First stage of seniors' complex now under way in Mindemoya

Work on 22-unit apt. building starting this spring; facility with assisted-living units could follow

by Jim Moodie

MINDEMOYA-By this time next year, a field across the highway from the Mindemoya Hospital should be sprouting much more than hay. If all goes according to plan, a sizeable apartment building for seniors will have shot up by then, with space for 22 tenants.

Last week, representatives of the Central Manitoulin Seniors' Committee, Central Manitoulin Township and Build North Construction were on hand at the pastoral site just outside of Mindemoya to unveil the project.

Paul Atkinson of the seniors' group explained that Build North of Sudbury has signed on to act as both "contractor and financier" for the venture. He noted that the firm has "done buildings like this before," pointing to a development of a similar scope that was undertaken by the company in Coniston.

Work is expected to commence in the spring, "and will probably be complete in late 2008 or early 2009," indicated Mr. Atkinson.

For the seniors' committee, which has been lobbying for some time to have a development of this nature in the community, it was quite gratifying to see the project officially kicked off last week, even if the only physical evidence for now is a large sign at the side of the highway with an artist's rendering of the complex on its surface.

Aging members of the community are also quite excited about the initiative, said Mr. Atkinson. "People are anxious to sign up for a unit," he noted.

While he allowed that "we don't have the proper forms yet," he pointed out that "we're more than booked, basically, because we did a survey this year and if people fulfill what they said on the survey, we're over-subscribed."

Having received such an encouraging response, "the next step is to sign everyone to a lease agreement," said Mr. Atkinson.

The apartments will be two-bedroom units with kitchens and bathrooms, in which residents will be entirely independent. In the long term, the seniors' committee hopes that a second facility could be constructed on the same property that would provide some assisted living, with tenants each having their own single-bedroom unit but eating in a common dining room and having access to an on-site nurse.

At present, the goal is to develop a three-acre parcel, but the opportunity exists to make use of another seven acres at the same location, said Mr. Atkinson. "The site is chosen, and we're preparing now for an outright purchase," he indicated, explaining that the land, severed from the farm property of Ron Becks, has been "optioned by the municipality."

In terms of proximity to services, Mr. Atkinson feels the site is ideal, being directly adjacent to the hospital but also handy to restaurants and shops. "Being close to the hospital is a very important part, even just psychologically, for people who are older," he pointed out. "And you can walk into town, visit the coffee shops. The sidewalk runs right to the property line."

While the apartments will be relatively pricey, at $1,200 per month, that rate "is all inclusive," said Mr. Atkinson, "with the exception of telephone and cable TV." And he believes that for many aging residents who are beginning to find the upkeep of their homes a challenge, this will seem a reasonable outlay in return for the luxury of not having to worry about an iffy furnace or an icy driveway.

Most importantly, said Mr. Atkinson, the development will provide an option for those who might otherwise leave the community. "Seventeen houses have been sold in Mindemoya to date this year," he noted. "And a lot of those people are having to move from the area because there's nothing here to move into."

His experience, in speaking with seniors who ended up seeking accommodation elsewhere, is that they "really miss their friends and feel lonely."

While there is already one complex of affordable housing in the community in the form of Meadowview Apartments, Mr. Atkins said this option isn't appealing to everybody. "Those are single-bedroom apartments, which are great for one person but maybe not for two, and there's a variety of people living there," he said. "Our idea was to create a private apartment complex, and this won't be geared to low-income residents, partly because that's the way the builder wanted to have it."

Mr. Atkins said that there has been a concerted effort among various partners to bring the project to a stage where earth is now due to be turned. "Throughout all of this, we've had considerable support from the municipality and individuals, and that's what has made it so enjoyable."

He believes that as the project evolves, "it could become a sort of model complex, providing different levels of living for seniors, that other communities might want to follow."

While Mr. Atkins isn't personally at an age yet where he's ready to make the move to a senior apartment, he is proud to know that others who are at this stage in life will soon have a chance to remain in the community they love.

"I got involved is that I found it disturbing to see some people selling their houses and moving away," he said. "It's nice for them in their senior years to be able to stay here."

Conservation group purchases land at 10-Mile Point, Fossil Hill

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-The Island's premier lookout may soon be a place to do a walkabout.

A land transaction at Ten Mile Point is in the works, and the buyer, the Toronto-based Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy (EBC), hopes to eventually construct a trail here that would allow patrons of the popular Highway 6 pullover spot to not only gaze out over the North Channel, but actually trek down to the water itself.

The parcel in question, encompassing 15 acres, extends from the road allowance at the Jesuit mission plaque on the highway to the channel far below, and Bob Barnett, the executive director of the EBC, said a trail linking the parking lot and the water's edge is entirely possible.

"The property starts just below the bluff," he said. "So people could park, walk along the guard rail, and then down to the water. It would be a bit tricky at the top because it's a bit steep, but I think it would be a nice, touristy thing to have a trail there. It would snag more people as they go by on Highway 6."

The transaction is expected to be finalized next month, said Mr. Barnett, and while the property is not vast, it provides a handy corridor between the place where motorists stop for a view, and the main object of that view. The land runs over 2,600 feet in length, with a frontage of 250 feet on the water.

Simultaneously, the EBC is in the process of acquiring a sizeable chunk of land near another Highway 6 landmark: New England Hill, or Fossil Hill as it was originally known. Famous for a trove of petrified specimens that stirred up paleontologists a few years back, the site, just north of Tehkummah, remains relatively obscure for most people who travel by it, distinguished only by a slight rise in the road and a rock cut.

But it's a significant part of the escarpment, and Mr. Barnett said his organization is excited about the acquisition of 90 acres that unfurl to the west of this geologically notable locale. "There's some really nice escarpment there," he said, "and we'd like to create a trail that winds its way through it."

The land was previously used for hunting, and the original owners will retain the right to continue hunting here as part of the transaction, Mr. Barnett said. Meanwhile, though, his organization will be able to restrict development on the property and preserve an area it deems ecologically significant.

The property comes within a kilometre of McLean's Park, and Mr. Barnett said it is possible that a link could be made between the two. McLean's Park, reached via the New England Road, remains somewhat hidden to travellers of Highway 6. "But our property is right on the highway, so people could stop at our place and get up to McLean's Park that way," he conjectured.

Given the geological significance of the Fossil Hill area, Mr. Barnett said that visitors will be discouraged from disturbing the rocky relics that remain. "We'll be trusting that people will leave them there for the next generation," he said.

At the same time, it could provide an opportunity for a greater appreciation of this largely overlooked wonder. "You see it a lot better at four kilometres an hour than 100," Mr. Barnett mused, in reference to the speed at which a person walks compared to drives.

These two latest land deals add to a series of acquisitions made by the EBC over the last few years on Manitoulin. The most significant, prior to this recent pair, was the purchase of a 333-acre wetland north of the Bidwell Road near the famous Cup and Saucer formation (a portion of which is also owned by the EBC). In early October, Mr. Barnett and a few helpers were busy grooming a trail through the so-called 'Bidwell Bog' property, known locally as the Blueberry Marsh.

The Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy is a charitable land trust whose mission is to preserve the ecology and wildlife of the Niagara Escarpment through a system of nature reserves and conservation agreements inked with landowners (who receive tax breaks for adhering to development restrictions).

While some areas the conservancy assumes control over feature limited human activity, traditional northern pastimes like hunting and snowmobiling are tolerated on others.

Solar water heating option pursued for Island residents

by Jim Moodie

MANITOULIN-If renewable energy advocate Glenn Black proves successful in his bid for federal retrofit funding, Islanders should be eligible to acquire solar-heated water systems at a quarter of their actual cost.

Mr. Black of Providence Bay has applied to Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) on behalf of Manitoulin residents for access to a program that subsidizes the cost of upgrading to a solar water unit, which is far cheaper in the long term than a conventionally heated water tank as well as less taxing on the environment.

Mr. Black is forming a not-for-profit corporation called Manitoulin Energy which would oversee the distribution of solar systems to 200 homes if the application is approved. The alternative energy consultant believes that Manitoulin stands "a pretty good chance" of qualifying for the program, as the total number of applicants nationwide is 36, and he anticipates a quarter of those will get the green light.

"They try to balance it geographically, and with our high mix of Aboriginal populations and some of the other unique things we have to offer, I think we have a good shot at it," said Mr. Black.

The need for a more efficient water-heating option is pressing, he believes. "Twenty-five percent of a residence's total energy consumption is for heating water," he noted, and while the cost of electricity and propane have already increased dramatically over the last decade, he expects prices will "increase even more and even faster in the near future."

The majority of homes on Manitoulin (about 70 percent) utilize electric water heaters, he said, and that, in his view, is a problem. "Electricity is the absolute last thing you should be using, because it's such a premium fuel and incredibly inefficient."

Were Islanders to opt for a solar system that preheats water before it reaches their tank, they stand to reap considerable savings on their hydro bills, he said. "Solar can supply 50 to 80 percent of the total water heating energy," he indicated. The balance of the heat would be supplied by a home owner's current system, preferably utilizing firewood, propane or oil in place of electricity.

While a solar unit would cost $5,000 up front for the equipment and its installation, Mr. Black is anticipating that a combination of government funding and private sponsorship will allow him to charge residents just $1,250 for the technology. That could be paid off over a few years with modest monthly payments, he noted, and "afterwards you would have 20 years of free energy."

The savings per year on hydro bills would be in the neighbourhood of $400, he said, so paying $33 per month over 3.3 years to cover the investment would merely equal what people are accustomed to paying anyway. But after that, they would continue to generate heat for their water at no cost for the life of the system.

Mr. Black's plan has been endorsed by several municipalities on the Island and he has received positive feedback from government officials and representatives of the energy sector. "It's such a no-brainer to do this," said Mr. Black. "The technology is well established, and has been tested over 30 years at least, but so many people still go the same way grandpa did. The time has come when we need to make a major shift."

His hope is that "by doing a cluster of 200 systems in one geographical area, it will become known and proven and achieve a critical mass," at which point there will be an impetus to expand the program to more homes on the Island.

Mr. Black noted that 20 years ago, everyone used electric patio lights, but within the last few years solar outdoor lights have become widespread and are readily available at major retail outlets. "The same thing has to happen with this," he said.

The technology is quite simple: a pair of solar panels is placed on the sunniest slope of a building's roof, with a line running down the side of the dwelling (through a downspout-like tube) and in through the wall of the basement, where it connects with a unit that preheats water before it enters the existing tank.

"It takes about a day to do one house," said Mr. Black of the installation process. A homeowner's current tank should be replaced at the same time, however, if "it has less than five year's life expectancy left," he advised.

Applicants to the program offered through NRCAN will know by the end of March whether they have been approved for the funding. Presuming Manitoulin is successful in accessing the federal help, Mr. Black said he "is hoping to start installations on April 1."

In the meantime, anyone interested can pre-apply for a unit through the Manitoulin Energy website, found at http://manitoulin-energy.on.ca. "If they're all pre-sold, the federal agencies will probably take us more seriously," Mr. Black noted.

The solar systems would be allocated on the basis of population, he said, meaning that a certain number of units will be reserved for each community, depending on their size. "In Zhiibaahaasing there would only be one, because the population is so small, whereas Central Manitoulin would have something like 30," said Mr. Black.

The energy specialist is also in the process of gathering donations from local businesses. So far, he's received a pledge for $2,500 from Purvis Brothers Fishery, $1,000 from Pro Gas and $500 from Williamson's Hardware. As well, Mr. Black is personally committed to chipping in $1,000 through his Pioneer Systems business.

To learn more about the project, or to get on board as a sponsor, visit the Manitoulin Energy website, or contact Mr. Black at info@manitoulin-energy.on.ca, or by phone at 377-4039.

Wiky simulates trailer park as 'practice firm' project

by Alicia McCutcheon

WIKWEMIKONG-Canada's only Aboriginal 'practice firm'-a simulated business-hosted an open house in Wikwemikong this month, with a crowd of the curious on hand as well as well-wishers of the four young community members undertaking the project.

Luke Wassegijig, Robin Manitowabi, Patrick Fox and Shane Cooper are the four 20-somethings who, for the next few months, will be overseeing the operations of the Mitkamig Park Practice Firm.

They explained to their audience that practice firms have their beginnings in Germany in the 1950s and are now found worldwide, with 40 such firms in Canada operating under the Canadian Practice Firms Network (CPFN). Mitkamig, however, represents the only First Nations-run firm in the country.

A practice firm simulates the operations of a real business, and in this case, the business is a tent and trailer park in Point Grondine, a parcel of land owned by the First Nation on Georgian Bay. The ultimate goal of any practice firm is to develop a training model that will work as a "business incubator," with the hope that it will eventually transition to a real, live business. They said that their ultimate goal is to have the community take their practice firm at the end of its six-month project period and use it to develop the project at Point Grondine. They will even have a business plan ready.

The foursome has spent the past three months undertaking research, including finding a "mentor park." This park had to emulate the way they wanted to do business and had to have shown great success. They found their mentor in the Cape Croker Indian Park, which is owned and operated by the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation on the Bruce Peninsula.

Besides research, the group has had to operate day to day like any other tourism operator might on the Island by dealing in accounting, business development, human resources and bookings.

Mr. Wassegijig, operations manager, explained that the group has been dealing with some language barriers, though. The majority of the other practice firms in Canada are based in Quebec and many of the people they deal with do not speak English, while the Wiky group does not speak French. The practice firms in Canada and Europe (under the European Enterprises Network, of which CPFN is a member) help one another to test out their model businesses by placing phone calls to one another, asking questions or making reservations, in the case of Mitkamig Park, even if the practice firm is not in the least bit related to their own. These four are expected to do the same.

"We even had a phone call from France the other day," said Ms. Manitowabi. They explained that these calls are very important as they can help your firm grow, and to lose them is bad news.

"We've created a list of French terms that we have pinned to the wall," explained Mr. Fox, pointing to an extensive list of English to French translations. "Were hoping to gain some sales from Europe."

If there are "services" required by Mitkamig Park that are offered by any of the participating practice firms, the group must seek them out for a possible business transaction before looking elsewhere.

"The 'business' of the practice firm is based on the promotion of virtual business products and services," their brochure states. "These products are marketed mainly through web pages and catalogue distribution. Each firm has its own business decisions to make or it can face downsizing or bankruptcy."

A PowerPoint presentation was made, showcasing the Mitkamig Park catalogue and all the park offers.

The audience learned that the park consists of 150 lots with both seasonal and transient spaces, and also boasts an outdoor "fun zone." Mitkamig has an "authentic," pre-European Native village, as well as rock climbing, canoeing and scuba diving-all available at realistic rates.

The group has also created numerous bundled offerings, like convenience packages, which come with all the camping amenities such as hot dogs and buns, marshmallows, pop and insect repellent.

Travel packages have been developed to make use of Wikwemikong's existing tourism allures such as the Aboriginal theatre package (Debajehmujig), ATV package (Wawashkesh Wilderness ATV Tours), the Giddy-Up horse expedition, canoe expedition, golf package (Rainbow Ridge), fishing adventure and paintball package.

The group also spoke of the possible benefits of having those on Ontario Works assisting with the firm as a way to gain workplace experience in a "low risk setting."

Amy Pangowish

Andy's

Wikwemikong

I'm your neighbour

Those who shop at Andy's indoor mall in Wikwemikong are sure to know Amy Pangowish. The officer supervisor has worked at the one stop shopping centre since 1991 in almost every department the store offers-and that's a lot. Andy's offers everything from a True-Value hardware store and Freshmart grocery store to The Source and Manitowabi Clothing and Gifts, as well as a coffee shop, RBC bank and a Shell gas station. Amy says that her current job is by far her favourite as she likes the responsibility that comes with it, but it is not unusual to find her helping out in other areas when someone needs a break, like working the checkout.

"I like learning new things and meeting new people," she says, noting that there is plenty to learn when there are so many different departments at Andy's.

Amy and her husband have three children, aged 13, five and two, and she says that family time is very important to her. One of the Pangowishes' favourite pastimes is to go on road trips-not far, but to places around the Island. The family also likes to spend time at their Port Perry camp during the summer months. Amy says she also loves to spend time with her mother when she has some spare time.

Because Amy has worked here for so long, she says that almost everyone knows her by name and she has become familiar with many of Wikwemikong's Elders, which makes her happy.

"It's a lot of fun," Amy says. "Everybody's a lot of fun here-it's like a big family."

Shopping at local businesses like Andy's creates lasting employment for people like Amy Pangowish.

EDITORIAL

Liberals should not postpone election at price of integrity

Last week's Speech from the Throne, the minority federal Conservative government's statement of its ambitions during the new session of government, underscored Prime Minister Harper's credo from 18 months ago that his minority government "will govern as though we had a majority" in the House of Commons.

Mr. Harper also poked Liberal leader Stephane Dion rather hard with his challenge that not only would the House of Commons vote on the measures outlined in the Speech from the Throne be deemed a confidence vote, but so would every ensuing vote on each of the measures proclaimed as the policies of the Conservatives as they come forward as specific legislation emanating from the Throne Speech.

That puts Mr. Dion (who has said his party will pass the Speech from the Throne) in the position of buoying up the minority Conservative government. The Bloc Quebecois and the New Democratic Party moved quickly to state they would not support some or all of the government policies outlined in the Throne Speech and would vote against it.

Mr. Dion's Liberals are fresh from three losses in Quebec by-elections earlier this month and the party does not seem to have re-established itself in the 10 months since last fall's federal leadership event that put Mr. Dion at the Liberals' helm.

Mr. Harper and his advisors are proving to be adept strategists as they make the federal Liberal organization squirm, pushing policies they know will make the party of Sir Wilfred Laurier uncomfortable, knowing that the Liberals will not want to go to the people just at this time.

But how long can the Liberals tolerate the jeers of the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois as they continue to support the government rather than risk an election?

The Arctic sovereignty issue that the Throne Speech spoke to is enough of a motherhood issue that all parties will support it.

But what about our role in Afghanistan? The Liberals would have our commitment there end in 2009. The Conservatives' position (doubtless in some measure to irk the Liberals, NDP and Bloc Quebecois) is to extend it to 2011.

Doubtless the findings of the select committee on Canada's role in Afghanistan, recently convened by Prime Minister Harper and chaired by John Manley, former Liberal deputy prime minister, will have a bearing on for how long, and in what capacity, Canada's armed forces continue their work in Afghanistan.

It's to be hoped, though, that our front-line military work can be, in time, reduced to more of a training mission for the local constabulary and military and, in fact, this was hinted at in the Throne Speech.

And while the Conservatives plan to put more police on the streets, it also plans to repeal the long gun registry.

That will please many residents of Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing, but a repeal of the long gun registry is bound to make the Liberal establishment squirm and on a point like this, if they are to be taken seriously by themselves or the electorate, they would have no choice but to oppose the passage of this bill and, assuming the NDP and Bloc Quebecois also supported continuing the long gun registration, bring down the government and force our election.

There are aspects of the "crime and punishment" portion of the Throne Speech that may (and should) make the Liberals uncomfortable enough to deny passage of related legislation.

"Reverse onus" is one example whereby the burden of proof moves to the shoulders of repeat offenders and they are required to demonstrate why they should not be subject to a lengthy prison stay.

This takes the burden of proof away from the Crown and lays this responsibility squarely at the feet of the defence.

We may, case by case, think this is a good idea, but the Liberals and the other parties in opposition must decide if they can pass legislation that turns aside centuries of precedent.

The federal Liberals, to remain a viable political entity in both the long and short terms, must resist the temptation to put off an election as long as possible, buying time to regroup in this way.

If there is an issue with which the Liberals' own policies and precedents are starkly at odds, then the party must vote against it, confidence motion or not, and fight an election.

If a further outcome of that action is a search for a new Liberal party leader sooner than the party would have wished, then that too is the price of credibility.

Letters to the Editor

Expositor lauded for coverage of election, voting reform

Nobody's vote is wasted with traditional system

To the Expositor:

Thanks to The Expositor for your excellent coverage of the provincial election and the referendum on proportional representation (PR).

In particular, readers have been well informed by Alicia McCutcheon's thorough and balanced articles on PR, and by the thoughtful debate in your letters column. That information may have made the result here (more than two-thirds were opposed to change) even more decisive than the provincial average.

There were other factors. Many of us didn't want some of the seats for MPPs who are now elected in Northern Ontario to be replaced by political appointees, and didn't want ethnic, regional or single-interest parties calling the tune in hung parliaments.

The turnout was regrettably low, even on PR. (Mike Erskine, however, was brilliant in asking if you would want your car driven by someone who is not paying attention).

Some people who support middle-of-the-road parties don't bother to vote because they are sure they will form the government.

They are also reassured that good ideas advanced by the smaller parties are adopted by the mainstream parties, who are interested in every vote cast. Nobody's vote is wasted.

Perry Anglin

Mindemoya

Feeble throne speech reaction shows how far Grits have slipped

Mr. Dion's predicted landslide would now be a mudslide

To the Expositor:

How far the mighty have fallen. Just a few short years ago the federal Liberals could lay claim to being one of the most successful political parties in the entire Western world. Now they find themselves powerless to even oppose the policies of the party in power, as spelled out in the speech from the throne in Ottawa last week-the contents of which they otherwise have no stomach for.

Their only alternative would be to force an election, and they have even less stomach for that at the moment. Reason: An election would be political suicide for them. As Don Martin, a columnist in one of the big Toronto newspapers put it last week, an election right now for the Liberals would be "a forced march into an electoral Jonestown, where tombstones would be the final result."

Only last Christmas the political pundits were predicting that the new leader of the federal Liberal Party, Stephane Dion, fresh from his upset victory at the party convention, could win with a landslide if an election were called at the time. Now in the autumn of 2007, if an election were called, Mr. Dion's landslide would turn into a mudslide.

Even to a non-partisan observer, it seems clear that the federal Liberals did not make a stellar choice in their selection of a new party leader late last year. At the time, the social democratic/left-liberal movement in Canada could gloat on how they slipped up the middle, and then deeked to the left, to have one of their favourite sons take over the helm of the once proud Liberal Party. The ghost of Pierre Elliot Trudeau smiled down upon them from the rafters of the convention centr that night. They just knew he would be proud.

How ironic it is then, that a short one year later, it has all come undone. Not only is the Liberal Party as a whole in disarray, but Mr. Dion's political career is starting to show all the tell-tale signs of becoming a train wreck. A tragedy of truly Shakespearean proportions.

That is too bad really, because Mr. Dion is admittedly a decent man, and an intelligent one at that. Even those such as yours truly who do not subscribe to his ideology, would have to allow him as much. But politics can be a vicious game.

The dilemma of the federal Liberals has not been limited to their impotence in opposing the speech from the throne this month. The lacklustre performance of the party in the three Quebec by-elections in September also began to bring matters to a head. Until recently, the federal Liberals could have expected to score a hat trick in "La Belle Provence." Now all they got was the humiliation of being on the bad end of a shutout. Zero for three.

Those of the Liberal persuasion here on the Island take heart: Your party has not been idle in trying to halt the drift. The knives are already out, and the back stabbing has begun-presumably to make room for new blood. Key party figures such as national director of the party, Jamie Caroll, and Quebec lieutenant Marcel Proulx, have been jettisoned in the last two weeks. And it doesn't stop there.

Perhaps the ultimate humiliation for Mr. Dion is the fact that it is in his own home province of Quebec where the whispers are the loudest that he should resign in the best interests of his party, before the Liberals are reduced to laughing-stock status on the east side of the Ottawa River.

What should the Conservatives, the NDP, and the Bloc do to cash in on this internecine warfare that threatens to tear the Liberal Party asunder? Perhaps nothing.

Consider this: 2,500 years ago in ancient China, the philosopher and statesman, Sun Tzu, wrote a military treatise entitled "The Art of War," in which he made countless brilliant observations and recommendations on issues of strategy and tactics; they are still studied to this day. One of my favourite quotes from Sun Tzu roughly translates from the ancient tongue as: "When your enemy is doing well at destroying himself, do not interfere."

More than a couple of thousand years have gone by, and I still couldn't sum it up any better myself.

Brad Middleton

Evansville

Dredging, diversions account for dramatic plunge in lake levels

Expediting a solution should be a federal election issue

To the Expositor:

I read with interest the letter from Michael Gorman in the October 17 Expositor ("Water levels crisis calls for political wall"). It's gratifying to see people finally speaking out about Great Lakes water levels.

I would like to comment regarding Mr. Gorman's final point that we should "address this fundamental question: Where is the water going?"

I am convinced that the Georgian Bay Association is correct when they say that excessive dredging and aggregate mining in the St. Clair River has, in effect, "pulled the plug" on Lake Huron, allowing the lake to seek a new lower level. Lake Huron presently stands at the 1946 record low level, and is still dropping. Meanwhile the City of Chicago is removing over two billion gallons (Imperial) from Lake Michigan daily, which is diverted through their water and sewage systems into the Mississippi River. Together these two withdrawals represent a loss to the Lake Huron-Michigan basin of over five billion gallons of water daily.

When I questioned Environment Canada regarding this, I was advised that diversions from the Albany River, via Ogoki Lake and Longlac into Lake Superior, "offset" the Chicago Diversion. That may work in some years, but in years of severe drought, such as the summer of 2007, there will be less water available from the Albany River system for diversion purposes, which may at least, in part, explain the unprecedented low water level in Lake Superior this year. Since the city of Chicago will require more water in years of drought for such "essential" purposes as watering lawns, less will be available to flow downstream through Lake Huron into the St. Clair River, further lowering the Lake Huron level.

This adds credence to the statement, "When man messes with nature, more problems are created than are solved." If the US Army Corps of Engineers hadn't seen fit to over-dredge the St. Clair River and if Lake Huron-Michigan water was not diverted into the Mississippi River through Chicago, we might now be enjoying normal water levels in Lake Huron.

It's time that politicians put forth a sincere effort to deal with this ongoing problem in a timely manner. A six-year study will only cost too much money to prove what has already been proven. We can't keep dredging once-natural, deep-water harbours forever! Let's make this a federal election issue.

Mike Wilton

Dominion Bay