Good morning, Greater Sudbury! Here are a few stories to start your day on this Friday morning.
The Queen, longest-reigning British monarch, passes away at 96
Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada and the Commonwealth, ascended the throne as much by a twist of fate as by the grace of God. As the daughter and granddaughter of men who were not first in line to the throne, Elizabeth was once destined for a life of relative regal obscurity. Instead, she became one of the world’s most famous women at the age of 25, when her father’s death in 1952 made her England’s sixth ruling queen and longest-reigning monarch. She lived her early years in an intimate family atmosphere free from any hint of future royal responsibilities. "Seldom can a royal child have enjoyed so simple and normal an early upbringing," commented the Guardian newspaper in 1952. Elizabeth died Thursday at the age of 96.
Pricey contract nurses being hired out to long-term care homes
Concern is growing over the idea of nursing agencies in Ontario hiring out high-priced contract nurses to various long-term care homes and other public health care settings. Sudbury's branch of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO) is calling on the province to either regulate or eliminate nurse staffing agencies in Ontario. Maria Casas, the Political Action Executive Network Officer for the RNAO in Sudbury, said the idea of using nurses for hire is "contributing to the breakdown of our health care system" in Ontario. Casas outlined her concerns in a recent letter to Premier Doug Ford, Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Long-Term Care Minister Paul Calandra. In an interview with Sudbury.com, Casas said the contract agencies are fine when somebody needs to hire a nurse to look after a loved one in their home or someone with special needs. She said the problem is that the contract agencies are stepping into the public sector.
Sudbury teacher accused of sexually abusing students
A teacher formerly employed by Conseil scolaire catholique Nouvelon is accused of sexually and emotionally abusing her students, including instances of sexual touching, as well as sexting and inappropriate comments. The allegations against Julie Léger are outlined in a notice of hearing document on the Ontario College of Teachers website. That hearing, which has yet to be scheduled by the Ontario College of Teachers, will determine if Léger is guilty of professional misconduct. Léger’s certificate of qualification and registration has been suspended on an interim basis by the Ontario College of Teachers until the allegations against her have been dealt with. She had been registered with the governing body since June 2000. A notice of hearing dated July 18 posted to the Ontario College of Teachers’ website said Léger is accused of committing acts “that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional.”
MPPs reintroduce bill heading off challenges to Ontario AG
Area NDP MPPs France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) and Jamie West (Sudbury) have reintroduced their bill to eliminate any future challenges to the role or powers of Ontario’s auditor general. The NDP politicians say the bill is being re-introduced as the auditor’s powers of investigation can still be challenged by public organizations who “lawyer up.”On April 13, the same day Ontario Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk released her critical preliminary report on Laurentian University, Gélinas, along with fellow local NDP MPP Jamie West (Sudbury) introduced the bill in the legislature. The local MPPs brought forward the bill after the insolvent Laurentian University, which was undergoing a value-for-money audit, challenged the authority of Ontario’s auditor general in the courts this past winter. However, the bill died on the order papers in early May after the legislature was dissolved due to the impending provincial election.
Motorcycle riders preparing for the annual Ryleigh’s Ride
Sudbury motorcycle riders are being reminded that the annual Ryleigh's Ride in support of the Hospital for Sick Children is just over a week away. The motorcycle rally event takes place on Saturday, Sept, 17, with registration happening at the A&W Restaurant at 2404 Long Lake Road at 9 a.m. The ride itself begins at 11 a.m. with a run out to Manitoulin Island for lunch. Registration is $40 for the rider and motorcycle, and an additional $20 for a passenger. This includes all your meals. Riders are encouraged to sign up online and plan for the great day. Ryleigh’s Ride first began in 2019 as a "thank you" gesture by the family of Ryleigh Valcourt. The child was born premature in 2018 and needed life-saving surgeries. The initial ride was successful in raising funds for the Sick Kids capital campaign, which enabled the hospital to purchase life saving medical equipment for the operating rooms and clinics.
Overbudget housing complex being re-tendered as modular build
With its initial round of construction bids coming in well over budget, the city is re-tendering a 14-unit affordable seniors housing complex proposed to be built at 1310 Sparks St. Budgeted by city council at approximately $6.3 million (plus a contingency topping it up to $7.3 million), the lowest of three bids came in at $8.7 million, courtesy of Capital Construction (2007) Inc., based in Copper Cliff. This was followed by a $9.4-million bid from Aurora-based Matheson Constructors Limited and a $10-million bid from Mississauga-based EllisDon Corporation. “In order to proceed with the project as designed, an increase of the project budget from $7.3 million to at least $9.2 million plus contingencies would be required,” according to a report by city director of housing operations Barb Dubois city council will discuss on Sept. 13. To blame for the jump in price, whose original budget was $5.5 million before it was adjusted earlier this year, are “general market conditions, wood and plastic material costs, thermal and mechanical systems costs,” according to Dubois’ report.
Read the full story on the Sudbury.com homepage.
Wow! Another scorcher of a day
This week’s glorious weather continues today. Expect a high of 27 under sunny skies. The humidex value will make it feel more like 30. The wind will become southwesterly at 20 km/h, gusting to 40 in the morning. The UV index today is seven, or high. Tonight, the skies will stay clear and the mercury will drop to 14.
