The calendar may say it’s the first day of spring but Mother Nature certainly is playing an early April Fool’s Day prank on us. Except for daylight extending well into the evening hours, one would have thought it was the middle of January here yesterday given the frigid temperatures and […]
Editorials
We know that four people have applied to fill the vacancy on town council following the passing of Coun. Sharon Tibbs back in early January. What we don’t know—and may never know, at least officially—is who those four are. Town clerk Glenn Treftlin would not reveal the identities of the […]
Town council certainly has the unenviable task of creating a budget that will have as minimal an impact as possible on local taxpayers. Lost in all the talk of higher user fees and reduced services, however, is the option of dipping into reserves to ease the budgetary crunch. It may […]
It is encouraging news that the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation has agreed to “suspend political action” against the Liberal government of new premier Kathleen Wynne, with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario possibly following suit by week’s end. But let’s hold off on wild applause just yet. The OSSTF, […]
After sparing us his full wrath the past few years, Ol’ Man Winter certainly has returned with a vengeance this season—with storm after storm dumping plenty of the white stuff across Borderland. And we’re still barely three-quarters of the way through February. But while we all may grumble about having […]
When MPPs finally return to Queen’s Park this coming Monday, it will have been just over four months since then premier Dalton McGuinty announced his sudden resignation and shocking decision to prorogue the legislature while the provincial Liberals chose their new leader. Facing a series of scandals and a battle […]
Senate reform is making headlines again with word last week that the Harper government has asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether proposals such as holding elections for senators and imposing term limits are constitutional. Also on the table is the option of abolishing the Senate altogether. That latter […]
Seeing the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce and local BIA come together last Thursday evening for a brainstorming session on ways to revitalize our town was encouraging, with the strong turnout suggesting a desire to forge ahead rather than simply wave the white flag. Where we seem to have trouble, […]
It’s relatively easy to close schools. It’s much more difficult to get them back should circumstances change down the road. That’s a conundrum Rainy River District may face one day as more and more schools are allowed to fall by the wayside. Fort Frances, for instance, is now down to […]
It appears—fortunately—that calmer heads will prevail and today’s planned “day of action” by aboriginal protesters won’t include widespread blockades and other disruptions. Just how events would unfold was a mystery given the belligerent statements by some native leaders in the lead-up to last Friday’s meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper […]
It’s great to hear that the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship is returning to where it belongs—under the tent at the Sorting Gap Marina. The Ice For Kids Arena is a top-notch facility but it never could match the atmosphere the riverfront offered. Sure, you’re at the whims of Mother […]
Ahh, the new year. A chance to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. Alas, the bitter reality is that the challenges and issues facing us didn’t miraculously disappear with the stroke of midnight on Monday. It may now be 2013 but the future of our paper mill, and the […]
