Helping residents of N.W.T. town get cheaper groceries during the pandemic

A Northwest Territories man's new business involves driving back and forth to the Alberta border to pick-up lower priced groceries for the residents of Hay River.

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  • Effects of COVID-19 still a concern as another Vancouver Canucks game delay announced

    The captain of the Vancouver Canucks has a message for the masses: take COVID-19 seriously. Bo Horvat, one of 21 Vancouver players recovering from the outbreak, said he unwittingly infected his wife with the virus. The couple's infant son, Gunnar, has not been tested. "It hit her a little harder than it hit me. I'm one of the lucky ones, my symptoms were fairly mild … I got through them and am continuing to get through them," he said. "I'm not going to lie, it was tough to know my family got it from me." On Friday the NHL once again adjusted the Canucks schedule to give players more time to recover from their illnesses and a three-week layoff. Vancouver returns to game play Sunday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs, with a repeat match up on Tuesday. P1 variant confirmed General manager Jim Benning confirmed the P1 variant originally detected in Brazil is the outbreak's cause. He also said the variant is why the Canucks were hit harder than other NHL teams that have dealt with COVID. Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning has confirmed the teams COVID-19 outbreak was caused by the P1 variant initially detected in Brazil. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press) "What was different with our situation is with the regular COVID it seemed that after 10 days players were ready to get back on the ice and start working out and performing," he said. "But we had players that when they did that, they still had symptoms." Benning said the virus "buckled" some of the players, and that three or four regulars likely won't be ready when games resume. Head coach Travis Green, who also contracted COVID-19, has yet to return to practices. Originally, the Canucks were supposed to host Edmonton Friday night in their first game back. But after forward J.T. Miller publicly questioned the wisdom of forcing games when so many on the team were still recovering, the schedule was delayed. 'Guys were not healthy' "[J.T.] spoke on behalf of the team and it was needed. He basically got the ball rolling," said Horvat. "Guys were just not healthy enough to play.… I think a lot more guys will be ready to go on Sunday." According to Horvat, no Canucks players have yet been vaccinated. That's in comparison to the majority of players on U.S. teams — and their family members — who have. "It's a little bit of a slower rollout here in Canada. We've got to get the essential workers done first," he said. "That's out of our control and I guess we have to wait our turn." According to a Vancouver Coastal Health spokesperson, the Vancouver Canucks organization does not qualify for the program of accelerated vaccinations to target workplace outbreaks because employees are not essential workers. Benning said Canucks practices will remain closed to media for the time being to give recovering players some privacy. "Some haven't been on the ice for three weeks," he said. "We don't want them to be judged."

  • B.C. Indigenous nation opposes mineral exploration in culturally sensitive area

    VANCOUVER — A mineral exploration company with provincial permits to work in Tahltan territory in northwestern British Columbia is treading on sacred grounds, an elected leader in the nation's government says. Vancouver-based Doubleview Gold Corp. is developing claims in an area north of Telegraph Creek that occupies an important place in Tahltan oral histories, said Chad Norman Day, president of the Tahltan Central Government. There's "no way" the Tahltan would ever support a mine there, he said. "The Sheslay area was a major village site in pre-contact times and even nowadays we have many elders who were born in the Sheslay area. Many of our ancestors are buried out there," Day said in an interview. "British Columbia, Doubleview, we should all just save ourselves a lot of time, energy and conflict and get Doubleview out of there," he said. Doubleview has 10 mineral tenures covering about 63 square kilometres where "an aggressive 2021 exploration program is being planned," the company said in an update posted online in February. It said it expected to give shareholders a more complete assessment of the deposit's value after verifying the results of metallurgical sample analysis. The Tahltan Central Government accuses Doubleview of failing to act in a manner consistent with both Tahltan protocols for the mining sector and with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Tahltan made "many reasonable attempts to work with Doubleview in a respectful manner," the central government said in a statement in March. But the company has a "track record of being disrespectful ... including unsuccessfully taking legal action against Tahltan leaders and elders in 2015," it said. Doubleview "regrets the poor relationship that we have established" with the Tahltan, lead director Andrew Rees said in an email when asked about the conflict, and the company offered an apology letter after the nation's public statement. "Doubleview strives to be a responsible steward of the areas in which we live and operate, and continues to seek a positive, collaborative, productive, and mutually beneficial relationship with the Tahltan Central Government." The Mines Ministry said Doubleview was first granted a multi-year permit in 2012 in a process that included consultation with the Tahltan Nation. Laws and legal precedents concerning Indigenous rights and title have changed since then, said Day. The B.C. government is now in the early stages of aligning its laws with the UN declaration after adopting it through legislation. It requires governments to obtain free, prior and informed consent before taking actions that affect Indigenous Peoples and territories — which would include decisions on proposed mines and future exploration work permits. The statutory adoption of the UN declaration means industry and the B.C. government must start building "processes that seek a genuine consent from Indigenous governments, communities and people," Day said. "And there's a huge difference between having a conversation and calling it consultation versus having a robust consultation process that is aiming to get consent from Indigenous people." The Tahltan Nation has "excellent relationships" with the majority of mining and mineral exploration companies operating in its territory, Day noted. There are three active mines — Red Chris, Silvertip and Brucejack — and the nation has impact benefit agreements with each of the companies. "When you have Tahltan title and rights over 11 per cent of the province and you have jurisdiction over an area the size of Portugal, you don't need to be supportive of projects that are in really culturally sensitive areas," Day said. The Tahltan has communication agreements with more than two dozen mining and mineral exploration companies allowing it to check in on their work as necessary, he said. Day said Doubleview had refused to sign, though Rees said the company is now waiting to hear back from the nation after sending a written response about a communications and engagement agreement. "We acknowledge that it has taken us much longer to do so than we would have liked and attribute the delay to internal miscommunication and lack of expert resources," the Doubleview statement said. "Our utmost priority right now remains getting back to the table ... and doing so in a respectful and collaborative manner so that we can continue understanding Tahltan Nation's ongoing concerns, which will allow us to collaboratively develop appropriate mitigation measures." Day, however, said the company has "chosen a path of conflict" with the Tahltan and he would oppose any further permits. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 17, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Brenna Owen, The Canadian Press

  • ‘I’ve never been more ashamed’: Ontario’s new COVID-19 restrictions ripped apart by medical experts, residents

    Ontario's new COVID-19 rules and restrictions - from cutting outdoor gatherings to extending police powers - have drawn out mass criticism and condemnation by medical experts, residents.

  • Workers fired after video shows party at Milton construction site

    Several workers have been fired after a video surfaced online of a party at a Milton construction site. Mattamy homes confirmed the incident took place on April 9 and involved workers from Nelmar Drywall. Catherine McDonald has more.

  • Peel officer suspended after hugging protesters outside Mississauga gym, not wearing proper PPE

    A Peel police officer has been suspended and an internal investigation has been launched after a Global News reporter recorded him hugging unmasked people who were protesting against the closure of a Mississauga gym. Peel Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said he became aware of the incident, which took place outside the gym, Friday afternoon after he saw various social media posts. "Upon learning of the incident, I immediately directed that the sergeant be suspended and commenced an Internal Affairs investigation," he wrote in a statement. "Peel Regional Police are committed to ensuring the safety of our members and the public. Our officers will enforce municipal and provincial regulations as required." According to reporting by Global News, one of its reporters was at Huf Gym near Cawthra Road and Dundas Street East on Friday to report on continuing protests against the Ford government's COVID-19 restrictions, which have temporarily shuttered gyms. There, the reporter, identified as Sean O'Shea, recorded himself as an unmasked protester aggressively approached him wearing a sweater with the words, "hugs over masks." O'Shea, still recording, approached a Peel police officer at the scene and asked if he condoned that behaviour. The officer in the video can be heard telling the journalist that he was agitating the crowd. The same officer, not wearing a mask or any COVID-19 protective gear, can later be seen hugging some of the protesters and posing for pictures. None of the demonstrators can be seen physically distancing or wearing any protective equipment. Duraiappah's statement says members of the force continue to follow advice issued by local public health officials "while using the appropriate safety precautions, including all available Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)." Under current COVID-19 restrictions, all gatherings and protests must follow provincial laws. Tickets may be issued to individuals or organizers who do not comply with this order, the statement reads.

  • Alberta's Kenney sowing distrust with misleading COVID-19 anecdotes, statements: NDP

    EDMONTON — Alberta’s Opposition says Premier Jason Kenney is sowing distrust by recounting misleading anecdotes to illustrate COVID-19 policy decisions. “I think this is about trust. I think this is about telling the truth,” NDP critic Sarah Hoffman said Friday. “I think we’ve seen many examples where the premier tries to bolster his own narrative. “This is a trend of being dishonest, and I think it really does call into question what trust and confidence we can have in the things the premier says and does.” Hoffman’s comments came a day after Kenney’s office confirmed the United Conservative premier “misspoke” when he used an anecdote about a super-spreader birthday party in Athabasca as a key driver of recent soaring COVID-19 rates in the town north of Edmonton. Kenney used the party as an example of how super-spreaders are not necessarily driven by in-school transmission but by social gatherings. "Apparently the virus had a 100 per cent attack rate at that birthday party. All of the kids who came to that birthday party got sick,'' Kenney said Monday. He repeated the same information at a news conference again Tuesday. An official with Alberta Health later said there was no data to suggest there had been an outbreak from a children's party in the community. Athabasca Mayor Colleen Powell said the publicity the community of 13,000 people has received since the premier's comments is not the kind it wants. "Why are you saying these things when you don't know?" Powell asked in an interview. "I had a couple of people get in touch with me (asking) who held the party. News spreads like wildfire." Just over 100 people, including students and a dozen staff, from three different schools in Athabasca tested positive for COVID-19 and its variants. Kenney’s spokesperson, Jerrica Goodwin, responded Friday in a short statement. “The premier was using the very real example to illustrate a point of the serious nature of COVID-19 and ease of transmission. As we've acknowledged, he misspoke on the specific location,” said Goodwin. “All the NDP's ridiculous criticism shows is that they can only attack and criticize.” Kenney has used anecdotes before to illustrate the rationale for COVID-19 policy decisions taken by his government. In late November, he cited an impromptu encounter with a food court kiosk owner — a refugee from Venezuela — as an example of the devastating impacts that COVID-19 health restrictions can have on businesses. “She came up to me, and she broke down in tears in front of me saying, 'Sir, I put my entire life savings as a refugee into this business. We're struggling to pay the bills. If you shut me down, I'm going to lose it all, everything, and I'll be in abject poverty,’” Kenney recounted at the time. When reached later by a reporter, the owner, Carolina De La Torre, said Kenney accurately recounted her core concerns of balancing health and the economy. But she dismissed the colourful drama, saying she did not cry and did not approach him, rather it was Kenney who approached her. Earlier this week, the premier came under criticism for challenging a radio host for saying Kenney once downplayed COVID-19 as the flu, telling the host he had never done so. Hansard, the official record of house debate, recorded Kenney calling the virus “influenza” multiple times during debate on May 27, 2020. In late February, just before Kenney’s government released its first COVID-era budget, he announced that due to oil and gas revenues the revised forecast deficit for the 2020 fiscal year would be about $14 billion — a third lower than expected. Treasury officials refused reporter requests to confirm the accuracy of that figure and, two days later, the budget revealed the 2020 deficit forecast was $20 billion. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2021. — With files from Fakiha Baig in Edmonton Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

  • Judge denies Ghislaine Maxwell's motions to toss sex charges

    NEW YORK — A judge on Friday rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s arguments to toss charges that she recruited three teenager girls from 1994 to 1997 for then-boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse. U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan denied claims that a non-prosecution agreement Epstein reached with federal prosecutors over a dozen years ago protects Maxwell from prosecution. She also disagreed that some or all charges should be tossed out for a variety of other perceived flaws. The judge, however, did agree that Maxwell can be prosecuted separately on perjury charges. And she said arguments the defence will make against new sex trafficking charges will be decided later. Defence lawyers publicly filed legal briefs Friday challenging the new charges on multiple grounds, including that evidence and the indictment was improperly obtained and charges duplicate crimes already alleged. In a written opinion, Nathan said that the law of contracts and prior precedents meant Manhattan federal prosecutors could charge Maxwell last year, even though a non-prosecution deal Epstein reached with federal prosecutors in Florida in 2007 seemed to protect his employees too. “Single-district plea agreements are the norm. Nationwide, unlimited agreements are the rare exception,” the judge wrote. The judge also rejected arguments that the charges had to be dismissed “because of the possibility of missing witnesses, failing memories, or lost records.” “These are difficulties that arise in any case where there is extended delay in bringing a prosecution, and they do not justify dismissing an indictment,” she said. She also rejected claims that pretrial publicity spoiled Maxwell's chance at a fair trial or resulted from accusers who fabricated stories based on media allegations. “The Court will not dismiss the indictment on Maxwell’s bare assertion that numerous witnesses are engaged in a perjurious conspiracy against her,” she said. “And the Court will take all appropriate steps to ensure that the pretrial publicity in this case does not compromise Maxwell’s right to a fair and impartial jury.” Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to charges filed against her when she was arrested last July at a New Hampshire estate where prosecutors claim she was hiding from law enforcement but where defence lawyers say she went to spare her family and herself from media attention and threats. Last month, prosecutors brought a superseding indictment to add sex trafficking charges and extend the alleged conspiracy between Maxwell and Epstein to a decade in length rather than three years in the 1990s. Prosecutors also added a fourth teenage victim to the charges. The judge's ruling came a day after a defence lawyer asked to delay a July 12 trial until mid-January, saying the rewritten indictment will require much more around-the-globe investigation that is hampered by the coronavirus pandemic and the busy schedules of defence lawyers. Epstein took his life in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in a Manhattan federal jail. Maxwell has repeatedly sought to be freed on bail, but Nathan has rejected the requests. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear arguments on an appeal of the bail rejections later this month. Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press

  • Vancouver couple buys Saint Andrews bed & breakfast — without so much as a visit

    A Vancouver couple is calling Saint Andrews home without ever experiencing the town first-hand. Zainub and Ben Faulkner-Malik have been self-isolating at home in Charlotte County, since arriving two weeks ago. "It's a bizarre feeling because we feel like we've been here already," said Faulkner-Malik, from her new home in Saint Andrews. People have been dropping things off and sending messages — and they haven't even met their neighbours yet. Now that we're here, we made the best decision - Zainub Faulkner-Malik "The way the community has made us feel has got us really excited about when we can step outside our property lines and meet people and walk around the town itself." They're the new owners of the Montague Rose Bed and Breakfast. It's a historic building from the 1850s and can be found in the heart of downtown. "It's just magnificent," said the interior designer. "It's just way grander than I ever could have imagined." Deer problem a new experience And everyday, they're learning something new about the property or the area — such as the town's growing deer population. Last year, deputy mayor Brad Henderson told CBC News, a typical community of its size would have between three and five deer per square kilometre. In Saint Andrews, there are more than 20 deer per square kilometre. "People have hit multiple deer coming in and out of town," he previously said. "There's been situations where motorcyclists have hit them … there's been deer that have actually run into people." But Faulkner-Malik is looking forward to the wildlife. "I'll take the deer over the car and busy streets any day," she said. A home away from home They are hoping to make the business a place where residents and visitors can come and feel at home this summer. The couple will be taking bookings come May and by June, they're also hoping to add a tearoom, that will feature High Tea and traditional English treats. They're also want to bring a fresher look to the historic home for visitors, including new furnishings, modern technology "and also give them a really friendly visit as well." The couple started to think about moving when the first lockdown happened about a year ago. They felt like they were stuck inside their 500-square foot apartment. "We were really going stir-crazy," she said. Zainub Faulkner-Malik is hopeful guests will be able to visit in June.(The Montague Rose B&B Instagram) That's when they decided to look at real-estate across the country. "Fast forward a year and we just kind of pulled the plug," she said. Then they discovered Saint Andrews after seeing it was voted by USA Today in 2017 as the top destination in Canada for travellers. "We found a property. We put an offer in. And now we're here." Despite their fears, the couple said the move made sense. Faulkner-Malik had previously run a bed and breakfast in Australia. She had always dreamt of starting another one. Then along came COVID. "It was really risky and it was pretty scary," she said. "There were moments we were very unsure when we were putting our offer in." The couple plan to document their new Maritime adventure on YouTube and social media, to inspire others looking to move. "Now that we're here, we made the best decision."

  • India's capital Delhi faces hospital beds shortage as coronavirus cases surge

    NEW DELHI (Reuters) -India's capital New Delhi recorded 24,000 coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period and is facing an acute shortage of hospital beds, its chief minister said on Saturday, as the country overall recorded more than 200,000 cases for a third day. "Beds equipped with oxygen supplies, and for critical care, are filling fast," he added. New Delhi, which has imposed a weekend curfew, is among the worst hit cities in India, where a second major wave of coronavirus infections is straining health infrastructure.

  • Doctors make 'desperate' plea for Calgarians to follow COVID-19 rules as Calgary hospitals fill up

    Calgary's hospitals are filling up with COVID-19 patients once again as an unrelenting third wave — driven primarily by the B117 variant first identified in the U.K. — rages through Alberta. The number of COVID-19 patients in Calgary has jumped by 51 per cent in just over two weeks, from 112 on April 1 to 169 on Friday. At the start of the month, 28 people were in ICU, compared with 42 on Friday. COVID-19 wards are fully operational across the city. As of Thursday afternoon, roughly 128 of the 188 designated beds on these units were full. An additional 25 intensive care unit beds have been added to deal with the influx — bringing the total in Calgary's four adult hospitals to 91. With those surge beds, the city's ICUs were running at 80 per cent capacity as of Thursday. And health-care workers have — yet again — been redeployed to care for patients in those ICU surge beds and on the COVID wards. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tremendously frustrated," said Dr. Peter Jamieson, an associate medical director with Alberta Health Services, Calgary zone. "We all just desperately want this to be over.… And I think within the walls of the hospital, we all have those same kinds of feelings and frustrations." Many staff already reassigned to vaccination clinics Jamieson has been watching as the number of COVID-19 patients swells all over again. He says Calgary's hospitals have the capacity to expand further, and he's confident patients can be cared for. But, he warns, this will come at a cost. "In order to do that, we're at … significant risk of having to slow down other services to free up the staff in order to look after the COVID patients," he said. Surgeries and outpatient services may have to be put on hold yet again. And the third wave brings with it a new complication, according to Jamieson. Many of the workers who will be needed have already been redeployed to provide vaccinations. "So a big surge in COVID patients means that we may need to cut back on our usual services and it may lead to stresses in being able to deliver the other important COVID services like vaccinations." Dr. Daniel Niven is an intensive care physician at Peter Lougheed Centre and assistant professor in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.(Erin Brooke Burns) Patients younger, sicker A Calgary intensive care specialist, Dr. Daniel Niven, says there has been a steady increase in patients coming to the intensive care unit at the Peter Lougheed Centre over the past few weeks. "There's no doubt that there's been a rise and we're seeing more of these patients everyday," he said. "While we're still seeing patients that are 60 or 70 years of age with a few well controlled medical problems, we're seeing a number of younger patients who come in with no medical problems and then have severe COVID-19 and need to be placed on a ventilator for life-support." Patients also appear to be deteriorating more rapidly. "There seems to be a higher rate of younger people getting severely ill and getting severely ill very quickly," said Jamieson. He says young people can progress from having initial symptoms to critical illness — potentially requiring a ventilator — in just days. All this leaves Jamieson with a plea for Albertans. "For our health system to continue to deliver all the services that we want it to, we desperately need the public health measures to be effective, and we really, really need the people of Calgary and Alberta to hang in there and stick the landing on, hopefully, this last wave of public health measures."

  • Premier Moe says Sask. needs to start talking soon about a plan to ease COVID-19 restrictions

    Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says people can expect a conversation "in the coming days and weeks" about a return to "some degree of normal" in the province. Moe told CKOM radio show host John Gormley on Friday morning that he's been asked by people to justify the province's current slate of COVID-19 public health measures. "The question I'm fielding now when I talk to folks is, 'Why are we doing this? To what end? Where's the goal line? Where's the finish line?'" Moe said. "They see the premier out there now saying, 'Go get vaccinated to keep yourself [and] those around you safe.' "And the question I keep hearing is, 'Why? Why would I do that and when are we going to get through this?'" Moe told Gormley it's important for leaders to begin public conversations on what yardsticks might trigger a return to pre-COVID times. "I think in the days ahead or the next short while, you can look to the Government of Saskatchewan to start to provide some details around that conversation," he said. In the meantime, people need to follow all public health rules "until we can provide vaccines to the vast majority of people in this province," Moe said. Vaccination numbers key, Moe says In a scrum with reporters later Friday morning, Moe declined to provide a timeline for releasing a plan to lift restrictions. "I won't be able to provide those details at this point because I think this is a conversation that I think will come in the coming days and weeks," Moe said. When pressed further on timing, Moe said, "As soon as it's possible to safely do it." Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, said last week that the province would not likely be in a position to remove the current broad health measures until at least June. Both Moe and his health minister, Paul Merriman, strongly hinted that Saskatchewan vaccination numbers would factor into conversations about easing restrictions. Moe said his government is looking at other jurisdictions "where they had certain vaccination levels where [they saw] a decrease in daily case numbers, hospitalizations and ultimately a falling off and hopefully ending of fatalities." Vaccinations are "the first metric that is really going to change things in this province," he added, while cautioning that "this is the early days of that conversation." Merriman was then asked about Moe's statements about a return to normal. "The [two] biggest things is we need vaccines and we need people to go get them," Merriman said. "Once we can get vaccines into people's arms, then we start looking at what is it beyond COVID and beyond restrictions." Both men's pronouncements came a day after Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) physicians meeting during a weekly virtual town hall reported that, if the current trajectory holds, the province's health system will be overrun with COVID-19 patients. A slide shown Thursday night during a virtual town hall attended by Saskatchewan Health Authority physicians. (Saskatchewan Health Authority) Moe and Merriman said that overall hospitalization numbers have stabilized in recent days but at a worryingly high level, especially in Regina. The health authority was holding a news conference later Friday afternoon to address its bed capacity. Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili said the government and the SHA are clearly not on the same page. "We keep hearing two stories in this pandemic," Meili said in the legislative assembly. "What the premier and his health minister tell the public, and what the Saskatchewan Health Authority tells the doctors working on the front lines. Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili speaks to media after the throne speech at the Legislative Building in Regina on Monday Nov. 30, 2020. (Michael Bell/The Canadian Press) "Last night the health minister tried to tell us that everything is fine in the province's ICUs. At the very same time, doctors in this province were told that we have the highest rate of ICU admissions in the entire country. "Who's telling the truth — the minister or the SHA?"

  • Queen Elizabeth stands alone as Philip is laid to rest; William and Harry talk

    WINDSOR, England (Reuters) -Queen Elizabeth bade farewell to Prince Philip at a funeral on Saturday that celebrated his seven decades of service and gave grandsons William and Harry the chance to talk in public for the first time since claims of racism threw the family into crisis. Elizabeth, dressed in black and in a white trimmed black face mask, stood alone, head bowed as her husband of 73 years was lowered into the Royal Vault of St George's Chapel in a service attended by senior royals including heir Prince Charles. Prince Harry, who flew from the United States to attend the funeral, walked and talked with his brother William and wife Kate at the end of the service - the first time they have spoken in public since Harry and his wife Meghan gave an explosive interview to Oprah Winfrey last month.

  • 19-year-old wanted in Meadow Lake shootout considered armed and dangerous: Sask. RCMP

    Saskatchewan RCMP are asking for the public's help in locating a man charged in connection with what they say appears to be a gang-related shootout in Meadow Lake earlier this week. Just before midnight on Tuesday, officers were called to a business in the 600 block of First Avenue following a report of gunshots. They were told two groups of people were involved in an altercation outside the business, during which a weapon was fired several times, RCMP said in a Thursday news release. At one point, shots were fired through a bystander's windshield, Mounties said. Police believe up to five people were involved, who then fled on foot. No arrests have been made, and no injuries have been reported to police. RCMP said they continue to investigate the incident as "related to street gang involvement." 19-year-old likely en route to Alberta On Friday, Meadow Lake RCMP issued a second news release in connection with the incident, saying an arrest warrant had been issued for Raheem Hagan. The 19-year-old is charged with intentionally and recklessly firing a gun. Hagan is described by RCMP as six foot two and roughly 190 pounds ,with a slim build, black hair and brown eyes. Police believe Hagan could be en route to Edmonton. RCMP urge anyone who sees Hagan not to approach him, as he's considered armed and dangerous. Instead, anyone with any information regarding Hagan's whereabouts is asked to contact Meadow Lake RCMP at 306-236-2570 or anonymously through Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

  • ‘Godzilla’ shark discovered in New Mexico gets formal name

    SANTA FE, N.M. — The 300-million-year-old shark’s teeth were the first sign that it might be a distinct species. The ancient chompers looked less like the spear-like rows of teeth of related species. They were squatter and shorter, less than an inch long, around 2 centimetres. “Great for grasping and crushing prey rather than piercing prey,” said discoverer John-Paul Hodnett, who was a graduate student when he unearthed the first fossils of the shark at a dig east of Albuquerque in 2013. This week, Hodnett and a slew of other researchers published their findings in a bulletin of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science identifying the shark as a separate species. He named the 6.7-foot (2 metre) monster Dracopristis hoffmanorum, or Hoffman’s Dragon Shark, in honour of the New Mexico family that owns the land in the Manzano Mountains where the fossils were found. Hodnett says the area is rife with fossils and easy to access because of a quarry and other commercial digging operations. The name also harkens to the dragon-like jawline and 2.5-foot (0.75-meter) fin spines that inspired the discovery’s initial nickname, “Godzilla Shark.” The formal naming announcement followed seven years of excavation, preservation and study. The 12 rows of teeth on the shark's lower jaw, for example, were still obscured by layers of sediment after excavation. Hodnett only saw them by using an angled light technique that illuminates objects below. Hodnett is now the paleontologist and program co-ordinator for the Maryland-National Capital Parks and Planning Commission’s Dinosaur Park in Laurel, Maryland. His fellow researchers come from the New Mexico museum, as well as St. Joseph’s University in Pennsylvania, Northern Arizona University, and Idaho State University. The recovered fossil skeleton is considered the most complete of its evolutionary branch —ctenacanth — that split from modern sharks and rays around 390 million years ago and went extinct around 60 million years later. Back then, eastern New Mexico was covered by a seaway that extended deep into North America. Hodnett and his colleagues believe that Hoffman’s dragon shark most likely lived in the shallows along the coast, stalking prey like crustaceans, fish and other sharks. New Mexico's high desert plateaus have also yielded many dinosaur fossils, including various species of tyrannosaurus that roamed the land millions of years ago when it was a tropical rain forest. ___ Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for Americ a is a non-profit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. Follow Attanasio on Twitter. Cedar Attanasio, The Associated Press

  • Doctors say lowering age cutoff for AstraZeneca vaccine makes sense as cases surge

    CALGARY — Doctors say the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine should be offered to Canadians in a wider age range as COVID-19 infections soar in many parts of the country. Provinces limited eligibility for that vaccine to those 55 and older after a small number of cases of an unusual and serious blood-clotting condition appeared in younger people — mostly women — who had received a shot. The odds of someone getting the syndrome — dubbed vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia — has been estimated at between one in 100,000 and one in 250,000. By comparison, about one in four people hospitalized with COVID-19 will experience a blood clot, Alberta's chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw noted this week. "Certainly based on risks, most people are much better off with a vaccine," said Dr. Daniel Gregson, an associate professor at the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine. "You can certainly drop it easily to 45, if not 35." Gregson, who specializes in infectious diseases and medical microbiology, said uncertainty has been planted in peoples' minds about getting AstraZeneca, but they do things that are just as risky on a daily basis without a second thought. Dr. Susy Hota, medical director of infection prevention and control at Toronto's University Health Network, said she would also support dropping the age limit, so long as no other worrying side-effects arise and recipients are aware of the risk, however small. "I think it's an important strategy we need to consider," said Hota, also an associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Toronto. "The case counts are going up too fast and they're going to a point where it's hitting the hospitals in a way that we've not experienced before, ever." Hota suggested one approach could be offering the shot to younger men, since the rare side-effect seems to be more prevalent in women. Health Canada has deemed the AstraZeneca vaccine safe, saying the benefits outweigh the risks. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has not yet changed its recommendation that the shot only be offered to those 55 and up, but the decision ultimately rests with provinces. In Quebec, where AstraZeneca is available to those between the ages of 55 and 79, Health Minister Christian Dube said provincial public health authorities were considering whether to expand access. Alberta is also considering a change, Hinshaw said. "I also know that some who are younger than 55 are interested in getting the protection that this vaccine offers," she said Thursday. "Given the Health Canada assessment, we will be discussing this question with our Alberta Advisory Committee on Immunization this week to get their perspective." In the meantime, Hinshaw is urging anyone who is already eligible to get their AstraZeneca dose without delay. Walk-in vaccinations are available at 26 pharmacies in Calgary and Edmonton and Alberta Health Services is opening walk-in vaccination clinics this weekend in both cities. "While not getting vaccinated may feel like a way to protect your health by avoiding the rare risk of a blood clot following vaccine, waiting can actually increase your risk of getting sick, or worse," Hinshaw said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on April 16, 2021. Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press

  • Canada's immigration initiative for Hong Kong residents receives over 500 applications early on

    In November, the Canadian government said it would make it easier for Hong Kong youth to study and work in Canada in response to new security rules imposed by China on the former British colony. "In the first three weeks that the program was open (Feb. 8 to Feb. 28), IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) received 503 applications for work permits and 10 applications for work permit extensions," press secretary Alexander Cohen said in an emailed statement.

  • COVID-19 patients arriving 'back to back' at Vancouver General Hospital's ICU, doctor says

    A surge in patients with COVID-19 means Vancouver General Hospital's intensive care unit is under intense strain with patients arriving "back to back," according to a critical care physician who works there. Dr. Hussein Kanji, the hospital's medical director of the high acuity unit, said everyone working in the ICU is stretched to the limit. "Our hospital system is incredibly, incredibly stressed right now. Our ICUs are more stressed than they've ever been," Kanji told reporters Friday. "We're all exhausted." Friday saw a record 425 patients in hospital with COVID-19 across B.C., including 127 in intensive care — more than ever before. Between 50 and 70 patients a week are now entering critical care with the disease. On the ground, that's translating into hectic days at VGH. "They seem to be coming back to back or even at the same time needing admission into the ICU. Just right now we've had two simultaneous admissions into the emergency department needing our care," Kanji said. 'Way, way, way beyond the call of duty' He said patients are coming in more quickly after their initial diagnosis, they're much sicker and they're younger than what was seen previously in the pandemic. Younger patients are now needing ventilators and other lifesaving interventions more frequently as well. Data presented by health officials on Thursday shows a significant spike over the last month in the number of patients between the ages of 40 and 59 who are ending up in hospital with COVID-19. In Ontario, doctors have begun discussing "triage" measures in the event hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients. In these scenarios, because of insufficient staff and resources, doctors would have to decide which critically ill patients will receive lifesaving care. Dr. Hussein Kanji is the medical director of the high acuity unit at Vancouver General Hospital.(CBC News) Kanji said B.C.'s medical system is not in immediate danger of being overwhelmed and "I very much hope we'll never be in that position." But he added that the availability of health care professionals will be the limiting factor in B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix told reporters Friday that B.C. has enough beds and equipment to handle a significant surge in hospitalizations, but the province cannot spare any workers. There are reports that Ontario Premier Doug Ford has asked other provinces to send health-care workers to support the crunch in his province, but Dix said it's not possible for B.C. to help out. Despite the pressures at VGH, Kanji said he's never seen staff working with such a high level of devotion to patient care. "There isn't a single staff member who hasn't gone way, way, way beyond the call of duty, and it's heartwarming," he said.

  • Ontario police may be able to ‘interrogate anyone, anytime, anywhere’ with ‘excessive’ new COVID-19 powers, lawyer says

    New Ontario COVID-19 restrictions are giving police the power to stop and question people who are outside of their homes and ask for their address. The option to increase police powers is a bit alarming and dishevelling to Chris Rudnicki, a partner and legal counsel at Rusonik, O'Connor, Robbins, Ross, Gorham and Angelini, who admitted he's concerned there could be some overstepping by police and are constitutionally concerning.

  • Alberta premier shouldn't say things he doesn't know: town mayor

    ATHABASCA, Alta. — The mayor of a town in northern Alberta says Premier Jason Kenney shouldn't have commented about an outbreak of COVID-19 among school students and staff if he didn't know the circumstances. Kenney said during two news conferences this week that the outbreak in Athabasca, Alta., was one of the worst in the entire province and had stemmed from a birthday party. "Apparently the virus had a 100 per cent attack rate at that birthday party. All of the kids who came to that birthday party got sick,'' he said. An official with Alberta Health subsequently said there was no data to suggest there had been an outbreak from a children's party in the community. A spokeswoman for Kenney said he misspoke about the location of the party and was using it as an example of how easily COVID-19 can spread. Mayor Colleen Powell says the publicity the town of 13,000 people has received since the premier's comments is not the kind it wants. "Why are you saying these things when you don't know?" Powell asked in a phone interview. "I had a couple of people get in touch with me (asking) who held the party. News spreads like wildfire." Just over 100 people, including students and a dozen staff, from three different schools in Athabasca tested positive for COVID-19 and its variants. But students and teachers are feeling confident about returning to classrooms on Monday after a week of spring break and two weeks of self-isolating, said the superintendent for Aspen View Public Schools. "We feel like we've mitigated the risk, and we feel like it's time to go back and give it a shot," said Neil O'Shea. "Some of the cases within the town and the county have gone down. We've deep-cleaned all of our schools. We've adjusted a little bit of our protocols around masking. Our phys-ed classes are going to be held outside." The area had 155 active cases on Friday. O'Shea said he first heard about an outbreak near the end of March at Edwin Parr Composite School, where about 700 students in Grades 7 to 12 are enrolled. Students from two more schools started showing symptoms and the school board shut them all down, he said. "We went all the way from kindergarten to Grade 12 online for the three weeks, just because of the interconnectedness of our communities and families and transportation and workplaces." Powell said that earlier in the pandemic, she kind of agreed with some who said rural towns shouldn't face the same public health restrictions because they are smaller. But with the rapid rise in cases, she doesn't feel that way anymore. "It's been a lesson." Anne Karczmarczyk is a school board trustee and the mother of two girls who tested positive in the Edwin Parr Composite outbreak. She said she has heard nothing about a birthday party and the premier's comments came as a surprise to her. "My own daughters contracted the variant and they got it from school. I know for a fact that all of the cases were at our school and not all from a birthday party," Karczmarczyk said. "It sets an uneasy feeling when you hear that, especially as a parent who had children with COVID ... I just know my kids did not receive it from a birthday party." Karczmarczyk said the two other schools that were shut down were a primary school and a middle school. "There were probably contacts from busing, or contacts from siblings or family members ... that sort of thing. That would basically (be) how it travels everywhere else." She said the community has been working hard to bring down cases. "It's an eye-opener, hopefully, for people to be more vigilant," Karczmarczyk said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2021. — By Fakiha Baig in Edmonton ___ This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. The Canadian Press

  • 'Unprecedented' action taken to make room for COVID-19 patients in Regina

    A dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases due to more harmful and transmissible variants of concern are creating challenges in Regina hospitals, according to the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Intensive care units in the city have far exceeded their initial 27-bed capacity, and staff are "stretched to the max," said Lori Garbinski, executive director of provincial programs for tertiary care. As of Friday, there are 81 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in Regina, 30 of whom are in the ICU. In order to make more room for those sick with the virus, the SHA has brought in 18 additional beds, and other wards have been expanded into ICU units. Additionally, the health authority has started housing two COVID-19 patients per room in the ICU, as well as in cardiac care units. "This action is unprecedented," Garchinski said. Regina ICU doctor Jeffrey Betcher said they are doubling occupancy to keep patients as close as possible in order to expand manpower, which he said was tight. Surge capacity The SHA will continue to double beds as needed, as all 45 of its Regina ICU beds are taken by both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. They are also considering expanding into the medical-surgical units if necessary. People who do not require critical care are being moved to hospitals in the rural south and also in the north in order to free up space. Other patients are bypassing Regina hospitals. Utilizing the field hospitals is not an option for the SHA. Garchinski said they were not built for critical care patients, but rather for those who are on the tail end of their journey and require oxygen or additional IVs. "The infrastructure is very different for critical care patients than a ward patient, and the field hospitals wouldn't have that sort of infrastructure in place," Betcher said. Beds at the Regina field hospital for COVID-19 patients. The SHA says the field hospital is not equipped to deal with critical care patients. (Saskatchewan Health Authority) With variants of concerns continuing to fuel a new surge of cases, health officials expect a rise in hospitalizations due to members of the public breaking public health orders over Easter. "What's happening now is really the result of what happened two weeks ago. As we're coming into the second week after Easter, we're seeing the results of large gatherings that may have not been in compliance with the health orders," Betcher said. Garchinski said the SHA continues to make plans with other ICUs in the province in order to expand levels of bed capacity and manpower. The SHA provided details of its ICU capacity by holding a rare press conference on Friday. "We're doing our part and it's really up to the public to do their part," Betcher said, as he pleaded with the public to follow all public health orders and get vaccinated. "If we tax our healthcare workers and healthcare system to the point of breaking, when this is over ... there's going to be a lot of people that are very tired. And I'm not sure the public would be confident and feel they got fresh healthcare workers looking after them after this is over." Dr. Jeffrey Betcher, right, was the very first person in Saskatchewan to be vaccinated against COVID-19. He is encouraging others in the province to help preserve the healthcare system and its workers, by getting the COVID-19 vaccine. (CBC) Health Minister says hospitalizations stabilized The SHA's message was different than the one provided by Health Minister Paul Merriman hours earlier. During a scrum at the Saskatchewan legislature Friday, Merriman said he heard double bedding "might be happening," adding it was "very temporary." Health Minister Paul Merriman. (CBC) He said while it's concerning Regina hospitals are on bypass, "we have seen the numbers stabilize as far as hospitalizations." "We're hoping that trend continues," Merriman said, encouraging the public, especially those in Regina, to get the COVID-19 vaccine. He said vaccines will continue to help drive down hospitalizations and deaths. However, Opposition Leader Ryan Meili called for the government to do more in order to reduce surge capacity at Regina hospitals. "We hope it's temporary, but it's avoidable. We didn't need to be in this situation, and it's much worse than the minister is willing to confess," Meili said.