More than 40 MAKERS@ Board of Directors announced their #RAISEYOURVOICE pledges and declared how they will push their companies to gender equity this year.
ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador's premier says he's prepared to make decisions that may cost him re-election in order to get the province out of debt. Andrew Furey made the comments to reporters today following the release of a pre-recorded video Thursday night in which he gave what he called a "state of the province" address. According to a sweeping report last week from the provincial economic recovery team, the province's debt stands at more than $47 billion. To correct course, Furey says his government is considering amalgamating its four health authorities and dismantling the provincial energy corporation. He also says taxes will go up for "those who can afford it." The report said the province's staggering debt is partly the result of mismanagement by previous governments, and Furey says he's looking at ways to increase government accountability. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2021. The Canadian Press
P.E.I. has again delayed the date of entry for seasonal residents to the province due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month, P.E.I. announced it would be putting a pause on those entries as part of stricter border measures to limit the importation and spread of COVID-19. According to an updated section of the province's website, that has been delayed again, this time until June 1. "Travel for seasonal residents coming to P.E.I. is paused until at least June 1, 2021," the website said. "This includes individuals who have already received a prior approval to travel, your approval is now deferred until at least June 1." Those moving to the Island from outside the Atlantic provinces are also paused until at least June 1, unless it's for school or work purposes. Those moving to P.E.I. from within the region can still enter as long as they've been approved. The website says travel to P.E.I. through the family connections stream will be reviewed to determine necessity. Seasonal residents disappointed, but understand Seasonal residents were allowed to enter the province last summer, provided they had a plan with someone to support their self-isolation for two weeks. Jen Harding is the founding president of Seasonal Residents of P.E.I., a non-profit group made up of those with seasonal properties on the Island. She said members who had planned on arriving in the coming days, herself included, started receiving notice Thursday evening saying all pre-travel approvals are being rescinded. Harding said members are disappointed but not surprised. "It's not binary. People can be disappointed and maybe frustrated at changing plans, but they do understand the changing situation with COVID and what's happening certainly in Nova Scotia is causing the region to put stronger measures in place," she said. "And so you can be disappointed at that but also recognize what else is happening around the world and certainly in Canada." More from CBC P.E.I.
TORONTO — Medical experts say Ontario will have to significantly scale up its vaccination effort to achieve its goal of fully inoculating all willing adults against COVID-19 by the end of the summer. They say the province will need far more health-care workers at vaccine clinics, 24-hour sites and clear public messaging to meets its Sept. 22 target. The president of the Ontario Medical Association the province should use all available vaccine facilities and engage more family doctors to reach its goal. "If we were in a position of unlimited supply and we were able to use all of our resources to provide those vaccines, we'd stand a fighting chance," Dr. Samantha Hill said. Premier Doug Ford said Thursday that the plan is contingent on continued vaccine supply from the federal government in the coming months. Ford has been more vocal recently in his criticism of the federal government’s handling of the pandemic, calling for tighter border control to prevent cases of the COVID-19 variants from entering the province. Prime Minister Trudeau has accused the Progressive Conservative premier of playing politics during the pandemic. A spokeswoman for Ford's office said Friday the province can hit the Sept. 22 target if the province receives approximately eight million doses by the end of June, and an additional 11 million doses to fully vaccinate Ontarians aged 12 and over. "If we were to get that supply, we could dramatically increase our capacity to administer vaccines," Ivana Yelich said in a statement. "If they can get us the supply, we will work to get Ontarians fully vaccinated this summer." Ontario administered 141,765 COVID-19 vaccine doses on Thursday for a total of more than 6.7 million doses given out so far. University of Toronto epidemiologist Ashleigh Tuite said now that vaccine supply appears to be less of an issue, the “two-dose summer” effort should be focused on how to get shots into arms as quickly as possible. She said the government should clarify its plan for second doses, given the confusing, "piecemeal" vaccination campaign thus far. "We don't really have a unified system and there's clearly some confusion amongst the public to how exactly we get our second dose," she said. Having a fully vaccinated population makes the future "a lot brighter,” she said. "I think it’s going to be really important, thinking back to the government and their role in all of this, to have some more clear communication around this." The CEO of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario said the province will need to greatly speed up its rollout more aggressively if it wants to hit the Sept. 22 target. Doris Grinspun said the province must recruit more health-care workers to help administer doses and should be running its mass clinics 24/7 to maximize output. "If we have enough vaccines we should open it to everyone, absolutely," she said. "I believe that we can get all the vaccines into arms in a very short period of time if we utilize all the resources ... which we are not right now." But NDP deputy leader Sara Singh expressed skepticism about whether the province had a plan to match Ford's promise. The vaccine rollout has been "slow and very sloppy" and even now many people are struggling to book appointments to get a shot, she said. "We actually need to make sure people are getting their first dose before we can even start having those conversations about making sure they get their second," she said. The province reported 2,362 new COVID-19 cases Friday, and 26 more deaths from the virus. The data is based on 44,040 tests. There were 1,582 COVID-19 patients in Ontario hospitals as of Friday morning. Of those, 777 people were in intensive care and 560 were on ventilators. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2021. Shawn Jeffords and Holly McKenzie-Sutter, The Canadian Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration notified Congress this week that it will send millions of dollars in U.S. assistance to the Palestinians aimed at promoting peace with Israel even as violence between the two sides rages. As the conflict intensifies despite U.S. calls for restraint, the administration notified Congress on Thursday that it will provide $10 million to Palestinian groups in the West Bank and Gaza to support exchange and reconciliation projects with Israelis. The recipients of the aid were not named. The State Department said Friday that the money is part of more than $100 million that the administration allocated to the Palestinians earlier this year, reversing a near total cutoff in support under former President Donald Trump. In a notice to lawmakers obtained by The Associated Press, the U.S. Agency for International Development said the $10 million would go to support “people-to-people efforts to bring together conflict-affected groups to address divisions that may be rooted in group differences such as ethnicity, religion, status, class, or political affiliation in areas affected by conflict and civil war.” It said the money would be spent mainly on cross-border projects between Israel and the West Bank and Gaza, but might also include programs for Jews and Arabs living in Israel. The fighting between the two sides has been intensifying, with rocket attacks from Hamas militants in Gaza on Israel and increasing retaliation from the Israeli military. Violence between Arabs and Jews within Israel has also been increasing. The Biden administration has made no secret of its belief that Trump’s approach to the Mideast, which alienated the Palestinians, was flawed and made prospects for peace less likely. The administration has announced $130 million in assistance to the Palestinians, which appears aimed at encouraging them to return to negotiations with Israel. Matthew Lee, The Associated Press
B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says data there shows that infections are extremely rare in those who have been immunized, with fully vaccinated individuals representing only 0.2 per cent of new cases since Dec. 27, 2020.
A man who police feared was likely to hurt more youth is again accused of sexually assaulting a minor. On Tuesday police charged Marty Ryan Bouvier of Behchoko, Northwest Territories, with touching a minor for a sexual purpose, sexually assaulting the same child and six breaches of court orders. The 26-year-old is alleged to have committed the crimes late last year. Four of the alleged breaches are related to conditions the court placed on Bouvier on August 13, 2019, shortly after he was released after serving a prison sentence for sexually assaulting a minor in Behchoko. The judge imposed the conditions for two years at the request of the RCMP. It argued the conditions were necessary because Bouvier was still a risk to commit more sexual offences against minors based on his criminal history. An assessment the RCMP submitted as part of its application for the order concluded Bouvier was "a high priority for supervision and a high risk to reoffend." As a result of the order, Bouvier was barred from going to any place where children are likely to be — such as parks, pools, playgrounds and community centres — without being with a sober adult who is aware of his criminal history. 'Disturbing' criminal past The judge who sentenced Bouvier to prison time in 2017 described Bouvier's criminal history as "very disturbing." In 2015 he was sentenced to 135 days custody for raping a 12-year-old. Between the time he was charged with that offence and the time he was sentenced, he attempted to drag another youth into the woods. The minor escaped and he was convicted of the assault and sentenced to four months plus two years probation. While serving that probation, which included a condition to stay away from minors, he approached an 11-year-old in a local restaurant and told her she was "sexy" and "walked sexy." He told her he was 13, though he was in his early 20s at the time. In sentencing Bouvier to four years in prison in 2017 (credit for 557 days he spent in jail awaiting sentencing was deducted from his sentence), Justice Louise Charbonneau issued a warning. She said though Bouvier was still young, "his criminal record is such that I would expect the Crown, if Mr. Bouvier commits similar crimes in the future, is going to have to take a serious look at the options under the Criminal Code to have him dealt with as either a dangerous or long-term offender." Bouvier remains in custody, but has reserved his right to a bail hearing. His next appearance is scheduled for May 21, by video from the North Slave Correctional Complex in Yellowknife.
TORONTO — Canadian residents should be able to head to the United States for COVID-19 vaccinations and be exempt from mandatory quarantine on return if health authorities here deem the shots medically necessary, a hospital CEO said on Friday. Although a vaccination itself does not exempt incoming travellers from quarantine rules, an exemption does exist for those heading abroad for medically essential procedures. David Musyj, head of Windsor Regional Hospital in the border city of Windsor, Ont., said he has asked the Public Health Agency of Canada whether the government does deem the vaccines medically necessary. "How can a COVID vaccine not be considered essential?" Musyj said in an interview Friday. "These vaccines are within reach. Any Canadian can go over there." Windsor's mayor has discussed using city transit buses to take residents to a mass vaccine site at Detroit's Ford Field stadium and bring them back. Musyj said his hospital could help with such an effort but the quarantine requirement for people returning to Canada is an obstacle. Musyj has now sought clarity on the medical exemption. According to the rules, a doctor in Canada has to decide a medical service abroad is essential for a patient, and the person must provide proof they received it to avoid quarantine on return. Musyj said he wants an advance ruling from Health Canada, adding it would be beneficial to access clinics in the U.S. and return without having to isolate. In an initial response for comment on the hospital's request, Health Canada said only that a doctor's recommendation "falls under the practice of medicine, which is of provincial/territorial jurisdiction." However, a spokeswoman did say the ministry was looking at allowing Canadians to pick up surplus doses in the U.S. for injection here. "The government of Canada is currently working with provinces, territories and the United States to determine the feasibility of importing COVID-19 vaccines made available via donation," Kathleen Marriner said. What is off the table, Marriner said, is allowing vaccine retrieval from the States under a special import program for urgently needed drugs that are not available in Canada. The program, she said, would not be "appropriate mechanism" to facilitate importation. While supplies in Canada are ramping up, shortages remain a major obstacle to inoculating the population. The Windsor region in southwestern Ontario alone estimates it still needs about 600,000 doses to fully vaccinate its residents. At the same time, pharmacies and other vaccination sites across the border are struggling to use their supplies due to a lack of demand. Michigan and other states have said they are willing to offer their excess supply to Canada. The Windsor hospital had wanted permission under the federal "special access program" to be able to take the Americans up on their offer. Despite rejecting the program application, Health Canada has asked the hospital several logistical questions, such as how the vaccines would be retrieved, transported and stored, and what security measures would be in place. Quality, safety and traceability, along with procedures for reporting any adverse reactions, would be key to allowing the imports, Marriner said. "Health Canada would work with the requester, in collaboration with our federal, provincial and territorial partners, to verify that strict protocols are followed," Marriner said. Musyj said it would be simple to drive over to Detroit or other border states and have the vaccines back in Canada within hours. "They've got vaccines to burn over there," he said. "Let's go get them." Ohio, for example, is giving five vaccinated residents US$1 million each by way of a lottery. New York City is promising free fries, while New Jersey is offering a free beer to first-shot recipients. "That just shows you what's happening in the United States to get people vaccinated," Musyj said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2021. Colin Perkel, The Canadian Press
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Friday he sees an opening to begin the next federal election campaign on Aug. 16 if the COVID-19 pandemic is under control. That timeline would ensure the federal vote doesn't interfere with municipal elections that are to be held across Quebec in November, Blanchet told a virtual meeting with an association representing Quebec cities and towns. “It would seem to me to be highly disrespectful for a federal election to interfere with municipal elections,” Blanchet, whose party holds 32 seats in the minority Parliament, told the gathering in French. “It opens a window that opens quite squarely on Aug. 16. I'm not saying that's when it's going to happen, but we can't rule it out." The Bloc leader's suggestion comes a day after his party tabled a motion in the House of Commons demanding Prime Minister Trudeau not call an election during the pandemic. Blanchet has repeatedly warned Trudeau against holding a vote during the health crisis. The purpose of the Bloc's motion, Blanchet said Friday, was to force a debate and a vote on the election date, as the Trudeau government sought to limit debate on Bill C-19, which aims to ensure a vote can be safely conducted during the pandemic. Bill C-19 passed by a vote of 330-1 at second reading Tuesday, with the support of the Bloc members, who said they wanted the legislation to move to committee for study. Blanchet said the government shouldn't be attempting to force through a bill that would permit an election to be held during the pandemic, adding that the bill isn't necessary if the pandemic is under control. "If there is a pandemic, we don't have an election and if the pandemic is controlled, we don't need a law to hold an election during the pandemic," he said. "Let's be logical." This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2021. The Canadian Press
An Island woman who was recently escorted out of a store by police is asking Islanders to be more understanding of people who can't wear masks. Joy Auld was shopping at Dollarama when staff asked her to leave, since she was wearing a face shield and not a mask. "The manager was there, and I got just partway down the aisle and he said, 'You got to leave the store if you're not going to wear a mask,'" said Auld. The P.E.I. Council of People with Disabilities said it continues to get phone calls from Islanders who are being told to leave a store if they're not wearing a mask — even if they explain they cannot because of a medical condition, as is Auld's case. "Please be understanding, because not everybody can wear a mask. A lot of us try and if we can't do it, we try to find an alternative," said Auld, who has asthma and anxiety. Face shield hasn't been a problem before Masks have been mandatory indoors in public buildings on P.E.I. since November 2020. Auld has been wearing her face shield in public for the past year, including to medical appointments, and said this is the first time she was asked to leave a store. Marcia Carroll, executive director of the P.E.I. Council of People with Disabilities, says we need to 'give people some grace' around face masks. (Jessica Doria-Brown/CBC) "I don't think this is fair," said Auld. "I don't think somebody should be discriminated against if they really can't wear [a mask]." The executive director of the P.E.I. Council of People with Disabilities said she's heard these kinds of stories since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. More of the onus needs to be on the individual companies and making sure that they're doing internal education around health exemptions. — Marcia Carroll, P.E.I. Council of People with Disabilities "We just need to step back and understand that some people can't wear a mask," said Marcia Carroll. "But they still have the right to navigate through their community as well." Companies should do 'internal education' Carroll said she doesn't think the government needs to step in and remind businesses about exemptions. "I think more of the onus needs to be on the individual companies and making sure that they're doing internal education around health exemptions and what a mandatory order means," said Carroll. Auld said her experience at Dollarama was embarrassing, and she's asked the company for an apology. "People don't realize how sick I am, because I don't show it. And I always say, you don't know my story, so don't judge me," she said. CBC News reached out to Dollarama for comment, but has not heard back. More from CBC P.E.I.
CALGARY — A judge has dismissed an attempt to quash the United Conservative government's inquiry into whether foreign groups have conspired against Alberta's oil industry. Court of Queen's Bench Justice Karen Horner says the environmental law firm Ecojustice failed to prove the inquiry was called to intimidate charities that have raised concerns about the industry. She also says there's no reason to believe that the political context around the inquiry suggests it's biased. "I have considered whether there is a basis to hold that the context of the (order in council establishing the inquiry), its terms of reference and the past conduct of commissioner (Steve) Allan combined to raise a reasonable apprehension of bias and I find that they do not," Horner said in her decision Friday. The provincial government and some industry leaders have said Canadian environmental charities that accept U.S. funding are part of a plot against Alberta's energy industry. The province has said the plot aims to block pipelines and landlock Alberta's oil to benefit its American competitors. Legal scholars and non-profit groups say the inquiry is an attempt to bully and silence industry critics. Ecojustice had argued in its challenge that the inquiry, a plank of the "fight-back" strategy the United Conservatives touted during the 2019 election campaign, was formed for an improper purpose. Public inquiries are meant to investigate tragedies or "worrisome matters of public concern," and the inquiry does neither of those things, the group's lawyer had argued. Lawyers for the provincial government said in their written submissions that cabinet is entitled — and mandated — to decide what's in the public interest and what issues warrant a public inquiry. They also said that questions before the inquiry concern the province's economic viability. The inquiry's final report, already delayed, is due May 31. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2021. Bob Weber, The Canadian Press
As Saskatchewan approaches the 15th month of the COVID-19 pandemic, health-care workers are continuing to deal with the effects of a health-care event that has worsened with time. Industry heads say workers are openly considering their futures in the field after more than 14 months on the front-lines. "It's happening now. It's happening right now as we speak," said Tracy Zambory, president of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN). Saskatchewan Union of Nurses president Tracy Zambory says her members are worried patient care for non-COVID-19 patients will suffer if case counts continue to surge.(Matt Duguid/CBC) Zambory said in an interview Friday that union members have told her that they just can't take the stress and anxiety anymore and are burning out. Others are ready to pack it in altogether. As cases of the virus have spiked in 2021 and the demographics of those appearing in intensive care units (ICU) have shifted younger, the effects have become even more pronounced, said Zambory. "There is no words to describe what it's like to hold an iPad up so family can say goodbye to their loved one," she said. "When those families are getting younger and younger, when it's little kids who are saying goodbye to their parent, it is taking a toll." The complaints of long hours and few breaks aren't just anecdotal. According to information released during a weekly doctors' town hall, there's now data showing the change in workload in the province's ICUs. During the first quarter of 2021, there was a 192.5 per cent increase in the number of hours worked when compared to the same time last year. That's the equivalent of an additional 260 full time employees. Despite the increase, only been 74 employees have been added to offset the workload. "We're going to have to work with a lot of front-line health-care workers on how they've managed their way through this pandemic and we're going to be have to be there for them in a whole lot of ways once we find our way through this," said Zambory. The province did not answer a request for response to the figures on the increase in ICU hours as of the time of publication. Although the ICU in Regina is already facing issues with capacity, the information released by the SHA indicates Saskatoon is approaching increased occupancy. Urban areas are not expected to return to baseline capacity for some time, according to the presentation. Zambory said that the hours and stress are like nothing her organization's members have ever seen. "In our intensive care units, it's constant. And this was not the norm prior to the to the pandemic," she said. She said SUN has committed to working with the government to find solutions. That includes a push to strengthen the province's mental health strategy to avoid and treat burnout. Zambory said she is cautiously optimistic about Saskatchewan's vaccination strategy providing a way out of the continued pandemic, but that the province needs to pay attention and do what's necessary if cases spike or hospitalizations increase. "It comes down to what can we do to help? And part of that is to take the vaccine that's offered to you. It's the best one. Follow the public health orders so that we can take that pressure off the health care system," she said.
OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada has restored the convictions of a common-law couple for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl during a camping trip. The girl was accompanied by her mother, stepfather and seven-year-old brother on the trip during the Canada Day weekend in 2013. Some of her mother's co-workers also attended, including the common-law spouses. At trial, the girl testified that she became intoxicated, fell asleep in the couple's trailer, and woke up to one of them pulling down her pants and the pair engaging her in sexual activity. The couple maintained she had consented to the activity, but the girl testified that she was so drunk she had no control of herself, faded in and out of consciousness and felt she could not have agreed to sex. The Ontario Court of Appeal said the trial judge had made errors that necessitated setting aside the couple's convictions and ordering a new trial. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2021. The Canadian Press
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck ("Bennifer") have seemingly reunited. A body language expert analyzes their love story that she thinks never completely died.
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Thousands of Muslims led by activists from an Islamic political party demonstrated in Bangladesh's capital on Friday to denounce attacks by Israel against Palestinians. After the end of Eid a—Fitr prayers at Dhaka's main Baitul Mokarram Mosque, activists from the Islamic Andolan Bangladesh, or Islamic Movement Bangladesh, began protesting and were joined by thousands of others. Muslim-majority Bangladesh celebrated the key festival of Eid a—Fitr in a subdued manner after the government urged people to avoid large gatherings. Authorities arranged prayers in phases at the Baitul Mokarram Mosque, where devotees maintained distancing to avoid spreading the coronavirus. Afterward, protesters crowded together outside, carrying signs reading “Boycott terrorist state Israel” and chanting “Down with Israel.” The current eruption of violence between Israelis and Palestinians began a month ago in Jerusalem. Israel regards all of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians want east Jerusalem, which includes sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, to be the capital of a future Palestinian state. On Friday, Israeli artillery pounded northern Gaza, the military said. Israel has massed troops along the border following days of fighting with the Islamic militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza. Palestinian militants have fired some 1,800 rockets and the military has launched more than 600 airstrikes. The stepped-up fighting came as communal violence in Israel erupted for a fourth night. Bangladesh is one of 28 members of the United Nations that does not recognize the state of Israel. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged stronger global action to stop Israeli violence against Palestinians. In a letter to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Hasina said the threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem was a severe violation of human rights and international law. “We unequivocally denounce such acts of terror and violence and urge the international community to take sustainable measures to end such kinds of acts anywhere and everywhere in the world including Palestine,” she wrote. Julhas Alam, The Associated Press
Premier Blaine Higgs is endorsing a call by the president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union that two hospitals in Moncton look at merging services to address a severe shortage of nurses at both facilities. Higgs said Thursday after a meeting with Paula Doucet he's "excited by the ideas she's bringing forward," even while acknowledging that it's a politically sensitive issue. "We need to look at better ways for our two networks to complement each other," Higgs said during question period. "Not duplicate each other, not argue about who gets where when, but provide complementary services and a balanced approach to our health-care system." The two hospitals in Moncton are located in the same part of the city but are run by the province's two different regional health authorities, Horizon and Vitalité. We're trying to run these two separate hospitals with skeleton crews in both [hospitals]. - Paula Doucet, nurses' union Francophones have long guarded the role of the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre as vital to their community. Vitalité CEO France Desrosiers provoked a political storm among francophones this week when she suggested language wouldn't matter in filling nursing vacancies, and she'd hire unilingual anglophones if needed. That came after Vitalité was forced to divert ambulances from the Dumont to the Moncton Hospital and after some doctors stepped in to cover the nursing shortage. Cardiologist Dr. Luc Cormier said some staff were comparing the hospital to "a war zone." Doucet met with Higgs on Wednesday about the nursing shortage at the two hospitals and pressed the case for amalgamating some services such as obstetrics, palliative care and mental health. "We're trying to run these two separate hospitals with skeleton crews in both," Doucet said Thursday. "Why wouldn't the RHAs have a conversation to say, 'Which services can we put together for a period of time?'" Paula Doucet, president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union, met with Premier Blaine Higgs Wednesday about the nursing shortage at the two Moncton hospitals.(Tori Weldon) Higgs said Thursday any talk of merging services doesn't jeopardize the distinct roles of the two health authorities. "I think it's high time for those frank discussions," he said. "It doesn't mean a threat to either health authority. It just means we're going to find, as we've done through COVID, a better way to work together." Doucet said there are 700 nursing vacancies in the province now. Liberal Leader Roger Melanson said Higgs's suggestion would take too much time to sort out. "There needs to be action now … to stop the bleeding. The premier wants to talk about long-term stuff. The problem is right now." But Doucet said the province needs to "make some big decisions" quickly so that nurses can get some time off or even avoid being scheduled for 24-hour shifts, which is happening now. She said she told Higgs: "Please help me get the nurses through the summer, because right now they are sinking." "I said, 'Right now you need to look at amalgamating services because right now there are units running with half the staff in both facilities. Wouldn't it make sense to run one service with a full complement of staff, and then you can do it well?'" Doucet said she's also aware of the political sensitivities around the two health networks. But "we're in a pandemic right now," she said. The province has "a little bit of power right now to do the right thing." Francophones have long guarded the role of the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre as vital to their community, but lack of nursing staff has meant ambulances were diverted to the Moncton Hospital over the weekend.(Guy LeBlanc/Radio-Canada) Acadian Society president Alexandre Cédric Doucet said there are other steps that can be taken to increase the number of nurses, and said any merger of services would be unacceptable. The Dumont hospital is "a key institution" for francophones, he said. "It has to maintain its distinct character." Melanson said he is "not against having co-ordinated efforts." "What I'm saying is the problem is bigger than that." He said better wages would help. The nurses' union is at the bargaining table now, trying to negotiate three new collective agreements. Doucet said those talks are not going well, and she plans to meet again with Higgs soon to talk about that.
Water levels in Fort Simpson, N.W.T., are rising to new extremes. Local resident Brandon Buggins told CBC on Friday that the water levels are the highest they have been this season, rising above 16 meters. Last Friday, the Liard River broke, triggering a local state of emergency, and eventually, mandatory evacuation for those who live on the island, which rests on low ground. Mandatory evacuation was triggered at 14 meters. Over 700 people have been displaced and evacuated to higher ground or to other N.W.T., communities. In Dene Zhatie, Fort Simpson is called Líídlįį Kúę, which means the "place where two rivers meet." The community rests at the foot of two vast rivers, leaving residents at the whim of how the rivers behave as they break up. Laurie Ozmun Nadia uploaded this photo of Fort Simpson to Facebook at about 11 a.m. Friday. Water levels are said to be rising in the village again.(Laurie Ozmun Nadia/Facebook) Now, the Deh Cho — the Mackenzie River — has also broken. Buggins said that from what he's seen, the river is jammed upstream. Temperatures have dipped over the past couple days, potentially affecting how the river will move. The village of Fort Simpson posted on Facebook earlier on Friday that water levels were fluctuating, and stopped allowing access onto the island as a result. Another post said that they halted water delivery until water levels stabilize and asked residents to conserve water. In an interview with CBC's The Trailbreaker this morning, Fort Simpson Mayor Sean Whelly said that the water levels have crept over roads, limiting accessibility. For example, the Rowe's subdivision, which is on high ground but accessed mainly through a road on lower ground, was inaccessible last night, leaving one resident stuck, Whelly said. Uncertainty has emotional toll on residents Calling from the camping area where many evacuees are resting, referred to as "tent city," Buggins says he's seeing first-hand how uncertainty is affecting the community. "You can see it in people's faces, they're in panic mode, and they're stressed," he said. Many are trying to remain positive, but the situation is weighing on people, he said. He added that there are mental health workers around for people to talk to and that people should reach out if they are feeling stressed or unwell. Whelly visited "tent city" last night, where about 40 people are camped out. He said people were doing well, given the situation. "They're anxious to see just how high this river might go and waiting to see if the Mackenzie will release," he said. Whelly said the extent of damage remains unknown. "There are homes that have had water in their house, completely," he said. He added that the community's arbour is nearly entirely submerged. It is normally important place for gathering for the community, providing a place to heal, hold drum dances, exchange ideas and share oral histories. An aerial view of the first round of flooding in Fort Simpson. Residents were braced as water rose again Friday. (Christine Horesay) Dene National Chief Norman Yakeleya said that the situation is "unprecedented." "We're getting hit with a double whammy of the flood situations and… COVID-19," he said. The Dene Nation has established a flood relief "command centre" of their own to coordinate relief efforts with local governments, volunteers, and people on the ground. "I can't imagine what they're going through, but we want to be there as much as we can because we know the people who are in these situations. They must be feeling a lot of loss." Yakeleya said that "our first priority is the safety and protection of our people."
EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is distancing himself from a decision to expel two members from his United Conservative caucus. But he says the decision affirms confidence of the caucus in his leadership, and his government can’t be distracted right now by those with “personal agendas.” Kenney made the comments this morning in an interview on CHED radio, one day after his caucus voted to turf backbench members Todd Loewen and Drew Barnes. Loewen had called for Kenney to quit, saying the premier's actions are dragging the party down to defeat in the next election, while Barnes has been highly critical of Kenney’s COVID-19 response. Kenney says it was caucus members who voted to expel the members and that he was careful not to influence the proceedings. Both Loewen and Barnes have said they will sit as Independents, and that the party under Kenney is no longer a grassroots-driven movement but a top-down one-man show. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2021. The Canadian Press
Vancouver police have apologized after officers wrongly detained and handcuffed an 81-year-old retired Black judge during his morning walk on the seawall while searching for a suspect described as dark-skinned and decades younger. Selwyn Romilly said he was walking around Stanley Park on Friday when two police vehicles pulled up nearby and about five officers approached him. He said all five appeared to be white and were significantly taller than his five feet and eight inches. "They said that they got a complaint about someone fitting my description, and before I could say anything, they told me to put my hands behind my back and they shackled me with handcuffs," he told CBC News. "I have no gun, I don't have anything in my hand or my person. And here you have — at 9:45 a.m., near to Third Beach where you have lots of people — you have a black guy ... shackled in handcuffs and people passing by. I found that most embarrassing." He said he told the officers he was a retired judge, and they released him from the handcuffs after about a minute. Romilly, who was born in Trinidad, was the first Black judge appointed to the B.C. Supreme Court. He was also the fourth Black student to attend law school at the University of B.C., according to the university. "You would think that we're past that stage in Canada," he said of the arrest. Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison said in an email that officers were responding to several 911 calls about a man assaulting strangers on the seawall near English Bay. The suspect was said to be walking normally, then would suddenly start kicking, punching and spitting at people. "Officers observed a man who resembled the description of the suspect and briefly detained him to investigate. Given the violent nature of the incident, the man was handcuffed," Addison wrote. However, Addison confirmed that the description given for the suspect was "a dark-skinned man, 40-50 years old, wearing a red top." He described Romilly as compliant and said the handcuffs were quickly removed when it became obvious he was not the suspect. Addison said officers located the correct suspect in the same area around that time, and that man was taken to jail. A patrol supervisor then called Romilly to give an apology and an explanation. Romilly said two senior officers have reached out to apologize, and he doesn't plan to file a complaint. But he still hopes the police department makes some changes. "They have to be very vigilant when they train young white police officers for dealing with minorities," Romilly said. "I hate to say that this is a case where I was targeted because I was walking while Black, but you kind of wonder why those handcuffs were placed on me at such an early stage."
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A top official in South Africa’s ruling African National Congress has taken the party to court to challenge his suspension pending charges of fraud and corruption against him, heightening tensions within the fractured organization once led by Nelson Mandela. Ace Magashule is the secretary general of the ANC and a fierce political rival of party leader and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Magashule's decision to go to court is another indication of the rival factions within the ANC, and is viewed as a direct challenge to Ramaphosa's drive to rid the ANC of the corruption that has damaged its image — and that of Africa's most developed economy — over the past decade. In court papers, Magashule has questioned the legality of the party rule, pushed by Ramaphosa, which forces ANC officials facing criminal charges to “step aside” from their positions until their cases are finalized. Magashule has said the rule undermines the constitutional principle of a person being innocent until proven guilty. South African national broadcaster SABC reported Friday that Magashule's lawyers had filed the papers at the Gauteng High Court on Thursday. The move also raises questions over whether Magashule will apologize, as instructed by the ANC leadership, for sending a letter to Ramaphosa purportedly suspending the president. Magashule has been given until Friday to apologize or face more disciplinary action. ANC officials have been implicated in a wave of corruption scandals over the last decade, most notably under the rule of former party leader and former South African president Jacob Zuma, whose own corruption trial is due to start next week. Some ANC leaders have already resigned from their positions under the “step aside” rule and others may be suspended in the coming weeks if they do not stand down. Magashule is the most senior official in the party to be affected by the rule, seen as a key policy for Ramaphosa in his battle with an ANC faction sympathetic to Magashule and Zuma. Magashule is set to go on trial in August on charges of fraud and corruption related to a government contract worth over $18 million. It is alleged that Magashule personally benefited from the contract, which was awarded when he was the premier of Free State province, which issued the contract. He has denied all charges and framed the case as politically motivated. Last month, Ramaphosa testified at the state-backed inquiry into widescale corruption in government and state-owned companies during Zuma’s tenure as president from 2009 to 2018. Ramaphosa is set to testify again later this month about what he knew about corruption in government during the period when he was deputy president from 2014 to 2018. Zuma has refused to testify at the commission, which is separate from his corruption trial, and is facing a legal battle with the inquiry. The inquiry has applied for him to be jailed for refusing to obey a court order compelling him to testify. Mogomotsi Magome, The Associated Press
The provincial government has been granted an injunction that will put a stop to all anti-vaccine and anti-public health order protests, including an anti-mask rally that was planned for Saturday in Halifax. A lawyer for the province appeared before a justice of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court on Friday to make an urgent request for the ban. The ban prevents Freedom Nova Scotia and similar groups from staging illegal gatherings in defiance of Nova Scotia's public health orders. Dr. Robert Strang, the province's chief medical officer of health, was called to testify as an expert witness on the dangers of COVID-19 and the risks posed by a large gathering of people standing close together without wearing masks. "We're in a very serious situation. We're in the middle of a global pandemic," Strang said at a COVID-19 briefing Friday. "We cannot let a small group of individuals who willfully dismiss the science, willfully dismiss the evidence around how their actions could put other people at significant risk. We cannot allow that to happen and I'm very pleased with the judgment." Justice Scott Norton also heard from Hayley Crichton, an investigator for the provincial Justice Department. Crichton provided an overview of demonstrations and gatherings over the past few weeks that have violated provincial regulations on crowd size and mask protocols. Premier Iain Rankin and Dr. Robert Strang, the chief medical officer of health, said they are both pleased with the injunction.(Communications Nova Scotia) Crichton singled out the activities of Worldwide Rally for Freedom and Democracy, the group behind Saturday's proposed gathering. Premier Iain Rankin said the injunction was necessary to "crush" the third wave. "We knew that there was some social media activity encouraging people to come out and willfully break the public health protocols that were put in place to keep people safe," Rankin said at the briefing. "There's no question — these people don't believe in science, they don't believe in masks, vaccines — this is nothing more than an alt-right group that wants to protest things like science and we're pleased with the decision." He added that the injunction would allow police to arrest and detain individuals attending these gatherings, as it would be a clear violation of a court order. The injunction will remain in effect until the provincial state of emergency is lifted. The new ban prevents Freedom Nova Scotia and similar groups from staging illegal gatherings in defiance of Nova Scotia's public health orders.(Freedom Nova Scotia/Facebook) Protest organizers not notified of court action Norton's order describes Saturday's rally as an illegal public gathering and says not only is it banned, but it is also illegal for anyone to try to promote such a gathering on social media. Friday's court hearing is what is called an ex parte application, meaning the organizers of the protest weren't notified ahead of time that the court action was taking place and they did not attend the hearing. But on its Facebook page, Rally for Freedom said the gathering was being cancelled "under duress." MORE TOP STORIES
