Body of Jason Maurice located near Hwy 551,

Cross Hill Rd. juncture

by Alicia McCutcheon

M'CHIGEENG-The search that has dominated the thoughts of many over the course of six weeks finally came to a close last Wednesday, January 9 as the remains of 27-year-old Jason Maurice were discovered east of Highway 551 near Cross Hill Road.

Almost every day, Mr. Maurice's mother Brenda had been out searching for her son with the help of family and friends and that day was no different.

Two members of the M'Chigeeng public works crew were out doing routine checks in regards to their water treatment plant and lagoon systems when something caught their eye on the east side of the highway, explained UCCM Anishinabek Police Chief Albert Beaudin. As the pair pulled over to get a closer look, they were joined by Mrs. Maurice, who had coincidentally been following them in her own vehicle. The threesome made the discovery together.

Mr. Beaudin explained that it appeared that Mr. Maurice had simply sat down, never to get up again. Although he was located near a swampy area, he was not submerged or even in the water, he said.

It appears the police were correct in their assumption that Mr. Maurice had indeed decided to set out on foot during the Island's first blizzard of the year to head for his Mindemoya home. He had spent the evening with friends that Saturday evening, first in Lakeview then in the village of M'Chigeeng.

Although the police cannot yet announce the precise cause of death-a toxicology report is pending-they are confident that foul play had no part in Mr. Maurice's passing. Rather, hypothermia is likely the cause.

A post-mortem examination in Sudbury on January 10 ruled out foul play, but Mr. Beaudin said it could be two or three weeks before results of the toxicology report are available.

"We are relieved," said the police chief on behalf of his officers. "We are so relieved for the family. I can't even imagine what the family has been going through."

He said he has heard the many rumours that have been circulating about Mr. Maurice's death and none of them are confirmed with the exception of one. Stories have been circulating that Mr. Maurice was found missing articles of clothing, and this is in fact true. But rather than indicate something nefarious, Chief Beaudin said that Mr. Maurice likely undressed due to hypothermia.

Mr. Beaudin said that veteran police officers have spoken of this occurrence-known as "paradoxical undressing"-where victims of hypothermia are found partially disrobed.

An article discussing the phenomenon of paradoxical undressing at a "survival topics" website explains that hypothermia victims undergo vasoconstriction-a contraction of the smooth muscles within the vasculature.

"This effort requires a steady input of energy in the form of glucose from the body's energy stores," the article states. "However, due to a lack of blood now travelling to these muscles, they eventually tire. As the muscles of the constricted blood vessels run out of energy, they fatigue, relax, and open up. This is known as vasodilatation."

"With the vasodilatation of the blood vessels, an infusion of warm blood from the core of the body rushes into the peripheral extremities," the article continues. "This causes the hypothermia victim to feel overly warm and to start shedding layers of clothing, contrary to the reality that their body temperature is continuing to drop."

The funeral for Mr. Maurice was held on Monday, January 14 at the Island Funeral Home in Little Current. He is survived by his two-year-old son Ryan and his fiancZe Kristin Smith. The family would appreciate donations to the Kristin and Ryan Trust Fund at the Bank of Montreal.

New bridge across Mindemoya River

on Hwy 542 will be two full lanes wide

Separate dam structure will better regulate water levels

by Jim Moodie

MINDEMOYA-A wider bridge and fancier dam are in the works for the juncture where the Mindemoya River leaves its titular source to flow under Highway 542.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) announced the completion of a engineering plan for replacement of the existing bridge and dam, both of which are getting rather long in the tooth. The two structures, which are situated one over top of the other, date way back to 1928, putting them well beyond retirement age.

"The undercarriage has deteriorated to the point where it can't be fixed," said Central Manitoulin Reeve Richard Stephens, adding that the one-lane nature of the vehicular span is behind the times, given the traffic that occurs on this highway.

While there's never, in Reeve Stephens' memory, been an accident at the site, "there is a bit of a bottleneck there, and we've been promoting for a number of years that the bridge be widened."

Doug Dixon, whose engineering firm completed the design study on behalf of the MTO, assured that the new bridge will "be upgraded to meet or exceed the current standards for a road of that speed and volume," including the addition of a lane for two-way traffic.

It will also be resituated slightly to the south, allowing for the continued use of the existing span while work on its replacement proceeds. "There will be no roadway closures," promised Sergiy Morozevych, project manager with the MTO.

That's a relief to the municipality, which didn't relish the increased traffic (and upkeep) on back roads should a detour have been required, said Reeve Stephens. And of course it is welcome news to residents and visitors of the area who might have experienced an inconvenience.

Once the new bridge is completed-likely in 2010, as the job won't commence until 2009-work will begin on the replacement dam, slated for the same spot as the current one. "Construction is planned for two years," said Mr. Morozevych. "In the first year the permanent bridge will be constructed south of the existing dam and bridge, and in the second year the dam will be replaced."

By separating the two structures, the MTO anticipates a greater ease of maintenance, as well as considerable improvements in the functioning of the dam. "Due to refinements made in the structure's design, the operation of the dam will help improve the water levels in both Lake Mindemoya and the Mindemoya River," indicated Mr. Morozevych. "The new system will enable operators to make fine adjustments to levels during critical life-cycle stages of resident and migratory fish species."

An environmental assessment has been completed for the project, with input from the Ministry of Natural Resources, said Mr. Morozevych, and mitigation measures have been identified "to address any potential impacts" on the fishery, which includes both resident warm-water species and migratory salmonids.

Once the design study is approved, the MTO will issue a public tender for a contractor to perform the work.

At present, the ministry is still inviting public input on the proposed bridge and dam replacement project. Copies of the design report are available for review at the Central Manitoulin municipal office and the Mindemoya and Providence Bay public libraries.

MP makes case against losing

more federal ridings in North

by Lindsay Kelly

OTTAWA-If action isn't taken to change the way federal electoral boundaries are determined, Northern Ontario could keep losing seats.

That's the concern of Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP Brent St. Denis, and the argument behind 'An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act (Northern Ontario),' the bill introduced by the MP in November. If passed, it would ensure that Northern Ontario's share of the federal seats remains at no less than 9 percent of Ontario's total.

The bill is an attempt to stop a trend that has already robbed Northern Ontario of its share of the federal seats, Mr. St. Denis contends.

"We've lost federal seats over the years," he says. "Thirty years ago we had 13 or 14 seats, and now we're down to 10. If we don't keep at it, we'll keep losing seats."

The problem, he says, is the way in which the electoral boundaries are determined. Every 10 years, following a national census, there is a review of the federal electoral boundaries. A year or two following the completion of the census, a board is struck, which is assigned the task of re-evaluating the boundaries based on the population of an area, Mr. St. Denis explains. However, he doesn't believe this is a fair way to establish boundaries, since population patterns in Northern Ontario are different from those in southern Ontario.

"The population is moving, and we're seeing a shift in Ontario of the population to metropolitan areas," he says. Reasons for this range from changes in industry, to families getting smaller, and all of this "indicates a downsize in the population in Northern Ontario," he says.

Purists following the federal guidelines would suggest that one person equals one seat, but they don't take into consideration the geographic size of northern ridings, or the spread-out nature of the population, which is inherently unfair, Mr. St. Denis notes.

With even larger electoral ridings and less seats, "people will be spread out across large geographical areas, and they may never see their member of parliament, or be able to lobby them, which is part of the democratic process," he argues.

Although Northern Ontario experienced a change to its electoral boundaries a few years ago, Mr. St. Denis believes the process is not comparable to determining federal boundaries, since provinces have the freedom to create their own rules and regulations, whereas federal ridings are governed by more stringent guidelines.

However, there is some flexibility in the rules, and the MP's bill is an attempt to access that flexibility to "protect the seats in Northern Ontario." If passed, the bill would not only ensure that Northern Ontario's seats remain at no less than 9 percent of Ontario's total seats, but it would also keep the 10 seats the region currently has.

Mr. St. Denis says fellow northern MPs Tony Martin (Sault Ste. Marie-Algoma) and Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) have already expressed their support for the bill, but the key will be to get the urban members onside.

The MP acknowledges that the process of getting a bill passed is a long one-his 'Act Respecting A National Peacekeepers' Day,' which received overwhelming support, took two years to get passed in the House of Commons-not to mention a complicated one. If an election is called in the spring, the bill will not be passed, although Mr. St. Denis is hopeful that the bill can come back to the House following the election.

It's because of that lengthy process that Mr. St. Denis tabled his bill as early as he did, which he hopes will give him enough time to drum up support before the next redistribution of federal electoral seats following the next national census in 2011.

He's not entirely optimistic that the Conservatives will support the bill, but "we have to try," he says.

Wiky chief defends changes to structure of Pt. Grondine trust

Alleges political meddling

by Jim Moodie

WIKWEMIKONG-The Wikwemikong Unceded Indian Reserve has expanded the custodial structure of a $15 million trust fund to include more community representatives as well as a member of a financial institution.

On December 13, four new trustees, including a representative of Scotiatrust-a trust company of the Bank of Nova Scotia-were appointed to oversee the funds, which derive from the Point Grondine land settlement reached in 1995. The appointments were made via an interim court order carried out at the Superior Court of Justice in Sudbury.

Joining existing Wikwemikong trustees Michael Eshkawkogan, Marlene Kimewon and Vivian McLeod are new Wiky appointees Nikki Manitowabi, Wayne Osawamick and Walter Manitowabi, as well as the new corporate trustee.

Band Councillor Raymond Jackson, who raised concerns in a letter he circulated among the community in early December, continues to have questions regarding the administrative change, which he feels was made without the consent of the band membership. "Why were Wikwemikong members not consulted or informed?" he asks. "Has anyone explained the pros and cons of the interim court order?"

Mr. Jackson fears that "sweeping power and authority" were put in the hands of the financial institution, as represented by the fund's new corporate trustee. According to the court order, "the powers vested in the co-trustees shall be exercised on a majority basis, provided Scotiatrust shall always be in the majority."

Wikwemikong Chief Robert Corbiere maintains, however, that Mr. Jackson has "grossly misunderstood" the situation, and is "misinforming band members."

The corporate trustee "will not make decisions for the trust," the chief asserted. "The community member trustees will vote and the corporate trustee will vote as well." If a decision can't be reached, "another motion can be brought to the court for guidance or assistance."

Chief Corbiere is also eager to correct an impression that the band leadership initiated the court order to change the structure of the trust fund. "It was brought forward by the lawyer of the former trust people, not band council," he said.

The need exists to draft a new trust agreement, said Chief Corbiere, since the 1995 pact accepted by members of the Wikwemikong First Nation "did not create a legal trust," and amendments made in 1996 "are also in question," as they "were never ratified by the band membership." It will be the responsibility of the expanded trusteeship to create "the terms and conditions" for that new document, which will then be presented to the band membership as a whole-both on reserve and off-for approval, he indicated.

Mr. Jackson worries that chief and council have "failed in protecting our interests and have lost the power, control and management of the settlement dollars to a non-Aboriginal entity," but Chief Corbiere insists this is not the case. "The trust money is safe and there is no need for band members to be concerned about how it is invested or being used," he stressed.

According to the original 1995 agreement, none of the fund's capital can be dipped into, noted Chief Corbiere, and only 50 percent of the interest is available for uses such as land acquisition, education, public works, recreation and infrastructure-projects and programs that would benefit the community as a whole.

"The intent is for the principal to grow," said the chief, pointing out that the initial settlement of $13 million reached in 1995 has since appreciated to $15 million. "So this money is already growing. And it's locked up right now, until we come up with a new deed."

The role of Scotiatrust will be to provide expertise on "how best to invest the money and get a bigger return," said Chief Corbiere.

In return for such advice, Scotiatrust will receive an annual fee of 50 basis points (.5 percent) of the market value of the trust assets, according to a document included with the court order.

Among the firm's services will be "the custody and investment management of the trust assets," according to a letter from Scotiatrust.

For Mr. Jackson, this is a potentially sinister arrangement that serves to line the pockets of the banking institution while relieving band members of control of their asset, but Chief Corbiere insists that the community still has plenty of say and their money is safe.

"I don't see any major differences," he said. "Everyone is operating in the best interest of the community. There's no intent to spend the money-it's not going to happen. And a better arrangement will kick in when we get a new agreement that will be approved by the band membership."

As that moment approaches, likely within the year, Chief Corbiere promised that "there will be all kinds of consultations going on and the membership will be informed."

Mr. Jackson may not be able to wait until then. He feels the community has been kept in the dark long enough already, and he has questions right now that are literally the length of an arm-when printed out, a list he recently compiled spans two 11-inch pages (and that's using a small font).

The last of the questions (number 27) reads: "Wikwemikong Chief Robert Corbiere is aware of the implications, disadvantages and lack of involvement by the leadership-why hasn't he protected our interest?"

For Chief Corbiere, this all boils down to political manoeuvring. "The election campaign is on and the mudslinging has started," he announced, arguing that Councillor Jackson is "trying to smear me" in order to gain an edge for former chief Gladys Wakejigic in a future bid for his job.

He's confident the membership will appreciate the nuances of the trust fund situation once more accurate information is circulated. "The public will be informed," he said. "I send out communiques every three months, and I'll probably do something about it in the next communique."

EDITORIAL

New Brunswick tragedy has sad Island echoes

The thoughts of many Manitoulin people have been wrenched back to the Easter weekend of 1970 in light of the tragic highway fatalities this past weekend of seven young basketball players and their coach's wife, all from Bathurst, New Brunswick.

Born of a shared experience, the thoughts and prayers of many Island residents will have reached out to the New Brunswick families whose sons died this weekend.

Manitoulin's own huge tragedy took place the night of March 28, 1970: nearly 38 years ago, for that is the date that nine teenagers perished in a two-car crash on Highway 6 (then Highway 68) not far south of Manitowaning. Six of the youths were from Manitowaning and the three in the other vehicle were from Birch Island.

As in the New Brunswick situation, there were some survivors: one young woman and one young man.

Although Bathurst, New Brunswick is, at 31,000, a far larger community  than either Manitowaning or Birch Island, still the effects of the loss of seven of its young citizens will have the same far-reaching effects that have been the case on Manitoulin.

For example, a relative of one of the young men who perished that Easter weekend nearly two generations ago observed recently to this writer that there really are no business people in Manitowaning in their early fifties, the age that the four young men and two young women who died that tragic night would be today.

And while this person observed that there was no guarantee that any of them would have chosen to make their adult lives in their home community, the odds are that at least some of them would have chosen this path.

There are other similarities: there was a combined funeral service for the Manitowaning victims that was held at the Assiginack Arena. Virtually the entire student body of MSS, then in its first year, attended as did three busloads of young people from Owen Sound, representing a high school there that one of the young victims had previously attended. In New Brunswick early this week, there was to have been a combined funeral service in the Bathurst hockey arena for the young citizens of Bathurst who perished this weekend past.

Bathurst, New Brunswick, like Manitowaning and Birch Island so many years ago, will never be the same again and the thoughts of the people of Manitoulin, especially those who were even peripherally involved with the 1970 tragedy are certainly with the Bathurst families and, indeed, the whole community.

For anyone interested in posting a message of sympathy on an online book of condolences that has been set up by Bathurst High School, the website address is: bathursthigh.nbed.nb.ca. Click on the link that says, "please take a moment to sign our guest book."

I'm your neighbour

Tammy Lafleur

It may just be a coincidence that Tammy Lafleur's last name translates to "the flower," but it turns out to be an appropriate moniker for the long-time Manitowaning Freshmart employee.

Ms. Lafleur has worked at the Assiginack grocery store for seven years altogether-although she took a break in between to try her hand at self-employment-and her most recent position is as the store's produce manager, where she oversees the department where you'll find fresh fruit, vegetables, and maybe even a flower or two.

Past years have seen her working in the aisles, in the frozen food department and on cash. In other words, "I've done every department except the meat department," the friendly employee laughs.

As produce manager, her list of responsibilities includes "ordering, cleaning the vegetables, and organizing the counter to make sure that everything looks fresh so that the customers can buy all fresh produce."

When needed, Ms. Lafleur has also been known to jump on cash to help alleviate the busy times.

Her role as produce manager keeps her on her toes, since she has to adjust the volume of her orders according to demand, and the stock is always changing depending on what produce is in season. But when asked what her favourite part of the job is, she doesn't hesitate.

"I like working with everyone," Ms. Lafleur says. "Everyone works as a team, and I like that. It makes the day go faster."

It's also nice to see repeat customers coming in day after day, Ms. Lafleur says, whether they're friends and neighbours or seasonal travellers.

"It's a small town, so of course you know everyone," she smiles. "And it's just nice to see people come back every summer, especially the elders, because you wonder if they had a good winter."

That enjoyment of people extends to Ms. Lafleur's family, and when she's not keeping the produce department in order, she spends her spare time with her grandkids. "I have six," she says, noting that three of them-all boys-live just around the corner from her. "They keep me pretty busy."

It's a full life-one that Ms. Lafleur gets great pleasure from-and that she likes what she does for a living makes all the difference.

"I really enjoy my job," she says. "It seems like something different is happening all the time."

Patronizing local businesses like the Manitowaning Freshmart creates long-term employment for Islanders like Tammy Lafleur.