Watch this baby laugh as a cat keeps reappearing in the doorway. That laughter is contagious!
Two 13-year-olds were arrested and charged with arson Saturday, in connection to a grass fire in a Spruce Grove, Alta. field next to a residential neighbourhood. Parkland RCMP and the Parkland Fire Department responded to reports of an arson north of Highway 16A near Jennifer Heil Way, about 30 kilometres west of Edmonton on Saturday at 1:45 p.m., police said. Bales had been lit on fire and were found smouldering, Const. Patrick Lambert said. Parkland Fire remained on scene after the fire was put under control. Damages are estimated at $10,000 and 150 bales were lost in the fire, police said. The two youths were arrested and charged with arson. They are scheduled to appear in Stony Plain Provincial Court on June 4. Parkland County remains under a fire ban which went into effect Thursday, prohibiting all outdoor fires including recreation fire pits and charcoal briquette barbeques. Westlock County north of Edmonton and Lac Ste. Anne County, northwest of Edmonton have also implemented fire restrictions, as a dry central Alberta faces wildfire season. Alberta Wildfire also had fire advisories in effect for the Edson and Rocky Mountain House Forest Areas on Saturday. "Any spark, hot exhaust or friction will catch easily and burn quickly which could start a wildfire," Alberta Wildfire said in wildfire danger alert.
Alma Wahlberg, the mother of entertainers Mark and Donnie Wahlberg and a regular on their reality series “Wahlburgers,” has died, her sons said on social media Sunday. She was 78. “My angel. Rest in peace,” Mark Wahlberg tweeted. Donnie Wahlberg posted a longer tribute to his mother on his Instagram account. “It’s time to rest peacefully, mom,” Donnie Wahlberg wrote. “I love you, miss you, thank you and will celebrate you, today and always.” No information was given about the cause, date or location of her death. Donnie Wahlberg often posted about his mother on his accounts and in July updated his fans on her health, writing that she “didn’t remember much and was often confused but somehow she was still Alma.” The Boston-born mother of nine became a household name thanks to her appearances on the A&E series “Wahlburgers,” about the family’s burgeoning burger chain. “She made no apologies for who she was, but never put herself above anyone else. She kicked our butts if we messed up, kicked anyone else’s butts if they messed with us. Taught us right, made us pay the price when we were wrong,” Donnie Wahlberg wrote Sunday. “She was the epitome of the word grace.” He also included a video of them dancing at his wedding to one of her favourite songs, “If I Could” by Regina Belle. He wrote that she danced to that song at each of her children’s weddings, but at his own, he surprised her by having Belle there to perform it live. On the “Today” show in 2018, Alma Wahlberg opened up about her parenting and how hard it was early on. “I invented the craziest meals,” she said. English muffin pizzas were among her creations to feed her hungry lot. More than a few of her children went on to great successes and fame. Her son Paul Wahlberg, who is the chef behind the namesake burger chain, also named the Alma Nove restaurant in Hingham, Massachusetts, after her. “People know me as being the mother of famous children, and although this fact has brought many gifts into my life and has afforded me opportunities that may never have been possible otherwise, there is a whole lot more to my story than most people know,” Alma Wahlberg said in an interview with Boston’s WCVB-TV in 2018. “I’ve lived with alcoholism and abuse; struggled with poverty and experienced great wealth; lost so many that I’ve loved; struggle to raise nine children, and I love them more than anything else; watch them suffer, learn and come out on the other side; lost myself; found myself, again and again; and kept moving forward, no matter what.” Alma Wahlberg is survived by eight children. Her daughter Debbie died in 2003. Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
MOSCOW/PRAGUE (Reuters) -Moscow expelled 20 Czech diplomats on Sunday in a confrontation over Czech allegations that two Russian spies accused of a nerve agent poisoning in Britain in 2018 were behind an earlier explosion at a Czech ammunition depot that killed two people. Prague had on Saturday ordered out 18 Russian diplomats, prompting Russia to vow on Sunday to "force the authors of this provocation to fully understand their responsibility for destroying the foundation of normal ties between our countries". Moscow gave the Czech diplomats just a day to leave, while Prague had given the Russians 72 hours.
Recent developments: Health officials in Ottawa reported 283 cases of COVID-19 on Sunday. The province has walked back rules that would have allowed police officers to conduct random stops. Playgrounds and park structures are also no longer off-limits. What's the latest? The Ontario government has walked back some of the COVID-19 restrictions it introduced late last week, including expanded police powers that would have allowed officers to stop people at random and ask why they weren't at home. Now, officers will only be able to stop vehicles or people if they are suspected of participating in an organized public event or social gathering. Police forces in Ottawa, Kingston, Cornwall and Belleville were among those that said they would not have carried out the random stops. The province has also reversed course on declaring playgrounds and play structures off-limits. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson was one of the officials who urged the province to reconsider that measure. Ottawa reported another 283 COVID-19 cases Sunday, while 143 cases were logged in western Quebec. How many cases are there? The region is in a record-breaking third wave of the pandemic that includes more dangerous coronavirus variants, straining test sites and filling hospitals. As of Saturday, 21,835 Ottawa residents have tested positive for COVID-19. There are 3,339 known active cases, 18,014 resolved cases and 482 deaths. Public health officials have reported more than 40,000 COVID-19 cases across eastern Ontario and western Quebec, including more than 33,900 resolved cases. Elsewhere in eastern Ontario, 162 people have died. In western Quebec, the death toll is 185. Akwesasne has had more than 590 residents test positive, evenly split between its northern and southern sections. Kitigan Zibi has had 27 cases. Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory has had 11, with one death. CBC Ottawa is profiling those who've died of COVID-19. If you'd like to share your loved one's story, please get in touch. What can I do? Eastern Ontario: Ontario is under a stay-at-home order that has been extended until at least May 20. People can only leave home for essential reasons such as getting groceries, seeking health care and exercising. They're asked to only leave their immediate area or province if absolutely necessary. Checkpoints are set to go up at border crossings between eastern Ontario and western Quebec on Monday. The vast majority of gatherings are prohibited, with exceptions that include people who live together, those who live alone and pair up with one other household, and small religious services. Most non-essential businesses can only offer curbside pickup. Access to malls is restricted, and big-box stores can only sell essential items. Gyms and personal care services must close, while restaurants are only available for takeout and delivery. Ontario is indefinitely moving to online learning after April break. Daycares remain open for now. Local health units and communities can also set their own rules, as Prince Edward County's is doing around travel and Kingston is doing for Breakwater Park. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has said bylaw officers will inspect stores and respond to complaints about homes and parks. Police officers ride ATVs while patrolling Mooney's Bay park in Ottawa on April 17, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic.(Matthew Kupfer/CBC) Western Quebec Premier François Legault has said the situation is critical in Gatineau and is asking people there to only leave home when it's essential. Schools, gyms, theatres, personal care services and non-essential businesses are closed until April 25 in the Outaouais. Private gatherings are banned, except for a person who lives alone seeing one other household. Distanced outdoor exercise is allowed in groups up to eight people and masks are no longer mandatory if doing so. The curfew is from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. People there are asked to only have close contact with people they live with, be masked and distanced for all other in-person contact and only leave their immediate area for essential reasons — under threat of a fine if they go to a yellow or green zone. Distancing and isolating The novel coronavirus primarily spreads through droplets that can hang in the air. People can be contagious without symptoms, even after getting a vaccine. Coronavirus variants of concern are more contagious and are spreading quickly. This means it is important to take precautions now and in the future like staying home while sick — and getting help with costs if needed — keeping hands and surfaces clean and maintaining distance from anyone you don't live with, even with a mask on. Masks, preferably ones that fit snugly and have three layers, are mandatory in indoor public settings in Ontario and Quebec. OPH says residents should wear masks outside their homes whenever possible. Gunners with 30th Field Artillery Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery wear masks while conducting a gun salute in Ottawa on April 17, 2021, to mark the passing of Prince Philip.(Blair Gable/Canadian Press) Health Canada recommends older adults and people with underlying medical conditions and/or weakened immune systems get help with errands. People have to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test to enter Canada by land without a fine and have to pay for their stay in a quarantine hotel if entering by air. Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate, as should those who've been ordered to do so by their public health unit. The length varies in Quebec and Ontario. Vaccines Four COVID-19 vaccines have been deemed safe and approved in Canada. Canada's task force said first doses offer such strong protection that people can wait up to four months to get a second. About 525,000 doses have been given out in the Ottawa-Gatineau region since mid-December, including about 238,000 doses to Ottawa residents and about 93,000 in western Quebec. Eastern Ontario Ontario is now in Phase 2 of its vaccine rollout, with the first doses during Phase 1 generally going to care home residents and health-care workers. All health units in eastern Ontario are now vaccinating people age 60 and older at their clinics. It's 55 and over in Renfrew County. People can book appointments online or over the phone at 1-833-943-3900. People who are above or turning age 55 can contact participating pharmacies for a vaccine appointment. Phase 2 now includes people with underlying health conditions, followed by essential workers who can't work from home in May. Phase 3 should involve vaccinating anyone older than 16 starting in July. A sign at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club on April 17, 2021, tells people the course is closed. The province introduced stricter COVID-19 rules the day before that included declaring golf courses off-limits.(Olivier Plante/Radio-Canada) Local health units have some flexibility in the larger framework, so check their websites for details. The province has opened up appointments for people age 50 to 54 in Ottawa's K1T, K1V and K2V "hot spot" postal codes, though supply is currently limited. Separately, some Ottawans in certain priority neighbourhoods can check their eligibility online and make an appointment through the city. This should soon include all education workers and staff in large workplaces. Indigenous people over age 16 in Ottawa can make an appointment the same way. The health unit for the Belleville area says this hot spot strategy means some of its doses are being sent elsewhere and it will have to postpone some appointments. WATCH | Doctors say Ontario ignored crucial warnings about pandemic's third wave Western Quebec Quebec also started by vaccinating people in care homes and health-care workers. The vaccination plan now covers people age 55 and older, along with local essential workers and people with chronic illnesses. People age 55 to 79 can line up in their vehicles to get a ticket for a walk-up appointment at Gatineau's Palais des Congrès. Officials expect everyone who wants a shot to be able to get one by by Fête nationale on June 24. People who qualify can make an appointment online or over the phone. Pharmacists there have started giving shots with appointments through the province, not individual pharmacies. Symptoms and testing COVID-19 can range from a cold-like illness to a severe lung infection, with common symptoms including fever, a cough, vomiting and loss of taste or smell. Children tend to have an upset stomach and/or a rash. If you have severe symptoms, call 911. Mental health can also be affected by the pandemic, and resources are available to help. In eastern Ontario: Anyone seeking a test should book an appointment. Check with your area's health unit for clinic locations and hours. Ontario recommends only getting tested if you have symptoms, if you've been told to by your health unit or the province, or if you fit certain other criteria. People without symptoms but who are part of the province's targeted testing strategy can make an appointment at select pharmacies. This week that includes school staff and students. Travellers who need a test have very few local options to pay for one. In western Quebec: Tests are strongly recommended for people with symptoms and their contacts. Outaouais residents can make an appointment and check wait times online. Call 1-877-644-4545 with questions, including if walk-in testing is available nearby. First Nations, Inuit and Métis: First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, or someone travelling to work in a remote Indigenous community, are eligible for a test in Ontario. Akwesasne has a COVID-19 test site by appointment only and a curfew of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Anyone returning to the community on the Canadian side of the international border who's been farther than 160 kilometres away — or visited Montreal — for non-essential reasons is asked to self-isolate for 14 days. People in Pikwakanagan can book a COVID-19 test by calling 613-625-1175. Anyone in Tyendinaga who's interested in a test can call 613-967-3603 and in Kitigan Zibi, 819-449-5593. Inuit in Ottawa can call the Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team at 613-740-0999 for service, including testing and vaccines, in Inuktitut or English on weekdays. For more information
Four wagons of a passenger train bound for Cairo ran off the railway at the city of Banha in Qalyubia province this afternoon, killing at least 11 people and injuring scores of others.View on euronews
The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday April 17, 2021. There are 1,113,907 confirmed cases in Canada. Canada: 1,113,907 confirmed cases (86,763 active, 1,003,553 resolved, 23,591 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 7,842 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 228.29 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 60,088 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 8,584. There were 50 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 295 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 42. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.11 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 62.07 per 100,000 people. There have been 29,803,243 tests completed. Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,039 confirmed cases (22 active, 1,011 resolved, six deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 4.21 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 233,208 tests completed. Prince Edward Island: 167 confirmed cases (seven active, 160 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 4.39 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of five new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 133,877 tests completed. Nova Scotia: 1,800 confirmed cases (44 active, 1,689 resolved, 67 deaths). There were eight new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 4.49 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 37 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five. There were zero new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there has been one new reported death. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.01 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 6.84 per 100,000 people. There have been 461,926 tests completed. New Brunswick: 1,778 confirmed cases (151 active, 1,594 resolved, 33 deaths). There were 11 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 19.32 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 65 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is nine. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 4.22 per 100,000 people. There have been 282,492 tests completed. Quebec: 335,608 confirmed cases (13,768 active, 311,047 resolved, 10,793 deaths). There were 1,537 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 160.57 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 10,760 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,537. There were eight new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 56 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is eight. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 125.87 per 100,000 people. There have been 7,774,650 tests completed. Ontario: 412,745 confirmed cases (40,694 active, 364,353 resolved, 7,698 deaths). There were 4,362 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 276.19 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 30,593 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 4,370. There were 34 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 167 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 24. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.16 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 52.25 per 100,000 people. There have been 13,271,395 tests completed. Manitoba: 35,992 confirmed cases (1,630 active, 33,404 resolved, 958 deaths). There were 183 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 118.18 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 891 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 127. There were three new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of nine new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is one. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 69.46 per 100,000 people. There have been 626,901 tests completed. Saskatchewan: 37,873 confirmed cases (2,859 active, 34,550 resolved, 464 deaths). There were 249 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 242.56 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,889 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 270. There were two new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 11 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.13 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 39.37 per 100,000 people. There have been 719,971 tests completed. Alberta: 169,279 confirmed cases (17,307 active, 149,935 resolved, 2,037 deaths). There were 1,486 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 391.39 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,560 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,366. There were three new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 25 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.08 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 46.07 per 100,000 people. There have been 3,913,177 tests completed. British Columbia: 117,080 confirmed cases (10,259 active, 105,291 resolved, 1,530 deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 199.29 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 6,257 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 894. There were zero new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 26 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is four. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.07 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 29.72 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,349,763 tests completed. Yukon: 76 confirmed cases (two active, 73 resolved, one deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 4.76 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of two new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.38 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,740 tests completed. Northwest Territories: 43 confirmed cases (one active, 42 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 2.21 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 16,904 tests completed. Nunavut: 414 confirmed cases (19 active, 391 resolved, four deaths). There were six new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 48.28 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 19 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is three. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 10.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 10,163 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published April 17, 2021. The Canadian Press
Tofino, BC - Tofino’s Wickaninnish Inn has been closed since November 2020. The decision was made in the interest of the “safety of our staff, our community of Tofino and the surrounding First Nations populations,” said Charles McDiarmid, managing director of the Wickaninnish Inn. “We thought it was prudent and best supportive of the message of our public health officer,” he said. “[Dr. Bonnie Henry] is the expert and if she’s recommending against non-essential travel, we felt we should be in support of that.” While McDiarmid stands behind his decision, “it has come at cost,” he said. To support staff who have been waiting on stand-by for the resort to reopen, the inn is currently covering rent for all employees living in staff accommodation. Of all the resorts in Tofino, the Wickaninnish Inn is the only one to remain closed. “It feels like I'm kind of walking a lonely road,” said McDiarmid. “We’re not trying to be a martyr or anything, we’re just doing what we think is best for the community.” The Best Western Plus Tin Wis Resort re-opened in June 2020 and is currently operating at 65 per cent capacity. It will remain at a lower occupancy rate until vaccinations have been “completely rolled-out” within the province, said General Manager Jared Beaton. The Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation-owned resort has kept its doors open because, “like every other business, we have bills to pay,” said Beaton. It’s a difficult predicament to be in, said Saya Masso, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation tribal administrator. “There isn't enough government support for the amount of loans and debt servicing required for the resort,” he said. “Our nation has long been asking for a Vancouver Island bubble only, which wasn't supported by B.C. and would have added to our comfort level.” Many businesses are feeling the stress of a long year, said Laura McDonald, Tofino-Long Beach Chamber of Commerce president. “All businesses in Tofino are abiding by the provincial health orders and have implemented COVID-19 safety plans according to the requirements set out by WorkSafe BC, including regular inspections,” she said. “The well being of our employees and community members remains the top priority.” Because Tin Wis is a First Nations owned-and-operated business, eligible resort staff have already received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, said Beaton. And with strict protocols in place, he said he feels “confident that we are doing the right thing.” Tin Wis has not marketed or advertised its resort, they have established a touchless check-in and check-out system, rooms are not cleaned during a guest’s stay, breakfast is served as grab-and-go and the resort maintains a zero-tolerance policy for anyone who is non-compliant to their protocols, he said. “We're on 25 acres of beachfront property where there's lots of room to social distance,” said Beaton. The reality is, income needs to be generated to pay for the fixed expenses that are associated with the resort, he said. “This is [an] extremely difficult time for owner operators who remain dedicated to supporting our local community,” said McDonald. "They continue to follow current regulations that the provincial government has set out. We could not be prouder of how our business community has faced the challenges of this pandemic." Tofino’s community-wide vaccine roll-out began this week, where people 18 years of age and older are eligible to receive their first dose. Residents can call 1-833-348-4787 to book a vaccination appointment with Island Health. McDiarmid said the Wickaninnish Inn will not re-open until at least two weeks have passed after the town has been vaccinated. “I believe it's in the best interest of the community until we can ensure everyone is [at least] safely vaccinated with the first shot,” he said. “I can't deny that it's somewhat disappointing that there are so many visitors coming for non-essential travel and yet I understand why people want to be here.” Melissa Renwick, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Ha-Shilth-Sa
WASHINGTON — Less than three months after former President Donald Trump left the White House, the race to succeed him is already beginning. Trump's former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, has launched an aggressive schedule visiting states that will play a pivotal role in the 2024 Republican primaries and he has signed a contract with Fox News Channel. Mike Pence, Trump's former vice-president, has started a political advocacy group, finalized a book deal and later this month will give his first speech since leaving office in South Carolina. And Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been courting donors, including in Trump's backyard, with a prominent speaking slot before the former president at a GOP fundraising retreat dinner this month at Mar-a-Lago, the Florida resort where Trump now lives. Trump ended his presidency with such a firm grip on Republican voters that party leaders fretted he would freeze the field of potential 2024 candidates, delaying preparations as he teased another run. Instead, many Republicans with national ambitions are openly laying the groundwork for campaigns as Trump continues to mull his own plans. They’re raising money, making hires and working to bolster their name recognition. The moves reflect both the fervour in the party to reclaim the White House and the reality that mounting a modern presidential campaign is a yearslong endeavour. “You build the arc before it rains,” said Michael Steel, a Republican strategist who worked for Jeb Bush’s presidential 2016 campaign, among others. “They’re going to do the things they need to do if he decides not to run.” Trump, at least for now, is giving them plenty of leeway, convinced they pose little threat to his own ambitions. “It’s a free country. Folks can do what they want," Trump adviser Jason Miller said in response to the moves. “But,” he added, “if Present Trump does decide to run in 2024, the nomination will be his if you’re paying any attention to public polling of Republican voters." Polling does indeed show that Trump remains a commanding figure among GOP voters, despite his loss in November to Democrat Joe Biden. Republican leaders, including those who may hope to someday succeed him, have been careful to tend to his ego and make clear they have no plans to challenge his standing. Florida Sen. Rick Scott, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, last weekend awarded Trump a new “Champion for Freedom Award," which the group publicized — complete with a photo of a smiling, golf-attired Trump holding a small, gleaming cup — even after the former president went after Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky in a profanity-laden speech. A day later, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who many consider a top-tier 2024 candidate, told The Associated Press that she will sit out the race if Trump runs again. “I would not run if President Trump ran, and I would talk to him about it," she said in Orangeburg, South Carolina. “That’s something that we’ll have a conversation about at some point, if that decision is something that has to be made.” The deference is, in part, an acknowledgement of Trump's continued power. Even out of office and without his Twitter megaphone, Trump remains deeply popular with the GOP base and is bolstered by an $85 million war chest that can be shared with endorsed candidates, spent on advertising and used to fund travel and pay for polling and consultants. Trump is making plans to soon increase his visibility, with aides discussing options to hold rallies as soon as late spring or summer. “There’s a pretty strong demand out there to get President Trump on the road,” Miller said. Many Republicans acknowledge Trump would leap to the front of the pack if he chooses to mount a bid to become the only president other than Grover Cleveland to serve two nonconsecutive terms. Still, there is deep skepticism in many corners of the party that Trump will run again. While people close to him insist he is serious, many see Trump’s continued flirtations as a means to maintain relevance as he has settled into a comfortable post-White House life. At Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, he's courted by candidates and met by rounds of applause and standing ovations whenever he enters the dining room. In the meantime, other could-be-candidates are making moves, even as many of their aides insist their focus is squarely on next year's congressional elections and helping Republicans win back control of the House and Senate. Jeff Kaufmann, the chair of the Iowa Republican party, said the activity in his state has begun even earlier this year than in the past two election cycles, with every candidate on his potential 2024 list having already visited or thinking of visiting the first state on the GOP nominating calendar. “I know of no one — honestly no one — that is hesitating to come out," he said. "Now some are a little more subtle than others, but that may not necessarily be tied to Donald Trump. That may be just tied into their campaign style and not wanting to get too far ahead of their skis until they see if they have any traction whatsoever.” Pompeo, arguably the most aggressive to date, is among those who has already spent time in Iowa, as well as New Hampshire, and this week past he addressed Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s World Values Network in New York, where he was introduced by video by Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson. And on Saturday, he headlined the Palm Beach County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day dinner at Mar-a-Lago along with Scott and DeSantis. DeSantis, who is up for reelection next year, recently hired a top Republican strategist who served as executive director of the Republican Governors Association. DeSantis also has been using the race build a deep fundraising network that could support him if he chooses to run nationally. The party, which for a time appeared to be paralyzed by division, has grown more united in its opposition to Biden, even as Trump continues to spar with McConnell and works to defeat incumbents who voted for his impeachment. Republicans in Congress have found common cause railing against Biden’s border policies, voting against his COVID-19 relief bill and pushing for new restrictions on voting, while railing against corporate interference in the voting rights debate. “I think you would find broad agreement in our party that we need to be having the debate about policy," said Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, the No. 3 House Republican, who continues to face enormous backlash after voting for Trump's impeachment. “We need to be talking about policy," she said while speaking to Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service last week. Regardless of Trump's ultimate decision, his critics and acolytes alike say they see the future of the party as dependent on maintaining their appeal Trump voters, while at the same time winning back the suburban voters who abandoned them last fall. “I think everyone’s trying to find that magic combination of ‘Trump-plus,’ of continuing to appeal to the new voters that President Trump brought to the Republican coalition while also bringing back back some of the college-educated suburban folks that were repelled by his antics,” said Steel. ___ Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Orangeburg, South Carolina, contributed to this report. Jill Colvin, The Associated Press
A body recovered Friday is that of the man who fell through the ice on the North Saskatchewan River on April 6, Edmonton police confirm. The man, who attempted to rescue a woman's dog before falling through the ice, was identified by friends as Rob White, 55. After falling through the ice near Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park in Edmonton's river valley, White was carried down the river toward an ice shelf near Groat Bridge. Emergency crews lost sight of him and called off the search for White almost three hours later. The dog was rescued about a half-hour after Edmonton Fire Rescue Services were dispatched on the same day. White, who is survived by his wife and two sons, was remembered for his kindness and unique personality.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The man accused of going on a shooting rampage at a Southern California business, killing four people, should not have been allowed to buy or own guns because of a California law that prohibits people from purchasing weapons for 10 years after being convicted of a crime. Aminadab Gaxiola Gonzalez was convicted of battery in 2015, which should have kept him from possessing or buying guns or ammo at stores that conduct background checks. While it's unclear how Gaxiola, 44, acquired the weapons used in the March 31 shooting, the tragedy raises concerns over California's ability to enforce strict gun control laws, the Sacramento Bee reported on Friday, Police say Gaxiola had targeted Unified Homes, the mobile home brokerage company in Orange, and had personal and business relationships with the victims. His estranged wife had worked in the business for more than 10 years as a broker assistant. The shooting occurred nearly six years after Gaxiola pleaded guilty to misdemeanour battery, which should have put him on the list prohibiting him from owning firearms for the next 10 years. The list is used during the state's gun and ammunition background check process. Two weeks after the mass shooting, police learned Gaxiola was not on the “Prohibited Persons List,” though he might still have been blocked from buying a gun during a standard background check, Orange Police Lt. Jennifer Amat said. Detectives were still working on tracing the Glock semi-automatic handgun and ammunition, she said. It's rare that a background check misses a prohibited person, or that a dealer would decide to still sell to a banned customer, said Steve Lindley, a former California Department of Justice Bureau of Firearms chief who now works as a program manager at the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Even with all the stopgaps in a “very, very good system,” Lindley said, people still acquire guns illegally. “Unfortunately, where you have strict gun laws, there will always be a market for illegal firearms,” Lindley said. “Because people want to get them one way or another.” California in 2016 became the first and only state in the nation to establish the Armed and Prohibited Persons System for tracking firearm owners who fall into a prohibited category based on their criminal histories or their risk to themselves or others. The system is intended to prevent gun violence by blocking those deemed too risky to own a firearm from possessing a gun or buying one. Pulling records from several databases, the system is supposed to alert authorities when someone who once legally purchased a firearm is placed on the prohibited persons list. Agents with the Department of Justice, which manages the state’s background check system, will then track a prohibited person to confiscate their weapons and ammunition. The agency says it lacks the staff to clear a backlog in cases — a problem officials noted became more pronounced because of staffing shortages caused by the pandemic. Without knowing more about how Gaxiola got his handgun and ammunition, there are “missing pieces to the story that are critical,” to understanding whether he obtained it because of an institutional failure, said Dr. Garen Wintemute, an emergency medicine physician at UC Davis Medical Center, where he is the director of the Violence Prevention Research Program. Gaxiola, 44, was charged with four murder counts and three attempted murder counts for firing at two officers who shot and wounded him when he fired at them with his handgun, and for critically wounding a woman. She was the mother of a 9-year-old boy who died in her arms. Gaxiola's arraignment has been repeatedly postponed because he remains hospitalized and unable to communicate with his court-appointed attorneys. Associated Press, The Associated Press
The Ontario government and the Greater Toronto Area's largest public health units say they don't yet know how many teachers and education workers have been vaccinated against COVID-19 — as some special education workers and students head back to class this week. Many of those workers were made eligible for vaccinations last week when the province announced a plan to inoculate education staff in hot-spot neighbourhoods during April break. While the return of in-person classes for elementary and secondary schools has since been put on hold indefinitely across Ontario, some classes for students with special education needs are set to resume on Monday. It appears that few of those teachers will have been vaccinated by the time their classrooms reopen. "Not many have been vaccinated already, and certainly none have been vaccinated with the two-week incubation period that's needed," said Gail Bannister-Clarke, president of the Peel Elementary Teachers Local and a longtime Brampton elementary teacher. The possibility of delayed vaccinations for teachers, coupled with the pandemic's surging third wave in Ontario, is said to be threatening the return of in-person learning for the remainder of the school year. "There will be virtually no time left in the school year before those vaccines have had a chance to take effect," said Harvey Bischof, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF). In Peel Region alone, Bannister-Clarke said, Monday will mark the return of 116 teachers and dozens of special education workers for in-person classes. Gail Bannister-Clarke, president of the Peel Elementary Teachers Local, said teachers will not feel comfortable returning to class before being vaccinated.(Zoom) She said some teachers and education workers who tried to book appointments last week will not actually receive their shots until mid-May. "We're quite confused as to why we're opening classrooms at this time," Bannister-Clarke said. Ontario promised vaccine access, 'full stop' Ontario said its plan to make teachers and special education workers a priority for immunization in hot-spot postal codes would help protect workers facing the greatest risk of infection. "I just want to assure every worker in the province in our schools, driving our buses and helping to protect our kids: you are going to get access to the vaccine, full stop," Education Minister Stephen Lecce said after announcing the plan, which came days before Ontario decided to close schools to in-person learning following April break. But local public health units, who are tasked with administering vaccinations, say they did not receive any additional vaccine supply or guidance when teachers and education staff were made eligible. Toronto's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa estimated during a Board of Health meeting last week that "roughly 40,000" people qualified for vaccination under the expanded plan, but said Toronto did not receive any additional vaccines to serve those workers. "It wasn't really a plan, it was sort of a half-baked wish," said Bischof, who said teachers have reported difficulty getting vaccine appointments across Ontario. The province's Ministry of Health did not respond to a CBC News request for information on the status of vaccinations among teachers and education workers. Vaccines may not even be enough Brenda Coleman, a clinical scientist at Sinai Health System and an assistant professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, said vaccination rates are one of several key factors that will determine if and when schools are safe to reopen. Coleman is studying the threat of COVID-19 to teachers in schools, which she considers to be a "very high-risk situation." While Coleman said vaccines represent an important safeguard for teachers, she said the current trajectory of the pandemic could preclude schools from reopening even if teachers are vaccinated. "The case rate is so high right now that putting children and education workers back into school just doesn't make any sense at this point," Coleman said.
New Brunswick's active case count remains high in the Edmundston region, after nine new cases were announced in the area on Sunday. Public Health is reporting 10 total new cases. There are 153 total active cases in the province, including 116 in Zone 4. Twenty people are in the hospital, including 12 in intensive care. In the Edmundston region, the nine new cases include: Three people 19 and under. A person in their 20s. Three people in their 30s. A person in their 40s. A person in their 50s. In the Saint John region, there is one new, travel-related case: A person in their 40s. (CBC News) There are 16 active cases in the Moncton region (Zone 1), 12 in the Saint John region (Zone 2), eight in the Fredericton region (Zone 3) and one in the Bathurst region (Zone 6). The Campbellton and Miramichi regions have no known active cases. New Brunswick has confirmed 1,788 total cases since the start of the pandemic, including 1,601 recoveries. There have been 33 deaths. Public Health conducted 927 tests on Saturday for a total of 275,475. Edmundston schools confirm cases A school in the Edmundston area is asking all students and staff to self-isolate this week after confirming an additional positive case of COVID-19. École Saint-Jacques has notified school community members and said testing will take place. Public Health has asked people at the school to self-isolate until Friday at midnight, while contact tracing is underway. École Saint-Jacques in Edmundston has confirmed multiple cases of COVID-19. It remains closed under lockdown restrictions. (Bernard LeBel/Radio-Canada) Possible exposure to a case was confirmed at Cité-Des-Jeunes-A.-M. Sormany in Edmundston. Public Health said anyone who was at the school on April 12 should self-monitor for symptoms. Both schools have been closed since the Edmundston and Upper Madawaska area were placed under lockdown restrictions. No impact to learning is expected. New possible exposures Public Health has identified possible public exposure to COVID-19 in Saint John and Edmundston: Service New Brunswick, 15 King Square North, Saint John, on Tuesday, April 13, between 3:45-5 p.m. Jean Coutu, 77 Victoria St., Edmundston on Friday, April 16, between 1: 30-2 p.m.; on Wednesday, April 14, between noon-12:45 p.m.; and on Monday, April 12, between 3-3:30 p.m. Rocky's Sports Bar, 7 Market Square, Saint John, on Tuesday, April 13 between 2:15-4:30 p.m. Public Health also identified a traveller who may have been infected while on the following flights on April 15: Air Canada Flight 318 – from Calgary to Montreal, departed at 11:53 a.m. Air Canada Flight 8906 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 7:08 p.m. People who were at these areas are eligible to be tested for COVID-19, even if they are not experiencing symptoms. What to do if you have a symptom People concerned they might have COVID-19 symptoms can take a self-assessment test online. Public Health says symptoms shown by people with COVID-19 have included: Fever above 38 C. New cough or worsening chronic cough. Sore throat. Runny nose. Headache. New onset of fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, loss of sense of taste or smell. Difficulty breathing. In children, symptoms have also included purple markings on the fingers and toes. People with one of those symptoms should: Stay at home. Call Tele-Care 811 or their doctor. Describe symptoms and travel history. Follow instructions.
From pandemic restrictions to changing shopping habits, the future of malls looks bleak. But some experts see a hopeful future if malls mimic the blueprint pioneered at West Edmonton Mall, the largest shopping centre in Canada. Triple Five Group, which owns West Edmonton Mall, was banking on that success with its $5-billion US American Dream megamall in New Jersey. The 2.9 million-square-foot building boasts entertainment attractions — like a waterpark and mini-golf —- mirroring those of the Edmonton mall. But the pandemic derailed its grand opening in March 2020 and its capacity has been curtailed since its delayed opening in October. But that mall-as-entertainment blueprint should work out for American Dream in the post-pandemic long run, according to Mark Faithfull, a retail analyst based in London, England. "I think we'll see a lot of big shopping centres performing quite strongly," he told CBC's Edmonton AM. "Personally, I'm actually pretty confident about their future." Other malls should be taking note, he added. Across North America, malls are seeing hard times. According to Moody's Analytics, the estimated vacancy rate for regional malls in the United States could reach a high of 12.7 per cent in 2021, up from 10.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2020. Meanwhile, Canadian data solutions company Altus Group says the rental market is predicted to decrease by five to 10 per cent in top-quality malls, and by more than 10 per cent for lower-quality malls. At 5.2 million square feet, West Edmonton Mall has an indoor waterpark, an amusement park, a golf course and a sea-lion show. In the past three years, the mall has opened some high-profile retail stores including French brand Louis Vuitton and popular Japanese fashion brand Uniqlo. Faithfull said shopping centres that pivot to becoming a multi-use, entertainment centre will give people reasons other than shopping to go to malls in the future. John Pracejus, director of the school of retailing at the University of Alberta, agrees. "That does seem to be something that is likely to increase in the future, whether that's the kind of entertainment that's the kind at West Edmonton Mall with waterparks and roller-coasters and things like that," he said. "The other trend that you see is that there's some activities that we don't typically think of as taking place in malls that may increase. So, for example, the Edmonton public library now has a branch in the (Londonderry) mall and you might start seeing things like that." People visit the American Dream mall, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in December 2019. The planned grand opening of the mall, planned for March 2020, was disrupted by the pandemic.(Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images) And although massive attractions of West Edmonton Mall may not be viable for every mall in Canada, even things like restaurants, leisure centres and bars will generate more foot traffic. Both Faithfull and Pracejus note that retail-only malls that are currently struggling may continue to decline. In fact, Faithfull said that the pandemic only sped up the process for many malls that were doomed to go under due to a shift to online shopping in the past decade. "We're seeing things accelerated at 100 miles-an-hour," he said. Faithfull said once people are vaccinated and things start to go back to normal, it will likely be three to four months before shopping centres start bouncing back. "We'll start to see whether some of those trends during the pandemic are longer-term or whether they were just a reaction to that the people couldn't get out and about," he said.
Gordie Howe, Saskatchewan's most famous hockey icon, always said records were meant to be broken, according to his son, Murray Howe. And if Gordie were alive today, Murray said, he'd be excited to see another Saskatchewan native, Patrick Marleau, break his longtime record for most NHL games played — expected to happen Monday night in Las Vegas, barring anything unforeseen. "I think he'd be very thrilled and the first out on the ice to applaud Patrick on this really incredible milestone," Murray said. Gordie Howe, who had the nickname Mr. Hockey, set the record of 1,767 NHL games played before he retired in 1980 at age 52. Howe died in 2016 when he was 88. Marleau, 41, tied the record on Saturday night in Minnesota. Murray said he's also happy to see his dad's record will be broken by Marleau, someone lauded for the same dedication, passion and humility as Gordie Howe, who "never put himself up on a pedestal." "[Marleau] is a class act," he said. "Just in the same way that Gretzky broke Dad's scoring records, it was great to see it accomplished by someone who was humble and dedicated to the game and grateful for the things that he had." As Monday approaches, Marleau's family is also cheering him on, from the Saskatchewan farm where he first fell in love with the game. WATCH | Brush up on the career of Patrick Marleau in 90 seconds: Shooting pucks by the barn Marleau grew up on his parent's farm near Aneroid, Sask., 250 kilometres southwest of Regina. His mother, Jeanette, a retired teacher, remembers how her two sons, Richard and Patrick, would play mini-stick hockey in the kitchen on her linoleum floor. "If I would wax [the floor], they would use their socks and they would polish it at the same time. They'd be playing hockey and [polishing]," she said. Richard took masking tape and spelled out "NHL" on the back of their jerseys. Denis Marleau and his two sons, Richard and Patrick, right, at their home near Aneroid, Sask. Now in his 23rd NHL season, Patrick Marleau said he still loves the game.(Submitted by Teresa Marleau) "There were a lot of battles on the kitchen floor. It seemed like we'd just get wound up on a Saturday night when Hockey Night in Canada would start playing … and then Mom would say 'Oh no, it's time for bed' just when things got really good," he said, with a chuckle. But Marleau's singular focus on honing his skills began to set him apart from other young players. His father, Denis, who still farms at age 74, remembers how Patrick would haul an ice cream container full of pucks out to the barn and practice his shot off a sheet of plywood. "You'd always knew where he was on the farm. You could hear this bang, bang — the pucks hitting the boards," said Denis. "We didn't have to tell him to do anything about hockey. He just loved it." At Christmas one year, Marleau's parents gave him an instructional video by Mario Lemieux, his favourite player, on VHS and he played it over and over. "I'm sure he wore that tape out. He watched it for hours," said Denis. Marleau grew up playing hockey in small rinks around Aneroid, Saskatchewan, 250 kilometres southwest of Regina.(Submitted by Teresa Marleau) Hard work and a bit of luck Marleau was selected by San Jose in the 1997 NHL Draft. The team's veteran goaltender Kelly Hrudey said he saw something special in the young rookie and so he, along with his wife Donna and three daughters, invited Marleau to live in their guesthouse. Hrudey said he could tell that Marleau was raised by his parents to be kind, and he hasn't changed today. "Very, very humble. For all that he's accomplished, and things he's done in his career and all the money he's made, to me he hasn't changed," said Hrudey. WATCH | Why Kelly Hrudey invited Patrick Marleau to come stay: The NHL analyst for Sportsnet credits Marleau's long career to his unique combination of skill, smarts, and passion, as well as Marleau's intense off-ice training and a bit of luck that have helped him escape injury. "He's had a body that just refuses to break down and that's what's very, very rare," said Hrudey. On Thursday, Marleau spoke to reporters in a virtual press conference. "I just love being out there and playing. Obviously every kid's dream is to hoist that Stanley Cup, so I've been chasing it all this time," said Marleau. He has yet to win a NHL championship. Marleau poses with his parents, Jeanette and Denis, after winning a gold medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. (Submitted by Teresa Marleau) Marleau, who didn't mention retirement, said he hopes he'll be remembered as a player who loved the game, his team, and winning. "Ya know, I gave it my all," he said. Murray Howe, a physician who now lives in Toledo, Ohio, said his dad Gordie had the same attitude and was never driven or distracted by his statistics or records. "It is more about doing what he loves and feeling fortunate that he could do it as long as he could and do it at the level that he did," he said. "When Dad finally hung up the blades, he knew he left everything out on the ice and I think he's equally proud of anyone who does the same thing out on the ice, including Gretzky and Patrick [Marleau]." San Jose Sharks centre Marleau, left, is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal against the Anaheim Ducks during the second period of an NHL hockey game on April 6 in San Jose, Calif.(Tony Avelar/The Associated Press)
RCMP have identified and located a person allegedly involved with mischief and obstruction last weekend at the GraceLife Church west of Edmonton. The individual was arrested without incident for Mischief under $5,000 and Obstruction in relation to a perimeter fence around the church, according to an RCMP news release. The person was released with conditions not to attend the church property, and to make a court appearance at Stony Plain Provincial Court on June 30. Charges have not been laid before the court. Police are still working to identify and locate other people involved in criminal activities on April 11. Hundreds showed up last Sunday to protest the Parkland County church's closure by Alberta Health Services following repeated violations of public health restrictions. At one point, a group splintered from the crowd and tore down part of a perimeter fence before it was restored by RCMP officers and others from the crowd. The Enoch Cree Nation, which shares a border with Parkland County, released a statement that said demonstrators had trespassed on its land and vandalized a Nation member's vehicle. GraceLife church said in a statement its congregants were not present for the event.
Seventy-three people rolled up their sleeves at Yellowknife's first pop-up vaccine clinic on Saturday, according to the territory's COVID immunization response team. Sheila Laity, one of the nurse practitioners on site, said there was a lineup waiting for them when they first arrived at the Yellowknife Co-op in the morning. Initially equipped with forty doses of the Moderna vaccine, Laity said they were twice delivered more vials to keep up with demand. "I didn't expect that much," she said. "We have a lot of people who are very happy about just popping in, showing up here while you're getting your groceries, not having to make an appointment." Aziz Benali said having the pop-up clinic at the grocery store made it "very convenient" to get the shot while doing errands.(Liny Lamberink/CBC) For Aziz Benali, the convenience was key. "I was supposed to get it two days ago," he said, referring to his second dose of the vaccine. "I didn't get the chance because I was working the whole day and Saturday is a challenging day for me because I have to do some groceries and also have to go to work in the afternoon." To be able to get the shot, while out doing errands, was easy, he said. "It takes me five minutes. It's a very good idea." Getting vaccinated had been on the to-do list for Kristy Hawes and her husband, Brian. So when they spotted the clinic in the grocery store, they jumped on the opportunity — with their children Nate, 7, and Lilah, 4, in tow. "We were pleasantly surprised this clinic was here with no lineup," said Kristy Hawes. "We think it's important to keep the North safe, and we would like to visit family this summer. It's a first step for us to keep ourselves safe and our families safe." Ron Klein and his wife Anita Kikoak were among 73 people to get a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during Saturday's pop-up clinic.(Liny Lamberink/CBC) Ron Klein and his wife, Anita Kikoak, also had travel on their minds. "My nephew wants to get married this year," explained Kikoak. "I'm not sure if he will now, because [COVID-19 cases are] just climbing up there. I just want to be prepared, in case we do go." They also agreed to get the shot because Kikoak said she's worried about her husband's health. "He is older than I am, that's the main thing. I was teasing him last week that he's fragile now," she said. "I just worry about him." Laity said she's not sure if there are more pop-up clinics planned for Yellowknife in the future. Walk-ins are welcome at the Centre Square Mall vaccination clinic from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day except for Tuesdays and Sundays. People living in communities outside Yellowknife are encouraged to contact their local public health unit or health centre to arrange getting their first or second dose.
SHANGHAI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -China and the United States agree that stronger pledges to fight climate change should be introduced before a new round of international talks at the end of the year, the two countries said in a joint statement on Sunday. The statement came after a meeting between Chinese climate envoy Xie Zhenhua and his U.S. counterpart, John Kerry, in Shanghai on Thursday and Friday, China's environment ministry said. "The United States and China are committed to cooperating with each other and with other countries to tackle the climate crisis," their joint statement said.
Friends and family are concerned about the well-being of a 65-year-old missing man in Moncton, N.B., who doesn't speak English or French. Abdulgadir Nur was last seen Thursday around 11:30 a.m. on Paul Street in Dieppe. He speaks Tigrinya, a language common to Eritrea and parts of Ethiopia, and some Arabic. Nancy Biddington, a friend of the family, has been part of a group searching for Nur since he was last seen. "We're very concerned," she said. Biddington described Nur as shy and said he is not likely to ask for help because of the language barrier. According to Biddington, Nur doesn't know his way around Moncton very well, aside from his daily travels in his neighborhood, and only walks or takes the bus. RCMP along with family and friends are searching for Abdulgadir Nur.(Submitted by Codiac Regional RCMP) "He only goes from his house to the language class," she said, noting he sometimes stop at the mall. Nur was missing once before. In September 2020, he was lost in the city for a day before he was found, according to Biddington. "He was just lost and he didn't know where he was," she said. "He was just walking. He didn't know how to get back home." Biddington said family and friends think that may have happened again. They have been searching the city for him. A group of 30 people searched for Nur until close to midnight Saturday. Searchers were planning to head out to look for Nur again Sunday afternoon. Nancy's husband, Ken, said they are asking people to check their backyards for Nur. Codiac Regional RCMP described Nur as five-foot-three and about 185 pounds. He has short white hair, a white beard, and brown eyes. Anyone with information on Nur's whereabouts is asked to contact the RCMP at 506-857-2400.
Moderna has not violated its contractual obligations with Canada, Procurement Minister Anita Anand says, despite continued setbacks over promised COVID-19 vaccine deliveries to this country. "There has not been a breach of contract at this stage, and indeed, strong relationships with our suppliers [have] been fundamental to ensuring that we've accelerated 22 million doses already from one quarter to the next," Anand said in an interview on Rosemary Barton Live. The minister's comments come as a shipment of 1.2 million Moderna doses bound for Canada this month has been scaled back and delayed. The shots, which were set to arrive this week, have been slashed to 650,000 doses and will now arrive later in April or by early May. A further 12.3 million doses expected to arrive by the end of June will also shrink by one to two million shots and are now scheduled to show up between July and September. The Massachusetts-based company is struggling to meet ramped-up global demand at its European facilities, partly due to labour shortages. "Moderna continues to make substantial capital investments to support production increases ... and explore other potential collaboration opportunities," the company said in a statement on Friday. FedEx workers in Toronto offload a plane carrying Moderna vaccine doses originating from Europe in March 2021. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press) Flexible contracts allow for accelerated deliveries Both Moderna and Pfizer wrestled with production holdups earlier this year as the companies scaled up their capacity to handle increased demand — but Pfizer has maintained a consistent delivery schedule since then. "Pfizer has been an incredibly stable partner in the bringing in of vaccines to this country," Anand told CBC chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton. "We continue to ask them for earlier and earlier doses, and they continue to ensure that we are able to do that." On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada signed an agreement with the pharmaceutical giant for eight million more doses of its mRNA vaccine. A driver pulls his truck out of the Pfizer plant in Puurs, Belgium, on Dec. 21, 2020. Pfizer scaled up the production capacity of the plant earlier this year.(Valentin Bianchi/The Associated Press) The country is not paying a premium for the accelerated deliveries, Anand said. "We are paying fair market value for these doses, and they are obliging our requests. We exercised options for those eight million doses, and we had built that flexibility into our contracts." The minister said the nature of Canada's agreements with its suppliers means delivery schedules are not necessarily set in stone. "The ability for Canada to bring in increasing numbers of doses goes back to the diversified portfolio of vaccines that we put in place back last August, and [we] made sure that we have flexibility here so that we can draw down on our contractual arrangements." Accessing U.S. supply When asked at what point the United States might be able to open up access to its vaccine stocks, Anand said she's not focused on that country's supply chain. "I'm not focused on the U.S. timeline as much as I am on ensuring we're having those discussions right now, and that's why we have been engaged with the U.S. administration since January," she said. So far, Canada has received 1.5 million AstraZeneca-Oxford doses on loan from its southern neighbour that will be returned later this year. "We are in constant discussion with the United States and will continue to do that through our ambassador, Kirsten Hillman, and with her excellent help in order to have Canada as being well placed to continue to draw doses from multiple countries, not just the U.S.," Anand said. You can watch full episodes of Rosemary Barton Live on CBC Gem, the CBC's streaming service.
The woman who shot a video of a violent arrest by a private security guard at a Saskatoon FreschCo. earlier this week says she was frozen in fear as she watched the incident unfold before her. Now, after taking some time to reflect and steady herself, she says she's glad she recorded the video, but wishes she had stepped in. Jade Acikahte watched the entire arrest unfold, saying the Indigenous woman complied with the security guard fully before she was arrested. Acikahte says the security guard stopped the woman as she was leaving the store on 33rd Street West in the city's Mayfair Neighbourhood, and said he suspected her of theft. She says that when asked, the woman followed instructions from the man fully, emptying the contents of her purse as requested. However, when that didn't satisfy the guard, the man told the woman to follow him back to the store, at which time she said she didn't want to. "As she was putting her stuff back in her purse, she said 'No, I don't want to go with you. I'm not going with you,'" Acikahte said. The guard was blocking the woman's path, according to Acikahte, when the woman tried to walk away. Acikahte said the security guard grabbed the woman by her wrist and tried to force her into handcuffs. When she fought back, the man threw her to the ground. "With her hands still behind her back, so she wasn't able to brace for that fall," she said, and at that point, that's when she took out her phone and started to record. The incident has spurred calls for the security guard in the video to be fired and has already resulted in the termination of the contract between the FreshCo. store and the security firm that employs him. The woman, a 30-year-old, has been charged with theft under $5,000 and assault as a result of the incident. Calls for guard to be fired, charged The security guard has not been charged, but many — including Indigenous leaders with the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations and the Saskatoon Tribal Council — want that to change. They also want all charges against the woman dropped. As for Acikahte, she says she had never seen anything like the arrest before, noting she agrees the guard should be fired and charged. "I felt really confused and scared for her," she said. "All I know is that I had to record." A photo of Jade Acikahte, an Indigenous woman in Saskatoon who recorded a violent arrest in a Saskatoon parking lot by a private security guard on April 14,2021. (Supplied by Jade Acikahte ) The company that employs the guard, Emergency Security Management Solutions, has told CBC News previously that every company has its policies and procedures around their employees and says they will be followed. Acikahte says the recording has been shared with police, as she does not feel the guard's behaviour was appropriate. It's also circulated widely online, with the original post being shared almost 2,000 times. WATCH | Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations calls for security guard to be fired following violent arrest at Saskatoon store: Acikahte, who saw photos of the arrests aftermath, says the woman in the video suffered numerous injuries as a result. "It was literally her entire body," she said. Acikahte, who is also Indigenous, says the fact the woman was charged as a result of the incident is "absolutely outrageous." "Just witnessing it from beginning to end, the force he used at the very beginning was just not necessary," she said. "I feel like she acted out of self-defence. Completely." However, Acikahte says while the video was shocking, it wasn't surprising, as it's a sign of a larger problem. "This is normal life for Indigenous people. I really hope that this situation can be an example and it's rectified in a positive way," she said. "It's upsetting. It's really, really upsetting to watch this unfold." Mayor addresses racism, profiling Saskatoon's Mayor Charlie Clark has also publicly stated the video has left him feeling angry, and this type of violence "needs to stop. "We can't ignore as a community that not everyone would have been treated this way. Our city has been coming to terms with the reality of our history and ongoing impacts of violence against women, and violence against Indigenous women," said Clark in the statement. "We have also been coming face to face with the reality that systemic racism, and profiling of people in stores and institutions in our community, carries on in large and small ways," he said. "The video of this arrest highlighted this. I hear too often from people who are Indigenous, Black, and people of colour that they regularly face discrimination, profiling and violence." In the statement, Clark says this type of violence has a real impact on a person's life and those who do not experience need to "listen and hear directly from people who do. "We have work to do to address the training and accountability of security guards, the racial profiling of people in stores and institutions, to address the hard truths of the impacts of a colonial relationship, and to build a way forward where we see each other as relatives and where everyone has opportunity here." Clark says he's committed to the work necessary to bring an end to this type of injustice and has already had communication with Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand on steps forward. "I will keep working with leaders throughout the community towards these goals," he said in the statement. "We can only be successful by doing it together as a community." The woman has been offered support by both the FSIN and the STC, and Acikahte says she too will do all she can to help. She's spoken to the woman about why she didn't get involved, as she was afraid of charges, and for her safety and said the conversation was important. "I apologized profusely for not stepping in for not being more help," she said. "She was not upset with me. She was not angry with any of us bystanders, she was glad it was recorded." On Friday morning, the Saskatoon Police Service confirmed its investigation into the matter is ongoing, but did not have any updates. "As with any call for service, we respond with the information we have at the time," the statement said. "I can add that if we need to seek an opinion from the Crown following the investigation, we will."
