May 7, 2003 ARCHIVE
 
 
 

Uncontrollable costs put squeeze on access centre budget

by Neil Zacharjewicz
SUDBURY - MANITOULIN - A hard-line policy on government-funded
agencies running deficits and a lack of control on the cost of
certain services has prompted the Sudbury-Manitoulin Community Care
Access Centre (CCAC) to look at across the board reductions in the
areas it provides services.
"We have to look at better efficiency and a reduction in volume to
certain services," Nancy Mongeon, executive director of the CCAC,
explained. She said these reductions will impact the homemaking,
personal support and nursing services the agency offers.
Ms. Mongeon indicated the CCAC operates on a fixed budget from the
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
"We are not allowed to go into deficit... not a penny," she stated.
Unfortunately, the CCAC's uncontrollable costs, which include such
things as union negotiations and insurance costs, came in at $1
million for the new year. The board chose to reduce the volumes
across the board as opposed to making cuts in one particular area of
service. She said the board does not want to deal with the perception
that it is taking services away from the clients, and therefore many
of the reductions will only affect new clients coming on board with
the agency.
Ms. Mongeon said the board has introduced a three-year business plan.
Late last year, she indicated, the board introduced a strategy to
deal with the rising costs that also looked at ways to open the door
more fully to clients. She said the CCAC has been reaching the
volumes it had projected, and hopefully the Ministry will see that
there is a need for more resources and make an effort to get those
resources to the agency.
"We certainly have the volumes to demonstrate the need," Ms. Mongeon stated.
While Ms. Mongeon has been out in the communities the CCAC services,
including a recent meeting with the Manitoulin Health Centre's Board
of Directors, to ask for their input and concerns, she indicated she
is also asking those affected to try and be understanding of the
financial realities the CCAC is faced with.


 

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation announces $2.3 million
allotment for Wiky
by Michael Erskine
WIKWEMIKONG---There will be $2.3 million from the Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation made available to the housing program at
Wikwemikong for the 2003-2004 building season.
"We are pleased that CMHC has announced the allotment for this year,"
said Wikwemikong Housing Director Jeff Toulouse. "With these Section
95 funds and our own equity investment, we will be able to build
anywhere from 25 to 30 housing units."
The good news on housing for this year is that, between extra funding
received earlier this year from unspent funds from Western Canada,
and the new units this year's CMHC allotment will help to build, the
band should see 45 to 51 new units constructed.
"I was very pleased to take part in the recent celebrations of the
200th unit constructed at Wikwemikong," said Algoma-Manitoulin MP
Brent St. Denis. "Wikwemikong has managed its housing program very,
very well. Housing is a priority issue for all the First Nations, and
the Federal Government is pleased to be able to play a supporting
role in helping Wikwemikong meet its needs."
The waiting list for housing in Wikwemikong tops 700, but Chief
Walter Manitowabi said he is confident the band and its staff will
rise to meet the challenge of providing adequate housing for all its
members.
 

Fire season on Manitoulin

by Neil Zacharjewicz
MANITOULIN - Firefighters across the Island were breathing a sigh of
relief on Monday when rain finally arrived, which should help in
preventing grass fires.
Island fire departments have been inundated with fire calls over the
last few weeks, particularly with regard to grass fires.
"We usually get a couple of grass fires every spring, but this is
just crazy," stated Rick Milne, fire chief for Northeastern
Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI). "I was going to put a fire ban on
in this area (before the rain arrived)."
Mr. Milne estimated his firefighters have responded to approximately
six calls in the last few weeks. Most recently, the NEMI firefighters
were called out to three fires over the course of Saturday and
Sunday. What particularly concerns him is that all of the fires the
firefighters attended on the weekend appeared to have been
deliberately set.
The first of the three was on the bluff near Bay Estates on Saturday,
he explained.
"There was not a soul around," Mr. Milne pointed out. He said
normally when people light grass fires, they stay around until
firefighters arrive.
"We looked everywhere and did not see anybody," he explained.
Also that day, firefighters were called out to a fire on the pow wow
grounds at the Sheguiandah First Nation. Mr. Milne indicated this
fire claimed the arbour in the centre of the grounds, which was made
with cedar boughs.
Finally, the firefighters were called out to a fire near Boozeneck
Road in Little Current. Mr. Milne indicated the people who had called
in the fire had reported seeing some little girls leaving the area
shortly afterward.
Mr. Milne did indicate there was no reason to believe all three fires
were started by the same person or people. Furthermore, he cautioned
area residents against the idea of burning their lawns in the hope
that it will grow back better. He indicated this is not really true,
and just puts those people at greater risk.
John McNaughton, fire chief for both Tehkummah and Central
Manitoulin, said he has been particularly busy, with five fires
reported in Central Manitoulin and one in Tehkummah. He said a fire
ban has been put in place in Tehkummah.
"It is part of a particular set of circumstances," Mr. McNaughton
explained. He said the ground has been dry on the surface, despite
the fact that there may be water underneath. With hot days but cool
nights, the grass has not been able to green, as the cold nights slow
the growth of the grass. Once the grass is green, however, the threat
of grass fires is somewhat reduced.
"We are very much breathing a sigh of relief now that this rain has
arrived," he said. "I was getting more than one call a night."
Merv Gilchrist, fire chief for Billings Township, said his department
received six calls over the last week, including a dumpster fire at
Manitoulin Secondary School.
"That was a record, for us to have that many calls," he confessed.
"We were lucky nobody lost a building on all of it. We have great
volunteer (firefighters) around."
He said his department was busy working alongside the M'Chigeeng and
Central Manitoulin fire departments over the course of the last
couple of weeks, with a series of fires stretching between the three
communities.
Yet the rash of blazes has left few areas untouched. While officials
with the Wikwemikong fire department were unavailable for comment,
that community fought a large grass blaze on Tuesday, April 29.
According to firefighters on the scene, it was one of many fires in
the community recently.
Officials with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) Forest Fire
Management Headquarters in Sudbury indicated the office had not
issued a fire warning or ban as it was anticipating a lot of
precipitation in the area for this week.
According to Environment Canada's weather office in Gore Bay,
Manitoulin can expect the possibility of showers until Friday.
 
U.S may allow cormorant hunt
by Tom Sasvari
MANITOULIN-MICHIGAN --- If 24 states in the US are allowed to cull
cormorants in areas where the birds damage fish and vegetation, it
would probably mean some good news for those who have been advocating
for a cull on adult cormorants on Manitoulin Island and on the area
waters.
"I know that we have a large number of birds that travel the
Mississippi flyway. If the US puts in these measures it could be good
news for us. It could help to cut our number of birds significantly
as well," stated Rick Fogal, of the United Fish and Game Clubs of
Manitoulin. "There is very little doubt the US guys will go right at
it. They know the problems the cormorants can do."
"It is to the Mississippi and East Coast where the cormorants travel
in the fall. Hopefully, the US will put the cull on the
birds...apparently Ontario won't be doing anything," said Mr. Fogal.
The huge increase in cormorant populations have prompted the US Fish
and Wildlife Service to propose lifting some federal protections,
meaning 24 states may be able to cull the cormorants in areas where
the birds damage fish and vegetation.
Cormorants have been federally protected in the US since the early
1970's, and have increased their population numbers. Their current
North American population is estimated at about 2 million.
A Michigan newspaper, the Telegraph-Forum had an article on the
issue, in its March 31, 2003 edition. The story indicated that under
the proposal being considered, the 24 states, American Indian tribes
and the US Department of Agriculture may devise plans to kill
cormorants by destroying eggs and shooting birds.
The states must inform federal authorities of their plans and provide
information about the number of birds killed, said the assistant
director of migratory birds with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
A spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources in Michigan said
they recognize cormorants are a problem, both biologically and
sociologically in several parts of the state. Michigan officials have
indicated they will be forming a team to study and make a
recommendation on the cormorant plan in the near future.
In many Northern communities, the cormorants are vilified, as each
adult bird can eat a pound of fish per day and their highly acidic
waste destroys vegetation.
It was noted in the Telegraph-Forum story that the Michigan Audubon
Society hasn't reviewed the latest studies on cormorant numbers and
environmental impacts, but a spokesman was quoted as saying they
might not oppose the plan, noting that there is no question of the
fact that there has been a tremendous increase in cormorant numbers.
Cormorants flock to the Les Cheneaux Islands off the southeast Upper
Peninsula of Michigan, where thousands nest. are being blamed for
devastating the yellow perch numbers, as well as muscling out blue
herons, terns and plovers that used to nest on the area islands.
A 60 day public period on the cormorant proposal will expire May 16,
and if implemented the cormorant control measures could be in place
by this fall.
"Even the Michigan Audobon Society is concerned about cormorants.
Anyone who is concerned with finding a balance in fisheries and
cormorants should be concerned if there is an unbalance, in this case
with cormorants," said Mr. Fogal. "Apparently, our governments aren't
going to get seriously involved in cormorant controls. We weren't
involved in the Iraq war, and I guess our government wouldn't want to
get involved in a war with the cormorants."
Mr. Fogal said that the Ontario government "realizes there is a
problem here, they just don't want to do anything about it. Dr. John
Cassellman, a scientist who has done extensive research on this
issue, says there is no sense waiting another two years to get
started on a serious control program. The time is now, and Dr.
Cassellman has said we are spinning our wheels in Ontario."
The egg oiling of adult cormorant eggs will be effective, once
cormorant numbers are cut down to workable number. "Once the numbers
are cut down to reasonable levels, everyone could live with egg
oiling because it would then be an effective management tool," said
Mr. Fogal.
The 24 states permitted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service to devise
plans to manage double-crested cormorant populations in areas where
the water birds are damaging fish or vegetation include: Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.