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Mohawk grand chief under fire, calls to stop blockades
Kanesatake Grand Chief Serge Otsi Simon "pleaded" with protesters to bring down the blockades that form an act of solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs in B.C."Have you made your point yet?" »
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Reuters
Weinstein jury concludes first day of deliberations in rape trial
The jury in former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's rape trial finished its first day of deliberations on Tuesday, in a case that has become a milestone for the #MeToo movement. The Manhattan jury of seven men and five women began their discussions after the judge hearing the case warned Weinstein's lead defense lawyer, Donna Rotunno, against talking to the press until jurors have reached a verdict. The warning came two days after the attorney wrote an opinion piece about the case in Newsweek magazine.
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The Canadian Press
Virus claims life of hospital director in hard-hit Wuhan
BEIJING — As a mysterious new virus enveloped central China's Wuhan early this year, Liu Zhiming mobilized all the resources of his hospital in the city's Wuchang district to deal with the thousands of sick people arriving daily, threatening to overwhelm the local health care system.That dedication appears to have cost him his life, with Wuhan's health bureau announcing Tuesday that he became infected and died despite “all-out" attempts to save him.Liu is at least the seventh health worker to die of the COVID-19 disease among the more than 1,700 doctors and nurses who have become sick. His death comes as authorities are cautiously cheering a reduction in the number of new daily cases and deaths, along with the results of a study showing most people who contracted the virus experienced only mild symptoms.China on Tuesday reported 1,886 new cases and 98 more deaths. That raised the number of deaths in mainland China to 1,868 and the total number of confirmed cases to 72,436.“Now the prevention and control work is at a critical time,” President Xi Jinping told British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a phone call Tuesday, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.Japan, meanwhile, announced that 88 more cases of the virus were confirmed aboard a quarantined cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, bringing the total to 542 among the 3,700 initially on board.The U.N. secretary general told The Associated Pres that the virus outbreak “is not out of control but it is a very dangerous situation.”Antonio Guterres said in an interview in Lahore, Pakistan, that “the risks are enormous and we need to be prepared worldwide for that.”The outbreak has caused massive disruptions and China may postpone its biggest political meeting of the year to avoid having people travel to Beijing while the virus is still spreading. One of the automotive industry's biggest events, China's biannual auto show, also is being postponed, and many sports and entertainment events have been delayed or cancelled.Despite strict rules on use of masks and safety suits, medical workers have been prominent among the victims, particularly in the early stage of the outbreak.In announcing Liu's death, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said he had taken part in the battle against the virus from the start and had made “important contributions in the work of fighting and controlling" the virus.During that process, "unfortunately he became infected and passed away at 10:54 Tuesday morning at the age of 51 after all-out efforts to save him failed," the commission said.The Hubei native had graduated from Wuhan University's School of Medicine in 1991 and went on to a career as a chief physician, neurosurgeon and administrator.Earlier this month, public outrage was stirred by the death from the virus of Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang, who had been threatened by police after releasing word of an outbreak of an unusual respiratory illness in December before it had spread widely and the city was placed under quarantine.Wuhan and its surrounding cities in Hubei province have accounted for the vast majority of infections and deaths, prompting the government to enforce a travel ban that has spread to other parts of the country and now includes a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine period for anyone travelling outside their home district. Two new prefabricated hospitals have been built to deal with the overflow in Wuhan and thousands of medical staff have been brought in from other parts of the country to help.A study by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention found more than 80% of the cases studied were mild and the number of new infections seemed to be falling since early this month. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was too early to know if the reported decline would continue, however. "Every scenario is still on the table," he said at a news conference.The seeming drop in the number of new cases follows a large spike last week after Hubei province began counting cases by doctors' diagnoses without waiting for laboratory test results. Health authorities there said the change was meant to get patients treated faster.The Chinese study examined 44,672 cases of the disease that were confirmed in the mainland as of Feb. 11. Severe symptoms such as pneumonia occurred in 14% of them and critical illness in 5%. The fatality rate was 2.3% — 2.8% for males versus 1.7% for females.The death rate is lower than for SARS and MERS, diseases caused by coronaviruses related to the one that causes COVID-19. But the new virus ultimately could prove more deadly if it spreads to far more people than the others did. The COVID-19 cases include relatively few children, and the risk of death rises with age or other health problems and was higher in Hubei province versus elsewhere in China.The study warned that while cases seem to have been declining since Feb. 1, that could change as people return to work and school after the Lunar New Year holidays, typically the biggest travel period for Chinese travellers. Beijing and other governments have sought to forestall that by extending the holiday break, encouraging telecommuting and self-quarantines and conducting health checks on travellers.Travel to and from the worst-hit central China region was associated with the initial cases of COVID-19 confirmed abroad. But Japan, Singapore and South Korea have identified new cases without clear ties to China or previously known patients, raising concern of the virus spreading locally.The largest number of cases outside China is the 542 among passengers and crew of the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined at a port near Tokyo. The infections have led to heavy criticism of the decision to quarantine passengers on the vessel.The U.S. evacuated 328 American passengers last weekend, and placed them under quarantine for two weeks in California, Texas and Nebraska. On Tuesday, the U.S. government said the more than 100 American passengers who stayed on the ship or were hospitalized in Japan would have to wait for another two weeks before they could return to the U.S.___Associated Press writers Maria Cheng in London and Marilynn Marchione, David Pitt, Olga R. Rodriguez and Ken Miller in the U.S. contributed to this report.___This story removes incorrect timing of the Chinese auto show, which alternates yearly between Beijing and Shanghai.Yanan Wang, The Associated Press
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CBC
No 'depth' to consultation with Mi'kmaq on Alton Gas, lawyer argues
The lawyer representing Sipekne'katik First Nation says there was no "depth" to the province's consultation with the band over a controversial natural gas project. Lawyer Ray Larkin made his arguments before Justice Frank Edwards at Nova Scotia Supreme Court Tuesday.It was the first day of what's scheduled to be a two-day appeal hearing that centres around the Crown's duty to consult with Indigenous peoples in matters that could affect their treaty and Aboriginal rights.It's a duty that comes from Canada's Constitution Act, applies to federal and provincial governments and has been upheld in several Supreme Court of Canada rulings.Larkin said Sipekne'katik has the right to consult on the Alton Gas project because of its rights to fish for food, ceremonial purposes and to make a moderate livelihood, which are established in treaties and case law.He said the band also has a legitimate claim to aboriginal title in the Crown land around the Shubenacadie River where Alton Gas wants to build a natural gas storage facility.Because of those established treaty rights and asserted title rights, Larkin said the case demands a "deep" level of consultation."Deep consultation involves having the kind of thorough discussion of all the issues and a dialogue, a meaningful dialogue on all of those issues, and finding accommodations to the Aboriginal treaty rights that are affected," Larkin told reporters outside court.The appeal has its roots in a 2016 industrial approval granted by Margaret Miller, the environment minister at the time, to Alton Gas, a subsidiary of Calgary-based energy company AltaGas.Larkin told the court Miller's decision was legally flawed because the consultation had no "depth."He said Miller's error was the same as the one made by the National Energy Board in the Clyde River case. In 2017, the Supreme Court of Canada ruling quashed seismic testing in Nunavut over inadequate consultation with Inuit. The 2016 industrial approval gave Alton Gas the green light to start construction of an underground natural gas storage facility in Alton, N.S. Band wants court to overturn industrial approvalLarkin said Sipekne'katik is looking for the court to overturn the industrial approval and direct the province to re-engage with the First Nation band before making a new ruling on the Alton Gas proposal. The proposal is to use water from the nearby Shubenacadie River to flush out natural salt deposits, creating caverns that Alton Gas says could store up to 10 billion cubic feet of natural gas.The company and the province both tout the project as a potential boon for natural gas users in Nova Scotia, because it would allow for the fossil fuel to be stockpiled, protecting rates against seasonal spikes.But the project has faced opposition. Miller's 2016 industrial approval was met with six separate appeals, some of which expressed concern for the ecosystem of the Shubenacadie River.According to Alton Gas's plan, the briny mixture of river water and salt from the underground deposits would be gradually reintroduced to the river over two to three years.Miller said consultation was sufficientSipekne'katik appealed on the grounds that the band had not been adequately consulted, but Miller dismissed all the appeals. She said Indigenous consultation was sufficient.Sean Foreman, lawyer for the province, maintained that argument in court Tuesday.Foreman said that while the specific language of "deep" consultation was not always used in the recorded dealings between the province and the First Nation, the process still met the highest standard of consultation.This is the second time Sipekne'katik has taken the matter to the province's high court.In 2017, a justice found some procedural unfairness in the industrial approval process — the Department of Environment had failed to share some pertinent documents with the First Nation band.Once that matter was settled in April 2019, Miller upheld the industrial approval and said the province had sufficiently consulted with Nova Scotia's Mik'maq.Sipekne'katik disagreed, again, and sought another review, leading to this month's hearing.Arguments are set to conclude in court Wednesday.MORE TOP STORIES
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The Canadian Press
Aging Shiite cleric a powerhouse in Iraq. What comes after?
NAJAF, Iraq — When Iraq’s top Shiite cleric underwent surgery for a fractured bone last month, it sent shivers around the country and beyond. “May God heal Iraq,” read a photo of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani that circulated online.Frantic supporters shared prayers. Anti-government protesters hung photos of the black-turbaned cleric with a long white beard and bushy eyebrows, declaring, “The hearts of the revolutionaries are with you.” Al-Sistani’s well-wishers included officials from both Iran and the United States, the bitter rivals for influence in Iraq.The incident put into focus the question: what will happen after al-Sistani, who turns 90 this year, is gone? The question has gained added importance for an Iraq deeply embroiled in U.S.-Iranian tensions and gripped by months of anti-government protests.Al-Sistani’s death would rob Iraq of a powerful voice whose sway among followers and positions against foreign intervention are believed to have curbed further Iranian influence. He sought to restrain Iranian-backed Shiite militias accused of abuses and moderate the government, repeatedly stating that the Iraqi people are the source of authority.Iran, analysts say, will likely try to exploit the vacuum to expand its influence among Iraq’s Shiites.The Iranians “don’t want another al-Sistani ... They don’t want somebody who is strong, who overshadows their own supreme leader,” said Abbas Kadhim, director of the Iraq Initiative at the Atlantic Council. While none of al-Sistani’s potential successors are “in Iran’s pockets,” Tehran can benefit from a weak figure.“If this person is silent and doesn’t intervene, people will look elsewhere for guidance,” Kadhim said.Iran's post-al-Sistani ambitions may be complicated by Iraq's wave of protests since October, which showed a vein of resentment among Shiites to Tehran's power. Many Iraqis have also been angered at how U.S. and Iranian hostilities have played out on their soil, including last month's U.S. drone strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad.One cleric in the Shiite holy city of Najaf said he felt “scared for Iraq” when he learned of al-Sistani’s surgery. When he dies, Iran could use its “revolutionary slogans” to try to attract followers to its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he said.But he argued that al-Sistani's support for peaceful protesters strengthened Najaf's hand among the public against Iran's forays. “Things weren’t that complicated for Iran” before, he said.Al-Sistani has been a counterweight to Iran, not only in politics. He represents a school of thought in Shiism opposed to direct rule by clerics, the system in place in Iran, where Khamenei has the final word in all matters.Al-Sistani and Khamenei both hold the rank of “marja taqlid” — or “object of emulation,” a figure that pious Shiites revere as a spiritual guide. But the majority of Iraq’s Shiites follow al-Sistani, as do many in Iran and around the world.Fending off Iran is a concern for many in the Najaf Hawza, the esteemed institution of Shiite religious learning from which al-Sistani's successor will emerge.“Iran ... wants a political stance (in Iraq) that supports it,” said a senior cleric there. “It’s the Hawza that creates balance. Politicians have lost that balance. If the Hawza loses it too, then Iran will have won both on the religious front and on the political front.”Another senior cleric said “it would be stupid not to worry” about Iran. “But it’s all about resistance. Either an outside body can penetrate, or you can stop it.” All the clerics spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity surrounding succession and because Hawza senior clergy rarely talk to the media.Al-Sistani doesn't make public appearances and doesn’t deliver sermons — his messages are put out by intermediaries.He has been recovering from his surgery and this month has resumed receiving visitors at his modest home near Najaf’s gold-domed Imam Ali Shrine.An AP reporter had a rare visit with him in July. With a scorching Najaf sun beating down, scores lined up outside the narrow alley leading to his home. In a sitting room, al-Sistani spoke with the reporter softly and deliberately in accented Arabic, a relic of his Iranian origin. A dark robe draped around his slender, slightly hunched figure, he made eye contact and gesticulated with one hand, seemingly in good health.Despite the modest trappings, al-Sistani is a larger-than-life figure to whom millions of Shiites look for guidance on even the smallest questions of life.Under his leadership, the Hawza's ranks swelled after dwindling under the repressive rule of Saddam Hussein. Would-be Shiite clerics from around the world flock to the Hawza, learning from the faith’s most respected scholars, whose influence in turn resonates around the Shiite community. Religious classes are dispersed among mosques or buildings in the run-down alleys of Najaf’s Old City.The Hawza prides itself on in its independence, governed by centuries-old traditions and unwritten rules. Status is earned by years of building up a reputation for religious knowledge and respect among students and peers.The system for al-Sistani’s succession is complex and informal: no one is “appointed” and there won’t be an immediate declaration of a successor. It can take months or even years until one cleric garners enough followers and influence to gain consensus as the new leading “object of emulation.”A group of the Hawza’s eminent clerics known as “Ahl al-Khibra” or “the people of expertise,” guide the process, steering the faithful toward a figure based on piety and superiority of knowledge.The most likely contenders, if they outlive al-Sistani, are two grand ayatollahs — Afghan-born Mohammed Ishaq al-Fayadh, who is 89 or 90, and Najaf-born Mohammed Saeed al-Hakim, who is in his 80s. Given their advanced age, observers have floated possible candidates from the younger generation.Al-Sistani’s influential son, Mohamed Reda, could play a role in shaping the succession if he threw his weight behind a candidate who he thinks will follow in his father’s footsteps, said Baghdad-based analyst Sajad Jiyad. “It’s important for him that al-Sistani’s school is cemented.”Still, some question if a figure as broadly accepted as al-Sistani will emerge or how long that can take. The senior clerics who spoke to the AP — and who belong to the Ahl al-Khibra — were confident the Hawza’s cloistered ways and deeply entrenched traditions were difficult for Iran to penetrate and that no successor can veer far from al-Sistani's path.“Our Sunni surroundings won’t allow for Iraq to become a Shiite religious state,” said one of them. “The international community won’t allow for another Iranian copy in Iraq, nor does our social reality,” he added, referring to Iraq’s diverse religious and ethnic groups.Iran has tried. It was believed to have been trying to build a following in Najaf for an Iranian cleric close to its supreme leader as a potential successor of al-Sistani. But the cleric, Grand Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, died in 2018.Even as he shunned a direct rule by clerics, al-Sistani weighed in actively throughout Iraq’s turbulent times, helping shape the rise in power of the country’s Shiite majority.His positions forced Iraq’s post-Saddam American administrators to significantly revise their transition plans. In 2004, it took his return from London, where he was treated for a heart condition, to end fighting in Najaf between a Shiite militia and U.S. and Iraqi forces.Still, his influence had limits. He spoke out against reprisals against Sunnis during times of sectarian bloodshed in the mid-2000s but that didn’t stop the vicious killings. In 2014, thousands heeded his calls for Iraqis to take up arms against the onslaught of the Sunni Islamic State group. That helped defeat the militants; but it also filled the ranks of Iranian-backed Shiite militias accused of abuses against Sunnis, which have become a significant political force.Anger at Iran’s influence has helped fuel the current protest movement, the largest seen in Iraq. Protesters complain of corruption by politicians and many reject both Iranian and American interference.Al-Sistani has voiced support for the demands of peaceful protesters and denounced the crackdown against them. He has also spoken out against all foreign intervention and called for an Iraq “that is ruled by its children with no role for outsiders in its decisions.” Clerics in Najaf said the word “outsiders” was seen as a harsh message to Iran.Many protesters view him as a protector and sympathizer. But their attitude is complicated, given many of them dream of Iraq moving beyond sectarian allegiances.At a march in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square, the epicenter of protests, 24-year-old Yassir Kadhim carried a banner with the cleric’s image.“As long as he supports the protests, we will continue. We will continue to death ... because the blood of martyrs has been spilled,” he said. But while he follows al-Sistani, he said he would carry on protesting regardless.“I went out for the sake of this homeland, not for anyone’s sake.”___Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through the Religion News Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for this content.Qassim Abdul-Zahra And Mariam Fam, The Associated Press
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CBC
Long-term resident now homeless after fire destroys historic Pincher Creek hotel
Alexander Fleming was working at a convenience store Saturday in Pincher Creek when he heard the news: the historic building he called home was going up in flames. "Someone came in around 3:30 or 4 p.m. and they were like, 'hey did you hear what's happening? did you see the fire trucks go by?' and I'm like, no? … and they said, 'you're probably looking for a new apartment' and then he handed me his cellphone," Fleming said."There's already flames, just flames shooting out the back of the fire exit door. He showed me a picture of that and I could see, based on that, I'm probably not going to have anything left."The King Edward Hotel, which dates back to 1904, was destroyed. Nobody was hurt. RCMP are investigating what caused the fire.Fleming has rented an apartment in the building for a year, and said there were two or three other long-term tenants. All of the furniture in the apartment was his — and it's all gone. He has celiac disease and Type 1 diabetes, meaning he also has to deal with high medical expenses and strict dietary needs. His sister has started a GoFundMe to support him — and Fleming says he's been able to replace his medical supplies — but he says he worries about finding a new living space as affordable as the hotel was that will fit his needs, like a place with no shared kitchen.But he said the community is helping him get back on his feet. "These people care about me and I care about them, even if I don't really know them. And it's it's a great place," he said.David McQuaig, the hotel's owner, said a lot of time, love and money went into restoring the old building and now he's not sure what's next."For the first time in my life, I'm not going to work seven days a week," he said.He said he's met with the insurance company and once the investigation is complete, he'll decide what to do going forward."I don't think you could ever recreate the spirit and the love that was in that building," McQuaig said.
Rumble
How to make fried chicken with sesame seeds
Watch Rose prepare & cook delicious fresh Fried Chicken With Sesame Seeds. Enjoy!
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The Canadian Press
Celebrity birthdays for the week of Feb. 23-29
Celebrity birthdays for the week of Feb. 23-29Feb. 23: Steel guitarist Rusty Young of Poco is 74. Actress Patricia Richardson ("Strong Medicine," ''Home Improvement") is 69. Guitarist Brad Whitford of Aerosmith is 68. Singer Howard Jones is 65. Guitarist Michael Wilton of Queensryche is 58. Actress Kristin Davis ("Sex and the City") is 55. Actor Marc Price ("Family Ties") is 52. TV personality Daymond John ("Shark Tank") is 51. Actress Niecy Nash (“The Soul Man,” "Reno 911!") is 50. Bassist Jeff Beres of Sister Hazel is 49. Guitarist-keyboardist Lasse Johansson of The Cardigans is 47. Songwriter Robert Lopez ("Frozen") is 45. Actress Kelly Macdonald ("Boardwalk Empire") is 44. Rapper Residente of Calle 13 is 42. Actor Josh Gad ("Frozen," ''Jobs") is 39. Actor Aziz Ansari ("Parks and Recreation") is 37. Actress Emily Blunt (“A Quiet Place,” "The Devil Wears Prada") is 37. Actor Tye White (“Greenleaf”) is 34. Actress Dakota Fanning is 26.Feb. 24: Actor Dominic Chianese ("Boardwalk Empire," ''The Sopranos") is 89. Singer Joanie Sommers is 79. Actress Jenny O'Hara ("Transparent," ''The Mindy Project") is 78. Actor Barry Bostwick is 75. Singer-producer Rupert Holmes is 73. Actor Edward James Olmos is 73. Musician George Thorogood is 70. Actress Debra Jo Rupp ("That '70s Show") is 69. Actress Helen Shaver ("The Color of Money") is 69. Country singer Sammy Kershaw is 62. Actor Mark Moses ("Desperate Housewives") is 62. Actress Beth Broderick ("Sabrina, The Teenage Witch") is 61. Singer Michelle Shocked is 58. Actor Billy Zane is 54. Actress Bonnie Somerville ("NYPD Blue") is 46. Jazz saxophonist Jimmy Greene is 45. Singer Brandon Brown of Mista is 37. Drummer Matt McGinley of Gym Class Heroes is 37. Actor Wilson Bethel ("Hart of Dixie") is 36. Actor Alexander Koch ("Under the Dome") is 32. Actor Daniel Kaluuya ("Black Panther," ''Get Out") is 31.Feb. 25: Actor Tom Courtenay ("Dr. Zhivago") is 83. CBS newsman Bob Schieffer is 83. Actress Diane Baker is 82. Actress Karen Grassle ("Little House on the Prairie") is 78. Talk-show host Sally Jessy Raphael is 78. Singer-guitarist Mike Peters of The Alarm is 61. Comedian Carrot Top is 55. Actress Veronica Webb is 55. Actor Alexis Denisof ("Angel," ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer") is 54. Actress Tea Leoni is 54. Actress Lesley Boone (“Agent Carter,” "Ed") is 52. Actor Sean Astin is 49. Singer Daniel Powter is 49. Singer Justin Jeffre of 98 Degrees is 47. Actor Anson Mount (“Hell on Wheels,” “Star Trek: Discovery”) is 47. Comedian Chelsea Handler is 45. Actress Rashida Jones ("The Office," ''Parks and Recreation") is 44. Singer Shawna Thompson of Thompson Square is 42. Actor Justin Berfield ("Malcolm in the Middle") is 34. Actress Jameela Jamil (“The Good Place”) is 34. Actors James and Oliver Phelps ("Harry Potter" films) are 34. Bassist Erik Haager of Carolina Liar is 33.Feb. 26: Game-show host Tom Kennedy ("Name That Tune," ''Split Second") is 93. Guitarist Paul Cotton of Poco is 77. Actor-director Bill Duke is 77. Actress Marta Kristen ("Lost in Space") is 75. Singer Mitch Ryder is 75. Keyboardist Jonathan Cain of Journey is 70. Singer Michael Bolton is 67. Actor Greg Germann ("Ally McBeal") is 62. Actor Mark Dacascos ("Hawaii Five-0") is 56. Actress Jennifer Grant is 54. Bassist Tim Commerford (Audioslave, Rage Against The Machine) is 52. Singer Erykah Badu is 49. Actor Maz Jobrani ("Superior Donuts") is 48. Singer Rico Wade of Society of Soul is 48. Singer Kyle Norman of Jagged Edge is 45. Actor Greg Rikaart (“The Young and the Restless”) is 43. Drummer Chris Culos of O.A.R. is 41. Singer Corinne Bailey Rae is 41. Actor Alex Heartman (“Power Rangers Samurai”) is 30. Actress Taylor Dooley ("The Adventures of Shark Boy and a Lava Girl in 3-D") is 27.Feb. 27: Actress Joanne Woodward is 90. Actress Barbara Babcock is 83. Actor Howard Hesseman is 80. Actress Debra Monk is 71. Guitarist Neal Schon of Journey is 66. Guitarist Adrian Smith of Iron Maiden is 63. Actor Timothy Spall ("Sweeney Todd," ''Enchanted") is 63. Keyboardist Paul Humphreys of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is 60. Singer Johnny Van Zant (Van Zant, Lynryd Skynyrd) is 60. Percussionist Leon Mobley of Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals is 59. Actor Adam Baldwin (TV's "Chuck") is 58. Actor Grant Show ("Devious Maids," ''Melrose Place") is 58. Guitarist Mike Cross of Sponge is 55. Actor Noah Emmerich is 55. Actor Donal Logue is 54. Singer Chilli of TLC is 49. Keyboardist Jeremy Dean of Nine Days is 48. Singer Roderick Clark (Hi-Five) is 47. Bassist Shonna Tucker (Drive-By Truckers) is 42. Actor Brandon Beemer ("The Bold and the Beautiful") is 40. Drummer Cyrus Bolooki of New Found Glory is 40. Singer Bobby Valentino (Mista) is 40. Singer Josh Groban is 39. Banjoist Noam Pikelny of Punch Brothers is 39. Drummer Jared Champion of Cage The Elephant is 37. Actress Kate Mara ("American Horror Story") is 37. Reality show star JWoww (Jenni Farley) ("Jersey Shore") is 34.Feb. 28: Actor Gavin MacLeod is 89. Singer Sam the Sham is 83. Actor-director-dancer Tommy Tune is 81. Actor Frank Bonner ("WKRP in Cincinnati") is 78. Actress Kelly Bishop ("Gilmore Girls") is 76. Actress Stephanie Beacham ("Beverly Hills, 90210," ''SeaQuest DSV") is 73. Writer-director Mike Figgis is 72. Actress Mercedes Ruehl is 72. Actress Bernadette Peters is 72. Actress Ilene Graff ("Mr. Belvedere") is 71. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried is 65. Actor John Turturro is 63. Singer Cindy Wilson of The B-52's is 63. Actress Rae Dawn Chong ("The Color Purple") is 59. Actress Maxine Bahns ("The Brothers McMullen") is 51. Actor Robert Sean Leonard ("House, M.D.") is 51. Singer Pat Monahan of Train is 51. Author Lemony Snicket (aka Daniel Handler) is 50. Actress Tasha Smith ("Empire") is 49. Actor Rory Cochrane ("24," ''CSI: Miami") is 48. Actress Ali Larter is 44. Country singer Jason Aldean is 43. Actor Geoffrey Arend ("Madam Secretary") is 42. Actress Melanie Chandra ("Code Black") is 36. Actress Michelle Horn ("Family Law," ''Strong Medicine") is 33. Actress True O'Brien ("Days of Our Lives") is 26. Actress Madisen Beaty ("The Fosters") is 25. Actress Quinn Shephard ("Hostages") is 25. Actor Bobbe J. Thompson ("The Tracy Morgan Show") is 24.Feb. 29 (Leap Birthday Year): Actor Joss Ackland (“A Kid in King Arthur’s Court,” “The Mighty Ducks”) is 23 (born 1928). Actor Antonio Sabato Jr. is 12 (born 1972). Rapper Ja Rule is 11 (born 1976). Singer Mark Foster (Foster the People) is 9 (born 1984).The Associated Press
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CBC
Emergency warming shelter workers learn how to help vulnerable people in urgent crises
Volunteers and staff at an emergency warming centre are now equipped with new skills to help the most vulnerable people living in Winnipeg.Marie-Christine Bruce volunteers with Just a Warm Sleep, which held a two-day non-violent crisis intervention workshop this weekend.The training is meant to provide paid and unpaid contributors at the overnight centre with a toolkit to respond to someone in an urgent situation."And how to deal with that in a respectful, positive, safe manner for everybody involved," Bruce said.The emergency warming centre located at 109 Pulford St. in the Augustine United Church opens its doors every night between Jan. 1 and March 31. Anyone 18 and older who is looking for a warm place to sleep is welcome to spend the night there.People who use the warming centre come from a variety of backgrounds, including those suffering from a lack of affordable housing, experiencing mental health problems and using substances."Sometimes it can be a bit unpredictable," Bruce said.Occasionally people will arrive in an agitated state, or will become agitated when the building has already reached its capacity and they are directed elsewhere — the centre will redirect people to Main Street Project or the Salvation Army.Bruce works one overnight shift, known as the "check-in shift" each week. Overall, she finds it rewarding."It's work I really enjoy because you get to meet some very interesting, kind, generous, wonderful people. It actually usually goes very smoothly, which is not what people expect."Diffusing crisisLaura Everett of 1JustCity — which runs the warming centre — teaches members how to diffuse a difficult situation when dealing with someone in a crisis."A lot of the skills that we go over are boundary setting, limit setting, making sure that we're speaking in a way that calms people down, body language, all sorts of things that help when we're dealing with people in crisis," Everett said.Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud, the executive director of 1JustCity, explained that the training reminds members how to remain calm and supportive of people who are struggling in urgent situations.Blaikie Whitecloud has been involved with the non-profit organization since ground zero, and said the overnight shelter hit capacity several times during the long, frigid winter season of 2019.And it's only picking up. "We're seeing an increase in need in the city," she said.One man has been at the warming centre nearly every night since it opened, Blaikie Whitecloud said.The shelter has been seeing alarming levels of methamphetamine and opioid use."We are seeing people that can't access other spaces because they're not sober enough," she said. "So they end up here."As a no-barrier space, visitors are also welcome to bring dogs and all of their belongings, including bags and shopping carts.Bear Paw Security are on hand to assist staff and guests at the warming centre. Blaikie Whitecloud says they are well trained, and accustomed to working with people who have been using substances.Intake at the emergency warming centre occurs nightly from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on a first come, first served basis, for up to a maximum of 30 people per night. Guests are woken up by 6:30 a.m. and asked to leave by 7 a.m.The centre closes for the winter season on March 31, and 1JustCity also operates three daytime drop-in spaces year-round.
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CBC
Luke's Legacy: Brandon family hopes to raise awareness about organ donation following son's death
Aimee Hatcher says her son Luke had a big heart and was the type of kid who would give the shirt off his back to a friend in need. Knowing that, she said, made the decision to donate his organs after a tragic accident a lot easier. "I think the decision to donate Luke's organs was really prompted by him, by knowing what he was like as a kid," said Hatcher. "He was very kind-hearted and we knew that this was what he would want." Luke Hatcher died in December 2019. The 12-year-old was hospitalized following an accident while playing in the basement of his family's home.He had become tangled in some ropes he was using to make an indoor obstacle course.He was revived and later taken to Winnipeg's Children's Hospital, where doctors gave his parents the bleak prognosis that he likely wouldn't recover. Hatcher said she and her husband Kevin made the choice to donate his organs after seeing many families with sick children in the hospital. "Being in the hospital, with him being in the [Pediatric Intensive Care Unit] at HSC, seeing the families that were there, it was, kind of, one of those decisions that wasn't even something that we had to think about," Hatcher said during an interview at her family's home. "We knew that if Luke could see what was going on there, if he was physically there with us, he would want to have donated his organs."Hatcher said just over 50 hours after she and her husband made the decision, transplant teams from across the country began arriving at the hospital, and at 11 p.m. on Dec. 17, Luke was wheeled in the operating room. His kidneys, lungs, liver and pancreas were able to be matched with donors. Only his heart, she said, remained unmatched. "Since that time, my husband and I have strongly felt that Luke left us with a legacy to uphold," said Hatcher. "Luke was a kid that lived his life very much without fear and with joy and kindness. "His heart was everything." WATCH: Aimee Hatcher discusses her family's decision to donate Luke's organs. Hatcher said she and her family feel proud knowing Luke lives on now through so many others. "I often think that the two organs I think the most about, which may seem a little bit silly, but I think about his pancreas which has now given somebody the ability to live without diabetes, which is pretty fantastic," she said. "And I think about his lungs often."Luke was a runner and he was very good at sports in general," Hatcher said. "I often think about those strong lungs helping somebody out there to take those breaths and that's really important to me." 'He loved life'Hatcher said her son was adventurous right from birth. "He loved life. He loved being with his family. He loved treasure hunting. The simple moments," she said. "Being up at the trailer, going for hikes, being in nature. That was kind of his jam."Hatcher said Luke was also big into sports and had earned a blue belt in karate — two levels away from earning a black belt. "There was never any concept of 'oh I can't do that' because of course [he] could do that," she said. But, she said there was also a kind, caring side of her son. "He was the kid that would give you the shirt off of his back," she said. "You know, if he had twenty dollars and he was going to the mall, he was going to make sure that all his friends had their snacks or whatever it was that they wanted." Having known that about her son made the decision to donate his organs easy, she said. Green Heart Project The Hatcher family has now launched what they call the Green Heart Project. While she doesn't know what her end goal is yet, Hatcher said she envisions a foundation focused on raising awareness about organ donation and supporting families who are faced with tough decisions. "With every organ donation there's that beautiful side where somebody has received something they need to live," she said. "But there's the other side where somebody has gone through a tragedy."I'd like to see it as a place where we can find support and provide support for those types of families."WATCH: How the Green Heart Project got startedThe name, she said, comes from green being the colour of organ donation, and the heart to honour Luke's big heart. "We really want to encourage people to talk about organ donation not just as adults, but one thing that we learned through all of this is that organ donation among children is … we don't see a lot of it," Hatcher said. "It becomes very hard for parents to make that decision in that moment and I can understand that. It's very traumatic," she added. "It is very difficult to be in the PICU with your child and have to think about maybe putting them through that or putting yourselves through that." Important conversationsDr. Faisal Siddiqui, a physician with Transplant Manitoba's Gift of Life program, said the discussion about organ donation, while perhaps not an easy one, is an important one to have at all ages. "I think that this is not the kind of conversation that people have at the dinner table on a regular basis," he said. "I think the best way that this comes up is a meaningful conversation with family about loved ones." Dr. Siddiqui said the most important thing is making your intentions known."If I had to tell or give advice to Manitobans in terms of how to bring it up, I think ... one person has to bring it up in a group of people in any of those situations, and they'll find that that conversation almost takes care of itself," Dr. Siddiqui said. Hatcher said she and her husband have since spoken with their two daughters — aged seven and 10 — about organ donation and both agreed it was something they would do as well, if faced with the same situation. She released a video in late January, produced by Brandon, Man., based Trident Films, that details her family's story and the beginnings of her project. So far, she said the community support and awareness it has raised has been phenomenal. "You know so it was twofold," she said, about producing the film. "It was, you know, Kevin and I making sure that we were telling Luke's story and making him proud."But it was also, you know, let's make this mean something. Let's give this some meaning to what has happened."Taking it day by day Hatcher said her family is still adjusting to life without Luke. "Life is very different," she said. "I think we are all learning to live with the new reality, the new normal."She said Luke is still a big part of both her daughters' lives as well."Anytime we go anywhere, I mean they still talk about their brother," Hatcher said. "We still talk about him very very openly, obviously." For now, she said her family is taking things day by day."We're managing and I think that's all we can be expected to do right now." Hatcher said she hopes to launch a website for the Green Heart project soon and looks forward to see where the project takes she and her family in the future.
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CBC
City of Edmonton should consider cleaning your sidewalks, councillor says
A city councillor wants Edmonton to consider revamping its entire snow removal strategy, with all options on the table including the possibility of city-led sidewalk snow removal. With a population of almost one million people, Edmonton can't continue using the same policies that have been in place since the city was half that size, said Ward 4 Coun. Aaron Paquette.Added to that are changing weather patterns that create more freeze-thaw cycles, so the city must reconsider the way it manages snow removal, he said. "What we have traditionally done worked," said Paquette in an interview. "We know winter is changing but we haven't changed our approach. We're spreading out. We've got enough single roadway to drive all the way to Newfoundland and back. So imagine taking care of that length of road every time it snows." Workers are having trouble keeping up with how often major roads need to be cleared, he said, meaning residential areas don't receive as much attention.Paquette said on March 9 he plans to introduce a motion asking administration to analyze the feasibility of a snow-and-ice clearing pilot project. The report would look at how the city could improve efforts to keep roads and sidewalks clear, before testing new solutions in select neighbourhoods that could be later expanded across the city.The possibilities for the project could include everything from full service snow clearing to re-prioritizing which roads get cleared; Paquette suggested the idea of focusing on the core first then moving outwards doesn't necessarily work for a city as big as Edmonton."What if we were able to do full-service snow clearing? What would the cost be? What would that look like? And how would we actually implement it? The idea is that in the process we would be getting learnings."Paquette wants the pilot project to involve a range of neighbourhoods from the core to the outer suburbs.Last week, after hearing complaints from frustrated constituents, Coun. Michael Walters said the city needs to improve its snow-clearing efforts. Paquette said he has heard similar complaints that for people with mobility issues, injuries or who need strollers for their children, it can be difficult to use sidewalks and streets during the winter."Everyone recognizes this has been an incredibly frustrating winter, not only for the public but also for the frontline services, the people out in the machines trying to get the job done," Paquette said.Bob Summers, associate chair at the University of Alberta's School of Urban and Regional Planning, said he supports Paquette's motion because Edmonton has done a poor job of dealing with snow and ice on sidewalks.Summers said he hopes alternative approaches will be explored, such as having the city remove snow, relying on private snow-clearing, having community organizations help with the work, or by using awareness campaigns and harsher enforcement by handing out more tickets to people who don't keep their sidewalks clear.It's a critical issue, Summers said, because snow clearing has a major impact on how people move around the city. If people who want to walk or cycle instead of driving face unmanageable sidewalks, they're likely to just get back in their cars
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CBC
Break out the barbecue! Corner Brook study shows benefits of craft beer marinade
Backyard grillers have been saying it for years, and now there's scientific proof: marinating your meat in beer is good for you.According to a team of researchers at Memorial University's Grenfell Campus, marinating moose and beef in unfiltered craft beer with a low-alcohol level helps preserve anti-cancer acids in the meat while significantly improving the antioxidants, which fight the compounds linked to multiple illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer."The population likes to have a beer with a grilled product so it's a double-whammy … you can get your beer and also have meat with flavour from your beer," said Raymond Thomas, associate professor and principal investigator of the functional foods research program.The team of scientists and researchers at Grenfell Campus of Memorial University has been studying the effects of craft beer marination on grilled meat since 2016. The results were featured recently in two food science journals."One of the things that I hope will come from this work is an alternative use for unfiltered base craft beers that have these herbs, spices, fruit, vegetables used in the formulation, that you can use them to make different types of marinades that will improve the nutritional quality and safety of grilled food," said Thomas.Thomas said there were two reasons craft beers, not more mass-produced brews, were used for the study: the ingredients are usually more creative, and most craft beer is not filtered, meaning sediment, which may contain yeast, aromas and proteins, is removed."If you are a small craft brewer, you can go out and play around with different types of ingredients so you have more independence in terms of new formulations that you can come up with over a short period of time," Thomas said. "I think that's where the difference is."To protect the integrity of the research, Thomas wouldn't divulge the type of craft beer used. However, he said, many local brewmasters use the same ingredients and, since they are also not filtering the beer, the same benefits should apply."The main ingredients, rather than what kind of beer, is that it's an unfiltered beer that has herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables in a formulation so, regardless of who you are as a craft brewer, if you're using this in your formulation and you have these types of products, then it's the same type of compounds," Thomas said."It's just that your composition might be a little bit different, depending on what raw material but you should have similar possibilities and capabilities."Thomas said the study was a departure from some of the work chemists are doing at Grenfell."It's [some] of the lighter, more fun work, and we use it as a balance to some of the hard-core basic stuff that we do."Students agree"This study will be very groundbreaking," said Charles Manful, one of the team's researchers. "This is going to be the first time that unfiltered beers have been used as a base to marinades that can suppress the formation of heterocyclic (amines)."Heterocyclic amines are carcinogenic chemicals formed when cooking meat at high temperatures.Manful's first graduate studies focused on Newfoundland's crop of wild blueberries. When he began researching marinades of craft beer, he was a little skeptical. However, once he began looking into the chemical makeup of the beer, he saw similarities."My initial thoughts were that it wasn't very closely related to my research, as I work on blueberries, but once I got into it and realized the chemistry was consistent to what I did in my previous studies, I … jumped into it," he said. "It's been a wonderful journey and I've learned a lot through the process."Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
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CBC
Abraham Lake has beautiful methane bubbles and dangers, too
The frozen bubbles of Abraham Lake in the Canadian Rockies have attracted a lot of attention, drawing heaps of visitors to the ice, and increasing the risk. Rocky Mountain House Search and Rescue, which responds to emergencies in the area, is warning those who want to see the methane bubbles in person to be prepared and be aware of the dangers. "There's lots of hazards — slips, trips and falls — so we recommend people have crampons, Yaktrax and some good winter clothing in case you are stuck out here for some time," said Daniel Sweeting, with the organization. The fact that Abraham Lake is the result of a dam makes it particularly dangerous due to varying water levels that can cause the ice to collapse. A large hole on the lake was making the rounds on social media recently, which represents an extreme example of what could happen on the lake, said the organization. "The ice that was over the land right there was able to stay suspended," said Sweeting. "If you're walking over some some thin ice it could obviously collapse and it would be a few feet drop, or if you're exploring underneath it, were it to collapse, you could potentially get stuck under there."
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CBC
Wait-times top issue in veterans ombudsman annual report
The top complaint in the recently released annual report by the veterans ombudsman is wait-times for a decision on benefits.Craig Dalton is the veterans ombudsman and splits his time between Ottawa and Charlottetown. He says he thinks both his office and Veterans Affairs can do a better job helping retired service people."I think we can collectively do a better job for veterans, I think we can manage complaints more quickly," he said."Wait-times are the number one issue all the time."Dalton said wait-times can cause frustration and those veterans who may be at risk of homelessness or need medical care are affected more significantly by having to wait.There are about 44,000 veterans and while that is difficult to triage Dalton said, "if you are at risk if you are in a situation where you are unable to access care because you haven't received a decision… reach out to our office."The report also highlights the fact that a number of veterans waiting for a decision filled out the wrong forms because they didn't have the correct information. "That's a very real issue. Sometimes it is individuals not having the information they need to complete the program. Sometimes it is individuals trying to navigate to them what might be a complex process," he said.Sometimes people may need medical information and to get that information the process can also be complex and take time as well."I think the process by its very nature requires a lot of information and sometimes that is just difficult to put together," Dalton said.In 2018-2019 the ombudsman's office opened 2,000 new files. After an investigation the ombudsman's office determined 628 of the complainants had been treated unfairly.OutcomesIn the report Dalton said he wants to be able to define outcomes for veterans."What are we actually trying to achieve for veterans? What are their needs? Where are the gaps?" he said.Dalton points to other parts of the world for examples."The United Kingdom over the past couple years has developed a national veterans strategy… with some outcomes. Those outcomes include things like financial security but also health, social inclusion, employment, sense of purpose, housing and shelter," Dalton said.Women veteransAnother thing Dalton highlights is concerns around veterans who are women."There are women veterans and groups of women veterans who don't appear to have the same positive outcomes that male veterans do," he said.Dalton said there is more to understand and there are more challenges and barriers for women veterans."We know for example they tend not to self-identify as veterans and therefore they might not be as willing to seek benefits and support," he said."Things evolve and happen differently for women veterans."Dalton said he wants to do his bit to shine a light on that.More P.E.I. news
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CBC
'There was some style back then': Regina man creates vintage-inspired custom rides
Jason MacPherson runs his hands over the custom-made inner fender on the '35 Pontiac in his workshop. He's been working on it for two years and jokes that he could be at it for ten.The end result will be a MacPherson original. He grins and gestures to a "photoshopped" version (done with razors, tape, magnets and printouts) of what it will look like once he's done. MacPherson runs The Complete Wheelshop in Regina. He does wheel restoration for his daily work, but thrives on shaping metal to restore old cars or transform them into how they should look. "Everything nowadays looks the same, from a Ford to Jaguar, really," he said. "You know, there was some style back then." Most of his creative work happens through trial and error. He experiments with bending, shrinking, folding and chopping hunks of metal to form the puzzle pieces of his design. "I'm not really afraid to try different things and you definitely fail at it numerous times before you get it," he said. "There's probably lots of metal in the garbage can." He's not discouraged by the challenges that arise. MacPherson said he enjoys problem-solving and finds it fun to bring the vehicles back to life. On display in the front room of the shop is his altered 1936 Chevy. He's driven at least 40,000 kilometres in the drastically modified piece, often heading south to rockabilly events and car shows in New Mexico, Texas and Las Vegas. MacPherson found inspiration in a squashed fibreglass drag car. He took 15 centimetres out of the body and another ten out of the roof. "I've really cut a lot of metal out of it, made it a lot sleeker." Across the room, beyond two old roadsters, is a framed 2010 Canadian Hotrod magazine feature showcasing another car, one he created from aluminum sheets during nine months with almost no sleep. It's a crossover with a '26 Ford and the ideas floating around in his mind. He said metal shapers are good for sharing tips and tricks online, so he heads there for inspiration. People often underestimate the time it takes to bring the visions to life. He said the windshield frame alone took 20 hours. For him, it's worth it. "Grabbing a piece of metal and then forming it — it's just exciting."
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CBC
Higgs may have jeopardized reputation for making politically risky decisions in health reform fallout
A week is a long time in politics, they say, and that was especially true during the last seven days in New Brunswick.Last Tuesday, the Higgs government's reputation for making tough, politically risky decisions was at the forefront of the announcement of changes to small-town hospitals.If there was political flak, "we're going to do it anyway," Health Minister Ted Flemming declared. "A government has to govern. There's been enough studies, enough consultations, enough reviews, enough, enough, enough."The CEOs of the province's two health authorities were "fabulously qualified" to lead the reform along with their staffs and boards, he said, "to the point that New Brunswickers should be thankful and grateful that we have these people in New Brunswick." Fast forward to Premier Blaine Higgs's news conference on Monday, when he said that the plan was not as "ready to go" as the CEOs had said it was, and that its implementation was "not well-defined.""I did expect that they would have a greater ability to roll out the plan," he said of the CEOs, Karen McGrath at Horizon and Gilles Lanteigne at Vitalité."I was disappointed that that was not the case. Anyone would be disappointed that we weren't able to roll this out seamlessly."Too many questions, few answersAccording to Higgs, too many questions came up in the intervening week that lacked answers.With six small-town emergency departments shutting down between midnight and 8 a.m. starting next month, would there be more advanced-care paramedics to accommodate the increase in patients travelling greater distances to city hospitals?Would there still be palliative care in those smaller hospitals? Were doctors spelled off from overnight shifts in the ER actually practising in those communities, allowing them to see more patients during the day, as the health authorities promised? "Those questions should have been clear, answered, without any concern," Higgs said. But, he said, they weren't. And apparently they had not been asked by anyone in his government — a startling admission for a premier who emphasizes managerial competence and precise, measurable achievements."I'm an engineer," Higgs told a business audience in Saint John last year. "I love Gantt charts," a kind of bar graph showing timelines and targets."I love measurements. I love people to hold accountable: like 'Who owns this?' and 'When are you coming back with a report?' and 'what's that report going to look like?' and 'When are we going to see results,' so that we have a timeline."How, then, did no one ask the right questions about the health plan before it was released — especially given that versions of the plan have been floating around for more than a decade?Higgs acknowledged Monday he had not been shown a Gantt chart, "which I would normally see," for the health reforms."I was assured it was all done," he said, "because we've been trying to do it for so long."He explained that as premier he wants to delegate decision-making to "people in their own divisions, to take responsibility for their everyday activities."In this case, though, it took a week of protests for Higgs to discover there was a lack of forethought about the spinoff effects on other parts of the system.Health reform plans aren't dead yetThe resulting fallout took his minority government to the brink of a snap election call. It also cost him the only francophone MLA and minister he had, Robert Gauvin. He'll now lack that perspective in future caucus and cabinet deliberations. How, then, to go forward?"Doing nothing is not an option," Higgs said. "It's never been an option for me. Taking a step back is necessary." The plan isn't dead. "I don't know of another plan," Higgs said.It will be the basis for consultations the province will organize this spring — the consultations Flemming said a week ago were no longer necessary. That will include visits by Higgs himself to the six communities with affected hospitals.But the premier added he'd be glad to hear alternatives that address the pressing issues that still need urgent solutions: not enough doctors and nurses to allow the system to care for an aging population.And how should people respond the next time he says he's standing firm on an unpopular policy and is willing to go into an election to ensure it goes ahead? "If I'm in a position again, which I hope to be, to say 'I have this plan to roll out, I have assurances we can do this,' maybe I'll ask more questions. But I do ask a lot of questions in any case, so I'm not sure how many more I would ask."But I would expect for people to be accountable for delivering what they promise to deliver, and I have to rely on people to be able to do that." So, he said, he would stake his ground "on different issues going forward, on the basis that I believe in what the plan is, that it will be well executed," he said."The concern here is that the implementation plan was just not well thought-out." For many who believed in Higgs — who were confident he was a non-politician willing to make the hard choices — that distinction was lost, the reversal particularly disappointing."I truly thought he was stronger," Bob McVicar, a Saint John businessman and Conservative supporter, said in a social media post. "He just choked like the rest have in the past. I'm suddenly wondering what makes him different from Gallant."At the end of a critical week for Higgs and his government, that comparison — to the former Liberal premier he often accused of avoiding difficult decisions — may be the cruellest critique of all.
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Reuters
Huawei role in Brazil 5G up to national security chief: regulator
The Brazilian telecoms regulator preparing to auction bandwidth for fifth-generation (5G) mobile data said any decision on the security risks of using Chinese technology will ultimately be taken by the president's national security advisor. Leonardo de Morais, who runs regulator Anatel, told Reuters the auction, which he now expects will take place in November or December, is focused on service operators acquiring the right to use certain frequencies and not the hardware they will employ. Cyber security concerns for 5G technology are so extensive, with applications ranging from finance to agriculture, that the office of the president's national security chief General Augusto Heleno, known as the GSI, must set rules, Morais said.
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CBC
Permit for 'cabin' interferes with proposed wind farm, P.E.I. Energy Corp. argues
The P.E.I. Energy Corporation is appealing a development permit approved by the Rural Municipality of Eastern Kings, saying it interferes with its proposed wind farm expansion.The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission held a public hearing on the issue Tuesday.The municipality granted the permit to an Eastern Kings landowner, who plans to put up a two-bedroom building on his property in the community.Lawyer Gordon MacKay, representing the P.E.I. Energy Corporation, told the hearing that Jeff Klein, who received the development permit, was "well aware" his application could impact the proposed locations for wind turbines for the province's wind farm expansion on a site adjoining Klein's property.MacKay said the Rural Municipality of Eastern Kings "ought to have been" aware of the issue as well, but in testimony former Eastern Kings CAO and development officer Ron Coffin said he hadn't considered how other properties would be affected by the permit.The municipality's development bylaw requires wind turbines be placed a minimum of 1,000 metres from any dwelling on a neighbouring property.If Klein is allowed to build the structure and if the setback is enforced, it could require the P.E.I. Energy Corporation to find new locations for four of the seven proposed new turbines, a significant potential challenge for the $50-million project.'A cabin in the woods'Klein's lawyer, Lynn Murray, told the IRAC panel that at the time Klein received his permit, on Aug. 27, 2019, the province had not submitted an application to Eastern Kings council to build the wind farm.Instead, the P.E.I. Energy Corporation had only provided what it called a "preliminary application" for the wind farm. Murray noted the municipality's development bylaw makes no mention of preliminary applications.The panel was told the actual permit application from the corporation was received Nov. 1.A plan to build a wind farm in an area is not a "moratorium on any and all development," Murray told the panel.The P.E.I. Energy Corporation's position is that Klein's permit should be quashed because its approval did not follow proper process.Permit issued, but former CAO cites 'irregularities'On Aug. 27, 2019 — the same day Klein applied for his permit — Coffin issued a permit for a "new building — 1,000 square feet," according to documents submitted to IRAC as part of the appeal process. The permit indicated Klein's application had been "tentatively approved" pending compliance with regulations and municipal bylaws, and advised Klein he could begin work on the approved building.But in testimony before IRAC Tuesday, Coffin said he was later made aware of "a number of irregularities" in Klein's application by staff with the P.E.I. Energy Corporation.Coffin emailed Klein asking him to submit an amended application.Klein responded he had received notice his permit was being appealed, and said he would be seeking legal counsel.Description of permit changedAn email Coffin received from Heather MacLeod with the P.E.I. Energy Corporation on Sept. 13 described the corporation's position that "this application is not for a dwelling," thus setbacks from wind turbines would not apply.In the email, MacLeod also wrote Coffin was to "update" the brief summary of the permit listed on the province's website "to clarify that this is not a residence, nor a dwelling," something Coffin told the hearing he did.According to that updated listing, the permit was for a "1,000 square-foot sleeping cabin, no well, no sewer / not a defined dwelling." It wasn't immediately clear how the permit had been described before the change.Application incompleteHilary Newman, the lawyer for the Rural Municipality of Eastern Kings, told the panel the municipality is not trying to justify the decision to provide Klein with a development permit — that the municipality concedes the application from Klein was incomplete, in that it did not include elevation drawings or a related permit allowing Klein to build a driveway off the adjoining provincial highway.Klein is one of a number of Eastern Kings residents who signed a letter to council in June, expressing "great concern" that council appeared to be in a "headlong rush" to approve the wind farm expansion without enough information from the P.E.I. Energy Corporation.The letter asked council to take no further action on the matter until a list of conditions had been met.During the hearing Tuesday, Klein was described as a "non-participating landowner" with regards to the wind farm expansion, meaning he has not entered into a revenue-sharing agreement with the P.E.I. Energy Corporation and his land is already considered to be unavailable for placing wind turbines.IRAC is expected to rule on two issues — whether the permit should have been approved in the first place, and what it will mean for the wind farm expansion if the building goes ahead.More from CBC P.E.I.
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CBC
Man dies after falling while trying to ride on outside of limo
A man who was badly injured Sunday night when he attempted to ride on the outside of a limousine in Calgary's Beltline died in hospital on Monday, police say. Police were called to the 1200 block of 11th Avenue S.W. at about 7:30 p.m Sunday for reports of a seriously injured man.Paramedics transported the man to hospital in stable but serious condition.Police said in a release that it's believed the man had been a passenger in the limousine and had gotten out and tried to stand on the running board and hold onto the outside of the limousine while it was moving.The limousine went a short distance along 11th Avenue before the man fell off near the intersection with 12th Street, police said.It's not believed that speed, alcohol and drugs on the part of the limousine driver were factors.Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact police at 403-266-1234 citing case 20069315.
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Reuters
20 years after dot-com peak, tech dominance keeps investors on edge
SAN FRANCISCO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - As Wall Street approaches the 20th anniversary of the piercing of the dot-com bubble, today's decade-old rally led by a few small players shows some similarities that cautious investors are keeping an eye on. March 11, 2000 marked the beginning of a crash of overly-inflated stocks that would last over two years, lead to the failure of investor favorites including Worldcom and Pets.com and take over 13 years for Wall Street to recover from.
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CBC
Brrr. Extreme cold grips Edmonton, northern Alberta
Edmontonians are being told to brace for a brutally chilly day in the city.An extreme cold warning is in effect for communities across northern Alberta — and Edmonton is no exception. Wind chill values of –40 C to –45 C are expected in affected communities throughout the morning."A period of very cold wind chills is expected," Environment Canada warned in an advisory.As of 6 a.m., the temperature in Edmonton was –26 C with a biting wind which made it feel more like –30 C.The extreme cold warning covers a large swath of the province, stretching from High Level and Fort McMurray in the north to Hanna and Coronation in the south. Albertans braving the cold are being told to watch for cold-related symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, numbness and colour change in fingers and toes.The cold snap is expected to end later Tuesday afternoon with temperatures in Edmonton reaching a relatively balmy –12 C.
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CBC
NL Hydro billing error sends electric bills soaring on the coast of Labrador
Some NL Hydro customers on the coast of Labrador were shocked this month to receive bills double or triple — and in one case, nearly 20 times — their previous month's bill.In January, Sybilla Bennett of Hopedale received a bill of $42.38. She got the surprise of her life to get a bill this month of about $800 — which she said would be difficult to afford."I can't keep paying this much after Christmas especially I mean, I already struggled since Christmas time, and as soon as I'm about to get back on my feet this $800 light bill is knocking me down again," she said.Last month, Jim Tuttauk of Hopedale paid $34.33 for electricity. This month, his bill was $525.71 — a jump of more than $490 and 15 times his previous bill. The huge leap made no sense to him."It just don't make sense, especially how we use wood as primary heat. You would probably understand it more if you use it, say, on 25 or 30 degrees every day 24/7," he told CBC's Labrador Morning.Billing error to blameBut NL Hydro says the high electricity bills were caused by a billing error on their part. In a statement released Friday, the utility said additional energy was added onto people's accounts due to delayed meter readings.The company is issuing corrected bills to affected customers, and advised people who have questions to contact customer service at 1-888-737-1296.Torngat Mountains MHA Lela Evans, who has been looking into the issue, said heating costs are a sensitive issue because people on the north coast can't always afford to heat their houses even while burning wood."Not everybody has a snowmobile. Not everybody can actually go out and physically cut the wood, so people have to buy it, and it's really, really expensive," Evans said.Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
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CBC
Co-owner says Whitehorse's newest hotel will fill 'real need'
It's the first major hotel to be built in Whitehorse in nearly 50 years, and it's almost ready for check-ins."Oh yeah, we're just about there," said Doug Gilday of NGC Builders, who's also a co-owner of the Raven Inn. Construction on the Second Avenue building began in 2018. The hotel has 57 units — 38 hotel rooms, and 19 privately owned rental suites on the upper floors. The suites were pre-sold to investors, to help fund the building's construction.The building will also have a bar and restaurant.Gilday says the goal has been to open in time for the Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse next month. The games run from March 15 to 21, and will bring hundreds of visitors to town. Gilday says all rooms are already booked for that week.On Monday, furniture was being moved in. Rooms were painted and flooring was down in many areas, but finishing touches, like tiling, needed to be finished. Gilday says fire alarm and air-testing specialists were among those working in the building on Monday, finishing the details before the building can open.He says it's been a lot of work over the last couple of years."It feels incredibly stressful but really exhilarating at the same time — because it is a magnificent building and functionally it's come together," he said."I think it serves a real need in the market and the community, so it's pretty exciting."According to Tourism Yukon's 2018 year-end report, the occupancy rate for hotels in the territory was about 64.4 per cent that year. Peak occupancy rates were about 91 per cent, in June, July and August — a slight increase over the same months in 2017.
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CBC
Ousted Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation board chair says she should be reinstated
The ousted former board chair of the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation wants to be reinstated immediately."I still have two years to complete my term, and I still have a job to finish," Morven MacPherson said on Monday. "The Tłı̨chǫ people are really upset and they want me back on that board."MacPherson, who was appointed chair in February 2019, says she was let go on Feb. 5, 2020 via email without warning or reason."Just to get an email and no heads up — it really upset me, and it really upset a lot of the Tłı̨chǫ people," said MacPherson.The Tłı̨chǫ Government owns the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation. The corporation is meant to work for the economic benefit of the Tłı̨chǫ people. Board members, including the chair, are appointed and removed by the Chief's Executive Council, which consists of the Tłı̨chǫ grand chief and the chiefs of the four Tłı̨chǫ community governments. In a statement, the Chief's Executive Council confirmed it ended MacPherson's term. A spokesperson said the council "regularly reviews director appointments and makes new appointments to the board from time to time."MacPherson said the council replaced her with former Tłı̨chǫ Grand Chief Eddie Erasmus. On Thursday, Erasmus confirmed that he's the new board chair.Only woman on the board MacPherson grew up in Behchokǫ̀, N.W.T., and was the only woman on the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation board."I went to the university for six years and for the five chiefs to remove the one lady on the board of six, that's just not good," she said. "It's sending a terrible message to the young people. It's sending a terrible message to the ladies. It's just not a good way to operate."The Chief's Executive Council declined to give the reasoning behind letting MacPherson go, but the former chair can think of some possible ones."There definitely were personal reasons," said MacPherson. "I worked with [Monfwi] MLA Jackson Lafferty for years and they've not liked Jackson Lafferty for all that time, so automatically they see me as somebody on the other side."Laffery represents the Tłı̨chǫ communities of Behchokǫ̀, Whatì, Gamètı̀ and Wekweètì in the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly. MacPherson worked as his executive assistant.CBC reached out to Lafferty via email and his office phone line at the Legislature, but did not hear back by deadline.When asked about MacPherson's comments on Lafferty, Whatì Chief Alfonz Nitsiza, who sits on the Chief's Executive Council, said "that's her own story, I guess. We have no comment on that." Nitsiza also dismissed the questionable optics of removing the only woman on the board. "That's not how we operate," he said. "We pick who we think can do the work."CBC attempted to call all the chiefs of the four Tłı̨chǫ community governments. Gamètì Chief David Wedowin and Behchokǫ̀ Chief Clifford Daniels could not be reached. Wekweètì Chief Charlie Football referred CBC to Grand Chief George Mackenzie. Mackenzie could not be reached by phone for comment.Troubled trucking companiesMacPherson's removal comes as the Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation is in the process of selling off assets of two trucking companies it owns, Ventures West Transport LP and Tłı̨ Chǫ Landtran Transport Ltd. The corporation had been loaning the companies money for years.The companies specialized in ice road transportation and primarily shipped fuel, cement and other supplies to the Northwest Territories' diamond mines. They're currently protected from court action against them by creditors while they work to sell around 250 trucks, trailers, shipping containers and shop equipment, according to court documents. Court filings from December say the trucking businesses employed 43 people, all of whom were let go save five, who stayed on to help wind down operations. The deadline for bids on the assets was last Friday, but the nature and number of bids received is unclear. Mark Brajer, Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation CEO, did not respond to requests for an interview. 'A bit concerning'Ted Blondin, a Tłı̨chǫ Investment Corporation board member, said it's "a bit concerning" that the board's chair was removed during a period of change at the corporation."We've made some changes to turn the business around, and on debt recovery, and put in stronger policies so the board can be run more effectively and efficiently," said Blondin. I was there for every single Tłı̨chǫ shareholder, every Tłı̨chǫ citizen, and every time I made a decision, I always thought of all of those people. \- Morven MacPherson, former chair of the Tlicho Investment Corporation boardHe said the corporation was in "a big deficit, so we had to make some tough decisions." Those included selling the assets of the trucking companies to pay off creditors, and changing policies on credit cards, human resources and salaries. "We were making progress and right in the middle of all that, this happens," said Blondin, referring to MacPherson's dismissal. "It means we have to realign our team." Blondin said MacPherson was an effective leader.MacPherson said the board had been working hard to make "positive changes and improvements to the organization." "I don't think they liked that," she said of the Chief's Executive Council. "They're stuck on staying with the status quo, and I don't believe in that."MacPherson said she's led the board with the Tłı̨chǫ people front of mind."I told them when I got on that board I was not there for myself," she said. "I was there for every single Tłı̨chǫ shareholder, every Tłı̨chǫ citizen, and every time I made a decision, I always thought of all of those people."
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CBC
'Grotesque smell': Aurora College students speak out about heating issues in building
Delaney Taylor is a first-year student who says when the heat was turned off at Aurora College's Yellowknife campus on Monday, students were wearing jackets indoors and rubbing their hands together to stay warm.That morning, students received an email from the school alerting them that one of the pumps in the building was leaking and the heat had to be shut off.Taylor said this isn't the first time there have been heating issues in the building. "I bring my slippers to school every day, so that my feet are warmer. And I bring a little blanket with me, which I just kind of figured was because I was cold until I found out that other people were doing it too." When Taylor told her mother, Tara Marchiori, how cold it was in the building that day — she was outraged."There's no heat in the building, I mean it's -36 C and they didn't send anyone home. Which seems like a misstep to me," Marchiori said.Lynn Morris Jamieson, the vice president of student affairs at the college, said the school found out about the heat problem around 8 a.m. Monday morning, and sent the email out right away before shutting the heat off around 9 a.m."We monitored the situation and made sure at no time did the heat in the building get below a level that was comfortable for people," Jamieson said.She said the temperature in the building never dropped below 17 C, and the heat was back on before noon.Along with Aurora College, Northern United Place also includes a church, an auditorium, and apartment units for students, families and the elderly.Glycol problem lingering for 5 yearsThere was something else in Monday's email from the college that concerned Marchiori. Students and staff were also told they may smell glycol in the lobby and elevators because of issues with the heating system. Donovan Erutse, a first-year student at the school, said students get almost weekly emails about glycol smells, which he compared to the smell of strong cleaning chemicals."It's sort of like this revolting, grotesque smell. It makes you want to leave the area."Erutsi said students received another email about glycol smells in the building's main staircase on Tuesday afternoon. Gail Leonardis, executive director for the N.W.T. Community Services Corporation — which owns and manages Aurora College's building, Northern United Place — says the type of glycol used in the heating system is called propylene glycol. She said it's added to the heating lines to stop them from freezing. It's also used as an additive in some foods, cosmetic products and pharmaceutical items. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies propylene glycol as an additive that is "generally recognized as safe" for use in food. This isn't the only time students at Aurora College's Yellowknife's campus have been warned about the potential smell or leak of glycol in the building.Marchiori asked her daughter to screen-shot all of the correspondence from the school that mentioned glycol. There are at least 20 emails that mention several different incidents related to glycol smells and leaks, dating back to October 2019.Jamieson said the school has been dealing with glycol leaks and smells for around five years. She said the school has been working with the N.W.T. Community Services Corporation as well as the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission and the territorial government to work on a resolution."We've worked on a case-by-case basis," Jamieson said. "Every time we've had an issue we've dealt with it with our emergency response plan."'Crumbling Infrastructure'Leonardis said it's rare for the heating system to leak glycol, and the majority of the warnings sent to students are about the odour released by the glycol when it's heated."They're not being exposed at all to any of the heating fluids or the glycol," Leonardis said.Marchiori said her daughter generally has great experiences at the school, but worries building maintenance issues might affect her education."What they're dealing with ... is this sort of crumbling infrastructure that does not allow for what I would consider is like a normal academic experience."As for her daughter, Taylor said she hopes the building can become a more comfortable learning environment."I think that it's unfair that we have to sacrifice having good resources and proper heating and a scent-free area just because we want to stay in the North."
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CBC
Eglinton Crosstown LRT won't be ready until 'well into 2022,' Metrolinx says
Transit users in Toronto will have to wait until "well into 2022" before they can ride the Eglinton Crosstown, Metrolinx says.The 19-km light rail line was previously scheduled to open to the public in September 2021. In a statement released Tuesday, Metrolinx president and CEO Phil Verster attributed much of the delay to the group of private companies building the $5.3-billion project in partnership with the province, Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS).Verster says that CTS has "faced a number of challenges," including starting construction nine months later than initially planned. Further, he says, the consortium was "slow to finalize" design elements.While the pace of construction has sped up since 2018, CTS "has only achieved 84 per cent of its target, meaning the project will be delayed," Verster continues.Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney outlined new transit legislation today at Queen's Park, saying the government's goal is to streamline and accelerate new projects. "Our plan, if passed, would give Metrolinx the authority to require stronger co-ordination of utility relocations within prescribed time frames," she said. Watch: Transportation minister Caroline Mulroney speaks about new transit legislationVerster's statement also points to defective concrete discovered beneath Eglinton-Yonge Station that is expected to delay the opening of the LRT part of the station even further. "It is expected that the LRT will open well into 2022," Verster says.He declines to be any more specific, saying that "CTS must prove to us that they can achieve the new production rates they say they can achieve."Compensate businesses, residents, councillors sayTwo Toronto councillors who represent the wards near Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue said the delay announced on Tuesday is the "breaking point" for residents and businesses along the 19-kilometre route.Coun. Mike Colle, who represents Ward 8, Eglinton-Lawrence, and Coun. Josh Matlow, who represents Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's, told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday afternoon that they are proposing a three-point plan, calling on the provincial government, Metrolinx and their contractors to: * Provide financial compensation to small business tenants and owners along Eglinton Avenue on the Crosstown construction route. * Get rid of "construction debris" on Eglinton Avenue West immediately on sidewalks and road allowances. * Consider opening parts of the line as soon as possible so that residents do not have to wait until two years to ride the line."Because of the delay, people have been hanging on by their fingernails. They can't hang on for another two years. We have to have compensation for the small business tenants so they can survive," Colle said.More than 100 businesses have closed on Eglinton Avenue because of the construction, Colle added. He said it has been nine years of "construction hell."Matlow said small businesses and local communities have been treated like "collateral damage" by the Ford government and Metrolinx for years. The businesses need to survive, residents need to be respected and some of the line should be opened, he said."We recognize that transit is the dream that we want, but construction is the nightmare for businesses and local residents alike," Matlow said.Construction began in 2011The first phase of the Eglinton Crosstown will have 25 stations, and run from the future Mount Dennis Station in the west to Kennedy Station in the east, where it will connect with TTC lines 2 and 3. More than 10 km of the line — from Keele Street to Laird Avenue — will run underground. Construction began in 2011 and its completion dates has been delayed once before, from 2020 to 2021, by the previous Liberal government.The project is owned by Metrolinx but will be operated by the TTC.When are the city's next wave of transit projects set to open?Ontario Line — The province has repeatedly said the line will open "as early as 2027."Scarborough subway — Ontario's 2019 fall economic statement says the reworked three-stop subway project will be open between 2029-2030.Yonge Subway extension — The Line 1 extension to Richmond Hill will be running between 2029-2030, the Ontario government says. Eglinton Crosstown West extension — Ontario plans to open this line by 2030-2031.Finch West LRT — In a 2019 report, the City of Toronto said it expects the line to be open by 2023.

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