Crystal Shawanda the big winner!

Wiky country star takes five Aboriginal Music Awards

by Jim Moodie

TORONTO-Ascendant country star Crystal Shawanda outshone all others at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards in Toronto on Friday, with the Wikwemikong singer snagging prizes in five categories.

Buffy Sainte-Marie, the Saskatchewan-born folk legend who played at the Wiky powwow back in its earliest years, and helped define the '60s protest movement with her ballad "The Universal Soldier," was also recognized with a lifetime contribution award.

The evening, though, belonged to Ms. Shawanda, a husky-voiced 28-year-old who has parlayed a humble upbringing on Manitoulin and a decade-long apprenticeship within the competitive Nashville music scene into a year that can safely be called a breakout one.

Her debut album Dawn of a New Day has been climbing country charts in both Canada and the US, and its first single, "You Can Let Go," which hit the airwaves on this side of the border in January, has been the fastest climbing release on the Canadian Country Singles Chart since 2000, reaching the Top 10 in five weeks.

The Wiky chanteuse was overlooked at the Canadian Country Music Awards earlier this year, despite being nominated in several categories and featured as a live performer. Her three-trophy haul at the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards in November-for best country CD, best new artist and single of the year-served as some vindication, and may have presaged more laurels to come, but even Ms. Shawanda must have been surprised by the coronation that occurred in Toronto last week.

The singer won in every category for which she was nominated, including best female artist, best single, and best video for "You Can Let Go." Her recording Dawn of a New Day, meanwhile, netted both best country album and album of the year.

Parents Virginia and Godfrey made the trek to Toronto to watch their daughter collect her hardware and perform during the gala, as well as at the Hard Rock CafZ the following night.

"It was exciting," said her mom. "Not to be conceited, but we kind of expected she would win, or at least have a good chance."

While it may seem like Ms. Shawanda has rocketed to fame over the past year, mom Virginia pointed out that "she's been working at this a long time, so it's not an overnight success. It's been a long journey."

Taking two awards each at the gala were Winnipeg rockers Eagle and Hawk, for best rock album and best group; throat singer Tanya Tagaq, for best female traditional CD and best album design; Regina artist Mitch Daigneault, as best male artist and best songwriter; and Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk of Toronto, who took top place in the best-fiddle and best-instrumental-album categories.

Other winners included Christa Couture, for top folk album, the Northern Cree for best powwow recording, and 7th Generation for best rap or hip-hop album.

Ms. Shawanda, who resides now in Nashville but returns often to her home community in Wiky, will be touring next year in Canada and the US with Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley, as a special guest on the Paisley Party tour. Organizers of Little Current's Country Fest are hopeful that she'll also top the bill for our local twangfest in August.

Skid on black ice results in Birch Island woman's death

SHEGUIANDAH-A two-vehicle accident near Sheguiandah tragically claimed the life of a Birch Island woman last Wednesday night.

Around 9:30 pm on November 26, a southbound Nissan driven by Nina Jacko, 35, slid sideways on an icy section of Highway 6 between Old Highway 6 and Orr's Sideroad, crossing the centre line and striking a northbound minivan driven by Jennifer Sayyae of Little Current.

Ms. Jacko, an employee of the Whitefish River First Nation, was killed in the crash. Ms. Sayyae suffered bruises and torn ligaments, and was still in hospital being treated for injuries as of early this week. Neither woman had a passenger in their vehicle.

Police responded to the accident at 9:45 pm, with members of the Northeast Town fire department also on hand to provide assistance and operate extrication equipment.

This stretch of Highway 6 south of Little Current was mostly bare at the time, although a light snow had begun to fall and the combination of dropping temperature and moisture on the asphalt created what people on the scene describe as black-ice conditions.

The highway was closed until 5 am as members of the OPP's traffic collision team undertook a reconstruction of the crash.

As of press time, an investigation of the collision was ongoing, but no charges were expected to be laid.

Tories lose confidence of opposition parties; coalition in the offing

by Chris Kivinen-Newman

ALGOMA-MANITOULIN-KAPUSKASING-Although Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Carol Hughes was mum on the details of a possible coalition government on Monday, she had harsh words for what she saw as the Conservative Party's lack of a consistent plan to tackle the economy.

"The economic update didn't address a lot of issues," said Ms. Hughes, before running down a laundry list of the items she felt should have been in the plan. "There was no consumer protection in regards to bank, credit-card charges, and gas prices, no new money for infrastructure, no investment in the safety net, and nothing about Aboriginal communities."

Ms. Hughes said that what made the economic update even worse was that, in her eyes, it wasn't even consistent with the Conservative's throne speech-which she added was already a plan the NDP had concerns about-or Prime Minister Stephen Harper's campaign promises.

"We are baffled, because during the election, they were saying there wasn't going to be an economic crisis, then a week before the election he changed his mind," she said. "Now they're saying they saw it coming for a long time. So then why didn't they put money aside?"

The AMK MP added that while nothing was set in stone as of press time, the NDP's decision about whether or not to support the Conservative economic plan was not about forcing an election or gaining personal power.

"Canadians made it very clear in the last election. Only 38 percent voted in favour of the Conservatives," Ms. Hughes said. "It was incumbent on this government to bring back an economic stimulus package that would address the issues of the kitchen table-as we were saying during the election-and not the boardroom table, and they failed to do that."

She added that, while she felt that Canadians did not want to go back to the polls-an option which Governor General Micha'lle Jean will have at her disposal if the opposition parties pass a no-confidence motion-she was not so certain that Mr. Harper himself did not want an election.

Ms. Hughes, who said she did not understand the logic in the Tory plan, questioned whether or not Mr. Harper was deliberately trying to force the opposition's hand so that he could try again for his coveted majority government.

She did say, however, that she felt that the much-discussed cutting of government subsidies was merely "smoke and mirrors" designed to distract from the lack of a cohesive plan to stimulate the economy.

Ms. Hughes said she does not have an opinion about who would best lead the coalition government as prime minister, explaining that since the presumed leader of the coalition would be a Liberal, it was up to that party to decide who would be leader.

Ms. Hughes was often openly critical of Liberal Leader Stephane Dion's leadership during the local campaign in October, but she said she was open to working with the would-be prime minister should the coalition government take power.

"It doesn't forgo the fact that we still have our caucus meetings and our leader is still Jack Layton," said Ms. Hughes. "In regards to who is going to be the leader of the Liberal Party and who is going to be prime minister, that's for the Liberals to decide. Our goal is to work with whoever is there to address the best interests of Canadians."

She also expressed concerns about the release of a secretly taped NDP caucus meeting by the Prime Minister's Office, which she referred to as "illegal."

Ms. Hughes noted that the NDP were seeking legal advice on the matter, and confirmed that the meeting was a closed-door affair, with no Conservative Party members invited. According to Ms. Hughes, the Conservatives would have known full well that caucus meetings are private.

The meeting was being held both in an office in Ottawa and through a conference call, which is presumably how the Conservative Party was able to listen in and record what was being said. Ms. Hughes herself was participating over the phone, from Elliott Lake.

Meanwhile, Brent St. Denis, the former member of parliament for Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, said he supports talks between the Liberals and the NDP to form a coalition government, "for the good of the country."

Mr. St. Denis, who represented the area for 14 years until his recent defeat to Carol Hughes in October, said that there is a consensus that Prime Minister Stephen Harper has contributed to the political insecurity in the House of Commons and that he has missed his opportunity to work alongside opposition parties.

"I'm of the opinion that Mr. Harper has lost the confidence of parliament and that his rather strident form of leadership-stick-in-the-eye, poke-you-in-the-face type leadership-is not working," Mr. St. Denis said. "He's had ample opportunity since being elected in 2006 to work with the other parties, and has consistently failed to do so."

While the former AMK MP said that Mr. Harper's decision to cut public funding to political parties was, in his view, "very anti-democratic," the main reason why Mr. St. Denis supports the coalition was because of the lack of a stimulus package in the government's recent economic update.

"It's not enough to wait and see what the US is going to do. We're our own country," said Mr. St. Denis.

And while Stephen Harper could delay a confidence motion that would topple his government and possibly install Stephane Dion as prime minister, Mr. St. Denis said that he feels a coalition government is now inevitable.

"When they taped the NDP meeting, they proved themselves not worthy of governing," he said. "He had an opportunity to make this parliament work and go for a couple of years, but he chose not to."

Mr. St. Denis said that he would be prepared to run again if a confidence motion results in a snap election instead of a coalition government.

"I have told my association that if there were an electoral emergency, I would be available, but it's very unlikely this close to an election that the governor general would do that," said the former MP. "She has an obligation to ask the opposition to form a government."

Mr. St. Denis said that he had not yet ruled out running for office farther along in the future.

Propitious circumstances delay

Prov consultant's trip to Mumbai

Glenn Black would have been there on day of terror

by Jim Moodie

PROVIDENCE BAY-Had it not been for a last-minute change in flight plans, Providence Bay business consultant Glenn Black would have arrived in Mumbai, India, just as the city was about to be attacked by terrorists.

"I was on my way to the Toronto airport on Tuesday (November 25) for a 6 pm flight to Mumbai when I was told the flight had been cancelled and rescheduled for Thursday," he says. "The next night I got a call from Blair Sullivan: 'Turn on CNN!'"

On Wednesday of last week, terrorists launched a series of shooting and grenade attacks, including two on luxury hotels, in India's commercial metropolis and Bollywood capital, formerly called Bombay. At least 119 people were killed and as many, if not more, were wounded. "I would have been flying right into it," remarks Mr. Black.

The engineer and business consultant had been slated to present a series of project-management seminars in three Indian cities, including Mumbai, through his company, Process Quality Associates. His first few days would have been spent in a Mumbai hotel, albeit not one of the two that were targeted by terrorists.

Still, simply being in the city at that time would have been a nerve-racking, if not outright risky, experience, and Mr. Black is glad of the serendipitous flight cancellation that changed his travel plans. "I guess the big guy upstairs is taking care of me," he muses.

In fact, it was a series of unexpected roadblocks that prevented Mr. Black from reaching India. Originally, he was supposed to fly to Mumbai on November 21, but he encountered problems getting a visa from the consulate in Toronto. "The trip was delayed three times in a week and a half," he notes.

Lillian Sullivan, who writes the Providence Bay News and Notes for this paper, had learned of Mr. Black's journey to Mumbai when she and her husband encountered the Blacks at a community supper during the deer hunt. Not knowing his trip would be postponed, she cited his departure date as November 21, causing no shortage of concern for Mr. Black's welfare among readers who picked up the paper last Wednesday-the same day the world learned about India's misfortune.

"Yeah, we've had a fair amount of calls from people in and around Providence Bay," chuckles Mr. Black, who doesn't blame Ms. Sullivan for causing undue alarm, since he himself thought he'd be flying out on November 21.

While Mr. Black is glad to have returned to sleepy Providence Bay rather than be travelling among the jittery urban centres of India, he remains a bit rattled by his close call. He also feels for the people in the subcontinent. "Terrorism really strikes the hearts of everyone around the world," he says.

Having been in Mumbai before, on a business trip in February of 2007, he's familiar with the sites that were singled out by terrorists, which makes the overseas tragedy all the more real. "I had been there because I was visiting the Canadian consulate, and you had to go right by the (Taj Mahal) hotel to get there, so it strikes kind of close to home," he notes.

This is not the first time Mr. Black has experienced a close call with terrorism on foreign soil. Two years ago, he spent six months in Saudi Arabia, acting as a consultant for an engineering and energy-conservation project at the Middle Eastern country's largest oil-processing plant. "Two months after I got back home, it was attacked by Al Quaeda and four security guards were killed," he says.

The damage could have been much worse. "Their plan was to take down the whole plant, which would meant that a very significant portion of the world's oil production would have come to an immediate halt, not to mention could have caused an environmental nightmare, but security was able to stop (the terrorists) at the perimeter," Mr. Black says.

His partners in India are still willing to host Mr. Black for a series of seminars in the new year, but the Prov consultant likely won't be going at all now. Not if wife Judy has anything to do with it, anyway.

Mr. Black's brush with terrorism in Saudi Arabia was already "a little too close for comfort," she says. When she learned on Wednesday of last week that Mumbai had been hit by terrorist attacks, and the only reason her husband was still in Toronto rather than in the Indian city was a fluke of scheduling, it gave her another reason to shudder.

"It was an icky feeling, to be quite honest," she says. "It's one of those 'there by the grace of God' moments."

EDITORIAL

Move over Obama-Canadian politics takes centre stage

Canadian politics became a whole lot more interesting with developments over the weekend, as the three opposition parties-rightfully incensed that the prime minister would use the current global economic crisis to play partisan politics-made a joint commitment to maintain a Liberal government under StZphane Dion for at least the next 18 months.

Even staunch Conservatives have expressed dismay over the machinations of Mr. Harper and his advisors, musing aloud in a plethora of blogs and online discussion forums. What was the most commonly expressed sentiment? How could Mr. Harper possibly have blown things so badly?

The coming weeks will see the demise of Mr. Harper's government and his tenure as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, whether he prorogues parliament to avoid a non-confidence vote to buy time or not. The long knifes in his party, hidden away deeply for so long, were being sharpened within seconds of the leaked news that a possible coalition was taking shape-the name Jim Prentice sweeping instantly into the fore as heir apparent.

Politics is the most unforgiving of environments, and a gaffe that costs a party its hold on power is the least forgivable of transgressions.

Mr. Harper has become poisonously tainted in this affair. But he is far from alone. Mr. Layton may find his position as leader of his party solidified by having brought the NDP vicariously to power, but as revealed by the Nixon-esque release of a taped NDP caucus discussion by the Conservatives, Mr. Layton has been caught plotting the demise of the Conservative government long before the excuse of the offending economic update came about. It will not play well for his party in future elections.

Mr. Duceppe, a man many Canadians wished would recant his divisionist ways so he could lead the country, is also poisoned among his own party faithful for propping up any Canadian government. At least he was true to his word that he would stop the Tories.

No matter how the matter plays out in the next few days, weeks and months, anyone associated directly with this matter will come away with their shirtfronts splattered. No wonder the veteran politician Bob Rae (not so quickly followed by his opponent in the Liberal leadership race, Michael Ignatieff) stepped back from the instant gratification of power.

The least offending person in this whole sordid tale is a man who was elected by his party in order to distance themselves from the sorry malaise of scandal into which unbridled hubris had mired them: StZphane Dion. He can be forgiven for taking the reins handed to him by the confidence of the House-they are reins he must soon relinquish to his chosen heir.

Whether they like it or not, it appears Canadians will have the opportunity to discover whether they had misjudged this honest man of integrity as too weak to steer the nation in times of global crisis in the election just a few short weeks ago.

It is our fervent hope that, for the sake of all Canadians, Prime Minister Dion proves equal to the task.

Letters to the Editor

Landowner clarifies concerns about conservancy group plans

EBC shouldn't target privately-owned land

To the Expositor:

The Expositor did a first-class report. ("Honora landowner alarmed by proximity of trails," November 12.)

I have a couple of small corrections. My concerns are not just for my property, but for all property owners that disagree with the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy's agenda.

In my presentation to Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands council, I stated that my first concern, not main concern, was land out of the tax base. My comment on tax-free status not only recognized the First Nations people, but also youth camps, churches and like-minded organizations that work within our communities.

In response to Mr. Barnett of the Environmental Biosphere Conservancy (EBC), he trivialized all my concerns for the flora, fauna and people of Manitoulin, but that's easy for him to do as he risks nothing. Mr. Barnett failed to point out that the grand plan of the EBC is to turn us into a World Biosphere Reserve (a designation most Islanders have already rejected), severely restricting all landowners.

Mr. Barnett also pointed out that the EBC only had to buy 55.25 acres to access hundreds of acres between the ski hill and my Lot 33 by using easements that Gord Keatley, local surveyor, contends are not meant for public use. Also, 70 metres is quite a bit of leeway as these easements are only 10 metres wide. Again, a proper survey by the EBC would solve all problems. It's easy to take liberties with other peoples' land.

I've read Mr. Barnett's story of how over a 2 1/2-year period he and his family walked the Bruce Trail and this is what prompted him to save Manitoulin.

My story is, I was born in Sudbury in 1950. Around 1954, my father purchased a small property on the west arm of Lake Nipissing. For the next 15 years, I spent every summer and most weekends swimming, fishing and generally playing in the woods. In the fall I hunted and trapped with a MZtis fellow my age. I attended John Island YMCA Camp as part of my summer activities.

In 1966, I was part of a wilderness camp and myself and nine other young men, a leader (George Koski), and a counsellor, charted two sections of the 1967 Centennial Year across Canada canoe trip. I've also done geophysical surveying in Timmins, flying out of South Porcupine and in the Dryden and Red Lake areas.

In 1969, my father (God rest his soul), purchased a farm on Manitoulin on which I now live and which I now own. I have lived here for 38 years and I am proud to have raised my family here. We came here to be part of Manitoulin, not to change it. I would say my concerns are credible, but Mr. Barnett calls me an alarmist!

I would like to point out there are millions of acres of public land in Ontario and Canada. Why target private land? Ownership of the land is one of the things that makes our country a democracy. If Mr. Barnett wants to save the whole Island, then buy it all for a fair price, rather than buffering and protecting. Buy out all the timber operations, gravel pits, quarries, sawmills, etc. Pay all the present and future workers their wages and benefits for as long as the jobs would last. Three hundred and sixty-five days a year jobs are hard to come by on Manitoulin.

Or better still, instead of a tax break to landowners that the government offers, give them a yearly payment per acre, an amount that would equal the value or even better the green value of the forests, gravel pits, quarries, etc. that are left undisturbed. This would be a greater benefit to all landowners and a great incentive to leave the land as it is, and taxes would be paid. If people wish to donate their land to the EBC, then by all means, go ahead.

In my case, the only reason I would cut the trees down would be in the case of a family emergency. My land is my savings account.

I would like to point out that the flagged trails that run up the eastern side of my Lot 33, where it crests at the top of the bluff, have been established on a well-worn deer trail. It has been here since my family has lived here. If people use it, the deer won't.

I worked in the tourist industry for a couple of years. These jobs last eight to 16 weeks per year, depending on the weather and economy, as any tourist operator can tell you. One can't sustain a family with any quality of life under these circumstances and employment insurance, if you can get it, is not a way of life.

If you want to get the whole picture of the EBC's plans go to www.escarpment.org and look under the 'focus' area to see the EBC's Manitoulin escarpment work to date and its plans for the future. Also, search online for Niagara Escarpment Commission, growing the Green Belt, a growth plan for the greater Golden Horseshoe area.

Once again, thanks to The Manitoulin Expositor for running my letters and story, to reporters Lindsay Kelly and Jim Moodie for first-class reports and to the mayor, council and staff of the Northeast Town for listening to and dealing with my concerns. May God and/or the Great Spirit watch over us.

Michael Machum

Honora Bay

Machiavellian Harper has spent the last of his political capital

Cynical move by prime minister has sowed the seeds of his own demise

To the Expositor:

The reasonable and, in my opinion, constrained response from the opposition parties to date is in sharp contrast to Finance Minister Flaherty's shock revelations last Thursday. There were flagrant, incendiary and quite unnecessary ideological moves contained within that economic statement.

In fact, Mr. Flaherty and his master, the prime minister, were so entranced with the idea of kicking the opposition while it was down that they forgot the fundamental purpose of the speech-to present proactive solutions to Canadians aimed at calming the Canadian economy!

It is evident that, although Mr. Harper and his Machiavellian advisors have a pocket full of "pre-packaged talking points" to thrust under the faces of their caucus and their rapidly diminishing circle of faithful supporters to try once more to bamboozle the Canadian public, they can't even listen to good advice from their own Conservative circles about the lack of wisdom of this move.

Whether all this results in a full-blown schism in the Conservative party-back to the two parties that existed before the merger between the Harper-led Alliance and the Progressive Conservatives-is not clear.

What is very clear is that no-one in parliament is ever going to trust Mr. Harper again. He may have in mind "a divide and conquer plan" to be proposed to one of the other party leaders over the next few days (most likely Mr. Duceppe), to try to reduce the coalition to less than a majority.

Good luck Stephen! Based upon your recent behaviour, you have no political capital or credibility left to pull this off. In a word, Mr. Harper, you are toast!

Paul Darlaston

Kagawong

Sketchy road maintenance creates more hazard than teen drivers

Painting all young people with same brush is wrong

To the Expositor:

I found the article "Controversial new driving law about saving lives: Brown" (November 26) interesting, after I had spent more than a couple of hours driving the provincial highways on Manitoulin in the late afternoon of the same day this story appeared. With the conditions of the provincial highways, and the seeming complete lack of winter maintenance financed by the provincial government, I find it interesting that the Liberal government is focussing on young drivers as a great cause of accidents. As I "skated" from Gore Bay to Mindemoya (with snow tires on, and weight in the back of my truck), I felt frustrated that I didn't meet one plow vehicle, or see any evidence that any had been out and about. There was no sand or salt visible on the corners at either end of the Billings Stretch, nor on the Ice Lake causeway. The curved hill coming out of Kagawong was dangerously slippery, and I was lucky to have not met anyone as I attempted to navigate it. Later on my ride I was nearly hit from behind by another vehicle that was driving too fast. It passed me, and since I got a glimpse of the driver, I know it wasn't being driven by a teenager!

Some young drivers are careless, that is true. But then again, so are some adults I've watched behind the wheel. I have been a teenage driver, and have watched a number of them grow up, both in my family and through my job as a teacher. Many of them act as designated drivers and keep impaired drivers off the road, just as I have done. Many of them act as car-pool drivers to make sure that the carbon footprint they're leaving is smaller than it might be. I think, as usual, this is an urban "solution" that's being forced on all of Ontario-just as many other things are! I think that painting all young people with the same brush is wrong.  Perhaps the government should be thinking about consequences for young drivers that break the existing rules, instead of imposing new ones. How about applying more serious consequences to those who have been caught for reckless driving, or have been involved in accidents due to careless driving? And to be truly radical, apply them to all drivers, not just teenagers.

The governments, both federal and provincial, grant adult status to everyone over the age of 18. At 18 you can get married, join the Canadian Forces, and (of course) pay income tax.  At 18 you no longer require an acting legal guardian. Any driver can be careless. Perhaps, statistically speaking, teenagers are more so, but Mr. Brown compares these statistics to "drivers over 30"-will that be the next step, to have a graduated driving rights system depending on what decade of life you're in?

In my mind, and particularly since I live west of what seems to be a "magical snow clearing line" located at the corner of provincial highways 540 and 551, I think that more lives could be saved in Ontario if the provincial highways were maintained in a safe fashion, particularly in winter. Road conditions contribute to accidents all the time. I can't think of a driver I know on the Island who hasn't at least once reached their destination and remarked that they felt amazed they'd arrived safely. The Liberal government should be looking at their winter road maintenance budget, and increasing the amount of money provided to those who maintain our roads.

Use taxpayers dollars (paid by those of us 18 and over) to keep our roads safe.  Create laws that promote safe driving for all. Provide consequences for training drivers, don't punish all of them!  We need less government legislation, not more!  We need roads that are cleared, and properly maintained.

Lord knows, if it keeps snowing, we may not see the people from Meldrum Bay until spring, no matter what their age. From what I can see, the government isn't willing to clear their roads to a safe level very often.

Heather Jefkins

Gore Bay