G I G N U L MA
MASENYGUN
Tel: (613) 232-001
Email: [email protected]
Fax: (613) 232-1977
www.gignulhousing.org
NATIONAL ABORIGINAL DAY
VOLUME 18, ISSUE 6
JUNE 2015
National Aboriginal Day (NAD) takes place on June 21. It is a special day to celebrate
the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations,
Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
•
National Aboriginal
Day
•
Spring & Summer
Fire Safety Tips
•
Responsibility For
Dead Squirrel Disposal A Matter of
Location, Practicality
•
To Prevent Home
Fires
•
Groundbreaking
Ceremony For 2015
Aboriginal Build
•
For Home/Summer
Safety Tips
•
Recipe Of The Month
•
Pay & Win Winner
•
Joke Corner
Celebrate Canada is a four-day celebration that begins on June 21 with National Aboriginal Day, continues with Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24) and Canadian Multiculturalism Day (June 27), and comes to a spectacular finish on Canada Day (July 1).
Take advantage of Celebrate Canada activities to get together in your communities, to
discover and appreciate the wealth and diversity of Canadian society, and show your
love of Canada and your pride in being Canadian!
SPRING & SUMMER FIRE SAFETY TIPS
IN THE HOUSE
> Test your smoke and
carbon monoxide detectors, change batteries immediately if needed.
> Check your fire extinguishers.
> Check for overloaded or
damaged extension cords,
replace where needed.
> Ensure you have an
emergency preparedness
kit in case of incidents
such as power outages
and flooding.
> Practice your families
fire escape plan so everyone knows what to do in
case of an emergency.
> Windows should be
checked to ensure they
open and c lose properly,
in case they are needed
as an exit.
> Properly stored household chemicals and never
mix cleaning agents.
> Recycle: Get rid of old
newspapers, magazines
and hunk mail. These
items tend to pile up and
can greatly contribute to
the severity and spread of
fire.
> Check and clean filters
above stove.
> Pull refrigerator out and
vacuum or dust the coils.
> Always keep stairs &
landings clear for safe
evacuation in event of an
emergency.
FACT: COOKING IS THE
NUMBER ONE CAUSE
OF RESIDENTIAL FIRES
IN ONTARIO
(continued to page 3)
PAGE 2
GIGNUL MASENYGUN
RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEAD SQUIRREL DISPOSAL A MATTER
OF LOCATION, PRACTICALITY
QUESTION
I recently went outside my rental unit
to find a dead squirrel on the lawn.
The landlord asked me to dispose of
the body myself. Shouldn’t he be
responsible? Also, just because a
tenant does not tightly close the lids
on the garbage cans and green bin,
does that make the tenant responsible for cleaning up the mess caused
if animals get in? Finally, if a tenant
leaves recycling bins outside too
long after pickup and they go missing, who should pay to replace
them?
ANSWER
The legal obligation to remove a
dead squirrel (or any debris left by
nature) generally depends on where
the squirrel or debris is found. If it is
within a private use area such as a
private patio area behind a garden
home, then it would be the responsibility of the tenant who has the exclusive use of the area.
However, if the squirrel or debris is
in a common area, then the legal
responsibility is the landlord’s. Landlords would clear such debris when
they maintain the common area,
such as when they cut the grass.
Even in a common area, if the squirrel was killed by a cat or dog owned
by a tenant, it would be tenant’s duty
to clean up after their pet.
A practical issue arises if the common area is the backyard of a duplex
or triplex and the landlord does not
live there. Then, most reasonable
tenants would pick up the dead
squirrel or other debris so that they
can have a clean, sanitary backyard
immediately, without asking the landlord to travel to do that minor
cleanup.
As to garbage strewn around, if the
reason for the mess was due to the
tenant’s failure to properly close the
garbage and green bin lids, the responsibility is the tenant’s. However,
if the mess is in a common area, as
between tenants of other units in the
complex, the responsibility to ensure
the area is cleaned is the landlord’s.
If the landlord can tell who was responsible for the problem immediately, the landlord can ask them to
clean up the mess. If it takes more
than a brief inquiry to find the responsible party, then the landlord
should do the cleanup, and deal with
the tenant who is at fault later.
After identifying the tenant at fault,
and giving them a chance to tell their
side of the story, a common first step
would be to back charge the tenant a
reasonable amount for the cleanup.
Landlords can give notices of termination to tenants who fail to clean up
common areas after making them
dirty.
The recycling bin issue is a little
trickier, because there is a general
principle of law that a person is not
responsible for the wrongful act of a
third party; the tenant is not typically
responsible if the bin is stolen. That
would leave the landlord to replace
the bin, since it is up to the landlord
to provide a recycling bin and a garbage bin that seals.
However, people can be held responsible for the wrongful act of a
third party if their negligence contributed to the wrong doing. The tenant
would be negligent if they had known
or ought to have known that there
was a recycling bin thief in the
neighbourhood. The landlord will
probably have to pay for the first replacement, but the tenant should be
on the hook for any subsequent
losses due to leaving the bin out too
long.
SOURCE: DICKIE & LYMAN LLP
WHO PRACTICE LANDLORD/
TENANT LAW AND OTHER
AREAS OF LAW
TO PREVENT HOME FIRES
Speaking of sleeping well at night,
here are some tips to keep your
bedroom safe.
•
•
•
Never smoke in bed.
Don’t use a laptop computer in
bed -- it can overheat and
start your blankets on fire.
Check cords on lamps, alarm
clocks and any other electrical
appliance in the room.
•
•
Dust ceiling fans regularly and
used canned air to blow out
the dust in the motor.
Make sure any closet lights
have a fixture cover.
VOLUME 18, ISSUE 6
PAGE 3
GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR 2015
ABORIGINAL BUILD
This groundbreaking ceremony was
held on Monday, May 25th for Habitat for Humanity’s new house being
built for an Aboriginal family. The
construction will start in June and
should be ready by Fall 2015.
The event began with a smudging
ceremony and opening prayer by
Grandmother/Elder Irene Lindsay, a
traditional song by Elaine
Kicknosway and ended with a moving speech by Barb’s daughter Pam.
We had a great turnout with Mayor Jim Watson, Marc Maracle, the Executive Director of Gignul Non-Profit Housing
Corporation, our Partner Family Barb Wolfe and her daughters, members of Ottawa’s Aboriginal Community, the team
from PCL and many of our volunteers. Congratulations to Barb Wolfe and daughters Pamela and Hannah!
SPRING & SUMMER FIRE SAFETY TIPS
> Keep a proper-fitting pot lid near
the stove when cooking. If a pot
catches fire, slide the lid over the pot
and turn the stove. Do not move the
pan.
> Wear tight-fitting or rolled up
sleeves when using the stove.
Loose, dangling clothing can easily
catch fire. If your clothing catches
fire, stop, drop to the ground and roll
over and over to put out the fire.
> Keep combustible items such as
cooking utensils, dishcloths, paper
towels and pot holders a safe distance from the stove.
> Keep children away from the
stove. Make sure electrical cords are
not dangling from countertops,
where they could be pulled over by
small children.
> Cool a burn by running cool water
over the would for 3 to 5 minutes. If
(continued from front page)
the burn is severe, seek medical attention.
ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO
> Stay in the kitchen and p ay attention when cooking!
> Drink responsibly when cooking.
> If a fire occurs, get out immediately and call 911
And Remember E Always use a
flashlight not a candle for emergency
lighting. Some smoke alarms may be
dependent on your home’s electrical
service and could be inoperative during a power outage. Check to see if
your smoke alarm uses a back-up
battery and install a new battery at
least once a year. Smoke alarms
should be installed on every level of
your home and inside and outside of
sleeping areas. All smoke alarms
should be tested monthly. All batter-
ies should be replaced with new
ones at least once a year. If there is
a fire hydrant near your home, keep
it clear of debris for easy access
by the fire department.
BBQ TIPS
> All barbecue grills must be used
outdoors, using grills indoors or in
enclosed spaces is not only a fire
hazard, but it exposes occupants to
toxic gasses and potential asphyxiation.
> Always position the grill well
away from combustibles objects
buildings, fences, deck railings and
landscaping can easily and quickly
ignite.
> Get your grill cleaned and serviced. Check all propane tanks an d
lines for leaks and damage.
> Never leave a lit grill unattended.
FOR HOME/SUMMER SAFETY TIPS
FOR HOME SAFETY
The RCMP has a list of safety tips
for people to remember when travelling out of town this summer.
They recommend that residents
have someone stay in their home
while they are away, to ensure the
home looks occupied to deter
thieves. Mowing the lawn regularly
and parking in the driveway also
discourages theft.
Ensuring all doors and windows
are locked and secured before
leaving allows for peace of mind
while homeowners or tenants are
gone.
Avoid putting travel plans on social
media, as well as “checking in”
with locations to limit the number
of people who know the property is
empty.
The RCMP suggest avoiding leaving ladders, tools, or anything that
can be used to gain access to the
residence outside, and endorse
having someone collect the mail
regularly, or having it held at the
post office.
Armed security devices can alert
authorities to a break in or damage
to the residence within minutes,
and having automatic timers for
lights contributes to the illusion of a
lived in house.
items are stolen from a residence.
Citizens are encouraged to look out
for their neighbours and to alert authorities if they see anything suspicious.
SUMMER SAFETY
When schools close for the summer
and families begin taking their annual vacations, the burglars come
out to play.
Traditionally crime spikes in the
summer months. Here are some
common-sense tips that can give
you some peace of mind while
you’re sunning on the beach.
Lock vehicles when not in use. Place
all valuables in the trunk compartment, or better yet, take them inside
your home.
Do not leave valuable items (i.e.
mowers, leaf blowers, chainsaws,
etc.) unattended in the your yard or
visible in the carport.
Secure and lock gates, garage doors
and storage shed doors after each
use.
Remember to close and lock your
doors and windows when you are
away from home, regardless of how
long you’ll be away.
Keep your bicycles and sports equipment inside a closed garage or
house when not in use.
Finally, keeping records and photos of important items and serial
numbers can help with recovery if
When on vacation, carry only those
credit and debit cards that you absolutely need; leave all others secured
at home or in a bank deposit box.
JOKE CORNER
Q. Why does a blonde smile in a lightning
storm?
A. They think their getting their picture
taken.
Q: What is the tallest building in the entire
world?
A: The library, because it has so many
stories.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Cherry Tomato Cucumber Feta
Salad
Ingredients
2-3 cups of cherry/or pear tomatoes,
sliced in half
1 cup of chopped cucumber, peeled,
seeded
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tbsp chiffonaded mint leaves
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots or
green onions
2 tsp olive oil
Coarse salt & pepper to taste
Method
Gently toss the tomatoes, cucumber,
feta, onions, mint, and oregano together. Dress with lemon juice, olive
oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 2-4
PAY & WIN
CONGRATULATIONS TO
NICOLE WHITEDUCK
FOR JUNE’S
PAY & WIN WINNER!
Tenants in the future, please
call the office to see if your
gift certificate is ready before coming to the office.
Thank you