NewsThe Canadian PressImmigration officials working on case of Winnipeg Yazidi woman and injured son
Officials in Ottawa say they are working to help reunite a Yazidi woman living in Winnipeg with her 12-year-old son, who was recently freed from captivity with Iraqi militants and is recovering from gunshot wounds. Immigration spokeswoman Lisa Filipps tells CTV Winnipeg in a statement that the department is aware of the case of Nofa Mihlo Zaghla and her son, Emad, and is acting accordingly. The Yazidi Association of Manitoba, the Kurdish Initiative for Refugees and Winnipeg Friends of Israel went public with the story this week in an effort to get Canadian officials to act quickly to bring the boy to Canada.
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Wildfire leaves "complete devastation" in rural community
A chimney and a cinder block wall is all that's left standing among rubble that was a house Miki Crawford and her family called home for 22 years after a wildfire raced through her Northern California rural community, the former nurses' aide said Friday. Crawford said she and her husband, Jai Crawford, packed two cars with clothes, photographs, family heirlooms, their four pugs and one hound dog and fled Tuesday after the blaze burning in the hills near Yosemite National Park doubled in size. The aggressive wildfire sweeping through the Sierra Nevada foothills covered with dense brush and dead trees destroyed 61 homes and 63 other buildings.
NewsThe Canadian PressWildfire that destroyed homes in Lake Country, B.C., believed human-caused: RCMP
A fast-moving wildfire in British Columbia's Okanagan region that quickly engulfed eight homes and damaged 30 other properties is believed to be human-caused, RCMP said Friday. More than 900 properties on the shore of Okanagan Lake in the community of Lake Country were evacuated or placed on alert July 15 after the blaze broke out along the side of a road. Officials contained the flames earlier this week and allowed the remaining residents at 58 properties to go home.
- NewsCBC
Ottawa construction company fined $275K for dumping into wetland
An Ottawa construction company convicted of discharging construction sediment into a drain that flows into the Jock River in 2013 has been fined $275,000. Thomas Cavanagh Construction Limited was convicted in June of four charges under the Ontario Water Resources Act, according to Ontario's environment ministry. The construction company was installing stormwater infrastructure at the Blackstone community in South Kanata in 2013 when ministry inspectors noted excessive sediment getting into the man-made Monahan Drain wetland, which drains into the Jock River.
- NewsCBC
U of A research shows faster, more accurate schizophrenia diagnosis possible with artificial intelligence
A partnership between University of Alberta researchers at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) and IBM scientists has broken new ground in the use of artificial intelligence to predict cases of schizophrenia. In a recently published study, the researchers demonstrate that machine learning algorithms can predict instances of schizophrenia with 74 per cent accuracy, a number comparable to what human doctors are currently doing. By using artificial intelligence and machine learning, "computational psychiatry" can be used to help clinicians more quickly assess and treat patients with schizophrenia.
NewsReutersMinneapolis police chief resigns after Australian woman's shooting
(Reuters) - Minneapolis police chief Janee Harteau resigned on Friday at the request of the city's mayor, who said that she had lost confidence in Harteau following the fatal police shooting of an unarmed Australian woman. The death of Justine Damond, 40, from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen fired through an open window of a police patrol car, has outraged her relatives and the public in Australia. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called it "shocking" and "inexplicable." Mayor Betsy Hodges said in a statement that she and Harteau agreed during discussions on Friday that Harteau would step aside.
- Global News
Coroner's report sheds light on final moments before Ontario man with schzophrenia died while in jail
Fri, Jul 21: According to the family's lawyer, Soleiman Faqiri had more than 50 injuries on his body consistent with trauma. His family is still demanding answers into his death. Lama Nicolas reports.
- NewsCBC
Scottish dancer learns step dancing in Maritimes, then takes the next step
Not long ago there was little step dancing in Scotland — but with some help from Maritime instructors step dancing is returning, and moving in new directions. "It's really only in the last 20, 30 years that people have been dancing again," said Sophie Stephenson, who teaches at Skye Space Studio at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic College in Skye, U.K. Stephenson was dancing at a young age — Highland, ballet, tap — and first encountered step dancing at a workshop at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
- NewsCBC
Wildrose PIN problems hamper pivotal unity vote
The night before the vote, Alberta's Wildrose Party is racing to include members in a decision on whether or not to merge with the province's Progressive Conservative party. Members need a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to vote online or by phone. Wildrose president Jeff Callaway said he has "no idea" how many people have been affected, but described the situation as hectic.
- NewsCBC
MasterChef Juniors dish magic at Calgary fundraising dinner
Two young chefs are cooking up a fundraiser in Calgary. Avani Shah, 10, and Evan Robinson, 12, are contestants on MasterChef Junior in the fifth season. The little chefs, both from Chicago, are contributing to the Bridge the Gap gala dinner at Barcelona Tavern Friday evening.
NewsReutersLinkin Park U.S. tour canceled after suicide of Chester Bennington
Rock band Linkin Park on Friday canceled its North American tour after the suicide of frontman Chester Bennington "We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of Chester Bennington. The Linkin Park One More Light North American Tour has been canceled and refunds are available at point of purchase. Bennington, 41, died by hanging himself at his southern California home, but left no note, the Los Angeles County coroner's office said on Friday.
- NewsCBC
38 beds and 22 jobs lost at Regina long-term care home
The Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region is permanently closing 38 long-term care beds in the city's largest nursing home.
NewsAgence France-PressePicture this! Pensive Neymar stirs renewed PSG fever
Neymar's decision to post a photo of himself in thoughtful contemplation sparked a fresh wave of speculation that he is on the verge of sealing a world record 222-million-euro ($256.8 million) move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain. It garnered more than 1.5 million 'likes' within 12 hours of it being posted in the United States where Barcelona are on a pre-season tour. Three of the 'likes' came from PSG players -- winger Angel Di Maria, goalkeeper Kevin Trapp and midfielder Marco Verratti.
- NewsCBC
Lawyer recognized for community service by Law Society of P.E.I.
A Charlottetown lawyer was recently recognized for his work in the community. Ron Profit, a partner at the firm Cox and Palmer, received the Distinguished Community Service Award from the Law Society of Prince Edward Island. Profit has worked with a variety of organizations including the Easter Seals, the Alzheimer's Society, the prostate support group and the Canadian Rehabilitation Council as well as a number of sporting organizations.
- NewsCBC
'He was just a child': Friends, family gather to remember boy who died tragically on Algonquin school trip
On a warm Friday evening outside the high school where Jeremiah Perry was a student, fellow classmates and teachers joined the 15-year-old's family to remember the boy they say was the "light" of their family. "He was just a child," said his aunt Jocelyn Anderson, who led the candlelight vigil at C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute as a song written by one of the boy's cousins played in the background. Jeremiah died on July 4th after slipping under the water at Big Trout Lake in Algonquin Park while out swimming with classmates from C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute, the school he attended.
- NewsCBC
Police looking for 52-year-old Laval prison escapee
Correctional Service Canada announced the escape of 52-year-old Luc Paquette from the institution on Lévesque Boulevard in a news release issued Friday evening. Staff at the unit realized he was gone when they were counting inmates at 10:45 p.m. Thursday.
- NewsCBC
Dusty, noisy days and nights for people in Yellowknife's Lakeshore Developments
Construction on Kam Lake Road means traffic that previously flowed along the industrial boulevard has now been routed through a small residential neighbourhood. Kam Lake Road traffic now takes a detour at Gibben Drive and ends up on Hall Crescent. Hall Crescent is a narrow gravel road snaking through one of the city's newest residential developments on the cusp of the Kam Lake industrial area.
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Agriculture ministers reach five-year, $3-billion deal to boost farm sector
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Agriculture ministers signed a $3-billion partnership with Ottawa aimed at strengthening the industry and developing new markets as federal officials prepare for looming trade talks with the United States. Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay said the Canadian Agricultural Partnership is intended to help the $100-billion sector come up with innovations to boost productivity, develop new trading partners and mitigate environmental issues. The five-year plan, which comes into effect on April 1, 2018, was rolled out Friday at the close of two days of meetings between MacAulay and his provincial and territorial counterparts in St. John's, N.L.
- NewsThe Canadian Press
New review finds 'systemic weaknesses' at N.L. chief medical examiner's office
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A review of Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical examiner's office has found that the loss of a key piece of evidence in a murder investigation — a baby's brain — was a "complex error" triggered by "systemic weaknesses" that left the organization vulnerable. Dr. Matthew Bowes, the chief medical examiner for Nova Scotia, carried out the review and found "important deficiencies" at the Newfoundland office tasked with investigating the suspicious death of a four-month-old baby in November 2013. In the review released Friday, Bowes said the infrastructure, equipment, information management and staffing levels at the chief medical examiner's office are inadequate.
- NewsCBC
Where will you buy legal pot in Saskatchewan?
Mail order or store front? Liquor stores, pharmacies or small independent dispensaries?
- NewsCBC
'Absolutely heartbreaking': Groups concerned about closure of Legal Aid child protection office
Groups are voicing their concerns about the closure of a specialized legal aid office that helps families who are dealing with child protection services. The Family and Child Office in St. John's, which offers the support of a lawyer, a paralegal, and a social worker, is set to close around the end of July due to fiscal restraints and stretched resources at the Newfoundland and Labrador Legal Aid Commission. "What we just lost was a very important specialized service that vulnerable mothers living in poverty depended on, and we have no plan with what's going to happen with those families," said Jenny Wright, the executive director of the St. John's Status of Women Council.
- NewsCBC
4 stowaways highlight desperation of asylum seekers, says immigration lawyer
The discovery of four men stowed away in a shipping container in the Port of Montreal Thursday show just how desperate asylum seekers are getting, says immigration lawyer Eric Taillefer. The stowaways arrived in the Port of Montreal in a container that came off a Hong Kong-flagged ship that had last visited Hamburg, Germany. "I guess it was just a matter of time before people were desperate enough to actually try this again," Taillefer said.
- NewsThe Canadian Press
Beyonce wax figure touched up after fans say it's too white
A wax figure of Beyonce at Madame Tussauds in New York has been given a makeover after fans of the megastar said the figure was too white. The wax Beyonce sported wavy blond hair and appeared to be thinner and lighter-skinned than the "Lemonade" singer in real life. Fans complained on Twitter that the figure looked more like Lindsay Lohan or Shakira than Beyonce.
- NewsThe Canadian Press
City removes homemade stairs in Toronto park, promises new set of stairs
His handiwork may have been torn down, but a Toronto man who took it upon himself to build a staircase to help residents get down a steep park embankment says he's just happy his efforts have led to city plans for a permanent structure. Astl, who lives in Toronto's west end, had heard about locals at Tom Riley Park having trouble getting down the short, steep embankment and injuring themselves.
- NewsCBC
Metrolinx opts out of legal battle with Bombardier but won't let it bid to operate GO trains
Metrolinx has decided against appealing a judge's ruling that blocked the transit agency from its bid to drop a $770-million contract with Bombardier — but will exclude the Montreal-based company from bidding to operate GO Transit trains as it has done for more than 40 years. Metrolinx spokesperson, Anne Marie Aikins, said the agency will now focus on resolving the conflict outside of the legal arena. The regional transit agency had wanted to get out of the contract because of repeated delays from the Montreal-based transportation manufacturer in living up to its end of the bargain to supply a prototype and a subsequent 182 vehicles for a planned transit expansion.
