Taryn Reid

Shores of clear blue waters, scores of diverse creatures and zones of unique flora and fauna characterize Northern Ontario, my birthplace and future home.

The hollows left by receding glaciers are now lakes, rivers and waterfalls, making each venture into this vast geographic region an awe inspiring trek. The diverse landscape includes inland seas, winding rivers, northern bays of saltwater, pastoral beauty and the world's largest fresh water island.

The Group of Seven communicated their love of this region with their images of windblown pines, craggy out croppings, and four seasons of great colour. I can only imagine how the Voyageurs must have reacted as they turned each corner and broached each hill. Their partners in commerce, the Native Canadians, must have taken great joy in educating their visitors about this majestic land.

The rugged beauty that is available in all corners of this massive area is a major reason why so many northerners, such as myself, wish to return. Let me explain and elaborate on the virtues of living and working in Northern Ontario.

Many of the vistas that greeted these early adventurers are still available for residents and tourists in this, the twenty first century. The changing seasons alter the landscape's colours, textures and sounds. The inhabitants greet each new transformation as an opportunity. In the far north, for instance, temporary ice highways traverse formerly impassable stretches of water and muskeg to reach pockets of valuable resources. These seasonal modifications allow for cyclical leisure pursuits. Jagged rocks that are climbed in summer change to walls of ice that force the use of different techniques and climbing equipment in winter. Snowy, ice bound lakes that are skated, skied, snowshoed, drilled, and fished, melt into beautiful shades of blue and green and welcome paddlers, swimmers, and boaters.

Northerners are known for their hospitality. The people who inhabit this land are among the friendliest anywhere. Perhaps it is the huge space we share, the distances between communities or the pace we enjoy that makes our citizenry so welcoming and helpful. Maybe we just love to share our beautiful area to enjoy the positive feedback we receive from our guests.

Numerous Northern residents have been successful on the world stage. Theater, science, space exploration, amateur and professional athletics and literature have all benefited from our compatriots. Although many have left to make their mark, many return when practical to do so.

Upon leaving in 1999 to attend university, I set as a goal an eventual return to live, work, raise a family and enjoy the land of my youth. Returning, of course, required a number of variables to come together. First, I needed an education that would qualify me for a job in Northern Ontario. Jobs are crucial. I have more than a few friends who long to return to their Northern Ontario roots, but are unable to find work commensurate with their educational qualifications. Students who wish to return should choose their vocation with that in mind. The next hurdle was to convince my future husband to consider such a move. As a Montrealer, his ties to that area were strong. Having lived in Montreal for four years, I too, could appreciate the appeal of the big city mingling with the rural appeal of his parent's country roots, just twenty minutes from Centreville. On his first visit to Northern Ontario, however, we cleared that hurdle.

I feel there are attainable keys to attracting a move North for many former and first time residents. Firstly, this huge area that stretches from Quebec to Manitoba and from Lake Huron to Hudson Bay must maintain its pristine, natural beauty. All plants and animals need to be protected. Reintroducing elk herds is a step in the right direction, while eradicating the damage allegedly caused by a burgeoning cormorant population needs to be dealt with intelligently, yet swiftly. Our rivers, lakes and streams need to be protected from pollution and invasive species. In some instances their pure state needs to be reclaimed. If we can maintain the predominant worldview that this area is fresh, clean and teeming with wildlife, it will always be a destination of choice.

Northern Ontario offers a comfortable life style at a reasonable price. Not many areas of the country can compete in this regard. Today's retirees, baby boomers and seniors who once had to leave should be encouraged to return. Organized community reunions and celebrations are an effective strategy for welcoming former residents and nonresidents to the North for a fresh look. From real estate to outdoor sports our prices will astound them. The cost of living will allow many to live comfortably with expendable funds. The goods and services they will require will stimulate growth in local economies and provide job opportunities for the younger generation. Builders, health care workers and people with varied educational qualifications and skills will move their young families here to enjoy a life style that they'll embrace.

Educational opportunities have been enhanced by Contact North and recently by the Northern Medical School. Advanced education, once not available in the far north, is now attainable for northern cultures. Technological advances continue to make rural areas more competitive in the pursuit of young workers. These advances will continue, and our job is to let others know they exist.

When the first stanza of the William Campbell poem Indian Summer...

"Along the line of smoky hills The crimson forest stands, And all the day the blue jay calls Throughout the autumn lands."...

or, when Robert Frost's mention of woods filling with snow, conjures up images that remind you of home, you know it's a good place to come from, but it's an even better place to return to.