Rafferty Opposition to Registry Remains

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty is standing firm on his position on the long-gun registry.

In a statement issued yesterday, Rafferty reiterated his decision to vote in favour of a Conservative private members bill that proposed to scrap the registry.

Rafferty says he's following the wishes of his constituents by doing so.

Partnerships Encouraged

A British Columbia First Nation leader is touting the importance of good relations between aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities.

Chief Clarence Louie of Osoyoos was the key note speaker at the Northern Networks Trade Conference yesterday in Fort Frances.

He says the development of business relations is a win-win.

"I do see it happening more and more across the country," says Louie, "where First Nations people are developing businesses, partnering up with businesses and bringing their own economic development ideas to the table."

Louie's own band developed its own corporation that owns several businesses and employs hundreds of people.

Q-Gold Resumes Drilling

Q-Gold Resources has started a second phase of drilling at the Foley Gold Mine Complex near Mine Centre.

The company says its will focus attention on two veins, known as Jumbo and Bonanza to determine gold and silver grades.

A first phase of drilling was completed in August with the results anticipated later this month.

Committee Formed for Kenora Election

Three retired municipal officials from the Rainy River district have been appointed to an Elections Compliance Audit Committee for Kenora's municipal election.

Former Chapple township clerk, Doris Dyson, Bill Naturkack, former CEO of Fort Frances and former Atikokan Clerk Warren Paulson are part of a five-person committee which is set up to review a candidate's financial records if requested.

Worst Roads Campaign

The Canadian Automobile Association's Worst Roads Campaign is underway.

Spokesperson Kory Kennedy says anyone fed up with decaying infrastructure is urged to cast their vote online.

"This campaign resonates extremely well with individuals throughout the province," says Kennedy, "appreciating that it has grown in scope as well as magnitude since the launch in 2003. Since then, we've ensured 90 per cent of the roads nominated to the annual top twenty list have been repaired or are slated to be repaired."

The campaign concludes at the end of September.

Bearskin Sold

A fixture in northwestern Ontario airline industry is about to change hands.

Bearskin Airlines is being sold to Winnipeg-based Exchange Income for $32.5 million dollars.

President Harvey Friesen says the timing was right.

"Given the fact that our age is creeping up there, I've been with the business for forty years," says Friesen, "that this looked like a good way to carry on the company. The company's now 47 years old and hopefully we can carry on and become much older and create good stability for ourselves and our employees."

Friesen says the deal will not result in any layoffs or change in service.

Exchange also owns and operates CalmAir, Perimeter Air and Keewatin Air.

Public Board Happy with Results

The Rainy River District School Board is expressing satisfaction with the the recent results of provincial tests written by its grade three, six and nine students in April.

Education Director Heather Campbell says the board saw significant improvement in several areas.

"We've seen some tremendous growth in our junior assessment in reading, writing and math," says Campbell, "as well with our grade 9 assessments. We've seen increases there as well."

Campbell says there was a slight decrease in the test scores from grade 3 reading and writing while math scores remain stable over past years.

Strugeon Creek School was singled out as success story by the group that administers the standardized testing in Ontario's schools.

EQAO says the school has shown steady improvement in the number of students meeting provincial standards over the past several year.

The school results for Grade 6 reading, writing and math tests were all well above the provincial average.

Homesteaders' Fair

This weekend's trade show in Atikokan will have a bit of a old-time country fair feel.

It will includes the town's first-ever Homesteaders Fair.

Organizer Catherine Reilly says its an attempt to recognize some of the skills made popular when the area was first settled.

"We're inviting people to bring in their home baking or their smoke fish or their favourite painted lure, those kinds of things," says Reilly. "It's like an old time country fair."

Reilly says ribbons and prizes will be awarded to winners in a variety of categories.

Alzheimer Coffee Break

Several businesses and organizations across the Kenora-Rainy River district held coffee breaks Thursday in support of the Alzheimer Society.

The district's executive director Lynn Moffatt says it's a fun event that helps raise needed funds for the Society.

"Basically its a very fun event for organization to get out their to meet new people," says Moffatt. "It's a great networking opportunity and it's for a great cause. All of the money raised goes towards raising new services and supports.

Moffatt says they were hoping to raise at least five-thousand during the one-day event.

Airport Interest

There appears to be some interest around the Rainy River district to a Fort Frances request to have area municipalities share in the operating costs of its airport.

Municipal representatives from across the district discussed the idea at a meeting Tuesday night in Emo.

Fort Frances Councillor Rick Wiedenhoeft says there was a lot of good discussion, but the area's elected officials want more time and information before making a decision.

Wiedenhoeft says they're hoping to gather again in about a month's time.

Tour de Fort Delays Decision

The board of directors with Tour de Fort are delaying a decision on the future of the entertainment series until after this season's first show Saturday.

They have made a change at the top with Ken Avis taking over as president from Kerry Zucchiatti who will now assume the role as secretary.

The group wanted at least 125 new season-passport sales by yesterday to ensure they had the fund to operate next season.

Avis says they're still far short of that goal, but hopes the extension and Saturday's performance of Louise Pitre will result in the sales needed.

Court Ruling Upheld

Four area first nations have lost an attempt to have a court ruling over the operation of Pither's Point Park overturned.

The bands, along with the federal and provincial governments, launched an appeal after a court judge in April granted the town of Fort Frances the right to continue operating the park as a municipal park until the issue of ownership was resolved.

In a ruling released Tuesday, Justice Douglas Shaw dismissed the appeal saying there was no evidence the bands or governments would be inconvenienced by the interim injunction.

A town lease on the park expired last May.