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The Ontario Autism Coalition is voicing its opposition to the possibility of school board trustees being eliminated. Recent reports suggest the province is looking at merging all 72 boards into four provincial bodies. Labour groups and opposition MPPs have come out against the idea. The Coalition says it runs the risk of silencing families and their children and worsening school exclusion rates.

Nurses employed by the Victorian Order of Nurses want wages similar to those given to those working in hospitals. It is one of the major issues the Ontario Nurses Association is taking to the negotiating table as contract talks with the V.O.N. get underway. V.O.N. nurses provide home-care services to seniors who still live in their homes The nurses’ association says the difference is over $20 an hour.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has honoured a conservation officer who works in the International Falls area with a lifesaving award. The award recognizes Curtis Simonson’s role in the search for Donald Larson, an 80-year-old man, who went missing in July. A search was initiated the next day with the Koochiching County Sheriff’s Office, with additional support from the St. Louis County Rescue Squad called upon.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the Thunder Bay, Atikokan, and Shebandowan areas. The statement was issued around 3:00 p.m. on Monday due to expected rain. Roughly 20 to 40 millimetres of rain is expected late Monday afternoon through the evening. “Showers and thunderstorms, which will be heavy at times, will push in late this afternoon into the evening, primarily impacting the regions south of the Highway 11 corridor,” said Environment Canada in the statement.

New Gold says it is on track with its exploration for new ore bodies at its Rainy River Mine. It embarked on an extensive program this year, with plans to drill 58,000 metres, the largest since 2017. The goal is to expand available resources from both its open pit and underground operations. As of the end of August, drilling is about 80% complete, but the company is expressing optimism about the findings to date. The mine has enough ore to keep operations going until 2031.

The federal government has announced $1.9 million in funding to support the forestry sector and economic development in northwestern Ontario. A total of four projects are receiving funding, which is coming through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor). Most of the money, or $1,701,000, is going to the Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE).

A national research project being co-led by a researcher from northwestern Ontario has received an additional $10.8 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Dr. Chris Mushquash and Dr. Srividya Iyer are leading a four-year project that is focused on building a trust-based learning network across Canada to support culturally-grounded mental health services for Indigenous youth. Dr. Mushquash is Anishinawbe (Ojibway) and a member of Pawgwasheeng (Pays Plat First Nation).

Liam Stafford and Trent Friesen each scored a pair of touchdowns as the Fort Frances Muskies romped to a 42-0 win over Winnipeg’s Daniel McIntyre Maroons on Friday. The game at Fort Frances field opened the Muskies’ season in the Winnipeg High School Football League. A large crowd was on hand, braving chilly temperatures and brisk winds to watch the Muskies score early and often against an undermanned Maroons squad. Fullback Landon Medwechuk opened the scoring on a 20-yard run.

The union that represents 10,000 flight attendants and Air Canada are heading to mediation after members overwhelmingly voted down a tentative agreement. In a news release Saturday, the airline says CUPE has announced the deal was not ratified. According to the union, out of nearly 95 per cent of members that voted, 99.1 per cent said no.

Ken Dryden, a former Montreal Canadiens goaltender and federal cabinet minister, has died. The hockey star passed away on Friday after a battle with cancer. He was 78 years old. Dryden had been selected 14th overall by the Boston Bruins during the 1964 NHL Draft. Just over two weeks later, the team traded the 16-year-old to the Montreal Canadiens. But it would be several years later before he hit the ice with the Canadiens in 1971.