Fort Frances Soldier Receives Medal

A soldier from the Fort Frances area has finally received his Medal of Military Valour.

Sergeant Russell Gregoire was presented the award from Governor-General Michelle Jean Friday at ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.

The award recognizes his actions on June 2008 in which he helped lead a group of soldiers, who were ambushed and under heavy fire, to safety.

Gregoire had been cited for the award back in October, but was still in Afghanistan at the time.

Liberal Campaign HST

The political fight to sell the HST which kicks in July 1st is starting to resemble an election campaign.

The Liberal government is taking to the road pushing back hard against opposition claims that it is a "greedy tax grab.''

Premier Dalton McGuinty says Liberals will visit opposition-held ridings all month to tout the benefits of the tax.

Tower and Hallet Officially Open

Rain forced Friday's official opening ceremonies of the tower and tugboat Hallet to be held indoors.

Dignitaries gathered at the Ontario Travel tourism centre to cut the ribbon for the two landmarks.

Mayor Roy Avis feels any opposition there was to their move to the Fort Frances waterfront is now gone.

"There was a lot of scepticism at that time," says Avis, "and it's disappeared now. It's a great project and it's really gone forward. I think we're very proud of the museum and waterfront and will attract tourists to our area."

Avis says the landmarks enhance the waterfront area.

Artists Recognized

(Left: Artists Cher Pruys and Burton Penner)

The artists involved in the banner programme part of the Heritage project were recognized at ceremonies held to recognized the completion of the projects second phase.

The banners hang along the downtown and parkway areas of Fort Frances.

Burton Penner, whose banner illustrates the area's Voyageur life, is pleased to see his work on display.

"I'm honoured that they picked that," says Penner, "and glad they could use it. My interest has always been in history and the fur trade and I like to depict that in my art."

Chery Pruys had three designs chosen for the project.

"It's very exciting," says Pruys, "I'm really proud to be a citizen of this area and its great to see my artwork and help promote it and hopefully be a part of something that people enjoy looking at down at the waterfront."

Her work includes fishing along the waterfront, the Noden Causeway and the Rainy Lake mermaid.

Studio8 Design artist David Bodnarchuk and Iann Legge were also involved.

Gun-Bill Vote Expected

A private member’s bill to scrap the Federal long-gun registry has hit a snag.

A Commons Committee voted last week not to proceed with the bill.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River M-P John Rafferty it now comes down to a vote in the House.

"Well the bill isn't dead," says Rafferty. "What the committee is recommending is that it be dead but there is a procedural vote that will come probably this week on whether the bill can be killed or not."

The bill to scrap the registry passed second reading in the Commons when eight Liberals and 12 NDP MPs joined with the Conservatives to support the bill.