Columns

Since being elected in October, I have tried to cover many topics both in my columns and at Queen’s Park. There are many issues of concern in our region that need to be addressed by the provincial government, but one of the most urgent is re-examining how healthcare is delivered in our communities.
Recently, two community health centres in this riding alone have faced serious challenges in order to keep their doors open. While the situations in both are very different, the message is the same: the current healthcare framework is failing northern communities.

My brother was kidding me on Sunday as we were putting up some gyproc in my home. “You must really be excited when you work on a room that is square”, he noted. I think he was referring to my helping him on his cottage where all the walls were nice and square and to our cabin at the lake where the walls are nice and straight.

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

By Alanna Gerula
4H Reporter

The first meeting of A Sporting Chance was called to order. Kim Desserre put us into groups of three.

By Michael Dawber
CEO/Librarian

Join the Rainy River Public Library’s Family Literacy Day contest!

By Gary Sliworsky
OMAFRA Rep.

Calving season is right around the corner. Following is part 1 of an article on congenital defects that can occur in cattle.

By Al Lowe
Contributor

I chuckled to myself as I looked at the pictures on my son’s Facebook page from a year ago. He had taken pictures of the dump of snow in our drive way during Christmas break 2010. He stands over six feet and the snow bank was above his head.
I contrast that with this year, where there is hardly any snow on the ground and south facing roofs are free of snow. We are having perhaps the mildest winter to date on record and our community has broken several warm records.

With Queen’s Park in its winter break, normally this time of year is quiet on the provincial front. That is not the case this year, as the media is abuzz with the highly anticipated report on the province’s finances from economist Don Drummond.

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru