Conservationists warn of a spike of wildlife attacks in Vancouver area

Conservation officials say a recent spike in wildlife attacks in and around the Vancouver area is unusual and fear there could be more as the weather warms.

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  • Alberta COVID infection rates surge following the Easter holiday weekend

    (ANNews) – There is no doubt that Canada is currently is being hit by the third wave of COVID-19 as Alberta cases and hospitalizations have spiked in recent days. Variant cases continue to surge and are now the dominant strains of the virus — accounting for 45.5 per cent of total active cases. In order to combat this, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced earlier this week that the province would be regressing back to phase 1 of their re-opening plan: – Indoor dining at restaurants is forbidden, with delivery and pick-up service still continuing. – Indoor social gatherings are still banned and outdoor gatherings are now limited to 10 people only. – Retail store capacity has been lowered to 15 per cent. The full list of restrictions can be found on the Alberta Government website. The announcement is more polarizing as ever. Many health care experts have criticized the announcement, believing that the province should go back into a full lockdown. Dr. Shazma Mithani, an ER physician in Edmonton said, “All levels of government need to take action to prevent a higher peak in this third wave. What we are recommending today is an immediate lockdown, or circuit breaker. “We are asking that people only leave their homes for essential services, they only have contact with members of their own household or their cohort.” However, 17 United Conservative Party MLAs – part of the Alberta Government – have spoken out against the new restrictions. “We believe that yesterday’s announcement to move our province backwards, effectively abandoning the plan that Albertans had worked diligently over the past months to follow, is the wrong decision,” they said in a letter released on Wednesday April 7. Alberta Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief, Marlene Poitras, spoke on the rising number of COVID cases in the province. “The COVID-19 third wave is upon us across the country… Variant strains are now the dominant mode of transmission in the province — over 50% of new cases are now variants of concern. 86 cases of the variants were identified among First Nations.” “This is a very troubling and worrisome development,” continued the regional chief, who then emphasized that the new cases are outpacing Alberta’s ability to vaccinate. “It’s more important than ever that we follow the public health guidelines. The new strains are more contagious and more deadly, and we are seeing increased hospitalizations and severe outcomes in younger populations. “I, like all of you, am feeling COVID fatigue. I know we are tired and this has gone on for so long, but this truly is the pivotal point in our fight, where our actions as individuals will determine the path the virus takes. “In the short term, we need to continue to physically distance, sanitize, and practice good health measures. In the medium and long term, we need to vaccinate – please, get educated, and get vaccinated. The vaccines approved for use in Canada are safe and effective,” concluded Chief Poitras. On First Nations, as of April 8 Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) is aware of: – 25,393 confirmed positive COVID-19 – 629 active cases – 1,146 hospitalizations – 24,468 recovered cases – 296 deaths Case numbers per region: – British Columbia: 2,870 – Alberta: 7,299 – Saskatchewan: 6,333 – Manitoba: 6,553 – Ontario: 1,676 – Quebec: 652 – Atlantic: 10 Jacob Cardinal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News

  • Nova Scotia student suspended after posting photo online says she's back in class

    AUBURN, N.S. — A Nova Scotia high school student says she's back in class after being suspended for bringing attention to someone wearing a shirt that she found offensive. In an interview Sunday, Kenzie Thornhill said she returned to West Kings District High School in Auburn, N.S., on Friday, following a conversation with the school's principal who told her the local school board had reversed its decision. The 17-year-old Grade 12 student says she was suspended last week after posting a photo online of someone wearing a shirt with lyrics on the back that mimicked the style of "Deck the Halls," with one line reading: “'tis the season to be rapey.” "Knowing people that are (sexual assault) victims, and not liking that at all, I did what pretty much any teen would do with social media and I posted it," said Thornhill. Thornhill said she had also shown the photo to a teacher and hall monitor and was told the issue would be handled. But although the photo only showed the shirt and not the student, said Thornhill, the school board suspended her for five days for violating school rules. She said they told her posting the photo on social media was a form of cyberbullying. "I was being punished for posting this photo, but the kid who did wear the shirt, however, was just told not to wear the shirt again," she said. Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education executive director Dave Jones would not discuss specific details citing privacy. In an emailed statement sent Friday, he said, "the school has revisited the decisions made in recent days related to discipline." Jones also said it was an opportunity to engage with students and to help them feel "safe and supported" and to feel they can report any incident within their school or its community. "Any language that promotes sexual violence is never acceptable or tolerated at our schools, and it was not acceptable in this instance," he said. Thornhill said she wasn't given a specific reason why her suspension was revoked and she's asked her principal to seek an apology from school board officials. "To be made public if that would be OK, but if they can't then just to me would be fine," she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • 1 dead, 3 injured following 2-vehicle collision in Brampton

    One person is dead and three others suffered minor injuries following a two-vehicle collision in Brampton Saturday night. Peel Regional Police say they were called to the area of Bartley Bull Parkway and Main Street, north of Steeles Avenue, just before 9:30 p.m. Police said an occupant of one of the vehicles sustained life-threatening injuries and was going to be transported to a trauma centre. However, that person died on scene, Peel police spokesperson Akhil Mooken said. A total of four people were in the two vehicles at the time of the crash. The Major Collision Bureau has taken over the investigation, police say, and there are road closures in the area as they investigate. Witnesses are asked to contact investigators if they have any information including dashcam footage of the incident.

  • 'You cannot claim any more:' Russia seeks bigger piece of Arctic Ocean seabed

    IQALUIT, Nunavut — Russia wants to stretch out imaginary lines on the ocean floor — and below it — and that has one northern security expert worried about consequences for other Arctic countries like Canada. Last week, Russia filed a submission to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend a claim to the Arctic Ocean seabed. The UN still has to review the submission but, if it's approved, Russia would have exclusive rights to resources in the seabed and below it, but not in the water. The new submission would push Russia's claim all the way up to Canada's exclusive economic zone, an area 200 nautical miles from the coastline, in which Canadians have sole rights to fish, drill and pursue other economic activities. Philip Steinberg, a political geography professor at the University of Durham in the United Kingdom, estimates Russia's submission expands its original claim by about 705,000 square kilometres. Robert Huebert, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, said Russia's request gets as close to Canada's 200-mile limit as possible. "This is a maximalist submission. You cannot claim any more," said Huebert, an Arctic security and defence analyst with the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies. Countries have sovereignty over their zones but can submit scientific evidence to the UN to claim control over the soil and subsoil of the extended continental shelf. Russia's amended submission overlaps with those from Canada and Denmark, but does not extend into the north of Alaska. "In effect, they’re claiming the entire Arctic Ocean as their continental shelf in regards to where their Arctic comes up against Canada’s and Denmark's." Huebert said. The claims from Canada, Denmark (on behalf of Greenland), and Russia already overlap at the North Pole, but the amended claim goes beyond that, Huebert said. "We haven’t seen a country before that’s extended over its neighbours. Here’s a situation where they’re claiming the entire Canadian and Danish continental shelf as part of their continental shelf." Huebert noted there have been recent reports of an increased Russian military presence on the Ukrainian border over the last two weeks. "If the Russians reinvigorate the conflict with Ukraine, that is going to spill into all of this." he said. “I don’t think anyone should assume that Russia will do anything less than pursue its maximum foreign policy interests." Whitney Lackenbauer, a professor at Trent University who specializes in circumpolar affairs, disagrees. "Russia is playing by the rules. And for those of us who are concerned about Russia’s flouting of the rules-based order, I actually take a great deal of comfort in seeing Russia go through the established process in this particular case," Lackenbauer said. He believes Russia's submission signals eventual talks between the three countries to determine the limits of their continental shelves. "Setting out to negotiate where the outermost limits would be was something that was always in the cards," Lackenbauer said. "I’m not worried about Russia’s actions as an Arctic coastal state seeking to determine the outermost limits of its extended continental shelf." Nor is he concerned about potential conflict, since Russia has submitted the required scientific evidence. "You can’t sit on a continental shelf and claim squatter’s rights to it." In a statement, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said Canada "remains firmly committed to exercising in full its sovereign rights in the Arctic" according to international law. The statement also said Russia's revised outer limit "does not establish new rights for Russia over the newly created overlap areas." It said Canada is studying Russia’s revised claim on its outer limits to prepare an appropriate response. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2021. ___ This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship Emma Tranter, The Canadian Press

  • Erin O'Toole says 'I didn't hide who I was' running for Conservative leader

    OTTAWA — Erin O'Toole assured Conservative supporters that he never hid who he was in his bid to secure the party leadership, telling a high-profile conference on Saturday that the "true blue" campaign he ran to secure the party helm does reflect his true colours. O'Toole fielded questions about his authenticity during an evening question-and-answer session that closed out a conference hosted by the Canada Strong and Free Network, formerly the Manning Centre. He's being branded as "Liberal-lite" in some quarters, the same descriptor O'Toole once leveled at former rival and ex-parliamentarian Peter MacKay during last year's leadership race. O'Toole, who during the contest pitched himself to party members as a "real Conservative," said he finds those now making similar comments about him to be "humorous." He said he's been trying to grow the party's appeal to a wider swath of Canadians since assuming the party reins. O'Toole contended that bigger tent should include those who identify as Indigenous, working-class and LGBTQ if the party wants to ensure success in the next election. "I didn't hide who I was when I was running for leader," said O'Toole. "All of the things I ran on, I'm still running on now. I'm also, though, reaching out and trying to communicate our Conservative ideas to more people in new ways." O'Toole told conference attendees that Conservatives must fight an election on the issues of today rather than those of decades past. Those issues include his willingness to slash millions from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and modernize its mandate, as well as crack down on illegal rail blockades, positions he said help set him apart from Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The theme of Saturday's conference was "build back right," which played off Trudeau's oft-expressed wish to "build back better" when helping Canada's economy recover from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The think tank's annual convention — moved online in accordance with public health advice to avoid in-person gatherings — was billed as the largest networking event for both small-c and big-C conservatives to discuss current issues. Among them was how to expand the scope of the Conservative movement. Lilly Obina, a black woman who campaigned for different Conservative candidates and ran for a nomination in 2015, said one reason the party doesn't resonate with the black community is its messaging around cuts, which needs to be better explained. The senior project executive with Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada told a panel that economics are important to the black community, who she said can feel targeted when the party talks about reducing the size of government. "We need to be able to empathize with what goes (on) in the black community," she said. "For example, when they say we are experiencing systemic racism, let's recognize that, let's be empathetic. You might not have solutions to everything, but at least just acknowledge that the problem exists." Tenzin Khangsar, who did cultural outreach for Alberta Premier Jason Kenney when he served as Immigration Minister under former prime minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government, said the party has had previous success with reaching newcomers despite the present-day challenges. The former candidate pointed to how a large number of their votes were captured under former prime ministers Brian Mulroney and Harper, the latter of whom was aided by Kenney's efforts to build relationships with immigrant communities. "He was dubbed the minister of curry in a hurry for a reason," said Khangsar, citing how he would attend upwards of 15 community events in a weekend. "No one likes when it you're approached just during an election, that's very transactional." He suggested forging personal relationships is an important way to sway votes among new immigrants and ethnic-Canadians,, even more so than with non-ethnic residents. "Our playbook was very simple: We were very confident that most new Canadians were small-c conservatives. We just had to make them big-C Conservatives," Khangsar said. "And I would even add that applies to most Canadians." Harper was among those who appeared at Saturday's conference in a pre-taped panel discussion with former British prime minister David Cameron. Moderated by Senator Linda From, the centre's president said their talk couldn't be publicized beyond the conference because of a contract with the former leaders. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 10, 2021. Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version identified one delegate as Tenzin Khangdsar. His name is, in fact, Tenzin Khangsar.

  • RCMP investigate child's death at motel in Duncan, B.C.

    Police on Vancouver Island and the BC Coroners Service are investigating the death of a six-year-old child at a motel in Duncan Friday night. RCMP say officers and first responders were called to the motel for a report of an unresponsive child shortly after 9 p.m. PT The child was transported to a local hospital and pronounced dead. Police say the North Cowichan Duncan General Investigation Section is leading the investigation, with support from the Forensic Identification Section and front-line officers. 'It's heartbreaking' The BC Coroners Service is also conducting a separate investigation, RCMP said. On Saturday, officers could be seen collecting evidence at the Falcon Nest Motel. The motel's manager, Valma Sampson, said a family had been in the suite. "It's heartbreaking," Sampson said, adding that she herself has a five-year-old. "It's a sad situation." RCMP Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said victim services have been supporting the family.

  • Grizzly bears prefer walking on gentle slopes at a leisurely pace like humans: study

    VANCOUVER — Grizzly bears seem to favour gently sloping or flat trails like those commonly used by people, which can affect land management practices in wild areas, says an expert who has written a paper on their travel patterns. One of the reasons people encounter bears while hiking could be because they prefer the same routes as humans, said Gordon Stenhouse, a researcher at the Alberta-based Foothills Research Institute. The study recently published in the Journal of Experimental Biology could be used by resource-based industries in areas like forestry, oil and gas exploration, especially in Alberta, he said in an interview. "Grizzly bears alter their movement patterns and habitat use in response to a wide range of environmental cues, including seasonal food resources, human recreation — such as hiking, camping, hunting — livestock grazing and road use," the study says. The study was led by Anthony Carnahan, a doctoral candidate at Washington State University. Stenhouse said the study can help understand what areas bears use, how fast they move, how best to conserve those places and avoid conflict with the animals. "Bears will make decisions on lots of factors and certainly, you know, the information shows that bears look for easy routes of travel, just like people do," he said. Changes to the landscape caused by humans raises questions about how bears are affected, he said. "For example, when we harvest the forests and bears walk through there, do they burn a lot more energy or less, or how do they travel?" To study the slopes favoured by bears and the energy expended, scientists at Washington State University’s Bear Research, Education, and Conservation Center trained nine captive animals to walk on a treadmill at varying inclinations. The bears ranged in age from two to 15 years and weighed between 91 and 265 kilograms. Researchers measured the bears’ oxygen levels and counted the calories they consumed while walking on the treadmill for about six minutes. The preferred speed was about four kilometres per hour with a 10 per cent incline up or down. However, bears in the Yellowstone National Park fitted with GPS collars ambled at a comfortable rate of about two km/h. Stenhouse said changes in a bear's gait are related to how they forage for food. "Grizzly bears sleep from about midday till five in the morning and they wake up. Then they start moving and as they're moving, they're searching the environment, seeing what food they can find," he said. "They might find a patch of berries or some roots to dig up, and then they keep moving around their home range. Basically, they're feeding as they walk." They might have a burst of energy when they hunt a deer but there are not many of those moments, he added. The data helps understand the movement of grizzly bears, their use of landscape, the energy expended, and the nutrition they need, which is ultimately important for the long-term conservation of the species, he said. "It's probably not your normal thing to be putting a grizzly bear on a treadmill," Stenhouse said. "Some people might laugh and think it's funny, but the overall goal is to allow better management practices and ensure conservation." This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2021. Hina Alam, The Canadian Press

  • German president: Buchenwald a reminder of Nazi 'barbarism'

    WEIMAR, Germany — Germany’s president on Sunday marked the 76th anniversary of the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp by reminding his compatriots of the inconceivable atrocities the Nazis committed there during the Third Reich. “Communists and democrats, homosexuals and so-called asocials were incarcerated at Buchenwald. Jews, Sinti and Roma were brought here and murdered,” President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said during a speech in the nearby German town of Weimar, 76 years to the day after U.S. forces liberated the camp. “With its diversity of victims' groups, Buchenwald represents the entire barbarism of the Nazis, its aggressive nationalism to the outside, it's dictatorship on the inside, and a racist way of thinking,” Steinmeier said. “Buchenwald stands for racial fanaticism, torture, murder and elimination.” Holocaust survivors and their families weren't allowed to gather for anniversary observances this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Survivors from different parts of the world instead attended Sunday's memorial ceremony online. Large-scale commemorations for last year’s 75th anniversary were put on hold due to social distancing requirements. The Buchenwald concentration camp was established in 1937. More than 56,000 of the 280,000 inmates held at Buchenwald and its satellite camps were killed by the Nazis or died as a result of hunger, illness or medical experiments before the camp's liberation on April 11, 1945. “It was a dictatorship, a Nazi leadership that was responsible for the cruelest crimes and the genocide," Steinmeier said. “But it was human beings, Germans, who did this to other human beings.” After his speech in Weimar, Steinmeier went to the site of the former concentration camp, where he laid a wreath with yellow and red flowers for the victims. The Associated Press

  • Three banned from fishing, holding licences in Canada after overfishing violations

    NOOTKA, B.C. — Three people have been banned from fishing or holding a fishing licence anywhere in Canada after pleading guilty to overfishing on Vancouver Island in 2019.Nootka Sound RCMP investigated the trio in September of that year after reports the three were overfishing in the Gold River area.When police found the individuals, only one of the three had a valid fishing licence and the group had dozens of fish, including salmon, which were not properly recorded.Mounties seized the group's 30-foot fishing vessel and all equipment on board at the time, along with Chinook salmon, rock fish filets and ling cod filets.The three appeared in Provincial Court in Campbell River, B.C., this past February and pleaded guilty to violating the Fisheries Act.Greg Askey, a fishery officer and field supervisor with the Campbell River Fisheries Department Detachment, says in a statement that this was the most significant sport fish violation he's seen in more than 20 Years.This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Canada for Saturday, April 10, 2021

    The latest numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada as of 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday April 10, 2021. There are 1,052,539 confirmed cases in Canada. Canada: 1,052,539 confirmed cases (70,619 active, 958,633 resolved, 23,287 deaths).*The total case count includes 13 confirmed cases among repatriated travellers. There were 7,262 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 185.81 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 50,881 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 7,269. There were 38 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 237 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 34. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 61.27 per 100,000 people. There have been 28,875,724 tests completed. Newfoundland and Labrador: 1,029 confirmed cases (14 active, 1,009 resolved, six deaths). There were four new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 2.68 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of nine new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is one. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 1.15 per 100,000 people. There have been 226,346 tests completed. Prince Edward Island: 162 confirmed cases (six active, 156 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 3.76 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of two new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 130,175 tests completed. Nova Scotia: 1,764 confirmed cases (43 active, 1,655 resolved, 66 deaths). There were eight new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 4.39 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 32 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is five. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 6.74 per 100,000 people. There have been 446,506 tests completed. New Brunswick: 1,713 confirmed cases (149 active, 1,531 resolved, 33 deaths). There were 19 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 19.07 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 72 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 10. There was one new reported death Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of three new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is zero. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.05 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 4.22 per 100,000 people. There have been 274,425 tests completed. Quebec: 324,848 confirmed cases (12,371 active, 301,740 resolved, 10,737 deaths). There were 1,754 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 144.28 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 9,890 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,413. There were 13 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 53 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is eight. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 125.22 per 100,000 people. There have been 7,494,471 tests completed. Ontario: 382,152 confirmed cases (30,999 active, 343,622 resolved, 7,531 deaths). There were 3,813 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 210.39 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 23,594 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 3,371. There were 19 new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 103 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is 15. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.1 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 51.11 per 100,000 people. There have been 12,879,408 tests completed. Manitoba: 35,104 confirmed cases (1,259 active, 32,896 resolved, 949 deaths). There were 135 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 91.28 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 752 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 107. There were zero new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 11 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.11 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 68.8 per 100,000 people. There have been 608,766 tests completed. Saskatchewan: 35,983 confirmed cases (2,381 active, 33,149 resolved, 453 deaths). There were 236 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 202.01 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 1,660 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 237. There were zero new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 17 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is two. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.21 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 38.43 per 100,000 people. There have been 696,057 tests completed. Alberta: 159,719 confirmed cases (13,687 active, 144,020 resolved, 2,012 deaths). There were 1,293 new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 309.53 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 8,360 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 1,194. There were five new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 18 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is three. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.06 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 45.5 per 100,000 people. There have been 3,809,874 tests completed. British Columbia: 109,540 confirmed cases (9,709 active, 98,336 resolved, 1,495 deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 188.61 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of 6,509 new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is 930. There were zero new reported deaths Saturday. Over the past seven days there have been a total of 32 new reported deaths. The seven-day rolling average of new reported deaths is five. The seven-day rolling average of the death rate is 0.09 per 100,000 people. The overall death rate is 29.04 per 100,000 people. There have been 2,274,469 tests completed. Yukon: 74 confirmed cases (zero active, 73 resolved, one deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 2.38 per 100,000 people. There have been 8,647 tests completed. Northwest Territories: 43 confirmed cases (one active, 42 resolved, zero deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. The rate of active cases is 2.21 per 100,000 people. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of one new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is zero per 100,000 people. There have been 16,498 tests completed. Nunavut: 395 confirmed cases (zero active, 391 resolved, four deaths). There were zero new cases Saturday. Over the past seven days, there have been a total of zero new cases. The seven-day rolling average of new cases is zero. There have been no deaths reported over the past week. The overall death rate is 10.16 per 100,000 people. There have been 10,006 tests completed. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published April 10, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Canadians should expect 'significant' move in budget for child care, early education: LeBlanc

    Access to national early learning programs and child care have become an "economic imperative" and Canadians should expect a "significant" announcement in the forthcoming federal budget, said Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc. "Access to safe early learning and child care, high-quality child care, we think is now an economic imperative," LeBlanc told CBC's chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton on Rosemary Barton Live. "It's one social program done properly that has a direct impact on the growth of the Canadian economy." LeBlanc said that rolling out a national child care and early learning program would be difficult because each of the provinces have different mixes of private and public child-care systems. Despite those challenges the government is determined to push the policy forward. "I think Canadians should expect our government to do something very significant in this area because it's critical for the rebuilding of the economy as well as the social fabric of the country," he said. "It, frankly, allows parents to participate in the workforce in a way that's not only good for the economy, but it's also good for families." LeBlanc also said that despite the challenges of rolling out and funding a universal basic income, the Liberal Party was also prepared to consider "any thoughtful policy proposition." "I have a number of my colleagues in caucus who have been working for, in some cases a number of years, on what a universal basic income might look like," he said. WATCH | Expect 'significant' investment in budget for child care, LeBlanc says: While LeBlanc said that a discussion around a universal basic income is a valuable one to have, the economic challenges of rolling out a policy that would cost an estimated $85 billion a year makes it a significant challenge. "That's exactly the challenge, and that's why it hasn't been [implemented]. If it was very easy, some previous governments would have done it," LeBlanc said, noting that he still felt it is "a policy that we think deserves a lot of consideration." Will Mark Carney run for Liberals? The intergovernmental affairs minister also commented on former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney's address to the Liberal convention in which he said he wanted to work to support the party. "I would hope Mr. Carney might, might consider running for the party. He obviously has a huge contribution to make to Canada, to the discussion, to the policy around fighting climate change," LeBlanc said. It was very significant when Carney agreed to speak at the Liberal convention, LeBlanc said, noting that while the former central banker was appointed by former prime minister Stephen Harper, he now appears to be fully in the Liberal camp. "He has an enormous contribution to make to public policy in the country," LeBlanc said. "And the fact that he's chosen to do it with the Liberal Party, I think says something very reassuring about the economic direction of our government."

  • US-Philippines officials discuss concerns over China's ships

    Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday discussed with his Philippine counterpart China’s recent positioning of “militia vessels” near the Philippines in the South China Sea. Austin spoke by phone with Philippine Secretary of National Defence Delfin Lorenzana while Austin was flying from Washington to Israel to begin an international trip. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Austin and Lorenzana discussed the situation in the South China Sea and the recent massing of Chinese vessels at Whitsun Reef, which has drawn criticism from Manila. China has said its vessels are there for fishing. In their phone call, Austin proposed to Lorenzana several measures to deepen defenceco-operation, including by “enhancing situational awareness of threats in the South China Sea,” Kirby said. He did not elaborate. Kirby said earlier this week that the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group, as well as the amphibious ship USS Makin Island, are operating in the South China Sea. The U.S. has no military forces based permanently in the Philippines but sometimes rotates forces to the country under the U.S.-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement. The recent gathering of Chinese vessels near the Philippines is among moves the United States has criticized as efforts by Beijing to intimidate smaller nations in the region. Robert Burns, The Associated Press

  • These bison heads watched over Calgary for 16 years. As they go for auction, the sculptor shares their story

    When Al Stinson learned concrete bison heads from Calgary's Centre Street Bridge were up for auction, he figured prospective buyers might want to know a bit more about the heads' provenance. They weren't sculpted by James L. Thompson, a stonemason who crafted the original heads when the bridge was first built in 1916. And, he thought buyers might want to know that the heads likely weigh hundreds of pounds less than auctioneer's estimations — "I thought, well, if somebody is contemplating bidding on them, you know, [an estimated one-tonne weight is] a little bit of a deterrent," Stinson said. Stinson would know; he made them. Before the Calgary landmark was restored in 1983, Stinson — who had studied for a few years at what was then Calgary's Alberta College of Art and Design before teaching figure sculpture in England — was hired to recast the crumbling heads. "The guy who hired me asked me what I charge, and I was pretty naive and I said $2,000 ($4,600 in 2020). So that was eight of them, so like $250 a-piece," he said. Stinson said he would sit outside of the bison paddock at the Calgary Zoo, snapping photos of the bull bison while working on a small clay maquette to take back to his studio. "He was quite cooperative, hanging about as I fed him grass through the fence," he said. Using that small figure, he made a life-sized clay model before casting the heads using rubber molds and a type of polymer concrete. The inside was styrofoam core, to help reduce the weight, with pieces of rebar to help with installation. All-in-all, it was about four months of full-time work. When the bridge restoration was unveiled, there was no big fanfare for Stinson's work, which he said was fine by him. "My oldest daughter … I just remember carrying her down to see when they were installed," he said. "I've enjoyed being kind of anonymous." Stinson's sculptures remained on the bridge until 1999 when they were replaced with new recreations. But a piece of his work remains — he had added arcs, to the concrete panel behind his heads, to accommodate the bisons' humps. That change survived the restoration. Correcting the record Looking back at articles from the time, Stinson's preference to keep a low profile is apparent. In Feb. 5, 1983, the Calgary Herald published an article about how the aging bridge and bison heads required serious repair. It states the original sculptor's identity was "lost over time" but that a new, unnamed sculptor, would be patching up the old heads, not completely remaking them. The front page of the Herald on Aug. 17, 1983, features the installation of the eight new bison heads — with credit to the engineering team of Roy Lappin, Terrence Smith and Kevin Donohue mounting the art — but no mention of the new artist. And an Oct. 7 article from the same year describes the $50,000 bridge repair project but credits all of the sculptures to James L. Thompson's original work — next to an uncaptioned photo of one of Stinson's new bison heads. Proceeds from the auction of Al Stinson's bison sculptures will go toward Heritage Calgary's plaque program, which recognizes historic properties in the city.(Submitted by Levis Online Auctions) A letter to the editor, appearing on page A6 a few weeks later, notes that the paper neglected to credit Stinson as the sculptor. "Let's give some recognition to Al — and artists like him — whose contributions are as important as those by the engineers and city planners in making our concrete cities attractive and pleasing," wrote Leslie Robinson in the 1983 letter. Stinson said he kept copies of those articles. "I never contacted them at that time to straighten up their facts," he said with a laugh. But now, decades later, he's correcting the record. CBC has updated its first story on the bison head auction to credit Stinson as the artist. The 70-year-old is still sculpting and has recently taken up painting. The bison heads aren't the only pieces of his public work Calgarians might recognize. He has six installations at the Calgary airport in front of the ticket counters of cyclists, mountain climbers Georgia Englehard and Edward Feuz in 1932, a canoer, snowboarder and tobogganers. In the international departure zone, you'll find his depiction of children flying kites — based on his daughter, her friend and kitten. While much of his work depicts people, he said bison were a wonderful subject — "they run with such relentless rolling energy, like an avalanche." It remains to be seen where Stinson's bison will end up. Private appointments can be booked through Levis Online Auctions to view the Centre Street bison at an undisclosed city location. Bids can be made online, with the auction set to close on April 18.

  • Sask. man fighting to get another patient's drug overdose removed from his health record

    Kevin Robinson has never overdosed on drugs, but he's had to spend the last three months proving it. "This has been really, really frustrating," the Saskatoon business owner said. Robinson, who has Crohn's disease, had some medical tests done in early January. Later that month, he logged on to his electronic health account to check the results. "I noticed it said the night before I was in St. Paul's Hospital emergency at 1:30 in the morning. I was like 'Well, that's weird,'" Robinson said. Robinson never went to the St. Paul's Emergency ward. His wife told him to call someone and clear things up. Robinson sent a series of emails to hospital and health authority officials. Then he got another surprise — a $325 invoice for the ambulance ride he didn't take. On the invoice, it states the patient suffered an overdose. "So now, I realize I've really got to get this off my record. If I ended up in emergency for any reason, it's going to show I had an overdose, which I did not," he said. "I have Crohn's. If I end up in emergency, how they treat me could be different." As he was dealing with the ambulance bill, the eHealth people, the St. Paul's Hospital staff and the Saskatchewan Health Authority, he learned a bit more of the story. Robinson was told a man had been rushed to St. Paul's Hospital after suffering a drug overdose. The patient didn't have identification, and appears to have given paramedics a name that sounded like Kevin Robinson. The man also gave a similar birth date. Robinson said he was passed around to various agencies, and some questioned his story. He offered to take a drug test or bring his wife to their office to testify that he was home in bed on the night in question. Officials eventually promised to have the overdose deleted from his record, but nothing happened. After several weeks of waiting, Robinson enlisted the help of a lawyer but nothing changed. Last Thursday, the Saskatchewan Health Authority and eHealth Saskatchewan issued a joint written statement to CBC News. They apologized for the inconvenience. "This situation appears upon initial review to have identified an issue with inaccurate information being inputted into the source registration system," stated the response. It's unclear why more research wasn't done before entering the overdose into Robinson's electronic file. Friday, less that 24 hours later, Robinson called CBC News to say that the overdose has been removed from his record, and he's hoping this is the end of his "ordeal." But Saturday he called again to say it's only been removed from his personal account — he spoke with his specialist and it's still showing up on the doctor's computer. Robinson said his journey is not over. "Are you kidding?" Robinson said. "Just the lack of help or urgency to resolve this from the people I've talked to in health care has been really frustrating."

  • You can now apply to isolate on a trip in Yukon's wilderness

    Instead of isolating in a hotel room, Canadian visitors to Yukon can now apply to isolate on a trip in the backcountry. The Wilderness Tourism Association of Yukon (WTAY) came up with the idea after seeing the government approve alternative self-isolation plans for the mining industry and for outdoor outfitters last year. It was approved by Yukon health officials last month. "For the operators that choose to conduct business this summer, this is the way forward," Kalin Pallett, WTAY's president, told CBC's Elyn Jones on Yukon Morning. "There's no community contact at all, unless the trip is more than 14 days." Safety is paramount According to the Yukon government's website, outdoor tourism operators and Canadian clients can make alternative self-isolation plans. Companies have to apply for an exemption by completing an operation plan and submitting it for approval. "Canadian guests are intercepted at the airport by the operator and taken out to the backcountry, as expeditiously as possible," explained Pallett. If the trip is more than 14 days long, they're able to interact with the general public afterwards. "If it's less than 14 days, then they need to exit the Yukon as expeditiously as they arrived," he said. The association came up with a set of management practices for wilderness tourism operators amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Pallett said they include a step-by-step guide on how to greet guests and how to get them to the backcountry along an approved travel corridor, and what to do if a guide or client develops COVID-19 symptoms while on the trip. "We are Yukoners, we live here, we raise families here, keeping you safe is paramount. These guidelines do that," he said. Pallett said although WTAY has received blanket approval for all of the outdoor tourism operators who are part of its membership, each operator will need to submit its own operational plan to the government's COVID Response Unit. "I don't anticipate seeing visitors into the territory until probably mid to late June." 'From disastrous to surreal' Pallett said the alternative isolation plan isn't a solution for every outdoor tourism operator in the territory, but it does offer a lifeline to some. "I don't think I can possibly overstate how absolutely devastating [the pandemic] was. I mean, we've got businesses that haven't generated a revenue for well over a year now," he said. Neil Hartling, chair of Tourism Industry Association Yukon, told Yukon Morning that being able to isolate in the backcountry is "one tiny bit of helpful change." But he also noted it only applies to a small number of operators. "I would describe the situation right now as going from disastrous to surreal," Hartling said. Operators are struggling to retain staff as they pursue other lines of work, he said, and they're struggling to get insurance. "It's getting harder, not only expensive, but harder to get," he said. "Insurance wholesalers are moving out of what they would consider riskier markets completely, so there's fewer selling and rates are going up." Pallet believes isolating while on a trip is better than isolating in a hotel because it removes the temptation to violate public health orders by quickly grabbing a coffee or a souvenir somewhere. "They don't have that option, because they're not in town," he said. "So, if anything, I think it's actually keeping Yukoners safe."

  • Canadian special forces supported major Iraqi military assault on ISIL last month

    OTTAWA — The commander of Canada's special forces says his soldiers supported a major military offensive last month that U.S. and Iraqi officials say killed dozens of Islamic State fighters. The two-week offensive codenamed Operation Ready Lion took place in a mountain range in northern Iraq and involved using Iraqi and coalition airstrikes to flush ISIL fighters from their tunnel complexes and bunkers. Those who fled were either captured or killed by Iraqi military snipers. The Canadian Armed Forces has been relatively quiet about what its roughly 200 special forces soldiers in Iraq have been doing in recent years. But in an exclusive interview with The Canadian Press, Maj.-Gen. Peter Dawe says his troops helped plan the operation and then helped with surveillance, resupplies and medical evacuations as it was underway. The federal government recently extended Canada's anti-ISIL mission, which first started in late 2014, currently includes hundreds of other troops in addition to the special forces soldiers until next March. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2021. The Canadian Press

  • Iran reports electrical 'incident' at Natanz nuclear plant

    Iran state media reported an electrical "incident" at the country's Natanz nuclear plant just hours after it inaugurated new devices to speed up the enrichment of uranium.View on euronews

  • Israel pledges to work with U.S. on Iran

    JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's defence minister pledged on Sunday to cooperate with the United States on Iran, voicing hope that Israeli security would be safeguarded under any renewed Iranian nuclear deal that Washington reaches. "Israel views the United States as a full partner across all operational theatres, not the least Iran," Benny Gantz said after hosting visiting U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

  • Hot real estate market sparks warnings to potential buyers as complaints to regulator double

    As home sales in the province continue on a dizzying trajectory, the province's real estate watchdog and regulator are warning buyers to be wary of what they may be getting into. The Real Estate Council of B.C. (RECBC) and the Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate said that in the first three months of 2021, they have seen an increase in inquiries and complaints. Calls to the regulator were up 42 per cent over the previous year, while complaints, such as how offers were made and accepted, were double the number received in the same period in 2020. "Buying a home is one of life's biggest financial decisions. There are potential risks at the best of times, but with the added pressure and stress of the current market conditions, those risks are amplified," Micheal Noseworthy, superintendent of real estate, said in a statement. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says sales in the region have continued at a record-setting pace. Residential home sales covered by the board totalled 5,708 in March 2021, up 126.1 per cent from March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and up 53.2 per cent from February of this year. Rural and suburban areas have experienced the biggest spikes. For the past two weeks, Jay Park has been in the middle of the buying frenzy. He and his partner are trying to upgrade from their one-bedroom apartment to a two-bedroom condo or townhouse in Vancouver. "I wish we had done this a month or two ago," he said. A condo tower under construction is pictured in downtown Vancouver in February 2020.(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck) Park put an offer on a $1-million condo, $4,000 above asking price. "To entice the [seller], we put in a subject-free offer, but it wasn't successful," he said. "They accepted $110,000 over asking price that was also subject-free." The hot market has led to bidding wars. Some would-be buyers have even lined up outside for days to try to get a jump on a property. Erin Seeley, the CEO of the council, is warning buyers to do their research and be aware of risks before making an offer. "It's really important that buyers have engaged with their lender before they're making offers so they know how to stay within a reasonable budget," she said. Seeley said some of the complaints the council has heard from buyers is that they weren't aware the seller has a right to take an early offer. "And the seller was really in the driver's seat about setting the pricing," she said. Demand continues to outstrip supply for housing in cities like Vancouver.(Rafferty Baker/CBC) Aaron Jasper, a Vancouver realtor, advises clients to avoid cash offers and to include finance clauses even if it may mean they lose a deal. "There's a lot of frustration among buyers, feeling pressure to take some risk," he said. "You're better to be delayed perhaps a year getting into the market as opposed to being completely financially ruined." Jasper also says realtors are limited in the advice they can give to clients on legal matters, home inspections, potential deficiencies with homes, and financing. 'Caught up in the craziness' Other tips from the council include seeking professional advice before making a subject-free offer or proceeding without a home inspection, and speaking to a professional to determine how market conditions may be affecting prices. Meantime, people like Jay Park say they are still keen to buy. Park has more viewings scheduled and is optimistic. "It's a very exciting time for us, but I also don't want to get caught up in the craziness and make a purchase that's above our means."

  • Fact or fiction: Debunking 4 common myths about ticks

    There is plenty of misinformation circulating about ticks and the diseases they may carry. Here are four myths debunked, along with tick facts to keep people safe when exploring the outdoors.