Deborah Morin

We are continuing the series of front page stories from the Northland Post – this time 46 years ago. Our continued thanks to the Cochrane Public Library for its valued assistance in this project.

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : From the front page: 46 years ago (April 5, 1978) From the front page: 46 years ago (April 5, 1978) Author of the article: Article content We are continuing the series of front page stories from the Northland Post – this time 46 years ago. Our continued thanks to the Cochrane Public Library for its valued assistance in this project. Advertisement 2 Article content From the front page: 46 years ago (April 5, 1978) Back to video No battle expected says Stewart Cochrane MP Ralph Stewart has said he does not expect that he and Thunder Bay MP Keith Penner will ever come face to face in a fight for the Liberal nomination in this riding. Stewart and Penner, along with two other candidates, Gaetan Ouellette and Michael Power have filed their papers with the local executive seeking the nominations. Stewart said that he and Penner were good friends and they would not run against each other. “One of us would withdraw from the race before a convention was held,” the MP said. However, since the situation regarding the distribution of candidates has changed, Stewart said he is reconsidering his present position. He says he may step down if a suitable post in the federal government can be found. “Last summer, I was concerned about my own health and my family,” Stewart said. “I was also concerned about this riding and chose to stay on as a candidate. If Keith Penner is the next Liberal candidate, I'll have little fear that the riding would be well taken care of.” Article content Advertisement 3 Article content Taxi by-law under review The licensing of taxi cab drivers and the by-law governing the owners and drivers of cabs is going to be reviewed by town council. The council has been considering the matter at a number of meetings and last month a request was sent to surrounding municipalities to get copies of their by-laws. Council recently tightened the procedure for licensing taxi drivers in the community. All applications for new licences or for renewals are bering sent to the local detachment of the OPP for consideration. However, the final decision on whether to grant a licence still remains with town council. Council have brought a number of complaints to recent meeting, including comments from passengers that some drivers are less than courteous. A number of elderly passengers have apparently commented that some drivers could be more helpful, particularly in the winter when the walkways are slippery. The council has also received at least one complaint from a person who was rejected when he applied for a taxi licence. The applicant complained that he was told of the rejection some two and a half months after making the application. He said he had a job waiting for him if he received his licence and wanted to know why the council has turned him down. Mayor Maurice Hotte said the application had been reviewed by the police committee and it was rejected. He said the council was under no obligation to explain to the person why his application was turned down. In another matter concerning taxis, the town's by-law enforcement officer recently tested the meters in the cabs operating in town and discovered that two meters were running fast. The operations of the cabs in question were told to have the meters fixed immediately. Advertisement 4 Article content Bantams, midgets win their weekend series It was a winning weekend for Cochrane Minor Hockey Association teams as both the Allan's Hardware Bantams and the Cochrane Midget Flyers captured their respective ‘C' championships. The Bantams defeated Capreol two games straight in a best of three series. The games were played in Capreol and saw the team defeat their hosts 6-4 and 5-3 to take the title. The Midges had a little tougher go of it, playing Blind River at the Tim Horton Arena. The best of three series stretched in the limit with both squads showing an equal amount of skill and determination. Cochrane won the first match 9-8 in overtime, Blind River won the second 6-5 and Cochrane took the final contest by a 11-8 margin. Files courtesy of the Cochrane Public Library archives Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : From the front page: 46 years ago (April 5, 1978) Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Loading... Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

Advertisement 1 Autism day recognized Author of the article: Article content he numbers are staggering regarding the amount of children who are diagnosed each year on some level of the autism spectrum. Statistics vary but note that one and in 50-94 children will be diagnosed with this neuro-developmental disorder that is currently affecting more than 100,000 Ontarians. Globally autism touches more than 70 million people. Advertisement 2 Article content Autism day recognized Back to video According to autismspeaks.ca, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) characteristics are different in everyone diagnosed and it is a lifelong disorder. People with autism have their own unique set of strengths and challenges that stem from the different combinations of genetic and environmental influences. While there is a higher number of males diagnosed with autism, it does affect females as well. It is sometimes missed because the effects are not as pronounced. No matter the gender, however, early detection helps family get the resources they need to live with the person with autism. Article content The United Nations declared April 2 World Autism Awareness Day in 2008, the Canadian parliament began recognizing it as World Autism Awareness Day in 2012. Advertisement 3 Article content World Autism Month serves to raise public awareness about autism and the day-to-day issues that individuals with autism face and share with their families and professionals. Part of the Autism Ontario's mandate includes providing information and education as well as supporting research and advocating for programs and services to get more people supporting their work. They look to community volunteers, donations and partnership in fundraising to help provide families with the assistance that they need to help their child living on the autistic spectrum. They strive to “Let's build an inclusive Canada where autistic people can reach their full potential.” Article content Share this article in your social network Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Loading... Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

he numbers are staggering regarding the amount of children who are diagnosed each year on some level of the autism spectrum.

Soccer has always been a prime motivator for Cochrane's Eric Southward. He has devoted countless hours to playing the sport and last summer helped organize the Cochrane Minor Soccer League.

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : A trip of a lifetime helping the less fortunate A trip of a lifetime helping the less fortunate Author of the article: Article content Soccer has always been a prime motivator for Cochrane's Eric Southward. He has devoted countless hours to playing the sport and last summer helped organize the Cochrane Minor Soccer League. Advertisement 2 Article content A trip of a lifetime helping the less fortunate Back to video So, when he can get the opportunity to play, he is open to the challenge. Article content Last fall, the Sudbury Afro-Heritage Soccer Group organizer Francois Nzotungwanimana contacted Southward to see if he was interested in travelling to Burundi East Africa to play four soccer (football) matches in the 11 days leading up to Christmas. He quickly learned that being on the field was not the only objective of the trip as it was also a humanitarian effort to “provide support and assistance to selected orphanages, children education groups, children sports teams, and other vulnerable groups.” The trip to Africa was covered by philanthropists from the region with the team committing to raise funds to help support the children of Burundi. The team, made up of Canadian citizens – many born in other countries, started a go fund me campaign and was able to bring with them some soccer equipment books and clothes as well as buy items in the country itself. Advertisement 3 Article content Southward was able to talk about the trip at the the Cochrane Public Library on March 27 when they hosted a Cochrane Conversation: “What's it like to play soccer in Africa?” “Burundi,” said Southward “is a pretty small country that is called the Heart of Africa because its geographic layout looks like a human heart.” While he was excited to go on the trip, Southward said that his enthusiasm turned to slight concern when he began to investigate the region. His mother sent him travel advisories which suggested to avoid non-essential travel in the country “due to violent crime and the risk of political violence.” Discussions with organizers led him to feel that the trip would indeed be safe. “This is the second poorest country on the planet with over 13 million people living there,” he told those in the gallery. With poverty and the large population comes challenges that include violence and corruption and desperation. Advertisement 4 Article content He commented that after the 21-hour flight to the country (part of it on a # 1 airline in the world from Ethiopia to Burundi with all its luxury) they were greeted in Bujumbura by cheering fans, TV camera crews, Miss Burundi and a detail of armed guards. “We felt like celebrities,” he said. “But, we were exhausted and didn't know what time of day it was.” In a country as impoverished as Burundi, the threat of violence was constant and so an entourage of guards were with the team during their stay in the country. “While the atmosphere could be considered somewhat dangerous I felt comfortable with the situation and the great people we encountered.” Southward showed photos of houses which had 8-10 feet high walls covered with razor wire to prevent criminals from entering. Advertisement 5 Article content “They have to make sure they are protecting their home,” Southward noted. “The military police road on trucks with six to eight armed guards driving around all the time to keep the peace. Some of those armed guards looked to be about 14-year-olds and they had massive assault rifles.” He said that they learned a few lessons that will stick with him. Because of the poverty in the region strangers would walk into an area they would be swarmed of villagers wanting food, clothing, sunglasses, shoes and money even if the clothes were being worn at the time. “I haven't even got to the soccer part yet because everything else was so much more important,” he added. Southward said the country was beautiful with mountains, jungles, fields and the second largest lake in the world Lake Tanganyika which is a drainage basin of the Nile River and is home to crocodiles and hippopotamus. But he added the country it also strewn with garbage, had dangerous roads and there was a lack of amenities. Advertisement 6 Article content Some of the aspects of the trip that Southward said caused culture shock were the cuisine, the lack of potable water and the unique scenery. He also noted that when it rained everyone took shelter because if it contributed to a cough/cold it could be life threatening since medical care was also in demand. The games were played in places where the oxygen levels were lower than the Canadian team members were used to making it difficult to be competitive. Or, the temperatures were so high and the lack of water caused injuries to the players. Southward noted that even one member of the team had their shoe burst because of the heat. He told those at the library that the Canadian team were matched with players who were professionals and used to the adverse climate of the area so they were at a disadvantage. “They brought in these professionals and brought them in at half time if they were losing,” he laughed. “So these young guys kicked our butts.” Advertisement 7 Article content He did say though that in one game they were able to score on the opposition three seconds into the game which got the crowd going. “But, after that we didn't touch the ball for the next fifteen minutes.” While the games will be remembered, he said that the experience of watching children receive donations would have a lasting effect on him. The team were invited to visit two deaf schools, multiple high schools and a medical facility. “We even went to a toilet paper factory. The owner was one of the benefactors who paid for the trip,” Southward said. “It was different, because, toilet paper was not something you found a lot of there. Most bathrooms were bidets that used rainwater.” He said that one of the schools for the deaf had about 200 students and had extreme poor living conditions. He added that a third of them didn't have mattresses and slept on wooden boards. So the team decided that they would assist with that need and purchased mattresses. This generosity continued in the other places they visited, figuring out what was a priority for each group. Southward said of the experience “It was a real eye opener because we got to see how lucky we are to be born where we are. It was like we won the lottery before we were even born. We had no idea how little people have.” Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : A trip of a lifetime helping the less fortunate Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Loading... Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : From the front page: 46 years ago (April 12, 1978) From the front page: 46 years ago (April 12, 1978) Author of the article: Article content We are continuing the series of front page stories from the Northland Post – this time 46 years ago. Our continued thanks to the Cochrane Public Library for its valued assistance in this project. Advertisement 2 Article content From the front page: 46 years ago (April 12, 1978) Back to video Two head for national finals Two Cochrane trampolinists have advanced to the Canadian championships as a result of the all Ontario competition held here recently. Michael Fasano and Yoland Jourdain will represent the province in the national championship in late May in Ottawa. They placed third and fourth in the men's junior advanced competition. Their selection as national competitors was made during the Ontario championship which saw over 80 bouncers, mostly from clubs in southern Ontario complete for provincial honours. The two day event was held at the high school. Individual competitions from Cochrane included: Beginner one: (girls) Jody Therriault and (boys) Wayne Desormeau both placing third. Beginners two: (girls) Cathy Bruce, second. Junior one: (girls) Cara Grondin, third. Junior advanced: (boys) Michael Fasano, third; Yoland Jourdain, fourth. Article content Advertisement 3 Article content PBX fares increase by $1 Tickets for this year's Polar Bear Express excursion have increased in price by one dollar for each adult ticket. The increase rate will mean that adults will now pay $19 for the round trip, children under 12 years of age $9.50 and children under five years of age travel free. There is a 50 percent discount for senior citizens. The train will leave Cochrane each day, except Friday, at 8am arriving in Moosonee at 12:15. The return trip will leave Moosonee at 5pm and arrive in Cochrane at 9:15. The piano and bar car, which was added last year and which is in operation only for the return portion of the excursion, will be included in the train again this season. The spokesman said the ONR hopes to surpass the number of passengers who travelled the polar Bear Express last season. The train carried 18,166 people during the 1977 season. Advertisement 4 Article content Funding for de Troyes re-enactment approved Cochrane will now have a new tourist attraction this summer. The community is now the home of the re-enactment of the 1684 de Troyes expedition from Montreal to Moosonee. Funds for the project were approved early this week and announced by Cochrane MP Ralph Stewart. Some $20,000 has been allotted for the project through the Young Canada Works program. The organizer of the undertaking, Lorne Fleece, was excited and very pleased with the news that his proposal has been accepted. He said he expects to employ 15 young people during the summer months. All of those to be hired must be registered at the Canada Manpower Office. The show is proposed to take place beside Norman Lake near the entrance to Drury Park. Visitors and local residents will be invited to watch the actors go thorough a series of military drills and activities much in the same way the members of the de Troyes expedition did nearly 300 years ago. Many of the uniforms and props which will be used in the re-enactment are bering borrowed from a military museum in Montreal. Other items will be made or purchased locally. “We are making every effort to spend the money locally, Fleece commented. Files courtesy of the Cochrane Public Library archives Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : From the front page: 46 years ago (April 12, 1978) Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Loading... Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers

We are continuing the series of front page stories from the Northland Post – this time 46 years ago. Our continued thanks to the Cochrane Public Library for its valued assistance in this project.

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : From the front page: 46 years ago (April 19, 1978) Author of the article: Article content Advertisement 2 Article content From the front page: 46 years ago (April 19, 1978) Back to video Article content Advertisement 3 Article content Advertisement 4 Article content Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : From the front page: 46 years ago (April 19, 1978) Latest National Stories News Near Timmins This Week in Flyers

Advertisement 1 Share this Story : From the front page: 46 years ago (April 19, 1978) From the front page: 46 years ago (April 19, 1978) Author of the article: Article content We are continuing the series of front page stories from the Northland Post – this time 46 years ago. Our continued thanks to the Cochrane Public Library for its valued assistance in this project. Advertisement 2 Article content From the front page: 46 years ago (April 19, 1978) Back to video Stewart withdraws from campaign Ralph Stewart has withdrawn as a candidate for the Liberal nomination in the Cochrane riding. The MP announced his intention to retire at a small gathering of Liberal supporters at the Spinning Wheel Restaurant. The Cochrane native said he is throwing his support behind Keith Penner and urges the local delegates to the nominating convention to do likewise. Just last week Stewart had said he was in the running and would stand for the nomination. However, as he explained to the supporters on Sunday evening, he received an offer from the Prime Minister's Office for an appointment to the senior government position. He said he accepted the offer. The MP said he could not say which position had been offered to him until it is confirmed by the Cabinet and an order in council. The appointment would not be official until that procedure is completed. Stewart said he was getting “tired and wanted to live a normal life again.” He said that his only regret at withdrawing from the election at this point is that he feels he is letting his supporters down. He said “Over the past several weeks when rumours were circulating about the uncertainty of my candidacy, I have received a great deal of encouragement from constituents throughout the riding. I feel I might be letting some of these people down.” Article content Advertisement 3 Article content $250,000 debenture issue Town council has approved the issuing of debentures in the amount of $250,000 to cover the cost of modification to the sewage treatment plant. The work, which has been laid out by the Public Utilities Commission is valued at $426,000 however $175,000 of that is recoverable through a grant from the Ministry of Northern Affairs. Several councillors questioned the exact nature of the work saying that some of the proposed improvements were to have been done several years ago. “It is ridiculous to spend money for the same job that was done a couple of years ago,” Councillor Konopelky said. “We don't seem to be getting anywhere on this project.” Mayor Maurice Hotte, who is the council's representative on the PUC, said that improvement are being made at the sewage treatment plant. He pointed out that the PUC engineer manager, Anand Kumar, had indicated that the improvements will be of value for the next 20 years and serve the town up to a population of 7500. The by-law was approved. The debt charges for the debenture are to be received from PUC rates. Advertisement 4 Article content Public School budget up 3 mills The Cochrane-Iroquois Falls Board of Education passed its proposed budget for 1978 at its regular meeting and as a result area taxpayers will have increased taxes. The rise will amount to approximately 2.64 mills or $28.40 per $10,000 of assessment at the elementary level and at the secondary level, approximately .34 mills or $3.40 per $10,000 of assessment. The increase is due to increased costs and a drop in enrolment resulting in a subsequent drop in provincial grants. “A $10,812 cut will be made to an already reduced maintenance budget,” said Wm. Mitchell, superintendent of business affairs. Four classrooms will be closed in four out of seven schools, one each in Shillington Senior, Iroquois Falls Public and Commando and Ferguson Schools in Cochrane. As the final cut, the board has dropped French Immersion classes where enrolment is below the point of being feasible and practical. Anticipated increases in employees salaries is another of the reasons for the increase. Files courtesy of the Cochrane Public Library archives Article content Share this article in your social network Share this Story : From the front page: 46 years ago (April 19, 1978) Comments Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. Latest National Stories News Near Elliot Lake This Week in Flyers