There might be some good news on the horizon for the pulp and paper industry in Canada.
Montreal-based pulp and paper giant Domtar says its net profits doubled in the second quarter even as sales declined year-over-year.
The company saw net earnings of 48-million dollars U-S in the quarter.
Consolidated sales declined to 1.3 billion dollars from 1.6 billion the year before.
Domtar says the pulp and paper markets appear to be stabilizing.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Witnesses Sought
Provincial Police seeking witnesses to an early morning accident in Fort Frances.
Police say a tractor trailer unit and a small red car came into contact at the corners of Scott Street and Central Avenue at around 7:45 a.m.
No one was injured.
Police say a tractor trailer unit and a small red car came into contact at the corners of Scott Street and Central Avenue at around 7:45 a.m.
No one was injured.
Coordinated Lake Rescue
A coordinated rescue effort on the weekend helped recover two American men who became stranded on Rainy Lake for nearly two days.
An employee of a Minnesota houseboat company overhead a "May-Day" call Saturday evening about a vessel stranded in Bleak Bay and contacted Canada Border Services which in turn called OPP.
Constable Anne McCoy says officers coordinated the search efforts with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary unit stationed out of Ash River, Minnesota.
McCoy says the men became stranded when their boat suffered engine trouble and strong winds drifted them to a part of the bay that was not visible by other boaters.
Neither man suffered injuries.
An employee of a Minnesota houseboat company overhead a "May-Day" call Saturday evening about a vessel stranded in Bleak Bay and contacted Canada Border Services which in turn called OPP.
Constable Anne McCoy says officers coordinated the search efforts with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary unit stationed out of Ash River, Minnesota.
McCoy says the men became stranded when their boat suffered engine trouble and strong winds drifted them to a part of the bay that was not visible by other boaters.
Neither man suffered injuries.
"Ice Box of the Nation" Even in July?
The "Icebox of the Nation" held true to its name in July.
Last month was the coldest July on record for International Falls.
The National Weather Service says the average temperature for the month was 58.8 F - more than 7 degrees below normal and more than a half a degree from the previous record set in 1992.
The city failed to record a single 80–degree reading the entire month, and overnight lows fell into the 30s four times.
The chilly weather continues into August with the thermometer dropping to 42 F on Sunday morning, breaking the previous daily record low of 44 F set in August 2nd 1977.
Last month was the coldest July on record for International Falls.
The National Weather Service says the average temperature for the month was 58.8 F - more than 7 degrees below normal and more than a half a degree from the previous record set in 1992.
The city failed to record a single 80–degree reading the entire month, and overnight lows fell into the 30s four times.
The chilly weather continues into August with the thermometer dropping to 42 F on Sunday morning, breaking the previous daily record low of 44 F set in August 2nd 1977.
Northern Colleges Woo Students
Some colleges and universities in Northern Ontario are thinking of offering incentives for students to study there.
Post-secondary institutions in Southern Ontario are awash in students, but their northern counterparts have more spaces than they can fill.
The northern schools say they should take in some of the overflow of Ontario students.
Post-secondary institutions in Southern Ontario are awash in students, but their northern counterparts have more spaces than they can fill.
The northern schools say they should take in some of the overflow of Ontario students.
NAN Concerns about Protectionist Bill
A bill that would map land in the Far North is getting a cool reception from some First Nations people.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation say they won't support the bill in part because they feel left out of the consultation process.
Natural Resources Minister Donna Canfield promised in June the bill would protect 225-thousand square kilometres in a network of conservation areas.
But NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy is asking for the bill to be withdrawn unless it's changed to allow more participation from their communities.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation say they won't support the bill in part because they feel left out of the consultation process.
Natural Resources Minister Donna Canfield promised in June the bill would protect 225-thousand square kilometres in a network of conservation areas.
But NAN Grand Chief Stan Beardy is asking for the bill to be withdrawn unless it's changed to allow more participation from their communities.
More EHealth Questions
Opposition leaders continue to demand Health Minister David Caplan's resignation as they suggest EHealth isn't the only provincial agency giving out swollen contracts to consultants.
Both the NDP and the Conservatives claim some of the nearly 16 million dollars in untendered contracts given out by the beleaguered agency went to people with ties to the Liberal government.
N-D-P Leader Andrea Horwath wants the auditor general to investigate links between the Liberals and well-paid consultants.
Both the NDP and the Conservatives claim some of the nearly 16 million dollars in untendered contracts given out by the beleaguered agency went to people with ties to the Liberal government.
N-D-P Leader Andrea Horwath wants the auditor general to investigate links between the Liberals and well-paid consultants.
Protection for Seniors Called For
The federal New Democrats say the Harper government has to do a better job helping seniors.
NDP leader Jack Layton was in northwestern Ontario recently to talk with local seniors, and says there are many things the government can do to help them.
"We have been holding meeting with seniors across the country for the past several months," says Layton. "That's why we moved a motion in the House of Commons in June saying that the Canada Pension Plan and the support for seniors needed to be increased and done now; that there has been protection for pensioners where the company goes bankrupt where they should go at the front of the line and not back; and that the whole system of retirement security has to be upgrade for our seniors."
Layton is also pushing the federal government for an overhaul of the Employment Insurance system to make it easier for workers to collect benefits.
NDP leader Jack Layton was in northwestern Ontario recently to talk with local seniors, and says there are many things the government can do to help them.
"We have been holding meeting with seniors across the country for the past several months," says Layton. "That's why we moved a motion in the House of Commons in June saying that the Canada Pension Plan and the support for seniors needed to be increased and done now; that there has been protection for pensioners where the company goes bankrupt where they should go at the front of the line and not back; and that the whole system of retirement security has to be upgrade for our seniors."
Layton is also pushing the federal government for an overhaul of the Employment Insurance system to make it easier for workers to collect benefits.
Road Closures Today
A reminder to motorists in Fort Frances today.
The Portage Avenue underpass will be shutdown beginning at 9:00 a.m.
It will reopen to traffic Friday at 4:00 p.m.
The intersection of Scott Street and Portage Avenue will be also blocked for a one week period beginning at around noon today.
Heavy trucks will now route through town using Mowat Avenue, Church Street, Veterans Drive to Sinclair Street and Victoria Avenue.
Travel along Scott between Mowat and Portage and Victoria and Portage is still permitted.
The Portage Avenue underpass will be shutdown beginning at 9:00 a.m.
It will reopen to traffic Friday at 4:00 p.m.
The intersection of Scott Street and Portage Avenue will be also blocked for a one week period beginning at around noon today.
Heavy trucks will now route through town using Mowat Avenue, Church Street, Veterans Drive to Sinclair Street and Victoria Avenue.
Travel along Scott between Mowat and Portage and Victoria and Portage is still permitted.
Bass Fishery Still Strong
(MNR personnel take measurements of a bass caught during this year's Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship)The bass fishery in Rainy Lake continues to be strong.
That according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The Ministry used the recent Fort Frances Canadian Bass tournament as an opportunity to study bass, and area biologist Darryl McLeod says they are looking good.
"It's a real healthy smallmouth bass fishery," says McLeod. "We've been tracking it since 1995. It got better in the 1990's and has been maintaining itself at a real high quality since."
McLeod says they've been obtaining some good information from the Championship.
One of the key pieces of information has been the various age classes of the fish.
"We can look at how strong each year class is in the bass population right back to 1995 and predict how the fishing might be. Since 2000, we've had about 5 or 6 really poor year classes in bass largely driven by climate.
McLeod says it just one factor that could impact the fishery in the future.
But he points 15 years of tournament fishing on the lake has not had a negative impact.
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