opportunities for people and reducing taxes so that people can afford to eat and afford to live. I mean, that to me is very progressive.” he said in an April 18 article.
According to Paterson, some of his top campaign priorities for people included affordability, the cost of living and housing in Kingston and the Islands.
“I’ve just been really impacted by the number of people that are struggling and finding it hard to make ends meet,” he said. “I think just being able to speak to those concerns and to speak to what the Conservative plan is, which I think is the best plan to to help address that concern.”
In addition, the Conservative campaign platform included reducing interprovincial trade barriers, investing in the military and standing up to the trade threats from the United States.
On April 4, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre held a rally in Kingston in support of Paterson, which drew in thousands of supporters, along with protesters.
The theme of that rally was Canada First, with an emphasis on ending the country’s dependance on the U.S. in the face of a trade war.
While Paterson was hoping to paint the city conservative blue, it will remain Liberal stronghold. Kingston and the Islands has been in Liberal hands since 1988, first with Peter Milliken from 1988 to 2011, then with Ted Hsu between 2011 and 2015 and now with incumbent candidate Mark Gerretsen holding on to the position he was first elected to in 2015.
Voters from Kingston and across Canada cast their ballots in the federal election on Monday. Below are the latest results updated for you in real time.
While residents vote for their local members of parliament, it was Liberal Leader Mark Carney and the Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre who were vying to become the next prime minister.
The majority of polls closed at 9:30 p.m., in Ontario, and at 10:30 p.m. Postmedia’s decision desk projected a Liberal win.
The maps and other graphics below show results as they were counted. Zoom in to find your riding, zoom out to see results from across the country. Refresh your browser for the latest updates.
KINGSTON — If they’re in the right place at the right time
patients at Kingston General Hospital might just come across a blonde
four-legged visitor who frequents the halls of the hospital for a few hours each week to brighten spirits
who volunteers at the hospital each week to share his very social canine friend with those who are either in hospital to work
His own foray into hospital volunteerism began more than a decade ago
when he saw volunteering in hospitals as a way to spend more time near to his wife
Tamkee and Oscar have been brightening people’s days at KGH — the owner admittedly less extroverted than the canine companion
“I do enjoy hearing other people’s stories
either of the pets that they’ve had or what walk of life they come from,” he said
“You certainly get the variety of people coming into KGH
and it adds a little bit to your own story
It gives you some context as to how other people have lived
and potentially how you would like to live your life.”
Behind the scenes at Kingston’s hospitals are hundreds of volunteers who are improving the experiences of both patients and staff on a daily basis
But Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) is in need of an additional cohort of year-round volunteers to help compensate for the seasonal drop in volunteers as students leave St
Lawrence College and Queen’s University for the summer
said that the organization needs another solid 200 year-round volunteers to continue the work being done to make patients’ experiences as smooth and as rewarding as possible when they’re in hospital
“We in particular need year-round volunteers,” she told the Whig-Standard on Wednesday afternoon
“In order to have some more continuity in what we’re offering to patients and staff
which really took a hit during the pandemic.”
Those volunteers play crucial roles to enhancing what can be a sterile and overwhelming experience as people navigate the medical system
Laird said that volunteers are making an impact in patients’ lives before those patients even step foot on hospital property
we really had a bit of an army of volunteers calling patients to make sure that they knew when their appointment was
how to find parking…to help expedite people getting the care they needed,” she said
they are most often greeted by a volunteer at the main entrances and in clinics
“We have volunteers preparing information packages for patients and making sure that they have all the information they require
It’s really from start to finish,” Laird said
“They’re touching people at some point in their health-care journey
Those volunteers represent all walks of life: from the youngest
Laird said the work is then to fit that person in the right place and the right role
“The challenge is matching volunteers to the roles that are available and making sure that they fit their interests and skills and their availability,” she said
making sure that we get the best matches for the individual as well as the organization.”
Volunteers aren’t just helping patients navigate the hospitals
They’re also a warm and comforting presence for those who are in hospital without family
or even to family members who are visiting unwell loved ones
They’re on units and beside beds supporting patients by being present
who are helping with diversion and companionship
and really helping pass the day,” Laird said
does a lot with origami with the youth on BURR 4 (the mental health and addiction care unit)
it takes you out of your head and into doing something really tactile
So some volunteers are doing things like that
or different types of activities that can help patients in their recovery
“There are amazing opportunities to really make a difference.”
A release from KHSC said that volunteers can serve 70 different types of roles across the organization
in three main categories — administrative support
patient-facing roles and wayfinding roles in areas such as the hospital lobbies
“Volunteers play a meaningful role in supporting patients and their families at every stage of their health-care journey,” Alan Archer
director of workforce planning and labour relations at KHSC
our volunteers help foster a more inclusive
Laird sees the fruits of the seeds that volunteers sow in the lives of patients
but she said that the reward is just as great for the person who is giving their time to be a volunteer
“They get so much positive feedback from the patients and families that they do help,” she said
“Sometimes they’re engaging people at one of the most difficult moments of their life
when they walk in to (the emergency room) and they’re trying to find their family member or in the kid
People might be passing away or having life-changing medical events
and having that volunteer who can just sit with them and support them and help guide them through that
Tamkee and Oscar find the interactions rewarding
and Tamkee sees his role as one of empathy
most of us are going to spend some time in a hospital
if I’m ever in there and going out of my mind with boredom or worry that there’d be something or someone to come in there that would help to alleviate that a little bit,” Tamkee said
Content warning: This article contains details of alleged child neglect and the death of an infant
A woman accused of murdering her infant and leaving her toddler son abandoned in an apartment appeared in court last week
Crown attorney Greg Skerkowski expressed his view that the case was dragging on too long and requested
a next appearance in the Judge-led Intensive Case Management Court (JICMC)
Justice of the Peace Nathan Flight presided over courtroom two at the Ontario Court of Justice to hear the matter on Tuesday
whose name is withheld due to a publication ban
appeared from Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene
where she has been incarcerated for much of the time since her initial arrest in May 2024
a publication ban is automatically ordered when a victim of any offence is under 18 years of age
This ban prevents the publication of any information that could identify the victim
The ban is intended to protect the victim’s privacy and well-being
The case has had some lengthy delays for mental health assessments to be conducted on the accused, and a change in defence attorneys representing her. It was established that the case has now been taken on by Mary Cremer of Cremer Law, whose slogan is “We take on the challenging cases that other firms will not handle.” Associate Lawyer Dayna Ackland appeared virtually from Cremer’s office.
Crown attorney Skerkowski expressed his concern about the case’s progress, noting it has been 11 months without a date set for a preliminary inquiry.
“Ms. Cremer is the second counsel on record. There is a previous counsel who got off the case in February, and I was concerned that things had been spinning their wheels since February,” he said.
“And I noted when I sent Cremer an email on the ninth of April, there hadn’t been a request for disclosure from Ms. Cremer.”
Skerkowski asked for confirmation that Cremer’s office had officially been retained. He reiterated the need to move forward, saying the case “should go to the JICMC court.”
“I am requesting assistance from the court regarding the next step for JICMC, and I recommend that it proceed accordingly and will be spoken to by a judge,” he said.
Ackland confirmed that the Cremer firm was retained in early March and had recently received the disclosure. The lawyers agreed to have a Crown pre-trial and continue moving the case forward. Flight ordered a date at JICMC in early May, which will be a virtual appearance.
JICMC is part of the Ontario Court of Justice and was established to address the backlog of cases resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kingston Police reported that officers located the children’s mother at a Napanee address, where she was arrested later that same day, Friday, May 31, 2024. The 32-year-old woman was subsequently charged with criminal negligence causing death, failing to provide the necessities of life, and two counts of abandoning a child under 10 years old.
Due to immense public interest and misinformation on social media, Kingstonist pressed Kingston Police for further information about the other child in this case and the condition of that child. According to police, the two children “left abandoned” in the Russell Street apartment were brothers. Police confirmed again that the deceased child located in the apartment was an infant; they described the other child as “a toddler.”
Police disclosed that it was unclear how long the infant had been deceased prior to being discovered and that the case was “still under investigation.”
“The cause of death is still under investigation, with the help of the Coroner and the Eastern Ontario Regional Forensic Pathology Unit,” Constable Ash Gutheinz told Kingstonist last year.
Gutheinz also addressed the condition of the older child: “The surviving toddler has received medical care and is expected to survive,” he said.
However, as a result of further investigation by the Kingston Police Major Crime Unit, the initial charge of criminal negligence causing death was changed to second-degree murder. On Friday, Sep. 27, 2024, the accused, who was already in custody, was re-arrested by detectives for that charge.
for live coverage of the results as they are released across Eastern Ontario
Postmedia newsrooms from across Eastern Ontario provided live coverage as the polls in the federal election closed on Monday
and Cornwall covered candidates’ events across the ridings of Bay of Quinte
Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes
Here’s the list of the candidates who’ve been campaigning for your support
Most prominently impacted for 2025 was Stormont—Dundas—Glengarry
where the former Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry saw the Township of North Glengarry move from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell into the newly constituted SDG
The region saw several visits from the national party leaders during the campaign