Former Police Chief Names Nipissing University Chancellor

Nipissing-UPaul Cook, the former North Bay chief of Police, has been named as the Chancellor of Nipissing University, with his four year appointment getting underway from June 1.

The University has been searching for a new Chancellor for two years, using a selection committee to work through prospective candidates. Jon Dellandrea is the outgoing Chancellor, making way for Cook to become the fourth person to hold the position. The post is the head position at Nipissing University, granting the Chancellor the privilege of conferring all degrees to graduates.

Cook stressed his pleasure at being awarded the position and said his experience as a North Bay native will help him continue the University’s growth.

“I am deeply honored to be named Chancellor of Nipissing University,” said Cook. “North Bay is my home and I’ve served this wonderful community for my entire life. Nipissing University is a driving force in our community, an economic, cultural and social engine, making a tremendously positive impact. Over the past 24 years since receiving its charter, Nipissing has grown and evolved into an outstanding institution with a global reputation, while always displaying a strong commitment to its home community. I look forward to working with the Board and Dr. DeGagné and his team as well as the fantastic faculty, staff and students who make Nipissing such a fine institution. The university is poised for even greater success and I am thrilled to play a role in its continued excellence.”

Cook was the Chief of Police of the North Bay Police Service between 200-2016, and overall he spent 34 years with the force in the local area. Aside from his positions, Cook has amassed a variety of extra-curricular posts, including President of Retired Badge Consulting Inc.

“He is the Past Chair of Coach4Food and the North Bay Court Security Committee, and is a member of the Nipissing Transition House Board, North Bay District Soccer Board, and North Bay Sports Award Committee. He is a past member of the Domestic Violence Coordinating Committee of Nipissing, the former Honorary Colonel of 51 Aerospace Control and Warning Squadron, Past Chair of the 2015 Ontario Special Olympics Provincial Winter Games Committee, and Past Sponsorship Chair for the 2013-14 World Ringette Championships Committee.”

“It is a pleasure to welcome Paul Cook as our new Chancellor. He is a proven leader, who possesses vision, honesty, and integrity as well as a demonstrated commitment to this community and region,” said Dr. Mike DeGagné, Nipissing’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “It is an important and exciting time at Nipissing University. We are a leading institution in terms of meeting student needs, new academic programs are launching, our research culture continues to grow, and we are on a stable financial path. Our future is bright and Mr. Cook will be a tremendous leader, ambassador and advocate for Nipissing University as we continue to evolve.”

North Bay Council Admits to Poor Sidewalk Management

snow_plowsThe city council has admitted that the sidewalks around North Bay are not of a high standard and that it is seeking to improve the situation under hard circumstances.

Snow has hit hard over the last month and snowbanks have formed around the city, while the sidewalks have deteriorated to make navigating tough. With more pedestrians forced onto snowbanks, the danger of a collision with a vehicle is greater, meaning more danger for drivers and pedestrians alike.

With accidents already higher than other times of the year, it is important for drivers to remain extra vigilant on the roads as pedestrians may appear from snowbanks without warning. Pedestrians are also warned to maintain safe practices, especially when crossing a street.

However, the city is saying that it has been overwhelmed, with crews and private plow companies unable to cope with the volume. The city has already stated it has spent above its annual snow removal budget, and still buses have been affected, schools have closed, and the sidewalks remain a problem.

“The condition of sidewalks around the city is not very good, we admit and realize that,” Tanya Vrebosch Chair of Engineering, Public Works and Environmental Services, stated on her Facebook page on Thursday afternoon.

“In almost every area it has been necessary to attach blowers in order to clear. We do not have enough blowers for each trackless so this process has been slow but unavoidable considering the amount of drifting that took place.”

Some residents are unhappy that their street remains un-cleared of snowbanks, while a nearby location where a movie is being filmed has been completely cleared. Vrebosch said the commitment to the movie was made before the accumulation and that it was something the city could not back out of.

“This commitment was made well in advance of the high banks and excess snow and at a time when we felt it could operationally be completed. We have told the production companies that we will not take any further requests as we have to deal with our own snow removal going forward. The commitments have been minor and are taking limited resources and times to complete.”

Liberal Budget Accused of Ignoring Northern Ontario

2032px-Canada_Ontario_location_map_2.svg_-263x300The leader of the Ontario opposition has today criticized the new budget and said it wholesale ignores Northern Ontario, something that has been levelled at the Liberal Government consistently while it has been in office.

Opposition leader Patrick Brown was unhappy with the Katherine Wynne government “over the lack of a credible plan for Northern Ontario in Budget 2016, which was tabled last week”. In a release sent out to news network, Brown raised worries that have plagued the Liberal Government for several years:

“The government has no credibility in the North. The Liberals say they value Northern Ontario. But not once did the Minister of Finance mention the North, Northern Ontario, or the Ring of Fire in his Budget Speech,” said Brown.
“This is the third straight Budget the Liberals have re-announced the funding for the Ring of Fire. It’s a re-announcement of a re-announcement. But despite three years of announcements there is not a shovel in the ground or a dollar spent.”

The government has often been accused of putting the needs of the more populated southern Ontario region and ignoring Northern Ontario. North Bay residents and those across the wider region have called for more funding in the north, including the development of traffic infrastructure. A petition started early this year called once again for Northern and Southern Ontario to split into separate provinces, brings decades old sentiments to the fore once again.

In the release, Brown said “during the government’s pre-budget hearings, the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs traveled across Northern Ontario and learned about the Liberal Government’s chronic under funding of the health care sector. The Temiskaming Hospital in New Liskeard closed its operating room for 50 per cent of the time resulting in one of 10 staff getting cut. The Timmins and District Hospital was forced to cut 26 beds and fire 40 staff. In Sault Ste. Marie, the hospital was forced to cut 50 beds in acute and complex care.”

Winter Conditions Taking Toll on North Bay

SIGNS-ROAD-CLOSURES1Winter took a while to get started in Northern Ontario, but now the cold weather, snow, and blizzards are making themselves felt across the North Bay area. Indeed, the snow banks have increased and storms are causing huge problems on roads throughout the region, shutting numerous highways and even causing school closures.

Some of the crews working the city say the snow is becoming a real problem, especially the frequency of the falls in a short period of time. Officials are saying maintaining the roads with consistent snowfall is a hard task, as a cleared road is often covered again hours after it has been reopened. The city says it has likely already gone over its snow removal budget for the year, while general road repairs have been postponed until the weather clears.

A storm blew all weekend, bringing 80mph gusts of wind and heavy snow, blanketing the North Bay region in a fresh layer of snow. The OPP announced on Monday that Highway 17 westward was closed between Trunk Road to Walker’s Road near Thessalon due to poor weather conditions making driving hazardous.

Several hours later the OPP announced that the road had reopened, but another bout of snow could lead to more closures.

It is important to drive carefully in such wintery conditions, while using winter tires is advised. Ontario now has a mandatory discount on auto insurance premiums for all customers who install winter tires, so you will save money and potentially save your life out on the dangerous roads.

Holey Roads Presenting Driving Problems in North Bay Area

snow_plowsIt is easy to think that maintaining roads during the winter is all about clearing snow, but actually the cold months take a toll on North Bay roads for the rest of the year. Thawing ice and snow seeps into the cracks in asphalt and when it freezes again it expands and cracks the road, causing potholes.

The city is warning that the post winter potholes could be bigger and more frequent this year and that is may not have the budget or time to fix them all. This winter has seen some extremely wintery conditions, but it has also been a warmer than usual winter, meaning the thaw and freeze cycle has repeated more often than normal.

The result is more potholes and bigger potholes. The city usually patches the roads in spring as a temporary fix until asphalt plants reopen in May. However, the city says it is overstretched at the moment, but is doing its best to reach all potholes. Crew work on a worse first basis, tackling the potholes that need the most attention before moving on to less sever cracks.

The city urges the public to report potholes they see, while explaining to motorists the potholes can be a hazard when driving.

Potholes should be deterrent enough to not speed in the North Bay area, as a car going over the legal speed limits could lose control if it hits a sizeable pothole. Collisions can occur in such circumstance or severe damage can be caused to a vehicle.

North Bay Healthcare cuts must stop says MPP (17th)

North-Bay-Regional_CroppedThe North Bay Regional Health Center has been battered by cost cutting and underfunding in recent years, and Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli is telling Ontario’s liberal government that is must stop.

A recent cash injection of $6 million has helped the hospital ease cutback costs, but still several years of underfunding have taken a toll. Last year some 158 jobs were slashed, while 30 beds were removed from the hospital and it annex locations. Speaking to the Ontario Legislature, Fedeli was explicit in saying enough is enough:

“At the pre-budget hearings in recent weeks, one thing became painfully clear – this government’s policies and decisions are directly hurting Ontarians. A deliberate choice has been made to cut health care and layoff nurses by the hundreds. As a result, all three parties heard stories about patients collapsing on their front steps after being discharged from care too early.

‎”At the hearings, it’s worth noting that 30 times, violence was referred to, mostly in connection to health care and corrections workers. At North Bay Regional Health Centre, this government has cut 350 frontline healthcare workers, including 100 nurses. One nurse was recently fired after the violence issue was addressed publicly. I addressed a rally in front of my office last week – and pledged to bring this issue to Queen’s Park. I ask the government today, to expedite the review of her grievance.

“The Premier, meanwhile, needs to realize many of these professionals subject to workplace violence are women – yet the cuts continue. This is happening today in Kathleen Wynne’s Ontario, because the government can’t manage our finances and spends on self-interest.”

“These health care cuts must stop.”

Police Warn of CRA Phone Scam

North Bay Police are warning of a new scam in Northern Ontario and is urging people to ignore phone calls from those who claim to be from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

Such scams are fraudulent says law enforcement, with callers claiming to be from the CRA to extract identity and even financial data from unsuspecting members of the public. The scam artists use this information for purposes of identity theft and to steal money, and as it usually the case, police are saying vulnerable people such as the aged should be extra vigilant.

One scam method is for the caller to pose as a CRA agent and say that the owner will be arrested, taken to jail, or have bank account seized if payments are not made immediately. Callers typically ask for the victim to pay money instantly through a credit card, so people should be extra careful about any calls that demand credit card payments.

If you get such a call, hang up immediately and report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by telephone at 1-888-495-8501 (from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time) or through their online reporting tool at http://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/reportincident-signalerincident/index-eng.htm

If you suspect you or a family member may be a victim of fraud or have been tricked into giving personal or financial information, contact police.

The Canada Revenue Agency:

•never requests prepaid credit cards;

•never asks for information about your passport, health card, or driver’s licence;

•never shares your taxpayer information with another person, unless you have provided the appropriate authorization; and

•never leaves personal information on your answering machine or asks you to leave a message containing your personal information on an answering machine.

For more information on the Canada Revenue Agency and this telephone scam, visit http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/security

North Bay Police Adopts New Larger Vehicles

It seems the current patrol cars used by North Bay police to stop traffic offenders and respond to more serious crimes are not quite good enough. The North Bay Police Service says it has moved some of its old Crown Victoria vehicles and replaced them with a Ford Interceptor Sedan, which is a bit smaller and apparently too small for cops and even prisoners in the back.
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So, the North Bay Police Service is looking to switch to something a bit bigger, and has been showing off its (definitely big enough) brand new Ford Explorer all-wheel patrol vehicles.

“We have met with the Police Association and the reality of it is, the patrol vehicle is the office for front line officers, often spending 12 hours in those vehicles,” said Chief Devine to the media after showing both the Board members the size difference between an SUV to the smaller Interceptor.

“Obviously it gave the board an opportunity to look at the interior space that was both available for the officers and for loading and unloading prisoners in the back of the vehicle. I think if you have a look at the comparison between the back seat of this and the back seat of an Explorer, I would suggest there is almost twice as much room in the back to be able to load and unload prisoners.”

Devine insists that the bigger choice is really not about comfort, but more about how the vehicles offer more space and can also travel to more inaccessible terrain.

“Once you look at the police vehicle and you look at the package that is in there, there’s a cage with bars in the back which limits the amount of space the seat is able to go back so when you factor in even someone my size – I don’t get into the cruisers that much anymore, but at 6’5” it’s really restrictive and I think we have to recognize that generally the population is growing and we have larger statured people that we are transporting and we have to recognize that.”

“You have to remember when officers are out there, they are not just wearing personal dress, they are also wearing about 70 pounds of equipment,” said Devine.

New Clinic Will Help 10,000 North Bay Residents Without Family Doctor

North-Bay-Regional Clinic_CroppedWith the North Bay Health Centre underfunded and experiencing crippling cuts, it is nice to have some good news on the health front in the city. A new medical clinic will be opening in North Bay, bringing three more fully qualified doctors to the area.

Northern Shores Medical Clinic will hold its grand opening this afternoon, Feb. 19, at 1 p.m. on Maplewood Avenue. Three family doctors originally from the North Bay area have gone into business together to open the practice, with the aid of several grants.

The clinic has been helped by the City ($25,000) and the North Bay Regional Health Centre ($25,000), the donations are in place to help the practice get through startup costs. The clinic is certainly a necessity as it is estimated that over 10,000 residents in the North Bay area are without a family physician.

North Bay Regional Hospital gets $6 million

North-Bay-Regional_CroppedNorth Bay Regional Hospital has received a funding injection of six million dollars to help ease the downsizing process the healthcare center is going through. That means the money will not go to patient care or any new equipment at the hospital, but will instead minimizing the effects of the decision to downsize.

Paul Heinrich, the hospital’s president and chief executive officer, told BayToday that it’s a “one time support to minimize the impact of our significant rightsizing initiative”.

“In the summertime we announced a reduction of 158 full-time equivalent staff and starting to get into that change there are some one-time impacts, for example, early retirement offers. We’re very pleased to learn we are receiving that money and that it really takes some of the pressure off of our financial situation for this fiscal year.”

“It’s one time to support some of the cost reductions so primarily it’s going to be for severance and early retirement offers.”
Last September it was announced that 158 jobs and 30 beds would be cut from the North Bay Regional Hospital, causing huge controversy. The hospital was sitting on a $14 million deficit after being underfunded for several years, so cutting jobs and beds became a way to cut costs and save money. Heinrich has been criticized through the process and the cost cutting measures have put a cloud over the hospital.

The new $6 million funding may be used to help infrastructure and the downsizing of spaces, says Heinrich:

“We will be continuing to face significant cost pressures, for example the cost of long-term disability benefits and the impacts of wage increases that are provincially negotiated, things that are often decided by arbitrators and things we don’t have a lot of control over. We continue to see pressures financially and we’ll continue to keep the lines open with the ministry and help them understand where we’re at with our targets and improvement initiatives”

For the full story, head to BayToday