LCBO workers have a new tentative contract after talks between the province and its biggest public employees union.
OPSEU officials say they were able to reach an agreement without giving up any of their previous pay raises or improvements from earlier contracts.
A statement adds they’re happy with what they achieved despite the pandemic.
The union represents more than 8,000 LCBO workers.
A 17-year-old girl has died after an assault in Mishkeegogamang.
Ontario Provincial Police and Nishnawbe-Aski Police have identified her as Lynnora Mikenak, also known as Lynorra Lawson.
She was found with life-threatening injuries early last Saturday morning and air-lifted to hospital, but police say she has succumbed to her injuries.
On Sunday, OPP and NAPS arrested a 32-year-old man on aggravated assault charges, and say the investigation is now considered a homicide. The man remains in police custody.
Mishkeegogamang, formerly known as Osnaburgh First Nation, is around 500 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay and about 30 kilometres south of Pickle Lake.
The Special Investigations Unit is appealing for witnesses to come forward as it continues to investigate allegations of sexual assault in Pikangikum First Nation.
Officials are looking into two complaints that allege women were sexually assaulted by members of the OPP.
The SIU was contacted in March by Provincial Police to investigate allegations of misconduct.
That came at a time when the OPP officers were kicked out of the community.
They returned this month with certain conditions in place.
Part of the agreement requires Provincial Police to work with the new Pikangikum Peacekeepers who were trained in response to what the community calls its “policing and nursing crisis.”
It also includes a promise to provide the training needed to establish auxiliary constables and set up a stand-alone Pikangikum Police Service.
Some children could be entering the new school year fully vaccinated.
Early Wednesday, Health Canada approved the Pfizer vaccine for youths aged 12 to 15, which is the first vaccine authorized in the nation for use in the age group.
Related: Health Canada Approves Pfizer Vaccine For Adolescents
Health Minister Christine Elliott said it is import to maintain the four month interval between shots.
“We’ll start the vaccinations in schools, and then have the second dose administered before a return to school date in September,” mentioned Elliott.
The news comes as Ontario will see an influx of vaccines during the month of May.
“We expect to administer first doses to 65% of Ontarians aged 18 and over by the end of May, which would equal nearly 7.9 million Ontarians,” Elliott noted.
Currently, there is an ongoing study to determine the safety of COVID-19 vaccines for children aged six months to 11 years old.
More people around the world are seeing Thunder Bay, thanks to a Toronto based podcast about an American fugitive.
Story Hunter executive producer Catherine Fogerty tells us her work about convicted murderer Laurie “Bambi” Bambenek has been seen in Australia and Europe over the last few weeks.
“Definitely going to hear a lot more about this northern town called Thunder Bay. One of the reasons why I wanted to tell the story, because it’s great to hear about what happened to Laurie when she came to Canada,” says Fogerty.
Laurie Bambenek was a former police officer in Milwaukee, who always says she was framed for the murder of her husband’s ex-wife. She was sentenced to prison, but escaped a number of years later, ending up in Thunder Bay. She was captured by the FBI in Thunder Bay in 1990, but always maintained her innocence.
A few weeks ago, Catherine Fogerty began broadcasting her story about Bambenek, which she says is far reaching. “I can look at where the podcast is played. We have listeners as far as Australia, England, Italy… it goes all over the world.”
Fogerty recalls Bembenek took a job as a waitress, until an American tourist spotted her after seeing an episode of America’s Most Wanted.
“He recognized her and called the FBI, and said ‘I think the American fugitive you are looking for is in a place called Thunder Bay, Ontario’. And I’m sure they said ‘Well, where is that?’” laughs Fogerty.
Lauri Bambenek hired a lawyer who fought her case back in the States, and had it dropped to second degree manslaughter, but she spent the rest of her life fighting even that, maintaining her innocence.
While in Canada, the former police officer won the hearts of Canadians who believed her when she said she did not kill her husband’s ex-wife.
Chief and Council with Lac Seul First Nation have declared a community State of Emergency due to rising COVID-19 numbers.
As of Sunday May 2, there were at least 16 confirmed positive cases.
The First Nation went into a 14 day Code Red Lockdown Order on Saturday May 1 after declaring an outbreak on Friday April 30.
All residents are asked to only leave their homes for essential reasons like groceries, medical appointments or to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
There’s also limited access in and out of the community, with exceptions for food delivery and emergency services.
By declaring a State of Emergency, this will allow the community to gain access to additional assistance and resources.
In a release Chief and Council are urging residents to contact Lac Seul Police at 1-888-310-1122 or 807-582-3802 if you see anyone breaking lockdown rules, including having parties or gatherings.
Officials continue to identify additional cases and residents can arrange a COVID-19 test on week days at the following locations:
Lac Seul First Nation May 2 Release
Lac Seul First Nation is now under a Code Red Lockdown order due to rising COVID-19 cases.
The First Nation released a statement on Friday April 30 stating “Chief and Council, along with the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority are declaring an outbreak in the community”.
As of Saturday May 1, the First Nation had 11 confirmed cases of the virus and started a 14 day Code Red Lockdown order in all three communities in order to reduce exposure.
This means community members are to stay home, not visit other households and only go out for essential reasons like picking up groceries and medication, attending medical appointments or a COVID-19 vaccine or testing clinic.
Land based activities like walking, hiking, hunting, bike rides, etc. are allowed under the lockdown order.
Travel to other communities for non-essential reasons is also prohibited.
The First Nation adds they continue to look for people who may have come in contact with those who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Information on booking a COVID-19 test in Kejick Bay, Frenchman’s Head, White Fish Bay or the Meno-Ya-Win Emergency Department, the full releases can be read below.
Lac Seul First Nation Lockdown Friday April 30 Statement
Lac Seul First Nation Lockdown Saturday May 1 Statement
Provincial Police have returned to Pikangikum, after the community expelled OPP over “serious misconduct allegations.”
They were kicked out of the community for six weeks.
A statement from the First Nation says it reached an agreement with the OPP this past Tuesday, and officers returned to Pikangikum on Wednesday night.
Part of the agreement requires Provincial Police to work with the new Pikangikum Peacekeepers who were trained in response to what the community calls its “policing and nursing crisis.”
It also includes a promise to provide the training needed to establish auxiliary constables and set up a stand-alone Pikangikum Police Service.
Community leaders say the situation opened their eyes to several gaps in policing, health care and first response services in Pikangikum.
While police were gone, government nurses were also flown out of and into the First Nation every day, which officials say raised concerns about residents’ safety.
Hydro One has started the development work for the proposed Waasigan Transmission Line.
The line is to go from Thunder Bay to Dryden, through Atikokan.
Hydro One’s Jason Fitzsimmons says it’s still too early to put a price tag on it.
“But we are committed to delivering this project, and doing the work with the community to make sure that this project works from development through to construction,” he notes.
Fitzsimmons says there is a need for the project, with several mines expected to come into production over the next seveal years.
He says one the key steps is ongoing consultation with the area’s Indigenous communities.
“We’re taking the time to understand the Indigenous interest, from leaders and community members alike, and are fully committed to engaging [with them],” he explains.
Hydro One recently submitted its outline for the Environmental Assessment process, with Indigenous engagement ranked as a top priority.
Thunder Bay is looking to grow.
The Community Economic Development Commission is starting a long-term digital marketing strategy, called Small Cities, Big Possibilities.
The plan will go into effect over the next one to two years, and work to attract workers, businesses, entrepreneurs and investors to Thunder Bay.
The CEDC says it’ll use visual displays to show that even though Thunder Bay may be a small city, it has numerous advantages over other cities.
It adds local, compelling stories will be used to show what the city can offer.
