Great Lakes water levels

Go up,Go down and IJC's Upper Lakes group

rules out immediate remediation of problems at St. Clair River

by Michael Erskine

LITTLE CURRENT-International Upper Great Lakes Study (IUGLS) co-chair Kay Felt could have been paraphrasing the late Island environmental champion and defender of the North Channel Barney Turner when she described the curious inverse relationship between the formation of water level study groups and the release of their reports.

"Water levels go up and water levels go down-and it is always a big deal," said Mr. Turner in his last interview on lake levels with the Expositor.

Ms. Felt, the US co-chair of a group struck by the International Joint Commission to study the water levels of the upper Great Lakes, noted that the group was formed in response to low water levels, but those levels appear to have reached their nadir and are returning to levels closer if not above chart datum averages. She pointed out that the previous study had been formed at a time when lake levels had reached critically high levels and many lakeside homes were in danger of falling into the water due to high water erosion of waterfront bluffs.

That is not to suggest that the study group is not taking the possibility of long-term changes in water levels into account, or that they have not found anything disturbing in measured trends. Or, for that matter, might not be a new paradigm facing those investigating which way the water flows.

"A year ago talk about climate change caused heads to wag," said Ms. Felt. "I think we can no longer ignore the impact of climate change."

Although the study group is not ignoring climate change, per se, the group's scientists (which include Jim Bruce, the only Canadian among the group of environment scientists which picked up a Nobel prize recently in Norway) admit embarrassment in only having one station measuring evaporation and climate on water levels in the Great Lakes. This despite recognizing that evaporation from the Great Lakes is hands down the largest single removal of water from those bodies-far dwarfing that used by human consumption or diverted through man-made or natural outflows. Evaporation is estimated at 116 billion gallons daily (roughly the entire outflow of the St. Clair River), while consumption use is approximately 4.2 billion gallons. The evaporation numbers are wildly rough, however, being plus or minus a mind-numbing 20 percent.

Measuring the inflow, and outflow, and subtracting one from the other, is how the scientists currently calculate estimates of water evaporation. Within those calculations lie a world of black-box assumptions and conjectures.

The presenters came to Little Current for the two-hour Saturday public information meeting as part of a multi-community tour-and they were under tight constraints to make it to the Parry Sound meeting by 3 pm. Despite this, the presenters held off starting the meeting for nearly half an hour to allow more people to fill in the seats. Dr. Bruce (who is also the Canadian co-chair of the study) and emcee Doug Cuddy, had to leave early in order to ensure that at least some of the members arrived in Parry Sound on time. Dr. Bruce and Ms. Felt are alternating presenting the study, in part to facilitate the leapfrogging schedule.

Mr. Cuddy is a member of the IUGLS Interest Advisory Group and represents the Lake Superior Conservancy and Watershed Council. Scientist Dr. Syed Moin is the Canadian co-manager of the IUGLS and it was he who delivered the scientific explanation of the study.

The study has four key components: determining how water level changes affect resource groups including the environment; developing improved knowledge of hydrologic and hydraulic processes of the Great Lakes system under the current climate regime; considering climate change; and involving governments, industry, academia, Native Americans/First Nations and the public.

The study has two main objectives: to investigate the St. Clair River flow and to investigate the whether the current Lake Superior outflow management procedures could be improved considering the evolving upper Great Lakes interests and climate change. The group will make recommendations to the International Joint Commission on changes and actions that may be necessary.

The Public Interest Avisory Group (PAIG) gives the public the opportunity to provide input to the study regarding values associated with different Great Lakes water levels. It provides a vehicle for the study to provide information to the public. It advises study on outreach and communications. It advises study on broad directions of work and it allows the study to benefit from the experience and expertise of PAIG members.

The good news found so far by the study is that water levels are up and that water supplies to all the Great Lakes are above average. Michigan and Huron are 22 cm above last year, while Superior is 42 cm above last year and a whopping 24 cm above chart datum. Water flows into Michigan-Huron from Superior will have jumped by about eight percent over the amount that flowed in July. Michigan-Huron, however, remains 32 cm below the beginning of the month average from 1918 to 2007.

The preliminary study conclusions suggest that changes in Lake Huron water levels are due in part to both inceased St. Clair River conveyance (more water heading south) and changes in the net basin supply, especially as a result of evaporation. The study has not yet been peer-reviewed and other factors, which could be playing a role, are still being investigated. The initial findings suggest that doing anything immediately about water levels (phrased as immediate mitigation) would be premature and not within the current mandate of the five-year study.

The Grand Canal project raised its head at this point in the meeting, with the subject of further arctic water diversions dismissed by all parties present as being undesirable.

The remaining few minutes of the public meeting were given over to the public to point out if the study was missing any critical information.

The main suggestion coming from one audience member was to do a cross analysis of the water levels of all of the lakes across North America to help determine if the Great Lakes system was performing differently from the North American water systems as a whole-an approach Dr. Moin said he would bring back to the team.

Another suggestion was to investigate the impact of farmers' irrigation on the system. That suggestion drew a heated retort from another audience member who asserted that farmers are among the most conscientious stewards of the watershed.

Ms. Felt noted that competing and divergent interests are part of the balancing act that must be performed when dealing with the question of Great Lakes water levels.

Most of the other suggestions were already being dealt with within the 60-odd multifarious studies being conducted as part of the $4.5 million, five-year investigation.

Ferry rates get mid-season hike of 10%

2008 budget skewed by high fuel prices, lower ridership

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-As of this past Friday, passengers were paying 10 percent more to board the Chi-Cheemaun ferry, but that's a modest hike next to what the company has been losing due to higher costs and fewer riders.

"We're not trying to completely recover our lost revenue," noted Ian Dean of the Owen Sound Transportation Company (OSTC), which operates the ferry on behalf of the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM). "We're trying to cover some of our expenses but at the same time not scare away customers, who have the option of driving around."

Fares went up 10 percent for all passengers, although prices in the cafeteria and gift shop have remained static, said Mr. Dean. As well, the priority-passage booking fee of $20 and dinner cruise tickets, at $46.95 per person, have not changed.

The increase means that the cost for a standard-size car, not including driver or passengers, will now be $34.70 instead of $31.55. For a car carrying two people, the increase amounts to just over $6, noted Mr. Dean.

Like many businesses, the ferry service has struggled this year with the impact of higher fuel costs, which both deter people from travelling and add significantly the OSTC's diesel bill. But Mr. Dean stressed that the mid-season fare hike "is not a fuel surcharge;" had the company planned to offset its fuel expenses, the increase in fares "would have been much higher."

Gary Brown, a member of the OSTC board and a resident of the South Baymouth terminus community, agreed. "Ten percent doesn't come close to covering the cost of fuel," he said. "We had a 50 percent increase in fuel costs."

Mr. Brown regrets the higher cost to passengers but hopes the impact on tourism will be minimal. "It might have some deterrent as far as whether people take the boat or drive around, but I think the ones who are coming are coming anyway," he mused. "We had to do something to cover off some of our costs and I think this is the best resolution for everyone involved."

Traffic aboard the Chi-Cheemaun has declined by 9 percent this summer, said Mr. Dean, and he doesn't expect passenger numbers to climb much, if at all, over the remainder of the season. "I don't think we're going to gain any traffic in the fall."

But the 10 percent increase isn't directly related to that 9 percent dip in ridership, the OSTC marketing director said. "It's more to offset our expenses than make up for lost revenue."

The ferry company has taken a number of steps to reduce its costs this season, including a decision to run on just two of the ship's four engines and alter its course to save on gas. This has resulted in a slightly longer crossing but had no impact on the departure times, in part because the decrease in vehicles has made for quicker turnaround times at the docks, noted Mr. Dean.

But even with the savings reaped through these adjustments, the ship is still taking a substantial hit, particularly since fares for this season were set before the spike in gas prices could be anticipated.

The OSTC board considered a number of scenarios before making a recommendation to the MNDM, which subsidizes the ferry service as well as has the final say in changes to its schedule or fare structure. "We looked at different options, and at this stage of the season felt this was the most acceptable and practical," said Mr. Dean.

Al Douglas, chair of the Manitoulin Tourism Association (MTA) board, isn't thrilled that visitors will have to pay more to reach Manitoulin by water, but is pleased that the increase isn't exorbitant. "It's nothing that huge, so based on that I don't think it will keep people from taking the ferry," he surmised.

Many people have already made reservations for both the ferry and accommodations on Manitoulin, Mr. Douglas added, so are unlikely to scratch their travel plans at this point.

The downturn in the US economy and steep price at the pumps have certainly had some impact on the Island's tourist operators and seasonal businesses, yet Mr. Douglas believes the situation is not as dire as some might suggest.

"I just came from the (welcome centre) and it's been unbelievably busy in the booth," he noted. "We had a bit of a slow start in July but by the civic holiday weekend all of the campsites and accommodations on the Island were filled. Tourism is still very much alive and well from what I can tell."

Accommodations in South Baymouth are a bit more vulnerable to changes in ferry patterns, however, and Mr. Brown fears for their viability if traffic remains slow on the Chi-Cheemaun. "Most of the motels here rely on the boat traffic," he said. "If the boat's hurting, they're hurting."

Still, Mr. Brown believes "we have to stay upbeat." Manitoulin remains "a great place to come to," he said, and "hopefully if the price of fuel drops a bit more, and we get a month of busy sailing, maybe we can come close to our budget."

With traffic down, particularly on the late crossing from Manitoulin to Tobermory, the board had earlier considered the possibility that one of the four daily sailings might have to be scrapped. For Mr. Brown, a 10-percent fare hike is more palatable than the loss of a crossing-or of the service altogether. "It's better than no ship," he said.

Ferries in other parts of the country have introduced fuel surcharges to compensate for the increase to their operating costs, noted Mr. Dean. "The larger ferries on either side of Canada have had at least one surcharge of about 15 percent," he pointed out.

The OSTC could go that route in the future, said Mr. Dean, but this will be a discussion to have later. "We'll look long and hard at all the factors after this season is done," he said.

St. Denis's 'Peacekeeper Day' inaugurated

by Michael Erskine

OTTAWA-We Canadians are justly proud of our international role as peacekeepers and the pivotal role played by the then not-yet Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lester B. Pearson in the gestation and birth of the United Nations peacekeeping role-and this past weekend bore witness to the first observance of a Nation Peacekeepers' Day.

Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Brent St. Denis was in Ottawa for that first observance, and he had a special reason to stand tall at the observances, as it was his private member's bill that established National Peacekeepers' Day last June.

"I am pleased to attend this event that recognizes members of the Canadian Forces, RCMP, the police forces and members of the diplomatic corps and civilians who support security and peace," said Mr. St. Denis.

Mr. St. Denis refused to take full credit for the establishment of National Peacekeepers' Day, however, giving credit to one of his constituents for bringing the idea forward. "I want to acknowledge Robert Manuel of Elliot Lake who brought this initiative forward," he said. "Because of the hard work and bipartisanship of my colleagues in the House of Commons and in the Senate, Canada's peacekeepers and those who believe in the fundamentals of peacekeeping, will have a special day in their honour and their sacrifices for peace will never be forgotten. The message it sends about peace and peacekeeping is strong and I am proud that my colleagues from all political parties agree."

Mr. St. Denis also expressed his thanks to Senator Art Eggleton and veterans' organizations who appeared before both the House of Commons and Senate committees to provide input and support for the day of recognition.

August 9 was chosen as the day to observe National Peacekeepers' Day because it was on that date in 1974 that nine Canadian peacekeepers lost their lives when the plane they were travelling on from Beirut to Damascus was shot down by a surface-to-air missile. Mr. St. Denis pointed out that since then, 164 Canadian peacekeepers have lost their lives while keeping the peace around the world in over 66 nations.

Internet debate around Canada's recent peacekeeping efforts has tended to focus strictly on the military contribution to peacekeeping efforts, but Mr. St. Denis noted that focus on the efforts of only the military does a disservice to the efforts of diplomats and non-military personnel who also contribute to the cause of keeping peace in the world.

"The Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson won a Nobel Peace Prize for proposing the first United Nations peacekeeping mission," noted Mr. St. Denis. "Since then our brave men and women in the armed forces and many non-military citizens have helped keep peace around the world-and they deserve recognition for it."

The role of peacekeeper has changed considerably since the days of the 1956 Suez Crisis and the first UN peacekeeping missions to the Middle East proposed by Mr. Pearson and his colleagues at the then still-nascent UN. Since the end of the cold war, UN peacekeeping efforts have become more complex and are now more likely to stand between warring factions within states than between warring states.

Mr. St. Denis spent the day following National Peacekeepers' Day visiting the final resting place of Mr. Pearson at the Mclaren Cemetary, in Wakefield, Quebec. "This day was also a tribute to him," said Mr. St. Denis of the man who did as much as anyone to create the modern international self-perception of Canadians.

EDITORIAL
Country Fest fans prove organizers on winning track

The final song of the final set at last weekend's Manitoulin Country Fest in Little Current was a special encore number that Canadian country great George Canyon dedicated to the few hundred fans who still stood in pouring rain at 10:30 pm, listening to the music.

"You're a great audience," he called out, "to still be here in the rain!"

Such was the spirit of the event-the second annual one-that filled up local resorts and campgrounds and brought a whole lot of "musical tourists" into the area.

Coincidentally, the weekend that Manitoulin Country Fest organizers Craig and Kelly Timmermans have chosen for last year's and this year's events is the same one that finds Shelburne, in Dufferin County near Orangeville in southern Ontario, awash with country music fans visiting that community to attend the Canadian Fiddling Championships that have given Shelburne the nickname "Fiddleville."

Granted, Shelburne has been building on this tradition for over 50 years, but the legacy of the Canadian Fiddling Championships is impressive, including a large auditorium that is, of course, used by the community for other events throughout the year.

The Manitoulin Country Fest impresarios are clearly on the right track and the new faces that appeared in downtown Little Current on Friday and Saturday are certainly an indication of this fact, together with the benefit to the hospitality and retail sectors.

The Manitoulin Country Fest was also a fundraising opportunity for the Manitoulin Islanders Junior 'A' team, the Little Current Lions Club and the local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, as all of these organizations operated food or beverage concessions.

This is a fledgling event and it will no doubt be shaped and refined over the years to come. But judging by the enthusiasm of those fans who, as George Canyon pointed out, braved the rains to hear the music, there is a solid base of support.

Kudos to the organizers for bringing Manitoulin a new event. They can certainly look to the success of the Canadian Fiddling Championships in Shelburne and the dramatic effects that this sustained event has had on that community over the years.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Residents should demand answers to water rate increase

Time is ripe to form ratepayer association to demand action

To the Expositor:

No matter where one goes in Manitowaning these days the increase in water usage rates is bound to pop up in the conversation. It seems that the majority of residents are amazed and mystified that they are seemingly underwriting a portion of the usage fees for the residents of Sunsite Estates. However, this generosity of usually such benevolent souls does not appear to be sitting well. According to the article in the Expositor ("Assiginack opts for temporary levy to finance costs of new water plants," June 25), "numbers were crunched" and Sunsite rates were lowered. Did this happen because Sunsite ratepayers were organized and prepared while we trusting individuals in Manitowaning were caught with our pants down? It would certainly be nice if council would inform the residents of Manitowaning of exactly how much number crunching increased our rates.

Perhaps the time is ripe for Manitowaning ratepayers to form our own association, become organized, prepared and ready to demand answers to questions that affect every property owner. Issues like this certainly do not unite but divide communities.

Yes, a committee is being struck to look at ways to "equalize" payments. Unfortunately these are two very separate systems, and in reality two communities. One is smaller than the other, and therefore has fewer people to share the costs. Sorry, but it's a fact of life, and the only way to lower Sunsite's rates is to raise Manitowaning's. Now just why in the world would we Manitowaningites be so generous? Oh, only on Manitoulin you say!

David Smith

Manitowaning

Writer debates divine source of Anishinabek claim to the land

Writer disputes chief's assertion of a divine source for Anishinabek

To the Expositor:

As published in the August 6 Manitoulin Expositor, "Chiefs call for use of Anishinabek over Aboriginal as proper term for their people," Patrick Madahbee wants Indians to be known as the "original people the creator placed on this land."

The Indians of the Americas came from near India-i.e. Mongolia-China-by way of chasing game across the Bering Strait, through the Americas to Chile, a few thousand years ago.

As to a "creator" being involved, the only creator was hunger and the necessity to survive. Wherever the game went that's where man went. His economy was a hunting and fishing one.

As to what level of caveman hunter existed on this part of our approximately 500 million-year-old planet before the Mongolian-Chinese arrived we do not know. What we do know is the game today is made in China, once a public ownership economy that's gone backwards to capitalism.

If the markets of the Americas dry up as the cyclic capitalist systems do, Mongolian Chinese will no longer be chasing American game, i.e. dollars.

A greater concern, Patrick, than our ancestry is stopping cavemen capitalists and their god, money, destroying our planet and rocketing to another to do the same.

The arms industries of Krupp, Dupont and Mitsubishi are dependent on cheap labour and kill the cheap labour for cheaper labour, and unless the workers of the world unite to establish democracy-i.e. public ownership-it won't matter what we are called. We won't be here.

Two essential books for all ages are Gulliver's Travels and Alice in Wonderland. They support the giants on the heroes monument, at 2568 Highway 540, Little Current, Canada.

Douglas Campbell

Honora Bay

Youth protestors heroes for bringing attention to CAS situation

Silence ensures there is no accountability

To the Expositor:

The young men from Little Current are truly local heroes ("Kids plan protest on friend's behalf at CAS office on Haweater Weekend," July 23) who touch the lives of every child close and far, standing up to social injustices such as the Children's Aid Society (CAS).

Sudbury-Manitoulin CAS executive director Collette Prevost's answers to the media just prove how little the society actually will admit to their wrongdoings: "It's complicated and we do not expect children to understand." They are all too aware and they do understand, you just got caught and proved by children that there is so much abuse within a system designed to protect children. The CAS keeps the secrecy so that there is no accountability, but you got caught and these kids are wonderful and amazing.

The evidence they accumulated is mind-blowing. They inspire you to be a better person and to continue advocating for children in such a corrupt world. I believe that the CAS is only an extension of the residential schools, again with protection of the government to rob children and to abuse them in the name of protection and what is best for them.

I want to share one of my own personal heartbreaks. I had a young mother come to me with her son a few years ago. She told me she witnessed a sexual assault on her son by his father. She was scared to death because of his threats against her and her son. She ran with her son and came to stay with me and my family. She was desperate for help and could not find it. Her son told me of his assaults and how his daddy hurt him. I encouraged her to go to the police. So I assisted her in telling her plight. She got one door after another closed in her face. (I wish I could tell you this is uncommon, but there have been numerous sexual assaults brought to the attention of the Sudbury Regional Police without charges laid against alleged pedophiles.)

This is so important, because, for one, the officers in the sexual assault division are not properly trained in interviewing children for sexual assault, and the local police chief sits on the board of the local CAS. This is not fair to victims of domestic violence, and it is unethical at the least. Then CAS ordered with a judge for the father to get visits. The boy told the judge he was uncomfortable and said that he was not comfortable with his father helping him after he went to the washroom. When the mother reported it to the police, the CAS came and took him and gave him to his father. It breaks my heart to watch her in anguish. She sees her son two times a week now for three hours (if the personal support workers show up on time). The son repeatedly asks the workers for more time with his mother, and states, "I want to come home with you mommy forever." They punished her for speaking up.

It is not your situation that gets justice, it's who you know. (I wish this was only an isolated case, but it happens all too often to be isolated.) And the perception that nice people don't rape children is ludicrous. There are so many wolves out there in sheep's clothing. The one thing that has not changed is that there is still abuse of power, and our most precious members of society are still being victimized by the very people who state they are here to protect them. It is up to past victims of the CAS and the police to come forward and launch class-action suits. God bless and thank you for your time.

Tania VanNorman

Webbwood