Ontario Election Campaign Begins

The campaigning for the October 6 Ontario election officially starts today.

Liberal Leader Dalton McGuinty is seeking his third consecutive term as Premier.

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak says Ontario can't afford another four years of Liberal rule.

New Democrat Leader Andrea Horwath is hoping to cash-in on the gains made by the federal NDP.

Kenora-Rainy River Candidates Ready

Candidates seeking election in Kenora-Rainy River are ready to campaign for your vote October 6.

Conservative Rod McKay says he's preparing to run a basic campaign focusing on the issues.

McKay feels the rising costs for northerners will be the key issue this election.

Liberal Candidate Anthony Leek will be busy getting himself known in the riding.

Leek says his campaign will be one of emphasizing on the positives that a Liberal MPP can bring.

Leek says infrastructure, forestry and First Nation as the key issues.

Sarah Campbell says she's ready to make a name for herself in Kenora-Rainy River.

The NDP candidate is confident she can win over those who've long supported the retiring Howard Hampton.

Campbell sees affordability as the key election issue.

The Green candidate for the Kenora-Rainy River Riding says she feels stronger and more informed than she did last Provincial election.

Jo Jo Holiday says its time for someone to adequately represent the people of this Riding.

Holiday says health care, education and child poverty are all issues that need to be corrected.

Returning Office Opens

Fort Frances will be the main centre for the returning office for the Kenora-Rainy River riding.

It will open its 2nd Street East location this morning with former high school principal Ian Simpson as returning officer.

New Skilled Trade Program

(Teacher Bob Guertin accepts a Certificate of Recognition from Board Chair Mike Lewis)


Fort Frances High School is giving its students the tools needed to exceed in the trades.

Teacher Bob Guertin says a new Specialized High School Major allows students to earn a variety of credits at one time.

Guertin says the program will give students greater opportunity to acquire future certification in the trades.

New Student Trustee

Rainy River High School student Kailee Heyens will represent area students on the Rainy River District School Board for the next year.

Heyens was sworn-in as the board's student trustee at last night's meeting.

The grade 12 student is also vice-president of her school's student council.

Free Flower Giveway

Here's your change to spread a little goodwill today.

Brad Hogan, owner of Fort Floral in Fort Frances, will be giving out free roses as part of F-T-D's Good Neighbour Day with the stipulation you pass them on.

Three-thousand flowers will be given away on a first come first serve basis.

Race Relations Examined in Report

A recent Harvard graduate has released the findings of a research project looking at relations between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people in the Rainy River district.

Jeff Denis, now an assistant professor at McMaster University, says despite the proximity of native and non-native communities, and the many relationships, racism and prejudice persists.

"One of the things that's very common is something called sub-typing," says Denis, "where people view individuals who violate stereotypes as exceptions that prove the rule. So they will say things like 'my best friend is native, but he's not your typical native,' or 'we have good Indians in this town.' The implication is that Indians elsewhere are not so good."

The report is based on 18-months of research that included interviews and surveys across the district.

College Students Return

Confederation College students will have to cross picket lines as they return to classes today.

The College's support staff are joined in province-wide labour action.

This is orientation week and President Jim Madder says enrollment numbers are similar to previous years.

"At least on par if not above par," says Madder. "We have a number of programs such as flight, nursing, concurrent disorders, these are programs that are absolutely full. There are other program though that if people are interested in coming they should make inquiries to our registration offices."

As many as one hundred students are expected at the Rainy River campus in Fort Frances with 70 of them first-year students.

I. Falls Students Back to School

Today is the start of school for students in International Falls.

Superintendent of Independent School District 361 Jeff Peura says there's some indication enrollment will be up slightly.

"We've had some expansion at the mill," says Peura. "Boise International has brought in some new families to work which brought us some students. Then we've got some students coming back from other districts which is good to see because it means what we're doing is on the right track."

Peura says a project to improve air quality at Falls High School has also been completed in time for the start of school.

Trustees Meet

Trustees with the Rainy River District School Board meet for the first time tonight in the newly renovated board offices in Fort Frances.

It's also their first meeting of the new school year.

The appointment of a new student trustee and discussion of a protocol between schools and police are among items on the agenda.

Energy Rebates

Two Rainy River district mills will benefit from financial assistance given to forest companies to help with their electricity costs.

AbitibiBowater is getting $6.1 million for its mills in Fort Frances and Iroquois Falls through the Northern Industrial Electricity Rate program.

Ainsworth Lumber will receive $1.0 million for its Barwick Mill.

College To Open As Planned

(Unionized Support Staff at Fort Frances campus on picket line)


Confederation College is anticipating no major disruptions from a strike by its support staff when classes resumes Tuesday.

Staff are walking picket lines as part of a province-wide labour disruption.

Vice-President of Academics Judi Maundrell says they'll have Campus managers take over the duty of registration and helping students file for financial aid in the meantime.

Maundrell says most academic and apprenticeship programs will proceed as scheduled, but continued education programs are being delayed a week.

Drug Concerns

First Nation leaders are calling on Ottawa to help stem what they are calling an epidemic of prescription drug abuse across northern Ontario.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation deputy Grand Chief Mike Metatawabin says it has been two years since they declared a state of emergency because of drug abuse, but government response has been minimal.

Legal Action Taken

Several First Nation communities in northwestern Ontario are seeking legal action to stop provincial power contracts to hydro dams on their traditional lands.

Lawyer David Estrin says Grand Council Treaty 3 is concerned that the contracts will have adverse effects on aboriginal and treaty rights and is asking an Ontario court to set them aside.

The complaint is relates to five hydro generating plants, including the one in Fort Frances.

Alcohol Prices Lowered

The province is lowering the LCBO’s mark-up on alcohol sold at duty free stores, including that in Fort Frances.

The mark-up will be reduced from 50 per cent to 30 per cent of cost.

A release from the province says the changes will improve the competitiveness of the duty-free stores, allowing them to create jobs.

The pricing change takes effect October 10.

Ranger Program Concluded

(Fort Frances District Ontario Stewardship Ranger photo)

The Ontario Stewardship Ranger program has wrapped its summer program in the Rainy River district.

Four area youth took part in a variety of outdoor activities.

Among projects was identifying rusty crayfish on area lakes and putting up fences on farms to keep cattle out of streams.

Tele-Health Funding

The North West Local Health Integration Network is earmarking two-million dollars towards the region's tele-health program.

The money will allow various health care organizations to hire more nurses for the program.

Hertiage Party Candidate Expected

The Northern Ontario Heritage Party says it will soon be announcing the name of its candidate who will seek the seat in Kenora-Rainy River in this October's provincial election.

The party was formed last year to bring attention to issues important to this region.

Missing Man Found

OPP have located the body of a Florida man from Lake of the Woods.

68-year-old Bill Amason had been reported missing Sunday after his empty boat was found floating in Obabikon Bay.

Police says a marine unit found his body in the same area Wednesday.

College Support Workers Hit the Pickets

Just days before students head back to class for the new school year, support staff at Ontario's community colleges are on strike.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union says it went on strike because the colleges demanded concessions and clawbacks to its existing contract.

But Gerry Barker, chairman of the colleges' bargaining team, says the colleges offered increases for support staff that would take the average salary to more than 59-thousand dollars a year with no concessions.

Anticipating pickets at Confederation College's campus in Fort Frances, the Rainy River District School Board has changed the route for vehicle traffic to Fort High.

Parents, staff and students driving to school are to use the lane by J.W. Walker School off Keating Avenue to enter and leave at the north exit at McIrvine Road.

Buses are to use the same north exit on McIrvine to enter and leave the school.