Spring Bear Hunt

There are renewed calls to bring back the spring bear hunt in Ontario.

Terry Quinney of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters says the demise of the hunt ten years ago has resulted in big increases in the number of bears.

"To minimize the risk to people and maximize the benefits of this wildlife resource for Ontario society, the Ontario government needs to reinstate the spring bear hunt," says Quinney

Quinney says the province's so-called BearWise program has done little to control an expanding black bear population.

Contact North Getting Upgrade

Contact North is upgrading its facilities.

The distance education facility has been given $3.5 million in provincial funding to modernize it's video equipment.

CEO Maxim Jean-Louis says it will enhanced the delivery of services.

"In some cases we are going to introduce some of those leading edge video conferencing learning technologies that are going to make things that much better," says Jean-Louis.

Jean-Louis says the government helps Contact North with upgrades on a regular basis.

Mental Health Services Report

Mental health and addiction services are two topics being studied by a new provincial government group.

Committee member Sylvia Jones says they'll be bringing their report to various provincial ministries for their consideration.

"There was a number of concerns, both First Nations and rural, with prescription drug abuse," says Jones. "Oxycontin being one that comes to mind."

Jones says the remoteness of the communities consulted make it hard to provide mental health and addiction services.

Couchiching Toll Booth Vote

There could be a vote coming in Couchiching First Nation on its toll booth on Highway 11.

A Thunder Bay newspaper is reporting today that Couchiching Chief Chuck McPherson plans to let the community decide the fate of the toll following his meeting with provincial and federal ministries last week.

The toll has been in place since May 21st.

Fire Still Burning at Quetico

It's eased elsewhere, but the Ministry of Natural Resources says the forest fire hazard still remains high in the Quetico Park area where three fires are still burning.

All three were started by lightning last week and are being observed by the MNR.

Meantime, the easing of the fire situation has allowed the MNR to send crews to northeastern Ontario to help fight wildfires there.

Cost of Dying in Ontario to Rise

A Conservative MPP says come July 1st it will cost more to die in Ontario.

Peter Shurman says families will have to pay up to 13-hundred dollars in taxes or remembrance services when the HST takes effect.

When the HST is implemented, remembrance service items will see an eight per cent tax hike.

Physicians' Apprection Week

It is Physicians Appreciation Week in Fort Frances.

As part of the week, B-93 will be examining the local doctor situation with Doctor Robert Algie who began his practice back in 1981.

"I grew up in northern Ontario in Sault Ste. Marie but my great-aunt and uncle, Jean and Tom Harrison lived in Fort Frances, so I was aware of the community and been here before," says Dr. Algie, "so I was aware of the community and been here before. There was some familiarity with the community so it was really a foreign concept to me. But I was looking for small town experience as I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the rest of my career so it was 'let's give small-town primary care practice a shot and see how it goes."

He says the reasons the brought him to Fort Frances are the same reasons he's stayed.

"The ongoing challenges in terms of practising in a small rural setting are still appealing to me. Being able to participate in emergency medicine, taking care of people in the community, in the home and in long-term care, that diversity is really appealing to me and continues to keep my interest. You can't practise it any better than you can in Fort Frances."

Tomorrow, Algie will talk about some of the reasons behind the doctor shortage impacting our communities.