Northern Ontario Separation and Alienation – Page 15

Ontario’s emergency response protocols under review following Elliot Lake disaster – by Adam Radwanski and Anna Mehler Paperny (Globe and Mail – June 28, 2012)

June 28, 2012

The Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

With two bodies pulled from the wreckage of Elliot Lake’s Algo Mall, Dalton McGuinty’s government is set to begin a grim review of whether Ontario’s own emergency-response processes undermined the ultimately fruitless rescue mission.

A source in the Premier’s Office confirmed on Wednesday that the review will consider whether the specialized excavator used to dismantle the collapsed mall – four days after the crisis began – should have been brought in sooner.

After confusion about who was calling the shots on the ground, the review will examine whether the current emergency-response system delegates authority properly.

It will also consider whether structural concerns about the mall, brought to the Labour Ministry’s attention more than once, should have been identified and fixed before its collapse. But the overriding question hanging over the government concerns the strange sequence of events on Monday.

Damage control in Elliot Lake’s disaster zone – Martin Regg Cohn (Toronto Star – June 28, 2012)

June 28, 2012

The Toronto Star, has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on federal and Ontario politics as well as shaping public opinion.

Disaster brings out the best in us — our bravery, our resolve, our heart. Tragedy also brings us together. Except in Elliot Lake, where the dark events of the last few days have shone an uncomfortable light on the gap between our government and ourselves.

When the authorities announced they were giving up rescue efforts Monday night, police reinforcements were called in to restrain crowds of vigilantes who volunteered to go in themselves. Their spontaneous protests evoked Elliot Lake’s heyday as a mining town where rescue crews famously pledged to leave no man behind.

But when government takes charge, an engineer from the labour ministry can declare the disaster zone an unsafe worksite — and obediently, seemingly, rescuers down tools. Will they one day restrict firefighters from fighting fires deemed inherently risky?

Amid the recriminations, officials are trying to rescue themselves from a public relations disaster of their own making. In this damage control exercise, which almost dwarfs the original rescue mission in scale, they insist no one ever truly gave up.

Transportation for the North – Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal Editorial (June 26, 2012)

June 27, 2012

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

A WAR of words among MPPs about the government’s planned sale of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission is missing something. The Liberal government sprang the sale on the public in its last budget, claiming it will save money. ONTC serves a series of communities in Northeastern Ontario with train and bus service, much of which the government says the private sector can provide.

The NDP has been critical of the proposal. Timiskaming—Cochrane MPP John Vanthof said in March there had been a “massive public outcry from affected communities” and he called on Premier Dalton McGuinty to halt plans to privatize the passenger and freight service that “employs nearly 1,000 people across the North.”

Vanthof reminded McGuinty he had earlier promised not to privatize the ONTC, adding that, “All across the North municipal councils are up in arms . . . .”

Vanthof acquired documents showing the Liberals were considering the idea as early as March 2009 after which time Northern Development Minister Rick Bartolucci was on hand in Sudbury to cut the ribbon on a new Ontario Northland bus terminal.

Amid disaster in Elliot Lake, an inexcusable lack of action – by Rosie Dimanno (Toronto Star- June 27, 2012)

June 27, 2012

The Toronto Star, has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on federal and Ontario politics as well as shaping public opinion.

People buried alive — apparently, hopefully, still alive — you’d think heaven and earth would be moved to save them.

But moving a heap of wreckage from a collapsed building was inexplicably, outrageously, deemed too risky for rescue workers in Elliot Lake, who were ordered to abandon the mission a mere 48 hours after the Algo Centre Mall caved in.

Only the intervention of Premier Dalton McGuinty rebooted rescue efforts following howls of indignation from local citizens whose loved ones are still trapped under the rubble. “Nobody left behind!” shouted one furious resident when word filtered through that crews were standing down. In a mining town like Elliot Lake, this gospel is well understood: Searches are never suspended, whether proof of life exists or not.

Yet by late Tuesday afternoon, those workers had not yet been cleared by officials to resume the job. In a crisis where minutes literally matter, this is simply insupportable. It is the antithesis of rapid response.

A glimmer of hope [Ontario Northland] – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – June 25, 2012)

June 25, 2012

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

Premier Dalton McGuinty commended 200 protesters for staging a rally called Ontario Northland is Not For Sale on the campus of Laurentian University on Saturday where he was attending the Ontario Liberal Party Provincial Council.

McGuinty wouldn’t meet with protesters outside the Great Hall where he spoke to party faithful. But he did make a promise indoors to Liberals and to reporters that every town in Northern Ontario that now has ONTC bus service will continue to have it after the province sells off the Crown agency.

McGuinty credited people attending the rally for being respectful of the proceedings indoors, where he said his government can no longer afford to subsidize the rail and bus transportation service. McGuinty said the Liberals have spent more than three times as much on the agency as the last two governments did.

His government will work with communities to ensure “as smooth a transition as possible” of the operation from government to whoever purchases it.

Queen’s Park continues to disappoint – by Ron Grech (Timmins Daily Press – June 20, 2012)

June 20, 2012

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Northerners can’t seem to get any satisfaction from Queen’s Park. When we want our provincial politicians to do something for us, they don’t it.

Even when they finally look like they’re doing something right, they screw it up. This has been no more evident than since the Ontario Liberals presented their budget. This, of course, came on the heels of the government’s announcement that it was going to privatize the Ontario Northerland Transportation Commission.

Naturally, we thought, great timing. Here we have the New Democrats in a position to force the Liberals hands by using the budget vote as leverage in preventing the sale of the ONTC.

As we know, the NDP made some demands and the Liberals made some concessions but the issue Northerners were particularly keen on — preventing the sale of the ONTC — was not part of that package.

Trouble for [Ontario] human-bear relations – by Michael Commito (Toronto Star – June 15, 2012)

June 15, 2012

The Toronto Star, has the largest circulation in Canada. The paper has an enormous impact on federal and Ontario politics as well as shaping public opinion.

Michael Commito is a PhD candidate in the history department at McMaster University. His dissertation focuses on the history of big-game management, notably bears, deer and wolves, in Ontario and New York state.

The number of negative interactions between humans and black bears in Ontario has risen sharply this season, raising concerns about the management and welfare of the species across the province. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) recently shifted its emphasis from an active bear management model to one focused on personal responsibility on the part of citizens.

These cuts most notably affect Bear Wise, the provincial body established in 2004 to oversee human-bear interaction in the province. These include a significant reduction in the number of bear technicians, cancelling the trapping and relocation of nuisance bears and on-site visits to landowners experiencing conflicts with bears. Recent incidents highlight the problem associated with trimming the province’s bear monitoring services while still trying to care for the animals’ welfare.

[Northern Ontario] Mayors get some answers on ONTC – by Gord Young (North Bay Nugget – June 15, 2012)

June 15, 2012

http://www.nugget.ca/

Bartolucci alleviates concerns, but FONOM will be diligent on divestment

It looks like Rick Bartolucci and the Northern mayors group may have finally found some common ground. The mayors emerged from another meeting this week with the Northern development minister, reporting that some of their concerns regarding the sell off of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission have been alleviated.

Kapuskasing Mayor Alan Spacek, president of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), said the group was relieved to hear that there isn’t a deadline for divestment and that the process will “take as long as it takes.”

And although there wasn’t a firm commitment from Bartolucci, Spacek said the mayors also received some level of assurance they will be a part of the process moving forward. “We need to be there at the table,” he said, stressing the importance that Northern stakeholders be involved in the decision-making.

Politicians, not MNR staff to blame for bear inaction – by Wayne Snider (Timmins Daily Press – June 13, 2012)

June 13, 2012

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

City council has been forced from hibernation on the issue of black bear management. The latest budget-cutting effort from Queen’s Park has eliminated the practice of trapping and relocating nuisance bears from the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Bear Wise program.

Instead, the provincial government has passed the bear buck to police. At council Monday night, Police Chief John Gauthier said in the first week of June alone Timmins Police Service received 21 complaints about nuisance bears. In May, they received 62 bear calls calls.

While the track record of trapping and relocating the bruins is spotty at best — many times bears find their way back to where they were caught — it is definitely a better solution than handing off the responsibility to police.

The situation is becoming, well, unbearable. On Sunday night, TPS officers were forced to shoot a large bear that wouldn’t leave the clubhouse area at Hollinger Golf Club.

Call out to stop ONTC sale – by Maria Calabrese (QMI AGENCY/Sudbury Star – June 8, 2012)

June 8, 2012

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

Premier Dalton McGuinty’s plan to not go ahead with priv at i z i n g public services should include scrapping the sale of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, says the organization that represents ONTC unions.

“The McGuinty government is stating that they wish to give public-sector workers some certainty at a difficult time (as) one of the reasons for this shift in policy. Then why would they not give the same consideration to workers at Ontario Northland?” Brian Kelly, a spokesman for the General Chairpersons’ Association, asked in a news release.

Kelly said the association supports the move to stop the privatization of more public services and called for a stop to the ONTC sale. Reports suggest the province is backing off further privatizations as a way to ensure NDP support for its budget.

Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci confirmed the ONTC selloff is going ahead, said MPP Vic Fedeli (PC — Nipissing). Bartolucci responded to Fedeli’s questions tabled in the legislature two months ago about the future of pension and benefits for ONTC retired workers.

Northern leaders will have to get on board to save ONTC – by John R. Hunt (Sudbury Star – June 6, 2012)

June 6, 2012

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

‘You have to give something if you want to get something.” This is the opinion of a veteran municipal politician. Colleen Belanger was mayor of Coleman Township, near Temiskaming Shores, for 16 years. She cheerfully admits she has no desire to return to municipal politics.

“Mayor Dan Cleroux did me a great favour when he won the last election. Now I have time to enjoy myself,” she says. But she is angry and worried by the impending death of the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission and fears Northern mayors who want to meet Premier Dalton McGuinty must do more than protest.

“The premier has stuck his neck out. The North has to offer something that makes sense and gives him a good reason to change his mind,” she says. The main excuse for McGuinty’s decision to kill the ONTC is that ridership on the ONR is too low. So, why don’t the mayors of all the towns along the line promise to increase it?

Time to reinstate spring bear hunt – Thunder Bay Editorial (Chronicle-Journal – May 29, 2012)

May 30, 2012

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

Sometimes, a dead horse has to be kicked, again and again. The former spring bear hunt in Ontario is one such animal.

If the provincial government is really serious about helping the region’s tourist industry and managing black bear populations in Northern Ontario, it will reinstate the spring bear hunt.

The hunt is currently a viable tourism and wildlife management option in nine other provinces and territories across Canada. Why not Ontario? Are their bears different from ours?

A Winnipeg man has already been bitten this year by a bear north of Sioux Lookout, hauled from an outhouse in a story that made national headlines. Children in the town’s Sioux Mountain School are reportedly being kept indoors at recess these days because bears are roaming the area. A longer fall bear hunt has not been sufficient to keep bear numbers in check and the number and reports of nuisance bears is rising throughout the province.

Situation un-bear-able – Timmins Daily Press (May 28, 2012)

May 29, 2012

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Councillor calls for return of spring bear hunt

Northerners are voicing their unbearable stress towards the provincial government’s latest approach to problem bruins. The MNR has dropped responsibilities for nuisance bears on private property. The buck has been passed to Ontario Provincial Police and local police services.

Coun. John Curley is outraged with the recent letter from Natural Resources Deputy Minister David O’Toole. The letter was revealed to Timmins council at Monday night’s regular meeting.

It stated the recent changes came about as part of the Transformation Plan announced in the 2012 Ontario Budget. The plan was a review of how government programs delivered services to Ontarians, which includes eight-year existing Bear Wise program/

In his letter, O’Toole admitted the relocation of black bears was not as effective compared to other MNR bear handling strategies.

NORDIK INSTITUTE NEWS RELEASE: Concerned citizens in the Sault join North Eastern Municipalities ONTC divesture fight

May 26, 2012

Screening of acclaimed film ‘Derailed – The National Dream’

May 25, 2012

COCHRANE – Northern municipalities affected by the Province’s divesture of the ONTC are continuing to escalate the issue.

They do not accept the Province’s unilateral and autocratic approach to the ONTC which represents an integral part of the region’s economy and opportunity to grow into the next age of multi-modal transportation.

The approach is arrogant and places far too much risk on the region as it has no clear plan or desired outcome. At the same time, the issue is rapidly expanding its reach to now include concerned residents as far as Sault Ste. Marie.

On May 30 2012, northern municipalities along with Cochrane mayor and council, and Sault Ste Marie are the Coalition for Algoma Passenger Trains (CAPT) will host the screening of Derailed: The National Dream, produced by documentary film maker Dan Nystedt.

The film first screened on Sunday, March 4,2012 at the Grand Theatre, in Sault Ste. Marie as part of the Shadows of the Mind Film Festival.

[Ring of Fire] Ontario needs better energy infrastructure – by George Smitherman (Sudbury Star – May 23, 2012)

May 23, 2012

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

George Smitherman former deputy premier and Energy minister of Ontario

By the sounds of the name it’s been given, the Ring of Fire is the last place on Earth where you’d think you have to worry about how to supply power. However, when you are proposing mining activity 300 km north of any paved road, things get complicated quickly.

Maybe that’s why Ontario is actually allowing a giant American mining company, and at least one smaller Canadian one, to propose that diesel generation be used to provide electricity. Problem is, their needs are projected to start at 30 mw and grow to 70 mw. That would take about 10 million litres of diesel fuel each month. Diesel fuel that would presumably be trucked 300 km along a road that will be carved out of environmentally sensitive lands.

This Ring of Fire mining activity will be taking place in the James Bay Lowlands on the traditional territories of several First Nation communities. It’s ironic that a pressing need of these same communities is a more reliable, healthy and cost effective means of generating electricity than the small diesel generators they currently use.

First Nations communities have experienced the limitations of electricity from diesel for far too long.