Rights violation

Posted November 17, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | 1 comment

A haircutting incident at a local school has landed the police and public school board in front of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
Members of the Lakehead District School Board, Thunder Bay Police Services Board and the Ministry of the Attorney General are named in a human rights case following a hair cutting incident at McKellar Park School last April. A teacher’s assistant cut the hair of a seven-year-old First Nations boy at the school April 16. A police investigation and Crown attorney ruled that no criminal charges would be laid.
Lawyer Julian Falconer, representing the child’s family, said from the family’s perspective what happened to their child is nothing short of a “gross human rights violation”. While the family views the incident as an assault, Falconer said the police and Crown’s handling of the case shows “callous disrespect” for First Nations people.
“It just is a classic example from the families point of view of First Nations being less than worthy victims,” Falconer said. “Neither the crown nor the police consulted with the family in any meaningful way about proceedings or took any of what would be the ordinary steps that the family says would be ordinarily undertaken in the case of a non first nations persons.”
Falconer said police did not consult with the child’s parents before concluding its investigation.
While financial compensation is part of the complaint, Falconer said the tribunal has the power to order actions to ensure the Crown, police and school board act to respect First Nations.
Police spokesman Chris Adams said because the case is before the tribunal, he could not comment.
“It’s really not appropriate for us to comment on any of those aspects,” Adams said. “There was a very thorough investigation at the time and at that point a conclusion was reached that it wasn’t appropriate to proceed with criminal charges…the details of that now are before the tribunal.”
The school board refused comment but did confirm that the employee is no longer with the board. Falconer said the board’s handling of the incident “left a lot to be desired”.
A mediation date will be set. If talks there are unsuccessful, Falconer said a hearing will be held.
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New home

Posted November 15, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | 1 comment

Nicole McKay just wants a place she and her family can call home.
Thanks to Habitat for Humanity’s active search to include an Aboriginal family in its Thunder Bay program, the McKay family’s wish has come true.
“I feel overwhelmed,” said McKay, who bought the Banning Street home, which was first built by Habitat in 2001 and occupied by another family since 2002. “I’m very appreciative that we were able to get into this program, because it is an opportunity for our family. For my family to have our own home is going to mean a lot to us. This is an opportunity for us not to have to keep moving from place to place. This is ours.
“We don’t have to feel like it’s somebody else’s. They can play as loud as they want and they’re settled. That’s something that’s really important to our family.”
There’s also plenty of space, something the family of five wasn’t afforded at their most recent residence.
McKay, husband Wesley and children Hailey, Jessie and Nicole, love each other very much, but it’s nice to have some privacy too, 10-year-old Hailey said.
“It makes me really happy. I won’t be too close to my little brother and sister,” the youngster said.
All it took was half an hour dedicated to filling out the proper forms, McKay said.
Habitat for Humanity CEO Diane Mitchell, who said there are about 10 families applying to buy every home the charity builds, said they’ve spent the past 18 months searching for an Aboriginal family to join the local program.
It hasn’t been easy, she said.
“I think that it seemed overwhelming to own a home. They didn’t know that it was really possible. The paperwork seemed a bit overwhelming. It was about communicating what the Habitat for Humanity program was all about, making sure that we communicated what we needed from families and allowed them access and met them on their terms in their organizations to help them fill out the applications and be approved,” Mitchell said.
The organization builds home and arranges interest-free mortgages for qualified families.
Mitchell said it costs Habitat about $75,000 to build each home. In 2010 they built two new homes and renovated the Banning Street address.
“Raising those funds is the utmost importance to us right now; also securing land so we can build the homes. We have the families, we have the volunteers. What we need is money and land to build houses to meet the needs.”
This particular home represents everything Habitat stands for, she added. The original family’s children grew up and moved out on their own, leaving the mother with too much space. She sold the home back to Habitat, keeping any equity, allowing the charity to house its 22 nd  family.
McKay said being accepted into the program was a life-changing event for her family.
“We did the best we could. We did have a large backyard (at our last home), but the size of this house wants to make us stay home and want to spend time together in our home,” she said.
Well, as long as little brothers and sisters don’t get too close.
View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Four injured

Posted November 13, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | 1 comment

Four people were injured following a two-vehicle highway crash Saturday. Depsite wet snow and rain, OPP Sgt. Ted Becker said that weather played no role in the collision that took place at Highway 102 at Townline Road just after 4 p.m. Saturday. Police say they believe the collision was instead the result of driver error. Four people were injured in the crash – two drivers and two passengers – but paramedics at the scene said none of the injuries appeared to be life threatening. Police say a burgundy Buick car was being driven west when the driver decided to turn around and head back to the city. The driver of that car slowed down, turned into a nearby driveway and then turned into oncoming traffic. The driver of a burgundy Pontiac sedan collided with the Buick as the driver made that turn. Officers at the scene couldn’t say for sure, but said they suspect that charges will be laid. View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Grass is greener

Posted November 11, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

Maria Hassan often brings her large dog into the small dog side of the Winnipeg Avenue off-leash dog park because of poor conditions and lack of space on the big dog side. “The big side is really gross,” she said. “It’s muddy; it’s dirty. It’s small for large dogs that need to run.” Anne Garwood-Maxwell, also a big dog owner, agrees with Hassan. “This side of the park is much smaller than the other side and it’s less kept up,” she said, adding that she likes to see the larger dogs in the bigger space or make the spaces equal in size. Garwood-Maxwell said she’ll often ask the small dog owners if they mind her bringing her larger dog to their side and they usually don’t have a problem with it. The issue of size-restriction at the dog park is under scrutiny after a large dog, believed to be a pit bull-mix, in the small dog area attacked and killed a chihuahua-mix Tuesday afternoon. Small dog owners have said that large dogs in their area is a frequent occurrence, but large dog owners are saying that’s because their area is unsuitable. City parks manager Paul Fayrick said a dog park committee meeting is approaching where they’ll be discussing what’s happened and look at what improvements can be made at the park. “We’ve had complaints earlier this year about the mud,” Fayrick said. “It’s a fairly small area, especially for the large dogs and it was chewed up a little bit.” The city brought sand into the park earlier in the year to stop mud from forming in the park, but the heavy use of the park has brought it back. Fayrick said they’ll be bringing another load of sand to the park within the week before winter hits. As for the size discrepancies, the park was originally designed as one large space for small, senior and handicapped dogs but after based on advice from the off-leash dog park committee they sectioned off an area for big dogs, Fayrick said. If the small dog owners do have issue with the larger dogs in their area and it’s too muddy, Fayrick said there is another off-leash park on Carrick Street off of Central Avenue that is for dogs of all sizes. “There is another dog park very close to here where they could go and take their large dogs,” he said. Next summer another dog park without size restrictions will be built in Westfort. And a fourth park is in the works for Current River.
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Operation on

Posted November 9, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

Winter nights in Afghanistan can be quite cold so the hand and foot warmers Cpl. Angel Goodlad received in an Operation Overseas care package were a welcomed gift.
The Thunder Bay soldier’s package included everything from gum to board games, which Goodlad said was great to fill downtime.
“It boosted my morale, that’s for sure,” she said. “It’s nice knowing of all the support coming from home.”
Goodlad was on hand Tuesday at Quality Market on Golf Links Road to launch the fifth annual Operation Overseas, a project that collects donated luxury items and letters of well wishes to send in care packages to soldiers serving in Afghanistan over the holiday season.
The project was created by Galaxina Renaud in 2006 after her boyfriend Pte. Josh Klukie was killed in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb. It grew from her sending a couple dozen boxes that first year to 183 boxes travelling overseas in 2009.
Although Renaud left Thunder Bay this spring to attend school in Nova Scotia, she passed the reins to Alana Bencharski, who said she didn’t hesitate when Renaud asked her to take over.
While Bencharski only met Renaud two years ago, she had known Klukie since kindergarten and the project always struck a chord in her heart.
“Last year I got on board with Operation Overseas and instantly fell in love with (Renaud) and her heart and what she was doing,” Bencharski said.
The ideal kinds of items are things like magazines and novels, playing cards, candy, facial tissues, socks, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, lip balm and spices. Monetary donations are also accepted and will be used to buy items to send.
Bencharski said Operation Overseas aims to put a smile on a soldier’s face and to take their mind off the task at hand for just a few moments.
And while they sent 183 boxes last year, they’re hoping to reach 200 this December. Goodlad said she hopes to see the program continue to grow.
“It’s the support that helps get us by through the rough times, knowing everyone is behind us,” she said.
Items can be dropped off by Dec. 3 at both Quality Market locations and at Cash Converters on Memorial Ave. For more information contact Bencharski at abenchar@lakeheadu.ca.
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Standoff ends

Posted November 7, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

A standoff between local police and a Thunder Bay man has ended. Thunder Bay Police Service officials say a 42-year-old surrendered to officers shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday, marking the end of a standoff that began at 2 a.m. Friday. Police had a portion of South Court Street blocked off for more than 24 hours as officers attempted to reason with the man they believed was armed and barricaded inside a home in the 100 block section of the north-side street.   Police spokesman Chris Adams said negotiators were able to convince the man to surrender. “It’s essentially talking some common sense about the importance of coming out and to get the situation resolved,” said Adams.
After the suspect surrendered himself to officers, police officials confirmed the stand-off related to a domestic incident that took place late Thursday night at a separate address in the city’s north end. It is alleged that the suspect used a shotgun to make threats to his former spouse. The 39-year-old woman victim was not injured during that incident. Police say the suspect then walked back to his own apartment in the 100 block of South Court Street. The standoff between police, which included the Thunder Bay Police Service’s emergency task unit, and the suspect began just after 2 a.m. Friday morning. The suspected walked out of his residence and surrendered himself to police peacefully at about 5 a.m. Saturday. The suspect now faces a number of charges related to the incident. Police say they will not release the suspect’s name because it could help identify the victim of the original domestic incident. The man is expected to appear in the Thunder Bay courtroom Saturday.
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Stand off continues

Posted November 5, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

Local police officers remain at the scene of a stand off on Court Street that began early Friday morning. Thunder Bay Police Service officers have a portion of South Court Street blocked off as they continue their attempts to reason with a man they believe is armed and barricaded inside a residence in the 100 block section of the north side street. “We’re still in a holding pattern,” said police spokesman Chris Adams at 9:20 a.m. Friday. “We’re just trying to negotiate with the individual.” As of 4:30 p.m. Friday, police had no significant new information to report to media. Police closed the area bounded by Wilson Street at Court Street, Johnson Avenue at Manitou Street, Bay Street at Machar Avenue, Bay Street at Johnson Avenue and Court Street at Camelot Street and are asking pedestrians and motorists to find alternative routes. View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Co-ordinator named

Posted November 3, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

The city has its new crime prevention council co-ordinator. Amy Siciliano, who did extensive research on crime and neighbourhood segregation, gang-related violence, crime prevention and harm reduction in obtaining a doctorate in human geography, will officially be introduced to council on Monday. From 2008 to 2010 Siciliano worked in Toronto at the Centre for City Ecology, tasked with building projects in neighbourhoods plagued with crime and poverty. Siciliano began her position on Oct. 25. Her first duties will be co-ordinating council’s crime and disorder audit, the first step in what the city hopes is a comprehensive plan for the city. View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Gun charges

Posted November 1, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

An early-morning showdown with an alleged gun-toting man ended with one person in police custody. Thunder Bay Police were called to a Cumming Street address about 5 a.m. on Monday, after receiving a call about a man threatening a resident with a handgun. “When they arrived on scene, there was in fact a male who was visible outside the residence – he was inside – and was allegedly pointing a handgun at another male inside the residence,” police spokesman Chris Adams said. “The officers surrounded the house and were in the process of beginning to communicate with this individual inside the home. He came outside. It’s alleged that a handgun was then pointed at one of our officers as well, but this individual surrendered the weapon and gave himself up to police.” It turned out the weapon was a realistic looking pellet gun. William Allan McDonald, 23, has been charged with multiple offences, including two counts of assault with a weapon, possession on a dangerous weapon and two counts of using an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence. Adams said the incident put officers in a precarious situation. “The handgun is extremely realistic in its appearance, and certainly would be very intimidating and viewed as being a real handgun,” Adams said. “For the purposes of the charges which were laid, that is reflected.” Adams added the accused and his alleged victim did know one another, and there was a confrontation between them, though he speculated it wasn’t drug related. The exact nature of the dispute is a matter for the courts to hear, Adams said. In a situation like this, police are faced with a split-second decision of whether or not their lives are in danger. “You have to imagine that our officers are put in a very awkward situation. It’s very often a life-and-death situation that they have to deal with. In a situation like this it comes down to the judgement of the officers dealing with this person,” Adams said. “Certainly if any of us could imagine how fearful that would be, to have a firearm pointed at any one of us, it would be a very tough situation. But in this case the officer was able to communicate with this person, gave them direct orders, which they obeyed. Thankfully this ended with this person being taken into custody without injuries.” There was no way to gauge whether or not the weapon was real at the time, he added. McDonald is expected to appear in court on Tuesday. View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Forced out

Posted October 30, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

Diane Petryna says crime on the city’s south side is out of control, and that she’s tired of washing puke, blood and other bodily fluids off the side of her store. Petryna, owner of Take a Hike, had kept her store on Victoria Avenue for 14 years. But the amount of crime she’s faced in those years has placed a toll on her and she said she has had enough. The south-side business owner has already announced she plans to move into the Bay and Algoma Street area, but kept the reasons for the move to herself. Until now. “The last two years have been devastating to my business here,” Petryna said. “We have seen a huge change to this neighbourhood. Running a business shouldn’t have to mean that you come to work to crime scenes.” Petryna said there are a lot of good reasons to stay in the city’s south downtown core. Structurally the buildings in the south are better for her business than what she’s moving into, she said. But a retailer needs safety and parking to run a business, which is something the south core doesn’t have. “You shouldn’t have to come to work to hose the blood off the side of your store from stabbings from the night before,” she said. “We watch during the day time, hundreds of drug deals going down. It is just not the way a vibrant downtown works.” Petryna said she will be moving by the end of the month. Councillor-elect for the McIntyre Ward Paul Pugh said he first approached Petryna during his campaigning in July and was surprised to learn how frequent the crime problem had become. Pugh said he believes needs to be more initiatives to help the area including an increase police presents in the area and dealing with the social issues. “I was sadly impressed by her story,” Pugh said. “There is no one quick solution. I think on the immediate level there needs to be more community policing. But that isn’t a cure all. We need to prevent the problem instead of trying to deal with it as a criminal problem.” With Petryna’s departure from the south core, Pugh said there wasn’t a lot to stop other business following Petryna’s example. “We have to make that area of town more inviting and welcoming,” he said.
View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Hitting the streets

Posted October 28, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

After a day of reflection, the city’s mayor-elect took to the streets Wednesday as part of his campaign promise to reconnect with residents. Keith Hobbs started his first Wednesday walkabout, a campaign promise to be more visible mayor, with a trip around the Victoriaville Centre mall area. He stopped at a few businesses to get a sense of the problems facing the city’s south core. One of those he met was Paula Turner, owner of Baci Boutique on Victoria Avenue. Turner moved into the area two years ago and said while crime in the south core was a concern, she isn’t too worried about it. “It’s been great so far,” said Turner. “It’s been an overwhelming experience and each year it has gotten better and better. Crime hasn’t really affected me personally, but it has around me.” But Turner said she liked the idea that Hobbs was making himself visible on the streets and showing an interest in the concerns of area business owners. Hobbs said the point of the walkabouts was to keep connected to the public something he believes was lacking from the previous city administration. While not officially sworn in until December, Hobbs said he has a lot of work to do before he is ready to sit in the mayor’s chair. “If you get to know your neighbourhood, you get to know your people and who all the players are that are good and bad,” Hobbs said. “Crime is one of the issues. People are afraid to come downtown. We need to make it so people aren’t afraid to come down and shop.” Hobbs admitted there’s a lot of work to be done as mayor, and that walking around the streets every Wednesday will take time from his day that could be spent doing that work. To ensure he can keep his Wednesday walkabout campaign promise and still complete his regular mayoral duties, Hobbs said he expects he will be making sacrifices to his personal time on Saturday. The next Wednesday walkabout is scheduled for Nov. 3 and will bring Hobbs to the city’s north core. View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Election reflection

Posted October 26, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

Keith Hobbs says it’s time for Thunder Bay to start healing. Faced with a mountain of expectations, the city’s mayor-elect said the divisive issues that split the city over the past four years under outgoing Mayor Lynn Peterson need to be put to bed to allow Thunder Bay and its residents to move forward. Hobbs specifically pointed to the controversial wind-farm project on the Nor’Wester Mountain range, which last week led Horizon Wind Inc. to file a $126-million lawsuit against the city when council approved just 14 of 18 of the company’s planned turbine locations. He also cited Prince Arthur’s Landing, whose inclusion of a waterfront hotel and condominium development in Marina Park led 7,000 people to sign a petition in opposition to the project. “Those were divisive issues. I spent my career being a peacekeeper, so I need to bring the peace back to Thunder Bay,” Hobbs said. “I think that’s the role of a mayor, to be an ambassador and get people working on the same page. And I do have that skill.” He plans to meet them through teamwork. Hobbs, elected Monday night to the mayor’s chair in a resounding win over incumbent Mayor Lynn Peterson, said his first course of action will be meeting with city council, city managers and unions to share his vision for the future of the city. “I want to get everyone on the same page,” he said. It might be a tough egg to crack, particularly when it comes to a council that saw six of seven ward candidates returned to power – McKellar Coun. Robert Tuchenhagen chose not to run – and all four incumbent at-large candidates in the race earn another four-year term. Other than Hobbs, the only truly new face on council is union leader Paul Pugh, who won Tuchenhagen’s seat in McKellar. Former two-time mayor and Liberal MP Ken Boshcoff led the at-large race, but with 23 years of municipal government experience, will certainly have his own ideas of how best to move the city forward. Hobbs was confident he’ll be able to overcome those challenges and promised to use their experience to the city’s advantage. “I have a big learning curve in the next month and people like that are going to help me get through it, for sure. I have to lean on some people as well. I don’t corner the market on smarts, by any means,” Hobbs said. “I’m very confident I can work with them. I had to win this campaign, and sometimes you have to take on the hard issues. We’re going to bang heads at times, and we’re going to get along good at times. That’s just the nature of the business. But I can be a team player. I’ve been a team player all my life as a police officer, so I will be a team player on city council.” View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Drug problem

Posted October 24, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

Drug abuse is the main cause behind a staggering increase in crime which led to a state of emergency declaration in a fly-in First Nation community says its chief.
Eabametoong First Nation chief Lewis Nate declared the state of emergency Thursday. Nate said since January, the community has faced three murders, 63 assaults, 47 arson cases and 35 structural fires. The main cause is an epidemic of prescription drug abuse Nate said.
“Right now people are living in fear in terms of the house fires and the violence,” Nate said. “It’s really devastating our community and we need help in any way we can. Not to say that we’re not going to help ourselves but we just need tools to start rebuilding our community…it’s taking over our lives.”
Nate said the homicide rate in his community would have been greater after the most recent case of arson when something was thrown through the window of a family home and the house caught fire. Luckily, the father of the family was awake at the time and managed to get his family to safety Nate said.
Nate said Eabametoong needs money to employ at least 12 hour security shifts and to purchase radios and other equipment to patrol the 1,200 person community. Health and social workers are also needed to implement drug and crime prevention strategies Nate added. But for the long term, Nate said his community has to start implementing back to the land programming and giving Eabametoong youth hope.
“We left the creator. We turned our backs on the creator and that’s the ultimate thing,” Nate said.
Matawa CEO David Paul Achneepineskum said the Eabametoong chief and council are exhausted and on the verge of breaking down trying to combat their community’s drug problem. The drugs, and the people controlling them, have taken over he added.
“It has gone to a proportion where it’s uncontrollable the chief and council cannot enforce the community laws at all,” said Achneepineskum. “The people that take advantage of these vulnerable people are the ones running this community more or less.”
Achneepineskum said crime in Eabametoong is not just being committed by adults but by children who have drug-addicted parents.
“The parents are very into the drug abuse so the little kids are left on their own at all hours of the night,” said Achneepineskum.
While the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service has put a dent in tackling drugs coming into the fly-in community, Achneepineskum said it’s only the tip of the iceberg.
“Because of the lack of resources they’re not able to handle 100 per cent of the traffic coming into the community,” he said. “There’s now way that they can check every box and the criminal people know that.”
While the community has five officers, including a full-time drug resource officer, NAPS media relations officer Jackie George said NAPS fully supports Eabametoong’s request for more support.
“We support the efforts of the chief and council in their request for additional support and resources,” George said.
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada say the health and safety of First Nations communities is its primary concern but have yet to receive an official declaration of emergency from Nate. INAC and Health Canada officials will visit the community Oct. 26 said an INAC representative via email.
View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

State of emergency

Posted October 22, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

Three murders, animal mutilations, arsons and a number of other violent incidents this year have led Eabametoong First Nation leaders to declare a state of emergency. Chief Lewis Nate says leaders in the remote fly-in community of 1,200, also known as Fort Hope, had no choice but to take this drastic step. “The situation in our community has escalated out of control and is now so serious that many people sleep with a fire extinguisher beside them, fearful that their home could be set on fire next. No one should have to live like this, it’s devastating. The people of Eabametoong are committed to working together to do whatever is needed to bring safety and order back to our community. But we can’t do it alone; we are desperate for outside help,” Nate said in a release issued Thursday night. According to the release more than 47 deliberate fires have been set this year, many of which have been attributed to Fort Hope’s children and youth. One fire led to the closure of the First Nation’s school because of smoke damage, while a break-in at the water treatment facility recently left the community without potable water for five days. Chief Nate called on all levels of government and any applicable service agencies to come to their rescue. We need short-term support and resources to help us restore safety and address the violent element in our community today,” Nate said. “We need intervention workers to come to the aid of our troubled youth. We also need help to develop a long-term plan that will address the root issues that are causing our youth to turn to violence. “Without a long-term plan, how can we be sure that this type of emergency will not occur again? “Please help us. Please help the people of Eabametoong.” View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Apartment building owner fined for fire code violations

Posted October 20, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

The owner of an apartment building on the city’s north side has been fined $16,000 after being found in violation of several Ontario Fire Code infractions. The charges were laid in connection with the three-unit building at 285 Park Avenue, after a Thunder Bay Fire Department inspector’s investigation last year. The case stemmed from a smoke alarm complaint that turned up other infractions. View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Ornge opens new local facility

Posted October 18, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

Shawn Patterson remembers the day when he almost lost his daughter. It was about three years ago, when the then three-year-old Anna became seriously ill. Patterson said his daughter looked fine on the outside but that wasn’t the case. Anna went to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre to receive treatment. After doctors examined Anna, they made the decision to transfer her to the children’s hospital in Winnipeg. Ornge paramedics flew Anna to Winnipeg where she and her family spent 54 days before she went to Toronto for liver surgery. Patterson said her portal vein on the outside of her liver was blocked and most likely blocked since birth. Over time the blockage built up and eventually erupted causing massive bleeding, he said. “Outwardly she looked 100 per cent fine,” Patterson said. “But she had this situation burying inside of her probably for years. She is now six years old and in Grade 1 at Agnew Johnston School and she’s a thousand miles an hour and feeling quite healthy.” Anna often travels to Toronto for check ups and doctors still don’t know what caused the root problem in the first place, he said. But Patterson said that without the services of Ornge, his daughter’s outcome would have been different. Patterson, Anna and the rest of the family attended the Ornge Trasport Medicine Centre of Excellence Northwestern Ontario opening on Saturday. The more than 27,000 square foot facility holds three airplanes, a helicopter and land ambulance. The facility, on Derek Burney Drive, includes a simulation training room and a medically equipped patient waiting area. Rick Potter, chief operation officer with Ornge Aviation, said with the new facility it means there is more potential to assist those in Thunder Bay and the regions that aren’t accessible or have access to medical services. “We can be anywhere in northwestern Ontario; worst case scenario two hours, most communities less than an hour,” Potter said. “Working with the Thunder Bay International Airport is a tremendous advantage. There is an air traffic controller here, which helps expedite our arrivals and departures and it’s really a win-win situation.” View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Pro-choice rally

Posted October 17, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

Protesters say residents deserve to know the other side of the abortion debate with women having the right to choose what they do with their bodies. About 15 residents gathered along the intersection of Memorial Avenue and Central Avenue on Saturday. Protesters held signs that read “parenting by choice not chance” and “my body my choice”. The residents held the protest in response to national pro-life rally called Life Chain that happened on the weekend of Oct. 02. Chris O’Mara, organizer of Stand Up Thunder Bay, said most of the protesters were Lakehead University and Confederation College students who wanted to bring more awareness of the pro-choice option. O’Mara said they wanted to give the other side of the debate after they felt the earlier pro-life rally had presented a limited amount of options. “It was time to present the other side of the opinion,” O’Mara said. “Their adoption is the only option signs and their abortion is murder signs kind of set us off. We’re a bunch of women studies students. When they were presenting that as the only option, we thought the people in town deserved to know that there was another side to the story.” While more than a hundred people attended the pro-life rally compared to the pro-choice rally, O’Mara said he wasn’t discouraged by the turn out. What mattered was to bring the message that without the right to choose, women would be forced to go back to earlier abortion methods that were held in back alleys and dangerous to both the mother and child, he said. “We’re not advocating that people should go out and have an abortion,” he said. “We’re advocating that people should have the right to access safe, clean abortions in hospitals facilities. It should be a constitutional right for all women to choose if they want to continue their pregnancy.” Two weeks earlier, the pro-life advocates held their own signs that read “abortion kills children” and “adoption the loving option”. Dan Somerfield, president of Thunder Bay and Area Right to Life, said in an earlier interview with Tbnewswatch.com that they were speaking for the rights of the unborn children. Abortion isn’t illegal in Canada but Somerfield said there isn’t any reason for it and should be abolished. “It’s an ecumenical event so Catholics, Protestants and other faiths have come together to protest against abortion and euthanasia,” Somerfield said. “They come out to represent a silent witness against this culture of death. We’re here to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.” View full post on Tbnewswatch.com – News

Early birds

Posted October 16, 2010 by ThunderBayClassifieds.ca in Thunder Bay News | No comments yet

With one day left for advanced voting in the municipal election, more than 2,500 people have already handed in their ballots.

“We’re a little behind the count from 2006, but then you need to remember the election is moved forward two weeks so there is a little less pressure on snowbirds who might have been leaving town at the end of the month or in November,” said city clerk John Hannam. “They don’t need to rush out to the advanced polls now since the election is Oct. 25.”
Advanced polls have been set up at various locations throughout the city including the 55 Plus Centre and the West Thunder Community Centre. The city’s mobile voting van has also been making the rounds. About 300 people have used it to vote.

“We’ve been quite encouraged by the turnout there,” Hannam said. “It’s been a great response from the voters; they all think it’s a great idea.”

The city is hoping to see voter turnout hit at least 50 per cent last year after the 2006 election brought in less than 40 per cent of eligible voters.

“It would be encouraging to see a larger turnout than that; 50 per cent is nothing to celebrate,” Hannam said. “We hope to see numbers at least get up to where the provincial and federal elections are at, which is somewhere between 60 and 70 per cent. That might be asking for a bit much this time around, but if we can get ahead in the right direction, that will be encouraging.” Hannam also want to let people who don’t   normally vote know it’s important to vote to help select the people that will lead the community; he encouraged people to take a little time to learn about the candidates.

Saturday is the last day for advanced polling; voting stations will be set up at Intercity Shopping Centre all day.
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