Before grocery stores reopened in snow-covered St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on Tuesday, locals took to the age-old, yet ingenious way of surviving — bartering.
Faced with shuttered stores for four days and a state of emergency there was little else people could do.
When Andie Bulman, a chef and caterer with the Artist Cafe, wanted to make some blueberry crumble, she put a post on Facebook asking for butter and brown sugar, in exchange for top-quality tonic water. However, exchanging alcohol seemed to garner the most success.
“I’ve been doing dry January, so I mostly used my booze as leverage,” Bulman said. “I traded vodka for butter, gin for butter, rum for butter.”
Bulman wasn’t alone. Many people in the provincial capital region of nearly 180,000 were caught off guard by the storm that virtually shut down the city. That’s why there were massive queues to get into stores when they finally reopened. Even with the city advising people to buy enough food for 48 hours – some were too daunted to wait in line and others, by the time they made it to the stores, found some shelves practically empty.
Hence the bartering done in person and through social media may continue. Cigarettes, beer, and chips quickly became storm currency during the past few days.
Lea Mary Movelle posted to a Facebook group making an earnest request for toilet paper in exchange for alcohol.
“We’ve been lucky enough that it’s the only thing we’ve run low on, and the community quickly rallied to get us several rolls,” she said. “Most people didn’t even want our booze! The offer is still good though.”
It’s really important to make sure that everyone is taken care of
With plenty of alcohol and weed exchanging hands, some expect there could be a mini baby boom in nine months time. However, contraceptives were also bartered for, so that may not come to pass.
A post by Kathryn Burke on Facebook about bartering led to a seemingly timely save. When she learned a wheelchair-bound woman living in a senior’s complex was running low on her diabetic pills, she set out to help. Several phone calls and social media messages later, a bag of chocolates, veggies and sausages were delivered to assist her out until she could get her pills.
What many have realized is how precarious island living can be – especially if supplies aren’t available.
It didn’t take long for Steph Power who is part of the St. John’s food-sharing co-op Stone Soup to realize people in her neighbourhood were looking for goods. Baby formula, over-the-counter medication such as Tylenol and Advil, and menstrual supplies were all in demand. And, of course, so was food – namely milk and eggs.
A resident shovels snow in St. John’s on Jan. 19, 2020, following a major storm.
Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press
Aware that not everyone was comfortable asking for help publicly, the ad-hoc group, which formed during the state of emergency, put a bin full of non-perishables such as pasta, canned food and cereal out on a snowbank on the corner of Barter’s Hill and Cabot Street downtown with a sign that said: ‘Take some or leave some.’ The contents were quickly snapped up.
“I think in a time of crisis it’s really important to make sure that everyone is taken care of, regardless of if you know them or not,” Power said.
More bins have since popped up across the city becoming tangible displays of communal support and reminders of the insecurity of living on an island.
Meanwhile, about 450 troops continue to dig the city and region out.
Most businesses other than groceries stores in St. John’s were directed to remain closed on Tuesday, with exceptions for gas stations and some pharmacies. The city said it would allow the St. John’s International Airport to resume flights Wednesday at 5 a.m.
Some grocery stores will also open during the day again, enabling people to stock up on necessities and bartering goods until the state of emergency is lifted.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
