• Don Cherry says Sportsnet made it 'impossible' for him to clarify his Coach's Corner comments
    News
    CBC

    Don Cherry says Sportsnet made it 'impossible' for him to clarify his Coach's Corner comments

    With his weekly TV platform gone, Don Cherry entered the podcast world on Tuesday, saying Sportsnet executives "made it impossible" for him to clarify the remarks that got him fired.The former Coach's Corner co-host was dismissed after 38 years for "offensive and discriminatory" comments made during the Nov. 9 segment on Hockey Night in Canada."Evidently I said something that upset Sportsnet and they canned me," Cherry said during Tuesday's 30-minute launch of the Don Cherry Grapevine podcast with his son Tim. "I offered to explain [what I meant by my words] … not an apology but I was going to smooth it over. And they made conditions that made it impossible to do it. I just couldn't do it …"On that broadcast, Cherry criticized people who don't wear Remembrance Day poppies using words many believed were aimed at Canadian immigrants."You people … you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you can pay a couple bucks for a poppy or something like that," Cherry said alongside co-host Ron MacLean. "These guys paid for your way of life that you enjoy in Canada, these guys paid the biggest price."'I lived in a vicious world' for 38 yearsCherry said he talked about many other subjects during the final Coach's Corner."Nothing was mentioned about that. Nothing. Just two little words seemed to set everybody off," Cherry said. "But, hey, that's the way life is. I lived in a vicious world and I lasted 38 years. Happy to be there for 38 years. If I gotta go, I'm glad I'm going out on my shield."Sportsnet had no further comment Tuesday when contacted by CBC Sports.Cherry noted he has received support from many people, including truck drivers who have given him the thumbs-up and firefighters beeping their horns to show their support.Sportsnet president Bart Yabsley issued a statement condemning Cherry's remarks on Nov. 10, and during an NHL broadcast that night, MacLean issued a brief apology. On Saturday's show, MacLean delivered a five-minute monologue explaining why he chose to continue doing Hockey Night in Canada despite Cherry's dismissal.WATCH | Ron MacLean's emotional monologue on the end of Coach's Corner:Cherry, 85, said on the podcast he was disappointed in MacLean but said he is "still a friend."Tim Cherry told the Toronto Sun on Monday the plan for the podcast is to tape and post it each Monday during the hockey season. Much of Tuesday's podcast focused on Cherry's memories of his coaching career and Maurice (Rocket) Richard.Tim Cherry was also critical of Sportsnet."It's a different world out there with the cancel culture," he said. "They had their eyes set on you [Don], they had their guns set on you I think this year for sure. I think there was a lot of fake outrage."Cherry, a native of Kingston, Ont., joined Hockey Night in Canada in 1980 as a playoff analyst and was so popular that he was kept on as a colour commentator. CBC later created Coach's Corner as a vehicle to showcase Cherry, with MacLean eventually replacing Dave Hodge as Cherry's sidekick.Known for his outlandish suits and thumbs-up gesture, Cherry occasionally weighed in on off-ice topics during his popular first-intermission program, and sometimes those views landed him in hot water.Hockey Night and its games moved to Sportsnet when Rogers landed a lucrative 12-year broadcast rights deal with the NHL that began in 2014. Hockey Night in Canada is still broadcast on CBC in a sub-licensing deal with Rogers Media, which owns Sportsnet.NHL commissioner Gary Bettman opted not to weigh in on the Cherry developments during a keynote interview appearances at the Primetime sports management conference in Toronto on Monday, but offered a few words afterwards to reporters."I believe the CBC has had a number of statements, we've had a number of statements, Don has spoken and I'm not going to start another news cycle," Bettman said.

  • News
    CBC

    Cannabis sales should be legal in First Nations communities, former chief says

    The former Ontario regional chief for the Assembly of First Nations. is asking the federal government to legalize the sale of cannabis in First Nations communities.Isadore Day of Sault Ste. Marie said Indigenous communities weren't consulted when legalization was in the works, so they went ahead and set up dispensaries, which they consider legitimate."We're not black market," Day, who is now CEO of an Indigenous consulting organization called Bimaadzwin, told Information Morning Fredericton."We just haven't been legitimized by Canada's cannabis framework as of yet."Cannabis NB CEO Patrick Parent has blamed illegal cannabis sales for its lack of profit in its first year of sales.There are at least 50 illegal cannabis sales operations in the province, more than double the 20 legal Cannabis NB stores, Parent said. Many of the illegal sellers are full retail stores operating openly or advertising online.In New Brunswick, purchasing cannabis from anywhere besides Cannabis NB is illegal — that includes dispensaries in First Nations communities.Tobique First Nation and St. Mary's First Nation each have dispensaries operating illegally, but Day doesn't think they should be categorized as such.When the Cannabis Act was being considered last year, Day said, First Nations communities weren't consulted, although he sees consultation as an inherent treaty right.He'd like to work with the federal government to create a First Nations model for cannabis sales that would allow those communities to sell legally."It's something that you can bet the federal government is going to want to address with this new government after Nov. 20, with the swearing in of the new federal cabinet," he said. "We will be very quickly at the doorstep and at the table with the federal government on this issue." This could be the answer to poverty in our communities. \- Isadore Day, former AFN chiefSydney Paul, the director of economic development at Kingsclear First Nation, said Indigenous communities should be allowed to grow and sell cannabis.The band council has already started looking into the possible sale and production of cannabis in the community, but nothing is concrete."This is a good way to work toward self-sustaining ourselves," Paul said, adding that it would create jobs, bring in revenue and build relationships between communities.Day said in order to legitimize the sale of cannabis in First Nations communities, there will need to be legislative changes. "In the meantime, we are looking at a policy framework that begins to get everybody dialoguing in the right direction, in the same direction, and ultimately saying, 'let's ensure that First Nation cannabis is safe [so] we can track it,'" he said.Day said if First Nations communities were given the legal opportunity to sell cannabis, they could put the revenue toward services they're lacking."We are always stuck under the policy framework and the horsetrading that happens region by region with the Indigenous Services Canada fighting on our behalf to get a piece of the resources in this country," he said.Day said that by legalizing the sale of cannabis in First Nations communities be a step toward reconciliation."This is an opportunity for the federal government to make good on reconciliation … this could be the answer to poverty in our communities, you know, make good with it to help eradicate poverty and to build economy and to have other spinoff benefits."

  • New Brunswick files 'strange' arguments in Alberta's carbon tax challenge
    News
    CBC

    New Brunswick files 'strange' arguments in Alberta's carbon tax challenge

    The Higgs government's latest legal assault on the federal carbon tax is being labelled "strange" and "poorly done" by one of the lawyers on the other side of the battle.The province recently filed its arguments in a constitutional challenge to the tax launched by the Alberta government.In that court filing, New Brunswick complains that it was not able to fully respond to Ottawa's legal position because it didn't have enough time. That prompted law professor Amir Attaran, who is representing an Alberta First Nation in the case, to contact CBC News to say the province's complaint was unorthodox. "All of us have had the same amount of time, and nobody, except for New Brunswick, has complained that they weren't given time enough to think through and answer intelligently what the court needs to hear," he said.The federal arguments had to be filed in Edmonton by Oct. 25, with arguments by other interveners due Nov. 4.The province says it ran out of time because of tight deadlines and the fact that its document had to be "assembled and couriered from Fredericton to Edmonton to meet the filing deadline," which would leave only two days to analyze federal arguments.But Attaran and Lisa DeMarco, a lawyer representing another intervener in the case, said there were more than two days. "The court allowed for filing electronically," DeMarco said. "There were more than two days to get that done."Even so, DeMarco, who represents an association of large emitters in favour of carbon pricing, acknowledged the case is complex and the amount of work needed on the court filing in a short time is "not insignificant."The Higgs government refused to comment on the filing Monday."We do not comment on cases that are before the courts," said Paul Bradley, a spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General. Higgs changes tuneOttawa imposed its carbon tax, known as the backstop, on New Brunswick and three other provinces in April. The four provinces had refused to implement their own carbon taxes to comply with the federal standard.But Premier Blaine Higgs declared the day after the Liberals won the Oct. 21 federal election that he would heed voters and start working on a New Brunswick version to comply with Ottawa's requirements. "People voted for it, so we have to find a way in New Brunswick to make it work," he said then. "The country has spoken." But three days later, Higgs said the province would continue the legal battle, to clear up whether the federal government can impose a carbon tax on provinces that don't comply with the Trudeau climate plan."It's about jurisdictional rights: does the federal government actually have the right to impose this, and what does that mean for future impositions going down the road?" he said.The Ontario and Saskatchewan governments both filed reference cases in their respective provincial appeal courts to test the constitutionality of the Liberal carbon tax. In both cases, the courts ruled it's within Ottawa's jurisdiction to impose the tax.Both rulings are now being appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada. In the meantime, the new Alberta government has launched its own reference case.Attaran, a University of Ottawa law professor representing the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in Alberta, said Alberta's government is hoping, if there are enough legal challenges to Ottawa, one of them will eventually succeed."If you play the numbers enough, you might get lucky," he said.Higgs opted to not argue his own reference case in New Brunswick. He said there was no point to doing it because it would involve the same arguments being made in the other provinces.Attaran says that's why it's strange to see Higgs intervening in Alberta after doing so in Ontario and Saskatchewan."For him to say 'I'm going to have a third go in the Alberta Court of Appeal' is not clarifying," he said. "What it's doing is gambling away effort and money that belongs to the province, hoping for a different result. That's not clarifying. That's playing games and wasting resources." A 'curious metaphor'Attaran also criticized the substance of New Brunswick's filing in Alberta, including what he called "a curious metaphor" that compares federal and provincial legal jurisdictions to the eating habits and weight classes of professional boxers. "Some of this goes beyond clever argument and really becomes nonsense, I feel. … The way that New Brunswick is litigating is very poorly done." New Brunswick also argues that while imposing a carbon tax on provinces is too much meddling in their jurisdiction, national limits on carbon emissions might make sense. But Attaran said that would represent even more of a federal intrusion on provincial powers. "All the alternatives [to carbon taxes] that are on the table or even that New Brunswick proposes would be more interventionist," he said. "They would disrupt New Brunswick more than what Ottawa is actually doing."

  • Muay Thai: Exploring Southeast Asia’s fitness regimen
    Global News

    Muay Thai: Exploring Southeast Asia’s fitness regimen

    Global’s Mike Arsenault immerses himself in Muay Thai, a Southeast Asian form of martial arts.

  • All-time ‘Jeopardy!’ champs to vie for share of $1.5 million
    News
    The Canadian Press

    All-time ‘Jeopardy!’ champs to vie for share of $1.5 million

    LOS ANGELES — The three top money winners in “Jeopardy!” history will vie for a share of $1.5 million in January.ABC and the quiz show’s producer said Monday that Ken Jennings, Brad Rutter and James Holzhauer will compete in prime-time episodes on the network.The first contestant to win three matches will receive $1 million. Each runner-up will take home $250,000.Alex Trebek will host the contest, titled “Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time” and debuting 8 p.m. Eastern on Jan. 7.Rutter is the top all-time money winner with $4.7 million, followed by Jennings with $3.4 million and Holzhauer with $2.7 million.In a statement, Trebek said the three have proved they qualify as the “greatest,” and now will compete to be “the best of the best.”The Associated Press

  • Erdogan says Turkey aware that U.S. support for Kurdish YPG will not end immediately
    News
    Reuters

    Erdogan says Turkey aware that U.S. support for Kurdish YPG will not end immediately

    Turkey is aware that the U.S. support for the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia will not end immediately, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, but added that Ankara's battle against the militia it considers a terrorist group will continue. Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist group linked to Kurdish militants waging an insurgency on Turkish soil, and has launched three offensives in northern Syria against the militia. Speaking to members of his AK Party, Erdogan said Turkey will continue to battle the YPG until all threats towards Turkey are stopped and every militant is eliminated.

  • 'Risky ventures': Alberta unions worry about plan to put pensions under government control
    News
    CBC

    'Risky ventures': Alberta unions worry about plan to put pensions under government control

    Public sector employees say they are increasingly worried about the future of their pension plans after the Alberta government introduced legislation Monday to lock in pension assets from all public sector pension plans under the management of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation, or AIMCo."We think it is sort of tantamount to theft," said Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) president Gil McGowan. The transfer of pension plan assets from hundreds of thousands of Alberta teachers is contained in legislation of Bill 22, the Reform of Agencies, Boards and Commissions and Government Enterprises Act.If passed, Bill 22 will move some $18 billion in assets from the Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund (ATRF) to AIMCo, an arm's-length investment agency of the Alberta government. 'Risky ventures'Bill 22 further prohibits any public sector pension plan from withdrawing from AIMCo as an investment manager.McGowan says the pension contributions paid by Alberta workers are not Premier Jason Kenney's to spend at will. He suspects the real reason the Kenney government wants to bring the pension assets under AIMCo management, is to have more say over how it's used. "We're worried that he's going to start dumping a lot of this retirement income into risky ventures," said McGowan. Recent changes introduced as part of the Alberta budget will also affect other public sector pensions, such as the Local Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP), Alberta's largest pension plan covering municipal employees, health workers and more. According to information on its website, those covered by LAPP, like Alberta teachers, have a defined benefit pension plan that offers a predictable monthly payout for life.But a defined benefit plan is more costly to maintain than other self-managed plans, said the president of the Alberta Teachers' Association, Jason Schilling. The ATA wants Bill 22 stalled until Alberta's Auditor General reviews the asset transfer legislation, Schilling said. Calling it a "pension grab," Schilling said teachers fear their contributions will rise, their pension plans could drastically change, or just disappear."You work your whole life, and you want to make sure that you're secure when you get to the retirement phase of your career," said Schilling during an interview with CBC News.Contributions may dropAt a news conference, Finance Minister Travis Toews said all public sector pension plans, the Workers' Compensation Board, and Alberta Health Services, will be required to use AIMCo to manage their long term investments and endowments. Toews says the change will add $30 billion to AIMCo and could bring down pension contributions in the future."The increased efficiency will allow contribution rates to fall in the long term," said Toews adding there will be better investment returns for lower administrative costs. The last time an Alberta government intended to bring major change to public sector pensions was in 2014 under then-premier Alison Redford. The Redford legislation would've de-indexed pensions and raised the age at which a plan member could retire on full pension. The legislation was passed but never proclaimed.The pension legislation was eventually scrapped by incoming premier Jim Prentice.

  • Israeli military says 4 rockets fired from Syria intercepted
    News
    The Canadian Press

    Israeli military says 4 rockets fired from Syria intercepted

    JERUSALEM — The Israeli military said it intercepted four incoming rockets from Syria on Tuesday and explosions were heard shortly after that in Damascus, a week after another Israeli strike targeted a top Palestinian militant in the Syrian capital.Israeli air defence systems captured the projectiles, the military said, and no harm was caused to Israeli communities in the Golan Heights after warning sirens awoke residents there early in the morning. There was no immediate official comment from Syria but the SANA state news agency reported explosions were heard near Damascus International Airport, indicating a potential Israeli retaliatory strike.The Israeli military would not comment on the explosions in Syria, but Defence Minister Naftali Bennett was convening the top military brass in Tel Aviv to discuss the latest developments.Speaking on Israel Army Radio, Foreign Minister Israel Katz was equally vague, saying only that “Israel will act in the way it sees fit.”The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Israel targeted posts southwest of Damascus with five missiles, adding that Syrian air defences shot down some of the missiles. The war monitor said Lebanon's Hezbollah fighters are active in the area that was struck and that there was no immediate word on casualties.The Observatory said the area targeted near Damascus is where the four missiles were fired from earlier toward the Golan Heights.The rare rocket fire comes a week after an Israeli airstrike against a top Palestinian militant based in Syria. Akram al-Ajouri, a member of the leadership of the militant Islamic Jihad group who is living in exile, survived the attack but his son and granddaughter were killed.Israel frequently strikes Iranian interests in Syria. But last week’s airstrike appeared to be a rare assassination attempt of a Palestinian militant in the Syrian capital. It came the same day as another Israeli airstrike killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander in Gaza, settling off the fiercest round of fighting there in years.It all comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Iranian proxies along its borders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a series of warnings recently about Iranian aggression throughout the Middle East.Iran has forces based in Syria, Israel's northern neighbour, and supports Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. In Gaza, it supplies Islamic Jihad with cash, weapons and expertise.Netanyahu also has claimed Iran is using Iraq and far-off Yemen, where Tehran supports Shiite Houthi rebels at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing the government, to plan attacks against Israel. Hamas also receives some support from Iran.At the same time, Iran's regional influence is being challenged by unprecedented, economically-driven mass protests in Iraq and Lebanon — two countries where Tehran wields major influence. The protests are creating unrest that Tehran fears would spark a backlash against Iran-backed proxy militias in those countries.Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has accused the U.S. and its regional allies of fomenting the Iraq and Lebanon unrest.____Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue contributed from Beirut.Aron Heller, The Associated Press

  • Calgary's National Sport School faces possible closure
    News
    CBC

    Calgary's National Sport School faces possible closure

    Parents and student athletes have been told that the National Sport School in Calgary faces two possible futures: move or close.The National Sport School is a collaboration between WinSport Canada and the Calgary Board of Education that's designed to give high-performance student athletes the flexibility to balance the demands of training and studying.The school has been operating at Canada Olympic Park in space leased from WinSport since 2011.With that lease set to expire, parents were told at a private meeting on Monday night that the school will either have to move some of its programs to nearby Bowness High School or shut down entirely.Zoran Jankovic, whose daughter attends the National Sports School, says parents were not consulted."It just seems like they've already gone down a path, they've decided what, where they're going to go and, really, it doesn't feel like we have any say in the matter," he said.Parent Sally Longino also says it seemed to her that a decision has already been made."It's very disappointing for kids that want to achieve high levels in more than one thing in their life and I think that'll be taken away," she said.Youssef Akram, a former student, says he's worried for the student athletes currently at the school."I have never heard of any other school that can accommodate for their academics or accommodate for their sport at the same time as good as the school. This would be a total train wreck for a lot of individuals," he said.Parents told CBC News they've been informed that a final decision will likely be announced in the new year.

  • News
    CBC

    Police find stolen property, including 70 bikes, in Regina home

    Roughly 70 bicycles have been recovered by police and a Regina man has been charged with possession of property obtained by crime.On Tuesday, police got information through the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods initiative that a home on the 800 block of College Avenue had a large quantity of bicycles inside. Officers went to the home and recovered the bikes along with expensive tools like a spray painter, pressure washers, power tools, a cement mixer and a planer.A 57-year-old man was arrested and charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. He was released on recognizance and will appear in court on Jan. 7, 2020.Police said in a news release Tuesday that the items were currently being processed and asked the public to be patient. Anyone who had a bike stolen recently is asked to file a report if they haven't already done so."It will take at least two weeks for our investigators and evidence management staff to process the recovered bikes," the release said. "There is no opportunity at this time to view the recovered bikes."Police said owners will be contacted once the bikes are logged.

  • Celebrating World Toilet Day globally
    Yahoo News Canada

    Celebrating World Toilet Day globally

    It’s World Toilet Day, a day created to help bring awareness to the fact that not everyone has access to a toilet. The goal is to spread awareness about the millions of people around the world who don’t have sanitation and safe waste removal access. The United Nations supports the initiative of the World Toilet Organization which aims to bring toilets to everyone around the world by 2030, based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. According to the World Toilet Organization, 4.2 billion people globally live without safely-managed sanitation, and a further 673 million practice open defecation.In honour of World Toilet Day, here’s a look at some of the toilets around the world.

  • News
    CBC

    How will new rules for Airbnb and short-term rentals change Toronto?

    Stricter rules governing Airbnbs and other short-term rentals in Toronto are coming following a decision handed down by the Local Planning and Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) — here's what you need to know.Back in December 2017, Toronto city council approved zoning bylaw amendments that were supposed to take effect in June 2018. However, those rules were put on hold as they were challenged at the LPAT, which made its final ruling on Monday. Adjudicator Scott Tousaw described the regulations as "good planning in the public interest."Mayor John Tory called the decision to back the city's rules "a step in the right direction," while other councillors have said it will lead to thousands of potential rental units being put back onto the market as the city grapples with major affordable housing issues.However, the rules will lead to big changes for Airbnb operators.So what's next if you list a place on Airbnb or plan to stay in one in Toronto?When will the new rules take effect?The city says it will have more information in December about implementation, timelines, and how the licensing, registration, and four per cent Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT) will work. How many units will this return to the market?The LPAT decision notes that some 5,000 units could return to the long-term rental market with the new regulations, though that number may also be somewhat lower, depending on how operators respond to the changes. How will this affect Airbnb hosts?Under the new rules, short-term rentals will only be allowed in landlords' principal residences for up to 180 nights a year for an entire house or apartment. Homeowners could also rent up to three bedrooms year-round on a short-term — defined as less than 28 days — basis.How will the city enforce its rules?The city has not said how it intends to enforce the new rules. But all short-term rental operators will be required to register with the city and attain a licence.Will this make housing more affordable in Toronto?The tribunal was not requested to consider whether the return of units to the rental market would have a measurable effect on the availability and affordability of housing. But it notes that, throughout the hearings, no one disputes that there is a housing crisis in Toronto and that availability and affordability of housing are interconnected issues influenced by a host of contributing factors.Narmadha Rajakumar, a senior planner with the city, who was called as a witness during the hearings, notes that the potential return of dwelling units and secondary suites to the long-term rental or ownership market, may assist, even in a small way, the availability of housing in the city.Expert witnesses for the appellants claimed there would be an insignificant return of dwelling units to the long-term rental market.The tribunal says the zoning bylaw amendments serve to protect the housing supply as permanent domiciles for residents, and second, by responding to the availability and affordability issues, if not by returning units to the rental market, at least by preventing further conversions of dwelling units into dedicated short-term-rentals.

  • Fire leaves MUN student with 2nd-degree burns — and nothing else
    News
    CBC

    Fire leaves MUN student with 2nd-degree burns — and nothing else

    Before collapsing on his driveway, Abhirup Dasgupta remembers his bed on fire, burns on his hands and rushing his roommates out of the house. Two days later, the international student at Memorial University woke up in intensive care.While battling excruciating pain, he was told his home was no longer inhabitable and every single possession he owned was destroyed. "It's traumatizing," said Dasgupta, who moved to St. John's from northern India to pursue a master's degree in environmental science."My body is the only thing left outside the fire, and I am lucky for that," he said. As an international student, not everything is so easy over here. \- Abhirup DasguptaOn the morning of Nov. 2, after Dasgupta woke up to use the washroom, he smelled smoke. When he went back to his room, his bed was completely engulfed in flames. He said he scrambled to alert his five roommates and get them out of the house. At the last moment he went back into his room to get his passport and student visas, paperwork he was told to never be without. "It's like a lifeline," he said, referring to the documents. "[But] as soon as I opened the door a flash fire went on my face, on my hands.… That's the point I realized nothing can be done."Dasgupta suffered smoke inhalation and second-hand burns on his face, hands and back that need continual re-dressing. He said he's not sure how the fire started but thinks the cause is electrical.The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said the cause is undetermined but the fire does not appear to be suspicious.On top of the physical trauma he experienced, Dasgupta said the tragic event has been hard to cope with mentally. He said he didn't sleep for six days following the fire."Whenever I closed my eyes I could see doctors all around.… I could see the fire flashes all over, I could see the fire glowing. It's hard on you."Support needed Dasgupta, who didn't have tenant insurance, has since started a fundraiser on Facebook after he learned all of his belongings were destroyed. He said the paperwork he lost was the most valuable because of the time and money required to get it all back. Dasgupta said he didn't want to ask for help on social media but was unaware of any other organizations that would be able to help him out. He said not being able to navigate the system is another challenge he faces as an international student, especially when devastating events happen. That said, he thanked his friends and family for the support he has received from them."People have been so good to me. It's brought me to tears."Parents panicked after no word from sonAlong with his clothes, furniture and paperwork, all of his electronics were also destroyed, which caused his parents to panic; after they didn't hear from him for a couple of daysDasgupta said after they didn't hear from him for a couple days and tracked him down to the hospital, which told them he was in critical condition, a revelation he described as "heart-breaking" for them.Dasgupta has not seen his family in three years, which he said has taken its toll on all of them. He hopes to make it home at the end of the year for some much-needed time with his loved ones."It's a bit tough to see the positive side of things.… As an international student, not everything is so easy over here."Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • News
    CBC

    Sudden death of Conne River educator stuns community

    The principal of St. Anne's High School in Conne River died suddenly on Monday, leaving the Indigenous community of nearly 900 residents in shock.Velma Piercy will be remembered as quiet and hard-working, Miawpukek First Nation Chief Mi'sel Joe told CBC News Tuesday."[She was] well loved by everyone. She always had a smile. A very warm-hearted person," said Joe, who learned of her death on Monday evening after he finished a flight. "I'll never forget how devastated I was yesterday evening when I got off the plane in Toronto," Joe said.Joe could not confirm the cause of death, and added he did not want to speculate.Classes have been cancelled for the school's roughly 180 students.The Conne River Health & Social Service's Mental Health Team, along with staff members at Se't A'newey Kina'matino'kuom are available for students, staff, or community members who want to talk, according to a Miawpukek First Nation post on Facebook. "It hurts the whole community. ...The death in a small aboriginal community, everybody feels the impact of it," Joe said."This is one of those, when it's so sudden, by someone who was cared for so much by people in the community."Joe said he would forge ahead with his presentation on Tuesday, but added is heart is in Conne River with the rest of the community. He's expecting to be home on Wednesday.Read more articles from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • News
    CBC

    $35M class action filed for Westcourt residents

    A Windsor law firm has filed a class action suit worth $35 million against Westcourt Place on behalf of building residents. The suit claims general damages of $25 million, with special, pecuniary, aggravated and punitive damages totalling $10 million. Filed by Strosberg, Sutts and Co, the suit seeks compensation for commercial and residential tenants.For commercial tenants, the suit is looking for funding for business interruption, out of pocket expenses and the loss of use of premises. Residential tenants and their guests could seek out of pocket expenses for food, travel and accommodations as well as loss of use and enjoyment of their units.The law firm is holding a class action information session for tenants of Westcourt Place on Nov. 23, at 10 a.m. at All Saints' Anglican Church in downtown Windsor. Tenants will automatically be included in the class action suit unless they follow instructions to be excluded.

  • News
    CBC

    Foundation aims to create new source of money for community projects

    The Community Foundation of P.E.I. wants to take more direct charge of its own future, and help Island communities do the same.The foundation is planning to create a new fund, valued at $625,000, that would make money available for projects every year. The idea came out of a new report — Vital Signs, released Tuesday — that was a state-of-the-Island report in terms of community health.The Vital Signs report marks 25 years for the organization. It currently manages 90 individual charitable funds, but it doesn't have the flexibility to set the agenda to address issues raised in Vital Signs."The intent would be that we will establish this fund by being able to have a minimum of $25,000 a year that will go to causes that are established as priorities in Vital Signs, and that will be in perpetuity," said foundation executive director Kent Hudson.The report looked at many aspects of community health, including the work people are doing, housing and where people are choosing to live, the environment, and sense of belonging. It found all these things are intertwined."It gives us a better pulse of where we should be focusing some of our efforts going forward and that's really the intent," said Hudson."There may or may not be very new, earth-shattering information in this document, but what it allows us to do is hone in on some of the areas that perhaps we can make a difference on or perhaps other Islanders can make a difference on."Hudson hopes Vital Signs will start a conversation about where communities are going on P.E.I., and where they need to go.More P.E.I. news

  • News
    CBC

    2 dead following separate Monday collisions in Saskatchewan

    A 19-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man are dead after two separate collisions on Monday in Saskatchewan.The woman died after a two-vehicle crash about two kilometres north of Wakaw on Highway 2. RCMP say the collision happened at around 9:13 a.m. CST.The woman, who had been heading southbound, was declared deceased on the scene. A 58-year-old man driving an SUV north was taken to hospital by EMS for what were reported to be serious injuries. A female youth passenger in the SUV was uninjured, RCMP said. EMS, Saskatchewan RCMP Traffic Reconstructionist, Wakaw Fire Department, Saskatchewan Coroners Service and the Prince Albert Victim Services all attended the scene. RCMP said road conditions were wet and visibility was clear at the time of the crash. Highway 39 crashEarlier Monday morning, a man died in a separate two-vehicle collision on Highway 39, south of Regina. It happened two kilometres northwest of the community of Yellowgrass. RCMP say at 8:30 a.m., the man was driving in a northwest bound pickup truck that collided head on with a southeast bound International refrigerated truck. The 46-year-old pickup truck driver was taken to a Regina hospital by Stars Air Ambulance and died a few hours later. The two men in the refrigerated truck were not injured. RCMP say alcohol is not believed to be a factor in either crash. Police are still investigating the cause of each crash.

  • Buy Yourself Flowers That Bloom In Winter
    News
    HuffPost Canada

    Buy Yourself Flowers That Bloom In Winter

    Poinsettias are always an excellent choice.

  • The Who are first honored as London unveils Music Walk of Fame
    News
    Reuters

    The Who are first honored as London unveils Music Walk of Fame

    British rock band The Who became the first act to receive a paving stone on the Music Walk of Fame in London on Tuesday, in the unveiling of a new cultural attraction that echoes the starry sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard. Following the presentation of the Walk's founding stone, The Who's two surviving members Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend posed by their own plaque, depicting a music record, laid out in London's buzzing Camden district. The Music Walk of Fame will honor artists and others working in the industry in a series of unveilings between the Roundhouse and the Koko performance venues in the north London district that is popular with musicians.

  • Embattled Mount Pearl headstone company declared bankrupt
    News
    CBC

    Embattled Mount Pearl headstone company declared bankrupt

    A headstone company that has been accused by customers of taking their money and not providing promised services in return is now bankrupt.W.D. Kenny Granite Company Inc. had been in receivership since September, when a trustee moved in to change the locks and secure its assets.Last month, the Bank of Montreal filed an application to force W.D. Kenny Granite into bankruptcy.A judge granted the bankruptcy order at Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court in St. John's on Tuesday morning.According to court documents, W.D. Kenny owed the bank nearly $460,000 as of late September.Among the company's other debts were $114,000 due to the Canada Revenue Agency, and a number of smaller amounts owed to customers — some of whom had won court judgments against the company.'Another stall tactic,' says lawyer for bankAt Tuesday morning's court hearing, company owner Bill Kenny repeatedly asked the judge for more time to arrange financing to settle the debts."It will take another couple of weeks," Kenny said.Bank of Montreal lawyer Geoffrey Spencer told the court that the original demand letter to the company was issued more than a year ago."We've heard this over and over," Spencer said, about Kenny's claims that refinancing was just around the corner."Frankly, we don't believe it."Kenny said he was working with two mortgage companies, and tendered documents that he indicated were from potential lenders in Toronto. Spencer took exception, saying they were initial letters with "no certainty whatsoever" of any cash actually materializing."This is another stall tactic, another delay tactic," Spencer said.Justice James Adams agreed that it was a "very early document."Kenny appeared without a lawyer, even though Spencer said he was told at a previous appearance that he could not personally act on behalf of the company in court.After admonishing Kenny for a series of interruptions, Adams granted the bankruptcy order.Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • Town hall on proposed $35M YWCA facility in Cathedral to be held Tuesday night
    News
    CBC

    Town hall on proposed $35M YWCA facility in Cathedral to be held Tuesday night

    YWCA Regina is co-hosting a town hall in Regina Tuesday to answer questions about the new facility it is proposing to build in the Cathedral Neighbourhood.The proposed $35 million Centre for Women and Families would be at the site of the former Victoria School and Lucy Eley Park. The City of Regina voted in January to gift the land — valued at around $2 million — to the YWCA.City councillor Andrew Stevens will co-host the town hall, which is scheduled for  7 p.m. CST at the Cathedral Neighbourhood Centre. There have been concerns about the project since the concept went to council in January, Stevens said. A concept planning session was held in the summer but people were wanting more information, prompting the town hall. "What better opportunity to meet people and actually get them all in the room to discuss this," Stevens said. "It's a large ambitious project."Stevens said the project can revitalize the YWCA's services, but there are questions around what it will look like, how it will impact the site and parking. One of the main concerns is that the community would lose a park space for children. Lucy Eley Park has a swing set and jungle gym.The YWCA is proposing a green space for families that could include a splash pad, jungle gym and community gardens, Stevens said. The proposed project would also house the Mobile Crisis Service, a woman's shelter and affordable housing, Stevens said. "I'm hopeful that people will be supportive," he said. "But if they're not, at the very least I'm hoping that they'll say 'Look, my voice was heard. Someone was listening and maybe this isn't as catastrophic as I might have thought.'"The YWCA previously broke down funding for the building as $10 million from the province, $12 million from the federal government and the rest from from fundraising.

  • Yes, house cats are getting fatter and it's all your fault, veterinarian says
    News
    CBC

    Yes, house cats are getting fatter and it's all your fault, veterinarian says

    A fat cat named Cinderblock on an aspirational mission to slim down has become a darling of the internet, but felines everywhere should likely be joining her in the battle against the bulge. "Yes, cats are getting fatter," said Kären Marsden, owner of Edmonton Holistic Veterinary Clinic. "They are, unfortunately. They're very, very well fed."We body score cats, like a one to 10. And most of the cats I see are up at an eight, for sure. We call it shrinking-head syndrome." Cinderblock, a portly creature initially clocking in at 25 pounds, is on a very public weight-loss journey.The Washington State cat was relinquished to a veterinary hospital, due to poor mobility. According to the vet, her morbid obesity was affecting her quality of life.The clinic has been documenting Cinderblock's weight loss journey through prescription diet and exercise in a series of social media posts.A video of her meowing disgruntledly while using a treadmill with one lackadaisical paw has been viewed millions of times.But this trend isn't just internet nonsense. House cats really are getting fatter. 'Addicted to kibble'"I feel sorry for the cat," Marsden said in an interview with CBC Radio's Edmonton AM."Obviously it's not good for the cat. It's probably been fed a lot. You know, cats will keep eating and then they get kind of addicted to kibble." "Losing weight is a slow process in cats. It's hard, people feel guilty."A study involving more than 19 million cats from across Canada and the United States suggests most of the animals continue to put on weight after they reach adulthood and their heaviest weight is higher than it was two decades ago.Researchers at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph analyzed 54 million weight measurements taken at vet offices between 1981 and mid-2016 to get a sense of the typical weight gain and loss pattern over the course of a cat's life.The study was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association earlier this year. Marsden said the trend is concerning. Obesity can cause a slate of health problems, including diabetes and fatty liver syndrome.  They can literally be on cat-kins, like the Atkins diet for cats. \- Kären MarsdenFeeding your cat the wrong kind of kibble is often to blame, Marsden said. Many brands contain hidden carbohydrates like grain or corn. Just like humans, cutting out the carbs can help slim things down. "If they're overweight, they don't need peas or potatoes," Marsden said. "We have carnivores being fed like they're omnivores. They are designed to have a protein-rich meal a couple of times a day, not the grazing, not the convenience.  "They can literally be on cat-kins, like the Atkins diet for cats." 'Meow, meow, meow' Marsden said cats are also less active than they used to be. As more cats spend time indoors, they also tend to become more sedentary and put on weight.And then there is the problem of weak-willed owners succumbing too often to the hunger cries of their cats. Even Marsden's husband, also a veterinarian, has fallen victim to these feline tactics. "Our cats, as soon as they see him, they're all, 'meow, meow, meow,' because they know he can't take the heat. "They are very dramatic. They have him trained."Marsden recommends owners spend more time playing with their cats and distract them from their false hunger pains with toys and catnip. "The holidays are coming and it's probably time to look at your slightly chubby kitty and get him some toys. "Get them a laser pointer or even catnip. Even older cats will be intrigued, it just distracts them. "It's sort of like giving your cat an iPhone."

  • Man dead, woman in critical condition from CO poisoning
    News
    CBC

    Man dead, woman in critical condition from CO poisoning

    A man is dead and a woman is in critical condition in hospital after being exposed to carbon monoxide in their home in Ottawa's east end.A female friend discovered the couple, both 75, of a bungalow on Phoenix Crescent in Orléans Tuesday morning and called 911, said acting Ottawa police Insp. Francois D'Aoust"There was a planned outing, a friend attended the residence and found the lady in distress and the male deceased at the scene," D'Aoust said. Neighbours described the couple as quiet, peaceful and kind, and said they often had antique cars in their driveway. The man who died enjoyed restoring classic cars and showing them, said Sue Schieman, who lives nearby.She described the couple as "lovely people.""It's really unfortunate," said another neighbour, Justin Mercier. First responders arrived at the couple's house at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday. The female resident was taken to hospital in critical, life-threatening condition and is being treated in a hyperbaric chamber, paramedics said. Hyperbaric therapy helps to reduce the amount of carbon monoxide in the blood and return a person's oxygen levels to normal as quickly as possible. The woman who found the couple was taken to hospital as a precaution and is in good condition, police said. Firefighters said carbon monoxide readings inside the home were extremely high — 600 parts per million with readings closer to 700 parts per million in the basement.Concentrations above 150 to 200 parts per million can lead to death if a person is exposed over a long period of time, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.Police are investigating source of the carbon monoxide with assistance from the gas company Enbridge along with Canada's Technical Standards and Safety Authority, which oversees the use of fuels such as propane and natural gas."Right now we're still in the infancy of the investigation," D'Aoust said.Police say the poisoning is not suspicious at this time.Pets found in the home appeared unharmed by the carbon monoxide and were taken by bylaw enforcement officers, said D'Aoust.

  • 'One hit after another:' Sask. farmers worry CN Rail strike could cause massive grain shipping delays
    News
    CBC

    'One hit after another:' Sask. farmers worry CN Rail strike could cause massive grain shipping delays

    A strike by thousands of Canadian National Railway workers will likely make a bad harvest even worse, warns the head of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association.On Tuesday, roughly 3,200 conductors and yard workers went on strike across the country after talks between the company and workers fell apart.Jim Wickett, a farmer near Rosetown, Sask., and chair of the wheat growers association, says even a brief stoppage in the rail system could create serious problems."It's going to have long-lasting effects," he said. "Any more than a few days, it's going to take months to sort this out."The Canadian grain-handling system is complicated. Space on trains is very tight, and needs to be booked well in advance.After it's transported by rail, large ships take the grain to overseas markets, which also run on tight timelines."Once a train spot is lost, it's not like he can just make it up," said Wickett. "Getting everything back up to speed after a shutdown doesn't just happen in one eight-hour shift."On Monday, prior to the start of the strike, Saskatchewan's government ministers responsible for agriculture and resources sent a letter to the federal government, asking that it do everything in its power to intervene.In the letter, the ministers said it was very important for Saskatchewan producers to deliver their products in a timely and predictable manner, and that a strike would get in the way of that happening.Wickett said this year's harvest, complicated by wet weather and snow, will only be made worse by delays."It's been one hit after another this year," he said. "I don't know how much more the ag industry is going to take before it breaks." Striking workersOn Tuesday morning, dozens of workers took to picket lines across Saskatchewan on the first day of strike action."Some of the issues that we deal with on a daily basis are fatigue, ever-changing train lineups, long hours, up to 12-hour days, and the unpredictability of when we are going to be called for service," said Regina striker David Dobrowolski.In Saskatoon, workers marched quickly in a tight circle in front of the CN Yard, blocking the entrance for semi-trailers trying to enter the facility Tuesday morning.A long line of trucks developed, causing some drivers to turn around and leave.The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference gave its required 72-hour strike notice this weekend.A spokesperson for the union said they are still in talks with CN, in hopes of reaching a negotiated settlement.Last week, the company confirmed it was cutting jobs as it deals with a weakening economy.CN Rail's largest operations in Saskatchewan are at their rail yards in Saskatoon, Regina and Melville.

  • Prince Andrew faces more disgrace as business backers leave
    News
    The Canadian Press

    Prince Andrew faces more disgrace as business backers leave

    LONDON — Britain’s Prince Andrew faced further disgrace Tuesday as charitable partners and educational institutions began to distance themselves from him amid unfavourable fallout from an interview on his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Like most senior members of the royal family, Andrew is patron for charities and other civic endeavours, lending his name and the backing of the monarchy to the good works of all manner of institutions. But supporters of undertakings connected to Andrew are now reconsidering whether they want to be associated with him after his effort to draw a line under the Epstein scandal backfired so disastrously.Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II, granted a no-holds barred interview to BBC’s Newsnight program to end years of speculation about his friendship with the tainted financier, who died in prison last summer while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. Andrew’s failure to show empathy for the young women exploited by Epstein earned him widespread derision — and made corporate backers and universities think twice about their ties to this senior member of the House of Windsor.Standard Chartered bank, a backer of Andrew’s flagship entrepreneur project, Pitch@Palace, has decided not to renew its sponsorship for “commercial reasons.’’ Professional services provider KPMG won’t renew its support for the initiative either, Britain’s Press Association reported. Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca says it is reviewing its three-year partnership, which is due to expire at the end of the year.The fallout has not been limited to corporations. Andrew is a patron for dozens of organizations, and a few of the more prominent groups have acknowledged they are considering whether they want that bond to continue. London Metropolitan University is reviewing Andrew’s role as patron, and students at the University of Huddersfield, where Andrew is chancellor, are objecting to being “represented by a man with ties to organized child sexual exploitation and assault.’’“Prince Andrew’s association with a known paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein ... combined with the allegations made by Virginia Giuffre that Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her make him an utterly unsuitable representative for us here at the University of Huddersfield,” according to a motion from a student panel. “We need to put survivors of sexual assault above royal connections and show students, alumni, and prospective students that this institution cares about their well-being, irrespective of the status of the alleged perpetrator.”It is unclear what might happen at Huddersfield, as the situation is so unprecedented there is no formal process for what comes next.“We are aware of the Students' Union meeting last night and the motion it passed regarding the chancellor,’’ the university said in a statement. “We listen to our students' views and concerns and we will now be consulting with them over the coming weeks."The 59-year-old prince categorically denied claims that he had sex with Giuffre, who says she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew on three occasions, including twice when she was 17.Epstein died Aug. 10 in a New York prison while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, robbing his alleged victims a chance for their day in court. His death has been ruled a suicide by the city’s medical examiner.But in response to clinical questioning by the BBC’s Emily Maitlis, Andrew responded with detailed answers that seemed insensitive to a public accustomed to emotional responses — particularly in an era in which social media has made even the rich and the powerful seem more accessible.Worse still, Andrew defended his previous friendship with the billionaire investor because of the contacts it provided when he was preparing for a role as Britain's special trade representative. The damage to his image has prompted royal watchers to suggest Buckingham Palace will go into full damage control mode.“I think he may eventually be forced to show how sorry he was that Epstein had many victims,’’ said Pauline Maclaran, author of "Royal Fever: The British Monarchy in Consumer Culture." “There will be damage limitation.’’Danica Kirka, The Associated Press