Wasaya Airlines Plays Santa

Over 2 thousand turkeys and 4 thousand bags of goodies are being delivered to remote First Nation communities for Christmas.

Wasaya Airways is doing the delivering and providing of the gifts and Spokesperson Jennifer Mihalcin says it's their way of giving back.

Christmas turkeys and goodie bags will be delivered to Cat Lake, Pikangikum, Bearskin, Fort Hope and Deer Lake First Nations.

Bisson Critical of Winter Road Maintenance

Timmins-James Bay MPP Gilles Bisson says Highway 17 and our secondary roads are being closed more frequently due to bad weather because there are fewer plows on the road.

Bisson says the Province needs to re-work the contract to ensure motorists keep safe and to ensure a steady flow of goods.

The NDP member says the Government has changed the terms of its plowing contracts, which means there's 25-percent less equipment being used to clear highways.

KACL Strikes a deal with its employees

The Kenora Association for Community Living should have labor peace for the next two years.

KACL and members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union have tentatively agreed on a new four year agreement.

Members of OPSEU local 702 have ratified the agreement, and are just waiting for the board of KACL to endorse it.

The deal will expire March 31st, 2014.

The workers had been without a contract since April 1st, 2010, and the deal is retroactive to that date.

Saints boys back in action tonight

A tall order for the Thomas Aquinas boys hockey team. They host the Fort Frances Muskies

tonght at the Kenora Rec. Center. The Saints dropped their last game 4-1 to Sioux Lookout.

Game time is 7:30 at the Thistle Rink.

NOMA

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association is tearing a strip of Ontario's

Environmental Commissioner.

In his most recent report, Gordon Miller suggested the Caribou Conservation Plan would
have only a limited impact on local communities.

NOMA vice-president, Dave Canfield says Miller has his facts wrong.

Canfield says the Caribou Conservation Plan is already reducing the available wood
supply by up to 65 percent in some Forest Management Plans.

Kenora Substance Abuse and Mental Health Task Force

Prescription drug abuse is the biggest concern these days of the Kenora Substance Abuse and Mental Health Task Force.

The Task Force has just unvailed a new billboard to tackle the issue.

Constable Bob Bernie says the problem isn't just about dealing drugs, it's also about the people who are abusing the pills.

Bernie says the Task Force raised most of the money for the new billboard through a charity slo-pitch tournament this past October.

Policing costs going up next year

Its going to cost a bit more to police the City of Kenora next year.

Inspector Dave Lucas presented his 2012 costing to the Kenora Police Services Board this morning.

The proposed budget for OPP service next year is just over 6.8 million dollars, which is about 130 thousand dollars more than this years estimated costs.

Lucas says they've reduced the overtime estimates for next year, because they have been coming in about 2.5 percent less than the nine percent they budgeted for over the past couple of years.

Campbell Speaks out on Auditors Report

NDP Critic Sarah Campbell is weighing in on the findings of Ontario's Auditor General.

The audit shows that it's taking us longer than expected to pay off the Province's hydro debt and that our bill payments don't always go towards paying down that debt.

Campbell says we can't afford to mess around with an essential service like electricity.

Home First Launched at the Hospital

Home is where the heart is.

That's the philosophy behind the Home First Program.

Leslie Brown is the head of patient care at the local hospital and says

Home First allows older patients to recuperate at home, rather than a hospital bed.

Brown says they have been rolling out the Home First program over the past couple of months.

Kenora and Thunder Bay are the first communities in the region to start it up.

Saints Girls Hockey Team hits the road

The Thomas Aquinas girls hockey team will try to get back on the winning track tonight.

The Saints travel to Dryden to take on the Eagles.

These same two teams met this past Friday in Kenora and Dryden skated to a 3-0 win. Game time is 6:30.

Meanwhile, the Thomas Aquinas boys hockey team had a hard time scoring last night.

The Saints outshot Sioux Lookout 47-10, but still lost 4-1 to the Warriors.

The final two goals of the game were into an empty net. Tanner Kapera scored the lone goal for T.A.

The Saints next action is tomorrow night at the Thistle Rink against Fort Frances.

Contact North

Looking for a College of University degree but don't want to leave the Kenora area?

Contact North is giving you the opportunity to study at home with the launch of it's Winter 2012 semester.

Coordinator Tracy Jackson says more than 800-online programs and 10-thousand online courses are now available.

Jackson says they've seen enrolment in Contact North program increase over the past couple of years.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

An Ontario man who lost four members of his family to carbon monoxide poisoning is urging provincial politicians support a bill that would make detectors mandatory in Ontario homes.

Former firefighter John Gignac says he wants to make sure a tragedy never happens again.

Conservative Ernie Hardeman says he hopes his private member's bill -- which has been introduced in the legislature for a third time -- will finally gain enough support to become law

New Power Line

A new First Nations led company has been formed to develop a new power line in Northwestern Ontario.


The project will be completed in two phases and will connect First Nations communities north of Pickle Lake.

A study has been completed and a preferred route has been identified.

Community consultations and an environmental assessment is planned early next year.

The green energy development will replace diesel generators and officials say it will expand economic development opportunities north of Pickle Lake as well as benefit the Goldcorp Musselwhite Mine.

Treasury Metals

Things are moving forward for Treasury Metals.


The company has secured 4-million dollars in private financing and plans to use the money to advance its gold projects in Northwestern Ontario.

Treasury officials say its Kenora mining district covers more than 75-thousand kilometres.

In late October, the company announced further high-grade drill results from its Goliath gold project in the Dryden area.

Cancer Care Ontario

Cancer Care Ontario has recognized the work being done in Northwestern Ontario concerning cancer prevention.


The Northern Ontario School of Medicine and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre have received the 'Quality Honourable Mention' award.

The honour was for implementing tobacco cessation clinical practice guidelines into all Northwestern Ontario hospitals.

The Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute has won the Cancer Care Ontario 'Innovation Award'.

The Institute partnered with First Nation communities to increase screeing for cervical cancer and understand barriers affecting aboriginal women.

Roger Brooks returns to talk Tourism

He's baaack.

Roger Brooks is making a return visit to Kenora.

Brooks was in town this past summer and talked about making Kenora a tourist destination and how to better brand the city.

Brooks will be holding a public forum on Thursday morning talking about how to better market Kenora and designing the city's future.

The breakfast meeting will start at 8:00 at the Best Western Lakeside Inn.

Brooks will also be meeting with city council on Friday.

More Ice Candles expected at Cemetary this Christmas Eve

Lake of the Woods Cemetary will be ablaze with ice candles once again this Christmas.

Barb Manson organizes the annual Ice Candle Festival and expects more than five thousand will be in place by Christmas Eve.

Ice Candles will be on sale until this Friday.

Proceeds will go toward the completion of the Enchanted Memory Park in the Lakeside area.

Attawapiskat

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan says a third-party manager is in the troubled northern Ontario native
community of Attawapiskat. In Parliament during Question Period, he says that manager is working to address the residents' urgent health and safety needs, but hinted at a lack of co-operation.

Duncan's spokeswoman says the minister is trying to arrange a meeting today in Ottawa with band Chief Theresa Spence.

Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls

The Town of Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls is hoping to spruce up some of

the storefronts in the community.

The Municipality has launched a community improvement plan.

Jeff Port is the town planner and says the CIP is part of an overall upgrade

being worked on in the community.

Port says they have also recently completed an update of their official plan

and expanded their business directory.

Lake of the Woods District Hospital

Lake of the Woods District Hospital says its likely going to have to tighten its

belt even further next year.

At a recent conference in Toronto, Chief Executive Officer, Marc Belcaen says they
were told the budget for the Ministry of Health would increase by one percent in 2012.

He says there's no guarantee hospital budgets will actually increase by the same amount.

Belcaen says with wages going up, along with the cost of living, its going to be challenging to live with just a one percent increase.

Sewer and Water Rates

Kenora residents seem pretty indifferent about how high their sewer and water rates

are going up.

Less than a handful of people attended a public meeting last night on the issue.

Chair of the Operations committee Rod McKay while he was disappointed in the turn
out, the issues they are dealing with are important to the city's finances.


Former city councilor Andrew Poirier was one of two people who attended the meeting
and says a proposed 10 percent rate increase over the next six years will effectively
double out sewer and water bills.

Sharks bring home 13 medals from Winnipeg Swim Meet

The Kenora Sharks Swim Team took home 13 medals from the annual Prairie Winter Invitational Swim Meet in Winnipoeg over the weekend.

Bryce Jones led the way with three gold, and two silver, while Winnie Boucha had two gold, two silver and a bronze.

Michelle Belcaen collected two gold, while Conor O'Flaherty earned a silver.

The Sharks took a record 22 swimmers to the Manitoba meet.

Local girls hockey team take top honors in their own tournament

A golden weekend for local girls hockey teams.

The Lake of the Woods Girls Minor Hockey League held its annual bantam and midget tournament

over the past three days.

The Crush won the midget title with a 3-1 win over Steinback in the gold medal game.

It was an all-Kenora affair in the bronze medal game as the Avalance beat the Jets 2-1.

In the bantam division, the Blaze got by the Kenora Black Betty's 3-1 in the final.

Good Weekend for local high school teams

A promising start to the winter season in High school court sports.

The Beaver Brae junior boys basketball team was the runner-up at a tournament held this past weekend in Fort Frances.

The Broncos finished with a 3-1 record with wins over Dryden, Fort Frances and Churchill Collegiate from Thunder Bay.

Russell Guinto from Beaver Brae also won the free throw contest sinking 9 three-pointers in a minute.

Meanwhile the Thomas Aquinas junior girls were the runners up on the consolation side of a volleyball tournament in Thunder Bay.

The Saints were upended by St. Ignatius two sets to one.

Hospital Braces for Minimal Budget increase in 2012

Lake of the Woods District Hospital says its likely going to have to tighten its belt even further next year.

At a recent conference in Toronto, Chief Executive Officer, Marc Belcaen says they were told the budget for the Ministry of Health would increase by one percent in 2012.

He says there's no guarantee hospital budgets willl actually increase by the same amount.

Belcaen says with wages going up, along with the cost of living, its going to be challenging to live with just a one percent increase.

NAN speaks out in favour of Attawapiskat

The Federal Government is being scolded by Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy.

Beardy says its shameful that the Harper Government is blaming Attawapiskat for its housing crisis and financial problems.

Beardy says all the people of Attawapiskat want is basic human rights.

Public School Board Supports new anti-bullying legislation

New, tougher anti-bullying legislation is getting the thumbs up from at least one local school board.

Jack McMaster is the director of education of the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board and says the province's legislation really mirrors the work they have been doing.

The bill proposes tougher consequences, including expulsion, for bullying and hate-motivated actions.

Emergency Landing

Police in Thunder Bay say no charges will be laid against the man who caused a Westjet flight to make an emergency landing on Saturday.


The Toronto-bound flight was checked out in Thunder Bay after the crew decided to land because of an agitated 27-year-old passenger.

Police say the man has a history of mental health issues an was held for a medical assessment.

Police say it's expected the man, along with his father, will be returned to Portugal once he has been cleared medically.

Oskisko Mining

Oskisko Mining has started looking at the impacts its proposed open-pit gold mine near Atikokan might have on existing services in the district.


The company projects up to two-thousand employees in the construction phase and five hundred in the mill.

Mark Boller, a senior advisory, says a socio-economic impact study will identify challenges that workforce brings.

Boller says one of the early challenges might be trying secure enought trained personal to work at the site.

Tough on crime legislation

There won't be any get out jail free cards, but changes are coming to the criminal justice system.


Kenora MP Greg Rickford says he recently had a chance to sit down with the Kenora Lawyers Sentencing Group to talk about their concerns.

He feels he was able to alleviate some of the concerns they had with the new legislation.

Rickford says the Government has pledged to get tough on child exploitation, organized crime and repeat violent offenders.

Former National Chief speaks out on Attawapiskat

The former head of the Assembly of First Nations says third party management is not the answer for Attawapiskat.

Phil Fontaine says the government decision to take away the band's control of finances won't solve the housing problem on the reserve

He says third party managers cannot approve housing programs.

Hospital in the Black

Lake of the Woods District Hospital continues to operate in the black, but the size of its surplus is slowly shrinking.

Director of Finance, Cindy Gasparini says through seven months they have a surplus of 124 thousand dollars.

That's about 100 thousand dollars less than last month.

Gasparini expects they will be able to balance their books this year, but the winter months are a lot tougher on their budget, with less revenue from seasonal visitors, and increased costs for utilities and wages.

Hospital gets more funding for Cataract Surgeries

Lake of the Woods District Hospital is getting more funding to carry out more cataract surgeries this year.

The Ministry of Health has approved funding for an extra 56 eye operations.

Chief  Executive Officer Marc Belcaen says they had requested funding for 105 more cataract surgeries, but they will take what they can get.

He suggests there is still the possibility of more funding, but that will depend on the demand at other hospitals as the year end approaches.

Provincial Government Defends its record on Mining in the North

The Provincial Government is once again on the defensive over its handling of relations between First Nation communities and mining companies.

The NDP continues to attack the Government on a lack of consultation and an unwillingness to force companies to stop exploration on traditional land.

Speaking in the Legislature, Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci stated his Government is working with everyone.

Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof says the Liberals are ignoring First Nations and slowing down mining development.

Rickford still waiting for Long Gun Bill to Pass

It still isn't clear if the bill to scrap the federal long gun registry will be passed before Christmas.

Kenora M.P. Greg Rickford says they have two weeks left in the current sitting to try and push the bill through.

Rickford says if it doesn't pass before Christmas, it will certainly get though Parliament when it resumes sitting in February.

Hospital experiencing bed shortage

Hospital beds at Lake of the Woods District Hospital are at a premium these days.

Chief Executive Officer Marc Belcaen says they've seen a significant demand for their acute care beds in recent months.

In the past, the hospital be shortage had been created by patients waiting for a long term care bed to open up in the community.

But Belcaen says the addition of ten interim beds at the Pinecrest home for the Aged has virtually eliminated that problem in the past few months.

Bronco Boys in Brandon

Beaver Brae's boys hockey team in in Brandon for the Victoria Inn High School tournament.

Last night, the Broncos lost a 6-2 decision to Crocus Plains from Brandon.

Today, Beaver Brae is back on the ice against Sandford Collegiate this afternoon at 2:00.

Broncos win battle of Kenora

Beaver Brae drew first blood in the battle of Kenora in girls high school hockey.

The Broncos upended their cross-town rivals from Thomas Aquinas 4-1 last night.

 Jess Ricklefs, Melissa Wilcox, Kaitlyn Sparkman and Jodi Mellilo each scored for Beaver Brae. 

Julia Ralko scored on a power play in 3rd period for T.A. to tie the game at 1 before Beaver Brae pulled  away.

Next game for Beaver Brae is tonight in Ear Falls tonight against Red Lake.

Thomas Aquinas is home to the Dryden Eagles this afternoon.

 

Game time is 1:30 at the Kenora Rec. Center.

Grassy Man charged in connection to MVA on Highway 671

A 37 year old Grassy Narrows man faces a number of charges in connection to a single vehicle accident on Highway 671.

The OPP say they came across a single vehicle accident on the road to Grassy Narrows on Tuesday.

Three men were standing outside of a van.

A 41 year old woman had walked away from the accident scene, but was located a short time later and taken to Lake of the Woods District Hospital for treatment.

Charles Assin has been charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm, driving while disqualified and failing to provide a breath sample.

Essex Road Home target of a Drug Bust

A 54 year old Kenora man faces drug charges following an investigation by the Kenora Joint Forces

Drug Unit.

Members of the OPP's Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau helped out with a search warrant to a home on Essex Road on Tuesday.

Police seized 750 grams of marihuana, 600 grams marihuana being used to produce oil, 450 dollars in cash, surveillance equipment and other drug paraphernalia.

Kim Henley has been charged with possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking and production of marijuana.

He's due to appear in Kenora Court on January 12th to face the charges.

Rickford Supports Third Party Management in Attawapiskat

A Federal Government move to impose third party management in Attawapiskat First Nation is being supported by Kenora MP Greg Rickford.

The Parliamentary Assistant for Aboriginal Affairs says the move will help them determine the immediate housing needs.

However, Rickford stresses they have already taken action.

Rickford adds the Government also gave the remote First Nation money to build a new subdivision and notes the third party manager will look into why that project hasn't moved forward.

Former Con College President given a Premier's Award

Confederation College was well represented at the Premier's Awards.

Past President Pat Lang was given the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Four Confederation College Alumni's were also nominated at the recent Premier's Awards.

Festival of Trees beings tonight

Lake of the Woods Museum has the unmistakeable smell of pine today.

The annual Festival of Trees is taking place over the next three days with 25 trees on display.

Darlene McGilvary from the Kenora and Lake of the Wood Regional Community Foundation says the festivities wrap up on the weekend.

Tonight is seniors night, followed by the Gala and auction of the trees tomorrow night.

Proceeds will go toward the Community Foundation.

CJBN Drops CTV signal

CJBN-TV is going global.

Changes are in store starting today for the local TV outlet.

After years of being affiliated with CTV, CJBN is going to be carrying programs from the Global TV network instead.

CJBN will also be moving down the TV dial.

It will be located on Channel 12, while CTV Winnipeg is being added to Channel 4.

Broncos and Saints Square Off Again

Its the second battle of Kenora this week in high school hockey.

The Thomas Aquinas girls will be facing off against Beaver Brae this afternoon at the Kenora Rec. Center.

The game wasn't on the original schedule, but the contest was added after Sioux Lookout dropped out of the league last month.

Game time is scheduled for 4:30 at the Thistle Rink, with a teddy bear toss for the Salvation Army's Christmas Cheer Fund.

Portraits of Honour Arrives in Kenora

A touching scene at the Kenora Fire Hall this morning.

The families of two soldiers who died in Afghanistan were the first in line to check out the Portraits of Honor.

Dave Sopha is the artist responsible for painting the faces of the 158 officers who died in the Afghan mission.

He says his work has been a labor of love.

The tour of the large truck-size mural is winding down and will visit Shilo, Manitoba tomorrow before returning back to souther Ontario later this month.

The Portraits will be on display until 5:00 this evening.

Osisko Mining

One of the companies poised to open a gold mine in the Atikokan area will outline its project to members of the Fort Frances business community today.


Officials with Osisko Mining are the guest speakers at the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting.

Chamber Manager Anthony Mason says the Chamber wants to keep people informed about what going on in mining.

The meeting at the La Place Rendez-Vous begins at 4 this afternoon.

Resolute Forest Products

The first meeting of what could be a lengthy process has been held in Abitibi-Bowater's appeal of the assessed value of its Fort Frances mill property.


The province's Assessment Review Board held a teleconference this week and set dates for future meeting for next spring.

The company, now known as Resolute Forest Products, feels the value of its properties for last three years was assess too high.

The town has said it stands to lose as much as 800-thousand dollars in taxes if the company wins its case.

NDP talk about conditions in Attawapiskat

Interim N.D.P. leader Nycole Turmel says she isn't going to play with figures after seeing for herself the impoverished conditions on the Attawapiskat First Nation.

She emerged from this morning's caucus meeting to say the prime minister and Aboriginal Affairs minister wouldn't be so quick to blame the band if they witnessed what kind of conditions residents of the northern Ontario community live in. 

The government says it has poured more than 90-million dollars into the reserve since taking office.