Northern Groups still upset with Forest Tenure Legislation

Groups across northwestern Ontario are speaking out against the provincial government's decision to move forward with its Forest Tenure Reform legislation.

The Standing Committee on General Government met Wednesday to make its final amendments to Bill-151.

The Ontario Forest Industries Association says the act is still flawed and will create uncertainty in the forest sector.

Despite recent assurances from the Minster of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, the OFIA says the government hasn't really addressed its concerns.

The Northwestern Associated Chambers of Commerce and the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association have expressed similar concerns. 

Sioux Narrows to get a new municipal building

The Town of Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls is expected to begin work soon on a new municipal building.

The federal and provincial governments promised 165 thousand dollars towards construction of the half million dollar building.

Bill Thompson is mayor of the community and says it will really be a multi-purpose facility.

The federal government has extended the deadline for completion of all infrastructure projects until October of this year.

Bronco Soccer Teams Struggle in the Fort

Not a good start to the season for Beaver Brae's soccer teams.

Both the Bronco Boys and girls teams were in Fort Frances yesterday.

Beaver Brae's boys lost 3-1 decisions to both the Muskies and the Dryden Eagles.

The Bronco girls were upended 2-0 by the Eagles.

Their next action is in Kenora next Wednesday at the Tom Nabb Soccer Complex.

Council agrees to more money for Harborfront Tent

Its going to cost 100 thousand dollars more than expected to put up a new tent on the Kenora Harborfront.

Council held a special meeting yesterday to decide whether to spend the extra money to install permanant, retractable sidewalls on the tent, rather that the seasonal, removable ones, which had been proposed in the original tender.

Councillor Ron Lunny says in the end, it made sense to spend the extra money.

The extra 100 thousand dollars will be taken from the city's contingency reserve fund.

Only councillor Louis Roussin voted against the decision to install the permanent sidewalls.

Firearms Seizure on Kasabonika Lake

The Northwest Regional Guns and Gangs Unit has charged a 45-year-old man in Kasabonika Lake First Nation.

Police executed a search warrant last Friday and seized 10-firearms and 4-prohibited devices.

Officers found semi-automatic rifles, shotguns and 4 high-capacity rifle magazines.

Police say John Winter faces 3-charges including weapons trafficking and careless storage.

Winter will appear in court on June 16th.

OFAH Happy with Majority Consevative Government

The Vice-President of the  Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters sees a Majority Conservative Government as a good thing for the future of the long gun registry.

Glenn Rivard says the PM has promised them he'll scrap it and the OFAH will hold him to that

promise.

Rivard notes the Harper Government has also promised to form a National Advisory Panel on Fish and Wildlife Management.

NAN Chief Weigh In on Federal Election Results

The Grand Chief of Nishanawbie-Aski Nation is congratulating the Conservative and NDP parties for their successes in the Federal election.

However, Stan Beardy is concerned that NAN issues may get lost in the shuffle.

Beardy is hoping that between the two parties; NAN will have some of their issues adressed.

Like most Canadians, Beardy says he was surprised at the final results from Monday's vote.

Council to hold special meeting on Harborfront Tent

The Harborfront Tent is still posing some financial challenges for Kenora City Council.

A special meeting is being held this morning to approve an increase in the budget for the project.

Initially, council approved 1.4 million dollars for the festival site covering.

Now, its looks like the price tag is going to slightly higher.

Council is being asked to approve 1.6 million dollars in funding for the tent, so that side panels can be included on the structure.

Council is scheduled to meet at 10:00 this morning.

Health Unit Launches a mobile dental clinic

The Northwestern Health Unit has a new vehicle at its disposal.

Yesterday, a mobile dental clinic was unveiled.

Dawn Sauve is the Health Unit's manager of Dental Health and says they will be doing a pilot project with the van, which will allow them to help out residents in underserviced communities across the region.

The van has the logo, Miles of Smiles etched on the side.

Funding for the van was made available through the Ministry of Health.

Classes set to Resume at Beaver Brae following Fire

It will be classes as usual at Beaver Brae Secondary School this morning.

Yesterday students were sent home early, after fires were reported in two of the school's washrooms.

The blazes were quickly extinguished and damage was minimal, but students were given the rest of the day off to allow the building to be properly ventillated of the smoke.

Its believed the fires were deliberately set.

Valley Sad to See Iggy Leave

The Liberal candidate in the Kenora Riding is backing the work done by Leader Michael Ignatieff.

Ignatieff announced yesterday he is stepping down following his party's rout at the polls on Monday night.

Roger Valley, who finished third in this Riding, says Ignatieff can leave with his head held high.

Valley believes the leadership will be between Bob Rae and Ralph Goodale.

Hampton reacts to federal election results

This week's federal election results should be a warning for the Liberals in Ontario.

That's the feeling of Kenora-Rainy River M.P.P. Howard Hampton.

The NDP member of the Ontario Legislature says its clear voters are trying to send a message.

Hampton believes the Liberals will be hard-pressed to win any seats in northern Ontario in the upcoming provincial election.

Health Unit Opens New Offices in Market Square

The Northwestern Health Unit has opened its new offices in Market Square.

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place yesterday morning on the second floor of the building.

Dr. Jim Arthurs says one of the programs they have located in the new office space is a dental program for children.

Health Unit Holds All-Staff Conference in Kenora

About 150 employees of the Northwestern Health Unit are in Kenora today for a two day retreat.

The All-Staff Conference brings together staff from all the Health Unit offices in the region.

Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Jim Arthurs says they try to bring everyone together at least every 18 months.

The conference is being held today and tomorrow at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Bronco Soccer Teams begin season in Fort

The High School Soccer season begins today for the Beaver Brae Broncos.

The Boys and Girls teams will make the trip to Fort Frances for the first round of League play with the Muskies and the Dryden Eagles.

In NORWOSSA Single A play, the Sioux Lookout Warriors are hosting a Tournament at Queen Elizabeth High School.

Beaver Brae Evacuated due to a small fire

A fire drill at Beaver Brae Secondary School proved to be the real deal.

Staff and students were evacuated this morning due to a small blaze at the high school this morning.

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board says the fire was quickly extinguished  and damage is said to be minimal.

Classes have been cancelled for the rest of the day to allow the smoke to be fully ventilated from the school.

The public school board says it has sent a number of buses to the school to take students home.

The Board says all other school bus transportation will operate as usual this afternoon.

Census Forms Being Distributed this Week

Local residents should begin receiving their census forms this week.

Statistics Canada has begun the census process and has enumerators going door to door in the Kenora area.

Gary Dillion is the regional co-ordinator for Stats Can and says its important for all households to fill out the census form.

While every household is required to fill out the 10 question mandatory short form census, only one in three households will be given a long form survey.

Good Turn-Out for the Federal Election

It may have been the fourth federal election in seven years, but that didn't stop local residents from coming out in pretty good numbers.

With 154 out of 155 polls reporting, the voter turn-out for yesterday's federal election was just over 60 percent.

That means almost 25 thousand people came out to cast their ballots.

Incumbant Conservative M.P. Greg Rickford held onto the riding, increasing his margin of victory, by over two thousand votes.

Rickford re-elected easily in the Kenora Riding

Its wasn't a landslide, but it was a convincing win for the Conservatives in the Kenora Riding.

Incumbant M.P. Greg Rickford easily held onto the riding with a 45 hundred vote margin of victory over Tania Cameron of the NDP.

Rickford says while he's pleased there will be a Conservative majority government in the House of Commons, he won't speculate on what his role might be.

Roger Valley slipped to third place in the polls yesterday and says the party is going to have to take a close hard look at the results not only in this riding but nationally as well.

The other two candidates finished well back, with the Green Party Candidate, Mike Schwindt garnering just 2.6 percent of the vote, while Independant candidate collected just 146 of the almost 25 thousand votes cast.

Ministry of Labor Investigates Fatality in Stratton

The Ministry of Labour is looking into the death of a man at a garage in Stratton what OPP describe as a workplace accident.

Emergency personnel were called to Stratton Service Thursday afternoon where they found 42-year-old Shawn McDonald inside unresponsive.

He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem exam was conducted on Friday at Lake of the Woods District Hospital.