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Regional Municipality of Waterloo

The Regional Municipality of Waterloo (Waterloo Region or Region of Waterloo) is a metropolitan area of Southern Ontario, Canada. It contains the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo (KWC or Tri-Cities), and the townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Kitchener, the largest city, is the seat of government.

The region is 1,369 sqkm in area, with a population of 587,165 as of the 2021 Canada census, though an end of 2023 estimate puts the population above 673,910 people. Waterloo Region forms the tenth-largest metropolitan area in Canada, with recent population growth almost entirely fuelled by international students. In 2016, the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge area was rated Canada's third-best area to find full-time employment.

The region was formerly called Waterloo County, created in 1853 and dissolved in 1973. The county consisted of five townships: North Dumfries, Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich.

History
Early Archaic hunters of the Bifurcate Base tradition were present in the area around 8300 years ago. They occupied the Kassel site (AiHd-71), a base camp, and the Blue Dart site (AiHd-89), which was likely a kill site; this followed typical hunter-gatherer occupation patterns.

Up to the 17th century, the Attawandaron (Neutral) nation inhabited the Grand River area. European explorers admired their farming practices.

In the wake of a smallpox epidemic and European incursions, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and the Wendat (Huron) Confederacies waged war from 1642 to 1650. Invasion by the Haudenosaunee's Seneca and Mohawk nations ended Attawandaron independence.

In 1784, in recognition of Haudenosaunee support during the American War of Independence and the consequent loss of its land in New York state, the British government granted the Grand River valley to the Confederacy. The latter settled in the lower Grand River Valley, the present Brant County, and sold land in the upper Grand, now part of Waterloo Township, to Loyalist Colonel Richard Beasley. In 1816, William Dickson, a Scottish-born land speculator, acquired 90000 acre along the Grand River, in present North and South Dumfries Townships, and the city of Cambridge.

North and South Dumfries Townships
Dickson planned to divide the tract into lots to sell to Scottish settlers. He and American-born miller, Absalom Shade, chose the confluence of Mill Creek and the Grand River to found Shade's Mills. In 1825, the growing settlement had a post office.

Despite settlers' reluctance, Dickson renamed the settlement Galt in honour of John Galt, a Scottish novelist and Canada Company Commissioner. Galt's visit in 1827 brought wider acceptance to the name change.

Initially serving local farmers, Galt's industrial development in the late 1830s eventually earned it the nickname "The Manchester of Canada". It remained the area's main town until Berlin overtook it at the beginning of the 20th century.

Pre-modern era
According to the City of Waterloo, indigenous people lived in the area, including the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and the Neutral Nation.

One report states that at least two "aboriginal settlements from the 1500s can now be identified near Schneider and Strasburg Creeks" in Kitchener. The finds include the remains of a First Nations village, estimated to be 500 years old, discovered in 2010 in the Strasburg Creek area with "artifacts going back as far as 9,000 years". In 2020, a site at Fischer-Hallman Road was found to include artifacts from a "Late Woodland Iroquois village" that was inhabited circa 1300 to 1600. Archeologists found some 35,000 objects including stone tools and a 4,000 year old arrowhead.

1800 to 1820

Settlement of the later Waterloo Township started in 1800 (in an area that is now Kitchener) by Joseph Schoerg (later called Sherk) and Samuel Betzner Jr. (brothers-in-law), Mennonites, from Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Joseph Schoerg and his wife settled on Lot No.11, B.F. Beasley Block, S.R., on the bank of the Grand River opposite Doon, and Betzner and his wife settled on the west bank of the Grand River, on a farm near an area that is now the village of Blair.

As of March 2021, the homes built by these families' next generation still stand on Pioneer Tower Road, Kitchener. Built circa 1830, they are listed as historically important: the John Betzner homestead (restored) and the David Schoerg farmstead (not yet restored).

Other settlers followed, mostly from Pennsylvania, and also purchased land in Block Number 2, German Company Tract from Richard Beasley who had acquired a massive territory previously owned by the Six Nations.

The first school opened in 1802 near the village of Blair, then known as Shinglebridge; it became part of Preston, Ontario and then part of Cambridge, Ontario. The first teacher's name was Mr. Rittenhaus.

After 1803, many Pennsylvania pioneers bought lots from the German Company, established by Mennonites from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The 60,000-acre section included most of Block 2 of the former Grand River Indian Lands acquired by Beasley and previously owned by the Six Nations Indians. Many farms were 400 or more acres in size.

Most settlers before 1830 were Pennsylvania Mennonites, ethnically Pennsylvania Dutch; note that during the 1700s, "Dutch" referred to people and languages of the area that is now The Netherlands as well as the area that is now northwest Germany and the lowlands along the Rhine. The Pennsylvania Dutch dialect has similarities to the Palatine German dialects of the Upper Rhine Valley in Rhineland-Palatinate state around Mainz, Ludwigshafen, but also as far as parts of Alsace-Lorriane in today's France.

By the early 1800s, a corduroy road had been built along what is now King Street in Waterloo; its remains were unearthed in 2016. The road was probably built by Mennonites using technology acquired in Lancaster County Pennsylvania, between the late 1790s and 1816. The log road was buried in about 1840 and a new road built on top of it. A historian explained that the road had been built for access to the mill but was also "one of the first roads cut through (the woods) so people could start settling the area".

In 1806, Abraham Erb, from Franklin County, bought 900 acres (360 ha) from the German Company in what would be later part of the City of Waterloo. The putative founder of the city, Erb built a sawmill in 1808 and a gristmill in 1816; the latter operated for 111 years and still stands in Waterloo Park.

Benjamin Eby arrived from Lancaster County in 1806. The putative founder of Kitchener, he purchased a large tract in that area. The settlement, Ebytown, was on the south-east side of present-day Queen Street. Ordained a Mennonite pastor in 1809, and later a bishop, Eby oversaw the building of the first church in 1813 and the confession's subsequent growth. Many Mennonite meeting houses, or places of worship, were basic frame buildings, a structure still common among Old Order Mennonites in rural Waterloo Region. Settlers often held a "bee" to help newcomers erect large buildings, a custom that persists today among traditional Mennonite communities. In 1806, Joseph Schneider, of south German stock, arrived from Lancaster County. He bought lot 17 of the German Company Tract of block 2. A farmer, he helped build what became "Schneider's Road". By 1816, he had built a sawmill.

In 1807, Pennsylvanians John and Jacob Erb, among others, purchased 45,195 acres (182.9 km2) of Block 3 (Woolwich township).

The War of 1812 interrupted immigration from the United States. The pacifist Mennonite settlers were employed in camps, hospitals and transportation.

Samuel and Elia Schneider arrived in 1816.

A network of small settlements emerged. Abram Weber settled on the corner of later King and Wilmot Streets, and David Weber by the later Grand Trunk Railway station.

Benjamin Eby encouraged manufacturers to move to Ebytown. Jacob Hoffman arrived around 1830 to start the regions's first furniture factory.

1820 to 1852

Immigration continued strongly in the 1820s, driven by a severe agricultural depression in Lancaster County. John Eby, druggist and chemist, arrived from Pennsylvania about 1820 and opened a shop west of present-day Eby Street. In the same year, after clearing a farm and creating a rough road, Joseph Schneider built a frame house on the south side of the future Queen Street; the renovated home still stands. The settlement around "Schneider's Road" became the nucleus of Berlin.

In 1830, Phineas Varnum established the centre of later Berlin (Kitchener). Leasing land from Joseph Schneider, he opened a blacksmith shop on the site of the later Walper House (now the Walper Hotel ). A tavern and store opened there at the same time. Still considered a hamlet, Ebytown became Berlin in 1833.

By 1830, the village of Preston was a thriving business centre under the impulse of Jacob Hespeler, a native of Württemberg. He later moved to the village of New Hope, renamed Hespeler in 1857 in recognition of his enterprise and public service. Jacob Beck, from the Grand Duchy of Baden, founded the village of Baden in Wilmot Township and started a foundry and machine shop. Jacob Beck was the father of Sir Adam Beck, founder of the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario.

By 1835, many immigrants were coming to Waterloo County from Germany and the British Isles. The Germans settled in areas like New Germany in the Lower Block of Block Two. In 1835, some 70% of the population was Mennonite; by 1851, that number had declined to 26% of a much larger population.

The county's first newspaper, Canada Museum und Allgemeine Zeitung, came off the press on August 27, 1835. Written mostly in German with some English articles, it was published for five years.

By the 1840s, the growing German-speaking population had made the area a popular choice for German immigrants. They founded communities in the south of the Mennonite area. The largest was Berlin (now Kitchener).

In 1841, the population count was 4,424. Smith's Canadian Gazetteer of 1846 states that the population of Waterloo Township, within Waterloo County, consisted primarily of Pennsylvania Mennonites and German immigrants who had brought money with them. Many spoke no English. There were now eight grist and twenty saw mills in the township. In 1846 the village of Waterloo had a population of 200, "mostly Germans". It had a grist mill, a sawmill and some tradesmen. Berlin (Kitchener) had a population of about 400, also "mostly German", and more tradesmen than the village of Waterloo.

After 1852

Previously part of the United County of Waterloo, Wellington and Grey, Waterloo became a separate entity in 1853, with five townships. Galt and Berlin contended to be the county seat; one requirement was the construction of a courthouse and jail. When local merchant Joseph Gaukel donated a small portion of his land for that purpose at the corner of present current Queen and Weber streets, Berlin was selected. A courthouse and gaol were built within a few months.

The first county council meeting was held in the new facility on 24 January 1853. Both buildings figure in the Canadian Register of Historic Places. The council included 12 members from the five townships and two villages; Dr. John Scott was appointed as the first warden (reeve). In the following years, the region's physical and social infrastructure developed to include roads, bridges, agricultural societies, markets, and schools.

The Grand Trunk railway reached Berlin in 1856, accelerating industrial growth. Over the next decade, comfortable homes replaced the early settlers' log cabins.

House of Industry and Refuge
In 1869, the county built a large "Poorhouse" with an attached farm, the House of Industry and Refuge. It accommodated some 3,200 people before being closed down in 1951 and later demolished. Located on Frederick St. in Kitchener, behind the now Frederick Street Mall, it sought to help indigents and convicts before social welfare programmes became available. A 2009 report by the Toronto Star stated that "pauperism was considered a moral failing that could be erased through order and hard work".

Electric streetcar
A new streetcar system, the Galt, Preston and Hespeler electric railway (later called the Grand River Railway) began operation in 1894, connecting Preston and Galt. In 1911, the line reached Hespeler, Berlin (Kitchener) and Waterloo; by 1916 it had been extended to Brantford/Port Dover. The electric rail system ended passenger services in April, 1955.

German heritage

Some sources estimate that roughly 50,000 European Germans arrived in the Waterloo area from 1830 to 1860. Unlike the largely German-speaking Mennonites from Pennsylvania, the later arrivals –  from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and present day and Poland, France and Russia, were of other denominations. The first groups were predominantly Roman Catholic; those who arrive later were primarily Lutheran.

In 1862, German-speaking groups held a Sängerfest ("Singer Festival") that attracted an estimated 10,000 people. The festival continued for several years.

By 1863, Berlin's German population exceeded 2,000. the community started the Friedenfest to celebrate the German victory in the Franco-Prussian war. The event continued annual until the start of World War I.

By 1871, nearly 55 percent of the population had German origins, including the Pennsylvania Mennonites and European Germans. This group greatly outnumbered the Scots (18 per cent), the English (12.6 per cent) and the Irish (8 per cent). Berlin, Ontario was a bilingual town, with German being the dominant language spoken. More than one visitor commented on the necessity of speaking German in Berlin.

In 1897, the Canadians with origins in Germany raised funds to erect a large monument, with a bronze bust of Kaiser Wilhelm I, in Victoria Park. The monument would be destroyed by townspeople just after the start of World War I.

By the early 1900s, northern Waterloo County – the Kitchener, Waterloo, Elmira area – exhibited a strong German culture and those of German origin made up a third of the population in 1911. Lutherans were the primary religious group. There were nearly three times as many Lutherans as Mennonites at that time. The latter primarily resided in the rural areas and small communities.

Before and during World War I, there was some anti-German sentiment in Canada and some cultural sanctions on the community, particularly in Berlin, Ontario. However, by 1919 most of the population of what would become Kitchener-Waterloo and Elmira were Canadian by birth; over 95 percent had been born in Ontario. Those of the Mennonite religion were pacifist, so they could not enlist, while others who were not born in Canada refused to fight against the country of their birth. Anti-German sentiment during World War I was the primary reason for renaming Berlin Kitchener in 1916 to honour British Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, who had died that year when his cruiser was sunk by a German submarine.

The Waterloo Pioneer Memorial Tower built in 1926 commemorates the settlement by the Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch or Pennsylvania German) of the Grand River area in what later became Waterloo County.

The region is still home to the largest population of Old Order Mennonites in Canada, particularly in the areas around St Jacobs and Elmira.

Over time, after WW II, the anti-German sentiment faded. The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest event, with beer halls and German entertainment, and a large parade, was established in 1969 to honour the Region's German heritage. The events typically attract an average of 700,000 people to the county. During the 2016 Oktoberfest parade, an estimated 150,000 people lined the streets along the route.

In the year 2000, the Government of Ontario declared an annual German Pioneers Day to recognize the achievements of settlers from Germany. Each year since then, the Waterloo Region area honours the current families of several such pioneers who had settled in the area.

The Waterloo region remained predominantly German-speaking until the early 20th century, and its German heritage is reflected in the region's large Lutheran community and the annual Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest.

There are still traditional Mennonite communities located north of Kitchener-Waterloo. While the best known is St. Jacobs, with its very popular thrice-weekly outdoor market, the community of Linwood has attracted increased tourist volume in recent years due to its highly authentic Mennonite lifestyle.

Restructuring
In 1973, the regional municipality style of government was imposed on the county by the provincial government. The cities of Galt, Kitchener, and Waterloo were previously independent single tier municipalities prior to joining the newly formed regional municipality. In that major reorganization, the fifteen towns and townships of the county were reduced to just seven in the new Region of Waterloo. The new city of Cambridge was created through the amalgamation of the City of Galt, the towns of Preston and Hespeler, the Village of Blair, and various parcels of township land. One township vanished when the former Waterloo Township was divided among Woolwich Township and the three cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge. The settlement of Bridgeport was annexed to the city of Kitchener. The settlement of Erbsville was annexed to the city of Waterloo. The former county government was given broader powers as a regional municipality.

Regardless of the resistance, the amalgamation proceeded and became effective 1 January 1973, creating the Region of Waterloo, with Jack A. Young appointed by the provincial government as the first Regional Chair. The region took over many services, including police, waste management, recreation, planning, roads and social services.

Further municipal amalgamation began discussions in the 1990s, with little progress. In late 2005, Kitchener's city council voted to visit the subject again, with the possibility of reducing the seven constituent municipalities into one or more cities. A new proposal in 2010 would study only the merger of Kitchener and Waterloo, with a public referendum on whether the idea should be looked into. Kitchener residents voted 2–1 in favour of studying the merger while Waterloo residents voted 2–1 against. Waterloo city council voted against the study.

Government

The region's governing body is the 16 member Waterloo Regional Council. The council consists of the Regional Chair, the mayors of the seven cities and townships, and eight additional councillors – four from Kitchener and two each from Cambridge and Waterloo.

Beginning in 1978, the Regional Chair was appointed for a 2-year term by the councillors, who were elected by the citizens of Waterloo Region. James E. (Jim) Gray was appointed in 1978. In 1982, the Chair's term was extended to 3 years and Jim Gray was appointed for his third term. He retired in 1985. Ken Seiling held the position of Regional Chair from 1985 to 2018, when he declined to run again for the seat. His successor is Karen Redman.

Beginning with the 1997 election, the citizens of Waterloo Region have directly elected the chair. Of the nine regional municipalities in Ontario, Waterloo Region and the Regional Municipality of Halton are the only ones that allow for direct election of the chair.

Communities
Within the townships are many communities. Some were once independent and had their own reeves and councils but lost this status in amalgamation. These communities include: Ayr, Baden, Bloomingdale, Breslau, Conestogo, Doon, Elmira, Freeport, Heidelberg, Mannheim, Maryhill, New Dundee, New Hamburg, Petersberg, Roseville, St. Agatha, St. Clements, St. Jacobs, Wellesley, West Montrose, and Winterbourne.

Demographics
As a census division in the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Regional Municipality of Waterloo had a population of $587,165$ living in $222,426$ of its $233,253$ total private dwellings, a change of NaN% from its 2016 population of $535,154$. With a land area of 1370.07 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Historic populations:
 * Population in 2016: 535,154
 * Population in 2011: 507,096
 * Population in 2006: 478,121
 * Population in 2001: 438,515
 * Population in 1996: 405,435

Immigrants accounted for 22.6% of the region's total population according to the 2016 Canadian Census, while visible minorities accounted for 19.0% of the region's total population.

Education

Waterloo Region is home to the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Conestoga College. For a list of all elementary and secondary schools in the area, see the List of Waterloo Region, Ontario schools.

Crime rate
The national average for the crime severity index was 78.10 per 100,000 people in 2022, while the rate was slightly higher for Waterloo Region at 79.12 per 100,000 people. By comparison, the rate for Ontario was 58.47 per 100,000 people, and nearby cities Guelph and London were 60.56 and 73.98 respectively. By comparison, "Canada's most dangerous place", North Battleford, Saskatchewan, had an index of 353 in 2016.

An updated report by Maclean's in 2019 ranked the Region as the 49th most dangerous community in Canada, with robbery approximately as prevalent as the Canadian average of 60 incidents per 100,000 people. The region has a homicide rate of 0.89 per 100,000, below the Canadian average of 1.68 per 100,000.

Real estate
As of October, 2023, the average (mean) selling price of a detached home sold on the Multiple Listing System of Waterloo Region was $890,591 (in Canadian dollars), an increase of 1.1 per cent compared to October 2022. The average selling price for an apartment style condominium was $476,166, an decrease of 2.6 per cent from October 2022. These prices are significantly less than prices in Toronto, where the average selling price for a detached home in the 416 area code was $1,718,440 in October 2023, and the average selling price for an apartment style condominium was $729,160.

Business

Waterloo Region is also experiencing significant commercial growth. The presence of two universities, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, acts as a catalyst for high-tech growth and innovation. The region is known for its high concentration of tech companies, such as BlackBerry (formerly Research In Motion), OpenText, Kik, and Maplesoft. As such, it has often been referred to as "Canada's Silicon Valley".

Canada's top three fastest growing tech companies are located in the Region: Kitchener's ApplyBoard, Intellijoint Surgical, and Waterloo's Auvik Networks. The list also includes Kitchener's Smile.io, and Vidyard.

Major employers in the region

 * Waterloo Region District School Board (5,000 employees)
 * Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (6,500 employees)
 * Manulife Financial (3,800 employees)
 * University of Waterloo (3,500 employees)
 * Sun Life Financial (3,300 employees)
 * BlackBerry Ltd (3,000 employees )
 * Grand River Hospital (2,200 employees)
 * ATS Automation Tooling Systems (1,800 employees)
 * City of Kitchener (1,700 employees)

Services
Over time, many services have come to be delegated to the jurisdiction of the municipal government. These include police, emergency medical services, waste management, licensing enforcement, recycling, and the public transit system. The main administration of these services is run from Kitchener, however many service offices may be found in different parts of the Region. For example, from a geographically central location in north Cambridge, maintenance operations and the police headquarters are able to manage operations and provide services to the entire service area.

Health care

Hospital services in the region are provided by Grand River Hospital which includes a Freeport Campus and St. Mary's General Hospital, both located in Kitchener, as well as Cambridge Memorial Hospital. All three were highly ranked for safety in a national comparison study in 2017–2018, particularly the two located in Kitchener, but all would benefit from reduced wait times. Long-term care beds are provided at numerous facilities, including the Village of Winston Park in Kitchener and Saint Luke's Place in Cambridge which were promised additional funding by the province in 2018 for expansion.

Grand River Hospital has a capacity of 574-beds; the Freeport location was merged into it in April 1995. That secondary campus provides complex continuing care, rehabilitation, longer-term specialized mental health and other services. The King St. location is also the home of the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre which opened in 2003. St. Mary's General Hospital is a 150-bed adult acute-care facility and includes the Regional Cardiac Care Centre with two cardiovascular operating rooms, an eight-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit and 45 inpatient beds. As of late 2018, Cambridge Memorial had 143 beds but was in the midst of a major expansion. The general contractor went into receivership in late 2018 and that stalled the process; the new section was not expected to be completed until approximately 2021. The expansion will eventually add 54 new beds and double the size of the Emergency department.

Family doctors are often in short supply, and a source of great concern among residents. Recruiting efforts over the previous 15 years certainly achieved some success as of September 2018, but needed to be continued.

Announced January 2006, as a new School of Medicine, the Waterloo Regional Campus of McMaster University was completed in 2009. In 2018, the campus included "a complete on-site clinical skills laboratory with 4 skills rooms and 2 observation rooms, classrooms with video-conferencing capabilities and a state-of-the-art anatomy lab that was built in 2013 with a high definition video system", according to the university. Its Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine building includes the Centre for Family Medicine and the University of Waterloo School of Optometry and Vision Science.

Transportation

Public transportation is provided by Grand River Transit, which is an amalgamation of the former Cambridge Transit and Kitchener Transit systems, the latter of which had also served the City of Waterloo for many decades.

In June 2011, regional council approved the plan for a light rail transit (LRT) line from Conestoga Mall in north Waterloo to Fairview Park Mall in south Kitchener, with rapid buses through to Cambridge. In Stage 1, the Ion rapid transit system runs between Waterloo and Kitchener, passing through the downtown/uptown areas. This phase opened in 2019.

Until light rail transit is extended to the downtown Galt area of Cambridge from Kitchener in Stage 2, the rapid transit link will use specially branded buses between Fairview Park Mall and the Ainslie Street Transit Terminal. Other stops for this Ion bus are at Hespeler Road at the Delta, Can-Amera, Cambridge Centre, Pinebush, and Sportsworld. The rapid transit bus uses bus-only priority traffic signals at Pinebush, Sportsworld, and other places to minimize slowdowns at times of heavy traffic.

Construction on the light rail system began in August 2014, and the Stage 1 service was expected to begin in late 2017. In 2016, however, the start date was changed to early 2018 because of delays in the manufacture and delivery of the vehicles by Bombardier Transportation. By March 2017 a single sample-only train car had arrived. All trams were eventually delivered by December 2018 and the service started operating on June 21, 2019.

By late February 2017, plans for the Stage 2 (Cambridge section) of the Ion rail service were in the very early stage with public consultations just getting started. (At least one journalist has pointed out the similarity between this plan and the electric Grand River Railway of the early 1900s.) As the original plan to share the CP Rail line had become unworkable since the original route had been planned, a new route between Kitchener and Preston was proposed. Multiple options for the new Stage 2 route were researched and presented to the public, with Regional Council approving the final route and preliminary design on April 22, 2020, and starting the required environmental assessment later in December.

Waterloo Region was the home of the first carsharing organization in Ontario in 1998. Community CarShare Cooperative (previously known as Grand River CarShare) provides access to vehicles on a self-serve, pay-per-use basis. Cars are located in many neighbourhoods around the Region. It is meant to complement other sustainable modes of transportation such as public transit, biking, and carpooling, or act as a transition out of owning a vehicle. Community CarShare has 27 vehicles stationed in the Region of Waterloo.

The region also owns and operates the Region of Waterloo International Airport, near Breslau. The airport is the 20th busiest in Canada as of December 2010 and underwent a major expansion in 2003. GO Transit and Via Rail provide rail services to the region on the Kitchener line.

Notable people

 * David Bauer, Canadian ice hockey player and coach, educator and Catholic priest, inductee into multiple sports halls of fame
 * Rich Beddoe is the drummer for the Canadian rock band Finger Eleven. He is from Cambridge, Ontario.
 * Hockey player Todd Bertuzzi of the Detroit Red Wings makes his offseason home in Kitchener.
 * Tim Brent is a hockey player from Cambridge, Ontario.
 * Khashayar Farzam, Powerlifter and physician
 * Amanda Burk, artist who grew up in Kitchener-Waterloo.
 * David Chilton, author of the financial planning guide The Wealthy Barber was born in Kitchener and lives in the region.
 * David Eby, Premier of British Columbia, was born and raised in Kitchener.
 * Author and journalist Malcolm Gladwell grew up in Elmira, Ontario.
 * Mike Hoffman, hockey player from Kitchener
 * David Johnston, former president of the University of Waterloo and Governor General of Canada lives in Wellesley Township.
 * Lisa LaFlamme, journalist, from Kitchener.
 * William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada's longest serving prime minister, was born in Kitchener's predecessor Berlin, Ontario. His boyhood home is now Woodside National Historic Site.
 * Mike Lazaridis, founder of Research In Motion, came as a student to attend the University of Waterloo.
 * Boxer Lennox Lewis lived in Kitchener from the age of 12 and began his boxing career there. He maintains a home in Kitchener.
 * Lois Maxwell, Golden Globe winning actress and the original Miss Moneypenny in the James Bond movies, was born in Kitchener.
 * Jamal Murray, professional basketball player from Kitchener
 * Helmut Oberlander, Ukrainian former Canadian who was a member of the Einsatzgruppen death squads of Nazi Germany in the occupied Soviet Union during World War II
 * Joseph E. Seagram was a partner in 1869, and sole owner in 1883, in the company later known as Seagram.
 * Donald Shaver created a world leading poultry breeding business.
 * Dave Sim, creator of the comic book Cerebus the Aardvark, has lived in Kitchener since he was two years old.
 * Edna Staebler, author and literary journalist, best known for her series of cookbooks, particularly Food That Really Schmecks
 * Former hockey all-star Scott Stevens of the New Jersey Devils was born in Kitchener and played for the Kitchener Rangers. He also maintains a home there.
 * Landscape artist Homer Watson was born in the village of Doon (now part of Kitchener).

title: Regional Municipality of Waterloo


text:
General Tire

Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, d.b.a. General Tire, is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles, and semi trucks. Founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio by William Francis O'Neil, Winfred E. Fouse, Charles J. Jahant, Robert Iredell, and H.B. Pushee as The General Tire & Rubber Company using funding from Michael O'Neil, William Francis O'Neills' father, who owned Akron's O'Neil's Department Store. The company later diversified by 1984 into a conglomerate (GenCorp, Inc.) with holdings in tire manufacturing (General Tire, Inc.), rubber compounds (DiversiTech General), rocketry and aeronautics (Aerojet), and broadcasting (RKO General).

The company's tire division was sold to Germany's Continental AG in 1987, becoming Continental General Tire Corp. before its re–incorporation again to its current name. The compounds division was spun off & became OMNOVA Solutions Inc. The rocketry and aeronautics business was kept and expanded, and after a couple company name changes, the parent company eventually became Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc.

Tire division
William Francis O'Neil owned a Firestone Tire and Rubber Company franchise in Kansas City, Missouri. He started a small manufacturing facility for tire repair products, and called it The Western Rubber & Supply Company initially, then The Western Tire & Rubber Company. As Firestone grew, it sold additional franchises, reducing the territories of its earlier franchisees. Dissatisfied, O'Neil decided to compete with Firestone instead, using the expertise he had gained with Western Tire and Rubber. He went into partnership with four other men, using funding gained from his father, and formed The General Tire & Rubber Company on September 29, 1915 using $200,000 USD in capital borrowed from the store. O'Neil & his associates hired away some Firestone managers.

Initially, they focused on repair materials, as with Western Tire & Rubber Company, but in 1916 they expanded into tire manufacturing, focusing on high–end products.

Early products included:

 * General Jumbo, a premium replacement tire for Ford Model Ts.
 * Low–pressure General Balloon Jumbo tire.
 * Dual 90 tires.

Despite the difficult business climate of World War I, in 1917, O'Neil established a dealership network and began an advertising campaign. By 1930, the company had 14 retail stores and about 1.8% of the tire market. During the depression, as competitors failed, The General Tire & Rubber Company bought out Yale Tire and Rubber Company, and India Tire and Rubber Company. By 1933, it had increased market share to 2.7%. This was a relatively large number, considering that the company limited its product line.

In the post–war years, The General Tire & Rubber Company gradually ceased to be exclusively a tire manufacturer and marketer. It entered the entertainment business, followed by tennis ball, wrought iron, and soft drink production, as well as chemicals and plastics manufacturing; in the early 1980s General Tire even began motion picture and video production.

Radio, television, and film division
Because the Depression was particularly hard on manufacturing, The General Tire & Rubber Company bought several Ohio radio stations on which it advertised. In 1943, it diversified the core business strategy, purchasing the Yankee Network and the radio stations it owned from Boston's Shepard Stores, Inc. Thomas F. O'Neil, son of the founder William F. O'Neil, served as New York Yankees chairman with Shepard's John Shepard III serving as president.

The company continued its move into broadcasting by acquiring the Don Lee Broadcasting System, a well–respected regional radio network on the West Coast, in 1950. Among other stations, it added KHJ-AM–FM in Los Angeles, California and KFRC-AM-FM in San Francisco, California to its stable from the New York Yankees acquisition. In 1952, it bought WOR/WOR-FM/WOR-TV in New York City and merged its broadcasting interests into a new division, General Teleradio (purchased from R. H. Macy & Company alongside WOR & Bamberger Broadcasting; named as a result of The General Tire & Rubber Company's increased investment in WOR). RKO/General also added Canadian 50,000 watt power house CKLW in Windsor to the family. The "Big 8" was No. 1 in the Detroit market.

The company's final move into entertainment was the acquisition of RKO Radio Pictures from Howard Hughes in 1955 for $25 million. The General Tire & Rubber Company was interested mainly in using the RKO film library to program its television stations, so it sold the RKO lot at Sunset and Gower in Hollywood, California to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's Desilu Productions in 1956 for $6 million. The remaining assets of RKO were merged with General Teleradio, and the new company became known initially as RKO Teleradio Pictures, then RKO Teleradio, before eventually becoming RKO General. The radio stations became some of the leading broadcasters in the world, but the division was dragged down by unethical conduct at its television stations. This culminated in the longest licensing dispute in television history, eventually forcing RKO General out of the broadcasting business by 1991.

Rocketry and aeronautics division
In the late 1930s, the United States Army became interested in rockets. A group of California Institute of Technology engineers won a contract to produce rocket engines to speed airplane liftoff, and formed a company named Aerojet. The group succeeded with liquid–fuel rockets, but needed additional materials science and manufacturing expertise to create more sophisticated solid–fuel rockets. Aerojet went into partnership with The General Tire & Rubber Company, using their capitalization, expertise with rubber binders, and chemical manufacturing facilities. The partnership was renamed Aerojet General.

Re–incorporation and sale to Continental AG
General Tire's restructuring plan went forward; General Tire and its industrial products, and chemicals, and plastics divisions, along with Aerojet General and RKO General, Inc., became subsidiaries of the holding company GenCorp, Inc. in 1984.

In 1987 GenCorp, Inc. underwent large–scale restructuring, in part to ward off a hostile takeover attempt by General Acquisition, Inc.

GenCorp, Inc. sold its flagship tire division General Tire to German tire manufacturer Continental AG in 1987. General Tire still exists today as part of Continental Tire of North America.

Sponsorships
General Tire is a sponsor of the following:

 * Major League Fishing – Official Partner of Major League Fishing.
 * ARCA Menards Series – Official tire supplier of the ARCA Menards Series.
 * NASCAR Pinty's Series – Official tire supplier the NASCAR Pinty’s Series.
 * Jeep Jamboree USA – Official Partner of Jeep Jamboree USA.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: General Tire


text:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a fantasy novel written by British author J. K. Rowling and the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series. It follows Harry Potter, a wizard in his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the mystery surrounding the entry of Harry's name into the Triwizard Tournament, in which he is forced to compete.

The book was published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury and in the United States by Scholastic. In both countries, the release date was 8 July 2000. This was the first time a book in the series was published in both countries at the same time. The novel won a Hugo Award, the only Harry Potter novel to do so, in 2001. The book was adapted into a film, released worldwide on 18 November 2005, and a video game by Electronic Arts.

Plot
Over the summer, the Weasleys invite Harry Potter to attend the Quidditch World Cup final, played between Bulgaria and Ireland. The match ends in a victory for the Irish, but the campsite is attacked by Voldemort's former followers called the Death Eaters. Nobody is killed, but the Dark Mark is set off and is believed to have been cast by Barty Crouch's house-elf, Winky.

Hogwarts reopens and a new tournament is announced between three schools to compete for the Triwizard Cup. The other competing schools are Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Students excitedly await the start of the Tournament, which is declared open after the visiting teams arrive. The Goblet of Fire, a magical object tasked with selecting the champions, is unveiled. It names three champions, one from each of the schools, and then selects Harry as a fourth champion, despite his being underage.

The students perceive Harry has cheated and turn on him. Rubeus Hagrid believes in Harry's innocence and shows him the dragons involved in the First Task. Harry alerts Cedric Diggory, son of Amos Diggory, to the challenge and is helped by "Mad-Eye" Moody, ex-Auror and the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, to prepare for the task. Using his superior flying skills, Harry gets past the dragon and retrieves a clue for the next task.

A Yule Ball is announced and Harry must find a partner, as champions traditionally commence the opening dance. Harry and Ron Weasley struggle initially to get partners, but end up going with the "prettiest girls in their year" – Parvati and Padma Patil. Ron gets jealous seeing Hermione Granger with Viktor Krum, the Durmstrang champion, and spends the night arguing with her. Harry is sullen that Cho Chang is with Cedric, the other Hogwarts champion.

The Second Task requires saving a close friend or relative from the lake. Harry uses Gillyweed, given to him by Dobby, to breathe underwater. He rescues Ron from the lake, while also saving the Beauxbatons champion Fleur Delacour's sister out of fear that she will drown if Fleur cannot rescue her in time. After the task, Harry and Krum discover a seemingly mad Barty Crouch on the Hogwarts grounds, but he has vanished when they return.

The Quidditch field is prepared for the Third (and final) Task, and requires champions to overcome a maze filled with obstacles. Harry and Cedric succeed in reaching the centre, where the Triwizard Cup is placed. They touch it together, but are transported outside Hogwarts to a graveyard. Cedric believes this is part of the Task, but Harry gets alerted when his scar starts burning wildly. Wormtail arrives with Lord Voldemort and kills Cedric with the latter's wand. Subduing an injured and gagged Harry with tight cords to Thomas Riddle Sr's grave, he then uses Harry's blood to restore a frail Voldemort back to his full, physical body. Voldemort summons his Death Eaters and tries to kill Harry in front of them. He fails when his and Harry's wand streams of green and red connect, in a rare phenomenon called Priori Incantatem. This causes a distraction by seeming to summon the ghosts of those that Lord Voldemort’s wand has killed, including Harry’s parents, allowing Harry to escape back to Hogwarts using the Cup.

At Hogwarts, Moody pulls Harry into his office to question him and Harry realises that he is a Death Eater. He is saved by the arrival of Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape, who force Moody to reveal himself to be Barty Crouch Jr, a Death Eater formerly presumed dead. He had been imprisoned in Azkaban for supporting Voldemort and had escaped by leaving his mother in his place using Polyjuice Potion. Crouch Jr had then been placed under the Imperius Curse by his father until he had managed to break out of it during the Quidditch World Cup and cast the Dark Mark. He had then imprisoned the real Moody and impersonated him using more Polyjuice Potion. Arriving at Hogwarts, he made sure that Harry won the Tournament and was transported to the graveyard for Voldemort's ritual; his only wish is that Voldemort rise to the power he once had. His father had been placed under the Imperius Curse after Crouch Jr's escape, but had started to resist it and so had been killed.

Crouch Jr is handed over to the Dementors. Harry recovers in the hospital wing, surrounded by Ron, Hermione and the Weasleys. He meets with Cedric's grieving parents, while Dumbledore makes plans to prepare the Wizarding world for Voldemort's return. Harry gives Fred and George his Triwizard earning to help them start up their joke shop. The school year ends and Harry returns to live with the Dursleys again for the summer.

Development
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth book in the Harry Potter series. The first, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, was published by Bloomsbury on 26 June 1997. The second, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, was published on 2 July 1998. The third, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, followed on 8 July 1999. Goblet of Fire is almost twice the size of the first three books (the paperback edition was 636 pages). Rowling stated that she "knew from the beginning it would be the biggest of the first four." She said there needed to be a "proper run-up" for the conclusion and rushing the "complex plot" could confuse readers. She also stated that "everything is on a bigger scale," which was symbolic, as Harry's horizons widened both literally and metaphorically as he grew up. She also wanted to explore more of the magical world.

Until the official title's announcement on 27 June 2000, the book was called by its working title, "Harry Potter IV". Previously, in April, the publisher had listed it as Harry Potter and the Doomspell Tournament. However, J. K. Rowling expressed her indecision about the title in an Entertainment Weekly interview. "I changed my mind twice on what [the title] was. The working title had got out — Harry Potter and the Doomspell Tournament. Then I changed Doomspell to Triwizard Tournament. Then I was teetering between Goblet of Fire and Triwizard Tournament. In the end, I preferred Goblet of Fire because it's got that kind of cup of destiny feel about it, which is the theme of the book."

Rowling mentioned that she originally wrote a Weasley relative named Mafalda, who, according to Rowling, "was the daughter of the 'second cousin who's a stockbroker' mentioned in Philosopher's Stone. This stockbroker had been very rude to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley in the past, but now he and his (Muggle) wife had inconveniently produced a witch, they came back to the Weasleys asking for their help in introducing her to wizarding society before she starts at Hogwarts." Mafalda was supposed to be a Slytherin and was to fill in the Rita Skeeter subplot, but she was eventually removed because "there were obvious limitations to what an eleven-year-old closeted at school could discover." Rowling considered Rita Skeeter to be "much more flexible." Rowling also admitted that the fourth book was the most difficult to write at the time because the Mafalda character also served as a giant plot hole, which she discovered halfway through writing.

Themes
Jeff Jensen, who interviewed Rowling for Entertainment Weekly in 2000, pointed out that bigotry is a big theme in the Harry Potter novels and Goblet of Fire in particular. He mentioned how Voldemort and his followers are prejudiced against Muggles and how, in Goblet of Fire, Hermione forms a group to liberate Hogwarts' house-elves who have "been indentured servants so long they lack desire for anything else." When asked why she explored this theme, Rowling replied,

"Because bigotry is probably the thing I detest most. All forms of intolerance, the whole idea of that which is different from me is necessarily evil. I really like to explore the idea that difference is equal and good. But there's another idea that I like to explore, too. Oppressed groups are not, generally speaking, people who stand firmly together – no, sadly, they kind of subdivide among themselves and fight like hell. That's human nature, so that's what you see here. This world of wizards and witches, they're already ostracized, and then within themselves, they've formed a loathsome pecking order."

She also commented that she did not feel this was too "heavy" for children, as it was one of those things that a "huge number of children at that age start to think about."

UK/US release
Goblet of Fire was the first book in the Harry Potter series to be released in the United States on the same date as the United Kingdom, on 8 July 2000, strategically on a Saturday so children did not have to worry about school conflicting with buying the book. It had a combined first-printing of over five million copies. It was given a record-breaking print run of 3.9 million. Three million copies of the book were sold over the first weekend in the US alone. FedEx dispatched more than 9,000 trucks and 100 planes to fulfil book deliveries. The pressure in editing caused a mistake which shows Harry's father emerging first from Voldemort's wand; however, as confirmed in Prisoner of Azkaban, James died first, so then Harry's mother ought to have come out first. This was corrected in later editions.

Launch publicity
To publicise the book, a special train named Hogwarts Express was organised by Bloomsbury, and run from King's Cross to Perth, carrying J.K. Rowling, a consignment of books for her to sign and sell, also representatives of Bloomsbury and the press. The book was launched on 8 July 2000, on platform 1 at King's Cross – which had been given "Platform $9 3/4$" signs for the occasion – following which the train departed. En route it called at Didcot Railway Centre, Kidderminster, the Severn Valley Railway, Crewe (overnight stop), Manchester, Bradford, York, the National Railway Museum (overnight stop), Newcastle, Edinburgh, arriving at Perth on 11 July. The locomotive was West Country class steam locomotive no. 34027 Taw Valley, which was specially repainted red for the tour; it later returned to its normal green livery (the repaints were requested and paid for by Bloomsbury). The coaches of the train included a sleeping car. A Diesel locomotive was coupled at the other end, for use when reversals were necessary, such as the first stage of the journey as far as Ferme Park, just south of Hornsey. The tour generated considerably more press interest than the launch of the film Thomas and the Magic Railroad which was premiered in London the same weekend.

Critical reception
Upon release, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire received mostly positive reviews. The Guardian reported an average rating of 8.4 out of 10 based on reviews from British and American newspapers. In The New York Times Book Review, author Stephen King stated the Goblet of Fire was "every bit as good as Potters 1 through 3" and praised the humour and subplots, although he commented that "there's also a moderately tiresome amount of adolescent squabbling...it's a teenage thing". Kirkus Reviews called it "another grand tale of magic and mystery...and clicking along so smoothly that it seems shorter than it is". However, they commented that it did tend to lag, especially at the end where two "bad guys" stopped the action to give extended explanations, and that the issues to be resolved in sequels would leave "many readers, particularly American ones, uncomfortable". For The Horn Book Magazine, Martha V. Parravano gave a mixed review, saying "some will find [it] wide-ranging, compellingly written, and absorbing; others, long, rambling, and tortuously fraught with adverbs". A Publishers Weekly review praised the book's "red herrings, the artful clues and tricky surprises that disarm the most attentive audience" and saying it "might be her most thrilling yet." Writing for The New Yorker, Joan Acocella noted that "where the prior volumes moved like lightning, here the pace is slower, the energy more dispersed. At the same time, the tone becomes more grim."

Kristin Lemmerman of CNN said that it is not great literature: 'Her prose has more in common with your typical beach-blanket fare and the beginning contained too much recap to introduce characters to new readers, although Rowling quickly gets back on track, introducing readers to a host of well-drawn new characters.' Writing for Salon.com, Charles Taylor was generally positive about the change of mood and development of characters. Entertainment Weekly reviewer Kristen Baldwin gave Goblet of Fire the grade of A−, praising the development of the characters as well as the many themes presented. However, she did worry that a shocking climax may be a "nightmare factory" for young readers.

In 2012 it was ranked number 98 on a list of the top 100 children's novels published by School Library Journal.

Awards and honours
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire won several awards, including the 2001 Hugo Award for Best Novel. It won the 2002 Indian Paintbrush Book Award, the third after Philosopher's Stone and Prisoner of Azkaban. The novel also won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award for one of the best books, who claimed it was "more intense than the first three books". In addition, Entertainment Weekly listed Goblet of Fire in second place on their list of The New Classics: Books – The 100 best reads from 1983 to 2008. The Guardian ranked Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire #97 in its list of 100 Best Books of the 21st Century.

Film
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was adapted into a film, released worldwide on 18 November 2005, which was directed by Mike Newell and written by Steve Kloves. The film grossed $102.7 million for the opening weekend, and eventually grossed $896 million worldwide. The film was also nominated for Best Art Direction at the 78th Academy Awards.

Video game
It was also made into a video game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, GameCube, Xbox, Game Boy Advance, and PlayStation Portable by Electronic Arts. It was released just before the film.

title: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire


text:
Alan-A-Dale

Alan-A-Dale was a cargo motor ship that was built in Denmark in 1938 as Nordvest (lit.: Northwest). In the Second World War the United States requisitioned her in 1941 and renamed her Alan-A-Dale. In 1944 she was sunk by enemy action off the coast of the Netherlands.

Building
Nakskov Skibsværft A/S built Nordvest at its yard in Nakskov for D/S Norden, completing her in June 1938. Her registered length was 401.4 ft, her beam was 57.3 ft, her depth 24.9 ft and her tonnages were and. She had twin screws, each driven by a six-cylinder, single-acting, two-stroke diesel engine. Between them, her twin engines were rated at 808 NHP.

A/S Norden registered Nordvest at Copenhagen. Her wireless telegraph call sign was OYWQ.

Service
After World War II began, Nordvest remained in port in the United States. She was one of 84 foreign ships that the US Maritime Commission requisitioned under the Ship Requisition Act, Executive Order No. 8771, signed on June 6, 1941.

The Maritime Commission renamed her Alan-A-Dale, transferred her registration to Panama, and her call sign was changed to HPWV. Her name is sometimes referred to as Alan A. Dale, but Lloyd's Register records her as Alan-A-Dale.

The Maritime Commission appointed the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand to manage the ship. She would have been defensively armed, as a contingent of the USN Armed Guard joined her complement.

Alan-A-Dale sailed independently for Tocopilla, Chile, arriving there in October 1941, then returned via the Panama Canal to Baltimore in early December. On December 15, 1941, she sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Belfast as part of Convoy HX 165, returning to the United States as part of Convoy ON 59 in January 1942. After another Atlantic crossing, (Convoys HX 179 and ON 89), she sailed alone from Hampton Roads on June 1, 1942, to the Indian Ocean, calling at Cape Town, Abadan, Bahrain and Bombay, before returning via Durban, Trinidad and Guantánamo Bay, and arriving at New York City on November 2.

Alan-A-Dale then took part in operations following Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa, sailing between Hampton Roads and Oran three times between December 1942 and July 1943. The ship then returned to Atlantic crossings, making four more return voyages between the East Coast of the United States and ports in Britain between August 1943 and June 1944.

In July 1944, after sailing from New York to Liverpool, she moved to the south coast of England, crossing the English Channel to the Baie de Seine after the Normandy landings, and returning to New York in September 1944. She sailed once more between New York and Liverpool and back in October – November 1944, before sailing from New York in October to the Solent. From there, on December 21, she sailed as part of Convoy TAM 26, bound for Antwerp.

A German Biber midget submarine sank Alan-A-Dale in the Westerschelde off Terneuzen on December 23, 1944 at position 51.36°N, 3.78833°W. All 65 men aboard survived the attack.

The wreck was removed in June 2003 as part of an operation to improve shipping access to Antwerp.

title: Alan-A-Dale


text:
Prime Minister of Albania

The prime minister of Albania (Kryeministri i Shqipërisë), officially the prime minister of the Republic of Albania (Kryeministri i Republikës së Shqipërisë), is the head of government of Albania. The office of the prime minister is a core institution in the politics of Albania formed after the Albanian declaration of independence on 28 November 1912. Since that time, the nation has navigated a dynamic political evolution spanning distinct periods, encompassing a monarchy, a communist regime and the eventual democratic order. In 1912, Ismail Qemali was inaugurated as the first prime minister of Albania, guiding the nation toward sovereignty amidst the complex conditions in the Balkans. In 1944, Enver Hoxha implemented a radical change in government, transforming Albania into an authoritarian and isolationist communist regime. In 1991, the nation transitioned into a democracy that marked a notable shift, when Fatos Nano emerged as the first post-communist prime minister of Albania.

The office of the prime minister is defined by the constitution of Albania. The appointment begins with general elections, during which parties or political coalitions nominate candidates for the parliament. The leader of the party with the most parliamentary seats becomes a contender for the office of the prime minister. After the results are certified, the president invites the majority leader to propose a prime ministerial candidate who must secure a majority from the parliament for selection. Once selected, the prime minister-elect is mandated to partake in a formal oath-taking ceremony presided over by the president. The prime minister is in charge of forming and guiding the council of ministers, presenting the nation's integral policies and coordinating government institutions. Located in Tirana, the Kryeministria is the official workplace of the prime minister and holds a crucial role in facilitating their duties and those of the council. Since September 2013, Edi Rama from the Albanian Socialist Party has served as prime minister.

1912–1990
Following the declaration of independence on 28 November 1912, the establishment of the office of the prime minister became an integral part of the constitutional framework of Albania. Amidst the formative period characterised by tumultuous political and regional conflicts, a series of distinguished ministers assumed the position, each confronted with distinct challenges that left a lasting impact on Albanian politics. Ismail Qemali occupied the mantle of the first prime minister and directed the Albanian people toward the realisation of Independent Albania. Subsequently, during their respective tenures as prime ministers from 1914 to 1920, Turhan Përmeti and Esad Toptani were instrumental in directing Albania through the challenges of World War I. This period was marked by their dedication to preserving the country's independence in the face of shifting alliances and external interventions. Similarly, the emergence of Ilias Vrioni as prime minister in 1920 occurred in the aftermath of World War I, and Vrioni addressed border disputes with the backing of several major Western nations that guaranteed Albania's sovereignty within the boundaries formed in 1913. Following these developments, Ahmet Zogu served as prime minister in 1922, concentrating on centralising power, modernising the economy and attracting foreign investments. In 1924, Fan Noli's brief tenure saw the introduction of sweeping reforms, including initiatives in education and land distribution aimed at reshaping the socio-economic landscape, alongside the establishment of the Albanian Orthodox Church. Zogu returned as prime minister for a second term in 1925 and further solidified his influence, ultimately transitioning the country into a monarchy in 1928, with himself as king.

With the global crisis of the Great Depression, Albania grappled with significant economic and financial challenges from 1930 to 1939. The government was tasked with stabilising the economy and fostering socio-economic growth. During this period, a succession of prime ministers, including Kostaq Kotta, Pandeli Evangjeli and Mehdi Frashëri, led the country. Amid World War II, despite declaring neutrality, Albania was invaded by Italy. Prime Ministers of the era, including Shefqet Vërlaci and Mustafa Merlika-Kruja, assumed significant roles in navigating the challenges posed by foreign occupation. In 1943, Germany occupied the country, leading to the brief prime ministerial tenures of Rexhep Mitrovica, Fiqri Dine and Ibrahim Biçakçiu during the occupation.

With the conclusion of World War II in Albania, the country entered an unprecedented transformative phase under the leadership of Enver Hoxha, who acceded to the mantle of prime minister in 1944. Hoxha's tenure was marked by a commitment to Marxism–Leninism, resulting in the establishment of the People's Republic of Albania in 1946. The regime faced multifaceted challenges, encompassing widespread poverty, illiteracy, healthcare crises, and gender inequality. In response, Hoxha initiated a comprehensive modernisation effort aimed at achieving economic and social progress and transitioning Albania into an industrialised society. Mehmet Shehu served as a prominent figure in Hoxha's government, holding the position of prime minister for a significant part of the communist period, from 1954 to 1981. He played an essential part in implementing the government's policies and exerting influence over the country's direction. Adil Çarçani succeeded Shehu as prime minister and maintained the position for nine years, maintaining Albania's isolationist stance in external affairs and alignment with the Eastern Bloc countries.

1991–present
After the fall of communism, the office of the prime minister of Albania was restored and a democratic order was established. Responding to widespread protests in December 1990, the government of Ramiz Alia of the Party of Labour granted its approval for the first multi-party elections in March 1991 and the subsequent elections in March 1992. This resulted in the legal recognition of the opposition Democratic Party and paved the way for the admission of other political parties, including the Socialist Party. Subsequently, Fatos Nano emerged as the first post-communist prime minister on 22 February 1991. Nano prioritised the establishment of democratic institutions, the implementation of economic reforms and the reintegration of Albania into the international community. On 4 June 1991, Nano resigned from office due to political and social pressure, allowing Ylli Bufi and Vilson Ahmeti to assume the mantle for a short period, respectively. During their tenures, Albania became a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). Aleksandër Meksi became prime minister on 13 April 1992 following the Democratic Party's victory in elections in March. His cabinet was dedicated to further advancing democratic and economic development and strengthening Albania's international connections. This commitment culminated to the country's accession to the Council of Europe (CoE) in July 1995. However, the tenure of Meksi faced criticism for what some perceived as an increasingly authoritarian approach and allegations of corruption. One of the most notable events during his rule was the outbreak of the 1997 Albanian civil unrest that resulted in a humanitarian crisis and an international intervention.

Following the departure of Meksi on 25 March 1997, Bashkim Fino emerged as prime minister with a commitment to holding early elections in June. Fatos Nano secured his second term as prime minister but faced several challenges, notably in assembling a cabinet, which led to his resignation. Pandeli Majko succeeded Nano as Prime Minister on 28 September 1998 and focused on the preservation of public order and the fight against corruption and organised crime. His cabinet garnered approval for a new constitution through a referendum in November 1998, all amidst continued instability in, and a large influx of refugees from, Albanian-speaking Kosovo. With the resignation of Majko on 29 October 1999, Ilir Meta emerged as prime minister and served until his resignation on 29 January 2002. Following Majko's return for his second term on 7 February 2002, Nano assumed the mantle for his third term as prime minister until 3 July 2005. In the July 2005 elections, Sali Berisha emerged as prime minister with a dedication to sustainable economic development and advancing Albania toward European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) membership. The tenure of Berisha achieved a major milestone when the country secured NATO membership in April 2009. However, his leadership was marred by increasing allegations of corruption, misappropriation of public funds and interference in public processes. Edi Rama occupied the role as prime minister for three consecutive terms following his party's victory in the July 2013 elections. Under his guidance, Albania achieved consistent economic growth and made continuous progress toward EU membership through a series of reforms aimed at socio-economic revitalisation, reinforcement of the rule of law, enhancement of the judicial system and transparency in governance.

Appointment

The process of selecting the prime minister of Albania begins with the conducting of general elections, in which the members of the parliament are elected through a proportional representation system for four-year terms. Political parties or coalitions nominate their candidates for the members of parliament. The leader of the party or coalition which secures the most seats in the parliament emerges as a contender for the role of the prime minister. Once the election results receive official certification, the president extends an invitation to the leader of the party or coalition with the parliamentary majority, urging them to propose a candidate for the position. The nominated candidate subsequently seeks approval from the parliament, with the members of the parliament casting their votes either in favor or against the proposed candidate. The candidate must garner a majority of affirmative votes to secure appointment, thereby confirming their selection as the prime minister. In the event that the appointed prime minister does not secure approval from the parliament, a 10-day window is provided for the president to nominate a new candidate. If, once more, the parliament does not endorse this subsequent nominee, it is granted an additional 10-day period to designate an alternative prime minister. If the parliament remains unable to successfully elect a new prime minister within these defined timeframes, the president retains the prerogative to dissolve the parliament.

Before assuming the office, the prime minister-elect is mandated to partake in a formal oath-taking ceremony presided over by the president. The ceremony, conducted in compliance with the guidelines of the constitution, marks the commencement of the minister's official functions. During the oath, the prime minister affirms their allegiance to the constitution and laws, making a commitment to fulfill the functions of their office and prioritise the welfare of the Albanian people:

"Albanian: Betohem se do t'i bindem Kushtetutës dhe ligjeve të vendit, do të respektoj të drejtat dhe liritë e shtetasve, do të mbroj pavarësinë e Republikës së Shqipërisë dhe do t'i shërbej interesit të përgjithshëm dhe përparimit të popullit Shqiptar. Zoti më ndihmoftë! English: I swear that I will obey to the Constitution and laws of the country, that I will respect the rights and freedoms of citizens, protect the independence of the Republic of Albania, and I will serve the general interest and the progress of the Albanian people. May God help me!"

Functions

Located at Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard in Tirana, the Kryeministria operates as the official workplace of the prime minister and assumes a central role in facilitating the functions of the prime minister and the council of ministers. According to the constitution, the office of the prime minister holds an integral position in the executive arm of government as the head of government. One of the core functions of the prime minister is to form and lead the council of ministers, which include the deputy prime minister and several other ministers. The prime minister selects the members of the council and proposes their appointments for approval by the president. The prime minister is also entrusted with the duty of formulating and presenting the principal general policies of the country. This task involves ensuring the implementation of legislation endorsed by the council of ministers. Further to these core functions, the prime minister takes on the office of coordinating and supervising the work of both the council and other significant institutions of the government. This ensures the efficient operation of the framework of the government, the resolution of potential conflicts among ministers, the issuance of necessary instructions and an overall contribution to the efficient administration of government functions.

The prime minister has the ability to propose a motion of confidence to the parliament, focusing on significant matters related to bill or decision approval. This motion cannot involve investigations, appointments, immunity or parliamentary functioning. The duration of debate is determined by the conference of chairpersons, with a minimum of 3 minutes per deputy. Voting occurs after at least 3 days from the presentation of the motion. If the motion fails, the prime minister can request the dissolution of the parliament within 48 hours, with the president dissolving parliament within 10 days of the request. Importantly, a motion of confidence cannot be proposed during the consideration of a motion of no confidence. When the prime minister is absent or incapacitated, the deputy prime minister assumes the role of second-in-command to maintain the uninterrupted functioning of the government. Their appointment and dismissal are determined by the council of ministers based on the recommendation of the prime minister.

title: Prime Minister of Albania


text:
TRP

TRP or Trp may refer to:

Businesses and organisations

 * Theatre in the Round Players, Minnesota, US
 * Time Reading Program, a 1960s book club
 * TransCanada Corporation, an energy company (TSX ticker: TRP)

Science

 * Total radiated power, related to antenna gain
 * Tryptophan, an amino acid (Trp.)
 * Transient receptor potential channel (or TRP channel), of a biological cell
 * Transition relevance place, in conversation analysis
 * Traumatic reticuloperitonitis, in veterinary medicine

Other uses

 * Target rating point, in broadcasting
 * Tripura, a state in northeastern India (postal code TRP)

title: TRP


text:
Talk:Causality (physics)

article name change
I tried to clear the page Causality by renaming it Causality dummy, but that didn't work as I intended, simply to clear the article name 'Causality'. I don't know the technicalities of such changes. I have requested editorial help.

I think that the article Causality (physics) is important and valuable. But it is specialised; it is not about the general topic of causality; it is, as is evident, about causality considered in physics. Physics is an experimental science. For interpretation of experiments, it relies on a presupposed notion of causality. The notion of causality is so general that it is not restricted to philosophy, and is not derivative from or reliant on physics, which actually presupposes it. Physics says important things about causality, but they derive from presuppositions, and are not logically prior to those presuppositions.

I think that a name change of the article formerly called Causality needs talk page discussion and consensus.Chjoaygame (talk) 18:10, 16 April 2021 (UTC)

 * I'll revert it. -Kj cheetham (talk) 19:53, 16 April 2021 (UTC)

 * Thank you.Chjoaygame (talk) 21:01, 16 April 2021 (UTC)

Is there a contradiction between unidirectional causality and CPT symmetry?
In CPT symmetry article we can read "The CPT theorem says that CPT symmetry holds for all physical phenomena". However, having a situation with a clear past->future causality direction and transforming it with CPT symmetry, shouldn't it reverse the causality direction to future->past?

So naively it seems there is some contradiction here? I have some idea to test it experimentally. Is it considered in literature? Maybe CPT symmetry should be mentioned in the article?

Also, hypothetical allowed by general relativity non-orientable wormhole could apply T symmetry e.g. to a rocket going through it - in theory again reversing causality direction (?) Jarek Duda (talk) 06:50, 15 May 2023 (UTC)

References or lack thereof
In 2008, this page earned a refimprove tag: .

15 years later, there are a grand total of 6 references, 2 of which are not in English, and one is a link to a dictionary definition. Seems like we could do better than that. Mr. Swordfish (talk) 22:21, 13 September 2023 (UTC)

Causal dynamical triangulation with no references
The section "Causal dynamical triangulation" had editorializing and no refs. It makes an extraordinary claim at the end implying that causality results from CDT. The single ref is to a conference invitation. I deleted the content as unsupported connection to the topic. Johnjbarton (talk) 16:18, 24 November 2023 (UTC)

title: Talk:Causality (physics)


text:
Talk:Pet adoption

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 6 January 2020 and 25 April 2020. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Caroruguita.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 02:17, 18 January 2022 (UTC)

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 13 January 2020 and 4 March 2020. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): ArielAlexis13.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 06:28, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

Move?
Adopting a dog can be more encyclopedic as Dog adoption (currently non-existent), since the noun phrases allows a history section on dog adoption ("Legal adoption began in 1748 in Michigan, until that time, the processes were..."), whereas the Adopting a dog only describes the current procedure to go thru, perhaps not even the cosequences and social implications.

 * I had the exact same thought. :) Martin

This article needs complete de-americanising. It is littered with words only used in the US, terminology exclusive to the US, etc etc. Oh Zoe would just love its americocentrism. BTW is there anywhere on the planet other than the US that even uses the term Dog adoption? (On AIM tonight most non-Americans were in knots laughing at this "weird" article!) FearÉIREANN 07:05 8 Jul 2003 (UTC)

 * Well, I'm UK-based, and I would certainly talk about dog adoption. I'm not sure what terminology you're referring to. Martin 08:43 8 Jul 2003 (UTC)

 * "Adoption" is the standard term in Canada, which is after all, the second biggest country in the world. ;-) 142.167.71.226 12:49, 11 August 2007 (UTC)

Why is this page specific to dogs? I see nothing which does not also apply to other pets (notably cats). -Tim (who will sign up when he's not so drunk) 82.68.187.214 01:43, 12 Sep 2004 (UTC)

 * Hmmm, good point. I think there are some things here that are more specific to dogs than to, say, cats or rabbits, and there are probably some issues related to cats that don't apply, but generally this might indeed be even better adjusted for those and listed under Pet adoption. Anyone else? Elf | Talk 02:47, 12 Sep 2004 (UTC)

 * A good idea; apparently nobody ever bothered to do this, so I have. --Saforrest 15:16, 1 June 2006 (UTC)

Improvements
I found that the following contains an unsubstantiated claim AND has bias:

"Other people simply release the pet into the wild or otherwise abandon it, with the expectation that it will be able to take care of itself or that it will be found and adopted. More often, these pets succumb to hunger, weather, traffic, or common and treatable health problems. More responsibly, owners will take the pet to a shelter, or call a rescue organization, where it will be cared for properly until a home can be found."

Tell me if you can solve these two issues. I will be watching this page. --StevenL 03:05, 9 July 2006 (UTC)

---Also, the reference to breeders producing more animals than they can sell is very biased. This is true in many cases of what are commonly known as "backyard breeders" in the dog world. A true responsible breeder would never produce more puppies than they can find homes for, or would want to have in their home.

Improving the overall page, Would the paper become more organized and less of a personal reflection if the section of Big Black Dog, Black Cats, and Bunnies on Easter was put into its own section of Animals in Adoption Process or something along those lines? I believe having it currently stated in the Adoption Process is creating the thought that these three animals are the only animals affected during the process, when they are not. OliviaHendren (talk) 13:56, 7 March 2018 (UTC)

Improvement aren't all improvements
Removing the section on BBD syndrome is not an improvement. It's an important problem shelters are dealing with. And why on earth would you use a picture of a purebred pug to illustrate a shelter dog? In eight years our local shelter has seen one pug among the hundreds of dogs placed, and it was quite old. The pic of the mixed breed was more representitive of a shelter dog. Mr. Shean 01:53, 7 August 2007 (UTC) Mr. Shean

Agreed. You have a better chance of being hit by lightning than finding a purebred Pug puppy at the shelter. LOL 142.167.71.226 12:47, 11 August 2007 (UTC)

 * The first issue was not a deliberate edit - it was cause by some rather bizarre vandalism in January 2007. I've tried to fix the vandalism. Graham 87 15:53, 23 April 2008 (UTC)

This section needs sources that show it is a significant phenomenon in pet adoption. The fact that their are a couple of small nonprofits started up around the term doesn't mean it's appropriate to spend time on in a general article about pet adoption. -- SiobhanHansa 18:07, 18 August 2008 (UTC)

Article is too DOG CENTRIC
Pet adoptions includes more than dogs. It really needs to be more generic, but has lots of dog references. Also, it shouldn't mention specific organizations in the article. Perhaps in the external links. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.40.128.126 (talk) 04:53, 9 February 2008 (UTC) =]

 * I was thinking the same thing especially with the "Rescue dogs" section. I feel like the information in that section is important, but I feel like it makes the article more of a dog article than pet article and violates Neutral point of view. I was thinking that it would be best to possibly split the Rescue dogs' section into its own article like CONTENTSPLIT suggests. Pug888 (talk) 01:49, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

"Rehoming" Autodirect
I searched "Rehoming" hoping to find an article on the informal placement of children (generally adopted out of foster care) into another's home without the state's involvement in terminating parental rights. Instead I was redirected to this page. Can someone remove this re-directing? The practice of rehoming unwanted children is very different from adopting a pet. [Other than the fact that you can just give them to whoever you decide in most states with the exchange of a few pieces of paper.] RedDarling (talk) 20:18, 19 April 2015 (UTC)

 * Interesting; it's a newer phenomenon, I guess. We probably need an article on the concept.  Adoption apparently doesn't cover it?   Montanabw (talk)  06:18, 21 April 2015 (UTC)

Targeted adoptions
Some adopters want (a) targeted adoptions (type of animals, species of animal, characteristics of animal, need of animal (e.g. rescue), etc. and (b) well-developed decisionmaking tools about (consumer, marketplace) decisions (they have pending, or which they are considering).

For instance, November is "National Adopt A Senior Pet Month!" (for which there is no article, nor a mention in the November article, nor even an article about senior pets, as there are not articles about short-haired hypoallergenic animals (often dogs, as Bo Obama, adopted by the First Family in 2010?). Can a brief section be developed for 'targeted adoptions' (whatever editors decide that section and topic should be labeled)?? For instance, when one chooses a cat over a dog because they don't need to be walked during the day, or a dog over a cat because they show more affection, or a caged bird over a free-roaming animal because they are more management, many issues emerge (and more are hidden): what about the 'rights' of the caged animal or the housed animal (and are those 'inherent rights' acknowledged and served (e.g. dog walking, letting out the dogs for a run and a poop, etc.) - or why any kind of animal (for 'company'?). Perhaps the WikiProject Pets should be better developed. MaynardClark (talk) 19:49, 9 November 2021 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Technical Editing
— Assignment last updated by Pug888 (talk) 03:19, 20 February 2023 (UTC)

Editing Scope
Hi fellow editors! I am looking to edit and work on this article for the next few weeks. I believe that this article could benefit from a few revisions to make it as Wiki-friendly as possible. The major edits that I will be looking into will be in regard to the lead and adoption process section. I found the portions on unwanted pets, forever homes, and a few more to be leading and a little biased. I believe, with some organizational change and focus on coherence, the article would no longer come across as a personal reflection. I’m going to create a sandbox to examine the article and shift to live edits once it is ready to be edited. Any feedback is welcome and appreciated! Pug888 (talk) 03:33, 20 February 2023 (UTC)

Rescue dog vs. rescued dog
The technical term in this article seems to be too colloquial in the use of words. In fact, so colloquial that it mixes up facts. The kind of dogs written about here is "rescued dogs" as these dogs are the ones having been rescued. A rescue dog is a specialized dog trained for rescueing humans in catastrophic areas, humans gotten lost, humans like in avalanche accidents. Mostly a search and rescue dog for humans in emergencies. So, an avalanche rescue dog is not a dog which has been rescued out of an avalanche but a dog which rescues something/someone out of an avalanche. Without clarifying the term, the article is incomplete and partially wrong. 2003:C0:DF15:4500:7015:6E85:F59E:C638 (talk) 15:31, 6 March 2023 (UTC)

 * While you're semantically correct, they're called rescue dogs (or shelter dogs), because they're commonly adopted from rescue groups (or shelters). Dogs which are trained for rescuing humans are called search and rescue dogs.  Waz8:T-C-E 04:37, 20 March 2023 (UTC)

 * The term "rescue dog" instead of the standard term for an animal which has been rescued, i.e. "rescued dog" appears to be American English. It is definitely not British standard English.

New Headings
Hi all! I went through the article and made some changes to try and distinguish the information given. The biggest thing I changed was the lead section to format like Manual of Style/Lead section suggests. Before editing, I found a lot of information covered in the lead that was not mentioned in the rest of the article, which contradicts that it is supposed to summarize what the article contains. To make this change, I added the heading "before adoption" to cover all that was stated in the lead previously but frame it in a way that states how pets end up for adoption and what they go through before the adoption process.

Next, I changed the heading "Responsible Pet Ownership" to "Pet Ownership" to avoid violating Neutral point of view. Pug888 (talk) 02:58, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

Recent edits and questions
I went through the article and tagged where citations were needed. The "Adoption Process" section needs a lot of citations, especially when stating the problems each animal is facing in shelters violating No original research.

I was also wondering if "Rescue Dogs" may work better as its own article instead of here. While the information given in that section is important, it makes the article more dog-centric, which would work better if the article was "dog adoption" and not "pet adoption." Pug888 (talk) 03:08, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

 * I recommend that you instead add information about adopting other types of pets to this article. That dog-specific section was previously merged here from a separate "Rescue dog" article, where it was deemed to be too small.  In addition, this article contains information which is relevant to dogs and other types of pets, providing better subject coverage than separate articles would. Waz8:T-C-E 04:47, 27 April 2023 (UTC)

Beyond Breeds: Unlocking Pet Personalities with Science
 DNA Matching:  Breed-specific DNA testing: Partner with DNA testing companies to offer potential adopters the chance to find a pet with breed-specific traits they desire, while also prioritizing shelter animals.

 Personality Matching:  Develop a test using DNA and behavioral questionnaires to match people with the ideal pet based on compatibility factors like energy levels, social needs, and temperament.

 Allergy-safe matching:  Analyze potential adopters' and pets' DNA to predict allergy compatibility, fostering responsible adoption and reducing returns due to allergies.

 Technology-driven adoption:  VR Pet Interactions: Create a virtual reality experience where potential adopters can interact with shelter animals in a simulated environment, reducing their anxiety and helping them connect with the right pet.

 Live-streamed shelter tours:  Offer virtual tours of shelters through live streaming platforms, showcasing adoptable pets and allowing viewers to "meet" them in real-time.

 AI-powered adoption platforms:  Develop a platform that uses artificial intelligence to analyze personality traits, lifestyle preferences, and animal profiles to suggest compatible matches for both humans and pets.

Focus on specific needs:  Senior-friendly adoptions:  Partner with retirement homes and senior centers to match older pets with older adults, providing companionship and improving mental and physical well-being for both.

 Working/Therapy Pets: Train and certify shelter animals for specific roles like service dogs, emotional support animals, or therapy pets, increasing their adoption chances and providing valuable support to people in need.

 "Foster-to-adopt" with training support:  Offer temporary foster care options where potential adopters receive professional training and support to help them integrate a new pet into their lives, increasing the success rate of adoptions.

[|https://petpawty.net/]] Petpawty (talk) 07:36, 8 January 2024 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Research Process and Methodology - SU24 - Sect 200 - Thu
— Assignment last updated by Yz9988 (talk) 21:44, 27 June 2024 (UTC)

title: Talk:Pet adoption