MP Hughes will support private bill to rescind registration of long guns

by Jim Moodie

OTTAWA-A number of Northern MPs, including Carol Hughes, are poised to support a Conservative bill to scrap the long-gun registry as a vote looms for its second reading.

Bill C-391, brought forward by Manitoba MP Candice Hoeppner, is scheduled for debate today (October 28) in the House of Commons, with a vote to follow next Wednesday (November 4).

On Monday, a series of radio ads created by the Conservatives was aired in targetted ridings, including Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, to alert constituents of the coming vote and pressure opposition MPs into backing the bill.

"This is a chance for these MPs to stand up," Ms. Hoeppner told the Expositor on Monday. "First of all, it's important for them all to be there, to not abstain, and then to stand up and vote for ending the long-gun registry."

The bill would remove the requirement to register non-restricted long guns, but doesn't otherwise call for major changes to the Firearms Act. "It doesn't mess with the licensing, which is an important part to stay in there, or deal with transportation (of firearms)," said Ms. Hoeppner. "It's a very straightforward bill, which is strictly a repeal of the gun registry."

While Ms. Hughes has been ambivalent about this issue, the AMK MP said Monday that she does plan to vote with the Tories on the bill's second reading. "I'm willing to move it to committee," she said. "I'm not an expert in this area, and I think it's fine that there will be further discussion, because we need to know more about how much the total cost of the gun registry is, and if it's really done what it's supposed to do."

She won't be alone among Northern MPs in backing C-391. Fellow NDPers John Rafferty (Thunder Bay-Rainy River) and Bruce Hyer (Thunder Bay-Superior North) are both committed, for instance, to moving the legislation forward, but Ms. Hughes she couldn't speak for others in the North. "I do know some will vote for it, and some won't," she said.

Ms. Hoeppner said there is little mystery about how Tory MPs will vote. "On our side, there will definitely be the support of the whole caucus," she said. "This is something we've campaigned on for years."

An earlier bill to end the gun registry, introduced by Saskatchewan MP Garry Breitkreuz, was dropped by the party amid some controversy. That bill would have also simplified licensing of firearms and reformed some of the rules governing transporting guns, but alienating potential supporters amid the NDP, Liberals and Bloc.

Mr. Breitkreuz "has been helping me a lot on this bill," said Ms. Hoeppner. "He recognized that there were parts of his bill that the opposition could not support."

With the simplified C-391, the Portage-Lisgar MP believes there should be "no sitting on the fence or ambiguity" among MPs who have earlier voiced their misgivings about the gun registry. She hopes it won't be the case that opposition members "say one thing in the riding," but do the opposite in the House. "We need MPs to support this bill," she said.

Ms. Hughes said her vote to move the bill forward isn't a blanket endorsement of the reform, but a way to keep the idea alive for further scrutiny and debate at the committee level.

"It's a controversial issue, and no matter what happens, one side won't be happy," she said. "I live in an area where people do a lot of hunting, but I also know that gun control is an issue in urban areas, and we shouldn't forget that the registry grew out of the Montreal Massacre. I can understand both sides, and think a conversation on this is something we need to have, and overdue."

The AMK member said that while Bill C-391 warrants consideration, her view all along has been that, "if the Conservatives were really serious about doing this, they would have made it a government bill" rather than have firearms reform advanced via a private member's bill.

She also feels that the whole process could be moot. "Even if this goes to committee, if there's an election, it's off the table again," she pointed out.

Meanwhile, Ms. Hughes feels the Tory focus on white-collar crime and more sentencing is missing the real issue. "They keep saying they are tough on crime, but they don't talk about going to the root of the problem," she complained. "We need to put more money into policing and at the borders."

MNR_netting in Mindemoya Lake

shows less walleye,new smelt presence

by Jim Moodie

LAKE MINDEMOYA-Recent netting by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in Lake Mindemoya suggests that walleye numbers are down while smelt are suddenly present.

While the two aren't necessarily connected, and more study is required before an assessment of either trend is possible, each development has piqued the interest of the researchers and leaves room for armchair theorists to wade in while awaiting an official conclusion.

Over four days in mid-October, fisheries workers with the ministry's district office set a dozen gill nets at various locations in the lake in order to get "a snapshot of what the lake supports," explained biologist Wayne Selinger, adding that the "site locations were picked randomly, so we weren't targetting a particular habitat."

Nor was the catch limited to a certain type of fish. "These are experimental nets, which are not like commercial fishing nets," pointed out Mr. Selinger. "They're designed to catch not just sports fish but the gamut of sizes and species, so you get a picture of the whole fish community."

That said, the main focus of the undertaking-as its official name, Fall Index Walleye Netting, would imply-was to gauge the health of the walleye, or pickerel, population. It's an exercise that the MNR carries out every four or five years, with the last study of this type occurring on Lake Mindemoya in 2005. Before that, there were similar net surveys carried out in 2001 and 1995.

Lake Mindemoya was getting due for another such sweep, but it was fast-tracked as a result of issues raised. "We could have done this next year," said Mr. Selinger. "But based on a number of concerns that were expressed, we decided to step it up."

The sense among many anglers, and their representative voice in the United Fish and Game Clubs of Manitoulin (UFGCM), has been that the number of walleye in Lake Mindemoya has dwindled in recent years, with one theory for that decline being the impact of zebra mussels.

"It's one of the concerns," admitted Mr. Selinger. "We know for a fact that they have been introduced within the last decade, and no doubt that will result in changes to the fishery, but we have to get a handle on what that impact is."

Walleye are a key part of the Mindemoya fishery, and, unlike Lake Manitou and Lake Kagawong, have never been stocked here. "In my estimation, Mindemoya is the only native walleye population on the Island," said Mr. Selinger.

He'd like to see it remain a natural, self-sustaining fishery, believing that "natural recruitment" is preferable to planting fish in the lake.

At this point, it is premature to make any firm comment on the state of the walleye fishery, or its main threats, as the information from the index netting remains to be analyzed. "We have to get the fish aged and compare the data to past surveys, as well as to other lakes in the Northeast," said Mr. Selinger. This process, he warned, will take several months.

In general, though, "the numbers are down a bit relative to earlier surveys, and we're concerned about that," conceded Mr. Selinger. "Once we get into the data, we'll understand more why this is happening."

Fish caught in the gill nets were measured for length and weight, said the biologist, "and for walleye and perch, we also look at sex and maturity." Ovaries have additionally been preserved to study egg production, and age will be determined by analyzing an inner ear bone, known as the otolith, that was removed following the collection of the samples.

In case you're trying to picture how the fish are now faring in the lake, minus a few ovaries and inner-ear parts, we might as well state the obvious: none of these scooped-up swimmers actually survived to be returned to their element.

"People get concerned about this, but the alternative is trap netting, which is much more labour-intensive and provides less information," said Mr. Selinger. "The number of fish taken is very low compared to what the lake in theory can spare, and the data is used for the betterment of the fishery over time."

Over four days, the MNR crew hauled up a total of 500 fish, and that included "all species," stressed Mr. Selinger, not just walleye. White suckers made up a significant portion of the catch, along with lake herring and whitefish. Bass were relatively few, but that's less a statement on their presence in the lake than their body shape. "They don't net very well, which is good," said the biologist.

The one surprise was the appearance of rainbow smelts among these other finny kin. The small, non-indigenous fish has been established in both Lake Manitou and Lake Kagawong, but had not previously been thought to inhabit Lake Mindemoya, said Mr. Selinger.

"Frankly when I first saw them I didn't twig to it right away, until one of the local gentlemen reminded me that they're not supposed to be here," said the biologist.

He can't say categorically that the species was never in Lake Mindemoya in the past, but it appears that they have arrived recently. "They weren't present in 2005 (when the last index netting occurred)," noted Mr. Selinger. "And I've talked to other folks in the Mindemoya area who say they weren't there before."

He suspects the smelts found their way into the lake through a careless use of bait or perhaps someone washing a catch from another spot, and losing (or deliberately dumping) a few in the process. "Smelt are harvested during the spawning run, and the eggs and milk will remain viable for days," noted the fisheries expert.

The smelt run on Manitoulin makes for a popular angling (well, scooping) activity each spring, and these sardine-like swimmers make good eating not just for people, but pickerel, Mr. Selinger admitted. Still, "it's an addition to the lake that will carry an effect, and the consequences are rarely beneficial."

As edible as the silvery little newcomers may be, "I don't think people would trade walleye for smelt," suggested the biologist. Still, he said he has to "dig deeper on this" before he can assess how recent, and widespread, the smelt invasion might be.

Reaching a determination on the size and health of the walleye population will also take some time. But while numbers of the sport fish are likely to prove fewer than in the past, this doesn't necessarily mean a crisis.

"There are still lots of walleye," said Mr. Selinger, adding that, based on the ones observed in the recent netting, they "are in excellent health, and good-sized fish." His hunch is that growth rates are, in fact, improving, although he stressed that "this is speculation at this point."

Fall is the best time to conduct walleye netting since, due to the drop in surface temperature, "they are distributed across the lake instead of clumped up," he explained.

The nets "fish the bottom" of the lake, he noted, but the MNR crew didn't focus on the deepest-or shallowest, for that matter-part of the water body. Of the 12 nets set at mid-month, a third were placed in shallow water, another third in deep water, and the remaining four "at mid range," he said.

The work was done in consultation with the UFGCM, and with notification provided to the M'Chigeeng First Nation, while use of the Pirate's Cove resort was granted to the MNR crew for docking and fish-cleaning purposes.

Mr. Selinger said the three-person MNR team put in long days of 12-14 hours, and had to haul up the nets by hand, in rather grim weather at times, yet he didn't characterize this as arduous work. "It's nice to be working outside," he said.

The trio made a point of staying clear of the area where the usual perch anglers were congregated, and in general, felt the project proceeded without ruffling any feathers, or fins. "I think folks understood why we were out there," said Mr. Selinger.

Of the fish caught, and sacrificed in the name of science, a lot were provided as food to the M'Chigeeng First Nation, while others were doled out among "some of the local folks" inhabiting the rest of the lake, said Mr. Selinger. Unfortunately, federal health legislation prevents the donation of such a harvest to an organization like Manitoulin Family Resources or Community Living Manitoulin, as has occurred in the past.

Still, most of the take ended up on a plate, or in a freezer for future consumption, which is the MNR's preference, as "we don't want to see it go to waste," said Mr. Selinger.

He acknowledges that some observers might still question the need for fish to be sacrificed en masse, but in his view "it's a drop in the bucket compared to what the lake should sustain and what recreational fishing takes," and will ultimately assist in the preservation of the resource.

Aerial surveys of angling activity, along with creel censuses, can provide some useful information, but neither yields the sort of specific, biological data that is required to properly evaluate the fishery and plan its future. "I'm convinced this is the best tool," said Mr. Selinger.

He noted that, apart from gaining a clearer picture of walleye dynamics, "we will have some good information on perch as well, which is another bread-and-butter fishery." And samples from the netting will additionally be shared with the Ministry of the Environment for analysis of contaminants, for its Guide to Eating Ontario Sports Fish program.

The downside of such a thorough assessment is that an immediate prognosis on the pickerel situation will not be possible. It takes time to sift through the data, crunch the numbers, and come up with a report.

Mr. Selinger said it will take three-six months before all the information is compiled and properly analyzed.

Little Current hotel proposal

to get public airing next Wed.

LITTLE CURRENT-The public will be presented with the hotel plan proposed for Little Current at an open meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 4 at the rec centre.

Starting at 7 pm in the main hall, the proponent of the hotel proposal, a group of Island First Nations represented by the Great Spirit Circle Trail, will present its development plan for the property located to the west of the Manitoulin Welcome Centre on Highway 6.

The GSCT plan received approval from the Northeast Town earlier this month, after council considered bids from the GSCT and one other developer. At the time, Waubetek Business Services executive director Dawn Madahbee said she was pleased to have the chance to bring the plan to the public.

"I appreciate the opportunity to address the project with the community," she said. "It is important to address their concerns in an open forum."

Several concerns have been raised surrounding the project, including the lack of public consultation up to this point and the perception that council is sacrificing public parkland for private development.

However, council has been adamant that the land adjacent to the welcome centre was always set aside for a future hotel project, and that the land is zoned as commercial, which provides it with the proper designation for development.

Mayor Jim Stringer has said that the public meeting would allow council to further gauge interest in the project and help address people's concerns.

Rec specialist to aid Aboriginal youth in healthy lifestyles

by Lindsay Kelly

AUNDECK OMNI KANING-With the cases of obesity and diabetes on the rise amongst youth in First Nations communities, Noojmowin Teg Health Centre is employing a new strategy to encourage physical exercise and healthy lifestyles amongst the Island's vulnerable.

Mark Peltier has been hired as the health centre's Aboriginal children's recreation specialist-a position designed to guide youth into healthy habits through organized recreational activities that are open and free of charge to youth across the health centre's catchment area, which includes the six Manitoulin First Nations as well as Whitefish River.

"Obesity and diabetes are becoming big problems in the Aboriginal communities, so it's something we're targeting to reduce or prevent," he explains. "But the program is not just focussed on physical activity; there's also mental health, Aboriginal traditional teachings and nutrition."

Mr. Peltier, who has an extensive background in the field of recreation and fitness, said the decision to introduce a recreation specialist was made following the success of the Manitoulin First Nations Triathlon.

The event drew an astonishing 72 participants in its first year, and that encouraging start prompted the organization to consider what events could be added to their mandate in future years.

"Noojmowin Teg did have recreational events in the past, primarily the triathlon at Sunshine Alley in Whitefish River," Mr. Peltier explains. "But they wanted to make a change, since a lot of people looked forward to it every summer, but with only one event, they couldn't satisfy every community on a year-round basis."

In Mr. Peltier, Noojmowin Teg has found a qualified, eager specialist who brings extensive training and experience to the position. After graduating from the fitness and leisure management program at Cambrian College, Mr. Peltier worked as a professional fitness trainer in Toronto for a number of years before returning to his hometown of Wikwemikong. He was employed under Wikwemikong's recreation program before taking on his new role, which is funded by the Ministry of Health Promotion.

The program got under way last November, with Mr. Peltier introducing after-school activities like broomball, badminton, floor hockey and ice skating to the youth in the various communities.

"Our main goal is to provide recreation and physical activities for the community, free of charge-there is no cost to anyone," he says, noting that the focus of the program is on kids aged 12 and under, but everyone is welcome. "My goal is to assist in preventing obesity and diabetes through physical activity-that's a huge component of that."

The new program has also allowed for collaboration with the recreation coordinators in each of the communities, as well as Noojmowin Teg's vast array of specialists.

In conjunction with his junior golf program, for example, Mr. Peltier brought in the health centre's dietitian, Zsolt Toth, to offer a lesson on the difference in nutritional content between energy drinks-often laden with sugar and high in calories-and a simple glass of water. As an alternative, he gave the kids a tutorial on how to make more healthy energy drinks at home.

During another lesson, Dan Garcia, the health centre's fetal alcohol spectrum disorder specialist, offered advice on substance abuse and its associated consequences.

Most activities don't require pre-registration-youth can just show up and participate-and Mr. Peltier was pleased with the turnout for activities held throughout the fall and winter. "Participation (was) pretty good," he says. "It's nice to see the kids come out with their families and parents."

Now that he's secured extended funding for the program, he's eager to implement some new ideas and expand the options available to youth.

He's already brought in some expert assistance to aid in teaching kids about the various activities he organizes. For example, this summer, paddling enthusiasts Heather Pennie and Mark Gibeault were brought in to offer guidance on things like learning the parts of the kayak and different strokes for a kayaking and canoeing program.

He also brought in a member of the Sudbury Smashers Table Tennis Club to offer tips on bringing up the kids' table tennis game.

Kids' sport camps are another new idea being introduced by the rec specialist. Offered in six-week blocks, the camps are designed around activities like soccer, slo-pitch, canoeing and kayaking, and ball hockey.

"It provides different recreation and sport opportunities for kids," Mr. Peltier explains. "Every week there's a different sport we work on."

The idea is to introduce kids to different sports they may not have played before, to allow them to get a taste of what they like and don't like.

In Whitefish River, a dryland camp will focus on various sports, and will work on kids' cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, muscle strength, endurance, and balance. The program is open to any interested youth, regardless of whether or not they are in training for a sport.

With all this activity taking place, Noojmowin Teg is embarking on a study, with parents' consent, to record and monitor the body mass indexes (BMIs) of the youth enrolled in the programs. "It's a way of measuring the success of the program," Mr. Peltier says, "and to see if the kids are losing weight."

To his knowledge, no other such study is being undertaken in Canada, and he says there may be opportunities to roll the data into a larger study at some point in the future.

So far, Mr. Peltier hasn't put a cap on the number of kids in each program, but the numbers in the fledgling program are promising.

In a larger community like Wikwemikong, he might see 20 to 30 kids enrolled in a program, whereas in Sheshegwaning or Zhiibaahaasing, the numbers are closer to five to 10 kids. But many of the smaller communities may only have 15 kids registered at the school, so it's a radio about which Mr. Peltier is pleased.

The response from parents has also been positive, because it helps out families who may not be able to afford to enroll their kids in the more expensive sports, but their children still get the benefit of a physical activity, along with valuable lessons on healthy lifestyles.

"There's a good variety of athletic and non-athletic teachings," he says. "And that's really what the program is trying to do to target these kids."

Community members can look for upcoming events in their monthly Noojmowin Teg newsletter.

EDITORIAL

First Nation demand for consultation should be heeded

A few months ago, the First Nations communities on Manitoulin Island, through the United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin (UCCM), the local tribal council, gave notice through this newspaper that any negotiations that involved their tribal lands must be dealt with through the UCCM speaking directly to whatever agency or senior level of government is involved in the matter.

The First Nations were merely stating the obvious: they view themselves in fact, as well as in name, as sovereign institutions and so they choose to do business only at a similar level with their municipal, federal and provincial counterparts. This is a fact that has been tacitly acknowledged by all levels of government as the term "First Nation(s)" has become the standard reference for both communities and individuals of Aboriginal descent.

Ontario Minister of Energy and Infrastructure George Smitherman should heed this UCCM directive as his ministry prepares to do business with multiple private sector energy generators, like Northland Power in Manitoulin's case, and where corridors for new energy transmission lines will have to cross-or travel through-one or more First Nation territories.

It was very clear from the wording of the notice published by the UCCM that, in cases just like transmission line corridors, the communities expect to deal directly with the provincial government at the ministerial level.

So far, according to a source within the UCCM, this hasn't been the case and the tribal council is waiting for a response to letters sent to Minister Smitherman on this particular file.

The Ministry of Energy doubtless expects the Northland Power proposal to move on to completion, but it will be doing this process no favours should it continue to ignore the interests and concerns of neighbouring First Nations communities for, at the end of the day, any transmission lines from new Island energy projects must pass through the Whitefish River First Nation. And certainly any power corridor options will also affect either Aundeck Omni Kaning or Sheguiandah First Nations.

Letters to the Editor

Northeast Town council ignoring wishes of taxpayers

Hotel issue should be made referendum during next election

To the Expositor:

Why are many of our Northeast Town elected politicians not showing accountability to the taxpayers? Instead, Northeast Town council refuses to practise transparency and continues to hold many meetings in camera. Taxpayers are continually kept in the dark, the most recent incident being the development proposal located west of the tourist information booth. It should be clear from the start to ask the people what they want before council proceeds on any new development. This does not appear to be the Northeast Town council's procedure and perhaps it is time to make a change before a 2010 election.

Designating the property to the west of the info booth as commercial or parkland-which is known to many as "The Jungle"-does not give council a platform to ignore the large majority of taxpayers in Ward 2 as well as many other Northeast Town residents who signed the petition to "save our NEMI parkland," which garnered over 600 signatures.

Has this council not learned from the grave mistakes of past councils? One example: the old school board building was offered to our town for an exceptional bargain price. It would have housed all required town offices and also council chambers. Some members of this present council were included in the decision to rent that property rather than buy the property for next to nothing. This decision cost taxpayers a huge amount of money for several years. When the lease contract expired, the newly elected council at that time voted to purchase the present municipal building.

Council, what is your urgency to sell Northeast Town taxpayers' waterfront property, which obviously means so much to taxpayers and tourists? Has council considered putting the decision of this contentious development proposal to a referendum on the 2010 election ballot? There are other available locations. Council, how can anyone state or predict that this proposed project can generate "at least $180,000 return to the public coffers in commercial taxes" ("Northeast Town opts for GSCT version of hotel plan," October 21)?

Enough is enough. Let's not continue to be so na•ve that big mistakes are made again!

Mary E. Bond

Little Current

Rocks thrown on highway could have caused accident

Parents, children are to blame for irresponsibility

To the Expositor:

I had a great Thanksgiving with my family and friends. On Monday, October 12, it was time to take our son and his family back home. At approximately 5:15, I was driving back home to Wikwemikong, southbound on Highway 6 by the Birch Island Community Centre about 1 kilometre, when I was hit by a rock on my windshield by youth standing on the rock cut. All I heard was a loud smashing sound. My windshield almost shattered. I'm so grateful that no-one in the vehicle was hurt. I was so disappointed and upset to see my windshield smashed.

I drove to the Little Current police detachment to report to the OPP what had happened to me.

I feel that the parents should be responsible for their children's actions; they are as guilty as their children because they should know where and what their kids are doing and who they are with at all times. I feel that these individuals think it's a big joke to do things to innocent people while they are driving through their community. It's just not right for them to think in that manner.

The next day, I called the Birch Island band office to talk to the chief, so he would be aware of what the youth are doing in the community, but I talked to the executive director. I also told him the next time these individuals do this to someone they could cause a serious accident. Someone could get seriously injured or killed.

If it doesn't seem like a big deal to you, then maybe you should put yourself in my shoes and think about the money ($300 for a new windshield), the time (a day off work to get my windshield replaced in Sudbury), and the worry (the thought that ran through my head right after it happened-is my son, who was sleeping in the backseat, fine? Did my husband get glass in his eyes when it shattered in the vehicle?) that this has caused my family and I.

In conclusion, I would like to say that I wasn't the only vehicle to get hit by a rock during the long weekend.

This is an extremely serious and dangerous offence in which these individuals are engaged.

Whatever the outcome of this incident, I hope that these individuals get consequences for their actions.

Rachael Maiangowi

Wikwemikong

Hotel better served elsewhere

Present landscape should be preserved

To the Expositor:

As a Haweater, now "from away," I appreciate all the news from home in your fantastic paper and also admire with a sense of envy all the folks who work so diligently and fantastically on the many wonderful suppers, concerts, plans, and happenings that make Manitoulin so very special and unique. It will always be at the centre of my heart.

However, upon pondering the proposed hotel near to the welcome centre, I can't help but imagine that space as better served for a nature park/rest area and placing the hotel closer to other similar structures further up the hill. This plan would preserve the current pastoral setting by the bridge and also allow for future bridge expansions and developments.

Having said all that, I don't live at home anymore and am not there to help out in person; however, the Manitoulin lives in my heart, prompting this letter with thanks.

Rev. Jean Brown

Arden, Ont.