We have been experiencing the impact of climate change on the District this past week. The unseasonably-high temperatures have warmed the lakes and rivers much to our enjoyment but have also dried out our forests that surround us, creating the perfect conditions for major forest fires. Almost hourly updates on […]
Jim Cumming – From the Publisher Emeritus’ Pen
Jim is the former publisher of the Fort Frances Times Ltd. He writes a weekly column and can be contacted at jcumming@fortfrances.com
As I travel about the District, I am struck by how Canada’s immigration policy is impacting our communities. Over the past several decades, the District’s population has been in decline throughout migration. More recently, we are now seeing a new migration as people from around the world who have chosen […]
The Golden Rule says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, yet every day I come across stories of discrimination because of race, religion, sex, and LGBQT status. The culture wars of fear are targeting specific groups of people. Somehow that famous Golden Rule often falls […]
It was less than two weeks ago that I was hoping against hope that the ice would be gone from the south arm of Rainy Lake. It had disappeared less than one week ago when the north arm of the lake disappeared on the night of the 11th. It wasn’t […]
Much is being written and spoken about artificial intelligence (AI) being developed in the world. Whether we realize it or not, we have been growing more dependent on such intelligence for the last two decades. In our home, Alexa will answer our questions about the weather, bring in news, update […]
In our home, we record many of the home renovation shows popular on HGTV. It is like a catalogue that tempts you with current ideas and colours for furniture and walls. Living in our home for over 40 years, we have from time to time, changed many things. Our kitchen […]
Earth Day occurred last Saturday. Folks in Fort Frances and the district were probably more concerned about digging out from the huge late April Snowstorm than taking steps to make our world a greener and more sustainable place to live. I was in Calgary on Earth Day and enjoyed a […]
The spring melt is full of surprises. As the snow recedes, six months of dust, sand and debris gradually sinks to the boulevards and lawns of the community. Our streets and sidewalks that have harboured ice throughout the winter suddenly return with all their imperfections erasing the packed snow that […]
It is a tradition of almost 60 years. From many… one. There is strength in numbers and when numbers come together wonderful things can happen. When members of Emo’s business community got together in the mid 1960’s and talked about the importance of working together on one weekend in the […]
This weekend Christians will celebrate Easter with the promise of hope that is ingrained in their religion. The promise of hope and a better life for each and every one of us has been fundamental to success as a nation. Successful politicians sell us on the promise of an improved […]
We are now at that season of provincial and federal budgets. For every group and every community it is like waiting for Christmas that the money that we hoped for our organizations would instantly appear and solve all of our financial and staffing worries. The Ontario budget was announced last […]
A former Fort Frances Times editor, Harry Vandetti, used to say on the first day of March; “March will come in either as a lion or a lamb and then leave either as a lamb or a lion.” He was often right, but when the weather did not follow the […]







