Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Time for a review? Three straight years in the red for snow removal has city thinking so:
It may be time to review how the city estimates its winter control budget, says Tony Cecutti, Greater Sudbury's GM of infrastructure. In theory, the roughly $18 million a year the city spends clearing roads is expected to be hit and miss, with surpluses in less severe winters being used to fund budget overages in bad years. But for the last few years, spending has gone overbudget as winter snowfall amounts exceed historic averages, and freezing rain becomes more common. “We have adjusted it the last couple of years,” Cecutti said of the budget. “There is a formula that's used and frankly, it was developed quite some time ago – I think mid-2000s or so. But you're absolutely right that we've had three years in a row where we've been above the average use. So we're looking at that, trying to see whether the formula is right.” Historically, spikes in Greater Sudbury's snowplowing budgets are paid for from a reserve fund that is replenished in years with milder winters. For example, the snowplowing budget came in $1-million lower than forecast in 2012. In 2010, mild weather resulted in a surplus of more than $4 million. But more recently, the budget has been in the red, including by almost $2 million in 2017. The winter road maintenance budget includes plowing, sanding and salting 3,560 lane kilometres in Greater Sudbury. It includes money to handle 33 winter storms each year, as well money for such items as hauling away snow, removing snowbanks and plowing sidewalks. Get the full story here.
'My identity is something very real': Transgender activist slams PC vote to debate trans identity:
Gender identity is not a theory, said the manager for TG Innerselves, a transgender support site for people in Northern Ontario. “My identity is something very real,” said Vincent Bolt. “It exists. Many civilizations throughout the world including here in North America, have and have had more than two genders for thousands of years.” Bolt was speaking in reaction to the Progressive Conservatives passing a resolution at a party convention on Saturday to debate whether or not the party should recognize gender identity. The vote happened during the PC's three-day convention in Toronto. The party called gender identity a theory, stating it's a highly controversial, unscientific liberal ideology, and that the PC government will remove the teaching and promotion of gender identity theory from Ontario schools and its curriculum. “Even if it was a theory, there are plenty of other things in schools being discussed that are just theories,” Bolt said. “It's just ridiculous this is what they are going after this.” By calling gender identity a "theory," the Tories seemed to show a lack of understanding on the meaning of the word. For instance, speaking scientifically, gravity itself is also a theory. However, Premier Doug Ford said the party won't be proceeding with the proposal. By eliminating the discussion about trans identity in the school curriculum, you are contributing to the high rates of suicide and violence in the trans community, Bolt said. More on this story here.
Pro wrestling icon Brutus 'The Barber' Beefcake struts into Sudbury on Nov. 20:
One of the faces of professional wrestling's golden era will be in Sudbury on Nov. 20 as Canadian Wrestling Elite (CWE) makes a tour stop in the Nickel City. Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake is heading up the "Struttin' and Cuttin'" Tour that is winding down 32 shows in 32 Candian cities over 32 days. Sudbury is the second to last stop on the tour on Nov. 20 at the Garson Community Centre. Making a trek through Northern Ontario in the middle of November isn't for everyone, but Brutus has had more than his fair share of experience with Canadian winters and is thrilled to be out on the road, seeing the country where he spent his early days in the business. "I started out going to Canada in the 1980s, I was living in Minnesota and wrestling at that time," said Brutus. "I've made my share of trips up to Winnipeg in the middle of winter so this is nothing new for me." One of wrestling's most iconic figures during its heyday in the mid 1980s and early 1990s, Brutus came through the ranks with perhaps the most famous wrestler of all time, Hulk Hogan. The two wrestled as brothers, Ed Boulder and Terry Boulder, before they joined the WWF in the early 1980s. Find more on this story here.
Someone in Sudbury is $100,000 richer:
There is an Encore ticket worth $100,000 floating around somewhere in Sudbury. It was one of several wins from Friday's jackpot draw. That draw though didn't result in a big winner and the Lotto Max jackpot has now hit an estimated $60 million, plus an estimated 21 Maxmillions of $1 million each. Other prizes from the Friday draw include two Maxmillion prizes of $1 million, sold in the London area and in Richmond Hill. Three second prize-winning tickets of $433,189,40 each were sold in Mississauga, Pickering and Windsor. Lottery players can check their numbers on the Winning Numbers page on OLG.ca or on the OLG Lottery App. You can buy tickets for the next draw, on Nov. 23, at OLG retailers or online at PlayOLG.ca until 10:30 p.m. on Friday.
CUPW requests mediator as deadline for Canada Post offer expires without deal:
The union representing Canada's postal workers asked the federal government to appoint a mediator in its contract talks with Canada Post as it rejected the Crown corporation's latest offers. The union made the request late Saturday, just before a deadline passed on Canada Post's time-sensitive proposals that were meant to stop the rotating strikes affecting its approximately 42,000 urban employees and 8,000 rural and suburban carriers. A spokeswoman for Labour Minister Patty Hajdu declined to say whether Ottawa would oblige the request, saying only it's a good sign that both sides are still commited to finding a solution. "We are encouraged that talks are continuing and will continue to consider all options to find a solution," Veronique Simard said in an emailed statement. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighed in Saturday night with a last-minute plea to the two sides, just hours before the midnight deadline on the Crown corporation's offers expired. In a Twitter post, Trudeau cited the arrival of the holiday shopping season and urged both sides "to resolve their differences quickly and reach a deal." But as the deadline on the offers passed, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers issued a statement that said it had responded "by presenting the Corporation with our own global offers that address our needs and demands." CUPW had said on Friday that the new proposals from Canada Post made positive steps, but not enough to end the rotating strikes that have shut down postal operations in more than 200 communities, creating a huge backlog of undelivered mail. It said it would not bring the offers to a vote of its members, although both sides remained at the bargaining table. The union began rotating strikes in October, hoping to pressure Canada Post into agreeing to contract demands, including better job security, reduced workloads and stronger health and safety measures.
What a birthday! Sudbury's Patricia Sancartier celebrates her 100th birthday:
Five generations of family members visited Pioneer Manor on Nov. 16 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Patricia Sancartier. Patricia is a lifelong Sudburian and was born in the Dickson family home at 395 Cartier Avenue in 1918. Her father, John Lent Dickson, was a partner in the Haight-Dickson Lumber Company, and son-in-law of James Alexander Orr, the owner and editor of the Sudbury Journal, which eventually became Journal Printing as it stands today. A mother of five daughters, her eldest daughter Lorraine is still living in Sudbury. Patricia married Alfred Sancartier in 1936 and they raised all five of their daughters in the Sudbury area. During the Second World War, while Alfred joined the army, Patricia worked in the lab at Inco and was a member of the reserves. Her husband passed away in 1962, but Patricia has been in Sudbury for all but one of her 100 years. "Mom was still living independently until she was 95," said her second oldest daughter, Sharon Loweth. "She moved down south with me to Keswick for a year, but she got homesick and wanted to come back to Sudbury."Eldest daughter Lorraine Holmes is still living in Sudbury as well, and her son David is actually now living in the very home on Cartier Avenue where his grandmother Patricia was born 100 years ago.
Finlandia Village residents put their artistic talents on display:
The annual Finlandia Village Art Exhibition is Tuesday, Nov. 20 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Voima Hall (Lepokoti Building, Block F, in the back of Finlandia Village). Finlandia Village will be showcasing art collections that were created by the residents, volunteers, students and staff members, and there are approximately 30 participants. Mediums range from photography, sculpture to painting.
Tuesday Weather:
Sunshine expected to return today but it's going to be a chilly one. High of -11 for Tuesday, feeling like -25 with the wind chill this morning. Mainly cloudy heading into the evening with some snow expected. Temperature steady near -12 overnight, feeling like -18 with the wind. For current weather conditions, short-term and long-term forecasts visit Sudbury.com's weather page at www.sudbury.com/weather.
