For the February 9th edition of Northwest Monitor, we’ll take a look at potential federal legislation designed to help judges better understand sexual assault cases. Also, the Kenora District Municipal Association conference gets an update from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization on how close it is to picking a site for Canada’s nuclear waste, and we’ll get a update on how provincial budget discussions went in Sioux Lookout.
But first, it appears the gulf between what the provincial government is saying versus the teachers and education workers unions in the contract disputes is massive, and any end to the current problems seems impossible.
We spoke to Mike Judge, who is the President of the Lakehead Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario in Thunder Bay, and Robin Martin, government MPP for the Eglington-Lawrence riding in Toronto.
We asked MPP Martin why does it seem both sides are just waiting to get back to the bargaining table, why not just do it? She pointed to the mediator.
The provincial government is traveling across the province to get input on its next budget.
Finance Minister Rod Phillips was in Kenora last week to find out first hand what was important for local residents. That included hearing from many people how ready they are for investment, and for that to be done on an equal playing field with the rest of the province.
A successful Kenora District Municipal Association Conference in the region was recently held in Sioux Lookout. One of the many groups to talk was the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, and its’ progress with work in Ignace.
Reporter Rayson Martyn spoke with the Vice President of Site Selection Ben Belfadhel to learn more. He pointed out three bore holes have been drilled, with the fourth one in progress.
The federal government is looking to bring forth legislation that will require federal judges to take more training to deal with sexual assault cases. Recently a number of MPs spoke in Ottawa, including former Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose, who first introduced this in 2017, and current justice minister David Lametti.
