Statistics indicate Island deer hunt benefits economy by $16 million/yr.

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-The annual deer hunt on Manitoulin draws a huge influx of visitors-80 percent of participants-and generates a whopping $16 million in economic spinoffs, according to the results of a survey undertaken by the Manitoulin Area Stewardship Council (MASC).

This past November, council members distributed a voluntary questionnaire among hunters, with the goal of placing "a real value on a valuable resource," in the words of a summary statement that accompanies a report on the findings.

The value of this contribution "is not limited to the money spent directly on the outdoor recreational activities" that occur on hunting lots, the report notes, "but also involves the value of these properties, the investment in buildings and other infrastructure, the local taxes paid, and wildlife management completed on these lands."

Respondents were asked to provide information about the extent of their participation in the hunt, the nature and amount of land they utilize, and how much they spend on items such as food, accommodation, and supplies while hunting. As well, personal information-all kept confidential-was solicited regarding the education, employment and income levels of those taking part in the hunt.

Nearly 600 individuals completed the multi-page forms, which had to be submitted by the end of December. Over the next few months, the information was synthesized by Island consultant Todd Gordon, with a detailed report, titled Analysis of the Voluntary Manitoulin Deer Management Survey, completed this spring.

Brian Ramakko, co-chair of the stewardship group, as well as a Manitoulin deer hunter himself, is pleased with the level of response. "I think it's fabulous that we got slightly over 570 people to actually buy in and mail the form in," he said. "A lot of them also told us to keep their name and information on file so we can notify them of workshops and ways to be better stewards, which is really great. These are people who want to learn more."

Other studies and surveys have been conducted by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) regarding the Manitoulin deer hunt, but most of these have focussed on the volume of hunters (estimated to number 8,500 per year) and the biological health of the herd.

The MASC survey should add to that body of knowledge, as hunters were asked questions about the scope of their activity and the abundance of animals on their properties, but the main benefit of the undertaking is that, for the first time, a sense of the hunt's impact on the economic and social fabric of Manitoulin has been measured.

"Our survey, coupled with what the MNR has, just provides more information," said Mr. Ramakko. "And I'm of the opinion that more information is better than no information."

The report will be sent out to municipalities and First Nations on the Island, as well as to organizations and any individual who wishes to make use of the resource, said Mr. Ramakko. It may not provide a complete picture of the hunt's influence on the Manitoulin economy, but it does "provide a good snapshot," said the MASC co-chair, "and gives us a great baseline to work from."

The goal of the stewardship council-which represents a broad spectrum of natural resources stakeholders, including anglers and hunters, tourism operators, naturalists, landowners, farmers, and First Nations-is to repeat this exercise in two to four years' time, said Mr. Ramakko.

Meanwhile, the MASC is inviting feedback on the document it has created from the 2008 survey, and expects that some groups-be they municipalities, band councils or organizations-may find it a useful tool in not only understanding the scope and impact of the deer hunt, but in leveraging additional resources for managing and nurturing this asset.

The stewardship council can't, by the terms of its mandate, pressure the government to apply more manpower or money to monitoring the Island deer population, but it can conduct research and highlight the value of the sporting activity that revolves around this species, and is pleased to have done so, said Mr. Ramakko.

"As a stewardship council, we can't lobby," he said. "But I think anybody analyzing this report could use it to say that the deer hunt definitely has an influence, and that resources should be allocated properly. The numbers don't lie."

Those interested in obtaining a copy of the report can contact Mr. Ramakko via email at brian@ramakkos.com, or stewardship council coordinator Bob Florean at bob.florean@ontario.ca.

Women's abuse leaves

emotional scars on kids,

epidemiologist stresses

by Lindsay Kelly

LITTLE CURRENT-We see the physical effects of domestic violence in children, and we know about the psychological effects that can leave victims with emotional trauma, but some of the most risky consequences are the physiological side-effects that can actually alter the development of a child's brain.

The subject is one that is close to the heart of Dr. Linda Chamberlain, an epidemiologist who specializes in childhood exposure to violence and brain development. Based in the US, Dr. Chamberlain made the 16-hour drive from her home in Homer, Alaska, to present her findings at the second annual Woman Abuse Prevention Seminar in Little Current on June 10.

Joining Dr. Chamberlain in presenting were Jennifer Wilson, the local director of the Children's Aid Society; Ghislaine Goudreau and Niki Naponse, who presented their violence prevention seminar Let's Talk About It; and Christine Migwans, a representative from Kina Gbezhgomi Child and Family Services, who spoke about the systemic history of oppression faced by First Nations people throughout the centuries.

The seminar is designed to bring awareness about domestic violence to the forefront of public discussion, and bring together service providers and front-line workers to share their experiences.

As the founding director of the Alaska Family Violence Prevention Project, Dr. Chamberlain calls family violence a "package deal," because other forms of violence stem from domestic abuse, such as animal cruelty and Elder abuse.

Visiting remote villages in rural Alaska, Dr. Chamberlain said she was asked repeatedly whether they would discuss Elder abuse, because it was so rampant in those communities. "The child grows up in a violent home where it's not safe to talk about it," she said. "Well, now who's the caregiver for whom?"

Violence becomes a way of life for people, and the only way to address the issue head on is to look at the big picture, the doctor emphasized.

"It's so much more than the physical injuries," she said. "It's psychological, it's the isolation, the controlling behaviour. And when you put it all together, we're talking about trauma and stress."

The human brain is not designed to handle the level of trauma and stress placed on it when the victims is facing violent situations, Dr. Chamberlain said.

In studies, scans of brains from children who have experienced violence at an early age show signs of traumatic brain development. Exposing children to violence while their brains are developing is so dangerous, it's like putting the brain through an "acid wash," Dr. Chamberlain said. The results are future health issues and behavioural problems.

Stress can have the result of suppressing the immune system, increasing the incidence of disease, the keynote speaker said. Many children show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and grow up to have coping problems.

"We can predict the health problems they will develop as adults," Dr. Chamberlain said.

The seriousness of the problems can be determined based on the length of time the child was exposed and the severity of the situation.

"We are going to see a lot of PTSD because they're living in a war zone," she said. "It's not any different than soldiers fighting in Iraq, and when you're close to it, in the one place you're supposed to feel safe, they can be even more affected than soldiers in the field."

Domestic abuse is the strongest predictor of alcoholism in women, Dr. Chamberlain noted, and they use it as a coping mechanism. In the US, one in 10 teens report being physically abused by their dating partner, and that number skyrockets to one in three when other forms of abuse, such as sexual or psychological, are added to the mix.

But studies have also shown that positive influences like social support, spirituality, and advocacy can go a long way to reducing the effects.

"When they know how to get screening, the chances increase that they will go get screening, counselling, go to a shelter, or whatever is culturally appropriate and whatever they need," Dr. Chamberlain said, noting that women require different ways to heal.

Studies have shown that women are four times more likely to seek help if they know there are supports in place, and are two and a half times more likely to leave their abusive partner.

Abuse will likely always exist, yet the work of service providers does make a difference to the women who seek out their services," Dr. Chamberlain added. "Success is measured by reducing their isolation, and by improving their options for safety," she said.

She shared a story from her early days working with victims of domestic violence, involving a family of five, in which the mother was being abused. Arriving at the home one night, they discovered the mother, who was standing in the kitchen with a broken mandible, a six-month-old baby, who was in a crib in the corner and appeared to be uninjured, a six-year-old girl sitting in the kitchen, and a 12-year-old boy in the living room, who was engrossed in a video game.

Four years later, when she checked in on the children, Dr. Chamberlain discovered the effect the abuse had had on the children. The young girl, who had tried to be the "hero" child, blamed herself for the abuse and was hurting herself, while the boy showed clear signs of PTSD. However, it was baby, who appeared to be fine at the time of the incident, that was acting out the most, and had actually injured another child at the age of four and a half.

The baby was an example of how chemicals in the brain can actually alter the development of the brain as the child is affected by abuse; the frontal lobes of the brain don't develop as much as they should, Dr. Chamberlain noted.

Predictable results can include health and behavioural issues like bed wetting, sleep problems, aggressiveness, digestive problems, a tendency of cruelty towards animals, and speech disorders.

Dr. Chamberlain said the brain fails to develop because children go into "survival brain" mode: they use all their energy in trying to survive the abuse, so other functions of the body, like digestion or proper sleep patterns, are ignored.

By the age of 12, child victims of abuse show signs of depression, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder, and when they reach adolescence, they begin self-mutilating, abusing drugs, and develop eating disorders; and this is most often the time when they run away or become pregnant.

However, Dr. Chamberlain said researchers now know that teens experience a second developmental stage during their adolescence similar to the one experienced during the first few years of life. This means that not all is lost, because there is a second opportunity to help youth during adolescence if they didn't get the nurturing they needed as a child.

Dr. Chamberlain praised the front-line workers for their efforts and urged them to continue reaching out, even though some days it might feel like they aren't making a difference.

She said educating communities about the dangers of domestic violence and expanding the community safety net are keys to reaching children who have been affected by violence. Kids who have moved past the violence often cite the influence of an adult as the biggest reason for their move towards a healthy life.

"Healthy adults reaching out and relating to kids is the biggest protective factor," she said. "Anything we can do to help these kids tell their story is absolutely part of the healing."

Island slate takes UOI leadership

Pat Madahbee elected grand chief, Glen Hare deputy grand chief

by Michael Erskine

SARNIA-Anishinabek leaders Patrick Madahbee of Aundeck Omni Kaning and Glen Hare of M'Chigeeng First Nation were elevated to the top two posts in the 42-member Anishinabek Nation (Union of Ontario Indians) during a women's blanket ceremony held at the Aamjiwnaang First Nation (near Sarnia) last week.

Chief Patrick Madahbee is returning to the position of grand chief, a post he first held at the tender age of 27. While the organization was larger then-54 members as opposed to 42-Chief Madahbee notes that the organization has undergone considerable change since.

Chief Glen Hare said that he was excited to be returning to his role as deputy chief of the Anishinabek Nation. "It was nice to be re-elected and to be part of the new spirit and energy that is rising up in communities," he said. Chief Hare also brings a wealth of wisdom and experience to his role, having been involved in a First Nation leadership role for over 24 years.

Chief Madahbee said that he intends to bring a more focussed approach to tackling a rights-based agenda. "The basis is the treaties," he said. "We have to tackle the issues from a strong position of nationhood." Chief Madahbee said his preferred approach will be to focus on a number of priority issues at a time, rather than dissipating energy and resources across a wide scattergun of issues.

He intends to "retool" the UOI into a leaner central administrative organization and move more of the resources out into the field to provide more support. "We need to get people out there in the communities," he said.

Part of his strategy will involve engaging youth in the political process and to provide an active role for young people within that process. "We are the fastest growing community within Canada," noted Chief Madahbee.

Chief Madahbee also envisions an active role for the Elders in the communities, providing the benefit of their hard-won wisdom and experience.

Although advances in technology and the challenges faced by the 21st-century economy may be transforming First Nation society, there is still plenty of room for a strong traditional and cultural base in the Anishinabek Nation, as evidenced by the election process.

"Each candidate is nominated by one of the Anishinabek chiefs by passing tobacco (one of the sacred medicines) to them," said Chief Madahbee. "If you accept the tobacco you accept the nomination." Chief Madahbee was nominated by Chief Irene Kells of Zhiibaahaasing First Nation. Then each of the nominators gave a speech about their choice.

"Chief Kells gave a very good speech in the language when she nominated me," said Chief Madahbee, expressing his gratitude for her support, noting that he was up against a strong panel of candidates for the job-including Robert (Bobby) Corbiere of Wikwemikong.

Nominees then gathered with the Elders for a four-hour sweat lodge to prepare them for their roles and provide spiritual guidance to their three-year terms.

The election itself comprised the lining up of candidates toward the four directions within the circle so that they faced outward, then the chiefs supporting each candidate lined up behind their choice.

"I couldn't see what was going on behind me," smiled Chief Madahbee. "It wasn't until Chief Day (another of Chief Madahbee's nominators) said 'you've got it' that I realized I had won." It only took one selection round to elect Chief Madahbee and Chief Hare to their respective positions.

During a celebratory feast held in AOK on Friday, Chief Madahbee was embraced by his successor as that community's chief, Chief Craig Abotossaway. Chief Abotossaway sang the Golden Eagle honour song for Chief Madahbee and presented him with a pair of moccasins, a feather box decorated with a golden eagle and a congratulatory card signed by community members.

"It is an honour to see one of our very own as grand chief of the Anishinabek Nation," said Chief Abotossoway, noting that Chief Madahbee had come full circle, having been, at 27, the youngest person to ever hold the position.

"I have dedicated all of my life to my people," said Chief Madahbee in his address to his community, calling for unity and determination on the path ahead. As for his new position, Chief Madahbee expressed humility and requested the help of each member of the nation in recognizing the strong and committed leadership of people like Chief Abotossaway and Chief Isadore Day of Serpent River First Nation. "It is a job one person can't do alone," he said, noting that there are many roles to fill to reach their shared goals. "We need to pull together to make better lives for our communities. There are a lot of things to do-plenty for everyone to do."

Chief Hare said that he was utterly committed to his role as deputy chief. "I have told them, and announced here right now, that I am 100 percent committed to this job," he said. "I will not be running in the local elections in M'Chigeeng this time around." Chief Hare is a former chief and a current band councillor in that community.

"There is so much to be done with our current priorities I am excited about," he said. "We are concentrating on community infrastructure, matrimonial property, the Mining Act, and in August we will be coming out with our child welfare."

Chief Hare noted that his job entails working within the 42 member communities to engage the Anishinabek into the process of self-governance. "We have been talking about it for years, but over the last few years I have seen people becoming really excited about it," he said. "People are having a say-and it is nice to see them getting excited about it, to be part of the business of governance."

Chief Hare said that he was looking forward to the day when the people of the First Nations were making their own laws in these areas. "In talking to the grand chief, we are in agreement on this, communities taking the lead in these areas and governing themselves."

This summer will see the July 8 election of a leader of the 133 member Chiefs of Ontario, in which Angus Toulouse is seeking office, and the July 22 Assembly of First Nations leadership race in which former UOI Grand Chief John Beaucage is considered a serious contender.

Former Northeast Town mayor bids for Liberal nomination

Joe Chapman officially in the running

by Jim Moodie

LITTLE CURRENT-Joe Chapman of Little Current is hoping to become the first Island Liberal to represent the riding federally since Thomas Farquhar stepped aside in the late 1940s to make room for Lester B. Pearson.

"There hasn't been an MP from Manitoulin for 60 years," noted Mr. Chapman, who recently filed his papers to contend for the Grit nomination in Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing (AMK). "We need someone in parliament with a strong voice to make sure we get our fair share of government funding and jobs."

As of press time, only one other individual, Francois Cloutier of Moonbeam, near Hearst, had declared his intention to seek the Liberal candidacy, although it was anticipated that George Farkouh, a former mayor of Elliot Lake, might also throw his hat in the ring.

The Liberal riding association for AMK is expected to hold a nomination convention at the end of August, but that could be pushed forward if events this week precipitate a summer election. On Friday, the Conservatives will face a vote on a budgetary update and could also face a non-confidence motion from the opposition; either could trigger a new trip to the polls by as early as the end of July.

Whenever the next election occurs, Mr. Chapman is eager to contend for the AMK seat on behalf of the Liberals. "I think I have the skills and experience, and would like to be Manitoulin's voice in Ottawa," he said.

A lawyer by profession-he's practised for 17 years, of late as a federal prosecutor-the Liberal hopeful said representing the riding would be a natural extension of this kind of work. "It's another form of advocacy, is how I look at it," he said.

He's also cut his teeth in municipal politics, having served as a councillor for the Town of Little Current in the mid-1990s, and as mayor of the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands from 2003-2006.

Mr. Chapman actually ran against Brent St. Denis for the Liberal nomination way back in the early 1990s, following the retirement of Maurice Foster-as did current Northeast Town Mayor Jim Stringer, interestingly enough-but being fresh out of law school at the time, and still in his mid-20s, "I didn't really understand politics all that well," he now admits.

Since then, though, he's served on the executive of the Liberal riding association and gained a lot more insight into "the art of compromise"-or "the science of the possible," as politics is also called at times-in part by watching the successful run of Mr. St. Denis, who served five consecutive terms, together lasting just a few days shy of 15 years.

"We did well under Brent," Mr. Chapman assessed. "He delivered some big money to this riding, with just one example being the town dock in Little Current."

The would-be St. Denis successor feels our riding is doing considerably worse at present. "It boggles the mind how much money is being spent right now on infrastructure, but we're getting less than when the government wasn't spending that much," he said.

Meanwhile, other ridings, whose members exert more sway, are raking it in, suggested Mr. Chapman. "It seems that you can get a million bucks to renovate a henhouse in Parry Sound (represented by Industry Minister Tony Clement), but you can't get $15 to fill a pothole on Manitoulin," he complained.

He feels current MP Carol Hughes is more focussed on "implementing the agenda of the NDP than representing constituents," and even if her party has some noble goals, these aren't, in his estimation, apt to result in concrete benefits for this riding.

"We have the worst possible scenario: an NDP member sitting in a Conservative parliament," he argued. "We have no influence in Ottawa, where spending decisions are made."

Mr. Chapman likes the chances of current Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff to guide the Grits back into power, describing him as "very organized and thoughtful, with a focus on rebuilding the party in terms of its finances and policies, and attracting quality people."

But as much as Mr. Chapman agrees with the new direction of the Big Red Machine, he pledges to put the priorities of the riding above towing the party line should he prove successful in his bid to gain the nomination and, ultimately, secure a seat in the house. He also welcomes support from any constituent, he stressed, even those who might traditionally align themselves with other parties.

"I can cross those divides," he said. "And if I win, we all win. I choose to be here because I love Manitoulin and its people, and can't think of any greater honour than to serve them in Ottawa. I will look after Manitoulin in a very special way and represent you regardless of political stripe."

In order to be officially considered for the role of AMK Liberal rep, Mr. Chapman needed the endorsement of 25 individuals, and he's proud to report that these nominations came from several communities, spanning both Manitoulin and the North Shore.

He's since "signed up quite a few individuals, even some who are normally Conservative or NDP," and he's counting on more inking cards to become Liberal Party members and to "support me to get the nomination."

This could be logistically easier for Islanders this time around, as it might not require a trip to an off-Island convention hall. "My understanding is that there will be a ballot in Little Current, Blind River and Hearst," said Mr. Chapman.

Editorial

Island's leaders should take heed of Sarnia water woes

Residents of the upper Great Lakes (Huron, Michigan and Superior) have lately come to understand that there is the possibility of another significant water takeaway being proposed, this time by Michigan's Genesee County, home of the City of Flint.

The county and city propose to daily drain Lake Huron by a factor of 85 million gallons in order to replace the water the jurisdiction is currently purchasing from Detroit.

The point may be a moot one: Detroit draws its water from the St. Clair River-the connecting link between Lake Huron and Lake Erie-and so the Motor City's water source is technically an aspect of the lower Great Lakes region (Erie and Ontario).

Should the Lake Huron-to-Genesee County pipeline proceed, and there is correspondingly less drawn by Detroit from the St. Clair River for Flint's consumption, it would seem to indicate that there would be little or no net effect on Lake Huron's water level, as the water is drawn from a source 30 or 40 miles upstream.

So it would seem.

Sarnia mayor Jim Bradley, however, isn't convinced that this 'net-net' equation would in fact hold true. He is concerned that a new Lake Huron outflow, just across from his city, would be doubling the amount of water lost from the upper lakes to satisfy Genesee County's needs.

In the case of Genesee County, it's a matter of money. The administration and local politicians there have determined that their freshwater costs would be far less were they to invest a half-billion dollars in a pipeline to siphon off Lake Huron water rather than continuing to purchase water from Detroit.

The Michigan side will argue that it's the same amount of water anyway.

Ontario's Mayor Bradley remains to be convinced and feels that it is not worth taking the risk of losing yet more water when Genesee County and Flint are being adequately serviced in any event.

In Canada, there is a continuing concern about the amount of water the City of Chicago draws off Lake Michigan for its freshwater needs, so this new concern will no doubt raise this spectre once again.

Interestingly, Chicago's freshwater intake has its roots in strategic concerns dating back nearly 200 years when the US Congress in 1848 made a decision to develop a canal connecting Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River.

A 1928 essay titled "Lake-lowering controversy," written by English engineer J.G. Growther and published as part of a popular collection of similar works that explained a variety of scientific and engineering phenomena, notes that from the date of the American Declaration of Independence until 1854, United States citizens were not allowed to navigate the St. Lawrence River except as foreigners. The St. Lawrence is the natural outlet and access to the Great Lakes and the Americans felt entitled to navigate it as such, even though both of its banks were deemed to be British territory.

The belated permission, in 1854, from England for Americans to use the St. Lawrence without fear or favour had already given rise to bad feelings in the US, so that, in 1848, a canal was opened to connect Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, thus giving Americans a continuous water connection to the Gulf of Mexico from the Great Lakes.

Six years later (in 1854) the British government granted ready access to the Americans for the use of the St. Lawrence River, but the canal was built and nearby Chicago was quickly growing.

The Lake Michigan-Mississippi River Canal ultimately became, in 1900, part of a system designed to rid the city of Chicago of its sewage waste (an engineering project that required the reversal of the natural flow of water in the Chicago River) and, in order to keep the Chicago River permanently reversed, an additional flow of water of upwards of 10,000 cubic feet per second (in 1928 terms) in the river was necessary. The strategically-built canal became part of this massive engineering endeavour and the water levels of Lakes Michigan and Huron quickly dropped by 3.4 feet.

This unique feature (although volumes have changed) is carefully monitored by Canadian and American officials, although for more than a century this memory has lingered and become part of the Great Lakes water lore so that any time water levels drop, fingers still point at Chicago as the culprit.

In this current case, however, there is no strategic concern or issue relating to sovereignty. It's all about money and Sarnia's Mayor Bradley has every right to sound an alarm.

While Lake Huron's water level has risen marginally over the past two years, most people who live on or near the water still see far deeper beachfront reaches than they did a decade ago, not to mention the numerous extensions to private water intakes in our own area that have had to be constructed.

Mayor Bradley is asking Toronto's Mayor David Miller, co-chair of the Great Lakes Cities Initiative, to make this an issue of pressing international concern and there is little doubt that Mayor Bradley will have much support from politicians on both Canadian and US sides of the upper Great Lakes.

The issue in Chicago dating back to 1900 was a wakeup call that has kept Great Lakes communities watchful ever since.

Lake Huron and Georgian Bay have experienced fairly continuous water levels dips over the past decade. Mayor Bradley's concerns should have a sympathetic hearing among Manitoulin's municipal and First Nations leaders.

Letters to the Editor

Removal of roadside markers a thoughtless act of vandalism

Coroner's inquest needed to confirm circumstances leading to accident

To the Expositor:

In the summer of 2001 the community of Sudbury mourned the loss of two palliative care nurses who were killed on the job when their vehicle was struck by a transport truck on Highway 69 south. Kathy Snow, who was my wife, and Cindy Benoit were registered nurses in the employ of the Victorian Order of Nurses. Kathy died at the scene and Cindy succumbed to her injuries one month later.

In early June 2009 I visited the accident scene to spend a few moments at the memorial markers. I was furious to see that someone had removed them. One of the neighbours said that they had been missing for about two weeks. In answer to my queries, a representative from the Ministry of Transportation assured me that no-one from his department had moved them, nor would they under any circumstances without speaking with family members first. I have no idea who removed them, nor what would motivate this person or persons to do so. In my mind, and I believe in the minds of members of other families who have erected similar memorials, these are as sacred as any markers in our cemeteries. Perhaps, if there are families who have experienced similar acts of vandalism, they could share their experience.

The removal of these memorials is the last straw. For nearly eight years I have unsuccessfully pressed for a coroner's inquest in order to get at the truth of the accident. Most people are surprised to learn that the largest single cause of traumatic workplace fatalities in the province of Ontario is motor vehicle accidents, yet, incredibly, there is no automatic access to a public forum in which the circumstances of such accidents can be examined. I have been unrelenting in my efforts because many unanswered questions remain about the accident and its subsequent investigation, including, for example, why relevant forensic evidence in the form of skid marks has been ignored, or why it is that the transport truck passed in a no-passing zone, yet my wife, had she lived, would have been charged. The office of the Chief Coroner of the province of Ontario proclaims to "speak for the dead to protect the living." The only voice that Kathy and Cindy have is the physical evidence left at the scene, and by ignoring this evidence in a specific context, this voice has been silenced by the very people who have been entrusted with the guardianship of the citizens of this province. These victims have not even been afforded the dignity of the truth, and by dignity I mean that their lives were worth something.

In April 2009 I appeared before the Standing Committee on Social Justice Policy at Queen' Park which was hearing presentations regarding Bill 115, a bill which proposed amendments to the Coroner's Act. The text of my presentation is available at the Ontario Government website and can be found under committee hearings, Bill 115, April 2, 2009.

On May 21, I, along with three women who lost their husbands to workplace fatalities, had the first opportunity to speak candidly and openly at a meeting in Civic Square. It was hosted by a committee initiated by Faye Campeau, and chaired by Gerry Lougheed Jr., trying to establish a Workplace Fatalities Family Bill of Rights. At this time I expounded on some of the major concerns raised with the Committee on Social Justice Policy. Part of my comments referred to key inaccurate descriptions of the physical setting of the accident and I invited the listeners to visit the scene, which I identified by location and the memorial markers adjacent to the highway.

The time for this community to hear what has happened to two of its own is long overdue. It is my intention to bring my concerns to the attention of the Sudbury community sometime in the fall and would hope that any citizens who knew, loved and respected Kathy, Cindy, and their families or are in any way concerned about making roadways safer for all working people would find the time to listen. The removal of the memorials is just the latest in a long list of indignities.

John Snow

White's Point

Book calls to mind Ignatieff

Leader personifies idea of self-importanceTo the Expositor:

Just last week I read the following excerpt from a book titled The Sunday Philosophers Club, by Alexander McCall-Smith.

"A politician was crossing the street when he collapsed and was rushed to a nearby emergency room. It had been a suspected heart attack, but no-and this was truly astonishing-he was found to have suffered a large split in his side, fortunately dealt with by quick and competent surgical stitching. He had made a fully recovery. But then the diagnosis had been revealed. He had burst with self-importance."

The name which immediately popped into my mind was Michael Ignatieff.

Pat Loosemore

Little Current

Minister's comments about isotopes cold

Attitude hurtful to families affected by cancer

To the Expositor:

Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt's comments regarding the isotope crisis gives the "me" generation a new meaning. Raitt's comments reflect her focus on the political capital she could get out of the issue. She had no concern about the patients who might have their lives threatened by the lack of isotopes and referred to things such as the heavy water leak and cancer as "sexy" issues.

When the Conservative strategy is to use "spin doctors" to place carefully crafted masks over the real face of the individuals that make up the government, trying to hide "private" attitudes that have no place in good governance, they make the glimpses into the reality that the Raitt tape provided an important means for evaluating the hidden reality.

What Conservatives and their supporters do not seem to understand is that Raitt's comments reflect an attitude that is extremely offensive to many, if not most, Canadians. Most Canadians have family and friends or even personal experience with the diagnosis of life threatening diseases. That a person in charge of handling the crisis in the testing for these diseases treats the issue as a political opportunity to get her face in the media is outrageous.

The fact that the PMO still has confidence in Ms. Riatt is not surprising. She was his hand-picked candidate over other Conservatives who wanted the nomination. Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed her as his personal choice for the riding and the party strategists made it clear that if she defeated Garth Turner she would have a cabinet position.

The cold, calculating manner in which she considered the issue from a personal political slant represents the self-interested individualism that Harper admires. They share an ideology in which compassion and caring are considered weaknesses.

It is sad that people who think like the prime minister and Ms. Raitt so often hold the lives of real people in the palm of their hands.

Phyllis Wagg

West Bay, Nova Scotia