July 2012 Archives
Tuesday July 31, 2012
Diversity in Policing Project internationally recognized
The Police Service's Diversity in Policing Project has been highlighted in a United Nations agency report on fighting racism and discrimination. UNESCO is citing is an example of a program that works, and one that could be a model for other communities.
Cathy Woodbeck is the Executive Director of the Thunder Bay Multicultural Association. The association helped develop the diversity in policing project here in Thunder Bay.
Here's her conversation with Voyage North host Cathy Alex.
Monday July 30, 2012
After the Flood, The need continues...
On May 28th Stephanie Wesley woke up before dawn, stepped out of her bed and landed in cold water.
She was living in an East End basement apartment. Stephanie talks to Voyage North's Cathy Alex about her experience, after the flood.
People don't just need help fixing their homes; they need some fun too... a break from the stress of the last two months.
Jeff Jones is the president of the Insurance Brokers Association of Northwestern Ontario. Mark Gleeson is an insurance broker in the city.
They're helping to put on The Community Barbecue and Fun day this Wednesday from 11 am to 4 pm at Minnesota Park, a fundraiser for flood victims. Here's their chat with Cathy Alex.
Friday July 27, 2012
Have poles, will travel...
Thunder Bay could be moments away from a trip to record books.
Hundreds of people are embarking on a world record attempt in Nordic Pole walking around Boulevard Lake.
The event is part of this weekend's FinnThunder festivities.
Sari Jamsa-Babcock is organizing the record attempt.
We spoke to her recently on the program, and VN's Cathy Alex checks in right before the big event.
Friday July 27, 2012
Coney Island Fourth "Maybe Annual" Music Festival
What began as a one-shot music festival is starting to become something of a tradition in the Kenora area. The Coney Island Fourth "Maybe Annual" Music Festival happens Sunday, July 29th, 2012. The full-day of song includes performances by the Cold Hard Facts of Life, Wallace Creasy Gardner & Wallace Psurfadelic Orchestra and Shred Kelly. Proceeds go to support the Lake of the Woods Art Community. Fergie Devins is one of the organizers. He spoke with host Cathy Alex.
Thursday July 26, 2012
Interwoven Roots
A cedar, a birch and a spruce all growing together. They were the inspiration for the latest CD from Thunder Bay singer/songwriter Shy-Anne Hovorka. The album is called Interwoven Roots. She's releasing it this Saturday night at a special backyard concert . Shy-Anne talks about the new album with Voyage North host Cathy Alex.
Thursday July 26, 2012
War of 1812 redux...
Making history come alive. Voyage North host Cathy Alex chats with Thunder Bay's Jim Keigher who is helping to re-enact the War of 1812 this weekend at Fort William Historic Park. Learning about life on that battlefield has been his passion for nearly 20 years.
Wednesday July 25, 2012
Could Ontario follow Quebec's lead on First Nations relations?
A new regional authority in Quebec will see a vast swath of the James Bay area jointly governmed by the Cree and non-aboriginal people living in the territory.
The deal between the provincial government and the Grand Council of the Crees is the first in Canada.
Quebec Premier Jean Charest says it's something that other provinces should be studying closely.
And some people in Northwestern Ontario are already suggesting that a similar deal could ease tensions between First Nations and mining companies in the Ring of Fire.
Bill Gallagher is a lawyer and a strategist with a long history of watching resource deals with First Nations.
Here's his conversation with VN's Cathy Alex.
Tuesday July 24, 2012
Police chief talks crime stats
The rate of serious crime in Thunder Bay is again bringing some notoriety to the city.
New statistics released today show Thunder Bay has the third highest incidence of violent crime among major cities in the country.
Police Chief JP Levesque has been looking at this report, and reflecting on what those figures mean.
Here's his conversation with Voyage North's Cathy Alex.
Monday July 23, 2012
Under construction
It's a bumpy road on Algoma these days. Construction workers have ripped up the road from John to Cornwall.
That has meant a sharp decrease in traffic for businesses. Now some owners are complaining. They say the city promised one lane of traffic would remain open throughout construction.
Brian Newman is the city's project engineer for the road work. Here's his conversation with Voyage North's Cathy Alex.
Monday July 23, 2012
Superior Outdoors Magazine 5th anniversary
Blow out the candles, and cut a slice of cake. Superior Outdoors Magazine celebrates its fifth anniversary this month. Voyage North's Cathy Alex speaks with owner & publisher Michelle McChristie of Thunder Bay.
Friday July 20, 2012
A Century of Sisu
Kathy Toivonen and Kim Manduca came to the studio straight from the printer's. Their book couldn't be newer - they'd just picked up the very first copies printed. It's called: A Century of Sisu 1920 - 2010: 100 years of Finnish Tradition, Culture and Food in the Thunder Bay Area. They spoke with Cathy Alex
Friday July 20, 2012
Greenbank Returns
They're baaack! The guys from Thunder Bay's Greenbank Trio have returned home from their first ever tour. They played a number of locations on the East Coast, but the highlight was taking centre stage for the Canada Day celebrations in Saint John, New Brunswick. This weekend, the group will be sharing some of their stories about their inaugural foray onto the road. The Greenbank Trio is playing tonight (Friday) and tomorrow (sat) night at The Foundry in Thunder Bay. Chris Lamont handles duties on the double bass. Jimmy Breslin is on the guitar. They spoke with Cathy Alex.
Thursday July 19, 2012
Wax or Music?
Singer/songwriter Wax Mannequin is getting set to release his sixth full-length CD, No Safe Home. It's described as a hauntingly spacious, sparsely produced, acoustic gem. You'll be able to sample some of the songs on tonight (thurs) at Black Pirates Pub in Thunder Bay. You'll also be able to check out the unique way Wax Mannequin is marketing his earlier albums. Wax Mannequin spoke with Cathy Alex.
Thursday July 19, 2012
Itchy Swimmers Want to Know
Ah the joys of a dip in fresh water. On a warm summer's day like today, nothing could be better. If only it weren't shadowed a bit by a fear of swimmer's itch. It can happen to anyone, that itch or tingling, that burning that can only be swimmer's itch. So when a note from the Health Unit came to the station reminding us all to take precautions to avoid Swimmer's itch, it caught Cathy Alex's attention. She spoke with Christopher Beveridge, the manager of Environment Health Programs at the Thunder Bay District Heatlh Unit
Thursday July 19, 2012
One in a Thousand
Thunder Bay's Farida Hassan is one in a thousand. And now she has the marks to prove it. The International Baccaleurate progam has just released the exam results for 2012. And, for the first time in 11 years, a high school student from the city has achieved a perfect score. Hassan graduated this spring from the IB program at Churchill High School. Her total marks this year were 45, out of a possible 45. It's a major accomplishment because fewer than 100 of the more than 100,000 students who wrote their IB exams received that perfect grade. She spoke with Cathy Alex
Thursday July 19, 2012
Pole Walk Thunder Bay
Your feet are wanted. An attempt to break the world record for the most people participating in a Nordic Walk is being made right here in Thunder Bay. More than 1026 people are needed to beat the current record - that's a lot of feet. Nordic walking is also known as pole-walking. But even if you've never pole-walked before, aren't sure what exactly it is and don't have the poles, Sari Jamsa-Babcock wants you to register today. She is the Nordic Walk for Guiness coordinator. She spoke with Cathy Alex.
Wednesday July 18, 2012
Pioneer Camp Rocks!
This is the season of day camps. Heather McLeod visited Pioneer Camp at Founders' Museum. She found a real juxtaposition of eras with traffic zooming along highway 61 just a few meters away from heritage buildings full of antiques and staff in historic garb. The campers however looked very 2012, all in shorts, t-shirts and ball-caps. They were gathered in a mesh tent being covered in bug spray when she arrived. But soon gathered outside to give her this review of their camp.
Tuesday July 17, 2012
AFN Leadership Advice
This week, Chiefs from across Canada decide who will lead the Assembly of First Nations for the next three years. Regardless of whether current AFN Chief Shawn Atleo is reelected or replaced, the winner will be under pressure to make the assembly more relevant to aboriginal Canadians. Geraldine King has some thoughts on how this might be accomplished. She's a member of Gull Bay First Nation, and has worked in Strategic Development at the National Centre for First Nations Governance and the National Association of Friendship Centres. She spoke with Cathy Alex.
Tuesday July 17, 2012
In Defense of Local Food
Last Friday on Voyage North we spoke with Pierre Desrochers. He is an associate professor of geography at the University of Toronto. And he's just written a book called The Locavore's Dilemma: In Praise of the Ten-thousand Mile Diet. In that conversation he told Cathy Alex, "what we are arguing in the book is that this is a false dilemma. Unless it provides a better quality product at a competing price, you should make no effort what so ever to buy local food."
Today (Tuesday) we heard a rebuttal to that argument from Ken Deacon and Lucie Lavoie. The two Thunder Bayers are dedicated to eating local food. Heather McLeod visited them in their downtown home. Ken explained why he disagrees profoundly with Mr. Desrochers and Lucie gave a tour of their garden.
Tuesday July 17, 2012
The Road Well Travelled
Hitting the highway in style. Mark Richardson is driving across Canada in a yellow convertible to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Trans-Canada Highway, and the 100th anniversary of the first cross-country road trip. Richardson has written about cars and road trips for years. He's the editor of the MFuel automotive supplements in Macleans magazine. Richardson pulled into Thunder Bay last night, and dropped by our studios earlier today (mon). He spoke with Cathy Alex.
Tuesday July 17, 2012
Clean Diving
Throwing garbage into the water, may get it out of sight. But it certainly puts it into the mind of Len Mason. The Thunder Bay man is the founder of Eco Divers, a group of scuba divers who volunteer to clean up nasty, underwater garbage dumps. Mason and the others strapped on their tanks yesterday (sun) to tidy up at the mouth of the Current River. He spoke with Cathy Alex.
Friday July 13, 2012
New LU Students get an EDGE
Starting University is a big change. The idea can make both students and their parents a little nervous. To help ease those fears, Lakehead University hosts new students and their families for two days in a program called EDGE: an intensive orientation to the city and the University. The program wrapped up today (Friday). Heather McLeod caught up with some of the participants on campus.
Thursday July 12, 2012
Burgers for Beagles
When the Patchnosky family's two beagles Bamdit and Shooter took off after a bear, they feared they'd lost them forever. But the dogs came home, thanks to the kindness of two people the Patchnoskys have yet to meet: Howard and Debbie Ollum who own a small resort in English River, Ontario. The CBC's Heather McLeod brought the story of the Patchnosky Beagles amazing adventure to Voyage North.
Thursday July 12, 2012
Music for the Masses 2012 unveiled
It's a little bit country and a little bit rock & roll mixed with some folksy charm. Plus a touch of the blues, and the growl of gleaming metal. Actually with nearly 40 acts in 6 different venues, Music for the Masses really does has something for everyone. This year's line-up for the one-day extravaganza was unveiled today (tues). The annual event happens on Friday September 21.
Franz Masini is the driving force behind Music for the Masses. He spoke with Cathy Alex.
Wednesday July 11, 2012
The Colour of Ambition
The Other Colour is one of Thunder Bay's most popular young bands. Then about a year ago, the guys in the group packed up the van, and moved to Toronto, aiming for the big time. Now they're back (if only for a show), playing at Black Pirates Pub tomorrow (thurs) night. And they've got a pretty good reason to be home. They're launching their second EP! AJ Astle plays bass for the band. Stephen Gray is The Other Colour's singer and songwriter. They spoke with Cathy Alex
Tuesday July 10, 2012
Music for the Masses 2012 unveiled
It's a little bit country and a little bit rock & roll mixed with some folksy charm.
There's also a touch of the blues, and the growl of gleaming metal.
The lineup for this year's Music for the Masses was unveiled today (July 10).
The annual event happens on Friday September 21.
At it you'll hear nearly 40 performers playing at 6 venues across Thunder Bay.
Franz Masini is the driving force behind Music for the Masses.
He spoke with host Cathy Alex
Monday July 9, 2012
Thunder Bay Blues Festival 2012 Wrap-up
A little bit of rain. One teeny weeny problem at the border. Other than that, this year's Thunder Bay Blues Festival seemed to hit all the right notes.Trevor Hurtig is the Marketing Manager at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium. He serves the same role for the blues fest. He spoke with Cathy Alex.
Categories: Past Episodes
Friday July 6, 2012
Eagle vs. Sparrow
Eagle vs. Sparrow is an Anishinabek legend about the traditional grandfather teaching of humility. It's also a short film, written by and starring a group of Dryden high school students. Now, the birds are flying to the Big Apple. The movie is spending the next 4 months on the big screen at New York's prestigious Museum of Art & Design. Michelle Desrosiers and Dave Clement are with Thunderstone Pictures. They're the filmmakers behind the project.
Friday July 6, 2012
MonkeyJunk
Swamp Rock, Soul Boogie and Bedroom Funk. Those are just some of the ways the music of MonkeyJunk has been described. The Canadian band, of many styles, is playing at the Thunder Bay Blues Festival this weekend. We meet Steve Marriner. He plays guitar, harmonica, keyboards and sings in the band.
Thursday July 5, 2012
Terrace Bay mill buyer
An international manufacturing giant brings hope for out-of-work employees in Terrace Bay. The mill could be up and running in October. The CBC's Nicole Ireland has the details.
Wednesday July 4, 2012
Elizabeth McWeeny
Elizabeth McWeeny of Thunder Bay has spent 30 years helping refugees flee violence and persecution in their home countries and start fresh in Canada. For her efforts, she's been named a member of the Order Of Canada.
During her interview with Voyage North host Cathy Alex, McWeeny talks about her decades of work and why she thinks the government needs to rethink its approach to asylum seekers.
Tuesday July 3, 2012
Parental custody across borders
A Thunder Bay woman is caught up in a heart breaking international custody battle. We meet Mary Damianakas, a mediator who can help you avoid a similar fate.
Tuesday July 3, 2012
Playhouse challenge
Even Litttle Red Riding Hood and the Billy Goats Gruff had to go home sometime.
Voyage North's Josh Lynn brings us the story of some very special playhouses that are on display in Thunder Bay.
They're inspired by fairy tales but they'll be raising some very real money for the city's Children's Centre.
- August 2012
- Fri., 31 – Northern Policy Institute
- Thu., 30 – Nishnawbe Aski Nation Food Symposium
- Tue., 28 – Teachers rally
- Mon., 27 – AMO Convention
- Thu., 23 – Bio-Energy Learning and Research Centre
- Mon., 20 – Thunder Bay deer hunt safety
- Mon., 20 – Run for Epilepsy
- Fri., 17 – Wax Philosophic Beach Party
- Thu., 16 – Nancy Hutchison
- Wed., 15 – Zombie makeup tips
- Tue., 14 – Tiff Ginn and Bill Poss
- Mon., 13 – Palliative care researcher honoured by city
- Fri., 10 – Classic Roots
- Thu., 9 – Real rock music
- Wed., 8 – From the hockey rink to the ball diamond
- Thu., 2 – Campfire Stories of Northwestern Ontario
- July 2012
- Mon., 30 – After the Flood, The need continues...
- Fri., 27 – Have poles, will travel...
- Thu., 26 – Interwoven Roots
- Thu., 26 – War of 1812 redux...
- Tue., 24 – Police chief talks crime stats
- Mon., 23 – Under construction
- Mon., 23 – Superior Outdoors Magazine 5th anniversary
- Fri., 20 – A Century of Sisu
- Fri., 20 – Greenbank Returns
- Thu., 19 – Wax or Music?
- Thu., 19 – Itchy Swimmers Want to Know
- Thu., 19 – One in a Thousand
- Thu., 19 – Pole Walk Thunder Bay
- Wed., 18 – Pioneer Camp Rocks!
- Tue., 17 – AFN Leadership Advice
- Tue., 17 – In Defense of Local Food
- Tue., 17 – The Road Well Travelled
- Tue., 17 – Clean Diving
- Fri., 13 – New LU Students get an EDGE
- Thu., 12 – Burgers for Beagles
- Thu., 12 – Music for the Masses 2012 unveiled
- Wed., 11 – The Colour of Ambition
- Tue., 10 – Music for the Masses 2012 unveiled
- Mon., 9 – Thunder Bay Blues Festival 2012 Wrap-up
- Fri., 6 – Eagle vs. Sparrow
- Fri., 6 – MonkeyJunk
- Thu., 5 – Terrace Bay mill buyer
- Wed., 4 – Elizabeth McWeeny
- Tue., 3 – Parental custody across borders
- Tue., 3 – Playhouse challenge
- June 2012
- Fri., 29 – Tornado Medical Systems closure
- Thu., 28 – Getting up to speed
- Thu., 28 – Margie Taylor book launch
- Thu., 28 – Elsie Macgill
- Tue., 26 – Past due?
- Mon., 25 – Building a relationship
- Fri., 22 – Safe cycling for adults
- Fri., 22 – Movies return to Dryden
- Fri., 22 – Celebrating 25 years as a Lutheran Pastor
- Thu., 21 – National Aboriginal Day
- Wed., 20 – Flooding in Duluth
- Mon., 18 – Eye on the sky
- Fri., 15 – Greenbank Trio
- Thu., 14 – Sleeping Giant Brewing Company
- Thu., 14 – Sticker shock
- Wed., 13 – Changing the discussion...
- Wed., 13 – Kim Churchill
- Tue., 12 – Zoe Whittall
- Mon., 11 – Breathing new life into balloon animals...
- Mon., 11 – Building a living, green, roof
- Fri., 1 – Coordinating flood assistance
- May 2012
- Thu., 31 – State of emergency day four
- Thu., 31 – Volunteers help East End flood victims
- Wed., 30 – Down the drain
- Tue., 29 – From Down Under to the Lakehead
- Mon., 28 – The big pump-out
- Fri., 25 – Dorothy Chambers celebrates her 90th
- Thu., 24 – Whalen Building has rich history
- Wed., 23 – Creating a positive workplace
- Tue., 22 – Teens plea guilty
- Tue., 22 – Garnet Rogers
- Fri., 18 – Experimental Lakes Area funding cut
- Fri., 18 – Walk on the wild side
- Fri., 18 – Forest of Reading
- Thu., 17 – New developments in restaurant outbreak
- Wed., 16 – More than just rocks
- Wed., 16 – A hot story....
- Tue., 15 – The ghost of meetings past...
- Mon., 14 – "They're going to have to kill me..."
- Mon., 14 – Sasquatch likely done with politics
- Fri., 11 – Biwaase'aa out of funding
- Thu., 10 – Environmental assessment changes
- Thu., 10 – Claire Tacon and Jamella Hagen
- Wed., 9 – Cliffs VP explains decision
- Tue., 8 – Wilderness Quest
- Mon., 7 – Math and art
- Fri., 4 – Rock the Park!!!
- Fri., 4 – Screening for skin cancer
- Thu., 3 – Mac's Mural
- Wed., 2 – Folklore Festival
- Tue., 1 – Municipal Golf Course
- April 2012
- Mon., 30 – "You Know Me, I Ride a Bike"
- Fri., 27 – Ruling centre ice
- Thu., 26 – Cleaning up graffiti
- Wed., 25 – Perseverance
- Tue., 24 – Self-reliance in Ottawa
- Mon., 23 – Going it alone
- Mon., 23 – Collateral Damage recognized
- Fri., 20 – Friend Me
- Thu., 19 – Ignace High School wins unforgettable prize
- Wed., 18 – My Neighbour - Our Community
- Tue., 17 – Dudley Hewitt Cup
- Mon., 16 – Winter's encore
- Mon., 16 – Local Sea Cadet remembers Vimy Ridge
- Fri., 13 – Throwing a Curve
- Thu., 12 – Think Pink
- Wed., 4 – Subway saviour
- Tue., 3 – Bannock battle royale
- Mon., 2 – If I had a million dollars...
- Mon., 2 – The gift of finely crafted seating
- March 2012
- Fri., 30 – An aborginal approach to coaching
- Fri., 30 – The View from the Seventh Sky
- Thu., 29 – Reading, writing and... running?
- Thu., 29 – Exploring Thunder Bay's urban forest
- Wed., 28 – The #story continues....
- Fri., 23 – This might hurt a little bit ...
- Tue., 20 – On thin ice
- Mon., 19 – Poor Young Things
- Thu., 15 – Bike Racks for Business
- Mon., 12 – Lake Superior Through the Ages
- Fri., 9 – Thunder Bay Drug Strategy priorities
- Thu., 8 – Point North
- Wed., 7 – Climate change in the north
- Mon., 5 – The sweet spell of success
- Mon., 5 – Labouring Finns
- Mon., 5 – Uncovering the real Jann Arden
- Thu., 1 – Wilson Cup Final Four
- February 2012
- Wed., 29 – Thunder Bay's Mini Science Festival
- Thu., 23 – Next steps for Sandy Lake after school fire
- Wed., 22 – Selling crime prevention
- Mon., 20 – OxyContin phase-out raises concerns
- Fri., 17 – Arts Fiesta
- Tue., 14 – The Circulation of Fluids
- Fri., 10 – What's a Physician Assistant?
- Wed., 8 – Escape to Reality in the Garden
- Mon., 6 – The Men's Club
- Fri., 3 – Serena Ryder
- Thu., 2 – Cop's eye view
- January 2012
- Tue., 31 – The Syringa Tree
- Fri., 27 – Thunder Bay's guitar doctor
- Mon., 23 – Nick Sherman talks about his new album
- Fri., 20 – Greenstone says goodbye
- Fri., 20 – North Spirit Lake Chief visits crash site
- Wed., 18 – Playing Possum
- Fri., 13 – Thunder Bay film festival needs new home
- Thu., 12 – Printmaker Brian Holden
- Wed., 11 – Marina Nemat talks Canada Reads
- Mon., 9 – Mac's Mart employee speaks out
- Fri., 6 – Killin' it! with Paul Crik
- Fri., 6 – Ocean City Defender
- Tue., 3 – A micro-brewery for Thunder Bay
- December 2011
- Fri., 30 – Northern Towns
- Wed., 28 – Marina Park impressions
- Fri., 23 – 12 Days of Northwestern Ontario Christmas!!!
- Wed., 14 – Making shop class rock
- Tue., 13 – Stuart McLean
- Fri., 9 – Music for Food
- Wed., 7 – Rocks and Rings
- Tue., 6 – Bad toys
- November 2011
- Wed., 30 – Tom Hargadon bids farewell to $600 moustache
- Tue., 29 – Dr. Jonathan Balcombe talks animal pleasure
- Fri., 25 – Tracing the Columbia
- Thu., 24 – 4-time Gold Medalist Robbi Wheldon
- Mon., 21 – A conversation with Randy Bachman
- Mon., 21 – Lakehead University gets an equestrian team
- Wed., 9 – Thunder Bay immigration forum
- Mon., 7 – Dr. Kristofer Helgen
- Tue., 1 – Matthew Good
- October 2011
- Tue., 25 – Golf cart dog sledding
- Fri., 7 – Random acts of poetry
- Tue., 4 – Josh Lynn goes dancing! (kind of)
- Tue., 4 – Former Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings
- September 2011
- Fri., 30 – Homosexual necrophilia among mallard ducks
- Fri., 23 – First aid hero
- Wed., 21 – Greenstone chromite refinery
- Tue., 20 – Josh learns Finnish
- Tue., 20 – Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo
- Mon., 19 – Voyage North is on Twitter!