All Welcome Here, Picton, ON (2026)

10/15/2026

The municipal election starts Saturday with advance polling and the opening of online voting!

As a protest nerd who used to march/boycott/agitate for the end of apartheid in South Africa, someone who knows something of Black, Indigenous, and women’s histories in Canada, I cannot begin to express how profoundly important I think voting is. I remember so many across the world who fought and died for their franchise and, for me, it feels disrespectful to my ancestors to not check the box.

It is our right an obligation as citizens to actually affect who our government reps are. Flawed system? Absolutely.

I have been voting for 40 years and never missed an election (ok maybe once when I was out of the country for a while). Genuinely cannot fathom not participating considering how many around the world don’t have the same privilege.

It’s not much of an effort - particularly when you can vote online which means you can vote on your phone. That you’re on right now. Looking at this.

Please remember that there is a ballot question regarding the size of council. In order for those votes to count, we need 50% of eligible voters to vote.

If you vote in Waupoos (North Marysburgh) - please say hi as I’ll be there working on advance and election days!!

Election details:

Option 1: Internet Voting (Remote)

Opens on Saturday, October 17 at 10 am and runs continuously, 24/7, until Monday, October 26 at 8 pm.

How to Vote: Type the web address printed on your Voter Notification Letter (VNL) into your browser. Log in using your unique Voter PIN and Date of Birth.

Option 2: In-Person Voting (Paper Ballot)

Advance Voting Day: Saturday, October 17, 2026 | 10 am – 4 pm
Election Day: Monday, October 26, 2026 | 10 am – 8 pm

Important: In-person voting is ward-specific. Electors must attend their assigned ward location. Electors who attend an unassigned voting location will be redirected.

- Judith 💜

10/13/2026

The other day a friend asked me how I was doing in the wake of the Cornell news.

How AM I doing? How are YOU doing?

Despair, rage, exhaustion. Because it’s so not-new. It’s the same BS that happened when I was in university in the 90s. Coverups, women warning each other who to avoid, schools not taking survivors’ experiences and pain seriously, making the lives of male rapists the most important thing. (Women are 89% and men are 11% of victims.)

Because the r**e acadamy. Because of Dominique Pelicot.

Because of Damien Shanklin and his mom (!!). Because of the 37 men in the Cornell chat who did nothing. Because of the thousands of men participating in learning how to r**e women at the r**e academy. Because of the hundreds of men who saw what Pelicot was doing and did nothing.

Sometimes it’s closer to home. Employers with great policies but when it comes down to it, they shelter predators and sexual harassers. Women’s experiences are given less weight and our right to a safe workplace is …non-existent compared to the man’s right to be free from uncomfortable conversations and having his behaviour challenged.

Participation and silence.

Yeah, yeah, yeah not all men. But we can’t tell by looking who are the men who will stand up.

Arrest and conviction rates for rapists are abysmal, horrifying.

Arrest and conviction rates when the survivor is a person of colour are even worse. Read about Kendall Francis’s case and see if you can manage your fury in the face of this brave sister’s truth and experience. Surprise, it was a football player who ended up with no punishment despite admitting to ra**ng her (allegedly).

Men are 97% of the accused - thanks Statistics Canada.

I hope the men are talking to each other. Challenging and supporting each other to do better, challenge silence, have no tolerance for assault and r**e. Support survivors. I hope.

If you are a survivor of sexual assault and want or need support, please reach out to the amazing people at the Sexual Assault Centre for Quinte and District. SACQD

We believe survivors.

Judith 💜💜

09/21/2026

Sending peace, love, and strength to our neighbours in Belleville who were victims of what appears to be a terrifying hate crime last night.

Last night was the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. A man opened fire on the Sons of Jacob synagogue. He was shot by police and is in hospital. One officer was also shot and is in hospital.

Police were on site.

This is the closest synagogue to Prince Edward County for our Jewish friends, neighbours, family, coworkers to worship at. Please check in with your people and make sure they’re doing ok.

Antisemitism, bigotry, and hate are among the worst impulses we possess. It is beyond horrifying to be targeted and i hope everyone finds the support they need after this trauma.

You can call or text 988 if you are struggling with su***de. If you are a youth, you can reach the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868. You can also call 1-866-531-2600 to reach ConnexOntario for mental health resources.

Please take the best care of yourselves 💜

- Judith

09/10/2026

Next week!!

We’re excited to be leading this workshop in partnership with Prince Edward County and the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan.

When we see something wrong, many of us feel paralyzed and don’t know what to do or how to respond. We want to help make our community a better, safer place but we don’t know where to start.

We’ll be talking through how to stand up and stand strong for our neighbours in specific, practical ways.

This is a free workshop but registration is required (and limited).

Hope to see you there!!

- Judith 💜

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1997613812688

07/09/2026

This isn’t a post about Heated Rivalry, not really. In HR, Japanese-Canadian Yuna Hollander says that watching hockey is the way she felt like a Canadian. That she felt part of the larger community - she belonged.

I don’t feel like that about hockey.

I am 58 and I have never watched a hockey game. There, that’s my big Canadian confession.

HR has made me think about hockey. Irritating.

Did you know 41% of the active players are Canadian? I didn’t. That’s kind of amazing.for our small (population) country. (27% USA, 10% Sweden, 8% Russia) Saying it is Canada’s game is not a lie. If we are the sport and we are the culture, then we have to consider what the racism, sexism, homophobia means about all of us and what we love.

There are about 1070 active NHL players. Of those, there are about 25 - 35 Black players. There are 10-15 Asian players. That is about 3% and 1%.

Pathetic representation. It doesn’t reflect Canada.

(Researching for this was so depressing. The things that some of these players have been subjected to are unreal and - in my opinion - some of them struggle with serious PTSD.)

Hockey seems to be the most politically conservative of the major sports. Playing hockey is very expensive and more and more elitist. It is 95% white. (It can be further and further from communities of colour who tend to have fewer resources.) I think we all saw that revolting conversation with the USA men’s team and the USA president (at the expense of the women’s team).

Does it need to be said that there are good players and fans? Of course there are. But it’s a bit like the US men’s team - not all of them made the jokes, but too many of them laughed. Not one of them spoke up.

Brothers, sisters, siblings, if you want to play hockey, or just love watching, I support you with my whole heart. Find your joy. Maybe support the PWHL.

But I’s a no from me, dog. Heated Rivalry is the only hockeyverse I’m into.

For fun, here are some of my favourite light HR memes, only a little spicy. Last one is a bit of a spoiler for seasons 2 & 3/The Long Game.

- Judith 💜💜💜

06/12/2026

Thank you so much to everyone involved in our 2026 POCnic!! The day was gorgeous, the food was incredible, and the company was phenomenal 💜

Special thanks to Paper Kite farms for being our hosts with the mostest. Even more thanks to Hans for giving us a fabulous farm tour and answering so, so many questions. And bro, that arugula is fantastic!!

Thanks also to Paper Kite | Judy & Hans 👩🏻‍🌾🧑🏻‍🌾 DIVE IN CHARM ORDER UP CARIBBEAN and The Cookie Mama - home of the giant skillet cookie 🍪. Everthing was so delicious and we were well fed indeed. 💜

Of course thanks to each and every person who came out. It’s always wonderful to connect with other County BIPOC friends and neighbours (and their friends and family). We saw old friends and made new ones and just enjoyed being with each other.

- Judith 💜💜

05/30/2026

5th Annual POCnic - next Saturday!!

Cost: nothing. Eat, drink and be merry 😃

This year, Judy and Hans at Paper Kite Farm are our hosts and we’re so excited!! They will be giving us a farm tour. Even if you don’t farm, I think it’s always super interesting to get insight into where our food comes from. Plus sheep!!

Speaking of: No dogs this year as we’re on-farm and there are working farm dogs.

This year, we’re featuring amazing food from , , .farm and, of course, .pec. Would it even be a POCnic without Cookie Mama?!

If you’d like to bring a dish for sharing, that’s fabulous! Please remember to bring along a sign with the ingredient list for allergies and preferences. There is NO pressure to bring anything - this is a free event and the joy is in seeing everyone and meeting new friends. 💜

When: June 6 from 12-3pm
Where: Paper Kite Farm - 212 County Rd 16
What: The POCnic is a picnic for the PEC BIPOC community
Why: This gives the BIPOC community the opportunity to connect, enjoy good food, music and relax and laugh in good company!
Who: Anyone that identifies as BIPOC and their close friends & family members (BIPOC or not)

Please share this post

- Judith💜💜

04/20/2026

Hoo boy. Here we go again?

Tomorrow night, County Council is set to receive a deputation requesting that JAM statue be returned to Picton Main Street.

I know that the County now has a Public Art Policy. It also has a process for public art on public and PRIVATE property in Picton and Wellington. Both are officially designated as Heritage Conservation Districts.

I know that pretty much anyone can go to Council and talk to them about whatever that want (within reason I’m sure). Yay democracy. Seriously.

It’s been almost 5 years since the statue was finally removed. Now someone wants to “Save Our History” and bring it back. I think we all know what they mean by “Our.”

Back then, an entire working group heard from various County residents, some experts, and just interested people. Eventually, Council did vote to remove it. But please remember that they first voted to keep it there and only changed their minds following public pressure.

Sitting on that working group was rough. Some testimonies were devastating and some outright felt that my humanity was lesser than theirs.

I won’t speak for any other members but I experienced multiple racist attacks by a member of the working group. I also had to deal with members of Council trying to get me fired from The County (from my (then) 1-day-a-week job).

It has to be said that there were lots of positives and amazing support from some on Council, County staff and so, so many folks in our community.

This makes me feel so tired and sad, thinking about having to go down this painful road again. We worked hard to try and help us all to be intentional about supporting and building on a community where we all belong. Even if that means not having your very expensive bronze chunk sitting out on the street.

Public space belongs to all of us. Removing statues does not erase history. Reconciliation means action and stepping out of privilege and entitlement.

So, I’ll be at the meeting tomorrow and I hope you’ll let your councillor know what you think. I’m sure I’ll see some of you in chambers

- Judith 💜

04/18/2026

We’re excited to be partnering with The Prince Edward County Arts Council (County Arts) and offering support to local BIPOC artists and BIPOC residents who want to do some creative learning! We have 3 scholarships to give away - first come, first served.

This is limited to BIPOC artists who live in the County (part or full time).

WHAT: take any late spring session class with County Arts and the class fees are taken care of! More info here: https://countyarts.ca/community-arts-classes/

HOW: send us an email to [email protected] and let us know who you are and where you live - name, address, and let us know you’re BIPOC. First three get the scholarship and we will send you a special registration code within 5 days. You don’t need to specify what class you want to take in the email.

IMPORTANT to know:
- you must register by June 1st or the scholarship will expire and be given to the next applicant.
- scholarships are only for the late spring session
- check County Arts for any age limits and for further information.
- This scholarship pays a maximum of $277, including materials.

- Judith 💜

All Welcome Here

10/15/2026

10/13/2026

09/21/2026

09/10/2026

07/09/2026

06/12/2026

05/30/2026

04/20/2026

04/18/2026

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request