The lockdown in northern Ontario has been extended for two weeks as the province continues to battle a surge in COVID-19 cases
Former President Donald Trump considered replacing the acting attorney general with an official willing to pursue unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, and he pushed the Justice Department to ask the Supreme Court to invalidate President Joe Biden’s victory, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said the efforts in the last weeks of Trump's presidency failed because of resistance from his Justice appointees who refused to file what they viewed as a legally baseless lawsuit in the Supreme Court. Other senior department officials later threatened to resign if Trump fired then-acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, several people familiar with the discussions told the Journal.
Alberta reported 573 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, and 13 more deaths. Active cases continue to drop, with 9,727 total cases of the illness in Alberta reported Saturday, a decrease of 260 from Friday. Hospitalizations also saw a slight decrease, with 676 people in hospital with the illness on Saturday — down 15 from Friday — including 114 in intensive care unit beds. On Friday, there were 691 people in hospital, with 115 in intensive care unit beds. Provincial labs completed 10,894 tests for the disease on Friday, for a positivity rate of about 5.3 per cent, down fromabout 13,000 tests completed on Thursday. The positivity rate remained about the same from the previous day, which had a positivity rate of five per cent. Of the 13 deaths reported Saturday, two involved people in their 20s: a man and a woman, both in the Calgary zone. Three deaths in total were in the Calgary zone, four in the Edmonton zone, four in the North zone, and two in the Central zone. The deaths occurred between Dec. 16 and Jan. 22. Since the pandemic began last March, there have been 120,330 cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, including 1,525 deaths from the disease. Here's a regional breakdown of active cases: Calgary zone: 3,786 Edmonton zone: 3,407 North zone: 1,325 Central zone: 799 South zone: 396 Unknown: 14 An additional 1,022 doses of vaccine had been administered by the end of the day on Friday, bringing the total number of doses administered to 98,807. Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, will provide her next in-person COVID-19 update on Monday.
Toronto police say they have arrested 10 people flouting provincial orders at anti-lockdown protests in the downtown core Saturday. In a news release late Saturday evening, police say they monitored and attended "several large gatherings" at Nathan Phillips Square, Yonge-Dundas Square and Queen's Park. Among the 10 people charged, seven protesters are facing criminal charges. Of those, five are facing charges for obstructing a police officer, two for common nuisance, one for assaulting a police officer and one for four counts of public mischief. All 10 protesters were arrested at Yonge-Dundas Square. Police say nine charges were also laid against attendees at the gatherings for failing to comply with the province's emergency orders, and three charges were laid under the Highway Traffic Act. This comes exactly one week after Toronto police arrested three people and issued 18 charges for failure to comply with the provincial stay-at-home order currently in effect for protesters in large gatherings that were flouting the order. "[We] continue to respond to calls to attend large gatherings and will take steps to disperse. Police will issue tickets and summonses to individuals when there is evidence of non-compliance of the provincial order under the EMCPA or the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA)," police said in a news release.
La Septîlienne Émilie Maïsterrena est auteure et éditrice de ses propres romans d’horreur-fiction. Grâce à Cauchemars Airlines, l’auteure propose aux gens d’embarquer à bord de vols au cœur de son imagination, avec elle comme commandant. Déjà à la maternelle, son enseignante de l’époque avait remarqué qu’Émilie se passionnait pour l’écriture. Elle a quelque peu perdu la flamme à l’adolescence, mais s’y est remise depuis 3 ans. À présent, elle revient en force avec un concept soutenu, tournant autour des voyages, de l’horreur et d’histoires dignes des pires cauchemars. Dans son roman Oslav, Émilie propose aux lecteurs d’embarquer à bord du vol 218, à destination de la Côte-Nord, afin de découvrir ce territoire d’une toute autre manière. Il respecte son univers, tout comme ses autres créations, toutes autant surprenantes les unes que les autres. Le vol 513, sa prochaine parution, sera sorti tout droit de son côté obscur, qu’elle dit ne pas avoir montré complètement dans Oslav, œuvre qu’elle juge plus douce. Le site web et la page Facebook de l’auteure contiennent et des informations inédites sur les personnages, à travers de courtes nouvelles. De plus, Émilie Maïsterenna s’y entretiens en direct à ses lecteurs. Son roman est disponible en s’adressant directement à la dame, via ces plateformes. Il est actuellement en réimpression, les premières copies ayant toutes été vendues. Voici le lien de la page Facebook de l’auteure :https://www.facebook.com/emiliemaisterrenaauteureKarine Lachance, Initiative de journalisme local, Ma Côte-Nord
The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times Eastern): 6:25 p.m. Alberta's chief medical officer of health is reporting 13 new COVID-19 deaths. Dr. Deena Hinshaw says in a series of tweets that the province has seen 573 new cases of the novel coronavirus over the previous 24 hours. That's out of a total of 10,894 tests, for a test-positivity rate of 5.3 per cent. Hinshaw says there are 676 people in Alberta hospitals with COVID-19, 114 of whom are in intensive care. --- 5:00 p.m. Saskatchewan is reporting three new deaths of people with COVID-19, as well as 274 new cases. The province's daily pandemic update says 1,110 vaccine doses were given out Friday, and that 96 per cent of the doses Saskatchewan has received have now been administered. Saskatchewan currently has 3,161 active COVID-19 cases. --- 3:10 p.m. Manitoba is reporting three additional deaths of people with COVID-19 as well as 216 new cases of the virus. The province says a rapid testing centre is now taking appointments for all teachers and other school staff who work with students. The Fast Pass centre is in Winnipeg and promises same-day results. Eligible clients must be either symptomatic or live with someone who is symptomatic, or be identified as a close contact through an exposure at school. Manitoba officials report there are 272 people with COVID-19 in hospital, including 40 in intensive care. --- 1:50 p.m. Nunavut health officials are announcing a second active COVID-19 case in the Hudson Bay community of Arviat. The territory had gone weeks without any new cases, but then reported one new case in Arviat on Friday. Officials say in a news release that the second person is asymptomatic, doing well and isolating, noting contact tracing is underway. Arviat, a community of about 2,800, had been the centre of Nunavut's largest COVID-19 outbreak and at one point had 222 cases. Nunavut's chief public health officer says in the news release that there is no evidence of community transmission, and that the risk of the virus spreading is lower now than it was in November when the territory reported its first COVID-19 case. --- 1 p.m. Public health officials in New Brunswick are reporting 17 new cases of COVID-19 in the province today. Ten of the new cases are in the Edmundston region, which will go into a lockdown first thing tomorrow. There are now 328 active cases in the province with five patients in hospital, including three in intensive care. New Brunswick has had 1,104 positive cases and 13 deaths since the pandemic began. --- 12:40 p.m. Public health officials in Newfoundland and Labrador say there are no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 to report today. The province has five active cases and one person is in hospital. There have been 398 positive cases and four deaths since the pandemic began. --- 12:30 p.m. Public health officials in Nova Scotia are reporting no new cases of COVID-19 in the province today. Nova Scotia currently has 20 active cases of the virus. Premier Stephen McNeil says Nova Scotians can be proud of the work they're doing to keep the case numbers low. The province has had 1,570 positive cases and 65 deaths since the start of the pandemic. --- 11:15 a.m. Quebec is reporting 1,685 new COVID-19 cases Saturday as daily counts continue to decline. The province is also reporting 76 new deaths attributed to COVID-19, for a total of 9,437 since the onset of the pandemic. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 dropped by 43, to 1,383. --- 11 a.m. Ontario is reporting 2,359 new cases of COVID-19 today and 52 more deaths related to the virus. The numbers mark a slight decline from the 2,662 cases recorded a day ago. Meanwhile the province says it plans to expand an inspection blitz of big-box stores to ensure they're complying with protocols meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. The Ministry of Labour says inspection efforts focused on the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas last weekend, but will concentrate on Ottawa, Windsor, Niagara and Durham Regions over the next two days. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2021. The Canadian Press
For two Virginia police officers who posed for a photo during the deadly U.S. Capitol insurrection, the reckoning has been swift and public: They were identified, charged with crimes and arrested. But for five Seattle officers the outcome is less clear. Their identities still secret, two are on leave and three continue to work while a police watchdog investigates whether their actions in the nation's capital on Jan. 6 crossed the line from protected political speech to lawbreaking. The contrasting cases highlight the dilemma faced by police departments nationwide as they review the behaviour of dozens of officers who were in Washington the day of the riot by supporters of President Donald Trump. Officials and experts agree that officers who were involved in the melee should be fired and charged for their role. But what about those officers who attended only the Trump rally before the riot? How does a department balance an officer's free speech rights with the blow to public trust that comes from the attendance of law enforcement at an event with far-right militants and white nationalists who went on to assault the seat of American democracy? An Associated Press survey of law enforcement agencies nationwide found that at least 31 officers in 12 states are being scrutinized by their supervisors for their behaviour in the District of Columbia or face criminal charges for participating in the riot. Officials are looking into whether the officers violated any laws or policies or participated in the violence while in Washington. A Capitol Police officer died after he was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher as rioters descended on the building and many other officers were injured. A woman was shot to death by Capitol Police and three other people died after medical emergencies during the chaos. Most of the officers have not been publicly identified; only a few have been charged. Some were identified by online sleuths. Others were reported by their colleagues or turned themselves in. They come from some of the country’s largest cities — three Los Angeles officers and a sheriff’s deputy, for instance — as well as state agencies and a Pennsylvania police department with nine officers. Among them are an Oklahoma sheriff and New Hampshire police chief who have acknowledged being at the rally, but denied entering the Capitol or breaking the law. “If they were off-duty, it’s totally free speech,” said Will Aitchison, a lawyer in Portland, Oregon, who represents law enforcement officers. “People have the right to express their political views regardless of who’s standing next to them. You just don’t get guilt by association.” But Ayesha Bell Hardaway, a professor at Case Western Reserve University law school, said an officer’s presence at the rally creates a credibility issue as law enforcement agencies work to repair community trust, especially after last summer's of protests against police brutality sparked by the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Communities will question the integrity of officers who attended the rally along with “individuals who proudly profess racist and divisive viewpoints,” she said. “It calls into question whether those officers are interested in engaging in policing in a way that builds trust and legitimacy in all communities, including communities of colour.” In Rocky Mount, a Virginia town of about 1,000, Sgt. Thomas Robertson and Officer Jacob Fracker were suspended without pay and face criminal charges after posting a photo of themselves inside the Capitol during the riot. According to court records, Robertson wrote on social media that the “Left are just mad because we actually attacked the government who is the problem … The right IN ONE DAY took the f(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk)(asterisk) U.S. Capitol. Keep poking us.” Attempts to contact the pair were unsuccessful and court records do not list lawyers. Leaders in Rocky Mount declined to be interviewed. In a statement, they said the events at the Capitol were tragic. “We stand with and add our support to those who have denounced the violence and illegal activity that took place that day,” said Police Chief Ken Criner, Capt. Mark Lovern and Town Manager James Ervin. “Our town and our police department absolutely does not condone illegal or unethical behaviour by anyone, including our officers and staff.” On the other side of the county, five Seattle officers are under investigation by the city’s Office of Police Accountability. Two officers posted photos of themselves on social media while in the district and officials are investigating to determine where they were and what they were doing. Three others told supervisors that they went to Washington for the events and are being investigated for what they did while there. Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said his department supports officers’ freedom of speech and that those who were in the nation's capital will be fired if they “were directly involved in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.” But police leaders need to evaluate more than just clear criminal behaviour, according to Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a policing research and policy group. They must also consider how their actions affect the department credibility, he said. Officers' First Amendment rights “don’t extend to expressing words that may be violent or maybe express some prejudice,” Wexler said, “because that’s going to reflect on what they do when they’re working, when they’re testifying in court.” Through the summer and fall, Seattle police — along with officers elsewhere — came under criticism for their handling of mass protests against police brutality following the death of George Floyd. The city received more than 19,000 complaints against officers, most for excessive use of force and improper use of pepper spray. Andrew Myerberg, director of the Seattle Office of Police Accountability, said none of the officers now under investigation were involved in those cases. But Sakara Remmu, cofounder of Black Lives Matter Seattle/King County, said the officers should be fired regardless. Their public declarations of solidarity with Trump fosters not just community distrust, but terror of the entire department, she said. “It absolutely does matter when the decorum of racial peace cracks and racial hatred comes through, because we already have a documented history and legacy of what that means in this country,” Remmu said. In Houston, the police chief decried an officer who resigned and was later charged in the riot. A lawyer for Officer Tam Pham said the 18-year veteran of the force "very much regrets” being at the rally and was “deeply remorseful.” But many chiefs have said their officers committed no crimes. “The Arkansas State Police respects the rights and freedom of an employee to use their leave time as the employee may choose,” department spokesman Bill Sadler said of two officers who attended the Trump rally. Malik Aziz, the former chair and executive director of the National Black Police Association, compared condemning all officers who were in Washington to tarring all the protesters who took to streets after the killing of George Floyd with the violent and destructive acts of some. A major with the Dallas Police Department, Aziz said police acting privately have the same rights as other Americans, but that knowingly going to a bigoted event should be disqualifying for an officer. “There’s no place in law enforcement for that individual,” Aziz said. Martha Bellisle And Jake Bleiberg, The Associated Press
BIRMINGHAM, England — Aston Villa returned to winning ways and climbed into the top 10 of the Premier League with a 2-0 victory against Newcastle on Saturday. Club-record signing Ollie Watkins scored for the first time in 10 matches to set Villa on its way to all three points with a 13th-minute strike, before Bertrand Traore doubled the lead shortly before halftime. Villa boss Dean Smith watched from the stands as he served a one-match touchline ban after he was charged by the FA for using abusive and/or insulting language towards referee Jon Moss during the defeat at Manchester City. He will have been pleased with what he saw as Villa moved up to eighth in the table. For Newcastle, the downward spiral continued and Steve Bruce’s team has dropped to 16th spot after a sixth defeat in a eight-match winless run in the league. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports The Associated Press
An effort to shake off some homesickness led Adam DuBourdieu to mix pop culture and provincial politics — namely, taking politicians involved in this election and matching them with their visual counterparts on "The Simpsons." Originally from Kippens on the province’s west coast, DuBourdieu, 30, moved to Edmonton, Alta., just before the COVID-19 pandemic set in. As with many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, he experienced homesickness in the months that followed the move. A keen follower of local politics when living in the province, DuBourdieu set about combatting his traveller’s lament by having some fun with the upcoming provincial election. Combining his love for "The Simpsons" and politics, he matched the politicians running in the election with the Simpsons character he saw as their cartoon counterparts. “I always loved watching 'The Simpsons,'” DuBourdieu. “I watched it with my dad.” Some matchups were tough, while others were easy fits, such as the NDP’s Jim Dinn, a former schoolteacher, and his match with Principal Skinner. "You can't take yourself too seriously. Being a teacher, that's par for the course," Dinn said of that character match. Dinn has seen the rather large social media thread containing the pictures. He said that as a teacher, he learned long ago that you have to have a sense of humour, and it's a lesson he's taken with him to politics. Seeing the thread, he took it in good fun. He said it could be worse. It could turn into a meme like a recent picture of United States Senator Bernie Sanders. "Let's have a laugh with it," said Dinn. "It's a good thing. It's a bit of good fun." The result was a 47-part thread on Twitter filled with pictures of the politicians and their characters side by side. It is a mixture of retiring MHAs, incumbents and party leaders of all political stripes. "The Simpsons" and politics have a bit of history. Across its 32 seasons, the show has mixed humour and politics. The show seemingly predicted the start of the United States presidency of Donald J. Trump, and the Lisa Simpson presidency that followed him. Coincidentally, Torngat Mountains MHA Lela Evans is paired with the presidential Lisa. The relationship, however, between "The Simpsons" and the political arena doesn’t stop at a coincidental presidential prediction. The show has often tackled topics of the day, such as same-sex marriage and gun control, and it has often been accused of having a liberal bias. Springfield’s Mayor Quimby is a regularly appearing character, and DuBourdieu saw him as a perfect match for Conception Bay East-Bell Island incumbent David Brazil. Homer Simpson — coupled with Topsail-Paradise MHA Paul Dinn — once fought former U.S. president George H.W. Bush after the two became neighbours. Former U.S. presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Gerald Ford have also made cameo appearances on the show. DuBourdieu tabbed Ford as the right match with Mount Pearl North MHA Jim Lester. “Politics has always been in 'The Simpsons,' and Newfoundland politics has some characters,” said DuBourdieu. Harbour Grace-Port de Grave MHA Pam Parsons knew at once who voiced Bart Simpsons’ former babysitter, Laura Powers. “That’s the one where Darlene from Roseanne voiced the character. Sara Gilbert,” she said. Like other children of the ’80s and early ’90s, Parsons grew up in the early years of "The Simpsons." She saw the show move from animated shorts on "The Tracy Ullman Show" to a pop culture phenomenon on Fox. “Growing up as a child, I certainly watched 'The Simpsons.' I loved Bart Simpson. I think we all did,” said Parsons. “I even had the little toys that McDonald’s was putting out.” Parsons is one of 10 women featured in the long Twitter thread. Of the 10, nine are incumbent MHAs and their animated doppelgangers. The remaining one is Newfoundland and Labrador Lt.-Gov. Judy Foote. She was paired with Springfield Elementary second-grade teacher Mrs. Hoover. “I like that (Dubourdieu) was non-partisan,” said Parsons, who appreciated the comedic break it offered. “I got a good chuckle out of it.” The response to the sizeable thread has been favourable online. It was something that surprised DuBourdieu at first. Since it went online, there have been dozens of interactions between politicians and the public. People have marvelled at how perfect some of the comparisons are, such as independent MHA Eddie Joyce being matched with oil tycoon Rich Texan. “It is something people are familiar with,” DuBourdieu said about why he chose to use "The Simpsons" as a reference point. Liberal candidate George Murphy tweeted that he thought of himself as the lovable barfly Barney Gumble instead of Police Chief Wiggum, the character he is attached to. Other candidates, such as Progressive Conservative candidate Kristina Ennis and the NDP’s Jenn Deon, have expressed interest in being connected to their Simpsons doubles. Lake Melville NDP candidate Amy Hogan even went ahead and did her own. It was Jerri Mackleberry, the mother of notable twins Sherri and Terri. “I think I’m probably the twins, Sherri and Terri’s mom, Jerri. It’s is the purple hair and the glasses,” Hogan tweeted. DuBourdieu pledged to do a third part of the thread if there is enough interest. In the days since it was posted, a link to the thread made its way around the Progressive Conservative email chain. “We got a good kick out of it,” said Conservative MHA Barry Petten. "You can’t help but laugh.” The Conception Bay South representative readily admitted he wasn’t much of a Simpsons watcher and had little background on Superintendent Chalmers or why he was paired with him. Still, Petten said he appreciated the work and the humour it brought to the election. “It’s all good humour,” he said. Looking back on the process and the result of his humourous entry into the Newfoundland and Labrador political scene, DuBourdieu has no regrets about piecing everything together. Some comparisons were easy, while others required a bit more thought, he said, and he learned a little along the way, namely, how male-dominated this province’s legislature is. As the province rolls toward the election on Feb. 13, DuBourdieu will watch from his home in Alberta. In the meantime, he is glad he got to contribute to the run-up in some way. “I’m glad I did it and I hope people get a good chuckle out of it,” said DuBourdieu. Nicholas Mercer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Central Voice
Jerry Fontaine believes that it is essential for the Anishinabeg to reconnect with non-colonized ways of thinking, social organization, and decision-making processes to achieve sovereignty and self-determination. The former Chief of Sagkeeng First Nation addresses this by detailing accounts of former Indigenous leaders in his first book, Our Hearts Are As One Fire. In his book, he shares the narrative of three Indigenous leaders; Obwandiac, Tecumtha and Shingwauk, during the history of Manitou Aki. “Every one of their stories is mentioned in the book. I was very careful to respect the memory of these three leaders,” said Fontaine, who is also an Assistant Professor at the University of Winnipeg’s Department of Indigenous Studies, during his book launch. “The stories that are shared here are their stories. I shared them respectfully and with great care.” Published by the UBC Press, the book tries to understand what happened during the N’swi-ishko-day-kawn Anishinabeg O’dish-ko-day-kawn, also known as the Three Fires Confederacy, from an Ojibway-Anishinabe perspective. “It (the book) is about reclaiming and reframing our history. We have talked about this for so long, that others have been telling our story,” said Fontaine. “There has been distortion and misrepresentation of our story. I think the time has come for us to tell our own stories and now, you are seeing our own people take control in terms of how our stories and knowledge is shared.” Fontaine sought after the descendants of these three leaders to recount the history of how they challenged aggressive colonial expansion. Obwandiac or Pontiac was an Indigenous leader who stood up and resisted against the British policies in the mid-1700s. Tecumtha or Tecumseh was an Indigenous warrior and orator who unified the Anishinaabe nation and fought against the destruction of their sovereign states in Canada. Shingwauk was an Anishinabe chief who fought alongside Tecumtha in 1812 as well as established the Garden River First Nation in 1850. He was also a signatory to the Robinson Huron Treaty in 1850, which has become a template to various treaties now, including Treaties One and Two that was negotiated in 1871. “I want to acknowledge Obwandiac, Tecumtha and Shingwauk’s family. I want to say Miigwetch for sharing, taking time, showing me respect and having the trust to share stories of their grandfathers,” said Fontaine. Fontaine strongly trusts that many have misrepresented and distorted the image of these leaders. Due to this, he took this opportunity to reframe the history of Manitou Aki and report how traditional leadership and governance principles can support the leaders of today and into the future. The book cover was drawn by Steve Pego, a family member of Fontaine and a former Tribal Chief of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. On the cover, a circle is drawn in red and blue to encompass a drum. On top of the drum is a pipe coloured in red and black. “It (the book) is very understanding and it just takes your interest. I’m very happy to be part of this,” said Pego. Nicole Wong is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Nicole Wong, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
TORONTO — The federal government has approved an Ottawa company's made-in-Canada rapid COVID-19 test, Health Canada confirmed Saturday as the nation's top doctor warned the virus's impact on the health-care system showed no signs of abating. The test developed by Spartan Bioscience is performed by a doctor and provides on-site results within an hour, a spokeswoman for the federal agency said. Spartan bills the test as the first "truly mobile, rapid PCR test for COVID-19 for the Canadian market." "The Spartan system will be able to provide quality results to remote communities, industries and settings with limited lab access, helping relieve the burden on overwhelmed healthcare facilities," the company said in a news release Saturday. The company originally unveiled a rapid test for COVID-19 last spring but had to voluntarily recall it and perform additional studies after Health Canada expressed some reservations. At the time, Spartan said Health Canada was concerned about the "efficacy of the proprietary swab" for the testing product. The new version uses "any nasopharyngeal swab" rather than one of the company's own design, Health Canada said, and meets the agency's requirements for both safety and effectiveness. The Spartan COVID-19 System was developed through clinical evaluation completed in Canada and the U.S., with the University of Ottawa Heart Institute as one of the testing locations. The company said it has already started production on the rapid tests. The news comes as Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, warned that COVID-19 continues to strain the health-care system even as daily case counts decline in several long-standing hot spots. "As severe outcomes lag behind increased disease activity, we can expect to see ongoing heavy impacts on our healthcare system and health workforce for weeks to come," she said in a written statement. Surging new infection rates continued to show signs of easing in multiple provinces, though one jurisdiction was poised to impose new restrictions in a bid to stem the ongoing spread. Public health officials in New Brunswick reported 17 new cases across the province, 10 of which were in the Edmundston region, which was set to go into a lockdown first thing Sunday morning. Starting at midnight, non-essential travel is prohibited in and out of the area, which borders northern Maine and Quebec's Bas-St-Laurent region. The health order forces the closure of all non-essential businesses as well as schools and public spaces, including outdoor ice rinks and ski hills. All indoor and outdoor gatherings among people of different households are prohibited. Saskatchewan, meanwhile, logged 274 new cases of the virus and three new deaths, while Manitoba counted three more deaths and 216 new diagnoses. Alberta logged 573 new cases and 13 virus-related deaths in the past 24 hours, while both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador reported no new infections on Saturday. Both Quebec and Ontario reported fewer cases Saturday — 1,685 and 2,359 respectively. But officials in Ontario expressed concern about a highly contagious U.K. variant of the virus that was detected at a long-term care facility north of Toronto. Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit confirmed the variant was behind the outbreak at Roberta Place Retirement Lodge in Barrie, Ont., where 32 residents have died of COVID-19 and dozens of others have tested positive. "Stringent and consistent efforts are needed to sustain a downward trend in case counts and strongly suppress COVID-19 activity across Canada," Tam said. "This will not only prevent more tragic outcomes, but will help to ensure that new virus variants of concern do not have the opportunity to spread." Fears of variants that can circulate quickly come as the federal government considers a mandatory quarantine in hotels for travellers returning to Canada. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2021. Victoria Ahearn and Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
B.C.'s Civil Forfeiture Office has a suspected Prince George drug dealer in its sights. The office's director has filed a notice of claim seeking forfeiture of two homes in the city owned by Tyler Aaron James Gelowitz, claiming they were used to engage in unlawful activity. Gelowitz faces five counts of trafficking in a controlled substance, along with one count each of possessing a controlled substance and possessing a loaded, restricted firearm without authorization. The counts stem from an Aug. 1, 2019 arrest when Prince George RCMP's street crew unit executed search warrants on five homes, including two named in the notice at 2805 Parent Rd. and 6843 Fairmont Cres. During the searches, police seized 1.3 kilograms of cocaine, 0.5 kg of methamphetamine, 200 grams of fentanyl and 28 grams of gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB). In addition, police seized a total of nine firearms, including two pistols, a silencer and $129,000 in cash. According to B.C. Assessment, the Parent Road home is valued at $442,000 and the Fairmont Crescent home at $332,000. The office is also seeking $36,995 in cash seized by RCMP on the day of Gelowitz's arrest, as well as a satellite phone, a cellphone and a money counter. Although she faces no criminal charges, Randi Alisia Lynn Temoin is also named in the notice of claim as a co-owner of the two homes. The claim goes on to provide an account of observations made by RCMP during a series of searches, arrests and surveillance operations targeting Gelowitz and Temoin over the course of about two months leading up to the arrest. The criminal matter remains before the court with Gelowitz scheduled to appear for arraignment in February after making a first appearance in November. Even if Gelowitz is found not guilty, he and Temoin could still lose the properties, cash and items, according to a statement from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. Because it's a civil proceeding, a judge decides on a balance of probabilities, in contrast to the more stringent standard of reasonable doubt for a criminal matter. "Civil forfeiture actions do not depend on criminal charges or convictions," the statement says. "Even if a person is found not guilty of an offence or a charge is stayed, the Civil Forfeiture Office can still proceed with an action against the property associated to the unlawful activity." Defendants can appear before the court in order to tell their side of the story, the statement adds. The CFO does not initiate investigations on its own but rather relies on referrals from law enforcement agencies, which in turn are assessed on a number of factors, including the quality of the evidence, the fairness and proportionality of seeking forfeiture and the public interest in pursuing forfeiture, the statement also says. The claim was filed on Dec. 14, 2020 and after Temoin filed an application on November 17 seeking return of $26,430 and the satellite phone. Neither defendant has yet filed a response to the CFO's claim and the claims have not yet been tested in court. Mark Nielsen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Prince George Citizen
DALLAS — A 34-year-old Texas man has been arrested for allegedly taking part in the storming of the U.S. Capitol this month and posting violent threats, including a call to assassinate Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Garret Miller, who is from the Dallas suburb of Richardson, was arrested Friday after being named in a five-count federal complaint. Authorities allege that Miller posted photos and videos on his social media accounts that show him inside the Capitol during the Jan. 6 storming of the building by supporters of then-President Donald Trump. They also say he called for violence in online posts, including a tweet that simply read “Assassinate AOC,” a reference to the liberal Ocasio-Cortez. In another tweet, Miller posted: “They are right next time we bring the guns," an FBI agent wrote in an affidavit. Miller also threatened a U.S. Capitol police officer during an exchange on Instagram, writing that he planned to “hug his neck with a nice rope," the affidavit states. After posting a photo on Facebook showing him inside the Capitol, Miller responded to a comment on the picture with: “just want to incriminate myself a little lol," according to an FBI affidavit. Ocasio-Cortez on Friday posted Miller's charging documents on Twitter and then tweeted: “On one hand you have to laugh, and on the other know that the reason they were this brazen is because they thought they were going to succeed." Miller's attorney, Clint Broden, said in an email to The Associated Press that Miller regrets the actions he took “in a misguided effort to show his support for former President Trump." “His social media comments reflect very ill-considered political hyperbole in very divided times and will certainly not be repeated in the future," Broden said. “He looks forward to putting all of this behind him." Miller is scheduled for a detention hearing on Monday. “We are hopeful that, given his family support and regret for his actions, he will be released so that he can resolve the charges against him in a timely fashion," Broden said. The Associated Press
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions hired Aaron Glenn to be their defensive co-ordinator. The Lions announced the move Saturday. Glenn joins new coach Dan Campbell's staff after spending the past five seasons as the secondary coach for the New Orleans Saints. Before his tenure in New Orleans, Glenn was an assistant defensive backs coach for the Cleveland Browns. He also worked as a personnel scout for the New York Jets for two seasons. Glenn was a three-time Pro Bowler as a player and played in 205 games in 15 years for the Jets, Texans, Cowboys, Jaguars and Saints. ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL The Associated Press
An Ontario doctor who caught the coronavirus variant is no longer on the medical team at two nursing homes east of Toronto, after it was revealed this week that she's been charged with obstruction for allegedly misleading health officials about her contacts. Dr. Martina Weir was an attending physician at Fairview Lodge in Whitby, Ont., and Hillsdale Terraces in Oshawa, Ont., long-term care homes run by the Durham Region municipal government. A spokesperson confirmed by email on Saturday that Weir "is no longer working as an attending physician at any of Durham Region's long-term care homes." Weir's status at the homes was suspended earlier this week and her contract was put under review, after CBC News revealed she has been charged with three provincial offences alleging she hindered COVID-19 contact-tracing efforts. Two of the charges under Ontario's Health Protection and Promotion Act against Weir allege she provided inaccurate information about her contacts both before and after it was discovered, by fluke, that she and her husband had caught the highly contagious variant of the coronavirus first detected in the United Kingdom. The third charge alleges she committed obstruction by giving false information to Durham Region's associate medical officer of health. Her husband, Brian Weir, who works in administration for Toronto Paramedic Services as a senior scheduler, has also been charged with three similar counts. The non-criminal charges, which carry a maximum penalty of $5,000 each, have not been tested in court. Weir and her husband said through their respective lawyers earlier this week that they are not guilty and will "vigorously defend" themselves. Their case first came to public attention on Boxing Day when Ontario's Ministry of Health put out a statement that a then-unnamed Durham Region couple had tested positive for the coronavirus variant first reported in the U.K. The Health Ministry said at the time that they had "no known travel history, exposure or high-risk contacts." But a day later, the ministry issued a second statement alleging the couple had withheld information. "Additional investigation and follow-up case and contact management has revealed that the couple had, indeed, been in contact with a recent traveller from the U.K., which is new information not provided in earlier interviews," the ministry said on Dec. 27. CBC News has learned that a close family member who lives in Britain flew to Canada in mid-December to spend time over the holidays at the Weirs' home. 'Protocols were followed' The two nursing homes where Weir worked have made it clear that "there are no concerns about risk to residents related to this matter," because Weir wasn't on site after Dec. 11 — well before she is believed to have tested positive for COVID-19. Weir also has staff privileges at three hospitals in Durham Region. Lakeridge Health, which operates the hospitals, said on Thursday that Weir didn't enter any hospital facilities, work or care for patients during the month of December. "All COVID-19 prevention protocols were followed to ensure the safety of our team and our patients," Lakeridge Health said in a statement. CBC News also has no information that Weir's husband went to work and put anyone at risk at his workplace.
A 97-year-old woman in Montreal may be the first person in Quebec to receive a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, albeit accidentally. Two weeks after receiving the Moderna vaccine, Antonietta Pollice was given a dose of the Pfizer-Bio-NTech vaccine, said her daughter, Patrizia Di Biase. Pollice, who has dementia, did not understand what vaccine she was receiving, Di Biase said. The mix-up has left the daughter livid. "Shocked. I was upset," she said. "How can that happen? 'Mistakes happen,' well, it's not a small mistake." Di Biase said Pollice received a dose of the Moderna vaccine on Jan. 7 at CHSLD Herron. With the owners of the private seniors' home deciding to close the facility, Pollice was transferred temporarily to CHSLD Joseph-François-Perrault on Jan. 11. Di Biase said staff at the CHSLD called her on Friday to inform her that Pollice had accidentally been given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. She says she was in shock and had staff repeat the information twice before she hung up because she couldn't process the news. "It's unacceptable. They have to do something about it," Di Biase said. "I don't want this to happen again. It's happened now, we can't go back for my mom, but we need to go forward and have everybody know." Quebec Premier François Legault made the decision earlier this month to delay all second doses of the vaccine in favour of inoculating more people with a first dose instead. The government has said that everyone who received the first dose so far will get the second after 90 days. Di Biase said she has reached out to Quebec Public Health seeking answers. A spokesperson for the regional health authority in charge of CHSLD Joseph-François-Perrault said the situation has been brought to its attention and it is currently investigating. The CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal wouldn't give further details, citing confidentiality. But spokesperson Valérie Lafleur said that if this happened, a rigorous review would be put in place involving the medical team, public health and a team from infection prevention and control. Mixing COVID-19 vaccines Most concerning to Di Biase is the effect of inoculating her mother with two different vaccines. The Public Health Agency of Canada says Canadians should receive the same COVID-19 vaccine for both shots — except in very specific and unlikely situations. According to the public health agency's recommendations on the use of the vaccine, "no data exist on the interchangeability of COVID-19 vaccines." Both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Public Health England share those same recommendations. Infectious disease specialist and microbiologist Dr. Donald Vinh, who is also an adviser to the federal government's COVID-19 task force, said each individual's situation is different but that the jury is still out on mixing vaccines. "The short answer is that we don't know anything," he said. "There is no data to determine whether or not that's efficacious. There is simply an experience, or more of a gut feeling, among people who have vaccine and immunology experience that it is probably acceptable to use different mRNA-based vaccines." WATCH | Montreal woman says vaccine mix-up 'not a small mistake': Jörg Fritz, an associate professor in the department of microbiology and immunology at McGill University in Montreal, agrees. Still, despite the lack of data, he said mixing the two vaccines should not be immediate cause for alarm. "I wouldn't be too worried because both vaccines were approved, they went through rigorous testing," Fritz said. "It shouldn't happen, a mix-up like that, but I don't think it'll have any negative consequences. There is no scientific reason to believe there are any negative consequences."
A photo of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders from Wednesday's U.S. presidential inauguration has been not just a huge internet hit, but also a form of advertisement for a Saskatchewan businesswoman. Memes featuring a masked, cross-armed and mitten-wearing Sanders have been floating around social media sites, showing Sanders Photoshopped into a wide range of settings — ice fishing, sitting with the Golden Girls, and also spending time with Karen Boldt from Hepburn, Sask. She makes felted wool mittens from recycled sweaters, and Sanders's distinctive mittens have created a big interest in her business, Something from Nothing Mittens. "I have been getting messages pretty much non-stop since then," Boldt said in an interview with CBC Saskatchewan's The Afternoon Edition. While she is not the creator of Sanders's famous mittens, she and her assistant have designed similar-looking pairs. "One particular pair I actually happened to make last week," said Boldt. "I posted them and I think within 30 minutes they sold, and I had orders for other ones with that same fabric." The Saskatchewan businesswoman has been making mittens from thrifted wool sweaters since 2009. Usually she and her assistant create between 500 and 600 pairs per year, Boldt said. LISTEN | As It Happens finds out how Bernie Sanders got his now-famous mittens: Since the Bernie Sanders meme went viral, Boldt has received orders from inside and outside the province, including Michigan, Maryland and Calgary. The current spike in interest is special for Boldt, with business usually slowing down for her after Christmas. "I credit that to Bernie," she said, who has "brought the spotlight on" mitten makers.
The federal government is providing Ontario with some much-needed support in the fight against COVID-19. Ottawa is deploying two mobile health units – an additional 200 beds – to the Greater Toronto Area. The assistance comes as the province grapples with the growing strain on its hospital system. Morganne Campbell has more in this report.
VANCOUVER — Several Metro Vancouver taxi companies have lost a court bid to quash the approvals of ride-hailing operators Uber and Lyft in British Columbia. Nine cab companies filed a petition asking the B.C. Supreme Court to overturn the decisions of the provincial Passenger Transportation Board that allowed the two major ride-hailing providers to operate. The cab companies argued that the board's decisions were "patently unreasonable," because they allowed Uber and Lyft an unlimited fleet size while the number of taxis is capped. The companies, including Yellow Cab and Black Top Cabs, claimed that the board failed to consider whether there was a public need for an unlimited number of ride-hailing cars in the province. The board also did not consider whether granting unlimited licences to Uber and Lyft would promote "sound economic conditions" in the passenger transportation business in B.C., the cab companies argued. The cab companies said that the board had extensive evidence before it describing the economic harm suffered by taxi operators in other jurisdictions as a result of allowing unlimited ride-hailing. However, Justice Sandra Wilkinson said in a written ruling this week that the board carefully considered fleet size and decided not to limit ride-hailing cars at this time, but left the issue open for future review. "In each of the decisions, the board devotes numerous paragraphs to discussing whether an indeterminate fleet size will promote sound economic conditions in the passenger transportation industry," she wrote in the decision dated Jan. 20. "This is not a deferral of a decision or a failure to consider the issue of fleet size. I would go so far as to say that the board made a very common sense decision in the circumstances." The board's decisions were made one year ago, on Jan. 23, 2020. Wilkinson added there is nothing in the board's decisions that is "obviously untenable" or "clearly irrational," and therefore they cannot be considered "patently unreasonable." She dismissed the petition and granted costs to Uber and Lyft. The B.C. Taxi Association, Yellow Cab and Black Top Cabs did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the ruling. Uber said in a statement that the ruling of the justice is clear and speaks for itself. "Uber is excited to be celebrating one year in Metro Vancouver this weekend, and looks forward to making the app available in more communities in 2021," it said. Lyft said it is encouraged by the court's decision and looks forward to continuing to provide drivers and riders access to its platform in Metro Vancouver. "Navigating the pandemic has made it clear that Lyft helps connect individuals with essential needs and we're committed to continuing to provide that service," it said in a statement. The arrival of ride-hailing in Metro Vancouver early last year, long after it was already common in many other Canadian cities, was contentious. The provincial government has said it spent two years developing legislation and regulations in advance of ride-hailing licences being approved by the Passenger Transportation Board. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2021. Laura Dhillon Kane, The Canadian Press
Thompson Families can now document the memories they made at home during the COVID-19 pandemic using time capsules offered for free by Kiddies Northern Preschool. The time capsule allows families to reflect on their 2020 and how the year has affected them in regards to connections and celebrations. All families in Thompson are eligible to receive the time capsule kits consisting of a notebook, pencils, crayons and a glue stick. “Knowing that families need to stay at home, I believe a lot of families are running out of ideas. This is an opportunity for them to do something outside their regular activities,” said Lynn Martin, the Director of Kiddies Northern Preschool on Wednesday. “Our ultimate goal is to get families together and get them talking. This can help younger and older children cope with the stresses that COVID-19 has brought on and look back from the future to see how they came through this trying time.” Families living in Thompson can put anything they want in their notebooks, whether it be photos, drawings or writings about how they have lived throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. This initiative was made possible due to the Manitoba Safe at Home grant that provided the preschool with $7,000 to purchase supplies for families across the city. The grant encourages families to spend more time at home to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by funding health, education and entertainment programming. Initially, the preschool wanted to plan something for families during the Christmas holidays when they thought about time capsules. They wanted to send the kits to families over the winter break, but some supplies did not come in time so the preschool decided that it would be best to deliver the supplies in January. About 600 kits were sent to Burntwood Elementary, Deerwood School and Wapanohk Community School. These schools will distribute the kits to families who are willing to participate. Another seven hundred will be distributed to the remaining schools around Thompson by the end of January. For those who are homeschooling their children or who are not affiliated with these schools but like to participate, they can reach out to the preschool at 204-778-7739, and arrangements will be made to deliver the time capsule kits. By the end of February, families would need to return their notebooks to their schools or drop them off in a bucket outside the preschool. The notebooks will then be sealed in a Rubbermaid tote and kept in a classroom at the preschool for approximately a decade. The rest of the supplies they received in the kits are for them to keep. Each family was told to write their names and current address so that they would be able to identify their notebooks in the future. “Through Facebook, we have seen a lot of comments about what an excellent idea this is. We have received one book back so far, and they did an amazing job,” said Martin. “There was so much detail in there; you could tell the family was invested in doing this with their child, which is exactly what we wanted to see.” Martin hopes the preschool can have a big community party for families who participated in January of 2030 and look back at the memories made in their past. Nicole Wong is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Nicole Wong, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
PARIS — Improving Monaco beat Marseille 3-1 in the French league on Saturday for a fifth win in six games, while the struggling visitors slipped to a fourth straight defeat despite taking an early lead. After defender Guillermo Maripan equalized for Monaco, midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni headed in the second goal and forward Stevan Jovetic thumped in a superb angled free kick in the last minute to complete what ended up as a comfortable win. Fourth-place Monaco moved one point behind third-place Lyon, which plays on Sunday, while Marseille remains in sixth spot. Arkadiusz Milik started on the bench for Marseille after joining on loan from Italian club Napoli. The Poland striker, who signed an 18-month deal late Thursday night, scored 48 goals in four seasons for Napoli but had not featured for the Italian club during this campaign. Marseille took a deserved lead in the 11th minute when winger Nemanja Radonjic chased a long ball out of defence, sprinted clear down the left flank and finished confidently from close range. For much of the first half Marseille looked the better side, but familiar frailties resurfaced. Maripan headed in the equalizer from a corner just after the break, with Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda rooted to the spot as the ball sailed into the top corner. Milik replaced the ineffective Dario Benedetto on the hour mark, and Marseille coach Andre Villas-Boas brought on playmaker Dimitri Payet and forward Valere Germain shortly after. But Villas-Boas may have been better off securing things at the back. Terrible defending cost Marseille again, this time as Tchouameni was completely unmarked when heading Aleksandr Golovin's corner from the left past the stranded Mandanda in the 74th. SCORER LIMPS OFF Youcef Atal paid the price for scoring for Nice in a 1-0 win at Lens, limping off injured with a hamstring injury moments after his goal. The speedy winger netted in the 49th minute when he cut inside the penalty area from the right and finished smartly with his left foot. The win moved Nice one place up to 13th, while Lens was in seventh spot ahead of Sunday's games. SUNDAY'S ACTION Second-place Lille needs to win at fifth-place Rennes on Sunday to move level on points with leader Paris Saint-Germain, which has a much better goal difference. Lyon travels to local rival Saint-Etienne, which is missing several players because of the coronavirus. Also, Raymond Domenech looks for his first win as Nantes coach away to midtable Metz. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Jerome Pugmire, The Associated Press
