Some Mill Workers Returning To Work

Resolute Forest Products is citing a scheduled maintenance repair at the Fort Frances mill as the reason for a recalling some of the workers laid off recently.

About a dozen members of the Communication, Energy and Paperworkers Union and some represented by other unions have been asked to report to work in early March.

About 250 employees were laid off by the company's decision to idle its kraft mill and a paper machine last fall.

New Mill Manager For Resolute

There will be a new manager at Resolute Forest Products Mill in Fort Frances.

The company confirms current manager, Andre Bernier will remain in the position until the end of this month.


Ryan Ellard will then take over in an interim basis.

Bernier began general manager of the Fort Frances operations in May 2011.

 

No Changes To Ridings Recommended

No changes to the federal ridings of Kenora or Thunder Bay-Rainy River are being recommended in the final report of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission.

The report was tabled in the House of Commons yesterday.

The Commission had proposed moving Lake of the Woods township from Thunder Bay-Rainy River to Kenora.

But in its report, the Commission states that after public hearings, it's assumption the area had stronger ties to Kenora than Thunder Bay or Fort Frances was mistaken.

Northern Input Promised on Transportation Policy

The provincial government is insisting it will listen closely to northerners in the development of a transportation policy for northern Ontario.

Northern Development Minister Michael Gravelle says it's a priority for the Premier and him that they get the strategy right and know how important it is for the region's economy.

The Liberals identified plans to address the special transportation needs of the north in last week's Throne Speech

Juries Report Out Today

A former Supreme Court of Canada justice today delivers a report on whether on-reserve aboriginals have been systematically excluded from Ontario's juries.

First Nations leaders hope Frank Iacobucci comes up with recommendations to fix a broken system.

Deputy Grand Chief of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Alvin Fiddler says aboriginals have known for years the problem needed to be dealt with.

Minimum Wage Increase Proposed

There's a proposal to boost Minnesota's minimum wage to $10.55 an hour by August 2015.

A House legislative committee plans to vote Thursday on a bill that would increase the minimum wage in three phases.

After that future increases would be pegged to inflation and increase automatically.

The current rate of $6.15 an hour has not increased since 2005.