Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Federal Government Cabinet Shuffle

Lisa Raitt is no longer the Federal Minister of Natural Resources.

Raitt was sent to the Environment portfolio during a large cabinet shuffle by Prime Minister Harper yesterday.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford says the change won't impact Northern Ontario.

The Conservative MP is also supporting the other changes in Cabinet.

Monopoly Update

Keep the voting coming.

Kenora is still in the top 10 rankings of wild card cities being proposed for the new Canadian edition of Monopoly.

The Northwestern Ontario city is currently ranked #7 and is vying for one of two wildcard properties on the Monopoly board.

Don't forget you can vote every day for Kenora and to do so log onto www.monopolyvote.ca

HST Meeting in Kenora Thursday

Thunder Bay-Superior North MP Bruce Hyer is on the attack over the harmonized sales tax.

The NDP member will hold a town hall meeting on the issue in Kenora tomorrow.

Hyer stated that Kenora MP Greg Rickford is not being honest with his constituents when he say's its not a Federal issue.

Hyer claims Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has been pushing for this tax for years and is now shifting blame over to the Province because it's becoming unpopular.

He says the HST will cripple small businesses and tourism outfitters across Northern Ontario and will hurt aboriginals.

Hyer stresses that most aboriginals living in the Far North can't afford to pay the extra tax due to the high cost of living.

OPG Fined Atikokan

Ontario Power Generation has been fined 100-thousand dollars fora violation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act after aworker was injured at the Atikokan operating station.

An equipment operator used a bypass key to circumvent the lockoutsystem and open a hatch door to equipment that was still energized,in January 2008.

A worker shone a flashlight into the open door, causing an arcflash of electricity that burned the worker's hand, arm and chest.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found the key used to bypassthe lockout system was available to workers.

O-P-G pleaded guilty to failing to take the reasonable precautionof preventing ready access to the means of circumventing the lockoutsystem.

Federal Government Shuffle

A changing of the guard at the Ministry of Natural Resources portfolio won't set the forestry industry back according to Kenora MP Greg Rickford.

Quebec MP Christian Paradis replaced Lisa Raitt during a large Cabinet shuffle yesterday.Rickford says he supports the move.

The Conservative MP says a lot of work has been done to help the ailing forest sector and he is expecting a seamless transition.

Ontario Cabinet Shuffle

Kenora Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton is weighing in on the McGuinty Government's cabinet shuffle.

Hampton says the Liberal Government has done nothing to improve the economy of Northern Ontario.

Aboriginal leaders are questioning Premier Dalton McGuinty's decision to drop aboriginal affairs as a full-time job.

Attorney General Chris Bentley is now juggling both portfolios, which native leaders are calling a step backwards for the province.

Former Aboriginal Affairs Minister Brad Duguid will now act as the Province's Energy Minister.

AbitibiBowater Fort Frances Shut Down

The AbitibiBowater mill in Fort Frances is shut down indefinitelyafter a problem in the effluent treatment system.

The mill's treatment system exceeded its daily biochemical oxygendemand limit due to the cold weather.

The company says it is not possible to say how long it will bedown or how many of the 565 employees will be affected.

Energy Plan for KPDSB

All the schools in the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board are due for an energy retro-fit.

The provincial government has promised over three million dollars under a couple of programs, including the Energy Efficient Schools initiative.

Dean Carrie is the Superintendant of Business for the board and says the program will pay for itself in about 12 years.

Carrie estimates they should be able to save about 250 thousand dollars a year in energy costs.

MCW Custom Energy Solutions has been hired by the board to manage the project for the board.

Anti Racism Day in Kenora

A new group has been set up to combat racism in Kenora.

The Kenora Resource Team made a deputation to City Council thisweek asking that March 21st be designated as the InternationalDay to Eliminate Racial Discrimination.

Gail Clark is a spokesperson for the group and says racism remains areal issue in Kenora.

Clark says the Kenora Resource Team is planning a full day ofactivities on March 21st, to raise awareness of racism in ourcommunities.