Treaty 3 Police Look at Sustainability

The work continues to protect the Treaty 3 Police Service.

The board of directors has decided to retain a consultant who will look at the long term sustainability of the force.

Board Chair Eli Mandamin says one of the consultants responsibilities will be assistance in the search for new police chief.

Earlier this year the police service laid off a number of officers, cut benefits, and issued 45 day lay-off notices due to a lack of funding.

And Mandamin says the board will seek additional funding from the Provincial and Federal governments next month.

The board will meet again in January and set out a 6 month mandate towards a more sustainable business model.

Province Holding Meetings on Police Costing

Positive feelings following the meeting between local mayors and the Ontario Provincial Police.

They met in Dryden yesterday to discuss the new OPP costing formula.

Red Lake Mayor Phil Vinet says they all have a common goal and that's reducing the cost of
policing.

Kenora and Red Lake has one of the highest policing costs per household in the province.

Similar meetings are taking place in Fort Frances today and Thunder Bay tomorrow.

School Board Bullish on All Day Kindergarten

A new study shows all-day junior and senior kindergarten programs are
paying dividends.

The research conducted by the Ministry of Education shows kids in the
all-day programs are more prepared to enter grade one.

Director of Education, Phylis Eikre says their own experience with all-day JK and SK programs shows they work.

All school boards will have all-day junior and kindergarten classes in all their elementary schools by the fall of 2014.

School Bus Drivers Practice Evacuations Today

Its certainly no trick, and it may not be a treat.

The Northwest Student Services Consoritium says it will be
conducting emergency evacuation procedures on some of
its buses today.

Manager, Judi Green says school buses will be stopping at pre-selected areas off the roadway to perform the drills.

Once the drills are over, the buses will resume their regular routes.

Province Encouraged to Set Up Bear Management Committee

A northeastern Ontario MPP is calling for the creation of a bear management committee.

John Vanthof has tabled a motion in the Ontario Legislature calling for a committee that would examine and provide solutions to what he calls a growing nuisance bear problem in the north.

Under his proposal, the committee would consult with local communities and develop a full bear management strategy under the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Vanthof says the group needs to examine why human-bear conflicts have increased and should look at the long term sustainability of Ontario's bear population.

The NDP member from Timiskaming-Cochrane is proposing that the committee be comprised of members from all three parties.

Child Care Workers Recognized

Honouring child care workers across Northwestern Ontario.

The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care and the Canadian Union of Public Employees have declared today as "Child Care Worker and Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day".

Coalition Coordinator Andrea Calver says they've been doing this for 13-years.

A number of communities across northwestern Ontario including Sioux Lookout, Red Lake, Ear Falls and Ignace are all taking part in the special day.

Study Shows Personal Debt Increasing

A local trustee in bankruptcy isn't surprised with a recent poll on Canadian debt levels.

The report by Royal Bank of Canada finds 24-percent of people are debt free, down from 26-percent in 2012.

Frank Fabiano says it's not surprising considering the economic situation in northwestern Ontario in recent years.

Fabiano says you have to look at the income you're bringing in versus what you're spending.

Coroner's Inquest Underway in Thunder Bay

The Coroner's inquest into the death of 27 year old Bruce Moonias is underway
in Thunder Bay.

In his opening statement to the jury the lawyer for the coroner, Leonard Kim, says that evidence is expected to show that Moonias died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen after being brought to Thunder Bay.

He died following an incident in Landsdowne House in which he was holed up in a home alone for several hours.

Moonias died in December of 2006 at the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital after a stand-off with the police

Saints Boys Split Against Whitefish Bay

The regular season in the NorWOSSA boys volleyball and girls basketball leagues wrap up this week.

Thomas Aquinas volleyball teams will be playing three games in as many days.

Yesterday, the Saints split their games against Whitefish Bay, with the Senior squad winning in three straight sets.

The T.A. junior boys lost in three straight.

Today, Sioux Lookout is in town, and the regular season wraps up tomorrow with Red Lake on the
schedule.