The town of Fort Frances has its first candidate for this fall's municipal election.
Sharon Tibbs has filled her nomination papers to seek re-election as councillor.
"I still got the drive and energy to want to do the job for the community," says Tibbs. "Getting on the senior sides of my years, the demographics of the community, I can bring that flavour to the table. It's something I have a passion for and want to continue it."
Tibbs has been involved in municipal politics for sixteen years, broken up only by an unsuccessful mayoral bid in 2003.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Ontario Budget
Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan has tabled his $126-billion budget.
Hospitals will get a 1.5 boost to their base funding while $63.5-million will go to replace federal child care funding.
There is a $310-million increase in post secondary education funding.
Despite a $21.3 billion deficit last year and nearly $20-billion deficit next year, the Liberals won't re-balance the books until 2017-18.
Northern Ontario residents will get some relief from high hydro bills, and companies in the north will be able to access lower electricity rates.
A new, $150-million-a-year program will create a northern industrial electricity rate aimed at reducing hydro prices by 25 per cent for large industrial users.
The budget will also provide low-to middle-income families in the north with an annual energy credit of up to 200 dollars, while singles would get up to 130 dollars.
Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle calls the budget a good one, especially for the north.
It also includes another 10-million dollar increase to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.
"We've gone from 60 to 70 to 80 to 90-million," says Gravelle, "and there's a commitment to go to $100 million next year. This is incredibly important to northern Ontario communities and businesses that are able to access the funds."
$770-million will be also spent to fix up highways in northern Ontario.
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton was not as warming to the budget.
He says the introduction of lower power rates is good news, but have come too late for many mills now closed.
"If you actually do the numbers all that it will do is ensure that the hydro bills for OSB mill, sawmills and paper mills won't increase over the next three years," says Hampton. "The troubles is that those bills are already too expensive and that why so mills have shutdown."
Hampton says the hydro credit for homeowners won't even cover the cost of the HST when it comes into effect this July.
More than one million Ontario public sector workers got some bad news in the budget --notice of a salary freeze.
The budget imposes an immediate pay freeze on public sector managers, and vows not to fund salary increases for unionized public workers when their contracts expire.
Hospitals will get a 1.5 boost to their base funding while $63.5-million will go to replace federal child care funding.
There is a $310-million increase in post secondary education funding.
Despite a $21.3 billion deficit last year and nearly $20-billion deficit next year, the Liberals won't re-balance the books until 2017-18.
Northern Ontario residents will get some relief from high hydro bills, and companies in the north will be able to access lower electricity rates.
A new, $150-million-a-year program will create a northern industrial electricity rate aimed at reducing hydro prices by 25 per cent for large industrial users.
The budget will also provide low-to middle-income families in the north with an annual energy credit of up to 200 dollars, while singles would get up to 130 dollars.
Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle calls the budget a good one, especially for the north.
It also includes another 10-million dollar increase to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund.
"We've gone from 60 to 70 to 80 to 90-million," says Gravelle, "and there's a commitment to go to $100 million next year. This is incredibly important to northern Ontario communities and businesses that are able to access the funds."
$770-million will be also spent to fix up highways in northern Ontario.
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton was not as warming to the budget.
He says the introduction of lower power rates is good news, but have come too late for many mills now closed.
"If you actually do the numbers all that it will do is ensure that the hydro bills for OSB mill, sawmills and paper mills won't increase over the next three years," says Hampton. "The troubles is that those bills are already too expensive and that why so mills have shutdown."
Hampton says the hydro credit for homeowners won't even cover the cost of the HST when it comes into effect this July.
More than one million Ontario public sector workers got some bad news in the budget --notice of a salary freeze.
The budget imposes an immediate pay freeze on public sector managers, and vows not to fund salary increases for unionized public workers when their contracts expire.
3-G Deal
3-G wireless is coming to the Rainy River district.
TBayTel is partnering with Rogers to give all of northwestern Ontario improved wireless services.
TBaytel President Don Campbell says customers are the big winners.
"We're going to be providing to call customers in the region expanded services, expanded access to hand-sets and content and worldwide roaming," says Campbell.
Rogers customers will have the same coverage as TBaytel and while TBayTel customers will have access to the Rogers network and the latest new phones.
Officials expect services in the Rainy River district to come online by the early part of 2011.
Fort Frances Trio Advance to National Event
Three Fort Frances High School students will head to Ottawa in May to push their business case for a funeral home.
They're among thirty school groups across Canada that won the right to compete in a business planning competition for native youth sponsored by Business Development Bank of Canada.
Grade 12 student Stephen Mitchell says they now have to push their plan at the national event.
"We have to set up a booth,"says Mitchell, "like we have a real-live business. We have to have pamphlets to hand out and a logo in front of the booth. Basically to try to sell what you have to the people that come by. Some of them might be judges, but they don't really tell you."
It's the first time students from Fort Frances have participated.
Joining Mitchell in Ottawa will be Max Calder and Ryan Strachan.
They're among thirty school groups across Canada that won the right to compete in a business planning competition for native youth sponsored by Business Development Bank of Canada.
Grade 12 student Stephen Mitchell says they now have to push their plan at the national event.
"We have to set up a booth,"says Mitchell, "like we have a real-live business. We have to have pamphlets to hand out and a logo in front of the booth. Basically to try to sell what you have to the people that come by. Some of them might be judges, but they don't really tell you."
It's the first time students from Fort Frances have participated.
Joining Mitchell in Ottawa will be Max Calder and Ryan Strachan.
K. I. Legal Expenses
Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton wants the province to cover the legal expenses of a remote first nation community that was involving in a mining dispute with Platinex.
In the legislature yesterday, Hampton says Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation should be given the same consideration the province provided to the mining company.
"If the McGuinty government has $5 million for Platinex Inc., a company that showed no respect for First Nation rights, no respect for treaty rights," says Hampton, "will the McGuinty government do the fair, reasonable and decent thing and also compensate the First Nation, a very poor First Nation, for the more than $700,000 in legal costs they incurred in defending their constitutional rights?"
Hampton says the K-I band was forced to take money from its housing, recreation and education budgets to pay for its legal costs.
Mining Agreement
Six Treaty Three First Nations have signed a mineral exploration agreement with Sudbury based Canadian Arrow Mines.
The agreement formally recognizes the company's exploration activities in several locations around Dryden, Sioux Narrows and east of Fort Frances.
It also provides for employment and business contracts for the communities residents and compensation for any impact the company's work will have on aboriginal and Treaty rights.
The agreement formally recognizes the company's exploration activities in several locations around Dryden, Sioux Narrows and east of Fort Frances.
It also provides for employment and business contracts for the communities residents and compensation for any impact the company's work will have on aboriginal and Treaty rights.
Kenora Mayor Not Seeking Re-election
There will be a new mayor elected in the city of Kenora.
Current Mayor Len Compton says he won't be seeking re-election this fall after serving just one term.
Compton gave no reason for his decision.
Former Mayor Dave Canfield, defeated by Compton in the last election, and former Kenora councillor Andrew Poirier, have indicated their intention to seek the mayor chair.
Current Mayor Len Compton says he won't be seeking re-election this fall after serving just one term.
Compton gave no reason for his decision.
Former Mayor Dave Canfield, defeated by Compton in the last election, and former Kenora councillor Andrew Poirier, have indicated their intention to seek the mayor chair.
Supervising Coroner Appointed
A northwestern Ontario physician has been appointed the Regional Supervising Coroner for northern Ontario.
Dr. Michael Wilson will take on his new responsibilities next month, overseeing the region's forty investigating coroners.
Wilson, who's worked in Nipigon as a family and emergency physician for the past decade, is also an Associate Clinical Professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
Dr. Michael Wilson will take on his new responsibilities next month, overseeing the region's forty investigating coroners.
Wilson, who's worked in Nipigon as a family and emergency physician for the past decade, is also an Associate Clinical Professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
