The 49th-annual Rainy River Nations’ annual fish fry to be hosted this Friday is an event going back to 1971 but, in fact, reflects a tradition rooted much further back in time. As part of the Anishinaabe culture, the First Nation is sharing their bounty with residents of the communities […]
Editorials
A new partnership between the Town of Fort Frances and Agency One First Nations bodes well for the future of our district. Surrounded by dignitaries and local residents, Couchiching FN Chief Brian Perrault, Mitaanjigamiing FN Chief Janice Henderson, Naicatchewenin FN Chief Wayne Smith, Nigigoonsiminikaaning FN Chief Will Windigo, and Fort […]
David Kircher has been exploring the idea of turning the mill complex into a huge trade school. Citing several studies, the need for skilled tradespeople has been clearly identified. A 2017 report noted that within the Ottawa Valley there will be a need for 350,00 skilled trades people. The Ontario […]
The Ontario Ford government has a new license plate slogan “A Place To Grow” and yet for Northern Ontario residents and students, the government is making it more difficult to grow and become educated, let alone develop new skills for the changing 21st century economy. First came the huge cuts […]
With the Ford government adding the slogans “Open for Business” and “A Place to Grow” to Ontario licence plates in the future, “Happy Hour is Here” might be a third tagline to consider. Last Thursday’s provincial budget included a loosening of restrictions on alcohol,but whether this is a cause for […]
We welcome debate in our newspapers through letters to the editor. We welcome youth activism in our schools and on our streets. This past week we have seen both. Diversity of opinion is welcomed when it is well-reasoned and presents alternative ideas and solutions to issues whether they are community […]
It is not a dramatic charting of a whole new direction for the library. Instead, the new strategic plan recently unveiled by the Fort Frances Public Library Technology Centre is progressive, building on well-planned understanding about what a public library needs to be in the 21st century. The document is […]
Ask yourself if you are prepared to invest in future opportunities across Rainy River District? Could the district find 100 people willing to invest $100,000 into a Community Investment Fund. This is all hypothetical but such a fund would identify good investments that would create employment and long-term jobs. For […]
For the past three months, the district has been on a roller-coaster ride. It began with the announcement in early December that an investment group known as Repap was interested in bidding on the mill in Fort Frances up to word Monday morning that Resolute had rejected the offer delivered […]
The announcement by the Ministry of Health to reorganize health-care delivery across the province almost mimics a recent Northern Policy Institute study that looked at local decision-making in the health-care system in Northern Ontario. Study author Eric Everett had called for greater integration, and more local and regional control, of […]
Did you ever stop to think how much our lives are enriched by volunteers? Pause and think about how much our everyday common lives benefit by all the work that volunteers do. Without volunteers, cultural programs such as Tour De Fort, Kids & Company or the Border Concert series would […]
“All of us together is wondrous” (Len-People “Come Together” lyrics) A community grows when it comes together. We’ve watched as the community of Rainy River District grew together behind the council of Fort Frances in working to have the fibre from the Crossroute Forest clearly designated for the mill at […]
