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Northern Ontario History

Northerners ponder separating from Ontario – CBC Radio Sudbury (September 24, 2012)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/

Province’s decision to sell the ONTC has leaders wondering if the region is getting its fair share. The Northlander Train is set to make its final journey between Toronto and Cochrane this week, leaving behind many people who are still furious about the province’s decision to sell the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission.

The move has disgruntled northerners who wonder — yet again — if the region is getting its fair share. It’s a sentiment that’s been expressed many times over the years by disgruntled taxpayers who think it might be in northern Ontario’s best interest to separate and become its own province.

The president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities said municipal politicians in the region feel they are being treated unfairly. “The action this government has taken, they had promised a fair, open and transparent process and we feel that it’s fallen substantially short of that to date,” Al Spacek said. “So … they are not happy with the provincial government over this decision.”

He noted municipal politicians in the north don’t feel they have solid representation at the provincial level and said the region needs a strong voice at Queens Park so good decisions are made for the north.

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Cage Call: Artist explores lost [mining] histories – by Laura Stricker (Sudbury Star – September 22, 2012)

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

When photographer Louie Palu set out to learn more about mining, his plan was to spend one month at a mine in Kirkland Lake. That was in 1991. Instead, 12 years, two provinces and thousands of photos later, the project came to an end.

“My dad told me about Kirkland Lake,” Palu said, speaking on the phone. “He was working up there. He’s not a miner. He was just working with some mining people.

“I’ve always been interested in these underrepresented histories and stories, especially sociopolitical ones. Suddenly from Kirkland Lake I got to Timmins, then Sudbury, Val d’Or and (Rouyn)-Noranda. There were all these sort of lost histories, these really important lost histories. I just felt like this story needed to be told.”

Since then, he’s been telling the story through two books and his photos, which have been put on display at art galleries and shows all over the world, including Sweden, France and the United States.

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Minister offers North thousands of reasons to celebrate – by Kyle Gennings (Timmins Daily Press – August 14, 2012)

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

TIMMINS – A crowd gathered at the feet of the three founders of Timmins on Monday morning, welcoming James Moore, the federal Minister of Heritage and Official Languages, whose presence confirmed the significance of the three men to his back and the city they founded.
 
Moore formally confirmed the federal funding that made the three statues possible, thanking the community and its people for their significance in the forming of the North and its continued prosperity.
 
Moore and the Canadian Heritage Fund provided the centennial committee along with the Porcupine Prospectors and Developers Association with $90,000 to immortalize Jack Wilson, Sandy McIntyre and Benny Hollinger.
 
“The $90,000 was the original seed money for the three statues,” he said. “These are three men whose discovery, vision, hard work and commitment to their craft led ultimately to a city that is thriving here in Ontario.”

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The heart of Timmins cast in bronze [Hollinger, McIntryre and Wilson]- by Kyle Gennings (Timmins Daily Press – August 7, 2012)

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

As the canvas wraps were pulled from the statuesque figures mounted on marble plinths on Saturday, the sun glinted gold on the bronzed faces of the three men whose triumph laid the foundation for the Timmins we know today.
 
Benny Hollinger, Sandy McIntyre and John “Jack” Wilson are three names that every Timmins resident knows, they are genesis, and finally, 100 years after their discoveries, they stand large as life in front of the Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre.
 
“This is a very, very important event when you think about 100 years of Timmins and the next 100 years of Timmins,” said city Mayor Tom Laughren. “Back in 1908, when these gentlemen came here, what was here in Timmins?”
 
The group of onlookers, comprised of interested residents and members of the Wilson and McIntyre (Oliphant) families, took a moment to ponder the mayor’s question. “I have pictures in my office of this city in the 1920s and ’30s,” he said.

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Stories about people stealing gold in Timmins … New book Bootleg Gold – by Len Gillis (Timmins Times – August 1, 2012)

http://www.timminstimes.com/

Copies of the book can be ordered online at: www.bootleggold.net.

Local author releases new book on high-grading.

For the City of Timmins having been around 100 years, there has to be a thousand stories about high-grading in this city. High-grading, also simply known as stealing gold from the mines, has been going on in Timmins since the day the big mines opened.

It’s no wonder that a local writer has finally made an effort to do some reputable research on the topic and come up with a few of those stories.

Kevin Vincent has authored Volume One of Bootleg Gold, a close look at the impact of high-grading on the gold mining industry here in Timmins, Ontario, — one of the world’s foremost gold mining camps. He has been working on the story and gathering research for 25 years. Vincent has done his homework, starting with exclusive interviews with the late Gregory Evans, the venerable Timmins lawyer who went on to become chief justice of the Supreme Court of Ontario.

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Fire plan began in 1922 – by Karen Bachmann (Timmins Daily Press – June 2, 2012)

 The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Karen Bachmann is the director/curator of the Timmins Museum and a local author.

Forest fire took out 90% of Haileybury

Rule No. 1 in the writing game – write about something you know, or at least find interesting, otherwise, your reader will now you are faking it (big time!).

Rule No. 2 – remember to just write and quit worrying about it. So, because today I feel like I don’t know much of anything, and I do not find anything particularly appealing (grouchy, aren’t I?), but I apparently still have to write something, I thought I’d write about a whole bunch of little things that happened in 1922 that may be of some interest to you.

If you do not find them interesting, you have my sincerest apologies and I’ll try harder next time.

So, perhaps we should set a little context before we start out on our trek through 1922. In world politics, Mahatma Gandhi was arrested in Delhi and charged with sedition (he served two years); Joseph Stalin was appointed the General Secretary of the Communist Party’s Central Committee in Russia; the Ottoman Empire was abolished; Mussolini became the youngest Premier in the history of Italy, and, hyperinflation hit Germany – 7,000 deutschmarks were needed to purchase one American dollar.

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Safer Railways Act [Northern Ontario History] – Charlie Angus M.P. Ontario, Timmins—James Bay (Hansard -May 1, 2012)

Charlie Angus’ commentary was given inside Canada’s Parliament on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 1:05 pm.

Mr. Speaker, it is always a great honour to rise in this House and speak on behalf of the people of Timmins—James Bay, a region that exists because of the railway.

It is also important to talk about this bill on safer railways at a time when we have so many issues facing railways in Canada. It is clear that if we look at the simple test for whether government has vision, whether government understands the issue of infrastructure, whether government has a forward-looking vision, we look no further than rail. Rail has been the kicking dog of Liberal and Conservative governments looking to squeeze it, to undermine it, to so-called privatize it, and we have seen a continuing loss of service while the rest of the world moves forward with smart high-speed rail.

Just this past February, when the VIA Rail train derailed at Burlington, we had three people killed and 42 passengers injured. We see the $200 million in cuts that are coming to VIA Rail now under the Conservatives. We see the undermining of rail links in important jurisdictions across rural Canada like Churchill, Manitoba. We see the government’s complete lack of interest in the importance of a high-speed rail corridor that would connect Windsor to Quebec City through our densest populations and allow people who are pretty much trapped because of the density of traffic in the suburban regions of this country to be able to move at a reasonable rate.

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Haileybury School of Mines marks 100th anniversary – by Liz Cowan (Northern Ontario Business – April 2012)

Established in 1980, Northern Ontario Business provides Canadians and international investors with relevant, current and insightful editorial content and business news information about Ontario’s vibrant and resource-rich North.

International reputation

When Richard Spence was a young adult searching for the next step in his life, the Haileybury School of Mines was the answer.
 
“After high school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do,” he said. “My dad picked up a hitchhiker who was attending the school and he raved about it. So I called the guy and ended up here in 1966.”
 
The school celebrates its 100th anniversary this year with a weekend of activities and events from June 15 to 17. For former students like Spence, who currently lives in New Liskeard, the school prepared them well for a life-long career in the mining industry.
 
“I was originally from Thunder Bay and then spent my teenage years in southern Ontario,” he said. “I know I wanted to go back to school and come back North.” Although there were no girls attending the school at that time, Spence said he “became a statistic” when he fell for a local girl and ended up staying in the area.

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Railway provided vital link for the North – by Karen Bachmann (Timmins Daily Press – March 30, 2012)

 The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Karen Bachmann is the director/curator of the Timmins Museum and a local author.

HISTORY: More than one major mining discovery made while railroads were being build through Northern Ontario

In the past few years, we have been witness to some amazing changes in the field of mass transportation. The high-speed rail systems found in France can move people along the Paris-Lyon line at cruising speeds of 320 km/h hour. In Japan and Germany, the high-speed rail systems reach speeds of 300 km/h on regular routes.

The Airbus A380 (seating capacity 840) has forced airports around the world to renovate so that they can land the monstrosities (the aircraft amazingly measures seven stories high).

Cruise ships, on the other hand might as well be huge floating semi-independent countries. They are run just like small cities and have the same problems those cities face (3,400 people all sharing the same space).

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[Ontario Northland Railway] ONR paved the way in Northern Ontario – ON THE ROCKS – by John R. Hunt (North Bay Nugget – March 27, 2012)

http://www.nugget.ca/

“This has to be in Toronto tomorrow,” my wife said. “Will you take it to the station for me?”

Only old timers will understand much of this column, but I want some younger folk to understand how much the ONR once meant to folk who lived in Northeastern Ontario.

I am still livid. On Friday when I heard that the ONTC was to be killed, it felt as if I had been kicked in the gut. What made it worse was that The Nugget had just published a short piece recalling how Tembec was built out of ruin.

Tembec became a great Canadian success story because management, the workers and the community joined together for a common purpose. Why not the ONTC or Air Canada and too many others?

I took the letter to Cobalt ONR station, which in its time was the biggest and most handsome of its kind. When the southbound train pulled in, I gave the letter to the man running the mail car.

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[Thunder Bay Prostitution] Not going away anytime soon – Editorial (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal – February 3, 2012)

The Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal is the daily newspaper of Northwestern Ontario.

THE WORLD’S oldest profession thrives on mankind’s most basic instinct, which means prostitution is never going away. It’s certainly popular in Thunder Bay’s two downtown cores where the sex trade flourishes.
McKellar ward Coun. Paul Pugh has been forced to address the issue after people at ward meetings complained about streetwalkers in their neighbourhoods.

Pugh utters the standard political response to many social issues: We’ve got to get to the root of the problem. He’s right, of course, but eradicating the poverty and drug use that accompany much prostitution is not going to happen anytime soon. Governments that couldn’t end poverty when they were flush with cash are not about to divert the billions required in these times of austerity.

It has been suggested that prostitution and drugs be decriminalized. Controlling drugs by having them sold and taxed by government is a familiar idea. Thunder Bay’s drug strategy favours decriminalization.

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Northern Ontario is to Southern Ontario is as Canada is to the United States – Well, almost… – by Livio Di Matteo (Northern Economist Blog – January 17, 2012)

Livio Di Matteo is Professor of Economics at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Visit his new Economics Blog “Northern Economist” at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s recent comment that he does not want the future of the Northern Gateway pipeline to be decided by “certain” people in the United States who would like Canada to be one giant national park was remarkable in its parallels to the economic development situation in Northern Ontario. 

In the case of the Northern Gateway, along with opposition from environmental groups and some First Nations in Alberta and British Columbia, a number of U.S. based environmental groups accompanied by some Hollywood celebrities have voiced opposition to the plan.  In Northern Ontario, there have been complaints that the Far North Act and the Endangered Species Act will hinder northern development because of the wish of environmental groups in southern Ontario to turn the north into a vast provincial park.

The parallels are intriguing.  The relationship between Northern Ontario and the south is remarkably similar to that between Canada and the United Canada.  Relative to the United States, Canada is natural resource intensive and sparsely populated. 

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[Timmins] Mine shops aid war effort – by Karen Bachmann (Timmins Daily Press – January 14, 2012)

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper

Karen Bachmann is the director/curator of the Timmins Museum and a local author.

Second World War impacted everyday life in the Porcupine Camp during 1942

A few local news briefs from 1942, courtesy of the Porcupine Advance newspaper. Jan. 25 was the date that was finally set for the official opening of the brand new United Church in Timmins. Located at the corner of Mountjoy Street and First Avenue, only the basement had been built at the time. Construction of the rest of the church was to move ahead in the spring with the help of both regular and volunteer workers.

Rev. J.C. Cochrane, D.D., superintendent of northern missions was secured as the guest speaker. A newly formed choir under the auspices of Mr. Wallace Young was prepared to sing special anthems and other musical numbers during the dedication service.

At that time, the charter roll of membership was to be presented as the basis of the organization, and the keys were to be turned over to the new church minister.

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Lots to celebrate in [Timmins] 1912 – by Karen Bachmann (Timmins Daily Press – January 7, 2012)

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Karen Bachmann is the director/curator of the Timmins Museum and a local author.

HISTORY: Newspaper articles highlight the unbridled enthusiasm seen in the early days of the Porcupine Camp 

OK, I’m feeling the pressure. This is the first article I get to pen for Timmins’ 100th anniversary, and it has to be special – so, of course, I’m frozen at my keyboard, awaiting Divine Intervention (or a third cup of coffee).

How to begin? What is there to be said?

Sadly, the stuff I should be writing about I am afraid to say, I have already written – the beginnings of the camp, the development of Northern Ontario, etc. … So, I pray your indulgence as I present to you a small piece based on the items from the front page from the very first Porcupine Advance newspaper, published on March 28, 1912 (Vol. 1, No. 1).

I have chosen to do this because the tone of that first newspaper and the articles presented back then really do illustrate the unbridled enthusiasm that was rampant in those early days of the Porcupine, and of the Town of Timmins.

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Timmins Celebrating 100 years – by Karen Bachmann (Timmins Daily Press – December 31, 2011)

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Karen Bachmann is the director/curator of the Timmins Museum and a local author.

Timmins centennial kicks off New Year’s Day at the McIntyre Arena — one of the community’s icons

Well, here we are, finally, sitting on the cusp of our 100th anniversary celebrations for Timmins – and yes, we have much to celebrate, commemorate, ponder and enjoy.

From a small boomtown based on a hope and a prayer, Timmins has grown into one of the world’s most important mining municipalities.

We have been home to the world’s largest gold mine, the world’s largest zinc mine and one of the world’s deepest mines. We are still home to the mine that started it all, and it promises to be in production for many years to come.

Timmins also has many heroes in the fields of sports, culture, art, science and business. The city has seen many of its sons and daughters go on to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges, be it in the laboratory or on a stage or in an arena or a lecture hall.

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