Wilson Looks At Positive Side

Smelter or no smelter, the message is not all doom and gloom from the president of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce.   Harold Wilson says even though the region will not be getting a chromite smelter it's important to remember that the Ring of Fire project has plenty of opportunities and that there's a lot of wealth to go around. Wilson believes however that Cliffs Natural Resources may not have considered everything when they made the decision on the smelter's location.

Commissioner Talks Competing Rights

Ontario's Human Rights Commissioner is travelling the province educating the public on a new policy by the commission on the issue of competing rights. In Thunder Bay, Barbara Hall, explains the policy is designed to help community leaders settle such issues out of court and avoid costly legal bills.  Competing rights takes place when two sets of human rights clash and both sides have legitimate claims.

Hobbs Slams Government Over Smelter Decision

There is huge disappointment among city leaders to the decision by Cliffs Natural Resources to locate its Ring of Fire chromite smelter near Sudbury.  No one is more upset than our Mayor Keith Hobbs who wasn't able to hide his outrage.  He says not only did Thunder Bay get nothing but so did area First Nations.  He says the government didn't bother to include our leaders in discussions with Cliffs on the smelter location.

Waboose Lashes Out At Minister

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Kathleen Wynne is going to remember this day for a long time. She was confronted openly at a Thunder Bay news conference by Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Terry Waboose. Waboose was upset the McGuinty government and Cliffs Natural Resources chose not to include First Nations in the talks leading up to the announcement of Cliffs chromite smelter. The following is the entire discussion between Waboose and Wynne.

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Cliffs Selects Sudbury

And the winner is...Sudbury. That's the site Cliffs Natural Resources has selected for the Ring of Fire Chromite Smelter. Sudbury was selected due to various economic and technical factors including transportation logistics, labor, long mining tradition, community support and access to electrical power.

Cocaine Bust

Two Thunder Bay residents have been charged with possession of Cocaine. City Police conducted a raid on a home on Highway 61 where they seized $11,400 worth of drugs. A 33 year old man and 27 year old woman will appear back in court on June 6th.

Drug Bust In Sioux Lookout

O.P.P. have arrested two people in Sioux Lookout for drug possession. Police say they found Oxycontin and Codeine pills worth $8,000. Effie and Cornelius Matthews have each been charged with two counts of possession.

Some Work Still To Be Done For New Hotel

Construction on Thunder Bay's newest hotel is expected to start this summer.  Thompson Centres Development is meeting today with Marriott Town Place Suites to nail down some of the finer details of the new hotel that will be located on the property in front of Superstore.  Developer Lou Meandro says they'll be discussing an Ontario Municipal Board complaint from Loblaws over the size of the hotel.

Atikokan Renewable Fuels Talks Future

Atikokan Renewable Fuels is looking for some buyers before it can complete its wood pellet plant. President Ed Fukushima says Ontario Power Generation and some European Businesses are interested in their product. Fukushima says they should know more in 30 days.

Bear Wise Cut Backs Upset OPSEU

A union leader is warning Northern residents that they face greater danger from bears this year because of Provincial government cutbacks.  Smokey Thomas of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union says the number of staff trained to deal with bears has been cut by more than 50 percent.  The M.N.R. has said that relocating nuissance bears was simply not working.

More Sex Charges Laid Against Rowe

O.P.P. have laid further sex related charges against a man who once worked in four area First Nations communities. 72 year old Ralph Rowe, who now lives in Surrey, B.C. has been charged with 2 new counts of indecent assault and five counts of sexual assault. The charges stem from incidents which are alleged to have occurred between 1973 and 1986. Rowe is now scheduled to appear in a Kenora court on May 31st.

Arson Caused Picton Fire

Arson is the cause of a Picton Avenue fire which occurred on Sunday night. That's according to city police who are saying the blaze was deliberately set. No one was injured in the fire which is believed to have started on the second floor of a semi-detached home in the 100 block of Picton Avenue. Police are seeking the public's assistance for further information.

Gangs Not Involved In A.M. Stabbing

City police are saying a morning stabbing incident is not related to gang activity. A 21-year old man was stabbed just before 5 o'clock this morning in the area of May St. and Cumming St. . The man was stabbed in the leg but the injury isn't considered serious. He was found on the 600 block of McKenzie St.  and taken to the hospital. Police continue to investigate.

Housing Starts Are Up For April

It continues to be a good year for new housing construction in Thunder Bay. According to Warren Philp of Canada Mortgage and Housing, we are up 60 per cent from this time last year and says it's all because of demand. There were twenty new houses which started in the city last month which is up from seven in April of last year. Philp credits the increase to it being a "sellers" market in the city.

Transit Vision 2040 Approved

City transit is on board with a nationwide vision to improve service. Transit Manager Brad Loroff feels the long term plan, as outlined in Transit Vision 2040, is designed to put transit at the heart of the community. The plan coincides with current suggestions and ideas being implemented by transit. Council will hear back from transit officials on June 4th about their master plan recommendations.

RegenMed Gets A Loan

City Council is loaning a Thunder Bay bone and tissue bank a quarter of a million dollars and is putting RegenMed on a short leash because of it.    Under terms of the loan the Lake Superior Centre for Regenerative Medicine,  will get the money in installments and have to provide regular financial statements.

Labour Council Opposes Trade Deal

The labour movement in Thunder Bay wants the city to oppose a proposed free trade deal between Canada and the European Union.   Labour Council president Elaine Kerr says Canadian content could be in danger if the deal goes through,  which could have a negative impact on the local Bombardier plant

Kitchen Fire In Current River

No one is hurt following a fire in Current River home last night. Officials says that no one was home when a pot of oil left unattended on a stove caused a kitchen fire. The incident happened at around 8 o'clock. They say damage is extensive.

Missing Woman Found

Police say that a 57 year old woman who was reported missing has now been found. They say that Margaret Scott-Beatty was found safe in Kakabeka Falls yesterday. Prior to that she hadn't been seen since last week.

Stabbing Sends Man To Hospital

City police are looking for four people in connection with a stabbing on the city's south side this morning.   They say that a 21 year old man was stabbed in the leg in the vicinity of May and Cumming.   They say the victim was located by a passerby just before 5 o'clock this morning on the 600 block of McKenzie bleeding heavily.  He is now recovering in hospital.