Stand-Off in Red Lake Ends Tragically

Provincial police in Balmertown say a standoff ended tragically this morning.

A tactical response unit entered a home just before 5:00 o'clock this morning only to find a man inside dead.

O.P.P. spokesperson Dave Lamme says they were alerted to the situation just before 8:00 o'clock yesterday morning and tried to contact the man inside numerous times.

Police say they did create a permieter around the residence and evacuated homes nearby.

Police say no fould play is suspected and that they will release the name of the man once family are notified.

Morson Man Faces Hunting Fines

A area man has been fined 15-hundred dollars for having illegally killed deer in his possession.

Randy St. Pierre of Morson was fined after pleading guilty to the charge in Ontario Court of Justice earlier this month.

St. Pierre was charged last November after Ministry of Natural Resources Conservation Officers two deer hanging outside his home without tags.

Long Gun Records Destroyed

It's the end of an era for federal long-gun registry records.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford has confirmed that as of October 31, there are no records for anyone who lives outside the Province of Quebec.

Rickford says this is great news for all Northern Ontarians who wanted the registry dismantled.

Rickford adds that the registry had cost 2 billion dollars.

Three Youth Arrested in Break-In

Three youth have been arrested in connection to a break-in to a restaurant on Lakeview Drive.

The OPP were called out early last Thursday morning after a break and enter was reported at Casey's.

Police say a quantity of alcohol was stolen from the business.

Officers managed to locate three suspects a short time later.

All three appeared in Kenora Court Friday on charges of break, enter and theft and possession of property obtained by crime.

OPP Investigate "Suspicious Death" in Fort Frances

Yellow police tape remains up around a section of a Fort Frances motel where the body of a man was discovered last week.

An employee at the Mid Town Motel discovered the body early Friday morning.

The man's name has not yet been released.

On the weekend, investigators were seen in and around the room where his body was found gathering evidence into the death OPP have deemed suspicious.

Former Winnipeg Mayor Enter Race to Become Ontario Premier

Former Ontario cabinet minister Glen Murray is officially in the race to succeed Dalton McGuinty.

The former minister of Training, Colleges and Universities made it official yesterday. The Toronto-Centre M-P-P told a news conference at Maple

Leaf Gardens he has the experience and ideas to take the reins of the party, which has struggled since forming a minority government.

So far, the only other contender for the job is former Municipal Affairs Minister Kathleen Wynne, who gave up her cabinet post earlier this week.

She's expected to formally announce her intentions today.

Province Says Mental Health Workers employed in NWO

Northwestern Ontario is welcoming 20 new mental health workers.

Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro says they will work in schools, including the Kenora Catholic District School Board and the Keewatin-Patricia District Board.

Mauro says mental health has always been an important issue, and there seems to be an increase demand for support services. 

The new mental health workers are a part of the 600 that have been hired in the province to help children, young people and their families get quick and easy access to support.

NAPS Lay Additional Trafficking Charges

Nishnawbe-Aski Police have charged a second person involved in a drug trafficking attempt.

An investigation lead police to another seizure of Morphine pills, worth 1800 dollars.

Police say 25-year-old Star Kenequanash of Cat Lake First Nation is charged with possesion of a controlled substance.

Police had arrested 45-year-old Harry Wesley before, and charged him with two counts of posession for the purpose of trafficking.

Thistles Sweep Parkland at Home

The Kenora Triple A Midget Thistles have finally put back-to-back wins together.

The Thistles swept the Parkland Rangers this weekend in a pair of games at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Saturday night, the Thistles cruised to a 9-0 win over the Rangers.

Evan Mignault and Nolan Ross each had a pair of goals for the Thistles in the win.

Friday night, the Thistles got by Parkland 4-1.

Jaryd Wiebe scored twice for the Thistles in that contest.

The Kenora Midgets have now moved a game above the .500 mark for the first time this season.

Gravelle Upset at Rickford Over Snowmobile Trails

Nickel Belt MP Claude Gravelle wants answers from Kenora MP Greg Rickford.

Gravelle wants to know why Rickford avoided the topic of providing funding for snowmobile trails in Northwestern Ontario.

Gravelle says he's frusturated with how Rickford is handling the situation.

About 168,000 Ontarians belong to a snowmobiling club, generating around 1.2 billion in revenue.

Whitecap Pavillion Skating Rink

This winter you can go skating underneath the Whitecap Pavillion.

The Lake of the Woods Economic Developement Commission passed the motion to create the skating rink yesterday.

Special Events Coordinator Mark Duggan they hope to open the rink by mid-December.

The rink will be used as a skating only surface.

Changing to the Provincial Mining Act

New changes to the mining industry are now in effect.

Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Rick Bartolucci says phase two was enacted this week and is an upgrade of a 100 year old piece of legislation.

Highlights of phase two of the mining act also include: new early exploration requirements to help minimize the impact on the environment and new requirements for notifying private landowners potentially affected by exploration activites.

Student Voices Program

Students voices are getting heard throughout the region.

Students have been taking advantage of the Student Voices Program being used in the Keewatin Patricia District School Board.

Beaver Brae Vice Principal Steve Grindrod says students are using the program to make their schools more enjoyable.

Grindrod also says the program gives students the tools to research problems and find solutions so they can put together a presentation for the school adminstation.

Aborignal Community Housing

 Wasaya Group is working with a contracting company and a Chinese business to provide affordable housing to area First Nation communities.

Dowland Contracting Spokesperson Don Wing says they'll be hiring northerners to put together pre-fabricated homes made out of steel.

A formal signing ceremony was held Wednesday in Thunder Bay.

Aboriginal Missing Womens Summit

Provincial cabinet ministers and Canada's aboriginal leaders meet today in Winnipeg to discuss missing and murdered aboriginal women.

But there is no sign that the two sides are any closer to an agreement on calls for a national inquiry.

Eric Robinson, Manitoba's minister of aboriginal affairs, says there may be better options.

The Assembly of First Nations and other groups say an inquiry is needed to examine how police have handled missing persons cases, as well as the social and economic factors that make aboriginal women more prone to violence.

Canadian G-D-P Shrinks

G-D-P shrank by 0.1 per cent in August, setting the stage for the worst quarter of economic activity in more than a year.

Statistics Canada recorded setbacks in 10 out of 18 industrial sectors and Scotiabank economist Derek Holt says temporary factors aren't solely to blame.

Holt believes the Bank of Canada will turn even more dovish in its January monetary policy report, in a manner that takes out any rate hikes any time soon.

Treasury Metals Project Feedback

Lots of public feedback at yesterday's meetings regarding the Goliath Gold Project near Wabigoon.

One of the biggest concerns was the number of jobs the mine would create when it expects to open in early 2015.

Vice President Norm Bush says they are expecting to see a big jump.

Bush says right now they are in the development stage of the mine, but they are already looking into finding qualified people for a number of positions that will open up.

Local Labour Market Consultation in Vermillion Bay

The Northwest Training and Adjustment Board is looking to strengthen the local economy.


At last weeks Local Labour Market Consultation in Vermillion Bay, a number of service providers and organizations took part in discussion to identify and respond to key issues and trends.

Executive Director Sonja Wainio says the message will then be passed along to area communities.

Wainio says evolving education requirements is one of the important issues because a number jobs need certain levels of education.

More People in Canada Rely on Foodbanks

A report released yesterday says the number of Canadians turning to food banks is now 31 per cent higher than it was before the 2008 recession.

The federal New Democrats say the Harper government has a moral responsibility to make sure all Canadians have enough to eat.

But the Conservatives insist they are helping those in need by instituting new tax credits, increasing benefits for seniors and cutting the G-S-T.

Halloween Tips for Children with Diabetes

A different kind of trick or treat.

Richard Boon of the Northwestern Ontario chapter of the Canadian Diabetes Association says having diabetes should not prevent a child from having fun on Halloween.

Boon suggests parents emphasize the fun parts of halloween such as decorating and costumes, instead of focusing on candy.