Association (CMHA) brings together families from across Northern Ontario, which includes three surrounding first nations communities. CMHAisfocusedoncreatingapositive, inclusiveenvironmentwhereallplayers feelwelcome.
With the Kruger Big Assist donation, CMHA will expand opportunities for those who may face barriers to getting started in minor hockey.Fundingwillsupportthelaunch of an eight-week “Try Hockey” program, providing new players with access to equipment and a supportive
introductiontothesport.Theassociation will also honour the cultural diversity within its region by creating opportunities for new players and offer girls-only ice sessions that foster confidenceandcreatewelcomingspaces whereplayersfeelencouragedtostayin thegame.
AHumanitarianGiantHasPassed
ByCharlieAngus StephenLewishasgonetotheangels.
Howtoevenbegintodescribetheimpact this man has had on the lives of millions?As a social democratic leader, broadcaster, and representativeofCanadaattheUN,apassionate fighteragainstAIDSinAfrica,hewasrelentless inhisfighttobuildabetterworld.
Letmetellyouabouttheimpacthehadon me.
I was nine years old when my Grandmothercalledmeintothehouseandmade me sit in front of the television where on the
BeBear
flickering black-and-white screen, a young StephenLewisspokeintheOntarioLegislature.I had never paid any attention to politics but was mesmerizedbyhiseloquenceandmoralforce.
But it was the subject that my Granny wanted me to hear about. He was calling on the government to address the crisis of industrial illnessinthenorthernmines.
The graveyards of Timmins were full of immigrant miners who died young from a multitudeofindustrialillnesses.Iknewthisfact firsthand because my grandmother, a mining widow,spentsomuchtimeinthoselonelyfields ofthedead.
Timmins was full of such women. The widows had been abandoned by the industry, ignored by government, and left to live in a shadow existence in a town whose financial future depended on the silica-laden gold being blastedinthedeeps.
Asalittleboy,IwouldsitwithmyGranny and the other widows as they gathered at the
Woolworth’slunchcounter.Overgrapepopand chips with gravy, I listened to their stories. Nobodyseemedinterestedinwhathadhappened to them or their loved ones. Yet here was this young, fiery politician speaking out about what hadbeenleftunspokenforsolong.
Duringthistimeofyear,thereislittlenaturalfoodforbears, causing them to search for other food sources, including garbage andbirdfeed.Tohelpprotectourcommunitiesandkeepresidents safe,followthesesimpleandeffectiveprecautions:
• Neverfeedorapproachbears
• Store garbage in waste containers with tight-fitting lids, preferablyindoors
• Waituntilpickupdaytoputoutgarbageforcollection
• Remove bird feeders for the spring and summer (instead you can offer birds natural alternatives such as flowers, nesting boxesorfreshwater)
• Alert your neighbours about bear activity and share these BearWisetipstoreduceattractantsinyourcommunity
Itisimportanttoknowhowtohandleabearencounter,and who to call if you encounter one. The province operates a nonemergency, toll-free Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327. The line operates from April 1 to November 30 and is available 24/7.
If a bear is posing an immediate threat by showing threatening or aggressivebehaviour,remaincalmandcall911oryourlocalpolice department.
Bears have excellent memories and will return to where they have found food in the past, sometimes travelling over 100 kilometres.
Chapleau
Moments
Fromthearchives of
MichaelJ. Morris
Michael McMullen lived in Chapleau from1952-54whenhisfatherKeithcametowork for theAustin Lumber company, but his roots in the community go back to 1885 when his great great uncle Patrick Mulligan (and mine) arrived and opened one of the first general stores, called MurraysandMulliganGeneralMerchants.
After reading Michael's family history of his grandparents, William and May (Mulligan) McMullen,bothofwhomlivedinChapleauinthe early years of the 20th Century, I asked him if I might share some of his recollections of life in Chapleau.Heagreedandhisrecollectionscapture much of life as it was for us growing up in ChapleauduringtheearlyFifties.
"I have fond memories of that time and still have many friendships that have endured sincethen," Michaelwrote."Moreimportantly,I metmywife,Alison,duringthisperiod.Sheisthe daughterofLeslieandMargaret(Jack)McMillan and sister of David McMillan. Les was a CPR locomotive engineer who operated out of Chapleauforover25years,retiringin1966." Mr. McMillan also served as a member of Chapleau townshipcouncil.
After arriving in Chapleau, Michael and hisparentslivedforatimeintheofficesofAustin Lumberonthesecondfloorofthebuildingatthe northwest corner of Birch and Young Streets. Their bedrooms were in two of the separate enclosedoffices."TherewasaDominionstoreon thefirstfloor.(latertheBankofMontreal).Years later I would discover that this was the building thatPatrickMulliganhadrebuiltin1895followingafireathisoriginalstoreonthissite."
"I remember the good times that a kid could have, particularly in a small town. There was a ball field behind the high school where everyone played ball on a summer evening, the natural ice arena, which was the place to go for skatingonaFridaynightandtoplayhockeyona Saturdayduringthewinter.
"Wealsoplayedroadhockeyonthesnow packed, icy streets, particularly on Aberdeen Street,notwithaball,butwitharealpuck.
"I remember playing bantam hockey for theChapleauHuskiesteamwhenwewonthefirst Broomhead Trophy in 1953-54... It was an exciting 4-3 victory in overtime over the IOOF team.... We went to celebrate at the Boston Cafe where Harry (Boo Boo) Hong, one of my team-
mates got his mother to open their family restaurant for our celebration. That game is still mentionedamongthoseofuswhoplayed."
Healsorecalledthatitwasonanemptylot tothewestoftheBostonCafethathefirstparticipatedinbuildinganoutdoorskating/hockeyrink. "Boo Boo Hong asked me, and several others to helphimandhisbrothers(YenandJimmy)todo this."ThiswaswheretheBridgeviewMoteluntil recentlyownedbyYenHongwasbuilt.Itwasalso the location where Patrick Mulligan had built a warehouseandpostoffice.
Michael recalled earning "some real money"forthefirsttimeinChapleau.Mrs.Elsie Wilkinson,thewidowofDr.SteveWilkinsonpaid him 25 cents to cut the grass on her property on BeechStreetwithherhandmoweronceaweek.
"I was a pin boy at the bowling alley for probably 15-20 cents an hour. I was down at the end of the alley where the pins were placed. My responsibility was to properly position the pins duringeachframe,andtoputtheballsinthetrack toreturntotheplayers.AsIrecall,Iwaslooking after two lanes at one time. You had to be alert becauseofwherethepincouldgoafterbeinghit. Therewasafootslotattheendofthebowlinglane that you stepped on that pushed the pins up from the floor for each of the five bowling pins to be placedon."
The bowling alley was located on Birch Street across from the Chapleau News Depot store.
Michael also helped Raymond Soucie a numberoftimestopickwormstoselltofishermen forabout25centsacontainer.Henotedthatinthe early1950s,25centswentalongway,asadmissiontothetheatrewasonly15-20cents.Michael and I also delivered flyers for Simpsons order office which had been recently established in Chapleau.
"Inthedaysbeforetelevision,aradiowas a great thing to have," Michael recalled. Radio was non existent during the day until the CBC installed repeater stations, but "... as the sun was going down the reception started to come in and after sundown the reception was really good, particularlyforpowerfulstationsfromcitiesinthe United States, such as Fort Wayne (WOWO), Pittsburgh(KDKA)andBoston(WBZ)."
Michael remembers some of the popular radioshowssuchastheLoneRanger,JackBenny, the Green Hornet and Inner Sanctum with "its scary squeaky door at the beginning of the program. Canadian shows such as Wayne and Shuster, and the Happy Gang were very popular. WegottheSaturday nighthockeygames,usually fromTorontowithFosterHewittandtheToronto MapleLeafs."
He liked listening to baseball games particularly his favorite team at the time, the BrooklynDodgers.TheywereonWMGM,1050
Ken Schroeder (left) and Michael McMullen hangingoutonthefrontlawnofKenny'shome on Aberdeen St. in the 50s. Ken was the goaltender for the town champion Bantam hockeyteamonwhichMichaelplayedin195354.PhotofromKenSchroedercollection.
onthedialfromNewYorkandthesponsorswere LuckyStrikeandSchaeferbeer.VinceScullywas thejuniorannouncerandheisstillcallinggames fortheLosAngelesDodgers.Onweekendsthere werebaseballgamesontheUnitedStatesArmed Forces Network on short wave radio with Dizzy DeanandBuddyBlattner.
AftermovingtoTorontoin1954,Michael didnotreturntoChapleauuntiltheChapleauHigh Schoolreunionin1997.Manychangeshadtaken placeinthe43yearssinceheleft.TheoldPatrick Mulligan store was gone as was the natural ice arena on Lorne Street replaced by the Chapleau Recreation Centre on the other side of town.The movie theatre had closed, and the YMCA was gone as well. The ball field that was behind the high school was still there but the school had moved. The Chapleau Civic Centre was in its place.
Butsomethingshadnotchangedforhim. The Boston Cafe, which had become Hongers, wasstillthereandstillownedbytheHongfamily. ChapleauPublicSchoolwasinthesameplaceand tohimitappearedthesameinsideandout.
Michael and his parents appear to have been the last of his McMullen line to live in Chapleau. However, some years ago, Dr. Bill McMullen from Sudbury was one of the medical doctorswhocametoChapleauonaperiodicbasis toprovidemedicalservices.Billistheeldestson ofHughMcMullen,hisfather'solderbrother.Iam thelastofthePatrickMulliganlinetohavelived in Chapleau. My grandmother, Lil (Mulligan) Morris and Michael and Bill's grandmother May (Mulligan)McMullenweresisters.
Theimpactsofsubstanceuseonyourteen
(NC) Young people use drugs or alcohol for a numberofreasons:tofitin,managestress,cope or just to feel good. But the risks are high, especially for young people, whose brains are still developing. Drugs or alcohol increase the risk of harm to brain function, like memory, concentration and mental health, including the risk of creating or worsening anxiety and depression.
Some substances also have hidden dangers. For example, illegal drugs might be mixed with other substances like fentanyl withouttheperson’sknowledge,whichcancause seriousharmorevendeath.
It’s important to have the facts about substanceuse.Therearefreeresourcesavailable on the Health Canada Experiences site. It has interactive modules for teens and parents to get informed and learn the risks and effects of substanceuse,includingonmentalhealth.
Here are some of the substances young peopleuseandtheireffects:
It affects judgment and increases the chances of risky behaviour or situations, including impulsive behaviour, violence, and passing out. Severe intoxication can be lifethreateningorevenfatal.
While mixing alcohol with caffeine may makeapersonfeelmorealert, theymaybeless able to sense its effects, making binge drinking andalcoholpoisoningmorelikely.
Alcohol use also increases the risk of many health conditions, including high blood pressure,organdamage,mentalhealthissuesand developingvariousformsofcancer.
Cannabis: Some people use it to relax or cope withstressormentalhealthchallenges,butusing cannabis regularly contributes to poor mental health and increases the symptoms and risk of anxiety and depression by impacting the brain’s dopamine system. It can also harm short and long-term memory, thought patterns, focus and speechandleadtocannabisdependence.
Not all cannabis is legal, and it’s sometimes tough to tell the difference. Legal cannabis can only be sold in governmentapproved stores to those of legal age in childresistantpackagingandcan’tmimicthenameor design of popular candy or snack food brands. Illegal cannabis often isn’t tested, may not be correctly labelled, if at all, and may contain harmfullevelsof:
THC
Mould
Bacteria
Heavymetals
Pesticides
Opioids: Prescription opioids should only be used by a patient as prescribed by their health care professional—it’s illegal to share or sell your prescription drugs. Illegally made opioids are increasingly contaminated with harmful
substances, including fentanyl. That’s a drug that’s20to40timesstrongerthanheroinand100 timesstrongerthanmorphine.Justafewgrainsof itareenoughtokillsomeone.
Vaping nicotine: Nicotine is highly addictive, andcanmakeitharderforyouthtoconcentrate, learnandmanagetheiremotions.Althoughsome teens believe that vaping helps relieve stress, it actually does the opposite: nicotine raises heart rateandbloodpressureshortlyafteruse,putting addedstressonthebody.Vapingisalessharmful option for adults if they’ve been unable to quit smokingusingauthorizedquitaids,butthereare still risks. Youth and people who don’t smoke shouldn’tuseanynicotineproducts.
Combiningalcohol,opioids,cannabisor othersubstanceshasunpredictableeffectsonthe brain and body and can lead to severe intoxication, poisoning, drug overdose and, in somecases,death.Italsomakesaddictionmore likely.
You can find more resources at healthcanadaexperiences.ca.
Minimum wage increasing to $17.95 an hour effective October 1, 2026, marking the second highest rate among provinces
TheOntariogovernmentisincreasingthe generalminimumwagefrom$17.60to$17.95an hour on October 1, 2026, benefiting more than 700,000 workers across the province. This annualincrease,tiedtoOntario’sConsumerPrice Index at 1.9 per cent, helps ensure wages continue to reflect economic conditions while protecting workers and providing businesses withgreaterstability.Thisisabalancedapproach that supports workers’earning power and helps keep Ontario competitive in a time of global economicuncertainty.
“Ontario workers are the engine of this province,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development."Byraisingtheminimumwageto oneofthehighestinCanada,ourgovernmentis
putting more money in the pockets of Ontario workers, supporting families through economic uncertainty and giving businesses the stability andpredictabilitytheyneedtoplanandgrow."
Increasing the minimum wage delivers on our government’s ongoing plan to protect workers, help families get ahead and support a strong,stableeconomyduringinternationaltrade uncertaintyandchanginglabourmarketneeds.
A worker earning the general minimum wageandworking40hoursperweekwillseean annualpayincreaseofapproximately$728.The increase builds on the government’s broader economic and workforce initiatives, including Ontario’s multi year plan to invest in training, protect critical industries and safeguard workplacesacrosstheprovince.
Our government continues to take decisive action to protect workers, businesses andcommunitiesinthefaceofglobaleconomic uncertainty.Byensuringfairwages,investingin skills training and helping employers retain experiencedstaff,theprovinceisbuildingamore competitive self-resilient and self-sufficient economy that can create good-paying jobs for generationstocome.
The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) acknowledges the recent Canada–Ontario partnership to support housing development and infrastructure investment, including funding tied to the reduction of municipaldevelopmentcharges.
FONOM supports efforts to increase housing supply and improve affordability across Ontario. However, the organization is raising concerns that the current program design may unintentionallyplacemanyNorthernmunicipalitiesatadisadvantage.
ture—whether or not a municipality charges development fees," added Plourde. "Without access to comparable funding tools, Northern communitiesriskbeingleftbehindintheirability tosupportnewhousingandattractinvestment."
While the program provides funding to municipalities that reduce and maintain low development charges, many Northern communities do not levy development charges and therefore may not be positioned to benefit from this program in thesameway.
"We appreciate the commitment from both levels of government to address housing affordability," said Dave Plourde, President of FONOM. "However, many Northern municipalities simply do not have development charges to reduce,andatthesametimeface some of the highest costs in the province to build homes and infrastructure."
FONOM noted that municipalities across Northern Ontariooftenexperiencesignificantlyhigherper-kilometrecosts for essential infrastructure such as water, wastewater, and roads, while also working with smaller taxbasesandgreatergeographic challenges. "Growthstillrequiresinfrastruc-
FONOM is calling on both the Province of Ontario and the federal government to ensure that housing and infrastructure programs are appliedequitablyacrossallregions.
"We are asking for fairness in how these programs are delivered," said Plourde. "Municipalities that do not levy development charges shouldnotbe excludedfromaccessinghousingenabling infrastructure funding. There must be complementaryfundingmechanismstoensureall communities can participate in building the housingourprovinceneeds."
FONOM emphasized that Northern Ontariocommunitiesarereadytogrowandplaya key role in addressing Ontario's housing challenges.
"Northern communities are part of the solution,"saidPlourde."Withtherighttoolsand equitable support, we can continue to build homes, attract residents, and contribute to Ontario'slong-termgrowth."
LookingAhead
FONOM remains committed to working collaboratively with all levels of government to support economic development, improve infrastructure,andstrengthenNortherncommunities. Today's budget includes several positive steps for Northern Ontario," said Plourde. "We look forward to continuing to work with the Province and federal partners to build on this momentumandensureourcommunitieshavethe toolstheyneedtogrowandsucceed."
MOMENTS IN TIME
On April 17, 1961, the Bay of Pigs invasion began when a CIA-financed and trained group of Cuban refugeeslandedinCubaandattemptedtotoppleFidel Castro's communist government. The mission failed completely,endinginthedeathsofmorethan100and thecaptureofmorethan1,100men. Lastweekssolutions
Business groups cheer Ontario tax cuts for small business owners
Northern mayors came away generally pleased and encouraged with what provincial Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy tabled with the government’s spring budget when it comes to communityfundingandprovidingsomeeconomic stimulusfornewhomeconstruction.
But they remain vigilant in harping on Queen’sParkthatNorthernOntariodeservesequal attention when it comes to investing in highway safetymeasurestosupportaregionthat’spowering theprovince’seconomicengine.
The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) saw “several positive steps,”inthebudget,accordingtopresidentDavid Plourde, “toward supporting communities, economicgrowthandimprovingthequalityoflife tocommunitiesacrosstheregion.
Top of the list was the province extending the Northern Ontario Resource Development Support(NORDS)programforanadditionalthree yearsat$15millionannually.
Plourde, the mayor of Kapuskasing, said the program helps municipalities address infrastructure pressures and respond to developmentopportunities.
“It allows municipalities to move forward with larger infrastructure projects and provides greatercertaintyformunicipalfinancialplanning.”
Plourde would like to see the program made permanent and expanded to include agriculture alongside mining and forestry as recognizedsectorsunderNORDS.
FONOM delivered a thumbs up on the province’s move to remove the provincial portion of the HST on eligible new homes. That should stimulatenewhomeconstructionacrossOntario.
“ThisisparticularlyimportantinNorthern Ontario,wherecommunitiesareworkingtoattract and retain residents and support workforce growth,”saidPlourde.
“Highways 11 and 17 are critical to our communities, our economy, and Canada’s supply chains,” said Plourde. “We will continue to work withboththeprovinceandthefederalgovernment toadvancelong-termsolutionsthatimprovesafety, reliability,andcapacityalongthiscorridor.”
That requires coordinated action with upperbranchesofgovernmenttoadvancethisissue asanationalpriority.
To Marathon Mayor Rick Dumas, president of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA), this region is the “driving forceinOntario’sfutureprosperity.”
“As our region continues to grow through mining, energy, and resource development, it is essentialthatwebuildtheinfrastructureneededto
support that growth and ensure long-term success forOntarioandCanada.”
Northwestern Ontario is fuelling the province’s economic engine, Dumas said, with critical mineral mine development, growth in biomass and forestry innovation, and prospects revolving around the construction of the Deep GeologicalRepository,tostorespentnuclearfuel, inIgnace.
Thegrowthinminingactivitytranslatesto more traffic on highways when it comes to the increasedmovementofgoods,servicesandpeople. Theinvestmentmustbetheretosupportit.
The Queen’s Park announcement of targeted highway safety and infrastructure measures is a good start, NOMA said, but improving the infrastructure, “to fully unlock the region’s economic potential,” must see ongoing investment.
Thatmeanscompletingthetwinningofthe Highway 11-17 corridor and the government making good on its commitment to advance plans tofour-laneHighway11-17,westofThunderBay, betweenKakabekaFallsandShabaquaCorners.
“Evidence consistently shows that highwaytwinningsignificantlyreducestheriskof head-on collisions and leads to a meaningful reductioninfatalities,”NOMAsaidinastatement.
Business advocates cheered the government’smeasuresthatgivessmallbusinesses abreak.
Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) applauded the province for including a permanent decrease of 3.2 per cent to 2.2percenttotheSmallBusinessTaxRatethatwill benefit375,000smallbusinesses.
Lower taxes will help small businesses thrive,theadvocacygroupsaidinanewsrelease.
Based on CFIB’s February 2026 survey data, almost three-quarters of Ontario small businessesacrossallsectorsarebeingimpactedby tariffsandglobalpressuresdirectlyandindirectly.
“Weexpectthisinvestmentwillbereturned inspades,sincesmallbusinesseshavetoldusthey would capitalize on any new tax savings by directing them to economy-stimulating measures, including increasing employee compensation, expanding their operations, and hiring new employees,”CFIBsaidinitsrelease.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce also championedthegovernment’smovetoprovidetax reliefforsmallbusiness.
“While Ontario businesses have been resilient, they find it hard to invest amidst rising costs, trade uncertainty, and tight margins,” said chamber president-CEO Daniel Tisch in a statement.
The chamber approved of productivity-focussed incentives, including accelerated writeoffs to reduce the cost of machinery and equipment, and investments in strategic sectors, with the creation of the Protect Ontario Account Investment Fund, with up to $4 billion dedicated to supporting new industries by crowdinginprivateandpensioncapital.
Thechambersaidtheprovincedeliveredon certain measures that strengthen Ontario's industrialbaseandcompetitivenesswhenitcomes to health system modernization, energy, critical minerals, and advanced technologies. The $6.4 billion earmarked to postsecondary education and skills development was also welcomed by the chamber.
“Budget 2026 strikes a balance, providing stability and a path to fiscal responsibility while giving businesses welcome breathing room and support to invest, diversify, compete and grow,” saidTisch.
(EN) Votre adolescent consomme-t-il des drogues ou de l’alcool? C’est une question délicate qui peut mener à une conversation tout aussidélicate.Maisilestimportantd’endiscuter, mêmesic’estdifficile.
Lesjeunesconsommentdesdroguesetde l’alcool pour différentes raisons. Pour certains, c’est une façon de s’intégrer ou d’essayer quelque chose de nouveau. Pour d’autres, c’est un moyen de composer avec le stress ou des difficultésliéesàlasantémentale.
Ce n’est pas parce que c’est légal que c’est sans inoffensif. L’alcool, le cannabis, la nicotineet d’autres drogues peuvent être nocifs, surtout pour le cerveau en développement des adolescents. La consommation de substances augmentelerisquedetroublesdel’attentionetde la mémoire, affecte la capacité à prendre des décisionsetpeutentraînerdestroublesmentaux telsquel’anxiétéetladépression.C’estpourquoi
ilestsiimportantdediscuterrégulièrementavec les adolescents de la consommation de substances.
Le danger des drogues illicites est bien réel. Les adolescents peuvent entendre parler de drogues illicites telles que la cocaïne ou la MDMA (ecstasy) ou même en consommer. Au Canada,lesdroguesillicitessontdeplusenplus souvent contaminées par des opioïdes puissants comme le fentanyl et d’autres substances nocives.Ilestimpossibledesavoirexactementce que contiennent les drogues obtenues illégalement. L’accès à de l’information fiable peut aider les jeunes à mieux comprendre ces risquesetàprendredesdécisionséclairées. Conseils pour favoriser une conversation positive:
-Ayez des objectifs clairs en tête pour votre discussion.
-Créezuncadredécontractéetsansjugement,et
envisagez de laisser votre adolescent choisir le momentetlelieudelaconversation.
-Posez des questions ouvertes et écoutez attentivement les réponses afin que votre adolescentsesenteentendu.
-Évitez de presser votre adolescent ou de lui mettre la pression. Laissez la conversation se dérouler naturellement et n’hésitez pas à faire unepausepourlareprendreplustard,aubesoin.
-Soyez prêt à répondre honnêtement à ses questions, y compris sur votre propre consommation, et à lui fournir de l’information factuelle pour l’aider à prendre des décisions éclairéesconcernantsasanté.
Les parents et les adolescents peuvent également trouver des ressources gratuites en ligne, comme Expériences Santé Canada, qui propose des modules interactifs pour en apprendre davantage sur les drogues et l’alcool, etlesrisquesquiysontassociés.
Une communication ouverte et honnête surlaconsommationdesubstancesestessentielle pour prévenir les méfaits. Lorsque les parents communiquent clairement leurs attentes, fournissentdesinformationsprécisesetdiscutent des conséquences réelles, cela peut aider les jeunes à réduire les risques et à faire des choix plus sécuritaires. Pour en savoir plus et obtenir des ressources gratuites, consultez le site experiencessantecanada.ca.
