Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Local College Student Graduate

It's graduation day for students at Confederation College's Fort Frances campus.

About 50 students will receive diplomas, including the very first group of graduates who will receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Convocation ceremonies take place at the Townsend Theatre beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Aboriginal Mining Programs Expanded

Confederation College is receiving funding to help Aboriginal students in northern Ontario benefit from mineral exploration training programs.

Confederation College will get $250 thousand dollars to deliver additional training courses.
The funding will make possible courses in prospecting and staking, geophysical operations and diamond drilling.

Since 2006, Confederation College's basic line cutting course has produced 104 graduates from 12 First Nations in northwestern Ontario.

DayCare Changes Likely Delayed

Premier Dalton McGuinty admits it will take longer than planned to implement so-called full-day learning for four-andfive-year-olds in Ontario.

McGuinty says the government has allocated $500 million over two years to start phasing in optional all-day junior kindergarten in2010.

The premier admits the plan likely won't be fully implemented in three years as recommended because of the faltering economy, and says he doesn't know how much it will cost.

When pressed, McGuinty said he didn't know the total cost, but admitted it would be `a lot of money.'

McGuinty also says teachers will have to work alongside early childhood education specialists, an idea teachers' unions have balked at in the past.

Charles Pascal, the government's early learning advisor,recommends that full-day learning programs for pre-schoolers start in lower-income neighbourhoods.

More Help Sent to BC

The Ministry of Natural Resources is getting ready to ship out even more fire fighters out to battle wild fires in British Columbia.

A total of 114 fire rangers are scheduled to leave from Dryden and Sudbury today to join 64 fire fighters who left last week.

Fire ranger crews will be heading to Prince George for a two week stint.

Dryden Mill Shutdown Extended

Workers at Domtar's mill in Dryden are getting more unpaid time off than they first expected.

The company has pushed back the re-opening of the mill.

The facility was shut down because of declining customer demand.

The closure has been extended another three weeks, meaning the mill will open around July 24.

Federal Forestry Strategy in the Works

The Conservative Government appears to be working on a billion dollar strategy aimed at helping the forest industry.

The strategy is to offset the $6 billion dollar subsidy given to U.S. pulp and paper mills for burning black liquor.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford says his Government is looking at a similar plan.

"Our government's challenge moving forward is to reward companies for using renewable resources," says Rickford.

Rickford says the American plan to burn black liquor is flawed because it rewards companies that burn fossil fuels.

But the N-D-P's forestry critic doesn't believe the government's proposal will go far enough.

In the house of commons Monday, Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty said the proposed billion dollar plan won't allow Canadian mills to compete against the stronger initiatives offered in the U.S.

"Half measures by the government will not save the forestry industry," said Rafferty. "Last week's billion dollar black liquor aid package is a start, but it will not level the playing field against U.S. competitors. The American subsidy is much larger, and it will still provide an unfair advantage to American mills."

"The Conservative plan will do little to help the million people who rely on the forestry sector for work. When will the government start seeing the forest for the trees and help the forestry industry emerge from this downturn more profitable and stronger than ever?"

Rafferty says at the very least, the Federal Government should match the American subsidy and make it retroactive from 2008.