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MSD
Computers target of anthrax scare
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by Neil Zacharjewicz
LITTLE CURRENT - It seemed innocent enough:
Lisa Durddle of MSD Computers in Little Current opened a Christmas
card. The innocence of the movement was shattered, however,
when the staff realized the envelope contained something else
besides the Christmas card. It contained white powder. According
to Craig Timmerman, owner and operator of MSD Computers, the
person who sent the card was contacted, and they indicated they
had not sent any white powder with the card. "When the sender
was not aware of it, that was when we took it a bit more seriously,"
Mr. Timmerman stated. "If it had been a joke, that would have
been one thing." Mr. Timmerman immediately quarantined the card
and powder in a Zip Lock bag, and also isolated the trash can
into which the envelope had been thrown. Then, he contacted
police. "Where some people may have ignored it, this is a public
place. As a firefighter, I have to set an example," Mr. Timmerman
said. The Manitoulin detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police
(OPP) were dispatched to the scene, and the Identification Unit
from Sault Ste. Marie was called in. The incident occurred on
Friday, December 7 at approximately 2 pm. "They took all the
necessary precautions," stated Detective Constable Steve Redman,
spokesperson for the OPP. He explained the substance was sent
to a lab in Etobicoke for analysis. As well, North American
Emergency Spill - Philips Services was called in from Sudbury
to sterilize the building. "They don't know what it is yet,"
Mr. Timmerman stated, suggesting he believes the white powder
may have been injected into the envelope while it was in transit
from the sender to MSD Computers. He explained the results of
the analysis are expected on Tuesday, December 11. "It is no
fun having your office shut down," Mr. Timmerman stated. However,
he indicated he was open for business the next day, after the
building had been sterilized. Mr. Timmerman and his staff were
permitted access to the building by 11:30 pm that evening.
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Federal
budget
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by Neil Zacharjewicz
OTTAWA - Boosting the economy and improving
security were the key points in the federal budget unveiled
by Minister of Finance Paul Martin. The federal budget, which
was unveiled on Monday, December 10, includes measures to improve
Canadian security, and investments in health initiatives, skills,
learning and research, strategic infrastructure, and the environment,
and enhancement to programs which will support early childhood
development and special needs support for aboriginal children.
"This budget... is about resolving to work together as never
before, renewed in purpose, confident of our course and guided
through changing times by unchanging values," stated Mr. Martin.
"We meet today at a time of global turbulence. A time when character
is tested, perseverance is tried and values reaffirmed. Just
three months ago, terror touched our continent and changed our
world. Today, we deal with its economic consequences, but that
day was first and foremost a human tragedy, measured in lives
taken, families destroyed and fears awakened." "Prior to September
11th, the global economy had begun to slow down. However, the
terrible events of that day made matters much worse, and introduced
a new level of uncertainty into the economic outlook," Mr. Martin
said. "The focus of this budget, therefore, is to deal with
that uncertainty and to manage through this period of global
weakness. Its time frame is the year ahead." The budget protects
fully the government's commitment to the $100 billion tax cut.
The targeted spending in the budget coupled with the tax cuts
presently flowing through the economy, are providing an estimated
economic stimulus of $26 billion, Mr. Martin suggested. He noted
this is all in addition to the significant monetary stimulus
resulting from the 3.5 percentage point decline in short-term
interest rates this year to their lowest level in 40 years.
The budget also calls for the spending of $7.7 billion over
the next five years to enhance security for Canadians. Of that
$1.6 billion will be spent to equip and deploy more intelligence
and police officers, improve coordination and information sharing
among law enforcement, intelligence and national security agencies,
boost marine security, and strengthen the role of the Financial
Transaction and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada in cutting
off terrorist financing. Another $1 billion will be spent on
better, more accurate and faster screening at Canada's ports
of entry, and of refugee claimants. Military deployment will
receive a $1.6 billion boost which will be used to double the
capacity of Joint Task Force Two, the Canadian Forces' elite
anti-terrorist unit, support Canadian military participation
in the international war on terrorism, fund military equipment
purchases, improve laboratories and purchase specialized equipment
to strengthen Canada's ability to respond to chemical, biological
and nuclear threats, and improve the ability to protect Canada's
critical infrastructure. Another $2.2 billion will be provided
to make air travel more secure in accordance with the rigorous
new national Transport Canada standards, and a new federal air
security authority will be created. This will include armed
undercover police officers on Canadian aircraft, better-trained
personnel to screen passengers and carry-on baggage, a new state-of-the-art
explosive detection system at Canada's airport, enhanced policing
in airports, permanent modifications to aircraft cockpit doors
to make them more secure, and enhanced security zones at airports.
As well, $1.2 billion will be invested in border-related measures
to address security concerns. Economic stimulus and security
are not the only items in the budget, however. The budget protects
the $23.4 billion in funding to support health and early childhood
development agreements reached by the first ministers in September
of 2000. The government will also invest $1.1 billion over three
years to support skills, learning and research. This will include
funding for apprentices in the employment insurance program,
extended funding for projects such as the Community Access Program
and Government On-Line, improving support for people with disabilities
who pursue higher education, and supporting leading-edge technologies
and expanding regional innovation initiatives across the country
through increased funding to the National Research Council of
Canada. The federal budget calls for the creation of the Strategic
Infrastructure Foundation, with a minimal federal commitment
of $2 billion, to fund large strategic projects, and enhanced
incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
It also will provide $185 million over the next two years for
First Nations communities to enhance child care and head start
programs, which support early childhood development; intensify
efforts to reduce the incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome and
fetal alcohol effects on reserves; and provide increased funding
to support children on reserves who have special needs at school.
The budget projects balanced budgets or better for 2001-2002
and for each of the next two fiscal years. In the last four
years, the government paid $35.8 million on the federal debt,
but given "the current economic weakness," the government will
not pay down any debt this year. Any surplus at the end of the
fiscal year 2001-2002 will be dedicated to the Strategic Infrastructure
Foundation and the Africa Fund. "This budget continues to build
on the government's long-term plan for a stronger economy and
a more secure, prosperous and inclusive Canada," stated Brent
St. Denis, Member of Parliament for Algoma - Manitoulin. "The
new measures announced will also help build the confidence of
Canadians by ensuring that immediate economic and security concerns
are addressed - a balanced approach." Martin Bayer, Tribal Chair
of the United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin, confessed it
was difficult to quarrel with the minister's decision to spend
funding in the area of aboriginal children with regard to early
childhood development, fetal alcohol syndrome, and special needs.
"All in all, the targeting of monies to those three areas are
all welcome," Mr. Bayer stated. He commended Mr. Martin for
recognizing these challenges. Mr. Bayer did express concern
with spending in the area of skill shortage training. He explained
with the aging Baby Boomers retiring, a void is being created
in the labour market which needs to be addressed. While the
government did spend in the area of skills and training, Mr.
Bayer said he thought the government could have done more, even
if it did not spend more. "I thought he could spend more strategically,"
Mr. Bayer suggested. "We have to develop other apprenticeship
opportunities. We have an impending skill shortage coming here."
"I feel he was kind of pressured in this budget, with regards
to the events of September 11th," Mr. Bayer said. He noted many
aspects of the budget only confirmed funding announcements the
government had already made. He added he would not be surprised
to see more financial announcements in the future, as a potential
federal Liberal party leadership race nears. Joe Clark, leader
of the Progressive Conservative Party, blasted the new budget.
"The budget today demonstrates the total lack of preparedness
of the Liberal government. The events of September 11th were
a great tragedy, but Canada was facing serious problems already,
before September 11th. This budget boasts that 'its time frame
is a year' and does not event begin to address basic problems
of Canada's economic future," Mr. Clark stated. "The Canadian
military has had over $10 billion cut from their budget, the
Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) has had their
budget cut by 37 percent. The increases today are the minimum
the government thought they could get away with. As with health
care, this government only acts when forced to by events or
others." "The Liberals are bluffing. This budget's claims are
bogus," suggested New Democratic Party leader Alexa McDonough.
"The finance minister has a $75 billion history of exaggerating
deficits, underestimating surpluses and not coming clean with
the Canadian public about the state of the nation's finances.
He's at it again."
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Medical
Clinic receives $50,000 computer grant
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by Michael Erskine
LITTLE CURRENT---Officials with the Manitoulin
Health Centre, the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands
and the Little Current Medical Associates were delighted to
hear about an announcement from the Ministry of Northern Development
and Mines that they had received funding from the Northern Ontario
Heritage Fund Corporation for computerization of the doctors'
clinic in Little Current. The funding, $25,000 to the Town of
Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands and an additional $25,000
to the Manitoulin Health Centre, was announced November 27,
official confirmation of the funding arrived at Little Current
Medical Associates on December 10. "The Ontario government recognizes
the importance of having well-equipped facilities to provide
high quality primary health care to residents of small and remote
northern communities," said Northern Development and Mines Minister
and Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) chair
Dan Newman. "We are committed to delivering a health care system
that promotes wellness and improves health through accessible,
integrated, high quality services at every stage of life and
as close to home as possible." The grant was part of a $598,758
investment by the NOHFC for upgrading of medical facilities.
Mr. Newman said the improvements to Northern facilities will
help those communities attract and retain health professionals
"considering the rewarding work of working in remote and small
northern communities." Cathy Jesfery, office manager at Little
Current Medical Associates, the doctors' clinic in Little Current
beside the Manitoulin Health Centre, was very pleased to learn
of the funding. "We are really hoping the new software and computer
equipment will make things easier for our patients and improve
health-care delivery to the patients," she said. "Much of the
information doctors require is only available during office
hours, and if a doctor needed information on a patient he would
have to wait. Now, the information will be available 24 hours
a day. It should help to speed things up a lot." The two projects
will link the clinic to the Manitoulin Health Centre, the Internet
and a medical information compact disk and will pay for the
conversion of patient records to electronic format. The new
system will provide doctors with timely access to patient records,
lab reports, x-rays, appointment schedules and will improve
communication and administration. "This will mean we will have
a more efficient storage and retrieval system," she said. "Retrieval
of information will be a lot more rapid." The system will also
connect the Little Current Medical Association clinic to other
doctors' clinics such as those in Mindemoya, Gore Bay, Wikwemikong
First Nation and Manitowaning.
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