Cyber bullying through texting and Facebook cited on Island

Scrap in Wikwemikong, charge against MSS student

attributed to online threats

by Alicia McCutcheon

MANITOULIN-On January 31, a 16-year-old student of Manitoulin Secondary School (MSS) was charged with one count of uttering a threat to cause death or bodily harm after sending a threatening email to a fellow student using the social networking application Facebook.

Facebook was launched in 2004 and today has over 62 million users worldwide. In Canada, Facebook has proven particularly popular, September becoming Canada's most heavily trafficked website.

Jesse Bilbija is one of two student council presidents at MSS and, like everyone else at the school, is a regular Facebook user. He said that cyber bullying is increasingly an issue at his school.

"Since Facebook, cyber bullying is becoming more of a problem," he said. "Before you could only do it face to face but now it can be done anonymously. Yeah, MSS has its problems, but I wouldn't say it's worse than any other school."

According to MSS vice-principal Stan Drystek, Facebook is allowed at the school, but not during class time. The website can be accessed before classes begin or during the lunch hour.

Mr. Bilbija said he himself has received some nasty comments on his Facebook page thanks to a new feature called the "honesty box." The honesty box lets viewers of a person's page say what they think without that person ever finding out who left the message.

"A lot of friendships have been broken here," Mr. Bilbija said. But that's not to say that he's generally down on Facebook. In fact, it's quite the opposite.

In his role as student council co-president, Facebook has become a handy tool to spread the word about upcoming events or groups forming at the school. He explained that almost everyone is connected, so the website is a good way to spread the word. "Not everyone hears the announcements," he pointed out.

"Events for the student council have gone way up since Facebook," Mr. Bilbija said. "We can just send out a mass email."

As for anonymous taunts that occasionally show up on Facebook pages, "If people are that pathetic that they can't say it to your face then it's not even worth the time to read it," he reasoned.

At Wasse-Abin High School in Wikwemikong, students are facing similar challenges when it comes to cyber bullying, only in this case, according to Wasse-Abin junior chief Mandy Richard, the tool of choice is instant messaging.

Similar to the rules at MSS, students at the Wiky high school cannot use instant messaging or log on to Facebook while they are in class, but if they have free time, they will.

"Everybody does use Facebook, MSN and Yahoo," she said.

Typically, cyber bullying happens when a spat breaks out between female students-usually over a boy, she said.

"There will be fighting over a boy and rumours will be going back and forth through MSN (instant messaging) and by phone," she explained.

One such instance happened last month, Ms. Richards said, when friends were divided over a fight between two female students-one largely waged online. But the division finally erupted in a massive brawl one weekend involving upwards of 30 kids, she said.

"Spreading rumours online is mainly done by the girls," the junior chief explained. "Guys will usually just say it right to the person's face but girls are sneaky."

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) community services officer Constable Al Boyd said the police are having to get involved with instances of cyber bullying on Manitoulin more and more frequently.

"We're very concerned about it," he said. "Principals are coming to me for advice. They are having problems with students as young as in Grade 4."

Constable Boyd explained that students, as soon as they get home from school, are immediately connecting to programs like MSN Messenger or Facebook.

"The bullying and intimidation that may have started at school continues on," he said, noting the interconnectedness of schoolmates. "They think that because they're saying things over the Internet or through email, it's okay to be threatening-just because it isn't face to face."

Constable Boyd noted one phenomenon that is becoming more prevalent among young girls. As a testament to their friendship, girls will give their friends the password to their email or social networking account.

"In young lives, best friends one day could mean enemies the next," he said.

If a friendship ends and hurt feelings are involved, the former friend will then go into the other's account and send out nasty emails or post hurtful things as a form of revenge-other friends will then see the name of the sender, automatically thinking it came from then, when in fact, they had nothing to do with the mail coming from their account. Constable Boyd said this has happened on Manitoulin and while police were not involved, they are made aware.

"The more people the students have on their friend lists, the more popular they seem," he said.

The community services officer said that because of the spread-out geography of Manitoulin, schoolmates stay connected through the computer. And just as online damage can be done due to friendships gone awry, the same thing happens when young love bites the dust.

Constable Boyd used the example of a young Manitoulin couple from different communities who stay in touch online and via webcam.

"As the trust levels develop the next thing you know they are sending each other sexual photos. One party records it and if the relationship falls out, revenge might be sought through the emailing of the photos," he explained. "What they don't realize is that, even if they were consenting, if the photos were taken of someone under the age of 16, it's distributing child pornography."

The constable added that on top of losing friends and having a reputation damaged, cyber bullying can also lead to depression and even suicide.

Constable Boyd has a checklist of what to do if a youth finds themselves being bullied online.

"Go to an adult you can trust and let them know what is happening," he said. "If threats have been made, police should be contacted-the same goes for bullying in the schools."

"If someone is bothering you, simply delete or block them from your list," Constable Boyd added. "And be careful what you put out there."

The police officer also reminds teens that what they post on Facebook stays in the cyber universe forever and that the police do monitor the website, as do potential employers.

"We see pictures of kids smoking pot and drinking underage," he said. "They have to look at their future."

Casino dollars again to flow

to Manitoulin First Nations

by Lindsay Kelly

ONTARIO-Revenue from Ontario casinos and lotteries being diverted into the province's First Nations will serve as "top-up" money for Aboriginal communities, says a local chief.

Wikwemikong Chief Bobby Corbiere made the comment while reflecting on the recent announcement that Ontario First Nations would receive $3 billion over the next 25 years from casino and lottery revenue as part of a deal negotiated between the Chiefs of Ontario and the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs.

The deal, announced on February 7, ensures that 133 First Nations will receive an immediate boost of $201 million, and, starting in 2011, 1.7 percent of revenues from provincial gaming revenues.

In return, the Chiefs of Ontario agreed to drop their ongoing lawsuit surrounding taxes from Casino Rama, which has involved three years of negotiations.

Chief Corbiere, who attended the meeting in Thunder Bay last week and represents the Island's largest Native community, said the funds would have a huge impact on First Nations.

"I was at the conference and I spoke totally in favour of the revenue-sharing agreement," Chief Corbiere said. "One hundred and thirty-three First Nations will benefit tremendously, financially, from the money."

The revenues will be put towards some key areas, including education, housing, economic development, language and culture, he added. While Wikwemikong has yet to detail its plan for the funds, Chief Corbiere expects the community will infuse its share of the money into these earmarked areas.

Additionally, he anticipates the money will be used to further develop community activities such as the biannual summer rodeo, host conferences, hold community feasts, organize activities for youth and children, and create more recreational opportunities.

And while the revenue will greatly benefit the First Nation, the chief says it essentially sweetens existing pots of money.

"By the time you sort it all out, we're not talking a whole lot of money," he said. "It will be used to top up the money from the existing revenues."

The real revenue generator for his community will be its wind power project, he continued, maintaining that the wind farm as an economic development project will be essential to the survival of Wikwemikong.

Progress on that project steadily continues, and 8 megawatts (MW) of power has already been secured for the farm. The First Nation is seeking 30 MW in total to make the project viable, which will "have a major impact on the community," the chief said.

A recent meeting between the chief and Energy Minister Gerry Phillips was very productive and Chief Corbiere felt the minister was supportive of Wikwemikong's plan.

In the meantime, the money from this new deal is expected to double the funds First Nations are currently receiving from the Casino Rama revenues, from $60 million to $120 million a year.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Michael Bryant called the agreement "historic," noting that individual communities will decide how the money will be spent, but he expects it will benefit First Nations in a number of ways.

"This money will be used to improve schools, to improve housing, to address infrastructure challenges, to provide training that will lead to more jobs," Minister Bryant told reporters.

He added that he's hopeful that the money will "kick-start" other projects within the communities.

Perhaps the greatest benefit resulting from the agreement is the restoration of harmony between the Mnjikaning (Rama) First Nation and the rest of the province's Aboriginal communities, Chief Corbiere said. Because the new deal dissolves the ongoing lawsuit and draws from all of the Ontario casinos and lotteries, Mnjikaning is no longer singled out.

The people of that community are good people, he said, adding that he is glad to see that one First Nation is no longer battling the 134 other First Nations, although he understands their long-standing position on the issue.

"They're just protecting their interests," he said. "If that was my community, that's what I'd be doing."

DSSAB objects to clawback

of funds for children's toys

by Alicia McCutcheon

SAULT STE. MARIE-Northern Ontario's 10 District Social Services Administration Boards (DSSAB), including the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSSAB and the City of Greater Sudbury, gathered this week in Sault Ste. Marie for the quarterly meeting of the Northern Ontario Social Services Deliverers Association (NOSDA).

On Thursday, February 7, the association issued a press release titled Good Idea...Bad Timing which applauds the Ontario Child Benefit (OCB), calling it "a positive step forward in reducing poverty in Ontario," adding that, "social assistance recipients will be better off financially, over time, with the benefit."

The OCB is the part of the provincial government's plan to expand opportunity to low-income families. Last July, eligible families received a one-time payment of up to $250 for each dependent child under the age of 18, and as of this July, the OCB will be delivered to eligible families each month-about 460,000 families across Ontario and up to $600 per child annually. By 2011, more than 600,000 low-income families will receive up to $1,100 per child each year.

However, this comes at a cost. According to the NOSDA news release, the Ministry of Community and Social Services plans to eliminate the back-to-school and winter clothing allowances for Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program families as a result of the OCB implementation.

"Starting in August, 2008, families on social assistance will not receive the back-to-school and winter clothing allowances, leaving them in a worse position financially, as they do not have adequate resources or notice period to save for these expenses," the release states. "This may leave parents in a position where they have to make tough choices on whether to pay for rent or utilities, or pay for winter clothing and back-to-school needs for their children."

The association supported a motion made by the Cochrane DSSAB asking the province to issue the back-to-school and winter clothing allowance for this year.

In 2007, the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSSAB spent $19,851 on the winter clothing allowance and $16,360 on the back-to-school allowance, said Manitoulin-Sudbury DSSAB CAO Gary Champagne, who attended the NOSDA meetings along with Director of Social Services, Fern Dominelli.

"The provincial government's July, 2008 introduction of an Ontario Child Benefit is a positive step in the government of Ontario's commitment to the reduction of poverty," said Manitoulin-Sudbury DSSAB chair Ray Chenier. "If all goes as intended, the OCB will be of financial help to all Ontario families. It's just sad that the future year's long-term financial gains, that the OCB is intended to make for families from 2009 on, is being introduced in a manner that municipal social service managers have assessed will hinder rather than help the financial picture for the neediest of Ontario's families in 2008."

"Looks like a matter of short-term pain for long-term gain when it doesn't have to be that way," he continued. "It's sad that what is in jeopardy is this coming fall's back-to-school allowance and winter clothing allowance for the children of families on social assistance. The province still has the time to make this one a win-win, rather than a win-lose, if it wants to."

St. Denis ready for spring election call

Tories still seeking candidate

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-An election could be run this spring on the touchy subject of Canada's engagement in Afghanistan if a proposal to extend the mission beyond 2009 is rejected by the opposition.

On Friday, the Harper government introduced a confidence motion that calls for soldiers to remain in Kandahar nearly three more years, well beyond the original deadline of next February for a troop withdrawal.

Liberal leader Stephane Dion was adamant in interviews that his party will not flinch from its stance that the combat aspect of the mission should wrap up on the previously agreed upon date, and would only support the motion if significant amendments are made. "We have a motion that we cannot accept today," Mr. Dion told reporters on Friday. "We'll come up with our own proposal (this) week, and we'll let the parliament do its job."

Brent St. Denis, MP for Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, said he is "fully in support of Mr. Dion" on this point. "We're not prepared to compromise much on February 2009."

In his view, that date is "already two years past when (the combat mission) should have ended, in February 2007." The Harper government forced a vote in 2006 to extend the mission to 2009, he noted. And while 30 Liberal MPs voted with the Tories at that time, including deputy leader Michael Ignatieff, Mr. St. Denis was among the larger chorus of Liberals who rejected the motion.

Mr. St. Denis qualified that he isn't opposed to a military presence in Afghanistan. "But there's a difference between protecting yourself and actively engaging the Taliban." The Liberals believe Canada can still play a role in humanitarian projects, but shouldn't be put in the direct line of fire. "Our turn is up," said Mr. St. Denis.

His fear is that a Canadian presence could linger indefinitely in Kandahar if another extension is approved. "NATO doesn't want to do a rotation (of troops), so if we do this, we could be there a long time. We have to put our foot down."

The firm line on withdrawing troops runs contrary to the recommendations of a report overseen by former Liberal cabinet minister John Manley, but "we don't have to agree on everything," said Mr. St. Denis, arguing that the report's "doesn't meet our objectives."

Some wiggle room might exist, said Mr. St. Denis, if the Conservatives agree to "start the removal of troops in February 2009," but his sense is that the prime minister isn't in a mood to negotiate. "Mr. Harper doesn't appear to want to compromise," he said.

Should the government fall over the Afghanistan question, Mr. St. Denis said he's "ready for an election," although he admitted that "I don't really like having an election on an issue like that, because it involves soldiers sacrificing their lives and health."

All three other parties in the house-the NDP, Bloc, and Greens-are firmly opposed to prolonging Canada's role in Kandahar, so there is little chance that the motion would pass without Liberal support.

But even if a compromise is reached on this issue, an election could still be triggered on another front. Last week the Conservatives threatened to turn the slow progress of a crime bill through the senate (dominated by Liberals) into another confidence measure.

Mr. St. Denis calls this "a bit of a charade," arguing that "it isn't the senate that delayed the bills-it was the government. They created this so-called 'crisis' over justice bills, because they were all offered to them by the opposition last year, but they repackaged it into one big omnibus bill. The theory is they were trying to trigger an election last fall."

The MP doubts that this issue can now be used to force an election. "The senate thing will fall apart, because the house can't tell the senate what to do," he said.

A more likely trigger for an election, in his view, would be the upcoming federal budget, expected to be delivered on the last Tuesday of this month. "If it's an innocuous budget, it could pass," mused Mr. St. Denis. But if there is no movement towards Liberal priorities-such as a national daycare program, help for seniors and the poor, and a recommitment to the Kelowna Accord-his party might have to reject it on principle.

Were that to happen, Canadians could be making a trip to the polls as soon as April. The government technically has until October 9, 2009 before the writ must be dropped, but the Tories seem eager to gamble on an early election, believing their chances to be better now than later.

"I can understand why Harper would like to have an election," said Ted Musgrove, Electoral District Association (EDA) president for the Conservatives in this riding. "Dion is saying he's not afraid of anything, but I think he should be."

Whether Mr. St. Denis should be afraid is a separate question, and one that won't be completely answered until the Tories find a candidate for Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing. "The nomination process is liable to go into action any minute," said Mr. Musgrove. "We can open nominations and let them go through a three-week period. If we don't find someone, it allows the party to drop someone in on us."

The EDA has been actively searching for a candidate, and until very recently thought they'd found their man. "We had a guy last week," said Mr. Musgrove. "But he's now decided he's not running." The EDA president declined to name the individual.

Speculation is that Ron Swain, who ran provincially against Mike Brown, might get the nod, but Mr. Musgrove wouldn't confirm this. What is clear is that Ian West, who flew the Tory blue in the last federal election, won't be back. "Ian is back in school, articling," said Mr. Musgrove.

Candidates for both the NDP and the Green Party were confirmed last year. Carol Hughes, who ran second to Mr. St. Denis in the previous election, has agreed to represent the NDP again, while Lorraine Rekmans was chosen by the Greens in an unusual "renomination" process that sent their original candidate Greg Evans packing.

"I'm going to work hard regardless of who's running against me," pledged Mr. St. Denis. "I don't relish an election for an election's sake, but we're ready. And there is more unity in the party than I've seen in a long time, and we have confidence in Mr. Dion."

EDITORIAL

Far-off Afghanistan an unusual trigger for election

We've been led to believe that, in all likelihood, we'll be facing a federal general election on the issue of Canadian troops' status in Afghanistan.

That is to say, the Conservative minority government intends to use this particular wedge issue as a confidence vote in the House of Commons-the government will move to extend the Canadian military mission from 2009 to 2011, subject to the major recommendations of the recently released Manley report. The Manley report's major recommendation requires an additional 1,000 troops from other NATO allies joining Canadian soldiers in the dangerous Kandahar region of Afghanistan, as well as additional helicopters and other material, as a condition of Canadian troops remaining active in the region.

The Stephen Harper-led Conservative government has been in place for over two years, longer than the average minority government in this country or its provinces. Inevitably, either the government or one or more of the parties in opposition would have had to create a situation where the government would face, and lose, a motion of confidence and so bring us to an election.

Mr. Harper and his advisors may well feel that to stretch out this minority government to three or more years in office might look just a little too much like a coalition government and hence the determination to make the Afghanistan mission a confidence vote.

A confidence vote means, literally, that all the political parties whose members comprise the House of Commons are voting to determine whether or not they have confidence in the existing government's ability to carry on governing. If a majority of MPs do not support the government on a vote of confidence, then, in our system, the government is said to have "fallen" and (usually) the prime minister ends the session of government and petitions the Governor General to call an election.

The vote on the government's annual budget is a confidence vote by definition but the prime minister has the right to say that a vote on any measure important to his or her government will be a vote of confidence, and that is what Liberal, NDP and Bloc Quebecois MPs will be facing when they eventually vote on the Conservative government's motion to extend Canadian troops' stay in southern Afghanistan by another two-year period.

If the opposition parties vote against this motion (as it seems they will, at least just now) then the fighting status of our troops in Afghanistan will be the key and primary topic during the month-long pre-election campaign we'll face.

That's all well and good: it has to be something.

But the problem with this particular issue is that valid arguments, on either side of the issue, can be summarized for the most part in a few sentences. And in fact most of us will by now have already read or heard all of these arguments.

We can expect that the Conservative arguments will appeal to our national pride, suggesting that Canada and Canadians will be perceived as quitters by other nations should we decide to leave the militaristically hot Kandahar region.

Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc, on the other hand, may well say that we should leave this dangerous region to the soldiers from other nations, that we have "done our bit" in Kandahar.

Meanwhile, in Afghanistan, there is no question that the news that the war in their country is a hot political issue in far-away Canada will not be lost on the leadership of the terrorists of the Taliban.

We can safely bet that roadside bombs and other terrorist tactics will be redoubled against Canadian troops in an effort to make Canadian participation in the Kandahar region as unpopular as possible over in Canada and so, by proxy, aid and abet those parties and candidates who do not support the status quo of our military involvement in Afghanistan.

Naturally, Mr. Dion, Mr. Layton and Mr. Duceppe would be appalled if it could be demonstrated that their candidates were rising in the polls in direct proportion to Canadian casualties in Afghanistan, but helping to defeat the Conservative proposal for this region would prove very useful for the Taliban organization.

Of course there is nothing at all we can do about this and the election will unfold as it will.

But in this particular case and at this particular time in the history of our ever-shrinking world, we can expect that, ironically, the calling of an election on this topic will in all likelihood place Canadian troops in Afghanistan in even more danger than usual, at least in the short term.

As voters, we should be aware that this is a possibility and, as much as possible, focus on the merits of the arguments we're presented with, the Taliban notwithstanding.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Tehkummah emergency volunteers praised

for hard work, dedication

They deserve our highest regards

To the Expositor:

We are writing this letter in appreciation of the Tehkummah First Response Team ("First Response: Specialized training keeps first response team primed to save lives," January 30) and volunteer firefighters. The dedication, hard work and risks they take night and day while serving our community deserves to be recognized by one and all. The personal time taken away from family and friends for training and first aid courses, as well as community participation, shows they deserve our highest regards. A sincere thank you to them all and their families.

Bob and Pat Brown

Tehkummah

Contributors of Africa journal experience small-world moment

The Expositor's tentacles stretch across the globe

To the Expositor:

On February 10, a medical caravan of 30 health practitioners-surgeons general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, optometrists, translators, etc.-arrived from Canada, mostly from the Ottawa and Kingston regions, at our current home in Kilema, Tanzania. Their services are made available to Kilema District Hospital and surrounding area through CACHA (Canadian-African Community Health Alliance). In any given day, a team will see upwards of 500 patients.

But that's just part of the story. Last night, Jim and I met Julie Stewart, a nurse at the Ottawa General Hospital. Her mother, Lucille Bois, hails from Espanola, has nursed at the Manitoulin Health Centre in Little Current, and is a regular subscriber to the Manitoulin Expositor. Lucille has been cutting out our articles in the Expositor and mailing them to Julie in Ottawa.

When I asked Julie if she really thought she would meet us, she replied, "CACHA was mentioned in the articles, so yes." Her involvement with CACHA? Don Kilby, founder of CACHA, also comes from Espanola and is Julie's godfather.

From Little Current to Espanola to Ottawa to Kilema, Tanzania. Tentacles of the Expositor!

Margaret Van Camp

Little Current and Kilema, Tanzania

Municipality, contractor praised by Golden Agers

for commitment to seniors' complex

Investment will be repaid within three years

To the Expositor:

I have been instructed by the Mindemoya Golden Age Club to write the following letter of appreciation to the municipality of Central Manitoulin, the Senior Citizens Housing Building Committee and the contractor Build North Construction of Sudbury.

We would like to thank the reeve and council of Central Manitoulin for their support of the proposed senior citizens' housing project. In particular we commend them for their foresight in securing the land for the building site with room for further development into a senior citizens' complex. They have shown outstanding wisdom and foresight by making a comparatively small investment in sewer and water service to encourage the contractor to proceed with this $3 million project. This investment will be completely repaid within three years by the revenue from the building permit fee, the taxes on the building and property and the sewer and water fees. We sincerely thank them for their co-operation.

Secondly, we would like to thank the members of the Senior Citizens Housing Building Committee for their hours of work and effort, for their devotion to this project, and the actual cash laid out from their own pockets to bring this project to its present state of approaching beginning of construction. We commend them for their excellent choice of location to place the building adjacent to medical services and close to most of the other needs of seniors. In addition, this attractive building in this location will draw the attention of visitors to the progressive attitude of the community.

Finally, we would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Tony Nutt of Sudbury (and Manitoulin), the owners of Build North Construction, for taking on construction and operation of this building. We welcome you and your business to the community and hope that it proves so successful that you proceed immediately with the further development of the seniors' complex.

Douglas Lanktree

secretary, Mindemoya Golden Age Club

John Londry

Snappy's Furniture and Appliances

Little Current

I'm your neighbour

John Londry spends much of his time driving around Manitoulin, meeting people from all of the Island communities. That's because he's a driver and delivery person for Snappy's Furniture and Appliances in Little Current. Mr. Londry said that 90 percent of Snappy's deliveries are done on Manitoulin, but he also makes trips to Espanola, Sudbury and sometimes Massey or Spanish too.

"I'm a driver but I also help mind the store sometimes and I'm a little bit involved with sales too," he explained.

Mr. Londry said that when he isn't working, he loves to fish in his spare time.

"I like to go fishing, and after that, fishing," he joked.

He isn't big on ice fishing, though, saying he doesn't like "standing outside and freezing," but come the summer months, you can find him in his 12-foot aluminum boat, cruising the waters for jumbo perch, pickerel and bass-the tastiest of the local delicacies.

Mr. Londry and his wife moved to Manitoulin five years ago after they decided to get away from the "rat race." Each day for 15 years, Mr. Londry made the half-hour commute from Barrie to Woodbridge; now, he said, it takes him only five minutes to get to work.

"If there's three cars on the road here, it's a rush hour," he laughed.

Supporting local businesses like Snappy's Furniture provides lasting employment for people like John Londry.