Emergency Response Team descends on Harbour Island

Reaps marijuana crop

with $1.45 million street value

by Michael Erskine

MANITOULIN-An unknown group of marijuana growers are licking, or perhaps more likely scratching, their wounds this week, after losing their Harbour Island grow op (located amid poison ivy plants) to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Northeast Region Emergency Response Team (ERT) and members of the Manitoulin detachment.

Residents and visitors to the Little Current docks were startled by the vision of nearly a dozen heavily armed and camo-bedecked ERT members as they rode the Manitoulin detachment's powerful lake cruiser alongside Wally's Dock Service and began off-loading boxes of immature pot plants.

Over 1,450 plants, which police estimate would be worth $1.45 million on the street at maturity, were found amongst the poison ivy on Harbour Island.

Suspicious activity at Harbour Island, which lies about 20 kilometres west of Little Current in the North Channel, had piqued the interest of both the local police detachment and nearby residents.

"Information and investigation led the police to believe there was a group of individuals growing marijuana on the island," said Community Services Officer Allan Boyd. "The police entered the island hoping to find the responsible persons on site. No persons were found, but 1,450 plants were located and seized."

Speculation among some police officers was that perhaps the culprits had woken up one morning to find themselves covered in poison ivy.

"The island is just covered in the stuff," said Staff Sergeant Bruce McCullagh. "Not just the little plants either; as you walk along your hands would be brushing through the vines."

Aerial reconnaissance of the area had supplied police with a pretty good idea of what they were facing when they went ashore at the site, and confirmed reports the police had been receiving from local residents.

All of the Island police services advise residents to remain vigilant for signs of suspicious activity and to report such activity to their local police force detachment.

Many involved in organized crime are moving out of urban areas and into more remote rural locations where they believe law enforcement resources would be less likely to spot their activities.

Citizens are strongly cautioned not to confront the criminals themselves, both for safety sake and to not tip the hands of law enforcement officers as they line up the evidence necessary to make arrests.

Impaired conviction for boaters

means loss of driver's licence

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-Boozing while boating has always been a bad idea, but it's a particularly unwise choice now, as imbibing boaters risk losing their driver's licence.

Bill 209, passed last Thursday in the Ontario legislature, gives authority to police and courts to suspend a boater's driver's licence if caught while operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol.

Police can now issue a 12-hour driver's licence suspension if the boat operator registers a warning on an alcotestor, or a 90-day administrative driver's licence suspension if the driver fails a breath test.

"In the past you could get a fine or jail time but there was no connection to your driver's licence," notes Staff Sergeant Bruce McCullagh. "This brings boats in line with ATVs or motorized snow vehicles."

Sergeant McCullagh says police will continue to patrol Island waters "the same as usual. It's the same as when I first got here: zero tolerance. There's nothing that spoils a summer more than an accident where somebody's had too much too drink."

He also notes that "we're consistently sending people on the marine course, and have a couple of more officers who have completed that now."

The staff sergeant says it will be a seamless transition to enforcing the new legislation since "the logistics are already in place; this just falls into line with the other three (motor vehicles, snowmachines and ATVs)."

The legislation was introduced by Liberal backbencher David Zimmer, and recieved third reading last week. "We didn't know it would be proclaimed immediately, but it was, which is nice," says Sergeant McCullagh.

Local OPP have had a fairly quiet summer so far, with "no alcohol-related accidents" on the water, and Sergeant McCullagh hopes the tougher penalties for offenders will reduce the likelihood of mishaps.

"Be warned," he says. "There will be no warnings."

It's great to be a Canadian!

A roundup of Canada Day Weekend events on Manitoulin

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-As usual, there will be no shortage of festive events for the patriotically inclined on the Island this coming July 1 weekend.

Providence Bay will be hosting its traditional Canada Day celebration on Saturday, with children's games in the afternoon, entertainment in the evening, and fireworks on the beach once it turns dark.

Fireworks will also fill the skies above Gore Bay, but before that happens the community will have a street festival (from 11 am to 3 pm) on the main drag, with face painting and apple bobbing, not to mention street bowling and clowns, among the activities. Across the bay, venerable resort Gordon's Lodge will be celebrating its 60th anniversary in conjunction with Canada Day: a barbecue goes from 1 to 2 pm, with a traditional chicken dinner following later and live entertainment.

The Gore Bay Legion is also getting into the Canada Day spirit with indoor and outdoor events all day long, including an open mike talent show and live performance by band Country Pride.

In South Baymouth, there will be an ever-popular parade to mark the nation's birthday, plus a host of other events.

Mindemoya will be hosting its annual homecoming extravaganza, with too many events to name spread over Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Refer to the full-page ad on page 9A for details.

In Little Current, the local Business Improvement Association will be serving up Canada Day cake at the cenotaph between 11 am and 1 pm. As well, the Manitoulin Islanders will be serving up some more savoury fare during a barbecue outside the Expositor office, from 11 am to 2 pm. A couple of days earlier, on June 29, the new skateboard apparel shop, Boarderline, housed in the former Co-op building, will have its grand opening.

Batman's Tent and Trailer Park in Sheguiandah is holding its third annual craft and yard sale from 9 am to 3 pm on Canada Day, while nearby Sheguiandah First Nation has its 17th annual 'Jinngtamok' on July 1 and 2, featuring dancers, drummers, canoe boxing and fireworks.

Local farmers' markets are also getting into the Canada Day groove, with cake, balloons, face-painting and more going on Friday morning in Gore Bay, and on Saturday morning in both Little Current and Mindemoya.

And don't forget the Ice Lake picnic, on Saturday at 11am.

EDITORIAL

Experimental road material may kill two birds

Two seemingly insurmountable issues facing the federal and provincial governments could, with a little creative thinking, come together to provide a solution for both.

For years the Cardwell-Meredith Street corridor in Assiginack, the only road in and out of the bustling First Nation community of Wikwemikong has been in a deadly state of disrepair.  The municipality has argued it is unable to commit the resources necessary to maintain a road used primarily by a much larger community, and neither the provincial nor federal governments seem willing to set an expensive precedent by recognizing the unfair burden placed on Assiginack by the geography of the situation.

Simultaneously, upper levels of government seem to be wrestling with how to deal with a massive heap of old tires currently stockpiled on the Zhiibaahaasing First Nation.

A pilot program designed to test the viability of using those unwanted tires to provide the road material to repair the Cardwell Street corridor would seem tailor-made to deal with both issues quite nicely.

Many communities are finding that the tires which accumulate in their region can be utilized to make a more resilient and flexible road material. Could not such material be tested here in the North for suitability?

This would deal with two dangerous issues without setting off the dreaded precedent which appears to be behind the inaction of both upper levels of government on these two issues.

The Expositor urges both the provincial and federal governments, as well as the affected First Nations and municipalies, to consider such a plan seriously, and to provide the necessary capital to put such a plan to test quickly, before either problem can reach its deadly potential.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bill 102 should improve access to medication

Changes are designed to benefit patients

To the Expositor:

For all Ontarians, our health is our most precious asset. Whether it is our own sickness or the illness of a family member or close friend, it is vital that good health be recovered as quickly as possible.

Often, that requires access to the latest, most effective drugs on the market. Knowing that the newest drugs will be there when we need them comes with a reassuring sense of confidence and security.

Bill 102, the Transparent Drug System for Patients Act, is an effort to improve patient access to drugs through a comprehensive plan to reform Ontario's drug system.

When the bill was first announced, many of my constituents contacted me with concerns about Bill 102. I took these concerns seriously, and raised them with the Ministry of Health. The government has amended Bill 102 at the committee stage with the support of the Coalition of Ontario Pharmacy. The bill has now received third reading.

Bill 102 has provisions intended for improved patient access to drugs through conditional listings and rapid reviews of breakthrough drugs. As well, it would ensure better value for money through changes to drug pricing and reimbursement.

Ours is a rural riding, one of relaxed individuality and personal familiarity. This is evident in the role pharmacists play in interacting with patients here in Algoma-Manitoulin. The thoughtful concern and individual attention that a pharmacist brings in dispensing medications is a vital service to our community. I am especially pleased that this legislation would recognize the pharmacist's crucial role by paying them to provide enhanced patient counselling about the appropriate use of medications.

In addition to the ones I have mentioned, there are other provisions to Bill 102. For example, the plan would:

¥ Invest in innovative health-system research by establishing a fund to show that drugs produce positive outcomes in other parts of the system.

¥ Reduce paperwork for doctors by replacing the cumbersome Section 8 process.

¥ Strengthen transparency and accountability in the drug system by giving patients a role in drug listing decisions and appointing an executive officer of the Ontario public drug programs to manage the publicly funded drug system.

All of these proposed changes are designed to benefit patients.

Further, you should know that all patients will continue to receive the drugs they currently receive. There will be no change whatsoever to benefits, to co-payments, to deductibles, or to eligibility for Ontario Drug Program recipients.

Mike Brown

Algoma-Manitoulin MPP

Disclosure requested before resources used

Wiky band members need to know full windmill process

To the Expositor:

An open letter to chief and council regarding the proposed windmill project.

Be advised that there is widespread dissatisfaction among the Wikwemikong Band membership in the way in which you and your council are proceeding with respect to the above mentioned windmill project.

The band membership wishes full disclosure before you proceed any further with the project. Therefore, we request/demand that there shall be no more financial resources from the Wikwemikong band funds transferred or paid to any corporation or business entities for the purpose of advancing the Wikwemikong windmill project. The band membership demands that the Wikwemikong band council shall not transfer any band funds to the Wikwemikong Development Commission or any business affiliates that are involved in any manner with the Wikwemikong windmill farm project. The band membership also demands that the Wikwemikong chief and council shall not sign any legally binding contracts in regards to the proposed windmill farm project without full disclosure to the membership of this band and receiving the proper authority from the band members through a verifiable consultation process.

Disclosure is requested with respect to all pertinent matters-including, but not limited to, commitments, verbal or otherwise, that may affect an encumbrance on the Wikwemikong band membership's collective financial resources. This will include all correspondence with all related contractors, supplies, lawyers, advisers, consultants, private or government agencies and show accountability, including any gifts promised that might encumber the Wikwemikong band finances.

On behalf of concerned Wikwemikong band members, who as a result the current process being employed by the Wikwemikong chief and council to advance this project have disenfranchised their rights to have a meaningful involvement in the process to approve or disapprove this project, we submit this formal petition.

R. Gerry Kaboni, James Fox, Tom Peltier

Wikwemikong

Grade 12 grads deserve more news coverage

Each grad's plans and thoughts should be explained

To The Expositor:

The last year of high school is a hectic one: we have to plan our future, punish our developing brains with exams and say goodbye to friendships we cherished. But can we at least get some sort of recognition?

Upon reading your newspaper last week, a lot of students were upset and disappointed. There were pictures of the graduates of various public schools in the area and unfortunately, none of us. Even though graduating from public school is a special moment in an individual's life, surviving the pressures of the 12th grade is more of an achievement. Many of us struggled through the harsh winter months where we waited patiently on letters from colleges and universities; that alone is stressful. But so far, we haven't received any attention (aside from an early graduation night article in May). It is very depressing to wander through the local newspaper and notice that the minor achievements of other individuals are being displayed while our precious moments are being shadowed. Another thing that outraged Grade 12 students was the picture titled "Groovin' Grads." Where are on earth are the graduates? The two individuals in the photo do not belong to the graduating class of 2006. They enjoyed their special moment before we even thought of which post-secondary institute to attend! Spring prom to us was the "night for Grade 12s." Many of us were dressed in our suave tuxedos/suits and dazzling dresses; we were the highlight of that particular night no matter what any other individual said. There should have been "real" graduates in that picture.

Overall, we should be noted for our accomplishments in an article, whether it explains each graduate's future plans or states our thoughts on leaving high school. If us students are mature enough to have our priorities straight for our future, shouldn't the local newspaper have theirs figured out for their community as well? Sure, an early graduation article is something we appreciate, but the final decision on our future came after that night.

By Wednesday afternoon, at around 4 pm, most of us students will be home. As we go on with our daily lives, an eerie feeling will take over our minds and souls. Reality will hit us, with a hard thump, to announce our new-found freedom. Hopefully, at the same time, all of us can see this letter in our local newspaper and feel proud of ourselves.

Josh Khan

Little Current

Letters can also be dropped through the slot on the front door of the Expositor office.Send your Dear Dave letters to Box 369, Little Current, Ontario, P0P 1K0,