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NEMI
may be smoke-free by 2005
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by Cheryl Waugh
NORTHEASTERN MANITOULIN and the ISLANDS (NEMI) --- The town
of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands will begin public
consultation in the new year on a possible second-hand smoking
by-law that could see enclosed public spaces smoke free by January
1, 2005. A draft second-hand smoking by-law has been prepared
by the Parks and Recreation committee and was brought forward
to council at its meeting last Tuesday, November 20. The Parks
and Recreation committee, chaired by Councilor Al MacNevin,
was handed the assignment of preparing a second-hand smoking
by-law for NEMI after the Sudbury District Health Unit (SDHU)
approached the Manitoulin Municipal Association (MMA) earlier
this year about a possible Island wide by-law, and provided
the MMA with an example of the potential by-law. The issue instead
was sent to individual municipalities, who were to decide on
an appropriate course of action for their communities. Councillor
MacNevin said the committee chose a draft by-law that closely
followed the SDHU's guidelines, with the exception of the timeline.
Under NEMI's draft by-law enclosed public places - which includes
eating establishments, bars, halls/community centres, and even
taxis - will have to designate 50 per cent of their facility
as smoke-free by May 31, 2003. By January 1, 2005 no smoking
will be allowed in enclosed public spaces, if the by-law were
to pass. The SDHU by-law had a much quicker timeline for making
enclosed public spaces smoke-free. In the draft by-law, it is
noted that second-hand smoke from tobacco is a health hazard
and that residents and workers have a fundamental right to live,
work, and enjoy community amenities without the presence of
second-hand smoke. The one exception allowed in the draft by-law
is when an enclosed space is being used for a private function,
in which case unrestricted smoking is permitted. The proposed
by-law also has not established what the penalties might be
for someone not obeying the rules. Councillor MacNevin noted
the potential for controversy in trying to pass a no-smoking
by-law, and suggested a town hall meeting should be held on
the matter in January. Councilor Marcel Gauthier said a town
hall meeting could allow for council to discuss other issues
with the public pertaining to NEMI business, as well. "I imagine
this issue will probably need its own night," said Councillor
Ron Lewis. "I think it'll be a one topic night," agreed Councillor
MacNevin. Mayor Ken Ferguson said it'll probably be helpful
if someone from the SDHU could be in attendance during the public
meeting to speak on smoking in public places, and suggested
they receive an invitation to the town hall meeting. Council
passed a motion to begin public consultation on the second-hand
smoking by-law, although no date has been set for the public
meeting as of yet.
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MSS
returns from OFSSA with bronze
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by Neil Zacharjewicz
M'CHIGEENG - His hope became a reality.
Last week, Manitoulin Secondary School Senior Volleyball coach
Peter Kategiannis had stated he was optimistic his team could
return home from the Ontario Federation of Secondary Schools
Athletic Association (OFSSA) finals, held in London on the weekend
of November 23, with a medal. It seems Coach Kategiannis was
right on the mark, as his team returned home with a bronze medal.
"The guys played very well," stated Coach Kategiannis upon his
teams return, adding "We are too tired to be more elated." This
season, his team boasted a perfect record during regular season
play, and brought home both the North Shore Secondary School
Athletic Association (NSSSA) and the Northern Ontario Secondary
School Athletic Association (NOSSA) chmpionships. In a number
of tournaments across Ontario, outside of regular season play,
the team boasted a 17-7 record. "We are happy, but we could
have won the gold," Coach Kategiannis suggested, noting that
there were five or six teams in the tournament, including MSS,
who were fairly evenly matched. "We just lost at the wrong time,"
he said. The tournament opened with a round robin tournament
made up of four divisions of four. In their first game, MSS
faced the Pelican Falls Timberwolves, beating them in two straight
sets 25-11 and 25-12. Next up in the tournament was the perennial
OFSSA powerhouse the Brampton Bobcats. MSS disposed of them
in two straight sets, winning 25-12 and 25-10. The Lord Dorchester
Beavers, the host team for the tournament, were next on the
MSS schedule. "They were a really good team," Coach Kategiannins
confessed. Indeed they won the first set 25-22. But the Mustangs
were determined, and came back to win the next two sets 25-22
and 15-8. Advancing on to the next level, MSS squared off against
the Chesley Cougars. The Cougars won the first set 25-22. Coach
Kategiannis confessed he was a little nervous after losing the
first set. He needn't have worried, as MSS pound the Cougars
in the next two sets, winning 25-20 and 15-8. The win advanced
MSS into the semi-final round, where they were to face the Rockway
Mennonite Flames, the returning OFSSA champs from 2000. In the
semi-final round, Coach Kategiannis explained, the tournament
upped the ante, as teams were required to win three of five
sets. The Flames were able to neutralize the efforts of MSS'
Ryan Anderson, and beat MSS in three straight sets, winning
25-18, 25-19 and 25-13. "I was outcoached," Coach Kategiannis
explained. Still, Manitoulin's record was enough to advance
to the bronze medal round, where they faced an old foe, the
hometown Lord Dorchester Beavers. There was no mistaking who
was the better team this time, as MSS crushed the Beavers 25-12
and 25-13 in two straight sets. Coach Kategiannis suggested
the sweetest feeling in the world was sitting in a gym full
of Beavers fans and only a small contigent of 20 from Manitoulin,
and only being able to hear the MSS fans as the hometown crowd
was stunned by their team's performance. "Our guys really wanted
it," stated Coach Kategiannis. "That is what we said in the
huddle, 'Let's shut their fans up.'" The win marked the first
medal at OFSSA for MSS in a competitive sport other than curling,
Coach Kategiannins explained. "If someone, five years ago, had
told me one day we would win an OFSSA medal in volleyball, I
would have laughed at them," Coach Kategiannis confessed. Yet
last year, the team advanced to the OFSSA finals in Kenora for
the first time ever. That experience, he said, opened not only
his eyes, but those of his team as well. He said they learned
what they needed to do to compete at the next level, and dedicated
themselves to the hard work necessary to achieve results at
the next level. As a result of MSS' performance, Mr. Anderson
received an offer of a partial scholarship from Western University,
which drew mention in the London Free Press. Coach Kategiannis
pointed out a number of changes were made to the team heading
into this season, which madethe OFSSA finish even more remarkable.
Jason Bosley, who loved to hit, took over as the team's setter,
putting aside his own wants for the sake of the team. This season
marked his first time at that position, and he did a tremendous
job, his coach remarked. As well, Coach Kategiannis noted there
were three new players to the team who worked hard despite not
being members of the team last season, and proved worthy of
being OFSSA champions. Those players were Kevin Haines, Matt
Elgie and Jason Diebolt. Coach Kategiannis pointed out Mr. Diebolt
had never played high school volleyball at all, yet proved to
be a worthy starter for the team. The performance of these players,
he said, was a testament to their efforts. Cach Kategiannis
added he appreciated the efforts of the 20 fans who turned out
for the tournament. "There was good school spirit there," he
said.
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Manitoulin
experiences first ever muzzle loader season
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by Neil Zacharjewicz
MANITOULIN - A muzzle loading season may
be new to Manitoulin, but it is hardly a new fad in North America.
According to Mike Bauer, a resident of Rockville who had been
hunting with a muzzle loader for 26 years, every state in the
US has a muzzle loader season. In fact, in his home state of
Indiana, there is no such thing as a rifle season. Hunters use
either a shotgun, or the more popular muzzle loader. The muzzle
loader has proved to be the more popular of the two, he noted,
because it affords hunters there an extra week of hunting. "I
enjoy it," confessed Mr. Bauer. "There is a lot more finesse
to hunting because you only have one shot." Mr. Bauer first
began muzzle loader hunting in 1975 with a few of his friends
in Indiana. They all bought their own gun kits and built muzzle
loaders. At that time, there were just four of them hunting
on 10,000 acres of property. Within 10 years, muzzle loader
hunting became more popular than hunting with a shotgun. When
Mr. Bauer moved to Manitoulin, he had never really hunted with
a rifle. Last year, when he learned an effort was being made
to introduce muzzle loader hunting to Manitoulin, he got out
his guns and used them during the regular rifle season. When
he first arrived at the hunt camp with his muzzle loader, he
said, members of the camp laughed at him. However, when he was
the first to shoot a buck, in only one shot, they stopped laughing.
Mr. Bauer said he believes hunting with a muzzle loader has
helped to make him a better marksman. "You take your time and
you shoot better," he suggested. Normally, while hunting with
a muzzle loader, a hunter only gets one shot, he noted. However,
if the hunter is lucky and is able to reload quickly without
error, the chance is there that they might get a second shot.
Muzzle loaders are a lot different from the regular rifle because
there is more to it than simply loading a shell into the gun.
First, the hunter must seat the bullet properly with Pyrodex,
a new product which most muzzle loader hunters favor over the
more traditional black powder, which is also an option. Pyrodex
comes in tight-packed cylindrical quick loads, which make it
easier to load the gun. The type of bullet also varies depending
on the hunters choice and style of muzzle loader. Traditional
muzzle loaders tend to use Round Ball bullets, although other
options include pellets, Maxi Balls or the increasingly popular
Savated Bullet, which is common to newer style muzzle loaders.
Many of the newer guns will also require a shotgun primer, while
the older style of muzzle loaders use caps, which are more susceptible
to moisture. Keeping a muzzle loader dry is key, Mr. Bauer explained.
"You cannot get them damp or wet," he indicated. A wet gun will
not shoot properly, he noted, because it becomes difficult to
ignite the gun powder. Keeping a muzzle loader clean is particularly
important, perhaps even more so than a modern rifle. Because
gun powder does not burn as clean as some of the modern day
powders, muzzle loaders tend to need to be cleaned more frequently.
As well, it is important to ensure the barrel is unobstructed
to prevent blowing up the barrel. While older style muzzle loaders
have a range of approximately 100 yards, some of the more modern
guns have a slightly longer range. "Like any gun, you have to
get used to it," Mr. Bauer explained. He suggested anyone looking
to try muzzle loader hunting should try and get out with someone
experienced at it. Muzzle loaders can be more dangerous than
a modern rifle if the hunter is inexperienced. "Probably the
most important thing is safety," he indicated. While the Island
should not expect a big turn out for its first muzzle loader
season, Mr. Bauer predicts it will grow in popularity. "In Indiana,
it was more like a cult thing," he indicated. He explained some
hunters used to go as far as wearing the traditional hunting
garb of buckskins, and Friendship, Indiana annually invites
hunters to stay in a little village of teepees and lean-tos,
where they can trade for gun parts and participate in muzzle
loader competitions. Some of these competitions include seeing
if a hunter can split a Round Ball in half by firing directly
at the blade of an axe, or an accuracy test by trying to shoot
peanuts off a string. In all his years of hunting, Mr. Bauer
estimated he has shot approximately 30 to 40 deer with a muzzle
loader. He went through a few seasons where he never shot any,
but in 1978 he shot a 10 point buck with one in Indiana. Mr.
Bauer said, given time, he believes many of the rifle hunters
on the Island will give muzzle loader hunting a try, and possibly
even convert. The muzzle loader hunt on Manitoulin will run
from Monday, December 3 until Wednesday, December 5. The Ministry
of Natural Resources (MNR) would like to remind hunters that
muzzle loaders are still considered a rifle, and as such MNR
Conservation Officers will be watching to ensure hunters are
wearing their 'hunter orange' gear as required by law.
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