Rafferty introduces FASD bill

MP John Rafferty has introduced his second Private Members' Bill on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.  The Thunder Bay Rainy River MP is calling on the Federal Government to develop a national strategy on the issue.  The bill, C-569 will not be debated before the next election.

NAPS seizes more Oxy

Nishnawbe-Aski Police continue to intercept illegal shipments of OxyContin. They say recent seizures took place in 3 northern First Nations communities. They confiscated over 46 thousand dollars worth of the highly addictive opiate. In total, 3 people are facing charges.

Kaszicky named Ring of Fire Coordinator

The new Ring of Fire Coordinator feels she has a good working relationship with area first nations.  Dr. Christine Kaszicky was the assistant deputy minister of Northern Development and Mines; during the time members of KI First Nation were sent to jail over a mining dispute.  Kaszicky says she's learned from that incident.  Kaszicky starts her new job on October 25th and will spend her time between Toronto and the North.  An office with a director and some staff will be set up in Thunder Bay.

McGuinty says Far North Act a good balance

Premier Dalton McGuinty is defending his government's Far North Act. Numerous groups including business and First Nations organizations are condemning it. However McGuinty believes there will be ways to work around any concerns. McGuinty says the act is the way to balance development and conservation in the north.

McGuinty defends choice of co-ordinator

Premier McGuinty's choice for Ring of Fire co-ordinator is getting some heat. There is concern that as Assistant Deputy Minister at the Mines Ministry, Christine Kaszycki, was there when KI First Nations protesters were jailed. McGuinty calls it a learning experience for her. McGuinty says Kaszycki has the qualifications for the position.

Premier speaks at NOMA Conference

Premier Dalton McGuinty spent his time in Thunder Bay promoting the Ring of Fire. McGuinty says there's great potential in the region's far north. The Premier also announced that Dr. Christine Kaszycki is the new Coordinator for the chromite deposit initiative. Meanwhile, Progressive Conservative Critic Randy Hillier is surprised by the appointment saying he thought they were going to hire someone from the outside and fresh. Hillier is critical of the fact that Kaszycki was an Assistant Deputy Minister in the Ministery of Northern Development and Mines.

Accused killers make second court appearance

Two teenage girls charged with second degree murder are due back in court in one month. It's in connection with the city's 4th homicide of the year, the beating death of a 16 year old girl from Sachigo Lake. Her body was found in a wooded area behind Wentworth Crescent on September 24th..   The accused 14 and 15 year olds, made a brief appearance in Youth Court in Thunder Bay Thursday. Their case was put over until October 28th.

Northern communities need to rethink economic development

Northwestern Ontario communities need to rethink the way they carry out economic development.  Brock Dickinson is an economic development consultant and spoke at the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association Conference.  Dickinson says Northern communities need to revamp their economic development skills since most of their tools and programs are decades old. The fall NOMA conference wraps up Friday afternoon.

NOMA fall conference underway

The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association's fall conference is underway in Thunder Bay.  Premier Dalton McGuinty will be speaking to the crowd in a few hours.  NOMA President Anne Krassilowski says they've asked McGuinty to attend their meetings two times in the last four terms of government.  Krassilowski adds his visit today is a sign of his committment to hearing their concerns.  McGuinty will be the lunch hour speaker at the NOMA conference today, he'll also be speaking to residents this afternoon applying for the Northern Ontario Energy Credit.