Duane Hicks
With the clock ticking down until the Pither’s Point Park lease expires come May, Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty said he’s willing to step in and help the parties involved come to an agreement regarding the future of the land.
“The park is very important for all of us in this part of Northwestern Ontario,” Rafferty said Monday. “It’s a historical piece of property.
“Back in the fur days, Pither’s Point was a well-known point and a number of people used that point, including the Métis at one point.
“It’s my understanding, correct me if I am wrong, it’s been a burial ground, it’s been a sacred site, and, of course, it’s a very popular recreation site for everybody,” Rafferty added.
“Of course, it’s important to sort out this issue for the benefit of everyone,” he stressed. “What that would do, when it’s sorted out, is we’d be able to invest in that Point again and really make it a tourist destination, not just for people in Fort Frances or surrounding First Nations, but for Americans.”
Rafferty said while it may not be feasible to determine a long-term may solution prior to May, he felt a short-term working agreement could be achieved with a mediator—something he’d be willing to help with.
“I am a trained mediator, and I would be more than happy to sit down with the parties involved and if not work out a permanent solution, at least work on a shot-term solution to ensure that the Point is to be enjoyed by everybody this coming tourist season,” Rafferty said.
“I am thinking particularly things like ‘Relay for Life’ and other things that would like to use the Point.
“If I could sit down with them, I would be happy to see if we could at least have a short-term deal while the talks continue,” he remarked.
