This past week in Ottawa was a busy one, with continued uncertainty surrounding Harper’s plans to change Old Age Security (OAS), a key vote on the long-gun registry, and a meeting with my fellow New Democrat MPs from Northern Ontario to discuss the new riding redistribution scheme that’s coming to […]

The time slot for this column seems to appear out of nowhere, like the next guy’s electric bumper car in a race around the track at the fair. All of my time is spent trying to figure out what just happened, and then I look at the calendar and it […]

This week I am participating in a “Poverty Challenge,” organized by Making Kenora Home, a group that advocates on behalf of the homeless in Kenora. The purpose of the challenge is to raise awareness of the difficulties of living a balanced and healthy life on social assistance rates, and I […]

Darn that Jennifer Jones. If it wasn’t for her rink sneaking in through the back door in the Manitoba playdowns to make another appearance at this year’s Scotties Tournament of Hearts, which gets underway Saturday afternoon in Red Deer, Alta., this would have been arguably the most wide-open field in […]

The past week went by in a blur for me but it was one of the highlights of my life. I participated in my first-ever pro-level bass tournament, fishing the FLW Tour Open at Lake Okeechobee in Florida. The past week included a three-day practice period where I had my […]

OLSON–Born to Neil Olson and Krista Smith, of Nestor Falls, Ont., a girl, Melaina Viola, weighing 8 lbs. 5 oz. on February 3, 2012 at La Verendrye General Hospital, Fort Frances, Ont.

KUHARSKI–Born to Myles Kuharski and Sarah Fitzgerald, of Fort Frances, Ont., a boy, Desmond Anthony, weighing 7 lbs. 14 oz. on February 2, 2012 at La Verendrye General Hospital, Fort Frances, Ont.

CHARTRAND–Born to Jayden Chartrand and Victoria Johnson, of Northwest Bay, Ont., a boy, Garnet Joseph, weighing 6 lbs. 13 oz. on February 1, 2012 at La Verendrye General Hospital, Fort Frances, Ont.

STEFANICK-GIBBONS–Born to NIcholas Stefanick and Tiffany Gibbons, of Fort Frances, Ont., a girl, Abigail Tiffany, weighing 6 lbs. 3 oz. on January 31, 2012 at La Verendrye General Hospital, Fort Frances, Ont.

BLAKENEY–Born to Peter and Nicole, nee Armstrong, of Rainy River, Ont., a girl, Breannagh Marie, weighing 9 lbs. 6 oz. on January 29, 2012 at La Verendrye General Hospital, Fort Frances, Ont.