Early Learning Changes Planned

Published reports suggest the McGuinty government is expected to drop plans for boards to run before-and-after-school care for full-day kindergarten students.

The program is a key piece of its early learning program.

The move comes after lobbying from daycares, which worried about losing business, and from school boards, which didn't want to operate the programs.

A lack of interest led to the Rainy River District School Board opting not to offer the programs at Atikokan's North Star Community School, its first school to offer full-day kindergarten.

Rainy River Presents Bought Deal Offering

Rainy River Resources plans to raise $65-million dollars in a bought deal offering to help advance its gold exploration project north of Barwick.

The company will issue more than 5-million shares at a reduced rate of $12.65 C. each.

Shares of Rainy River have more than doubled in value since it increased its capital budget for the year by 33 percent in August to extend drilling activities at the high mineral grade project.

New Officers In Place

Treaty Three Police Service has added some new officers.

Four constables, three sergeants and a staff sergeant were sworn-in during a ceremony in Kenora yesterday.

Police Chief Conrad DelaRonde feels its important to recognize the officers and the work that they are doing.

"We always recognize or tend to see or hear about the bad things that have occurred in the police universe," says DelaRonde, "but there's a lot of good things happening. It's opportunities like this we should give official recognition for their accomplishments."

Terry Armstrong was also sworn in as the new deputy chief.

More Help Needed

It has enough food, but the Fort Frances Volunteer Bureau is still looking for more people for its Community Christmas dinner.

With the dinner just ten days away, only a handful of volunteers have stepped forward while the Fort Frances Legion Ladies Auxiliary is offering to cook some of the turkeys in advance.

The bureau's Karen Mitchell says help is still required in setting up the Knox United Church hall and serving and clean-up at the dinner.

Mitchell says those also wanting a meal delivered to them on Christmas must call the Volunteer Bureau by Monday.

Hampton Expects Campaign Push by Liberals

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton says Ontarians can expect to see campaign-style ads showing up in advance of next fall's provincial election.

Hampton says the McGuinty Government has been under siege in the Legislature and will likely start an active campaign very soon.

"I think the government will use the Christmas break as a period of interuption," says Hampton, "and then they will begin what will amount to an eight or nine month election campaign."

Hampton says the government has been hurt by recent reports by the Ombudsman and the Auditor General.