Doer to Visit the Borderland

Canada's Ambassador to the United States will be making a visit to the borderland next week.

Gary Doer will be in International Falls August 20 to talk to area representatives about cross border trade between the two countries.

Doer became Ambassador to the U.S. last October after serving as Manitoba's premier for ten years.

His visit is being hosted by AbitibiBowater and Boise Paper.

Tug of War Proposal to Get Review

(Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty and Fort Frances Mayor Roy Avis were among those leading the charge in the 2009 tug of war against International Falls)


Fort Frances town council will seek the advice of its economic development advisory committee on an expanded tug-of-war celebrations with the city of International Falls.

Falls city administrator Rod Otterness is suggesting the two sister communities work toward making the annual tug-of-war an international festival inviting celebrities and major media.

The Fort's C.A.O. Mark McCaig says it deserves a look.

"When you think about it, two communities across a river pulling a rope is a pretty unique event," says McCaig. "I don't think its ever been marketed to the extent it could. The potential is limitless."

Councillor Ken Perry says it may a good way of propping up Fun in the Sun in Fort Frances

New Sign Rules Given Blessing

Fort Frances town council has given its approval to new rules effecting portable signs in the community.

It includes a 180-day limit on the use of the signs by users.

Mark Belluz, of Belluz Concrete and Rental, had requested a 10-month timeframe back in June, suggesting the six-month limit was too short.

Minnesota Primary Election Today

Minnesotans vote in primary elections today in a lead up to the November 2 general election.

One of the candidates coming out of the election will be Minnesota's next governor.

Today's elections will also narrow the field of candidates seeking the position of commissioner in Koochiching County's District 4.

Tara Long, Robert Ecklund and Bob Anderson are vying for the seat now held by Chuck Lepper who's not seeing re-election.

New Chamber President in Falls

The International Falls Chamber of Commerce has appointed a new president.

Faye Whitbeck will take over the role August 18.

She joins the Chamber following a 20-year career with the Falls newspaper, the Journal.

Greyhound Service in Jeopardy

Travel plans of thousands of Greyhound Canada passengers could stall in 48 hours.

The bus line says it will lock out almost 500 drivers as well as maintenance and terminal workers first thing Thursday morning if there's no tentative contract by then.

That would affect almost all Greyhound service in Ontario and Quebec.

Art Giving Voice to Missing or Murdered Women

A workshop that aims to give a voice to hundreds of missing or murdered aboriginal woman through art is underway at the Sunset Country Metis Hall in Fort Frances.

Serene Spence of Beedaubin Resources of Thunder Bay says participants are be involved in a variety of art projects including the painting of a large mural.

"All of the art work will be brought back to the community," says Spence, "and a community symposium that will be held in October. It will on display for all of the policy makers, justices, police and others to view and create dialogue about the subject.

The event began yesterday and runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day until Thursday.

OPP Camp Underwaty

Thirty youngsters from across northwestern Ontario have gathered with Provincial Police at a camp near Kenora this week.

Constable Anne McCoy is with them and says part of a new expanded junior constable camp.

"We're going to do team building exercises," says McCoy, "self-esteem exercises and taking them on the M.S. Kenora for an afternoon. We're treating them to experiences they might not otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy."

McCoy says seven of the young campers are from the Rainy River district and were involved in OPP Dare Programs run at area schools.

Rafferty Seeking Support to Proposed Pension Bill

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty is looking for support in his efforts to improve federal pension protection.

His private members bill goes to the Industry Committee for discussion in November, but Rafferty is hoping it gets discussed much earlier.

"One of the things I've been doing this summer as I travel to various parts of the country is to talk to people," says Rafferty, "to try to get them to write or phone committee members or their MPs and to say 'November is not acceptable. We need to move it to the top of agenda when we go back in September'."

He's also hoping MP's who showed their support in sending the bill to committee will continue to do so when it comes back to the House for a final vote.

Work Place Safety Review Near Completion

A report on improving work place safety is set to be released in December.

Chair of a government appointed review panel Tony Dean says they received input from across the province.

Dean says among the suggestions is better training for new employees.

"It appears as not much to be as much emphasis and consistant emphasis on entry level training," says Dean. "We are sending too many new entrtrants to the labour market of all ages into work places too often not well prepared."

Dean issues his report to the Labour Minister this fall.

Wood Supply Competition Still Under Review

The Ontario Government could announce the winners of the wood supply competition by the fall.

Natural Resource Minister Michael Gravelle says 115 applications came forward for the 11 million cubic metres of wood up for grabs.

"I'm pushing our Ministry people very hard on this," says Gravelle. "They have got a big job to do. I'm very grateful for they hard work they've done but I've ask them to move as quickly as possible. There are a number of organizations who are waiting to see if they're successful in moving foward with the competition."

Those with successful proposals will be able to use logs, branches and other wood in Crown forests for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.

Crews Returning

(Ministry of Natural Resources Photo)

Some of the Ministry of Natural Resources personnel working in western Canada are expected home today.

About 20 MNR fireRangers expect to end their work in Manitoba where they've been since the end of July.

Meantime, the MNR is looking at sending additional crews and equipment to British Columbia where 271 fire personnel are now working.

Another 41 are in Saskatchewan.

Incumbants File

All three incumbents holding down the International Falls city council positions that come up for grabs this November have filed for reelection.

Paul Eklund in East Ward, Gail Rognerud in Central and Cynthia Jaksa in West Ward filed this past week.

Bernie Woods filed for the position of Mayor of Rainer.

The filing period ends August 17 with the general election held November 2nd.

Those filing for the area's local government positions area not be part of primary elections being held in Minnesota tomorrow.

Steep Rock Proposal Given Go-Ahead

The provincial government is giving the go-ahead to plans that could lead to a rehabilitation of the former Steep Rock Mine site in Atikokan.

Bending Lake Iron Ore Group proposes an iron ore processing facility while Brett Resources wants to dump tailings there from a planned gold mine.

Henry Wetalainen of Bending Lake Iron Ore says approval allows their plans to now enter the environmental assessment process.

"Under this we're going to be a year under the Environmental (E.A.)," says Wetalainen. "I would properly look at construction sometime next fall."

Wetaliainen says development of his facility and mine at Bending Lake will cost about $900-million and will create about 700 construction jobs and 300 when up and running.

Charleson Recreation Area Upgrades

(Supplied Photo)


A grand opening of a recreational area near the former Steep Rock Mine in Atikokan took place Saturday.

Just under a million dollars has gone into the Charleson Recreation Area over the years which chair Brian Jackson says will be a benefit to the community.

"The development and expansion of some of the facilities allows us put on events, bigger and better," says Jackson. "New events that can increase the number of people coming to the existing events or attract new people to come to the new events."

Jackson says the site include a number of new buildings and bike and horse riding trails.

Funding was provided by the province and the municipality.

Plant Funding

A home-building company in Kenora is been seen as a potential model for northwestern Ontario's fledgling value-added forest industry.

Wincrief Forestry Products is receiving $1.2 million in the form of a provincial loan and grant to help the plant grow and start a utility pole division.

The company, which started up less than two years ago, builds modular homes for the region's First Nations.

Strike Looms at Medical School

Clerical, administrative and technical staff at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine have voted 97 per cent in favour of a walkout if contract negotiations fail.

The members of OPSEU Local 677 would be in a legal strike position as of August 16.

Outstanding issues include overtime, workload, job classification and sick leave.

Hudak Critical of LHINS

Ontario's Opposition says the Liberal government is wasting money on bureaucrats instead of addressing a growing shortage of long-term care beds.

The Progressive Conservatives say the government's failure to make progress on its aging at home strategy has allowed the wait list for long-term care beds to swell to 24,000 people.

Leader Tim Hudak says the Local Health Integration Networks set up by the Liberals mismanaged the 250-million dollar program that is supposed to help more seniors live at home.

Hudak is promising to scrap the networks and put the money into front-line health services if the Tories win next year's election.

Emo Fair Nears

The Rainy River Valley Agricultural Fall Fair in Emo is just around the corner.

President Emily Watson says exhibitors wanting to display their wares can now pick up the new fair book.

"Those are available at North American Lumber," says Watson, "all the way through to Lowe's Furniture, Lowe's Lumber in Sleeman and the local municipal offices. We also have our own website http://www.emofair.com/.

Watson says they also have volunteer and paid position open.

You can call Watson at 486-3688 or Lois Caul at 486-3341 for more information.

Advance ride tickets for the fair which goes August 19-21 are also on sale.

More Forest Fire Help Sent West

(MNR Photo)

Ontario is sending more support to help western Canada deal with its forest fire situation.

Debbie MacLean of the Ministry of Natural Resources says one-hundred firefighters will depart for British Columbia later this afternoon.

Most are from northwestern Ontario and join those already in the west.

"Right now we have 75 west fire region personal in BC, 21 in Manitoba and 21 in Saskatchewan," says MacLean. "We're sending an additional 63 out of the 107 leaving today."

MNR crews have been in BC and Saskatchewan since Sunday.

Those in Manitoba are into their second week.