After a long mild winter, we began the annual spring cleanup of our yard. It used to be a single day to rake the lawn, gather the leaves and all the refuse that has settled under the shrubbery in our yard. Now it takes two days as we have grown […]
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 heat in the sun and the first sign of spring was a dandelion pushing itself up between the cracks in the paving stones of my driveway. New green shoots of grass are growing up from the brown dead grass of last fall. The robins are in my yard […]
A free and open democracy requires strong and open debate on policies and ideas. “Axe the tax” has an easy ring to the ear and quickly denounces the carbon tax that has been implemented by the federal government. It is easily understood by Canadians and is a focal point of […]
Benjamin Franklin – an American statesman – is credited with the saying “Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” We are in the tax season. The province has just announced its new budget for the next fiscal year. Christia Freeland on April 16 will read the federal budget. Income taxes […]
There is an old saying; March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. There is a corollary, March comes in like a lamb and goes out like a lion. I am sure that is the state of the weather this year in the district. Early mild […]
As Canadians, we seldom pay much attention to our own politics. Yet we are being pushed more frequently into the politics of foreign countries. To our immediate south, daily our three major television networks cover the outlandish statements of a previous president. In watching the polls, all our major political […]
There is some silent muttering in the background. “Fort Frances is dying!” The loss of paper manufacturing and the loss of wood rights for the forests surrounding Fort Frances bothers many residents. The empty store fronts on Scott Street are signs the future does not shine. Yet, it is important […]
We have had a warmer than expected winter to date. It has also brought less snow than one might expect, and I hope that I am not jinxing our spring. My side yard now has a skating rink thanks to the rainfall of Sunday afternoon and evening. The sidewalks are […]
Growing up in the 1950’s in Fort Frances where the back alley turned into bush across the sprawling former Shevlin Clarke wood storage area, the area was our playground. In the spring we hunted tadpoles in the ponds behind our home. Summer and fall we built forts out of the […]
I heard a new term the other day describing families between the ages of 40 and 65 who are supporting both a young adult at home and their senior parents. They are called the sandwich generation, and it is growing in numbers. This group is often the primary caregivers to […]
A survey released earlier this month found that 81 per cent of Canadians are more worried about paying for basic necessities like food, mortgages, rent than saving for retirement. In Fort Frances and across the district the one of the fastest growing groups seeking support from food banks are seniors […]
Now that five hockey players from the 2018 gold medal Canada Junior Hockey team have been arraigned in court, it is worthwhile to consider the implications and changes that should be brought forth not only for registered hockey players but for all registered amateur athletes in Canada. Four of the […]
