With over 1,300 supporters, momentum is still climbing! Thank you to everyone who has signed and shared. It may seem like a small act, but it adds up to making a difference: big media outlets are picking up the story, influencers are sharing the petition, and neighbours are talking!

Today, a well-written piece came out in The Toronto Star. Check out the snippet served up on Google describing the article:

"Why this Ontario region just made a historic unforced error: The mistake that Halton Regional Council made last month should never be repeated"

Thank you to Toronto-based author and historian Jamie Bradburn for authoring such excellent coverage of the situation on such a large stage.

The article is paywalled, but the introductory sentence says it all:

"In an era rife with misinformation, in which governments increasingly attempt to control their jurisdictions’ historical narratives, public archives have become more important than ever. As repositories of the past, they serve to collect our stories of progress and recount the mistakes we’ve made along the way. They provide vital information to help us make better decisions about the future. They create a sense of community, identity and continuity.

It’s a shame Halton Regional Council doesn’t share this point of view."

Halton Hills Mayor Anne Lawlor posted a public statement today, too, apparently after hearing concern from the community. While we applaud that Mayor Lawlor is the only Halton Region Councillor or leadership figure to speak publicly on the issue, the memo unfortunately missed the point of what we're all concerned about. Instead of answering the questions about WHY Heritage Services is shutting down and WHAT we can do alternatively, it simply describes how the 30,000+ artifacts will be passed on to local organizations to manage. 

We know and have heard from these local organizations that they don't have the funds, people, time, or systems to intake all these items. Many of them, in fact, have signed this very petition. And based on the Region's plan, that means they'll be auctioned off or discarded. 

Please continue sharing and advocating!

Kevin