A mother’s job is never finished. Nor do parents ever stop worrying about their children. Marnie and I have a tradition of calling our sons every Sunday night to hear their voices and those of their spouses. Both live more than 1,000 miles in opposite directions from Fort Frances. One […]
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
There is an interesting court case involving 454 bottles of beer that could very much open up free trade across provincial boundaries. The Supreme Court of Canada will hear an appeal of the New Brunswick Provincial Court’s decision. Gerald Comeau had bought several cases of beer and some liquor in […]
I was just as surprised as most people were in Fort Frances when the community learned that the trees on the 200 block of Scott Street were going to be removed. I sat on town council back in the early 1980s when the decision to plant trees along the street […]
Our bay on Turtle Island of Rainy Lake traditionally has had some thick aquatic plant growth. It harboured northern pike and bass, and was a great growing ground for the schools of young bass that were hatched on beds in early summer. Most of those weeds have disappeared this summer–much […]
Have you ever been asked the question: “Do you have a hobby?” It is an easy question as most of us probably do have such a hobby. I know that I do. So do my wife, my brother and my sister, and many of the employees here at the Times. […]
We don’t have a television at the cabin. The radio, which is tuned to CBC, seldom is on. Yes, we do have the Internet. iPads and cellphones are logged in, but the search of news seldom is happening. Instead, in our quiet way, time often is spent reading hardcover and […]
Should we be ashamed of our colonial past? I would hope not. On my mother’s side of the family, her grandfather immigrated to Sprague, Man. from Norway and started to farm, clearing land and planting crops. On my father’s side, both my grandmother and grandfather were immigrants from Scotland who […]
With your newspaper this week is a special “Canada 150” edition produced by the Fort Frances Times. It is remarkable in the stories that unfold on each page. Our staff has been working on this edition for months and with the support of advertisers, the paper has gathered pictures of […]
There is an old saying, “What goes around, comes around.” Almost 60 years ago, when I was much younger, there were neighbourhood grocery stores on almost every corner in town. They served the neighbourhood and the families that owned the stores knew all of their customers by their first name. […]
Are you someone who is comfortable with change? Are you ready to grab on to the latest technology and products? Have you loaded up your vehicle with all the latest safety monitoring gadgetry? Or are you someone who clings to the present? As I sat discussing technology on Saturday afternoon, […]
It is an excellent election ploy, with hidden benefits for both the Liberal federal and provincial governments. Ontario’s Liberal government is promising major changes to labour laws that will see the minimum wage rise to $15 per hour on Jan. 1, 2019. The current rate will rise to $14 per […]
Today is the last day of May. The sun starts shining through the windows earlier every morning. The deer, meanwhile, continue to pick off flowers in my yard almost daily. Last fall, I purchased several dozen special “Canada 150” tulips. Since squirrels like bulbs in the fall, I covered the […]
