Friday, February 26, 2010

Aboriginal Diabetes Program Funding

The federal government is being urged to ensure there is funding in next week's budget for an aboriginal diabetes program.

The National Aboriginal Diabetes Association says an initiative they've overseen for the past five years is due to run out of money at the end of next month.

Dina Bruyere heads up the association and says as many as 600 diabetes programs on reserves are reliant on the funding.

Bruyere says they have been trying to find out if their funding will be continued, but so far the federal government has been mum on the issue.

Confederation College No Strike

Faculty at Ontario's 24 colleges have accepted what the colleges called their final contract offer.

The Ontario Labour Relations Board confirming that almost 51 and a half per cent accepted the offer in a vote across the province.

Confederation College president Pat Lang is glad there will be no strike.

Lang says in this day and age 5.9 per cent over three years is a fair contract.

Ignoring the North?

New Democrats are accusing the McGuinty Liberals of ignoring northern Ontario.

Leader Andrea Horvath told the legislature yesterday a group of municipal leaders from the northwest she recently met are looking for help in dealing with high unemployment rates and increase usage of social services.

Acting Premier Dwight Duncan admits there are unique challenges in the north, but noted the province has responded through a number of recent investments to mining, forestry and infrastructure.

Ontario Throne Speech

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says he wants the province to get serious about competing for international students.

And that's part of his ambitious five-year plan called Open Ontario, which will be unveiled during the throne speech on March 8th.

Open Ontario also includes plans to cash in on a growing demand for water and clean water technology and a promise to develop a huge chromite deposit in the northwest known as the Ring of Fire.

HST Protest

Members of a northwestern Ontario First Nation braved a briskwind and blocked the Trans-Canada Highway yesterday to protest the impending Harmonized Sales Tax.

Protesters from Pic Mobert waved aboriginal flags, anti-H-S-T signs and beat traditional drums near their traditional pow wow grounds about 20 kilometres west of White River.

Most of Ontario's First Nations are concerned the H-S-T will hike the cost of essentials like heat and hydro.

More highway slowdowns are planned by northwestern Ontario First Nations before the H-S-T kicks in July 1st.