The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Mayor George Fontaine hopes Flin Flon won't lose out in the regional health authority merger or cutbacks to highway bus services. Fontaine spoke on the amalgamation of the NOR-MAN and Burntwood RHAs at last week's council meeting, the same day he learned of the move. 'I'm hoping that when they do this that...we manage to keep our share (of employees) in this community,' he said, 'as opposed to the way we've seen things happen a lot of times in the past, where they move to a larger community, we lose control and we lose residents, and I'm hoping that we don't lose those high-paying jobs that would normally be in our community, that we maintain them here.' Added the mayor: 'That would be my position and I'm sure the position of the entire council.' No input Fontaine said council had no input into the merger decision, which was unveiled as part of last week's provincial budget. It will see the creation of the Northern Health Region, encompassing all of northern Manitoba except for Churchill. Health Minister Theresa Oswald has said no decision has been made on where the new organization will be headquartered. Some executive staff within NOR-MAN and Burntwood stand to lose their jobs as part of a plan to chop up to 35 administrative health-care positions across Manitoba RHAs. See 'Provi...' on pg. 6 Continued from pg. 1 The northern merger is set to happen this year, though no firm date was known as of last week. Switching gears, Fontaine addressed Greyhound's announcement that as of July 1, it will eliminate its Flin Flon-Snow Lake-Thompson route and cut its Flin Flon-Winnipeg service to once a day. 'Transportation is one area where I think that the provincial government could do something, could do more,' he said, 'and I would like to hold them accountable to do just that. I think we need more than what we're getting right now.' The NDP government, which will stop subsidizing Greyhound, has said it hopes to find alternate ways of ensuring inter-community bus service for northerners. Provincially run But like MLA Clarence Pettersen, Fontaine said he would favour the launch of a provincially-run bus company if service is lost post-Greyhound. 'I believe Saskatchewan has the right idea because I think we're left behind _ a lot of our northern regions, not just us,' Fontaine said, a reference to the Saskatchewan Transportation Company, a Crown bussing corporation. Other highlights from the April 17 council meeting: Coun. Colleen McKee said the community has lost two 'very valuable' members in Ken Reader and Wayne Graham, who recently passed away. She said both men contributed much to a community that was grateful to have them for as long as it did. Fontaine extended council's condolences to both families. Council voted to lease land north of 343 Green Street to nearby homeowners. Council voted to purchase a 1/3-page ad in the 2012 spring edition of Northern Experience Magazine for $859 plus taxes. McKee said it's part of an effort to promote Flin Flon beyond local borders. Council had no comment on requests to financially support the upcoming Shrine Circus and the Canada Day fireworks. Both written requests were referred to the Finance Committee.
