Nerina the Ragdoll cat starts to cuddle everything and everyone whenever her owner whistles at her. Cuteness overload!
Peel police are investigating after a man was found dead in a park in Mississauga Thursday morning. The body was discovered in Elmcreek Park at 8 a.m., near Morning Star Drive and Goreway Drive, police say. According to Peel Regional Police spokesperson Const. Danny Martini, there were no obvious signs of trauma. She said the body has been taken for an autopsy and police are waiting for the results from the coroner. Meanwhile, Ontario's police watchdog invoked its mandate following an altercation between police and a man a short distance from the park near Morning Star Drive and Goreway Drive earlier Thursday morning. Police were called to the intersection around 5 a.m., Martini says, following reports that a man was threatening to shoot people. When officers arrived, they became involved in an altercation with the man, Martini says. He was taken to hospital as a precaution and the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was called in. The man has been charged with uttering threats. Peel police say this incident is separate from that of the man found dead in the park.
There are eight new cases of COVID-19 in New Brunswick, half of them in the Edmundston region, Zone 4, part of which will remain under lockdown for at least another week, the province's chief medical officer of health announced Thursday. Officials need to see more signs of improvement before ending the lockdown order in Edmundston and the Upper Madawaska area, said Dr. Jennifer Russell. Of the 140 active cases in the province, 104 are in Zone 4, "mostly in the lockdown area," she told reporters during the COVID-19 briefing in Fredericton. New cases continue to be confirmed every day and contact tracing remains "a challenge." There are still "a number" of cases of community transmission in the area, as well as "numerous incidents" of public exposure to the virus, Russell said. "We're working very, very hard at protecting everyone in that community," she said, thanking residents for their efforts to help slow the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, the situation has improved in the communities of Grand Falls, Saint-Léonard, Drummond, New Denmark and Four Falls and they will move from the red level to the less restrictive orange level at midnight, Russell said. The Saint-Quentin and Kedgwick regions will remain at the yellow level, along with the rest of the province. 18 in hospital, 12 in ICU Eighteen people are in hospital, 12 of whom are in intensive care. The eight new cases break down in this way: Moncton region, Zone 1: two an individual 20-29 an individual 50-59 One case is travel-related and the other is under investigation. Saint John region, Zone 2: one an individual 20-29 This case is travel-related. The eight new COVD-19 cases announced on Thursday put the total number of active cases in the province at 140.(CBC) Edmundston region, Zone 4: four an individual 30-39 an individual 50-59 an individual 60-69 an individual 80-89 Two of the cases are contacts of a confirmed case and the other two are under investigation. Bathurst region, Zone 6: one an individual 50-59 This case is travel-related. New Brunswick has had 1,760 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began in March 2020. There have been 33 COVID-related deaths and 1,586 recoveries. A total of 271,811 tests have been conducted to date, including 1,296 on Wednesday. Province will pay people to travel at home again The Department of Tourism is offering to pay New Brunswickers to vacation at home again this summer as part of the province's COVID-19 recovery plan. The Explore NB Travel Incentive Program will be reoffered again this year, with a budget of $4.5 million, Tourism, Heritage and Culture Minister Tammy Scott-Wallace announced Thursday as part of the department's budget estimates. The program, launched last summer and recently renewed for fall-winter travel, "has supported many tourism operators throughout the province by allowing them to stay open and generate revenue during the pandemic," Scott-Wallace said in a statement. Hopewell Rocks, a provincial park, is one of the province's top attractions and popular with tourists.(Submitted by Brian Atkinson) No details about this summer's program have been released yet. The department's website says they will be shared "soon." Under the previous programs, residents could apply for a 20 per cent rebate on eligible expenses of up to $1,000 for travel within the province that included an overnight stay. To further support the hotel sector and communities significantly impacted by COVID-19, the department will provide $200,000 to help bring meetings, conventions and sport tourism back to the province and invest $350,000 in the tourism regional fund to assist regions with their tourism plans as the province identifies next steps in local governance reform, she said. Tourism Minister Tammy Scott-Wallace has said details about the renewed Explore NB travel rebate summer program will be announced 'soon.'(Submitted by Tammy Scott-Wallace) Funding has also been set aside to help the arts and culture sectors rebound post-COVID-19, said Wallace, calling the move "important" to government. "We want to ensure that creative New Brunswickers can continue to connect and inspire us when times are tough and as they improve." The plan includes: $300,000 for the arts and culture recovery and reactivation fund. Continuation of the Inspired by NB campaign to bring awareness of New Brunswick arts and cultural products through spending of $150,000. COVID-19 funding for the New Brunswick Museum and Kings Landing at $100,000 and $200,000 respectively, to help them with their recovery. An $85,000 increase in the New Brunswick Museum's operating budget. More possible exposures Saint John region: March 29 and April 1, Guardian Drugs-Herring Cove Pharmacy (924 Rte. 774, Unit 2, Welshpool, Campobello Island) March 31, Service New Brunswick (73 Milltown Blvd., St. Stephen) March 31, Giant Tiger (210 King St., St. Stephen) March 31, Kent Building Supplies (188 King St., St. Stephen) March 31, Carman's Diner (164 King St., St. Stephen) Edmundston region: April 10, between 11 a.m. and noon, Staples, 11 Centre Madawaska Blvd. April 10, between noon and 1 p.m., Walmart, 805 Victoria St. April 7, 8 and 9, Canada Post (4 Grondin St., Edmundston) April 8 and 9 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Fenêtre Unique (130 Rivière à la Truite Rd., Edmundston) April 8 and 9, National Bank, (111 de l'Église St., Edmundston) 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.
School divisions in the Regina area joining forces in calling for school staff to be vaccinated before returning to in-person schooling. Regina Public Schools, Regina Catholic School Division and the Prairie Valley School Division are sending letters to the Saskatchewan Health Authority asking for school staff to be vaccinated before in-person classes are set to resume on April 26. "We know as educators that students learn better in the classroom. But not only that, we know that there are hardships created for thousands of families in our city when we do e-learning," said Adam Hicks, board chair for Regina Public Schools. "If all of our staff can get vaccinated sooner, we might be able to get children back into the classroom sooner than if we don't get them vaccinated." Each school board voted in favour of sending the letters during their respective meetings this week, citing Regina as a hot spot for coronavirus variants of concern. Hicks said getting school staff vaccinated would not only help keep students safe, but also the broader community. The school divisions said in March that their students would move to online learning for two weeks, amid concerns over rising numbers of cases involving variants of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. They extended the remote learning period later that month. 'We're hoping that the province is listening' Hicks said RPS alone has about 2,400 workers and 24,000 students, along with 58 buildings, which means the division impacts 12 per cent of the city's population when schools are operational. However, he said that number could be around 30 to 40 per cent if one factors in parents and caregivers with kids in RPS. "We're hoping that the province is listening," he said. "We're not saying that our teachers, or support staff, or our division staff are any more important than others, but we believe that the impact is great for our city." Hicks said each division could handle the logistics of getting its workers vaccinated as well, including contact tracing on nights, weekends and statutory holidays. "We have a better chance to make this easier for everybody, including the economy, including parents that are struggling at home right now," he said. Hicks said he hopes students and staff will be able to return to class on the scheduled date, but extending remote learning again isn't off the table.
Daimler AG on Thursday unveiled the electric "sibling" of its flagship Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury sedan, taking the fight to market-leader Tesla Inc in the battle for market share as electric car sales take off. The EQS is the first in a family of Mercedes-Benz cars built on a dedicated electric vehicle platform built from the ground up. Sales of electric and plug-in hybrid cars in the European Union almost trebled to over 1 million vehicles last year, accounting for more than 10% of overall sales.
DÜSSELDORF, Germany — Erling Haaland walked off the field looking physically and emotionally drained, clutching a shirt he’d been given by an opponent after Borussia Dortmund lost to Manchester City in the Champions League quarterfinals. Haaland may have his own City shirt next season. Dortmund is in danger of failing to qualify for next season’s Champions League for the first time since 2010-11, and that could fracture the squad. The club is in fifth place in the Bundesliga with six games left to make up a seven-point gap for the final Champions League place. With each loss, the chance of seeing Haaland in the yellow and black of Dortmund next season seems to drop further. Players like Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Jadon Sancho and Gio Reyna didn’t choose Dortmund so they could play in the Europa League. Haaland’s agent has already made it clear he is looking at other clubs for his client, and there’s no lack of interest. City manager Pep Guardiola raved about the 20-year-old Haaland’s talent, and Bellingham’s, too, after the win Wednesday in Dortmund. That all raises the question of what Dortmund is trying to achieve. At its best, the team is exhilarating to watch, the young stars combining with more experienced players such as Marco Reus to produce exciting soccer and challenge for trophies — but never quite win them. At its worst, it’s an underperforming team trapped in an endless rebuild as bigger clubs pick off its best players. The rise of Leipzig means there’s now another German club following a Dortmund-style model of focusing on young talent, but with more league success. Dortmund is making a show of stability. Sporting director Michael Zorc insisted last week that the club plans to keep Haaland in its squad next season. Club officials point to Dortmund’s healthy financial position amid the coronavirus pandemic, a relic of past big sales like Ousmane Dembele’s move to Barcelona in 2017. Addressing “the rich clubs in the world,” CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke told the BBC on Wednesday that Dortmund could not be browbeaten into selling players at a discount. “They must know this is the price. It is not another price,” he said, pointing to last year’s prolonged and ultimately fruitless talks with Manchester United over Sancho. Dortmund has also made some missteps when it comes to coaches. Before he was fired in December, Lucien Favre’s two-year tenure produced spectacular high-scoring games, but also farcical defensive collapses. Dortmund named Edin Terzic as interim coach and went about seeking a successor, settling on Marco Rose for next season. Since that move was announced in February, though, Rose has won only two of 10 games with Borussia Mönchengladbach while Terzic has won praise for his Dortmund team’s combative performance against City. Dortmund’s game against Werder Bremen on Sunday could offer the ideal breather after the Champions League exit. Bremen has lost its last four league games and Dortmund could cut the gap to the top four if third-place Wolfsburg drops points against leader Bayern Munich. If Dortmund can’t beat Bremen, though, a season in the Europa League looks all but certain while Haaland could be back in the Champions League with a City shirt on his back. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports James Ellingworth, The Associated Press
OTTAWA — The Federal Court of Appeal has found that a pact between Ottawa and Washington to turn back asylum-seekers entering Canada from the United States does not violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A three-judge panel ruled unanimously Thursday to allow the Canadian government's appeal that argued the Federal Court misinterpreted the law when it declared in July that the safe third country agreement breaches constitutional guarantees of life, liberty and security. The Federal Court’s declaration of invalidity was suspended for six months and later extended, leaving the law in place for now. The Canadian Council for Refugees, Amnesty International and the Canadian Council of Churches, among others who argued against the agreement in court, can seek leave to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada. Under the bilateral agreement, which took effect in 2004, Canada and the United States recognize each other as safe places to seek protection. It means Canada can turn back people seeking asylum who arrive at land ports of entry along the Canada-U.S. border on the basis they must pursue their claims in the United States, the country where they first arrived. Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council for Refugees, said the court decision is disappointing. "It really avoids wrestling with the experiences of people who have been sent back to the U.S." she said. "We submitted substantial evidence including affidavits from people who are in detention, from experts, from practitioners. So we know that there are widespread abuses, shocking conditions in detention in the U.S." She said the organizations and the individual claimants who argued against the agreement in court had framed their arguments as a challenge to the designation of the United States as a safe third country for refugees. The court said the arguments should have focused on the review process Canada uses to determine whether the United States continues to be a safe country for refugees or not. "We didn't do (that) in part because the evidence of the review process is confidential," Dench said. The government claims privilege for that review process because its recommendations and decisions involve cabinet deliberations, she said, adding it would be hard to bring evidence when Ottawa refuses to share it with the public or release it to the court. "It's a little bit ironic that the court is saying that we should have taken this route, which would be very difficult to to succeed with." Dench said the current goverment has described itself as a feminist government, and yet it has sent women back to the United States, even when they're making a refugee claim based on gender-based persecution. The Immigration Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Trudeau government has defended the safe third country agreement, saying there will be upheaval at the border without it. In a submission to the court, federal lawyers said the absence of the agreement would serve as "a pull factor" attracting people to make a claim for protection in Canada. "This will impact all types of port of entry operations and result in significant delays for persons making refugee claims at the land port of entry," the government submission states. Justin Mohammed, the human rights law and policy campaigner at Amnesty International Canada, said there was an extensive factual record before the court that showed people who were returned to the United States were subjected to human rights violations. "One of the claimants who was involved in this case was returned to the United States where she was detained. She was held in solitary confinement in a freezing cold cell, and she was given food that was inconsistent with her religious beliefs," Mohammed said. He said there's also an increased risk that a person who is returned to the United States might be sent back to their country of origin where they would possibly face persecution. The court's technical approach to the arguments is "unfortunate and regrettable," he said. Mohammed said Canada becomes complicit in the violations when it has the opportunity hear people's claims for protection, but rather sends them back to the United States. Both the Canadian Council for Refugees and Amnesty International say they will be considering the option to seek leave to appeal to the Supreme Court. But he called on the Parliament to make a decision to end this agreement. "Regardless of this decision, it still remains within the hands of the Parliament of Canada to change this very shameful practice," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2021. ------ This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Maan Alhmidi, The Canadian Press
The RCMP say a body found near Saint Andrews last weekend was that of a 68-year-old woman who disappeared in the area last December. Police don't believe foul play was a factor in her death. Wilhelmina (Wilma) Catherine Montgomery was reported missing on Dec. 8, 2020, after not being seen since around noon in Saint Andrews the day before. Her disappearance triggered a response from the Charlotte County Ground Search and Rescue team, which mobilized 20 searchers to look for her in the days after she was last seen. On Saturday, RCMP said the body of a woman was found by a kayaker on Navy Island, near Saint Andrews. "Even though this is not the outcome we were hoping for, we are glad to be able to bring closure to the family," said RCMP Sgt. Christopher Henderson.
HALIFAX — A Mi'kmaq man who has been battling for Indigenous fishing rights says the recent seizure of his crab traps suggests Ottawa is becoming more aggressive on the water. Robert Syliboy said in an interview Tuesday that Fisheries Department officers in a Canadian Coast Guard vessel confiscated two of his $400 traps set in waters off Sherbrooke, N.S., last weekend. The 27-year-old fisherman from Sipekne'katik First Nation says his chief had authorized the setting of the 10 traps as a food, social and ceremonial fishery for the community in central Nova Scotia. "I told fisheries officers I was fishing under the chief and council's authority, and all the fish was going for food," Syliboy said. "They disregarded the treaty I was fishing under." The Indigenous band has cited Supreme Court of Canada rulings, including the Sparrow case in 1990, as affirmations of the Mi'kmaq practice of harvesting fish for ceremonies, food and gatherings. Last fall, Syliboy was among the more prominent Mi'kmaq fishers who attempted to launch a self-regulated lobster fishery off southwest Nova Scotia. One of his vessels caught fire at the wharf and was damaged beyond repair. The federal Fisheries Department says it believes existing law means Sipekne'katik requires a communal licence for fishing snow crab under provisions of the federal Fisheries Act. Spokeswoman Megan Gallant said by email that the band doesn't have such a licence. The department says on its website that it retains the right to regulate Indigenous fisheries for conservation purposes under both the Sparrow decision and the more recent Donald Marshall Jr. decision, which allowed Indigenous fishing in pursuit of a moderate livelihood. Gallant said on Wednesday that fishery officers first warned Syliboy against fishing in an April 6 phone call, and that his snow crab traps were seized the following weekend. "These operations are part of routine gear inspections by fishery officers to ensure compliance with the Fisheries Act and associated regulations," she wrote. Syliboy said he disagrees with the federal interpretation of the Supreme Court's rulings, arguing he retains the right to operate without a federally approved licence if his band has authorized him to fish. As the possibility of another season of unrest off southwestern Nova Scotia approaches, the fisher said he believes the enforcement action signals Ottawa will not tolerate self-regulated Indigenous fisheries. "The (coast guard vessel) was very close to my vessel. It was more intimidation than anything, I think. They were on a 100-foot vessel doing circles around me," he said. "I believe it's getting worse for Mi'kmaq fishers and not better. It's becoming harder to access waters." Syliboy said he would be pleased to go to court and argue against the seizures, as he feels existing judicial rulings support his view. However, Colin Sproul, a spokesman for the Unified Fisheries Conservation Alliance — a lobby group representing various non-Indigenous, commercial fishers — said Ottawa's right to regulate remains a key part of Supreme Court of Canada decisions. "The Sparrow decision is very clear that the right of First Nations are administered through the federal government and the minister, and that she has the ultimate authority for conservation," he said. Asked whether setting 10 traps for a community feast poses a conservation issue, Sproul responded, "there is a conservation issue on every single pound of fish taken out of the ocean." He said all uses of the resource need to be accounted for "so that all the participants can make responsible management decisions." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2021. Michael Tutton, The Canadian Press
Singer and actress Jennifer Lopez and former New York Yankees baseball star Alex Rodriguez called off their engagement because "we are better as friends," announcing the breakup on Thursday just months after denying their four-year relationship was on the rocks. “We have realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so," Lopez, 51, also known by her nickname J.Lo, and Rodriguez, 45, known as A-Rod, said in a joint statement. "We will continue to work together and support each other on our shared businesses and projects,” Lopez and Rodriguez said.
From its leather bar stools and checkered walls to the bright neon cowboy galloping over the front door, Surrey's Round Up Cafe has long connected B.C.'s fastest-growing community to its humble roots. The post-war family-run diner, known for its home-style breakfasts and Ukrainian fare, has lasted more than six decades on Surrey's King George Boulevard. "It was a gathering spot," said co-owner Dennis Springenatic, whose parents bought the restaurant in 1959. It quickly became a cornerstone in the emerging Whalley neighbourhood. "There was a lot of history here in the '60s and '70s. A lot of families grew up here," said Springenatic. Bacon, eggs and perogies are among the specialty dishes at Surrey's Round Up Cafe.(Round Up Cafe/Facebook) But like many restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Round Up Cafe has fallen on hard times. It shut down for eight months in 2020, reopening in December. But Springenatic says it won't be able to recover from the latest round of "circuit breaker" restrictions, which have prohibited indoor dining throughout B.C. Public health is expected to extend the health measures into May, according to the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association. The measures were originally set to expire on April 19. Springenatic says the family plans to close the Round Up Cafe for good, as its limited patio seating can't generate enough business to keep the doors open. "It wasn't on our terms to go out," he said. "It took a pandemic to shut us down, and it's disappointing." Local landmark The bright neon sign on the front of the building has been there longer than the Springenatic family has owned the business. Husband and wife restaurateurs Orest and Goldie Springenatic, Dennis's parents, purchased the property from its previous owners, who operated the restaurant under the same name. After the first five years, the family got involved with Whalley Little League and helped build it up. The restaurant became a go-to spot for families after baseball and hockey tournaments. A picture of Goldie and Orest Springenatic hangs on the wall inside the Round Up Cafe.(Round Up Cafe/Facebook) At night, more boisterous crowds would roll in. For the first two decades, it was open 24-7, and was steps away from local party hot spots like the since-demolished Flamingo Hotel. "Back in the '70s when the nightclubs were rocking, a lot of people would come here after the bar shut down, and have fries and gravy," said Dennis Springenatic. "It was a very family and community oriented place over the years." Owner Goldie Springenatic bought the restaurant with her husband in 1959. The pair previously ran a restaurant in Boston Bar.(Round Up Cafe/Facebook) Last stand The cafe is one of the few landmarks of its era still standing as new developments and highrises replace aging buildings. Despite the family owning the building, the pandemic has made it difficult for them to keep up with operating costs. The recent indoor dining restrictions and their expected extension is enough to make them call it a day. The restaurant's makeshift patio can sit about a dozen customers while the empty indoor dining area can seat more than 40. "It's made it tough to even break even, and try to get ahead," said Springenatic. "It's discouraging for all the restaurants." Springenatic says he doesn't know what's next for the decades-old site, but he says the family will likely try to rent out the building. As for the neon sign above, he hopes it can be maintained and displayed inside a local museum or heritage centre. "The legacy is just ... really good memories."
Opponents of the Feb. 1 coup that ousted an elected government led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi have kept up their campaign against the military this traditional New Year week with marches and various other shows of defiance. Wai Moe Naing, a 25-year-old Muslim, has emerged as one of the most high-profile leaders of opposition to the coup.
Deputy leader of the Opposition Candice Bergen criticized Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland during question period on Thursday for comments last week that COVID-19 had created a "window of political opportunity and maybe an epiphany" on child care, saying the comments were a "ridiculous thing" to say and questioned the purpose of the comment given the impact the pandemic has had.
The mayor of a small Saskatchewan town whose residents were recently alerted they are at heightened risk of contracting highly transmissible coronavirus variants of concern says the area has recently experienced "excessive" partiers. Meanwhile, health officials confirm a "recreational party" took place near the community and has sparked a superspreading event. RCMP are investigating but no fines have been issued yet. Maple Creek Mayor Michelle McKenzie made the remarks Tuesday during a council meeting. RCMP Sgt. John Phipps had just completed a regular address about local crime statistics when McKenzie asked other councillors if they had any questions or concerns for the officer. McKenzie had one. "I think it comes down to just what we've been experiencing the last couple of days with the excessive.... partiers or anything else that exceeds the public health order," she said. WATCH | Mayor McKenzie addresses the RCMP (at the 15:58 mark): CBC News has reached out to McKenzie for further comment. One town councillor, Betty Abbott, declined to comment and referred CBC News to McKenzie and the Facebook feed. Event 'disappointing': health minister Saskatchewan Health Minister Paul Merriman was pressed for the second day in a row for details about the event. Asked if it was either a high school party or a religious gathering, Merriman said he did not have those details. He said the event went "way over" the limit of 10 people for private and public outdoor gatherings and that there was "minimal" adherence to public health rules. "We've had very low numbers in the southwest part of the province, in the Maple Creek and Swift Current area," Merriman said. "It takes one event like this to start up another superspreader. It's disappointing." Health Minister Paul Merriman said he was briefed on the situation but offered few details about the event. (CBC) Saskatchewan RCMP said their Maple Creek detachment is investigating the April 2 event after receiving more than one complaint. It allegedly took place at a home in a rural area near Maple Creek, according to an RCMP spokesperson. 21 cases linked to outdoor event On Wednesday, the day after McKenzie's remarks, the Saskatchewan Health Authority warned residents in Maple Creek and Rosetown, Kindersley, Swift Current, Davidson, Moose Jaw, plus their surrounding areas, of increased risk of COVID-19 variants of concern "related to a number of recent large outdoor gatherings and failure to comply with current public health measures." The health authority later confirmed an outdoor gathering in southwestern Saskatchewan was tied to 21 infections, including some cases of variants of concern, although the exact variant was not yet identified. No other details about the event were provided. Town affairs on lockdown In a virtual address posted on the Town of Maple Creek's Facebook page on Wednesday, McKenzie announced a series of clampdowns to protect town staff and residents from the spread of COVID-19. A masked McKenzie said town employees were going door to door with flyers about variants of concern. Some town staff would work from home, she said. The town office and visitor centre is closed, she added. "Residents of Maple Creek are strongly urged to strictly adhere to the current public health order and measures, including immediately [seeking] testing," McKenzie said. Maple Creek is one of 27 communities monitored by health officials in the South West 1 zone. As of Thursday, that zone had 32 active cases of COVID-19, with one new case announced that day.
EDITOR'S NOTE: CBC News and The Road Ahead commissioned this public opinion research in March, just as the third wave of COVID-19 cases was building in Alberta. As with all polls, this one is a snapshot in time. This article is one in a series to come out of this research. Previous articles include: (CBC) The Conservative Party of Canada still enjoys a sizeable lead among Alberta voters but its support has eroded since the last federal election and Albertans are not particularly impressed with its leader, Erin O'Toole, according to a new poll. Asked to rank their impression of federal leaders on a scale from zero to 10 — with zero being "not at all impressed" and 10 being "very impressed" — O'Toole scored the lowest of the three major party leaders at the high end of the scale. Just 11 per cent of respondents said they were highly impressed by O'Toole (a rating of seven to 10). By comparison, 16 per cent said the same for NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and 17 per cent for Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. Analysts say Conservatives have popularity to spare in Alberta and O'Toole needs to worry most about his popularity in other parts of the country. But the poll nevertheless highlights a weakness for the Conservative leader in what has traditionally been a stronghold for his party. "One of the most surprising things in the entire poll was to see how low Erin O'Toole's impression scores are," said pollster Janet Brown, who conducted the survey for CBC News. "This is Alberta. This is the bastion of Conservative support. And it's got to be disheartening to the Conservatives and to Erin O'Toole to see that he's not really making much of an impression here in Alberta." The bulk of Albertans had a middling impression of O'Toole, with 45 per cent giving him a rating of four to six, versus Singh's 37 per cent and Trudeau's 29 per cent. And at the low end of the scale, 35 per cent of Albertans gave O'Toole a rating of zero to three, compared to 41 per cent for Singh and 54 per cent for Trudeau. Brown said that should come as somewhat of a silver lining for the Conservative leader. "It's better to have neutral scores than it is to have negative scores," she said. "But we could have an election at any time and for a leader to have made such a weak impression on people this close to a federal election has got to be concerning." Seats could be in play Overall, the poll found Albertans still prefer the Conservative party by a wide margin, but the party's support has declined since the 2019 election. Asked how they would vote if an election were held immediately, 53 per cent of decided voters said they'd pick the Conservatives. That's down from the 69 per cent of the vote the party received in the last federal election. The poll found the Liberals have gained the most support over that same time, growing from 14 per cent of the vote in the last election to 24 per cent support in the poll. The NDP, which earned 12 per cent of the vote in the last election, were up to 17 per cent in the poll. Mount Royal University political science professor Duane Bratt said the decline in Conservative support opens the door for the Liberals to potentially pick up a seat or two in Alberta's major cities. "Given the hostility that the provincial [UCP] government has expressed at times to the Trudeau government, if they were able to win a seat in Calgary or win a seat in Edmonton, that would be quite remarkable," he said. The Liberals were shut out of Alberta in the last election, in which the Conservatives won 33 of the province's 34 seats. The NDP won one seat, in the riding of Edmonton Strathcona. Bratt said he, too, was surprised by the middling level of enthusiasm for O'Toole expressed in the poll but, overall, the Conservatives still appear to have a strong grip on Alberta. He said O'Toole could even stand to lose a little more support in the province if it meant picking up support in other parts of the country. Putting forward policies that might not be popular among Alberta Conservatives, but have broad appeal in places where there are more votes for the party to gain, might make sense, according to Bratt. "He needs to win seats in suburban Toronto. He needs to win seats in Quebec. He needs to win seats in suburban Vancouver. He does not need to win seats in Alberta," Bratt said. "But the drop in popularity is not what's going to do it. People are not going to say in Whitby or in Brampton, 'Oh, Erin O'Toole isn't popular in Alberta? Let's vote for him.' It's got to be the policies that he brings in." CBC News' random survey of 1,200 Albertans was conducted between March 15 and April 10, 2021 by Edmonton-based Trend Research under the direction of Janet Brown Opinion Research. The sample is representative along regional, age, and gender factors. The margin of error is +/-2.8 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. For subsets, the margin of error is larger. The survey used a hybrid methodology that involved contacting survey respondents by telephone and giving them the option of completing the survey at that time, at another more convenient time, or receiving an email link and completing the survey online.
A Bragg Creek, Alta., woman was was surprised to learn a cougar had its eyes on her and her pets after coming home from an errand. Teri Fullerton parked outside of her home west of Calgary, with her Australian shepherd Bisket and her cat Roobin following close behind. After closing the door to her house behind her, she was shocked. "[I] turned around and the cat was staring at me through my kitchen window ... it was a pretty exhilarating experience to see that," said Fullerton on the Calgary Eyeopener Tuesday. "It was very healthy, very big and beautiful and just staring at me in the window." The cougar that hung out on Teri Fullerton's patio ran off after her husband's car drove into the driveway, she says.(Photo by Teri Fullerton ) Fullerton said she is used to encountering wildlife on her property as they live in a wildlife corridor. She said they keep game cameras on their property and have seen a cougar on camera before. "I know there's at least two or three cats that live in a close vicinity of of our house," she said. "But to see it right in front of my face was a completely different story." Fullerton said the cat eventually got up and left when it heard her husband's car in the driveway. Since the cat encounter, Fullerton said she's been a bit more wary of opening her door but she believes the cat was "just curious." Listen to Teri's big cat encounter here:
Craig Duncanson, who up until Monday was coach of Laurentian's men's hockey team, calls the decision to cut the program a "knee-jerk reaction." The university has been mired in insolvency hearings, and news of faculty cuts and program terminations have trickled through social media since announcements began rolling out Monday. Some varsity team sports are the latest victims. Both men's and women's hockey and swim teams have been "discontinued," the university announced Wednesday. The swim teams were particularly successful in recent years, ranking in several national competitions. Phil Parker even won Ontario swim coach of the year in 2020. Those successes are all in the past now, said Duncanson. "It doesn't ring logical to me. I firmly believe in making cuts to make the university fiscally responsible, but this just isn't one of them." The insolvency process under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) allow organizations to operate while restructuring to get back on financial footing. In the case of the Laurentian sports cuts, some 100 students, and will likely be transferring to other schools, said Duncanson. "Pretty much all of them right now are working on trying to find somewhere to go, which is doubly frustrating now because we have a year where there's two years worth of recruits everywhere because there wasn't a season last year," he said. "We have 26 existing students, 20 from last year and six new recruits that didn't get a chance to play, and they'll be looking for another option." Duncanson also said the hockey programs account for several new university recruits every year, something the university wasn't considering in its plans. Players looking to continue their hockey careers have picked Laurentian against other schools with hockey programs. "It's extremely disheartening because ... the university spends a lot of money trying to recruit," he said. "I can't imagine the investment they put in to go to a university fair to try and recruit, but they never get 100 and more students from those fairs." Sudbury, Ont., native Nina Kucheran, an Olympic hopeful, says Laurentian coach Phil Parker has been an incredible support in her swimming career.(Supplied by Nina Kucheran) Olympic hopeful Nina Kucheran, a Sudbury native who has experience representing Canada and collegiate swimming in the U.S., said Parker's work with the school's swim teams were an immeasurable help in her athletic career. "It's really sad; there's no words," said Kucheran said. "Phil has put decades of work into that team. He's an amazing coach. It's sad the legacy he's built up over two decades being taken away just like that." In a statement, Marie-Josée Berger, the university's vice-president academic, said the cuts will allow Laurentian to "further aligns its financial resources." "Laurentian University has had a rich history of competition in both sports and I would like to thank the student-athletes and coaches for their commitment and dedication to the university's success in varsity sports over many years," the statement reads. "Laurentian University will continue to pursue athletic success in the OUA [Ontario University Athletics] and U SPORTS." The statement says sports programs still at the school include women's and men's basketball, soccer, cross-country running, indoor track, golf, Nordic skiing, curling, rowing and men's baseball.
NEW YORK — Members of the Monkees, R.E.M., Dashboard Confessional and The Black Keys are turning out for a virtual tribute concert next month for Adam Schlesinger, who died of COVID-19 a year ago. “Adam Schlesinger, A Musical Celebration, Virtual Show” will premiere May 5 on the Rolling Live platform, with proceeds going to MusiCares and the venue The Bowery Electric. Schlesinger, a prolific songwriter, was best known for his band Fountains of Wayne but was a producer and writer for several projects, including the television series “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” whose star, Rachel Bloom, is booked for the tribute. Others who will perform or pay tribute include Courtney Love, Sean Ono Lennon, Drew Carey, Chris Carrabba of Dashboard Confessional, Peter Buck of R.E.M., Patrick Carney of the Black Keys, Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees, James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins, Ben Lee and Taylor Hanson. The lineup is expected to expand. The tribute is being organized by Jody Porter, Schlesinger's former bandmate in Fountains of Wayne. “This is a proper musical send-off for my soul brother with a bunch of talented and groovy guests that would make Adam wince,” Porter said. The Associated Press
LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — The Alberta Medical Association says a Lethbridge physician has died from complications related to COVID-19. Dr. Wayne John Edwards, who was 66, died Tuesday at the Chinook Regional Hospital in the southern Alberta city. His death was confirmed by Alberta Health. Spokesman Tom McMillan says the source of exposure in the death is unknown. The most recent statistics from Alberta Health show Edwards was the seventh health-care worker in the province to die from COVID-19. The Alberta Medical Association says in a statement on social media that they are saddened by his death. "So many Albertans have lost loved ones and friends to this terrible disease," said the statement. "The physician community joins in mourning a colleague and leader of his health community." An online obituary at LethbridgeNewsNow said Edwards was born in Trinidad and migrated to Yarmouth, N.S., in 1995. The family moved to Lethbridge in 2003 and became Canadian citizens. Edwards leaves behind his wife, Harriet, and two sons, Andre and Adrian. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2021. The Canadian Press
The young mother was trying to get home with food for her two children when she says soldiers pulled her off a minibus in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, claiming it was overloaded. The woman, 27, is among hundreds who have reported that they were subjected to horrific sexual violence by Ethiopian and allied Eritrean soldiers after fighting broke out in November in the mountainous northern region of Ethiopia, doctors said. Some women were held captive for extended periods, days or weeks at a time, said Dr Fasika Amdeselassie, the top public health official for the government-appointed interim administration in Tigray.
MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - -The former Minnesota police officer charged with manslaughter in the fatal shooting of a young Black man during a traffic stop made her first court appearance on Thursday as the slain motorist's family called for "full accountability" for his death. Kimberly Potter, 48, who turned in her badge on Tuesday and posted $100,000 bond hours after her arrest on Wednesday, waved to the judge as she appeared for the brief hearing online with her lawyer from his office. She waived her right to a formal reading of the criminal complaint charging her with second-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting 20-year-old Daunte Wright on Sunday in the town of Brooklyn Center.
