Thomas Aquinas girls heading home from OFSAA

The Thomas Aquinas senior girls basketball team is heading home from the All-Ontario Single "a" championships without a win.

The Saints exited the tournament this afternoon after losing to Runneymede from Toronto 58-29.

T.A. lost all three games they played.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas senior Boys volleyball team is trying to advance to the semi-finals

of the OFSAA championships for the fourth year in a row.

The Saints are playing Woodland Christian from Kitchener this afternoon in quarter-final action.

The winner advances to the medal round, while the loser goes home.

T.A. finished the round robin with a 3-1 record, after beating Toronto Christian two sets to one to

wrap up the round-robin earlier this afternoon.

Aboriginal Affairs Mininister Defends Handling of KI Dispute

Minister of Aboriginal Affairs Kathleen Wynne is defending Ontario's handling of First Nations land issues.

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell asked the Minister yesterday why the Government has not played a more active role in resolving territorial land and exploration issues in the Far North.

Wynne says her party has done more to improve First Nations than any other party.

She adds the Government remains committed to respectful and on-going discussions with First Nation leaders.

Power and Sport Show this Weekend

The Harborfront Tent is going to be transformed into an outdoor showroom this weekend.

The first ever STR Power Sports show will start this evening.

Shaun Clifford is one of the organizers and says they will have a number of local exhibitors on site.

The Power Sports show will start at 5:00 this evening and will continue tomorrow as well.

OPP continues search for Missing Man north of Atikokan

Searchers plan to return to an area north of Atikokan this morning in the search of an missing Atikokan man.

OPP Constable Anne McCoy says the search for 49-year-old Eric Natti began Wednesday.

McCoy says Natti has a trapper cabin in that area and a boat he normally has at the landing is missing.

SIU clears OPP officers of wrong-doing in Kakabecka Fatality

The Provinces Special Investigations Unit says there were no wrong doings by the OPP during an incident that left man dead at Kakabeka Falls last month.

SIU Spokesperson Monica Hudon says a intensive investigation was conducted following the incident.

Hudon says witnesses say 22 year old Kurtis McVittie jumped over the railling at a lookout platform and then fell to the bottom of the falls.

Saint Squads flound at OFSAA

Thomas Aquinas has lost its first game at the provincial championships in Manitolin Island.

The Saints senior boys volleyball team lost in two straight sets to the fifth ranked team from Smithville by scores of 25-17 and 25-21.

T.A. wraps up the round robin at noon today against Toronto District Christian High School.

The Saints need a win to guarantee themselves a place into the play-offs.

Meanwhile, points continue to be hard to come by for the Thomas Aquinas senior girls basketball team.

T.A. were upended 52-12 by Rideau, the number one ranked team in the tournament.

The Saints are back in action at 2:30, and need a win to keep playing at the OFSAA finals.

Rickford support First Nation Transparency Legislation

The MP for Kenora believes a new bill that requires First Nations to publish the salaries of band leaders and councillors will benefit everyone in the end.

Greg Rickford says the Legislation will lead to better accountability and transparency and will help First Nations foster relations with the private sector.

Rickford notes this is the first step.

Rickford stresses the Feds continue to consult with native leaders.

CJRL Miracle Marathon Hits the Airwaves Tomorrow

A big weekend for the Salvation Army's Christmas Cheer Campaign in Kenora.

The 21st annual CJRL Miracle Marathon will be broadcast tomorrow and Saturday on 895 The Lake.

Major Al Hoeft says he's looking forward to his first Miracle Marathon.

The Miracle Marathon has averaged over 80 thousand dollars a year in donations of cash, non-perishable food items and toys for the Kenora

 Salavation Army.

Meeting on Sewer and Water Rates set for next Month

Local homeowners will get a chance to air their views on a proposed 10 percent increase in sewer and water rates next month.

The city is holding a meeting on the Water and Wastewater long range plan on December 5th.

The city says no decisions will be made at the meeting, but it will be a chance to exchange information with the public.

The meeting will take place from 7:30 to 9:00 in the Rotary Room at the Kenora Rec. Center

Main Street Christmas Tree Lights up tonight

The Kenora Business Improvement Zone is getting into the Christmas Spirit.

It will be celebrating the lighting of the Main Street Christmas Tree this evening.

Chair of the B.I.Z., Kerik Funk says there will be lots of activities both before and after the actual lighting ceremony.

Carol singing will begin at 5:30, followed by the lighting of the Christmas Tree at 6:00.

Campbell Delivers Maiden Speech at Queen's Park

Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell has given her maiden speech in the Ontario Legislature.

Campbell says she wants the Liberal government to improve its relations with First Nations communities.

She says a recent decision by the K-I band to walk away from talks with government over mining rights shows its current policies aren't working

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kathleen Wynne says remain committed to a respective and ongoing dialogue with native communities

Saints open OFSAA championships with a pair of victories

The Thomas Aquinas senior boys volleyball team is two for two at the All-Ontario Single "a" championships taking place on Manitoulin Island.

The Saints shut down University of Toronto Schools this afternoon in two straight sets.

In their first match they got by the host team from Espanola two sets to one.

T.A. is back in action tomorrow morning at 7:30 against Smithville, before wrapping up the round robin with a game against Toronto District Christian High School.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas Senior Girls basketball team is in action at the OFSAA single A championships taking place in St. Catherines.

The 16th Ranked Saints are playing their first game against the 6th ranked team in the tournament, Jean Vanier from Welland.

Children's Mental Health Leader

A new position for the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board has been filled.

Lisa Doerksen has been hired as the Children's Mental Health Leader.

She will be in charge of coordinating services, identifying levels of need and developing a regional strategy.

Doerksen is currently the Director of Children's Mental Health Services for Firefly.

The Public Board was one of eight in Ontario to receive funding from the Province for the position.

Kenora Youth Council

A big thank-you is going out to Kenora City Council for creating the city's first youth council.


Mitch Frenette made a deputation to council this week showing his appreciation.

Frenette says its a new beginning for youth in the community.

The youth council will begin meeting in the new year and the city is currently seeking five people to help make up the new committee.

Thomas Aquinas Sports

Thomas Aquinas sports teams are gunning for medals at two separate provincial

championships today.

The Saints Senior Boys go into the OFSAA Single "a" volleyball championships
ranked second overall.

T.A. won silver last year, and open the tournament this morning at 7:30 against
one of the host teams from Espanola.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas senior girls basketball team is in St. Catharines
for the All-Ontario Single "a" championships.

The Saints are ranked 16th out of 16 teams in the competition and play their
first game at 3:00 this afternoon against Jean Vanier from Welland.

Resolute Forest Products

Resolute Forest Products is reducing its paper-making operations in Fort Frances for the rest of the
year.

The company cites poor market conditions for the five-week shutdown of its paper machines that starts next week.

About 100 employees will be impacted.

Operations at the kraft mill are not effected.

It's the third work stoppage at the paper mill this year

Treaty Three Launches a Lawsuit against the Feds

A group of 28 native communities across northwestern Ontario are suing the federal government for denying their children a right to equal education.

Grand Chief Diane Kelly, who represents Treaty 3 native bands, says aboriginals were promised a school on every reserve when they signed a treaty over 130 years ago.

But she says Ottawa hasn't upheld its part of the bargain.

The lawsuit was filed in Ontario court and is asking for 100 million dollars in damages.

RIDE

The holidays are almost upon us and that means the police will be ramping up their RIDE spot checks.

The O-P-P say impaired driving is a problem year-round, but it gets worse during the holiday party season.

The O-P-P says it will conduct its annual Festive RIDE campaign starting this Friday and ending January 1st.

During last year's Festive RIDE campaign , the O-P-P laid 308 impaired driving charges and issued 903
license suspensions

New Year's Eve in Kenora

The Kenora Rotary Club is giving local residents a New Year's Eve bonus once again this year.

The Thistle Rink and the pool at the Rec. Center will be open to the public on December 31st from
4:00 until 8:00.

The Rotary Club has agreed to pick up the cost of the facility rentals and cover the additional
staffing costs for the New Year's eve statutory holiday.

Legal Aid in Kenora

The province spends more money on legal aid in the north than in southern Ontario.

That's the finding of a new study conducted by the Law Society of Upper Canada.

It found that the province pays just over 31 dollars per capita in the Kenora District for legal aid, compared to less than 7 dollars in Ottawa.

The study also shows that a higher percentage of lawyers in Kenora do legal aid work than elsewhere in the province.

The report was commissioned to look into the legal needs of Ontarians.