Bottcher beats Koe to win the Canadian men's curling championship

Alberta's Brendan Bottcher defeated Wild Card Two's Kevin Koe 4-2 to win the Canadian men's curling championship. It was his first career Tim Hortons Brier title.

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  • Hundreds defy Montreal's 8 p.m. curfew in violent, destructive protest

    MONTREAL — Hundreds of protesters set fires and smashed windows through a swath of downtown Montreal on Sunday in defiance of a newly adjusted curfew intended to stem surging COVID-19 case numbers in the city. Police responded with tear gas in a bid to control the crowd, who were purportedly protesting Quebec Premier Francois Legault's decision to roll the city-wide curfew back from 9:30 to 8 p.m. The move, previously replicated in other COVID-19 hot spots across the province, took effect in Montreal and nearby Laval on Sunday. The protest began in relative calm, with a mostly young crowd dancing to music from loudspeakers while lighting fireworks and chanting, "freedom for the young." But the festive atmosphere quickly turned violent as a few protesters lit a garbage fire in Montreal's Jacques Cartier Square, which was met with tear gas from riot police. Police soon rushed the crowd, prompting dozens of protesters to scatter and cause mayhem down the cobblestone streets of Montreal’s tourist district. They lit garbage fires at many intersections and seized projectiles from city streets, hurling them at nearby windows and shattering many. A spokeswoman for Montreal police said she couldn't offer any comment on the protests, describing them as an ongoing situation. She said that more information would become available as things stabilized and police on the scene could file their reports. Marwah Rizqy, a Liberal member of the provincial legislature that represents a Montreal riding, tweeted her disapproval of the protestors' actions. "Chanting freedom while ransacking windows of stores that are already just getting by. It’s disheartening / outrageous," Rizqy tweeted in French. A few protesters were still out on the streets at around 9:30 p.m. throwing glass, breaking city infrastructure and running from police. Sirens rang through the streets as firefighters put out the many small blazes lit along Old Montréal’s alleys and narrow roads. The curfew ostensibly at the heart of the protest was imposed to curb COVID-19 infection rates that have spiked in several regions in recent weeks. Quebec reported 1,535 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, as well as five additional deaths linked to the virus. Hospitalizations jumped by 25 to 608, with 139 patients in intensive care. Health Minister Christian Dube tweeted that the numbers are concerning given that 58 per cent of new cases involve people under the age of 40. "While vaccination accelerates, we must continue to adhere to the measures if we want to defeat this pandemic," Dube wrote. "Let's show solidarity." Legault said last week that he was imposing the health order in Montreal and Laval despite a relatively stable case count as a precaution, due to the heavy presence of more contagious virus variants. Residents in those regions who leave their homes between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. without a good reason could face fines of over $1,000. Legault extended the curfew in Montreal and other red zones from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in mid-March, but said last week that the evolving COVID-19 situation gave him no choice but to reverse course. Legault previously placed Quebec City, Levis, Gatineau and several municipalities in Quebec's Beauce region under the earlier curfew. The government also closed schools and non-essential businesses in those areas, and Legault announced Thursday that the measures would be extended until at least April 18. The province also gave 59,447 doses of vaccine on Saturday, and has currently given a shot to just over 22 per cent of the population. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2021 The Canadian Press

  • Maduro says Venezuela has secured funds to complete COVAX payment

    Venezuela has secured the funds to fully pay for coronavirus vaccines via the COVAX system, President Nicolas Maduro said on Sunday, a day after a surprise announcement that the country had paid more than half the amount due. Maduro's government has for months said U.S. sanctions block it from paying the $120 million needed to obtain COVID-19 vaccines, but on Saturday said it had transferred $64 million to the Switzerland-based GAVI Vaccine Alliance. "We have already secured the rest to make 100% of the (payment) to the Covax system," Maduro said in a televised speech.

  • A look at COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada on Sunday, April 11, 2021

    The latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada as of 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday April 11, 2021. In Canada, the provinces are reporting 205,920 new vaccinations administered for a total of 7,991,727 doses given. Nationwide, 797,265 people or 2.1 per cent of the population has been fully vaccinated. The provinces have administered doses at a rate of 21,086.753 per 100,000. There were no new vaccines delivered to the provinces and territories for a total of 10,618,140 doses delivered so far. The provinces and territories have used 75.26 per cent of their available vaccine supply. Please note that Newfoundland and Labrador, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the territories typically do not report on a daily basis. Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting 36,701 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 105,652 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 201.768 per 1,000. In the province, 1.85 per cent (9,674) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Newfoundland and Labrador for a total of 144,700 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 28 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 73.01 per cent of its available vaccine supply. P.E.I. is reporting 5,784 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 30,937 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 195.027 per 1,000. In the province, 5.20 per cent (8,241) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to P.E.I. for a total of 44,265 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 28 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 69.89 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nova Scotia is reporting 26,945 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 138,348 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 141.765 per 1,000. In the province, 3.16 per cent (30,838) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nova Scotia for a total of 264,790 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 27 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 52.25 per cent of its available vaccine supply. New Brunswick is reporting 30,913 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 151,586 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 194.331 per 1,000. In the province, 2.02 per cent (15,771) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to New Brunswick for a total of 211,545 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 27 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 71.66 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Quebec is reporting 61,465 new vaccinations administered for a total of 1,890,476 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 220.936 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Quebec for a total of 2,429,695 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 28 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 77.81 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Ontario is reporting 94,794 new vaccinations administered for a total of 3,139,743 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 213.747 per 1,000. In the province, 2.27 per cent (333,150) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Ontario for a total of 4,028,725 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 27 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 77.93 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Manitoba is reporting 6,070 new vaccinations administered for a total of 279,145 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 202.719 per 1,000. In the province, 4.96 per cent (68,258) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Manitoba for a total of 409,470 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 30 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 68.17 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Saskatchewan is reporting 13,170 new vaccinations administered for a total of 282,065 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 239.21 per 1,000. In the province, 3.49 per cent (41,134) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Saskatchewan for a total of 331,985 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 28 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 84.96 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Alberta is reporting 28,941 new vaccinations administered for a total of 847,630 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 192.554 per 1,000. In the province, 3.71 per cent (163,532) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Alberta for a total of 1,208,955 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 27 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 70.11 per cent of its available vaccine supply. British Columbia is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 1,025,019 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 199.747 per 1,000. In the province, 1.71 per cent (87,606) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to British Columbia for a total of 1,403,510 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 27 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 73.03 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Yukon is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 39,687 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 951.02 per 1,000. In the territory, 36.77 per cent (15,343) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Yukon for a total of 51,400 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 120 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 77.21 per cent of its available vaccine supply. The Northwest Territories are reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 38,574 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 854.939 per 1,000. In the territory, 32.07 per cent (14,471) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to the Northwest Territories for a total of 51,600 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 110 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 74.76 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nunavut is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 22,865 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 590.43 per 1,000. In the territory, 23.88 per cent (9,247) of the population has been fully vaccinated. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nunavut for a total of 37,500 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 97 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 60.97 per cent of its available vaccine supply. *Notes on data: The figures are compiled by the COVID-19 Open Data Working Group based on the latest publicly available data and are subject to change. Note that some provinces report weekly, while others report same-day or figures from the previous day. Vaccine doses administered is not equivalent to the number of people inoculated as the approved vaccines require two doses per person. The vaccines are currently not being administered to children under 18 and those with certain health conditions. In some cases the number of doses administered may appear to exceed the number of doses distributed as some provinces have been drawing extra doses per vial. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published April 11, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Ukraine's leader requests a talk with Putin, gets no answer

    KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine's leader has asked for a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Russian troop buildup across his country's border and the escalating tensions in eastern Ukraine, but the request has not been answered so far, his spokeswoman said Monday. The concentration of Russian troops along the frontier comes amid a surge of cease-fire violations in eastern Ukraine, where Russia-ba?ked separatists and Ukrainian forces have been locked in a conflict since Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. More than 14,000 people have died in fighting in eastern Ukraine and efforts to negotiate a political settlement have stalled. “The Kremlin, of course, has the request to talk to Vladimir Putin. We haven't received a response so far and very much hope that it's not a refusal of dialogue,” Iuliia Mendel, a spokeswoman for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told The Associated Press. The request was lodged on March 26, when four Ukrainian troops were killed in a mortar attack in the east, she added. But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday he hasn't seen any requests from Zelenskyy “in recent days.” Western and Ukrainian officials have raised concerns about increasingly frequent cease-fire violations in the conflict area. Reports of Ukraine's military casualties have been occurring daily over the past week, and rebels also have reported losses. On Monday, Ukraine’s military reported one more serviceman killed, bringing the total to 28 this year. The G-7 foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the United States said Monday they are “deeply concerned by the large ongoing build-up of Russian military forces on Ukraine’s borders and in illegally-annexed Crimea.” They said the large scale troop movements are threatening and destabilizing and urged Russia “to cease its provocations.” Zelenskyy is expected to head to Paris soon for talks on the buildup with French President Emmanuel Macron, Mendel said Monday. She said Russia has accumulated 41,000 troops at its border with eastern Ukraine and 42,000 more in Crimea. These numbers are likely to grow as the troops “keep arriving," she said. During a call with Putin last week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for the removal of Russian troop reinforcements "in order to achieve a de-escalation of the situation.” Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said Monday that Germany has been following the Russian military buildup along the border with Ukraine very closely, adding it has been "of great concern to us.” The Kremlin has maintained that Russia is free to deploy its troops wherever it wants on its territory and has repeatedly accused the Ukrainian military of “provocative actions” along the line of control in the east and plans to retake control of the rebel regions by force. Kremlin officials charged that Kyiv's actions have threatened Russia’s security, warning that Russia may intervene to protect Russian speakers in the east. Speaking on a trip to Egypt on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that “the current regime in Kyiv might resort to reckless actions in an attempt to restore its ratings.” Amid the rising tensions, the United States has notified Turkey that two U.S. warships will sail to the Black Sea on April 14 and April 15 and stay there until May 4 and May 5. Russia long has bristled at Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO and its increasing military co-operation with the U.S. and its allies. Lavrov argued that while Russia was moving troops on its own territory, "a question what the U.S. ships and servicemen taking part in NATO activities in Ukraine are doing thousands of kilometres away from its territory has remained unanswered.” ___ Frank Jordans in Berlin and Sam Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report. Yuras Karmanau, The Associated Press

  • 3 years in prison for driver of snowmobile in fatal crash

    The man who drove a snowmobile drunk four years ago now has a federal prison sentence for his role in the western Newfoundland collision that killed his passenger, with the judge saying a message needs to be sent that impaired driving is "completely unacceptable in our society." Justice George Murphy delivered his sentence Monday afternoon in Corner Brook Supreme Court, concluding the case involving Thomas Whittle and giving him three years behind bars with a four-year driving ban to follow upon his release. In January, Whittle was convicted of three charges related to the crash, including impaired driving causing death and dangerous driving causing death. The charges stemmed from what Murphy called "a fateful decision" by Whittle and passenger Justyn Pollard to hop aboard a snowmobile in the early hours of Feb 19, 2017. That morning, their snowmobile collided with a taxi van on the bridge to Humber Valley Resort. Pollard, 21, died from his injuries. While Whittle pleaded not guilty to the charges he faced, Murphy said he should not be punished for that decision. Murphy also noted that Whittle had a positive upbringing, a supportive family, and no prior criminal record. But Murphy said he shared concerns the Crown had raised at trial, and prior to the sentencing, that Whittle had shown a lack of insight into his actions and their impact on Pollard and Pollard's family. "I'm not convinced he fully accepts responsibility for his actions that day," Murphy told the court, citing times Whittle had complained about the impact of court-imposed conditions on him that forced him to miss events such as weddings. Justyn Pollard, 21, was killed when the snowmobile he was on collided with a taxi on the bridge to the Humber Valley Resort.(Submitted by Sherry Pollard) Murphy said such impacts paled in comparison with that of Pollard's family and friends. Pollard's mother and best friend watched the sentencing via video link, while his aunt and uncle listened over the phone. All of them delivered emotional victim impact statements on Thursday detailing their grief. "There is no doubt that they have all suffered an immeasurable loss," said Murphy. Murphy sided with the Crown's recommendations for the three-year sentence and four-year driving ban, but declined to grant the Crown's request for a DNA order to put a sample from Whittle into a national database, saying Whittle didn't show any "criminal propensity" to repeat his behaviour. Whittle, who represented himself, had asked for an intermittent sentence to be able to continue working in the community, an arrangement Murphy said was unavailable for any sentence longer than 90 days. Two of Whittle's three convictions were each given the three-year prison sentence, which will be served concurrently. Murphy stayed one other conviction, of driving with a blood-alcohol content above 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood, resulting in an accident causing death. Sending a message In handing down his sentence, Murphy ruminated on the continued instances of impaired driving in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada, saying that society's way of dealing with it doesn't appear to be working. "It is a complex problem with no easy solution," Murphy said. He hoped his sentence would work toward accomplishing two goals — demonstrating to society that impaired driving is "completely unacceptable," and sending a message to anyone thinking of drinking and driving. While Murphy called Whittle's actions that night "reckless and extremely risky behaviour," Murphy also said he highly doubted Whittle would ever drink and drive again, and that the sentence was meant more as a general deterrence to society. Whittle was quiet throughout the proceedings, offering only "no comment" when given the chance to weigh in on the proceedings. He has been in custody since Thursday, time that Murphy credited toward Whittle's sentence at time-and-a-half, shaving eight days off Whittle's total to be served. Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador

  • Pakistani transgender woman finds a niche in tailoring

    As Pakistani transgender woman Jiya measures customers at her tailoring shop in a brand new Karachi market, her eyes gleam with the prospect of a busy Ramadan season and her ambitions to expand. Already, Jiya, 35, who goes by a single name like many trans people in Pakistan, has broken ground by opening a public shop to make clothes for women and transgender women. Many landlords were reluctant to give a shop to a transgender woman, Jiya told Reuters at The Stitch Shop in the southern port city.

  • Ex-youth worker charged with rape was known for 'wrestling'

    CONCORD, N.H. — A former counsellor accused of raping one boy and repeatedly groping another at New Hampshire’s youth detention centre in the 1990s denied the allegations when questioned by police but acknowledged being reprimanded for “wrestling with children,” a prosecutor said Monday. Frank Davis, 79, of Hopkinton, is one of seven former workers at the Youth Development Center in Manchester who were arrested last week and charged with either sexual assault or being accomplices to the abuse of 11 teens from 1994 to 2005. The centre, now called the Sununu Youth Services Center, has been the target of a broad criminal investigation since 2019, along with a lawsuit in which more than 200 men and women allege they were physically or sexually abused as children by 150 staffers from 1963 to 2018. David Meehan, the lawsuit's lead plaintiff, alleges that he contracted gonorrhea at age 15 from being raped by Davis during what he told was going to be a search for contraband in his room. In addition to rape, Davis is charged with sexually assaulting another teen who described being frequently wrestled to the ground and groped, Assistant Attorney General Timothy Sullivan said. He said Davis was known around the facility as “Kung Fu Frank” because he often wrestled with teens on mattresses in a room where he displayed martial arts trophies. After Meehan went to police in 2017, a supervisor told investigators that Davis was told to stop wrestling and was transferred to another facility, Sullivan said. Davis confirmed that he had been spoken to, but denied his actions were abusive, Sullivan said. “The defendant was interviewed and did acknowledge that at some point he had been talked to about his wrestling with children, specifically the boys,” said Sullivan, who urged a judge to order Davis held without bail. But Davis’ attorney, Justin Shepherd, argued for release without bail, saying saying his client hasn’t fled the state despite knowing he was under investigation since 2017. Davis also suffers from multiple medical conditions that would make fleeing all but impossible, he said. “I’m not even sure he can walk out the front door on his own two feet,” he said. “He’s not going anywhere.” The judge set bail at $3,000. Holly Ramer, The Associated Press

  • Inside the hidden fight over Indigenous fishing for baby eels in Nova Scotia

    Fisheries and Oceans Canada faced a five-fold increase in Mi'kmaw fishing for baby eels in 2020 primarily on Nova Scotia rivers — an event it did not expect and could not manage, according to internal DFO documents obtained by CBC News. The federal department had been closely monitoring, and in some cases prosecuting, the unauthorized sale of baby eels harvested by Mi'kmaq under Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC) eel licences since 2017. The appearance of more than 110 Indigenous fishermen at the beginning of April 2020, up from 21 across the region in 2019, quickly forced a shutdown of the little known but lucrative fishery throughout the Maritimes, the documents state. It was the first time that had happened. About the fight over elvers DFO was in the middle of a collision between Mi'kmaq asserting treaty rights and commercial harvesters anxious to protect a fishery worth $38 million in 2019. Nine licence holders share a total allowable catch of 9,960 kilos of baby eels — known as elvers. They are primarily sold to Asian fish farms where they are grown to adulthood for consumption. A researcher with the group Coastal Action measures an elver caught in the East River near Chester, N.S., on June 18, 2019.(Richard Cuthbertson/CBC) The tightly regulated commercial fishery was worth an average of $4.3 million per licence in 2019. Making the case to shutdown 'unmanageable' fishery Unlike commercial licences where quotas and landings are tracked via logbooks and verified by dockside monitoring, FSC elver catches are not reported and sales are not allowed. "Given the high value, and since elvers are not known to be a traditional or current food fish for Indigenous people, this harvest is suspected to be for sale into international markets," Deputy Minister Timothy Sargent wrote to federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan on April 22. Sargent was recommending the first of what would turn out to be two temporary 45-day closures, which effectively ended the entire 2020 season. It was a response to the unprecedented increase in Mi'kmaw elver fishing and fears over escalating conflict as harvesters competed over access. "The unexpected, heightened scale of the activities that have been observed to date (which by far exceeds what DFO had expected based on previous years) has led DFO to determine that those concerns cannot be managed through localized closures," Sargent wrote. "This level of fishing, in addition to the commercial fishery, has become unmanageable and represents a threat to the conservation of the species." Lawsuit pulls back curtain on a hidden struggle In July 2020, commercial harvesters filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Canada seeking to overturn the shutdown order. They argued DFO had not done enough to stop unregulated fishing. In its defence, the department filed 60 pages of documents justifying its actions. The lawsuit was later dropped. But the documents reveal what has been a mostly hidden struggle that features nighttime confrontations illuminated by flickering flashlights at the side of a river. The DFO documents included advice from senior bureaucrats, assessments from its enforcement branch, Conservation and Protection, and detailed economic analysis of the fishery. What we learned Mi'kmaw involvement in the elver fishery was first observed in 2016 when two or three harvesters claimed to be fishing for food, social and ceremonial purposes on rivers in southwestern Nova Scotia. The FSC fishery has expanded to every elver river in southwestern Nova Scotia, including Yarmouth County where commercial fishing is not allowed and a range of elver rivers in eastern Nova Scotia. A 2017 investigation led to the raid of a warehouse near Pearson Airport in Toronto, where police seized about eight kilograms of what they said was FSC-harvested elvers worth $170,000 — an amount DFO said represented a fraction of the current alleged illegal activity. No charges were laid due to lack of evidence. The shutdown was projected to reduce landed values for commercial licence holders to $6.5 million. Unauthorized elver fishing in Nova Scotia continued despite the order. Over a 23-day period from late April and May, fishery officers made 25 arrests, seized 16 trap nets, 19 dip nets and three weapons and returned about eight kilograms of elvers to rivers. It is not clear if the arrested were Mi'kmaq. DFO proceeded despite risk of alienating Mi'kmaq DFO was aware its actions would be seen as an infringement of the Mi'kmaw right to harvest for food, social and ceremonial purposes, and risked a "negative effect" on discussions over the treaty right to earn a moderate livelihood. "However, risks to conservation and proper management and control of the fishery are currently believed to be at a level where this is necessary," Sargent wrote. The shutdown was followed, after the fact, by discussions with Mi'kmaw bands where responses to the ministerial order varied. A summary of the engagement said some Mi'kmaw communities supported the shutdown to protect American eel while others strongly opposed any changes to FSC licences that would potentially restrict access. There was also "considerable displeasure about a perceived lack of consultation" in some communities, including Kwilmu'kw Maw-klusuaqn, KMKNO, which is the negotiation office for the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw chiefs. Canada moves to end FSC elver fishery in 2021 In February 2021, DFO imposed a 10-centimetre minimum size on all FSC American eel licences issued to all bands in the Maritimes. Before this, most licences did not contain a minimum size. The condition is expressly designed to prevent FSC elver fishing and was urged in a DFO Conservation and Protection report in 2020. "The ability to protect the species and deter over-harvesting will be much greater enabled through decisive action with respect to the introduction of of size limits and gear restrictions as part of the food, social and ceremonial licence conditions - which would accord much stronger enforcement mechanisms to fishery officers and Public Prosecution Services of Canada (PPSC)," the report said. "Elver is a lucrative commodity which is easily harvested. There are individuals fishing elver who are affiliated with criminal entities due to the ability to rapidly sell their catch and funnel the proceeds toward other endeavours. MAR C&P is working increasingly more closely with policing counter-parts to disrupt these elements." The DFO documents do not mention any Mi'kmaw harvesters being charged in these cases. Arrest continue in 2021 The shutdown has not ended confrontations on elver rivers. Since the season opened in March, fishery officers have arrested 14 people and made a number of seizures over alleged unauthorized elver fishing. It's not clear if the enforcement actions relate only to Mi'kmaw fishermen. Some of the arrests involved members of the Sipekne'katik band. Chief Mike Sack says the fishermen were exercising their treaty right to fish for a moderate living. Chief Mike Sack says fishing for elvers falls under the Mi'kmaw treaty right to earn a moderate livelihood.(Nic Meloney/CBC) "It falls under that. And I fully support any of our members that are out there exercising their right under any fish or wildlife or resources that there may be," he said. Chiefs say cut the commercial harvest if there is a conservation issue. In a statement, the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw Chiefs asserted First Nations interest in fishing elvers under food, social and ceremonial licences, and objected to the unilateral decision to suspend elver fishing in 2020 by DFO. "While the protection and conservation of all species is always a concern for our people, the Mi'kmaw have a desire to fish elvers for Food, Social and Ceremonial purposes," Annapolis Valley First Nation Chief Gerald Toney said in a statement. "We should be able to fish any species, as needed and as required, while respecting concerns for conservation, as outlined in Sparrow," he said, referencing the 1990 Supreme Court case that spelled out steps required to infringe on a treaty right. In December, one of their negotiators told DFO that elvers are a viable food source for Mi'kmaw communities and commercial licences should be cut first if there are conservation issues. In a statement, DFO said it will respond accordingly to conserve the population and maintain a sustainable and orderly fishery in 2021. It is the same language it used last year when it shut down the fishery. MORE TOP STORIES

  • Alberta doctors say trust must be rebuilt after proposed new labour deal rejected

    EDMONTON — The head of the Alberta Medical Association says many factors led to the recent collapse of a proposed master agreement with the province, but he says a key one was lack of trust. Dr. Paul Boucher says before he and Health Minister Tyler Shandro can even begin negotiating the nuts and bolts of a new deal, that trust must be regained. “I’m not going to bring back another agreement (for ratification) unless I have pretty good confidence that it’s going to pass,” Boucher said in an interview. “Another failed ratification would be a disaster for everyone as far as I’m concerned.” Boucher said he and Shandro are meeting again, almost two weeks after the rank-and-file physicians of the 11,000-member AMA refused to ratify the new tentative deal brokered by both sides, voting 53 per cent against it. Boucher said normally such deals pass with a strong majority. But during the voting process, he said he heard from about 3,000 physicians and many told him their core concern was that the pact left them too exposed to a government they didn’t trust. “Any agreement really requires both parties to work well together within it,” said Boucher. “I think a lot of members just weren’t sure that this was going to be the case. And there wasn’t enough clarity or safeguards to ensure that their voices were going to be heard and that they would be treated fairly within it. “That’s a result of the challenges we’ve had (with the province) over the year.” Those challenges began in early 2020, when Shandro unilaterally tore up the master agreement with the AMA, using a law passed months prior by the United Conservative government. That cancellation launched a year of bitter attacks from both sides. Shandro imposed fee changes that led to some doctors withdrawing services, particularly in rural locations, saying the changes were financially unsustainable. Shandro’s officials dismissed the AMA as a lobby group and Shandro accused the organization of spreading misinformation to its members. The AMA, in turn, sued the government, accusing it of violating Charter rights on collective bargaining by, among other things, cancelling binding arbitration. All this was going on as COVID-19 swept through the province, filling up hospital wards. Boucher said doctors were ready to sign a deal for less money, although they still had concerns and questions over remuneration. The four-year deal would have seen compensation stay static at more than $5 billion a year. But he said a key concern was that binding arbitration had been replaced by mediation, albeit with the mediation decision made public. In addition, the AMA lawsuit would be cancelled. The AMA considers binding arbitration critical, given it can’t hit the picket line for ethical reasons to otherwise gain leverage on intractable labour disagreements. “(Arbitration) guarantees you a process. It does not guarantee you a result on either end, but I think a lot of docs just wanted that sense of fairness,” said Boucher. “And I would have loved to have given it to them. We just couldn’t get that this go round.” He said Shandro and the government have pivoted from the former approach and have been working collaboratively with the AMA, particularly on the recent COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Shandro has cancelled many of the fee changes he imposed and promised contentious ones won’t ever return. After the vote failed on March 30, Shandro stated, “Our government will seek to further renew our relationship with the AMA in the weeks and months to come as we work together to ensure Albertans continue to benefit from quality health care.'' Boucher agreed: “We just need to rebuild the relationship.” He said there is no timeline for a new deal. “I think it’s going to be some time." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2021. Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

  • N.B. COVID-19 roundup: Variant first found in S. Africa confirmed in 2 cases

    Two confirmed cases of the variant first detected in South Africa have been identified in New Brunswick. In a news release Monday, Public Health said the two cases were reported in the Saint John region, Zone 2. They are the first confirmed cases of that variant identified in New Brunswick, which until now has only seen cases of the variant first reported in the U.K. One of the cases is related to travel outside of Canada and the other is a contact of that travel case, the department said in the release. The variant is more transmissible and causes more serious outcomes than the original coronavirus. In an interview Monday, Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health, said the risks to the New Brunswick population have never been higher than they are now. "We have never had this many hospitalizations and ICU admissions at one time," she said. There are currently 145 active cases in the province.(CBC News) 10 new cases reported Ten new cases have been reported, affecting two zones, in New Brunswick on Monday. The cases break down in this way: Moncton region, Zone 1, four cases: An individual 20 to 29 An individual 30 to 39 Two people 40 to 49 One of these cases is linked to travel and the other three are under investigation. Edmundston region, Zone 4, six cases: Two people 19 and under. An individual 20 to 29. An individual 30 to 39. An individual 50 to 59. An individual 60 to 69. Two of these cases are contacts of a previously confirmed cases and the other four are under investigation. The number of confirmed cases in New Brunswick is 1,732. Since Sunday, 13 people have recovered for a total of 1,553 recoveries. There have been 33 deaths The number of active cases is 145. Eighteen patients are hospitalized, including 13 in an intensive care unit. A total of 268,096 tests have been conducted, including 737 since Sunday's report. The number of people who've received at least one dose of a vaccine is 136,494 — more than 20 per cent of those eligible. These doses include 625 administered since Sunday, according to the province's dashboard published Monday afternoon. A total of 136,494 New Brunswickers have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.(CBC News) All new cases presumed to be variant cases Every new case of COVID-19 popping up now in the province is presumed to be a variant of the coronavirus, says New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health. Dr. Jennifer Russell said the variants are 30 to 70 per cent more contagious than the virus that dominated the first year of the pandemic and pose more of a threat to young people, causing severe symptoms. "Now we're seeing those serious outcomes in terms of people in their 20s, 30s and 40s needing hospitalization and ventilation." As of Monday afternoon, the variant first reported in the United Kingdom and the variant first detected in South Africa have both been found in New Brunswick, but Russell said she wouldn't be surprised if new cases were of the variant first reported Brazil. I won't feel completely reassured until everybody has that second dose on board by September. - Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick chief medical officer of health Russell is asking people to keep their guard up at least until the end of June. By then, everyone in New Brunswick should have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. She said the next two and a half months are critical for protecting against outbreaks. "We're just not there yet," she said. "I need everybody to dig deep and go hard for the next two and a half months at least." Russell said she will be cautious about lifting any kind of public health measures in the foreseeable future. "I won't feel completely reassured until everybody has that second dose on board by September." Edmundston deputy mayor begs residents to stay home Edmundston's deputy mayor is pleading with residents to stay home as the number of COVID-19 variant cases continues to climb in the region. Deputy Mayor Eric Marquis said it's frustrating to hear people are still going out, despite possible infection, exposing others to the virus. "It's hitting hard," Marquis said. "We all know somebody who is hit with COVID in our region right now." The Edmundston and Haut-Madawaska areas were placed under the province's tightest public health measures over the weekend. All non-essential businesses have been ordered to close and schools have moved to to virtual learning. This is the second time this year that the region has been placed under lockdown. Marquis said Public Health made the right decision. "People are realizing we don't have any choice." Edmundston Deputy Mayor Eric Marquis says residents are still heading out, despite possible exposure to COVID-19 variants. (Gary Moore/CBC News) Facing an influx of COVID-19 patients, the Edmundston Regional Hospital continues to be overwhelmed. New admissions are now being directed to the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton. Marquis said the situation has been grim and difficult on families. "Our hospital staff are stretched to their limit," he said. Five patients with COVID-19 are on ventilators at the Edmundston Regional Hospital.(Radio-Canada) Most of the patients are infected with the variant first reported in the U.K., with some as young as 25. Last week, a 38-year-old Saint-Basile man became the youngest person in the province to die from COVID-19. Vaccination clinics are now open in the Grand Falls and Saint-Quentin areas. Marquis expects another vaccine clinic to open in Edmundston on Friday. He said the pandemic has been making it difficult for businesses in the area to stay afloat, so the city is working with government to come up with a program to help them. "We see it as the answer to the crisis we're having right now." Next month's municipal election has also been postponed because of the lockdown. Elections New Brunswick will look at the length of the lockdown before deciding when to hold the election. Marquis urged residents to stay positive, saying the pandemic will eventually come to an end. "We're going to bounce back and have better days." How students are reacting to full-time classes being put on hold A Grade 11 student at Tantramar Regional High School in Sackville says he's relieved full-time classes did not resume on Monday. Over the weekend, Health Minister Dorothy Shephard announced a delay in return to full-time, in-person school on Monday as a precaution. "With COVID, it's the safest option," said student Bliss Behar. He said there can be up to 30 students inside a classroom at one time, making physical distancing difficult. He said the smaller class sizes make it easier to learn. At home, he's been learning to self-regulate and is making sure his assignments are completed on time. "That prepares us for university," Behar said. But the Sackville teen said he understands not everyone feels the same way. Although Mekedess Maillet understands the decision to postpone full-time classes, the Grade 11 was still disappointed. "It kind of feels like I'm losing some of my learning." said Maillet, who attends Bonar Law Memorial High School in Rexton. She wants classes to resume full-time so she's prepared for university. Maillet said some classes are harder than others, and having a break in between in-person days makes information sometimes more difficult to retain. "I already feel like maybe I don't know enough for university level. ... am I not as ahead as I would be?" Maillet said she and her friends miss attending classes in person, so it's hard to stay motivated without an end date in sight. "It's been a very roller-coaster of a year for school." Luc Bélanger, 38, of Saint-Basile in Zone 4 died of COVID-19 on Tuesday.(Bellavance Funeral Home/Radio-Canada) Stephanie Patterson, spokesperson for the Anglophone East School District, said the district communicated changes after the province made its announcement Saturday afternoon. "After going through this year, we're always prepared for something to pop out of the woodwork," said Patterson. She said teachers have been preparing for the full-time classes starting Monday. Now, they'll have to change back to online learning. "It's challenging for everybody to have to always switch on a dime," she said. Zoe Watson, superintendent of Anglophone South, also said a lot of work went into preparing for full-time classes this week. She said principals were changing operational plans, furniture was being put back into classrooms and teachers had adjusted seating plans. Transportation was also being adjusted to ensure physical distancing on school buses. "I appreciate it gets very confusing for families. … We always knew this was going to be a school year like no other." Premiers monitor Atlantic bubble possibility The bubble with all four Atlantic provinces is expected to open in one week's time, but the premiers and health officials are watching things day by day, says Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health. As of Sunday, there were 40 active cases of the virus reported in Nova Scotia. Ten active cases in Newfoundland, as of Saturday and six active cases were reported on Prince Edward Island as of Friday. "We're going to watch and wait and see how things unfold," she said. Possible flight exposures New Brunswick Public Health has has identified a positive case in a traveller who might've been infectious on two flights on March 10. Air Canada Flight 8906 – from Montreal to Moncton, departed at 7:10 p.m. Air Canada Flight 414 – from Toronto to Montreal, departed at 2:10 p.m. Dr. Jennifer Russell, New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health, said many people are continuing to travel for various reasons. "We won't be able to keep cases of COVID-19 and the variants out of the province," she said. "They will keep arriving." She said it's possible people are making stops in major cities like Toronto to receive a test. If they receive a negative test, Russell, said those people come back to New Brunswick with a false sense of security and think they're self-isolating adequately. The presence of a more contagious variant has also changed the outook. "It's a very contagious variant." Although Russell said New Brunswick has adopted some of the tightest restrictions for getting into a province, Russell is encouraging everyone to stay put. "When we move, COVID moves," she said. "So the less travel the better." More possible exposures Edmundston area: April 9 between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (160 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 8 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., April 7 between 6:30 a.m and 7:00 a.m., and April 6 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. – Tim Hortons (262 Isidore-Boucher Blvd., St-Jacques) April 7 between after 6:00 p.m., April 6 after 6:00 p.m. – Epicerie Chez ti-Marc (256 Isidore-Boucher Blvd., St-Jacques) April 7 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and April 6 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – Dollarama (787 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., and April 6 between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. – NB Liquor, (575 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. – Jean Coutu (177 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 7 between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – Subway (180 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 7 between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. – Atlantic Superstore (577 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 6 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 26 to April 8 – Napa Auto Parts - (260 Canada St., Edmundston) March 20 to April 9, Atlantic Superstore (577 Victoria St., Edmundston) April 5 at 11 a.m. – Shoppers Drug Mart (160 Hébert Blvd., Edmundston) April 1 – Royal Bank (48 Saint-François St., Edmundston) March 31 between 12 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 30 between 12 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) March 29 between 8:45 a.m. and 4 p.m. – Scotiabank (75 Canada Rd., Edmundston) Moncton region: April 8 between 4:45 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. – COSTCO Wholesale customer service (140 Granite Drive, Moncton) April 6 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. – YMCA Vaughan Harvey, (30 War Veterans Ave., Moncton) April 4 between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Moncton Wesleyan Church (945 St. George Blvd., Moncton) April 3 between 8:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. – Kelseys Original Roadhouse (141 Trinity Dr., Moncton) April 1 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., April 3 between 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., April 6 between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., April 8 between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. – CF Champlain (477 Paul St., Dieppe) Fredericton region: March 31 – Murray's Irving Big Stop (198 Beardsley Rd., Beardsley) Saint John region: April 9 between 2:10 p.m. and 2:40 p.m., GAP Factory East Point, (15 Fashion Dr., Saint John) April 9 between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. – McAllister Place, 519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John April 8 between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m., – McAllister Place, 519 Westmorland Rd., Saint John April 8 between 1:15 p.m. and 2 p.m. – Service New Brunswick, 15 King Square North, Saint John April 1 between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. – YMCA of Greater Saint John (191 Churchill Blvd., Saint John) 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.

  • Youth accused in hit-and-run death of Calgary officer still has no lawyer

    CALGARY — An 18-year-old-man charged as a young offender in the hit-and-run death of a Calgary police officer has asked for another court delay as he tries to find a lawyer.The accused is charged with first-degree murder in the New Year's Eve death of Sgt. Andrew Harnett, who had tried to pull over an SUV because its plates didn't match its registration.Police have said Harnett was dragged by the SUV before he fell and was hit by another car.The alleged driver of the SUV, who was 17 when he was charged, can't be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.He had a lawyer during a previous bail hearing and says he is close to hiring another lawyer for trial.The case was adjourned to April 26.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Ontario man believed to be 1st Canadian with COVID-destroyed lungs gets transplant

    TORONTO — Timothy Sauve was brushing his teeth one morning in December when he was hit by a dizzy spell that knocked him off his feet. The 61-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., didn't expect that to be the first sign of a COVID-19 infection. But within days he had developed a fever, experienced breathlessness in his sleep, and was rushed to hospital with a deteriorating condition that eventually required a double-lung transplant — believed to be the first done in Canada on a patient whose lungs were irreparably damaged by the virus. Sauve, a healthy, physically fit man before he contracted the virus, saw the infection wreak havoc on his lungs over his two-month stay in the intensive care units of two different Toronto area hospitals. While his lungs were scarred beyond repair, the virus didn't damage any of Sauve's other organs, making him a candidate for the rare procedure that saved his life. "Things were pretty bleak," Sauve said of his pre-transplant condition, fighting back tears during a phone interview from the University Health Network's Toronto Rehab Bickle Centre. "They told me my (lungs) weren't getting better and for me to make arrangements to say goodbye to my loved ones." After consulting with his family and doctors, Sauve was transferred from Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga to UHN's Toronto General Hospital, home to Canada's largest organ transplant program. A careful assessment at the Ajmera Transplant Centre determined he was physically strong enough to undergo a transplant in February. Dr. Marcelo Cypel, the surgical director at the transplant centre who led the team performing the operation, said Sauve was on "very high amounts of oxygen" when he met him, and scans of his lungs showed heavy amounts of scar tissue called pulmonary fibrosis. While he was only on a ventilator for a short amount of time during his transfer to the Toronto hospital from Mississauga, Sauve did need the advanced lung support therapy called extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) — a machine that pumps and oxygenates the blood. Cypel said Sauve's lungs had shrunk during his infection, becoming stiff and resistant to air flow. "Lungs should be very light, like balloons — you can push air in very easily," Cypel said. "(Sauve's) were very similar actually to patients with chronic lung disease." While the surgery was a success, Cybel said transplants are not expected to become frequently used treatments for severe COVID cases. The procedure has only been done about "40 or 50" times worldwide, he said. Sauve's situation was unique in that the virus, aside from the irreversible damage it caused to his lungs, hadn't left the rest of his body in a weakened state, Cybel explained. Sauve had also cleared his COVID infection by the time he was assessed for a transplant, which was a main prerequisite before he could undergo surgery. As Sauve put it, "it would be a waste to give someone who wasn't healthy new lungs." Cybel says the rise of variants of concern that are causing severe disease in more younger patients may increase the number of transfer referrals going forward. UHN says its transplant program is currently evaluating three additional COVID patients for candidacy. Even though only a very "small subset" of people would qualify, "it is a very powerful, life-saving therapy for some specific patients," Cybel said. While Sauve is doing well in recovery now, he says the last few months had been a nightmare for his family. His entire household, including his common-law partner Julie Garcia, her 24-year-old son and her father, 80-year-old Juanito Teng, all tested positive for COVID around the same time Sauve became ill. Teng died in the ICU shortly after being admitted to hospital, in a room right next to Sauve's. The family doesn't know how members became infected or who got the virus first. Sauve, who had no prior comorbidities that put him at higher risk for infection or severe disease, says he hopes his story can resonate with anyone who thinks COVID-19 isn't that big a deal. "People don't realize what COVID does to people ... and sometimes they're putting their guard down," he said. "I thought that when I got the disease, I'd get over it." Sauve said the immediate aftermath of his surgery is a blur, with pain killers so strong they made him hallucinate — a normal reaction, his doctors told him. He also doesn't remember much from the day he found out he was getting his new lungs. "I just remember waiting," he said. "And the next thing I knew I was waking up from the operation — after the hallucinations wore off — and I realized I wasn't wearing an oxygen mask." Recovery time varies for patients after transplants, so Sauve isn't sure how long he'll need to stay at the rehab centre. But he doesn't want to rush things. "I want to leave here on my own two feet," he said. "I want to go home to my beautiful partner, Julie, but I don't want to need a walker. I'll stay here a little longer if I have to — it may take two months, three months, but my goal is to get back home." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2021. Melissa Couto Zuber, The Canadian Press

  • High school student speaks out about suspension after calling out rape-themed T-shirt

    A high school student in the Annapolis Valley who was suspended after posting a photo of another student's "rapey" T-shirt says the whole ordeal has taught her the importance of speaking out. The shirt was printed with modified lyrics to the Christmas song Deck the Halls, including the line "'tis the season to be rapey." "People are saying, 'It's just a shirt.' Well, it's more than a shirt, and that's why this matters.… Rape is not OK," said 17-year-old Kenzie Thornhill, a student at West Kings District High School. "People are always gonna agree with you, and disagree, but it's time to make a change. It's time that we stop staying silent." 'Blew my mind' Thornhill said: "It just blew my mind. I think I did what any teen would do, I snapped the photo and posted it on social media," adding she made sure to frame it in a way that made it impossible to identify the person in the photo. Thornhill posted this photo to Snapchat, including a filter that shows the photo's location as West Kings District High School. She said she made sure the student was not identifiable in the photo.(Submitted by Kenzie Thornhill) She showed the picture to a teacher and hall monitor, who told her it would be dealt with. Thornhill said as far as she knows the student was not disciplined, but told not to wear the shirt to school again. Meanwhile, Thornhill received a five-day suspension. The suspension has since been revoked and Thornhill was back in school on Friday. She was told the discipline will be removed from her permanent record, but wasn't given an apology or an explanation. A statement posted on the Annapolis Valley Centre for Education's website confirmed the school had "revisited the decisions" related to discipline, but did not go into detail. "We are having positive dialogue with students and staff on the issue of sexual violence.… We want all students to feel safe and supported," the statement said. Thornhill said she's heard the school is taking steps to bring awareness to sexual violence, including having teachers read a letter to their classes. "It sucks this had to go viral and all this stuff had to happen for that to happen, but if there is some sort of action and awareness being spread, I'm very proud of the school and the school board for doing that," she said. Walkout in support Before the decision was reversed, Thornhill's suspension prompted about 100 students from the school to walk out of class on Thursday in a show of support. Students wore short skirts, spaghetti straps and other clothing that violated the dress code while holding up signs saying things like, "Enough is Enough" and "Rape is not a Joke." The event was covered by a number of local news outlets. Thornhill said about 100 students took part in the walkout.(Submitted by Kenzie Thornhill) Thornhill, who wasn't allowed on school grounds due to her suspension, cheered them on from across the street and said it was "amazing" and "overwhelming" to see. After all the media attention, Thornhill said her phone is "blowing up 24/7" with messages of support from peers and strangers, as well as personal stories from sexual assault survivors. "To have a stranger reach out to you and trust you with that sort of information, it's just amazing," she said. Not everyone agrees with Thornhill's actions. Some have been trying to poke holes in her story or twist her words, but Thornhill said they're "completely missing the point." 'A teachable moment' Linda MacDonald and Jeanne Sarsen, human rights activists and the co-founders of Persons Against Non-State Torture, called the ordeal a "missed opportunity" to have an open conversation with students about sexualized violence and why discussions around it are often silenced. "This is a teachable moment. We can transform this into a very powerful message to young people and the students. No student needs to be suspended," Sarsen told CBC's Mainstreet on Friday. During the walkout on Thursday, Thornhill cheered her classmates from across the street because she wasn't allowed on school grounds.(Submitted by Kenzie Thornhill) "With education, his thought process could change. But suspension and secrecy is not going to get us out of sexualized violence." Thornhill agrees this is a teachable moment, especially for the student who wore the T-shirt. "It's so much more than just that kid wearing this shirt. It's not his fault he wasn't educated or doesn't know why it's wrong to wear something like that," she said. "His life shouldn't be ruined for it, but what he did was wrong, and he needs to know that. He needs some type of consequence, but not harassment." MORE TOP STORIES

  • Canada set to receive 1M Pfizer-BioNTech doses, Moderna playing catch-up

    OTTAWA — The federal government is expecting Moderna to make good on a previously promised batch of 855,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses that were expected last week, but have yet to arrive.Those delayed doses along with a little more than one million shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine represent the extent of Canada’s expected vaccine deliveries this week, even as the number of new COVID-19 cases across Canada continues to surge.Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the military officer overseeing the federal government’s vaccination distribution effort, blamed the delay in Moderna’s planned delivery on a “backlog with quality assurance."“It's part of the manufacturing process, at the tail end of the manufacturing process, that they want to go through the proper quality assurance processes, and there's a backlog,” he said last week.Officials have indicated there could be a similar delay in the delivery of 1.2 million doses from Moderna next week.“It’s prudent planning on our part right now to bank on the last week of April,” Fortin said.In comparison, Pfizer-BioNTech has been consistently delivering more than 1 million shots to Canada each week for more than a month, a trend that is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.The Public Health Agency is not expecting any shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine this week. Canada has also approved a vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson, but it is not clear when the first of those doses will be delivered.The rush to get vaccines into Canadians' arms has grown more urgent as Canada continues to see a massive spike in the number of new COVID-19 infections.Thousands of new cases were reported on Sunday, including a record 4,456 in Ontario alone. Dr. Theresa Tam, the country's chief public health officer, noted admissions to intensive care units surged 23 per cent last week compared to the one before and said the Canada is approaching the peak of the current pandemic wave. Tam said many of those getting sick are younger than in previous COVID-19 surges, which experts have blamed on virus variants that are spreading across the country.That has prompted some provinces to start looking at changes to how they are distributing their vaccines.More than 10 million doses had been distributed across Canada as of Sunday afternoon, according to covid19tracker.ca, with nearly 8 million having been administered.Almost 20 per cent of the population has received at least one shot.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 12, 2021. Lee Berthiaume, The Canadian Press Note to readers: This is corrected story. A previous version said Canada was only expecting one million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine to be delivered this week.

  • Ukraine says Putin snubs Russian troop build-up talks, Moscow lashes U.S

    KYIV/MOSCOW (Reuters) -Ukraine accused the Kremlin on Monday of ignoring its request for talks between the two countries' presidents over a build-up of Russian troops near its border, but Moscow said its soldiers were on its own territory, unlike U.S. forces in the region. Kyiv and Moscow have traded blame over the worsening situation in the eastern Donbass region, where Ukrainian troops have battled Russian-backed forces in a conflict Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people since 2014. The West has expressed concern in recent weeks over a huge build-up of Russian forces close to Ukraine's eastern border and in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Kyiv in 2014.

  • 4-Week-Old Puppy Quickly Finds New Best Friend

    Gryffin, a 4-week-old puppy, meets a huge Bernese Mountain Dog named Eiger!

  • Old Montreal business owners frustrated by damage done during anti-curfew riot

    Business owners in Old Montreal, already struggling under public health restrictions, spent Monday morning patching up their shattered storefronts after being targeted by anti-curfew rioters the night before. Daniel Loureiro, who owns Helena restaurant on Notre-Dame Street West with his mother, says life was stressful enough without the fear of vandalism. Along with plummeting sales, he is caring for an 11-week-old baby boy. Loureiro says he broke into tears when he arrived at his restaurant Sunday night, after hearing it had been damaged. "Protest all you want, but don't do this to small businesses. People are suffering. We're suffering. We put all our money in our businesses," he said Monday morning as he cleaned up debris outside his restaurant. The riot, which left dozens of businesses in Old Montreal damaged, began at the end of a peaceful demonstration against an earlier curfew. Montreal police said dozens of acts of mischief and criminal fires during Sunday's riot are still under investigation.(Simon-Marc Charron/Radio-Canada) Several dozen protesters gathered in Jacques-Cartier Square around 7 p.m., then stayed past 8 p.m., defying the government's stay-at-home order. Police said the crowd size quickly tripled, making it difficult to contain. As the original crowd began to disperse, small groups set fire to garbage cans and broke storefront windows. Two STM buses were damaged and a bus shelter was also destroyed. Police made seven arrests and handed out 108 tickets. "An investigation is underway and there could be more arrests," said Cédric Couture, police chief for the area that covers Old Montreal. Several business owners, including Loureiro, felt police were under-prepared and took too long to intervene. Mayor Valérie Plante defended the police response, saying officers were present from the outset of the protest and wanted to avoid further escalating the situation. "There's always a balance to find, because sometimes when police officers act too fast it can put oil on the fire," Plante said, adding that police will continue to be present at similar events. She said it was "ridiculous" and "stupid" that people attacked business owners who are already suffering. Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault said she found the riot "extremely shocking" and blamed it on a small group of "troublemakers." Critical moment for Quebec The demonstration was billed as a chance for younger Montrealers to protest the curfew measures. Before it turned violent, the crowd danced to music from loudspeakers, lit fireworks and chanted "Freedom for the young." Several of those who took part are active participants of the movement to contest Quebec's public health measures, and share conspiracy theories on their social media accounts. Mayor Valérie Plante said it was 'ridiculous' and 'stupid' for people to have attacked businesses owners who are already suffering. (Annie Deir/CBC) One of the groups that helped publicize Sunday night's demonstration issued a statement Monday seeking to distance itself from the rioters and calling for peaceful protests in the future. Though Quebec's measures have faced small but steadfast opposition throughout the pandemic, the riot Sunday comes at an especially critical moment for the government. In an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19 variants, it has introduced sweeping new measures in many parts of the province in recent weeks. The regions of Quebec City, Chaudière-Appalaches and the Outaouais are on lockdown — schools are online only and non-essential businesses are closed — as spiking case loads risk overwhelming regional hospitals. Montreal and Laval have so far avoided similar increases. Premier François Legault said the earlier curfew in the two cities was necessary to prevent that from happening. He also made wearing masks outdoors mandatory in certain situations, such as playing sports, but some have raised concerns his government hasn't done enough to explain the new measure to the public. "Yes there are a lot of questions. But asking questions is one thing. Vandalism is another," Plante said.

  • Vancouver to temporarily close streets alongside 3 schools to encourage active transportation

    The City of Vancouver will be closing the streets in front of three elementary schools starting Monday to encourage parents to use active transportation to pick up and drop off their children. One street running alongside each of Hastings, Lord Roberts and Van Horne elementary schools will be closed for 30 to 45 minutes during peak pick-up and drop-off times. During that time, no motor vehicles will be allowed to enter or exit the affected block. The pilot starts Monday and will be in place until May 7. The city chose streets that allow nearby residents to still access their homes. It also has ensured reserved parking or designated pick-up and drop-off spots for parents or students with disabilities. 'We're really excited' Ian Rowe, chair of the Lord Roberts parent advisory council, says he and most parents were glad the city was trying something new to discourage driving. "School congestion, traffic and safety has been an issue every single year," Rowe said. "And so we're really excited." The pilot wasn't most parents' preferred option, Rowe says, in large part because it requires parent volunteers twice a day, every day, for it to work. The City of Vancouver is piloting a new program to encourage active transportation for parents picking up and dropping off their children at school. (City of Vancouver) Rowe says parents at the West End elementary school wanted permanent infrastructure changes instead, like continuing the separated bike lane along Comox Street in front of the school in order to make cycling a safer option. A few parents objected to the pilot, Rowe says, but the parent advisory council has been working with them to encourage use of the other two streets that flank the school where vehicular traffic will still be allowed. "We're always going to have parents who need to drive," Rowe said. Health researcher Mariana Brussoni previously told CBC News that parents face many challenges trying to get their kids to school by foot or bike — including busy schedules, multiple drop-offs and schools that are too far away. School streets around the world Less than 25 per cent of students across B.C. use active transportation to get to school, according to a written statement from the Ministry of Transportation last year. According to the city's webpage for the pilot, so-called school streets are popular in several places around the world and they have been shown to create a safer environment for children, improve air quality and encourage active transportation. In London, England, nearly 350 school streets have been implemented. The city says 81 per cent of parents there were supportive of the measures, which reduced nitrogen dioxide air pollution by 23 per cent. As a result, 18 per cent of parents reported driving less. The city says school streets were also implemented in Toronto and Edinburgh.

  • Dolly Parton sends greetings to P.E.I. as Island joins free book program

    Country superstar Dolly Parton sent her thanks to P.E.I. last week for joining her Imagination Library charity. The program provides free monthly books for children up to the age of five. "I was just over the moon when I heard Prince Edward Island now has a provincial-wide Imagination Library program," Parton said in a video posted to Facebook on Friday. "My thanks goes to Senator [Diane] Griffin for joining us in Nashville to hear me talk about my Imagination Library program." She also thanked Premier Dennis King and former education minister Brad Trivers for providing funding for the program, as well as the P.E.I. Literacy Alliance and Rotary Club. The Imagination Library partners with publishers and postal services to provide monthly delivery of books for $50 a year per child. Those costs are covered locally. The program launched by the P.E.I. Literacy Alliance in October and the 2,000 spaces were quickly fully subscribed. The province stepped in with funding for another 1,000 children. There are about 7,000 children under five on P.E.I. The P.E.I. Literacy Alliance has set a goal to register every one of them. More from CBC P.E.I.

  • Former Inuvik resident claims RCMP downplayed her report of sexual assault

    A former Inuvik, N.W.T., resident says RCMP ignored or downplayed her allegations of childhood sexual assault. Angie Snow, now 30, says she was abused when she was nine years old. Born and raised in Inuvik, Snow first publicly shared her story on the Preacher Boys podcast with her husband, Norman Snow, earlier this year. The podcast focuses on alleged mental, physical and sexual abuse within the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement. On the podcast, she spoke about her time as a member of the First Bible Baptist Church in Inuvik. She said the assaults happened three times in her childhood home in Inuvik over about a year, although she admits that, decades later, the timeframe is fuzzy. "I knew it was weird because I froze up completely … But no [I didn't realize it was sexual assault]," Snow said. "When I tried to tell my mom, I obviously didn't do a good job. I didn't have any words to say what was happening." "As you get older, and older you start to realize oh my gosh, that did happen. And that was abuse." Eric Skwarczynski is host of the Preacher Boys podcast, which focuses on alleged mental, physical and sexual abuse within the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement.(Submitted by Eric Skwarczynski) Eric Skwarczynski, host of the Preacher Boys podcast, said most of the guests he speaks to live in the United States, where a statute of limitations can impact charges being able to be laid. "Victims do often wait to share their experience with anyone 10,15, 20 years down the road," said Skwarczynski. Reilly Featherstone is pastor for the First Bible Baptist Church in Inuvik. He said he had heard about Snow's allegations second-hand. He says whenever he hears about any sort of abuse allegations, he encourages the person to report the incident to RCMP. "It's the RCMP's job to do a thorough investigation on the matter," he said. Allegations reported to RCMP Snow says she reported the incidents and her alleged perpetrator to RCMP in Inuvik years after they occurred, when she was about 27 years old, after being contacted by someone who said they were a recent victim of her alleged attacker. "I got into the RCMP [detachment], sit down and they are like, 'So you want us to keep an eye on him, right?' and I'm like, 'No, I'm here to charge him,'" Snow said on the podcast. "That was something I was shocked over." Snow told CBC that it took a lot of mental work for her to get to the point of reporting the alleged incidents to the RCMP, and "getting over the hurdle of 'I'm going to ruin his life' … and 'he's a changed man.'" Whoever reviewed it just thought there was not enough evidence. - Angie Snow However, learning there may have been at least one more recent victim was her tipping point. She also said she wasn't the only one who came forward about the abuse she experienced. Her parents also gave statements to the RCMP, as well as Jessica Francis, a childhood friend who says she witnessed the assaults. CBC has reviewed email records to RCMP that show Snow shared contact details for Francis and her parents with RCMP. RCMP acknowledged receipt of the information and an officer wrote that all would be contacted. Snow not alone, but allegations too old Francis, who now lives in Fort McPherson, N.W.T., also alleges the person who abused Snow attempted to abuse her multiple times as well. She was the same age as Snow when the assaults happened and told CBC via Facebook Messenger that the perpetrator "didn't go as far with me as he did with Angie." Both Francis and Snow say they were about 9 years old when the alleged abuse happened, and that their alleged perpetrator was several years older. Despite both women and Snow's parents giving statements to RCMP about what happened, Snow says she was told they could not continue an investigation. I felt at least I tried, but then I also felt like, 'shoot, this is not good.' - Angie Snow "One [RCMP officer] showed up and just kind of told me there was nothing they could do," said Snow. "That whoever reviewed it just thought there was not enough evidence." She also said she was told that too much time had passed from when the alleged assaults had happened, even though Canada doesn't have a statute of limitations that imposes a time frame on reporting criminal sexual assault complaints. "I felt at least I tried, but then I also felt like, 'shoot, this is not good.' I did trust them … and took their word for it," she said. It was also hard for Francis to hear nothing would be done. "I was really disappointed," Francis said. "Especially because I had given my statement and told them my story and timeline thinking that something would be done but nothing happened. "I think it makes it very hard for people to come forward with reports of rape, assault or sexual harassment because it just shows how little is being done to bring justice for the victims and how easy it is for people to get away with these things." An RCMP truck in Inuvik, N.W.T. The police force says they are trying to improve their response to complaints of sexual assault. (David Thurton/CBC) Snow also remembered being taken aback when RCMP asked her to describe what she was wearing during her alleged assault when she was nine. "That was another shock," said Snow. "They need some kind of training and like sexual abuse, gaslighting, just everything like that you could think of like that deals with the brain psychology. I think that would have definitely made things different." Police 'actively trying to engage' complainant, say RCMP N.W.T. RCMP spokesperson Marie York-Condon wrote in an email that although she can't speak to specifics about Snow's file, she said an investigation was conducted after the allegations were reported, "including engagement and consultation with the office of Public Prosecution Service." She also said N.W.T. RCMP are proactively working to improve sexual assault investigations. "We have taken action to strengthen police training and awareness, investigative accountability, victim support and public education and communication." York-Condon said RCMP is looking to speak to Snow and "are actively trying to engage her." As of Thursday, Snow said she still hadn't been contacted by RCMP. Earlier this month, N.W.T. RCMP held a news conference addressing a review from a committee of advocates, justice officials, and police on how they handle sexual assault allegations. The review found that while officers generally showed victims respect, some misunderstood consent law, rape myths or included irrelevant personal opinions in their investigations. During that news conference, RCMP family violence coordinator Jesse Aubin said that officers undergo mandatory training about consent law and common rape myths, and that they are working on a sexual assault investigator course specific to the North. Two more reviews are scheduled this year: one in April, and another in the fall. If you have your own story that you'd like to share, email mackenzie.scott@cbc.ca