Northwestern Ontario Regional News

Dead Heat between Conservatives and Liberals

Written by NNL Staff

Monday, 08 February 2010 09:01

THUNDER BAY - The latest Nanos tracking has the Conservatives dropping in the new year with a dead heat between the Tories and the Liberals. The Conservatives continue to lead in the Prairies and British Columbia but are statistically tied with the Liberals in Atlantic Canada, Ontario. The Bloc Quebecois leads in Quebec at 33% followed by the Liberals at 29% and the Conservatives at 22%, the NDP at 11% and the Greens at 5%.

"Although the Harper Conservatives ended the year with a comfortable 10 point margin, their advantage in the ballot box has all but evaporated," according to Nik Nanos.

Here is the question asked and the results:

For those parties you would consider voting for federally, could you please rank your top two current local preferences? (Committed voters only - First Preference)

The numbers in parenthesis denote the change from the last Nanos National Omnibus survey completed between December 10th and December 13th, 2009.

National Committed Voters Only (n=783)
Conservative 35.6% (-3.9)
Liberal 33.9% (+3.7)
NDP 16.4% (-2.3)
BQ 8.5% (+0.8)
Green 5.6% (+1.6)

Note: Undecided 21.9% (-3.8) of total voters surveyed

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Last Updated on Monday, 08 February 2010 09:01

Housing Market Posts Slight Increase

Written by NNL Staff

Monday, 08 February 2010 08:55

THUNDER BAY - Four single-detached starts in January in Thunder Bay CMA were double the two started last January according to data released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The four units were equal to the average for ten past Januarys.

“Last year, the two single-detached ownership units were combined with two semi-detached and four apartment units for a total of eight housing starts during the month, four more than this year’s four single-detached homes,” according to CMHC’s Market Analyst Warren Philp.

“Despite the slowdown in the forestry sector, single-detached homes, as a good barometer of the health of the residential housing industry, posted a slight increase,” added Philp.

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts reached 186,300 units in January 2010. This is an increase from an annual rate of 176,100 units in December 2009, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). According to final figures, actual housing starts for 2009 totalled 149,081 units, with activity improving as the year progressed.

“Housing starts improved in both the singles and multiples segments in January,” said Bob Dugan, Chief Economist at CMHC’s Market Analysis Centre. “These increases are similar to the ones that occurred in December.”

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased by 4.4 per cent to 165,200 units in January. Urban multiple starts increased by 5.7 per cent to 76,300 units while single urban starts increased by 3.3 per cent to 88,900 units.

January’s seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased by 19.8 per cent in British Columbia, by 7.3 per cent in Quebec, by 2.3 per cent in Atlantic Canada, and by 1.5 per cent in the Ontario. In the Prairie region, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts decreased by 4.8 per cent.

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Last Updated on Monday, 08 February 2010 09:04

Council To Hear Motion on Waterfront

Written by James Murray

Saturday, 06 February 2010 20:34

THUNDER BAY - Monday night's Council Meeting will likely have some in Thunder Bay ready to wear their "I told you so" buttons.

Waterfront Manager Katherine Dugmore is before Council seeing additional funding for the Marina Park project.

"Report No. 2010.024 (Waterfront Development) provides an overview of the status of design work and supporting studies as well as summarizing the capital and operating/administrative expenditures for the planning and development of Prince Arthur's Landing, which is the first phase of the waterfront development.

"With respect to Report No. 2010.024 (Waterfront Development), we recommend that City Council approve a revised total project budget of $49,332,994 for
Prince Arthur’s Landing, which includes the additional project costs and scope that are identified in this Report;

AND THAT an additional $400,000 (within $49,332,994 budget) in contingency be approved for the marine works contract to bring the total contingency to a level that is more in keeping with the percentage of contingency allocated to the fencing and civil contracts;

AND THAT additional fees of $214,735 be approved for filling data gaps and for aquatic and terrestrial field work in support of the Risk and Environmental Assessments required to secure approval for the New Marina project, which is the second phase of the development of the waterfront;

AND THAT the project be funded in accordance with the attached Source of Financing;

AND THAT Appropriation Change Order No. 2 be approved;

AND THAT any necessary by-laws be presented to City Council for ratification."

The session at Council promises to be a lively one.

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Last Updated on Saturday, 06 February 2010 20:34

Local MPs Offer Support for NDP Leader

Written by James Murray

Friday, 05 February 2010 15:09

THUNDER BAY, ATIKOKAN – New Democrat Leader Jack Layton today announced he has recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and will continue to lead the party while undergoing treatment in the coming months. Northwestern Ontario MPs John Rafferty (Thunder Bay – Rainy River) and Bruce Hyer (Thunder Bay – Superior North) immediately offered their condolences and support through Layton’s treatment period, expected to start immediately.

“Jack Layton is a terrific leader and a great person who is going through an extremely difficult period. He knows that his New Democrat family and the Canadian public are behind him and I am certain his treatment will prove successful,” Rafferty said from Atikokan. “We are fully behind him, and wish him the best.”

Speaking in Greenstone where he was holding a Town Hall meeting as part of a riding tour, Bruce Hyer said “My personal experience with cancer last year has shown me that with treatment and support, it can be successfully overcome. It wasn’t easy, but I continued to work during my treatment period. I want to offer my support to Jack, and his family, as he does the same. I have never known anyone with more energy, determination and perseverance than our leader, qualities that will serve him well in the months ahead.”

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Last Updated on Friday, 05 February 2010 15:09

Lakehead University Ready for International Development Week

Written by NNL Staff

Friday, 05 February 2010 14:44

THUNDER BAY - Held annually during the first full week of February, International Development Week (IDW) highlights and illustrates the work of Canada's development community. This week-long event, held across Canada, provides a great opportunity to increase awareness of the role Canadians play in international development; learn more about life in developing countries; and find out how to become global citizens actively involved in international development initiatives. Lakehead University’s IDW 2010 events aim to raise awareness of the Eight Millennium Goals, namely: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education;
promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality and improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria,
and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development. A full event schedule
for Lakehead’s IDW week is available at http://international.lakeheadu.ca/?display=page&pageid=55.

Some IDW 2010 events that offer interesting interview and visual opportunities for media include:

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9
Haiti: What is Happening and How You Can Help
Location: The Study
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
A panel discussion and question period takes place. Panelists are Lakehead professors Ron Harpelle and Syed Serajul Islam,
LUSU’s Josh Kolic, and Lakehead U student Sabrina Badio.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Eight Goals T-shirt Campaign
Location: Agora
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Participants design their own t-shirts and spread the word about Uniterra and the Eight Millennium Development Goals. Shirts
provided. See http://8goals.ca/site/index.php for details on Goals.

Concert for Haiti
Location: The Study
Time: 8:00 p.m. – 12 midnight
Cost: $5 per person
All funds raised will support Haitian Disaster Relief. A singer/songwriter competition will take place, and competitors can register
at the LUSU office. Please note: Some details associated with this event may change.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12
Presentation: Myths about Refugees
Presenter: World University Services of Canada (WUSC) Program Officer Michelle Manks
Location: The Study
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
This presentation may be of particular interest given the recent events in Haiti and the possible influx of Haitian refugees in Canada
that may result.