Jim Cumming - From the Publisher's Pen

Over the last several months, I have had those niggling thoughts that “I am not as young as I used to be.”

There has been nothing conclusive. There have been some signs. Another columnist in the paper tells you that age is only in the mind.

My mind keeps telling me that I am a 20 year-old. My muscles tell me that, that is a figment of my imagination.

Canadians will celebrate Canada Day this weekend. Across the country, we will move to the outdoors in droves to enjoy this first summer long weekend. Traditional Canada parades, barbecues, picnics and fireworks will mark the day for most of us.

Canada became an independent nation in 1867 under Queen Victoria and for a long time was known as the Dominion of Canada having only four provinces—Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Today, we have 10 provinces and three territories.

I watch with fascination the TV commercials that show a Ford automobile parallel parking on a street.

I remember how many practice hours I spent learning to put my father’s ’65 Chrysler into a tight space.

We have seen robot vacuum cleaners. We have played with robot toys and marveled at C3PO in “Star Wars,” who was human-like.

Today we are closing in on having robots become part of our every day lives.

Here at the Fort Frances Times, Tanya Cumming attends to everyone’s safety.

She constantly is reminding everyone about health and safety rules, which often includes information about nutrition, diet, exercise, and working with computers to reduce the risk of injury.

I like to think that our workplace is a very safe place to work.

Municipalities across Ontario complained that former premier Mike Harris downloaded many provincial costs to them.

But in doing that, the Conservative government transferred additional funding to offset some of those.

In a more subtle method, Premier Dalton McGuinty—in a bid to eliminate the provincial deficit—has handed over to Rainy River District many additional costs. And communities are just beginning to see where those costs lie.

For almost two decades, I have spent the Memorial Day weekend at the Canada Games Complex in Thunder Bay officiating at the Thunderbolts’ swim meet, which attracts swimmers from Minnesota, North Dakota, and Manitoba as well as across Northwestern Ontario.

For local swimmers, it is their one meet a season to compete in a 50-metre pool. The racing and strategy is much different that in the shorter 25-metre pool.

It also is the graduation ceremony for many 17- and 18-year-old swimmers from across the region, who will be heading off to colleges and universities this fall.

Rainy Lake came alive this Victoria Day weekend.

Since our first weekend at the cabin almost five weeks ago, hardly a light has been seen at night on the lake. But this past weekend, several lights lit the windows of cabins that we can see.

Over the previous two weekends, we have cut and split wood, building a supply for next year’s hot tub season. Heating the hot tub water with a down draft wood-burning stove is not the most efficient method, but it does work.

When I was growing up in Fort Frances, the police department only had two cars and the station was a small brick building attached to the old town hall.

The town hall, the fire department, and the police station all existed in the space in front of the current Civic Centre.

Louis Camirand was the chief of police back then. There was a story that circulated around Fort Frances that if you ended up in front of him in his office, he would pull his revolver from its holster and slam it on the desk loud enough to make you jump—and wonder why it hadn’t fired.

While many cross-border shoppers may cheer the increases in merchandise allowance that Canadians will be allowed to return with from the U.S., many towns and cities along the border are petitioning the Ministry of Finance to rescind his June 1 changes.

Currently, Canadian residents returning to Canada after 24 hours only are permitted $50 in merchandise. That will rise to $200 on June 1.

And residents who are away for 48 hours or more now will be permitted to return with $800, up from $400.

Retail businesses along the border are expected to take the biggest hit.

Don Cumming received a very special award from the Canadian Community Newspapers Association last Thursday evening at the Royal York Hotel.

He was the recipient of the “Gold Quill” Award, which is bestowed upon individuals who have worked within the newspaper years for 50 years and have been involved in their community.

I was fortunate to offer Don’s name to the CCNA and to actually present him with the award.