NDP Complain about public access to remote lakes

The NDP are concerned about reports of tourist outfitters being given exclusing access to Northern lakes and crown land.


People have been contacting Natural Resources Critic Gilles Bisson stating signs have been posted saying only Tourist Outfitters can access the lake.

Bisson says he's been raising the issue with Minister Linda Jeffrey.

Bisson says most of the closed off lakes are in the Wawa area but notes it's probably happening in the rest of the Northwest as well.

NorWOSSA Second Season Begins today

The second season in NorWOSSA court sports begins today.


Thomas Aquinas boys basketball and girls volleyball teams are heading
to Whitefish Bay today to take on the Winterhawks.

This weekend, the senior girls are in Dryden for the annual Eagles High School
Volleyball Tournament.

Festival of Trees Starts Tonight

The Festival of Trees turns seven years old this weekend.

The annual event is a major fundraiser for the Kenor and Lake of the Woods
Regional Community Foundation.

Darlene McGilvary is the executive director of the foundation and says they
will have 25 christmas trees decorated, three wreaths and three gingerbread
houses on display at the museum over the next three days.

She estimates the foundation will be able to raise about 25 thousand dollars
during the three day event.

Tonight is seniors night, which will be followed by the gala tomorrow night and
family day on Saturday.

Funding to pave Rabbit Lake Trail

Plans to complete a paved trail along Rabbit Lake are starting to come together.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation has promised the Kenora Trails Committee
68 thousand dollars for the project.

Barb Manson is the City's Parks Supervisor and says they want to create a
fully accessible loop.

The next phase of the project will see the section of the paved trail expanded
to Garrow Park.

Manson says they hope to complete the work next summer.

Bearskin Sale Delayed

It may be another month before the acquistion of Bearskin Airlines is completed.

Winnipeg-based Exchange Income announced its intentions to purchase the Northwestern Ontario airline back in September.

President Michael Pyle says the deal is moving along but notes it may be another 30-days until its finalized.

Pyle notes they are waiting on a number of things to happen, including Government approvals, but he doesn't anticipate any problems.

Airline officials were hoping to have the deal completed the first week of December.

Right to Play heads north

The Provincial Government has committed 490-thousand dollars over 4-years to support the Play Hockey Program in northern Ontario.


Aboriginal children in Sandy Lake and Moose Cree First Nations will be hitting the ice to receive hockey lessons and compete in hockey games.

The pilot progrem helps aboriginal youth improve their health and self-esteem through sports.