The Travelling Action Plan

Since 2001, less and less Americans have been coming into Canada through the Fort Frances and International Falls crossings. The decline in visitors coming into Canada is partly because of law enforcement measures at the border.

The federal government announced today, it’s changing its strict customs policy. The Travelling Action Plan now allows Americans with minor criminal offences a one- time waiver into the country.

Kenora MP Greg Rickford says the safety of all Canadians is still the government’s number one priority. Individuals  will still have to comply with CIC and CBSA approval before crossing the border into Canada.

“We do feel that this is an important first step, temporary in nature, as the long-term solutions I think we'll take on from the industry itself,"

Kenora MP Greg Rickford along with Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism made the announcement with a firm belief that this will increase tourism numbers in the Kenora District.

Smith Camps owner/operator Al Smith agrees adding that millions of dollars in revenue has been lost affecting everybody not only those in the tourism industry.

Resolute Forest Products

Resolute Forest Products is not ruling out more production downtime at its mills this year.

Lower demand and weaker pricing played a role in the 6-million dollar loss in the 4th quarter of last year.

CEO Richard Garneau doesn't see much immediate change.

The reported loss was the second straight since the company emerged from creditor protection a year ago.

ORNGE

The Ontario Government is taking flack from the Opposition parties over the handling of the Province's air ambulance service.


Some members of the Opposition have come out saying the government needs to allow private companies to operate the air ambulance service.

MPP Bill Mauro disagrees.

“At this point we’re all very happy with what the Minister has done to try and rectify some of the problems that have excited at ORNGE for some time. In terms of that suggestion again not being clear, I’m not sure our government is interested in privatizing health care.”

The Province recently put a not-for-profit air ambulance co-ordinator in place after firing former CEO Chris Mazza.

Sioux Lookout Fire

Provincial Police are looking into the cause of a fire in Sioux Lookout.


A building on Wellington Street engulfed in flames early yesterday morning.

The Sioux Lookout Fire Department was able to contain and extinguish the blaze.

No one was injured and the cost of damage is unknown.

Anyone with information is asked to contact OPP or Crime Stoppers.

Coventry Resources

Another mining company has started a search for gold in the Rainy River district.


Australian based Coventry Resources has started a drilling program at its gold project.

It's the first work the company has done on the 120-square kilometers of property, located adjacent to Rainy River Resource's project, north of Barwick.

The company is also doing exploration work at Cameron Lake near Nestor Falls.

Federal Long Gun Registry

Thunder Bay MP John Rafferty plans to continue the trend of voting to dismantle the Federal Long Gun Registry.


The final vote is expected to come down on Wednesday.

Rafferty feels there are more important issues the Federal Government should be focusing on instead of the gun registry.

Aboriginal Education

The federal government says its willing to work with first nation leaders to develop a better education system for aboriginal children.

Earlier this week, a panel on Aboriginal Education released its final report.

Parliamentary Assistant for Aboriginal Affairs Greg Rickford says the report contains some useful information.

The panel traveled across the country last year and held a day of hearings on
the Rat Portage First Nation.

Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls

The Mayor of Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls says they must be doing something right.

The tiny community south of Kenora had the largest population growth in Northwestern Ontario in the last five years.

Bill Thompson says they have been trying to be pro-active to attract more people.

The population of Sioux Narrows/Nestor Falls grew by 7 percent in the last five years, while the rest of the Kenora District saw a 10 percent drop.

Community Satisfaction Survey

How do you feel about the level of policing in our community?

That's the question the OPP is trying to answer.

Sergeant Shelley Garr says they have hired a consultant to conduct a Community Satisfaction Survey.

Garr says the telephone survey is confidential and will be used to help develop OPP business plans for each of the detachments in northwestern Ontario.

Daycare Rates

Its going to cost more to put you child into a city-run daycare facility.


Council has approved a modest increase in rates for the Castle of Learning and Discovery Center.

Before and after school rates will be rising by a dollar a day starting March 1st.

Pre-school day care and toddler rates are also going up by a dollar a day.

Recreational Services manager Colleen Neil says the programs continue to be very popular and are full with a long waiting list.

Kenora Youth Council

A total of eight local teens have been appointed to Kenora's first ever Youth Council.


City Council promised to establish the Youth Council last year after receiving a couple of deputations from local high school students.

No date has been set for the first meeting of the Youth Council, but councilor Rory McMillan says they will be gathering input from city staff about some of the issues they'd like to discuss.

The term of the youth council is a short one.

Its scheduled to expire this June.

Greyhound Crash

An Ontario Superior Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit over a bus crash caused by a mentally ill passenger in 2000 near Upsala.


A 70-year-old woman was fatally injured when a 21-year-old mentally ill man grabbed the steering wheel and sent the bus into the ditch on Highway 17.

The judge says there was no negligence on the part of police, Greyhound, or the bus driver.

Kenora Doesn't Expect Much Benefit from 2011 Census

The City of Kenora likely won't see much benefit from an increased population.

The recent census shows that Kenora's population rose by 171 people in the last five years.

Chief administrative officer, Karen Brown says most of the grants they receive are not based solely on population.

She says some minor adjustments might have to be made for the Ontario Municipal Partnership fund, but doesn't expect it will have a significant impact on the money they get from the province.

Community Clubs Gets more Funding

Community Clubs in Kenora will be getting a bit more money from the city this year.

Council has agreed to increase the annual grant to eight thousand dollars a year for the Central, Rideout and Evergreen Community Clubs.

That's an increase from six thousand last year, and four thousand the year before.

Council also has agreed to put aside more money in a capital reserve fund to help fix up the aging community clubs.

Broncos swept in Dryden

Wins have been hard to come by for Beaver Brae's Court sport teams this week.

The Broncos were in Dryden today and lost all four games played.

An absolute thriller in Junior Boys Basketball between the Dryden Eagles and Beaver Brae Broncos.

The Eagles scored in the dying seconds and then survived a narrow miss on a buzzer beating jumpshot by the Broncos in a 25-24 victory today.

In senior boys action, the Eagles dumped Beaver Brae 57-29.

On the Volleyball Court, the Dryden Eagles Junior and Senior Girls swept the Broncos in three straight sets.

Kenora Skiiers win gold in Marathon

Kenora skiiers have won three gold medals at the NWOSSA Nordic Championships in Marathon.

Kaitie Lockhart from Beaver Brae won the Junior girls division, while Rowan Humphrey took home the bronze.

In the senior girls event, Maya Boivin from T.A. took top honors, while Jamie Triskle, also from Thomas Aquinas won the para-skiiing event.

In the senior boys final, Jake Surgenor won silver, while Alastair Wehner won the bronze for the Saints.

First Nations sign MOU

A group of eight Northwestern Ontario First Nations have signed an agreement which they hope will lead to more affordable electricity.

Brian Davey of the Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund says the major priority is to deal with a fuel shortage.  The deal was signed in Thunder Bay Wednesday

Ice Safety

It was quite the scare for a pair of Ignace residents.

OPP received a report last Saturday around 2:45 in the morning of a man needing assistance.

The 17-year-old was driving a snow machine on Agimac Lake when it got stuck in the slush.

The man walked to a local residence and reported that his sister was still on the lake in freezing temperatures.

Officers used two locally owned snow machines to conduct a search and she was found a short time later wandering on the ice.

The 22-year-old was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Mental Health in Canada

Margaret Trudeau  says that prisons are not the place to house people with mental illness. The former wife of Pierre Trudeau spoke out against the Harper government's new crime bill to students at Confederation College Wednesday afternoon, saying more jails are not the answer. 

Trudeau has spent the last five years speaking on the struggles she had with depression

Trudeau also believes the government should provide more beds and not more prisons to house the mentally ill.

To learn more about mental health or the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness please visit:

 

Missing ATV's

The RCMP in eastern Manitoba are hoping to find four quads that were taken from a dealership in Lac Du Bonnet.


The Mounties say someone initially stole a utility trailer from a business in Beausejour last week.

A day later, they loaded four Yamaha Grizzley ATV's onto it and drove away.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact the RCMP in Lac Du Bonnet